I MADE SOCKS...FOR BIG FOLKS

Now, I've knit socks for wee folks before...you know, little bits of tubular knitting that slip over those chubber little feet, but for the past couple of days I've actually gotten out the sock instructions and knit a pair to fit Tommy (size 10) and if I say so myself, even though they are "house" socks, not shoe socks, they turned out rather well and I am quite pleased with myself for the nice turning of the heel as well. Sock knitting is addictive though. I'm going to have to have more DPN's and lots more sock yarn...LOTS! They're going on the LMG list too! Knit up several pairs in varied and sundry sizes and, as my neices used to say, VIOLA (not voila) there you have a last min gifty that's nifty, n'est ce pas? T'will also be a lifesaver guy gift, 'cause I never know what to get my brothers-in-law...they have everything already.

SOCKS...very cool knitting project!!!

Taaaaaaa Daaaaaaaa...it's finished at last!

Done, done and done...it's on the way to Pat's house tomorrow afternoon! Hope she will like it!

Homespun Knits

Knitting myself a roll brim hat and scarf for Winter, next, with the homespun. Here it is on DPN's and cable needles-hat and scarf respectively. I may have to frog the hat and start over...it seems a tad large....and I used the "foolproof" make a hat method to do it....ooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I have the incredible shrinking/enlarging head. Hat feels too loose methinks!

PICS OF NEW STASH AND CASTING ONS

Don't have time for a full blog this morning but will add more tonight.

Here are some pics of new lace weight yarn I got and have only wound half of one hank...it's soooooooooooo delicate!!

Trying to learn new cast on's.....just in case I get multi directions this summer for MK Level 1.

But now...off to school...I have a Prof. Learning class this morning.

IT'S HERE....IT'S GORGEOUS

Look at what I got in the mail today from my dear friend Carly. Luscious handspun Merino Wool....mmmmmm. It is indeed better than chocolate. I am still not sure what it will become,but for now, I am just touching and smelling it and dreaming about what I have enough of it for...a hat or tam perhaps, or some mitts, or a neckwarmer...I shall see, I shall see......

MASTER KNITTER...MOI? THINKIN 'BOUT IT

I've decided that I am going to actually go for it and apply for the Master Knitter Program (level 1) and hopefully one of these days I'll get to say that I am...after passing the three levels that is. I consider myself a pretty good knitter but would really like to be right up at the top...so, I'm gonna do it!!! Thought I might try to start it this Summer whilst I am out of school for Summer Break. I'll have time to really work on it then. Meanwhile, I'll keep practicing. Found a really nifty helpful article on the net about Do's and Don't's for the program...now, how marvy was that? I'm psyched for this. I don't have much luck with other things in my life, but this, I think I can really excell if I put my mind to it.
Also typed up and tried out names for clothing tags, etc. Thistle Knits in Parchment font looks stunning!!! I have the font at work...not here (drat!!!) Take my word for it...it's stunning aaaannnndddd very cool!

Me again....Pics of stuff I have knitted

Here is the mini fichu I knitted for Mama for MD. She will like it I think.

Also a pic of the progress I've made with T's sweater after I frogged it...at this point I am back to where I was before....but now the whole back piece is 9.5 inches...so 6.5 inches more to knit before the armhole marker and pattern band. Well, all I can say is, it's easier to knit for short folk than tall!!

How cool and hello to Donna who posted such a nice and comerade-ish comment on my last post....we knitters are so alike indeed! I've gotten worse over the weekend...now all my cable needles are taken up with new projects. I am fortunate that Tom is an artist and he understands multiple projects. Friday is Lynnie's birthday and I have a little gift of a knitted bathcloth and some lovely French soap (vanilla) and a pin for a blouse or sweater....a small gift for a dear friend at work. I do need to snap a pic of it before it leaves the house Friday morning. Meanwhile, also working on the Shetland Shawl and I have about forty rows of the center block done...using the dark teal laceweight wool that I had wanted to use for the Kimono jacket but abandoned because I saw a jacket similar to my idea in IK...it would look too much like I was being a copy-cat. Here I thought I was being original. C'est la vie!! I shall design something else, I vow!!! I'm getting over the setting in the sleeves jitters regarding the Kilt Jacket for Pat. Jeesh! I get too wound up I think....just do it Pam, don't think about it!!!Anyway, my thought is to really tackle it Saturday morning (after coffee) and give it 100% attention to detail. It has to be right. But, back to the dark teal lace weight yarn....I am knitting a Shetland Shawl....like I said, do I need one...no...but it's so lovely and when I hold it up in my hand it's so light I can see my hand through it and I dare say that it will weigh less than 10 ounces once finished!!! I'm doing fairly well on tension I think...these needles are so sharp and pointed that I am living in fear that I will split the yarn in places, so the going is slow...slower than normal (hence, only 40 rows done) doesn't matter though....it's just nice to see the shape emerge. I ordered the white Merino (also laceweight) and think I will try my hand at the very lacey Snowflakes shawl and if I ever finish it, it goes to either Beth or Johanna for their wedding...or perhaps I will make two...Jo will probably marry first anyway and being as petite as she is...she'll look lovely in that pattern!My handspun isn't here yet from Carly. I am thinking she had so much on her mind with Bill's passing that she hasn't had a minute to think of anything, which is fine. My heart is just aching for her...I know how I would feel if it were Tom. I would be devastated beyond words (it makes me cry just to write the words and it isn't even a reality....funny, silly me.) I am anxious to get it though. I know it's beautiful!

Well, enough...I need to knit! I'll post more pics after I download what is on the camera.

Just Thinkin Outloud

You know, it's funny, but less than three months ago I could count the balls of yarn in my house on one hand and now, I think it's multiplying by itself...It's falling off the shelves beside my knitting chair...I have it in baskets and bags...I inherited a ball and a half (which I immediately wound on my yarn winder) of some very nice cashmerey wool from my sister...arrived day before yesterday, knowing full well that a friend has just sent me two hanks of some very lovely white handspun Merino...and today I earmarked some laceweight that I am going to splurge on...even though I have about 20 balls of some very nice laceweight that I should be casting on for a Shetland Shawl that I don't need but must make. Same goes for books and mags of the knitting sort. Where once they were tidily stored in one small canvas bucket, I've now started stowing them on a shelf above some of the yarn. I bought two knitting magazines this week alone and today when I was at B&N I contemplated Book #1 of Stitchionary...but thought I might get a better price from Amazon. Yet, I am not satisfied....I search the internet every day for new, interesting patterns that I will one day make and I dream and drool over all the yarns at the yarn company sites as well as the bigger discount online shops...I want it all, but mostly the yarn. I want to touch it and smell it (especially the wool....God, I love the smell of real wool without synthetics twisted in) I love the feel of it knitted too...and cotton!! Yes, oh yes, knitted cotton. Tommy's sweater is cotton and it feels so heavenly lying there in my lap...all those cabled stitches weighty feeling under my fingers. Nothing slips off a needle like a strand of cotton. Where has this been all my life? Why didn't I keep up the knitting when I was in my 20's? I've wasted 30 years of good knitting time and now, in my 50's I am obsessed with getting caught up! The interesting thing is, at this time in my life, at my age, I am not afraid to try anything. Nothing seems too complicated to try and if it doesn't work, I know I can frog it. Before, there wasn't even a word for redeeming your disasters so I thought I had totally failed...now, if I screw it up I can do something adorably cute like frog my knitting and that makes it OK!!! It's also ok to knit on something for months and months and never be finished...but that's ok too! YEA!!!! Alright, I know, I have to finish...I have to, that's me. I'd be miserable if I didn't finish and finish it as close to perfect as possible...sigh...but, there is that safety net....just in case.
I LOVE KNITTING

Spring Break

Yes, it's SB and I've been doing absolutely whatever I want to do...such as knit. I have just about finished the Kilt Jacket...I think I have said this every week for at least a month, but I actually have knitted all the pieces and now all that is left is to put in the sleeves. I made the most darling bobble buttons for it...not ceramic ones like I said I would...knitted bobbles just set it off and make it look very classy and polished. Now I am in a bobble frenzy and want to make something else with bobbles...so I cast on a really garishly yellow hat for Shannen...well, she's a kid, she'll love it...with bobbles all around. On big (size 15) needles too. It's actually kind of cute if I do say so myself.

Well above are some pics of the purple jacket...isn't it nice? Also have cast on and done several inches of Tommy's sweater...boy, is it ever going to be nice once it's done!!

Carly is spinning me some white Merino in dk for a cowl/hood and some mitts. Maybe for me, maybe as a gift for someone. I want to get her to spin me some lace weight in the sand wool. I am going to try my hand at making a lace shawl.

Well, here it is....THE PATTERN...for Tommy's sweater. The patterns are called Wave and of course the top band is Seed stitch. I will call it Tommy's Pebbles and Waves Sweater. I've finished the ribbing band for the back and now ready to begin the Wave pattern. I think it will look very nice on him. It's a very nice, soft cotton too...after a few washes it will be as soft as a cloud!!
I found a lovely top and jacket pattern I want to make for myself but the pattern isn't available unless I buy yarn for it from elann.com...which I can't afford ($150.00) and it's wool yarn and would be terribly warm for down here...I'd still like to have the pattern and work it up in a nice fingering weight cotton...well, maybe they'll make it available, or I'll just design my own like it...not crazy about the shoulders of the top anyway...too skinny-but the jacket it awesome and I love the huge buttons..it's very modern.