Blocked Stocked and Barrelled

I did it! It's done! Finally! I decided that tonight was fringe night. I thought it would take an 'half an hour' but it was an hour and 20 minutes. It's all blocked and it lies so nice and neatly now. It has a lovely drape, almost like silk. You can almost feel it with your eyes, look at the way it's sitting on my couch!


I love this yarn!! DD will be so surprised when she sees it tomorrow. I think I'll put it by her in her bed.


Knitting Pure and Simple Poncho #243. I made size 6. I started August 1 and finished August 11. I put the fringe on today. (Nothing like the present!!) Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport in Iris Garden. The colors of Dora the Explorer. It's lovely, it's soft, it smells lovely. AHHHH!!! It's ready to be worn. (well, I could trim the fringe even nicer...)



Speaking of blocking, now that it doesn't scare me any longer, I'm blocking hubby's wallaby. Don't worry, it's all one color, just that it is starting to dry a bit so it looks mottled. This was made out of Cascade Superwash. It was disgusting (or, as DD would sayd, "A-scusting")! You wouldn't believe what came out of that nice yarn! I think I just learned where the expression, "Everything comes out in the wash" came from. The water was like TEA, it was BROWN. ...do you think it was......sheep poop? I rinsed and rinsed and oh my, I swear it was sheep poop. How did this get so dirty?
It was also something that was a little snug in the shoulders so I blocked it and pulled it a bit. I just need it to grow a tad......especially now. My DH has stopped smoking and has put on "a couple" of pounds. I don't care, really. It doesn't matter what he looks like from the outside. It's his dirty lungs that I care about. I hope the sleeves aren't too long. They seemed long when I put this on the floor.




Meanwhile, back at the needles, spindle socks are coming along very, very nicely and I will be showing you an update next time. The Iris Afghan, well...I've decided to start it over again this weekend. I will keep looking at it for another day and then, off to the frog pond.





And leave comments. Please say hi! Let me know how you like the little poncho!

Have you noticed my city counter on the side? Well, the mid-west is not well represented. Ok, ok, I know I poked fun at you back in April when I took pictures of the crop circles. Midwesterners are great crafters!! Have you ever noticed that? The midwest people make the best stuff. They're the ones winning the afghan and quilt contests all the time!! Probably making fun of my attempts at blocking, socks and other things.

It's getting late and I have to get up at 5:30 to do laundry, knit and make lunches. Good Night, all!

Tofutsies Join the FO list today!

I got up this morning and did the toes on the Tofutsies. Yes, I know, I'm weird. I get up at the crack of dawn and knit...often. All was looking so nice. I got up to the fun part, kitchener stitch..

And, after making sure that no one was going to sneeze within a five mile radius and deliberately distract me, I kitched.

When I put them on and photographed them, I saw something bad!!! A mistake!! Don't make the picture larger because you will see it, too!

Ugh. It's a good thing that I am not overly fond of this pair of socks. The pattern was fine. I am not a Tofutsies kinda gal. I love wool, baby. This is nice and soft and it makes for a lightweight sock but ...it's not wool and doesn't hang or hold its shape nicely. It's like...almost..a dishcloth.

Let's get some more FOs under our belt!

Remember the little poncho? Well, I was thinking about steam blocking it but decided to wet block instead. I'm not really sure how to do this so bear with me. First, I gave it a nice bath in a capful of Wool-Lite. I love the smell. Alot of the berry colored water ran out of it turning the water a nice pink. I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed. I squoze and sqouze and squoze. My hands smelled like salad from the vinegar in the yarn. It was quite interesting. They didn't turn pink though.

Then, I pinned it all nice and pretty to a towel. I wasn't really sure how to do the hood though...
I was thinking about putting it over a balloon for a few minutes but then decdied that pinning it down squarely would help. I had visions of the Yarn Harlot's shawl in my mind...

I actually pinned this out yesterday, it's still damp and it still needs fringe. I didn't know if I was supposed to add the fringe and then block or block then fringe. I don't know how to block, really. I just make it up. It looks straight and all the seams are matched up. This is actually the back and I am sad to say that you can kinda see where I switched from one skein to the next. I shouldn't have done it that way. Live and learn. Lorna's Laces yarn is beautiful! I adored the feel, the smell, the colors, everything about it and I will definitely use it again.

Speaking of switching skeins, I have been wanting to try some Fair Isle knitting. I have been looking for possibly a class or an easy hat pattern or something like that. Last night, I started watching the 39 episodes of Knitty Gritty that I have recorded and one of them was about making a Fair Isle sweater for a teddy bear. You knit a tube, like a tube top (I have no experience with tube tops, knitting them or ..using them.. personally....) and then you knit the sleeves. Each piece has a facing. Then, you figure out where the sleeves should go and you machine stitch on the tube top. You stitch down the length of the sleeve and then across four stitches and then up to the top. Twice. Then, you take a very deep breath and relax. Do not hyperventilate. You get your sharpest scissors out and you ... cut. That's the steek for those of you not up at midnight reading the Fair Isle book like I have been. Then, you stitch the top of the shoulders closed, insert the sleeve into the hole and sew from the front with the right side facing you. Isn't that interesting?

Check out Vickie Howell and a Fair Isle Video here.

Here is the Norwegian Teddy Bear Sweater Pattern so we can all try it out. I am thinking of doing this...seriously. It should really be done with Icelandic wool that will felt and hide any mess. In real sweaters they don't sew. Thread doesn't work like yarn does and can make the shoulders very uncomfortable. Teddy won't mind but we would. I'm scared to do this on a real sweater. Plus, it's very expensive to buy all that yarn. However, I would spit for a few dollars to make a teddy bear sweater for my teddy (who is old and I still have him!). Plus, this is a technique that I really want to learn. How will I ever broaden my horizons unless I explore new things? (note to self: Fair Isle - In, Tatting - Out)

BTW, speaking of Norway, I see that I have lotsa visitors from all over the place! I hope you are finding it interesting!! I wish you would leave comments, just say hi so I know you're all there and paying attention. Besides, I would love to visit your blogs and see your Fair Isle knitting, your socks, your family, your vacations and so forth.

OK, that's it for now. Next up: Iris Baby Blanket update and the new project: Spindle patterned socks in Gray Baby Ull! WOOL!! YAY!!!

Stay tuned!

P.S. I know that squoze isn't a real word. It probably will be someday though!

No New Picture Friday, Part Deux

Here it is, Friday. I am really slacking in posting. I've just been so swamped, kids are back at school, house is a mess, I'm enjoying my new washing machine. I don't even know if I told you about that or not, that's how much my head is spinning.

Well, cliff notes: Old 15 year old washing machine crapped out and we got a new one. It has all these nifty settings and I love it. Washing clothes has never been so much fun! So much fun that I have been neglecting the rest of the house.

There is junk everywhere. I have to call 1-800-GOT-JUNK and have them come in and throw everything out. But, there is just so much that I want and need. I just need a bigger place to keep my stuff.

I haven't been doing all that much knitting. I will show you some pictures tomorrow but don't get your hopes up. Things have been kinda the same. I am not knitting at lightening speed at all.

The Jaywalkers: Still on the back burner.
The Poncho: Still needs to be blocked and fringed.
The Tofutsies: Still knitting the legs, slow going, I tell you.
The Wallaby: Much progress but needs the pouch to be added.
The Baby Blanket: No where near done.
The Baby that will receive the Baby Blanket: 1 month till he comes! (It is a boy!)

AND, I have a nice new camera and no new pictures to show you.

Tomorrow, husband is working in the morning for awhile. I will probably let the kids sleep in until 8 or so and then have some alone time. Maybe even time for an illustrated post!

As for now, kids are jumping all over the place, have to go and watch them and knit some socks!

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's my birthday today and I'm feeling old. This is an 'over the hump' year. the hump years are the ones you feel, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, etc. Sigh...

Well, on a happier note, I'm nearly done with the poncho. I have to stitch the casing closed, steam edges flat and do the fringe. The parts that take forever, non-knitting. Here's how it looks now, using ecstatic DD as the model.

This kid is such a ham. She loves to play piano and sing. When she was two and a half, she stood up on top of a flat rock in a park upstate and gave a concert to about 30 people. Perhaps she's destined for stage fame?

Anyway, the yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport, Iris Garden. If you look very closely, you'll see how I was working with two balls throughout and there's a line on the back. I don' think that I am going to do that next time. It's very curly at the edges, even with three rows of garter stitch. Requires a little steam to flatten it out, then the fringe. That's going to be hard to do, being I have two kids a puppy around who will love to play with strings. Plus, I'm tired. I'll try and sew down the casing today so I feel like I've done something.

Today, it's gorgeous out. It's only 66 degrees, clear, dry, beautiful. It's a nice day for me to eat ice cream cake. Next week is vacation, after that, completely back on track with diet. I have to get Nutrisystem to send me another bear and that's 10 pounds away.

I've once again picked up my Jaywalkers. They're so nice. I had gotten the gusset decreases nearly done when I decided I didn't like the way it looked so I un-knit 18 rounds....yes, I'm particular. I reknit it yesterday and sock 1 is ready to rest while I catch up sock 2. They'll both be on one circ for the foot. That's today's goal. To have them on one circ by bedtime tonight. It is not looking good. The house is a mess and and I have to get ready for vacation.

Thursday night was knit night at The Village Knitter. Elizzabetty and I attended. I came home with some Tofutsies as a souvenir and I think that I am going to work that up into my next pair of socks. It's wound so tightly onto the ball yet when you knit with it, it's nice and soft and feels kinda nice. We'll see how much I like it after I use it. I am remembering that I made the bamboo socks and thought that it should've been a tighter rib being the yarn wasn't very elastic. I have visions of that happening with this stuff so a lace pattern is out. We'll see....but that's what's in the bullpen for now.

Tomorrow, I will photograph my growing stash so we could all ogle my new stuff!

Poncho

Well, we're well on our way with the poncho project! I am using Lorna's Laces, Shepard Worsted, Iris Garden and it's beautiful. Not trusting their dying skills, I'm working from two of the three balls that I have. I started out using exclusively one of the balls, then switched to working a few rows of each color and now I got the hang of it, work one row of each and keep changing balls one stitch to the right. If you look closely with my 12 megapixel photo on close-up setting (tee hee!) ...

You can kinda make out a trail of where I changed colors (starting to the left of the seam and then working diagonally down to the right...) and how some of the stitches aren't pulled to the exact same tension as the others. Do you see it? This is going to be flouncy and this is also the back so I'm doubtful as to whether or not anyone would really notice. I'm also kinda thinking that the colors are the a true match....I think. The purples seem to be off so it's probably best that I'm using two balls.

Here's how much I have done so far and this is a bad picture. (I am still learning all the camera tricks...)

So, I have only a little more work on the body, like tonight I should be done! Then, pick up sts and knit a hood with the remnants of the two balls and ball three. That's cool.

DS wants a Harry Potter sweater and I am thinking about making the Quidditch Sweater from Charmed Knits. I am also thinking about making him a "Harry Potter Wallaby", cranberry with butternut stripe. We'll see, I'll let him pick the pattern. I ordered the yarn online today from Webs. I'm going with Plymouth Encore for him. I haven't worked with Plymouth Encore before but the blogworld seems to love it and they love it more than Wool Ease which I like very much but it does pill a bit when washed. Relatively inexpensive, machine washable and wears like iron. A must for kids clothes.

In other news, we went to the make-up LI Ducks game last night. It was fun, just too late for the kids. They were losing when we left at the end of the 7th inning (after 10PM) and the score stayed the same.

Here's a shot of Quackerjack giving DS an autograph. Quackerjack is the team mascot. He's a duck... He runs around and does thing and shakes his tail. It's cute.

This past weekend, we did alot. Elizzabetty came over and brought her dulcimer. DS wanted to play it. If I could figure out how to upload a movie clip, I could share it! Not sure if that's supported yet here in blogland. For now, a still... playing dulcimer with daddy.

Additionally, I was oh so very happy to find shoes that fit my 8WW feet. They actually measure 7 and three quarters quintuple E. Isn't that cute? They're almost as wide as they are long and I have to use like a million stitches to knit a pair of socks for myself. But anyway, I found dress black shoes, slingback brown ones and sandals. I bought them all up. You've heard about the Summer of Love, well, this is Summer of Spend. A car, a pool, a camera, a truckload of yarn....segue into...
The pool!
It was cloudy...

yuck.

I have "no idea" how that happened but I think it's because husband didn't clean the cartridge properly. He 'rinsed' instead of 'scrubbed'. I scrubbed so I have to go and see if it is clearing up. I haven't even been in the backyard since Sunday night but I'll check in the morning. I been working at work alot. And knitting the poncho.

Anyway...

while I was up on the deck, I put the nice new camera on Sunset setting to take a picture of the sky to show you.
Soon, vacation!

I can't wait to show you mountains and lakes and socks!

Time to knit!

The New Project

Knitting Pure & Simple Poncho has worked its way to the needles! I started this morning and it's very pretty. I love the colors and I love the yarn. We're using Lorna's Shepard Sport for this one.
In other news, I have been nothing less than pleased with my new camera and have been taking lots of pictures. Here's one of my new car:

It's a Chevy Equinox, an imitation "SUV". Basically, a station wagon. I like it. It's great for me to drive, not great with the kids. Behind it, you can see my '94 Sable that will soon be retired out to pasture.

As I told Elizzabetty today, "I got a pool, a camera and a car..It's like, I live in a gameshow!". Note to self: STOP SPENDING MONEY.

So far, I have been unable to take a really nice sunset picture to show you! I was ultra upset tonight, being hubby wouldn't stop the car to allow me to take the PERFECT shot. In fact, he stepped on the gas. It was the exact moment of cloud illumination and all the colors of the poncho as well as that of cantalope flooding the skies. But alas, he was in a rush to get home. Sigh. So, I missed it. He assured me that the sun would set tomorrow and if it didn't, I had bigger problems than worrying about my 12 megapixels.

Speaking of which, he needs to use this computer so I can't stay and chat with you tonight. Tune in in a few days to see the poncho update.

Called in 'Sock' today...

Well, I called in sick today. I haven't been sick for months but I felt sick this morning and last night so I decided to not go in and rough it in the office. Instead, I'll rough it here at home.

Here's the updates:

Pool Update: Sand delivery is scheduled for "Today or Tomorrow, between 9-3". That's a nice window. I'm parked in the street and a tire is low and I don't know what to do with a flat. I'm helpless when it comes to anything more than checking oil and adding gas. Kids have been signed up for swimming lessons. My son swims in the ocean, under large waves, holding my hand. He has swam across a 3' pool but not really in water over his head all that much. This pool will be over his head. My daughter is afraid of the ocean waves and sometimes won't even stick her feet in. Two summers ago, she swam out there as a mere yearling, last summer, she wanted no part of it. We'll see how she does this year, alot can happen in a year.

Diet Update: I have been eating Nutrisystems and have cheated here and there. I could drink more water on some days and I admit that I am hungry from time to time and squeeze in a cheese stick, a few melba rounds but not an ice cream sundae. I have also used the Chinese Buffet as an excuse to pig out because I cannot control myself when it comes to dumplings. That's like, once a month. Next planned day off is June 14, pre-k graduation night so we'll eat out. That lousy half a pound is back. Two sticks of butter. It's the attack of Gremlins, Part Deux.

Puppy Update: I think we may be done with pee pee in the house...I think I like watching the Dog Whisperer. He showed me how to bite her back. She doesn't do it viciously, she just plays and wants to hold on with her teeth.

Knitting Update: Baby Ripples to Knit, Leisure Arts #3159, #7, Chevron Ripple. It's done and photo is in my brag book! It's ok. I don't like the yarn and the gauge is a little loose and I bound off a little tightly. Ok, ok, it's very, very nice. It's also my first knitted afghan. (I have crocheted tons of them). I like the color, hate the yarn, it's that Caron softee stuff. It splits easily. Next time, Red Heart that new soft one, feels like it's been waxed.

Options Update: Could it be?? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeeeeee's OPTIONS!


I got some extra cables, 40" and 60". I have it in the back of my mind to make my sister in law an afghan for Christmas for her new house. Maybe five panels, like a fisherman knit, two panels of one pattern, three of another. I will design it myself. We'll see how motivated I am.

My little girl cannot contain herself. I am done with the baby blanket and now only have two WIPs. The blue socks, which look now have both legs and gussets complete and need two feet. I am considering doing them together...the other WIP is the hooded raglan for my son which needs one sleeve, to be put together and then one hood. I suppose I could knit the sleeve today. I am not so sure this is going to fit him. He's 5 and I made a 6 - 8 size to be safe but he's grown a few inches since I started around February! I'll have to just make him a Wallaby after all. I haven't heard back from Knitpicks. I did e-mail them and ask if they sent my needles via mule train. That order took like 11 days to get here.

Yarn should be coming today. My daugter can hardly contain herself with excitement. Being we're home today, she keeps looking out the window to see if the priority mail is here yet. She also wants Elizzabetty to come over and help her wind her yarn. She wants a 'Little Red Riding Hood Poncho". I have to admit, for a three year old, that was quite observant of her to relate that pattern with Red.

I think that I will whip out the hooded raglan and see how it's going, photograph it and then see if it'll fit the big boy. Next, I'll be casting on for either the Wallaby for DH, a Wallaby for DS, or the poncho.

Until next time, happy completed baby afghan day to you and may my belly feel better.

One Goal...Up?

Well, I spent some more money. I just purchased the Knitting Pure & Simple Hooded Poncho #243 pattern for my daughter as well as Lorna's Lace's Shepard Worsted Iris Garden #12. I'm putting this on my to do list. She'll love the "Dora Colors". I also like Red Rover......



Still working on finishing up my Cherry Tree Hill that I've ripped out a few times.

Cherry Tree Hill Sock #2, restarted:

I've been very tired lately. Too much happening here.

Pool Update: The pool just got delivered today. It's huge! And, it all fits onto a 4x4 pallet. Almost the same size pallet that we'd need for my WIPs....The deck is huge too. It's all one big giant 5.5x16 foot piece of aluminum. I hope the dog doesn't chew the carpet off, I'll be really mad at her for doing that. She will most certainly be inspecting it and will try to eat it. I'm going to have to do something with it, like wrap it in contractor bags.

Kid update: Meanwhile, my son has decided he hates pre-K and he wants to stay home all day, every day with his mommy. He wants to be 'retired'. He never wants to work or do anything. He doesn't want to take piano lessons because he wants to be a bathroom fixer, not a musician. He also wants to be a professional knitter. I was hoping for the Nobel Peace Prize but it seems that his aspirations are not the same as mine. What to do?

The little girl, on the other hand, continues to be Miss Independent. She wants only a few things out of life. A big, black Denali or a Yukon to drive around in and a pocketbook and a poncho. Easy to please.

Both of them want to go to the beach and I think I'm with them. Summer is just around the corner and even though it's only 62 degrees here today, the humidity is like 200%.

Puppy Update: She's booked for boarding when we go on vacation this summer.

Diet Update: Goal hasn't been achieved, I found a pound, darnit.

Sock Update: I have completed the gusset on sock #2 so it no longer looks like that picture above.

Kitchen Update: I have an electrician coming next week to install under the cabinet lighting. I can't find my countertop yet...should I start clearing it off? Just push everything into a pail?

Knitpicks Order Update: I think they sent my Options Needle Set via muletrain. I ordered it on the 2nd and according to tracking, it should've been here yesterday. I seems that it is still sitting in Edison, NJ. Four days in Ohio, two days in Edison, probably one day here on Long Island. When I receive them, they'll have seen more of the country than I have. I e-mailed Knitpicks to inform them that they should look into their shipping methods but haven't received a reply yet.

Wallaby Update: Hello Knitty has my yarn and it's on its way to my house. Wallaby, here we come!

OK, remember, one blanket, one sock, one sweater and that's it. Three projects for the WIP basket at one time. After that, it's too many. The baby blanket (which I still haven't showed you) also had some un-knitting done to it the other day. I am nearly near the cut off point. Like Scheherazade, I must keep you all in suspense as to what the pattern is and what it looks like so you'll come back for more of my antics.

Until next time, let's have another look at Lorna's "Dora Colors".