I know......

It's been several days since my last post, but really, I've been busy!

Miss "P" was here for the weekend, so not a lot of knitting was done. We did go to the farm however, to see Nanny & Papa, it was their 50th Anniversary. That just reminds me of how old I'm getting. But anyway "P" took some pictures.

Not bad for a 4 year old.

Any hoo.....I was just reading the Harlot, and it sounds like my stash diet is going better than hers. I'm almost through February. I have to knit two sweaters by April, and I know that is helping me from buying yarn, but I just wish I had time to knit some of the stuff I have waiting in my room, maybe soon!!!!

So first up: I whipped up these a couple of weekends ago for a customer of mine who's having a new grandchild (delivery is Friday). Ruth's perfect baby booties , (the pattern can also be found on Ravelry) and a cabled toque from an old Sirdar leaflet. Knit with Sirdar Snuggly DK Fairisle yarn and 3-3/4mm needles. I used on 50g ball.

Second: This is Julie's Ladies Tulip sweater. Have I said how much I love this yarn? The colours are gorgeous.

And Third: The Shannon pullover using the 100% Alpaca. The pattern is from Canaan Mohair, but I don't believe they have a website anymore.

Oh well, I been sitting here to long, back to knitting.

Tulips for Women.....

The best part of knitting for Julie is that I get to bring new yarn home, and I'm not adding it to my stash!!!

Up next: Tulips for Women----Dream in Color Classy yarn

Check out these gorgeous colours!

Isn't she lovely.....

It's done! Tomorrow will be button shopping.
Pattern: Baby Dress (leaflet) size 18 months

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Silk. -- colour 143 Papaya

Needles: 3.25mm

All can be purchased at The Needle Emporium

This was a lovely pattern to knit and it only took me 5 days. The ruffle wasn't so bad (casting on 501 sts) and the body is knit in one piece to the armholes. The shoulders are done with a 3-needle bind off, then the sleeves are picked up with dpn's and knit in the round. Virtually no seams other than sewing the front bands down together. Only the two top buttons are used with buttonholes and rest will be sewn on through both bands and are just decorative. What a concept. I love it.
The Blue Sky Alpaca is lovely to knit with. It almost felt like I was knitting with cotton. I'll post another picture once I have the buttons.

EDIT: How perfect are these? I can't believe I found a colour to match!

Sick time = knitting time....

There's nothing fun about being sick, except uninterupted knitting time.
Looks like I came down with that yukky virus everyone's getting. So, that means alot of movies and knitting for a couple of days.
First up: Baby dress for Julie. Blue Sky Alpaca Silk. I kept putting off starting this because casting on 501 stitches for the ruffle was not an appealing factor for this project. But once I did that, it was smooth sailing and decreasing. This is how much I have done today. I'll be picking up for the sleeves later today. Second: I dropped off the pullover for Leslie, and she just got in her order of commercially dyed and spun Alpaca. This batch is 100% alpaca and the colour is periwinkle. It's a little on the fine side, about a sport weight, so I'm doing a pullover I made a few years ago. I'll have pictures once I get a little farther.

Not just a another sock....

Well I did it....I designed my own sock. It wasn't so hard afterall, just finding a pattern I liked.

Pattern: my own

Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug-- colour 71 Fire

Needles: 2.5mm

I looked through my pattern books and found the Diamond Drops stitch. Quite simple really, just a yo, K2, psso both the knit stitches, then a plain knit row, then move the slip stitch over two and another knit row. Easy, Peasy! A nice picot edge top and voila! My Dragon Sox!This yarn is very lovely, but just not enough yardage as far as I'm concerned. With this pattern and doing a 6" cuff I thought I would have enough yarn. But no way, I had to break into a second skein, and of course the handpaint colour was a little different than the first one so I had to alternate the two strands so you wouldn't notice the difference. There was no way I was ripping out the first sock and starting over. So, if you want a pair from one skein you'll be making ankle socks. I might try a pair of Monkeys with a short cuff with what I have left!

Egads....it's nasty outside.....

What do you do after working in this all day? (Please appreciate your mail delivery person today!!)
Sit down with a warm cup of tea, and enjoy knitting from stash! So far I've got through January. This will be my Tuscany Shawl from No Sheep for You, knit with Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn from my stash.Then, I will be perusing through my new book to see what I can knit with my new needles. (Needles and patterns are not included in Knitting from my Stash 2008!)And these were also gifted to me by someone who is supposed to be saving her money to pay for a wedding!!!!!

Horray for Miss P...

Looks like Miss "P" will be set for awhile. Between me and Momma, how may do you think she'll get? This will definitely help me through some worsted weight stash! Did I tell you Cabin Fever is one of my favorite sites? And check this out for the new baby! Thanks Valerie.And no little missy, that snowman doesn't look like gramma!!!!

What I did after my vacation...

I'm really enjoying a few quick knits right now.

With all the frigid weather we've been having lately I wanted to make a dog sweater for a friend at work. She has a West Highland Terrier and "Hamish" really doesn't like the cold.

This pattern is from an old Beehive book #115.

Yarn: Smart DK Super wash by SandnesGarn 50g balls

( I didn't use a whole ball or red and a small amount of grey and black)

Needles: 4mm and 3mm for I-cord edge.

Modifications: The pattern called for a zipper in the front neck opening (not with dog fur I say).

So I did garter stitch bands with buttons. Much more practical if I do say so, and I also made a knitted band with a buttonhole for the belly strap. Then I finished off the edge with an I-cord edging instead of a crocheted one. (similar to the Tulip Sweater)

Ode to my holiday.....

Well, today is the last day of my week off....back to work tomorrow! But it has been a successful week.
Friday: I finished the Umbrella sweater for Miss "P".
Pattern: Umbrella ( Miss Bea's Colours--Louisa Harding)
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton colour: lime leaf, 6--50gm balls
Needles: 4mm, 5mm
It fit to a tee!
Saturday: Mr. D wanted to go for a drive again yesterday, so I started a new sock for the stash club. I'm making my own pattern and if all goes well, I'll post it later on. We stopped at a few of our favorite antique shops and I found these.I was so envious of Alisha's grandmother's gravy jug that I had to have one too. I just couldn't decide which one I liked best, so I bought both.

Today is so cold, I'm tempted just to sit down with my hot cup of Timmie's, a good movie, and start Oblique! (I have the yarn in my stash)

I need more time off.....

So, what do you do with a week off of work?
On the weekend...I finished the Hand spun Alpaca for the farm. This was 100% hand spun from Leslie's prize alpaca Condor. I used 4 & 5mm needles and made my own pattern. I used approximately 1000g and it's sized M/L. About a 45" chest.

Monday... I finished a small hoodie for a co-worker who just had a baby girl. 9 lb.3oz. Knit from my stash (whoohoo). Pattern: Easy Baby Cardigan by Knitting Pure & Simple (free download). Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Tiny Tots. I used 2 1/2 balls.Tuesday... I started a pair of Fetching. Finished on Wednesday on our road trip. Also knit for the farm with 100% hand spun alpaca. And I started a headband, but I'm not happy with it so I'm toying around with another idea and will start that this afternoon.While on our travels yesterday, I found A Treasury Of Rowan Knits at an antique shop. I think I found the cardigan for my birthday yarn. I also started my new sock , pictures to follow after I make some progress.
I know it's only been 3 weeks and I'm doing okay with knitting from my stash, (I did notice most of you think I'll fall off the wagon by spring) but certain people are making it very hard by posting new yarns. Scroll down and check out FOG! They know my weaknesses. ARG!!!!!
And I must say I am getting some great support from friends. Angelika sent me this link and I will be joining this one. I may not make a pair of socks every month, but I will be making socks from my stash.

So KNIT ON, my friends!

Thank you Julie...

I almost forgot to post this. A perfect gift from Julie! A girl can never have too many sheep. I'll post the others later this week.

I think it's time to show your's too, Wannietta!

Don't forget to enter my contest, you have till January 30th! I'm still holding on strong but the temptation is very hard. I think Samantha is right, I am yarn obsessed!!!!!

Quizzie....

Thanks Wannietta!

Rhonda --

[noun]: A person who is constantly high

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Yes Wannnietta, high on yarn!

Stash-o-holic... contest.

Well I figured out how to make a button. So here it is!The rules are simple... Knit from your stash.
The only yarn I will purchase will be for gifts that require yarn not in my stash.
Everyone is welcome to use this button, just save it to your own server, please and thank-you.

So I think a contest is in order. Leave a comment with a date of when you think I will fall off the stash wagon and the closest entry will win something from my stash.
I will be trying my darn'dest not to fall off the wagon. (At least for awhile.)

P.S.: (Note to self: Do not drift off in front of the TV, with knitting in lap and tea in hand.)

A New Year...

A new year, and a new beginning! I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions, but instead I plan on making a few changes.

First: Getting organized! Mr. D was a great help with this one. I saw this in Knitter's Winter 2007, and thought, "I need this". Cost: about $130 (Home Depot)....labour: free!My old system for storing my yarn was a good one at the time, but I couldn't see what I actually had. This is my new "Wall of Wool"!

I found yarn I forgot I had, and the saddest part is, I remember exactly which projects I had planned on knitting. I have yarn for felting, for sweaters and I see a few baby items. (new one due in June)

Second: I need more socks! I think I can knit a few pair from this.

And last but not least: I will be trying very hard to knit from my stash in 2008! I will be making a button soon just to remind me. (as soon as I can figure out Photoshop)

So now that's all out in the open, on to the first finished project of 2008!

Pattern: The Tulip Baby Cardigan knit for the Needle Emporium (kits available)
Yarn: Dream in Color, Classy
Needles: 4.5mm, 3.75mm straights and dpns
I love, love, love this pattern, and the yarn is wonderful to knit with.
I started it on Saturday and finished on Tuesday! 4 days...time well spent!

I present to you Baillie Bear (I still have him Julie) wearing The Tulip Baby Cardigan! He's the perfect model. Never complains and does exactly what I ask of him! And he's so darn cute. Julie gave him to me as a kit for my birthday some years back, and he is the only bear I have ever sewn. I love him to pieces, and I think he deserves a few more sweaters.