Finally something finished!!

Monkey Socks. Everyone knows their from Knitty.com. One of Cookie A's fabulous patterns. This one is rather simple and produces a great look. The yarn my sister gave me and we have no idea what it is except that it's a wool. I do love the colors though.
Several projects on needles right now but next up to be finished are Elizabeth Zimmerman's, Woodman's Thick Socks. These are knitting up so fast using Knitpicks, Shamrock in color Fitzpatrick. They have the hiking sock look. Pictures soon. Thank you Jennifer for turning me onto them! I think I am going to stock up on yarn for these and knit some gifts. My husband has already asked for a pair!

Time for BOOKS!

Far Above Rubies This is a great book. I have read a lot on the holocaust and every time I learn something new and of course horrifying. I really don't think the average person knows very much about the subject except that 6 million Jews were killed during WWII. Unfortunately that's not even a fraction of the facts. This is the true story of the devotion of a mother, a stepmother even and her amazing strength and courage.

I can tell you that if a book doesn't capture me in the first several pages I don't continue. So I don't want to tell you this story to ruin your joy in reading it. Most reviews I find give you too much information making reading the books not really necessary!

I've been painting......

My daughters room ....... as a surprise when she returns the end of the summer. She has a babysitting job watching my brothers 2 boys in the Tidewater, VA area. The idea was to match up a wall hanging I made for her a few years ago. She likes purple so I went with that. How about purple and orange?

How to soften Euroflax linen...............

First, get yourself a skein Euroflax Linen a Louet yarn because you want to knit up 2 really nice facecloths for gifts. Don't buy the pattern on display at your LYS because you know your smart enough to come up with your own lace pattern besides the one skein was $20 and you're too damn cheap to add the $4.50 pattern too. So, you're ready, find the pattern you like and cast on. Knit a few rows, decide you don't like it so frog it. Cast on again and knit a dozen rows and something just isn't right so take it out. Cast on again, it starts looking good but the cast on is too tight so frog it! Try again because you are really liking this process now that the once rope textured yarn is turning rather Silky SOFT!
I think it's been at least 6 cast on's and frogs by now. Looks like tomorrow I will make a trip to the LYS for the pattern or I'll check out Knitting Pattern Central right now and see if I can make another go of it! It shan't get the better of me!

I'm Rockin' .... Just for Fun!

I've been tagged! My first time too. By Sallee over at Knitnana . All cause I'm a ......

Now I must do the same. So I'm tagging: Gina she's crazy Rockin'! Then there's Nova a Really Rockin' Knitter, AND Jane my talented Aussie friend. Let's see, Robin a Rockin Spinner too. Also cause she's Rockin' at it all and her daughter will think it very cool that her mom is soooo Rockin' Suzann. So go ahead and check out these gals! Girls, I honor you all!

One skein of KOIGU!

OK, gals let's come up with some ideas for one skein KOIGU projects!! The post below is a great one but I NEED more!

I know I don't have much anymore since finishing the Koigu Keepsake Shawl but I can fix that!!! I have only 3 full skeins ( I know solids but still Koigu) and partials and even snippets that are as little as a few inches long. Why keep those? I'm thinking of a quilted wall hanging, a landscape embellished with Koigu wildlife!! Get the wheels turning. Think of the benefits of one skein of Koigu can do for you! "I've never knit with KOIGU" you say. Oh, please make a mad dash to your local LYS or online (best bet is online) and get a skein or two or three or a many as you possibly can. Knit a shawl, sweater, scarf anything and you'll be hooked. Check here for the wide range of colors FoxyKnits Even the site has a couple Koigu books for scarves! We could be creative and use stitches to come up with our own scarf patterns. Oh Yes!

A Quick, Pretty and Unusual knit....

I love this!!! What a great pattern and fun to knit. It's the 'Dream Swatch Head Wrap' from Knit and Tonic. I did mine in Koigu. Yes, I think this will make a nice Christmas gift for both my sisters. You wear it like a head band and rather than tie it just slip one end through a hole. It will curl on the edges but that's all in how it falls down your back or along side. Check out the pattern!!!

All in a days work!

I love my hat from my own handspun!!! It's a simple pattern. The yarn is a heavy worsted I'd say so used size 8 dpns and cast on 80 sts. did the rib and knit for 7 in. then began decreasing. Fits great and it knit in a day!!

This is Finn cross wool with tussah silk and Emerald Flash Angelina a gifted sample of her fiber goodness from Kary of The Knotty Sheep Boy did it spin up nice and I'm finally really happy with something! I've learned that the quality of the roving sure makes a huge difference. This is only 28 yards so I am not sure what I can knit with it or maybe knit it into a fair isle something! I thought of adding it to something felted but I want to view it in it's 'natural' glory!!

It's still not what I'm after. What am I after? I don't know, just better. Practice, practice, practice and I think I need to learn more about the terms in spinning. How much 'twist' in the singles, consistency and the twist in plying. Could be the lower grade roving too. This was corridale (white) and something unknown that came with a drop spindle I bought a while back. But I'm afraid to spin that really nice merino I got last month (see June 10th post) because I want it to be perfect! What's perfect? I think I'll know the look I want. Maybe this will be a hat. Not a scarf because it stinks!!! Geez, I wet it setting the twist and from then on it stinks! I like he smell actually, that earthy animal aroma! But I don't think I want it around my neck close to my nose so that it's constantly with me and people will begin to wonder, "What's that smell"! Maybe on my head won't be so bad. After I knit with it I'll just wash it again with soap. Gotta get with Catie for that simple hat she just knit for her hubby.

Music to my ears!

You've got to hear this man sing. Paul Potts. Maybe you have already but he is worth a second, third and an infinite amount of listens!! If you love Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, and Il Divo then add him to your collection. No CD yet but I think it's a matter of time and a short time if Simon takes him on as he did putting together IL DIVO. Paul Potts. Even if this isn't your kind of music which I must say that years ago it wouldn't have been mine but you cannot deny the talent! Enjoy!

Are you a Hobbit?

I'm Pansy Sandybanks of Frogmorton! What's your Hobbit Name ?

Maybe you'd like an Elvish Name . Mine is Gilraen Telemnar, not as nice as my Hobbit name though! I had a scottish terrier once I named 'Frodo' and don't you just love saying, Bilbo Baggins? Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo Bagins, Bilbo Baggins!!!

New critter..............

What do you think? Isn't he cute? My husband carved him for me! The wood is called Paduke and it is naturally red. I haven't thought of an appropriate bear name yet. For now he is snooping around my knitting essentials and keeping me company. Maybe a sheep next!! I have actually asked him to carve me a folk art nativity scene. That will be so special and likely a family heirloom!

Knitting rule applies to quilting!

Buy the fabric you need all at once just like yarn! Today I finally finished piecing the quilt for my sisters 25Th wedding anniversary which was several weeks ago! I bought 2 fabrics for the border then today decided to use only one of them. Made a quick trip to the quilt shop to get more of the one fabric I'd chosen. There was none left. The owner as kind enough to open a kit they had made up using this particular fabric and sell me the 1/4 yard. That was it in the entire store. I said several times that it was fine I'd come up with another idea but she insisted. Wow! So I was thinking I could get two 5 inch strips but only got one.
I had some scrap strips so I pieced and the strip here is what's left. Close call. Now I need to call the gal that is going to machine quilt it for me. It's so busy that hand quilting wouldn't show my efforts so a machine stippling or meandering stitch is what I'm after. The quilt is much prettier than it appears here. After batting and binding it will be even better!

I hate lazy, I hate idleness and I hate.....

when I have wasted time too! Especially on a knitted sweater that was 1/4th of the way finished and I have had to rip the entire thing! Don't try to talk me out of it. I have done the deed. You see at the end of 76 rows I was supposed to have 14 inches of sweater. I had 11. Just add some you say. Well, then the cables wouldn't be in the correct position. What sweater? See post on May 16th.

You know when you get the flu bug and you begin to vomit? (Sorry but there is no nice way to say that.) You tend to remember what you ate last and never want to eat it again or at least for a very long time and even when you do the memory comes back. Example: Vomiting gobs of cantaloupe when I was pregnant with my first son and he just turned 24 Wednesday. I like cantaloupe but when will that memory ever leave me?

OK, the reason for all that explanation is that I don't want to look at this yarn ever again! It's fine yarn, really but I don't want to knit with it for a long time. I don't need additional stash! How about you? You need 10 skeins of Knitpicks Shine/Sport? I'll give you deal!

Sport weight, 60% pima cotton, 40% modal, 110 yards, gauge is 6 sts/inch on 3 - 5 needles , machine washable, color is RIVER. The picture is true to it's color. As you can see 2 skeins were knit and I have put them in a center pull ball with my trusty homemade pvc pipe ball winder! The yarn sells for $2.49/skein. So that's about $25.00 for them retail plus whatever Knitpicks charges for shipping. Granted 2 are used so $18.00 which will include shipping in USA. Good yes? Email me at readmom at cox dot net

Back to my Alice Starmore gansey. I have 16 more rows till I finish the back neck!

Knitter Incognito!!

My 11 year old son wanted me to show of his first knitting! He did this scarf of mostly garter stitch. It's a wool blend chunky weight yarn and I've forgotten what it's called. It was knit on size US15 Bryspun needles. Tonight he wants to cast on and knit his own washcloth! Cool huh?

Addendum: Brian's says a big 'thank you' to all who left him kudos! He is already teasing me that he got more comments than any other of my posts!!! Yikes! There's a 'sneaky' smile under that scarf!

I LOVE this pattern!!!

Not that I need to add to my list of 'To Knit' but I love this vest.

It's from the Spring issue of Knitter's magazine found here at Knitting Universe. It's called 'Walnut Twist'. I would generally never like a long sweater or vest this length but this really appeals to me and I love the color. Those that know me know that I rarely sway from autumn colors although I am trying!

Take the video tour of the summer issue! Summer Issue Tour I might have to subscribe to this magazine!

Moments later addendum: WOW! I just remembered I had some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (20%merino/80%cotton) in brown that I bought 2 years ago. I ran upstairs to check it out. I've got 5 skeins enough to knit the small which will be fine. I could even go an inch shorter! It will be perfect. The color is 'Dark Earth' ..... that works! Oh my, I don't need to cast on anything else!

A Day in the Life of YOU!

I've got to know! How do all you fiendish knitters do it all? I see completed projects (on other blogs) in record time even! Some have jobs, children, and even stay at home moms like myself although I homeschool as well. When do you fit in your knitting? What other fun things occupy your time? How do you divide it all? Knitting, spinning, reading, athletics, other handwork talents, etc.
Me, I tend to knit after 10pm. I read or knit when I'm waiting on appointments for kids, ball practices, traffic lights!!! Yikes! Tell me. Please!
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THANK YOU to all who responded. It seems I am not alone! I think if we listened carefully we could hear the sound of needles clicking all around the world in the wee hours. It could one day over power the crickets!!

Here we go! I am getting better at this. Here I have taken the picture it seems all spinners take. The bobbin, the newly spun yarn propped over a coin. I still have a ways to go. The other night at our local spin/knit group I purchased some wonderfully beautiful roving (left) called 'Meridian Rainbow' from Dave Simpson who is a master in color and spinning. It's like being in color heaven! His place is about an hour from here and he graciously visits our little 'growing' group a couple times a year. Can you believe I bought blues? I am so proud of myself even though there are some autumn colors in it! I understand the smart spinners stock up when he comes. When I'm a better spinner that I will definitely do.

The above photo on the bobbin is spun from a batt Kary so graciously gifted me! She's a color whiz as well and turns out some fabulously silky soft fiber ready to spin. Check her out. This gal is an artist! Be sure to check her blog and eBay store, "The Knotty Sheep".

Soy Socks!

Of course displayed with the help of a soy sauce bottle! I'm knitting on the fabulous "Monkey" socks at Knitty. It's really a great pattern and so easy. The sock yarn was given to me by my knitting fiend sister who doesn't want to knit anything twice therefore she gave up on socks! What yarn is this? I don't know but I love these colors. Its a huge skein. I am still not to the point where another sock was frogged! You can see yarn still wrapped around the skein.

Cookie A. the creator of these and several other marvelous sock designs is quite the talent. See for yourself Cookie's Talent. As a result I had to purchase the Rhiannon Socks and the Twisted Flower Socks! I even have some Louet Gem already for the Twisted Flowers.

Spun and Knit!

I couldn't just let it sit there! So I had to knit it up. I put it into a center pull ball and knit it double stranded on a 13 needle. It wasn't exactly lace weight you know.
So now what do I have? It's natural, it's rustic, maybe a doily for a mountain cabin? I could felt it and I'd have a coaster for my hot tea or iced tea come the hot days. It also looks like a loofah mitt. Perhaps I should hang it from my wheel as a reminder of spinning firsts!

I got some hints today from another spinner that mostly spins Llama. I even watched her ply. She had knit a beautiful round shawl. Several sections were shades of brown all natural, no dyes. I loved it. So I'll put what I learned into action and surely I'll progress! I also plan to practice drafting with a spindle that should help too.

On the knitting front I am coming along on my summer top and even my Kinsale! Also started Knitty's Monkey socks. The pattern is really great and super easy for such a nice look. Pictures later of socks.