Sunday, December 28, 2008

I finished something!

I got my dad's vest done, finished my scarf (except for blocking it), and I'm adding buttons to my hat!

I've been dyeing up a storm lately. Love the way coffee dyes yarn so I need to find a better way to do it. I love the instant gratification most of the dyeing I do give me. I mix up a batch, pop it in the micro, go do something else, come back later, pop it on again....

I need to swatch for the bsj, and start my critter for the KAL.

Got a blocking board for my birthday!!! And some great knitting books, and a spinning book.

Didn't get to clean up my office as much as I wanted over Christmas break. Need to get to work on that.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Getting Closer

The Brioche Vest is almost done.

I have a pile of yarn taunting me from next to the trunk. KNIT ME! it keeps saying... If only I had more knitting time.

Started the gloves today.

Been working on felted bells.

Back to my needles!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Wishlists

I put one on webs...

Then I found this website. I only had enough energy to go through the roving tonight..

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Tubular Cast-On (a copy)

I love this cast on, now that I 'know' how to do it. This is so I can have my 'cheat sheet' at hand.

From the Blog "My Fashionable Life" without pictures.

1. Using waste yarn (the same weight as your main yarn), cast on half the number of stitches called for in the pattern. If your pattern calls for an odd number of stitches, add 1 and half that number. Change to your main yarn and purl 1 row, knit 1 row. Repeat last two rows.

2. With WS facing, purl the first stitch. The arrow is pointing to the first stitch of your work, held on waste yarn.

3. Pick this stitch up on your left needle.

4. Knit into the back loop of the picked-up stitch.

5. Purl 1 stitch from left needle. The next stitch to pick up and ktbl is shown with an arrow.

6. And here it is picked up. Ktbl as per step 4. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to last stitch.

7. Purl last stitch. There is one more stitch to pick up and ktbl. It hardly looks like a stitch, just a wrap of yarn around the very end of the row. Don’t worry about it too much: as long as you get your needle into that knot, you should be OK.

8. Ktbl into picked up stitch

9. Carefully unpick waste yarn to reveal your beautiful tubular cast on. You have your reward.


Then you just cross over the stitches for a 2x2 rib!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Time Flies

I'm trying to work steadily on Christmas gifts. I got side-tracked by a Cowl from my grandmother in law, and a pair of fingerless mitts for my sister in law - both birthday presents for October.

The project for my brother has stalled out a little due to the snoozy pattern that doesn't seem to go very quickly. I hope to be able to make more progress (as in, knit on it) soon.

My father's project is moving along pretty well. I'm still on the back, but making pretty good progress. Every time I knit with the Cascade Eco Wool I'm amazed at how soft it is. I wouldn't mind stocking up on it - but I haven't gotten back to where I could get it for a great price.

I still need to block my mom's gift, as long as I decide to give it to her. I have another option, including having the yarn in my possession, already picked out, but I'm not casting on yet.

I finally FINALLY found a bulky adult-sized glove pattern so that I can make the gloves for my co-worker. It's only been a year. Now I just need to find the rest of the yarn I bought for the project and cast on.

I started a scarf out of the Cascade Lana d'Oro that my mom got me some time ago and I love that yarn. I was able to find someone selling a sweater's worth on Ravelry, and think I'll probably make the Nantucket jacket out of it. I think it's more suited than the Brooks Farm Willow. Which frees that up for something else.

I also just scored some hemp/wool mix in several different colors. I'm so excited about that. I might make my brother some more socks. I just have to finish his first pair from last year. My dad has 2 pair, I have 1, my mom has 0 (she's next), Dan has 0, but I don't know if he's wear them.

I got some 'mystery' yarn in a swap. I know nobody reads this, but if someone happens upon it, and knows what RN 16825 crewel paterna really is... It weighs about 100 grams, is 2 ply and probably fingering weight though I haven't done a WPI because I didn't want to unwrap it.

Back to the real world.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Back from Rhinebeck

And it wore me out so much I'm about ready to go to bed at 8:30 pm...

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Knitting, Not Writing

It's hard to even name all the things I have OTN right now.

I just finished 1 of the 2 Scarf Bombs I promised to make. The second one, which is the first one I started is languishing in front of my TV downstairs because I forget the pattern.

I have a square for a KYSer that I'm just not feeling and will probably frog

My SOTM is hanging out because I need to do holiday knitting

My brother's socks need a few more inches on each foot before I can make the toe.

The back of the vest is at 10 inches out of about 14. It's going along faster, and slower than I thought.

I need to work on the strip for the blanket TSR is making for our girl.

I need to work on my brother's market bag and get handles for the other one.

I want to make Dan a nice hat for christmas.

I want to spin more.

My brea bag is almost put together and just needs some handles as well.

I have a ton of lace I want to work on. I want to make at least 1, if not 3 BSJs and and ASJ.

I am so excited about Rhinebeck next weekend, I'm just afraid I'll be overwhelmed. Or underwhelmed. I need to make up a list of what kind of yarn I'm looking for. I need to find out a bunch of stuff and pack.

I need to go to bed, but I'm resisting.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Holiday Knitting

I have so much planned, I hope I'm not going to over extend myself.

Two market bags, a vest, and some legwarmers are at the top of my list. I'd like to make some stuff for some of the kids I know, but they will be last on the list.

Hat for the hubby, that isn't 'rastafarian'.

Maybe market bags for the SILs, but I don't know if they even use anything.

I need to pick something for a friend who I love and who doesn't celebrate Christmas. There's a pillow I think she would like. She's allergic to wool, so I need something else. I wonder if she's allergic to angora. Even if she isn't, I'm sure baby stuff doesn't wash off it very well. Cotton then, damn, I should have gotten more. At least I have an idea though.

Muir is sitting off the the side, it doesn't have a recipient, so I'm not pushing it.

I started a scarf for the Scarf Bomb. If the yarn weren't acrylic I'd want it myself.

I'm trying to get back into my GAAA squares. And I have a shawl for myself that I'd like to have for Rhinebeck. My brother's socks are almost done. I just need to block the Swallowtail Shawl. Do I give it to my mom?

I'm going to go knit. :)

Friday, September 12, 2008

I shouldn't be sleepy at 8 pm on a Friday night

but, I am, so that's all you're getting

Sunday, August 31, 2008

2 Shawls and 3 swaps, plus mobsters

I'm getting very close to the end of the swallowtail shawl. I am very glad I got the second hank of yarn because I'm out of the first one, even though I have only a few rows left in my last lily of the valley repeat. I am hoping I still have the right number of stitches for the last part. I'm not sure what to do with the rest of the ball after I finish. I'm sure it will still have quite a bit left (though damn, a yardage meter and a scale would be awesome, maybe I'll put on on next month's RAK wish list). I'll probably go for a scarf, Or put it away to be used with something else. Hmmmm.

Muir is also going along well. I'm not sure I did the first repeat right, but the second one is going well. I love how soft the yarn is, I'm still not sure about the colors though.

I've joined the Karma Yarn Swap group, the Random Acts of Kindness Group and the Yoga Swap group on Ravelry. I've claimed a few things, offered a few things, made a list of RAKs I think I can afford to handle, made a wish list of some stuff I would buy if I weren't so bad at managing my finances sometimes and am almost done putting together my gift for my Yoga swap partner.

Mobsters? Well, yeah, on myspace, it's fun because it's easy, like the computer games I played when I was a kid. I can't help it.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

YARN

I'm writing to stop myself from writing to someone to request yarn from them. I will hopefully not write to them after this, but I can't figure out why I'm so stash-y about yarn. I'm like a junkie, my hands start itching and my heart rate goes up. I'm usually ok when it's someone I don't know that I would need to have ship it to me, because I don't like to do that. But when it's someone that I could meet up with locally, I start freaking out.

I have enough yarn. I have yarn I don't have projects for. I don't need more.

Yep.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Stitch n Pitch Knitting

I'm going to a Stitch n Pitch tomorrow. I don't know what project to bring. Lace is too particular for sitting in a crowd I think. I don't want to mess with the cable needles for my June SOTM even though I'm behind now. I think my husband's chair cozy would be best - it's my movie knitting, so it should hold up to a baseball game. I'm just afraid I might get too bored with it. I might make the Koru hat. I have some Comfort DK - and it should make two hats. One for the neighbors who have just had a baby and for some reason I feel compelled to give them something and one for my husband's coworker who is expecting. It's gray though and I'm not sure the gender of that baby. I'm sure I'll find a little head somewhere to put it on.

It would be awesome if my knitpicks order arrived and I could work on the Kata Felicity Scarf. But since it hasn't even shipped yet, that's going to have to wait.

Another project that I want to do this month that isn't portable enough for the baseball game is the Piggle hat. I want to make it for my best friend's boyfriend's daughter, since we will probably be staying in 'her' room while we are there in a few weeks.

Did I mention that I wanted to get housework done too?

I finished my first sweater and knit a bottle cozy

True - it was for a 1 year old - and I'm not sure I seamed the arms right, but it looks nice and Mom looked truly pleased.

It took me 12 days, which isn't too bad considering how many other things I was working on during that time, including a several day hiatus while I was camping.

I followed the baby sweater pattern in The Knitters Book of Yarn - and I wouldn't have considered it if someone hadn't told me that the yardage estimations were off. It took just under the two skeins I bought, and so now I can hopefully make a hat or scarf for the Little Guy with the third. The Comfy yarn was a bit drapey, but I think it will be just fine.

In other knitting news...

I was agonizing over what to make my brother for his birthday. A peek in How to Knit in the Woods suggested a nalgene bottle cozy. I'm pretty sure he has a nalgene bottle, and I was also pretty sure that he wasn't so keen on using it because of the plastic hype, so I started looking for a steel or aluminum bottle.

The ones at the local box store were all insulated - which meant they held about 2 sips of beverage. A friend suggested a Sigg bottle and though they are on the pricey side for a water bottle, I think it's an appropriate gift.

So, I cast one, and didn't have enough stitches, and cast on again - still not enough. Finally I was there, and then it took off.

It has ribbing to make holding onto it easier and an i-cord to hold it in place in the cozy. I hope he likes it.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Swallowtail

Is the Swallowtail Shawl named after the butterfly or the bird?

In any case, I'm almost done with the Budding Lace 2 repeats (I'm doing 19 for the expanded version, and I think I'm in repeat number 17 right now), and getting excited for the next pattern.

I'm loving the yarn, the color and the feel are amazing.

I do think that I might want to make this again, the next time following the pattern, but changing yarn weight and needle size.

Of course, there are so many other things I want to tackle too!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Hot weather makes me sad

1)The cooling bill eats into my yarn 'budget'

2)I want to knit but even the thought of even touching yarn makes me hotter - this is why I did only a few stitches on my swallowtail shawl, my June (blush) SOTM, and my brother's socks while camping

3)It makes me want to sleep, yes, instead of knitting

4)It makes my brain not work well, so complicated patterns give me a headache

In other news - I keep getting knitting books from the library and want to knit lots more than I am... Surprised?

Didn't think so.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

GRRRRR :D

That was one of the shortest three day weekends in history.

I got a bit frustrated over the weekend, but I think I have things figured out now.

I didn't knit nearly as much as I wanted to, but I got to see several people that I don't see enough of.

I didn't get to plant my plants like I wanted to, but they got watered by the rain.

I obsessively planned for camping, I know you wouldn't expect less of me.

Hope your weekends went well.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Swallowtail Shawl

I cast on for the TSR Swallowtail Shawl KAL this afternoon after much agonizing over fiber and color. I settled on a 70/30 merino/silk mix in a color called pinot. I'm very much excited over it. I did order a second skein (dye lot be damned) to make the shawl bigger than the pattern calls for (I'm following someone elses modifications, I'm not that brave), but if it works out well, I might make it in bigger yarn on bigger needles.

This is one of three lace shawl/stoles that I have in progress right now.

I want to start Sam's birthday present but I'm still not sure if I want to do the scarf/hat or the sweater. The sweater is really damn cute, but I'm scared of it.

I need to get a scanner that is vista compatible, and I need ink for my printer. Trying to get to the copier at work isn't really that great of an idea, and I rarely get the chance.

I finally found a semi-local place to get the sock yarn for my mom's toe-less/heel-less socks. They have an online store, and I hope they have the color I want in stock still. I figured, $6 shipping was worth not having to drive out there, and I wouldn't buy any more yarn like I might in the store.

I'm going to be making a hat for one of my co-workers (nobody tell my other co-worker that wants the urban chunky gloves that I haven't started yet), and I think she is going to buy some malabrigo for it. I have to find a good pattern though. Maybe the Owl Cable Slouch, or the Butterfly Hat, or the Foliage, (this one is getting a big push toward being the one, as it has a chunky version and I can get nice chunky malabrigo on my way home from work), Lyre is fun too.

Before camping I need to finish the condom cozy I'm making as part of a prize pack.

The birthday something and the hat need to get done by the end of July. Well, the hat I probably have through August, but Sam's birthday is August 1. I really ought to finish my brother's Christmas socks before his birthday in August, and I'd love to make something for Dan, but he's pretty impossible.

My MIL's birthday is in July, right when we get back from camping, but I don't know if she's ever worn anything I've made her.

My SIL's birthday isn't until October, so we'll procrastinate on that for a little while. If I make her anything. Like her mom, not sure if she's ever worn anything I've made her.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

WWKIP Day

Yesterday was World Wide Knitting in Public Day.

So, we (and I use that term loosely to mean, I showed up, and made name tags, but didn't really make any decisions, that was left to others) hosted an event in Rittenhouse Square in Philly. I made 25 name tags, figuring, we'd use maybe 10 or so. They were all used up, and there were at least 10-15, if not 20 more people there.

There was a bunch of really good food, pasta salads, cookies (vegan and not), guacamole, gazpacho, fresh picked strawberries.

The cranky 'I think knitters are posers guy' from Philadelphia Weekly showed up and charmed us into interviews, and then told us who he was. I guess maybe he knew we'd tie him to a tree and cover him with peanut butter for the squirrels if we decided not to stab him with our knitting needles.

It was hot, but we sat there all day, under the trees, sharing stories and coming and going. It was really a very cool thing to walk across the park and see a big group of people knitting. I think we're going to do it again in the fall.

Of course now, my joints are all stiff from sitting on the ground all day. Next time I'm going to bring smaller food, and a chair!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Socks, Shawls Bags, and Baby Clothes

The new Knitty is out, and what did I add to my queue? Socks (hello dear, pick a pair and MAKE THEM ALREADY YOU HAVE SOCK YARN COMING OUT YOUR EARS), a lace shawl (of course), a grocery bag, and a cute girl baby sweater. I don't really know any girl babies any more.

I need to knit more. Why am I writing?

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Spinning!

While I was a the MD Sheep and Wool Festival, there was a booth with small bags of roving and a beginner's drop spindle. I caved. Then I got home and decided I'd be all thumbs and there was no way I'd be able to teach myself.

So, I whined to my Ravelry group, and guess where it got me? Spinning! A friend of one of the group members could teach me, and she was going to come to our meetup! After she taught me, she gave me some more fiber to use! She said it's tradition. I'm usually one to scoff in the face of tradition, but not this one!

I've officially spun 2 oz of roving. It's sitting on my spindle, waiting for the next lesson to see if I should ply it or keep it how it is. It's pretty in some spots and not so pretty in others, but I'm very excited. I have I think 4 oz of the same wool that came with the kit, so after I learn what to do next, I'm going to spin again.

Now that I've been shown how to do it I don't know why I freaked out so much!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Huge Queue?

My Ravelry queue has about 12 pages worth of stuff on it. Some of it is yarn that I want. Most of it is patterns. Most of those I'll never do, but they are there for the ideas. They promise they'll have organizational options soon, but I can't wait any longer. I'm trying to organize it manually. Maybe it'll work.

Wish me luck!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Knit for Myself

Please someone hit me with the stick that lets me feel not so guilty for wanting to make stuff for myself.

My WIPs right now include a Brea Bag (so close!) that has no home. A SOTM that is technically for me once the blanket is finished but that doesn't count right now. A pair of socks for my Dad. A pair of legwarmers for my Mom. (SO SLOW WTF WITH THE TINY NEEDLES). Part of the problem with them is that I really want to get a different color for the main body of the legwarmer and that means I need to order it because I don't think that any of my local stores caries it. I'm of course, also currently asking my TSR group if they know where I can get it. I'm also making a condom cozy from a friend's pattern to put in a prize pack for my SG camping trip this year.

But I want to make a stole. For me. Because I love them, and I don't have one. But there are so many patterns, and I have several choices of yarn available to me. (did i mention that I also bought yarn to make one for my mom too, it's the Tucson Lattice Shawl by Nancy Miller from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders)

Here are my choices. The Forest Path Stole by Faina M. Letoutchaia, the Luna Moth Shawl by Shui Kuen Kozinski, the Voyager Lace Stole by Shui Kuen Kozinski and Benne Ferrell, the Optic Waves Shawl by Shelia January,the Butterfly Mobius by Clara Parkes , the Zetor Scarf by Jatta Saukko.

There are more, I'm going to stop listing them now. I need help!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

I'm going to swatch now

Except for the shawls. I'm not going to swatch them because it doesn't matter. But I'm determined to knit some clothing besides socks (and yes, I know you are supposed to gauge socks, but I'm still not), and I have a feeling they will turn out too small if I don't swatch first.


I have to finish my bag first. And I have to find the baby bootie pattern. And the amazing head start I had on my square of the month is gone. I have to tackle those cables on June.

My sexy new yarn is calling me from my stash. Wind me at least, it says. Re-read the pattern you're going to share me with. Cast on. Go ahead. So far I'm ignoring it. I have the baby hat almost finished. I have to put buttons on the vest.

I need to make my brother's socks. And another pair for my dad. And a first pair for my mom.

I want to make my husband a computer chair cosy. For the back part, where his shoulders touch and get chilly but the blanket always falls off and gets stolen by the dog.

The freeform piece just needs a little something else. Then I'm mailing it. I promise.

I want more knitting books.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Whoosh

I can't believe it's Sunday evening already. This weekend was wondeful but flew by.

Friday night after work we met up with a friend and headed to the Philadelphia Tattoo convention.
I plan on getting a tattoo like the second picture on this page. When? Whenever I can schedule a date with the artist.

Saturday I was up early, partially because of the sun streaming in my window, and partially because I was going with the ladies to Wool Gathering for the 1000 Knitters Project. We got there early enough to have good parking and to be 3, 4, and 5 in line! Turns out we were part of a record breaking number of knitters showing up for a photo shoot. 131! That's a lot of photographs. We then wandered around Kennett Square, got some bread, cheese, hummus and cured churizo (sp?) for a picnic lunch. We also accidentally happened upon a mushroom store and got some amazing fresh mushrooms, including some morels. Some of them are making their way into dinner tonight.

I was asleep at my keyboard playing WoW at 9 pm, so went to bed and woke up at 6:30 again. Hello body, it's the WEEKEND! You can at least sleep til 7!

I met up with the ladies and their friends again and we went for another picnic at Ridley Creek State Park. More cheese, hummus and bread, smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, peanut butter with honey, cranberry walnut tart, and a downpoar before we were finished eating. Then we walked through the park and encouraged Jupiter the dog to go swimming for sticks in the creek.

Now I'm home again, posting instead of doing homework and laundry. Go me!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Update!

I'm pretty sure nobody reads this. Or if you do, you talk to me regularly or read my other online journal.

I was offered the grounds manager position with my current employer. I start on the 31st of this month.

I'm trying to knit my dad a plain version of the tie in Son of Stitch n Bitch but can't figure out the flap, or how to cast on the stitches in the middle of my work.

I'm working on two scarves and each time I work on them I'm wondering why I decided to make a scarf.

My May SOTM is annoying me because I think it's written wrong. I'm going to see if there is errata for it right now.

My mom's cat in the grass socks are harder than I thought because of the intarsia in the round. I'm not going to do anymore intarsia in the round socks after I finish these.

I'm going to order my harmony interchangables on Tuesday night or Wednesday.

I need to start working through my stash more.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Told you I was bad at this

I'm supposed to be going to Chapel Hill today.

someone didn't tell the snow that

:(

Monday, January 21, 2008

Cold, Cleaning, School, So Much to Knit so Little Time

Time for a new post. It's cold here today. I don't like cold, but I have to go out and run some errands. I have books that have to go back to the library. I need to go to the grocery store and get milk. I've got TONS of clothes that I need to take to the goodwill. I'm really trying to reduce the amount of 'stuff' I have in my house. My computer room is still a beast, but I know it will come along in time.

I hate my closet. I don't like keeping my clothes in drawers, because you can't see them and mess them up looking for what you want. My closet has bulb crate shelves in it, and they are tired. Right now my clothes are in the basement because I don't want to put them away. I got some underbed storage boxes for my summer/winter clothes, and they don't fit under our bed, it's a pretty low to the floor. I was thinking about getting some of those bed riser things, I just need a few inches, but I'm afraid they won't work or will be horribly ugly.

I'm in a quandary over knitting projects right now.
I have two pairs of socks in progress (one of which I need to finish 'now' since I gave them to my dad for Christmas and just need to rework the foot so it's a little longer). I want to make my mom some legwarmers for her birthday in Feb - but for some reason, I can't start them. I don't know why my mental block is.

It's too early to start my Feb Square of the Month, so I'm not. My other birthday present for my mom is a lace cowl type thing, but I'm still waiting for my ball winder to arrive so I can wind the 400 ish yards of laceweight yarn into a ball without dying of old age before I get to the end of it.

My ravelry queue has about 140 projects on it, including a Horde symbol pillow, that I may or may not felt (but I'm waiting for the yarn to arrive, it will get here when the ball winder does). Most of those projects don't have recipients.

I want to make myself a dressy scarf and head warmer thing, but the needles I would use are the same ones I need for both the legwarmers and the cowl, and I'm saving my needle buying money to get this interchangable set.

I started my Interpersonal Communication class this past Monday, have today off for the holiday. It's going to be interesting. I'm supposed to write two papers evaluating conversations I've had with someone, and explaining what could have been done better in those conversations. I don't get it. Maybe it will make more sense after we get into more than the syllabus.

I have 5 friend requests from people that have never commented in my journal and whose journals I haven't commented in. I have no intention of accepting them (that is what bookmarks are for people), but i feel badly deleting them.

Oh, I saw Julie Loyd play at the coffee shop where I knit on Tuesday nights. I really enjoyed watching her perform. I don't see live music often and forget just how captivating it is. I am amazed how she travels all over playing her music, just herself a few speakers, her guitar and her banjo. I'm impressed by her courage. Listen to Fate Says He's Sorry, and Normal. Well, listen to them all, but I like those two a lot.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Got my Swap, New Needles and a Gift Card to a Store I Don't Shop at

I got my SG gift swap in the mail this past week. I got a beautiful hand-knit scarf, awesome notions (stitch markers, tapestry needles, etc), and 2 skeins of recycled silk yarn. Once I finally get my ball winder I can start looking at what I want to make with it.

My KnitPicks Harmony needles arrived - I got sizes 1, 2 and 3 - and am knitting on the 2s right now. I love them! I wish there was a more convenient way to get them, and I can't afford to buy them all now, but I think I will work my way through them. I'm hoping to just get the interchangable set rather than all fixed. So, my plan is to save money, buy the fixed ones that don't come in the interchangables, and get the interchangables sometime. Maybe once my bank account is happier, I can use my grandparents Christmas money for part of it.

If only my MIL had purchased me a gift certificate to them instead of to Barnes and Noble. She meant well, but the nearest store isn't near me at all, and browsing online is hard to do. I almost bought Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series - but I've heard mixed reviews and I'd rather buy them for less on Amazon. So now I have the SnB nation book in my bag, along with The Golden Compass (plus the other two in the series)

So, what do I purchase with the rest of the gift card? I want more pattern books, but my Ravelry queue is already out of control. I love to read, but really feel like I should just go to the library.

Oooh, I think I have it figured out. The new Vampire Huntress book comes out in February. I'm going to pre-order it - YAY!

Class starts on Monday. I'm taking Intro to Interpersonal Communication. Whee. I have to get this degree finished. I have to transfer last semester's credits. I forget how.

Things I want to do that are fun:
Finish reading my library book
Knit
Go Geocaching
Have several game nights
Play guitar hero/rock band
Play in the yard with my dogs
Read the Chronicles of Narnia with my husband
Level my Shaman
Get my Tattoo
Go bowling
Go out to dinner with my best man and his family

What I'm knitting now (and I'm too lazy to make links)
Two Alert Cat Socks (for my mom)
A gift
January Square of the Month
Thuja socks for Dad (I have to add some length to the foot and redo the toe)


What I've finished recently
Three gifts for three separate people

What I want to knit soon
Something entrelac using leftover yarns from the above projects
Baby knits for a number of babies I know (I'm so glad I have friends with children)

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Geocaching, Scarves, Squares and my Swift

My Swift arrived, my husband thinks I'm crazy having a special piece of equipment to wind yarn. Right now I'm using it as a sculpture in my living room, as the winder is still on back order. I'm very excited.

Some crazy part of me decided to make some late Christmas scarves for a few friends. One down, two to go! I started to make fetching, didn't like it in the yarn I had, and had converted from dps to both pieces on two circs, not paying attention to needing to have a certain amount of sts on each needle for the cable pattern. I'll do them again some other time.

Was supposed to go to my LYS for the January Celtic Square of the month, but was working on Decembers and decided that I'd pick my own order and do my own square each month. I feel guilty, but as of right now, I don't need to practice the sts for three hours before starting the square, and I can use that $10 to buy yarn.

This afternoon I went geocaching with my parents. If I can find a buddy and a GPS I would be in trouble. I love going on treasure hunts and short walks. I may find out if someone in my knitting circle or in the regional SG group is interested and do more with them. Solo-caching isn't for me, and I can't expect my parents to come visit every weekend.

What really makes it exciting is that the alien that I knitted is now a travel bug. I can't wait til my Mom emails me the pictures of where we started it's travels.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Help! I want to knit every pattern I see!

That pretty much sums it up.

Knitting Calendar, Harmony Needles, and a Swift

So, I got the 2008 Knitting with Desiree Scales and friends calendar - so far, I'm intrigued. Since I'm an obsessive collector, having patterns that interest me that I'll probably never do is fine - you can just peek at my ravelry queue and figure that out. Some of them are bound to be scary though, but I'm refraining from peeking ahead.

Over the weekend I made the Instant Gratification Scarf while watching Law and Order.

I've decided that I want to make some good friends some knitted Christmas presents - for this past Christmas. The scarf is for their 10 yr old son, and I'm making them each some fingerless mitts.

I'm on the leg of the 'toe' up Traveler (pedicure) socks and the recipient's visit keeps getting pushed back. I'm bummed. I miss her like crazy and living 10 to 12 hours away from each other sucks.

In other news my swift is in the mail - I can order my ball winder on Jan 9, and my sock-sized harmony needles should be shipping any day now.


My swap partner seemed to like her gift. I had a lot of fun and want to do more, but I think I will skip the priority mail the next time.

My grandmother got the felted bowl I made her, and thought it was a hat. oops. I don't have the heart to tell her.

Why am I typing - I have knitting to do!