Saturday, June 25, 2016

Stitch Along Wednesday: Week 26




So I am in Florida, visiting with my aunt at the moment.   I did actually knit a bit on the plane, but also took a nap. I brought 7 projects with me. I knit a bit on my Dory/Nemo sock and a bit on my Reyna. Hope you all have a great week, please link back...thanks!








Stash Acquistion Saturday

So yesterday, I spent the day tossing the stash, moving things around.  I am donating the majority of my acrylic/big box yarns.  We have these bags that are about twice the size of a regular kitchen garbage bag...and I have filled about 10 of them...mind you I have already given away at least 4 bags before this....when I buy yarn, I buy yarn....anyway I am donating it...two bags went with my MIL to the nursing home where my FIL recuperated.....and I will be bringing a few more to school in the fall...for a few people there....

And yarn keeps arriving at my house.....although, right now, the majority of it is not mine....it is for my swap partner in Fibreshare...

Yesterday's arrival was mine...I ordered some Felici from KnitPicks....I have never ordered from KnitPicks....they did a dirty to a local, indie person many years ago....(and oh I just read about another case)...you can look up Knitpicks and Dyakcraft or KPixie (both were in business before KnitPicks), if interested. Anyway I do have some Knitpicks yarn given to me in a swap and a set of their needles picked up in an LYS closing sale....and I had heard so much amazing things about Felici and I really wanted their Time Traveler colorway, so I figured I'd get it this one time to see what the fuss was all about.  I bought three colors, as I doubt I will purchase from them again.  My first thought was, "wow it's so soft!"
So I got Time Traveler, Lost Lakes and Kaleidoscope.

The sneak peek I put up on Wednesday was Pretty Little Zombies by LoLoDidIt
And my latest from the MadColor Clubs

From Joss is Boss - The Monster Room inspired by The Cabin in the Woods

From the BAMF club - Mhysa Daenerys...this is just gorgeous!

From The Blue Brick - Kim's Barn
and
Gerber Daisy...

She takes inspiration photos and creates yarn from them!  She sends you a little card of the inspiration photo...just gorgeous!

Then I stopped at a LYS when I was out with the Hubs last weekend....one reason was one of the dyers I follow on Instagram had said she'd shipped some yarn there...
Savvy Skeins...Where The Sidewalk Ends
While there I picked up this contrast skein for it...Reywa Fibers in Summer Berry...this is 100% Tibetan Yak Down and is so luscious!!!!

That berry color is in splattered throughout the other skein...

Also got some cotton that was on sale, Mirasol Hap'i
And some Happy Fuzzy Yarn. it's Corriedale and nylon..I wanted to try it...
My "Just Keep Swimming" yarn arrived and I have cast on a sock...
Pretty packaging....

oh and I ordered Derby Day '16  from Rock and String Creations...
not sure I ever shared the last one I ordered from them..Appalachian Autumn
I think that may be it for now....I think the only things coming in are the ones I ordered for my Fibreshare partner and my clubs....not sure if I'll buy any when I'm in Florida.....

But going through my stash helps to quell the desire to buy as I am quite SABLE.....and I need to use some up before buying some more....yeah...we'll see how long that last...














Friday, June 24, 2016

Wrap-Up Friday

So I have a finish!  My Irish Oak is done!

Pattern: Oaklet Shawl by Megan Goodacre, it's a free download

Started: March 6, 2016
Finished: June 19, 2016

Yarn:  The Cyborg's Craftroom Assparkilate in Luck of the Irish
           436 yards

I ran out of this yarn.  The pattern called for 380-400 yards.  I knit loose, so I went down a needle size to a US4 and still ran out of yarn (I do have a small bit left, it was enough for one more row).  So I searched for a border yarn.

Border Yarn: Fiber Stash Dyeworks Twinkle Toes Sock Yarn in (the label says Smaller on the Outside) not sure that is right..looking at her website, it could be Vitamin C.

The pattern was simple to follow.  I didn't make any mods.  This is one of my first times doing a "lace" border.  It's not too big (about 68"x30").  I have found that I don't wear my larger shawls as much.  I like just wrapping them around my neck.  But it is bigger than my Boneyard or Age of Brass and Steam.

I'm loving the bright green color!
The border yarn is much brighter with a sparkle.  I took the pictures this morning, so in the morning light, looks a bit more washed out.

So how about you?  Any finishes this week? As always, please link back...thanks!




Thursday, June 23, 2016

Dilemma

So on Monday, I'll be flying to Florida for a two week stay.  First I'll be with my aunt and uncle in southern Florida (my dad's sister - the best aunt in the world!) and then spending a week with my Mom and stepdad (it's weird calling him that, as they got married a few years ago, so didn't grow up with him) anyway...what project or projects do I take? 

At my Mom's house, I'll mostly just be hanging out and visiting, so I'll have time while they are both working...

Here are the state of my ongoing projects:

Shawls:
Porch Wrinkle - barely started, but need to focus on the "ring" part of pattern and don't have a paper pattern to take with me and it doesn't load correctly on my tablet...sigh....

Secret Garden - moving on to my second part, but am stumped by design, hope to get some help with that tonight....

Willow Fields - on decrease, so many rows still to go...pattern in a book....*sigh*

Fortune's Shawlette - this is crochet, easy to follow, so a good project to take....

Reyna - have paper pattern, seems pretty easy to follow....

Edgy Carol - is on tablet and pretty easy to follow...

Outlander MKAL- yeah, let's not go there....

Fire and Blood MKAL GoT-  too detailed...and not sure I have all the clues printed...

Light and Shadows - have to figure out next part to design...have to cut and turn or something like that...

Clothing:

Meadering Top - just started....if I can get past the short rows, it'll just be garter stitch in the round for a bit....

Stopover - yeah, not gonna happen...

Socks:
Live Long and Prosper - sock 1, still on leg....
Spring is in the Air - pick up gusset stitches
Espalier - nope
A&C Vanilla - heel flap/gusset
Nemo/Dory - sock 1, still on leg

Other:
Raspberry Beret - haven't gotten past brim, would need pattern, means I'd have to carry the book
My Shelly Valentine - pattern is on a website
Stripey Goodness Mitt - I'd have to pay attention
Zombie Mitts - *shudder* cables *shudder*

I worked on a bunch of these yesterday!  Yep, I put rows on 2 pairs of socks and 4 shawls....but I am bored today, bored with EVERYTHING!!!  I have not worked on a thing (well I dyed my hair), everything feels like a chore to finish....sigh...do I just say screw it and start something new?  Or do I bite the bullet and actually finish something?  Maybe I'll feel different on Sunday when packing....

And, it doesn't help that new yarn has arrived in the mail, or that I tossed the stash the other day and found some forgotten lovelies.....

I'm gonna go up to Knit Night tonight....maybe that'll kick me into gear again...

And just a sneak preview for Saturday's new stash post...the pretty that arrived yesterday..





Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Stitch Along Wednesday: Week 25

Good morning my lovelies!  I'm actually doing this on a Wednesday morning!  The next two Wednesdays, I'll be in Florida visiting, so not sure if I'll get to this in time....I should....just giving you a heads up.....

I have actually worked on a few things this week!
Edgy Carol has a new triangle started.  What an interesting construction!  There will be a total of four triangles knitted in different directions...It is Ecken + Kanten by Martina Behm.  I am also doing her Miss Winkle, but did not work on that this week...she is famous for the Hitchhiker shawl.

Willow Fields was also worked on a bit...It's a nit tedious, but I am on the decrease.....This is the Maedwe pattern in the book, Free Spirit Shawls...

I also started a new vanilla sock in the Little Nemo/Dory colors.....it's much farther along than this picture shows...

And, I finished a thing!!!!  So I'll have something for Friday....this new keyboard...gah!  I keep getting typos!

So how about you?  What did you work on this week?  As always, please link back!  Thanks!

 






Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Hello on a Tuesday!

Hmm...I know I was doing something on Tuesdays, but don't remember what......ah, I just went to check...it's this....
So I guess, I'll update it....I made it to Week 3, before crapping out....they are on Week 16.  So in my Week 3 post I talked about 2 patterns...yep, those are still undone....*sigh*

But I am knitting some of the patterns from my library....I picked up Secret Garden again and got to the second set of instructions and am stumped....I'm going to go to Knit Night tomorrow, so someone will help.....

My Raspberry Beret is a pattern I've had for awhile...but again, finished the brim, have to start the lace section....

So those about it on my Knit from Patterns already own list.....

Today, I did some cleaning of the yarn room...getting rid of all (or the majority of acrylic/bib box store yarns) filled another 4 extra large bags!  I give away to a nursing home, and some people at school.

Now I just have to finish adding all these yarns to my Rav data base and removing the acrylic ones...
Still getting use to new computer, but computer desk is pretty clean....I have all my "nerdy" tchotchkes in a box, waiting to go back up....;)

Tonight heading to see Civil War....yeah!


Monday, June 20, 2016

Piece by Piece

Since yesterday was Father's Day, I'll post this...It's been sitting in drafts for awhile.....

I don't know where I first heard this song, but it is gut-wrenching....Although my father never truly "abandoned" us, he did go missing for periods of time and he would have long absences from our lives.  But, I have never doubted my father's love for me and my brother....he was the best father he knew how to be with the demons he had....and his father could, by some people, be described as a monster...so he really had no role model...and he became a father at 17.....yes, my father was 17 when I was born....I've been pretty open with my relationship with him over the years....I do regret that we were not in contact when he died, but I had tried to keep in contact....he just did another one of those disappearing acts....in fact, he had been missing for three days before my aunt called me...(my father lived in Texas, my brother and I live in Connecticut).....


Although I was not blessed with becoming a parent, my brother is....and he is a wonderful dad....my father did give credit to how we turned out to my Mom and step-dad, Bill. 

Friday, June 17, 2016

WrapUp Friday

Sorry I am so late....I am exhausted...yesterday was graduation day...There were 27 of my former students graduating....
A class of almost 500 students!  They walk along the road to the football stadium...
Here are some of mine...
Alyssa, Kyle (he goes to another high school), Mignette, me, Larielyz and Ronald
Blanca...so proud of all of them!  I had them in second and in third grade and have kept in touch with many of them. 

Then last night I helped out at the all night graduation party....until midnight....

For the past two weeks, this has been my project...and yes, it's done...

I was so exhausted each day after school, that I came home and slept for 2 hours!

But there was one fun thing this week....
These are my co-workers...I edited the video just a bit....enjoy!






Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Stitch Along Wednesday: Week 24

Nothing happening this week...I've been so tired from packing my room, Ive come home and taken two hour naps....I'll have an update next week...as today is my LAST DAY of SCHOOL!!!!!!!  It's been a long 2 1/2 days!

As always, please link back...thanks...








Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Stitch Along Wednesday: Week 23

Next Wednesday will be my last Wednesday of the school year, which means, I'll still have to do the post on Tuesday night...So I started packing up my room on Monday and gouged my right pointer finger pretty badly, which meant no crafting when I got home.  It's feeling better today, but still didn't craft....tomorrow, we have a field trip...so I may be too exhausted....and it looks like I'm going to be looping with my class, that means I'll have the same students next year in third grade.  I've done this twice and both times it was a really positive experience...still mad at how it all went down, but coming to terms....

But I did craft this weekend!  If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen these pictures already...

When I saw this yarn, I knew I needed it...it's called Porch Swing....and look, it's on my porch swing!

It is becoming a Miss Winkle...
The loops are a bit tricky and one is backwards, but I'm okay with that...

I also finished the first repeat on my Garter Path Shawl...
I added the contrast gold color to my Irish Oak, there are only 10 rows left...
And during Game of Thrones, I worked on my Fortune's Shawlette, as it is crochet and I can do that without paying attention to my hands..
So how about you?  Please link up and join us...










Sunday, June 5, 2016


So school is still happening, this is our final full week....sigh...and now I have to go in and pack up my entire room....I hate doing that!  I'm still pretty upset about it, but resigned....and I don't hate third grade....and I'll get some of my kids back from this year....so that's a plus....but still....

Anyway, I worked on two shawls this week....and added a few rows to a sock....

Yesterday I started a Miss Winkle....with this gorgeous yarn from Groovy Hues, called Porch Swing...
and I worked on my Garter Path Shawl...I am almost done with the first repeat...
That's about it, but seriously, I just want to cast a bunch of things on....sigh...

Works In Progress:    
WIPS: Crochet:
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done.
Tis the Season (11/10/13)
Tabard Tunic (NW Diss 2/1/14)

Fortune's Shawlette (April 5, 2016)
 
Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done

Shark in the Woods (11/27/14)
Vanilla fingerless mitts (12/25/15)

Zombie Vixen mitts (10/17/15)

Stopover KAL (2/7/16)
Raspberry Beret (4/21/16)
Garter Path Shawlette (5/30/16)
Swinging with Winkle (6/4/16)
 
Socks:

Kai-Mei: (April 2012)
Johnny's Socks (Jan 2013)
Carlos and Arne socks (July 3 2015)

Espalier Socks (Jan 10, 2016)
Glenn Lives (2/1/16)
Live Long and Prosper (4/14/16)

Spring is in the Air (2/16/16)

 
Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)

Light in Shadows (1/14/14) 
Willow Fields (9/6/14) - on the decreases nowMy Shelly Valentine (2/10/16)
Irish Oak (3/5/16)
Reyna (May 3, 2016) 
Edgy Carol (2/14/2016)

Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in 

 KAL/CALs:
Fire and Blood (5/4/14)  
Outlander MKAL (8/8/14)  
Downton Abbey (1/4/15)



Misc:

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

Projects In Mind: Gifts/Charity: 
Hats for friend's babies (ongoing)
Hats for students (ongoing)
Kimberly Skye's tunic
Two Elsa doll/blanket things

Sweaters:
Test Pattern Sweater (in magazine)
Car Coat (in magazine)
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
Brush Creek Cowlette  
Watershed  
Waterkant
The Brownstitch gradient
Leftie
Bigger on the Inside
Oeste  
Out of Gas  
Sweet Potato Twist  
Nefertem  
Falling Bobbins 
Danielle Shawl  
The Doodler
 
Hats and Mitts
Lace Kelly (soakbox)
Isabeau 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   
Transitional Color Mitts
Almond Comfit
Lady Violet's Dinner Gauntlets  
Wurm  
Autumn in Garrison
Baa-ble Hat

 Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird
Rescue Me, Chin Boy and Show Me the Stars
Twin peaks
Wizard of Oz socks
Black Widow's Socks

August Pocus

Waterkant 

Watermelon 

Monkey

Dalekamium 

Knit From Stash patterns

Dr. Who socks



Bags:
Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse
 Circular Felted Bag

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Stash Acquisition Saturday

Yesterday, I received the news that I'm moving to a new grade level...I am not happy...in fact, I'm pretty pi$$ed off about it.....there really isn't anything I can do...and the principal couldn't seem to give me a reason why.....it just sucks, cuz you have to pack up your whole classroom to move...and I'm moving upstairs, which is not good for my knees....anyhow...a friend said, go buy yarn!..

I was just on etsy...and had two things in my shopping cart that I have been wanting...but I didn't buy...why?  Because I have bought a massive amount of yarn lately...I have this post from May, as well as one from April, two in March, here and here, February  and two in January, here and here. 

I have been trying to log it all on to Ravelry, but have fallen behind.....I also really have no place to store it right now...I'm running out of space...and I think I've actually only used one of those skeins so far....
 
but yarn makes me happy and I'm not guaranteeing I won't buy some this weekend...the stuff I want is dyed to order, so it'll be a couple weeks before I get it....I have at least three orders in the mail right now and another one or two I am waiting on.....

But, what do I have to show you now?  Here goes!

I showed you a picture of what I got at RI Sheep festival, but here is each individual thing...
These are destined for a baby gift, probably a sweater....the Tails and Snouts (the variegate) is a new yarn dyer for me....and Dirty Water Dyeworks, I have several of her things...

Molly Girl (another new dyer) in a sparkle base...Mission Bells
Play At Life, Jest Sock in Gloaming....I got home, checked my stash and sure enough, already have a skein of this...one massive shawl coming up!  She did offer to switch it out at the Mass Sheep and Wool, but I didn't have it with me...
Play at Life, Jest Sparkle, Supernatural inspired...I Found a Liquor Store and I Drank It.
Tails and Snouts, mashup of Sunrise and Coral Reef II, not a true self-stripe, but will stripe...


 Dirty Water Dyeworks...Crystal...Merino/yak/silk....in Burnishing Gold
And Sangria, which is SW BFL....I just felt the need for a deep red....



In the mail.....


Latest Random Fandom, Heat 'Em Up, inspired by Ghostbusters...it's 100% Pima Cotton...
Hand Dyed by Kate...there is a KAL going on for this one, but I haven't started it....this came from England...Moody Melon...it is watermelon inspired, but darker...

Let's Go Goat Hunting....it made me laugh!...

Sunny Skies by CuppyCake Yarnz....no explanation needed....

A TOAK Tuesday, Just Because, from Witch Candy...she makes Two on A Tuesday...I was actually home on a Tuesday to get one...the colors are intense!

Not sure I ever posted the Shawl Kit I received from Miss Babs....It is subtly gorgeous!

or this one by Cornbread and Honey...Enchanted Rainbow...

And now onto Massachusetts Sheep and Wool....
June Pryce Fiber Arts

Holiday Yarns, Snowy Branches and Irish Red

Mad Color Rowena, I recently was sorted into House Ravenclaw....

And a self-stripe...Bright Side....This was the first time Heather has vended at this event....it was great to see her....

So today, I'm either going to go shopping again...I really do need that BB-8 yarn...I have already ordered the Dory yarn, Just Keep Swimming....or I may cast on a massive load of things.....we'll see....