knitting the euroflax

since i finished my sparrow tee, i had to cast on something new. and since i don't have anymore of the quince & co sparrow, i decided to use my (recently discovered) euroflax linen.

thus far, this project is a "win" …

for several reasons:

• i had the yarn in stash, which i just "found" in the back of a drawer a week or so ago (i had bought it years ago when i worked in a yarn store, thinking i was going to knit a shawl)
• i had the magazine with the pattern
• i'm really into these loose summer tops right now
• it's super easy -- at least for now, until i get to the fisherman's rib part. so, it's "mindless" for the moment
• and, this is already knitting faster than any of my other sweaters, as this is knitted on size 6 needles! huge compared to my other projects -- fewer stitches, fewer rows per inch. win-win.

and i've thought too, if i like this once finished, if i dare to knit it again, i have many yarn choices in stash for this top (i.e.: silky wool, hempathy, lonco solid, lindy chain, etc).

this is what i've accomplished since last night. doesn't look like much, because i spent part of the morning weaving in the ends and blocking my lena tee. but still, that's quite a bit!

so, the lena tee is done!

i can't really get great pictures right now. i have a new camera (new to me) but my old computer does not like images. whenever i try to do something with photos on this laptop, it crashes. i have a new (to me) computer waiting in the wings. it's getting a new keyboard, and hasn't been mailed yet. i'm really looking forward to using a camera and different computer to take project photos. in the meantime, i'm using my iPhone. 

this is my soft stones pullover. again, miles and miles of stockinette stitch. i'm on my 3rd ball of yarn (i have 5 total). it is mindless knitting, but these needles are a bit pointy, and sometimes make my fingertips hurt. yes, i could change needles, but that would require spending $ and trip to a yarn shop (otherwise known as the danger zone !!!). 

that's right. i can't be trusted in a yarn shop. remember my declaration of "cold sheep" this year? yeah, that's so out the window.

however, i will say it has made me a more discriminating knitter, in terms of yarn purchase and projects. if i've purchased yarn it was for a project i'm actively working on (mostly). ha!

and lastly, my crochet shawl. i joined a CAL on ravelry. this has a deadline of june 20th (i think)? i bought this yarn at SAFF in 2009. finally, i found a project "worthy" of it. 

so, here i am knitting a shawl with lace weight yarn on a c-hook (tiny!). knitting an oversized pullover with fingering weight yarn on US size 5 needle. started a tee on a giant size 6 needle!

newest and latest …

i've found my next project. another summer tee, in linen.


i got this magazine last summer. it's full of cute summer tops. this one (above right) is called linum tee.

it's knitted in my latest love, the quince & co 'sparrow'.

but, i'm out of that yarn. i've knitted my last 2 tee shirts with sparrow. i ♥ love ♥ that yarn. however, in my total failed year of "cold sheep", maybe i'll try to knit from stash this time around.

i have this euroflax linen (shamefully & joyfully found in the back of a drawer). it's similar to the sparrow, but a bit thicker and rustic.

it's knit from the bottom up. i've already knitted the wee ribbed hem and have started the stockinette body.

the color is not "my" color --- but it will be okay with a pretty reddish-strawberry sheer lipstick.

i think i bought this yarn for a shawl years ago, but now it's going to be a tee =)

doesn't feel like much (progress)

maybe knitting slow as molasses is what you get when you're trying to knit on 2 sweaters in fingering weight yarn at the same time.

above is my second lena tee. i'm on my 4th skein of yarn (4 out of 5). i'm on the front after the split for armholes (knitted from the bottom up). so, i'm getting there. and though now i'm knitting on 1/2 as many stitches since i went from knitting in the round to this portion of flat knitting, it feels very very slow… small needles + small yarn ='s many stitches and rows.


… my other slow as molasses sweater ! i haven't made much progress this weekend, because i put most of my knitting time into the linen lena tee.

this is my top down pullover soft stones. i have knitted the top portion and am now on the body. so, with this one, i've gone from the flat knitting to knitting in the round.

i'm only on my 2nd ball of yarn, but again, skinny yarn and L O T S of stitches! i have a deadline to finish this one by july 1st. and funny thing is, it may not be worn until after the summer since it's a combo of cotton and wool. it's an enjoyable project and well written pattern, but i'm a little not thrilled about knitting with such fine yarn at the moment.

so, how to break it up? … crochet on worsted weight acrylic!


this is hexagon #21 of my Versailles Matelassé Afghan. the pattern calls for 35 hexagons (not counting the filler squares). i don't want my blanket as large, so i'm going to make 30 hexagons. however, that means i'm only about 66% finished. there is no deadline, but i'd like to finish it before i got to the beach in july. otherwise, i'll be taking a big bulky project with me to work on while at the beach. maybe.

and lastly, when i have the time, i need to wash these fabrics.

i can't get the font to look like the rest of my post, so i figured if it's different, it should be really different.



i found a nice sewing project online with a tutorial. it looks simple enough, but i do need to prewash my fabrics. and, i don't have all the notions yet. this may end up being a looooong project, just because there's so much else going on. but, if it turns out well, i will be sure to share here.

mid-week 1/2 vacation

… which means, i used about 4 hours of vacation time this afternoon to run some errands, including a long overdue haircut.


mom said, "i thought you were getting it cut?!" … this IS a cut! … see how neat and clean my ends look?! not to mention … the great application of blow dry and flat iron?!

typically, my hair resembles a disney sea witch. but with a professional hairdresser, with all the tools, time, and product --- wow -- my hair can be tamed?!

you shoulda seen me sashaying through the local grocery store afterwards !

weekend, part II

i thought the weather was clearing out. for awhile, it was dry, partly sunny, and breezy. now, it's raining.


earlier today, i commented, "it feels like the beach" … it was warm and balmy, breezy, impending rain that was supposed to just blow out.

and for awhile, it was breezy and dry, with peeks of sunshine. i thought my things would dry out.

i was wrong. and of course, just after i watered my plants, a steady rain fell.

so the socks are still outside, covered, but full of humidity. i'll pull them in later and maybe they'll dry by the time i get off work tomorrow.

regardless, i'm still enjoying the peace of today. the laundromat was quite, the parking lot at the grocery store was uncrowded, and the general feeling around town certainly smacks of "holiday".

yes, … a nice quiet day!

crafty weekend, somewhat

it's sunday, so this is phase 2 of "crafty weekend". what is "crafty weekend"? … in a nutshell, it's "wishful thinking". a proper "crafty weekend" would be at least 3 days off in a row! … with no travel or housekeeping.

but first, my progress on the greenish pullover …


my goal this weekend was to complete the 6" of the backside, and then begin the front. i did accomplish that, and now i have the stitches set up so i knit mindlessly for awhile again.

the next fun part will be joining the body in the round … but I'm likely many days away from that with my tortoise speed.

yesterday, amongst my errands, i went to my local joann's store. the simplicity patterns were 99 cents each. i pulled a few patterns i've had on my list, but only left with one pattern:


this is simplicity 1164. the last time patterns were on sale, they didn't have this one in stock. it's a wrap dress (or skirt) and reversible. there's a video via simplicity illustrating all the different ways to tie and wear, but i like this version in blue as tied over one shoulder.

the pattern is super simple, but i haven't the fabric to make one. though joann's has tons of fun and inspiration, and great prices, they don't have a great selection of fabric. i will have to wait until my next road trip to mary jo's in gastonia.

when looking at the simplicity video of the dress, i found another video of a "flipit" dress. here's a link for a pretty dress (though super expensive).

for now, i'll stick with 99 cent simplicity patterns and hopefully some pretty polyester from mary jo's.

for the rest of today, i have a few goals: laundry, grocery shopping, more knitting or crochet, and a wee bit of housework.

bunnies

there's some work going on outside right now, so my bunnies have to live inside (so they don't get broken).

thus, i've placed them where i get to see them everyday, same as when they're outside on the porch.


it's easy to say, "oh, they're handmade". but, they are handmade. made by a dear friend.

that's part of what i love about all my handmade things, whether made by me or someone else. it's not just a painting on the wall, a knitted sock, or a ceramic bunny … it's time, moments, and memories.

besides, who can resist those huge eyes and expressions?!

new sweater(s)

i know. i have cast on 2 new sweaters.

and they're both for KAL's. but, no pressure. i do feel confident i can finish both by either deadline.

first up, this pullover for this KAL.


for this part of this sweater, i need to knit 6". i'm almost there. i knitted a few inches this past weekend, and then got (almost) another 3" completed.

it's on smallish needles … US 5's. the needles are actually larger than i've used for most of my sweaters lately, but the gauge is still small. SO, lots of stitches.

the yarn is:


i got it at one of my local yarn stores. it's a nice mix of wool and cotton, in a fingering weight. this yarn is not a brand i've ever seen before. but, i love it! and besides being a nice gauge and blend, it has a really cute stick figure on the label.

the other sweater, i've knitted before.

remember my pretty Lena tee? … knitted with sparrow (linen). i cast on a second.

i don't have a photo of the yarn or progress. but, what i've done so far:

• knitted 1st garter stitch hem
• cast on and knitted 2 rows of second hem

so, 2 sweaters … one knitted with complete confidence (since i just finished the same sweater in the same yarn) and one knitted with optimism. 

ps. new (old) toy for late night music entertainment !!!

it kinda goes hand-in-hand with the tape currently playing in the old boom box ...

how i used to listen to music

on my kitchen table is my old "boom box". i know i've had it since '88, if not earlier. it's a big panasonic, with cd player and dual tape cassette (you know, for making your own mix tapes!).

the cd player skips a lot. I'm not sure if it's the player or the cd's i've used in it (some of those cd's skip on my laptop and in the truck too).

and i haven't used the tape player(s) in YEARS.

while home this past weekend, i rummaged around for some of my old cassette tapes. i found a small zippered case, and a few other rogue tapes. there are more at home, but i ran of time with the search.

when i got home late this afternoon, i pulled out a tape and gave it a whirl. and guess what, … it WORKS. the sound is crap, as expected, but it works. it plays. it plays at the correct speed.

i might have to check out the thrift store next time for some other tunes …