Scrappy Sunday

I think it has to be the day of a little bit of this, a little bit of that.

The mitered square blanket.  I am particularly smitten with this block I am working on right now.

The crochet monstrosity -

And just a smudge of the new one.

A selection of yarns

And the weather report today - Wet.

Happy Sunday and last day of April.  Did you know after today that 1/3rd of 2017 is gone?  Catch you in May, perhaps there will be flowers.

Friday Finds

This may look like I went Goodwill Shopping, but in fact, this is what accompanied me home from last weekend's move of the Tall Guy's Mom.  I am such a sucker for china.  I've already got mine, and my Mom's and now I have her Aunt's China and her Grandmother's China.  But, it will be used.  I am a firm believer in using the fine china, thats what it is for.

One of the coolest finds with this egg to darn socks.

 It isn't something I will use, but it has been well used back in the day, and for some reason I needed to have it.  I'll put it in my hand knit sock drawer, one never knows.

On the yarn front, these beauties came this week.  Hospice Home had some awhile back and all you need is one skein to make a nice size blanket.  I decided I needed some for my personal stash.  They will come in handy when I need a quick baby gift and don't want to spend a lot of time or money in the gift, but still it will make a nice gift.

Last this week, in the quest for the perfect bag, this found it's way to my home.  It isn't the perfect bag, but it is a style I like, and is so darn cute.  It's biggest downfall?  It is not Caribe Blue.  But, a color that is in my Spring wardrobe, the corals and pinks, so I'll have options.

Now, all I have to do is wait for Spring to come back to Central Illinois.

More Spring Sweater Ideas

Every time I am on Ravelry, some more patterns show up that remind me of things I would like to knit. Some of them are super easy. 

From the new Cocoknits book, which has quite a few simple lines to knit for Spring and Summer.  A plus to the new book is each of the sweaters in the book has changes to accommodate for all body types.

Edie.  A bit of texture to a simple tee.

I've liked this one from Knitscene for a couple of seasons now.  A little more sleeve for this one for me would be great, but easily doable.

Sandshore.  A nice cardigan that can take you into late Summer.

And this one from Heidi Kirrmaier, Sunshine Coast.  Can't you just see this walking on the beach or at the lake this Summer?

Very soon, I am going to narrow something down to cast on for Spring until then, I'll catch you on the Purl Side.

What I Am Working On This Week

We are in the midst of moving my mother-in-law to a very nice assisted living place here in town this weekend and tomorrow, and I am spending this afternoon, nicely camped out in my chair, watching baseball and deciding what should be my focus for knitting this week.  

It is beautiful outside and after the game is over, I will head out to the front porch and take some simple knitting with me in my Fringe Supply Bag.  This is the sleeve of my Helsinki Sweater by Janine Bajus. There is a lot of stockinette in very small needles on this so it will be perfect for sitting on the porch enjoying the sunshine and silence.

As part of a contest (where you are on a team and knit the most yards since January)for the Zombie Knitpocalypse, I am knitting on the Girl From The Grocery Store Shawl out of Leading Men Fiber Arts yarn.

And last but not least, I finally started the border on my Lerwick Harbour Hap Shawl by Denise Bell from the Ulthima Thule book.  It is a bit of knitting, but getting started was the major battle for this.

Hope you all are having a nice relaxing weekend and have a great week!

Where Did That Spring Go?

It's chilly here, how about you?  Tomorrow, we are back in the 50's, but I know that next week that Spring Babe will be back!

In the meantime, I'm playing around with my scrappy blankets.

Yep, there are three of them.  All different and one is crocheted.  The yarns are some of my leftover fingering weight yarns and a good many of them are from my friends Becky and Sue.

These blankets in progress are sitting on my table downstairs.  Whenever I am doing laundry and either the dryer or washer is not quite done cycling, I sit in the wheelchair down there (only because that is where we are storing it and we haven't folded it up and put it away yet), and I work on one of them.

How is that for double duty?!  Happy Friday!!

Finally Finished Friday

 

 

The Hospice Blanket is finished and turned in yesterday at Hospice.  I've decided that since these are my fave colors that I need to concentrate on these colors for hospice too.  Because, I know it is a fave color in the world.

 



This is what was turned in yesterday from everyone.  46 Shawls and Blankets for Shawl and Tell.

What an amazing and giving group of women!  What a way to start the pre-Easter weekend!

Wednesday WIPS

Fish or Cut Bait Wednesday.

This one is a cut bait.

The yarn is Heritage Paints and a fingering weight.  I probably have 1200 yards plus of it.  Originally, back in the day it was a Wolford Cardigan.  Since it's cast on many years ago, I've added a couple of pounds and discovered that this just may not be the right weight of yarn for the cardigan. 

I gain some needles on this one back in their case and a project bag is now free!!

Spring Sweaters - Part 3

Don't you just love scoping out Spring and Summer sweaters?  Or as The Yarniacs call it, stalking? 

 

This week I've uncovered some really nice simple sweaters that you can wear all the way into the Fall.

 

Bleached - out of fingering yarn so, yes, there will be a bit of knitting, but I have a bit of Heritage Paints in fingering weight this would be pretty neat out of.  For me, I'd lengthen those sleeves a bit at least to the elbow or 3/4 length.

 



Blue Columbine Cardigan - this is a DK weight yarn and is out of Interweave Knits, Summer 2015.  I may just have this issue and I know I have some Comfort DK in white which would be perfect for this Summer.

Apogean - another fingerweight yarn.  If you check this out on Ravelry, the designer shows it under a jean jacket which I am just lovin the look of it.

And finally, my stand by - a quick easy knit the #123 Top Down Lightweight Cardigan by Knitting Pure & Simple. Even though, this one is fingering weight, there is also a worsted weight version called #221 Summer Cardigan.  I've knit it before and love the simplicity and quick knit of this style from Knitting Pure & Simple.

More coming next week!  Catch you on the purl side.

What's On The Needles This Week

The Grandmother's Hospice Blanket is what I am calling this one from now on.  I am hoping to finish it tonight so it will be ready for this Thursday at Hospice.  The yarn is Cake Pop yarn and takes two skeins.  I am loving the way the striping is happening, so random and every thing.

It would have been done a week ago, but I had a bit of a brain fade on the decreases (what was I thinking, grin?)  I had to rip back and re-roll the skein, but was very soon back on track.

Once the Hospice Blanket is done, I am moving back to my Fog Shawl as my go to knitting.  I'd like to have this one done in another week as I am chomping at the bit to knit on some sweaters.

I am using my Peep progress keeper from Sucre Sucre Miniatures in honor of Easter which is just one week away.

And for the Central Illinois weather report - yesterday was beautiful and today was not as sunny, and a bit windy, but as I sit here tonight typing this blog, the windows are open and there is a nice breeze blowing in and I am loving that it would appear that Spring is really here.

Happy Sunday!!

Friday Finds

My new Spring project bag.  The maker is Nicole from Trappings and Trinkets.  She is a local to me designer and bag maker.  I picked this one up from our LYS, Fiber Universe.  It was laying there on top of the pile just like it was waiting for me.

And lookie at the inside of this bag.  Are these both just not the perfect colors for me?!

And it has one of my Wednesday WIP projects in it for Spring/Summer wearing.  How cool!

Spring Sweaters - Part Deux

 I have a file that I put patterns that I might want to knit  for certain seasons.  It's a wish list of sorts and I am pulling a couple out for this year that I am really wanting to cast on.

I have yarn for this one from Madelinetosh.  The pattern by Laura Aylor is Sea Salt. I wanted to knit it the minute I saw the whole picture on this pattern and the color way in the yarn.  The walking on the beach in a sweater with denim and in a color way that spoke to me of the ocean!

At Stitches Midwest last year, I bought this Revive yarn.  I did not have a specific garment in mind for it, but loved the color and knew that not only could I wear it for Spring, but it would be good for Summer into Fall.

I found the perfect pattern for this yarn in my file.  I'm a fan of Heidi Kirrmaier, it would seem, as will become evident this season - this one is Fine Sand and will be perfect in my Revive yarn above.

And yet another one from the file for Spring.

Out of the now discontinued Linsey yarn from Berroco.  I may be short just one skein for this sweater, but I know from a friend's sweater, this one tends to grow a bit, so I don't think I'll mind that I may be one skein short for this sweater.

A new pattern is making its way into the pattern file this year for Spring.
Sunshine Coast, a Heidi Kirrmaier pattern.

I am looking at Pima Cotton for this one, but if I decide to use it, I may be playing a bit of yarn chicken with it, as I "might" be short by about 120 yards, not sure I want to chance that.  I may have to go "shopping" to find the adequate yardage for it.  

 I'm excited to start some Spring sweaters, especially with temps in the low 40-50's these days of April and slight chance of snow.  How about you, what are you wearing/knitting for this transitional season?

Friday Finds!

My Espace Tricot package arrived last Friday!

This is going to be a purse.

A Double Needle Keeper to hold my project in place so they stitches don't pop off of the needles.

A new little box to hold "stuff".  Watch how it closes up.  Very portable.

A new book.  I like Cocoknits stuff, but not sure any of these sweaters are my cup of tea, but does have some info that has possibilities. 

And from last month, my Knit Wit friends went to Stitches West, and my friend Kendra shopped for me.  I am lovin these!!  Not yet sure what they will be, but I'll be thinkin on these real soon.

I love a good mail day, don't you?!

Spring Summer Sweaters

Ok, so today in Central Illinois, it rainy and thundery and the long-term forecast is cloudy and rain!  That great Friday last week is just a memory, but, I know that we are going to turn around really soon and the sun will be out, it will be warming up every day and the knitter in me is going to wish I had spent a few months working on Spring/Summer sweaters for wearing.

This past week in the car, I heard a great saying from Sally Melville on the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club podcast  http://knittingboutique.com/boutiquepodcast/  that I want to remember:
"Knit the sweaters you love, wear the sweaters you knit"

We, as Knitters, probably only really think about knitting sweaters for the late Fall and Winter for keeping us nice and warm when the temps are cool and the snow is falling.  And that would be me as well, but my need for Winter sweaters last year was very small.

Granted, with the list of all the things I want to knit, I should probably think about starting now for next Fall and Winter, but those gals over at Espace Tricot Episode 7 , once again have me thinking Spring/Summer Sweaters and their current episode (link above), have increased my favorites again.
You have to watch them, if you are not!!

I have been a fan of two of their free patterns even before I knew who Espace Tricot was.  Some may say that is obvious as to why I was a fan of the first one, the colors in it of course...and that may be very well true, but still I have loved it. 

This is the Ombre Tank Top.  It uses the same technique that my much beloved Heavenly Heathers Blanket has, using the base yarn with a new color in the stripes as it progresses.  The yarn is from Shibui and yes, may be pricey in some standards, but I think I am worth it.

Next up is the Double-Take Tee.  This is very reminiscent of a couple of weeks ago Fish or Cut Bait WIPS, except for more of a sleeve, which because I am a knitter I know how to extend that sleeve to cover those pelican arms of mine!    The sample is knit out of a Habu fingering merino/ silk yarn that I am sure if I searched for, I may find a nice substitute, but then again, lately, I have been a knitter who wants to try new yarns and the yarn the originals have been knit out of.

Before I can knit these two though, I have to jump on Espace's website and get my order together, which will give me some more time, to plan my Spring/Summer Sweaters out of.

What are you planning on knitting this season?  I would love to know, I am always open for more ideas.  And stay tuned for further Spring/Summer Sweater Knitting adventures and thoughts!

Wednesday WIPS

From my Ravelry project page, I can tell that the yarn for my Hitofude was purchased in January 2014 from Briar Rose Fibers.   The yarn is Sea Pearl and I like this yarn so much I've  got several different colorways and well, Chris is a friend from Knit Camp too.

A close up of the yarn now, shows more purple and steel blue then in the first picture.    The yarn is a fingering weight, with 800 yards to a skein so there is some pretty hefty yardage in one skein.  It is 50% Wool/505 Tencel/Lyocell. (I am fairly certain I heard Lori Goldstein on QVC last night talk about Lyocell fiber in her jeans) It is a shimmery yarn, I bought this colorway because I thought it would lend itself to a little bit dressier sweater for weddings and such.

And this Hitofude from the designer seemed to be just the style I was looking for!

I am in a mood to knit a Spring sweater these days and thought this might fit the bill to bring out a WIP and Evelyn (Irishmom1323 on Ravelry) enticed me to bring mine back out and knit a bit on it.  When I did, I discovered a safety pin in an inch or so holding what looks like a dropped stitch.  Funny thing though, I've got the number of stitches needed between the markers.

 This one is going to require some thought.  I'm not ready to cut bait on it yet, but I am not so sure that it is ready to fish yet.