Sweater progress

Making progress on the bulky cabled sweater.

I've got the body done, now I'm working on the sleeves. I've put both sleeves on one long circular and am working both at once with separate balls of yarn. Hoping to stave off the dreaded Second Sleeve Syndrome. A lesser known but equally serious illness related to Second Sock Syndrome.

And BTW it isn't a baby sweater those are just giant hostas in the background.

I'm taking the green socks with me to work on while watching Sports Day at son #1's school. Hoping to make great progress. After these to projects are finished, I swear I will work on the purple aran.

I have to report the demise of the two tone blue shawl already. I went to work on Sunday and came home to find it in shreds. Curiously, Lexi the dog seems to have been using a new blue dental floss...

Under Control

I've gotten a handle on the UFO's

Finished the oversized doily - it came out just big enough for a shoulder shawl. I used the Hemlock Ring Doily, a vintage pattern. Mostly an exercise in using up yarn.

Also finished this hat. "Yarn" is Jazz by Lion Brand, a paper linen yarn that I dyed green. Pattern is a free pattern on the Japanese Puppy yarn site.

Couldn't help but start a new project though....

The Glampyre Bulky Cabled Sweater. Pattern is interesting yet easy to work and going super fast in Wool Ease Chunky. It is a top down, cabled, garter stitch raglan. I'm almost ready to divide the sleeves from the body.

UFO's Attack!

In an attempt to get my crafting life under control, I gathered up all the UFO's I could find. The pile was quite scary motivating.

I found just a couple.
I even finished a few...

A little Japanese style softie bear.

A wild sock monkey.

Both are now residing in my Etsy shop.

Frogged the purple scarf and the blue Mariposa. Worked a bit on the green crocheted sun hat. Put the green socks aside for travel knitting. Kept the purple Aran cardi & blue lace shawl by my bedside hoping I will take them up again soon. The crocheted throw rug made from fabric strips is in the undecided pile.

Of course I went to The Mannings yesterday and got some teal green 5/2 cotton that really wants to be a summer top :) ...

Cajun Knitting

Did some knitting with a friend this weekend...

Cary the crawdad came all the way from Louisiana to enjoy a bath in the hot springs of Maryland.
Just before he was eaten, he knit a couple of rows on my newly started celery socks. Excuse the crappy cell phone camera picture.

I put the socks down this morning to swatch for this Glampyre Pattern, although I'm doing blue instead of green. Amazingly enough I think my gauge will be right on with the requisite size 11 needles. Usually I have to go down at least 2 needles sizes to get gauge.

Also an update on the garter stitch short row heels on the spider socks. I was a bit skeptical about how comfortable they would be, I don't like bumpy things on the underside of my feet. I'm wearing them today and they are quite comfortable. The Knitpicks yarn washed up very soft and cushy.

Socks with a Secret

Just this morning I cast off on some socks. I really like the colorway. I handpainted Knitpicks superwash sock yarn using guidelines from this book. Working with the 20 foot long skein of yarn was a bit of a challenge but I think the results were worth it.

The secret of the socks....

Knit into the top on a field of reverse stockinette is the Spider from Barbara Walker's Third Treasury.

Heels are garter stitch, short row from this article by Lucy Neatby from the INKnitters website. I added an extra two rows of garter before I started the second half of the heel. This seemed to make the line in the center of the heel, where the wraps are picked up easier to work and look neater. The jury is still out on whether the garter stitch will be comfortable to wear since I have freakishly sensitive foot bottoms.

In the garden is the reason why I keep my scrubby Scotch Broom plant around. Hubby threatens to cut it down every year but I know for a week each year it does this.

Sheep and Wool

Here is all I got at MD Sheep & Wool. I think I am officially jaded (not to mention quite broke). The festival has just gotten too crowded for agoraphobic me.



Two skeins of yarn dyed by Juanita of Meadow Medley. Merino dyed with natural dyes and in person they have lovely tonal gradations. The dark blue is dyed with logwood and the pink with osage and cochineal. Every time I got to Sheep and Wool or Knitter's Day Out I buy a skein or two of Juanita's yarn. One of these days I will put them together and make something wonderful - or at least that's what I keep telling myself!

Book is Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker. Lots of nice cable and twisted stitch patterns, my current obsession.

Before Sheep & Wool I spent 5 mind-numbing hours proctoring the SAT test. I managed to finish up and cast off on my mother-in-law's socks during the last section.

Yarn was dyed by me, I think Henry's Attic Kona Superwash. Got quite fuzzy after washing. Yes, they are small but the woman has size 4 feet! They may even be a bit big.

Socks, humming birds and bees

This tangle is what I’ve been working on lately. Trying to get them finished for my MIL’s birthday before they go on vacation.

Two toe up socks at the same time on one long needle using Hellchick's formula. Yarn is some superwash merino that I dyed.

I’m doing to leg in an interesting rib pattern - 2 rounds of k2,p2 ribbing followed by 2 rounds of knit.

When I went out to take the sock pictures I was dive bombed by two scuffling humming birds that were fighting over the feeder. Not sure why they are so aggressive this year. I managed to get a picture on one of the culprits.

Very worrying news out about honey bees. Honey bees are one of my favorite creatures. Read about it here.
As an avid flower gardener, as well as a consumer of food in general, it’s a bit terrifying. Be kind to your bees and think twice before you spread that pesticide!

Saturday I'm off the Maryland Sheep and Wool for the afternoon. I've gone almost every year for at least 14 years and watched it go from a fairly small event to the spectacle it is now. Budget is pretty limited this year but I've come to the realization that if I know 24/7 for a number of years I would never use up the yarn in my basement. I'm hoping to find some Japanese pattern books, Janet Szabo's updated Aran Design book and maybe get some dyes. Have to save a little bit to get a yummy lamb kabob or two. Don't think I'll lug my camera along but will post pictures of my loot when I get home.