How I spent my snow day -or- NerdWars Knits

It has been quite a long time since I have done color work knitting. I forgot how much I love it. I love following the chart switching between the color in my left hand and the color in my right. It is almost like meditation; blue, blue, grey, blue. Over and over again. Before I know it I am starting the decreases. The hat is Undergrowth. I used Blue Sky Alpaca Sport in oatmeal and navy. The brim of this hat has a knitted braid. I have never done one of those before. It was fun. There will be many more fair isle knits in my future. I think I might have finally worked up the nerve to start those cupcake mittens from SpillyJane. I bought the pattern and the yarn over a year ago.

A friend of mine got me to join the NerdWars group on Ravelry. I was pretty neutral about the whole thing until the challenges were issued. I have had so much fun with this. Thank you Kathy for introducing me to the fun that is NerdWars. The only thing that would make it more fun would be if I actually watched the show that  out team is based on. I have decided that it is time. I put the show in my Netflix queue and as soon as I return something there will be a disc on its way.

Happy Knitting
S

Skate booties make me smile.

Seriously, how can you not smile when you see these? The basic pattern is Stay-On Baby Booties from Churchmouse Yarns. I made the worsted weight version with Berroco Comfort. The blades are something I made up using some shiny silver embroidery floss. It is too bad these are promised to someone or I would keep them for myself.

May you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

S

Hot for Teacher

Finished the Clapotis KAL. I am in love with this beautiful wrap. I want to crank up the air to make it cold enough so I can wear it all day. Right now it is on display at Firefly Fibers to keep that urge at bay.

Today is a nervous and exciting day for me as I begin my career as a knitting teacher. I have, in the past, taught countless people to knit. So why am I nervous now? Maybe it is the classroom setting. Maybe the fact that people are paying to take this class. Maybe I am just afraid that my skirt will be tucked into my underwear and no one will let me know (should I go with pants tonight?). I think that my biggest worry is that sometimes (insert always) I have a problem getting my thoughts out into understandable words. I get tripped up with language. My hands and my brain know just what to do but my mouth does not know how to explain it. This can be most frustrating to all involved. On the up side I am teaching knitting basics tonight. That is my favorite thing to teach. I love sharing the joy that is knitting. I also have a wonderful group of people filling me with confidence. That said, I am sure the evening will run smoothly. I best be off and get the last bits together.

S

Happy Independence Day!

Yesterday the flag socks were finished. The kids and I think they turned out pretty great. Not sure of the yarn brand as it was mixed in with the stash I got when my sister was told she could no longer knit (sucks for her, great for me). The pattern is something that I just knit. There is nothing written out.

I have to admit, knitting socks for the kids is great. They go so much faster, I can get as crazy as I want with the color and pattern, and the kids get so excited whenever they see me cast on another pair.

July 1 started the Firefly Fibers Knit Along. We are working on the Clapotis. This is a pattern that I never thought I would make but am really glad was picked. Sometimes the patterns that I would never pick myself end up being my favorite projects. The pattern is easy to memorize.  There is a technique of dropping stitches on purpose that I have never tried before. I will let you know how it works once I get there.   Crystal Palace Mini Mochi in 107 is the yarn I picked to make mine. It will be luscious with my brown wool coat this fall and winter. I can't wait.

The weekend is just about to get started. We don't have any huge plans just cookout, fireworks, beer, and family time. I did agree to dog sit for two of my neighbors this weekend. I will probably bring my knitting along and relax. Best wishes to all and have a safe and fun 4th.

S

Summer Fun

Summer is in full swing. How could it be that the kids have been home from school for almost a month already?  I believe there is a pile of papers from the last day of school that still have to be sorted. With summer school, golf lessons, movies, and swimming the time just flies by.

Lately I have been going through a stage where nothing I knit looks right. It has been quite frustrating to say the least. It seems that every single project I have cast-on has been ripped out at least 3 times (thank goodness for high quality yarn).  Given the issues stated, I have quite a few projects on the needles.

First is a variation on the Alpaca Baby Shawl knit out of Unisono #1210.  Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan this pattern. When I first started to knit it with this yarn, however, it just did not look right. The yarn has beautiful color changes and flecks of other colors here and there. I think that the lace sections were taking away from the beauty of the yarn. I ripped it out and decided to knit the blanket as is just omitting the lace. I am thrilled with the result. The beast part is that this yarn is infused with aloe and jojoba so it is like a mini spa treatment for my hands while I work on it.

Second is a baby sweater. I used 2 different colors of Plymouth Dreambaby DK and 2 different variegated sock yarns (can't remember brand or colorway, just leftovers from the stash). The pattern is Easy Baby Sweater and Hat by Plymouth.  This is such a plain and simple pattern. I love switching it up with different fibers and yarn weights, it makes the end result pretty unique. That and I can usually finish this project in a day or two.

Finally, more pictures of the sock blanket. It is starting to get to the size where I don't want to work on it unless I am in an air-conditioned space.  I still have over 100 mini skeins waiting to be added but I have not worked on this in the past few weeks.

There are still a few projects not mentioned, but I will save those for another day.  

Happy Knitting.

S

Sock Obsession

Spring has sprung and with it comes all the spring activities. I have been working on the gardens, going to soccer matches, and chaperoning school field trips. Those things and more leave little time for knitting. I try to fit it in when I can.

This is a scarf I knit as a store sample for a new yarn shop opening soon in Beaver Dam, WI called Firefly Fibers. The yarn is Cascade 220 Quatro in 9433 colorway. The pattern is Eyelet Scarf from 60 Quick Knits. This Thursday I will be bringing the yarn in to the shop and, if I ask real nice, the owner Alisa may just let me take pictures to give everyone a preview.

 My favorite obsession is still my sock blanket. I am always trying to fit in time to knit "just one more square".

 I started getting nervous when I used all the sock yarn I had and there were only 2 1/2 rows of the blanket finished. I did a bit of searching on Ravelry and found a group called Blankie Mania. Let me just say, the yarn swap is a life saver if you are working on a blanket like this.

There are at least 40 mini-skeins of all sorts of yarn just waiting to get on this blanket. If only I could press the pause button on life and get them added.......

S

Saturday quickie - Sock Memories Blanket

Quite a while ago I came across the Sock Yarn Blanket by Shelly Kang.  I read as she documented the progress on her blanket.  The finished project is stunning.  I have been planning on starting my own version of this blanket for months and finally got going on April 1. I made only two adjustments to the original pattern.  First I cast on 45 sts per square.  Second I decided against the I-cord edging.

My blanket after day one.

And after day two.

My goal is to use only yarn that I have personally worked with.  If that turns out to not be enough yarn I will either continue to add as I make more socks OR I will branch out and use yarns from wherever I can get them.  

Knitting this blanket has proven to be pretty addictive.  As soon as I get a square finished I need to cast on another.  I have a mental list of the next 4 yarns that I will use and where they will go.  I have not really done anything else since starting this blanket (just ask my hubby, he will confirm that the couch cushion  has perfectly molded to the shape of my arse).  Heck, it was hard enough to put down the needles so I could write this blog post.

Better go, the yarn is calling.

S