Just for the heck of it

I decided to figure out how many teams I could be on if I wanted to...

There's the obvious



And the advanced


(does anyone else think it should say We Don't Need No STEEKING Patterns? No, maybe not. Just me? Oh well.)


And then of course there's



Gotta have *all* that. hmm

For the indecisive


and since we're Irish (well by marriage)

But


And then there's how I felt after frogging my first design attempt



So many teams, so little time... Wonder what I'll end up with :)

Training

Well my Olympic dreams aren't going like I planned.

First, the aforementioned round blanket isn't finished. I did a few more rows on the ruffle Thursday night, and decided that needing to be done is not a good enough reason to end the ruffle too short, so alas, I put it
away. Fortunately the baby isn't going to join us for a while.

So then, I was doing good. I got yarn and everything. Cascade 220. It's gorgeous. What do you think? The picture doesn't do the colors justice.


So that was all good. But then the Easter Seals place called us and said they had a cancellation for special needs parents night out and we just can't turn that down, so, we found a tape, recorded the Olympics opening ceremonies, and ran out the door.

So, I guess I'm still training, and my event doesn't start until later in the week.


Here is my training (design)
I am pretty impressed with myself. (If I could just find a camera that takes pictures in actual color it would be awesome, but that's another post).

BTW that's a Josephine's Knot I've charted out there (and some other knots I decided not to use). It's in DH's wedding ring, and he declared today that (*if* it turns out looking good), he needs a scarf. Suuuure.


For those who aren't knitters
(or who are but are living under a virtual rock), the Knitting Olympics is a challenge, to knit something new and/or difficult for you *personally* to completely, in the 16 days when the Olympic flame is lit. I being one who cannot resist a challenge, obviously am participating.

I am making longies for my son, with a fair isle pattern. This is another attempt by me to learn how to knit with both hands. I've tried it before, with not much success, and haven't tried in many years.

And in case you think I'm off my rocker, there are almost 4000 other people doing this, so at least I'm not the only nut case.

Have you seen any UFOs?

Welcome to the very first post of my new blog. I've finally caved in joined the crowd.

Right now I have in many projects in various forms of completion...

Unfinished Objects:

A scarf with corkscrew fringe. Made with Angel Hair yarn, in Berry . I made my sister one for Christmas in Black/White Multi and loved it so much I wanted to make myself one. For some reason I never seem to finish the stuff I'm making for myself. It is just seed stich, nothing too fancy, I wanted the yarn to be the star. This yarn is SOOO soft.

A baby lemon hat for a friend having a baby who she calls Lemondrop. I need to re-shape the top and add leaves and stem.

The second of a pair of cable ribbing socks that has been in my purse for about 6 months. This yarn is beautiful, it just looks brown in the pic but it has flecks of many colors in it, very subtle and cool.

A ladybug sweater I made my daughter that is 90 percent done and if I don't hurry up it won't fit her when I finally finish the embroidery.

This shell that I made last spring, out of Microspun, and a my own design. I love it but decided the ribbing on the arm holes could be longer so I frogged some of that and need to reknit it.

And a round baby blanket. This poor blanket has had a sorry life.

It was inspired by a friend, who was having her first girl after 3 boys, and who had been coveting a round baby blanket belonging to another friend.

Then she decided to ban me from her board because of something stupid, so of course I stuffed the yarn in a corner where it sat, mocking me, for months.

Well I found out about a month ago that one of my oldest friends ever from New York is having a girl, so hurray! I get to make the round blanket :) And it really is too beautiful to be resented. It's not the blanket's fault.

Right now I am stuck in ruffle hell. I decided the thing NEEDED a ruffle. (It really does.) And the heavy yarn the blanket is made of (Lion Homespun) made too chunky of a ruffle, so I switched to a fingering weight pink yarn and quadrupled the stitches. So, now there are a bit more than 2000 stitches of 1x1 ribbing per round (ack!)

I am trying desperately to finish the poor thing before the Knitting Olympics. Which, I don't even have yarn for and, um, it's tomorrow. yikes! The rest of my UFOs will have to wait until the Olympics are over.

Wish me luck!

Edited to add:
Check out my new trackers on the sidebar to keep track of my progress

Sheepy Time Gallery

Fibonacci Sequence Longies

Yarn: Reynold's Turnberry Tweed











Pink Ruffle Soaker

Yarn: Lamb's Pride




Dinosaur Soaker

Yarn: 100purewool




Rainbow Sherbet Shorties

Yarn: 100purewool

Hibiscus Shorties

Yarn: 100purewool

Size: Custom

These were special ordered by someone who picked out the yarn and requested dark pink hibsicus flowers.

Fairies Shorties

Yarn: Custom dyed 100purewool plus a variety of whatever I had around wool for the embellishments

Size: Custom

These were special ordered by a friend who said surprise me!






Camping Shorties

Yarn: Local

Size: newborn






Cherry Blossoms

Yarn: 100purewool

Size: Small





Black Cherry Soaker Sack

Yarn: Wool of the Andes
Stripes

Yarn: Lamb's Pride

Kiwi

Yarn: custom dyed 100purewool

Ocean Soaker

Yarn: Handpainted Yarn

Dip Dye Soaker Sack

Yarn: custom dyed 100purewool






Snakes Shorts

Yarn: Peace Fleece

Bees Shorties

Yarn: Paternayan

Cherries

Yarn: Lamb's Pride and some vintage white

Clay Shorties

Yarn: 100purewool

Blauer Reiter

Yarn: 100purewool

Shorts

Yarn: Peace Fleece, colors Baikal/Superior Green and Shaba.

Sheepy Pants Pattern

The Sheepy Pants Pattern is now available for purchase!

From this pattern you can make shorts or longies, (soaker and pants in one).

These are instructions for knitting in the round, making seamless pants. It will walk you through everything step by step.

It has 6 sizes, newborn to toddler, as well as simple instructions to customize for any size you want.

Included in the pattern are instructions for 3 different waist bands, several styles of drawstrings, clear instructions for short rows and 2 styles of crotch gusset for great fit, and 12 different types of leg cuffs. Also teaches you how to kitchener stitch with lots of pictures to walk you through it. Completely comprehensive!

I will email you the PDF, upon reciept of payment.

User comments:

"Your format is so easy to follow."

"I love love love that you can either do a custom soaker or use the built-in sizes. Couldn't really be easier. Perfect for perfectionist like me and for those who want to use what they've got, and also for anyone who doesn't feel like measuring, doesn't have a baby yet, or is making this for a gift."

"You've really simplified the process for doing a custom soaker. "

"You have *totally mastered* short rows. I have used short rows on at least 7 or 8 things, and have tried at least 3 other methods. *Yours is the best by far. * Extremely simple, and virtually invisible. I actually had trouble finding my short rows when I was looking for them."

"I love that your pattern variations are spelled out right in the patttern."

" Best presentation I have ever seen! (And I have bought a few soaker patterns.)"

"I love the Techniques and Tips at the end (won't have to go dig up a how to knit book! Yay!"

Price: 5.75

This pattern, along with all my others, are now available for immediate download at Sheepy Time Knits

UFOs

Unfinished Objects:

washcloths for 12 teachers

purple socks

pink baby kimono sweater

American Girl doll dress

Harry Potter bookmark


Josephine's knot scarf












spiral tube sock







Dishrag

(still tangled)




keyhole scarf

DONE














Trellis toddler cabled sweater from Knitty (modified)





Fair isle dog sweater

DONE and then LOST by the dog...








Thuja (like) socks

FINISHED








Bloom

FINISHED







A corkscrew fringe scarf

FINISHED




A baby lemon hat for a friend having a baby who she calls Lemondrop.

FINISHED












The second of a pair of cable ribbing socks that has been in my purse for about 6 months. This yarn is beautiful, it just looks brown in the pic but it has flecks of many colors in it, very subtle and cool.

FINISHED





And a round baby blanket

FINISHED











A ladybug sweater I made my daughter that is 90 percent done and if I don't hurry up it won't fit her when I finally finish the embroidery.

FINISHED









This shell that I made last spring, out of Microspun, and a my own design. I love it but decided the ribbing on the arm holes could be longer so I frogged some of that and need to reknit it.

FINISHED