TRY AGAIN

This is the shawl I started in May--it languished because I was off on the count and couldn't get it corrected.  I ripped it out and in only a week I have it completed!  The big time clicker kept me on track!  I will be blocking it today!

I also dug out this old project--and not only 4 more granny squares are all I need to get it to the finish mark!  This one languished because I had put the squares together by crocheting them like I do for afghans but it made too much bulk because cotton yarn is not soft!  I pulled out all of the rows and stitched them together with a darning needle and now the seams lie flatly.  I was going to make a cover for my laptop for when I travel.  I'm very close now!  It's nice to make some older ideas come to light!

 

TRY IT AGAIN

 I have run out of yarn to finish this shawl

 (Delicate Shells Shawl by Yarnspirations). 

 It is also longer than it needs to be so I am going to rip it out....I know, I think I make most things twice but only have half as many completed items! Groan. 

80" long without blocking.  Since I am 66" tall, I would at most round up the shawl to 70" long so this is 10"-12" too long.

 I do like the pattern enough to give it another go. 

 The yarn isn't a thrill to work with but the drape and weight of the shawl is promising! Today, I have a dentist appointment so I will bring it along to rip out.  Here goes!

CLOSE TO YOU!

The Close to You Shawl is blocked -- it's 66" wide by 48" high.  I love how the fabric becomes so drapery and fluid!!!

I will be wearing it to church today!

 

TO LACE!

 One shawl off the needles and ready for the blocking table! 

 I love to see the amazing transformation

 from loosey-goosey knitting to delicate laciness! 

 I will post the finish tomorrow!

In the meantime, I am picking up to other forgotten project

 and knitting away on that one!

FEELING GREY

 The rows are  V  E  R  Y  long but I have made a full repeat of the pattern on the Delicate Shells Shawl!  

Only another 40 rows to go!

UNDER A SHADOW

For the first time in several days, I picked up some yarn and a hook to work on something.  I have been completely knocked off my feet with this Covid.  I am sleeping all night (10-12 hrs) and napping several times for hours at a time during the day.  I have had this yarn for months and finally tried to work on it yesterday;  it is the Delicate Shells Crochet Shawl by Yarnspirations in some Cotton Kings Sultan Shadow yarn which is a cotton yarn made of loose strings-not like any cotton yarn I've ever used!  It is a #2 yarn and I am using a  G hook.  This shawl is interesting in its construction because it is made lengthwise so long rows!  It's okay, it matches my speed right now which is just slightly faster than holding still!

 

MORE STUDIO TIME

I couldn't wait to dig right into the next clue to the

 Stars like Spaghetti MQAL and had fun with the new blue blocks!

I did get the binding on the gold/blue quilt I quilted for Leslie. 

I did get the rest of the quilting done on the rainbow quilt and

 picked out the binding fabric which I will make and apply today.

Since the frame was empty for a bit, I laid out the blocking board and blocked my shawl!  It did block out at 28" wide and folded in half it is 40" !  I will get a chance to use it Sunday morning when it is going to be in the 40's again when I wake up.

 

JUST GIVE ME A HOME DAY!

I've been experimenting with my different knitting machines making ear warmers--I made one on the larger Addi that turned out 7" wide. (I gave it to a friend already!)  This one is on the 40 needle Sentro and it is 5" wide.  I was also trying out a new yarn which is JoAnns' brand called Big Twist.  It works great on the machines, I'm glad to say.

My friend is a Georgia Bulldogs fan, hence the red and black combinations.  This one is for her son;  it is only 3" wide.    It's good to have a reference for future projects!

Yes, the quilt will look better with the borders.  Now that they are cut to size, I will be sewing them on today.  I enjoyed flitting from project to project today!

I did finish Clue #1 on Stars like Spaghetti quilt-a-long. 

 The new clue comes out today so I am ready!

I almost finished quilting the rainbow batiks but I ran out of thread and was ready to get off my feet!  Another job for today.

And I put the last stitches on the shawl that is like wearing a narrow afghan!  It is so warm and soft.  I am going to block it to open up the stitches a bit.

There are many ways to wear it and it will double as a lap blanket as needed.  This was made with an I hook and DK weight yarn, Mandala cakes (2 1/2) in Echo Caves.  It won't be worn again for a week because we are in for some very mild weather!  I took a nap out on the patio lounge today;  it was wonderful to just sit and enjoy the sound of birds and the breeze in the trees!

 

STOP, DROP AND ROLL

I began this pretty ripple variation called Mango Sorbet Stole

 and had a grand time until it got this big and I held it up to admire it.  It didn't drape--it was more like armor!

  I ripped it out and moved up a few hook sizes.

Ahhh, yes, the drape was just right but when I began the second cake of yarn, I thought it looked awful short for a straight shawl.  Yup, it is only going to be 52" long 

and that is way too short for my liking.

I also measured the width and it was way too wide--that's the problem that ate all the yardage up!  I am ripping it all out and starting again.  I will make it 6" narrower to be about 19" so that it will be about 20-21" after blocking. 

It's a good thing I like the rhythm of the pattern! 

 I will have made it twice by the time I'm done!

READY TO WEAR!

The Farrago Crochet Shawl is off the hook and ready to comfort my shoulders!

I used up both cakes of Mandala yarn for a shawl that worked out to 80" wide and 40" long at the center back.  This yarn is a DK weight acrylic yarn which is very soft and a delight to work with! 

 

CONTENTED CROCHET

The shawl is growing beautifully; 

 I am going to keep going until both cakes

 of the Lion Brand Mandala DK has been used. 

 I will have a shawl to wrap up comfortably within 

when I am finished!

 

A BIT OF YARN

I just began this pair of socks and they are zooming along--the gradation of the blues just lead me along!

I also had the urge to begin this shawl;  the pattern is easily memorized and it is so rhythmic--the twist of the hook 

and a soft yarn in the fingers is very calming. 

 In fact, it is a big part of how I define relaxation!

 

HATS OFF TO THIS PATTERN!

I was intrigued by the construction of this hat so I bought the pattern and after only one false start, I saw what she meant!

  She also has a support video on YouTube which helped!

I am not in favor of most hats crocheted

 but this one is a good fit and looks great, too!

I did find that the adult hat I made, fit my husband and did not fit me!  I was going to send this to my son in Washington state so the fit will be alright for him!  I am trying the pattern again in a smaller size to see if I can nail the right size for a woman. 

 It is interesting and easily memorized

 which is my kind of crochet right now!

  

I also finished casting off on the Geology Shawl last night 

so I will be blocking it today in the morning 

when I can be upright for a bit!  

 

JUST KEEP KNITTING

I am waiting for the meds to kick in....I am dizzy and in pain if I stand up SO I knit, laying flat on my back! 

 I woke up too early yesterday to multiple alerts for a tornado watch and then it upped to a warning because one had been sighted just southwest of us!  The Thunderstorms brought 6" of rain-so -the whole pond area is again flooded! 

 It was a good day to knit and doze!

 

MY FAVORITE SHAWL PATTERN

When I dug through my stash looking for the yarn to make the C2C blanket, I came across some fingering weight yarn that just cried out to become a shawl!  This is my favorite shawl, The Geology Shawl.  I have only knit it on #6 needles but it was a bit denser than I wanted it to be for this shawl 

so I upped it a needle size and it is just right!

The yarn came like this from Hobby Lobby.

I rearranged the colors from lightest to darkest and since there are 6 segments to the shawl, I have just the right amount of colors and yarn!  

Yes, the doctor put me on meds to stop the cycle of migraines and I hope to meet myself in a few days--I've missed my usual self very much!

 

Progress with a little help from a Friend

It was so hot and humid today it made working in the garage-

which is not air conditioned-a bit of a challenge. 

 I've always been hampered by my lack of physical strength 

which was evidenced today when I couldn't even pick up the grinder out of the box! 

 I called my neighbor, Millie, and she gladly came over to help! 

 I had already removed the old belt sander from the tool stand, 

had cut the board on the table saw

 and only needed to put the grinder up on the stand!  

We had it set in place and bolted in no time! 

 I cleaned up the garage and closed doors just in time for a bit of rain!

I worked on the Pimpellise shawl and have it almost halfway;

at this point, I will do no increases but maintain the width for 12-15"

 and then I will begin to work the decreases.  It is a good knit.

INKTOBER Day 29-SHOES-- and the footwear I live in are my Croc flip-flops!

Oh, and the little girl socks are on the needle! 

 (I've been waiting for a footprint to be mailed to me!)

 

Ohio Star Kitties

The blocks are all pieced for the Ohio stars with the kitty print centers.

 Today, the plan is to sew the blocks  into a top and then to think about the borders.

The Pimpelliese shawl hit a snag--this is getting to be my theme song for shawls lately!  

My problem is using the handspun and not having enough yarn to finish the project. 

 This time, I have found another skein of grey Shetland wool 

and instead of dyeing it, I am going to use it like it is.

I ripped out the whole thing, moved up a needle size and am liking the results. 

One nice side effect is that now I can count the rows easier! lol

Yes, the watercolor yesterday was the froggy that Tyg tries to catch at Vera's fountain!

 

Done and Begun!

The socks for Bill are now completed!  

These socks are large, size 15 large and in the words of a young granddaughter, 

"Those are socks for a Hobbit!" 

 Indeed. 

 These were knit on #5 needles over 64 and then 56 stitches, toe-up.  

The yarn is the handspun yarn from the Russian goat owner!  

It is soft but sturdy yarn and it will keep the man with poor circulation quite warm at night!

As soon as I finished, I looked at the empty baskets and decided to take inspiration from  Deb and knit a Pimpelliese Shawl.  The yarn is some Shetland I spun and dyed, using #7 needle to knit this instead of the #4 called for;  I like a loose garter for my shawls.

 Watercolor of the Day is a family memory--we had an 'old blue truck' for a Lot Car which the kids drove out back and I would load up with all of the kids, a dog and our detritus to go and hang out at the pond out back for a day at the 'beach' swimming when we lived in central NY on our farm! 

 For many seasons, we sold our pumpkin harvest!  

Good memories.

(Now, I drew the truck from my own memory and when I showed this to DH, 

he googled the truck model and showed me what it 'really' looked like.

 I sweetly told him not to mess with my memories!  

Yes, dear, I realize that the hood is too sloping but it IS and OLD truck and it is blue!

 He did admit he knew what I drawn right away , so I did forgave him!)

Yes, the last watercolor was a coneflower and monarch drawn from a photo on Kathy B's blog!

The Rest of the Story!

I used the little ball of yarn left for my market bag 

and knit one long seed stitch handle until all of the yarn was gone. 

Because knitting requires less yardage, I was able to make straps long enough this time.

I also stretched the one long strap vigorously to made sure it was long enough when folded in half 

and then snipped the yarn there to make them two handles!  

I then sewed them to the inside of the top of the bag.

This project has begun again-I had to rip out the previous attempt at a summer t-shirt

because the pattern called for DK and I have Worsted yarn.

I could make the numbers work for the stitches but not the rows and so I quit knitting.

Now I have the perfect pattern and the other attempt was ripped out and is now on track!

I think it will be a very comfortable sweater.

And see how pretty the shawl looks!

It is always amazing to see how blocking changes the wad of knitting into the airiness 

and drape of a shawl!

This was a grey Shetland wool that I crockpot dyed a deep green.

Now to wear it around the house because I won't be going out anywhere else! lol