Fun with Knitting (and Quilting)

Here a project, there a project, everywhere a project

So quite apparently I have startitis or cast-on fever what ailment you prefer to call it. I have cast on many many projects so far this summer, and haven't finished any other than my indigo ripples skirt. So with Stacey's prodding I decided to join WIPS WRESTLEMANIA 09 over on Ravelry. I have got to get some of these things done. Now I may not finish them all this month, but I'm going to try! My goal is to get some projects done and not cast on any more till I do!

So here's what I'm working on:

1. Miley

2. Layout Tank

3. Summery Purse

4. Hey Teach (which I um started today) But it's a KAL with Annie!

5. Corona

6. Favorite Cardigan

Which may have to be ripped out and restarted due to gauge issues (like me not checking my gauge)

7. a plain vanilla pair of socks

(And yes there are other WIPs but these are what I am focusing on this month.) More details on all the projects are over on my Ravely page, if you care to find out more!

I did dye another skein of yarn the other day..still haven't gotten that out of my system! I have more acid dyes on there way to me as we speak! I used 2 different shades of blue Kool-Aid and it came out really KOOL! First I squirted randomly with Berry Blue and then but it into a bath with ice blue lemonade.

And Voila I got this:

I did go up to Frankenmuth, MI with friends last week and got this cute mug at Bronner's. I looked at it last year and didn't buy it. It was still there this year and it was on sale! I also got some Panda Cotton.

And of course last but not least, if you haven't voted for my school today please head over to the Lots2Give website and click to vote for us!

Yeah quilting is in the title of my blog

Though knitting is the main focus is seems, more and more all the time!

But I have started a quilt. (and I do have a couple other quilty projects planned this summer) This is a super simple, quick, summery kind of quilt. The pattern I'm using is from Amy Butler. It's her lotus brick path quilt and is a free pattern on her site. My original intention was to use Amy Butler Fabric but I fell for these 3Sisters fabrics.  They are very pretty, and sort of have a summer cottage feel to me. That was the look I was going for. I'm trying to make it very random so it's a scrapy type quilt. I do have enough of one of the blues and I think I'm going to throw a border around it when it's done. I have a few of the rows stitched up so far!

Hubby is on vacation next week so I don't know how much I'll get done then. I really need to take my machine in to get it tuned up!

And of course- again please vote for my school in the Lots2Give Contest! This runs till July 12th so You'll be hearing about it till then!

I won!!

So the other day I entered a contest on the Webs blog for this cute sweater   Nuss. Now I never win stuff so when I read the blog and saw I won I ran around the house squealing!

 It's quite a prize! I get the new Blackstone Tweed (I picked the purple colorway-imagine that), the needles, the booklet it's in and a $25 gift certificate to webs! a pretty swanky prize I say! I am still soo totally excited! Yay!

Thanks Webs and Berroco!

Dye Day!

So yesterday I went over Pam's house to dye some yarn. We had so much fun! We each dyed 1 skein. Pam's was a lovely blue and green.. Mine reminds me of popsicles.. summer fun!

We also went to lunch at Olive Garden which is always fun! Then stopped by JoAnn's for buttons for her Hey Teach sweater. This is going to be a Cleveland Knits West KAL, Pam is our "test Knitter."(you can see her sweater in the corner of the picture up a bouve! Right Pam? Anywhoo we found the perfect buttons for it!

Then I got home and still had the dye bug. I stopped by Wal-Mart and picked up some squirt bottles and dyed up 2 skeins in a pinky reddish purple color this will be for either the Whisper Cardigan or the Featherweight Cardigan both by Hanna Fettig. So I was still thinking about Pam's pretty yarn, and was thinking about the sock blank from Knit Picks I had...and so then I mixed up some blues and greens and squirted away! And um yeah I forgot to put on a glove and so my left fingers are very green! LOL 

 

Here's all my yarn from yesterday..Lovely I think!!!

I did just get some acid dyes but today I stuck with the Kool-Aid. Next time I'll break the acids out. I think I want to get a couple more colors of acid dyes-a green, a burgundy,brown, and teal before I use them.

And last but not least..please take a second and VOTE FOR MY SCHOOL in the Lots2Give Contest! Thanks!

FO: Indigo Ripples

Well It's done! And I LOVE it! I wondered about knitting a skirt, and well I saw so many cute ones on Ravelry that I finally cast on! I've had the yarn for about a year. I intended on knitting last summer but it never happened. It fits just great!

 

So the stats!

Indigo Ripples Skirt from Spring 07 Interweave

Yarn: Elann Den-im-knit in dark indigo, for some reason I bought 13 balls but used just over 10. The yarn bleeds like mad. My hands were blue the whole time I was working on it! I've thrown it in the washer twice now and it did shrink up (just as the label says-I planning for it!)

Size: Well that is hard to say. Mostly XS, I did the mods most did for the lower waist.

Needles: size 5 for the stockinette, and size 6 for the lace.

MODs, well as already stated I followed the mods of many for the lover waist. I also knit 18" of the stockinette (because I have very long legs) and then 40 rows of lace before the ruffle.  You can read the rest over on my ravelry page!

This project may have changed my mind about knit skirts. This turned out to be a fun, flattering, easy, fairly quick knit!

 

And OH PLEASE don't forget to vote for my school on the Lots2Give website!!!

Please Vote!

OK So my school is up to win Big Lots, Lots2Give 2009 PLEAE PLEASE PLEASE go and vote for my school!!! We would love to be able to put our store in place! You don't have to register or anything, just vote (up to 3 times a day). It's like American Idol....

Thanks so much!!!!!!

FO: Ingenue too!

OK so as promised here is Ingenue too. If you recall back in the fall I made myfirst version of this sweater which I love. The colors are a bit flashy on it and I wanted a more subtle one. So I grabbed up some Classic Elite Waterlilly and started.

So the stats:

Pattern: Ingenue from  Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard I knit the 40" bust (and of course threw in a few short rows for the bust.

Needles: Size 8 knit picks options

Yarn: 12 skeins of Classic Elite waterlilly which is a wonderful yarn! so soft and springy. I started out with 8 skeins of this yarn, and quickly realized that that wouldn't be enough. So I ordered 2 more, and as I was nearing the end of the body I needed to order still two more! I started to panic a bit because 1. I didn't swatch and 2. because I didn't swatch I didn't wash my swatch & I worried that  the sweater was going to turn out gigantic when I washed it, but nope all was fine!

I was relieved!  Can't you tell?  Raveled here!

I (almost) can't wait for fall so that I can wear it! It is now neatly stored away awaiting it's official debut!

AHHHH

Summer vacation has begun...'nuf said!

Tomorrow Ingenue FO post....

Cast on fever

To the tune of "Cat Scratch Fever", OK Pam is getting in my head. 

With only 2 more days till summer vacation my knitting mojo is kicking into high gear. I have a list of things that I want to knit this summer-Pleat, Sandrine, the Chic Pulli, Buttecup, Favorite Cardigan, and Eleonora to name a few...

PLUS the 3 that I have recently cast on!

Miley: My friends pattern a cute summer tee, out of Berroco Seduce in Muscari

Indigo Ripples: From Interweave, out of Elann Den-im-knit going fast but turning my hands blue

Corona: A free cute hoodie, out of Dream in Color Classy in Good Luck Jade. I'm alternating skeins because there is a very obvious diferentiantion between skeins.

However I did finish my Ingenue 2, and Bulky Cardigan that I steeked(I do need to attach the snaps yet). The cool weather today would have been perfect for FO picts but hubby's golfing tonight. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow- Or next week.

The birdy and eggs are still hanging out in my tree. I have put out some yarn bits for them to line the nest!

The dogs are wondering where summer weather is!

Now for something Non knitting!

So I have indeed been knitting. In fact, I finished my market bag! But more on that later!

Today a little morning dove was hopping around on my deck railing and I went to investigate, and this is what I found.

This little willow tree is right next to my deck. Now We have to keep an eye on the pups so the don't mess with my little friend here!

Then since my camera was out I decided to snap some picts. of the flowers I planted last weekend!

My chives I really love this picture! I believe these are called torenia. Some of my snap dragons. And some Pansy's

Even Abby is intriqued by the birdy! Happy Spring!!