Small projects are the way to go!

Except when you have a HUGE knitted afghan that you are working on that is slowly eating the couch, and needs to be completed.

Here it is as modeled by the lovely and talented Sam.

Have I mentioned it's bulky acrylic and for a friend..... who is much taller than I.  Sam is also not used to being covered unless we are playing with towels. LOL Yes his foot is bandaged, there was an accident on a 4x4 trail that is easily summed up in "Please don't smash glass bottles near places where people take their shoes off often, it makes you a As#$%^e"

Moving on....This blanket, and most blanket in my previous experience are easy to work on and have little complications. Thanks goodness! I have to admit that it's really satisfying to have something just just forward so well. Have to admit also that I am brainstorming a way or two to make a new blanket for us once this one is over, perhaps a  with wool..................... Yes I like that idea.......

Anyone have wool worsted weight scraps that they would care to get rid of? By scraps I mean not enough for a project, but not two feet either. LOL. That would make a veery interesting project. Yay scrapghans!

All the other objects that I am currently working on are small (we are not going to discuss the WIP sweaters that are taking over the end of the bed..... they have issues and will be given the proper therapy in the future.) 

Socks.... and experiment for the Husband.

He doesn't want me to knit him socks, because he claims to wear through them quickly... but understands the charms of good socks. So I'm using a sock yarn I have no desire to knit for myself and giving it a go. So far they fit and I need to give this one more length in the cuff. Constructed in my typical toe-up with a short row heel style. Notes are being taken on length and stitch count.

A gift of fingerless gloves. This is the second pair of  Porphyria that I have made in the last two months. These are made of some leftover sock yarn that was picked out by the recipient.

Personal thoughts on the pattern... it's great to work with. One page, but it has enough information to be clear and easy to use. No crazy lingo or new techniques, but that wasn't what I was looking for. It's straightforward and give a nice result in solid or variegated wools. I have even bought a striping wool that I want to use on the next pair. So I recommend it, especially if you want to make a quick gift for a lady in your life. Oh a note for you... there is a twist that makes a fake cable and I tried to knit through the back loops to make it easier..... don't do that. Knit into the front both times. 

This pair needs thumb, but that's it, I decided to knit the gloves first and do the thumbs one after the other so they match better. 

More to come... hopefully this weekend will give me a few new projects to post and let you know how I completed them. Have a great Weekend!

Don't say I didn't tell you

Value Village sale 50% off on Monday the 27th
I am letting you know.... because last time I got grief. LOL
Enjoy, buy sweaters to felt, costume supplies, recyclable sweaters for amazing yarn..... whatever
Personally I'll be looking for 2 decorative glass bowls, and some sweaters to felt.... maybe some jeans too..... Why not?
Project updates later....

Interesting

I decided to use up some stash yarn that I have and love....  a Fleece Artist  called Nyoni in a blue grey blend. It's a wool/silk blend and I was super stoked to get a project started with it.

So I was testing out a few patterns, and I have to say that I was surprised by some results I got.

The patterns I used didn't look right, so......... I realised that it's not the patterns, it's the yarn. LOL

So I decided to pull out another yarn that I have been wanting to use, a Malibrigo Lace in Purple Mystery. The pattern you are seeing in the pictures is called Cassandra and the link to the Ravelry information. Sorry that's the only link that I could find for her, so I will do what I can to be informative. It's going to be a nice little shawl I think, the lace is coming along quickly, and the chart works well.

So a side by side. So, note to self.......... it's not me; it's the yarn. Maybe it would be a nice hat or a good pair of gloves. I'll find something good to do with  it.

I do love the colour of each... but the Purple is no much more suited for this type of project as you can see. I showed it off at Guild meeting the other night as well. Just had to talk about my personal "discovery" LOL as if it was the first time this happened. So you have any comparisons of your own? Enjoy, comment.

A little painting practice

Saturday morning was a calm one, we were drinking coffee and keeping the dog supervised. My Husband was playing the popular game Skyrim and I didn't want to get tied to the computer....... so I opened the package of gauache paints I bought in early January, grabbed some blank card stock, brushes and got to experimenting! You can see my notes on the types of markers that I tested over the paints too.

I have some things that I wanted to use these paints on, projects for friends and secret things. It has been a while since I used any type of paint however and I felt that a testing was in order.

It was fun, I really learned a few things, and remembered a few things. I do like these paints. It also makes me want to do a few more experiments with paints. Watercolours maybe, I have very limited experience with those. But I am more of a try and learn as I go gal than anything else. So, more paint projects soon.