Let's talk socks! Does anyone else have a love hate relationship with sock knitting? Am I the only one that is such a loose knitter in the round that most patterns come out too big for me? I can't be the only one can I? I finally figured out that I always need to just knit the smallest size......but why can't I remember that? Sock gauge is crazy stuff! I have ripped out many a sock because what was supposed to fit a woman's medium foot looks like it would fit a dinosaur foot! So I am writing this today to help me to remember that whatever the pattern might say.......just knit the small! All that being said I do love hand knitted socks and my newest cast on (since I took my own advice) is coming along quite well! It's Smokestack and I picked up the yarn last year at the Endless Mountains Fiber Festival. It's squishy and soft and I really like how the colors are coming together.



I also cast on this week for Andee's Penny Infinity Scarf. And I guess I really am a lose knitter because I ran out of yarn......wait for it.........5 rows from the end. Insert loud sigh here. So I am waiting for another skein to arrive. I used her modifications for just one skein of mad tosh lite and even went down a needle size to get gauge but still came up 5 rows short. And no I am not ripping back......it is a lovely knit and I really enjoyed it so I will wait patiently for the other skein to arrive and finish it the right way........I think it's going to be beautiful and something I wear quite often.


I did some spinning this week as well and you can check out what is on my wheel in a post I did earlier this week here. I am on my second bobbin and can't wait to get it plyed and bathed.....such fun!

This week is a busy one as Emily gets ready to head back to Canada for another 6 months. I have really enjoyed having her home this past month. All us girls headed out to Trader Joes yesterday for a fun afternoon of shopping. Having all my girls with me is getting rarer and rarer and so I do treasure those times.

It seems like spring is finally arriving in our area and there are buds on the trees and the grass is getting green. I was beginning to think winter would never leave! I'm looking forward to taking the knitting outside as the kids play and soak up some sun! Joining Ginny today over at Small Things for the weekly yarn along.

Knitting is such therapy. Casting on and starting new projects is so exciting and it must be just the adventure of it all that calms the mind and settles the thoughts. I"m finding spinning to do the same thing. Getting started on a new braid and watching it become yarn can be so soothing. I am finding I am not a technical spinner at all. I like to just dive in and let the fiber do it's thing. I do tend to spin on the thinner side and I like the challenge of keeping it balanced but I don't make samples and I don't really think much about what it will become. Maybe as I spin more I will get there....but I really just enjoy the process as it goes.
I jumped into a SAL on a group on Ravelry and it is so fun! I am learning a lot as other people prep and spin their braids. It's fun seeing how the same braids could look so different!
I started this braid from Three Waters Farm in a merino silk blend called Dark Sweet Cherries. It's coming along beautifully......almost half done now. The other braid is Scottish Landscape on the same blend. I think I am going to spin each braid in to a 2 ply and then find a 2 color shawl where I can use both colorways together. The colors are amazing!




I was also able to cast on 2 new projects over the weekend. The Penny Infinity Scarf  and also Smokestack socks. I did not make much progress yet but plan on getting some time today to get things moving!

I had a nice surprise the end of last week when a friend in one of my Ravelry groups congratulated me on having my gradient handspun yarn featured on the front page of Ravelry. I was so surprised! And excited! So many sweet people left comments on my project page and it was really neat to know others thought my yarn was special too!

My days have been full with Emily back home for the past month....we have enjoyed knitting and spinning side by side again. In one week she will be back in Canada and we will be talking knitting and horses and life long distance again. I know she is happy there and doing what she loves so I guess I will smile and be happy for her! School studies are winding down and the kids are spending more and more time outside again and this momma is taking a deep breath and looking around at the mess that winter has made inside the house. I know I need to dig in and do a deep spring cleaning around here but I have no motivation for it at the moment. The sun is shining today after days of rain and I'd rather follow the kids outside to play or at least sit and knit and watch them!

I'm hoping to find more time to write here now that the kids learning activities are winding down....I've said that before so don't hold me too it!

I really did not think that much knitting got done this past week.......trying to catch up with life around here. But I guess some stitches were knit because I have 2 finished projects to share with you! The first are the socks I started and almost finished on the plane a couple weeks ago. They just needed to be bound off. I used Hermione's for the pattern but did them toe up with a sweet tomato heel. Ravelry notes


Then I decided I needed something colorful and spring like on the needles since our weather is making me feel like spring will never come......so I grabbed this yarn that I spun last year and cast on for a Ruffled Summer Top for Hannah Grace. I knit this top when she was a year old as well.....a cute and fast knit.  Ravelry notes






She loved this yarn and asked if I would make her socks as well......so I cast on for some funky fun socks that are knitting up real fast. Oh and my sweater is finally blocked and ready for buttons......still no photos to share, maybe next week! I'm at a point where I can cast on for a new project and I'm not sure what I want to start......I'll be digging into my fav list on ravelry today!
I'm joining in the Yarn Along over at Ginny's today and can't wait to see what everyone has on their needles!!

I have been knitting in a place I never want to be again.......at the bed side of my 19 year old nephew on life support because he went into cardiac arrest on  April 4th.  I am here to tell you that our God still does amazing and miraculous things and that He hears our prayers and loves us so much. We journeyed from planning for a funeral to today 3 weeks later where a boy that they said would not make it is walking and talking and making plans to get on with his life. God is so good and I am still kind of in shock over the whole experience.

It was so good to have my knitting and something to do all those long hours we sat with my brother waiting. Knitting is so soothing to mind and body......I am so thankful I threw a few projects in my carry on before we jumped on that plane.

I was able to knit a whole sock on the flight out and then I jumped into this tunic for Hannah Grace for Easter. I am in love with this tunic......so simple and so cute! I finished it the day before Easter...nothing like cutting it close! Ravelry notes



I was one happy Momma for Easter as I had everyone home for the day! Emily has been home from Canada for the month and Elaina came home to spend the day with us! We all went to church together and then spent the rest of the day eating......having an egg hunt and just enjoying the beautiful spring day. I am feeling so blessed! Here is a shot of my whole crew.... together!!


This past week I did manage to finish spinning up a skein I was working on. It's from Three Waters Farm a new to me shop. What an amazing spin such gorgeous fiber and colors! This is the Crooked Parameters colorway.

No new books right now.....I need to finish up the couple I have going before I even think about starting another! Just glad to be back home and looking forward to a slower pace for the month of May. The experience with my nephew really reminded me that life is short and we never know what can happen so live each day to the fullest and love others well.......and one more thing.....God is in control...yes that I learned very well!

I'm going to jump in here for a second since it's been a while since I had the time to post for Yarn along. I think about it every Wednesday and I get on at night and visit lot's of others posts but my schedule has been so crazy that I have had no time to join in......sooo I'm making a little time today to share what's been on my needles!!

I got lot's of uninterrupted knitting time this past weekend as we ventured north and over the border to pick up my daughter from Canada. I think I mentioned it last year in June when she left for a year long internship position at a Dressage Barn. She had been working hard and truly loving it there and is only home for the month of April before they want her back for show season.  She is training and working some amazing horses and meeting lots of great people so the experience has been great! But this Momma is so happy to have her oldest girl home again!

The best has been our nightly knitting and talking sessions! Yes my oldest has been knitting longer then me and is usually knitting lace work that is intricate and beautiful!

Well on this trip I was able to start and finish my first pair of homespun socks!!! When I finished spinning this 3 ply I just heard it crying out to be made into socks. So I Cast on Friday night and Sunday night they were all done! I love them and they fit perfectly! My daughter named them "Border Crossing Socks". I just did a simple toe up stockinette sock with a sweet tomato heel. These are going to get a lot lot wear! And now I am digging through the fiber stash to spin for more socks.....they are a lot of fun!!! Ravelry notes







 I also finished up a pair of socks for hubby that were on the needles. So it looks like I need to cast on for more socks! Ravelry notes



I am trying to work on finishing up my sweater this week and I need to get a sweater done for Hannah Grace for Easter. I also have a cowl blocking right now that I forgot to get any photos of......so hopefully I can share that next week!! I have been reading Stephanie Pearl McPhee's new book The Amazing thing about the way it goes.......such a great easy read! I have really been enjoying it!! Well happy knitting everyone...can't wait to see what's on your needles this week!!! Joining Ginny over here

I have been knitting like crazy this week! Finishing up some projects and taking lots of photos! Hannah Grace turned 3 last week and I did a whole post on her birthday sweater.....I love how it turned out! You can see that here.


 I also finished a cute baby sweater for my daughters friend....it's Oatmeal which knit up very fast and is oh so sweet! The buttons were a great find as the parents are doggie lovers!


 I also finally got photos of "Merry"......she is getting lots of love and hugs from Hannah Grace who just adores her. She is the perfect size to hold and take places and the clothes are so cute. I can see lot's of leftovers being used to whip up more clothes!



I've also been playing with my Birthday present that just arrived ......it's a supported spindle made by Malcolm Fielding. It's so beautiful to look at and to spin! I am teaching myself with videos on you tube since I am new to support spindling! Gotta love you tube!



I also picked up the book Adventures in Yarn Farming.......everyone has been talking about it and although we do not have "sheep "yet" I like to think at some point that could happen.....so I am looking forward to opening this book and learning!

One of my goals for this year was to learn to do stranded knitting and colorwork and so when I saw this hat I knew it was perfect for a gift for a special someone. Not sure if it is a good idea to use a new technique while making a gift but we will see! So far so good.......but it is addictive once you get into those charts......I did not want to put it down last night!

Joining Ginny today and I can't wait to see what everyone is up to!!

I might be a little biased on this but I am devoting a whole blog post to show off the cuteness of this little sweater and an even more adorable now "3" year old who loves her new sweater even more then I do!!

The sweater is the Springtime in Hollis pattern which I saw for the first time on Soulemama's blog. I fell in love with it and knew it had to be the birthday sweater this year! Never mind that I only had a week to knit it up......It was a great quick knit but looks like it took loads of work.....the details are so cute and I loved learning how to do the lattice work. The yarn was picked out by Hannah Grace and is plymouth  yarn worsted merino superwash. Everything must be purple or pink for this little girly girl!

She officially turned 3 on the 27th and I finished the sweater the day after. She scooped it up and has been wearing it ever since. Today we headed out to get some good photos of course for my ravelry project page. Hannah Grace told me she would be the doll model and I could take photos.....well the "doll model" barely stood still and then Loki decided to make it even more fun running in circles around us! 

We managed to get these in as we wait for what is supposed to be another snowstorm heading our way. I wonder if spring will ever show it's face around here.........

Get ready for photo overload!!













So there you have it ......the story of  the 3rd birthday sweater. This mama just wishes she would stay little like this forever! Happy Knitting!!