YOU KNIT WHAT?

It has been a busy season for our family including an emergent gall bladder surgery for our darling son-in-law. He has never had a trip to the emergency room or surgery before and understandably, was a bit nervous about the whole ordeal. Darling daughter decided to quell some of his nervousness with this knitted gall bladder! The nurses and doctors (not to mention the entire family) got a real hoot out of this one. Doug had it on the gurney with him all the way to the operating room. He has recuperated well and is back to his old self again with this hysterical reminder floating around their apartment! Job well done Lyndsay!


Another adorable knit by Lyndsay!! NORBERTA

CHRISTMAS KNITTING REVEALED....

Dale of Norway!!!! Yahoo - I thought that I would never finish the beading on this gorgeous hat and scarf. Felted using Heilo yarn and size 5 needles. I just had to make this for darling daughter for Christmas.



The finished scarf and a closeup of the beading. I only bought about 14,000 beads to make sure that they were absolutely right for the project.



















"They call them pirates" scarf for darling son. My daughter made him the hat - so I thought a scarf would be a perfect match for him. Do you see the problem with this? It is the same color combo as the felted duo for darling daughter - It will be a long time before I use a black/charcoal color to knit anything again!! Heilo yarn on size 5 needles - I made my own pattern from the hat design!









Dale of Norway - Hat for hubby! Hope everyone likes their Christmas knitted gifts!

FLYING OFF THE NEEDLES......

I just love my new Mason-Dixon Knitting book. These gals really have some great ideas and make it fun to knit with lots of tips and stories to go along with great patterns. These are 3 of the Ballband Dishcloths that I have made from the book!







I used size 8 needles with 2 balls of Peaches and Creme cotton! One variegated skein and one solid color make the slip stitch pattern just jump right out at you!




These need to be washed, blocked, and wrapped for a great Christmas gift for someone really special to me!



They are so fun - you might almost want to wash the dishes! (NOT!!)

SOCKS AND A HAT....

It is such a busy time of year but knitting will not take a back seat this year. I am furiously trying to finish up several very complicated Christmas knits. But here are 2 that I can post - the folks who will be receiving these knitted goodies don't even own a computer -Can you imagine that? Above is a Dale of Norway fair isle hat - Dalegarn NR 130. Made from Heilo yarn on size 3 needles, this is the hardest fair isle yet!


Another pair of Thuja socks done!! This Knitty pattern is just wonderful and is one of my favorite car knits - the pattern is so simple that it is difficult to make a mistake and it is easy to see where you are in the pattern repeats. Moda Dea Sassy Stripe Yarn on size 3 needles - Another pair of tootsies will stay nice and warm this year!

28 YEARS AGO TODAY,,,

28 years ago today, I married the love of my life. Not that it has been all roses and butterflies - It hasn't but when I woke up this morning - I knew that I loved this man more than ever! He is my best friend, my love, and my hero. I can only hope for another 28 years with this wonderful man.

BAH HUMBUG.....

BAH HUMBUG..... I have been knitting my little fingers to the bone! I have made some quite excellent knitted items that I would really like to show you but....................some people who are getting these gifts will see them!!!! Guess I will have quite the show in January!

SILENT BOB AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

I know what you are thinking - this is supposed to be a knitting blog but with the holidays approaching so quickly I thought I would share a little.
I would like you to meet Silent Bob. Silent Bob (my kids named him long ago) was a Christmas school project that my son made when he was in first grade. Silent Bob has been sitting on the hearth everyday for 15 years since he was presented to me by a cherub faced little boy who was so gleeful at his completed snowman that I thought he was going to burst. Every year when I am putting away the Christmas decorations, I pick up Silent Bob and remember the sweet faced boy and Silent Bob never quite makes it into the decorations box. Silent Bob got a makeover last year with a newly knitted hat and a new ribbon around his neck.


This is the 10 foot tall pine tree that sits on the hill next to the house. My son brought it home when he was in kindergarden and he proudly planted it with the help of his dad. The tree was little more than 6 inches tall and we never thought that it would live -especially because the kids were constantly sledding over it when they were little and the snow called them to this little hill with sleds in hand. It now stands tall and proud - just like me whenever I think of that little boy and his sister with the ruby red cheeks - sledding down that hill with the dog chasing them the whole way. Those beautiful little faces that would sit and drink hot chocolate with marshmallows after a long afternoon of sledding.
Thankyou to my wonderful son and daughter for all of the memories that you have given me at this time of year. You are my blessings.

DINOSAURS........

A cutie dinosaur sweater for the grandbaby trousseau! A eweCANknit pattern #015 Dinosaur Fairisle knitted in Encore Worsted Yarn (superwash because this is a size 2T - Can't you just see the sticky little hands now?) Size 7 needles for the fastest fairisle knit in a long time. I thought I would take a little break from the Dale of Norway patterns on size 1 and 2 needles. How cute is this?



I think the dinosaurs need a little more color - Colored spots maybe? What do you think?



Last week, JoAnns had a sale on beads and I went a little nuts. Hubby was great about the bucks I dropped on my evergrowing bead stash. I threw a few pairs up on ebay because I could never use all of the stitch markers I make. It is good therapy for me - when I need a break from knitting.

CHOO CHOO..................................

Another baby sweater to add to my grandbaby trousseau. A wonderful fair isle pattern from Sandnes (patterns are similar to Dale of Norway). Book # 0105 Size 2T - Knit with Baby Ull yarn on size 2 needles. I love the look of the baby fair isles and although it is tedious knitting with such small needles the results are just great! What do you think?

A WELL USED SKEIN OF YARN.....

Last Thursday, I went to a doctor's appointment. It was just supposed to be a follow up but it turned into an adventure in knitting! I packed my knitting bag for the 4 hour trip and brought more than enough knitting for 8 hours in the car and an hour in the doctor's waiting room.
I also packed my brand new copy of One Skein Wonders thinking that I could have a chance to really look through and think about simple one skein projects to debulk my growing stash of orphan yarn. Little did I know that my quick little appointment would turn into a 6 day hospital stay!
Between tests and treatments, I kept my mind and thoughts busy with a little red baby sweater that was just pure knitting in the round. I even made the IV team place my IV in a spot on my arm where it would not interfere with my ability to knit! They got a real hoot out of that request.
Once the red yarn for the baby sweater was used up - I had only one lonely skein of Lambs Pride Wool left in my knitting bag. It was a lonely leftover from a previous project and had gotten lost in the bottom of my gigantic knitting bag. I pondered my options and decided to make a scarf out of this lonely little chocolate brown yarn.

I finished the scarf and had nothing left to knit. HMMMMM.......... I ripped it out and made a fancy hat. With still another day before I could go home and no more knitting to be had ---- I ripped out the hat and made this cute little brown bag! A skein of yarn well used I must say!

A lesson well learned to always, always pack as much yarn in my bag as possible and it will be a very long time before I knit anything brown again!!

By the way, this is a great book with excellent patterns. I highly recommend it!

IT'S GETTING MIGHTY COLD HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS........

With the temperatures here in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, dipping into the teens at night - I decided to put a little warmth on the needles!
Reynolds Odyssey Pattern #82226 is a great knit! The diagonal stitching on the cuffs was a breeze to do and sure look gorgeous in this yarn. Stampato Extra - 100% Merino makes these mittens so soft and warm. I tried them out this morning with a walk in the garden.


I came across this Paton's Rumor Yarn on Sale at the Korner Knitters in Standish Maine. Hi Guys!(They follow the blog). I bought 2 skeins with no idea what to do with it but hubby chimed in that it would make a luxurious scarf - Okay, I'll give him the right part just this once!











This yarn is an Alpaca blend and is so soft! On size 10 needles it worked up quickly! I found the pattern on the Yarn Harlot Blog and it was just a repeat of 4 stitches!

UNDERSTANDING SELF STRIPING SOCK YARN...

I decided to take a break from my large projects this week and make up a pair of gorgeous socks for myself. I had bought this self striping sock yarn - Big Mexiko from Schoeller Stahl - last spring on sale for just this purpose. I have used this yarn before for another pair of socks and knew full well that it takes 3 skeins to make a pair of socks. The sale was too good to be true and these 2 skeins were the only ones left - therefor I knew they would have to be short cuff socks. I checked the lot and color numbers and Voila! they were the same.



Rules for using self striping yarn -
1. The socks are never ever the same striping pattern no matter how hard you try.
2. You have to buy the same lot number or you need to make one sock!
3. The finished project is always always gorgeous!
4. You must always pull from the same end for each sock. If you start with the middle strand for one then don't pull the center for the second.

But - with all of my self striping yarn know how - I never expected this! Look! These socks are exactly opposite striping patterns!!! I pulled the yarn from the outside of the skein for both and I knit both from the top down! Thank goodness they are for me and I love being different!



What do you think?

LIFE IS GOOD......

Thanks for the pic Lizzytish!

HOPPING OFF THE NEEDLES THIS WEEK........

Dale of Norway did it again!! An adorable froggy on the front with a worm on the back. I love the pattern and styling of these great baby sweaters!! Here is a face only the cutest of grandbabies could wear!

His friend the worm on the back.

Knit on size one needles with Baby Ull Yarn.

SPARTAN PULLOVER

Hubby has a new sweater!! This is the Spartan Pullover from the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits. A great pattern, easy knit, with easy to follow instructions.



I just had to try Knit Picks Swish Superwash yarn - so I put it to work on this pattern. A soft 100% superwash wool that feels just great! This sweater is done in Coast Grey with a lighter color for the Fair Isle portion. This yarn is a wonderful yarn to work with except for one problem: It is unforgiving. You can see every tension change and small glitch in your knitting.

Hubby is excited to have another new sweater but really loves my Kangaroo Pouch sweater - Maybe he can have one for Christmas.........stay tuned!

I'M DREAMING OF.......

A WHITE HALLOWEEN? This morning, we awoke to the first snow of the season.

THE MORE I KNIT .............

I am trying desperately to finish 2 sweaters and the more that I knit them - the more there seems to be to knit. I keep thinking that I am getting closer to the finish when it seems that I just have soooooo much more yarn and pattern to complete.
Hubby's sweater's last sleeve just seems to go on and on and on and the latest baby Dale of Norway sweater is on size one needles.......I don't have to say any more do I?
So today you get YARN!! I found the top yarn at a cute little store in Vermont and it is anxiously awaiting the needles. Supersoft merino sock yarn.....MMMMMMMM.......I want to start them so badly that I swear the yarn gets closer and closer to my favorite knitting space everyday - Is it magic or am I just petting it too much? OOOOOH how I want to start these socks!
The yarn below is a Lambs Pride Yarn that is going to become a Christmas present! The color is Peacock Blue and there will be more pics after December 25.

All of my longing to finish projects had to take a break this week because I finally broke down and bought Mason Dixon Knitting. I just had to make a dishcloth!
All this angst because I promised myself not to have more than 3 projects on the needles at one time! I must curb my enthusiasm and be just a little more sensible - BAH..I think I'll start the socks!

KANGAROO SWEATER DONE!!

IT'S DONE!!!! YAHOOOOOOOO!!! This poor yarn has been through many a trial and tribulation - I just couldn't decide what it needed to be! It has been 8 different sweaters - all ditched due to lack of the correct pattern. Finally, I found a sweater that did justice to the yarn. Sirdar Aran Denim yarn in beige with flecks of brown, black and grey. It is gorgeous yarn but alas it just needed the right venue to show off it's luciousness.
I have wanted a huge comfy warm sweater (this is way too big on me) with super long sleeves for Fall days just like today. It has a great kangaroo pocket in the front and the hood is just as warm as toast.


I will admit that at times I felt like I was knitting a tent - So much of the same color without fair isle or cables. I think that the finished sweater will serve me well on cold New Hampshire walks. What do you think?
Pattern is from Book 2: The Purl Stitch by Sally Melville and is called the Kangaroo Duo. Easy to follow instructions with lots of options for sizing from little kids to size 2X.
Yarn Sirdar Denim Aran in color 0607
Size 6 needles (what was I thinking?)

LIZARD RIDGE

A sneek peak of things to come! I couldn't resist Lizard Ridge from Knitty's Fall Edition. Worked in short rows in Noro Kuryeon, it is a blast to work on! The color work and not knowing how it will look until the next section is done is like reading a really good mystery novel! A surprise at every turn.
Darling Daughter and Son-in Law were here this weekend and want it for Christmas. Hubby got a little animated at the thought and said, " That afghan is going nowhere!". After they left for home, DH mentioned twice that he really liked it and was hoping that we could keep it for ourselves. HEEHEE! He is so damned cute! I think I will have to keep him and get busy making 2 afghans instead of 1.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO........

I finished my first pair of mittens! A gorgeous pair of Gansey mittens knitted in Classic Elite. They are just too soft for words! A moss stitch with twisted cables - they were so much fun to make - I will admit that the pattern was for gloves but I chickened out and turned them into mittens! They almost make me wish for winter!
I picked up this knitting stand at a little antique shop in Vermont for $3.50. The fabric was falling apart and the inside was badly water stained. I had picked up some great fabric at JoAnns on sale and knew that I could recover it with a little patience and a lot of hand sewing.




Didn't it turn out great? I love the greens and pinks with a retro kind of print. It is now holding an unfinished sweater for hubby next to the couch where I knit. I have a few more of these stands and think that I will recover them all - A few great Christmas presents for my knitting buddies!



I just love the butterflies on this print with the green and pink paisley!




Hubby and I finished up his vacation with a cooking marathon. We visited the King Arthur Baking Store while we were in Vermont and picked up a load of new cooking tools. We love to cook for the family at big gatherings and love to try new recipes! We had pork roast with a port wine and mission fig sauce on this night - It was yummy!