Kissing Pillows - WIP

No visible progress on my ongoing projects makes me want to start something new. Something small...

I have decided to stitch "kissing pillows" for an EGA chapter in Washington. I've got the DMC, but don't have 14 count white aida in my stash. 14 count jobelan, 11 count aida, 28 count cashel... One more look this weekend and I'll make a run for the fabric to start this project. we only need to send in the stitched piece. The EGA chapter will assemble the pillows. I hope to have 4 stitched before the September deadline...

No project photos today...

No project photos today. Still working on my Cubist Socks and 20 Flowers, but no real progress to show since the last time. The rainbow above was taken the other week as the morning sun tried to break through the dark rain clouds. The sky looked very similar this morning except for the rainbow. Out one window, it looks like we're in for a downpour and out another window, fluffy white clouds are floating in a blue sky...

Lucky you live Hawaii.

A bit more progress - 20 flowers

A bit more progress this week on 20 Flowers. You can't really see it, but the white of the sheep is done in smyrna crosses. It raises  the stitch just a bit. Slowly, but surely I'm getting to the end. Not bad for picking this up during my lunch hour a few days a week.

Cubist Socks - Cast on

Since I've worked on a string of hats recently, I thought I would change gears and make a dent in my sock yarn stash. I've been admiring these socks and finally decided to cast on. I'm using Knit Picks Stroll in Tidepool Heather from a sock sampler that picked up awhile back. The color is a bit more green in person than you see in this pic. I've been hesitant to try Cookie A. patterns, everyone says it's hard - so far so good. The instructions are clear and the so far the chart is easy to follow. I'm liking it!

Halley's Comet Hat - DONE!

Don't you love it when a project just flies off the needles. Halley's Comet Hat was one of those. One ball of Ella Rae Latte is perfect for this hat. The yarn is a dream to knit with. I think using the second ball to make myself one of these.

Hawaiian Food

We were in the area so we stopped for some Hawaiian Food at Highway Inn. We remembered the commercials that have been on tv and you may have caught the segment on foodtv. The place had made you feel like you've stepped back in time, with black and white photos of the sugar cane factory and the 1930's class picture hanging on the wall. You sign in and wait for a table. We were lucky and were seated in about 10 minutes. We all ordered the Lau Lau Combo which was served on school lunch trays. Cool! Service was fast and friendly ,but we didn't feel rushed even with the growing line outside. Sorry no photos - too hungry!

Halley's Comet Hat

The first order of business with the new yarn is to complete a hat. I'm choosing Halley's Comet Hat by Marnie Maclean. The yarn, Ella Rae Latte, is a dream to work with - 30% Alpaca, 30% Milk and 40% Microfiber.

A trip to the yarn store

As much as I enjoy going to a yarn store, seeing all those balls of yarn in every fiber, color and size is overwhelming. It's a good thing the shop owner is very helpful... a little too helpful, I'm thinking as my pile of purchases grows...I went in to get yarn for a project - a quick scarf for an ailing relative and came out with this...

Some hand dyed Araucania Coliumo Multy for a scarf, Ella Rae Latte in tan and blue for hats, Merinos Otto Shadow in the beige for wristlets, and some Happy Feet in red for socks. So much for my stash busting efforts...

20 Flowers - WIP

Tiny one over one stitches are not my favorite way to stitch. However, in small doses, the effect is worth it. These pups still need eyes and collars, but the look so dainty.

Making progress, slowly, but surely... I hope I can iron that crease out of the fabric.

Another hat?!

As you might have guessed, I always have a hat on my needles. The Fountain Hat made it off my needles but there's no picture for you. It ended up to be a very slouchy beret. Nothing like the photo on the instructions. Into the hospice bag it goes to hopefully find a head that will appreciate it.

Next on my needles is Caron Cabled Beret. The pattern is written for Simply Soft - I'm using some "not so soft" black yarn that doesn't move very well across the needles.  The pattern is very simple but I can only work a few rows at a time before my hands get tired. I've got two cables repeats done, just 3 more to go...

MAGIC pillowcases

I picked up pillowcase kits on sale at Connecting Threads. The instructions that came with the kit are excellent. You can find tutorials for the technique around the web (just search for rolled or magic pillowcase, I found it here and here and here).  The sewing portion is a snap. I spent more time pinning and pressing. I see more pillowcases in my future!

More hats...

I worked on more hats for hospice. The hat on the left is a modified Amanda Hat. Modified, because the partial skein of Lion Wool turned out to be way less than I thought. The hat on the right has also been shortened because the partial skein of acrylic that I was working with also contained less than I thought. It's been moved to waste yarn until I can figure out what to do with it. I really need to invest in a scale...

Moving along with the partial skein theme. This is the Fountain Hat from the Knitting Daily website. I'm using some left over acrylic yarn from a baby afghan. I'm not sure if the lace pattern will show up since acrylic doesn't block, but we're stash busting...

Speaking of stash busting, I am making a dent in the stash of acrylics that has been packed away. Since these hats are going to hospice, the "washable" factor is appreciated. I've hit a bunch of pastels that were meant for baby blankets and I probably will be switching to crocheting lap blankets with them. Not as portable as a hat, but I am sure will be just as appreciated by the recipent.

20 Flowers - update

After a week long hiatus, I'm back with updates...

I'm almost done with the first side of 20 Flowers. Working the aminals 1 over 1 is a chore when the lighting is bad. I haven't decided on the initial to stitch in the box, so I'll come back to it at the end. There is very little backstitching, so I'll also save that for the end.

Haruni - DONE!

The crochet edging seemed intimidating, but once I sat down and started, it was really quick and easy. Haruni is off the needles and into the blocking pile. Right now it's just a blob of green, but a lovely green, don't you think?

Yummy!

We loved it! It's very sweet and juicy. After careful trimming, we had a decent amount of fruit to sample. And it was delicious!

I have already placed the crown in a pot... who knows, maybe in few years, we'll have another pineapple.