August Break: In my bag

After some thought and input from DD#1, I've decided to feature an old project bag, I really should push through and finish this old WIP, it's so close but the problem is, I've lost the momentum and making the second sleeve match the first one is a challenge due to my modifications and poor note taking!

In my green project bag:

An almost finished sweater using the 147-8 Candy - Jumper pattern by Drops.

Two empty packages for size 10 circular needles, I'm knitting the 2nd sleeve with these two needle sets.

The much scribbled on paper pattern.

The pen for the scribbling.

A set of size 10 bamboo dpns, just in case I want to use these for the sleeves knit in the round.

5 yarn labels for the balls of yarn that have already been used, this is Debbie Bliss, luxury silk DK, 100% silk  in the hollyhock colourway.

Two small balls of the remaining hollyhock yarn, will this be enough to finish the second sleeve I wonder?

A ball of Debbie Bliss luxury silk DK in purple in case I run out of yarn, or the sweater is too short, perhaps I'll finish it off with some plain purple.

August Break: Orange

I'm treating August Break as a challenge to improve my photos and also to post on my blog everyday. I take my daily photo before looking at any of the other amazing blogs so that I am not influenced. So here goes with Orange, a colour I don't like very much and certainly never wear. I do like it in nature though.

 I have two friends that love orange and wear it well, one of them has been waiting for this trio of washcloths to be ready. Each time she sees me I'm knitting on something else, so I hope that she will be pleasantly surprised when I give her these orange dishcloths later in the week.

That lovely orange flower is pole beans bursting in to bloom, followed by beans in a week or so I hope...........

I sprinkled the beans with the magic garden dust since some leaves were curling inwards a sure sign that all was not well, but after the weekend of rain, more powder needs to be applied.



Happy Monday.

August Break: Pattern

The word pattern brings to mind knitting patterns and my current WIPs (Works in Progress), my latest strategy is to focus on 3-4 projects at a time. This works well for me, enough variety so that I don't get bored and also a mix of easy knitting for the tired times when I just need some simple mindless knitting and more complex patterns for the times when I need the challenge and  concentration. Also a mix of selfish knitting and gift knitting, but not too many projects so that I actually see some progress each week and an FO (Finished Object) is not too far off in the distant future.

Current Patterns:

Nymphalidea by Melinda VerMeer ~ a shawl for an 80th birthday gift.

Rosa's Sleeveless Cardi -Jumper by Emma Fassio ~ a blue ribbon top for me.

Hitchhiker by Martina Behm ~ adding to my KORT (Knit One Roast Too) inventory, this is one of the most popular patterns on Ravelry with 15,435 projects!

Windowpane Dishcloth by  MaDonna Marie ~ the last of a trio of orange dishcloths for Lisa.

2014 FO Friday #3

This is a wrap I made for a belated 80th birthday gift. The pattern is Maluka designed by Bea Schmidt, available for free on Ravelry. I like how it turned out, although I wish I had made it a little longer. Length is hard to gauge since the border is knitted first and becomes quite long, then stitches are picked up along the edge and the body knitted with short rows, that shortens the wraps and makes the curve. This was the first I've knitted in this style, I got a little bored with the border after 39 repeats, but the body flew by in a couple of evenings and allowed for a nice sense of satisfaction. Next time, I'll try to persevere until I have 46 repeats or so. There is  about 25g of yarn left and it would have been nice to use it all up (so I could buy more of course).

This is pre-blocking in my oyster shell garden. I used an i-cord cast-off for a more finished look.

Blocking in progress.

Blocked

Raised bed in the making.

and yes I'm wearing another FO, in a linen cotton blend.

The Maluka is now in England and I hope the birthday lady enjoys wearing it this winter. 

2014 WIP Wednesday # 5

My front running WIP is the Nymphalidea shawl. Elizabeth from the lovely Driftwood Yarns in Mystic was the enabler in this case, she has a couple of beautiful samples of this pattern and I just had to have a go.

I pulled out a ball of Berrocco Boboli Lace that I had in my stash and Elizabeth helped me pick out this lovely Swans Island Natural Colors lace in the vanilla bean color way. The yarn is made in Maine and a yummy mix of merino and silk.

The shawl is growing quickly, I'm making some modifications that I'll write about next time. Can you see that I have two savoy cabbages making nice hearts? They're growing in my raised bed in the making, essentially composting leaves.

There's also Kale and peas and beans flowering

Please link to the amazing Tami's WIP wednesday, this is her 202nd one!! Thank-you Tami!

2014 WIP Wednesday # 4

I've had a change of projects since my last post, although there are a few older snoozing WIPs still around.

One of my current active WIPS is~

The slipstream cowl MKAL in Ellyn Cooper's yarn Sonnets Hand-dyed, this is a beautiful fingering merino with a nice twist, from a local independent dyer. I've had this in my stash for quite some time and was excited to find the perfect project for it.

 The last clue for Slipstream came out yesterday, but I still have an inch or so of the last clue (three) to go. You can read about the Mystery on Inspiration Knits Blog.

I am really enjoying this mystery, I'm keeping up and the pattern really does work very well for variegated yarn, thank-you Louise! Instead of magic loop I've been using US size 2 bamboo dpns, they're 8 inches long and have a little give that I'm finding is gentle on my hands and so far no aches and pains like I had last year. This is my 2nd Inspiration Knits MKAL, the first one was the foolproof cowl that I also liked and DD#1 made one too.

I'm linking in to all the other WIP wednesday inspirational projects.... go and take a look.

2014 WIP Wednesday # 3

There is an alpaca vest on the needles for me.....I'm trying to keep up with the momentum so that I can actually get it finished unlike the other two WIPs for me. The three pieces are finished and blocking, sewing weaving in ends and all the other finishing stuff awaits.

 

The yarn is Paqu Pura by Mirasol, 100% alpaca, sport weight and incredibly soft. I bought it from one of  my LYS with a Christmas gift certificate from my daughter's boyfriend, what a sweet boy he is to go to a yarn store and buy me a gift certificate.

The back was great fun to do in the self striping yarn but the 2 fronts were a bit of a pain as I had to alter the self striping stripes!! And now I have all those ends to weave in. In hind sight I should have knitted this all in one piece, one of my fiber fest friends suggested knitting the front in one piece and steeking, but I didn't quite have the courage.

The pattern is Nantasket on Ravelry.

We have started Cooper on low dose chemotherapy hoping the the tumor will stop growing, he remains in good spirits.

Last night I started a warp with the most delicious yarn.....

Okay I'm off to block, the BSJ needs to be ready for the baby shower tomorrow.

I'm linking into WIP Wednesday

2014 FO Friday # 2

Remember these booties? Well they were a mismatch, in colour waves and size, so I frogged and matched them knitting two at a time. I hope to deliver them to Milo tomorrow, he is growing into his BSJ. You might think that spring is coming and a baby won't need woollies, but here in Southern New England, spring is barley here, we had a frost last night and snow earlier in the week. The crocuses have peaked and the daffodils and forsythia are just about to bud.......so it will be a while before it is really warm.

Here is V2.0 of the booties, I hope you agree that they are a better pair and will match nicely with the Cardie.

The other BSJ, is almost finished, oh so close, just the dreaded binding (which I'm doing with an icord), weaving in ends, blocking and sewing on buttons. The baby shower is next week, so I had better hurry.

Happy Easter.......My girls may get a basket if I get my act together.