Mid Feb update

How time flies when you are having fun!

After I do this will run out and chop away at some of the frozen snow coating the place. No pics at present of our frozen acres! Needless to say, not much happening on the riding front. Shad's leg is still healing, but is moving along nicely.

On the knitting front, I guess the cold weather is good for something!

Red sweater - almost completed first pattern row. Looking VERY spiff!

Hank's socks - if you look at the pic, you will realize that we have regressed. Wound up frogging the whole thing & redoing the toes with Japanese short rows. Highly recommended, much neater and tighter than wrapped short rows. I also decided to just use stockinette for the socks. He doesn't care about the fancy stitches and I am trying to teach myself how to do toe-up gussets, so the simpler the better this time around. I actually knitted quite a bit more after this pic. Am up to the gusset start on one sock and have about an inch or so of the blue on the second sock.

Baltic Sea stole - HURRAY! Have finally tinked back to the error. You may be able to see the lifeline sitting there. I just hope I calculated correctly as to where I was in the pattern because of course, I didn't count back on the rows I was tinking - DOH! So now I can start moving forward on this one again. If I EVER EVER EVER suggest doing anything in lace weight silk in future, please just put me out of my misery before I start.

Blue/variegated scarf is done, but I am very disappointed in it. Knitted it with Lisa Souza's sock yarn. The yarn is lovely, but unfortunately, the colors from one end of the skein to the other are quite variable and I don't think it does anything for this scarf. Might frog it and redo as a moebius - the color variation would work more as a feature there and less as a bug. Tried to get a pic of it, but the photo doesn't show how huge the change is. That's the good and the bad side of hand-dyed yarns - amazing variation - sometimes it works for you, sometimes not.

Peg's vest is on the back burner for a bit. Need to frog that too and rethink the design. Once I get going though, I think it will go pretty fast.

Now off to shovel (or pickaxe!)

Busy Bee!

Haven't been riding much. Hank was away for the week and it's fierce trying to run the place by oneself, especially in the winter!

But I have been knitting! and unknitting :(

Baltic Sea Stole - still haven't gotten all the way back to the mistake. This is so slow and painstaking. Once we start going forward again on this, definitely will be dropping a lifeline on this one for the next little while.

Hub's socks. Started them in all blue, but miscalculated the gauge and they were HUGE! So I frogged them and restarted with nifty hidden colored toes. I used short row toes to start, but have been trying to find gusseted heels because I think they will be a bit sturdier for him - just found this site on knittyboard - http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8mnnp/toesheels.html So I think that will help enormously!

My red gansey is coming along. Partly through the first pattern section. I am quite pleased so far. Almost done with the first ball - panicked at first when I reached the end of the ball because I only got 5 skeins, then remembered it's circular and that's the front and back done to this point (DOH!)

And started a little quick scarf out of some of the Lisa Souza. It's a simple twin rib pattern, but really shows the yarn off IMO.

I also helped a pal transfer her old computer to her new computer and went to a camera class this weekend. Gosh, it's no wonder that I am tired when I go back to work on Monday! LOL

Late January

Rode Pro in a "ride-a-test". You ride in an informal competition, get judged, then work with the judge to fine-tune/clean up problem areas. Sometimes you then go ride the test a second time, but we didn't. We had a horrible school on Saturday, so I was not very enthused and almost bugged out, but we wound up having a really fun ride Sunday and learned a few nice nuggets - pretty cool for a 30 minute ride. Here he is on the lawn after his post-ride roll in the dirt!

Shad's leg is still slowly slowly healing. I said I wouldn't post any more pics, but I fibbed! Here he is, 26 days post injury. Still very nasty looking, but granulation tissue is filling in. He is still on very limited turnout so that he doesn't break it open more and on antibiotics.

On the knitting front, bad news first :( I dropped another stitch on the Baltic Sea Stole and I am gonna have to tink back and fix it - the other error I just fudged and basically tied into place, but this one breaks the flow for sure. I guess I could leave it there and call it a big rock on the beach! LOL

Made nice progress on my sweater for the Red Sweater KAL. It's the "white gansey" from Beth Brown-Reinsel's book. I am doing it in sport weight from Lisa Souza, color garnet. I think it's gonna look fabbo.

Started some socks for Hub, but no pics - it's just the toe.

Peg's vest is on hold for a bit, I think I am going to change lanes in how I do the stripes, so have to think that through a bit.

I have been trying to teach myself continental knitting and am improving a lot on the knitting part. Haven't quite scoped out the purl part yet, so will have to do that next.

Productive week on both riding and knitting fronts!

Pro

FORCED myself to ride while I could even though it was cold cold cold. With snow forecast, (and it's snowing now), I wanted to get a ride in. And I weenied out yesterday with all the wind.

Anyway - here's the old man. Not bad for 24!

Knitting update - Jan 20

Ascot scarf finished. It turned out great! Made from 5 skeins of E. Lavold Silky Cashmere. It's warm and snuggly and oh so soft!

The entrelac scarf & hat set are also complete and boy I am glad to be done with that Angora! Never again! LOL I think I used 3 skeins each of the green and the yellow. It did come out very cute. The hat works like a little beret, but I poofed it out for the photo, so that you could see the entrelac. The change out of the entrelac back to straight knitting was a bit rough, but it's well disguised by the fuzzy yarn.





Both of the above were self designed.






The Baltic Sea Stole dropped stitch has been rescued and I have gone back to work on it. Now at 20 inches. Boy this is gonna take forever!




Started Peg's vest, but the picture turned out horrible, so will post on that later. I have about 1/2 of the right back done.

Hank's socks will go on the needles soon and then will be working these three for a while.

So for January so far, three FO's of approx 1100 yards , and about 500 total sq inches of knitting. Not so shabby!

This is a painting of Shadow that a friend did. The frame shop has this nifty tool to show how the final frame job will look.

It's a distressed wood frame with touches of gold, green suede textured mat with a distressed wood/gold filet and a pale green undermat. Very classy looking.

The software washes out the image quite a bit, it more than holds its own against the framing.

Shad's leg is still pretty ooky, but slowly slowly mending.

Is it spring?

Gorgeous, foggy morning today. Took some farm pics, but couldn't post them - gotta check my firewall settings.

Shad is improving. I will spare you all any more ooky leg shots!

Made good progress on the silk/cashmere ascot scarf. With any luck will finish up tonight.

The entrelac scarf is done and the hat is about half-way done. Since I am making it up as I go along, keep your fingers crossed that it turns out okay!

Did nothing on the Baltic Sea Stole - cogitating on how to fix the dropped stitch.

Once I wrap up the ascot, will put a vest for a friend on the needles. Some gorgeous worsted weight wool from MDS&W - black, shot with purples, teals, forest greens - very yummy. Swatched it earlier this year - it would be a good thing if I can remember what size needles I used!

Then when I wrap up the entrelac ensemble, will start some socks for hub.

And I need to start something for the Red Sweater KAL...

Shadow Update + farm pic

It's a bit of gray morning, rain coming in later today, but still beautiful IMO.










Shad's leg is not improving. Vet will be here in an hour or so.

January Update

Just catching up. To start with, morning on the farm...












Then on to knitting projects -


1. Baltic Sea Stole. This is a belated B-day present for my sister. It's in laceweight silk and is quite a project. It's at 17" now and I am hoping to get at least 48" out of the yarn I have. I just found a dropped stitch and am not quite sure what I am going to do to fix it.












2) Entrelac Scarf. I finished the scarf after I took this pic - at 48" for a short friend LOL. I had asked her if she wanted a long scarf or a short scarf and a hat and she picked the second option, so now I am working on an entrelac hat in the round - making it up as I go. Kinda "interesting"!









3) This will be an interlaced ascot type scarf for my neice. It's in Lavold Silky Cashmere and is TOTALLY yummy. I am using the Twin Rib stitch and will split the scarf into 5 sections and interlace them ala Teva Durham's laced scarves, but this will be a shorter scarf. If it doesn't work, I will just make an ascot type slide.















And on the horse front, Shadow sliced his leg open. It's totally a mess, he's on stall rest and antibiotics - ooky picture follows...

Man - I have been busy!!!

I have been too busy to blog!

Lotsa knitting. A fair amount of riding. Lots of socializing!

Will try to update with current project pics this weekend.

In the meantime - here's the farm in the morning mist.

Casino is finished!

What a beautiful and fun knit!

This is the Casino shawl from Anne Hanson (www.knitspot.com).

I did the petite version using two skeins of Handmaiden Sea Silk in the Ebony colorway. This is a beautiful black with smokey brown and dark silvery gray. Yummy! Used #5 needles for the body and that was about right. Had a bit left over, but not much.

Started it in mid October, finished knitting Tuesday, blocked it Wednesday and wore it to work today!
Casino blocking. Thank goodness for blocking wires! LOL










Here is a closeup of the blocked shawl.













The black on black looked great, but didn't photograph so well. Hub is not Avedon!

And I cut my own head off - I repeat - hub is NOT a fashion photographer!

Thanksgiving Update

well - I know it's past Thanksgiving, but that's when I took the pics, so that's what I am really updating! LOL

Very pleased to say that the baby blankie is finished! YAY!

Finished a quickie little boucle scarf for Christmas.

Made HUGE progress on Casino.

Not much progress at all on the Baltic Sea Stole or the entrelac scarf.

Started a pair of socks - Mountain Colors Bearfoot - I am liking it alot.


Started another little boucle scarf - this one in Schaefer Patti - a silk boucle. A little meh about this yarn. It's nice to try these things out on scarves! LOL

Blankie finished out at 24x30, so added 3x24 from last time: 72 sq in
Scarf finished at 5x50, so added 5x20: 100 sq in
Hard to measure Casino as it is a decreasing triangle, but am at about 27" deep and working the border. Someone else can do the math,but am guessing about 280 sq. in
Socks are 9" long by about 8" around: 72 sq in.
New boucle scarf is about 7x10 at this point: 70 sq in.
No pics of that one yet because the colors turned out crappy on the photo and I haven't had time for the redo.

So about 594 square inches for the month. Not too shabby, especially considering riding and working! LOL.

Picked up baby Callas from John's today. She goes off to the sale barn next weekend, but he thought she had a bit of an owie, so I want to get her to my vet before I send her away.

I have been riding tons, especially considering the weather.

Learned how to make a DVD with my Tivo - how fun is that?!? LOL

Knitting Update - Making Strides

Baby blankie is up to 27"! Once I finish off the partial ball of yarn in the pic, I am done. Will wash & dry and wrap up to go off to my nephew's family to await the new arrival.

Baltic Sea Stole - Haven't been doing a huge amount of work on this. But it's coming along. I try to get a little done every night even though I am focused on Casino right now.


Casino Shawl - This is where I have been spending most of my time. It's an Ann Hanson pattern and is absolutely gorgeous in Ebony Sea Silk.









Boucle Quick Ribbed Scarf - This is a cutesy little ball of Boucle Mohair Blend from Sheep and Wool. It will be a Christmas present for a neice. It's a fast knit.










Stash Enchancement! This is a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot. Hard to see in the pic, but it's a gorgeous muted blend of dark green, blue, charcoal and ochre. Destined to be a pair of socks. Then there are two skeins of CTH Fingering silk - maybe diagonal triangle tank or something similar. Then there is one skein of Schaefer Patty - boucle silk. Destined to be a Christmas scarf. And a skein of Blue Heron Beaded something - another Christmas scarf/small shawl.

Angora entrelac scarf - haven't touched it, so no new pics.

Total work done:
Blankie - 24x6
Stole - 15x3
Casino - 40(?)x7
Scarf - 5x30

About 580 square inches of knitting since last report! WOW! And that doesn't include any frogging of which there was a fair amount getting Casino started!

Baby Callas goes to Camp

I have been trying to blog for days, but Blogger has been a bit difficult. Got in this am and here's a pony report!

We started little Callas this summer, but she was quite growthy and there were a few little bugs (bucking and rearing!) that didn't quite get ironed out. So she went off to "camp" at John's place.

She's doing great!


Here she is starting to walk with a connection (that soft bow in her neck).


Then we have a lovely relaxed canter.


Then she and John took a little break! LOL











Then they went for her FIRST trail ride where she learned to walk over a big tire. She was totally awesome.

On the knitting front, zipping along, but haven't finished anything new - will try to post pics this weekend.

Knitting Update - 10/15

Well _ I have been a busy bee! I am glad I thought to put the tape measure on these things because at least I can see that I am making progress!!!

Finished the diagonal Triangle Tank. It's purty! DIdn't make the 10/10 b-day, but will ship it out this week.













Did another couple of inches on baby blankie. Better zoom on this one!

Three(!) more inches on the angora scarf. Didn't think I worked on it that much.

Only one more inch on the Baltic Sea Stole. Another one I had better get moving on. This is for a November birthday. LATE November thank goodness!





And the Casino Shawl, by Anne Hanson. It's in ebony Sea Silk and it's gonna be wazowie! when it's done.

Quick little knitting update!

Here's the diagonal Triangle Tank. Almost done. I actually had sewed it up, then realized that it was WAY too long in the armscye for my sis, so shortened it about 1 1/2". Left to do, restitch shoulder seams, put on finishing single crochet borders. Whew! Hope to do that tonight and finish for an October 10 b-day!


Baby blankie is at 20" in length. I am on skein #4. I definitely have another skein, but would have sworn that I bought six skeins - wierd. I think it will still be okay - probably about 24 x 30.

Added three inches on the entrelac scarf. I will be glad when this is done because frankly, I HATE this yarn. Like it less and less as I work with it, but I think the gal who is destined to get if for Christmas will love it. (she had BETTER! LOL)

Finally, the Baltic Sea Stole. Another 3" on that too. Too bad it photographs so poorly - it's really neat!

Once I finish Sis's top, I will put my nose to the grindstone on the tank and wrap that up, then probably start a claptois for one of the nieces for Christmas. I got some SWTC Phoenix on deep sale and that might be really pretty.

Okay - off to pack up for a clinic ride this afternoon. I am getting taped, so hopefully will be able to pull some stills off the tape.

Cowboy Shooting

Hub and I went to the Northeast Regional Cowboy shooting champs - held nearby. Neither of our ponies are ready for prime time yet, but we went and rode the course without shooting. What the heck, we looked spiffy anyhow!




What makes this really funny is that both horses are dressage horses for their day jobs - cowboy shooting is not their main "thing". This is a good thing because we are't really good at it yet! LOL

On the knitting front - finished a beaded bracelet, but need to get some glue to secure the ends before I trim. Sis's diagonal tank is seamed up, but haven't finished the edging on it. Added a couple of inches to the entrelac scarf and the Baltic Sea Stole. Great week!