Baby fumes

So, my niece was expecting a baby in August. And I did become overcome by a huge urge to knit for the baby. And new mom too. I made socks and hat for baby, and socks for mom. But then a friend said her daughter-in-law was expecting her second child in November. No problem, I thought. Surely I could knit several pieces of a baby set (pants, socks, hat, sweater, blanket). This was my thinking back in August. My friend didn't get the yarn untill the end of September. No problem. Surely I can knit the pants and another piece before the baby is born, right? Ha, ha. Not quite. Second baby was born around Thanksgiving (USA) and I finished the pants yesterday. I blame it on baby fumes :)

my rav project page

yarn: heritage solids by cascade yarns, 116g = 507yds

P.S. fingering weight yarn + baby pants = still a lot of stitches (doh) P.P.S. why,yes. that is a leather grain look counter top in my kitchen, lots of interesting texture (what were they thinking?? grr)

Carefree Blog or Ravelry?

Do you prefer to keep the current format for the yearlong kal? or would you prefer a move to the crystal palace group on ravelry?

you can either leave a comment here or vote on the poll that i've set up on rav.

12/20: who, on the blog, is not a member of ravelry?

KALs for next year

i am sure that all of you will agree that susan and crystal palace yarns have been more than generous with the donation of prizes for our kals. at this point in time, it is hard to have susan be the only provider of prizes.

what are your feelings about continuing the year-long type kal without prizes? or having member donated prizes? susan would still donate prizes for a drawing where members use cpy for 6 out of the 12 months.

we can continue to have themed kals but prizes will depend on member donations or the use of crystal palace yarn products.

ETA: I've set up a poll on ravelry. Please go "vote."

for ever & ever

As in....I'm going to love you ..... Although I originally thought the name would refer to the length of the garter stitch rows that just seemed to go on...for ever and ever.....






This was made with CPY Fiord --2.1 skeins/191 yds(jet) and Mini Mochi(market spice) -- 1 skein/195 yds on size 9 needles.

How to: Cast on 260 stitches in solid color(fiord), alternate solid color with striping yarn(mochi) -- 2 rows each. End when you run out of yarn, or like the way it looks, or just get tired of knitting it. Bind off in stretchy bind off. Pick up and add 4 rows of garter stitch on ends. Weave in ends...block by throwing it around your neck and dashing off to work. Squish into your pocket when not around your neck.

Came out to 8" by 58"
Started Dec 14th,
Ended Dec 21st.
Rav site: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/meadviewmarket/for-ever--ever
I am keeping this one. really, really soft.

Prime Time KAL - 12/11 WIP

I am making several gifts. A hat for my daughter Tracie, a charity knitting scarf, and of all things - a rifle scope cover for my son-in-law.

Prime Time December

One pair socks ready, and I sent these to my partner in the Christmas swap. Used yarn is Tausendschön Winterträume - 325 meters were used.

Prime Time December

This is a SKA challenge. It combines the Entrelac and the leftovers options. The pattern is inspired by an entrelac sock by Kathryn Anderson that was published in the Spin-Off sock book. Six colors of leftover yarn have been used. I may have to add another grey to finish the second sock. They're a birthday present for my daughter-in-law. Needles size US #1-2.25mm for the leg and US #1 1/2 - 2.5mm for the foot.

Holiday KAL 4!

Hey Everybody! Are you ready for Christmas yet (or Not)? I've been working madly on gifts for family - mostly socks and have several items to show off.
Gift #1 - Dan's Christmas Stocking. Made with CPY Lofty Wool (Sob! It's been discontinued). I started this right at the beginning of the Holiday KAL on Sept. 26. I finished it 10/8 and used a little of 400 yards. Its HUGE!

Gift #2 - Tour de Sock Stage #3 - Made for one of my sisters. Used 480 of Knitters Brewing Company Sock-aholic. Started 10/19. Finished 10/23









Gift #3 - Thuja for my brother Mike - Started these babies on 10/8 and finished on 10/27. Worked these up in Schoeller & Stahl Big Mexiko.

Gift #4 - Footies for my niece using one ball of Sausalito in Mediterranean. Started 11/26. Finished 11/27 (Quick knit - pattern is Lacy Summer Footlets from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders)

Gift #5 - Cable Mitts for another niece in Baby Face Mini Mochi (one ball). Started 11/27 and finished 12/2 - also a quick knit. This pattern is also from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders - Golden Eyelet Cable Mitts.

Gift #6 - Short socks for my nephew Ben. Used just over 200 yards of Knit Picks Essential Tweed sock yarn and worked in a K3, P1 ribbing. Started 12/8 and finished 12/9!

Gift #7 - Another pair of Lacy Summer Footlets for yet another niece in Panda Silk Strawberry Cream (one ball). Love this pattern. Started 12/9 and finished on 12/11!

Christmas knitting has turned into my part-time job! I really want to have a pair of socks for everyone with us for Christmas - so I've still have a few pairs left to make. My goal is to take a picture of everyone wearing their new socks. I'll be sure to post at the end of the month. I'm off now to knit some more...

Holiday (or Not) KAL

I went looking for more pics to post and forgot to come back. Luckily we have the extra days! With all my traveling I'm missing a few pics, but I did find these. I completed these during Round 2 of Tour de Sock. Phellogen by Glenna C is knit in Smooshy by Dream in Color. 72 grams about 290 yards.

Round 4's pattern was Technical by Jeannie Cartmell. The yarn is Araucania Itata and I stepped out of my comfort zone for this toe-up pattern. After the round was complete, I ripped out the bind off to add more length. As pictured though, at tiny gauge they are well over 300 yards.

My non-sock project was the Binary Cable Hat by Firefairy knit in Plymouth Encore. If the picture was clearer you could count 8, 9, ... 15. (0-7) are on the other side. The progress photo is before ripping back to cut out the very light areas in the yarn. 62 grams for 124 yards.

And since I just can't stay away from the socks, three little minis from Meagheen Ryan. The patterns are "And So This is Christmas" and "Deck the Halls" and they are done in KnitPicks Palette and Wullenstudio's Rockin Around the Christmas Tree. About 26 grams or 110 yards.

Holiday Elmo

This is my last holiday project. My sister asked for a red scarf. This has the shade of red she likes, but I don't know about giving her an Elmo skin. If she isn't crazy about it, I think it would be better frogged and made into toys. I don't think I've ever bound off 400 stitches before. Good times.

More Holiday goodies

Catching up on pictures still... This 200-yard batch has a pair of booties/socks (more Simply Soft), a pair of Korknissen (Wisdom Marathon), and a vertigo hat in Mochi Plus. The hat is realllly soft.

Another Holiday Batch

I finished a bunch of stuff this weekend. First, a crochet project. My aunt gave me a ton of Simply Soft. I turned a small part of it (almost 400 yards) into a batch of treat bags and snowflakes.

Holiday or not KAL 4

These two projects are my final entry for the gifts KAL = 221 yards. Had a lot of fun doing the gifts this year. The scarf is finished wt of 86 gms = 150 yds Pattern is by Suzanne Sullivan and called Leaf Wrap Scarf. More details on my Rav project page. The cloth was 42 gms finished and 71 yds. The yarn had a knot in it so I'm keeping this one. :)

Happy Holidays to all of you and may your coming year be filled with joy (which of course includes lots of knitting), good health and love of friends and family

all caught up

with both the holiday kal and prime time.

there are 14 people who have completed a project a month for the last 11 months. two have completed all their projects using crystal palace yarns products! WOW!

there were 43 holiday (0r not) projects completed by 17 people. so "some" of us got some of our gift knitting finished way ahead of time. ("some" of us are a complete failure, what can i say?!)

winners will be announced soon.

Annual Carefree Holiday (or NOT!) KAL

it's almost time for the 4th(?) annual holiday (or not!) kal! who's interested?

start date: september 24, 2011 (saturday)
end date: december 11, 2011 (sunday)

Rules:
1. Post picture of project in progress...tag "holiday kal 4."
2. Post picture of finished project...tag "holiday kal 4." Projects must be posted by Midnight (PST), December 14, 2011.
3. project must be knit with a minimum of 200 yds (allowing for one skein projects with mini mochi/sausalito - doesn't have to be exactly....close enough will be okay) or crochet with a minimum of 350 yds. If yarn is knit multi-strand, yardage will be counted as if multi-strand is single...ie. 200 yds knit doubled counts as 100 yard.
4. Grand Prize Winner will be randomly chosen from pool of finished projects. There will be a special prize drawing for projects completed with Crystal Palace Yarns (must be 90% or more to qualify). Limit one prize per person.
5. No double dipping with Prime Time KAL or Rav KAL.

you may enter as many projects as you wish. you will get one entry for each completed project. more projects = more chances to win! =)

Holiday gifts or not KAL 4

3 cloths adding up to about 210 yds of cotton yarn. Pink and yellow ones are 8 py Bendigo cotton and the red one is worsted wt Bernat Handicrafter cotton. Chinese Fireball by Wychwoodlady on Ravelry is free and a nicely charted enjoyable 1 or 2 day project. The yellow picot edged cloth is a Churchmouse design called "Wee ones" picot edge baby blanket & washcloth. The pink one is by Evelyn Clark called Dapper Dab.

Holiday or Not KAL

Started: September 30, 2011
Pattern:Own Design

Yarn: Panda Silk-2 Balls-508 yds
Size 8 Needles
Finished: December 11, 2011