I have sock #1 in my pair of Monkey socks FINISHED!!!!! I LOVE this pattern. It's very quick and pretty. I kitchenered the toe and wove in my ends last night while watching Lost. This morning I cast on for Monkey sock #2. I am having serious Second sock syndrome with my Regia sock #2, so I figure that I'll force myself to work on it after I finish my monkey socks.
Yesterday, I decided to start knitting a pair of Monkey Socks. I read on some forums and heard on a podcast that it was a really quick and fun knit (It is!!!!). I cast on for these socks yesterday (Friday, 2pm-ish), and as of now (Saturday night, 8pm) I am almost done with the heel (picture taken after starting 4th leg pattern repeat), and I haven't even really spent much time working on it. Now that's a fucking fast sock! Patterns as quick to knit up as this pattern is, are the cure to second sock syndrome. I am using Knitpicks Memories sock yarn for my monkey socks, in the Yukon colorway. This yarn has been sitting in my stash for almost a year now. I am also knitting these socks on 2 circs instead of DPN's like the pattern calls for. I love this pattern. I've wanted to knit it since the winter 2006 knitty was published, but I've put it off. (I don't know why.....I'm nuts so there's no telling why)
As you can see in the pic, I have sock #1 finished, and have sock#2 started. I'm not using a pattern, it's just a basic St st sock with 2x2 ribbing and a short row heel, and on size US1 circs. The yarn is discontinued, Regia Strato. I no longer have the ball band so I cant give you a color #, but some online stores called it "Troll".
With all the knitting I've done, and all the things I've made, when it comes to changing colors, I've never done anything more complicated than stripes. And striping is extremely simple. So I found a few Fair Isle charts and decided to play around with them using some scrap red and blue yarns that I had in my stash. I started out having some problems with my tension, but it's evening out as I get used to the technique. In the Pic, you can see the chart I choose (found it free online, but I forgot to write down the site I got it off of) and what I have so far of my practice piece. I added a few stitches to the sides of the chart so I could have a bit of a red border on all sides. I'm beginning to think I might make some hats with a Fair Isle motif for a few Christmas presents this year.
This is a sock I started a few days ago. I used this yarn for a sock last year, and wasn't happy with how I closed the toe (top down st st sock), so I frogged the whole thing, and the yarn has just been sitting in my stash bin ever since. When I finished my Clapotis, I got two very strong urges. One was to knit a sock, and the other was to start a fine gauge lace project. Well, I had the sock yarn and needles so I started this sock. I don't have any Lace yarn in my stash other than the leftovers from my peacock feathers shawl, so I couldn't really start anything with that.
This is the beginnings of the Garterlac Baby blanket I posted about before. I love knitting garterlac/entrelac so it goes really quickly. I'm very happy with how it's turning out. I think I'm going to have to make one for DD as well. She keeps asking "mine?" Whenever she sees me working on it.
I just un-pinned her and she is beautiful!. The first pic to the left I had her draped over part of the banister...pretty shot but you cant really see the beauty of the Clapotis. Plus, I forgot to get my house shoes out of the pic before snapping it.....lol. The pic below, I just tossed it over the back of my couch. I soaked and pinned her out on Wednesday...and she was finally completely dry this morning. 2 days to dry isn't that bad. It would have been quicker though if I would have been able to pin her out in a more open area with better air circulation. But I was anxious to get her blocked so I pinned her out in my bedroom. So, for 2 nights in order to climb into bed I had to either climb over DH or the foot of the bed....LMAO.
I am completely finished with the knitting of Clapotis. I've had it wrapped around me all morning. I am (still) absolutely in love with the yarn I choose (malabrigo). My Clap still needs to be blocked, but I think I'll call it a FO anyway.
Here's a pic of what I've done so far on my Clapotis. I will drop the first column of stitches when I start the next row. 
The yarn for my Clapotis came today. I choose Malabrigo Merino in the colorway Velvet Grapes. This pic comes nowhere close to doing justice to the beauty of this yarn. I can't wait until I can get this wound into balls and start knitting with it.
I finished the scarf I was knitting for my Aunt's Christmas present. Well.....the knitting is finished, it could use a good blocking. I used the Jute Rope pattern and Knitpicks Decadence yarn in the color Spring Leaf, on size 9 needles. I started this scarf on Thanksgiving morning, so it's a pretty quick pattern to knit, especially considering I have 3 kids to chase and I work part-time.
This is what I spent this morning doing. I baked 2 Loaves of Pumpkin Bread and a loaf of white bread. Yummmmmmmm......
I've been baking things like Banana Nut Bread & Pumpkin Bread for years now....but this morning was my first attempt at regular old bread. I even baked it the 'traditional way', no bread machine here. And, I am SOOOO glad I finally did it. The pic is the current state of my first loaf. As soon as it had cooled off enough, it was attacked by my 5 yr old and 2 yr old......and me. And it is GOOOOOOD. While still warm, I cut a slice for myself and drizzled some honey on it.....pure heaven. My second loaf is in the oven now. I'm going to send it into work with Dh tomorrow morning. The women in the office love it when I send in treats.
The Feather & Fan baby blanket is FINISHED!!!! And just under a month left until the intended recipient is expected to be born.
My latest order from Knitpicks. The yarn is Decadence, 100% superfine Alpaca. It is the softest, yummiest yarn I have ever caressed. Every time I touch it, i can't believe how soft it is. I got colors Spring Leaf and Chocolate. I am planning on making scarves for Christmas presents. I also bought the Vogue knitting Stitchionary volume 2: Cables. As you can see in the pic, I've already marked a few of the cables with post-its. This book is wonderful. There are so many absolutely beautiful cable patterns in it.
Here is the bag I posted about below. I felted it on Friday and I had it blocking/drying all Friday night and Saturday. I threaded the handles through the bag Saturday night, and had the bag ready to use on Sunday, just like I wanted.
Here, I have started another garterlac dishcloth. I must have a black hole somewhere in my house, because the last one I made has disappeared, probably along with that tape measure that I can't find.
Here is a bag I started for myself on Monday. I only have a few more rows to knit and then an i-cord for the handle, then I can felt it. I am hoping I can finish this with a few hours of mindless tv time tonight, so I can felt it tomorrow. With any luck, it will be dry by Sunday morning. I want to be able to use it on Sunday while I'm out with family. I am using an altered version of the Booga Bag pattern, and Patons Classic Merino (black) and Cascade 220 (can't remember the color # but it is one of the heathered colors).
Here is what I am up to on the baby blanket I've been working on. I never did find my damn tape measure so I went out and bought one. The blanket is now 24 inches long. I am aiming for about 35-40 inches for the finished length.
Yesterday, I finished the slippers for DD. Good news! She LOVES them! She is refusing to take them off. This is the best pic I could get of her wearing them. I used THIS pattern, but altered it to fit a toddler, Bernat Satin Yarn and size US 5 needles.
This is a sock I've started for myself. I'm not using a pattern, it's just a simple st st sock with 2x2 ribbing at the top. I think I might do a short row heel, I'm not sure yet. I am using 2 size US 1 circs and Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Potluck yarn.
Here you can see my progress on the Feather & Fan baby blanket that I am making for friends of DH's who are expecting. I would measure it and tell you the blankets measurements, but I lost my tape measure......again. Sorry for the darkness of the picture (and for my feet being in it), I couldn't get decent lighting and I don't currently have a photo editor installed on my computer.
Getting shoes on my 20 month old DD has become a struggle in the mornings. So, I decided to knit her some slippers for her to wear over her socks to help keep those toddler toes warm this winter. I found THIS pattern, but I have altered it to make the slippers fit a toddler and the pattern was written for a baby. I have the first one finished (still need to cut off the tails) and I am finished with the sole, and almost done with the top of slipper #2.
Last year, I knit Christmas Gifts for pretty much everyone on my gift list. I'm still kinda burned out on knitting for other people. So, this year, I'm only knitting for the very few people that I know will appreciate (and properly take care of) a hand knitted gift. Everyone else will get baskets or tins with home baked goodies from me.
I wanted a project that would show off the beautiful colors in the Patons SWS yarn (color Natural Earth) that I picked up a while ago. So, I decided to go with something entrelac. My original intention was to knit an entrelac scarf, but it quickly became apparent that 2 balls of SWS was just not nearly enough. So I said screw the scarf, and made a pillow. I knit 2 entrelac panels. Each panel took about 2 days of knitting and one ball of SWS. I then sewed the panels together and stuffed the hell out of it.
I just finished sewing the buttons on this sweater a few minutes ago, and got a pic of DD wearing it to show. Sweater Details in the post below.
The Pea Pod baby Sweater is amlost finished! All it needs now is buttons. Turns out I only had enough of the pink yarn to do the sweater body and the sleeves. I had the same yarn in another color leftover from a birthday present I made for my niece a few months ago, so I used that for the collar of the sweater. This pattern is from the Pea Pod Baby Set listed on the Interweave knits website. I used Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece yarn in the colors Victorian Pink and Lilac Haze.
ok, well after posting the garterlac dishcloth FO, I sat down and finished DD's cable hat. I had to be quick with the camera, she was in a hurry to take the hat off...lol This is the best shot I was able to get. I'm thinking that with the leftover yarn, I might knit her some thumbless mittens for this winter. Maybe, We'll see.
Since I didn't feel like working on any of my wip's this past week (although I did force myself to work for a bit on dd's hat, I'm ready to start the crown decreases now), I decided to knit this garterlac dishcloth after seeing it on Criminy Jickets blog. I forgot to take a pic of it before using it, so it's a bit wet and stretched out in the pic. This pattern is fantastic for an introduction to entrelac knitting, which is something I have had problems 'getting' before. I now have plans on knitting an entrelac scarf for someone for Christmas, I just have to find the perfect yarn(thinking of something self striping, maybe Noro Silk Garden) and decide who the recipient will be.
This is actually an ex-WIP. This used to be the Hedera socks from Knitty that I was working on, Until yesterday, when DD got into my knitting bag and pulled out one of the DPN's and unraveled several rows of stitches. I frogged the whole thing and I'm grateful I was only still on sock #1 of the pair. I re-wound the yarn into a pretty ball this morning.
This is a cabled winter hat I'm making for DD. I am using THIS pattern (altering it to make it fit an almost 2 year old) and Bernat Satin yarn. I think I'm going to do another 2 pattern repeats and then start decreasing for the top of the hat.
This is what I have so far of the Voodoo fingerless mits from knitty. I am only about 2 inches into mit#1 of the pair. Using Cascade 220 Quatro color #9437.
Yet another pattern from Knitty....lol. I decided to knit some toys for some of the little kids in my family for Christmas this year. This is what I have so far of the Nautie pattern. I am using some Lily Sugar & Cream cotton yarn. I don't remember the name of this colorway.
I soaked it and pinned it out last night after the kids went to bed. This morning, it was dry, and I must admit, it's beautiful! I'm in love with what blocking does for lace. I put some push pins into the wall and hung my Peacock Feathers Shawl on them for the pic. Now I just need an occasion to wear this to.
All the knitting is completed on the Peacock Feathers Shawl!!!!!!! All it needs now is a good blocking. I am unbelievably relieved to have this part done. I'll get this blocked as soon as I decide on a decent place to do the blocking. I have 3 kids running around so the living room floor isn't really an option, my bed isn't an option, so I have to find a good place for blocking. Does it look like it would dry overnight? Maybe get it pinned out in the living room after the kids are in bed? I may have to try that.
My Peacock Feathers Shawl is so very close to being done. I am ready to start row 241 out of 250. In the pic, I tried to stretch it out so the details could be seen (it's scrunched up - all 480 stitches - on a 29" circ). I can't wait to get all of the knitting finished on this and see it blocked. I have been working on this thing for so freaking long. I realize that I put it down for months and then picked it up and did only a few rows at a time, but I started this in NOVEMBER 2005.
LMAO! Yes, I have too much time on my hands today. This is 4 i-cord 'snakes' on one of my son's toy airplanes.
I haven't worked on this sock very much in the past few weeks, I've only done a few rows in that time. This is Knitty's Hedera pattern, with some Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino Potluck yarn. 
My Peacock Feathers Shawl. I am one row away from being able to start the final chart for the pattern, the edging chart. It feels great to be this close to finishing. I wish I could give an accurate time frame for how long it took for me to knit this up so far, but this is a project that I've been in the habit of working on feverishly for a week and then setting it down for 1-2 months collecting dust...lol I started this thing in November 2005. I can't wait to see it finished and blocked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a dishcloth pattern from the dishcloth boutique. It's the double diamond circular cloth. I don't think I've done any work on it since the last time I posted a pic of it. I'm hoping that by posting it on here again it'll help prevent it from becoming an UFO. I am using Lily Sugar & Cream yarn in a Lavender color.
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Cascading Leaves socks. These are for my mothers Christmas present this year. These became a UFO for a little while, but I pulled them out this morning and did a pattern repeat.
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This is the beginings of the Pea Pod Baby Set from Interweave Knits. You can find the pattern free on the Interweave website. I'm 99.9% sure that I am just going to do the sweater and not the hat. I'm not that crazy about the hat for the set. But I LOVE the sweater. I am using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece yarn in the color Victorian Pink.
