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!

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 #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 #13

For FO Friday I'm sharing a free pattern. Enjoy!

Small Plant Hanger

A KnitPurlHooked Pattern by Sarahfay Lucy

Recently, I bought new plants to brighten up my home. Having cats, I need to hang the plants. Only the local stores here no longer carry plant hangers.  Solution: make my own of course.

Measurements:  This pattern will fit small pots of about 6”.

Yarn: Worsted weight

Notions: 4mm crochet hook, darning needle, removable marker, 2” ring (I used Bamboo).

Gauge:  Approximately 4 chains = 1”

40 single crochet (sc) around 2” ring. Join with slip stitch (sl st) to first sc.

Making the cables

Chain (ch) 1, sc in next 4 sc, turn, sl st in 1st sc.

Ch 210, join with sl st to 1st sc.

Ch 210, join with sl st to 2nd sc.

Ch 210, join with sl st to 3rd sc.

Ch 210, join with sl st to 4th sc. Fasten off. 4 cables.

Making the netting

Join with sl st to end of 1st cable.

Ch 15, join with sl st to end of 2nd cable.

Ch 15, join with sl st to end of 3rd cable.

Ch 15, join with sl st to end of 4th cable.

Ch 15, join with sl st to the end of 1st cable.

Ch 1, 60 sc evenly around, join with sl st to 1st sc.

Ch 2, half double crochet (hdc) in next sc and every sc around, join with sl st to 1st stitch (st). 

*Ch 10, sc in the 6th sc*, place marker in the loop made.

Repeat from *to* around to last 6 sc.

Ch 5, treble crochet (tc) in first sc.

*Ch 8, sc in the top of the next loop*, move marker to the loop made.

Repeat from *to* around to last loop.

Ch 4, double crochet in the top of next loop.

 *Ch 6, sc in the top of the next loop*, move marker to the loop made.

 Repeat from *to* around to last loop.

* Ch 4, sc in the top of the next loop*, move marker to the loop made.

Repeat from *to* around to last loop.

*Ch 2, sc in the top of the next loop*, move marker to the loop made.

Repeat from *to* around to last loop.

*Ch 1, sc in the top of the next loop*, move marker to the loop made.

Repeat from *to* around to last loop.

Ch 1, sc evenly around, join with sl st to 1^st sc.

Ch 1, insert hook in 1st sc draw up a loop, insert hook into next sc draw a loop, yo, and pull through 2 loops.

Repeat around until hole is closed up. Fasten off. Weave in tails.

Insert pot into the netting and hang. Happy planting!

SarahFay’s Notes:

A knot can be tied in the hanger if the plant hangs to low.

Hop over to Tami's Amis for more FO fun!

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.

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.

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.