Category: Knitting

Works in progress, finished objects, yarn, patterns

Family · Knitting

Departure Countdown

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I leave for home the day after tomorrow, always a bittersweet anticipation.  A bit sad to be leaving, knowing that I won’t see my Bangkok babies until December, leaving part of my heart in Thailand but at the same time, looking forward to being home and reconnecting with the other part of my heart that I left at home when I left for Bangkok.  I pray that someday we’ll all at least be on the same continent, if not the same state or town.  Until that happens, I’ll use all that airplane time (16+ hours!) to get in some serious knitting time on whatever project I have going at that time.

This extra knitting time is a good thing this trip, a really good thing…….

I finally took a look at the Leksak Lady pattern, rows and rows of stockinette as a general rule don’t require much in the way of pattern watching.  Talk about a Debbie Downer moment!  I’d had it in my head that the pattern read “continue working in stockinette until the garment from the shoulder measures approximately 20 inches”. instead,  it reads “continue working……………………….measures approximately 28.5 inches”.  My Leksak Lady measures about 18 inches from the shoulder at the moment.  I don’t think I can fudge 10 inches of stockinette.  😫😫😫

Instead of a project photo, something to make you smile –

4E55402D-89FB-407F-A676-CD8E40233CD8

People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. Lee Mildon

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Knitting

It’s A New Start

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Ever have a skein of yarn that you fell hard for, but got over it in a hurry when it just couldn’t seem to decide what it wanted to be? Yes, I tend to assign human characteristics to inanimate objects, even putting projects into time out for not cooperating. Well, this particular yarn has been in and out of time out several times. I’ve even toyed with the idea of relegating it to the back of what I call the Not In My Lifetime UFO box. I decided to give it one more chance, sticking it into my carry-on bag for my trip to Bangkok. So far, it’s playing nice and I’m beginning to feel optimistic. 🤞🤞🤞

At some point, the ball band became history, but I think it came from Knitpicks.

                                                  Last go at this yarn

I’m hoping that the Ariel Socks from Ravelry will suit us both. 😋

I’ve been missing my pottery wheel a lot the last few days. This is the longest I’ve gone without throwing anything. I’m glad I worked as hard as I did, mopping and scrubbing my workspace. It will be so nice to come back to clean tools and a clean wheel!

A QUICK WORD REGARDING BLOG CHANGES

Wondering about all the blog flipping and flopping?  Yeah, me too. 😳  Here’s the deal…..

I let my long time knitting blog slide after getting my very own pottery wheel and spending the time I usually set aside for blogging playing in the mud and getting a feel for my new equipment. I fully intended to get back to my knitting blog, but it was always going to be “tomorrow”.

I missed blogging much more than I thought I would and so decided to add another blog to the mix.  What was I thinking??  I’m having issues with keeping iknead2knit going and I convinced myself that adding another blog was the perfect solution?? All I can say is this – DON’Y TRY THIS AT HOME!

Long story short – Condensed the two blogs into one and renamed the whole nine yards, starting fresh.  So….,Welcome to new blog, Mud&String.  I hope you like it!

A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.

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Knitting

More On Our DFW Adventure

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Recap – The five us – Big Mommy, the Papoose, the Sprout, the Peach and I – are stranded at the Dallas-Ft.Worth airport after missing our connecting flight to Hong Kong.  I might add that we range in age from 62 to 2 years.

Now, on with the story…..

The first hitch in our getalong was due to weather – storms in the DFW area – putting us an hour late    on an already tight layover.  Tight, but doable, so no panic. As Big Mommy had brought along an umbrella stroller for the Peach, she had it tagged and handed it off to the people who handle such things, i.e. wheelchairs, strollers, and miscellaneous assistive devices, to be handed over to their owners at the end of the jetway, right outside the airplane door.  Got to DFW, deplaned and, you guessed it, no stroller. Asked attendants and were reassured that it was coming, no worries, it was coming.  After five minutes or so, a tiny bit of panic starts to tickle. Explained to agent (again) about our tight and getting tighter layover time schedule.

Five more minutes and the baggage attendants leave the jetway, with no sign of the stroller.  Now true panic sets in.  If you are thinking “c’mon, it’s just a stroller” you’ve never had to negotiate a mega airport with an already cranky two year old, with two more kids and Grandma in tow.  Did I mention that between the five of us we had eight carry-on bags? At least we didn’t have to mess with a stroller, right?? 🤨😡🤯

Stay tuned……….

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. Anthony J. D’Angelo

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Family · Knitting · pottery

Betcha Thought I Forgot About This Old Blog….

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OK, at 63 (!) I’ve been been trying on a few different personas, just one more sign of my decision to never grow up, but here I am once more, an amalgamation of several whos and whats, as reflected in my new title, Mud and String.

As I type this, I’m en route to Bangkok, Thailand again, accompanying Big Mommy and the three grands, the Papoose, the Sprout and the Peach. All growing up so so fast and leaving me in the dust regarding what’s cool and what’s not. Anyhow……..

This trip has been very crazy, beginning with the first leg of the 30 hour trip being delayed an hour in Little Rock due to weather in Dallas, setting off a chain of situations like dominos falling. First, we missed our connecting flight to Hong Kong and so were stranded in Dallas for 24 hours, waiting for the next plane to Hong Kong. An adventure unto itself…More on that later.

So here we are, 32000 feet in the air, five hours into a 16 hour flight, with the outside time showing as -43.6F, wearing clothes that were fresh yesterday – Wednesday morning around 5 a.m. –  closing in on 48 hours. The time is 4:49 pm on Thursday, according to my ipad. I pity our seatmates! 🤭🤭🤭🤢🤢🤢

We made it to Hong Kong! Here’s the view from our gate waiting area-

Before I close this out, a few pics of recent projects

Ninilchik Swoncho

The art of progress is to preserve order amid change, and to preserve change amid order.

 

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Knitting

I Think It’s Time to Fish or Cut Bait

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Yep, I think it’s time.  First of all, I’m not breaking up.  I just need to get it together and hop back on   my post schedule starting now.🕰🕰🕰

ON MY NEEDLES

Alas…..many starts, no finishes.  Have a look:

Droplet Shawl

Knitpicks

Airy

Unique Chic Studio

80% Tussah silk/20% Merino

 

Ninilchik Swoncho by Caitlin Hunter

Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Tweed

Good thing this is for next fall/winter, I’m as slow as molasses on colorwork!

 

Color Affection

Some random sock yarn I found on a deep stash dive.

These are just three of I don’t know how many wips that live in a bag by my chair.  Next time, I’ll include a few sock UFOs.

ONE MORE THING

I’ve started a new blog, The Insomniac Potter, along with an etsy store as my house was reaching critical mass potterywise.  I’d be honored if  you would take a few minutes to pay us a visit.

You teach best what you most need to learn. Richard  Bach

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Knitting

Dixie 8 Handknit Socks 0, WIP Wednesday

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This little angel is waging war on my handknit socks!

I’m beginnning to think I  need to buy a safe…she manages to find and destroy at least one sock of a pair.  She’s learned to knock the clothes hamper over to pull out the socks.  I’m trying to cut her some slack, she’s still a puppy, but her taste for handknits and Mr. iknead’s azaleas is making me want to tear my hair out.

ON MY NEEDLES

This is about the fourth attempt at getting started on this.

Droplets Shawl

Knitpicks

Airy Yarn from Unique Chic Studios

80% Tussah Silk/20% Merino

I think I finally have a handle on it – I hope so anyway!

ONE MORE THING

I’d like to invite you to visit my new Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery..  I plan to update every other Monday morning, but now, I’m slowly adding things, but I’d love for you to come have a look around.  I hope you like it!!!!!!!

Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly. Plutarch

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Knitting

Finally A Little Progress

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Finally showing a bit of progress on the Shell Cottage Socks!  I have to admit that this is NOT my favorite yarn to work with.   It’s really nice and soft but tends to get fuzzy and is super sticky. Seems like it’s always snarled up with itself. 😠

Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

Ch-ch-ch-changes

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In my last post I shared about my Shell Cottage Socks project, part of The Handmade Sock Society, Season 2. Unfortunately, the original yarn I used became so fuzzy after even a couple of rows it drove me crazy enough to put that project aside and try a different yarn.

I found a nice JoJoland Melody yarn in the stash and cast on right away….

I think the JoJoland Melody was a good choice, even though I can never do the colors justice in photos.

Ideas are the beginning points of all fortunes. Napoleon Hill

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Knitting

By the Sea

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I joined The Handmade Sock Society’s Season Two sock club this week.  Since the theme is “A Sanctuary by the Sea, I thought it fitting that the project yarn I’m using is Knitpicks Stroll in the colorway Seashell Tonal. I love the soft pink and grays of this yarn!

 

You can find my project notes here.

One more thing – I’ve started a pottery blog, The Insomniac Potter. I hope you’ll pay us a visit!

An ounce of emotion is equal to a ton of facts. John Junor

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Knitting

New Pots

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Here’s a look at what’s come off my pottery wheel these last few days.  I’ve been practicing this particular shape, which finally jelled a couple of days ago.  I hope you like them.

#1

Low fire red clay

#2

Getting more comfortable with shape, still

needs practice but coming along🙂

Thanks for reading!

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.  Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Knitting

Progress

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Do over 279 stitch i-cord cast on is in my rearview mirror.  Finally.   On to short rows!

Abella Pullover

Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.  Brian Tracy

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Knitting

Happy February!

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Despite my vow to myself that I’d not start anything new until my WIPs were finished, I found I could’t exist one more day without at least casting on the Abella Pullover from Knitpicks Sunday Morning patterns and so caved.  A word to the wise – Beware the 279 stitch i-cord cast on. 🤪

Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win. Jonathan Kozol

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