Stitch Along Wednesday 2015 - Week 1

Hi there!  Welcome to the first Wednesday of 2015....the post-holiday edition....have we all survived the holidays? What's going on for the new year?  I've joined up with several alongs and KALs...am looking for a crochet along, as I feel as if my crochet has been left in the dust..almost all projects are knit...AH..I just remembered I have some of Stacey Trock's kits..I think I have three that are unmade...

So I have the Love Your Library on Tuesdays, Stitch Along Wednesday, A Hard Knit Life (and there goes the Annie song) is going to start Fresh Off Your Needles Friday, this coming Friday, and Year of Projects on Sunday...that leaves Monday, Thursday and Saturday...I'll usually do a Stash Saturday every couple of weeks...and sometimes I join in on Tuesdays with Travel Tuesday....which I may post on Mondays and just link....as I'm going to continue the Connecticut A-Z series on Mondays..so a busy blog...not sure I'll post to each one every week..but I'll try...I also started posting today gratitude shots on Instagram....I'm going to try to do that daily.....

I also joined in with Stash in Oregon on their Zuzu's Petals KAL.....and I bought the yarn and pattern for the new Downtown Abbey MKAL.....although I never finished the Game of Thrones or the Outlander ones...

So...from the top clockwise:  The purplish and grey ones are for the Downton Abbey MKAL...the orange are my H's Everyday socks...I'm at second sock turning the heel, grey is my Light in Shadows..brown and olive is my Zuzu's Petals, green and brown is my Willow Fields, and green in center is my Stepping Stones..except for the Downton Abbey, I did work on all these this week...

Since I start back to work today, less time will be spent on projects..I've pretty much had about 10 days of knitting time....

So the Zauberball...I really, really want some crazy socks from it, so I may be casting on some time this week....probably just a vanilla pattern, but thinking of doing a toe-up again...just to see....maybe use Wendy Johnson's Socks From the Toe-Up, another book in my library....

On My Nightstand:  The Knitters Book of Socks and Girls of Tender Age, which is a memoir of growing up in Hartford, CT...

How about you?  What are you stitching?  What's on the nightstand? Got a crochet CAL you can recommend? Leave a message if you do, with a link, thanks!

If you'd like to link up with us...please do..and please link back...thanks!

Love Your Library - Week 1

Book:  The Knitter's Book of Socks: Patterns: * Stepping Stones * Darjeeling * Hickory * Elm * Salted Caramels * Firefly * Rocaille * Buddleia * Veil of Rosebuds * Isabella d'Este * Tutu *
Lady Tryamour * Kensington * Hummingbird * Prana * Strago * Cape Spear * Percheron *
Turbo Toes * Annapurna

The first pattern, Stepping Stones, is by the author Clara Parkes and is a pretty straightforward pattern...I am almost done with leg one.  The heel flap looks like it'll be interesting, as we work with two different yarns (or pulling from the same ball at both ends)  Supposedly it'll make the heel nice and thick....so I should get to that today...not sure if I'm going to use a contrasting yarn or not yet...

I was not able to knit much the past two days, but today is my last day of vacation, although I have to do some lesson planning..I should be able to get the rest of the leg and the heel done...

Come join us at Snapdragon Crafts.....

Connecticut A -Z - Beaches

Full disclosure...I am not a frequent beach visitor....and I am entering into a hot button debate issue..

See, Connecticut has a complex when it comes to beaches....first off, we don't have any beaches on the actual ocean (Atlantic)...our beaches are located on Long Island Sound...

There are two state park beaches, Hammonasset and Rocky Neck and many town beaches (and there has been controversy with some of those, particularly in Fairfield/Litchfield counties, in trying to keep certain people out)....many people believe our beaches are inferior to Rhode Island beaches, which do open onto the Atlantic Ocean....to me, it's just not a debate I really have a heart in as I don't often visit the beach....and to be honest, the Hubs and I like Rhode Island and we head there frequently on day trips....

But we have more than salt water beaches...there are a lot of lakes and the two major rivers that cut through the state, the Connecticut River and the Thames River, also have beaches....

I have a friend, who lives in New London, and spends most of the summer at the beach, on the Thames River (it's down the street from her)

I have another friend, who has a family home on a lake in Connecticut and they spend several weekends there....and another who has a yearly pass to Winding Trails which has a lake

So, although we do not have any real "ocean" beaches....there are plenty of places to visit a beach in Connecticut...

Week 1: A Year of Projects

So week one...here we go....as I posted yesterday, I will be taking part in the Love Your Library a-long....so those projects will be added to my list....let's take a look at that list...

These are my current Works in Progress.  I needed to add a pair of socks from the Clara Parkes book and a KAL I started.  I think I'm going to have a separate category for KAL/CAL...

I've actually put some time into several of these this past week.  H's Socks are on the heel turn of the second sock...I added a few rows to Light in Shadows...and to the Turtleneck Capelet..I've also worked on Willow Fields and the Adele socks...I also frogged the "swap" mitts as they were way too big and the Hubs said he wouldn't wear them.....so I am putting some effort into finishing some of these WIPs..

my husband came in the other day when I had everything strewn on the bed and said..."someone has some project ADD.."

Here's a quick pic of what it looked like Saturday night, when I was writing this post...

So that is 2 projects out..Willow Fields and Stepping Stones...9 projects bags with projects...3 new skeins of yarn received in the mail....the book Free Spirit Shawls (Clara Parkes was underneath), Willow Fields is in that book...my tablet..and my notions bag...and to the left on top of my alarm clock sits...

Capelette #2...

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)

 Knit:
Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done
Light in Shadows (1/14/14)
Garter Path (6/1/14) 

Turtleneck Capelet #2 (8/12/14)  
Willow Fields (9/6/14)  
Shark in the Woods (11/27/14)
Olivia Owl (12/14/14)

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)

Stepping Stones (1/1/15)

 

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

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

KAL/CAL:

Fire and Blood (5/4/14)

Outlander MKAL (8/8/14) 

Zuzu's Petals (1/1/15)

Downton Abbey (1/4/15)

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

Projects in Mind - I have the pattern and the yarn  - this list is remaining about the same...I could add a ton to it...but I'm not going to at the moment...I think when I move one of these projects to the WIP category, I will add another project to this list...I like seeing it all laid out..and it is not overwhelming to me..because it's my list and I can follow it or not!

Gifts/Charity: 
Owl for Rose
Hats for friend's babies (ongoing)

Hats for students (ongoing)
Kimberly Skye's tunic
garter for Caitlin
Two Elsa doll/blanket things

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

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

It's Saturday, right?

When not at work, it's tough to keep track of the days....

So before I even read about this challenge, to focus on patterns you already own...(the linkups will be on Tuesdays) on Snapdragon's blog

 I had decided to focus on Clara Parkes The Knitter's Book of Socks this year...

I've admired Minding My Own Stitches, as she has worked her way through several books...the latest being Knit.Sock.Love.  Although I have that book, I feel as if I am not yet proficient enough...so I figured I'd start with Clara's book (I feel as if I can call her Clara since I met her at Rhinebeck two years ago..) since it really does start more basic and add the skills...

I was also planning on using stash, as I have most of the yarn used in the book....but then I went to my LYS anniversary sale and saw this...

and since it was the yarn she used in the first pattern, Malabrigo Rios (I'm on a Malabrigo kick)...and man I have wanted this color forever..I decided I'd use this for my first pair....(psst..it's Lettuce, by the way)

So I have started..

The color is more the first picture....

There are 20 patterns in the book...I doubt I'll get through all 20 this year....but I'm excited about learning..and hopefully my socks will start to fit better....and then I can tackle some of the many other sock knitting books I own (I went a bit crazy when Borders closed)

Friday Finishes

Not sure if someone is going to have a link party up today or not....but I'll link up with the ones I regularly hook up with and anyone else....I know there was someone interested....

So I finally finished my Have I Ever Steered You Wrong? socks...

These socks were inspired by Bernard from The Santa Clause....I love Bernard....I ordered this kit a couple years ago and finally felt confident enough to try them....and actually, it was a pretty easy pattern...except for the short row heel....which left holes...that I sewed up and now I have a bit of a ridge...but I can live with that....it was a toe-up sock and the toes are bit wonky...but all in all...

I wish I had made them taller though..I have a lot of yarn left over....they are very squishy, but thick as it is a worsted weight yarn....

I also finished my Holly (Golightly) hat...I think it is super cute, just not sure it'll look super cute on me, because of the long hair....it needs a soaking...but see I'm afraid it'll grow and then be too BIG..this happened with the last two hats I made...because of the construction it is a bit loose already...

So what do you do if something grows too big with blocking?

Oh and I whipped up a quick earmuff/headband for the Hubs...he found a piece of the Malabrigo Rasta and was all, "This would make a great headband..." and I had enough left over to make him one...

and there was just enough I made a flower, which I'm turning into a bracelet....I'll show that next week...

Yesterday I cast on two new projects....I'm still on break until Wednesday....so I still have lots of crafting time left....;)

So please link up....I'm going to post one...until I see if the other person has yet....but I'm also linking in with Wisdom in Wonder...Creative Friday .....I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend...

Happy 2015 to Come

It's the year of the sheep....which is a good omen for those of us who enjoy sheepy products!

I'm not really good at making resolutions....but I have a few goals I'd like to reach this year....

Number one is my health....on the whole, I'm pretty healthy, but I've let my weight balloon up this year, so that needs to be addressed...and the extra weight does cause some issues...secondly I have a medical procedure coming up, and while I'm not worried....there's a possibility of further complications, but won't know until after the procedure (on Monday)....

Number two is kind of exciting!  If everything goes well medically and financially, I'll be taking a big trip this summer!  I've been invited to go to Norway!  I'm so excited about this!  So I'll be cutting back on yarn expenses, as I will be visiting some yarny places there....and there is the possibility of a side trip to Finland...so pretty excited! And I'm going to try and finagle a layover in London, so I can daytrip into the city...

That's it..those are my two personal "resolutions" or goals for the coming year......

My crafting goals will be posted this coming Sunday for Year of Projects Week 1.....

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2015, while there were some exceptionally sucky parts to 2014 (kidney stones)...the Hubs said it wasn't too bad.....but I'm looking forward to the next year....and I think this poem says it all (I read it here)

Ring Out, Wild Bells (1850)
by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.