Lunch Time Knitting

I work in one of the few retail companies where you get an hour for lunch.  I have always been one to eat my food in about 20 minutes if I don't go out to get it.  That usually leaves me with about 40 minute with a whole lot of nothing to do.  It took me awhile, after I started knitting, to figure out that I could bring some to work with me and make use of that relatively uninterupted 40 minutes. I really had to smack myself in the forehead pretty hard when I realized that instead of playing games on my itouch I could be productive and knit.  I'm having issues with idle hands.   I now have a pretty good system of projects bags and an carry-all Wonder Woman bag that gets my knitting to work.  I usually have two projects going one for home and one for work. But there are times when I want to work on that work project so I take them back and forth every day.

Retail can also be very stressful. And there are days whenI have no desire to talk to anyone.  I have both my ear buds and am either watching or listening to something very important. Lately, it has been the video podcast, heretofore known as vlog,  Knitting Blooms.  I was introduced to this by my friend Margaret.  She is also a knitter and this is her friend.  She sent me an email about this blog quite awhile ago but I was in the middle of another podcast obsession.  That's another story. 

I started watching this blog on my iPhone propped up against my lunchbox as I ate my lunch and knit.  I was so engrossed with it that I began to watch it at home while getting dinner ready.  I was hoping that it would last me a couple of months of lunches.  No such luck. I became obsessed.  I watched it while cleaning up after dinner. Before I knew it, I was caught up and had to wait a week.  The sad disappointment I felt rivaled my 4yr old when I told her Christmas was a month away.

Fortunately, she has recommended to me some others that I may need to check out.  I think I'll start with Dramatic Knits.  It has a theatrical theme and well, I have the degree. This might be a good thing for me.

Work in progress...

It's the beginning of a triangle shawl.  Again I take the (no) pattern from Knitting Rules.  I think that once I work out the structure of it I can handle making a more complicated one.

Finished Object

My big honking scarf...

It's not a pretty knit.  I still don't get changing colors.  It's not a particular flattering knit and it's an acrylic chenille. But I don't care. It's long, soft and  crazy warm so ... *insert raspberry here*  Sorry, I'm a little sensitive. During the making of this I had some issues with some members on a knitting board regarding the yarns origins. I don't belong to that board anymore.

Next...

My little cuff

It's my own little pattern made of Simply Soft. I broke my wrist about a decade ago and when winter comes along it aches. I wear this one to work so I don't have to worry about it getting messed up.   I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier.

Time to put a munchkin to bed. Bye for now!

It's Been A Long Hot Summer...

.And not very conducive to knitting.  Summertime is hard for knitting as it is.  There is lot to do on the house and trying to squeeze a few veggies out of my overheated vegetable plants.  I did get to do some as I sat for a few moments to watch tv in the evenings.  That didn't really happen all that often either but I did get a few things worked on.


When it finally cooled off in September I started knitting like crazy.  Below are some pics on what I have been working on.

First off is Tiger's Blanket.  As promised at Tulsa Fiber Fest I made the most loved animal (in the house) a blanket from the chosen yarn.  The pattern is "Little Fountain" lace pattern from The Knitting Directory by Allison Jenkins.  I think there is more life for this lace pattern.
















 The yarn is falkland wool from The Alpaca Legacy.  It's a local company.  I really liked knitting with the yarn but I'm not sure it's good for a 4yr olds toy.  I noticed the other day that there a couple of spots on the edge where the yarn broke.  It seems to be holding up though it spends a good portion of the night wrapped around the most loved Tiger.

 The pattern is "The No-Pattern Hat with Rolled Brim" from Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. This book is turning out to be my go to book for basic patterns.  It is dog-eared, highlighted and well loved.  Almost as much as Tiger.  I'm not very good at following patterns.  I easily lose my place.
She gives basic rules for making basic knitted clothing.  I think my next projects from the book will be a triangle shawl.

The yarn is from Bernat. It's from a  discontinued natural blends line.  It is a acrylic, nylon and cashmere blend.  It is very soft but durable enough for a 4yr. old.  I've had it in the stash for a couple of years. It was on sale at Michael's and I couldn't pass it up.

Em loves the hat so much I didn't have a chance to cut the cast on tail.  The next day at school she wore it all day and was more than a little warm.  I'm also making a matching striped scarf. I wish I knew how to do mittens to have a complete matching set. Yet, another thing to add to the Learning List.

This is a really long scarf from the left over yarn that once was a blanket and an abandoned kitty pillow. There was a lot left over and I needed a new scarf. There was enough to do a really long one.  It's all knit stitch.  The edges are a little rough I'm still trying to figure out this stripe thing and the weaving in thing.

I've recently decided that I need to make my household cleaning cloths.  The red ones are for doing the dishes. I made 5.  the Star Trek ones are for bath time. The pattern is Baby Trekkie Washcloth.  The red ones are a simple moss stitch with a border.

This is a little swatch hat made out of Cascade Yarns Cherub DK color #10.  I have an idea  for a project in this yarn. I had to test the yarn to see if I like it. This is my first time with a small gauge acrylic.  Getting started was rough.  It is very stretchy.  I eventually got there with it.  It's a perfect newborn size. A gift is at the ready although it needs some embellishment.



Now that the weather has cooled down I am spending more time indoors with needles in hand. Trying to get the cold weather gear for the family.

Cheers

Socks

I have finally completed my first pair and Em's second pair of sock's. My socks fit ok hers... not so much. I think I'm getting it, but I'm not sure.   Let's look at the evidence.
Exhibit A








They are a general sock shape and fit my feet.

Exhibit B








I managed to turn a short row heel. There is a gaping hole at the corner that I had to fix in post production. Or at least reduce to the point where I don't play with it every time I wear the socks. The goal is to have something to wear at home that keeps the toes warm and comfy.



I have to admit that I love how the sock hugs my foot. At least for now it feels like a little foot massage.

Exhibit C

Apparently, I have no clue how tall an ankle length sock should be.  I thought I had measured to an appropriate point.  I used Jenny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.  I really like how it turned out.  This pic is pre-washing.  It pulled in a little to look more normal.

Exhibit D

Again with the heel? Maybe I need to do a couple of extra rows before returning to the cuff.  Hmmmm....

At the moment I'm being a good mommy and trying to complete my daughters request fora blanket for her tiger.  I'm doing a simple lace pattern with a yarn from the fiber fest.  I do like how the color pools.   There is plenty of yarn left I need to figure out what I want.  Maybe a new scarf?

Tulsa Spring Fiber Fest

This past Sunday Em and I went to our first fiber festival.  Tulsa Spring Fiber Fest  was at this lovely barn near a pond in the wilds of South Tulsa.  It's a very picturesque spot and it was a sunny, warm and just a perfect day.

The first thing we saw upon arrival were the alpacas.  They came from J R Alpaca's (Just Right) in Jones, OK.  They are just lovely animals.  I was very proud of Em. She walked right up and gave the animal a quick pet.

I tried lead her into the barn to look at the yarn.  Em had then discovered the rosebushes and the lovely flower that were starting to bloom.  She had to run over there and look at the flowers. I finally got her to go into the barn by telling her that I would let her pick out some yarn for the blanket she's been asking me to make for her Tiger. I got a bright "ok mommy!" We walk into the barn and run into a soap maker who is also selling various bath duckies probably from Oriental Trading.  She did a cool thing of embedding them into a bar of soap.  We ended up purchasing a bar with a little yellow frog in the middle.

I finally reach a yarn vendor and Em starts asking to go to the zoo. Sigh...  I told her that it was Mommy's turn to look and she needed to pick out some yarn for the Tiger blanket she asked for.  She immediately turns around and picks up a skein of purple variegated.  "Don't you want to see what all the choices are?" I asked.  She shakes her head "no."  Ok, I look at the yarn and it's a soft Falkland wool from Legacy Yarns. She's been on a purple kick lately. I should be grateful she didn't pick the much more expensive 100% alpaca that was right next to it.

The second vendor I got to look at was Dawning Dream Yarns.  I got some lovely hand painted superwash wool in a ice blue and white colorway.

I think the first one I'll work on is the Tiger Blanket.  She proudly carried the bag with this in it the whole time we were there. Which to be honest wasn't much longer, but it was hers.

I really didn't get the chance to take a good look at all the vendors.  Em was fired up to go to the zoo,wwhich we eventually did. 

I was surprised to see how much alpaca was there.  After doing a little research I discovered that there are quite a few alpaca farms in Oklahoma.  There is a site called Alpaca's of Oklahoma.  They have a site listing about 30 in state.  Most of which are in the general vicinity of Tulsa.  Interesting.

And just because it was cute

Wicca had to check out the addition to the stash

Productivity

Lately, it feels like I haven't been very productive with my knitting.  I started to count up my recent projects and it's not too bad.  It would have been better if I could have taken some sort of knitting device when I had jury duty for 2 days.  But that's another story.

Ok, here's my round up for the past few months.  Keep in mind most of it was done during my lunch hours.

These are some items for lil miss Amelia Bleck.   They are my first attempts at non-sock knitting in the round.  I found that the hats were really fun to do.  The yarn is Cascade fixation.  I got the basis of the pattern from Stephanie Pearl-Mc Phee's Knitting Rules!

This is the beginning of a sleeping pillow for Wicca.  She getting up there in years, nearly 12, and needs a soft place to sleep that is not my bed behind my legs.  It is all single crochet in the Lion Brand chenille and Suede lines ( now discontinued).   I've finished one side and have begun the other.  I should have just enough left.

The current pair of socks are in Cascade fixation.  They are cotton and lil miss Emma can't say that they are itchy.  Now that it is summer she is in a state of "no socks, mommy!"  When fall hits I think I can get her to wear them at least once.  I just reached the cuff on the second sock. I should be done in a few days.

My last project is finally getting to the weaving in on my pair of Fixation socks.  They are in my lunch project bag and I'm not bringing anything else until they are done.  I hope to have a pic of those on my feet soon.  Very soon.

Earth Day

This Earth Day weekend I feel pretty good about what I personally have accomplished and what I've seen accomplished.

In general, I see less disdain for things like recycling. Ok, the hubby groans less when I ask him to take a can out to the bin.  The city has finally included steel cans into the pick up recycling options.  The Orange Box has really embraced it this year for a week long sale and celebration.  In the past they gave away stuff like cfl light bulbs and water saving faucet aerators.  This year there are 2 eco gardening workshops and many things in the store reducing water and energy consumption.  And surprisingly enough I'm seeing the transition of gas guzzling vehicles into more streamline, slightly less gas guzzling vehicles.  Now that gas is getting near or past the $4 someone is realizing that alot of people can't afford to fill the tanks of those big cars.

On a personal level it feels like I'm getting there as well.  I remember to take out the recycling. I'm in my second year of having a compost bin.  I have a good start on my herb and vegetable garden.  I have a couple of heirloom tomato plants from work and some mesclun greens in the ground.  I was very please to see my sage survived from last year.  I'm trying really hard not to use the ac in the house.  We'll see how it goes when we start getting into the 90's.  And best of all... yesterday, I made my first ball of tarn.

I have a lot of t-shirts left over from travels and shows that I've done.  When I say I have a lot.  It's relative.  I don't have anywhere near as many as some of my friends who are still in the business.  But they are overflowing my closet and I truly don't wear half of them any more as I can't wear t-shirts to work.  I went through my shirts and took photos of the ones that have memories and I'll put them together in some format of a memory book.  They will be transformed into something that I will use every day and make me happy to reminisce. I really need some dish cloths. 

Here is a link to a tutorial that I used to make the tarn.  It is on the Craft Passion blog.

The Ever Changing Project

My blanket plan didn't work out.  I'm not ambitious enough to really hunt down the rest of the yarn to complete it.  I did have a bit of inspiration the other day when the cat decided that my Wonder Woman pillow would make a good bed.  Madame Wicca needs her own pillow bed.

 This is the beginning of Madame's pillow bed.  It's black and primary red.  It really seems to glow in this pic.  It's not this harsh in real life and it goes well with the decor in the room.

As for my winter snugly, t.v. watching blanket for the cold months will have to be re-thought. Hmmm time for some Ravelry surfing. :)