Prisis Fair Isle

Here is a close up of the new fair isle that I started last week. I've been knitting along on it some. I've actually been working on a little sweater for my neice, and finished that up last night, so I can get back to business on this. I've not decided if it's going to be a sweater, or a vest. It's going to depend on how the pattern comes out though I think. I'm using a size 3 needle and shetland yarn. It's 24st. pattern repeat, so easy to memorize. Happy knitting to all! 

NORWEGIAN SKI SWEATER DONE! AT LAST (kind of)

Well, all of the knitting is done! Yeah, and it's blocking right now! Yeah, however, I still have to order the clasps. I didn't decide until I finished it that I will go all the way traditional with this one and put norwegian pewter clasps on it. I order them from Schoolhouse Press. They have a vast array of beautiful clasps, and I just love the way they look and make the garment look. So I will do that first thing in the morning. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and a wonderful upcoming week! :) Knit On 

Norgi Sweater!

It's almost done! I did the sewing and cutting open this morning, and put the first done sleeve on. I think it's come along nicely, and it fits! More pics later :0) 

Norgi Body Knitting Done!

I've completed the knitting on the body of the Norgi sweater, and have started on the first sleeve. I LOVE IT! I was going to transpose the white and black snowflake at the top, but changed my mind and decided to just keep it in the contrast! Cool, who would ever think of black snowflakes? No one, usually... and I have decided to cut it open and make it into a jacket. The giant snowflake pattern is from Meg Swansens Wool Gathering for this fall. She made her grandson a cutie little jacket with this main snowflake pattern, and I just loved it. And I had to incorporate it into the norgi, so here we go... Thank you Meg! And fortunately, it fit exactly into the number of stitches that I had for the body. So I didn't have to increase or decrease to fit it in. Happy knitting and spinning.... 

I started the sleeve last night, here's the progress so far... :) 

We're Home from the Hospital!

Luke was sent home today from the hospital! Yeah, I am soo relieved. But it's still a little scary because he is so weak. His immune system is at it's lowest right now because he is still fighting the virus. But, the good news is he's keeping down solid foods, he doesn't have that blasted fever, and he is able to sit up for longer periods of time. He won't be able to go back to school for about a good week or so, and is going to have to go part time for about 2 weeks maybe until he get's his strength back. He lost about 10lbs. over this ordeal! The culture came back negative for bacterial menegitis though, so that's all we were worried about!

I was able to do a bit of knitting while sitting at his bedside for 3 days. Here is my progress so far. I thought I would get more done, but between nurses checks and Dr. visits, and getting Luke the things he needed to keep him comfy, this was all that I got done. But, I'm almost at the top of the neck, and ready to start doing the shaping there. I think I may end up cutting this thing open! I'm loving this and seeing it as a cardigan!
Thank you to everyone for the kind words of encouragement, and well wishes for Luke. And he said to tell everyone thank you, and thank you for thinking about him. (even though he doesn't know you :) That's teenagers for ya... happy knitting and spinning to all :)

Hug and love your kids! Every chance you get! 

Menengitis

I won't be posting anything for a couple of days or so. My son went into the hospital last night and he was diagnosed with viral menengitis. We were in the ER from 3:00P - 1:00A when they finally admitted him. He's been sick since last Friday, and the Family Dr. thought that he had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. (I mean, whose ever heard of that just out of the blue?) Anyway, he wasn't able to keep any foods or liquids down anymore, and his fever was up to 102.8, so I said that's it, he's going in. It's a good thing too! I didn't like the fact that they had to tap is spine to find out, but that's the only way. And things are different now with spinal taps. They are really less invasive and dangerous than they used to be. It took the Dr. only about 8 minutes from the time he put the tap in, to getting the fluid in the vials. So, Luke will be in the hospital for a couple of days so that they can monitor his brain stem, and his fever and the nausea, and hopefully, he can come home on Sunday. Take care all, and keep a close eye on your kids, we think Luke could only have gotten this from school!

Norwegian Pullover

I started the Norwegian pullover yesterday and was able to get this far! The yarn I'm using is Telemark from Knit Picks. I forgot that I had ordered this awhile back. I was going through the closet and there it was! Yeah! I love having yarn that I forgot about, and then pull it out and it's ready to go! This has been going pretty fast. It is based on EZ's EPS system with a co of 180 sts. for the ribbing. 2x2 ribbing at the bottom for 3". Then increase to 212 sts. for the body and begin pattern after knitting a short row across the back. I also snuck one in after the second set of lus. It's going great, and I'm also darning as I go. Saves time at the end. Happy knitting to all! 

The fair isle is drying nicely. It blocked out to 39" chest and about 7-8" arms! Yeah, I'll be ready to wear it tomorrow to the meeting.  

And the whole sweater. Before I've darned in all the ends and blocked. I will post the pics of the completed and modeled sweater later:) 

A close up of the yoke of the sweater with all the pretty colors.... I really enjoyed working on this! 

Fair Isle Yoke Sweater Progress

I've attached the sleeves to the body of the sweater. I ended up with 288 sts. The first pattern fits evenly into this number, and so does the second! Yeah! More progress to come... 

NO Computer!
Where in the world have I been? Well, that's what happens when your coomputer just decided one day, that "hey, I'm tired, and I don't think I'm going to do this anymore!", and just shuts off! No warning, no asking, no nothin! Just bam! And who of you have a thousand or so just layin around for you to go out and buy a new computer? Well, we don't. Our little bit of savings is for "Emergency" sake only! So, we had to wait a couple of weeks and finally last night were able to go and get a new computer. My husband went to Staples and purchased this one for $599, with a 20" monitor and it's an HP Pavillion. However, let me say that this is the floor model! Who cares? I didn't. It's not like we're web masters or something. But I do say, that when you want to go online for something, not having a computer really sucks! Why is it that our lives are so dependent on computers? I mean, what did we do when there wasn't such a thing as home computers? I remember that, don't you? And no cell phones. Now it's like, "Oh my God, I forgot my cellphone, or Oh, my computers down!!!!" The whole world practically stops, and you don't know what to do. And you run out and take whatever extra 2 cents that you may have to make sure that you get a new phone or a computer! It almost made me not want to get one. But then, after about 30 seconds, I changed my mind! Anywhewww, here we are. So I'm back in business! Until later people, happy knitting and spinning...... :)

I decided to knit a Fair Isle yoke sweater this week because of the weather starting to change over! This is shetland, and I am using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Fair Isle Yoke sweater from her book Knitting Workshop and VHS set. Her and Meg (Swansen) knit this together on the tape, and Meg knit it in gray. I don't have enough shetland gray, so I decided to knit a cream one, and put their pretty yoke pattern in it. I've not decided yet if I'm going to make it blue tones, or red tones, or fall tones. Fortunately, I have quite enough time to decide while I'm knitting this slow bit of the body of the sweater. I love to knit circular yoke sweater because of the natural curve around the shoulders. Usually when I knit sweaters with drop sleeves, I look like a football player! ha, ha, ha, ha,. I've also decided to knit a raglan cardi with the beautiful silver wenslydale that I spun up last month. Pic progress later.... 

Finished sleeves just waiting to be added... 

I began knitting another "double hat" with the corriedale X singles. Here is my progress so far.
 

here is a closer view of the yarns (which are all very nice to spin and make great singles) 

I've been spinning this wonderful corriedale X (dark stuff), and the different creams are 3 different fibers.... BFL, corriedale X, and merino! Can you tell which is which? They are all spun singles. I love to spin singles, and I prefer to knit singles because of the stitch definition it gives....