just keep swimming

Good morning my sweets,
And happy Halloween yesterday to all of my American and Canadian friends (and anyone else who celebrates this holiday). Our kiddos had super fun trick-or-treating last night. Little man was a jack-o-lantern, lady was a witch, I was a widow, and love decided last minute to be a ninja turtle. When I say last minute I mean yesterday morning he asked me to keep my eyes out for something that could work as a ninja turtle costume while I ran errands. Of course there was nothing, so I decide to do this:

It is really amazing what a couple pieces of felt, a sewing machine, some stuffing, and a sharpy can do. It took maybe 40 minutes, and now we have a turtle shell pillow.

In other news, I took the first sub-test of the CSET last Tuesday. For those that don't know, the CSET is a type of entrance exam for a masters or credential program-- think LSAT (lawyers) or MCAT (medical). In this case it is an exam that must be passed before you can be accepted to a teacher credentialing program here in California. Any way, I took the first of 3 sub-tests last Tuesday, and I did better than I thought I would. There is a distinct possibility that I passed, and this makes me very happy. My next exam is in 2 1/2 weeks, then I have the last one 3 weeks after that. So my posts will continue to be spotty at least until the end of the year.

And finally, this is what I have been doing to stay sane:

 why, yes that is the sweater for the lady. I have only been working on it for a bit in the evenings before bed and on Wednesdays when I hang out with my knitting buddy (and very good friend). Even with this limited amount of time, I feel like it is flying off my needles.





Another project I have started working on is the Doctor Who scarf.

My father grew-up watching Doctor Who, and is a big fan. I thought this would be a perfect Christmas present, but it is very long so I thought I should start early. I started it last week and it is proving trickier than predicted, because you need to keep track of how many rows you do in each color and I changed it a little by using chunky yarn and size 10.5 (6.5mm) needles, so I could do fewer rows in each color and be finished sooner.

 Of course I can't leave without giving you an update on the quilt:

 
As you can see I am in the home stretch: the top is done and it is pinned to the batting and backing. The second picture is to give you an idea of how it will look with the binding.

Well I must get back to studding (math and science up to 8th grade...I can handle it)

Thanks for checking in,
XO Lue Lue Ellabee

Torla shawl

     

hello my lovely people,

Good news, I have finally gotten around to blocking and writing up the pattern for that shawl that I was knitting this  past summer while traveling through Spain. You remember, the one that started out as Softsweater's sunlight shawl for sad people. But then I decided to change it up by adding some of Orange flower's Age of brass and steam. I know you were wondering if I was ever going to mention it again or if I had forgotten all about it.
Well, I didn't forget. In fact, I really love how it turned out, especially now that it is blocked. I have named it Torla, after the stone village outside of Ordesa National Park.
If you would like to make one, here is the pattern:


Material: 1 set of size 6 circular needles, 2 stitch markers, about 400 yards of fingering/ sock yarn.
It is a triangular shawl worked from the top-center out.
vocab:
k - knit
p- purl
pm- place marker
yo- yarn over
ws - wrong side (purl side)
rs - right side (knit side)
k2tog -  knit 2 stitches together
sts - stitches

CO 10 stitches
knit 3 rows
Row 4: k2, yo, k2, yo, pm, k2, pm, yo, k2, yo, k2
Row 5: (ws) k2, p to last 2sts, k2
Row 6: (rs) k2, yo, k to stitch marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last 2 sts, yo, k2.
All odd rows from 7-51: same as row 5
All even rows from 8-52: same as row 6
Row 53: knit across.
Next 21 rows (54-74): return to even rows the same as 6 and odd rows the same as 5
Row 75: knit across
Row 76: same as row 6
Row 77: knit across
Next 13 Rows (78-90): return to even rows the same as 6 and odd rows the same as 5.
Row 91: knit across
Row 92: k2, *yo, k2tog*, repeat from * to* until stitch marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, *yo, k2tog*, repeat * to * until last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 93: knit across
Next 9 rows (94-102): even rows same as 6, odd rows same as 5
Row 103: knit
Row 104: k2, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 105: knit
Row 106: k2, *yo, k2tog*, repeat between * to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, *yo, k2tog*, repeat from * to * till last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 107: knit
Row 108: k2, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last two sts, yo, k2.
Row 109: knit
Next 5 rows (110-114): even rows same as 6, odd rows same as 5
Rows 115 and 117: knit
Rows 116 and 118: same as row 106
Knit last 3 rows
Bind off loosely
Weave in ends and block

Please let me know if there are any mistakes in the pattern. Since I am the only one that has tested it I can not guarantee it is without mistakes. Also, I would love to know how this works out for you.

Thanks for checking in,
XO
Lue Lue Ellabee

PS. Here is a picture of it flat, after blocking:

Good news everybody!

Hello all my wonderful people,
Wow, keeping up with this blog is hard. Fortunately, I have some exciting things to tell you so you may forgive my silence.
First, I received the results of the essay exam from a couple weeks ago. I passed! You may have some idea of how excited I am that I will never need to take that test again. The most important aspect of my passing is that I have officially passed the whole of the CBEST, and am now able to apply for a substitute teaching licence. So, even if I am not excepted to a credential program, I can sub next year which will make my next round of applications 100xs better.
My next bit of news is this:

Yep, I finished the shawl for my sister and sent it off to her last week. I could not find the tag for the yarn but the pattern is Bigger on the inside. It was super fun to knit and I learned a lot; like how to follow charts that show both right side and wrong side and how to make bobbles.
Since finishing the shawl I have been working on a sweater for the lady and it is going sooooo fast:

Those little hanging down bits are destined to be pockets. I would share the pattern but, I have plans to significantly change it. If it turns out the way I am imagining it, you will be wanting that pattern too.

Finally, I have blocked that shawl I knit way back in Spain. I have named it Torla and I am working on writing up the pattern now. I am hoping to have it ready for you tomorrow.

Well, I must get back to studding. I have another exam starting next week (I am taking this one in 3 parts because it is a monster). Wish me luck and I will try to keep you posted.

Thanks for checking in,
XO
Lue Lue Ellabee

so close, yet so far

Happy Sunday my lovely people,
    For those of you wondering, I think my exam went well. At least I think I passed, which is all that really matters with these exams. So that is the last part of the first exam, and I am hoping, the end of that bit of worry. Now I am in full study mode for the first part of the second exam. I have two weeks of serious study ahead of me. Here is hoping everything sticks (my recall abilities are not awesome).
     Lets move on to things that make me feel clever, rather than below-average. Friday, the lady was off from school (it was a teacher development day), little man had morning pre-school, and love chose not to make it a three day weekend. So, lady and I had some quality time in which we did this:

 
She has been begging me to teach her how to sew, and the four hours of just us seemed like the perfect time. She helped with cutting the pattern out and pinning the pieces together. She practiced using the sewing machine on some scrap fabric. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the part she was supposed to sew, she was only interested in playing. For some reason she thought I was going to let her just use the sewing machine without learning all the other steps to a project.  Fortunately, for her, I don't mind. I have been wanting to make her a skirt with this fabric since I bought it last year, and there is enough left over to make a matching one for me. I find this very exciting, although it could be weird....nope, it will be awesome.

      I suppose I should mention that Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love the costumes, candy, trick-or-treating with friends, and kids'  scary movies (I don't like adult horror films, they give me nightmares). I especially love the decorations. I have a dream of one day turning my house into a haunted house, I have it all figured out, the kids just need to be a little older. This time, when mister got home from pre-school, the three of us just decorated the front of the house:

 
Spider webs are my favorite Halloween decorating tool. As you can see we had good times.
       Finally, progress on the last bits of the shawl and quilt are on going. I only have about half an inch of ribbed edging to knit before I can bind off. Then it is weaving in the ends and blocking (neither of which takes very long). Once I have sent it off to my sister I will show you the finished object and share the pattern I used.
      This is where the quilt is:

As you can see, the top is almost done. I am quite pleased with how it is turning out. I had only a vague idea of how it would look once it was finished, and this is already better than I imagined. I am thinking the binding needs to be dark purple, to contrast all the yellow. Red, black, or dark green may also work, but I feel the purple would do the best job of bringing it all together. 

       I  hope all your projects are cooperating.

Thanks for checking in,

XO

Lue Lue Ellabee

slowly moving forward

Hello my loves,

I hope the big wide world is treating you well. Usually I am only up at this time to run (well, walk/run. I have an injury that prevents me from doing an all out run). On this morning, however, I am up to take an exam; yes ,you read that right, an exam. I am in the process of applying to a teacher credential/ graduate program. Our little one is supposed to start school next fall, and my love and I have an agreement: while they are home, I am home; once both are in school, I go back to school. Unfortunately, before I can even apply, I have two exams I must pass. So, I will update you quickly on my progress for the last two weeks.

The quilt is now moving along quickly. I have all the rows figured out and have started sewing them together. I hope to have the top done be the end of the week.

 The shawl is also moving along, although not as quickly. My sister's birthday was last Tue. I only have a couple inches of border left, then cast off, and block. I have only just started the second ball. I am going to have more than half left over. Any ideas what to do with it?

Well, it is time to head out to my exam. Wish me luck.

XO
LueLue Ellabee

Back on Track

Hello my lovelies,

Well things have been busy busy here. I am afraid that between unpacking, school starting, family visits, and birthday party planing (I have two fall babies); writing on the blog has fallen to the wayside. 

Now that things have calmed down a bit I am working on finding time to do my sewing and knitting (the knitting is easy because I can take it with me). First thing I had to do, however, was bring everything out from the basement and put it back in my craft room. I can't remember if I mentioned it, but I had to vacate our "mother-in-law" apartment for the summer so our friend/house sitter had some where to stay. 

It took me a couple of weeks, but I now have everything reorganized and ready for me to make.

Why yes, that is yarn in the freezer. We had a small moth infestation a few months ago and I read that freezing the eggs for 3 days would kill them. It has become the place for my good yarn and fiber.

After all the packing and unpacking of my things I have decided I have too much. I know, you can never have too much fabric, yarn, or fiber. Well, I do, and since I am now dreaming of a spinning wheel I need to make sure I have the space and time for it. And that is where you, my dear people, come in. 

I am of a certain type of personality the requires outside forces to get me motivated, unless it is something that I am OCDing over. So, between you and the spinning wheel I am hoping to make a small dent in both of my stashes. 

In order to earn my spinning wheel I must:

make 5 quilts (2 king, 3 twin)

2 skirts

3 pj bottoms (1 for boy, 1 for girl, and 1 for me)

and 1 dress (for girl)

Since I already have all the fabric I need for these (and then some), there is no worry of inadvertently adding to my stash.

The first quilt is already partially cut out. I have been working on it on and off for over a year already and it needs to be finished.

The pattern its self is pretty simple. My main difficulty with it has been the adjustments I have made. The pattern is for queen size quilt and we have a cal king bed. I also wanted to use this amazing fat quarter pack I had bought forever ago. Over the years I have been collecting different Japanese style fabrics that I thought would go well with print of the women. As I work on it I will let you know how it goes.

In the knitting department I need to make:

3 shawls (for sisters and niece)

1 sweater (for girl)

2 ponchos (1 for girl, 1 for me)

5 hats (3 boy, 2 men)

The first shawl is half way done. It is for me sister's birthday next week. I have been putting it off because of the 311 stitches that needed to be picked up and the bobbles (I have never done bobbles).

I know it will turn out amazing. And I will happily give you more details once I send it off to her (probably late). 

I am hoping to get all of these projects done before Stitches West 2015, where I plan on purchasing my spinning wheel. 

Wish me luck and I will try to keep you posted,

XO

Luelue Ellabee

a quick mash up

Hello all my lovely people,
I know it seemed that I fell off the face of the earth again, fortunately that is not the case. The last couple of weeks have been a whorl wind of activity that have been full of early mornings, late nights, and a lot of fun.
First: our last full day in Prague was spent wandering up, and then back down, Petrin Hill. It is mostly surrounded by a tall stone wall (I have yet to figure out if it is a castle, city, or garden wall). It is full of manicured gardens, amazing views, an observatory, and a community orchard (we enjoyed a few apples on the way down).

This is my most favorite place in Prague, because it was breathtaking and adventurous and peaceful all at the same time.

After the hill we admired the astronomical clock. It is old (over 600 years), it is beautiful, and it is cool. I learned it is the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. 

Isn't it amazing!?!?!
Next, the six of us rented a car and drove from Prague to Krakow where we joined on the last three days of wedding activities, one of which was a walking tour of Krakow.
We started at the old town square northern wall, (c.1200s):

After wandering around the town square for a couple hours we had lunch in a traditional Polish milk bar, called that because they focus more on dairy than on meat:

We then spent some time exploring Wawel castle where we admired the royal court yard and gardens before entering a secret passage that went down a long spiral stair case, through one of the 22 caverns under the castle, and exiting out side the castle wall (I still get goose bumps thinking about the generations of knights and messengers that ran up and down those stairs).

The next couple of days were full swing wedding activities: rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding prep, wedding, and reception. I am afraid I do not have to many pictures of these events but I will say this: if you ever get a chance to go to a Polish wedding, do it! Polish people know how to party ;D. And the wedding its self was beautiful. It was held in a small country castle that still had remnants of a mote (be still my beating heart):

Unfortunately we had to leave the reception early (the first bus back to the hotel was at 12:30) because we needed to drive back to Krakow for our 12 hour flight back home. Well state side for me and kiddos as we stopped off in the mid-west to hang out with my family, but more on that next time.

Thanks for checking in,
XO Lue Lue Ellabee