From Rain to Hope

I do like to knit, especially scarves.  I’ve really been on a scarf knitting kick the last couple of weeks.  Maybe I’m just getting ready for Paris.  I hear scarves are big over there.  It seems I’ll be well stocked for the trip.  Two more scarves have been completed.  Loops was nice enough to take pictures of them.  Sadly, I cannot be serious when he takes my picture.  I always pull goofy faces.

I'm not sure what this look says.

Pattern: Destroyed Cowl by Martha Merzig

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted

Needles: US 8

More details… here (ravelry link)

I almost have a normal expression.

This yarn is soft, squishy, and a great color.

I luff this scarf!!!

Speaking of yummy yarns, the yarn used for the following scarf is super soft.  It is a mix of angora and merino wool.  I just wish I would’ve gotten it in a different color.  I’m just not into Bone right now.  I might have to give this one away.  I don’t know.

I just don't think bone is my color.

Pattern: Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau

Yarn: Aslan Trends Invernal

Needles: US 10

More details… here (ravelry link)

As we “speak”, I’m knitting another of these ruffled scarf out of the yummy Malabrigo in a lovely bright blue.

For now, au revoir.

I haven’t had a lot of time on my hands the past week because of the move to our new house, but I’ve managed to complete two knits.  A cowl that needs to be blocked before you can even tell anything about it.  See:

Unblocked Destroyed Cowl

Also, I finally finished my socks, but only got a picture with my phone.  They’re great though and will hopefully get a lot of wear in cooler weather.

New socks and one of my favorite pairs of shoes!

We’re getting settled into the house.  Still lots of unpacking to do and I doubt I’ll get it all done before the trip, but that’s ok.  As for the cats, they’ve adjusted well.  If you need photographic proof.  I have plenty.

Luna and Dottie settled in.

Bob, sunning his belly.

Dottie still lounged out in the window.

Moxie, always the little lady, refused to be photographed in such a casual fashion.  She opted for a more classic portrait.

Super pretty eyes, a bit annoyed though.

Sadly, the new house has not cured bad kitty behavior.  They’ve all been getting into a bit of trouble.  Dottie was the only one shameless enough to get her picture taken though.

Why yes, those are glass blocks in my kitchen.

A blog post filled with (mostly) green.

Gathered Scarf, in bloom

I completed my Gathered Scarf.  It is VERY green and also VERY long.  I stopped knitting before I got to 80″, but the thing ended up blocking out to 92″.  It’s great though and I love it.  So does Lambie:

Lambie stylin' in the Gathered Scarf

Pattern: Gathered Scarf by Maryse Roudier

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy, Happy Forest

Needles: US 6 and US 9

More details… here (ravelry link)

I’ve also been working on a couple of different tops.  One is moving along really quickly.  I had hoped to finish it by St. Patrick’s Day, but I sort of stalled out when I got to armhole shaping.  I may get back on it today.  For now, my last progress shot will have to hold everyone over until I get the thing done.

Bad lighting + one handed shooting = bad photo

I’m also working on a sweater that is not green, but I thought you might want to see the small amount I have done.

The very purple and tweedy Pickadilly

That’s about it for now.  I will aim for more words in my next post.  Now I will leave you with this:

Kitties behaving badly

This could actually be a regular blog feature.  Dottie and Bob are always getting into things and places they shouldn’t.  Luna and Moxie are usually good or at least more sneaky about their bad behavior.

Last year, around September or October, I found out my lovely cousin Audra and her husband, John, were expecting their first child.  This will be my aunt’s first grandchild and my grandparents first great grandchild, so this is big news in our family.  My grandparents were probably giving up hope as their oldest grandchildren, my sister and me (34 and 32 respectively), haven’t been showing any signs of expanding our families.  In fact, I’ve been stating for years that I will not have children.   It’s for the best really.  I know nothing about babies.  I mean nothing.  I’ve never even held one.  I know so little I had to actually research the pros and cons of different styles of baby blankets before I could start knitting one.  I had no practical knowledge on the subject.  I had tons of questions.  What’s the best yarn to use: wool, cotton, acrylic.  Lacy blanket or solid blanket?  What’s the best size?  The only firm answer I found was that it should be machine washable.  It seems everything else was debatable.  In the end, I decided to go with lace blanket made in a cotton blend that is machine washable.  My research shows that babies like  sticking fingers through holes and mom’s like that a lace blanket can easily be breathed through because of all the holes.  I went for cotton because the South has more warm months than cold months so it seemed more practical.  Loopas helped pick the color.  He said the color would show less stains.

Lil Lambie and the Baby Blanket

Pattern: Pine Forest Blanket by Ingrid Aartun

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease

Needles: US 8

More details… here (ravelry link)

It was a very easy lace pattern so I could take it anywhere and knit on it.  It traveled with me to sit and knits, my mom’s house, and was my regular tv knitting.  It still took me forever to finish it.

Baby Blanket closeup

I seriously thought I’d never complete it.  Luckily, I managed to get it done before Ruby Clare is born.  I hope it is liked and well-used.

I managed to find the time to knit one more baby item for Ruby.  I thought they were fun.

Little Booties

Pattern: “Suede” Booties by Candi Jensen

Yarn: Berroco Suede and Plush

Needles: US 4

More details… here (ravelry link)

It seems someone went through the trouble of gaining access to my blog recently and adding some bad code to try to cause problems for my multitude of readers.  Silly people.  Not only is my viewership teensy, but I know y’all are all smart and have good anti-virus software to catch anything that might get thrown your way.  Still, I’m sorry I let it happen.  I will now keep a closer eye on things so if anyone else manages to gain access, I’ll be able to kick them out quickly before they have time to cause trouble.

Enough of that.  On to knitting.  Yes.  There has been knitting, just no blogging about it.  I have finished a few things and started a few more.  There has also been super secret knitting that I will hopefully be talking more about in my next post.

First up, my second Ishbel.

Ishbel 2

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Bristol Yarn Gallery Lyndon Hill

Needles: US 7

More details… here (ravelry link)

I sort of stalled out  on this after starting it last July.  I didn’t knit on it all for almost 6 months.  Once I picked it back up it was finished in no time.

Ishbel 2, up close

I’m also working on a couple of scarves.  One is almost finished.

Gathered Scarf, on the diagonal

The other is just started, but is lots of fun to knit.  I may make another in a lighter weight yarn soon.

Saroyan Scarf, the beginning

Hopefully, I’ll be able to tell you about the secret projects (some of you already know all about them) I just complete next week.  Stay tuned.

Oh, I almost forgot.  It snowed in Charleston.

February Snow in Charleston

That’s what my t-shirt says right now and that’s what my house will be like if I have my way and knit up about 10 million of these squirrel cushions.

Cuddle Squirrel with little Lambie

Pattern:  Nathaniel by Ysolda

Yarn: Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends

Needles:  US 9

More details… here (ravelry link)

My love for this squirrel cannot be measured.  I think it may be extra special to me because it reminds me of a quilt my grandma made that had applique squirrel silhouettes all over it.  I seriously will be making more of them, just not out of the yarn I used.  That Bernat Alpaca is just a bit too hairy for my tastes.

I know this will be hard to believe, but the squirrel isn’t the only thing I’ve completed.

Christmas Korknisse Set

Pattern:  Korknisse by Manne (English translation)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shamrock

Needles:  US 4

More details… here (ravelry link)

I made these ornaments for my knitting group and had a few left over for myself.  They are super cute and were fun and easy to make.  For anyone who hasn’t already seen the special one I made for Loops:

Arrrgghh!

Loops, of course, loves him and refuses to have him as an ornament because he wants to look at him year round.  He sort of reminds me of Bob.

Crazy-eyed Bob

Little projects means I complete more things.  Not that I have.  It’s just a theory at this point.  I might get more done if I didn’t have to pack everything away so the house would look tidy for showings.   I just can’t bear for people to know how messy I am.  I know it doesn’t matter.  It’s not like I’m the owner.  In fact, I’m sure people don’t expect much when viewing a house with renters in it, but I have my own standards so I tidy up.  There have been two showings in the last 24 hours.   How do I feel about this?

Grumpy!

I could be happier.  I’m trying to get over it though.  Oh, above is one of my Christmas ornaments, by the way.  He’s not finished.  He needs tiny bells on his hat and a ribbon to hang from.  He’s one of about 8 that are mostly done.  All the others are happier, but I though I should mix it up and have a grumpy ornament or two as well.  They’re so cute that I want to keep them all, but most are being given away.  Loops has demanded a pirate one.  I was working on it, but couldn’t get a cool looking pirate hat so his pirate is just going to have a hat like all the others.  He’s cool with it though.  As long as there’s an eye patch and a scowl, he said he’d be happy.

I’m also making a cute elephant.  He’s mostly in pieces right now and quite sad looking.

Sad and limbless.

Hopefully he’ll be much cuter when complete.

Everyone who really knows me is aware that Halloween is, by far, my least favorite holiday.  Something about dressing up and knocking on doors to get candy never really did it for me, not even when I was little.  Needless to say, I’m happy it is over.  The only thing I’m sad about now is the fact that I wanted to get my cute little bat toys completed before the holiday and didn’t.  I was delayed by the inability to find the correct eyes.  I had to order them and they didn’t get here until Thursday.  Last night at about 10pm I finally got one put all together, but it was too late to take any decent pictures so I decided to wait until this morning to post a blog about it.

Meet Boo!

Boo, just hangin'

I know.  That’s the cutest bat you’ve ever seen, right?  Well, it gets cuter:

Boo, wrapped up

Pattern:  Boo the Bat by Anna Hrachovec

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted

Needles:  US 6

More details… here (ravelry link)

Boo's got back

Now to make more since Loops claimed this little Boo.

No I haven’t stooped to knitting little socks for the kitties (yet).  I just find the title much more fun without the commas so I left them out.  I know.  I’m easily amused.   Long time, no blog, huh?  I have no excuse.  I’m just lazy and until last week, there wasn’t much going on to blog about.

I was going to start the blog with a cute cat picture, but they all had different plans.  I bent down to get a nice shot of Dottie in the sun and as I get ready to click the shutter Moxie decides Dottie needs a bath.  That might’ve made a cute picture, but, at the same time, Bob started trying to climb up on me and this is the results:

Dottie's photo-op disrupted

What’s worse (and darker) than this horrible picture?  Loops’ ankle.  Good segue, wasn’t it?  He had a tumble down our stairs on Wednesday.  We had him checked out and it was an ankle sprain and should be better soon.  He’s still limping around, but is back in work so maybe with my days free from nurse duty I’ll get some knitting done.

The only thing I’ve really been working on is my socks.  You know, the ones I let everyone vote for the yarn to make them.  I’m about half through with the first sock and they’re turning out well.  See:

My new colorful socks started!

The pattern is fun and they work up pretty quickly so I should have a completed pair in no time.  Maybe I’ll finish them while I’m back in Alabama.  I’ll be flying direct from Charlotte to Birmingham on Oct. 3rd and be with the family for two fun filled weeks.  Hopefully Loops and the kitties can live that long without me.

Through a stern will and extreme determination, I have kept myself from catching the dreaded second sock syndrome.  For those who don’t know, second sock syndrome is a very common thing among knitters who knit socks.  Basically, you see a pair of socks you want to knit so you get your pattern and your yarn all together and joyfully start knitting.  Once the first is complete you get to stare at it, pet it, and show it around to everyone you know so they can marvel at your knitting prowess.  Here’s where the problems start.  See, you’ve completed the pattern and have a complete knitted item, but because feet insist on coming in pairs, you have to do the whole pattern you just did all over again.  For some reason, the second time you knit something is  not nearly as interesting as the first.  You already know what’s going to happen.  It’s like watching a rerun you just saw last week.  You’d much rather watch a new episode or a completely different show, right?  Sadly, unless you are happy knitting things that will never be used or you know someone who is happy to wear mismatched socks, you have to knit the second one.  So I did:

First pair of socks... COMPLETE!

Pattern:  7 Stitches per Inch Socks by Ann Budd

Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet

Needles:  US 3

More details… here (ravelry link)

They are ok for a first attempt, but I’m hoping to improve a lot on my next pair, which brings me to the interactive portion of the blog.  My next pair of socks will be for me and I’ve already picked the pattern I plan to use, Sunday Swing Socks.  Now I just need to pick the yarn to use.  I give you 4 choices to pick from:

You make the call!