I think my New Year Resolution is:

KNIT ALL THE THINGS.

I have cast on another sweater - Dogwood Blossom. My mother very kindly bought me the kit from Knitpicks last year as a birthday gift. It's a lovely green and pink colorway. I have one cuff done the second cast on. Then I will knit both sleeves at the same time. I am hoping that isn't crazy-making.

I have used a full ball of the main color in Klukka and I've almost used a whole ball of Gloss in Thermal. Great progress on both.

I was going to start Faery Ring, but I'm thinking about working up another pattern. It will be a great challenge since the pattern is very general with charts and for a size much larger than I need. (sorry Mom - but I'm still going to make a cable coat - does that make it okay?!) Or maybe not - maybe I'll just make Faery Ring.

Small Catch Up

October knitting that didn't get posted due to moving:

Socks for the Tour de Sock

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Another pair of Tour de Socks socks

There is a third pair but I'm having trouble loading the picture.

And this mystery shawl from Goddess knits. I haven't washed and blocked this yet, just pinned it out for the picture. Then packed it away for moving. Once I get settled and find it I will have to do a proper blocking and get some better pictures.

Finally Back to What Passes for Normal

I have the knitting lust again! I feel the need to knit all the patterns!

Thursday I have cast on a dress in Cascade 220. A dark green and white without the colorwork section. I have the white part nearly finished and I am ready to add the green.

Yesterday I cast on Thermal. A lovely dark blue shade of Gloss. I love this yarn. I made my mother a hat and a shawlette with it last winter. I have been wanting to make this sweater for a long time.

And I've made decent progress on Stockholm for my mother as well as finishing the matching hat.

It's much too dreary for pictures today and I don't have any decent lighting in the new place yet. But I hope to get some decants pictures soon.

I bought a lovely skein of lace weight last week, finished the sweater for my brother and sent it to my mother so she could put the zipper in and in October I knit 3 pairs of socks and a shawl. This only matters because I am finally in the knit more yarn that I bought for the year. Good news!

WOAH!

October flew by in a flurry of packing. November flew by in a flurry of near disaster in moving. It seemed like every plan required a fall back to Plan F. I'm finally in, settled, mostly unpacked and ready to start thinking about knitting.

I've found the yarn for Thermal and, although, I have to borrow a ball winder (still haven't found the packed one!) I'm going to make it my December project.

The new job is okay. Today I felt like a complete moron, but I'm sure once I learn my way around it will be okay. In fact some times I've even understood what they were talking about.

This weekend I plan to write a decent update with pictures of actual knitting. There was some knitting in October that needs to be caught up and I made a hat during the last two weeks (the only knitting that really happened in November was the garter stitch band of the hat and that took almost 10 days. I'm not sure why it took two weeks to finish the hat, the pattern while nice, is not that difficult. But I just couldn't seem to make progress. I finally get to weave ends in this evening.

I'm looking forward to a peaceful year end and a wonderful 2012.

Holy Bananas!

September was going along all quiet and smooth, like September wants to do and then BOOOM! It all blew up.

I was offered a new job. In Omaha NE. I am lucky. I'm getting lots of time to pack and move. I have friends there who are willing to help with logistics and it's really exciting. It's also very over whelming and a little bit frightening.

I am not getting much knitting done. I'm fighting the inertia from being slightly overwhelmed by all the stuff I need to do. Plus a lot of what I need to do involves emptying boxes and repacking them and decided if I REALLY need to keep that widget or not.

I don't expect there to be a lot going on here until I get settled in my new digs, sometime around Thanksgiving.

Prepare for fall

I have cast on three new projects this week. I cast on a DNA Scarf for my friend Jeff. Jeff's wife is allergic to wool (the horror!) so I am using acrylic (ick). Impeccable from Loops and Threads isn't actually bad, even if it isn't wool.

I also cast on Cambridge Jacket for my brother. This is going to be a boring knit. Thus the bonus of knitting the scarf. One boring pattern with lovely yarn and one interesting pattern with crappy yarn. No picture of this project to link to but the pattern is from Interweave Knits.

AND I also cast on another (!!!!!) pair of socks. These are from a kit for breast cancer research fundraising from Knitter's Brewing company. This yarn is marvelous. I really needed to find another source for beautiful yarn.

There isn't enough progress on any of them for a decent picture, but later this week there should be. Stay tuned.

I tried to make a pair of slippers (it is going to start getting cold again, soon - very, very soon). I made 4 different slippers, none of which turned out (this on top of my new shoe search was REALLY frustrating). So I still have no new slippers. I was hoping to use up a bunch of the acrylic my father bought me at a garage sale (or auction, can't remember which). That way I could make many pairs and just throw them in the washer/dryer when ever I felt they were dirty. I love my nice wool ones by they need special care so they don't felt down too small and waiting for them to dry on cold days is slightly annoying. I will be continuing in my efforts to find a nice slipper pattern.

My mother and I are preparing for a knitting retreat with Annie Modesitt. We are both very excited. A nice mother/daughter weekend spent knitting at a lovely lakeside resort, sounds awesome doesn't it? I'm sad it's only a few days.

We are also going to start a KAL making a lovely cabled sweater/coat. I have 40 skeins of yarn sitting in my living room waiting for us to divvy up and start knitting. I can't wait. I hope we like them. The yarn is beautiful.

I signed up for another mystery shawl. The first clue is due to be released September 24. I'm going to put off starting until October 1. I'm 1 for 2 in starting and finishing. I'm hope to be 2 for 3 after this one. Maybe then I will also get busy and finish the first one. I'm nearly half finished with the 4th clue of 5. I love the shawl, but the pattern requires constant vigilance and I've been too easily distracted lately. After tinkling back two rows for a missed yarn over I'm unwilling to work on it if I feel flighty.

I really need to get all the things started this month done before Oct 1. (which is also part of why the shawl will wait) if only to keep the queue under control. I was down to 6 active WIPs just a few short days ago. And now I'm creeping up into double digits again.

September, already?

September snuck up on me.

I had planned to finish this cardigan in August, but I ran out of August. It took me almost a week to find buttons I liked. fussy fussy. Now the weather can get cooler, I'm all set.

I also managed to get one of these socks completely done. Words and All! One more to go. It is knit past the heel turn, but none of the duplicate stitch has been done. It will take a while.

I wish I had something pithy to say, but I'm in dire need of a nap.

August is nearly gone!?

I can't believe it's almost the end of August already.

I am making decent progress on getting WIPs/UFOs finished.

I have managed to almost finish the lopi cardigan.

I would be finished except I'm still looking for buttons. Part of the issue is I don't know what kind of buttons I'm looking for, this is both better and worse than KNOWING what you want. I can't just go look for a button (and probably not find it) I have to look for something I like and then think about it for THIS sweater. Of course even if I do find something I like then I also have to hope they have 6 of them. I found some I thought would work in the 'button box' (I love my button box, I wish I'd taken the ones of my grandmother's I was offered - what the heck was I thinking!?). Unfortunately there were only 4 of them.

While I'm looking for buttons I've also been working on the duplicate stitch for these socks.

I have turned one heel, but I thought I'd focus on getting the duplicate stitch done before I focus on finishing the feet. The designer recommends doing the duplicate stitch as you finish each band. This really is a great idea. But I don't mind the duplicate stitch (as much as I will complain about it) it's certainly better than weaving the ends in on color work.

I don't know if I mentioned these socks recently (or ever) but they are Hogwarts sock by Ann Kingstone. I am making the largest size (they are children's socks, no adult sizing) and they are going to fit me. I'm so very excited. I had expected that I would finish them and then start looking for a worthy kid. (I guess I'm the worthy kid?)

My mother and I are going to Annie Modisett's knitting retreat the end of September. It should be a great time. I think we are both really looking forward to it. I've never attended one of Annie's classes (other than knitting camp (Meg Swansen) I've never attended any knitting classes that I recall) before but she and I have corresponded via email a few times and she sounds like a fun person.

Funny Quote

A friend wrote this and every time I see it I laugh. We've all been there.

Gauge swatches are lying liars from Liarsville, who all shop at FlamingPants.com.

August comes in with a bang!

I am trying to focus on finishing UFOs/WIPs in August. So far I have done a great job. I have finished this sweater for my mother:

It's a Philosopher's Wool kit she bought and I started this while I was at her house over Winter holidays. Making all the color decisions made this both fun and taxing. I also mixed the pattern rows from two or three different sweater patterns from their book Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified. This book is fabulous and I really love their yarn. I'm glad it's done, it fits her beautifully and she likes it a lot.

I also finished these socks:

I started them in March. The pattern is Vellamo. The yarn is something I bought as a sock of the month kit, I started the socks and didn't care for the pattern so I frogged them and then the yarn languished in my stash for a long time. I had thought I should knit one in reverse (after seeing how much yarn was left after the first sock) but I forged ahead and ran out of yarn about halfway up the leg on the second sock. I managed to find some leftovers in my stash that was very close to the same color and proper weight. It does vary a little but not a lot and I'm happy with the socks and will certainly wear them.

I would post more links - but I find so many things on Ravelry and I don't want to post links on my blog that people can't reach.

This certainly should help my destash numbers, except she and I are going to do a knit along and so we bought new yarn this weekend. It's not here yet and I'm going to not add it to my totals until it shows up.

In the Pink!

My bonus is finished! It's much too warm to wear until winter, in spite of how very light it is.

I plan to spend August getting all my WIPs caught up. Well not all, there are only 31 days in August, after all. But I would like to get the number of them down to a dull roar. Then I can focus on getting some more of the sweater stash made up.

And thus I have, of course, cast on a Lopi cardigan.

Pictures just as soon as it's more than just cast on.

How is it possible?

July can't be a week from over! It seems summer has only just begun.

I have finished my Corset Tank. Annie Modesitt writes lovely patterns - but this is a lot (LOT) of buttons.

Also a little crochet. I like coasters - this is a nice pattern. Pretty and functional. And I have lots of left over bits of cotton yarn.

I've also started a new cardigan and I have developed a new decorating scheme. I've placed storage bins of yarn on the top of the living room book cases. It gives me quite a bit more room in the sewing room (which is much too packed) and allows me to admire the stash I worked so hard to acquire. Sort of like standing and looking at the shelves full of sweaters I've knit. I feast for the eyes and pleasure for the heart.

I'm making excellent progress on my Bohus. I have only a few inches of the lower body left. Fingering weight yarn makes a few inches take a lot of time but the sweater will be glorious to wear.

July - so far festive.

Sorry I missed posting last week. I've been trying to post weekly, but last Saturday I broke a tooth and blogging was the furthest thing from my mind.

The tooth has been removed and healing is on the way. There has been a LOT of sleeping. Waste of good knitting time, sleeping. Not much that can be done about that though.

There has been a little bit of finishing.

I made this hat:

The yarn is Wool of the Andes, in Hyacinth and Pumpkin. The pattern is one I made up. The shaping of the top needs some work.

I have also finished the knitting on the corset sweater. I bought buttons yesterday and I hope to get them sewn on today. The it will be finished. Yay! I can barely wait to try it on.

The pink Bohus is nearly finished as well. The second sleeve is about 1/2 done and the body is about 1/3 done. Hopefully it won't be long now.

I have also been busy washing up all the knits from the winter. I need to throw another load in today, maybe even a load of socks. I may also need to purchase some wool wash.

And plotting my next knitting project. I have narrowed it down to Thermal and Lopi sweater from Best of Interweave (the pic is about halfway down on the right). And August is finish WIPs month. I have several pairs of socks that need finishing. (second sock syndrome? me?)

Spinning and Knitting

There has been much spinning and this month I finished up the wool/tencel for the Spin-off 25th Anniversary Sweater. I still have another 6 oz of other colors to spin and ply, but I might get to knit this sweater this year.

There has also been progress on the bohus sweater. I finished one sleeve, part of the body and the other sleeve. It's so pretty, it is so PINK.

I also worked on the sweater for my mother. I hope to get the knitting done this week and the sewing up the next.

In other news I was right about the Prussian Jewels sweater. I've put it on a couple times, but every time I look in the mirror I don't like the look of it. I promised my mother that I would wear it once for her to see so I will, but it will probably be unknit and the yarn repurposed. I really enjoyed knitting it though.

I guess I really am a process knitter, since I'm not really that upset about the thought of ripping it back and reusing the yarn.

Sweater for June

Finished this.

Messed up the side fronts and had to undo all the finishing, knit some more and redo all the finishing. YUCK.

Pattern is Soleil from Knitty.com, the yarn is Muskat from Drops. For cotton the yarn isn't bad, but I hate knitting with cotton. This yarn is an exercise in attention, while it has a nice sheen it also splits something fierce.

I purchased this yarn at Yellow Dog, in Eau Claire WI. I intended to make something else, but after starting it and knitting for a while I realized what it would look like on me and decided that was a bad idea. The current sweater is quite nice and will be nice to wear. I'm quite pleased with the fit.

Now I have to just choose what to start next!

A new challenge

I have decided, in the interest of managing my stash acquisition, that for the next 12 months I am going to push more yarn out than I take in. So from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 I'm going to calculate yardage in and yardage out.

I hope this doesn't turn out to be has hard to do as I think it will. Focus is a problem.

On the knitting front I have made Ice Cream Cozies. These are cool. I'm going to make some more. I'm not sure I agree that a pint is a single serving, but there aren't melt rings on my table, my hand isn't frozen and my ice cream didn't melt as fast. These are all good things.

Adding - this pattern is from the 2011 Pattern a Day Calendar, designed by Heather Narbit Strawser (June 3). It's made with worsted weight yarn on size 6mm (I used US 6 and the pattern worked fine, fits the ice cream container to my satisfaction and if I make more I'll make them exactly the same)

How on Earth!?

Can May be over already? It's unreal how quickly time is flying.

But when stitches fly off the needles the way this sweater has I can't really complain to much.

I finished this (and washed and blocked it) yesterday.

As soon as it's dry I'm going to try it on. I'm sure it will fit, I can't wait to see how it looks. I really hope I love it.

I managed to knit a few rows on my bohus and then ran out of yarn again. Some of the colors I have a lot leftover, some came out with very little left over, but the ones that have been short are very annoying. It's hard to keep project momentum up when I am forced to stop so often.

Did you ever?

Start a project and even though you just keep knitting you are pretty sure you will never wear the item? I'm knitting this sweater:

(Prussian Jewels)

In these colors (sorry the picture is so dark - it's still raining here but I think we might get a little sunshine today):

The colors are too bright for me, I don't wear these kinds of colors. Even with all the lovely purple - will I wear it? I don't know. But some how, I just don't think I will. So why am I finishing it anyway? I can't even imagine what I'm thinking. I bet I finish it, wash it, block it and try it on. I might even wear it once. Then unknit it and repurpose the yarn.

Still I press forward. Because, after all, I'm also making this

(Bohus Sweater)

In PINK! I don't wear pink. I love this yarn (This kit is from Kimmet Croft, I wish they had a website). This yarn is soft and delightful to knit. I'm trying to decide if I should order one from Sweden to compare the yarn. Or just order another kit from Kimmet Croft and enjoy the yarn.

Have I mentioned lately that if I knit a sweater a month it would take me over 3 years to knit what's in my stash!? I haven't reach SABLE Status yet, I am however still stunned by it. It is a relief. I don't know about the socks though, that could take longer.

Spring has Sprung

And it's time to stop pouting and get back to it.

I have shamefully neglected updating this and the only way to remedy that is to write something, no matter how inconsequential.

There has been LOT of knitting and even some finishing. In particular this:

Became this:

And here is a close up of the edge.

This was and awesome knit. I am thinking about making another one. Just as soon as I finish a few other things.

I have three pairs of socks on the needles. Two are second socks. The other is a pair of Hogwarts socks that I'm knitting two at a time.

I think that I want to spend this year knitting more out than in - So I need to tally up all the outs and all the ins and then find a widget that I can put on here that will report on how successful I am. I was doing pretty well until the last four weeks. I bought yarn for three sweaters: a Bohus, an entrelac sweater I've admired for sometime and a present for my mother.

I am also spinning up some of the fiber I've had in my stash for years. I'm not sure how that counts, since it's both in and out, but I can't wait to finish the spinning so I can start the knitting.

Next update will include pictures of current knitting, perhaps a brag post of all the other things I've finished the last few months and the initial confessions on the yards in and out year to date.

2011

Already this year has run me over.

There has been a lot of knitting.

I made myself this hat. The pattern is Temple cats from Knitpicks. The yarn is JoSharp and Rowan dk weight wool.

I started this sweater for my mother, it's a Philosopher's Wool kit that she bought. For a pattern I've been using various charts from Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified and shaping from EZ's EPS.

I have also made a pair of mittens, a pair of slippers and finished a pair of socks.

My current fascination is with Veil of Isis. I'm knitting it with Knitpicks Bare in laceweight. It's been really nice to knit with and I'm so pleased with how the lace is turning out.

There has also been a lot of snow and cold. I'll not subject you to pictures of that. It's hard to get decent pictures of that much white.