FO Friday - Baby Blanket for Trilby

I'm so happy this blanket is finished!  I told you here that my sister asked me to make it for her future sister-in-law.  Let me just get right to the pictures!

I  managed to make the ends straight.  Its not perfect, but I think it works!

I couldn't get a picture of it all and not have it blurry.  I think my hands were shaking a bit.  This is the best out of all of them.

Details:

Pattern - Neat Ripple Pattern by Lucy of Attic24

Yarn - Knit Picks Shine Worsted - this comes in 50g skeins

           6 skeins of Sky (light blue)

           3 skeins of French Blue (medium blue)

           4 skeins of Sailor (dark blue)

Hook - 6.0mm J hook, I think it might have looked a bit better with one size smaller of a hook

Size - 38" wide, 31" tall (79x96cm)- I accidentally made the width the longest side.

Don't forget to check out other FOs over at Tami's Amis.

Sam <3

WIP Wednesday - My First Knitting Project

My first knitting project is a dishcloth.

What do you think?  Does it look okay?  Initially I was struggling with being really tight, but I pulled it out and started over with a different cast on.  Now that I'm looser, it is easier to stay that way.

Any tips would be helpful.

Don't forget to see all of the other WIPs over at Tami's Amis.

Sam <3

I'm Knitting!!

I have been learning how to knit for the past couple of weeks.  I bought this amazing book:

The Knitting Book (2011) by Frederica Patmore and Vikki Haffenden

It has amazing detailed photos on how to do everything that has to do with knitting.

It also has a huge stitch gallery.

I can't say enough good things about this book.  It is great for a beginner, but also good for someone who's a little more advanced.  This book is huge and it covers so much.  I think this is going to be my go to book for a long time.  It covers cables, entrelac, fair isle, etc.

This book is like a text book but does not read like one I promise.

My first swap partner dairymaid is who convinced me to get this book, even though she might not know it.

Have you found any really good books for crafting?

Sam :-)

Me Me Me! A Blanket for ME!

In my post, Not Necessarily Resolutions, I said that for 2012, I would do selfish crochet and knitting.  Then right after I showed you a WIP baby blanket that was not for me.  Now that is finished (I think I'm going to make you wait until Friday), I can finally start a blanket for me!

I showed you the start of my Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino stash way back in October, here. 

This was my first order:

Then, I got a few more, slowly:

And I realized I had an issue with two colors:

They are so similar that I've made the decision that I'm going to treat them as the same color.  Since I am going for random stripes I can make sure that these two are far apart.  

So far, these four are my favorite:

I got a few more colors in my Christmas Swap:

This past weekend, I finally took some pictures of all of the colors I have.  The sun was playing tricks on me.  My skylight was going from semi-cloudy:

to fully cloudy, in a matter of seconds:

Here's the yarn you've been waiting for:

The two dark colors that are hard to see are Forest Green and Navy Blue.  I was trying everything for those colors to show how they really are.  I finally figured it out.  I upped the exposure on my phone (I'm finding out my new phone is pretty nifty) and the colors showed more how I thought I was seeing them.

Can you see them a little better?  I think I can at least tell one is green and the other is blue.

Even though they are dark, I think I am keeping both of them in.  I can't wait to start this blanket.  Every stitch I will think, "This is for me!"

I must admit I have started a blanket for myself before.  It was the other blanket in the post I showed you above.  I haven't forgotten about it, but I'm in love with this yarn right now, so this one is my priority.

Filled with excitement,

Sam :-D

Baby Blanket Request - WIP Wednesday

My sister's future sister-in-law is having a baby, so my sister, Missy, asked if I would make her a baby blanket.  I know what you are thinking, didn't this girl just make a list and say she was going to selfish crochet/knit this year?  Yes, guilty as charged, but in my defense, I agreed to this project in 2011.  So it doesn't technically count, right?

Well this is my only WIP right now, besides my learning knitting swatch.

I have more done now, its about half way done now.  I think, well I know, that I am turning this side ways.  The waves will be vertical ones because I started wider than I thought.  Can you tell it will be a little boy?

Don't forget to check out everybody else's WIPs over at Tami's Amis.

Sam :-)

Amaryllis Musings

So, I've mentioned my friend Heather a couple of times.  Heather is who I am taking my knitting class with, as I mentioned, here.  Heather is also who gave me the words of wisdom at the end of this post.

Heather and I first met in college in our engineering classes.  We then both joined APO, Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity.  Here we are at a meeting:

Wow, I forgot how much I hate those old glasses of mine.  Here are better pictures with my pretty glasses:

Yay, pink glasses!  Heather where are you looking?  Ps, I immediately threw that James Dean t-shirt away after this night because his face gets, ahem, uhhh, distorted when you actually wear the shirt.

We were sad because we had the little beers and everyone else had the big ones.

Okay, there we are, both looking, and wow my hair is long.  I get distracted easily.

The point of introducing you to Heather is I have finally badgered her enough that she has started a blog!  Woohoo!

Heather's new blog is:

http://amaryllis-musings.blogspot.com/

She's a crafty one, and her stuff is bound to be amusing.

Check her out!

Sam <3

Not Necessarily Resolutions

Lets call it my 2012 List

1. First and foremost, the most important of important, is to get bf healthy.  Cancer just isn't something people talk about too much.  Its a big scary word.  Its the first time I've mentioned it on here.  I got bf's permission.  I wanted to put it out there, because a lot of people are currently going through it or have gone through it.
2. I'm learning to knit.  I want to be able to do both crochet and knit.  Crochet will always be the easiest for me.  I'm having issues at the moment, but I'm going to look up some youtube videos
• My friend Heather and I are taking a class together to make this vest in February.
3. This is going to be the year of ME.  I want to do selfish crochet/knitting.
• I'm going to make my Debbie Bliss blanket.  Have I showed you that yarn yet?  I don't think I have.  Duly noted, Debbie Bliss yarn post.  I was positive I did it already because I have a bunch of pictures.  Aha!  I did a post a while back at the start of my blanket stash, here.
• I'm going to make the many scarves I have lined up, patterns and yarn purchased
4. I want to get more items on my Etsy shop!  I have so many ideas!
5. I need to make sure my sister's bachlorette party goes off without a hitch
6. I need to write or formulate a speech for my sister's wedding in March.  I'm maid of honor...
7. I need to start running again (while I was writing this post, I have decided to do the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay!  I'll have to be able to run about 6 miles I think.)
8. I want to eat healthier, but this may have to start later in the year since bf needs to pack on weight.  I just have to make sure I don't do that along with him, EEK!
9. I want to get into a routine with housework

That's enough for now, but I'll be modifying this as I go.

What does everything look like for you? Busy?  I feel like my life is hectic right now.  I feel okay then a few minutes later completely overwhelmed.

Sam