Quickie

Friday, March 28, 2008

Well, as quick as it can be for me...my posts are usually so long.

So I mentioned that I picked up my Serendipity sock again. This is where I had gotten to by last night, just past the heel.
And this is where I am tonight.
A finished sock! It's a bit short, but that's because this is a new toe for me and I wasn't quite sure where to stop at. It should be half an inch longer but I'm too lazy to rip it back and fix. I'll just block it and it'll be fine I think. If not, then they'll go to my tiny footed sister.

Here's a close up of the star toe shaping. It's just like decreasing a hat, and ends the same. I don't know if I like it quite as much as the other kind. I'll have to wait until I wear them.
And a shot of the heel, which I do like. It seemed faster and easier than a heel flap, and is very comfortable. I think I'll be doing many more like this.
I got my February Funky Carolina fiber in the mail yesterday. Yes I DO know it's nearing the end of March. I didn't realize I hadn't received it until about two weeks ago. It apparently got lost in the mail, so she had to hunt down some fiber and dye this up for me. It took a bit since she's moving right now. I got 5.25 (extra fiber for the extra wait and she said I'll get extra next time too) ounces of superwash bfl (my fave!) in the color Grounded. I think it's going to look awesome spun up. I should be getting March's fiber somewhat soon too and am signed up for another three months. This is one club I just can't lose with!

I'll leave you all with pictures I took of the kids at lunch. Alexis eating a cheese filled tortilla...I thought she looked adorable with her little purple bow, although it's barely in the picture. It's funny because she reminds me in this picture of my sister when she was little. My sister has lighter hair where mine is really dark.
And Nicholas...making his "dinosaur/t-rex" face. Another weird thing...he reminds me of my brother here...
I see myself and hubby in them a lot, but every so often I see my sister or brother in their faces and it amuses me.

Well that's it for now. There probably won't be a lot of knitting related posting going on for a bit because I have a super secret test knit to do and it's got to be done in two weeks, and it's going to take every spare moment of these two weeks. I'm confident I can do it, but it will mean not much to talk about here.

So now I'm off to spin for a little bit to wind down, and get my butt in bed. I'm hoping to make it to the spin in tomorrow, and I'll need to get up early since I have other errands as well.

Nighty night!

A week?!? Really???

Thursday, March 27, 2008

I cannot even believe that I haven't posted in a whole week. A ton has happened and man I feel that this is going to be a long post...I'll try to keep it short though.

I have received a few things in the mail. One of which was my March shipment of the RSC. Here is a picture of the yarn and pattern.
It's STR mediumweight and it's called Lucky. I love the color, I'm just surprised that this one AND the loopy ewe are SO similar in colors. Seriously...it's weird.
I adore this pattern though, and think that it fits the yarn. Or the yarn fits the pattern? Either way it's pretty. I picked up my January socks again because I will not allow myself to start these ones until those are done.

I also got the one skein of Wollmeise I traded for. I sent off my Spice Market, and got this Regenbogen in return! I love it SO much. My Sonne is still on the way from New Zealand but I'm sure it won't be long now till I get it.I finished the first part of my tangled yoke. No pic because it looks just like the last one pretty much. I get to start the sleeves now, and then they will attach to this body piece, and then the yoke! I'm very excited. I need my other size five circular to do it though, since I'd like to knit the sleeves 2 at a time on two circs. And the other is attached to my Jaywalker scarf which is honestly just about done. So I'll finish that up today.

I'm on repeat 5 of 10 on my Honeybee stole, and it's going to be so pretty! I'm loving knitting it, and it's going fast enough I think.

In completely unrelated news, hubby's job switched their insurance they provide to employees. Health insurance that is. Great for us because before we could only get dental if we signed up for medical too, and with this one we can pay for just the dental. Good news for me because I broke another tooth...don't ask. It sucks to have horrible teeth and I can't wait to get them fixed.

Alexis is a little monkey and tried climbing out of her bed last week. So we quickly moved her into Nicholas's room and I changed the crib into a bed with rails. It's one of those convertible ones. Since then they don't want to sleep, they only want to play. It's catching up fast though, last night they both were begging to go to bed. Muahahaha. And today they are finally napping! Thank goodness. I knew the novelty would wear off, but in the meantime it's tough. Especially since they tore his room apart every nap time. And they were super cranky from not getting sleep.

We've been getting freak snow showers lately. It's sunny when I wake up, then snows or hails at lunch, and by 3pm it's sunny again. Seriously. And then snows overnight. I hope it doesn't last, we had a few warm days there and I loved it. Plus this weekend there is a spin in thingy going on in the next state which is a whopping half an hour or so from my house...well maybe 45 mins. I want to go but want the weather to be nice!

Today Pigeonroof AND Piddleloop updated, and I got nothing. Pigeonroof didn't list anything I really wanted, so that was ok, but then I MISSED the piddleloop one. I KNEW that it was at 3:27 CENTRAL and for some reason mixed it up. I know that 3:27 central is 2:27 pacific, and didn't realize until 3pm I had spaced it. I was so annoyed. I really wanted this piggy bag...it is so cute and I love the colors...but would have happily settled for the cute fishy bag. Got nothin.

Ah well, I'll just take what I was going to spend with me to the spin in, assuming I go, and I think there are supposed to be vendors. So I'll buy a fun thing there instead. And wait...for the next piddleloop update.

Hmm, well I think that might be all for now. I'm sure I'll be back, whether that's sooner or later...and I will surely have things to show! Now it's time to go finish the laundry (wait, lol, laundry is NEVER finished...), shower, clean, and maybe knit and watch a movie. (Who am I trying to kid here? We all know that the knitting will come first, then probably the shower, and then if the kids aren't awake...cleaning lol)

WOLLMEISE!!!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

I have a winner for the contest, and they've been emailed, so I'll announce that all later.

(p.s.- There are a LOT of pictures in this post...)

Right now, I have WOLLMEISE!!!

It came the other day and I was so excited I opened it in the post office parking lot and kept them on my lap the whole drive home lol. So here they are!

Spice Market, and the second picture is most accurate in color. It's not nearly as bright as the pictures show it. I've already agreed to trade this one for Regenbogen, which is a rainbow colored one.Then there's Tiefer See (which means Deep Lake) and it's SO pretty. Blue, indigo, green, and lime. I love it.
Both pictures are pretty accurate colorwise.
Lastly there is the Sultan. There are a ton of colors in it. Red, fuschia, teal, blue, navy, purple, lime, small parts that are yellow, and some plum. I didn't realize how pretty it was going to be, but I've agreed to trade it. I don't mind though since I'm getting Regenbogen in my other trade which I like more than this one. I will be getting Sonne in this trade. Bright yellow and orange!
So that was my exciting bit of the week. I keep taking them out to pet. They will be sent off to their new homes tomorrow though, except for Tiefer See.

I got a few other things since last post. One was another ACEO from Starr. Lily of the Valley. They really are my favorite flowers. This one is super pretty. I love the blue and purple background.
Then there is this bag I ordered from Messie on etsy. I missed out on the one bag I wanted from the last Piddloop update, so I ordered this as a consolation. It's so cool. Darker than the picture as well, dark greys and burgundy. I love it.
Then there is the yarn I got which I traded for. I do a lot of trading on Ravelry. I sent her some zephyr and louet sock in exchange for these two str lightweights. They are both club colors from last year. This first one is Firebird, and I really love it!
Then there's flower power. I like the combination in this one.
So I've had some fun stuff come this week. I've also been doing some knitting. Look how far I am on my tangled yoke! It's almost 10 inches. I've got 25 rows or so to go before I set the body aside and do the sleeves. Chad keeps glaring at it because I haven't finished his vest I started last year for him to go golfing in. So I'm going to have to pull that out and get my butt in gear working on it. I'm going to do it in secret so he has no idea and then when he asks about it he'll be surprised that it's done! It's not quite golfing weather yet anyway...
I've also been working on my Honeybee stole. It's tough to take pictures of it since it's black. You can see some of the holes there...

Here are the beads, also hard to see. They look pretty good in person though.
I've also started two other lace projects. Bad I know but I couldn't help it. This first one is a lot of fun. It's the Gretchen shawl (from FiberDenn) I bought a while ago. It's a circle and going somewhat fast right now. I can't wait to get it on a circ, the dpns are annoying. I am having so much fun working on it I've barely touched the honeybee. I'm beginning to not worry though. I wanted the honeybee for my anniversary but hubby has it in his head we need to go camping for it. Lol, so I doubt I'll need a lacy beaded stole for that.

I also started the Moroccan Days wrap, but it's slow going because this thing is HUGE. I like it so far but I am not in any hurry with it since it's going to take a while anyway. It's actually a bit further than this picture.
So you can see I've been a busy girl! I'm off to go shower and search for campgrounds nearby...I actually think camping would be fun for a day or two, I haven't gone in a really long time and I always loved it. Plus it will be in May, so it will be warmer. More later!!!

And now the moment...

Saturday, March 15, 2008

...that you all have been waiting for. That's right, my 200th blog post!

I have written up a questionnaire of 15 questions, and all the answers are here on my blog somewhere. It might take a bit of searching, but trust me they are there. The first person to answer all of them correctly will win. If no one gets them all by Monday night, the person who has answered the most right will win.

Now for the prize details. I will be giving the winner a choice of two main things. Either roving or sock yarn. The roving I have is 4 ounces of superwash merino tencel by Funky Carolina in the colorway Lily Pond. It's super pretty, shiny, and fun to spin!For the sock yarn I offer up my Posh Yarn Lucia (merino/cashmere blend) in Raspberry. It's varied shades from a med to dark dark raspberry and would probably work well for defined patterns b/c of the type of base they use.
I've also got some little things that I plan on putting in with the winners choice but haven't gotten pictures of those yet. So stay tuned and here's the questions for those of you playing along!

1. What was the reason I started my blog?

2. How many shawls have I knit and finished? (and that includes wraps)

3. What is the title of the post where I have pictures of my son in his green Sherwood sweater?

4. What was the first spinning wheel that I had before my Little Gem?

5. What hat did I knit for hubby?

6. What was the shawl pattern I knit with my first hand spun yarn?

7. What knitwear item did I give my cousin at her wedding shower?

8. What brand is my drop spindle?

9. Which shawl pattern have I knit three times?

10. What did I knit out of Banana yellow Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece?

11. Who is my favorite roving dyer? (clue: Whose fiber do I have the most of?)

12. Which sock clubs am I currently in?

13. What are my two kiddos named?

14. What color of Dream in Color Classy did I buy for the Loopy DIC sweater kal?

15. What is the name of my first sock design?

Email your answers to chizzlesgirl@aol.com when you think you've got it!

Now I'm off to bed, I have to be up in five hours for work...ugh.

Contest Delay...

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Apparently blogger saved a few entries as drafts while I was composing. So my last post was actually number 198, and this makes 199. I only noticed because after my last post it went from 198 to 200. So the contest will be on the next post instead. I'm still working on it anyway.

Today I finished a pair of socks! My first pair from handspun yarn. I used 60 grams of the 100gm skein, so not a whole lot, but I wasn't sure how much I had so the cuffs are short.
I really love these socks though, they are such a simple pattern, and even though the pattern itself doesn't show up a whole lot I still like it. It was a better knit than stockinette ya know? Anyway they fit great and I'm glad to have a PAIR finished.
Here are some better pictures of my STS. It's being blocked in this one. (Yes those are my new foam floor thingys I got from Lowes for blocking. $15 and they work GREAT. Now if I could keep the kids grubby little paws off them...lol)
And some better shots where you can actually see it. One of it over the railing on the porch...
and a closeup of the stitch details.
I got this awesome yarn from a fellow Raveler. Seems like that's where I get half of my yarn these days. It's Yarn Love, which is my new favorite dyer. The base is the Elizabeth Bennet and it's called Fancy. Seriously pretty.
And here's a picture of the other bobbin of yarn I've been spinning. This is superwash merino from Funky Carolina. The color was Major. Mostly blue, purple, and black, with a bit of white and brown. It will be for socks when it's done.
In other news, I'm maybe four inches in on my tangled yoke and am loving the ease of it so far. It's a good project for times when you can't concentrate a whole lot. At least until I get to the cabled yoke part. ;)

Also I ripped out my honeybee. I didn't like the density of the stitches on the size four needles, so I re-cast it on with some 3's I picked up for it. On the fours the pattern wasn't showing up so well, and half a repeat in on the size three needles and it looks much better. I also happened to pick up new beads for it. When I held up the ones I had to the yarn, they just didn't look right, they have a bluish sheen to them, and I think they'd look best on dark blue or purple. So I'll save those. Instead I found some black ones that are silver lined. I was looking for beads for something else at the time, and got these since I didn't have the yarn for the project and couldn't decide.

One last thing. Today I got my first Loopy Ewe sock club shipment! It's gorgeous colors, and I really love the pattern. There is also the little baggie of loopy kisses, the loopy sock club bag, and a kiss body soap thingy, which I thought was candy at first lol. Good thing I didn't eat it! I know others assumed it was chocolate as well, and one person actually took a bite...The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill by the way. There was no colorway name but it's mostly blue and green with bits of yellow-green and navy.

Well I think that's it for now. It's been a long day and I've got an appointment tomorrow morning that I won't get to if I don't go to bed soon!

Some new things.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

I felt like I was in a slump the other day, and so I decided that I needed to cast on some new projects to feel better. Knitting-wise that is. Finishing that knitter's project shawl was like lifting a weight, but then I felt like I didn't really want to knit anything that was in progress. I figured casting on something new would cure it and I would be able to work on the other stuff too.

So, I cast on the Honeybee stole that I've been itching to make. It's not very far in, and hard to see the detail in black, but I knew that would be the case. I really like the pattern so far, and although it seemed pretty hard at first, it's not that bad once you get the hang of it. If it weren't for the border, I could probably partially memorize it.

I also cast on for my Tangled Yoke cardigan. I've had the yarn for forever and would love to actually wear it before the weather gets too warm. It's easy knitting.
I spent a good two hours on it after a nap. Yes, that's right, nap. I lost an hour of sleep last night and had to work this morning, which meant getting up at 4:30, which of course to my body was 3:30. So I came home and passed out. I woke up as the kids were going down for a nap, and had a headache, so I took some Aleve, and sat on the couch knitting and watching The Illusionist. I thought it was a decent movie. Especially the end, which I SHOULD have suspected, and didn't. Maybe because I was still tired...yeah...that's it. The sweater is slow going on some 200 stitches but I'm enjoying it and like the yarn a bit more now that I'm working with it. I think it should soften significantly after washing. It feels a bit like Classic Elite Classic Silk.

Other than that, I'm still knitting all the usual. I pulled out an old sweater I was working on since I need the needles for my loopy DIC sweater.

Then I've been trying to spin at least a little each day. This is my lace I've been working on and it's taking forever. Pretty though.
Ok well that's it for now. My next post will be number 200, and I'm planning a little blog contest/giveaway. Nothing big, but still, who says no to free stuff? I'll be back in a day or so, when I get it all worked out with what I'm going to do and giveaway!

Until then!

A Reveal

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Well I finally finished the spring things shawl I have been knitting for AGES. I remember the other two going so much faster. Maybe this one seemed to take so long because I wanted to do other things so badly. It needs blocking but it's off the needles and that's the best part.
So now I can finally cast on my honeybee stole which I'm hoping to have done by our anniversary in May, the 10th to be exact. Which is just over 2 months, and not much time to be knitting a whole lace stole, among other things, since you all know by now I'm SO NOT a monogamous knitter...

In other news, I got my first sock club package for the Keegan Lane Yarns Spring Fling Sock Club. First I got a few things that Melissa had been holding on to for me. My half of the few colors of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn for the Charlotte's Web shawl.

This first one is Grape Razzle,
then Misty Moor,
and Tapestry.
Then there was my Piddloop bag she got two of in the last update, by mistake. So I bought this one off of her. Isn't it cute? It's a pretty big size and very well made. There's a little notions bag inside of it too, an interior pocket, and some elastic sewn to hold needles or hooks.
Lastly there was my club stuff. Since this first month was my sock pattern, she sent me a color of my choice instead of the regular club color, since I'd already gotten that one. I'm so in love with this colorway, it's Northern Lights.
Then there was this absolutely adorable notions bag, I LOVE strawberries.
There was also a little egg with Hershey's kisses inside which were gone immediately, and a little paper pad with pen. I somehow forgot to take pictures of those. I think they were in the bag...

And now for the big reveal you've all been waiting for! Since my pattern was first up, and club members have received it, I can show my sock pattern off! This is the Tendril Embrace sock. I know...crappy pic. And dirty table lol...kids.
Here's the yarn that she sent, and club members are receiving for the sock. It's Toasty Sock in Morning Glories. I love the little purple speckles in it.
Here are some detail shots of the sock, so you can see it up close.
It's a variation of the feather and fan lace pattern. It was one of the first lace stitches I ever used, and I thought it would be a perfect way to show off the yarn and a good first sock pattern. I really love how the cuff scallops gently all on it's own, and there is a bit of ribbing in between the lace, which makes it fit snugly. I adore these socks, and would even if they weren't my own pattern!
I named it Tendril Embrace, partly because I thought it was fitting with the name of the yarn. Morning Glories are climbing vines when they can, and their "tendrils" would "embrace" whatever it was they were climbing. It's also partially a play on the words "tender embrace" because of the way the socks fit. I like it.

So that's my sock pattern. I will release it in June for purchase, after the club is over with and I figure out how to fix my router so I can upload stuff to my website...

Ok well that's all I've got for now, and I think it's plenty. Off to go feed the kids, and myself, dinner!

Had enough yet?

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Eye candy that is. No? Well here is some more. Until my Wollmeise arrives this should be it pretty much. Besides the few trades in progress or being sent soon.

My roving from the last Pigeonroof etsy update finally arrived. It's so much more gorgeous in person. Merino silk in the color Millefiore. I almost had to buy it just because of the name, I love Millefiore anyway. It's seriously beautiful, and sparkly!
I got my loopy ewe order. I decided last minute to join in the Dream in Color knitalong. I got three skeins of Classy in Giant Peach. Not my first choice, but it's really pretty and I'm glad I got it. A very pinky orange, which I love.
I also got two skeins of lorna's laces shepherd sock in Sherbet. I've had this colorway before but I traded it ages ago and wished I hadn't. So when she got the color back in I had to get it. It's much more saturated than the last batch I had. More orange and a darker pink. Still pretty though.
Lastly I got my order from Webs. I went a bit crazy, as I have been lately, but I am planning on doing another yarn diet so it will last me. I did so well on my last diet, I think I can do better this time.

Louet Gems Fingering weight in three colors. This is Ginger, and then Cream for the Endpaper mitts. I couldn't decide what would work from my stash so I gave in and bought it instead. I wanted something classic.
And two skeins in aqua. For socks of course.
Then I got 6 skeins of Jaeger Siena in Meadow which is a gorgeous minty green. This is to try one more time to knit the Josephine top from IK. The last two yarns I tried were bad...this is the same fiber as what they used.
Lastly 2 colors of Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran. Sky Blue for the Central Park Hoodie, and white, for Rogue.
Quick knitting update. Still trying to finish the dang shawl. I'm halfway through the last beading row. Haven't had much time the last few days to work on it...and I've cast on my other handspun sock and am just about done increasing the toe.

Well that's it for now. It's late and b/c of work I haven't gotten much sleep in two days. Bedtime for me!