FO Friday 5/15/15

So we have been quiet for awhile, but our needles have been moving! We are hoping to start back into the blog and have a few posts to catch you up on all we have been up to.  From knitting and other crafting, to fiber festivals and bestie adventures. 

One of the bigger projects that I have finished recently is a baby blanket that I made for my cousin. She is expecting a little boy (any day now) so I wanted to make sure I sent something she could snuggle the little guy in.  

Gradient Blanket by Sara Marks

It is made with Caron Simply Soft, so it is perfect for a baby blanket. I love that it is machine washable too.  I didn't have enough yarn to make the blanket as written, but it is still a big baby blanket. It was pointed out that this looks like a Ravenclaw blanket, and although that wasn't my intent it is probably pretty fitting. Both my cousin and her husband have earned PhDs in the sciences, so their baby will certainly be surrounded by wit and wisdom.

I was a little behind Jess in my Follow Your Arrow 2 so I didn't have it to share the last time that we blogged. I finished it now and I really like it.

Follow Your Arrow 2 - Ysolda Teague

I enjoyed knitting this one as much as the first Follow Your Arrow. I ended up with an ABABB shawl. If I make another one (maybe there will be a Follow Your Arrow 3?!) I would like to use a solid color yarn, or even a gradient. I think that would show the lovely stitches off better. The slight variegation of this yarn muddles things a bit, but it is still a pretty shawl.  

I made a Barley hat for my cousin's baby as well. Then it worked out that the next Quidditch prompt had a few patterns as options, and Barley was one of them! So I knit one up for myself too. This one was Madeline Tosh DK. It is soft and squishy.  I love the pink color, and I think it will be great for this fall.  (I am not thinking about cold weather for awhile).

One of the residents is going to be a mom so I knit up a quick Ruffled baby hat and a pair of baby socks.  To go with the socks I found the perfect book!

Leftovers Baby Socks - by Matthew Hesson-McInnis

Ruffled Baby Hat - by Maryann

The hat is Knit Picks Comfy Worsted and it is way too big for a newborn.  This works out ok as the baby is due in May and will really need the hat later in the year.  

The project I am most proud of is my Grandpa Cardigan by Joji Locatelli. I knit it up in Wollmeise DK and it is just lovely.  I knew it was quite a splurge to make a sweater out of Wollmeise and I am lucky to have had the opportunity.  This sweater is ALL cables. Cables on the body and sleeves.  I have temporary buttons on the sweater in these pics because I knew I would get some at Maryland Sheep and Wool (more on that later).

Just a few more projects, I promise. I knit up a pair of Pin Striped Socks by Julia Swart using some Cyborg's Craft Room sock yarn in the colorway Lagoon. This was the only knitting project that I brought with me on our trip to Aruba. That is a good thing because I did not have too much time to knit.

I knit a tiny gnome for Project Gnome Diplomacy! He is on his way to South Korea now!

Last, but not least. I knit up a shawl that I have been wanting to make for a long time. A family member is going through a rough time, so I decided to knit up a shawl for her. That way I can give her a hug from afar and she will know we are thinking of her. I used a bright skein from Sweet Georgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in the colorway honey fig to make this Multnomah.  I am also excited I got a picture of this beautiful tree in my front yard while it was in bloom.

Late winter I somehow lost my knitting mojo.  It's back in full force now and I have a bunch of FO's to show.  

To start, back in January I was asked to test knit Wasabi by Susan Claudino as part of the Dancing Dog Dyeworks Monster Mania club.  I knit one out of Knit Picks WOTA and a baby one out of The Cyborg's Craft Room Assparkilate.  The pattern was finally revealed in April and if you weren't part of the Monster Mania club, you should be able to purchase the pattern in a few months.

I have knit a few Citron shawls in the past, but never ended up keeping one for myself.  Late in the winter, my friend Barb, was trying to find a shawl to make with some yellow Wollmeise.  I was searching Ravelry trying to find patterns for her and felt the urge to knit myself a bright yellow shawl.  I ordered 2 skeins of Malabrigo Lace from Eat Sleep Knit.  The colorway looked like sunshine.  When it arrived, I was a little sad to see it was more of a marigold color.  Yellowish orange.  I started the shawl anyway, figuring I would be giving this one away, too.  However, by the time I finished I was in love with it.  It is so bright and happy!  It's also the perfect size.  I can wear it around my neck as a shawlette, or I can wear it over my shoulders if I get chilly at work and it keeps me warm.  

I've also knit 3 pairs of socks over the past couple of months.  I know I retracted my goal of knitting 12 pairs, but right now socks ARE making me happy so I want to knit them while I still have the urge.

The first pair is just a basic vanilla sock with a heel flap.  I used Desert Vista Dyeworks "If They Kill Daryl".  

The second pair are No Purl Monkeys using some yarn that I dyed when I hosted a dye party with our local knit group.  (More on that in another post).  I am SO thrilled with the results and these are my favorite socks right now.

The most recent pair I knit is a pair of Socks on a Plane using my Miss Babs that I got at Maryland Sheep & Wool last year.  I skipped MDSW this year, but I felt it was appropriate to knit with my yarn on the weekend of the festival.  These socks are shorties.  They only go about an inch above my ankle bone, but with summer just around the corner I wanted to try something different.

The final project I have to share this week is kind of a secret, but as long as I don't say who it's for it should be ok ;)

I knit a Hogwarts Express for a friend of mine.  I've knit this shawl a couple of other times in the past.  It's a fairly simple knit and super fast.

I've knit a couple of washcloths and some ornaments for the Little Lippy Ewe swap, but I will hold off on showing all of them until the end of the year.  

I hope you all have a great week!  

FO Friday 3/6/15

After 3 storms in the past week, not only have I done a lot of snow shoveling, but I have also been busting out the FO's and working on my sock yarn blanket.  Last month, in the middle of my February socks, I decided that sock knitting wasn't making me happy for the time being.  I am participating in 2 different year long swaps and the last thing I need is another major deadline project.  I have knit a pair (and sometimes 2 pairs) a month for the past 3 years, so my previous stated goal of knitting at least 12 more pairs of socks this year is over.  This year, I am knitting what makes me happy.  No pressure knitting (other than the already signed up for swaps).

So, with no socks on the needles I have had plenty of time to work on my blanket.  In the past week I have knit 25 squares and will be working on it most of this next week, too.

Susan Claudino released her Bonbon bunny pattern on March 1st.  I had the honor of test knitting for her,  The first sample I made was using some mystery (I think it's Opal) sock yarn that has been hiding in my stash for years.  It's speckled and super teeny and adorable. 

The second one I made was out of worsted weight.  I needed a gift for a co-workers soon to be born baby girl.  She saw me knitting the tiny bunny and asked me to knit her a bunny for Rowan.  We were throwing her a surprise shower the next week, so I had the perfect opportunity to knit it for her.  I used Gnome Acres House Gnome in Flamingo Fling.  

Bonbon Bunny in Opal (?) fingering weight

Bonbon Bunny in Gnome Acres House Gnome

I have another bitty bunny on the needles that I hope to share next week :)

Late last week, I FINALLY finished my Adrift cardigan.  You know, the one I started LAST MAY.  I blocked it aggressively and now it fits perfectly.  It's the perfect sweater to wear in the office.  Lightweight, but so warm and cozy.

Adrift Cardigan in Malabrigo Lace

 Last week, I also finished up a pair of basic hand warmers.  I used Chroma Fingering in the Regency colorway. 

Chroma handwarmers

The last thing I have to share was technically finished back in January, but I finally blocked my coffee break Tubularity late last week. I still have to sew on the buttons, but I think I might re-block it first.  It's a little snug when I wear it over my head.  For now, it's going to sit in my hand knit basket until I decide what to do.  I really enjoyed knitting it.  It was very meditative.  I just wish it fit me better.  :(

Endless Coffee Break Tubularity in Miss Babs Coffee Break Polydactyl kit

I have been getting serious cabin fever sitting at home this week with the bad weather. Tomorrow will be the first time I actually will drive in days! Spring cannot get here fast enough. I have been plugging away on my big projects, and yesterday I worked on my sock yarn blanket while the hubby and I did a "House of Cards" mini-marathon.  We have finally started season 3.  The other projects I had on my needles take too much concentration for that show.  So the blanket got some attention and I completed 6 more squares bringing me up to a total of 250 squares! 

Compared to Jess I look like a slacker! I finished up a baby blanket for a family member, and a little hat too but still need to take pictures when I have better light. I do have one FO to share though.

Bonbon - The Cyborg's Craft Room Bested "Without Borders"

I did not test knit this little bunny, but cast on just as soon as the pattern was released! I love this bunny, and know that I will be making a lot more of these in the future. I need to make one in sock yarn like Jess because they turn out so tiny and cute!

Modular Monday 5/26/14

I've been working hard on my sock yarn blanket this week.  I managed to knit 21 squares so far which brings my total to 88!  Now I am at the point in my BROOM mission where I can knit a square a day in order to submit my mission on time for the House Cup.  

Jess's Sock Yarn Blanket

I have received so many mini skeins from various Ravelry friends and Instagram friends.  Thank you all so much for being a part of my blanket <3

I have also been working on my blanket. I just finished the 20th square of the month last night.  I also received a big bag of mini-skeins from a Ravelry friend, and there are even more on the way. It is so fun to have a blanket filled with yarn from so many people.

Jen's blanket

I am up to 143 squares.  I am starting to work on my blanket across each row, instead of randomly picking a spot and each column has at least 5 squares. 
How are your modular projects going? We only have 5 more days to enter our contest in our Ravelry group. Don't forget to vote on our Tour de Fleece poll as well.

Modular Monday 5/12/14

My sock yarn blanket currently has 67 squares.  For the HPKCHC, I proposed my Order of the Phoenix mission and challenged myself to knit an additional 70 squares between May 18th and July 13th.  Awesome, since my blanket will double in size, not so awesome that I can't work on it until next Sunday.  Well...I can but any of the squares knit before then won't count.  I'm not going to show pictures of the 5 squares I knit last week, I'll just share pictures when there is significant change.  ;)

I have been working hard on my OWL and other projects so my blanket has not made much progress. It is funny just how many squares that I made during break month for the HPKCHC and as soon as term starts I slow right down. I have so many fun mini-skeins that I got at Maryland Sheep and Wool and from friends that I really want to get back to it.  It will be fun to see Jess' blanket get bigger really fast though!  Remember to visit our group on Ravelry and share about your own modular projects.  We also have a new thread talking about a possible Tour de Fleece team, so come join the conversation!

MDSW 2014 & Modular Mondays in May

This past weekend was the 41st annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in West Friendship, Maryland.  Jen & I drove down Friday night and came back Sunday afternoon.  We have been going for a few years, but in my opinion, this one was the most successful for us.  We both got everything we wanted on our lists (and more!), we didn't feel rushed and the weather was beautiful.  

Friday night, Cephalopod Yarns was having an open house from 4-8:30.  When we got there, we shopped a bit and then met and knit with noman, largosmom, and NekoMich.  They are lovely ladies and so much fun to talk to!  

We got to take a tour of the studio and got some info on something they will be announcing on their site shortly (!!!)  During the tour, one of our friends, lipsral, arrived.  I am so happy that I got to meet her!  We have been friends for a few years and it was great to get to meet her in person and give her a hug.  She knows we have been working hard on our sock yarn blankets so she brought each of us a special cup filled with mini skeins.  The cup has the tree and moon logo that is on the South Carolina flag.  Every time I drink from my cup I will think of Renee.  

Saturday, we woke up early and headed to the fairgrounds.  We got there around 8 am and the booths didn't open until 9.  We headed to Gourmet Stash because I have been dying to try to spin punis and there was a limited edition Maleficent colorway that I needed to get my hands on.  I also got some punis, which I have never spun before. I was nervous, but am always looking to get better at spinning.  I bought the MDSW exclusive set in the colorway "Spinner's Hill."  Also in the booth was The Vintage Rose.  She has so many amazing themed sets of stitch markers.  I am kicking myself for not getting the Sherlock set or the Harry Potter set. I snagged a set of Game of Thrones stitch markers that are awesome, a dragon, a castle, a sword and more!   I'll have to check out her etsy shop soon to see if they are available.  I did get myself a spinning wheel stitch marker to remind me of the amazing weekend I had.  

Next, we headed to to the Bosworth booth so I could get my own spindle.  I have been borrowing Jen's mini for months.  I got myself a zebrawood midi.  It's 32gm/1.13oz and gorgeous.  I tested it out that night when we went to the spin-in and I am in love with it.  It spins for miles and is so smooth.  

We wanted to check out Miss Babs, but the line was super long so we skipped it on Saturday.  We both scored at Into the Whirled.  I got some beautiful Corriedale in "Blink".  I was trying to decide what  to get when I saw a fiber called "Godswood."  So that was my second Game of Thrones item for the day!  I got it in Polwarth and it is gorgeous!  One of the booths was selling 4oz of targhee for $3 so we each picked up a bag.  I've never spun targhee before so I'm looking forward to trying it out.  I have spun Targhee before and really enjoyed it so I was excited to see the great deal that we got for it! Plus, since we got natural colored fiber I may try to dye it as well.

There was an HPKCHC meetup at 2pm so we headed over to the hill outside the main building.  It took a few minutes, but we eventually found our group in the crowd.  It was so nice to put faces to all of the ravatars I have been seeing for 7 terms.  

Hufflepuff Hoggles in the back!

We each scored a gradient batt from Loop to spin, mine is even Hufflepuff colors! (that is not what they call it but I am heh).  I bought a gradient braid from Fiber Optic Yarns too.  I have looked at their yarn and fibers before, but have never bought any of it.  I went in thinking I would buy the Chocolate Covered Cherry colorway, but left with a gradient that looks more like peacock colors to me.  After more shopping, we decided to head back to the hotel, refresh and go to dinner before the spin-in.  

The spin-in was pretty fun.  When you came in, you got one raffle ticket.  Throughout the evening, they would call out random numbers and if your number was called, you got to go to the table and pick a prize.  They held contests for who could spin the most in a minute on a drop spindle, on a spinning wheel.  Who could spin the most blindfolded.  The had a word search contest that Jen won.  After Jen won, she gave me her ticket and her number was called so I chose a t-shirt. 

At the spin in, Jess with her new Bosworth and Jen with her Lendrum

Sunday we woke up early and went back to the fairgrounds.  We decided since we still had an hour before the booths opened, we would head over to Miss Babs to see if we could get the MDSW exclusive colorway.  We were 8th in line, chatted with some nice people and got our yarn.  

After Miss Babs, we stopped at Jennie the Potter.  They were sold out of the MDSW mugs but we each got our first Jennie mugs.

The rest of the morning we just walked around, looked at animals and then sat and knit/spun for a bit before heading home.  

Jessica's haul from MDSW

Jen's goodies from MDSW

Jessica's sock yarn blanket with 62 squares so far

Jen's blanket with 126 squares

For the month of May we are celebrating Modular Mondays!  When we say modular we mean anything that you put together to make something else. Like blanket squares or hexipuffs. You have seen our sock yarn blankets here before, but we want to know what modular items that you like to work on.  Each Monday we will share our progress on our blankets and at the end of the month we will give a prize away in our thread on Ravelry. We will send you a set of sock weight mini-skeins that you can use on your own modular item.  All you have to do is leave a comment (with or without a picture) of something modular that you have made or want to make.  You must be a member of the group, and only one comment per person. We will select a winner using a Random Number Generator after midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on May 31, 2014.