Cotty's O'Lapis

*insert Irish dancing music here* heck, I don't know what to say... I just figured this was a good name for them!

Well it could have something to do with the designer ;) Hey, btw, aren't these nice colors?



ooh not too bad huh ;) Taking sock pictures at twilight is a lot easier than during the day around here.


And a toe pic for you know who, it's all her fault we like them!


Yeah, I knit another pair of them :) What can I say but this is a great pattern to have no pooling with. Perfect for those variegated yarns. While most of the BMFA yarns do stripe like this, some don't.

Cotty Socks by Irishgirlieknits
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock Candy in Lapis Colorway, that was a gift from Cpurl17 eons ago!
US 1.5 (2.5mm) Magic looped
Started July 1, 2009 and frogged. You see I figured this yarn to be sportweight, so I had only brought a 2.75 mm on vacation with me, and I was knitting the SW sock size...um..nope, it's not a SW yarn. Had to wait until I got home to restart.
Finished September 29, 2009

Don't run to the link above to find this colorway should you like it in Sock Candy (it is still around in other fibers unless it's on vacation). It is no longer dyed in variegated colors, only solids. It comes in 2 separate skeins, you can see a slight variation in each sock, but I'm fine with it, I'm just happy for no pooling! :) Sock Candy is 96% cotton and 4% elite, similar to elastic. It is quite different than knitting with Cascade Fixation though. It could be that I knit this yarn with smaller needles then I do with the fixation. So between these and the twin Boheme's, I need a cotton yarn break!

The yarn itself is very soft and smooth to knit, can be a bit splitty, but not too bad. You'll be seeing more in the future as I have about 4 pairs of socks worth from gifts and destashes. They are comfy on so far. Actually perfect for the weather around here, I'll let you know as I'm wearing them to work today :)

Sleeping Friends

I was on the computer last nite, then went to my studio for something and spotted this.


Sapphire curled in a ball in her favorite chair. Belle on her favorite carpet. We got Belle before Sapphire, and she accepted her from the start. Even when the claws come out, Belle just kinda takes it in stride.



Of course on the 2nd picture I get the stare...like why are you taking our picture...

Grawk.....

What does that word mean....

Well to the dyer's at Blue Moon Fiber Arts it means "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!"

Does it define me in any way....maybe a wee bit. I like to play tricks, who doesn't like attention, and I've been known to be loud too. This yarn, however, kinda had me at Raspberries though. But geesh, had I known taking pictures of it would be such a PIA...I mighta changed my mind...
Grawk!!!

This is the 3rd and final photo shoot! It's too stinkin' hot around here and my personal photographer...well if she has to do this one more time, I think she'll throw my cameras away! Go to the link above, see the color, enjoy the color, come back and see it here ;) Maybe one day I can get better pics, but for now...here ya go!

the hmmmm look...


See, she's trying to smile look...



close up of the lace pattern


and the back...quick, scroll down, don't stay here..

the picture bites!

Buttons close up!

RosiG generously gifted me with these. I had commented on liking them when she knit her CPH 1 year ago, and I think they are perfect for the sweater.

Ok, now that you all are recovered from my horrid pictures...I guess a trip to see Cristi is needed. Maybe I can bribe pay her with a sewing lesson ;) (well my knitting pals and I may be planning a trip verrrry soon)

February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne
Started September 6, 2008
Finished September 16, 2009
Large
BMFA Socks that Rock Heavyweight--Grawk Colorway
US 8 circulars

Mods: The only real mods I made were to not knit the YO increases in the bodice section. I certainly do not need any extra attention there! I did knit the sleeves longer and tried to match the garter edging on them with the width of my button band area.

Fit: Meh... I didn't block it too severely. It did grow about 2" and most likely would grow more if it was immersion wet blocked and not steamed. I like the length so far. What I don't like as much is the bodice part, on me I mean. Maybe it's the shirt, who knows. I will wear it and try to love it more, I promise!

Musings: It took you a year to knit it??? (It is less than sportweight gauge yarn you know!!) I stopped working on this when I was awaiting what type of BC surgery I was going to have. Then I didn't feel like knitting on it for a bit. Then when I got the mojo back to do so, I had to frog the bodice 2 times...The lace pattern, once I got going on it, it went pretty good (shhh we won't talk about that 4 row tinking incident (yeah, 4 rows of over 200 sts!) that was rescued by one of my fellow knitnite pals. She...took...it...all...off...the...needles, we are talking lace and YO's!) She saved my bacon, I'd still be tinking! I was knitting on sleeve 1 when this happened.

Well travelled: yes, this baby has been to Georgia, Wisconsin, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts (extended stay), New Hampshire, and Maine.

Onward...yes, I've not given up on sweaters yet....

What's up Wednesday!

Here's what's been knitting on around here!


Colonnade Shawl in lucious Malabrigo

From the new fall Knitty.


Cotty sock 2

darned YO's...again ;) They like to be my nemesis lately.

soon to be felted Spinning Wheel Bag

with my own handspun! Hey, like that striping! Not bad for someone who had absolutely no earthly idea what she was doing!

Gotta go, lots of knitting and spinning to do!

BTW: FLS is fine :) just need a good day for a photo shoot! Fits pretty good and I look forward to the cooler weather to wear it.

Do you have to....

Kiss a Frog Prince to become....


A Frog Princess??



I bet you are all wondering why I am asking this question?



Aren't these colors just fabulous?


Frog Princess Colorway
2 ply 100% Superwash Merino
Fingering weight (yikes, please don't make me use 0's!!)

This yarn has a little story to it. Well, make that a couple of stories. The first story is how the colorway was named. It was advertised, unnamed in the Summer 2009 Interweave Knits advertisement of this dyer, and the winners with the winning name are posted here.

Another story is how I obtained it. I saw this colorway on someone's blog post during the Sock Summit. I just...well...it had me at hello (stop it, I know a lot of colors have me at hello, but what can I say, I love color ;) I figured it was one that you had to "be" there to obtain. Well, I went to
Miss Babs website and there it was, but I had to wait until it finished hanging out at Sock Summit and traveling on the train back to it's home base before I got it. Well worth it in my opinion, but I wonder what stories this well traveled skein could tell me...inquiring minds wanna know ;)

B & B

Hehe, no I haven't decided to open a B & B, although hubby is thinking about it when we retire...me, nope, I wanna be free to travel and just be.

Oh wait, what you really want to know is what I mean today ;)

A good blocking and buttons...that's all that's needed on this almost FO!



Stay tuned for pics in the next few days when the weather cooperates (as we need to go outside and rain is predicted)

I am so happy I could scream! Well, I'll be happier when it is truly finished. Now I can swatch and get ready for more sweaters...

Twins call for Twin Knitting

Well, sort of ;)

Meet Azalea


Check out her back...


Here's Violet!


with her back....


What a cute set of twins, huh?

Boheme by Allegra Wermuth, size 6 mos.
Knit in Cotton-ease, Azalea & Violet (machine washable!!)
1 skein for each. Azalea had a plum-sized ball leftover, Violet had about a quarter-sized ball leftover.
US 6 circulars-Knitpicks Zephyrs and Options, Violet finished with Clover circs
Started-July 2009 (it is a quick pattern, mine had to be put aside for a few other knits)
Finished-September 2009
Mods: I knit in garter stitch for the bottom instead of the picot bind off the pattern calls for. I did try it and liked it, but I knew it would always be flipped up, so what's the point. I knit 10 rows of garter or if you like counting in ridges...it was 5 garter ridges ;)

It's a very easy pattern, well, when you know what YF means. To me, it meant move the yarn in the front, then knit the next stitch and move it back. Um..er...not the case in this pattern. Note to self, read the legend of the pattern first, then you won't be wondering how you lost 30 stitches *facepalm* (YF is a YO in this pattern if I've lost you by now.)

You may also note I have used 3 different types of circulars. All were a size 6. I had started with the Options, then my new Zephyr tips came in. (I ordered a few sizes to try out) The Zephyrs were perfect and pointy and more flexible then the Options could ever be. The CE went so slick and smooth while knitting along. So Azalea was finished in no time. Then it was Violet's turn. Again with the Zephyrs, until it just seemed this skein was squeaking and driving me crazy. So back to the my old favorites, bamboo. Violet was done in no time :) I often have to switch needle types...you know that internal heater...sigh...

Off they go in the mail to their new home where Momma can dress them, almost matching ;)

FF-The read the small print version

I first saw this colorway on a destash page. Sadly it was already sold. So I stalked the etsy site until I found it again...in the already sold section.

But you see, I read the fine print on the sold page and saw the seller had more available, so contact was made.

Then fiber arrived, very quickly I might add.

Purples, greens, and browns!


You see the blue here...it's really not that blue, more purple which you can see on the original sale page link below. I tried many pictures to capture it, with no success. This is in daylight too. But who cares, I still love it.

I am a wee bit nervous as it is a superwash roving. Superwash = very, very slick spinning. I've been spinning some samples in superwash and trying to get the twist just so has been a bit trying. I know I'm not ready for my silky and bamboo blended fibers yet. I need more practice on the BFL's, combed merino tops, and some Falkland fibers. They won't jump out of my hands when they are in front of the wheel.


GUINEVERE
100% Superwash Bluefaced Leicester Roving
8 ounces
Repetitive Stripe Patterning
FreckleFaceFibers

A little bit more time at the wheel, and I hope to be spinning this soon! 8 oz, hmmm maybe more singles. I did love spinning them.

Topdown almost complete

Yes, you see 3 top down sweaters here.

the top tiny two are missing buttons. Sadly, the cute little rabbit ones I got won't work. Why, well the top buttonhole is too close to the top edge and I'm afraid the wee ears of the bunny will cut into the baby's neck. So, FO post for those will be when I find some replacements.


And this one.....

sooo close!! I must finish this weekend. I want to, as I won't allow any swatching of my future sweaters until it's done. Figures, this is the sweater that I have buttons that'll fit perfectly too ;)

Are you ready for some handspun?

Well, when one's bobbins are full, one must take the plunge and do something besides look at them.



These 2 lucky bobbins got picked. I knew they were going to be singles anyways when I spun them.

I had a hard time adjusting my wheel to take in the fiber, and it was my first time trying not to spin too thin as well. I recently added a polycord turbo drive band and am using it as a single drive. I think it stretched too much and thus the problems I had with this roving. However, hubs helped me burn my fingers fix it a bit tighter so hoping I'm ok for now.

Remember this pencil roving, well it was double stranded and I think I really should have split it, it would have easier to draft, but hey, you gotta learn from your mistakes.

So I perservered and here's your "coin" shot on the niddy noddy.


And a close up

Not too shabby!

Well until they were removed from the NN. Um..can you say...

Highly energized singles! I had a laugh though, my first art yarn??

So before I hung them up to dry I fulled them, to make them look more like Lamb's pride singles. I learned how to full the singles here. I thwacked and stretched and hoped for a good turn out.

I don't think it looks too bad!


Close up


and exactly 10wpi

Cute wpi tool huh! You can find them here


Pansy Majestic
3-1/4oz BFL pencil roving from the FiberDenn

Yep, I'm copying how you post your handpun, Shannon ;)

The Skeleton Crew

What's that you ask?

Well, some of you already know I work in X-ray, and yes, we know the entire skeleton as we take pictures of it's many parts.



Myself and a bunch of co-workers have decided to walk in the Relay for Life . Thus the name of our team ;)

It is my first time and I know it will be an emotional time, but something that I want and need to do.

Emotional why....well I am a 1 year survivor of breast cancer and hubby is a 4 year survivor. I also have an Aunt and Uncle who are survivors.

I'll be walking in remembrance of my Mother and Grandparents, who are dearly missed every day.

I'm walking for friends and patients. I take care of patients in various stages of cancer treatment, so I'm exposed to it's existance, and effects every day.

My post here today is not for you to feel sorry for me, or to depress you. Just to share with you.

I put the links in to My Page and the Skeleton Crew! page so you can see our progress.

Where we'll be on October 9th and 10th. Please feel free to donate if you can. If you cannot, I totally understand. :) Send me good vibes for a nice cool and breezy day to walk and knit!

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday!