BABY KAYBREE

Thank you everyone for the congrats! I would like to ask you to pray for Kaybree. Last night she was put in the NICU due to breathing problems. They had to do a procedure to release air in her chest. Mom goes home today but Kaybree must stay. You can imagine the devastation that this brings for mommy, daddy..... and grandmommy! We are praying for complete healing and that she is home by Christmas!

Announcing Kaybree Saige

My very first grand baby!! She's beautiful and healthy! What a wonderful Christmas gift!

Starmore's Roscalie

It's finished! Steeking may not be for me. It turned out fine but I am not sure about the loose ends from the steeks. I hid them as best I could but it's not as nice as I'd like. Maybe I am just a little obsessive about the wrong side!!
Fair Isle knitting though is very gratifying.

The Featherweight

Finally finished the Featherweight Cardigan. It turned out great. 3 skeins of Wollmeise 100% in the color, Compari Orange. Fabulous yarn!!

Knitting update

Been a while but I'm still knitting away! My Roscalie Vest is ready for me to cut the steeks. I'll get with a friend for support before I tackle that.
I've knit on a few things off and on but most recently concentrating on my Featherweight Cardigan. Pattern is found here on Ravelry
I'm using the Wollmeise fingering weight in three colors. Getting ready to start the second color which I'll be alternating. I love the construction of this. Top down, raglan sleeves and I'll make them 3/4 length. Sleeves are now on holders while I knit the body. Too bad Autumn will be over before I finish. It will be perfect for Spring too.

Contentment

I think contentment is something we all struggle with. What can we change, what can be different? I read this yesterday and it's good advice.

"Enjoy the blessings of this day and the evils of it bear patiently, for this day is ours. We are dead to yesterday and not yet born to tomorrow. A contented mind is the best blessing a man can enjoy in this world. If in the present his happiness arises from the subduing of his desires, it will arise in the next from the gratification of them."

from a republished very old book, The Royal Path of Life, 1883

My son took this photo. Creative I think!

Saw these interesting mushrooms on my 5 mile walk Monday morning at the base of a tree. They're huge! The close-up reminds me of something in outer space.

Amazing Grace - Rhema Marvanne 7 yr Gospel singer

Moonflower

I've had these plants for years. They propagate like crazy. So many that I pull several seedlings up. I love them though. They must have a few varieties because some pictures online look a little different. Check this video out. It's blooming in real time! Moonflower
I'll have to go watch mine tonight!

Honeybee Stole

Coming along on my Honeybee Stole by Anne Hanson too. Her patterns are so exquisite. The yarn: Knitpicks Bare in fingering weight, wool/silk and it's wonderful!

More Starmore!

Making some progress on my Roscalie Vest. Finished the first repeat of 54 rows. The fabric is really taking on the color and designs now. I steam blocked it to make sure the stranding wasn't too tight or loose.
I'm happy with it!

After the Rain....

There's something about butterflies that cheer you! A few of these were fluttering around my butterfly bush after the thunderstorm today. Not a bad shot for a low-end digital! Now if I had a really nice camera with an awesome zoom lens well...............

Summer Flowers

Roadside Lilly's, you've got to keep them tame for the yard or they will take over.



Rose of Sharon, beautiful I think. I've got a pink one too. They are also prolific but I just pull up the seedlings or transplant them.

Next in my list of Alice Starmore patterns....

My current knitting is the Roscalie Vest. Yes, knitting with wool in the summer using autumn colors! It came as a kit from Virtual Yarns here Roscalie Vest It will be my first steeks too. Yikes! I did change the ribbing to a corrugated rib. I didn't care for the pattern directions and wanted it a little wider.

Knitting Pleats....

I kept seeing this shawl on Ravelry. I love the look of pleats. Finally I saw one in this color and with this yarn. I had the Jaeger Extra Fine Merino on hand for another project I had since decided against. It's not blocked yet. I see it making the perfect shawl for a cold winter night. The pattern is here Mara Shawl Link is on Ravelry. Or here Madeline Tosh on the web.

Finished! Where's Old man Winter when you need him?

I think this is one of the nicest knits I've ever done. I love it! I look forward to wearing it a lot this winter.
The pattern is, Inishmore from Alice Starmore's Fisherman's Sweater's book. The yarn is Blacker Designs, Ryeland Aran wool. Knit on size 4 and 5 needles. Neck knit on a 3.
Now onto another design by the same author!

My Knitting Space

We've done a bit of moving around the house and I've now got a cozy knitting area! It's a small room with all windows on two walls and French doors into the rest of the house. There's a Dogwood Tree right outside the window so I think I will hang a bird feeder. Of course Esther is enjoying it now!! I'd eventually like to get a more comfortable chair but if I do that I might do more napping than knitting!

Vintage Chair

Here's the 'AFTER' photos. I love this chair! The upholsterer called it the 'Rock of Gibraltar' of chairs. It's going to last forever. I'm thrilled with the result. Take a peek below on the Feb 25th post for 'Before' pics. Isn't the wood beautiful?

A whole new perspective on 5x5!

A Knitted World?

My Silly Girls

Fabric hunt this weekend

I'll be on the hunt for upholstery fabric this weekend for this beautiful old chair. I couldn't buy a new chair made as well as this or one more unique. I hope I can find something suitable and in a vintage style too.

5 Year Old Pianist and that's not all......

More snow.......

The snow is still falling today. Beautiful as it is the snow does cause problems, traffic accidents, power outages both of which can cause the demise of the innocent. That's the tragic part. I read in our local paper this morning that a man and his son were killed on I-81, hit by a truck as they stopped to help another driver! Very sad, do keep this family in your prayers.

My concern in my own little world outside my house is my Blue Spruce! I've been trying to keep the branches cleaned off so the weight will not break them. My Dogwoods are heavy too and much older that the Spruce. In the photo you can see a very large Pine tree fell yesterday morning. And that's before still much more snow! It's directly across from our house on a steep hill that is quite the attraction for sledding. Fortunately the tree is not in the way of everyone having fun.
The last snow we had a leak inside the house due to some ice that formed on the roof preventing the melt off to run in the proper direction. It pooled instead and came through the roof into a closet! Not horrible and relatively easy to remedy (my oldest son climbed out and knocked off the ice) but can potentially happen again. Now, in the spring we have a closet that needs painting! With utility bills rising and money tight for many I sure hope no one encounters more 'fixit' situations as a result of the snow.
Yesterday I went for a long walk around my block and down the alley through freshly fallen snow. No tracks but mine. Fun! I came to what looked like in the distance a fallen tree but then realized it was tall Bamboo heavily laden with snow. I stood under it and gave it a shake and they popped back up to their tall stature and I was left covered with snow. I felt like a kid! Good for me since I was feeling better after a migraine the day before. I think another walk is in store for today! I think too I need another try at a snow angel since this ones wings didn't move.

One down and one to go....

With this crazy weather and the fact that I lost a pair of mittens recently I needed a new pair. This was an interesting pattern called, "Manly Mitts" another Knitty.com creation from Summer 05. The cuffs I changed a bit and did a K1tbl, P1 instead of the K2, P2. I really like how the knit stitches stand out when you Ktbl. Obviously black is hard to photograph and you can't see the cuffs very well. I knit the smaller size, it offered two sizes thinking a small mans mitt might be just fine but it's snug. I hope it stretches a bit if I block them.
A friend recently made a funny comment. "Can you imagine the winter we would be having if it weren't for global warming?" Here in Southwest VA we have had more snow this winter than in the past 20 years I think and even snow in December which is really rare. Anyway these mittens prompted using my favorite mug to photograph them!

Not Really a Hat ...........

My hands needed a break from the Aran sweater I'm knitting soooo ..............I have one of these already but wanted a different color. I like wearing them instead of a hat. The pattern is called, Calorimetry found at knitty in the winter issue 2006. Strange word so I looked up the definition, Calorimetry is the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes. Calorimetry involves the use of a calorimeter. The word calorimetry is derived from the Latin word calor, meaning heat. Now you know the 'rest of the story'!

Cables and Twists

I am slowly making progress on the Alice Starmore sweater called, 'Inishmore' from her book, Fishermen's Sweaters. I do love it but the twisted stitches are a killer on the hands. I am a bit past the 2nd repeat and in my guestimation I'll need a little over the 3rd before I start the armhole decreases.

Cables on either side of the center panel.
Center panel.
Front or Back, both the same at least to this point.

Starting Up......

I cast on New Years Eve. another Alice Starmore pattern called Inishmore. It's in the Fishermen's Sweaters book as was my Kinsale that I finished last month. This is an aran pattern and I am using a new yarn that was a gift from an online friend. It's a challenging pattern but it will be worth the work and beautiful when completed.

Finishing Up....

This is a DROPS Design by Garnstudio
I love the access we have to their patterns. They are so generous when tons of them are free. This one is Design #108-22. I used Queensland Kathmandu DK which is a blend of Merino, Cashmere, and Silk. I love the tweed look and the colors.

Here's the pattern photo as well since my picture doesn't show the entire sweater.