Guten Rutsch!

If I can not finally get our internet to work I want at least to wish all of you a happy new year! See you in 2008!

Carolina Crossroads - Step 1 done

I finished the railway blocks over christmas, they look very nice. No pictures yet as internet at home is still giving me the fits. I have sewn my strips together for step 2 and cut 200 bits off, another 100 and I can sew nine patches. I love using up the uglies in my stash. (Of course I also went and bought more fabric...)

Mystery Quilt - Carolina Crossroads

I have just joined the Carolina Crossroads Mystery from Quiltville. I have yesterday hunted down my fabrics and started cutting and sewing the Railroad Blocks for the first step. I will need to get more pink for the dark pieces, but had much more yellow than I thought. This might end up looking slightly different colorwise than I thought, but I am going with it as it looks to use up some "ugly" fabric.

Knitting meeting in Konstanz

Hi,

anyone near Konstanz wanting to join us, we plan on being at the MC Cafe (McDonald's) on the 10th of December from around 5 pm.

Karin

Socks and Sweaters

I finished my Embossed Leaves socks (and I really need to take some pictures) and have worn them. I am not in love with how the star toe feels, even if it does look rather nice. I had to frog the Spey Valleys because I left out a line of instructions that equals 12 rows of knitting. Sigh! But I am back and running and they are now going to be a christmas gift for MyGuy's father. I got some wonderful Wollmeise yarn for his mother's socks and now just need to decide between Mock wave cable, go with the flow and waving lace in Favorite Socks. Fun!

The sweater yarn I bought is really nice, but the sweater I want to make will be done in the new yarn I bought in a blueish purplish color. Interweave Fall 07 has this simple sweater with 3 cables at the front that I want to make. Not so sure about the neck, it seems huge. Might have to fiddle with those numbers a bit.

Socks Finished - still no pictures

I managed to finish MyGuy's socks in time for his birthday, puh, that was tight. Finished sewing in the yarn ends Tuesday evening, with his birthday on Wednesday.

I have also finished the Horsecrab Lace socks from Fillyonk's pattern, they look lovely. I have turned the heel of my embossed leaves second sock and of course I have cast on another pair of socks: Spey Valley in grey yarn, again form MyGuy. I have also cast on a scarf and after knitting with 2-2,5 mm needles sizes 6mm is gigantic. It took me a bit getting used to those "pencils" for knitting needles and the yarn is chenille and not easy to move.

Now I have a really hankering for knitting a sweater. And as my yarn is all stashed away, I will "have" to buy more yarn. Poor me...

Home Stretch - will I make it?

I am on the homestretch with MyGuy's socks, however his birthday is on Wednesday and I still need to finish the foot of the second sock. I knit all the cuff yesterday (seeing as it was Sunday) and turned the heel today. But now I need to knit another 56 rows to the toe and the toe and I still need to wrap them...

I was knitting those openly (I always have a sock going, nothing suspicious there)... and was sneaky: I told him the next ones I knit would be for him and he would get to choose the yarn... I hope he does not suspect the dark green ones on the needle are for him. The pattern is turning out nicely. I fear however that his choice will be boring stockinett in one colour, sigh. But such is love. And at least it will make good traveling knitting.

Ripit, Ripit

The socks for MyGuy were just too tight. After fooling myself for quite a while, I finally ripped them this morning before I got to the heel. I have cast on again with 6 more stitches and that will be fine. However I better get to it big time as Halloween is not that far away. Though right now I'd rather read in the train. Oh well, the poor dude has to put up with books, yarn, fabric and cross stitch stash, so he certainly deserves a pair of socks for his birthday.

Starteritis

Unlike Fillyjonk who is doing Start-ober to finish some of her WIPs I seem to have caught a bug of Starteritis. (along with a little cold and flue this is flying around).

I started a new pair of sox without having finished several others, but for this one there actually is a reason: Halloween and MyGuy's birthday are coming and he "needs" new socks. As you know handknit socks = love. At least he does appreciate them. The bamboo socks I made him were declared lucky socks...

I have also started a new cross stich picture without having anything finished that is floating around. Excuse here: if I finish the Gemini and the Scorpio they will make nice gifts for my parents.

No pics as the photo is dead, the cable to load it is still MIA in my boxes after the move.

Limited Return

I am back to work and moved into the new flat, but still without internet access at home. (Need to figure out the PCs place and get either a long cable or a wireless.)

I did not knit or stitch at all through my absence, but at least I read a bit: Curse of Arckady, Hunt Ball, Polysylibical Spree, Bear Island, Point of Honor, Among the Tibetans all finally got read. I have now started Bad Dirt. Currently I read what I can find since my books are mostly still packed up since we need to figure out where the bed we ordered will fit and the other room will default to library. It makes for fun reading if you just pick up what you find. But it is very bad for the challenges as I can not find the books I put aside for those.

Off for a While

I am preparing to move and am working like crazy at packing up all the books for that. I am looking forward to living with MyGuy, but am currently stressed out. However it is my birthday tomorrow, so I will take a break from packing and (but don't tell MyGuy) get myself at least one more book. I will likely not have internet in the new flat right away, so you will hear less from me, especially since we also will be on vacation as soon as the move is effected.

Ugly Socks = First Summer of Socks Pair

This is the first pair I finished during the Summer of Socks 2007. If I keep it up at that speed they will be the only ones, too. If they fit MyGuy's Nephew's Girlfriend will get them to wear them with her boots at the THW (technical assistance corp, they do all sorts of work with firemen and other assistance in natural or manmade crises). I am happy to be finally rid of that yarn as I am no longer fond of the Regia Jaquard yarns. I also felt like I knit with pencils using the 2,5 mm needles after all those socks knit on the short 2mm needles. I have also finished the first of the Horseshoe Crab socks from Fillyjonk, but I have no photo of that yet. They will however not be ugly at all.

My Sockapalooza Socks Landed

My sockapalooza socks arrived (finally) in Norway where Vigdis can now enjoy them. Look what other goodies she got the same day. Sometimes there is just a good mail day.

I had included Swiss goodies as I work there, but also a bit of German stuff because it is where I live.

RIP II Challenge

Of course I have not enough challenges for reading, do I? (Actually I do, but I still like them too much to miss one). I joined the RIP 2 challenge and plan to read:

Jomathan Norell& Mr.Strange, I am Legend, Woman in White and one of Jim Butchers books, thus qualifying for Peril 1.

Sockapalooza received

I received my lovely socks from Ammiryam aka Gromit yesterday. You can see the "loot" in the first photo. Thank you very much for all of it, Ammiryam!
This lovely card came with the package, the colors are great. You can also see the yarn she sent me peeking out from behind the card.
Here you have a better look at the lovely green yarn. It is from Ellen's Half Pint Farm and will make lovely spring socks.
And here the piece de resistance: my lovely socks. Monkeys were on my to do list and now I do not have to do any to own some. They are lovely in many different colors and I love them.



And here they are on my feet. so you can see they fit perfectly fine. The sneak peek preview are my horseshoe crab socks with Fillyonk's pattern. WhenI first opened the package I thought the colors were the same, but in comparison: not quite.

Again, thank you Ammiryam for the lovely socks! I love the color and the pattern very much.

Lilacs finished

These socks are my rendition of Jeanie Townsend's Lilac Socks. They turned out very nicely and despite the differences in material and pattern are likely to be worn with this sweater. Happily these are done now. So the Embossed Leaves and the Ugly Socks remain. The Ugly Socks are likely to be the next commute project and therefore likely to get done.

Finished Sockapaloozas

These are my finished sockapalooza socks worn by me to show how they will look "blocked". They could use a bit of blocking as you can see from the other picture, but I do not own sockblockers and did not come up with anything good, so unblocked they will remain, though I will give them a gentle swish in the sink to get rid of the dirt they might have collected on the train (and on my feet). The pattern on the leg is called Faces in the Crowd by Barbara Walker, but I kept thinking of Friendly Faces. The instep pattern is a chevron from a different Treasury book. The socks are bit big on my feet as my pal has slightly larger feet. I just hope she can get them over her heels, they are a bit thight there.
I am pleased that I am fairly on time with these socks and with how they turned out. The yarn is from Wollmeise and the blue and red are prominent in my pal's national flag. They will go out on Monday, hope she will like them!

A bit of fun

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Quick update

My parents visit went really well and they got along with MyGuy's parents so all was good. The wheather was ok and we went to Stein am Rhein to see the painted houses. Very nice.

Wednesday was the national holiday in Switzerland and I took the chance to catch up on my sockapalooza socks (almost done) and to photograph the bears and decorations I want to put on e-bay. Now I just have to find my account and get going.

No stitching or sewing recently, but the socks are getting done this week so early next week will go off.

Sockapalooza

I heard from my sock pal just after I had realized that I needed to get going with my sockapalooza socks again. I am now 6 rows away from the heel and expect to finish them next week.

Knitting these socks makes me wonder when a sock pattern is a new design. I have combined 2 patterns from different Treasuries from Barbara Walker and did something nice with the heel, but I am not sure if this could be put out as a pattern without infringing Barbara Walker's copyright. Possibly not.

It was nice to hear from my pal, but I had not been worried. (Waves to Pal!!!)

This Sunday my parents are coming for a visit, so tomorrow I need to do some cleaning and hope to combine it with a bit more decluttering. I am getting better at throwing things out, but there is still more than we can move.

Loot and Process

After more than 2 months I finally got the surface delivery of my Elann order. You can see my loot in the first photo.
This is the first of my ugly socks. Not much progress and you get a glimpse at my Mannheim tea cup (it lights the windows when you pour warm beverages in it, advertising the electricity company in Mannheim) and my PC table.
These look much less turquois than they do in real life, where they are more bluish. Those are blocks 5 and 6 of 12 for my current Jewel Box quilt. They are taking so far 3 fabrics from my stash so Judy's (Sunshine Quilts) July Stash Challenge is met. We will see what I do with those blocks once I have finished them. They would make a quilt of 120 cm by 160 cm on their own which is a size I do not like.

Along the brook

These two pictures were taken last Saturday when MyGuy and I went for an evening stroll. You can just make out one of the young swans in the first picture.

Time flies...

I have no pictures right now, but wanted to let you all know that I am still knitting, sewing and stitching. I have turned the heel on the first of the ugly socks and am almost at the heel of the second Lilac sock. I have sewn 20 Jewel Box blocks in turquois and black-brown and have made 5 sets a 4 blocks from them. I will add 7 more sets. This is my way of participating in the July stash challenge from Judy (Sunshine Quilts). And I have a bunch more ideas of what to do with Jewel Box blocks... This will be a series I think. Hope Mum does not get to put off when I bring her the "same" pattern to quilt again and again... I have done a few thread lengths on my cross stitch tree, but you can hardly tell. I am tempted to do some blue-/redwork, but the snowmen BOM I keep seeing, I can not track down...

Nine Patch and Leaves

Yesterday I finally finished this quilt, the binding was the only thing missing, I made the blogs at least 5 years ago and my wonderful Mom quilted it for me. While this quilt was not really a scrap quilt, more of a FQ quilt, it certainly could have been. I cut squares and put them in two bags: one light, one dark. Then I proceeded to sew nine patches 5 dark, 4 light, they are all the same. The last part made it a bit challenging when it came to sewing the blocks together, but the no sames touching proved workable, the similar ones not so much. The cross pattern that you see in the photo is not aparent in real life.
The quilt got the highest possible accolade: MyGuy said, he likes it and that this one I should keep. Wow! But I have to agree, it is a keeper.
This is the first of my embossed leaves socks in Farn by Wollmeise. I took 4 stitches out which I regret now, but they still fit. However all of the photos were blurry, this one least of all.

Armchair Traveler Booklist

Not being content with the many challenges I have already going I want to join another one. This one is the Armchair Traveler Challenge by A Life in Books.

The books I have chosen are:

English Passangers by Matthew Kneale ( a cross over from the Summer Reading Challenge)
Murder on the Iditarod Trail by Sue Henry
Ladies Coupé by Anita Nair
Going after Cacciato by Tim O'Brien
Schmutzige Havanna Triologie by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez
Die Reisen des Herrn Baldassare by Amin Maalouf

Let's see how I will do with this. I need to read one of those each month which should be do able.

Summer of Socks Start

This is the sunspot sock with the first couple of rows. Not much progress, I know, but it is not a train sock, so it will be slow.


This on the other hand is my current commuter sock, a simple Nancy Bush Vintage Sock ribbing in an ugly yarn, that needed to leave my stash.
Since I am working on lots of things at the moment and have more WIPS than you want to count, here an old FO. I made this while I was at university. It only has two fabrics and it was quite a challenge to find enough sampler blocks for it. However I love it and think it turned out fairly balanced. I love the starkness of the two fabrics, made necessary by the fact that I could not find anything that would go with the purply-wine colored Jaquard. So plain muslin was used. I love two color quilts, but normally go with scrappy and different values.

No Photos - but knitting

I have cast on the yellow and orange Regia in the pattern sunspots from Barbara Walker, we will see how that goes in the long run. I have turned the heel on embossed leaves one and I have cast on for an extremly ugly sock in Regia Jaquard with one of Vintage Socks ribbing patterns. I love those, they are simple enough to do when your head swims, but entertaining enough to avoid throwing them in the corner out of pure boredom. I have out grown those Jaquard yarns, but since this was in the Stash and the only one to be knit with 2,5mm that is what got cast on. So I have 2 socks in progress for Summer of Socks and 3 that do not count.

I have also finally finished the Shell Collector for the TBR challenge, but think the book is fairly depressing. I have finished The Demon and the City which was much more entertaining. I am now undecided between the Mobile Library and starting Earthman's Burden, so I knit a bit.

We have found a flat and just need to sign the rental contract, so packing, sorting and tossing will ensue.

Summer of Socks - Start slightly off

This is the reason why my start of the summer of socks is postponed. The second sock for the Lilac Socks from the Townsend KAL, the second Sockapalooza sock and the first sock of my embossed leaves socks.






And this is the start going to be once I can get it started.

Ladder of Life finished

These are my ladder of life socks. They were originally intended for MyGuy, but were deemed to colorful and too patterned. Sigh! I have briefly considered giving them to MyGuy's nephew or nephew's girlfriend as they are both volunteers for the THW, but think the patterning might not be good in work boots. So they are mine. Much too hot for socks now, but at least the needles are free and I can borrow one for the sockapaloozas.

I finished sewing all the rows for my Bodensee quilt (calling a blue quilt Treehouse seems a bit ridiculous). Now the rows need to be joined and we will see if I add borders or just finish it like this which is what the book is showing.

Oh, man!

Just when I have reached the toe of my first sockapalooza 4 sock, I broke not only the yarn, but also the needle. Grr! So annoying. Now I have another set of 2.25 mm though not from the same company and I will borrow one of those needles, but to do so I have to finish my ladder of life socks where I am using those. Now that is not quite as bad as it sounds as I have just turned the heel on the second sock, but it threw a spanner in things and I did not need that grief!

On the other hand the sockapalooza socks look good and are a bit thight over the heel, but can be put on and off, so we are fine. My embossed leaves socks are a bit strippy which I did not expect, but do not mind and I am up to 1 1/2 pattern repeats. For something that only gets knit at MyGuy's that is not bad. I did sew the first 3 rows of my "Treehouse" quilt together and like it. I had to trim the blocks quite a bit, so it will be smaller than the original, but that is fine with me.

I have read Undead and Unpopular this weekend and have decided to stop reading the series, Betsy is too much of a selfish moron in this book. I am still reading my June TBR book, Shell Collector, but do not enjoy the story I am currently reading: Caretaker. I have started The Demon and the City this morning on the train, but can not say anything yet as I only read a couple of pages.

Red Scarf 2008

Since Project Spectrum is at red, black and metallics, this might be the perfect time to knit a red scarf for the Valentine's Scarves project for orphans in college. You can see more from the linked title of this post or via Norma (see side bar).

New Quilt started

I have wanted to do this quilt for ages and now that the drunkard's path and the jewel box quilts are both with my Mom to be quilted I felt I finally could start something new. This is following the pattern called Treehouse from the Modern Quilt workshop by Ringle and Kerr, but my inspiration is far from a tree and the light in it. Can you guess what this was inspired by? When I laid out the first blocks I was feeling sorry for myself because it was not a bit as I had envisioned it, but looking at it with more blocks and in this photo, I think it might actually work. The blocks are bit like potatoe chips, if you have made one, you want to keep going. I have finished almost half of the blocks I need. I have some lovely backing fabric, too.

Friday Check in

Just a quick post: i sewed Isabella together and she is wide enough, but the armhole shaping is off. Fortunatelly I will just need to sew it a bit tighter and then add the armhole edging. I am currently reading my TBR challenge book for June: Shell Collector. More short stories, which seem to be a theme just now. I have recently read Atwood's Tent and Gaiman's Fragile Things. I have joined two more challenges. My sockapalooza socks are tight, but should still work. I started embossed leafes with the Farn yarn from Wollmeise, because I could not not do it. I finished Moon Called and Blood Bound by Briggs and am looking forward to more of her books with Mercy.

Sockapalooza start

This is the current state of my Isabella from Knitty. The shoulders were crocheted together, the V-neck looks good. The thing might be too tight however. But for a final diagnosis I have to sew it up. Then the hem and the armholes have to be done up and it can go back to being hot.

This is the start of my sockapalooza socks. It is a mocaic pattern from Barbara Walkers Treasuries (the green one). The socks are slightly tight due to the yarn carried behind the slipped stitches, but I think they will be okay unless my pal as an extraordinarily high instep.

Bamboo Socks finished

My Guy's bamboo socks are finally finished. As a matter of fact his mother asked about the pattern stitch as she likes them. The pattern is ringwood from Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I am happy to have them of the needles. Because it gets me a good bit closer to my sockapalooza pal's socks.

This are all the skeins of Wollmeise yarn I own and some of it will end up on the needles above and eventually on my pal's feet. I have wound the first skein, but need a second one to get started. The other skeins will become more socks for me.
This is the quilt top finished (unironed as usual). I am trying two different fabrics for borders, but might just bind it without borders. Next Saturday we will visit my mom, so I will get more input.

I have finished reading The Golden Compass and have read Atwood's The Tent. The later is short stories which I seem to read currently. So I am looking forward to June's TBR book the Shell Seeker with more short stories. I have started Booked to Die by Dunning, but am not sure I will stick with it.

Quilty WIPs

This is my current project. A fairly old WIP that I started when I wanted to see how a Drunkard's Path would look. The colors are brighter in reality and the whole thing does not even get close to pretty, but I want to get the blocks and the rows sewn together by the 2nd of June when we plan to visit my mother. Mum does a lot of wonderful patchwork and on top of quitling her own tops, she does mine, too. I have bought a border fabric that I thought would be perfect at a quilt festival earlier this year, but now I do have some doubts. Well it can go to the back if it does not work for the borders.
This one was sewn during a a one day workshop based on Ricky Timms' book. I think I want to keep it in this orientation, but need to think about how to do this and what frames to use as I do not have most of the fabrics anymore. I think small black, small red, wide black might look good. What do you think?
This is Staufen in the Black Forest and just eye candy.

Sockapalooza 4

This is the first time I have joined the sockapalooza, and I certainly got a challenging pal. Not saying why that person is so challenging, that might spoil it. I am now waiting for my order from Wollmeise to arrive. I am considering stranded socks (which I have never done, so I may be in LaLa land here) with two varigated yarns. Maybe the dancing woman from Knitty, maybe something out of Barbara Walker. I really have to finish the socks on the needles to free selfsame needles, as obviously a lot of people are already knitting their pal socks.

Sightseeing near home

This weekend we did a bit of sightseeing not far from where I live. We went to Donaueschingen and saw the beginning of the Danub. Doesn't look like a big river that has made thousands of Romanians homeless last year? But that is what it will grow into.
The building you can see in the spring is a church but there is a palace with a nice park as well. Unfortunatelly they are currently closed as the palace is being renovated.


This is just a little eye candy and maybe an idea for a quilt some time in the future.

Some WIPs

As you can see I have the front of my Isabella cast on and am getting close to the armholes. I am not sure if I am going to do the split as written in the instructions as I have found that look not so great on me. I think I will modify it to a V-Neck.

This one is for Margaret who is still stitching on Federic. Instead of being a good SALer I am stitching the crab apple tree from Cross Stitch Collection 143. It is a very spring like pattern and I am stitching it on blue evenweave.

These are my current traveling socks, Ringwood pattern from Gentleman's Half Hose in Vintage Socks. They are for MyGuy.

This currently neglected sock is ladder of life, a free interweave pattern written to honor the helpers at 9/11. Originally they were intended for MyGuy too, but I think they will be mine, too busy for him.

Then we have a solitary Lilac Sock from the Townsend Socknitting Yahoo group. I have my needles in use for the current socks, so once those are finished this sock will get a partner.


I have come out of my reading slump a bit too and finished Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman and am currently reading Magyk, the first Septimus Heap book.

Reading Slump

I am currently in a total reading slump. I have started at least 5 books and none of them holds my attention: Book Borrower, Seekarte, Born in Death, Collapse, Bookmarked to Die, This Pen for Hire are all started, but have been put aside fairly early on. So, knitting and a bit of cross stitching. I need to take some pictures.

Until then I will leave you with the new picture of my profil, taken during Earth Day reforestation work.

Second "Anniversary"

Today marks the beginning of the third year that MyGuy and I are together. I am happy and looking forward to many more.

Just some picutres

This is a photo of me while we were on vacation. We had a lovely week at a wellness place and this picture was taken during one of our excursions to the ruins and sights in the area.






These socks were intended for February/March of Project Spectrum, but were only finished at the beginning of April when I really wanted to start lilac socks for the Townsend KAL yahoo group. The pattern is from Nancy Bush's Vintage Socks book. I am slowly working my way through the ribbing patterns in there as they make wonderful train knitting.



This is my head start on PS for April/May. Started when snow hit again after our lovely WARM vacations this is going to be Isabella from Knitty. For once I am using the actual yarn the model was done in.






Another PS project, though this has been an UFO for ages. I have finally finished the curved units and am now in the process of putting them together in a Drunkard's Path. The first row is done, I hope to get some more done on it today.