Boxerknit

I was bad...

2007-04-10T11:16:00.000-05:00

So, I need a longer circular needle to keep working on the pinwheel blanket, right? And if I can't find one locally in a longer length, I might need to order one from somewhere, right? Well, over the weekend I searched around and couldn't find a needle the size I wanted so resigned to ordering one sometime this week. Then, I got the Kaleidoscope Yarns newsletter. (I signed up when Michelle and I visited there a while back.) Turns out they are having a Koigu sale! So, yesterday I ordered my new needle and some yarn too. Okay, there were so many I wanted, but I managed to choose two and not spend a fortune. Not too bad, right?

This weekend I also finished the Monkey socks. These were SUCH the quick knit and lots of fun to do. The yarn is Koigu KPPPM #822, which I lovingly called "vomit". As they knitted up though, the greens were much more visible and the vomit-y yellow and gold colors weren't quite so vivid. I do love this yarn regardless of the names I called it..... Followed the pattern just as written but on a size 1 needle instead of size 2. No other changes.Yesterday I got these in the mail! I ordered three sock books from Amazon and these two arrived - one was shipped separately. More Sensational Knitted Socks looks awesome, as I love the first of these books. The only problem I see? Too many options I'll never decide!! Favorite Socks is very cool also, I see many patterns that I definitely want to start right away!

Right after finishing the Monkey socks I wanted to get a start on Pomatomus, which I've been eyeing for a long time. I wanted to make it in some sort of blue/green combo yarn and finally thought I had the right one. It is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Lakeview". So, started the pattern and the colors were just right - but they were pooling horribly and I knew I wouldn't be happy with the result. I put the pattern away again and instead started a new one after getting my new books. This is Retro Rib from Favorite Socks. So far so good, even though the colors are striping a bit, they are so much better than in the first attempt.

My New Love

2007-04-05T13:52:00.000-05:00

We got something new. It is one of the best purchases I can imagine making and I am totally obsessed. I don't care how lame it sounds or what you might think, but all this is over a new appliance. Actually, a new set of appliances. That's right, we got a new washer and dryer! Long story short, our old pair were complete energy hogs (the dryer in particular) and had moved around with us so many times they were all beat up and had some issues. I present to you the new set......first comment: aren't they just awesome looking?!

We actually bought them a couple of weeks ago but they were just delivered Tuesday. Of course, I saved up laundry so we could try them out. And, Alex actually came home from work early to check out the goods. Verdict? They are fantastic! Huge capacity, very little water usage, and the washer is super low in energy use. Now, dryers are going to be energy hogs regardless, but check this out - the washer runs for 45-60 minutes depending on the cycle. Sound crazy? The spin speed is so outrageous it sounds like a jet engine. Well, really it is pretty quiet but has that type of sound. The clothes come out so barely damp that the dryer only runs about 25-30 minutes for a regular load! Amazing!

And, the boys are fascinated with the noises coming from the new shiny things. Of course, shiny things in this house soon get boxer nose prints as evidenced on the nice chrome trim...

Now, on to usual content - next finished pair of socks!Pattern: Aran Braid Socks, yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Potluck in Blues/Purples, the first knitted item from the yarns I purchased in VT. This is one of my favorite yarns to date! It is super squishy, springy, and soft. Lots of fun to knit up.

Pinwheel Baby Blanket is coming along slowly. Too much flash in this pic, but it is a minty green and will have some light yellow stripes when finished. I need to pick up a longer circular needle as I'm already running out of knitting room on this one.

Riddle

2007-03-29T13:22:00.000-05:00

So, what do you get when you leave the dogs in the kennel (which they love!) over a long weekend?

Yeah, two pooped pups. I love them like this!

We were away in New Orleans for a friend's wedding. Had a great time and got to see a bunch of friends we haven't seen in years. Everyone is doing well and we had tons of fun.

Before the trip I finished these:

Pattern: Seduction Socks, free pattern from Spring 07 Interweave Knits, Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Georgetown. How much do I love this pattern and yarn combination?!? These are possibly some of my very favorite socks to date. Add to that the fact that the pattern looks really fancy and is really a simple one to remember. Couldn't be much better, huh?

As soon as those were off the needles, I started another pair - they are coming along nicely (and quickly!), I'll post details about them once they are finished.

Keeping Warm

2007-03-08T14:35:00.000-05:00

Doesn't that pic just say "It's cold outside" to you? This pic is actually from last week, but it hasn't exactly warmed up around here. The boys still love to run around and play outside, but are more than ready to come in and warm up afterwards.

Since we're talking about cold....I spent this past Monday and Tuesday up in Montpelier, VT hanging out with my friend Michelle. Tuesday was SO cold! It was -3 or so with a crazy windchill. Something like -30 or more, according to their local weather. We had a lot of fun and Montpelier is a really cute town, I really liked it. We had a great lunch and then headed out to Kaleidoscope Yarns, which is a great yarn shop - I will definitely be ordering from them in the future. Picked up some additions to the sock stash:

I pulled out that bluey-purple Cherry Tree Hill to wind up tonight and start planning for my next pair. Just have to finish the one I'm working on now and I'm only near the toe of the first sock...shouldn't be too long.

Tuesday morning we went down to Capitol Grounds for a bite of breakfast, snooped around some shops downtown, and headed to The Knitting Studio right in downtown Montpelier. It's a really cute shop and I am extremely jealous that Michelle can just walk there in about 5 minutes! Picked up a couple of new things there as well:

Even with those awesome new sock yarns to be excited about, I think I am most proud of my other new yarn. It is handspun by Michelle! She just bought a spinning wheel last year and is doing a great job. I love the bright color combo of this yarn and am so excited to make something with it. I'm thinking a scarf, probably a somewhat plain rib or seed stitch, something that will show off the yarn and not be too busy. Check out how great it is!

I finished the Opal Ladybug socks:

And also cranked out this pair, Woven Stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, Elann's house brand "Sock it to Me" Colori. This yarn has been in my stash since about the time I started knitting socks. Very bright and the colors pooled in a weird way. I have another pair made of this yarn in a different color and they washed up very soft and have held up really well, so I have good hopes for these:

What do the boys think of all the knitting? That's right, couldn't care less:

Back so soon?

2007-02-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

This morning I realized I didn't include a couple of pics yesterday. I did finish a little more knitting over the last month or so - I picked up the Mason-Dixon Knitting book a while back and, just like everyone else I'm seeing, started making some dishcloths!I just LOVE dishcloths! I have a stack of them I really use for dishes and they are great. These are a little bigger and more textured than what I prefer for dishes so I am using them for bath/shower cloths. You can tell the bottom two have been used and washed, they are nice and soft and fading already - something about that I love, makes them so homey.

I took this next pic last week. Doesn't it just make you happy? It was cold and I had put on some socks after I took a shower and got dressed. Needed to run a couple of errands and I really didn't want to take off my snug warm socks. What could be better than handknit socks and the best sneakers ever?

Still here...

2007-02-12T14:41:00.000-05:00

Yeah yeah, I did it again and neglected the blog for too long. This time I'm really going to attempt to keep up with it a little better. Note I said a "little" better, that way I'm not too tied down...

Things are going well and pretty routine around here. The boys are well and actually enjoying playing in the cold temperatures we've had lately. They really only got one day of snow to run around in but we're expecting some possibly this week. Our favorite snow activity is to make and throw snowballs for the dogs. They get all excited that you have a ball and then so frustrated that it disappears when it hits the ground. Too funny!

Now, on to the usual routine:

Some completed knitting projects

These are my completed "Hedera" socks from Knitty. They are done in KnitPicks Sock Garden (or Memories, can't remember which collection or the name...). This was a fun pattern and one I'd be likely to do again in a different yarn to see how it turns out. These are Trekking #110, the pair I was lamenting doing toe-up two at a time on two circulars. Well, I did finish them, but I definitely found out that is not the method for me. I like the color and fun stripeyness of the Trekking though, and I split the ball of yarn at the beginning so I could just knit until I wanted to stop. There was enough yarn that I ended up making almost-knee-socks, even having to add a few increases as they reached the calf area. They are fun and cute!I just finished these a few days ago - they are my first pair made out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. It is great! This color is "Glenwood" and the pattern is Alternating Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. The yarn is soft, cushy, and really nice to knit with. Will definitely make more with it, in fact I have some for another pair in the stash. I bought both Lorna's and the Trekking when we were in Chicago last fall.

I also recently finished this baby blanket for friends of ours. Joe and Erin are expecting their baby girl around the end of March. This is the Big Bad Baby Blanket pattern from Stitch n Bitch. I am kinda boring in that I like to do baby blankets with plain old baby acrylic or some sort of cotton blend, something machine wash- and dry-able. This is knitted from Lion Brand Baby Soft with one strand of hot pink and one of purple held together. Turned out pretty cute I think. This is the second time I've made this pattern and the first is well loved - I hope this one will be too!Last pic for the day - a couple of current projects. My Opal Ladybug socks and the beginnings of a Pinwheel Baby Blanket for another soon to be little one of my friend/co-worker and his wife. Michelle recommended this pattern and so far I really like it!

Now, you're thinking that this might not be much knitting for the past few months, right? Well, we were pretty busy over the holidays. Then, in January I was working a little extra and also trying to get the house back in order. Oh, and I didn't get pics of the two scarves and one pair of socks that I made as Christmas gifts!

This time I will return sooner.....I hope!

30-ish

2006-11-09T09:34:00.000-05:00

Well, it only took me a little over 3 months to return to the blog. Please accept my apologies!

As of today, I am 30-years-and-one-day old. That's right, yesterday was my 30th birthday. Woo hoo indeed. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about turning 30, but it turns out I had one of the best birthdays I've had in years. Christine and Anders came up over the weekend to visit, we went out to dinner with them and Joe and Erin also joined us. I got some really great gifts and my co-workers brought in an ice cream cake (Carvel, of course!) and we all stayed and had cake and wine at the end of the day. (Yeah, so we have wine with everything - what do you expect??)

A quick pic from my b-day dinner at Bravo Bravo:

I got two gifties in the mail yesterday, one from my Mom and one from Michelle! My Mom sent me a great little book light - she remembered that I didn't like the cheapo one I've had forever and got me a really neat one like she uses herself. Love it! And Michelle sent me a bunch of fun things! A few boxes of neat teas, knowing that Alex and I both drink a lot of tea and really enjoy different ones. She also sent me this:I totally didn't get it at first and wondered why the heck she sent me something like this.....but, Michelle and Jon are just as Simpsons-crazy as us and that just about explains it. If you don't get it - watch more Simpsons!

The main part of the gift from her I'll use to show off some socks I've finished recently:That's right, she sent me these super cute sock blockers!! I love them! (Although I'm suspecting that she knew I'd like them but also that I could use them to better photograph my socks for the blog.... :) ) These socks are a basic toe-up stockinette pair from Meilenweit Fun & Stripes in I-don't-remember-the-color-number. Love these stripey socks, the colors are really cute.

This pair is made from KnitPicks Sock Memories "Tropical Sunrise" (another of the colors they had on clearance when I ordered a bunch). It is the Crusoe pattern from Knitty. A snug fit with the stranded knit pattern, but I really like the way they turned out.Third pair for this post are Sockotta, I love the finished product you get with Sockotta yarn but it can be a real pain to knit with. It twists like crazy as you're knitting and seems a little more coarse but once you wash it it is SO soft and cozy. I've only used variegated Sockotta before and this particular stripe sequence is so wide that my socks are a bit shorter than normal to make a matching pair. This pair marks my first venture into the 2-circulars method. I made these one at a time top-down on 2 circs. It went okay - you'll see what I'm trying next...These are my current in-progress socks. At the bottom of the pic is Hedera from Knitty - this is a fun pattern and is knitting up really quickly. The middle sock is Reptilian Lace, also from Knitty (I followed the pattern but omitted the beads). A super cool pattern but more tedious than my usual sock so I'm just getting ready to start the mate after having this one done for a month or so. And....on to the top pair you see there....I mentioned that I finished that pair of socks on 2-circs. So, since it went fairly well I thought I'd try 2 socks on 2 circs. I divided my ball of Trekking (my first time working with this yarn though, and I love it!), started the socks toe up and planned a plain old stockinette pair so I could learn the new method easily. The verdict - I hate it! But, I am too stubborn to switch the socks to dpn's and am sure I can finish at least one pair on the 2 circs. It's getting there. Slowly.

Michelle also sent me some yarn - of course! She said these need a new home and I think I can provide a good one! More Sockotta (like I said, love the socks it makes even though it can be a pain). The neat brown multi I think she said is Opal Handpainted, very nice yarn. Michelle, the "socks-that-drove-you-crazy" are cute - but I tried them on and they are too small for me so I'm going to come up with something really neat for the yarn. I see what you mean that it's not really your color but you know I like those orangey things!

Third time is the charm...

2006-07-31T20:12:00.000-05:00

Alright, I've tried this twice before over the past couple of days and Blogger has been cranky...so, here we go again!

Just trying to share some pics of finished socks that I've completed lately so nothing super exciting. (Well, I think the socks are pretty darn cool, but you can make your own opinion!)

Now of course when taking such pics you need a couple of good helpers:

First up a plain ol' stripey pair for Alex - yarn is Paton's Kroy in Denim Jacquard. My basic sock with ribbed top, stockinette leg and foot but I used the Forethought heel to keep the stripes all lined up nicely:

Next up, the completed pair of my first toe-up socks. I posted the first one a while back but here's the pair in all its' glory. Yarn is KnitPicks Sock Memories in Grandma, pattern is Yarn-Over Cable from Sensational Knitted Socks. This first pic is to show off my first short-row heel - not too shabby for my first attempt.
Roscoe decided he wasn't helping quite enough and literally wedged himself into the next photo. These socks are Sockotta (don't remember the color number, sorry...), Woven Stitch pattern also from SKS. This was one of those patterns I wasn't sure I was going to like at first but I'm glad I gave it a chance, it turned out pretty well. This color of Sockotta has neat green/yellow/red/brown shades, kinda neat and foliage-y.One more pair to share - this is KnitPicks Sock Memories in Carnival. I love the crazy color combo of this yarn - bright and dark blue, purple and bright orange - great! The socks are the Chevron pattern (again from SKS - loving that book!), but I substituted my regular heel flap for the Forethought heel. I like the look of the forethought or a short-row heel but the heel flap seems to fit me better. I'm sure I'll still make some of all of the above types, it's too boring to stick with one all the time.

Whew! All that helping with the photos just wipes you out!

New goodies!

2006-07-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

I found out that the yarn shop down in Old Saybrook was having a Christmas in July sale! I'm sure that's enough to tell you that I had to head down there and see what I "needed". All yarns in the store were 20% off and several were 30% off. I came back with sock yarn for 5 pairs. Not too extreme, right?
Ahh...that's better. So, I took the pic in the sunlight of the back window to try and show the colors a bit better but I'm not sure how great that turned out. There's two skeins of Bearfoot (yum!), the bright one with the green is Mountain Tango and the more reddish skein is Northern Lights, which has a bright orange streak in it that just isn't showing well in the pic. The two small ones are Heirloom "Argyle" in a neat burgundy color with a blue heathered bit to it. Then a Sockotta in a color and pattern I hadn't seen, it will stripe in pale pink, blue, and lavender with red flecks. Very different from my usual vivid color choices so that will be a fun change. The last big skein is Fortissima Socka Color in a neat gray with pink, blue and yellow bits. I also picked up a set of size 1 needles in the short 6-inch length to see how I like those for socks. The ones I'm using now are 7-inch.

Something interesting about that Bearfoot Mountain Tango color - yep Michelle, I copied you on the color! I don't know if it's just the pics, camera, etc. but this one looks tons brighter than yours. I know that Mountain Colors' dyelots vary considerably and I even saw two labelled Mountain Tango today that were very different in brightness. Different enough that I didn't even know they were the same color at all and was looking at both. We'll have to see how the finished socks compare once we get to that one. Maybe we can find a pattern we both like and see how our completed socks look? Just a thought, we'll see...

Now, in a moment of shame (or pride, depending on who you ask!).....I reveal the rest of my sock yarn stash, pre-today's additions:

Eep! Seeing it all spread out like that is kinda scary! So that looks like enough for 18 pairs...plus 5 new ones today...not too bad I guess...? The bags at the top are leftover bits from completed socks, someday I'll make funky socks from some of those.

Boxer-related content to follow soon.....!

Oh. My. Gawd.

2006-06-22T19:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, again no pics today. Sorry. Just had to share a great new thing I purchased. Alex and I were at the package store a couple of nights ago (he was looking for a new bottle of Scotch). I decided I'd look for something different for myself while there. Then, I thought it had been a long time since I had any Baileys and that sounded really tasty for a change. Went to check it out and there are new funky Baileys flavors. Now, I am not always one to go for these newfangled weird booze flavors, but the idea of my Baileys with a hint of caramel or chocolate mint just sounded really tasty. So, chocolate mint is a flavor that is hard for me to resist so I gave it a go - and it is great! Mostly like regular Baileys but with just a bit of minty chocolate goodness. Highly recommended!

Shocker!

2006-06-16T20:33:00.000-05:00

Okay, no pics and no real news today. I mean, come on, it should be amazing enough to you that I am actually blogging two, that's right TWO days in a row! So, all is well, no news, just a day at work today and dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant tonight. Yummy...spicy string beans.....!

Now the fun - saw this on another blog and thought it might be entertaining:

Take a look around you. Apart from your computer and its peripherals, and your computer desk/table/milk crate and chair, what, in order of their physical closeness, are the five things nearest to you right now?

1. Travis

2. Glass of Cabernet

3. Roscoe

4. Bag o' knitting on end table

5. Woven stitch sock (yet to be photographed for the blog)

Well, thought that might be fun but now that I read over it, I realize it's probably totally predictable. What can I say? I'm nothing if not consistent!

Off topic

2006-06-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

So, it's neither boxer nor knit but I wanted to show off my new rose! This is one of three new rosebushes I planted this year (now I have six!) and this is just possibly my very favorite of them all. Okay, one new one has yet to bloom, so we'll see... Just thought it was too neat not to share.

On the weekdays that I'm not working, I've been doing things around the house and keeping up with the flowerbeds, etc. Seems like the weeds have all decided to try and take over this year. Or, maybe I'm actually trying harder to keep it looking nice. And it's been raining so much that I want to get outside on the days that are nice!

Knitting is moving along. I'm trying to work down my sock yarn stash, it's getting a little out of hand.... I started a pair of woven-stitch pattern socks with the Sockotta I got in Old Saybrook when Michelle was in town. Also doing a basic pair of striped socks for Alex. I have several I want to get knitted up and some neat patterns waiting to be made. Pics to follow....

The boys are doing well and are much more settled now that they get more outside time to run around and play. Wintertime and then lots of rain just make them store up all that energy. They also get to go to doggie daycare once a week and come home tired and happy! If the weather stays nice I'll try to get the camera outside and take some pics of them having fun. Gotta go out and enjoy some more sunshine!

More Boxer

2006-05-20T07:28:00.000-05:00

So, I was told in no uncertain terms that my last post contained "too much knit, not enough boxer". Since I had more knitting to share this time, I thought I'd incorporate the boys in the photos...hope that appeases the crowd!

While down in Mystic the other day, I stopped in the yarn shop to check out their sock yarns, of course I couldn't leave without a couple of new additions to the stash! (Maybe next time I'll share a pic of the sock yarn stash.....maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure I want you all to see it!) These are Opal in "Ladybug" from the Rainforest Collection and Lana Grossa Meilenweit Fun & Stripes in a neat combo of muted tones, really like that one. (Don't remember the color number right now...) Both of these will make great stripey plain 'ol stockinette socks, gotta show off those cool stripes!

I have one fan who likes to give all the new yarn a good sniffing. I'm sure it's very important that he knows exactly where the yarn has been and who has handled it along the way.

Current sock progress:
I completed my first toe-up sock! No, it doesn't yet have a mate, but I am very proud of my first attempt with the short-row toe and heel. The yarn-over cable pattern gets a little lost in this yarn, but is pretty neat when it's stretched out on my foot. I'll do a better pic when I complete the pair. Below it is my next sock, a basic one for Alex. Yarn is Paton's Kroy in Denim Jacquard. I'm doing a plain stockinette, ribbed cuff, and am trying the forethought heel again, just because it looks really good with the self-striping yarns. I'm finding I have the most fun rotating the socks I'm working on - finish one, then go to the first sock of the next pair, finish first pair, and so on. Keeps me more interested with the change in the yarns and patterns.

And the Bearfoot socks? Done and done! (yeah, yeah, still have to weave in the ends...) This yarn is awesome! So cushy and soft, a little sheen and slick texture when knitting. Colors are great too. Just love it! I tried taking the pic of the socks on my feet to better show off the Garter Rib pattern. Pretty cool!

The only concern I had about the Bearfoot? As I was working on the second sock, my ball of yarn was getting dangerously small! I thought for a bit that I wasn't going to make it, but I just barely did. I wanted to show how little yarn I had leftover but needed a reference so you'd get the idea:

The Return of the Sock

2006-05-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

or "Okay okay, Michelle wins and I update my blog"

So, long time no blog. No good excuses, unless you consider laziness to be a good one. My knitting has pretty much been reduced to socks-only. There's some good ones though!

Here's a couple of regular pairs, my usual pattern (all these still need to have the ends woven in) - the left pair is Paton's Kroy in Krazy Stripes, and the right pair is KnitPicks Simple Stripes in Crayon:

This is the now-famous Jaywalker sock pattern, done in KnitPicks Simple Stripes in Sunset:

I had to make the first one a couple of times to tweak the pattern to fit well - apparently the small size was too small but the larger pattern would have been too big. These are just right! (Note the matching stripes!)

On to my work-in-progress socks...

This is the Welt Fantastic pattern (from Sensational Knitted Socks) done in Paton's Kroy, Hip Hop Jacquard colorway. I made this sock three times before it fit properly, so I'm not in too big of a hurry to make a mate for it. I'll get around to it soon I hope. I was sure the pattern wouldn't fit according to the sizes listed and fiddled with it, turns out I should have used the size in the book all along.....oopsie! Check out that forethought heel - how cool, huh? This was my first venture into a different type of heel or toe and it's a great choice for the self-striping yarn.

Okay, the current piece de resistance....when Michelle was here a couple of weeks ago, we headed down to the yarn shop in Old Saybrook and I splurged a bit on this yarn. It is Mountain Colors Bearfoot, and now I know why so many people have been raving over it's greatness. It isn't outrageously expensive, but more than what I've been spending for sock yarns. I finished the first sock last night and it is so yummy! This color is called "Elderberry", the right pic is a closeup of the pattern, Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks.

Just today I started a new sock and....drum roll please.....it is my first attempt at knitting a sock toe-up! I'm using the short-row toe pattern from SKS and will attempt the short-row heel when I get there. For the patterned top, I'm using the Yarn Over Cable pattern from same book. This is Knitpicks Sock Memories in the Grandma colorway. (They apparently are discontinuing several colors of their Merino sock yarns, so of course I had to order several at the clearance price...) Look at that - it's a toe!

Michelle asked how I like the sock book that I have - I guess the fact that these last three socks are from there says something... :) I think it's pretty good, lots of various patterns for solid and variegated yarns, and some good options for self-striping ones. I'm just starting to branch out and see how I like some different types of toes and heels, and the book has lots of options. I like how she gives the patterns according to gauge and foot size and not based on a particular yarn weight. So, I'd say so far so good! I have also heard good things about Folk Socks and Socks Socks Socks! so I'll have to look into those sometime.

In other news around here, that flowerbed we cleaned up and planted last fall is now in full bloom! I took a few pics a couple of weeks ago, now there are lots more tulips blooming but this gives you a good idea of how it's looking:

We also have these super neat red and yellow tulips in the flowerbed up by the house:

And how are the boys? Take a look:

Post-Xmas and A New Year

2006-01-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

So, took a hiatus over the holidays....just as I was getting back into the swing of posting a bit more frequently. Thought it was time to post some pics again!
The boys had a good Christmas, they each got a gift bag from my mom containing a bag of four or five little toys. As with kids, the best part is watching them open their gifts! It's these kinds of things where their personalities show through. First - Roscoe stuffs his giant head into the bag to root around for his gift. On the right - Travis rips into his bag, tossing tissue paper everywhere and tries to chew the toys right through their package...

Knitting news:

Some socks to send to my Mom and EJ - I sent him a pair last year and it turns out he loves them! Very nice to hear :)

I only posted a pic of my Chevron Scarf when it was being blocked, so here it is in all its glory:

And......drum roll please......Michelle has been requesting this one....my Branching Out scarf from Knitty. I used a heavier weight yarn than the pattern, but loved this color and thought I'd be more likely to wear a heavier scarf. Turned out pretty well I think.

One more thing:

Christine, this is for you! What do you think of this? It just might already be made up into something for you, just getting it blocked out nicely...the color is a bit darker and brighter in person, but I think you'll get the idea. It's very soft!

Show and Tell

2005-12-15T12:26:00.000-05:00

Time to catch up on all the things I haven't been posting about. Knitting is going crazy around here and I needed to show off some finished objects.

To the left, some completed socks! There's the green/blue pair I was working on for Alex. To the right of those, a pair for Alex made from some Magic Stripes that has been hanging out in the stash for a while. On the bottom, I finally made a mate for my one Sockotta sock - this yarn wasn't my favorite to work with since the cotton content makes it stiffer but now that they are washed they are so soft and one of my favorite pairs. The other two single socks waiting for a mate are my pink Broadripple socks from Knitty and a purple multicolor sock with a ribbed leg and top of foot, that makes it look ridiculously small but I promise it isn't!

To the right is my Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I love it! However, it folds in on itself horribly so I'm trying to block it flat. This section turned out decent so I wet and pinned out the middle third of it this morning. Hoping it works like I'm imagining!

Now below is the Irish Hiking Scarf I was working on, fully completed, blocked and so forth. Possibly one of my favorite knitted objects. It just turned out so neat and was a fun project to make.

Oh yeah, there's another completed pair of socks - catch is, I was wearing them while taking the pictures! These are the first pair I've made from Paton's Kroy sock yarn and I really like it. Story of me and Paton's Kroy: I went to AC Moore to pick up some pins to block a scarf with. Of course, had to check out the yarns and see if there was anything I "needed". Lo and behold, they started carrying Kroy! And lots of color selection, woo hoo! So, I had heard lots of people liked this yarn and it is very reasonably priced so of course I had to try some. (Okay, I bought enough for 3 pairs of socks.) A week or so ago I saw that AC Moore had an ad for all yarns 25% off - great, I'll go buy some more Kroy! Get to the store and there is NO Kroy!!! None! I even asked a saleslady and she said she guessed they were no longer carrying it! Well, boo hoo. Good thing I have a big sock yarn stash....

(Please pardon that taking a picture of one's own feet makes said feet look very odd...)

Now on to some pics of my favorite subjects - the boys! I mentioned in my last post that Roscoe had a surgery to remove a cyst on his back - here's a look at his big patch and stitches. He's fine now, got the stitches out the next week and has now grown most of his hair back. Earned the nickname "Patchy" for a while.

Now that many of you have received our Holiday cards, I thought it appropriate to share some outtakes from the holiday card photo shoot. You will see that Roscoe is trying his best to sit nicely in his scarf and look handsome for his family and friends. Travis, on the other hand, had to make things a bit more interesting....

And just for fun, some cute pics, one other good one from the holiday shots and one that I will call "waiting for Santa".

Still here...

2005-11-30T12:03:00.000-05:00

So, I make the decision to start a blog, then I follow up by neglecting it. Just updating on some things, no pics today.

Beer: Now Maple Brown and Alex's IPA are both on tap! We've ordered for our next few batches and should be brewing next week.

Knitting: I've been a knitting fiend! Finished the Irish Hiking Scarf pictured a little while back and started a couple of other scarves with the Knit Picks yarn I like so much. I've also been doing some socks of course, and some dishcloths for Christmas gifts for our moms.

Dogs: Roscoe had a cyst removed from his back/hip area last week. He's doing well, gets his stitches out on Friday, and is working on regrowing hair in the big square shaved patch around his owie. He also had some of his gum overgrowth removed while under anesthesia. Travis is, as always, Travis and is doing just fine. We just found out yesterday that friends of ours just brought home a little brindle boxer girlie named Chloe. Can't wait to get to meet her!

2005-11-09T14:16:00.000-05:00

Check it out, our new chimney! Okay, I'll admit it feels a little lame to be so excited about a chimney, but it is just so pretty! (We have to get a roofer out to tuck the flashing under the shingles, so that will be a little neater eventually.) Love it!
In case you don't remember (or never saw it), this is a view of the previous chimney - yuck! So much better now!

New toy? or...?

2005-11-06T16:37:00.000-05:00

What's this? That's right, we have beer on tap! I warned you there would be a surprise associated with the Maple Brown, didn't I?? Well, ta da!
The fridge will hold two kegs once we get another brewed and ready to go. (You can see the IPA we just brewed behind the glasses below.) Eventually we may add a tower tap or similar, but for now, we have BEER on TAP!!! And, did I mention that this Maple Brown is very very tasty?

A Day Late, But...

2005-11-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

Happy post-Halloween! I didn't get around to posting yesterday, but had to share our holiday fun. Alex insists we carve pumpkins every Halloween. My pumpkin, pretty traditional but I think it's a good effort: And now, presenting Alex's pumpkin....he says it's inspired by Sloth from "The Goonies". It got lots of attention from the trick or treaters last night:

In other news from the weekend, there's a new brew in the fermenter! (For those that don't know, Alex and I homebrew!) In the spirit of Fall in New England, we're making a Maple Brown Ale. Looks like it's going to be a tasty one! Stay tuned to the blog, in the next week or so there may be a surprise to go along with this beer.... Of course, there are always a couple of helpers on brew day:

Cool, huh?

2005-10-26T14:26:00.000-05:00

Finished Alex's socks (stay tuned for a photo...) and started one of the scarves with my new KnitPicks yarn:

Hmm...might have to take a closer pic so you can see how totally cool it is! The pattern is the Irish Hiking Scarf, it's an easy cabled pattern but looks really neat. Going much more quickly now that I learned to cable without a cable needle. (You can find out more about that here.) A good trick for simple cables!

I heart my new yarn!

2005-10-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

Ta da!
I had heard and read good things about KnitPicks and decided to order some yarn from them. The prices are almost too good so I didn't know exactly what to expect. Got the yarn yesterday and it is wonderful! Here's a pic, feel free to drool over it, covet it, etc.

I got four skeins each of their "Wool of the Andes" in Hollyberry and Stream. It's a basic wool, but the colors are really pretty. Also four skeins of "Sock Landscape" (100% Merino wool and oh so soft!), two each of Rocky Mountain Dusk and Spring Prairie. Everything is for scarf projects, but I'm going to have to resist making cushy socks from that Merino! (And I can hear Michelle all the way up in Plattsburgh groaning "aaghh, more scarves!" Tee hee!) The colors of the yarns, especially the sock yarn, are much more lively and vibrant than they looked on my monitor and I just love them! Must make myself finish Alex's sock before starting something with my new yarn!

I'm planning on making a couple of these with the solid wools, maybe one for me and one for a gift. And the multicolor yarns for the "Chevron Scarf" from Last Minute Knitted Gifts - love that book! Will post progress soon!

Socktastic

2005-10-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

Or is it "Socktacular?"
Well whatever, the point is I love knitting socks! It's getting cool enough in the evenings that we've been breaking out the pairs I knitted last winter and I've been digging through my yarn stash to start working on some more. Not sure what the attraction is, maybe it's that they have enough difficulty to keep my interest (but are still pretty easy) or, most likely, it is the huge array of cool brightly colored and patterned sock yarns available. I usually make a fairly standard top-down pattern, I'm thinking the next pair I might do some sort of pattern or texture on the top and cuff, just for a change. Wait - I still have another single sock to make a mate for first....that'll be after the current one.

Above you'll see the current project (okay, one of three or so on the needles, but currently the only sock) - it is the second sock to a pair I'm making for Alex. I made the first back in the spring and am finally getting around to the mate.

A Blog

2005-10-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog! I realized I often have something I want to share with friends but am too lazy to send individual emails/photos to everyone. Soooo, here we go, I'll give the blog thing a try. I will do my best to update frequently and want to show off pics of the pooches and my knitting projects. (However, no promises to challenge another friend's ability to post every day! That honor belongs only to her!) To start us off, a cute pic of my boys snoozin' on the couch:

Boxerknit

I was bad...

My New Love

Riddle

Keeping Warm

Back so soon?

Still here...

30-ish

Third time is the charm...

New goodies!

Oh. My. Gawd.

Shocker!

Off topic

More Boxer

The Return of the Sock

Post-Xmas and A New Year

Show and Tell

Still here...

New toy? or...?

A Day Late, But...

Cool, huh?

I *heart* my new yarn!

Socktastic

A Blog

I heart my new yarn!