Addicted to the Needles

Saartje's Booties

     If you have to make a baby knit, make these.  They are so adorable and tiny!  The pattern is fantastic and so quick.  I am a really slow knitter and I can't believe how fast I got these done.  Well, there are only 30 rows!  I have six pregnant friends all of the sudden, so everyone is getting a pair of these.  One of them is expecting twins! 
                                        Specs- Saartje's Booties free pattern
                                        Plymouth Dreambaby DK
                                        Size 2 needles
                                        Buttons from Joann Fabrics

    I am almost done with Clue 1 on the Mystery Stole 3.  I am working on this slow and steady and I am so shocked that I am knitting lace.  I really think knitting the Montego Bay has helped prepare me for this.  I am able to find a mistake without ripping the whole thing out and I love how it is coming along, I am so excited.  Isn't it purty?   I opted to not put in beads (too scary) and I am using the written directions (charts also scary).  So, I am moving along on it and not going to rush or feel intimidated that I am 4 Clues behind! ;)

     Bella says, "Gramma, you know those little booties aren't going to fit my chunky tootsies!"

Montego Bay Scarf

     I finally finished my Montego Bay Scarf.  Even though I have seen alot of people post about how this pattern was mindless knitting, I had quite a bit of trouble with it.  I probably knitted it three times, I ripped it out four times and tinked back constantly.  I really had to keep track of the rows and for the first half, had to count the stitches after every row I completed.  I think I kept skipping YO's and that threw the pattern off. 
     I am really glad I finished it, though I felt like throwing it a few times.  I learned the pattern well by the time I was about half way done with it.  I learned how to find the mistakes and fix them without ripping back.

  I love the color and the yarn.  Specs-Montego Bay Scarf
                                                        Summer 2007 Interweave Knits
                                                        2 Skeins Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock
                                                        Rainbow Colorway
                                                        Size 8 Clover Circs

     Bella thinks it makes a comfy blanket!

I spent all weekend doing this-

     It was great!!

Packages

   I have been anxiously awaiting several packages that I am supposed to receive.  Two of them arrived today.  First my winnings from the contest held by The Knitty Professor.  Michaele sent me a lovely skein of hand-dyed wool from Plain and Fancy Sheep and Wool Co. 

     It's called Turquoise, but it has every color of the rainbow in it.  Which is what I love, the more color the better!  It is so squishy soft!!  And look at the cutesy little duck creamer.  How adorable!

   Next is my order from Knitpicks for the Mystery Stole 3.  Since I have never done a stole or shawl, I waited to see what other knitters were using.  My favorites were the white and cream and the ones done in Knitpicks Bare.  I thought it was the yarn that showed off the pattern the best.

   I also ordered their size 4 circs.  I am really lacking in circular needles, so I used this chance to add something I didn't have.  And finally, this little guy was in my gazebo this afternoon.  This is the 3rd time a butterfly has been trapped in there this summer.  I have alot of butterflies this year for some reason.  I snapped this picture of him and took him out.

 

Bounce

     Well, finally a FO.  Can you believe it?  I have definitely been in a knitting slump.  So, here is Bella in her new Bounce skirt.  I started it on 7/5 and finished it on 7/7, I am only knitting projects I can knit in the round for the rest of my life!!! ;D

      Specs:  Bounce from Knit and Tonic
                 Size 6 circs
                 Elann Sonata in Rose Garden
                 2 skeins

      I adjusted the pattern to fit Bella.  I didn't want to put elastic in it so I made an eyelet row and put in a drawstring.  I CO 120 stitches and only did two a-line shaping rows.  I love the ruffle and I really enjoyed knitting with the Sonata.  I am thinking I will use this yarn for more projects and it is very reasonably priced.  I also have to give credit to Kelly for helping me BO.  (She did about 6 inches while I was holding a fussy Bella!!)

     Bella says, " Let's go bounce on the trampoline!"

Dishcloth swap questionnaire

1. Do you knit, or crochet, or do both?  I only knit and have been doing it for about a year.
2. Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before?  Yes
3. What are your favorite cotton yarns?   I like all cotton yarns so far, and I have been wanting to try Euroflax Linen.
4. Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with?  Not that I know of.
5. What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic)  Any
6. What other projects do you  enjoy knitting or crocheting?  I am always ready to try anything.
7. Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting?  I do any kind of crafting.
8. What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts?  All of the above.
9. What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any?  My kitchen is red and white and black with cherries, my b-room is a blue ocean theme.
10. What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike?  I love all colors, sometimes it is too hard to pick a fave.
11. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? Tea and  good cocoa
12. Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)?I have one 14 year old son that lives with us, and three grown daughters and one  brand new first grandbaby named Bella ( If you read on down you will find we are alittle obsessed with her!)
13. Do you have any allergies? Nope
14. Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.  Hmm, really have no idea what you are looking for here-I home-school my son.  I dont know if thats interesting.  I babysit, definitely not interesting!  Drawing a blank!!
    

Happy Fourth

It's my birthday!!

  It's my birthday today, June 22nd (not telling the year)!!  It is only 6:30 am, but I have already had an exceptional birthday.  First up-my Knitters Treat Exchange box arrived yesterday.  It is from Jan at tbd-dog lover, knitter.  It was filled with lots of glorious stuff!!  Thank you so much, Jan!!

  It contains 2 boxes of Tazo tea(the orange is delish), 2 kinds of chocolate, 2 knitting mags, Bigelow hand cream, stitch markers and a lovely hand-dyed Tip-toe Sock Yarn in Nature.  She also sent a teething ring for Miss Bella.  She says thank you, too.

     My BFF Kelly got me a box of goodies, too.

     A lovely basket with a pattern, needles, and yarn to make a market bag, a mug filled with Lindt chocolate and scrapbook supplies.  Thank you, Kelly!!  Then it was off to Stella's, our favorite birthday restaurant!!  They have a beautiful hand-blown glass sculpture there that hangs from the ceiling of the upstairs down through the floor. 

     The best thing about Stella's(besides the amazing food) is that on her birthday, every woman gets to take home one of the flowers.  I have been patiently waiting for mine all year.

     I promptly came home and hung it in my window!!  We had a lovely time with friends and family.  It was my daughter, Elizabeth's birthday, too.

We had great food and a  wonderful chocolate cake!!

     But, the best was being totally shocked as the clarinet player came upstairs and said he heard there was a birthday celebration.   He then serenaded us with the most beautiful and romantic rendition of Happy Birthday I have ever heard!!

    As you can see, we thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was so lovely and soft, it put Bella to sleep!!

     So far I have had a great birthday and it has barely started.  We always joke that it is our birthday week so we can suck every bit of fun out of it!!!  Tonight is a big event here in town we will all be going to.  Yeah, the party never stops!!  Time to relax and enjoy some of the lovely birthday tea.

 

 

Thank you gift!!!

  I recently participated in the Knitters Treat Exchange.  While I haven't received a treat myself yet, I had alot of fun putting together a box for Geraldine of Turtle Knits.  I learned a great lesson about mailing a box overseas-IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET THERE!!!  Her box took 7 weeks to arrive and was way past the deadline of May 5th.  But I kept in constant contact with her and she was so patient and kind about it.  You can see what I sent her on her blog.  So I was completely surprised when I received a thank you gift from her in my mailbox.  I was also surprised to see that it took less than a week for her package to get to me!!  Nice :(

     Here is what she sent- a cute dishcloth (you can tell she is a really good knitter), some chocolate, tissues and a fridge magnet that says "Chocolate is proof that God wants us to be happy."  How true!!!  Thank you so much, Ger.

New tooth!

Awww, what can be cuter than a baby's first tooth.  Baby Bella is almost 6 months old and got her first tooth yesterday.  This probably explains why she has been so crabby!!! 

Tychus

     I made this Tychus hat for my daughters friend, Michael.  He works at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH.  The nights can be cold and he asked me to knit him a hat to keep his head warm, he went to Knitty and picked this out.  Here is my son Nick modeling.

     I really liked the pattern.  It was my first project with short rows and it was very easy.  The pattern called for Red Heart Super Saver held doubled.  It was the first time I knitted something that was really hard on my hands.  It was so thick knitting with it, it killed my hands and right shoulder.  I am a really tight knitter, though.  All the thickness really made the hat bulky, much bulkier than it looks on Knitty.

     I love the way the striping is up and down.  I think I am going to make it again and use a better yarn.  I also am going to try with a single strand and see if it will fit Bella.  Its a nice project to use up any left-overs.

     The specs-
                          Tychus from Knitty
                          Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in White and Royal held doubled
                          Size 9 needles