YPF - The Knitty Version

If I had never found Knitty and the Coffeeshop, well I wouldn't be here, online I mean ;) Until I had found Knitty, I was alone in my knitting, had no stash, and not a lot of friends that knit, or many cool, hip, free patterns. I had no clue what a fiber festival was and heck, what tink meant! Let alone a blog...I kept thinking everyone was talking about a bog??

It's been 3 years and I have friends all over the world, um..er..a stash, and more knowledge and ways to get even more and been to a fiber festival ;)

Amy Singer, is the founder of Knitty, (in case you didn't know) and when I saw her colorway next in line for the Color Commentary for Lorna's Laces I caved. I was trying to be good.


Color Commentary Series
Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport from Angelika's Yarn Store (excellent service and super fast shipping and they will have the bamboo silk blend in this colorway soon too..um..yikes!)

But seriously, these are my colors!!! I couldn't help it!

"Her inspiration was her office full of gorgeous old office equipment and furniture. Lorna's Laces worked with images of a charcoal desk, steel grey filing cabinets, a card catalog that was grey with the slightest hint of violet....and a light blue princess phone."


Many pictures were taken to try to show these colors!

Yum or what.. (I realize this colorway may not excite everyone, but hey, doesn't take much to make me happy ;)

I fear some socks may not be finished so I can knit with this ASAP!

Thank you Amy for Knitty, and for this colorway!

It's a bit rainy and gray outside today....

So I thought I'd share a bit o'sunshine and some pictures from our trip to Maine in August


Hubby's cousin's wife's organic garden. These are echinacea (or purple coneflowers) she grows.


These flowers cross the entire garden and are so lovely!


This is a view of only 1/2 of her garden. Right behind me is the echinacea row. She gets paid for providing organic veggies to a senior citizens home nearby. She also has a little farm stand in the front of her house to sell whatever doesn't get delivered or sold at the local farmers marker. Perfect way to spend the summer as she is a teacher during the school year. One day..I'll try this...


College man is batting away the mosquitos, the girl is trying to like a donkey.



Here are the other 2. Don't know their names though.

As you can see, she has absolutely no interest in going inside the barn to feed the donkeys.



They also have chickens and sell the eggs.

She's made nice beds for them to lay eggs in, but somehow they enjoy hanging out in the rafters. I don't think I'd step foot inside without a hat on though! ;)


Chickens on the road. These are such pretty chickens too, all different kinds. Hubby wants chickens when we retire. I told him for eggs only. I don't think I could raise them, then...well..you know... see them on my table later.


Finally caught one of the many pretty butterflies that were all around these flowers.

Have a great Thursday!

Eeeek Wednesday!

Well, it sure was for me anyways! Seems like it's in the air. You know, cables doing what they want, when they want, and how they want.

Oh..wait, we put them cables in don't we..hmmm! Well before I confuse you any longer I present my WIP I've been concentrating on the most this past week! Mr. Lipstickjeans

Here I was, knitting along and feeling very positive about finishing it soon..(realistically, a week or so maybe) I was finishing a skein of yarn and was going to start working on my sleeve I had started...(lemme explain this)

I taught a Magic Loop class on Saturday and I wanted to show them how you can use ML for different things other than socks. So, I started the sleeve on Mr. LSJ. Well, you know it can be a PIA to have a sweater that's growing in length and 2 cakes o'yarn going, so I decided when I ran out of yarn in the body, to just finish the sleeve. (class went very well, thank you for asking ;)

I was excited...the yarn was about gone, and I was knitting a cabled row on the pattern, and about halfway done with the cabled section... Woot..




um..well until I saw this!

See to the right of those markers...something is missing!! And before you say, hey let it be a design feature, um...no! It is in the front and the very first cabled part next to the future ribbing.

So after I calmed down, I mean hey, it's only 2 cable twists I'm missing. I've had friends with lots more than that!

So armed with my 6" US 7 dpns (I love these!) I commenced to fixing the cables that didn't want to be twisted.

It took 3 tries as I was being a bit picky. (and the sweater is turned upside down for ease in fixing)


And ta-da! All fixed! A leetle blocking and it should be fine.

What's that cool jewelry hanging from my needle?? Huh?

Cristi's original pattern row counters. The early version, before she started selling them online. I've finally broken down and used it and it helps a lot. About time I just knit and stop having to look at the pattern. Just move the row counter;)

BTW, hehe..I meant to mention that the hat I knit in the previous post was for the September KAL for Hats, Hats, Hats on Ravelry I agree it is an "interesting" name for a hat.

The Felted Hat

Original title huh?

My first felting project in my newer front loader washing machine.

Flowers on a Grave the September KAL Hat for the Hats, Hats, Hats group on Ravelry
Lamb's Pride Worsted in Navy
Flowers knit in Lorna's Laces Worsted Mixed Berries leftovers from Meathead Hats .
US 10.5 circulars
Pre-felted 11"w x 10 1/2" tall, felted 8 1/2" w x 7 1/2 tall



Mods- none. I knit the 3 flowers with what leftovers I had. Think I'll use the pink/mauvey color from one of the Meathead hats to add 2 more to it. I don't think it's big enough for the hat.

See the brim is curled. hmmm I really wanted the smooth flat edge like the pattern shows, wonder how to do that?

A close up of the 3 knit flowers. Put on a coil less safety pin.

I do like the hat, the crown decreases were a bit of a pain as they took longer than the rest of the pattern, but it really makes the top of it so round.

As for the felting, you can still stitch defination, but it did shrink to fit. With my front loader I am finding despite the 8 pairs of jeans in there for agitation, felting Lamb's Pride yarns just don't loose the stitch defination, Patons and Cascade yarns do. I have another felted project coming up soon, and am still planning on using the Lamb's Pride. I may try to go to the laundromat and experiment there with the top loader though.

Hehe..sorry no full face shots, gah, I looked so ick in them, decided I wouldn't frighten you so early in the week LOL!

What's up Wednesday and a Warning!!

Ok, so since I'm hanging at home the rest of this week, I figured it was time to get some things done I've been meaning to for a while, in between knitting and sleeping.

First up, stitchmarkers. I have quite a few, some I've made, bought or received in swaps/gifts/orders.

I prefer for me, the ones totally formed by 1 wire (which I cannot do at all, I wish I could) or split rings.

These below don't need anything done to them, they are fine as they are.

So you can see I have a bit of retrofitting to do!

Now I'm happy, a few of the retrofitted sets.


Next up, corkboard. Your ordinary, used a coupon, corkboard from your local craft store.

After seeing Cristi's, I knew I wanted to make my own with wine corks so onward...(hehe like a year later)


Got a bag o'corks that were lying around and commenced to afixing them.


EVIL YELLOW glue gun! Hot, hot, hot!! (ask me how I know ;) note to self, get one of them low heat type ones so ya don't burn yourself!) (I know, it's cause it's yellow huh!)


Then you go into the garage to find another box o'corks you've been saving for like 2 years!!! (hubby will be so proud I've used about 1/2 of them! He's the wino, not me! hic-cup!)

Then after some gluing, cussing cause you burnt yourself...again, and careful placement,

you have a corkboard!

Another note to self. Scissors don't cut corks too well!


Ahhh now in it's place! FYI the bird is from some Charlotte peeps (you know who you are!!), the pink fabric has buttons my son hand-sewed on, and the top card.....


Well, this says it all!!


The warning!!

I got this Lucky bamboo the week I found out I had a suspicious area on my mammogram in early May. I didn't search it out, just saw it in eyekea.

Yesterday, I found out I'm finished with treatments and now it'll just be more mammograms and MRI's to monitor and ensure no recurrence.

Weird huh!

I'm thinking though, it's the replanting of this in the vase with the rocks that did it, so iffin you were going to do this...just beware and catch it sooner than I did. Not sure if it can be fixed...my black thumb is back! Or it was to last long enough to see me through these last few months...hmmm

Not much for you....

But my lucky bamboo!


Heh! Got this at eye-kea and had it in a small vase. But my friend NC Christine (hey I have a lot of friends named Christine! ;)

She helped me pick out another vase and added these small river rocks that are hiding a natural sponge. (I guess you can use any sponge) So I put the sponge in first, surrounded it by the rocks partway, stuck in the bamboo, and finished filling around it to support it.

Now all I do is check the water level every few days..

Still knitting going on around here, should have a small FO in a day or so. Been a bit more tired than usual. Hoping to get more energy soon! I have a sweater to finish...or two ;)

Woot Wednesday!

ETA: Blog might be looking wonky for a while, about time to update!

Interesting title huh ;) A few reasons why I have my Woot on!

WIP Woots

Mr. Lipstickjeans - Finally could try on today! Yes, it looks a bit stretched, but remember I have 3-4 inches of ribbing for the buttonhole to do. I needed to see when I could start the cabled portion. I think I'm there! The pattern does suggest using a needle size smaller for that part. At first I wasn't going to, but I think it needs it for a bit of shaping. Any thoughts? I'm just glad to get this outta hibernation.


February Lady Sweater - almost ready for 2nd buttonhole placement. The first one was ok, hoping I get better at them.

I'd love to have both done by SAFF, not sure I will, but hey, one can hope ;)

Another Woot

An Edible Arrangement from my friend Christine arrived yesterday. What a sweetie! Thank you! Definately arrived on a meh day perfect cheering up..and not much left either ;)

Wast Woot- I'm 4 treatments away from being done with Radiation Therapy! I'll be done on Friday afternoon. Going good so far, a bit more tired than usual, but I am used to being a bit more active during the week as well and the darned antibiotics are murder on my stomach, but it could be worse!

So..that's all for Woot Wednesday...

Triple C Socks

Why Triple C?? Well, Cashmere, Cotton, and wayyy Comfy Socks!

They were supposed to be my SAM 6 August socks, but well, you know, other things kinda got in the way.


RYC Cashcotton DK in Magenta, 142 yds. Yes only 1 ball used.
US 4 KP circular Magic loop

Done toe up with 40 stitches until after the heel turn. Since I needed to add a few stitches to prevent holes after the heel, I kept them and finished with 42 stitches. Knit a 1 x 1 rib for 10 rows then sewn cast/bind off. Did I need to stay at 42 stitches. Nope, a bit loose, but they'll work.


It's magenta, but shows up more pinky here.

All that was left....dont'cha love that. I have 2 more balls of this in different shades of green and will definately use them for ankle socks. This yarn is so soft and a bit stretchy too, more than one would think from a cotton blend. Well it says it's 35% cotton, 25% polyamide, 18% angora (heh, at first I thought the cat had been near it), 13% viscose, and only 9% cashmere...hmmm I only just noticed that now. Oh well, who cares, they are soft and comfy and I likey!

Monday is going to be a tough day! Please send any good vibes my way round 9 am! Thanks!

Bumps....

Purl bumps, how does one count the stitches? You know as in for my gauge swatch. I think this is the first time I've ever done a garter gauge swatch. As we all know I don't swatch for hats or socks if I can help it, but for a sweater, it is needed.

As you can see, I have my handy stitch gauge from Karatstix, who made these for the Woolgirl sock club.


So, do I count both the up and down bump or just one row of either up or down bumps enclosed in my square opening. Nosy minds like me wanna know, well need to know! ;)

Well, folks, what is she swatching for?? It's the February Lady sweater .

Inspired by Carrie's, I knew I wanted one in the Raven Colorway. As you can see from the gauge swatch and from these photos, it looks very different in various lighting.

"Raspberries in pond scum drowned in black. Loud and just a wee bit obnoxious. Attention is what he craves and he will get it. From the primordial ooze, he has risen to wreak a bit of havoc. Trickster? Definitely!" colorway description courtesy of Blue Moon Fiber Arts.
STR Heavyweight in Raven Colorway Grawk

Love these colors and sorry my photos don't do it justice right now. But stay tuned to the sweater progress and we'll see how it looks.

WIP Wednesday!

Hi! It's been a whirlwind of a past few days! My only Wip I'm currently knitting is..

These ankle socks in RYC Cashcotton (gosh this yarn is soooo soft!!) I split 1 skein and as you can see on the left, got past the ankle. Have it on holders to see how many more rows I'll need, that is after I complete sock 2, which you see on the right. These were to be my August socks for SAM 6 I mean, using US 4 needles. It wasn't going to happen. DD and I had plans to finish the room changeover!

Yes, since my son is gone and will only be home for very short visits, and we do not have a large house, I claimed my DD's room as she claimed his. Although..hers now has way more shelves...hmmm how did I lose that bet!

These are early pictures, still a WIP and I plan on changing the wolf theme, but hey only so much time in the day. I think our trash people hated us today. A full trash can and 8 or so large black bags too. We're both proud we went through a lot of stuff, threw junk away and set aside a lot for donations.


YAHOO! I have a sewing corner that I don't have to tidy anymore! Just close the door and here you go! The little table to the right is for my serger, no more cramped quarters or dining room table (aww don't feel bad table, I still need you to cut stuff out!) I do need a more comfy chair to sew in and a new rug...ick, what a mess I found!


This is the bureau I stained and finished myself. I also painted those wooden knobs as you can see how many are there, um..no close ups, my painting sucks!


Boy what a fiasco this was. I was going to use an old sewing cabinet, but this metal stand wouldn't hold my daughters tv, so I kept it in here..glad I did, I needed it. Woot! 1 place for all my books and patterns!


Hey..mother of invention...my coffee table! Thereby lies my Lamb's pride stash and some Noro and a few others....see close at hand LOL! A piece of fabric hiding in the hope chest and viola a place for my drinks, remotes, yarns...etc.


But my new favorite spot! Ahhhh! The sofa/bed I got on my trip to Ikea. So happy to have that, plus it will be son's place to rest when he visits...which BTW, from what we hear, he's doing quite well! Hubby's cousin saw him on Saturday and he looked pretty good, kinda cute w/no hair. He can't call yet, still in Regiment training mode, but hopefully soon!

Have a great Wednesday!