WIP's and More Football

I just started Part 4 of my Shetland Pi Shawl; I am enjoying this so much. The yarn is Dream in Color Classy, which is a worsted weight, in Petal Showers. It is wonderful to work on. I recently increased to 576 stitches per round, so progress may slow down just a bit. But I am going to be doing a lot of knitting in the next 2 weeks - the US Open started today.

I completed sock one of my no-purl Monkeys in Wollmeise twin, Skandal um Rosi. I love this yarn. It is literally flying off the needles.

Another single sock completed is my Malabrigo sock in Tiziano Red, Kalajoki pattern. I have never used Malabrigo sock yarn, and it too is great to knit with. It is a little on the thin side, so I casted on 68 stitches instead of my usual 64, on 2.25 mm needles.

As you know, YS is playing football again this year. He does not play alot in varsity games, but luckily, they have 9 junior varsity games scheduled this season. This past Saturday was the JV jamboree, where he played most of the game. The next few photos captures him making a tackle. He played really well.
Above - he's got his eye on the ball.

Below - he gets low and ready to pounce.
Below - he wraps him up.

And then takes him down.
Go Falcons!!!

And let's go, Andy!!

It's Football Season Again!!

Alex is playing football again this year. That's him - #11. He plays defense - free safety. He is the person that has to tackle the person who has broken through everyone else. Usually, if he doesn't tackle the guy, they score a touchdown. Good luck, Al.

I finished another pair of socks yesterday. These are knit from Dream in Color Smooshy, Good Luck Jade colorway, on 2.25 mm needles. The pattern is Not So Cable Socks by Sockbug. This makes pair #17 this year.

Progress on the Harvest Moon baby blanket in Numma Numma Doppio Frosting . . . about 21 inches.

And the Wollmeise Skandal Monkeys . . . love the way they are striping.

This is the result of Part 2 of Wendy's Pi Shawl KAL. She posts the next part tomorrow.
Have a great weekend.

I whipped up a little pair of "slipper socks" for Clay. They are Lorna's Laces sportweight in Camouflage color. Pattern is 2x2 rib for an inch, then turn the heel. I've stopped because I need to try them on him to measure the length. Hope they fit. He was so cute when I made the little Wollmeise top for Ashtyn a couple of weeks ago. After she tried it on, he took off his shirt and said, "I try it." LOL

I finished my July STR kit. I really like the way these turned out. The colors are very pretty, and I always like Anne Hanson's patterns. I'll definitely knit this pattern again.
The heel is supposed to look like a beet. I think it looks like a heart.
BTW, this is my 16th pair of socks that I have completed so far this year.

And, since I finished a pair, of course I started another. Wollmeise Skandal um Rosi in twin on 2.25 mm needles - no-purl Monkeys.
Have a great week. I am patiently waiting for part 2 of Wendy's shawl KAL. I'll post my progress in the next day or two.

Shawl KAL

I decided to join a shawl KAL (knit-along). This one is on Wendy Johnson's blog here, and you can also see it here (ravelry link). She explains it all and has put up the first part of the pattern today. She will put up the second part this Wednesday, the third part next Sunday, and then the fourth and fifth parts up on the next two Sundays thereafter. You can, of course, work at your own pace.

The premise is that you can use whatever yarn you'd like - lace, fingering, sport, worsted, etc. - on whatever size needle you want. I am using Dream in Color Classy, which is a worsted weight, in Petal Shower colorway. I already had 4 skeins, and will probably need another 1 or 2 before it is finished. Oh, and I am using a size 8 needle.

The picture below is the first part. I think it looks like a boob.

I had a couple of visitors this weekend.
Don't let these 2 pictures deceive you. I assure you, they did not do a whole lot of lying around - only after much running and playing did they take brief naps.





Have a great week.

My Nueue Queue

I added a couple of new things to the sidebar of the blog. First, I added "My Knitting Queue" so that I can better keep track of projects that I would like to, and/or plan to, knit. Often, I have things in my mind that I want to knit, but then new ideas pop up and replace the old ones. This way, I have something in print to remind me.

I also added "The Daily Puppy". I saw it and had to have it. I don't know about you, but puppy pictures just make me smile.

Here We Go

I had to fiddle around a little, but I finally got the pictures of YS' first day of school downloaded.

This is him clowning around with Cubby . . . poor Cubs.

He is going to be in tenth grade this year.
Did I mention he got his Driver's permit yesterday? Look out.

News re. the other kids - TD started back to school this week too. She is busy attending meetings and getting her classroom ready. She'll be teaching 3rd grade again this year. It is hard to believe that this is her 4th year of teaching. OS is attending his first day of Law School orientation today at LSU. OMG, how did that happen? MS is on a plane as I type this to Las Vegas. He and some friends and their dads (yes, the HWWTM is going later today also) are going to celebrate their 21st birthdays. He starts school next week - he'll be a senior at LSU.

I'm a very proud momma.

Progress on my Harvest Moon Blanket . . . about 11 inches.

Got my Loopy 4th Anniversary Kit in the mail this week. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in the colorway, Joy in the Morning. It is beautiful and so smooshy.

Also included was a sock pattern called Argonauta Socks by Debbie O'Neill and a cute little cup with a painting of Loopy on the front. And in the bottom of the cup, it reads "Baa!"

I tried to download some pictures of YS' first day of tenth grade, but couldn't get the stupid computer to cooperate. He looked so handsome. I'm gonna try again.

Have a great day.

Surprise Baby Girls

It seems that everyone is having baby girls these days. There are 3 that I recently found out about . . . a good business friend's new granddaughter (that is 7 months old, that the HWWTM forgot to tell me about), Cherami's baby (born Friday, didn't even know she was pregnant), and Mitch's baby (due next month, didn't know they were pregnant either). Anyway, all 3 are girls. You know what that means - pink blankets.

The first blanket was already made and waiting in my closet to be gifted to someone deserving . This is going to the 7 month old. It's a little on the bigger size for a baby blanket - 34" x 38", but it is beautiful. It has been knitted for awhile, so it won't be going on my FO list on the sidebar. It is made of Schaefer yarns, Elaine, in colorway Pebbles. The pattern is the one where it is knitted on the diagonal . . . increasing, increasing, increasing, then decreasing, decreasing, etc., you get the picture. Very pretty if I do say so myself.

More Wollmeise in the mail this week - Daisy WD in twin. I can't get enough of this color . . . it is probably going to be my next pair of socks.

And my July Yarntini club yarn is Blue Sky variegated. Is it me or does it seem that alot of the different club yarns have blues and yellows in them this summer? Beautiful, nonetheless.

My Big Bad Baby Blanket, heretofore to be referred to as BBBB, has been put on hold temporarily, as this baby is not due till October. Just look at that gorgeous seed stitch.

I have completed one of my July STR club socks, with the exception of kitchenering the toe. Love the color, love the pattern.

This is the second girl baby blanket in Numma Numma Doppio, Frosting colorway, held double on size 9 needles. The pattern is Harvest Moon Blanket by Aimee Alexander. This yarn is a dream to work with.
Have a great knitting week.

Socks That Rock Spoiler Included

Another finished pair of socks, made from handspun purchased from Debland over at Etsy.

Just plain ole stockinette socks on 2.25 mm needles. I love them. Handspun is so wonderful to work with.

Have I said how addicting these colors are? I couldn't wait to finish one color so that I could get to the next. These are the coolest colors when all put together. They are, of course, Yarntini mini-skeins cocktail. I have used 2 sets of mini-skeins already. In the middle of the photo, you can see how much I have left. The wonderful Yarntini herself has aggreed to dye more for me so that I can finish my beautiful blanket. Right now it measures 30" x 26". I'd like to do at least one more repeat of each color, and then possibly a single crochet edging on the sides.

And, knowing me, you know I got yarn in the mail - Wollmeise. From top to bottom are Silberdistel, Suzanne, Aurora, Im Dunken Wald, and Baba Jaga. The bottom 4 were received in "grab bags" and 3 of them are duplicate colors that I already have. I will probably use them for trades for colors that I don't have. That's the way things work in the world of Wollmeise.

And some wonderful Wollmeise Molly, which is a DK or worsted weight, which is destined to become a little vest for my 2 1/2 year old great-nephew.

SPOILER!!!

STR SPOILER!!!

My July Socks That Rock kit arrived last week. It is an awesome color, plus a small skein of their cotton yarn, which I've never tried, as well as 3 patterns. Two of the patterns look great, and I look forward to knitting both of them soon. The 3rd, Flip Flop Socks, will likely never be used. I'll probably use the small cotton skein for a baby hat or booties or something like that.

An upclose pic of the yarn "Firecracker" . . . .

And while I wait for my extra yarn from Yarntini to finish the first blanket, I'll start another. I will be using my go-to pattern, Big Bad Baby Blanket, with my go-to yarn, Koigu.
Off to wind my yarn and cast on . . .

All Grown Up

Josh, usually known here on the blog as MS (middle son), turned 21 years old this past Sunday, 8/1. He is such a wonderful young man, and I am very proud of the adult he is becoming.

He will be a senior at LSU this fall and plans to continue his education after his graduation next May.
This is him with his baby, Bailey. She is a little bit bigger now - about 40 lbs bigger - and he has trained her to be a well-mannered and happy puppy.

Below is a picture of all 4 guys - Josh, John, Dad and Alex - when they played in a golf tournament in Florida a few weeks ago. So proud of all of them.
Happy Birthday, Josh! Love u!