A Little Bit Of This

The featured photo is my most recent unicorn. My Mother-In-Law sent it to me for Christmas. I believe I could put scent oil in the dish and heat it with the candle.


Since, I tried to keep track of my knitting last year. Here is the list of what I completed in 2006.
- Red pine cone shawl
- Two Prayer shawls
- Pie R Squared shawl
- Simple shawl
- Twenty six hats
- One baby blanket and two small preemie sized blankets
- Grey Lavold cardigan
- Skinny sample scarf of spun samples
- Seed stitch hand spun scarf
- Scarf out of Diva Butterfly
- A seamans scarf
- Two potato chip scarf
- Pink Peak and Valley mohair scarf
- Blue mobius scarf
- Red variegated socks
- Fair Isle socks with the Old Goose Eye pattern
- A pair of grey gentleman's shooting socks
- A pair of Opal socks
- Mosaic butterfly socks
- Two afghan squares
- Red vest for my Father
- Bracelet with beads
- Four Christmas ornaments
- Cat bed
- Doll Sized Fana Cardigan


Maybe there is a reason why Rudy says I am always knitting. I am trying to keep track of my craft projects this year. Next years list will probably be fashionable late, too.



I read another catty book recently, 'The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell" by Lilian Braun. The usual light mystery with KoKo and YumYum. It was an easy read, especially with the slightly bigger print. I think someone decided her readers would appreciate bigger print in a paperback and pay for a few more page.

Two Bead or Four Bead

Beading started out innocently enough. My Mother started several years ago. When I visited we would do a couple things with beads. I left any beads I had with her. A couple of years ago, when my parents came to visit, my beads came too. They weren't well behaved and stayed. So, now that I have some of the tools and odds and ends of supplies, beads arrive at Christmas. This is what I did with four beads and the accompanying ear wires.

Matched pairs of unique beads almost always become earrings. Especially, when packaged with ear wires.


My problem was picking out beads for spacing. It only took a year, to spot something I liked. Admittedly, I only looked for a bit every month or so.

Both pairs have been worn. The only comments were from Rudy. He noticed he had not seen them before and then tried to accuse the cougars of being cows.

Not So Mysterious Mystery Stole

I am not into mystery projects. I like to know what I am going to have when I am done. I am not really much for mystery project. After seeing the finished product for the 2005 Mystery Stole, I was feeling wistful about having the pattern. Not so wistful, that I was willing to buy a pattern I might not knit.

When the 2006 Mystery Stole came along, the enablers on Denver Knits mentioned it. Then the rules were mentioned. To get the pattern, you had to sign up before it started. After much thought, I signed up at the eleventh hour knowing full well I wouldn't start the stole anytime soon.

Several local knitters started with the online group. So, I got to see how it was going. After deciding I was interested, I needed to pick out yarn.

At the time, my yarn was attempting to escape from the closet. So, I need to use some of it rather than go shopping. I checked various lace wieghts and either had one and half times what was needed or about a third.

After thinking for a while, I realized that I might have enough acrylic dk. I had bought a bag for making a sweater. Made the sweater and still had 6 skeins left. I check and there was enough.

It took just over 4 skeins of Spectrum Impressions. I started in October and finished it just after New Years Eve.

Yes, I procrastinate about taking pictures, etc.

Finished With Susan

I started this shawl last year around March and finished it last week. Really finished it, it is blocked and the ends are trimmed.

The shawl is a Susan shawl out of 'Stahman's Shawls and Scarves'. It has my own touch. I did the decreases slightly differently than specified in the book.

Here is the start with Jagger Spun Maine Line. It is a 100% wool yarn. I went with size 4 needles. If you look closely and compare to the pattern, you may notice that I added a repeat to top of the back.

Once it was off the needles, the unblocked measurement was about 18 inches.
After blocking it, it stretched to about 29 inches down the back.

In case you are wondering, a pattern repeat is 10 stitch. My ~47 inch needles were almost completely stuffed by the end.

Rudy agreed to take a couple of pictures showing how it fits. I think the fit came out just about perfect. I have to confess, I didn't do a true swatch. No blocking and checking ahead time. The gauge poltergeist didn't strike me for this. It is waiting.

Freya was talking, so I picked her up for this picture. Of course Trinka was jealous but she starts swimming and snagging when picked up.

Freya helped by trying to snuggle in the middle of it while I was knitting. This time she didn't bite the yarn in two. She did this with the previous shawl.

Just A Little Spin

It has been over a year since I received my Kromski Minstrel wheel for Christmas. Admittedly, spinning isn't my main hobby but I completed some spinning last year into this year. The year was a learning experience. I think this year will continue to be a learning experience.



The first yarn was of course thick and thin 'designer' yarn. I knit it up into the scarf that is draped over the wheel. Given the texture of the yarn, I went with seed stitch for the whole scarf.



The next batch of yarn was more consistant but still in the bulky range. There are several balls totaling about 1200 yards.

The roving was from Brown Sheep out of the boxes. I believe is mostly wool with a little mohair. Right now, I am debating about whether it should be a shawl or vest/sweater. Definitely, a quandary.

This was finished next. It is Brown Sheep roving purchased at the Recycled Lamb. I am going to call it a sport weight. There is about 320 yards. It is going to be a scarf.

The picture doesn't do it justice with the variation of blue and purple. I have already picked out the scarf to knit with it.

I started spinning the yarn below before the Brown Sheep sport weight and do not remember the kind of sheep. It started with a C or K and rather coarse. It fought me some. It broke and the end disappeared completely into the bobbin. I had give up and just break it at about the right place to continue. I tried Navajo plying and it broke several times because it was sticking on the bobbin. Then it broke while putting it on the niddy noddy. I think I spun it too fine. There is about 350 yards. The sad news is, only half of it is spun up. It will be awhile for the next half. I plan to spin something that is more fun next after finishing this batch.