Ravelry Scarf Exchange

On Saturday when we went out in the garage to leave for two different social gatherings, I found two boxes that the USPS had left. One was from Hreow on Ravelry, my upstream from RSE 1. After learning that I had purchased a spinning wheel, she sent me a whole box (she called it a "wee parcel") full of fiber goodness. Included were shetland, camel, English, Bowmon Braf (blue yarn at top), Wensleydale, merino, Jacob's, Seaweed wool, BFL, Scottish llama, yak, alpaca, silk, and bamboo. Wow! Do I have a lot of work to do! Thanks, Hreow!

The other was from Knittog, my RSE 2 upstream.

Included was a lovely scarf in the perfect color of blue, some Noro Kureyon (will be used for a buttonhole neck scarf), a coffee cup sleeve, a Moonstruck chocolate bar, locking stitch markers, a coffeepot keychain, a small notepad that will go in my purse, and some salt water taffy. The chocolate bar and taffy were made in Oregon. Thanks, Knittog.

On the knitting front, I'm knitting on the Adamas Shawl. I've completed 9 of 14 repeats on chart 2..... however, the rows are getting longer ...... increasing from 7 sts to 240+ now! Hopefully, I'll have it completed before school starts. It has really been an enjoyable knit and a learning experience, too. I'm able to just rip down a few sts for 3-4 rows when I encounter a mistake and then work them back ...... only this time, hopefully correct.

The Spring Ahead socks are knitted about 4 inches out on the foot .... these are my "in the car" knitting, so not a lot of progress there lately.

Happy knitting. TLGB

RSE Completed!

The scarf for RSC is finished and almost dry from blocking. The other goodies are waiting to be sent to annadownya on Ravelry. Sorry, no hint as to what is coming. This exchange we were to make ourselves known to our downstream.......only the scarf details were to be kept secret. I found the perfect yarn in May, but not the right pattern for the yarn until almost the end of June. I did start four other scarf patterns, but none did the yarn justice. Hopefully, it will please annadownya.

The Spring Ahead socks for the STR June KAL are an easy knit. Even though the pattern calls for lightweight STR, I am using mediumweight STR so that helps. I'm doing both socks on ml and have the gussets about halfway knitted now. I hope to have the gussets finished before hitting the pillow tonight.

I signed up for the Adamas shawl KAL on Ravelry. I'm planning to using lightweight STR in Typhoon Tina colorway. I tried it on #7 and didn't care for the fabric, so I'm starting out on #5 the next time ....perhaps tomorrow.

Here is northern Iowa, it is really humid with temps in the low 90's, so really don't feel like going outside to do anything. DH is doing his usual Sunday afternoon activity ..... napping on the sofa! I'd like to go to the movie Mama Mia this afternoon, so that may delay more knitting a bit.

Back to knitting! TLGB!

Socks That Rawk KAL

I realized last week that I didn't have any socks on the needles after I finished two pairs that were WIPs. Decided that I'd do the Spring Ahead Socks KAL that the Socks That Rawk group is doing this month. I chose lemongrass for the colorway, but it is mediumweight. I do knit quite tightly, so I'm using Addi 1.5 ml. I've only knitted about three hours total, but have already completed 1.5 pattern repeats (24 total rows per repeat) on both socks .... that leaves just 24 more rows until I'm at the heels. The repeat is an easy one to memorize, so don't have to refer to the pattern/chart.

I'm also working on the scarf for annadownya for the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. I've never done two halves and then a 3-needles bindoff, so that something new for this old knitter. The pattern and yarn is secret until it is received by the downstream pal, so a pic should be posted before the end of the month .... Aug. 1 is the date the exchange ends. I have all the goodies for the box, just need to finish the scarf ..... I'm about 1/4 done with the second half. I love this pattern with the yarn .... it's only the fifth one that I tried. TLGB

Latest Knitting

I've been working on the Ravelry Scarf Exchange for annadownya from Florida. I have finished half of the scarf. It's secret, so can't give the yarn or pattern. It needs to be finished this month and sent. This is the 5th pattern I tried, but it is the one for the chosen yarn.

Finished the River Rapids socks from Sock Bug. These were started for a gift for one of the organizers of the DSM Metro Knitters retreat in Feb. Now, they are finally finished.

Last night was a first ..... no socks on the needles. This morning, I cast on the Spring Forward socks from Knitty in STR lemongrass colorway. The yarn is medium weight instead of lightweight, but I usually co 72 sts for my high instep, so figure the 66 sts will be enough. I'll be using these socks for the SAM6 KAL. TLGB

Back from Colorado, again!

We are back from our nephew's wedding in Loveland....it was at the McC Ranch northwest of Loveland ..... absolutely breath-taking view of the mountains. And .....they loved the afghan that I've been working on for the past three months!

Also during the road trip, I worked on the River Rapids socks that has been "snoozing" for quite some time. I just have to kitchener the toes and they will be completed for the 6-Sock KAL.

Now, I'm working on the scarf for the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. I decided on the yarn early in May, but only recently decided on the pattern. Both are secret, so won't be posting until it is sent and received. TLGB

Progress on Jacobeans!

Wow! It's been a long time since I started the Jacobean socks for the SK Pentathlon on March 26 .... usually I have them finished within three weeks. I didn't make the deadline, May 1, but they are the next socks to be completed. I have about an inch left before I start the heel. Since I've been eliminated from the competition, the pressure is off and they will be completed this month for the SAM5 KAL. I haven't decided if I will do the short row heel on the pattern or do my usual heel flap.

The past week I have been knitting on them, the afghan for my nephew's wedding the end of June, and the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. The afghan is almost halfway finished, so I'm at least on schedule with that .... besides, it will get warmer one of these days and I won't want a heavy, wool afghan resting on my lap. Happy knitting and TLGB!

Ravelry Scarf Exchange

Today when I made a quick stop at home after an appointment at the chiropractor, I spied three parcels from my Ravelry scarf exchange spoiler, Hreow on Ravelry. Here's the pic of the entire grouping. It was more than I ever expected.

Here are pics of the scarf .... the neck and then the ends detail. The yarn is a rose/purple/light pink colorway. It is beautiful and long .... the way I like scarves.

Next came three balls of a Shetland Ultra yarn in strawberry crush colorway and a pattern for a New Shell Scarf. I can't wait to knit with it .... may have to wait until Christmas gifts are finished. Also in the pic is the pewter brooch that she sent.

Also in the parcels were a 2008 calendar with recipes on each month. I'm anxious to try several of them. She also sent a Scots magazine that I'll enjoy reading.

Last, but not least, were all the goodies she sent. Enough to last me for a while unless I eat them all at once. Not a good idea since I'd probably be sick from too much sweetness.

TLGB

Yarn Shop Visit

Today I took off to visit a yarn shop new to the Iowa Great Lakes area, northwest Iowa. The shop is actually a branch of The Yarn Basket in Carroll, and is located on the east side of highway 71 in Okoboji, just south from the McDonald's. It's located in a small stone house next to a small strip mall. Beth, the owner, was in the shop today with a class of three knitters, I believe. I asked for a DK yarn to knit the upcoming socks for the Six Sox KAL. I ended up with some soysilk and also some bamboo. We are to have a contrasting color for the socks, so I choose two colors of the soysilk (blue and rust) and a variegated (green, blue, brown, and rust) plus a solid brown in the bamboo. I really like both of the yarns, so just need to decide on one when the pattern is posted. I also purchased a book to send to a downstream and some light blue yarn to knit booties and a cap for a grandson of one of my coffee friends. I was thinking as I drove to the shop that I should try to get in contact with a knitting friend that lives in the area, but didn't do anything before I left. I turned around in the shop and who was coming in the door but Jean. She was there with a couple of knitting friends (they knit together once a month). When she lived here, we were part of a knitting circle that met weekly in homes with dessert and coffee served. That was almost twenty years ago ..... wow, how time flies when you are knitting.

I started the last pattern repeat for the scarf I'm knitting in the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. It's going to be a surprise, so suffice to say that I think it's awesome. Hope Humglum will, too.

TLGB

More Accomplished!

I have completed the Mystery Socks from Socktopia through the heels ... now I just have to continue the pattern on the instep with stockinette for the sole. This part was just posted today. I'm doing both socks on ml, so didn't want to have to frog just in case something different was done. Maybe I'll be able to get it done this week-end. The pic isn't the greatest .... we really haven't had a lot of good light here in the past week.

Started the scarf for the Ravelry Scarf Exchange .... my downstream doesn't want to know that pattern or yarn, so it is going to be a surprise for her, I'm about halfway finished .... about 20 more rows. We don't have to gift them until early December, so there's plenty of time.

This past week, I have been plagued with the "bug" that's going around school with a few seasonal allergies mixed in for a miserable experience. This is the first day this week that I really didn't feel completely drained when I got home.

Tomorrow it looks like it will be canning time for tomatoes and grapes. We usually make about 60 quarts of grape juice, but this year the grapes aren't as plentiful. That's okay because we have a few quarts left from last year. We've already canned 19 quarts of tomato sauce/juice, mainly to be used in making chili, so will be making this batch for the DD. With a frost predicted this week-end, we need to take care of the produce.

TLGB!

Scarf Exchange

I signed up for a scarf exchange on Ravelry last month. Well ..... finally the pattern and yarn have come together and the scarf has begun. We are to complete them by December, so that won't be any problem. I asked my upstream pal if she wanted me to post progress pics .... haven't heard back yet, so none here. No pics! Just heard from her and she wants a surprise! Her scarf is all I knitted on last night, so it's progressing well. I did frog and went from a #6 US to #8 US .... the thicker part of the yarn stay soft now.

I'm starting the gusset decreases on the Mystery Sock from Socktopia. I had to take the one sock off the ml and do the heel flap, heel turn, and gusset pickup on dps and then tranferred back to ml for the gusset decreases. The next step, probably the foot, hasn't been posted yet, so I can be a little lazy, huh?

Better head upstairs to get something done before bedtime beckons. TLGB