Nutcracker 2010 is done!

Today were the two performances of the Nutcracker for this year. I was a Party Adult and it was the first performance in point shoes for me since 1990!! All went well, but it was a long day.

I haven't finished much knitting recently. I did finish the mittens for the mitten tree at church.
The pattern is from Spilly Jane and they are knit with KnitPicks Palette. It is not a style that fits my hand, but was fun to knit and someone here in town will have warm fingers. I also started a project using my handspun merino. This is the Henley with a Twist from Knitspot.
I have finished the back and I am past the armholes on the front. It is an easy pattern to memorize and is very well written, not too much extra info. The next major project's yarn has been ordered and received, but I can't start until I get this one done. I am going to knit an Aran sweater for my husband with KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in the blackberry color. He picked both the pattern and the color, now I just have to find the time to knit it.

October 31st?

I have done a lot of knitting recently, but can't put all of it on here. The rest is on Ravelry. I have lost some knitting time and gained some knitting time this school year. N has started martial arts so I get to sit and watch class 3 times a week for 45 minutes each time. This has created some forced knitting time. I also started more dance classes, so I have lost time there. I think it is about an even trade. I don't have as much time for big projects, but will get lots of little things done. I started a pair of socks while on the family camping trip and was able to finish them at N's class.
Pattern: Ballet from Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks
Yarn: Regia stretch

I then had to start another pair of socks. I decided doing 2 at a time was too hard to use as travel knitting, so I followed the same book, but I am doing only one at a time. This also allows me to use the dpns instead of magic loop.

I also decided that I was going to get too many socks done. I am not really much of a sock person, so I started a pair of mittens for the mitten tree at the church. I hope to get more than one pair done before Christmas, but that might be a stretch. I have lots of colors of KnitPicks Palette and since the pattern only uses 1 ball of each color, I should get quite a few from my stash.
This pattern is a free one from Spilly Jane Knits. I like the look of her patterns and thought I would try a free one before buying all of the other ones I want. She has some really cool mitten and sock patterns. So far it is well written and easy to follow, but a bit tight on my hand. Good thing I am knitting for someone else. I love color work with the KnitPicks yarns.

I am still here

I haven't fallen off a cliff. I just have been doing other things and not using the main computer or my camera. I have gotten a bit of spinning done. I tried to work on the Alpaca from a few years ago (from the alpaca named Sienna), but 2 of the 3 balls were very matted. I gave up and plied most of what I had, ending up with about 350 yds of a 2-ply and more still on one bobbin. I gave the rest of the fiber to a spinning co-worker to see if she could work with it or pass it on to friends who do needle felting. Since I gave up on that I started on some pencil roving in the Teddy Bear color. While spinning it looks like cake batter you are mixing melted chocolate into.
I have also been working on lots of baby shower presents. I love the little sock pattern I use as they knit up fast, but after a few pairs I am getting bored a bit. I need to get them all finished up so I can go back to the sweater I need to finish. I also have knit a cute, lovely sweater using Webs yarn. I forgot to take a picture of it, but it knit up quick and the yarn is nice a soft. I will definitely use it again.

A while back I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. This year I took a class on a knitted Gansey sock. I used fingering weight yarn instead of the worsted, so the socks came out just the right size for Nathaniel. He loves them. I got the first sock done the first day and started the second sock in the second day of class. This was the second class I have ever taken on knitting and I learned just a few things, not as much as I really wanted, but I had fun with my sister. The rest of the festival was fun also, I didn't buy too much this year as I have tons of fiber I need to use up first.

It has been a while

Well I have been busy with lots of stuff. I keep knitting, but the photos haven't made it to the computer from the camera. We also tilled up the entire back yard and put down sod. I have been working on a knitting project I can't post pictures of here because the intended recipient may read this blog (check Ravelry to see them). I have also been doing some spinning. I finally finished the never ending pile of dark brown merino. I ended up with 1742 yards of a 2-ply fingering/sport weight. I thought I would have enough to knit Darin a sweater, but at a gauge of 7 sts/inch I don't. Now to decide what to do with it.
I also got around to spinning some wensleydale wool I got at MS&W last year. I got 2 braids for a total of about 8 oz. I wanted to learn how to chain (navajo) ply before I got to working on this wool.
I think I figured it out. I have about 165 yards of chain-plied.

This coming weekend is MS&W 2010. I can't wait. I have a list of books I want to look at and then a few things for the spinning wheel. I probably could survive an entire year without buying anything else, but what is the fun in that.

Time flys when you are having fun.

March already? Where has time gone? I didn't post anything for a while as we were experiencing computer problems and I didn't want to hook up the camera to download pictures. I have gotten lots of knitting done. I have tried my hand at designing and come up with some fingerless mitts that I like. Here is the second pair:
Pattern: Martha's Mitts
Needles: KnitPicks 3mm dpns
Yarn: KnitPicks Palette less than 2 balls
The first pair were knit with KnitPicks Bare in Fingering weight Merino. I like the second ones better as they are not quite as tight and heavy.

Early in the year I finished another lace shawl. This one is Lacewing by Anne Hanson. I really like the pattern as it was a bit challenging with pattern on both the right side and wrong side rows.
I also started another project. I was looking for a top down raglan v-neck short-sleeved sweater, but after about 3 hours of searching for what I wanted, I finally settled on a bottom up pattern from Creative Knitting magazine. After taking this photo I realized that you can tell where the second ball of yarn starts even thought I did several pairs of rows alternating balls of yarn to prevent a line.

Welcome to the Year 2010!!!

But before I start the new year of knitting here are the last bits of last year's work. First up are the arm warmers. This is a pattern for 18th century knitted mitts by Mara Riley. I liked knitting them, but when I make another pair I will make several changes- I didn't like how the decrease/increases look and they were a bit boring. I also need to check my gauge as these were a bit tight on my arms, but fit a friend perfectly.
Next up are the pilates legwarmers. I discovered this fall that when my calves get cold I get toe cramps in pilates class. I needed some shorter legwarmers as all of mine are thigh high for ballet class, so I found this pattern at KnitPicks and added the stirrup to the bottoms to help keep my feet warm. They fit nicely under my yoga pants and really work without interfering with my feet.I also finished the green Panda Silk socks, but I don't have a photo of the finished pair. They fit well, but stretched out a bit during the day and ended up a bit loose.

I am currently working on the edging for the Lacewing shawl by KnitSpot. It is taking a long time. After that I really don't know what to start. I got a few knitting books for Christmas (The Knitter's Book of Wool by Clara Parkes and Twisted-Stitch Knitting by Maria Erlbacher). I think I will work on another set of arm warmers with a twisted stitch motif. I also have to finish spinning the Merino roving I got a long time ago (actually before I bought my wheel). I am not loving the finished ply and I will probably have to make a 3-ply to get anything remotely even in thickness. I guess I prefer spinning worsted instead of woolen and this is not the best fiber prep for that.

My goals for this next year are to make a dent in spinning some of the fiber I already have before I get to MS&W in May; knit a few more pairs of socks than last year; try my hand at designing some items; and I think I already have an idea for one Christmas present for next year to get started on (after consulting my color expert).