Feather and Fan Afghan

 I finished this a couple months ago, but it's been difficult finding time to take pictures. I finally got it done.

Pattern: Shaded Ripple Afghan by Melissa Leapman

Made For: Myself

Size: 70 by 65 inches.
Yarn: Mary Maxim Maxium Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted Weight
Colors: White, Light Violet, Medium Violet, Dark Violet

Needles: Circular size US 9 (5.5mm)

Started: January 8, 2025
Finished: March 28, 2025

Comment: I love this afghan! I love the colors and the yarn I used for it. I loved working on it, which was a huge surprise because the last time I knit a blanket it was not fun. It's so snuggly wuggly! I used Melissa Leapman's pattern because it was the first one I ran across that was free for me. I can't remember where I found it. Maybe Google? I used 4 colors instead of 3. I just needed to know the basic stitch pattern.

I really like the Mary Maxim Maximum Value yarn. It is very similar to the Big Twist yarn from Joann's. It was my favorite Joann's yarn. I'm hoping another company will take it. In the meantime, Mary Maxim it is.

Feather and Fan has been around forever. It's a well known Shetland pattern. Sometimes it's called the Old Shale pattern. Officially, they are two different patterns. The difference is Old Shale has a 17 stitch repeat. Feather and Fan has a 14 stitch repeat. It is also called the Ripple stitch or Chevron stitch. 

The back is all purl stitches and every bit as pretty.

I have it here on our California King sized bed. I blocked it on my bed.

I'm going to enjoy warming up under this.

In February I mentioned that I thought the horrible chronic cough I have had for at least 8 years might be gone? Well, it is! It wasn't the bronchitis though. The cough came back. A few weeks later I caught a cold that was so bad my doctor asked me to come in. A combination of a sinus infection and very irritated vocal chords turned out to be the problem. Apparently I have had that sinus infection for years. It took catching a cold for my doctor to notice it. A very strong antibiotic was the solution. I haven't coughed like that since. It's so nice to lay down and not start coughing and feeling like I'm going to drown in my own mucus.

Live long and prosper. \\//

FO's

 I did quite a bit of crafting during March and April. It helped with the stress and anxiety that's been going on in my life. Today I'm sharing two of them. 

My daughters birthday was near the end of April and I decided to sew her a market bag. 

It's a very large bag. I found the pattern for free on the blog iThinksew. The name of the pattern is Martha's Market Bag. As I've said before, my daughter is a huge My Little Pony fan, even though she's 40. I found the Pinky Pie fabric on Ebay. It was just a yard, but thankfully it was enough. I got the aqua fabric from an online fabric store, whos' name escapes me. The project was challenging because I don't have much experience making bags. I used to sew a lot of clothing when I was younger. Especially after I got married because my husband is very tall (6'5"). Regular pants and long sleeve shirts don't fit him. We had to shop at specialty stores that sold clothing for Big and Tall guys, and they were very expensive. We couldn't afford to shop there. So I sewed his clothing for him. Making bags is a relatively new thing for me.

I used heavy interfacing in the bag so it would stand up on its own. I really wrestled with it too. I was so glad when it was done. Sarah loves the bag and wouldn't be adverse to me making her some more. I call that a win.

I also finished Choo Choo Santa for my daughter-in-law. 

Her birthday was last January, so I sent it to her as a belated birthday gift in the same package the bag went in. I worked on this a lot. It was a very intense project with over 100 pieces to stitch together. 

I've taken close up photos of the stocking from top to bottom starting with the hanger loop, which I modified. It was supposed to be just a piece of red felt but I fancied it up some. 

I recently joined a Facebook group devoted to making Bucilla felt applique kits. I was inspired by photos of some of the members hanging loops they've modified. The group has been great, and I've learned quite a bit that has improved my skills, such as taking a small stitch on the back, after each sequin is done. This helps to keep it firmly sewn to the fabric.

This is the top with my daughter-in-laws name on it. The first train car shows too. 

You may be wondering how I got the name to look so nice. Usually I use my MS Word program to create the name, then print it out, pin it to the stocking, and embroider right through the paper. When I'm done, I carefully tear the paper off, leaving just the stitching. This time I did a little something different. An alphabet comes with the directions on how to make the stocking. I got a piece of tissue paper, traced the required letters, then pinned that to the stocking for embroidery. It worked great. I liked it better than what I usually do. It's a lot easier to stitch through tissue paper than regular printer paper.

Doing it with tissue paper got me to thinking. I wonder if there's tracing paper that can be put through printer. Then I could use my word program like I usually do and print it on the tracing paper. Lo and behold, I found some on Amazon. I'm looking forward to trying it out on the next stocking, which I've already started, by the way.

This is a close up of a couple of the cars. That bear turned out so cute!

This is the engine with Santa. I made a change here. Instead of using the clear beads with the sequins on Santa, and the beads on the Christmas tree, I used some white pearl seed beads from my huge collection of Miyuki size 11 seed beads. The other white pieces have the clear beads that came with the kit.

One of the things I learned from the Facebook Bucilla group is how to mark the stocking with my signature, so to speak. I never thought about doing that on my stockings. I do it to all my Cross Stitch projects! It's a logical thing to do, so I cut out this little blue heart, did some really bad embroidery of my initials and the year I finished it, and sewed it onto the back of the stocking. I wish I'd had more time, I would have redone it until it was decent. It was 1:00 am when I was done with this one. I had to put it in the mail in the morning. I decided it would have to do. I was just too tired. I went to bed.

As usual, I made a lining for the stocking. It turned out so beautiful. The stitching at the top where I sewed it in is so even and neat and the lining fit perfectly. I'm quite proud of it.

Since the theme of the stocking was a train, which is something my daughter-in-law is very enthusiastic about, (She even has an extensive electric train set.) I bought fabric with trains on it. Here is a close up of one of the trains.

I finished my Feather and Fan blanket too but haven't had a chance to photograph it yet. I did take a picture when I was blocking it though. I used my bed because it's so nice and big, being a California King and all.

I'm planning to take pics tomorrow, so stay tuned.

I am also planning to do a WIP post on Wednesday. Until then...

Live long and prosper.\\//

Under The Tree - Bucilla

 I have finished the current felt applique stocking! Hurray! It's titled Under the Tree and is from Bucilla. I think they have the cutest felt applique stocking kits.

I made it for me. You're supposed to put the name on the back of the big ornament hanging on the upper left corner, but I didn't like that, so I put it on the stocking itself.

Here's a close up of the toys at the bottom.

I lined it. I used some cotton quilting fabric I found in my stash. I used the stocking itself to make a pattern. I traced around the outside edge onto a piece of newsprint paper. Then I drew a quarter inch seam allowance around that.

I cut two pieces, sewed them together on my sewing machine, then installed the lining in the stocking, carefully hand stitching around the top edge. I am very very happy with this stocking!

While I was stitching the lining into the stocking I had a thought. I got to wondering if there are people who enjoy doing this as much as I do and if they've created a group. I decided to look on Facebook and I found one! Actually, there is more than one, but I just joined one of them. It's been fun looking at all their finished projects. Someone asked the group to tell us all how many kits they have and whatnot. I have 6 kits in my stash. I thought I was a bad girl for having so many! I'm an amateur! Some of the group members have over 200 of them. I feel so much better about myself now. Heh heh.

I already started another one. It has a snowman on it. I plan to put Zoey's name on it. I've also ordered another kit to make for Opal. It has Santa driving a train on it. 

I've been working on the ripple afghan! I've got the first set of stripes done. I'm using 3 shades of purple and white. I'll take a pic later as I progress more on it.

We have had sunshine the last couple days. It's been so nice to see, even though it's friggin' cold outside. They're predicting snow for the coming weekend. 

Finally got all the Christmas decorations down and put away. I feel pretty good about getting that done. I haven't been feeling all that well the last few days. I've been coughing a lot. This cough feels like a possible lung infection. I should go see a doctor before it turns into pneumonia. Ugh. I hate winter.

Live long and prosper. \\//

The Finished Cat Mitts

 This is the last knitted gift I made for last Christmas. It was a spur of the moment decision. I was browsing Pinterest and ran across an intriguing little chart. I thought "Ruth has to have something made with this." Thus, the idea was born. I didn't have anything but the chart, so you can say I designed these mitts. Ruth loves them.

Pattern: Ruth's Cat Mitts by me.

Made For: Ruth

Size: Womans Medium

Yarn: Mayflower Class 1
Content: 75% Superwash Merino Wool/25% Nylon, Fingering Weight
Colors: 2008, 2013, and 2028

Needles: Circular size US 2.5 (3mm)

Started: November 30, 2024
Finished: December 14, 2024

Comment: I duplicate stitched the green eyes. Here's a close up.

I am lovin' the chevron lace cuff.

So much so that I used it on the thumb

and the top.

All in all, I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.

I need to write this one up.

I can tell we've passed the winter solstice because we've had some snow. About 4 inches worth. Very heavy wet snow. I had a bit of trouble, last night, getting out of the driveway because the plow had been by and there was a fairly high berm across the entrance. Hubby has not plowed because he can't. No driving for at least a week. I ended up driving hubby's pickup truck instead. It's big and has 4-wheel drive. Banged right through that berm. Today the snow is melting.

On Thursday (the 2nd) my husband had his Ablation surgery. It was a long day, started with the fact I couldn't sleep at all Wednesday night. I had to get up at 3:45 in the morning to get him to the hospital by 5:30 a.m. Then we waited 2 hours while they figured out how to get their act together. I could have slept for those 2 hours.

The surgery was about an hour. Then he had to lay down flat for 2 hours without moving his legs, just in case the wound might start bleeding. After that they had him sit up for another hour. That's when it started snowing. I drove him home and we got there about 3 p.m. The surgery was a success. His heart is beating normally now. He's already feeling more energetic.

I took my Clapotis with me and made some major headway on it. I took my Kindle with me too, and read for a couple hours or so. 

I was so tired when I got home. I took a nap first thing. 

I just glanced out the front window. The bird buffet is busy. There's a small woodpecker, a few chickadees, and at least one nuthatch. They're happy little birds.

Live long and prosper. \\//

So Much For That Idea

 I am so sorry. I had intended to post almost every day in November, but life didn't let me. I got sick. I was sick for a week, got better for a couple days, than got sick for another week. I even missed Thanksgiving. I caught some virus first. It's been awhile since a virus has been able to make me feel that miserable! I get the flue shot every September so it was unexpected. Symptoms were nausea, every joint in my body ached-badly, and my skin hurt, along with a nasty goopy cough. While I was down the cold germs pounced, and I was so stinking busy the whole time too. Ugh! Fortunately, the cough part is finally going away. I'll be very happy not to go through that month again.

I did manage to post updates on my Facebook page every day on the things I knitted during the Facebook fundraiser for the American Cancer Society I blogged about previously. I had a goal of $250. I got $139. Not the goal, but not a complete failure either.

During November I finished the dog sweater I was making, or rather, re-making for Zoey.

Pattern: Basic Coat from A Dogs Life by Patons
Made For: Zoey

Size: Customized Large

Yarn: Cascade Yarns ® Pacific® Solids

Content: 60% Acrylic/40% Merino Wool, Worsted Weight

Color: Celery

Yarn: Premier Yarns Everyday Worsted Prints

Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted Weight
Color: Lagoon

Needles: Circular size 5 and 7

Started: August 23, 2024
Finished: November 30, 2024

Comment: I shortened it about 2 inches. I don't like it that way, though, so I will not do it again. It also took me a long time to finish it. It was a struggle knitting while I was sick.

Here is the underneath.

This is above.

This is Zoey thinking "I look good!".

I worked on the first Chicken mitten too. This pattern is very challenging. Every row is different so I can't get a rhythm going. So much counting too.

That's as far as I got. I needed to put it aside for awhile to work on a 3rd Christmas present project that came to mind, which I can't post pics until after Christmas. I was browsing Pinterest for funs and ran across a stitch pattern that made me think "I know someone who needs this in a pair of fingerless mitts." I wrote up a quick outline of a design and knitted them. I'm really happy with how they turned out.

I took a couple days off from knitting because stress, then started a Clapotis, which is a scarf/shawl pattern from the online magazine Knitty.com. It was once extremely popular on Ravelry, back when Ravelry was still fairly small. I think practically everyone had made it except me. I don't wear shawls. The pattern is now 20 years old, so Knitty started a knit-a-long in honor of it. It's about time I knit it.

In the last two weeks, while I was working on the knitting, my husband was going to a cardiologist about his heart, getting lots of tests. He has an arrhythmia that is starting to be a real problem. He had a Cardioversion, which worked for about 2 days, and the arrhythmia came back. So he's going in for surgery on January 2 to have an Ablation. It's supposed to cure the problem permanently. This is the added stress that pushed me over the edge. I've not seen my husband feeling this bad in a long time. Since his stroke almost 10 years ago. He's usually so strong, energetic, and sure. I tried working on the chicken mitten to finish it but I kept making so many mistakes. I couldn't do it this stressed out. The brain was not cooperating. The Clapotis has been perfect! Easy enough for the brain to grasp it, but with an easy yet interesting stitch pattern.

Somehow I managed to get the Christmas shopping done, the tree up, and the house decorated. My daughter, Ruth, has been a tremendous help too. Couldn't have done it without her. We also made a few dozen gluten free cookies to send to my daughter and daughter-in-law in Rhode Island, and I made some Cranberry Freezer Jelly for the next years worth of chicken and turkey sandwiches.

Dang! No wonder I didn't blog. I've been busy.

In December we had a bit of snow which has almost all melted this past week, but mostly rain. It's going to be a snowless Christmas this year. We've been getting quite a lot of rain this past week. It's been in the 40's during the day, which I've been enjoying. It will change. We've crossed the solstice line and the weather usually gets very wintery past that. 

The day before yesterday I managed to plug up the kitchen sink drain while I was making dinner. Ugh! It took awhile, and all three of us, but we got it unplugged and I am no longer putting potato skins down the garbage disposal. It can handle all kinds of stuff, including bones! But potato skins make it drop to its knees in defeat. 

I've bought a knit afghan kit from Mary Maxim. I've wanted a ripple afghan for decades and never made myself one. I've made them for lots of other people though. Anyway, they were having a good sale so I took advantage of it. It will be purple and white, of course. I plan to start it after Clapotis is done. I will work on it for awhile. Maybe put it down for a bit, then pick it back up, whenever I need to knit something easy. In the meantime, somehow I've got to get myself to get back to the chicken mittens.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Lesula Socks

 The second Christmas gift is done.

Pattern: Lesula by Rich Ensor

Size: Mens 8

Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Fabel

Content: 75% Wool, 25% Nylon, Fingering weight
Color: 100 Natural

Yarn: Hayfield Regal 4-ply (discontinued)

Content: 80% Wool, 20% Nylon, Fingering weight
Color: Pasture

Needles: ChiaoGoo circular size 2

Started: October 2, 2024
Finished: November 1, 2024

Comments: This was an extremely fun knit for me. I pretty much knit it as written. No modifications. Nice pattern, well written.

This cool stripe runs down the back. It hides the jog that occurs when knitting stranded patterns.

Here is a close up of the main stitch pattern. By the way, the darker yarn is a teal blue heather.

There is a stripe pattern in the gusset. It's the first time I've done that.

The sole has the back stripe pattern repeated several times.

I hope the recipient will be happy with them.

~~~~~~~~~~

I am doing the Knit and Fundraise Challenge held by the American Cancer Society. I will knit every day in November, then post progress photos and keep track of the time.

Knit Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society update:

I knitted a total of 4 hours and 20 minutes yesterday. Actually, I probably unknitted more than knitted. I finished the cuff and it was way too tight. I frogged back to the Picot hem and upped the needle size. That fixed the problem. Now I'm back where I was when I decided to frog. I've started into the main stitch pattern.

Here's hoping it goes better than it did when I first started.

If you're willing to support me and make a donation to ACS, just click on the picture below.

Live long and prosper. \\//

A Bunch of Little Squares

 After finishing the duck socks, I got a strong craving to knit another pair of mittens. I quickly picked 3 colors from the stash, a stitch pattern from one of my books, and made these.

Pattern: None. Just something I've put together, Estonian style.

Size: Womans Medium

Yarn: Valley Yarns Huntington
Content: 75% Merino, 25% Nylon, Fingering weight.
Color: White

Yarn: Red Heart Heart and Sole
Content: 70% Superwash Wool/30% Nylon, Fingering weight
Color: Navy

Yarn: Opal Uni Solid 4ply
Content: 75% Superwash Wool/25% Nylon, Fingering weight
Color: 1413 Fuschia

Needles: Circular size 2

Started: September 15, 2024
Finished: October 1, 2024

Comments: I love these! I custom fit them to my own hands. They feel wonderful. The stitch pattern came from my newly acquired book The Big Book of Latvian Mittens, though I altered it a bit so it's not exactly the same.

Back

I was reading one of my mittens books and learned the thumbs are knit in a stranded pattern for the warmth. It makes the fabric at least double thick. I have seen patterns where the thumb and fingers are knit in plain stockinette and they are not as warm.

Front

I absolutely love the color combination. The pattern was surprisingly easy to knit too. I had it memorized very quickly and it knit up very fast.

Stitch pattern detail

I had a few different choices for decreasing the thumbs. I chose the easiest one, which was having a center stitch on each side that always was knit with the background color of the row, and decreasing either side of those center stitches. My tension is still rather sloppy when I get to the small circumference part of any knitting. Hopefully it will improve in time.

Thumb

About the cuff. I got the idea from gloves and mittens being sold in the NordicMittens Etsy store. Külli Jacobs, who knits for and owns it, is kind of my knitting hero. She does such beautiful work and I've been inspired by her to pursue excellence in my knitting and got me started making Estonian mittens.

 

Cuff

 I actually bought a pair of her gloves during the summer just so I could look at them close up. They're going to be so warm this winter. Anyway, the cuff is basically a 12 stitch feather and fan pattern. I knit 5 rows MC, 1 row CC, 4 rows MC, 2 rows CC, 3 rows MC, 3 rows CC, 2 rows MC, 4 rows CC, 1 row MC, and 5 rows CC. Then I started repeating it all again just to add the small amount of length I needed to finish the cuff.

This next picture is for the knitters out there. We like to see the inside of stranded knitted items just to check out how even the floats are.

Inside

This is next pic shows the only mistake I made. I started and ended both mittens on the same row of the pattern, there's exactly the same number of rows, but for whatever reason, they didn't end the same. I decreased to 10 stitches left, then I finished with a 3 needle bind off. I have no idea why the pink squares are off or how it happened-yet. I need to sit and study them a bit. Oddly, this does not bother me. I would enter them in the fair..

Top tips

I'm looking forward to wearing them this very-soon-coming winter.

It's a beautiful sunny day today. The sky is so clear and it smells like fall already. It's pretty chilly out though. Tomorrow should be back in the 70's. I'm planning on being out on the deck for awhile.

Live long and prosper. \\//