Oh, Time!

Since my last post I was able to get several more rows done. However, I was NOT able to get nearly as much done as I had hoped! This is truly a beautiful and not at all difficult project so far. When one makes the time to knit on it the stitches just seem to fly! But that is just the thing, time was not made. We were able to take a few days to go visit out of state family (the only kind of family we have) and I am the one that does the majority of the driving. So there was no travel knitting done even though everything needed for this project was on the trip with us! Not entirely sure when time will next be made for knitting. Things are slightly hectic right now and show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. However, when things DO slow down I have a feeling that there will be a very large amount of time available for knitting :)

Have a wonderful week and Happy Knitting!

Up next is.......!

I have had enough yarn to knit a blanket for some time now but had the hardest time picking out a pattern. And so I am pleased to say, after much searching through ravelry,

that I decided on, purchased the pattern and have started knitting Carson Throw by Rosemary Hill. I'm not using the same weight of yarn or the same needle size, of course. But I am quite satisfied so far and am truly looking forward to the end results. Yarn being used is, in various shades of purple, Ella Rae Classic which calls for a size 7 needle but size 9 seemed like a good choice for this project. Oh, I am just as giddy as can be!!

A little look into how it is going so far.

 I have been finding that it is best for me to work on just one knitting project at a time. So hopefully, this little beauty will get finished up sometime within the next month or two. Would love to say less time than that but really, I know me and my current schedule.

Well, that is the latest news. Happy knitting everyone!

It's finished! Well, sorta....

At the end of January I started another shawl. I'm addicted. But I am not to blame here. There are just so many incredible shawl patterns out there! Last night, or rather early this morning, I finished knitting on Nightlock by Lisa Mutch. The pattern was quite wonderful! Easy to read, easy to knit and had an absolutely beautiful end result! Now for the soaking and blocking.

A little preview. Will post another photo after the wash and block.

There is always this moment, after finishing a project, where my brain is just whirling trying to figure out what I need to be working on next! Should I sew? Start a new knitted project that all my friends are doing?? Rip out a section of a tank top I finished ages ago but can't wear because I didn't end up making it long enough??? And then there are house projects that need to be finished up!  Oh the options! Oh the whirling brain! :)

Well, until next time, Happy Knitting!

Sometimes a Girl Just Needs to Sew!

Last week I put down the knitting needles and sat down in front of the sewing machine. I haven't even looked at the poor thing in ages and so it was rather dusty. But I got in my head that I was going to make project bags for a few of my friends. Each bag was slightly different, whether it was in size, pattern or fabric choice. They were very simple. No zippers, buttons, bells or whistles but they were reversible and had two pockets! It was fun and I got four of them made within about a 24 hours time.

This was the first of four bags. The inside was red with the printed material for a pocket.

Today I headed off to some estate sales in search of craft related items. My happiest and most exciting find was a beautiful (in my eyes at any rate) sewing box on legs. It seemed shoved off to the side near the entry to this home and was covered in very nice leather gloves. I felt certain that someone must already have called dibs on it and they were just perhaps leaving these thing in a pile while searching through the rest of the place. But I went ahead and asked and oh what joy when I was told it was very much available and at the wonderful price of FIVE dollars!! Even with lots of fun little things inside! I could barely control my excitement as I had been wanting one for some time but only came across ones that were, well, more than five dollars. As soon as I got it home I sat down with it on the floor and immediately skyped my mom so she and I could go through the little treasure together.

My new sewing box. On legs!

I can't really say that there is much else exciting going on in my little part of the world. It's getting a bit late here but I think it's time to pull out the current knitting project. A shawl. Of course. I may have a problem! Perhaps it's time to ban myself from even looking at shawl patterns!

Have a great weekend and Happy knitting!

First post of 2014!

Happy New Year! (a tad late)

And now to pick up where I left off, what, six months ago? The end was in sight for the Happy Street shawl by Veera Valimaki. That has been finished for some time now and I must say it is amazing! We were inseperable for quite some time. Still my go to shawl. Especially with this nice chilly weather! It is indeed a large snuggly one. Would love to put a photo here of it but the camera has gone to meet it's maker. :(

Current project is another shawl! Nightlock by Lisa Mutch. I had been admiring this one for a little while and could wait no longer! She has so many beautiful designs and I am already looking forward to trying more of them even though I have just barely started this one. It calls for two different colors and mine will be two different shades of gray. The yarn was a slight splurge for me but hey, it's good to treat yourself from time to time. The treat portion here is that both the yarns I picked have a little bit of Cashmere. One is Sweet Georgia Yarns CashLuxe that I picked up over in Missouri and the other is Anzula Squishy which I got from a lovely little shop over in Carmel.

I've been thinking lately about reorganizing the yarn stash. It's getting a bit.... Messy. I'm wanting a wooden cabinet type thing and so tomorrow my big plan of the day is to head into the thrift/antique stores here in my little town. Beautiful yarn deserves a proper and lovely home. Right?!

Well, that's all I have for now! Hope everyone is enjoying the winter and if not, well, Spring is on it's way!

Happy Knitting :)

Happily knitting on a Happy Shawl

Still knitting away at the Happy Street shawl. It has grown. A lot. It promises to be one of those "wrap around you like a big hug" type of shawls. Probably slightly more so than the pattern intended as I am using a larger needle than called for. While I have just 6 rows left it may still take a little while since there are about five hundred stitches on the needles. I'm glad it is all garter stitch. It's getting close!!

Well, back at it! Happy knitting!

Happy rows of knitting on the Happy Street Shawl!

Hello there! It's me again! Very inconsistent, aren't I? Just recently I over-dyed some yarn that I purchased a few years ago. Actually, it may have been about five or six years ago but who's counting? Tags are long gone but as I recall it is a merino wool.Various shades of blue (my favorite color). The over-dye was a purple. It turned out so amazing. Not tooting my own horn or anything. No really! It was all about the dye :) I needed to dye this yarn to go with two skeins I purchased at a new yarn shop over in Webb City, MO. Stitch Space. These three yarns are being used for the Happy Street shawl by Veera Valimaki I am working on. I just love her patterns.

Other than knitting, I have been trying to get in a bit of spinning as well. But what with doing a bit of traveling, it can be somewhat difficult to get in all the spinning one would want to! I like to get up to Ontario to visit my parents every so often. Perhaps I need to find a good deal on a wheel up there and just leave it! Hmm.... Good idea Dreabell!

My Happy Street shawl. Please ignore the bug guts on the windshield!

 Happy Knitting!