On the second day of January

My true love gave to me…. an FO because of an Aussie.

Hey, it rhymed. Julia shawl, details here. But I will tell you that it took almost a year to knit. Because life. Well, and ALL the stockinette was slightly boring.

I’m now “working” on the sweater I started last February. I only have a sleeve and the bottom edge to finish. Again, life. I’m trying to buckle down now that it is cold and the month that Cookie makes me do things. In case you were wondering, she’s been making me do things since 2013. I don’t care if she now wants to be a Cow, she’ll always be a crisp, yummy, chocolate chip with walnuts. Because I want nuts today. Yes, there is a joke in there somewhere.

Happy Wednesday y’all!

p.s. yes, I know it is the 6th.

See ya later 2015

Seven FOs for the year.  In there is my first sweater (about three years in the making) and some cotton socks that sucked my will to live.  There are the mitts and shawl that I had to make to match the hat I needed to knit to keep me warm after jiu jitsu. There’s the “sweaty cotton” washcloth (actually 2) that I took camping and finished at Hurricane Harbor. My favorite is the coffee hat. Lovely yarn, from a lovely friend ended with a fun and much loved knit.

In anticipation of the annual CMMDI, I tried to finish one more project.

8 rows and a cast off short. I do however predict it will be my first FO of 2016. I may have even dug out my the sweater that I cast on (and knit most of) right after I finished the first one.

Hope y’all have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve.

She has broad shoulders

So I’ll let her take the blame.

I finished out my Manos trilogy with mitts and a scarf. I knit Texas a hat for his big head. Then, someone sent me yarn to make the coffee hat.

I’m thinking brown mitts with a blue cup at the wrist to match the hat. I may have a thing about matching my accessories. In the meantime, I’m cruising for a pattern that isn’t a mystery and still avoiding the sweater I said was going to finish.

Happy Tuesday y’all!

That would be me spinning

Please do not pass out.

• Fiber: Superwash merino
• Dyed by: me
• 1.2 ounces and 176 yards
• July 7 & 8, 2014

I left them as singles (because what the hell would I knit with half of that?) and tried a new blocking method. You leave you singles or over-twist yarns on the noddy noddy and steam iron it. Move it, iron it… etc.

If I had more patience, I’m sure it would have worked nicely. I have a tall iron, so I could only do little sections. About the 3rd time I had to shift the yarn, I called it good. You can definitely tell where it was ironed and not. I’ll wet finish it later.

It’s hot. Hot enough that I’m not excited about the tournament this weekend. Hot enough that I’m thinking of leaving my husband and showing up on Angie’s doorstep for the summer.  I may have mentioned to Texas that I was moving back to the lake house until October (it’s about 15 degrees cooler there) and he was o.k. with it. I figure 2.5 hours to the lake vs. 15 hours or so to Wisconsin… that’s about the same difference, right?

Besides, Angie has a creek, a new loom, a fiber room and precious kitties. You don’t think she’ll mind, do you?

Happy Wednesday y’all!

I’ve got a weird hankering

For doing weird things.

I finally finished my first Inkle strap. Considering I started it on December 14, 2008, I don’t think it is too bad. I can definitely see places where I worked on it diligently and had evened everything out. Then there are the wonky, wobbly parts. So yeah, no close ups.

Now to decide if I want to load that up again, or maybe my rigid heddle, or maybe I should spin for the Tour. Who wants to bet I do none of those?

Yesterday and today are all about the resting. This heat and humidity do things to the things in my head. I’m hoping these storms come through and cool things off. You know, since the pool is still closed. (supposedly it is going to be re-inspected today) I haven’t even done jiu jitsu in two days. Well, except for some drills in my nice, cold living room. Does it count if I don’t get bruised and don’t sweat all that much?

Spinning would count as exercise, right?

Happy Thursday y’all!

Two Words

→ Finished Object

• Pattern: Spring Forward
• Yarn: Original Lorna’s Laces
• Start: 5/27/13
• Finish: 1/7/14
• Ravelry

→ Zipper Truck

Technically called a barrier transfer machine. It moves mini Jersey barriers to easily change lane patterns. (I don’t care where I live, those things will always be Jersey barriers) Finally saw one working. Dude! That was cool.  Either that or I’m easily entertained.

→ Knitting Loom

Since I’ve gotten the crafty stuff semi organized, (at least until I figure out the furniture that is going to go in the second bedroom) I decided to crack out one of my knitting looms and try knitting a sock on there.  Maybe it will go faster? Perhaps more manageable with the floppy? Way back when I broke my arm, Isela “made” me try them so I could still play with fiber. I haven’t picked them up in years.

→Well Used

Karen posted on her blog about what her go-to knits are during ALL the cold. I’m going with one of my Sockheads, my Duck Soup scarf, and (since I don’t have matching pink mitts) I use either my well worn Freezing Farmgirl Mitts or the extra long, keep the floppy warm at all cost mitts.

Sadly, the first pair of mitts I mentioned have been well loved and worn. I’ve made a repair or 5 to them over the years and I don’t know if they’ll make it through the winter. I was working on a replacement  pair with some shady yarn when I realized that life is too short to wear scratchy wool.

Happy Thursday y’all! What knits do you grab first?

It was all fun and games until S.W.A.T. showed up

The first FO of 2014

• Start: 12/25/13
• Finish: 1/1/14
• Ravelry Info
• Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky held double
• Needles: US35 circs

Yeah, I could have finished this in a day or two, but you know, I’m pacing myself. Or something. I may end up fulling it a little because it is huge. When I cast on, Texas asked what I was making and I told him “a hat”. About an hour later he said “Baby, you may want to check your gauge. I think that is a little big for a hat.”

How cute is that? He’s learning well. On the other hand, he believed me when I said it was a hat.

We are pretty much settled in to the apartment – despite the plague and resulting bronchitis. There are a couple of things being held hostage (don’t ask, I don’t want to get stabby again) and we need to bring up the washer and dryer, but other than that, it is good.

I’m also settling into a routine that is good  for me.  Knitting, reading, strolling down to the gym,  spending time with Texas, exploring the area, taking a daily nap, avoiding people I want to smack.

Despite hating people, I may even venture out to check out a knitting meet up. They have it Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. It’s all freeway driving and during the shopping season, I drove it a few times at night with Texas for backup. I’m starting to feel more confident with the nighttime driving now that I’m doing it more.

Today, I’m going to stay out of the cold and see how long I can knit on “those socks” until the floppy gives out.  What are you doing?

Happy Thursday y’all!

Mega-licious!

• Pattern: Cockamamie Basket. I saw this, but didn’t buy the pattern, I just winged it
• Yarn: 1/2″ cotton piping
• Needles: US35
• Start: 5/13/13
• Finish: 5/15/13

I finally understand the whole “my hands just hurt looking at that” thing. The piping on 35’s was painful. Definitely easier and less painful on 50’s and 120’s.

I was thinking I might (and that’s a big might) make my next mega project that pair of socks I started for SoS ’12. Mega because they’ve taken mega-long and I keep thinking about how they should be finished before the next SoS, so they’re like a mega thorn in my side.

I could just crack open that box of yarn from Elann and start knitting something else on the big needles. I think I was thinking about this blanket when I ordered it. Or, I could wait for my Giants (40″ US120’s) from Go-Girl to get here and start the Really Big Rug of Doom!

Did I mention that crazy Nacogdoches has started knitting a blanket or rug or something out of bed sheets with her needles? O.o  If I start asking for old sheet donations, please send an Intervention Team.

Oh, hell, just send one anyway. Have I mentioned that they sent me the shipping notice for the 15 turkeys? They’re all heritage breeds, untouched by genetic modification. No, I wasn’t expecting to order 15, but there was this whole “minimum order amount” thing.  I wonder what baby turkeys sound like. Do you think they’ll gobble right away?

Happy pre-Friday y’all!

 

CMMDI – Mega May

While some people are busy doing huge lace projects, I’m going for the quick and easy.

Pattern: Giant Rug by Go-Girl Knitting (kind of)

Yarn: 1/2″ Cotton Piping

Needles: US120

Garter

• Cast on: 5/10/13  7:19 p.m
• Cast off: 5/10/13  9:34 p.m.

Stockinette:

• Cast on:  5/11/13  8:34 am
• Cast off: 5/11/13  10:01 am

Yep. Two FO’s in under 24 hours. Well, besides the fact that I think I want to dye them.  Texas loves the squishiness of the rugs. He even mentioned the possibility of me making a seat cushion for him. I however, am done with the cotton piping for a while. That stuff gets h.e.a.v.y!

Besides, I want to make a big rug for the end of the bed now. That may involve purchasing a pair of the original Giants.

I know. I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.

Just for Carrie K., goats for size comparison.

Happy weekend y’all!

I wish I were a little bar of soap!

Project info here.

They look like they need a little blocking, but they’re washcloths for pity’s sake! I had to go down to a US7 from a US 9 and add some repeats. They’ll do for warshing mah face. The cotton was actually nice to work with (Hobby Lobby, I Love This Cotton) and I may be looking at other patterns. What?!? People need washcloths.

While we’re heading down that crazy path, the pattern is by Tammy from Go-Girl Knitting. I was having a thing that weekend.  It usually happens whenever I spend time with Nacogdoches.

Stop laughing!

Fine! I often have “things”. Are you happy now?

After a lazy mail person not wanting to get out of their car slight mix up, I finally got my Little Giants*.

Cow used for size reference. O.o

Let Mega May commence!!!

Happy Friday y’all!

*Can I just say that the shopping experience was wonderful? Communication was excellent and I wasn’t disappointed. She even sent an email with a picture of my colors before  making them and another before they shipped. C’mon, you know you want to go buy a pair. Maybe a set?