Tag: socks

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 9/11/13

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Freebie Lacy Rib Cowl, CEY

Mini Mochi, color #113

and

Moonfire Handknits Blue Day Socks

Fiesta Baby Boom Sweet Pea (which I’m a little nervous about because my calcs come out about 20 yards too short); thinking positive thinking positive thinking positive.

BY THE BOOK

I finished Orphan Train yesterday, a little disappointed with the ending, but a great read overall and am planning to start Stephen Gallagher‘s The Bedlam Detective today, with a couple of others that are waiting in the wings, Life of Pi and The Devil in Pew Number Seven.  I’m trying to be patient, I’m at my 10 book checkout limit and so must wait until the next two books expire.  Yet another instance of Mr. Iknead’s austerity plan, which, I have to admit, is good practice for me.  I don’t consider myself really impatient, more, umm, excitable would be a good word.

The Bedlam Detective: A Novel

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Yarn Along today.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.  Joseph Addison

B

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 8/7/13

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

The first Hermione’s Everyday Sock is finished and the second has been cast on and a few rounds worked.  I’m still really liking this wool-free sock yarn.

MATERIAL GIRL??

Browsing Hobby Lobby a few days ago, I ran across this pack of fat eighths and fell in love with its pinky brown colors.  I really haven’t made up my mind what to do with it but I’m leaning toward a quilted wall hanging for the dining room.  But, me being the slightly ADD person I am, this could change at any moment.  Right now, though, it’s spread on the dining table and I’m pretty content to visit it, swap things around and generally admire it.  Any suggestions for a really easy quilt pattern for a novice sewer and quilter?

I’m linking up with Tami and Frontier Dreams this WIP Wednesday, go and give them the once over, or twice over, or thirds.  You’ll be inspired!

Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.  Ralph Emerson

B

Knitting

WIPW 7/24/13

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

A couple of things at the moment.  First up is Hermione’s Everyday Socks for me.  Still really liking the Premier Yarns Wool Free yarn.  This colorway is called Vegas Lights.  Just a few more rows and it will be heel turn time.

Next, the promised entrelac has been started.  This yarn is Lion Brand Fisherman Wool, the original color was sort an oatmeal heather.  It’s been dyed with Kool-aid, a combination of Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade and Cherry.

   The color did something interesting.  The oatmeal/beigey color is a grayish, light taupe now.  Much, much better.  Really, it reminds me of the Shibui Poodle Skirt yarn I used for a pair of socks a couple of months ago.

IHEARTPOTTERY

After a few hiccups with glazing, this plate finally came out of the kiln and was better than I had hoped.  The glaze is Rhodes Turquoise for the bottom 2/3 and Green Gloss for the top 1/3.  I’m really happy with the combination of glazes in the middle.  I’ve had a hard time with the glazing, it’s really not my favorite thing and I tend to rush through without much thought and consequently, the glaze really isn’t as uniform as I’d like it to be.  There are missed spots and drips.  A little more attention to detail would go a long way in the difference between a good glaze and a great one.  My mantra from here on out is, “take your time, where’s the fire?”

Windchime experiment also went well, aside from glazing hiccups.  They chime better than I thought they would but it’s definitely different from a glass, metal or wood chime.  The  spur of the moment ivy stamp makes me very happy.  I love the rustic look of this!

Linking up with the usual bunch for WIPW – Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along.  Inspiration central!

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.  Thomas A. Edison

B

Knitting

Update, Ta-Dah and You Be The Judge

mud&stringLeave a comment

JOSIE UPDATE

Much improved this morning, still limping, not putting much weight on that right back leg, but her appetite is back (no surprise there) and she is much perkier.  Still on doggy bedrest and I think she’s loving every minute.  We’re just happy she’s feeling better.

THE REVEAL

My first ever sewing project working from a real, live pattern, McCall’s 4400.

Working from a real pattern was very intimidating.  It seemed to be written in a different language, with symbols, arrows, lines, dotted lines and I almost got scared off, but I reminded myself how knitting was the same way at first and how comfortable I am with it now.  I’m very proud of my first sewing FO.

OFF THE NEEDLES

Mr. Iknead’s Wise Hilda Basic Ribbed Socks, which he was kind enough to model for a photo.

Fashion Forward or Fashion Victim? – You Be The Judge

ON THE NEEDLES

Hermione’s Everyday Socks, for yours truly

This is more of Premier Yarns Wool Free Sock, the color is Vegas Lights.  People are going to see me from a long way away with these.  I love the colors – sort of like a party on my needles!  Just between friends, I was getting really tired of blue/gray/black.  No offense Wise Hilda’s socks, I just needed a change.

I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams KCCO today.  Check it out.

You never achieve success unless you like what you are doing.  Dale Carnegie

B

Knitting

WIP 7/10/13, First Try at Dye and a New Book

mud&stringLeave a comment

BUSINESS AS USUAL

Like most other WIP Wednesdays, I’m linking up with a couple of other cool blogs, Tami Ami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Knit Along.  Check them out and prepare to be inspired!

ON THE NEEDLES

Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Socks for Mr. Iknead

A few more inches and this one will ride off into the sunset of FOs.

BY THE BOOK

I finally made it to my local BN yesterday and purchased a copy of Stephen King’s newest, Joyland.  I haven’t officially started reading it, except skimming through the pages and reading a sentence or two.  Anxiously waiting for at least a 15 minute lull in the day so I can really get started.

ADVENTURES IN DYEING

Here’s the finished product I promised yesterday; it’s still a tad damp, but I think it turned out pretty well, don’t you?

First Try at Dyeing with Kool-aid – Pink Lemonade.

I found some really unattractive 100% yarn in the stash, it may be Lion Brand 100% Wool, sort of an oatmeal color.  I’ve just now decided to overdye (if that’s the word) another color, possibly purple.  Show and tell tomorrow.

The love of learning, the sequestered nooks/And all the sweet serenity of books.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

B

Knitting

When Pots Speak

mud&stringLeave a comment

LEARNING

I’ve been heavily involved these past few days, checking out Google +, playing around with it and generally trying to get a feel for the site.  I really like the idea, sort of a Pinterest/Facebook hybrid, I really don’t facebook much, would I use Google + more and is it easier to navigate?  That remains to be seen, admittedly I’m more than a little technophobic and slow on the uptake when it comes to computer stuff.  I prefer things to stay pretty much the same, I tend to melt down when something computeresque changes, even small things like layout and upgrades and it takes me forever to finally get comfortable with whatever changes happen.  Slow, slow, slow in the computer literacy department.

GOING POTTY

Awesome pottery class this morning.  I started a coiled pot Saturday afternoon, had to put it aside when the studio closed and then my mom had a small issue Sunday, she’s OK, but I wasn’t able to get back to work on it until class this morning.  I’ve fallen completely in love with this pot; my instructor says I may have found my pottery “calling”, coils.  I don’t know about that, there a lot of things/techniques I’ve never tried, but I am loving this pot.

I put the water bottle next to it so you could get an idea of its size, it’s not huge, but it’s the biggest thing I’ve done so far.

The soft square shape just sort of happened.

You can get a better idea of its shape here.

It’s finished and is in the damp box awaiting bisquing next week.  This pot just happened, I had no plan or even any idea in my head,  then, today, I knew when it was finished, don’t ask me how I knew, but I did.  And no, I’m not hearing voices – yet.  🙂

ON THE NEEDLES

Mr. Iknead’s socks are still a WIP, but the heel turn is finished and gusset started on one and the 75% Medano Bag was finished this afternoon.  I’ll show and tell it for sure on Friday.  In the meantime, I’m trying as hard as I not to be seduced by the patterns in the newest Vogue Knitting, don’t know if I can resist…..

OOPS

Almost forgot, I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams Keep Calm and Craft On today.  Check out the Flickr KCCO group.  Very cool!

Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.  Jim Rohn

B

Knitting

Fee, Fie, FO No

mud&stringLeave a comment

NOT OFF THE NEEDLES

OK, so I didn’t pull an all-nighter to finish Mr. Iknead’s socks, though as slow a knitter as I am, it would have been impossible anyway.  I remember now why Mr. Iknead only gets a new pair of hand knit socks every other year or so – it takes so long and as man feet go, Mr. Ikneads aren’t what would be considered large.  It feels like I’ve been working on them since, oh, I don’t know, the last ice age, maybe.  The heel turn is tantalizingly close; I think that’s what has kept me going the last day or so.  I’m committed to finishing them, so I’ll keep plodding onward.

Mr. Iknead’s Wise Hildas

PRETTY PLEASE

The colors of these hydrangeas blew me away – of everything we had put in, I think they’re my favorite, I never get tired of looking at them.

Even though I don’t have a FO today, I’m linking up with Tami Ami’s and Frontier Dreams.

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.  Aristotle, On the Parts of Animals

B

Knitting

WIPW 6/12/13, Eek!

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

Granny’s Grab Bag is still growing, slowly for sure, but growing all the same and since it’s done with leftover sock yarn, who knows how big it will end up?  (I have a seemingly bottomless leftover sock yarn stash).

Then, Mr. Iknead’s socks, using Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Sock, with wool free yarn that I can’t remember the name of right now.

Last up is Heidi Kirrmaier’s Medano Beach bag, if you look closely, you can see where I’ve finished the body and made a teeny tiny amount of progress on one of the straps.

LOOK WHO’S HERE!

Our new, beautified beyond belief front flower bed has a new resident named David (of course), standing guard over some important plumbing feature, keeping it safe during my occasional uncontrollable bouts with rakes and shovels.

BY THE BOOK

I’ve finished The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, not the most uplifting book ever, but it had an interesting backstory and kept me engaged and started Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian, which I’m loving.  In accordance with Mr. Iknead’s austerity plan, these are library books and I have to admit, because of this, if I don’t like a book, I can put it aside and start another without feeling guilty.  I’m liking that.

EEK!!!

There’s A Mouse In The Pool, EEEKKKKKK!

Great swim up until then!

I’m linking up today with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams KCCO, don’t forget to pay them a visit!

All books are divisible into two classes; the books of the hour and the books of all time.  John Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies

B

Knitting

FO Friday 06/07/13, Yarn, The Sprout

mud&stringLeave a comment

First things first –

OFF THE NEEDLES AND INTO THE SOCK DRAWER

Sunday Swing Socks

Shubui Sock

Poodle Skirt Colorway

Finally got colorway and pattern to play nice in the sandbox and I’m loving the almost candy cane color changes!

ALMOST ON THE NEEDLES

A little while back, Mr. Iknead requested a pair of blue striped socks, so off and on I’ve been scoping out different yarns and patterns, thinking maybe something with little or no wool (way too hot for our Arkansas summers) and chanced upon this yarn yesterday at Hobby Lobby.  Blue – check, no wool – check, sock weight – check, price – $4.99.  All systems go.  Label says 93% acrylic, 7% PBT (whatever that is).

These are destined to be plain vanilla, quick knit, ribbed socks.  All that pretty lacy stuff is lost on Mr. Iknead. 🙂

THE BIEBERSPROUT

Cutest Sprout Ever!

Annabelle at 8 months

Linking up with Tami’s FO Friday blog and Frontier Dreams KCCO blog.  Pay them a visit, OK?   They’re always brimming over with FO goodness!

When the voices of children are heard on the green

And laughing is heard on the hill

My heart is at rest within my breast

And everything else is still

                                                    William Blake

B

Knitting

FO Finally!

mud&stringLeave a comment

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

B

Knitting

WIPW 5/29/13 w/ Yarn Along

mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

After the needle crisis last week, complete frogging and after starting the Crocus Vernus socks one more time, all was peachy keen.  I was loving my new metal needles, how smooth they were and the way the socks nearly FLEW off them – until it all came to a screeching halt Monday evening. Actually, the screeching was me after finding the cable on my new needles had apparently gotten mixed up with something sharp resulting in microdamage to the cable.  Nothing slid any more.  Can’t see it, can barely feel it, but it’s there.  There to the point of not being able to move the sock past that point in the cable.  Frustratus maximus*.  I tried to smooth it with an emery board, tried to paint over it with clear nail polish, nothing worked.  So, see ya later nice metal circs that I’d been so excited about.  Changed needles out, back on the old, reliable Knitpicks Harmonies.  At least, no frogging was involved.  I think that might have completely driven me ’round the knitting bend – which may be closer than I ever thought, according to my daughter, a really, really dedicated non-knitter person who has never turned down a knitted gift.  (I’m just sayin’…….)

IMG_2162

Yarn Along/WIPW with Crocus Vernus

I’m linking up today with Tami’s WIPW blog and Ginny’s Yarn Along, pay them a visit, will you?  They’re always a midweek treat!

The secret of success is constancy to purpose.  Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield

B

*Frustratus maximus – a term I just made up to describe the feeling I get when I want to chuck the whole knitting project and move on to something else.

Knitting

Socks, Suits and Swimming

mud&stringLeave a comment

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

B