FO Friday 5/30/14

First I want to say how excited I am with the new banner and wallpaper on the blog. Jess you are amazing!

Tuesday was an exhausting day for me on the work front.  By the time I got home, a severe thunderstorm was rolling in and I just wanted to watch some Gossip Girl on Netflix and finish my Van Gogh socks.  It's funny, when I cast on the 2nd sock I wasn't trying to match this pair up.  Normally I make my socks all matchy-matchy if there is any sort of striping involved.  For this pair I figured I would just go with the flow, cast on where I left off on the first sock.  I think fate knew I would regret that decision later.  It just so happened that where I ended the first sock was just a row or two off from the color I started the first sock with.  So...my socks are accidentally almost identical.

Jess's Van Gogh-geous socks Opal Van Gogh-Cafe at Night

This week I only have a few tiny FOs to share.  A woman in Hufflepuff lost her infant daughter so we are making blanket squares that she and a few others will seam together and donate.  One of the squares is based on the log cabin blanket design, the other two with the hearts I designed myself.  

All of the squares were made with Pound of Love yarn and measure 5" square.

WIPs Wednesday 5/28

Besides my sock yarn blanket, I have two WIPs on the needles.  I am still working on my Dr. Who scarf.  Another few stripes done. I cannot believe how long it is getting!

I have also been working on my Winter Twilight Mitts. The colorwork is slow going, but I haven't had to rip it out since the last time.  I bought some great magnets from Slipped Stitch Studios which helps me to keep track of which row I am on.  

I keep trying on my mitts every row or so to make sure that they are not too tight. I even had a friend try them on too. They are definitely more snug than other mitts I have made, but if the floats are too loose you end up with ladders.  I am assuming that I could soak and block will help them even out a bit in the end.  

I just kitchenered the toe of my 2nd Van Gogh sock, so I will be sharing them on Friday.  That leaves my Adrift as the only WIP on the needles.  I haven't made much progress since last week, but I did knit on it yesterday morning.  I am so close to the sleeves and am hoping to be starting them by the weekend.

Tips Tuesday 5/27/2014 - Anniversary Gifts for Knitters

As my 8th wedding anniversary approaches it has me thinking of gifts that meet the traditions.  Each year I look at the traditional and modern ideas list and try to get something for my husband.  Many years I have made his gift based on the themes. For the 5th wedding anniversary, I stained a wooden frame and put our wedding picture in it. Last year the traditional gift is wool. Can you believe that, wool?! I made sure the hubby knew that and he got me two skeins of Wollmeise!  There are many years in which the gifts match up with our fiber habits so we thought we would make a list to share.  We are not sponsored by any of the ideas, but our just sharing some items that we like as gifts.  

1st Anniversary
Traditional: Paper Modern: Clocks
This would be a good opportunity to give your knitter a pattern book that she has been coveting. Maybe she wants the Rhinebeck Sweater book.  Or one of the humor books written by the Yarn Harlot.  

2nd Anniversary
Traditional: Cotton Modern: China
This works perfectly for knitters.  Give her a nice skein of cotton yarn, or a braid of cotton fiber.  Get a project bag to store projects in made of cotton.  

3rd Anniversary
Traditional: Leather Modern: Crystal or Glass
Leather seems a little trickier, but Namaste cases for needles or notions would fit the bill!  Glass knitting needles, or shawl pins would be a great gift that goes along with the modern theme.  I do have a set of needles from the link that I got at Rhinebeck in 2012.  The best part about the needles is that they have a lifetime warranty on them for any damage whatsoever.  Athena chomped my needle cable in an instant one day. I mailed the needles back to the Ernsts and for a small fee to cover shipping my needles were fixed and returned to me, good as new.  

4th Anniversary
Traditional: Fruit/Flowers Modern: Appliances
This one is trickier, so maybe an electric yarn ball winder?  I have never used one, but I think it would make winding go a lot quicker. 

5th Anniversary
Traditional: Wood Modern: Silverware
For wood you can go with a couple different ideas.  I have a set of beautiful wooden sock blockers that I got from the Loopy Ewe.  Wooden needles are also a good choice, maybe a set with fun clay animals on the end.  If she is a spinner, you could get her a spindle, a wooden niddy noddy to wind her handspun, or more bobbins for her wheel.  

6th Anniversary
Traditional: Candy/Iron Modern: Wood
I always like candy.  You could get candy theme stitch markers like these or these. Iron rusts so it would not be good for stitch markers or needles.  See wood ideas from the 5th anniversary.  

7th Anniversary
Traditional: Wool/Copper Modern: Desksets
I think this is my favorite anniversary, too bad it only comes around once.  My hubby had heard me talk about Wollmeise and assumed I never bought it for myself because of the price, he didn't realize how hard it is to find.  He did find the skeins on ebay after discovering the online shops that carry the yarn did not have any in stock.  Another good place to look is for people destashing on Ravelry.  There are many wool yarns and fibers that would make a great gift.  Malabrigo and Madeline Tosh both come to mind.  There are wonderful indie dyers as well that you can find on etsy.  One of my favorites is The Cyborg's Craft Room.

8th Anniversary
Traditional: Pottery/Bronze Modern: Linens/Lace
For pottery, I would go with a lovely yarn bowl.  Not only are they functional, I think they look quite nice on a table. You can do a play on words and get her some lace weight yarn, or some needles that are made for knitting lace (nice and pointy). 

9th Anniversary
Traditional: Willow/Pottery Modern: Leather
I really have no idea what to do for Willow. I  have no idea what I would give a non-knitter that is made of willow.  Pottery ideas from 8th anniversary and leather ideas from the third.

10th Anniversary
Traditional: Tin/Aluminium Modern: Diamond Jewelry
Tin or aluminum would be good for stitch markers and shawl pins.  Diamonds would also add some sparkle to your knitting :-P  

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.

Spunday 5/25/14

Tour de Fleece is coming up and I wanted to clear my spindle to get ready.  Back in March I started spinning my Knitting Knorth Polwarth.  Jen was letting me use her Bosworth mini and when we went to MDSW I got myself my own Bosworth midi to finish it off.  Yesterday, I woke up way too early for a 3 day weekend.  Rather than going back to sleep, I got my housework done and felt like spinning for a bit before heading off to a picnic.  A couple of hours later, I finished the braid. 

Knitting Knorth Polwarth-22713

I still need to ply it before it's 100% finished, but I am already trying to decide what fiber to spin next.  Right now I am torn between 3 different braids in my stash.  The contenders? 

Shadawyn Fiber Arts-Merino/Silk-Severus Snape

Moonrover Merino/Nylon-Muted Rainbow

Into the Whirled Corriedale-Blink

Which do you think I should spin next?

I think you should spin the Into the Whirled, or the Snape fiber!  I haven't spun at all this week. I keep thinking I will attempt my punis from Gourmet Stash, but the truth is  is that I am still intimidated by them. I think that Tour de Fleece will definitely get me spinning things that scare me.  

FO Friday 5/23/14

The deadline for the preemie hats going to our local hospital is creeping up on me. Before Jen delivers them to the hospital I wanted to knit a couple more.  This week I knit 2 preemie hats and gave them to Jen last night.  Whenever I make preemie hats, I use fingering weight yarn and follow this pattern.  Sometimes I knit the i-cord at the top, sometimes I leave it alone and just close the top.  After I knit the pink striped hat I wanted to do something a little different.  For the blue striped hat I slipped every other stitch in the first row of a new color change.  I would have liked to knit more hats, but I can always make more and either send them to a hospital that is in need or deliver them to St Luke's another time.

I also decided to finish up a few more preemie hats for our collection. I just received a box of more hats this morning from a fellow Hufflepuff so we are going to have so many hats to donate!  It is also nice that the hats will be coming from all over the country and I have one person from Sweden who is supposed to send me a few too!  So here are my latest two hats.  Both are done using Plymouth Dreambaby DK and using this pattern.

I also finally finished my socks that Jess finished a few weeks ago :-) 

Chiron Socks - Crabapple Yarns Pizzazz - Teal

It is so fun that Jess and I will have matching socks! We have both knit the same pattern before, and sometimes at the same time, but never as part of a formal KAL together heh. Even though they are not the same yarn or color, I will think of Jess whenever I wear them.  

WIPs Wednesday 5/21

So this week I have been working on my OWL, my mission, and finishing up a pair of socks.  I had two good hours while I was waiting for my oil change to work on my Dr. Who scarf.  I have 17 finished stripes and am currently working on the 18th.

I received many compliments on the scarf colors, when I told them it was the Dr. Who scarf, not a single person had heard of Dr. Who.  I was shocked. I guess when you hang out with people who are in to so many fandoms it is strange when there are people who have never heard of them.  I get that many people may not know about the specific scarf, but to have never heard of the show at all seems crazy to me!  

I also cast on my first true colorwork project.  I have been avoiding trying it out because it just seemed too intimidating.  I am doing a swap where we make different items each month for our partner and at the end of the year we give them a big box of handmade goodies.  My partner likes colorwork mitts, so I decided to give it a try.

Winter Twilight Mitts by Laura Rintala in Cascade Yarns Heritage solids in black and Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi - Violet rainbow

I am not attempting to hold the yarn in a special way, but am just twisting the yarns on the inside when I switch.  I keep trying them on to make sure my floats are not too tight.  

Last but not least I have been working on my Chiron socks.  I am to the middle of the foot so they should be finished today or tomorrow!

I've been trying to knit on my Adrift for most of the week.  I am 32 rows away from knitting the sleeves.  Once the sleeves are done I'll be at the halfway point!

Other than my sweater, I have an HO.  I just finished the first Van Gogh sock and am about to cast on the second sock.