Friday, October 31, 2014

Friday Finishes

Man..this week was long......the three other teachers were out most of this week...and we didn't always have substitutes..so I would have extra students....so glad it is Friday...but it is Friday and it is Halloween!!...it'll be crazy today....although our students are not allowed costumes...and we aren't suppose to have candy either....so there really isn't much to look forward to during school...but we'll still have fun...me?  I'm gonna be Superman today....

and what have I completed?  My LANESPLITTER!!!!!!!!!
 and a sideways picture of me wearing it...
The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Boku,,,,project page

I also made a braided cowl last week from the reclaimed sari silk ribbon I bought at Stitches from Darn Good Yarn, a fairtrade company.

I also took three completed strips of a possible Aran afghan and made a wrap.  I knew I'd never finish the afghan, so why not have a snuggly wrap...
and a few things from a couple weeks ago....my last minute Rhinebeck cowl and mitts...made with Plymouth Yarn Misti Alpaca

Some quick mitts made from some left over Madelinetosh Pashmina
And a quick cowl for Stitches, made from Malabrigo Rasta....everyone knew what the yarn was at Stitches!
So I am all caught up now!

What have you made lately?

Linking up with Fiber Arts Friday and Creative Friday






Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wip Wednesday and Yarn Over

I post this so early now, that the links aren't there....maybe I should do a linky party on Wednesday...

So anyway....since finishing the Lanesplitter, I have been working on my Do Zombies Skype? socks...I'm done with one and on the leg of the other...no way I'll finish for Saturday...but I might finish over the weekend...work gets in the way...


I also pulled out my capelet...my next WIP I want to finish...I can't wait to wear it....


Books...what am I reading right now?

I finished The Glass Castle last week.  I read a time-travel Scottish romance that was pretty good...not Outlander..read that awhile back...

I am poking through Ready Player One that I received in a swap.  It's not something I probably would have picked up...but I think it'll be good...but I haven't committed to it yet...because I've also been poking through a couple of other books, trying to decide on what to read next...

Even though there are no links...

Yarn Over

and let's try this...since I'm always so early, for any other early birds...

Monday, October 27, 2014

In the Mail

So this past week I received a swap package from Finland...pretty cool...plus she bought fabric in Kenya to make a project bag...the pics are kinda crappy, as it has been raining and grey all week...


The book looks good..kind of like a Roald Dahl book...I guess the series was popular when I was growing up, but I never heard of it...

I love all the gadgets hooked together...very useful!

A couple weeks ago, I received one from Austria...
Also very cool!  The mitts are all kinds of awesome!  And the book is so much fun!  I'd heard of it, but had never seen it...also the Haribo, I brought to school and am sharing with students...I'll do that with the licorice from Finland too....the students will enjoy that....

And before that, I received a package that was Icelandic...my swap partner had visited Iceland!
Look at that awesomely cool Viking bag!!!!!!  I collect postcards, so I love when I receive them in swap packages..the soap is from Iceland and smells so good!  (It's that orangey felted square)


I love swaps and have participated in a bunch...I am only in one right now.."Old Hollywood"...


Sunday, October 26, 2014

YOP #43

Have you ever had "book head?"  You know when you read for hours and then you just don't feel right?  I have "yarn head."  I knitted all day yesterday and completed Lanesplitter...YEAH!!!!!  and

I've knitted since about 6:30 this morning..off and on...and finished my first Do Zombies Skype? sock..Yeah!!!!!!  I've also finished the cuff on the second sock...

and I needed to step away from the yarn...my tailbone also hurts from sitting there for almost 2 days...but I also caught up on Sleepy Hollow and a few other shows.....

I am so excited that Lanesplitter is done....but I'm torn on whether to block it or not...it's a nubby wool..95% wool/5% silk...feels like Noro, but is Plymouth Yarn Boku...I think it looks great now..and I'm afraid if I block it, it'll grow....but it does have an elastic in the waist...that was the only place I have some mistakes...the waist..but figured no one will see them...

I also finished two other projects.  Last Sunday, I did some cleaning up of projects...I pulled the three strips of the Aran blanket I had made...and I sewed them together and now I have an Aran wrap...I was never going to make the other 13 strips...and we have a ton of afghans/blankets..so I decided I would use it as a wrap...

I also pulled out the reclaimed sari silk ribbon I bought at Stitches on Thursday night and made a braided cowl...that was the project I had in mind when I bought it...I couldn't find a pattern I liked, so I just made it up...

I did work on my Adele socks, but they are way too big..so they are in time-out until I can rip them out...Will finish Zombie socks, then Girl on fire, then H's Socks...and the turtleneck capelet in there...

So,as you can see, I've been busy, busy, busy this week....was also on antibiotics for the annual sinus/ear infection thing I get every fall...so I actually came home early twice....

2014 Completed Projects:    
Gift Cowl 1/3/2014
17/17 Hats for students (December/January 2014)
Chicago Mitts (1/15/14)
Take Two Cowl (1/11/14)
Take Three Cowl  (1/22/14)
Twin Cowl (1/23/14)  
It's a Flesh Wound cowl (2/3/14)
BOK BOK (2/23) Ravellenics
Rainbar (2/22) Ravellenics
Rainmitts (2/22) Ravellenics
Rainbow Pom (2/9) Ravellenics
Helmetbow (2/22) Ravellenics
Jasper Hat and Mitts (2/23)
Elegant Downton Hat for swap (3/16/14)
Leprechaun Tam and Beard (3/16/14)
Baby Jacob Hat (3/23/14)
Sockhead Hat (3/28/14)
Dr. Who Scarf (2/13/14)
Oliver's Hat (4/8/14)
Crochet Crown (4/6/14)
Crochet Mermaid Barrette (4/6/14)
Crochet Rose Barrette (4/6/14)
Bunny Hat (4/17/14)
Snake bookmark (4/28/14) 
Tutti-Frutti Cowl (5/11/14)
Fifth of November (5/22/14)
Apocalypse gloves - for a swap (6/8/14)
Swap Secret Sprock  - for a swap (6/28/14)
Out of Gas - for a swap (7/7/14) (sooper secret project)
Hop on the Bus, Gus (7/20/14) NW T11R2
2 Stargate keychains as prizes
Zelda Cloche (7/21/14)
Spring Gloves (7/20/2014) NW T11R2
Chiana Cuff (7/20/2014) NW T11R2
Guantlets (8/6/14)

Vanilla Latte (8/14, /2014)  
Rainbow Wings (8/22/14)  
Swap Cowl (8/21/14)  
Bella's Kawaii (9/13/14)  
Stargate Swap (9/20/14)  
Flower Power Hat (9/28/14)  
Big Squooshy Cowl (9/24/14)
Pond Friends (10/5/14)
Stargate Swap 2 (10/6/14)
Cedar Fingerless Mitts (10/6/14)
Brioche Cowl (10/10/14)
Dragonfly Mitts (10/13/14)
Vincent Gauntlets (10/13/14)
Swap Mitts (10/13/14)
Rhinebeck Last Minute Cowl and Mitts (10/17/14)
Aran Wrap (10/19/14)
Braided Infinity Cowl (10/23/14)
Lanesplitter (10/25/14)

WIPS: Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
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.Orange cotton wrap (started ?)
Tis the Season (11/10/13)
Tabard Tunic (NW Diss 2/1/14)
Outlander Cowl (9/13/14)
 

Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done
Light in Shadows (1/14/14)
Fire and Blood (5/4/14)
Garter Path (6/1/14)
 
Lanesplitter (7/7/14) NW Diss
Outlander MKAL (8/8/14)  
Swap mitts (8/9/14)  
Turtleneck Capelet (8/12/14)  
Turtleneck Capelet 2 (9/1/14)  
Willow Fields (9/6/14)  

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Faces in Wallpaper (Sept 2013)
Adele Socks (April 2013)
H's Everyday Socks (Jan 2013)  
Johnny's Socks (Jan 2013)

Girl on Fire (10/3/14)

Zombie Romance (10/11/14)

Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in
Misc:
Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt
Water Bottle Cozy
 
Gifts/Charity: 
Owl for Rose
Hats for friend's babies

Kimberly Skye's tunic  
garter for Caitlin
 

WIMs: Projects I have the yarn and the pattern
Sweaters:
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest
 
Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Rockefeller
Wholehearted
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf 
Fraxinus 
Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 
Holden Shawlette
Daybreak
Trellis Shawl
Bedford Springs Shawl   
 
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
Sheepy Cuffs
Twisted Rib Mitts and Hat
 
Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Hey, Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird
Rescue Me, Chin Boy and Show Me the Stars
Twin peaks
 
Bags:
Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse
Circular Felted Bag

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Lanesplitter

I didn't finish my Lanesplitter for Rhinebeck, but I'm going to try to finish for The New England Fiber Festival....

I have this much of the decrease left....then sew it up and put and elastic in...I have two weeks, so should be able to finish before then...

I am using Plymouth Yarn Boku...I got a bag of it at the WEBS tent sale a couple of years ago...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Those Socks..I have a Question...

So I worked a bit on two pair of socks this week....my Adele/Rolling in the Deep...I'm loving, except the ankle is way too big..so I'll need to rip them back...I know I cast on 64 stitches..and I have since learned I need to go with the smaller number of 56....so will it look weird if I just start decreasing before the heel flap?  Sock people and more experienced knitters help a girl out...




My Do Zombies Skype? socks are coming along fabulously!  I'm loving this pattern...Simple Skyp socks....



You can see the difference in the ankle width between the two socks...the leg isn't bad on the Adele socks..so I'd rather not rip the whole thing out...

Yarn Along...if I can link later...

Monday, October 20, 2014

Rhinebeck 2014

I took the trip up to Rhinebeck with my friend Maureen on Saturday.  I have been driving this route for several years...and somehow went a bit out of our way...we finally got back on track and it was only about a 20 minute delay...



The first barn we hit had Holiday Yarns in it....she was stocking Jesslu bags and Gnomespun Yarn and was swamped...


I got a Zombie bag..it's all about the zombies lately...

So now for some random pics of the festival...

Some of the animals..vicuna, alpaca and llamas were represented, as well as sheep...




That sheep is white, not yellow....hmmm..and I didn't seem to take any of the alpacas....

Boy with basket...mom was trying to convince him to come back on Sunday...he was having none of it.

Maureen picked up two..I already have two, so resisted....

It was sheer craziness at Briar Rose and Jenny the Potter, which were next to each other...(and across from the baskets)


The only other lines we saw that were like that were Dragonfly Fibers in Cephalopod's old space, and Miss Babs, of course
....I have yarn from both so did not even browse...well maybe a bit at Dragonfly...you couldn't get near Miss Babs..and this was during the Rav meetup!


At the Rav meetup, I met Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting, Coastal Knits and Botanical Knits...her Seedling was my first completed knit...sadly it was destroyed, but I plan on making it again..
More random pictures...



Kilts were seen..I spotted two....
Dan of Gnomespun also wears a kilt..but the booth was too crowded..I have pics from previous years..

I ran into my friend, Amy, from Ravelry outside the animal barn...
Some sheepskins were pet...and foliage enjoyed....

Then we made our way back...and went out the way we had came..stopping at Holiday Yarns once again..to see the best t-shirt of the day...
And then you ask..what were the goodies I brought home....seriously not too much..those that know me...well...I went into both Stitches and Rhinebeck with the motto..if I have yarn by the company/person and I have not yet used it..I will not buy more....hence I didn't even stop at Into the Whirled, cuz I would have bought...

That's it folks!  The zombie bag...the skein in front is from Dancing Leaf Farm...and in colors I normally don't buy..they had it made up into a cowl...and so I got it...the three minis-skeins on the right...I am making something for someone..so those are some trial colors...I forgot where I got them..

The middle skein is from Mt. Rutsen Studio..and I liked the colors....and they were a local vendor

okay I slightly broke my rule for the four skeins on the left...they are a kit for this...
The Transitions shawl...I do have yarn from this company...Blue Ridge Yarn, that I haven't used..but I wanted the kit....

So I was really restrained....and in 2 weeks with NEFF, I will be restrained again...