Fall yarn ready to go

If only the weather would cooperate!  I have Wabbit Season, Duck Season - going to make camo mitts with orange trim and orange socks with camo trim:

And fall mini skeins for more hexis, all from Gnomeacres:

Trying not to cast on anything new until either I finish the Philosopher's Stone or Oct 1st (new Nerdopolis tournament starts)

 
 

 

Clue one of The Philosopher's Stone.

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago - I'm doing a MKAL (Mystery Knit A Long) of Fiddle Knits' The Philosopher's Stone. It uses gradient yarn and beads.  It combines cables and lace (really, really addicted to cable projects) and I have never used as many different cable crossovers as in the 40 rows of clue one.  The yarn I'm using is Alpaca Cloud fingering, which is a little fuzzy for this much cabling (I really didn't predict this much cabling from teh swatch pattern provided)  but it is super soft, and I think the cable definition will improve with light blocking and the lighter colours as I swap out skeins for the gradient effect.  So that I don't "spoil" the mystery -- I'm posting the picture below the page break - so click if you want to see clue 1.

Shawl updates

 Finished chart 2 on Ghost Dance

Got to week 12 on Last Year's Scoreboard

Got another repeat done on the METs shawl

Signed up for the Philosopher's Stone Mystery Shawl KAL.  A gradient yarn was recommended.  I had the black and the 2 lighter grey yarns already, so I bought the medium grey and the beads -- even swatched!!  Ready to go for the 22nd.

 

Nothing finished - but updates on 2 summer shawls.

 I'm halfway through chart 2 (of 4 and with 4 increases evry other round chart 4 will be a doozy) of Ghost Dance in  Manos del Uruguay Alegría Locura Fluor.

I'm up to row 44 on Luciole - (MET's Shawl if you follow me on Rav).

Blocking my Spring Spirits Kerchief - need to wait for it to dry before sewing it onto an elastic headband.

Nothing finished but... startitis hit!

First I started my METS Shawl : (the orange/blue beaded one I discussed last week)

I'm using the pattern Luciole:

The yarn and beads is working well, I did have to redo a few times.  There is one block where there are 2 purls but that isn't listed in the legend and I thought the gap was created when I blew up the chart so I ended up short stitches the next patterned row.  The other thing is this pattern's chart is all on one page!  You couldn't read it with a microscope!  I had to blow it up 250% and I still had to blow up the 2 stitch from one and 3 stitch from one symbols on the screen to see them!  I was able to figure out the 3 was only used on the border/edge and the 2 was only used in the field, but still!  Either way I'm liking it!

I'm also making a Ghost Dance shawl ( summer scarf) with Manos Alegria in all the colours!!

Beaded Shawl

So I'm going to do a beaded Mets shawl this summer with this yarn and beads:

I'm trying to pick the pattern.  If you're on Ravelry check the craft a long thread here, to see the three I'm deciding between and give me an opinion.

Here's pictures of the three I'm considering:

 

Finished the knitting of Sleeves

It's been awhile.. Almost 2 years... On and off... But the knitting part of  Sleeves is finally done!!! ( Sleeves is like a cross between a shawl and a shrug- meant to be worn over tank tops... And I love tank tops) just have to weave in the ends and block. I should be able to wear it for Thanksgiving!!!!

Search for the Rainbow Connection is finished!!

The shawl is done!!  All the ends woven in!!  And currently blocking!!

Searching for the Rainbow Connection

I bought a rainbow sampler pack from Lancaster Yarns last year.  I was originally going to make hexi's out of them, but after making Tessellating Diamonds Mitts and having leftover Dream in Color  Starry, I started thinking about a rainbow shawl.  With beads, because you know, beads. Then after a couple months, I almost found a pattern, which was close enough because I never really follow a pattern (or a recipe) to the letter anyway...

I've finished the  side to side bottom up portion, and am starting on the vertical short rows.  The camera on my phone did not pick up the sparkling of the yarn and beads so use your imagination.

Knitting updates:

Nothing finished to show you.  I started a beaded shawl (crappy beads, but I had them from a past failed hobby, bent my crochet hook - so I need to go buy a new one to move forward- I use a teeny tiny crochet hook to put the beads on the yarn as I knit - I don't pre-string them)  





I got up to the fourth block on the scrap afghan:



May be more next week !



Sending Well Wishes to my friend Grace - she's out of the hospital - but has some recouperation to do!

FEEL BETTER!!!  I MISS YOU!!!!

Looking Back

It was suggested recently, that since I did go through a long blogging dry spell, but not a crafting dry spell, that I should occasionally post pictures of past finished objects.  Since the sock I finished yesterday at breakfast with Grace is still in my car and it's drizzling (as much as I love snow and thunderstorms - I turn into a cat with cold rain... let's not even discuss how grouchy I get when my feet get wet!) Here are two items from the recent unblogged past. 

My Dreambird shawl.  Love this shawl- perfect colors for me, I wore it a lot over the holidays.  A lot of people making this shawl did variegated yarn (color changing) for the feathers with a more solid background - I went in the reverse.

The second one took about three months to make - and believe it or not the back which is plain except for the roadway at the waist took longer - because it was somewhat boring to knit a plain grey rectangle.. I gave it to Christopher for Christmas.

 

KAL

A group of us on Ravelry - Go Fast Knit Left- have started a KAL(Knit A Long).  They started last week with the Daytona 500,  I swatched earlier - because I'm not using the size yarn the pattern calls for - and I was reasonably sure what needle I wanted to use, but didn't want to get a bunch done and have to frog and start over. ( changing yarns means you need to change your needle size as well- to get a good fabric drape) After the swatch I put it down until today.  ( I wanted to keep it to march so I could use it for NerdWars.  Although with this month's challenges that may be beyond my mental yogic abilities)  The pattern we are using is Saroyan - and I am using a sock yarn ( I KNOW !! Shocking!! who would have guessed me using sock yarn???? )(sarcasm for those who don't know me well)

Here's my swatch :



I confirmed that size 6 needles with KnitPicks Stroll Tonal (color is springtime) gives me a good fabric.

Here is with 4 more increase leaves.



I plan on 2 more increase sections ( each leaf defines one section) Then probably 12 ish straight and then 8 decrease sections.

SCCA Trans-Am and Robin spoilers

Or how I froze my butt on Mother's Day.

Curt and I drove (forever) down to Millville on Sunday morning.  We stopped at the Club Diner  in Bellmawr, NJ for breakfast.  Ever since we decided to leave early to beat shore traffic one weekend on our way down to the track, and look for breakfast closer to south Jersey, this has become our breakfast stop.  It's a cute small diner, very friendly staff, and a great breakfast.  ( although being from North Jersey, the "pork roll" on their menu makes me shudder)  Previously, we got off at a different exit of the turnpike and drove about 40 miles down 295 to stop at the diner.  the exit after the diner is the one that takes you to 55.  For whatever reason, maybe Curt programmed it as a way point on his gps, the gps took us to exit 3 on the turnpike and the diner is like right in between the turnpike and our next exit on 295.  YAY!


We got to the track early, for qualifying and tech inspections.   20 cars registered, but only 8 showed up. ( hey top ten finish for everyone!) Here's the start of the line for qualifying laps. 


"My driver" is Tomy Drissi.  his car ran a Marmaduke movie paint scheme.




This ATV cracked me up.  The honda ATV with the Jaguar logos from Rocketsports. BTW - for those of you who follow racing - the guy with his back to the camera is Paul Gentilozzi - of Rolex, Trans-Am, Grand am and Imsa fame.  Better pick later.


Drissi - debriefs after his qualifying run.




RJ Lopez, Drissi and Tony Ave wait for their cars to go through tech.  After looking at Ave's lack of grooming - I really don't want to hear anyone picking on Stewarts scruff anymore.


The temperature for most of the day didn't get out of the low 50's.  When we had first arrived the temperature was 45 degrees.  Add to that a very windy day, with gusts reaching 40 miles and hour, and you will understand how I spent most of the day frozen.  Do you know how you kind of hunch up a bit when you are really really cold?  I was doing that all day!  My shoulders were soooo stiff when I woke up this morning I had to spend an extra 5 minutes just under the hot water in the shower!
  Garage bathroom - picture for Min


After the race - and we were near turns 12 and 13, we had to seriously hustle to get to the victory lane podium.


Drissi, Lopez and Ave really were the class of the field - it was like watching 2 separate races.



Gentilozzi in victory lane - dude your car won, lets not get too excited.


Of course my camera takes so long between pictures I missed them spraying the champagne at each other, but oh well



Ok this post is long enough, that if you "accidentally" scrolled this low and you didn't want to see Robin's progress it's your own fault.


So here is a close up for clue 4.

i did make it 1 20 row repeat smaller, because it is getting longer than I would consider a "shawlette"  and because the beginning 3 clues leading up to this section used one skein.  SO I am assuming the end piece will use one skein.  And I really didn't have enough from skein 2 to do another repeat.


Here is Robin as she stands now.

I've actually won TWO blog contests! Robin Spoilers

Seriously!  I'm considering grabbing a lottery ticket.  FIRST  I won a contest on my friend Diana's blog.  Diana is an extremely talented knitwear designer.  I won 5, yes 5 of her patterns.  Check out her designs if you're a knitter  otterwise  And her blog is here. 
If you're wondering I got: Wild Cherry Bark Mitts, Corydalis Cowl, Winter Bud Cowl, Catseye Socks and Kiva bag.

Thank you so much again, Diana!!


The second contest was this past weekend on my friend Thom's blog.  He had a birthday contest for Quilly.  We had to guess her birthweight.  I guessed Angie's weight ( at birth not now!) and while she was smaller than Quilly, I was the closest so I won!!  I got to pick any internet giftcard.  So I'm getting a Knitpicks gift card ( so I'll have the yarn to work up Diana's patterns. LOL!


Thank you so much again Thom!  I really have fun with your blog every day!!

I  finished clue 3 on Sunday ( too bad clue 6 comes out on Monday) on my Stormy Robin.  I think I'm going to try to catch up on the Cotton Robin- since it will be more practical with summer coming up.  And once I'm caught up then work on the stormy.  It is going to be 32 degrees tonite!!  My tomato is coming inside so she doesn't freeze.  It's almost May!  I want my plants done already!! 

So here is the cotton Robin after clue 3:


The yarn is not quite so yellow.

A close up of the "robins"



Here is a shot of my Stormy Robin:
 

New Hope, Robiin spoilers

Curt and I went out to Bucks County,PA.  A place called Peddlers Village  has great little shops and restaurants.  It's only a little over an hour from us, and Curt wanted to spend a day with just the two of us.  I didn't really buy much.  But it was fun just browsing all the shops with him.  I did buy the first Christmas present to put away for this coming holiday.  Paper made from elephant poo for my sister. hee hee hee hee. We'll see just how green she really is.  LOL!  I also bought a red glass dragonfly for Angie ( her track and field nickname is the deadly dragonfly, and her team colors are scarlet and white)  I got a new shortbread mold and a much nicer pastry cutter than I currently use.  

Another type of daff started blooming in my garden.  Also one very sad hyacinth that is missing half its flowerettes.

I'm done with clue 2 on my Cotton Fine Robin.  There were three bobbles in clue 2.  I really, really don't like bobbles.  I did them in my shoshie shawl, but I really think they look like the fur on a matted cat that needs some serious grooming.  I think I started a mini-revolt in the robin thread.  Sharon gave an option to use contrasting beads, which I may try for my stormy robin, but I didn't want to use them for the cotton.  I had breakfast Friday with my friend Grace ( after 2 months!)  and as she is the shawl guru, I asked her about it.  She suggested nupps, which is an Estonian stitch ( according to google anyway) The nupp has a similar look but is much flatter.  Here's my robin so far:

 Here's a closeup.

The nupps are the budlike swirls at the end of the rows of beads on the left side of center.  (not the horizontal beads in the leaf motifs)   I really do love it otherwise.  The bottom of the picture is a "wicker section" which I really enjoy. 






Here's a picture that is more true to the actual color of Robin.

 As I mentioned earlier, I had breakfast with Grace on Friday.  And if she doesn't relapse again we will have lunch on Thursday.  It's been 2 months since we've gotten together, and I didn't realize how much I've come to rely on her to bounce ideas off of, or get knitting advice from.  She brought me pressies!!  A skein of "garnet" sock yarn from dreamscape threads in all shades of red, a sock pattern she got with a club ( I haven't convinced her to go beyond those itty bitty keychain socks)  a cozy book, and a giant jar of honey ( yum)  Had some with tea this afternoon.  I also bought one of her shawls to use as a gift for someone who hinted at a handknit gift, but I really am not close enough to to stop my current projects for.  If anyone is looking to buy an amazing shawl, check out her blog on the left margin - lovin comfort knits.

You Are the Queen of Hearts

To call you passionate would be a total understatement. You have quite a temper. You put fear into the hearts of everyone you know. You are easy to make angry, and once you're angry, you may do or say anything. You love vengeance. You don't like to be crossed. And while you can't say "Off with their heads!" when people make you mad, you wish you could! There are a couple hobbies you're passionate about (perhaps croquet?), but even those can be sullied by the stupidity of others.

What Alice in Wonderland Character Are You?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding