Monday, September 25, 2017

It's Officially FALL!!!!

It has been a wonderful start to fall.  This coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday it is supposed to be in the 60's in the morning.  How fabulous!  I cannot wait!



What have you been up to?  Me.....just the What The Fade KAL....that is "almost" all I have done all week!  No dishcloths, no potholders, no sweaters, no nothing but catching up on this Mystery Shawl!

Here is the end of clue 3:




Here is the beginning of clue 4....this sucker is getting hard to photograph since it is so big.




Notice I said "almost"?  Well.....maybe there was just ONE other thing.....A pair of socks.  I saw a post on Instagram of someone filling up their sock drawer and it made me miss knitting on socks.  I was telling that to Darlene and she said, "You should go home and start a pair of socks tonight!".....so I did!  These are Neeley's Knits Sport weight sock in the "Wicked Witch of the East" colorway.  I got this yarn from Darlene about a year ago and I am finally knitting with it....I am loving it!!!




I do have some exciting stash enhancements....I got my yarn from LoloDidIt for Hurricane Harvey support.  The colorway was a surprise and I was terrified it was going to be red, white, and blue (colors of Texas Flag) but it wasn't and I LOVE it and I am sooooo thrilled I got 7 skeins of DK.  It is a Hippo colorway and it is called Helping Hippos!  I really want to make the Portage Cardigan with this....but I am afraid I may be short on yardage.  I have sent Lauren a message to see if I can get 3 more skeins from her, but I have not heard back...I am just praying she says yes!!




I have a friend that I made via knitting/the podcast and her name is Stephanie.  She lives in Colorado and one day she commented on one of the podcasts where we said we love to get hand made items from others even if we do knit, crochet, sew, etc.  Stephanie commented "I agree about wanting to get knitted or sewn gifts from other folks. I knit, crochet and sew but I love receiving made items and gifts that someone else made."  So I asked for her address and I sent her a couple of hand knit items....she was so sweet to send Darlene and I a special delivery!  Words will never describe how fabulous this special delivery is....she sent us almost all stuff local to her (Arvada, CO)...there is coffee, tea, candy, handmade soap along with a soap scrubby bag it goes in that she made herself.  She also made us felted notions pouches, mittens, and a hat....there are gorgeous greeting cards from a local artist and amazing chocolate!  Stephanie, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts...you are far too generous!!!  Thank you!



Lastly.....I ordered a new shirt that I cannot wait to get!  If you are not a Harry Potter fan, you will probably not get the reference, but it is still great!



I got Paige the mug that changes colors with hot water....we both love Harry Potter!




My aunt got her slippers and wrote me a wonderful message on FB:  "Carrie my darling, I am overwhelmed, the knitted slippers arrived today. They are absolutely beautiful, I love them. You put so much work into them, I know as I am a knitter myself, but not as good as you. I used to knit a lot intricate patterns for the girls and grandchildren. Now I have to knit for Nikki's twin boys that are due on Dec. 6th, but not likely that she will carry full term. If she can make it by Nov. 6th it will be great..... I will treasure those slippers forever. Love the colour too. You are much too kind to me. Thank you, thank you and thank you. Love you Aunt Irene" and posted them on FB.  I am so glad she loved them!


I know it is not much...but it is all I have this week.....this shawl is taking all my time!

I have to share that someone is ready for Halloween!


 Have a great week everyone!



Happy Happy Happy Knitting!

Monday, September 18, 2017

Welcome Fall!

Hey everyone....this coming Friday is the official first day of Fall and I could not be more thrilled.  I love Fall....cooler weather, changing of the leaves and of course all the orangey/brown colors....that remind me of burnt orange!


I got my yarn from Expression Fiber Arts and I have no clue what I am going to make with it...but I love it.....it is perfect fall colors!




I got a beverage mug that is just the cutest thing ever.  Darlene's nephew's girlfriend makes shirts, towels, cups, all sorts of cute things like this that you can get personalized.  My cup says Knitphomaniac and has sheep on it.  I love it!


Darlene got some towels from her nephew's girlfriend for Paige for her new house....they are fabulous.  Thanks Darlene!  I know Paige will love them!



Let me jump into what I have been doing.....I finished the last hat for Cynthia.....So now she has 3 of these hats.....red, black and white.



Then it was What the Fade Time.  I did NOT have clue 2 done in time for the 3rd clue.....so most of my weekend was used to play catchup...I do not think I did one single repeat of brioche without having to tink somewhere....but it is done!





Once I finished Clue 2....I put a lifeline in that puppy and did two whole rows of clue 3....and I was cooked on the What The Fade...or as Darlene calls is...What a Fade (like Whataburger...its a Texas Thing!)!



Then it was Paige time.....she wants some dishtowels/potholders for the new house....this is the pattern she picked....I think I showed my tiny start last week....so I got a little more done on this:





Then, I am not sure if you remember me starting a sweater for her (late August)....bulky yarn on size 19 needles...well, I finished the back.  I did not bind off because I am going to see if I can somehow attach the fronts and have less seaming to do....we will see.
 


Well, That is really all I have....I know...does not seem like a lot...but clue 2 was 26k stitches and as of last Monday I still had 18k to go.  Now clue 3 is 25k but since it is garter, I am hoping I can catch up this week...we will see.

Have a great week everyone!




Happy Happy Happy Knitting!

Monday, September 11, 2017

We Will Never Forget!

With all the tragedy's of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Jose and Katia, and the earthquake in Mexico....I am keeping all affected in my prayers!  Today marks the16 year anniversary of the towers falling and  is a day that I think no American will ever forget.  I still remember where I was that morning and what a huge impact it had on this country!

I am thinking of everyone affected by tragedy!  If there is any good to take away from all these terrible events....it would be that it humbles me and makes me see how truly blessed I am.



 
 
 
 
On to happier news.....I am super happy that fall is right around the corner.....It makes me really get into some fall colors....like this yarn!!  My (evil) friend, Ruby, tagged me on FB to this yarn and somehow 2 skeins jumped in my cart.....I promise....I am trying not to buy any more yarn!


I also got the warm set for the Miss Babs Knitting tour.  The pattern is La Puima....I am thinking of doing the wine from the warm set with the grey from the cool set....what do you think?  Suggestions?





and I got the September skein from Leading Men Fiber Arts called King Max.....




This past week seemed fairly productive......I made the pink shawl for Cynthia (sorry for the terrible picture...I gave it to Darlene to block):



Plus, I made one more hat for her.  Cynthia told Darlene that she wears one of the red hats I made her everyday...she even sleeps in it...so Darlene asked her which hat it was and it was the first one I made her....I would have thought that hat would be too small, but it isn't...so I made her one in black and  I have a white one on the needles.  I had the black yarn in Wollmeise Blend in my stash...and Darlene bought me the white in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino:



I did not really get a good picture of it before I sent it home with Darlene...so here is a snap from the podcast where I showed it:


I started a potholder and dishtowel for Paige (for her new house): 




Clue 2 came out on the What the Fade MKAL....After all my frogging last week.....I finished Clue 1:



and then moved on to Clue 2:

I am on the 7th repeat of section 2, and still have the fading part (3 repeats) and then 7 more repeats with the last two colors.....so quite a bit to do before Thursday.  I was a little bummed with how much knitting clue 2 is compared to clue 1....I still have over 18k stitches to do on clue 2:


I saved the best for last....I got a Bags By Awesome Grannie Hippo Tote Bag....I LOVE THIS BAG.....I know I say this all the time...but I really think this might be my FAVORITE bag....I know my favorite color is orange...but ever since I bought a red car...I have really been into red....and this bag has a red lining....I LOVE IT!


 
 
I think that is all I have in the knitting department.....Have a great week!
 
 
 

Happy Happy Happy Knitting!