and another FO

It's hard to believe the week has past.  Last I looked it was Monday and I was showing off my Woven Mitts.  I had a picture for WIP but got busy and never posted it.  Instead I'll post Another Finished Object [hehe]

"Emma's Star" by Jennifer Chase-Rappaport using Zara and US 4 dpns and 16" circular.

Starting from the top down (I had never made a hat this way), it worked up quickly.  It looked a little small until I blocked it over a dinner plate.

I love the dark green color but I'm not much of a hat person.  I'll probably add this hat to my gift box (box of knitted items to use as gifts)

WIP Wednesday

Emma's Star Beret from the Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders book (at least a start to it)

It's a top down construction.  I've never done a hat this way before.  I'm using Zara a 100% merino superwash DK weight and US 4 needles. 
So far I'm liking it.

Catching up

1. I am home from all my travels.

2. The weather is still crazy here.  It cooled down to a bearable temperature.  And then the roses started blooming!!

And they're still blooming!?

3. I finished the hat to match the Big Apple Mitts.

I liked the way this hat turned out so I now have to knit one for myself. lol.  I think I'll use red and black for mine.

4. Not a lot of knitting, reading, or blogging has been done in the past two weeks.  I will try to do better.

Welcome December!!  Hope everyone is not stressing too much trying to get all their gift knitting done.  I've already decided not to stress out.  I just won't get everything done.  But I'm ok with that decision.  It just means I'll have a head start on next years gifts!

WIP Wednesday

Garter Stitch Striped Hat to match the Garter Stitch Striped Fingerless Mitts

Why yes, it is knitted flat and then seamed up the back (just like the fingerless mitts were done).

Catching up

I apologize for the blog silence.  I've just been busy and haven't been on the internet much this past week.

I have been knitting a hat for the local yarn shop.

It was knitted flat and then seamed together using the mattress stitch.  Then it was flattened with the seam in back and the top was sewn closed.  I used Rowan Creative Focus Worsted and US7 needles.

Our local knitting guild is sponsoring a HUGE knitting event at the library October 1st.  We will have tables set up with information, demonstrations, we'll have knitting in public, knitting games, and drawings.  Throughout the month of October we will have knitted items displayed in the 6 large, glass display cases in the library lobby.  I have been busy getting things ready for this event.

I have been busy planning lessons for my knitting classes.  Last night I had a class on different ways to cast on and bind off.  It was a fun class and I think everyone enjoyed it.

I don't have any new sock pictures. 

I do have a picture of our pool.  The water situation is no better so we have closed the pool.  Ellie thinks she is the official pool inspector, lol.

And of course we are watching the Rangers!!   GO RANGERS!

So if I don't blog much over the next few weeks, please forgive me. 

Weekend Knitting

Baby Socks and a Hat to match!

Cables!

Yes I like cables.   And as I mentioned... here's the finished scarf, hat, and mitts...

The first half of the cable class went well.  Everyone was excited about trying to knit cables.  They all ended up with homework, lol.  I will have them start their cable projects next week at the second half of the class.

(I may make the pattern available to purchase at a later date)

WIP Wednesday

Knotty Braid Hat (to go with the Knotty Braid Scarf and Knotty Braid Mitts)

Goodbye knitting year 2010

Thinking about the last day of year and reflecting back, I was curious as to just how many knitted projects I actually finished.

Wow!! here are 25 projects finished in 2010

and the finished Crazy Socks makes 26!!

I didn't realize just how much knitting I was able to accomplish. And I didn't even count the miscellaneous things like some dishcloths or some small, quick (mini socks) items. Or any of the counted thread/cross-stitch items I finished.

I see I managed to knit 11 pairs of socks! Of course I didn't keep them all but I did add 6 pairs to my sock drawer!! woohoo! adding to my sock drawer was one of the goals for 2010. (we will not count the wips left in 2010)

I say I had a good knitting year.  How about you?

WIP Wednesday

Surprisingly I do not have any progress done on any of the socks since last Wednesday.

We left last Thursday to go to Arlington to visit the grandkids. Our other daughter flew in with the baby girl. So we visited with all three grandkids! and had a great time.

What I did do on the car ride up and back...

... was knit a hat.

I used Caron Simply Soft Eco in Sprig and size US 7 needles. The pattern is "Cable Knit Cap" by Louise Pyle. The cables should twist to the right but since I was cabling without a cable needle and had some problems with the cable back, I did the cable forward. Much easier for me without a cable needle.

So I have turned in at least one hat for our knitting guild's charity project.

p.s. I haven't worked on any socks since we've been back. I've been catching up on computer ravelry, emails, blogs, stuff.

Finished Objects

The ribbon won!

I started an i-cord but just wasn't happy with it. It might have looked better if I had some dark blue yarn for an i-cord. It was lost as the same color.

I don't have much ribbon stash and didn't think the white ribbon would look as good.

SuKnitWitty to the rescue!
She had just the right color ribbon. Perfect!

More info on the beaded bag can be found here.



The Yellow Baby Set (trust me, it is a pale yellow)


I started the yellow baby sweater on New Year's Day. It worked up quickly so I had to start a pair of socks!

Of course it wouldn't be complete without a hat...
which I finished the hat last night.

I think the new to be granddaughter will be warm in her sweater set.




Nathair Mitts (rav) designed by Dianna Morgan.


I started these in July and put them aside to work on baby stuff and Christmas stuff.

I love the cables! The Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk yarn is luscious! So soft!

I think SuKnitWitty likes her birthday present, don't you?

Wednesday's 3 Julias

Today the Wednesday Knit Trio met for a "Julie & Julia" inspired luncheon.
A picture perfect table...
A delicious menu with a Crustless Maryland Crab Quiche (recipe at the end of the blog), a Spring Salad mix with a Raspberry Vinaigrette, a dish of berries, blueberry muffins with a choice of Lemon Curd, Boysenberry Preserves, or "BUTTER!!" (if you've seen the movie Julie & Julia, you'll know you can't have too much butter) (if you haven't seen the movie, you should... it's great!).

You cannot imagine my surprise when SuKnitWitty showed up in hat, pearls, and apron!! And she had a hat, pearls, and apron for each of us. What fun to dress up and be Julia for the afternoon.

The cook...although I don't look Julia-ish...
I love the hat!! But I should've changed shoes, lol.

And the recipe:

CRUSTLESS MARYLAND CRAB QUICHE*

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon BUTTER
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
3/4 cup (6 oz) crabmeat

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare pie plate:
Lightly spray 9" pie plate with Pam. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Swiss cheese on bottom of pie plate.

In a skillet, saute red pepper and onions in butter until tender.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir in the red pepper and onions, the crab, and remaining Swiss cheese (I didn't measure, I just added a handful... oh, so un-Julia-like of me)

Pour into pie plate and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

*Modified recipe of Crab Quiche from Allrecipes.com

p.s.
my horoscope for today, "You'll probably feel like having a little fun and enjoying yourself before the day is through." So true for today!!

Baby knitting

I've been busy knitting some baby stuff for SuKnitWitty's new grandson who will be arriving any day now.

Of course some socks!! A basic pattern using DK weight yarn on size 4 dpns and casting on 24 sts...

And a little hat with a cute pompom on top...
I used a basic hat pattern (again with the basic), size 5 dpn, and cast on 74 sts

And I couldn't resist trying the bib and washcloth patterns from Down Cloverlaine
I used 100% cotton for them. They came out so cute! I bought some more cotton so I can make some for my future granddaughter (due to arrive in Jan).

(I've been trying hard not to start something new and to finish up a couple of UFOs. I have resisted so far and managed to knit 36 rows on the beaded scarf. But I'm weakening.... maybe if I eat some chocolate I can resist the startitis bug? I heard chocolate was good for everything!!)

Seaman's Hat finished and beads

I did manage to finish the Seaman's Hat this past weekend. (it only took two days! woohoo!) And it fits. So it will work nicely for our trip to the cold north.


In other news...
I did get my beads (size 8/0) for the Sockdown! Jan Mystery sock. Bad news, none of my crochet hooks would go through the hole. I tried the smallest hook I have which is a 14. I tried some out of all four packs of beads. None of them worked. : (

Just to check, I got out a couple of size 6/0 beads and tried them. They worked! But, I don't have enough of those beads. : (

So, I started the mate to the Anniversary sock. Maybe I'll get it finished tonight and can take them on my trip! : )

ps - I did order more beads (from a different place). I ordered one pack 8/0 and two packs of 6/0. I am determined to try and knit a pair of socks with beads!! (Besides, there is a pair of fingerless gloves I want to make that needs 6/0 beads).

So, what HAVE you been doing?

Well...
I was getting over a cold. It kicked my butt! I was in bed for two days and then spent the other days just sitting there being miserable. I am finally feeling better (but still have the sniffles and cough) and now my husband has it!!

I did finish a pair of fingerless gloves that I was test knitting. But I can't show pictures of them until after February 1st. It is for the Ravelry group Fingerless Gloves Fanatics February KAL.

I finished the scarf and it is blocking:


We are going to Ohio for my father-in-law's 80th birthday. And so I decided my husband needed a hat for the c-o-l-d Ohio weather. : )
So I started one:

It will match his fingerless gloves. (And I hope to have it done this weekend)

So then I stopped to wind some yarn...


I want to knit the Sockdown! Jan Mystery socks. It involves beads! So I had to order some beads (haven't received them yet). In the meantime, I wound the yarn I hope to use (if the beads match ok).

It is Knit Picks Gloss, color Cosmos. I love this yarn! It is so soft, 70% merino wool, 30% silk. I've made four pairs of fingerless gloves out of this yarn and it is time to make a pair of socks out of it.

I also wound some Kollage Lucsious sock yarn (63% cotton, 37% nylon). I need to make a sample pair of socks for a sock class.


And then I HAD TO wind a few cakes of Cascade 220 the Heathers for my Must Have Cardigan.
Colonial Blue. I love blue! It is such a soft blue color. And I love cables. I have wanted to knit a sweater with cables.

I am anxious to start my sweater and had to do a gauge swatch. I got gauge! So time to cast on!!

I haven't even mentioned the fingerless gloves I want to start...
Ambitious list to start out the new year, don't ya think?