Just like I promised

Wow, a month has passed since I last posted.  It doesn't seem like that long but dates on blogs don't lie.  Do they?

I do have some crafts that I have been working on fast and furiously.  First up...............a lovely shawl for a friend.

She had tried to do this herself and after row two wanted to throw it in the trash.  So we exchanged.  I gave her a cross stitch that I loved and I took the shawl to do.  This has been on my hook for about 2-3 weeks.  It has traveled many places with me including to Las Vegas where most of the work was done on it during the car ride.

Remember that sweater class I was taking.  Well here is where I am at on the sweater.

I have the cap sleeves finished, the neck is finished even thought it is kind of rolling.  I have been promised that once it is blocked that will stop.  So now it is a matter of straight stockinette knitting for the rest of the body until I am ready to put the lace pattern from the sleeves onto the bottom.

I also too that cuff down magic loop sock class.  I have been doing toe up magic loop since I first started making socks.  So I was excited to do the cuff down.  I finished the first sock and it fits my hubby just fine.  So not wanted to be one of those knitters with second sock syndrome.................

Here is the second sock.  Today is the day I am going to work on that and hopefully will be able to get the rest of the foot done and maybe even get to the end of it and close it up.  Then I will be back on the sweater again.

Since the ravelry group that I have been in for the past 11 months has decided to do their Year of Projects for another year...........................I now have to come up with a list of projects that is reasonable/feasible for me to complete in a years time.  It starts on July 1st and is an absolute blast to do.  We have knitters, crocheters and even some sewers in there.  It is great fun to see what everyone does.  I especially love reading all the blogs from all over the world.  I have learned some totally new 'sayings' from it.

Not much else on the crafting front.

Personal life..................................just about the same as always.......................exercise,work, eat, knit/crochet, sleep.

Happy Crafting!

Wait for it

I promise that I am still alive but extremely busy for the past month.

I truly do expect to make a crafting post this weekend and I promise that it will contain WIP's and FO's.  So please wait for it.

YoP finally

I know, I know, I have been slacking in the YoP posting department.  Just didn't seem like I had a lot to post about for it.  Today though, I do have some photos of what I am working on at the present time.  I also have looked at my list of projects that I 'thought' would be done by the end of June and realized there is no way all of that is going to get done.  So I have revised my list to what I think will truly get done by the end of this first year.

So let's get started!

 You all know I am taking a sock class to learn the magic loop cuff down method.  I have been doing toe up magic loop for years but wanted to learn the other way.  I just completed my second lesson and this is where I am at.  The yarn is Bernat Sock yarn.  It calls for a #3 US needle but because of the number of stitches we cast on in class I wish I had used a #2US.

 Pardon the cruddy photos, but I was trying to get a good photo of the colorway of the sock.  It is really not a color I would wear but I think my hubby might so will let him have the option when I am finished.  I am liking the way this heel gets turned.  It totally freaked me out at first but now that it is turned I am all better.

I need to get the main part of the foot knitted by next Saturday so we can do the toe decreases and then Kitchener the toe.  Now, here is my problem.  I am not afraid of the Kitchener at all.  I have done it a few times and it seems kind of fun.  So here is the problem..........I am totally left handed but I knit right handed.  (Don't ask)  Because of that I would need to hold the darning needle in my right hand to do the stitch.  Isn't going to happen.  I can not even hold a fork in my right hand without feeling like a total klutz.  My instructor said he would shoe me how to do the draw closed toe.  Well, that does not make me happy as that makes for a pointed toe and I like a rounded toe.  Hopefully we can figure something out next week.

 Here are the toe up socks I am working on.  They are Peace Socks by Wendy Johnson.  Again forgive the cruddy photos.  This is done in Panda cotton which is a wonderful yarn but splits pretty bad while being worked on.  Especially if you have a pattern that calls for knitting stitches together and doing pass over stitches.

 It is a pretty simple pattern but works up so nicely.  I am able to watch TV and knit these without loosing my place at all.

I am doing the heel right now.  These feel like they might be too long for me which kind of makes me sad.  But if they are I know of someone that has a foot just about 1/2 inch longer than mine and she would love to have them.  I will know more by the end of the heel if they are mine or someone elses.

Here is how my list looks now.

3  pairs of socks (Have the yarn)

17 dishcloths (in progress) Knit for Christmas 2012

Vintage Shawl Crochet  A friend is giving me the materials and pattern to make this for her

 Here is the list of things that are finished:

****Finished******
Hat and Scarf (November gift)  Knitted (finished July 2011)

 Scarf for Jadin (by October 10th) Knitted  (finished October 2011)

Wedding Ring Afghan (finished in October 2011)

 Bed sock (Christmas) Crochet or knitted, haven't decided (Finished October 2011)                

 Hat for Josie (Finished October 2011)

wedding ring afghan (Christmas) Crochet (Finished in December 2011)

Bed sock(Christmas)  (Finished November 201

Scarf for Jenn (Finished December 23^rd!!  2011)

Scarf for Josie (Finished December 26^th 2011)

One man’s hat (Finished January 2012)

5 dishcloths (Finished February 2012)

1 log cabin block done (Finished February 2012)

Comfort Shawl (Finished March 2012)  Christmas 2012/ Crochet

1 dishcloth (finished March 2012)

Hat (finished March 2012)

As you can see my list has shortened dramatically.  There are some trips planned during the next few months.  I don't take large projects with me when traveling so socks and dishcloths are going to be the main goal.   Not to mention we have already hit over 100 degrees here and the larger projects are just not working for me during all the heat.  Once the heat abates (usually November) I will be happy to put the large projects back on my lap.

Oh, did you see that new item on the list?  The Vintage Shawl?  My daughter's friend from high school found a pattern and fell in love with it.  She did about 2 inches of the pattern and decided there was no way she was going to do it as it drove her crazy.  I offered to make it for her.  So in exchange she offered to do a craft for me.  I love this because, I can not longer do counted cross stitch because of my arthritis, yet I love the look of it.  So I have picked out a pattern for her to do and she is very excited.  From what I understand she is quite fast at it also.  I am thinking I like this 'barter' system.

Now on to a more personal front.  I am proud to tell all of you that I have evicted 21 pounds of fat from my body!!!!  EVICTED???????  Yes, because if you loose something don't you normally go and try to find it?  Well, I am not going to go and find those 21 pounds.  They have been evicted, the locks have been changed and a restraining order is out against all 21 of them!

Got a problem though...........................I am running out of clothes that fit.  Why is that a problem?  I still have 30 pounds to throw out and I really don't want to do any major clothes shopping until I am totally done.  So I think by the end of next month I am going to have to break down and buy at least a few pair of capris that fit right as well as maybe a couple of blouses.  I am taking a trip towards the end of next month and don't want to look like I am wearing my big sister's clothing.  (I don't even have a big sister!)

The end of June we are taking another trip and I have a feeling by then I am going to have to purchase a few more things as we are going to be gone for 10 days and I will need more than 2 pair of pants.  Lucky for me I got gift cards for Christmas to my favorite clothing store so it won't be too expensive of a trip.

So that is my news for the day/week.

Happy Crafting!