Snow Fatigue

Another snow storm is underway here in the Midwest. We're in the lull, I believe, with round 2 hitting this afternoon. Oh joy. I have to say, I'm disappointed in this one. We were supposed to get anywhere from 9" to 18" but now we're reduced to 3" to 6". Why am I disappointed? Because I don't want to drive to work on Monday. 9" to 18" is a definite snow day, while 3" to 6" is just a miserable drive. Plus, I bought some crafty stuff to keep me busy on my snow day! Now it won't happen!

This weekend I did a deliberate "no-plan" weekend. I've been home with the dog, puttering around the house. I really needed this downtime. My brain was fritzing out.

Aside from puttering, I did complete ONE mitten for my sister (as part of her Christmas 2013). I finally found a pattern I really liked. I felt like the thumb was fiddly, but I think it was because of the large needles and super bulky yarn. I started the second one today and should have it finished tonight. I plan on lightly felting them so they are a bit more solid and warmer.

As you can see from the photo, the dog was highly inquisitive and impressed with this endeavor. I used the same yarn as I did for her birthday cowl (her birthday is Dec 23rd so it's so close to Christmas I forget what I got her for what).

Ravelry page is here.


I did get some medals for the Ravellenics. I had fun with my first Ravellenics and even though I basically got the "You participated!" medal, I'm good with that. I got 4 medals overall.

 I'm very ready to move on to warmer weather. I think the amount of cold and snow and the forced isolation have wrecked havoc with my disposition. I miss my patio, my dog wandering through the yard while I knit and sip wine in the sun. Until then.....I just dream

Daytona Beach, Florida

The Knitting Games

I don't normally do knit-a-longs or participate in any contests with knitting. I usually claim work or other responsibilities keeping me from such shenanighans.

Except for this time. I'm just shocked to say I've gotten 2 projects done, from scratch, and entered into a few contests. It's amazing what happens when I put work aside and just do something I want to do.

The first was the Gnomeacres Warm Up Make-a-long. You had to make something to keep you warm and it had to be with Gnomeacres yarn. Of which I have approximately a ton of. Winner gets a gift certificate to the Gnomeacres site. Of which I need more yarn from. Right.

Anyway, I had a skein of worsted Sonic Screwdriver, bought with the intent on making fingerless mitts to match the Hitchhiker I had already made. So I casted on....

Done and entered into the Make-a-long. AND entered into the Ravellenic games into the WIP event, since I started these pre-Olympics. Done and done.

I casted on the GAP-Tastic cowl for myself in yarn I found in my stash. I remember buying 2 skeins from Knit Picks in a color they discontinued and never using it because it was 100% wool and I wasn't sure what to make. I just bought, ok, without thinking.

I actually finished it. In a week. I was so happy I wore it the next day all day, even  in the house (it IS still cold in Indiana). I'm amazed at myself for hunkering down and completing something like this in a week.

Herbert the Head models

 Amazing.

This was entered into Team Knitting Dead (the team I joined for the games)  and in the Ravellenic games in the Cross Cowling event AND in the Stash Skeleton event (which I didn't even realize existed). Yay me.

I casted on the Rainbow Pride scarf as well on the 7th. I've been focusing on that and I believe I can get it done and entered by the close of the Olympics on the 23rd. If you go by ROY G BIV, I'm on the G and have B and V (purple) to finish. I can do this. I just need to finish the knitting and add the fringe. I can do this!

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

I still have mittens for my sister. The original pattern I posted did not work because my brain didn't register that the yarn I have is super bulky. I made one mitten from another pattern but it was pretty confusing and when I tried it on, I wouldn't give it away. So I found a new pattern and will be giving that a try soon.

My friend also bought a skein of gorgeous sock yarn during our trip to Chicago and wants a pair of socks. So that is on my list as well. I forget the name of the pattern but it's from the Joy of Sox book. I will post more once I start them.

I'm fairly certain that this year is the year of knitting for myself, however. I rarely do and I was so happy to finish the cowl and wear it...because it was MINE.

As a side note: I got a new knitting book and love pretty much everything in it. Once Upon A Knit is out now by most of the same folks who designed for Vampire Knits.

If you are participating in the games, post your project pages in the comments!

So much knitting... so little time.

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia are coming!!! I have always loved the winter Olympics more than summer for some reason (considering how much I detest snow.. it's a wonder). This one proves to be particularly polarizing since Russia is so blatantly against homosexuals and the rest of the world isn't.

It's also time for the Ravellenics! My first ever time participating. The events are up and I'm planning my strategy. I might have to assign more work to my team mates so that I have more time to knit in February. Priorities, people. Priorities.

I think my events are: Mitten Mogul (I need another pair of fingerless mitts OR I will make my sister's mittens that she was supposed to get at Christmas), Cross Cowling (I need the gap-tastic cowl. Made one for my sister and since I can't snatch it off her neck, I have to make my own) and possibly Scarf Super-G. The Hat Halfpipe is there so I can see how many chemo caps I can whip out for the Firewalker Project. How long is the Olympics? Surely I can do this!

As added events, I plan on, if I make fingerless mitts for myself, to make cabled mitts as a challenge and to enter into the Cable Cross Country.

So to the patterns I think I'll be doing!

The mittens will be Warmest Mittens and I did just get the needles I needed for these. The yarn will match the cowl I already made my sister which was Studio Tricot Cedrone.

 
Not sure of the cabled mitts yet because there are tons of patterns and I haven't decided yet. I'll post once I figure it out.

The cowl is the GAP-tastic cowl and it's beee-you-tiful! I know I have gray bulky yarn but that seems...meh so I'm going to stash dive a bit and see what else I can come up with

Sister's cowl

For the Scarf event, I want to make a damn statement. And that statement is:

The rainbow pride scarf. Pretty sure I have all the colors but have about 19 days to get everything I need.

The hats are basic chemo caps. I'm going to try and see how many people I can get to make the hats between February 7th and the 23rd.

That's it for now..... but come back. Gnomeacres is doing another Make-A-Long!

Did I add to my stash?? *sigh*

In Chicago, I found (with the help of my friend!) a few knitting stores. Since I must find local shops when I travel, I had to go.

The first one was ok. I was looking for more local, fun stuff and they had the traditional labels you see everywhere. They had some Noro on sale, so I got a skein.

Onward to Stitch(es) and yowza. Big, bright store! I found yarn that I can't find in Indiana and didn't want to order online without squishing it. Madeline Tosh and Sweet Georgia! Beautiful stuff and there was a sale going on.

I also got a cute new knitting bag. I spent way too much and was very happy!

We headed to Vogue Fabric store too and I wasn't as enthused since I don't sew. My imagination just wasn't as kickstarted but I want to learn to sew and plan to this year.

Chicago was a good trip! Even got to go downtown to see the Christmas decorations...

What a good town :)

Kool-Aid....OOOOOHHHHHH YEEAAAAHHHH!

I went with another round of kool-aid dyeing. I have acid dyes but need to get all the proper equipment for that and kool-aid takes pretty much zero effort. So ... kool-aid. Plus my house smelled awesomely fruity during this....

I choose 10 cent packets (not even real kool-aid!!! just "drink mix" from Kroger) of pink lemonade and black cherry. Set it up and knock it down.

I have bare yarn from Knit Picks, fingering weight, so I can make socks. We have black cherry on the left and pink lemonade on the right. Five packets a piece, mixed with boiling water. Hint: don't stand over lemonade when adding hot water. Wow.

I can't get a great photo to really show the brightness of the pink but it turned out well. I left the white portion deliberately, hoping for a neat variation of colors.

And now I need to make more socks.

A Tale of Christmas Socks

For some reason, I was determined that my mom, my sister and I each have a pair of handknit Christmas socks for Christmas morning. I'm not that bright.....

All yarn by Gnomeacres!

I made myself socks first with To Be Jolly. Easy peasy.

Ordered up Mistletoe and Under the Tree for my mom and sister. Slower going because work was entirely too busy and I have a hard time knitting the same pattern over and over. But I got them finished while I was in Chicago after Thanksgiving with friends. It's amazing what you can do when you are forced to relax in a hotel room and you don't watch TV.

The lighting wasn't great but here's the finished Sister socks:

Onward to my mom's socks. Mistletoe turned out to be a beautiful colorway. But it took even longer to knit because of work and holiday obligations. Did I mention that I was silly? My dog, Eva, got horribly sick on the 21st with vestibular syndrome and, since she's almost 100 lbs, she ended up in the animal hospital because I couldn't take care of her. Tons of stress but I was determined to finish the socks. Mom said not to worry, but I couldn't NOT do this. I couldn't leave mom with just one Christmas sock!

Christmas Eve, at 11:59pm, I finished mom's second sock.

And we all had Christmas handknit socks on Christmas morn......

The End.

A cup o'rooibos

My postman made me happy today.

I ordered a birthday present for a friend from Knit Picks and it arrived today. Because I'm mostly selfish, I also ordered me 3 skeins of bare yarn and a dye sampler kit. Take a guess what my Thanksgiving vacation is going to consist of....

I also ordered some of Gnomeacres holiday yarn. I already made myself Christmas socks and Amanda from GA has put out this year's round of holiday yarn. So I'm making a pair of Christmas socks for my mom and sister. The catch is they must be done by Christmas...hoo boy. Looks like I need to start working less and knitting more. Anywho, I got Under the Tree and Mistletoe. Wound up Under the Tree to start and it's gorgeous. Going to cast on a pair of vanilla socks tonight so they are on the needles and ready to be knit.

Started knitting a cap in Knit Picks Brava. I wasn't sure about using 100% acrylic but they had an offer a bit ago for a free skein to try so I got my free skein. I actually really like it! I'm making a cap for a friend who is going through chemo and it's the perfect softness with wash-ability.  I'm using my standard, go to cap pattern, Just a Beanie. Again, I want to get this complete soon so he has it when it turns wintery and cold.

I don't think my other friend reads my blog so I'm going to go ahead and show the pattern I'm knitting up for him. I'm taking this pattern and making it in gray for brain cancer. He does runs in memory of his sister who passed away a year ago from brain cancer and I thought this would be a good cap to keep his noggin warm and spread the awareness message.

And holy crap.... I need to make an adult size of this for myself:

Trying to figure out something fun for the December Knit N Bitch. One member suggested a get together at the Mounds Park pavilion. That could be good, with maybe a dessert pitch in or cookie exchange. Thinking...thinking.....

Not doing a terrible amount of holiday knitting this year. I've learned my lesson! But I'll post what I get done :)