Friday Finishes!

Lot of finishes to share today! Get comfy and let's get started!

First up is the test-knit I made last month. The pattern, Little Bit Nostalgia, is up on ravelry. Used a gradient yarn that I've shown pictures of on here before. 

Lovely lace pattern. You change needle sizes about half way through which makes the cowl come in a bit at the top.

Sits nice around the neck.

And is quite long.

During the holidays, my job is going to require me to work a couple late nights. With my husband now in England for work, I wanted to give our youngest, Floyd, a little something special to cuddle with at night when I'm not here. I suggested a stuffed animal of some kind. He asked for a rainbow heart. I bought an acrylic yarn and used this pattern. Crocheted up pretty quick.

I think he likes it.

Finished another cowl. Yarn bought from work and is Malabrigo, Caracol in the Diana colourway. Pattern is Waltz Through the Forest. A quick knit that I was able to make during down time at work over the course of a couple days. 

It was quite long after washing. I laid it flat to dry for a bit, then put it in the dryer which helped a lot.

Got to love the colours in this yarn. It reminded me of a stained glass window. Resistance was futile.

And I finally finished a pair of socks! And they're for me! Realized I have been using the Fish Lips Kiss heel for socks for a year now and this is the first pair I've kept for myself.  And they are the same length. Must not have pulled the one up all the way for the picture. 

Very colorful. And very comfy. Yarn was from JoAnn's and I can't remember exactly what it is. Need to find the ball band.

A Barley hat, pattern by Tin Can Knits and my first sample for my job. Used two yarns held together, one of them being mohair - Sugar Bush Bliss and Drizzle. Hat is super soft. I might need to make one of these for me to keep.

Fits great. But taking selfies on a rainy day is hard.

And I got my sewing machine out! Made a quick Halloween table runner.

But since I didn't have Halloween fabric for the back, I decided to make the back a second Fall themed table runner making it reversible.

I used orange for the top thread and the bobbin for the quilting. Orange goes through the black squares on the Halloween side. And through the orange squares on the Fall side. Think the Fall side needs some appliqué but it's good enough to use now.

And one last little finish. This is actually one of seven Poppies that I made. Above is one of two I made using this pattern. I made five more using this pattern, version 5. They're smaller and have the four classic petals.

One of the things I missed while living in the States (which I didn't expect to miss), was wearing Poppies in November and Remembrance Day. The Veterans Day sales kind of piss me off. Here, it is a solemn day, time to remember the dead, not get a great deal at a store. Okay, stepping off soap box now.

What did you finish this week? I'll have more to share next week as I finished another cowl last night and blocked it. Still need to take pictures. Maybe I'll get some more WIP's finished to share. Fingers crossed.

WIP Wednesday

I'm on the ball this week - taking pictures and scheduling a blog post! Been working on a few different projects this week so thought I'd share what I've been up to.

On the weekend, I finally did the heel of this second sock and have been knitting the foot while watching tv or when I have a spare five minutes. Don't think they'll be done in time to share this Friday. Maybe next Friday.

Bampton Cowl. I did several pattern repeats of this the other night while trying to catch up on some podcasts (I think I have over 20 waiting for me!) Have 4 repeats to go. I also knit another inch of my Lifesavers cardigan but it doesn't look much different so no picture today.

My poor Mystery Knit-Along shawl. It's been set aside and forgotten. Deadline for a finished pic is Friday. Don't think I'll make it but hope to get a few more rows knit before then.

And I've been working on some Poppies. I really did miss seeing people wear Poppies in November while we lived in the States. Hope to make a few more this week for myself and family. I used this free pattern but switched the stitches to American sizes (used single, double and treble crochets instead of double, treble and double trebles).

What have you been up to?

And good luck to all my fellow NaNoWriMo'ers!

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WIP Wednesday

In the past two weeks, I have finished two sweaters, a shawl and a hat. My WIP's are disappearing! I am finally noticing that my knitting pile beside the couch is getting smaller. To reward myself, I went through the stash today and organized it a bit. I hadn't touched it since we moved in almost 3 weeks ago. I threw project bags full of yarn onto a shelf and shoved one container of yarn under the bed and turned my attention to my WIP's. Now that I'm finishing things up, I think I'll be able to cast on a couple things next week (both for me, since my birthday's next week), and I'm pretty excited. 

Today, I took most of the yarn out of project bags and into ziploc bags with their respective patterns. Made more room on the shelf and made it look neater, too. And after having to pay duty on my first parcel from the U.S., I am very committed to using up my stash for the next two years while we are in Canada. And to buy from Canadian shops. ( We might never leave Canada again, but using up the stash during the next two years is a priority both financially and to give us a bit more space, since we are living in my parent's basement while my husband works in England).

You'll have to wait until Friday to see the sweater and hat I finished this week, but here's what else I've been working on.

I hope you can tell that I knit an inch or so of this shawl since last week. Have just over 60 rows left to knit. Can I get it done by Sunday night? That's my goal. Pattern is Hello, Hello shawl. I'm loving it but for some reason it is taking me forever to knit. Hopefully I'll have it finished and blocked by next Friday to share here on the blog.

Second sock is ready for me to do the heel. Would love to get these done by Sunday, as well.

And I found this WIP at the bottom of a bag. Only have 10 snowflakes left to crochet. Should be a quick finish. And I had set aside fabric for this but not sure if I have it in the house or if it is in a bin in the garage. Guess I should search for it. Pattern can be found here. Ugh. Just looked at my ravelry project page and I started this over a year ago! Shame on me for not having it done my now.

What have you been working on this week?

WIP Wednesday

It's been three weeks but my WIP's haven't changed much. I did finish one, and I'll share it here on Friday. And I started one, but it's a secret and I can't share it. 

The past three weeks have been very busy. My husband accepted a job in Sheffield, England, starting November 1st. However, it's too expensive for all of us to go (there are 5 of us), so he will be going alone. The kids and I are living with my parents (husband is here until the beginning of November). The job is only for 18 months but it's going to be a challenge. We're happy to be living back in Canada again and our kids are attending Canadian schools for the first time - my little guy will be going to Junior Kindergarten, all day, every day, starting next week. I'm going to miss him. 

My knitting has taken a bit of a backseat due to packing and moving. We are now settled into our new space and I'm motivated to finish some WIP's so I can start something new on my birthday later this month. Some of the WIP's below haven't been touched in weeks but thought I'd share everything I'm trying to finish in the next two weeks.

My Hello, Hello shawl just has garter rows left but I haven't knit a stitch of this since... July? I'm not sure. Need to finish it because I really want to wear it this fall.

On the weekend, I finally cast on the second sock. Makes great knitting when the tennis matches at the U.S. Open are too good to look down at a pattern.

Spero hat was ignored for a few weeks but I'm ten rows away from decreasing for the crown. Then it will be time to mail it to Jen for her Hat-A-long.

And the Owlet sweater for my son has grown since the last post. It has sleeves! Picture was taken after knitting the first row of the Owlet pattern. I'm almost done that section now.

And I already have buttons for the Owl eyes!

My knitting view this morning.

And a sneak peek at my finish. More pictures on Friday.

And my secret knitting is a sample for Jen Lucas. You'll see it next year in her book but all I can show you today is my son enjoying the box the yarn and pattern arrived in.

What have you been up to?

WIP Wednesday

Made progress on several projects this week. Even started two new ones. Oops.

Here is my yarn ready to cast on a Branches and Buds sweater for my August Camp Loopy project. Yarn can be found here. It's super soft and I can't wait to wear it.

Cast on yesterday and knit the first branch. Ready to start the second. Doesn't look too bad and stretches. 

A peek at the inside.

Started a Spero hat. Pattern is by Jen and for Jen. If you send her a hat for her Hat-athon in support of Halos of Hope, she'll gift you the pattern for free. For more info, you can read Jen's blog post, here.

And no WIP post last week as I hadn't made any progress on the WIP's I had. Sat down with my Hello, Hello shawl last Friday night and finished the striped section and started the garter section. This thing is going to be huge. Now to force myself to finish it. I really want to wear it but I've had a hard time getting myself to actually knit it. Not sure I've ever had this problem before.

Closer look at all three sections.

And I finished the first sock of a super bright pair. I admit the sock sat on my desk for several days just waiting for me to do the Kitchener stitch at the toes and finish it. 

What have you been working on this week? Not sure if I'll have any finishes to share this Friday, but i should be back next Wednesday with more progress on these WIP's.

WIP Wednesday - Vacation Edition

We are visiting family this week in Northern Ontario. And travel time means knitting time. 

Spent some time at my parent's trailer and got a little knitting in on my July Camp Loopy project. Also went for a boat ride in the lovely lake you see and got a sunburnt back to prove it.

Here is my progress on my July Camp Loopy project. Done the first sleeve and almost done the second. Always nice to get the sleeves done first. This is the Old Growth cardigan and Cascade 220 yarn in the Turtle colourway.

Almost ready to start the stripes on my Hello, Hello shawl.

Heel is turned and foot over halfway done. Hoping to have some finishes before we head home in a few days.

WIP Wednesday

A few WIP's to share this Wednesday, a couple almost done and one little finish.

I've spent the past few days quilting and quilting and was able to finish quilting the two Scrappy Bento Box quilts. Above they are trimmed and awaiting binding, which I hope to attach this afternoon.

Finished 4 spools of thread doing all that quilting. Time to go buy some more.

I started a sock almost 2 weeks ago. Getting ready to do the heel in a couple rows. 

And I hope you can tell this has grown. It's the Hello, Hello shawl and I'm halfway done the eyelet section (it's doubled in size since the last time I showed it). Hope to make more progress on it this week.

And I've slowly been plugging away at my Sarah Fielke, 2017 BOM, Down the Rabbit Hole. Since the last time it was on the blog, I have sewn down the green bias around the centre and sewed down the brown circle in the middle. I have also cut out and glued down all the leaves and have started to stitch them down. I think I slowed down on this project when the April clue came out - paper-piecing! My plan is to face my fear next month and get the paper-pieced houses done. 

Yarn ready for July Camp Loopy project. It will become an Old Growth cardigan. 

And my one little finish is this Sashiko embroidery that was part of the Studio MME's Super Stitcher's Club. I don't remember which month this was from. It came with white floss but I changed it up a bit and added some pink. I had it done in four different colours but decided I didn't like it and ripped it all out. Think I like this better.

What have you been working on this week?