Quick Project Update ...

These little Tissue Pack Cozies will be on going ... whenever I need something simple and mindless and have left over sock yarn to use up. I've got a backlog of left overs in my stash so I'll have plenty of mindless work yet to do.

And this is my Commuter Train project.



Looks pretty neat close up, if I must say. But it can get boring doing the same four rows over and over and over again. This is the Cashmere Cowl No. 2 by the Purl bee. I'm making it for a friend that I ride the train with. Don't tell her ... it's going to be a surprise before Christmas.

And then there's the Mystic Light Shawl ... I'm working on Clue 1 right now.





I'm loving it!

Where do I start?

So much to do. So much has to be done. I did just a little knitting while I was gone. Simple knitting. And after giving away 4 of the tissue pack cozies I had made the week before, I knit up at least 5 more while sitting and talking or on the airplane coming home. Those will go into a give-away basket. You know ... to draw from as I need something to gift.

Then I got my swatch for the Mystic Light Shawl KAL done. The swatch is then put into a wrist-warmer or maybe it's call a "wristlette" or something like that.

I'm going to be using Brooklyn Handspun Signature [BTW, it's my all-time favorite sock yarn] in the color Raspberry Tart since the designer said that a fingering weight yarn would work best with the cables. But I also wanted a little orange in the mix so I am also using Malabrigo Lace in the color Amorosa. Signature is a finer sock yarn than most, so with lace yarn knit along with it; it then becomes closer to the fingering weight I needed I think and gives me a little more change in color for a red-pink-orange sunset effect I want to get. Well I'll cast on for the shawl this weekend to see how it works. I've got to catch up since the next clue comes out Wednesday.

Then I reproduced a scarf for Seed Stitch Fine Yarn to put on display.
Do you know why?

I'll be teaching a beginner's class in crochet at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn April 20, 27 & May 4th. One to 3 pm Sundays afternoons. We'll be making this scarf, which includes some basic crochet stitches [ch, sc, hdc, dc, tr]. Just a few finishing touches to do and then I'm ready for my 1st class.

If you'd like to see what those crochet abbreviations mean, check out PurpleKittyYarns.com.

AND last but not least ... I can't seem to spend a Thursday at SSFY without doing some shopping while I'm there right?! What do you suppose THIS is?

Have you seen the "Kushu Kushu" merino & silk stainless Scarf Kits yet? So cool! They're from Japan and this kit contains a roll of super fine merino [mine is in Grey] and a roll of silk stainless steel yarn [mine in Purple]. Yup, you heard me right ... Stainless STEEL. Suprisingly soft! I Had to have it!! [There are other beautiful Habu kits for a jacket, bag, sweater etc. also at SSFY if you want to go check 'em out.]

And did you notice the bag the scarf yarn sitting on? Yup, it's a bag!

It zip's up into this ...
A Josh Jakus bag!

Oh how I love to touch it; look at it; carry it ...

It's WOOL FELT~! Did you expect something else? LOL

Falling behind but I'm baaaaaack ...

And ready to knit!

We left flowers in trees to come back home ...

to

flowers under our trees ...

crocus ....

Drove up to the National Cemetery for awhile ... and silently
said my goodbyes to Dad.

Had a nice visit with Mom too. She kept us fed and talking.

Want to know something really funny? Or rather odd I should say. Out of all the pictures I tried to get of Mom and those with Mom and I together ... this one here is the LEAST blurry I could get. Mom was blurry in every single one that was taken.

And she gave up drinking YEARS ago mind you. I know, I know it's the picture taker that must of been drinking right? But believe it or not, there was no booze in the house so the two people that each tried taking the pictures for me weren't drinking either. They never left my sight. Honestly. I even put in a newly charged battery in case that was the problem. Still didn't get a good picture of Mom. Not even the ones I took.
But I got nice pictures of the crocheted Granny Afghan that I made for Mom years ago.

Maybe ...
the focus on my camera works only on "fiber" shots do you think?

F = Florida ... and

That's where I'm going for Easter. To see Mom. Two brothers, two sisters, 3 nephews, and 1 niece. [see picture on your right][I love this picture!] Wait ... there's also another niece and a grand-niece, nephew, 2 BIL's & 2 SIL's too. Wait, wait ... 3 aunts & 2 uncles also. All the ones that live in FLORIDA that is. So F = Family too!

Besides ...

I've been looking every day under my trees in the back yarn for theses ...

[note: picture taken in my backyard last year.]

Haven't found a single one yet. Where's Spring? I want to see and FEEL spring. I want to see Flowers ... 'coz F = Flowers too!

Only flowers I've seen so far is on FabricNFiberFanatic's blog and I do believe you took those LAST year, Sara. Even last year I had the pleasure of a Hibiscus blooming right in our dining room before a single crocus came up. But not this year.

[note: picture taken in my dining room last year.]

Look out the window ... there isn't even any leaves on the trees yet.

So I'm looking forward to going to the land of Flowers ...

FLORIDA here I come!

P.S. Leaving on Saturday and will be back on Wednesday night ...

Don't wait up!

Spring "To Do" List ... or

What's going down in Stitchingnut's Knitting Basket?


In order to meet Ali's Spring Contest challenge, I'm making a list of what I intend to get done by the end of Spring. What I HOPE to get done ... I can't imagine it will truly happen. But miracles do happen. So here goes ...

1. Finish sewing the ends in on the Cropped Cardigan by Rosemary Drysdale by this next weekend if at all possible. What's taking me so long?

2. Cast on for the Mystic Light KAL that I signed up for today. Good Gosh, I really am NUTS! But I really want to use the Malabrigo Lace that Knits with a Silent K gave me and I think this project will capture my attention and hold it for awhile.

3. Finish the birthday gift I started for a friend ... well it was for Christmas but now its for her birthday and I have a sinking feeling I'll be late for that also. But I'll try. Next weekend. Really. I have at least a week's worth of work to do on it. And I can't tell you what it is because she reads my blog.

4. Continue to work on my Hexagonal Bedspread (a Ravelry link) ... the one you've been hearing & seeing me talk about it already ... the goal is to have it ready to put together by next September. Yah, sure ... I'm working everyday on it as a matter of fact.


5. Cast on for the Mr. Greenjeans (only mine will be Orangejeans) sweater. It's a mini-KAL I'm in with some friends in California. Hope I can keep at this one girls ... would like to say ... finish by June. I'm using Elann Peruvian highland Wool from my Stash under the bed.

6. Knit my first doily "Frosted Fern" by May. I'm using J&P Coats Speed-Cro-Sheen in Navy Blue. Just because I have it in my Stash. It's for me, so I'm in no hurry. But then I might be setting myself up for failure by telling you that, LOL.

7. Knit 5 more hats for next year Christmas gifts. I'd like to have those done by June. Then take stock on whether I want to do more, how many, and for who. Using what I have in my Stash!

8. Finish my Einstein Coat by Sally Melville by July. (this is my mindless knit that I've set aside for awhile now)

9. Work on my Poetry in Stitches to have ready by ... heaven knows when. This is another sweater for myself AND I'm at a very boring part. On size ONE needles no less!


No #10 ... why set myself up for failure, huh?

What more can I say?

Every bear has it's own "Life Force". Cute, don't you think?

Sara's bear is still developing ... but going really well.


He needed a becoming hairdo ...

Linda's Teddy has a winning surprise look on his face ... "Happy birthday... who me?"

and

Pamela's Teddy is ready to go home too but I have a feeling Pamela has a lot more planned for him. He definitely has a terrific style of his own don't you think? Love him!



Now I do believe that every one of those bears are so cute and filled with their own wonderful personality. Even my own Blue Blue had developed "attitude"!

BTW, Blue Bear was started yesterday so he would be ready today for demonstration of how to put a bear together. So I did have 4 hours of more work put into him. I hope the girls will send me finished pictures of theirs when they're ready.

And I also hope everyone had a good time. I know that I did!

Now about that attitude ...

So much to do ... so little time!

That's the story of my life.

And it takes time to keep producing those hexagons too ...

Of course it's my own fault that there's so much to do. I keep starting something new before I even finish the ton of things I've already started. Such as this little green number I started last Summer ...

Well I did get all the pieces seamed this week and now I only have to pick up the stitches to do the collar section at the neckline and sew in all the ends & the two buttons. I intended to have it done for St. Patrick's day. And IF it happened to fit me [over a turtle neck jersey of course] I'll wear it on Monday. But will it really happen? I have that "Sculpture with Wool" class I'm giving tomorrow, so where is the TIME going to come from?

What else happened this week? Well ... I wanted to start some Spring cleaning [not that kind of cleaning] by using up left over balls of yarn or give it away. But who would want it right? Well some of it is so pretty, I might just roll it up and put it into a bowl on the coffee table. Gosh, how original is that, huh? [I'm not serious; I'm sure you have a bowl sitting out somewhere already.]

And then I discovered a project to use up the left-over sock yarn. You know how there's usually a small ball left after knitting a pair of socks for the small to average foot ... too big to throw out, yet too small to make another pair of socks? Well maybe one for a baby, but not always. Depends on the yarn company it came from. I can knit some sock earrings, but that doesn't take much more that a few feet.

See this is just a SMALL pile of the left overs [there's more, trust me] I have stashed away ...

Well I discovered the Tissue Sweater Cozy by Kmkat.typepad.com!

So in my spare time, I've whipped up just a couple ...

And a couple more to sew up along the edges and into the "gift giving" basket they'll go. Now isn't that a niffy idea?

Oh gosh ... there's more to show you but I just suddenly started feeling a little "overwhelmed".

I better go fix dinner. Let's hope there's some wine to go with it!

Another hit and run posting ...

I present to you another FO. The Ruffled Scarf #050 by Mac & Me. I did the 32" in Grignasco Cashmere using size 6 needles. You might wonder if I'm a fast knitter ... when in fact, I'm just persistent. I worked on this while traveling back & forth to work and in reality that's about 2 hours a day. You can get a lot done in 2 hours right? Especially if you're on a train and not driving.

And it helps when it's an easy mindless knit ... which this one was.

It is so soft around the neck too. Plus I have enough yarn left over to knit a neck-warmer for a gift to a friend. I don't think she's in the habit of reading my blog but if she was, she'd know who I meant. She's been trying to get this one from me ever since I started it.

And not everything falls on deaf ears!

A fly-by posting ...

Baby socks going out into the mail today. It's a boy!

I did the math Darlene (the Salem Darlene with no blog)!

To make this spread 72" x 84"
with 18/17 motif alternating rows
21 rows wide ...

I will need 349 hexagon motifs!
[I told you about 350 and I guess I couldn't get closer than that by guessing, huh?]

So if these don't drive me nuts, I better get back to work.

Heyyyyy, I heard that ...

... what do you mean I'm ALREADY nuts!

Painting my day away ....

Click here to create your own painting.

Gee, is that cool or what?

I know, I know ... I could do better.


Click here to create your own painting.

Well ... maybe not.

Thanks, Sara!

E is for Eeeeeerie ...

It's time for ABC Along again. This week is E and I love the eerie picture that I was able to capture of the Broad Street Cemetery in Salem, MA on one of our walks about town when we first moved here ... and Salem is a place where eerie or scary is considered FUN.
E = Eerie.

I dare you to walk up those stairs at night.
Eeeeeeeeeee

Our imagination running wild...

A Dutch friend of mine sent this to me by email today ...

HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926, in Amsterdam . Now there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands . HEMA also has stores in Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany. In June of this year, HEMA was sold to British investment company Lion Capital.

Take a look at HEMA's product page. You can't order anything and it's in Dutch but just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens.

This company has a sense of humor and a great computer programmer.

http://producten.Hema.nl/

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
But how to dance in the rain.'
(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)
`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)¸.·´
×°× `·.¸.·´ ×°×

I'm paving the road with fiber ...

Wool or Cotton?
Which will it be? Maybe BOTH?

I've been knitting all week and also doing some planning for a couple of major projects.

One knit. One Crochet.

Seriously making plans and even buying or ordering the yarn.

I bet you didn't think I was really serious about the crochet, right? Well I really did fall in love with that blanket I showed you in a previous post. So I had to work out what I was going to use and how much I needed, etc.

So first I swatch up a hexagon with Cascade 220 Wool. And it looked nice and I got 5" instead of 4". And that would be okay because it's for a Queen size bed. I ordered 10 colors and while I was waiting for it to arrive I got to remembering how heavy a worsted weight blanket or bedspread could be. I've got a beautiful bedspread stored away right now that is just too heavy to sleep under. So I better rethink this. And not too worry, I can use the Cascade 220 for something else.

In which case, my desire to knit up an Arabesque Blanket was born.

I then checked out the yarn orginally called for in the pattern ... Rowan Cotton Glaze. Which is about $7.50 each skein (at WEB's it's $4.19 but that's only for 2 colors at closeout). And since I needed 87 skeins at $7.50 a skein ... well $630.00 for a bedspread was beyond the cost I preferred to spend on a bedspread. Especially if I still had to make it myself. So I checked out Reynolds Soucy Sport at WEBS and $3.25 a skein was a lot more practical, let alone the fact that they had more than the 12 colors I needed. Well I've decided to work in 15 colors in all. This is for a Queen bed and I what it to be more like a bedspread rather than a blanket you see.

Some of the colors have came in already.

Waiting just for 3 more ... and I've already made 5 hexagons.
They blocked to 4" pefectly! This is going to be a really colorful bedspread. No?

Then I swatched for the Arabesque Blanket.

But I'm not happy with that center. See how it came out?
I'm going to have to redo that. But I did like the way it knit up otherwise. I see that it's where the two end sides came together that didn't work out right.

Other than the blankets ... I do have an FO.

I did a Capitan Hat for my sister, Cindy for this next Christmas. I can tell you about it and show it to you also because #1 Cindy doesn't read my Blog and #2 She doesn't even have a computer. But I know she'll love this hat. How do I know? Well, she told me she had lost her favorite pink hat on the way back home after visiting with the family at Christmas. Lost in one of the airports she thinks. And then asked me if I would knit her a hat some time. She loves the ones with a visor she said. There you go! [You and your daughter might like to do this is one, Sandy. It's a quick knit and it came out so cute.]

And even tho there are plenty of projects on the needles now, I'm also knitting a Ruffled Scarf (the ruffles will be on the 2 ends) on the Commuter Rail every day ... for good mindless knitting.

So back to some happy, yet mindful knitting ... with cashmere.