My Sister's Knitter

Yarn Along...

One of my New Year's goal was to read more books. That makes it also a great opportunity to join Ginny's Yarn Along.

I have had this book on my "To Read" list for a while. I can't think of a better book to kick of my year of reading. I will let you know how it is.

Along with the book is a new project on the needles. I have had a case of serious shawl envy lately. To solve that, I cast on Mountain Ash by Kate Gagnon Osborn. The pattern calls for DK weight yarn, but I cast on with Madeline Tosh Light in Well Water. Normally blue is not one of my favorite colors, but I am quite smitten with this color!

Want to see why I have a case of shawl envy? Be warned, these may cause you to cast on a shawl as well!

• Robin has two insanely beautiful shawls recently completed, this pink one and this red one. Guess which one is my fav?
• Maryse's progress-this is going to be amazing!
• What would a shawl post be without including Monika and her beautiful knit?

How about you? Any shawl envy?

XO

Andi

Visiting an old friend...

At one time or another, many of us go through that period in our knitting life where we decide that our WIPs need to be thinned out. Sometimes there are projects that we know we will never work on again. Other times there are projects that for one reason or another, fell off our radar.

As I was reviewing my obsese pile of WIPs, I came across my Miters. 

I am not sure if my heart wasn't it in it or what, but what faced me was 7 squares that were uneven and crappy. Maybe I thought I could bulldoze through these and somehow end up with a fabulous blanket. Instead I would have ended up with a blanket that I would have been ashamed to show anyone, due to all the mistakes. I made a decision. I ripped back quite a bit. I now approached these with the intention of crafting something I would be proud of and that was worthy of my time.

 

Now that is better!

My seven squares quickly went down to two, but I could not be happier. I am enjoying the rhythm that comes from the garter stitch. Much needed since I have been feeling a bit under the weather in the last couple of days. So, I have been watching Lord of The Rings (yes,again) , drinking lots of fluids, and all seems right again in my knitting world.

How is everything in your crafting world?

 

XO

Andi

 

Part two of FOs...

The sister was gracious enough to be my model, so that I could display my 2nd finished object of the week.

Thankfully the weather cooperated by being overcast, giving the day the feel of a chilly winter's day.

Pattern: Pasha by Jane Richmond
Yarn : Cascade 220 sport in Natural

In addition to be a cute model, the sister was a good sport about it. Not to say that her services were free. Payment was made via lunch and one of the requirements was a nice Lager.  I guess you can say it was a win for me as well.

Don't worry, we did not have a liquid lunch, there was some food involved. Boy was there ever! I am sorry I didn't take a picture of it  but let me tell you, it involved a burger with a pretzel bun and sweet potato tots. Too incredible, which explains why there is no picture, it was devoured without so much as a thought of capturing it for your viewing pleasure. Sorry.

So there you go the second finished object this week. This is definitely not the norm for me, so I can't get too excited.

I will leave you with some wonderful things that caught my attention this week in blogland, enjoy!

• These fabulous knee socks from Helena.
• There is something about Raina's photos that make want to knit. She could take a picture of food and I want to knit, eat better, looks better. and on and on.  Can't explain!
• Michelle's adorable finished object. Bonus, after knitting an object like this that it look that cute on.
• I have been listening to Podcasts a lot lately. The vary from the Naked Scientist to Cast on. A new one is from Andrea and her friend Mary. It is so much fun, it is like being at your knitting group with your friends.

 

Hope you are having/had a wonderful weekend that involved yarn and good food!

XO

Andi

Ladies and gentleman I have another....

FO! You thought I was going to say WIP. That is ok, I can't blame you since I seem to be casting on things left and right.

I focused primarily on this scarf, because I wanted it completed for this group.

Yes I did knit this till I ran out of yarn. It is one perfectly super long scarf, just what I wanted.

• Pattern: Chevron Scarf
• Yarn: ButterflyBush Yarns Hand-spun
  

It was a fun simple knit, but I must admit that scarves this long take a lot out of you. Thankfully now I have a couple things on the needles that will be a little more of a challenge.

Want to hear something else fantastic? I just finished this hat. It is blocking and I should have some pictures this weekend. Can you say Boo-Yah?

Have a wonderful week!

XO

Andi

A little bit of this and that...

The extended weekend allowed me to do a little bit of this that.  Cleaning and organizing chores were done. As much as I don't like to, it sure does feel good when it is done, doesn't it?

Oh and some knitting was worked on this weekend as well. Rebecca and Shannonare hosting a KAL. It is the Warm Up To Winter KAL, and I could not resist. I have been itching to cast on hat for myself for a bit. I went back and forth over a couple patterns and settled on Pasha. In the spirit of  Winter, I cast it on in some lovely white Cascade. It has been a quick knit and I should have it done within the next couple of days! Let us all forget that I already have tons of WIPs on the needles-heh.

In addition to chores and knitting, I baked and cooked. I know, I was on one crazy roll this weekend. I baked up these cookies and made a big pot of soup.

Just your basic throw everything in type of soup. I added some cooked chicken, a bag of frozen veggies, and some whole grain pasta to some chicken broth and seasoned. I had to balance out the cookies I made with some healthy soup. Who hoo- dinner and lunch for a couple of days.

How about you did you do anything fun this weekend? Make any good grub that you would like to share with me? I will share with you some recipes I would like to try in the next couple of weeks.

• Any of these soups from Jody. I love it when she posts recipes!
• I have been seeing Brussel sprouts and bacon all over the place this year. I must try these very soon.
• This time of year I am on a soup kick, so this soup has me drooling.
• Don't get me started with my love for Cajun food! This recipe will be made very soon!

Hungry yet? Don't worry I will share (maybe).

Have a wonderful week everyone!

XO

Andi

 

 

Never would have thought...

that the first projects off my needles in 2012 would be socks. I know it comes as no surprise to any of you, but it did to me. After my Year of Socks, I thought I would take a wee break from them. Then, I got this yarn, and you know the rest!

• Pattern: Simply Ginny Socks
• Yarn: Sweet Basil Fibre works
• Colorway: Goldric's Hollow
• Needles: 1.5

Fabulous! I love these socks.

A sense of relief has overcome me with having an FO, especially after the free for all I had with my projects last week. I know that I have had startitis before, but this was like madness. I feel more settled now, and have not cast on another project since our last talk.

That calmness has allowed me to work on other WIPs, that have been cast on for a while. This week I am focusing my attention on my Monet scarf. I will be knitting this scarf till the yarn runs out.

The yarn is hand-spun from the ever talented Ruth. I named it Monet because the colors remind me of one of his painting. Do you see it? I know you are drooling!

Do you want to see some other things that are making me drool?

• Helena's Leaves of Grass
• Bethany's Purple Socks
• Julie's Hitchhiker
• Marilyn's Summit Shawl

Hopefully I didn't just cause you to cast on more projects!

XO

Andi

Flying on the needles...

Call me crazy , but aren't projects supposed to fly off the needles, not on?

Since the turn of the year, I have cast on four new projects! Last year this time I was making resolutions to have only a few items on the needles. So, it makes no sense that I am now increasing my WIPS. Ok, now you can call me crazy. So say hello to my little cardigan above.

I had  to cast on socks with my new yarn ( Yes, there was a gun to my head). Look no pooling, just rows upon rows of lovely colors. Love it when that happens. Problem is now I can't seem to stop working on these socks, the pattern is wicked addictive. I really must tear myself away from them , because I have things that need  to get done today, at least take a shower. :)

Do you tend to find that your WIPs increase as the Christmas knitting ends? 

I hope you all are having a wonderful day (and take showers)! I will leave you will a song that I hope brings back some winter-ish weather to AZ.

 

 XO

Andi

Shout out...Indie dyer!

Do you remember that one of my New Year's resolutions was to purchase sock yarn from only Indie dyers this year? This is already turning out to be a win-win for me. I get to support a small business, which feels good. I also walk away with some incredible yarn, which feels  good.

Before I show you the lovely yarn I got. Will you take a look at the packaging?

This had me at hello! Who wouldn't want to receive a lovely package like this? Heck at this point the yarn could have been crap and I would have still loved Sweet Basil Fibre Works. Thankfully what was inside was just as incredible.

Details:

• 80/10/10 Merino Cashmere Nylon
• Fingering 375 yards
• Color-Godric's Hollow (confession I am a sucker for anything Harry Potter related) Greys-yellows

 

I know! As if that weren't enough that smart girl Genevieve included small samples of her yarns. She is one brilliant enabler. They are more gorgeous in person. Her plan worked and I will be buying a lot more of her yarn this year!

So,what am I going to knit with my new yarn? I went back and forth between a shawlette and a pair of socks. I settled on a pair of socks. Not sure on the pattern, but I am sure that I will be casting on this yarn very soon.

Check out herEtsy shop. Genevieve is wonderful and talented. Do you want to know what sold me on her yarn (other than the beauty)? It was her profile comment on Ravelry.

Pets? Kids? One incredible, inspiring daughter.

 

 

XO

Andi

 

New Yarn?

I have been thinking of doing this for a while. Now that I have, I want to do it again. It begins with the thrill of the hunt. You have to find just the right one. Boy, did I find the right one.

Went to GoodWill to search for a sweater. Score this was a beauty. It was a man's sweater. That means a lot of yardage. Check out the fiber content!

The most amazing part was that the precious owner did not felt it! I wouldn't be surprised if they never wore it. For a man's sweater it was insanely cabled. I do not know a lot of men that would have gone for that much texture.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and dug right in.

Note the cute coffee cup. It was a gift from my friend Melly and is easily one of my new favorite cups this year. The image is of ALOT. I sure do love that ALOT. :)

Back to the upcycling of yarn. It took a while, just to ensure that I was cutting the right yarns, but the results were fantastic.

These puppies need a bath and to be reskeined. Oh by the way, the yarn was held double through out. That means double the yardage! I did loose one panel due to cutting the wrong seam, but overall I did very well. The actual color is a lovely brown-grey. The bowl that is holding my new yarn, also a thrift store score!

It was fun and I definitely will be doing it again some time in the future. Maybe I will find a nice cashmere sweater to frog. Here is to trying new things in 2012!

XO

Andi

**Kelly at Psycheknits, just did a wonderful tutorial on "upcycling" yarn***
 

The Year of Socks...

The year of socks has ended! I ended up knitting 14 pairs. Nine pairs actually stayed with me, which is even more exciting.

 

I thought at the end of 2011, I would be sick of socks. I was wrong. I still love them and will continue to knit more in 2012, but not as many.

Speaking of 2012, it is almost here. Do you have resolutions or goals for the New Year? I have a few.

• Be more active
• Attend at least one yarn festival
• Try to buy sock yarn from Indie Dyers only
• Spend more time with family and friends
• Knit for pleasure more
• Knit at least 1 sweater for myself

Nothing too mind blowing, just simple changes, but do-able.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe New Years! See you on the other side.

XO

Andi