Time Flies

I am back after spring break. We went to Florida for 4 days. It was lovely, but I didn't find a single yarn store on the beach. I did a lot of work on the Aran afghan I am working on. After getting home, I got SSS finished. The yarn I used (KnitPicks dye your own lace weight) had a color difference between the 2 balls. I guess you should buy the balls within less than 1 year from each other. To try and hid this color change, I dyed the shawl with black tea (recipe at KnitPicks website). I like the final color, but I am still not really happy with the finished pattern. I really like symmetrical things and this just isn't quite right. So here is a picture of the finished stole.

Pattern: Spring Shawl Surprice, Mother Earth
Yarn: KnitPicks dye your own laceweight, 1 1/2 hanks
Needles: 3.25mm
Finished size: 25" x 77"

The other projects I have been working on are the Amigurumi animals. They are very cute and addictive to make. I had 2 sets to make for some babies that are coming or have already arrived.
For Baby Sanford:
For Baby Amanda:
I also just finished a pair of socks, but the picture is on the other camera that I can't operate.

St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patty's day to all. I did lots of spinning yesterday and today. Here is what I have:
I will wind it off the bobbins later to find the yardage. I had 5 bobbins that I plied on my jumbo flyer/bobbins. It was so much easier than before with both the lazy kate and the jumbo flier.

I haven't finished the current clue in the SSS since I am not really liking the pattern. I do plan on finishing it, but I am not frantically working on it. I took some time to make these amigurami animals for a baby that will arrive next month. I hope to make an octopus to go with them.

The flu strikes again

I got hit by the flu again this past Thursday. I was so sick I didn't knit a single stitch on Saturday. I did how ever manage to finish the Baby Surprise jacket since last week. (except for the shoulder seams and finding some buttons)
Pattern: EZ's Baby Surprise Jacket
Yarn: Lite Lopi, about 1.5 balls each color
Needles: Inox Express, US 7, 4.5mm
Time: about 1 week
Size: 4 sts/inch, cuff to cuff is 21", chest about 21" around

I have no clue who this is for, I just wanted to try the pattern.

I have also finished clue 10 of the Spring Shawl Surprise. I can now tell that I don't really like the final pattern. I am a very symmetrical person and while this is symmetrical within each row, I don't like how the pattern is very different on one end.
I think it is a mother earth theme with a "woman" standing above "earth".

This Thursday we will have the Cub scouts over for the den meeting and we have planned a presentation about recycling and then I will help the boys make some paper. It should be fun, but possibly messy. I will hope for the best.

March already?

Time flies when you are having fun or being very busy. I got the pattern for the Baby Surprise Jacket by EZ around Christmas time, but haven't tried it yet. I just can't grasp the pattern without actually doing it. I went through my stash and remembered about a bunch of Lite Lopi that I had. My sister suggested using it to make the Baby surprise, so I started. I am changing colors every 10 rows to try and help understand what is going on.

I also found the patterns for the amigurami animals at the Lion Brand Yarn website. I had to remember how to crochet, but it took only about 2 hours to remember and make this little elephant. He is about 4 inches tall and I was using some yarn I had sitting around. I am going to try the octopus, turtle and penguin as well.

I have also finished clue 9 of the Spring Shawl Suprice. I still can't figure out the clue. My husband came up with some ideas, but I don't think they are worth sharing (words not for the general population).

SSS Clue 8

I finished clue 8:
I am really enjoying this. I still have no idea about the theme.

In other knitting, I am working on a pair of socks with Koigu KPPPM. The first sock has a spiraling stripe and the second has one color on one side and another color on the other. What happened to the striping? I am totally baffled. I will post pictures when I get done with the second sock. I just turned the heel and I hope the stripes come back on the foot section.

I hate the flu!

Last Sunday the little guy came down with the flu. He was home from school until Thursday. This meant that I work a half day Monday, nothing on Tuesday and a half day on Wednesday. The husband then started coming down with it sometime during the week. I got hit Friday night by the fever and chills. I now have the chest part of this evil.

This means that I have not finished the current SSS clue, but I did finish the Cherry Blossom Shawl. Here it is before blocking (about 43 " diameter):

Here it is during blocking:

Pattern: Cherry Blossom Shawl, Interweave Knits Spring 2002
Yarn: KnitPicks Alpaca cloud, 2.5 balls
Needles: Inox Express, 4mm/ US size 6, 29"
Time: about 6 months.
Finished size: Block to 52" diameter, shrank a bit on unpinning.

I have also finished the first sock in a pair and started the next one. I don't have the ability to knit a complicated chart right now, so I might not finish SSS clue 7 before the next one comes out. Hopefully I get over this evil flu soon.

Spring Shawl Suprice clue 6

I have finished clue 6 of SSS and I still like the pattern. I can't wait to see what is next.

I have also been working on the Cherry Blossom shawl and finally got to the edging. Now I just have small rows to do, but about 700 rows.

I also started a new project. I decided I want to try many cable patterns, so I am going to make an afghan with lots of 12 inch blocks each with a different cable pattern. I am using Lion Brand Fisherman's wool. Here is the first block:

SSS continues again

Here is the finished mitts. They are well liked and used at work.
Since I didn't post last week here is a picture of the end of clue 4 on SSS
And here is after clue 5

This week is N's birthday, so I see a yummy cake in my future.

SSS continues with clue 3

I am totally loving SSS. I did have to re-knit part of a row 3 times before realizing that I had omitted a yarn over the previous row. Here it is after clue 3:
This week I also finished the re-knit of the basic cardigan. Here it is (doesn't look different that the last time, but it is bigger.)
I also decided to knit some of the "Dashing" mitts (from knitty.com) for a co-worker who is always freezing at work. She is a runner and can't get enough food or keep warm enough. I am using a yarn from my stash and size 4 needles.
My "fat" cat has lost tons of weight and now is only about 12 pounds. She decided to pose for a picture this evening.

SSS continues

Here is Clue 2 of SSS.
I think the middle looks like a Claddagh.

I am really enjoying this and can't wait for the next clue. In other knitting news, we went to visit the in-laws this weekend. I wanted to make a pair of Fetching for my mother-in-law, but she requested full mittens. I started friday evening following the Fetching pattern, but didn't do the second set of cables and finished up like a pair of basic mittens before dinner on saturday. I don't have a picture because we didn't have a camera with us. (First time that has happened). I used the KnitPicks Andean Silk so they are nice and soft and warm.

SSS clue 1

I have finished SSS clue 1. I had a late start as my home internet connection and cable TV was out from about 4:45 Monday until Friday afternoon. I was able to get on briefly Tuesday morning to download the clues. I really like how it looks and it is just challenging enough to keep me interested. I have also been working on re-knitting the basic cardigan I thought I had finished last month. I decided it was too small and instead of trying to block larger, I took it apart and stared over in the next size up.

Here is the current SIP as well. I had some time to work on this during the drive time at Christmas.I have spent some time over at Ravelry. I don't use Fliker, so don't expect any photos there until I can do a link to the photos here on this blog. I hope to find some groups that I can participate in.

Tis the first day of Advent...

and I have finished some Christmas knitting. I can show pictures of some since those people have already received the present or don't read the blog.These scarves are knit with Wool-Ease thick and quick on #13 needles. They are for 2 nephews.

This is a scarf and hat set for a big family christmas party. They are Wool-Ease and a basic pattern. I hope they are well liked.

Now for non-Christmas things. I have been working on a pair of socks for N using some Regia sock yarn I got on clearance. I think they will be a matching pair, but I am not certain yet.

Here is where I am on the Cherry Blossom shawl. I haven't work on it in a LONG time. I find it boring, but I do want to finish it as I haven't done a circular shawl yet.
I started on a basic cardigan after trying to follow a pattern that called for a Swiss Check pattern. With the color choice I had made (un-dyed for the main color, taupe and sky for the other colors), the sweater started to look like blue and tan stars. I ripped it out and started creating a pattern using the Handy Book of Sweaters as a guide. This is the KnitPicks Wool of the Andes bulky weight yarn.
I also found time to knit the first swatch on the Spring Shawl Suprice project. I am using KnitPicks bare laceweight and size 3.0mm needles.

Faina is finished

I have finished the Faina's Scarf out of my home spun. Here it is:

Pattern: Faina's Scarf from Fiber Trends
Wool: Rust color from MS&W, <8 oz, 2 ply
Needles: KnitPick Options, size 4
Size: 12"x61"

Since I finished something I decided to start something new. This is a Christmas present for a family party. I am using Wool Ease since it will then be machine washable. The hat is from a free KnitPicks pattern and the scarf is the Tiny Bamboo pattern from the Vogue Stitchinary vol 1.


I have also joined the Spring Shawl Surprice (a yahoo group). The pattern will be over 8 clues and complicated. The designer is using the KnitPicks bare in laceweight. I had 1 skein, but to make sure I had enough I needed to order a second, so I was able to buy yarn for a sweater as well. I am not going to pay shipping on something that actually comes from across town. I wish local pick-up was a delivery choice.