Tag: WIPW

Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On?

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IT’S A NEW ONE ON ME

I’ve been playing around with the idea of starting a new Wednesday meme for works in progress, for crafters/artists of all types.  So, this week I did more than just toy with the idea – I did a little research (with emphasis on little) and decided to just jump in and give it a whirl.  I’m calling it Whatcha Workin’ On Wednesday and if you have a work in progress, or, like me, several works in progress, and you’d like to share, jump in and join me! I bet nearly all of us are familiar with the little form thingy, especially if you’ve been sharing all along, just remember to be patient and gentle with me, this is new territory and I’m learning as I go.  Oh, yeah, I love love love comments, but don’t feel like you have to leave one, no matter whst Mr. Linky tells you.  A link, though, a link back to Whatcha Workin’ On would be greatly appreciated.

FYI – I had no idea what a meme was until I googled it and I’m still not completely sure I understand.  Can someone explain in words of one or two syllables?? 😋

One more thing – don’t hesitate to let me know if something is wonky.  Again, I’m new at this and always up for suggestions.

ON THE NEEDLES

Christmas knitting is continuing.  I won’t post anymore about it because it’s a gift, but here’s another of my WIPs.

Socks of Kindness

Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn

Watercolor

A Pinterest Pattern

 

 If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.  John Quincy Adams

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove 11/19/14, Possum?

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ON THE NEEDLES

Yes, I have several WIPs, having finally gotten around to starting my Christmas knitting.  Being Christmas knitting, you’re just going to have to use your imagination.  No photos posted until Christmas Day.  Who said I couldn’t keep a secret???

BOOKLOVE

I’m right smack in the middle of this book, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, written by Beatriz Williams.  Very escapist, a great book for cold days, with a fire in the fireplace and a cup of coffee within easy reach.  I started and finished one called The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott, a Titanic story with a different point of view.  Another good one for a cold day.

GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!!!!!

Wondrous Box Day, that’s what!  Otherwise known as Yarnbox Day, it’s the day I want to hug my mail carrier. Look what’s inside this month!

 

Sorry for the fuzzy photo, but you get the color.

Yarn Outlaw

Bohemia Sport

40% Polwarth

45% Alpaca

10% Possum

Absinthe

 OK, this possum thing is a first for me.  Growing up way down in southwest Arkansas, in a town you could describe as “yew cain’t git thar frum heer”, I know about possums.  Sort of cute, but nasty, scavengers that really do fake death when threatened, but could give you a nasty bite anyway.  Is this the same kind if possum?  How exactly do you go about getting possum fur for yarn?  Shear it?  Scare it and shave it while it’s playing possum, pretending to be dead? I’m very curious.  More research needed.

 This is what I think of when I think possum.

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery.  There is always more mystery.  Anais Nin

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Knitting

WIPW 11-04-14, Booklove

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ON THE NEEDLES (TECHNICALLY)

Simplex Shawl

Since my nitpicky, obsessive side insists that a project isn’t finished until washed, blocked and dried, my WIP this week continues to be Simplex, although I expect that tomorrow it will be transformed into an FO, thanks to the ceiling fan.  Please excuse the wonky photo– I had to stand on the Papoose’s little stool to take the picture.  The way it was moaning and groaning, the photo session could have gone really bad, really fast and I’m happy that I managed to get a marginally OK photo without breaking a hip.  Better photos Friday.

BOOKLOVE

I finished an amazing book today, Labor Day, by Joyce Maynard.  I loved this book and became totally immersed in the story.  Thumbs up all around.

I’m linking today with Frontier Dreams, Tami and Ginny’s Yarn Along

It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.  Isaac Asimov 

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Knitting

WIPW, Bikes at the Beach

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ON THE NEEDLES

I continue to plug along on Simplex, which is slowiy but surely growing and hopefully will be finished in the next week or so.  At this point in every project, I begin fantasizing about my next project, even if I don’t specifically have one picked out.  Too bad I don’t have a time lapse to post, because that’s about the only way to see Simplex’s growth from week to week without actually counting the ridges/pattern repeats.  Someday, I’m going to try a time lapse photo, just for fun.

Makes me think of a pizza!

THE GRANDS

A few more beach pictures, if you can stand it.  I wish I could take credit for these, but I can’t.  Mr. iknead took these beauties.

 Sprout and Sand

 

At the End of the Day

Best idea of the whole week!  Babymama and Bigmommy rented bikes with buggies – it was hard to tell who had more fun!

 The Sprout had to ride by herself, but with a snack and her paci, all was well.  Next year, Charlee will even the count and she’ll have a bike buddy.

Light tomorrow with today! Elizabeth Browning


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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove 10/14/14

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ON THE NEEDLES

 My Simplex Shawl continues to grow.  According to the pattern, it’s more than halfway finished.  More about it here.

BOOKLOVE

Where do I start?  I’m rereading Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and am up to Book Three, The Waste Lands.  I read The Wind Through the Keyhole in Florida, a book that technically falls between Books Four and Five, but was released in February, 2012.  This series continues to be my all time favorite.  Crazy love them all.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE

I got a little behind in my art journal while on vacation and am just finishing up last week’s prompt, which was Polka Dots.  After a couple of false starts, I got into the groove, using a circle stencil to draw flowers, then handcoloring them and cutting them out to layer with stenciled dots, spray ink and, probably some stamps.  I drew and colored these flowers just for fun today.  I don’t have a current plan for these, but I thought they turned out well.

 I love drawing and coloring flowers – they’re probably my favorite, but I’ve been sort of down on myself because I’m not good at faces and because lettering also isn’t something I feel I do well, especially when I compare my stuff to projects others post, but I’m adjusting my attitude starting now.  New mindset:  So what if all I can draw is flowers – I love doing them.  So what if every face I draw is weird and more than a little wonky – I’ll never be commissioned to do a portrait.  So what if my lettering leaves something to be desired – I can practice and get better at it and if that doesn’t pan out, I’ll use my computer.  So what if my journal pages will never be hung in the Museum of Modern Art or the Louvre – they make me happy and creating them feeds my soul, just like they’re supposed to and because of that, I am an artist!

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.  T.S. Eliot

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove and Babylove

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ON THE NEEDLES

 image

Knit Vested and Stylish

Quince&Co.

Lark in Twig

So, before Mr. Iknead and I took off to Mt. Magazine last weekend, I did a stash dive and came up with ten (!) skeins of this lovely yarn.  I’m a little embarrassed to reveal that I’d completely forgotten about this little bit of stash enhancement.  Obviously, I’d bought it with a particular project in mind, what with ten skeins and all, but as for the planned project, no clue.    Anyway, I started  cruising Ravelry for patterns and settled on a  sweet and simple vest from Redheart.

Vested and Stylish

Redheart

Sorry sbout the crazy photos, my phone battery bit the dust and photos taken on my ipad are HUGE. We’re charging, by the way.  The pattern and the Lark yarn seem to be a perfect match; I love it when a plan comes together! 😉

WEDNESDAY BOOKLOVE

I just finished Anthony Rapp’s memoir, Without You.  This is another happy discovery, Mr. Rapp was one of the lead characters in my all-time favorite play, Rent.  FYI, he played Mark, an aspiring filmmaker.  A good read, especially since I love Rent so much, of course, it was loaded with Rent references and bits of insider trivia.  Next up is Lucky Us, by Amy Bloom, a book I know next to nothing about, other than the synopsis sounded interesting.

GRANDBABY LOVE

New Kid on the Block

Charlee Faith, who is all of one month as of Monday.  Beautiful, right??

She’s #4 in the grandbaby line up and I’m here to tell you, the grandparent thing?,  it never gets old.  Ever.

I’m linking today with Tami, Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams.

The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.  Michelangelo

 

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Knitting

I Do Redo, WIP Wednesday and Grands

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I DO REDO

Mr. Iknead and I renewed our wedding vows last Friday for our 35th anniversary.  It was surprisingly emotional, both for me and for him.  I’m not a crier at all, so to just break down with happy tears was unusual.  We had Holy Communion – again, surprisingly emotional and just special.  That’s the only word I can find to describe it, special.

Aren’t we beautiful! Seriously!

Trio of Blessings

L to R – The Sprout, Babydiva and The Papoose

 

 After pics, we all went out to dinner and it was just joyous…..until the nasty little incident with Babydiva.

Here’s what happened:  we had to wait for a table, not unusual, we were a big group and it was Friday evening.  Waiting for a table with three hungry children had ugly potential, so Babydaddy and Bigmommy took the big girls outside to wait.  Lots of little girl fun, with hopping, skipping attempts, chattering, laughing, squealing – little girl stuff.  During a round of hopping, Babydiva tripped and faceplanted on the sidewalk.  Lots of blood and little girl hysterics, both from Babydiva and the Papoose.  Luckily, no broken or loose teeth, just a fat lip and we were able to get it iced quickly. I think Babydaddy was more traumatized than Babydiva, luckily for them, I just happened to have a Tide pen in my pocketbook and his bloody shirt was taken care of and Babydiva just happened to have some Barbie stickers and what didn’t come out with the pen, she put stickers over.

Poor Baby

Anyhow, it didn’t affect her appetite and by the end of the meal, all were happy again.   Parenting in the Trenches or Never A Dull Moment. : )

ON THE NEEDLES

Slip Stitch Felted Bag

Irina Poludnenko, Designer

Kureyon #352 and Cascade 220 #7801

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Imagination rules the world.  Napoleon Bonaparte

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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

WIP Wednesday 12/11/13, Bee Stamp, Booklove

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NOT OBSESSED, JUST REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED

As so often happens with me, I got a really good idea along with my coffee and newspaper this morning and as usual, I had to pull out all my other crafting stuff and sort through everything to find what I was obsessed with focused on right then.  The stamp I use to identify my pottery projects bit the dust last week and my big idea was to change from an initial stamp (my initials, bc) to a honeybee mark.  So, back to the idea, I found some Sculpey clay, found a honeybee charm in the craft stash and pressed it in.  Then, I remembered I had some honeybee earrings, so I got one of those and did the same thing.  The next step is deciding which one to use.  I’m sort of leaning toward the charm, I don’t want a cutesy bee, more like a zoological print look.  Which do you prefer?

Just realized there is no contest.  The bigger one is better on all counts.  And they say size doesn’t matter :p.  Here is a better detailed photo:

Upside down.  Oops.

ON THE NEEDLES

Tina Martinez’s Fascine Socks, using Fiesta Baby Boom yarn in Sweet Pea.  My only regret is that I didn’t by more of this yarn when I had a chance.  I’m not running short or anything like that, I just love it.

A little detail

BY THE BOOK

Driftless, by David Rhodes

Linking today with Tami, Frontier Dreams Keep Calm and Craft On and Ginny’s Knit A Long.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination circles the world.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 10/09/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Christmas knitting is going like gangbusters.  One more evening of knitting on this particular project should wrap it up.

Les Miz scarf/shawl is moving right along, although when I took it outdoors for a picture I noticed that somehow one of the needles has pulled out, so that will be today’s Les Miz knitting.

Yesterday was a day of galloping startitis, so I caved and started Hilton Field Cowl, designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn, in a book called November Knits .  I’m using Cascade 220 that I found in the sale bin at Yarn Mart, in the colors I love.  Does it get any better than sale yarn in favorite colors?  I don’t think so.

ON THE BOBBIN

This

is in the process of becoming

this

Merino from Diamond B Sheep in Greenwood, Arkansas

Linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Frontier Dreams.  Visit them for inspiration overload.

Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.  Ella Williams

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 9/11/13

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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

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 7/17/13, Doing the Herb

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ON THE NEEDLES

Mr. Iknead’s socks continue to grow.  The first of the pair is finished, and the second maybe 2/3 finished.  My goal is to have them done in time for FO Friday.  I’ve said that before and been defeated, but hope springs eternal and all that.

Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Socks for Mr. Iknead

THE HERB

I noticed yesterday that my basil was beginning to flower and that means it needed to be harvested quickly if I’m to have more basil this summer.  I was going to dry it, but learned that because basil has a high water content, it does better when frozen than when dried.  Learn something new every day, I do.

That’s plain basil on the left, lime basil on the right

My kitchen smells HEAVENLY!

BY THE BOOK

I’m nearly through with Joyland and have enjoyed it immensely, wishing sometimes that there were just a couple more hours in the day, like 26 or 27 instead of just 24, just so I could squeeze in a little more of my favorite pastimes.  (I think I just heard a few moms of toddlers groan.)  I also checked out a couple of library books on spinning and knitting; the pictures are lovely, I may never get to the text!

I’m linking up today with Tami, Ginny’s Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams KCCO.  Don’t forget to visit these awesome blogs!

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.  John Lennon

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