Yarn Along

This is my second Trellis Shawl designed by Annie Rowden.

It will be a gift for Carol, our marketing department admin at work. She is retiring August 6. I can't believe it! She's so good at her job. It's going to be hard without her. She always comments on my knitting and admires it so I thought it would be a nice gift for her. 

My friend, Seashore Sharon dropped off this book for me to read. She always gives me the best books!!! Always a good romantic and steamy book!

Yarn Along: April 1

Happy Yarn Along Day! 

Here is what I am knitting and reading....

I started the Ninilchik Swoncho over the weekend. Using all stash yarn and some scraps leftover from other projects, I am loving this project. Cailtin Hunter makes such easy-to-knit patterns. Color work is my favorite. It flies off my needles! I love going row by row and checking off the line in the chart. Just one more row is what I always tell myself! Hah...hours later I stop when my hands cramp up.

I started reading The Nickel Boys last night. I have had it for months and didn't get a chance to read it yet. So now is the time! It's been highly recommended to me and to be honest I was nervous to read it because the subject matter is surrounded by abuse of boys. But after listening to a podcast: From the Front Porch, they picked it as the best book of the year and I decided to finally crack the cover open.

I also have a pair of socks on the needles. They have been keeping me calm while helping Chase with schoolwork.

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy.

What are you knitting, crocheting, reading?

 Joining along with Ginny over at Small Things Blog for the monthly Yarn Along.

Yarn Along

Hey friends. Just wanted to pop on by and share a quick picture of what I am reading and knitting these days.

I started a new Leaves of Grass by Jared Flood. I forgot how much I love his patterns. I've been swooped up into the world of newer designers and have deviated from my all time favorite, Mr. Flood. Silly me. I've learned my lesson. His patterns are so enjoyable to knit. It works with my brain! Enough to keep you interested and wanting to knit that next row but not too hard that you have to constantly look at the pattern.

I am knitting this pi shawl with yarn from Sweitzer's Fiber Mill that I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool. It's a really pretty gray, lavendar colored yarn (the bottom pictures shows the color perfectly). 100% merino, dk weight and it's so nice to work with.

I'm reading A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner. One of my favorite books is A Fall of Marigolds and she is also the author. I have also read her book, Secrets of a Charmed Life. I liked that one as well but Marigolds is still my favorite. This book is good....it had me completely hooked for the first half. But it's set up a little strange. She tells you things, then goes and retells the story but you have an idea of how things work out before-hand. It's interesting. Many smaller stories that are tying together. It involves some ghosts, World War II, France, Germany, Soldiers, US. I'll let you know my final thoughts when I'm done reading.

November Yarn Along

Hi friends. I haven't been knitting as much as I would like to be. But I did read a good book. So i thought I would share both here.

I finished reading, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I have read three of her books and this was very good. It's sad at times and you just want to jump in the book and help the women!!! It made me cry. That's how I know it's a well written and good book! I enjoyed it. 

For knitting, I made a little coaster out of the Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide "Merry Making". It was a fun, quick knit. But heads up...there is a mistake in row 5 of the pattern. The errata can be found on their raverly page. I figured it out right away that something was wrong. However, I think about the people that are new to knitting and trust every pattern (as I was at one time) and would have made a mess of this!!! 

I am still knitting my Quill Sweater. I'm almost done!!! Just need to finish a sleeve and put in the pockets. I just realized that I haven't really taken any good pics lately of my progress, so here's a beginning picture to show the color and one of the "feathers" that is in the back panel. The other picture is just me curled up knitting and drinking coffee in the early morning hours of daylight savings time.

Joining in with Ginny at Small Things for this month's Yarn Along.

Hope you are all enjoying these fall days!

Yarn Along: Where's Wilbur Hat

Hi fiber friends! I'm working away on my Ramona Light cardigan and the embroidery. The sweater is complete and I have started one side of embroidery. It's my first time doing it so there's been some learning curves. I talk about it on the podcast this week if you are interested in learning more of the details. For now I have a few photos I can share of the progress. You'll see the "shiny" looking plastic stuff around the stitches. That is a water-soluable stabilizer that will be gone when everything is complete. I'll just soak it in water and it will go away...at least it's supposed to!!

My theme is based on "my apple tree" that blooms every year on my birthday. I've talked about it here. I have embroidered three apple blossoms on the one side to represent my three kids. A barn swallow on the back, using the brown yarn from the alpacas. Barn swallows come back to the farm every year it always marks the beginning of summer, vegetable gardens and warmer days.

I'm still working on the barn swallow. It needs more detail and then I'll start the work on the other side. My plan is to make some buttons from one of the apple tree branches. We'll see how that goes!!! But overall I am LOVING doing this kind of work. I want to work on it all day long but you know...that whole work and real life stuff gets in the way!!! I am using an embroidery hoop to stabilize the sweater and I was afraid it would stretch the fabric out too much but it's not.

The green yarn of the sweater is Quince chickadee in the marsh color.

I have a new project to talk about too. I bought a skein of yarn from Wing & A Prayer Farm last year in Rhinebeck. It was in the Battenkill Fibers booth. I had to buy it when I saw it because it's partly made of fiber from WILBUR the alpaca! If you follow Tammy and her instagram stories (you really should if you don't already) then you know Wilbur walks all around the farm and she'll often tag #whereswilbur. I've had the yarn almost a year and I wanted to make sure I used it for something special.

When my sister, Andee released this hat pattern (Odie Hat) and my son and I modeled it for her I knew I had to knit it. It's sooooo soft and comfortable to wear. The double brim is so nice and I have just enough yarn so I'm starting it today.

Here's a picture of my son and I wearing her sample hats.

Happy Yarn Along Day. Hope you're enjoying what you are working on.

Just a reminder to join in the fun and win prizes by participating in our podcast make-along by using #arrowacresrhinebeckkal on instagram or Ravelry. We also have a group thread running. You can find that by clicking here.

Yarn Along: August

Hi knitting friends. Joining in with Ginny at Small Things Blog for the monthly yarn along. A place to share what people are reading and knitting, it's always a highlight of mine to read everyone's posts. I remember when I was home and my boys were little and I didn't get out as much as I can now, I would be so excited for Wednesdays and Ginny's weekly yarn along. I could spend hours clicking on everyone's posts and fall into the time trap of blog reading. Just as my life has gotten busier and less time spent at home, Ginny has also become busier with her growing family so it's now a monthly post. She hosts the yarn along the first Wednesday of the month. I think with the video blogs and podcasting, more people are heading to YouTube instead of written blogs, which is great because Liz and I have our own podcast, Cocktail Hour at the Coop!! But for me, I still love to have a few moments to sit and read what people have to say.

So on that note, here's what I'm reading and working on these days! We just got home from a nice, relaxing vacation and this sweater is the one that traveled along with me where ever we went. We were in Saratoga, NY then Lake George. The sweater is the Ramona Light Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith. I'm knitting it with Quince & Co yarn in the Marsh colorway. It was the perfect no brainer pattern for vacation although I have to admit a simple stockinette sweater isn't the most interesting to work on....
Once it is done I am planning on embroidering the sweater with some apple blossoms and a barn swallow. I was inspired by this sweater.

While we were away I finished the book, Tangerine. I recommend it for a fast read, a bit of suspense. 

And here are a few pictures from vacation. It was wonderful to be all together for a week. No distractions, no work, just fun.

New Knitting and Planting

Hello blogging friends :) With all the instagram posts and podcasting, I've neglected my poor little blog. I still try to read everyone's posts when I can but posting myself has been far and few between.

The Yarn Along is always a favorite of mine so I thought I would join in the fun this month.

I am knitting Time Trades by Caitlin Hunter. It's a beautiful and easy to knit shawl. I went stash diving for this beauty! A mix of some of my favorite yarn dyers and makers. It's been traveling to the baseball games these days and it's a perfect game watching knit.

I'm still reading The Thorn Birds. It's a long one but I'm really enjoying it when I do have a chance to read.

We have had SO MUCH RAIN this spring so my garden and flowers got planted much later than usual. Finally got a few in the ground last weekend. It is isn't pretty but it's planted! The chicken coop got a little splash of color with new flowers too.

Happy Knitting!

Joining with Ginny at Small Things for the monthly Yarn Along.

-Leanne

Yarn Along!

So...it's been a while since I've posted! I thought I would do a quick knitting recap of what I've knitted, finished, started in the past month.

First up is the Wee Chickadee Sweater that I made for my friend's new baby girl.

Ravelry notes here

And itty bitty little socks for my nephew's baby doll! He made a request for knitted socks for baby...so of course I made them for him. Too cute! I've added the little video my sister sent me for his sock request. Would you say no??!! Nope!

I started knitting my Liv Light sweater. I'm knitting it in Sweitzer's Fiber mill yarn that I bought on sale at Rhinebeck. So far it's a nice easy knit.

I finished my Zweig sweater. Not a great picture, but you can see that it's done!

I went up to NYC last week with my oldest son and his girlfriend. They wanted to go to the Museum of Natural History and just my luck....Knitty City was a block away! So OF COURSE I had to stop by for the first time. I unzipped my coat, and they noticed my Sunset Highway. So fun...they clapped for me! Such a fun and welcoming shop. They took my picture and put it on instagram. I picked up two skeins of yarn and I made the Kobuk hat with it. I have to take pictures of the hat.

And that's what I've been knitting lately. I've been enjoying snuggling under my new alpaca blanket and  drinking coffee out of a new mug from my mom. Hope you're staying warm wherever you are and have lots to knit!

Yarn Along - My Farmhouse Shawl

Do you ever have those projects that sit in your favorites on Ravelry and you always want to make it but for some reason keep skipping over? Well, the Farmhouse shawl was one of those projects for me. I always liked the simple lines, big generous triangle shape and the fringe. I put it on my list of projects for Rhinebeck shopping and found some yarn at the Harrisville Design booth that I thought would be perfect. It's the Highland worsted in the oatmeal color.

It knitted up crazy fast on size 8US needles and an entire rainy day and Stranger Things 2 binge watching didn't hurt the knitting time!!! I made this in a weekend.

Love it and I want to make another one! 

Ravelry link: Farmhouse

Happy knitting!

Yarn Along and Random Pics from my phone

The end of the school year is nutty time! We have been busy celebrating, attending award ceremonies, playoff baseball games, finishing up baseball seasons, campfires on the weekends, a new favorite beer, chickens bug hunting at dusk, baby alpaca cuteness and of course knitting.

Summer is very close and my kids are ready. Last few days this week and then no more bus stops to rush to and hectic after school schedules. Hoping for a nice summer!

What are you knitting these days?

Knitting link: Super Soul Cardigan

And just a friendly reminder that Liz is offering fun classes at the farm this summer. 

Classes are filling up so don't miss out! 

Click here for more info: Lessons with Liz