Blankets & Mitts & Swaps, OH MY :)

Yes, it’s a Free-For-All Friday and I’ve got a few fun things to post…Maybe something along Sillylittlelady’s post from today: FFFO* Friday 🙂 I’ve been keeping up with her journey on her gorgeous orange sweater and it’s a beautiful finished project. While browsing my bloglovin feed this morning, I came across several FO Friday posts and I’m feeling inspired…

You guessed it (if you read Wednesday’s post) I finished up the Midsummer Baby Blanket for my soon-to-arrive niece!!!! Check it out!!

I love the colors.

I love the texture.

I’ve even weaved in all the ends.

Now I just need to block this. It’s cotton and little out of whack. I’m hoping a good blocking will even it all out.

I also managed to finish up my Yarn Bliss Super Secret Swap project. It was a pair of the Gefn Mitts by Kristen Ashbaugh-Helmreich. I had the pattern in a Knitscene Accessories 2014 magazine. I actually bought this magazine at Sophie’s a while back to knit this shawl in a gray and yellow. Mayhaps I can start that soon…Anyway, back to the awesome swap project and package I sent:

The mitts in the blocking bath:

 

Here they are, well at least one of them on my hand since I had to model and take pictures.

I loved that I didn’t need to knit separate mitts for the right and left hands, I just knit the same one twice.

And finally the whole package I sent:

My swap partner Heather loves greens and blues hence the Manos Lace I thought she may be able to do the Dreambird shawl she’s been wanting to do. She likes caramel in her coffee so I included some for her. And some stitch markers. Who doesn’t need those 🙂

What have you finished lately? Would you want to be involved in a yarn swap?

v’s & bumps,

Jenna

 

Fish Lips & New WIPs

I keep running through my brain what I am going to post about. I even am finding myself wishing I had written sooner, but I can’t go back in time and fill in my posts. I want this to be a nice, neat little thing, and like most other things, I get distracted and can’t keep the ball in the air. Ah well.

So for today, as it IS Wednesday, how about an update on my WIPs? Sounds fantastic!!

The Midsummer Baby Blanket is almost finished and my niece should be here in about 3 weeks!!

 

In fact, I’ve only got about 7 more of the last color to go, but I had to put it down.

Because it’s almost August 1!!! And I have to send my yarn bliss swap package by then! I’ve been knitting furiously on a project for this since I realized last week that it was just around the corner…Here is a sneak peek. I promise as soon as I send the package I’ll post about what I made & what I sent…I just don’t want to ruin the surprise and I know all of you yarn-lovers out there can appreciate some reverse stockinette & Madeline Tosh Merino Light!

I don’t want to post any more about the project in case my swap partner is tuning in to these posts!!

But I am working on these non-stop and I’m really loving the yarn…oh Madeline Tosh why are you so amazing??

I haven’t touched my other WIPs in the wings for a while now. They are just quietly waiting in my newly dubbed WIP trunk.

Yes, even the Mother-Daughter Knitalong is in the trunk.

Good news, I did get to visit my mother and father and brother and his girlfriend last week! We took a spontaneous trip to Louisiana. I was able to stop by my favorite shop, McNeedles. You should check out Maria’s blog post about their new construction here. And if you are ever in the area, you must stop by!!

We were also able to go fishing last Friday down in the Gulf. Jordan and my parents and I had a wonderful time! We even beat out most of the rain and were able to catch some fish. I did catch the biggest, a Jack Crevalle that we threw back. Such a fun fight and I didn’t break the rod as the fish led me round and round the boat.

 

Mom, Jordan, Dad & I with just some of the fish we caught.

Ellie had to jump in this one too!

All the fish we caught: some speckled trout and my dad landed a big Redfish.

What a great trip!!

v’s & bumps,

Jenna

PS. Linking up with Tami & Nicole.

Thoughts about Tuesdays…

I realize this is different from the usual Technique Tuesday, but I couldn’t resist since I missed my Monday Musing but have had some blogging and knitting thoughts bubbling around in my brain. I think it’s important to decide what to let out and what to keep in. I’ve seen a quote wandering around Pinterest lately that has resonated with me on that regard.

Mayhaps this shows a little maturity on my part. To think about things before saying them, whether they are true or relevant or necessary to be said. I often think some of the things in my brain are true and/or relevant, but the last thought about it being necessary often helps me to control the word vomit.

As for today’s thoughts about the fiber arts blogging world (AKA knit blogosphere), I’m still so amazed at all the people out there who blog! I love reading posts about their patterns and yarns and families. Some of my favorites are about deciding on new projects, how they got through the tough parts of a project, and finally, their finished projects. I certainly am living vicariously through all of you who post about finishing things!!

I feel like I’m always working on something, but the finishing doesn’t come. This is reason #1 I have yet to participate in a FO Friday, but have no problems posting on WIP Wednesday. This has caused me to take a step back and look at what I really have cast-on at the moment. What types of things are holding up my needles and project bags?

First off, I have a darling niece who will soon enter this world and I am working on this awesome slipped stitch blanket (Midsummer Baby Blanket) on size 7 needles and it’s taking a while. I do love that it feels/looks like I’m doing some super intense colorwork (kind of) but it’s really just a slipped stitch pattern.

This is my first project like this and it’s super fun. It’s just that the blanket is a little big and not moving super fast. This could also have something to do with me spending more time unpacking, playing with my kitties, ogling my yarn storage or just reading blogs than actually sitting down to knit on the thing. I did accomplish quite a bit yesterday when I really focused on just knitting and not reaching for my computer to browse.

I’m about 10 color stripes into the 4th color. I’ve got about 5 more color stripes to go in the teal then I’ll be on my last color, a super fun, bright coral.

Since joining the blogging world, I’ve been much more active on Ravelry, especially in the forums section. I even joined a summer yarn swap, Yarn Bliss. Being so caught up in our move and knitting for my niece, I didn’t realize how quickly the deadline was approaching. I logged on today and got a nice little reminder that our packages need to be sent out by August 1!!

This means that since I want to include a hand-knit item I need to get stitchin! My lovely new yarn storage (that I’m obsessed with) came in very handy as inspiration.

I was able to go through some of my physical pattern library (thanks to Stephanie at Woolythyme‘s post on her Library vs. Ravelry) and found the perfect pattern. I even looked back through my stash and found the perfect skein that I think will fit her preferred colors and the pattern…OH JEEZ I’M PUMPED!!!! I’m not going to mention the pattern or the yarn because I’m not sure if my swap partner is reading this 🙂

Another fun thing about this yarn swap? I get to buy some new yarn…to send to my partner!! Does that mean I’m breaking my yarn diet? I sure hope not since I’m not buying the yarn for me, but for a friend as a gift. It will give me a good excuse to check out some of the shops in my new town. I’ve been scoping them out using KnitMap. It’s a neat little website that will usually show you most of the crafting stores in the area you choose. I would recommend calling the shops before you make a visit as I’ve been to a shop that was closed down completely and another that the website had incorrect hours listed for it.

Have you ever participated in a yarn swap?

v’s & bumps,

Jenna