Lots of Knitting

Finished Items

The two scarves I was knitting for grandsons, Logan and Holden, are finished. YEAH!  They will be in the mail soon to them. The scarves used the Hogwarts Scarf pattern by Lauren Kent. The boys chose their colors. Each scarf is 6 inches by 50 inches with a 6 inch fringe. They will be nice and warm.

HO (half finished object)

I also finished the first of the La Vie de Bois socks by Heather of Highland Handmades. The pattern is very well written. 

Works in Progress

The second La Vie de Bois sock has been cast on and the toe is almost finished. I am working on size US 2 (2.75 mm) needles in Invercargil colorway of Berroco Comfort Sock. I have to work on this sock when I am uninterrupted. Since this is not often, I cast on another sock. This time in red Berroco Comfort Sock on size US 1 (2.5 mm) needles. This will be a plain sock with gusset and short row heel. I plan to add an intarsia heart in white on the heel flap.  We’ll see. These will be my February socks. They will be much firmer knit than the La Vie de Bois socks.

Next on the Needles

I joined the Dramaticknits podcast Favorite Musical Swap.  My swap partner’s favorite Musical is Little Shop of Horrors. I am looking for a knitting pattern to make for her. I also have found some neat swag to include in the package. We are limited to one knitted item and $10 for the swag. Let’s see how creative I can be. Come on Etsy!

Charity Knitting

A call has gone out for us to show our support and prayers for the designer Lisa Dykstra yenforyarn. Lisa has ovarian cancer and it is no longer in remission. Heather boutrosbabe of Highland Handmades has re-kindled the Yen for Yarn KAL. Melissa Meliabella of His and Her Podcast is a part of this wonderful charity too:-)  

I bought her pattern Winter Birches Fingerless Mitts.  They are gorgeous! I am looking forward to casting them on. My prayers are with Lisa. Join the KAL and send her your good wishes.

Travel

Hubby and I head to Arizona this weekend for a 6 day vacation at a beautiful resort. We need the rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. We are so looking forward to spending time together away from our normal cares and jobs. I plan to take lots of pictures to share with you.

Until next time, enjoy your knitting.

Prize

Don’t think I ever mentioned that when Dramaticknits, Steve, had a contest to destash, I won a prize by knitting up 38 skeins of my stash over the summer.  My prize was a gift certificate from Keegan Lane Yarns for their Toasty Sock Yarn. Unfortunately, it was a wool yarn and I am very allergic to wool. 

I contacted Melissa from Keegan Lane Yarns. BTW, she and her honey have a great videocast.  Melissa agreed that since none of their yarns are wool free that she would make me a Christmas ornament instead. I received it before Christmas and it held a place of honor on our tree. The ornament contains a mini skein of yarn with the note: In case of emergency, break glass. She used her specially dyed yarn in green, white and red. I love it! I just forgot to show pictures of it. Here they are.

I would recommend her company as she was so generous to offer the prize and then she worked with me to find a prize that I could use. What service!

Keep knitting. 

Stash Down!!

Has been a beautiful day today - nice and temperate. We had a short thundershower this afternoon that watered the plants, filled the bird baths and cooled the air. 

All day, from the time we got home from church until 7:30 pm, I worked to finish the Cornerstone Prayer Shawl knitted on size 11 needles.  It is finally done. All the prayers have been said. It will now be blocked and stored until it is needed.  It took 4 skeins of heavy worsted acrylic in a linen colorway - 680 yards. Why do I mention the number of skeins and the yardage?  Mmmm.

The Knitgirllls have a summer stash dash going on for the fans of their videocast that ends tomorrow. The goal was to knit and/or spin 5468 yards - the equivalent of a 5K race in yards.  In order to make this goal, I had to pull out old unfinished objects, including the prayer shawl.  As of now, I have knitted 5547 yards since May 27th.  YEAH!! Never thought I would make it.

Dramatic Knits also has a stash down going for the fans of his videocast. The goal is to knit as many skeins as you can from your stash from June 1st until September 1st, 2011.  So far, I have knit 33.6 skeins of yarn.  Woohoo!

The nicest part of these stash downs is all the wonderful projects that I get finished. The stressful part of these stash downs is the pressure to finish high yardage projects even when you just want to knit socks or ....hats or ....cowls or ...anything small! ;~)

Now I can get back to my new sock design and a cowl I want to knit. But for tonight, I think I will read a book or watch Leverage on TV and give my poor wrists and hands a rest. Working on large needles is not much fun. Give me my US size 1s or 2s any day.