Just Catching Up!

5 02 2012

Since it’s been a week since my last post, I thought it would be good to catch up and get back on track.   This week was a little tough on me as my Grandmother went home to God, so I wasn’t feeling up to the task of writing my blog or staying in touch with everyone as much as I typically do.   Basically, I was in what I call a slight “funk” but I’m much better now and have refreshed feeling, yes, life is good!

With that being said, let’s see what has happened ….

Back in January I showed you a progress photo of my 198 Yards of Heaven,  which I started January 7th and  finished January 25th.   I used almost a full skein of my stash of  The Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveller Uljin (Yardage: 1 skein = 560 yds and I used all but .40oz of this skein)  and it blocked out to a nice size of   26” x 54”.

 

In the Springtree Road Groupon Raverly, we’ve started a KAL for the month of February to about the second week of March.  I still haven’t casted on my socks for this KAL, but plan to knit a pair of Spring Forward  socks by Linda Welch in my yummy stash of Springtree Road Muscandine Sock Yarn in Tanis.

 

 

I’ve started a crochet vest creating a slight modified version of the Birch Vest  by Kristin Omdahl.  Instead of crocheting the same stitch pattern for the body of the vest, I’ve opted to use a pineapple stitch, which turning out really nice and I will post a photo soon.  I’m very happy to finally be using up my stash of Queensland Collection Rustic Wool DK and look forward to wearing this vest before the summer heat kicks in.

So, speaking of stash.  As many of you may know from a recent post on my FaceBook page, one of my local yarn stores closed their doors the end of January.  I was blessed to pick up quite a few new skeins of yarn, as well as a new collections of books, at a very low price.  Since the stash grew so large, my husband insisted that we turn our unused spare bedroom into my new studio.  After moving everything, re-organizing, etc… I’m so happy to have a great space that is quiet and very peaceful.

Looking in from the hall.

Looking from the desk

Craftsy has officially launched the ability to purchase patterns directly from their site and I’ve actually already sold a few.  If you’re a designer who reads my blog,  I encouraging you to post your patterns online with Craftsy.  It’s free and truly easy to set-up!  If you’re a crafter, you now have another venue for purchasing patterns which includes:

I know there must be lots more I’m forgetting but I feel much better to have caught up.  I have a couple of reviews to post soon and I’m thinking it would be fun to post something for Valentine’s Day!

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!


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Categories : All Crochet, All Knitting, Yarn & Fiber

Display fun ….

15 01 2012

Yesterday my husband and I decided to take a trip over to East Mesa, which is about an hour drive for us, and go to a couple of antique shops we’ve never been to before. We had loads of fun and saw many things we really would have love to purchase and bring home, but we just don’t have the room for any more stuff.

I did pick up a few vintage crochet pieces, but I must say the highlight of my day was two hanging hat displays for the wall.  I’ve seen these on eBay many times, but was happy to seem them in person and needless to say they came home with us.

I ended up hanging them over my desk and got tickled when my husband told me they looked like wall sconces.  I guess in a way, they do!  I think they really look fun and it’s a great way for me to show off my hand knits.  I may have to move the dress form to the left of the desk as it almost makes it a bit cluttered looking, but I’ll decide on that later.

I finished spinning the last of my BFL this afternoon.  I haven’t quite decided if I want to leave my two bobbins as singles or if I want to ply them.  The goal for this particular fiber was for a spin to shawl KAL and I really think singles would be ok but I will decide tomorrow what will become of my spun fiber.

Happy Sunday!


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On the Bookshelf: Nourishing Knits

8 01 2012

Courtesy of Kristi Schueler

I was so thrilled and so honored when fellow knitter Kristi Schueler, a.k.a. Fiber Fool, asked me if I would like to be part of her blog tour for her new book, Nourishing Knits.

Kristi has combined her love of knitting and baking into a wonderful collection of designs featuring cables, lace and colorwork all paired with 12 mouthwatering recipes.

Inside knitters will be inspired to knit a lace shawl, color-work slippers, socks and mitts, as well as a unisex sweater and a vest.  Recipes include appetizers, main dishes, beverages and desserts.   Not only does each recipe include a simple list of ingredients, but includes methods and tips for preparation, as well as suggestions for pairings and substitutions.

I really love how Kristi also has provided a knitters with a clickable table of contents,  clickable visual indexes of both patterns and recipes, as well as a bookmark panel for even more navigational options!  Since this eBook is downloadable in PDF format, it is extremely portable for most electronic devices, including tablets and iPads.

Here’s just a tiny hint of what’s inside and be sure to click on each photo for a direct link to the pattern!

Ginger - Photo Courtesy of Kristi Schueler

Ciabatta - Photo Courtesy of Kristi Schueler

Ganache - PhotoCourtesy of Kristi Schueler

I love all the designs in Kristi’s new collection, but I must admit I truly have a soft spot for shawls and anything that is lacy.  Ganache is a truly exquisite creation that I cannot wait to knit!

For more information on Kristi’s new eBook or on any other of her lovely designs, you can find her online at Fiber Fool, Raverly, FaceBook and Twitter .  You can also join her Raverly group, Designedly, Kristi Knitters,  to stay informed about all her latest knitting adventures

About:  Kristi Schueler lives on Colorado’s front range with her husband, Drew, and their two dogs, Emma and Brandon. Kristi’s technical approach to knitting comes from a scientific background, including a BS in Meteorology. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines, books and e-zines. While knitting, cooking and photography are all passions for Kristi, she also enjoys reading, yoga and spending time with friends and family playing games and enjoying the outdoors.


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Categories : Giveaway, On the Bookshelf, Review

Learning can be fun!

6 01 2012

I love to learn new techniques and this week I’ve learned how to knit a toe-up sock.  This was quite a challenge for me and after four attempts, I was finally happy with the way the toe looked and continued on to the body of the sock.

As mentioned in my last post, I’m working on the toe-up pattern Cable Lagoon by Kris Carlson, a.k.a. Knifty Red.  I was a bit worried that the yarn I had chosen for this project would not show up the cables, but it’s not too bad and it’s wonderful to knit with.

The beginning of my toe

Working on the foot

So what is the draw to toe-up socks?

  1. No Kitchener stitch !
  2. It’s easier to try on toe-up to measure your progress.
  3. Some say it goes faster and they no longer suffer from the notorious second sock syndrome.
  4. The toe fits more naturally.

I did receive a responses to my question in my last post regarding favorite websites for tutorials or videos on how to knit toe-up socks and want to share the following links with you:

There are several great books that feature toe-up sock knitting, such as:

I hope that a few of these links are helpful to you and that if you  haven’t tried knitting socks toe-up, that you might give it a try.  I did, and it’s really not that hard once you get the hang of it.

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!

 


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On and Off the Wheel: A spinning I did go!

2 01 2012

I’ve been busy trying out my new Kiwi wheel and I must admit, I love her!!!  The double treadle makes spinning so much more enjoyable and I seem to be spinning a bit more smoothly.

Since I was right in the middle of finishing up my 2 oz of BFL on my Traditional, I didn’t really want to start another batch of fiber quite yet but I was itching to take her for a spin.

I decided to use my handspun Polwarth single that truly should have been plied upon completion but I thought I could use it “as is”.  Due to the inconsistency in the handspun, it wasn’t feasible to use unless it was plied.  I decided to ply this single with a lovely boucle style mohair  called Little Loop by Ironstone, which gave me a lovely tweedy skein of fiber coming in at 125 yards.  The added touch of mohair gave my handspun a very unique quality that I’m excited to use!

The Facts:

Fiber:   100% Polwarth hand-dyed from Capistrano Fiber Arts Studio in the colorway of Autumn Sunset

Commercial Fiber:  Little Loop Mohair from Ironstone in a blend of 90% Mohair, 5% Nylon and 5% Wool

Left: Polwarth Right: Little Loop Mohair

Plying on the wheel

1 skein at 125 yards!

This was a fun bit of spinning for me and allowed me to see how my Kiwi spins.  So far, smooth spinning and I’ve learned a couple of things too.  I’m excited to have the help of fellow spinners, and Kiwi owners, Simone and Maya, too and I know I will learn even more!

This is my first batch of fiber for the new year and I look forward to spinning at least 12 pounds of fiber this year.  Yep, 12 pounds!  I joined the 12 in 2012 Raverly Group towards the end of December and look forward to a year of spinning fun.    This will also help my efforts in my other group, Spin a Shawl.     So far I have finished the first  2 oz of BFL on the Traditional and I’m now spinning the remaining 2 oz of BFL on the Kiwi.

BFL on the Wheel

Fiber Facts:  100% BFL hand-dyed fiber by Spirit Trail Fiberworks in Olive Gray.

 


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Categories : On and Off the Wheel, spinning, Wool, Yarn & Fiber

A Brand New Beginning….. 2012 Here I Come!

31 12 2011

Today is a bit of reflection and a bit of getting ready for the good changes that are coming.  I want to thank you all for such a wonderful year, your support and encouragement and most of all, your friendship.  I feel that I have found many kindred spirits here in the fiber world and I’m so grateful to have all of you talented people in my life.  Every day I’m in awe at the talent, the creativity, the support and the pure enjoyment that each of you share with each other.

I am so honored and so blessed to be part of such a wonderful network of knitters and fiber artists, who are geniune, caring, supporative, encouraging and very unselfish of sharing their time, talent and knowledge with others.

So, as we get ready to embark on another brand new year, many of us form resolutions and goals.  For me, this coming year will be a year of renewal and I’m ready to embrace what comes my way.  I’m also very goal oriented and have a few things I want to accomplish over the upcoming year and thought I would share my goals, and my resolutions, with you, which will hold me accountable and insure that I keep track.  I plan to revisit my goals and resolutions every quarter and see what I’ve managed to finish.  This should be fun, as well as very challenging.

So, here I go …..

Resolutions:  God and Family first!

  • Bring more spirituality into my life
  • Spend more quality time with my husband and family
  • Spend less and save more – yes, this means I’m going on a “fiber” diet next year.
  • Spend more time outside gardening and less time indoors surfing the net.
  • Read more, create more and spend less time on the computer.

Goals: 

2012 is a stash busting year!  This is just a “small” portion of what needs to be used before I buy anything else.  Of course, this does not include my stash of fiber for spinning.

  • Knit at least 12 pairs of socks – I joined a new Raverly Group 12 Socks in 2012 and will be continuing with the Year of Stash Socks
  • Knit at least 8 shawls – I joined Romi’s lovely Pins & Lace Club, this will ensure I do this!
  • Knit at least 4 lace scarves
  • Knit 2 sweaters – one for me and one for my Mom
  • Create at least 6 new designs to include, hats, scarves and wraps
  • Learn new techniques such as two a time socks, Fair Isle/Colorwork, toe up socks
  • Development an understanding of lace knitting and hone my skills
  • When I join KALs (knit along) or SALs (spin along), I will be dedicated and I will finish what I start
  • Spin more fiber to create gorgeous handspun for knitting projects – I now have 3 wheels and they need to be put to use!  I joined the Raverly Group, 12 in 2012 , which has a goal to  spin 12 pounds of fiber over the year and I belong to the Spin a Shawl group.  I think both will help with this goal.

I end my post today with a poem that was passed on to me by a fellow co-worker the end of the day on Friday.  When I ready this poem, I thought “this is perfect, this is what I truly need to accomplish in the New Year”.

RECIPE FOR NEW YEAR’S PUNCH

Take yourself, peel off layers of egotism and self-pity, cut out seeds of
unkind thoughts and unhappy emotions.
Remove all prejudices and worries.
To this add one firm belief that life’s worth living.
Mix well with one practical idea that you are somebody.
Season with a sense of humor and optimism.
Sweeten with love.
Then add one strong determination to live at your highest every hour of the
day, come what may.
Let effervesce for 365 days.
Garnish with smiles and pleasant words.
Serve with gentleness and courage.
Note the effect.
(Author unknown)

Happy New Year everyone!


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After Christmas Knitting, Upcoming KALs, etc.

27 12 2011

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  Mine was quiet, peaceful and simply wonderful!  I even managed to finish sock# 1 of my pair of Nutkins and I casted on the mate Christmas day, that’s major sock knitting progress for me.   I have to give a shout out to Kim ~ her sock yarn is awesome to knit with!  To check out Kim’s yarn, visit her online Etsy shop, At Knits End.

To help me focus and keep on knitting, I joined the Year End Wrap Up KAL.  I’m also hoping to cast on and finish a pair of Glorious Mitts by Karen Adams, but I don’t think that’s going to happen, but you never know.

Sock #1

 

I was blessed with a wonderful gift from my hubby that was part Christmas and part birthday.  This great wheel was ordered from one of my favorite local shops, Tempe Yarn and Fiber, and I  can’t wait to get her so I can  start spinning!

Here’s a photo of what I’m getting ….

 

So I’m thinking about next year and what my plans will be for the blog, designing and knitting.  I think I will post a resolution of sorts over the weekend and it will be fun to reflect back upon and see how I progress.  Meantime, as I mentioned earlier, I’ve joined a new Raverly Group to help me focus even more on knitting socks, the  12 Socks in 2012, which was formed the first of November for those who enjoy knitting socks without the rules as to toe up or toe down, specific patterns or prizes.  I’m excited that quite a few of my knitting online pals have joined and we will be able to motivate each other to finish our sock knitting projects!

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!


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And the winner is ……

23 12 2011

Thank you all for entering my recent giveaway for the review copy of 60 More Quick Knits.

If you haven’t already purchased a copy of this book, you truly should consider adding this one to your library.

There are designs for knitters of all levels that range from simple to complex and include texture, bobbles, lace, color-work and cables.   For beginner knitters there 7 patterns that are super easy, for intermediate knitters 34 patterns and for those of you who have more of an advanced knitting knowledge, there are 19 patterns.

And the winner of the giveaway is …..

Entry #5, Katy of Stanley, New York !!!  Congratulations Katy and I know you’ll love your new book.

 

Merry Christmas to all!


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Categories : Giveaway, On the Bookshelf

Interweave Knitting Lab Announces Two Locations in 2012

22 12 2011

Interweave Knitting Lab Announces Two Locations in 2012

Save the dates: event returns to San Mateo, California November 1-4, 2012 after a successful first appearance in 2011; New England Knitting Lab debuts in New Hampshire October 4-7, 2012

Loveland, Colo., December 21, 2011: Interweave Knitting Lab, a national knitting event from the publishers of Interweave Knits magazine, has announced its return to San Mateo, Calif. next November 1-4, 2012 after a successful debut in 2011. This premiere event was such a success—with sold-out workshops and lectures and incredible attendance at the Knitters’ Market—that Interweave has decided to add a second location on the East Coast in Manchester, N.H., October 4-7, 2012.

 

Interweave Knitting Lab offers knitters opportunities to learn from knitting legends and experts in small, intimate class settings—alongside new friends who share their passion for knitting. This premiere event was created especially for passionate knitters who want to take their knitting skills to new heights. It offers innovative, immersive workshops and project-based classes, lectures, enticing panel discussions and other special evening sessions, plus three days of shopping opportunities at the Knitters’ Market.

The 2012 Interweave Knitting Lab event locations and dates are:

 

Interweave Knitting Lab New England, October 4-7, 2012: The Radisson Hotel Manchester, in scenic New Hampshire, located just one hour north of Boston, Massachusetts in a fun downtown area. Offering an inviting atmosphere and signature hospitality, the Radisson presents a wealth of world-class hotel services and amenities including: room service, business services, a Fitness Center, an indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna and free Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) airport shuttle service.

Registration for Interweave Knitting Lab in New Hampshire opens in mid-April.

Interweave Knitting Lab San Mateo, November 1-4, 2012: Interweave Knitting Lab returns to Marriott San Mateo, a beautiful hotel located on 11 acres and just minutes from downtown San Francisco. With Italian marble floors and chandeliers in the lobby, this hotel has the look and feel of a first-class luxury hotel. With any spare time you may have while attending Interweave Knitting Lab, you can visit one of the many San Francisco attractions: Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Pier 39, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf and Half Moon Bay are all within 30 minutes.

Registration for Interweave Knitting Lab in California opens in early May.

Classes at Interweave Knitting Lab range from rarely-offered classes on unique regional, ethnic, and historical techniques, to studio classes that apply new design and technique skills to original creations. There are classes in sock knitting, lace knitting, cables, sweater construction, knitwear design, color theory, mosaic knitting, intarsia, Fair Isle, and much more.

Interweave Knitting Lab New England will focus on modern inspiration for thinking knitters: A program of in-depth classes on authentic and personal knitting design, working with color and line, and manipulating fabrics and fibers. The curriculum will explore the intersection of handknitting technique and inspiration, with forays into the larger textile industry and the art world.

In its second year, Interweave Knitting Lab San Mateo will continue to focus on handknitting techniques and traditions, with classes on subjects ranging from ethnic knitting history to complex cutting-edge techniques.

Interweave Knitting Lab is put on by arts and craft media company Interweave, publisher of Interweave Knits and Knitscene magazines, as well as the online knitting community, KnittingDaily.com.

For more information and the latest updates, interested participants should sign up for the event e-newsletter online at http://www.interweaveknittinglab.com.

 

###

Website: interweaveknittinglab

 

Facebook: Facebook.com/interweaveknittinglab

 

Twitter: Twitter.com/knittinglab

 

Media Contact: Jaime Guthals, Director of Public Relations, Interweave

jaimeg@interweave.com, (502) 243-6834 Cell (502) 387-2383, Twitter @InterweaveNews


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Wednesday’s Pattern: Cardigans to keep you warm

21 12 2011

I truly love this time of year for the simple reason I can wear my cardigans, which doesn’t last too long here in Phoenix.  I have several great designs that I want to knit next year and just added two more to my Raverly favorites.

The Icicles Cardigan by Becky Herrick is a great pattern that combines handspun and commercial yarn.  I really love the finishing details to this design, especially the I-Cord edge, which always gives a very nice finish to garments.    I also like the use of handspun for the top portion, which is a wonderful way for hand-spinners to show off their handspun fiber.  Top down and seamless is also a major plus in my book. I have gone through my fiber stash and have found the perfect fiber to spin for this design and I can wait to knit this pattern!

This pattern can be found online in the December issue of Ennea Collective and can be purchased as an instant download.  There are several other wonderful patterns in this issue too, so check them all out.

Courtesy of Becky Herrick

Anne’s Cardigan designed by Kathy Broughton is a fitted cardigan that incorporates an elegant lace design along the front edges, down the back and along the arms.   This cardigan would be perfect for layering and to wear around the office.   This design was created using Knit Picks Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn and provides written instructions with sizes ranging from extra small to size 3X.  Keep in mind that this is not a seamless design but is perfect for a beginner to learn garment construction and seaming, and for the advanced knitter who enjoys knitting projects that have interesting details.   This pattern can be purchased as an instant download from Raverly or from Knit Picks.

Courtesy of Kathy Broughton

Do you love knitting cardigans?  If yes, what’s your all time favorite pattern to knit?

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!


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