Half done Frock Camisole

Who knew in a few days I'd be so far along on my Frock Camisole?

This may mean, since it is my TV knitting, that yes the TV has been on the past few nights from arriving home at night to bedtime.

I have about 3 more inches before I start the armhole shaping. I'm still not a fan of this yarn, hopefully it will become softer when I wash it. If not I've made it so I can wear a white shirt underneath it.

Frock Camisole

In between knitting on my lace Multnomah I've CO on a Frock Camisole.

(Ok the rotating of photos by Blogger is really REALLY annoying!)

I needed something that would provide mindless TV knitting. This is a good project for that.

Pattern: Frock Camisole from Interweave Knits Spring 2008
Yarn: Rowan Summer Tweed
Colorway: Light Blue
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Circulars US 7, 36"

I have to say I liked this yarn when I purchased it. It was part of my first purchase from my first visit to WEBS! However, knitting with it is not my favorite. I guess I'm glad it is my TV knit since if I was truly concentrating on it more I would be annoyed.

Multnomah Progress

I'm cruising right along on my Multnomah Shawl.

Here is the lace detail a little closer:

I LOVE how it appears there are waves. I hope to have this finished in a couple weeks.

CSA

Here is our latest CSA photo.

Did you notice that half the blueberries are already gone? This is a photo about 2 hours after we picked up our share. I just couldn't help myself as they were so delicious!

Knitting resumes tomorrow as we have some cleaning and weeding of the garden to do.

Cosmic Dawn

I was searching through Ravelry and came across a pattern called Multnomah. I knew when I saw it that my Handmaiden Sea Silk in Cosmic Dawn colorway would be perfect.

Cast off I do:

Love it!

Swift, Take 2

Second skein off the swift:

This swift is so much fun!! No worries, I have no intentions of blogging each skein...it is just a new toy. :-)

As my DH tells me, "this too shall pass".

This is Handmaiden Sea Silk in the Cosmic Dawn colorway.

A New Trinket

Well, if you read my last blog I told you exciting news that DH is now gainfully employed. So, what did I do with his first paycheck?

I bought myself a trinket...a swift!

(for the record the swift was from KnitPicks and it was only $64.00) I however, feel like it is already worth it's weight in gold! Considering the last hank I wound up took me over 40 minutes of frustration!!

There is the first skein of yarn I used my swift and ball winder on. What a beautiful invention!

I did finish my Saroyan this past week, however, I have not blocked it yet. I'll have to show you what the leaves look like afterward.

Pattern: Saroyan
Yarn: Handmaiden Sea Three
Colorway: Twilight
Needles: Harmony Wood 24" Circulars US 8

Until next time...

Happy 4th of July!

Hope you are all having a great day!

We are dealing with Hazy, Hot and HUMID! So, we decided to chill out and enjoy our air conditioned home. Tonight we stick with tradition and watch the Boston Pops Orchestra.

I've also been doing more reading than knitting lately. The current novel is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I saw Elizabeth on Oprah with Julia Roberts a couple of weeks ago and thought her story would be interesting. It hasn't let me down yet, as I'm reading my way through Italy.

I'm still working on the photos of my finished projects. I did take some, however the light was drowning out the color of my Sweet Jazz Shawl...must find a solution to that!

Some big news that hit our household is that my DH is starting a full time job! After 2 years of being unemployed he is now considered gainfully employed and we are thrilled!!

Here is our CSA share from this week. Blogger is having a great time turning my photos, again. Funny how the picture to me looks tilted.

It doesn't take away from the taste, since everytime I go into the kitchen I'm sneaking blueberries...I guess there are worse things.

Doesn't this picture look crooked to you? Did you just tilt your head?

Enjoy the rest of your day!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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?

Spring 2010

I do not know about you but the pollen levels in my area are, and have been, in the severe range for the past 3 weeks.

However, this time of year does bring to bloom my favorite trees in the yard.

Enjoy!

May 17th

Happy Birthday to the best sister in the world!!

Even though I can't be with you to celebrate today, I hope you have a great day! Just think, this year is a life changing year for you, Ms. Bride-to-be.

Of course, this one is my favorite:

I wonder why?

Love you!!!

Ishbel Update

As you know I've had a love/hate relationship with my Ishbel. I have resigned myself to only working on it during the weekends when I am refreshed. This has made for slow going on it, however I'm able to take the time I need to read the charts and knit like I'm supposed to. I'm refusing to have to frog this project a 4th time!!

Here is what it currently looks like:

I've completed 3 of the sections and I'm quite proud of it! I'm ready to insert another life line on this next row. I'm also at the point where I can made a decision to have a larger lace section or keep the smaller section. I'm going to think about it for a few days. It would mean a bigger shawl, however more lace knitting but I have plenty of yarn. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

Here is a closeup of the lace section:

Since work has been so stressful lately, and I like to knit during the week not just weekends, I've cast on for another mindless knit to unwind at night.

Pattern: Just Enough Ruffles Scarf.
Yarn: Universal Yarn Cotton Supreme
Colorway: Dusty Rose
Purchased at: The Loopy Ewe
Needles: US 9, 36" circulars

This yarn is a joy to work with. It is so smooth in your hands and on my Harmony needles the knitting is flying along.

Hope you are outside enjoying this fine weather weekend we are having in New England!

A Stash

I've been a web lurker lately. I've been staying in touch with my favorite blogs over the past few weeks, however, I've been absent from my own.

In my reading the blogs of others, I've almost always found a stash photo. Some of those photos have made my jaw drop with how many skeins or rooms they take over, while others have been, in my opinion, very manageable. It was time for me to take a photo of my entire stash.

So, what exactly is in my stash?

Starting at the top left to right (clockwise) is my Cascade Fixation, Rowan Cotton, SR Kertzer, Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Handmaiden Sea Three & Sea Silk, Ultimate Cotton, Artful Yarns Fable, Knit One Crochet Two, Sugar 'N Creme, Lorna's Laces Pearl, Schoeller & Stahl Sockina, Mission Falls 1824 Cotton, Rowan Cotton Tweed, Ellyn Cooper Canasta, Tahki Cotton Classic, Sugar Bunny Boulevard, Classic Elite, Stacy Charles Kyoto.

I think my stash falls under the manageable category. It isn't a stash that I have more than I'll ever knit. The best part is it still all fits into one LLBean zippered canvas tote bag. When I use a skein I can buy one. It works for me. Although I have slipped a bit at times, however before anyone noticed the yarn has been knit up.

As I get better with knitting socks and hit my goal of learning the magic loop method I see the using up of the Panda Cotton. Many of the lace skeins are matched up to shawl patterns in my Ravelry que. I even have my skeins to make a bunny, of course!


The only skeins missing are those current WIP's, white Panda Cotton (for dying) and my Tussah Silk.

Not surprising is the lack of wool, angora, cashmere, alpaca etc.  as those would not work well with my allergies.

What I do find interesting are my color selections. You see a heavy influence of my favorite color - blue. Yet, there are some happy colors, bright orange from Tahki, bright colors from Ellyn Cooper and a rose color from Universal Yarns. I even bought bright orange Panda Cotton for socks.

I'm off to make some more bread as this loaf has disappeared already!