My resolutions for 2011 have been decided!!

So, here they are:

1. Finish WIPs (work in progress) that I already have on hand. This part of my resolution is a big deal, BTW ... I have over 32 projects in the WIP category. So ... I would like to finish at least one WIP each month of the new year. At the same time, if it's something I really didn't like because the yarn wasn't right for it or the gauge wasn't coming out right, I'll frog the project and reinstate the yarn into my stash for another project later or start over. I already know that "starting over" will happen on any sweater I started for myself because I intend to be a smaller size next Winter. I want it to fit right if I'm going to do all the work to finish it.

2. Organize my knitting needles and catalog them on Ravelry. I know I have more Interchangeable Sets, lace circular needles, dpn's and straight needles than any one person would ever want. But where are they all?

3. Take advantage of the aforementioned organizing bug! I plan to go through my stash and put together my works-in-progress projects (WIPs) so they're easy to finish. I'm going to put them in Ziploc bags with the patterns and needles, and I'm also going to make a list of which needles are in which WIP and keep it with my needles, just so I don't buy needles I don't need. While I'm at it, I'll also put upcoming projects (or yarn bought pacifically for a project) in bags with their patterns and include where they are on the Ravelry Stash inventory.

4. Knit 12 Shawls for the 11Shawls2011 group on Ravelry but at the same time this is what I plan to give for Christmas gifts next year to the women in my life that I give gifts to and didn't give a shawl to for Christmas this year. I made 21 shawls in 2010 so I know I can do this one. I plan to cast-on for my first one on New Years Day.

5. Mend my socks. That's right, I've got a whole basket full of socks with holes worn in them and they're otherwise too nice to just throw out. Of course they're my own knitted socks, so now it's time to do the repairs. It'll be like restocking my sock drawers with new socks for next Winter. I've been meaning to do this for some time now so it's about time I'm committed to do it. Maybe I'll even knit a couple of new pairs this Summer too!

(BTW, I have a bigger basket of sock repair than this now.)

I think that's enough to keep me busy.

Happy New Year!!

Do you love Lace but haven't tried it yet?

Always wanted to but was afraid to begin? Have you tried it but failed to finish??

How about starting with a small shawl called the "Budding Shawlette"? It only uses one skein of fingering weight sock yarn (450 yds) so it's a small investment and you could even use some sock yarn right out of your Stash. I'm giving a class for intermediate knitters starting Sunday, January 16. This beautiful little shawl can be knit with or without beads. I'll show you how to add beads as you go too. It's easy!

Check Seed Stitch Fine Yarn's website for details such as time and cost. And then ask for a materials list when you sign up.



I used Cascade's Heritage Sock Yarn for this one.



You just need to know how to knit & purl. That's all really!!

Come join me at Seed Stitch Stitch Fine Yarn on 21 Front Street in Salem, MA.

If Mom wants it, she'll get me to make it!

I sent my Mom a Stephen West designed shawl for Christmas ... the Colonnade Shawl.



And once she got it she called to thank me and tell me how cold it was down in Florida and it was just the thing she needed to help keep her keep warm even just a little bit. Except ...

She could use one in Turquoise or some blues. "Don't you like the color of the one I made for you?" I asked, while I kept thinking 'wasn't purple one of her favorite colors anymore?' "Oh yes," she said, "But I need a color to go with my other dresses that I have in blue or turquoise. Turquoise is my birthstone color you know. (insert violin strings here)"

Ooooooohhh, I see.

"And I also could use a pair of leg warmers in blues. It's really cold down here right now you know and once I get cold I can't warm up. I only have one pair of leg warmers you made for me a couple of years ago you know. So I sure could use another pair or two"

So what does she think I am?

A store?

A knitting machine??


Well ....

Only my Mom could talk me into doing this ...

four days later I finished ...



That's right, another Colonnade!!

And I do feel sorry for Mom now that I have arthritis also and feel the cold in my knees and hands although I have the advantage of being able to knit up my own sweaters or whatever else I want in wool, alpaca, cashmere or silk.

These pictured below are not new Christmas ornaments.



But I did finished them 3 days later and put them in a box with the shawl.



Now I'm REALLY done knitting for Christmas!
[This Christmas as least.]

And then it was snow ...

Do you need an instantly gratifying knitted gift to make & give by this Christmas?

Try this one. Yarn: 2 skeins of Gnocchi [purchased at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn]



Cast on 8 stitches using the 'e' cast on method. Then knit every stitch in the yarn between the puff balls until the scarf is as long as you want it or the yarn is almost gone. On the next to last row before cast off row, k1, make 1 to end, then bind off. This will prevent a tight bind off due to nature of the Gnocchi.

Here it is ... the only snow I've seen so far this year:



Total knitting time: 3 hours!



Now that is "Instant Knitting Gratification"!!

I love the faces ...

of those who love wearing what I knit.

So my DH and I went up to New Hampshire last Saturday to spend the day, pass out knitted gifts and enjoy the smiles.






Okay a couple of them got in there more than once. But those smiles were just so darn cute I just couldn't pick out the picture I liked the most. And I love ALL of those smiles!!


Including this couple ... even though he isn't wearing his knit socks in the picture, he wears them to bed.

It's a little wrapped up ...

Presenting the Pimpelliese by Christine Ebers. I used Noro King yarn purchased at
Seed Stitch Fine Yarn for this.

Should have taken 2 skeins but for some odd reason it took a fraction of a third skein to finish the last 3 inches, even though the first skein completed the first half and a few rows into the decrease for the second half and I had to decrease a little faster (extra rows of decrease) to get the correct width as well. So why did it take more yarn? A mystery.

Ah well, I need to find something to make with the rest of the skein. (??? but what?)

At least I've got it all wrapped up ...

For me!



And I love wearing it!!



Can you tell?

Help me pick ...

Beads.

I'm knitting the Budding Shawlette (a free pattern on Ravelry) by Joyce (YuLian) Yu again but this time with Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn and some beads.

But I have a problem.

Which color should I use? I had asked some friends before I started for their opinion and the majority said the clear crystal. (I was partial to the green myself) So I decided on the clear crystal and once I started I wasn't so sure I like all that bright 'sparkle' look. It just didn't seem like 'me'. So I put a few rows of the green in for a comparison. They run along the flower bud stems. See the green in the rows below the needle cord?

What you do think?

(that is the real color of the yarn BTW; a pea yellow ... I know it's odd but I really like it!)

I do like the green ... BUT then I would have to go back to the beginning and start over. Would it be worth the extra effort? Or is the crystal your pick and I'm just 'nuts'??

Which color would you pick?

What do YOU think I should do?? (I really do want your opinion, really I do.)

Watching our tax dollars at work ...

while I knit. Hear those needles click away. Knit, knit, knit.




I have plenty of knitting going on ...
... just nothing to show for it at the moment.

Should have finished work to display next week.

Honesty. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

p.s. "Hi" to my new found friend from my hometown Milford, NH. It's a small world!

Did you ever see this?

What??

You don't knit?? What about crochet?

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Nailed 'Em - Radical Knitting
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Radical!

Last Christmas gift made for this year ...

Honestly. This is it! Anymore knitting or crocheting will be for Me, me, me ...

But this one is for my best friend in Georgia. She sews and collects pincushions. So I had to knit one for her. But this is the last one. Honestly.



Project info

Pattern : Fleur de Lis & Cearnog Pincushions by Tammy Eigeman Thompson

Needle:US 0 - 2.0 mm

Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed 4 Ply
Alteration: I knit a bobble button instead of using a real one so a pin won't get damaged by accident (which could happen with a hard surface like a pewter button.)

I like it ... so that means I knit one for me too right?

Christmas 2010 ... Am I done yet?

This is a little more than half of my Christmas Gift Stash. Consisting of; 4 shawls, 2 hats, mittens, ascot, shopping bag, 2 scarves, 2 headbands, 2 neckless knit wear and 8 neck warmers. Knitted through out the year. Maybe one or two left over from last year. (maybe) But most from various patterns in books, on the web, or magazines.

And then there's the other half of the Christmas Gift Stash all knit from the most recent Cascade 60 Quick Knits. I finished a total of 20 projects from this book. [plus more yarn waiting to be cast-on for next year -- YES, I intend to knit more from this fabulous book] So now I'm ready for this Christmas. Other than wrapping and posting some of these out to other States for family and friends that is.


Okay, I'm wrong ... I have two more on the needles. A pincushion and a pair of beaded fingerless gloves. Now ... if only the other half dozen projects recently cast on don't distract me to0 much I'll be all set for Christmas this year. Early!

Bring it on Knitting Gods!!

Did you take my Beginner Crochet class?

You know the one with the Aran Sampler Scarf? Or maybe you learned to crochet from someone else but want to venture out and learn more. You feel like crocheting more than just a scarf don't you? In more than one color too.

We've got just the class for you ...

Starting this Sunday 1:30-3:30 November 7, 14 & 21 at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn;

"Want to advance your crochet skill? Take Crochet Motifs with Rhonda."

Check with Seed Stitch Fine Yarn, Salem, MA for details.

I hope you can join us!

What to do, what to do ...

plans are askew; paint oven door, lay down bark mulch, mow front lawn, walk downtown to see what's going on at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn & the Haunted Happenings, get back home to make dinner and then pass out the candy to witches & goblins. But ... I also want to crochet or knit. Not enough time in the day.

So what do I do?

Looks like knitting but it's NOT ...

Tunisian Crochet.

If you're a Senior crocheter like I am you know this Tunisian Crochet is based on the old Afghan Stitch. So it's not as new as it sounds. But something different is being done with it. Turning it into wearable fabric is one. And even the stitch can be altered to look different as this Tunisian Lace Scarf is ... the pattern is:

Tara's Tunisian Scarf

by Ellen Gormley

from Interweave Crochet, Accessories 2010

Looks like knitted lace don't you think? Once you get the rhythm going it's relaxing to do this one needle project. It's small so you don't even need a special needle other than a crochet hook without a finger rest on it.



Only one modification and that is one extra stitch. I chained 15 instead of 14 and put one extra plain stitch at the end so that the left side matched the right side better. I also made this scarf long enough to wrap around my neck twice to give it more of a Cowl effect.

Came out really nice using Misti Alpaca Cotton Silk yarn. The cotton makes it soft and the silk gives it some warmth. Best of all .... the colors will go with everything!



Now what more can you ask out of a little scarf, huh?

Instant gratification here!

One knit and One crochet ... both in One week!!!

Knit Pattern:

Lacy Baktus by Terhi Montonen

Yarn used

Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton & Silk

It got a little boring to knit but the yarn is so nice it's wonderful to wear wrapped around the neck. Kind of like wearing it like it's a Cowl, I think. And I love the color mix!

Crochet Pattern: Beatrice's Scarf

Interweave Crochet, Accessories 2010 magazine.

Okay ... I do crochet fast and this was done in only two days. The yarn used is one of my favorites; Spud & Chloë Sweater.



And would you want to make a guess as to how many projects I've cast on since this scarf came off the blocking board last night? Go ahead and guess how many, knit or crochet and what kind of project.

No cheating allowed by looking on Ravelry ...

Seems like only yesterday ...

that I gave you an update on what I've been making.

Oh ya, it was only yesterday wasn't it? But what I didn't show you is what has really been taking over my life the last few weeks. A good "take over" honestly. Well better than the work I've been doing in my flower bed. I've been getting two front flower beds cleaned up for the Winter and ready for the Spring show with bulbs and that sure feels more like a "take over" at the moment. But, you know how I've been loving shawls lately right? Well that hasn't changed ...

Here's the most satisfying knit I've done in a long long time. A love has developed and I call it "Waiting for Earl Waves in the Square Shawl". I loved knitting it the whole time but fell in LOVE when I took it off the blocking board and put it on. I usually love the knitting process much more than the final out come. Well I like the outcome on most of my knitting but what I mean is I have fallen in LOVE.

Take a look for yourself ...





And the pictures don't even do it justice. The yarn is gorgeous! Here are the details ...

Project info

Name: Waiting for Earl Waves in the Square Shawl

Pattern : Waves in the Square Shawl by Sivia Harding

Needle and yarn

Needle

US 5 - 3.75 mm

Yarn: madelinetosh tosh merino light

How much? 3 skeins = 1320.0 yards (1207.0m)

Colorway: Citrus

Purchased at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, Massachusetts

I made one modification. And that is I cast on using a provisional cast on and went back to pick up the stitches to knit a few more garter stitch rows and cast off with picots and beads so that it matched the bottom edge. See below.



Now I just hope I don't look too much like a big fat orange pumpkin.

Although, how appropriate for Salem, MA is that, huh?

Did I forget to show you my new hat?

I knit this hat so fast I forgot to post about it didn't I? WELL ... I don't understand how I did that. Yes, this hat is for me and I've already bought more yarn to make another one. No really, I'm not kidding with ya.

Details below ...

Project Info

Name: Minty Red Hot Hat
Pattern: Minty by Erica Jackofsky (Fiddle Knits)

Needle and yarn
Needles: US 6 - 4.0 mm, US 8 - 5.0 mm
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes
How much?
2 skeins = 200.0 yards (182.9m)
Colorway: Red #2000, Dye lot 0866
Purchased at: Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, Massachusetts
Purchase date: September 30, 2010
Notes: Note on needle sizes: A cotton version uses sizes US 5 & 7. Merino/Alpaca version uses sizes US 6 & 8. So I used 6 & 8.




Now seriously ... how do I take a good picture of a hat on my own head?