Camera comes home!

The camera was returned to my care late Sunday. I took a couple of pictures but the light sucked so I will retake them another day.

I have completed two pairs of socks, and I have completed approximately 1/2 of the body of the sweater I'm making for my friend's spouse. (who is also my friend). It will not be done by November. (sad) I hope to finish the body and start the sleeves soon. If I hadn't screwed up and made it too small it would have been done by now.

Memememememeeeee!

Your result for The Classic Dames Test...

Jean Arthur

You scored 26% grit, 24% wit, 33% flair, and 29% class!

You are a little bit of everything: smart, nutty, classy, and even a little scheming when you need to be. However, you aren't exactly the most effective dame around, as you're sometimes given to fainting and mumbling incoherently. But you're pretty steadfast and true, and might I add, cute as a button, even if you're not sure exactly what you want. Still, you end up with the likes of Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant...not too shabby!

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.

Take The Classic Dames Test at HelloQuizzy

I finished two pair of socks this weekend. Alas I have no photos. The spouse took the camera to Arizona and left it in his sister's car. Sigh.

I spent the weekend at my mother's house. We rode horses, visited a yarn shop and sat about knitting and visiting. A very successful weekend, if you ask me. My daughter and I had our first train trip. It was fine. We slept and since there were two of us we shared a seat with each other and it was nice and snuggly. My friend also came but she ended up sharing with people she didn't know. Next time there are three of us going we are going to pay extra for a sleeping compartment.

Long time no post

I have been knitting quite a bit but I haven't finished anything.

I did get some good news today - I passed the bar exam.

Hopefully I'll manage to finish something this week. Then there will be pictures and other news.

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.