woolythyme

scrappy mitered granny....

Except for tucking in a few a whole lot of ends, which may or may not GET tucked in, the worsted mitered blanket is finished.  It ended up being a large lap size...11 x 14 mitered squares.  (Each mitered square started out with 31 stitches.)  This truly is a scrappy blanket...I grabbed partial balls and skeins from leftovers of previous projects...there were a couple whole skeins from a sweater kit that lost the love before I had a chance to make it.  If I thought a colour looked like it might even remotely 'go' with the others, it was added.  Of course, the PURPOSE of this blanket was to use up those odd balls, not to be beautiful.  BUT....

the blanket was nearing completion, and it was quite obvious to all involved (that would be me and Freddy, who was certain there simply HAD to be at least one ball band he had overlooked) that in the use-up-the-yarn department, I was failing badly.  I had quite a few happy-dance moments, though, when I totally used up a mini ball of yarn.  I was slowly making progress, but had many more miters to go to make a serious dent in the pile.  I could continue to add squares and end up with something so big and so heavy that it wouldn't be real useful, OR....I could try something.

I'm not a crocheter (although I've crocheted grannies for several blankets--and this and this and this one oh, yeah, this one---this one, and Freddy's favorite...maybe I AM sort of a crocheter).  I've crocheted enough, anyway, to know that crocheting uses wayyyyy more yarn than knitting does.  Perfect. I'll crochet a border of Granny squares.  And then, crochet a border around the whole thing. That should do the trick.  

 

So much for that bright idea.

 

(No, I don't want matchy-matchy pillows. No, I don't want to add another round of grannies.  I'm really done with this project. Maybe a couple of random/stripey seamen's scarves for the Christmas at Sea charity???  Maybe.  Not now.  Later. I'm really done with this yarn.  DONE. Fini. It's a wrap.  Over.  Ended.  Get it???)

Hitofude.....update

I've been obsessed distracted.

Hitofude......you're next.

Hitofude.....interrupted

I have truly loved working on Hitofude.... every minute of it.  If you have followed this blog at all, you know that I can blast through projects pretty fast sometimes.  Too fast, really.  That old addage...stop and smell the roses? It goes for knitting, too.  There are some projects that are just like those bouquets of flowers--or a good book....they need to be savored and enjoyed, and I'm putting Hitofude in that category.

It is an extremely simple pattern to knit....the lace is basic.  Very intuitive; so easy to remember.  But, the construction (for me) is very creative.  I worried just a teeny bit last week-- I was ready to start the body increases, and feared that you would have to juggle charts and write down where you were, and add in a pattern as you accumulated enough added stitches.  Phew.  No such thing.  The additional stitches are added simply and look lovely.

I've completed two of the four body increase sections.  Each is 16 rows long.  16 increase rows + baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies = one Cardinals baseball game.  (I'm a fan.  I watch a whole lot of baseball.  This could have been finished this week.)

I've happily let other things distract me so I can savor this process just a little longer.

Like circles.  I'm thinking 9 rows of circles x 11 rows might be about the right size for a throw.  The circles are finished. (yep.  99 of them. compulsive? OK.  Sure.)  I'm waiting for the background yarn to arrive.  What started out as purely a stash-buster has now grown into an investment. (I hate when that happens.)

On that one(!) cool(er) morning over the weekend, when I whipped out the fall decorations....I also cast on for Helen Tindall's Shwook, the hat she designed for Shetland Wool Week (October 4-12).  I think the idea was to knit it up and wear it to the festivities so you could identify other kindred spirits, but since I won't be making the festival, I decided to knit on it that first week of October.  I didn't exactly cheat....I just got the boring ribbing out of the way so I'll be ready to 'fair isle for fall'.

 Lori made this before her Shetland trip; I like her colors much better than what I chose, but this is another stash buster project, so it is what it is.

 

and finally...

a friend and I went to an arts and craft fair over the weekend; there was a weaver...

she had kits....

 

the rest is history.  This might even be a bit too hippy for me.  Maybe not.  It was fun.  (The weaving loom was made from a piece of foam board....a great project for kids.)

 

So, you see....there is still loads of time to join Karen and me for the Hitofude knitalong.  I have a few more distractions kicking around that will at least keep ME knitting on mine for another few weeks!!!!

circles, circles....everywhere

I bought them their own bag.

 

Bookhou storage bag from Fringe Supply.  (where else?!)

 

 

i'm doing it for my health....

 

My hands need a little change of pace.  Not for long.  I'm still having quite the love affair with Hitofude (there is still time to join Karen and me for a little knitalong) and Funky Grandpa.  But, using a crochet hook works different hand muscles....so,

I'm doing this project for my health.  (you believe me, right?)

Reading:

My issue of Selvedge came last week.  I adore everything about this magazine.  The articles, the photography, the quality of the paper...even the ads.  It's always a visual delight.  It's always inspirational.  This issue is dedicated to knitting.  Need I say more?

 

 

joining Ginny and Nicole.

2013...here we go

Knitting resolutions for 2013....

I typed that....and then sat and looked at it for w-a-y-y-y- too long.  Trying to come up with something that doesn't sound like every other new year's resolution I've made for the past ????? knitting years and broken before the month is out.  Maybe if I said, this year, I really really really  mean it, it might make a difference?  Maybe.

 

:: before 2013 ends, finish the current 6 WIPs in Ravelry (one has been hanging out since 2010); things can come and go---but those 6 have to be finished THIS year.

 

:: knit from the stash.  This will mean that other than the two sweaters that are currently UFOs, there will be no adult sweaters unless they are scrappy ones or unless I unravel one.  Do I need another sweater?  (you've GOT to be kidding.....!!!!!)

 

 

::  be less frenetic  (I love that word!!)  Yes, LESS.  2012 was a very productive knit-year (well over 150 FOs--if you count all the multiple things that got made but only rated a single Ravelry picture) ....do remember that there were a LOT of American Girl doll clothes in that number, several dishcloths, and over 50 little pouches for the Kenya trip---they all still count!  But, there were sweaters, and shawls, and 14-hour knitting days, and knitting at 2 am........!!!!!!!!!!  (being less frenetic with the knitting might open up some embroidery or sewing or baking hours!!)

 

:: so, if #2 and #3 actually happen, this might free up some time to enjoy some long-range projects--and of course, I have a couple of things in mind.

 

yes.  another mitered square fingering wt afghan.  It will be my third.  (frenetic, remember?)  I gave the first one to a friend whose home burned--the easiest knit I've ever given away.  But, I missed it, of course, so made myself another---and promptly gave away all the bits of fingering wt yarn to a couple friends who decided to start their own blankets--because I was crazy to have done two and will never do another.  HA.

 

But look what happened...

I've been tossing odds and ends into a basket, and it's full.  Some are rather large partial skeins that might turn into something else, but for the most part.....there are just bits and bitty skeins.

I thought about doing

a hexipuff blanket...I really hated doing these.  I'm sure they would get better with time, but I'm also not sure I want a puffy blanket.  If anyone wants these, I'll stick them in the mail.

 

then I thought about

a logcabin afghan, but that didn't cut it either.

 

ah, yes.  Mitered squares.  I LOVE mitered squares.

 

But, there was also the crazy amount of partial skeins of worsted hanging around.  

I gathered up some colors that I thought looked OK together and am going to try to do the springtime throw in Cute and Easy Crochet.  This will necessitate ordering more white worsted at some point, but ordering yarn to finish something doesn't count, right?  

 

Now, if I can just pace myself and not decide that this needs to be done by spring.

 

Happy, Healthy, Frenetic-less New Year, Friends! 

Yarnalong and WIP Wednesday.....

Seven days...one week...and my Christmas knitting is done (I think.  I hope.)  This has never happened before.  I've made my list---and checked it twice and three times and then again....and I really think I might be done.  Instead of being giddy happy, I'm actually rather worried my list wasn't complete and that I'll still have that panicky dash to the Christmas eve finish line...but until I figure out what I forgot to do, I've been enjoying a little.......

.

.

:: x-stitching

:: crocheting bitty stars

:: reading my British Country Living that actually came this year before the holidays were over! 

:: and knitting  from deep in the UFO pile  (maybe THIS will be the year to finish all those half-done, almost finished, and barely started things....after all, 'tis the season for miracles!)

weekending....making an AG doll skirt

 Last weekend when our out of town Grands were visiting, The Bling (age 3, almost 4) asked for Grandma clothes for her American Girl (facsimile, but we're not discriminating) doll for Christmas.  I'm on it!  I've done some for her older sisters' dolls, so I have patterns in hand.  Polished off a sweater lickedy-split; and the granny afghan that might have gotten finished sometime mid-century got some edging and, ta-dah!! dolly has a blanket.  

The sweater needed a skirt--so that was the project this weekend.  But first, I thought the other things needed to go into a little doll suitcase that had belonged to the Bling's great-grandma when she was a little girl.  I knew exactly where it was; I just forgot that these dolls were in it---in pieces.

A friend of my mom's brought them from her homeland in Czechoslovakia in the mid 50's; they are beautifully dressed in hand sewn clothes and are much happier now that they have their legs and heads back on.  (The Chuckie look was pretty scary; glad I didn't open the case while the little ones were here.)

Back to the skirt.  I've stashed odds and ends of fabric in a pie safe.  It looked like this.

YUCK!  How can you find a darn thing in that mess?  So, a couple hours later....and massive rearranging in a corner cupboard, things look like this....

Not perfect by any means, but considerably better.  See those brown fabric bins?  They used to hold yarn.  Since I just dumped the yarn to get to the bins, I had a huge yarny mess to clean up, made more messy by Freddy who had a field day ripping labels off skeins of yarn.  (I was too busy chasing him and rescuing stash to take a picture.  Sorry.)    Luckily, I had enough empty project bags to accommodate the dumped yarn.  But I stuffed randomly---that redo will have to wait for another day.  Today, I'm making a skirt.

But, before I settle in---I better get the cast-offs still scattered on the floor into the scary basement with the rest of the rummage sale stuff.  Done.  

WOW.  Look at all that space cleared in front of the French doors....and I really need to bring in all the houseplants that have been vacationing outside.  I repotted the ones that needed it...

.dragged in the plant stand....

 

Was that corner always so dark?  It needed a lamp.  I stole one from the kitchen...which left an empty space on the plate rack---I'll bring in the vase of flowers from the dining room table---and put a bowl of fruit in ITS place---BUT, the only fruit I have are some apples that really need to be used, so I guess I'll make an apple (with frozen blueberries) pie.

 I had no idea it would be so hard to make a little skirt.  Maybe next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weekending.....

A little of this....a little of that....not much of anything....

I've been waiting for fall since....oh, about mid-June.  I've waited long enough.  This weekend was spent wishing and dreaming....and--

:: making acorns.  I've made these before and somehow they all seem to get given away.  A new batch now awaits the celebration of autumn

:: baking apple crisp.  Made the house smell like fall

:: crocheting around a coastal rock from Maine.  Before the airlines charged for luggage.....and before there was a weight limit....I brought back some (actually LOTS) of these  wonderful coastal rocks. It reminded me of that wonderful October trip and how Maine is really one of my favorite places to be, especially in the fall

:: knitting a quick, easy fall-colored beaded bracelet (Laura Nelkin's mudra cuff)

:: pouring over Autumn decorating inspiration -- lots of pumpkins, mums, and harvest colored-love

Now if I can just get the thermometer to cooperate (note:  picture taken in the shade!)

(an online friend was talking about 'mood' decorating; when I really think about it----the seasonal rearranging and fluffing and spiffing I do around the house is just getting the 'home' to match the 'mood'; I like that---and now I don't have to wait for temperatures to drop or the calendar page to flip!!!--bring on the candy corn, bittersweet, and apple cider!! Does anyone else re-decorate to get the right mood? )

 

joining Amanda for weekending...

Tuesday Ta-DAH!!

Granny is DONE!!  That last green border finished with about 4 yds of yarn leftover.  (phew!!!)  Christmas day temps reached almost 60 degrees, so I dragged her outside for her photo op, but the camera still didn't capture the colors.  This is one happy afghan, and when the weather turns dreary and cold and grey and damp and overcast, I will be one happy afghan snuggler. 

(It's not going to last.........but this morning........it's SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)