Never Ending Cycle

I have some FO but then again I feel the need to start new WIP instead of finishing more WIP.  It's my cycle.  Eventually I will finish these projects.  LOL!

I started this hat is Jan. It's not hard I just get bored of the 5 rows of purl and then 4 rows of knit for 8 times (I was suppose to do it 10 times).

This was a KAL for May so I was happy to get it done before the end of May.

I'm almost done this scarf.  Again only 4 row pattern but I get bored easily and I don't like working with heavier weight and bigger needles (it hurts my hands).

I'm happy to say that one sock is done.  A good start to the 2nd one.

My last of the robots for now.  This is number 3.  I have 2 more to do for my daughters but that will be later since I get tired of doing the same patterns too.  LOL!

Can't Help Myself

I got this neat double knit sock blank from Gale's Art during my trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  I couldn't wait to start knitting on it.  Double knit refers to that there are 2 strands of yarn so you can knit 2 socks at a time.  I'm not crazy about knitting two at a time (I can't do both heels at the same time) so I decided to unwind it and separate them into 2 balls.

 

 

It took me some time since the yarn got tangled while I was separating it into 2 balls.  I did finally get them into 2 balls and then wound them up (easier to knit then a ball that rolls around).

 



 

I started on them last night.  I'm using my go to sock pattern from Wendy Johnson.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gusset-heel-basic-socks  So far I like how its knitting up.  It of course looks a lot different then the sock blank. 

One Down, Three To Go

 

 

 

I got the socks done and they went to the new owner on Friday.  Meanwhile I still have  other projects to get done before May 6th.

 

 



This test knit is more then half way done.  It's due in May.

I'm on the last chart and see the end of this shawl.  Which I want to take with me and give to a friend in May.

This is a knit along that needs to be done for May too.  I'm more then half way through the yarn so it should be done soon.

More Progress

More WIP pictures and a FO!!

I had to cut this pattern short for fear of running out of yarn.  I only did 6 of the 10 repeats of the last section.  I'm constantly running out of yarn for projects.  I knit very loose and therefore use more yarn.

I'm getting close.  Now its just the bind off but its like 5 rows that only bind off 2 stitches.  Hopefully it won't be too long before its a FO.

I got some length done on this while waiting for a sports physical for my daughter.  It was a long wait.

This is my favorite WIP right now.  It's two colors but you only work with one color for 2 rows.  I like how its coming out.

This is my first bead project and I like it.  There are beads on the top and I have only 18 more repeats then its going to be short rows.  Once I get through the repeats it should go fast.

Happy New Year!

Let the WIP begin!  I casted on this last night from some handspun that is sparkly.

So far I've casted on 3 projects and plan at least 2 more.  Details on all of these projects can be found on my Knitting blog (link on the right side).

The brown socks are my Father-in-Law's Christmas present.  I usually start them early since I have to knit 7" of the cuff and I get bored easily (even with a 12 row repeat pattern).

County and State Fair Results

 I got first place at County for this shawl but nothing at state.

I got First place for County and State for these socks.

This Best Spinner award came with a $75 gift certificate!

This is the yarn that won Best Spinner, First Place for County and State!

All the ribbons together for the handspun.

This just won First place at County.

This won first place at County and Third place at State.

What I have been doing?

I am ready to ply this 5oz of JulieSpins Rambouillet in the color Northeast Kingdom.  I am expecting very bouncy yarn from it and hope to get good yardage.

I finally finished these socks!  They almost too me a year.  I like to start projects but easily get distracted.  In fact while washing some knitted projects, I almost started another handspun shawl.

Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2014/10/cherry-socks-wip.html

This is the shawl that almost got me caking up some of my handspun to begin another one.

I love this pattern because you can basically knit till you are done then bind off.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diving-in-recipe

I started another sock.  These are part of my project I take with me everywhere so if I end up waiting around, I have something to do.

Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2015/09/bright-rainbow-socks-wip.html

Still Missing In Action

My back is still hurting so I haven't been doing much.  I'll be seeing a orthopedic doctor next month.  Meanwhile I did manage to get my Cochise County and AZ State Fair entries ready.  I have this thing about knitting up the handspun I entered last year.

The purple shawl is the handspun that won 1st place in county & state last year.  Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2015/02/persian-shawl-wip.html

The socks are actually my husband's.  I just finished them.  The ones I was trying to finish up for the fair didn't make it.  Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2015/01/western-socks-wip.html

I'm entering 3 handspun.  Details here:  http://www.ravelry.com/people/AtPlayWithFiber/handspun/js-merino-yak-silk-colonial
http://www.ravelry.com/people/AtPlayWithFiber/handspun/js-80-merino-20-silk-great-barrier-reef
http://www.ravelry.com/people/AtPlayWithFiber/handspun/wg-green-merino-silk

FO and Currently Spinning

I started these socks in Jan.  They aren't hard but I do have to look at the chart.  I finally finished them.  Details:
Needles:  Size 2 circular
Yarn:   The Verdant Gryphon Bugga! in Western Corsair?
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/golly-2

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I'm currently n-ply this 8 oz of Bee Mice Elf 80% Merino/20% silk.  The colorway is Oceanic.  I hope to get good yardage out of it.

Same Old Same Old

I'm still working on washing all my handspun yarn.  I had a big bag and probably have 2 more washes to do.  I do about 6 yarns at one time so that is about 24 skeins to wash.  I haven't taken on any more new projects because I have SO many WIP that I need to finish.  I have a couple of Christmas gifts and would love to finish this shark scarf so hubby can wear it this fall/winter.

Needle: Size 4 Circular
Yarn:  Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids and Quatro Colors in Steel and Marine
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/save-the-sharks-argyle-scarf

I'm almost done these socks for hubby too.  Good thing he doesn't like long cuffs (not like my Father-In-Laws 7" of cuff Christmas socks).

Needles:  Size 2 circular
Yarn:   The Verdant Gryphon Bugga! in Western Corsair?
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/golly-2

Trying To Get WIP Done

Now that Tour De Fleece is finally finished, I'm trying to get a bunch of WIP done.  I need to get a few WIP done for Christmas.  Here are some pictures.

Plain Socks

I needed some plain striping socks to knit.  They make great travel and waiting knitting.  Something you can stop in the middle of a row without worry.

Needles:  Size 0 circular
Yarn:  Culture Pop S'Wonderful Self Striping MCN in Dolce Bella
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gusset-heel-basic-socks

Kitty Socks FINALLY Done

Needle:  Size 0 circulars
Yarn:  Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids and Quatro Colors in bark,  Purple Hyacinth and Tutu
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/critter-socks

Now I have to make the bird socks in purple.  I hope they don't take me over 2 years like these ones.  Knitting for big feet in fingering weight takes a LONG time.  I had to tink back because her feet grew.

Heels Turned

I got around to turning the heels on my 2 pair of socks.  They will make great travelling knitting.  The complicated part is turn the heel after that its easy.  I don't mind shawls but most of my WIP are full of charts (which are not easy to do while travelling).  I have a double knit that isn't too hard but trying to keep to yarn cakes from tangling isn't a good thing while travelling either.

Needles:  Size 2 circular
Yarn:   The Verdant Gryphon Bugga! in Western Corsair?
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/golly-2

Needles:  Size 0 circulars
Yarn:  JulieSpins MN400 Merino/Nylon in Cherry with Sprinkles
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sprucey-lucy

I Seem To Be Hitting the Heels!

It's weird that all my WIP socks are now that the heel increase before I turn the heel.  Here is some progress pictures.  I can't wait to turn the heel then its more mindless knitting.  The hard part is remembering that I'm on the heel increase and how I've set my row counter.  On some patterns its not a big deal since there is less then 10 rows but on the brown one the rows go up to 40 something so when the row counter is set to 17 that means row 1 increase on the back and row 7 on the front and not on row 17.

Needles:  Size 0 circulars

Yarn:  JulieSpins MN400 Merino/Nylon in Cherry with Sprinkles

Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sprucey-lucy

Needles:  Size 2 circular

Yarn:   The Verdant Gryphon Bugga! in Western Corsair?

Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/golly-2

Trying To Wrap Things Up

I started this sock in Aug 7/13.  Socks usually take me a while especially fingering weight ones.  This one is taking me so long because of two reasons.  One, I started working last year after starting this.  Two, the person I'm knitting this for is still growing.  I had to rip out the heel and make it longer.  It's a bit too long but then again it might take me another year to get the second one done.  The pattern is here:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/critter-socks  and the yarn is Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids & Quatro Colors.

Finally Got My Entries Back!

I entered 2 yarns, a pair of socks and a shawl for the Cochise County Fair and Arizona State Fair.  They have this wonderful Outreach program so they went from the County to the State.  My friend Charla picked them up and delivered them back to me so even more awesomeness!!  I finally got them back.  I won first place for everything except for the shawl.  It only got Honorable Mention at State.

Here they are with all the Arizona State ribbons.

Here is them with County and State ribbons.

 

 Here is my Rainbow Shawl.  The yarn is spun from Woolgathering 50% merino/50% silk.

 

 Here are my Gypsy socks.  The yarn is Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs Laudanum - Gothsock in Gypsy.  The pattern is  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wendyknits-sunrise-socks

This is my handspun from 15.5 Micron Ultrafine Merino Combed Top - Persian Violet, 4.5 oz

This is my handspun Self Striping Spontaneous Spinning Roving BULLSEYE Bump 5.5oz merino, bamboo, tussah silk