Rockin" the fairy ring

I don't know why this project is going so quickly, but it really is.
The body of the sweater is complete as well as both the sleeves. It's mostly blocked (one sleeve left to do), and ready to start with connecting the shoulders together and picking up for the hood. It's turning out beautifully and I can hardly wait to see the finished coat.

That's pretty much been all the knitting progress this week. Worked on the christmas socks yesterday for a bit while faery was drying. Thinking about lining up the next project, but I'm just not sure what to do. I'm thinking 2-color norwegian knee socks, or, making some fingerless gloves for some of my clients. I don't know if they'd wear or like them, so I'm on the fence......


I'm already loving fall back. That extra hour just seems to make all the difference.
I also thought I'd share some pics of our visitor this week.
What's that sister? Something in the front yard?













Check out the rack. Nice little 2-point. It's amazing how they adapt. We live in a pretty busy residential area, and they seem to visit a lot - right now it's for the apples that fall from the tree.

fairy ring progress

This week has been totally devoted to fairy ring knitting-wise, and I have great progress to show for it. The bottom cable and hem is done, the garter stitch "skirt" is done, the lower cabling is done and also the left front. It went very fast and I'm extremely pleased with how it's turning out. This is my first adventure into this much cabling and this many charts. Just looking at the pattern and chart detail totally intimidated me for a long time. I finally just decided to go for it, since I'd bought the yarn back in july and I want to be able to wear it this winter instead of knitting on it next summer. Next up, the right side and the back. These kind of take a while because they require a bit of concentration since they're all cabled. I'm hoping to be able to finish the body this week, and then the sleeves next week. We'll see. It IS supposed to rain most of the week, but that bodyflow and bodypump are not going to learn themselves and I need to teach them both on friday.
Good thing next weekend is "fall back" and we get an extra hour.
I think my next project is going to be some "damensocken" - nordic 2-color knee socks. I've found some great solid color sock yarn at www.simplysockyarn.com and I may have to order it.
Next week, the classes should also be up for madrona. I've never really been interested in classes before, but sock summit gave me a whole new perspective. I'll be looking at the madrona classes closely to see if there's anything that catches my eye. Sounds like they have some great teachers lined up.

books, books, books!

Like I need any more projects......
This week brought some new books, not a lot of knitting progress.
There's some goodies here. The joy of sox (thanks Pam, you enabler, you)
The enchanted sole. I pre-ordered this one back in july. I was glad I did when I saw the "alchemest" pattern. It's gorgeous. Gotta make it. Just not right now.
The latest Vogue - some good patterns here
And a Norwegian(?) mitten, sock, and hat book. There's these amazing black and white knee socks in there. Putting them on my list. Good thing it comes with an english translation. I'm addicted to colorwork after the mittens. I don't know if I do it "right", or even well, but I'm loving it.

Speaking of mittens, they're all done, thumbs and all. Everyone that's seen them thinks they're great. They were a fun, fast, knit. I love them.

The big cabled thing there is "faery ring" by Mary Scott Huff. I fell in love with this cabled sweater-coat last year at madrona. Ordered the yarn, cascade 220 doeskin heather, from WEBS last summer when it was on sale, and promptly got scared by all the cables and charts. I was looking for a new "big" project to do on a rainy day, so I dragged it all out and dug in. It's not as hard as it looks so far. We'll see what happens when I have to pick up 262 stitches and start knitting miles of cable on the body. I'd love to have it done by the next Madrona in Feb. The designer will be there again, and I can wear it and show off!
This week, more faery ring knitting, some plain socks for christmas, felting the purse, and working on the new bodypump and bodyflow, since I have to teach them soon.
It's supposed to rain....

sock summit, the gift that keeps on giving

Back in august, there was this little thing called sock summit. I took the plunge and went for the entire 4 days. I guess it's ok to say now, but I was one of the lucky ones. I got all the classes I wanted. Maybe it was just some 50th birthday mojo, maybe just good luck and a persistent husband, I don't know. When I chose my classes, I tried to focus on things that would improve my skills as a knitter. So far, that strategy is working pretty darned well. It's given me the confidence to try things I don't think I would have.

One of the classes I took was a colorwork class with Chrissy Gardiner. She's a great teacher, very patient and helpful. I did it because I wanted to make these mittens from Jorid. The ones with the dogs.
Here they are......



















I made a couple of small changes to the pattern. Since there is no special cast-on, I used an Estonian cast-on by Nancy Bush, followed by one knit row and one purl row before beginning the pattern. This cast-on is nice and stretchy. I also modified the ears on the doggie a bit. The original dog was a boston, now it's a boxer. I think it worked pretty well, don't you? Looks just like her. The second mitten is about 1/2way done, and this one still needs a thumb, but I'm pretty happy with how they're turning out.

This week I also started the second victorian christmas sock. I also need some mindless stuff to pack around with me and do between clients. Next up, I'm eyeing some sweaters. I really, really want to do "faery ring", but the charts TOTALLY intimidate me. I think I'll have to un-chart it first.
I also need to felt the purse. It's supposed to rain later in the week, so that may be my opportunity. I went to the LYS yesterday, they had a sale on, and I showed impressive restraint. All I bought was some "parakeet colored" roving to finish the needle felting on the purse.

I've been distracted by the mittens all week. Gotta get back to that christmas knitting, too.

gail, part two

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The second gail is done. I'm pretty proud of my christmas present progress.
It's all blocked and will soon be put away from meddling kitties.










The purse is also done and ready to be felted. (also a christmas present) I'll probably wait for a nice, rainy day to do that. They'll be plenty of those. Fall arrived here at EXACTLY 10 am last tuesday. One minute it was nice and sunny, the next cold, windy and rainy. Go figure.


This week brought some other goodies. A Fourth treasure of knitting (from ebay), the latest Socks that Rock kit. (love the yarn, still thinking about the pattern), and a completion of one of the victorian christmas socks. I love the victorian socks because I used several techniques that I learned at sock summit, judy's magic cast on, short row heels, and a picot edge cast off. It was really fun to put it all together in a fairly plain sock. The first one was the experimental model, so it took a lot of time and frogging. Hopefully the second one will be easier.
I'm thinking the next project will be the doggie mittens. I have a perfect brown color in the knitpicks pallette. It looks just like sister.


On friday night, we went to arts walk downtown. We were just starting to have fun, when it started pouring. Sister does NOT like to be wet, so we boogied for the car.




This was some of the best art there......

progress, purchases, and a MAJOR yard sale score!

First the progress. The North Pole christmas sock is coming along nicely, after the third try, you know, it's a charm. It kept coming out too big. I've finally figured out where the foot should end and the heel should begin, so I think it's going to work perfectly. Now it's just knit, knit, knit. It's a good, I have 10 minutes between clients project, even though it's not too stimulating.











Next, purchases, like I need more yarn. I stopped by the LYS on friday to get the 2 small needles there. Judy's magic cast on is so much easier on those kind of needles as opposed to straights. Well, they had a bunch of the zauerballs. Had to have one.
This one a a pretty cool berry color. I'm pretty sure I'm going to use it to make the shawl I saw on ravelry. Don't really care for it as socks, and I already have so many.
Speaking of socks, I'm expecting my socks that rock sept shipment any minute. I have to admit, I already peeked at some of the spoilers, and I'm sure I'm going to love it.

Now for the major score.....
I stopped by a yard sale this morning and bought a couple of knitting books for 50 cents. I pretty much always buy knitting books if I see them and they're cheap, just because. Well, and I still can't believe this one, the Alice Starmore book is a special one. It's out of print, has been for some time, will probably not ever be printed again, and it's kind of a cool book. It sells on Amazon for somewhere between $200-300. Yes, that's TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS! Not too bad for my 50 cent investment. Now, I have to think, do I want to sell it on ravelry for a couple hundred bucks, (that would buy a lot of projects), or, would I rather keep it. Tough call. I'll have to let you know, keeping it for now. Oh, by the way, the yarn was free. I really have to go to more yard sales!











We will now return you to your regularly scheduled nap.

Gail, oh my!

Gail is complete, blocked and safely put away from meddling cats.
Isn't she beautiful??
I already have a second one started. It will be a very nice christmas gift.

















This week also brought some new yarn. The 9 skeins of brown cotton are for the Botanica Medallion. I really love this vest(?), but didn't want to look like a giant doily. I saw it on someone at sock summit and it was beautiful. I think the key is to not make it in an off-white yarn, so I chose a chestnut color. Hope it will work out. The second set of brown and white are for the doggie mittens on ravelry. They're very cute and will be my first official try at colorwork. The brown in this one matches sister perfectly. That was the plan.



I'd love to show you the north pole christmas socks. One was about 90 percent done too, but I decided I didn't like the toe AT ALL, too pointy, so I ripped the whole thing out and started again. The first time the magic cast on went really smoothly, but I swear, I tried to get it to work yesterday for at least an hour and it wasn't happening. I finally gave up and cast on for the second Gail. I'll try the sock again when I feel a bit more patient. Although the socks are very plain, I'm trying to use some of the techniques I learned at sock summit. Judy's magic cast on, short row heels, and a stretchy bind off. See, sock summit just keeps on giving.
I can hardly wait for the next conference. The madrona schedule should be up soon, and I've never really considered classes there, but I'm taking a whole 'nother look at it. I'm definitely thinking about taking a class that will improve my skills and take them to another level.

This week should bring the next installment of the socks that rock sock club. I can hardly wait to see what Tina has for us this time. I've checked out her new colors and I think my credit card is weeping.

lesssons in lace

I was so inspired by all the great shawls I saw at sock summit, I decided I needed one of my own. So, here's what I've learned about lace - just this week too!
1. I cannot knit from a chart. It looks like chinese. If it's written out, I do fine, but the charts, not.
2. It pays to have the best tools. You cannot knit lace with a dull bamboo needle. Addi turbo lace, baby.
3. Lifelines.
4. Patience. Kind of goes with the lifelines.
I'm liking it though. Say hello to Gail. (rav pattern)
I'm on the 6th pattern repeat - out of 7 and booking right along. I don't think it's going to go as fast now, since it keeps growing and growing. The yarn is handmaiden sea silk, northern lights, purchased at knit-purl in portland. I already have a second one planned as a christmas present.










Also, thanks to a nice, warm shift at the farmer's market for the master gardeners yesterday, the garden socks are 99 percent done. All they need is a toe. Good thing, I think the next shipment will be this week and I also want to get started on the north pole christmas socks. Those should go quickly, though, they're going to be plain, toe-up to show off the self-striping yarn.
The felted bag is coming along, but, honestly, it's boring.

On a happy note, I got my pilates certificate yesterday. It's official. I'm certified, and, except for continuing education, finally done. WHAT will I do with my weekends??

Have I said how much I love where I live??

On friday night, we went dowtown to Harbor Days. I love where I live.....











These guys have been visiting lately. This is my front yard. Notice the spotted butt on the baby. They're all cute until they eat your flowers!










Saturday was a road trip to portland. Good car knitting on the bag strap. nothing exciting to show, though. I'm using a double knitting technique I learned at sock summit. It's making a pretty substantial strap. I think it's going to work great when it's felted and hopefully not stretch much. The bag is coming along too. I can only work on it for so long because, well, it's kind of boring.











So, in portland we made a stop by the Yarn Garden. They had the universal yarn, "north pole", how could I resist?? the top yarn is north pole victoriana. I'm thinking some plain socks, it is self-striping, and toe-up, so I can use every inch of yarn. The second yarn is handmaiden sea silk from knit-purl. I've been wanting to make a shawl ever since I saw all the really cool ones at sock summit, so I decided to tackle a "gail". After a bit of frustration and some reading on ravelry, I think I'm ready to go. Hopefully they'll be something to show soon.
It's supposed to rain hard here for the next two days. I think we'll be having a pretty lazy labor day around here.......

mindless knitting

This week has been pretty quiet. Back to almost the full normal schedule. There's still a couple of pilates clients that are mia, and my Y mat class will start back up sept 10. I can't believe it's labor day already. Where did the summer go???

Good news though, on the pilates front. I got my test scores back and I passed with flying colors! Not as high as I would like, kind of greedy, I know, but no client will ever care what my scores were, only that I'm certified. It was an 89 by the way, 85 written and 93 practical. I'll always wonder what I missed, but I'll never know. I have so much free time now that I'm not studying or watching videos constantly. Maybe yardwork? A new project?

I seem to be in between knitting projects right now. Lots of mindless knitting. I'm making a bag for my friend Amy for christmas. It's going to be a messenger bag and I'm hoping to needlefelt her studio logo on the flap. It's from some recycled yarn, not sure where it came from, it was in the stash. I do know I tried felting a swatch of it and it worked fine. Pretty mindless though, knit, knit, knit.
I also got the "Garden" socks to a pretty easy point. The heel is turned on the second one and now I'm just working on the foot, knit, knit, knit.
I'm saving it for the farmer's market next week. I'll need something to do while I sit there.


I'm trying to decide what the next project should be. I REALLY want to do the bonanica medallion from the spring vogue. After I saw it done up on someone at sock summit, it made me want to do it more. Do I NEED to buy more yarn. I also want to do a shawl. I saw some really cool ones done with one zauerball and some great pooling techniques on ravelry this week. Do I really NEED more yarn?? I'd have to order both, since my LYS doesn't have either.

We're headed off to portland for a day next week to do some errands. Maybe we'll have to make a stop at knit-purl.

how did summer get to be almost over????

Time to think about christmas present knitting already.
I will NOT be finishing gifts on christmas eve, will not, will not.......

One of the coolest things I saw at sock summit was wenat's awesome pooled scarf. It inspired me to go DIRECTLY to the blue moon booth and buy more yarn. This scarf was done in a week, using a pattern from the yarn floozies site. It doesn't pool as cleanly as hers, but I love the colors. It's Champman springs in silkie. This one's for me. There's another already on the needles for someone else, in a lovely emerald green.
















In other knitting news, one garden sock (sock club) is done. I'm planning on starting the second one this week so that I can knit the easy parts at the lacey farmer's market in a couple of weeks. If I get past the leg and turning the heel, it's pretty much mindless from there.

I think sister's still recovering from the beach. Any old pillow in a pinch!

post summit recovery

After the summit, we headed out to the oregon coast for a couple of days.
It was wonderful hanging out on the beach, even though we did get rained on a bit.
I think picking up agates on the beach is one of my favorite pastimes, right next to knitting, of course. Check out some of the cool red agates in the middle of the plate.










Now I'm starting to think of christmas gift knitting, and maybe a lace shawl. I was so inspired by all the beautiful ones at the summit. I think I must have one of my own. If I start now, I can finish it before the next summit!
The garden socks are coming right along....
pics later.

Sock Summit!! OH MY!!!

First, let me say I don't think I've had that much fun with a bunch of folks I didn't know in a long time. Secondly, let me say, none of us were strangers for long.
What an amazing 4 days.
I kinneared Lucy Neatby in Starbucks. Took a class from her too. It was fantastic. I don't think I've learned that much about knitting ever.















Took a class from the amazing Barbara Walker (as well as others). She was having a bit of a "yard sale" and selling some little tidbits that she had knitted. Of course, everyone in the class had to have something, just so they could say "Barbara Walker knitted this" Pretty amazing. Of course, I had to have something too, and ask her to sign my book.














Kinneared Stephanie (Yarnharlot). Sorry the pic is blurry. She never stood still the entire weekend. The woman has immense energy.
















Participated in the world record breaking attempt for most folks knitting at once.








Went to an awesome ravelry party










Took some more classes, met some great folks, traded a whole bunch of stitch markers and shopped 'til I dropped. I made a haul!






Stephanie and Tina said that "next time" is two four letter words, but they're hinting that there might just be a next time in a couple of years. I'm starting RIGHT NOW saving my allowance so that I can go.

the fraggles went to the fair!

No pictures of the fraggles, but here's a couple of their new friends! Aren't they cute?


















Love this guy too.....

Barn owls have always fascinated and kind of frightened me. There's just something about them.


Waaaaayyyy too hot this week for anything. It was 103 degrees here on wed., and we broke a record. One that I hope stays on for a loooonnnngggg time.

Next week, SOCK SUMMIT!!! I'm very excited to be going and even more excited to be going to classes and shopping. It's going to be so much fun, what with classes, breaking a world record for knitting, authors and book signings, exclusive stuff to buy, ravelry meetup, the list goes on and on. I'm going to need a vacation from my vacation. I'm sure they'll be TONS to post when I get back. It's also made me think about my knitting skills and improving them. I'm seriously considering a workshop on colorwork with Brandon Mably that's coming in October. Don't have a lot of time on that one, it's filling fast.

What's that Sister? Something in the yard??


Back in 2 weeks!

The final is final

Back from the test, and this is EXACTLY how I feel






My brain is fried.
There is absolutely no knitting content to report. I spent the whole week studying my butt off and it seems to have worked. I passed the practical. Did "very well" according to the tester and I'm feeling kind of cocky about the written part.

With all this test stuff behind me now, I can focus on sock summit!
YEAH!
I'll be spending time at the county fair next weekend. That usually brings about some quality knitting time.
Now......
MARGARITAVILLE!

the fraggles take a field trip

lots of good fraggle knitting time at the market. The pic is a bit dark, but you get the idea. It was HOT, HOT, HOT there.







The "queen of beads" is all done, patiently modeled by cinnamon brown. Note how she will not look at the camera. The shame of being forced to model socks on her butt.







I am in LOVE with the newest of the sock club. I wanted to cast on the minute I got it. Now I'm inspired to finish the fraggles. Back to the market tomorrow, so they'll be more quality knitting time. It's supposed to be cooler too......





























Off to portland for a postural analysis workshop. Next saturday is the big final exam. Then I can get back to "normal?" life.
Only 3 weeks or so to sock summit!!

one sock, two sock, here's a blue sock

Queen of beads from the blue moon sock club.
A couple of hours of ticket selling at the farmer's market helped with the progress. It's being shown here by Cinnamon Brown, also know as sister. Notice the "flags back" position of the ears. We're having a pretty big thunderstorm here today. We don't have them very often in these parts, and the doggies are not at all happy about it.






"Hey Teach" is also done. It came out a bit short, even though I added extra to the bottom. I don't know what I'm going to do. I tried to add to the bottom of it, but it just didn't come out right. I think I'll try blocking it a bit more and see what happens. I wanted to take it to sock summit for the air conditioning, we'll see.












Next up will be the fraggle socks from the sock club. Gotta get caught up before that next kit shows up. (probably this week)

I've been spending time studying too. I'll be glad when all that is behind me. It's been a long 2 years +. I love pilates, teaching pilates, and especially my clients, but the whole test thing stresses me out. It will be all done exactly two weeks from today, and then the focus becomes SOCK SUMMIT!!!!!

I've already pre-ordered one cool colorway called "bobby socks", and a toe up book that will come signed. I'm so looking forward to letting my hair down, not have to worry about studying (pilates at least), and having a great time with a convention center full of knitters. What more could you want??

a day late, oh well

The holiday was pretty low-key around here. Lots of fireworks, but the doggie downers worked well and there were no meltdowns.
There's been some knitting progress.....
Hey teach is ready to be sewn up. I'm a little worried about the size of the fronts, they seem a little small. Guess we'll see in a bit. I also made the 3/4 sleeves. I'm not a huge fan of short sleeved sweaters.











The "Queen of Beads" sock is almost done too. I intended to do this at the farmer's market while I get to hang out and sell garden tour tickets. Now it'll have to be the second one instead. Cinnamon Brown was kind enough to model it for me.



Now I only have 2 more of the sock club socks to go to be caught up. I think I'll just about break even, though, because they're shipping the july one soon.

I'm SO in trouble for sock summit. Some of the vendors are starting to pre-order limited edition yarns, and it seems like I'm falling in love with all of them. It doesn't count as stash if I don't buy it at the summit, right??

Off to study. 21 days 19 days to go.