A Little Bit of Everything

This is a close up of the roving I'm currently working on. Don't you love the way it looks all pre-drafted and ready to go?? It's spinning up beatifully. I'm planning on a pair of socks with this. I'll probably just go for a generic stockinette stitch pattern to show off the color mix - I can't wait! I finished the spinning last night and am working on plying this afternoon. It's so much fun to see how the colors randomly come together. I can also see the next phase would be to lay out the colors and plan how they will ply together. This is a little advanced for me right now, but it's always good to have something to strive for!



A finished sock - actually the second finished sock, so maybe I should say a finished pair. I really enjoyed this pattern - Roza's Socks by Grumperina from the Spring Interweave Knits magazine. The brioche stitch pattern is easy to memorize so the knitting just flys along.



Of course, I'm not going to admit to binding off the second sock too tightly - no no no . . . ;-)




I liked the pattern so much I cast on for another pair using some leftover Trekking yarn. I used a short row heel on this on though. I always seem to have troube with short row heels, and I'm determined to conquer them. I actually used the tutorial in the latest KnitPicks catalog to do these. It had very helpful photographs. I always get confused as to which way to pick up the wraps. Does this stymie anyone else or is it just me . . . It seemed to work pretty well this time. I'll try it again on my next pair just for practice.



Yarn purchases! This picture does not capture the color at all. It is really a beautiful heathered brown with flecks of red. It's Cascade 220 and I purchased it from WEBS during their May sale. Practically free as my mother-in-law would say! This is going to be the Notre Dame de Grace pullover by Veronik Avery in the Summer issue of Interweave Knits magazine. I spent this morning swatching and swatching and swatching for this. The pattern calls for a size 7 needle but I have to go up to a size 10. I think the yarn called for in the pattern is a bit bulkier than the Cascade 220. It should work out fine though. I do wish the magazine would tell you the type of yarn or maybe just use those little ball of yarn symbols that designate the weight of the yarn. It's very hard to tell just from the description of the yarn.



Then I picked up a WPI tool from KnitPicks for my spinning. Had to make that free shipping!



All because I purchased several balls of Andean Silk. This is destined to be my second Clapotis!



And I finished the Calorimetry from Knitty with my Spunky Eclectic hand spun. I had enough to work up a scarf too. The Rowing Cat is very pleased with the colors!


And here is a picture of our crazy cat. Once she gets comfortable, she does not want to move no matter what you do! She is literally slumped between the Rowing Cat's knees!

Congratulations National Junior Honor Society!

Congratulations to the Rowing Cat! She was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society last night! Here she is with her proud (and mischevious) Dad and Pop (my Dad)!

And be sure to check out the new SSK Podcast! It's hosted by Stephanie and Shannon, pals from the Knit One Blog Too Webring! They are funny and interesting and I really look forward to each episode! Way to go ladies!

I'll be back this weekend with some knitting and I'll let you in on a secret - I've done a little yarn shopping!

Ahhhh . . . Knitting . . .

Don't laugh - it's my attempt at an "arty" shot! It's my "Forecast" Spunky Eclectic fiber of the month roving all spun up. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I've actually already knit a Calorimetry with one ball and it came out great. No picture yet though - next time!



I'm very proud of the Rowing Cat - she actually mentioned that she wanted to knit a pair of socks! So, we purchased a skein of the Austermann Step with the Aloe Vera in it. I have to admit that it was a bit pricey - didn't really look at the price tag until we got to the register - but she loved it - what can you do?? She started the toe last night and is using my favorite, the Magic Loop method. It's great to show a kid something - they just dive right in - none of the adult angst of thinking that it's going to be too hard. And it's coming along great! Again, no picture yet. You can really feel the Aloe Vera as you knit and the knit piece feels very soft. I'll update as the sock progresses. I haven't decided yet if I would find the lotion feeling kind of wierd knitting along. The Rowing Cat doesn't seem to mind though.


Here's a picture of our little Tiggy. (I promised the Rowing Cat I'd post one!)

I did finish the baby blanket for Maria in Sweden! It also turned out just as I had hoped. I think I may have to pry this away from the Rowing Cat however. It is very, very soft. It's made out of Esprit yarn with Gedifra Techno Hair for the edging. Hope the new baby likes it! I might just have to order some more of this yarn and make a larger version for our couch - it's that soft!


Here is a picture of my latest spinning adventure. It is absolutely gorgeous roving from Scarlet Fleece Hand Painted Fiber from Holly Spring Homespun of At the Yarn Shop podcast. It is such a pleasure to spin with - and I'm getting it pretty thin! I have one bobbin spun and will be starting on the second today. My goal is a pair of socks from this!



Thanks for all the good thoughts and wishes! I feel pretty good this week - looks like it's about a 7 - 10 day cycle of side effects and then a respite until the next treatment. And that's great! I also think I'll manage the side effects better next time having been through one cycle now. But my hair is starting to come out today! I know this is the most devastating thing for many people, but I'm actually thinking that it's going to be quite the adventure - plus - it's something that doesn't physically hurt! I've put the call into my hairdresser - she already has a wig ready for me!

Not Much Knitting Going On . . .

Hi everyone - just wanted to post to say that I'm still here. Just not knitting or spinning very much. I've started treatment, so my summer is going to have its ups and downs. The toll the medicine takes on your body is just so surprising to me. Especially when you start out feeling just fine. But the weather is getting nicer and nicer and I have lots of help on the home front! I'm sure you all know how hard it is just to let other folks do things for you . . . well, maybe not THAT hard . . . ;-) I've just been focusing on very simple knitting with soft yarn - the baby blanket in particular! My brain just can't seem to focus on anything more complicated. I've been working on Grumperina's Odessa hat from Magknits and I keep having a heck of a time with the decreases. And the problem is 100% me - not the pattern at all! Crazy!

Thanks for all the thoughts you've been sending my way and I'll still be reading your blogs!!!

Knit, Knit, Knit, Spin, Spin, Spin

Just a shot of a typical 13 year old . . .



Here is the start of the baby blanket from the Knit Cafe book I won from Guido of the It's A Purl Man podcast. This is addictive because the yarn is SO SOFT! My daughter keeps fondling it - I may have to make a bigger one as a throw for the couch. Of course, then I'll have to actually make THREE so that we each have one of our own! The yarn is GGH Esprit made in Italy - yummy!


Here's a picture of the "bump" the blanket is destined for!



My Rozza socks from the latest issue of Interweave are coming along great! The yarn is some beautiful handpainted merino I got on EBay. I really like this pattern. I've adapted it to work toe up and used the heel from the Diamante pattern from Knitty. I really like the heel construction from this pattern and it seems to fit me like a glove (or sock ;-)!





The first skein of yarn from the Louet all spun and plied! It's a bulky weight so I think it's destined to become a hat.


The Louet in all it's glory!


Here's my first spindle of the Forcast fiber - the February Spunky Eclectic selection! It's very soft and springy - a superwash merino. I'm attempting to spin it fairly thin - we'll see how it comes out. I still have to spin the second spindle and ply it together. I went back to work yesterday, and we have a wedding to go to this weekend as well as guests on Sunday, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish it soon. But I'm sure having fun!

And it snowed again this morning . . .

Guess What's Here!

Here it is in all its glory - the Louet wheel has arrived! It's currently residing in my Dad's garage receiving its coats of stain and poly. It's so hard to resist just putting together, but it has to be done right! I should be able to take it home this afternoon - now to decide what fiber to start with . . .




And the Rowing Cat picked up the needles once again this week! She decided to make a little shawl for one of her Webkins (anyone else's kids obsessing over these?) Look at those nice garter stitch rows and color changes! She said she just took yarn out of her "stash". So now we have TWO stashes in this house (THREE if you count the roving ;-)


My luxurious striped socks are finished and boy are they comfortable! I wore them all day yesterday! I've done some casting on this weekend. I cast on for a new Clapotis in a solid off-white, a pair of Rozza's socks from the latest Interweave knits and a baby blanket from Greetings from the Knit Cafe. Whew! I'm using very soft and squishy yarn for each of these projects - I thinkI'm going into a soft, comfy yarn stage . . .

This morning we're off to Camp Chingachgook at Lake George for an Easter Brunch - YUM!

And - would you believe that it's SNOWING this morning???? Should just be some snow showers before clearing up but it is COLD - I WANT SPRING!!!

Take a Walk With Me!

Since it was a beautiful Spring day yesterday, I decided to go for my usual walk and share some pictures! Here is a view of the Skidmore campus. It will be green and lush in a few short weeks!


I love this old rock wall. The college built a new soccer field right next to it last year, but thankfully left the wall just as it was. There are daffodils planted all along the wall!

Here are a few daffs poking their heads up!

Anybody want to buy a red barn in the middle of town?

This is an interesting house. This is the back of the house, but it was built to be the front! Actually the original owner wanted the back of the house to be more ornate because the family and their freinds would be spending more time relaxing in the backyard. So the back of the house is what most people would have facing the front. I have a shot of the front further down. What do you think?

This is the Adelphi Hotel. It's an old Victorian hotel that has been beautifully restored. It's only open from May - October. The rooms are beautiful with full length windows and vintage wallpaper and furniture. There is a wonderful courtyard inside where desserts and drinks are served during the warm summer months. And, it was the site of my wedding reception! I wore a vintage gown that had been my great great aunt's wedding gown. The gown and the location matched perfectly!

This is the Spirit of Life statue in Congress Park. It was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the sculptor of the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial. During the summer, the reflecting pool is filled.
This is the Canfield Casino, also in Congress Park. It was once a gambling casino famous as the regular haunt of Diamond Jim Brady! Ladies were not admitted upstairs into the gambling rooms. There is a beautiful reception room in the Casino with Tiffany windows in the ceiling. The Casino is home to a small museum today and is open most days!

This is a picutre of the Carousel. It is a fully restored working carousel! It opens in May and all of the kids ( and adults) can't wait! You get a sticker everytime you ride and then wear it around town for the rest of the day as a badge of honor!

This is a lamp post on the fence surrounding Congress Park. The wrought iron work is beautiful!

Across from the park is one of the many mineral springs hidden around town (Saratoga SPRINGS - get it?) The water comes naturally to the surface and tastes different in each location. Try some if you dare!

Just up the street is Ben & Jerry's! Did you know that Ben and Jerry wanted to open their original store in Saratoga???? But an independent ice cream store had recently opened and they did not want any competition. So off to Vermont they went and so goes history!

Here is our library - it's quite large!

This is the building on Broadway that my husband and I owned until a few years ago. It is beautiful and I always pass it with a little nostalgia!

And finally, the front of the house mentioned earlier! As you can see, it is a little plainer than the back. I think is was built sometime in the 1920's. I think both front and back look good!

Thanks for joining me on my walk and I'll have some knitting content later in the week!

Get Your Mammograms!

Here I am back at the computer! I feel pretty good outside of a little soreness. Yup - I had to have a small lump removed. I had my yearly mammogram and here I am on the other side three weeks later. It was a very small lump and has not gone anywhere else, so I can look forward to many more projects! It's very surreal - I felt fine before and I feel just fine now - it's really brought home how important those yearly scans are. So if you need to make your appointment - PICK UP THE PHONE RIGHT NOW!

I'm catching up on all the podcasts that are cluttering up my daughter's IPOD ;-) and I have lots of time to knit!

My striped socks are coming along just fine. I finished the first one and have cast on for the second. It's perfect TV knitting - plain knitting round and round. The first one feels yummy on, so I have some real incentive to complete number 2!




I received an email from a former aupair who lives in Sweden. She is pregnant, so of course I had to cast on for a small jacket. I'm doing the Debbie Bliss pattern from the new Vogue. I'm using some nondescript washable yarn but adding a strand of cream Kidsilk Haze for a little elegance. I think I'm going to be using this trick quite a lot!

And I'm still working on the Jaywalker socks. This is usually my work project, but I brought it home for this three week duration. Heaven forbid someone should take this from my drawer! I'm not quite sure what a "muggle" would make of this!


I had some fun last Thursday morning - I had surgery on Wednesday, so was just sitting back watching the Today show when lo and behold, the camera scanned Guido and a woman holding a Harlot sign! The knitters made it to the Today show in force! I yelled at my husband to come take a look - he could not believe it! He just walked away shaking his head in disbelief - there's no stopping us now!

Thanks to the Rowing Cat for filling in for me! And thanks to all for your thoughts and good wishes! The weather is supposed to be dramatically improving this week, so I'm going to try to get some nice Saratoga pictures to post!

She's back!

Hey there, this is rowingcat! You may be wondering why my mother gave me the duty to blog today(or not...) Well, she's back from the hospital and doing fine! Chewing on ice and being watched over by my happy new cat, Tiggy, she is making a slow start to recovery. Hopefully she'll be back to blogging standards soon and get back to the needles!!
I like this picture!!!

What's This??

There have been lots of happenings here at the home of Saratoga Knitting. Our little Shadow got very sick over the weekend. After a trip to the vet which showed a very large tumor/bowel obstruction, we made the decision to have her put to sleep. But now we introduce Tiggy! She is a beautiful tiger cat with yellow eyes. She is 8 years old so she is pretty mellow. I'm sure she'll be running the household very soon!

In addition, I found out last week that I have to undergo major surgery this week. So I might be out of blogging commission for a short while. On the other hand, I have to take 3 weeks off from work, so perhaps I'll be blogging every day! I'll certainly be knitting as much as I can inbetween popping pain pills!

Here is the hat finally completed! It turned out great! It is a little big, so this afternoon I'm going to try some gentle hand felting. When it's exactly right, I just have to sew in the insulating lining and it will be good to go. It was really a fun project!


Here's a little something I threw on the needles this week. I have some HipKnits grey yarn that I used to make my Secret Pal a scarf. And since I have lots of grey and black left over from the hat . . . I thought I would try stripes since I have only remnants of single balls. I think there will be enough for two socks! I'm also combining the yarn with a strand of grey Kidsilk Haze, so they are very soft and elegant!

And here is the progress made by the Rowing Cat on her messenger bag! It is coming along nicely. She even had to bind off and pick up stitches and was able to do it completely on her own! What a kid!
So wish me luck this week and I'll be back as soon as I can!