mb creates

Promising morning

2011-01-19T16:38:00.004-05:00

I gained 6.6 lbs since October. It was shocking to find myself getting a muffin top, but the icing on the cake so to speak was NOT being able to button my work pants. What's a girl to do? No, not eat chocolate or drown my depression in wine (perhaps that's how I got in this condition, ya know!) Anyhoo, I was not going to take this lying down. Sorry beckoning couch. I needed to do some serious life overhaul and fast. I started cooking again instead of eating out. I've learned to stuff mini sweet peppers with brown rice and thinly sliced grain feed steak. I started eating fresh raw veggies with organic Greek yogurt dip. I made water, tea, and minimally sweetened (local organic honey from a friend) coffee my drinks of choice. Basically if it's close to it's natural form in nature, very colorful, and sufficiently seasoned I am trying it. I had stopped exercising outside of working like a mad woman back in September. That had to change. Sunday morning was sunny and decently warm so I put on the running gear and hit the beach. I ran for 1.5mi and walked 1.5mi for a total of 3mi of sweaty butt busting bliss. Everyone and his dog was out since it was so gorgeous. (Can you believe we actually had a snow day last week from school??) Then came two cold rainy days. That's why I quilted. This morning I awoke to warmish temps and the sun trying to peak through the fog and clouds. Good girl that I am, I hit the beach for another run. God is good. What should accompany my otherwise solitary outing? A pod of dolphins feeding just off the shore. They surfaced up all along the shoreline just in my sight line during the run. Very inspiring. I will be doing a weekly Monday weigh in to see how I progress. Sometimes it's a bitch nearing the mid-forties. And sometimes, you just stop and realize that that's life and I can still do something about my life choices.

New Year. New Crafts.

2011-01-18T15:34:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! Been busy with work, knitting, organizing the house. I bought some fat quarters at City Quilter when I was up to NYC in October. Finally found the right project that used up 8 out of 9 I purchased. It's a pair of pillow shams in King Solomon's Temple pattern. This is a top in progress as of this afternoon...another shot, as well as one of my match points. I spent two hours yesterday arranging and rearranging the squares, second guessing myself all the way. Like it much better after a good sleep and sewing up. Waiting on my order of white fabric for my half triangle border. Will post as I progress. This will be my third ever small quilting project. Hope to venture up to a full sized bed quilt in the near future. This is two afternoon's worth of work so far, from prepping to sewing.

Slanting Gretel Part 2

2010-03-30T19:58:00.008-04:00

Excuse the non-blocked item with nasty lighting photos (not a helper to be found at home today!) Couldn't wait to show Gretel off the needles. I still need to pick up the sleeve stitches, cast them back off, and work in my ends. The second ball of Solo Silk was nothing but tied ends...20 to be exact. Very irritating to say the least. So my upper yoke has lots of yarn to weave in, but I'll deal with it.

This is the smallest size with an added an extra inch to the body length before beginning the armholes. I wish I'd done another 1/2", but it will probably grow in the blocking process any way. I don't like how wide the neck-line is on me. I have a narrow shoulder area & it is gaping a bit. That means redoing the cast-off to tighten it up or even undoing the seed stitch rows and continuing the decrease rows, me thinks! The purple pooling/striping is not my fave thing either, but I love the overall rose/terracotta color so I won't over-dye (though I was tempted!).

Slanting Gretel

2010-03-24T10:13:00.008-04:00

I started Slanting Gretel on 1/28/10 using a Rhinebeck purchase. I'm 29 rows away from completion. Another day of knitting! Originally I was going to knit this in a peacock blue Sheldridge Farm Soft Touch DK wool yarn (also bought at Rinebeck '09 for the intent of knitting Gretel), but this Solo Silk was a better choice for the pattern at hand. I fell in love with the 50/50 wool/silk blend at the Brooks Farm booth. Had no clue what I'd make it up into, but couldn't resist the sale and scoffed up the last two skeins knowing the perfect pattern would eventually appear. And so it did. (Not to worry, the Sheldridge was way to many yards for this top, & will become a nice Nordique Swing cardi! See IWK Fall 09, pg. 44)

My hubby took me to Charleston, SC for our 20 year anniversary (March 17th, St. Patrick's Day.) It was the best three days I've had in a long time. We walked at least 8 miles each day sight-seeing, shopped til we dropped, ate great food, & even took a Carriage Ride tour. What fun! He "allowed" me to sneak a stop at my favorite lys, Knit of Charleston, where I made this purchase. I couldn't deny the lure of Louisa Harding's brand new pattern booklet Bijoux (call it the French Quarter of Charleston influence!) and bought the Merletto yarn to do the Moonstone tunic (the right-hand pattern pictured.) The shoulder straps are silk ribbon and the upper back closes with 7 small buttons. I'll make a day trip to buy the buttons when I'm finished as the shop has a great selection to pick from. (Yippee another expedition to Knit!) I also purchased two skeins of Nashua Creative Focus Linen to knit up a summer tank-top. As a side note, I thought I was getting a very unique color for the linen, but you can see this color was compelling to me once before, LOL!

Knitting '09 Recap

2010-01-25T15:14:00.003-05:00

I'm ba-a-ack! Jeepers it's been too long since my last post. I went back to work full-time last August and just lost touch with everything that felt like more work. I needed time away from pressuring myself to produce knitted items in order to have a blog entry.

Knitting has been grueling for me. Mostly I'm not in the mood to focus or else too durn exhausted to hold the needles. I finished Ursa and you all saw me wear that at Rhinebeck. I finished the Heathered Hoodie Vest from Knit Scene Fall 2009 while on my vacation in NYC. I wore it to the Natural History Museum. Deb took finished photos of it for me while we walked about sightseeing that I'll have to track down and post later. Right before Christmas, I finished a pair of Rick socks from Cookie A's Sock Innovation book.

Deb gave me the STR Rare Gems from Rhinebeck '08. (I've got two more gift skeins from then to knit up yet.) These are such squishy, heavy, comfy socks. Challenging pattern to knit, but fun to perk the mind up a bit.

I also started a pair of kai-mei socks (same book as above) and completed the right sock a few days ago. It's done up in Dream in Color Smooshy in the colorway Punky Fuschia. I bought the yarn on a yarn crawl with Deb the summer of '08. A wee bit behind in the knitting of yarn purchases. (I am knitting from my stash again this year & plan on saving my yarn buying for Rhinebeck!) If you click on the link you'll see a skein of turquoise Jaggerspun. I'm currently knitting it into a Lacey Accent Scarf from Glamknits. The lace Baby is also in progress for Icarus. Only the orange stuff is still balled up with no project in mind. Started & unraveled a few attempts. Not ideal patterns for the stuff. It's homeless at the moment.

Well, hopefully I'll be more consistent with the blog this year. I do so enjoy reading everyone's blogs. You'd think I'd blog more for everyone else to enjoy too, huh?

12 Weeks Til Rhinebeck-NYC Trip

2009-07-21T18:09:00.007-04:00

My Rockin' Bandit scarf made from STR Deck the Halls. I need to block it, but here's a sneak peek at its wearability and beauty.

Remember Tuscany from the book No Sheep for You? (Click on the Tuscany label to see orginal posts on this.) It should have been a quickie knit but I think it took me over a year to make this puppy. I lost patience with it every few rows. Nothing wrong with the finished product, it's huge and luscious even without blocking; I just got frustrated with the huge number of stitches after a while. Super soft warmth coming my way this fall! (Upper photo is color accurate.)

The final shawl that is off the needles but needs blocking is Charlotte's Easy Shawl. Remember this yarn from Rhinebeck '08, gifted to me by my sister? It used all 250 yards of yarn in one skein of Potluck yarn. It will block at least twice as big and will be a cozy shoulder warmer.

Finally we have Ursa. The Back & Front panels are off the needles. I will seam the shoulders & pick up the neck stitches this afternoon. This is a fast, fun pattern that I'd make again in heavier yarn. Can't wait for Rhinebeck so I can sport this cardigan!

14 Weeks til NYC-Rhinebeck Trip

2009-07-08T21:00:00.012-04:00

What have I accomplished in the past two weeks toward my festival wear you ask? Well...Plenty! End of Week 16 found Ursa's backside off the needles and the two fronts half done. I'm doing the fronts at the same time so that they'll be the same size. (Uniformity is the ticket!) This pattern is fast, fast, fast, and super duper easy. 'Cept of course when you get to the instructions that tell you to reverse the shaping of the Left Front to make the Right Front. Clear as a mudslide, I tell ya. After some visualizing and decision making on how I want to even do the decreases (as that is also totally up to you, the knitter), I was good to go. Love the fabric the yarn is making. Soft, drapey, but with just enough body to hold its shape. Yum-my! Oh, and a shout out goes to The Yarn and Fiber Co for having 4 skeins of my last year's dyelot in stock for the Berroco UltraAlpaca Light. I won't have to do any creative matching of the yarns.Who-hoo!

End of Week 15 found two wips in my basket pulled out, cast-off, and ends woven. I have a large basket filled with "So freakin' close to FO" wips that I felt guilty. Guilt, as well as needing the size 6 needles for a New Project, is a wonderful motivator. Now I just need to find a motivator to block all those new FO's accumulating in another basket. Sigh.

I was "Sleepless in Surfside" yesterday at 5am and not in the mood to knit on Ursa. STR's Deck the Halls (possibly misnamed, unless they weren't thinking of Christmas, but some other decorated halls) was lying in wait to grab me, already balled and on the coffee table. Who could resist the bright magenta/orange/purples??? I cast on for my New Project, Rockin' Bandit, otherwise known as Springtime Bandit. I blew through the entire Set-Up chart, found a pattern errata (details on my Raverly page - you'd only find it if you're into counting your end stitches each row - not a crucial problem), notified the designer, and kept on knitting. I've finished all the Body Chart, discovered that I seem to still have a lot of yarn, and decided to knit at least one more repeat set of 12 rows. I want to use as much of the yarn as I can, while still being able to finish the Edging Chart. I've never knit with Blue Moon's Socks That Rock until now. It's a sproingy yarn that showcases the stitches in their very best light. Thanks Misa for this gift from NYSW '08! You'll see it on me at Rhinebeck.

I've been drudging along on a pair of plain vanilla toe-up socks for the last couple months. I finished sock #1 three weeks ago, but only got motivated last week to start sock #2. I'm half done on it. It was supposed to be done for July 4th, so I could take a picture of me in them for you all to chuckle at. (They are Fortissima Color 1776 Stars & Stripes and practically knee highs. This yarn is like the Energizer Bunny. 450yds makes a big a** sock!) You'll have to wait a bit longer for the hilarity of wool socks with shorts at the beach in summer.

I was mojo-less all spring on the knitting front, but with the plans gelling on the NYC trip, I found the mojo lying in wait all along. I'm still mojo-less for camera shots. Look for photos on Ravelry later.

16 weeks til NYC-Rhinebeck Trip

2009-06-24T13:09:00.004-04:00

Yup. I am officially counting down the weeks until my plane takes off for NYC. This morning I sat down with my caffiene, aka coffee, & started making lists. I've already booked my fight, the hotel for Rhinebeck, & gave Deb my itinerary. She proceeded to secure Ms. Shameka for a commrade in arms (driver/ hotel/ shopping buddy) for the festival. I got great rates as my hubby works for the Marriott & we could use our corporate rate for the room. We are excited and all working on our funding/budgets. We have room for one more & I can book another room cheap (practically free people!) if more of you out there want to hang with us for the weekend.

I dug around the blackhole of my closet to find my CPH that was almost finished for last year's trip. It needs seaming & a zipper to be complete. That's the first sweater. For the second, I pulled out my Berrocco booklet #279, the yarn from my stash, and made a gauge swatch for the Ursa jacket. I'm usuing Ultra Alpaca Light in the Fern colorway. Here's the thing. I bought this on sale at Christmas time with Deb. We both looked at the pattern & thought I had purchased the correct yarn. Turns out that it called for Ultra Alpaca, not the Light. I guess I had had a brain glitch then. I did get gauge on smaller needles than the pattern calls for so I'm going for it (3" on back done as we type.) Only thing is, the pattern called for 7 hanks of the thicker yarn, I bought 7 hanks of the thinner thinking I had the right yarn, & just realized that the yardage is way different. I'll need 3 to 4 more hanks. I had purchased the last supply from my lys in December so I'll have to order it online. Web's has my color, but I'll have to be careful where I use it so the dyelot difference won't be noticeable.

I'm planning on making a Foliage hat, a cowl, & the SpringtimeBandit scarf, all out of my stash. This gal is NOT going to be cold. I am preparing for the worst. I hates me some cold air, lol!

That's where I'm at for now. Taking my dd to her university orientation tomorrow thru Friday. And this Sunday will be a big Block Party for me. I've got two shawls, a scarf, & a Debbie Bliss cardigan to block. Photos & dets forthcoming.

Only Daughter's Graduation Day

2009-06-11T19:27:00.003-04:00

Tori graduated from high school on Thursday, June 4th as a Highly Distinguished Graduate. She was in the top 6% of her class (#13), played sports, volunteered in our community, & had an awesome HS career. We are so proud. You can go to my Flickr page to see more photos from the occasion, if interested.

Pygmalion FO

2009-05-28T13:48:00.002-04:00

This was finished back in February, but I was just so finished with it that the photos ended up on Flickr but no blog post came forth. Here is my lys owner happily wearing the finished Pygmalion. It took me five months of working on it (to the exclusion of all else) to finish this. I learned a lot of interesting techniques, but it was pretty much the bane of my existence in many ways. I'm very glad it turned out to fit perfectly and looked so awesome on Phyllis.

Berries & Caramel Wisp

2009-03-07T19:24:00.005-05:00

I originally started out making a pair of plain vanilla socks, but the sock was looking more like vomitted vanilla & strawberry icecream cones. The cream was very predominant & the pretty pinks & caramels only showed up in brief blips. Hence I reballed the Fanny's Fingering yarn to have a timeout while I found another way to use it.

A few weeks later (on Feb.28th) I accidentally came across Wisp on Ravelry that was done up in Koigu and there was a lightbulb moment for me. I grabbed my yarn, cast a few stitches on to sample the lace pattern & saw that it would do. I fell in love. The cream strings seem to almost disappear as the yarn overs & k2togs lie upon one another. Amazing how a colorway can look like puke in one stitch pattern, but really be a diamond in the rough until a different pattern unburies it! Very happy. I bought some ruby red shiny shell buttons for the one end. I'm actually over halfway done since I took this photo. I was informed by a friend that this scarf style is very European & in vogue there.

10 hr. Cropped Top FO

2009-03-05T16:06:00.005-05:00

I started this little jacket yesterday at 1pm. & finished it at 11pm. (just in time for bed!) How fun & satisfying it is to wip out some bulky stash yarn & chunky needles & have a FO by bed time. I took my camera & tripod out for a photo shoot, but the shots are blurry. You still get the gist of what I created just not in all its glorious crispness.

Pattern: VK Winter 06/07 #03Cropped Raglan Top

Yarn: >4 balls (260yds. total) of Cascade Tuscany Grande in a natural/black blend color #40322

Needles: Size 11- 16" & 24"(ribbing) & 15 -24"

Started & Finished: Wed., March 4, 2009

The pattern has you do a random lace after there are enough stitches on the needle. You have to use a thick/thin yarn because you do a *yo, k2tog* (RS) or *yo, p2tog* (WS) whenever a thin spot approaches the needle. It was fun to see the lace appear. If I'd used a handspun or Manos it truly would have been random as the Cascade is a wee bit too engineered. (For the thin spots appeared relatively regular.) This puppy is soooo warm & I am looking to wear it with my tank tops, sundresses, & shorter sleeved tops through spring's cool days.

Starry Night is an FO

2009-03-01T19:28:00.006-05:00

My lys buddy, Sheree (aka marillagrl on Ravelry), was making this same wrap as me. Only she started hers in January. She was putting the last rows on it Saturday at our lys. Since I started mine first, that was a direct challenge to go home & get mine the heck done! I worked at it this afternoon and "Wah la! It is finished." Simply Scrumptious in Malabrigo. I want to pet it and cuddle in it. You know exactly what that's like. You addict you.

Pattern: 3-Button Wrap

Yarn: 3 Skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Lime Blue

Accessories: 2 Lime green square buttons (3 was Overkill!)

Needle: 10.5 knitpicks needle

Dates: 11/08/08 to 03/01/09 (Sat in hibernation for a few months while I made Pygmalion.)

Take a Cue from Nature....

2009-02-26T22:06:00.007-05:00

Goodness it's been awhile hasn't it. I've been lost in the land of knitting a Hanne Falkenberg Pygmalion for my lys owner. I will be posting this weekend all the gory details & final photos. Here's a shot back on November 19th when I realized what an idiot I really am. I knit 4.5 vertical blocks & bound off for the armholes instead of the 5.5 called for. I didn't notice the problem until I had the back a few rows from binding off. Then I rippppppped, thought nasty things, called all family for a good cry & reworked. If something could go wrong on this project, it could and did.

Before & After Ripping Back

My favorite quote to live by at the moment?

'Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is patience.'
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Confessions of a Yarn-A-Holic

2009-01-08T08:49:00.005-05:00

Shoot. I just realized that my last post marked my hundredth one. Wow. Considering the lack of consistent blogging last year, I'm a bit surprised I've made it to that mile marker of sorts. I try to make some New Year's resolutions each year, but never get total success at achieving them all. Even with that, though, I do reach a lot of them. I am a better/growing person having done at least some of those things consistently. That said, I do hope to be back to at least a weekly post this year. I am planning on a few vows/promises/hopes to myself for 2009 in the lure of reaching a moderate amount of those goals.

One of those goals was inspired by Clara's Knitter's Review article on "Slow Stashing." She was responding to the general consensus that folks everywhere had a ton of stash, could conceivably knit purely from that stash with no need to make any foreseeable purchases, & therefore were resolving to knit in '09 only from said stashes. She thought that that would NOT be a good thing for the lys across America & that there could be a possible middle ground. Slow stashing. You would knit from your stash for the majority of your projects, but still make purchases of only high quality yarns that make you happy. No impulse buying of mediocre yarns here. This will enable all our lys store owners to stay in business until the economy picks back up. After a recent cleaning out of my closet & discovering that, "Yes, Charlotte. There is a stash!" I must really get to work on knitting it up.

It's not that huge in perspective to some yarn-a-holics stashes, but it is pretty significant. I could knit up until Rhinebeck, perhaps even the whole year, without needing to buy a single thing. It shocked me, too. I had to have a sit down with a large glass of wine (while surrounded by my gastly discovery covering the large master bathroom floor) in order to let that soak in to my brain. I plan on knitting mostly from my stash in '09. The only purchasing I'm allowing myself will be at Rhinebeck (OF COURSE!) or of super quality yarn as needed (as in, I don't own any usable yarn for project x.) Deborah & I employ this system with scrapbooking. It always works on that front, to which our neatly (sort of), well contained-in-the-designated-space supplies, & happy bank accounts attest to. I said it. Deborah will keep me to it, lol.

How are you all approaching your stashes & purchases for 2009 in light of the economy? Or is it having no impact on the knitting lifestyle to which you've become accustomed?

Happy 2009

2009-01-01T18:05:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that this year finds us all healthier, happier, & on better financial ground than 2008 left us. I've been enjoying the holidays with my family & getting some dents made on various knitting projects.

I knit quite a few gifts for Christmas, much to my own surprise. I wasn't planning on making anything. I didn't think I had enough time to whip out anything worthwhile. Lo & behold...gifts magically appeared off my needles. I made ECU purple & gold slippers for my eldest DS & his girlfriend. I also made a moebius Ithacowl in a black color Blue Sky Alpaca Silk for the girlfriend's 21st birthday. It was dreamy soft & super quick to make. I plowed through 8 felted square potholders (knitpick free pattern)in Andy's Merino from Farmhouse Yarns (Black Cherry & Arizona colorways)for all my sister-in-laws, stepmother-in-law, & one sister. I even made a washcloth from the Yarn Play book for my mother-in-law (her request!) I'll post pics later. I accomplished it all in 2weeks.

Deborah & I hit a great sale in Georgetown's Joyfilled Garden & Gifts. I purchased yarn for Yarn Play's Poppy sweater as well as yarn for a Berroco jacket (can't think which pattern at the moment, but it's in UltraAlpaca.)I have a lot of planned projects to do this winter.

Hope everyone's knitting up a storm. Hugs.

Farewell My Friend

2008-11-18T09:05:00.004-05:00

I had to say goodbye unexpectedly to my cat Sunny this morning. She died of a heart attack at 5:20a.m. I am grateful that Mike & I got to pet her & be there as she took her last breath. She was my knitting buddy. Always ready to cuddle up in my chair with me while I worked on the latest item. I will miss her dearly. Farewell my dear friend. I love you oodles. xoxoxo

Fall in Love

2008-11-08T20:44:00.004-05:00

This is my baby. Kitty was sleeping with all fours in the air, but as usual, stopped being utterly cute and funny as soon as the camera came out. She was cooking the tummy in the heat of the gas logs (out of the right of the photo). She's still cute.

Here's a shrug (Drops 98-38) I'm making for my DD. It's a quicky knit...after you decipher the clear as mud instuctions. I'm having some minor brain cramps trying to understand which side the increases are supposed to be on or getting past the point that the chart starts with a purl row, but the pattern has you starting with a right-side knit row. Like what are you supposed to do with that? I am slogging through it anyway. It's really turning out adorable. It'll be an FO soon. Oh! And you know what's really awesome? I stash busted 5 yr. old Wool-Ease (Oxford Gray) for this project. Whoo-hoo!

Last, but certainly not least is a 3-Button Wrap in Lime Blue Malabrigo worsted. Dreamy! This yarn was a Christmastime purchase last year. I have big square lime colored buttons for it too.

The Last Possible FO for October

2008-11-03T10:34:00.004-05:00

I finished Clapotis on Thursday. It took almost 3 skeins of the Berrocco Comfort yarn. It's a soft & cuddly knit that is surprisingly wearable in so many ways. I especially like it as a large scarf or wrapped circularly around my shoulders & pinned with a brooch. This will be keeping me warm in the winter days to come.

The Peeps Strike Again!

2008-10-31T20:19:00.003-04:00

Oh my. I think I'm getting a wee bit embarrassed. I have the world's best "invisible" and visible friends. Misa sent me this little something from Rhinebeck in the mail today. I am truly touched that ladies who only know me through blogland would think enough of me to send such lovely gifts. Thanks Misa for the Socks That Rock in it's possibly misnamed name - Deck The Halls. I'll certainly feel festive in some socks from this yarn.

Mr. Postman is Wondering "What's Up?"

2008-10-29T17:28:00.012-04:00

Oh some lovely goodies arrived on my doorstep today. Kim sent me a gift package from Rhinebeck along with something handmade for her PIF gift. I was sooooo surprised to see her awesome Birthday Cowl in my package. I proceeded to put it on & have yet to take it off. Malabrigo is so divine. (& this Grey Frost colorway is "da bomb baby!")

She included her spindle & roving for me to try my hand at spinning, a yummy smelling soap from Merriweather's called Mediterranean Breezes (made in my hometown of Poughkeepsie), a della Q bag, & my very 1st medium weight STR in Garnet Dreams. I have been spending late nights perusing patterns to make all my goodies into. My peeps have shown the love here!

Goodness from Mr. Postman

2008-10-24T11:14:00.009-04:00

Look what I received from Mr. Postman yesterday??? A surprise from the Rhinebeck peeps. Deborah & Shameka sent me some treasures from the festival to make me feel like I was there, too. Awwww! They made me cry. (Click on each photo to view properly. I don't know what blogger's issue is. It's freaked out.)

Deborah sent me a brochure, Persimmon Tree Farm "Pot Luck" in colorway R4 (future shawl), STR Rare Gems (O, which sock shall you be?), got soap? in Chocolate (yumm!), & an adorable ceramic heart showcasing the love of knit (hanging up as we speak.) She even made me a commemorative Ravelry button.

Shameka sent me a couple of Ravelry pins ('got bob' & gang on my knitting bag!) & Malabrigo Silky Wool in Viena 478 (Can't wait to find the perfect cowl for this one.) Yay!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love all the little gifts & felt loved & missed. Come heck or high water I will be there next fall! My fool-proof plan has been set in motion. As I told Shameka it doesn't involve any maiming or offing of the "fool" who kept me from it this year, lol :-)

My middle son's question when the packaged arrived..."Is there food in it?"
I said, "There's handmade soap called Chocolate."
He wasn't keen on eating that although has got a mouthful of Malabrigo accidentally while goofing off trying to pretend to eat it. He tells me that my gift package was so girly & for grown-ups.

Just Keep Knitting...

2008-10-21T17:16:00.004-04:00

My DH has my camera, therefore this is a picture-less post for now. The CPH 2 just needs a zipper inserted & the sleeves seamed. It's having some raveling issues that set it on the back burner for a little think. The Berroco Comfort yarn does not like to stay woven in on a loosely knit sweater. No matter how vigorously I approached the seaming process...weaving in the ends far & wide with lots of back knotting along the way....those dratted ends still work their way out at the seams. No matter that I haven't even worn the dad-burned thing yet! Perturbing. But I have figured out how to solve the issue at hand. A Hong Kong seam finish. My sewing experience will pay off here. I will find a lovely silk fabric to make bias strips with & encase all the pesky ends into their respective seams & then they will behave. Ha! I out smart my knitting again. Besides, it'll look pretty to boot.

I whipped up a Birthday Cowl a-la Kim style. It is knitted on the bias. Just what do you suppose happens to lovely suri-merino knitted on the bias? Uh huh. I'll just let your mind imagine all the horrible possibilities here while I wait for my camera to return so I can put on the thing & take a photo to show you. Let's just say I could almost wear it as a mobius shawl if I had made it into a mobius strip to start with.

What is a knit project that makes me happy at the moment you might ask? Well my Clapotis of course. I need to knit up one more ball of yarn on it & it is complete. I am also using Berroco Comfort (started prior to the aforementioned ends problem), but since it is being knitted up firmly, it is not displaying that nasty quirk. I know because having to unravel the dropped stitch rows would have made it happen by now (lots of tugging going on at that point!) Clappy is so large & soft & warm. Ahhhhh. Feel the Comfort here. My youngest cat, Kitty, likes it bunches too. She grabbed the end of ball #2 & ran all the way through the house with it this morning. I had to rescue the yarn from her vise grip. She didn't get why I went storming after her at 6:30 this morning like a crazy woman. Not normal behavior for her mommy at that hour for sure! All's well though & I am impatient for the finished product now.

I've also been knitting on a Hired to Make project. I'll do another post on that another day.

Keep those Rhinebeck recap posts coming people. I am living vicariously through them I tell ya.

Close Encounter of the Brief Kind

2008-10-12T22:01:00.006-04:00

This project is a real stash buster for me. I'm using some Suri Dream from Knit Picks that's been in my stash since summer 06. I originally tried to make two other sweaters with it. I hated the fabric's light weight lack of drape or stitch pattern or both. I used 3 balls from the bag for a feather & fan scarf I gifted to Deborah a while back (it's featured in the book Scarf Style.) Which, just to note, I loved this yarn for that scarf. I finally let it stew long enough to use the rest of it for the perfect pattern. It's the Brief Encounter from Verena Fall 2008. I'm thinking this style sweater will look good on me & be a nice pullover choice when a sweatshirt is just to casual but you desire something soft,squishy, and warm to put on.

This is my rendition of Clapotis from Knitty. I'm making it in Berroco Comfort yarn. It's very soft & it's been an enjoyable knit. It's been all over town with me lately. The doctors' waiting rooms especially. I started it on 9/06/08.

Face of 40

2008-10-02T20:50:00.004-04:00

I look like that...

But I need a bit of this...

Going knitting. :)

Enjoying a bit of Fall

2008-09-19T19:32:00.012-04:00

I almost forgot my user name & password. Wow it's been awhile since I checked in with you all. I've missed you! I have been such a busy bee knitter here. Teaching up at my lys twice a week has been such a blast & productive. I have a few new FO's to share. (One of my fellow Thursday Knit Nighter's likes to ask what it is I've finished this week. Poor thing then feels compelled to tell me she got a few rows done while waiting on her hubbies blood transfusion. I am always duly impressed, lol. Here's to you Marsha!)

"Beauty & the Bead" Shawl
Specs: Made this one up & added Nicky Epstein's edging from her book Knitting On the Edge, 1 skein Farmhouse yarns Lumpy Bumpy in Fall Flowers (MC), 1/2 skein Shepherd's Shades Bulky in Brown. You cast on 3 sts, work until you've used up a ball of Lumpy, & knit on the edging while incorporating the shawl's live stitches. This means there are only 9 sts to cast off at the end. I had fun designing this & hunting down the perfect edging. I worked several variations for the edge before I found the right one to showcase my yarns.(Had an Aha! moment when I rememberered the library had Epstein's book.) Made it in 2 days & blocked this puppy like crazy. I Love Love Love it! My go to shoulder warmer.

Lace Leaf Scarf
Here's an ancient UFO that I set aside 3 summers ago because I couldn't do the kitchener. Finished it up Thursday.

Specs: Lace Leaf Scarf from VK Spr/Sum 2005, 3 skeins Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 3 yrs to make, lol.

Shalom
I like the soft hand of this yarn, love the color, but not too keen on the pattern results. I wish I'd taken a few rows out of each yoke repeat set & made the armholes smaller than they called for. It fit great in the yoke (although too small in the body area) before I blocked it. Now it just looks a bit sloppy & baggy. I think I'm going to hand sew up the arm pits a bit & then I think I'll like it better.

Specs: 4 skeins Ironstone Yarns Color Changes. See my Ravelry page to see specifics. They elude me right at the moment.

I have decided to pull an UFO from my basket each time I complete a newer project. This way all those oldies can be a future FO too. My knitting's come a long way in 5 years & some of the UFO's crack me up now when I realize what the reason was that I couldn't finish them up before. I'm still plugging along on my CPH 2. It needs seaming, ribbed bands stitched on, & a zipper. Almost ready for Rhinebeck. I've also completed a pair of felted clogs for my hubby & just need to photo them when they are dry. Plus Talia has been finished since Sept. 1st, but I need to block it. Hopefully this weekend

I'll be checking all your blogs now. Later.

Surprise FO

2008-08-26T21:06:00.004-04:00

Here's a project I just completed that you knew nadda about. I've been teaching knitting classes at my lys two afternoons a week & this was one of those projects. It's the Sundance Market Bag from Classic Elite's Web Letter. I made it with Plymouth Yarn's Jeannee. It took me most of 5 balls, 2 weeks to make, & 1 week waiting to attach the i-cord handles in class for my students to see. Notice the lovely coral color? Well, it's my dd's favorite color. As such, she's begged this bag off from me even though I was making it for myself. Who can resist a sweet, "What's that?...You know that's my favorite color, right?" Her face lit up like Christmas when I handed it over after class tonight. She will be happily carrying her shopping in this baby. (Or just using it like a large purse.)

Stay in Touch

2008-08-18T20:19:00.010-04:00

Admiration is abundant for all of you who work full-time & are still able to maintain their blogs. I am having such a difficult time doing 2 part time jobs & still finding moments where I feel like keeping up the blogging. Bet you are flabbergasted to see a post from yours truly.

Where to start??? I gotta tell ya. I am so pumped up that Rhinebeck is less than 9 weeks away. I've been told by my airline ticket provider (the AWESOME sister I just have to shout out to!)that many of you will be meeting up with us there. I am pumped. I will be sure to talk too fast, too louldy, & say inane things of which I will later regret. I'm worried I won't be at all impressive in person.(Although, the use of $20 vocabulary words proves I'm a cut above stupid. Right?)Anywho, I am so I excited about meeting you, I'm on pins & needles!

Speaking of pins, my CPH 2 for Rhinebeck is well nigh to completion. It's soooo soft & squishy in Berroco Comfort yarn. Can't wait for fall weather to wear this baby. Gussy Gertie looks fab modeling it...pins & all.

I have lots of other knitting to share tonight. Next up is the Clementine official FO shot. It really looks phenomenal all blocked out. My lys posted a pic of it on the store bulletin.

I got bored at knit knit last week & started Lorelei from Yarn Play. Just keeping on the roll of female named projects that I seam to be stuck on. It's being done up in Online Linie 135 Goby, color 09 Bronze. I am going to use Plymouth Yarn's Boku in color 8 for the contrast color.

Lastly to be shared here is my rendition of Shalom. I'm using Ironstone's yarn Color Changes #180. It is big enough to pull all the way closed down the yoke front (needle cable is too short to show accurately) & I have added 2 extra buttonholes so I can close the upper yoke. I had already done so when I came across Kim's finished one & her desire for more of a closure. Glad I did one. I'll be bringing this on my NYC vacation. (Woo-hooo!)

O'kay. That about does it for one night. Hopefully, I'll have a surprise FO for you tomorrow. I've got many more new items to share with ya later. I have an awful case of startitis. It's like choosing knitting instead of eating chocolate here. My yarn keeps screaming to be made into something lovely. Heck. I've got the needles. Let's start another one...& another,& another, etc. I need a WIP & UFO finishing weekend real soon. Step away from the yarn stash. CAUTION: Compulsive Knitting Ahead.

Clementine FO & Josephine in progress

2008-07-28T15:20:00.004-04:00

Clementine Shawlette was off the needles on 07/24/08 & I blocked it today. I soaked it in Euclan for 20 min., drained the water, & immediately blocked it out. This yarn just flopped right out to measurements with nary a problem. It was a lot tougher blocking Deborah's Juno shawl that she made for me. I'll post a picture of me wearing it when it's dry. I love how soft & warm this yarn is. The only thing I'd do differently is to do the kitchener stitch from the wrong side. I think it would have mimicked the garter ridge in the lace instead of leaving a gap of knitted rows in the center back. Or else have stopped both edges after the garter ridge row & maybe it would have looked like a normal amount of knitted rows in keeping with the lace pattern, making the join less obvious. Oh well. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

Josephine's back is finished. I cast on & have knitted up 4 more inches on the front.

CPH 2

2008-07-27T20:35:00.007-04:00

I started my second Central Park Hoodie this afternoon. I am making it in a nice neutral shade since I found myself literally living in the sangria colored one last year. I'm using Berroco's Comfort in colors #9701 Ecru (main color) & #9745 Filbert (accent color). This yarn is knitting up with great stitch definition & memory. You can stretch the mess out of the piece & it snaps right back to the original shape. I am liking this very much.

I decided I wanted a more nautical feel to this one since I am a beach dwelling gal. To see what pattern is inspiring my edge stripe sizing & placing, check out the Rebecca issue 33. It's the sleeveless pattern #5 Slipover with Cables (the second photo in the link.) I'll download a photo of the work in progress tomorrow .

Happy with the Feet

2008-07-11T16:24:00.006-04:00

Here's my second SOS '08 sock, Happy Feet started on Tues. night (7/08/08). It's Plymouth Yarn Co.'s Happy Feet sock yarn in color #9. I made the Basic Sock from the Happy Feet Basic & Ribbed Socks 1309 pattern leaflet. I'm making this pair as a store sample for my lys, Knit N Purl. If I was to make this pattern for myself, I'd knit the upper sock to 8" instead of the called for 6. I had more than enough yarn left on the skein to have done so. Besides that, the pattern is a terrific "basic vanilla" sock.

I've always turned my nose up at this yarn on the hank. It wasn't that the price was bad (it's cheap in fact.) More that it looked cheesey; like a bad fake for hand dyed yarn. I would never have bought this yarn on my own. I'll now eat crow here. This yarn is deliciously soft & lofty. The sock feels like cashmere, & I want a pair for winter lounging. The zig zag effect on the yarn is pretty cool to boot.

1st SOS08 FO

2008-07-11T16:17:00.002-04:00

I did it! I finished "Duck Sauce" Saucy on Tuesday night. I have had soooo many house guests that my knitting time was seriously crunched. I love the finished product, but still won't be making them again. Definately use a size 2.5 or 3 needle if you want to make this pattern.

Post trauma

2008-06-28T19:40:00.006-04:00

I just supervised/ cleaned 9 beach homes today. That's my real life stairmaster/ boot camp workout. (162 flights of stairs up & down combined. How many individual stairs are in each flight? I think I'm going to drop that line of thought. I have serious calves now.)

It was over 90 & clear today. I melted & some guests thought I should jump into every pool after I inspect a house & just tell folks who ask that "I'm making sure the pool is up to snuff." I have no thoughts on anything. Except...where's my bed???? I have no knitting done. I'll see you all tomorrow. I'm going to bed. I don't care that it isn't even 8 pm. Oh wait. I have to go drink another large glass of water 1st. That makes 160 oz. of H2O today. Is that enough?

Duck Sauce - Half the pair done

2008-06-24T16:12:00.003-04:00

I finished the 1st half of a pair of Saucy Socks. I love the sock, but hated knitting it. Note to self: Use size 2 needles IF you make it again.

Duck Sauce (revisited)

2008-06-23T08:35:00.001-04:00

I attempted to do Saucy on 2 circ.& it is awkward. There is cabling in the middle of each of the 3 sets of 20 sts & it forces you to rearrange sts. every time you cable & for a few rows after. I ended up moving sts to have 40 on one needle & 20 on another & it's better, but tight on the last 20. I'll do the 2nd sock leg on dpns. Since I hated it so much I knit as fast as I could to get to the heel flap last night (Sigh of relief.) It's a beautiful sock, but dpns in this case would have made it more enjoyable. The upside??? I'll finish a pair of socks in record time for me. :)

Duck Sauce

2008-06-21T22:05:00.005-04:00

I have officially begun the madness called Summer of Socks 08. I cast on with Deborah for the same sock today, but in different yarn. I am using the Fleece Artist yarn I won from Kim back in December. I guess 6 mos. of stewing in the stash finally paid. I am making up the Cider Moon Saucy! sock & it is lookin' fabulous in this yarn. The color flecks are gorgeous. The colors remind me of a mallard duck at times when the teals & browns come up. I should complete this pair in less than a week at the rate I am knitting. Yeah!

The Pretty Little Things

2008-05-22T13:43:00.006-04:00

Suddenly all my knitting is in pretty summery colors. That makes the emotions flow peaceably like the nice evening surf at the beach. Love that. I even bought a summery Chaps bag to use for a knitting bag. It's in lime & turquoise. The size is 12 1/2"H x 18"W x 6"D & there are 3 interior sections, one of which zips closed.

I have dug around the house, under the chaises, in my closet, in shopping bags, etc. to unearth all my sock yarn stash, wherever that may be. I balled them all up and I have enough yarn to make 6 pairs for the Summer of Socks '08. My goal is to use & finish these pairs this summer. If I get more done, that'll be a bonus. (Who doesn't want to have to go shopping for more yarn??) I have several for sure patterns set aside, ready & waiting to begin. The excitement is palable. You see pictured (Lft to Rt) a ball of Fleece Artist in a blue/purple/brown color, 2 balls of Knit pick's Memories in Smores, leftover JKnits in Boston , Fiber Oasis Washable Merino/Bamboo blend in Hard Candy, Sundara Yarn in Cobalt Over Mediterranean, & Zitron Cara in Turquoise Blue. The only yarn I'm not over the top on is the Knit Pick's yarn. That yarn feels icky & it pills so bad even with hand washing oh so carefully. It'll be the last pair I knit perhaps. S.O.S. '08 here I come.

Josephine had to be frogged & restarted on smaller needles. I swatched on the size 5 needles, but in spite of that working out to gauge, the actual tunic grew like the dickens on the needles. If you set it aside, the completed row would lose it's tension & that subtle change made the thing get wider & wider over time. Hmmm. What to do. After a conference call with my knitting guru (Deborah), I decided a less slippery needle in a smaller size was in order. I reworked the pattern on size 4 Bryspun circulars. It got the job done. You see 4" completed and the first waist shaping row has been completed. BTW, never have used Bryspun needles, but I really like them. Nice & lightweight, unique needle tips perfect for lace work, & although slicker than bamboo needles, not as slick as my nickle-plated Options. I will buy these needles again.

Clementine has stolen my heart. I <3 this pattern & this yarn. I've almost used up one ball of the ALpaca Silk & have knitted up 19 3/4". The 4 row repeat that you work for 15" is easily memorized, which means mindless stress-free knitting.

Since the back of the Lacy Skirt is off the needles, I cast on for the front. I had let this sit for a few weeks because I was sick of st st & yellow yarn. But, Deborah went to town on her skirt & it pushed me to pick mine back up. It's so unfair that she almost completed the entire skirt in a week compared to the two weeks for me to get just one side done. Sibling rivalry still lives strong. (Hey, it's good for a swift kick in the butt too.) I've made the 1st of the 3 lace panels, set it aside & started the 2nd. Once you knit all three halfway up, you join them across the top to finish the second half before going to the st st portion of the skirt.

There's the beef so to speak. I'm off to knit night tonight to try & get some more done.

Preparing for a U-Haul

2008-05-12T11:16:00.002-04:00

That does it! Everyone had a great time at MDSW. Kim wins the prize for largest enstashenhancement (but Becky came in hot on her heels!) Even Yvonne's group made major dents in their wallets. I am so green. Not a nice feeling to be sure. I am going to do something about this.

I've got summer knitting classes all lined up. There's some $$. I hope to also be cleaning beach homes (rentals) on Saturdays. I'm waiting to hear back from a friend on that. That'll be more $$$. I will get to Rhinebeck even if I have to hitchhike. (Well, ok. Maybe not that extreme.)

Hmmfph. I want to need my own u-haul. I am planning on a long lovely winter of knitting & I want to enjoy a festival, too. (ROFL! :)

All the pictures

2008-05-10T14:34:00.006-04:00

Oh, Clementine!

Josephine in watermelon.

Lacy Skirt Front w/ accurate color.

On the floor for a nicer display.

Talia is almost done.

Delores Park Cowl - modified.

New Knitting

2008-05-09T22:21:00.005-04:00

Sorry, but this is going to be another photoless post. I really will post pictures tomorrow. I have been sooooo durn busy. I've been going to Thursday knit nights at my new lys & it's been fun. I finished my lacy skirt front while there (I only had 4" to do) & cast on for the Josephine Top in Interweave Knits Summer '07 issue. I didn't want to cast on for a lace panel & was itching to try the cotton yarn then & there. I am using Lyndon Hill (Pima Cotton/Silk blend) in a beautiful watermelon color. I knitted 1" on the back. You wouldn't believe how many of the ladies noticed I'd changed projects. They asked what about the skirt? Was I finished already? Lot's of "Wow. You are such a talented knitter." Really, they'd get a lot done too if they ate less cannolis & knitted more, lol.

I bought Blue Sky Alpaca's Alpaca/Silk in fuchsia & cast on for the Clementine Shawlette & knitted all of Chart A & up through row 11 of Chart B tonight (57 rows). I confess Nora's cozy in said color, along with further enabling by Deborah's cozy in said color, inspired me to knit this in the same colorway for my summer shawl. At least my lemmingness only went as far as color this time. I love the weight & softness that just begs to be next to bare skin. It's making me hyperventilate while knitting. Hmmm, hmmm, hmm. Yarn porn for sure.

All those revved up feelings were put to good use too. DH & I took a lovely 4 mi bike ride tonight & I'm now feeling the burn in my calves. (Exercise is good. Exercise is good. Repeat mantra til ya sound convincing!) Can't always park the hiney. Gotta move them buns sometime, right?

Today was my last knitting class for this semester. The girls made scarves, a hat, & Fetching gloves. They were all so proud of their achievements. A few of them asked/pressured me to continue the classes in my home on Tues. nights throught the summer. I just found out 5 (2 moms & 3 of the teens) of the original 9 students, plus 1 new teen, will be taking me up on this. Yeah! I am so proud of myself for the success of the endeavor. It looks as if I have bred & raised real life long knitter's.

Delores Park Cowl- modified- FO

2008-05-01T21:41:00.004-04:00

I forgot to tell you that I made a Delores Park Cowl last Thursday afternoon. It was soooo easy. I had a partial ball of Kardiff yarn, by Filtes in a green colorway #173, leftover from a poncho I made several years back. It was no where near enough yarn so I modifiied the pattern to make it work & ended up using every last inch of it up. Yeah! I knitted 9 rows where the pattern called for 13, 3 rows in the middle instead of 4, & 6 rows instead of the 11. (If you go look at the pattern you can see where I made those changes.) It turned out cute. I will definately make a full-size one in Malabrigo for the fall. Only thing I'd change is to cast on less. I'd like it to fit just a tad closer than it does for really cold breezes. I'll post a pic tomorrow 'cause I'm too impatient to upload right now.

Coming Clean

2008-04-30T20:19:00.006-04:00

I really have set myself up to think that blogging requires photos to make a post. I enjoy other bloggers posts irregardless of their photoless posts, but not for me I thought. I do have pictures, but I've been avoiding putting them up on my computer. Why? My poor old girl is overloaded with crapola & I need to do a hard drive clean sweep. I put (well...my Dad actually put) all my photo files onto a portable drive a couple of weeks ago. I still need to do a big delete of the main drives. I forced myself to take pictures of the bit of knitting I've done last week, but I don't want to download the photos. I need to retake the photos...knitted way more on the projects since. The pics look obsolete.

Now what's the problem? I've kinda lost my blog mojo. I haven't been writing or reading many blog posts lately. It's been very hectic here with the end of the school year looming & tax season just passing for me. I've felt a huge need just to chill out & lay low. That said, I have been waiting to post until I got the blogging mojo back. Not happening I fear. I decided to post my little photoless post in hopes that it would make me feel excited & chatty again.

I hurt my left knee a few weeks back. I was at the end of a 3 mile run & just a wee way from home. I went down on it funny & it slipped in & out. Very painful. I didn't have my cell & thought I was going to be stuck sitting on the roadside 'til my hubby decided I'd been gone too long. I sat there & waited for the pain to ease up & ended up being able to hobble the teansy bit back home. I'm back to running again...with a knee brace & a cell phone, b-u-u-u-t running never-the-less. My total miles is now anemic looking compared to everyone. It's fine. This is for my good & I'll just push forward from here. I have taken my Pilates seriously in the interim though. When I had to wait out the healing of the left knee, I didn't drop exercise completely & that's what's important.

My Lacy skirt front is just inches from being done. I think it's going to be just the right combination of drape, color, & swing. I am truly excited to wear the finished product.

Talia is almost completed. The left front is done & I'm working on the back neckline. Since it's done in the round, that is quite a lot of knitting done. This pattern is beautiful & I love, love, love it. Just so I am coming clean here, I have to tell you that I have been having a Dicken's of a time with it though. I do 3 rows, ripout 2. Do 5 rows, rip out 2. Do 3 rows, rip out 2. It's not the pattern per say. It truly is an advanced pattern. There is soooo much happening on each & every row that I find myself skipping a little something here & there & having to rip. Still. I love it. It's made me realize I need to pay attention, read ahead a bit, acknowledge that I am a good knitter, but I ain't as great as I thought. Humbling in a very good way. I have knitted this one a bit slower & have immersed myself in the challenging process.

K. I feel a bit of...excitement & contentment creeping back in here. Hope everybody finds this post eventually. (I know everyone has probably given up on checking my blog. Someone even dares to speak about me & imploring for secrets to be kept as if I am not there, ha, ha!)

Not Lost in the Land of Taxes

2008-04-17T14:48:00.004-04:00

I was lost, but found my way out in the nick of time. I am back to blogland safe & sound. My sis Deborah is having a cool contest. Here's her plight:

Now I have a question for all you lace knitters. How should I go about blocking this baby? Do I dunk it in water and then pin the heck out of it and let it dry? Do I pin the heck out of it and steam block it. How do I handle blocking the whole thing at once considering the finished length? Being this is my first lace project, I have no idea what is the best thing to do. Help!

Leave me a comment with some advice for my current predicament and you'll be entered in My First Contest. Even if you never knitted with lace, I'm sure you could come up with some sort of creative solution and if not you'll still get entered just for commenting. This contest does not discriminate - all advice (whether sound or not; even funny) will be accepted as an entry.

So click on over there & help her out...you could win an awesome prize for the helpful (or not so helpful, whatever) advice!

I'll be back later with all my knitting updates. I have been busy.

Prom Night

2008-04-04T21:07:00.005-04:00

It's Prom Night here. It was an afternoon of nails, make-up & hair up-do's. It was not smooth sailing. I bought a bunch of new fangled curlers to do her hair & it was not good. They got stuck. At least 5 of them, & it was more than 30 min. to get them unstuck. She cried. I cried. We re-did the make-up. In the end, her hair was fixed & she was only a tad late to meet up with her friends. We survived the getting ready & DD is enjoying herself at the dance as we speak. I didn't make DD's dress for prom. The asian theme was cancelled when the location of prom was moved, so she decided to buy a regular dress. Sigh. She succumbed to being just like everyone else. :) Here's a couple of pics of The Girls for those that might like to see.

Here's the Picture Heavy Post

2008-04-02T12:35:00.016-04:00

My secret startitis induced project. I was perusing Knitty's Spring 08 the other night & came across a few patterns to make this spring. I just happened to have bought enough Berroco Ultra Alpaca in 6297 Lobster Mix to make Talia. I'm making the small & had to go down to a size 8 options needle for gauge. If you ever want to make this be aware that the lace pattern is done on the front & back sides. It's something that means you really need to know where the yo & k2tog appear from row to row so as to not get it off kilter (ask me how I know...ribbit.) Here is the wee beginning.

Ask & you shall receive. DS modeling Two-Yarn Resoleable sock in all its funky array.

I had lovely blooming azaleas with a bit of dew on them for my lace photo shoot. Here's Tuscany in Blue Sky Baby Alpaca & Lacy Skirt in Sunflower. (Btw, it's a muggy 79 here right now. Thought you might like to know spring has sprung somewhere in the USA.)

I'm thinking that this lace knitting counts towards Knitting w/ Nora. I am planning on joining the group when they start Icarus. I'm itching for a beaded lace shawl. I also joined her & the ranks for logging "100 miles or bust" by June 10th. Vicarious group exercise. (Sounds PG-13 or R rated by the comments. Tee Hee.)

Where's the Knitting?

2008-04-01T21:13:00.009-04:00

It's been an odd week for me. I have been knitting, although it's like an inch here on one project & an inch there on another. I don't want to work for long on any of them. I like 'em all is the problem. Each is in a totally unique yarn or a way cool color. I want to do it all. Plus, my life is busy, busy, busy all over the place & can't seem to find a quiet spot. I keep taking snatches & I'm avoiding...TAXES. (Psst. Over here. Yah, you! I have a confession. I have startitis to top it all off. Let's not talk about it now though.)

I have completed the lace front of my skirt up through the eyelet band. I don't have a picture because it is too dark now for photos. Here's a pic from a few days ago for a little teaser. I promise current pics tomorrow. I am in love with this hot color. I was a wee bit worried about the width of the skirt. It's going to be 48" at the knees & aline. It'll be a few inches big at the hips, too. The small skirt is way small for my measurements, but the medium is too big. I wish that I made the skirt in this size but went down a needle to get the half size. I tossed about ripping it all out & starting over. If I had seen this blog before I started, it would have made me think about it. I decided to plunge forward & I kept knitting. I just hope it doesn't look sloppy & baggy on me. If I'd made the small, my every bump would have shown. I'd have felt the need for a long top to cover my hiney. I'm not as confident in my body as this blogger. Crud. I'm not sure I've made the right decision. I want to love this skirt after all the work. You might find me frogging it all in the end.

I don't have a photo of the Tuscany shawl at the moment, but I knitted on it as well. It's soft, warm, & luscious in baby alpaca. It grows by the minute. One sec it's 5" long & the next it's 10. I'd probably be done if I'd not act like I have knitter ADD. No problems or worries here. Just need to plug along & finish it.

DS's sock is past the heel turn. He picked out the Two-Yarn Resoleable Sock from Favorite Socks book. I had to do some math since this yarn is not the same gauge the pattern calls for. It's a first for me to take a pattern & make it with a yarn that needs many pattern alterations to use (that I need to figure out myself.) I used the magic method from the Priscilla's Dream Socks to calculate the cast on amount. Then I followed the tips for resizing in the resoleable directions. It's turning out quite good. DS has tried it on & it fits thus far. It's veeerrry weird making a sock & adding the sole last. I almost don't like making them. Funky. Oh, & Once again. No Photo...yet.

OK. I don't want to confess my startitis project. I did start one tonight. I bought the yarn last Thurs. at Knit N Purl. I didn't tell y'all about it. I made my swatch. Blocked it. Felt in lust with the yarn & said, "What the hey! I want to wallow in this yarn." I'm such a yarn ho. Sigh. Yadda yadda yadda. Blah blah. Pics forthcoming of my tooooo many "On My Needle" projects. (If I don't add a bar for it, it doesn't really exist. Right? Shut up Deb. ;0)

Knit N Purl

2008-03-28T13:27:00.008-04:00

I went to check out our newest LYS, in Carolina Forest, last night. I met up with a couple of pals to see what was to be seen at Knit N Purl. It was a lovely shop set up like a fine dress boutique with all black open wood shelving/cabinets. There was a large dining table set up in the back for knitting along with a few glass door hutches filled with yarny goodness. Everything was neatly labled & 3-ring binders were on the shelves with patterns for the yarns she carries. I liked her selection & was pleased to see enough of each color in the cubbies to make a sweater if you wanted. (A pet peeve of mine from a store in NC that never had enough for a sweater. The owner liked jumble cardigans.) Phyllis, K 'n P's owner, was so nice & open to any all suggestions for yarns & patterns to be carried. I think her store has great potential to be the place to shop for yarn. (A convenient location helps here too! Just 15 min from home off of the nice traffic free Hwy 31!)

Terrie & I stayed with a table full of ladies to knit the evening away. Phyllis was so pleased at the turn out, she exclaimed, "Why look at this. We already have a knit night group right here!" Terrie started snickering uncontrollably.

"What? You guys already have a Thurs. night group or something?", said Phyllis.
"Yeah. Mary Beth started one." I told her it was only once a month at the bookstore, so we'd still come the other 3 weeks to the shop for one too.

Gretchen exclaimed, "Oh! You guys must be the group my college son saw! He called me from B&N last month. He said,'Mom. There are a bunch of ladies here knitting & they're not oooolllld!' I told Phyllis we needed to find this group of gals & get 'em in the store!" (Note: Ooops! Guess somebody was trying to study that night, lol.)

Wow. My little group did get noticed by the general public after all.

Charleston Day Trip

2008-03-26T15:03:00.023-04:00

Yesterday was DD 17th birthday. We took her & a girlfriend to Charleston for a day trip of shopping, dinner, & an ice hockey game. After circling downtown for 30 min. we parked the car, loaded up the quarters in the meter & headed out to King St. for 2 hours of shopping. The Girls ditched us immediately. Can't get why we aren't cool enough to be seen with in public. Could it be that youngest DS is color blind & his taste in attire is a bit...odd? Or other DS wanting to eat 24/7(teenage tape worm, me-thinks)? Or maybe DH hating the crowds after 5 min? Couldn't really say.

DH, 2DS, & I went to knit.k on Wentworth St. It was a lovely shop & since I had no particular project in mind to make, I felt a bit aimless. I couldn't fall in love with any yarn (not the fault of the well laid out store or the helpful suggestions of the shop owner. I just couldn't feel the mojo under time pressure.) I did see a few Lorna's Laces Paint Can kits. There were a couple of Jitterbug skeins I liked. I wanted a pair of Lantern Moon knitting needle handles that were $20, but wasn't sure of a bag I'd actually make so left them for another think. I lusted after a Lexie Barnes Flo knitting bag in Baja print (too expensive.) I even fondled Koigu, Interlacements, & Smooshy. I couldn't decide. No yarn COLOR cried to go home. Believe me I could have purchased on name brand alone.

Jeremy came to the rescue. He wanted me to make him a pair of socks. I sent him to check out the sock yarns. He fell in love with Brown Sheep Co. Wildfoote in Brown Sugar & Symphony. He wants them combined into a pair of socks. Originally he expressed desire for one sock in each color to be worn together. He absolutely did not want a matched pair. I talked him into my combining them with a bit of each yarn to make a pair that would be asymetrical in color (ie: one yarn for toe & heel, then use that yarn for the other sock's body, & vice versa.) He trepidatiously said, "Ok. It'd look kind of tye-dyed." He was a bit irked that I really didn't get his idea of style. Sigh.

I threw in the little wooden shawl pin at the last second. I'll have to go back when I can spend endless hours petting the yarn. I really don't understand why DH & DSs don't like yarn shopping. They let me shop for 1 hour only because the were 3 schnauzers to pet & play with. Men.

I also purchased 12 buttons to complete my Top-Down Raglan Cardi. It is a FO! Woop, woop! It took all of the 2 balls of Manos & all but a small bit of the 2 balls of Patons. I made the smallest size, did the waist shaping, & made my cardi longer than the pattern. It fits like a glove.

After we played cell tag with The Girls we headed out to find The Dressing Room. It is a fabric shop that knit.k Mollie recommended higher up on King St. DH drove right on past it, Micah yelled, "Hey there it was!", & DH proceeded to ask, "Just how bad do you need to go in there?" I told him it was ok. The next trip down I'd go see it if parking was too much trouble. He looked relieved & drove the heck outta town.

We headed to Patriots Point to view the air craft carrier & other water vessels having to do with war & military. It was fun. The girls ditched us here too, only calling when they were "done touring. We are at the snack bar when you're done."

Next we ate lunch & headed to a fabric store that I had called ahead to in Mt. Pleasant. They insisted that they were a large fashion fabric store, not a sewing a machine dealer, or who only carried quilting supplies. I asked these pointed questions of the owner. She said they carried fashion fabric, notions, ribbons, oh & sewing machines. She lied. It was a dealer who sold quilting supplies with a few bolts of batiste for smocking thrown in the mix. I was disappointed. There still is the Fabric Emporium (Hwy 17) to try next time. DH drove by so I could look in the window & it looked promising (it was closed by this hour.)

We ended the day with an ice hockey game. The Charleston Stingrays are a low level pro team(not pro like the Sabres, but not amatuer. Not sure of the proper term here). The DSs & DH play inline roller hockey & were thrilled to be at the game. DH explained to The Girls that it was just like soccer, except on ice (The Girls play varsity soccer. Just trying to get them to relate here.) The Girls were grumping. Why did we have to go to a game? It took them 5 min to get happy. See we sat center court right at the glass. They had a perfect view of the game. As soon as the Rays hit the ice they were dumbstruck.

Heard were the following tidbits:

Oh. He's sexy.

I like that tall one over there.

No. Wait a sec. He's fine!
Ewww! He spit on the ice.

What is up with all the gum chewing???

After the 2nd time period they exclaimed the likes of:

OMG, This is soooo fun! It's MUCH better than football. These guys are actually cute.

This is exciting!

Did you see that play?

He is sooo hot.

The Girls want to got to ice hockey games next year. Sigh.

ETD to ADD: I used 5/8" buttons on the cardi. The color of them was called Dk. Brown. What??? They were definately not brown, more aubergine. The button factory worker who named them must have been color blind, lol.

Book meme

2008-03-24T19:26:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by Misa with a meme. Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 or more pages. World Made by Hand by Howard Kunstler.

2. Open the book to page 123 and find the 5th sentence. 'She gave me an intense studying look.'

3. Post the next 3 sentences. 'I worried now whether she would throw her arms around me and sob, making me feel uncomfortable. But she just took my right hand in hers and shook, like a asales representative sealing the deal. "You were kind to me when I was very low," she said.'

4. Then tag 4 people. Becky, Shameka, Cookie, pjbknit.

I need another arm

2008-03-22T20:16:00.005-04:00

I had some camera issues today. I couldn't seem to get a photo that wasn't blurry. Also pardon the clashing outfit.

I was good, worked on the Top-Down Raglan Cardi this afternoon, & completed one sleeve. All I need is another one.

(I started the 2nd one & have knitted up 2" out of the 13" needed.)

Sunshine & Flowers

2008-03-21T19:47:00.010-04:00

I was feeling the need for a little bit of warm sunny weather today. I decided to knit some up.

Lacy Skirt with Bows featured in Greetings From Knit Cafe

The Specs:

Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy in Sunflower

Louisa Harding Sari Ribbon in Light Lavender

The front & back are knitted bottom up. You create the 3 bottom lace panels separately for about 3.5". Then you knit across one panel joining it to the next, knitting across that one, joining it to the last. At that point, you knit the lace pattern repeats twice across, before making an eyelet row, which cedes to st st for the skirt body. You repeat the process for the back. The ribbon gets threaded at the waist for a drawstring and at the knees' eyelet row for a bunch of bows. I think it's lovely, mostly simple, with just enough fashionable parts to be sensational. Looks like summer.

Tomorrow & Monday are my days to complete Top-Down Cardi. I'm heading to Charleston on Tuesday & want it finished for then. Wish me luck.

Etd. to add: Check out this skirt on Warm Fuzzies or lilybeth's blog for good pictures of it.

When all you want is a quickie...

2008-03-20T18:07:00.006-04:00

...here is the shawl to make. I am making the Tuscany Shawl from No Sheep for You. I had 7 balls of discontinued Blue Sky Baby Alpaca in pink in my stash from 4 years ago. It was originally done up in a shawl featured in Knitting With Beads. I wasn't happy with the big rectangle with a very small attached triangle on one long edge to which you attach beads. It looked odd with such a small triangle & I didn't have enough yarn to make it bigger. It sat in time-out until last summer when I was in my "Re-balling Hated Projects" mode. I am glad I did that. It is turning into a more lovely shawl than I originally would have had. Luscious. I started it on Tues. night while out knitting with a couple of pals. Can you believe no mistakes? There ya go. Lace that you can't screw up while yaking. How great is that? I finished 5.5" in length that night & did up to 7.5" this afternoon. It's 22" wide out of the finished 76". It's going to be a quickie ladies. (I know what you were thinking. Shame on you! ;)

Ta DA! An FO for you. My first pair of Monkey socks are done. They are fabulous. They will be my warm, go-to pair come next fall. I started them in August on size 0 needles because the sock would have been too big on size 2 for me. It was bullet proof so I re-balled it. I restarted them again, Jan 29th, on size 1's & that was just right. I used Collinette Jitterbug in Gauguin which was approx. 291 yards. I sweatted out the second sock as I neared the last repeats. I wasn't sure the yardage would stretch. I ended up with a couple yards leftover. What a relief as I didn't want to have to buy more for just a little bit of toe. I knitted these pretty firmly, so if you are a loose knitter there wouldn't have been enough to make this pattern.

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Progress & FO

2008-03-17T17:00:00.010-04:00

It is a good day indeed when you get a lovely card & gift (on my neck) from your DH for the anniversary. Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful wishes sent our way. It's also a nice day when you can complete an item on the knitting list.

The Fountain Hat is done. Took me 7 days on & off to make. I won the yarn, in the colorway called Boston, from Misa. It didn't stew in the stash for long. I love it. It's a beautiful blue & the yarn is dreamy soft. I still have mega yardage leftover to make something else with. It was like the energizer bunny...the yardage just keeps going & going. Thanks again Misa!

Monkey sock #2 is at the heel turn. Another day or two & it'll be history as well. I am very pumped up to wear these. I'd definately make this pattern again.

Top-Down Cardi is on sleeve #1. I'm a few inches shy of where I want to start the ribbing. Maybe I'll have this one done by next week. The sweater is growing on me. After the other sweater disaster, this one's looking tops!

I am halfway through on my felted potholder. No picture though. It's a little project to use up leftover feltable wool bits in a beachy color combo of oatmeal, turquoise, & jade.

Knit-Night #2

2008-03-16T15:08:00.003-04:00

I am happy to report the second monthly knit night was a complete success. The location & date for the third one was set before the evening ended.

I brought my neighbor, Paula, who has never knitted & proceeded to force her to do so. Turns out she actually liked it & was excited to bring home her little swatch she started to show off to her DH. He asked her 'Why she was going out for knitting & coffee when she hates coffee & has never knitted, hmm?' Plus he said he thought only little old ladies knitted. She put him in his place, ahem, informed him 'that obviously wasn't the case since all the ladies are young!'

Tee was there & couldn't wait to display all her current/finished knitting projects. (Waaay too many to list.) She's my A++ student who has been irreversibly bitten by an addiction to knitting. I think she'll surpass me quite quickly in the skills department. She's rabid folks. She's a former law enforcement officer who carries concealed. Don't mess with the babe!

Anne brought her friend, an art teacher, who also never knitted. I forget her name. I think it was Nicole. For the sake of arguement that's what I'll call her. Nicole was fun & loved the knitting & asked when the next knit get together was because she wanted to do this regularly. Anne is my D student. She knows it so don't get your panties in a wad. She skips class, doesn't work on her project (completed 4" in the past 2 mos.), but is really spouting out to any who listen how great it all is. She yaked everyone's ear off, made us all smile & laugh, cause that is what she does best. She's a great friend. But I have threatened to boot her from class if she can't get her act together, lol :)

Leslie surprised us all by making it there at all. She is a new mom & needed a sitter for her other two kids, but thought she wouldn't get to go. She did. Yay! We talked about Pastor Mark Driscoll's book Reformission & about Itty Bitty Baby Hats.

Caroline was heard to say, "Yeah. Class was quiet & without disrutption the week Tee was gone. It was so nice." (They are friends but they both are such sarcastic teases.)

Other topics that were heard?

I hope there isn't anyone studying here.

A discussion on breast reduction. (One knitter had that done years back.)

Where is our mission field in our town?

Women like you'll get attacked before someone like us. You need to learn to shoot a gun & get a cw permit.

Yay! I've taught another person to knit!

K #1: I have to have chocolate.
K #2: Oh me too.
K #1: Then why don't you have any?
K #2: I do (Lifts iced coffee.)
K #1: Oh, a chocolate iced coffee something or other?
K #2: No. It's caramel swirl, but I'm pretending it's chocolate.

Puff Sleeved Cardi is an Official FO

2008-03-11T19:36:00.007-04:00

Are you surprised to see this one? I bet you were expecting a different Cardi (that one is very close too.) Okay, I'll be honest here. I don't like this sweater at all. There are several reasons. All of which I can't do diddly about. Here's my hate list.

1. DH surprised me a few months back by painting the tray ceiling in the master bedroom a lovely Old Gold while I was out. He dripped the lovely paint on two things. A few drops hit my headboard (washable, so it's ok) & my lovely cardi. You can see where I tried to get out the paint. I could live with it, but I still have more to go on this hate list.

2. After leaving Cardi in time-out for months on end (I couldn't very well go up for Murder 1 now could I?), I came across it lurking in the closet. I felt like I could face it & finish the button bands & sleeve seams. It was two afternoons worth of work. I was still irked by the spots & when I tried it on it was hanging a bit on the bias. I figured a good wet block would cure it.

3. Ok. I wet blocked it & now all the lovely soft/rough/silk-like texture of the yarn is gone. It's like the yarn had sizing out the wazoo to start with. This sweater is now a wimpy limp noodle. And it still hangs on the bias. IrrrrrK.

4. The buttons were all aligned beautifully & the sweater closed nicely BEFORE I wet blocked it. Now it's all waffley & gapey. It looks like I grabbed it from the rag bag.

5. My eye is twitching.

6. It looks better on my bed.

I am done grumping. I'll probably wear it when I bleach the tubs or something. (I am laughing. A bit hysterically, but laughing all the same.)

The Sewing is Calling a Siren's Call

2008-03-10T18:05:00.016-04:00

1st up is a picture of my 200th post winner's surprise pack of a few of my favorite things. My mom received it the other day so I can now reveal it. It contained my favorite notions bag (a Sonia Kashuck make-up bag which opens wide & can even hold my crochet hooks), a set of Knit Picks cable needles, & 2 of my favorite hemp blend yarns (Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy) for washcloths. The yarn washes beautifully. Just make sure to air dry.

Next is a picture of my winnings from Kristy, of Eleven Stitches, blogiversary. They selected my post as one of their favorites on the topic of telling them something you are glad you recently started. I was glad I had started teaching a knitting class. Thanks to her for the prizes & the chocolate is yummy!

Now, this one's for Becky. Hear the Sewing Siren calling???? I do. Here's my boxy bag that I made in a couple of hours today. I used Drago[knit]fly tutorial. I also checked out ZigZag Stitches bags on Etsy for the things I liked about hers.

My modifications were as follows:

1. I added a bit of grosgrain ribbon for the ends of the bag for helping when you open & close the zipper.

2. I made my finished size 3.5" x 3.5" x 7" ( I did cut it 12" x 16" to start) with a handle that I cut 7" x 12" for a finished size of 1.5" x 10" (instead of cutting it 8" x 10" in the tutorial.)

3. I made a beaded zipper pull with leftover beads (from stitch marker creations. The turquoise one was from Deborah.)

4. I got real friendly with my serger. It's a hot love affair now. (Check the inside seam finish.)

5. I used 2 fat quarters, one zipper, & extra ribbon & beads I had on hand.

Last up is a new project on my needles. It's the Fountain Hat. I am using my yarn winnings from Misa for this. It's soooo soft & the hat is knitting up quickly. I needed a To Go project that didn't require a lot of thought. (For conversing with my peeps.)

Check back tomorrow for a new FO.

Etd. to add: Thank you Yvonne for your praise & confidence in my ability to sell my boxy bags. I am flattered. DH has been saying that kind of thing for awhile now. I just chalked it up to his being a bit biased. Or, come to think of it, a bit pushy. I think he'd like to see me making some $$ on these crafts instead of just spending his. Or else he just tries stroking my ego every once in a while to get me all warm & fuzzy. Not real sure. Both are plausible. That said, if anyone wants a boxy bag to be made for them just give me an email. They are a serious pleasure to make.

Progress made & a FO.

2008-03-03T19:13:00.012-05:00

No sewing happened this week. No scrapbooking. But I did finish some knitting.

I finished the two felted bracelet bags. One for me & one for my sis, Deborah. For mine, I sewed in some cute hematite-like bangles with red stones on them. It's just right for my cell, lipstick, & money. Now I just need a night on the town.

I knitted another inch on my monkey sock #2 so I didn't bother taking a picture. It doesn't look much different.

Top-Down Cardi is off the needles...for the moment. I will pick the sleeve stitches back up on dpns tomorrow afternoon. The sleeves are only going to be three-quarter length, therefore I am nearing the finish line. Yay! I want to wear it some before the weather gets too warm for it.

I opted to do the waist shaping & it made it form fitted. I'll have to wear only my spaghetti strap silky or tank style tops under it. I am on the hunt for buttons. (12 needed) I tried it on for DH & he likes it. That's what counts for me.

I went to my lys this weekend & bought some yarn for a new summer skirt. Details to come.

A little knitting. A little sewing.

2008-02-24T18:11:00.013-05:00

I haven't disappeared. I've had kids sick with laryngitis this past week, but now most are on the mend. I will hopefully be getting all back on the board game of life this week.

Monkey #2 made a little progress on Monday sitting for hours at the Dr's office with said kids.

Top-down Cardi is really flying for me. If I'd just worked on it exclusively, I'd probably be done with it already. I chose Paton's Classic Merino in Taupe for my complimentary color.

DD & I dusted off the sewing machines & supplies this weekend. It was a blast working on projects that we had waiting on us. First, for a sewing warm up, was a bag from Amy Butler's book In Stitches. We used Amy Butler Fabric from the Belle & Lotus collections (which has been in stash since summer of 2006.) I used this & she made hers from this. A real sewing quickie, from start to finish, each bag was maybe a hour. DD plans on making this bag for her girlfriends' up coming b-days. It was a great way to spend a Saturday evening. We even went to the gym afterward to work out & run a few miles. Nothing like feeding the creative mind & the healthy body!

Today we continued on the sewing. DD is making a summer dress in navy stripe soft cotton. It's Vogue Pattern #8380,View B. All was going well until I pulled out the serger to set it up for her. It & I fought for an hour, while it broke the lower looper thread over & over & over. What the? The mantra from my sewing machine dealer, "It's not possibly the machine. It's you.", kept running through my head. I wondered briefly if this was the problem?

No?

Well after changing needles, threads, cursing the insane reasoning for thinking I needed a serger (like a hole in my head), & re threading it all a bahgillion times, I finally did get down on eye level to the inner workings of the serger. Lo & behold, I missed a little hook in the thread path. Ugg! So dumb. Now the little bugger is purring along like a good little serger. Dealer was right again. (Although, I swear the serger purposely hid the hook from me.)

Well, DD & I plan on sewing again next weekend (because I just love the stress.) We've got a prom dress to make. Tune in next time.

Ed. to Add:

I rarely have to wrangle with my sewing machine (Pfaff 7570). As long as I start each project w/ a new needle, use good quality thread (ie: Metrosene or Gutterman; also old thread breaks & fuzzes), & dust out the machine regularly it stitches along nicely.

A serger is smaller & square looking (mine's the White 2000 in the picture.) It cuts the edge, overcasts (encases both edges in a stitch like a fancy zigzag), & stitches a seam all at the same time at speeds up to 1500 sts/min. It makes finish work faster, seam edges longer lasting, & just plain nice looking on the inside. It's also hands down perfect for knitwear seams (it stretches w/ the fabric.) I haven't owned mine for very long & I am still learning. Eventually I know I'll come to find it indispensable, but in the mean time it drives me bonkers. I just want to get to the no thinking zone & serge away!

Contest Winners (& a Partial FO)

2008-02-15T18:03:00.010-05:00

Thank you everyone for all your great comments to my contest "A Few of My Favorite Things About Blogging." My 200th comment was from... Mary (aka MOM!) Can you believe it? She came out of lurkdom & posted a comment. I know she'll be so surprised (I was) to have won my surprise gift pack of a few of my favorite things (I'll post a pic after she receives it to keep it a surprise.)

I loved all of your great responses to what your favorite things about blogging are. I have to say a few of you made me really smile. One made me chuckle & one of you really made me LOL.

Misa you are my winner for the sock yarn. (You made me laugh & that's what my ultimate favorite thing about blogging is.)

misa said...
Blogging is good because... it's a good excuse not to clean the house or do the laundry, dishes, bills, clean the toilets, feed the kids, walk the dog, clean the bird cage, shovel the snow, worry about money...I guess what I'm really saying is that it helps feed a side of me that is really nourished by art/craft, whatever you want to call it. And I meet cool people who speak my language!
February 13, 2008 11:57 PM

You will be receiving my "Valentine" by Mr. (or Ms.)Postman (my favorite person!) I love all of you & hope your Valentine's Day was sweet.

(PS. Becky I chuckled at the last part of what you said, "finding some peeps to travel to MDSW with- finding via what they knit and how they write people that I can connect to on a level a little more entertaining than what happens in real life." Giggle ;)

And now the knitting update:

Here's one half of a pair of Monkey socks! You can see in the background that I also cast on for the second sock. No 2nd Sock Syndrome happening here. My Kitchener stitch finally came out perfect. Thanks Mom! (She read me a little poem from Sensational Knitted Socks author Charlene Shurch which helped me immensely. Front Needle: Knit off, Purl on. Back Needle: Purl Off, Knit on. I could just do that & not have to keep looking at my reference book instructions.)

A Few of My Favorite Things About Blogging

2008-02-13T13:43:00.006-05:00

There has been a flurry of blog contests lately. I wanted to get on the band wagon & have one of my own (passing on the love to you!) I've never won a thing before, until blogging. I want to share in the excitement the possibility of winning brings. Happy Valentine's Day (a teensy bit early!)

I have been having an off blog conversation with Kim, which got me to thinking. We were emailing back & forth about knit-night disasters...yes, even the LYS supplied nights out. Why they really don't work so well most of the time, yet blogging does. Made me ponder "What's a few of my favorite things about blogging?"

1. Well, we would no longer need psychotherapists if we'd just blog. Really, where else can you rant, not be interrupted, say it all just the way you want, & have an attentive listener? They even send you comments so you know they were listening!

2. It challenges you to progress, because, seriously, why would you want to display an ugly project for all the world to see? (Sometimes five times in one day... by the same person.)

3. We make real friends. Where else can you type all about the real good, bad, & ugly you & still have readers who regularly come back for more!

On to you. Tell what your favorite thing about blogging is. I will send out a surprise gift of a few of my favorite things to the postee who is my 200th comment (I am approaching the mark.) I will also pick my favorite post to send a new sock yarn I found (that I'm dying to try out.) It's Fiber Oasis' Valentine in a superwash colonial wool/nylon blend. That's two chances to win the love!

Veni, Vidi, Veci.

2008-02-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

Julius Ceasar may have came, saw, & conquered all for Rome, but he couldn't knit.

I have worked very hard this week & I have progress on my Monkey. I took it to Knit-Night (don't even ask about that!) & I put a few more inches on the foot.

Ok knit-night was a BIG flop. I should really have known. Only one person out of 10 confirmed showed. Two called ahead to cancel, but the rest just didn' t show. It's like a childhood birthday party nightmare all over again. I got there early & I settled in to knit while I waited. 35 minutes later still no other knitters. Finally one gal showed. We knitted & we had fun, but it just wasn't quite what I had in mind. I was begged by the previously mentioned no shows to do this & then they stand me up. Ugg! I'll get over being mortified. On to knitting news.

I started the Top-Down Raglan Cardi from CosmicPluto on 2/06. I have 8" on this puppy & I just started the second ball of Manos. (The picture is from last night when I only had 6" done.) I plan on going to my lys Wednesday to get a complimentary yarn for the body & sleeves. The yarn unknit was a little difficult to match to my satisfaction. Therefore, I started it in order to better see the pooling. Hopefully that will make it easier to match . The knitting was going fast until I got up to 243 sts. It's a bit heavy & unweildy on 24" circs right at the moment. I hope I'll be at the point where I set aside the sleeve stitches soon so it'll get back to a manageable stitch count.

Finally, here is today's scrapbook pages. I was completely clueless as to where this layout was trying to go, but it pulled itself together at the last possible second. I seriously worried I had over printed pictures & cut them up in weirdy ways. I kept at it & the little beasties started to shine the light on themselves. Phew! Letting the pages make themselves into whatever they feel like can be a teensy bit scary. It all came out alright in the end.

Super Tuesday & There's Waffling on the Issues

2008-02-05T10:43:00.001-05:00

Just a bunch of Monkey/Scrap

2008-02-03T17:41:00.000-05:00

Say that title out loud would ya?! Kinda sounds bad, but it's what happened here on my Sunday crafting. I use Sunday after church to do a little me time. I home school all week & by Sunday I am ready for me, me, me first (Well, actually God 1st...then me me me.)

Ok. So here is the Monkey. Her heel flap is done & turned & we are doing the gusset decreases as we type. Seriously. I am a woman with the ability to type & knit at the same time. Now don't ask me to chew gum while I'm at it 'cause that'll just really muck me up. Fine. Don't believe me.

I scrapped 2 more pages today. I really love this layout. I found inspiration from a sketch in my Feb. issue of Scrapbooks Etc., & it was so great to create completely from scratch (no paper kit packs here!) I used papers & embellishments culled from my stash. This spread was made completely with old, almost used up sticker sets & old stash paper (4 yrs. marinating.) It's like free really. I even used up bits of cut up scrap pieces of cardstock & patterned paper from my now less over-stuffed accordian file. I keep all paper bits that are at least 1" square to use later. It has been a life saver for so many of my pages where just a dab of color is all I need. That way I don't waste full size sheets of expensive paper. I am thrifty like that.

* Up close & personal so you can read the journaling.

*As always, you can click on the pics to enlarge.

Go Ahead...

2008-02-01T22:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you Kim! I was so happy & surprised to see my name make it to your list. Little ol' me. I was number 3, whoohoo. (OH, pshaw! I knew it was random order. I just wanted to feel special for a sec. :0) I want to send it right back to you, but not allowed I guess.

So I need to send this shout out to 10 more folks, in no particular order, whose blogs/friendships make my day awesome, too. (Insert drum roll here.)

1. Deborah - world's best friend/sister/fellow addicted knitter!

2. Lisa - scrap buddy/new blogger/awesome cook!

3. Misa - cause she's a new blogland read/a knitter whose stuff looks intricate (& I love her quilts!)

4. Cookie - she makes me laugh (& inspires me)

5. Sophanne - ditto (laughter is a big need for me!)

6. Kim - this is an illegal inclusion, but I read her blog everyday...more than once! (& she makes me rofl)

7. Mom - no blog, but she lurks & she inspires me & I love her.

8. Shameka - my first blog read...which then inspired me to make my own blog (& you have to be happy around her, Ms. Bubbly!)

9. Brooklyn Tweed - his stuff is perfect in execution & looks so good. (I lurk on his blog.)

10. Angie - I like to read her blog & see her wips & pictures of snow.

There ya go. That's 10 & I am made deeply happy & less stressed sharing blogland with all of you!

PS. Look at what arrived by Mr. Postman today...my yarny prize from Misa! Thanks bunches & I'll post when I make some socks out of it.

Chunky Monkey

2008-02-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

I knitted & knitted & now I am doing the Monkey (heel flap that is.) Here's my afternoon progress pics. I am 4 rows on the heel sts as of tonight.

Sunny decided she wasn't real impressed with my Monkey progress. What does she know anyway? Not much, I tell ya. I've learned to never take a cat's advice. Their only real concern in life is "When's the next meal?" (of which she never misses!Can'cha tell?)

I am addicted to the Monkey.

Totally Twisted

2008-01-29T17:50:00.001-05:00

It was a beautiful winter day at the beach. I took a late afternoon break on my back patio to knit. My cat, Sunny, even came out to snooze on my lap for awhile. Here's the view out my screen door. (I know. It's really dead looking right now.)

The birds were in the feeder, geese & hawks were flying & calling overhead, & the lions were roaring. What nice cacaphony to knit by. (Yes, you read that right. Lions live a mile down the road through my backyard. They reside at the zoo of course, but are quite loud at feeding time.)

I know. I told you I've been living in my CPH. So, what was I knitting you ask? Two new projects have been added to my needles & they both have twisted rib stitch for the ribbing. (My day is just full of weird coincidences.) Anyhoo, I cast on for the Knitty Thermal on Sunday & for my Monkey Socks on Monday.

I had originally started the Monkey's in August, but I knitted them bullet proof on size 0 needles & decided to frog & start over on #1s. I have long, narrow feet & thin calves & having them knit on size 2's was way too big for me. I was good & finished my Cable Rib socks before beginning these anew. I love this new rendition. Perfect! I received this yarn from Deborah for my birthday. It's Collinette Jitterbug in Gauguin. It's to die for.

I cast on those 240 sts for Knitty Thermal on Sunday afternoon & knit a few rows. I made it to the 2" this afternoon & will get to start the waffle stitch tomorrow. I will not tell you how many stitches I have or will have to knit to make this sweater. I don't even want to think about it. This yarn, Gloss, is scrumptious. It is so butter soft, yet such definition of the sts! Oh man, it even smells good (silk...ummhmm.) I am in love.

"Baby it's Cold Outside!" Flurries in the Forecast

2008-01-27T17:40:00.000-05:00

Here we are...flurries of FO's! I worked like mad & I accomplished a lot for me.

Up first is my Cable Rib Sock. I won't have cold tootsies now with this pair. I was sick of these when I cast off yesterday (the color was blah.) They are very soft & stretchy, but they stay up nicely enough. I'd make them again, just in a brighter color.

Specs: Started Aug. 2007 finished 01/26/08. Knit Pick's Risata in Ash.

I finished both of my Scrubs washcloths. The texture is similar to loofah, yet still quite soft. There is enough yarn left over to make another washcloth in stripes. When I get in the mood I'll do that.

Specs: Started 01/04/08, finished 01/27/08. Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy in Mild Green & Red Roses.

And best of all, CPH is complete! I wore it shopping today & it is perfect. I was wrapped in cuddly soft warmth. The fabric really stretches & moves with you while maintaining its shape. I'll definately make this again for myself & for my daughter.

I used the zipper tutorial at Chic Knits to put in the zipper. It worked like a dream, except her 45 min. took me an hour & a half. (I'm paranoid & slow going with something new!) I did take her recommended Pit 'n Bit Stop (use restroom then go eat chocolate ;)

Specs: Started 09/19/07, finished 01/26/08. Moda Dea's Silk 'n

Wool in Sangria. I used size 32 for the back & size 36 for the fronts & sleeves. I had no adjustments to match the cables at the shoulders. This gave me the extra room for my bewbage. (Thanks to Kim for coining that nice terminology, lol ;)

Be sure to click on the pictures to make them bigger...the better to enjoy them. (Hey, I am proud of these achievements!)

1st Scrap Spread of the Year

2008-01-27T16:59:00.001-05:00

I completed 2 pages toward my official 2008 Scrapbook Page Challenge. I tried using a scrapbook page kit (CTMH) & it turned out ok, but I really don't enjoy the "matchy matchy" look you get with a kit. I think I like pulling paper from mixed paper brands better. Don't get me wrong, I like all the papers in the kit...just not together. I should have only used a few pieces & pulled my personal color choices from my other stash. Live & learn. I can now remember this next time & do what I always do...decide for myself what "goes together!"

I used up some old alphabet stickers (ProvoCraft Alphabitties). I desperately needed a few other number stickers, so I improvised like the magazines tell you to do. I also added black accents & rubber stamping to anchor the pale color scheme down. If I had it to do over, I'd have matted with a solid dark cardstock instead of patterned paper. I'm rusty, but it'll get better. Happy overall.

There's a 100% Chance of Flurries

2008-01-26T20:15:00.001-05:00

"Flurries of FOs" that is! Tune in tomorrow for all the pictures & all the details. My sidebars leave you with clues!

Employed

2008-01-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

I had my first paid knitting class today! It was so much fun & all the girls were sweet. I have 9 students...five are teenagers and four are moms. I had a major hot flash halfway through class & it had a few girls laughing at me. I was glad to see them all happy to try something new. Most of them looked daunted at the fact that I'd have them knitting a hat before the semester is over, & they all got really excited over the felted bag we'll be making later. I've only one student that I deemed will need a bit of extra tender care in the learning process. I heard some of the girls talking about the class earlier today. It made me smile to hear them say how "pumped up" they were "to be learning knitting, especially with Ms. Mary Beth." Awww! I was so pleased, let me tell ya. I'll take pics & post them when I have them all working on their projects along the way.

Ummm! It's all good.

2008-01-24T18:09:00.000-05:00

Ummmm! Some yarn yumminess showed up today by Mr. Postman. I am excited to now be able to make the Top Down Raglan Cardi from CosmicPluto. The yarn I received was Manos in #118 Mulled Wine. I need to go the my LYS & get a couple of complementary solid colored skeins of wool. (Thanks go out to Deb for enabling my newest "enstashancement"!)

I've worked on my washclothes this weekend. I have one done, except for the single crochet edging, & have 8" on the other finished.

I also plugged along on my sock & am almost to the toe decreases.

I cast on & made it almost halfway on my second Bracelet Bag. I need another ball of Debbie Bliss' Alpaca. I either knit these bags up too loosely or else my yarn skein wasn't anywhere near as big as Laurie's. (You only need 1/2 a skein for each, supposedly. She doesn't specify how much yardage a skein should actually have. I've plenty of the eyelash stuff. Go figure. Off to the LYS for me!)

Hopefully I'll have a flurry of FO's to show after this weekend.

Why did I not ask?

2008-01-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

I had two lovely skeins of Manos just sitting in my stash for the longest time. I didn't know what to do with just two. It wasn't enough for anything unfelted...except for a scarf, & I have no need for a hot, large scarf at the beach. I finally got sick of waiting to make it into something fantastic, so I knitted up the Bucket Bag before Christmas. When the beautiful colorway got felted I truly didn't love it so much anymore. Don't get me wrong, I carry that purse a lot lately. It's just that I would have loved something unfelted that I could wear. Lo & behold, while reading through Kim's blog from her beginning post I come across her top-down raglan cardi from CosmicPluto Knits! In version 1.0 there is a picture of the sweater done with Manos & another solid yarn. Guess how many skeins of Manos were needed, hmmm? Two. Bummer. Now I need to go buy 2 more.

The Old & the Knitless

2008-01-15T17:52:00.000-05:00

Remember my cable rib sock that I finished waaaay back in August?? Well I finally cast on for the other one. I shouldn't have waited so long. Jeremy says it looks way better than the first. (That really says something as he's only 10!) He's absolutely right here. The second one is way better...it's also smaller. I am not ripping it out. I will wear these slightly missmatched socks at home & say "Who gives a rip???" It's only taken me two evenings to get this far & it's almost done already. But I was a good girl. I needed my #2 needles for the top half of the sock. I have done what I was supposed to. Now I can cast on my Knitty Thermal (which also needs said needles, but for a much longer period!) Stay tuned for that new project coming to my needles veeeery soon!

I am 7" of the 11 for my washcloth. DH (aka General Contractor/ construction guy) loves my handknit washcloths. There always has to be one by our tub for him to use. He started really liking me knitting when he discovered the washcloths. Let's suffice it to say he wasn't game for it before that. Heard numerous times voiciferously wailing, "Why on earth would you knit when you can buy something warmer?? He confused my knitting with his dead aunt's crocheting...very holey, stiff & unwarm stuff! Of course now he loudly proclaims that my endeavors are worthy of selling at a good buck, that my sweaters are so much nicer that the ones at the store! Men.

A is for Absorbed

2008-01-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

Where have I been for the last 14 days you ask? I've been absorbed in....

Books. 12 of them to be exact. I am a book junky. I love the way new ones smell, but check them out from the local library because although I get a million at a time, I don't have a million dollars to actually spend. Here's a picture of my reading range. Very intellectual to very funny/semi-smutty. I really enjoyed both of these. Peg Kingman's book is intelligently wrought, interesting, historical, & surprising. A MUST read. Janet Evanovich is my secret delight (cat's outta the bag now!). I've read all her Stephanie Plum numbers books as well as the Between the Numbers series. I just started in on her older lesser known books. While reading Wife for Hire, DH asked how I heard about Janet's books. I reminded him that the unknown condo owner from our spring break trip to Garden City Beach 2 years ago, left one of her books (Motor Mouth) on the bookcase & I had read it. He said, "Oh the one you read non-stop, laughing til you cried? I get why you're crying now." Janet always makes me laugh & my heart beat a little faster. Need a pick me up, a No-way-your-life-is-as-bad-as-hers book? Run, don't walk, to your local library.

PS. I also check out non-fiction books by the bucket full. I like to be well rounded. If anyone is in need of a good reference for the knitting bookshelf, I just checked out Knit Fix. There were a few tips I'd never thought of in there. Worth borrowing & perusing.

PSS. I've also been knitting. Stay tuned tomorrow for The Old & the Knitless where you can hear the kids say, "Oh, Dr.! Can it be saved??" & the Dr. reply, "Why certainly!"; as well as the construction worker caulking the bath say, "Oh hon, I just couldn't resist the bubbles." Same time same channel.

An aside for art

2008-01-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

Thought you all might enjoy a picture (my slightly blurry photography) of DD's last art project. It's acrylic on canvas & the geisha looks so lifelike in person.

Plus a new project on my needles. It's a Scrubs Exfoliating Washcloth from Yarn Play. I am making it in Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy color Mild Green on #4 needles. I plan on making both washcloth versions. The other will be in Red Roses & they'll be single crocheted around the edges with the opposite color when done. This yarn is so yummy. I've never used hemp yarn but now I want to find some other wearable item to use for the yarn. It's got great stitch definition yet springiness unlike cotton or linen. If you've not tried this yarn make plans now to do so.

Last, but not least, is an FO. I finished up my Pea Pod Baby cardi tonight. It turned out so durn cute. Need to make the hat this week, but the cardigan was the important part. Seaming the teeny armholes was lots of fun (insert sarcasm here.) I hope the baby likes it. It did turn out very soft after blocking, compared to its crispness while knitting, which pleased me a bunch.

Not knitting just now...

2008-01-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

Yes! It's the New Year full of new possibilities & new resolutions to be broken...each & every one. Ahhhh.

OK. I promised myself I'd get CPH & that durn Pea Pod cardi seamed for the past 2 days. Didn't happen. I was drug out of the house yesterday for 2 hours by DH to buy curtains for our livrm & dining rm. (Really, he insisted. He's a man with a mission right now.) Then I spent an hour pressing & hanging them. Then my DD needed help on a serger issue. She is making a dress of her own design...start to finish without a pattern!...& she absolutely cannot do a single sewing project without running into some sort of a snaffoo. Love her I do, but I sew when I feel like it & I did not feel like it. We did trudge along, solved a few problems only to have a few more arise. We gave up. Saturday I am doomed to help again. (Please hope for this dress to get finished.) For those of you who know her, she is extemely talented in the art dept. Her painting, drawing, or sewing projects always turn out lovely & I truly envy her fearless qualities to just create. But an artist is a very difficult person to please & usually over challenges themselves often. I think if she'd just stick to a simple Burda pattern (already created to work!) that she'd be a happier person. Although, we'd miss out on her fabulous custom creations in the end. Durn. :)

I will not promise to finish my seaming. I'll just surprise you (& myself ) once it's done. Happy creating.

A Little Bling for the New Year

2008-01-01T17:21:00.000-05:00

I knitted a little pretty bling for New Years Eve. My DH took me out to eat at my favorite restaurant & we had a lovely couple hours out w/out kids. Then we came home & watched the festivities in Times Square on tv with the boys. We all made it to 12:30 am! While busy hanging with the family I cast on & finished my Felted Bracelet Bag. It'll be felted it in the washer when I finish the second one for my sister, Deb. Just the right size for a cell phone, lipstick, & money for a night on the town! I already have some pretty bangles that I'll sew to the tabs when it's done being felted. (Deb will have to sew on her own...sorry :)

I spent today cleaning the house & putting away the decorations until next Christmas season. I didn't get to the seaming on Pea Pod or CPH, but I still have one day of vacation left...tomorrow is another day! Will post the completed items tomorrow night. I am ready to wear CPH...it's 32 here finally.

A bunch of you have been putting out a New Year's list of goals for 2008. I haven't really thought too much on the subject for myself. I'll compile my thoughts & get back to it. I do have my scrapbooking goal already figured out w/ Deb. 104 pages. I was completely unrealistic for last year of 208 pages. I made it to 76. So, so sad. We ususally meet or exceed our yearly quota, but it was just too crazy a life in 2007 to do it. I will reach this one for '08...I've done it before; I know it's possible! LOL. I second Deb's views on knitting. We don't keep more than 4 or 5 personal projects on the needles at a time & that really forces you to finish or frog! I'll keep that intention for sure.

Happy New Year everyone! I wish you the best for 2008.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2007-12-31T14:24:00.000-05:00

Here we are at the end of 2007. I didn't have as much knitting or scrapbooking done as I'd have liked. We really had a crazy year as a family, so I chalk it all up to "It is what it is." I am happy with some rather than none. Here are my FO's from over the holiday break.

Beatrix. Specs:Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in Icehouse. I made it to the second sock's toe shaping before I added ball #2 of yarn. I would add 2-4 more pattern rounds to the leg next time as I feel they are a bit short for my taste (I had more than enough yarn.) They are really pretty & feel great even in a shoe. I'll do them again for sure.

Vogue Knitting Felting On the Go! Bucket Bag. Deborah bought me the Manos in Aug. It marinated until this week because I really wanted to make the bucket bag but supposedly needed another ball. I decided to knit a swatch on 10 1/2 needles instead of the 11's called for. I mean really, whatever you knit to felt is the size of a small car to start with, & you felt the crap out of it to turn it into an item that's 10x13. I got the gauge & decided to go for it. If I needed more, I'd just add a solid to the bottom of the bag. As it turned out I never needed it. There was more than enough yarn in the 2 balls to finish.

Here's some nearly done objects:

Pea Pod Cardigan. It is almost done. I need to seam in the sleeves, block like crazy, & sew on buttons. I worked like the Dicken's, but didn't quite get it done. I should get through it tomorrow. My friend had Lillian on Dec. 27th & I need to finish this & the hat by this weekend.

CPH (Over-exposed so you could better see the details.) It is sooo close! I need to do the underarm seams & sew in a zipper to be done. Tomorrow is the day for finishing.

And here is the New! The green shell buttons are for my Puff Sleeved Cardi. The blue button is for an old Vogue spring sweater I made a year ago. I couldn't find that "Just Right" button 'til now. The Lime Blue Malibrigo is for a wrap I am designing. The red Alpaca & eyelash is for two Felted Bracelet Bags (Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair.) The Elizabeth Lavold Hempathy is for two Scrubs Exfoliating Washcloths as seen in Yarn Play. My LYS (Island Knits) had a 20% off everything sale, while I got the Hempathy at my other LYS (Joyfilled Garden & Gifts/Prena Knits) for 15% off. I now have some portable projects to start.

Happy New Year to all! I have enjoyed the blogoship (fellowship of the online sort) with eveybody these last few months.

Knitting for a Sweet Pea

2007-12-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

I've been reading up on everyone's Christmas knitting & thinking about Christmas' past. I used to knit up a storm for gift giving & I intended to do so this year yet again. Well it ain't happenin' folks. I just couldn't muster up the inspiration. I am just not into it. Bummer. BUT, I really felt like making somebody something & here comes my friend Leslie last Friday night. She is a pumpkin about to burst! (baby #3 is due Dec. 29th.)

She mentioned having knitted a blanket & a cap for Lillian, & wishing to make a shrug or jacket, but her hands were now raw. I got to thinkin' on the Knitting Daily Peapod Baby Set. (Deborah is making this for her friend & I "lifted" the idea.) I printed it off & looked up the yarn called for. I had an "AhHa!" moment. Plymouth Encore DK ( same gauge) was marinating in the 'ol stash for the past few years & I had just enough. Woah Nelly! Here's my progress so far. I've just put the back & left front stitches on stitch holders. My MIL says it is beautiful, & I'll take that complement. I think it looks like old time Christmas. I hope Leslie will like it. (Note to Self: I had no idea she was a knitter!!! Must get her out for a knit night!)

PS. I can tell who all is reading Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair. We are all making Notes to Ourselves. This is a must read immediately book, btw.

Contest Winnings/Early Christmas

2007-12-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

Lookee here! Look at what Kim sent me for winning her "In the Time of the Chimpanzees, I was a Monkey" artist & song contest. I am drooling over that Fleece Artist yarn. I've never had a skein before & can't hardly wait to knit it up. The little Loopy's Red Sock kit is too cute for words. I will use it as an ornament on my tree, I think. (Every year when I put it up I'll think of you, kim.) Thank you Kim! It will be a Very Yarny Christmas indeed.

CPH on the Home Stretch

2007-12-10T15:19:00.000-05:00

I worked very hard on Sunday afternoon on CPH. The shoulders & upper sleeves are all seamed in. I picked up for the hood & knitted up 5 in. Be still my heart...I think I can actually finish this puppy to wear for Christmas! I plan on making an i-cord bind off for the fronts to make a nice edge for a zipper. That will be next Sunday's afternoon of knitting.

Not Smarter than Your Average Bear

2007-12-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

Oh, Dur!!! I thought I knew all about reading a knitting chart. I've done quite a number of projects that required knitting from a chart. I've never run into an issue before...until my Puff Sleeved Cardi, now that I think about it. (I think I've figured out my problem there as well!)

Well, I have this luscious pink alpaca yarn form Blue Skies that I knitted into a shawl 4 yrs. ago. I frogged it Wed. afternoon because I never blocked it, I disliked it. (Love the yarn, hated the shawl...it didn't wrap around enough.) I reballed the 7 skeins worth of yarn & proceeded to knit up Tuscany from No Sheep For You. It looked funny & the pattern didn't quite look like the picture. Rule #2 on the pattern wasn't working. I kept undoing & reknitting. I looked online for errata. Until I said, "Well go w/ it. It is what it is." Except that I'm a perfectionist & it wasn't perfect. I slept on it. It's what Deborah & I do when scrap pages aren't up to snuff & driving us bonkers.

This morning I sat down & looked at the chart, the Rules 1 & 2, & my work. I had an "Ahah!" moment. (Amazing what a cup of coffee will do for the stupified brain.) The lace would be right if I read the chart from right to left (which,btw, I already do.) Buuuut, read every other row left to right. And there you have the solution. I checked About.com & confirmed my conclusion to be correct. Read a chart starting at the bottom right & go right to left, left to right alternating up the rows.

I feel so stupid. The other patterns worked with my just reading right to left because they pretty much were mirror images of themsleves at each end of the chart. My first encounter w/ this was in Fitted Knits, but I fudged things & didn't think on it too long.

We now all know how to read a chart, right?!

Hot Cocoa Anyone?

2007-12-03T19:57:00.001-05:00

I wound my skeins in balls this evening in anticipation of getting ready to begin my Knitty Thermal. I am using KnitPick's Gloss yarn in Cocoa. I won't cast-on until I finish CPH & my second Cable Rib sock (it needs the #2 needles for the top leg portion before I switch to #1's.)

Artistic Block

2007-12-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

CPH sleeves are done & I even lightly blocked the bugger this afternoon. Whoo, hoo I am on a roll. I decided to sit & sew up the shoulders & sleeves in the flat 1st, then I'll pick up & knit the hood. After that I'll just have to pick up & knit the front bands. I'll be doing a zipper instead of buttons if I can get a zipper locally.

FO

2007-12-03T19:42:00.001-05:00

Par-tay! Fetching is done. They are a wee bit large on me, but very warm & cozy. They'll do. I want them for cold weather driving or wearing around the house when I read or blog for the most part. My youngest took the picture. (Did a good job on it for me.)

This yarn came from old stash (and sale yarn to boot.) Be proud of me.

In Other News on the Home Front...

2007-12-02T11:14:00.000-05:00

Guess what? I am going to be teaching my first paid beginning knitters class in January. I am very excited. There's been a buzz of interest & the class should be full. I will create knitting buddies out of these beach bums yet! (Said in love, don't ya know!) I've been working on the syllabus & projects to be created. They'll get to create a knitter's reference book with handouts & sample swatches they make along the way. Wish me luck. If all goes well I will also start a Myrtle Beach Knit Night group from this, too.

Show & Tell in the Land of Half Done

2007-12-01T11:25:00.000-05:00

I feel like I'm back in Kindergarten. But that's what's so great about blogland, you show off like a kid if you want to. I've been pretty busy knitting away here. I even had time to make new stitch markers. (When I was procrastinating on knitting!)

Here's CPH's sleeves nearing the finish line. Kitty wants to eat them.

Here's Beatrix. One down, one to go. I used the Stretchy Cast On (for k1, p1 rib) from the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Here's my modified version: You cast on double the stitches called for, but go ahead & join into round by slipping last stitch over 1st stitch, pulling 1st stitch through last to other needle (aka Cat Bordi sock book style.) Then you k2tog, p2tog until end. It creates a thicker cast on edge, but it stretches for forever & snaps back snug. Love it.

Here's Fetching. Once again, one down, one to go. This is Noro Cashiroha yarn. Yummy!

And here's a not so good shot of my crystal stitch markers.

PIF

2007-11-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

Okay heard about this from Kim's blog (of http://yarnyoldkim.typepad.com/) & I thought it'd be fun so I'm participating in the Pay it Forward exchange, too. (This exchange promotes the spirit of handmade.) If you are one of the first 3 to comment on this blog stating that you want to join the PIF, I'll send you a homemade goody. Could be any sort of crafted item, maybe knitting maybe not.

“The idea of the exchange is I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on this blog post requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”

Leave me a post. If you're one of my 1st. 3 commentors stating participation (you also must have a blog of your own), email me your name & address to send your gift to.

Beatrix Errata

2007-11-20T10:19:00.001-05:00

All good patterns can have errors within them & this one is no exception. If you are interested in making the Beatrix socks in your near future here is the errata you'll need to take care of on your pattern copy. Note these are my changes in colored type to make this pattern workable, not the original author's changes (she doesn't have any changes at this point.)

Under Leg heading it should read, "Work in leg pattern stitch as follows for 64 rnds ending on row 16 across 29 heel sts only."

Under Heel Flap it should read, "Keep heel stitches on needle shaft & turn work. {29sts}
With WS facing, work back & forth across heel sts cont. in leg pattern, but slipping first stitch in each row purlwise & purling all WS rows instead of knit.

These are the changes I made because if you do the pattern as stated you'd be at the Row 1 doing knit row on RS (to keep lace every other row as established) & purls on WS, not making the lace pattern. Hope this helps everyone & makes this pattern enjoyable!

Scrappin' w/ my friends

2007-11-19T21:19:00.001-05:00

Once a month I attend a Mom's Night Out on a Friday evening. It changes from dinner out, going to the movies, etc. This month it was a crop night. I had a good time even though I only created one layout (if I'm up on my game I can create three in the same 4hrs.) The fellowship with other moms is always refreshing. I was feeling so so about the pages, so I sat down on Sunday afternoon to tweek it a bit. Just for those of you who like scrapbooking, here's my finished spread. I rubber stamped & punched letters on Sunday & was pleased with the end product.

Traveler Beatrix almost arrives at her final destination

2007-11-19T20:45:00.000-05:00

Remember my Traveler's Socks? Well they went swimming in the frog pond on Thursday night never to return. I have been knitting on that same partial sock for 2 years & putting it onto 2 circs didn't make a bit of difference in the easy factor. What put me over the edge so to speak was trying it on & discovering the lovely points on the cuff wouldn't stay up straight. They curled right over when worn. I just couldn't imagine finishing the second sock let alone the first. The fabric was stiff & frustrating to make. I exclaimed, "That does it!" & proceeded to yank out the needles. My hubby was shocked that I pulled the plug on my poor sock. He said he couldn't believe I gave up on something. I never give up. Well, I have now & I am sorry to disappoint him with my quitting 'tude. :>') I whipped out my ball winder & re-balled the Lornas Laces Shepherd sock yarn. Since this yarn was a birthday gift from my mom a few years ago, I knew I needed to make it into something lovely. I found the Beatrix pattern on Socktopia & knew I'd found the ideal sock pattern. I love wearing socks with my clogs & this pair is meant to show off the back. Here's a pic of my weekend progress. Shoot, 2 years & only 4" of the other sock to show for it & here I almost finished Beatrix in 2 days. My kind of sock!

Productive Weekend

2007-11-12T19:10:00.000-05:00

Another beret, this one for my daughter, is finished.

Also cast on for a pair of Fetching fingerless gloves on Saturday night & finished one on Sunday while watching the Panthers play. (I love my team, but wish they'd win one at home!) I came across the pattern while nosing around the blogs on Friday. It's from Knitty. I like how cosy it is, but need to get finer yarn as it's a tad big on me. My hands are fine boned & although I got gauge, they are a not as snug as I'd like. They look a bit blobby on the hand. What do you think?

I like the pair I saw done in fingering weight yarn on Cookie's blog Shut Up and Knit! http://shutupandknit.typepad.com/photos/2006/scout_models.html She used her friend Scout's hand dyed yarn & they are exactly how I want an everyday pair to look. I'll try that next.

I cast on for the CPH sleeves on Saturday & here is how far I got by this evening. My only beef with the yarn I chose (Modea Silk 'N Wool) is that the last few balls have been noticeably less lofty. Since the yarn is thinner in these balls, I've noticed my gauge wasn't the same. I had to adjust for it.

Well my slump seems to be over. I've found some inspiration on the blogs I've been reading & I will continue to plug away. I need to finish my sweaters soon as it has gotten a bit chilly here. Oh, I went to get my eyes examined. I've been having eye headaches lately. (Probably the real reason causing my crafting slump here was the almost migraines.) Found out why I was suffering...I need bifocals. EEEK!

Small Strides- Happy Day

2007-11-07T17:25:00.001-05:00

I have to say that I am hitting a knitting slump of sorts. I haven't felt motivated to knit & have sat to stare mindlessly at my walls instead of knit. I don't quite know what the problem is. Is it that I was going pretty gung-ho on all my projects & just burnt out a bit? Or was it that I was nearing the end of so many projects that I developed a case of finishitis? (I do feel a bit feverish!) Not sure,but I did finally make a few small strides here on my sweaters. Here's my Puff Cardi with her beautiful sleeves done.

I also finally got the fronts done on CPH. I do not recommend doing both fronts at the same time. It got very confusing at the armhole stage as bind-offs were on opposite sides on different rows from one side to the other. I almost tossed the mess in the bin & wrote to say my 4 cats had it for dinner & I'd need to knit a new project. I persevered though. I have almost talked myself into casting on the sleeves tonight. Almost.

Last but not least here's a picture of my November calendar for Chappysmom's birthday contest. http://chappysmom.typepad.com/bookworm/2007/11/calendar-girl-2.html

Happy B-day Deb!

FO Beret

2007-10-28T20:03:00.000-04:00

I deviated from the routine a little this weekend. I am still plugging along on my CPH & Puff Cardi, but decided to try my hand at designing a pattern. Here's my first ever attempt at this. I made a hat yesterday, but it was way too big for my likes. I took it apart, reknit & revised it a bit. I like it much better than the first one. I wanted a beret, but all the patterns I could find weren't exactly what I wanted. Most were too floppy or had a tight band with a way wide top. I wanted something on a smaller scale. I will make it again & tweek it a bit more. For now this is pretty close to what I envisioned. I am so surprised at myself for this. It's actually wearable & not too bad. I learned a lot about planning & shaping by doing it all on my own. Not such a fearsome thing really.

Specs: Patons Soy Wool , One 110 yd. ball, Ribbing needle size 6-16" cir., Body needle size 8 dpn.

Swimming in the Frog Pond

2007-10-22T16:02:00.000-04:00

I am moving right along now. I only hit a minor bump in the road Sat. night w/ my CPH. The brillant idea of doing both fronts at the same time seemed easy enough. Should have read a little more carefully before I got started, though. I got my 4" of ribbing done on Friday & decided I'd work on putting them onto the larger needles over the weekend. Well, when I sat down on Saturday evening to do the deed, I discovered a slight flaw. I had
knitted two left fronts. I didn't realize both ribbings began opposite of one another. What to do?? I yanked one off the needle & frogged it. The other I placed on the larger needle & proceeded to reknit my right side front ribbing. Wouldn't you know, the very thing that takes hours to put in the 1st time around, whips up in an hour the 2nd time? I proceeded to knit up to 13" on Sunday afternoon while I watch the movie Invincible.

Edging Right Along

2007-10-14T14:00:00.001-04:00

The Puff Cardi is off the needles temporarily. I just finished the peplum, but will need to put the sleeve stitches back on the needles in order to finish them. The peplum caused me no small amount of trouble I can tell ya. There are 20 rows of lace stitch to the pattern & I made it to row 16 without any problems. When I tried to do row 17, all heck broke loose & I spent a few hours doing & redoing. (& checking the KAL to see if anyone else ran into this. Found an inordinate amount of folks who ended up having an unnamed problem w/ the lace & substituted with a completely different panel of their own!)

No matter how I looked at it I could not get row 17 to work as written. I slept on the problem & came to a decision the next evening. I would just "take charge of my own knitting" & fudge it. I was faced with undoing 16 rows of 200 some-odd stitches, reknitting, & possibly still having a glitch at row 17, or just making a simple pattern change & making it work. I made it work & love the result. I will be doing a sample with waste yarn to see if there really is a glitch in the pattern or if it IS possible to work it as written, which means I made a mistake somewhere originally. I'll post the result of said sample to let you know what I determine. In the meantime, I'll just be happy that I substituted a bit & am able to finish this cardi & enjoy wearing it. It fits like a glove, so I am pleased as punch!

Lemmings Knit-a-Long

2007-10-10T20:30:00.000-04:00

Alright here's a call to join the Klumpp Girl's Knit-a-Long, aka. The Lemmings Knit-a-long. Join us as we plunge over the mountain of knitting insanity! We will knit the following projects: The Somewhat Cowel, Knitty Thermal, Chevron Scarf, & the CPH. This is a continual group & you may jump in any time. The only requirement is that you be a good Lemming & knit the exact same projects, but in completely different colors than one another! We are a diverse (or maybe more like subversive) group of knitters. You must definately have a serious addiction problem to participate meaningfully. At the end of the year we can all look like the Star Trek cast...same outfits, different colors. Come on over. We're ready for our plunge.

Contemplation

2007-10-08T22:42:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about what new projects to do when my sweaters are done. I have only 70 rows left to my Puff Cardi, and most of those are on the sleeves. So I need to order yarn and needles for a new project. (I like having the new stuff available anytime of day or night to start.) I have decided on the Knitty Thermal from Winter 2006. I've ordered Knit Pick's Gloss in Cocoa. I am all up on the latest Fall Fashion Forecast & grays with chocolate or red are the new "black". They say what black can do, gray can do better. Personally, my thoughts are "Whatever!", but I like to look cute & as trendy as possible with respect to my age. Blah, blah, blah. Right. I am also contemplating the Somewhat Cowel. I'd like to do the short sleeved version since it takes til Feb. to get good & frigid at the beach. I'm thinking of doing it in Knit Pick's Andean Treasure in Fog Heather. It's the right gauge & the color would go with so much already in the closet. It'd definately pull some pieces together in a classy way. Not positive on making it yet, just thinking still.

I have made a major weekend to do list as Kim did recently. Mine of course has knitting on both my sweaters, but I must 1st finish unpacking the last three boxes in my living room. I moved 2 mos. ago & have petered out on the unpacking frenzy. So there's a few misc. piles in the master bedroom to be addressed & the clogged up kitchen counters to deal with. I will put the family on house cleaning detail, as well. My hubby is finishing our screened in patio as we speak, which means to outdoor areas are almost complete to plan. I just need to tweak the interior a little more over the next couple of weeks. Then I can settle into my usual fall gift making, knitting & scrapbooking routine...do it til I drop like the dead at New Years!

That's my random thoughts for the night. Will hopefully have progress pics this next week of major knitting finished. We'll see.

We're almost in the Hood Now

2007-10-03T21:23:00.000-04:00

OOHOO Yeah! The Back is off the needles. I finished it last night. The decision has been made to cast on both Fronts onto the same needle & do them together. Ditto for the sleeves. It should all move rather quickly if I do it that way. Very exciting to see two sweaters in the works that I know I will actually wear.

Cardi is at the pelum stage. I had to take my daughter to get her braces off today so I had 2 hours to kill. I completed 20 rows of the waist shaping. This evening I put on another 10 rows into the peplum. Now Cardi has a nicely defined waist. I tried it on & it is absolutely, positively perfect on me. I have a couple more afternoon's worth of work & this baby will be finished.

I'm so, so Happy!

2007-10-01T16:47:00.000-04:00

I got bit by another bug...the beaded stitch marker bug that is! I created these this afternoon after lusting over Shameka's creations. AC Moore had the stuff on sale so I made them inexpensively. I love lamp work beads so I tried them 1st. They turned out well & will work on perfecting my technique in the future.

Kitty is back home where she belongs. I put up a cute pic of her instead of the shots where you can really see how deathly skinny she is. She's a tiny cat to start with (that's a 10" sq. tile she's sitting on!) I thank every one who wished a good outcome for us. She's very happy to be home again. I adore her & am thrilled to have her back.

CPH is inching right along. Just a few more rows & I'll be shoulder shaping. Almost finished with the back now. Yay! As you can see, I promptly used my new markers for the hoodie in progress. They look pretty good I think.