The Everything-Must-Go Ripple...Plus a Couple Other Projects

It has been a busy week. Also, a fun week. I have been working on a writing project, and knitting and crocheting and reading a lot. It's a great life, isn't it? I feel very lucky.

Here is the progress on my new ripple. It is moving very quickly, because I am not over thinking it. This was a conscious decision on my part, because I have so much yarn that needs to be used up. In fact, the theme for this project is everything must go! I am planning to send this blanket to my brother's kids, who love to go through my yarn when they visit and pick out the brightest colors for their dream projects. (Who doesn't, right?)




I am also working on lots of second socks, as well as a first sock.















Pattern: Heelless Sleeping Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks.
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight, in Hot Flash

I love the patterns in this book but have only made one or two of them. This one is really fun, but I think I might put a heel on it when the time comes. I have a feeling my daughter (the intended recipient) will get more wear out of it that way.



And finally, for today, here is a sweater project:

Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan
Yarn: Elsbeth Lavold, Silky Tweed.
Not sure about the color. I got the yarn on basement sale at Webs, so it was a good deal. I love all the Minimalist Cardigans on Ravelry, and have been meaning to make my own for a while, so it was fun to finally start this after Christmas.
















Sweaters tend to move pretty slowly for me, but I am hoping to push along on this one so I can have it in time for spring. It seems like the right weight for a mid-west spring day.

Hey...how about another ripple?

I really don't know what came over me last night.




I have about five (not an exaggeration) projects going, not to mention all the kid-and-dog-and-husband-and-home stuff I am trying to stay on top of, but for some reason I felt compelled to start another ripple.

A BIG ripple, unlike my last ripple, which, sadly, turned out to be not wide enough for non-toddler human use. Not to worry, though, because this new ripple will be big enough to wrap a six foot tall teenage boy in acrylic comfort while he watches football on a big screen TV. (This was the plan that came to me when I should have been doing laundry.) I will keep going with this ripple until it is REALLY big. I will not get bored and declare it done before it is really done!

Well, we'll see. Anyway, here it is, the new ripple. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft and Red Heart, I think, although it is hard to tell because I was pulling random balls of yarn out of my back closet for this and some of them had lost their wrappers. I like the Valentine's Day feel of these colors together, and am debating doing a repeating stripe pattern of just these colors. But I did a repeating pattern for my last ripple, and that got boring pretty fast, so maybe I will live a little this time and just keep adding more colors as I go.

Wow! It's been a long time...

One of my goals for the new year is to revamp (or actually remember to use!) this blog. I have a new, already trusty camera that my husband got me for Christmas, and I am trying to figure out how to take interesting pictures featuring knitted objects that do not look like they have been tortured to death in the quest for an original shot. Here are a few things I have recently made:

Monkey Socks
Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL
Needles: Size 2
A gift for: My MIL

Okay, this is a weird shot, right? But when I tried to take a picture of these socks 'straight on' the color came out wrong! I am going to be working on figuring out why that is this year. Meantime, here are a couple other things I finished in the past month or so...

Garter Stitch Cardigan
Pattern: Erika Knight
Yarn: Sublime Merino DK
Needles: Size 5
A gift for: Orinally for a boy who turned out to be a girl. Now it is for my neighbor's new grandson.

I think we can see what I mean about this photo being a little styled. I mean, I almost put mascara on the poor little sweater. Still, this is a super cute pattern. I have made it three times for three different babies, and would be making it again in pink for my cousin's baby if I hadn't found another adorable pattern that I want to try instead.











Moving right along, here is another project, recently finished and ready for its close-up:

Pattern: Chevron Blanket from the book Vintage Crochet
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic
Hook: size G
Chained: 144. Will go bigger next time!

I love ripple blankets and finally learned how to crochet last year (thanks, Steph!) so that I could make my own. I found this pattern a little challenging, but I love the ridged fabric it makes.



And a final note for today, here is a terrific book for anyone (Mom? is that you reading this?) who is looking for a good read: The Inheritence of Loss by Kiran Desai. Wonderful! I don't want it to end.