Woolly Buggers

 

 

 

Yesterday, in light of the recent and ongoing fires in So. Cal I decided I should take pictures of my work that I finished at the beginning of the year...[I will be photographing the contents of our house too, but I will spare you].
So the start is with these afghans. I was in a Colinette Ab Fab obsession then. I tried my own version, same fan and feather pattern but with just two simple yarns, bulky wool and mohair. The texture and dying is what makes Colinette yarns what they are. It is really hard to go to LYS and replicate them and think you are going to save $$$...doesn't happen. That one ended up costing actually a tad bit more. I love them all. When I was gathering them up this morning to photo them, what should I find on one of them....WOOLLY Bugs! Those nasty wool, silk, anything natural fiber-eating monsters. I have had cashmere wraps ruined from them. They are carpet beetle larvae...I have almost eradicated them from the house but now that the weather is getting cooler they are reappearing...SMASH...DEAD...and then I find another. It just goes on and on.

New Tunes

What a great combination of both...


Alison Krauss is fantastic and Robert Plant is a fav from my younger days.

Can't keep from thinking about the S.Cal fires...feel so badly for those folks.

Haven't picked up the needles yet today. I tucked Odessa in my purse as I headed out this morning to the outpatient lab for my blood tests and EKG, thinking I would have lots of time to knit while I waited to be poked. Didn't even sit down for less than 30 seconds and it was time to roll up my sleeve. And...the unfortunate "homework" assignment...why is it that after 50 you have to endure all these icky procedures...poop smear collection. I suppose it is a little better than the full blown colon invation...which is down the road in my future. Yuck!
And on that note...I think I will go and sit and knit....

Another Odessa

 
 
 



The first Odessa [sorry no pic] I made turned out just so-so. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino left over from a UFO baby blanket project..just way too spongy for this pattern. And it really was too small from edge to top of crown and too big around. I went to one of my LYS [Dharma Trading Co]and purchased this beautiful Alpaca/Silk. Time will tell if this hat fits too. I am going to lengthen it .5". The pattern is fun to knit and the beads add so much. I have too much hair so this hat is for my stepdaughter. She looks fabulous in hats.

What is it with me and those circular needles. I am trying to teach myself to use 2 circulars to knit socks. The gauge keeps coming out too loose. Hmmmmm. Cat Bordhi's new book arrived yesterday! New Pathways for socks! Wow! Can't wait to get into that book.

Go away fires! I was looking at the pictures of the wildfires in S. Cal...tears over whelmed me. I feel so sorry for all those people and their losses....it could happen to any of us at any time.

I'm In

Wowzers!!!! I got my invite yesterday, but found out this morning...I am in Ravelry!
I have been cruising the site, and talk about overwhelming...so much to learn and so FUN!
I am currently knitting the Odessa hat and had no idea there are so many other knitters knitting the same project too! It is truly amazing. I can't wait to get "up and running". I have my work ahead cut out for me!

Finished Olives

 

I have more olives than I know what to do with. I made the pickle brine [equal parts vinegar to water and salt]this morning and spooned those plump delicious olives into their brine bath. In about a week we will sample and hopefully they will be perfect! What a great year for stone fruit, even my peach tree made tons of fruit.

I found a hat pattern with beads to knit into...I am having trouble finding beads in my bead box with a hole large enough to get a needle and the yarn through. I may have to drag myself to the bead store later and find ones that work. I only have about 60 beads and the pattern calls for 110...hmmmm...what to do.... And, for some reason I decided to learn to knit socks on 2 circulars. Don't know why other than for the experience. I am quite happy with dpns. I find that I knit really loose on the 2 circulars and that seems to be a problem with the sock I am making. I see a trip to the lys to buy a smaller size. Anyway it is a beautiful Saturday, and the yard work is calling my name,knitting for later.

Moving Along

 
 
 

Pumpkins of all kinds.
Finished Socks and quite pleased with the match.
Moving along with the Poppy Sock...

Chilly Days Ahead, just gettin ready

Fingerless Mittens

Worsted Yarn
Sample used: Manos Del Uruguay
Small Adult #4 and #6 DPN
Med Adult #5 and #7 DPN
Large Adult #5 and #8 DPN

Cast on 36 sts using long tail cast-on with #5 dpn
Knit one round
Ribbing: k2, P2
Continue ribbing for 15 rounds

Inc to 40 sts
Change to larger needles and work st st for 7 rounds (total 8 rounds including inc. round).

Knit 17 sts PM, K2, PM, K round
Add two stitches every other row between markers until you have 14 stitches. Put these 14 stitches on a holder for working thumb later.

Continue working st st adding 2 stitches under thumb once (co 2 sts). Work in st st for 8 rounds. 9th round decrease 4 sts. Change to smaller needle and start K2, P2 ribbing for 10 rounds. Bind off in rib.

Thumb
Slip 14 stitches onto larger needle with RS facing K2, M1 knit to last 2 stitches, M1, K2. Work 16 stitches for 9 rows. BO in knit. Leave a long tail to sew up seam.

Weave in yarn ends
Make 2

Olive Curing Day

This year my olive tree provided me with almost 2 gallons of olives. I have mostly green ones and maybe a few cups of semi-ripe ones. I am going to cure both stages in lye in a little while, after I get over the nerves. I don't know why I am apprehensive about this step. The last couple of years I have avoided the lye cure like the plague using just a salt cure and without very good results. So this is the year to try lye. I have purchased 100% lye from Ace hardware and a couple of heavy plastic buckets and a heavy plastic spoon (OXO) to stir them. I am about to take the plunge and see what happens. After looking at various websites regarding curing methods I think I am ready. So off I go to the garage.

Poppies

Another sock!
Lorna's Laces Shephard Sock Yarn - Poppy
Picot edge detail and baby fern pattern.
It is still raining - hard!

Rainy Day Work

The middle of October and I swear...it looks like winter, feels like it too. They [those weather people] indicated that this storm would happen last night and be finished by this morning. Well, here it is after 11AM and pouring, and expected to be that way all day. I had unimportant errands planned but now since they are not that necessary they are going to wait for tomorrow, which is forecasted to be sunny! Sure it is. I just washed the car a few days ago and maybe that really is the reason I don't want to go out. After all it's not like I am going to melt.

































I am just so pleased with this sock. The stripes are matching up almost perfectly. Get's a bit tricky with that picot edge detail.

And I am slowly coming along with this one.

Here Comes The Big One

I can't see Mt. Tam...rain and wind there. At my house I am waiting for the rain "they" [those weather folks] said would be here at 3 PM. Well it is definitely on its way. Our first storm of the season! So today while the weather was decent I ran around doing errands, to the bank, to the post office, to the market, to the yarn store, and now I am pooped. I just finished the Picot Edge Sock...turned out nicely, only one small problem...small it is! I should have gone about 1/4 to 1/2 inch more on the length. I guess these will be going to someone else who has a smaller foot than me. I have to keep up the enthusiasm to finish the second one now that it doesn't fit me and all that excitement of a new pair is dashed. I know, I could rip out the toe and keep adding some length to it - but I am not.

Ohhhh Baby!

Another Finished Pair

Yoga this morning was just what the doctor ordered. After 6 weeks of recovery from that flying Cuisinart blade accident I finally got to return to my class and enjoy it and see my yoga buddies and experience a lovely class with my teacher.
This self striping sock turned out great...and the stripes line up almost perfectly from sock to sock. I started another self-striping pair yesterday with a picot edge detail. That was a bit difficult to do especially on dpn. But I did it!
Can you believe it, already there is a light dusting of snow in the Sierra's. The weather dudes announced a frost threat tonight - I will have to get out those sheets and cover the plants later. Seems a little early for such chilly temps to me.

Two Of My Favorite Things

FOOD and Knitting...Check out these cupcakes.

Finished the self striper sock last night...picture to follow soon. I am off to walk in the cool morning air and run errands. Back then.

SOCK it to ME

Updates on the socks...the self stripers are really looking like a totally matched pair. I like that. The stripes are lining up almost purrrfectly with each other. I had to skip ahead on the yarn...hope I have enough to finish the toe. By the look of what's left on the ball it will be very close.
The Italian Chain sock is coming along nicely and slowly. The pattern takes a lot of concentration so there is definitely no knitting on this after the cocktail hour! There is just something so wonderful knitting with Lorna's Laces Shepard sock...can't wait to get my feet into these.