Knitting

I Spy?, Harlot Visit and Where’s Spring?

May 3, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

SPY?

My neighbors probably think I’m spying on them. Remember, I’m the weird lady out taking photos of yarn in her pajamas every so often? The scoop is that since I put out bird feeders a few weeks ago, we have a lot of wildlife activity in the yard, mostly squirrels, birds and now, bunnies and in my quest to declutter, go through, donate or throw out, I found a pair of binoculars and that’s what’s been happening the past few days. Honest, mister, I’m really not interested in what goes on across the fence. I just want to see the birds and bunnies.

I’M SO EXCITED!

I can’t wait until Saturday – Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka as the Yarn Harlot, is coming to Arkansas to speak at the Arkansas Fiber Arts Extravaganza. I’ve been an admirer of hers since I started knitting. The Extravaganza is being held at the Lodge at Mt. Magazine, one of the most beautiful spots in Arkansas. I was there a few years ago for the very first knitting get together and always wanted to go back, if not for a weekend, just for a day.

Beautiful!

OFF THE NEEDLES

Last weekend, again in my quest to organize and declutter, this time my yarn room, I unearthed two unfinished scarfs, lacking only casting off and weaving in ends. I got busy and they officially became FOs.

All I can remember about this one is that it’s a pattern from Classic Elite Yarns. This is the second scarf in this pattern that I’ve done. The first was done in Liberty Wool. This yarn, I don’t remember. I’ll do a stash dive later and see what I can come up with.

ON THE NEEDLES or LIKE I NEED TO START ANOTHER PROJECT

I caved in last night and cast on Crocus Vernus from The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet, using the pink mystery Shibui Sock I found on sale at my LYS, Yarn Mart. Loving it already, the color and the pattern. And yes, I’m still working on the Sunday Swing Socks. I have to admit it’s very gratifying to see that this pattern really does show off the colors in the Shibui Poodle Skirt yarn to their best advantage. I love it when a plan (finally) comes together!

WAIT, IT’S MAY, NOT JANUARY

I think someone neglected to send Mother Nature the memo that it’s May. As I type this, the temperature is 40 degrees in Little Rock, it’s snowing in Fayetteville and raining here. What happened to Spring? It was here a day ago, I saw it.

Lots more FO Friday projects at Tami Ami’s blog! Don’t forget to pay them a visit!

The minute you choose to do what you really want to do it’s a different kind of life. Buckminster Fuller

Knitting

WIPW, KCCO and Books – Can It Get Any Better?

May 1, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

THE WHOLE FAM DAMLY (ALMOST)

Last Reunion 2013 picture – I promise.

All Present and Accounted For Except for Policeman Jason, Who Was Keeping St. Louis Safe

NEWEST ACQUISITION

I went to Yarn Mart last week, just to see what I could see and look what I found in the back, in the sale bin!! Two skeins of pink Shibui Sock, which pairs up great with the Poodle Skirt yarn that hasn’t decided what it wants to be yet.

Actually, this evening, the Poodle Skirt decided to become Kristel Nyberg’s Sunday Swing Socks, which are my WIPW offering this week.

ON THE NEEDLES

After much consideration and test knitting for the perfect sock pattern, Poodle Skirt is going to become Sunday Swing Socks, from Knitty Summer 2009. I think it will go perfectly with the color changes in the yarn, showing to their best advantage. I started them last evening.

Toes Complete, Ready for Foot

BY THE BOOK

I’m starting two books today, Anna Quindlen‘s One True Thing and The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, books that I started a couple of years ago and then life intervened, reading time was reduced and I forgot about them. In the process of cleaning out, donating and organizing, I ran across them again and decided to have another go. If you like seeing what others are reading and knitting, check out Yarn Along. It always give me ideas about what to read or knit next.

Begonias, WIP, Books and Josie

LOOK WHAT I MADE!

I’ve also started to occasionally link up with Frontier Dreams and KCCO (Keep Calm, Craft On) and get a ton of inspiration there. Check it out, bet you’ll like it as much as I do. I made this bracelet for my daughter in law. It was so easy to do and she loves it!

Don’t forget to check Tami Amis WIPW blog, lots of great projects!

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Confucius

Knitting

FO Friday Quickie

April 19, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES, INTO FO FRIDAYVILLE

I cast off Laura Spradlin’s Grrlfriend Market Bag yesterday, just in time for pics and this week’s FO Friday post. Super pattern, super bag. Nice and stretchy to hold whatever you fancy. I had some orphan balls of Sugar and Cream, so that’s what they became. My only thumbs down on this project is that personally, Sugar and Cream yarn is really hard on the joints in my hands. Much of this is just age related arthritis, but every time I knit with Sugar and Cream or any other 100% cotton yarn, my hands suffer and I can only do a few rows at a time before taking a break to let my hands rest. Other than that, I’m really happy with how this project turned out.

Grrlfriend Market Bag

Don’t forget to visit Tami Ami’s FO Friday blog for more FO inspiration!

Any fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction. Albert Einstein

Knitting

WIPW 04/10/13, Yarn Along and Sock Pattern Lust

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

I decided to give myself a little break from fiddly stuff for a bit and have been knitting up dish towels instead, finally using some of that Sugar and Cream that’s been in the stash for lo, how many years. My current favorite is the Yarn Over Cable Cloth from Dishcloth Boutique. After just a couple of repeats, I’d memorized the four row pattern, a welcome relief from having to look from pattern to knitting and back to pattern.

I’m getting the sock knitting itch again, I just wound some new Shibui Sock from Yarn Mart and am pondering patterns even as I type. I have a couple of ideas – Spring Forward or Kew, both from Knitty. Love them both, maybe I’ll flip a coin. Here’s a look at the new Shibui –

This color is called Poodle Skirt and how cute is that??

MR. CANON AND ME, WE GETTIN’ TIGHT

Beginning to feel much more comfortable with Mr. Canon and today, it took only about 30-45 minutes to remember and do what took hours yesterday. Josie, Mr. Canon and I just may take a field trip tomorrow morning, especially if the weather stays as beautiful as it has the last two days.

Photobomb by Josie

BY THE BOOK

My Yarn Along contribution today is Stephen King’s Under the Dome, in preparation for the mini-series scheduled for sometime in June. I’m still technically reading Annie Dillard‘s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but haven’t picked it back up since Monday afternoon at the library. I’m planning to get started again this afternoon, the weather is predicted to be stormy and this seems like it would be a good book to cocoon with.

DON’T FORGET TO

Visit Tamis Amis’ WIPW blog for more WIP goodies and Ginny Sheller’s Yarn Along for lots more book and yarn love. Prepare to be inspired!

The better part of happiness is to wish to be what you are. Desiderius Erasmus

Knitting

FO Friday, Blogs and Monkey Pool

April 5, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES OR TGIFOF

The Monkey Pool socks are finished as of yesterday. The Parakeet yarn was amazing to work with, unfortunately, the pattern I started out with, Spring Pools, not so much. This was totally my fault. The pretty pattern was lost in the busy colors on the yarn. Of course, I decided this AFTER the first sock was finished. So, I changed canoes so to speak in the middle of the stream and the second sock is a Crazy Monkey, making these a pair of Monkey Pool socks.

FYI – I tried to post a link for the Parakeet yarn but can’t read the name of the web address on the label. Sorry about that. It’s from The Great Adirondack Yarn Company.

L – Spring Pools R- Crazy Monkey

I’m still on the lookout for the perfect buttons for Olivia. I’m going to Goodwill today to search for some I can repurpose and if not, then I’ll continue my stalking. This search has motivated me to start stockpiling buttons that catch my interest and since I’m a diehard collector, the house will be awash in buttons in no time. Besides, I think buttons are cool. Speaking of Olivia, she’s blocked and ready to receive the final touches, an applied I-cord (which I’m going to need help with) and, of course, the buttons. I’ll show her off as soon as she’s officially totally completed, FO Friday or not!

SHAMELESS PLUG

While you’re blog surfing, please check out these two, which are near and dear to my heart, wife.mother.disciple at susiemom.wordpress.com and The Mommy Life 101 at kcoleman1009.wordpress.com. As mentioned in another post, these blogs are Bigmommy and Babymama’s first blogs ever and we all know, especially with blogging, a little encouragement goes a long way! Thanks in advance!

Another blog you don’t want to miss is Tamis Ami’s and since it’s FO Friday, it’s full of FO goodness. You’ll be blown away by the creativity of us fiber freaks, I always am!

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties. Erich Fromm

Knitting

WIPW 3/13/13, A Bump in the Olivia Petit Road and Library Whimsies

March 13, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

I have a couple of things, as usual, in the process of knitting up, frogging or time out. The first one up today went through all three stages yesterday, the Lolita vest. Here’s what went down – Rewind to Monday evening. Happily knitting, patting myself on the back for doing such a good job of staying on Task Lolita, even when the new yarn on the block, Knitpicks Comfy Sport in Honeydew, was calling me out to get acquainted and get started on the sweater(s) I had planned for it. Final pat on the back and then to bed. On inspection of my progress yesterday morning, I noticed that somehow I’d gotten a few, surely not more than three or so, stitches off in the pattern and now part of the openwork was wonky and didn’t match up with the previous openwork. Tinked back to correct, fixed – still not right, tinked back and tried again – still didn’t suit me, tinked back one more time, reknit and finally produced something I can live with. Since it’s knitted side to side, at the moment it’s just a wad of knitted fabric, but the spring sunshine was too great to pass up this morning and I took a pic anyway.

I’ve hit a pothole in the road on the sweet Olivia Petit sweater and haven’t been able to figure out what’s going on. I cast on, did the set up row for the neck and raglan increase, so far so good, worked the next increase row and that’s where the wheels came off. Too many stitches when I went to count. OK, operator error, frogged and started again. Same thing, too many stitches. Must have misread pattern. Frogged and started again after going over the pattern with a fine toothed comb, counting and recounting, reading and rereading. Still screwed, went to bed. I’m knitting the smallest size, so I’m thinking maybe going up one pattern size will work. Please. Will frog one last time and start again. If no go this time, I’m swallowing my pride, taking it to Yarn Mart and letting them figure it out. Frustration overload.

BY THE BOOK

I finished an absolutely, positively wonderful book yesterday, I started it Monday and couldn’t stop listening until it was finished, An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11 Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny, by Laura Schroff. Goosebumps though the whole thing! Incredible heartache, incredible joy, incredible book!

AT THE LIBRARY

I’m a huge library fan and not just for the books; it’s a favorite place for me to sit, knit and people watch for an hour or so whenever I can and I’m always excited to check out the collections on display. This week was a particular treat, with a collection of pottery. Surprisingly, my iPhone pictures through the glass turned out really well. I’m disappointed that there was no artist or artists mentioned but that didn’t cut the cool.

Love the paper pumps but Birthday Cake Grandma is my all time favorite. I’m crazy for her skull purse!

Don’t forget to head to Tami Amis for more WIPW stuff!

To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous. Confucius

Knitting

A Good Report, It’s Here and I Can’t Wait to Get Started

March 11, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’M FREE I’M FREE

I had my first postop visit this morning with McDreamy (Bigmommy’s word, not mine) and he released me to my normal life. Like, I can drive and everything! Who would have thought that I’d have fantasies of grocery shopping?? Who would have thought that Mr. Iknead would have fantasies of me grocery shopping – alone??? The things we take for granted, right? I’m doing really, really well according to McDreamy, which I knew already, and after one more follow up next month, this whole hitch in my get along will be officially over. Yay!!

LOOK WHAT CAME TODAY!!

My new Knitpicks yarn!! I love it, I can’t wait to get started, so sorry Lolita and former Spring Pools socks, this baby is moving to the head of the line! Oh my gosh, it’s so springy and green and pretty and is crying out to be on the needles as I blog this. See for yourself –

Olivia Petit Will Not Wait!

Am I right or what?

THE GRANDS

In keeping with the new beginning, first green of spring theme that seems to have developed today, I present the Sprout’s first ponytail:

The Sprout’s First Sprout!

I know I’ve played fast and loose with exclamation points today, please forgive me, I think Spring is springing!! (sorry)

One today is worth two tomorrows. Benjamin Franklin

Knitting

WIP Wednesday 3-6-13, A Slight Disappointment and What I Love About Sock Knitting

March 6, 2013March 6, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON THE NEEDLES

The first Spring Pools sock is off the needles and, I have to say, is a disappointment – not in the yarn, not in the pattern, but in myself because I know that nine times out of ten, a busy, colorful yarn and an intricate pattern don’t work together. This is something that I reminded myself over and over during the knitting of said sock and since I wanted them to work together so badly I just kept whispering sweet nothings into my ear, sweet nothings as in, “the pattern will pop more when they’re worn” and, “yeah, it looks a little tweedy but as soon as I get it finished and blocked, the pattern will jump out and really show itself”. Sound familiar? Well, the long and short of it is that neither of those statements are true and if I’m truly honest with myself, I knew it all along. This brings me to share “What I Love About Sock Knitting”. What I love about sock knitting is 1) you always get a second chance on the second sock and 2) I don’t think the patterns necessarily have to be the same on both socks and in this instance, the first sock’s pattern is Spring Pools, the second sock’s pattern (so far) is Fascine Socks Or…a surprisingly simple way to braid without cables. I think the Fascines will do justice to the yarn, showing off the vivid colors to their best advantage.

First Sock

Spring Pools

Second Sock So Far

Fascine Socks

The next WIP today is one I started yesterday, Imagine Knit Designs Lolita, using Rowan Purelife yarn in Revive. I like the fact that this yarn is made of 100% recycled silk, cotton and viscose. Just trying to do my part saving the planet and if I can combine saving the planet with knitting, well, what’s not to like???

Lolita

FYI, the cake keeper belonged to my grandmother, I can remember seeing it in her house most of my life. When Mr. Iknead and I went to clean out my parents’ home last summer I came across it again in the back of a cabinet. I think it lends itself well to picture taking, don’t you?

Don’t forget to check Tami Ami’s for more WIP goodness.

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. Kahlil Gibran

Knitting

Tiny Dancer, Pacy Covet and New Project Excitement

March 5, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

IF YOU’VE MISSED OUT

on seeing a naked two and a half year old ballerina stopping mid pirouette to potty, you’ve truly missed out on the highest form of funny cuteness. That’s right friends, the Papoose is in the midst of potty training and I think it might have clicked yesterday. Then, just when our giggles were starting to slow, she ran into the bathroom to flush – her potty chair is in the den, getting us going all over again. Thanks to the wonders of the digital age, it’s all on video. If you’re wondering why her potty’s in the den, you need to know that potty training at this stage is more about timing and convenience and less about location. What’s true in real estate, location, location, location ain’t necessarily so in potty training.

BY THE BOOK

Way way invested in Robert Massie‘s biography, Catherine the Great. I’m just right at her arranged marriage to 17 year old Peter of Holstein. I’ve mentioned my fascination with the Russian imperial family before and finished Nicholas and Alexandra a little bit ago. Loved it and am loving CTG just as much.

BUSTING TO BE

on the needles is Olivia Petit, a sweater I blogged about in How Come. I got the yarn ordered this morning (13 skeins) and am anxious to see it in person and start gauging. After a little more thought over the past few days, I think I’m going to scale back my grand plans just a little and just go for a Easter sweater for the Sprout, I’ve not knitted anything for this poor babe. I guess that comes from being #3 in the grandbaby line up, so I’m giving her first dibs. Check my blog post How Come? to see the project picture. It’s the cutest thing!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

the much coveted monkey pacifier that the Sprout got as a baby gift. It is really, really cute, a pacifier with a soft, floppy monkey (think Beanie Baby) attached, making it easy for little hands to hang on to. Well, let me tell you, this monkey pacy is much admired and coveted within the Coleman/Vaughan circle of grands and is fair game if it gets dropped or somehow laid aside and forgotten. See what I mean?

From the Sprout

To Babydiva

and finally

Back to the Sprout via Babydaddy

A word to the wise – if you come across one of these pacies, buy multiples!

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith. Mary Morrissey

Knitting

How Come?

March 2, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HOW COME?

How come I’ve suddenly been overtaken by the idea of knitting Easter sweaters for the grands, different styles but identical colors? How come this idea didn’t occur to me a month ago when there was actually a snowball’s chance in hell that it was doable instead of yesterday afternoon, when there wasn’t? How come I’m starting to pattern and yarn shop for the above mentioned impossibility? How come I just downloaded the most precious sweater pattern on the planet (for today anyway) from quince&co. and am scheming a yarn buy in the new few days? The pattern name is Olivia Petit, designed by Connie Chang Chinchio and don’t you agree with my above assessment?

I know, I know!! It’s because spring is coming, the sun is shining even though it’s cold and I’m a knitting crazed grandma of three gorgeous granddaughters with delusions of grandeur (me, not the granddaughters)! I’ve tentatively decided on Knitpicks Comfy Sport, in Honeydew. The yarn choice could change any second, with my birthday coming up and all but for now, Honeydew it is.

PLUGS

I do want to plug a couple of new sites that I’ve been pointed toward or found on my own this past week or so and have fallen in love with. I’m usually late to the party, so if this is old news to you, please humor me, pat me on the back and tell me how cutting edge I am : ), please. First is an Etsy shop called The Sitting Tree, with yarns, patterns and FOs to order and the second is an online shop, Quince & Co., full of knittiness with lovely yarns and precious patterns. The pointing toward part was from Ginny’s Small Things blog, another new love. Ya’ll check them out, bet you’ll love them, too.

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

Knitting

How Come?

March 2, 2013March 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

HOW COME?

PLUGS

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

Knitting

FO Friday 03/01/13, A Stash Tour

March 1, 2013March 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

It’s finished and is all I’d hoped for and more! Introducing –

Etched Rio Wrap! TA DA!

I love it – it’s the perfect weight (not too hot, not too cool), the perfect color (love caramel), it stays put (not falling off one of my narrow to the point of almost nonexistent shoulders or the other) and the drape (OMG). After some initial misbehavior on the yarn’s part, we came to an understanding and this project truly became a labor of love.

STEP UP, STEP RIGHT UP

After reading a post on uknit2, I decided to document my stash status and share a little of it here. At the moment, it’s relatively neat and more or less organized, sock yarn, sport weight, lace weight, bulky, you get it, you’re a knitter but the more I looked the more odd I thought part of my stash was. Here, you be the judge.

Sock Yarn

Sport Weight

Odds and Ends

Here’s what I think is sort of odd

A Ziploc/Shopping Bag Stash

Actually, come to think of it, it’s not odd at all that I hoard ziplocs and shopping bags. After all, fiberphiles use more ziplocs than anyone else on the planet and for your safety, don’t get between me and a nice, heavy, handled shopping bag. I won’t pretend to speak for other crafty types, I’m trying to stick with what I know – but no, it’s not odd at all, it’s more than a little smart, green and best of all, frees up more bucks for my fiber fixation. So, strike the odd. Smarter than the average bear, us fiberphiles. I rest my totally turned around case.

IN THE OVEN

Not yet, kneading takes more than a little energy and I’m still promising Mr. Iknead to take it easy, but soon, very soon there will be fresh bread. I knead it (get it?)! I know, I love a corny play on words.

Fly by Tami Amis for more FO Friday treats – you’ll be glad you did!

Live so that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip. Will Rogers

FLASH – Bigmommy and the babies are in town and are headed over!! Pics and report tomorrow! Yay, getting a little lonesome!