WIP Wednesday

Since I finished two things last week, I've started one thing and picked up two UFOs to finish. The new project:

I had originally started this new sock intending a basketweave pattern from SKS, but I liked the 3X1 rib I started it out in so much that I decided to keep with it. The yarn is more of the yummy Cherry Tree Hill in colorway Foxy Lady.

Now, for my two UFOs (unfinished objects for any muggle readers). The first is the second snowman vest:

I'm to binding off the armholes. Not too much further now.

And the last project is the Forest Path Stole, saved from neglect by Agnes and Debi's Forest Path Stole Knit-Along.

I've wanted to do the FPS ever since I came across a picture of it a couple of years ago. I immediately ordered the Interweave issue it was in and I was actually planning on being completely insane and spinning the yarn for it. I spun a little on spindle and made my first swatch back in June 2005. I then decided although I like the color, it wasn't for my FPS, so I went back to looking. So, in July of last year, I came across this beautiful forest green alpaca silk from Webs. I feel in love and knew it was what I wanted for my stole. So I restarted last year. And she got put aside for other things. Now, I'm ready to pick her back up.

Another FO!

Well, I started the year off slowly, but I've finished another something else.

Specs:
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill in Spanish Moss
Needles: Size 0 DPNs
Pattern: Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks, but I used my own basic pattern for heel and such.

Finally, A Finished Object for Friday!

I've really been into this alliteration thing for titles lately. But, you didn't come here for my adoration of alliteration as of late, did you? Nope, you came to see what I finished, didn't you? So, I present you, without further ado, my first finished object of 2007!

Pattern: The Hidcote Garden Shawl by the talented Miriam Felton
Finished size: About 80 X 38 which is a little smaller than the pattern specifies, but still plenty big
Needles: Size 3
Yarn: Viola Handpainted Lace from Sweet Georgia
No modification. This pattern is a joy, very interesting to do and really keeps you on your toes because of all the different decreases.
And the closeup:

I am so happy with how this shawl turned out. The yarn is just perfect and the pattern is just incredible. Maybe this weekend, I'll get some elegant modeled shots. Now, I'm already to pick Forest Path Stole back up just in time for the February start date of the KAL.

And I'm really happy to have a finished object finally. I haven't finished anything since the Hexagon Shawl. That's two whole months without a FO! I hope now to get a few rather quickly as the socks are almost done and I have a second snowman vest also nearly done.

WIP Wednesday

I'll apologize now for the crappy WIP pictures, but it's snowing again (I knew this would happen - I would wonder where my snow was and just get tons of it), so very overcast and not very good for taking the pictures. Well, hopefully, these picts are just for reference anyway as I really hope to have both the socks and the Hidcote finished very, very soon!

I have only about 25 rows left for Hidcote. Granted, they are very long rows now, but still, I'm rounding third base.

And this is the second sock of the pair.

The first one did a cool zig-zag thing, but this one is candy-striping. That's okay, it still looks cool.

I promise when I finish, I'll take really good pictures of everything!

Sunday Snow

I know it's Monday, but all the snow happened yesterday. About three weeks ago, when temperatures in Virginia were in the 70s, I was wondering where my snow was. Well, here it is:


Only about an inch or two, but a nice layer of ice over it. I only hope all the warm weather then the cold didn't kill my blueberry bushes.

Saturday Sky

Two sky shots from today. The first is from this morning:

I just thought it was sort of pretty. It's not an outstanding shot.

And here's one from this evening:

That bright "star" is Venus.

More Pretty Stuff

I know boring title. Oh, well. Here's my progress on Hidcote:

I really have finished Chart 7 this time. So only 8, 9, and 10 left, but they are shorter charts (of course, the rows are much longer by this point).

And I'm almost to the toe of the first sock.

Like Hidcote, it's near to impossible to get an accurate example of the colors in this sock. The green has an overall hint of blue and the purple is more on the red side. Overall, it's just a really cool sock. And I love the yarn; so very soft to work with.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Pretty Stuff

I'm definitely not a member of a stash-along. How can you tell?

The top four colors are Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, colorways left to right are Serengeti, Foxy Lady, Quarry Hill, and Peacock and the bottom skein is one of the Interlacement Tiny Toes Bachelor Buttons skeins. Note that although three of the skeins do have purple, in two of them, purple is more of a complementary color and not really one of the main colors in the skein. And two skeins have absolutely no purple whatsoever. I made a conscious choice to choose skeins based on not having much purple. And I love them all! All the skeins are from The Loopy Ewe, complete with a handwritten note and needle inventory cards. The personal touches really do mean a lot to handcrafters, don't they?

I'll post an update about Hidcote and the new socks soon. I seem to have found my mojo in full force and might even finally have a FO or two very soon.

New Socks and Julie Update

Well, the entrelac socks are toast for now. I knit the entire cuff and leg was having trouble getting it over the heel. I still love the entrelac, but I'll have to revisit it at a later date. For now, I started another pair.

The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in Spanish Moss.

I've just finished Chart 7 (Edit: Darn it. I'm actually just starting Chart 7, having just finished Chart 6. Trying to get ahead of myself.) of Hidcote:

Not too much further now. Still difficult getting the color.

We got Julie's lab reports. The tumor was cancerous, 1-4 on an aggressiveness scale of 1-10. We're hoping they got it all with the surgery. The vet wants to do a lung x-ray in six months and says if it's clear and no lumps, she should be okay. She got her stitches out and for now, everything's looking okay.

I Spoke Too Soon

Remember how I said yesterday that I had fixed Hidcote without having to tink any rows? Well, I was slightly mistaken. I ended up having to take out four and a half rows anyway. I knew where the mistake was, I just couldn't see well enough what was going on to fix it (lots of different decreases). Anyway, I took out the rows and now have it repaired and it's all better now. (Quick, knock on wood for me.)

Anyway, I had to show you what one of my friends gave me last night at the guild meeting. She's a fellow lace knitter extraordinaire and sock enthusiast (and if she ever gets her blog set up, you'll be able to see some of her beautiful work:) Anyway, she saw this little bookmark and thought of me and my Pup. Isn't it the cutest thing?

And of course, a sock-blocker key chain from The Loopy Ewe. She made the little sock and I can make more.


And I've been drooling over the yarns at The Loopy Ewe all morning (since Blogger was down and I couldn't post earlier) and I'm going to have to place an order soon.

I'm All Better Now

Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm feeling much better today and have been able to talk for the last couple of days. I still sound a bit like Kathleen Turner, but I can talk now and that's the important thing. I've been working on Hidcote (no pictures because the weather's lousy and I have enough trouble tying to approximate the true color without added issues) and I'm to the first place where the pattern changes dramatically. Of course, this was what I took to the Sit 'N' Knit last night to work on. I couldn't concentrate. I ended up talking a lot more than knitting along with a little spinning. This is after having to use DPNs to fix something on Hidcote Saturday night. I had messed up yarnovers or something, but got it all fixed. Hopefully, I'll get back on track today with her.

In March, I'll be doing a program on polymer clay buttons for my local knitting guild. I'm pretty excited about it because it gives me an excuse to get the stuff out and just play. I was planning on demonstrating how to make button molds and how to do canes. I've already done a blog tutorial on caned buttons (just see the sidebar), but I'll document molds, too.

I'll know exactly what's going on with Juliette when she gets her stitches out on Thursday. I really do appreciate all the kind thoughts you all have given.

Day Three

Day three of what you might be asking yourself. Day three of not being able to talk. I have some sort of wicked upper respiratory tract infection and since I'm one of those unlucky few that has all the weird side effects listed on the pseudophedrine bottle like fast heart beat, nervousness, insomnia, etc., I'm doomed to go without decongestants and suffer. So, I then end up with a wicked case of laryngitis and those of you who know me personally know I love to talk. So not being able to talk just bites. I actually don't really feel that bad, just can't talk. And I've had enough tea and green tea to fill a swimming pool in the last few days trying to soothe the poor throat. I hope this thing gets over with soon and I seriously hope the kids don't contract it. I don't think I'd wish this on my worst enemy. Well, okay, maybe my worst enemy if I had one. I just really want to be able to talk again.

WIP Wednesday

I actually have a WIP to show:

That's the Hidcote Garden Shawl (I somehow had not put this one on the sidebar until Monday) and I am loving this pattern. It is going to be a gorgeous shawl when it's done.

My other WIP is actually not knitting, but spinning. I've been spinning on that beautiful new spindle.

This is cashmere silk and it is a dream to spin. So very soft. The color is a beautiful cream/silver with occasional hints of a darker tan. I plan to double-ply it and see how many yards two ounces will give me. Then I'll decide what to do with it. I'm thinking a shawl.

Since one of my 2007 goals is to finish all the things currently on my sidebar, I'm going to try to work on them, not necessarily exclusively, mind you, because I'm sure I'll add a few to the sidebar, but I do need to work on them. My goal for the end of January is to finish Hidcote and the second Snowman vest. I plan to pick Forest Path back up the first of February to join Debi and Agnes in their Forest Path Stole-along.

Happy New Year!

Thanks again for all the kind words and thoughts about our Julie. She's still doing well.

Well, it's that time again. Time to inventory all the projects I've completed in 2006 and make a few goals for 2007. I've completed a grand total of 22 projects this past year (keeping in mind that several were actually started in 2005 and that I'll have several to carry over into 2007). Broken down into categories:

Shawls/Stoles/Scarves (nine):
Hexagon Spider's Web Shawl
Wool Peddlar's Shawl
Icarus Shawl
Madli's Shawl
Swallowtail Shawl
Faux Russian Stole
Trellis Scarf
Landscape Shawl
Clapotis

Sweaters/Vests (three):
Snowman Vest #1
Bella
Lizzie

Socks (ten pair):
Shade Garden Socks
Purple Trekking Socks
Blue Austermann Step Socks
Waterfall Rib Socks
Red Austermann Step Socks
Mom's Opal Petticoat Socks
Blue/Mauve Socks
Pink and Purple Socks
Chevron Socks
Mosaic Socks

Now for my knitting/spinning goals for 2007:
1. I vow to finish all current UFOs on the sidebar. (Stop laughing. I can do it. Really.)
2. I vow to finish all current spinning projects (which remembering that I usually spin laceweight will take a while. Do you know how long it takes to spindle just two ounces of silk?!) And I want to use some of my spindle and wheel spun goodness in shawls.
3. I vow to acquire more spindles. I love them – they are portable and beautiful to look at and so meditative.
4. While some are vowing not to acquire more yarn in 2007, (You know who you are and I truly admire you for it:), I plan to acquire much more yarn. I've decided that there may come a time when I am not so easily able to afford yarn and a large stash may come in handy. So, while I'm able, if I see a yarn I just have to have, I'll probably get a bit of it.
5. I vow to try out more colors, especially in sock yarn. I'm in a bit of a rut with purple and pink (just check out how many of my 2006 projects were either pink and/or purple). Although, I don't think I'll ever rid myself of the love of those colors (and just pure black), I think I'm going to pick a few colors I normally wouldn't. Maybe add some more blues and reds to my palette. With each sock yarn purchase, I think I'll try at least one colorway that wouldn't be my first or even second pick.
6. I vow to organize my stash and to keep it neat. (Really, DH, stop laughing. I'll do my best.)