Trip Knitting

I finished some items while traveling…

Improv Hat, by Melynda Bernardi, (rav link) out of Araucania  Azapa

I adapted this pattern for the inherited big-noggins in this family, and this hat turned out stunningly.  I will be using this pattern again.

Narrow Brim Style Hat, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits), (rav link) out of Patons Classic Wool; it will be decorated with felted flowers and leaves., too.

I cast-on ten extra stitches, again, for my families big headedness, then had to shrink the dickens out of this thing to get it even in the ball park of fitting.  So many variables in felting…yarn, color of yarn, felting…But then, I do not think this type of hat is suppose to fit like a ribbed hat, either.  I think it will be all right, or maybe it will be put on a hat stand and used as room décor.  It’s all good, and if I need to, I will knit another.  It is a very easy knit.

Felted Ballerina Slippers, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits), (rav link) out of Patons Classic Wool

Of all the needles that I have, I don’t have the ones this pattern calls for, so I improvised.  I did not know if the resulting slippers would fit the intended feet, or if her sister have them to grow into, but I knew I would be knitting another pair anyway.  That's the way it is when one finds a good pattern, and there are a multitude of little ones to knit for!

Well...they fit for now!

And now, besides the quilting (always with the quilting) I am working on ‘A Pretty Thing’ cowl, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, out of Aarlen Cashmere, leftover from my Peasy sweater.  It's for me...I think...

Adding to the Stash (Acceptably)

I thought I had blown one of my goals out of the water…

• Knit/spin from stash (exceptions only when deals are spectacular and/or for souvenirs)

Because I had bought yarn…and then I bought more this past weekend at the Guild meeting, along with some fiber.

However!  I parenthetically excepted myself!   The yarn and fiber I bought were spectacular deals, and therefore are acceptable.

The Guild was offering more from the accumulated supplies of a deceased member, who left it all to the Guild to dispose of.  We have been seeing equipment, books, and fiber for sale/auction every month since September and it has been quite a little fund raiser for the group.  I am not sure, but I think there are some knitting books to be offered next month.

This is what I hauled home last weekend…

Mountain Colors Weavers Wool

And also some Tahki Cotton Classic in some neutral colors (that I apparently have deleted the photos of...) (and apparently I cannot be bothered to take additional...)

And some pretty wool/silk roving

(Hmm...this is very interesting...another photo MIA...wonder if I deleted these really really or if I am going to find them stashed in some folder somewhere.  I know, I know...I could just run upstairs and take another, but I don't think I will.)

And in another parenthetical exception, from the long weekend trip to Sedona, I scoped out an LYS…so souvenir yarn, which is excepted.

Schoppel Wolle Zauberball

This is worth a photo, I think.

So...still on track with this year's goals...and still buying yarn!

Refrigerator Cat

The Kitty Boy likes the view from above.

Making Me Crazy

Opportunity abounds.  Sometimes too much so.  I see more than I can take advantage of.

Classes at the LYS, through the city, through the Guild…

And that is just locally.  It makes me really crazy.

I want to take…I want to learn…I want to know how…I want I want I want…

To take classes offered at the yarn shop offered by well known authors teaching about fixing mistakes and knitting socks from the toe up.  (I have only signed up for one…)

To take classes from local experts teaching soap making, photography, and other miscellaneous interests. (I have not committed to any of these…)

To take workshops offered by the guild, again by well known authors on spinning and lace knitting. (Again, I have only paid for one…so far)

I am also thinking about the knitting guild and a quilting guild.

I might just be crazy.

Rugs, Books, and Yarn

Because of the Room Renovation, there has been a bit of shopping for new bathroom rugs.  Just a bit, right after the bathroom floor first went done, because the painting was still a week off, and I am not one that can ‘SEE’ it before it is done.  I have to SEE it when its done to make sure I haven’t completely skucked my color choices.

So the bit of shopping for bathroom rugs occurred at Tuesday Morning, because I love good cushy rugs on my bare feet that fluff after washing time after time after time, and that I don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for.

Alas.  Without the walls being painted, The Guy and I were at a loss at TuesAM to determine if any of the choices was the right one, but being in no hurry, we felt no pressure.  In fact, I even thought to check the craft-y section before we left!

And oh my! They had knitting and quilting books. Double oh my!  It took me some time to go through the dross to find the nuggets, but I find two good ones, indeed.

Kristen Knits, by Kristin Nicholas, and Thimbleberries Big Book of Quilt Blocks.  For about $6 each...boo-yah!

We are fortunate in our area to have a second location in the town not far to the south of us, and later in the weekend, I suggested having a look-see there for the rugs.  This time I had a sample floor tile and a paint chip, but alas, it was to no avail.  (The right rug-gage will come later to us.)

But again…I thought to check the craft-y section….and oh my again!...this store had sock yarn.

Oh yeah!

Update: More shopping ensued this past weekend, and after exhausting most all shopping options (and ourselves) we returned to Tuesday Morning, and my first instincts!  We now have soft cushy ruggage!

Quilting? or Knitting?

Or both?  Both, I do believe!          

I have made good on my commitment to myself to make real progress on Grandbebe the Third’s quilt.  That is good.  Because Dearest Sister is about done with her part of Grandbebe the Fourth’s, and just asked the question about how long do we suppose we have before the next?  Which, to my mind, she is saying…do you think we should start planning another?

And that freaks me out just a little bit.  While I have made good progress on this third quilt, over half remains to be quilted! Then it will need to be bound.  While we have the fabric for the fourth, it will need to be cut into nine patches, and in-betweens, and all that, and sewn, and sewn, and more sewing, then the basting, and then the quilting!

Please no!  No fifth quilt just yet…just a brief respite…

But on the other hand...this red and blue fabric does look mighty enticing!

While the quilting has been going on in the evening, during lunch at work, there has been some knitting.

Short-row scarf (rav link), of my handspun hand dyed Corriedale.  I tried to initially dye this shades of yellow, but it turned out pretty muddy, so I overdyed with a bit of teal, and got this variegation of grass green.  A very nice color to knit with during those sub-zero temps we had last week.

(Now I am knitting on a hat of mystery...)

Bunko

I was called upon to play bunko again this past week.  It turned out, after much ado, and after I was already there, that numbers were miscounted, people were confused, and no substitutes were needed.

Hmmm…it would have been nice to not have to get out at all on the coldest night so far of the season.  But as I was already there, and as I had not driven myself, and that they all felt bad, and really wanted me to stay, accommodations were made, and I tag teamed with one player, until another who had a cold left early, at which time, I took over for her.

But while I didn’t play?  I was without phone, Kindle or knitting! But then, The Host asked me if I wanted to look at a new knitting book she had just purchased.  Oh why not...  It was Mason-Dixon Knitting’s Outside the Lines. That cracked me up. I have it (of course) and it gave me a chance to read some I hadn’t read (besides the patterns, I believe MDK to be wonderfully entertaining writing) and scope out the particulars of Metropole.

The other bunko players were a bit confused by the fact that I was okay with my glass of white wine and the knitting book…

And in the end?  I won most bunkos so came home with loot.  All’s well that ends well.

Room Renovation

It’s been quiet on the blog front, but with good reason.  My routine has been turned upside down on the home front.  Wonderful Guy and I have moved further along the road of home upkeep/making the place fully ‘ours’.

We recarpeted our bedroom and changed the bath off our room (I detest the terms 'master' bed and bath...) from carpet and linoleum to what is called ‘Permastone’.  Then we painted the walls…’Barrel’, and ‘Patina’.  Which would be shades of ‘brown’ and ‘green’.

The plan was to have the floor and carpet done on 2 consecutive days, with painters immediately following, but the floors guys schedule got changed and somehow the painters were scheduled the second day after the carpets were done.  The upshot was my upstairs was topsy-turvy for almost a week.

Do. Not. Like! not having my morning routine…un-routine.  It gives me a headache.  Also apparently a cold sore.

Well…done is done, or almost done.  Furniture was moved back in place (or new places as was the case for some rearranging was due!) late last week. We let the walls cure just a bit before hanging the ancillaries.  Friday morning, I enjoyed my routine, albeit dimly.  The main light fixture was still to be hung, but routine I can do in the almost dark.

Carpet matches what is in the rest of the house, which we love.

Barrel

New lighting

Patina and Permastone.

Once again, I sigh a deep breath of relief at having my choices...blend well and give us a sense of well-being.