Wee Block Wednesday

It has been a long time since I have done a Wee Block Wednesday. I really put the sock blankie aside for a while (that is the beauty of that project…no deadlines).  I have started working on it again.  It now 58 has squares (only 57 are pictured…I did another one last night).

Here is a summary of the new ones:

1. This is the yarn from my Raphael Monkeys.

2. This is the yarn from my Reducio Pal. She dyed it herself and won an award on the socks she knitted with it.

3. This is the yarn that I got from my Sock Yarn from Stash Swap Pal.  I traded the rest of the yarn in the Easter one skein swap.

4. This is some of the yarn I got in the Easter one skein swap.

5. This is yarn from one of the swaps from the BlankieMania group. I am not sure what it is.

6. This is also yarn from a swap from the Blankie Mania group. I am not sure what it is.

7. This another yarn from a swap from the Blankie Mania group. I am not sure what it is.

I am going to be adding a random bigger square in there. I wasn’t going to add any bigger squares at all, but I have a yarn that demands it.  Who am I to go against the will of a yarn?

 

Christmas is a time for sharing and knitting

 Christmas is for sharing, so LB and I did some sharing.  We put our yarn scraps out for the birds.  LB loved hanging the scraps out. He was even more excited when a bird came and took one shortly after hanging them.

I got to do a little knitting today too.  I have been working on my Raphael Monkeys.  They are coming along nicely. I am almost to the heel on the second sock. I should have them done fairly soon.  I can’t wait to wear them. DH has been wearing the socks I knitted for him, and I have been jealous.

I also got to knit another square on my blankie. It is a big milestone!  My blankie now has 50 squares!!  Here is what 50 squares looks like!

Here are some close ups with the explanation of the individual blocks.

 The pastel block on the far left, top row and all of the second row blocks that are visible are scraps from swaps and my Sock Yarn from Stash Pal.  The yellow and pink block  and the purple/teal/tan block are from my SP12 pal.  The purple/teal/tan block is Happy Feet.  The yellow and pink is Regia. The block at the left edge, third row (out of this picture, see photo to the right and down) is from the same Regia scraps.  It looks so different, I was able to put it really close.   The lavendar-grey block is Sundara yarn in Lenten Rose.  The color variations don’t photograph very well, but it is really pretty yarn!

The second photo shows the close up of the other Regia square.  It also has a square with a duplicate.  The green and blue square in the third row and the pink and red square in the second row (see photo above…almost all the way to the right of that photo) are from the same small skein.  The brown square in the second row is from my monkey socks.  It is not machine washable (it has some silk content). I really debated adding it to the blanket.  Ultimately I decided that I wanted it in the blanket so much that I am willing to handwash the thing (I envision washing it in my tub).

Well, now Christmas is nearly over. I am a bit sad that I didn’t get to give more hand knitted gifts.  This year, I am going to try to knit things all year and set them aside.  The end of the year is a bad time to try to cram it all in. We will see how it goes.  Over the next week or so I am going to set up a plan with little goals for the year. It will make it easier to actually do such a thing.

I hope everyone had a really Merry Christmas!

 

Secret Pal package!

I got my first Secret Pal package!! There was another Gnitgnome picture, a card, a pendant yarn cutter, a strawberry thing, and sock yarn (scraps for my blankie)!! It is a great package. There are already two squares made from the sock yarn! It is great that my pal is now part of my blankie!

 

From the mailbag!

The mail lady has been very good to me lately! I got a card the other day from my Secret Pal. It had a picture of a gnome inside. The gnome is Gnitgnome! He is cute. My pal says that she will send pictures of the little fellow throughout the swap to give me clues as to her identity. In this picture, Gnitgnome appears to be in front of a cow pasture! LB and I are going to put them in an album.

I also got the yarn from the June Yarn Ball Swap from the Blankiemania group. The scraps are so wonderful! I can’t wait to get a chance a knit up some squares!

Today, I got my package from the second round of the Reducio Swap. It had a cute little sock made of handspun. So pretty! There was also a mini crochet scarf inspired by Luna. I will probably use it as a bookmark! Luna would have been proud to wear it! The package also included some sock yarn scraps for my blankie!! I think that is so special! My pal will always be a part of that blankie! I love that thought!

 

Catching up and QOTW #5

I can’t believe how long it has been since I posted! I had a really busy week a few weeks ago, and it has snowballed since then. It started with a scorpion sting to the neck. I had court that morning. Fortunately, I didn’t have a bad reaction (they aren’t poisonous). I was really busy at work, and then had a doctor’s appointment for my little one. My little one is a little behind developmentally (just physically…he won’t put any weight on his legs and his arms slip up when you lift him). I have been very concerned about it. Fortunately, his pediatrician is also concerned and has made some referrals. That made me feel a lot better. The last week or so, I have been sick. Not really sick, just exhausted and no appetite combined with a very slight nausea. If I didn’t know better, I would think I was pregnant (I am not…it just feels like it). Not sure what is going on. Anyway…I have a ton to post about. That is intimidating after so long. I have decided just to post a few small posts over the next few days.

One of the first things is the SP QOTW. It is actually two questions. The first is Where is your favorite place to go for vacation or holiday? I love Wyoming. I grew up in Wyoming and miss it terribly in the summer. I love hiking and camping. It is so beautiful in the mountains. I don’t get to go much because of the cost (right now, about $2000 a ticket to home). I do miss it. The second part is Where is one place you would like to go? I would love to see Norway. My grandmother’s family is from Norway. I would love to see it someday.

 

SP 12 QOTW 2

The Secret Pal Question of the Week is: As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

For me, it was several things. First and foremost was loads of uninterrupted reading time. In the summers, I would read around 12-14 novels a week! I loved just being able to sit and read for long stretches without having to do homework or go to class. I would totally get lost in other worlds! I learned to do all my chores very quickly in the morning so that I would only have to put my book down for meals (and not always lunch if my parents weren’t home)!

Another thing that I always looked forward to was camping and hiking. I grew up in Wyoming, so there were plenty of opportunities nearby. During High School, my best friend and I spent nearly every Saturday exploring and hiking (and getting lost…although we always managed to find our way home before rescue was called). Every other summer, we have a family reunion for my maternal grandmother’s family at a campground near my hometown. I loved those trips most of all. Seeing relatives from around the country, campfires at night, activities during the day, and the food (of course the food). Those times were extremely special to me. So special that my DH and I got married at the campground (actually at the big lodge adjacent to the campground, but it is all the same property). I don’t get many camping opportunities now, but I still love those reunions. I had to miss the last one because I was pregnant (and too far along for travel). DH and I are already saving money and making plans for the next one!

 

You made it!!

Yay, you made it to the new blog!  Make sure you update your feed reader of choice. If you notice anything that doesn’t look right, please let me know. I will be making changes to some of the layout soon.

Some things that have changed…I have a list of my FOs and links to all my Secret Pal 12 related posts in “pages” now.  I hope that commenting will be easier!

 

Random Catchup Stuff and SP QOTW

1. Thank you to everyone who contacted me about my grandfather. For some reason, the blog wasn’t allowing comments. I got so many messages on Ravelry when I logged it. It was so nice to hear from all of you! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me their thoughts and e-hugs. They were needed and really did help. My grandfather did pass away on Tuesday. I will post about it when I have some time to gather my thoughts in a coherent manner.
2. We had a great couple of days in Orlando. We nearly got struck by lightening, saw Sea World and Animal Kingdom, stayed in a Disney Resort, swam a ton, and got some knitting in. I will also post a lot more about it (including some pictures) when I can sit down and really do a good job on it! Despite having our new air card, we did not have internet connectivity! Turns out that the resort is built in such a way that there are no cell phone signals in the room. We had to go out to the hallway to talk on the phone. I didn’t want to sit with my laptop in the hallway (no chairs).
3. The SP12 Question of the Week is: What is your favorite summertime drink?? I almost always drink Diet Mt. Dew. I am terrible about drinking way, way too much soda. I am trying to drink more water, but have been bad about it. I try not to drink bottled water because of the waste from the plastic bottles. I need to start carrying water with me. No good excuse why I don’t. I keep saying I am looking for the perfect bottle. I should probably just buy one and get it over with.
4. I finished DH’s big socks (finally)! I knit a bit on them poolside and while LB played on the playground. They are in the wash. I will get pictures and do a proper post tomorrow.

OK, so this post was mostly a promise for more posts later…I realize that!

 

Swappy stuff and tiny knits (of course)

I love swaps. I really love them. I haven’t joined too many, though…well, not until now. I am doing another round of the Wee Tiny Sock Swap (Summer Fun is the theme). I did my sock last night. It is made from Plymouth Sockotta. I think it looks like a summer sky!

I opened up Round 2 of the Reducio Sock swap. I had to use two angels for the last round, so I made a few small changes to prevent the problem I had last time (I hope). Only one person is still waiting for her package, but I know it was sent on Friday. I know she is taken care of! There is also another change. This time there will be two knitted mini-items (one sock and one mini-item of the knitter’s choice). One must be in house colors and the other in a “character inspired” color (not necessarily a HP specific yarn…any yarn that reminds the knitter of a character). It should be lots of fun!

I sent each of the angels a little something special. I also sent one of the swappers something special (she managed to have the two flakers as her upstream and her downstream…no package and no thank you). For the first angel, I sent a bit of chocolate, some Soak, and two mini-skeins of yarn in Ravenclaw colors (the Trekking). For the other angel, I sent chocolate, some owl stitch markers, and an owl I made (more on that in a minute). For the swapper who really needed a bit of extra spoiling, I also sent owl stitch markers.

About the owl, I designed him myself. I looked at about a million patterns, but didn’t really love any of them. I decided to wing it (no pun intended…who am I kidding? Of course it was intended). It came out so cute. I also think that without the beak and eyes, it looks a bit like a snitch (done in the right color it would…maybe with wings that are a bit bigger)!It is about an inch and a half tall. I love it! Of course, that may be because it is tiny and I do have a thing for knitting tiny things! I will post how I made him in another post (tomorrow or Thursday).

I also joined three more swaps. The SP12 swap (as evidenced by the questionnaire post) is one. The other is the Sock Yarn From Your Stash swap! Both should be fun! I will post more about those as they get started! I also joined another scrap swap on the Blankie Mania group! I am going to be winding little yarn balls over the next few days to swap!

In other exciting news, I got the latest installment (spoiler pics) of the Harry Potter Sock Yarn Club! It is fantastic! I am deciding what to knit with it. I am probably going to use it in the next Reducio Swap!

 

SP 12 Questionnaire

Yes, I have joined another swap (actually, several…more on that later)! Anyway, here is the questionnaire for the Secret Pal 12 Swap:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like most yarns. I tend to say my favorite is whatever I am knitting at the moment! I don’t like working with fibers that are mostly acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Most of my needles are in a dresser drawer in my office (it is small and flat…They all lay nicely together in size order). I keep my sock needles in the original packaging in a drawer in my living room (next to my favorite knitting spot). I keep my crochet hooks in a case in the knitting needle drawer in my office, except for the hooks that are the same size as my sock needles. I keep those with the sock needles they match.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for almost 9 years. I only recently moved past blankets and dishcloths. I consider myself to be in the intermediate range (although maybe adventurous beginner is more accurate).

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Nope

5. What’s your favorite scent? Lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a sweet tooth. I love chocolate, but am nursing a baby allergic to dairy. Finding dairy free chocolate is difficult (although Newman’s Own makes a yummy Sweet Dark chocolate). Mostly I eat Good n’ Plenty now.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I also scrapbook (mostly digital). I am a beginning dyer. I haven’t learned to spin. I am trying to resist, but have recently been considering a drop spindle. I know it is a gateway drug, but I keep telling myself it won’t make me a “spinner”.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I mostly listen to toddler tunes, but they aren’t my favorite. When I get to choose my own music, I listen to Broadway showtunes. I can play mp3s.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand? My favorite colors are purples, blues, and greens. I don’t hate any color. My least favorites are yellows and oranges, but if done well…I do like them. As is evidenced by some recent yarn purchases and my first monkey socks. I am fascinated by oranges in both of those.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married and have two small boys (which means I have two small boys and one really big one). My boys (the little ones) are three years old and 8 months old (the littlest turns one the end of September). We have two dogs (mostly outside) and two cats (inside).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Not really. I live in a pretty warm climate.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks and anything tiny. I have a new obsession with little things (mini-socks and little blocks for my sock yarn blanket).

13. What are you knitting right now? Socks for me, socks for DH, and my sock yarn blanket. Next in my to do list is a dress and some booties for a friend’s baby, and more socks…many more socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, I love handmade things!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer DPNs, but I feel that straights and circs have their places. I generally prefer very slick and pointy needles (KnitPicks nickel plated are my favorites) for socks, but for larger sized needles I like bamboo. I just don’t like much flex to my needles.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes!

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Started in April. I tend to be pretty project monogamous.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!!

19. Is there anything that you collect? Does yarn count? How about sock yarn scraps?

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I am always up for trying something new. My “dying to try” list is pretty much dictated by what ad has appeared on the bottom of the page I am currently reading on Ravelry. It changes on a minute by minute basis. I don’t subscribe to any knitting magazines at this time. I think ads in those could be very dangerous!

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? I keep saying that I am going to learn magic loop, but anytime I am ready to cast on a new sock I reach for my dpns. I just love them. Maybe toe up socks will be the next thing.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am a sock knitter! Heel to toe 9”, 11” at bottom of calf muscle, 9” around ankle and widest part of foot, heel flaps are usually 2 ¼” long, bottom of calf muscle to floor is 6 ½”. Those are the measurements I use. If you need others, let me know!

23. When is your birthday? March 12.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID? Yes, I am KnittingGnome.