Out on the town

As I said in my previous post, we went to NYC on Wednesday. On the way there, I knit up a panta for my friend's DD. Knowing that thet prefer acrylic, I made it that way, although I hated the yarn. But it has a soft hand.


Pattern: Panta revisited
Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun
Color: Black
Needle Size: Addis Turbo 8
Pattern changes: none

Comments: It's a very quick knit, but I'd add more to the center. I may use this pattern for a panta in pink wool for DD. I may also decide to try a different pattern.. but this one really moves along quickly!



The purpose of the trip was to take the ILs to see the city at Christmas. I must say, I've never seen so many people in NY except on TV at New Year's Eve. 5th Ave was literally wall to wall people on the sidewalks of both sides of the street, which made it a bit difficult to push a stroller, and also made me nervous with the other 2 kiddos staying up with us. But we fared very well.


First stop, the disney store. The kids had a bit of money from Christmas to spend. DD bought 2 CDs to go with her new player. DS1 chose a power ranger toy (what a surprise) and DS2 a small train with Mickey. The store is enormous and decorated to the hilt, but I have to say I expected more....


Next stop, Rockafeller Center. And an obligatory picture of the tree there. We ate at Rock Center but skipped the trip to the top of the Rock (although I'm sure it would have been spectacular at night with all the Christmas lights) cuz the kids were really quite tired.




Right across the street from the entrance to the center was this gorgeous site. When we first saw it, there was music playing (Carol of the Bells) and the snowflakes came on and off seemingly in accord to the music, like a planned show. I'm not sure if this was the case or not, because later when we saw it, I heard the same music and expected the same show, but all of the flakes stayed lit the whole time. At any rate, it was quite a spectacle!



All the stores were decked to their best and I managed to snap a picture of Cartier all wrapped up for Christmas!


Thursday night we took one of Bill White's Christmas Lights Tourin the Lehigh Valley. We chose Tour #9, Roni's Rocky Road Fudge, because it was closest to home and saw possibly the most decorated house in the entire Valley at 1135 Sunset Drive.
That would be the picture on the left. We also saw the one on the right on this tour as well as many other beautiful lights.


Friday we went to Christmas in Hershey with our friends and their kids, or as DD refers to them 'her cousins'. We arrived early enough ahead of them to take in the really big 3D show, which was great fun, the 'factory tour' and grab a bite to eat before heading to the park. The kids had a great time (as did the adults) and the park was decked out in wonderful light and kisses everywhere.(note the kisses on the tree and the giant kiss on top)

Of course I took along my knitting (that's what this blog is about isn't it?) I worked on a scarf in the car, the recipient was mentioned in a former blog.


Pattern: Curly Purly Dropped Yarnover Scarf
Yarn: Joann Sensations Bellezza Collection Cosetta
Wool Blend-68% wool 32% Nylon
Color: Cosetta Teal
Amount: 50g/117m
Needle Size: 13


The pattern calls for using needles 3 sizes larger than you would use to get a typical knit fabric. Since the label called for a size 11 but the yarn is really on the heavy worsted weight side (of which I may usually use a 9 typically) I chose to use a 13 needle. I think my picture looks fairly close to Marnie's picture in her pattern as far as openness goes. Perhaps a bit more open, but it worked out great for length and only needing 1 skein. Of course I had already purchased 2, and now need to find another project for this wool... maybe it will felt well?

Friday was also the day of the Love2Knit Dishcloth Yahoo group all day party, so I attended for a few hours before we left. I took the KAL with me and tried to knit in the park while waiting for the kids on the rides. This always draws the attention of someone and last night was no exception. An Asian woman came up to me, very interested in what I was doing and wanting to learn.She stood next to me, watching and asking questions while I waited for the kids and their grandmother to get off the train ride. It really was a bit too cold for my hands to knit though. I'll have to make fingerless gloves for the next time I want to try that. Actually they would be great to have so I can knit on door duty at school now that the weather is finally turning cold here in PA.

If I don't post tmrw, I wish all of you a very happy and healthy New Year full of fun crafting!

NYC

We all went to the big apple to see the tree at Rockafeller Center and for the kids to hit the Disney store. The city was MOBBED with people. DS1 has never seen so many folks in one place in his life and made comment as to how many people there were.

On the way there, I made the panta for the DD of my good friend who will be gifted the dredlock hat. I used homespun yarn... HATE the stuff... absolutely dreadful!

I'll post a picture tomorrow of that and the tree at Rockafeller Center.

The kids had fun (I hope) My dogs hurt though.

Gonna cast on a scarf before bed for someone special, if DS2 lets me!

happy crafting

Here's the hat!

with my adorable husband in it!

Pattern: Code 88 Hat
Yarn: 100purewool worsted weight merino
Color: chocolate fantasia
Needle size: Addi Turbo #6 and bamboo dpns in a 6


Code 88 is morse code for XO ---•• Amanda translated this as K3 P2. The hat starts with 120 stitches with clever decreases. It's a quick knit, but I needed to write out the decrease section because something that I did was wrong. Of course I continued until the end and said ARGH!!!!! frogged it back to where the decreases start and did it again from my re-instructions. If anyone would like them, let me know and I'll send them your way.

Amanda also has instructions for a swirly decrease on the pattern but I thought that might be a bit too girly! The decrease looks better in a solid color but DH picked this yarn for his hat... it's oh so soft!

hopefully I'll have something to post later this evening!

Merry Christmas

Some pictures of how some of the gifts were presented:




I also gifted the LTK felted mocs from a previous post

And some others of the ones I finished the day before Christmas Eve which was a bit too close for comfort considering we exchange gifts on Christmas eve.

First, dad's hat

Pattern: Knitty's Coronet
Yarn: Lamb's Pride
Color: Oatmeal
Needle size: 8 Addi's then bamboo dpns

Since dad doesn't particularly like wool, I lined it with soft fleece from Joann's fabric. It should really keep him toasty warm should he venture out this winter. That is if the weather ever gets cold here in PA!

Next MIL felted basket:


Pattern: Felted Bowl Free Pattern
Yarn: Homespun that I had in my stash... no I didn't spin it.
Color: Brown with slubs of yellow and dark brown
Needle size: 10.5

Since the pattern called for lopi light doubled and this yarn was a lighter weight than that I sized down the needles from a 13 to a 10.5 I also didn't switch colors as cinnamonamon directs you to do. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out

And last but not least a pocket tissue cozy for FIL:


Pattern: Karrie's knitted tissue cover
Yarn: Lamb's Pride
Color: not sure cuz there was just a small ball of it... army green?
Needle size: 8

This is based on a modified linen stitch over 6 stitches instead of 2. A very quick knit. FIL uses those little packs of tissues all the time, so I thought he might enjoy it and if he doesn't it's not a huge loss to me in both yarn or time.

I still owe my mom felted slippers and DH a tie. I finished his hat just minutes ago but don't have a picture to post. I'll do that tmrw. I also need to start the Panta for my friend's daughter. I hope that is a quick knit for tomorrow as well.

The kids had a great Christmas. DD realized that by only asking for 4 gifts she made out very well.... some crafty things too! We're working on a doll she started Christmas day, and today she and DS1 made sand art... cute stuff.

Santa was good to me as well. I'll post pictures later, but KnitPicks was in the loot!

I got my Dishcloth calendar in the mail today. Can't wait to start on some of the goodies in that one

Oh I almost forgot! I have pictures of the adorable wool ornaments I bought at Christkindlmarkt a few weeks ago. MIL got hers yesterday so I can post the picture for you all to see!

The Santa is mine. I gave her the snowman and the little lamb. I couldn't resist. Also in the background is my handspun peace fleece.

Well it's time for bed. Happy crafting everyone!

Down to the wire

Monday DS1 had his preschool Christmas party. The kids each had one name to buy for. Santa was there and gave out the gifts and they got an ornament for the tree to bring home to mom and dad with their picture. Too cute.
Anyway, my middle baby decorated a gingerbread house to share with his friends. He's usually such a brute, but watching him put on the gum balls and window decorations and the sprinkles was really touching. He was so meticulous and I think it turned out great. The only thing I did was put the icing where he told me to. The rest was his creation!

The cloths for DDs teachers are finally complete! I had to stay up late because she has art on Wednesday and she wanted to take the candy cane illusion cloth for her art teacher.

Pattern: Candy Cane Illusion
Yarn: Lily's Sugar and Cream
Colors: Red, White
Needle Size: 7

Pattern: Knitted Christmas Tree Cloth
Color: Green
Needle Size: 7


I had my elementary chorus concert tonight (Tuesday) and I am so proud of the work that they did. One little girl came sick and wound up not being able to make it through the concert, but she was such a trooper for trying. Those kids always amaze me.....makes it all worthwhile

Goodnight and happy crafting

Santa goes to school

I should be knitting or sewing instead of blogging, but here is a picture heavy post of gifts for DD's teachers.

We made the gingerbread houses today (well technically yesterday) Pix of those for Monday night.

I have pre and post felting of the Mason Dixon nesting baskets

I made the medium, large and I figured an extra large size. Why? Originally they were going to be 3 different greens. The two in the picture and another lighter green... but then I got to thinking.. hmmm I have some recycled red that could look really nice as a Christmas set with the two darker greens.. but I had already made the medium colored green in the medium size... and I couldn't have the red be on the outside, thus conceiving the larger size. The 2 greens look very close on my monitor but there really is a difference between them shade wise!



Wool: XL and M Basket (greens)- From ebay ithacaisginger
L Basket (red)- Recycled shetland from a GAP sweater

Weight: medium worsted (even though the pattern calls for lamb's pride bulky) doubled
Needle: 10
Gauge: ?? Never bothered to check
Pattern: Mason Dixon Knitting book

The smallest basket is filled with Hershey's milk chocolate peanut butter filled nuggets, mainly because of the red foil, but I may switch it to Christmas colored Hershey kisses instead.

The rest is all but 3 of the cloths with their accompanying soaps.

This is all of them together. I have one on the needles yet (a Christmas tree) and one to make (an illusion candy cane) and I have appropriate soaps for them as well. I'll post pictures of them when I finish.


There are 2 of these illusion snowflakes. I like this one so much, I'll have to make it for home as well.


There are 2 of this snowman. He's a cutie! The other soap has a red hat on the snowman.



And there are 2 of this snowman as well.





I made 2 of these, but one was already gifted to the dance teacher last Saturday, so it's not included in the picture.






And last but not least is the product as it will be presented to the special area teacher.

Hopefully she (or in the PE teacher's case, he) won't think it's too cheesy. There's a poem on the back that Andi from Monthly Dishcloth KAL shared with us. I put it on so that they would know what it was. Not everyone uses knitted cloths....But I have DH loving them for dishes now. He is a cloth convert from the sponge... I'm so happy!!!!!

OK, need to fold clothes and get some sleep... I have so much knitting to do this week, plus my school concert and an in-school carol sing with over 700 kids... YIKES....

Happy crafting, especially to you last minute makers (like me!)

I've crossed the Mason Dixon line

and finished the felted trio of baskets. They are drying as I type. I have to say, they look great. I'd be very happy if someone gifted me with them! I'll post pics tmrw.

Today was quite busy. I was finishing up playing HO HO... got the kids stocking stuffers, and did the baby's stuff as well as shopping for gifts that my folks can give the kids. And finished our secret pal (family) gifts... one of which was very difficult to find anything on the list save gift cards (I hate doing that unless I really need to)

So I need to finish the cloths for DD to give to her teachers... she picked out a tree and an illusion candy cane. Right now I'm working on the second illusion snowflake. I'd like to do one for my friend as a cup of joe... and a few for me and MIL as well and maybe one for my SIL.... not asking too much right.

I think I'll make my MIL a felted bowl. I found a free pattern on the net today and have some nice lopi downstairs I could use, or some really sharp looking brown tweed... or then again I just hit the motherlode on Patons from Joanns. It was on sale for 3.99 a skein and I get free shipping... guess I could use some of that!

I still need to make mom her present and the Panta for Magster, and a cloth for DD and DS1... Did I hear that Christmas was postponed until Jan 6?

We (the older 2 DC and I) put more on the tree today... ti's starting to fill up. We'll do some more tmrw and leave it go at that.

Well I better stop typing and start knitting.

Happy crafting everyone!

Quickie

just a short post to upload some FO pics.

Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream
Color: Green
Needle Size: 6
Pattern: Judith's pattern
Dishcloth Fun KAL

I love this pattern, just wish I had done it in bright red!



Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream
Color: Green
Needle Size: 7
Pattern: Melissa's Bell -
Just Dishcloth Dec KAL
Another bell in green. I started this in burgundy, then frogged it to do in green because I thought it was a tree.
Was I ever surprised when I realized it was this cloth again. I gifted the first along with the horse from the Monthly Dishcloth group, since I didn't really want 2 in the exact same green color.




Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream
Color: White
Needle Size: 7
Pattern: Monthly Dishcloth
Dec '05 KAL

This pair will be gifted along with some other cloths to DD's teachers next week!



Here's a close up of the same pattern








This is the first of a trio of Mason Dixon Felted Nesting Boxes. I was planning on an all green set, but decided that I should do Green, Red, Green. This one was originally going to be the middle size, but now will be the smallest of the three. I'll post the details when I finish all 3!



And last but not least…
my virgin basket making journey. I took a class tonight (Monday) at NCC with some friends and we all made a wine basket. It was such fun and given the opportunity I'll be certain to do it again.

OK.. I gotta hit the rack. I'm way overtired....

Happy Crafting!

Time flies

and the more you need to do, the faster it goes!

Today's sermon (well technically yesterday's) was about advent. Taking the time to prepare for the Lord's birth and worrying less about the 'earthly' preparations that we all do. My husband had just spoken to me about this Saturday before we parted company (just for the day.....) His wisdom was, we get done what we can but don't let it interfere with enjoying the holiday and all it means.. he is way wiser than I!

I'd love to upload pics but it's too late, so I'll do that either Monday evening after class or Tuesday evening (the man is home Tuesday this week YEAH!!!!!!!)

But here's the week in a nutshell... FO's 2 cloths. One almost finished. CO.. Mason Dixon felted nesting baskets. I'm closing up the first (started with the middle size... don't ask me why!) Knitted a bit (and I mean a tiny bit) on the necktie It seems as though I've made nothing.

Well last Sunday were Moravian College Vespers. What a great service and I have such wonderful memories of my days as an undergrad there. So DD and I went to hear the choirs (DH's women's chorus was outstanding.. as usual) He brought her home and I went to play HO HO all the way up in Bath to find a Batman computer for DS1. That was the only Radio Shack in the area that had it and they had ONE... but I wound up saving about $35 from the online price, not to mention not needing to pay shipping!

Monday was grocery shopping after work with the entire family... what a treat!
Tuesday we were here doing the normal family stuff. DH had his rehearsal. The rest of the week seemed the same, but the evenings really fly. Until we get home, eat, clean up, do homework and in bed, I'm beat!

Friday night my dear friend and I took our kids (4 in total) to Christkindlmarkt. We didn't get there until 7 and the darn thing closed up shop at 8! I could have stayed about 30 minutes more even with the kids. I bought MIL a little gift for Christmas from a woman who uses roving around styrofoam and pipe cleaners to make ornaments. Some she has extra stuff added to for a cute scene. I'll post pictures of what I got after she receives her gift. So darn cute though. Got myself one as well :-) There was also a very nice woman there from near Harrisburg who spins and was selling her handspun, but she also knits and was selling felted hats and purses as well as felted möbius baskets (small ones) Nice stuff. I talked with her a good long time about what she recommended for a spinning wheel. She confirmed my belief that I really do want a Louet... so I'll just be patient until the time is right. She has 2 Louets and loves them both!

Saturday was parent observation day at dance class. So I was happy to watch DD in both ballet and jazz. It did cut into the knitting time though because I needed good shots for DH to see. He was at gymnastics with the boys! But there is no dance now until after the holidays. The company performs the Nutcracker this coming weekend. In the afternoon we went to Plainsboro for a birthday party, and spent the night there. DH had to stay home because of vespers at Moravian. It was so great to see our buddies... the kids had a blast and so did I! Thank you again!!!!!!

DD lost her second tooth today! So exciting and it's been long in coming. She wouldn't let me pull it out. It was just hanigng by a thread. When she burshed it came out on her toothbrush. The tooth fairy was here already and left her 2 gold dollars. THe other excitement of the dya wasn't nearly as fun... mom's stupidity driving earned her a ticket in NJ. I hope the points don't transfer!

OK.. Promise I'll plst pics soon. My class tonight (Monday) is a basket making class. I hope I don't fair too poorly!

Happy Crafting!

FOs....cloths of course!

Well I haven't been knitting up a storm, but I have managed to finish a few cloths over the weekend. That and sleeping of course. I don't know why I'm so beat.....

Yarn: Lilys Sugar 'n Cream
Color: White
Needle Size: 7
Pattern: Jan 2006 Monthly Dishcloth KAL by Sarah Wennogle

This cloth is unblocked... Well Really not yet finished as I haven't even woven in the ends. Shame on me. Finished it Sat AM while DD was in ballet. You'd think by now it would be ready to gift!



Yarn: Lily's Sugar & Cream
Colors: Light Blue and White
Needle Size: 7
Pattern: 2005 Mid Dec KAL Monthly Dishcloth KAL group by Emily Byrd 2005


This is the cloth seen from the correct angle. Yup another snowflake. I love these illusion cloths!

And last but not least…


Yarn: Lily Sugar & Cream
Color: Burgundy
Needle Size: 7
Pattern: Dec KAL from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL group.. by Janet Nogle

BTW, if you're into knitting things for the come check out Janet's blog. She's help put together a 'dishcloth' calendar with 30 patterns. The cost is $12.00 per calendar and shipping for one is $4.05. Shipping discounts for additional calendars and a buy 5 get 1 free special. If you purchase before Dec 10, you'll also get a set of stitch markers. I have no claim to any of the profits, just passing along the news :-)

Well I should CO another cloth or 2 tonight. One for DDs teachers and the other for ? from either the Just Dishcloth KAL group or Mary's Knitting and Crochet group... they've both started another KAL and of course I'm behind....

Happy Crafting!