On The Needles - 5/29/15

My raspberry socks are DONE!!!

Actually, they've been done for several weeks now; I just haven't had opportunity to blog about them.  I really love them, although I'm not terribly happy with the noticeable jog on the cuff where I ended the bind off.  I have to get better at that!

And I do have to say it bugs me that the socks are two different shades, when the yarn all came from the same skein!  This was expensive yarn too.  It is called Smooshy, and I pulled from one end of the skein for one sock and from the other end for the second sock.  Oh well - I know funky is in, but it still bugs me.  Just sayin' =^..^=

So I suppose, technically I'm sharing what I have OFF my Needles today LOL!!!  What I actually have ON my Needles are the sweet little toes of my luscious aqua socks, but I'll wait to share them when I have a little more to show than just the tips of the toes.

I'll also link this post up with the Q2 Finish-Along over at On The Windy Side.  So happy to have another project finished from my list!  (See my Q2 list HERE if you are interested)

So, what's on your needles?

Share with us at Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Rockin' the Raspberry Socks!

Yes, I know I've been away for a good while again, but perhaps you will forgive me when I share some of the things I've been up to ....

First - we've welcomed our newest grandbaby to the family!!!

(Yes, I know, that is not necessarily something "I" did, but I claim bragging rights anyway!)

=^..^=

Genevieve and Jacqueline

Here is big sister Genevieve holding her tiny newborn baby sister, Jacqueline.  Awwwwwww.......  Doesn't Jacqueline look just like one of those perfect little baby dolls that artists make to look like real babies?  Mother and baby are both doing wonderfully well and Dad and Genevieve are absolutely tickled with the new addition :)

This makes eight grands for us now - 

Wow, we're getting old!!!

And this past week, I traveled to Asheville NC to be with my mom while she had some follow-up surgery from her surgery this past January.  When in Asheville, you get GREAT mountain views from your hospital bed :*)

I am happy to report that she is doing great.  I'm sure you all know how relieved I am about that!

While at the hospital with her, I noticed a few things that tickled my funny bone ..... such as, the staff doesn't pay much attention to posted notices .....

And, someone needs to teach someone proper English...

My city-bred Baltimore grandmother had a you-know-what fit the first time she heard me say "cut" off the lights after I had moved to the south.  She didn't care very much for "ya'll" "reckon" or "yonder" either LOL!!!

Knitting plain jane socks is the perfect busy project when sitting in a hospital waiting room or with the patient for several days.  I managed to get quite a lot done on my current pair of socks On the Needles ..... 

These Raspberry Smooshy socks are making up so beautifully!  These are the ones I had to tear out all the way below the heel last month - my blog post about that is HERE.

I wanted these to be fairly simple so I wouldn't have to constantly check a pattern while knitting them, but I did decide to add a simple rib pattern to the cuffs to cut down on the monotony and add a little interest ... so far I'm very happy with the way they are turning out.

Linking up with Patchwork Times for On The Needles!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Final Finish and Some Un-knitting....

My final finish from my Q1 Finish-Along list is a gift for one of my bestest blog buddies, Janet O., who blogs over at Rogue Quilter.  She received it yesterday, so I can blog about it now!

If you don't know Janet O., then go visit her NOW (link on her blog name) and introduce yourself!  She's a lovely person and friend, a wonderful quilter, and always has an uplifting comment and a sweet attitude.  Can you tell how much I love her???

Janet has gifted me with several really sweet treasures - she's the most thoughtful creature!  So I've been wanting to return the favor for a while now.  The problem was that I couldn't think of the perfect thing for her ... you know, the one thing she didn't have (how could I be sure?), or the newest tool that she's been dying to get her hands on (how would I know?), or ... well, you get the idea :)  I decided to make her something personal, but again - what?  Are you beginning to get the picture that I'm not quite as talented a gifter as she is?

Then she mentioned in a comment on one of my posts that she didn't have a Ruler Tote.  Eureka!!!

My next question was - what fabrics do I use???  Janet favors the primitive fabrics, darker than my style but still colorful.  The one color we both love is black!  So although I don't have much in the way of primitive fabrics, I did have some nice blacks in that style, and I was able to pull some reds and golds to go along with it.  I really hope she likes it!  I made it just like the one I always carry to retreats.

Brighter colors for me of course - and cats!!! =^..^=

It has pockets in the front for rulers ....

And heat-resistant fabric on the back for a portable ironing station ....

The inside will hold an 18"x24" rotary cutting mat and as many large rulers as she can carry!

I hope you enjoy this gift Janet!  I know I could never find a gift that would adequately say "Thank You!" for your friendship and encouragement over the past couple of years, but hopefully you will smile and remember how special I think you are each time you use your new Ruler Tote!!!

Tomorrow I will post my Q2 Finish-Along List - hopefully I will do a little better with that one :*)  Are you joining in on the fun?  I have to admit, it has really helped me to stay focused and concentrate on getting some of my projects finished up instead of flitting around from project to project, always starting and never finishing!  And there are prizes .....  (I thought that would get your attention LOL!!!)

http://makezine.com/craft/diy_knitting_needles/

And since it's Friday, and I haven't linked up with Patchwork Times's On The Needles in weeks, I thought I would update you on the mess I have percolating in the yarn department :*)

I picked up my Raspberry Smooshy Socks last week after not touching them since the end of October last year.  Knitting kinda took a backseat when I became obsessed got involved with Millefiore and Arcadia Avenue :)  So I picked them back up thinking if I could finish off the heels quickly, I'd have nothing but the cuffs left for a mindless take-along project.  Indeed, I did finish them up and was congratulating myself and feeling pretty good about my growth as an experienced knitter because those tricky heels actually worked out perfectly the first time!  .....

.... only to find when I tried to reconnect at the ankle that I had made a mistake way back yonder in October!  An unfixable mistake no less!  For those of you who knit socks, you'll understand when I say that I increased on BOTH sides of the sock while working the gusset instead of just the heel side.  See how wide the front is in the next picture?  UGH!!!

So I had to tear out those perfect heels (sob!), and carefully keep all the stitches from dropping - because if I didn't do it right I would have to START ALL OVER.  I used another set of needles to pick up the stitches before the place where the mistake started, and only then did I start to rip back to there ....

Thankfully, this was successful and I have begun the increases for the gusset once again, this time only on one side - whew!  Still a lot of stitching to do on these but at least I am moving in the right direction again :)

I really want to make my aqua pair, so these need to get done pronto.  Don't you love this yarn???

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

On the Needles - 10/31/14

My needles have been a little quiet lately as I've been focusing on using my TV time for catching up on my Bertie blocks.  However, I have to share what I got in the mail this week.....

Aren't they just darling?????  

This will be a Christmas present for our oldest granddaughter (19 in December - wow time flies!!!).  She loves hedgehogs, so I couldn't resist this pattern when I saw it on Ravelry.  I ordered the pattern, yarn and accessories in a kit from Morehouse.....  Emma is going to love these!  And I think they will be fun to knit as well :)

I've also found time here and there to put a few rows on my current socks - Smooshy Raspberry.....

They're a strange shape at this stage, aren't they?  I just finished the gusset section and ready to start turning the heel.  I really love working heels!

Can you believe these are from the same skein of yarn?  One is definitely lighter than the other.  The sales clerk at my LYS wound the skein into a ball for me when I bought it.  Then when I got home, I split it into two balls by winding the outer thread into a ball until I had two balls that weighed approximately the same.  So basically, one is knit from one end of the skein, while the other is knit from the other end.  It's a good thing I don't mind my socks having personality, right?

And speaking of socks and personality....  How do you like my new shoes???

These are Alegria shoes in the Paloma design.  

Yes, they are wild and crazy - and I love them!!!!   

Michelle told me about these shoes at Red Rooster and said they were the most comfortable shoes she owns.  They are made similar in design to Birkenstocks, which I wear almost exclusively nowadays.  Wonderful arch support and wide toes area.  She said they no longer make this design, so if I wanted a pair I'd better get out there and find them quick.  So I did!  (on eBay)

And the socks are my House of Targaryen socks - love the two together!

So what's on your needles?  

Share with us at Judy's Patchwork Times!!!

Also linking up with Small Things Yarn Along!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

On the Needles - 10/10/14

I'm away from my computer, having such a lovely visit at my Mom's home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina!

This post is coming to you via my iPad, AKA "Miss Kitty"..... you remember Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke, don't you?  She was the beautiful Saloon Owner lady who loved Matt Dillon but could never have him *sigh*  But she was always there for him and helped him find solutions to all sorts of problems.  Since I don't need a beautiful woman in my life, my iPad is my very own "Miss Kitty" =^..^=  Do you name your electronic devices?

So anyway, blogging from the ipad means I dont' get to size my pictures or any of the other cool things I can do from the computer.  I'll put together a post of all the gorgeous mountain photos I took from the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday when I get home - promise!!!!

I've done a little knitting on my travels this week.....

Yep - I chose the Raspberry Smooshy yarn for my next pair of socks!!!

This yarn feels different than anything I've worked with before - kind of spongy and ropelike, although softer than rope of course.....

It's working up into a much more dense fabric than previous sock yarns have.  I think it will prove to be very durable :)

Be sure to check out all the other yarn projects going on at Judy's Patchwork Times today!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=