Current crochet WIP

Quick post-and-run this morning to show what I have been working on the past week or so: a new pair of crochet socks for hubby.  I am trying to hook these up pretty fast, so the previous pair can get a well-earned run through the wash.  Here is the first sock:

hubby's ribbed cuff sock

I was working on that sock last week up at his parents' house, and both his mother and grandmother were positively gushing over it.  They went at least a step or two beyond just admiring, especially when they felt the sock.  Sounds like I'll be making more ... eventually I'll be able to make socks for myself again.

So, hopefully I can finish up hubby's second sock today.  I'm already down the cuff and past the heel on #2, and about the middle of the round-and-round of the foot section.  Hubby has even been taking care of the cooking the past few days so I have more time to work on the socks.

Coats and Clark Quick Fashions booklet from 1968

Gloria asked about this the other post in the comments, so here it is!  This is Coats & Clark's book #185, Quick Fashions.

back and front scan of #185, Quick Fashions

 The beauty of this booklet is that it uses sport and worsted weight yarns, and also uses knitting and crochet.  Most of the sport-weight patterns call for three skeins (six ounces, no yardage given) while there is a good number of two skein patterns for worsted weight yarn (8 ounces, no yardage given).

This makes life a bit interesting, as a lot of yarns are now sold in three to three-and-half ounce (100 grams) size.  At least, most of the yarns I use.  So it was with an extra skein of the Bernat Denimstyle yarn (found on Hobby Lobby's clearance shelf) that I did up this cute pattern the past week or so:

two skein lacy shell, knitted

three skein cabled cardigan

I've actually cast on and tried working the cable pattern of the back of this three skein cardigan, but Bamboo Ewe is not a good yarn for a first attempt at cabling.  Instead,  it is now making the pretty red hearts scarf I blogged earlier this week.  I'll probably try it out in some Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool for myself, as it needs a nice stretchy yarn as it looks like you're suppose to block it rather aggressively.

I have also cast on one of the sport weight patterns, but bamboo yarn on plastic needles just is not easy to knit.  I think it will hook up nicely, though ... that is on the to-do list.

So this is the old book I am gushing about currently.  I do have some more, which aren't yet in Ravelry's database (to be fixed as I get to them!).  Enjoy the scans, Gloria!

Fun with two stitches

If this technique has a name other than "textured knitting" I have not come across it, but I really love it!  Using just knit and purl stitches with no other techniques, here are two patterned scarfs.

hearts design in Lipstick red

tumbling blocks/slanted squares in bulky alpaca blend

This reminds me a bit of filet crochet (open vs. filled block) which I've also recently tried my hook on and enjoy.  The stone-grey alpaca blend scarf is finished, and intended for Mom.  With three skeins off the clearance shelf, I got a scarf 9-1/2 inches wide by 56 inches long.

The hearts in red I am also doing in a clearance shelf yarn, three skeins of Bamboo Ewe which did not impress me when I tried to granny-square crochet it, and it definitely didn't impress me when I tried a small cable design ... but in just a solid-stitch k-p project, it becomes beautiful and perfect.  I am still on the first skein of this.

A couple knitting WIPs

Two of my projects that I am working on ... although this first one is off the needles and awaiting the blocking and sewing together.

1968 pattern two-skein lacy shell in Bernat Denimstyle pink

basic sweater for son in Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in Natural Brown

I have more projects going on than this, but two pictures was the limit of my patience this morning.

Useless without pictures

I'll fight with the digicam later.  I've been quiet all summer, but I have been doing stuff: crocheting a bathroom rug and a doily that I am actually keeping, along with new coasters finally; knitting up a storm of dish/washcloths to use around the house.  It's also gift-making season.  I have three projects on the needles and a couple projects on the hooks.  I even have one finished already!

We've also been busy around the property: gardening, chickening, and since we had adequate rain this year ... the majority of the summer has seemed to be just mowing to keep the lawn from turning into a jungle.

My clothes are wearing out fast out here.  The main problem is ... I am still reshaping.  I suppose I could do the fitting on work clothes.

Another cup of coffee, and back outside.

Knit garter-stitch dishcloths

First ... where did the month of May go?  Could I get a do-over here?  I'd like my May back, please!

I have been playing with yarn here, and I have even started unpacking the sewing lair!  I don't have all my yarn unpacked/rediscovered yet - and I realized the other afternoon that I still have not unpacked all my books when I wanted to look up something in a gardening book - but progress has begun in there and I can tell when the light is on as the towers of boxes are a bit shorter.

At hubby's request, I have been knitting up simple garter stitch dishcloths.  Like the crochet wool socks, hubby has requested a dozen of them.  I am weaseling out of doing that many socks by calling the dozen socks as six pair, but that technicality won't get me out of the dishcloth situation.  I am halfway there, as the first two went straight to the sink upon completion.

garter stitch knit dishcloths in kitchen cotton

I found the pattern on YouTube ... let me see if I saved the start of it.  Here it is!

I have no idea what that would look like written out, but it knits up easy (read: newbie-friendly!) and the third one is pretty quick.

I have crochet stuff on the hook and even finished, but that will wait for another post.

I could not resist

So, I am still on FabricMart's email list, and get notice of sales and specials ... well, last week I decided to browse about their website and of course I ended up in the linen section.  I filled my cart, but then hesitated. Then I did the same over the weekend.  Hubby noticed this and said I should just go ahead and buy since I was putting the same fabrics in the cart.  Then, yesterday morning ...

Email from FM said "Special offer for premium members" so I opened it up, and there it was!  Linen fabrics 50% off ... and y'all know how much I adore linen.  Back to the cart, and those two twills were still in stock. Yup, linen twill in two colors I can wear (as in, not the daffodil yellow).  The only thing better would have been to have denim weave twill, to make it easier to see the grainline for me, but a nice grey solid twill and then a cream and black houndstooth twill will do the job nicely enough.

Pretty soon, it will be too hot in the afternoon to do much outside, and then the sewing lair WILL be officially unpacked, fabric WILL be cut, and new clothes WILL be made.  Also, hubby will be roped into re-measuring me.  I am down to retail size 12 in jeans, comfortably, and I can even fit back into my garrison BDU pants.

Crochet wool ankle socks for hubby

I made myself a pair from this pattern first as a test, but I think I ought to wash mine before taking a pic of them.  Here are hubby's nice warm wool ankle socks - they are "absolutely perfect!" for wearing to bed.  I managed to get them done right before the latest frost hit.

crochet wool sleep socks

I'll need to grab some of the knit dishcloths after laundry today to snap a pic for Gloria.  I am now on dishcloth #4 - hubby requested a total of 12.  Then again, he also requested 12 socks (which by MY calculations is only six pair).

While the sewing room-to-be is still mostly stacks of boxes, there has been some progress in the past week. The solid wood bunk beds left by the previous owners have moved out to our new storage shed, and the oak bookcases hubby made have been trimmed to fit and moved in.  Not all the boxes in there are fabric, yarn, embroidery, or notions ... I have so far found one boxes of cups that should have been stacked in the kitchen, but there were three motivated movers for the two of us on the day all that was delivered.  BUT, enough progress has been made to let in the morning sunlight in the window.  In all honesty, if the weather is decent to nice I'd rather be outside than inside wrestling boxes.

It's ALIVE!

Not only am I still alive, but we have moved to Florida.  While the sewing room is still in boxes (and packed almost up to the ceiling fan's blades) we have been working on the yard when weather has been nice.  Given the blizzards in the news the past week ... I probably should not mention too much about the weather right now.

I will mention a new blog we've made.  Yes, WE!  Hubby is posting on this one as well, as it will chronicle our adventure here at what I've named the S&G Homesteade.  Garden and orchard pics are already going up there (as of this weekend) although we are still not caught up on pictures of what we've done these past three weeks here.  I will also move my cooking, canning, and gardening posts to that blog while leaving this one for indoor crafts.

Oh, and I have learned a new craft over the past month - knitting.  I started with a gauge swatch that turned into a child's size blue scarf in stockinette stitch, and am working on a dishcloth in garter stitch on the diagonal so I get a crack at increasing and decreasing.

Finally, a pic from my front yard taken Saturday morning:

Apple tree's first blossoms

I am now using this as my wallpaper on my computer.