Conflicted!

So I am really having trouble deciding if I am distressed about having 15 projects on the needles or weather it doesn't bother me at all. Most of my 15 projects really are in progress!!! There are a few in time out but I have faith that they will eventually see the light of day. I did finish one of the Indigo Socks! I cast on for the second last night.

We got some beautiful new sock yarn in at the shop! I had to make myself go home without any last night. My mother in-law did buy a skein so I have a picture for you! It is called Crazy Zauberball by Schoppel Woole out of Germany. The Knitting Bee is one of the first shops in the USA to get this new sock yarn. I am going to buy some pink sock yarn this weekend from Frog Creek Fibers. So I won't have needles to use if I buy the new sock yarn. I have to knit the yarn I get from Frog Creek first because it is going to be knit into a pair of socks for Mothers Day. I only have 10 days for that and if I am short needles that won't make me happy. I almost bought more needles for socks last night because I want the new sock yarn so bad. Go check it out before it is gone.

Indigo Sock!

Crazy Zauberball!

This skein is purples and a little blue but I can't get the color to show up just right on my computer. We got some really great colors in!

Happy Knitting, Trish

Finished Sun Hat

I finished the sun hat!!! Of course that means it is still raining! My middle son was nice enough to model it for me so that I could give you all a look! I ended up just crocheting an edge on without wire. I think that it will work.

Figure eight cast on!

Crocheted Edge

Cute Hat

Happy Knitting, Trish

Sun Hat in the Rain

I promised that I would let you know what I am working on. Well it is a sun hat and of course now that I am knitting it the weather gods have decided to send rain again! I guess it is like when you get your car washed, you are asking for rain. The hat is almost finished I have about one more inch to work on the brim and then I am going to crochet my bind off with some wire in the brim to make the brim stick out. I really hope this works. I am loosely using the Witterings Pattern By: Anna Bell. I used a different cast on and didn't increase as much and I will be using my own cast off. So far so good, I will post a photo of the finished hat soon I hope!

Happy Knitting, Trish

Fencing Fencing Fencing

All weekend we have been at the Fencing Tournament. My shoulders hurt and I am fighting off a headache. Boy is watching my son compete stressful. He didn't fence his best yesterday. He took 25th out of 77 in Youth 12 Mens Foil. Today he fenced much better. We think he placed 13 out of 92 in Youth 14 Mens Foil. Youth 14 is much harder the Youth 12. We are very proud and very tired I think a nap is in order. I started a new project last night. I will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Happy Knitting, Trish

To swirl on not to swirl

Ok, my Swirl Shawl Class is over and I am undecided as to weather I should finish it or not. What do you think? I forgot to add this to the projects in progress so I have 15 if I decide to finish it. I am thinking of making it a cowl! Opinions would be appreciated.

Happy Knitting, Trish

Knitting on the move!

I spent the entire day yesterday at the NAC (North American Cup) Fencing Tournament. For the first half of the day I was a runner. I had to post thing to bulletin boards and I got to hand out medals to the Youth 10 girls foil fencers! It is so exciting to watch all that fencing. My son doesn't fence until Sunday so I didn't have to be stressed out while I was watching.

While I was there I tired to get some knitting done on the run. I started some socks out of the Black Trillium sock yarn that I bought recently. I knit on these socks while walking around the tournament! I had many people stop and stare at me. I guess the general population is not used to seeing someone walk and knit at the same time. I really like this colorway it is called Indigo! I try to buy gender neutral colors so that my husband and I can wear the same socks!!! This color is certainly gender neutral. Sharing is good!!!

I also started spinning the fiber that I bought from Black Trillium.

It is spinning up nicely. As you can well see I barley got started on it.

Today is my Hubby's birthday so we are off to have a nice day I hope you all have a nice day too!

Happy Knitting, Trish

Finished Socks and a Hair Cut

I finished the purple Malabrigo Socks yesterday. They are going in a box designated for Christmas gifts. They are just a little to small for me and I didn't feel like taking out the toe. I like to have a few finished things on hand to give away as gifts as needed. I am not sure who they are for at the moment but I do know they will have a home sometime in the near future.

Sandrey, my middle son wanted a haircut yesterday so we sat out on the porch and gave him a buzzzzzzz. All those blond locks are for the birds now. He looks so handsome I had to share.

We have a very busy weekend ahead. Gregory is fencing in a very large tournament that happens to be right here in Portland. Bill and I are volunteering at the event most of the weekend. When we are not volunteering we are going to be watching Gregory Fence. I also have to teach at a class and work my normal shift this weekend. Busy Busy. Oh did I mention the in-laws are in town also!!!! Lots to do but I will try and keep you posted. I need to go find some sock yarn to take to the tournament!

Happy Knitting, Trish

To magic loop or not to magic loop

Ok, so I have been knitting socks for years and I have always used double points. A year or so ago I was happily knitting a sock at about 1am and one of my DPNs broke. I was already down to four because I had lost one, so I had a choice stop knitting and wait until I could make it into the shop or try magic loop! I opted to try magic loop. I finished the sock and thought magic loop wasn't so bad but I still liked my DPNs more. Well this week I wanted to start another pair of socks and all my DPNs in size 2.5mm were in use and so was my one long circular. I had a choice to make! What should I buy DPNs or long Circulars????? I hemmed and hawed and guess what I went for? The circulars. I can't loose one they are attached to each other and guess what Addi Turbos don't really like to break while knitting. This was quite possibly life changing for me.

If you notice in the picture of my four sock yesterday you will see that I have two pair on circulars and two pair on DPNs. My world is changing.

Happy Knitting Trish

What's Your Number?

Mine is 14!!!! Yikes!

I have 4 pairs of socks, 3 lace scarves, 2 afghans, 4 sweaters and 1 shawl on the needles!

The socks are all in progress for sure, 3 of the 4 sweaters are in time out and so are 2 of the lace scarves. By the way, time out means relegated to a box!!! One of the afghans had been in the shop as a sample until recently and the second afghan is being worked on. I just started the shawl and am loving it! So how many projects is to many? I am not sure that I can answer that question. Working in a yarn shop certainly doesn't help the case of startitis I am suffering from. Every time I go in something new catches my eye.

Theses are the 4 pairs of socks I have on needles! Mr. Darcy at the top, the second Lizzy, the second plain old purple and, a fair isle sock out of Meg Swanson's book that I think EZ designed! I love knitting socks and I love wearing them more!!! I hope everyone that receives hand knit socks as a gift appreciates them!

Happy Knitting, Trish

Shades of Pink

It's spring!!!! I love my yard this time of year. If I am really lucky we will have nice warm sunny days when my favorite tree is in bloom. Some years this happens and some years in rains and rains until all the pretty flower petals are gone. This year I am lucky! We had beautiful sunny spring weather yesterday and we are having it again today. I thought I would share a highlight of my year with you. I love to sit under this tree with my boys we read, play, pick flowers and of course knit. I worked on my Gaia Shoulder Hug and enjoyed the shades of pink.

Happy Knitting, Trish

Loving it!

I have developed a fascination with simple shawls lately. It started with Wool Peddlers with the ruffle like Mussta villa. I knit two of them out of Silky Wool! That left me with lots of beautiful leftovers. I have been keeping an eye out on Ravelry for a while looking for the right project for my leftovers. I stumbled upon it the other day and had to get started.


This is Gaia Shoulder Hug By: Anne Carroll Gilmour.
This project is very addictive and a great use for all my left over Silky Wool. Of course I had to buy two more skeins so that I will have enough to make this as big as I want it!!! Such is life.


Happy Knitting, Trish

12 Beautiful Miles!!!

I woke up early this morning and drove with my friends Tara and Joann to the Columbia River Gorge to hike. Eagle Creek is the name of the trail we hiked. It is very popular and if you want to be out there with out tons of people get there early. There were tons of people walking in as we were walking out. It is one of my favorite hikes in all the world. If you live in Oregon or are ever going to visit hike it. You won't be disappointed!

We were on the trail by 7:30am and we had a wonderful hike. There are so many wild flowers in bloom. I took pictures of many but not all. It is Joann's actual birthday today and it really felt like the right way to celebrate. Unfortunately she twisted her ankle at about mile six and won't be able to run this week. She is tough though and we did not have to carry her out!!! She is really awesome. I knit in the car on the way there and I knit in the car on the way home but you will have to wait until tomorrow to see what I am working on. I will give you a hint. It isn't a sock!!!

Happy Knitting, Trish

A Little Salsa

It is my friend Joann's B-day this weekend and we are celebrating! We took her out for a salsa lesson last night. Boy do I have two left feet!!!!! I was doing fine until we had to do anything other then step forward and backward. As soon as they added turns I promptly started stepping on the people behind me. I think that I will have to take private lesson if I ever really want to learn to salsa dance. The rest of the gals in our group did much better and I really enjoyed watching them. Joann got swooped up by a nice man for the first dance and it was really fun to watch. I hope she goes salsa dancing again! She looked like she was having such a nice time.

Today is really busy I teach all day and my children have sports all day. Wish me luck! I will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Happy Knitting, Trish

Raining but I'm Better

So I woke up to rain! What's new I live in Oregon. It did give me a little alarm though because Gregory's baby starts are now living outside. I went out to check on them and they look great. We may loose a few from the transplanting but I think this light rain is good for them. I just had to run out and make sure!!!

So yesterday I was about 90% better and I am hoping today I will be 100%. I have to eat first, that will be the true test. I have water on the stove for tea and oatmeal. I guess I will be finding out soon. I am happy to report that 90% better is enough to resume knitting. I knit my way through most of a very plain sock. I just had to start something I didn't have to think about. I am using the Malabrigo Sock that I received in the swap and I really like knitting with it. It is very soft. My only concern is that there is no nylon, so the jury is still out about how long they will last. I will try to remember to let you all know when they die. Have a great day everyone!

Happy Knitting, Trish

While I was sleeping!

My dear friend Joann came over yesterday while I was napping and helped my son transplant all of his organic veggie starts. She is so great. They spent about two hours talking and working together. What a great mentor for my son. Joann is also a knitting friend and one of my running partners. I want to be like Joann when I grow up!!! Thank you so much Joann. Hopefully he will get to Dallas and win a medal just for you!

I am feeling much better today, I think I may be back to normal tomorrow. Yesterday I even got a little knitting done. So hopefully I will have some knitting to show you all tomorrow.

Happy Knitting, Trish

Sick

I had great run yesterday. I came home posted to the blog, got my boys ready for fencing and headed out. While I was watching them fence I started to get a headache. By the time fencing was over I was starting to feel queasy. I had to pick them up lunch and take my eldest to his french lesson. While he was in his lesson, I sat it the car half way asleep while my two little guys watched Space Chimps. When the big guy was done I dropped him off at the fencing center to vacuum and take another class and I went home and went to bed. It was a rough day. I didn't even look at my knitting. That is when you know something is terribly wrong with me. I actually got a fever and the chills. That almost never happens to me. I feel much better today but I think I will take it easy.
Maybe today I will be able to knit again.!
Happy Knitting, Trish

Supper Swappers

This was my first swap ever! Boy was it fun. I received these beautiful things in the mail yesterday from Mrs.V. Thanks again. I can't wait to knit up some socks out of the purple Malabrigo. The littel doll is stuffed with lavender and the little sock is so cute. I am so happy with all of it. If you have never participated in a swap you should it was lots of fun. I will defiantly participate in another swap sometime soon. Super Swappers on Ravelry will be having a swap every month. So go sign up for the fun!

Happy Knitting, Trish

Quick Baby Gift!

My dear husband informed me on Friday that there is a baby due to a co-worker in 4 weeks. I knit a blanket for their first child, so I thought a blanket was in order for the second. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky. This little blanket is 26" x 26". It was really quick to knit and lots of fun. Now I am just trying to decide if it is unisex enough. What do you think? I was considering crocheting some little pink flowers and attaching them if the baby turns out to be a girl. If I do that I will have to wait to gift the blanket until after the baby is born. What would you all do?

Happy Knitting, Trish

Happy Easter

I spent yesterday at my middle sons first baseball game of the season. He really loves to play ball. It was a little chilly and I sat in my lawn chair wrapped in a blanket and knit on my afghan that is yet to have a name.

Today is Easter and although we are not a religious family we do have Easter egg hunts. It is spring after all and a time for birth. I am so happy that the earth is coming alive around me. So I took some pictures of my boys with the things that they received and the eggs they hunted. Boy don't they look sleepy?

Happy Knitting, Trish

Guilty Pleasures!!!

I have been eyeballing Black Trillium's Roving for a while and I decided that I just couldn't live without some. So I went on a little field trip yesterday with my friend Shelby. We visited Black Trillium and I picked up some beautiful roving and I couldn't resist a skein of sock yarn. Since I love to knit socks so much!!!! When we left Black Trillium I think we were on a buying high so we headed over to The Knitting Bee and I purchased two skeins of Malabrigo worsted for my ever growing collection. I don't even know what I am going to make out of it! I just love love love it!!! I am not normally a blue person so I find it funny that I bought various shades of blue yesterday. Something must have been in the air. What do you think?

Happy Knitting, Trish

I kept my date!

I got one small skein spun today! Hopefully I will get more spun soon.

Happy Knitting, Trish

I have a date!!!

I have a date today with my Ashford Traditional. I was gifted this beautiful blue roving and I have been trying to find the time to spin it up, I think I should have some time for that today. My eldest son doesn't need to be at fencing until 5pm. The rest of the day we get to hang out at home. That means that I should have some time to do some spinning. I really miss spinning. I had to put it on hold for a couple of years because young little boys think it is really funny to stick things like sticks, fingers, toes, arms, and various other things in the wheel while it is going around. I am so glad they have grown out of that!!!!









One quick side note. I am so glad to see knitters knitting my free patterns on ravelry. I love the pictures! I hope you all enjoy the patterns. Let me know if you find any mistakes!!!

Happy Knitting, Trish

What I am working on!

I started this afghan over a year ago and am finally working on it again. I love making afghans out of Noro. Isn't it pretty? This is my design and I will make it available when I get it finished and written up. Can anyone think of a name for it? Maybe I should have a contest for naming the afghan and give away something! Say a skein of Noro! I will have to think on that.

Happy Knitting, Trish