Monday, February 25, 2013

Business Casual Sock 1

Ta-Da!!!!!!!!
This has been a struggle for me, for being such a seemingly simple pattern.  I am not an intuitive knitter and have trouble "reading" my knitting....I can tell when something is wrong, but not what is wrong...

Once I finally figured out the pattern and got going...it was great...I flew through it....the heel flap and gusset no problem (but did remind myself how to pick up and knit stitches with a video)..but man did I have problems on the foot!!!!  I think I was so excited to be so close that I rushed it and worked on it for too many hours straight...

I kept twisting the stitches wrong and dropping stitches..it was a mess....finally 11:00 at night I put it away...I picked it up Sunday morning, fixed what I could and moved on...yeah I can see mistakes...and somehow I lost two stitches...I couldn't find them dropped anywhere.....but it is done and I am happy with it..and I already cast on for the second one...

Sunday, February 24, 2013

YOP: Week 8

This week I "finished" two things....the first is a cowl, Ladder Up, I decided I needed on Wednesday night.  I made it with some beautiful Misti Alpaca Chunky...I had three skeins and have been saving it for awhile....I love this cowl, although it is slightly big and I need to use a shawl pin with it, if I don't wrap it twice...So the picture for that will be in my Friday post, as I did not take a picture of it when I wore it..

I also today finished my first Business Casual sock!!!  And I cast on for sock 2...but the rest of the evening I must do school stuff....

I also did two more repeats of my H's Everyday Socks....those will be the ones I focus on when the So Cazh are done.... 

So not too much done...I'm also struggling with what I show here, as opposed to Wednesday and Friday posts.....and now I have the Monday posts for the Business Casual KAL... 
 
YTD Completed:
Crown for Natalie: 1/5/2013
Sparkie the Monster: 1/21/2013
Casseiopia Shawl:  2/9/13
Crikey Cowl: 2/10/13
Feet Blankets: 2/12/13
Eros the Owl: 2/16/13
Ladder Up: 2/20/13

WIPS:
Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Aran Blanket: (Started 2009): two panels done
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Betty Shrug: I don’t know how long I’ve been working on this, but it only has an arm and a border to go.
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done.
Saturn Sweater:  Dissertation for T7 (February 2013)
Deep Blue Seas (January 2013)
The Trellis Shawl (February 2013)

Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Beaded Camo Socks: (July 2012)
Hermione's Everyday Socks (January 2013)
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny's Socks (January 2013)
Business Casual (February 2013)

Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
Breath of Fresh Air Scarf: (April 2011)
Creekbed: (Feb 2012)

Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in
Really Big Bag (2011): Stashbuster

Charity:


Hats:


Misc:
Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt

Gifts: 

Nerd Wars:
 T7R1:

WIMs: Projects I have the yarn and the pattern
Sweaters:
Baroque Tabard Tunic
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest

Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Bedford Springs Shawl
Rockefeller
Wholehearted
The Age of Brass and Steam
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf
Fraxinus
Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 

Hats and Mitts
Hermione Hearts Ron
Nehalm Hat
Felicity
Stellar
Cabled Headband
Fetching
Cayunga Hat and Mitts set
Preposterous
Ruffled hat and mitts
Evergreen Gloves


Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Hey, Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird

Bags:
Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse

Friday, February 22, 2013

Friday..Oh Friday

I was suppose to have Jury Duty today and I was excited for it...I have always wanted to serve on a jury...but, alas, it was cancelled....oh well..so off to work I go, although I am taking a half day....

But you are here to see some finishes....while I have worked on my socks: the So Cazh and H's Everyday...I am nowhere near done....I hope to finish at least the first sock of both pairs this weekend, as we have another snowstorm coming in...and wouldn't you know I actually have to go to the grocery store....this is New England when there is a storm approaching..and the grocery store will be NUTZ


So what did I finish this week?  I finished Eros, the Valentine Owl...

He is a Freshstitches pattern...and I ordered him as a kit.....one of my students really likes him, so I might make a mini one for her, as she had a pretty rough week....

I do have another finish, but I haven't taken pictures of it yet..something I whipped up Wednesday night with a big hook and some chunky yarn....

How was your week...head on over to here, here and here for some other finishes...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Away

We were away for a few days this past week....our school district took away February vacation from us, but Mother Nature gave it back....so anyway, I had planned a little getaway to Hyde Park, New York back in December.  The Culinary Institute of America is there and you can eat at their restaurants...I thought the Hubs would enjoy that...so I called and change the hotel reservations for an earlier date (since they did cancel school for the rest of the week) and off we went...

We arrived late on Thursday...and drove around for a bit...then we visited the Vanderbilt Mansion.  This mansion was built by Frederick William Vanderbilt...he was a third generation Vanderbilt and the only one of his generation to increase his wealth.  This was his weekend and eventual retirement home after the death of his wife.

I took mainly pictures of the ceilings....I liked the ceilings....








This ceiling was actually painted over, they uncovered it.  The ceiling in the main living room also had the paintings removed.  They liked tapestries, but didn't seem to like paintings so much.






Her bedroom was based on Marie Antoinette's bedroom at Versailles.  It was very French.






This was the tapestry hanging above his bed.....quite regal, don't you think?






The hallway outside the two master bedrooms.








We also got to tour a bit of the servant's hall...and I asked and yes, the interest has exploded since Downton Abbey....
I was surprised I was allowed to take pictures, but as long as we didn't use flash...so they are a bit dark.

In the visitor's center, they had this on the wall...it showed what servants were needed to run this house..
It is set in a very beautiful place.  I first went there back in 2010, but did not take the house tour.  It was a great tour and inexpensive as these house tours go...so if you are near Hyde Park, you should stop in...
We walked around the park for a bit...there were trees...the Hubs is drawn to trees as I am drawn to yarn...but because of all the snow, there really weren't a lot of places to walk....


Monday, February 18, 2013

So Cazh...Heel Flap

So I made it to the heel flap on the first sock today.  I can't believe so many people are finished with these already!!!!!  I am loving them...and still gushing over the yarn!  I had some trouble on the second repeat, as it had been a couple days and even thought I left a note for myself, I misinterpreted it..and I spent over an hour knitting and ripping last night...I finally put them down for a bit and when I picked them back up was able to work on them....I may finish the first sock today, but I now have to take a break to correct papers and write lesson plans...go back to school tomorrow....but only have 3 days, as I have jury duty on Friday.....

Sunday, February 17, 2013

YOP: Week 7

After last week's finishes, I really haven't worked on much.  The Hubs actually commented on this, as we went away for a few days and I brought 4 projects, but did not work on anything....mainly I read...I bought a new book, To Marry An English Lord, which is a non-fiction book about the history of rich American girls marrying into titled English families...just like Cora in Downton Abbey...Some of the stories I knew about, but it is very fascinating to read....

So really the only thing I worked on was the Business Casual sock, which I blogged about earlier...and Nelson, the Valentine Owl....poor Nelson...he did not get made for Valentine's Day this year....and I had to rip him out...as I realized I hadn't read the directions correctly and failed to switch colors for his chest...once the two big pieces are done..the rest will go quickly....just haven't felt like crafting...

ETA:  I finished Nelson, the Owl..who I have renamed Eros..... 
 
YTD Completed:
Crown for Natalie: 1/5/2013
Sparkie the Monster: 1/21/2013
Casseiopia Shawl:  2/9/13
Crikey Cowl: 2/10/13
Feet Blankets: 2/12/13
Eros the Owl: 2/16/13 (although no pictures until Friday, cuz who knows if I'll finish something else!)

WIPS:
Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Aran Blanket: (Started 2009): two panels done
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Betty Shrug: I don’t know how long I’ve been working on this, but it only has an arm and a border to go.
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done.
Saturn Sweater:  Dissertation for T7 (February 2013)
Deep Blue Seas (January 2013)
The Trellis Shawl (February 2013)

Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Beaded Camo Socks: (July 2012)
Hermione's Everyday Socks (January 2013)
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny's Socks (January 2013)
Business Casual (February 2013)

Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
Breath of Fresh Air Scarf: (April 2011)
Creekbed: (Feb 2012)

Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in
Really Big Bag (2011): Stashbuster

Charity:


Hats:


Misc:
Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt
Nelson, the Owl (February 2013)

Gifts: 

Nerd Wars:
 T7R1:

WIMs: Projects I have the yarn and the pattern
Sweaters:
Baroque Tabard Tunic
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest

Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Bedford Springs Shawl
Rockefeller
Wholehearted
The Age of Brass and Steam
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf
Fraxinus
Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 

Hats and Mitts
Hermione Hearts Ron
Nehalm Hat
Felicity
Stellar
Cabled Headband
Fetching
Cayunga Hat and Mitts set
Preposterous
Ruffled hat and mitts
Evergreen Gloves


Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Hey, Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird

Bags:
Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Stash Acquisition Saturday

I like yarn, it makes me happy..and I do not join any stash-busting KAL/CAL/Meme, because the reality is....it wouldn't happen....

The Hubs calls my stash...My Retirement Fund....when I retire in a bazillion years, I won't have the disposable income I have now....but I'll have the stash..and I know I will never use it all up, but I don't care...I do donate stash, but never with the goal to reduce it...just to share it or because I come across stash I know I won't use....

Today we drove by a Hobby Lobby...and although I don't use much acrylic any longer and have tons of their yarn..I had that desire to turn into that mall....

But I did acquire some stash this week....as we went away and it is "holiday" stash...
I visited two LYS..one a farm stand LYS..The Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool in Red Hook, NY...(I'll blog about it later)...From there I obtained the 4 skeins on the left:  2 Silk/Merino blends, then the purple 3 ply handpainted, and the 3 ply Bulky.  I plan to use the bulky as the crown of a hat and the orange as the headband of the hat....

Then I went to Fabulous Yarns in Tivoli, NY...no pictures, as she is in the middle of moving..so I'll go back at some point....anyway I'd read online that she had IndigoDragonFly in stock....and I scored!!!  I got "Well put me on the short bus and send me off to clueless school."  The Lorne colorway from Angel...I love Lorne.  It's the one all the way to the right....The two in the middle are Madelinetosh....Tosh DK in Byzantine..and Tosh Merino Light in Firewood....

I also received some more in the mail, but more on those later...

Friday, February 15, 2013

Finishes, Finishes....Who's Got Finishes????

I DO!!!!!  I have three!!!!!

First off, the Hubs Feet Blankets because I had to finish them, as I kept getting a guilt trip from him...his old Feet Blankets were in this shape...
And he was tripping over things when wearing them...

Now he has a brand new pair....he named them his Feet Blankets.  His says the new ones are very warm.  This is his third pair....he is very rough on them....which is the reason he will NEVER get hand knit socks.....these don't take as long, and they are acrylic (he does not like wool) so he can beat them up as much as he wants...funnily, he never received any when he was a kid...we always got a pair from our grandmother at Christmas...the design is one I create as I go, to fit his feet...



I also finished my Crikey Cowl!!!!!  I absolutely love the colors!!!  Funny thing is my Random Fandom this month was a similar color...
There is no green in the cowl, it's just picking it up in the yellow...
Random Fandom: To The Batcave!




And the last finish was Secret Swap Project...which is called The Casseiopia Shawl.  I got the idea from a Kathy Merrick design, but went off on my own.  My swap partner likes the Casseiopia Supernova colors..so I took those as my inspiration....unfortunately I only had those bright colors in Red Heart Super Saver...but it did soften a bit with washing and hopefully will continue to soften...
Yes that is it modeling on the snowbank that was at the bottom of our porch....

To check out some other finishes this week, head on over to Tami's Amis, Wisdom Begins in Wonder, and Creative Friday...



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Snow....

So on Saturday, after the all mighty dump of snow we received, the Hubs headed outside to do some shoveling.  Although we do have a guy who comes (he tends to come late now..new guy)...so the Hubs wanted to at least get a path going on the sidewalk....and I eventually joined him...

And he asked me to go and spread some seed for the birds along the fence...now mind you the snow was up past my knees...

Some bird tracks I saw on the way over to the fence..
Spreading the seed
The hole I fell into and could not get out of...every time I put my hands down, I just sunk deeper..so I had to roll over onto my stomach and crawl my way out....yeah...
This was my path
After rolling around in the snow and finally making it up...see the Hubs back there..he was NO help! And he had the gall to ask me why I did it!  Please! The snow is above my knees!  I lost my balance!




But the wind made some pretty interesting images in the snow...the Hubs said it almost looked like sand...
See this mound?  It's the cab of the Hubs truck...yeah it's under there somewhere...




They cancelled school for the rest of the week...I drove down the street our school is on today...although the sun is out and it was in the 40's and lots of melting going on..there are still un-shoveled sidewalks and in some places only one vehicle can pass at a time....so they deemed it too dangerous for the kids...(there are 15 schools in the town where I teach)

we had a long weekend coming up anyway, as they had taken away February vacation and we just had Friday and Monday...now it seems as if they may take away April vacation...that kinda sucks...











Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Business Casual - Finally!!!!

I got it!  I got it!!!  Finally!!!!!  So I am on my way.....Kelly also posted a very informational video on how to do the Traveling Stitch without a cable needle....and while my goal is to eventually cable without a needle, not sure I am ready for that yet.....

So here I am......





Again the yarn is so very, very yummy!!!!  I'm also loving the slight variation of color in the blue...

We are off from another day of school...at this rate, we won't have an April vacation....and I can finally leave the house...so I have a few errands to run...when I get back..I'll work on it some more...

Monday, February 11, 2013

Obligatory Snow Post

Charlotte or Nemo (I have no idea why there are two names) dumped a ton of snow on Connecticut...We got about 2 feet....picture heavy post....
About 6:00 PM on Friday Front Steps and porch

About 10:30 Friday night: street and front porch
About 1:00 Friday night
The aftermath on Saturday:
And school has been cancelled today, as roads are still not clear enough to be passable...and tomorrow is also in doubt... That second to last picture, you can see snow on the inside..we did have snow on the inside, too...oh and it took the hired snow plow guys three hours to clear our driveway with a snow blower...