Burrowing

Currently piling on the blankets, making soup and tea, petting the knitting, and sucking down ibuprofen. I will return with a progress report on the sweater (Gatsby Girl in a lovely tweedy green Ultra Alpaca Light) once I’m feeling a little more human. It seems that I have contracted a head cold of serious magnitude.

Knit on.

Honey, (It’s Supposed to Be a) Baby Blanket

Of course, I swatched.  I swatched diligently.  I achieved gauge with the given needle size, both rows per inch and stitches per inch.  Yet, my baby blanket still managed to be more of a full-size blanket.  It stretches about 2/3 the length of a full sized bed.

I worried about running out of yarn on the edging, but in the end I had about 15 grams left.  I also discovered a spot in the edging where I repeated rows 1 & 2 twice on one side instead of doing rows 3 & 4.  It’s a small mistake and I discovered it while blocking (of course!), so I decided not to worry about it.

Stats:
Pattern: Honey Baby Blanket by Anne Hanson
Needle: US 4 Hiya Hiya Interchangeable & US 4 Clover Bamboo DPNs
Yarn: Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn, 3 skeins, colorway Kindness
Modifications: none, unless you count the size and that was accidental

Is it selfish to want to keep this for myself?  I made it as a State Fair entry, but with the intention of giving it away after the fair.  Now, I like it so well and it’s large enough that I want to keep it for a lap blanket.

The Edge Goes On

And on and on and on.  I am currently stuck on the edging.  Will report back soon (hopefully) with a finished project.  Should you not hear from me by Valentine’s Day, please rouse me from my edging nightmare.

I Shouldn’t Have

It was an indulgence, a little something that was very special.  My pictures couldn’t capture the true light color of this book.

It’s large and heavy and lovely.

Thick, creamy pages.  Large color pictures.

And it’s the English version.  Worth every penny.

Buttons on my Laptop

Well, actually, it’s buttons on the FABRIC on my laptop CASE.  Yes, yes, I did break out the sewing machine again.  I loved this fabric and wanted to make something that I could use every day.  And, I have been, using it every day.

My laptop looks all snug and happy in there, doesn’t it?  I didn’t do a bad job on the sewing either.  Ok, yes, I could have done some things differently, however, I am perfectly happy with the way it turned out.  I did slightly change the pattern (it seems I can’t leave a sewing pattern alone either), by doubling the batting and omitting the bias tape on the inside seams.  Honestly, I wasn’t planning to show off the inside seams so I thought it was silly to waste the bias tape.  I did use my pinking shears to trim the seam down.

At some point I suppose I should make a larger tote bag that my laptop and it’s case would fit in.  Right now I just like to slip the laptop in there when I’m done with it.  It keeps the dust off and it’s sort of “hidden” in plain site under that lovely fabric.  Next up on the cutting table: aprons!

p.s. no, I haven’t stopped knitting.  I’m working on the Honey Baby Blanket by Anne Hanson right now and it will be a while before I’m finished.

As Promised, the Scarf

I was so hoping that the snow would melt more, but unfortunately we still have some hanging about.  The snow had made it difficult to clean the barn, but I should be able to get in there and really strip it down over the next few days.  Snow is always a challenge to anyone that keeps livestock.

Snow is also irritating for those of us who like to take pictures of our knits outside.  I’m not a whiz with my camera and trying to account for additional glare due to snow is a nightmare for me.  I decided to take matters into my own hands and check out a book on digital photography from the library.  I’m not happy with the image quality that I post here, even though it is a huge improvement over my first photographs.

This picture wasn’t bad, but I know that I can do better.

Stats:
Pattern: Feather and Fan scarf, no intended recipient (I just really felt like making a f-n-f scarf)
Yarn: Dalegarn Daletta, 2 full balls and 1 partial leftover
Needle: US 6 Hiya Hiya Interchageable circular needles

I didn’t really block this like I should have, but I was already blocking the Fountain Pen Shawl and I just gave up on the scarf.  I sort of stretched it out and patted it into shape.  It took longer to dry than I anticipated as well, but I rather like it.  It has been tucked into my “gift” trunk for that time when I need a quick gift.

Library, Here I Come

Spiffed out with my new tote bag.  Well, ok.  So I should have made a little bigger bag, this one holds about 3 hard back and 2 paperback books.  I think I could squeeze one more paperback in there if I had the need.

Next time I’m making a larger bag!  I like to pick up a LOT of books when I head to the library.

At first, I wasn’t going to use three fabrics, as the pattern suggested.  Then I rethought my original idea and realized that the light blue fabric I used for the straps helped to bring out the blue in the base pattern.  The color is a bit washed out in my picture.  That’s what happens when you photograph inside, at night, under CF lighting.  It’s just one of those irritating things you have to deal with in winter.  And, yes, that is my Christmas tree in the background.  I have no plans to take it down.  Maybe at the end of the month, but I’m enjoying the lights too much to take it down right now.

I still need to take a picture of the scarf I finished, but that lighting issue and the snow have prevented me from taking a good photo.  I’m hoping to have a nice picture for you all soon.  That is, if there’s anyone left still reading. lol

Wandering Winter Thoughts

As I approach almost one full year without employment my mind has started to drift.  I start to dream of cozy little shops where I’m the proprietress, waiting on cheerful customers behind a worn wooden counter.  Dreams of tea shops and yarn shops and cozy second-hand book shops drift in rapid succession.  Visions of yarn and spinning braids, dust jackets and worn book covers, delicate teacups and rich blends of tea assail my senses.

Then I come to, put down my tea cup, close my book, move the knitting from my lap, and scratch Beau’s ears.

Ink Dripped Onto Snow

The Fountain Pen Shawl in BMFA Silk thread, Thraven colorway.  I used 40 grams (~500 yards) of the skein.  That leaves me approx. 60 grams or 750 yards to play with yet.

I used a US 1 Hiya Hiya Circular and it still blocked a little more openly than I wanted. Actually, the shawl was so open that when I attempted my usual shawl-in-tree shots, you couldn’t see the shawl’s pattern.  So, I tried some shawl-on-snow shots instead.

I wish that the coloring was more visible.  The Thraven color has some intense highlights of blue and green in it that just make the whole piece shimmer like sunlight on a Raven’s wing.

I’m rather enthralled with the shawl.  The color and how light it is. It’s large without seeming to be.  I love the snap of the silk when you toss the edge out.

Seems to Be Fabric-y

Firstly, a cute little fleece set. Yes, a set. You see, this wrapped package, when unwrapped, turns into a blanket and pillow. Cute, yes?

I love the little duckies on the fabric. Plus, I thought this would be a cute presentation.

As long as I was making pillows, I thought I might as well whip one up for my buddy Grant. He really loved how soft the fabric was and kept hinting that it would be really great as a pillow, or a hat, or mittens. lol That’s a 9-year-old for you.

Of course, I also had to make some promised flannel lounge pants too. Ladybugs for Cait.

Dinosaurs for Grant. Of course, his are too big and the legs have a long hem, but I wanted him to be able to grow into them.

Finally, I present the diaper bag with attached changing pad for a pregnant friend.

This is my first attempt at a structured bag. I worked very hard on this and it turned out very nicely. I even managed to sew most of the pieces without ripping out a seam. I used fusible fleece and fusible interface for the first time, inserted a magnetic clasp, sewed in a lining, added Velcro, and so many more new things. I’m starting to feel rather empowered now that I can spin, weave, sew, knit, crochet, tat, and embroider.