Weekend Knitting

Over the weekend, I worked on the Mystery Stole for quite awhile. However, when it came time to meet a friend at Village Yarn and Tea, I chose to take supplies to cast on for a new WIP, the Kureyon Kozy. I am using Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, sent to me by Heather during SP10. I finished the knitting on Saturday night. Now, I just need to go through my ribbon and button stash to find the necessary supplies to finish this quick project. It fits the tea pot that belonged to my grandmother very nicely. Once that was finished, I returned to the MS3. As of now, I have about 20 rows to knit and then Clue 4 will be finished. I hope to do this tonight and get some pictures up tomorrow, but only time will tell.

On another note, I decided to frog the Tied Up Tee. The yarn was not right. I tried to rework the gauge, but the sleeves were not right at all. I even tried re-knitting the sleeve cap to give a little more ease, but the sleeve was still too tight and too long. If I decide to try this pattern again, I'll have to try it in a thicker yarn so that I can get the gauge on the pattern. The yarn will be perfect for making a Christmas gift for my mom as it is a wool-free blend of rayon and cotton. As I've been working on this sweater, she has often made comments about how much she likes the yarn, color & feel. Now, I'll just have to find a great pattern and I'll be on my way!

I've also been working on the Chevron socks. The second one is to the point where I've just begun the heel. I'll keep plugging away and should have a finished pair by the end of the week. Next on the sock needles? Christmas presents...Its gotta be, if I really want to give handmade gifts, again, this year!

Chevron Progress

The first Chevron Sock is finished and fits great. On to the next one!

Chevron Progress

I finished turning the heel of the first Chevron sock, last night. This heel is different than any I've ever tried before. It is a "forethought" heel. I've seen the technique for an afterthought heel, and this one looks very similar when the sock is finished.
I also remembered to take a picture of the MS3. This is about half way through clue 4. I've been using this as a weekend project, because there is more time to just sit and knit as opposed to knitting a little here and there. I'm going to try and finish clue 4 this Saturday.

A Little Knitting Progress

I've been knitting away on the Tied Up Tee. However, I've also been taking breaks from it. Most of Saturday, I worked on the latest clue for the MS3. This clue is much of the same stitch pattern, which while it is easier to knit, is not quite as much fun...I must be a glutton for punishment, eh? I finished almost half of the first clue and then returned to working on the Tied Up Tee. The sleeve is almost to the decreases. I'll probably get there by tomorrow morning, if I work on it instead of the other project that I've been knitting on: Chevron Socks from Sensational Socks. I started these with the yarn that Kathleen sent me for my birthday. The book I received as a contest winner (for being finished) in Sockapalooza. The book is so great that I cannot believe that I hadn't purchased it already! There are instructions for almost any size sock and how to add almost any pattern to the sock. I couldn't believe how extremely well written it is!! (Hopefully, I'll remember to take some pictures to post, soon!)

ITE IV Tote

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This has been a great couple of days for wonderful mail...I came home to a package from my ITE IV partner. Sherry sent a great bag with tons and tons of wonderful goodies. Among my favorites are the teas, lemon shaped diffuser, and hand knit socks!

Stitch Marker Package!

Today, when I arrived home from work, I found a Priority Mail package waiting for me. There were many things inside it, yarn, sock patterns (made especially for me from my measurements!) stitch markers, tea and some other things. It was great!

Tied Up Tee Back in Progress!!

Realizing the need for a simpler project to work on while vanpooling to work, I pulled out the Tied Up Tee, last night. Fortunately, I was remembering incorrectly and I had done all the gauge change calculations on the pattern, so I didn't have to continue calculating the changes!! I was able to just start knitting. I did, however, have to dig into the stash for another skein of yarn as I only had a few yards left of the skein attached to the project. I knew right where the yarn was, but it took a few minutes to unbury the box. (I tend to store fabric on top of it & had to pull all that down off the shelf, first.) I have the front & back and half a sleeve finished on this sweater. Hopefully, I'll finish the first sleeve by the end of the week! Finally, I am excited for this project again. Its been hibernating for about a year, and I've had no desire to work on it, so this feels really good!

Mystery Stole Update

On Saturday afternoon, I went to Village Yarn & Tea to meet Kathleen and KnottyKitty. We sat with the knitting group that meets in the store every Saturday. I met several other awesome knitters, as well. Those were 3 great hours, knitting & talking with so many knitters. I'm sure I'll go back again, sometime soon! I took the MS3 with me to work on. I didn't get much finished on it, because I kept having to tink back and fix mistakes, but I still finished clue 3 by 9PM Sunday! So far, it looks like a stitch sampler, which I love!

In other knitting news, I've also been working on the Civil War Shawl and the Serpentine Socks. For the socks, I had to rip back some because the sock was not big enough to go over my heel easily enough. I've knit back to the point where I was before. I added extra stitches at the sides of the ankle so that I would have the extra room needed. On the CWS, I'm actually getting enough progress that it would be worth taking a picture, if only I had done that last night! I only have about 12-15 rows to go before I can start the edging. (Starting the edging will mean that I am half done!!) It really seems to be the summer of lace, for me!

Now that I've finished the Green Tea Raglan, I need to either start or start finishing another simpler project that can be commuter knitting. Maybe the Tied Up Tee will finally get some more work?! I'd rather start Arietta, but don't have the yarn and the budget won't handle it, right now...I have plenty to keep me busy, so that's not the point, right?

Finished!

I finished the Green Tea Raglan, this morning. I figured it was the perfect day for it with the cooler temperatures and a day off from work!

Its a little snug around the neckand the bamboo makes it feel heavy, not too warm, just heavy. The fabric drapes beautifully, but is a little more figure hugging than I expected.

Serpentine Socks

On Saturday, I started this month's Sockamania pattern, Serpentine Socks. They are toe up, with a gusset heel. I finished to this point, last night. The cabling is fun, but it makes for slow progress. In order to make the cables without a cable needle, I knew that I waould need to use metal needles as the stress is too much for my wood needles. (They bend nearly in half, otherwise.) However, the metal needles rub on fingers, so I can only work on these for a while, and then I need to put them down. Because of the complexity of the pattern, these are not riding with me too and from work. That certainly helps the fingers.
Instead, I've been working on the Green Tea Raglan as my commuter knitting. I've become accustomed to the moss stitch and am able to work it without watching what I'm doing. Every so often I make sure to look at it, just in case and once in a while have to tink back because the knit stitches are all lining up, instead of off setting. Such is the way with knitting moss or ribbing stitches for me. Its no problem and I'm pretty used to this. Its all worth it for the beautiful fabric that the Bamboo yarn is becoming. Only 2 1/2 (out of 10) skeins of yarn to go! (I think that I may be cutting it kind of close, so the amount of yarn is a fairly good means of determining how much knitting is left to complete.)

MS3 Clue # 2 Finished

After getting the next clue for MS3 on Friday, I started working on it that same night. I finished half the rows, then set it aside to get some much needed sleep. Upon waking on Saturday, I started back to work on it and finished the clue by 10:30, or so! Its lovely and I love this format, getting a clue and not being able to continue on. Its really keeping the stole interesting and fun. Its difficult to see the beads, but they are there and in person look so beautiful.

New Stitch Markers

After my husband left for his softball game, tonight, I pulled out the beads, wire and tools to make some stitch markers. Here are the sets that I finished tonight!


















Unfortunately, I had to spend about 40 minutes cleaning off my sewing/craft table before I could work! It seems that I never really know how it gets so bad...I guess I'm less organized than I thought! After all that cleaning, I was also able to use my swift & ball winder to finish winding the rest of the yarn (only 2 skeins) for the Green Tea Raglan. I finished off the last one that I had wound, while riding in the car this afternoon and was disappointed that I didn't have another with me.










I was on a roll, so I also decided to finish the French Market Tote. I used cardboard and a seal-able plastic bag to give it a sturdy bottom and then used this fabric that I had in my stash to line the bag, creating a pocket. I hope she likes it!

Wow!!

When I arrived home last night, I had a package waiting to be opened...It was from Heather, my SP 10 Pal. She sent 9 skeins of yarn, a pattern book, note cards, lavender essential oil, bunny salt & pepper shakers, a fir scented sachet, a set of handmade stitch markers a basket and 2 teas. All I can say is, "Wow!" She did a great job. I'm already planning a new project. Of course that's not difficult for me when I have just received so much yarn all at once! I'll probably use the CottonFine to cast on for July's Sockamania pattern. I've been wanting to go sock yarn shopping so that I could start the pattern, but had to wait to have some money for this purpose! Heather saved the day!

Only 22 Rows to Go!!

I've been working on the Civil War Shawl, more. I've actually completed 30% of the stitches. When I've completed the body of the shawl (another 17 rows) I will have it about half way done. The edging takes so much knitting! I'm really looking forward to starting a new section on this project, even though I am still enjoying knitting on the body of the shawl. I often find myself just stopping to admire my own work. Is that too silly? I come by this trait from my mother. She often does the same thing and must have taught me to do the same!

Oh, and I almost forgot! I finished the River Valley Socks, last night.

The Latest Knitting Progress

I accomplished quite a bit of knitting these last 4 days. First, I finished the front and the second sleeve of the Green Tea Raglan. I also cast on for the back and have nearly 3 inches done! Its going great, but I decided to take some time to knit lace. I was ready for a challenge, so I started the Mystery Stole on Saturday, finishing the first clue on Sunday night. Its beautiful and the beading technique used in the pattern is new to me. This has taken some getting used to, but I have the hang of it, now. I've also been trying to finish up the cuff of the second River Valley Sock. I only have about 3 pattern repeats left to go. I really want to finish this by Friday so that I can get into the drawing on the Sockamania blog. At least I have to wait for the next clue on the Mystery Stole before I can continue knitting on it. This way there is no temptation to work on it while I'm trying to set some goals for myself on other projects.
Yesterday, I was home from work, not feeling well. So, I pulled out the Civil War Shawl and finished around 12 rows!! This is represents lots of knitting time as each row takes 35-45 minutes to complete. The MS3 started me knitting lace, and I just couldn't stop. The CWS was a great outlet for that desire to knit a complicated lace pattern.