Welcome to my new follower(s)!  I've been slack this week, both with blogging and stitching. 

Here's the blocked Holden Shawlette:

I did put in a (very) few stitches into Nature's Little Helper this week.  Well, I could have sworn I took a picture of it...so the following pictures may suck.

I finally got a start on the Mill Hill Autumn Collage.

And I stashed a little.  (I got some yarn, too, but I don't feel like going upstairs to get a picture).

And, lastly, I am about halfway through with my Elen hat.  (It's farther along than in this picture).

And now, it's late and I'm tired and no more will get done tonight. 

Happy stitching!
Tamara

Holden Shawlette FO

I didn't think I would have this shawlette done this weekend, but it is and I am thrilled with it.  That picot bind off, however, took for.ev.er.  It's now blocking, but I couldn't wait to show it off.  So here it is unblocked and I will post a picture next week of the blocked shawl.

Holden Shawlette
(unblocked)

Pattern:  Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes
Yarn:  Blue Heron Yarns bamboo lace "Summer Meadow"
Needles:  Hiya Hiya Sharps Size US 4 24" circular

The pattern was well written and is good for a beginner lace/shawl pattern.  The only problem I had in the beginning was my yarn overs would migrate over the round stitch markers I was using and after I switched to the larger locking stitch markers, I did not have any more trouble.  It's a small shawl (hence the shawlette name, lol), measuring 48 X 23 inches while blocking.  The yarn did bleed during the washing, but several rinses seemed to get most of the excess dye out.

I'm hoping feverently it will be dry by 4PM so I can wear it out tonight. 

Word is out I might celebrate by starting my Mill Hill Buttoned and Beaded Autumn Collage Kit tonight.  Fall is approaching at warp speed.

Happy Stitching,
Tamara

Year The First

Wow, I've kept up with this pretty well for an entire year.  I really didn't think I would;  I'm a horrible journal keeper.  I think the show-off factor and pictures help, lol.  The blog has definitely helped keep me motivated and I usually feel a little guilty when I haven't made any progress to show.  It's still fun, so I guess I'll be keeping at it for a while longer.  Thanks to all of you who stop by to visit!

Now, unfortunately, no stitching has been happening here the past week or two.  I've been in a perpetual bad mood for the past couple of weeks now and can't seem to shake it.  I hope the few days vacation time I have in a few weeks will help.  Monday we had a bad thunderstorm here and it zapped my tv and satellite receiver.  So, I had to go spend stash money on a new tv.  Now I'm just waiting for the replacement receiver.  I'm really over summer now.  Other little odds and ends have been stressing me out, too.  Nothing major, just everything seems to be slightly out of kilter.

I did finally(!) manage to finish up the no-purl Monkey socks last night and kitchnered the toe this morning.  Two and a half months.  Ridiculous.   It was all me, the pattern is great. 

Pattern:  Monkey by Cookie A, no purl version
Yarn:  Patons Stretch Socks in Licorice
Needles:  US 0 on the first sock and US 1 on the second, which worked better.  The no-purl version of this pattern does not have as much stretch as the original.

A bit more lace is showing on the Holden Shawlette:

Yeah, I know, still doesn't look like much.

And, I'm a good way through my next pair of socks:

Nothing fancy on these, just a 3 X 1 rib.  This is in Online Supersocke 100 Comedy Color 1279. 

This upcoming week I will be focusing on the shawlette and Nature's Little Helper.  I hope. 

Happy Stitching and thanks for a great year!
Tamara

Another Month Down

Wow, is it really August already??  After about March, the year always just seems to whiz by at an alarming speed.  And my progress slows to a snail's pace.  No stitching for me tonight;  I have a meeting to go to instead.  I have been working on my Holden Shawlette the past couple of days.  I'd really like to get this one done soon.  The picture quality might be worse than usual for a while;  I got a new camera and it will take me some time to figure it out.

I've done the first ten rows of the lace border and it's starting to look slightly less boring.  I'm off to watch a little of the Olympics and get a few more rows done before having to go out. 

Happy Stitching,
Tanara

Those Summer Blahs

It's continued to be hot, and humid with a good chance of multiple scary thunderstorms these past couple of weeks.  That time of year when you are a bit chilly inside in the A/C and go outside to get warm and it takes less than 5 minutes to have your skin feel like it will melt right off you.  Ick.  I'm starting to get in that fall mindset.  And then, there is some vacation time to finally get to look forward to.  Last year's vacation time was nixed by a little suprise appendectomy and my vacation time was used as recovery time.  Not quite as fun and relaxing.  So, I'm really (REALLY!) looking forward to this year's time away from work.  I have no particular plans other than to not have to think too hard about anything, lol.  Now on to the stitching updates.

Nature's Little Helper is progressing at it's usual snail's pace:

The Holden Shawlette almost has the stockinette section done (only 8 more rows).  Then I get to move on to the lace border.  Praying for the Knitting Gods to help me through that. 

Let's just say I'm very happy for lifelines.

The socks, hopefully, will be done in the next week or so.  I'm turning the heel tonight, then it's all downhill from there.  I'm so sick of looking at this same pair for the past two months.  So, of course, I had to go and plump up the sock yarn stash. 

That's Trekking XXL color 43 on the right and Green Dragon Yarns Tonal Lavendar on the left.  The Green Dragon Yarn was quite pricey, but there was no way I was leaving that purple behind.  I have no idea if it will end up as socks or something else yet. 

The good part about summer is the vegetables.  Frying up some squash and onions today.  Yum. 

During the mind-numbingly quiet times at work this week, I have been reading through GlennaC's blog Knitting to Stay Sane and I love, love, love these socks and I think I will soon have to figure out how to knit with more than one color of yarn.  But, I gotta have those socks or something very similar (ie maybe not knee highs). 

But I must, I must first finish the Monkeys and the ribbed socks I started and knit up some of the other stash.  Oh, and there is a hat I am going to try to get to this fall, too.  And it's gotta be in that green.  Well, not THAT green because apparently, they are no longer making that yarn, but I think I can find a good substitute. 

So, I'm off to watch some Olympics (Thanks, NBC for spoiling the swimming you will be showing in prime time with who won...and who lost, which was the bigger news, apparently) and turn the heel on this sock.  Stay cool!

Tamara

Catching Up

Welcome to my new followers!  I have a couple of finishes today, finally. 

Here is Nature's Little Helper:  I think this is 6/28 pages now.

And the one sock of the Monkey pair is finally done! 

Hopefully, the mate will go much faster. 

I have been spending more time at the computer these last two weeks and not picking up needles as much.  I'm looking into my family's genealogy.  It's so fascinating to look back on one's ancestor's lives, isn't it?  People you never knew, but because of them, you exist. 

Ok, enough deep thoughts.  I've got to go start that other Monkey. 

Happy Stitching,
Tamara

Happy Independence Day! (and a page finish)

Welcome to my new follower and Happy 4th of July!

I was planning to get several things done or well progressed, but, of course, I always have more goals than I have ambition or time.  I finished another page on Sanctuary last night (yay!).

HAED Santuary of Knowledge
R Spangler

I think this is 16/77 pages complete.  Since I'm no longer doing them in order, I'm not sure and I'm too lazy to research it right now.  And there is a fairy now! 

I spent a few hours unraveling my shawl to correct a mistake and re-knitting.  I'm back to where I was and I just have to figure out how to keep track of my center stitch.  The yarn-over keeps migrating over the stitch marker and messing me up.  So, I'll be trying a few ideas I saw on Ravelry. 

The monkey (sock) is still on my back.  I'm halfway through the foot and I was hoping to have it finished today or tomorrow, but the shawl sucked up a bit more time than I expected it to.  And now I want to get working on Nature's Little Helper because I also wanted to get a page finish done on it.  I'm soooo close. 

I'm also hoping for no more nasty storms like we've had this past week.  I'm really over those and the 90+ temps. 

Happy Stitching,
Tamara