March 6

Well I have been having a ball with the new spinning wheel. Although it did take me a couple of days to get used to the ratio. My older double drive didn't have the ratio that the Fricke has, so I needed to get used the speed of it. I will be attending a workshop later this month with Cat Bordhi and I thought I would spin up some yarn for it. The purple skein I plan to use for a felted moebius bag we will be making,and the green, pink and old roving I hope to use for a moebius. I will need 200 yards so I hope I will have enough for it. I will also need some sock yarn for the workshop, I'm not sure if I will use handspun or some that I have in my stash. I did hand dye the roving. My daughters are beginning to work on their 4H projects for the year. One is to learn to spin on a wheel. They already know how to spin on a drop spindle and they do a wonderful job. Yesterday we dyed some roving with Easter egg dyes, so while they were working on that I decided to dye this roving. I used these little cups of dye that I have had for a while. I'm not sure what they are but the colors are just wonderful. I will post a picture of the finished yarn when I'm done.

March 2

I have a new toy! I have been hand spinning for about 5 years on a double drive wheel that my parents bought back in the 70's as decoration. They gave me the wheel about 3 years ago and I have had tons of fun with it. The problem is there were no extra bobbins and the wheel is rare. So I don't feel comfortable taking it to spin in's or let children use it. Two of my daughters want to learn to spin on a wheel this year as a 4H project. So with some Tax return money I bought a Fricke s-160-F. The neat thing about this wheel is it folds up for easy portability. I plan to have a bag made for it. My big problem now is I have get used to a scotch tension. My old wheel didn't have a lot of difference in ratio so now I have quite a few options. I gave it a try out and realized its going to take me a few days to get the rhythm down. I'm looking forward to making some yarn up for a workshop I plan to attend later this month. I have in the past put together an Ashford traditional, I found the Fricke to be much easier. I think the hardest part was getting the cap off the Danish oil can. I kind of lucked out with the oil. Fricke's come with some of the wooden parts already finished. I bought the Danish oil a week or so ago and I chose medium walnut. As luck would have its just about the same shade as the pre finished parts.

Feb 26- Finished

I finished my Olympic project with time to spare. I'm real happy with how the socks came out. I did change the toe a bit. The pattern called for you to decrease down until you had 6 stitches remaining and then weave in the end. I found that to be very uncomfortable, so I took it out and finished it as most socks with the kitchener stitch. I have never made socks on size 1 needles so I have never worn them either. I find them well worth the extra work.

Feb. 16- the shell

Ok so I got this pattern at the yarn shop I teach at ( Knit Wits in Boise). Its a very simple lace shell. The big problem I had was I wanted to use some Alchemy Silk Purse that I had in my stash, but I couldn't get the right gauge. So here is what I did so that I was able to make it. A few months back I bought a Instant Stitch computer program at CompUSA for 10 dollars. Well I typed in the size I wanted for a sleeveless sweater with the gauge I was getting for the silk. From there I was able to work on both the original pattern and new one to come up with the finished project. This has been a great thing for me to discover. I am very math challenged and the program really helps with that. Now the big problem is its way to cold here to wear yet! This morning it was 15 when I got up. Yikes!. But never fear it will be a thousand degrees this summer in Boise. Ok maybe not a thousand but 100 for sure. By the way the color is a very cool near solid purple.

Feb 15- the sock

My first sock is coming along quite well, I should be done in the next day or so. Right now I'm on my foot. By the way the pattern comes from Interweave Knits Fall 2005. The designer is Nancy Bush. If you have never giver one of her sock patterns a try , you might think about it. Nancy's latest book is called Knitting Vintage Socks. What she has done is take sock patterns from Weldon's Practical Needlework and re-worked them so that we can follow along.These books were written between 1886 and the 1920's. This one is a retooled gentleman's bicycle sock. So the heel is a bit different then the usual ones. I have had a bit of trouble working on the small needles and using a cable needle especially when my fingers are cold. I do like how its progressing though.

Feb. 10- knitting Olympics

Well, I have had such trouble with my knitting Olympic project. So I have had to rethink the whole thing. So what I did was start a pair of cabled socks on size one needles. I first wanted to make a modular sweater from a past issue of vogue knitting. Well the yarn that I picked, although, had the right gauge it didn't show the pattern well, so I had to abandon that one. From there I picked up a gansey that I had started last summer. Well I started on the texture and I wasn't happy with that result. So I started on a pair of cabled socks on size one needles. I yarn I have chosen is mountain colors bearfoot I believe the color is Juniper. I have never made socks on ones so this will be a challenge for me.

Feb. 2

Well I have my upper back done on my FLAK. I had to take it back a few rows last night as one of the braids was going the wrong direction. I have they pattern down in my head so I don't have to follow a chart which makes knitting much faster. I'm looking forward to part 5, the front, coming in the next few days.

Last night I was able to finish my Lime green top down sweater. I wore it o my teaching classes today. I was the perfect day as the weather was just terrible. When I left my house at 8:30 it was snowing fairly hard so I nice cheery sweater was just what was in order. I'm really happy with the result. But I just love these patterns, I'm not sure how many different patterns there are now, but I think I have them all. If you can't find Knitting pure and simple patterns at your local yarn shop I'm sure you can find a place on the web.
As you can see on the up close picture the twist of color is just great. Cascade 220 is a very soft yarn and really fun to work with. One of my girl friends calls this my grass sweater as the color is more of a grass green then lime.

Jan 22

This Afternoon I finished my saddles for the FLAK project. I'm quite please with the result. I was a bit worried that the cables wouldn't show as well on the DK weight yarn. But I think they will be just fine. For my sweater I'm planning on making mine a bit big. I really didn't want a fitted sweater. Plus I plan on loosing another 30 pounds so by the time this sweater is finished It should be a very loose fitting one.

I have also planned to join the Knitting Olympics. This has been the buzz on several email list. The whole idea is a very simple one. I am to pick a project that has some challenge to it. I will then cast on during the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Olympics in Torino Italy. I will then have to complete my project before or at the closing ceremonies. For my Project I plan to knit a modular sweater that was featured in vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2004. I already have the yarn and am ready to go. I will be using some Blue Sky Alpaca/Silk that I have in my stash, its light blue shade.

Jan 19

I have also started a top down sweater. I just love these patterns from www.knittingpureandsimple.com . For me they are mindless knitting. I found this yarn at Knit Wits of Boise www.boiseknitwits.com while I was waiting for one of my classes to start. The yarn is Cascade 220 Quatro color number 5019 a lime green and light pale green twist. I bought it on a very cloudy raining dreary day. When I saw it I thought it was such a cheerful color and it would work well to brighten up those yucky winter days. Plus it will be cheery to knit with.

Jan. 18

Well, I have been very busy of last working on projects for either yarn companies or designers. The sad this ins I can't display my work until after they have been published. For myself I 'm now working on my FLAK project. FLAK stands for Follow the Leader Aran knitalong.This so far has been fun to do. We have so far knit two different swatches. The first being a four inch square to get our gauge. This sweater is designed for worsted weight yarn, but I have chosen a DK silk/wool blend from http://www.alchemyyarns.com/called Sanctuary. This in one of my very favorite yarns. I chose the color spruce. Below is my second swatch, this has some of the cables we will be using and the moss stitch filler. You can find more information on this Knit-a-long at http://www.bigskyknitting.com/FLAK/knitalong.html

December 7

Today I finished up a knitting job I was given. This toddler coat comes from the Debbie Bliss pattern book One. The yarn is Debbie Bliss cashmerino Aran weight in a beautiful raspberry color. It was lots of fun to knit up, but I don't think I will use this yarn again as there were so many knots in the yarn. I think there are much better yarns out there that I would be happier with. But all the same I think it came out great and I hope the grandmother who commissioned it will love it too.

December 4

Well, with Christmas knitting in full swing I thought I would stop and knit an ornament. One of the lists that I'm on called Knitbabyspurprise, which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/knitbabysurprise/ will offer an ornament pattern each week until Christmas. This little hat is the first in the series. I used some left over Lopi Lite in red. I really like the way Lopi yarns felt. This little guy was felted by hand in the sink. The pattern calls for you to cast on 30 and go from there. I'm sure you can get the pattern from the archives of the list after joining. We like to work on Elizabeth Zimmermann or Meg Swansen patterns. Thus the name. Baby Surprise is a jacket designed by EZ. If you have never made one of these jackets you must give it a try. Its knit in one piece, when you are finished knitting you sew up one seam at the top of the shoulder plan to make an adult sized one this next year.

Dec 1

Well, I finished my Hurry Up Sweater from Elizabeth Zimmermann's book Knitter's Almanac. As you can see, it came out beautifully. And yes it does work up really quick. I think all together It took me about 3 to 3 and half days to knit up. I did make the body of the sweater a bit longer than I wanted but it will work. The ribbing is two rounds of purls on both the bottom and the cuffs. I don't think it worked as well on the bottom as the cuff, so I think it will roll some. I may take the bottom off and change the bottom later. I do like both the color and the yarn. I usually don't use synthetic yarns, but this one worked well. By the way, its Lion brand Woolease Thick and Quick, the color is claret. The great thing is I had to use 3 different dye lots and they seem to blend well. Now that I stopped to make myself a sweater I heading back to Christmas knitting. I have a few things to get finished up by the end of the year so I best get busy.

Nov. 27

This evening I made up a very simple bookmark. I used Rowan kid silk haze. I'm not sure what the color is called but its cream. Thus why the picture is not real bright. I added beads at the top for some color. This bookmark is for a party I'm going to next week. My Book Club is meeting and we are going to talk about Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury. I haven't read it yet. I wanted to wait until after Thanksgiving to read this Christmas story. I pan to get started on it this evening. Our club is also planning a bookmark exchange, thus the bookmark. It took me about two hours to knit up and another to add the beads. I couldn't find a needle small enough yet with an eye large enough to work. By the way the pattern comes from Annies Attic Quick& Easy Knit projects. I used a two size 1 dps.

Nov. 26

Tonight I finished up the neatest dishcloth. I found this pattern through a list that I'm on. Its:http://www.geocities.com/knitwits_heaven/ you can purchase each pattern through email or by paper. I found the pattern easy to follow and fun to make. I plan to make a few for gifts. I used Sugar and Cream bright red. One ball was plenty and its about 10 inches square.
I am also working on my hurry up sweater I have about 10 inches on the body done. I just love the color.

Nov. 25

Black Friday. Don't you just love and hate black Friday? My husband and I got up a 4 in the morning, to get down to Walmart to pick up a digital camera. We had a great plan of action, so good that we left the Walmart parking lot by 5:12. We were so good we missed the fist fight in the store. I was also able to pick up season 1&2 of Seinfield. So now I have quite a few hours of knitting time as I watch the old shows. I also went down to Micheals and picked up 7 skeins of woolease thick and quick. I plan to start The hurry up sweater from Elizabeth Zimmermann's knitter's almanac. I think it will go very fast as I'm going to be using size 10 1/2 needles. I chose ths color claret, which is a beautiful burgundy wine color. Once I'm finished I will post a picture.

Thanksgiving Nov. 24

Well, the turkey is in the oven and all is well. Thanksgiving is the only big holiday that I go all out when it comes to cooking. Yesterday I made up all the side dishes and desserts. So all I have left is the turkey. So now I can sit back and knit. I'm still working on Christmas gifts. I just finished this face cloth. The pattern comes from Fiber trends and the yarn is Alchemy bamboo. If you have never tried bamboo yarn then you might want to give it a go. Its a lot like linen, but as it warms up in your hand it begins to feel like silk. I can't remember the color but its a great bright nearly sold pink. This will go to one of my three sisters in law. I plan to add a bar of hand made soap. I hope you all can take sometime either today or whatever day you read this to look at how blessed you are, and thank those around you for being apart of your life.

November 20

Today I finished up this dishcloth. I found the pattern at: http://www.lanaknits.com/xmastree1page.pdf
I used Lion Brand kitchen cotton in the color of Fern green color number 131. I have lighted up the picture so that you can see the trees. This is a fun cloth and great for Christmas and for those who live in a country home.

November 19

Well I was able to get the scarf for my mother in Law completed today. I started it last night while waiting for the New Harry Potter movie to start. By the way the movie was great you much see it. I took my middle daughter to see it and as we waited for the show to start we sat in out seats and knitted. I bought this yarn from Walmart and used a size 13 needle and cast on 10.