Yarn Church

Teri-Kay's needles are on fire! Here she is in her alpaca hat and mohair vest. Plus she is nearly finished with a mohair sweater and Fantine by French Girl


I am making Fantine also. At the moment she looks like a big black blob so no pictures until I can wear her. The pattern is available at The Yarn Lounge. And so is the pattern for the Berry Cute Hat.

Leslie has lent me a camera until Bri sends me her cast off camera (THANKS, Bri!!!!!). It is hidden away from the dogs in a locked room.

Berry baby hat plus

This darling hat was fun and fast to make. It is a Fiber Trends pattern - Berry Cute Hat - and was knit using Classic Elite Waterlily. There were some fiddly bits so I wouldn't recommend it to a new knitter. I loved the Waterlily, it is very soft and velvety.


The Fall Fiber Festival green yarn socks are progressing. I take breaks from knitting on #0s from time to time with other projects.


These mittens are knitted following The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd. Just one thumb and they'll be done.

Many thanks to Stewart for taking these pictures for me.

The dogs ate my

CAMERA!! I am so mad I could spit! So no pictures unless someone else takes them for me. And what is a knitting blog without pictures? Not much. A new camera won't be in my budget for quite a while. Wah!

Saturday fun

When I went to The Yarn Lounge yesterday, I was just in time for a party! Happy Birthday, Roz!


Teri-Kay was there. She finished the vest she made using A Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd. She used Labrador to excellent effect.


And today I finally got past the point where I had frogged my first start on the green socks. These are also made using the Ann Budd book. My pattern is very plain vanilla - I wanted the yarn to take center stage.

Deerhound pelt

This post is for Rogue who has a hat design in mind for me to make. Sorry, Rogue, I made my last hound ordered item when I made Miss Kitty's coat.
I did want to show you the Deerhound Pelt stole I made when I first discovered all the so-called Fun Fur yarns. I tried to blend a bunch of them to match and pay honor to my hounds. Hope you like it!

Green socks

Remember the green sock yarn I got at the Fall Fiber Festival and the socks I was making?


I got a bit farther than this and frogged them. I wasn't happy with the gauge and the thought of making a second one that I wasn't happy with, well, I knit because it makes me happy.


This is the new beginning using a new pattern. The socks in Ann Budd's A Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. The legs are on #1s and the feet are going to be knit on #0s. Ordinary K2, P2 ribbing on the leg and St st for the foot. I want these to be a no brainer knit.

Thanks

Thanks for cheering me on in my Weight Watchers progress. I am a long way from my goal weight but am proud to have lost 39 pounds since March 22. I made the Knitting Pure & Simple sweater this Spring deliberately too small so that when it fit I would have a reward for progress so far. I also have another KP&S sweater waiting to have the ribbon ties sewn on it and then I will be able to wear it as well. I guess it is time to begin another, even smaller, sweater so I have one to wear when I have lost another 20 or so pounds.
The sweater in the picture was knit from Blue Sky Alpacas alpaca & silk. A dream to knit with, blocks to perfection - worth every penny!

A day of FOs

Today was a day for many finished objects. Three of us were wearing sweaters at Yarn Church (the all skills class I teach on Sunday mornings). On the left is Teri-Kay in her shrug, Marge is on the right in her cabled cardigan. I am in my Knitting Pure & Simple fitted cardigan. It represents a milestone for me because I made it this Spring just after starting Weight Watchers as a motivation. I can now wear it!


Stacy finished her mitts - a real accomplishment for a newly knitting left hander.


Kate finished the top for her daughter just in time to take it to her in San Francisco.


I finished another Gaugeless Hat. This time I used some yarns I had dyed with Kool-aid.


And I finally sewed the buttons on this Harvey Kimono from Natural Knits for Babies & Moms.

Miss Kitty's sweddir

Turned out to be too big. I tried it on Moose as I was working on it but he was not the right fit model after all. Hope she won't give me a hard time.

Deerhound Video

Just found out about this terrific video from the 1998 Deerhound Specialty in Finland. Just so you know, the dogs are not fighting, they are playing. Deerhounds play very rough. And the white thing they are chasing is a plastic bag, not an animal. The small black & white dog getting out of the way of the big guys is a Whippet.

Socktober

Forget any UFO's, I couldn't resist casting on my new sock yarn. The pattern is from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. I am a bit concerned that the gauge is too loose for the yarn. I am knitting on #1 needles. I don't like loosely knit socks because the stitches are uncomfortable on the bottoms of my feet. I plan to keep knitting a bit longer, maybe past the heel turn to see how they fit & feel. Then, if I have to, frog and knit using a pattern that calls for #0. Or should I just do it now?


Made The Gaugeless Hat from Cabin Fever using leftover Lamb's Pride Worsted from making Flip Top Mitts. Sangeeta modeled.

Mud Rain Fun

It was a very rainy and wet day for the Virginia Fall Fiber Festival. Courtney, Susan, Sangeeta, Roz and I laughed all the way from Richmond to the festival.


We were greeted by these pipers.


This is a small sample of the mud we encountered. Robin of The Knittin' Coop has more pictures of the mud & its effects.


Along with about half of the vendors, Just Our Yarn wasn't there. I had saved my pennies just for them but bought this hand dyed absolutely-me-green sock yarn from another small vendor. I also got some very fragrant rosemary & mint soap from Wellspring Farm

We laughed all the way home. It just goes to show that the weather does not have to be perfect to have a perfectly lovely day.

Mitten madness

Two packages in two days! I love exchanges. Erin made these terrific mittens for me. I have to confess I saw them when she posted them on Zimmermania and have been anxiously watching for them in the mail. So, not only are they green with a beautiful blue lining, they were designed by the Mother of All Knitters, the fabulous Elizabeth Zimmermann! Knit On!
And then Erin also included some yummy hand lotion and lip balm. Thanks Erin, you did a great job.

Socks of Doom

Assassinated! Yes, I am officially one of the Sock Wars dead. I received these wonderfully red socks today from Heather S. Thanks so much.

2 happy dogs

Took Oscar & Dogwood to a new-to-me dog park. It is right next to the Hanover County Animal Pound, about half an hour drive. What a nice, big, clean park! Beth brought Goldie & Emma, the boys' two deerhound girlfriends. I had my camera but forgot to take pictures until after they finished running. This is of Oscar with Goldie in the distance. Poor Moose couldn't come until I checked the place out. I am going to take him during the day when I am not working.
Progress is being made on the Miss Kitty sweddir but it is too boring looking for pictures.

Mitten class

Monday night was the final class. Susan & Peggy each had finished a fliptop mitt. I was impressed.

Miss Kittywippet's sweddir

Found some yarn in my stash that I bought at last year's Virginia Fall Fiber Festival. It is a very sturdy worsted wool tweed that will be an excellent color (not quite as pink as shown) for HRH. Started the sweater and have to say, it is a labor of love - all stockinette and K1, P1 ribbing.

Clarification

The beautiful handspun yarn was a gift from my victim. She said it was a result of Stockholm Syndrome ;-) So, no, I don't have to knit any more socks for Sock Wars. I did hear from my warrior and expect my own International Socks of Doom any day.