Saturday, July 30, 2011

Quick Blog Post & EEKAL

This will be a very quick blog post, since I'm off to Hilton Head, SC! Very excited to be able to knit on the beach!

Announcements:
EEKAL: (Epic Everything KAL), will be starting on August 1st, 2011. Even though I'll be at the beach, it'll still be starting. I've already began knitting the baby socks!

What's on my Needles:

1.) Baby Socks-EEKAL: I'm almost done with the first sock, and indeed started the toe decrease. I had to modify the pattern a lot, but luckily I have experience with socks to understand what I'm doing. Haha.

2.) Alex's Tech Blanket: Coming very well! I think I'm on Row 19 or Row 18.. and it calls for 36 rows repeat to finish the first repeat.

Happy knitting!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

EEKAL Excitement!

In case you haven't really noticed on the last few posts-I am doing a knit-a-long on Raverly! I just haven't had the time to blog about it and so forth, but to only post the graphics so I can post on the group. Speaking of group-we have 53 members so far, and it just opened up last night! Excitement squeal! I didn't expect to be so many, especially since I don't record a podcast. But it is a knit-a-long for everything down to baby socks and hats! Fill free to join by clicking the link! The KAL will start on Monday, August 1st, 2011!

Oh-I also redid the blog to look more clean and professional!
Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

EEKAL's Project Page


Here is a graphic for your project page in your notebook! Fill free to download it and save it.

Steps:
1. Right Click
2.) "Save Image As."

Epic Everything KAL 2011 Banners & Ravaters


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

New Projects-Finished Projects

So yesterday we had another five hour travel by car to VA Tech for my bro's orientation. (By the way, his blanket is going well!) I was determined to get far in the Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy D. Johnson, however I finished it! I was focused on this one actually as much as possible-so the brother's blanket did not really get a lot of work done (saving this for the beach next week!) It's one of the most beautiful shawls I've seen and fell in love with.

Here's the projects I want to work on:
1.) The Evenstar Shawl: I'm probably most likely starting this when we get back from vacation. I might be ordering the yarn next week or later tonight using my uncle's birthday gift card. It could be a gift for my parents to use as a decoration in our new house. I've already bought the pattern, and planned out some materials, and I'm still studying the pattern.

2.) Little monsters by Rebecca Danger. I don't think they're called little monsters, but I have an idea I want to do with one of them-a gift for someone special to me. I'm ordering the book soon.


What's on my Needles:
1.) HITCHHIKER SHAWL At first I was a bit sketchy about that shawl, don't know why. It's one of those to watch it grow and see. But I'm liking the pattern now, easy to knit and mindless at the same time. Could finish it by the end of this week. I'm calling it "Hitchhiking to Hilton Head 2011" I'm knitting it finally with the knitpicks blue stroll.

2.) ALEX'S BLANKET: The blanket is getting semi worked done. I'm usually working on a main project during the day, and since it has a mindless easy pattern I save it for the night time. Last night I was adding the second white row, but was extremely tired and didn't finish the row. (need to finish it now!)

Well that's it!
Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

Friday, July 22, 2011

I'm back!!!

I'm back again! I've been moving, and was knitting less during it since I finished the blanket on the last night in the house. (Really on the last night!) The ends are woven in as you can tell in earlier posts when I was posting for the Stash Dash (and I finished the Stash Dash!) My summer KAL's are now over-well except for one sort of.

I'm starting now to get into shawls and blankets-they're really are becoming my thing. I've just finished the Darcy Shawlette, and right now I'm in the middle of the SUMMER MYSTERY SHAWLETTE!! It's such a fun pattern, and I wished I kept up with it when I started the blue one-but it's defiantly working out a lot better than before. I'm doing it in black and sparkly so it could be a formal shawl. I finally found what I love knitting for which are shawls, shawlettes, and blankets. Sure I knit socks, but not so much any more. (I don't know why?) Maybe I'll pick it up again in the car this weekend.

Speaking of blankets, my brother is about to go off to VA Tech (and we're visiting this week at the school).. so I'm making him a college blanket with VA Tech's colors. I'm super excited about it. So shawls, shawlettes, and blankets get me the most excited. I was sketchy at first about shawls-but they turn out so pretty, especially with the Summer mystery shawlette in black. (haven't really seen that one before.)

So speaking of shawl patterns-I splurged last night, well I splurged a lot buying patterns this week (I never do, I always go for the free ones.)

I ended up splurging shopping for:
1.) The Hitchiker Shawl (my first bought pattern, and I've always wanted it.)
2.) Ethan's College Blanket (Will now become Alex's college blanket...)
3.) and finally... THE EVENSTAR SHAWL. This one I'm mostly excited for. I'll probably cast on and order supplies once we get back from vacation. I'll only be working on this and Alex's blanket, since the SMS will most likely already be done. (Maybe I'll try to finish it before we leave on Sunday.)

Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

Monday, July 18, 2011

Darcy Shawlette

Muggle Studies-July 2011


Not only I just finished my very first shawl EVER and it actually turns out right, but I did it for the Muggle Studies-July 2011:

Option 1: Knit, crochet, weave, spin or dye something inspired by a fairy tale. Tell us which fairy tale you chose and how your homework fits the story. Your homework may represent an actual character in the story, or an important item in the story, or just the tone or mood of the story. Professor cindiknits thinks it would be very cool to see hand-spun or hand-dyed “gingerbread house” yarn, and Professor FlyKytten is hoping for hand-dyed yarn or fiber evoking “Snow White and Rose Red."

So I'm considering with that option-the shawl could be for Little Red Riding Hood : ).


Summer 2011 Blanket Photoshoot


I did a mini photoshoot with my blanket (just now) so I can upload to the Knitgirlll's Stash Dash 2011, in order to complete it. I'm guessing it's about 3,000 yards.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

-Big FO's-!

So last night... I finished... my BLANKET. The final name for it is Summer 2011 blanket, honestly I was going to wait till Hilton Head to finish it (with a long car ride.) However, I tried out my blanket yesterday after finishing the tenth yellow stripe. The blanket's pattern called for thirteen stripes of the purple. I had that huge feeling my blanket was done, so I tried it. And... I almost fell asleep under my blanket yesterday (while it was still on the needles! ha!) Last night I binded it off.. now I just need to weave in the ends! It'll count for the Stash Dash yes, and I'm giving it about 3,000 yards.. I mean it is a blanket! I'm so excited yet sad at the same time. What long term project to work on now?

Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Knitting Slump-not so much

Weird right? These next couple of days will be busy because we are moving. At the beginning of this week I was in a knitting slump, I think i just needed a new project! Well thanks to Alana Dakos with the pattern, "Shawl Collared Cowl" I'm working on now, defiantly helped with the knitting slump! I love this pattern very much, and I see myself knitting the pattern over and over again! I'm already at the six inch mark, and it needs to be 9 inches before I start decreasing (I think.) I just started this yesterday! What a fast knit! Anyways...

here's "What's on my Needles":
1.) Malabrigo (I've just started knitting with this yarn, that I fell in love with it!) So I'm calling the Shawl Collared Cowl "Malabrigo" on my Rav page.

2.) I've Made up my mind Tank: I've started this I think a week ago.. and knitting on it every now and then.

3.) Princess Peach Socks: My first cotton bamboo summer socks. Defiantly summer socks. I'm excited about them, and they are my travel knitting. I'm about at the gusset decrease.

4.) Longest Long Term Blanket: With much more traveling, and a long car trip down to Hilton Head-I've been somewhat working on the blanket. I'm dying to do shawls... but I want to finish this blanket first before any huge project and long term project. I started this blanket back in April.

FO's!
1.) I've finished the Florida Shirt back in Florida of course, already been some blog posts about it. However, I still need to seem it up! I find that I'm a process knitter-not a finished object knitter. I need to get in the habit of finishing.

2.) Baktus Scarf: Finished it! Yes, I need to weave in the ends.. yes I am a process knitter. Can't you tell?

FUTURE PROJECTS:
1.) I randomly typed in scarf in the pattern search of Rav. Then I found this gorgeous scarf with cables. I'm considering each winter I could make one scarf for myself, make it a tradition. I've already have the idea of which yarn to use in this one. Might start this after we move.

2.) The Evenstar shawl. This is a dream shawl.. so I might consider serious thinking with it. I've researched what yarn, the pattern, other's people project pages already today. But I want to majorly finish the blanket first. This would probably be my second major long term project. Even if I were to start this.. hopefully I'll get other projects done. Yeah, I'm hesitating..

Thursday, July 7, 2011

SMS- Clues Part One & Part Two


Almost completed Clue Two, so here is a photo so far!

Charms Homework July 2011



CHARMS JULY 2011!
Option 1: Construct something that opens and closes: a bag, a cardigan, a pair of gloves with buttons at the wrist, a bonnet that fastens under the chin. Use your imagination. When in doubt, remember buttons and other fasteners.

I'm deciding to take Charms again this month, not sure if I remember taking it in the other months? Haha, I'm just waking up! But I finished the bag-and on my Rav page I'm naming it "Not quite a pig bag." But here is the finished homework assignment and ready to turn in!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Summer Mystery Shawlette Part Two

Here's the notebook page on my Rav for this project. I'm defiantly taking my time on this one with the clues!

Intense!

So today I consider on challenging myself. Really challenging that I am a little nervous, with 241 stitches about to be on the needles! Yes, I'm talking about the popular Summer Mystery Shawlette. Have I finished the Baktus yet? Nope. Have I finished the Florida Shirt? Well honestly almost! I just got to sew up the seems and edges! So I barely just finished up two projects (My not quite a pig bag) and the shirt. I wanted to cast on another tank.. but I think that might wait until Hilton Head (yes another vacation!) So I'm doing the Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy D. Johnson. Every podcaster does this, and now I'm participating a bit late. It was just calling my name.

So I'm about to go and cast on 241 stitches haha! Wish me luck! My blanket is a bit less than this! More like 170ish stitches, and I can't even complete a whole row in a day now. I'm defiantly taking the blanket to Hilton Head with me since we'll be driving down.

Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

Monday, July 4, 2011

Meet Pollyanna Part One

Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA)
July 2011
Option 3: “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.“~Thomas Aquinas - Make something that reminds you of a strong friendship that you have.

I love knitting animals, and I've been itching to get another project bag. I've been searching for a project bag all over Disney but couldn't find one. I've mentioned in an earlier post about this project-and gave a sneak peek. I am creating a pig bag, and naming it Pollyanna (Okay being selfish and naming it after me, and I like the name Polly.) Behind the story of the bag is from my boyfriend's and mine's relationship... read the earlier post about it! Or you can check my Raverly project page here.

With that being said-I'm halfway done with the body of the bag-marking my percent to 55%. There's still a few parts added to the bag after the body of the bag is completed. However I consider the body of the bag the main part of the project. Photos will be coming in part two-the finishing project.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: I'm considering of blogging after finishing only each project I'm currently working on, by posting photos for the Harry Potter group & the Stash Dash!

Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs

I'm back!





I'm back from Disney, sad to say! But I'm also glad I'm home! I did get to knit a little bit, but actually not that much. I did have some days where I didn't knit at all. Then again-I only knitted during lines for rides. Here's some photos from Hogwarts and Disney. Hogwarts was amazing! I do have a lot of exciting news for knitting and will share in this post.

Exciting Knitting News:
FO's:
1.) Florida Shirt: I changed the name of the Carrot Top to Florida shirt, since I've been working on it in Florida. Yes, I finished it today! All I need to do is sew it together!

2.) Half FO's: Is the Baktus shawl I'm working on, and still need to finish it. Almost done, just got to pick it back up!

What's on my Needles:
1.) For right now-the new Harry Potter class for July 2o11: DADA! I'm doing option 3 in which it's about you knit something to represent a friendship. So I'm crafting a pig project bag to represent my boyfriend's and mine's relationship. It's an inside joke, that he snorts in my ear like a pig. Need to say more? I won't be blogging a lot about this project, not sure how quick of a project it'll be after finishing the 8 inches.

Up Next on my needles: I have a lot of projects I want to do!
1.) The pig project bag I started today
2.) Summer cotton socks
3.) A cowl

Happy Knitting!
~Anna Elizabeth Designs