Seven done!!

I have had a busy week, but did manage to finish more projects.  This morning I finished my Citron shawl knitted with one skein of heritage sock yarn.  This is project number seven in my attempt to finish 10 things before I start something new. 
Earlier this week I finished 2 socks (both first socks).  I am hoping to have knitting time this weekend.  My Abby is coming home for the weekend and our only plans are to hang at home or at Sabrina's watching cute Riley and getting in the pool.  I am loving the hot weather after our cold winter and damp rainy spring!  In have  had wash out on the line and started to clean off the furniture on the back porch so we can eat out there.  We are eating lots of simple salads and fresh fruit and I love NOT COOKING although chopping and slicing fruit and veges is also very time consuming!   The local farm market I like to visit is now open and I plan to stop this week for York county strawberries. (The stand near Apple Hill Medical Center on S George St.)   I did close the shop on Sunday so we can all have at least 2 days off this weekend!!

Christmas in June

I am one of those crazy people who starts to think about holiday gifts in the summer.  As a teacher that is when I had the time to make or buy gifts and it really saves me stress later in the year.  At Uncommon Threads we are putting together ideas for holiday gift knitting and plan to have several patterns available each month (some for purchase and some for free.)  In June we will be offering classes, patterns and discounts on selected yarns  to make cowls.  Last December we sold dozens of skeins of Malabrigo Worsted for the "Burberry Inspired Cowl."  It is great one skein project and knits easily in a couple of hours.  Pictured above is my cowl in yellow.  We currently have a great selection of colors and the pattern is free!  In July we will be knitting hats which are great for everyone on your Christmas list, but especially men and children!  Upcoming months we will feature mittens, scarves &wraps, socks and fingerless mitts.  These are all small portable projects to take along to ball games or the beach!

Cute hat!

Denise just finished this cute hat.  It is knitted using a chunky yarn from Scarlet Fleece!  Stop in and see how cute it is!

My little man

Many of you know this little sweetie, my great nephew Riley.  I babysit him during the week when his parents work.  His parents always thank me for watching him but I feel like i need to thank them for entrusting me with their precious little sweetie.  Aunt Lisa is just a little prejudiced--he really is the sweetest, happiest smartest little baby boy.  In this phots he is sitting on the floor at the shop eating his lunch and yes he is using both hands to cram food into his mouth as fast as he can.  Today's lunch, packed lovingly by his Mama, is cooked peas and fresh strawberries.  There was a lot of squealing, grinning and kicking

Finished Project

As you can see I finished my Miley Tee and had some help getting it ready to photograph.  Ozzy is such a helpful little kitty and he likes to be wherever I am!!  I am wearing this top/sweater today and i really like it!  The yarn is Remix by Berroco and it is made of recycled fibers (a blend of linen, silk, acrylic, cotton and nylon.)  We have several colors:  orange pink, light blue, tan, cream and mustard.  This is my second finished project this month.  When i finish 8 more I can start something new!!!  Oh boy!!

Thursday Night Fun

Shawls are still very popular and the Thursday night shawl group is now working on making shawls from the Blue Heron rayon metallic yarn. The colors are gorgeous and the yarn has a lovely drape when it is knitted.  Whether you knit shawls or not this is a FUN group.  I try to get out of the shop early on Thursday evening but it is hard to leave with such a fun and lively group gathered around the table.  Someone usually heads next door to  Mitsuri-Ya for Chinese and  Japanese food.  The conversation varies during the evening: knitting, work, children and husbands, food.  Good food and good friends.  There is always room for one more friend at the table!!

Spinning

Last June I took a spinning class and came home with a spinning wheel.  I really enjoy spinning and try to find time every week to sit at my wheel.  I am not interested in cleaning and preparing it so i buy roving that is already cleaned and dyed and ready to spin.  I have tried several different wools and alpacas and now I am working on spinning fine so i can ply them.  This photo is a lovely blue-faced Leicester with silk that I bought at Sheep and Wool!  It is lovely to spin and so soft! 

Kitty Capers

Some of you have met my kitty Ozzy.  We adopted him in February from the SPCA.  He was about 2 months old and weighed about a pound.  He was brought in 2 days before and was separated from his mother just hours before I met him.  We lost our 15 year old cat, Joy a month earlier and missed having a "cat child" in the house.  Joy was very reserved and sweet.  Most visitors rarely saw her.  From the beginning Ozzy has been full of energy and very social.  He enjoys following Riley and "attacks his feet as he crawls. I often find him climbing the side of the porta-crib after I have settled Riley in for a nap.  Riley squeals and laughs and pokes at the netting encouraging Ozzy to jump at him!  Three times Ozzy has landed in the bathtub when Riley is in there.  It startles both of them and there is much howling and scrambling to escape.  And LOTS of splashing.   Ozzy's most recent trick is leaping onto John's shoulder when he opens and closes the living room curtains.  He frequently dashes across a room and leaps at John.  I find it hilarious  -John ---- not so much!  Last night he was hanging from a curtain rod in our bedroom attempting to get a bug.  He managed to land on the windowsill rather gracefully instead of crashing to the floor.  He is becoming quite vocal and lets me know when he needs his food or water dish filled.  He eats well but mostly plays with his water.  When he is not attacking things and racing around the house he is very sweet and cuddly.  He has learned not to play with my knitting or spinning or he is put out of the room.  I had him at the shop on a recent Monday as we put things back after Sheep & Wool, and he raced up and down and onto every surface. When he wasn't attacking feet, he enjoyed sitting in the front window and watching all the action in the parking lot! 

Toy Knitting

The week before the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival I finished these cute toys from the book Spud and Chloe at the Farm.  I generally like to knit more functional items such as socks, mitts, hats or sweaters but this book was calling to me and In an effort to NOT stress about preparing for Md S&W  I dug into my stash and made this adorable barn cat and Spud.  They are both fairly quick and easy --great mindless knitting!  I am also working on the chicken and chicks and Chloe.  If you have little ones in your life these would be great gifts!

Another Rainy Day

It is another rainy day in central PA.  A great day to sit and knit.  I am hoping to finish my "work" and have some time to sit and knit.  I am working on several things and have not started anything new.  I made a vow last week to "finish five" and now I am thinking it should be finish 10??  I spent time on Monday (another rainy day) pulling out unfinished projects and reading over patterns.  I did finish both of my Maine Morning Mitts --counting  them as ONE finished project even though the project has 2 parts.  Today I am working on a baby hoodie (pattern in shop from Pure & Simple).  I am knitting with Cascade Superwash Paints in shades of green.  Very cute and soon ready to bind off the bottom hem and finish sleeves and hood. 

I was hoping to plant some flowers this week but it has rained every day.  The thought of lugging Riley in and out of the car in the rain is not appealing so I spent the last 2 days knitting, spinning and doing laundry and cleaning.  The weather should improve now that I am working at the shop for the next 4 days! 

Happy knitting!

Feeling stupid

Here is the photo of my finished "Maine Morning Mitt"  I can't seem to get it to appear on the page I posted earlier.  Where is Mary-Anne when I need her?  This is knitted from one of the yarns I have spun recently.  I am a very new spinner.  I took a class at Mannings last June and came home with a Lendrum spinning wheel.  I am finally starting to spin a consistent fine yarn and now I am learning to ply.  This pattern is from The Book of Wool or The Book of Yarn.  Since it is one of my first attempts at spinning the yarn is very thick and thin. 

Confession Time

I have to confess, I have a bit of a problem.   I LOVE to start new knitting projects and every time we get new yarn at the shop I need to "test" the yarn and start something. I have lots of things on needles: sweaters, hats, mitts, socks, shawls, etc. I also have a nice stash at home in my "knittery."  (John's name for the room where my yarn is stored.)  I think I did very well at Maryland sheep and Wool this past weekend.  I only bought 3 skeins of yarn.  I also bought some roving (3 different colorways in various amounts.) 

I made a vow to finish 5 things before I start something new.  I am pleased to state that early this morning I finished something!!!!  I am making a pair of "Maine Morning Mitts" from one of my handspun yarns.  One is finished and the other is down to the last inch of knitting.  I tucked several unfinished projects in my bag this morning and plan to work on my "Miley Tee" (Berroco's Remix) and my second "Tappan Zee" cardigan (blue Heron Cotton Seed.)   I also have a sock in my purse from the Scarlet Fleece Grassy Wool. 

Now that I have publicly confessed I hope to finish lots of projects and share them here.  I hope to see what you are working on!  Please stop in and share your projects!!

Lisa

Sheep and Wool Fun

Still recovering from a busy weekend at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival! We had PERFECT weather warm and sunny and a good crowd on Saturday.  Sunday was not as busy, possibly due to Mother's Day.  It was a fun weekend and I enjoyed seeing some Uncommon Threads customers at our booth!  I did sneak out of the booth for an hour on Sunday to shop with my niece and my sister.  I found some lovely roving and bought enough for a sweater.  Now I need to find the time to sit and spin!

I worked all day Monday to put the shop back together!   I am hoping to have more knitting time in the coming weeks!  I vowed to finish 5 things before I cast on something new!!  I am now working on a "Tappan Zee" (knitty.com) with the Blue Heron Cotton Rayon seed.  I started it last summer and hope to finish it this week!!  I bought some lovely sock yarn from The Sanguine Gryphon and hand-dyed worsted from Miss Babs at S & W that is calling me!

Happy knitting!