Cleaning = knitting?

I attempted to continue my clean-up this week... and attempted is the key word here.  I pulled out my bag o'baby hat yarn. This was all bulky, pretty stuff that I had purchased specifically to make baby hats from the book Welcoming Home Baby. I had made several of them in the past, but they didn't make it into Ravelry, so I can't be sure when exactly.  In any case, I pulled out the bad and started weighing all the partial skeins to enter into my Ravelry stash. As I was going, I realized that there was very little leftof a few of them, and that I could quickly use them up.  So I did!

The Criss-Cross hat:

The Chunky Beanie:

The Dashing Through the Snow hat:

Even more exciting than the baby hats, though, are the socks for my beau! I finished his TARDIS socks!  They're knit mostly out of Malabrigo Sock in Impressionist Sky, and I loved working with this yarn!

I also finished Nora's legwarmers, but totally forgot to take a photo, so I'll try to include one next week.

So those are off the needles. Still in progress - but without photos because they look almost the same as last week - I have my stripey socks, Mum's Moonlight shawl, and Tara's shawl.  

And because it feels wrong to have just one pair of socks on the needles, I started my Cherry Sour socks (named for the yarn, not the pattern). I'm trying the Fish Lips Kiss Heel again, and it looks better this time. It turns out that I've been wrapping the yarn wrong for my purl stitches since, well, always. I think that's why the first pair looked wonky.  Here's what they look like so far:

I'm debating starting a new pair of armwarmers, but I feel like I should finish some of these other things first.  Maybe I'll let myself cast on once I finish a pair of socks.

Where does that leave me in terms of my goals? Not too bad!

- I want to finish my beau's socks by Sept 14, which is the next time I'll get to see him face to face.  DONE!

- I want to finish Mum's shawl by Sept 30, because then I can enter it into the My Sister's Knitter's KAL on Ravelry. WORKING ON IT

- I want to finish my stripey socks by Sept 30 to keep on track for the 26 Pair Plunge. ABOUT TO TURN THE HEELS

- I want to finish Tara's shawl by Oct 18, so I can send it to her without extra postage costs. MAYBE BE ADJUSTED TO DECEMBER...

- I want to start and finish the legwarmers by Sept 30, so I can get credit for my HPKCHC class. DONE! Just need to post them.

- NEW: Finish Cherry Sour socks by Sept 14, to keep on track with the 26 Pair Plunge and then let myself cast on some armwarmers. 

And that's what's going on in my craft world!

Knitting and cake

Lots of stuff to show you this week! First, the knit FO:

The Fuss-Free Baby Blanket is done! It only took 16 days, but it was SUCH a drag at the end. The last round was 712 stitches. That's a lot. It was taking a really long time for each round, and it didn't look like much progress. But it's done! I've got just a teeny bit of yarn left. I'm thinking about making a matching hat, or maybe a stuffy. We'll see. 

Also finished, cake! My friend threw a first birthday party for her son this past weekend, and I made his cakes. There was the main cake:

And the smash cake:

And the 36 cupcakes:

Can you tell what the theme was? I'm pleased with how the cakes turned out, and so was she! And it looks like I'll be using the same cake pan to make a Minnie Mouse cake for her daughter's birthday in December. 

With the baby blanket finished, I started to focus on my beau's socks. I'm now about to turn the heel, which means I still can't take it out and about. But once the heel is done, they'll be much more portable. Oh, and while there is only one sock in the photo, I am doing two at a time, so the second sock is just as far. 

Speaking of socks, I've pulled out my grey stripey socks again. They travel somewhat better than the TARDIS socks, although I don't think I'm liking the two-at-a-time magic loop socks. I'll keep going, and I'll try it again before I make any decisions. I'll also try going toe-up and see if that makes a difference.  I'm not sure. I just really like my DPNs. 

I started a new project yesterday at lunch, when I forgot my socks at home. Luckily, I had a skein of yarn and some needles in my car, so I cast on Truly Tasha's Shawl by Nancy Bush. It's a free pattern that I found through Ravelry. I'm using I Love This Yarn in Purple. 

Finally, I cast on another baby project tonight. This one is We Like to Cardi by Vickie Howell, and you can find it in the Fall 2013 issue of KnitSimple. I'm using the unknown millends that I frogged a few weeks back. Because I cast it on tonight, I don't have photos, but I'll have some next week. This is my first attempt at any sort of lace pattern, and it's going okay so far. We'll see as it goes on!

Breaking out the sewing machine!

This week, I've only got one FO, and it's not knit or crocheted.  I've been working on my baby blanket (more on that in a bit), and it got big enough that it wasn't really purse knitting anymore. Technically, I could fit it into my Namaste purse/project bag, but that bag is big, and I tend to fill it with purse stuff and portable electronic gadgets and it gets REALLY heavy. So! I decided to sew myself a project bag!

I've been staring at all of the awesome bags on the podcasts I watch, and while I'd like one of the lovely box bags, I feel like that one would need an actual pattern to turn out well. Also? Zippers take me an awful long time to sew in properly. So I went with a drawstring bag, because I was sure I could wing it. 

I dug through my fabric box and found about a yard of fabric leftover from a set of curtains that I sewed for a friend's nursery several years ago. It's a Winnie-the-Pooh print, and I picked up some grosgrain ribbon to trim the top and make a drawstring channel. I made a rectangular bottom and reinforced it with a piece of cardboard, lined the whole thing, and did all of the trimming in one evening. And now I have a cute project bag for baby blankets!

I'm really happy with it, and I'm planning to use it for all of my baby blankets - which actually means that I'll be much more likely to have just one baby blanket going at a time. 

And speaking of baby blankets... I'm still working on the Fuss Free Baby Blanket. I still really like the look, but it feels like it's slowing down. It's knit from the center out, and every round gets bigger.  I just finished the second pink stripe, and I'm up to 588 stitches per round. So it makes sense that it's taking longer to finish a round. My purple and blue stripes are going to be less than 25 rounds, because I'm not going to have enough yarn... But I'm okay with that. I think it'll turn out well. Here's the progress so far:

The only other knitting I touched this week was a new project: I cast on the TARDIS socks for my beau!  I'm soooooo excited about these! The main colour is Impressionist Sky in Malabrigo sock, and it's just delicious to work with. He tried it on before I did the colorwork section, so I'm crossing my fingers that they'll still fit after that section. Once I get to the heel, I'll get him to try them on again. Cross your fingers for me!

And that's been my week in crafting!

A touch of start-itis

I just want to start knitting All The Things! 

I only have one finished object this week, and it's going at the end of the post this time, so if Lorna is reading, she can stop and still be surprised(ish) at her birthday present.

What's on my needles? I'm glad you asked! I'm still working on the Moonlight Shawl for my mum, but I don't have any new pics yet. I'm still working on some striped socks for myself, but they haven't seen any action for a couple of weeks, so no new pics there, either.

I did start a new baby blanket, because things just wouldn't be right in the world if I weren't working on one of those. I found this pattern from someone who posted in the Knitting Samurai Plus 1 podcast forum over on Ravelry. Steph is running a baby blanket KAL, and someone else was working on this pattern, and I just knew it would be perfect for using up some stash that was left after I finished the blanket and hat set for a friend. In 2008. The yarn has been around for a while, and I'd love to get it out of my stash. The pattern I'm using is called the Fuss Free Baby Blanket by Louise Tilbrook. It's a free download on Ravelry, if you're interested. So here's the best photo I could manage:

It's awkward to photograph, because it's a square blanket, but knit in the round on circulars. I have to say, I LOVE this construction! I'm just finishing up my first blue stripe, and I think I'll have enough yarn to do another set of stripes, then finish off with the white.  If there's anything left, I'll make some booties or a hat - this yarn WILL get used up!

I haven't started anything else yet, but I've come close. I stopped by my LYS yesterday on my way home after work, and I picked up two balls of sock yarn so I could finally cast on the TARDIS socks that I'm planning to make for my beau. I had already purchased two balls of Malabrigo Sock in Impressionist Sky (I adore that color!) for the main part of the sock, but I didn't have the black or white for the accents. I wanted to cast on as soon as I got home, but I held off. The accent yarns are Cascade Heritage Sock, and they look to be just a teensy bit thinner than the Malabrigo, so I want to swatch and see if I'll need to change needle sizes for that section before I get going. Wow, I've totally grown as a knitter! Back in the day, I would have just cast on, gauge be damned! 

While the ladies were caking up the skeins for me (did I mention that I'd really like a ball winder of my own?), I picked up the latest Interweave Knits - it's the Unofficial Harry Potter edition! I wanted to cast on all of the projects, right then. So, of course, I bought the magazine. There are just so many awesome things in there! I'll be knitting myself at least two pairs of armwarmers/handwarmers, and I put out a call to my friends on Facebook - if you provide the yarn, I'll knit you anything you want from there. With the caveat that it's first come, first served, and that you'll have to be patient, because knitting isn't fast.

And finally, that brings me to my FO, Lorna's birthday present. Lorna, if you're reading this, close the browser and go away now. Now!

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Just in case...

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Voila! A pair of socks! They're knit using Lorna's Laces Solemate in the colorway Zombie Barbecue, using US1/2.25 mm needles. I used 54g of a 100g skein, so I'll probably make myself some handwarmers, and a sock blanket square, and hopefully a hexipuff when I finally buy the Beekeeper's Quilt pattern.

And that's what's been going on in my crafting world! 

Two FOs!

I am in a finishing mood! And I'm doing really well at resisting the urge to cast on all the things, which is very good. 

So this week, I've got two FOs. First, the picnic blanket that wouldn't end. It took up my whole weekend, but I got it done! Including the coordinating bag! 

That's off the needles - well, hook. It was crocheted from a pattern in Crochet Today's special blanket edition from a few years ago, using a 5.0 mm hook and Red Heart Super Saver in Real Teal and Turqua. 

I didn't think I was a yarn snob, but after working with the acrylic Red Heart, it was so nice to move on to better yarn. It was just so rough on my fingers! I hope that I can avoid using it again for a while. 

After I finished that, I moved on to Heaven - Plymouth Yarn Heaven, that is, in color 122, on US 10.5/6.5 mm needles. I finished a baby blanket for Tiffany and Phillip!

You can see the diagonal stripe in the center if you look closely - I had two balls of one dye lot and four balls of another, so I intentionally spaced them like this. You can't see it so much in person, and really, it's going to be all bunched up around a baby, so it won't matter much. But the point is, I prefer an intentional stripe to a random clump. 

Once I finished those, I moved back to a pair of gift socks. I turned the heel of the first sock, and I'm partway up the leg. I'm nearly done, because it won't be a really tall sock, and I've only used 24g of a 100g skein, so I'm going to be fine for yardage. This is really good, because I want to use the leftover yarn to make a pair of handwarmers for myself! 

Here's a sneak preview of the socks:

Still on the needles are Mum's Moonlight Shawl, my grey stripey socks, dishcloths, and my sock yarn blanket (which I have misplaced! If you see my baggie of yarn scraps, please tell me!). 

Finally, I've also been in a ripping mood. Last week, I started ripping out a ripple afghan that I started a very long time ago. I finished winding all of the yarn back into center-pull balls. A few nights ago, I started ripping out a baby blanket that I started in 2004. That's NINE YEARS AGO. If I haven't finished it by now, I'm not going to. I'm actually going to reuse the yarn to make a baby blanket using the same pattern I'm using for the sock yarn blanket, but I've got to finish ripping it out first, and finish knitting and crocheting a few other things. 

So that's what's going on in my crafting world!

July is on it's way out!

Time sure does fly! I can't believe July ends tomorrow. Before long, it'll be sweater weather again... No, I don't need to think about that! Otherwise, I'll want to cast on a sweater!

I've got one FO this week, and one sort-of FO. I finished my Dirty NOLA socks tonight.  That makes 4 pairs done for the 26 Pair Plunge that I'm participating in. Just 22 pairs to go!

They're knit from Premier Yarn Deborah Norville Serenity Sock in the Harlequin colorway, on US 1/2.25 mm needles. It took just shy of a month to finish them, but I definitely wasn't monogamous...

I also finished a dishcloth, then started on another, because I've decided what my Christmas presents for lots of people will be this year ;)

I've got three or four of these big balls of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton, as well as some Sugar & Cream, and some Peaches & Cream. 

Of course, I've worked on things that didn't get finished:

- Tiffany and Philip's baby blanket

- Mum's Moonlight Shawl

- My grey stripey socks

- Lorna's birthday socks

- and the big project of the week, the picnic blanket. 

I started working on this blanket about four years ago. A group of us had gotten into the habit of meeting for lunch in the park across from my office, and I thought it would be great to make a picnic blanket for us to use. Before I could get it finished, though, a bunch of stuff happened, and two of the three people are no longer in my life. The picnic blanket went into hibernation and has been there ever since. 

With all of the podcasts I've been listening to, I've heard lots about the Beekeeper's Quilt, and I've decided that would be a great way to use up my leftover sock yarn from the 26 Pair Plunge. I knew I'd need a place to store the hexipuffs, but I didn't really want to buy something new. This picnic blanket, though, was living in a sort of pretty basket, which would be a great place to store hexipuffs!

So the picnic blanket is now out of hibernation, because I want that basket. I promised myself that I wouldn't buy the Beekeeper's Quilt pattern until I had that basket free, so I'm working on that a lot. It's crochet, and has 172 squares. Individual squares. Which all needed to be crocheted together. 

I've finished all the squares, and a big chunk of the seams, and I realized: SEAMS SUCK. I don't like them at all. But I've got five left to finish, then a couple rows of pattern around the edges to make it all pretty. With any luck, I'll have it finished for next week's update! Cross your fingers! 

And finally, I've been considering doing a vlog instead of a blog entry, probably because I've watched so many video podcasts lately. Does anyone have an opinion on this? Would you rather have a video or photos? 

More socks? Why not?

I've been pretty monogamous in my knitting this week. A friend came for a visit, and I spent a lot of time hanging out with her and chatting. While we chatted, I knit her a pair of socks and she worked on a project I'm not allowed to talk about yet ;)

I finished her socks:

They're knit from Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks in color 1767, using US 3/3.25 mm needles. 

I also turned the heels on my Dirty NOLA socks! Whee!

The only other project I worked on this week was Tiffany & Phillip's baby blanket. I'm on the fifth of six balls of yarn, so I should be wrapping that one up soon. 

I did spend some time browsing JoAnn and Michaels with my friend, and I picked up some more Smashbook supplies, and we also pulled out my Big Shot for part of her secret project, which made me want to make some cards, so I may have a few to show you next week. 

Of course, I might just spend the weekend cleaning up the yarn-splosion in my office... I was trying to tidy up before my friend arrived, but that sort of turned into sorting, which turned into organizing, which got cut short and is now yarn everywhere... I'm not sure you'll get photos, but rest assured, I'm thoroughly exploring my stash as I try to figure out where to put it all!

So many socks!

I didn't finish much this week, but I have worked on stuff!

I've finally finished Jonathan's socks. 

They look a bit weird in the photo, but his feet are huge, and the only sock blockers I have are for my own tiny fairy feet. They are done, though, ends woven in and everything! They're knit from Patons Stretch Socks in Pumpkin Spice Jacquard on US 3/3.25 mm needles. 

I'm still working on my Dirty NOLA socks, but not enough progress for a photo. I also cast on a new pair for myself. These ones are knit two-at-a-time on circulars, top down. I'm using Patons Stretch Sock again, this time in Spumoni Stripes, again on US 3/3.25 mm needles. 

In other sock news, I decided I need to pick up a second ball of Malabrigo for my beau's socks, so I can't quite start that pair yet. I did get the measurements for socks for Lorna and Nate, so I'll be starting on those shortly. Yay socks!

I worked on mum's shawl a bit, but there's not much difference in how it looks, so again, no photo. 

Finally, I cast on a new baby blanket, this one for friends of my beau, who are expecting in a few months' time. I actually knit it during a movie! I went to see 'Man of Steel' on Sunday evening, and managed to knit a full ball before the credits rolled. 

And that's been my week in knitting!

So many finished things!

I finished so many things this weekend!!

First, I finished the swingy tank top. It's knit from Patons Grace in Azure. (And yes, that's me in the photo.)

I also finished a pair of handwarmers. You may recognize the yarn - it's Premier Yarns Wool-Free Sock in Vegas Lights, the same yarn I used for socks for my sister and nieces. 

I finished Wendy's baby blanket, made from Bernat Mirage in Regal Blue. I know I said I wasn't going to post it until after the shower, but it's this Friday, and I don't think she reads this, and I'm impatient! So here it is!

Finally, I finished the baby blanket for Andrew and Hayley. It's knit from Bernat Pipsqueak in Baby Baby print. 

In other knitting, I'm still working on Jonathan's socks:

I cast on a pair of socks for me, my Dirty NOLA socks:

Finally, I cast on a birthday present for my mum. It's a pattern called "Sunlight for Sad People" that I found on Ravelry:

I'm knitting this one on the new needles that my beau bought for me. Wasn't that sweet of him?

I've been listening to a ton of podcasts lately, especially knitting ones! If you haven't watched her yet, Steph of the Knitting Samurai Plus 1 podcast is awesome! I also adore listening to Karen and Maggie (and sometimes Lauren) of Knit 1, Geek 2. I've been catching up on old episodes of both of these, and I should be current by the end of the month... Which means I'll have to find more to listen to! Suggestions are welcome :)

It's July!

Happy belated Canada Day! I hope all of my Canadian friends had a great day yesterday. 

And happy early Fourth of July to my American friends!

I've been busy this past week, and I've made progress on lots of stuff, but I only have one finished object...

Look! It's my first pair of socks for the 26 Pair Plunge! It's yet another pair made of the Premier Yarns Wool-Free Sock in Vegas Lights. 

I've started another pair of handwarmers, using that same yarn - this should use up the end of my two skeins, I hope! No photos yet, but expect some next week.

I've made some very nice progress on my Skirted tank: 

The back is finished and blocking. I've just got the straps left on the front, then it's time to assemble! I think I'm going to modify the instructions a bit, just to have a flatter edge around the neck and under the arms. I hope to finish knitting the front tonight, then I'll block it, and probably get it all seamed up this weekend. With a little luck, it'll be a finished object by next week!

I'm still working on Wendy's blanket, now on row 167/260, so just over 2/3 done. If I can manage 25 rows/day over the long weekend, I'll be able to block it and then do the last bit of decorative embroidery before the baby shower on July 12. And then I'll be able to show you photos the next week!

Jonathan's socks are still in progress, though they don't look much different from last week because I haven't hit the heel yet. 

Finally, I cast on another baby blanket. This one is for my cousin Andrew and his fiancée Hayley, who is due in a few months. 

It's knit from Bernat Pipsqueak in Baby Baby Print on US size 9/13 mm needles. It's a nice, easy garter stitch, which is good for movies or watching my guy playing video games. He's currently playing through 'The Last of Us' on PS3, and it is an awesome game! There is so much story, and it's woven into the gameplay so beautifully! It's almost as much fun for me to watch as it is for him to play, I think. 

Speaking of my guy, I picked up some new yarn to make socks for him - Malabrigo Sock in 806 Impressionist Sky. I knit my swatch on US size 1/2.25 mm needles. Once I get another pair off the needles, he's getting some TARDIS socks! Woohoo!

So. That's where I am with stuff. Cross your fingers that I'll get piles done for next week!

Weekly Update

Another week, another round of updates! So what have I been up to? Lots and lots and lots of knitting! Yesterday, I worked on four - that's right, FOUR - different projects!  I knit Jonathan's socks at lunch, worked on my tank while I was watching Ringer on Netflix, did several rows on Wendy's baby blanket while watching a knitting podcast, and whipped out a baby gift for Shawn and Becca while watching a movie. What can I say? It was a dreary, rainy day, perfect for knitting. 

So what have I finished this week?

This is the gift for Shawn and Becca - a newborn cocoon, made from Plymouth Yarn's Heaven in color 2, a light pink with white trim. She's due in about a month, so if I put it in the mail soon, she should get it on time. 

Socks for baby! These are from the same Premier Yarn Wool-Free Sock in Vegas Lights that I used for my sister and my other niece. 

Here's all three together:

How cute is that??

I've got a bunch of stuff in progress, of course. I'm still working on Wendy's baby blanket, and still not taking photos because she wants it to be a surprise. I'm up to 135/260 rows, so just past the halfway point. I'll keep on with that, and once it's done, I'll be sure to take some photos to post once we have her baby shower and I don't have to keep it a secret anymore. 

I've been working on Jonathan's socks during my lunch breaks, and I'm probably about a third of the way down the foot. They look huge, but I can't tell if that's just because I'm comparing them to my tiny fairy feet. 

I'm also still working on my tank. I'm done with the skirted portion, and the ribbed waistband, and I'm on to the top part of the bodice. I've finished about 2.5" of the seed stitch, and have another 2.5" until it's time to start shaping the armholes. It looks like I might actually get this done before summer is over!

Finally, I cast on another new project, although this one is definitely going to be a long-term. It's a sock yarn blanket, to use up the ends after I've finished socks. I'm using Martine Ellis's Knitted Patchwork Recipe, which can be found on Ravelry (I can't make my link work today, sorry). I figure it seems like a good idea since I'm doing the 26PP, right?

So that's what I've been up to this past week. I've gotta say, this whole blogging thing is definitely prompting me to get things done - I feel guilty if I don't have something new to show!