Freaky Friday Failures!

 I can't think of the last time I joined something like this contest and didn't keep my commitment!

The blanket was finished this morning;  

but even after soaking it to block it out, 

I could see a big 

problem

the corners were too pointy and didn't come to a right angle!

No amount of pinning would correct this error.

 I played around with a sample 

(you know, inventing the wheel all over again)

and could see the error of my ways--see the 90* angle at the bottom of the sample?

It was what I was aiming for 

but instead got the pointy corner at the top of the sample!

 There was nothing for it but a complete rip out!

All 1,645 rows.

All 5 ounces.

At least I can make another one in the future....

but not in time to enter the contest.

See me all dejected....

 And to top it off, the hat was a complete fail--it didn't fit 

and the guys all said yuck to the colors/stripes/zig zags.

I ripped it all out and will knit it up smaller one and send it northwest to my d-i-l.

And I wore this sweater yesterday and after a few hours it was hanging about 4-5" lower 

than when I began.  I am going to rip it all out 

and make another sweater in a different style.

I'm not loving the raglan round neck that just grows.  

I want seams in both the raglan joins and the shoulders--especially.  

So I hope you have had a better week of knitting than I have.

                                   It's time to pull out the artist's canvas and paint!                                    

Contest Pressure!

 When I'm not at a doctor's, 

I have been working on the baby blanket challenge;

a contest from Knit It Now.

This is my second attempt, if you remember!

 This time it's going perfectly,

I really learned a LOT about a lot of areas!

The pattern calls for knitting 4 pieces and seaming them to finish.

I didn't want to do that so I worked out a sew-as-you-go construction!

 It is working out so nicely!  

And if practice makes perfect,

I'm near the perfect mark!

Just wait until this is lightly blocked-

I have to have it done today!

Here's hoping....

Two Completions

 This is where I go to meet the others for quilting group.  

Yes, the azaleas are blooming already!

 The first QOV  is completed and delivered;  I finished the binding 

 and the label sewn by hand onto the back.

I even bound the mermaids today. 

I wondered about who this one would go to and I have decided it will stay at my house to be

shared by all 4 of my grand daughters because I cannot (will not) be making one for each of them!

I will hand soak, spin and then machine dry this today;

I didn't want to toss it into the washer because of the hand embroidery-

another reason to keep it under my care!

Catching It

  At the park the other day, not only enjoyed the beautiful time with family,

I also enjoyed the scenery!  

As I was looking at this view for a painting, along came a pelican.

 He was trawling along looking for lunch.

 He had great technique and caught several with his swift motions!

He guzzled them down and swam along looking to do it again and again!

And the sock is finished!  It fits well-note the toe-up gusset and heel;

this was the Boost to this pattern.  I will definitely try it with another pair of socks,

as soon as I finish the next sock!

Off to quilting group today,

I have some areas of quilting that have been languishing!

Time to remedy this situation!

Sock Success

 A good day in the car is a good time to progress on a sock!

 We stopped in to visit the beach after a great time celebrating 

two grands' birthdays.

 The ride home brought us over the Dames Bridge;

Bill always stays in the middle lane to keep me calm! lol

The other side of the bridge is a long decline

and then a low road to the other side of the St Johns River.

The road is like the drive to Key West.

The sun lit up our view of Jacksonville-how beautiful;

very much a summary of our wonderful day!

Restored and Ideas

 The sock is back to the gusset beginning again....

I'm using a post it note to keep me on track!

 I must admit, after making the binding for each  of the quilts but that's as far as I went with each.

 I got sidetracked with this idea we started at quilt group;  cut a good pillow size (24" x 36") 

and sew up three sides.  Turn and press seams flat.

 It now resembles a gunny sack...

and fill it with all of the scraps you make while sewing and trimming quilts.

While at quilt group, I go around and collect all of the scraps and soon enough we will have a full

sack.  I will then sew the last side up and a dog bed is completed!  

I'm off to Fernandina Beach for a visit-the sock is with me!

I will hope to have a LOT of progress tomorrow.

Abandoned!

Lena says it is warmer by the fire!

That's okay;  I'm about to rip out 4" of the sock!

When I laid it down flat to measure it,

I realized I messed up the 8 row repeat.

I have had quite a case of rip-out-itus!

Here goes!

I hope you have a good day.

I might just sit here until I have it knit back to this point again!

Standing Stitches

 Two quilts hot off the frame-I did them both with the same pantograph yesterday.

I hope to put the binding on them today after I get back from several medical appointments

and a MRI to count the spots in my brain! 

 Routine in the life of a MS kinda person! lol

 I washed and blocked the hat....

And here is the pretty crown design with the strategic decreases.

Mid-Week FO

 

 Sometimes it is a short drive from excited departure to agonized arrival to the finish line!

 The inside has a different appearance;  I would have preferred it to look like the other side in a  different striped appearance is all.  Who am I to argue with an esteemed designer and author?!

I have worked double-knit about 10 years ago, in worsted weight yarn, then, too, 

and it has the same affect on me now;  unimpressed.  

Perhaps done in fingering weight, it wouldn't feel so bulky yet 'open' due to the size 8 needles. 

The cast on was the easiest part of the project! 

 I'm pleased with that, at least.

As for the yarn, it is a beautiful wool/alpaca blend; 

 enough wool to keep its shape and enough alpaca to make it soft and warm. 

 It, too, is the author's line of Highland wool and Alpaca by Jen-Arnall Culliford Knitwear.

This hat will be given to my youngest son, who will know none of the drama of the project, 

only of his mama's love that will keep him warm on his early morning job-site visits!

Be a Big Girl!

 First thing yesterday morning, I ripped out the offending rows

and started out again.  And then once more!

What was it all of a sudden, that I couldn't transition to the next color?!

 The inside of the hat looks like this-more of stacked triangles than

the prominent zig zag of the other side.

They both look nice but I didn't want the one to end with the

pattern of the other all of a sudden!

I will take this knitting with me to the waiting room today;

Bill has a routine colonoscopy and I am his designated driver!

We have been eating these fresh from our tree!  

It's a Honey Bell orange.

Might I say it is all that you would want in an orange!

 And speaking of citrus, 

this is what I worked on yesterday at quilting group;

I cut these tumbling blocks from a charm pack 

and added some solids in fat quarters to make it lap size.

 When I came home, I got to work making the baby blanket again.

I've added extra stitches to the far right here;

it will be an edge that doesn't roll the way stockinette does.  

So when I am done knitting this, there will be no seaming 

and no additional time for edging it!

Well, it works perfectly on my paper anyway!

(You know,  when you make a mistake, it is better not to whine and

instead look where you can make improvements on the original

which you wouldn't think to do, if you did it perfectly the first time!)

 Just before I ate my dinner last night, I put in another row on the QOV .

This panto has a 20" wide swathe of stitching!

Here's a hint at the panto I'm using!

I hope to finish the hat today, and continue working on the other two projects!

What has your attention today?

Make it Again Monday

One of the risks of knitting near bedtime is

goofing your color transition.

Yeah, I have to rip back to the second turquoise zig zag.

I was feeling like I was making friends with this hat

but all the time it was snickering behind my back.

I have to rip out and that should be a very fun time with the double stitches....

 And then there is the blanket, which is a fun challenge from Knit It Now,

the machine knitting website.

I was rocking with doing the 45* angle joins until I came to the very last one.

Let's just say that ripples didn't make this a lovely baby blanket at all.

I know it will have to be ripped out-not possible!

There are too many stitches and a pattern to find

 and I can do it....but do I want to?

Yes, it will be a question of starting over or making it over for both projects.

I will clean house, do laundry and go to quilting group first!

Socks on Sunday

The Boost Your Knitting sock is calling me!

An unusual sock yarn for me, this one feels like mercerized cotton

but is a superwash wool/nylon.
The pattern is toe-up with a gusset;
a nice sock walk with Wendy Johnson!

I will begin the textured patterning in a few rows.

Nice to work on socks,isn't it?!

Let's Proceed!

First in order for the day,

get as much done on the QOV as I can.

I haven't decided on a design yet,

which could slow me up considerably!

 No,this is not a shawl-it is one side segment of the machine knitted baby blanket!

I am blocking it so I can knit the bottom triangle and attach this at the same time.

Well, that is the plan.

It sure does have pretty triangles of tuck stitch for interest!

 I did have a biopsy done of the mole yesterday;
I am grateful for the numbness I always have in my face due to the MS
because I am sure it cut down on some of the discomfort!

 The biopsy will be sent to the lab;  if nothing is wrong with that, then this is a done deal-

they shaved the mole off to skin level and it will heal.  

If there are cancerous cells, then the doctor will decide if more needs to be removed.

Two weeks to hear back on the results.  

I did buy some less obvious band-aids as there is 2x daily changing of them for 14 days!

No, I am not worried;  we will deal with this as it unfolds.

I trust God to have this in His control and know He  will give me the strength to ride this out, too.

Did I mention that double-knitting is   S  L  O  W  ?

Trust me-I only doubled my rows after all of my knitting time yesterday.

At least now I am near the first decrease for the crown!
I will end my day knitting on this again!