Silly Picture and FOs

So...here I am making the silliest face in the world while Ian was taking my picture on my NEW bike- an Electra Townie 21D. Isn't it soo cute??!! (and, for those of you who don't know me personally, I'm REALLY short - 5'1" - so the bike may look very small, but it's actually the perfect size for me) LOL!

Ian, the kids and I had a blast riding our bikes up and down our street (and down to the local playground). The kids had the most fun watching me wobble and tilt on my bike because I haven't been on a bike since I was about 11 years old. They thought I was sooo funny - and I was slightly humiliated and embarrassed. Tim was very nice and rode his mountain bike next to me down to the playground, "just in case....I...fell". Thank, Tim. (half sarcastic, half gratitude)

This past week, though crazy, was pretty productive - knitting-wise. I was able to finish the Golle Molle Baby Cardigan (Ravelry link), start the kids' Hai -Riyo dragons (Ravelry link) for Easter, finish knitting and designing a new free pattern (will be up on Ravelry soon!) for Ivy Brambles, and finish up my Polwarth handspun yarn for this pattern (Ravelry link). (Which I hope to start today!!!)

Don't have too much time for blogging today, but I at least wanted to share some pictures of my FOs.

Spring Savasana Socks by Gina House for Ivy Brambles



and...side view....with 1x1 ribbing going down through the heel flap:



Golle Molle Baby Cardigan by Randi K using Rowan Pure Wool DK in white



Oh, and I'm up to 54 pounds weight loss on Weight Watchers. Woo-hoo!!! I've gone down 5 pants sizes, 1 bra size and 1 shirt size. I've been walking 12 miles a week, doing yoga every day and lifting weights - light ones for now. Only bad thing about that is...I'm sooo super hungry all the time. Argggh!!! I've had a craving for thin spaghetti with meat sauce (not just ground turkey, but real meat!), garlic bread and a chocolate milk shake. Man, I wish those meals-in-a-pill from the Jetsons cartoon were already invented.....

ReadY, SET, go! (Yarn, Snowfigures, Erasers and Townie!)

Not a lot of time to chat today (kids home, snowing, I'm cranky and crampy...), but I realized how LONG it'd been since my last post. So...here are pictures and somewhat short (and possibly babbling) descriptions.

Okay, here we go!

1. Erasers



I love erasers and all cute journaling/writing accessories (Lora already knows about my journal buying addiction!). When I saw these erasers at the toy store we visited in Vermont, I just HAD to have them. Not only are they friggin adorable, but they erase really well, too!

2. Yarn



Yarn that I bought in Vermont at the Northeast Fiber Arts Studio (whose sign reads, "Oodles of Yarn...The Candy Shop for Knitters"...love that) - skeins of Lamb's Pride worsted for me for crocheted bunny slippers (I know, I know....I'm going over to the dark side!) and skeins of Lopi for Ben's felted mittens (from the book, "Sunny's Mittens") that he wants to knit. Not sure if he'll be knitting them anytime soon, but we found the perfect color blue for him. (and white for me)

3. Snowfigures



Ian and the kids spent Sat and Sun building some new snowmen - and a snowbunny (which I think looks more like a cute dog) - and here's Ben showing off their creations.



Tim and Mike mostly made the one with the ski goggles, purple scarf and London Fog fedora.

4. Townie!!



On Saturday, we visited the Alternative Bike Shop in Goffstown/Manchester - just to take a look at the bikes. And I ended up putting a downpayment on this one!

It's an Electra Townie 21D - in a bright, leafy green. I can't tell you how cute it is - even cuter than the picture shows - and I'll be adding on a wicker basket, a bell and a pink flower to the front. At least, as soon as I can get some more money saved up. That sucker is expensive! (But going to be worth every penny!!!)

We're all planning on riding our bikes when the snow melts - Ian rides his bike to work everyday during the good weather and Tim spends all his free time on his bike when he's not swimming - and, for the first time, I'm looking forward to it, too. First, though, we have to get Ben to practice riding his bike without the training wheels. You can do it, Benji!

Hmmmm...I think that's all for now. I'm finishing up decreasing the yoke on the Golle Molle Baby cardigan and then hope to start the bonnet on Wed night at knitting group. I cannot wait to finish this. It's cute, but....on size 2s!!!

Hope you're all having a super day and THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the lovely, encouraging and just awesome comments on the last post about my weight loss. I couldn't do it without all of you!!! (BIG HUG)

P.S. Did I mention that I lost 2.4 more pounds last week? Woo-hoo!!!

Oh, and a pic of Ian's grandparents, sister and all of us in Vermont from last weekend....



If only Tim would smile......

I Spun, I Dyed...and I will Knit. (Sometime)

Look at what I made!!



After a year (off and on...mostly off...lol) of spinning this fiber, I'm finally DONE!!!

I bought this fiber at last year's NETA Spa Retreat in Freeport, ME from the Fresli Farm booth. I'd never spun either Icelandic Lambswool or mohair before and I was excited to try it. It had such a nice feeling - not soft - but interesting and touchable...and fuzzy.

One of my spinning goals is to try to spin a consistent, 2 ply laceweight yarn...I thought I'd done it this time...but, sadly, I was not quite in the laceweight catagory.



I was able to spin a 2 ply light fingering at 20 wpi (wraps per inch), though...and it came out really nice.



After it was all spun, plied and set, I thought that the yarn wasn't quite as white as I'd hoped and decided it would be fun to dye it as well. So....I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what color I wanted.



I took at look at that pattern that I'd like to use for this handspun, The Spinner's Lace Shawl (very appropriate I think!), and thought that the yarn was calling out for a light turquoise.

After some trial and error in mixing the dyes, I came up with this color. AND I LOVE IT!



Only thing is...the pattern calls for 600 yards of laceweight/light fingering and I've only got 520 yards of my handspun. I thought I'd have enough, but not quite>. So, what I think I'll do is...

1. Use a larger needle and hope that I can finish it close to the end (and hope it fits) or do I repeat less.

OR

2. Knit the edging in another of my handspun yarns in a coordinating color or use a yarn from my stash that matches.

Any other ideas??

Now, I'm not sure when I'll start this...I'm still working on the Golle Molle Baby Cardigan, some Lisha Lace Scarf samples for Heather and my Fabulous Scarf (see link on right) store sample using Ivy Brambles new yarn, "Superwash Worsted" in colorway "Tulips" (see below for matching hat). But...I WILL knit it soon...probably around my birthday in May.

Here are other FO's that I've worked on or finished since the last time I blogged (soooo long ago!! he he):

The Amanda Hat



I used the Ivy Brambles yarn I mentioned above (available HERE) and it came out very cute. I love the pooling and color pattern it made with my hat pattern. (I think Ben looks adorable in it, too)

Crocheted Dishsoap Aprons



I saw these and knew I had to make them ASAP...they were sooo much fun to make (and I'm really only a beginning level crocheter)...and I was able to finish 3 of them in under an hour! What awesome instant gratification.....

See HERE for more pics on my Ravelry project page.

Hoping to finish more handspun by the end of the month! (It's for a beautiful beret pattern...more details later...)