Friday Eye Candy

Clemson Sock yarn....

...And thats all I have to say about that! :)

Flip Flop

First the Flop...

Dancing Bamboo Socks with Lorna's Laces Stitches West Peppermint Mocha.  I LOVED this yarn and couldn't wait to cast on for some socks.  I pulled them out of my very own 'sock of the month club' bin and had them paired with the dancing bamboo pattern.  ECK!  What a terrible combination - actually - I think the yarn is terrible in this number of stitches.  I'm thinking maybe Baby Jays - something smaller so it doesn't quite look like St. Valentine threw up on these socks.  ugh!

So I tore these out and flipped the coin again... I drew *these* socks the second time - yea!  And coupled with my fave sock yarn - double yea!!  I wasn't stoked about paying $6 for a sock pattern, but I think after the first sock I will say - Love!  Soo worth it - totally love them!

Anklet - love!  Pattern - love!  Short-row heel - hate!

Well, as Meatloaf says, "Two out of three aint bad!"  And with anklet length and a long car ride - I am half done with the second one too.  Woo-hoo!!  Not loving the brown top (should have gone more 'fun' but alas - its only ten rows - if I really want to change it later I can).  So yea - I'm baaack!  Knitting AND posting!

Some Garden Stuff

The other thing keeping me busy lately....

Putting up all these veggies...

and again...

This year I have a new trick up my sleeve... Spaghetti Sauce

mmmmmmm.... it is soooo good!

words of wisdom though - remember to skin the tomatoes BEFORE you make the sauce.  Ugh. My second batch was way better - no fishing skins out of the already simmering sauce.  What have you been growing?

Catching up...

So I went MIA again... I hope that doens't mean you'll quit stopping by.  Excuses I know - but the new job is GREAT - but also means I work alot more (and blog alot less!)  Hopefully my work/life balance will adjust over time and I'll keep you better updated. 
In a short knitting synopsis I finally finished a baby kimono that I knit almost three years ago (I know...) but after knitting the kimono I had no idea how to 'close' it and never finished it (weaving in ends etc).  Some friends of ours had their little girl baptized and it finally seemed like a good time to finish it up.  I decided to add (caute!) buttons to close the front of the kimono and weaved in my ends.

I also finished knitting ANOTHER pair of socks (2010 may just be Nikki's year of Sock Knitting - but as long as they come in PAIRS I'll continue to enjoy it!)  These are my THIRD pair of Jaywalkers.  I absolutely ADORE this yarn and love the way it striped. 

Unfortunately even though they are FINISHED (I promise - they are!) I can't show you a picture b/c um well, they don't fit.  See... I always knit socks on size 2 (or 1.5) needles (ahem, or used to always) til a knitting friend of mine mentioned that was 'cheating.'  So I decided to knit these on size 1's.  I knit my purple Malabrigo socks on a size 1 needle as well - so thought I could continue - but beware!  The rumor about Jaywalkers having a narrow heel is true - esp knit on size 1 needles.  UGH!  I plan to block the ever-living life out of them and see if I can't get them to fit.  We shall see...

I also started a new sweater.  This is a Zephyr Pattern called Tree Sweater and I've been affectionately referring to it as my 'tree hugger' sweater b/c its green too!  I wasn't too sure about it to start with but after trying it on (twice now - in two different stages) I actually REALLY like it alot and think it looks pretty cute.

The yarn is Miss Babs Yowza Whatta Skein (so fun to say!) and so far I am REALLY loving it - very soft, not splity, easy to work with and HUGE skein (so less ends to weave in - thank you Miss Babs!)  I do have to say though, knitting a turtleneck sweater in SC in the summer - not the best idea.  Even in the car you have to have the AC cranked up for it to be on your lap.  But I am loving it so I'll let it slide..

So - not only knitting to update you on... but also (some) sewing....

You might have seen on the 'regular' blog that we are restoring an Airstream trailer.  My job in this restore is to make it 'pretty' inside.  New curtains, new beds, new pillows (quilts!!  eeek!!) and all other inside updates are up to me!  My hubs did have very specific ideas about fabric though (no flowers!) and we both wanted a 'vintage' look to the fabric we chose.  Fortunaltey (or unfortunately) we found a great fabric line that we both thought was PERFECT for our trailer and agreed upon.  The unfortunate part is that it is Arcadia by Moda (aka out of print) and hard to find and EXPENSIVE when you do find it.  We scoured the internet though and could not compromise on another line of fabric so Arcadia it is.  I have a post coming up to show you what I really mean by scouring for the fabric - but first a sneak peek at the pillows I am working on...

This pile of fabric strips is actually the honey bun I was working out of to create the String Quilt blocks (ala Ashley).  I plan to use the large block alone in one pillow front, and the smaller ones blocked together as her normal quilt blocks.  I really enjoyed the technique (it is a bit time consuming) but I am LOVING the outcomes.  I have some other ideas I'll share with you later too! 

So ... thats about it (for now).  Not too bad for a month's hiatus - eh?  Hopefully enough to keep you coming back for more - b/c I have more.  I know - crazy right?!?  But we haven't even TOUCHED on the gardening part of my summer!  TTFN!

Ravelry Socks

The trip to Chicago also brought about more knitting time.  I started a new sweater and a new pair of socks.  A new pair of socks because before I even left I finished these...

These are Ampersand socks with the colorway Ravelry (fitting - right?)  I can't remember the yarn manufacturer - I bought it from someone on Ravelry and its less Christmasey in the ball than it turned out knit up - eh - oh well.  They are finished socks and one less ball in the stash.  These may go to my MIL or SIL.  We'll see.  How many pairs of hand-knit socks can one girl have?!?

Having this pair done allowed me to start knitting my Summer Sweet yarn (yea!!)

The Moment You've All Been Waiting for...

The reveal of Drew's baptism blanket.  It turned out FANTASTIC!  I really love it.  The chalice pattern looks great and the Knit Picks yarn really knit up wonderfully (although it did shed on the suit my brother had on a bit).  Without futher ado... The Blanket

and the slipped stitch edge (great idea I got from a Ravelry friend)

and being blocked (which my wonderful hubby again helped me to do)

and finally - on the big day

I am back from my trip to Chicago (and a quick week off betwen jobs!) and now back to work and hopefully real life.  I have alot of fun crafts to show for my week off (can you say socks - ha ha ha!) and I sewed again too!

What have you been up to?

PJ Pants

I made my mom these PJ pants for Christmas and although she loved them - they didn't fit that great.  (I tried to make them less 'wide leg' and ended up making them less 'comfy pj' at the same time - ugh!)

So, I told her I would make her a new pair (that hopefully fit).  That was, eh, six months ago (sorry Mom!)  But I finally did get around to it and finished these the other week.  I sent them to her and she LOVES them (and they fit!)  yeah!!!

(yeah, that is me in them - but I wanted to get a pic before I sent them - you can see they are too long on me - that is how I know they have a better chance of fitting her).  The fabric is all Amy Butler Love and the same In Stitches Wide Leg Lounge pant (this is pair #3? for me!)  My mom picked the trim when she was here a couple months ago (good choice! - I think it makes the orange in there pop more!)

There is some fun stuff going on in my life - keeping me out of the sewing room - so I am sorry to not have posted very often - but between happenings and the External Hard Drive crash - I am still catching up.  Hope to see you in this space more often in the next couple weeks.  Happy Weekending!!  :)  xoxo, Nikki