Sunday, June 20, 2010

CSA

Yes, I'm switching topics from knitting to food. Specifically fruits and vegetables today.

We signed up at our local in town farm for a CSA package. I've always like the idea of them, investing in the local farm. I also wanted to make sure we had fresh fruits and vegetables through the seasons. We also knew in doing this we could cut back on our own garden.

In fact our farm was purchased a few years back from a foreclosure, the bank was just about to sell the land to a builder....thank goodness that didn't work out...and this multi-generation family purchased it to keep it as a working farm.

This is the share we picked up this weekend:
The strawberries are just so sweet! We are going to make strawberry shortcake, as the DH is really wanting to make real whipped cream!

I also didn't post what we got last weekend:
I ended up eating one packages of strawberries within that week, and froze the other. The lettuce was great for not only our sandwiches that week, but also provided a cup for our bunny, Bianca the entire week!

Knitting will be back next post! It is finally nice and sunny here, so maybe I can talk DH to take some shawl photos that I owe you!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Saroyen BO

So, I couldn't stay idle...and ah, yes, another scarf.

Pattern: Saroyen
Yarn: Handmaiden Sea Three
Colorway: Twilight
Purchased from: The Loopy Ewe
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Circulars US 8

I found out after I placed the pattern in my Ravelry que that it was named after Dr. Saroyen in the show Bones. This is one of three patterns named after Bones characters. 

After knitting two scarfs that were with CO's in the hundreds it was quite a change to CO 11 stitches! This colorway is one of my favorites (of course!) it has blue in it and with black being a primary color in my work wardrobe I can see myself wearing this to work.

I did in fact wear my Sweet Jazz scarf today to work. I had fun showing all the different ways I could wear it, until one of my staff members suggested I tie it around my waist....I do not THINK so! As my comment back is that is for someone without hips!!

The weatherman said tonight that we are expected to have rain all weekend starting with Saturday afternoon. I hope to get some nice pictures of the two scarfs in natural light before the rain settles in.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

2 FO's in 2 days...

Well I hit my own personal record of 2 finished objects in the past 2 days. I'm amazed!

I was able to quickly take this picture before I left for work. In my opinion there are just some things more important than making it into work on time. For the record, I am usually 15-25 minutes early to work every day...so my being 'late' is actually right on time! Anyway....

I bound off on my Just Enough Ruffles last night during the TV show Deadliest Catch.

Pattern: Just Enough Ruffles
Yarn: Universal Yarn Cotton Supreme
Colorway: Rose #603
Yardage: Approximately 320 yards (still have to take final weights of left over skeins)
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony US 8 Circulars

I think I'm going to only spot block this where the ends are woven in.

Like I said yesterday, I hope to have better weather this weekend for much better photos of this scarf and of the Sweet Jazz. Of which I'm so glad I snapped this photo this morning, as on my ride home from work today it starting pouring rain and it is still going.

Also in case you wanted to know if I'd have a third FO for tomorrow, not a chance! The only other project on needles at the moment is my Ishbel.

Off to peruse my Ravelry page to see if I have the yarn for the next pattern I want to knit. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

So, what were you doing last night?

Watching tv, browsing the internet, shopping,...well, I was staying up past my bedtime determined to finish my Sweet Jazz scarf.

Here she is this morning, bright and early:
Final cast off was at 10:26 PM last night!

Here is my Sweet Jazz tonight being blocked:

 "C"..she is all done! (dorky - yes I know, but since blogger likes to rotate my photos every once in a while I couldn't resist on this one) Isn't she beautiful? I can't wait to wear her.

I hope to have some better photos this weekend, if the weather will cooperate.

I'm loving how this came out. In fact, I'm seriously thinking about knitting this pattern again. I have another pattern I want to cast off first, however I'm keeping this pattern in my Ravelry que line!

My plan to cast off on my Just Enough Ruffles scarf tonight, however we will see.

Tonight, it is early to bed!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Sweet Jazz Progress

Here is my Sweet Jazz update photo:
I literally ran in the house and quickly snapped some photos before I lost the sun totally for the night. Here is a little better close up:
I was trying to figure out exactly how many stitches I knit yesterday while I was at work today (working really hard! LOL), as I believe it is a personal record. However, I didn't have the pattern with the starting stitch counts. So, just on this shawl yesterday I knit a total of  4,890 stitches! I then decided to put it away before I got too tired to follow the pattern.

I then got into a TV show at 9PM, so I switched over to my Just Enough Ruffles scarf and knit 2 more rows So that added 1200 stitches to my daily total.

A grand total of 6,090 stitches in one day! (technically less than 6 hours)

WOW!

Since I want to eat supper and finish the one row left on Sweet Jazz before bind off tonight, I must call this post done.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

1 more row...

Isn't that always the way?

I have just one more row to knit to finish my Sweet Jazz. However, I have to call it quits for the night....you know this full time job is really putting a damper in my knitting!

I have taken photos of my progress today, however they look horrible.

Hopefully I'll have daylight tomorrow night (you know AFTER I get home from my paying job).

Sweet Jazz

Beyond my Just Enough Ruffles Scarf/Shawl I've also been working on Sweet Jazz. I've found that if I work too long on a worsted weight yarn my hand tend to cramp and I need a smaller needle/finer yarn to work out the cramps.

Odd, yes I know. I can't help but think it has something to do with my being more comfortable working with lace weight yarns. However, who really knows.


A closer look:
Pattern: Sweet Jazz by Samantha Roshak (love her patterns!)
Yarn: SR Kertzer On Your Toes Bamboo
Colorway: Marti Gras
Purchase from: The Loopy Ewe
Needles: US 5 Knit Picks Harmony Circulars
Yardage: Pattern calls for approximately 500 yards

I really enjoy the patterns that Samantha creates. She works in short rows, along with a m1r and m1l for increases. Once you get the ease of picking up the correct stitch to m1 these stitches are a piece of cake.

She also writes out her patterns as well as charts them, so they are helpful to all knitters with a particular preference.

I find it funny that when I started knitting I couldn't stand long rows of purling, however I've become to like this. It makes for the perfect TV knitting.

After having worked on this for 5 days I'm now here:

That would be 8 rows away from a FINISHED OBJECT!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Just Enough Ruffles Progress

I've been working on my ruffle scarf lately. It is just flying on the needles...that worsted weight yarn on US 8 needles really helps.

I only have 2 rows then bind off. I'm debated on whether I should make the ruffle a little larger. I do have enough yarn.

What do you think?