Things done, things started, things coming up

I finished sock one of the Wisteria Shur'tugal and after a few days of other projects in the middle, started sock two today.


Wednesday evening at Haggen's I finished up the Opal Huacayas Baby Alpaca batts. It looks light and dark on the bobbin. It's about 4.8 ounces and a single. Since I didn't have much of it, I'm going to ply it on itself and see how much I come out with.


Monday during a lull at work I started a 'Bows' Little Feet sock sample for Stitchjones. The samples will be used at the shop, so 'work' knitting. I found out Wednesday what a confusing direction in the pattern meant, so may end up taking out the toe and making the foot longer (okay, I will but this is what it looks like now):
I already have its 'mate' "Arrows" on the needles or I'd make the correction first.

Wednesday at Westside spinning I picked up from Gail the Natural Cashmere/Silk that Susan from Abstract Fiber paid me for the Dundee Babydoll. It's two, two ounce bundles of delicious roving:


I'm trying to be good and instead of diving into some of the lovely new stuff, using older things. So I'm going to work on the cormo/silk next:


This afternoon I finished Eileen's Iroha Foliage hat. It combines Noro Cash Iroha and Frog Tree Alpaca. I knew that I wouldn't have enough of the Iroha and bought the Frog Tree because it matched colorwise. I think it came out okay, but did have to transition in the middle of the last pattern repeat. I may go back and rip out that pattern repeat and just have it be the ribbing in the alpaca:



For those who may have been wondering about the 'missing' new fish. It stayed missing for a whole day. The next day it was there in the pond. Where it went I have no idea. This morning when I went out to look it was again gone. I even got some floating fish food to try to lure them all out. After watching for fifteen minutes and all the other fish eating most of the food, it finally came out from under an overhang area. Tonight when I went out for the regular feeding, they were all present.

Working in the shop Friday, Saturday plant sale around 10am(veggies, japanese maple, blueberry, creeping thyme, who knows - great buys!) then lunch at the McMennamin's Grand Lodge and the Faire in the Grove. William is planning on bringing school friends. Trtlgrl mentioned that she and her awesome husband were going, as well as A Little Weirdo and her partner. I'm bringing a camera so I can try to record who shows up. ;-)

Happy 7th Birthday Nessa!

My little girl turned 7 today. We celebrated with a 'spa day'. Shower and full body massage followed by a dry off by dad. Then a hair cut and mani-pedi. She got extra baby carrot treats, canned food and strawberries for dinner. Her special toy is a fluffy pink sheep toy that she promptly had to play tuggy with Norbert over. There's been snuggle time too, so a great day for a puppy!




Brandon also helped her with extra fish viewing time with an unobstructed view of the fish. (Sidenote: the other little fish we bought Friday showed up. We have a really good hiding place in there for the fish because one of the other fish was missing earlier in the week and reappeared.)

Brandon's happy, I let him get a new weed whacker. I'm happy because it's electric not gas operated. We'll also have to replace the lawn mower because it died today, I've got him talked into replacing it with an electric one too - score!

Finished sock number one of the Wisteria Shur'tugal. I have a photo but its all flash, so tomorrow night after work can try for a better one. Need to put a bit of time into the Foliage hat so couple hours there before bed.

This week: Monday I'm at the shop, Tuesday filling in as the health aide at Liberty High School, Wednesday is spinning at the Grange and class at the shop as well as knit night at Haggen's. Thursday I'll be able to get new tires for the car with the tax money and work again on Friday. Hopefully knitting in there too! Saturday we plan to go to the Tualatin Valley Gardner's Plant Sale (great place to pick up your veggie starts!) for veggies and a Japanese Maple for the pond. After that we'll head over to Faire in the Grove at the McMennamin's in Forest Grove. I plan to get another basket from the 'Basket Peddler'.

WIPs, an FO & new stash & fish

With everyone's vote I did go with the purple (Wisteria Shibuiknits sock) for the Shur'tugal sock and I'm at the point of doing the gusset and almost ready to do the rest of the foot. I did pick up a couple of US 0 circs so that I could finish the socks that way.


April is hat month for the Christmas make ahead group and with it almost over, I finally have a hat started! I'm using the pretty burgundy Noro Cash Iroha I got on sale from All About Yarn (the cashmere is very soft!) with the Knitty Foliage pattern:

RaNaye followed up with a suggestion I made of doing a necklace pattern using the Berroco Bonsai yarn by sending me home with the yarn and pattern. It's a fast knit and shows what the yarn will look like knit up now for shop customers:

In trade I got a skein of Malabrigo Sock in the Rayon Vert colorway. It's a pretty red-purple:


We picked up two fish to put in the pond Friday night along with some plants that we hope will work on the bottom. This afternoon we can only find one of the fish. We watched both swim out of the bag into the pond. We do have one big fish, but really, I don't think it's big enough to eat the new fish. The new one is the little white-orange one in the upper left - across from our BIG orange fish:

Which one is the better yarn for this?

Brandon says the purple, but I wasn't really seeing the pattern in them last night. Better this afternoon. So since I wasn't really seeing it I tried out this red, so of course I was seeing the pattern in them this afternoon. Still not really sure, so put them side by side.

What do you think, which one is showing the pattern better?


Help?!

ETA: Walgreen's Coupon for a free bag for Earth Day tomorrow.

Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts

Pattern: Winter Twilight Mitts
Yarns: Abstract Fiber Supersock, Burnside; Knit Picks Essentials, Black
Needles: US 1 & 0

Of course the first one feels snugger to me than the second one and I knit them the same way - inside out both times. I must have been more relaxed and comfortable for the second one. It's not a HUGE difference, just noticeable to me.

Here they are:




I have enough of the Burnside leftover that I'm pretty sure I can get at least one sample of the pattern made as a store sample for Susan. But she'll have to wait a bit before I start it, I want to work on something else for a bit! ;-)

Westside World Wide Knit in Public Day

I've been organizing the event again this year and after a few months of difficulty finding a location secured the Hillsboro Cultural Arts Center. No rent as they wanted to be a sponsor for us. Very cool! This seemed to be the magic that was needed to have other things just fall into place.

For example, Jami at The Knitting Bee was enthusiastic about being a sponsor again. Robyn at Kathy's Knit Korner liked the idea and said that her partner Mary would follow up as a sponsor. RaNaye at All About Yarn in Tigard. I'm waiting to hear back from Sandra at Farmhouse Knits to see if they would also like to participate.

We have the local yarn stores covered. ;-) This is an event that I thought would be a chance to also highlight some local artists - those hand dyers of yarn and fiber. So I asked Stitchjones if she'd like to share yarn or fiber and she's going to have some of her yummy worsted yarns as samples. Then chatted with Susan at Abstract Fiber and she'll be bringing samples - her decision on sock yarn or fiber, something to look forward to finding out! I hit up Carissa while sipping tea at Moonstruck Chocolate. Check out her Cupcake Factory to see the fiber and yarns she dyes. Frog Creek Fibers and Fearless Fibers have also confirmed that they'll have samples of their yarns to share.

Not only are we covered in the fiber area but things to make your fiber sparkle - stitch markers made by GirlyWithATwist and Barb, a co-worker of Tiggywinkleknits. There might be fiber, so Tiggywinkleknits and I are coordinating some CD spindles to help create new spinners, en masse. ;-)

None of this would work without the help of ElusiveFireFly and Knittingrandma whipping up some project bags to hold all these goodies in! So people will a cool sewn bag as well as all those lovelies inside!

In case you haven't heard of an event in your area, or have become inspired to host one of your own.....check here to see if there is an event planned, if not, you still have time to get one going! Ours is scheduled for June 13th, 10am-2pm. If you're in the area, please join us!

ETA: We have been given 'special' permission by Larissa to have our event be a drop-off point for Barn-Raising Quilt Squares for Sock Summit. To get a copy of the pattern to make your square, go here and scroll below the picture to find the pattern link. The squares will be sewn together after the event. The finished quilts will be available for raffle or silent auction to benefit Doctors Without Borders at sock summit. So bring a square or two, knit a square or two at our WWKiP event!

New fiber and a finished project

I picked up Wednesday night my Yak-Merino from Susan. I have some white yak-merino that I'm debating blending with the new stuff. I have four ounces of each for a total of eight ounces. Something to think about and get some votes.

Tiggywinkleknits shared a 'Mystery Batt' that Barbara had brought up and given her at Oregon Flock and Fiber this last fall. I'm tempted to blend it with the Stitchjones red-orange wensleydale roving I got last week.



I had hoped to finish the Dundee Babydoll dress for Susan Wednesday night while at Haggen's but trying to do the lace pattern with Brandon talking to me and then trying to have conversations at Haggen's I was foiled in that effort. I spent some time frogging back those rows and then re-doing them. Much easier in a quiet environment! I then took some of the leftovers and crocheted around the neck and sleeves. With the sleeves it helps keep them from rolling:



On the Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts front I have been working on them and have a good portion of the mitt knitted and halfway through the thumb gusset increases. If I weren't working on Friday, they would get done then. Instead it will have to wait until Saturday for finishing.

Things in progress.....

Since I wasn't able to get to Spinnerati on Saturday due to the staff meeting going later than I thought it would, I did some spinning at home. I pulled out the Abstract Fiber samples of the merino-silk and merino-yak, both 50/50 blends. I didn't weigh them before spinning and didn't loose any so 3 grams and 5 grams respectively. Finished total yardage is 39 - 19.5 and 18.5 yards each:




I started another store sample for Susan and a test knit for me of a babydoll dress for a little girl. I'm planning one for Jenna who turns 2 in May. The test knit, Dundee Babydoll, is the 3 month old size in progress modeled by my teddy bear that I think is of appropriate size representation. I hope/should have enough after completing the skirt to I think crochet a border along the sleeves and neckline. The sleeves need it to stop the rolling they want to do. Here it is in progress, more work on it later tonight at Moonstruck:


I have been working in fits and spurts on the second Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts and currently about half way through the thumb gusset. No photos of that because I work on it inside out and while the floats are pretty, don't really show the true pattern.

The camel was also washed today. So yummy! It's 779 yards of lace weight, if not mentioned in the previous post. I'm looking forward to making it into a shawl, possibly with some beads, sometime in the future.



Wednesday spinning I think I'll try out the apricot baby huacayas alpaca, Opal was her name, from Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. I have my fingers crossed that I can finish the mitt and start on a hat and I think another pair of socks. I should be doing more hats this month but I'm not sure who I plan to give them to and they are fast knits so not a huge worry later in the year.

And its not over!

This working thing is keeping me hopping. I had a very busy few hours where it would have been nice to have two people working! I have also been good and haven't bought anything this week - bonus! We have a staff meeting bright and early at 8:30 am (there was no mention of actually being functional - just there). Then on to the Portland Central Library for Portland Spinnerati for a few hours. spinning - yea! This means I will most likely miss the temptations that Susan will be posting tomorrow, most likely a good thing for my pocketbook! ;^)

I am happy to report that I have finally finished spinning my camel. I love it. Its soft, its squishy feeling and by the looks of the bobbin, I have a LOT of it. How much? I don't know, its still 'resting' on the bobbin. I'll probably try taking it off tomorrow and will find out then. Here is what it looks like currently:



The other project I finished is a sample for Susan at Abstract Fibers to use as an idea of what her sock yarn looks knitted up. I did a little cardigan in a 12 month size called Boheme, so here is 'Dundee Boheme':



I'm trading it with Susan for some of her yummy 50/50 Yak/Merino roving (my little sample of it):

I'm going to try to get a preemie hat made up of the last of the Dundee. Then it will be back to work on the Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts. I want to finish them before starting other projects. I'm 'trying' to be good and not have a lot of partial projects on the needles.

I need to remember to make the deviled eggs and I think Brandon is making his beans to take down to my cousins for the Bridges Family Easter Potluck on Sunday. Can I have a few more hours this weekend please?

If you've been tempted....

and haven't tried it out on a Saturday because you were too late. Susan is having a mid-week special sale due to the HUGE Comcast glitch this last Saturday. (Said glitch kept me from getting some more Noro Iroha in the pretty burgundy I have 1 skein of along with a STR Twisted skein - darn it!)

I'm going to be at the Grange spinning most likely already so will miss out. My pocketbook says I should miss out. ;^)

Simplicity Socks and blossoms

I finished up the Simplicity Socks before going to bed last night. Just now need to finish up the Boheme baby cardi and the Burnside Winter Twilight mitts before starting another pair of socks, and a hat. ;^)

These were done using two circular needles, my first time. US 1 Addi. Yarn is Plymouth Sockin Sox - two greens and a blue in the mix and is a wool/bamboo/nylon.



While I was out photographing the socks I found that the peach tree is loaded with pink blossoms, the asian pear is getting ready to have its blossoms burst forth and the daffodils are still sharing their sunny faces:


So back to watching season 2 of The Tudors and working on Dundee Boheme!

Fiber Delight

I'm down to the last half an ounce of camel to be spun up. I could probably finish it tonight and then post it tomorrow, but I didn't want to wait, it's been long enough without a post. Tomorrow its my goal to get that finished up!

In my mail have come the following items, Corriedale-Finn-Rambouillet roving from Spinner's Hill via Dizzy sheep (I also have a couple of the Jewel silk caps coming to me - thanks Maxfun!) A 4 ounce braid. Then they only had 1 oz left of the grey of the same mix:


I got the drum carder from Duffy Wednesday night and so Thursday night I ran my washed OFFF alpaca through it and loved how it came out. Then ran the flea infested creamy-white stuff that I had picked the bodies out of. Still a few in there and it will just be a play yarn. Here's the batts that came out:
Top left is the tog and all that I have from the Icelandic fleece (just tooo scurffy for the carder - terribly sad because the thel is really soft); bottom left is the OFFF alpaca. The white is the flea-alpaca and the purple is the Jacob roving I got in the yarn crawl at Dublin Bay. It had been carded but was in the knotty bundle and really a mess. Looking forward to working with it now!

In the mail today - the 13 skeins of Berroco Love It! from Susan's destash sale. Two in a row, I really shouldn't look tomorrow!!! It's a pretty raspberry-ish color and looked really pink on her site and had me a bit concerned about getting it but figured worse case that I could have it over-dyed. Looking forward to making an adult sweater out of this!

Then at work I got to put my hands on some Malabrigo Sock and it's Violeta Africana and the pic doesn't really show the richness of the purple to its true color. Maybe a new pic with good daylight tomorrow may happen. I was able to justify it coming home with me because it was a small delivery of the sock yarn and there were only three purples and it just really should come home with me (the employee discount really helped with the justification too):


I have some Abstract Fiber Supersock in Dundee that I'm trying out a baby cardigan out of: Hope to finish this weekend along with the Simplicity sock and would like to get the Burnside Winter Twilight mitt done too. All are fun projects but ready to move on!

One more day to leave a comment and win the yarn!