WIP Wednesday - Square Dance

I can either think of really catchy title or puny titles.  This one is more groan worthy.  Anyway, no dancing was involved this week just a lot of squares, but we will get to that.

The weather has finally broke today.  We finally had a rain shower that pushed the humidity out and though its a lovely warm 72° F with a nice cool breeze.  The sky is blue and the clouds are like puffs of cotton.  Seriously a beautiful day.  Until just recently, the weather has been hazy, hot and humid with lots of rain and severe storms.  Not much fun for the middle of summer.

So I really have been inside by my Air Conditioner for  most of the week.  It's to hot to do anything so I have been working on my blankets.  Many of you commented on my mental stability last week after confessing to my latest blanket projects.  While it has been hot, I have been sitting by the air conditioner the whole time.

Hue Shift Afghan

Striping Along.

It's funny how the project muse strikes us. I have been plugging away at this blanket the past couple of weeks but I didn't get a ton of work done on it.  I am almost finished with the baby blue column.  I don't have a new photo but the pink and peach square are completed.

White Centered Granny Blanket

Lots of squares

Instead of working on the Hue Shift, crochet squares has been the desire this week.  It started on Friday where I didn't feel like knitting and wanted to get some squares done to start the next section.  I finished the entire ball of purple only to realize I would not have enough squares to finish the blanket as planned.  Saturday morning, I ran errands and went to some yarn stores.  I still need tons of the white yarn and picked up 4 more colors to help stretch the blanket back to the size I wanted.

Pretty new colors!!

So after seeing the new colors, I just started to make squares and over the weekend made 40 squares.  I think I may have over did it a bit because my middle and ring fingers on my right hand are sore and the joints are swollen.  I still have to weave in all of the ends but I really just wanted to get all of the colors done so I can move forward.

Lots of colors :)

In other news about this blanket, the original white I was using Color ID #025 was discontinued and I bought Color ID #101.  This yarn is just a bit more yellowed and you can tell a difference but there isn't much I can do to fix that.  This yarn company has a bad habit of discontinuing colors and replacing them with shades that are similar but different from the previous color.  It's really annoying for a commercial dyed yarn.

Anyway, that was my week.  Hope yours is going well.

For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

Check out my new meme Movie Madness Monday

<3 Heather

Finished Object Friday - Batman Square

I'm Batman!  No not really, I have been working on several super hero squares throughout the past year and I finished another one this weekend.  In the past, I made Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Superman.  This is the fourth in the series for a Justice League Blanket.

These squares play into my idea for a Justice League Blanket.  The blanket is made of 6 squares for super heroes, 6 solid color squares and 3 squares to represent The Big Bang Theory.  At this time, I have 3 solid color squares complete and was able to join 3 squares in the design.

The Blanket Design

While, I designed some of the previous squares, this one had an existing chart and so I dove in.  This square was relatively easy.  There were only two colors and I was able to carry the colors on the back for the most of the design. I flubbed around the ears and had to do some quick recalculating to make it all work.

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Batman!

I think this was easier than the Superman square but I needed some time to do other things before I was ready to work on this again.

Check out more Finished Objects at Tami's Amis!

<3 Heather

Ravelry Project Page

Pattern - Batman Logo Chart
Needles - Size 7/4.5 mm with 24 inch cables
Yarn - Comfort Solids & Heathers, in Primary Yellow, and Liquorice
Duration - 2 days
Size - 60 stitches by 60 stitches
Gauge - 5 stitches per inch

Maryland Sheep and Wool 2013

Hello all, I have been having a great week so far but really I think it's the left over yarn fumes from this weekend.

This past weekend, I was at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  This was my first year there and I had a blast.  I traveled with Samie from NotYourGramsAfghan and our friend Alyse from our knit night.  We are all about the same age and had a blast on the drive to and from Maryland listening to music and talking.  Seriously, I cannot not listen to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' Can't Hold Us without giggling.  I put my hands up every time they mentioned it in the car, even though I was driving.  Try not to smile or bounce your head while listening to these guys.

So I know what you're thinking...get to the yarn!  Okay okay, be prepared for picture overload.

Ooo the coveted bag!

So let me show you what's inside of the bag.

Look at all of the pretty yarn!

So I have plans for all of this.  I got 2 Color Affection kits from Miss Babs.  One is for a traditional Color Affection and the other is for Happy Street.  I also got the show colorway.

For Color Affection

For Happy Street

Show Color - Maryland 2013

DragonFly Fibers - Silver Fox

As for the rest of the yarn, most of the colors are neutrals to make stripey shawls with my stash.  I have plans for Cameo, Zeypher Cove, Cladonia, Mormorio, Twice Born, and Merging Ripples.

Cephalopod Yarns - Oleander Nymph

FiberOptic Yarns - Au Natural

Cephalopod Yarns - Pandorus Sphinx Caterpillar

I did however get yarn for Sundry.  I got 2 skeins of Bugga! from The Verdant Gryphon for that pattern.

Bugga! - Experimental Love Child

Bugga! - Longhorned Beetle

 I did get some lovely colors from Into the Whirled Yarn.  Seriously love the colors and the names are right up my speed.  I will impulse buy yarn based on the name.  Check these out.

Bigger on the Inside

Pamukkale

WIP Wednesday - It's a Hockey Night In Pittsburgh!

As a reminder, there is a giveaway going on so check out my Blogiversary Post for details.  Remember, the answers are in the blog so check out my old posts for the answers to the clues :)

Hello all, what a busy two weeks I have had.  Work is kinda crazy with a project going live and my class is a bit intense, but hockey is back!  I know that I am basically answering one of the questions for my Blogiversary (see big link above!) but I am just so happy to have hockey back on the air.

For those of you who may not know, the NHL was in a lockout due to contract re-negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).  As a fan, this stoppage was annoying and frustrating but it's over an the excitement is pretty awesome.    I don't know what it about hockey.  I love the speed and precision of 6 players flying around on the ice a mile a minute.  It's intense and always can turn on you at any moment.

As a result, I love the Penguins.  They are my favorite but I love the sport.  The rivalries are great and the players and owners are amazing and generous.  Let's Go Pens!

Image from Wikipedia

But the best thing about hockey, is hockey knitting.  Seriously, a huge driver of my knitting and crocheting throughout the year is to keep my hands busy while I watch the game. While watching the playoffs in 2008 and the following year 2009 I could feel my blood pressure go up and my anxiety build as the games got more intense.  So when I started to knit, I realized how a bit of distraction kept me from throwing my TV out the window.  As a result, a ton of knitted objects are completed.

So this weekend when the season started, I made sure my knitting was handy and got so much done as a result.  Let's check out the yarny goodness!

Sun and Stars Trillian

I am so pleased with how the colors are coming together!

So this is really starting to get big.  I am about half way to the finished size before I start the final border.  I am in love with this pattern.  Seriously a great knit while watching any sporting event.  You zip across with garter stitch and then a bit of pattern and you zip back.

Really what I love is the yarn.  I had been acquiring skeins of Wollmeise over the summer but hadn't found the guts to crack open the hank and use the yarn.  Really the skeins are beautiful just to look at.  So with this pattern I knew it was time try out the yarn.

I am so happy with it.  The colors are intense and not bleed into my skin or my needles like some other saturated colored yarn I have tried.  but the colors are just popping in their own special way, I particularly love the way the color pooled in the middle there.  I feel like it's a shooting star amid a sea of sun beams and starry night.  I just keep picking it up to see what will happen next.

Hue Shift Afghan

All the pretty hues!

While this has been playing second fiddle to the Trillian Shawl above, I did manage to get two more squares done to finish the pink row.  I think finishing the row is a great driver to keep going and I know I will need to cast on for the second set of squares soon after I get done with this set.  I really love how these five colors look and can't wait to get the blues and greens.

Sweet Azalea Blanket

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend!

Although the Trillian has been the star of my crafting show lately, this one has been playing a supporting role. I suspect it's more about the character than the looks perhaps?   This blanket is made with the lovely pashmina base from Madelinetosh and it is so soft and luxurious.

But really, when you combine wool, silk and cashmere what wouldn't be soft and luxurious!   So thanks to the amazing yarn, I keep working at this shawl.  I want to finish the first skein soon so I can gauge the size of the finished shawl.

Well that's it for this week.    For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

And Remember, It's a great day for hockey!!

<3 Heather

WIP Wednesday - Shifting Hues

Hello all, I had a great weekend.  Friday was low key but lovely as my family and I attended an All Soul's Day Mass.  They rang a bell and lit a candle for my Mother.  As expected it was challenging but it wasn't as hard as I anticipated.  Following that we went to dinner for an early birthday celebration for my Dad.

Saturday, we went to the casino and while I did not win anything my Dad won $200.  Beginners Luck :)

I had plans to get my Sock the Vote Socks done but that didn't happen, given all of those plans.

In other news, I am happy to be on the other side of elections now and no longer have to watch all of the political attack ads on TV.  While I am truly humbled by our right to vote and decide on the leaders of our country, states, and communities, those ads drive me bonkers.

Speaking of bonkers, I realized I have far to many projects going on right now but here is my update.

Hue Shift Afghan

Lots of ends to weave in.  :(

I managed keep up with my one a day goal and have 5 blocks finished and the 6th started.  I am pleased with how soft and smooshy the Stylecraft is working up and it doesn't squeak on the needles like some other acrylic does.

I have had a series of oopsies that have delayed my one a day progress.  I had to rip out the yellow and purple square because I miscounted and I had to throw in a life line and rip out most of the bright pink and purple square because I put the decrease in the wrong spot.  Let's hope those boo boos are behind me.

One thing this is helping is that I have to pick of stitches or cast on so it's abating my startits.  I get the rush of beginning something with every new square.

Overall, I think this is moving along well.  However, in the Knit A Longs and the forums, there are rumblings that the 100 grams of Brava may not be enough yarn for the whole blanket.  With Christmas coming up, I will work until I run out and then order again.

I can't believe I am saying this but I am glad my purple row is done because I got annoyed with seeing those stripes.  I can't wait to start the blues and greens.

STV Spiffy Iffy Peresphone's Return! Socks, Ohh Shapely Boyfriend, and  Justice League Filler Squares are stalled this week what with the allure of the Hue Shift Afghan.  I do plug away at a few rows of the Sweet Azalea Shawl and the Diagonal Lace Socks but no new photos to share. I need to work on that.

So wish me luck and hope that I can get out from under my WIP overload, how are you all fairing?

For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams   

<3 Heather

WIP Wednesday - Kryptonite

Hello all, as I was about to write "I have been quite busy lately" I realize that is more the normal than being bored or boring.  While I haven't done anything considered exciting, work and life keep me pretty busy.

I went home to my parent's (I still never know the proper noun to use now) house this weekend to visit with my Dad and Gram.  She has been staying with Dad for a 2 months now but it's weird to see someone else beside my mom around the house.

Anyway, Dad and I met up with my mom's best friend and her sister.  Aunt Becky and Aunt Francy are not  related but are as good as family.  My mom and Becky met each other since they were five.  She is super awesome and I always love hanging out with them.

Honestly I can attribute a huge portion of my Nerdiness to them.  Aunt Francy had me watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 and other science ficition shows as a child.  My favotite was when MST3000 did Gozilla vs Mothra!  Bring out the butter!

So between that and cleaning and sewing my weekend was pretty jam packed.

So following the weekending, I really cranked it into gear with my knitting.  Nerd Wars is on and I am determined to get a few things done each month.  In the mean time, I am also moonlighting as the team's blogger.  Check out my posts here.

Aside from being focused on some projects, I have to say that I am trying to get to bed earlier to get up earlier.  So far, not so good.  Ten, Eleven and Mid night come around and I am just so close to finishing my project that I just go a little bit more.  Crafting is really my Kryptonite.

So let's look at what's keeping me up late:

Superman Square

Will Superman save me from the Kryptonite?

After being ripped out once, I am really just ready to get this thing done.  I have some follow up work where there are gaps and holes but it's coming along.  I think it looks nicer in picture than in person but then again I see the holes that haven't tightened up yet.  This should be done tonight.

Diagonal Lace Socks 

Banana!

So this is my car project.  I have to go through a detour on my way home from work.  What is a 15-20 minute trek to work become 45 minutes on the way home thanks to a bridge backing up.  So I sit through a few lights and am at a complete stop between so I use the time to knit.  Now I wouldn't cast on in the car or do the gusset and heel but the foot and cuff sections are perfect.  To see what it looks like completed, here is the other sock.

Sock #1

So that's what has been my focus this week, what have you been up too?

For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams   

<3 Heather

Finished Object Friday - Gryffindor Knit Set

Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart!

My fellow knitters, I should have known.  Really I suspected but I was naive to the amount of Gryffindor spirit required to embark on a journey of House Color Coordinates.  I honestly thought if I worked on it a lot it wouldn't take too long.  I started at the beginning of March and just this week finished the entire set of Gryffindor items.  

The Finished Set

I made the scarf, hat and wristlets in stunning Burgundy and Gold for the daughter of my boss.  She was graduating high school and going to college and I initially thought to make the items in her new school colors but she wanted Gryffindor Burgandy and Gold.  I wanted to make these items as a reminder of a new adventure in college and to have a piece of Harry by her as she faces the triumphs and challenges of this new experience.  Needless to say, she is already at college but winter is coming and these are just in time.

As an avid Potter fan, I had always wanted to make a set but I myself identify with Hufflepuff.  I am honest and hard working and just want everyone to get along.  The Hufflepuff colors are black and gold and here in Western PA, those colors mean a different thing entirely (Let's Go Steelers!).  I wanted to make something iconic from the films and so making the Gryffindor Set for someone as deserving as Katherine was a treat.

So here are the different parts of the set,

The Gryffindor Scarf!

The scarf (and subsequent pieces) is modeled after the stripe pattern in the later movies particularly Movies 3 and 4.  I think it has a very adult feel and would work well for a college student.each section has 29 rows of K1P1 ribbing in burgundy followed by an 8 row stripe pattern. There are 14 sets of stripes and 15 burgundy sections which equal 547 rows of knitting.  To go further, each row has 60 stitches, totaling 32,820 stitches.  That all results in over 6 ft of yarn!

This was a beast in fact, knitting the end of it during August was a bit uncomfortable because the hot summer and the warm wool blend.  I got it down that in one knit night on Thursday (round 3 hours) I could get one section complete.

Fringe!

I made the fringe a combination of both the burgundy and the gold because I felt that it really set off the scarf nicely.

The Gryffindor Hat!

I really liked working on this hat (perhaps because it only took 2 weeks).  In the entire set, this was by far the most mindless.  Perhaps it was due to past experience with knitting hats or just the nice round after round of stockinette.  Unlike the scarf where I kept meticulous notes of rows and can then calculate the stitch count, this was more of a wingged effort.

I cast on 128 stitches which was more stitches that it called for to make a large and slouchy hat.  I worked the ribbing for 10 rows and then in stockinette until the body was 6 inches from the cast on edge.  I made the same 8 stitch patter and then did the written decreases after 8 inches from the CO edge.

The result is a lovely but modern version of the beanie from the movies.

The Gryffindor Wristlets!

The pattern was actually mittens but in the age of smart phones and touch screens, this would not be a practical item for our college bound grad.  Instead I modified the pattern and made fingerless wristlets.  I am so please with this pattern that it might be my go to for any fingerless wristlets going forward without the Harry Potter Pattern.

I have to say that when I initially looked at the pattern the thought of dropping off stitches onto scrap yarn and then picking them up again was a bit daunting but I think after socks nothing is unusual anymore.

I did however make a boo boo.  I made the first attempt but placed the increases on the thumb seam instead of the crease between the pointer finger and thumb.  When I went to make the second wristlet, I realized my mistake far to late.  I finished the wristlet and then cast on another one.  These in total took about 4 evenings of work.  Not bad considering the 45 hours needed for the scarf.

I plan on writing up my modifications on the rav page if you are interested in seeing where I deviated.

So there you have it.  My completed set, I am please as punch at the result and my boss (AKA Katherine's Mom) is so pleased with the result.  I am sure she will be too...hopefully I will get a picture!

Check out more Finished Objects at Tami's Amis!

<3 Heather

Now for the Details:

Ravelry Page - Hogwarts Scarf: - Gryffindor
Needles - Size 7/4.5 mm with 24 inch cables
Yarn - 
3.5 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 999 - Burnt Sienna
0.5 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 1014 - Butternut
Duration - 45 hours of Work
Pattern - House Scarves - Year-3-4 from Charmed Knits


Ravelry Page - Hogwarts Beanie - Gryffindor
Needles - Size 5/3.75 mm Double Pointed Needles
Yarn - 
0.88 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 999 - Burnt Sienna
0.05 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 1014 - Butternut
Duration - 45 hours of Work
Pattern - House Hats from Charmed Knits


Ravelry Page - Hogwarts Wristlets - Gryffindor
Needles - Size 5/3.75 mm double pointed needles
Yarn - 
0.62 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 999 - Burnt Sienna
0.05 Skeins of Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 1014 - Butternut
Duration - 45 hours of Work
Pattern - House Mittens from Charmed Knits

Color Me Tired

Hello all, honestly I meant to post this yesterday to talk about my awesome weekend but I was beat.  Life has been pretty busy.  I start back in school this week and already there is drama.  One of my required classes for degree completion is right in the middle of the day.  I tired to find a way to work around the time but unfortunately, that isn't going to work.  Now I have an inquiry to see if an independent study could work to replace the class requirement.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyway, this weekend I participated in the Color Me Rad 5K.  It wrapped around a part of the county fair grounds.  Now if your not familiar with the topography of Southwestern PA, it's quite hilly here due to the lowland from the Allegheny mountains and ravines from the rivers.  It makes for a lush green and rolling hill local but you can't escape the hills and these three miles were pretty hilly.

Needless to say, my behind was sore the rest of the weekend because have of the 5k was all uphill.  Granted the second half was back down hill but it was still brutal.

So why was this so great, because I felt like a kid again.  The whole point of the 5K, (aside from raising money for Ronald McDonald House Charities) was to get coated in dyed corn starch.

This was after the 5K, taken by my friend Steph

Don't I look beautiful!  I had a blast even though my toes and arm are still blue. I felt like a hand dyed skein of yarn and even I made sure to soak my shirt in vinegar to set the colors.

Given the hill climb, there were plenty of times that I wanted to quit but I just kept walking because I wanted to be covered with the next color.

So that was my weekend.  How was yours?  Was it as colorful?

<3 Heather

WIP Wednesday - Rockets Red Glare!

Happy Fourth of July! I love the Fourth, it reminds me of the picnics at my Great Grandmother's House.  My Aunt would chase me around with Super Soakers and there would a ton of food.  Granted we don't know how to have any sort of gather without a ton of food.  Has anyone ever noticed that the American holidays (July 4th and Thanksgiving) are all about the food?

Anyway this year is very subdued, since the holiday is in the middle of the week.   I am not going home for a picnic this year, instead I was supposed to go to the Pirates game and then stick around the city for the fireworks.  Alas, my plans have been thwarted by a migraine.

So we will see what the rest of the day brings.

As a bit of an update, I had a lovely birthday and it wasn't as bad as I worried about.

Now onto the yarny goodness that is WIP Wednesday!

Diagonal Lace Socks

These have gone to the back burner for the time being. I was working on them for Nerd Wars and the first month ended and I only got one sock done.  

First Sock almost Complete

I am still working on it and hope to finish the pair for the WIP challenge in August.

White Centered Granny Square Blanket
Well these have been a lovely diversion WIP and I had to try out all of the colors this week.  I just wanted to see how everything played together.  I do love these colors.

Don't they all look great!  I am so happy the colors worked out!

I also was able to measure the finished square with the white borders to get estimates for the finished blanket.  Now that I know the blocks are about 5" x 5" I realized that I needed more yarn so I bought more yarn.

Green Lantern Square

I started the next square in my Big Bang Theory/Justice League Series.  I cast on in late June but ripped it out because something didn't work right.  I then recast on in July and now it qualifies for Nerd Wars.  I am so happy with how it is turning out.  Check out how it's turning out!

Taken on Tuesday Morning!

Taken Today!

I should get this done this afternoon.  I am so pleased by how the pattern is working up.  I will share when everything is done.  The Flash is next!

Gryffindor Beanie

This is another one I started but ripped out and can use for Nerd Wars.  This is to go with the Gryffindor Scarf that I am working on.  As soon as the Green Lantern square is done this is next on the list.

So there you have it my WIPs for this week. I think I had a pretty productive week, how about you? For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

<3 Heather

WIP Wednesday - Seams and Cuffs

Hello again! I don't know where the weeks are going but here we are 1 day away from the start of summer and 2 days away from my Birthday and I haven't determined how I feel about that.

I don't know where my 20's are going but they sure are flying.  I remember that I couldn't wait to be 10 and in double digits and the wait to 16, 18 and 21 were annoying.  Now 30 is knocking on my door and it's scary.

Then of course this is the first birthday without my mom.  She would call me right at the minute that I was born every year to wish me a happy birthday.  It makes me smile just thinking about it.  My dad is taking me to dinner this weekend but it's hard without my mom.

Well then, enough of this melancholia it's WIP Wednesday and I have progress to show you!

LEGO Block Blanket

I made marked progress on the LEGO blanket.  I only have 1.5 seams left and just couldn't get to it last night to finish it up for today.  I want to get this done soon so it's not looming over my head, though I need to go back and swatch and test wash to make sure the colors don't run.  I like to wash baby blankets one time before I gift them and I don't want to destroy the colors and white borders.

Everything is really squaring up with the vertical seams

Diagonal Lace Socks

For the most part, the sock part of the first sock is done.  I am just working the pattern on the leg/cuff.  I really think 2 more pattern repeats will be enough.

The color got washed out in the picture.

They really are yellow but the color is washed out in the picture.  I didn't realize that the image was wrong until I uploaded it.  I will try and take another picture later on tonight and replace this one.

I do like that you can see that there is variation in the sock that isn't apparent on the image below.

This is closer to the real color

White Centered Granny Square Blanket

I picked these up again because I was a bit annoyed with the Diagonal Lace Socks and the heel.  (I am not to proficient at wrap and turns)  Anyway, I wanted to see how the edging looked on the squares and started to putz with the join method.  

I think the edging looks great and I like the whip stitch through the back look of the edging to join them.  What do you think.

I also did most of the end weaving too.

So I think I had a pretty productive week, how about you?  For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

<3 Heather

Finished Object Friday - Aquaman Square

Hello there! I finished the Aquaman Square at the end of May but didn't get to post until now.  The whole premise of super hero squares  for a blanket came about because I was watching an old episode of The Big Bang Theory TV show.

On the The Justice League Recombination (Episode 4.11) the gang go to a New Year''s Eve party at their local comic book store dressed as the Justice League of America.

So with the idea in mind, I checked the existing patterns and found a few that I could use (Batman and Superman) but needed patterns for Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and the Green Lantern. With Excel at the ready, I started to design some squares that would make a blanket.

I started with Aquaman because the lines were pretty straight forward.

Image from DC Comics, Aquaman Archive

I used the above image as inspiration for my square and even had the design vetted by my own local comic book store (Big Bang Comics and Collectibles)!

So now for the reveal!

Outrageous!

So what do you think? I hope to publish the charts when I (and my wonderful test knitters) are done with the first rounds to make sure the chart turns out the way I expect.

Check out more Finished Objects at Tami's Amis!

<3 Heather

Details:

Patten - My own (If you are interested in testing send me an email)
Needles - Size 7/4.5 mm with 24 inch cables
Yarn -  Comfort Solids & Heathers, in Liquorice, Kidz Orange, Primary Yellow and  Adirondack 
Duration - 1 Week
Size - 60 stitches by 60 stitches
Gauge - 5 stitches per inch