Blocking

I posted a few items the other day and I just want to say I should not have called them finished objects. I don't feel something is finished until it is blocked and ready to wear. Blocking softens up the fabric as well as making all the stitches go where they are supposed to be. It makes the item crisp, but not crunchy.
Here are the before/after pictures of what I have finished this week.

Bandana cowl- Before


During blocking


After


Hogwarts express- Before


During blocking


after


ready to wear


Mantle before


During blocking


After- ready to wear


I also crocheted up a quick fuzzy cowl. I din't take before pictures.


Yes, I have blocking wires, mats, boards and such. I just didn't want to pull them out yesterday. I T-pinned the shawls to the hall wall and just laid out the cowls on the freezer. Do whatever you have to do but please, block your projects as it brings them to really being finished.

FO's

Bandana cowl- Hand spun BFL


Purple ruffle scarf- Red Heart


Magnificent Mantle- Step it up from Mary Maxim


Hogwarts Express- Handspun- Merino & BFL

National Crochet Month

As most of you know I am a crocheter who knits and spins.
This is March and that means it is National Crochet month.
The Shibaguyz of Shibaguyzdesignz are have a crochet contest with their patterns over on Ravelry. I decided since I had the Cherry Wrap pattern to crochet it up.

The yarn is Silky Wool in color 35- sorry 35 is not a color, it is ocean blue.
This is out of my stash, I have 12 skeins.



Here is the beginning of panel one.



I am calling it my blueberry wrap as Cherries are red.

There is errata for the pattern post number 6.

It doesn't take much

To keep a man happy. At least my man.
He requested another U.S.Army scarf over a year ago. His old one was getting a bit worse for the wear and I thought I could do a better job on the letters.
Here is the old one

I started the new one back in December of 2008

I then got busy knitting and crocheting other items and this got pushed to the back burner.
Sarge was not impatient, yet every time I started something he would ask when his scarf would be finished. I should have received the clue that he Really wanted it, but I kept putting it off. Why, I have no idea. It was a bit fiddly to crochet up because of the bobbins and four colors, but really it is just single crochet and a graph.
So, I challenged myself to finish it as part of my Olympic crafting.

The first night I sat down to crochet on this, I worked on it for about 2 hours and I was part way through the letters

The second night I spent about three hours on it and plowed through all the letters

During the closing ceremonies I finished the scarf

This scarf is about eight inches longer than the first one and I am much happier with how the words turned out. I still need to wash and kill it before it will be worn.

Sarge is off at training right now. I hope he likes it when he gets home.

Just Bits

Earlier this week I had to go in for my yearly boob squish. I stopped by the hospital gift shop and this little critter had to come home with me. As our anniversary is on Groundhog day, The sarge and I collect groundhogs and hedgehogs. They are our mascot I guess.

Mr. Spot is not sure if he agrees.

Have you had your boobs squished this year?

I also picked up the makings for a Wooly Board.



I need to get it all put together this weekend.

Then I started a quick project.
Branching Leaves Scarf in Fisherman's Wool From Lion Brand



I am just over half way done.

Finally my MIL came down this morning and she gave me Pink-n-Sparkly.
My new project bag *grin*



I love Pink-n-sparkly things!!

Bank Therapy Hat

When we got home on Thursday, I needed something to take my mind off the newest crap that Chase bank is throwing at us. So, being who I am I grabbed for hook and yarn.

I whipped up this hat out of my own handspun polypay yarn.




Things I learned:

I love working with my handspun yarn. This being said, I need to ply a bit tighter . When crocheting with the hand spun it would unply as I was holding tension,as it pulls it bit but if I was loose, it would crochet up okay.

I need bigger dinner plates. I had to block this over my dye pot lid as it was the only thing I had that was round and big. Maybe I need to ask the pizza place for one of their cardboard circles that has not been used.

I washed the yarn before I used it, back when I had set the twist. Even though I did this I still had green water when I washed and rinsed again after making the hat.

I will have to add elastic to the inside of this hat as it is a bit too big to fit securely and it needs stretch so a sc chain would not do.

I might gently felt this before I add elastic to make it a bit smaller and firmer.

Changes I will make when doing the pattern again:

I will do crochet ribbing at the edge instead of just a band of sc's.

Make it just a bit smaller or use a smaller hook, as it is a tad too lacy for me, I wanted a denser hat.

Crochet in spiral instead of making each round finish, I don't like the little seam line this creates.

Overall it was an okay pattern. Easy to do and quick to make.

Mushie Warm Winter Feet

First finished project of 2010:

Why not start out the new year with a pair of mush-able squishy warm inserts for my Croc clogs.
I made the inserts out of a washable wool/acrylic blend.
I think I will make a couple other pairs in different colors for my other crocs.


One up, one turned down:

One inserted one without:

Easy pattern wonderful softness:

There is still enough room in the shoes that I can wear my wool socks as well.

Pattern: Croc™ Socks by Carol Ballard

Yarn: Woolease in Wheat 1.75 skeins

Hook: H

A year of projects

Looking back I have been very busy this year.

Between two surgeries and recoup time, I guess I had lots of time to knit, crochet and spin. I have completed 44 project to date (might squeeze another in before Wednesday).

Here is the list:

6 - Scarves:

Beige Muppet pelt
Orange Muppet pelt
Blue Muppet pelt
One row scarf
Cherry Mustard
Hoot scarf


6 - Sweaters

Ms. Purple Pants (started in 2008)
I love this FLS
Little Black Jacket
Shalom Fall
Forrest Sweater
Christmas Cardi

3 - bags

Grocery Sack
Pinkie bag
She-knits Mystery Bag KAL

5 - shawls

I do not have the Clap
Maybe this time
Myra
Colonnade
One-Button Wrap

4- Baby blankets

Operation Kid Cuddles
Military comfort
Pink and lacy
Lilac Lace

3 - mitts/mittens

Computer Mitts
Fingerless mitts
Secret Santa Hoots

5 - Pairs of socks/slippers

Socks
Pocket slippers
Socks
Inspired Socks
Take a long Socks
Another pair of socks



Misc knitting:

1 - Muff
6- Dryer Balls
1- Garterlac washcloth
1- Bag Organizer
1- Christmas Owls Cup Cozy
1- Go-veralls Baby outfit




This is on top of many blankets put together for charity and spinning I have done this year.


Now what to finish next?

I still have going:

7 - afghans in the closet
3 - pairs of socks
2 - sweaters for the Sarge
1 - sweater for Boo
1- Sweater for me
1 - tablecloth
1 - scarf for the Sarge

Plus about 13 projects I want to rip out.

That is 29 items on needles right now.

UGH!

All I want to do is swatch for a new sweater for the KAL on The High Fiber Diet.

Knitter remorse... maybe.
Knitting ADD... Yep, I'll go with that.

Oh, another wrap up is my 52 in 52. I blew it away. I am on my 54th book this year. I doubt I will finish this one by Thursday, so I will say I have read 53.

Next years challenge: Not sure. Watch for another blog post.

Waiting for Santa

King Tut has been keeping watch for the big guy in red,

While my needles and hooks have been flying this week.

Christmas Cardigan for Miss A

Still flying, Go-veralls for Little miss Z

The matching stripes on the legs were not planned, it's just how the yarn worked out.

Fiber in the Forest Retreat

I have just spent a wonderful weekend with about 22 knitters and spinners.
The house we met up in was old and huge

The view that greeted up each time we stepped outside

Here are half the ladies that were there, the one in front was the organizer of the event. It was Saturday night and some had left for the evening or headed to bed already. I thought better late than never for the group photo.

More about the retreat on my next podcast later this week.

Ravelry Anniversary

Two years ago, I got my invite into the wonderful site of ravelry.com. At the time, I was a little skeptical about what a "great" site it was. I had heard news on many of the newsgroups and yahoo groups I was a member of about this site. I had listened to a few podcasts, they had talked about it for a while and in mid October, and I finally went onto the waiting list to get in. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a website would change how I craft. Ravelry has done just that.



I have met a lovely group of people, both online and in person since joining this site. I have been able to give back to the site by making meet up buttons with "Ravatar" pictures on them for other users. I have been able to both get patterns not found else where and also put up a few of mine for others to make. I have had a blast for the last two years and I hope to have many more years of fun.



This is a thank you to Jess for the idea of the site and to Casey for having the knowledge to put his wife's idea into reality. (Big bonus for good husband material as he gives his wife what she wants).



Another way to thank them that you and I can help with is the $12.12 on 12/12 donate party that is happening on Ravelry. This is a donation through PayPal of $12.12 on December 12 of this year to Ravelry (info for donating is on their site).



Ravelry is a free site, but people donate in order to gain bigger, better servers for faster surfing, trips for the paid employees of Ravelry to fiber events around the world. I have heard that the actual cost of Ravelry is covered by the advertising that happens on the site, so really this is just a thank you for them doing such a great job at giving us a site to go and play on.



I will make sure there is $12.12 in my account to give to them on this date. It is the least I can do for them making a site that has occupied many hour of my life in the last two years.

Fast week

It's only Tuesday and it seems as if that the week is flying fast. No pictures today, sorry.

Last night I crocheted another 6 inches on my sweater.

After college, I hope to crochet to the bottom of the body today. Tonight is NCIS so good TV to yarn by. Sleeves tomorrow and then blocking.

Thursday is the beginning of the Fun in the Forest Retreat that Trish is putting on in Holland. I am excited about everyone I get to meet and looking forward to a weekend of fun and relaxation. Deborah and I will be commuting for the retreat instead of staying there, so we might miss out on some, but not much.

NaCroSweMo

Yes, I fell in with the crowd. I am going to make a sweater, for myself in a month. OK, I want to do it in less than a week, but I can call it what I want. Right? Right.

I started the sweater this morning. I am using Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks in Grass. I have 22 skeins, we will see how many I use.

Here is what I got done today.



Before I started the sweater, I finished the Cherry Mustard Scarf and blocked it.




Yes, it is blocking hanging on my wall. I had it on the blocking board, but the cats love the wool so much they would not leave it alone. I can't blame them, it is my hand spun and I also love it. This is my first time really knitting with yarn I have made myself and I am eager to do this more often.

Insert Foot

Have you ever had one of those days where every time you open your mouth you feel like your licking your toes? This have been one of those months for me.
So, I decided to step away from the blog for a week or two and let my life get back to normal.
In the mean time, I have read two books for college, three for pleasure and have now caught up on my 52 in 52. I have so far read 29 books this year.
I also finished the Little Black Cardigan I was working on. It did not come out like the pattern and with a bit of creative flair, I now have a cardigan that I can wear two ways.

I picked up big buttons for the top part and little black buttons for the bottom, I will get better photos tomorrow ( and yes I need to polish my bathroom mirror)

I have also done a bit of spinning, I finished up my BLF that I have named Cherry Chip.

I started on Vee's room, some beginner wool I was given in a swap. I still have oodles left to spin up.


I have Myra almost completed. I think another 3 or 4 inches of the rib pattern and I can cast off.
This weekend I have midterm assignments and more reading.
Back to normal- well as normal as I can allow.

Hair- Part Two-Fun for the Summer

Yesterday Adrianne came over and finished up my hair. I have to say I am in Deep Like. Not sure if I am in live yet, but it feels really fun.
Before styling:

Before Makeup:

And after:


Sorry, these are self taken bathroom shots, hope their not too blurry. The pink faded a bit, without a wash. I think I might need to get a permanent red to go under it. I am also not too sure about the white part, I may dye that pink as well. Sarge said it reminded him of Neopalitan Ice Cream or those coconut chews that are tri-colored.

In Fiber, I have been crocheting:

I also finished up my Lilac Lace baby blanket. I am still working on the pattern. This is the same pattern as the Pink and Lacy baby blanket I made up but I used a smaller hook. From a J to a G. I am not liking the one on the G hook. It is heavier, stiffer and it took the whole skein of yarn. I didn't get to finish the edging before I ran out, so there is a short edging instead of the deep frilly one on the pink blanket
The two blankets are for different babies, so no one will ever know the problem, but I will still work on the blanket design.
Live and learn.