Mmmm . . . Cake

Four little cakes

of scrumptiousness!

My favorite flavors too:

wool and silk

Fall just can't get here soon enough.

The sweet treats

pictured above are for a 

shawl (that cake of dark blue Tussah silk)

and a scarf (the medium blue and the multi-colored cakes).

Happiness Is . . .

. . . a quiet morning with time to set up the spinning wheel. My first bit of handspun yarn looks like crapola, but I am having so much fun trying to figure it all out that I don't mind!

Today I chose peace instead of productivity.  

It was an excellent choice.

♥

A (lot of) Knit(s) A Week

Easter!

He is RISEN!

Knitting up little critters for the royal Easter

baskets has become a bit of a tradition.

I just can't help myself.

They are so quick and great stash user-uppers!

All of the patterns are from Susan B. Anderson's fab

book:  Itty Bitty Toys.

I highly recommend her books/patterns.

They are well-written,

and oh! so! cute!

Without further ado here are the 2012 editions:

Mama and baby koala for Princess #1.
Although, secretly, I was tempted to send them to
her auntie, who loved anything koala when she
was younger. :)

It's a stripey kitty!!
It matches Princess #3's pinwheel sweater. :)
Wait . . .

. . . no, it's cute blue mousey!
I love these reversible stuffed animals
so, so much!!

Timmy, it's Timmy!
He's a handful of trouble at every turn,
the sheep that is . . .
 er, um, ahem. {grin}

A little puppy wrapped in blankie for Princess #2.

A Knit A Week: Stashdown Edition

Knitting, knitting, oh, how I love thee.

Especially when I end up with creations like this one!

Another from-the-stash project!!

Lace with beads, yes! please!

Another mystery shawl from Susanna IC.
I love her shawls!!

Blocked in time to wear to church! Yay me!

The Details:

Pattern:  Diantha by Susanna IC

Yarn:  Cascade Alpaca Lace

purchased April 2011 (I think)

Verdict:  Love.  Love the pattern.  I hope to make

this in a different weight yarn at some point.

The pattern included versions in fingering weight and worsted

weight, as well as the lace, like I did this time around.

Princess #3 is 7!!

And she got to celebrate on crutches!

Woot!

This was a year of a lot of growing up for

our spirited miss.

This was a year with a lot of learning for

her parents.

She is a blessing.

She has been used by God in my life to point out a lot of areas 

I didn't know I needed (and still need) to work on.

I should probably be more thankful for that. {grin}

Yay for Barbies!!

Here are some things that you should know about our precious girl,

our youngest daughter.

She is a/an:

*fast and furious bicycle rider.  No training wheels for this one!

*fabulous reader.

*aspiring seamstress.

*giver of neck-popping hugs.

*brave trier of new things.

*lover of all things Barbie.

*wonderful brother watcher.

*aspiring chef.

*quick witted teaser.

*infectious giggler.

We are so proud of her accomplishments this year.

A lot of things we take for granted, are struggles for her,

and she is learning to handle them with grace.

Cuddling her sweet Frosty Rudolph!

Happy 7th, my dear, my darling!!

A Knit A Week: Stashdown Edition

I have been knitting.

A lot.

Just not posting.

That pesky sun,

he hasn't been around much.

Winter decided to come to the Castle.

For about a week, maybe two.

That's enough for me and mine.

Just a taste of the white stuff.

Then a lovely chinook took it away.

The chinook's evil twin Mr. Nasty-Wind stayed.

He huffed and puffed and blew a bunch of shingles down.

Grr.

Having to find someone to repair shingles 

takes away from knitting time, don't ya know?!

Here are my first two stashdowns for 2012.

A beautiful little shawl for Princess #2.
Ruffles and stripes, oh yes please!!

Confession time:  This yarn was purchased with birthday money
in (gulp) 2009. Yes, I'm blushing.

The Details:

Pattern:  Little House Shawl by Joanna Johnson

Yarn:  Noro Sock Yarn 

(which in my opinion, would make horrible, itchy socks, 

but does make fabulous little shawls)

Verdict:  I love how it turned out.  The Noro yarns have very long color

repeats which lend themselves well to a pattern designed this way.

My knock-off Airquote Mittens.
Mine did *not* cost $65 in materials.
Kate Spade's did.

Cute little quotes!
Instead of intarsia, I using a little thing called
duplicate knitting. Handy little skill that is!

The Details:

Pattern:  Classic Mittens

I charted and added quotes by duplicate stitching.

Yarn:  Cascade 220 Wool in black and white

(No confession needed, I love to keep Cascade in my stash

always.  It is such a versatile, workhorse of a yarn. 

This yarn was leftover from some felted bags I made last year.)

Verdict:  I made these for a dear friend from college,

and she loves them.  Yay!!  More importantly she is 

using them!! Hope she wears them out at some point, 

so I can make her more.  It is joy to knit for

people who appreciate your work by putting it to use!!

The Great Stash Bust of 2012

So, I have a lot of yarn, by some standards.  I am not apologizing or asking you to understand my obsession with string.  It just is what it is.  Last week, I took some time to clean out my yarn cupboard.  My cupboard is three shelves high, just about 3 feet tall, so it's not like wardrobe size or anything. All of my non-sock yarn is grouped by weight or by project, if I know the yarn's destiny. My sock yarn is kept in a different location, because in my world, sock yarn does not count as stash, sock yarn is special and set apart, lovingly handled as the need arises.

One of my biggest peeves with knitting is leftovers.  I try desperately to use every last inch of yarn and when I have a smidge left behind it annoys me.  It annoys me because I have a hard time throwing it away.  I might need it someday or it was expensive good quality.  I have gotten better and each time I clean out the stash, more of the littlest bits leave the nest.  However, there are a few stray balls of yarn.  Not big enough to make something on their own, but too much yarn and too good of quality to just trash or Goodwill.  (I do donate yarn to various charities, but most charities prefer machine washable yarn, and I just don't have much stashed.)

So, why tell you all of this dear readers, well, it is because this year I have determined to knit from the stash as much as is humanly possible (for me).  I have two shelves in my little cupboard of yarn that is for potential projects, and by George, I am going to knit them up.  I'll keep you posted (yah, you saw that one coming didn't you) on my progress, and may possibly have a give away or two this year.  I'm working out the logistics of that.

Here's to stash-busting!!  My needles are loaded with three projects right now, all of which are from the stash!  It is on!!

A Knit A Week

What better way to start off the New Year than

with a lovely wool cardy??

This sweater is actually a test knit that I 

did for Terri Kruse, whose patterns I adore.

The buttons are made from a deer antler by
this etsy seller.  ((I think they bear a marked
resemblance to banana chips.))

So warm and pretty.  I love the offset opening and the cables.

And more pretty cables down the back.

Pattern:  Foster by Terri Kruse (it hasn't been published yet)

Yarn:  Cascade 220 Heathers in the river rock color way.

Verdict:  Wonderful, seamless, knit from the top down sweater.

Lots of stockinette, but having the cables to think about, 

made it bearable.

I think I will get a lot of use out of this one.  

I really like how it fits.

2011 Knitting Wrap Up

I did this last year, if you'll remember, and found it so encouraging and inspiring for the new year of knitting.  So I am doing it again.  This is not to brag or any of that stuff, this is for posterity's sake. {grin}

The tally goes:

Pairs of Socks:  10  (approx. 3,500 yards of yarn)

Toys (stuffed):  13  (approx. 5,000 yards of yarn)

Sweaters: 2 adult; 12 child size  (approx. 8,000 yards of yarn)

Scarves, Shawls, or Cowls:  8  (approx. 2,000 yards of yarn)

Hats:  7 (approx. 700 yards of yarn)

Pairs of Mittens:  1  (approx. 150 yards of yarn)

Bags:  3  (approx. 900 yards of yarn)

That is a whopping (approximately) 20, 250 yards of yarn I knit this past year!!  

I'm suddenly feeling very tired.

My favorite project you ask, well, hmmm.

Favorite socks.
Love the stripey goodness on these.

Favorite cowl, this double knit
beauty.  It is completely reversible, and
absolutely lovely.

Favorite new skill, planned pooling shown
in this poncho for Princess #3.
I controlled (as much as I could) how the colors
would stack up by tension, and where I started
knitting from the skein.

This one is still my absolute favorite piece
from 2011!!
The Hitchhiker scarf.
You'll be seeing it again in 2012. {grin}

Thanks again for all of your kind comments and encouragement along the way.

I already have quite the long list of knitting projects 

that I dream about having enough time to do for the coming year.

Happy New Year!!

Prize Worthy

So, remember that sweater I knit in 23 days.

Well, I entered it in a drawing that Jill Draper

was hosting, and . . .

WON!! 

Whoo-hoo!

Best of all.

This is what I won:

Photo slurped from Jill.

It may not look like much, but dear friends,

that is enough yarn to make an adult sweater.

Almost 1,300 yards of yarn.

This is Jill's Empire Yarn.

Made specially for Jill, sheep to skein in New York state.

Now to find something to create with my beautiful prize!!

23 Days

I did it.  

I started and finished a sweater for myself in 23 days!

Out of lace weight yarn.

With long sleeves.

And stripey goodness.

Best of all . . .

It fits.

Like a pair of favorite jeans.

Like it was meant to be.

So glad I paused the holiday rush to knit this for myself.

I really do love this sweater.
I swear.

It fits! I am in sweater love!

The Details:

Pattern:  Versio by fallmasche (Rav link)

Yarn:  Jill Draper's Aurora wool/silk blend yarn

in the Sterling and Blue Agate color ways. 

Happy Birthday to me!

Gorgeous stuff, my photos do not do it justice!

Verdict:  Doing a lace weight sweater for myself, was a bit on 

the crazy side of things.  But I am so glad I used the 

lighter weight yarn because winter at the Castle

aren't really *that* cold. {grin}

P.S.  Christmas knitting--it's on.

A Knit A Week

So I went a little crazy with the photos for this post, 

but when you spend the amount of hours

that I did for one creation . . .

you want to heavily document it! {grin}

This is another mystery shawl knit-a-long.

I have admired the designer's shawls for a long time, 

but had yet to screw up the courage to tackle one

on my own.  It was great to be joined by a 

couple hundred others in making this shawl.

My lame attempt at an artsy photograph!

Princess #1 showing off one wingspan.

Although you can't see them (due to my stellar photo taking skills),
there are about 200+ seed beads knit into the shawl.
I used dental floss to do it!

It has a crescent shape which is awesome, because the
curve keeps it on your shoulders.

So, so pretty!!

Pattern:  Polaris by Susanna IC (Rav link)

Yarn:  Aurora by Jill Draper in the Blue Agate colorway
This is one of Jill's new yarns! In a word: gorgeous!
Wool and silk lace weight yarn with stunning color!

Verdict:  Okay, so this was a challenge for me. My first lace weight shawl and
first time adding beads to my knitting.
 When I saw the first clue said cast on 361 I about threw in the towel.
However, the brilliance of shawls done this way (bottom up, crescent)
is that you tackle the multitude of stitches while the
excitement of starting a new project is highest.  By the time you're done,
you're down to about a couple hundred. Easy peasy! {grin}

Happiness Is . . .

. . . picking apples with your soon-to-be 98 (eep!) year old Grandpa, your Mom, and your four kids.  Despite feeling cruddy, it was one of the best afternoons I have had in recent history.  What a blessing!!

The One Where I Buy a Semi-Pornographic Thermometer

So, as I've mentioned before change is evil here at the Castle.  And change is upon us in the form of cooler weather.  For the last four years we have battled with Fall and every year he kicks our, well, you know.  So I just purchased a little something that I hope will help us win this round . . . a somewhat risque thermometer for our spirited miss.

As well as telling the temperature, there is a picture of a lady, who bears a striking resemblance to "Barbie" who is in various states of dress (or undress) as the weather dictates.  I am hopeful that this will help reinforce what I am telling my spirited little girl in terms of choosing weather appropriate clothing.  It was a relief to finally find one that fit her specific requirements (this is not our first attempt at this):  not a boy, not a little girl, not a girl that really looks like a boy.  Thank you amazon.com for having this lovely option this year!!

Fingers crossed that our little miss sees this as
"such a hot day, I should wear a tank top dress" and
*not*
"whoo-hoo I can get away with just wearing my unders".

A Knit A Week

I can still remember when I learned about dinosaurs.  

It was 2nd grade.

Mrs. Scherr's class.

I was hooked.

I checked out books from the library.

Wrote reports. 

Wrote stories.

I was enamored with the things.

Probably drove my parents and siblings nuts.

Or maybe I kept it to myself, as a secret love.

I don't quite remember.

Anyway, Princess #3 has a best friend.

That special little gal is a lover of dinosaurs.

I can't tell you how giddy this has made me.

So when I saw this sweater, I knew I had to make it for her.

Because when I was her age I would have wanted one.

Princess #3 was willing to model for me!

The dinosaurs march around the entire sweater.

The Details:

Pattern:  Diplodocus by Kate Oates

Yarn:  Knit Picks Swish Worsted

Verdict:  When I gave her the sweater, I blanked on the dinosaur's name.

This little sweet, took one look and told me:

It's a Diplodocus.

{grin}

I believe that says it all!!

A Knit A Week

So, did I mention that I attended Sock Summit 2011?

I didn't?

Well, I did.

And, it was, in a word: amazing.

To be surrounded by knitters from all walks of life, 

who were wearing the most fabulous hand knits I have ever seen,

to not get any funny looks or feel as if you

might be the tiniest bit rude by pulling out your knitting

whenever you get the chance,

to have the sensory experience to see, touch, and

talk with the creators of incredible sock yarns and patterns was

INSPIRING!

I want to go back.

I got the chance to meet Jill Draper.

She's the gal I buy most of my sock yarn from,

as you faithful readers know.

Just meeting her, was worth making the trip.

To give her a hug and squish her yarn in person,

the icing on the cake that was Sock Summit!

I took some classes.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I bought some yarn.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I bought some patterns.

I met the Yarn Harlot.

I finished these socks while there.

Stood in line forever waiting for the chance

for the Yarn Harlot to "hold" my sock

as she so willingly does, rock star knitter that she is..

And realized that I forgot to take my camera [*&%@]

to document such a momentous occasion.

Anyway, as you may have guessed I am thoroughly 

enamored with creating hand knit socks.

Sock Summit, just convinced me that this

obsession is right and true!

The Details:

Pattern:  Socks For Euni a freebie from Liz Abinante

Yarn:  Socks that Rock Lightweight by Blue Moon Fiber Arts

in a mystery color Mill End.

Verdict:  These babies just flew off the needles.  I love it when 

that happens.  Fab pattern and fab yarn!  One more

Christmas gift off the list!!