Here is my son's sweater vest. Coming right along. It's knit in a simple stockinet stitch, with garter stitch arms, neck and shoulders. Since I have so many projects going at once, I work a little on each and so there are lots of things being knitted at once, and then I'll finish a bunch of things around the same time.


This is a little baby sweater set I'm knitting as a sample for my local yarn shop. The skeins next to the sweater pieces will be made into a hat, booties and some stretch pants. I think it will be cute! I am being paid by how many yards of yarn I knit up. I hadn't thought of that method of figuring out compensation, but it is really the most fair way of being paid for the work.


I finished the Fair Isle doggie sweater! Here it is being modeled by my daughter's stuffed tiger. It's a nice fit. I tried to make it look a little Christmasy, but not so much that the dog couldn't wear it during other seasons. I like how it turned out, but didn't like having to hide so many ends with the fair isle knitting. I guess that just goes with the territory.


Here's a little cupcake hat I made. The pattern is available on the internet. I think they're so cute. I've made them in brown, pink and blue. I'll be putting some embroidered "sprinkles" on the top of it, and top it with a cherry pom pom.

Here's another sweater I've started. This one is for my husband (the formerly un-named recipient--I'm hoping he doesn't check out my blog). I bought the yarn (Wool-ease) to go with a pattern I found that was a pull-over sweater. I started on it and then learned that he preferred a cardigan sweater. I purchased a great book on sweater design and came up with this one. You can't see it very well, but the pattern is English rib, which I am liking very much. All the right side rows are knit and the wrong side rows alternate between K1, P1 and K3 P1. It makes a nice textured fabric. I'm trying to keep it a secret. I have so many projects that I'm working on, that he doesn't even ask anymore what I'm making, so maybe I'm safe!

Mixed news on the honey business. We lost a hive to American Foul Brood, a nasty disease that devistates a hive and can spread to other hives. The spores of the disease are so resistant to being destroyed, you have to burn the entire hives and super-heat your hive tool. We did this on Saturday. It was sad to watch a 4-box hive go up in flames. Very very hot fire.

The good news is that last week we made a second harvest of honey, which was even bigger than the first. I wasn't expecting to find much honey as we prepared the bees for winter, so this was a wonderful surprise. We have enough to sell some locally now.

It seems Sundays is my best day for updating my blog! It's been a busy knitting week. The two little purses pictured below are finished and I turned them in with 8 other purses to be sold at "Homebodies" here in town. Here's hoping they sell well.

In the meantime, I have been commissioned to knit a sample baby sweater set for my LYS (local yarn store). I'm excited to do it. It's going to be cute. It's fun to use new yarns and patterns that I haven't done before.

I'm also starting the family Christmas sweater project. I've started a second sweater for a family member who shall go nameless for now. I purchased a wonderful sweater design book called The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns by Ann Budd. Excellent resource! I will likely never lack for sweater patterns!

I can't believe September is over already and we're into October. Where does the time go? I haven't updated my blog in a few days, but that is not to say I haven't been knitting! Actually, I've been a busy little knitter. I am making very good progress on my son's navy blue WWII sweater vest. I've gone up to the shoulders and beyond (sounds like Buzz Lightyear--to the shoulders and beyond!). I'm part way down the other side. It has proven to be a very easy pattern. There are no decreases for the armholes or the neck and the back is identical to the front. There are no picking up stitches. Mindless knitting stuff. That said, it does look very nice and my son is excited about it. I told him he has to wait for Christmas.


This little dog sweater is my first attempt at Fair Isle knitting. I think I'm doing pretty well! I hope all the loose ends are normal. If not, I'm doing it wrong! Fair Isle isn't as hard as I'd thought it would be. I've learned how to hold two yarns in one hand and pick up the one I need when I need it, carrying the other along the back side. This sweater is going to be sold at a local dog grooming shop.


My best knitting buddy makes these cute narrow scarves. I asked her the other day how she achieves the long stitches between the regular rows. She explained that she does yarn overs between the stitches on the row she wants to enlogate. She said you can do a double yarn over for an even longer stitch. Then she drops the yarn overs on the next row, which results in the long stitches. I tried it and this is the result. Pretty cool, huh? Now I need to get an outfit to match!


These little gems are a couple of purses that I knitted up to sell in a local retail shop. I'm not finished embellishing them, but this is how they look so far. I've knitted them from 100% wool yarn and then felted them. It's so fun to come up with new variations. They knit up quickly and are very easy to make. They're a great size for teenagers or young girls (abt. 9 x 12). I usually include some eyelash type yarn along the top and the bottom. I created the pattern myself, and I'm selling the pattern for $4 on http://www.theknittingvault.com or, if you'd rather email me, I can send you a PDF file after I receive payment.