I’m so excited! I talked hubby and Son #3 into going to the 28th Annual World Sheep & Fiber Arts Festival in Bethel Missouri tomorrow! It will be my first ever fiber festival. We are looking forward to the sheep dog and the sheep shearing demo’s. (I’m really looking forward to all the fiber I’ll see!)
Here are a few photo’s hubby took when we were in Australia.
Categories: Fiber Arts Festival
I just can’t stop smiling when I see this picture!
I was so excited to give my mother-in-law the Waves of Lace Shawl!
I am using the same pattern to make a Waves of Lace Scarf. I truly love this pattern. I am using my new favorite yarn, Malabrigo Worsted in Sunset colorway. I found a great seller online that has a large selection of Malabrigo you can find the shop here!
Here are a few shots of the Blue Angels flying over my house:
Categories: Blue Angels · knit scarf · loom knitting
The Blue Angels are in town for several shows this weekend at the St Louis County Fair and Air Show which is at a small airport near our home. They have been practicing for a few days and they fly right over my house. I can’t even come close to describing the sound of these jets flying over your house. So, I thought I would take a few pictures.
Totally missed the jet, because I was standing with my mouth wide open and screaming OMG! The jet was so close, I could see where the pilot sits in the cockpit! Took my breathe away! I waved to the pilot. How silly is that?
So I waited, cause there are always at least two of them, usually one right after the other. This is what I got and I was lucky to get this shot, cause the adrenaline rushing through me was intense!
Here is the other shot I got. Totally missed the sky, but got a good shot of our pool deck!
I’ll keep trying for a better picture!
Categories: Blue Angels
Laura of The Painted Sheep blog has a contest running where you submit photo’s that will inspire new colorways. I’m so excited that one of my husband’s photo’s was chosen! Hubby took this photo in Costa Rica.
The colorway is beautiful!
Check out The Painted Sheep shop here.
Categories: fiber
I’m not a grandma yet. Probably won’t be for many years. Does this deter me from wanting to knit cute little girl items? No! Having three sons, they are very aware that I am expecting a ton of grand daughters one day! (Can you see my son’s shaking their heads? I’m certain that is the case!)
I had this awesome yarn from Three Irish Girls that I have had for a few months and I was anxious to use. I only purchased one 90 yard hank, so it took me some time to think about what to make with it. The colors are my favorites – Riddermark Merino, Donegan colorway – chocolate brown and turquoise.
I knew with the short yardage in the hank, I couldn’t make a scarf, or maybe not even a hat for an adult without having to purchase another hank. At about 11 pm last night, it dawned on me. I’m going to make a hat for my yet to be conceived grand daughter.
Here is the pattern I made up to make this cute little hat, I think this hat will fit a 3-5 year old child, but don’t have one of those to test it on. (Insert sad, pouting sound here)
Sample knit on the round green knifty knitter loom, working in the round.
Yarn is a chunky three ply 100% merino, 90 yards. You can find the yarn here. This yarn is soft, downright hugable yarn.
Row 1 chunky braid stitch (cast on then wrap the loom 3 more times, then knit 3 over 1)
Row 2 knit
Row 3 purl
Row 4-8 repeat rows 2 and 3
Row 9 purl
Row 10 – repeat rows 2 and 3 until the entire hat measures 7 inches from the cast on edge
The next rows, you set up to decrease for the crown. Put a stitch marker every 9 pegs. This will remind you where your group starts and ends. You will have four groups of nine.
Start with the first group of nine. Move the yarn on the first peg to the second peg. Then go to the ninth peg and move the yarn on that peg to the eighth peg. Now go back to the first peg now in this group and knit all the remaining pegs in the group. The first and last pegs you will knit 2 over 1 on those pegs.
Purl the next row of this group of pegs.
Decrease again on both sides and repeat the last two steps.
When you are down to just one peg, cut the yarn, leaving a 15 ” tail, you will use this tail to weave and close the top of the hat.
Go to the next group of nine and repeat the process.
Once you have all four of the groups of 9 completed, you will turn the hat inside out and seam up the edges, with the 15″ tails you left, to close off the hat.
Add a ribbon to the ninth row, where there are two purl rows together. Tie a little bow.
I think I’m going to get a “Future Grandma” tshirt made up for myself! heh heh
Categories: Free Pattern · loom knitting
Here is a quick cute gift pouch. I made mine the perfect size for a piece of jewelry, or a gift card. You can make yours larger by increasing the knit rows in the pattern!
Sample Knit on: Adult Sock Fine Gauge D.A. Accents loom
Yarn used in this sample: Esprit Print Color 9061 from Elann - This yarn is stretchy, it is 98.3% cotton and 1.7% elastic. I used two strands throughout.
Cast on all 40 pegs. You will be knitting in the round.
Row 1 Knit
Row 2-3 Purl
Row 4-6 Knit
Row 7 *K3 (YO, K1)* repeat till you finish the row.
Row 8-10 Knit
Row 11 – 12 Purl
Row 13 – ? Knit to desired size.
I made mine 3 inches from the lip of the bag. Then bind off and turn inside out and stitch up the bottom.
String two strands with a needle through the holes made by the Yarn Overs, and tie a pretty bow with them!
A fast, cute little bag! I’m sure I’ll be making many of these for the holiday gift giving season!
Categories: Free Pattern · loom knitting
I knit this scarf on a extra small gauge rake from D. A. Looms. I love this rake. It is small enough to carry with you in your handbag, easy to knit while a passenger in the car.
It is currently my favorite!
Here is the simple pattern:
College Son#1 Scarf
Cast on 28 stitches with chain cast on. Watch video here on how to do chain cast on.
Rows 1, 3 Knit
Rows 2, 4 Purl
Rows 5 and 6 *K2, P2* rep from * to end
Repeat all rows until the scarf is 55 inches long.
Last four rows, complete as rows 1-4. Bind off.
I loved working with the malabrigo yarn. This scarf used only one skein of malabrigo.
It is so soft.
See that cute little gift tag on the scarf? Get yours here.
Categories: Free Pattern · knit scarf · loom knitting
As an avid listener to NPR, I was excited to hear this story today on bamboo used as fiber.
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Some species have been known to grow over 4 feet in 24 hours! According to the Cali Bamboo website, “It is believed that if bamboo were planted on a mass basis it could completely reverse the effects of global warming in just 6 years, and provide a renewable source of food, building material, and erosion prevention.” How cool is that?!?!?!?!
Another cool fact about bamboo fiber is that bamboo can thrive naturally without using any pesticides. It is seldom eaten by pests. Bamboo has a unique anti-bacteria substance and it is softer than cotton and cool to wear knitted items made of bamboo.
Add planting bamboo to my dream alpaca farm!
Categories: fiber
As a long time fan of James Patterson, I was excited to find a series that I could share with my 13 year old son. I love that a well known author would take the time to write a book that teens will also enjoy. The book has all his trademarks with the tension, intrigue and humor that you would find in other James Patterson books. An easy read, which keeps you eager to turn the next page, Maximum Ride #3, Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports was a hit for mother and son alike!
While it isn’t necessary to start with book one, Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiment, we (Son #3 and I) would suggest you do! As with any series, having the background information makes the read that much more fulfilling.
The premise of the series is that a bunch of scientist mix human DNA with bird DNA. Six kids who are pretty normal in most ways, except that they’re 98% human, 2% bird. What 13 year old wouldn’t find recombinant life-forms fascinating?
There is no such thing as an ordinary day for the six characters, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, Angel, and Maximum. Maximum is the oldest, and the motherly leader of the flock (family), thus the title of the series. You’ll find adventure, suspense, kindness, a sense of the importance of family, a tiny bit of romance and lots of teenage lingo in this series.
Maximum Ride, Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports finds the kids continuing their mission to prevent the evil scientists who created them from succeeding in their diabolical plan to eradicate half of the world’s population. In this book, the flock splits up into different parts of the world, which makes the read even more interesting!
We highly recommend the entire Maximum Ride series to parents and teens alike! My son is excited that he is prepared for the inevitable first book report he’ll be assigned in class. And I am excited that not only did he read the book, but like myself, he couldn’t put it down!
Check out these links for more information on Maximum and her flock of friends.
Official website for the series.
Fang’s blog.
The upcoming action/adventure movie based on the first three books was announced.
Mother Talk site with links to other blogs reviewing the book.
Categories: Book Review
