Too Much Yarn

Blanket's First Anniversary >>> Contest Time!

It's my Crochet Hexagon's First Anniversary.  I started in on September 22, 2012.  I just put it away on Sept 24 after evening up the row... Guess how many hexagons are there? The person who posted with the number closest without going over wins a prize!  What's in the prize, you ask... Why, Yarn, of course!

These photos will not be able to give you the answer, but I just want to show you anyway! 

Contest ends at midnight, Thursday, October 3rd (i.e. before Friday begins).

p/s  There are 5 half-hexagons, so the correct answer should have a .5.

Good Luck!

Work on my blankets or shop at LYS's 20th birthday party where most items are 20% off?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Knit or Shop?

Catching up...

       Since I last posted, I've finished two socks (singles, i.e).  The Cookie A's Artemis was a great knit, even though the foot was a bit boring. So boring that I even made a mistake at the foot where the twisted rib were... well, I left them as is and hope to make the same mistake on the other foot.  I'm almost done with the leg for the second sock.  Yarn is Hazel Knits Entice in Zest.

The other sock I'd finished is the Watermelon Slice Socks by Wendy Gaal.  This is a kit I had purchased at Stitches West.

I was skeptical about starting the gusset too late - I trusted Wendy's design and started it 3 inches from the heel.  The heel fits perfectly and I really like this heel.. It's like a shortrow, but easier, and there's no flap.  I just love it - in fact, this sock has given me hope on toe-up socks!  See how perfectly it fits my foot?

I did not count how many beads I used, but I have plenty left for the second sock.

For the August Sock Knitters Annoynomous's August Challenge, I finished 6 pairs of socks.  I couldn't be happier with the results!  Then, I drew names for prizes.  And I drew my own name!  I did not cheat.  If I did, I would have picked the best prize for myself!  Well, my number was randomly drawn for a sock project bag by Michele from Two Bags Full.  You've seen plenty of her bags on Anne Hanson (Knitspot)'s blog.  This is the one I won:

These are the bags I have from Michele.  The Tres Chic fabric (the original one with tan and Eiffel Tower) is a fabric I had picked for her to make 2 bags for me and Susan from Buffalo.  That year, I went to Paris and she went to Italy (among other countries).  We wanted to give each other an unique package that was about our trip.  And that's what I chose.  Little did I know that the fabric proved to be very popular for Michele.  She sold many bags from that fabric and later, she ordered the pink fabric and sent me the Tall Mia in the Pink Tres Chic as a gift.  The other brown with flowers also has a twin, which I gave to ChristyH.  Anne Hanson also has that bag!

As a public service, if you need knitting project bags, check out Michele's bags at her etsy site.  She provides the best customer service and her workmanship is just superb!  Here is Michele's site.  Tell her I sent you!

As the weather is getting colder, I'm crocheting my blanket again.  I have not touched my mitered squares blanket!  I'm trying to even out my hexagon blanket.  I think I may have 20 or less hexagons and I'd be even on every column.  Then, I'll work on the mitered square blanket.

Have a nice weekend.

 

 

 

First week as Empty Nesters

Monday, I went in to work - to pack as we are moving our office location to another part of the building.  I also had to catch up on my mail as I was gone for a week.  Tuesday afternoon, I came home to work and then, worked from home the rest of the week.  It's been nice to just have the house to ourselves (my husband and I and the dog!).  And, I also got to knit quite a bit... And, I received yarn!  That's the best part of the week!

OK - we will start with my cast on a week ago when I was still in Washington, DC.  I'm trying to get used to casting on with the German Twisted Cast On - I like the elasticity of it.  I cast on about 8:15 a.m. knitting until we were ready to head out to the Metro station.  On the train, I continued with the ribbing.  We were supposed to get off a stop so we can switch trains to go the Arlington Cemetery.  Well, dang, I was knitting and I lost track!  So, we ended up spending the final day at the Mall AGAIN!  But of course, we haven't been to ALL the museums!  Well, we saved the Holocaust Museum for last.  We were afraid how sad we would be, but I suppose since we're there, we should pay respects and honor those who went through this horrific event.

Then, we also went to the Lincoln Memorial for the last time as it's just a spectacular monument.  We missed the Vietnam Memorial the first time around - which was just off to the right of the Lincoln Memorial!  The wall was amazing.  I will work on my scrapbook soon so you can see the photos I took... ya... took over 1000 photos in one week with 2 or 3 cameras (if you count my phone - which I used for all panaromic photos).  So, back to knitting...  This is Artemis Socks by Cooke A - it was the August Sock Club pattern.  I did not use the club yarn.. I used Hazel Knits Entice in Zest.

It is very cushy.  By early last week, I was up to here:

And now, I'm working on the toe - yep, just the first sock!

Then, I could resist... I cast on Watermelon Slice Socks.  I bought this kit from Stitches West from the designer and dyer, Wendy.  Some of my friends on Knit Night knits yarn from Wendy.  Personally, it's a bit scratchy for me, after knitting with yarns with Cashmere, so I'm a bit spoilt!  So I can only "handle" about 20 rows at each sitting.  This is the beginning of it...

and now, I've just finished the gusset and heel turn/heel flap - there's no such names for this toe-up sock.. Basically, I'm just starting the leg now!  The hardest part is to randomly put the black beads, aka seeds!  It's been over a year since I knitted a toe-up sock. When I showed it to my husband, he said, this is worked the opposite way!

I went to my local yarn shop to see what they have new as it's been over 2 weeks since I've been there.  No new yarns, but they have new samples.  Saw this pattern, The Lonely Tree Shawl and had to come home to wind  yarn.  It may look better on a solid color, but I just love the variegation on this Madelinetosh DK yarn in Grenadine.

It will look nicer blocked, I promise!

My package from Looped  Yarn Works arrived.. even received a free canvas bag as a free gift!

which I will leave for your parting shots.  Also received Twisted Sock Club's September shipment.  Yarn is MCN, but color... not so sure, and the pattern is... INTERESTING... I think you work the leg flat and then, you join and then, knit in the round.

OK - here are the Madelinetosh from DC - up close and personal!

I couldn't get Oceania to look nice outdoors!  My camera just washes out the brightness that I had to take the photo indoors with a flash to get a true color:

It matches the one above it so I'm thinking of doing a two-tone shawl with those 2 skeins.  All are Pashmina with the exception of the Coral, which are in Sport weight.

Tonight, I'm participating in a Night Golf on Friday, the 13th!  We have dinner at a BBQ at 6:30 and golf starts at 8:30.  I don't even know what to wear. I'd expected to wear shorts, but it's just 70 degrees outside!  We each get 2 glow in the dark balls.  It's going to be interesting.  It's a Fundraiser so it's just for fun!

Back Home

Almost done with the leg of Artemis knitted in Hazel Knits Entice in Zest.

I hit the jackpot!

After museuming and art-gallerying with my husband, I needed a shopping fix - I haven't even shopped at the musuem shops!  I do need to get some souveniors for my nieces who have been watching our dog while we're gone.  I also needed a break to just wander around without waiting for him or looking for him, etc.  So, I came up with an idea - I will go check out the Textile Museum.. After all, they have a special exhibit on textile inspired from South East Asia (where I'm from).  I got off the Dupont Circle Metro stop and using my Google Map app, I proceeded towards the Textile Center.  On my way there (about 1/2 mile hike), I saw this on the street!

(note to self - MUST STOP BY ON THE WAY BACK!)

The Textile Museum took me less than 1/2 hour to cover; took me a longer time to get there.  I went back the same route and promptly went upstairs to the 2nd floor.  I had read that they had just received Hazel Knits yarn the week before (before I knew the store is on the way to the Textile Musuem!).  The ladies who own the store are the nicest people!  We chatted and I showed her my sock (I spent more time here than the Textile Musuem).  If I own a yarn shop, it would be like this!

(I didn't make it up!  I was here!)

And I had these shipped home. All Madelinetosh - Pashmina and Sport Weight.

Then, I met my husband at the Mall.  Sock did a little more museum'ing...  This was at the Natural History Musuem...

Tomorrow's our last day.  I think we are heading out to the Holocaust Museum, maybe Arlington Cemetery, and the Vietnam Memorial.

Thank you for following me on this trip.  I did not do as much knitting as I thought.  I have one repeat left and then, the toe... Then, I may cast on a new sock on my plane ride home on Saturday.

 

In DC

I haave probably walked over 20 miles since I arrived!  My legs are sore, especially after I get up from the train or from sitting down for any period of time! 

We've been moving so much that I really don't have a chance to knit except while on the train.

On Monday, my friend took us to the Luray Caverns, about 1.5 hours away by car,  While she was driving, I did manage to finish the leg of the Tadpoles sock.  Unfortunately, I did not remember to take any photos of the sock in the caverns.  It is quite dark anyway, as you can tell here.

The next day, I couldn't bring my knitting to the capitol tour.  But we also visited the Library of Congress, which is just spectacular!

Then, we went to another art gallery, which is the only museum that closed at 7 pm.  We liked it a lot that we went back today (and I had my sock with).

Also today, we went to Mount Vernon, George Washington's home and resting place.

and while we were wandering around Chinatown, these groups of guys were playing some awesome music. 

And I can't leave this photo out.  It's one of my favorite subject to photograph...

 

Photos from Day 2

As mentioned previously, we hit 3 museums today.  The first one is the National Air & Space Musuem.  These musuems are all at the Mall, part of the Smithsonian.

I love taking panaromic photos with my phone.  It can show so much!!  Here is my sock with the Spirit of St. Louis, the first plane to fly across the United States.

Next, we went to the National Gallery of Art, again, a panoramic:

And yes, I was knitting while enjoying art:

Painting is by Renoir.

Next, we headed to the Musuem of National History ( we didn't plan to, but they don't close until 7:30)

and yes, Sock met the dinosours:

We are not sure what we'll be doing tomorrow.  Monticello?  Or more museums?  We are going to the Capitol on Tuesday, which is close to Library of Congress, and the National Botanical Gardens.  I may have to sign up for a library card so I can go into the reading room!  I hope Sock can come with.

 

Day 1

We spend yesterday evening at some memorials: World War II, Lincoln, FDR, Martin Luther King, but the Washington Monument is still under construction due to a crack after the earthquake in the area last year. My arm is not quite long enough for a good photo. Today, I've resorted to using a regular camera and you should be able to see better photos. Though today is Sept, I have not cast on new socks.

It is hot and humid here. Today's high is 91. And we are now at 91! Being it's going to be hot, we decided to start absorbing the museums. We went to the Smithsonian Castle, National Airspace Museum, and the National Gallery. I should have taken a photo of sock in front of a painting of a nude woman and said she needed socks! But I never found another painting like that.

Now. I'm cooling off in a fountain, part of the National Gallery, knitting.

So this app sucks with photos on my phone so the photos may all be together. You can figure things out!