Knittin' and Lovin' It

Knitting Updates

Ah, finally some knitting updates.  I've been knitting every night since we moved over here to TLF. 

First up, the Melon Stripe Blanket:



This ones coming along well.  It's my "I don't wanna think, my brain hurts too much" project.  I'm going to keep knitting farther then the pattern calls for.  I want to make this blanket big enough for the girls to cover up with.  I have plenty of yarn for this.  I my use the first skein until it's gone and then start decreasing with the second skein. 

Next, the Forest Canopy Shawl:



I'm loving this shawl with every pattern repeat.  I've completed 11 repeats of the pattern.  I'll probably put several more on before I put the edging on.  I want this to be kinda on the big side.  I have more then enough yarn to keep knitting away.  I can't wait to block this one.

Finally, Twisted Flower Socks:



This sock is coming along very nicely.  The only thing I've done differently is to make a slip stitch heel instead of the patterned one.  I'll probably make this pattern again so the next one will have a patterned heel.  I'll need to rework the chart into written instructions.  The chart just makes my head hurt because there are five symbols that can stand for two different things depending on if you are working the on the RS or WS. 

If I finish the Twisted Flower sock before we get set up at the new place, it will have to sit alone.  I didn't get the other hank wound into a ball before we packed everything up....I forgot about it.  It looks like I just might get a sock for me out of one ball of yarn.  I bought three hanks of the Louet Gems just in case.  I wasn't sure if I would need it or not.  It looks like I won't but looks can be deceiving   Unfortunately my scale is also packed so I can't weight the yarn still in the ball to see what I have. 

So now you all know I've been knitting.  I need to go feed the kiddos.  I'm not sure when I'll update the blog again but I'll be checking my email at least once a day.

No Clever Title

Today's one of those days.  I'm rushing around trying to get the few things taken care of before the movers get here tomorrow and trying really hard not to cry over my cat being gone.

She's still alive and well but we had to find her a new home.  We aren't allowed more then two pets in housing up in Montana.  We tried and tried to get them to budge but they said no.  I'm not sure if I can even begin to explain how much my heart is breaking right now nor can I express how "mad" I am at the housing office up there in Montana. 

We couldn't find her a home and we decided that we really didn't want a military family to take her.  I've seen to many pets dumped off at the pound with no cares when a set of order comes down and the military member doesn't want to deal with it.  Unfortunately not everyone views pets as family members.  We took her up to Emmett to a no kill animal shelter.  The ladies up there are great, they have a good vet and all the cats are well taken care of and happy.  Even if she never gets adopted she will have a home for the rest of her life.

So the agenda today is to stay as busy as possible. 

Here's the progress on my Twisted Flower Socks:



I decided to work a slip stitch heel instead of the patterned one.  I made this decision mostly to maintain my sanity and partly because I think the heel would irritate me in a pair of shoes.

I also joined in on Secret of the Stole which starts 5 Oct.  If I remember correctly they will be taking new members until 4 Oct then the group closes.  So if you want to join in on the fun, go sign up now.

I was trying to keep busy looking for the yarn for the stole.  I decided that I want to use Malabrigo's lace weight yarn, which has caused me to run into a brick wall.  The colors I want, I couldn't find online and of course there are no retailers listed in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming that sell Malabrigo, let alone their lace weight.  I found two colors at Kaleidoscope Yarns that will work.  I'm thinking of going with Cognac or Applewood.  After I get the yarn I'll need to hunt down some beeds.

Some Sock Progress

I figured I better let you all know I'm still here.  I'm busy but I'm here.  I have some progress to report.

Sunday: Progress of Baby Cable Rib Socks



Monday: Baby Cable Rib Socks Complete

I dare someone to look at these socks and find a sane color repeat!  Both socks look completely different from each other but I like them.....hope my sis does too!

Yarn: Trekking XXL #110
Pattern: Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks
Needles: 32" 2.75mm Knit Picks Classic Circ.
Started socks on 13 Aug and finished on 27 Aug

Monday Night: Progress on Twisted Flower socks



I managed to make it from round 9 to round 26 on the cuff.  Remember I had to rip the sock out and restart because it was coming out too big.  I'm only about 7 rounds from being halfway done with the cuff. 

I have my projects ready for the move.  I have the Forest Canopy Shawl, Twisted Flower socks, Sheldon the Turtle, the Melon Stripe blanket, the other wrister (I'm going to finish it before the end of the year!), and a few skeins of sock yarn to start some simple socks to work on in the car.  I'll probably pick up a few skeins of dishcloth cotton from Wally World before we leave.  I packed all of mine and I'm not digging to the bottom of the big box to get it.  I'll spend $5 and pick up a few skeins.

Happy Knitting Everyone! 

Sock Progress

Yesterday was a complete bust for knitting.  I finished one of Sheldon's legs and started another but gave up to read more of the newest Harry Potter book.  To top it all off I stayed up way to late because I just had to finish the last 450 pages.  So I was super tired today, but hey I finished the book.  One of these days I may learn, nah probably not!

Today I did manage some knitting.  I put a few more inches on the Melon Stripes blanket and after I'd had a nap I started sock number 2 of the Baby Cable Rib Trekking socks. 

Here's a shot of the Trekking socks.



Well I'm off to bed.  Tomorrow's a fun filled day packed with laundry and more boxes to pack.  We need to get the fragile stuff packed up.  Fun, fun.  Not to mention all the fun we are having try to get Bree to sleep in her pack and play.  She finally gave in and took a nap in it today.  Hopefully she will tomorrow too.

A Good Scare & Some Updates

Let me tell ya, nothing will get your heart pumping better then a good scare.  Which would be why I'm still up at almost 2am.

I damn near had a heart attack earlier when a spider the size of King Kong came flying across my living room floor at Sonic the Hedgehog speed.  Ok, ok, the spider (funnel weaver) was about the size of a silver dollar (counting his legs)....still really big and the boogers are super fast.  They are harmless unless you are a small child then you may have to worry about them carrying off with you....I really have to watch Bree and Zeus, though I think Bree is heavy enough and Zeus is the only one who has to worry!  Ok, so I'm maybe stretching the truth on that one too.  Well you all get the point, they're big and I hate them.

Since my heart was a pumpin' there was no way in the world I was heading to bed any time soon so I worked on a new project.  I started the Forest Canopy Shawl using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in the color Tuscany. 



I'm really liking it so far.  The shawl is a little less bright in really life....there goes my camera flash washing things out again.  The pattern is super easy and I think this is going to be warm, soft and cozy.  It's for me.  I've been wanting to start another lace project.  What better thing to work on during this move then this shawl.  If I don't finish it before the movers get here.

I finished the first Trekking Baby Cable Rib sock.



My sis is lucky I have another ball of this or she would sooooo not be getting these socks.  I'm loving this colorway.  These socks will not have matching stripes.  There is no way in the world I'm going to drive myself crazy trying to match these bad boys up.  I like my sanity just fine.  It would take an extremely calm, patient individual to match up these socks.

Lastly, we have the Mango stripe blanket. 



As you can see from the super boring picture, I've managed to put on another stripe.  I was way to engrossed with finishing the Trekking sock and starting my Forest Canopy Shawl. 

Well now that my heart is beating normal again I need to try to catch a few hours of sleep.  I need to finish the laundry tomorrow and who knows what else!

Happy Knitting All!

Socks, Yarn & Shopping!

Back on the needles again!  I ripped my sisters sock and started again.  So the pic below is the new sock progress.



I had to rip it out because it was going to be way to big for her foot.  It would have fit mine.  I forgot to subtract for negative easy when I was figuring out the cast on number from Sensational Knitted Socks.  72 sts was going to be way to big for my sisters skinny toes.  So I decided to go with the Baby Cable Rib because there are no YOs so the socks will be more solid and warm. 

I guess it's safe to show my Loopy Ewe Sock club shipment that I got in last week.

And the Yarn

I love the colors.....Yum! 

No I did not purchase any yarn from this latest sneak up from TLE.  I decided to save my credit and money.  I'm heading out for a day out with my sis tomorrow so I want some spending money.  Like I need anymore sock yarn anyway!  Now had the Yarn Pirate Loopy Groupie color been there my credit would have been quickly spent.   I can not pass up the Yarn Pirate.   

I'm planning on heading to one of the yarn shops so you all can bet I'll report in with any purchases I've made.  Not that I'm planning on spending massive amounts of money but I do have a few small projects I need yarn for. 

Kaity wants a seed stitch beret from this Debbie Bliss books and Shawn wants a scarf for this winter and a matching hat.  I'll need to make two sets, one in black for his uniform and one in some other non-blinding manly color.  Plus I need to get the yarn to make my cousins baby blankie.  I'm going even more easy then the pinwheel.  I'm going to do a simple diagonal blanket.  Nothing overly fancy that will knit up quick and will show off the variegated yarn I'm going to buy.  My cousins due during winter so I need to finish this one and get it to her before the baby is born unlike my summer procrastinating on Blake's Blankie.  :~)

I think the next Yarn Pirate Booty Club shipment will be shipping out soon.  So there's something to look forward too. 

Well I'm outta here.  I need to get some sleep so I won't be yawning all day tomorrow.

Socks & More Socks

This is the first post I've had in awhile that's going to be pretty much sock related.  Wow!

I finished the Silver Pine Campfire Socks this afternoon. 



Ain't they purty!  I love them and I love this sock yarn.  I'm getting all my knitting time in now because here in two weeks I'm going to start getting super busy so you all won't see a whole lot of knitting posted to the blog from about the last week of Aug till possibly 2-3 weeks into Sept.  I will try to post from time to time just to let you all know how everything is going....promise!

Since I finished the Silver Pine socks I decided to start a pair for my sis....ahhhhhh, aren't I a wonderful sis. 



I'm using Trekking #110 and the Elongated Corded Rib pattern out of Sensational Knitted Socks.  I'm totally in love with this color so I'm glad I have a ball for myself too.  Kaity is going to have to trample over my dead body to get my Trekking #100, she's already tried to claim it....no way it's mine. 

The pattern stands out a little better then what you see in the picture.  The flash washes it out a little bit.  It doesn't stand out as well as if I would have used a solid or semi-solid but I think I'll keep going with it.  It breaks up the monotony of stockinette stitch socks.  Plus you get the added snuggness and stretch of ribbed socks.  It's mostly k2, p2 ribbing with two rows that have YO's, Ssk, and K2tog.  Might as well stick with it.  Trekking is too thin a yarn for me to attempt stockinette socks on.  I'd go mad before I finished the first sock!  I think it would take me forever to finish them.  A little hard to believe, I know!

I also finished the Cables and Lace dishcloth yesterday I think it was....shoot my memory is going. 

The cable doesn't pop as well as it did in solid but I already knew that....duh!  It did show up well, I think partially because the yarn is light colored where as I think the cable would have been completely lost in a darker variegated yarn.

See this little turkey! (That's Shawn trying to hide behind her)

We think we've figured out what her problem is.  We don't think it has anything to do with her thyroid like the doc is thinking.  We think the little turkey has acid reflux.  The constant spitting up, which should have stopped months ago, the slow weight gain, constant burping with lots of hiccups, erratic sleep schedule, waking up in the middle of the night screaming.....well we started adding 2+2 and got 15.  All these symptoms when put together point to acid reflux, even the elevated thyroid levels.  Thyroid levels can become elevated due to stress, acute illness, etc.  Acid reflux is considered an acute illness. 
Shawn is going to make an appt with her doc first thing in the morning to see what the doc thinks.  My gut feeling tells me I'm right!

Well I'm off to snag a few hours of sleep.  I have to attack "Laundry Mountain" tomorrow since I'll be off shopping with my sis all day Tues.  We're going to catch Harry Potter and do a little shopping.  Yes I'm going to go browse me some yarn while I'm out.  I have a few projects that I need yarn for.  No I'm not going to be bringing any sock yarn home, Shawn would kill me!  The only way I'll bring sock yarn home is if my sis buys some for me to make her more socks.  I'll let you all know if I buy anything.

Have a great day and happy knitting!

Campfire Socks Progress

I finished the first Silver Pine Campfire Sock last night.



It fits snug but one of the things I learned from my first pair of socks made using Glacier is to make them a tad snug because they will loosen up just a bit when you wash them.

I started the second sock shortly after finishing the first.



It would have been right away but I had to get the kiddos into bed first.  I have about 30 rounds to go before starting the heel. 

Finally I have the second Cables and Lace dishcloth. 



It works up pretty good in variegated too.  For some reason I really like this pattern.  I need to go digging through my book and find some stitch patterns to turn into cloths.

We received good news on Thursday.  We have a house waiting for us on base.  So we'll have a place to live when we get there.  The dogs will only be in a kennel for no more then 3-4 days.  We have 19 days to go till our pack date.  I can't wait to get out of here. 

Yarn.....Yum!

I think the title says it all.  I got my box in from TLE this morning. 



This stuff is way gorgeous and totally drool worthy.   I love the Gypsy Knits color Banana Split (the hank in the middle).  It really does kinda remind me of a banana split.  The CTH Sockittome isn't quite as soft as the CTH Supersock...shoot what is, but it is softer then most sock yarns with nylon in them.  I think I may like the new stuff too but I reserve the right to change my mind after I've knit up a pair of socks with it.  I got the Panada cotton to make socks for the girls.  Kaity likes ankle socks so I think I can get a pair for her and a pair for Bree out of these two skeins.

I also started another pair of socks last night.   These will be used for SOS07 and will go into the Cider Moon flickr group.

These socks are the Campfire Sock pattern by the gals from Cider Moon and I'm using their yarn Glacier in the Silver Pine colorway.  Now this is not what I would normally pick in a sock yarn color but for some reason the yarn kept calling to me a few months back so I bought it.  It's been sitting in my stash waiting to be knit. 

The only socks I have OTN are the Twisted Flower socks which require a good amount of concentration and are not something I knit while watching TV or when the kids are awake. 

What A Wonderful Day!

I received my YP Booty Club shipment today.  I love, love, love it!  Enough said....I'll post pictures later.  I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone.

I started the Twisted Flower socks last night.   I decided on the Carribean Louet Gems.  I'm saving the Bright Red for a cabled sock pattern out of Sensational Knitted Socks.



I'm about halfway through the first repeat of the leg chart.  The first thing I had to do was blow up the charts.  There is no way that anyone could read those charts without Super Powers.  So Shawn, being the fab hubby that he is, made all the charts bigger.  As you can tell by the Chart Key in the photo I did some color coding.  Each of the twists and cables have their own color for easier identification.  I also outlined the k2tog with bright pink so it stands out so I won't mistake a ssk with a k2tog.  Once I did that the chart was extremely easy to read.  The only time I slow down is for the cables and twists.  I don't have those memorized.

I've found the sock isn't overly difficult but it isn't a normal pattern for me.  I generally pick patterns that are super easy to memorize or require no memorizing at all, like 2x2 ribbing or stockinette.  I won't be working on these socks when the kids are awake since they need all my concentration.