camp loopy project 2

I know, it's only half way through the challenge for project 1, but, when project 2 was announced, I knew right away what I was going to do. A bit ago, I bought the pattern for clockwork after seeing this absolutely gorgeous combination of grey and white that someone did. I was hoping there'd be an opportunity to use it for one of my camp projects. Surprise~ there is.

The next challenge is to knit a popular pattern that you've not done before (at least 1000 projects) Clockwork qualifies nicely. I already had a couple of yarns on my wishlist, and I ended up settling on these.....

Hopefully they'll come out with that same classy quality that I saw on ravelry.

By the way, here's the completed first challenge. BFF socks.... (for a christmas present)
all done and uploaded to the loopy challenge page.

 

In between challenges, I'm working on an OLD ufo. Beaded bells socks. I have one almost done, and will start the other one this week. They're kind of fiddly, with the beads and all, but I love the color of the yarn (even though it's a bit thin).

 

The next camp challenge doesn't start until july 1, so I'll be finishing these socks and doing some hexipuffs in the mean time......in my spare time.

one down.....

one to finish....
this is the first bff sock from my camp loopy project. The challenge was to use one skein of yarn you've never used before, and at least 375 yards.
This is three irish girls adorn sock in the birch colorway. Loved the yarn. I think they'll make a nice christmas present.

They should be announcing the next camp project for july in a week or so. Hopefully, it will work out to be another christmas present.

This week, I'll probably try to finish the other sock, and maybe a ufo or two. My main focus has been outside, since the weather has been good, and looks to stay that way. Gotta make hay around here. They'll be PLENTY of time to knit and do other stuff once monsoon season starts again!

camp loopy, nice weather, and a new baby

First of all, camp loopy officially started yesterday, So I wasted no time casting on my BFF socks with the TIG adorn sock chosen for the first challenge. They're coming along swimmingly, but no pics yet. I hope to have the first one done by the end of the week (in my spare time).

While I was waiting for camp to start, I worked on this cute little sunflower scarf (table runner) with the leftovers from the queen bee sweater. It needs to be blocked, but it turned out good.

This week,  I'm hauling dirt. The weather is supposed to be good, and I hve 15 yards of dirt to move, so no knitting content guarantees.

Oh, and the new baby news.....well.......I was surfing ravelry the other day and this gal posted a pic of the CUTEST kittens that she's fostering. I've wanted another siamese-ish kitty for a while and I fell head over heels with this little guy. Seems the foster lives in Seattle, not too far away. Look how tiny he is. He's only about 4-5 weeks old, so he needs to stay where he is for a while, but, when he gets to 2lbs and gets fixed, he's coming home. Looks like a scrappy little guy. He'll fit right in.

I'm in a sunflower kinda mood

Well, it's too early for camp, too rainy to go outside, and the landscapers were still finishing until thursday. So, I picked up the rest of the bee sweater yarn and did a quick little sunflower shawl. It will really be a table runner, and it turned out kinda cute. I still have enough yarn to do another, and might do one for my sister. No pics yet, it's being bound off.....

In the sunflower theme, I also saw this sunflower shawl kit on knitpicks.
Had to have it. Again, probably not a shawl. It'll be a tablecloth with it's done, some day.

 

This week, I'll be choosing a pattern for my camp loopy socks. I'm thinking something by cookie a. I have a couple of her books, and I've wanted to try some of her stuff for a long time......

 

We're both on vacation this week, so there's a looonnnnngggg list of "honey do's". Can't promise much knitting content. Gotta go play outside.

 

 

summer camp!!!!!

this week, I had the pleasure of joining the loopy ewe's summer knitting camp for the third year. The challenge for the first project is to use one skein of something you've never used before, up to 375 yards on anything you'd like. I've made the commitment to myself to make this about christmas presents, so, my irish girls adorn sock in birch will be some christmas gifted socks.

I also had a bit of a falling off the no yarn buying wagon, (it WAS on sale). I'm such a sucker for a gradient yarn, and when it comes in green........add a sale, it was all over!

Not the best pic, but it's black trillium pebble sock in the pine gradient. Don't know what it's going to be yet, just know I had to have it.

I've pretty much finished the bee sweater (pics next week). The only thing that's left is to sew down the picot edge and cover the steeks with seam binding. It turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Next week., not sure what's up. Camp doesn't officially start until june 1, so I'll have to find an interim project. I have some things in mind....stay tuned.

just squeaking in

the majority of the queen bee sweater is complete. Yesterday, on a nice rainy sunday,  I sewed and steeked the front and sleeves and sewed up the sides of the sleeves. Then, because I had just a bit of the brown left, I decided to add a little more length to the sleeves and make them they way they should be.

I still have one sleve to finish, and the bias tape to put on, and then I'll sew and cut the armhole steeks. The most scary part, if you ask me, because the armholes don't have any extra steek stitches to work with, just the "real" sweater.
The finishing will be picking up the edges with the green.

So, still a lot of work to do, but getting closer. I may end up putting it away for a bit, in favor of camp loopy (shopping starts this week), and hopefully, landscapers. (they're supposed to start this week too!)

I'm pretty excited about camp, this will be my third year, and I'm hoping to use it to make some christmas presents in advance.I  know Sheri will come up with all sorts of fun, she usually does!

bee progress and off to summer camp!

The weather's been great here, so the knitting has kind of taken a back seat to the other obsession, gardening.
This week we spent most of it obsessing over the inspection for the other house and then fixing all the little things we needed to do.
I did, however, make some progress on the bee sweater.

Still think I'm going to run out of the brown yarn, though. Good news is, there's someone on Ravelry that has some for sale (gotta love ravelry).
Speaking of Rav, I also succumbed to my desire to do clockwork. I caved and bought the pattern after seeing a gorgeous combination done by someone else of off white and grey. I'm thinking it can be a camp loopy project..

Camp Loopy is about to begin. It usually starts in june, but the purchasing window might just start this week. I've done this for 2 years now, this will be my third, and I have to say, it's a blast. You never know what the "rules" will be, and that makes it kind of fun too. I'm eagerly anticipating the annoucement.

Can't promise too much knitting this week. The weather is still super nice and the old house is still demanding attention. I'll keep working on the bees when I can, and dreaming of camp!

Doggies will be baking out in the kennel (they LOVE to bake)!

queen bee sweater.....

so, the sleeves are done and the body is cast on.
There wasn't too much knitting this week. The weather was nice and there were other priorities to be done.

Here's the body so far.....

I'm a little frustrated because I'm pretty sure I'm going to run out of the brown yarn. This isn't the first time this has happened from this designer. She seems to have a bit of an issue with estimating yardage. I shoulda known. I'm going to go as far as I can, and then plead on ravelry to see if anyone has a partial skein. These are huge, over 500 yds, and expensive, and I won't need a whole one.
Don't you have a hard time working on something that you know is probably doomed?
just sayin'

Camp loopy will be coming up soon, and I'm starting to look for patterns that will work and be fun. I've singled out a couple of fun shawls. That leftie is on the top of my list. And my sister could use another pair of gloves for christmas. It's going to depend what the "rules" are for each month, but I'm thinking of using this opportunity for gift knitting.

I can't promise there will be much knitting over the next week. It is planting season ya know, even though my landscapers are stalled now until the 14th of may. Still plenty to be done.
I'll be plugging away at the bee sweater.

VKL, some fo's, and a new project.....

ok, I know I was mia last week.......

Last saturday, we boogied up to vogue knitting live to do some shopping. A good time was had by all.......I really didn't buy much,  just some needles I needed. There's something about having to move your stash to make your realize just how much you have......We did have a good time there, though, and I saw some really cute things I'll be coming back for. The first was black trillium fiber's gradient kit....I'm a sucker for a good gradient kit and she had a really cute little shawl/scarf made up.

Next was leftie. SOMEONE kept trying to talk me into getting one of the kits that were made up there to make this cutie....I couldn't make up my mind, but I'm SURE there's something in that giant stash that will work pretty well......

We also ran into a designer who was wearing the COOLEST circular sweater. I love circular sweaters, but can never seem to find one that has just the right stuff. This one did, good butt covering qualities, enough circle to cover "things", a very interesting construction with cables around the circle. It had it all. As soon as the pattern is available, I'm ON it.

I have to keep in mind that camp loopy starts soon, so most of these would make great camp projects.

I did finish a little something too......my snowflake doubleknit scarf.

 

And started something else.....queen bee sweater.

It's much further along now, since it's been raining all week. The sleeves are almost done.

I AM worried about running out of yarn on the body, but, onward!

 

not sure what next week will bring.....depends on the weather and the landscapers.

If it's crummy and the landscapers don't show up, I'll probably have a whole sweater done. If it's  nice, I'm going outside to play. Right now, it's raining buckets.....welcome to spring.

 

thistle and vogue

well, made some progress on thistle this week. I finished the body of it, sewed it up and whacked the center out with my sharp scizzors. It always scares me to cut my knitting, ya know......
Now I just have to finish the ends and sew them down.

This weekend, I'll be off to vogue knitting live. I got my shopping wristband on friday, so I'm ready to go......they'll be a full report next week.

That's all the knitting news for now, and really, no pics. Too much gardening happening here while the weather is good.

I know.....

I was kinda MIA last week. It was just to rainy and depressing, and nothing really got done.
I was still missing the yarn for thistle, and I was just working on this little double knit scarf....

I like the colors, and I think I'm getting the whole double knit thing pretty well......

By the end of the week, the yarn for thistle arrived.....Just in time for a total DOWNPOUR of rain, like, 2 inches in one day. Good day to knit. I've only got about 3 more rows on the edge and then it's on to steeking.

 

I'll probably wait until it rains again to finish this. Most of my time now is taken up with gardening when the weater permits.

 

We did take time yesterday to go get our new tables from Bassett. Love the tables, not sure how we lived without them.....

 

As you can see, the knitting fits right in.

 

Coming up..... April 6th (or thereabouts), I'll be headed off for a bit of shopping at vogue knitting live in seattle, with some enabling company, of course.....you KNOW who you are!

I'm looking forward to what will be a well deserved break from moving dirt.

 

I HATE spring ahead

I think I've said this before, but it bears repeating. I HATE, HATE, HATE spring ahead. I feel like I've been hit by a truck. I always spend the first week or two wandering around like a zombie wondering if it's time for lunch! WHY can't we just leave well enough alone?????
Arizona does it, and they manage just fine, thankyouverymuch!

OK, rant over.......
This week I did make some progress on the thistle stole. (rain again), however, I am now dead in the water with it, having run out of yarn 10 rows from the end. ARGH!! The fine folks that originally made the kit were wonderful, though, and offered to send me enough to finish at no charge. I'll definitely be supporting dicentra designs again. Now I just have to wait for it to get here.

Since I'm feeling a colorwork mood coming on, I think I'll probably start on the queen bee sweater. I have all the yarn and the pattern, it just depends if it needs the same needles that are currently sticking out of the thistle project.......

If that doesn't work out, I'll just go play with glass. It's supposed to rain like a monsoon all week, so no playing outside in the dirt (mud), as much as I want to. We'll have to find inside projects......

The doggies have celebrated spring ahead by going back to bed. Maybe I'll join them.....

pent up spring fever

This week, I made some serious progress on the thistle stole. This is what happens when you have spring fever SO bad you can't sit still, and you're waiting for the dirt guy to finish and the rain to stop.
I'm more than 1/2 way there......

Can't say I did any hexipuffs this week, most of the work was on the thistle and the computer, shopping for plants!

My plan for next week is to continue with thistle, maybe make some puffs, and probably buy more plants. (you can never have too many plants - kinda like yarn)

I've decided that since I'm on a colorwork binge, the next project will be the queen bee sweater. I already have all the yarn and the pattern, just need to get it out. One thing at a time.......

thistle stole

well, actually, thistle table runner........
Last week, this followed me home from madrona. Of course, I had to cast on right away and get going.
I love stranded colorwork, the way it flows off the needles and the pattern emerges. This one is no exception. I've finished the border, thanks to a rainy week, and I'm working on the first set of leaves.

 

I didn't do the knitted in border, those never seem to work for me. I'll sew it down later.

There will probably be some quality time this week to add to this. It's supposed to rain AGAIN.

 

In other news, this week, we went to the seattle flower show. It was pretty amazing and more than a few things followed me home. Cool things.....Now all I need is a yard to plant them in.

 

Yogi says "look at me!! I have a new red bone. I LOVES my red bone!"

 

 

 

(sister likes them too, she's just not as enthusiastic)

madrona!!

This week,.there was that little event, madrona. No classes for me this year, nothing really caught my eye. I did bring this home, though...

Nearly two pounds of squishy yarny goodness and beautiful colorwork to boot! I probably will never wear it, it's intended to be a table runner. It's all ready to go. I just have to dig out the appropriate needles and cast on the required 416 stitches, that's all......

Since I knew I'd be picking up this lovely at madrona, I really didn't start anything new this week. Worked on the hexipuffs a bit, sewed together my bugga sweater (it just needs buttons now), and started on the swirl scarf.....I'm trying to figure out how anyone knits this without blocking each swirl. This is going to be a long project. Knit a swirl, steam block it, knit the next one.....oh well...

Next week, I'll be starting on thistle, sewing on my buttons, and going to the FLOWER SHOW!!!

Love the flower show even more than madrona, and with an acre of mud to plant......well, you get the picture.

I forgot what I was going to say now......

Honestly, blogger has been SO bad. It keeps telling me that the admin has to let me in.  I AM the admin. I end up changing my password pretty much every week, because it's the only way I can get in.
I'd change the host, but I don't want to lose all of my blogging history.
ARGGH

Anyhow......this week, it rained a bit, so some good knitting progress was made on the bugga sweater.
The sleeves are done, and one side of the button band. I somehow managed to totally mess up the other side, so I have to rip it and start again. I was worried that it wouldn't fit, and it will be a bit snug, but I think it'll be OK. These pics don't do the gorgeous teal green any justice. I love the color here.

 

I also have 130 hexis done...they make a prettty colorful assortment, don't you think?

 

Up this week.......MADRONA!!!!! One of my favorite knitting things to do. I'll be picking up my thistle stole kit (2lbs of yarny goodness), and hopefully a couple of knitpicks needles to replace the ones that had some doggie accidents. (I can hardly wait for those end tables to come in). Maybe I'll find something else that catches my eye as well. Who knows? Most of my spare change is being reserved for the flower show right now, so it will have to be pretty flashy.....

Pics next week.

 

happy valentine's day

A bit early, I know, but yogi couldn't resist the scarf.

(after all, he tore it apart about 5 times while I was making it.)

It's all done now, with the exception of a couple of ends to weave in. I think I've finally got the hang of double knitting....maybe. I'm definitely up for attempting a bit more difficult project, just not right now.

This week, I'll be back to finishing the bugga sweater. I only have 2 sleeves to finish, some blocking to do and then the sewing together and button bands. It's supposed to rain, hard, all week, so there's some good knitting time in there somewhere.

I'm getting pretty excited for madrona. Gotta pick up my thistle stole. (yogi definitely won't be getting ahold of THAT one). Who knows what else will catch my fancy, although I have PLENTY of projects.

The following week is the big seattle flower show. I save and dream about this one all year. This year, we have an acre of dirt to plant, so I'll be looking for some special treats. I try to focus on things that are special or rare, and that you generally can't get anywhere else. I have a special soft spot for peonies and tree peonies, and also black plants. The peonies are expensive, but long lived and easy to grow.

I'll be sure to show the spoils from both when the time comes.

better late than never

bad blogger!!!!
bad, bad blogger!!!
it wouldn't let me in until I changed my password at least twice. ARGH!!

Alrighty..... this week was pretty productive knitting-wise.
I finished this scarf

and these socks

ande worked on the bugga sweater and this scarf....loving the double knitting class, by the way.

 

this scarf keeps having "accidents" . The doggie has stolen it a couple of times and unrolled the yarn, taken out the stitches, and finally, today, broke both of the knitpicks needles that were in it.

BAD DOG!!!

it's hard to be mad too long at this face, though......

 

this week, it's supposed to rain like crazy. Good knitting weather.  There'll be some more hexis, some more bugga sweater, and I hope to finish this scarf, which, by the way, is way too thick to be a scarf. I'm thinking table runner.

 

 

finishing ufo's

This week was pretty productive knitting-wise. It was too cold to go outside and paint or garden, so I focused on finishing up a few things that have been taking up space in the UFO pile.

First up, the watermelon socks. There's just something about a watermelon sock that makes me happy.

I also finished a wrestling match of a hooded scarf that's been hanging around forever. It was about 10 rows short of this endless slip stitch pattern that was made only more boring by having to wrestle the yarn and needles into submission. It's done now, no pics yet......

AND I picked up the bridge of roses socks that I started about a year ago. I had one sock done and gave up because it's a bit of a fiddly pattern. The second sock doesn't seem that bad, though, and I'm already past the heel.

Next up on the UFO adjenda, the beaded belles socks I started a LOOONNNGGGG time ago. Then I'll go back to the pile and see what else I can finish. I think that's about it, though, with the exception of a tank top that needs some top ribbing.

I'm trying to wrap up most of the misc. unfinished projects before madrona and the flower show distract me.

In my theme of 2013 being the year of double knitting, I also signed up for the craftsy double knitting class. (it was on sale, ya know). I've taken some double knitting classes before at my LYS, and never quite gotten it. That makes me even more determined. So far, I'm loving the class. You can watch it as many times as you like, and replay the important parts over. I finished the sample starter piece in the first lesson, and I think I'll work on the wrist warmers in the second one. This is working for me.

So, this week, maybe another class lesson, some more hexis (I have about 90 now), finish bridge of roses socks, and dig out the beaded belles.

WAHOO!!

still a bit obsessed

Things are finally settling down and settling in, and it's WAY too cold and wet to go outside just yet. (although I did get a bit of painting done). I have to admit, I'm still a bit obsessed with the hexipuffs......I've set a goal for somewhere about 10 per week. Last count was around 65 (and growing).

I had to step back from them a bit. There ARE other things to work on, you know.
Here's the other watermelon sock, well on it's way......

I'm trying to force myself to finish some of those UFO's, or ditch them, whichever would be better, so, I'll fish around and find another half finished project for my next trick......stay tuned.

I think I'll leave you with a little flower eye candy. This really IS as large as it looks and beautiful. It's also sending up a second stem, so it'll be around for a while.....