Yarn Along

I have some fun finished items to share on the yarn along this week.

 

But first I have to say congratulations to the Ginny and her family for their newest addition!!!

God Bless your family.

 

Now onto knits. I finished my Coyote Trail.  I was hoping to get better pictures of it, but I had left my tripod in my father's car after the alpaca show and my battery was dead for my remote shutter for my camera. So I had to use my manikin instead.  I love how this turned out and I love the colors of the Fable Fiber Novel Yarn. I used Amelie and Fairy Garden.

 



The pattern says you can do one, two or three repeats of the lace edging. I did two repeats.

 

I was a little worried about the lace edging, but it was such a simple edging. It was so easy to keep the pattern in my head and there were lots of check points so I didn't make any mistakes which was very nice.

 

The pattern calls for the use of like one million stitch markers. Okay maybe more like a hundred or so. I used jump rings.  I usually use jump rings for my stitch markers. I like that they are small and cheap and I can have hundreds of them and they only cost a few dollars for a set of 100.  The designer suggests cutting up straws to use as markers. So that is an option too.

 

I got some finished pictures of my Celes Shawl. I love this knit. I can't wait to get some use out of it.  I used Isager Alpaca 2. It is a blend of 50% alpaca and 50% merino.

 

 

 

 

I also can share pictures of my Antrorse Sweater. I finished this back in September, but the pattern was just released so I can share it here.

 

 

The pattern was designed by Shannon Cook.  She and Jane Richmond just published a book called Journey. I am very excited that as a gift for test knitting I got copies of all the patterns in the book and a copy of the book.  The book is available for pre-order now you can find out more info here.

 

I wanted to get better pictures and hopefully I will soon, but remember my tripod was still missing and I still didn't get a battery for the remote shutter.

 

I wanted to show off the seamless construction of the sweater. I love when I can knit a sweater in the round!

 

I used Cascade Eco Cloud yarn for this sweater. It is soooooo soft. It is a blend of merino and alpaca in natural colors. This sweater is so comfy and I am so glad that the pattern was released so I can enjoy wearing it out and about.

 

 

For my mindless knitting these days. I frogged my Kex scarf and casted on a To Infinity & Beyond Scarf. I just made that name up. I am not following a pattern I am just knitting in around over and over again and occasionally changing colors. I am using the Isager Alapca 2 for this project. I want a big long squishy scarf and I think this will be perfect. I might join the ends together to make an infinity scarf. We'll see. This is truly a mindless knit and it lives in my car and I work on it here and there completely aimlessly.

 

 

I have decided everyone is getting handmade socks from me this year for Christmas.  I have no money, but lots of sock yarn. So let the sock extravaganza begin.  But first I am making myself a pair of Simple Skyp socks. I have made these socks quite a few times before, but never for myself. I am using mystery yarn. I am not totally sure what it is. I think it might be a Miss Bab's yarn, but I'm not 100% sure.

I've also been getting a lot of spinning done. I'm hoping to use the yarn for some socks :)

 

For reading I finished listening to "The Woman in White". I really like it. The audio book was 26 hours long and it got me through the knitting of my Celes.

 

Now I'm listening to "The Dirty Life: a Memoir of Farming, Food & Love". It is the memoirs of a girl who goes from being a city girl to a farmer.

 

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along

 

 **Update**

A pattern I had test knitted was just released so I'm adding it to this post.

 

Temperate Mitts

 

I used Juniper Moon Farm Sabine yarn. It is a combination of cotton, merino and llama.

I love how quick these knitted up. I think they would make a great gift.

BTW it is extra hard to take pics of fingerless mitts without a tripod :)

 

 

 

 

Yarn Along

Above is the beautiful yarn I came home with from Rhinebeck. You read about our trip here.

I know next year Briar Rose Fibers will be my first stop. This yarn is dreamy. It was one of the last skeins left of Sea Pearl. It looked like it had a rough weekend. The skein was so mangled when I got it. I am so glad I brought it home with me. I think I am going to knit up one of my custom patterns I made for an infinity scarf.  I think it is going to drape like a dream.

 

In huge and exciting news. Well at least to me... my Celes is finished, blocked and drying by the fire!!!!

 

This might be one of my all time favorite patterns I have ever done by Brooklyn Tweed. I wanted a scarf for myself. Since I wear scarves much more than I wear my shawls. I wanted a scarf that had character, but was pretty and fun to knit. The yarn I used was Isager Strik Alpaca 2. I will write more about the yarn and pattern when I post the finished pictures. But in the mean time you can buy the yarn from Chelsea Yarns.  I currently have another project on my needles with this yarn and I love it! It reminds me a lot of Beaverslide yarn. But I love that it is 50% Merino & 50% Alpaca.

Another one of the hats I test knitted for Sweet Fiber Yarns was just released. It is a Rift hat. It is a great hat for stash busting. It knits up very quickly and I just love how it turned out.  I used Malabrigo Twist and yarn from my parents alpaca Spicy.

If you missed any of the other test knit hats I posted over the week here is a quick recap.

 

Temperate Hat & Greystone Hat

 

 

 

 

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

 

Have a Great Week!

 

 

 

 

 

Yarn Along- Starfish Hat

I have had cast on fever over here. I have so many projects going on my needles and off I can't seem to keep up with all my notes and photographs.

I have made huge progress on my Celes shawl.  Thanks to the audiobook "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins narrated by Roger Rees, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, Judy Geeson.

I am enjoying the book so much! I have been suffereing from Downton Abbey withdraw and this book is totally filling that void.  I don't think I would be enjoying it as much if I hadn't seen all the season of Downton Abbey. But since I have I can really picture what is going on in the book. If you are having Downton Abbey withdraw I highly recommend this read. My Celes shawl is a pattern that I have to look at the pattern the entire time I am working on it. So to have an audio book to listen to is fantastic. I was finding it difficult to watch TV or movies with this pattern since my eyes always have to be on the paper.  I think one more night of knitting and I'll be blocking this!

For the times that I do want to watch TV I am working on my Coyote Trail. The pattern is by Romi and I just love it. I have started it before but I didn't love the colors I was using. I am much happier with these fun colors.  I wish I could wear it to the wine festival this weekend, but I don't think that is going to happen. The yarn is by Fable Fibers and I purchased it at Chelsea Yarn.

In other fun knitting I have or am about to release one of my original patterns. It is a Starfish Hat. Or if you prefer a Sea Star Hat.  It is a basic beanie hat, but the decrease is done in the way to create the look of a starfish.

 

I've made several of them, but have gifted them before I've had the chance to photograph them for clean up my notes so I could write up a proper pattern.  The hat above I gifted to a friend of ours and I decided to get another one on the needles quick, write my notes and get it published as a free pattern on Ravelry. Because doesn't everyone need a Starfish hat? I think so.

 

Tiny and Rudee helped me out with pictures. Although the hat is slightly smaller than it should be for Tiny's head it still gives you the idea of the Starfish.

 

The Anzula Squishy yarn is a fingering weight yarn. It is 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon and 100% oh la la. It is even machine washable.

 

My super talented sister is saving my pattern as a PDF and I should have it posted on Ravelry today. I can't wait to see everyone's versions of it.  Since I am posting it as a free pattern I didn't include gauges and many other sizes. I will however update it as I make new ones.

 

In movie news did you see the teaser trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire??? I got chills from head to toe when I saw it. It is in theaters on my birthday. Guess what I'm doing on my Birthday :) I have been very excited about the release of this movie and I loved seeing all the handknits in the trailer! We are going to HAVE to do a Hunger Games Knit Along!!!

 

That gray sweater vest thing Katniss is wearing. I have to have one!

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

 

 

All Rested Up

I have been desperately missing Downton Abbey. I went on Masterpiece Classic's website the other day and watched a quick video of Season 4 Preview. Oh to hear Lady Mary's voice made me so happy.  I am working on some very involved knitting projects. I like to have a show to watch to help keep me motivated and get through challenging knits. I think Downton Abbey is the best for that. January 5th cannot come soon enough. 

Last night Masterpiece started a show The Paradise.  It was very similar to Selfridge, but I think they are trying to make it more like Downton Abbey.  But it is not the same. I want my Downton Abbey.  But the thing I did like about The Paradise were all the hand knits. There were lots of pretty shawls and one of the women was wearing a shirt that looks just like the scarf pattern I am knitting. So the show gets points for that.

 

 

 

I am planning on downloading some audio books onto my Kindle so I can listen to them and knit at the same time.  Hopefully that will hold my attention and get me through some knitted on edging.

 

 

 

Over the weekend we celebrated Brady's birthday. This year we didn't plan a party for him. I have found that having a birthday in the beginning of October is difficult because it always seems that we are sick. Those darn back to school germs. So this year we played it by ear. Tiny and myself are on antibiotics with upper respiratory infections and I'm glad I didn't plan a big party. Instead we did a last minute "does anyone want to join us for a hour for pizza and cake thing." The bonus of my sisters and parents all living within walking distance from each other usually means we can pull something together at the last minute. So at 4 pm I went to the store and picked up some pumpkins then called to order pizza and at 5:30 we were eating pizza and painting pumpkins at the farm. We sang happy birthday and then we were back home in time for a movie and bed. Simple. Just they way Brady likes it.

 

 

 

 

We got him Minecraft heads. The boys are obsessed with the game.  All they want to do is play it. It works out well like this weekend we were on doctors orders to stay in and rest.  Tiny was on the verge of having asthma and walking pneumonia so a weekend of playing the game worked out great for me because I was able to reset up too and get a lot of knitting done.    

Thankfully we are all feeling better now and Rudee is still the cutest thing ever.

 



Yarn Along & Open House

 

Yesterday I got my hands on my parents new alpaca yarn. It just came back from the fiber mill. I couldn't wait to get it on my needles. I knitted up a Betsy hat by Jane Richmond. This yarn worked wonderful for this pattern and it knit us so quickly.  The yarn I used is a combination of the gray and rose gray girls.

 

Wea

Spicy

Maggie

I got a second Betsy on my needles because I loved how the first one came out. Also on my needles is a Celes by Jared Flood. I am also working on a Kex Scarf by Stephen West.  I am loving the variety of knitting projects I have going on at the moment.

I got some new note cards printed up to sell at the farm.



My parents farm, Arrow Acres Farm, is having an open house this weekend. September 28th & 29th. We will be open to the public from 10:00 - 4:00 so if you are in the NJ area come on by and see us!

 

You can get up close to the alpacas and check out all the goodies in our showroom.  It is a really fun weekend and three of the girls are due to have babies. So there could be a chance that one of them delivers during the festivities.  That would be craziness I tell you.

 

If you can make it to the farm. I am usually in the showroom the entire time. I work the register and I chat about yarn and alpacas all day.  The weather looks like it is going to be perfect for the event. I am so excited.

 

 

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along



Get It Done 2013~ Yarn Along

One of my knitting blog friend Andi started a KAL on Ravelry. I met her through a KAL we did together back over the winter.  She always has lots of beautiful projects on her needles and I am often jealous to see all the fun things she is working on. She says she picks up a project to work on depending on her mood. I just love that.  I am more of a one thing at a time girl.  Apparently Andi's WIPS have gotten a little out of control and she started a KAL/CAL to help motivate herself and others to get some projects done.  The rules of the KAL are that your projects need to be casted on before 8/1/13 and the deadline is 9/30/13.

 

I have only had two projects of my needles: my quill and my EZ camping shawl.  (Although I have finished a few test knits that I can't share). I wanted to be part of Andi's KAL and I've had some projects I have really wanted to make for myself. So yesterday I rushed up to Chelsea Yarns (my favorite place in the whole wide world, when I grow up I want to work at Chelsea Yarns) to get some yarn for two projects I have been wanting to make.

 

I love that Chelsea Yarns has exactly what I want every time I go there.  I told her I wanted to make a Brooklyn Tweed Sweater and I needed it casted on by August 1st and like magic she had Isager yarn that is just like Brooklyn Tweed Loft or Beaverslide. It reminds me exactly of Beaverslide and I am loving working with it.

 

So here is my line up for the KAL.

 

#1 Chesterfield Sweater (Version II Girlfriend)

yarn Isager- wool

 

#2 Celes

yarn Isager Alpaca 2 (50% alpaca / 50% merino)

In the pile below is my #3 Quill and #4 EZ Camping Shawl with my Chesterfield and my Celes.

 

I am hoping my Chesterfield Sweater will be easy to work on while we are camping. I am looking forward to lots of easy stockinet knitting!

 

I also picked up a copy of "The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits" at Chelsea Yarn. The patterns in this magazine are AMAZING! I can't wait to get them on my needles!

 

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

If you'd like to join Andi's KAL/CAL you can find the info here

My Sister's Knitter KAL/CAL

It's not too late to join us!

 

Also I want to give a huge shout out to WillyG's BRRH Hat for making it up to #2 on the Ravelry Patterns yesterday.