Yarn Along 5/23/2012

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ Taken from Ginny's blog


Can you believe Wednesday is here already? Sorry I missed last week I just didn't have any new reading or new knitting to add. BUT I did managed a couple of FO's!

In case anyone was wondering about our felted water bottle carrier.  I ended up throwing it back into the washing machine and I felted the heck out of it! Thanks for every one's advice and kind words!  A special thanks to Paula for giving my the courage to keep at it!  

I love the finished result!

Next I cast on waldorfmama's felted iphone purse for a young lady turning 14!  I really loved knitting up Waldorfmama's pattern. I do wish she had more. They are so easy and fun and now I feel more comfortable with the felting process.

I am happy with the purse but I would love to do a different flower(anyone have a knitted flower pattern they love) or maybe I could just sew the middle of it to the petals pop.
Next I finally finished my very own pair of Puddle Jumpers! Always the faithful pattern follower I knit for the 11.75 inches but I didn't read what the pattern added..."check you own boots against this length". Can you guess what happened next? I cast off added the strap--feeling fancy because I picked up the stitches requested for "said strap" and knit away on both! I sewed the strap on and tucked all cast on and cast off wools in and slide one into my boot and YUP you guessed...they were too long! I unravelled 3 heartbreaking inches and didn't add the strap this time around- I just don't think they need it. And this is the finished items.  

Last but certainly not least I cast on Naked.

I knit this in an afternoon! I love this pattern. I think it would lovely to have one on the needles all the time!

I managed to cast on another project for this week. A lyalya hoodie. Not for anyone I know, just to add to my stash. The construction intrigues me.

As for reading, it seems that there is more knitting going on. My older son is sick with some sinus issues so he is home from school--  I love when he sits still long enough to cuddle and read to. We ended up with a stack.

 We are only a few pages from the end of Help! I'm Prisoner The Library. It was nice to spend some quiet  uninterrupted(my youngest was still sleeping) time with some old friends--don't you love Jo-Beth and Mary Rose?
I can't wait to catch up with everyone!

Yarn Along May 9, 2012

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Joining Ginny again this week. I managed to finish some handknits this week! Can you believe it? Okay, it really wasn't anything I have been working on but a FO is a FO, right? I did finish Mason's Monster--I managed to stitch on the body and arms(they look just dreadful). And I went with no eyes or mouth. I would love to think I did it as part of the Waldorf inspired toys we are playing with more and more. BUT the reality is... you shouldn't seam up your project if you are going to add safety eyes? AHHHH, lesson learned. I see seamless handknits coming off my needles in my future--lots of seamless knits.... I also cast on for a Minion...not for anyone in particular. The patttern details are fabulous.


I did cast on for a Kleen Kanteen holder. It was a super fast knit. I managed to finish it in 2 days, right down to the felting! Can you spot the reason it will not be used much?? I believe the error lies in the gauge..... I am usually spot on with gauge or maybe the reason I have never noticed my gauge is off in the past is that the things I knit are things where gauge isn't really an issue? What if gauge is something I have had an issue with my whole knitting life?!!! Bears more scrunity....

My reading....sigh..... The truth is I have been reading anything that happens to be in my hand lately. A magazine, a  book, a bill.... Doesn't make for lasting reading.
Can't wait to catch up with everyone.

Yarn Along May 2, 2012

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?

Joining up with Ginny again this week. My favorite part of the week! I love reading about what others are reading and knitting, don't you?
This week really hasn't changed reading wise. My stack by my bed is still the same size--maybe bigger as I bought a magazine about the Titanic 100 year "Anniversary"(Why is it named that. It really isn't a celebration, is it?-Remembrance would have been better, don't you think?) That is one of the reason I did buy the Life issue. It doesn't say that-- at least on the cover.
I am still knitting on my Puddle Jumpers and and I don't feel like I am getting anywhere. They have officially become my car knitting--they will fly off my needles as I wait for school to open or watching my daughter play soccer. I did cast on a monster for my youngest son. His patio monster has been cast off and all I have left is to stitch him up. I did a few stitches last night- using this video --and I truly do dislike seaming--I am terrible at it, can you tell?  This is the time when I wish I knew someone who could teach me more about the fiber art. I do hunger to learn crochet and would love to know more on handsewing--sorry a bit off track. Back to the monster: I bought some safety eyes for him this week. I am a little anxious about them. I haven't ever used them, have you? I am sure I will be "pinning" lots of instructions for them.I did have a minor knitting heartbreak this week. Remember Phoebe? My church decided to cancel the Silent Auction and Dinner so I won't be able to find Phoebe and her book a new home. I am not sure what to do with her... Hopefully I will be able to gift her to someone someday.
I can't wait to catch up on what is on every one's needles and reading list!

Yarn Along April 25, 2012

As always joining Ginny at Small Things.

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I feel terribly selfish this week--I think it started with casting on my pair of Puddle Jumpers. It was all down hill from there. My version of  Dancing in Puddles are knitting up great and I am magic looping them. The ribbing did take awhile--I forgot how long ribbing takes :) but there is something calming about Knit 2, Purl 2.  I tried them on my boots this weekend and the tops fit perfectly! I really did have my doubts--they looked a bit on the small side while I was knitting them up. I was a bit leery of trying them on and I thought I was headed for a knitting heartbreak. The relief I had was next to giddiness! Just 11.75 more inches to go!
There is a bounty of books sitting by my bedside this week. I think it will keep me busy for weeks(if not months). I started Heaven is Here on Monday and it is heart rendering Expecting Adam was an impulse buy but the blurb I read just drew me in and I couldn't put in down! I scored the last copy of A Knitters Home Companion at BN on Friday.(Mason,my youngest, and I did a test run of going out- he was a well mannered boy- in case you were wondering) After reading about TKHC from  so many knitters  and they were loving it, I made a decision to take The Boy and I out for some time at a real live bookstore! We had a delightful time! I listened to him and he listened to me-it was wonderful! We read books and giggled over the pages--it was a nice memory I will keep close for a very long time. This book, itself, seems like the perfect way to read more adventures in knitting and it has patterns as well! Another book in my pile is the ever present, never far from my hands, Positive Discipline. It has taught me so much and I find myself nodding as I read each page in total agreement and alot of her observations are very accurate in our home. It has been very eye opening and I hope to be able to apply the writer's techniques to our family. The last book is one that I read alot over the weekend and I am totally hooked and can not wait to cast on my very first monster! Rebecca Danger's The Big Book of Monsters is a fun read! I haven't cast on a monster yet, can you believe it? I know I will knit them all but the I just can't decide where to start! They are all so adorable and full of personality.
Can;t wait to catch with everyone--thanks for stopping and I treasure each comment so much!

Yarn Along 4/18/2012

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Hello All! Thanks for stopping by this week. I have cast on a new project--surprise, right? I did manage to sew on Phoebe's ears and I am happy to say they are sewn on tightly and look pretty even--at least to me. My new project is one I am very excited to knit up.  Dancing in puddles just for me! I cast on while my girls were visiting their grandparents-- I was feeling some(okay, alot!) melancholy. I am glad I did a little selfish knitting. Those needles in my hands sure did soothe my soul. The wool is wonderful to knit up and the colors are so cheerful. And the boots will look wonderful with the liner--don't you think?

My reading this week is also unexpected. I picked up some books on Amazon this past week (on a whim) and I am happy to say they arrived quickly. And really just in the nick of time for me and my children. I have been stressing over discipline lately. I really feel my children have been taking notice of my words only when I start to become "Yelling Momma" . Most of the time, I feel like I let a lot of behaviors go or I over-discipline. There is no middle ground. Nothing seems to be working --time outs or taking away things never seem to do the trick. Also, my youngest has been making "going out" very unpleasant and I have been making an effort NOT to go out during the day-- it really made spring break unpleasant and my boys and I felt trapped most of the time. Even going to the park is stressful. I just feel like we need some help or guidance. Hopefully these books will help.
Thansk for reading and for stopping by. I can't wait to catch up on what everyone is doing(and reading)~

Yarn Along 4/11/2012

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

 Hello all! I hope Easter was shared with family and peaceful for you. This week my knitting has changed. I started a scarf--a scarf full of lace! It is a lovely pattern and I have surprised myself with how much I love knitting it up. Lace and fingerweight wool is not something I would pick up normally but it just feels right this week. And did you notice that Phoebe has ears? I finally got up some nerve and sewed them on. Okay, I sewed one on and waited for my husband to get home to help me with placement of the other one. Today I will try adding on some eyes and a nose.
My reading is also different. My Mothers Daughter is an interesting read I picked up on a trip to the library and before I head back I thought I would give it a try. I can't wait to visit with blogs and catch up!

Yarn Along 04/04/2012

Hello All! I am here again joining Ginny from Small Things. I am still working Phoebe's wardrobe. This week I cast on for Phoebe's sweater.  I cast on Sunday but I had to "frog" --it was turning out way too big for one so tiny. I had to cast on using smaller needles--which meant I had to reorganize my needles and my UFO's. Which now, is thankfully a smaller pile, my UFO's, I mean. I still can't find my size 8's. So I am using 16 inch size 8's and my stitches keep falling off as I think my little sweater is too big for for the needles but at least I am getting gauge now- I am such a loose knitter!
I have knit a pair of Mary Janes of Phoebe!  Every girl should have a pair of shoes-right? I got the pattern by visiting here.  Kristy is so sweet and replied to my private message so quickly! These shoes only take a couple of rows and you will have a seamless pair of shoes in no time!
 Please be patient with me--I have yet to attach Little Phoebe's ears. The first time it didn't go so well. And I do not want to cut her ears off again. It wasn't pretty. I think am more worried about her ears than her sweet face(which is also not finished),
My reading this week is new--Mrs. Tim of the Regiment. This title kept coming up this week as I was reading some blogs and it sounds delightful!I will let you know more next week.
Are you ready for Easter? Sadly I am not. I haven't even started. And it will be here in a couple of days!There are no decorations, no baskets, nothing. Easter is always a sad holiday for me. I hate thinking of the suffering Jesus did for us.But I am enjoying welcoming in Spring! Have you ever seen so much purple?!
Can't wait to catch up with everyone.