2013 - A Look Back

 I can't say that I did everything I wanted to do this year crafty wise. I do think I finished quit a bit. I know I can do better. I will make that my main goal for next year.

 

 

 

 

And on the knitting side.

 

I know 2014 will be a better year. I have so many projects in progress I can't help but finish them up. Right? Besides I have yarn report and a stash report to keep up on. I have to show some progress.

 

Have a Blessed and Happy New Year Everyone. Stay safe.

 

Michelle

 

 

 

 

 

On The Needles 12/27/2013

I have been so busy this month I haven't had a chance to post in awhile. Too bad I wasn't working on a lot of crafty stuff. Mainly working and shopping and who knows what else.

I started this on Dec 9 and was busting my bum to get finished before Christmas. I was actually able to get it done, but that was because I ran out of yarn. It came out a little smaller than I wanted but what can you do.

My first Hitchhiker. I love it. I used a Tosh DK in Jade or Emerald I think. I used US needles and 2 skeins. I wish I had a couple of more to use.

 

 

I also cast on my Challenge for the Loopy Ewe. I started with one pattern but changed to an easier one. Of course I have already had to rip it out and start over but I am making slow progress which is better than none.

 

For more Needles head on over to Judy's.


Michelle



On The Needles 12/6/2013

I can actually say off the needles this week. I finished the "correct" pair of mittens for my niece. I have one more to make, mitten that is, and I will be done. I actually cast on a mini scarf as well but I forgot to take a picture of that. I might finish it. I might not.

 

I didn't think I would ever get those lovely little mittens done. If you want to read about the complete fiasco on these little things you can go here.

 

 

I figure I will just blame Judy anyway. If she hadn't made these cute little mittens I would not have had the desire to try. But, I did it and I am not so intimidated now. Well, maybe a little gun shy still.

 

I am either off to make another mitten or to cast on something new. I mean I only have two things on the needles now, socks and moms cardigan, I think another will be perfect. I seem to work better in threes.

 

 

Michelle

 

For more needle goodies head on over to Judy's.

 



On The Needles 11/29/13

Just a little something I finished this week. Dad's birthday was Tuesday so I was on a mission to finish it before then and I did.

This is the 7-8-9 Hat from Ravelry. I used 7" needles. I also used a new to me super wash wool, Charley.

 

Not too bad for a quick finish and a quick start to boot.

 

I am off to buy more needles today. One of these days I will have all of the sizes I need. Well, I can hope anyway.

 

I also have these lovelies to work on. They are for my Time Travelers Scarf and Sock.

 

 

 

I have a couple of other projects I want to get done. So off I go to shop and sew and knit. At least I hope so. I gracefully or not so gracefully took a slide down a set of stairs at mom's house yesterday. Thank goodness it was only 5 stairs and I kind of slid bumped down them. Landed on my feet before I hit the tile below. Needless to say I woke up this morning not so gracefully. The posterior is killing me and the shoulders from trying to keep myself upright are sore as well. Guess a hot shower is in order first.

 

 

 

For more pretty ideas head on over to Judy's

 

Michelle

 

 

 



On The Needles 11/22/13

I actually have off the needles this week, for a change. I finished my niece's hat. Not I just have to make some mittens to go with it and I am good. I did stop to work on another project, no surprises there. I decided I didn't like it and I messed up somewhere so I ripped that out and started over. I just finished the ribbing so hopefully I can get that done by next week.

Great way to use up some more of my stash yarn for sure.

 

 

 

On a side note. Remember those mukluks I said I would never make again. Well, it looks like that is gonna change. She loves them so much Auntie is just gonna have to make her another pair for when the ones she has are worn out. Oh well....all for love right.

 

 

For more eye candy head on over to Judy's.

 

Michelle who is going to spend all day in the house because it is cold and snowy outside.



On The Needles 11/15/2013

On the needles Friday or in my case the story of the Mukluks.

Last Sunday I decided to start a new project, because I didn't have enough on the needles as it was. Of course I had no needles in the size I needed. How that happens I do not know.

1. Run to Joann's on Sunday afternoon to pick up a quick set of cheap needles. Do you know how many crazy people are in there in the afternoon? Of course they do not have the size I need.

2. Run to Michael's (it's on the way home). You know how many crazy people are there in the afternoon? Of course they don't have the needles I need either.

3. Get home and figure out to use a smaller needle on the top section and a larger needle on the bottom section. Of course that could be backwards because I don't remember exactly what I did.

4. Realize the yarn I bought for this project sucks is not to my liking. It was a lambs pride variegated pink and split to much for me and was not allowing for a smooth knit. Of course I didn't figure this out until the third time I cast on. I figured it was me the first couple of times and I was just not knitting loose enough to get the stinking stitches to work right. Doing 4 increases in 4 stitches has a way of making my stitches tighter than a buffalo's..well we won't go there.  And by the way why does it take 3 attempts before I figure out it ain't gonna work.

5. Find a skein of chunky down in my inexpensive yarn tote. I ended up with a Deborah Norville chunky variegated yarn that feels a lot better. Again cast on 2 times and get to row 6 (each and every time including the lambs pride yarn) and still have my stitches tighter than tight. I finally cast on a third time and am a little looser, now mind you that is a play on words and I am glad I ended up using some inexpensive needles because I swear the tips of each needle have left and impression in the other needle the size of the Grand Canyon.

6. Realize that I am just gonna have to fight with the tightness of this yarn because that is just the way the pattern is and I am not going to cave in at this point. Finally finished the foot part of the Mukluk on Sunday night. I ended up having to fight and stretch and squeeze and scream (well not out loud anyway) and fuss and pretty much send my whole family out of the room but I got it done. I have also increased the muscle mass on my arms ten-fold with the fighting increase but that is ok. I don't have anymore increases and the legs of these puppies are going to be a piece of cake. Ok...a really hard, left out for weeks piece of cake, but a piece of cake none the less. Oh snap! I still have another stinking one to do, unless I want my poor little niece to only keep one foot warm at a time.

7. By Tuesday night they are both done and whip stitched close. Oh yeah I would rather knit in the round the whip stitch anything closed again. Yep, that is why right now I am working on a hat for the same precious little niece that is also knit on straights and whip stitched close. What was I thinking?

So I now have a beautiful pair of mukluks that are a little snug at the top because I apparently can't not knit loose enough with this stinking yarn and this stinking pattern so I obviously can not bind off loosely either. Yeah, didn't dawn on me until I was done with the second one to actually switch to a pair of needles that were maybe three times larger to get a loose bind off. If they at least last her through this winter I will be happy.

I can say that I will not be Mukluking again anytime soon.

Until I took this picture I didn't even realize that toes looked so different on each foot.

They don't look like they are the same size but they are exactly.

I love the colors. It is actually a blue/aqua/yellow/lime green. I need to get better at pictures for sure.

 

 

For more On The Needles head on over to Judy's and see what other projects to start.

 

 

Michelle

On The Needles 9/20/13

Not a lot of knitting going on. Well to be honest not a lot of anything going on with being in high school again. Who would have thought I would be taking Algebra, German, Science and World History again this late in life. First child didn't need much help, 3rd child is still doing ok, it is that loving middle child that is taking all of my evening time. You know, the time I usually sit and do handwork or knit. Hopefully it will get easier. I mean we have only been in school for a month and I am already losing my mind.

Any who, while I had company here I decided to do some simple knitting. So I found some yarn and made a dish cloth. Nothing fancy but it was only the second time I actually made one. I hope to get many more done. I think they will make neat gifts.

The weird thing is while I was knitting away on this one, talking to my friend watching baseball I noticed something odd. After a time my brand new wood needles were tinted blue and then I realized so were my fingers and my nails. It dawned on me it was from the yarn. I figured that meant when I went to wash the thing my water would be really blue. Nope, I soaked my rag and not a bit of dye ran. I guess it came all off on my fingers before hand. Who would have thunk it?

I love the way it looks especially how different from front to back.

 

Off to do some me things before the pasta party tonight. What was I thinking? I will have 30 some high school boys in my house for pasta. Oh I hope it is nice outside so I can herd them out the door.

 

For more OTN head on over to Judy's.

 

Michelle





On the Needles 8/30/13

Can believe August is almost over? I can't. 

I finally finished my Camp Loopy 3 project yesterday, talk about cutting it close. I chose a very easy (and boring) project because I really didn't think I would be able to get it done. We had to use 800 yards, I used 894. I still have to wash and block it but right now I am considering it done.

I found the pattern for this on Purlbee.  I think I will be working on dish cloths for the next little bit.  Although, I have a friend visiting and she showed me this really neat sampler afghan made with 12" squares, that might be a project that jumps up in the line.

For more eye candy head on over to Judy's.

Have a great and safe weekend everyone.

Michelle

On the Needles 8/2/2013

Can you believe it is already August? I can't.  Only a couple of weeks until my kiddo's go back to school. I will have a Freshman this year, so it is carpooling to 2 different schools at 2 different times every day.  Fun times for sure.

I was able to finish my Camp Loopy 2 project early, totally shocked at that.

Of course it was another scarf.

 

 

Here is my yarn choice for Camp Loopy Project 3...I have to use 800 yards and for me that is going to be tough. I have to finish earlier than required so that when my company comes I won't have to worry about it. I am aiming to be done in 3 weeks. Hope it works.

 

I am making a baby blanket. Simple. Simple.  I found the pattern on Purlbee. I have already cast on and finished 6 ridges. I have to do 8 a day to be done in time.

 

Guess I better go get my chores done then knit some and sew some.

 

For more great ideas head on over to Judy's

 

Michelle



Camp Loopy 2013 Project 1 Done

I have a knitted finished, that is a rare thing as it is, but this one is for Camp Loopy. I even have a week before the next project starts. I just finished a 400 yard project, and it took me 3 weeks, the next one is 500. I really hope the last one doesn't kill me.

It is the Meditation Infinity Scarf. You can find it on Ravelry. This yarn is Malabrigo Light of Love.  I am usually not a pink person but I loved the way the original scarf looked and went with the flow.

My next project is also a scarf but I will be learning new stitches again. I bought a pima-cotton in Aqua but I am already doubting my choice. I may take some time and try to knit with it and see if I like it, that way I have time to order something else if I don't.

Off to knit since I still don't feel like sewing, which I will regret soon I know.

Michelle