T is for...

Terrific!




They are done! (and have been for almost a week.... bad blogger!)



They fit, mostly. They are a bit tight to get on, and the ribbing could have used a few less increases, but they do fit. They can be worn without problems... just tips for the next pair (as my sweet husband put it).



...and that's how much yarn I had left.


To recap, this was yarn I spun from fiber I got from Yarn or a Tale. I spun some of it into three ply, and most? of it into two ply. These socks used up all the two ply (I still have the three ply.. I should check how much I have). I knit them using US0 and one of the Cat Bordhi master patterns. I knit from the toe-up so I could make the most use of the yarn. I had to reknit one of the socks to the heel when they didn't match (size-wise), but then I stuck them both on the same circular needle and knit them both up so I didn't have to keep exact track of where I put the increases. Yay! I was so excited to be done with them... I took them with me to my three-hour glucose test and finished one of them there, and the other one later that same day (last monday).



T is also for Test Pattern:





Lily has learned how to knit! She finished her first project (with help from mom) and has actually started her next one already. This first one was a barbie dress (obviously). She used US10 and knit garter for a rectangle of about 3" by 5" and then I picked up stitches along the long side and increased 3 in each for about 60 stitches and joined them into a circle. She then knit around and around for about 4 more inches of stockinette (including a band of knitting on the wrong side (purls) - design element anyone?) and then learned to purl for real and did some seed stitch for about an inch and then handed it to me to bind off loosely. I then made some sleeves out of 5 stitch I cord and attached them. After trying it on a doll I crocheted a bit of a neckline and then braided some yarn into a tie and laced up the back.

Curly loves her new barbie dress and as I said, Lily has started a baby blanket now (hoping it will take less than 12 weeks to make of course).



T is also for Trial and Error...




My husband's old hat doesn't fit anymore (perhaps it got washed?) so I was talking to him about different options. We decided that instead of immediately making a new hat he would try just a band to keep his ears warm first. As we traveled to Dick Blicks yesterday for him to get some supplies (a bit long of a trip for us) so I brought my needles. After casting on the baby blanket for Lily (70 stitches on US9s) I started a band of ribbing...well, it was a bit big (as I couldn't measure his head since he was driving), so that got ripped out and I started again and finished later last night. We'll see how it works as we should be getting a big storm tonight if the weather people are right.



Here is the before pictures of my kitchen. I am participating in a deep clean challenge on ravelry and have worked on different tasks every day this week. The kitchen has one more week of work before I take the after shots, but there is a big difference already I think.




It doesn't look that bad... but the clutter... yuck! Sometime after Friday I'll post the after shots for comparison.

S is for...

Smiles!



I finished the Christmas hat (remember, the yarn was given to me for Christmas for this specific purpose). Curly was very excited to see how happy Lily was with the hat. She plans to wear it ice skating this week and although she didn't want it to cover her ears (so she could still hear) she likes it on her and thinks it is wonderful.


I was hoping that S would be for Socks (as in finished husband's socks). We got a new scale right after Christmas and I keep weighing the yarn that is left. Last week I went from 42 to 37, and then from 37 to 32, and then down to 26 and 21, then 17 and today I went from 16 to 12 grams, and I am still working. I have to go take the three hour glucose test tomorrow morning, so I am planning to bring them with me if they aren't already done! (...and maybe something else to work on also?) They will be done soon, and will hopefully fit him well.



S is also for Spinning and Slippers. Can you tell I kept putting projects for my husband off while finishing other things that needed to be done? I am still spinning sporadically and will hopefully get enough yarn done to ply soon - but it might be a little while.


I am slowly working through all of my current WIPs and checking things off of my list, which is nice. I am also getting ideas for new projects, but I am trying to put those off until I have another one or two done.

One thing I was glad to pull out of my basket was a ball of yarn with a pair of US10 straights in it. Lily has decided she wants to learn to knit again. (Perhaps something to do with the sale we went to at Creative Fibers where her dad said no more yarn until she actually knits something - she has two or three balls already) Well, this time when she picked it up and sat with me for a while she seemed to get it. I try to remember to check her work often and fix any little mistakes before they become huge problems, but she is working on a barbie dress she plans to give to her sister, and is looking forward to being done with that and starting something new.


S is also for scrubbing. I've joined a ravelry group that focuses on reclaiming the home (my husband asked what I'm reclaiming it from, but that's another story...) I'm slowly working my way through some small tasks (and some not so small tasks) that have been needing to be done. I sorted through the girls clothes, I cleaned out the linen closet and the bathroom cupboard, and I'm scrubbing areas in different rooms when I notice them instead of putting them off for later...


Back to sock knitting...

R is for...

Rest!

It's been a nice vacation. Unfortunately tomorrow is the last official holiday and then we gradually return to normal. I've been reading a lot of year end reviews on blogs, and I thought about it, but figured I'd be better off just catching up, so I can start the new year fresh (at least in blog-land).


The Christmas Knitting:

For the niece and nephew:


For the Brother-In-Law:


For the Sister:





I tried to be sneaky and get their hand sizes (before I had completely decided what to make) and so I had some fun cutting and pasting some art projects.


All of the information on these is on Ravelry, feel free to ask me for pattern information though if you aren't able to access those!

All of these were done and shipped before Christmas. Yay for me! I then kept working on my husband's socks and started working on his slippers again, neither was done for Christmas, and neither are done yet, but that's okay, he knows he'll get them eventually.

I received many wonderful Christmas presents, but I have to show one now... My two daughters knew what they wanted to get for me. They engineered a trip to the LYS with me sitting quietly in the front and not watching them while their daddy helped them shop. I received some beautiful colorful wool to spin from Lily. My sweet husband purchased the matching roving, so I got two! ...and he also picked me up some clear clogs so I can safely wear my pretty socks around the house. My youngest daughter Curly, however, gave me the gift of work. She gave me this:



And then informed me that it was to be a hat for Lily (who had no idea what her sister chose). She's been telling me I need to knit, and today she handed me both balls, and asked me where my knitting needles were, so I finally started... Much progress was made today (as I think I'm starting to come down with the cold husband and Lily had this weekend, so most of today was spent sitting), however, it was a bit big, so some ripping was also done. I am now reknitting as I wait for the new year.



R is also for...
Resolutions.

I had toyed with the idea of Clean Slate 08 (finishing or ripping all projects before the new year). I knew it wasn't Realistic for me though. (see, another R? :)) I am trying to work on old projects, and I am gradually getting there. I will still be casting on little projects here and there, but I am really trying to finish everything up before the third child comes. I currently have:

Husband's homespun socks (so close and yet huge amount of knitting left on the legs)
Slippers for husband (alpaca currently being spun)
Mystery Stole 3 (not ripped out! I'm about 1/3 to 1/2 way done, I need some time to fiddle with it)
Lace scarf (I keep chugging away between things - probably more than 1/2 done, hard to tell - working on it until yarn runs out)
Lily's New Pink Hat (should be done within the week)

I think it's do-able to finish all of these by early to mid march (or at least finish most of them and have major progress made)... but like I said, it's not unlikely I will have a couple other things beginning between now and then - just hopefully nothing big until they are done!


R is also for...
Ravelry!

I just got access to the photo slurper at Ravelry, which means (for those of you not involved in this wonderful website) I can now take some of my older photos which aren't on flickr and have them appear with all of my organizational information. Old projects... some stash... whatever... I'll be playing with that and adding some of those to my information there. It was a blast to play with today though, I already added a couple of projects that were already here on the blog.


Have a great new year!

Q is for...

Que Sera Sera.

I just made a couple of people in my life very happy by making it so my blog feed will go to their reader completely instead of making them click over to my site. Such is life. Merry Christmas!




For those of you on Ravelry - I just wanted to mention a cool swap I signed up for (I know, I said no more swaps until after the baby is born and a little grown, but this one sounded so cool). It's a birthday swap - so they are trying to match people share a birthday (or close if it's not exact). It'll be neat to get another birthday present in the mail, and I can hopefully get it ready and sent before the baby is born. Just wanted to get a mention in, as they are closing it in about a week (the 27th I think?).

I'm in!

I got my ravelry invite today, during my little craft night. Three others came over and I tried to teach two of them how to create a sock, and attempted to help the third woman with her crocheting. I went into the computer room to check something and saw a message in my inbox that was not related to MS3, instead it was my ravelry invite. :) If you are there already, let me know so I can check your info out. I'm on there as workbasket of course.


I still need to work on MS3 clue 3 (I was hoping to keep up, I'll just have to work a bit a make up some time before clue 5 comes out). I still need to work on the Melon Shawl edging. ...and on all my other projects. Today, however, I started one of the baby blankets I need to get done. There's no rush due to the weather, but I'd like to get it done before the next one sneaks up on me. Pictures soon, I promise... ...but first more knitting needs to happen so I have something to take pictures of (other than mail packages, which are interesting of course, but are SO not knitting)