FO Friday #19

My first completed project in a long time! Meet Autumn Bonfires Shawl.

This was my first shawl that I've made and I designed it. I really love how it turned out and my lovey daughter modeled for me.

Reminiscent of roasting marshmallows around bonfires on chilly evenings this lacy shawl is knit as a 90 degree triangle. Autumn Bonfires Shawl can be worn multiple ways: wrapped around the neck like a kerchief, traditionally about the shoulders,etc. Autumn Bonfires Shawl is made using a light weight lace yarn. 80% Acrylic, 10% Mohair, and 10% Wool.

Join for Tami's Amis more awesome FOs!

Wednesday Blog Along #23

WOW!There has been so much going on that something had to give and I guess my blog was it. Daughter is taking extra dance lessons, Son is in Cub Scouts, and I've been in deadline hell. I'm happy to say that I sent everything off yesterday and it will make it well in advance of the deadline. Yay!

The Helix socks that I've been working on are now frogged. Again. I got one sock off the needles and wove in the ends but, after re-doing this pattern five times (yes, 5 times) including re-doing the gauge 3 times, the socks still did not come out right. They've caused me enough stress, I'm not trying them anymore.

Husband bought me an e-reader recently. I LOVE it! I've gotten more reading done these last two weeks than I have done in a long time. Stone Angel and Wilder by Christina Dodd are part of her Chosen Ones series and are excellent reads. And now I'm reading Pack Challenge: Magnus Pack Book 1 by Shelly Laurenston. The book is going well so far, this is the first that I've read any of this series. I have read her work before under the pseudonym G. A. Aiken and her Dragon Kin series, and I have really enjoyed them.

Oh, today Husband and I celebrate our 14th anniversary. To much going on for us to go out, so we're having a quite evening at home :)

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to enjoy even more awesome WIPs in action!

Wednesday Blog Along #22

Thank you for all the well wishes, July was certainly a bitch to our family and August is just flying by. Husband's grandmother is still in the hospital but, is showing some progress, my grandmother is recovering and giving her physical therapist heck, and my dad has healed from his run in with the chainsaw.

This week is the kids' last of Summer. YAY! They've been fighting non-stop these last few days and are driving me crazy. In my attempt to keep some of my sanity I've been knitting/crocheting and reading quite a bit. Though, there is not any noticeable change in Helix and the new design. I've about 4" more on Helix and about 10" more on the new design.

The motifs that I'm working on (Wednesday Blog Along #18 ) has had a set back. The blue yarn I had chosen were scraps out of my stash. It's label has been lost to time and I was hoping that I would be able to match it up at the store. NOPE! Not even close. Sorry Charlie. So, reluctantly I bought another blue that I felt went well with the brown and began ripping out all the previous blue.

This picture doesn't portray the color very well. It's has a nice sheen and is in the same tone as the previous blue, a few shades lighter. Cautioning on the side of just in case, I bought 2-1 pounders :)

I have been commissioned for a project that will be taking up a lot of my time. It's very intricate crochet lace and no sharing 'til I've completed. And I SO want to share, it is very beautiful. This project combines two of my loves; history and fiber arts.

Currently, I'm reading Caressed By Ice by Nalini Singh. I've enjoyed the other books in this series and this one is no exception. The Guardian  by Sherrilyn Kenyon was an excellent read and has been put on my keeper shelf with all of her other books. Tomorrow I'm getting my eager little hands on her new book Time Untime. I really can't express how much it means to me for a modern/main stream book to tell a story featuring Native Americans as the lead characters and for the story to be based on Native American mythos. This is something that is very near and dear to me.

We took the kids to a local zoo last week.

The goats are waiting for their turn for the kids to feed them. Aren't they so cute! Smelly. But, cute. And very impatient : p

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things for more awesome WIPs in action.

Wednesday Blog Along #21

These last few weeks I've been churning away at the same two projects. The new design one has grown but, no noticeable change to warrant a picture.

The Helix socks, though, I am happy to say have made a lot of progress.

Camera died before I could take any better pics :)

I've managed to get the heels turned on both and work a couple rounds of the cuff. At that point, working continuously on them got a bit monotonous (I have large feet) and I had to put them down for now.

On the reading front, I've consumed books. Last Dragon Standing, The Dragon Who Loved Me, and Dragon on Top in the Supernatural anthology by G.A. Aiken were all great reads. I about inhaled them! And would read them all again. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper was also a good read. Although, there was a lot of confusion with all the foreshadowing and scene changes with no breaks. At times the scene would change in the middle of a paragraph. The story, for me, was entertaining enough to work through these hiccups. I don't know if I would read it again, though. Currently, my reading has slowed. I'm still reading the Supernatural anthology but, the short I'm reading right now is not holding my attention.


July has been a very stressful month and am looking forward to what August will bring us

WARNING: the rest of this post is quite sad.

Let's see; at the beginning of the month my dad was clearing fallen trees from the derecho and sliced into his leg, down to the knee cap, with a chain saw. He had to get staples but, is okay. BTW, this isn't the first time he has tried cutting off a body part. About 10 years ago, with a circular saw he cut off one finger and another one was hanging just by skin. The doctors were able to save both fingers, thank God. I've told my mom that he is no longer to have sharp implements :)

Two weeks ago, my grandmother, had a massive heart attack. The bottom of her heart is dead. Good news is, she is now out of the hospital, recovering, and doing well. And my husband's grandmother was in a car accident and not doing so well. The doctors have told us that she is in God's hands, that they have done all they can to save her. Her injures and complications are too heartbreaking and too numerous to recount here.

And for a happier note join Small Things and Tami's Amis (at the time of this post she hadn't posted for WIP Wednesday, yet).

Wednesday Blog Along #20

I missed last week's post and today I'm late! Sigh, Husband has started a new schedule which has put me off of mine. I didn't even realize today was Wednesday until about 15 minutes ago:)

I've made some progress with Helix.

They are looking quite well, if I do say so myself. These are the first two at a time with a chart socks I've done and I'm really enjoying working on them.

Remember that design project I was working on? Well, last week I was about an inch away from completing  it when I took a break and started running my hands over my work.You know, the whole "my precious" thing going on. When I noticed at the very beginning there was a dropped stitch, at the VERY beginning of a 50" project! After much cussing, there was so much cussing Husband asked me if all that was really necessary, I resigned that it must be frogged. And I'm glad I did, I've made a few changes once I cast back on and I really like how it's turning out this time.

Chronicles of Nick: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon was a really great read. I actually did nothing, accept what was necessary to the survival of my household and read this book in two days. I'm really looking forward to her next book coming out Time Untime. And it seems that I'm on a reading kick. Last Dragon Standing by G.A. Aiken has had my undivided attention these last two days. 


So with that, hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to view more wonderful WIPs.

Wednesday Blog Along #19

Happy Independence Day!

Please, everyone be careful celebrating today. Especially, those living here on the East Coast who've been effected by the derecho storm and heat wave.

I would like to properly credit this image but my browser has lost the link
& I can't find it. Sorry

Finished reading Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon, which is an excellent read and would recommend it. Now, I am reading Chronicles of Nick: Infamous by Sherrilyn Keyon. Yes, I'm a bit of a fan. Okay, I'm a BIG fan of Sherrilyn Keyon. I've been reading her books for years, since the Dark-Hunter series began, I've even gotten my mom hooked on reading her books.

There are no pictures today of my WIPs, not much noticeable progress has been make to really record. I've steadily been plugging away at them just not noticeable on film.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis, who has made her 100th WIP post! And Small Things to view awesome WIPs.

Wednesday Blog Along #18

Like a good little crafter, I've been working loyally on two, yes, just two knitting projects. Recently though, I have been longing for others to the point of distraction. I fought valiantly for days to resist. Alas, I've lost the battle, for the motifs' siren call is too strong.

These crocheted motifs have been silently plotting to find a way to pull my attention back to them. And on Friday they finally succeeded. I knew I wanted to make a blanket with them but not the little details of it. Now, I do and they are my new affair.

Still, I'm reading Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It's a good read and I'm trying to savor the book and not to gobble it up too quickly.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to view more awesome WIPs.

Wednesday Blog Along #17

Helix is now back were it was before the frogging incident. Yay!

Wow! Color overload?

The other project is coming along nicely. I can't wait to finish it so that I can share. Last night, I tried working on the socks some more but, a combination of poor lighting, dark colors, and dry eyes did me in.

Oh! A Hexipuff update: 54.

I know it doesn't sound like much but, for me it is, with everything else I'm juggling, too. I got tried of counting the hexipuffs so, when I got to fifty I decided to bag and label them. Makes it a lot easier. Wonder how many of these I'll have laying around before it's complete?

Recently, I've made a habit of reading at night before bed, even if it is just a few sentences. This has helped greatly in catching up on my reading and quieting my mind for sleep. I used to do this while I was in school but, over time I have gotten out of the practice.  I'm over half way through Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon and during those brief down times during the day I've been reading my Knitting Traditions magazine.

For more awesome WIP's in action, hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things

Wednesday Blog Along #16

Um...no your eyes are not deceiving you. Why, yes the Helix socks are smaller than last time. Ugh. Started working the chart (which was going great) when I decided to try them on (the benefit of toe-up) and discovered that I was making them way, way too large. So, ribbit, ribbit. Since re-casting on I've not worked on Helix much due to the recital over the weekend.

Daughter's recital went really well. Her dance troop performs the same show four times, including a dress rehearsal. The dress rehearsal was Friday night (and so was her end of school year dance. Yee-Haw), then two shows on Saturday, and one on Sunday plus a cast party. By Sunday evening she was dragging ass and so was I.

But, during all of this mayhem, I did get some knitting done.

Before the weekend, I had just started on the yellow section. All of the rest was done while setting in the auditorium during set up and practice. Yay! for knitting. Otherwise, I would of gone bat-shit crazy.

Much reading has not been done during all of this, so, still plugging away at Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Right now, I'm reading through the section of the hero being tortured and it's tuff to get through.

Oh! I entered the 500 miles in 2012 bike challenge at Fleetly.com in February and completed it yesterday. WHOO-HOO! I'm going to enter it again and see how many times I can complete this before the end of the year. I know, it's not like I don't have enough to do already.

Now, hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to view more awesome WIP's in action.

Wednesday Blog Along #15

Forgot today is Wednesday, I'm very exhausted from running the roads so much doing this errand or that. Oh, and this week is rehearsal week hell. Daughter's ballet troop is performing this weekend and they put on three shows. Two on Saturday and one on Sunday. But, leading up to that is a lot of practice on the stage getting all the chinks ironed out.

Finished reading the Free-Range Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee over the weekend. Reading it was like setting down with a good friend and having a chat. A very excellent read and would recommend it for others to try.

I'm about to start on the chart for the Helix socks.

Wish me luck, I've not worked on charts all that often :)

Also, still working on the new design project.

The Boyle bag (shown in the picture above) is awesome. They come in a two-pack set and are perfect for small projects for on the go. The bag can be worn hanging from the wrist, belt, shoulder, or over the neck. I've bought one set and am planning on ordering more.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things

All reviews stated above are my sole opinion (and you know what the saying is). I've not been paid, compensated, or given anything in return for these reviews.

FO Friday #18

As I was working on the Hexipuff's for the Geek Chic Hexipuff post last week I kept thinking on how cute and puffy the puffs were. And then it hit me, why not enlarge the puffs and turn it into a pillow.

Of course I changed up the pattern a bit. Instead of a hexagon, I turned it into an octagon. Surprisingly, it didn't take long to make; I finished in just a few hours. My Octipuff ~grins~ has already been in a pillow fight, used for a foot rest, and has been slept and drooled on. So, I believe it has been met with approval.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis for more awesome FO viewing.

Wednesday Blog Along #14

Y'all, I was a really good girl and finished a project. ~gasp~ I know! So, for my reward lookie what I got to cast on.

Right now the Helix socks are shiny and new. And I love them and want to work on them so much. Wonder how long this infatuation will last?

Oh! Oh! I love, LOVE my new circular knitting needles from Knitter's Pride. They are fabulous!

Yesterday, I went to the Green Valley Book Fair (if you're a great book lover, this is the place you'll want to go) and bought Free Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Started reading it immediately and am enjoying it. Oh, and I finished Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Excellent book! And I couldn't believe the twist it has. I'm already itching for the next one; I'm anxious to see were Dresden is going to go from here.

Now, I am reading Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon and working on a new design.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things for some awesome WIP viewing!

FO Friday #17 and Hexipuffs!

Months back, after reading many blogger’s posts totting hand spun/dyed yarn, I decided to give it a try (I know I’m behind times). Searching through Etsy, looking at all the wonderful dyers, got me thinking to what purpose I would use the yarn once I got it. Hexipuffs! And there were so many wonderful options for mini skeins.  

For my first Indie Dyer I went with Geek Chic Yarns. She is an excellent seller.

The Doctor Who theme is what hooked me. The yarn is very soft and defines the stitches beautifully. I was able to get 3 Hexipuffs out of one mini skein each.

I really enjoyed working with the hand spun/dyed yarn and have since the initial purchase of these, acquired more from different sources.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis for more FO viewing.

This is not a paid advertisement. I purchased this yarn and the review is of my own accord. Thank you.

Wednesday Blog Along #13

While I have been waiting for the Knitter's Pride Trendz Interchangable Circular Deluxe Set to arrive, so I can knit the Helix sock pattern, I have been wracking my brain to find something to keep me busy. And because of this my mind has been filled to capacity with ideas for patterns. So much so, that it is all I've been able to think about. I spent the majority of yesterday tweaking a pattern I'm currently working on.

Once it's finished I'll reveal what it is ;) In an effort to escape the pattern madness going on inside my head, more reading is getting done. Especially, these last few days I've made a lot of progress with Jim Butcher's Ghost Story and have almost completed it.

And wouldn't you know it. Finally find a project to occupy myself and look what arrived in the mail.

Of course they would arrive now, when I have a million things going on and no time to cast on the socks I so want to make. They weren't suppose to get here until the 22nd. Any other time I would be so lucky for them to be delivered on time. But, no. I come to terms that I have to wait to make the Helix socks, get involved doing another project, and they arrive early. Early! Of course!

Okay, tantrum over (for now, you know those needles are over in the corner whispering for me to come play with them, right) most get back to work. So, with that, hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things for more WIPs in action.

FO Friday #16

They are finally done! I present two complete pairs of matching socks.

The red pair:

And the green pair:

As I've talked about in previous posts, these were worked using the tutorial in Toe Up 2 at Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. I enjoyed making them and they worked up fairly quickly. They are child size, more into the toddler range and are like bedroom socks or boot socks. These I will be donating to our local United Way. I hope they find a good home.

Oh! Oh! Yesterday, I took the plunge and bought my first set of interchangeable needles. They're not fancy or top of the line, just something simple that I could afford. The longest cord goes up to 47" but I can buy longer ones at a later date to add on. I'm so excited! Wish they were here now. I'm really itching to get started on that Helix pattern. 

For some more awesome FO viewing hop on over to Tami's Amis. Happy Friday!

Wednesday Blog Along #12

Whenever my guard slips, with three cats, this happens. They are always looking for an opportunity to run off with my yarn. And act in all innocence when they get caught, "What yarn? Oh, that yarn. No. I wasn't messing with it. Honestly."


I tried to start my official first pair of 2-at a time toe-up socks. The longest circular needles I have are 24" and my local yarn store (Micheal's :( ) doesn't carry anything over 24". We had three yarn stores once then Micheal's moved in and put them out of business. Now Micheal's doesn't stock half the stuff they used to. Very disappointing.

The pattern I'm hoping to work on soon is the Helix out of Toe Up 2 at Time Socks Melissa Morgan-Oakes. I did start the socks just to see how my new yarn would look. It's Stroll Fingering from Knit Picks in Tree Fort.

The yarn looks very lovely but, I can't continue on with these needles. The stitches on the sides are starting to stretch. Bummer. I hate waiting.

Currently, I'm reading Fitness Rx and Interweave Knits magazines. I'm still chugging away at Ghost Story by Jim Butcher and A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. But, it is only in passing, a line here, a paragraph there. Just so much going on, I really don't have the time to do more than that.

This morning after waking Husband for work and making sure he was up and moving around, I fell back to sleep and dreamed that I was tired. In the dream I kept trying to find a place to lay down and take a nap but, people kept finding me and waking me back up. It got to the point in the dream, where I was running away from these people, desperately looking for a secluded place to sleep. When the alarm went off to get the kids up for school, it felt like I hadn't slept at all. You know you are really tired when your subconscious is trying to tell you to sleep. Today, looks like a nap day (I wish) :p

Now, for wonderful WIP viewing, hop on over to Small Things and Tami's Amis.

FO Friday #15

I don't know if I'm excited that it is Friday or if I'm left wondering where my week went. Well, I'm definitely glad it's not Thursday anymore. I thought yesterday was never going to end. Our window unit went out Wednesday night, so, I ventured to the city yesterday to buy a new one. Forgot that it is graduation weekend for one of the colleges. Everyone and there grandparents are in town = lines out the ying-yang. And because of the heat everyone in my household Thursday evening was whiny and temperamental (emphasis on the mental).

Okay. Enough of my whining. For today's share, remember this?

Our new dog Shep thought it need a little something "more".

Finally, I have made the replacement hat for Son.

Just in time for Summer. Go me!

For more awesome FO viewing check-out Tami's Amis.

Wednesday Blog Along #11

Wow! A lot has happened since I last posted for WIP Wednesday. I was gearing up for our local Spring Festival Art and Craft show when my upper back molar broke. Went in for a consultation to see what could be done for it, luckily it was a freak accident and the tooth was perfectly healthy. The dentist said he could fix it with a filling but, the day they could work me in was the day of the show. I was extremely bummed that I had to cancel doing the show but, relieved that the tooth could be fixed so easily.

I participated in the 3rd Annual Knit and Crochet Blog week 2012. It was lots of fun, I enjoyed reading everyone's post, and my contributions can be found here.

Now, for today's share.

I've already made one pair of the tutorial two at a time toe-up socks. Following the recommendations in Toe-Up 2 at Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes, I made the socks in two different colors. So, wanting matching pairs, I'm doing the tutorial again. Which is really good practice.

I've made some progress reading Ghost Story by Jim Butcher and A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. But, what little "free-time" I've had has found me in front of the TV numbly watching it. I don't know why, I've just not felt like reading, which is really unusual for me.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to view awesome WIP's in action.

Crafting Balance 3KCBWDAY7

~Are you a knitter or a crocheter, or are you a bit of both? If you are monogamous in your yarn-based crafting, is it because you do not enjoy the other craft or have you simply never given yourself the push to learn it? Is it because the items that you best enjoy crafting are more suited to the needles or the hook? Do you plan on ever trying to take up and fully learn the other craft? If you are equally comfortable knitting as you are crocheting, how do you balance both crafts? Do you always have projects of each on the go, or do you go through periods of favouring one over the other? How did you come to learn and love your craft(s)?~

My crafting started with crocheting. I’ve been crocheting for some 29 years now. Then eight years ago I got tired of seeing patterns that I liked but, was unable to do. Solution, I taught myself to knit.

Balancing the two is non-existent for they are both fickle lovers and need my constant attention. Therefore, I have multiple projects going at once, stashed in various locations around the house. I do have affairs with one over the other for periods of time, while the other whispers, “come back we have better more beautiful projects.” This is why I have multiple projects. I am easily seduced from one to the other.

Some of my FO's hiding behind my couch.

I come from a family of people who like to work with their hands. My grandmother is a painter, my mother a seamstress/fiber artist/jewelry maker, and my grandfather is a woodwork/basket maker. Someone is always making something. And it is rare to see any of us without a small craft bag in tow wherever we go. It just came naturally to pick up some kind of craft (or more) and get my hands busy.

A miniature rocking chair my grandfather made for my daughter.
 

And now the next generation is taking up the call. Every time I turn around Daughter is making something. So, far she has learned to cross-stitch on plastic canvas and single crochet. But, her first love is drawing and scrapbooking isn't far behind. Son is also getting the crafting bug and likes to sculpt with model clay and paper art. Husband has joined my family's madness and has taken up woodworking. Many an evening he hides in the dungeon (basement) to play with his wood :p

I've enjoyed the 3rd annual Knitting and Crocheting Blog Week and I hope that everyone else has too!

Improving Your Skillset 3KCBWDAY6

~How far down the road to learning your craft do you believe yourself to be? Are you comfortable with what you know or are you always striving to learn new skills and add to your knowledge base? Take a look at a few knitting or crochet books and have a look at some of the skills mentioned in the patterns. Can you start your amigurumi pieces with a magic circle, have you ever tried double knitting, how's your intarsia? If you are feeling brave, make a list of some of the skills which you have not yet tried but would like to have a go at, and perhaps even set yourself a deadline of when you'd like to have tried them by.~

Not tooting my own horn but, I believe that I am fairly knowledgeable in my craft and am confident in my skills. Though, there is always something I can improve upon. I am always looking for a new technic to try to further my knowledge.

Currently, I am learning how to knit two socks at a time toe-up on one needle. I’m using Toe-Up-2-at-Time Melissa Morgan-Oakes to learn this new skill. She has a great starter pair of socks to make that is a simple pattern to follow that I breezed through it quickly, finishing my first pair in two days.

I’m planning on making a second to go with the first so I have matching socks to donate to my local charity.
Also, I am learning about Irish Crochet and the traditional technics used in this craft. Interweave Crochet has been having a great tutorial on it in their magazines to follow along with.

Amongst my goals for 2012 is to learn Tunisian crochet. I’ve picked up Get Hooked Tunisian Crochet by Sheryl Thies to help me along with this. And also, I would like to learn how to build a sweater from scratch. Luckily, I just won Custom Crocheted Sweaters, Make Garments That Really Fit by Dora Ohrenstein from a Knit Picks contest.

Something a Bit Different 3KCBWDAY5

~This is an experimental blogging day to try and push your creativity in blogging to the same level that you perhaps push your creativity in the items you create.There are no rules of a topic to blog about but this post should look at a different way to present content on your blog. ~

 My hands, an Artist’s hands, irreplaceable tools. They are callused, hard, scarred, cracked, and banged up.

My cuticles are dry and split, nails chipped and broken.

Nail salons cringe upon looking at them and scold me for the ill treatment of my hands.

But, they are my greatest beauty. Without them I couldn’t caress soft fibers or run yarn through my fingers.

Without my hands I couldn’t create my dreams.

A Knitter or Crochet for all Seasons 3KCBWDAY4

~As spring is in the air in the northern hemisphere and those in the southern hemisphere start setting their sights for the arrival of winter, a lot of crocheters and knitters find that their crafting changes along with their wardrobe. Have a look through your finished projects and explain the seasonality of your craft to your readers. Do you make warm woollens the whole year through in preparation for the colder months, or do you live somewhere that never feels the chill and so invest your time in beautiful homewares and delicate lace items. How does your local seasonal weather affect your craft?~

Looking through my FO’s reveals that I don’t stick to any real pattern when it comes to the seasons or anything else really. Mostly, though I do work on a lot of baby items. This is due to the fact that there are lots of babies being born in my circle of friends and family these last few years that needed cuties baby items. And, of course, I come across adorable patterns or design my own that I make extra to sale in my store, KnitPurlHooked.

Knit baby blanket and hat

 There is one seasonal item that I don’t like working on in the summer months and that is blankets. The only way I’ll work on one is if it is made in sections. Like a Granny Square blanket.

Celtic Crochet blanket that was worked in separate pieces then connected together.

Crochet Motif for a blanket I'm currently working on.

 And then, I don’t like putting it together until the weather cools down. It is not fun sweltering under masses of worsted yarn in the summer heat.