31.3.09

Baby shoes and other goodies

I got these beauties in a trade for some leftover yarn that I had. I asked for 2 and I got 6! I love the people on ravelry. They are so giving! I hope that she really enjoyed the yarn.
I realized last night that I have a baby shower to go to this Friday. So I got my butt in gear and whipped up these last night. I am still a slow handstitcher so it took me a couple hours. I am sure on a sewing machine, it would have taken less than half an hour!
This a view of the inside of the shoes with the setting sun.

I put fleece between the two sole pieces to give it some sturdiness.


Project : Kimono Baby Shoes by Aimee Larsen (found the tutorial here.)
Size : 0 - 6 months
Fabric : Some fat quarter leftovers from bags I made at Christmas
Mods: none yet, debating on putting a button on each partway
up with some thin elastic to hook over them to help them stay on.
The top opening just seems too big to stay on wiggliing baby feet.



I love the inside of these!




This fabric pattern seems very Japanese to me. Works great with this pattern.




Pomatomus is coming along swimmingly. I love how this yarn is knitting up with the pattern and the yarn itself is wonderful to use.






28.3.09

I got this lovely skein of yarn in the mail from dreary ole England. But this yarn is far from dreary! My mum is going to love this knit up into another pair of socks. What socks do you think would do this yarn justice? Any suggestions? I am leaning towards Spring Forward, but would gladly consider other ideas because I am not completely sold on that one quite yet.
Yarn : Claudia Hand Painted
yardage : over 400yds

And these gorgeous skeins are going to be knit into a pair of Pomatomus.

My sister has been begging for another pair of socks lately too. So hopefully I am appeasing both of them. These need to be completed by the end of April. No problem.

27.3.09

mom's socks

Project : Mom's striped socks (used You're putting me on sock pattern by Judy Gibson)
started / completed : 22-27 March 2009
Yarn : Magic stripes by LionBrand (1 ball)
color : denim stripes
Needle : US 3
I love how easy this heel comes together working from the toe up.

Project : Spiral sock for mom (based on Swirl Sock pattern by Sulafaye)
started / completed : 18 February - 20 March 2009
Yarn : koigu KPPPM (2 balls)
color : pinky orange


Made both of these socks for mom's birthday coming up in April. I hope she really likes them. She wears the other pair that I made so much that I had to mend them. I think that means that she deserves many more socks in the future.
Next up, finishing the swingy sweater (which I haven't touched in awhile) and socks for my sister for her birthday at the end of April.



I WON!

I am so excited! I won a blog contest! The one over at stardustshoes! How cool!

20.3.09

Project Spectrum : North

Looking north from my front drive.

That is my husband's off roadin' vehicle. Fun for mudding, driving through woods and over boulders and trees, also used to drive through rivers.

Why you may ask?

The answer: It's fun! Trust me.

It's also a lovely view of a stand of trees.


19.3.09

A GIVEAWAY

Not mine! Sorry.

But head on over to stardustshoes. She has some cool yarn and goody bags that she is giving away!

More goodies rolling in or I love the mailwoman

Yarn : Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn (handpainted)
color : sy - 200 rhapsody
yardage : 2 skeins : 430 yds
Yarn : Knit Picks Essential Solids and Twists
color : dusk
yardage : 2 skeins : 462 yds
Pictured with my current reading material and my husband's coyote skull (in case you didn't know what that was).

17.3.09

Project Spectrum: yarn porn

color : jungle
yardage : 2 skeins : 350 yds
Socks for me?? Probably socks for my boys! They love the greens. They think they make great camo!
Yarn : The Weaver's Loft Yarns of Distinction Alpaca Lace weight
color : Meadows
yardage : 1 skein : 2480 yds
This stuff was irresistible. I mean I couldn't pass it up. I don't know what it will become but it will be gorgeous.
Any suggestions? What's your favorite lace project?




Just found the macro mode on my camera!
Look at that!




More yarn porn


Yarn : South West Trading Company Bamboo
color : black
yardage : 1 ball : 250 yds

Yarn : South West Trading Company Bamboo
color : white
yardage : 1 ball : 240 yds

Yarn : Brown Sheep Cotton Top
color : Midnight Blue
Yardage : 2 skeins : 640 yds
Yarn : Zitron Trekking Pro Natura
color : 1603
yardage : 1 ball : 459 yds

Yarn : Gypsy Girl Creations fingering weight
color : Blue Hawaii
yardage : 400 yds

Yarn : South West Trading Company Bamboo
color : chocolate (really a taupe)
yardage : 2 balls : 1,000 yds
This yarn has come in over the last few days through trades mostly. The Blue Hawaii was bought at Portland, Indiana's best attempt at a fiber festival. The sock yarns are all going to be knit and gifted. The bamboo's are going to make a skirt, my first. And the cotton top is for a sweater or vest for my son. He requested the color. I requested to wait til the fall to make the sweater since sweater season is almost over here. He agreed. Bless him.
More yarn to come too. I am still waiting on a few trades to arrive. Yeah!





13.3.09

Project Spectrum : Rocks


yarn porn and frustration

Pre yarn porn goodness: my last fat quarter from Sew, Mama, Sew!'s swap. This is great. I got a fat quarter, some extra fabric and it was wrapped in a bow. Thanks Canada!

Now for the yarn porn. Children avert the eyes. Ladies get ready to drool. I came home to 3 packages containing:


Cascade Yarns Key Largo (discontinued)
35% superfine alpaca / 65% cotton
110 yds x 9 balls = 990 yds of burgundy goodness

Knit One Crochet Too Wick
Soy / other
2 balls (blue), 1 ball butter, + 1 ball mixed = 480 yds
would make a wonderful summer tank



Lion Brand Magic Stripes
wool / nylon
2 balls Denim stripes = 660 yds


Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock
80% superwash / 20% nylon
2 skeins Shadow = 430 yds

I absolutely love this the most. Like the rest of the yarn I received yesterday, they were all from trading my old knitting books for yarn. This yarn is one I have been wanting to try for years. I was so exciting to be getting it.
And then a tragedy occurred. My son opened the bag.... with scissors...

Oh the horror! Can you see it?

He managed to cut both skeins several times. Frustrating!
Still plan on using it. So I rolled the one with the most cuts into a ball last night to see the damage. He really did a number on it. I am just going to have a TON of loose ends to weave in when I use it!





9.3.09

destash, sigh, and greenery

I have been destashing some of my knitting books over on ravelry for yarn. In this day of save, save, save, it is oh so important to be careful how our money is spent. What better way to save money than to trade!

I am going to be getting all kinds of yarn yumminess for these knitting books that (let's face it) are awesome, have beautiful pictures and are designed by some pretty outstanding women but are just collecting dust in my house. I would rather see them put to good use by someone else. So out with the old and in with some new yarn here in sneezerville.

These packages are off to as far away as England and as near as Tennessee.

Plus this means I get some more packages in the mail. I just love getting packages in the mail! It drives my husband crazy for some odd reason. He ought to be happy that I am saving money by trading things that I already have and have gotten good use out of for something new and useful. Instead of doing what a lot of his friends' wives do and just spend money left and right shopping for frivolties!!


In other news, mom's first sock is almost finished. I only have the picot edge to do and then I am off to the races on the other sock, which should just fly along considering that I now know what I am doing.



Project spectrum: some greenery
My students' desk chairs are green, so are the cabinets, shelves, lockers and desks at my school. Can you guess our school colors?

That's right, red and black!



4.3.09

Gone green and wanting

We have gone green here at sneezerville in celebration of Project Spectrum!

Go to Assemblage's blog and check out her pants. I want a pair just like them! Sorry copyright and all, I can't show the pics. Just go look at them!

Project Spectrum: Earth

Project Spectrum is kicking off now that it's March. This year's theme, The Cardinal directions. Green is the color du jour and I still have no green knits planned. But it's element is Earth.

Earth. Mother Earth.

What could be more motherly than homemade cinnamon layer biscuits courtesy of an old Martha Stewart recipe.








¡Deliciosos!

2.3.09

FO: Heartening

Heartening photos finally.
Project: Heartening by Amblinglia
Started / Completed : 21 - 26 February 2009
Yarn : Alpaca with a Twist Highlander (color : Black Thorn)
Needles : US 8
Mods : one more repeat of cable pattern than required.
about 6 less stitches in the neck, short rowed the ribbing around the armholes
ERROR: again watch out for last row of cables in the chart there is an error

This was a super quick knit and I love the results. The length came out perfectly and I really dig the neckline. I short rowed the armholes to cut down on bulk under the arms. It worked out wonderfully. The armhole ribbing is about 2 inches at the shoulders and closer to a half inch under the arms. Thanks Amblinglia for a great pattern!