Long time

I've not blogged in a long time, but have much to report. Jim and I went on an extended 3 month vacation this summer. If you're interested you can view pictures and comments at this link: http://www.tamanders.com/wa.htm

I've been knitting and crocheting all year. My latest project is a cloche for Sarah. She's going to be in Oklahoma City for the entire month of February, so will need warm things.

Fingerless Mitts For ME!!!

The body of these mitts are knitted, with crochet around the top, bottom, and thumb. They were felted once, and were so small when I got them out of the washer I had to work really hard at getting them on. I left them on wet all day and even slept with them on that night. They fit perfectly now. The crochet band at the wrist increases and bells out. My sweater sleeves fit in there without assistance from me and it forms a seal no cold weather seems to be able to penetrate.

Bed Socks

I made these bed socks intending to felt them and make them very warm. Unfortunately, my washer is broke right now, so you'll have to wait to see what they look like when they are done.


Here they are after felting


I knitted Moe a hat from WoolEase and knitted a cotton lining for it. Moe has sensitive skin and is also very sensitive to the cold. He's warm and happy now!


I made this drink cozy for Jim. It's actually supposed to keep your drink cool in hot weather. It is crocheted from cotton yarn. You wet the thing, and as it evaporates it keeps your drink cool.

Too Sick To Work

I've been down hard since Christmas. I hurt my back. Then I got an abcessed molar, strep throat, and a bronchial infection. I'm scheduled for a VERY EXPENSIVE root canal once all the infections clear up. I've been knitting some, will post pics when I get the will to take them.

SHE LIKES IT!

I was horrified when I took it out of the washer, but after looking at it for a few days I liked it so much I was hoping she would not want it. But she loved it at first sight so she's taken it home to love.

Drops Cloche Hat Finished!

I finished the hat Sarah wanted. It is really unusual.
Shaun thinks I made it for him.

Drops Cloche Hat

EXCEPTION TO CC-ZERO!!! This picture was copied from garnstudio.com and is doubtless copyrighted.



Sarah fell in love with this cloche hat from Drops Studio. She purchased the yarn and had it sent directly to me. I am excited about knitting it; it will be the second thing I have knitted from a pattern (here's the first thing). I looked the pattern over and it reminds me of Elizabeth Zimmerman's style of pattern writing. And best of all, the pattern is free! Pretty cool eh?

Fingerless Mitts for Sarah

Now I have Sarah's birthday and Christmas finished! YAY!!!

Feral Cat at Myrtle Beach SP

He's hanging around because we're feeding him I guess :D

Hat for Sarah

I bought this lovely wool at Gate City Yarns

This hat is for Sarah. I also made a pair of fingerless gloves to match. Once I have finished weaving in the ends, I'll add photos of the gloves.

It is stretched over a paper plate holder to block it.

Here's what it looks like off the stretcher.

SNAKE!!!

I was sitting in my favorite chair when Jim walked by and said, "DON'T MOVE". I looked at him with a WTF look on my face; he pointed at a spot about 18 inches from my feet. This fellow was sitting on top of my shopping bags with his tongue flickering. The interwebz says it is a copperhead. I am FREAKED. How did it get in my house??? How did I escape snakebite??? How do I sleep in my house now??? GAH!!!

Felted Hat From Sweater

I bought a wool sweater at a second hand store. It had some damage from being washed improperly; the round yoke was shrunken and fulled a bit. I washed it in the machine with hot wash/cold rinse, then put it in the dryer. This procedure made the sweater very dense. I cut out bits of the sweater and sewed them into this hat. The brim is one piece; it was knitted that way. It is floppy when worn, and I love it.




Next time I need to take pictures of the garment before I begin cutting.

Cedar Spa

Yesterday, Moe and I laid the floor in the cedar spa room. Today I oiled the wood. I still need to buy window treatments. We've been working on this project for a year, a little at a time, as $$$ allows. I'll post more pics when it is completed.
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Ready for relaxation!

The spa.


Jim made the steps.

Another Sheep Chart

I made a sheep pattern earlier. This one is from a photograph. Click on the image to get the full size chart.

Granny Squares 1

I made 14 granny squares from cotton yarn. Now I am putting them together into a shawl.

Toad Rescue

I saw what looked like cat poo on my kitchen floor. I tried to pick it up with a paper towel, and it HOPPED AWAY!!! A cute lil' toad. I took him outside and released him in the fern garden.

Calling it Hobnail

So here's more of the 'Totally Tubular 3' sock. It is reminiscent of milk glass hobnail glassware to me so that's what I'm naming this pair.

Did I just name a pair of socks???

I've left a ball of yarn where the red waste yarn is so when I separate the socks I can add the crocheted border of sock 1, and the toe of sock 2, without splicing. There's a ball of yarn to work the toe of sock 1 at the beginning of the knitting. I just hope this ball of yarn doesn't run out before I finish the crochet at the top of sock 2. The heels will still be spliced in, but I see that as an advantage. It should make it easier to replace them.

Totally Tubular 3

I'm at it again. Striving to improve.


size 7 needles
worsted weight yarn
50/50 wool/nylon
cast on 36 stitches


BOTTOM OF FOOT/BACK OF ANKLE



TOP OF FOOT/FRONT OF ANKLE



STITCH DETAIL

Totally Tubular

I found a pattern on Ravelry, Totally Tubular Sock. I think I may have been sucked into the 'black hole of sock knitting'. I love knitting socks!

Getting started here. I used a provisional cast on so I could go back and crochet a lace trim.

Here they are on my size 9 foot.

A round of waste yarn separates the two socks and will be removed later leaving 2 socks with live stitches at each end. I used ribbing at the top of each sock to help hold them up.

This is what they look like just before separation. Once separated they need to have heels and toes knit in, and the lace trim at the top crocheted on.

You Know You Want Some

Club Sandwich.



My iris bed is beautiful.