End of the Month Update

Yes, this month has been windy, more so than usual. And while it was blowing outside I was super busy working on my over-committed knitting. Let's recap:

I started the May sock as a KAL and have completed one sock this month. This is mostly because I got sick right after returning from Loopy and for almost a week did not even feel like knitting. Icky!

Then I have three classes that started as two part classes the first weekend of May that I decided to knit along to the homework due for the second part. All the second parts ended up on the first weekend of June. It was felted clogs, baby surprise jacket and the summer cardi, two of these are big knits.

I managed to finish all three on time and had time to knit the spur-of-the-moment vest the week before Memorial Day. Whew!

Now I am on finish mode for those three projects, one I expect to wear by June 10th.

What is on tap for June? Let me check my calendar. I think I will be sorting my UFO pile and setting up to finish some things this month as well as complete the second May sock.

I hope everyone is finding fun projects to complete this month as well~!

Happy Memorial Day!

Remember to say "Thank You".

My First

Lemon Meringue Pie
Mom realized that I had not made one before, so with her supervision and the family recipe I created this beauty, and YES, it was yummy~!

Derailed by A Vest (and Other Knits)

The sweater project I am doing with my students, the Open Summer Cardi, is back in my lap after several other projects have pre-empted it.

I stopped long enough to check my guage on this project and found out that I was off, so I ripped it out and went down a needles size, knitted a new swatch and recalculated. I am now back on track and past the sleeve holders into the body of the sweater.

The first attempt was started on May 7th, this one was started on May 28th. I have until June 4th to get to the bottom of the sweater and be ready to pick up the neckband with my class. Better get back to knitting~!

Off for a Weekend of Knitting and BBQ

I packed up Pedro and we headed up the hill for the weekend to visit with the folks. We bbq'd and made some meals for the freezer.

Pedro enjoyed his open doors to watch the critters and get the fresh air.

We watched movies and did lots of knitting.

It was quiet and lots of fun.

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend~!

Fun and Finished Project

This is a result of an impulse knit all caused by my mom. I had to blame someone.

I finished the vest on Friday AM in time to wear it up the mountain to cooler weather for the weekend. It is done out of the Michael's exclusive yarn, Loops and Threads Charisma in Lakeside.

I will be knitting another one of these in the fall out of the same yarn in the Northern Lights colorway.

I hope everyone is having fun finishes on their projects~!

KWCG Sock of the Month Club - May Update

It looks like this month's sock project is going to get extended into June. In fact, I think it is for the best.

I love the yarn and the pattern. I overcommitted myself this month to doing several other projects and got sick for about two weeks where I did not even feel like picking up my needles.

Now that it is all better and most of the "extra" projects are to their prescribed stopping points I can concentrate again on the socks. I am an inch of pattern repeat away from starting the toe of the first sock. I outdid myself this week -- the sock is finished. I am casting on the second one.

So, CatWithCats, the pressure is off. Just relax and knit, we have at least another five weeks to go. Whew! Get out the umbrella drinks and the Rockies radio and Knit On! (Don't worry, it will take me another month to get the second one done, I will bet.)

Belated Spring Fling Fun

Forget until today to look for the Loopy Webcam picture of IggyLinda and I at Loopy Ewe. Well, here we are and the answer to the mileage from there to Australia is (drum roll, please) 15,000 plus miles. WOW!

Knit Project(s) Update

I have so many going on at once, I figured it was easier to update them all at once.

First up, the projects I am doing in unison of the classes I am teaching. The Baby Surprise Jacket is to the prescribed row for the homework I assigned. The good thing, there are only 24 rows to go. My next dilemma with it is: I am going to run out of yarn which was leftovers from my own sweater. So I will be stash diving to see if I have a complementary color that I can use for a stripe affect or if I will have to take it to match up at the shop.

Next up are the Felted Clogs. I am happy to report that all the parts are complete and ready to assemble in time for our next class meeting. It makes it so nice to have the Denise Interchangeable set of needles because I can leave pieces on cables and just take the tips and start another part. This pair are for mom and they are made from leftovers from all the other pairs that I have knit in the last two years. I think she will get a kick out of them. :-)

The Open Summer Cardi is the next thing I will work on, I need to be finished with it through the bottom section in two weeks for the second session of class. I am about a third of the way there.

And I started a vest this weekend. I am almost to the armholes and hope to have it finished to wear this coming weekend. I am glad it is out of bulky yarn. Mom and I both started one and we are using Loops and Threads Charisma yarn that we found at Michael's. Mine is in the Lakeside colorway (shown) and mom's is in Ashes, both colors will go beautifully with jeans.

I hope everyone is having a productive Spring~!

Hairdresser to the Monsters

I have to introduce the genius behind the monsters' hairdos, my mother.

She assisted in the finish work of these lovelies. She is awesome, even if she avoided the camera. 

Would You Believe

that these are hands?



Amazing!

KWCG Sock of the Month - May Progress

Finally, I am into the foot of the first sock. I finished the heel and turn, ready to pick up the gussets. With this pattern, I have made an adjustment from the initial cast on number of stitches (72) and the foot stitch count (64). This is because I know that the foot will be too big for me if I do it in 72 stitches.

So, I decided to do the decrease to the 64 stitches when I got to the last row of the pattern repeat just before I started the heel flap. For me the leg required the stated cuff number of 16 rows, then 10 full repeats of the pattern (aka 60 rows). The decrease I did was four stitches decreased over each needle (two circs) until I had 32 stitches on each.

Now I am working on 32 stitches for the instep pattern. Since the pattern calls for multiples of 6 stitches, I have marked the first stitch at the beginning and at the end to be knit, using a stitch marker so I cannot forget and working five repeats of the stitch pattern across the instep. It should not be too far off of the established pattern to be noticed (I hope).

I will be updating again once I get the first sock finished so I know my adjustments were correct. Not sure if I will get this pair done by end of month because I have four other projects going at the same time. That is a bit over my normal productive list.

One More Pair

of Felted Clogs. I am doing another class on the Felted Clogs and this pair will finally be for mom.

I have knit several pairs for other family members however did not get a pair done for mom. By the time they are finished (end of this month) for this class it may be too warm to wear them. However, they will be ready for when the cold weather returns to the mountain.

At this time, I cannot show you a picture of this pair because they are a surprise (at least the part about what color they are going to be). I will share a picture of the felted clogs in Germany though. It is too fun!

Summer Cardi - Third Time is the Charm

This weekend I had a class on the beginning of the Open Summer Cardi by Knitting Pure and Simple. After reviewing gauge, knitting techniques, the pattern and choosing a goal to reach before the second part of the class, we cast on and began the fastest part of the sweater which is the first dozen rows or so of the increase section.

I am knitting my third attempt out of Caron Handpaint Yarn in Ocean so it will be something I can wear to work or play.

When I put the sweater down for the evening I was halfway to the hold the sleeves section. I need to have this one to the pick up the neckband by the first of June. I think I can make it, I think I can, I think I can....

Baby Surprise Jacket - Line by Line

One of my classes this weekend was on the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. After much discussion about how she wrote this pattern with no definitive size ideas other than do a gauge swatch with the yarn and recommended needle size for the yarn, we bravely cast on and began the adventure.

I have provided this group with a copy of the pattern that has the line-by-line rendition for the 160 stitch cast on. After my adventure with the original written pattern I thought it only fair.

So far I am to line 25 and am making good progress. We have a month to knit to line 72 so I think I will make it. That is good because I am simultaneously knitting another Open Summer Cardi, see the next post.

KWCG Sock of the Month - May Begins

After an illness delay, I think I can say that I have gotten the May socks off to a good start. I completed the cuff of the first sock today and will be reviewing the patterned portion before I begin it. This one may be one that I have to use stitch markers to stay on track at the beginning but I am not sure yet.

I have decided to knit this pattern , Wollmeise Sock by Monica Jines ( a free pattern from the Loopy Ewe) exactly as it is written and see what I end up with. I may have to decrease the foot to over 64 stitches because my memory of socks over 72 stitches is that they are too big in the foot for me, again, we shall see.

I am loving the feel of the Socks that Rock (again) and the color is so yummy. It looks like a really good glass of lemonade sitting in the fresh green grass.

Watch here for updates this month as CatWithCats and I do this knit-a-long.

What Did I Get Knit at the Fling?

I know you are all asking, So, what did you get at the Fling? From the Loopy Ewe?

My list contained some fun projects that I shopped for and here is a sampling of my "haul".

First, (in the picture above) here are some yarns that have no project yet; the yellow is for socks and the color was inspired by a fabulous shawl someone was wearing, it is the last color that I would buy for myself but I had to have this. In the middle is the skein of the new Loopy Ewe Self Striping yarn that Sheri gifted to all of us. The line should be coming out in early fall, watch for it at the shop. And last, is the skein of Wollmeise from Germany, Claudia was able to join us this year so it was very special to have this in our goody bags.

Next is the Malabrigo Sock Yarn for the Pinkerton. I can hardly wait to have time to work on this one. I will have to review the wrap turn technique before I begin.

I also got yarn for the Vogue Eyelet Hat that I have wanted to knit for I while. I hope to have it done by fall.

And the other project pictured is the Age of Steam and Brass that I am going to do in Lorna's Laces Sport. Of course, you are correct when you sense that there is a color theme. The yellow was the only thing I bought that did not fit the norm for me. Oh well, what can I say? I am purple-sessed.

And I did buy some other yarns but they are for secret projects, more on them later. I hope everyone has fun, new fibers to play with~!