What October has brought....

Knitting socks at the dentist :)

This week has 2 projects....

Okay, so I bought this yarn on a whim.  I wanted to buy something and thought "why not, looks interesting."

Why not?  It is a pain to knit with!  I am sure there is a trick, but I couldn't find it.  I fumbled through and made the scarf and Ava looks great in it, but she looks great in anything :)

  I also made a baby bear hat for a friend's baby.  It is tiny, much tinier than I wanted.  Why can't I find a baby hat pattern that will fit a baby's head and not just an orange!

My photoshoot :)

I used my anatomy body as a backdrop for my shawl :)

 Random cuteness!

I finished a test knit!!!

 We took a little beach vacation over the weekend to end the summer with a smile.  While on the beach I finished knitting a wonderful test knit pi shawl.

The awesome Socks bunny knit and fit has designed a beaded pi shawl that I test knit and LOVED.  The beading was not hard at all and I was so afraid I would screw up, but didn't :)

I was binding off, minding my own business when an unleashed dog ran up and grabbed my shawl!  I screamed!!!  The dog let go and I rescued my shawl...

 I blocked this afternoon and hope to have the shawl ready for real pictures tomorrow, I'm so excited to show you!

My first test knit, my first pi shawl, my first beaded knit....I am thrilled and so thankful to Sock Bunny (Kimberly) for allowing me to be a test knitter.
I used Paton's Lace in the bonfire colorway on size 6 needles (interchangeable 32 inch cable).

 I also made a bulky preemie hat....modeled by the lovely orange...and

a little owl puff hooty owl with scrap handspun...

I thought this would be a cute gift card holder for my niece :)  I want to knit more of these cuties for smiles.

The joy of a milkshake...

My grandmother enjoying her strawberry shake :)

I love it!!

I'm test knitting!

This is a first for me on many levels.  First for test knitting, first for a Pi shawl, first for beads....I'm going crazy....

2 pair in 2012 :)

 I'm on fire, 2 pairs of socks in 2012!  I never said I was a fast sock knitter.  On the contrary, very slooooooow.  Throw in the fact that I have been knittng and spinning other things and I do work....trying to make myself feel better here.

I mailed my brother his socks and he called to say they fit perfectly.  Yay!  So perfect that my nephew wants a pair and he asked if I could knit him an identical pair for Christmas.  Why didn't I take better notes?????????????

Now I need to buy more yarn...





I finished plying my BFL and it is KINKY, but beautiful and I think I have enough fingering yardage for a shawlette.

What else have I been doing, besides knitting?  I have been playing with precious babies like these.  Take a gander at this puppy pile.  These are a few of the great dog available for loving homes at our Humane Society. 

Isn't that precious????????

TDF 12 day 22.....

Today is the final day of TDF 12 and I finished the second bobbin of the latest BFL pulled from the bin.  I will be plying this week and hopefully will have more than the pattern of 242 that I have gotten this summer.  I ended with 16 ounces spun, which is a record TDF for me and I met my goal of spinning at least 15 minutes a day, with the exception of a beach vacation :)  Now I need to figure out what to knit with my handspun....get to spinning, get to knitting.

So EXPLICIT!

My TDF 12 continues and I 2 plyed the superwash BFL, Bitten (4 ounces).  I am naming it Explicit, so kinky it deserves an X rating.  It is SO kinky.  I have about 246 yards of a sportish weight.

  I love the colors and I love the feel, but frustrated that the last 3 braids I have spun have all been in the 240 yard range.  Hey, at least I am consistent :)

But what to knit with 240ish sport weight yards????????????

Seat post readjusted and back on the spinning wheel for TDF....

 I'm back on a roll, which is good because I go back to work Monday and need to get this spinning done!

I finished 2 bobbins of the superwash BFL and that needs to be plyed.....sometime this week!

 I dug into the fiber bin and found a cream/pink/orange BFL to start next and decided to try fractal spinning.

I am so close to finished bobbin 1, so close, but my back is killing me from sitting and spinning.

This bobbin has the 4 parts from the split.  I will do the other whole part next and then plying magic will take place.  I have no clue what it should look like then, but it will be a first for me!

I think I have been kicked off the TDF tour :(

 

We went on a little vacation to the beach and I wasn't able to spin for TDF, so I think I have been kicked off!  Nah, just put on the sidelines, but home and back at it....spinning away.  I 2 plyed the mystery BFL and have about 242ish yards and very pleased with the end yarn.  Yep, it is kinky but I love it.

 

I stopped for some peanut butter cup chocolate ice cream, I'm in training you know!  And split a superwash BFL braid.  I have 4 ounces of this gorgeous roving and it is named "Bitten" from Pigeonroof Studios.

I have bobbin 1 finished and the colors are spectacular.  I have never spun SW before and it was a little tricky for me at first, because it is slippery!  I have started bobbin 2 today. 

 Oh, here is the reason I wasn't spinning....the beach!  I had to throw in some random Poopies pictures...they are so cute!

Oh, yeah....here is TDF 12 so far, I'm slack!

 Okay, this isn't TDF (Tour de Fleece) 12, but something I did in June at the beach.  Made a cute wrist wrap from leftover handspun I had....think this was the peacock colorway from mom's shawl.

 I was sitting in the car with the poopies waiting on His Majesty to come out of Harbor Freight when I finished this up and did an impromptu photo shoot. 
I think the guy in the truck beside me was concerned that I was photoing my lap :)

Yarn ninja!

 Okay, here is where my TDF 12 begins.  First day I weighed and split some gorgeous merino.  This was from a destash and Ravelry gals, have some more destashes please!!!!

The Yarn Wench  black cherry 1 

I discovered that merino wool HATES me!!!

 This was my first trip down the spin-some-merino-lane and it was a rough ride.  I had some kinky singles on the bobbins....while the merino rested I started on some BFL....ah love you BFL.

Finley assisted in the spinning process

A mystery BFL in blues and grays and gorgeous all the way around!

BFL bobbin 1 almost complete...no clue what TDF days these are

 

Ava graciously modeled the 2 plied merino, which resulted in 242ish yards and is very soft and making me happy.  Though it kept giving me the stink eye on the wheel.  Maybe I won't get rid of the remaining merino in the bins...though hiring a hit man to take it out was in the cards for a while.

BFL bobbins 1 and 2 finished and ready to be plied, but no one here wants to ply them.....we are tired of plying

Friday and I have green yarn!

Boo-yah, finished the lime green/yellow Punta fiber and have 196 yards of yarn.  As you are probably thinking, no I have not checked the WPI....that would mean I have to dig out the little tool and I am tired :)

I believe this will become a little monster or two...perfect Hulky green monster colors.

Other events around here include lots of puppy naps and cats taking turns looking out the door.  They must be waiting on a ride or a pizz delivery...

 And lots of backyard ball has been played and songs sung....I think they look like they are singing. I'm going with Bohemian Rhapsody, since that is one of our favorites to belt out at any given moment.

The bleeping socks are done and the cow gave me the stink eye....

 I finally finished these socks and I never thought I would, but they are blocking right now.  Thank goodness!!

These are a modified version of the Primavera Socks  pattern with my very first Afterthought Heel heel.  Not sure how I feel about them at this minute....not sure if I love the fit. 

The yarn is a Knit Picks yarn, I think Essential and that stuff fuzzes up when water hits it.  Reminds me of a Gremlin.

I have to say I loved my Ott light for helping my old eyes see the stitches when trying to start the heel.

 On our afternoon dog walk yesterday, Finley, Ava and I stopped to admire the neighbor's new calf.  The mama kept giving me the stink eye.  So rude!

If I could have jumped the fence and stole the calf I would have!

After this morning's walk, Finley decided to relax with a little doggie yoga and I cast on a bracelet with leftover handspun.

I love me some Finley!