And It Works!

 When I went to begin the vest fronts, I ran into a intrinsic blockade!

If I knit the fronts separately as directed,

 the long color repeats of this yarn would make the fronts very different from the back.

 I decided to knit the fronts as one piece, 

as I would never wear the vest hanging open like I do with sweaters. 

 But I didn't want the fronts to be without a button band

 because I like the vertical line up the front and I like the look of buttons,

 so......  

......I knit the button band in two layers (double knit) so that it would still have the thickness

 of two separate front garter bands buttoned together! 

 It is working fine and the yarn colors are matching front and back

 just like I want them to work out!

I love it when a design vision comes together!!!!

Caboose Mitts

I corrected my math after a rip out and finished the mitts

for little guy #2.

Of course, he pulls them on all the way to his wrist

and thinks they work best that way.

Live it up, kid;  you know your style already.

Who am I to argue over that with a two year old?!
(The mitts for a 5yo are worked over 32 sts on #4 needlles
and the ones for the 2yo are worked over 28sts on the same needles.)

Deep Freeze!

 And a mini pair of fingerless mitts are off the needles....

and onto a sweet pair of hands!

The second little guys are on the needles still;

  they would have been in this picture, too, except this knitter can't count stitches correctly!

Still Mitt Weather!

The pattern works out well in worsted weight yarn 

with the same size needles for manly adult mitts!

Lena approved my project just before it was lights out time!

My dad did a fitting and he can't wait to wear them

 because waking up to 28* is hard on plants, cats and people!!!

The Boys are Back in Town!

We interrupt this new year with an old situation........

The boys are back with us for a bit.   

Life will be rearranged but we are much better adapted to this change

 and the transition time will be much shorter and smoother.

If you are a praying soul, please keep the key players in your prayers.  

So much is at stake!

And Knitting

 Since it is a cold snap even here in Florida,

 Bill has been beating back the chill by keeping our fire lit. 

 Every hour or so , I take a break in here with the cats and do some knitting!!

 I cast on another pair of Tough & Toasty mitts, 

this time in worsted weight left over from a project from the past. 

  It had been dyed in Indigo and it does leave my hands blue like a new pair of blue jeans used to do!  It will need a very good wash when completed!

  I wanted to see how much the worsted weight will change the size 

and if it is increased enough for a man.  

 If not, I will be doing some math to increase stitches to make them big enough on the next pair. 

  I managed to knit these from memory-a good feeling and a good exercise!

The back is off the needles!  

This is the vest kit I received for my birthday that I started Friday.  

I had to laugh at the struggle the camera had to get this color combination in focus!

  It is a light fabric in a roving-like single yarn that will be a warm ot wear-which is what I need right now 'cuz, baby, it's cold outside!  (32*F)

A Clean Slate-2018!

 I always feel I have to do everything that is important to me on this day!

I also go through shelves and bins in the Studio to see what I didn't do last year 

and if it is something I want to bring to the front of the line for this. 

 My orchids are in a new place-the window in the hall leading to my studio 

so they brighten my walk there so many times a day; 

 and it is ready to bloom where they are-a nice metaphor for all of us!

 This plant is 7 yrs old and still producing blooms that will beautify her corner, no matter what.

I like that idea.

 Speaking of corners, I put up a shelf in my wool station corner of the studio.

 I have several antique pieces related to woolen mills

 and I wanted them out where I could enjoy them.

  Bill found this large wooden spool while up in Georgia and bought it for me. 

 It combines my all-things-woolen fancy and my love of wooden so he scored big!

 I also participated in the Merry Mayhem's New Year's Day Mystery Quilt 

where every hour throughout the day she releases a clue and by dinner time, you have a quilt!

  I always make the lap size out of my scraps which is a challenge in itself!  

I have the backing and binding ready to finish this one, the first one to go on the frame this year!

It's going to be exciting to see what comes out of the studio this year!

So Long 2017!

As I get ready for church and pile up what I take in the car, 

Lena joins the heap!

She isn't ready for me to leave again!

I assured her of a return for a big winter's nap later today!

(Bill drives and I knit on the 45 minute drive in to church

which is a very nice time for both of us as we talk and sing on the way!)

(If you don't approve of cats on the table, I'm sorry.

I do and so do my cats.

Tables can be cleaned when there is company to eat on them;

I am the sole human occupant for most of the year and I like the company!!)

Vested Interest!

 After all the post-travel piles were sorted and back in their place, I enjoyed a lot of this yesterday!

 I received a birthday kit from DH to make this vest. 

 I will be lengthening it by another 5" because I don't like cropped on me.

Which means I will get to do more of the pattern part!

This is a 12 row repeat and it is very easy and enjoyable to knit!

ReMake BFL Socks

 These socks are finished and ready for wearing again!   

 Such a nice and warm pair of handspun woolen socks!

I had knit these a year ago (or more)  but did not like the feel of the thicker yarn between my toes!

I snipped the yarn above the toe and unraveled them since this was a toe-up knit originally,

 it was an easy job. 

 When I finished knitting the grey socks on the way home yesterday,

 I picked up the stitches on this pair and knit a regular toe down and Kitchener-ed the stitches closed!   Now I will get to wear this nice pair of cold weather socks!

Travel Home Day

 We woke up to snow on the ground this morning!

 Bill hammed it up for the camera-it was 30F and soon the snow changed over to sleet .

 We waited for all the morning rush hour traffic to clear up....

...so we left at 10:30 and still  had bumper to bumper traffic all the way down I75!  

We only had a few moments of clear driving and the rest was slow and tense.  

It was very tiring on every level!

 On a positive note, I did get a lot of knitting done!  

I finished the socks for my dad.

(Yarn is Stroll fingering, Thunderhead colorway, 2.5 needles, 72 sts)

 I had all the ribbing to complete up the leg and when I finished that, 

I made another pair of the Tough & Toasty mitts-they are so much fun to make! 

I am not done making that pattern yet!!!!

(You can see how dreary it was all day-even our sunny Florida didn't have any sunshine for us!)

All the cats were greeted with love and hugs-I am writing this now with another cat cradled in my left arm-we are as glad to see them as they seem to be to see us-always nice to have a welcoming committee!

(Thank you to my GA peaches for a 'beyond wonderful' week!  See you next month!!!)

Wrapped it up!

 We put the new place mats to use for our roast beef dinner last night!

 Early in the day I finished a pair of Tough & Toasty mitts for my daughter and she finished a pair of socks.  

 After our slow and comfortable start of the day, we got to work re-covering all eight of the dining room chairs;  they sure look more modern than the old gold and burgundy tapestry seats!

 When we finished the chairs, I refreshed daughter's memory on plying her singles so she will have some yarn!  

 She picked it right up without a problem;  I cheered her on but she didn't need much tutoring!

Ta-da!  A 78 yard skein of superwash/nylon awaits its second matching skein...she is spinning it right up!

Ready

My daughter finished the new place mats and wall hanging just in time for us to use for Christmas;  it's how we roll sometimes!

It is our thank you present for having us for the week! 

Marsel fell in love with these panel projects when I saw her in August-I remembered!

She will have a whole year to add additional quilting before she uses them next year!

Have Yourself....

         ....A very merry Christmas!

Thank you for sharing, encouraging and inspiring me throughout the year!

Focus-Family!

Abigail had really grasped the sewing and designing skill!

Barbie will be getting a whole new wardrobe!

(that's David in the background!)

 This tunic top almost beat us but we persevered!

 Here's another area of perseverance-Abigail played second piano for church this morning!

 Our oldest grandson, David, ushered during the morning service!

 And our souls were uplifted by the sermon's message by our son-in-law, Pastor McKee!

 We took time for a family photo after church!

The rural area in which they live is filled with pastures, paddocks and lovely old civil war era buildings!

(the roof was updated more recently but I still love spotting these old treasures!)

Sew a Seam or Two... Heart to Heart

 Abigail and I set up her new sewing machine and put it and her through the paces today!

 We picked out fabric from Mom's stash and pressed and stitched 

and created a thread catcher/pincushion for her to use for future projects! 

 What a wonderful way to spend a day...

In the evening, I managed to finish the foot of the sock and turn the heel!  I hope to bind off the leg soon!

A Winner!

 Random number generator chose comment #1-Deb of Araignee'sTangledWeb

 as the winner of the Tough & Toasty mitts!

Thanks for leaving comments and cheering me on my birthday!

(I plan on doing giveaways more often on this blog!)

A Full Day!

 I'm knitting a pair of socks for my Dad;  using the K2, P2 rib up the top of the foot to ensure a good fit since I haven't knit him a pair in fingering weight before now.

It's nice to have a pair of socks going again!

We had an incredible time at the movies!

My daughter and I haven't been to see a movie together since she was 5;

it was time!

My DH bought me a rose-he hasn't missed a birthday in more than 40 years!

What a perfect day!