SFS Care Package on Its Way

November 7, 2009| Lindy| 0 Comment | 8:00 am

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My first pair of regulation Olive Drab (OD) socks have been washed and a darning kit has been carefully made and pinned to the toes. The SFS sock band has been completed along with a written note for the recipient of the socks. All this went into a gallon size plastic bag. I also finished my first SFS beanie — It went with the socks into the bag.
SFS_Beanie1

Along with the socks, I have sent a mixed assortment of “goodies” for the soldier. I gathered snacks and a number of items like sunscreen, Q-tips, Wet Ones wipes, & Chapstick to include with my socks. It made for a nice little care package.
SFS_CarePkg1

Package has been mailed off to Sarge — who will now send it along with numerous other such packages to a group of soldiers serving somewhere overseas.

New ProjectsNew Projects

October 28, 2009| Lindy| 0 Comments| 11:16 am

Since I have finished several WIPs in the last couple of weeks and I will be finishing my first pair of SFS socks this evening, I have started two new projects. Both are scarves and both are Christmas presents.

Scarf one is for my DD. I am using a black Cash Vero yarn (Cascade Yarns) that is very soft and seems to have a nice drape to it. DD wanted a black textured scarf — so after a number of different swatches, I decided on the Diamond Brocade pattern from Barbara G. Walkers’ “Treasury of Knitting Patterns”. The pattern shows up nicely along with the moss stitch border.

Diamond Brocade Scarf

Scarf two is for DD’s roommate, JC. Her favorite colors are red and purple, so I am using a red and purple sock weight yarn (Cascade Yarns, Hertitage) and knitting a chevron pattern. This is the swatch. I started out changing colors every two rows and then switched to changing colors every four rows. I think I prefer the four-row patterning to the two-row and will need to add more of a border because it really has a tendency to curl on the edges.

Chevron Scarf Swatch

Readers: Which do you think looks better? The two-row repeat or the four-row? Leave me a comment, please. Thanks!

Snowed In!Snowed In!

December 9, 2009| Lindy| 0 Comment| 10:31 am

Winter has definitely arrived in Nebraska. It started snowing yesterday morning and continued throughout the day — we ended up with around 10 inches — and then, the wind kicked in. This means blizzard conditions — blowing snow, major snow drifts, limited visibility and extremely hazardous driving conditions.

All the schools were closed yesterday and many businesses closed early and sent staff home. DH arrived home around 12:30 PM. Schools still closed today — sun is out, but it is bitterly cold and there is a large drift covering our entire driveway. No sign of a snow plow, so for now — we are snowed in.

I spent most of my time yesterday afternoon finishing the Chevron Hat — I frogged it back to the beginning of the crown because I did not like the way it was turning out. Found another beret pattern that has you decreasing stitches by half every so many rows — tried that, keeping to the alternating of colors every 4 rows. Much better. Hat is now done and awaiting blocking along with the scarf. I will post pictures tomorrow.

Have a fresh loaf of bread going in the bread machine — didn’t make it to the grocery store before the big storm. Fresh homemade bread and a hot pot of soup sounds good — off to make the soup.

Returning to Blog and FO: Clapotis ShawlReturning to Blog and FO: Clapotis Shawl

October 13, 2012| LindyBeir| 0 Comment| 3:39 pm

I have been away from blogging for about five months. There were a number of reasons for this. First, I just got busy with other things and didn’t seem to be able to find time to sit down and write any posts. And then, my knitting projects just didn’t seem to be getting finished — even though I was knitting. And then, my husband started on our remodeling project — which was/is my office. The remodeling will be worth it when it is done — but when it will be done doesn’t seem to be anytime soon. I now have my computer set up in the spare bedroom and I have retrieved a few skeins of yarn and patterns from the boxes I packed up several weeks ago — so I can knit. But heaven help me if I need to find any of my knitting books or any of my yarn stash! It’s all in boxes and plastic containers, stacked three deep and nearly to the ceiling in the garage. (So any future knitting projects are an excuse to go yarn shopping…) I’ll update you on the remodeling progress — here’s to hoping it’s done by the time I need to decorate for the Christmas holiday.

I do have a finished object! I have finished my Clapotis shawl.

I haven’t blocked it yet. Blocking will have to wait until I have free floor space again (remodeling). Here are the details:

Pattern: Clapotis – free on Knitty.com
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr (50% wool, 50% silk) Colorway: Teal Needles: U.S. 4 (3.5 mm)
Since this is a laceweight yarn, I knit 18 repeats of the straight rows to get the length I wanted.
Unblocked the shawl measures 17 inches wide by 62 inches long. It will be wider and longer after blocking.

It’s a lovely, soft shawl and I am very happy with the way it turned out. I liked the finished shawl so much, I cast-on another using Knit Picks Gloss from my stash. More about this WIP another time.