July 25, 2007

A Special Shawl

A friend from church lost her husband to cancer earlier this summer and I decided that I wanted to knit her a comfort shawl. My daughter found the perfect yarn in Omaha .... Mountain Colors in the Indian corn colorway. I have started two different shawls, but didn't care for either one .... just didn't seem right for Joanne. Well ...... I have found the pattern ... Moonlight Sonata Scarf/Shawl from Elann; a free pattern. Here's the pic of the set-up 12 rows and the first pattern repeat of 12 rows ..... need to do a total of thirteen and I'm just about to the end of my second. The yellow dots are pin heads. I really like it!

I hope to get a couple of pattern repeats on my Central Air socks this afternoon. That happens in between trying to get things ready to take off for a week of fishing at my brother's cabin on Gull Lake near Brainerd, Minnesota. Last year, DD and I did a yarn crawl in the area and also taught DSIL to knit .... dishcloths. She was thrilled. Maybe I can get her going on something else. There were rumors of a yarn shop opening in Nisswa the first of the year, so we'll probably check that out for sure. My DH and DB can do the fishing. SIL and I will knit, shop, and drink coffee .... yes ..... she likes flavored coffees, too.

Better get busy ..... TLGB.

July 24, 2007

Last Squares Mailed!

This morning the final group of squares for the Greensburg KS afghans was sent. It has been an enjoyable and rewarding project. Thanks to Laura of El Dorado for giving me this opportunity.

I'm working on ML to knit Central Air out of Trekking. Thought I'd avoid SSS by doing them this way. I'm about 2 inches into the leg. Yes, I'm a top down person mainly due to a high instep.

At night, I plan to knit on the jacket that I've started for school this fall ..... or winter ...... or spring. Whatever??? It is reverse stockinette, so will be mindless knitting.

Should get back to work on the Peacock Feather lace shawl from Fiddlesticks. Better get back to the needles. TLGB

July 23, 2007

Knitting Update


Here's the last five knitting squares for Rebuilding Greensburg KS - One Block At A Time. The DD and I will have sent a total of 57 squares since Memorial Day week-end. Each afghan will use 56 squares. We were going to stop at 56 but then my husband wanted to go to a movie last night, so I started #57 just before leaving so that I could knit in the dark of the theatre without any problem. Both of us are tired of the garter st squares, but have felt it very fulfilling. May God bless the people of Greensburg as they receive the afghans made by many knitters/crocheters from throughout the USA and the world.
I'm starting on the pattern st of the Central Air socks on magic loop. I had started my first sock on dps with Trekking XXL on dps and had the top almost down to the heel flap when I decided to "magic loop" them. The main reason was to avoid SSS because the yarn is so fine. I'm enjoying it knowing that both socks are at the same stage. I've chosen them for the SOM KAL on Ravelry for the month of August since I'll have free time to knit at least until I have to be back at teaching on Aug. 20. The KAL is just to finish a pair of socks each month through Dec. I have the first Broadripple sock finished in Knitpick Sock Garden - hydrangea colorway, so will probably finish that second one for Sept. Then, there will be another RSC selection here for October ... oh, my, there will be a lot of sock knitting in this house. Better get busy. TLGB

July 21, 2007

Old Knits

I have knitted many sweaters for Christmas gifts years ago, but would have to find the old pictures and scan them ... quite a problem since I have no idea where the pictures are at present. Well, when purging our basement of some of its excess stuff, I found this sweater that I probably knitted for my daughter (now 26) when she was about eight years old. It was out of a bulky Lion Brand yarn, I believe, and was usually too warm for her to wear. I also found three smaller sweaters that I knit for DD, the white infant sweater that she came home from the hospital in, a white/blue/pink pullover w/placket knit from Phildar Luxe yarn, and a fairisle pullover knit from heather yarns from Brunswick yarns. The last one can be viewed on http://www.limenviolet.com/ , I believe it was posted June 29. Yes, my daughter actually put the small sweater (children's size 6) on and Violet took the pic. She did show me the sweater, though, and it was still okay and not stretched out too much.

The other sweater I had is a vest with cabled pockets that I knitted my mother about 20 years ago. It was in her favorite color, baby blue. Dad always said Mom's eyes were "buttermilk" blue and that's the sweater's color, too. It was from a pattern (Unger) I believe and also was a soft Unger yarn. Here's a close-up of the pocket, too. Mom has been in heaven with Jesus and my dad for almost 7 years. TLGB

July 18, 2007

Greensburg - Here We Come!

I've just returned from the post office after mailing the 4th package of afghan squares for the people of Greensburg, KS, who lost their homes to a tornado in early May. Last weekend, Alcariel and I talked about sending enough squares (56) for an entire afghan. She had just purchased yarn on sale to use for that purpose. Well, with the squares I sent today, we are at 48 .... that leaves just 8 to finish before Aug. 1, actually July 26 for me since we are leaving for my brother's lake cabin near Brainerd, MN, the next day. Guess, I'll try to knit one every other day ... that should make it. Here are the pics from today's package.

The Central Air socks are on the magic loop and I have about 1/2 inch of the ribbing completed (I always have about 1 inch of ribbing at the top of my socks) . I'll be glad to get a little more done since the loop will "hang" better than it is now. The socks will be a bit different since after splitting the large cake of Trekking, the colors weren't close at all ..... too much would have had to be pulled off but that's okay.

I also need to get some rows done on the shawl for a recent widow. It is working out okay now that I've changed patterns and am alternating the Mountain Colors every 4/2 rows. Will try to get a pic when it is a little farther along.
TLGB

July 17, 2007

Central Air to the Frog Pond

We purchased a new central air-conditioner a couple of weeks ago, and the weather this week is going to put it to work .... 95% yesterday and 97% today with a lot of humidity.

I have been working on Ravelry, a new knitting/crocheting community where you can "scrapbook" your knitting projects, display your stash or knitting library, and make wishes for future projects. There are many groups that you can join and communicate with fellow knitters from everywhere! I've really enjoy it, but had to wait about a month after my daughter, Alcariel, told me about it and I put my name on the list. Well, I'm glad it's summer and school isn't in session because I have been spending entirely too much time on Ravelry. Now, I think I've located all of my "dozing" projects and stash containers that I want to publicly claim .... sorry, but I'm not going to stash cheap acrylic yarn.

My daughter and I have been sending afghan squares to the Rebuilding Greensburg, KS, project, so worked on those the past week to send another dozen (4 dozen so far). Each afghan takes 56, so we hope to do eight more before Aug. 1. At first, only 20 afghans were to be made, but we've (all the knitters who participate) surprised Laura and she has raised it to 40 and maybe more by now. It has really been "mindless" knitting, but very gratifying.

One project that I had forgotten about was the RSC 2006 Central Air Sock. Here's what it looked like when I found it and took a pic by a new coreopsis named Creme Brulee ...what a appropriate perenniel for a caffeine addict like me.Anyway, I decided that tonight I was going to grab it to work on .... in Trekking XXl (colorway 100). Well, I noticed a mistake about 4 rows down, started to just frog to that point. Then I remembered what a joy it was when I knitted the Summer Solstice on magic loop, so I frogged the 4 inches and CO with magic loop. No need for second sock syndrome.

I'm also somewhat startled by the amount of sock yarn I had accumulated one or two hanks at a time. Well, .... I decided that the less expensive KnitPick yarns don't thrill me as much now, so I'm offering them for sale. I just show them in two containers, but plan to take individual pics tomorrow perhaps and put those on Ravelry. Check it out.

Better get started on the Central Air. TLGB

July 11, 2007

Solstice Slip Is Complete!


Just finished taking pics of the completed Solstice Slip, RSC June selection. I knitted top-down starting with 3X2 rib for 8 rows, using a heel flap with 18 loops on side to accommodate my high instep, heel turn, and the toe from Knitpicks Twisted Socks. For the first time ever, I used the magic loop with Addi #1 (2.5) and was holding my breath as my two balls of yarn became smaller and smaller. It was a relief to not have to knit a second sock ... I did have to kitchener both toes, however, at the same time.

Now, back to the other socks I have to complete ... Broadripple from Knitty, Air-Conditioned from RSC 2006 but out of Trekking, and Crooked Cable from Sock Bug. Wow .... that's a lot of socks!

I'm also working on a shawl (lacy feather/fan) for a friend and just started a Sommerset jacket for school this year. It just reverse stockinette with a shawl collar, so that shouldn't be too difficult. TLGB

July 9, 2007

Week--end knitting

This past week-end was spent in Omaha at our DD's home. Her home is only 5 years old, but no maintenance had been done to the backyard fence. The DD had selected a nutmeg brown stain/waterproofer, Dad purchased a sprayer, and applied the "almost" first coat a couple of weeks ago. Three sections hadn't been stained since he ran out of stain and the only place in Omaha that carried it was WalMart .... the one closest was out for a couple of days. This week-end with four gallons available, the fence was completed and then a second coat was applied. The DD will treat the deck but apply that by brush to avoid "drifting" onto the siding. The weather was in the upper 90's, so it didn't take long for the finish to dry.

At night, we knitted .... mostly on squares for the Greenburg, KS afghan project. DD asked me how my STR club socks were going ... I told her I was on the gussets ... she said that's where I was last week-end at the knit night in Des Moines. Well .... I decided to knit on other things during the week. As she was working the heel of a second Jaywalker sock, I decided to work on the June STR club socks. I'm knitting both socks with magic loop, so both socks will be finished at the same time ... I did get the gussets finished and about 2 inches out on the feet. I'm almost holding my breath hoping that I have enough yarn to finish ... I'm knitting the size with 75 sts originally, so it should be enough yarn. Should know for sure in another couple of days. The pic shows the socks after knitting this afternoon ... I'm about 1 inch from starting the toe.
Didn't go shopping .... except on-line at BMFA .... DD still had her discount club coupon, so we just ordered sock yarn ... I order five colorways and a couple of patterns ..... also am sharing an extra one of the STR colorway just in case I need it. DD said she would need some of it for sure. Better get back to the socks .... TLGB.

July 5, 2007

Fireworks and Froggin' Again

The 4th of July is nothing without fireworks. Our volunteer firemen did a fantastic job last night with fireworks. A local restaurant owner distributes fireworks for towns/groups in the area, so we had a fantastic show for about 1/3 of what we've had to pay in the past ..... a hometown boy from my classes 25 years ago was taking care of all of us. For 45 minutes, the sky was a beautiful light show ... interrupted periodically by the ground show .... not the typical flag, waterfall, etc. but repeating displays shot out of tubes in the ground. Even though we were sitting across the road instead of in the grandstands at the fairgrounds, it was awesome. A grand finale to the holiday that celebrates the freedoms which we often take for granted.

The frog epidemic has once again struck ... this time the Clapotis that I was knitting from Mountain handpainted Indian Corn colorway. The yarn just wasn't matching at all when I had finished the first 350 yds. of dk on #6, so I decided to try a different shawl and vary every 4/2 rows. Two of the balls are very similar in color, the other has only small bits of the green that is more prominent in the others ..... after every four rows, I'll knit two of the different ball ... hopefully I'll be able to carry the yarn up the edge and not have so may splices to do.

July 3, 2007

Yarn Crawl Acquisitions

While waiting for Cheryl and her knitting group to arrive at Border's, Alcariel and I checked out the knitting books .... I picked up two socks books, Knit Lit (short stories about knitting), Debbie Macumber's book with two short stories about Texas, and a Lori Wick book "White Chocolate Moments". Yes, I do love white chocolate, especially Lundt truffles. It's my "bubble bath" reading material for a while.

Alcariel and I just had to have our morning coffee, so we dropped in at Scooter's for a breakfast burrito and lattes. Then the "power" yarn crawl began. Cheryl, Alcariel, and I hit three yarn shops in Des Moines in 2 1/2 hours! The first shop we stopped in was in a strip mall across the street (to the west) of the Jordan Creek Mall. "Knitting Together" was a lovely shop. The shop owner was most gracious to us as we were "looking." Actually, as I entered the door I saw a lovely boucle wrap jacket that I decided would be perfect for school. So .... I was determined that I would make that jacket ... the pattern "Somerset" is contained in a book with twenty other jackets by Jean Frost. Also purchased a book of baby items by Dale and some medium pink Dale Ull for a sweater for my newest great-niece who's due mid-August.

At Purls, A Yarn Studio, I purchased two balls of alpaca in an
oatmeal colorway for a pair of socks .... also heel reinforcement fiber to match. Also purchased some Opal sock yarn for "Christmas socks" because of the red, green, and yellow colorway. When I got home I had almost an identical colorway from BMFA. Also bought another set of buttons for a vest that I've knitted from a wool/silk boucle (Parisian Nights) that I purchased on the yarn vacation that DD and I went on in summer 2005. These are what I've been looking for ... buttons that really look like they belong with the yarn.
At Creative Corner, I picked up some point protectors for dps and a hank of lace alpaca/silk in a pearl grey colorway..
I had the DD pick up some L & V colorways when she went out last
week to help Eliza with dying and record the weekly podcast. I received robot, samba, and merengue.They are colors that I don't have, so may use them for gifts for friends. TLGB