Christmas Time is here again

It's that time of year again.  Luckily, I don't have any Christmas projects that I need to finish.  I've been working today on the Easy Shells Baby Blanket.  I really have only had a chance to work on it during my knitting club on Thursdays, so today with all the snow it was the perfect opportunity to continue to work on it.

School let out on Friday with a half day.  It's so nice to know that I do not have to get up for work tomorrow morning.  That just means I can hang out watching movies and enjoying the Christmas mood in the house.

The dog is waiting for Christmas too!

Fall Days

Right after Rhinebeck I quickly knit up the ribbon yarn into a scarf.  I did another Twisted Drop Stitch scarf because I figured that would make the scarf the length I desired.  The ribbon yarn knit up beautifully and I finished the scarf in a day.  I've worn it to work a few times and get compliments every time.  The colors are perfect for fall, so I'm glad I knit it up quickly to get the most out of it.

I've also been working on another baby blanket for a friend.  It's the same pattern as the Jelly Belly blanket, but the colors are just a little different.  This yarn is called Koolade and it has yellow instead of purple and the blue is darker.  I'm not as crazy about these colors and find that I'm not as excited to knit it.  Good thing she's not due until June, I have time to finish it.

Rhinebeck!!!

I had such a great time at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend.  Mom and I drove up on Friday night and spent the whole day on Saturday at the Festival.  We got to see a spinning demonstration, go to all the buildings (last year we missed some stuff) and then we even got to go to the Ravelry Party Saturday night.  I got some great yarn and some roving.  I still think I need to take a spinning wheel lesson though.  I tried last night to use the wheel and it just wasn't working for me. 

The great thing at the festival is that everyone is so friendly and ready to help you.  My mother went into a booth for American Heirloom rugs and the woman taught her how to make the rugs and let her sit and try it for a while.  My mom, of course, walked away with her own project, but it was so nice that she was able to try it out before purchasing. Also, the woman giving the spinning demonstration answered so many questions and was very helpful with tips.

At the Ravelry party I got to sit with some people that spin and they were also helpful with tips for spinning.  Everyone was so nice.  It was really cold, but I wore tons of layers and didn't feel too cold which was great. I suggest if anyone is in the Northeast that you should attend the festival next year, it's a really great time!

A new blanket

I've started a new baby blanket for another friend who is pregnant.  It's the same pattern I used before, but with a little change in color.  I'm using Bernat Cottontots Ombre Koolade.  This one has the same green and blue, but has yellow instead of purple in the pattern.  I'm hoping this will knit up fast, but it is a great pattern and very enjoyable to knit.

Everything seems to be working

I think I've finally got it.  Still need to add a few things on my sidebar, but on the whole I like the new layout. 

So back to knitting news...  I've become part of a competition on Ravelry.  It's a Battlestar Galactica challenge.  You sign up to do "missions" and receive points for your team when they are completed.  Currently I'm only signed up for one.  I'm working a shawl with some yarn I had gotten for Christmas last year.  It's going pretty well; the trick will be when I need to block it, as I have no place to do blocking.

I also started to knit Penelope the Empathic Monster doll.  It took me a while to get going because I needed to find size 5 circulars that were small enough to knit in the round.  My mother-in-law saved the day and I was able to get going on this adorable monster. 

I have also ordered yarn for another Easy Shells Baby Blanket.  Another friend from work found out she's pregnant and I had so much fun knitting the other blanket I decided to make one for this friend.  I'm waiting for the yarn to arrive, hopefully before the end of the week.

Fresh Fall Start

Trying out a new template for the blog.  Not sure about it yet.
I like this one better, but I can't fix the links at the top.  Bare with me through these changes.

Jelly Belly Baby Blanket

One of my good friends from work found out she is pregnant. I decided right away to knit her baby a blanket and maybe some other things. My mother-in-law had used the pattern for the Easy Shells Baby Blanket previously and suggested it for me. I ordered the same yarn she had used as well. It is Bernat Cottontots. The pattern is knit with two strands of yarn held together. I chose white and Jelly Belly (not know whether the baby is a boy or a girl).

I loved knitting this blanket. I really love the way the colors worked. The pictures do not do it justice. The blanket almost looks tie dyed.

Now it's on to the next project. I plan on knitting Penelope the Empathetic Monster for my friend's baby as well. I can't wait to start!

I also need to start looking for more patterns, so I'll have a better idea what I would like to buy at Rhinebeck this year. last year I felt so overwhelmed because I didn't have patterns in mind. I plan on being prepared this year, armed with patterns and ready to find the perfect yarn to match them.

Bella's Mittens continued

I finally finished Bella's Mittens. They weren't hard, but I was slacking again after our trip to Lake Placid. So I finished them today. I liked working them with the dpns instead of magic loop (mainly because I don't know how to do the magic loop), but I found it a little difficult at the top of the mitten when I had to do all the k3tog and sssk, it got a little tight. Anyway, glad they are finished and now my mom is working on her own because she loved the pattern so much.

Bella's Mittens

Two weeks ago we went up to Lake Placid and I was able to get the Catalina Baby Alpaca Chunky yarn to start Bella's Mittens. I started right away when we got back to the cabin. I finished one mitten by the next day and almost needed them for fireworks over Mirror Lake (who would have thought July 4th would be so cold). I'm still working on the second mitten, but really enjoy the pattern. I decided not to use the magic loop method that is written in the pattern and instead am using dpns.

I started camp after that weekend. The weather seems to finally be cooperating and it actually seems like summer. We had some beautiful days at my beach camp where it was low 70s and clear. The humidity seems to have picked up, but still not terrible. Next week we head to New Hampshire for camping...let's hope it doesn't rain then. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

Vacation

Summer vacation is here! It seemed as though it would never come. I've still been slacking in the knitting department. I worked a little on my log cabin squares, but didn't continue for very long.

I did find a pair of mittens that I want to make so I'll have them done by the time the weather gets cold. I wanted to make them to match the hat I made up in Lake Placid. So, I emailed the store up in Lake Placid and asked if they had any more of the Catalina Chunky yarn. They said they did and have put it aside for me. I'm going up next week and hope to get started on the mittens then.

It's been slow

I haven't been knitting. I don't know what's going on, but nothing holds my interest and I just haven't picked anything up in a while. I had knit a baby sweater for my friend a few months ago, but never sewed in the ends. This past weekend was her baby shower, so I was forced to sew in the ends. She really seemed appreciate it. Hopefully sometime soon I will find something that I want to knit.

Who says turning 30 is bad?

I've been a bad blogger. Nothing for 2 months, that's bad. I was in a bit of a knitting slump. I really couldn't find a project that was holding my interest. Then I found the Lace Spiral Scarf in 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. I had bought some Mohair yarn at Rhinebeck with a project in mind and it turned out it really didn't work for it, so it's now becoming the spiral scarf. I'm really enjoying it. I'm using my new Harmony wood interchangeable circular needles.

Last week was my birthday. It was fabulous. My husband gave me a beautiful diamond cross, some books, a DVD and a trip to DISNEY WORLD!!!! Disney is my favorite place in the world, so this is the most wonderful present I could get. We haven't booked it yet, but we'll be heading there this summer. My in-laws got me tickets to see West Side Story on Broadway, which I can't wait to see.

The final present I got from my parents a few days after my birthday. My mother had heard me talking about learning to spin and my parents decided to get me my very own spinning wheel. I'm so excited. I need to take some classes to learn how to use it properly, but I can't wait to start spinning my own yarn.

All in all I would say I had a great birthday. I can't believe how lucky I am.

A Lovely Long Weekend

This past weekend my husband and I took a trip up to Lake Placid. It was beautiful and sunny all weekend long. We tried to go to the Saranac Lake winter festival, but looked for parking for at least a half an hour and finally gave up. The drive was beautiful and for the first time I was able to see the top of Whiteface Mountain.

We spent Sunday walking around the town of Lake Placid. I got to go to Adirondack Yarns and I bought some lovely Catalina Alpaca Yarn. The lady was kind enough to make a copy of the Foliage hat pattern from Knitty (I didn't have any Internet access up there). I started knitting it on Sunday night and finished it on the car ride home. We stopped in almost every store on main street and also took a dog sled ride. I was sad to leave on Monday, since I have the week off from school, but my husband had to go to work. Hopefully we'll be heading back sometime soon.

I'm still here

It's been a while since I've written. I have been in a bit of a knitting funk. I got a lot of yarn for Christmas, but every time I go to start a project I get frustrated and stop. I just recently started a Quick Baby Sweater for a friend. This seems to be pulling me out of my funk and hopefully after I finish this I'll be motivated to do other things.