Look What I Made!

So, I've been lusting after all the beautifully crafted stitch markers I've been seeing everywhere internet lately. My solution was to make some for myself :) These have porcelain and glass beads with sterling wire. I used toggle clasps rather than jump rings and I like how there is nothing for the yarn to catch on at all with them.

There are a few more which I have yet to take pictures of, but I will soon.

My mission today is to finish 'Sherwood' for my son. I'm making it to replace the sweater (knitted gansey) that I made TWICE without it fitting him. I am totally impressed with the design details of the Sherwood pattern. Totally impressed. The sleeves are picked up at the armholes, making it a truly seamless knit. Wait and see...pictures should be up tomorrow...assuming I get my knitting time today :)

Doing Everything!

Weird title for this post, I know. I do feel like I'm trying to 'do everything' in a couple of days right now...pretty sure the kids feel the same way! We have an appraiser coming tomorrow (time to get a new mortgage/remortgage-we are changing mortgage companies) and are trying to get the house in tip top shape first. I tell you, when you start aiming for perfect, you find a lot of imperfect, everywhere you look...or we do, at least.



I'm probably way overreacting to this appraisel...chances are he doesn't even care about the details we are worrying about....BUT a good clean house says 'Good Condition' even if it's only a psychological thing. Kinda how baking an apple pie (before/during a showing) can help you sell a house.

For my 'calming' activity, I've been winding some of the Ultra Alpaca I bought for the IK sweater pictured on the front of the magazine. I love it, I think! We will see when it's knitted up! :)

There is something so zen about just mindlessly handwinding a ball of wool....I've come to enjoy it which surprises me. When I started 'Frost Flowers and Leaves' and had to wind the laceweight, I was pretty overwhelmed by it, lol. I have been knitting the border onto that again...I want everything done that I've started.

Wow!! Colourful Mittens

These were inspired by the composed mitts. My daughter loves colour and these are made specially for her. They've passed the kid test....my older daughter saw them and went 'WOW, Cool Mitts!'

I used Knitpicks palette for these, held double. There is no pattern...I made it up as I went and made the second to match the first. I did use the same number of stitches as the composed mitts (48).

Composed Mitts - IK Fall 2007

Pattern: Composed Mitts by Michelle Rose Orne

Source: Fall 2007 Interweave Knits

Yarn Sub: I used knitpicks palette held two strands together

I really love these! They turned out great though I didn't use sport-weight yarn.

They have inspired me to create a version which is completely my own...and has a full hand mitten....pictures soon!

Child's Knitted Gansey

Pattern: Knitted Gansey

Source: Handknit Holidays

Yarn Sub: James C Brett 'marble'

Yeah, this is the sweater I've been working on for my son. It doesn't fit, AGAIN. Since the yarn is cursed, I am giving it to my little nephew instead of redoing it again.

The pattern is really nice though and I think I may try again in another wool, another time :) The yarn was really nice to work with even though it is acrylic.

Hooded Aran Cardigan

Pattern: Hooded Aran Cardigan by Vladimir Teriokhin

Source: Knit.1 Spring 2007

Yarn Sub: Knitpicks WOTA in Amethyst Heather

I really love this sweater! The pattern has really great shaping though the waist. I did end up lengthening the sleeves and body somewhat, but I almost always have to do that. The one issue I had was the hood. It ended up soooo long! I think the pattern must be a little wonky there. I left it because it didn't matter that much but I wouldn't do it the same again.

I want to knit this again...with the hood either adjusted to normal size or maybe with a collar instead.

Getting ready for fall....

I've had quite a week. I have all the kids home again...my son was away most of the summer at his grandparents house, which is a farm...now he wants to live on a farm :) I wouldn't mind it either, but not the time for us. When the kids are older, when the girls are in college, maybe then.

I've got a mountain of school supplies to buy yet, and shoes. Doesn't every child need twelve pairs?

I've been nesting and I can't figure out why. Reminds me of being pregnant. No, I'm not pregnant. What I am, however, is incredibley organized for the first time in a long long time. I threw away every scrap of paper I've ever hoarded (I am a packrat - there, I've said it). Well, except for the tax returns and stuff, lol. I've gone through our entire storage, through the clothes, through the shoes, through the kitchen. I've packed about thirty bags and boxes for the second hand store and shredded so much paper by hand that I now totally understand those home shredders people buy.

I've folded and packed away so much fabric and craft supplies I feel like I should almost hide them...I have three super large bins of fabric, packed very full (I used to make quilts and clothes). I also have a three bins of yarn. Definitely have to hide those or how in the world can I claim I need more (and I know I do!). Much of it is acrylic crap like red heart from when the kids were little and I made mostly toys and blankets. I suppose I will find something to use it for.

All of my books/patterns/magazines are all together...they are much happier now! All of our pictures are together in a bin?! All of EVERYTHING is together, lol....I've set up files for all things, including one for every report card the kids have ever gotten. I'm scaring myself.

There are a few spots that need sorting yet, a cupboard here and a drawer there...I'll finish those today, likely. Then on to the kids rooms.

I finished the sweater for my son, and it is TOO SMALL, AGAIN! Because the yarn is clearly cursed, I am not ripping it out again. I think it will be a lovely gift for my little nephew for his birthday this fall. My son has a very long torso, and yet is the proper 'around' for a boy his age. It's frustrating to try and knit for him. The growing so much this summer didn't help either. I will not try to knit for him when he is away again, LOL.

I want to get some pictures up of some projects that I've finished this summer and not posted yet...soon.

Dora Dora The Beautiful Dog

This is our newest family member, Miss Dora Dora (named after the word aDORAble). I have a major puppy/dog/pet/living thing weakness! She is very well behaved and fitting in with the other two really well so far. She was very well socialized and is almost house trained though she is only 8 weeks old right now. I found her a puppy salon last week! We got her her first hair cut (around the eyes - other than that I'm good with the 'mini sheepdog' look ) and she was good there too :)

Before....

This is a picture of our front yard, mid-landscape...half-way-ish...

I wanted to have something to compare with the finished yard so I took this before I did the garden around the tree. THAT took three days! Lots of digging and lots of soil amending to do there. See the big rock in the centre? That will have our street number and name sandblasted on it, hopefully.

Checking In....

Happy Wednesday :)

I've been away from the blogging for a bit, since I've been working so much on the yard and stuff like that...life gets in there too. The front yard is done! Most of it anyways...Pictures to follow soon-ish.

I'm working on the knitted gansey from HandKnit Holidays for my son...STILL...I switched the pattern around a little and made it in the round. I decreased some stitches to eliminate the seam stitches and make the pattern compatible with the stitch count. Rule number ONE when switching something with a patterned repeat to the round!! LOL, and remember to check all pattern reps against total stitches! (I discovered this after the bottom band of garter stitch and was luckily very close to the right number of stitches and had to knit two together twice to even it out). I did end up with the correct amount of stitches for the front/back at the point where I did the neckline so all's well that ends well. The sleeves I am knitting flat but doing both at once on a circular needle...they are about halfway done.

I'll be really happy when it's done!

We have a new dog...she is the cutest little thing ever. Her name is Dora Dora (because she is adorable) and she is a shitzu puppy. So that's three dogs, and they've been doing their best to keep me busy these last few weeks. And they've used up all my wool money!

I went down to the local Chapters yesterday, looking for the new IK and it wasn't there!! They SAY they will phone me when it comes in. I don't understand why they wouldn't have it when it is supposed to be on the stands already!? I'm very sad, I've been planning that purchase for a while....

So Tired...

Ok, I guess it's normal to tire out but I am Exhausted! I'm not even done around the tree either, and that has to get done. I have a poor rose bush waiting to be planted, and the hibiscus...oh, and the sweetheart rose, which is moving into the front of the tree. Right now, of course, it's at the back of the tree. LOL. Nothing could possible BE where I want it to be to begin with!

I feel like staying inside, knitting and house cleaning...doing some laundry, maybe steam cleaning the living room carpet. Or, maybe just the knitting! :)

I was taking LONG knitting breaks at the beginning of this project, but those were small enough jobs that I didn't have crap all over the lawn that way, for days. My policy *was* to do one amazing job per week. My youngest daughter is back home today so she's a lot of help too.

I've got my eye on the Red Bird website...I'm craving some beautiful yarn. I deserve it with all the hard work...or that's what I'm telling myself (and my husband!) This morning though, I saw the Knitting Haus site and they have Brittany needles for like 6 bucks american, mind you, but an amazing deal. I WISH they had wool of some sort.

Ok, off to have coffee...and maybe I'll find some energy...or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Another Living Pond Picture

You can see the fish in this one... I've even got algae growing on the rock now that I have the waterfall working properly :)

I buried the hose for it behind the waterfall rock and under a series of rock...along with the cords. I have to keep it running very very slowly though or I lose water to the garden...it seems to run under the rock and back. Now that I've put a lot more rock underneath and fixed the flow, it's run well for a week, so here's hoping it stays that way!

The Living Pond

I am so happy with the digital camera! I've realized (yeah, I'm slow) that I can crop the pictures and get the most amazing close-ups. So fun! I took a bunch of pictures last night just to crop, to play.

Selbuvotter Mittens!

These are a pair of the mittens from the Selbuvotter book. The pattern is Annemor #16 and I'm using Patons kroy as the solid, Austermann step as the contrast.


I really like the pattern on the inside of the hand. I was careful to cast on in pattern and pick up for the thumb in pattern as well. I am happy with the result, you can barely see the join :)

Finished Annemor #15

Here are the Selbuvotter gloves, my first pair, all done :)

Thermal is Done!

Very, very pleased! I'm done Thermal from Knitty.com and am pretty happy with how it turned out.

The yarn was Elann's 'sock it to me collection' sock yarn in two different shades (one navy/blues, one grey/black and both patterning) which should have done what you see in the sock at the left. I used lots of little balls to keep the yarn from doing it's patterning in the sleeves. I have a bit left and used a total of ten 50 gram balls.
I always add at least a couple inches in length because I have a long back/arms. I didn't add the buttons, but did do the button hole...maybe will do the buttons in future :)

Getting Stuff Done...

So, it's been bugging me lately that I had so many things half done, or almost done...basically I'm bugged by the 'not done' part! I've managed to finish the Thermal sweater from Knitty (pictures to follow soon) and the Selbuvotter gloves are finished (last night). Ok, so that leaves me with the Frost Flowers and Leaves edging to complete. Not too bad. I feel so much more organized with fewer things on the go. My son's gansey has yet to be ripped out and redone, but since that has to be started completely over, it isn't *really* half done!

I have to get back outside and work on the yard today. It's garbage day tomorrow and I ran out of those recycle bags....there is a pile of sod I dug up waiting to be shaken and put into bags. Not fun. I want it done though, if it rains on the pile, I'm scared it will become impossible or really, really, really hard!

Housework seems to be in a holding pattern, lol, hasn't become any messier or any cleaner over the last few days....though I should likely be carpet cleaning. I swear the dogs have 'called' different things to wreck around here...the little one has definitely called the carpets! I had every stain out just a few weeks ago, and want to keep it that way. At this point, the Daisy dog is winning.

My Spot

This is my favorite spot to sit, and a better picture of the pond :)

See the smallish flat rock which is lower than the others? That's the one where I like to sit...so peaceful!

Lace Front Sweater from Lingerie Style

This is the Lace Front Sweater from the book 'Knitting Lingerie Style' by Joan McGowan-Michael. I used Elann's 'Mr. Joe Blanket' (in lilac, I think), a sport weight yarn with stretch. I love the stretch...the yarn is super soft and the fit is perfect because the stretch keeps it from bagging at the elbows or anything like that. Another thing I really like about this sweater is the neckline. I was thinking about making it as a pullover...eliminating the split at the front...it would be, I think, the most comfortable v-neck pullover for winter.
It was really hard to get good pictures...I'm not much of a self-photographer, lol! I'm trying to get pictures of all my recent finished projects up.

Have to Start Knitting Outside!

Hopefully these pictures will show what I've been up to! I WISH I had a before picture to show you how much we have done.

It was the basic subdivision yard with a narrow concrete walkway and a small wooden deck....no gardens around the house except for the one beside the garage (the one I have still to rip out and redo...pictures in future!)




The overall effect is really peaceful and calm.....I'm keeping the gardens sparse and simple to keep this feeling. I love sitting out there so much that I think I may have to take up knitting outside on the rock!

The landscaping is looking awesome!!

So, haven't knitted anything in days, BUT the reason is excellent! :)

The landscaping is done (ISH), lol, and we've gotten some plants for the gardens/walkways/pond area. It looks beautiful. I'll try to post pictures that do it justice :D

Fits like a glove :)