Monthly Archives: November 2013

Art Update

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My mom brought me some art to fill up the blank wall in our living room! She works at an antique shop a couple of days a week and found this tin stamped art piece.It had all the colors of our main living area: red, brown, tan, and green. I paired it with a rustic Live, Laugh, Love sign from Hobby Lobby. Not bad if I do say so myself!

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I was also recently in a Marshal’s looking for a few last Christmas presents for my in-laws and I found this…

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This now hangs in my office next to the closet where we keep our dog food and other puppy paraphernalia. It was SUPER cheap thanks to a few imperfections on the print. But I don’t care, it totally expresses how I feel about my fur children!

Happy Saturday! I’m off to the gym to work off my Thanksgiving dinner….ugh….

FO Friday: Nutmeg

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Just in time for some seriously wintry cold weather here in Kansas! I give you a finished Nutmeg!

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I knit this using Knit Picks Brava Bulky. Black may have been a poor choice as I spent 20 minutes with a lint roller getting this FO photo ready, lol. I have a white lab that sheds all year round! I used just under 7 skeins or about 922 yards of yarn. This sweater weighs about 680 grams and is seriously warm.

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I find that I like the open boat neck of the collar. I did opt however to knit the sleeve ends and hem in garter ribbing rather than the rolled hem to match the neck. I just don’t like the rolling. I like my garments to stay down over my tummy. And oh the sleeves….I highly recommend anyone knitting this sweater to omit the K2tbl and use a K2tog instead on the left sleeve.

_MG_0285This sweater is seriously warm!! The finished fabric turned out pretty dense. It was 30 degress (Fahrenheit) on the day we took these photos and I stayed pretty warm, even without a coat. God bless wool blends!!!

Would I make this pattern again….maybe, but only if someone requested it. There are soooo many other sweaters waiting in my queue. And this one was quite vanilla. I think some challenges are in order for my next project!

Happy Knitting!!!

Wee Bit of Progress on a Blanket for A Wee One

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Happy WIP Wednesday!!!

Remember this Stashbustin’ #34 project?

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It’s my One Row Blanket de la Harlot in Serentiy Premier Chunky (color aqua glass). I’m cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my in-laws tomorrow and I needed a no brainer project to work on. The yarn is soft, especially considering it’s acrylic. And the pattern is four stitches over and over again. Just one row repeated until then end. LOVE IT!!! I cannot recommend this project enough for a quick and easy baby knit. Or even just a nice and easy lap quilt for car rides or couch snuggles.

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I have four skeins of yarn total and I’m almost done with the second skein. The rhythm of the needles is soothing my anxiety about tomorrow. The cooking is no sweat….but all day trapped in my home with 6 of my in-laws….bring on the wine and knitting!!!

Now I’m off to work followed by some bread and pie making for tomorrow festivities!

Stash Enhancement

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A very dear friend had a baby not long ago. That wee one is now a healthy and colicky six week old baby. I took some time to help my friend out as she is on maternity leave and her husband had to go back to work. Nights no less! So we talked, ate, and walked many a lap around her house trying to get a gassy/colicky baby to burp/poop and feel better. It was a long 36 hours for me as I’m not used to an infants schedule. Pretty sure I saw 2 am whilst sitting in a rocking chair holding a crying child. It’s a good thing she’s cute…

But I digress…on my way home I stopped by the LYS in the area. I just wanted to browse and chat with the amazing ladies who work there. And I found these…

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Lorna’s Laces sock yarn – Soulmate colorway

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Ruca Multy from Araucania – Color #23

Such beautiful yarns! I wish I had snapped a photo of the Lorna’s Laces before it was caked. It was breathtaking! I admit these two skeins were a splurge but I worked hard right? Oh, and the Ruca was a PAIN to cake! Thank goodness for the two yarn shop ladies and their persistence 🙂

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I can’t wait to find projects for these! But I think I will finish a few WIPs first….for my husband’s sanity….

Happy Knitting!!!

Stashbustin’ #44: Purl Ridge Scarf

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Remember these tasty skeins from my birthday?

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After some petting and smooshing I knew exactly what they wanted to be. I have been admiring Stephen West’s Purl Ridge Scarf on Ravelry. He is such an amazing designer! (I’m not sold on swants….but still)

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(Photo from the westknits Ravlery page)

This tweedy yarn is a mix of merino, llama, wool, and bamboo. It is going to feel so luxurious around my neck. Sure, I have a million other things on the needles. Sure, I have other cowls to keep me warm. But I NEED this one 🙂 Besides, it looks like a quick knit with just knit and purl rows arranged together.

What’s wrong with that logic?

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: iPhone Earbuds Cozy

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I HATE when my earphones get tangled in my purse and gym bag! I spend forever untangling them no matter how carefully I put them away! I saw another blogger showcase a genius idea on how to fix this!

I grabbed a small crochet hook and some leftover sock yarn. Tah Dah!!!

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I’m not the best with a crochet hook, but it will do. I did a single chain stitch around the cord and all the way up the main cord and up one side of the ear buds. I left the other ear bud alone because it has a volume control.

Now I have fabric coated ear buds that resist tangling!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!!

Warm Heads, Warm Heart

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A group of ladies I work with have banded together to adopt a family on need this Christmas. In fact we adopted our part time cleaning lady who is a single mom with six kids aged 18 to 5. We almost had to pry a useable list from her because she and her family always make do with what they have. Our goal is to collect a couple of presents per person and all the supplies for a grand Christmas dinner!

I thought long and hard about what I was going to contribute…and the I had a flash of genius! Everyone needs a warm head this winter….

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I have three hats and three headbands, so enough for each kid. And I still have time to make something special for momma!

Now their heads will be warm and so is my heart!

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Nutmeg

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My Stashbustin’ #37 or my Nutmeg sweater finally has matching sleeves!

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After yesterday’s sleeve folly, I worked all night to finish both sleeves. Gotta love the speed of bulky yarn. I chose to knit garter ribbed cuffs on both sleeves. It really provided a nice and neat finish to the sleeve and kept it from rolling

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Now I just have to cruise along on the body section and I’ll be finished! I’ll work the same garter rib at the hem of the sweater. I still have 1 1/3 skein of yarn left so now worries about running out of yarn. It’s taken a turn for the cold here in Kansas so I’m itching to wear this sweater!!

Happy Knitting!