Yeah I finished!!!!

I just finished the "Flower Basket Shawl". I posted a picture below of how it looks before blocking. It seems so tiny... I think it will bloom once it is blocked. Would you believe this is the first time I will actually be blocking something. Everything I have ever made looked fine and need no blocking. They tell you to soak the shawl for twenty minutes. I am going to have to buy some blocking pins too. I really enjoyed this pattern. I have to say the Skacel laceweight merino was a pleasure to knit with. I used two strands through the whole project. I may have had a heck of a time winding it..... But, it was worth the efforts.I have enough yarn to make a second one. I just might do that while the pattern is fresh in ,y mind. I am in love with lace work. It is so fun to watch all those yarn overs and SSK's create a work of art. I think I am going to invest in Barbara Walker's Second treasury of knitting . It is supposed to have quite a section on lace work. I would love to be able to afford all of her books. I think this is the one I want to invest in first. If anyone owns her books , please feel free to let me know your thoughts. It is late...And I have a busy day on the books. Good night for now my friends.

Unblocked Flower Basket Shawl 

Flower Basket Shawl

I have been working on the Flower Basket Shawl from Fall Interweave Knits. It is a great pattern and very easy to follow. I am about three quarters finished. I will try to post a picture later today. I have been putting in a "lifeline" every ten rows. I was very glad I decided to do that.....Because last night I had dropped three stitches. Boy they unraveled as fast as could be. I never would have been able to get all the stitches back on the needle. So , I pulled out seven rows back to the "lifeline". I am really enjoying knitting lace. I just purchased a book on Ebay the other night. The book is called Lace from The Attic. I am looking forward to reading it. Well..... I am off to a family picnic. My nephew is home from the service. He is going to be stationed in the state of Washington. He is only home for 10 days. Can't wait to see him!

I need a swift!!!!!

I just spent two and a half hours winding my Skacel lace weight merino. It had more twists and tangles than I have ever seen. I only lost a few yards of it. I was hoping to cast on my Flower Basket Shawl . I think I need a break right now. I use a toilet paper roll to wind my yarn around...Primitive ,yes... But it works. I might need to think about a swift. I just have no room to set it up. I wonder if you can use a ball winder without a swift? I posted progress pictures below of the Leaf Lace socks and the finished baby blanket. I also want to thank everyone for the chicken advice. I have heard some funny stories from everyone. I think we are going to try to find a farm for our beloved "Apricot the rooster". I am sure it is very lonely for him around here.Happy knitting everyone! Ohhhhhhhhhh The U.S.Women's Soccer just won the gold medal. What a heck of a game it was.... Woohoo!!!!!!!

Leaf Lace progress 

Finished Heart blanket 

Finished!!!!

I had written a lengthy post earlier in the day...But Blogger ate it. This has happened a couple of times to me. I need to put it into Microsoft Word, just in case. That would save much frustration on my part. I finished the baby blanket. I will post a picture later in the week . I like to take them outside, because the lighting is so much better. I have many many hours in this baby blanket...It was worth each and every one. I am thrilled with the way it came out. I did work on my Leaf lace socks last night. I worked up a few more inches. This is a fun pattern to knit. I am really enjoying watching the leaves work up. Still no Fall Interweave Knits magazine. I am getting frustrated waiting for the subscription to start. I have my yarn all ready to go for the Flower basket Shawl. I did buy some yarn for the Variation on a Frill . I just need to get to the bead store and buy some size 6 beads. I ended up buying some extra fine merino wool in black. I have also contemplating the Madli's Shawl from Interweaves Summer 2004. So many projects, so little time. In chicken news....It appears my beloved Apricot is not a female. The last three morning we have been woken up by a cockadoodledoo sound from under the deck. I can't believe it is a rooster. Smallest little rooster I have ever seen. Not sure how this is going to fly....My husband works the night shift. We may have to find a nice farm for Apricot the rooster.

Random acts of kindness

I was reading Sandy's Knitting blog, and she was talking about a group called Random Acts of Kindness. If you look to the left and scroll down, you will see the link. Click on the link and read about it. It does not have to be a monetary act, it can be as simple as a e-card to cheer someone up. I think it is a great idea. I am working away on the baby blanket. I am about six inches from completion. It is a crib size, so it is rather awkward to work on at this length. In chicken news.... We are trying to find a design for a "one chicken" chicken coop. All the plans are for a bunch of chickens. Apricot is alive and well and living under the deck. Who knew I would love having a chicken?

Socks and blanket...

There is a picture of my baby blanket below. This had been stalled at the halfway point for months now. This is the pattern from Fiber Trends Heart blanket . It is a great pattern, you just need to concentrate on all the yarn overs. I have VOWED that I will not cast on anything else till this is finished. It is for my future grandchild(who does not exist yet). I wanted to have it all finished for Adrienne and Mark . I have about three fourth of the blanket done. Yell at me if you see something else on my needles. Now , before you yell too loudly....I had already cast the Leaf Lace socks on a few weeks ago. Isn't the pattern beautiful. They would show up better in a solid yarn. But, I can't find any locally. I still have not received my Fall Interweave Knits magazine. What is up with the slow subscription service? In chicken news.... "Apricot" is still with us and roosting under the deck. I guess we are going to make some kind of a coop for her. When I pull up in the Subaru, she comes running. When I ask her,"How's my girl today?" she starts clucking. I guess she has decided we are a good family.

Leaf Lace Socks 

Baby blanket 

Look what came to visit

If you look at the pictures below...You will see I have a new pet. Saturday afternoon, I arrived home to find her clucking up the path. I thought I was seeing things. My husband came in off the lake and asked "Well, what do you think of our new found friend?" I have no idea where she came from as we live in the boonies on a private 2 mile road. I threw some birdseed on the ground and she ended up staying the night under the deck. Sunday, We woke up and there she was coming up from the lake "clucking" away. She was still her this morning. So...Today I bought some feed at the feed store for her. We call her Apricot (the cats name is Peaches and my dog's name was Brandy). I did call the police station to see if anyone called in a missing chicken. After the dispatcher chuckled a bit. She said there were no missing Henny Pennys for the day. I think we are going to build a little coop and keep her. SO.....What do you guys know about chickens. I will take any and all advice.

"Apricot" 

Apricot 

Ponchos continued... And other news

I just wrote a lengthy post and lost it. Boy is that frustrating. I just uploaded pictures of Lacey's poncho. She LOVES it!!! It is just different enough from Hailey's to please her. I know better than to make them the same. They both want matching mittens to go with them. They get so excited about handmade things. They are fun to knit for because I know how much they appreciate the work. I casted on the Leaf Lace Socks from Fiber Trends. I am using the Mountain Colors "Bearfoot" in Alpine. The yarn is too dark to show up the pattern. But, I am really enjoying knitting these. I will post a progress photo soon. I am finding that I am drawn to Lace work. I am contemplating making Madli's Shawl from the IK Summer 2004 issue. I also bought some lace weight merino for the "Flower Basket" shawl in the current Fall issue of IK. I got a subscription to this magazine a few months ago. I am STILL waiting for the Fall issue. I have emailed them and they say it is on the way. Every time I see the issue at Barnes and Noble I want to buy it. I am still lusting after the "Best of Knitters Shawls and Stole "book. I just need to break down and order it. Well...Off for a ride on the lake. Happy knitting everyone.

Lacey (back) 

Lacey's poncho 

poncho and yarn search

I am winding down on the smaller poncho for Lacey. The body is all finished and about half of the hood. I think I will make the fringe variegated. I want to use up most of the leftover yarn. I am going to make the girls mittens to match these ponchos too. I have been searching for Mandarin Petit locally. Neither of the yarn shops carry it. This is the yarn for Knitty's Variation on a frill . I want to make this for myself. It will be the first time I use beads in a project. I am going to order the yarn in black and not sure of the color of the beads. Speaking of ponchos..... Check out the gorgeous poncho that Cheryl made her daughter. I love the bright color mixed with the novelty yarns. Also on the poncho front, Jen has generously shared her free pattern. Check it out! Guess that is it for now folks.

Turkish Stitch Shawl

I just posted the pictures of the"Turkish Stitch Shawl". I had finished it a few months ago. But,I was holding on to it for Adrienne's birthday. She loves it and wore it to Portsmouth the other evening. I wish it was a bit wider. I find that the proportions get too out of whack if you make them too long. I think I am going to try a few rectangular stoles/wraps. Being plus size myself, I think this are a better solution for a good fit. I am still working on the smaller size poncho for Lacey. It is left over blue shades for Hailey's poncho. We just came back from the mall. There are ponchos in every store. They definitely are the hot item for the fall.

Adrienne modeling her shawl 

Turkish stitch shawl 

Poncho

I just posted photos below of Hailey's finished poncho. I gave it to her today. She jumped up and down and was overjoyed with it. I am very pleased with the way it came out. I am working on a smaller size one for her 7 year old sister. I am making it with the leftover blue shades. Waste not want not, right? I have about six inches worked up on the 2nd poncho. In sock news...... I worked about 5 inches of the "Making Waves" pattern. It is a pretty pattern, but... The yarn I choose was way too dark to show up the pattern. I had been reading many messages on the Six Sox list about this pattern. They were saying the sock pulls in rather tight. Considering I have a size 9 foot and thick ankles. I have decided to not knit this pattern. So, will wait for the 3rd sock pattern to come out. I certainly have plenty of projects lined up. Tomorrow I will post a photo of the "Turkish Stitch " shawl. I did not want Adrienne to see it before her birthday. They are driving up tonight, so she will get to open her gifts tomorrow. We are looking forward to their visit. I have a coffee cake baking right now. That will be an easy breakfast for a few days. See you all tomorrow....

Hailey's Poncho (Back) 

Hailey's poncho