banging out the knits

i finished up a few WIPs last week.  i was quite the busy knitting beaver - i hope this means my mojo is restored!

winchester mitts.  knit with kollage yarns 1/2-n-1/2, a 50/50 wool and milk fiber blend.  incredibly soft, nice to work with.  these were knit with size US 3 dpns.  the lace pattern was easy to remember and they were a quick knit.

i didn't care for the thumb gusset - the pattern called for an additional 7 stitches picked up for a total of 24 stitches - it made the thumb very loose and big for me.  if i knit these again (and i hope i do, these would make awesome gift mitts) i would omit those extra stitches and just knit up the 17 stitches in the gusset.  

i took an intro to fair isle knitting class at KDO this year and the project we worked on was a headband.  we were to pick 3 colors in a dk weight yarn.  i knit the band on size 3 and 5 16" circs.  i had to learn to knit with a strand of yarn in each hand (dominant color/purling color in the dominant - my right - hand, second color in the left hand).  i got the swing of knitting two handed until i hit the row of a 5/5 stitches in the middle of the band.  basically, in a row where there are long stretches of same color stitches (in this case, 5 orange/5 pink), i had to "catch" the opposing color while knitting the other, to keep the floats smooth and neat.  i had a pickle of a time doing this that morning (plus i was tired, hungry and eager to drive to the mannings to try out wheels) so i abandoned my project for several weeks.

i wanted to get started on a fair isle tam kit i got at KDO but knew i couldn't until i completed my class project.  so i eked out a row here and there, messed up the chart in the middle becos i forgot that when knitting in the round, charts are always read from right to left in every row.   i finally finished it this week.  i should give it a blocking becos the ends want to flip up.  the band is also big - not sure if it's my gauge (heh), the yarn or the fact that it's supposed to be big.  the colors are garish (the yarn was cheap, can't complain) and if anything, petunia will prolly nick it to wear herself.

rav details here.  all yarn details are there was well.


two years ago i knit petunia the sophie poncho with a skein of cascade yarns baby alpaca chunky that i received in a swap.  it sat unworn during this time becos it was too big on petunia's small shoulders.  i unearthed it a couple months ago and, to my dismay, it was still too big and also on the short side.  i decided to frog it and recycle the yarn.

ribbit!


wiggles eyeing the cake of soft smushy yarn!


i looked at the projects knitters used this yarn for, and there were several feather and fan cloches featured.  i like feather and fan and thought it would make a lovely hat.  holy hanna is it a nice pattern.  i also knocked this off in a day.  woo!

details are raveled here.  the pattern called for size US 10 needles, but since mine are occupied at the moment with a shawl, i used my size US 9 circus and magic looped the hat.  i also used stitch markers to mark off the stitch pattern (ask me why - i wished i did this when i made my mom's feather and fan afghan years ago).


i'm slowly working my way through my WIPs - currently plodding through the $100 shawl.  it's a PITA to knit, but i would love to knock it off for christmas.  

hello, old UFO

i think i might have fallen into an unintended "fast" for lent.

i've been cleaning out UFOs in hopes of making room for new projects.  i want to make another diantha but i can't until i finish another WIP shawl.  i unearthed my FLS which, apparently, i haven't touched since last winter.  i had three buttonholes and it was clear that all i had to do was finish the garter yoke then begin the lace section.  i actually backed down a size becos i was afraid the sweater would be too big, and mal grows when blocked.  (plus, EZ said that you have the right size when you're sick of knitting it, and believe me, i was sick of tracking my increases and knitting the garter).

i noticed a small hole near my cast on edge.  i'm not sure if it was a weak spot in the yarn or if a critter snacked on it.  i cut a length of yarn and kitchenered the hole shut.  

i realize i should have used a different darning technique becos it is garter stitch, but my quick repair job didn't look terribly bad.  the "flat" part faces inward, so hopefully the purl bumps on the outside look more like garter...


and how does this relate to lent?  i didn't give anything up for lent (nor add anything for that matter).  with my parents' retirement and move and the upheaval it caused, i'm trying to maintain as much "normal" in my life as possible (read, couldn't give up chocolate, coca cola or chips becos they are my "comfort" foods).

i found myself frogging things i knew wouldn't work (HRH shawl, a pair of PSOTM socks).  i finished freddie's sweater so he could wear it a few times before he outgrew it and it got warm.  i finished the fish hat becos it was an easy project taking up knit basket space.  i'm slowly working on my bourbon street shawl but that needs more attention to detail and i work on it when i'm kidlet free.

when i worked on my FLS i thought, "wouldn't it be nice to wear this when we go away for our anniversary?  it would be so cozy to wear becos it will be chilly and nice to wear with layers." our anniversary is after easter, which gave me a nice goal to work on.

another thing that occurred since i'm cleaning out projects is i'm spending less time online.  i wanted to do this anyway, but it's incredible what can be accomplished when i'm not reading ravelry and Facebook morning, noon and night.

so now i'm a few rounds into the lace section.  the sleeves are on scrap yarn and i am working the fronts and back.  it's like eating the proverbial elephant - small bites, but i feel like i'm accomplishing something.

welcome to roswell!

i cleaned out my project pages on ravelry.  last year i divvied up my projects according to year and status.  today i took it a bit further and separated the projects that i am currently working on (my WIPs) and those that have been hanging out a bit too long (the UFOs).

welcome to ROSWELL!



this is the FROG POND (this tab has existed for a while, i just added to it)


i'm too anal retentive.

tally ho!

it's time to do the WIPs count.  you can thank the yarn harlot for this most recent case of "finishitupitis".

first there's my FLS:



i am nearly finished with the garter yoke, and i made 3 buttonholes EZ style.  i have another inch or so of garter before i can start the lace portion of the sweater.


then there's what i call "ally's christmas mittens":



knit with alpaca yarn from kraemer yarns (the label says kraemers spun it, but the label was from the farm show 3 years ago), i'm trying to replicate ally mcbeal's white fluffy mittens, and then i'll embroider red and green flowers on the back of them.

i know, i'm sick.  so so mitten sick.


then there's my leftover 2nd socks:



i should finish these socks for the february portion of PSOTMC11, but i really want to knit with this:



this was the yarn i pulled specifically for my february socks.  it is jitterbug by colinette.  i tried to knit a pair of magic loop toe up socks with it years ago, but somehow got a mental block about it.  i so want to use it up, and overcome that damn block.  it wasn't even listed in my yarn stash on ravelry, it was buried so deep.

i have a couple patterns to choose from, for my february socks.  i originally picked the sweetheart socks pattern from simply knitting.  then i found a lace cuff sock from this month's issue of simply knitting (no linky, it's not even on ravelry yet!).  then there's these adorable lovesocks, but i don't have the yarn to do this pattern.  maybe i can do them for february next year?




these are mitten dreams.




this bag o' yarn is full of baby knitting.  there is a sock monkey, a baby hat made with jelli beenz, a zipped up the back hoodie knitted in knit picks swish worsted, and a baby blanket that will use up leftover cotton ease.  the question is, what kind of baby blanket?  i can make a log cabin like the kiddos' blankets, or then i found this adorable swatch block blanket.  i don't think i'll make a poppin blanket.  i think the cotton ease will be easier to care for.

of course my yoga shawl, dad's scarf, and the swirl shawl simmer on the bottom of my basket.  *sigh*.  too many WIPs, not enough time.

WIPs - many or a few?

i have a lot of WIPs on the needles (or rather cables, since i snitch the needles to work on other projects).  this is evident by the baker's dozen featured on the side of my blog.  some projects, like baby's got blue jeans, is a recent project.  i abandoned it so i could work on fair knitting.  now that i'm finished with that i should continue.  i'm knitting them in size 18 months, and if i don't finish them soon the kiddos will have outgrown them.

my ubatuba sweater is my oldest WIP.  i started it 4 years ago and have a dozen inches of knitting for the torso.  i think i'm too chicken to cast on the sleeves (it's knit in the round).  maybe this will be the year i finally finish the damn thing.  i really should finish the sweater, as i'll be up the creek if i run out of yarn, and have to buy from another dye lot (or worse, the yarn gets discontinued!)  i can't frog the sweater.  it's boucle, which is a bitch to rip out.

i usually have a pair of socks on the needles.  socks are great to tote in my purse if i have some idle time (!!!).  i started a yoga shawl that i can't wait to finish but it's slow going.  i also started a belinda shawl.  and i won't even go there with my swirl shawl.  oh well.  there's my fair knitting for next year!

there's petunia's sock hippo which i haven't cast on yet, and i'll bet it wouldn't take me long to complete, if it's as easy as freddie's sock monkey.  and then there's my quilted afghan.  i started a block but like the jeans, i stopped so i could concentrate on fair knitting.

maybe if i can get my head into game, maybe i'll get dad's antlers scarf finished in time for christmas.


what kind of WIPs do you have?  do you have a lot, or only a few?

project slut

instead of making christmas presents this year, i'm being a selfish beyotch and only knitting for myself.

currently on needles...

my sparkly red hat

my rainbow mobieus scarf, which i spent 2 hours tinking cos i can make it longer now

another noro striped scarf, altho it's boku parading as noro. i haven't cast on yet, but...

my sage green/slubby rainbow felted hat, also not cast on.


i have gram's socks on needles, with barely a half inch of cuff. i'm debating frogging it and just making basic toe up socks. will she really care if they're knit in a vintage lace pattern? prolly not. and knitting 2 at a time from the cuff down is a bitch.

and i'm not going there with the tree skirt.

dad's poor antler scarf (sigh).

my ubatuba sweater (hangs head in shame).



i feel bad knitting all this stuff for me. selfish. no one was expecting knitted presents this year, except grams.

but i'm trying to validate it by remembering i made the hats for KDO, the scarves for special olympics, more baby hats than i can remember, kimonos that went to the hospital, and dish rags that no one bought and i reclaimed as christmas gifts for hubby's family (okay, so i DID knit for them. whew.) i'm sure there's other stuff i made but can't remember.

i've been feeling inspired. maybe i'm confusing selfish with inspired. but it feels good to knit just for me, and not knitting by a schedule, which is how i've been feeling for the past year.

right now i'm just trying to get through the holiday. most of my days have been good, but i have my moments where i want to cry, where i wish i had my baby in my arms, instead of imagining my baby in heaven, and what she looks like. maybe being selfish right now isn't a bad thing to be. maybe it's the only thing keeping me from totally going insane.

who's the harlot now?

more like a project slut.

yes, even tho i have a xmas tree skirt half finished, 2 pairs of socks and a scarf to make for xmas presents, what do i do?

start a hat. thanks, D!

and start a noro scarf. thanks yarn harlot.

like i don't have enough to do. and i didn't even mention my 2 year old sweater!

the student surpasses the teacher, grasshopper! the lady i taught mobius to finished her scarf. so pretty, cream colored with some kind of eyelet edging on it. really pretty. it's so neat that something i know now someone else knows!

i delivered the baby goods to the hospital yesterday. i managed to do it without having a panic attack or major freak out. hopefully this means i'm on my way to recovery and maybe will be blessed soon. or maybe it's becos i'm mid cycle and feeling hopeful.

the dash for the stash

i have now 22 days to get my xmas knitting done. this is what i have outstanding:

1. MM's shawl that never ends

2. mom's mock croc sock #2

3. dad's cable sock #2

4. hat for BIL

5. knitted votive candle holders for MIL, GMs and SIL

6. xmas dishclothes for the above mentioned

7. ???? for GM

at first i thought i was almost through, but just looking at this list makes me want to weep. and i didn't even include the entrelac pillow i was going to make for MIL. i also was going to knit socks for the head start tree at church but at this point i might as well grab a few pairs at wallyworld and call it a day. i'll get my knitting done though. lord help me, i'll get it all done.

so much for knitting teacher bookmarks for the boy's teacher and aids. they don't accept gifts and suggested food donations for charity. they won't go to waste - now i have his sunday school teacher's gift all ready, and i can put the lace bookmark i was making her on hold.

i finished the heel part of my magic loop socks and now started the leg part. it took me **45** minutes to do **one heel**. they both turned out great! i can't wait to finish the socks but they'll have to be put on hold until i get my other stuff done.

i need to clean up my stash. i have new yarn to put away and i just want to sort all my little sweater pouches with their proper colors. anal retentive i am.

i got a boatload of xmas gifts wrapped yesterday, including the ones for the boy from the big jolly guy. they're hidden in plain sight under the tree (way under the tree) that he can't possibly get them. i remembered i had 2 of hubby's shirts to wrap, and FIL's t-shirt just came in the mail today. they'll get wrapped eventually.

i have about half of my cards signed and sealed but not ready for delivery. i have to get stamps tomorrow. i hope the good ones (the religious holy family ones i always get) aren't gone.

i'll shaddap now.

shoutout to vickie howell

this is becos i got the most YUMMY LUSCIOUS YARN from her for bellowing her podcast. in VEGAS (i guess people really do read this thing...) i forget the name of it (i think it's excess) but it's the most beautiful wine color. as soon as i can find a retail dealer of vegas (webs doesn't have it yet it seems) i'm going to buy a few more skeins. i'm thinking either gauntlets (cos it's a nice fine yarn and the sparkle would really rock a pair of gauntlets) or maybe a hat.

just think. i'm a hardcore knitter AND MY HAT, SCARF AND FINGERLESS GLOVE STASH IS PRACTICALLY NIL. i have maybe 3 scarves (and 2 of them are CROCHETED, of all things), 2 hats and the chunky irish galway fingerless gloves. hopefully after the holidays, this sentence won't be true.

speaking of which, i finally finished my dad's sock. i only started it in august! it was totally psyching me out. it's not a hard pattern mind you, but the ankle part is at least 6 inches (minus the ribbed cuff) in this faux cable pattern. i thought the cable pattern extended to the foot, but it doesn't. the cabling took so long. remember, i' m the one who likes to knit a sock in 2 days and this just wasn't happening with this pattern. plus i felt tied to the pattern. plus the yarn was black. knitting socks with dark yarn just sucks. THAT WAS WHAT WAS PSYCHING ME OUT. so now i have to start sock 2. then i have to finish mom's second sock (the teal mock croc). i'm well on my way with this one. i have one more round on the ankle, then the heel and instep. hopefully i'll get it finished by tomorrow.

what other wips do i have? MM's neverending shawl...last week when i tried it on, i need about another 18 inches (not hard when knitting on big needles)...but the garter stitch is making it stretch WIDTHWISE so it's almost like a long skinny afghan. i should turn this into a song..."this is the shawl that never ends...yes it goes on and on my friends...one day i started knitting it not knowing what it was...i have to keep on knitting this thing becos becos becos..." you get the picture.

i have my sweater on hiatus. read: when everything else gets done.

square 3 for cousin's wedding afghan. i'll get to it. the squares are pretty easy.

yesterday at ben franklin i got more dishrag yarn in xmas colors. so the ladies in my life will (hopefully) get some xmas dishclothes for xmas. i also have to figure out what to knit GM since she'll be up for the holidays. i think i knit her a teddy bear last year (yes i did). maybe a hat and scarf? easy and quick. i did have a pattern for lace edging on hand towels that i was going to use bamboo yarn for. as you read this, it ain't happening. oh well, there's next year.

i have to make up a mathom box for presents. i have a basket up in the attic with some examples already. what's a mathom box? a mathom, according to hobbits, was an object of great value, but just didn't have a use to the individual (like a gift you receive but have absolutely no use for). i used to have one, before the boy was born (it was actually a drawer in his room) but i had gotten rid of everything that i considered "mathom" thru gifting and rummage sales. i found some things in the attic that i had gotten to give as gifts but then the attic swallowed them - games of cootie and ants in the pants (both of which the boy has), a box of tiny wedding ornaments (i just got these last year, for whom i have no idear. they're getting gifted to cousin t next year). anyways, why i need a mathom box is becos birthday party season is starting for the boy. there are 12 kids in his class (excluding him). which means i should start buying stuff on sale and socking it away for these parties. yesterday i spent $20 on sticker books, crayons and stuff for a little girl in his class. i have no idear what the giving rate is for gifts. i was assuming under $20? i'd rather give crafting or educational things - drawing pads, crayons, sticker books, reading books. the kids are too young for craft sets (i saw a really neat knitting machine but it was $30 and for an 8 year old). i begrudge spending a couple bucks on crayons when they were on sale in the summer for 25 cents before school started. i'll have to ask my friends at church about birthday gifting...they've been at the party business way longer than me.

today we had the first snow. the leaves have barely changed their color and haven't fallen off the trees, but we've got less than an inch of snow out there. what happened to fall?

i have pies to make this week. i'm being lazy and having country cupboard make the baked macaroni and baked corn. still have to order the ham loaf. i told hubby today, why does thanksgiving dinner have to be turkey or ham? why can't we just have pizza if that's what we want and it's easier? mind you, i like turkey (and i'd rather eat stuffing any day of the week) but why the fuss. i wonder what thanksgiving will be like in 10 years...25, 50?