Moebius and Squares

I started this Moebius shawl a few months ago and have been knitting on it sporadically, when I have the time.  Today I had a mammogram and to keep myself calm I took this to knit on.

I consider this an odd knit, not because I don’t like the concept, but it’s kind of difficult to wrap your head around.  Once you get going it clicks and you just go, go, go.  I’m hoping to finish up with it at Knit Club tonite. 

This log cabin afghan  I’m working on as I watch TV, last nite we watched the Proposal, and it was a good flick, it also helped me finish the border on the last one of the squares.  From this point forward all the squares will have the border knit in, cause quite frankly I would just die if after all the squares were completed and then have to start the border, of course this epiphany could have come to me in the beginning, but then again, that’s why I knit to figure things out.

Afghans

I knitted this entrelac afghan

a while ago and it’s gotten some really good use, if not by the intended giftee, my husband,  but by my dog she loves to lay on it and when she’s not on it, anyone on the couch that is chilly uses it.  The other day this cause a bit of an ” I want” with this ghan we were watching  TV and the AC was really cold so everyone needed a cover up, well actually I needed a cover up. 

I’d been toying with a log cabin afghan idea for a while.  I wasn’t sure I’d really wanted to knit a whole afghan of small strips, just the thought of all those ends to weave in is a turn off.  I started with this

and soon convinced myself that although it looks okay it wasn’t what I wanted, it seems so regular, I don’t know, just not right.  I’ll take this one and make a bed for the dog since she’s in love with the other afghan, she can have her own.

Then I came across some really interesting log cabin blankets from a group on Ravelry – Log Cabin Fever, great group.  I saw that some people had made the log cabin squares with the same color on all sides, making  a block within a block, and this appealed to me.  So I cast on and started knitting these.

I’m planning to make the squares all different colors that I have in the acrylic yarn stash hoping to whittle that down to almost nothing. I bought my last skien of yarn for the year it’s the border color for this afghan, in espresso brown.    I’ve promised my self no new yarn until most of what I own as been worked up into something.  I think I will be working for a year or more and not really go through it all.  I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not?

Socks, Sweaters and Lace

Here’s a pic of my Hermia sweater, it’s been slowly progressing and I have actually enjoyed knitting the lace portion of the peplum.  I need to try it on and figure out if I have enough repeats, the pattern calls for eight I have six so before I get going on the next set I will test it out and see.With all the sweater knitting I was needing an FO fix so I cast on and completed some socks last week.  I always get a little antsy when I take on large projects, because of course it takes time to knit a whole sweater especially if it’s stockinette in fingering weight and small needles, so I need a to cast on something small and non challenging to take  a break and regroup, it’s also useful if I get stuck on the lacey bit.  I would like to finish the sweater in time for Thanksgiving I hope I can accomplish that.

A Wisp of Soft Cashmere

I  finished my wisp, it was the first project I’ve ever knit with 100% cashmere yarn and had to block.  I love the results this is 500 yds of wonderfully soft yarn that turn into a great shawl.  I cast on double the stitches that the pattern called for and did 17 repeats of lace.I was intrigued about a Ravelry conversation of a wedding ring shawl, this shawl would be full size and can be pulled through your wedding rings, well I tried it with this shawl and it worked so I guess a quenched my curiosity with it.  Although it is a beautiful FO, the process was a bit of a PITA the yarn is really slippery and very thin, it took so getting use to.  I have 500 yds left over of which I still don’t have a project in mind, I’ve asked the Selfish Knitters group and they have suggested fingerless mitts with the yarn held double, a scarf, and a hat.  I think I leaning towards the scarf idea, but a cowl lacy, soft and drapey.

Knitting, crochet and more yarn

This is the afghan I was crocheting for my son, I finished, washed and dryed it and has been given to him to use next winter, but with the A/C running in our house at full blast he’s had opportunity to wrap himself up.

 I started the Falling Water Scarf, which is lace and I’ve been knitting away, with lifelines to help,  I think I will be able to conquer lace after all.

 Then I was persuaded by this gorgeous 100yds of 100% cashmere yarn on ebay, OH MY WORD!! that stuff is ever so soft and the bonus is I’m not allergic to it.  After much discussion on Ravelry, a lot of ladies pointed out that I may have sensitivity to some yarns with wool, but not others with different animal fibers.  I was also informed that processing, dying and the various stages of  getting fleece to yarn could trigger my itchiness with wool.  Lots to think about and the best part is that I can start testing other fibers to see what I can handle or not,  this gives me hope for some really pretty yarn I’ve seen and been hesitant about.

With the wonderful Cashmere I’m knitting Wisp which I wanted ever since the pattern was posted in Knitty.com,  I’ve had to rip out because the yarn is very thin and if I’m not careful I pick up the stitches below the actual stitch and creates a mess.  So I have lifelines, counter, extra bright lighting and concentration when I work on this one. 

Then there is this, my mom’s table runner I’m doing this one on my lunch breaks at work.  It’s simple crochet single stitch with a triple stitch for some open work.  It’s my own pattern and I’m writing instructions as I go along, so far I really like the way it starting to look.  I’m using  Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc Peaches & Creme Ombres #147 Shaded Brown.  I have two cones and think I have more than enough to finish a table runner.

FO’s, UFO’s and Patterns

Yet another pair of sox, these were done with Paton’s Stretch Socks yarn and they are wonderfully stretchy and comfy, they’re not extra warm and go great with my Crocs.  The pic below is the beginning of my HermiaSweater a pattern from Knitty Fall 2008, I love that website.  The yarn is Fantina, I think from the 70’s and it’s Belgium.  I tried to do some research but came up blank.  It’s 100% acrylic 2 ply very soft with with great sheen.  I’m enjoying the pattern, I decided that this is the knit I will take with me to club on Wednesday nites so it will take me a while to finish, but I think it’s a good pattern for yakking the nite away with the girls.

This piece is a scarf Falling WaterScarf, its a download from Ravelry, such enablers there, hehe..  So far I gone one repeat without ripping back, frogging or throwing it across the room, which reminds me I better put it a damn life line before I jinx myself, I think I’m coming along on the lace work, fingers and toes are crossed to keep away the bad lace karma nymphs.

And my final knitted FO is a Tam I started out as the pattern was written, but then modified the top to have a stockinette finish.  I loved the way it turn out and am hoping my DD friend agrees.  I also got to put in my label which was pretty cool.

Windmills and Ruanas

This is my Windmill bag. I found on Ravelry and is the pattern of a very talented lady.   I loved working on this it was simple yet intriguing I had fun making it and am sure I’ll use the poor thing to death.  But then I could just make another one.  I think I want to weave one, I’ll have to plan that out and see how it would work. 

The next pic is my Pièce de résistance my ruana, if you follow my blog, you’d know that I started this one yes (1) year ago.  It was an on and off love affair with the yarn, sticks and garter stitch.  I must say I love the ruana, for all it’s knitting monotony I love the the finished piece, and hope to use the heck out of it in the years to come.

My socks

Finished with these and am happy with the stitch definition and the colorway but some how these are really loose.  This is Serenity Sock Yarn the Deborah Norville line and I love the feel, very soft and very warm.  I wore the socks yesterday to work and they will definitely be winter socks.   I started on another pair and am going to work on those along with some other UFO’s to clean up the knitting mess that is going on in my life right now.   Although I hate lists I think it might be time for one on the side bar just to keep track of what needs to get finished.

I’m Official

After much debate and thought, I got labels made from Heirloom Woven Labels, it feels so official as if the labels justify or add prestige to my handmade textiles.  Funny what a little piece of fabric with your name on it does to your mindset.  It’s weird, but I’m getting use to the idea that when I knit or weave these will be proudly sewn into the items.

I sewed them into my shrugs to see what they looked like, what do you think??

I don’t know what to make of them, I like them, but it’s just a strange feeling to see them on there.

First finished Sock!

The hubby has socks!  Yep I finished them, they’re soft , warm and he loves them.  Even the strange gusset doesn’t look so bad after a bath and dry.

I also cast on for MY socks, with all the sock yarn I’ve bought socks are going to be a predominate fixture to the knitting repertoire at least for a few weeks.  It’s nice to have some small projects to work on. 

I also got called in to jury duty, urrrghhh, I so don’t like going downtown to the government building.  It’s not a safe neighborhood and the parking is 10 city blocks away, never mind the place to eat for lunch.  I’m  really not looking forward to June 1, but I called and they said I could bring my knitting with me and if they didn’t the needles were weapons they’d let me take them into the jury pool area.  Hopefully my Chiaogoo bamboo size 2 (2.75mm) dpns are not enough to alarm the officers, although I could poke some annoying lawyer in the eye, hehe…. shhhhh let’s not tell them its just our little secret.