Someone I just met...totally knit worthy!

I was recently introduced to someone who is expecting twins next month. How could I resist knitting up two cute little projects?

Pattern: Modern Cable Bib
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted
Colorway: Green Tea Heather
Needles: Knit Picks US 8mm
Ravelry Project Page

I LOVED knitting these bibs! I am definitely making more of these! They were quick knits, only took about 2 - 2 1/2 hours a piece. They make for really good TV knitting.

All bundled up and ready for delivery.

If she happens to be reading this...I thank you for what you have done in my life in a very short amount of time.

...and now back to that afghan, September is around the corner!

Stash Enhancements

I've always wanted to try yarn from Black Bunny Fibers. The hand dyed creations by Carol Sulocki.

I mean I'm a bunny lover, just from her name alone I needed a purchase, however, I couldn't resist once she listed up her no wool sock yarn.

So, these two lovelies just happened to arrive in my mailbox this past week:

The colorways are Rainbow Sherbert and Veronica. The sherbert colorway is destined to be socks for me. The other I'm not sure of yet.

You can check out her shop here and buy yourself some nicely dyed yarns.

I also received my final color for my Sampler Afghan. The dark gray. This goes so much better with my other colors, dark navy, burnt orange and forest green.

Off a knitting I go....these squares need to get done!

Snack anyone?

It has been HOT around these parts! Looking back at the weather for the past 2 weeks our temps ranged from 98 to 86 and can you say humid?

I did finish the last square I last left you with. I have to say it is so nice to be working on a small project like this during this type of weather.

Pattern: King Charles Brocade Square from Sampler Afghans
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted
Colorway: Blaze Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Circulars US 8mm
Ravelery Project Page

I also think I'm going to change the name of this project from GAA to Sampler Afghan. I think it is only fair since I now have more square from the Sampler Afghan book that The Great American Afghan book.

My work schedule looks good for the next week, so I hope to knit up a few more squares.

Hope you are staying cool where ever you may be!

GAA Orange?!

Yes I'm adding orange. The color is actually a burnt orange that goes really well with the navy blue and dark green.

I had some time out on the deck yesterday and managed to get this much done of the next square. I should be able to finish this with another free night at some point this week.

I've really thought about my color choices and I'm definitely sticking with the darker colors. However, that only gave me three colors when I really wanted to have a 4th. So, I just put in an order through Knit Picks for the Basalt Heather.

I think that is it! Now that I've decided on those, I feel much better about the afghan as a whole.
 
I'm also holding off purchasing the yarn for the edging, as I want to concentrate on knitting the squares, place them, knit them together THEN decide about the edge.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing chores...you know all those that I ignored during the week since I was busy knitting squares! 

We also had quite the meal on Saturday night as DH and I decided to have a surf and turf night.

Delicious!

GAA Hearts

This is my favorite square so far:

Pattern: Sampler Afghans #27 Valentine Hearts
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton
Colorway: Prussian Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Nickel US 8mm
Modifications: Did not repeat final row
Ravelry Project Page

It is probably since I've loved the color blue since I knew the color....or that there are hearts all over it. Or both. However, one thing is certain my fingers need a break!

So, I decided this afternoon to put my finished squares together:

and I do not like the colors together.

I like the 'navy', 'dark green' however the other two colors I do not like. So, technically I'm back to having 2 squares completed.

I am not going to frog the other 3, however I'm putting them aside. The next square I'm going to start is the dark orange colorway and I'm thinking I may add that to the dark green and navy.

What is that song, two steps ahead, one step back?! Who knew it applied to knitting.

GAA another square

Ok, so you can tell I've been parking in front the TV. In my defense, the past 2 days have been in the 90's with high humidity....

Pattern: Sampler Afghans #60 Cloverleaf Eyelet
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton
Colorway: Envy Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Nickel US 8mm
Modifications: Ended last repeat at row 6
Ravelry Project Page

So, I have 4 done...although there is laundry to get done, workouts that have been skipped for 2 days....

GAA Progress

The last I left you with the Great American Afghan, I had knit the following two squares (before I went back to lace knitting!):

Flower square

 Heart square

Well, within the past couple of days another has been finished:

Pattern: Great American Afghan
Square: Seed Square
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton
Coloway: Green Tea Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Nickel US 8mm
Ravelry Project Page

I really need to step this up if I have any hope to knitting all my squares by the end of September!

Summer Wind FO

Well it certainly helps when you have an extended weekend full of quality knitting time!

This is what my Summer Wind (or wing) looked like heading into this weekend:

here on Monday morning:

and by Monday afternoon:

Pattern: Summer Wind by IrishgirlieKnits
Yarn: Yollage Creamy
Colorway: Coral Shores
Yardage: just under 400 yards
Needles: Signature US 6MM
CO: 268
Ravelry Page

This is is definitely one I'm keeping for myself!

I am going to start back on my afghan squares. Since they feel a bit neglected and well my deadline to finish all the squares will be here in 3 months!

July 4th

Happy 4th of July!

Summer Wind

I really LOVE this pattern! Although I keep typing it out as Summer Wing...not sure why exactly.

I've finished the border and I'm just starting on the middle section. I originally cast on for the smaller size, then realized I had not 400 yards of this but 600, so I added the additional CO's to make it the larger size.

I can not wait to wear this!

If you want to join in on our KAL. The details are here.

Bakersfield FO

Well, I didn't expect it to take me a week to snap a photo of my finished shawl and post it. Even with these photos I didn't even get a nice shot of the entire shawl.

Pattern: Bakersfield by Corinna Ferguson
Yarn: Panda Cotton
Colorway: Sable
Needles: Signature Needles US 6mm
Ravelry Page

It was a very nice knit, and I'll add a fast knit. These photos really show the middle pooling I ran into. I think it is neat!

I believe this shawl is going to get worn often. I can see it with my black sleeveless dress, around my black riding coat in the fall, inside my winter coat during winter....oh just love the options! The yarn is so soft and swishy.

From one finished object to starting another one...I've already picked out my next project. I recently purchased some Kollage Creamy in Coral.... Remember the scarf I knit for my then nephew's girlfriend? Well, now they are engaged. I loved knitting with that yarn and wanted a project for me.

My Ravelry que brought me back to Irishgirlieknits' Summer Wind pattern.

LOVE!

Bakersfield Shawlette

I started this shawl last week. I wanted to do a sideways shawl and in searching my Ravelry Que, I noticed a few patterns from this designer. So, I purchased all her patterns in an e-book.

I have had this Panda Cotton yarn in my stash for a couple of years now (yes I admit that!). I thought the colors would work with a nice black sweater and/or blouse that I own or even a dressing up to my black jacket during the fall.

My concern was knitting a sideways shawl up with a yarn that has a bit of elastic in it. I was concerned about how the edges could curl.

....so I blocked it early on Saturday and put it in front of a fan.

It did retain it's shape well, so onward I went.

This is what it looked like by Saturday night (in all fairness all day on Saturday was primary spent knitting

Today I was hoping to get it finished, however there were others things to do. (like all those items I failed to do on Saturday!)

The way this is knitting up I'm sure I'll have it finished in a day or two.

Pattern: Bakersfield
Yarn: Panda Cotton
Colorway: Sable
Needles: Signature US 6mm

Mystery Shawlette KAL Finished

What a fun shawl to knit! It was also the quickest, I started it on May 22 and finished it on June 4.

 

Pattern: Mystery Shawlette by Wendyknits
Yarn: Handmaiden Sea Silk
Colorway: Ocean
Needles: Signature US 6, 24" circulars


Now back to knitting my squares for my afghan...or another shawl...

Mystery Shawlette KAL Part 2

Well, I finished part 2 this morning.

Here is what it looks like on the needles:

Then, with a few pins to show the design:

Since part 3 (which includes 70+ rows!) was already released on Thursday, I'm going to be knitting quite a bit this weekend. Well, after the chores are done. You know the weed maintenance, house cleaning, grocery shopping, planting the window boxes & front pots....

Good thing I have 4 days off in a row!!

Mystery Shawlette KAL Part 1

I just completed Part 1. This is what it currently looks like:

 The following photo is a much more accurate color representation. The Sea Silk is going to make the stitches look fabulous when I block it out...

Wendy already released Part 2 this morning. You can find it here.

So far I'm liking what I see.

Passing Exam Stash Enhancements

Of course it was bound to happen, I needed a prize for passing my exam! (or whatever excuse I can use to buy more yarn!!) So, off to The Loopy Ewe I go.

I had these three skeins of yarn among my wish list.

They are all Handmaiden Sea Silk. The colorways from left to right are: Nova Scotia, Salt Spray,  Bronze.

I already have plans for the Nova Scotia colorway. I would like to knit the Ocean City Shawlette.

However, I need to finish my Mystery Shawlette first by WendyKnits. I'm just about halfway through the first clue - although, I need to step it up today as the next one is being released in a couple of hours.

So...I'm off to knit...

Mystery Shawlette KAL

I decided to join my first KAL. It is called the Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendyknits.

This is what it currently looks like after my CO and 2 set up rows. The next 12 rows (part 1/chart A) were issued yesterday, however I am going to start those tomorrow night.

Pattern: Summer Mystery Shawlette
Yarn: Handmaiden Sea Silk
Colorway: Ocean
Needles: Signature US 6 - 24" (US 8 to CO)

Come join us here.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my sister! 

What a wonderful year you have had!

From celebrating life's moments with those closest to you...

 ...including your ever present personal touches...

...in creating your Fairy Tale....

...marrying the man of your dreams...

May the memories you created this year stay close to your heart.

xo

Where have I been?

Studying. In the industry I work in we are required to obtain licenses and some of us have gone on to acquire designations. With those, we are required to get 45 continuing education credits every 3 years.

Well for the past 10 weeks I've been studying for a measly 16 credits. This included a $800 course fee, 20 hours of webinars, 70+ hours of self studying a 898 page book. It ended today with a 100 question proctored exam that I passed!

Life can now resume.

Having dealt with so much of that studying I only had a limited amount of time for knitting.

So, quick knits with minimal thinking were required. Thank goodness I have my The Great American Afghan Book....

I have since finished it today after my exam. However it is pouring rain outside and my completed photo looks awful. So, I will post that when it stop raining (which unfortunately appears to be at least 7 days away per the weather forecasts)

Details:

Pattern: Great American Afghan Square #14
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted
Colorway: Haze Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Circulars US 8

I also just CO on my third square. It is from the Sampler Afghan and the pattern is Elm Seed.

Now rain rain go away....

Flower Square #1 FO

2 days! That is how long it took me from start to finish on this square.

If I keep this up I WILL finish my afghan by September!

Pattern: The Great American Afghan
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted
Colorway: Green Tea Heather
Needles: Knit Picks US 8mm Circulars

Now I need to find another pattern....