Channel Cardigan

I finished my Channel Cardigan last week. I love it! I used The Fibre Company's Canopy Worsted yarn for the cardigan. This is the type of hand knit that I can live it! It snowed this morning and it was a perfect time to get some finished pictures of it! 

Yarn Along Clarity Cardigan

I finished my Clarity Cardigan!!!  I love it so much. I used Anzula Squishy in the colorway paprika. I used 5 skeins and knitted it on size US 3 needles. I blocked it on Saturday night and quickly sewed on two buttons Sunday morning so I could wear it to church.  I need to properly put the buttons on so I can wear it to Chelsea Yarns tomorrow and show it off. I really really love it!!!!

The buttons are from Wooly Moss Roots and I love them too!!!

I wanted to get better pictures of me wearing it, but the weather hasn't cooperated, so I included a selfie I took of myself the first time I put it on. Have I mentioned how much I love it?!

joining Ginny's Yarn Along

ps- the shawl in the background is one of my hand spun and knit items that I still need to properly photograph too

MK's Hat~Yarn Along

I don't do much Holiday gift knitting. Instead I try to make hand knits for my friends and family on their Birthday's. This way I don't get overwhelmed so close to Christmas.  My niece's birthday is in the middle of the Summer so she had to wait a few months for her hand knit hat. I am so happy she loves it. Her mom claims she doesn't take it off :)

I used Schachenmayr Yarn "Boston Mix". I followed the pattern that came with the yarn. I can't find the name of the pattern anywhere. I had a little yarn left over and started knitting an ear warmer. I love how this yarn knits up in stockinette.  I of course ran out of yarn and I need to go back to Chelsea Yarns and buy some more so I can finish it up. 

Ravelry Link- MK's Hat 

I am still listening to "Drums of Autumn" from the Outlander series. I am still loving it!

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Tiny's Orange Sweater & a Standing Stones Cowl

I made another Standing Stones cowl with Miss Babs Yowza yarn. I modified my pattern to make one skein of 560 yards work. 

Modifications: 

Part II- I repeated the rows 25 times for a total of 50 rows

Part IV- I repeated the chart one full time. On the second repeat of the chart I knitted row 18 and then started the bind off.

I have had quite a few requests on modification for this pattern to make different types of yarn work (mostly people who are knitting from their stash and have a limited amount of yarn to work with). I have been suggesting the modification to Part II. The nice thing about this pattern is that you can end it at any time on Part IV. You just have to keep an eye on how much yarn you have left to make it work for your bind off.  I really love how this one came out and I loved the few cool nights we've had because I got to wear it!

And speaking of the cooler nights I've been sweater knitting!!! 

Tiny requested a hand knit sweater. I jumped at the offer and together we made it happen. He picked out the yarn. He also picked out the cable detail that goes up the front and back. The rest of it I designed for him. I just tried it on him as I went and made it up stitch by stitch.

I love how it came out. He loves it too!

Maybe asking a kid to model a hand knit sweater a few days after having his tonsils and adenoids out might not have been the best idea ...... he was a tad bit cranky.

I took it off of him while we waited for my Dad to get back to the farm with their new alpaca. I was carrying it around and taking some pictures of it.

The sleeves are really the same size. They just look off in this picture.

We went to hang out on the swings in the shade and do you know what????? 

He asked me if he could put his sweater back on!!!!

I am pretty sure I had the worlds biggest smile to that request and I quickly helped him put it back on.

I had him try it on him so many times as I was making it and I was afraid he wouldn't want to wear it once it was done. But he really does like it! 

He is so picky about his clothes. He doesn't like tight collars or buttons. He doesn't like his sweaters too big. He doesn't like tags! His list of dislikes goes on and on, but I was able to make this to fit all his wants. Especially the neckline. Not too tight and not too big.

He was having so much fun giving the alpacas some hay. 

Who know that was all he needed to cheer him up?!

I can't believe this little guy is going to be starting Kindergarten next week. I am going to miss having my little buddy around.

He made sure each of the alpacas got their fair share of hay.

Especially Blue!!!! I can't wait to get his fiber back from the fiber mill. I am having it processed into roving and I'm going to spin it and make a sweater for myself!

I hope I didn't bore you with so many pictures of Tiny's Orange Sweater, but I feel like it has been so long since I've been able to take pictures of my finished knits and share them!  I have some projects on and off my needles that I hopefully will release the patterns next year. I am going to give them a year to be worn, modified, tested and then I'll be release them.  I'm not planning on releasing the pattern for Tiny's sweater. It was just a fun simple knit that I did without a pattern (my favorite way to knit). It was so much fun to make and fun to have him be such a big part of the crafting of it!

Ravelry link- Tiny's Orange Sweater

Yarn: Berroco Vintage Chunky

Meanwhile on my needles is a fantastic sweater! I wish I could share it, but I'm keeping it on the down low.

For reading listening I have been listening to the Audiobook "Voyager" by Diana Gabaldon.  I can't get enough of these books. It is the third book in the Outlander series. I enjoy listening to them and knitting. Since the books are soooooo long and there are so many books in the series I love that I know what book I am going to read next. It is a perfect companion for knitting. I am also watching "Outlander" on Starz.  I am sooooooo  happy with how they are doing the series! I was worried about the show not being as good as the books, but they really are doing and awesome job with it. Or at least I am really happy about it! I am also enjoying that it is a series Freddy and I can watch together.

Okay back to knitting!!! 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

For the Boys

Summer has been flying along! I can't believe we are half way through July. It is amazing how fast the Summer goes.  The boys have been loving the pool. They have been in Art Camp for the past two weeks. They are loving it. The Art Camp is right down the street from Chelsea Yarns so I am loving it and hating it at the same time. For the days I get to stop by and hang out in the yarn store I love it! For the days I have to drive by I am sad.

This past week I was asked by Chelsea Yarns and the Long Island Knitting Guild to come to the store for a private event. I brought samples of my hand knits and my patterns to Chelsea Yarns on Tuesday and set up a table.  Before I knew it there were over 50 woman (an entire bus load) in the store. They were trying on my knits and even showing me their works in progress with my pattern! It was so much fun. I was overwhelmed with how many pattern sales I had and how much support I got from all the wonderful woman that came! I also got to spend some time with Toby Roxane a wonderful and amazing knitwear designer!  She also had a trunk show and her knits are just beautiful! I didn't take pictures while I was there because it was CRAZY! But a very good kind of crazy :)

Back on the home front Freddy had to have a second surgery. He has a complication after the first surgery and now he is home recovering.  We are keeping our fingers crossed he will be all patched up and ready to go for our next camping trip.

My boys have requested hand knits!!! I am so excited. They usually tell me if I make them something they won't wear it. Tiny has requested a sweater and Brady has requested a puppy dog. So they each went into the yarn store and picked out yarn for their special projects. I look forward to working on them on our next camping trip. I am so excited to make things for them. I really hope Tiny likes his sweater. He really wants a red sweater. But there wasn't enough red in stock, so he though orange was great too. If he wears the orange one I am going to make him a red one too!

I'm busy working on a new design so I don't have many progress pictures to show at this time.  But I can say I am loving it!  Now just to find the time to work on it!!!

Chelsea Yarns My Happy Place

I don't mind admitting I'm a yarn snob. I love yarn, but not all yarn is created equal. Chelsea Yarns is filled with the most wonderful yarn you can buy. It is like fiber heaven. I might also add that you won't meet a better staff of people.  Christina is awesome and if you haven't had the chance to meet her I feel sorry for you.  After the first time I shopped there I knew it was my one stop place for yarn and needles. 

Chelsea Yarns is located in Colts Neck, New Jersey. My boys were in art camp all week just down the road so I was so happy to be able to stop by and get some knitting time in at the table!

Seriously the yarn in this store is just amazing every where you look.

Recognize that pattern? My Penny Infinity Scarf.

I love all the samples in the store! I was there before they were open hence the lack of customers in the store. As soon as the store is open the place is filled! I can't think of a time when I've been in there when I haven't seen several people trying on different knits trying to decide what their next project would be.

So many buttons.

Look my knitting on the table. 

Buttons, shawl pins, and so much more! 

The mascot.

Oh if only I could quit my job and have more time to knit.

I have to give a huge thank you to Chelsea Yarns for letting me hang out, relax and knit! I wish I had more free time so I could come by more often!