Work in Progress...

When I frogged the frock cami, I said I was casting on for this: annette (knitty.com summer '09 issue).

The pattern looks complicated, but it flows quickly.

The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold, hempathy [rav link] in a red/cranberry color. I love this yarn! It knits up crisply, but when washed, it softens very nicely. And there's good yardage for the price! (always a plus)

Froggie Pond...

I had started the frock camisole (interweave knits, spring '08) with my Elsebeth Lavold hempathy in red (see picture), but realized that this yarn was not for this project. So...rrriibbiit...rrriiibbbiiitttt....

...not to fear, this yarn will work for this: annette from knitty, summer09. Swatched and casting on today....

Still Here...

...but not much, if any, knitting getting done. Sounds like the same old story. I think it's the heat. Summer temps hit hard and it takes me a week or so to get acclimated to them.
School's out in three days...wow! What happened to this year! Seems like just yesterday it was the first day of school! (I know, I'm getting old and the days are flying by!)
Still running around with the baseball/softball, but those seasons are winding down. It gets too hot to play here in June/July. Every thing's a little backward out here in the desert!
I did buy some yarn, Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in red for the frock camisole. I'd always liked this pattern and I love this yarn! Seems like a good, quick knit for summer.

Washing

Okay. Seems like the knitting bout with nothing has worn off. I bought some lovely purply yarn (this); color 2405; for a whisper cardi. I did my gauge swatch and am off gauge, but I was tired when I swatched, so I think I'll have to do it again.

Now...for this title...has anybody ever washed their son's baseball practice things and then found 7 pieces of gum in the washer?

Thank goodness I found them before it all went in the dryer!

My Mittens are Finally Freaking Done!!!!!!!!!!

After a fun trip to the "Town too tough to Die"(Tombstone, Arizona) with my handsome husband and well-behaved children, I uploaded some new photos.

Back to regular blog author, thanks to guest picture uploader and title writer!, thanks Hubby!

The bird in the hand mitts are finally done! Yeah! Yeah!

I love the way these turned out. Only problem is...they don't fit me. But, the LittleOne likes them and they fit her small hands, so she's been wearing them to school in the morning.

The lighter part is coming across as grey, but they are dark blue and light blue. I don't know if I'll put the bird on the palm, we'll see...right now I like them as is. This was the first time I used knit picks yarn, and I liked the way it knit up. I bought some other fingering/sock in different colors, I have a hat pattern that might work.

I want to thank (not-so) cynical knitting gal for her Gracie's Golden Blogger Award! Go on over and check out Ella's friend!

The Skirt

The skirt:

yarn has been bought -- Hempathy by elsebeth lavold in celery/sagey green and natural
gauge swatch has been done (it is a skirt) -- #4 needles won
first part of lace pattern has been started -- slow going but easily memorized pattern

I'll try to take a picture of what I've got so far sometime this week. I'll also try to take pictures of the hats (this and this) I've finished and the mittens (just need thumbs) and whatever else I've finished and haven't shown you all yet!

Yarn, Socks in Progress and Dogs on Thursday

A work in progress! Love, love this sock and this pattern! Very easy to knit and keeps your interest!

Pattern: Spring Pools

Yarn: Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock yarn in neon green

And, remember about a week or so ago, I mentioned that my mom and aunt (the one who knits) were in a LYS in Phoenix, and my mom called me to ask me if I wanted anything. This is what they came up with! It's such a great color! Berroco Sox in color 1432/grannoch.

And, last but not least, a new picture of Ella! She's been loving these cooler mornings we're all of a sudden having! She runs and runs for a good half an hour every morning and then spends the rest of the day the way a dog should--napping! (when I took this picture, she was sleeping and her tail was wagging the whole time, so I think she was just 'cat' napping!)

On the Needles

From left to right [all links are Ravelry links]: grey yarn (yes, it's recovered from it's rude treatment) to be this hat: here; purple yarn (top left corner) fingerless garter gloves (picture here), have two fingers and a thumb left, then weaving in ends; green yarn in middle a headband that was originally for me, but now will be for the LittleOne; orange/rust (looks red) yarn is the Canopy Cardigan, have just the sleeves left, the other bit is the fronts and back; and the bottom purple is the skater's overtop.

Goal: Now is just to finish something! (Then I'll probably immediately cast on for something else!)
Hope all have had a great weekend and great week last week! (I was out of touch there for a while, don't know why, I just was. It happens sometimes!)

Zip Code? What's a zip code?

I’m always perplexed as to why I have to give out my zip code to buy things…like…say YARN!
This started when I got one of those 50% off coupons in the paper last Sunday. You know the ones. They come in the flyer for the craft stores out there in the retail world. And since it’s 50% off, you can’t resist! Hmm…new needles (limited sizes and styles of course). Hmm…new yarn. But only one would be half off. So, off I go yesterday to said (well unsaid, but you can guess) craft store, hubby along for the ride, and make a beeline straight for the yarn aisle.
Of course I ponder…yarn or needles? And had the size 10 ½, 29-inch circulars in my hand for my next project (ravelry link: here)(but don’t have the yarn yet), but again wander down the yarn aisle and get seduced by a nice grey Paton’s Wool (dark grey mix to be exact). Hmm…that would make a great hat (this one ravelry link) and with the coupon, well, that’s just too good to resist! Frugal knitting at it’s best!
So, I stand in line, hubby comes in (he went to his bookstore in the same strip mall) right when I get to the cashier. Proudly I hand over that great yarn that’s going to be created into a lovely cabled hat, along with the coupon. And what does the "nice" lady cashier do? She rings up the yarn, the coupon and then flings the yarn into the bag. And I do mean fling. You could hear those sheep cry out in pain as that skein hit the crunchy plastic! Oh, the audacity!
Then she asks, ever so sweetly, "And your zip code?"
"I don’t have one," I say to her as my hubby snickers, knowing that I am peeved at her treatment of my hat, uhm, yarn.

More Yarn for the Never-Ending Project List

I went to a new LYS (well new to me) over the weekend in Phoenix. It was very nice, and they had a great selection of yarns and I'll definitely go back. But this time I picked up this:
Five skeins of Cascade 220 wool in color no. 2425. It's one of their heathers that is sort of an orangy/rust color. This picture doesn't do the color justice, but the flash washed it out too much. This is going to go towards a Canopy Cardigan (ravelry link) from the fall issue of Knitscene.
And then my Hubby picked this up for a hat (pattern to be determined). Galway Paint, the color no. is 805, it's olive/tan/orange variegated.
And then, of course, it's back to school days, so my local T****t had all the college organizational bins and things on clearance. This one is holding my garter fingerless gloves.
Don't know what these are going to be for yet. Probably some of the miscellaneous sewing stuff I have scattered about the house! I also picked up a great zippered pencil bag that I'm using for knitting things (of course) and some great scissors that will work great in the various project bags/bins/baskets I have (also lying about the house)!

(Cactus Edit: I added some new blogs I read on the side, check some of them out -- if you haven't already!)

What to do with this yarn Wednesday

Near the cactus house, one town over, there's a thrift store that every once in a while I can find something interesting. So...this past Saturday, I found these:

...for $5.00 each.

Now that I've got them, I have no idea what to do with them. Any suggestions?

The Red One: has no label on the inside of the cone; feels like fingering/lace weight; possibly wool with mohair (it's sort of fuzzy, but not overly so).

The Green One: has this label: Yarn Country Yarns, cashmere/wool, 50/50; the original price tag of 1.44 pounds, unit price of $38.50, total price $55.40; feels like fingering/lace weight, too.

Hats on a Hot Day

For some reason, whenever it's the hottest around here I knit hats. I think I just know that it's going to get cold soon! Or rather, I try to convince myself that soon, one day, it will be cold enough to wear a knitted wool hat in the desert!
Anyway...here are two!

I love this top view!Pattern: Cabled Rangoli hat (yes, this is the second one I've done and with the same yarn). Ravelry link: here.

Yarn: Wool-Ease, color is chestnut heather (sort of red tweedy brown).
Modifications: made the bottom ribbing longer to cover my ears.

Don't you just love these colors?

Pattern: Perpendicular Hat. Ravelry link: here.

Yarn: Cleckheaton Tapestry; color is pastel multi.

Modifications: I don't think so. I made this hat back in June/July and I can't remember! I do like the way this fits even if it looks like a muffin on top of my head!

Bias Shrug

close up of the lace pattern

the sleeve (you can see here that it's longer than the magazine picture)

Pattern: A Good Bias (ravelry link: here), from Interweave Knits, Spring 2005.

Yarn: Cascade 220, blue (I think it's called marine). The sleeve picture shows more of the true color.
Modifications: Made the sleeves more wrist length as opposed to the pattern's bracelet length (my arms get cold), and added two extra repeats to the back.
This was a super simple lace project (and for me to say that is great) and didn't take all that long. This was finished in June, and I did wear it on vacation! I used to be anti-lace, thought it was too hard all that stuff, but now, that seems to be the only thing I've been knitting lately!

The kids went back to school yesterday, and I went on a cleaning binge! Yes, I know, I cleaned! I mopped the floor, cleaned the toilets, cleaned the kitchen, caulked the shower! You know, all that stuff that gets shoved aside when the there's other people in the house with you all day! They had great first days, and know most of the kids in their respective classes (always a plus!). And were ready to go this morning!
Hope all have a great day!
(And, yes, lots of knitting will be getting done today--more than yesterday!)

Super Simple, and Always...

...Fetching!

Pattern: Fetching, knitty.com
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease; red sprinkles and black.
Modifications: I made these longer at the bottom and did an extra repeat of the cable at the fingers. I like this length, but, alas, these are going to Colorado when the hats go!

Had to show off my mitts and my Mexican Bird of Paradise bush/tree/shrub (the orange flowers). It grows higher than the fence every year!

I have one more FO to show off this week that I finished in the car when we went on vacation. (And, yes, I know, I know, it took me way too long to show you all!) My hubby says I've been a horrible blogger this past month, and I agree! The munchkins go back to school this week, so hopefully I'll be better at posting things! But I think that everyone who has kids and stays at home with them during the summer puts projects and things aside to take care of the kiddos, and once they're back in their school routine, we can get back into our knitting groove/stay at home routine.

Hats Off! (or On)

As promised, the pictures of the hats!

See below for details!

Pattern: Garter Stitch Hat with Square Raglan Crown. (Ravelry link : here.)

Yarn: naturally caron.com, Country; black. Not even a half of a skein!
Modifications: I cast on 74 stitches, worked garter stitch for about 6", then decreased back down to original cast on of 64 and then followed the directions for the crown.

Pattern: The Amanda Hat. (Ravelry link: here.)

Yarn: Sensations, Bellezza Collection Dolcetto; cream. Used about 3/4 of the skein.

Pattern: The Boy Hat Pattern. (Ravelry link : here.)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, blue (has a tweedy blue/black look).
Modifications: Knit the rib for about 5 1/4" then did decreases.


Enjoy! Hope this inspires some of you to whip these up! They don't take long at all!!! Tune in (hopefully) tomorrow or by early next week, for a few more small projects that I finished but haven't shown off yet! (special thanks to my model -- oldest munchkin!)

Happy, Happy 4th

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!
Hope everyone is having (or going to have) a great time with lots of food, fireworks and fun! (The three "F's"!)
I forgot to bring my camera cord to show you the pictures of Colorado! Yes, that's where we are! It's great too. I talked to my parents yesterday and they said in AZ it was supposed to be 115 degrees today! Wow! Right now I'm (well as soon as I'm done typing) going to go get my ...hmmm...CPH or a good bias shrug....I'll make up my mind when I get up! It rained really good yesterday, and sounds like thunder again now! Ella is here with us visiting her friends Abby and Coco (if you look back through you'll see the pictures of Ella's doggie friends). And they're having a great time.
I have made a couple of yarn purchases (pictures to follow at a later date):

1. some Hemp yarn from, believe it or not, the Hemp Store!
2. a lovely skein of papaya colored of bulky Shepherd's Shades (it was on sale and there was only one left, how could I not?) {Amanda hat perhaps?}
3. one skein of Shepherd Sport in a great teal color, which has already become a hat!

Oh, and a set of Addi Turbo needles #2 in a 40" length to teach myself the magic loop method of knitting two socks at once!

There will probably be more yarn added as the days go by, so stay tuned!

Hope your 4th is safe and fun!

Fab FO Friday!!!!! (Finally)

Okay...okay. You can give me forty lashes with a wet noodle! Finally the CPH pictures. Sorry it took sooooooooo...ooooooo long!

From a bag of yarn...

...to a fabulous finished CPH!!!!

Here's the back detail.

And the sleeve.

Pattern: Central Park Hoodie from KnitScene Fall '06. This KAL is a good source of info. And the info on Raverly is great, too!

Yarn: Cascade 220, about four and a little bit of a fifth. Color is Lemon.

Needles: #6 and #9

Modifications: I made the bottom ribbing longer, about 5 inches, and made the sleeve ribbing about 2-2 1/2 inches. I might have to go back and re-do the front bands as I didn't pick up the 150 sts and it sort of shows, but right now I'm enjoying it as is.

I have worn it a couple of times for the late evening baseball games. It's been cool here once the sun goes down.

Does Ella look like the LittleOne's baseball team mascot?

I think so! Maybe not as mean though!

This weekend officially kicked off baseball season in the Cactus household. With two playing at different levels, I need something to keep me busy...so I cast on some socks. They're going to be the Pulsations Socks and I'm using some Opal yarn in the color neon, that I had bought sometime last year. With games for each at least twice a week as well as practice, I should knock these out in no time!

CPH Note: I finished the left side on Sunday, and started the sleeves! I'm doing both sleeves at once so they'll come out even. Have a great week!

Springy Hat

Pattern: Father/Daughter Hat

Yarn: Kureyon, color no. 95 (I skein)

Modifications: Ribbing is 4 1/2 inches and the decreases are spread out a little bit to give a wider top.

Who For? EB (again, not the Easter Bunny) who lives where spring is cold and rainy to brighten her day just a bit.

She loved it and couldn't believe it only took me two days to knit!
Have a great St. Patrick's Day!

So Much to Do...So Very, Very, Very Little Time

I've got so many things I want to get done in the next month or so, but got sidetracked by these:

When I saw this (thanks Tiennie), I just had to cast on my own!
Pattern: Evangeline
Yarn: Cascade 220, colorway of sapphire (it's like a light blue, almost denim color).
Needles: #7 dpn
Modifications: I, like Tiennie, did an extra pattern repeat above the thumb opening. If I did these again, I'd make the thumb opening bigger. It's a little tight for me, but it'll work. I would also move where the opening is over by two stitches. It was difficult to pick up the thumb opening stitches and make it look neat on the side. I also did 9 rounds on the thumb, and purled the 10th, and did a purl bind off. But they were a quick knit.

(Edited: I just wore these to walk Ella this morning and they were great! They kept my hands warm, but not overly so as it's not too cold here this morning.)


Now, what's all this yarn you ask?

Don't you just hate it when you go into a store, say Michael's for instance, on a totally unrelated errand and you just happen to walk by the yarn and see that it's on clearance! Yes, I had to buy all seven of these! (They were $2.oo!) I think they will become this after I finish this! It's Patons Classic Wool Merino in burgundy.

Now, this next picture is what I have to get done this week.

Out here there's something called Rodeo Days. Yes, the schools close for two days for the rodeo! Weird and strange, I know! But anyway, the kinders at my LittleOne's school do a rodeo program. They're supposed to dress up in western gear. So, I'm going to sew up the cowgirl outfit for her, but instead of the traditional brown (as shown on the pattern cover), she wanted pink! So, the fabric in the back will be her outfit. And the ball trim will go on the bottom of the skirt and the vest instead of the fringe. I'll let you know how it comes out!

(Man, the spell chekc sitll is'nt wroking!)