Year of Projects – Year 6 (YoPyr6) week 4

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Christine Beaton

Time to check in again 😉

This week I frogged the shawl I was making in the alpaca yarn. Did not like what it was looking like.

So I switched gears and started making a headband. It is simple and cute…. See?

I will make a couple of them probably.

This week I also agreed to test knit a project for Ruth.

This is the yarn I am using and this is what I can show you 😉

One last thing before I go… Pokemon GO came to Canada last Sunday night… And I made a cute little hat for a young girl, whose father LOVES the game!

As I was making it, some other people approached me to make one for their child. So this happened…

So that is what I have been up to.

What about you?

Year of Projects – year 6 (YoPyr6) week 3

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Christine Beaton

Happy Sunday!

My apologies for not even checking in last week.

We took the older son to his first sleep over camp experience and were driving most of the day. Also… I didn’t really have much to talk about on the knitting and crocheting front…

This week however… Totally different story. Darling son is home (currently sleeping) and I have progress!!!

I have finished off one of the WIPS… Which is awesome… And I have made some minimal progress on another one.

this is the finished slouching for a friend of mine. It was crocheted in a really near black grey and white variegated Zauberball. And pattern is a Scattered Dahlias pattern by Justine Walley on Ravelry. I just don’t remember which one. I have made it enough times that I don’t need the pattern anymore…

I love this pattern because of the easiness of it and the stitch detail…

Next up is a shawl I am working on in alpaca. It is called Falling In Lace and is not that hard.

It doesn’t look like much yet… I really need to get cracking on it.

Did you see the cute project bag? It is an alpaca bag! I bought it in April and the Knitters Frolic in Toronto. It is by Bling Your String. I have two of her bags now and love the both!

That is all for now… I am thinking that this week may be more quiet and I will have all kinds of knitting time. Fingers crossed.

Year of Projects – Year 6 (YoPyr6)

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Christine Beaton

Hey there! I am so glad to be back! I am really looking forward to the YoP year ahead.

erring on the side of caution, I have just a small list to start

First I have to finish of some WIPS. They are dragging me down and stopping me from reaching my true knitting and crocheting potential

These are all ‘link-less’ at the moment

Slouchy hat for a friend
Shawl in alpaca
Small stuffed crochet alpaca

Then there are these on my actual list that I want to get started and finished during this YoP year.

Other craft table items in alpaca as yarn comes available
Eleventh Hour Scarf by Purl Soho
2 pairs of socks using the vanilla Latte pattern

And as always, I would love to fit in some test knitting too…

*above information has now been created into a PAGE on my blog… Be sure to check back for updates!

YoP year five week 14 update.

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Christine Beaton

I am so happy that I have been able to slide off a bit of time to write this post.

Good, therapeutic, uninterrupted knitting time has been literally non-existent… So I don’t even have any FO’s or even progress shots to show… Sad really. I need to work on slicing off a little more knitting time… Christmas is around the corner and I have many wonderful projects I want to start rattling around in my head… But that is as far as it goes…

However, I did have a bit of an adventure today. My friend and I headed north to an alpaca farm in Markdale Ontario. It is kind of near Collingwood…. Kind of. The farm is called Kickin’ Back Alpaca Ranch. My friend an I had a blast meeting with the owner and having her tour us around. Some of the items I made last fall were for this lady… She gave my yarn spun at the mill, made from the fibre sheared from here Alpacas. What a neat treat to meet these adorable animals in person 😉

Here is a photo montage of some of my favourite pics of the day.

ALPACAS!!!

This male alpaca was not a fan of being approached… But the owner made it happen 😉

This little fella looks as though he is saying… “Hello? When can I come outta here?”

This lovely lady was so relaxed… She let us approach her and take really nice pictures.

This picture is just too cute for words.

This Cria (alpaca baby) is deaf. When white alpacas are born with blue eyes, it is almost 100% guaranteed they will have no hearing. One of many very interesting facts learned today.

My up close and personal moment with this little fella. Perfect photo to reflect a perfect day!

YoP year 5… Week 11 “update”/check in

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Christine Beaton

Good morning and sorry for my late update post.

Knitting and crocheting has been significantly overshadowed by many other things lately… Since getting back from the cottage vacation… I have been running around non-stop. Getting the boys and myself ready for back to school and moving have been the greatest culprits of this overshadowing.

The boys and I are now settled into routine ok… But the moving is still eating up a lot of time… As it wasn’t just a regular move… Without going into detail- and you all need to k ow that I am doing very well – my husband and I separated. This was a mutual decision… So all things considered… I am fine. 😉

However… While I haven’t had much knitting time and crocheting time… The test knits I did? Yep… They have been published! So I have a few fancy photos to share.

This is the Alban Eilir Cowl designed my Ruth McKeon… You can find it HERE on Ravelry .

And this is the Allons-y market bag by Dana Gervais. You can find the pattern for it on Ravelry HERE

I loved doing both of these items. The designers are both so wonderful 😉
In the coming weeks I will have finished a coup,e more test items and hope to get back to socks and some gift knitting.

As an aside… I am headed to farmers markets this weekend and will likely be visiting with alpacas! With any kind of luck… I will have some stash enhancements 😉

YoP year 5 – week 9 update

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Christine Beaton

Here I am! Sorry for missing last week… Internet access was sketchy at best while on my cottage vaycay.

I managed to get lots of knitting done 😉

I finished up two test knits!

Here is a teaser of them both…

love the way this electric blue and black go together!

The above pic is of a test knit for Ruth McKeon Celtic Knits. She does awesome work and I love doing these pieces for her!

such a cute button found at the LYS in Fenelon Falls , Ontario

The above pic is of a test knit for Dana Gervais. She also makes beautiful things and this treasure will be one of my faves for a long time 😉

As these two items were finished off, I dove straight into another… This time I can show you more… As it is not a test knit… And it is a quick addition to my YoP list 😉

It is the mobieous cowl from Estelle Yarns… In Drake.

this is a photo from the estelle website

And this is what I have accomplished so far…

Time will tell what I do with it… I will likely keep it of give it to a very deserving teacher at Christmas 😉

One really fun thing I got to do while away this past week was attend the LYS knit night in Fenelon Falls with my mom. She started a new project too… A winter hat with cables. She is pleased with her new project 😉

The Crafty Ewe is an adorable shop that I hope to get back to one day!

With any kind of luck, I will finish off the Rose city rollers this week… As they got absolutely no attention this week. I would love to wear them as my back to school socks on September 8th!

YoP year five – Week 7

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Christine Beaton

This week was so busy… My summer camp job is coming to a close… So there are lots of ends to tie up and counsellors are getting sick left right and centre… I however… Appear to be as healthy as can be… Yay!

This week I did a quick crochet headband for no reason… Those kinds of projects are always fun! I hope I can show it off next week… There are ends that need to be worked in.

I still am working away on my Rose City Rollers… I think they are looking great… Don’t you?

I am done the heel turn and he gusset… Now I need to just knit and knit and knit until it reaches the base of my little toe. Then I will be onto the toe decreases. Then all done!

I hope to get these off the needles so soon… As I just signed on to do another test knit for Ruth over at Ruth McKeon Celtic Knits.

Like always for her designs… I am super pumped!

Happy Sunday one and all!

YoP year five – week six

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Christine Beaton

Well this week flew by… And only four weeks left of summer vaycay! I am looking forward to it actually… I landed a permanent job in the school board I work for and can hardly wait to start!

But onto the knitting and crocheting…

I started and finished a cute little baby sweater…. My project page for it on ravelry can be found HERE.

It is an open front baby sweater. I made the newborn size… But it may fit babies a little bigger than that…

I continued work on the Rose city rollers socks too. Only another 3/4 of an inch knit though… These will not take a whole lot longer I hope.

Intermittent with these socks I am thinking I am going to continue making hexagons for the second stocking… That way that task can be done too.

So here is where I am so far with my YoP list

GIFTS AND BAZAAR ITEMS

Edie infinity scarf

Wee envelope sweater

~~Snug as a ladybug sweater~~ COMPLETED August 8th, 2015

Linnie baby sweater

Baby Surprise Jacket

Seamless baby hooded pullover

~~Minions slippers~~ COMPLETED mid-July 2015

grannie slippers

Bootie socks for babies

FOR THE BOYS

African flower hexies for stockings – ONE DOWN… ONE TO GO!!

SELF

Summer in Provence cowl and hat (This is a WIP that was put in the back burner)

Crocheted moccasins

Vanilla latte socks

Rose city rollers socks -WIP

Lacey poncho (this is a WIP that was put on the back burner)

TEST KNITTING (who for)

Celticknits – It is run by a fellow YoP participant!!!

– ~~FIRST test knit~~ –> complete in July 2015. Project page is HERE
That is it for now! Looking forward to other posts from other YoP participants!

YoP YEAR FIVE WEEK 5

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Christine Beaton

This week my post is delayed by one day because we have a long weekend here in Ontario this weekend, and this is the first chance I have had to sit down and write something!

This long weekend, whereas it has been busy it has also been productive. Since last post I worked some more on my rose city rollers socks and I am now on the gusset decreases.

They still don’t look like much, but that is because they are top-down roll-cuff socks… I love this yarn though… I have made socks in it before and love how it all goes together.

One thing I did start and finish this weekend is one of two stockings I want to make for my boys this Christmas… I think they were on my list last year… But they are definitely on my list this year… The one in the photo is the one I started this weekend and it is now at this point… I just need to work in all the ends (they are tucked neatly away on the inside so you can’t see them) and maybe do a red trim on the top.

The next one I make will be in the same colours, only the red will be where the green is and visa versa. And it will likely have a green trim at the top.