It is Test Knit Time!

 Hey everyone....How are yall doing?  I am well.  If you have been following me for a while, you know that I test knit for a dear friend in the Netherlands named Brigit.  I have been doing this since 2017.  Well, it is that time again.....which also means that I cannot show you what I have been working on since it is a secret till the pattern is released.....so I will share with you a picture of previous year stole's:

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Other than the test knit, the only other thing I have worked on this past week is the It Brings You Peace shawl by Joji Locatelli.  I just need to block it....then it is done.

Antonio had his first day of Middle School yesterday, and Celeste is in High School (but I did not get pics of Celeste or Cat yet :(. )

The last thing I have is that it is Paige's bday this Thursday.....it is Virgo Season!!  My trainer, Ped, has a birthday tomorrow, then Paige on Thursday and Bizzle on Saturday.....wish a Virgo Happy Birthday!

That is it...that is all I have.....Have a great week!  

Here are my lazy babies and some fun memes/pics.

Happy Happy Happy Knitting!

Please send some rain!

 Hey Guys.....how are ya'll?  I hope all is well with you.  I'm doing okay here in SUPER HOT (and dry) Texas.  Today we have the slightest chance of rain from all the activity in the golf and I am trying to do as many rain dances as possible....LOL!  Please send some rain (I know poor California needs a break from it).

ETA......a HUGE Thank You!  Just a couple of hours after posting this blog.....I got some rain....no, it is not nearly enough, but I am still thankful (no laughing at my super brownish goldish grass)!!

So, what have I been up to?  Well, first, I got my August Blanket Yarns.....

I got a new cone winder (my Erlbacher Speedster CSM prefers yarn from a cone over a cake).....it is called the Sunfire 2.0 and I love it....I actually got it a while ago, but once I started using it, it became clear that the post office had broken some parts in transit...so I had to send back and here is my new operational one :)

I worked on my Sunshine Coast Sweater.....

Then I finished Shyla's Mae

I had approx 111 yards left of yarn so I made her a shortened version of the Dotty Beanie.  I did not do 2 of the 10 repeats, and once I did like 2 decreases, I had to do all the decreases at once (without the patterned row in between) because I was going to run out of yarn....but I think it will still be wearable.

Now for my challenge of the year......I got a text from my sister saying that my niece found a cardigan on Pinterest that she really likes and wants to know if I can make for her like as a Christmas/Birthday present.

This is all I have to go by

so I turned it around

and I found the perfect color yarn from Euphoria Knits in DK Rapture

I have placed a special order and now I wait on the yarn.  I think I will have to knit this from the bottom up......any thoughts, advice or have you seen the perfect pattern out there?  I am pretty sure the cardigan was purchased at Target.

Lastly, my guest bathroom has not had a sink/vanity for over a year (since I got the floors done)....and my contractor recently found this gorgeous sink/vanity and brought it to my house....hopefully he can install it in the next couple of weeks (I have a faucet and accessories on order).

Well, that is all I have.  I hope you have a great week....and while I claim to be the spreadsheet queen....there is no spreadsheet I can do for this next mathematical equation...LOL!

Happy Happy Happy Knitting!

Top Down Rolled Hem Heel Flap Socks

 Hi everyone.....If you follow my blog, you know I recently knit a very long pair of socks as to use as much of the amazing yarn as possible.  The way the yarn was dyed, I wanted to use all the colors in a pair of socks and not split it into two pairs.

I call these, Top Down Rolled Hem Heel Flap socks

This is NOT a pattern.  This is a recipe as to how to do this....you need to already know how to knit socks to do this pair.

Here is the yarn....it is called Shirley Brian Yarns Deconstructed Fade Sock Yarn and my daughter bought it from Birdie Parker (Link Here).  I also got some earrings from my son

Now.....Here is the "recipe":

I cast on 64 stitches.  This is my usual size when making socks.  After the cast on, I just started knitting in the round for a very long time.  I did not do any ribbing and the cuff just rolls naturally.

Now, I am not a monogamous knitting, so at any given time, I have dozens of projects on the needles....and I happened to have another pair of socks (being knit from top down) on the needles.  So, I took those socks and as I was about to start the heel flap, I weighted the yarn.  Then on this "other" pair of socks, I proceeded to knit the heel flap, heel turn, gusset and toe and closed up the first sock....then I weighted the yarn again.  The difference was 20 grams.  So I knew that to knit a regular pair of cuff down socks for me from the heel flap to toe, takes 20 grams.

So, now back to my Top Town Rolled Hem Heel Flap socks.....I kept knitting in the round till I had 24 grams per skein left (I added a 4 gram buffer just in case).  Once I had 24 grams left, I started my regular heel flap, heel turn, gusset, foot and toe and viola!  My socks were done (I have approx 3 grams of each skein left).  I am tickled with the results

 

That is it.....I hope you have fun with this recipe and please reach out if you try it...I would love to see your socks.

Happy Happy Happy Knitting

I LOVE DOGS!

  Hey everyone.....How have you been?  I hope well.....Well, I love dogs, so I have lotgs of dog related pics this week.

I know we have a while till Fall, but man is it hot in Texas lately! 

I podcasted with Elizabeth and Melissa lately and Elizabeth made me the cutest bags (link to her shop) with pictures of two of my dogs.  I LOVE THEM!  She is so talented!

They remind me of a pic I saw on Social Media that had me like "I need this in my life"....I want (and need) a huge pic of my dogs smiling in my house!

I have not done too much knitting/crocheting since last post....I am not really sure what is up with me....but I had Jury duty (one of their qualifications is to be of sound mind and good moral character...that is definately questionable with me, but I was not selected) and added a 2nd skein of yarn to this blanket....it is looking good.

I also finished the short rows on Shyla's Mae sweater (I do not like short rows so I was kinda dreading doing them...but they are done now)

I got my August Monthly Shawl Yarn...I love this color, might have to get a full skein of it....or better yet, a sweater qty....YIKES!

I found someone to 3D print me a Sunfire 2.0 cone winder....and I got it.  I went to use it and unfortunately, the USPS busted it in transit.  However, the lady asked me to ship back (she refunded shipping) and she is re printing it....I did however get one great cone wound.

I also went to see My Love this past weekend....his birthday is coming up Thursday.  Happy Birthday Lupe!

Lastly, We all know how much I love dogs (unfortunately, I am pretty sure I love them more than people).....and since this post has lots of dogs in it....I leave you lots of lovely dog inspiring pics/memes

Happy Happy Happy Knitting!