just socks..

I saw these items online and would like to knit something similar for the grand-babies... I think I can make a cardigan like that one from the neck down without a pattern.. and probably the hats also. I just need a gauge swatch and a head measurement and I should be good to go. I already have some really nice chocolate yarn in the weight that I would need. This year I'm working on Christmas gifts already and have added these items to my list in hopes of finishing before Christmas eve!!.






































WIP's of the week. I'm almost to the point of starting the heal gusset on the socks and already attached the second ball of noro yarn which means I'm over the halfway mark on the noro striped scarf. (^_^)

so many colors!!

I got to put in some knitting time on the noro striped scarf yesterday. It was my first Friday off in months. Rudy and I haven't had a day off together in a few months also.. We made good use of the day and treated ourselves to a wonderful relaxing day. He drove me to the yarn shop and waited patiently while I browsed and picked out yarn. I was hoping for some noro sock yarn but there just wasn't the right shades of blue that I was looking for. I'm starting my Christmas knitting and was looking for deap ocean colors... my son said these are the colors he likes. Well I didn't find those colors in the noro sock yarns but I did find 2 gorgeous Flat Feet and one has all the colors of the ocean. Did I tell you that these were on sale too. The purplish one is for me..!! Now I can't wait to start knitting with them just to see what the colors are going to do. I have wanted to try the Flat Feet ever since I first saw them ... probably a couple of years ago when they first came out.
On with my story.. after the yarn shop .. we were very hungry from all the yarn shopping and he treated us both to sushi which was so yummy. Then it was on to Down Town Disney for a strole .. we haven't been there in a while and wanted to see what they were doing there since they closed all the clubs in Pleasure Island and the Virgin Record store closed. The place was really crowded but not much going on there. There were a few musicians set up here and there and music was very enjoyable.. I felt bad that they were outside because this time of year it is super humid outside and stuffy. After all that we were tired and went home just in time for Rudy to watch the news. He loves watching the news everynight. Me.. I played catch up on facebook.. (^_^)

Finally finished....

Can you believe I actually finished these socks. I started knitting them on June 12th. That seems like such a long time ago. These were actually my take along project. I either keep them in my purse or in a little bag that I bring with me to work and what not and try to squeeze in a row of knitting on my breaks at work and waiting in line at the bank and such. All those little knitting opportunities start to add up and one day ... they are finished. This pattern is very easy and I was able to memorize it after a while which is unusual for me.
The pattern: Salis Socks by Julia Riede (sorry no link I couldn't open her page for some reason today.. slow internet or something)
The yarn: Yarn Treehouse - Melody, color Y23
Needles: knitpicks fixed circular size 1, 47"
Knit: magic loop style.







































And as always new projects follow the completed projects. I started a basic toe up sock on size 2 needles magic loop style. The yarn I have had for a long time. I was hording it for probably just these socks. It's Zwerger Garn Opal southwest. It's a self patterning yarn with purple, aqua black, white and brown. This will be my first Christmas knitting project this year. I'm trying to start early this year because I ran out of time in a major way last year. Hopefully that wont happen this year. The other new project is the Noro striped scarf from Jared Flood, Brookly Tweed which I am knitting for one of the managers at DSW. (^_^)

Ishbel

Ishbel is finished..
Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda
yarn: Bloom by Yarn Treehouse .. ebay store
Ravelry link
I used the yarn double throughout the project which would give me half the amount of yardage which ended up being 440yards. That was more than enough to finish this with quite a bit left over. I had originally wanted to knit the st. st part of the shawl in the smaller size and then the lace part in the larger size. ( the pattern gives both directions for a small and large size) but after reading project info on ravelry , it seemed that people needed more yardage to knit the larger lace portion. So I decided to be safe and just knit the smaller lace part. After finishing the shawl and having so much yarn left over.. I realized that there was most definetly enough yarn to knit the larger lace portion... so my only regret is that I didn't go for it. I love it anyway.. it is so light and airy and bright and the beads at the edge give it just enough wieght for a real pretty drape.

Speaking of ravelry.. maybe we should all be a little more accurate with posting yardage amounts and other info. Also , off the subject.. how did my queue get so large. There is no way I could knit all those projects in this life time. I went through it a little yesterday on my day off and cleaned it up, removing some projects that I no long think I want to knit. I can always add them again later if I want. (^_^)

Publish Post

lace and beads..

I decided to add a few beads to Chard D in stitch between the yo. I looked in both Joann's and Michael's for beads and the best match were the clear. It will add a little sparkle at the bottom of the shawl. I like this shawl pattern because it's very easy and actually is fast to knit. I haven't really been working on it that much and when I do it's just work a few rows here and there when I get the time. I think I'm going to knit it again with different yarn.




















I finished one skein of the Chai merino/tussah silk top a couple of days ago when I had a day off. I decided to try navajo plying . This is my first navajo plied skein . I was a little scared to try it on such nice fiber but was brave and plunged in. I think it was a success..!!

knit, spin.. sweat..0.0

Yes I do still knit hahah. I have been knitting a row here and there on all my projects. I'm now on chart C on my Ishbel shawl.




















When I get tired of knitting I spin a little. I love this roving. It's so smooth and soft 60 % merino and 20% tussah silk and I love the colorsway. I purchases this roving from Yarn Hollow on Etsy.com a while ago.
And of course a picture of my socks.. I'm inching my way up the leg. Now to manage the heat in Florida.. It seems everywhere I go there is some kind of problem with the air conditioning... The air in my car broke.. at DSW they adjusted the air 2 degrees warmer and at home I have to keep my air on 81 to keep the bills down.. not that it helped at all.

success.. woo hoo..

There are now 2 heals completed... I guess a good night sleep and a day off did the trick. I just wasn't reading the pattern correctly and once I did all fit into place just right. I was knitting only to the end of the 4 stitches that remained instead of knitting to the end of the needle. Once I got that part straight in my head all was well. Shew... now that the heals are all complete I just have to work up the leg until the yarn is all gone.. (^_^).