Shawlette Finished! Next Up to Bat...

Dear Roberta:

This blog post is dedicated to you. Yes, I do finish projects. So I took photos and blogged right away...enjoy! Best, Kim

Yet another Simple Things Shawlette is finished. If I do say so myself, the result it lovely. I was concerned the striped yarn would look wonky as the rows got longer, but it striped nicely and I am thrilled with it. Blocking will be done this evening. I think it will "grow" nicely and will be a great addition to a summer tee shirt to ward off a/c.

I used a skein of Sockotta Limited that I purchased last summer at Swisher's Yarn Shop in Danville, PA. It is a 40% superwash wool, 45% cotton and 15% nylon. A generous amount of yarn -- 414 yards -- on the skein. I purchased a second one -- don't remember why. I don't need it so it will be posted for sale on my ravelry page.

Next up to bat is Stephen West's "Daybreak." I have been wanting to knit one for over a year and started this one in 2011. Those who follow my blog might remember it from the UFO plan for 2012. It is an easy pattern and I love these colors. A skein of slightly shaded blue from my stash (label was missing) and the yellow was purchased from The Loopy Ewe solid series because I didn't have a plain to go with the blue. I rarely buy plain colored yarns.

Photos from Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

The busload of knitters from Central PA -- and a few guests from afar -- had a great time at the MDSW earlier this month. I can't believe it was 3 weeks ago...how time flies! Here are a few photos from the day...I didn't get too many this year and not nearly what I planned...oh well, there is always next year.

This was at the Noni booth. It was a sweltering day and I don't know how she handled it in a full-length knitted wool coat. It is gorgeous and got a lot of attention.

Her gorgeous dreadlocks were wrapped in roving.

The show was predictably crowded. I don't think there were as many strollers this year...at least for the first time I was not run over or into by one of them!

Lots and lots of gorgeous hand-dyed fibers were for sale. This was at the Creatively Dyed booth.

I saved the best photo for last! I asked the bus trip passengers if they would knit an item for the annual charity knitting project of the Penns Valley Area Knitters. These fiber folks are beyond -- WAY beyond -- belief. 117 items -- hats, scarves, a vest, laprobes, shawls, mittens, neckwarmers, neckwarmers and slippers to help keep the residents warm. Thank you so much for your generosity!! You are way beyond my wildest dreams. What a fabulous group of fiber friends on this bus trip.



One week to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival!

I just can't wait to  get to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival next Saturday. I do hope the weatherman is only joking with the prediction of THUNDERSTORMS for that day. Really? Again I have coordinated a group of 55 fiber-holic women to make the trek on a Cole Transportation bus. They give us the best service and have for years! If the rain holds off I will take photos and will post upon return.

I DO NOT NEED YARN!!! OK, I have it in writing. It is official. But I do want to head to the vendor with the yarn bowls and get one...more for decorative purposes. I plan to take along bubble wrap and tape to securely wrap it before putting it into my quilted bag. I will have to carry it all day so it needs to be secure.

Oh I bet I will buy a skein (or two) of yarn. I do need intervention...

UFO Finished!

My summer fun socks are finally finished! Cross one UFO off my list for 2012 knitting...

Someone is going to say that the feet look small. They are small. I only wear a size 5 1/2 shoe. And this pair of socks is somewhat is a sizing experiment. I have been knitting socks for years, primarily because store bought ones are way too big. Sometimes though some of my knitted socks are a bit too big. I recently read that to make the feet snugger and hence tighten up the fabric around the ankle, to knit the feet 1/2 to 1 inch shorter. So, these feet are 7 1/2 inches long instead of the usual 8 inches. I might have to make another adjustment, but I think these will work well. Hope so, I am tired of baggy socks at the ankles.

I had another skein of this yarn -- which was only made for one summer -- in shades of lavender so it is barely on the needles. Summer sock yarn with stretch to keep the socks up is hard to find.

I must tuck these away and get back to my shawlette so I have it done in time for Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. I want to wear a hand-knitted item. Of course if this year's doesn't get done, there is always the one I made for last year that didn't get blocked in time. All I would need to do it block it. But I really want to finish the current one.

Stay tuned.....

Hitchiker

I have been wanting to knit Hitchhiker for a while but didn't think I had the right yarn for it. Well, after looking through the stash boxes (which takes quite a while...) I came up with Schaeffer Anne yarn in the "Stadium Blanket" colorway. I bought it a couple of years ago for a shawl and have two skeins of it.

The pattern calls for Wollmeisse which has 575 yards of yarn. I have three skeins of Wollmeisse but none suited me for this project. I am very pleased with my combination of yarn and pattern. It is moving along quickly. A fun garter stitch knit.

Nope, neither January or February UFOs have been completed. Hopefully soon. I get distracted easily it appears.

Fail...Fail...Fail...I think

I don't think the January UFO is going to be finished on time. I haven't picked it up yet this month. With almost a week at the PA Farm Show and then being sick for over a week with a cold and then the stye in my eye making it hurt too much to knit...ugh! Not much has been completed.

I am making a project for a swap gift that must be mailed by COB Tuesday. I have to finish it first. That is only fair.

So February will be a catch-up month with the sock and the next project.

Stay tuned....

There is a plan in the works....

I am following the lead of another blogger whose knitting, writing and talent I admire. Pink Lemon Twist pulls stash yarn for 12 projects to complete each year. This was her first and now she is planning for 2012. Her knitted items are gorgeous and her blog is fun to read. Tune in at http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com/

However, I have so many UFOs, that instead of starting something NEW each month in 2012, I'm going to turn a UFO into an FO. I came home from work with the full intention of finding 12 skeins of yarn -- that part wasn't difficult -- and lining them up for 12 new projects. When I looked at my UFO pile I decided I needed to start completing items. I will knit new items too but it will feel so good to pull one out of the UFO drawer each month and finish it. Some months maybe I will do several and get this project completed before the end of 2021. My game...my rules!

Some only need a part of a sock finished and I will have a pair, one shawlette is barely started and I want to finish it to wear to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in May (you know if I do the temps will hit 100 that day!), one is a cabled buttoned cowl,  there is another cowl, more socks, etc. Just look at the photos. I am putting them in order of the months I have chosen to knit them.

Oh no, they won't be all I knit because some won't take long to finish. I will do other things in-between. This is a good way to line up what needs to be completed, and do it in a timely manner. Knitting should be fun and I think this is a fun plan! Thank you Pink Lemon Twist for giving me the inspiration.