Fall Knits

I don't know about you, but I've got myself a backyard FULL of leaves. My kids are loving it... they jump into the leaf pile as if it were a swimming pool!

Since finishing the set for the auction I've finished off a couple things for myself. First up... the socks I've been toting about for the last month. My official 'Socktoberfest' socks.

Yarn: Vesper 100% Merino, Mocha

Pattern: Plain Janes

Now, if you have a good memory you might remember me not loving this yarn once before. Since then she's started dying on a new base yarn and it is quite lovely. The nylon blend base I will still avoid, but this lovely 100% merino. Yum. I couldn't quite get the stripes to end the same. I have a feeling it's because I knit most of the second foot while we were at the hospital for Miss N's eye surgery earlier this week. I just may have been feeling a little extra tension. However, the patient and the socks both came out looking great. And, now Miss N and I both have stripey frizzle socks.

With fall being all around me, this yarn called me from the stash. It's the yarn Hub picked up for me at Knitty Gritty Yarn down in the Tri-Cities. I was not sure what I was going to do with it as it was only 50g, but fall inspired me to knit up a thin scarf. More of a pretty acessory than something to keep warm. But really perfect for fall.

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay, Manos Silk Blend, only 50g!
Pattern: Drop Stitch Scarf

Don't forget to check out the fundraiser, Celebrating Colleen goes until Tuesday!

Choclate and Cream Set for Colleen

Patterns: Seamless Infant Kimono, Itchy Fingers Longies
Yarn: 100purewool, 3 ply merino, chocolate & creama

I'm having trouble doing the usual oohing and ahhing over these items. They are lovely. They are very soft and yummy. But for me, they signify that something tragic has happened. A wife was lost, a mother was lost, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, and a friend... lost. It seems so insufficient to show how much she was worth on this earth. She was such a unique fun and caring friend. She posessed such a lightness of spirit. She was so silly and fun. I miss her. And I know her family misses her more than I can even imagine.

So go, visit the fundriaser at Tiny Lady Cooperative. All funds will go towards her childrens college fund. She wanted us to look out for their future for her. Go, buy, bid and bid often! It all oficially starts on Tuesday October 28th and will run until November 4th. There is something for everyone!

Auction Update

I've finished the sweater! Whew! That is a big relief. I know how fast I can get the longies done, so I'm not too stressed about the deadline now. The kimono sweater pattern is just awesome. One of the best written patterns I've seen. And it has the best pattern support I've seen. All the tutorials for each skill are fantastic and she also offers email support. I used a couple of the tutorials myself. I finally know the correct way to make a button loop! Mine were always a big wonky before with the little knots twisting around the loop. If you are at all interesting in this pattern, go for it. You won't regret it at all! It's available from Sweet Mama Small Sugar.

I did get someone wanting to contribute to the effort in the comments. If anyone else would like to contribute there is a Ravelry Group Here, and the Yahoo group Here. The Yahoo group is the official organizational site for this event. Thank you so much for your generosity!

I have just learned that Colleen passed this morning. Even more my thoughts are with her family.

Celebrating a Friend

One of the best things about the knitting community is we know how to get together and make things happen when one of our own is in need. Right now a Knitter, Indie Dyer, and friend is dying of a very aggressive form of cancer. It hits close to home as she has two children the same ages as my own. They are so very young and about to lose their mother. There are many of us feeling helpless right now. We've decided to turn that around and use our time and energy to help in what ways we can. Tiny Lady Cooperative is hosting a fund raising effort for the family. When we asked Colleen what she would like the funds to go towards, she always the mother, said her children. All proceeds from this event will go into college funds for her children. We're going to give her a little bit of peace about her childrens futures before she goes.

For my part I volunteered to knit a matching set, sweater and longies. The time line here is a little crazy. I think my emotions might have volunteered me to do that. BUT, I am determined. That is part of why I've been scarce. I have to get this D-O-N-E! Carina from Sweet Mama Small Sugar donated her pattern to my effort. Since then I've been knitting, knitting, knitting. It's going well, but it seems so slooooow. Deadlines are always like that. Here is the current state of the sweater. A little lumpy and sleeveless, but looking good none the less.



When I haven't been working on that I've been dragging this sock around. The color scheme here is really kind of funny. Not purposeful. I needed more neutral colors in my sock wardrobe.

I'm going back to the knitting now... I'll emerge in about 10 days. Be sure to stop by TLC for the event on October 28th! Don't worry... I'll be back to remind you!

I can't keep up!

Life seems to be moving faster than I am right now! No time to blog. It's become nothing but an FO parade around here. Oh well, I'm sure you can't blame me too much for watching an overabundance of news lately. And lots of TV equals lots of knitting!

Fall is here... time for some more woolies for Miss E. A pair of Capri's. These are super handy in the fall and spring when it's just too cold for a soaker and too warm for full wool pants. I used my pattern for these, but I played with the short rows a bit. I used 2 sets of zig zag short rows in the middle and 1 regular each on top and bottom. They really do give the perfect shape for a cloth diaper booty!

This was my first time trying Corriedale yarn. I rather liked it. It looks like it's a longer fiber sort of like BFL, but it's more rugged. So I think it will hold up nicely as longies. And it was still really plesant to knit. My favorite yarn for longies is Montana Targhee... but it's not my favorite to knit!

Miss E seems pretty happy with them! I was happy that at 11:30pm when I ran out of the main yarn that I had some of that yellow on hand to finish them up! It probably wouldn't be my first choice for color to go with this colorway, but it was here and it worked!

Even if they do look a little goofy sitting flat, you can see they fit like a glove!

Pattern: Itchy Fingers Longies
Yarn: Corriedale from Tykie Knits, color Marisol

Now... where is that mail person with my new Norah Gaughn pattern book?! I've been patiently waiting all week! I though for sure today was the day. Sigh...