Thursday, April 11, 2013

Snow in April

We are still getting used to the weather in Colorado.  It was 70 on Monday and snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.  We didn't get the 6-12 inches they predicted, but it was still a dramatic change in weather.    It was back up in the 60s today with beautiful sun.

I finished the Canyon Lands Shawl by Very Busy Monkey Fast and Easy.  Wonderful pattern and Malabrigo Sock scrumptious.











Ebb by Susan B Anderson was so fast and Easy.  I used two skeins Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Grande.  CO 160 stitches and finished row 8 of the third repeat.


Lava Flow Cowl by Dixie Norton was on the needles for WAY too long.  I was about 15 rows from the finish and set it aside.  WHY????  A Super Awesome Friend gave me the Great Northern Yarns Mink/Cashmere as a gift and this was the perfect pattern.  SOOO incredibly soft and squishy.  YUM















FINALLY  two and a half years later....

The Norwegian Woods Shawl by Sivia Harding.  It wasn't hard and I LOVE the yarn, which was Sheepy Time Knits Sheepy Silk in the Lichen colorway.
Sadly, no picture yet, as it is not blocked.

We did this awesome swap in one of the Groups on Ravelry for the No Leftovers - Russian Wedding Band Cowl by Elen Brandt  Each person used hand spun and knit 1 ring for the cowl and sent it to the next person. The second person knit a ring and added it to the first and sent it to the final recipient.  The final recipient is supposed to knit the third and final ring.  I received the most amazing package with 2/3 of the most beautiful cowl  (what to knit for the third ring????) and an awesome project bag, the coolest zipper bag and a gorgeous shawl pin.   I felt very pampered and spoiled.



Saturday, March 23, 2013

Sunny California


There are so many awesome LYS.
Stopped by Fancy Tiger recently and picked up Malabrigo Arroyo and Madeline Tosh Light














I went to Anaheim last week and it was beautiful and sunny.
Stopped by a LYS and picked up a few items.
3 Skeins Malabrigo Arroyo and 1 Skein Malabrigo Sock


I finished the project I was working on while I was in CA and cast on Canyonlands Shawl by verybusymonkey














The project that I finished was Gill's Rock by Paula Emons-Fuessle
Lovely pattern.  I will definitely make another.



 I also finished Vanilla Orchid by Ágnes Kutas-Keresztes.  Another awesome pattern.


Still working on The Volcano Shawl (Eyjafjallajökull Shawl by Anna Dalvi)


A few weeks ago I caught the Wollmeise update.
Dornroeschen, Babe /  Golden Pear, Wichtelwalzer



I have not cast on yet......
but a few potential upcoming items......


Ides of March Faroese Shawl KAL by O/C Knitiot Designs - Deby Lake
with Numma Numma the Special in Organic Greens



Color Affection by Veera Välimäki
Using Cascade Heritage in Cotton Candy, Anis and Jade



Toffee by Ágnes Kutas-Keresztes
Not sure of the yarn yet




Saturday, March 9, 2013

Happy March

This year started off crazy.  I signed up for too many SALs and KALs, but it was fun.

The beginning spinning class is over.  It was totally awesome.
The final day was a dye day with natural dyes.


I also finished spinning a few other skeins
Miss Babs Watermelon - Merino Bamboo Silk
Approx 355 yards 3-ply and 91 yards N-ply
It was truly a joy to spin.  I was disappointed with how the 3 ply turned out.  The color was muted/muddy and almost seemed to have a grey hint.  Love the color in the n-ply.  I need more practice with n-ply.  Lesson learned - Should have sampled before plying everything.



For the Southern Cross Fiber semi-solid spin along, I spun Citrus Splash and Lizard in the hopes of making Leftie.  Lizard (top middle) is approx 550 yards 2-ply Polwarth Bombyx Silk.
Citrus Splash is Organic Merino 2-ply Yellow 118 yards, Brown 117 yards, Green 150 yards, Gold 132 yards.   I cast-on Leftie by Martina Behm but the colors are not contrasting as much as I had hoped.  This is in time out while I decide if I want to continue this or do another pattern.



Finally finished (1 of 2) braids of All Spun Up in Down to Earth.  It is a Merino Silk blend 3-ply approx 380 yards.  The 3 ply turned out very soft and squishy.  I used this for a KAL in the Fun Onion group.  We are doing the No Leftovers - Russian Wedding Band Cowl by elen brandt.  Person 1 spins and knits a ring and sends to Person 2.  Person 2 spins and knits a ring and sends to final person 3.  Person 3 spins and knits and keeps final project.  There have been some amazing and very beautiful rings.  This has been such a fun project.






















I cast on Vanilla Orchid by Ágnes Kutas-Keresztes with Fiber Optic Peacock Batik handspun.  Charts A, B and C are completed.


For the CTA SAL I am spinning the Red Rock Haze by Southern Cross Fiber.
First I created fauxlags and divided them in three rows in a gradient order.  I have finished spinning all three and plying.  It is soaking now.  Can't wait to see how it turned out.  Then need to decide what to make.  I believe there is about 285 yards.






I signed up for another KAL.  I planned to knit Pipers Journey with stash....
I was on the fence about order Quince and Co yarn.  There have been so many great comments about it, and I would love to try it, but my stash is really out of control.  Then Quince & Co offered a discount that if you ordered 3 skeins of yarn and the Scarves Etc. ebook they would give you a tote for free.  There are several awesome patterns in the Scarves Etc. ebook.  My only wish is that they were in my Ravelry library.  Well, I couldn't decide between Twig and Sorbet, so I ordered both.  They are so super squishy and awesome and very reasonably priced. 

Well, instead of casting on Pipers Journey, I ended up casting on Gills Rock.  Both patterns are by Paula Emons-Fuessle.  BUT, I did cast on Gills Rock with Stash.  Using Sheepy Time Knits Sparkle Feet in Mulled Wine.


 It seems I went on a bit of a binge.  I also ordered Malabrigo Arroyo and Cascade Heritage Silk.
The Madeline Tosh light is special.  I made a shawl as a swap years ago and loved it.  It was so hard to part with.  When I saw it in the shop, I couldn't resist.  I think about how beautiful that shawl was all the time.  Very Busy Monkey has several shawl patterns that are awesome.  Right now I am leaning towards Bryce Canyon.




I took a quilting class.  The class is for making picture quilts.  the teacher was awesome and had several beautiful quilts, wall hangings and photos.  We made an 8x10 photo size of the Flat Irons.  It was pretty gratifying to (almost) finish a project in one day.


The quilters group meets approximately every 6 weeks and they also do a challenge.  The January challenge was shirtings.  You receive Six fabrics that are 1/2 yard each.  The challenge is to make something with it.  I mad a crib size throw. I needed to add a tiny bit of white (less then 1/4 yard.)  If I were more talented, I may have been able to make it without the additional fabric.  Lesson learned - On the sails, I tried a technique and my measurements were off a bit.  So the points on the sail are not as pointy as I would like.  I did buy Fabric for the back (the navy blue of the water).  Just need to quilt it together.







Monday, January 21, 2013


Baby it’s cold outside 


I attended the second (of 6) class for beginning spinning.  In my humble opinion this is the best class for someone who wants to start spinning.  You take home a different wheel each week.  What an awesome way to find out which wheel is the best fit.
Spinning –
I finished spinning Amber - Alpaca  
A little over 1,000 yards for approx 12 ounces
3 ply approx 16 wpi







Frabjous Fibers - Silky Cashmerino
Approx 773 yards - 4 ounces
 2 ply












I think I finally found a fit for this beautiful yarn.  
The yarn is so pretty in the skein, but when I started knitting, it was total clown barf.  I frogged at least three patterns and now, finally I think we found a fit.
Thank you to all my friends that had such helpful suggestions.






I went to a quilting meeting over the weekend.  It was so inspirational. 
Here are a few photos


Sunday, January 6, 2013

Happy New Year

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and sending best wishes for a fabulous New Year.

Like many people, I recently reflected on 2012.  It was a very busy year for me (not so much in crafts, but in life).  The amount that I knit and spun was less than I would have hoped for, but I am very thankful for what I was able to accomplish.  Work was crazy busy, there was a lot going on with the family and we moved.

I reviewed my goals from 2012 and it is sad to see how little was finished.  My goal list tends to be pretty lofty (aim high).  Generally I spend time in November and December trying to finish up the goals, but that didn't happen this year.

2012 Knit Goals 
Bobbie Gloves 
Knotty Gloves 
Monkey Socks 
Gaudete Socks 
Evenstar 
Arabian Nights 
Poolside 
Girasole 

Bridgewater - wip 
Icarus - wip 
Advent - wip 
Forest Path - wip 
Kimono - wip 
Lena - wip 

Jaywalker Socks - completed

When working on my 2013 goals I decided to add my 2012 list and my UFOs to the list.

2013 Knit Goals 
Whippoorwill - completed 
Lichen Woods 
Noro Dream Stipes 
Lena 
Shipwreck 
12 Stripey socks 

Spinning Goals 
All Spun Up 
Green with Envy 
Spin for Socks 
LimonLime 
Green Mustard 
SSK Gales Art 
Julie Spins 
Quilt Goals   (Did I mention I started quilting?  Must have needed another craft. LOL)

Northwoods 
Pink and Blue 
Amish Star


UFO / WIPs 
Realized I have approx 24 UFOs so I joined the Finish it or Frog it with a group on Ravelry.
So far, My UFO walk of shame Project Page

1image title one mitten is smaller than the other. Need to fix 
2image title Would like to make it a little larger.
3image title 4image title 5image title 6image title 7image title 8image title
9image title 11image title 13image title 15image title 17image title 18image title
19image title 20image title 21image title 23image title 24image title
Finished
22image title Evil Irish Whippoorwill
Frogged
12image title 16image title 10image title 14image title

Stash Down was a major FAIL in 2012.  I did realize I am a stress shopper and was very stressed last year.  :)  Must do better this year.  I am not in any clubs right now.  I am on the waiting list for two and have been for more than a year.  Those will be the only two that I will join (when my number FINALLY comes up.)  Both are well worth the wait.  I also do a spinning group SAL and they are on my "allowed" list.  The swap group is very bad for my destashing efforts and must be more careful in that thread.  

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Politically Incorrect.....


The Green Whippoorwill above is made with PI in I Got a Little Irish in me (lighter green) and Evil Hooker (darker green).  Her yarn is amazing.  But Wait.... There is more....
Her fiber is amazing as well.  I may have indulged in a few batts recently.  But Wait.... There is more....  Her Customer Service is FABULOUS.



Speaking of fiber.... 
In spinning, most of my time was spent on one project this year.
This beautiful Alpaca fleece.  It is really hard to capture the beautiful color.


















Sending you and yours Happy Thoughts and Best Wishes.