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Category Archives: FO

FO : Winter Blues

06 Mar

With cold temperatures, little sun, and now 10 + inches of snow on the ground, I am ready for winter to be over!  I want sunshine, warm days, and relaxing outside.  I want to hang up my winter coat and not look at it again for several months.

But one of the wonderful things about winter is that I get a chance to wear my hand-knits ALL THE TIME!  I have lots of hats and scarves, but I really wanted to make something new for myself.

 

Beautiful Blue!

 

  • Project : Winter Blues Hat and Mitts
  • Pattern : “Slofoc” by Anne Hanson (Knit Spot)
  • Yarn : “Druscilla and Dickory” (Handspun by Tina!)
  • Made for : ME!

 

I’ve been holding on to this yarn for almost a year.  It was a gift from Tina, and as it is such beautiful handspun, I knew that I would have to save it for me and just the right project.  I’m a huge fan of Anne Hanson, and all the patterns that I’ve ever knit, designed by her, have been a joy.

I will say that these turned out a wee bit big, but not too large.  The hat is big and slouchy, so I can wear it over my hair when it’s up.  But the nice thing about this pattern is that it can be easily adapted for any yarn weight, so I would love to try it again with some sock yarn!

 

So pretty!

 

 

 
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Posted by on March 6, 2013 in FO

 

Early Birthday (And An FO To Boot!)

02 Feb

In exactly fifteen days, I join the Old Peoples’ Club.  That’s right … I’m turning THIRTY!

Okay, so maybe thirty isn’t exactly old, but I do feel like I’m getting there.  But there is one great thing about my birthday this year.

 

SQUEEE!!!

 

My amazing parents wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday.  I gave them the link to my Etsy wishlist, but apparently that wasn’t good enough for my father.  He gave me a price limit and I knew right away what I wanted!

I’m now the proud owner of a Lendrum spinning wheel!  I was able to get the complete package, which included the bag (on back order,) fast flyer and jumbo plyer.  And let me tell you … this baby is amazing!  So smooth; she spins like a dream.  And with the adjustable hook on the flyer, my skeins are coming out more even.  Not to mention that with the jumbo plyer I can fit my plied work into ONE SKEIN!

Speaking of the joys of one skein, I already finished plying my first yarn on this lovely wheel!

 

 

  • Project : Spice Trader
  • Roving : ‘Cinnabar’ by FatCatKnits – 100% Falkland Wool, 4oz
  • Weight / Yardage : Fingering / 375 yds

I’m not abandoning my Ashford Traddy.  She’ll be used specifically for re-enactments.  She’s resting comfortably in the closet in our spare bedroom.  And the other bonus to having two wheels?  If Zoe wants to learn one day, I can teach her!

I can’t thank my parents enough.  This was an incredibly generous gift, and I love it.  It truly is amazing.

 
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Posted by on February 2, 2013 in FO, Spinning

 

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Where Have You Gone, Joe Dimaggio?

21 Jan

I feel as if I have been in hiding.  Blogging has become a rare thing for me as of late.  But Little Miss is worth every moment.  She’s growing more and more, every day it seems.  We started introducing solid food last week, and so far, sweet potatoes are her favorite!

I have had more time to knit (including yesterday, where I did nothing but knit and watch re-runs of Bones,) and I just finished two projects that I’m very proud of.

 

 

This is the same pattern that I used to make my Civil War shawl.  Mom has been asking me to make her one for over a year now.  I had started this when I was pregnant, but put it on the shelf, planning to return to it later.  Well, I found a ton of flaws in it, and I decided it would just be best to start from scratch.

 

 

It turned out HUGE!!!  There are 880 yards of worsted weight yarn, worked in garter stitch, in this shawl.  It felt like it took forever to knit, working the same stitch over, and over, and over again.  But my Mom loves it, and that makes it all worth it.  And for a bonus – it was big enough that I didn’t have to block it!!!

While working on something so repetitive (ahem), I needed another project to take my mind off of all that garter stitch.  Enter a small project with a real pattern repeat, and toss in some handspun as well, and you have the perfect distraction.

 

 

 

These are so soft, I almost wish I had made them for myself.  But I think I have enough yarn leftover to make a pair for myself, but I’ll probably use a different pattern.  I know that the recipient is going to love them!

On a fun note, I was able to use my Kindle Fire to read the pattern while working on these.  It was so nice, and a pleasant change from having to print out the pattern.  I know that it will be my prefered method of pattern reading from here out.

 

 

 
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Posted by on January 21, 2013 in FO

 

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FO : Ring In The New Year

07 Jan

I’ve been busy, and for once, it is with yarn!  Now that I have Little Miss into a routine, I finally have more time to knit.  Now, I don’t know how long this trend will continue, but I’m living in the moment.  And with this ‘extra’ time that I have found, I’ve finished my first knitted projects of the new year.

  • Project : “Warm Up Winchester – January Hats”
  • Pattern : ‘Robin’s Egg Blue Hat’ by Rachel Iufer
  • Yarn : Zealana ‘Tui’ (left hat) and Patons Shetland Chunky (right)

I really liked this pattern, because it was well written and simple.  Whenever I’m working on a large project (I am currently making my mother a heavy, garter stitch, winter shawl,) I always like to have some ‘instant gratification’ knitting on hand.  The bulky yarn truly made this project fly, and I think that, if in the future I wanted to do some stash busting, I could easily alter this for worsted weight yarn.

These hats are my January hats for Warm Up Winchester, the knitting/crochet charity group that I run on Ravelry.  If you are not a member of Ravelry and would like more information, just comment below and make sure that your email address is available for me to get in touch with you.

 
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Posted by on January 7, 2013 in FO, Knitting

 

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Spinngin FO : Dreaming of Green

04 Jan

I’ve been sticking to a goal of spinning at least once a week in 2013, and have completed my first skein of the year!  I had a chance to spin all day last week when I was under the weather; a soothing activity that doesn’t require much thought when my head was clogged and foggy.

 

 

  • Project : “Greensleeves”
  • Fiber : Flying Squirrel Nuts in ‘Mallard’ from Rivers Edge Fiber Arts (4 oz)
  • Fiber Content : 15% Seacell / 15% Banana / 70 % Superwash BFL
  • Yardage / Weight : 265 yds /.Heavy fingering weight

I have been lusting over this fiber since I saw it at the Fall Fiber Festival two years ago,  The only things holding me back were the price ($28 / 4oz – not bad for what it is, but out of my budget most of the time,) and the fact that it is superwash.  I’m not a huge fan of spinning superwash (I feel like I lack the control that I do with regular wool fiber.)  But when I walked into her booth again last autumn at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, I thought that I would give it a shot.  Try to ‘face my fears’ and attempt something new.  That, and the fact that there is banana fiber in it, really sealed the deal.

The owner of Rivers Edge Fiber Arts, Carol, is really sweet and does an amazing job with her roving.  This is a booth that, every time I walk in, I want to spend all of my money at once.  Everything is always lovely.

I enjoyed spinning this … for the most part.  It felt slick in my hands, but that’s just me and my deal with superwash.  The colors are amazing.  I’m thinking fingerless gloves for this skein.  Now I just need to find a pattern!

 
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Posted by on January 4, 2013 in FO, Spinning

 

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FO : Sweet Little Sweater

24 Dec

When I think about who I want to knit for, Little Miss is the first person who comes to mind.  There are so many adorable baby patterns out there, and so many that I want to make for her.  But I also have to remember that my time is limited for knitting now, and she is growing like a weed!  She is three and a half months old and already wearing size six months!

 

My new sweater!

 

 

This was a very simple pattern!  I especially love the little placket at the neck, and the seed stitch borders.  I think I’ll probably make another one of these for her at some point, because it was so easy and I think would look good in any worsted weight yarn.

 
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Posted by on December 24, 2012 in FO

 

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FO (Spinning) : A Long Time Coming

04 Dec

Finding time to knit with a baby is hard.  Finding time to spin with a baby is next to impossible.  But when I do manage to get the wheel out of the closet and sit down to relax, Little Miss enjoys it, too.  She’s transfixed with the wheel as it spins around, and sometimes it even lulls her to sleep.

 

 

I received this roving from JoAnn, a fellow re-enactor.  She thought that I could use something in addition to all of the amazing baby gifts that I was given.  As far as the fiber content, I’m pretty sure it is alpaca or a wool/alpaca blend.  Either way, it is so lovely and I’ve been dying to spin it up!

 

 

  • Project : ‘English Garden’
  • Fiber : ‘Mystery’ fiber!  I’m pretty sure it is alpaca … and super soft!
  • Ply : Standard 2-ply
  • Weight / Yardage : Lace weight / 397 yd

 

I think that this turned out quite lovely.  The muted pastels are very pretty and now I’m pouring over pattern ideas.  I’ll gladly take suggestions if anyone has a few!

 

 

 
4 Comments

Posted by on December 4, 2012 in FO

 

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FO : Decking The Halls

04 Dec

Now that Little Miss is starting to settle into a routine, I have finally found time to knit!  Not every day, but most days.  Plus my awesome parents have been willing to watch her while I go to Knit Night, so that helps, too.  I’ve been sticking to simple projects that don’t require a lot of thinking.  While I miss intricate lace and socks, I’m just happy to be able to pick up my needles and yarn again.

The one thing that I wanted to knit this year happened to be stockings for John, Little Miss, and myself.  While I hope to finish mine before Christmas Eve, I’m just happy that I have two ready and hanging on the landing.

 

 

  • Project : Zoe’s First Stocking
  • Pattern : ‘Old-Fashioned Christmas Stocking’ by Sara Lucas and Allison Isaacs (“Holiday Knits”)
  • Yarn : Knit Picks Wool of the Andes

I love this stocking!  I can’t wait to fill it with goodies for my sweet girl.  I just know that, when she gets older, she’s going to love digging into it to find what lovelies await!

 

 

 

I found this adorable baby pattern and thought that it would make a fantastic stocking.  I always think of cables as ‘manly’ for some reason, and I knew that John would love it.  Now I just need to think of what to stash in it for Christmas morning.

Are you knitting anything with a Christmas theme this year?

 
3 Comments

Posted by on December 4, 2012 in FO

 

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FO : Lighter Than Air

22 Nov

My mother-in-law, Ellen, is going through chemo.  She has cancer, but thankfully it is in remission!  She’s doing really well, and I’m so happy that she’s starting to feel good again.

So, this year for her birthday, I wanted to make her a special hat.  I’ve had some super-soft alpaca in my stash for almost five years, not sure what to use it for.  Until now, that is.

 

Simple color, complex pattern

 

This really is the softest hat that I’ve ever knit.  The alpaca is just heavenly!  I bought it many years ago at FrogEye Fibers, and I think it was something that was made there.  I really can’t remember (there never was a tag.)  But I’ve been coveting it in my stash for ages and it was time to make something from it!

The pattern was a complex one.  Based on the Cookie A sock pattern, ‘Pomatomus’, there were many roadblocks that I faced while knitting.  The hardest part was remember to slip the maker after each pattern repeat (I always forget that in patterns!)  Not to mention the decreases.  There were no clear instructions for this part of the pattern.  After a while, I just started to wing it, making sure things matched as best as I could.

All in all, it was a fun pattern and I know that Ellen will love it!

 

In the sunlight

 

 
2 Comments

Posted by on November 22, 2012 in FO

 

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FO : Cancer Sucks

28 Oct

It is truly sad to know so many people who have cancer.  My husband’s best friend’s father.  My mother-in-law.  And my husband’s cousin’s wife, Catrina (in Texas).  I swear, it’s awful and cancer does indeed suck, on so many levels.

A few weeks ago, Catrina’s husband, Jay, asked me if I could knit her a few hats.  Well, the question to ask was not can I knit her some hats (duh!  Of course I can do that!)  It was what type of hat, yarn, and pattern. :-)

 

Staying warm from chemo in style!

 

  • Project : ‘Catrina’s Chemo Cap’
  • Pattern : Improvised (I used simple cables on the brim and a plain body.)
  • Yarn : Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, in ‘Black’
  • Project : ‘Chemo Cap #2′
  • Pattern : ‘Lotus Hat‘ by UptownPurl
  • Yarn : Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, in ‘Pea Pod’

Catrina requested two hats; one in black and one in green, the ‘color’ of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma fighters.  I think that I hit the shade of green spot on, and the lace pattern really made the color pop!

 

Catrina, showing off the knitted love!

 

These were both a pleasure to knit!  And, again, I’m going to take back my words about acrylic blend yarns and fully endorse Knit Picks Comfy.  Not only is it machine washable, it is SUPER SOFT!  I love it and think that this may be a go-to yarn to add to my ‘Top Ten Yarns’ list.  Seriously – if you have not tried it, give it a go.

Do you have any great patterns that you have used for ‘Chemo Caps’?

 
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Posted by on October 28, 2012 in FO, Friends and Family

 

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