Ahhhhh!

It's so crispy in Philadelphia! I love this time of year.


I've made some progress on a vest for my soon to be 2(!) year old.





I've used my ASU handspun(seen in my last post) and some dark brown alpaca. I really need to sew up the sides and do the arm holes an neck ribbing. It's been sitting in a bag, so close to being finished, for a month. Tisk tisk.





I've knit socks from the Basan yarn (also in the last post). They'll be a gift for ---------. I'm sure this person doesn't read my blog, but maybe....


I've also knit a hot water bottle cozy from wool a friend brought to me from Ireland. I never use hot water bottles, but now I will find reasons to!





I knit my sweet baby a handsome sweater from Wool Ease. I love this yarn. Period. The pattern is free on the Lion brand website too(I improvised a little, though). I think it's perfect for jumping in leaves.



The change in season, and the latest issue of Spin Off, have inspired me to try some natural dyeing. I'm thinking walnuts. So, I stopped under a walnut tree in Pennypack Park today. I jumped out of my car with a bag and started filling it with walnuts. The people in the parking lot(with the packing tape back window and a tennis ball on their antenna)looked at me like I was a loon. It was kinda awesome. Anyhow, I smashed them up with a hammer and have them soaking in a bucket. Either I'm very much channeling the "pioneer spirit" or I am ghetto beyond all belief. All will be revealed in the wool. And probably the next post.

Some Finished Business

Yo!
Here are a few (a very few) finished object photos:




This is "A Somewhat Seussish Trout" from the ASU spin along on Ravelry. It's Polwarth, which is a new fiber for me. I spun my 4 oz. into a worsted weight chain ply. Super cushy yarn!





This is half of my Basan Sheep to Shoe Kit from BMFA spun into a 3 ply fingering weight. I must note that this fiber was the smoothest SW Merino I've ever spun. There were almost no "beebles"( Those little mats of fiber that get on my nerves. I don't know what their official name is.) It's destined to become socks.





Here's a modified Oz Vest for the new little boy on my husband's side of the family. I used left over yarn from Griff's blanket, so yay for stash reduction and thriftiness!





I finished these socks that I knit from the yarn I spun from CMF SW Merino Roving. The color is Suzie Q but I like to think of it as One Last Kiss. I'm allowed to. It's my yarn.

Oh yes. And a little sweetness...

Shore!

This post will have a little bit of a theme.


I just finished my Citron from Knitty. I used the laceweight that I spun from the Allspunup April/May Spin along BFL/ Silk roving. The roving is named "Ice Cave", but I really think of deep blue ocean water when I look at it. Therefore, I've named my project The Seascape Shawl.

We have been to the zoo and the beach several times, as of late. Griff needs to run and those are both fantastic places to run.


This was taken in Wildwood, NJ (and the hot dog wasn't the weirdest thing we saw that day).

Here's a photo of the socks I'm knitting with my own 3-ply SW merino.



Not really part of the beach theme, but nice to look at. :)

See you soon!

And 9 months later....

...I check in.
Between Facebook, Ravelry and my energetic son, I don't really think about my blog anymore. I'm going to stop in periodically, and will keep it, but things will just be slow around here. You know, like they have been. :)





My son is 19 months old and huge and a big fan of mud. He's into all the things that boys tend to be into and has a wonderful sense of humor. I'm a lucky Ma Ma!





I've been spinning...












...and dyeing.....






...and knitting.










I've been busy!

I'll check in again soon!

It's been, like, forever.

Hello!
The baby is officially ours and is 10 months old now.




I don't know if you can tell, but he's HUGE. People aren't asking if they can hold him as much, and I'm guessing it's because he looks like back pain waiting to happen. He's a sweet and happy kid and we're even happier parents.




I don't get much knitting done, but I've done a little.



Knit for me from Red Heart and Sole.



I finished these for my MIL and gave them to her for Mother's Day.

I've knit a few other things but haven't gotten any photos of them. Maybe they'll show up when I post in 5 months. :)

Five Months! Count 'em!

Life is good! Here's The Griff in his new sweater. This is the Kai pattern from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms. The yarn was a "kitchen cotton" kind of thing from good 'ol WalMart. I have half a cone left! I washed the yarn and put it in the dryer to preshrink it and to soften it a little. It's really not too bad!

Ive started Brigit socks in DIC Smooshy.



I've been working on the Vintage Velvet Scarf off and on. The yarn is Touch Me in Ashes of Roses I'll probably finish it in July...



I made some socks for gifts, as well...



These are for my Brother in Law, knit in KP Risata.




And, these are Log Cabin Socks in Wool Ease for my Mother in Law's birthday.

I hope to write more than once every three months from now on! :)

Update!

Yay! He's still here! I'm sorry if I left any one hanging. He will be 11 weeks old on Saturday. Only 5 more until we can really breathe!



Oh yeah, and he's awesome!

I've knit some gifts. Apple Sweaters for the girls at work...



A Leaf Cravat(from an old Interweave Knits)for a wonderful friend...



...and a few things I can't post here.

I hope everyone fully enjoys and appreciates their holiday(whatever that may be). Don't let the economy, or other troubles, Scrooge you out of the best time of the year. You don't get another one for 12 months, so cut loose and party!

I Have a Really Good Excuse for Not Keeping Up...

This is Griffin. On Friday he should be one step closer to being mine(and I'll share him with my husband, I guess). He was born on October 11th and he was placed in our arms moments after he was born. The Birth Mom (who is a very sweet person)signs over her rights on Friday. Then we wait 4 months for the Birth Dad(who is officially unknown)to show up. If he doesn't, we finalize it and Griffin is stuck with us! Poor kid!

Here he is in a sweater I knit for him.



He's completely annoyed that I'm delaying his date with a bottle here. That just adds to the whole dastardly pirate look I was going for. Arrrgh!

I must say, I love a man who wears what I knit and has nothing to say about it.

The Baby Next Door

Well, the neighbors have a brand spankin' new baby. It's always amazing to me that all humans start out so small. Anyhow, new babies mean gift knitting! I made a blanket.



This is no wimpy, thin, sportweight baby blanket. It's worsted, which makes it cushy and a little weighty. Perfect because winter is right around the corner. I used Caron Simply Soft Paints and Louisa Harding's pattern from Natural Knits.

I've made some progress on Monkey socks, meant to be a Christmas gift, in Patons Stretch Socks.



I feel pretty awesome that I have a Holiday project just about finished in September. I have to admit that I love Christmas so much that I start planning for it in August. I've even purchased my wrapping paper melange(I must always have a theme) for this year. But I rarely find myself ahead on the Christmas knitting. Wheee!

Closure

I've finished 2 more projects.



I put some buttons on the Mossy Jacket in Moda Dea Vision. I really like the look of shell buttons. They sort of "class up" any garment. I got these from an old jacket, so I've been all "green" and recycled something. Yay!

Here are the finished Leafy Lace socks photographed on a piece of fabric my husband brought home from Africa.



This was a great pattern! Everything made with Trekking XXL turns out gorgeous, doesn't it.

Currently I'm making some scarves and stuff to sell on Etsy and a cowl for my boss. I'll post photos of the cowl when it's done.

Have a good one!

My Away-cation

I thought I needed to specify, you know with everyone on stay-cations. We were in Florida for 2 weeks! We even got to out run Fay!!!! Wheee!

While I was there, I soaked up some sun and knit some baby stuff!




This is a little raglan turtleneck knit in the round from Patons "Grace".



Thia is another Oz vest knit in NaturallyCaron.com "Country".




These are some tiny baby socks I knit from leftovers of Opal Rainforest Tiger and Sockotta.



This is a Mossy Jacket knit in Moda Dea "Vision". It still needs buttons. It was supposed to be good for a boy or girl, but it's really more girlie. I'll give it away if we end up with a boy.

I've made a little progress on the Schurch socks, too.