Wipit Wednesday

Well, being that it is wip it Wednesday here in bloggy land, here are my wips! First up we have my dh's hunting socks, using Jiffy thick yarn, why are you using this yarn Niki? I here you all asking, because,it is his fault!!! He wanted a pair of hunting socks, but in the same sentence told me I have too much yarn, and needed to use up some that I have before I buy anymore. Sooooo, I used the thickest yarn I had( because he will be wearing them inside his shit kickers). I am making the pattern up as I go along. It took me like 28 times of ripping them out after 4 inches of work, because I couldn't get them the perfect width, I do NOT want him complaining that they are falling down inside his boots. They are turning out very nice I might add...Next in line is the tank top I am making to maybe wear to the Fiber Arts Fair in Hemlock on the 15th of this month. I am using Noro ribbon yarn in Gisha color 102. I am loving this yarn! gonna have to get me some more.And then, we have my poncho that I am making to maybe wear to said Fiber Arts Fair. I am using Sari silk recycled yarn. I am loving the way the colors are pooling and striping, and cannot wait till it gets finished!!!Well, gotta go check on the zucchini bread.

Book reading list

So, I have a few books lined up to read next, and was wondering if anyone was interested in doing a read along with me? If so, leave a comment, and I can set it up. Here is my book list

Right now, A walk in the woods by Bill Bryson
http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5113098-1029715?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188311659&sr=1-1

Next ( because I finally pryed it from my sons grip) Harry Potter and the deathly hallows
http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Deathly-Hallows-Book/dp/0545010225/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5113098-1029715?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188311737&sr=1-1

Then I will be reading Robinson Crusoe
http://www.amazon.com/Robinson-Crusoe-Norton-Critical-Editions/dp/0393964523/ref=sr_1_4/102-5113098-1029715?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188311810&sr=1-4

Then we can go from there. What do you think?

Yarn Review Monday!

I have decided that I want to make Mondays into yarn review days! Every Monday I will let you know what yarn/yarns I am working with and let you know what I think of them! This week I am actually working on three different projects. The Fiber Art Fair in Hemlock NY is on the 15th, and I have nothing to wear! So instead of going necked, I am knitting 2 things for it. I am making a poncho out of recycled silk sari yarn in case it is chilly that day, and I am also making a tank top in Noro Gisha ribbon yarn.

Lets start with the sari silk yarn! I LOVE it! Once I figured out how to ball it and how best to use it, I want more!!! Let me make a couple og suggestions while using this yarn. I would not recomend creating something that will be up close and personal on your skin. I have noticed that there is alot of straw throughout it. I left the straw flecks in because I think it adds to the originality of the yarn, but I wouldnt want it scratching my chest or back. My next suggesion is do not make anything with this yarn using garter stitch. I made a scarf using garter, and while it is pretty, the colors muddled and was not happy. My thirr suggestion for this yarn, if you are making anything heavier than a dishcloth, do it on circ needles!!! My hands kept gowing numb from the weight until I moved to circs, now it is smooth sailing! I think everyone should try this yarn at least once! The texture and colors are never the same, and I love how it gets thin, thick, and even the unraveled places make it come alive!!!


Ok, lets move on to the Noro Gisha ribbon yarn, I have colorway102, it is green and golds! It is stunning. I really thought I would have a hard time using this,but again, I am going to add this yarn to my "yep, gonna get some more of this" list! Ok, some suggestions! Do NOT use bamboo sticks! It catches on the slikiness and flutteryness of the ribbon. Do not knit only in garter, I tried following the pattern I am doing, which is all garter and ended up changing it to stockinette, again the colors looked muddled. Maybe its just a verigated thing? I was surprised however to read that this yarn is 34% rayon 33% cotton and 33% polyester. I thought, and was told it was silk, but it is no big woop. So, yes, I think that if you havent tried this yarn, then it is worth trying out!

That is all for today, I have got a sink full of dishes calling me, and the boys have to start their evening lessons soon, so I will see you soon! Have you used either of these yarns? Let me know what you thought! Are you planning on using these yarns? Tell me about that too!!! Interaction is my favorite lol.

Have you seen this contest?

The owner of this kitten knits is having her blogiversery contest! Make sure to visit her and leave her a comment! She was tying to hit the 50 comment mark, last I checked she had 85, woohoo!!! So go, go mingle, did I mention she also has the coolest patterns on her blog? You will be happy you visited!!!
http://www.thiskittenknits.com/

Showing off the kids, and swap goodies! Mrs. Faith I hopr your not peeking!!!

FO Thursday!!!!

Well, today is Finished Object Thursday, and I have a couple to show off. First is my yoga socks, and second is the hat and scarf I made for my 5 year old son Joseph. I let the boys pick out thier own yarns, and out of all the yarns in the world, he chose a red and blue acrylic regular worsted weight. He just loves the way they turned out! He is so easy to please,lol. Here ya go!!!

Book update and WIP Wednesday!

I am just loving the book I am reading! I really thought when I chose it that it would be a basic documentary of the trail itself, and it is, but with a twist by the author. He is actually a very funny man, and I have gotten just past the beginning of the 2nd chapter, I have giggled at least 7 times,lol. I think I like it so much, because not only is it imformative about the trail, the background of the trail and the forestry agency, but it also has a personal aspect to it. I look forward to reading more! If this is not on your "to read" list, might I suggest putting it there!!!

Ok, it is WIP Wednesday and I have been working very hard on http://cast-adrift2.blogspot.com/2006/01/yoga-socks-pattern.html

I am using Unger yarn in Cappacino(sp?) and am loving it! I have alot of different yarns in 1-2 skeins, and plan on using alot of them to make mor of these, as well as making some pedicure socks from knitty.com. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/PATTpedicuresocks.html

I plan on starting a pair tonight!

Here are some pics of my wip yoga socks!

Tuesdays are for reading!

It has come to my attention that I have neglected doing something I have loved doing all my life! I haven't picked up a book( other than my kids for homeschooling) in months due to my new obsession with sticks and yarn! I have decided that Tuesdays I will not touch a stick or a piece of yarn, but instead will spend this day reading. Click on the link that is asking what my nose is stuck in, and check out what books I am reading on Tuesdays! Have you read this book? What did you think? Is this book in your "to read" list? Leave comments!

Just showing off the kiddo's!

Ok, so really nothing to post, I did make a scarf, but have to finish th hat and mittens to it, so no since in posting the pics yet. But I had some pics of my kid's being adorable, so I wanted to put them up. The one of my son holding a bone, well, I do not know what kind of bone it is. I am really hoping deer or something, he found it in the woods already sunbleached and dryed out. I couldnt talk him out of not keeping it, and later coloring it lol.

We are going camping again this weekend, then the long trip to Bath tomorrow, like every weekend. And then I get my break and go to my knitting group on Monday, the perfect ending to a long hectic weekend.

I really ought to take care of the 13 loads of laundry I have washed, hung to dry, brought ina nd folded into piles before we do leave for camping, but I JUST DO NOT WANT TOO! But, I will want to even less on Monday after the long weekend... I will think about doing it, we shall see.

Oh oh oh, wish me luck! I will be doing the baby dance the 20th thru the 25th, trying to make this cycle the lucky cycle! I am trying to tell myself that after having 5 boys, that I am trying for a little girl, but to be quite honest with you, I almost think I would like another little boy,not sure yet.Well, off I go to get ready for camping. See you Monday!

Kids and yarn, mommy stuff.

Remember the pair of pants I was working on for my youngest son? Well, he had to sit torturously for a whole day while they dried and blocked after I was finished stitching them up. He kept wantting to take them off the table. I had to keep telling him, not yet honey, they arent done. And then finally, I unpinned them, he snatches them, wants them on before I can even get a pic! That was Friday, we were going camping, so he wore them camping. I do have a cute pic of him in them, but no real pic of them to show detail. After camping in them they had more leaves in them than yarn and really need a good washing. But I will get a post pic up some time this week of them, maybe tomorrow. Here is the pic of him cheesin in his new pants all giddy!!!

We had fresh garden peas yesterday with dinner, and my two youngest sons and my nephew helped shell them, here is a great pic of that too!

My dyed cotton!

So I wanted to try me hand at kool aid dying, I went out and bought like 40 packs of a variety of colors. I have a nice stash of white natural undyed cotton and wanted to dye it. So Im going thru the motions, lovin it I might add. As I am cooking them, they are looking beautiful and such vibrant colors! Then I rinse, and all the color washes out. So, I get online to see what is going on, and learn that kool aid is for animal and protien fibers, cotton is a plant. So, I broke down and bought some rit dye. Now, this may not be a big deal to some, but it is heartbreaking to me. We use NO manmade chems in our lives or household, right down to using cloth toilet wipes, nothing, nada,zip. So, I need to find a natural way of dying cotton, until then I guess I will stick with wool, but I LOVE cotton!!! If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to say so in the comment box!!! Well, here are the beautiful cotton yarns I did dye, the first is the first dye batch, the second is the same dye batch, I didnt want to waste it, so I made a lighter shade of yarn with it. Here, in all its glory..... Next time I will try my hand at "hand painting" got to get the stuff to do it with tho. I am going today to get a Wiltons cake dying kit, I cant wait, dishes be damned!!!

Some new things, and my dyed yarns!

The first is a shawl for me, I had made one for myself before, but as my previous post said, some hooker stole it from the bathroom while I was showering at the campground. I like this one better anyhoo. I used Lions Brand boucle in Mei Tei, and I trimmed around the edges and neckline with Sari Silk Recycled yarn. You cannot really see the detail, but I st st and every 8 rows I worked in the wrong way to make a variated pattern. I love it! The second picture is my 7 yo ds Thomas sporting his new scarf and hat made from Lions brand wool boucle. I made the hat on mu knifty knitter loom, and the scarf I knitted, no purling. I didnt want to lose any of the fluffiness of the yarn, that is why I did it that way.
The next pic is my sari silk scarf, and a close up of it. I was practicing doing the 3 yo's, then letting them hang on next row. I think next time I do that stitch,I will do the cross overs with them, instead of letting them hang. I didnt with this one because it would have been lost in the yarn. But it is beautiful and I cannot wait to get to wear it!!! Also you may notice that the baby widget is gone, AF visited me today, my first one in 2 and a half years. I AM MISERABLE with pain and refuse to do dishes or laundry... maybe next month will be the magic one!!!

Here are some wips!

Her are some pics of my current wips. The blue pants are for my 16 month old son, it is just the front panel, I did not knit them in the round, just two pieces separate, then I will stitch them together. I did make a whole sock, but I ended up ripping it out, I didn't like the way it turned out. But, it was my first sock and I was very excited to have actually done it. But I was teaching myself as i was going, and I knew the second sock would look much better than the first. I didn't want to have 1 pretty sock and one not so pretty sock. I plan on going this week and getting smaller dpns, the smallest I have are 5's, and I would like to get some 2's for socks. Using the 5s with Lillies and Cream cotton was a bit bigger gauged than I think I liked.Anyhoo, heres the pic of the first part of Coreys pants. The Spiedie Fest today as well and some of the balloons flew over the field next to us, so theres pics of that too!!!

See the pic? The baby, up there? See it? Huh?

Ok, I am jumping the gun, I am only 5 dpo, and already have made a baby ticker!!! That is all, I do have pics to put up, but will tomorrow, it is like 1 in the morning, and I really need to get my but to bed. Sprinkle me some baby dust!!!