Plain Jane that is…

Up we have a lovely set of plain Jane socks in my favorite Yankee knitter socks for the whole family pattern.

Hand dyed by me in The Beach Meets Sea colorway.

So these are the first dishcloths I’ve ever done.  No really.  Ever.  I don’t know why I haven’t done them before, as they are a super quick knit.  I did one in each sitting.  Size 7 needle, with Knitpicks Shine Worsted, the Ballband Dishcloth pattern, which is free and can be found here.

I’m creating a little package for Mom and these are going in as one of the items.

We’re having a bit of Internet connectivity problem right now, so I’m up and down.  Hopefully to be fixed soon.

Phew! Check this one off the list. Done. Done. Done.

This is a Plymouth Yarn Design Studio project P-263 called Small Mitered Square Baby Coverlet.

The yarn is Decor.

This past weekend, I also had a chance to whip up a Urchin. This is a great pattern and a fun knit. I really love how it knitted up. I had a hard time getting gauge. I went up a size to large as I wanted it to be large and cushy on, plus I went up a needle size to an 11US on the pattern, but still was knitting less than gauge and it seemed to work out. I kept thinking it wouldn’t be deep enough but it is.

DH suggested the pom pom on back.

I would definitely knit this one again. This was made out of the singles handspun that I dyed the color blue and my verdict is singles for knitting are here to stay. Yeah! I think mine were a little more energized than would be called for, especially called for the shawl, so I will have to work on that, but really I loved the singles.

I seem to be on an EZ or what I would call functional knitting kick. I keep thinking these singles would be so useful for a EZ Bog jacket or an Adult Totem - anything in garter really. I could whip things up a little faster for gifts - total time for this project and I swatched to death was only about 3 hours including the spinning and dyeing portion. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m going to have to start my gift knitting for the holidays. I know sickening, but everyone wants everything handspun.

So part two of the trip continues, after a lovely visit at the yarn shop we made our way for lunch to my cousins house to visit with her son, husband and father (my uncle).  I have to say I love knitting for her because she loves getting my knits.  When she receives something - normally a hat or whatever for the kids she acts like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.  I mean break out the ticker tape folks, it’s time for a parade.  Knitters love this.  I mean, love this.  The husband commented about this to me once in conversation and I decided yes, dang it, I want a parade per finished object - thankyouverymuch.

Anyway I’m committed now that she’s seen the blanket and it does match the new baby’s room - so on I go.  I do have to say though not much has gotten done.  I’ll spare you the picture with all the ends this time. (lol)  Commence eye rolling. 

When I’m chatting or need simple keep my head clear work,  I head right for some plain socks and I have nice little self striping yarn stash built up for those plain but lovely old friends for the sock drawer.  Here’s another pair off the needles.

This is out of Trekking XXL - color number 144.  Top down the after thought toe heel - no biggie.  I just knit another toe for the heel after I take out the place saving stitches.  Some formulas I’ve looked at say to knit one decrease row and then two rows of plain.  I have a very narrow heel apparently, so I do exactly like a toe - knit one row plain, one decrease row.  No biggie at all and it fits like a glove.  I’ve found out if I do the two plain rows it kinda bags out on me like little wings on the side of each heel.  It eventually works itself out, but why bother when you can have great fitting right off the needles.

So that’s about it… not much more to tell.  I was happy to see Mom again and happy to come home.  I ate several favorite things and will now be on salads for the rest of the month.  Not!  But just to give you an idea - at my cousins there were both cream puffs and cannolis  - I had one of each.  Mmmm… I would love another one now.

So today was kinda a blah day.  You know the type where the pajamas don’t come off all day and you just kinda sit around napping, well that was today.  I did get down to business though and finished up my Silly Swap Socks.

These are made with Mountain Colors in the Emerald Colorway.  The pattern is also a Mountain Colors Patterns call “Fish Ladder.”

Well my guilt has been relieved… she has a sweater and it’s supposed to be -9 degrees tomorrow morning. Plenty of time to still wear it. Now I have to make Max one, but I have a few things that have to be done first. It will probably be next winter before I know it. I think he’s a little jealous in the background, but he does have a very nice store bought one. They are very focused on the Vienna Finger that is being used to entice them to sit still.

Sorry if it seems like duplicate pictures, but I was not just trying to get some pretty shots of her, but of the sweater also.

So I’m a little under the weather, but recovering. Just not the thing I really want to deal with right now… or any time really.

I think the pink elephant has been everyone’s favorite. I love that pink elephant. It’s really divine and of course elephants are one of my favorites. I actually think the list of non-favorites is shorter, but hey. I was on an elephant kick over the weekend and got the cutest pattern. This little elephant available on Etsy. When I was looking there are so many cute elephants out on Ravlery. This free pattern is also on my list - another little elephant. Maybe the pink elephant needs a few pink friends? (lol) Wouldn’t that be fun.

So the last two days of work were totally grueling this week. It also didn’t help I got really worked up about something stupid that did work itself out and my sinus were acting up. I took some medicine and whammy up most the night from Thursday to Friday. However, like I said things eventually smoothed themselves out and I had a good nights sleep and went to beauty shop with a change in mind. Actually after seeing my pic from last week, I knew a change was in order. That hair just didn’t reflect my bouncy, friendly, happy normal self. I’m thinking maybe a little rich color for my next visit - you know, just to spice things up for the winter. So today a new me emerges in my new vest.

I had to downgrade this yarn a little bit on Ravelry. The llama or the wool is a bit itchy around the neck and I would probably opt for a turtle neck for the next wear.

 Edited to add: Whoops I forgot to include my Saturday Sky.

I promise I will get a FO picture with it on, but here it is first. It looks much better on than on the hanger, so to speak.

This is such a fun, mindless, rhythm knit when you need to just relax in front of the TV. I can’t wait to knit another of these.

In the mail, I got the new spinning book

Unfortunately, the cover was totally ripped off.  So I sent it back and they overnighted me a new one.  It is very interesting.  I have to say inspiring.  I’m not sure I would work in old cassette tape and other oddities, but it is interesting.

Flirty, romantic, and just plain pretty -

My next crochet project - which was inspired by one I saw on Etsy.com, but pattern my own…

The Emma Cowl, with matching mittens.

The Emma Cowl is made out of Homespun. Yes you heard me right - Homespun in Covered Bridge Red.

The recipe for the Emma cowl is this - you cast on as many to go around your next times 2 and then DC back and forth 7 times. Seam up the back.  Slide a ribbon through the middle crochet and scrunch it up around your neck. I also used this yarn double stranded throughout.

This is how it looks without my mug in the picture. I think I need one of those dress dummies as I never seem to take a half-way decent picture anymore.

The matching mittens are made from the Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns.