The never ending cabled sweater

It is amazing. I just keep knitting and knitting and moving stitches backward and forward and knitting and purling and still have a couple rows to go.

It's a lot of green yarn!

I hope to pick up for sleeves soon!

Starbucks Swap

Gentle Readers - I have been remiss. I received this beautiful swap package on the GASP 25th of August. It's a great package and as punishment I was not allowed to use the lovely contents until I put this up. Even though the box as been sitting bursting with goodness, out in the open
taunting me!
Inside the box was all of this:

Not one bag but Three! Marykz says they are addicting! but look at this!
If I made beautiful bags like this then I might find them addicting as well.

And now - I'm out of here so I can go and play with my new presents!

I should be at knitting group!

What am I doing home you ask? Waiting for a friend to pick up his camp stove so he can take a trip to the Boundary Waters.

sigh

Even if there is no pumpkin latte - there is knitting, and I guess that will have to be enough.

Amazing

A simple thing really. Just a baby blanket knit in garter stitch. It should use a bunch of yarn. It shouldn't be that bad, it shouldn't take that long really. But still I haven't finished it. It was too big to take to knitting last week and it still isn't finished yet.

I'd like to have it finished and take pictures.

But it's still not done.

But Elizabeth Zimmerman makes patterns for great things and I need to buy another Spun Out. Just as soon as I finish this blanket.

Blame the internet

Sock socks socks. I love socks. I want to knit all the patterns in my stash and a whole bunch of new ones I found while surfing the internet this week. I don’t think it is even possible to knit them all let alone wear them. I’m perfectly willing to try, don’t get me wrong. But that’s a lot of socks!

I’m working on learning Portuguese knitting technique. So far It’s going well. But I’m only knitting. I’ll try purling next and then – maybe – something more complicated. Maybe a birthday present for someone special. Do I know anyone special? Hmmm.

I’ve decided that I have to make a cedar chest for my sweaters. Buying one was an option, until I saw the prices. Just - no. I found a nice pattern and I’m going to try it out making a small chest for my other hobby. It if works then I will see about constructing something larger. Last night the spouse and I went to Menard’s and got a general idea of the cost. I need to make a cutting diagram so I can buy the fewest pieces.

The current obsessive project is a baby blanket for charity. I have about 1/3 of it finished. I have also found another cute hat pattern to try. And socks – I have three pairs of socks on needles and another 4 pair waiting in the wings. There has been no spinning this week. I have much plying to do though and I have found the parts I need for the tensioned lazy kate. Now I just have to find the pieces for the niddy noddy.

Charity Knitting

While cleaning my sewing room I found I possess a box FULL of odds and ends. I have decided that I should knit up stuff with it. After some thought I decided to knit it up and give it to charity. Some of it will go to Dulaan and some to a local charity for which a friend knits.

Here is what I have finished so far:

Oh look - shiney!

I know I promised pictures – but I’m having some focus issues of late – but not with the camera. The camera operator is behaving a bit like a spastic ferret. I started and frogged four projects last night – in an hour. It’s quite shameful and I will probably go home and frog the one I was working on when I gave up the ghost and went to bed.

I finished Marta, except for some ends and buttons. I also made a pair of mittens for the Dulaan project. I have all this scrap yarn that isn’t enough to really do anything with but is too much to just throw away. So it seems like the perfect solution. I can sit and make hats and mittens until it is all gone and then ship a box of stuff away to people who need it, freeing up space in my stash.

When my daughter gets home from her vacation we are going to see if we can find some polar fleece and she can make a few blankets to send as well. It will be a good project for her.

I finally admitted to Steve that I started his sweater. I wanted him to try it on to make sure it was the proper size before I finish it.

Mummy!?

Went to the movie with the spouse tonight. At least it was only $5. The new wife is an incipient twit, there is less story line than last time (didn't believe that was possible, did you) at least the cg was entertaining.

Of course there was no knitting. I could knit in the dark, but the spouse gets annoyed. He thinks people a) notice and b) care. Some day he'll learn. I hope.

Night Knitting

Went to knit-night. I sat on the patio, seamed the sleeves on my Marta and picked up for the body. Unfortunately no one else came. Oh well - maybe next week.

I have to find my 'other' flyer for my spinning wheel. I am going to spin up the remaining blue roving that is on my wheel and then ply it. I am going to try the cheap Lazy Kate design that I found on the internet (assuming I can a. find the site or b. find the instructions I printed when I found the site).

Tomorrow I'm going to find my camera and take pictures of things that I'm working on. Of all the stuff on my needles I only have pictures of one. What a lazy blogger!

There has been knitting!

I have finished half of Marta. I have to sew up the sleeves and pick up for the body. I might finish it up by the weekend!

I have started a washcloth and I plan to finish that up before I finish Marta. The Joy that is Knitting!

August

Finally the exam is behind me. Results aren't due until October. Talk about torture! I just hope I don't have to do it again. Although I will if I have to.

I have started a new sweater - from Best of Lopi, Marta in steel blue. Once I get this one done then I will get back to the aran.

Kelly came to visit on Friday. It was so wonderful to see her. Her baby is so good. We did some yarn shopping and some knitting and general catching up. It sounds like her life is going well. Siris is doing better finally. Poor puppy.

Back to work on Monday.

The Last few weeks

I have spent the last few weeks cozied up with some books, studying for the bar exam. Today was the first day of the exam. I managed to survive, mostly sane, and now I have only one day left. If I'm lucky and I managed to come up with enough points to pass I won't have to do this again. Otherwise I will have to start studying again and take it over in February. Of course I won't find out until October. Talk about insult to injury.

Oh well - after tomorrow I can get back to sewing and knitting! I'll need fiber therapy by then.

Coffee Swap Questionaire

1. Full name - Nicolette Deplazes
2. Ravelry ID - knitknot
3. Email address - nicdeplazes@gmail.com
4. Blog address - this would be the place
5. Handmade item you desire in the swap - bag
6. Starbucks item you desire - mug or beans
7. Favorite Starbucks beverage/bean - right this moment? Green Tea Latte
8. Favorite snack food - salty chips
9. Favorite color - purple
10. Favorite fragrance - jasmine
11. What types of things do you like to knit - cable, color work, lace
12. Do you spin? - yes
13. Do you dye your own yarn? - yes
14. Favorite yarns - J&S, Blackwater Abbey
15. Favorite needles - Options
16. Do you have any allergies? - smoke
17. Would you be willing to prepare an angel kit if necessary? - sure
18. Do you have any special requests? - no
19. Do you have any pets? - cats and birds
20. Is your home smoking or nonsmoking? nonsmoking


Did anyone else see the news that Starbucks is closing 600 stores? I hope they don't close the one near my work. It's already a terribly long walk to get there and there is another but it is WAY to far to walk.

July 1

My son has decided to sabotage my study plans. He brought home a playstation and a new game. I wasted at least three hours of good study time before I just shut it off in frustration.

At least I'll get 9 hours of study time on Thursday and Sunday. We are driving out to visit my parents. The deal was I'd go along - but he had to drive so I can study. With any luck I'll be able to get a few good hours in during the holiday weekend as well.

Knitless

I have been mostly knitless all week.

I have been studying for the bar exam, I am way behind where I'd like to be and I haven't had much time for knitting.

Sad

You would think a person would learn

I'm knitting away on a lovely green sweater and measure it - check the schematic - measure again - knit some more - measure again - check the schematic. It's not coming out correctly.

So rather than looking for errata I frog the whole thing, in spite of the fact that my gauge swatch was perfect.

This morning I get up and do a bunch of scribbling and decide to check for errata. There it is - a simple measurement missing from the schematic. Drat!

Oh well. Back to knitting.

Swaps

I love swaps. Admit it - we all love swaps.

I love shopping for my swap partner - looking for that little extra something to make their day. My first swap was a delight - she was a brand new knitter so there were all sorts of little notions she didn't have. I found the best technique book ever ever ever while shopping for her. And she updated her blog - sometimes.

Lately I have had several horrible experiences. I've been stiffed twice. My angel the first time was so sweet, the second time my swap partner strung me along with promises until about 4 months after the swap ended, the she just disappeared.

The rest of the swaps have only been unhappy because there was no communication. Emails went unanswered and blogs weren't updated. And recently - no answers to my emails. I sent one a week and I think one was answered. What makes this fun, at least for me, is chatting with someone and getting to know little bits about them and then sending them a package you've put together based on what you learned about them (or think you did).

So here is some advice for potential swapees - check your email often - and junk mail too, send your partner emails - chat about 'stuff", make sure you update your blog, read your partners blog - you would be amazed what you can learn about someone by reading their blog. And a significant part of the fun is getting to know someone new. Send your package Priority or however you like - but get that delivery confirmation, it only costs an extra 65 cents, but it's well worth it. I have only had one package disappear but I really wished I had the delivery confirmation.

For the organizers - even handed application of the rules is a good thing - REALLY, but common sense is also a useful quality. There is no way to avoid the random flakes. but communication requirements help. And if you can't keep up - ask for help. I know there are a lot of people who would like to help.

As if anybody cares what I think anyway

WWKIPD

Today didn't start out so well. A smoke detector started a low battery beep yesterday. I had a new battery so I wasn't worried. I put the new battery in but it still beeped. It was late so I just closed my door so I could ignore it and get some sleep - It'll still be there in the morning.

Around 3am the one in my bedroom began to beep then the one in my daughter's room began to beep. I messed around trying unsuccessfully to get them to stop until 6am. Then I called my spouse, who is on vacation and woke him up at an ungodly hour. We talked about it for some time, he told me to unplug them, I figured out how to unplug them (they are wired in but they have a little plug - who knew). I managed to get them unplugged and then waited until 9 when the store opened. New batteries fresh from the store did the trick.

After that morning fiasco I stomped around for a few hours, finished a shawl and baked some bars.

My friend and I headed out to World Wide Knit In Public Day (we do it all the time so it was hard to see it as special). She needed to replace a broken needle so she could finish her socks. We hit two stores before we managed to find them. Then we went to The Double Ewe. They were having quite the festivities. It was fun. I didn't win a door prize - but really - what do I need with more yarn.

I started working on my Box Sweet sweater. I have finished 7 squares and I hope to finish a couple more yet tonight.

After knitting we stopped at the liquor store and headed to my friend's house. Her husband was making us dinner. It was really tasty.

So in spite of everything I will count today as a win.

Should have brought a camera

I'm sitting in lovely Tucson. It's a work trip so I'm not getting much chance to enjoy it, but it is beautiful here. I think I could live here.

But tomorrow I return home. It's too bad that I didn't manage to find any souvenir yarn. I didn't even have time to look. (le sigh)

I'm suffering a little from the time change - that or sitting alone in a hotel room is boring enough to send me to bed early.

UFOs

I have been quite busy finishing stuff and starting socks. I started two new pair in the last week. I am also working on finishing a shawl I started last year. I'm just past the half way point.

I have also been working on my garden. The plants are growing and lovely. I have flowers and seedlings to brighten my day. Today we put down mulch to protect the new plants and keep the weeds down. I don't really care much for mulch but weed suppression is important. I don't have time to give an un-mulched garden the attention it deserves.

I also REALLY want to get started on the StrickWear cardigan I purchased. I keep trying to get my daughter to ball the yarn for me - but so far she keep resisting. I might lose this particular battle.