Knitting continued....

I started the second ball of yarn and there was a break in the pattern for about and inch. I ripped back and had to cut off about 3 1/2 yards of yarn. I spit joined the ends and it seems like it is ok. I'll have to knit a few more inches to see if it worked. This part will be at the back of the neck and not so noticeable but I still want it look continuous.  (this picture is upside down btw)

Here is the finished hat and scarf. I think Abby will look so cute in this.

The other day we went to the beach just to collect some shells to display on the little black IKEA table we have in the living room. We were successful. I think if we had gotten there earlier we could have gotten some larger ones. I saw some people walking by with beautiful large shells. Oh well next time.
  I think even with wet suits on they were cold. The icy water is still touching their hands and faces. My face and fingers were cold from the air.

Lately I have been obsessed with beaches. I love all the mysterious plants and creatures that live in the ocean. I think it all so beautiful.

So many pretty ocean rocks.. all rounded and smooth.

Knitting and other things

Steadily knitting away on holiday gifts. My grand kids call my every year and tell me what they want me to knit them for Christmas. This year Cam asked for blue mittens on a string. I decided to add a little cowl to that. I'm knitting it in the round and used a provincial cast on and will graft it together into a ring with the live stitches when finished. Abby asked for a pink hat with kitty ears. I also added a  little scarf to that with fluffy little pompoms that I purchased at Joanns. I still haven't shipped the rest of my knitting tools from Florida and I didn't want to purchase a pompom maker right now.

Little by little I'm starting to purchase needles and crochet hooks as I need them. I really like these as they are very much like the knit pick needles, but when you need a needles for a wip and do not want to wait a week for them to be shipped these are a good alternative. I was also able to use Joann coupons on them.

When taking a break from knitting and work I have started painting again. Yesterday we went to the art supply store and I purchased a fine little brush and a good quality white paint and was able to add the little boat to my painting today. I'm pleased with the outcome. We also picked up bundles of canvases and the prices were so good it was almost unbelievable. So There will be more paintings in the near future.

Everything is washed and all the ends are tucked in. They are laying out to dry. I still have to add the little fluffy pompoms to the ears on the hat. I think Abby will like it.

We took a little trip to Edmonds beach yesterday. I love the beach for some reason. Even thought it was pretty chilly with the wind, I was able to collect some shells for a glass jar I have on my table. My little fingers were frozen. The shells add to my room decor and paintings of the ocean.

Little things..

 I finally started a little Christmas knitting. I'm way behind this year. I actually do not think I will have more than a few little items knit to give for presents. The hat above was requested by my granddaughter. She wants a pink hat with kitty ears. I'm planning to put pom pom in the ears. I'm knitting a plain little scarf to match in a different yarn and I'm going to use that yarn for the pom poms. 
I did make myself a few items to wear in the cold weather here. These gloves were really easy and simple to knit and are very comfy and warm.

 In this picture are two cowls, one knit, one crochet, and a hat all out of the same yarn. I washed every thing and they are drying. They yarn got really soft after I washed it. OOO the name of the yarn is Patons Colorwul. It was very fun to knit with and very fast.

 There was actually a sun set here the other day. It's pretty rare because there isn't that much sun. It made me fell like I was back in Florida.

On my daily walk to work there is always something beautiful to look at. A good way to start the day.

 More of the same sun set.

 My little fellows back in Florida. I miss them..

this weeks knitting..

 These items will eventually be a set. I bought that crazy yarn for the cowl at Joann's Crafts and I knit it up in a evening when my son came to visit. The yarn is called Fizzle. The mitts are the lenticular mitts pattern from ravelry. The pattern for the cowl is on the label of the yarn.

 My niece came over and we had a painting day on our day off. She has never painted a picture before and had an idea. We didn't get to finish because my son cooked some yummy chicken and veggies and then it got late and she had to go home. She wanted to paint her little hamster standing on a chair looking at map and wearing armor. hehe. She got the base part of her painting finished. I was painting a picture of the ocean from a picture I took when I was on vacation in the Cayman Islands. It was going good until I splatter water on it. Maybe today I will work on it and finish it and fix the water spots.

 I finished this warm chunky cowl this week. The yarn is Paton's Colorwul. I made it to match the hat I made out of the same yarn. The pattern is the Big Cloud Cowl and can be found here. It was a very fast project. I changed it a little. I worked two double crochet in between the clusters. It was too bulky working just clusters on one row and was eating up all the yarn.

 Here are my projects on the needles right now. I'm working on a scarf for my son, fingerless mitts for me and I stared a pink earflap hat for my granddaughter which I will add kitty ears to and pom-poms. 

 This is what I see every morning as I wait for the bus to go to work. The highlight of my day. Soon there will be no more colorful leaves to look at. They seem to get brighter every day.

 This picture was taken yesterday on my way home. There was a gale warning all day and lots of rain. People lost power all day and came out shopping so it was a pretty busy day at work. We had lost power for only 10 minutes when I was getting ready for work so we were lucky. Today I'm just hanging out with my son, knitting, gaming and maybe painting. (^_^)

crochet or knit

 I love this yarn by Patons. Colorwul. I just can't decide if I like it better knit or crochet so I keep working on both. below I went to Joanns craft store ( the only place that sells yarn near by) and picked up some fun stuff. When I moved I only brought the bare essentials with me so now I have be having to purchase new items here until I can ship the rest.

 Beautiful Washington. Right now all the trees are so beautiful and bright with color.. Almost every day there has been pretty heavy fog for part of the days and night. Kind of pretty and mysterious. Some times I feel like I'm in a Harry Potter movie when I get out of work and the bus pulls up in the mist.

 

 A boy beanie for my son. I mostly have been knitting hats and cowls to keep us warm.

The scenic route...

 Autumn is beautiful in Washington state. It was worth taking a very long scenic route to the grocery store. The weather is cool and sunny, sometimes chilly. Everything on the way was so pretty. One of the houses we walked past had a lavender hedge. It smelled so good. 

 There are a lot of pine trees here and when they drop needles the ground ends up looking like this. So pretty! I don't think I have ever seen mushrooms that looked like these. They look like they have little feathers.

I can't believe the brilliance of  color of the leaves. It is all so beautiful. It makes me not mine all the walking I do to get to work. The red trees are right across the street from my apartment but the yellow are at one of the bus stops I wait at for a transfer.

 And yes.. I am knitting. This is  a hat from left over yarn for my son. It sort of reminds me of the colors of the picture above it. Yellow trees, gray road, shades of brown.

after two cups of coffee....

Every day I need at least two cups of coffee to have any energy to do all the things I need to do here. Everyone seems to drink lots of coffee all day at work too.
  This beautiful scene was taken on my way to work walking over the over pass. Washington State is very beautiful. 
I love the beautiful colors of autumn. They are actually more brilliant in real life. My phone dulls the colors. I had to walk to a different bus stop yesterday because the bus driver didn't stop. The area I walked to was really pretty.

 This cowl is so fun to make and super fast. It looks like a ring of pompoms when you wear it. It's pretty warm too. I just have to tuck in the ends.

 Some other projects I finished in the last 10 days. My fair isle hat. I use Lion Brand Amazing for this. It is actually very soft but you have no control as to where the colors are going to end up. I thought the center would be a pretty blue, but blue ended up in the left over ball so I'm not crazy about the color combo... yellow, pink and red... blek

 This side came out a little better as far as the colors.

 Progress on my crayon shawl. I only work on this on the bus ride to work and in the break room. It's slowly... very slowly growing. (lots of crumbs on the break room table).