Something finished, something frogged

What a fun little project this turned out to be. I got to try some new stitches, finished something in a relatively short amount of time and my sister really liked it. I need to find out what the Mom-to-be thought of it next time I talk to sis.

Back on the needles is husbands sweater. Ripped out both sleeves back to the cuffs and I also ripped back the body to about 3 inches below the arms. Both sleeves have since been re-knit modifying the pattern so that the cuffs start at an X-small and increase up to the size medium. Working on the body presently taking that from the X-small we did at the waist to medium at the chest. If this still doesn’t work/fit right I may have a lovely green and black yarn being given away to the first blog reader who sends me their address.

On other fronts, I bought a new wireless photo printer because the kids had finally destroyed our old printer and what fun I am having with this one. I can sit down at the kitchen table with my work laptop, check out my email and when my interweave newsletter gives me a link to a free pattern I just push print and magic happens. A beautiful, color copy of the pattern is waiting for me in the storage closet (where I stashed the printer). I love technology when it works!

Swing Coat Done

Yippee! The swing coat is done.

Serenity Shared

Last week I opened my home to some fiber friends. We shared laughter and fiber, patterns and food. I gave them a tour of my home and barn. We visited the ducks. Best of all we just spent time together on a beautiful sunny fall day. Maple brought me fiber to spin. This has not happened yet but it will. Cary brought fiber and some mill spun yarn that wasn't as planned. She had requested it be spun into 3-ply sock weight but the machinery was sick that day and before it was noticed her 30 pounds of fiber had become mostly worsted weight with a few odd spins thrown in for variety. This beautiful yarn immediately spoke to me. I had a new technique I wanted to try called a Baltic Braid. Could I incorporate the braid and a simple cable into a hat? Would I like it? More importantly, would a picky teenager like it?



Success is mine!

Note to friends...the pattern is written. The plan is to share it and the Baltic Braid during the January fiber group meeting.

Ballaghaderreen Finished

I finished my Maggiknits Ballaghaderreen Cardi last night. This morning I quick knotted some buttons on so I could wear it to church. The rest of the day has been crazy busy with soccer and cooking and baking so it took me until after dark to take a poor picture for posting here. Hopefully I will find time this week to take a better picture for Ravelry.

A Short Visit

I finished my rambling rows jacket this week. Pattern from Cottage Creations, cream yarn was recycled from a sweater I made my husband 25 years ago when he was my boyfriend. It was in the donation box and I had always loved the feel of the yarn...so I disassembled, washed and finally chose this pattern to remake it. I ran short of yarn when I got near the end of the sleeves so finishing digressed from the original pattern which calls for cuffs and a button band. My version has kimono type sleeves with I-cord edging around cuffs, collar and front. Chose Plymouth Encore Colorspun in colorway 7512 with the help of Mary.

While taking my photos to share I had a short visit from a friendly butterfly. I think he saw the camera and decided to get in on the action since he posed for several shots before continuing on with his daily flight.

I'm still here...

I'm still here...just been busy weeding and raking and knitting and doing the Mom thing. A quick catch up on the last 8 weeks.

Garden is in. Lovely Michigan weather means we have had to cover plants for frost warnings 3 times now. The last one took out about a dozen tomato and pepper plants so we just picked up some more. Gotta have enough plants for the salsa and spaghetti sauce.

Finished daughter number 1's Holy Moly just in time to wear it for Short Ones First Communion. Here we are in our fancy clothes.

Daughter number 2 has now requested a Holy Moly of her own since the little sweater we found at Sears is a little big. I have the back done up to the armholes compliments of hang out time on Mother's day.

Items I've managed to finish -
Sweater for Alpaca with a Twist (sorry forgot to take a picture before shipping it off).
Last February's sock, pattern is Hellen's Socks, yarn is from Live On.


Track meets have been good for knitting time. Got a dishcloth done for the kitchen supply cabinet and finished sock one 'Little Sky Sock' in Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters. Need to make the pair to this guy to figure out a couple of things I did wrong on the first sock.

Knitting goals for the summer are to work my way through the remaining socks in Cat's book, try a mobieus scarf, finish a few UFOs and hopefully add a couple of designs to the Etsy store. I better go get busy.

Holy Moly

I finished my Holy Moly Bolero. Now working on the same pattern in a smaller size for daughter number 1. Used yarn that has been in the stash for at least 20 years. Pattern came from December 07 issue of Knit N Style. Made my sleeves 3/4 length instead of long. Daughter is talking about short sleeves for hers.


In case any of my knitting buddies visit...I did not attend the knitting circle tonight because I am fighting a cold. Thought we would all appreciate me sharing my knitting via my blog and keeping my germs to myself. Hope to see you all next week.

Update on the cotton and knitting projects

I had a request from Jean about my cotton growing venture today so I thought I would provide some more information for her and an update for anyone else who is interested. Along with a quick note on the knitting projects.

Cotton status, as of today, I still have 4 of the original 10 cotton plants which went outdoors (3 green cotton plants and 1 white). The plants are approximately 12 inches tall and appear to be getting some type of seed in the center just below the top leaves. I tried to get a picture of this but it got too fuzzy when I zoomed in. So I have only included an overall picture of the plant.


In the knitting arena I currently have 3 projects I am actively working on.

My Journey Shawl grew considerably during the Maine vacation but I wasn't happy with some parts of the pattern. Originally, I was going to continue on and just do another one using what I had learned with this one but last night I changed my mind. So I ripped out (is this what people refer to as frogging???) about 4 inches of the shawl, back to the part of the pattern I was not happy with. I have now started back in finishing out the cables and converting over to a simple lace pattern but this time I have included a border to separate the cables from the lace and will hopefully not make quite so many errors on the lace portion.

Another project is a rambling rows cardigan for myself from yarn I recycled from a sweater I had made my husband when we were dating (approximately 17 years ago). He wore it rarely and was getting rid of it. I always loved the yarn so I took the sweater apart and am making one for myself. I have completed the back and am working on the front right side currently. Pictures will be provided someday.

Final project is a double knit hot pad in a yellow and green check pattern. I made one for my sister-in-law last fall which she really enjoys so I started another to place in the etsy shop if I ever finish it.

Now, more cotton details for those who are interested. Everyone else may want to stop reading now unless you are having trouble with insomnia, then by all means continue.

March 12, 2007 - received 3 varieties of cotton seeds (white, red and green) from mail order
March 15, 2007 - planted seeds in 4 inch peet pots filled with Miracle Grow potting soil. 12 (6 white, 3 red, 3 green) pots were placed in bay window with an eastern exposure. Remaining 3 pots (1 of each type) were placed at a western exposure window. Watering was done as needed to keep the pots moist.

Late May, 5 white, 2 red and 3 green pots had sprouted. All 3 in western exposure sprouted and 7 in Eastern exposure. Plants varied from just a couple leaves to up to 5 leaves. Placed on screened in back porch to harden off in preparation for planting outdoors. Continued to water as needed.

June 2, approximately 11 weeks after starting the plants, they were transferred outside to a full sun location on the corner of the property. Soil in the outside location is just regular dirt (I added nothing special to improve it) although, it is some of the better soil we have on the property since we have a lot of clay which is like growing in rocks. For the first 3 weeks, I watered pretty much daily unless I got help from Mother Nature. Since then it has been just as needed. I lost all but 4 plants usually to the sun burning them off but one was killed by an over-helpful husband, I still have 1 white and 3 green plants. In hind site I shouldn't have planted some of the smaller plants out until they got 4 or 5 leaves on them.

Hope that helps Jean. If you or anyone else has more questions let me know.