March socks done, ripple progress

I finished the socks with just a few days to spare for the sock a month KAL. I realize that each progress picture of the afghan looks no different than the last one but at least I know I've made progress. :)
I just got off the phone with my good friend who is a quilter. She has told me on more than one occasion that she doesn't sew, but she can quilt. I've been coveting those small sock knitting bags and asked if she could try and make one for me. She said yes! I found the pattern by Beth Roberts at Yarn Envy and she calls it My Leetle Bag. I emailed it to my friend last night and she said she'll try to make one for me in the next couple of days. I'm excited! I cannot sew to save my life, though I have thought about attempting this on my own. I even thought that if I can't figure out how to sew one, I'll frickin' knit or crochet it! Desperado!

Hip Hop Flutist

New 8 Point Wavy Ripple Pattern

I created this ripple after Dawn at the Ripple Along mentioned she wanted one with a solid core rather than the lacy one in my previous pattern. I don't know if this is what she had in mind. This one is easy peasy! I call it the 8 Point Wavy Ripple.


***THE PATTERN FOR THE 8 POINT WAVY RIPPLE HAS BEEN REMOVED. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT NOT LYING FLAT IN THE CENTER THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE. IF I CAN FIX IT, I'LL PUT THE PATTERN BACK UP.***


I also realized this afternoon after finishing 2 swatches for this ripple that I have spent so much time creating these patterns and swatches that I probably could have finished my first round ripple afghan for the ripple along by now.


I have pictures of my progress on the second one I started based on my pattern for the Gentle Waves Ripple. Bernie thinks it's too "loud" but he hasn't seen the beautiful ripples everyone is creating for the ripple along. I had to remind him that I am part Filipino and that we're a colorful people! I am not always feeling my color choices but it's really fun to look at.

This last picture is the swatch I came up with before settling on the 8 point afghan.

I thought it automatically had to have 12 points because that's what I'm currently working on but in order to get the right stitch count to make 12 points I had to have a pretty big center section of increases. I just didn't like the way it looks. It is more round than wavy and didn't ripple enough for my taste. I tried to crochet into the back loops only to try and emphasize the ripple but it just didn't work for me. I realized that the openwork in my original pattern is what helped set up the deep ripple effect. You can really see this when you compare the pictures of all three afghan patterns together. At least we now have options!

Pattern Now Available as PDF File-Updated version

Gentle Waves Round Ripple Afghan PDF File

New pattern I'm developing

Dawn, over at the No End In Sight Ripple Along, planted a seed in my head about making a round ripple pattern with soft waves rather than a pointed star look. Designing a piece is one thing, writing out the instructions is another animal altogether! I am such a tactile learner that I have actually had to start my test piece all over again so that I can write it out round by round. I just hope that other people will be able to duplicate my efforts.

Mommy and me

No, I don't call her "mommy" anymore. It's "Mom" or "Rosie" if I want to get her attention.
Mom was here for two weeks but I didn't realize that I hadn't taken a single picture of us the whole time. This was taken the morning she left to go back to Hawaii. And yes, she ALWAYS poses for photos.

Ripple progress

I haven't been working on this for a few days. I just wanted to post progress made thus far. I have been knitting a commissioned piece and hope to be done with that tomorrow. It's taken me far more time than usual since I'm sick.

Sounds like spring in Vegas

I happened to have my camera handy when I heard these birds singing outside my kitchen. It's supposed to get up to 90 degrees for the next couple of days. In fact, we're setting heat records all week for this time of year. You can see my dogs, Sam and Sophie in the video. Sophie is the one who is doing all the talking.

Finished socks and hat

I just realized the I hadn't posted a picture of my finished socks #2 for the SAM3 Knit Along.





Also, here is my first offering to the Cover Your Head Knit Along. It fits me perfectly but as you can see, on the styrofoam head it's too big.

Sick as a dog and spread too thin

I have been fighting what I thought was a bad seasonal allergy since before Mom left last week Wednesday. It got warm really quickly here in Vegas. Trees are blooming everywhere and recent winds have picked up the dust in the air. By Friday I couldn't wait any longer before I took action because the crud was moving down into my chest. I spent 2 hours as a walk-in at the doctor's office just so that I could get a Z-Pak and some decongestant to help fight this crap. I'm prone to bronchitis, you see. Today was day 4 of the Z-Pak and I've pretty much lost my voice already. I am not feeling too good and don't know why I'm not getting better. I'll give it a couple more days before I go back to the doctor. I want to finish the course of antibiotics, at least. I still can't believe I took Chris to baseball practice all last week feeling as crappy as I did but Bernie was working. I already called the coach this afternoon and told him we won't be there tomorrow. He sounded disappointed because they're handing out the uniforms but he could clearly hear my hoarseness. What's a Mom supposed to do? The parking lot is too far from the field or else I could have stayed in my car while he practiced.

I have been steadily working on my round ripple afghan for the Ripple Along and realized that I haven't worked on my March socks for the SAM3 in over a week. I have been working on a kind of stained glass slip stitch sock in a crayon inspired and black sock yarns from Knit Picks. The toe and heel will be all black. I'll have to take a picture of my progress so far. I didn't find it as easy to concentrate on at baseball practice so I've been taking my afghan but it's getting really bulky now and when I'm sitting in my recliner it covers me from my feet to my chest. I've got a couple of skeins of yarn left for this afghan and then I think I'll quit when those are used up. It's the perfect size to keep me cozy while watching TV in my chair.
These two projects both qualify for the stash busting group as well, however, I still need two more hats for the Cover Your Head knit-along.

Got to get to bed, ya'll. 5 a.m. comes pretty quick. Besides, it's the only time I don't cough!

Round ripple pattern

This pattern is very much like the one I'm currently working on. I didn't actually have a pattern when I made my first one. I saw a round ripple afghan and deconstructed it in my mind. When I was ready to make this current one, I just looked at the picture I took of my first one and it all came back to me.
It is coming along. I managed to get a few rows done at baseball practice last night but with Mom leaving today and with me catching her cold, I haven't been able to work on it today. Since my laptop battery is dying, I'll pick it up in just a minute and hopefully get a couple of rows done before I collapse in a Nyquil induced stupor.

I've joined a crochet along

I think this is my first crochet along. It is the No End In Sight Ripple Along and these crocheters are making some beautiful ripples. Just looking at them was inspiration enough to start another round ripple afghan. I couldn't figure out what to do with the blue/green/yellow yarn I bought for the house slippers I was designing but ended up hating. Here is what I've started:
It's turning out just as I planned and I can't wait to finish it.