Can't Stop!!

I've been working away at all my projects. I've made great progress on many of them and will post pictures of the finished objects. Here's one now. This is a pair of socks I promised a cousin:

I think they came out cute and I love the colorway. I'm also working on some socks, using leftover sock yarn. I got a lot of mileage out of this yarn and as soon as I'm done, I'll post a picture. I'm not minding the different color change.

I've started some socks for my sister-in-law Sue. The pattern is Jaywalker from MagKnits.com - it's fun to knit, though different than I imagined. Here's a picture of my progress.


I've also started another pair of socks with this pretty variegated yarn from Webs. The colors are vibrant and I love the colorway:


As you can see, not much progress, but I only started it yesterday.

I was making some fingerless mittens from Knitty.com, but they are way too small for me. Next time I'll pay attention to my sized hands - but they're a good gift to my niece. Here's a picture:


But never fear, I made another pair for myself out of the same yarn and it was inspired by someone elses patter - though I made up the dimensions, etc.... Here is the finished product - one hand shown:

I think it came out nice, if I must say so myself.

I can't believe that Christmas is around the corner. So much to do and so little time, so I'll sign off for now.

Knitting Progress!

Today is all about progress. I've made some great progress on a lot of my UFO's. I'm sure there are other people out there that do what I do. I have at least 10 projects open and it's just not enough. I'm always on the lookout for more, MORE, MORE! Here's 2 questions for my visitors. How many UFO's do you have? Do you look daily for more patterns?

Okay, on to my progress. Remember my orange scarf? Here's a picture of it so far. I try to do 8 rows a day (full pattern rows):


The next scarf, I started a long time ago and I just recently picked up again. I try to do 8 rows of this a day (1/2 the pattern rows of 16). Some will recognize it from scarf style. I'm using a nice cotton - although it's a real thin yarn and will take me a while to finish it.

The next is another scarf that will take me forever to complete but it's a good meditation. And the changing of the yarn is fun. I'm planning on switching direction of the stripes as soon as the bottom right corner makes it to the top left.


This next is being made with Manos de Uruguay - I frogged a scarf that I'd made with a pillar stitch - I didn't really like the way it came out - so, I found this scarf that really shows off the colorway - and I'm very happy with it.


An another view of it. Rather artsy, isn't it?

Knitting News!

Boy! Twice in one week? How is it I have time to blog twice in one week? Anyway, I've got some pictures to show. Two weekends ago, my hub and I went to Northampton, MA to visit his sister and we went to WEBS. I LOVE that store. I got some great yarn.

The first yarn is my prized possesion. I got it (partly) with a gift certificate given to me for my birthday in September. I've been eyeing the Alchemy yarn at Webs but haven't felt like plunking down the money to buy it. So, when you get a gift certificate, it doesn't feel like it's expensive. Here it is.


I must say that the colors are actually more vibrant, (if you can believe it), in real life. I love the look and sheen of this yarn. I'm going to make a scarf/headband thingy with it. It's something I found on the internet. Some yarns are so yummy and this is one of them. I have visions of me laying the skeins out on the floor and rolling all over them.

I also bought some Noro Kureyon:


I'm going to make The Lady Eleanor Entrelac stole from Scarf Style. I don't have nearly enough, so I have to order some more. It's more vibrant than the yarn usually used for the stole - but I'm a vibrant kind of gal! :)

I dug out a scarf I started probably a year ago and have continued along with it. This is a picture of it before I started working on it and I'll post an update next week.

I did a silly, silly, silly thing when I started to work the above orange scarf. I picked it up and did the pattern for a few rows and THEN I noticed that I was using one wrong sized needle. Have you ever done that? Here are the two needles I was using.

One is a 10 and the other a 6. How funny is that? Like I couldn't feel the difference? Where was my mind? It's not that difficult a pattern, but you do have to pay attention. Obviously I was paying attention to the wrong things. Anyway, I finally realized my mistake and was able to fix it before I got too far.

Ok, that's it for today.

Back to the Knitting!

Boy, oh boy, I've been a bad blogger. I can only blame it on the relaxation I needed after the show - that and getting back into my school work. But hopefully I will blog more now that I'm BACK!!

I've completed a total of two pairs of socks. I previously posted about one of the pairs - and in this picture , I'm wearing one on each foot.


The second pair (right foot) came out better than the first pair. I'm proud that I figured these out all on my own. I love making socks - in fact, I'm working on another pair. Here it is:

I love the yarn and it's patterning out rather nicely, if I do say so myself.

I've also been working on some scarves. Here's a picture of one of them:

I originally was doing a scarf with these two colors that I posted about (What I'm Knitting now) but didn't like how much yarn it was taking since I was holding both strands together. So I ripped it out and now it's looking kind of cool.

I also went to the LYS and picked up some half price yarn - Louise Harding DK 55% merino wool/35% microfiber/10% casmere. It is a dream to work with and I'm making a nice scarf - here's my progress so far - not much.

That's all the time I have today to update this lonely blog. Hopefully I'll get to it again tomorrow.
Have a grand day!!

More COC Knitting

I've made great progress of the color on color scarf. Here's some pictures:


Like I said, it's great fun to knit this. I just hit a snag though. On the end of section 16 and attaching the garter band (blue strip on the bottom) to the rest of the piece. I don't like the added stitches. Looks awkward - so i'll be pulling that out today. Not looking forward to it since it took me forever to attach it and knit the added part. But that's life, isn't it? I'm keeping my happy face on while I frog it. Hey, it's only 68 - 3 needle bind off stitches. I can figure that out, right? The picture below sort of shows the area. It's under the multi-colored section and peeking out is orange. I plan to take out the extra stitches and just 3 needle bind off the blue garter stitch band to the multi part.


Below is the strands in the middle for the icords. I'm looking forward to knitting them.

I've been a bad blogger lately. I promise to write more. Have a great weekend.

Color on Color Scarf Knitting

As I've said before, I've started my color on color scarf and I've got to tell you that I can NOT stop knitting it. I'm neglecting all my other knitting for this fun project. It is rather challenging at times but for the most part, A BLAST!!

Here is my progress thus far:



And here's a close up of the other side of the Fair Isle section. I've done 11 sections so far.


It's giving me ideas about other scarves to knit with this yarn. I'm using the Paternayan yarn that it calls for and I love the graduation of colors. I bought it from a LYS in the 8 yard skein hanks and boy am I glad since it is going to be a pain to weave all the ends in but even worse if it was in the 30" hanks. The colors are lovely and fun, although sometimes odd combining, I must say.

I would recommend this project for others to try.

Finally Some Knitting News

Since the show has opened and I've had some time to relax, I feel I can finally do some knitting AND some blogging about it. I finished the pair of socks I showed in an earlier post. Here is a picture of them. Yes, I know. I have REALLY wide feet.


Also, not quite disasterous news, but distressing to me, none the less - I was weaving the ends in the cardi and clipped one that I thought was supposed to be clipped and NO!! it wasn't - so now I have a hole in the sleeve. What to do, what to do? I am thinking of ways to fix it but it may take me a few sittings to get it right. I find it hard to do it for very long since it isn't very satisfying. And to make matters worse, the cardi is too small. So, I've decided to give it to a smaller boned, smaller breasted friend. She doesn't know it yet, so I'm keeping it a secret. But I will take a picture of her with it on when I give it to her.

Here is a picture of the mistake.


On another note, I'm making a new scarf from the book Modular Knits. I've not been able to figure out how to make it once piece yet, so I've done small squares and will/am sewing them together. I don't think it looks bad, though I wish I didn't have to sew it together. Anybody out there do this scarf and know how to add on?? I'd love some ideas.


Okay, that is all for now. Oh yeah, almost forgot. I started the Color on Color scarf from Scarf Style. It is fun. I'll take a picture of my progress thus far and post it next week.

Have a great weekend!!

Not Much Knitting!

I just wanted to quickly post a picture of one of my costumes in the King & I - Here is a picture of - Well, the King & I - hee hee! This dress is made a beautiful blue silk - they used ten yards alone in my skirt!! Isn't it gorgeous??? More to come...


Oh, and on a knitting note - I've finished the cardi - so I'll take some pictures of it and show it off. Big sigh of relief that it's done!!

Neglectful Knitting

I have been SO neglecting all my other projects so I can knit the cardigan. I've gotten to a fun part and can't seem to put it down. I keep thinking - "Okay, one more row and then on to the scarf." But do I do it? Noooooooooo! I knit one more row and then another and then another and so on and so forth.

Here's a picture (not a very good one - it's hard to see the sleeves so I pulled them out to the sides). I'm rather proud of it and can't wait for it to be done.


Last week, I couldn't post at all because of all the rehearsing I've had to do and this is tech week for the play so not much knitting will be done - I do snag an hour here and there. I will take some pictures of myself in my costumes - they are rather spectacular!

Well, that's all for today.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting Some, Playing Lots!!

This weekend was busy, busy, busy!! I had the dinner party - which was fabulous and went without a hitch!! I made homemade gravy (what some people, including my family calls pasta sauce), with sausages and meatballs, homemade manicotti (shells and all), homemade eggplant parmesean, a salad, bread and bought dessert (there is a limit to what I can do in a day.) The production team was appreciative and a good time had by all. Bear in mind, that we all worked at the theater that day too.

I'll show the knitting portion of my post first so those of you who don't want to read about the theater portion, can surf on out!!

Here is another 'bowl' I felted. The only thing that disappointed me was that the stitches showed through. I knit it with Lambs Pride Bulky and put it in the washing machine for at least 25 minutes and still.....you can see the stitches. Hmmm.


Ok, here's a picture of some of what I also accomplished this weekend. We are gearing up for the opening of "The King & I" and here are pictures of the progress so far. Although the pictures don't do it all justice, you can still get an idea of what it will look like. Also, do you remember I talked about sewing a traveler curtain for the show? And do you remember me saying I'd share a picture once it was hung? Well, here it is. I wish the picture was better, because it is very stunning to look at. You can't really tell by the photo, but it is hung at least 10 feet from the front of the stage. It is basically used to mask scene changes while giving you a decent playing area. If you were to use just the proscenium curtain, you'd only have 2 1/2 feet of playing space - not enough, believe me.

Here is a picture of the shoji screens before they are painted or mounted on the platform. And a pix of the platform before the stairs and facing.


This next picture is the painted shoji's with the uncovered louvers and the facing on the platform before the painting. Notice too the temporary stairs. The guy in the picture is Jon - he designed the set.


Now, these are the real stairs. They will be painted black and marbled for effect!!

Here is a picture of the shoji screens (there are 10 of them), not much to look at like this but they are backed with a white fabric and slide along in tracks for different configurations. They will then be lit from behind with different colors during different scenes. The guy in the picture is my hubby, Christopher.

This is a picture of one of the louvers covered with really interesting fabric. The general colors to the set are (as you can tell) red, black and gold. It's very ornate looking and with the lighting design . . . Magnificent!! Notice the painted portions of the facing. That is the first coat.


Doreen and Jim are shown here reupolstering the chaise I mentioned in the post "Not Much Knitting". It really came out nice. I do wish I'd taken a picture of it before we stripped it.


Here's a close up on it practically finished.


Whew!! I'm exhausted just looking at the pictures, never mind working on all the projects.

Hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures as much as I enjoyed sharing.

Sock Gone Wrong?

I have made progress on my first pair of socks and I think there might be something that I did wrong. Here is a picture of my progress and the problem. The second picture is the heel. Doesn't it look funny. It sticks out (orange part) and I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to. Hmmmmm. Any ideas?












I've also made some progress on my bamboo multi-directional scarf - remember the picture of the yarn I bought at the LYS? Well, here's my progress. I'm really liking working with this yarn.


Also, here's my cardi sleeve that I've been cursing. Not bad, just a few more inches to move on to the next step.


Here's my green bowl finished. I ended up giving it to my sister. She thought it was cute. I think so too.



That's all I have today. Sorry it's not much but I'm tired from rehearsing every night and tomorrow night, we're having a dinner party for all the production staff and I've been cooking and cleaning like a fiend.

Until next week.

Yarn and progress!!

I went to the LYS this morning, looking for Blue Heron Yarn and BLAST, they didn't have it, though I did get some 1/2 priced goodies. Here's my haul: I'm going to make scarves with them all. The blue varigated is bamboo yarn and I'll do a multi-directional one out of it and the red and orange are 100% Egyptian and I'll do some combo scarf with those.

Progress on the Cardi from (H - E - double hockey sticks). Notice, no twisting. I did a lot on it last night. I had the night off from rehearsal and it was glorious just sitting and knitting. Of course, it's almost always glorious when I sit and knit, but doing it at a time I usually can't do it, ahhhhhhhhhhhh, now that's the life!!


Ok, now remember the blue/green bowl I was going to felt? Well, (drum roll please), it is DONE. Here's a picture of it.


I brought it to rehearsal to show it off and one of my dear friends said he'd love to have it, so I gave it to him.

I LOVE to felt. The process is a hoot and I can see more felting in the future. In fact, I've felted a little clutch - I got the pattern out of "One Skein". Isn't it cute? And it's QUICK!! I'll be doing another one with different colors and I can't wait. Here's a picture of before and after:


And lastly, here's a picture of some dansko sandals I love to wear, but they're in bad shape, so I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you spruce them up with a new look." Here they are:


And here's a picture of the finished project. I still have to bring them to a cobbler to replace the inside pad because it's all torn, but I'm happy with the results. Please ignore my funny looking feet.