Tag: FO

Knitting

Sometimes You Just Need………

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A QUICKIE

Something fast, something that gives (almost) immediate gratification.  I’m in the middle of a sweater, a huge crocheted shawl, a pair of socks, a dog sweater and the cutest flag garland ever.   I’m not counting my Christmas knitting — it’s not the last minute yet and I don’t want to let the cat out of the gift bag.  Anyhow, despite my vow to not start anything new until the WIPs are at least a little bit under control, I caved.  I needed a project that offered some immediate gratification.  Rav served up the perfect pattern, Leafy Washcloth.   I knit up the first one last evening and it’s blocking as I type this.

 

I used some Sugar and Cream cotton that I had around and size 7 straight needles, filling the immediate gratification bill perfectly.  Feels so good to have a FO!

The odds of hitting your target go up dramatically when you aim at it.  Mal Pancoast

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Knitting

And So It Continues…….

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STILL ON MY NEEDLES

My Julie’s Sweater is coming along nicely after that small hitch in the cabling.  Will I have it finished in time to wear it this winter? Who knows, anything is possible. 🙂

After much back and forth with yarn, needles – wood or metal, double points or circular, and technique – toe up or cuff down, two at a time or one at a time, magic loop or two circulars.  After a couple of false starts, I settled down and got into the rhythm of Simple Skype socks.  See?

Simple Skype Socks

Patons Kroy Socks Yarn

Eclipse Stripes

I’ve been spinning up a storm – ha!  it’s been raining for the past three days with more on the way today – visit tomorrow to see what’s finished and what’s waiting in the wings! I can’t wait to get started!

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. © Buddha

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Knitting

FO Friday 11/12/14, Cowgirls, Well Hello

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SUP?

Between Revival, Stephen King’s newest, my obsession with finishing Sockhead and more than a little experimentation with some new inks and stains in my art journal, something had to give and this week it was blogging.  Anyone else familiar with the “as soon as I get to the end of this row/this page” syndrome?  I’ve had a raging case of it lately and see no respite from it in the near or distant future.  Oh yeah, and Michael’s 25% off everything (even sale stuff) Veteran’s Day sale ate up quite a few hours also.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Sockhead

Malabrigo Rios

Ravelry Red

This is the second go round for this hat.  The first was way, way too big so I frogged and reknit using size four needles.  It was still a tad big but after a soak, a spin and then a trip through the dryer at the medium setting, the size is perfect.  Two thumbs up!

YEEHAW!

This week’s prompt for The Documented Life art journal project was to incorporate fabric onto the page.  I found an old bandana that I knew was perfect but sort of got stuck as far as overall ideas.  Nothing felt “right”.  I did a bit of brainstorming about what I thought of or felt when I looked at it. The cowgirl motif fell into my head and I swear I actually heard a loud click.  I had the Wild West card in my paper stash, then added vintage cowgirl ephemera I found on the internet.  After I got everything in place on the page, I was reminded of how we used to stick photos around mirrors back in the day.  Actually, I still do this.  Old school all the way, me.  I love how this page turned out –

Week 46

The Documented Life Project

Use fabric on your page.

BAKED

At Mr. Iknead’s request, I baked Hello Dollies today.

Butter, chocolate, coconut, pecans and Eagle Brand – what’s not to like??

 STILL MY BABY

My son and his girls.  An amazing dad who got a surprise promotion today at work. I couldn’t be prouder!

An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while the pessimist sees only the red stoplight… The truly wise person is colorblind.  Albert Schweitzer

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Family · Knitting

FO Friday, I Do, Wise Words

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OFF THE NEEDLES

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Honey Nectar Cowl

Tosh Chunky in One of a Kind Nectar

This yarn was much prettier after it was knit up.  The colors seemed sort of, I don’t know, blah, I guess.  I’m so glad I stayed with it to the finish.  I love the soft, subtle colors now!

I DO RENEW

Mr. Iknead and I are renewing our marriage vows this evening, with our sweet son in law officiating.  It’s very low key, just family, the kids and their spouses and the grands, in front of the fireplace here at home, with dinner afterward. The past 35(!) years hold so much laughter and love, along with some tears, of course, but the love and laughs far outweigh anything else.  So, yeah, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.  Pictures to follow.

A WORD TO THE WISE

When your paper carrier leaves your paper right on top of your sprinkler system, do not, I repeat, do not attempt to dry it, the paper, not the carrier, in the microwave; or at least, don’t get distracted and walk away.

I didn’t know paper would ignite at around the 20 second mark.  Yeah, my attention span is about that short.  Burned clean through the first section and about halfway through the second, FYI.

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.  Henry Ford

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Knitting

Finally FO Friday

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Hitchhiker

Patons Lace

Sachet

ON THE NEEDLES

For the third time, I frogged my Vivacious Chocolate Shrug and started from scratch.  I hope this time’s a charm.  I’m getting burned out on the first three rows.  Thinking positive thoughts.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I are in Stuttgart, riding herd on the Papoose and Sprout while their mom and dad fly off to somewhere in Texas for a wedding that their dad is officiating.  A short working vacation I suppose you’d call it.  So far, so good.  The girls went to bed with no fuss, no muss.  Here’s hoping that tomorrow is pretty for a visit to the park.

I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Indulge your imagination in every possible flight.  Jane Austen

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Knitting

FO=Frustration Overload

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TODAY’S FO

Here’s something I bet you don’t know about me:  I want to be a seamstress – badly.  The only hitch in my get along is that I don’t really know how to sew.  I get these delusions of grandeur periodically, the most recent came upon me a few weeks ago.  So far, I’ve produced a skirt and a pair of pants and to my shock, they both are wearable.  So, with my confidence at an all time high, I started another skirt, navy blue with a pattern of white leaves, with a sort of flouncy bottom. The skirt bottom, not my bottom.  Cutting and sewing went well, boosting my confidence a little more, BUT, on trying it on, it’s too small.  Way too small.  Dang.  The pattern was the size I wear, seam allowances jibed.  Does my backside have delusions of grandeur all its own?  Do patterns run smaller than ready made?  Any answers from seamstresses?

RANDOM SNAPS

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Happy Easter!

Where there is great love, there are always miracles.  Willa Cather

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Knitting

FO Friday 3/28/14 or No K1P1 Rib for a While

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OFF THE NEEDLES

My Seafoam Shrug

in Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Cotton, Arctic Ice

There are no words for how over the moon I am with this shrug!  The fit is perfect, I took my photos after I washed it on my washer’s handwash cycle, then dried it low and slow in my dryer and hung it on a hanger.  I’m wearing this baby until it falls apart, and maybe then some.

I’m linking with Tami and KCCO, go take a look at more masterpieces!

It’s good to be just plain happy; it’s a little better to know that you’re happy; but to understand that you’re happy and to know why and how….and still be happy, be happy in the being and the knowing, well that is beyond happiness, that is bliss.  Henry Miller

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Knitting

Purple Surprise, FO Friday 3/14/14

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SURPRISE

Look what I found while taking sock pics!

Crocus!

About 18 (I kid you not) years ago I planted some bulbs that never bloomed or even came up, casualties of squirrels and a weimaraner puppy. They obviously missed one. This surprise surely means winter is exiting stage left to make room for spring.  Just seeing this purple makes me happy!

NEW SKILLS

For the past couple of posts I’ve been trying out blogging from my fancy new phone, which is doable but time consuming because of the teeny tiny screen, and Mr. Iknead’s iPad, which is much better as far as screen size.  I am, however, having to relearn how to do things that have become almost second nature,  like inserting pictures, adding links, etc.  As I have a very low frustration threshold, I have to work on the iPad, then change to the computer every so often to keep from pitching the whole thing out the window.  I plan to keep practicing.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Kew, from Knitty Fall 2006

Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Flame

Please disregard the ugly muddy background.  This is what you get when you start redoing your patio and get interrupted by about 4 inches of sleet.

ON THE NEEDLES

After finishing the Kew socks yesterday, I stalked some patterns on Ravelry and decided on a shrug with 3/4 sleeves, the purpose of the sleeves being to hide what I call toothbrush arms.  As in, when you stop brushing your teeth, but your upper arm doesn’t….  OK, back on track.  So, I found a pattern with all the required features and then found out I didn’t have enough yarn to start.  Oh, lots and lots of yarn, just not enough of any one for my new project.  A trip to Hobby Lobby fixed that and I cast on and got started this afternoon.  The yarn is I Love This Cotton in Arctic Blue.  The shrug pattern is here.

A word to the wise:  Never underestimate the tedium of 60 rounds of K1P1 ribbing.  I’m just sayin’…..

Linking with Tami’s FO Friday blog.

Take it easy — but take it.  Woody Guthrie

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Knitting

FO Friday 02/28/14

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Catnip socks!  Hurray!!

Wendy Johnson’s Catnip Socks

Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, in Wonderstone

Now, I’m off to stalk Rav in an effort to decide which project(s) to knit next, maybe a shawl or more socks.  You can never have too many of either, you know.

CLOCK WATCHING

The  Papoose, who claims, as always, “No nap for me, I’m not even tired” as she keeps an eye on the clock for the end of her rest time.

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.  Ray Bradbury

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Knitting

FO Friday 02/07/14

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OFF THE NEEDLES (AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON)

Mariella Cardigan

A little more detail

I’m loving this sweater now, having gotten over my over the top irritation last week at miscounting and having to basically reknit from the armpits up.  I put it on for a while last evening and it’s nice and warm and comfortable.  I think it’s a keeper!

Linking up as usual:  Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Trifles make perfections, but perfection is itself no trifle.  Shaker proverb

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