YOP: Week 9

Ya' know, every week I type YPO and have to correct it...sigh..

If you read my blog, you know that this was the end of round 1 of tournament 7 of Nerd Wars...and I had a couple of finishes that were not on my list...many times for Nerd Wars, I'm not sure what to make and then I get inspiration and BAM!!...I just start crocheting or knitting...crocheting mostly...

So I made a Chocolate Peep this past week...and I also whipped up a Czech Republic washcloth for Radek Zelenka of Stargate Atlantis....those were my only two finishes...

I did start my Green Spring sweater, which is my Nerd Wars dissertation this tournament...I tend not to finish my dissertation and didn't attempt one last tournament....but this is being made with Mad Color yarn..and I'm going to see Heather in 2 weeks at the North Shore Yarn Crawl, so I want to show her the beginning of it..

So I have 2 quick project finishes and 1 start of a large project....I also cast on my second So Cazh..and have 1 round done...and worked two more rounds on the H socks...

I'm heading out today to visit a favorite LYS..it's about an hour away on the shore...she's holding some yarn for me....we'll see what else I come home with :)

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
Chocolate Peep: 2/26/13
Czech Republic flag: 2/27/13

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

T7 R1 Friday Finishes

So yesterday was the end of round 1 in Tournament 7 of Nerd Wars.....yeah!!!!  Can't wait to see new challenges...so I had to finish a few things up and make a couple of small things to fit into the challenges...

So here we go...Ladder Up..this is the quick cowl I decided I needed last Wednesday...I love this cowl...and since it is slightly big, I like wearing it draped kinda like a shawl..it fits quite nicely on my shoulders...it was made with Misti Alpaca Chunky Yarn that I have had stashed for quite awhile...

Then I needed something for a dream date...and I was gonna go with Eros and Kaylee from Firefly and the whole strawberry connection...but so many people were choosing to do that...so I decided on Counselor Troi and her love of chocolate...and my love of Easter candy...and I made a Chocolate Peep....

Wilkey in his Jayne hat is photobombing the picture.....I think he might have a slight crush...plus Wilkey was inspired by Wil Wheaton and I'd love to go on a date with him too!

 I also made a very quick version of the Czech Republic flag for Radek Zelenka of Stargate Atlantis...I love Zelenka...sorry, picture is crappy...

My mother-in-law is descended from Czechoslovakian immigrants, so it fits...

I did not work on my other sock yet....it's been a busy week of work for me....no more snow days, I actually had to go in to work all week!  What's up with that!  Next week starts the MAJOR state testing...fun...fun...fun...

Hope you had a spectacular week!  Please go here, here and here for some more great projects...The last two don't seem to have their Friday link page up yet, so I just linked to the main page...

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...

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..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...

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....

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.....