yay the cast off!!

Finally... these socks are all ready for the cast off. They were started on August 12th, but these were my traveling around project so I only worked on them here and there. Now I have to start the next pair of socks in earnest because they are part of my Christmas knitting list. I hope I can complete them before Christmas. This last month I've been cleaning out and getting ready for all the family to arrive. My son arrived about a week ago and has been helping me move and organize stuff so that everyone will have a place to sleep. There will be 7 adults and 3 little ones and all should be here by this coming Tuesday. As we were cleaning old stuff out of the garage my daughter suggested that I could paint some furniture that was given to here and use it. So on top of all the organizing I'm trying to refinish a tv cabinet and desk in like 2 days. I painted all day yesterday and put the second coat on this morning. It's all drying or rather is probably dry and ready for the top coat. I should probably go and do that now. Later this evening is my knitting group.. I might just cast off my socks there and start the next pair. Did I say I was also knitting a little cable sweater for Abby.. omy!!

machine magic

I just felt inspired to whip up something on my knitting machine and in my basket was this beautiful yellow louet kid mohair and pure silk. I casted on 66 stitches with the crochet cast on and knit 2 rows with the silk and then 14 rows with the mohair until almost all the yarn was gone. I had enough of the silk to add a little crochet border at each end. I really like how this turned out. It was very simple but so soft and has a wonderful drape and took all of 2 1/2 hours to knit up.. that didn't include the crochet edging though. I think I want to experiment with the machine again.. maybe change my tensions when using different yarns. Oh and the miracle about this is.. the machine has been in the garage in the heat of many Florida summers and when I plugged it in.. IT WORKED!!






































What can I say.. I have knitting machine fever all of a sudden. I dug my light gauge machine out of the garage and took it apart and cleaned and oiled all of the 200 needles and set it up knit a few rows. It still knits very smoothly. I'm actually looking forward to learning to knit some socks on this. At one time I did know how to knit socks and Christmas stocking on the machine but that was so long ago I forgot how.. Hopefully soon I will be using up all my sock stash.. or at least some of it..

just playing around..

I was experimenting a little on my knitting machine . This was my attempt at the squiggle scarf. Unfortunately the yarn was supper delicate and broke at the point where I added the thicker yarn. But it can be done although there is more hand manipulating than actually machine knitting.. might as well hand knit the whole thing.. Now I'm about to go and playing around with the knitting machine somemore.. (^_^)

Baby gifts.

All the baby gifts were finished and wrapped and given away yesterday. She doesn't know if she is having a boy or a girl.. so after the baby is born I wanted to make something pink or blue. I think she is having a boy.. !!.. I wasn't very happy with how my little bear cocoon turned out only because that was really the wrong yarn to use for a baby gift. It felt so soft in the ball but as I was crocheting with it .. it started to feel a little itchy. I even washed it because sometimes the itchy goes away after a washing or 2. It did feel softer but the itch factor was still there. I don't think it will be so good for a new baby. So... I will make another in pink or blue in a cashmere blend.. I just didn't have time to make a second one before the shower. The other thing that bothered me was that you can see the russian join on the front. It looks like a little lump.. :(
So now it is back to the Christmas knitting list and preparing for all my company to arrive in a few weeks.

almost there..

Shew .. almost there.. I have one more bear paw to finish, then I have to wash it all and hopefully it will dry over night. I'm going to have to finish the paw tonight after work and wash everything tomorrow after work. The sweater and blanket are finished and just need to be washed also. For some reason it seems like I'm crocheting way slower than I used to and this little bear cocoon is taking me forever, but... at least it's the right size and of course so cute.!!

projects .. projects.. projects..!!

I've been looking for just the right top down raglan sweater to knit for Abby and everything is either for infants or adults or the wrong gauge. With computer technology I sometimes forget to look in my closet. Sitting there right on the shelf I found this book that has every type of one piece knit you could want.. all sizes.. all gauges both in knit and crochet. It's not exactly top down but just as good. The hunt is over. I have the yarn, the pattern and now I just need to finish up all the projects I'm working on to start the sweater.



















I decided to make a fall wreath with what I had on hand. Most of which was from my daughters fall wedding last year. The woven arch was in the garage for... forever. The only things I purchased were the little picks that were all on sale at Michaels. Now I think it still needs maybe a rafia bow or something.




















Another baby project. I just couldn't resist making this. It's so cute. I had a few problems in the beginning that are now worked out thanks to the designer who so kindly helped me asap. I couldn't get the right gauge and had to use thicker yarn and a larger crochet hook. I must crochet tight or something. The other problem was.. I didn't know how big or how small it was supposed to be and I really didn't want to start it over again. Did I say this is the result after 2 previous attempts. It ends up I'm right where I'm supposed to be at 12" long and 10" wide. Shew.


















Please excuse the sideways picture. I'm about to run and get ready for work and didn't want to reload it. I finished the baby sweater yesterday morning and have 3 sides left of the last row of crochet edging to finish. For the last row I'm using what looks and feels like a very soft terry cloth. It adds a little fluff to the edge of the blanket. I was originally going to add this on the edge of the sweater also.. Now I'm not so sure about it. Did I say that the baby shower is this Saturday!!

so many baby knits..

So at the moment I'm making 3 baby items at the same time. I completed the body of the blanket and sweater on the knitting machine and finished the base row of the single crochet around the blanket and did as much ribbing as I could with what was left of that one ball of yarn.
Then I remembered that I really liked these little crochet baby cocoons that I saw on etsy.com.. so I ordered the pattern and picked out some Bernat soy natural blends from my stash and started that this morning. Hopefully I can complete all the projects asap. The baby shower is on the 24th!! Besides all my projects.. all my kids and their kids will be visiting in November and we are having an early Thanksgiving while they are all here. Now I just have to find places for everyone to sleep and clean up a bit upstairs.. omy..!!