Posted in Completed Projects, Current Projects

FO: Aegean Mitts, Matt’s Socks, and Ravelympics

Wow, I’ve really not kept up on the blogging so far this year! I’ve been knitting a few smaller projects recently, so I have 3 FO’s that need to be shared. I don’t have pictures of two of them to share yet, but I do have pictures of the fingerless mitts I finished about two weeks ago.

Aegean Mitts
Aagean Mitts

Pattern: Aegean Mitts (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: January 28, 2010
Completed: January 31, 2010
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Polygala, 1 skein
Needles: US 4 bamboo DPNs
Notes: I frogged my Hannah hat and reclaimed this lovely Malabrigo for these mitts. Pattern was quick and fairly easy (as long as you can read charts) to work up and I love the result! They’re definitely getting a lot of wear lately. 🙂

Aegean Mitts
Aagean Mitts, with Matt as my model

Aegean Mitts
Aagean Mitts, with Matt as my model

Yesterday I was thinking about the projects I currently have on the needles and decided that I’m going to frog Haruni. I love the look of the finished shawl, but recently I’ve been thinking about shawls and how I don’t really wear the ones I already have (I do wear Multnomah and Springtime Bandit occasionally as scarfs). Since every time I think about knitting it, I shy away from it, pick something else, or start a new project, I figured it’s time for me to let this one go. Maybe some day I’ll come back to it, but right now I’m not really into it and I’m okay with letting it go for now in favor of knitting other things!

Speaking of knitting other things… I’ve been working diligently on Matt’s socks. I’ve finished the first sock and I’m 2 inches from starting the heel on the second sock. I don’t have a picture of the finished sock, but here’s a picture of it before I started the heel which is about the point I’m at on the second sock.

Matt's Wollmeise Sock
Matt’s Sock in Wollmeise colorway Lowenzahn

Aside from Matt’s sock, I’m still working on my Vesper plain vanilla socks in Summer Breeze (though they haven’t seen much action recently) and last night I started Rogue in some green Cascade 220. I knit this as my second sweater ever and really liked it. The one issue I had with it, though, was that it was a bit too short for me. It falls right at my belly button (natural waist) which is shorter then I like for any top – sweater or otherwise. I decided to give it another go since I enjoyed knitting it the first time around and since I have learned a lot about sweater knitting since then, I have a feeling this one will get a lot more wear!

So are you busy gearing up for the Ravelympics/Knitting Olympics? I know I am! For those who don’t know or haven’t heard of the Ravelympics/Knitting Olympics, it started back in 2006 when the Yarn Harlot decided to challenge herself to knit something challenging during the 16 days of that year’s Olympics. Many, many people joined in the challenge and knit along. When the summer Olympics came around in 2008, she decided she only wanted to do the Knitting Olympics during the winter games, so people on Ravelry started up a group and it became known as the Ravelympics. There’s a Ravelympics group on Ravelry and the Yarn Harlot has posted about the Knitting Olympics along with a sign up form on her blog.

I picked out my project a few weeks ago and decided on the February Lady Sweater (aka FLS) in Brooks Farm Mas Acero. I think it’ll be a pretty good challenge to get a sweater done in 17 days. Cast-on time will be 9 pm tomorrow (EST) as the opening ceremonies start!

Brooks Farms Mas Acero
Mas Acero for my FLS

I just realized that I’m using red yarn for a sweater with “February” in the name for the Ravelympics which follow the Olympics which are being held in Canada this year. Could I pick a more fitting color or pattern?! It wasn’t even intentional! haha 😀

What are you knitting for the Ravelympics? Ready for it?

Posted in Current Projects

Catching up on a bit of everything

I can't believe it's been so long since I blogged last! I've been rather busy at work and at home since I last posted. I've taken on some extra things at work that I'm excited about, but that means I've been working more hours each week, which leaves me pretty tired. The last few weekends have been busy, too. Visiting with friends and family – fantastic, but also tiring! Not to say I haven't been enjoying it, because I totally am, it's just not left me much time for other things and blogging seems to fall to the wayside when I'm busy. (I really must try and fix that.)

Anyhow…

Today I booked our vacation! We're going to Charleston, South Carolina and will be staying at The Lodge Alley Inn, right downtown, the first week of November. I have owned a timeshare for about 5 years now and this is the first time I'm using it. I'm SO excited to be going!

The Ravelympics have come to a close and I did not finish my Starlight sweater. I knew about half way through the Ravelympics that I wouldn't finish and I kind of just stopped knitting at that point. I think I got a little bored with the pattern and the cable row that is every 4th row, not to mention that it's not very portable at all. I've found that I am just not that great at knitting on only one thing if I'm not that interested in it. It's become my "knit while watching tv" project and eventually it will be done. I'm hoping by the end of the year. If I'm not done with it by the time we take our vacation, I'm bringing it as my "knit in the car" project.

Since I was totally over the Ravelympics once I figured out there's no way I'd be done with it (I highly over-estimated how much time I'd have to knit and I started working more hours at work which left a lot less knitting time for me), I started a sock:

Nutkins Sock

When I found that this sock didn't really fit over my heel without a lot of struggle, it was frogged last Wednesday. Since that didn't work out and I like to have a good sock project for taking on-the-go with me, I started this yesterday:

Pomatomus:
Hippomatomus-whatsit Sock

I started another project at the request of the boyfriend. I was trying to find a pattern on Ravelry and he was standing next to me as I was searching and saw this pattern. He suddenly couldn't live without it and requested I knit it for him with my left over Nanner yarn. I said I'd only knit it if he'd wear it and I can take photographic evidence of him wearing it. He said he'd totally wear it and let me take pictures, so here I am knitting a Banana Hammock!

Progress so far:
Banana Hammock

I'm actually a bit further along than that, but I don't have a picture yet.

This past weekend, my friend Grace came over so we could go to the Gaiam outlet sale (it's close to my house) that was going on. I was lucky enough to get TWO pairs of Earth shoes for 60% off! Quite a steal, if you ask me. I haven't bought a pair before, but have heard so many good things. I just couldn't ever justify the expense. For the price of one pair of Earth shoes with the Kalso Negative Heel Technology, I got two pairs of Vegan Earth shoes, a yoga mat/block/strap kit with dvd, a t-shirt, yoga flip flops (they separate all your toes, supposed to be good for balance), and a really cool bag (my new purse). I am beyond excited by it! I'm wearing one pair today and I absolutely love them. I can actually feel myself walking taller/straighter.

I have to say that the bag I got excites me as well. It has two separate zippered compartments in it and is very light. I thought it would be perfect for keeping my purse junk on one side and my sock project on the other. I've been wanting a bag that can do this that isn't as big as a suitcase (like it seems most knitting bags are) and this meets all my needs completely! Only thing that I'd like is another small zippered pouch for some of my purse junk that I used to keep in the inside zippered compartment since this bag doesn't have any inside pockets. The bag itself is very light and even with my sock project in it, I'd swear it's lighter than the last purse I had.

The bag:
New Bag

The inside:
Bag Compartments

I love this bag! It only cost $15 (regular price $50 with 70% off that price). LOVE.

I know a number of folks got into the Wollemeise sock club recently. Lucky folks! I was going to try and get a spot, but I figured that it was best for my budget not to do that. Speaking of budget… I have paid off my Visa card! Just waiting on the payment to post, but man am I happy about that!

I sold off some of my stash and gave away some to my sister. I just felt the need to get rid of yarn that just wasn't right for me for whatever reason. Anything that I didn't have plans for pretty much went with the exception of most of the sock yarn (there were a few lone skeins that found new homes) and lace yarn. It felt rather liberating to just have yarn that I really wanted to knit with, even if I didn't have a specific pattern for it. My Ravelry queue holds plenty of sock and lace patterns that I like, so that's not a problem! It was the worsted weight stuff, just a skein here or there that I wanted out of my stash. My sister was welcoming to the new yarn (a trash bag full!) and I sold quite a bit on Ravelry. I sent out 11 packages today, all making their way across the states and one making its way to Norway.

Last week I bought a book to learn amigurumi.

Amigurumi!

There's some cute things in here and once I finish the Banana Hammock, I'm going to be teaching myself how to make things from the book. My crochet skills are limited at best, but my sister crochets and I'm sure if she can't help me, someone at SnB can.

Recently Miss Voiolet (of Lime & Violet fame) started selling soaps and scents. I was able to get in an order in when the shop first went up and got my goodies about two weekends ago:

Soap and Scents
Soaps: Dirty Jack, Farmgirl, Sinflower, Afternoon Baking, and Plurk Nannerbread
Cupcakes (scents): Dirty Jack, Organza Fills, Afternoon Baking, Lime & Violet, Soda Jerk, and Wednesday's Market

So far I've used the Afternoon Baking soap and scent and the Soda Jerk scent – all are great.  All the soaps and scents smell good and I'm looking forward to using them :o)

I bought this at the Target $1 spot (or former $1 spot because now they have things for $2 and $2.50!) for my desk at work because I thought it was cute:

Mr. Man and Little Miss

Recently I've had some ups and downs concerning my health.  My back is in worse condition than I thought (I really did hope physical therapy would help) and I'm waiting to see my neurologist on Sept. 9th. Then I got some news from the VA about the disability claim I filed last year for my back - they approved me for compensation for the back problems at 20% and I'll be receiving a check from them monthly.  They are missing some paperwork, though, so I'll be appealing my claim and maybe receive more.  I was pretty mixed about this decision, but overall it means more good things for me than anything bad.  Now it's all just a waiting game to see where I go from here.

I had started two other posts between the last time I posted and now, but neither made it to completion, so I'm sure there's more that I wanted to write about, but I don't recall (or it feels too old to mention). Til next time!

Posted in Current Projects, Gardening

Nanner socks, Nanner bread, and the Garden

I can hardly believe that July is almost over! Where has this summer (and this year) gone?!

This month seems to have gone by especially fast for me. I think the change in my medications had me rather foggy most of the month making it feel like a blur. I’ve adjusted to the change, but found that the side effects don’t outweigh the benefits on this one, so the next time I go to the doctor I’m going to ask to be taken off of it (which shouldn’t be a problem at all). I started going to PT this past week. So far it made my back waaaay worse than it was and then my follow-up appointment on Tuesday was canceled until this coming Tuesday, so I don’t really have much of an idea where it all stands other than so far it hasn’t helped at all.

Aside from that stuff, I’ve been knitting on my Nanner socks like crazy. I finished the first one on Thursday and started the second one the same day. I’ve now completed the heel of the second sock, so I should be done with this pair very soon.

1st sock done, 2nd started

After thinking about it for quite a while, I decided to join the Ravelympics. I decided it’s time for me to get back to that Starlight sweater I started near the beginning of last year that has been sitting in my WIP pile for too long now. I’ll be doing the WIP Wrestling event for Team Splurk. Here’s what it currently looks like:

Starlight Sweater

Last week I managed to snag a Ravelry t-shirt while some were in the store:

HPIM0822

I love it!

My garden has been growing like crazy. I uploaded a bunch of pictures to my Flickr album, but here are a few of my favorites:

HPIM0749

HPIM0805

HPIM0742

HPIM0787

I have three ripe tomatoes and plenty more on the way. The bell peppers have finally started showing and a few more cucumbers have come up, too. I’m not convinced that they are doing that great, but they’re doing okay enough I guess. The thyme and cilantro died completely and I pulled them out of the container they were in. The lavender and lemon balm aren’t doing so great and I’m not sure what to do about it. I trimmed back the lemon balm because it was getting a bit out of control. Seems okay enough, but the lavender – I have no idea what to do about it. It is looking rather wilted at the moment. Overall, though, I’m just really happy about the success I’ve had!

Today I baked up some chocolate banana bread since we had some bananas that needed to be eaten or baked up. I think it came out really good! I’ve made it before, but it’s been years since I made it. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

HPIM0821

Lindsey’s Chocolate Banana Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 bananas, crushed
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and crushed bananas, combine well. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mix and vanillia to creamed mixture, combine well. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes, or until done. Cool, serve and enjoy!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend :o)