One of those months

First off, here is my Rams and Yowes all finished.  That border didn't work out, as predicted.  So after removing the offending border, I just knit an i-cord bind off directly to the color work and called it good.  It's living on my stitching chair now.

I also finished my Sockhead Cowl, knitted with a potluck Hedgehog Fibers skein. 

Then I tackled the Peerie Flooers hat by Kate Davies.

And I swatched for and started the Strathendrick by Kate Davies.

And then things screeched to a stop.  On April 14th, I somehow took a fall and injured my knee and arm, both on the left side.  I ended up going to the ER just to make sure things were ok.  The ER sent me home with a splint on my left arm, saying there was a possible "occult" fracture of my elbow.

Thankfully, come Monday (the accident occurred on a Saturday), I went to the orthopedist who said there were no broken bones.  Just take it easy and bend and flex three times a day.  So I started back in on knitting the day after that.  Slowly, just a bit at a time, cause it still hurt.  (My wrist was also affected by the fall.) 

So slowly but surely, I've been knitting and working on getting my arm back to normal.  I've gotten to where I can knit pretty normally.  But color work is too much for my arm still.  (I knit two handed with color work, so my left hand is used a lot more with color work.)

As a result, I've started a couple of new projects as I've been healing.  Here is my knitting basket.

I did manage a row or two just to try color work out.  So you can see my Strathendrick progress.  I'm waiting to work more on it.  My wrist and elbow need more healing. 

The first picture shows the start to my Polka Dot scarf from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas.  I'm using Isager Alpaca 1.  The second picture shows my start on Kirigami from Gudrun Johnston.  (I'm actually much farther along than this by now, but I haven't taken another picture recently.)  I'm using Brooklyn Tweed Arbor, my first time using this yarn.  Love Brooklyn Tweed!  The color is Sashiko.  It's a bit darker in color than in the picture.

Right now, the straight stockinette body of Kirigami is good for my arm, so I'm sticking with it.

Mia has had at least a day or two where she could enjoy the fresh air.  Spring is coming!

It's supposed to warm up this coming week.  I know Mia will like that!

Talk about in like a lion....

First off, here is my Birkin, all finished.

I knitted an XL yoke and a L body.

I picked up a very old (from July 2014) UFO next, the Rams and Yowes blanket by Kate Davies.

I have doubts that this will come out ok.  The garter stitch border is definitely larger than the color work part.  Sigh.  I plan to try blocking it before knitting the i-cord bind off around the edge, to make sure it's not a waste of time to do so.  Not sure what I will do if the border continues to be too big for the center panel.

So yes, March did its proverbial thing and came in like lion -- more than a lion.  There were 4 nor'easters in the space of 4 weeks?  Something like that.  The first one, Riley, knocked our power out -- tons of trees down, which knocked down the power lines in the area.  We were out of power from March 2, through March 8 (6 days), when our power finally came on in the evening.  Yes, we were without power for the second nor'easter, Quinn.  Thank goodness Quinn wasn't as bad as they called for.  And thank goodness for generators!  It would have been tough to survive the cold without our generator and hookup to the house that we had installed after Hurricane Sandy.  We learned our lesson after Hurricanes Irene (no power for a week) and Sandy (no power for 9 days) -- get that  generator and generator hook up, cause our electric company leaves us for last when it comes to restoring our power.  Not fun.

I'm hoping that spring is finally here and that March leaves like a lamb and April just brings spring showers.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of all my color work garments (not including accessories or blankets).

Starting from my Birkin sweater and going clockwise, we have the Birkin by Boyland Knitworks, the Stopover by MJ Mucklestone, the Cruden vest by Ysolda Teague, the Ninilchik Swoncho by Boyland Knitworks, the Wave cardigan by Toshiyuki Shimada, Miss Rachel's Yoke by Kate Davies, Second Grace by Bristol Ivy, and Firebirds by Alice Starmore.

Happy Passover, and Happy Easter too!

It's March -- and it's snowing. What else is new?

Yup.  It's Sunday and it's snowing.  How unusual.  Sigh.

Anyway, I've been knitting.  The rams have appeared on Rams & Yowes.

Boxy worsted is getting longer.  Much faster than the Boxy in fingering weight.  Much more satisfying.

And I started another new project.  Mostly because I've wanted a cowl like this one and need it to keep warm.  It's the 3 Color Cashmere Cowl using Miss Babs Sojourn yarn (cashmere and silk).  Yum!

I'm not used to slippery yarns anymore after all the Shetland color work.  But it's coming along.  So soft!

The poor EPP quilt is going slowly.  My shoulder just does not appreciate English paper piecing.  Oh well.

Mia has been hibernating so much recently that I haven't gotten many pics of her.  But here she is a week or so ago -- getting into my clothes.  Sigh.

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Snow snow go away.....

I've been working away on Rams and Yowes.  There are 2 1/2 rows of sheep showing up now.

If you look closely at the right edge, you can see the some of the steek stitches -- they look a bit like a checkerboard.  Once I'm done with the middle of this blanket, which is worked in the round (it's a tube), I will cut the steek stitches to make a flat piece.  Yup.  Sounds scary, right?  I think so too!

I started another Boxy sweater, but this time in worsted weight.  With the fingering weight yarn, it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere.  I found this yarn in my stash -- Valley Yarns Stockbridge -- from a shopping trip to WEBS a few years ago.  I was so happy to find it!

I'm actually farther along than this by now, but I haven't taken another pic of it yet.

I am slowly adding stars to my EPP quilt.

This is the bottom left corner.

A few of you asked to see me model my Walking Tour Scarf once it dried.  This is as close as you're getting.  lol!

I am amazed and pleased to find that once the scarf was blocked, it came out to almost exactly the stated dimensions.  Nice discovery!  I have the feeling that I should stick to Shetland wool when I do color work.  It works so nicely for color work!  The scarf is in Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift, which seems to be much more available in the US.  Rams and Yowes uses Jamieson and Smith Jumper Weight Shetland wool, which is much more readily available in the UK.

We've had another storm or two this past week.  The storm on Wednesday/Thursday was light, fluffy, sparkly snow.  So strange!

And the snow Saturday into Sunday -- well it was snow.

Luckily our snow blower, which was broken for the big storms of January, is fixed and the father type took care of all the clean up -- what a luxury not to have to shovel!!  Father type took the above picture too.

Mia has been hibernating so much on the heating duct, I've started to feel like I'm missing her!  This is a rare sight now.

Ah well.  I'll know it's spring when Mia starts to sleep somewhere besides the heating duct!

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a great week!

I am an ice cube.....

Guess what?  I finished my Walking Tour Scarf!!!!

Here it is being blocked -- amazing what a good blocking can do!  I'm still waiting for it to dry.

I got this pattern from The Feral Knitter website.  It uses Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift.

With all the shoveling that's been going on recently, my shoulder seems to object to too much in the way of EPP.  So I just did a half star this Friday.  I've started the second row at least.

And I've picked up my Rams and Yowes blanket by Kate Davies once again.  I love doing color work!

As you have probably heard, Boston has really been hammered these past 3 or so weeks.  There was another blizzard this weekend.  This time I think it was/is the wind more than the snow that is the problem.  But boy, do they have snow!  The boy child sent me more pics.  He says the snow piles are as tall or taller than he is.

The street is on the other side of the piles.  lol!

I heard they are making all Boston streets one way until April 1?  I assume because the streets are getting so narrow now?  Crazy!

The wind has been howling mightily since sometime Saturday night.   I'm done.  No more winter please.   We've had enough.  But there is more coming from the forecasts.  And overnight was minus 5 with wind chills in the minus teens to 20s.  Sigh.

Mia thinks we've had enough winter too.  She has been hibernating on the heating duct under the bed, which means I don't see much of her recently.  She comes out to see what various noises are, to play and to eat.  lol!  And to watch the birds and wildlife outside.

Oh, and to sleep on my lap once in a while.

Ignore the large feet in the background.  lol!

Thanks for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a great week.  Stay warm and safe!

Morven

Here is my progress on the Hornbook Bestiary (by Scarlet Letter, using the silk kit).

And here is my fussy cut star for the week.  The last of this particular Tula Pink Saltwater fabric.  Again, copying the talented Eef's Needle for the fussy cutting!

My Rams and Yowes hasn't gotten far -- you can see some sheep legs, but that's about it.

I started another knitting project, but I will show that next time.

I wanted to mention an exhibit I'm looking forward to, down in Princeton, NJ.

The exhibit is from October 3, 2014 to March 29, 2015.  There is a needlework symposium on Sunday, October 5, 2014.  Here is the link for the exhibit.  And here is the link for information on the needlework symposium.  It should be a wonderful exhibit and symposium.  And no, I'm not connected in any way with the exhibit.  Just wanted to give a shout out to it!  Oh, and there will be an exhibit catalog too, which is fantastic!

Here is Mia enjoying some box time.  Such a silly girl.  You can tell she's in a pouncy mood by how big the black of her eyes is.  lol!

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Knitty stitchy

Here's my progress on the Hornbook Bestiary.  I'm still filling in on the Q block.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what the Q bird is?  I would say Quail, but it doesn't have the top knot thingie.

ETA: The H is for hart, a kind of deer.  :D

And here is my fussy cut Friday star, again using the same piece of Tula Pink Saltwater fabric as last time.  And again, I stole my fussy cutting from Eef's Needle.  Evelyne has the most beautiful fussy cut stars.  Thank you for sharing your ideas with me, Evelyne!

I'm going to be starting on the 3rd skein of yarn for the boy child's sweater -- and I'm over 12" along!

I also had to start a new project -- I've been missing knitting color work.  I've been trolling around and drooling over various fair isle and color work patterns, including this one.  And now I've started it!

It's the Rams and Yowes blanket by Kate Davies.  I got the kit from Jamieson and Smith -- and I have to say it's a pleasure to work with this type of wool for color work!

Mia claimed a Junior's Cheesecake bag that had been used during our trip to Cincinnati last Sunday.  And she's been enjoying it all week.  Under supervision, of course.

Thanks for stopping by and saying hi.  I hope everyone has a great week!