Nearing the end.....

The end is near on my Gnarled Oak cardigan that I have been working on for the luvin the mommy hood sweater Knit-A-Long.

After many failed attempts at the button bands, I think I finally got them.  

(since we don't have an Oak tree in our yard, I chose to hand the sweater on our apple tree.....

close enough??  lol)

The details on the collar are hard to capture with a flash, but in all this fog I didn't have much choice.....but I am not complaining about the weather.  Last week I was on vacation and the weather was AMAZING!!!!!  So when Mr. Sun peaks his little rays out for a hello I'll try and get some more detailed shots.

And tonight I picked up the stitches on the provisional cast on I did for the sleeves, and will complete them before the week is out.  I'm right on track for having this sweater completed before the Ravellenics. 

What are the Ravellenics?  Well they are a little competition we are having amongst knitters on Ravelry to celebrate the Olympics.  We each compete in different events and earn medals.  I have a few things planned.....more to come on that!!!  Friday we cast on during the opening ceremonies at 5pm local time!!

Week 2 of the KAL

The summer KAL is well under way over at luvinthemommyhood blog.  My pattern initially called for knitting the body, then the sleeves.  But since I am short on yarn and not exactly sure how I want to do the sleeves so I did a provisional cast on.  And I am so glad that I did, because my next step is to begin the lovely detail!!!  How exciting.

I never knew a sweater could come together so quickly, but I'm guessing that beautiful yarn and a great pattern is the recipe for a quick knit.  All in all I am really excited to wear this.....I'm even contemplating  on holding off starting the Shawl Mystery KAL just so I can get it done.....But we'll see....once the first clue comes out I'm probably gonna cave and start that too.  haha

But my question to you.......

should I knit the sleeves short with a little pleat.....or maybe a tear drop and a little button??

what are you thoughts??

Summer KAL update (week 1)

My Gnarled Oak Cardigan didn't get off to such a great start.  I was almost through the first ball of yarn, when I came to the realization that it was HUGE!  so after a phone call and some thread posts I frogged it back......5" of work...gone.

But I am so glad that I did!!!!  I went down a needle size and a sweater size (what woman doesn't love that??) and now the sweater is shaping up lovely.  Plus it is a much tighter knit which makes happy.

I am just a few rows from my second decrease....and the end of my second ball.....little afraid of running out of yarn....I'm going to have to stick with the plan of short sleeves.

Make sure and check out the sweater KAL over at the www.lovinthemommyhood.com blog, the sweaters people of knitting are all making their way onto my "to do" list.

Have a great night and happy knitting!!!!

Cast on

Finally got to cast on for my cardigan for the www.luvinthemommyhood.com KAL this summer. And i must say,the yarn was nice in the skein, beautiful once balled up.... And absolutely georgeous knit up!!!!

Today at the beach I got a great shot of the colors.....why do I take photos inside at all?  outside just showcases the yarn so much better!!!!!

Gnarled Oak Summer Sweater KAL

I've got big big plans brewing for summer knitting.  Yesterday someone posted on Ravelry asking what we were going to be working on during the summer.  My answer was "Ravellenic's" projects.  Over on Ravelry we are doing projects during the olympics....as of today though, things have changed.  I was reminded of a shawl KAL I am participating in (more to come on that) and then I stumbled up this sweater KAL though a friend of mines blog Celtic Cast On.

So now I have a lot going on.  

Wanna see what I choose to work on.....

Gnarled Oak Cardigan

I'll be using a yummy yarn by Madeline Tosh....not sure if I will have enough yarn in my stash....but my plan is to make the sleeves last....fingers crossed!!!!!

you can check out my project page here on Ravelry

Happy Mother's Day

It's been a while since I have posted, but thought I would check in on Mother's Day to send wishes to all the mom's out there.  "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY"

My day was wonderful!!  My little guy came home from his father's and made me breakfast.  It was so cute...the best toast and honey I've ever had.

Next my mom and I took Hunter up to my Grandmother's grave.  It's always so hard and sad to go up, but  spring flowers was always her Mother's day present....so I know she loved it.  I love you and miss you Nan.  (when Hunter knelt down and was talking to her and showing her his tooth he lost....well I almost lost it, especially when he asked if I thought she would be proud of him....how could she not???)

And what's mother's day without a knitted piece?  I made my mother a shawl, the pattern is from a young girl in England that designs patterns "Lily Kate"....I think she is 14.....her pieces are amazing...I want to make more for sure.  Go check out her website!!!!  HURRY, you won't regret it.

The yarn is from Madeline Tosh, which is my all time fav!!!!  And mom really liked it.....I hope she will get a lot of wear out of it.

The day was finished off with a lovely BBq steak dinner, with corn and potato salad....and the strawberry shortcake filled up the tank.  I'm stuffed!!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

poor neglected blogger

so i'll make my peace offering with some socks! these are my first pair of socks for my c-mas gift stash. i have decided to make some knits for gifts, and made these

i love them so much, i really want to keep them for myself....but they got tagged for rob's mom.....so i showed him what i made for her, and he says "well....mom's birthday is next week, why don't we give her these???"

....so my c-mas stash is empty again! but she really loved her homemade socks...so it was totally worth it!!!!

well i'm off to make some more socks....i'm dabbelling in toe up socks and making two socks at the same time! oh what fun!!!