A couple of fo's and some more "bad girl"

This week brought a couple of fo's
First up - skew - these were my ravelympics project. I'm happy to say I've collected my medal and crossed the finish line. They were a fun knit, but, like the designer says, you have to have faith in the pattern. It all comes together in the end.













The second FO is (are?) the "Sassy" selbu mittens, Queen of hearts, from the Mary Scott Huff class at the end of january. These would have been done sooner, but they took one skein of the white plus about 10 yards, so it looked like I was not going to have enough yarn. My thanks go out to the generous raveler who sent me a partial skein and allowed me to finish them THIS winter. They're very thick and warm, and pretty cool. Thanks Mary!













Now for the bad. I had only one more order to place with the loopy ewe to be a "groupie". I was going to wait for the first sock club shipment - which should happen next week, but when I saw this nice dream in color starry (crying dove) it just jumped into the cart! Really it did! So, my loopy entry prize was a cool bag, some MORE yarn, and chocolate (that didn't last long). It all arrived 2 days after ordering. Sheri and the elves really do a great job.














Now I'm kind of at a loss. I think I'll play around with casting on "birch" by Chrissy Gardiner. It's entrelac and lace and looks like quite a challenge. Ought to be fun!

I've been a bad, bad girl....

Well, there it is, my confession.
Since Madrona was such a bust, I felt obliged to turn to the Loopy Ewe for some retail therapy. Isn't this a gorgeous red? This was taken right by my back door. The little daffodils look so happy. The other thing there to the left is an ebony sock blocker key chain. Just had to have it.














This week has brought a bunch of progress on SKEW. One is done, the other about 75%. That's good, because it's my ravelympics project and they both need to be done before closing next friday. Don't think it's going to be a problem.

Next week, another loopy ewe order. I know.......... that dream in color starry in the crying dove colorway just JUMPED into the cart. I couldn't help it. It also will be my 6th order, which makes me a loopy groupy. I'll get pre-notice of new stuff. Not sure HOW I'll be able to resist.

Once the Skew's are done, I think I'll finish the mittens, thanks to a very generous person on ravelry, I was able to find a partial skein of the white I need to finish. I'll be paying that one forward for sure.
Next up, Birch by Chrissy Gardiner (bought the yarn at Madrona), and maybe a mystery sock kal. There's a couple of intersting ones on Rav. The first shipment of the loopy ewe sock club should be soon too. I can hardly wait.
It's kind of hard to do too much knitting though. The 60 degree weather REALLY inspires yard work, um, gardening.

well, I wanted it to be big

Haruni is finished and blocking. It came out great. I made the larger size because I wanted it to be impressive and it certianly is. It's a great knit, not too complicated and you see results quickly. I'd definitely make another.
I'm debating my next project, there's a few I really like.
Maybe another KAL from the knitter's brewing co.
I'm liking the whole KAL idea....maybe some lace??



In other news, Madrona was pretty much a bust. I was very disappointed in the selection (or lack of it) this year. It's not like I waited until the last minute. I was there on saturday morning at 9, but the blue moon booth was already pretty much empty. I did get some "vancouver violet" that I was looking for, but that was about all they had left. Too bad. I probably would have spent more. I also got some great green from lollipop cabin, going to be a "birch". Maybe I'm just spoiled from sock summit, but it didn't seem there was anything really new or cool there. I did fall in love with one cabled vest pattern, but was told, rather rudely, by the person in charge of the booth that I'd HAVE to buy the yarn to get the pattern.
Ya know, there's nearly a million patterns on Ravelry, I think I can find a cabled vest pattern I can buy, or maybe even get for free. No need to be rude.

The other part of that pic is my ravelympics entry. It's "skew" from the knitty surprise. Doesn't look like it's going to work out, but I'm trying to have faith and keep knitting.






I'll leave you with a little taste from the garden show.
Gardening, reading, knitting....what more could you want?

Fini!

And just in time. These are the Knitter's Brewing Co mystery socks.
They turned out pretty nice, in spite of coming out a bit large. I switched to a smaller needle for the foot and it worked out well.

These have been my focus this week, since they have a feb. 14th due date for the contest. Haruni is progressing nicely, though, and the mitten is almost done with the hand. I'll be working on both of those this week.
I'm looking for another KAl for socks. I need a small, portable project OTN for meetings, etc. Haruni is great, but it's just not in a portable stage any more and requires way too much concentration.

Today, off to the Pacific Northwest flower and garden show. (can you say "spring fever?")

Next week, MADRONA!!!!!!
No classes, just shopping. What more could you want?

It was a "SASSY" class

Last night I had the pleasure of taking a "sassy" class from designer Mary Scott Huff.. What a kick. When she saw that I was wearing my fairy ring sweater (one of her designs), she ran up to me and gave me a great big hug. She's a great teacher, very open and funny to boot. I think everyone there had a great time. She signed my book, too!
We were doing Norwegian knitting, a mitten that she designed called "queen of hearts", and you can see how far I got. I can hardly wait to finish. It's a great valentine's project. Love the colors. Here's the progress on the mitten and also the Haruni.











I'm loving this shawl too. Had to order more yarn because I wanted a bigger one, but it's going really fast.

The fifth clue to the mystery sock is published as well. I'm keeping up pretty well, and there's only one clue left. Now I'm looking for another mystery sock KAL. I really enjoy getting the clues and progressing with everyone. There's a couple on Ravelry that I'm looking at. Seems a great way to manage the stash.

Lots of fun coming up in the next few weeks. Next sunday is the garden show in seattle, and the following week, Madrona, the annual knitting conference in Tacoma. I love this time of year!

Gratuitious doggie pic. No cats were harmed in the taking of this picture. Although, right after I snapped it, squiggi reached over and bonked her on the head. He just loves to invite trouble.

lots of starts, not a lot of finishes

Well, I seem to be going through a "casting on" phase here.
This week, I started Miss Marple, worked on the knitter's brewing co mystery kal, and started this beautiful thing....Haruni.
I'm loving the shawl. It's going pretty fast and it's nice to see progress.












Miss Marple is awful so far, so she's taking a bit of a vacation. I don't consider myself a terribly tight knitter, but I'm on my third try to get this sock around my heel. Honestly, I have "normal" heels. It's just that the mosaic gets so tight and unflexible by the end that there's not enough stretch to go there. ARGH! I've tried 2 size larger needles and now I'm just making the larger size. Frogged twice.

The kal is on clue 3 and still working on the leg. No photos to show there yet.

This coming weekend, I'm taking a nordic knitting class with Mary Scott Huff. They've already sent out the pattern, it's cool, called "Queen of Hearts" - perfect for a valentine's day knit. Got homework to do there too. Luckily, not too much.
I'm sure I'll have something to show next week. I'm also hoping for good news on the loopy ewe sock club. I decided to try something different this year after the last 2 in the STR club. Loopy ewe is a lottery, so fingers crossed. If that doesn't work out, maybe the year in lace? I like being in some kind of club, just a little burnt out on socks and looking for something different. Suggestions? Not too expensive, though.

There will be some real fun soon. The seattle garden show is in 2 weeks. I can't begin to say how much I LOVE the garden show. It always gives me serious spring fever. Madrona is coming up too. Madrona is a big knitting conference in tacoma. No classes for me this time, just shopping. That's enough. I can do enough damage at madrona to keep me busy for the next 6 months at least. LOVE madrona too.

Thanks to all who commented on my back. I'm back to teaching classes, but my back feels "unstable". I just never know when it's going to hurt. I'll be fine, doing yard work, come in the house sit for an hour and not be able to get out of the chair.
Spent a couple of days last week just doing this:











Sucks getting old!

baby shoes and backaches

I was cruising right along this week, feeling pretty good, until friday, and BAM!
Did something to my back. We really don't appreciate the ability to put on our own socks,until we can't. It was good for knitting a whole sock on saturday, though. Now if I could only put them on. Doing a bit better now, after a great deal of ibuprophen and finding a sub for my early bodypump class tomorrow. I'm hoping this is short term. I mean, really, I teach fitness for a living. This ought to make that pilates workshop I'm going to today even more special.

The good news is, the traveling lace socks are done. Here they are with some goodies that came this week from knitpicks. I ordered these dk weight yarns for the class I'm taking at the end of the month on nordic knitting with Mary Scott Huff. Her book's there too. I'm taking it with and hoping she'll sign it for me.
I had to order more yarn than I needed because of the colors. This isn't the first time I've been disappointed with knitpicks colors when I got them. They look very different than my monitor. That doesn't happen with other yarns I buy on the net, so I'm thinking it's not my monitor. I'll probably use the black, white and berry colors for the class. The navy and maroon there is for the "miss marple" socks from knitpicks. It was love at first sight for them. I think they'll be up next.
The green is for the Harumi stole. I bought extra because I like a nice, big shawl.










One other accomplishment this week.....baby shoes. No, I'm not trying to say anything here. They're a gift for my friend's grandbaby. Aren't they cute?
I'm just hoping they fit.











Up this week, the knitter's brewing co kal is on, there should be another clue on the 19th. I think I'll start on the miss marple socks.
I'm really looking forward to shopping at Madrona in February. Saving up my pennies!

A FO, a prize and a new project

Taliesin is finished although there's a bit of a button dilema. I really love these heart buttons, but they're way too heavy. I'm afraid I'll knock myself out or something. I went and got these other pearl buttons, but they look too stark. Back to the drawing board, I guess. I just have to keep looking. Ideally, I'd like to see maybe some kind of shell button, but at the LYS yesterday, they were $4.50 each and that's kind of steep. This pic doesn't really do the colors justice. I always have to take my pics early in the morning, when it's still dark, and they just come out crappy. I'll have to work on taking them when there's daylight. (hard to do around here)

I also won a prize! I just love the folks at Knitter's Brewing Co. This yarn is squishy, fun, and it came with a little hand-written note. I won their dec. monthly drawing and got to take my pick. This one is called "sex on the beach". Sounded like fun and I love the colors.

The third item is a new project. It's the final installment of the Blue Moon STR club for 2008, in the Raven colorway. It took some time to figure out the pattern, but I think it's working OK.

Next week, new yarns for my class at the end of January (plus a few more, of course). I saw what the project is in a video on utube. I wish they would have told me when I registered. All they said was that I need 3 colors of dk weight yarn. Now I kind of wish I would have picked some different colors. I should have gotten that white while I had it in my cart. I might have to go back to knitpicks and get a couple more.
ARGH!

Socks and fishies

Well, here we are, 3 days into the new year. How are those resolutions holding up?

This week was pretty quiet around here with the holiday and all, so there was quite a bit of knitting.
Finished up the last of the christmas knitting. I know, it was late.
These are the stranded socks. I think they turned out pretty well. The pattern looks like fish scales. The yarn is STR lightweight, strange brew, and there's plenty left for a little something for me. I also knit a few fish. I'll be working on these fish for pretty much the whole year, using up my little bits of sock yarn. Maybe in about 10 years, they'll make a blanket or something. I think they're kind of cute.
















This is a cool scarf/cowl/? called Taliesin. I'm test knitting it (that makes me feel important, by the way) I'm loving the colors and the texture. It's a really simple knit, easy to memorize pattern. I'm about 3/4 done and I bought some buttons yesterday that I think are going to work well. It kind of reminds me of easter eggs. I'm thinking spring already.










Next up, some double knitting, From My Heart (rav link), with yarn from the stash and hopefully finished before valentine's day.

Happy New Year!

Ok, so, I'm not so much for resolutions. I kind of think they doom folks to fail.
I'm more for plans and goals. So, here are some I have for 2010. Hopefully putting them in writing will help to make them real!

My theme for 2010 is going to be "back to basics". All those things I know and love and have somehow lost a bit in the past year.
On the pilates front, I have some workshops planned, one in january, one in april, one in may, and a 3-day conference in april as well. I'm really looking forward to the conference, since I will be taking a class from one of the pilates "elders". She's 80 something, spunky and sharp as a tack and a pretty amazing woman. Should be enlightening. I've also set an agressive goal for my studio, so I've got to get to work on that.

In the knitting world (that is what this blog is supposed to be about), my focus is going to be improving my skills. I haven't joined any sock club so far this year, and I'm looking into some different ones. The loopy ewe club is looking interesting, just need to make the lottery. I'm also looking at some different package and kit options throughout the year, not just socks, but maybe lace? I want to try to do some test-knitting to stretch my boundaries, and take some workshops to stretch my skills. I'm already signed up for norwegian knitting in january with Mary Scott Huff. Looking forward to Madrona too.

I'd also like to rejuvenate the yard. It's been ignored the last couple of years because we were thinking about building a house. The building is on the back burner for now (or until we win the lotto), so the yard needs some help. I'll be spending some time in January going over garden catalogs and working out my thoughts.

Wow! Is that a bunch or what?
I ought to be busy, and busy is good.
Happy, busy 2010 to everyone.
We're all looking forward to it here!

2009, a year in review

2009 was a challenging year for me. It started out with being sick in January (H1N1? plain old flu?) Who knows, but that drug on until March, when it was decided I had a raging case of strep. Although the antibiotics kicked in and kicked out the strep, it seemed like it took the rest of the year to get my energy back. Frustrating.

There were some great highlights, though.
In February, I went to the Seattle Flower show and Madrona. I always love the flower show and it inspires me to want to garden more - of course, it always snows on the way home. Madrona - Tacoma knitting conference - just inspires me to spend money on my knitting obsession.

March brought the opening of my home pilates studio. There were some doubtful moments there, but it's humming along nicely, thank you.












April - off to mind/body for pilates inspiration. Love it!










In May, I finished the last of my advanced pilates training. June and July were all study, all the time, and I passed my advanced certification exam at the end of July.











August was time to celebrate, both a milestone birthday and the culmination of many years of pilates work by passing the exam. It was off to Sock Summit.
What can I say about Sock Summit??? It was an amazing, fun, crazy, empowering, fun, awesome, learning experience. I met so many folks there from all over the country with at least one thing in common - our love for knitting, and stashing yarn. It was the best birthday present I could have asked for.




The rest of the year flew by in a flash. Knitting, pilates, working, volunteeering for the master gardeners and, finally, getting my energy back. Feels good to be human again.

What's up for 2010? I'm saving that for next week, but I have some (lots) of ideas!

Merry Christmas to all!

She's a little obsessed with my new build-a-bear boxer!

almost there.....

Well, I spent this week distributing my christmas gifts. They were all well recieved and will love their new homes. DH has yet to open his, though. He has to wait.
You can see it here.
Diamonds in his shoes (free rav pattern). The yarn is "top dog" from creatively dyed, purchased at sock summit for this very purpose. It was a huge skein and there's probably enough left for a pair of fingerless mitts.











I wanted to make him a second pair, but he wasn't gone long enough. Hard to make a surprise with the surprisee sitting right next to you. So..... now I'm just making them anyway. I'm loving the pattern on this, you can't really see the detail here, but it looks like fish scales. They're the show-off stranded socks, STR strange brew.
There's going to be a bunch of this left too. I bought two skeins when it was on sale, because he likes a longer leg and has a bigger foot.




I'll probably take these with me on christmas to the in-laws. They're easy to work on and, now that the heel is done, mindless knitting.

The book is one I pre-ordered a while ago, and honestly, had forgotten about. The photos are beautiful and I want to knit every single one of the mittens. Just what I need, more projects.


Next up.....the mystery knit-a-long from the knitter's brewing co., and I've volunteered to test knit a scarf/cowl for someone in exchange for a free pattern.
It needs to be done in the month of January, so I'll be working on that between the clues.

Christmas promises to be a quiet one, with a trip to the in-laws and (thank goodness) no snow.
So, to all my readers - all 3 of you.....
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah
Here's to a great, happy 2010!

the doggies were nestled all snug in their beds.....

And it started SNOWING!
Remember what happened last year when it snowed here?
Two weeks of forced house arrest. (at least I got lots of knitting and cleaning done)
Not supposed to happen this time, but.......












This week brought some nice treats.





From L to R
Man-sock for a christmas present - pattern diamonds in his shoes - yarn- top dog from creatively dyed, purchased at sock summit for this purpose. You'll notice there's only one, though, and today is the 14th.
In the center bottom, my final free book. I used up ALL of my points. Every stinking one.
And SPEAKING OF POINTS... see that little square thing above the book, that's my christmas present. It's an IPOD 64g touch, purchased with amex points. See, those reward programs really can work. and, yes, it already has a knitting app in it.
If anyone knows of any cool apps, let me know. I don't mind paying either, if it's worth it. (ORBA - addictive little game)
Last but not least, from the Knitter's Brewing CO, the yarn for the january mystery sock KAL. This is going to be a fun little project. The yarn kit also came with a cute little stitch marker, very nice handwritten card, and the first clue, which I need to get started on, as soon as I put down the ipod. I would definitely buy from these folks again. Great service and very personable.

The botanica medallion is also done, here modeled my our fashion plate, cinnamon brown. Honestly, it fits her much better than it does me after all that work. It came out more like a vest than anything else. Just wasn't made for us gals with "wide shoulders" as my mom used to say.
ARGH!

the STUPID botanica medallion

My friend pam has this thing. Every time she gets to that part of a big project that feels like you're knitting backwards (you know what I mean), it becomes the 'stupid' sweater.
So, here is the STUPID botanica medallion.
The center medallion is finished, the outside is going backwards. I have 50 of 96 rows complete. knit, knit, knit.











Next up, some socks, and I'm really thinking of joining this sock KAl in january.
Sounds like fun!
Knitter's mystery KAL
Still working on a few last minute christmas goodies, but it's pretty much wrapped up and sent on it's way.

well, I didn't want to be bored if it snows!!!

Major score and yarn purchase this week.
Check it out.......

There are 6 books there, Barbara Walker stitch dictionary 2 and 3, Cat's new sock book, a couple of Norwegian knitting books (my new obsession), and a lace book.
They were all free, courtesy of weight watchers bar codes.
Last year, weight watchers announced a program that if you saved bar codes and sent them in, you could get "fabulous" prizes. Well, the points you had to have for the prizes just kept going up, and the program ends dec. 31st, so I just got a whole bunch of books from my wishlist. I MIGHT have one more book's worth left, we'll see if they give me credit for them.

The yarn on the right is the spoils from the Blue Moon sale. A pure black raven, Lunasea (to use with the raven, but I'm not sure it's going to work - I think I have a better one), and a couple of Strange Brew, purchased to be man-socks as a christmas present.

The colors are from the loopy ewe. The green is for a lacey, leaf pattern shawl, the other two for some endpaper mitts.
Last but not least, the final shipment of the RSC club. Love the yarn and the pattern, now all I need is the spare time.
There's still a bit more in the works. I ordered a couple of blacks from knitpicks. I'm trying to find a good, inexpensive pure black that I can use for stranded knitting. Hopefully they'll work out.

Making some progress on the Botanica Medallion, once I figured out all the errata and the screwey pattern. I only have 70 repeats to do on the edging. One takes about 15 minutes.


See, I won't be bored.......

Cinnamon Brown is 3!

This week is Cinnamon Brown's birthday. She was born 3 years ago, the day after thanksgiving. I still remember the day we first saw her, a tiny little puppy in a cold garage in the middle of January. We picked her over her sister because she seemed the friendliest. When we took her to the vet on monday morning, we were told that she was completely unsocialized, and would probably be a nervous biter. The vet said we should have never bought her. We were devastated.
Well......I'm happy to report that after a couple of obedience classes (HAH!), some fun days at doggie day care, and lots of lovin' from various pilates classes, she's pretty much perfect in our eyes. In everyone's life, there's one animal that becomes your "heart" animal. She's mine.
Happy birthday sister!

Here she is, a girl and her farty marmot! She loves it.
On the knitting front, the christmas knitting continues. Nothing much new.
Next week, all kinds of surprises in the works, stay tuned!

Sometimes you just gotta do it.

This week's motto: finish up!
I've spent my knitting time this week finishing up a lot of odds and ends and some holiday knitting.
The faery ring is done with buttons and all. The only thing it still needs is a little blocking around the hood.
The "holiday" socks are done too.
As you can see, they've all been boxer inspected and approved as well.
Oh, and that nice, bright yarn is the stuff from the sale last weekend. I've just been petting it all week.













The other thing on the finished list is the messenger bag. Isn't that parakeet cute?
I love how his little cheeks turned out. It's the logo of my friend's pilates studio. (don't worry, she doesn't read this blog). I think she's going to love her new bag. It's definintely one of a kind. The project today is to line it with that fabric there, reinforce the strap and sew it on. (I also need to remove the cat hair. Squiggi has somehow decided that felted bag feels SO good on his butt!) One more christmas present down!

Next up, finishing some fingerless mitts for one of my clients, and also a couple of felted bowls for some other clients. The bowls should go fast, they just need time to dry once they're felted. I plan to fill them with some odds and ends of goodies and sugarless peppermints. After that, I guess I can go back to knitting for ME!

P.S. Blue Moon Fiber Arts - makers of socks that rock, is having a 15% off sale this weekend. I had to spend money, I know you will too!

All Done!

The Fairy is finished. All it needs is buttons and a bit of blocking.
I'm loving it. It fits perfectly and is warm and comfy. I can't believe how fast it went. I can hardly wait for it to get colder so I can wear it, and it's definitely going to madrona with me in Feb.

Next up, I'm going back to christmas knitting. I've decided to make a felted bowl for one of my clients and fill it with sugarless mints, also, I found a cute pattern for some fingerless gloves made with one mini-mochi and I'm going to do those for another friend and client. I also have to finish up the christmas socks (pretty much there after watching movies last night), and a couple of man-socks - also christmas stuff.
The felted bag is felted and has been drying all week. It felted nicely, but it's really thick and makes the kitchen smell like a wet dog. I'll be working on the needlefelting as soon as it's dry enough, then lining it and adding the strap. I think my friend Amy will love it (she doesn't know about this blog, so it's OK).

I just have to add that I LOVE Ravelry. There were 2 happy rav incidents this week that just remind me that it's pretty cool. The first happened by accident. I stumbled on a thread that I wouldn't normally even read, but for some reason, I clicked on it. Imagine my surprise to find a person I worked with about 2 years ago, she moved to the UK, and is still living there. We friended each other and messaged back and forth a bit. It really is a small world. The other happy accident was when someone posted about a yarn sale in my town. Of course, I had to go. Bought some lovely sunny yellow sock weight yarn with no idea of what I'm going to do with it. Maybe it was the dark weather that inspired me. It's sitting on my desk right now, and I pet it regularly.

One final request, if you have a moment, drop by Bea's site and send some healing thoughts to Gus, her doggie. Seems he ate a small rubber ball. He had the surgery to remove it, but has ended up in the doggie ER. All of us pet lovers know what that's like, just sayin'.

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.