It's a BABY!!!

A friend at work told me recently that she just found out that she is pregnant! But this last Sunday was her last day at work. What can I make in less than a week? This little blanket was done in two days in fact! I used two skeins of Knitpicks Cotlin yarn in Kohlrabi. Wonderful to work with and blocks great to boot! I bought four skeins to try out the yarn and I will be buying more of this! The momma loved it!

p.s. the color is closest to the knitpicks color

Summer of Yarn!!!

I joined a new swap! It is called the Summer of Yarn! I can't wait to start spoiling my person!!!

Amy posted some questions for us to answer:

Here's the list of questions for the swap! Have fun! Please post this to your blog and make sure your pal and I can easily find it!

Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft? I knit and crochet, crochet on and off for about 3 years and knitting about 2 years
Do you spin? What type of spinning? Yes, I have a few spindles and an Ashford Traveler
What are your favorite yarns/fibers? What are your least favorite yarns/fibers? I like most yarns, I don't have a LYS in town, so my "knowledge" of different yarns and fibers is small. I really don't care for acrylic yarns but they have their place.
What are your favorite colors? What are your least favorite colors? I like most colors as long as they look good together.
Are there any yarns/brands that you are dying to work with but never have? I have been wanting to try Socks that Rock. Also, almost any yarn/brand that is not available in a bigbox store
What is/are your favorite types of projects to knit/crochet? Sox. I am willing to try just about anything.
What are you currently working on? Anything you plan to work on this summer? A couple pairs of sox, a blanket for my dad, and Christmas presents
What is your favorite FO? (Post a pic if you would like.) Clapotis out of Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino
What is your oldest UFO? I just ripped out a sock from about two years ago that I didn't finish
Are there any techniques that you want to learn? Continental knitting and colorwork
Are you on Ravlery? What's your ID? Yes, theknittycrafter
Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes, ball of foot - 9", length - 10.5"
Do you collect anything? yes. dogs, cats, dust bunnies, yarn, fiber, nursing books, Ansel Adams.
Do you have a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes
Do you love sweets? What are your favorites? Yes, chocolate, peanut brittle, m&ms, See's candy, basically anything chocolate!
What are your favorite scents? clean and citrusy
Where do you keep your needles/hooks? In a wooden toolbox my boyfriend gave me for Christmas last year
Do you have a wishlist (Amazon, Etsy, etc?) Yes, Amazon and Etsy
Having a birthday this summer? No
Are you allergic to anything??? Please let your pal know! Yes, I am unable to wear scented lotions. Also, anything with a mohair % of 25 or more and I sneeze the whole time I am knitting and wearing it.

I am done!! Almost.

I have the pleasure of presenting the Nursing Class of Spring 2008!!!

Now all that is left to do is pass the State Boards.

Hello, Hello

Hello. Work and school combined has been really busy. I am loving having a job! There are quirks and stuff like that with this job, there are quirks and stuff at all jobs. There was a lady that I thought had died on me when I was doing rounds. But she responded to me. Thank goodness! I am sure that will happen someday, but I would like for that not to happen too soon!

Yarn. I got Yarn!! And Fiber! And Spindles!!! Oh, I almost forgot, and Needles!!

Yarn. I finally broke down and ordered from Knitpicks. I got Cotlin in the color Kohlrabi. The color is pretty true from the web site from my screen. I got four skeins. The plan is to make something for this winter that isn't wool. Most likely a scarf. I also purchased a skein of their Bare superwash sock yarn. I think that I will only buy superwash yarn for socks from now on because I made R a pair of socks recently that are already felting. And I wash all our handknit socks in Soak.










I also made a Loopy Ewe order. I ordered GK Sock Twitter Pated and ShiBui sock yarn in Autumn. Both of these are for my socks, as I has at least a dozen sock yarns stashed for R.











Fiber and Spindles. I found on Ravelry ( such an enabling place!!) a fiber and spindle subscription from Butterflygirldesigns from Etsy. R found out and ordered a subscription for my birthday! I recieved the first month about a week ago. She sent me Carnivale for the fiber and this spindle. I am so excited! Then, for my birthday, I got me a Golding spindle!! I got the 2" Solid Lignum Vitae RingSpindle. It spins like a dream. I was disappointed at first because I like a longer spindle shaft, but then I spun it. Heaven! Yes, I wrote on it. I did that for my own sanity. I get in the grove and if I don't have that little reminder, I will spin it the opposite way one time and the spindle will drop. Then I get all frustrated and upset because I then can't remember which way I was spinning it. It is just for my sanity. Butterflygirldesigns from Etsy

Needles. While brosing Knitpicks, I saw that they now have 40" and 47" sock size needles in the new wood. So I ordered some. I alos ordered some of the same lengths in the nickel plated finish. In the wood, I ordered the 40" in 2.0mm & 2.25mm, same for the 47". I also ordered the same lengths and sizes in the nickel. I want to learn how to do two sox at a tim, toe up, magic loop method. Wood is on the left and the metal ones on the right.










I have a test today, so I need to go eat a good breakfast. Happy Knitting!!

Socks!

I have been knitting. Honest. Here, I will show you.

These are R's. I finised them about a week ago. He loves them. I lost the ballbands but if I remember correctly, the yarn is Claudia Hand Painted Yarns. I don't remember the color. Very nice yarn to work with.

I just finished the first of a pair a few minutes ago for me. The yarn is Claudia Handpainted Yarns. The color is "Hawaii". I will be buying more of this from the Loopy Ewe.















Both pairs are my personal patterns that I have put together from several different patterns. They are toe up Magic loop, started with Magic cast on. They have a heel flap and a gusset. I do basic vanilla pattern to show off the yarn. I have even started the secend one. See?














Sorry that this post is sarcastic. I am trying to stay awake so I can sleep tomorrow so that I can stay awake at work tomorrow night. Happy Knitting!!

Wish List

Warning - this is a selfish post.

I need a place where I can list my "wishes". Now that I have income again, I am dreaming about things that I would like to have in regards to my fiber obession. Since I want to start my own business, I will need equipment to run it more smoothly and at most cost effective to me. Granted, I could have someone else prepare my fiber, but if I have my own, then I could do it myself. Yes, I am very aware how time consuming perparing fiber from raw to spinable is.

I would need a picker and a drum carder. I would probably start out with a non-motorized carder, then upgrade to a motorized one. The picker I would probably buy, but R could also make me one if I got the plans. I was thinking this one, this one, or this one for a carder, and this, this,or this for a picker.

Another thing is dying. Do I, or don't I. I was thinking for a while that I would like to carry only natural colors in fiber and blend those to make other colors. But there are so many gorgeous colors and color combos out there! So, I will probably need an outdoor stove and pots, pans, and utensils so that if I wanted to use acid dyes I could.

Personal wishes. Spindles and more spindles! I have fallen in love with the Golding rim weighted spindles! Although I prefer the nonpainted ones, all are BEAUTIFUL!! And any of these that are under 1.5oz are on my wish list! And Butterflygirls! I would also like to try a supported spindle.

Fiber. I bought some of this just to try it out. I didn't like it by itself, but blended up to 50/50 with another fiber and all the blends that I have tried spin like a dream!! I will definately be getting more of this!

I am sure that there is more wishes somewhere in my brain, but I need to go nap before going to work tonight.

Happy Knitting!

R's new blog

Hello! R just started his own blog! You can find it here. He is an artist. I hope that you like some of the drawings.

Happy Knitting!