One year ago Today ...

It is the anniversary of my Dear Husband (DH) having major brain surgery and the Lord allowing him to be given back to us for awhile longer in this life time. It's like a birthday. A rebirth. It was such a traumatic year that is hopefully over and turning for the better. I have faith that it is.

I am going to give away a prize for the "guessing" contest I talked about. The one on "what could I possibly be knitting" out of left-over wool. I was going to give another hint, but ...

I have a winner ... Sandy from sunny California. She was half right and that makes her close enough; she commented
"....could it possibly be a cup/glass cozy with a place mat or hot pad to set the glasses on?"
Sandy Ziegler | 06.23.09 - 1:11 pm " Well close enough, Sandy.

They ARE cup/glass cozies to save your hands and keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. For paper cups or metal glasses or glass of a similar shape as the paper cup ... and the other half is a "French Coffee/Tea Press Cozy" The patterns came from: from Knitting Pattern a Day Calendar 2009






The Coffee/Tea Press I have is a small one. Just a two cupper. So I might cut the cozy a little more down to size. I also have it tied with yarn scraps for right now but I'm planning to put snaps on. Well once I decide it's for this press and not a larger one. Mmmmmm, maybe I can use two snaps and make it for both sizes. I'll think on that.

But the cup/glass cozies are my favorites. I plan to give a few away as gifts.


I've also finished a shower gift ... a wedding garter. [a very productive weekend to say the least.] Hope she considers it an heirloom. I ended out hand sewing the bias tape & elastic in.







Oh ya, I also finished an ongoing project that's been sitting in my WIP basket. One that felt like it would take "forever" ... but the yarn ran out finally and I'm finally DONE!





My Pleated Cashmere Wrap [Pattern: Pleated Wrap by Debbie Bliss from Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine, Spring/Summer 2009]

I used:Needle US 6 / 4.0 mm

Yarn

Elsebeth Lavold Silky Cashmere

23 skeins = 1012.0 yards (925.4m)

Colorway: Ash Rose 011

Purchased at:

Seed Stitch Fine Yarn, Salem, MA

Could this possibly be enough for one weekend? I'm rebounding maybe.

Surfing the Web for Knits

Have you ever searched about the Web and found some unbelievable stuff? Knit stuff? Weither you wanted to knit it or not, you found it? I think I've been spending too much time knitting on this sock. I keep falling asleep while I'm knitting on the train lately ... it should be done already and it's only the 1st sock in a pair.




Well check out the Weekly DIY Roundup: Funny Knit Patterns.
From May 15, 2009. How did I miss this?

Frankly ... there are some knitters out there with far more time on their hands than I have!

A friend just sent me this link: Trendy Sweater? I bet only a machine could produce that much icord [idiot cord]. Something had to be done with it right?

Now that I've picked myself up off the floor ... have a good weekend my knitting friends. [I don't work on Fridays. I mean; my regular job work.]

I'm going home to knit.

A Hat is a Hat is a Hat ...

Or is it?






Well maybe it isn't a Hat until it's been given a hot bath and fulled.
And then it's ready for some felting. Needle felting that is. Ready to be capitalized and become a real Hat ... a fancy hat!



Just throw it in the washing machine along with a few pieces of my Mystery Knit. (see past posts about that and give me your guess if you haven't already.)




This is MAXINE by Lisa Cruse from Ambrosia Cottage. She still needs some drying time and a shave to cut back on the fuzzies. Then I'll be decorating her to give her even more style and personality.



Can't you just see a beautiful bunch of flowers over the lower brim & up the side of this Hat?
Stay tuned. There's more to come.

There's a garden of possibilities here!

Who I am right now ...

is "A person in process -- always and forever learning, changing, growing. But the only important reality is who I am right now. I am not who I used to be. I am not yet who I will be. And above all I must know this: I am who I am supposed to be, and I am fully equipped to do whatever it is I am supposed to be doing with my life."

I have this typed on a piece of paper. A paragraph from a book and I don't even remember which book now, but I have referred to this many times when I've been "down" or "sad" or just wondering why I'm doing what I'm doing in life. And when I feel it's too difficult to do or to handle; I read it once again.

It's my answer and my inspiration all at once.



I've learned a lot in the past year and I'm right where I should be. With the right person by my side and the correct people in my life. The ones who love me; although they may not always understand me.

I am the one and only me ... the StitchingNut.

Grey hair, wrinkles and all the rest.

A list of knits to do for the summer ...

Once again Skeins Her Way is having her "List Contest".

Some people need to list what they want to do in order to keep on track and complete everything [or most everything] they intended to do in a certain time frame. Well I do start out with the best of intentions ... but need I say, I'm a starter and I have way more going on than I can possibly finish.

But a List I shall make. I will only put on this list what I have already started. And any of you who follows my projects on Ravelry knows that list is ... well ... immense. So here's what I'd like to finish this Summer [or should I say in my life time?]

1. Knitted Lace Wedding Garter by Diane Willett which I have to finish because the shower I'm going to is July 5. I'm half way there now. This weekend I have to get back to it and at least complete the knitting itself. Well I intend to. I have to use my Mags. And then I need to block and sew and weave in ribbon. I have my work cut out for me there.

2. Finish the project from my left over mix of wool; my ‘scrap stash’ for my Mystery Knit Contest where you guess what I'm making with it. Now that is a must finish also. I promised to give a prize by 6/29 to whomever might guess correctly. Unfortunately no one has guessed correctly yet. But there's still time to put your comment in.

3. Finish the Ragg Cape by Bernat Design Studi0. Yup, I was becoming a 'Yarn Snob' so I've purchased some Acrylic Bernat yarn and knitting something for myself with it. I was afraid I was getting too 'high horse' on expense luxury yarns and had to put my life back in line with the stars. Get a little more 'down to earth'. Get real ... heck, I LOVE all kinds of yarn and acrylic has it's place as well. [and I guess I don't care who knows it, LOL.] Price is one of them of course but I do like the machine wash aspect of it also.

4. Finish the Pleated Wrap by Debbie Bliss and I really, really, really want to finish it before September. I want to be wearing it by the time I'm able to sit outside on a cool Summer night as a matter of fact. [so what's taking me so long?][don't answer that]

5. And to be honest with you, I have at least 5 pairs of socks started and I would like to get at least ONE pair done before the end of Summer. Doesn't matter which pair ... but I better stick to at least one of them if it's to happen. Okay .... the Out of this World Socks. It's just a basic rib pattern but I'm using Regia's Galazy and that makes it 'out of this world'.

So that's all I've got time for. I know it and must face the facts ...



There's just not enough time in a day!

No winner yet ...

and I would love to give something away. How about this Vogue Magazine? It's an extra one I have so I'd like to see it go to someone who could use it. I love Vogue!



Do you have any idea of what I'm knitting? Here are some samples yet to be completed. I used left-over yarn on some. Trying to come up with the perfect combo. There's more than one part to this knit and I will give some away as gifts. Leave your guess in the comments. Deadline is ... June 29. ... [One year anniversary of my DH's emergency brain surgery.] [By the way, he's doing great! He's still recovering but has gone way past the expectations of all his doctors.]



Time to stop playing around and get back to my knitting.



I have my hands full with all that I've already started ...

But am I telling you anything you didn't already know?

A big smile says it all ...

The Munchikin came to visit us this past weekend. Can you believe she's only 3 years old? She keeps growing out of every sweater I knit for her. And one never made it to her house. It will now have to be completed for some other little girl. May I stress 'little'?

But she's just so cute ... I have to knit another one just for her.



This time TWO sizes bigger than I expect her to be!

I'm on the floor in stitches!

Have you had your Shreddies today?





Can you just imagine the skill it must take to knit Shreddies?



I must find a way to attend Camp Shreddies too. See the following. Anybody else with me? Don't forget to bring knitting needles. Oh what fun we'll have!



And I've GOT TO FIND some of those Shreddies!!! For my diet you know. Put some dance steps to my knitting too. Oh by the way ... I'm knitting on a STABILITY BALL. Also known as a Swiss or Yoga Ball. One of those balls anyways. I'm getting LEAN while I knit, LOL. I just started today. Really. No, REALLY!! Haha, my daughter suggested it and as long as I don't knit lace ... it's fun. [ Well, as long as I'm not laughing on the floor.]



Hahahahaha, I want ta dance too. Make me a Knittin' Nana!

Humming a catchy tune ...

There's a wedding shower in July that I'm going to. I don't know the bride but I'm friends with her future MIL. What should I make for a bride I don't know?

Why not a lace garter belt? [well I got the idea from her knittin' future MIL]



A keepsake. It'll just take a little time to make ... using my Mags of course. What have I gotten myself into?

How about a Contest?

What do you suppose this pile of knitting pictured below is for? What am I making?



No idea?

Shall I have a contest? First one to tell me what this pile of knitting will be ...
will get a prize. Now I just have to come us with a prize.

Unless ...

there is no winner. [Nah, not possible] I think I have a knitting magazine for a prize. So I'll hunt it down to take a picture while you put in your guesses. As a matter of fact, if more than one person guesses correctly, I'll draw a name for the winner.

In the meantime ... listen to a catchy tune.



I love Shaun!!!

Knitting when I can ...

and I always find time to knit!

Back to work, but ...

For how Long?

Well it really won't be for long. I'm working until August 25 and then I'll be laid off. Not to worry ... it's a "good thing." I really do want to find a job closer to home and perhaps part time. But at least ... closer to home so the travel time to & from work is cut way down. I'll be home for Bill more and that's what's important to me right now. He's doing well, but I feel better if I'm there with him.

So here's my latest FO. I just have a "thing" for ruffles ...



I'm not sure where the pattern came from. Someone said it was one of those free handouts from "Lion Brand" but I can't find it on their downloads so maybe it was a store handout. Altho, what I got was typed up, but there wasn't a web address to find it on the top of the sheet, so I'm not sure if that's where it came from.

If someone knows ... let me know and I'll link to it. It's called a Double Ruffled Scarf.

Update: This is a free pattern download on Ravelry called "Ruffled" by Vanessa Ewing. Altho, I made it scarf length and not as a neckwarmer. Happy knitting!




Loved this pattern!

While I'm knitting ...

I make plans in my head until I can find the time to work on those plans.

For what's it's worth, here's one of those things that I imagined first and then created!
A little purse or coat zipper charm ...





Other plans are still swimming around in there too ...

Double the Knitting, Double the Fun?

Double Knit, Double Knit ...



Double Knit fun?? Not so sure about that ...

Otherwise known as Reversible Knitting double knitting can be mind boggling.



After taking a class in this technique of knitting and struggling to wrap my brain around it, went home and did another practice piece and then just jumped right in and made ...

A double knit Headband.

Now I'm having Fun!

Sometimes I forget ...

to Post an FO. What? How could I, huh?



But I have an excuse.

Project info

Name: Ruffled Fingerless Glove

Pattern from Vogue Spring/Summer 2009

Needle and yarn

Needle

US 3 / 3.25 mm

Yarn: Aslan Trends Glaciar Del Cielo

How much? 2 skeins = 274.0 yards (250.5m)

Colorway: 2853 Grey

Purchased at: Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, Massachusetts

I'm knitting on so many WIP's that once I finished my cotton fingerless gloves , well it was discovered I had finished a pair of socks as well.

How'd that happen?

Well it's easy to do with socks since we all just do so many of them, huh? This one is just a Basic Ribbed Sock. But wait. I love my basic socks. You don't knit socks you say? Well I'll teach ya if you're interested in a class at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, MA. Ask them for the next class scheduled when you're in there. And if you don't live near by ... check out your LYS. Once you start knitting socks ... you just won't be able to stop. But you'll have the most comfy feet in town.



This one is knit with Brooklyn Handspun, Instant Gratification in Forest. Great for the boots on a cold Winter snowy day of shoveling or waiting for the train at the station going into work.

Hey, I love my socks!!



So they're going in the sock drawer for next year.

Nothing funny about that!

Happy Easter!

I'll just keep on knitting ....

Oops ... another FO off the needles!

Gilded Lilly from Mac & Me, pattern #104




Needle: US 6 / 4.0 mm
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
DK / 8 ply (11 wpi)
How much? about 5 skeins = 960.0 yards
Colorway: 48 ... a Grey Green

I love the looks of this shawl scarf!! It has a nice drape. I absolutely love! BUT ... boy it was a long process as a matter of fact to just knit the last 4 rows and bind off. Took a whole afternoon just for the bind off. Of course, I got interrupted a few time or put it down now and then for a break ...

But I thought it might take "forever"!

If it hangs around too long ...

Even an hour or two.

It could get "reworked" ... .









And that is what happened!

Just a Little Something ...

I made for my best friend, Sammie's birthday.



It's a little hand pincushion and a sheep pin topper. Just in case you didn't know. She collects pincushions so she should have one of mine right? But, I think I need to work on it a little more before I package it up and mail it out before the 18th. I think I need to look at it awhile and fiddle with it before I have it just the way I want it. Because once it's in the box ... it's gone.

And then ... I just might make one for me!