I've been busy!!

so I haven't posted for a while... I know.
I've done a couple of cowls and some football team mitts.......and some felted slippers.
The problem is I keep falling in love with what I'm making, then I have to make another for a present.

It's WAY too cold and yukky to garden, so, knitting it is!

So far, I've managed to avoid the sales, although the black trillium sale was WAY too tempting.....I AM a sucker for a gradient.

Next up, a scarf from stash, and another pair of slippers. After that, I think the gift knitting will be done and I can focus on ME!

On a happy note......Cinnamon Brown turned  8 this week. Time flies......Happy birthday sister!

just a little stash enhancement....

Yesterday we made a trip to Knit Fit in seattle. Although it's not the biggest knitting fest, it was really nice, with a great (free) marketplace and some indie dyers that were new to the area.
I had to get a couple of things.....Christmas knitting, ya know.

Since it rained continuously this week, I finished the cowl. I'm keeping it because I fell in love with it in the process. MINE, MINE, MINE.....

It just needs a little blocking......
I also started some short wave mitts....these are not nearly as hard as they look, once you get the idea.

That was really just a few hours of knitting, and they're turning out pretty good. I'll have enough to make two sets, I think, so they'll be Christmas gifts too....

Next week, more gift knitting....finishing the mitts, and onward!

when the going gets tough.....

the tough knit cables!

Nennir cowl.....a free pattern from knitty. It's a bit fiddly, but it sure turns out beautifully.

It rained BUCKETS here this week, so I made some good progress on this. I have one and a half of three repeats done. I started it to be a Christmas gift, but I'm thinking it's going to be a gift for me. It's been a LOT of work, and they yarn is a nice smooshy madtosh....hmmm......

The next project will be some fingerless mitts for gifts, and then maybe a couple of pairs of felted slippers, a shawl or scarf, and who knows what else.....

HOW many days until Christmas??

p.s. thinking of making a trip to Knit Fit next weekend for a little shopping.....it's a local indie yarn fest. They have classes too, but I won't be participating in those.....
We'll just have to see.

Ok, it's cowls for christmas

This is the first of the Christmas presents.....

It's a cowl in football team colors, which I kinda like anyway. (the colors, not the football team, necessarily). There will be some fingerless mitts to match. All this needs is some kitchnering and a blocking bath, and it will be ready to go.

Up next, another cowl, a cabled one, for another gift. Then, back to the football team colors for the mitts. The monsoon season has begun, so they'll be plenty of knitting ahead.

Miss kitty says "turn up that fireplace!!"

 

blankie completion....

well, mostly.
So, I've finished all the side strips of the blankie, and I think it looks pretty good. It's a bit short, though, so I'm thinking I'm going to do a couple of end strips in a different cable pattern and sew them on sideways. I'm not sure when I'll do that, because I'm starting to feel the pinch of the holidays coming, and there's some gift knitting to be done.

So, the next couple of projects will be secret knitting experiments, that may or may not show up here, due to their potential gift nature, although neither of the recipients reads this blog. We'll just have to see how they turn out. At least they'll be easy to do!

Coming up for gifting.....two cowls with a favorite sports team theme, a couple of fingerless mitts, same theme, possibly a shawl and some socks, and of course, blankie and sock yarn blankie. (oh, and a super secret other project.....you'll just have to guess!)

On a happy note, the baby sweater has found it's new home and baby. No word from the recipient yet, but I hope they're warm and happy!

baby sweater diversion

The blankie is on hold for this little gem

It's all done now, with the exception of the matching hat.....a gift for DH's co-worker who lives in South Carolina. Hope it gets cold there.....

The blankie will probably return next week, after the sweater is on it's way to it's new owner. I'm on the 6th row, and I bought one more skein (chunk) of yarn to do the end panels...it's just a little short.
Now to decide....do I do the end panels the same, or something still cabled but different? I'm thinking different, just need to find something I like.

After that, secret Christmas knitting.....I might show it here though, neither of the intendeds read this particular blog, anyway.

Off to make a hat!

well, THAT was fun

No, really, it was fun....
We're just back from OFF (Oregon flock and fiber), and a good time was had by all.....
There was some shopping.....

some hanging out and knitting.......

some people watching....(and knit item coveting)
A whole lot of fun.....
and a whole lot of critters.....alpaca, llamas, sheep and goats. It was kind of hard not to bring home the triplets.....three goat sisters that were up for sale. The problem is, where would they live??

Anyway.....even this bunny had a good time (I think).

You're just going to have to take my word for it that there's a bunny in there somewhere. I did see a couple of feet. Now I think I want a bunny too!

alpacas and llamas and goats, OH MY!

This week, we're off to OFF (Oregon flock and fiber). It's a great little fiber fest in Canby, Oregon, just south of Portland. Last year, when we were there, the weather stank, like STORM OF THE CENTURY, yukky. A lot of the vendors bailed early because they couldn't keep their tents in place and it was raining buckets. This year, although we might get rained on a bit, so far, there's no plan for another STORM OF THE CENTURY, so I think we'll be OK.

There's a ton of vendors, sheep, llamas and just general fiber fun. I'll be looking for a couple of winter projects...it IS supposed to start raining soon, so we'll just see.......

In other news, the blankie is progressing nicely, with the fourth strip done and attached and number 5 is about 1/4 of the way there. For some reason, some little fat doggie keeps pulling it off the couch and smooshing it into a ball under his butt. Not sure what the attraction is.......

Next week, a report from OFF, and maybe, just maybe a goat or llama pic or two.

all blankie, all the time

just working away on the blankie....the weather is hot, the blankie is making progress.

it might be a little short.....If I'm not too burned out at the end, I might make another panel.  We'll see.

blankie, part 4

this week I finished the third strip, sewed it on and started on the fourth. It's looking pretty darned good, if I do say so myself. No pics though, nothing really new to look at, it's just wider.

Pretty soon, we'll be taking off for OFF. Last year, they had the WORST weather ever there. This year, we're definitely hoping for better. Because the weather was SO bad (the tents were blowing away), some of the vendors left early. Hopefully, we'll get to see a bit more this year. I'm looking forward to it, and hope to get something special for a winter project.

I'll leave you with miss kitty. She has discovered the joy of being up high. She lobes the top of the bookcase, where she can go over into the window on the right, or the transom on the left. It makes a perfect kitty race track, don't cha know. She just needs to perfect her landing.

plugging away on the blankie.....

So, I finished a second panel and cast on for the third. In the mean time, I sewed the first two together, and I quite like how it's working out. Wish it was a little longer, though, but I guess you can't have everything. No pics, there's really nothing new.

The rainy season has started now, so there will be a LOT more knitting as it just gets too wet to do anything else. Still a bit more of working in the yard though before THAT time.....

Miss kitty says "when will I get more attention???" soon......

it's been a yarny kind of week

After having a REALLY crummy birthday, (there was this fence post and a bunny), and not buying yarn for quite some time.....I decided to go all out in a belated birthday present to me!
Black trillium triggered the mini-spree by putting all her yarns on sale. I've been eyeing this gradient for a while, with the yellowjacket shawl in mind. The sale (and the crummy birthday), were just too much, and resistance was futile.

I won't start the shawl until the weather starts to go bad, which will be soon enough.

Next up, was the loopy ewe. I've always loved their kits, and they're just great folks with great yarn. I couldn't resist their eighth anniversary kit....I mean, really, smooshy with cashmere.....The pattern that came with it didn't do much for me, but the yarn.......and the little kit is pretty cool too, with a magnetic closure and some really cute little snips a couple of darning needles, and some nice cable needles as well. You can never have too much of any of those things.

In other knitting news, I'm just about done with the second blankie panel. I think I'm going to sew them together as I go, so I can see exactly where I'm at. Pics next week on that one.

working away at the cables

this week, I worked away on my cables. On one day, it was just too hot, on another, it was just too wet, so, knitting it was. No pics....it looks the same as last time, just longer. I finished the first strip, cast on for the second one, and I'm about half way there. Then the weather got better, and it was back outside for some more (much needed) weeding.

I also bought myself a belated birthday present.  I'm pretty proud of myself, I haven't bought any yarn this year at all, with the exception of my michaels blankie yarn, so when black trillium had a sale, I just had to jump in and get myself some butterscotch gradient. I've been looking at the yellowjacket shawl for a long time. The pattern is really messed up, but some brave soul on ravelry went through the whole thing and posted her fixes. It will definitely be a winter knit, but I think I'm ready to tackle it.

Last but not least, Friday was yogi's birthday.
Happy Birthday Yogi Bear! He's 4 now, and he's turned into a beautiful, sweet grownup. (even if he is a goofy couch tater!)

summer's a hard time to knit

It's just TOO HOT to sit around with a bunch of yarn in your lap. No progress this week on the cabled throw, although I haven't given up. Just too busy watering, gardening and baking (myself). On Monday, it's supposed to be nearly 100 degrees here. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

I know, we hate the rain, we hate the sun.....gotta have a hobby.

I have been working on my glass a bit.
These two stones are going to be poured today.....

 

That one with the fish is actually better than it looks. The tray underneath has a pattern and it's showing through, confusing things a bit. It took me FOREVER to do, all those little pieces of ground glass.

 

This guy has been re grouted and is ready to be sealed too.....

I've got plans for today (even though it's going to be nearly 90!)

 

On a happy note......this week is Yogi's 4th birthday!

Happy birthday Yogi Bear~

 

 

More of the same....

So, this week it rained (yeah!!), and some real knitting got done. I'm just about done with the first panel of the blankie, just trying to decide exactly how long is long enough.
No pics.....it's the same as last week, just longer.

I'm hanging at the fair this week for the master gardeners, and at the market next week (same reason), so they'll be some knitting time there too...

Doggies say.....we like the rain, but it's boring. We'd rather bake. If  we can't do that, we'll nap. With the bone, of course!

hey! lookie! actual knitting content!

So I have michaels to thank for my inspiration (at least their coupon). I've been wanting to make a cabled throw for the couch for a while, ala crate and barrel. This week, michaels had a coupon for 25 percent off your entire sale, so I had to see what that was all about. I ended up with 3 pounds o' love.
I know, ACRYLIC (ACK!!), but when you have two dogs and 2 cats, the ability to toss something in the wash machine becomes very important.

Off to Ravelry, where I found a cabled scarf pattern that I liked. I'll make about 5-6 panels and sew them together.

I think it'll work out pretty well. I've got some fair sitting time and two more markets to do, so I'll have some time to work on it. It won't be cold for quite some time.

Next week, more blankie, and a bit of a scarf.

well, I WANT to knit

This week, it's been hot. Unbearably hot. What do you suppose that makes any good knitter do?
Dig through the stash for wool, of course.

I found a couple of balled up skeins and decided I needed something mindless to do while I'm working at the market and the fair. So.....I decided to start a potato chip scarf. If you haven't seen one, it's a ruffled scarf that turns in on itself.

Even though I worked the market yesterday, I didn't get enough done to take a pic, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

I also got a 25% off everything michaels coupon, and I think when I'm out running around this week, I might stop by and check out their yarn selection. I know, it's mostly that ghastly acrylic stuff, but when you're making a blankie for the couch and you have two couch potato boxers and two insane Siamese, acrylic fits the bill perfectly, since it can be washed. (you never know when someone is going to yak on your blankie, and the one on the couch usually ends up smelling like a dog).

So, stay tuned.....I really want to make a cabled throw, and I might just adapt my own pattern.
YIKES!!

I thought I had it.....

I found some nice, soft, lace, a couple of great patterns, and decided to go for it. It worked for about 5 hours until I got frustrated, the sun came out, and the garden was calling.
Lace.....ripped. Maybe some other day.

So, the moral is, no knitting again this week, just a futile attempt at something that didn't work out.
Maybe next time.

it's been a long......LONG week

and not a bit of knitting......
This week, this little darling decided to have a tummyache.
A very worrysome and expensive tummyache. It resulted in 4 trips to the vet, a credit card that's still smoking, and a cat innard education I would have rather not needed. It was touch and go there for a while, but, in the end, it turned out to be a "mystery tummyache" (thankyouverymuch), and she's now back to running around the house like her normal self.  The vet says it was the barium that did it. I think I just spent enough money for the universe to give up.

All in all, it turned out OK and the folks at the vets (all of them), are totally in love with her. That IS what it's all about, right?

There was also some really sad and disturbing news regarding a friend and pilates client, but I won't go into that here....suffice to say, life is short. You just never know what will happen in the blink of an eye.

I did spend a rainy day looking for some inspiration. I found some really nice scrumptious lace (that really is the name of it), and I'm ready to cast on for a celtic shawl.
I'm also looking at making a cabled blankie for the back of the couch. Just waiting for the right sale at the craft store. I know, acrylic.....but with dogs and cats, you gotta be able to wash it, and it has to wear like iron, so acrylic it is.

Next week, knitting, I promise.

no knittin'

just a kitten....

gotta find some new inspiration