Patchwork carriage blanket

I started working on this baby blanket from my newest favorite book “The Knitter’s Book of Yarn” this week. I am using o-wool, colors 420202, 430203, 230002, size 7 needles. I am enjoying this, it has 4 patterns that are done in each strip: stripes, stockinette, seed and six-stitch cable squares.

I only have the first strip done. It is curling on the edges, so it will need to be blocked prior to attaching to the next strip.

I still have not sewn up the baby cardigan…well, I started to sew it up, using the mattress stitch, and was so excited about doing that stitch, that I sewed up the entire left side, and didn’t leave a space for the sleeves…so it is in time out right now! LOL

Not smoking is going good! There are times when I need to stand on my head (weird, but it helps!)

Here is a picture of my adorable nephew! His Daddy (my baby brother) was entertaining himself by putting eye glass frames on him while his wife was getting her eyes checked!

Workin on those goals!

We’ve had the flu in our household the past few weeks. I had the fever and headache/bodyache so bad that I didn’t even knit a stitch for three days. You know I’m sick if that happens! I haven’t gotten much of anything done. When I was able to concentrate, I worked on the mitered square blanket, because it was easy peasy and didn’t tax my sore head much.

Hubby and I both are taking Chantex, the pill that helps you stop smoking….and it is amazing! I am on day two of no smoking, and other than a few sudden “I’d like to scream” moments, all is well! We are both really surprised at how well Chantex works. It essentially turns off the portion of your brain that craves nicotine. After 14 years as a smoker, I’m now a nonsmoker! It is really weird, doing something for 14 years every single day…then not doing it.

Hubby and I are both going to the gym! While he works out, I am walking the track. Before I got sick, I was up to 2.5 miles. I take my ipod and listen to podcasts, time flies!

On a sad note, my temporary position came to an end, they did not have enough work to keep me on. So, I’m out looking again. <sigh>

Hope you have a great week!

Surprise Gift

Check out what I got in the mail! One of my favorite fellow bloggers Monica, made me a moebius wrap! Wow! No one has ever knit ME anything before! The yarn and colorways are just fabulous! I’ve been wearing it around my shoulders this morning as there is a chill in the air, and it is so warm and comforting. I also like wearing it as a hat/scarf. I’ve just been having a great time modeling it! What a beautiful generous gift. I am honored to wear your work and am just thrilled!!

And as if the hand knitted moebius was not enough, she also included a nice soap gift set, with the most awesome smelling vanilla soap and a set of her beautiful stitch markers. Thank you so much Monica!!

 

One of my favorite things about being a part of the online knitting community is the gift of new friendships. Wonderful people I never would have met had we both not had a knitting blog. I’m inspired daily by other knitters blogs, as a matter of fact, I cast on new projects far too often because of that inspiration! Case in point: I cast on the Shifting Sands scarf late last night. Now, I already have several scarves in the works. This one is fun because I once again get to practice the cable stitch.

I’ve finished a few more mitered squares this week, and dabbled with a bunch of projects, but nothing major to show.

Oh, here is my new favorite snack. YUMMY!! I love chips with sea salt. These are crunchy pita chips seasoned with nothing but sea salt. They are baked and totally delicious!

Mama does cables, but not gauge!

My Lucky 7 hat is finished! I was so excited about learning how to do cables, that I didn’t even let the fact that I was no where near gauge for an adult hat. I’ll just ignore the fact that hubby said, “That looks a little small.” And I replied, “Oh it will stretch, no worries!” LOL!!! My baby doll looks warm in her new hat! I’ll go up several needle sizes and make myself a matching one!

Watch out! Mama does cables!

Lucky 7 Hat

Dream in Color Classy #VM270

Size 7 US needles

There are three awesome things about the Lucky 7 hat.

1. free pattern here!

2. My first time knitting with the spectacular Dream in Color Classy yarn. This yarn has a boing to it…this nice little extra stretch. I definitely want more of this yarn!

3. My first cables on needles! Take the advice in the pattern and go to Wendyknits and get the tutorial on how to cable without a cable needle. A great technique. This is one technique I wanted to learn in 2008. I am amazed at how cables work. I’m so glad that I didn’t chicken out on trying cables! Yay me! I see many cables in my future!

I had hoped to have the hat finished to post, but I duplicated a few rows on the crown, and had to rip back. I’ve found that if I take a darning needle and a piece of cotton yarn, and thread through the stitches after I’ve ripped them out, I am less likely to drop a stitch. Then I just setup the knitting needle and pull out the cotton yarn. I am sure there are other ways to do this. I’ll post a picture of the hat on my head once it is complete!

Squidge-cloth

 

Sasha of the Knit Nutt blog posted this fun dish cloth pattern and I didn’t wait a second to cast on! I used Peaches & Creme Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn, Fiesta Ombre colorway and US4 3.5 mm needles and made the cloth 8 x 8. This was a fun quick knit and I’ve been looking for just the right pattern to use this colorful yarn with!

The knitting is complete on my Baby Soft Cardigan! The buttonholes were actually very easy! I made the six month size sweater, so I have only two buttonholes. Here is a shot of it blocking. I also got 5 mitered squares done this past week!

If you are a loom knitter, check out my DESTASH tab across the top. Since I am knitting with needles, I am destashing my looms. The looms are all DALooms, beautiful quality and well cared for.

Mitered Madness

I am loving knitting mitered squares!

I am making a king sized blanket, so two down, 78 or so to go!

I’m making good progress on the baby cardigan. It is a really easy pattern to follow. I’m at the tricky part on the right front portion now, where you add the buttonholes. Below is a picture of the back and the left front portions.

I really love this yarn, I want to make a sweater for myself with it!