Happy Two Year Ravelrversary to Me

Today marks my two year Ravelversary. Wow two years have passed since I activated my Ravelry account. I know I'm a better knitter now then what I was back then.

I am grateful for the organization, the information, the discussion and the friendship I've found via Ravelry.

So in knitting news I'm pounding through my Nightsong shawl. I'm starting the final repeat and am excited about the edge chart.

I spent some serious quality time with my Holiday planning notebook last night. I now know the last few Holiday projects I want to knit for Holiday gift giving. But I want to finish the shawl first before starting any new projects.

We've been sick around here. Dave actually took work off today. Turns out H had an ear infection and is thankfully perking back up. I continue to fight my lingering cough that just does not want to go away.

Oh here is a fun knit blogging stat. This is my 555th post. How fun.

Not much else to say other then I love Ravelry!

Halloween and Stitch Markers

Greetings one's of readers! I know at least one person reads this blog. So let's just jump back in shall we? Behold The Boy Who Lived Weasley Sweater I knitted for Henry LAST YEAR. Ok. Knitting children's sweaters a bit large is not a BAD idea, it's a GOOD idea. Kids grow.

The sweater, along with some Channel eye liner for a lightening shaped forehead scar, were quite the hit for Henry's Harry Potter Halloween costume this year. Pretty much EVERYONE recognized H's costume.

We raided the dress up, clothes we already have, dollar store for our costumes this year. Evelyn wore her green fairy/princess skirt and bolero Grandma Sue made her for Christmas a few years back. We augmented it with some Bright Green dollar store fairy accessories, some black clothing she already had and finished it off with a pair of lovely Noro leggings inspired by Lyra's leggings in The Golden Compass. So we had a Handknit Halloween!

I've been itching to knit lace. I've been wearing my Swallowtail and Kiri shawls recently. Oh how I love them. They add a little warmth, a splash of color and texture. I love them. This is Gail (Nightsongs) in Knit Picks Gossamer in Sweat Pea.

I crashed and burned during my first attempt on the Nightsongs shawl. I used all locking stitch markers and missed the very important center marker. I decided to toss my stitch marker stash.

Top row from left to right we have a section of drinking straw, yes I have resorted to drinking straw bits in the past. Knit Picks split ring markers, Knit Picks locking stitch marker, I don't like either of the Knit Pick's stitch markers, they are stiff, break easily and the pointy part of the open one is too pointy. The one of the end is a Grandma Janette stash old school plastic O ring. I think they were intended for hanging curtains somehow. I love them.

Middle row from left to right. Surprise stitch markers included in my Crazy 4 Dying yarn, I love these. One of my set of "Boob" markers from Just A Knit Wit's Etsy store. One of two markers I received from Laura from Crazy Miss Finch a few years ago. One of my favorites. It's metal wire and beads. I really like this construction. She has a tutorial, scroll down to find the stitch markers.

Bottom Row thank you markers from Cyrano's Creature Comforts Drive.

The continuous metal wire and bead markers are my favorite. They are the least likely to come apart and get caught on the project in my experience.

I'm here and I knitting. I have more projects to share but many are Holiday gifts so I'll wait to post pics.

Huh?

Maybe I should just take an official hiatus from the knitting blog. I'm loving my knitting. I'm slowly but surely working through my limited holiday knitting. Life continues to roll forward some days are great and some meh.

Between Ravelry and Facebook and actual IRL buds I'm tapped out for blogging right now.

Where did September go?

I'm here, I'm knitting, I'm just not blogging. I spend more time on Ravelry and Facebook these days then on blogger.

I've finished seven projects since Wicked. Two dishcloths, a pair of Owling Mitts for my Sister's 30th birthday, two Hedgies for a swap with a high school friend, a cotton thong for a bachelorette party and a surprise. I'm not up for posting pics right now. Just have not felt like blogging.

I started a god awful looking blanket to try to work through some of my acrylic stash. I'm doing Lizard Ridge, but in acrylic. It's a brilliant, gorgeous pattern but I'm doing it in awful yarn. The last yarn I used was so scratchy and squeeky. I was ready to just bind off and call the project quits. Then I tossed my stash and realized that I was knitting with the single most scratchy, awful yarn in my entire stash. I culled several skeins of ultra awful acrylic to give to the kids to just tangle and mess with, meh. I'm going to journey on with the blanket in an attempt to create some sort of awful that transcends into the beautiful. I'm going for nausea inducing color vibration.

I started a pair of Noro Legwarmies for E today. I'm doing them two at a time like socks. Oh I love the Noro in all of it's imperfect explosive color.

I threw a surprise 30th birthday party for my sister. She knew there was something planned but did not know when where how or who so she was genuinely surprised when guests started arriving while she was over for dinner. She loved the Hedwig mitts I knitted for her. She received a beautiful stole knitted in Noro sock from her college roommate Erin.

I tossed my stash while transitioning it from plastic storage tubs to a new bookcase in my office. I can see my stash, all of it. It's awesome to be able to see it all at once. I have the Eames Lounger next to the stash with a nice light on the other side. Dave helped me move the bed out of my office, it went to E's room and her bed went to H's room and H's mattress went to the basement.

My office is now more open. I love the new arrangement.

Wicked

Yes I'm still here twos maybe threes of readers. E is back in school, all day, as a 1st grader allowing me a huge expanse of time with only H during the day. So far we've gone on a walk nearly every day. It's wonderful to have some one on one time with H.

Those of you who follow me on Ravelry know I'm knitting dishcloths and little mini alien toys and lots of small items. I'm making slow but steady progress on my holiday knitting.

Wicked by Zephyr Style

Size 36-39inches

Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Ultrasoft in Velvet Orchid

size 6 for the neckline size 7 for the rest

I decided to do one last summer cotton sweater to round out the Spring/Summer sweater knitting/wearing season. I loved Green Gable so much I had to knit up another Zephyr Style sweater and decided on Wicked.

We were in downtown Hudson recently and had to check out Miss Chickpea's Funky Fibers. Lovely shop, beautiful yarn. Nothing called to me so I did not buy anything. It can be done.

I have a slightly super secret project on the needles. It's fun.

Knit Knite

I've been away from the blog for some time. Things have been busy around here. E is going back to school soon. I've been knitting a ton of dishcloths. Sock Summit was last weekend. Intrepid Knit Kniter Kristie was our Ambassador. Tonight at Knit Knite Kristie shared her spoils. Lots of books and YARN. Prepare yourself for yarn pr0n!




Some of the new square needles. I want to to try these out at some point. They look nifty and I like to try out different needles.


Long time readers will recognize my Koolaid dyed Kiri shawl from my pre Ravelry days. I bought it to show Brandy, who is trying out Koolaid dying. That's her hank. Very nice.



A Mini Alien invasion is sweeping through Knit Knite! There was a lot of Mini Alien Love going on.


Darn my camera not showcasing Liz's fabu cotton sweater. Summer Rib looks fab in person.


Socks that Rock in the Sock Summit color way. I had this just sitting next to me most of the evening. I would pick it up and pat the yarn cake every now and then. It's so gorgeous in person.

Happy Belated Birthday Jackie! Kristie brought Jackie a signed copy of More Sensational Socks from Sock Summit.


Pink and Green goodness.

The Farmhouse on the left is calling to me.

Oh Barbra Walker your hands and brain have given so much to the betterment of the world around you. Behold a signed copy of Knitting from the Top Down.

It's not all Kristie's stash, here is some of Brandy's overdyed trekking sock yarn. Brandy is having fun with Koolaid.

Roving!

Nearly everyone. We were outside again tonight. We had a bevy of kids tonight, they were off playing most of the time. I'm going to miss the lovely weather.

Thanks to Kristie for bringing her Sock Summit loot and stories.

Maxwell's Alley

Dave's band Maxwell's Ally had their first gig today. Several months ago I suggested a backyard picnic. We could invite and have a party. Dave and Marco could test out a playlist in front of a low risk, friendly live audience. Today was the day.



Several Knit Knite ladies and their respective kids, and hubby attended. It was a fun time to sit, knit, listen to live music, wrangle the kids and eat. We had fabulous weather, yummy food and great company.


Check out my latest summer sweater FO, Wisteria Walk. I received a ton of compliments on the sweater. It is quite comfy. I'm with my SIL Katie, she visited for the weekend. We checked out IKEA and Kenwood Town Center yesterday, no KI it was too rainy.

This was a long, sometimes stressful but overall quite fun weekend. I got to show off my new sweater, knit and hear my hubby and his buddy perform live. Much fun.