Olympic knitting

The Ravellenic Games are in progress and I am knitting away on Little Red (Top Down Cropped Jacket 1720, Plymouth Yarn Company).  Although I am making good progress on the little sweater, I do not feel as dedicated to the process as in the past.  Needless to say it has been an eventful spring and summer thus far.  There may be enough leftover yarn from this project for the Hat Toss event.  Red is a great hat color and the Urchin pattern is one of my favorite patterns because it knits up quickly and using cotton yarn makes the hat a perfect choice to wear for just about any time of year.

Little Red in progress.  I lengthened the sleeve a bit.

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary--36 years!  Jim had been car shopping for Ben and found a nice Honda, which we checked out on our way to the zoo.  Jim took the day off and we enjoyed walking through the zoo.  It was a nice, although hot, day.  We were just in time for the bears to show off how they communicate with trainers.  They are amazing animals and have mannerisms just like humans.  I believe I got some good photos of them, but none to compare with the ones I took last year.  

4.8.12  I now have the front band to finish today and I can hit the finish line for Little Red.  Today is Spin-In at the shop, so I'll grab some fiber and sprint with the Handspun Heptahlon event.  I may not finish all my projects, but it is good to have lofty goals--it is, after all, the Olympics!

Something fun to add...I scored a book at Half Price Bookstore recently.  What made it even more interesting was the letter folded up in the front of the book.  It must have been a sample, because it is an introduction letter.  A fun find, and some classic patterns.

I really love the sweater dress on the cover!

I finished two events today, Handspun Heptathlon and Sweater Triathlon!

Spinning with little Hortense there was overtwist in the
singles, but it plied nice and balanced.  I like the texture.

Little Red is now finished!  It was about 10 pm CST
so the photo is dark even with the flash!  

What a difference a week makes

Just when you think there is plenty of time before winter comes--watch out!  I woke up yesterday and looked out the kitchen window to a winter wonderland.  The weather report the night before predicted we would get snow, but I thought it might track southeast of us (as usual).  Wow!  Jim took me to work with Ben's car, with 4-wheel drive.  A little while ago I heard the snow plow go down the street; at least we have a clear path through the neighborhood.  One advantage to living in Minnesota is that we know how to handle snow!

I still had my dual-cable hat class and it was so nice to have one of my friends in class.  The other gal couldn't get out because of the snow, so we'll do a make-up class later.  Hopefully the weather will be nicer next weekend.  Now my challenge is to find a good parking spot and not slip and fall with Louie in hand!  That would not be pretty.  Today we will work on plying yarn.  I'm gathering some samples of yarn I have spun from different types of fibers.  I re-marked pages in my book and printed out some free information from Spin-Off Magazine.  It is the same brochure we received in spin class at Woolenworks in Texas. 

Progress on the second mitten is going well.  I was waiting for Jim after class and I wandered around the shop looking at patterns, etc.  I found a beautiful book by Anna Zilboorg, Magnificent Mittens & Socks: The Beauty of Warm Hands and Feet.  The projects look like the mittens I'm knitting, but on steroids.  They are beautiful works of art. 

18.11.10  I was asked by a fellow Raveler (choochooknits on Ravelry) to test-knit her hat pattern called Darth.  I like the story behind it.  The ribbing design looks like Darth Vader's mask and the minute her husband put it on he said, "Luke, I am your fa-ther".  Anyway, I had some lovely red Lamb's Pride Bulky in the stash and went to work.  I really enjoyed making it and it was a quick project.  I even used double-point needles through the whole pattern.  The cables and decreases at the top make a nice design on top.  Jim has a new hat, he's pretty happy...however he asked me if it was washable--I told him I would wash it!

A score at Half Price and a new magazine!

I was running errands after lunching with Mom and finally took two bags of books to Half Price Books.  While waiting, I looked through the knitting books and didn't see anything spectacular--until I looked on the top of the bookcase and there was a book I'd been interested in for some time. Icelandic Knitting Using Rose Patterns, by Hélène Magnússon.  I love intarsia knitting and Icelandic wool, so it's a great find.  burda Verena Knitting was my other find at Joanne, ETC.  I was hoping to get this issue because I liked many of the projects I'd seen online...also intarsia...I'm suspecting I have a theme going on...

It was such a gorgeous day and happily my little burning bushes are showing their colors! Eevee enjoyed the fresh air while I was taking photos. 

Finishing touches

I've been working hard on the shop samples making changes to the ornament pattern.  Joanne proofed my pattern and had suggestions, which I appreciate so much.  I like the hangers better and the focus is on the patterning across the center.  The Argyle Pillow (at least the front) is finished and I'm now zipping through the back.  I hope to have most of it done before knit night tomorrow.  

We're having quite the rainstorm tonight.  I like hearing the rain and I'm in a comfy chair by the door watching the weather listening to "Soundscapes" music.  Very cozy!

I hit it big via the postal service and Fed Ex the past two days.  Big Agnes now has her new poles and they were under warranty!  I also got the re-published Aran Knitting, by Alice Starmore.  Folks on Ravelry said there was only one new sweater, but I noticed a few new things.  Anyway, I'm happy to have the book and can't wait to break out the tweed that's been ripening in the stash!  

Ready--steady--GO! Oh dear, it's almost JULY!

16.06.10  For us summer is off and running this week.  Gery was a big hit when Jim took him down to camp.  The first Grey Wolf course is coming up, and then I have to make 90 bean bags for Wood Badge by Thursday.  I have the muslin ready.  Jim picked up pebbles (I say rocks)--much cheaper than beads or pellets.  Beans and such won't work because if/when they get wet they get nasty.  I'll be helping with the Friday feasts for five weeks.  Right now we have temps in the 70s with rain and naturally for the weekend it's supposed to be 85 and sunny.  Sunny is good, 85 not so good!
17.06.10  I had a nice surprise yesterday.  Jim went down to the MIA with me to pick up my painting.  The line was long, but the wait was fairly short.  We didn't have time to visit Hortense (Degas' painting on the third floor).  Jim took me out to lunch at a little Chinese restaurant close to REI in Roseville.  I had an egg roll salad with rice noodles and it was good.
I'm looking outside and it's windy and the sky is a gorgeous blue.  Eevee and I will have to go walkies later.  It looks like a nice day to sit outside and knit--after I clean out the cupboard with all Ben's old school supplies.  When the new countertop is installed, the counter will be cleared off!  That cupboard has a lot of storage room.
21.06.10  I can hear the workers outside today.  Our neighborhood roads are in the process of being repaved.  Messy business.  I'm glad we took walkies this morning.
Good news/bad news...the good news is that I started Wood Badge ticket #3 over the weekend.  It was fun to be at camp for the day and then spend the night.  One of the adult QM staffers roasted a 187-lb pig for the feast.  It was really good, although, I made sure to be at the other end for pulling off the meat.
28.06.10  Happy birthday, Tishie.  I miss you.
This is getting to be a long post.  I can't seem to finish before I go off to the next thing!  Ben surprised me with a visit for a couple of days last week.  I started work on the early Boy Scout shirt.  The pockets are on, next is the collar.  I altered a German jacket pattern and those are the toughest changes I made to the pattern.  Once I get the collar on, the rest should be easy (famous last words).
It was an eventful week good and bad.  The only bad I'll go into is that I'm going to teach my last pick a project class today.  Business has been slow and I will be laid off.  They are hoping business picks up in the fall, but in this economy that may be wishful thinking.  I have a spinning class in July, which I hope will go.  I have much to think about.  Maybe I'll get those last 4 nights of camping in after all to finish  ticket #4!
The rain just came down in buckets for the Friday Feast at camp.  It didn't drown our spirits.  We served the meal under the dining flies and the boys were very appreciative.  Phyllis and I stayed up until 2:30 am finishing dishes and mopping the QM so the guys could have a break in the morning.  Such a nice group of kids and adults.
29.06.10 What a gorgeous summery day!  Mom and I went up to Anoka and enjoyed lunch outside on the patio at Billy's.  We walked around town and then stopped at the Dessert Cafe for a treat.  We split a piece of carrot cake in honor of Tishie's birthday (yesterday).  We miss her so much, but we enjoyed the lovely day she sent us!

30.06.10  Today after an appointment I went to Half Price Books.  It's always fun to look for treasures and today I got lucky.  It's from 1991 and has lovely, classic projects in it.  I really love the British designers.  When I picked up the needles again in 1983, little did I know that we would be going back to Germany.  Many European and American designers were just getting started and the available yarns and patterns were amazing!  I was in the right place at the right time.
Other photos:  pretty flowers (I switch out my paintings with the seasons), my summer cardigan (mindless knitting), a busy little spider (that reminds me--the Tour de Fleece will begin soon!), I'm re-newing and re-using old furniture (this is for Ben's books) with a coat of paint.

Color in Winter

finally took the time to finish the scarf.  It's really nice and will be warm--just in time for the temps in the 30s!  We're going to have a little January thaw over the next week.  Earlier we had fog and it reminded me so much of Germany.  The trees looked as though they were sprayed with flocking.  Eevee and I went outside and took some photos.
I started another Baktus scarf with my Flat Feet yarn.  Since it's the bat design, I'm naming it the Batty Baktus Flat Feet Scarf.  So far the colors are blending nicely.  Kathy and I have to work on our sock blanks this year.  We're due for a day of fun!  My next sweater project will be to finish the lace pullover I started last year and then make a vest from the beautiful green Donnegal yarn from Ireland.  I'm still allowing the four skeins of the oatmeal color ripen before I decide what project to do. 

On Tuesday, I stopped by Half Price Books after an appointment.  I found a copy of a Little Golden Book  I'd had as a child, My Teddy Bear.  The illustrations are charming and the teddy bear looks just like my teddy, Little Sister.  I read it to Mom while we had lunch in her room and she really enjoyed it.  My favorite illustration is the one with the teddy wearing a hat.  I have such fond memories of the time Mom and I spent together while my siblings were in school.

Happy dance for cables!

I've made it through the first section of cables for St. Brigid and it's been fun. I love this pattern so far. It's just challenging and easy enough for an enjoyable knitting experience. I love the yarn--it's light and easy to use, no breaks thus far, and the color is wonderful. The color flecks create subtle visual interest. I may have to order the Herring colorway for something. I can only imagine what that must look like knitted up.
I took the book (Aran Knitting) back to the library yesterday (boo). I wrote to Interweave Press asking why the book isn't in print any more and if Alice Starmore has plans to release a "best of" book. I received a response very quickly and it was nix to both. I think that's sad. Her designs are so classic and just beautiful. The new generation of knitters would learn much from her knowledge of knitting history and well-designed garments. When I worked at Woolenworks in Texas they carried all her books. At the time, a $40 knitting book was too much for my budget. Now the darned books goes for over $240--used! Crikey! That's ridiculous! I comforted myself by going to Half Price Books and found a stitch dictionary for $6.98. It's quite a nice little book with lots of info and 300 stitch patterns. Lots of bang for the buck. The bookmark is for Ben's next goody box.

Seeing red in the immediate future

While I wait for the skein of green (the gals at the shop ordered one for me), it looks as though I'll pick up the red cardigan for a while. I've been reading over the pattern again to wrap my brain around the construction and the mistake in the center back cable. I know it's two stitches off. This book has no charts, just written instructions, which I don't really like. Interesting sweaters, but don't pay full price for the book. I purchased a used copy years ago.
The collar on the Lopi cardigan is bound off and looks nice--I don't think I'll frog that. However, I may rework the cuffs by putting the stitches on double-points and doing a snip-snip with scissors. We'll see...
I have lots of flowers around, and I'll keep a few Easter-y things up until the weekend. There's a little cake left. It's really good. The recipe was from an old Betty Crocker cookbook I no longer have. It was called the Bonnie Butter Cake with French Silk Frosting (three layers of yellow cake frosted with chocolate!). It's got 2/3 cup butter in the cake and 2/3 cup butter in the chocolate frosting. It's Jim and Ben's favorite and Jim's always called it the Debbie Butter Cake.