Made for me (with love)

Made by my husband for me...


A pair of socks (I do the sewn bind off for him) - it's a wonderful lace pattern made with yarn that is sock and squishy and has elastic in it.





A hat (one of the ysolda patterns - I now have two).


Isn't it pretty?





A shawl from the latest knitty - called Versatility.



It is just missing buttons then I can wear it ummm... four or five different ways :) It's pretty cool, you should click the link and check it out!

He's still working on a sock for me (first sock), and has cast on another shawl... which we won't curse by talking about it.

Details of all projects will be added to his ravelry page (some time) or you can ask him!

Lots of Fiber and FO (but not at Rhinebeck)

We didn't go to Rhinebeck (or even the MA sheep and wool) this year. We are planning to go nect year (as a planned event rather than a spontaneous event). I have plenty to spin and knit between now and then (plus, so many beautiful ones online!) So yeah, next year!

Recently (about a month ago) I got some boxes in the mail....


Last year at Web's tent sale I purchased some alpaca fiber that came from a local (Westfield,Ma) alpaca. Before the Little Tomato was born I sent it off to a local (Connecticut) mill to process it. It came back to me washed and turned into roving.

Lots of roving. (umm, 6 lbs?) I have now started spinning it finally. The first project attempted with it is slippers for my husband. I'm hoping to spin and get those done sometime during November.


I also started using some of the yarn I had spun up during the Tour de Fleece. I made this Brea Bag. I then had to purchase a strap for it at Creative Fibers and, since I didn't like the single button closure, I am in the midst of sewing a zipper in. Of course, I've been in the midst for about two weeks now...

I will finish sometime soon, but other things keep coming up, like...

My daughters do ice skating lessons once a week and needed new mittens since last year's mittens didn't fit so well anymore (as we found out the first week)



Lily now wants a matching headband and cowl, but those haven't been done yet.


After the bag and Curly's mittens, this is how much wool I had left:



I also finally finished my monkeys. They were fun to do, but I remembered why I usually love and make toe-up socks.



I finished them on a Monday morning and then immediately put them on and brought the girls to one of their groups, and then left them on all day.




Of course, as I left for their group I grabbed a bag of yarn, four different sizes of needles, and a pattern book. Monday morning until Thursday morning:




...and all day Thursday (for the baby shower Thursday night)



...so I made sure to sign the card from the whole family, as everyone really picked up the slack so I could knit, pretty much all the time.


I'm now almost up to date. Just one more post that shows all my current projects... like the nightcap from Knitty

Two and a Half Months Ago (Tour de Fleece)

The Tour de Fleece Wrap-up (kindof)

I started with this yarn

c*eye*ber fiber
FireSky (100% BFL)
8.7 ounces (246 g)
1423 feet (474.33 yards)
(DK to worsted weight)
I have already used this in projects (pictures next time perhaps) and it is gone!

Second, I did this yarn

Stony Mountain Fibers
Red (Merino/Tencel Top 70/30)
4.25 ounces (120 g)
1043 feet (347.66 yards)
(DK weight)


Then I made this:


Turn into this:

Stony Mountain Fibers
Sage/Daffodil (Merino I believe)
8.1 ounces (229 g)
436 feet (145 yards)
(Bulky or Chunky, whatever)

I wasn't trying for any particular weight, just trying to make it softer and bouncier. I finally did a kind of long draw (I'm usually a short draw kind of girl) and I really like how it came out. I've made one thing with this yarn, but there is still something planned and yarn left!


And finally, at the end of July, I did this:

Stony Mountain Fibers, not measured yet! (still in hank) It is very pretty black with different colors shinning through, it's just don't photograph well.


So from the 4th of July until the 26th I believe, with the support of my family, and very little knitting getting done, I spun these:




...and haven't spun since, but that will be changing very soon!

...they never get dirty

I've been deadline knitting for the past month...



...reports on my other knitting (before four black socks) and since, soon!

In the mean time...

I have many photos to share, but since they aren't on the computer already I know I will just delay if I wait for them, so I will post without for now.

Last week was vacation, which was a blast. We spent time at the local museums, had fun eating out as a family, went to a library summer skating party, enjoyed ice cream (and ran into another family we know), spent time looking at flowers, and a bit of time underground (the boat ride was the kids' favorite part!) and had an actual adult (no kids!) meal for our anniversary thanks to some grandparents. We also went to an aquarium which we plan to go back to over the next year... We went bowling one day, and drove up to the Bridge of Flowers and saw the Potholes and glass blowing (at North River Glass - no website?) on a different day. We continued driving north and showed the girls that there is a Springfield, Vermont also (happened to run into a group of missionaries that day at Subway - as we were almost done eating the older elder came over and asked us if we were members of our church - so we were spotted). I also finally got the letter for homeschooling (officially) in the mail so we should hopefully get approved and be set to go this next year (Kindergarten is not required in this state, so this is the first year I had to officially seek approval, as Lily is 6 now)

Then we spent the rest of the weekend sleeping, knitting, and watching Dr Who (we just finished season 3 of the newest version). It was sad to go back to laundry, cooking, schoolwork, and chores today....

I did knit during vacation, and like I said, I have pictures, which will have to wait for another day, as the Little Tomato is waking up again. Thank you so much for the comments and emails, I have been really bad about replying to them, but I do SO enjoy them!