Finished Knits & Photo Bombers

If you visited my post over at "A Girl in Sheep Clothing" you would have seen this picture of Awan photo bombing my shawl picture.  I had the camera set up on a tripod and I was taking pictures with my remote shutter button. The alpacas were much more interested in the camera than me and my alpaca Quill shawl.

I really love how my Quill turned out. I am sure I will use it as a blanket 90% of the time, but I'm sure I'll wear it out and about as a shawl once and a while too.

I also finished my Chesterfield Sweater. I was watching my parents dog, Harper, for the weekend and he was more interested in photo bombing my pictures, so in the end I just let him join along.

 

I really love this sweater. I modified the pattern slightly. The pattern has longer lighter color on the sleeves. I added length to the body of the sweater so it fit more of a tunic style.  This balanced out the length of the color change on the sleeves.  I love how it turned out.  I am thinking I might have to shrink it just a tad, but it is fine for now.

 

I used Isager Tvinni Merino yarn for this sweater.  I was knitting it as part of My Sister's Knitter KAL/CAL & Luvinthemommyhoods Summer Sweater KAL.  When I saw the pattern come out in the new Brooklyn Tweed's Men Collection I knew I had to make the Girlfriend version for myself. I am very happy with the yarn. Since I don't have a store close to me that sells Brooklyn Tweed yarn and if I ordered Beaverslide yarn I wouldn't have had it in time for the start date of the KAL, so I went to Chelsea Yarns (my favorite yarn store).  I was so excited when she showed me this Isager yarn because it reminded me exactly of Beaverslide.  So in the end I am trilled with it and I am looking forward to wearing it all Fall.

 

With that said I am chomping at the bit to cast on another sweater.  I have a sweater in mind that I want to make, but I can't find a pattern. I have been trying to knit from patterns for the entire year and not write any of my own. But I'm really fighting the urge to start charting up my own pattern.  I really do love writing patterns, but it can be very time consuming.

 

Well see.....

 

joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Play Date with Harper

My parents dog Harper came over today for a play date with Tiny.  I forgot how many hours a day Tiny used to torture play with Harley. Harper is such a good boy and it has been fun having him in the house.

 

I just posted some pictures of my finished Quill Shawl over on the "Girls in Sheep Clothing" blog. Swing on by and check it out and Awan the alpaca photo bombing my photo shoot.

My Quill is Done

My Quill is done!!! I love it so much. I blocked it last night and I couldn't wait to get a picture of it this morning. I plan on getting better pictures of it soon, but I had to show that it is finally done! I love it so much. It is made from 100% alpaca and it is so warm and cozy. I can wear it as a shawl, blanket, coat, cardigan. I am pretty sure there are a 100 uses for this knit.

 

I also made some progress on my Chesterfield Sweater. I ran out of yarn while I was away and I took a trip over to Chelsea Yarns yesterday to get the rest of the yarn for it.

 

and while I was at the yarn store I bought some 2 ply lace alpaca yarn for my Walk on the Moon.  I am excited to be working with Fall colors :)

 

 

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Lake George

We just got home from an amazing camping trip in Lake George NY.  We camped out at Lake George Escape. Our friends the "G" family stayed at the campground too. So our boys were very happy to have their friends to play with.  We also visited friends of ours at their cabin on Brant Lake.  I took hundreds of pictures and I have many posts to make about our trip, but I couldn't help but upload a little taste of what we have been up to the past week.  All these photos are straight out of my camera and no editing. So you might see them appear in later posts after editing. We had so much fun and I just couldn't wait to share them. Enjoy (sorry this is a long one).

 

Can you see the tubes in the picture above? Our campground was alongside the Scroon River.  There were lots of lazy river tube rides.

 

 

 

A night out at Lake George Village. 

Eating ice cream in the Adirondacks in Adirondack chairs. What could be better than that?!

Starry nights over our campsite. We were lucky to be there during a meteor shower!!!

 

We went hiking on lots of rocks, caves and waterfalls.

The Rodeo my favorite!

It was our friend's first time at the rodeo I am so glad they loved it. Since I was the one that really wanted to go. We all enjoyed it so much.

Bareback riding

Chilling at the cabin.



 

Isn't the view fantastic! 

 

Back at Lake George for more fun.

 

 

The sunset from our campground.

Back to Brant Lake.



 

I got to spend hours rocking on this porch swing knitting my Quill. It was heavenly.  

 

Kayaking at our campground. It is so nice camping on a river!

 

We rented a pontoon boat and headed out on Lake George for the day.

 

Everyone took a dip in the Lake (except me). Someone had to stay with the boat right? Also that water was cold. 

 

So there is a little taste of our trip. We had such an amazing time.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

Slowly but Surely

I am knitting away on my Quill. I am making it out of 100% alpaca and it is just so soft. I have really enjoyed the simplicity of this knit. I haven't had much time to work on it because we have been doing a lot of entertaining lately. I tried working on it out by our camp fire last night, but it was too dark :(

I have been switching between my Quill and my EZ Camping Shawl.  I can't wait to have this shawl finished and blocked out.  Slowly by surely I know it will get done.

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Yarn and Knitting

Chelsea yarns opened up not far from where I live.  After my first time shopping there I knew this was yarn heaven. There are so many amazing yarns to pick from.  I was excited when I got my next test knit assignment and I knew I didn't have yarn in my stash. It meant I got to take a trip to Chelsea yarn. Woo Hoo. So today I went by and picked up 4 skeins of Malabrigo Twist in #618 Liquid Amber.  I wish I could tell you want I am knitting with it, but it will have to wait until after the pattern is published (sometime in the Fall). But you can take a peek at the yarn for the time being.

 

I feel like I have been knitting so much lately. Some of it I haven't been able so share because they are test knits and I can't reveal them until after the patterns are published.

 

But I have been plugging away on my Quill. 

 

 

It is hard to photograph at this point, but it has been a joy to work on. I made post about it here with the knit along I am doing.

 

I wanted something pretty to make with my Miss Bab's yummy sock yarn. When I came across this "EZ 100th Anniversary Camping Half Circle" I thought it was the perfect pattern.  It is inspired by Elizabeth Zimmermann's camping trips.

 

 

 

The pattern is by Mwaa Knit

 

~The theme of the Camping shawl is the wonderful camping trips that EZ describes. In the Knitter’s Almanac, page 85, she describes being over 60, water-camping and fishing in the Canadian north woods. Spectacular! There are other stories about camping by the Mississippi, “dandled by the milky ripples” of the river (The Opinionated Knitter, page 70). But my absolute favourite is about a camping trip on a remote island in northern Canada, in late September 1971, with Elizabeth, the Old Man, and KLINE, the cat (The Opinionated Knitter, pages 38-41). If you have never read this, you simply must get hold of it.
The Camping theme:
-- 72 and 144 st rings: Paw Prints (adapted from The Haapsalu Shawl page 131), to honour KLINE the cat, and all our furry companions.
-- 288 st ring: Slanting Twigs (page 119), to represent a walk in the forest with sun shining through the trees.
-- 576 st ring: Willow Leaves (page 105), to celebrate the beauty of everything growing and green.
-- Edging: I’m calling this Waves and Droplets. Based on TiaJudy’s scalloped edging to represent water lapping up at the edge of the lake or river, and rolling back across the sand and rocks.~

With my upcoming camping trip I just couldn't resist this pattern! The bonus is the pattern is free.  It is a joy to knit. 

 

I am really enjoying having a selection of things to knit these days. That is a big stretch for me since I usually only work on one thing at a time. But I am really enjoying having the options.

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

Oh and when I haven't been working or knitting we have been having a ton of fun. Yesterday we went to Six Flags Great Adventure with my sister Leanne and my nephews. We had an awesome time!