Tag: FO Friday

Knitting

Winter Trifecta, FO Friday 12/6/13

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BRRRRRR

The long promised winter weather is here.  We have the trifecta – sleet, freezing rain and snow.  It’s a perfect day to hunker down, drink your hot drink of choice and knit or spin or read or (insert your favorite activity here).  The Iknead clan is warm, fed and happy.  We have a lot to be thankful for.

From the Iknead front door.

POTS

I spent part of yesterday in the studio and pulled my stuff out of the damp box, getting ready to trim.  I was surprised at how many pots I’d thrown.

A couple of these ended up in the clay recycle barrel, but overall, I’m pleased.  I’m getting a little tired of bowls, though, and will probably start trying some new shapes when I can get back into the studio.  The next ones have been bisqued and are kind of uniform:

  I like the way the look stacked.  As soon as the weather lets up a little, I’ll get them glazed and fire them one last time.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Scapula scarf from Quince&Co, done in Lark, which is 100% American wool, the color is Bird’s Egg.  Very, very pleased with both the yarn and the pattern.  If you haven’t yet, head over to their website and check them out.  Really awesome stuff.

This is a really, really long scarf!

I’m linking with Frontier Dreams and Tami today.  When you’re checking out Quince&Co, trip on over to these guys.  Even more awesome stuff.

The cure for boredom is curiosity.  There is no cure for curiosity.  Ellen Parr

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Knitting

FO Friday 11/22/13, It’s Here!!

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Hitchhiker is finished!  This one is, at least.  I started another one about a month ago, which is coming along, though slowly.  Sorry for the pics, it’s rainy today and Mr. Iknead and I are having new siding put on the house, which means that where I usually take pictures is overrun with sawhorses, siding, ladders and construction type guys hammering and sawing.

Here, you can see the subtle color variations.

Just barely fitting into the frame.

LOOK AT MY NEW TOY!

A brand spanking new Baby Brother Drum Carder!

I love it!

I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams today, they’re my Inspiration Central.

The best way to predict your future is to create it.  Peter Drucker

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Knitting

FO Friday 11/08/13 and Dysmotivation*

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Le Miz is (finally) finished and felted, in spite of a couple of “time-outs” for operator error.  This was the first project that I felted by hand and I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it is.  Lazy me, I’ve always let my washing machine do the work.  I’m apologizing in advance for the cruddy pictures, but it’s cold this morning and I’m still in my jammies, giving our back of the yard neighbors yet another reason to call me Crazy Yarn Lady.

A Better Look at the Stitch Pattern

GO AHEAD, MOTIVATE ME, I DARE YA

Right now, I’m having a really, really hard time getting back into my program of walking and watching my weight.  I’m not going to share my poundage, suffice it to say that it is totally unacceptable to me and should jumpstart my walking and mindful eating program – but it hasn’t (at least so far).  Going to shop treadmills today, I think.  I’m hoping that will help.  What gets you in the exercise zone?

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams today.

Trouble is only opportunity in work clothes.  Henry J. Kaiser

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 *Dysmotivation – The attitude of not wantin’ to do nuthin’.

Knitting

Presto Chango, FO Friday and Divaliciousness

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Here’s Babymama modeling the (reversible) Hilton Field Cowl and doesn’t she wear it well?

and flipped

I think it turned out rather well, it being my first colorwork project.

ON THE NEEDLES

My Le Miz wrap is currently in time out, mostly because of unnoticed dropped stitches, leading to an incorrect number of stitches, which were finally noticed by yours truly when she decided, just for giggles, to do a quick stitch count.   FYI, if you’re going to do a project that incorporates purposely dropped stitches into the pattern, you must be extremely vigilant in counting stitches, since a huge mistake has the ability to look like a perfectly knit pattern row.  Dang.  Life goes on.  Sigh.

THE GRANDS

In the solo spotlight today is Babydiva, who is already talking a blue streak at the tender age of 20 months and definitely knows her own mind, thank you very much.

Workin’ those baby blues!

I’m linking today with Tami’s blog and Frontier Dreams.  Check them out for the best inspiration around.

Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.  Thomas Edison

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Knitting

FO Friday 09/13/13, Face The Facts Friday, Whaaaaa…..

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I’m again hooking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

FACT FACING

If you’ve been sort of keeping up with my sock project the last week or so, you’ll know I started a pair of Blue Day socks last week, knowing full well that I didn’t have enough yarn to complete them.  Even with my little feet, I just couldn’t shake that feeling that I was going to come up short.  No problem, I can always get more yarn.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  I started these using Fiesta Yarns Baby Boom, in the color Sweet Pea.  Yeah, I saw that I’d paid a LOT for this one skein, especially when you’re talking just one sock of a pair, but still, sacrifices can be made.  The ONLY skein I found after hours of internet searching was $47.00!!!  As much as this Sweet Pea stuff floats my boat, $47.00 for a sock???  Not even in loonyhoot’s world can that be justified.  So, I gritted my teeth and completely frogged Blue Day and plan to use – thanks to better judgement and a deeper stash dive – some great sock yarn I remember buying on Etsy.  I even remember the color name – Civil Disobedience and, I have a lot of it.  Plenty for Blue Day and maybe then some.  No decision on different sock pattern, but it’ll happen.

OFF THE NEEDLES

I finished the Diagnonal Lace Cowl from Classic Elite Yarns, just in time for today’s post.  It took just under one ball of Mini Mochi, color number 113 (no name, just number).  I probably could have squeezed a few more rounds in, but being paranoid because of the abovementioned sock thing, I decided to give myself a little wiggle room.  My fingernails thanked me.

I think its official name is Lacy Rib Cowl.

HEAD SPINS

Here’s what I learned today spinning:  cotton spins up differently than wool.  Duh.  It felt completely different, it took a different “hand” I suppose you’d call it and seemed to be a little more nubby; that could have been, really, that I’m a newbie spinner and nothing I’ve spun up yet is what you’d call smooth.  It’s getting better, but smooth?  Nope.  Luckily, the person I bought my wheel from threw in a couple of bags of raw fiber – one of wool and one of cotton, giving me a lot of chances to practice and try out different things.   I’ve spun my way though them both, glad that she was generous enough to include them.  I see a serious roving/fleece stash building – especially after the festival in Greenwood in October.

Spun cotton

Spinning wheel Violet and I are becoming better acquainted all the time, I’m learning her quirks and she, mine.

IN THE OVEN

It’s a few degrees cooler this morning and I’m revved up and ready to do some baking, hopefully Cinnamon and Sugar Pull Apart Bread and/or Snickerdoodle Bread.  Unhappily, I can’t seem to be able to buy cinnamon chips here in LR.  I found a package once, at the Stuttgart Wal-Mart.  I suppose I could order a couple of packs online and the recipe I have includes a recipe for the chips, but I think the store bought ones are better (for once).

MAMA

She continues her decline with her dementia.  I miss her and would love to occasionally be met with a smile and an I’m happy to see you instead of the now normal vacant stare.  I do know that this is the disease and all that, but a little bit of responsiveness can keep me going for quite a while.  There are some days I terribly dread visiting and I wonder how long – for her and for me.  What do I pray for??

Sorry for the Debbie Downer….

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.  Harry F. Banks

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Knitting

FO Squared

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Got a twofer today.

Botanical Cowl, using the Mini Mochi from Destin

I’m a Mini Mochi fan now, this turned out prettier than I’d ever imagined!

Woo Hoo!!! I finished the Ruffled Tank and even got Bigmommy to model.  This is the yarn from Knit One Crochet Too.  Again, it turned out even better than I’d expected.  I think it’s the first sweater I’ve knit that actually fits!

So that does it for my souvenir yarn this year.  I’ll be making a yarn run in the next few days.  I haven’t visited Yarn Mart in a while and like I said, I’m a new fan of Mini Mochi and am anxious to get more.  TGIP (Thank goodness it’s payday)!

I’m linking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog again, be sure and pay her a visit!

Laughter is the closest distance between two people.  Victor Borge

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Knitting

FO Friday 07/12/13, Bigmommy’s Birthday

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OFF THE NEEDLES

75% Medano Beach Bag

Besides scaling it down a little, I used an I-cord bind-off, mostly so I could practice it.  I do like the rolled edge it makes, though.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

Happy birthday, Bigmommy!  I love you and am so proud of the beautiful woman you’ve become.  It’s been a pleasure (mostly).  Much love.

BY THE BOOK

I finally was able to get started in Joyland by Stephen King and it’s fabulous enough that I didn’t pick up my needles once yesterday because I couldn’t stop reading.  Now that’s a good book.  I totally plan on finishing it today and am anxiously awaiting Dr. Sleep.  I think it’s due to come out in September.

Linking up with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO

Anyone who keeps the abilith to see beauty in every age of life really never grows old.  Franz Kafka

Knitting

FO Friday 06/14/13, Best SIL Ever, Too Hot To Bake?

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Linking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog today.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Medano Beach Bag

Sugar’n Cream 100% cotton

Ecru and Country Red

This bag is proof that stockinette in the round with two colors CAN be messed up.   I was nearly to the bind off when I noticed that I’d missed a stripe, wrestled momentarily with wanting to frog the whole thing and decided to leave it be.  So, the bag has a unique pattern, designed for easy recognition in case it’s ever in a pile with 20 other red and white Medano bags. :p  My only complaint was that this bag grew so slowly, due to my decision to use number 4 needles instead of the number 7 or 8 recommended.  I do like the density of stitches that the small needles gave me, I’ll just scale the whole bag down a little next time.

YOU SHOULD BE SO BLESSED

Happy birthday to my best son in law ever!  I truly believe he was sent to us (not just to Bigmommy, thank you very much) straight from above.   His gifts of love, faith, positivity, strength, generosity, ideas of fun, common sense, intelligence, loyalty and sense of humor have elevated us all.  (He has a ton more assets but I ran out of fingers.)  Great father, great husband, great friend, great preacher, great man of God – Clefton, you’ve covered all the bases!   We love you!

Clefton and Annabelle

IN THE OVEN

Yeah, it’s pretty hot but I’m baking today anyway.  I think I’ll start with Sundried Tomato Basil Bread using my own fresh basil and maybe move on to something sweet, Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread, maybe.

Six essential qualities that are the key to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.  William Menninger

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Knitting

FO Finally!

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OFF THE NEEDLES AND INTO THE SOCK DRAWER

Crocus Vernus in Shibui Sock

I had several setbacks with this project, but am glad I stuck with it.  They turned out really well, I think!  The Shibui color is mystery pink, found two skeins in the sale bin at Yarn Mart which had lost their bands.  Excellent find!  Will be making another LYS run sometime this afternoon, probably on my way to the Art Center for some clay play.  With the holiday Monday, I’ve not been able to get to the pottery studio in a week, I’m having a little bit of withdrawal.  I had a couple of things that were ready to fire.  Hopefully, they were included in the kiln and since with clay and glazes, what you see is not usually what you get, the suspense is killing me.  I might even remember to take some pictures!

Don’t forget to drop in on Tami’s FO Friday blog to catch some amazing FOs.

Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction. Pablo Picasso

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Knitting

Socks, Suits and Swimming

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OFF THE NEEDLES

The first Crocus Vernus sock is (finally) off the needles and I’m pretty happy about the way it turned out.  If you remember, this was the project that inadvertantly was left behind after the Papoose’s birthday party and had one of the needles pulled out before I could reclaim it.  I gave putting it back on the needle a quick try but then decided to suck it up and frog.  I made a change or two, mainly deciding to just do three pattern repeats for the leg instead of eight, making it shorter and hopefully not quite so hot on the feet this summer.

I started the second sock yesterday and am on the second of the three pattern repeats on the leg.  A FO Friday post seems possible.

JUST ADD WATER AND PLEASE PASS THE SUNSCREEN

Mr. Iknead and I are joining kids and the grands today for a swim and then a cookout.  Babydaddy is smoking some ribs and my contribution will probably be something sweet and maybe some deviled eggs.

Saturday afternoon, I began the much dreaded, once every two or three years, search for the perfect swimsuit.  You know the one – it gives me the same body that I had 30 years ago, when I could laugh in the face of gravity, and shows off the perfect tan that I slaved over, beginning in March, shivering in a bathing suit but sure it would all be worth it when I heard the gasps, ooohs and ahhhs of envy around the pool.  Never happened, never will but I did get two new bathing suits without too much damage to my self esteem.  Still, could someone just tell me why the lighting in dressing rooms invariably makes my skin look like cottage cheese?

I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.  Thomas Edison

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Knitting

Finally FO Friday

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OFF THE NEEDLES

If you read my Saturday post, you know my Yahoo e-mail account was hacked, I was locked out of my account and then things snowballed when anything that remotely connected with my Yahoo was locked and by the time I finally was able to get things up and going again, I was pretty close to crazy.  No matter, it was fixed and I’m up and rolling again.  So, it’s a couple of days late but the Karma sweater is finished and turned out like this:

Karma

Neckline Detail

This sweater was truly a joy to knit, with no seaming (which I hate to do) and super clear instructions.  I’m so happy that the yarn is now a sweater that I really love and will probably wear until it falls apart instead of having to avert my eyes every time I open my closet door.

KCCO

I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams’ Keep Calm Craft On today, so along with Karma, I’m showing and telling this sweet wooden ladder that I found at a garage sale for about 5 bucks, brought home, sponge painted and upcycled into a plant stand.

My morning glories are a little peaked this morning.  They look thirsty.

It feels wonderful to post again!

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life:  it goes on.  Robert Frost

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Knitting

Locked But Not Loaded

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WTH???

I was hacked sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning and was locked out of my Yahoo account until an hour or so ago. 😦 Nearly went nuts with no email, no Flickr, no nothing. I missed FO Friday but I’m back!

STAY TUNED

Better late than never.

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