Two RAKs

Hello,

Last week and then again today I got RAK'd (Random Acts of Kindness) by two wonderful ladies in the Itty-Bitty Knits Group on Ravelry.  This is such a great group and everyone is so kind, generous, sweet, and fun.  They've become dear friends to me over the last couple of years and I feel so blessed to know each one.  I wanted to share these two packages with you all today.

This is the package I got last week from Jessica (knitgineering).  She sent me two pretty postcards of Chicago, some packages of tea and a gorgeous skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the colour "The White Witch's Lure".  I have wanted to try this yarn for so long!!  I'm so excited to cast on a pair of socks with it soon.  I also thought it was so neat that the colour is named after the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  These books have been a longtime favourite of mine and this colour does remind me of Turkish Delight.

The second package came in today's mail.  This one is from Lea (remmy) and she sent me these adorable hedgehog dryer balls and a package of David's Tea called Paradise Found that looks delicious.  I had been feeling sad that I didn't have the time to join the Hedgehog/Hippo's Itty-Bitty Swap and Lea must have known because now I have my own little hedgies.  These little guys are going to make doing the laundry much more fun. 

Wow, I am incredibly Blessed!!  I am so grateful for such amazing friends and to be a part of this lovely group.  Thank you with all my heart Lea and Jessica for thinking of me and sending me these wonderful treats!!

Have a great night everyone,

xoxo

April Socks

Hello,

This month's socks flew by!  I was praying they would since I got such a late start on them.  I wanted to share pictures while they were in progress, but before I could post it, they were done.  Here's a picture from Friday evening, I was sitting down to enjoy knitting the second sock and read my new copy of Crochet Today! magazine.

And here they are finished:

Project: Marigold Socks - April's Month Socks

Started: April 18, 2012

Finished: April 20, 2012

Pattern: Marigold Socks by Pamela Wynne 

Yarn: Spud and Chloe Fine in Firefly

Needles: 2.75 mm Harmony DPNs

I was so happy with this pattern, it was easy, fun and very, very quick.  I got my pair out of one skein of Fine, I should have done the foot part a bit longer though for a more easy fit, which would have used more yarn and required a second skein, but they still fit just as they are.  I actually enjoyed doing them toe-up and really liked the short-row toe and heel.  I'm thinking of coming up with a pattern for just a plain vanilla sock done in a similar fashion so I can get more out of my skeins of yarn.  I really liked knitting with the Fine, it has such a beautiful sheen to it from the silk content.  I would definitively use it again.  I've had my eye on the Tutu colorway for quite some time, and now that I know how it knits up, I may have to treat myself to a couple of skeins.  I could see this yarn making lovely shawls as well since it looks so regal in knitted form.  

Well, that's all for today!!

xoxo

Clapotis, Ishbel and Some Socks

Hello,

I'm almost done playing catch-up!  I've only got a few more things to share before I can get back to regular posting.  Today it's the shawls and a pair of socks.  We finally got some nice sunny weather which has been ideal for picture taking.

Project: My Clapotis
Started: July 2010
Finished: April 11, 2012
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend  - The colour is much more pinky coral than orange, the picture is not showing it correctly.
Needles: US 6
Mods: None, but I did run out of yarn so I had to hastily decrease which made one end rounded, but it's okay, because I can usually tuck it under so you don't notice it.

Project: Ishbel Shawl
Started: February 4, 2011
Finished: April 13, 1212
Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Lace in Bare - 1 skein
Needles: US 6
Mods: I should have gone up a few needle sizes because my gauge was quite off.  I did the large size, but it came out much smaller.  There are also numerous mistakes in it, but I still like it.  They were all ignorance on my part, the pattern itself is great.  I'd actually consider making it again.

Project: Tropical Sunset Socks
Started: April 2012
Finished: April 19, 2012
Pattern: How I Make My Socks by Susan B. Anderson
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in Fizz
Needles: 2.75 mm Harmony DPNs


I'm done work now so I should have more time over the next while to post more frequently which is great.  I hope you are all doing well and I will be back again really soon to talk about the April socks.

xoxo

Finished WIPs Round 2

Hello,

Here are some more of the projects that recently got finished!

Project: Feet Eater Slippers
Started: January or February? 2012
Finished: April 1, 2012
Pattern: Feet Eaters by Anna Hrachovec
Yarn: Various Scraps of Bernat Supervalue

Project: Hexagon Pillow
Started: April 2011
Finished: April 9, 2012
Pattern: Hexagon How-To by Lucy of Attic24
Yarn: Various scraps of Tahki Cotton Classic (from my Hexagon Blanket)
Hook: 4.00 mm G

Project: Guernsey Tote
Started: May 29, 2010
Finished: April 1, 2012
Pattern: Guernsey-Style Bag by Debbie Bliss from Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Spring/Summer 2010
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton in Red
Needles: US 7

Project: Garter Cardi
Started: February 21, 2012
Finished: April 2, 2012
Pattern: Garter-Yoke Baby Cardi by Jennifer Hoel 
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Sport in Seaside
Needles: US 4
Mods: I knit the whole sweater in garter stitch.

Project: Tiny Baby Cardi 
Started: Febuary 21, 2012
Finished: April 12, 2012
Pattern: Baby Kit for Melker - Cardigan by Anna and Heidi Pickles  
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Sport in Ivory
Needles: US 5
Mods: Due to my guage being very, very off on this, it turned out super tiny, more like a doll size.  I'm going to keep it for my future children to use for their dolly.  I knit short sleeves instead of the long sleeves called for in the pattern.

The two baby cardigans don't have buttons, since I haven't had the chance to search through my button box yet, but I'm sure the perfect ones are in there somewhere.

I have two more projects to share before I am caught up on my recent finishing spree, but both need to be blocked.  I will try to do that once I'm done this post and then hopefully I can blog about them tomorrow.  This is my last week of work, so soon I should have more time for blogging about the actual work-in-progress part of my projects instead of just showing the finished object.  Anyways, I hope you are all having a great start to your week, and I will be back again soon!

xoxo

Finished WIPs Round 1

Hello,

Since it's late, yet again, I'm going to make this post brief on words, but full of pictures.  I wanted to share some of the WIPs that have gotten finished over the last couple of weeks.  I'm so excited to have my WIP List getting smaller and smaller.  It seems like once I took the pressure off myself to finish them up, I was free to actually enjoy working on them, and before I knew it they were getting checked off the list.  It goes to prove that lightening up a little does help with productivity.

Project: Milk Run Shawl
Started: December 2, 2011
Finished: April 10, 2012
Pattern: Milk Run Shawl by Cat Wong
Yarn: Briggs and Little Regal in Fir Green
Needles: US 9

Project: Stella the Brrr Bear
Started: January 2012
Finished: April 10, 1012
Pattern: Three Brrr Bears by Susan B. Anderson (Medium Bear) - this pattern was gifted to me by Jessica in the Itty-Bitty Group's Advent Swap.  Thanks Jessica!!
Yarn: Spud and Chloe Sweater in Ice cream
Needles: US 6
*Note: My amazing Mother was the one who sewed Stella all together for me, that's how she turned out to be so cute!!

Project: Polska Mittens
Started: February 1, 2012
Finished: April 1, 1012
Pattern: Polska by SpillyJane
Yarn: Knit Picks Palette in Marine Heather, White, Pimento and Verdant Heather
Needles: 2.75mm Harmony DPNs

Project: Nordic Inca Snowflake Hat
Started: February 5, 2011
Finished: April 9, 2012
Pattern: Inca Snowflake by Susan B. Anderson 
Yarn: Knit Picks Chroma Worsted in Roller Skate and Bare
Needles: US 7
*Note: Again, thanks to my Mother, this hat has a cozy fleece lining.  She has great sewing skills!

I'll be back with some more once I get a chance to take some pictures.  Have a great night!!

xoxo

Back to Routine

Hello,

Congratulations to the winners of the giveaway - Penny (PurlingPenny) and Ashley (aatwood86)!!  Thank you all for entering.  This was a lot of fun and I'd like to do it again sometime soon.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday.  Our was lovely, it was great to get to spend some time with my family.  Now I'm trying to adjust to getting back to work this week.

I didn't do much Easter crafting this year as I had hoped to, but here's a picture of the little rainbow baby bunnies I made for my family members.  I attached little signs that said "Happy Easter" with toothpicks and used them for place settings on our Easter table.

The pattern is Tiny Baby Bunnies by Anna Hrachovec and I used some scraps of Knit Picks Felici in the Rainbow colourway.  I think they turned out cute and they're a great way to use up leftover fingering weight yarn.  I'd like to make some more soon, they're so quick.

Well, it's getting late and I should be in bed.  I hope to be back soon to share some of the old WIPs that got finished up over the last week.  I've been making room for some new projects I've got in mind.

xoxo

Double Pattern Giveaway!!

California Dreamin'

Hello,

This week is going to be a busy one for me since Easter is coming up on the weekend and I have lots of baking as well as Eastery related things to get done.  I thought the blog would be on the quiet side over the next few days, so I've decided to have a giveaway!!  The theme is things that have been on my mind lately:

1. I am trying to patiently wait for the newest Jane Austen inspired knit-along to be released over in the Knitting with Jane Ravelry Group.  I'm really hoping it's based on Emma.
2. California.  Last year at this exact time I was in California for a wedding, and so I've been thinking back to that a lot this week.  I blogged about it here, here, here, and here.  Such fun times were had on that trip.  Sunshine, the ocean, great family, a wedding and yarn....what more could a girl ask for? 

So because of these two things, I've decided to giveaway a pattern of your choice from the designers Annie Riley, because she is the designer for the Knitting with Jane Group and Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting, since she is based out of California and is a favourite designer of mine.

To enter:
Leave a comment with your Ravelry ID.  I will choose two winners, one for Alana's pattern and one for Annie's pattern.  The winner will then get to choose which pattern by that designer they would like and I will gift it to your Ravelry account.

The giveaway will be open till Monday April 9th 11:59pm EST.  I will announce the winners the next day and will contact the winners by Ravelry message.

Here's a link to Alana's pattern store.

Here's a link to Annie's pattern store.

Happy Easter to you all!!

xoxo

P.S. This giveaway is only open to those with a Ravelry account.