Flowers on Parade

The spring show continues around here...the azaleas have already come and gone.

The irisis are just barely starting to fade at this point.  But the roses are coming on strong.

Spring is beautiful reminder of God's creativity. 

I finished up a couple of cross stitch projects.  The first is a small needlecase, just right for carrying in my bag with a small project.  The second is Forget Me Not by Blackbird Designs.  I started on this last year and then put it aside for a good while.  It's framed and hanging now, so I'll have to get a picture of that.

Sorry for the dark pictures, it was a rainy weekend!

Needles

So, my knitting needles have given way to tapestry needles all of the sudden.  I guess the blast of warm air we got around Easter turned my attention away from hand knits and onto samplers.  I've been working on a Blackbird Designs sampler "Forget Me Not." 

But, not before I got Bianca's Jacket finished and wore it to Easter services.  It's my new favorite sweater, and I will definitely be knitting another one in wool for cooler weather (after the stitching bug fades, that is).  Hopefully, I'll get some modeled shots before too long.

And I'm about ready to start on another quilt.  Don't know what pattern yet, but I'm browsing...I even bought a new quilt magazine.  I haven't done that in a while since I have quite a stack, but it has a Jo Morton pattern in it, and I love her patterns.

Stitch on....

Happy Easter!

Celebrate the Risen Savior.

Spring!

They took a little longer to arrive than in year's past, but the daffodils are in full bloom right now. Just in time for Spring to officially arrive. It's a chilly morning here, but should warm up a good bit this afternoon. Happy Spring!

Wavy Brown Socks

I finished the Wavy Brown Socks yesterday. They are my new favorites, but I say that about every new pair of socks. But they are brown. and cabley. and soft.

I'm trying to complete a pair of socks every 2 months this year. 3 pair for me, 3 pair for the husband. Not counting all the other things I would like to knit this year: a sweater vest for Jimmy, a couple more shawls, a bag (fair isle) and a couple of sweaters for me. That may not seem like much of a list to some folks. But I' m not one of those people who can knock out a sweater in two weeks!

Pattern: Wavy Socks by Amy King (from The Book of Yarn, by Clara Parkes)
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Kettle Dyed in Timber colorway
Needles: Boye DPNs US 1
Start to Finish: January 9 - February 28

Mods: I opted for my standard heel flap heel, instead of a short row heel. I like me a good heel flap. This is a well-written pattern. And a very straightforward knit. You cable on rows 3 and 9, and the rest of the time it's stockinette. I'm surprised more people haven't knit these socks (only 14 projects on Ravelry). They look great and the cables make for a nice, leg-hugging sock. And the KnitPicks yarn is very soft and smooth.



Now, to cast on for another pair of socks!

Icarus

I finished Icarus, and I love it. It's the perfect size, it's soft, warm, smooshy and practically perfect in every way.

Pattern: Icarus, by Miriam Felton

Yarn: KnitPicks Shadow, in the Oregon Coast colorway

Needles: KnitPicks Circs US 3

Start to Finish: October 2009 -February 2010

Modifications: I used the mods Miriam posted on her blog for Chart 4 and the last 4 rows. Other than that, knit as written.

Before blocking: Shoulder span 59", Center drop 32"

After blocking: Shoulder span 81", Center drop 41"

I think this will actually be a very practical knit for me. I foresee spending a lot of time with this shawl. And now, of course, I have shawl fever. I'm eyeing this one for my next project.

A Capital Idea

We got a great chance to try out our handknits on a vacation to Washington DC a couple of weeks ago. It was cold without being frigid, so we had a great time walking around DC (and walking, and walking!)

We visited all the usual sights and had an absolutely fabulous stay at the Omni Shoreham. I couldn't recommend it more. The room was beautiful, quiet and spacious. We opted for the Bed & Breakfast package, and we enjoyed the best breakfast ever!

I found a lovely yarn shop in Alexandria and picked up a few goodies. I fell in love with the silk laceweight (the gold skein) and about had the vapors. It's by The Neighborhood Fiber Co in the Lincoln Park colorway. Yummy!

This was our second trip, so we had a good game plan. I love the fact that you can eat lunch at the Supreme Court (which was delicious). You can wander around the National Gallery of Art a few feet from paintings by Monet, Degas, Renoir and hundreds of others. We spent a lot of time there. And they have the best cafeteria in the land, as far as I'm concerned! The Cascade Cafe. Love it.

I took Icarus and my Wavy Socks with me, and I did get some knitting done. I finished the Together Beret and then promptly wore it! But didn't get any pictures of it...still to come.

I'm through the 2nd chart on Icarus, so the end is sort of in sight. I'm enjoying the knitting, but I feel like I've been working on it forever.

Anti-Freeze

Brrrrr!! Like most of the country, we are in a deep freeze. Cold, cold, cold and windy!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Day...we certainly did.

Here's my first finish for 2010...and none too soon with these single digit temperatures!

This is my Meret, and I love it. This was probably one of the most fun things I've ever knit. I couldn't wait to work on it, and then woosh it was done. This is my first beret type of hat, and I think I've finally found a hat type that doesn't make me look like a complete dork. Yah for berets!

Hopefully I'll get some modelled shots this weekend, cause I'm definitely going to need a hat!


Details:



Pattern: Meret by Woolly Wormhead
Yarn: Cascade 220, Colorway 9401
Needles: US7 Knit Picks Options 20" circs
Mods: I did 3 repeats of the lace pattern for a moderately slouchy effect



I've got Selbu Modern in my sights now.

Scenes of Christmas

Christmas is in full swing around here....

Christmas decorations....

Dog on the bed.... (well, that's pretty much a year round sight)

Knitting.... (almost finished, one sleeve to go!)

And food too....but no pictures of that just yet.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Buttery

I finally finished the butter cardigan a couple of months ago, but never blogged about it. It fits great and it is soooo soft. It'll be too light to wear pretty soon (I'm very cold natured), but it made for a great fall sweater.

I'm working on Drift now and hoping to have it done by Christmas. It's been kinda slow going, but I'm working on it along with Icarus (pictured below and quite a bit further along now) and I've knit several small things in between (the mittens from the last post, for instance.)

I've only got a couple of Christmas gift knits I'm doing, so I won't have too many distractions between now and Christmas. Yah for cold weather!

Hand Knits

Well, I haven't been blogging, but I have been knitting...

The Clun Forest Mittens above are from a Spin Off issue. I made them in Ultra Alpaca Light by Berocco. They are lovely and warm. Below, are some Cascade 220 mittens for Jimmy, and a good wool hat made from Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport.

I've got a few other small projects done, but blogger is being very tempermental with the photo uploads, so those will have to wait for another day. Knitting on....

Virginia Sojourn

We took a little trip to Colonial Williamsburg. I want to live in Colonial Williamsburg.

I also bought a little yarn.

I did a little knitting.

And a whole lot of walking, eating, and picture taking. Some other shopping as well. Jimmy got some great CD's; I got a cookbook, lanterns, candle, etc. We're already planning for next year!

New Stitches

Hey! I like to cross stitch. I'd almost forgotten...I've been enjoying looking at several needlework blogs this past week or two, and I finally got out my abandoned cross stitch project and started stitching on it again.
This is one of my own designs, right now I call it "Cream of Star Soup."
It's not far from being finished...a couple of leaves and the wording.

I'm also machine quilting this quilt...finally. The stabilizing part of quilting a big bed quilt is probably my least favorite part of the process. (The part where you stitch a grid to secure it for the decorative quilting.) I love piecing the blocks, making the quilt top, and doing the binding, but manhandling a big quilt while machine quilting takes some muscle!

I've also started a new purse for myself. I keep trying different designs and figure one of these days I'll come up with the perfect bag for holding my essential stuff, as well as a couple of magazines, a needlework or knitting project, and idea notebook. Plus look cute and hold up to daily use...I need a strong bag! I tend to jam a lot into it.

Daisies in the backyard:

Summer Days

Summer is here! It took a while arriving around these parts, but now it's here in all its glory (and heat)!

I've been busily working on a summery yellow sweater...I'm almost through with the body and ready for the sleeves. I'm using Shine Sport from KnitPicks, and loving it. It's so soft and supple.

I'm slowing getting an urge to do some sewing and quilting again. I have a list of things I'd like to make: a new purse, some clothes, finish up a bed quilt, some new potholders, a needlecase...and on and on.

I've been enjoying looking at some beautiful quilting and stitching blogs to get my motivation.

Happy Easter

Time for my bi-monthly check in here on the blog! Ha, seriously...there has been knitting, and even some quilting. A simple little baby quilt (sorry for the fuzzy picture, these are the only ones I took before sending it off).

Jaywalkers - my first pair. It's a fun pattern.

Slowly proceeding on the lace stole...it ought to be ready by fall!

I've even been crocheting a few more of these guys.

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Spring's already Springing

The daffodils can't seem to help themselves...every February here they come! I can just see some yellow on the forsythia bushes and the pear tree is in full bloom. Of course, then it will snow...or ice...or sleet...or all of the above.

A new sock in progress for Jimmy. This is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the Moose Creek colorway. This is some seriously nice yarn. I'm basically a budget gal, and this is the most I've spent on sock yarn to date. Yum.

I'm looking to cast on for another sweater, but first I've got to make myself finish up some quilting that has been laying about for months. The knitting has really taken over my brain, and my "want to." But...no new sweater until the new bed quilt and the baby quilt are done! I think. Maybe 75% done. Maybe.

Hey, I Made a Sweater!

Name: February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne

Yarn: Northampton by Valley Yarns

Color: Ocean Heather

Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) Knit Picks Options

Mods: I used kf&b for the eyelet row, otherwise just as written.

I am in love. I've worn it everyday since I finished it. It's just a great sweater. If (and I probably will) I make another one, I'll probably go down a size, just because the garter stitch is so stretchy. But all in all, it's love.