Sweater update

Today I spent about 3-4 hours of time working on knitting projects. Well, really only 1 project. I started on the Easy Raglan V-neck by Stefanie Japel back in October of last year. I haven't touched it since January (?). I was tired of working on the Double Moss Stitch socks so I switched over to the sweater. So here is an updated pic of the sweater. I'm still trying to decide if I want to add long sleeves or not. I actually kind of like the short sleeves.

Dying to Dye

As it is summer and I have free time that I haven't had in awhile I've decided to start dyeing yarn. I've never really been interested in it before but it does feed my creativity. I researched dyeing a little bit and decided to start as most have started which would be Kool-Aid.

I headed to Wal-Mart and picked all the colors that they had on hand. I came home and found in my stash (my husband would be so proud!) a yarn that is 50% wool 50% alpaca. Perfect! It's a cream color and I doubt I would ever use it that way. I reskeined it (I had previously wound it when I went on my swift and ball winder spree) and got to work. What color would I use? I looked through my Kool-Aid packets and saw the perfect one: Lemon-Lime.

So right now my yarn is sitting on my stove turning a lovely shade of green. Or so I hope. We'll see what happens when I'm done! But meanwhile here are some process pics.

It's Summer and I Can Live Again!

I haven't posted since January. Unbelievable! This school year has been so busy. I'm relieved that it's over. I haven't done much knitting in the past few months due to the hustle and bustle of school. It seems like this happens every year. Every year I tell myself that I'm going to continue to knit because that does relieve my stress but for one reason or another I let that thought fade out of my mind.

I started a new pair of socks on Thursday. The only reason I started them was because I was so frustrated with the original pair I was working on. It's really hard to pick up the one remaining sock when you haven't looked at it in about 6-7 months and just know what repeat you're working on. I was working on it after school when I realized that I had done the wrong repeat. Well, being frustrated with school and this stupid sock I ripped the whole thing. My friend Kristi sat there in horror as I ripped the sock apart. She told me not to take it all out. I'm not the type of knitter who can just rip out part. If I start ripping I usually rip all of it. It's a little extreme I know but that's my mentality.



I also just got a new laptop (yesterday) and I'm pretty excited about that. I'm using it right now. It's nothing too fancy but it is NEW! I think I'll be in bed for the next three or four days hanging out with my knitting, laptop, and iPod. I just need some time to chill from the school year.

New Beginnings

I am so excited!!! I have just finished the yoke part of my first top down raglan sweater. It is nowhere near finished. However, I'm pretty pumped about having completed that part. Oh and yes it fits. As soon as my husband gets finished with his movie, I'll have him take a picture to post. Sweater making has always seemed very daunting to me and I have put it off for so long. We'll see how this goes.

Knit Night

Last night some friends got together for a knit night. It was really fun. Kristi and Rose- if you are reading this- we need to do that more often!

I finished a hat I was making for my grandfather. He let me know last week that the first hat I made him was a little too tight. I had an idea it was when I gave it to him at Thanksgiving. However, he said it was fine. At least until last Thursday! Anyway, I got busy on a new hat for him. This hat is a plain 2x2 ribbed hat. I think it will fit comfortably this time. I got the yarn from The Knitting Nook. It's from Universal Yarn Inc. and is called Classic Shades. I loved the colors. This yarn reminds me of Patons SWS.


I've also finally finished the baby blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting. It's the Modern Baby Blanket. I used Lion Brand Cotton Ease. I think it took so long for me to make this because of all the garter stitch. The same stitches over and over began to bore me. I think that it paid off though.

Yarn storm

Since I got my ball winder and swift I have been crazily winding yarn. Well, I've also been visiting various online yarn shops to peruse their yarn. The only problem is wanting to buy it too. I feel like nothing can hold me back since I have my handy swift and ball winder.

Yesterday, I received the package from Kris at Sonny and Shear for the Seacoast Handpainted that I won. There are 560 yards of this soft yarn. I don't know what to make. Ideas? The most obvious idea is to make socks.

A few days earlier I received my package of yarn from Eat.Sleep.Knit. I ordered during their New Year's Eve sale. I got some very squishy Dream in Color Smooshy and Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino. Both were wonderful to wind up.

I am obsessed with yarn. More than I have ever been. I believe it's due to the swift and ball winder. I don't feel held down because I'm thinking, "If I order a hank how am I going to wind it without it becoming a horrible mess?"

New Post New Year

Happy New Year to everyone!

We've had a very busy holiday. Most of the knitting projects for Christmas didn't get done. Everyone who was to receive a gift knows not to expect knitted gifts on the holiday that they are for. So, I don't think that anyone was disappointed.

Christmas Eve we spent with my parents and then went to visit my husband's family in East Texas. While we were there I finished the socks that I was working on for a gift. We also took a trip to Shreveport to gamble where we both lost all of our money. It was still fun. Brandan didn't know that I could spend 4 hours on penny slots with $100. He thought that I would be through in about an hour. To be quite honest, I could have, but knowing that he would be playing blackjack for who knows how long I had to go slow.

When we got back home, I had to go through all the stuff we received. As far as knitted items go I received the following:

• Swift
• Ball winder
• 2 sets of Knit Picks Options (so I can make everything in the round and never have to use DPN's)
• Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel
• More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

I missed the huge sale at The Woolie Ewe on the 29th- sadly. However, there was another sale at another yarn store- The Knitting Nook in North Richland Hills. I talked Rose into going with me. So, we went and bought some great yarn that was on sale. They have a cute shop and if I still lived in that area, it would be really bad for me. I had to show Rose the swift and ball winder when we came back and we wound yarn.

For the next few days, I spent a lot of time with the ball winder. I wound a ton of yarn and took pictures of everything to add to my stash on Ravelry.

After winding so much yarn, I found the Noro yarn that had been hiding somewhere in my stash and knitted up the Maine Morning Mitts in a day (with the new Options from Knit Picks).

The last exciting news- I won a contest from Kris' blog at Sonny and Shear. I guessed her husband's age correctly and won some yummy yarn!!! Woo Hoo!!!! I won some Sea Coast Handpainted Superwash Sock. I can't wait until it gets here. I don't know what I'll knit with it yet besides socks but I can't wait to wind it!