Marigolds

So, after last night is which I made 1 60" I cord and 2 20" ones, I needed some serious rewards. At breakfast, P says to me, "Mommy, the marigold I planted for you bloomed!!!" Sure enough, the marigold he grew from seed at preschool and gave me at the Mommy Day Tea has bloomed. I'm not sure which was prettier, the blooms or the smile (but man that smile can melt me!). In honor of P's marigolds, I bring you marigold the yarn!!

The pictures are without and then with flash. The vividness of the yellow, orange, and peach is closer to the flash picture.

Itty Bitty Hats

Back home again. Well, for four days anyway. We had a lovely trip to the Cape. Beautiful weather and another nice boat trip this morning. Knitting-wise I took a little break of sorts. I decided to get some instant gratification and knit up some baby hats. I got Itty Bitty Hats from the library last week. I put in the request last December! So, here is my parade of hats!!
Standard seed stitch brim hat, size 1-2 (handdyed Lion Wool)
Adorable flower hat, size 6mo-1year (Cascade 220 pink, Lion wool cream)
Seed stitch brimmed square hat with pom poms, size 6-12 mo (as above)
Bear hat, I made two. One is newborn and one is 12 months. (Lion Wool brown)
The cutest bonnet ever (Marshmellow Bonnet). I used the summer flowers yarn dyed back a few days. In the seed stitch, the colors meld together and look BEAUTIFUL! I used the leftovers for the first hat. (handdyed lion wool)

This will be the ribbon hat (see the holes). I did this on the car ride so it still needs finishing and ribbons. Size is 3-4T. (Bernat I think denimstyle. I got this for $1 at Joanns. It is very soft)Cotton standard hat, size 6 months. Also in the car, so not yet finished! (cotton silk yarn I got from a swap, no tags).

Now that I am home, it is back to finish work on my sample knits. Then to T's vest.

A Picture is Worth, well, At Least a Few Words

Here are the pictures of some recent work.

Here is the progress on T's vest. I'm just at the armhole of the front.

I also finished a Wavy scarf, from Knitty, in pink Cascade 220. I made it thinner (24 sts I think) but nice and long. About 1 skein I think. And I have an excuse for the way I look. I just got out of the swimming pool and it is 85 degrees outside!!

And last but not least, a felted bowl. The yarn is Lopi that I dyed in a swirly purple using blue and pink dyes (overdying). I used two strands together throughout on 10s. We picked out a few little things and are going to give it to A's teacher for an end of the year gift.

Back for a bit

Hi all! I am back from our Father's day trip to the Cape. It was nice, as always. We got the boat in and out without any major issues (phew!). We went out of the Cove and had a picnic in the boat near Nauset Beach. Then, we saw a seal! The kids were thrilled! Spent the rest of the time just relaxing and hanging around. I finished up the wazy scarf, got a bunch done on the vest (up to the armholes on the front), and made the pieces for two owls using the pattern designed by Crafty alien. Pictures will be up soon of all this stuff. If you haven't seen the little critters designed by crafty alien go search etsy RIGHT NOW! They are so darn cute. I got the owl pattern from a wonderful knitty member. If they turn out well, I will have to go back and buy some of the others (especially the cats). Well, off to the pool before the afternoon rainstorm begins. I'll get those pictures up tonight or tomorrow. We are back at the Cape come Wednesday after A's LAST day in Kindergarten. WAH! I don't want her ot go to school all day. All day school just stinks!!!!!!

Summer Garden

Well, we are on our way to the Cape where we always spend Father's Day. This year we'll be putting the boat in the water for the first time this season. Let's hope it doesn't sink (which is what happened last year when Wook and my stepdad put the boat in the first time. Something to do with a plug being in the wrong hole.)

I wanted to post the other yarn I dyed. We call it Summer Garden. It is also ww wool (~160 yards).

World of Color

I realized the other day that I have never posted any of my dyeing efforts. I really enjoying dyeing yarns and I love getting my kids involved too. Until recently, they thought Kool Aid was just yarn dye. We'd walk by that section in the grocery store and they'd ask if we needed any dye!! We'd get some odd looks! I always mean to make enough to sell, but seem to fall in love and not part with (much of) it. But, I am thinking of putting some of the best ones up for sale on etsy. I dyed ~300 yards of worsted weight wool yesterday in a gradient of a beautiful teal/blue. Just lovely. I have no idea how much to ask or expect. I guess I'll see what comparable yarns sell for and go from there!

Here are yesterday's efforts. I call in tide pool:

On the knitting front, I didn't get any work done on the vest (PTO meeting last night ran late). I did finish the heart scarf. It is lovely and I promise a picture after it is heavily blocked!

Well, I found a daytime project and got though about half of it! We tried to beat the rain and go for a swim. After about 10 minutes the rain started pouring down. I gave the kids a snack and let them watch an episode of Franklin (which is a great show based on the books) while we waited for the rain to stop. So, I got 30 minutes of knitting!

What is the project you ask? The heart scarf from the special breast cancer issue of knitty. I'm knitting it is worsted weight on 8s, so it is thinner and a bit lacey (which is what I was going for). It will be about 48 inches long, maybe a bit more after it is blocked. Oh, the yarn (from a swap) is red Sugarloaf Valley Yarns which is a merino/microfiber blend. I think it will be beautiful after blocking.

Here are my answers to the latest MEME!

#1 Is it about the finished item or about the process of knitting? Some of both? Has your focus changed one direction or the other over time? Definitely both. I really enjoy the process but the product at the end is my motivation!

#2 How do you view mistakes? Do you think they give your project character? Is it important to have one, as my Aunt says, because only God is perfect? Or would you rip all the way back to row 5 of your husband's finished sweater knit on size 3 needles to eradicate a mistake no one else would notice? HaHa! I like mistakes and expect that no one but me sees mine. I will rip out obvious stuff of course. I like the story that Persian rugs have one error put there on purpose. Kinda gets it out of the way so you aren't so worried about making a mistake.

#3 Would you rather knit a project that is comfortable for your skill level, or do you prefer a challenge that requires you to figure out new things? Both! I like to alternate between a challenge and something simple. The simple ones are sort of like comfort food for knitters!!

#4 What is something you really want to make but haven't yet? What holds you back? Is it money, skill level, time, fear of the unknown or something else? Can't think of a type of project I haven't done but want to. There are MOST definitely yarns I would love to try but as a stay at home mom on a budget I just can't justify. But I deal with that by swapping or buying just a single ball of nice yarn for a small project.

Fun fun!!

A bit of Progress

Well, the camera is back to life. Turns out the memory card is dead. How does that happen? Anyway, I had the little memory card that came with the camera so I can still take a few pictures.

A bit of progress was made yesterday on T's vest. I really wish the men in my life could be smalls or mediums! But no, I'm knitting the 53.5 inch size. Yes, that is the XL. Well, at least there are no sleeves, right? I really like the way it is turning out. I'm using Cascade Ecological Yarn. It comes in huge 450 yd skeins of beautiful natural wool colors. The cables are standing out well, so I am pleased!

I got a great deal on some wool this morning while I was at Walmart buying my kids an air conditioner for their bedroom. They had 6 balls of Lion Wool in natural for $1 a piece. That is 900 yards for $6. I'm figuring it will be great to dye and make a ton of mittens and hats for the kids and for the craft sale I do in November. So much to knit!

Pooh on Technology

Well, my camera went on the fritz today, so no picture update on the vest. I've finished about 4-5 inches and it is looking really pretty (you'll ahve to trust me!).




My sample knit bag arrived safe and sound. Here is how it looked (just prior to being sent away):

Look familiar? To those visiting from knittyboard it should! It is a modified version of Unbiased. Aren't the colors just beautiful!

Well, I am off to join the troops in the swimming pool. Ah....summer!

Grumble grumble GRRR

Well, tha tank will have to wait. I got up about 2 inches before I realized I had twisted it during the joining. Now, being annoyed with the yarn (since it surely was the YARN's fault and not my own!!) I decided to cast on for the oversized caridgan I had bought some yarn for back on Mother's Day. It was SUPPOSED to give the right gauge, but unless I want a see through cardi, it wasn't happening. I was getting a relatively open 15 stiches per inch and the pattern calls for 10. Grr and double grr!!!

The saving grace was that I got a great fabric at 17 stitches per inch, exacly what I needed for the vest I was planning to make my stepdad to replace the one I made him last year. I had brought it with me to a craft show as an example, but a woman offered me $75 and I couldn't refuse (the yarn had been a find at an estate sale for $1. I'm taking 100% hadnspun at a local farm, still had the bands on. The woman who had bought it, and passed away, must have been rolling in her grave). Anyway, I cast on and knit 2 rows before bedtime. Not much progress after 2 failed attempts to start but heh, better than nothing. I am expecting 2 more projects to knit for samples any time, so the vest will probably take awhile. Here is the one I am making:

I told him not to be offended that I am making him an old man vest! Hee Hee!!

The other completed project was a sock monkey for my nephew T's 2nd birthday. The party is Saturday. My sewing machine needle broke and after running out for a new one (actually 4 so that won't happen again!) I got him finished. I just love these guys. The kits are sold at Joann's and have all the you need. They come out great and don't take very long. Here he is!!

I'll have to start a second, daytime, project since the vest is too thought-intensive for the sandbox and playground. I've been designing a cute cabled hat, so maybe I'll get that started. Wait and see!

Silk yarn

I just finished knitting my first sample project. It wasn't really different to be knitting a sample (for me anyway). Most of my projects are wither made as gifts or to sell, so my mindset was the same. I'll take a picture of the sample and (with permission) post it. It was made with recycled sari yarn. It's a beautiful yarn, though different to work with than other yarns. To me it is on the heavy side and has little give. But the sheen and the gorgeous colors make it fun to work with. I love seeing how the colors all come together in the end.

And now what!!! I have so many projects to begin! I am thinking of making myself a quick tank since the other projects are wintery and won't be useful for awhile. So, I think I'll dig out this tank pattern and give it a go with some inexpensive purple tweedy yarn I have around. It is from the summer 07 IK and was designed by Angela Hahn. Seems like a nice simple knit, done in the round from the bottom up.

But first, today I need to make a certain animal on the sewing machine for my nephew's second birthday on Saturday. I tried to start the other day and my sewing machine punished me for not using it enough by breaking the needle after less than 2 minutes. I apologized and bought it 4 new needles. Hopefully it has forgiven me! I'll post a picture tonight when it is done. Becasue it WILL be done!

Sample Knits

No pictures today. I am plugging along on my first knitting sample. Once it is finished (and I make sure it is okay!), I'll post. It is a relatively simple knit and it is looking nice. I'm half way through. The wee ones and I went to the local pond on both Thursday and Friday. So, between digging moats and cooling my feet, I got a lot done and had fun too!!!

I'm still planning what to start after the sample is done....I have a bunch of designs in the works, but I may do a few animals as a treat!