Actual knitting

I have been working on my blanket here and there to relax. I have started another color on it. I have a light blue, then a terra cotta, then a turquoise blue. Stay tuned for the next color.

My bike

Last Sunday, I bought a used bike off Craigslist. That same day it broke. Mike was going out of town Monday so I had to wait to get it fixed.

Friday night we found the parts we needed and on Saturday Mike fixed my bike. Now the only thing it needs are pink hand grips and pink straws on the spokes.

Bangles and a party

Check it out. Mike and I made these knitting needle bracelets out of some old needles I had. If anyone has old straight knitting needles I would live to make use of them. What do you think? Would you wear these?

I have been busy getting ready for a knitting party I am having at my house on Saturday. I have not knit much and I want the party stuff to be a surprise (to most of you). So this weeks blogs are probably going to be a little different.

Talking to strangers

I was at Hobby Lobby at lunch the other day buying a skein of wool yarn. As I was waiting in line to check out I noticed that the woman in front of me was buying two skeins of red heart in white.

I thought about talking to her and then not talking to her and finally I asked her if she knit or crochet. We talked a few minutes and I told her about our knitting group and she told me about the blanket she is crocheting. I handed her one of my cards and invited her to knit night on Thursday.

We call it knit night but it doesn't really mean anything. We come with our knitting, crochet, spinning, etc. it is a wonderful community of women who enjoy similar things, support each other and have become good friends.

Works in progress

I am working on a couple of projects still. One is "Meet me for coffee" wrap. The patter is a 16 row repeat that I really have to think about. Then you start adding in decreases and (WOW!) I really have to pay attention to where I am in the pattern.

I am also working in a very simple light blanket that has blues and terra cotta colors in it. I have one ball of yarn that will be in the very center that will bring it all together.

Some finished objects

I have knit two ruffle scarfs for myself this past week. One in the color of fall leaves (oranges and reds) and a silver one.

I also finished a blankie for Elle. It is a small one that used one ball of yarn. She still likes my shawls better than the blankie that I made for her (of course).

More project bags

This weekend we went to Hobby Lobby and I let Bella pick out a fabric to use as her project bag. She picked an ice cream cone flannel fabric. I picked a cotton owl fabric. I made 6 project bags on Sunday while Elle took her nap.

On Friday Bella learned how to ride a two wheel bike. So we have been on the lookout for a bike for mommy too. We found one on Craigslist and picked it up on Sunday. Mike installed Elle's seat and off we went around the block. We were almost home when the piece holding the pedals to the bike broke. No one was hurt but man, we were so disappointed. Mine is going to have to look how to fix it.

Ribbon yarn

At Michael's craft store they had ribbon yarn on sale. Bella got some hot pink with silver sparkle. I bought an orange, a green, and a gray one.

Since I will soon have ruffle scarves, I better start preparing myself to wear them. Normally I am not much of a scarf person.

Project bags

On Monday I was home with Elle. April the babysitter had to help with her mom who was in the hospital.

I sewed up a couple of project bags using some sheep fabric I had bought off eBay.

They turned out so great!!! I am loving them.

Pink wheels

A few days ago I took a curb too close and my hubcap came off. I picked it up so Mike could put it back on. But when he looked at it he told me it was broken.

So on Saturday night we went to Pepboys and bought another box of hubcaps (a different kind). We then went to Walmart and got pink spray paint. That night, against his better judgement, mike painted my new hubcaps pink.

If you can't have pink hubcaps on a green VW Bug, then you can't have them on anything.

I also sewed on another knitted piece for knit bombing my car. The piece I added was a hand spun, hand painted panel of chunky weight yarn. I put it on the sunshade on passenger side. Then I added knitting buttons too.

My car is coming along nicely.

What a weekend

We had a very busy weekend. Ana came over to dye yarn with me. She brought 6 skeins of white yarn and a soaker that needed to be dyed.

We spent the next 5 hours dyeing 2 of the skeins of yarn and the soaker.

We both had a great time and Ana went home with the dyeing bug placed securely in her heart. (She went and bought stuff so she could dye the rest at home).

I also finished the larger pumpkin I took a picture of it with Andy and Elle for scale.

Shawl

I am also working on the Meet Me For Coffee shawl/poncho. It looks so cozy for fall. I am using size 8 needles and I Love This Yarn in Terra Cotta.

So far I have not done a good job with the stitches. I keep making mistakes early in the row-don't notice until the end of the row-then have to in knit the whole row and do it again.

I have also started a small travel blankie for Elle. She loves to play with my shawls so I am making a knit blankie that she can play with. She will probably still like mine best but at least this way she also has her own.

Tonight Bella has a sleepover she is going to so Mike and I are going out for a date night. With Elle of course. We will probably go out to eat and then Barnes and Noble. I am really looking forward to it.

Fingerless mitts

Isabella wanted to make something with some sock yarn that was leftover from a pair of socks I made her this summer.

So last Thursday she cast on for a pair of fingerless mitts. She is using size 2 needles and garter stitch. She is knitting them flat and we will sew them up.

Last night she bound off the first ine and we sewed it up She is very excited about them.

Another pumpkin

I cast on for another pumpkin. I am changing the pattern and am making this one bigger.

Hopefully I will be able to get 3 pumpkins of various sizes for a nice fall decoration. But right now I haven't gotten very far.

Yesterday I received my order from Knit Picks. I LOVE that place! I ordered a bag that's on clearance along with some yarn dots to help with the yarn bombing of my car.

Halloween owl

The patterning am using is Lucy's Owl by Rachel Gallagher-Miller and it is a free pattern on Ravelry.

The yarn I am using is leftover from the silk moon shawlette I knit. It is Plymouth yarn - kudo. And a size 6 needle.

I changed the legs cause I wanted it to look a bit more like an owl. So I connected the feet right to the body.

Halloween Pumpkin

I am also knitting a Halloween pumpkin. I am not sure yet if it will be a pumpkin, jack-o-lantern, or have hands and legs.

I am using the pattern Autumn Pumpkins by Jan Lewis. It is a free pattern on Ravelry.

I am making it out of Patton Classic Wool in Pumpkin colorway and using a size 8 needle. I am also holding the yarn double so the pumpkin will be bigger.

It turned out smaller than I had hoped for... but now that I know how the pattern works I can make more in any size.

A matching hat

I am using the last of the Shewbert yarn by knitting Elle a matching hat.

I cast on 88 stitches and knit 1, purl 1 for 4 inches and then switched to stockinette. I knit until I was almost out of yarn and then varied my decreases.

I put it on her and she smiled and smiled. Elle looked so cute in it. I didn't get a picture though. I will have to put the hat on her again and remember to take a picture.