Tag: Tami

Knitting

WIPW 02/05/14, Barbie Sweater Update

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I’ve been under the weather with a bad cold the last couple of days, but feel much better this morning – just in time for WIPW!

ON THE NEEDLES

The Mariella Cardi has taken on a life of its own.  I had great plans to finish it last week, but noticed on Wednesday there was a BIG difference between the number of stitches on the right and left front panels, where the raglan shaping decreases are done.  BIG difference as in 30 stitches on the left panel and 15 or so stitches on the right panel.  How the heck could I have not noticed that???  I tried to make some unobtrusive increases and decreases to bring them back in line with each other but finally faced facts.  Not going to work, no way, no how, so I frogged back to the point where the decreases started and redid it.  Obvious stitch miscount there. Still….. I’m ready to move on, but sheer stubbornness says I must finish what I started, so have  been slogging through.

Mariella Cardi (again)

I did cave and started a pair of Kew socks from Knitty: Fall 2006 using some stashed Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Wonderstone.  I fall in love with this yarn a little more every time I pick it up!

IT WORKED!!!

Remember the sweater that I was mourning in this post?  Some sweet reader suggested I google how to stretch a sweater after it had shrunk so I did.  Google said to soak the sweater in cheap hair conditioner and water and then block into original shape/size.  Did that and lo and behold…. it worked!  It now fits again and I’m overjoyed!

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams KCCO today.  Pay them a visit for inspiration overload.

We should all be thankful for thos people who rekindle the inner spirit.  Albert Schweitzer

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Knitting

Looky!, WIP Wednesday 1/21/14

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CHECK IT OUT!

Look at our new sink and faucet!  They’re so shiny and silver!  What you can’t see from the pic is the new disposal to go with the new sink.  Mr. Iknead and I finally got around to replacing the old, gross, avocado green sink that was here when we moved in with the new, stainless one.  Next up on the home improvement list:  new countertops and backsplash.

ON THE NEEDLES

I finally finished the sleeves on the Mariella sweater and would probably  be at least entering the home stretch except for the fact that on my first attempt at joining the sleeves to the body of the cardi I put them on upside down.  Frustration overload, to say the last.  I’ll have another go at it tomorrow.

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.

Trust yourself.  You know more than you think you do.  Benjamin Spock

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday and Yarn Along 01/08/14

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ON THE NEEDLES

A couple of things:

The first sleeve on the Quince & Co. Mariella Cardi –

and

some random sock, done in some stash mystery yarn (maybe Seasilk???).  I started this one toe up because I haven’t decided whether to do a real pattern or just a nice, comfy, go-to kind of sock.  As you can see, the jury is still out….

OUT OF THE OVEN

Yesterday, while sort of browsing through some older posts, it dawned on me that I haven’t posted any baking projects lately.  I sort of think I need to do that every once in a while, I mean, the blog is called iknead2knit and all.  So, with that in mind, I grabbed the camera and snapped a few pics of yesterdays project – homemade granola.

The base recipe is one I got from my pottery instructor (thanks, Jean, the Pottery Queen), with  1 egg white, 1/2 cup agave nectar instead of sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and 3 cups old fashioned oatmeal.  I tweak it with stuff we like (and what’s in the pantry), cinnamon, raisins, almond slivers, unsweetened coconut and sometimes pumpkin seeds or shelled pistachios.  I bake it at 300 degrees, stirring every ten minutes or so until it’s brown and dry.  Then, it’s hard to keep from munching on it every time I pass it in the kitchen. Putting a little bit in vanilla yogurt is my favorite, with just enough crunch and sweet/salty to satisfy.  Yum!

BY THE BOOK

I’m starting The Book Thief this afternoon.  I can’t wait!!  Pretty much cleared my calendar for it.  I hope it lives up to its rep.

The Book Thief

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams today, as always, inspiration central!

Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event.  Brian Tracy

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/27/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Quince&Co Scapula Scarf done in Lark, colorway Bird’s Egg

Tina Martinez’s Fascine Socks, done in Fiesta Baby Boom, colorway Sweet Pea, started last night

Last, Jennifer L. Jones’ Easy Leaves Scarf, in black mystery yarn from stash

You have to use your imagination on this one!

Iknead fam, don’t get your hopes up – I’m doing these for ME!  You don’t really think I’d post any Christmas knitting, now, do you??

BY THE BOOK

I just finished this book and loved it!  I never wanted it to end!

The Sisters

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn A Long.

I have done my plowing: I have sown my seed.  Again I have time to sit and read my books.  T’ao Chien

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/6/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Ridged Lace Cowl, created by Elinor Brown

Mochi Plus Cherries Jubilee

Hitchhiker 1

Meadow from The Fibre Company in Aster

Hitchhiker 2

Starry Sock Weight with Sparkle from Dream In Color Yarn

Amethyst Ink

Linking today with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.  That doesn’t happen much, though.  J. D. Salinger

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Knitting

Frog Pond/WIP Wednesday 10/02/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

If this Le Miz shawl looks smaller than last week, it’s because it is.  I found an awful, unfixable, un-live-withable mistake way, way back nearly at the  beginning.  This shawl is 712 rows long and I was probably on row 400 or so.  No way I was going to tink it back.  Ever.  Timewise, it made more sense to just bite the bullet and start the whole thing over.  So I did.

Linking with Tami’s WIP Wednesday and Frontier Dreams today.

If you cannot be silent be brilliant and thoughtful.  Byron Pulsifer

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Knitting

Look What I Got, WIPW 08/21/13 and Snakewoman

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I’M SO EXCITED AND I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT

OK, so I’ve been lusting after a spinning wheel, putting a little money back every now and then and doing a lot of window shopping online.   Then, yesterday, I found out that a lady who worked where I used to work had a spinning wheel and was wanting to sell it.  She and I e-mailed back and forth, she sent me some pics and now, as of 5:00 p.m., I have a wheel and not just any wheel, an Ashford Traveller!   Here in the south, it’s considered bad manners to talk about money, much less bragging (that’s what I was taught, anyway), but without stating the amount, it was less than half of what I thought I’d have to pay for one.  Isn’t she beautiful???

Pay no attention to the fact that I’ve never used a wheel before, hopefully, I’ll catch on pretty quick.  Isn’t that what YouTube is for?

ON THE NEEDLES

I’ve been so excited about the new wheel, I almost let this WIP Wednesday get away from me, but here’s my WIPW offering this week –

Ruffle Tank, using the Knit One Crochet Too Kettle Tweed I named My Destin-E.

and last, but not least

BY THE BOOK

My current book in progress is Snakewoman of Little Egypt by Robert Hellenga and I’m loving it!  Very quirky, just like I like it.

Snakewoman of Little Egypt

Here’s to learning new skills!

I almost forgot – I’m linking with Tami’s and Frontier Dreams today.

A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again.  Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

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Knitting

FO Friday 07/19/13

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OFF THE NEEDLES

I FINALLY finished the Papoose’s Olivia Petit sweater this week.  If you will recall, I had intended to knit three (what was I thinking??) of these sweet sweaters, one for each grand, for Easter.  Clearly, I must have been intoxicated from the heady fumes of possibility that this pattern was emitting at that particular point in time.  Be that as it may, here’s the finished product, blocked, with buttons and ends woven in.

Front

Back

Remember this?  My very first handspun and dyed yarn?

It went from this –

To a Cowl

OFF THE MACHINE

Here’s what I made yesterday – I’m getting more confident all the time on the sewing machine.  I think I might make a trip to Jo-Ann today and brainstorm.

Lining

I have to admit I’m more than a little proud of myself.  On Monday, I couldn’t even thread the machine!  Still on a learning curve, but I can see the possibilities that knowing how to sew will open.

OK, enough already.

I’m linking up again with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO.  Pay a visit, willya?

Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.  Leonardo da Vinci

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 07/03/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Socks for Mr. Iknead

75% Medano Bag

I reduced the this pattern by 25% and went down a needle size.  The full sized bag was just too big for me to comfortably carry.

Yarn Along

I’m linking up today, as usual, with Tami Ami’s, Frontier Dreams and Ginny’s Yarn Along.  Pay them a visit, willya?

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.  Walter Bagehot

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Knitting

WIPW 6/12/13, Eek!

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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

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Knitting

WIPW 06/05/13 and A Makeover

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ON THE NEEDLES

For your viewing pleasure, I present Heidi Kirrmaier’s Mendano Beach bag, in Sugar and Cream 100% cotton, Country Red and Ecru, started last evening.  I love everything about this bag, especially the tie shoulder strap.  Being vertically, ahem, challenged, bag straps are usually too long, so a adjustable strap is always a good thing.  The price is right also, a free Rav pattern.

MOVING ALONG

The Sunday Swing socks are finished, cast off, ends woven and photos taken but you’ll have to wait until FO Friday for the unveiling.  There will be no FOs posted until it’s time. ; )  Remember those old commercials, for Bartles and Jaymes, I think.  A blast from the past as they say.

LANDSCAPED AND LOVELY

For another type of finished project, look at our new front yard!  We’ve gone from the ugliest yard on the block to the most beautiful, IMO.  We finally were able to have a sprinkler system installed and had real, live landscapers come in and transform it for us.  Here’s a really embarrassing before photo-

and a couple of afters, as of yesterday morning

Love my Hydrangeas!

I’m linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Frontier Dreams Keep Calm Craft On blog on this Wednesday.  Don’t forget to pay them a visit!

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.  Aristotle

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/14/12

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ON THE NEEDLES

First up, the Adamas shawl, about 2/3 finished –

Pattern close up –

Number 2 WIP, scrap yarn granny squares, probably ending up as a scarf –

 As an aside, I haven’t crocheted in years, but I was happy that it came back to me pretty quickly.  A nice change from my bigger knitting projects every now and then.

Check out Tami Amis for more cool WIPs.

I promise to keep on living as though I expected to live forever.  Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years.  People grow old by deserting their ideals.  Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up wrinkles the soul.  Douglas MacArthur

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