2012 Last On the Needles

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday time - it was wonderful in snowy Iowa!  Everyone liked their knitted gifts, hats, socks and cowls were worn with pj's during gift opening time. 

I finished the mittens, they turned out so soft and warm.  I started a pair of yoga socks and a basic ribbed sock, knit them while watching movies with everyone and playing games.  It has been a wonderful time.

Check out what others have on the needle at Patchwork Times

Snow Day and a few finishes

I love snow days!  Lots of snow and wind here, it's nice watching it from the inside.  I spent the day cleaning house, getting ready for everyone to come home, wrapping the last few gifts and even knit a little.

In the last week I finished the peach scarf, put the button the button cowl (made with so soft alpaca yarn) and finished up the green vest.  The pattern is the October vest and the yarn is Cascade Magnum Super Chunky.  It went pretty fast, hope it fits.  I also started the mitten to match the hat I did a couple of weeks ago with a cable stitch on the top.  First pair of mittens I've ever made, so far so good!

Peach Scarf

Green October Vest

Vest detail

Cowl with button

Mitten #1

Check out what everyone else has "On the Needles" at Patchwork Times.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Off the needles and ready to be wrapped.

It's off the needles today!  I got all the socks done for Christmas gifts.  The picture has the last pair completed on the left (watermelon colored ones) and the rest are other gifts.  That is except the one on the right, they are for me!  I still can't believe that I got these done.  The wool yarns are so nice and soft to work with, hope they all enjoy wearing them. 

I also got a hat done and learned how to do cables too!  It's made with Malabrigo chunky merino and is sooo soft and was really quick to knit.  I think I'll try another project with cables in it, maybe the Zora sock pattern.  The hat pattern is the Squall Hat.

I still have the peach scarf I am working on, looks the same as last week only a little wider.  I just have an inch or two to go. 

Check out what others are doing at "On the Needles" at Patchwork Times

On The Needles

It's on the needles and  hopefully soon off the needles projects today.  Sock one of the watermelon socks is completed and sock two is almost done.  That will be the last pair for Christmas gifts.  I've made progress with the scarf also, just needs another inch or so of the ribbing and it will be done.  The scarf is being knitted with the TGV (High Speed Knitting pattern) and the sock pattern I have been using is the Basic Ribbed Sock pattern.  I think I am ready to try a new sock pattern - so many to choose from!

I have a few questions about blocking - do you block socks?  How wet do you get the project when blocking?  Any good websites with blocking information?  I've found so many videos online for how to do different stitches, great for someone who doesn't live close to a yarn shop.

Check out what everyone else has on the needles at Patchwork Times. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I knit my way from Iowa to Colorado and back last weekend and finished one cowl and progressed on both the peach scarf and the watermelon socks.  They are both Christmas gifts so I need to keep knitting!  The green cowl is a linen weave pattern and made with Misti Alpaca yarn which was yummy to knit with even if it seemed to take a long time to knit.  The peach scarf needs a couple of more inches and then it will be done.  It's just sock number one of the pair so that has the most left to do. 

Check out the rest of "On the Needles" at Patchwork Times

On the needles and on the road

Mobius Cowl - made from Malabrigio Rasta yarn

Greetings from Colorado - yesterday I got this Mobius cowl knitted on the trip across Nebraska to visit DD1 and family in Colorado.  The rest of the time I knitted on this scarf for DD3.   I should have more to show next week, another long trip across Nebraska! 

Check out what everyone else has on the needles at Judy's.

Another pair done!

I had no "on the needles" update last week because I was a quilt retreat.  I had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones.  I even managed to sew some!  There wasn't a lot of knitting this week put I did finish the socks using the Zauberball Crazy yarn - I never knew what color was coming out next and there were no real color repeats.  The yarn was two colors twisted together in many different combos.  I also worked on the watermelon socks.  My goal is to get those done so that all daughters, daughter-in-law, and my Mom will get wool hand knitted socks for Christmas - except the one who lives in Texas, I don't think she needs wool socks!

Socks from Zauberball Crazy yarn

progress on socks, yarn from KnitPics called watermelon

Head over to Patchwork Times to check out what others are knitting

Keep Calm and Carry On

A year ago last August I had knee replacement surgery.  I decided the recovery time would be the perfect time to learn how to knit socks. I walked into a yarn store and asked for their easiest sock pattern and some yarn.  It took me a while and I made lots of mistakes (maybe I can blame the pain meds for them) but I got one sock done - and I discovered that knitting socks didn't take as long as I had thought and that I enjoyed the process. Then one year ago this week I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had more surgery, radiation and recovery time ahead.  I started another pair of socks and discovered that I still enjoyed the knitting and that it let me rest but also occupied my mind (and kept it from going in dark directions).

Knitting has helped calm me and/or keep me calm through out the last year which has also seen a daughter have a stroke (got quick treatment, no long term effects), sibling with a cancer diagnosis, and a parent in hospice care at the nursing home.  The year has also had some very happy events, the marriage of a child and the adoption of our first grandchild.  So I have kept calm (most of the time) and kept knitting - 6 pairs of socks finished and 2 more started, 4 cowls finished and 2 more started.

I finished up the Opal socks for Socktoberfest and knit a quick Bandanna Cowl from merino wool and mohair bulky yarn.  Yea, another Christmas gift done!  I just started on a another pair of socks, also for a Christmas gift.  The yarn color is Watermelon. 

Trying to keep calm and to keep knitting! (and keep quilting, not giving that up!)

Opal Socks finished

Bandanna cowl - it's so soft

New socks started - watermelon color

 Check out what others have "On the needles" at Judy's blog.

Almost finished

I almost got my Opal socks finished - just need to finish up the toe part and they will be done and then I can check off one more thing from the Christmas present to do list.  I've enjoyed seeing the color pattern emerge as the sock was knitted.  I spent more time quilting than knitting this week, quilted a twin size quilt last weekend and 3 charity quilts.  I'll post a picture of those later.  I also got a bib and burp cloth embroidered for a baby shower.  This weekend I probably need to work more in the rest of the house but we'll see :-)

Baby bib and burp cloth machine embroidery

Opal socks almost finished

Check out Judy's blog for more "On the Needles" posts

Opal yarn Socktoberfest

I got a sock knit in one week!  I still can't believe I am getting socks knitted.  These are turning out pretty, not what I expected when I picked up the yarn but I like them.  Almost have another Christmas present done!

Opal socks 

On and Off the needles on Friday - I finished the orange socks and started on the Opal yarn socks.   Just got back from the AQS show in Des Moines, great show with good exhibits and the vendors are always fun!  I even got yarn this year too.  Suggestion to self - do not use yellow background when taking photo next time!

Welcome to Prairie St. Quilts - I can't be a part of Judy's On the Needles Friday unless I had a blog to link to.  So here I am!  On the needles for me are sock number 2 for 2 different pairs and a scarf/shawl.  I hope to finish the socks soon - need to needles for Soctoberfest and both are Christmas gifts.  The shaw is waiting to rip out the last 6 rows - 1/2 of the lace pattern looks great, the other 1/2 not so much.

Socks for Allison - Malabrigo yarn

Socks for Jen - Craxy Zauberball yarn

Shawl