snippets and stash

Stash Mania!

2012-01-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends! I've been doing a "stash-free summer" the last few years. And it's actually been pretty successful. And those stash-free summers usually carry over into the remaining part of the year with very little additional stash accumulation. So from the end of May through the end of December, I usually make a pretty good dent using my current stash (you would think it would show more, but there you go.) But when my birthday rolls around in December, I'm usually jones-ing for something new (and it usually has to do with socks.)

Wrap birthday, sock yarn and sale all together and this is what you end up (courtesy of Webs)...

I've been researching sock-yarn-clubs (where you get a skein of specially hand-dyed sock yarn and an exclusive pattern and sometimes a few extra little trinkets show up in your mailbox every other month.) But you know, forking over $240+ for 6 skeins of yarn is not in my budget. And what if I don't like the colorway that shows up? I figure I can spend a lot less and get a little more bang for my buck by doing my own little sock-club. Heck, I already own almost every sock pattern book published not to mention the 100's of free patterns out there.

So here is the first installment of "staci's frugal sock yarn club". Whoops...how'd that red yarn for a skirt get in there??? I have yarn for 4 pairs of socks and a skirt at a fraction of 4 shipments from a club. In fact, it cost less than 2 shipments. (And no, I'm not going to be doing this every other month, LOL!!!)

The last of my stash I have to share today is this gorgeous hand-dyed thread I won from Nancy of Victorian Motto. I first purchased thread from Nancy back in 2008 and her thread is wonderful to work with. You many remember that my rooster is stitched with one of Nancy's reds. She's currently having another floss giveaway on her blog so you better head over for a chance! Thank you so much Nancy!!!

My friend Wendy Jo's birthday was yesterday and I knit her a pair of plain picot socks and included a collectors edition Whitman's tin I found at the holidays. We never get the Whitman's tins around here so you have to believe I snatched some of those babies up, lol!!! Happy Birthday dear friend!!!

Well goodness, that was quite a lot of stuff! Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments. Happy Friday the 13th...Make it a Great One!!!

Isobel

2012-01-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Dear Friends! How about those Broncos?!?! Ok, I just had to throw that in, because...well, that win was pretty darn awesome!

I wore Chantelle the other day, and it reminded me how comfortable my knit skirts are. It was just the incentive I needed to pull out Isobel and get her done now that all my "deadline" knitting is done...

I am so pleased with how it turned out! The yarn became so amazingly soft after blocking too.

Isobel Skirt

Interweave Knits, winter 2010

yarn: Takhi Yarns Milano

needles: sz5 and sz7

(you can find my modifications here)

Next up is going to be this Noro yarn that I bought a year or so ago. Hopefully it'll turn out to be this :)

And that's about all that's goin' on in my neck of the woods today. Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments. Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Loose Ends

2011-12-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It's hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone. Our decorations have been packed away and the house returned to "normal". After 4 weeks of having our halls decked, I'm always ready for things to be cleaned up and out to usher in the new year.

I decided at the last minute to knit Hubby some Christmas socks. And I was able to get two pairs done in the week before Christmas. I'm so lucky that his favorite type of socks knit up so quickly. A sock-a-day, literally!

Candide Ragg Boot Socks

yarn: Bernat Denim Style, Indigo

215 yds

needles: sz 8

sz: men's med

Candide Ragg Boot Socks

yarn: misc worsted wt wool, Grey and Creme

approx 220 yds

needles: sz 8

sz: men's med

I received a lovely box of goodies from my dear friend Wendy Jo. For my birthday she sent me a beautiful matching tissue holder and key fob which I put in my purse immediately (after the pic!) And for my Christmas gift she sent me some fabulous hand scrubs she made and a darling cushion she stitched filled with crushed walnuts. I think the cushion is the perfect size and weight to hold my knitting books open to my pattern page while I'm working :) Thank you so much Wendy Jo for your kind friendship!

And this little goodie arrived from sweet Michele W. We share many of the same ~~weaknesses~~ likes. And what could be cuter than this little Demi-Starbucks mug pincushion??? Thank you so much Michele for always being so thoughtful!

I've been spending my post-Christmas time trying to figure this out...

Knitting on this...

And filling in this...

Thank you for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your kind comments! Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine for your final week of 2011!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

2011-12-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends! 6 more days til Christmas, it's truly upon us isn't it? Wendy Jo has received the ornament I made her. I first came across this pattern on someone else's blog and had to hunt it down. I think it's so darn cute~~I had a good chuckle at the part where mr. whitey snowman has both carrots stuck in his head, lol. No, it doesn't take much to amuse me, why do you ask???

A chenille bow and hanger and some of my mini-rusty bells.

Snowmen Photobooth

Bent Creek

32ct linen (included)

fibers: WDW, GAST, DMC

Some flannel for the back.

A last minute Picholine gift for a friend of Oldest's. (It only takes a couple hours to knit one of these up!)

And another little sweater for an ornament exchange! I think that makes 5 of these little sweaters this year.

Well, my dear friends. That kind of wraps up things around here. We're expecting a few flakes today, which I'm actually looking forward to! There is grocery shopping to be done today. And some cookie baking later this week. And much wrapping to be done in the wee hours before Christmas morn.

Thank you for visiting me here. I'm wishing each of you a Wonderful and Joyous Christmas, and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year! May your Holidays be Happy and your Hearts be Full!

Aaahhh!

2011-12-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Much better! Thank you all for you kind comments and get well wishes...I'm feeling back to normal today :)

Got the socks for Youngest done. I swear I'm not playing favorites, he's the only one of the Kiddos who wears handknit socks daily. The other two only wear them occasionally (not sure what the occasion has to be, but...) And, since his socks are the same size as mine...I figure next winter they'll be in my drawer, lol!

60st basic stockinette socks

Zwerger Garn Opal Zirkus/Circus

(gifted to me by Margaret clear back in 2008!)

2.5mm dpns

Because I finished those socks, I was able to cast on some new ones (for me of course!) And these just seem to be zipping along (but maybe that's because I'm no longer in an achy, hazy fog.)

I saw these in the store this week and couldn't help myself. I just got done telling Hubby last week that I am a total sucker for stuff with retro/vintage packaging :)

And finally, thank you everyone for leaving a comment on my giveaway post, I really wish I could send you each a little something. Drumroll please! The Random Number Generator picked #42:

Tea at Weasel's said...

Hi there! What a gorgeous blog you have here. Thank you for the kind comment you left on my post today :)
I would love to enter your givaway if you don't mind? The little jumper is just too cute!!
My email address is graytrips@hotmail.co.uk

Hope you are having a fab weekend,
Louise xx

Thank you everyone for stopping by my neck of the woods...your visits brighten my day! Happy Friday!

Random

2011-12-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

A totally random post, just because. I've been feeling pretty crappy since Sunday. I hardly ever get sick, which must be something short of a miracle with three kiddos. I'm c-o-l-d (not chills, just cold). And my head hurts so that it makes my eyeballs and my jaw and my neck hurt too. Oddly, there are hours or parts of the day where I feel pretty good and think I'm over it (like when I cleaned the bathrooms yesterday morning, or sat through Middle's Christmas Band Concert Monday night.) I've been self-medicating with Tylenol and OJ and my hot water bottle. I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow...

Meatball Tortellini soup. One of Hubby's faves.
*recipe* below.

These socks should be done by now. And I'm really annoyed that they're taking so long. 6 days so far for plain socks. I blame it on feeling crappy.

*Meatball Tortellini Soup* (this makes a lot, you can easily halve it)

32 oz frozen meatballs
19 oz frozen cheese tortellini
10-12 oz frozen green beans
10-12 oz frozen sweet peas
34 oz jar spaghetti sauce
3- 14 oz cans beef broth
dried basil, 2-3Tbsp
garlic powder, 2-3Tbsp
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 bay leaves

I put everything but the tortellini in a big pot and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for approx 1 hour.

Add frozen tortellini and bring back to simmer for 30 minutes or until tortellini are done, stirring occasionally to keep tortellini from sticking.

Serve with fresh grated parmesan and garlic bread!

And don't forget, you still have time to enter my giveaway if you haven't done so yet!

Tis the Season!

2011-12-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

For making Merry!

We decked our halls last Saturday.

After Black-Friday shopping and

Anniversary lunching.

After being very ThankFULL.

The ornaments I've managed to finish for our tree this year...

Because they're all "mom's favorite"...

A little glimpse of the happy chaos that is our tree...

Outside our front door...

Cozy afternoon knitting...

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for stopping by my (snowy) neck of the woods...

and don't forget to enter my holiday giveaway :)

Time!!!

2011-12-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends!

It's that time of year...
Time to say a big Thank-You for visiting me here...
Time to share a bit of Christmas Cheer...

Time for my annual Final Giveaway!!!

I have a lot of fun deciding on the ornament each year.
And this year it's one of the little sweater ornies :)

I LOVE this sequined yarn...

isn't it festive?

And of course,

there has to be other goodies too!

A handknit cotton dishcloth to help clean up after all the baking.

Two darling little melamine plates for your Christmas treats.

Handy little spools of colorful thread.

And some cute patterned cardboard bobbins.

(Not only useful for embroidery floss,

but they'd be awfully cute with a few yards of yarn wrapped around for repairs to include with handknitted gifts.)

So here's the drill:

Busy, Busy!

2011-12-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Hello My Lovelies! My how time does fly! The Kiddos and Hubby were off all of Thanksgiving week and we've been very busy and my usual routines have been turned upside down, so things are really piling up blogging-wise ;)

My needles have been busy clicking away! A pair of socks for me...

See the sparkles???

A pair of socks for Youngest...

I've been having the most fun knitting sweaters from leftover sock yarn for the tree!!!

Hubby even fashioned some miniature "hangers" out of paperclips...

Hubby and I also celebrated our 19th Anniversary the day after Thanksgiving. And my dear friend Wendy Jo remembered our day with this sweet card and beautiful bracelet. Thank you so much Wendy Jo for being such a thoughtful and generous friend!

There is actually more left to share with you, but I'll leave it for another day :) All the knitty details can be found on my Ravelry page.

Thanks for stopping by my snowy neck of the woods! Happy December!!!

Seven Days

2011-11-20T08:47:00.002-07:00

Joining Jacquie, the Barefoot Crofter, and sharing a photo from each day of my past week.

Pulled my cutting boards out of the cabinet.

This is so much more convenient since I use them so much.

Chili in the crockpot.

With some of the last of the fresh tomatoes from our garden.

(We picked all the green ones back in Oct and they've been slowly ripening over the past month.)

**recipe below**

Deep cleaning the house.

The only thing that gets me through it,

is knowing how good the house looks and feels afterwards.

Cuties!!!

We love 'em!

My new candle~~Apple Cinnamon.

Sadly, not much knitting happened this week.

Asparagus...one of our favorites.

Roasted in the oven with olive oil, coarse sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and plenty of minced garlic.

A mural I quickly snapped as we drove by.

At first glance, that guy looks real :)

**My go-to Chili**

This is less of a recipe and more of a guideline as I just throw it together.

-1 - 1 1/2 lbs ground beef; browned and drained

-1 lb dry pinto beans; cooked and drained (I cook these in the crock pot overnight and then drain them in the morning and throw the rest of the chili ingredients in because beans take so long to cook here.)

-1 14.5 oz can diced stewed tomatoes; undrained (or use approx 1-2 cups fresh diced if you have them on hand)

-1 green bell pepper; roughly chopped

-1 medium onion; roughly chopped

-1 jalapeno pepper; chopped

-2qts tomato juice

-chili powder; I never measure, but it's probably around 1/8-1/4 cup

-ground cumin; I never measure, but it's probably 2-3 Tbsp

-garlic powder; again I never measure, but probably around 4-5 Tbsp

-salt; to taste

Combine all ingredients. You can use a crockpot on low and forget about it. Or you can use a pot and let it simmer for at least 2 hours before serving. Chili is always better the longer you let the flavors blend.

Oldest thinks it's a travesty if we have chili without cornbread. So we do. And shredded cheese. And I usually chop fresh onions and jalapenos too. Sometimes we have Fritos with it.

This freezes really well. And the leftovers are great for chili dogs too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

It's that time of year...

2011-11-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends! It's that time of year already, the time when gift-making is underway in my little world. The days seem to pass extra fast, bringing the holidays ever-quicker. Does it feel that way to you too? I love making gifts. I love the "slowness" of it in our hurry-scurry world. But, admittedly, there is a ticking timeline that adds some pressure to the process. So I've decided to pare down my annual Handmade-Holiday-Gift-List this year.

Waffle Knit Dishcloths

by Homespun Living

Peaches and Cream in ecru and red

sz 7 needles

The mitts I made for the teachers a few years ago were such a big hit, that I decided to make a pair for Youngest's teacher this year...

Those Mitts

by A Friend to Knit With

Alpaca Natural Blends by Bernat in Wheat

sz 7 needles

(cast on 36st instead of 40)

Well that does it for me today. Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments. Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Finished Knits

2011-11-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

That I've been slow to blog about. They're piling up behind the scenes...at least the photos are. The knits themselves are already in use. All details can be found on my Ravelry page...'cuz sometimes, I'm lazy like that ;)

Woodland Knee Highs

Palindrome

Irish Wellington Socks

Nantucket Throw

Chunkeanie

Picholine

Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments, I sure appreciate it! Hope your week is off to a fantastic start...Happy Monday!

Seven Days, again

2011-11-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

Joining Jacquie, the Barefoot Crofter,

and sharing a snapshot from each day of this past week.

Middle brushing Dobby.

Such a happy dog!

A little French-American cooking for the Kiddos lunches, lol :)

New mitts for me!

Those mitts by Leslie,

this time I made the finger part a half inch longer.

Love that extra bit of coverage.

I don't often drink hot cocoa.

Nor do I usually have whipped cream.

But what a yummy treat this was!

My little lopsided turkey made by Youngest.

I can't help smiling at it.

Salad.

With croutons made from leftover bagels.

Our football team showing the way.

Quarterfinal winners!

On to the Semi-Finals!

Thanks for taking a peek at my week!

Sailing Santa

2011-11-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends! I have an honest-to-goodness, for-real cross stitch finish today! I'm sure many of you thought I had lost my stitching needles, and no wonder since I haven't touched them in 9 months! But unbelievably, I haven't lost them...I even remembered how to count and everything, lol :)

Santa Rides

The Prairie Schooler

book no. 47

32ct lambswool linen

recommended DMC

AND, I did some stitching over the weekend! Thank you Sharon for designing this cutie!

Snow Hop

by Daffycat

28ct "staci-dyed" linen

DMC

I also finished stitching up this little turkey...

Thankful freebie

by primitivebettys

28ct "staci-dyed" linen

DMC 3371

Well! That sums things up for me today! Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods. I hope your week is off to a great start, Happy Monday!

Seven Days

2011-11-05T08:02:00.000-06:00

This is my third week joining Jacquie, the Barefoot Crofter,

I'm really enjoying finding a little something to photograph each day of the week :)

On the way home after work,

the boys and I stopped for a donut treat.

This house is always decked out for Halloween.

LOVE that old car with those skeletons!

Homemade salsa...mmmmm!

On the way to the post office after dropping Middle off at school.

Our latest snow, 7.5".

Almost gone now.

Started this ornie last Feb?!

This is exactly how I left it, with about 20 stitches left to do.

A project that I had barely started last year before I tucked it away.

New boots for the boys.

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments!

Grab Your Hat!

2011-11-01T16:22:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! I've been on a hat-knitting binge...6 hats in 7 days. Oh my how I love instant gratification FO's!!! And to really top it off, I was able to pair stash yarns with patterns off of Ravelry :)

For Oldest...

Scoops!

by Ashley Solley

needles: sz 10

yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Black, Dk Grey Mix and Aran

Cascade 220 #8401

For Youngest...

The Elusive Gentleman

by Alexandra Tinsley

needles: sz 8

yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease in Ranch Red,

Vanna's Choice in White

For Middle...

A Hat Fit For A Boyfriend

by Stephanie Nicole

needles: sz 9

yarn: Rowan Cork #036

For Hubby...

Bus Hat

by Kylie McDonnell-Wade

needles: sz 10

yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool

& misc sport wt wool

(one strand of each held together throughout)

For Hubby...

Men's Striped Hat and Scarf

from the book Holiday Knits

needles: sz 9

yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease in Oxford Grey

For Hubby...

exactly the same as Middle's

There's more snow in tonight/tomorrow's forecast. 5-10 inches. So it's a good thing I've got everyone's head covered! The only remnants remaining of last week's snow is broken tree branches (and trees.) The kids have even worn shorts for a couple days since then. Gosh, I love Colorado weather...always changing, always different!

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments!

PS. Oldest makes the pom-poms. I really think she makes the best ones I've ever seen :)

Seven Days

2011-10-29T21:24:00.000-06:00

Joining Jacquie, the Barefoot Crofter,

and sharing a snapshot from each day of my past week.

S'more Brownies for the middle school

end-of-season cross-country celebration.

80 degrees...

on October 24th.

Finished socks for Middle.

10 inches of snow...

on October 26th.

Lots of sunshine and melting.

A trio of hats for Hubby.

I love how fast they knit up!

Carved pumpkin contestants at the

Halloween parade.

Great weather, fun costumes, cute kids,

high school band and candy!

Thanks for taking a peek at my week!

Seven Days

2011-10-22T20:58:00.000-06:00

Joining Jacquie, the Barefoot Crofter,

and sharing a picture from each day of the past week.

Waiting for the Kiddos to come home from school.

Hot cocoa, sock knitting, and a stack of just-laundered napkins.

A cup of tea and contemplating more mitts.

Golden afternoon light.

At Middle's final cross-country meet of the season.

Our pumpkin carving tools we use every year.

Washed and ready to be packed away 'til next year.

Fingerless mitts for Hubby.

I didn't think he'd be interested in them,

but he's so pleased,

that it makes me feel bad I didn't make him some sooner.

For taco burgers.

(You know, just taco meat and cheese, etc on hamburger buns.)

Spooktacular!

So much fun lighting the pumpkins up for the very first time.

Middle and Youngest always seem to be in pajamas for this :)

The Fourth

2011-10-19T07:57:00.003-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! I have quite a few knitty finishes that need blogging, but the one I'm going to show you today happens to be my most recent (this past weekend) one. It's a skirt I started last spring. You may remember I mentioned it here. The skirt itself knitted up quickly and I enjoyed it immensely. I fell in love with the yarn the more I knit...so soft and lovin' that muted mustard-y yellow with it's flecks of black and cream. Then I blocked it. And it grew 4 extra inches in width. Which made me pretty unhappy since I had to figure out a Plan B.

But before I could worry about Plan B, I had to knit the lace-edging that peeks out at the hemline. And it was fiddly knitting. Lace knitting where the needles want to slip out every single stitch. And I had a terrible time concentrating and keeping track of where I was...and there was a whole lot of tinking (knitting backwards) and possibly swearing. And I really did consider that it would look Just Fine Without That Blasted Lace! But I was saved by summer! No need for an alpaca/wool skirt in the summer, so I set the whole thing aside with a clear conscience and moved on to lots of other knitting projects :)

But then of course, summer came to an end. And I could no longer ignore something that was sooo close to being finished. My brain and my hands and the pattern and needles and yarn were all on the same wavelength this time around, as I was able to knit the rest of the edging without any major mishaps. And all the time while I was knitting and blocking the edging, and while I sewed up the side seam and sewed on the buttons, I was thinking of what to do about the waist. I have elastic and thought that was the route I should go as it really seemed to be the best idea. And on a whim, I decided to crochet a single chain and thread it through the waistband and see if it worked as well for this skirt as it has my others.

And you know what? It works just fine :) This is one of my absolute favorite knitting finishes.

Chelsea Skirt by

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

raveled here

Jennifer asked about the red pincushion in my last post. The design is A Needleworker's Pocket by With My Needle from the 2003 JCS Christmas Ornaments issue.

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments. Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Mended

2011-10-17T12:01:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! Today I tackled one of the most dreaded of all my household chores...mending.

I love those little cheap-y bobbins with just a few yards of thread. I love that you can get dozens of them in a kaleidescope of colors for just a few dollars. It means that I almost always have a near-perfect color-match. It makes the dreadful mending that much easier :)

One lone pair of pants left in the bottom of my basket. I think they may need the hem taken up, which I need to wait for Oldest to come home to make sure. And of course, it's most helpful that she be here so that they end up the correct length if that's what's needed. Hemming. The most dreadful of the dreaded mending!

Ahhh! But such satisfaction with my pile of finished mending. Clothing that's now wearable again and no longer wasting space in my basket!

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods! Happy Monday!

It's all good

2011-10-14T15:25:00.000-06:00

A no-school-day Friday.

X-Factor on demand.

Rachel Crow is the granddaughter of longtime family friends,

so of course we're rooting for her.

Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea.

Been drinking more now that the weather's cooling.

At least in the mornings and evenings.

It's still unseasonably warm during the day.

Marigolds from the garden.

I hate the smell of them.

But they're so bright and cheery,

that it seemed wasteful to leave them in the garden since we've picked all the produce.

A woolly sock in tweedy, masculine colors.

Middle says he'll wear them.

I hope so since his feet are bigger than mine and the knitting takes longer.

But you know, it's all good :)

A Busy Fall

2011-10-10T07:53:00.001-06:00

Hello dear friends! Yesterday was spent putting away some of the fall decor in order to make room for the Halloween stuff. And I'm also in the midst of my usual fall decluttering. Sorting through everyone's winter clothing. Cleaning out unnecessary kitchen stuff. Getting rid of tired trinkets and gadgets. Whittling down my stitching and knitting stashes.

And I've been doing a pretty good job of it so far. Three days in a row, I donated several boxes and bags to my favorite local thrift store. The first day I didn't go in to the store itself; just dropped my donations off. The second day I decided I'd pop in and take a quick look...

And look what I found! A pair of red mary-jane's have been high on my want list for quite a while. And from the looks of the soles, I don't think these have ever been worn...Score!!!

And also in my size, were these waterproof Timberland boots that might possibly have been worn once. For some reason, one of the laces was missing but I happened to have a pair of brand new boot laces in the closet, and I think they work just fine.

I didn't find this mug in the thrift store. But I could hardly pass it up since 1971 is the year I was born :) Yes, that's right dear friends, I will be turning the big 4-0 in just a couple months.

I so love that little bit of empty space created by de-cluttering...even if I have to look around the other stuff that's still around, lol! And I love my new-found treasures...made extra-special by the thrill of the hunt and the unexpectedness of the find :)

Well dear friends, thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments. I'm afraid I owe several of you an email and much overdue visits to your blogs as well. Things have been crazier than usual around here the last few weeks...for example our weekend consisted of; all three kids having school projects, a cross country meet in the wind and rain, a water pump being replaced on Oldest's car (which translated into transporting Oldest everywhere she needed to be All Weekend Long), a few hours of work yesterday, picking all the green tomatoes (like 10lbs worth) and the last of the peppers and pulling all the plants in the garden, a few errands, and a little cleaning and decorating! But softball and cross-country will be over in a couple more weeks and I think things should settle down to a more reasonable pace for the winter months.

Until next time, sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Autumn Knits

2011-09-30T07:34:00.001-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! Lack of blogging has become quite a theme around here, lol. Perhaps after 3+ years my blog and it's content and focus needs a revamp :)

I finished this sweater on the first of September. When summer begins to wind down and autumn begins to beckon, my head fills with romantic ideas of cable-y handknit sweaters, cozy scarves and woolly socks.

Brigid Jacket;

Vintage Modern Knits

My hubby made the buttons out of Linden, aren't they fab? I love them so! And I really love the way this sweater turned out. It's lightweight, warm and comfy. And it's neutral color makes it a versatile wardrobe staple.

Even though the nights are getting chilly, our days continue to be unusually warm bordering on hot. So no chances to wear any of my woolly knee-highs yet...but that doesn't stop me from knitting them!!! I had plenty of leftover wool from Brigid for these...

Wellington Boot Socks by

Madeline Weston,

Country Weekend Socks

See my bargain wellie-wanna-be's from Target ($12!) Now I just hope I don't look like a dork when I wear them, lol!!!

Well, my dear friends, that wraps things up for me today. Thanks for taking the time to stop by my neck of the woods. Till next time, sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Fall Neckwear

2011-09-09T08:45:00.001-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! Thank you all so much for your warm comments, they really put the fun in blogging :) I may have mentioned before that fall weather says "knit new scarves". At least it does to me. Or at least, that's the knitty excuse I use.

I am totally in love with this one, it was such a fun knit. It's long and cozy and the color is rich and jewel-toned...and I adore the pattern and how it makes scallops along the edges and the ends are scallop-y points! All without being too frilly or fancy.

Candle Flame Scarf

by Chauntel Andreasen

freebie found here

needles: sz 8

yarn: Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted

color: Northern Lights

2 skeins: 200yds/100g each

81" x 7.5" after blocking

And I love this one too, even though it was a total bore to knit. It's wide enough to be a wrap, but also light enough to be thrown around the neck like a big fluffy scarf. I tried several patterns, but none worked with the yarn~~either the pattern was lost in all the colors or the colors pooled horribly. So I finally cast on 50 stitches and knit the whole thing in garter stitch...which magically caused these beautiful stripes.

Garter Shawl

cast on 50 stitches and just knit 'til you can't take it anymore

needles: sz 9

yarn: Brooks Farm 100% Kid Mohair

1 skein: 500yds

83" x 15" after blocking

Well my friends, that's all from me today. I hope that you are experiencing some lovely fall weather in your neck of the woods. As always, sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Strictly Socks

2011-09-06T08:16:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! It's been a while, hasn't it? I never really meant to stop blogging, but it just sort of happened in that "life is busy, but in a good way" sort of way. And then I haven't updated because there is a mountain of stuff to catch up on. I still knit every day, but I feel less need to blog about it. Perhaps you've felt that way before? And I went through a serious clean-out and orginization of the xstitch and knitting patterns....I mean honestly, will I really live long enough to make it through the eleventy-billion patterns I kept?

As today's title implies, this post is strictly the socks I've completed since I last blogged. There are non-sock knitty finishes in the blogging wings. But I always feel a little lost if my sock needles are empty...

Because I'm being totally lazy, you can find all the details on my Ravelry page :) Thank you as always, for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments...they always make my day :)

Hot off the Needles!

2011-07-18T21:45:00.001-06:00

And straight into the Snippets Shop!

Cheery dishcloths for all your kitchen needs :)

So far this month...

2011-07-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

*the boys rescued a baby bird
*we went to the mountains for a picnic and hike
*watched fireworks and ate s'mores
*took Oldest for her yearly physical and got kinda sad that she's outgrowing her pediatrician
*picked the first jalapenos from our garden and made salsa
*we got rained out of the same softball game two days in a row
*went to a cookout with some out of town relatives of Hubby's
*Middle got bitten by a dog while riding his bike resulting in a trip to the ER
*dog-sat a 3-month old Chihuahua named Chloe
*had a garage sale
*saw the final Harry Potter movie
*finally finished that softball game
*picked 2 cherry tomatoes, 1 yellow tomato and 1 zucchini from the garden
*watching the Tour de France
***Wonder what the other half of July has in store, lol!!!

Oh yeah, I finished some socks~~two pairs in fact!

Simple Textured Socks by Kay Redding

free pattern found here

size: women's med

needles: sz 2.5mm dpn's

yarn: Ty-Dy Socks by Knit One Crochet Too,

color #1518

1 skein: 100g/436yds

(and what a happy chance that they ended up matching almost perfectly just by knitting them straight off the skein!)

Winterscape Socks by Kay Redding

free pattern found here

size: women's med

needles: sz 2.25mm dpn's

yarn: Bamboo & Ewe by Jo-Ann Sensations,

color Red

2 skeins: 262yds/60g

I received this darling prim Liberty pillow from my dear friend Wendy Jo...it's such a wonderful addition to my Americana decor. She also included a sweet pin-cushion filled with crushed walnut shells too. Thank you so much Wendy Jo for your beautiful and thoughtful gifts, I love them!!!

I was also lucky enough to win this cute chart from Melanie. Now to find some stitching mojo because this sure would be cute to have displayed this fall! Thank you so much for your kindness Melanie!!!

And that, my dear friends, wraps everything up in my neck of the woods. I hope you are having a wonderful July too!

Knitting Frenzy

2011-06-29T11:13:00.000-06:00

Still knitting...A Lot.
The goal of making a substantial dent in my yarn stash is fueling my knitting frenzy.
And Ravelry is to blame too.
Case in point: this wrap.
I never wanted to make it.
Until I saw a finished one on Rav.
Oh yeah.
Ravelry is just a synonym for Enable.

Turns out this wrap is fabulous.

Nice mindless knitting (perfect for summertime and watching baseball.)

I can see myself wearing it...A Lot

(unlike some of the knitting, though wonderful and I'm pleased with, I just don't wear it much.

Surely, you can relate?!)

I wanted this to be wider than the pattern

and to also have a deeper ruffle.

You can find all the details here.

I had a sudden deep, fierce desire for cozy, over-the-knee socks to wear with my boots and short skirts this coming fall/winter.

(Thank you again Ravelry.)

Nothing like deciding this as we are now reaching 90deg temps.

You can find the cliff notes over here...

Did you catch that?

I'm trying to get you hooked on Rav too?

Still Not Blogging Enough

2011-06-22T08:06:00.000-06:00

I've definitely been blogging more this past month, but I still have several finishes to catch up on (which is so much better than having to find something to blog about!)

First up, my new favorite shawl. I think each new finish is my favorite...at least 'til the next one's done! But I really, really love the way this turned out. Love the way it hangs and drapes. Love how squishy and cozy it is. Love the color too.

Mara by Madelinetosh

pattern found here

needles: size 8

yarn: Country by Caron, Ocean Spray

3 skeins: 85g/185yds each

I really wanted to keep the other Sunday Market Shawls, but I had two skeins of this sweet yellow in my stash to make one for myself. For some reason, even though I've never really been drawn to yellow, I am wanting to knit lots of yellow things.

Sunday Market Shawl by Vanessa Carter

pattern found here

needles: size 10

yarn: Country by Caron, Soft Sunshine

2 skeins: 85g/185yds each

And here's a cowl I knit several months back. Love the color and I think I'll wear it quite a bit during the colder months.....but I found this an unusually tedious knit, so it's much narrower than the pattern because I just wanted to be done with it.

Twisted Rib Neckwarmer by Michelle

pattern found here

needles: size 7

yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, color #SH146

1 skein: 50g/191yds

And the second best thing about having 3 great finishes.....they were all from stash yarn!!! Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments!!! Have a great one!

Stuff

2011-06-17T08:40:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends. As we can see, I'm lacking for a clever title (as usual.) I'm stating the obvious...I have stuff to share.

The other gift shawls arrived in time for a couple of special birthdays and I'm happy to say that both recipients were surprised and pleased :)

These two shawls have now arrived at their respective homes. Gifts that were "just because". No special reason except that they are both treasured friends (who happen to share my love for red!)

Ventura Wrap by Rebecca Hill

freebie found here

needles: sz 11

yarn: Country by Caron, Claret

1.5 skeins each

I stopped in the thrift store the other day and found this cute skirt! I LOVE that embroidery! (Click on the pic for a closer peek.) And that ribbon at the waistband! And I found a shirt to go with it too. All for a whopping $6. Can't beat that for a cute breezy summer outfit :) Makes me want to hit the thrift store again today, lol ;)

And I know I'm a few days late, but the winner of the Leafy Washcloths is~~Barbara at Mainely Stitching! Congrats Barbara (email coming) and thank you everyone for visiting!

It's Friday...Have a Great One!!!

Leafy Giveaway!

2011-06-12T00:17:00.000-06:00

Remember???

I said they were fun.

And fast.

And that there'd be more.

Wouldn't you enjoy using these leafy

washcloths/dishcloths?

Leafy!

2011-06-11T07:28:00.000-06:00

Cute ~ Fun ~ Fast ~ Easy.
Not much yarn.

Not much time.

The first of many more, I'm sure...

Leafy Washcloth by Megan Goodacre

pattern found here

needles: size 8

yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream, Hot Green

Each washcloth used 20g.

Finished measurements after blocking,

7" x 9 1/2".

Everyday Delight~~Summertime

2011-06-09T07:54:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends and welcome to another Everyday Delights. I hope you enjoy these posts as much as I do. They make me look at my little world and pause to enjoy all the little things around me that I often overlook or take for granted. It really is the small things in life that should be treasured because they're everywhere.

1. Picnic baskets. There's something so quaint about using them for a picnic lunch or jaunt to the park.

2. Books from the Used Book Emporium. Don't you just love that name? They have the old, creaky wood floors that seem a perfect backdrop for perusing the shelves. We take our old books there for trade credit and never leave empty-handed :)

3. Iced coffee. Summer is the only time of year that I drink them. They seem made just for hot afternoons :)

4. A couple of months ago, I noticed this old picture on the wall of the restroom(!) where I sometimes stop for coffee. It looked so very familiar to me (and not because it's probably in our little museum.) I told my husband that I was sure his grandma was in the pic. This past week, I stopped in for a coffee and snapped a picture to show hubby. Sure enough, hubby's grandma is in the bottom group of girls, second from the right. An old photo of the girl's basketball team.

5. YOU. For visiting my neck of the woods...and for your sweet comments and encouragements :)

2nd Time Around

2011-06-05T08:04:00.000-06:00

I've knit another Andrea.

Do you remember the first one?

And how much I love it?

I love this one even more...

I went up a needle size so it would be a little bigger and a little more drapey.

It turned out exactly the way I'd hoped.

I love it when that happens!!!

Andrea's Shawl by

Kirsten Kapur/Through the Loops

Pattern found here

size: S

yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Plum Heather

and Cascade 220 Heathers

needles: size 8

finished size: 47"W x 23 1/2"H

Hmmm.

I think I need a large one now.

To really wrap around myself.

Would that be too excessive?

Or obsessive?

To knit a third Andrea???

Everyday Delight~~the "I can't believe it's June 1st" edition

2011-06-01T05:57:00.000-06:00

Hello Dear Friends! And welcome to another Everyday Delights post :)

1. A new candle in the living room. I love when the old candle is finished and I can light a new one...the flame is so bright and the jar so shiny :) I usually tend toward cinammony-y fragrances during the colder months, so this Vanilla Berry is a sweet summery change.

2. A new sock project. Need I say more? I actually started this because I needed a small project while waiting for Youngest at the dentist

3. MUCH NEEDED new napkins. Our old ones have been in service for over 3 years...I'm sure you can imagine the sort of shape they were in from daily use (add in 2 very messy boys.) I've been pricing new cloth napkins for a long time, and seriously, I think they're overpriced. If I knew how to sew, I could make my own. But alas! Thank you dollar store~~these are actually tea towels, but the ones from the dollar store tend to shrink quite a bit in the wash. They make perfect, large-everyday-utilitarian napkins.

4. The world's easiest homemade "ice-cream" sandwich. I think I got this recipe from the Full-Bellies, Happy Kids blog. Use lowfat Cool Whip and fat free graham crackers and you can eat twice as many, lol ;) No, seriously, these are a huge hit here. We like them with cinnamon grahams (place the cinnamon on the inside so you have less mess!)

5. Fresh sheets. At bedtime. Ummm, yeah...I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before :)

6. Early morning blogging and the first coffee of the day. Made even better since I don't have to rush out the door to take the kiddos to school :)

Thanks for dropping by, I hope you have a delightful day too!!!

Grey Streak

2011-05-29T16:08:00.000-06:00

I've been whittling down the wip's. All this cardi needed was sleeves (and short ones at that!) This was a really easy knit, even though the stockinette got a bit monotonous. In my wardrobe, it's always the simplest and least-fussy knits that get the most wear...not necessarily the most intriguing to knit ones.

Lilas Cardigan by Hilary Smith Callis

size: Medium

yarn: Patons Classic Wool, Dark Grey Mix

4.25 skeins: 100g/223yds each

needles: size 8

modifications: I added 3 inches to the length.

And all my socks get a lot of wear, no matter how simple or fussy! One of them has a mistake on the top of the instep that I didn't catch until I'd already kitchenered the toe. Guess no one'll notice it in my shoe :)

Cloud Nine Socks by Debbie Orr

freebie found here

size: women's med

yarn: Patons Kroy Socks, Gentry Grey

2 skeins: 50g/188yds each

needles: size 2.75mm

modifications: I knit the foot with the 2.75 needles instead of switching to larger ones like the pattern calls for...I'm glad because the sock would've been too big then. It's a touch roomy, but not annoyingly so.

I did 10 repeats for the leg because I wanted it to be just a bit longer. My usual stockinette heel and wedge toe.

Our summer has officially begun here now that school's out! And I'll be doing a stash-free summer again like the past few years :) Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments. I hope you're having a fabulous weekend and start to your summer (or winter!) too!!!

Monday Finishes

2011-05-16T09:48:00.001-06:00

I've seen lots and lots of these Brass and Steam Kerchiefs on Ravelry. And every time I do, I know I need to make one. And now I have...from stash yarn too!

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief by Orange Flower

freebie found here (Rav link)

needles: sz 9, 24in circular

yarn: Country by Caron, Deep Taupe

2 skeins: 185yds/85g each

modifications: I had two skeins of this so decided to go ahead and make it a little bigger. Added one more stockinette section and one more garter/eyelet section, but was worried that I didn’t have enough to do the final garter section so bound off…just 8g left :)

And I finished these socks...sort of a matched but mismatched deal. It's a good thing they weren't meant as a gift! And I've been watching these tutorials on darning (part 1 and part 2) and patching socks (part 1 and part 2)...and gosh, it looks so simple! I kinda wish I had some socks in need of both to try out the techniques, lol!!! Just a note, the clarity is kinda poor in these tutes, but it's enough to get the idea :)

64st basic stockinette socks

size: women's sm/med

needles: 2.25mm dpn's

yarn: Luxury Sock by Loops and Threads, Ocean

2 skeins: 229yds/50g each

(I talk here about the dyelot issue.)

And that, my friends, wraps everything up for me today! Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods, wishing you a Happy Monday!!!

Do you see what I see?

2011-05-09T11:40:00.000-06:00

I even went to the trouble of making sure the stripes would line up all matchy~matchy...something I don't often do.

They should be the same if the labels are to be trusted...

Mismatched stripes do not bother me.

Mismatched colors do!

But I'll finish the second sock anyway.

Because I hate to rip out socks.

And because I hate to have unfinished socks laying around.

I am, oddly enough, not adverse to having a myriad of other unfinished things laying around, LOL!

Sunday, Sunday

2011-05-05T06:27:00.014-06:00

A couple of gift shawls that will soon be heading out.

Airy and casual enough to throw around one's shoulders for a light layer.

Or bunched and wrapped around the neck for a snuggly warm scarf.

I love the freshness of the colors :)

Sunday Market Shawl

by Vanessa Carter, freebie found here

yarn: Country by Caron

color: spruce and foliage

2 skeins each color: 185yds/85g ea

needles: size 10

modifications: cast on 36 stitches.

Knit until there is only enough yarn to bind off.

size after stockinette, before dropping YO's: 49 1/2" x 12 1/2"

finished size after blocking: 63" x 19"

ETA: I've had quite a few questions about the directions for the shawl,

and I admit that I had to read it through a few times when I started it.

So to clarify: I cast on 36 stitches.

The next row I did *K2, YO* all the way across.

The rest of the shawl is knit in stockinette (knit right side rows, purl wrong side rows.)

The last right side row of the shawl: *K2, drop a stitch* all the way across.

You are now dropping the original YO's from the first row.

These will unravel to create the mesh rows down the length of the shawl.

Bind off.

The shawl will increase quite a bit in length and width after you drop the YO's.

I hope this helps :)

While knitting away on these, all I could think of was...

"To market, to market to buy a fat pig;

Home again, home again jiggety jig"!

Oldies but Goodies

2011-04-28T10:04:00.000-06:00

I'm already behind on my ornie-a-month SAL.

No surprises there, lol :)

But I did finish 3 oldies-from-the-drawer a while ago.

Info for Adam and Eve can be found here...

I think this one is a French Freebie pattern.

And I believe the fabric is 22ct (over 1)...

This one came from one of the JCS Christmas magazines...

And the backs...

Happy Thursday everyone.

Hope you have a good one!!!

2~4~April

2011-04-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

I didn't knit any socks in March.

But I have two pairs this month for the SAM KAL...

Blueberry Waffle Socks by Sandy Turner

freebie found here

size: women's sm/med

yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Superwash,

color: Violets

2 skeins: 50g/186yds each

needles: size 2.75 mm

modifications: I cast on 56 stitches since the pattern is written for a slightly heavier weight yarn

56-stitch basic stockinette sock with picot edging

size: women's sm/med

yarn: Heart & Sole by Red Heart

color: Blackjack

2 skeins: 50g/213yds each

needles: size 2.75mm

It's a chilly, gray day with rain in the forecast.

My work is caught up,

so I'm going to go spend a few hours with this...

And this...

Happy Wednesday!!!

Loose Ends

2011-04-13T06:18:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, but I actually have finishes piling up that haven't been blogged. So here we go, tying up loose ends so-to-speak.

Small face sponges. Perfect for washing my face at the end of the day. I really love them and you can knit a whole pile of them in an hour's time...

Knitted Drops Make-up Pads

freebie found here

needles: sz 8's

yarn: Peaches & Creme

modifications: I cast on 15 stitches,

slipped the first stitch of each row.

I wanted mine to be more rectangular...finished size: 3.3" x 2.5"

These bracelets were another quick and fun project. And a perfect excuse to sift through my buttons...

Seed Stitch Bracelets

by Joelle Hoverson

More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

needles: size 1

yarn: Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino

A pair of socks for my dad. Fifteen years after the first pair I gave him, he's now decided he really likes them...

Basic Hiking Boot Socks

size: men's sm

needles: size 7

yarn: worsted weight superwash wool

Happy Wednesday everyone, and thanks for stopping by :)

It's a Wrap!

2011-04-09T15:13:00.000-06:00

One of our nephews and his wife are expecting their first baby. I procrastinated because I couldn't decide what to make. I saw this pattern and knew I had yarn in my stash that would work. With the ~~deadline~~ due date looming, I cast on last Sunday and bound off the last stitch yesterday. Washed and blocked it today. I beat the due date (4/10/11) and the baby :)

I broke my own rule of not-knitting-blankets because this one doesn't look like your typical handmade baby blankie, and I figured 36 inches in diameter~~piece of cake. I tried reminding myself of that when I had 500+ stitches on the needles, lol! And I hope the parents don't mind that I opted out of the traditional baby blue (they're having a boy, in case you're wondering about my odd color choice.) I really like the green/navy/black...seems so "boy" to me.

Pinwheel Blanket by Genia Planck

Knitalong

needles: size 8

yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease,

color: Pines

4.5 skeins: 162yds/70g

finished size: 38" diameter (measured point to point)

modifications: 5 rows garter stitch for edging instead of seed stitch

Skirt Stash

2011-03-30T12:59:00.000-06:00

I've been on a serious production-knitting-jag. Not that I don't enjoy the process (usually.) But I have so much stash and an urgent need to knit-it-down. The key with stash-busting, is trying to pair up a pattern "I want to knit AND I want to wear" with "what I have".

Many of you asked why I ripped out the original green version. There really wasn't anything wrong with it, other than the stockinette part was too "holey". And honestly, I hate wearing slips unless I absolutely have to. And I really didn't want to try knit that green cotton tighter (because I'm not crazy about knitting with cotton yarn. Dishcloths and washcloths, yes. Clothing, not so much.) So this yarn from the stash, knit at a little tighter gauge, worked out just fine...

Lacy Skirt with Bows

by Kat Coyle

Greetings From Knit Cafe

yarn: Lion Brand Microspun

color: Sterling

5 skeins

needles: size 4 and 5

I made quite a few modifications with this one...

I knit this at a little tighter gauge than the pattern (6st/inch). Cast on the amount of stitches for a medium and then decreased at the waist to the number of stitches for a small. Also shortened it to be just above the knee.

Knit this in the round instead of flat. Changed the decreases too…worked a few rounds of dec once the pattern switched to stockinette and then did 4 rounds of decreases at the waist in the last 3 inches. I think I might have worked the eyelet waistband a little differently too.

Infinitude

2011-03-28T09:06:00.000-06:00

My first infinity scarf.

I love it's versatility!

Infinitude by Jeni Chase

freebie found here (rav link)

needles: size 9, 32" circular

yarn: angora/wool/acrylic,

approx worsted weight,

recycled from an Ann Taylor sweater

modifications: cast on 200st for a "medium" size,

(56" x 4 1/2" after blocking),

omitted final purl section.

Today's Post...

2011-03-22T09:14:00.000-06:00

Brought to you by the Letter "R".

For Rip...

And for Restart...

And the bonus letter is "P".

For Progress...

Thanks for tuning in :)

Hello Sunshine!

2011-03-21T05:38:00.000-06:00

More finishes for my "good morning" wall in the kitchen.

And these are so sweet and cheery,

they feel like little rays of sunshine :)

Here Comes the Sun project info found here.

Good Morning project info found here.

Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Thanks for popping into my neck of the woods :)

Framed!

2011-03-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Finally!!!

Don't you love those Michael's framing coupons?

These were 65% off.

Makes me wonder about how much they must mark them up, lol :)

Good Morning Rooster project info found here.

Coffin Buzz project info found here.

Seeing these in my kitchen will ensure a good start to every day, right???

A Day Late...

2011-03-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Because I missed my self-imposed deadline of getting my second skirt finished on Sunday so that I could blog about both finishes ~~yesterday~~ today.

I never thought in a million years that I would knit skirts. But here I am with two off the needles in less than 2 weeks! I think I'm obsessed...I've started a third one (that's the reason for the self-imposed deadline, yarn for skirt #3 arrived in Sat's mail.) I've been scouring my books and magazines and all over Ravelry and the 'net for patterns. I've been through my stash for suitable yarn to pair with patterns that are lining up. I've already got another yarn order ready to go, lol :)

Skirt knitting is F-U-N!!! They are sooo comfy! They can be dressed up and down. And most of them are very forgiving in the shape department :)

Chantelle by Shirley MacNulty

Knit 'n Style, April 2011

size: x-small

yarn: Patons Classic Wool

color: Currant

3 skeins: 223yds/100g each

needles: size 7, 24 inch circular

Olive Heather Skirt

Knitting 24/7 by Veronik Avery

size: small

yarn: 3 skeins misc worsted weight wool

needles: size 7, 24 inch circular

Ok, so I know that what you're really here for is to find out who won my blogiversary giveaway......Congratulations Paisley! Thank you everyone for visiting and commenting, I really appreciate the time you take to stop by :)

3~Three~3

2011-03-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

It's my 3rd Blogiversary!

And that means...

it's time for a giveaway!!!

A pincushion, a floss tag and 360 DMC colors...

Leave a comment on This Post Only.

Please include your email address :)

This is open to everyone.

A winner will be randomly drawn Monday, March 7th.

Good Luck!!!

Thank You everyone for making this blogging thing so much fun!!!

It's Monday...

2011-02-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

So it's time for a sock post!!!

October was the last month I added new socks to my drawer.

Now I have 3 new pairs of fun stripes and simple picots...

48st stockinette socks with picot cuff

size: women's sm/med

yarn: Patons Kroy Socks Stripes

needles: sz 3.00 dpn's

colors: from top to bottom,

#55315 Sweet Stripes

#55135 Sailor Stripes

#55617 Sporty Stripes

Love, Love, Love!!!

Wishing you a Happy Monday too :)

Little Hearts

2011-02-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends!
I'm back from my little blogging break and feel quite inspired :)
I've been getting a lot done and so have a lot to share...

My kiddos are long past the Valentine stuffed animals.

We usually give them a little chocolate and a little spending $$ (who doesn't love that combo?)

But this year I gave my little sweethearts some warm fuzzies too...

A little Valentine special order I completed...

And a little Anniversary/Valentine I made my Sis and BIL,

because their anniversary is the 12th.

I stitched this a couple years ago,

and maybe in a couple more years I'll get one made for my V-day basket :)

Hugs and Kisses

by Erica Michaels

fabric: 32ct antique white linen

fibers: WDW, my own selection

(Strawberry Fields, Sweetheart Rose, Bordeaux)

I think that has me caught up with all the Valentine's stuff.

But believe me, I still have plenty more to share.

They'll just have to keep for another day.

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods.

Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Pausing...

2011-01-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my ornaments.

I really appreciate that you take the time to visit me here :)

Just a short and sweet note to let you know that I'm going to be taking a blogging break.

Hugs till next time, Staci

More Jan Ornies

2011-01-25T08:36:00.001-07:00

I was going to post these as my Feb ornies, but why wait?
I'm still feeling super-inspired to stitch and finish Christmas ornaments :)
The amount of pleasure and satisfaction I feel is absurdly disproportional to the size of the finished piece, lol.

This was a real pleasure to stitch.

Thank you so much Tanya for such a sweet pattern!

Christmas Eve Flight

freebie by The Sampler Girl found here

fabric: 28ct "staci-dyed" evenweave

fibers: Crescent Colours; Wild Berries, Roasted Chestnut and Milady's Teal

And another oldie-from-the-drawer...

Thanks for dropping by.

Happy Tuesday and Happy Stitching!

New Stash & Q and A

2011-01-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Yummy yarn and a funky mug...

To ebay and back...

Fun fabrics!!!

(Patriotic FQ set from Hobby Lobby, I love those 40% off coupons!

Snowmen and Reindeer FQ set from Walmart.)

And now for the Q and A for Jill (no blog.)

The Valentine patterns in my sidebar can be found here:

French Valentine

Lovebird

Valentine and Sweet Valentine

("ABC I Love Thee" is from the Feb 2001 JCS magazine)

Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend!

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments!

Warm Woolies

2011-01-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

January is prime knitting time. What better way to spend cold days than with needles and yarn, or wearing something cozy! Whipped up a new hat for Youngest (and I mean whipped up since it only took one evening to make!) He has such a big noggin, I should've made the large size so there would've been a bit of growing room. But the medium fits perfectly, and since it was such a fast knit, it won't be a problem at all to whip him up another one :)

Thorpe by Kirsten Kapur

freebie pattern here

size: medium

yarn: Stitch Nation Full 'O Sheep,

color #2010 black sheep and #2640 thyme

1 skein each: 100g/155yds

needles: size 9dpn's and 16" circular

size G crochet hook

Hubby wears his knit socks a lot during the winter months, so I've added a new pair to his drawer.

40st basic worsted weight hiking boot socks

size: men's medium

yarn: 100g worsted weight superwash wool

needles: size 8dpn's

And hubby wears his balaclava as much as he wears his handknit socks. The very first one I knit him 15 years ago (the brown one.) And believe me, it looks a lot better in the pic than in real life. I pretty much had to hide it out of sight when I gave him the new one (the gray one.) In case you're wondering, the gray one looks pretty lumpy because I didn't bother to block it (the brown one had just been washed and blocked so I could hide it in the back of his drawer.)

Quick and Easy Balaclava

by Helen Fleischer

from the book Homespun Handknit

yarn: 150g worsted weight wool

needles: size 9-16" circular, size 8dpn's and 16" circular

size H crochet hook

modifications: bottom before face opening 12 inches

Coffee cup cozies for Michele:

Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a fantastic start!

Everyday Delight~~January's Version

2011-01-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Friends and a very Happy Thursday to you! It's been a while since I've done an Everyday Delights post, so let's dive right in!

#1: My muffin/cupcake liners kept falling out of the cupboard onto my head, so I stuck them all in a vintage coffee jar and put them on the counter. I can't tell you how much I like seeing all those cheery papers everytime I'm in the kitchen...

#2: Target. Stopped in there last week to pick up cough drops for Middle and some fun polka dots followed me home..

#3: While getting cough drops and being followed by polka dots, I found 2 after-Christmas bargains. Cards: 25c. 90sq ft roll of wrapping paper: 25c. Yeah, you read that right, 50 c-e-n-t-s total. I couldn't pass that up could I?

#4: Negative sock progress. That's right. I took these two sock projects...

and turned them into this. Sometimes, you just gotta let go of the projects that you don't really want to do...and then heave a big sigh of relief!

Wishing you a delightful day!

Gifted

2011-01-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

Some birthday treats for Wendy Jo.

Happy Birthday Dear Friend!

More pattern stitch play for a pretty and practical gift.

(Will post the patterns here soon.)

And I received this cute ornament from Elaine.

Thanks Elaine for being such a sweet friend :)

~~I haven't heard back from Jody about the Angel Ornament pattern,~~

~~so my apologies that I don't know who the designer is.~~

ETA: Thank you Joanne.

The angel ornament is a 1989 Christmas Angel Freebie by

Told In a Garden found here.

Thank you everyone for visiting my little bit of cyberspace and for all your kind comments.

The news said this morning that every state but Florida has snow,

so Stay Warm!

I'm in love!

2011-01-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

With this shawl!

Or shawlette.

The knitting was addictive.

And it's an absolute joy to wear!

I can see endless color combinations.

The small size takes so little yarn that it's perfect for using up those odds and ends and stray skeins in your stash!

So versatile and gorgeous!

Dress it up or down.

You've gotta knit this :)

Andrea's Shawl by

Kirsten Kapur/Through the Loops

knitpicks IDP download

size: S

yarn: leftover Cascade 220 (I'm pretty sure, but the labels were missing)

~used approx 116g grey and 30g natural~

needles: size 7 32" circular (sz 7 straights for edging)

*note* there are a couple typos/errors in the written border directions,

the charted border directions are error-free

The winner of the snowman chart is Sadie! Thank you everyone for your enthusiastic comments on my ornaments...they sure add to my motivation!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Jan Ornies

2011-01-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

When it came time to put up our tree this past Christmas, I was rather disappointed with myself that I hadn't made any new ornaments...we didn't even have one of my felted heart ornies. This year, I'm doing an ornament-a-month SAL with Valerie, Lois and Carol. And I'm putting a little twist on mine. I have several stitched ornies in my needs-finishing drawer, so in addition to stitching an ornie a month, I'm also going to finish one oldie a month too.

This month's ornament is a kit I've had a long time. And to be perfectly honest, I hated every stitch. I've never stitched with pearl cotton over 2 on 18ct linen, and I didn't like it. It's a darn good thing that snowman's so cute...

Bent Creek Zippies: Snowman

linen, pearl cotton and button incl in kit

This month's oldie-from-the-drawer was stitched for me by my dear, sweet friend Jody.

Thanks Jody, I'll finally enjoy looking at it on my tree!

So now I'm going to sneak in a little giveaway.

(I love doing that at the end of post!)

If you'd like the Snowman Chart,

My blogging friends

2011-01-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

have been keeping my mailman busy this holiday season!

This adorable ornament and goodies came from sweet Wendy Jo...

A generous gift certificate to ehandcrafts from the wonderful Judy enabled me to get these threads...

This cute ornament and yummy chocolates from Arcadia in France...

I won these lovely fabrics from BBD...

I was lucky enough to win these pretty vintage items from Missy Ann...

But I just want to know, since I seem to be such a lucky girl, who the heck won my share of the Mega Millions???

Thank you so much my dear friends for all the lovely gifts and goodies,

and know that everytime I lay my eyes on my treats,

I will think of you fondly.

And know that I thought of you lovingly while I devoured my chocolates too!

Fingering Weight Feather and Fan

2011-01-01T09:51:00.001-07:00

I never thought I'd like knitting with small needles and fine yarn as much as I do...because, you know, it takes longer to finish a project! But I love how lightweight and warm the projects turn out! And this scarf is no exception...long and warm without being heavy. A wardrobe staple in basic blacks and greys without being boring. A sock yarn finish that isn't for the feet!

Simple Feather & Fan Scarf

Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks FX, color #57044 Clay Colors

approx 2 1/2 skeins: 50g/166yds each

Needles: size 4

(approx 5" wide and 72" long after blocking)

Because I know you want to make one too, here's the super simple pattern...

Simple Feather & Fan Scarf

by Staci~~snippetsandstash.blogspot.com

Cast on 38 stitches.

Row 1: (RS) Knit.

Row 2: (WS) Purl.

Row 3: K1, *[k2tog] 3 times, [yo, k1] 6 times, [k2tog] 3 times; repeat from * once more, k1.

Row 4: Knit.

Repeat rows 1-4 until scarf reaches desired length. Knit rows 1 and 2 once more. Bind off. I used the sewn bind off because it's nearly invisible. Weave in all ends and block.

Happy Knitting!!!

While the dust settles...

2010-12-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Projects have been finished...

New projects have been started...

Sweet tooths have been satisfied...

After Christmas sales were purchased...

The calendar's been turned...

Happy New Year one and all!

We have 5 more days of nothingness...

5 more days till we re-enter our usual day-to-day schedules.

And we intend to enjoy every bit of it doing absolutely nothing.

And all the while, we'll be wishing you a Wondrous New Year...

Wrapping up before the Big Day

2010-12-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Dear Friends! I got up this morning and got cracking on the last two gifts. This one just needed all the ends woven in and a ribbon tied 'round...

And just needed to knit the toe of sock #2...

And that concludes the 2010 edition of the Handmade Holiday Gift List! Hurrah!

I received some wonderful gifts in the mail yesterday from some really wonderful friends.

Dear Julianne sent me two ornaments, one for last year and one for this year...how incredibly sweet is that? Thank you so much Julianne, you are so kind and thoughtful and I just absolutely adore them!

And thoughtful and talented Harmien sent me this clever ornament. I just love it! Thank you Harmien for being such a dear friend!

And then this pretty card with some equally pretty red thread came from sweet Michele W. Thank you so much Michele for thinking of me, you always make me smile and it seems we're often on the "same wavelength"!

I feel so lucky to have made some really wonderful friendships through blogging.

Thank you everyone.

And a BIG HEARTFELT THANK YOU to each of you who stop by and visit me here.

Wishing each and every one of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!

I hope this holiday season finds you surrounded by peace and love.

See you all in the new year!

Hugs, Staci

Super Sweet and Simple S'more Snack Mix

2010-12-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

Need a quick treat to give to someone special? Or perhaps a tasty snack to take to a last minute holiday get-together? Well, here ya go...

In a REALLY LARGE bowl, mix together: 16oz. Golden Grahams cereal, 10.5oz. mini marshamallows, 12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 12oz. milk chocolate chips, and 2 cups dry roasted peanuts. That's it. Plenty to share and keep, give and take :)

Now I'm off to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with some hot tea in my new spotty mug and finish knitting the last Christmas gift...

Happy Sunday!

This...

2010-12-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

is where those 9 buttons went!

And it's nothing short of a miracle to find enough matching ones in my button jar(s)!

Super Fast and Easy Knit.

Wore it for the first time yesterday while finishing up my Christmas shopping.

Without a coat but with a lovely scarf.

While the lightly falling snow swirled around but didn't accumulate.

And while the sun shone off and on :)

Finally, some festive holiday weather!

Garter Yoke Cardi

Knit 1, fall/winter 2008

size: medium

yarn: Patons Classic Wool, color #77307 Plum Heather

(the color is a little deeper than my pictures show)

4 skeins: 100g/223yds each

needles: size 8, 32" circular and size 8 dpn's

One more week 'till Christmas, can you believe it???

A small sampling...

2010-12-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

of some of the gifts that are arriving at their destinations...

Youngest's teacher had eye surgery on the 8th and will return after Christmas Break. Everything went well and she is home recovering. But we felt that she needed a Christmas gift that was just a little bit more special...

Only a couple more gifts to finish and 9 days left...plenty of time, lol!

39 and 5 days

2010-12-15T09:56:00.001-07:00

That's how old I am today. Kinda like when you're a kid and you're 5 and 3/4. Who am I kidding, nothing like that! Definitely better than that thanks to some sweet, sweet friends! I received this fabulous mug mat from Harmien. I just love it...it's so cute and like everything Harmien does, beautifully stitched.

And look at the darling little tea bag cozy! Harmien must be psychic because I've been on a serious Twinings tea jag lately (Irish Breakfast, English Breakfast, Oolong, Earl Grey, etc.) Thank you so much Harmien for your beautiful and thoughtful gift and for your wonderful friendship!

Wendy Jo sent me this adorable pillow that perfectly sums up our friendship. And it's even better with chocolate (which you should all be proud of me because I just finished up the last bit this morning...it lasted 5 w-h-o-l-e days!) I put the pillow on my bedside table where I see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Thank you so much Wendy Jo, I just love it and you too!

Yesterday's mail brought this little surprise from Judy M. Surprise in more ways than one too...just look at that envelope opened on 3 sides. No note from the post office about why either.

Inside was a lovely card, a beautiful shade of floss from a company I've never heard of, and some delicious cocoa (I wonder exactly what kind of cocoa the PO thought was in there?!?!) Thank you sooo much Judy for always being so thoughtful and always having the most wonderful things to say...you have a way of making a person feel special!

And finally, I just have to show you one my bday cards, this one happens to be from my Oldest. At least I know she was using her class time wisely by making her wonderful and loving mother a card, rather than surfing the web and checking FB updates.

She's come out of school the last several years on my bday, bearing a handmade card with a bunch of her friends' signatures and wishes in it. I think that's pretty awesome for a bunch of 15 and 16yr olds.

Well! That's it for me today everyone, and thanks for taking the time to stop by...I think you're pretty awesome too!

Rusty Technique

2010-12-12T13:41:00.001-07:00

I've had several inquiries about making rusty bells and pins...so here you go. There are lots of different techniques out there, but this seems to be the least volatile. It is easily made with items from your cupboard and easily disposed of.

1. Put your bells/pins in a large glass jar (I use a 1/2 gallon size mason jar.) Do not fill more than halfway. Pour in regular household bleach to cover. Let sit at least 24 hours. Discard bleach down any drain.

2. Cover bells/pins with apple cider vinegar and a good dose of salt (a couple Tbsp.) Let sit for at least 24 hours. Discard cider down any drain. Allow to air dry at least 24 hours. For the air-drying, I used an old pizza box with a few layers of newspaper.

There you go. Happy Rusting!

Ornaments and a Winner!

2010-12-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hello, Hello! The R#G picked Faye/Carolina Stitcher as the winner of my final giveaway for 2010! Congrats Faye and thank you everyone for visiting me and commenting...I wish I could send each of you a heart!

And lo and behold, we have some stitching content today...and will wonders never cease, they are actual Finishes! I better come clean because if you look closely enough, there's a little "09" in the corners. That doesn't seem so bad, except that they were stitched in JANUARY of '09, like, 23 months ago. Pitiful. But part of the reason they sat in the drawer so long is that I didn't leave quite enough fabric border around (you can tell in the pic here.) And I've been in a quandry ever since about the best way to finish~finish them.

I've been wanting to copy Lynn B's felt ornament finish for a long time, and it turned out to be a perfect solution to my 'not-enough-border' problem :) The kiddos' 2009 ornaments are finally hanging on our 2010 tree.

Quaker Scissors Pinkeep by

With My Needle

JCS Ornaments 2006

fabric: 32ct cream belfast linen

fibers: DMC 115

kiddos' first name initial in Carrie's Creation Gator Green

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments. I'll be back soon to show you some really lovely birthday gifts I've received and to show you more finishes (of the knitty kind.) Have a Happy Holiday Weekend!

It's Time...

2010-12-05T14:56:00.001-07:00

For my final giveaway of the year!

It's become a sort of tradition for me.

There was one my first year of blogging in 2008 and last year's was a little late but it still happened.

So here's this year's giveaway:

One of my handknit and felted heart ornaments,

rusty bells and safety pins I made this past fall,

and an assortment of red ribbons :)

All you have to do is leave a comment on

This Post Only,

AND

Please Include Your Email Address.

That's it.

This Giveaway is open to EVERYONE!

A winner will be randomly drawn on Thursday, December 9th.

Sending you all a little Christmas Cheer!!!

Two to give and One to finish

2010-11-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, woe is me!
My coffee maker died last night...RIP my faithful servant.
A replacement will be acquired once the kiddos are taken to school.
Now, on to 2 more for the HHGL*:
A couple of pairs of simple, but cozy gift socks...

56 stitch basic stockinette

size: women's med

yarn: Patons Kroy Socks Stripes, color #55301 Sultana Stripes

2 skeins: 50g/166yds

needles: size 3.25mm dpn's

48 stitch stockinette socks with a twisted rib cuff

size: women's sm/med

yarn: Patons Kroy Socks FX, color #57242 Clover Colors

2 skeins: 50g/166yds

needles: size 3.25mm dpn's

Found 9 matching buttons in my stash...to sew in the project from last week.

Hopefully I get around to it today :)

After coffee...

HHGL*: Handmade Holiday Gift List

Happy Thanksgiving Week :)

2010-11-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

Another one crossed off the HHGL*.

The perfect beginning to the day;

coffee and (selfish) knitting

...and a bit of quiet...

The kiddos have the entire week off from school.

And Hubby took the week off from work.

I am woefully behind in visiting everyone's blogs, again.

But I am keeping you all in my thoughts

and wishing each of you a Wonderful Thanksgiving Week!

HHGL*...Handmade Holiday Gift List