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 #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 #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.

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.

Wednesday Blog Along #10

Hey, I'm back! Sorry it's been so long. March was nothing but one sickness after another. Coupled with Husband having a week off and then the kids having a week for Spring Break, I've just not had the energy for anything else but the day to day running of our household.

I'm more than half way through Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Reading it was going so quickly, I was really gobbling it up. Now, I am making myself take sometime to enjoy it. I'm bad about reading books to fast and then missing the book once I've finished it.

And yes. I have a new WIP!

No, your eyes are to deceiving you and you are not having deja vu. Yes, yes, I am making another skull beanie. In the same colors as before. And same size. Why? You ask. Well our new dog has an appreciation for handmade knitted goods. As any good dog of a knitter/crocheter should :)

This happened on the third day we had him. Son wasn't too upset. And as all family members of a knitter/crocheter do, he turned to me and said "You can fix it." And he said this with not one ounce of doubt that his Mom could do this. But, after looking the hat over sadly I could not fix it. Son, of course, informed me that this was not a problem because I could just make him a new one. Of course.

For awesome knitters/crocheters hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things.

Wednesday Blog Along #9

It's been a busy, non-stop, don't know if I'm coming or going kind of week. Last night was my first full night of sleep. Thank, God. I'm exhausted. On Tuesday last I developed this awful cough that gets especially worst at night when I'm laying down. Because of this I've not slept well.

My newest WIP is Shep.

There hasn't been any progress on any knitting/crocheting projects because when I haven't been coughing my head off, I've been kept busy with our newest family member's training. We adopted him on Saturday. He is an Alaskan Malamute/German Sheppard mix and is only 2 years old. So, he is still going through puppy stages. Since bringing him home he has not left my side; I can't walk without running in to him or walking on him.

Because of being sick, I've managed to get a lot of reading done. Finished reading Ghost Hunting by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson with Michael Jan Friedman. It is a nice companion book to the TV show's earlier cases. Now I'm reading Ghost Story by Jim Butcher and it has caught my attention from the very beginning. I am remembering how much I enjoyed reading.

Wonderful WIP's are just a blog away so, be sure check out Tami's Amis and Small Things.

FO Friday #14

Secret project # 1 is complete but, I can't show it. If and when it gets approved maybe I'll be able to share it here. Here's hoping that it does get it's approval and passes all the criteria.

Son's derby car is done. Yeah!

And he had his races on Sunday. His car went an average of 220 mph!

Love Son's snazzy paint job!

But, he didn't win. The winning car went 232+ mph! 84 cars were enter and it took four hours to complete the races. There were more than one subcategory at the races. Out of the Cub Scouts, Son, came in fourth. He is already talking about next year's races. Lord help me.

For more awesome FO's hop on over to Tami's Amis.

Wednesday Blogalong #7

Daughter and I have been terribly sick with a stomach virus since Friday. Yesterday, Daughter was able to head back to school, though she was still a bit zombiefied. Today, I am happily at that stage.

I thought I'd share a happy picture. This photo is of Son and our cat Bobby (he is named after Bob the Skull from Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files). Son is trying to play and Bobby wants attention. Can you guess who won?

I am hoping that all will be back to normal (well, normal for us) by next week. So, 'til then, go to Tami's Amis and Small Things to enjoy lots of marvelous WIP's.

FO Friday #12

It has been accomplished! Husband's hat #2 is DONE! Yeah.

And, yes. Bribing was once again involved. This time a sub sandwich.

The pattern is called "Oliver" Jogless Stripes Hat by Amy Andersen. I don't think any one can come close to guessing how glad I am that this project is complete. Done and off the needles. ~dance~dance~

For awesome FO viewing hop on over to Tami's Amis.

Wednesday Blog Along #6

I have a huge TBR stack that needs much attention. So, until I cull back some of my new books, I've put my marathon book read of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series on hiatus. Right now, I'm still reading George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones and have started on Josh Gates' Destination Truth, Memoirs of a Monster Hunter. Husband enjoys watching Josh Gates' show on Syfy, Destination Truth. I like watching the show with him because Josh Gates is hilarious! Great entertainment value and so far the book is an enjoyable read, too.

If you let me I can talk about books all day :)

Okay, my latest WIP.

After all the hiccups and false starts on Husband's hat #2, I am happy to say that he likes it (so far). Since taking this photo last eve, I've progressed further on hat #2 and will be starting on the crown after I complete this post. Fingers crossed that it will be completed, approved, and modeled in time for FO Friday. I may have to do some more omelet bribing in order to get my model to cooperate.

Happy knitting/crocheting and reading everyone. Now check out Tami's Amis and Small Things for awesome blog alongs.

FO Friday #11

I have a FO to share! Woot! Woot! And Husband has agreed to be my model (there may have been an omelet bribing involved).

The Woodsman Hat is now available through my Etsy shop KnitPurlHooked

I enjoyed making this hat. Even if it was an unintentional project. The yarn I used is incredibly soft. It's the Caron One Pound in espresso yarn. For the stripping I used Red Heart's heather grey.

Hop over to Tami's Amis for some awesome FO's!

Wednesday Blog Along #5

Are WIP's like Gremlins? Every morning I wake, my WIP's have multiplied. On the needles I have: A sweater jacket, secret project #1, secret project #2, Husband's hat #2 (finally), hexipuffs (of course), and a motif blanket. My God, there are more there than I thought!

Plus, I'm "helping" Son make his derby car for cub scouts.

I carved it out with a small bow saw yesterday, was down to my last pass with the saw, after two hours of work, and sliced across the top of my left thumb. Much cursing ensued. And bleeding. Then more cursing when I poured alcohol on it. Luckily, I didn't cut my thumb off, it's just a surface wound.

Husband's hat #2 is in its infant stage.

The motif blanket was cast on, when my new craft book arrived. 150 Knit & Crochet Motifs by Heather Lodinsky

Any one else have cast-on-itis? With all this madness, I haven't really made any progress on the reading front. Just a quick word, sentence, or paragraph here and there.

Hop over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to view more fabulous work.

FO Friday #10

Well, after a some reminders these last few days that I needed Husband and hat together for a photo op. And at least 20 pictures taken (many were blurred or interrupted by kids). He reluctantly posed for me while doing his favorite pastime; playing video games. Here, at last, is Husbands hat #1.

Husband is a serious gamer.

He really doesn't like his picture taken.

Oh, ~happy dance, happy dance~ I sold my first pattern through Craftsy yesterday. Yeah!

Hop on over to Tami's Amis to view more FO's.

Wednesday's Blog Along #3

A while back I bought George R. R. Martin's A Game Of Thrones from listening to all the hype about the TV show. Since then it has sat on my shelf amongst all my other TBR's. Yesterday, I took it down and started on it. So, far I'm enjoying the flow of the author's voice but, haven't made much progress into the story. I was distracted by all the "Mom, I need help with..." (feel in the blank) or "Wife, can you help me with..."(fell in the blank). And today doesn't promise to be any better. We are in a winter weather advisory. They are calling for the snow to start around 10 this morning. So, I'm expecting the school's to let the kids out early and I've a few things I want done before they arrive home.

Also, from the photo above you can see that I've not made much progress with the hat. Being distract as I was with another project. Man, these projects are popping up like weeds. I don't know if I'm going to share this latest endeavor. I haven't decided if I like it or not, it severs its purpose but, I'm not sure I like how it looks. After I finish this hat then it's on to Husband's hat #2. And Son has asked that I make him another hat also. I made him one a few years ago that he has out grown and that he really liked. He wants me to make him another one just like it. I even want a new hat (and mittens) but, that keeps getting pushed down the to - make list.

I have a pattern store over at Craftsy.com. My patterns are listed as KnitPurlHooked or can also be found as Sarahfay. I don't have much there as of yet. But, I've been inspired and have a few ideas rolling around and formulating in this noggin.

Hop on over to Tami's Amis and Small Things to check out awesome crafters in action.

FO Friday #8

I can't believe it's Friday, already. Did we skip over Thursday?

The Smurf hat has been completed. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of it before it went out the door this morning on my happy daughter's head. Go figure.

(Imagine right here a beautiful picture of Daughter, happily smiling while modeling her Smurf hat.)

And my swatching is done for hat #1 of Husband's. It is well on it's way to completion and if all goes as planned, I should be able to share it next Friday.

I know it's not WIP Wednesday, yet. But, I would like to share a picture of something. It's on DPNs because this yarn did not want to side easily on my circular's and I got tried of fighting with it. I started on this hat last night just before bed and managed to get the ribbing complete. Soon, the striping will start. But, more on this on Wednesday.

'Till then have a wonderful weekend.

So, hop on over to Tami's Amis to view some awesome FO's. They have pictures and everything :]