Saturday, January 7, 2012

I've moved!

I've moved...

http://maryslatenightstitchn.blogspot.com/

Thank you!
Mary

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

A couple of pics of FOs!







OOOOOooo! In response to my blog post about not having a pic of the finished fingerless gloves, DD Amy took a pic of hers! The flash washed out the colors a bit, but they are made with fingering weight handspun wool and soymilk batts a friend sent for a swap. The colors are grey/blue with a touch of pink. The pattern was super simple. I cast on 36 stitches on size 4 dbl points. The rolled hem is plain knit for 10 rows, then I switched to a 3x3 ribbing for 40 rows. The thumb is knit by breaking the round for 15 rows, then rejoining the circle for the remaining 20 rows. Bind off in EZ's sewn bindoff. Easy Peasy and great for the mild Texas winters. DD doesn't like her fingers covered and the fingerless mitts working out perfect for her!



This would be Angie in her Off to the Races Scarf. She really loves it! I have more matching handspun to make her a matching pair of fingerless gloves!

Next time, pics of a reorganized craft room and my new toys... 2 Brother Knitting Machines.  I won't promise, but maybe some machine knit goodies too!

MIA-Missing in Action!

Sorry, sorry. I have no excuse except the changes in life. Let's face it. I'm 50, and as the hormones fade, the depression sets in. I've had a nice visit to the doc, got put on Lexapro, blood pressure meds and am starting to feel like my old self again. So I'll be posting again soon!

I have lots to share! I've reorganized my craft room and now have two new knitting machines! A Brother KH 260 and a Brother KH 940. I can do both bulky yarns and fine. The best of both worlds. The 940 is computerized and and the 260 is punch card. The kind lady who sold me the machines threw in large sums of coned yarn, books, videos and machine knitting magazines. It was such a large haul that I had to rearrange everything to accomandate it all and I'm still not done. I've been reading the manuals, did a bit of swatching, and am fixing to start my first machine knit project! A shawl for starters. I want to do sweaters eventually. It never gets really cold enough in Central Texas for a heavy coat, but a heavy sweater is just right. My personel goals are to make some nice sweater coats for me and mine. Especially Addy. I envision her in a princess style sweater coat complete with large oversized hood and cinch in back. It will have to be pink. She just doesn't care for any other color. If it's pink, it's a hit with her.

I won't be giving up on hand knitting though. Especially for a portable project. I have actually complete some fingerless gloves for the DDs, but they got away prior to my taking a pic. As soon as I can manage, I will catch them to take a pic. They were a very simple ribbed pattern, but I think they are adorable. Why I didn't make myself a pair? Now that it's warm, I won't need them, but I plan to make some for myself to put up for next winter.

The only pic I have right now is a pic of my new dog, Babette. My poodle. She is an apricot, but my DD dyed her pink with food coloring! Now I have to wait for it to fade, it won't wash out! She's still awefully cute! She is just the most loving pup and we adore her!


Thursday, October 21, 2010

More FO's!!!

First up is the Horeshoe Cap that was in Spin Off Magazine. Summer 2010. I had  the Shetland Yarn in fingering weight all wound up in a nice little cake, and wondered what I should do with it. The yarn for the Horseshoe Cap leans more to a worsted weight, but I thought I'd give it a try. The ribbing is done on US 5 Dbl points, and the rest on US 7 Dbl points. I think it came out cute!



Then there is the Off to the Races scarf I did for the Fancy Kitty KAL on Ravelry. Here it is, all blocked out and ready for Christmas! I wound up doing 28 repeats with yarn to spare. It looks worn, but I won't get a pic of the owner wearing it until Christmas!

That's all I have for now! I have a couple of projects that are nearly finished though. More about those later!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Dearest Averie...

Dearest Averie,
I'm missing you tonight. Your little face isn't here to brighten my day. My arms are empty, and those bright blue eyes aren't looking up at me with their little sheepish smile. I still see you everywhere...pulling up on the couch, bouncing on the floor over a new discovery, and your eyes brightening up when your Momma smiles at you. Your momma once told me, " Ma...isn't he the most beautiful baby ever? Can you believe I had this incredible, gorgeous baby?". And she was just the proudest Mommie ever. It's hard, son, hard to find words to comfort her and console her. She misses you just so much. We all do. I'm trying really hard to be strong for her. I cry for you in the dark, when no one is around.

Huggies, baby boy! Your not forgotton, not unloved. I say your name everyday and pray the Lord kisses you for me everynight. I love you forever Averie!

Nana

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Off to the Races Scarf swatch.

A brief update...I swatched for the Off to the Races Scarf. The yarn came out DK weight, so I dropped from the recommended needle size of 15 for the Bulky weight to size 11. The stitches were too big, and I lost a lot of definition. So I ripped out and reknit in size 10. Much better. Because of the multicolored yarn, I'm still losing stitch definition, but I think when I block it, at least the YOs will show up better, and it'll still be pretty.


And Addy wanted to say,"Hi!". Isn't she a doll!!!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

FO....Socks are KOd

Umhmmm! I did it!! Completed a pair of socks for Aiden before he could outgrow them!!! See!



Socks, glorious Socks!!! Ok, I admit I went over the 2 week self imposed deadline, but hey...they're done! I love the sockyarn I got from Baywood Yarns too. It's a handpainted Merino in the colorway Mallard. Lovely stuff, I have enough left for Aiden a couple more pairs. The pattern is Mash-Up Magic Toe-Up Socks by Zhenya Lavy. Just google MUMTU Socks for the free pattern. I love it because it's a customizable recipe to make the socks any size you need. The instructions are easy to follow and the only variation I made was to use Jenny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. ( You can google that too!)

Then I spun up the Black Cheviot batts I made too. I 2 ply'd it with a single of recycle sari silk for this...
180 yards of DK weight yarn. Honestly, I was trying to spin up a bulky weight yarn, sigh. But I'm going to make it work for a Off to the Races Scarf pattern by my friend, Patricia Bishop. You can get the pattern here...  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/off-to-the-races-scarf We're doing a KAL on the Fancy Kitty lovers group on Ravelry. I can't wait to post a pic when I'm done!


Saturday, September 18, 2010

WWSIP Day

Today is World Wide Spin In Public Day!!! YIPEE!!! I did my part, I met Jerry, Barbara, and the girls. We spun in Borders in Arlington, Texas!!! I didn't take pics...sigh...no. Forgot the camera! I really hate that. So you'll have to forgive a short little blog with no pics. Mr.Aiden went with me. He was such a good boy the whole time! He has a new Leapster 2 with Thomas the Train and was busy with it. Meanwhile, Nana is busy spinning this batt up...
Cheviot, dyed black with silk thrums, black firestar, and irridescent blue angelina. The pic doesn't do it justice at all, you just can't capture angelina and firestar very well, and the flash washes out the black color.
I plan to make a bulky weight yarn to do a Off to the Races scarf pattern by my friend Patricia Bishop. We're doing a knit a long in the Fancy Kitty Lover's group on Ravelry. I plan to ply the black singles with mutlicolored recycled sari silk. It should be yummy! I've been spinning on my Hitch Hiker wheel, and I really love the little wheel. I just haul it everywhere!

I got a new book, 1000 Fabulous Knit Hats by Annie Modesitt. The book features pics of 1000 hats, and the patterns of the top 10 hats judged. It's insipiring and gives you a lot of ideas. I found about 20 hats so far that are on my must do list!

I am making good progress on Aiden's socks. I'm in the middle of turning the heel and plan to finish the heel before work tomorrow. (I'm really pushing that 2 week challenge, huh?)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Standing up and being strong...Life goes on.

Sometimes standing back up after life knocks you down isn't easy. I don't think anything has ever hurt so bad as losing Averie. His death was hard for me to understand. He was strong and healthy. He went to sleep, and he just didn't wake up. There's no one to fault, no one to blame. It was SIDS. For whatever reason the Lord decided to take my angel home, I have accepted the Lord's will. We are all standing strong now, and focusing on remembering Averie, and never letting his memory die. Angela has taken to scrapbooking, and thanks to her friends at the whattoexpect group, who have gifted her supplies, she has enough to keep her busy for a while. Me? I've just been spinning and knitting. I'm think I'm finally strong enough to start Averie's memory quilt.

Averie's passing has shown us there is still a lot of good folks out there, full of love and kindness that knows no bounderies. Some of my friend's on Ravelry sent me a Mary's Hugs blanket that they all spun and knit. It's beautiful and cherished by both me and Angela.
A very special thanks to Beth, Rav ID Bluemtnhandcrafts , for organizing and sewing all the blocks together. It was so thoughtful, and kind of you!
Thanks to all the contributers to the blankie...
Beth aka Bluemtnhandcrafts, Lydia aka Dakotarose, Monica aka Monica48, Aimee aka zookeeper74 and her sister Lauren, Carla aka Carlacritt, Channon aka chanknits, Candy aka Icandyarn, Diane aka DDKA, Paula aka Piglette, Jessica aka naturallyknitty, Donna aka TuttleDB, Linda aka Pacadoodle, Anita aka yarndemon, and Lori aka blushingewe.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! XXXXOOOO

I have finished some spinning....


Here's 236 yards of 2 ply fingering weight wool/milk fiber blend spun from a batt I got in a swap from Lori. I love her batts! She has an etsy shop, BlushingEwe.


Then there's the shetland my friend Monica sent me. 150 yards 2 ply lace weight. I have some more shetland I plan to spin to go with it. I want to knit a smoke ring with it.

Finally....LOOK!!! My first sock!!! (Now I just need to finish the other!). It's a toe up pattern and it fits Aidan perfectly! My personal goal is to finish 2nd sock in 2 weeks, and post a pic with Aidan in said socks! If not, ya'll can call me on it!