Knitting - Again

So the urge to finish things has caused me to climb over piles of stuff and rescue from oblivian my Aberlady sweater. It is another (yes another) AS that I started mummblety years ago. It is knit in the round to the sleeves then back and forth for the back/front. I'm about 1/3 the way up the back. Once I got set in the pattern knitting went well and I managed to get about 2 inches done. I'm concerned that, given the length of time since I started this piece and the way I have adjusted my tension, that I will have a harder time getting gauge, but I'm watching carefully and we'll hope for the best.

The yarn has been in storage so long that it has a little smell (it reeks of neglect). I dumped a bunch of lavender in the bag when I got home and we'll hope that makes it better. It is amazing the amount I have learned about yarn substitution since I started that. The weight of the yarn gets gauge, it doesn't give the right pop to the stitch definition though. It will still be nice to wear and I am still going to finish it, but if I was starting it today I'd find something else that would show to better effect.

I've been meaning to get back to it but other things always demand my attention. I'm going to attempt to finish it by October 1st. (yikes - a deadline) This is the date the KAL for Beadwork begins. It would be nice to start that on an up note.

Like I said before - I really need a 12 step program.

I took Aberlady to Eastside Fiber Enablers. It was really nice to get out. We are hoping to move it back to my house after Halloween, hopefully most of the debris will be out of the house by then and there will be places to sit.

Book Signing!

I went with a group of friends to see the Yarn Harlot speak and sign books. She was very entertaining and quite nice.

I got a book signed for Mom for her birthday. I hope she likes it. She had no idea who the Yarn Harlot is which was funny since she has shown me the books a couple times in the book store.

I didn't wear a single thing that I had knit to the event. Rather silly of me really. But there you have it. I've caught the 'finish it' bug again. I've brought forward several old things and I'm going to start working on them again.

I have to get back to cleaning and re-arranging the house so that we can actually live here. It will be nice. I hope.

Knitting?!

Yes another knitting post - I'm starting to think this is a knitting blog!

Here is the baby sweater, sans buttons. Cute, I think. This was a nice easy knit. I might have to make more like this.



Here are my Unst socks from Knitting on the Road.


Today I'm going with friends to see the Yarn Harlot. We should have a great day. I'm taking my camera and I hope I remember to take pictures. I doubt it - but you never know.

Finally - Pictures!

Finally have the desktop computer up and running. We'll have the wireless up soon (I hope).

Here are my SP8 gifties. They are so nice! First the lace shawl pattern and yarn. There was also candy (but I ate it) and a book light (it's in the car). I will have to wait (impatiently) to start until the house is more settled. Right now my knitting has to be the not mentally challenging variety. But the end of the remodel is in sight!


And the final package which is most excellant:
There are RED HOTS! hiding in there! I can't wait to start reading the book and knitting the fair isle socks (you can't really see the pattern very well). They will be so beautiful. Or I think I might use the lovely blue and purple yarn to make the Friday Harbor socks from Knitting on the Road.

I haven't managed to find time to do more than fondle the other yarn - but I think there should be mittens or a hat or a scarf from the other yarn. Winter is coming. They are predicting warmer weather with freezing rain - I'll need nice mittens for scraping ice off the car windows. I'd rather have feet of snow!

What next?

We have fleas, and because we have fleas, you know they are in my stash. Stupid cats.

I called the vet and she said to get some Frontline. We don't have to worry about bombing the house (which isn't terribly effective anyway) because the cats will take it anywhere they've been and it will kill the fleas there, then. When we take the cats to the vet on Monday we will get some Revolution - which is better but also a controlled substance, to use next. 4 months of this should kill all the fleas. I'll let you know.

My Filter Queen and I will be very busy the next week or so. I'll be putting my yarn in a laundry bag, in a garbage bag and sucking all the air out of it. Just what I wanted to do. On the other hand I will also acquire a vast number of new bins to place said yarn in and move it up to the new work room, after it has been processed. Two birds with one stone, and hopefully we'll manage to suck up most of the flea eggs in the process. This was not on the previous agenda.

This will mean that the cats, in order to spread their flea killer, will have total access to my stash. Stupid cats. Not that my house has ever been free of cat hair, but I've at least made some unreasonable attempts to keep them out of my yarn and fabric.

I have always had pretty good luck getting rid of fleas. The last two times we've had them I had the erradicated in a month. So while I'm all grossed out and unhappy about it, I'm also hopeful that it will be short lived.

Hopefully we won't have to deal with fleas as long as we've had to deal with stupid plumbers.

I'm depressed

We have two more draws to make on our house. The final contractor draws and the flooring/doors draw. The contractor draw will make us go over our target and we haven't even gotten quotes for the flooring and doors yet. YIKES!

I finished my Unst socks last night, except for weaving the ends in. I started another new pair. Some lacey cable socks from a sock of the month club I get.

Liz needs to get back to karate but I want to move furniture. Mike wants to get the flooring and doors quotes but I want to move furniture.

I suppose that duty will win over desire and I will spend another night in the RV.

Impossibility

It is impossible to post pictures if you leave the camera and SD card at home.

September - remember

School started today! Which means that unless my daughter finally agrees that she can be responsible for getting herself on the bus my work schedule sucks!

I got my Secret Pal 8 box on Friday! It was super. I have pictures that I will post ASAP. Meaning - this afternoon if I can manage a break at the coffee bar that has free wi-fi. However did she know that I adore sock patterns. I forgot to grab the card so I can go to her blog and say thank you.

I finished my Unst socks last night and they are too small - out come the toes and add an inch. I wish I had thought to check them before I broke the yarn off the first one. Oh well.

I finished the green baby sweater and realized that I lost one of the cards of buttons in the store. I didn't pay for them but I still have to go back and buy another card of them.

I am going to order the 5ply gansey yarn for Beadwork KAL tomorrow. I'm having such a hard time chooseing a color. It is a good thing I'm not also choosing a yarn I'd never manage. KAL starts Oct. 1st.

I painted the first coat of the guest room. After work tonight I'm doing the second coat, creating a path to get the bed out and setting it up in the room. We will be living in the guest room until our room is done. The bathrooms are done except for storage spaces. Closets need to be built for upstairs and a cabinet bought for downstairs.

The house is a mess on a grand scale. I'm not sure it will ever be clean again.

We Have Water!

That is all for now! - Moving stuff! Yay!

More new knitting

I cast on and knitted about 1 inch on the LaCrosse sweater. I did most of it while doing laundry at a friend's house. It's a good thing I have friends.

My current projects include but are not limited to:

kotr - KAL: Unst Socks about 5 inches of leg/cuff
Mary Tudor: about 10 inches (1 full pattern repeat and about 24 rows)
Green Baby sweater: button band and finishing are all that remain
Lana socks: ready for toe kitchnering
White Baby Ull sweater: the back and 1/2 of the right front are complete.
White Baby Ull booties: sewing up is all that remains
Rogue: sewin up is all that remains
Grey Lopi sweater: about 6 inches until sleeves join
Mom's Philospher's sweater: cutting and buttonbands are all that remain (need sewing maching for this)
Dad's Lopi Sweater: tacking and button bands are all that remain
AS sweater from the Celtic Collection that hasn't seen the light of day in 10 years.
Mother's sweater from Lavold: back is finished and sleeves are about 1/3 done.

Perhaps when we are moved in and settled a little (and the wireless is installed) I'll manage to get pictures and a proper 'In Progress' list up.

Stuff I have kitted up and waiting

Elizabeth 1
Katherine of Aragon
Poetry in Stitches sweater
Silk sweater
Dale Baby Sweater
Sweaters from Camp - I need to reorder that out of stock yarn for this - but there are only two colors missing - Does that count as kitted or just random stash?

I also joined the Beadwork KAL and need to order some 5-ply gansey yarn for it.

There are also various sweaters I have 'kitted' started and then decided I don't like. That yarn has gone into stash for future use. I'm willing to be I have enough yarn for 7 sweaters in stash but uncommitted. There is also untold amounts of yarn for socks and mittens.

I think I need a 12 step program.

Paint and yarn

I painted the second coat in the bathroom and my bedroom last night. Bathroom looks good - bedroom looks like something from a victorian brothel.

I finished the buttonhole band on the baby sweater and found needles to start the LaCrosse sweater. I need to hunt up stitch markers for the cast-on counting.

I joined the Beadwork KAL on Knitting Beyond the Hebrides. I have to (gasp) buy some gansey yarn. I'm still waivering about the color.

Tonight I hope to complete the second band on the sweater, finish up the bathroom (install vanity etc) so the plumber can come (hopefully this week) and second coat my bedroom.

Things are moving nicely along!

Secret Pal programs

I was just cruising around at the Secret Pal 8 blog. It seems there was quite a rumble going on with people complaining about the program and how they didn't get what they expected. After pondering this for a time I'm left still bemused.

Did these people contact their hostesses? Why not?

Sometimes you don't have a great experience. But it isn't the hostesses' fault. If you failed to contact them how can they fix it? And that doesn't even get close to the issue of some people never being happy. The hostesses do the best they can.

I had fun and I would like to try it again - without the incredible remodeling project sucking the life out of me. Those people who agreed to herd the participants are fantastic and should be appreciated.

So to my hostess with the mostess - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Again - the house

Painting has commenced. I danced when we put the vanity in the main floor bath. My husband laughed. There is still no water - but it feels so much closer now. Painting without trimwork or floors is so much more relaxing! We hope to have water by Friday! With our plumber I'm thinking we'll be lucky if it is a week from Friday!

While at the conference I found that the local yarn shop was only two blocks from my hotel - so guess where I was Thursday afternoon? I bought this sweater. It will be my 'CPE 2006' sweater. I have already balled the yarn. I'm completely and totally nuts! I also bought a nice little baby sock pattern.

I have nearly completed a sweater for my cousin's new baby. I have one sleeve and a button bands left to knit. I'm going to have to go and buy some buttons. I also have to complete the sweater for my friends baby. It's due any day and I have to start the sweater for my other friends' baby. Due sometime the end of the year. It's a mini baby boom!

I can't believe the summer is gone already. Where ever did it go. It seems like it was July just a few weeks ago.

I need a vacation from my vacation!

It was a very long hot dirty week. I loved every minute of it and I'm so tired.

Once again I completely failed to take any pictures. I needed a new SDcard for the camera and didn't manage to find one.

I'm currently out of town for an education retreat. YUCK! I was home for three days. It was a good thing - I managed to get some laundry done. I also helped grout the tile in the upstairs bath. It turned out quite nicely. I returned a bunch of broken lights (broke in the box) and picked out paint for most of the rooms. I managed to find a mistinted gallon of the venetian plaster we want to use. This will give me a chance to try before I buy.

My daughter found the paint she wanted for her room. It is a nice girly type and will be fine. Much better than the black she had been asking for.

I'm looking forward to fall, returning to the world of acedamia (for an advanced degree) and the quiet that will result. I'm dead sick of living NOT in my house. I can hardly wait to be back in.

Knitting talk will resume tomorrow, promise!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

Okay - it isn't really that bad. But I'm trying to lay tile and pack for a week long camping trip in the wilds of Pennsylvania. Since our house is still under destruction I don't know how I'm going to be able to get my stuff out of the garage. It is buried under house hold goods. We are loading Thursday night.

I hope to manage pictures and such for you enjoyment when I return.

I also hope that I can manage to find time to knit up my one skein item for my One Skein Secret pal, to whom I also owe a skein of yarn.

I'm a little disappointed that my one skein pal has never managed to send me a single skein of yarn. She has contacted me - but never managed to actually send the yarn.

I have not been a good Secret 8 pal. :( I failed to send communicate frequently enough. But I do have a nice package to mail tomorrow.

I never did find the gauge/ruler/needle sizer I was looking for to include in the package. DOH!

Oh well. I hope she enjoys the package when she gets it. I'll have to wait until I get back from my vacation to find out.

A short week

I'm on vacation starting Thursday! This is a good thing. I'm ready.

I got camera software on the new laptop. I'm going to attempt photos tonight. Updates on: socks, Mary Tudor and the house. It might take some time to load those up.

I tired to get my daughter to ball some yarn for my Poetry in Stitches kit. No go.

Otherwise I'm okay. I beat myself black and blue trying to mix mortar for the tiling I did Sunday. I won't be attempting that again anytime soon. Someone else is mixing the mortar, especially if he loves me.

Sweet Blessed Friday

First - my current obsession - the House
Taping isn't done. Humidity is keeping the mud from drying properly. They got that crap all over my cupboards. Oh well. They said they'd be back Monday for texturing.

Lights go up Thursday. This actually makes me very happy. Yeeee HAW!

The plumber is still an ass.

I leave for vacation Friday the 11th. Before I go I am suppose to get all the tile put down in the laundry/baths. That way the plumber can put in stuff. Guess what I'm doing this weekend - Finally! After we go to IKEA on Saturday.

Last night the entire family stayed in the camper. Four people in a 8x14 space. Right! My son left to get food, telling his father that I was tooooo grumpy. The constant contrary-ness that is both of my children wore much quicker yesterday and I admit I snapped. But for the love of peat, enough of the harping at each other and me. It's no wonder their father was outside.

Bedtime was a real treat. Spouse wanted the children to sleep together. That makes a lot of sense - they can't sit on the same side of the dinner table without fighting. The ended up the way I suggested in the first place boys in one, girls in the other. Except that the boys got the upper and the girls got the couch. But at least there was sleep.

Second - my most enduring obsession - Knitting
I have completed one complete chart on the current AS. I have two rows of the second repeat. I have to complete 4. I really need to start thinking about the neck. Since I decided that I don't want a cardigan I am going to be altering the pattern. This should be great fun.

I finished the socks on two circs. They went fine on the patterned part but when I got to the toes I couldn't keep the needles straight so I knitted them onto double points and finished them that way. All in all not a bad experience but I think I'll just stick to double points. The upside is keeping them on the needles and finishing both socks at the same time. The trouble with keeping the needles straight is not worth the hassle. I'm sure I would have more luck with two socks on one circ. but I really don't want to buy another needle to try. Although at this point whats one more needle. I have a bazillion. On the other hand I could knit them on two to the toes and just changed them then.

The other thing I considered is knitting them on two circs with three sets. Then I wouldn't knit front A onto the needle for the backs and get that tangled mess. You would think it would be easy to avoid. I even used two different needles so I would tell them apart by color. No - I still ended up with a mobius creation.

Liz started the arms for her hedgehog. I think she might actually get the silly thing completed this time. I asked her if she'd help me make one. That created quite a giggle fest.

August - come she must

So here we are August - I have been a REALLY bad secret pal. I bought some nice gifties but I haven't mailed them yet. I simply must do that TODAY!!!!!

This remodeling is going to be the death of me.

The rain is nice - really - if it didn't keep my daughter up all night. I'm dead tired. I might have to take my sorry ass home.

I took my daughter to Borealis last night. They worked on the hedgehog pattern. Abby was very nice, Liz was unhappy. I haven't gotten her to tell me what the problem was yet. They seemed to be getting along fine. They got to the end of the second leg and Liz turned to me with the most sad, desolate expression I have ever seen and asked to go home. So we went. She is really painfully shy and had to interact with someone she didn't know - but I've never seen her respond that way before. I'm hoping that this isn't a portent of things to come. If she becomes anymore afraid of people she will be in need of clinical intervention.

I got several nice comments on my AS Mary Tudor. (insert preening here) I had a hard time getting started on the pattern. I kept miscounting.

Abby has the most beautiful purple and burgundy sweater in her store. I decided that I should get the pattern so I can make it someday, I don't need it now since I don't have time to make it anyway. I have several already kitted up. Turns out I already have it, but I didn't recognize it in the colorway.

I bought Knitting on the Road. I joined the KAL some time ago and they are starting Unst so I decided it was time to really join in. I bought some lovely offwhite wool with which to make them. It was 10% off for A Night Out, too bad I didn't have a lot I needed to buy. Maybe next year.

Still remodeling

It seems that the weeks are getting sucked up and little is getting done. The drywall will be inspected today and then the taping will begin. This means I did not get to do any tilework this weekend. How am I suppose to get things done if I'm still waiting for the workers to finish up?

I finished knitting the Rogue this weekend. I reknit the hood three times, I'm still not happy with it. I am on the foot of the 2 socks on 2 circs. It actually seems to be going well. I managed the heels but I'm not sure they were done right (or the most efficient way) but they appear to have turned properly, which is more imporant. I hope to have them finished this week. I am going to start working seriously on my AS Mary Tudor again. I think that it is the closest to being done, except for the cardigans that I have cut and waiting for bands. They will not get done until I have my sewing machine back up since I need to v the neck on one of them. (sorry, Mom)

Of course since the knitting of the Rogue is done it went into the house. One less thing in the RV.

Tomorrow I'm taking Liz to Borealis for some help with a pattern. I will take the AS to work on. Perhaps this will keep me from purchaseing any additional yarn. (hahahahahaha)

Time - where did it go?

Boy when I said July would fly I wasn't kidding - was I?!

I can't believe it's almost over. I have so much stuff I need to finish yet. It will be a busy weekend.

It is really hard to finish all this stuff when I don't have my house. A great deal of my 'free' time has been spent hanging insulation, cleaning up the mess and shopping for stuff for the house. I have never spent so many two hour blocks making a quick 20 minute stop at Menards.

The 2 socks on one Circ project has not gone well. 32" is not enough 60" is WAY too much. I'm not really sure I want to waste more knitting money on needles in order to try out 38" or 45". I might just stick with two socks on two circs. I have about three inches of sock done. Between all the starting over and dropped stitches.

Then I saw where someone who was at Knitting Camp was knitting four socks at a time. YIKES!

I have packages that I simply must get in the mail Monday!

All else is going along at a screaming pace. I think I will be exhausted by December. If I don't crash before that.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Dry wall goes up this week, starting tomorrow! The final window and front door go in tomorrow. The electrician is wiring the new circuit box today. I will start putting down the floor as soon as the drywallers are done!

I have completely reknit my rogue sweater - I found a mistake in it and took it all apart and started over. I have the body, the sleeves and half the hood done. I think I'm going to keep working on it and finish the knitting.

Otherwise life is good.

I purchased a set of the new Knit Picks options needles. My initial impression is good.

I knitted the rogue sleeves on them. The tip unscrewed while I was casting on but once I tighted it with the little 'key' thing I had no further trouble at all. The joins seem quite smooth and didn't catch this yarn - but it is a good smooth spun yarn.

I will have to see how the set works out with my knitting style but I like the idea that I can purchase just the tips or cables I 'need'. This was a major drawback to the other sets I've seen. What if you lose a tip or need to replace a cable? Since Knit Picks has fixed that particular issue for me I took the leap and I think I'm going to like it.

I want to buy a couple more of the pockets - more for my personal organizational style than anything else. I plan to put all my cable needles in the 'book'.

I do have to admit that being able to purchase the cable and tips for $8 rather than $15 is also a BIG plus. I always seem to need another size x. I would think by this time I'd have enough but I needed another size 6 just the other day. It isn't as though I will have trouble getting the free shipping if I need to buy some. I have no trouble spending $40 at the yarn store any other time.

I do wish that the smaller sizes (1-3), which are only available in the 'classic' style, came with longer cables. It is too hard to knit two socks on one cable with only a 32" cable.

I need a break

I am getting rather burned out by life. I could really use a nice vacation. I'll be getting one in three weeks. I hope that things start going properly so that I 1) don't feel guilty about going 2) can go and 3) enjoy myself.

More remodeling problems. The heating guy is all straight but the plumber is STILL looking for an attitude adjustment. At least I'm living in the lap of luxury in my friends' RV. The commute is better; the living quarters, while not palatial are quite nice and I'm spending driving time knitting or working on the house.

I have written outlines and such for my first class. I'm calling it The Art & Science of Gauge Swatching. I save a lot of my swatches (there was a time when I wanted to make project books and the swatches would fit nicely in them. ) I can still go ahead and make the swatch books and use them for the class. I need to make a few of swatches with the same yarns and different needles and stitches too. I wonder if anyone would think it was a good class idea and take it.

Good Grief

I spent two hours getting a flat tire fixed yesterday. Blah.

I spent the prior hour at the yarn store picking up a couple things. I decided to try two socks on one circular. The one I bought isn't long enough and I don't have another one the same size so I can't do two socks on two circs either. I will probably stop by some yarn store and pick up another pair (or two) on the way home tonight.

Borealis Yarns in St. Paul is my new favorite store. Abby, the owner, helped me change my tire. They also wound three 100 gram balls of yarn into two 50ish grams of yarn for the two socks experiment. Talk about above and beyond!

I bought some new stuff to send to my secret pal. I hope she likes it.

I am probably going to get the box together tonight. There are still a couple of things I am looking for but I'm not going to look too much longer - I have another month to send a package and perhaps I can find them by then.

Back into Rotation

Last night I broke out the Mary Tudor and worked on it for several hours. I only had to rip out two rows. I still think it is a little rippley from not stranding loosely enough. But I'm hoping that I will get better as I go and that the wooly board will help ease some of that away.

My mother wants me to come and get Liz, which is fine - except that I still don't have a place for her to live. These people need to get moving on their work. I guess a new boss type plumber person came to the house yesterday and actually moved on the project. Too bad he didn't show up last week.

I am astonished how these people think we can just be out of that house until everything is all done. 'Oh we'll hook up water when we come to finish' I hate to say this to you - but WE CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG FOR WATER AND A WORKING TOILET. We need one working bathroom and water - NEXT WEEK!!!!!! How hard is that to understand. I can live in the basement and do work but I still have to have water and a bathroom. People want me to bath and I am probably not allowed to use the back yard for human waste disposal.

It's a good thing I have my knitting or I'd be a complete serial killer by now.

Weekend in review

I'm now on the front of the modular sweater. yay!?

I knitted a couple inches on the front of the baby sweater and two booties (that just need to be sewn together).

I now have 80+ stitches on the center portion of the shawl. I'm more than halfway to the center, where I get to begin decreasing back to one.

Saturday we purchased toilets for three bathrooms and lights for the dining room. We are still talking about vanities and won't choose sinks until vanities are chosen.

Mike has decided to hire out the drywall. It's money I'd rather spend on other stuff.

I need to find a pattern for a gansey. I suppose I could design my own I have the skills and the materials. I could design it while I finish the plethora of other stuff that is nearly completed.

July - she will fly

The fourth was fun. I lazed around the house and then went to a BBQ of sorts with friends.

I am still on the middle garter stitch portion of the 2-Ply Grey Shawl. I knit at least four rows on it every night since I started it last week Thursday. It is knit on the diagonal (I only had to cast on one stitch!) with one stitch added at the beginning of each row until there are 162. I have approx 65 stitches at this point. I'd post pictures - but you know the drill on that. The yarn is various shades of blue and grey. It looks very nice.

I am have completed half of the back of a modular sweater from Modular knits. I'm very pleased with my yarn/color choices. It will be a nice sweater for work. I have completed about 1/4 of the swatches for the YCA knitting teachers class. I have completed all the reading, writing and teaching that was required for the first level. I hate knitting swatches. Every little imperfection is magnafied.

This is why I'm still working on swatches for TKGA Master Knitter's course after several years. I have never completed a single set of them that I was happy with. I have knit all the swatches in: acrylic, cotton and several brands of wool. Although I have started another set with some Cascade 220 that are sort of okay. Some of the swatches MUST be knit with the same needles and yarn so I might go and buy another skien of the Cascade and knit that set up. My personal imposed deadline for both of these is July. Whether I'm happy with the swatches or not - at least I can send them in and have the judges look at them - I might just be over critical. At least that is what one of the people in my knitting group says.

The first half

The year is half over. July and the second half begins tomorrow. The first half has been pretty good. I hope the second is even better.

We met with the electrician yesterday. He will start wiring next week. The plumbing and heating instalations are suppose to all be done next week. We now begin out part - finishing.

I got my color card from Frangipani yesterday. I have now chosen yarn to the Beadwork sweater designed by AS. I am going to join the KAL that starts this fall. I need to finish Rogue soon as well.

I also have the Wedding Ring shawl that I'm going to start this winter. I have a pattern for another Shawl that I am going to knit to warm up for the Wedding Ring Shawl. I have the yarn for the second one - a lovely Schafer hand dyed lace yarn. I need to order some cobweb shetland from J&S for the Wedding Ring shawl.

I also have to order some yarn that was backordered the last time I ordered in order to knit the swatches for the Fair Isle I have designed in my mind. I was going to design it as a fund raising pattern for Northshield but after reading one of my knitting lists I'm concerned about whether or not it would even sell. I'm still going to design and knit it, but selling it might not happen, except for those few people who have already expressed interest.

The topic on the list was why so few Fair Isle type sweater patterns are available. The concensus from the designers on the list was that people don't buy them because people don't want to put in the time required to make them. They want projects that can be completed in a couple weeks at MOST.

I was also rather distressed to learn what designers are paid. The average magazine pays $500 for a design and the designer must write the pattern in all the sizes, knit the sample, and have a sample knit from the pattern in 3-5 weeks. HOLY SHIT. It takes longer than that for me to knit a sweater from a pattern if I'm not writing and vetting it, let along working full time at another job too. I am no longer surprised at the number of errors or the lack of quality from magazine patterns. Those types of deadlines are just NOT reasonable and the amount of time it takes to design and knit the sweater are not adequately compensated at $500.

Self publishing on the web might be the way to go.

Secret Pal Exchanges

So as I mentioned yesterday, I got a package from my secret pal. There was a great deal of enjoyment to be had opening the package and looking at the items. Everything was nicely wrapped in tissue so each item was like another present.

I have been watching the blog of the person for whom I am a secret pal. Imagine my joy at seeing that she had received her gift and best of all - Liked It! I already have a list of things to find for her (wish lists are marvelous things) and I am enjoying the shopping and bargain hunting very much.

I am a great lover of bargain/clearance areas. I have a list of things I want to buy and put in the next box and then the stuff from the bargain area is like that candy bar you grab in the register line at the store. The best part is shopping and not having to find a place to put it in my stash.

Surpise!

I got a package in the mail from my Secret Pal 8 exchange.

Lovely purple yarn (silk/alpaca) and a lace pattern. Chocolate and a book light. Very nice. I love it muchly. I would take pictures but I'm still having computer issues.

House remodeling progresses toward completion. With any luck we'll be able to start our share in two weeks! I can hardly wait.

Stupid Internet Issues

In addition to spending 3 hours a day on the road I am also spending 2 hours a day fighting with dial-up on my SILs computer. Now, don't get me wrong, I really appreciate them letting us stay in their house. But 5 hours of my day, everyday is starting to wear. In addition it seems that the spam filters at Itasca.net are stripping out e-cards from my Secret Pal 8. It is probably the only account where I don't get some spam, but what else am I missing?

Which brings up another point - how many e-mail accounts do I have anyway? I've never counted - but I'd guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 8. Why so mane? I have the sorted by hobby and I have the hobby accounts sorted by importance. If I'm holding an office of some sort the mail for that goes to a seperate account, that is checked everyday. Miscellaneous e-list go to other accounts. This makes it easy to get to stuff that I have to respond to promptly but it means that I log in to many accounts. There in being the problem with dial-up and webmail. Some of the ISPs have nice webmail that functions well, others, not so much. I might actually move all my stuff to gmail accounts, if only for the sorting functions.

I finished the tank last night. It fits and I have about 3/4 of the skien of silk left. I don't know what I will do with the left overs.

Now I'm going to have to start stringing beads for the purses I'm making. I think they should take a week to knit - but I'm going to start now because there is also sewing involved. Thanks to my friend G I have a table on which I can set up the sewing machine. I'm so happy with that. I could dance the dance of joy.

The "expletive" remodeling update

Perhaps the end IS in sight. Everyone except the electrician will be in the house next week. This is good. We meet with the electrician on the 29th to place switches and outlets. He will do that and be done by the 10th of July - supposedly.

My spouse with a death wish commented how he will be doing all the drywall alone. If he makes on more snotty comment to me about it he will be. I have nothing scheduled from the 9th of July until I leave for Pennsylvania on the 10 of August (or there abouts). I can either spend that time helping with the house or hiding the corpse, his choice.

Lovely attitude for our 20th anniversary, don't you think? He's ditching me on our anniversary to go and march in a parade with his shrine drum corps. I would go home and make him a nice dinner - but he won't be there to eat it and if they do the usual hang out afterwards he won't be home until late. Harumph.

Monday

Feels like Monday.

I had a nice trip to Missouri. Camping was fun.

I did some knitting in the afternoon on Friday, I then took out the entire last section and started it over. It needed to be done. I hope that when it is finished it will be correct. When I got home the yarn to finish my tank top was in. I finished the back last night and tonight I intend to sew it up and do the edging. Then perhaps I can wear it on Wednesday - or maybe Thursday. I have started the new baby sweater and I will commence serious work on that after I finish the tank top.

It now appears we won't be back in the house until August. I'm getting very sick of this crap! I want to go home! I do NOT want to do this for another 6 weeks. I'd be angry but it won't really help much. It wasn't suppose to take 6 weeks total. Next time I have any construction done I'm going to add in a timeliness clause.

The long weekend beginneth

I leave to go camping tonight. I'm going to have brunch with my brother and his wife on Sunday. It will be very nice to see them. She just got home from visiting her family. It sounds like her trip was less than perfect.

The remodeling continues apace. Next week I have to take time off to be there when the plumber and electrician are there. I can't imagine that it can all take place the same day. THAT would be too convenient.

No knitting has occured this week - but I have 14 hours in the car ahead of me so there is a chance some knitting will occur. I don't really expect to drive the whole time. Although I'm quite sure I will drive some.

In the second century of the remodeling years

We have second floor walls. The windows are framed in - I didn't realize they were that BIG.

Once again someone who had the plans failed to read them and upon inspection of the site decided we should throw more money away and purchase a different kind of thing. This time it was windows. Tempered glass is all well and good - but you could have noticed that the plans show the hall windows are 5 inches from the floor, before we ordered regular glass, and perhaps before they arrived. You know - 2 or 3 months ago - when you approved the plans without tempered glass.

This is almost but not quite as annoying as the heating guy who came by and said "My, these rooms are going to be a lot bigger - you'll need new radiators" Did you bother to look at the dimensions on the plans? Of course he also didn't notice that we were replacing all the windows and insulation thus needing a smaller furnace, so the cost difference was almost negligable. However if the roomsize had been properly noted would we have a way to large furnace? Most likely.

To my credit I haven't shown up at anybody's office - yet.

I bought yarn for a lace shawl last night. I also bought some beads. I now have a new project to finish by WW. With any luck the new beaded bag will knit up as quickly as the first. I also bought a Grace Quilting Frame. Regular price is $300, I got this one on clearance for $140. I'm sad my Hancocks is closing but this is a darn good deal. I have four or five tops that need quilting and now I have a way to quilt them. I see a quilting bee in my future.

It's Cursed!

So I sat down to finish my tank last night and I'm out of yarn! How can this be! I have like 2 inches to go and I don't have any more yarn! The gauge is right! The size is right! But I'm still out of yarn. I now have to try to remember where I bought it and call to see if I can get more yarn. It would help if I actually still had the skein tags! Dye lot? What dye lot.

CRAPTASTIC!

How long is a week in your world?

The contractor said he would have the roof off and the new floor and roof on in a week. I went by this morning and the floor of the new story is on - but no walls and no roof. The roof came off last week we are now approaching day 10. (I would post picture - but you know that complaint.)

I'd pout - but what good would that do? None - I say. Rather like taking the contractor at his word. He's not a bad guy and things are moving along - but I wanted to be home by now. It's making life hard - ever try to put together a secret pal box when half the stuff you have set aside is an hour and a half away? CRAP!

I have almost finished my new tank top. Not that I can wear it to the air conditioned hell I call the office. It is very nice and I might have to make another one. I have about 2 inches left on the back and then sewing together. YAY!

I have decided to join the JS Beadwork KAL. I have to order yarn. I thought I was going to luck into some that was already in the states but no such luck. Some one had some for sale and it was even the right color. Alas. I hate trying to call Europe. I don't have my own phone and with the time change I'm usually in the car or in bed during prime calling times. GAH! I can wait until I get back to the house though since I'm assured that they are very prompt shippers and I will have it in plenty of time.

I am also putting my J&S order on hold until I'm home to take delivery. With my luck it will come when I'm out of town and no one is at the house to take the shipment. It will then rain on the package and promptly get VERY hot and I will come home to ruined wool. NOT my idea of happy.

Weekend in Review

We went to Fargo to see Liz. She continues to grow - Yikes!

I worked on my parents' cardigans. It was nice to have their physical presence so Mom could try hers on. Mom's will have to become a v-neck. This shouldn't be a big deal. I'll sew up the shoulders and then machine the 'V' and start the bands. I have Dad's cut and mostly secured I will be crocheting an edge to attach the bands to sometime soon. Since there isn't any place to count as a steek I'm going to have to be very careful to secure the edges and put little stress on them. Alas - no pictures.

I'm hoping that there is an end it site for the house. I'm ready to move back in and start working on the walls and floors. We have to select the tile and purchase the flooring - but no hurry.

It was very funny to see my husband NOT admit that I was right when I told him the old floor tiles couldn't be removed because they were asbestos. Nope - I had to ask about it. (well they could be removed - but it would cost more for the disposal.)

Great Sadness

I want my computer back. I'm not happy. I have a hard time updating my blog, with no new pictures, and answering e-mail. My SIL is nice to let us use her home - but her keyboard is broken and dial-up is hard when you are as spoiled as I am. If I had my computer I could show you the destruction that is my home, and the knitting that is my consolation.

I got my new knitting books in the mail. I haven't had a chance to compare the new with the old. But I think the new one has more information and the old has more patterns/projects. One of the new ones has no charts. All the patterns are written out long-wise. I will have to sit down and draw them out. Otherwise I will never use them. (see - spoiled)

House destruction - fourth decade

Finally the electric company dug down the power lines. Three weeks late! They nearly refused - on discovering that the junction box (or what ever) was less that three feet from the gas meter. My superhero husband got out electrician on the phone, talked the electrical guys into coming back in an hour and showed up to supervise (we contracted the electrician ourselves and the contractor was rather nervous about handling it - since it wasn't his people). So in the end it all worked out. But I was on the road when he called me and didn't find out what finally happened until 3pm. I was a little stressed out.

I talked to Liz' school principal yesterday - during my brief periods of cellular reception. She's attempting to find a solution for us. But there are some problems with state guidelines and she wants my guarantee that Liz will be back to school by July. I tried to point out to her that we were certain Liz would be back June first and look how that turned out. I'm hopeful.

We still can't find Liz' glasses. I had them three weeks ago for all of 20 minutes. Now they are gone. Her father has gone back to the house 3 times and brought back three old pair. I finally called my mother and am going to fax her the prescription and they are going to go and buy her new ones. Which means the old ones will turn up next Wednesday. Fine - she'll have an extra pair.

I couldn't find my lace book - and I was quite whiney about it. I finally ordered one and it shipped Tuesday. Of course Tuesday afternoon when I stopped to grab my sergier to loan to a friend I found it - where the serger book was suppose to be. I didn't find the serger book.

I bought a cute baby sweater pattern and yarn. I also bought some lace weight merino. Since I'd found the lace book and I'm going to make something. I am also going to order gossamer and cobweb for Sharon Miller's Wedding ring shawl. I have found more than a few items I 'need'.

I have nearly finished the front of my new tank top. I have taken out the collar on my father's sweater. I am planning on sewing with Mary on Monday and I will haul my parents cardigans to be to her house and sew up the seams there. That just leaves the knitting and that shouldn't be too bad. I don't have any idea where the buttons are - but I can guarantee you that the minute I buy replacements they will show up.

Knitting - What's that?

Oh there has been knitting in my world. I've started two modular knit projects. But since I'm not in my own home with DSL I can't upload pictures. So there are no pictures.

There are rumors that they can't remove the roof until June because Xcel won't move the electric until the 24th. They can cash our check two weeks ago - but they can't get the work done. I still don't think I should have to pay for it until they show up to do it. They are holding up the whole project. Everything else is ready to go. And you can guess how much they care. The contractor was talking about cutting in the new windows later this week and next week. At least he's attempting to move ahead as much as he can. I appreciate that a lot. I have to order the new front door tomorrow. It sucks that I'm not getting the door I want - but I'll live with it.

I'm ordering lace yarn (cobweb and gossamer) next week (maybe). I'm also ordering the J&S I forgot to order last time. I'm going to take the advice in Sharon Miller's book and buy enough for several projects. I will calculate what it would cost to buy the recommended amount retail and spend the same amount on the J&S site. That should give me a metric buttload of lace weight wool.

I saw some really lovely lace patterns at the Fiber Fair but I didn't purchase any. I have enough projects in the works at the moment. But I do have a new wish list now. I really wish I could find my other lace book. I'll have to replace it soon. This will be very annoying. I hate to buy books I already bought.

I have to answer some emails this afternoon. I will probably head over to the local coffee house and use their free wi-fi. Assuming I can get it to work. There are no guarantees. I attempted to use the free wi-fi at the hotel this weekend and failed utterly.

Go over to Giovanna's blog and see a picture of my baby (the yellow one - not the green one). I miss the little feathery dusters. They appear to be doing well at her home - I saw them last week when we went for lunch. I'm really lucky to have someone I can trust to see to their well-being.

I finished the sleeve on Mom's fair isle. There was much rejoicing. I hauled my sewing machine to my SILs house so I can sew it up and cut it up. Once the sleeves are attached to the body I'm sending it and a ball of yarn to my mother and she can put on the button bands! Or not - I'll probably feel guilty if I don't do it myself.

I now have to finish the knotwork sweater and I have finally completed something. I also have some blackwork that she was promised and that I should finish ASAP but it is hard and has lots of really little stitches.

I have enough left over yarn from three other sweaters to make another one. Plus I took apart one of the kits that I bought, subtracted some yarn and added in others to get a colorway more to my taste. I've brought those two out with me and I plan to finish knitting one of them while I'm there.

But this week will have to consist of finishing my dress for this weekend. I have to do the buttonholes by hand and that will take some time. I also have to finish up the buttons but that won't be so bad. I think it should take about 5-10 minutes to sew a buttonhole and there are only like 60 of them. That's only two or three days worth of work. No problem.

I think I'll break out the blackwork!

Moving

I HATE moving. I'm not actually moving at this time - but it feels like it. We are doing some remodeling. I have to clear out the main floor of our house. Everything has to go into the basement/garage. I spent HOURS last night (with a friend) cleaning my daughter's room and packing stuff. We filled as many bags of garbage as we did boxes of stuff.

After I nearly finished her room and washed the dishes I spend an hour knitting another band on the redo of Mother's sleeve. I then took out that row (because the gauge was off) and reknit it. I have three (or maybe four) bands left. I will then sew up said sweater.

I had planned to go to my SCA meeting tonight but then Mike came and took my car. The brakes on the truck are still not working. It isn't as though I don't have enough things to do at home. So it isn't such a deal - just very disappointing. I hope to have all the upstairs done, except my bedroom, tonight though. Then I can spend Thursday sewing up the buttonholes on my cote. I still have to take out and redo the sleeves. Happy Happy.

Cool News

My mother just called to let me know that she won a free sweater kit from Philosopher's Wool! *

That is so COOL!

*Actually - even more cool - they are refunding the price of the one she bought. You bought two to get your name in the drawing and if they drew your name you got the price of one of the kits back.

Hay is for horses

I spent most of the weekend hanging out in a horse barn with my mother. If there had been riding involved it would have been perfect. I did get a pair of boots that fit my feet. What, you ask, does this have to do with knitting? Absolutely nothing, but I have size 6.5 W feet and I can never find shoes that fit (except for Birkenstock) and I was so excited. I'm still thinking about buying another pair! I almost went back on Sunday to get another pair!

Secret Pal 8 signups ended yesterday. This should be so much FUN!

I worked on the reknitting of the sleeve for Mom's cardigan. It is almost half done. I had to redo the same pattern all weekend because I just couldn't seem to get it right. I finished that pattern last night. I dug out the left over yarn, which I will need, and am ready to make progress tonight. I have to empty out a couple of rooms first, but I intend to get a pattern or two completed.

There was some stash enhancement this weekend as well. I got a sweater kit from Philosopher's Wool and no trip to the Cities is complete without a trip to a yarn store. I bought some wool to dye and a skein of sock yarn, Liz got a hedgehog pattern and Mom bought yarn and a pattern to make a sweater.

We dyed some sock yarn using kool-aid, I dyed some yarn using my acid dye (I'm not sure if I like it). It maybe make an appearance on Ebay. Some of the colors are great but over all I'm not sure I like it. I think I prefer the appearance of pot dyed colors over the appearance of the steam dyed colors. Pot dyed colors have a softer blend. I may have to run to the yarn store and pick up another 3 skiens and make a pot dyed batch to test this in theory.

It wasn't all bad

The weekend wasn't all bad.

Saturday I was involved in some stash enhancement with G and I bought some yarn to make Alice Starmore's Norfolk from Fisherman Knits. It is really a lovely chestnut brown.


Then my friend Kelly came to visit one Sunday and we dyed some wool. She took hers home before we got pictures but here is what I dyed.




That part of the weekend was productive and fun.

Exercising my frustration

I knit 4 (four) more swatches during the last week. Okay so I really knit the first two swatches four times.

I am rowing out something disgusting. I have no idea why! I broke out all the sweaters I've made in the last six months. I have whole backs, fronts and sleeves without a single row out. So Why when making these swatches can't I make a single inch without a row out? I have random uneven stitches as well. Maybe I'm trying too hard?! All I really know is that I'm getting really frustrated.

Master Knitting

I finished my first swatch last night and blocked it this morning. I think it sucks 9 kinds of ass (to quote ColoradoKnits). I am going yarn shopping with G on Saturday so I might see if they have some other worsted weight yarn I can snag and make another set of swatches out of it. Of course I have already made 3 different sets of swatches with 3 different kinds of yarn and not been happy with them. But I am mailing them in July 1 whether I like them or not! At least that will be forward progress. Film (as it were) at 11.

Here is my swatch. It will have to be redone.

Weekend - in which we drive, some more

Friday dawned and we packed the car, then looked for coolers. Out intention was to return home with tasty meat. After wasting 20 minutes looking for coolers we left for a 9 hour drive to my mother's house. (Telling myself it takes 9 hours makes it seem not so long.) Plus we stopped about half-way to see the new baby and spent almost two hours visiting so it did take 9 hours.

The reason for taking the car instead of the train was to return with tasty meat. I brought back some steaks, a roast and some ground beast. Meat takes more time than that to freeze. Driving home with 1/2 of a not frozen beef was not considered a good idea.

Saturday we looked at sweaters and decided that the small sleeve must come out. I am not surprised, I suspected as much. I did however enjoy several months where that sweater was, for all intents, done. The sleeve is now unknit and on needles. I hope to have it done by the 29th. I will then sew it up, cut it up and sew it together. Mother can then knit up the collar and button bands. I also brought home the sweater I made for Dad. It is too warm (?) so I am going attempt, against all odds, to acquire something to make button bands so he can have a cardigan. And they wonder why I am reluctant to knit for others.

On the up side my mother politely failed to discover the error on the back of her knotwork sweater (ie the sweater from hell). I also managed to knit a row and a half on it while there.

Then we went out and spent 5 hours cutting and packaging a beef. This should not be attempted without a good sense of humor and a box of bandaid. We did however get meat that was packaged per our needs and briskets that were briskets! There will be corned beef in my future!

We then got up Sunday morning and returned to the metropolis. Interspersed there was horse brushing, combing and admiring. My parents' horses like me, my mother is very pleased by this and thinks I should move closer so I can help with them. She has a jumper for me, he is a nice 1 year old and I would really enjoy teaching him and stuff. Alas I have no job there. :(

I arrived home to two boxes of yarn and a wooly board. I sorted yarn (as best I could) the shipping was high but we still paid less for the yarn and shipping from the mill then we would have paid at the shop. It will be cheaper to ship next time as well, since we won't be getting another wooly board.

Best go - I have an appointment and I have to see if I can figure out where it is.

No Rogue Monday

Last night there was no work on Rogue. G was working on a cute little baby dress. I attempted to find some nice non-wool yarn to also make a cute little baby something. I couldn't find any. In the end I was enabled to make a cute little bonnet.

G wants to finish the dress so I can take it to the baby on my way to visit my folks this weekend. We talked about going to Stitches Midwest, but not this year. I'm already booked that weekend. That should take care of all my excess money and vacation next year: Knitting camp in July and Stitches in August.

We then proceeded to talk about all the knitblog people we could hope to meet.

No more guilt - but new shame.

For reasons I missed people are posting pictures of their stash on their blogs.

I am an amateur! There are professional yarn collectors out their and I am not one of them. I'm a wannabe.

Our J&S order has shipped.

That is all.

Another Rogue Monday

Fiber enablers was great last night. I worked on my Rogue and I am at chart C row 33.

After everyone left I knit the last lace swatch. This time with the silk and Brittany needles. The Skacels were to slick and I kept loosing stitches. It blocked fine. I like the idea of using silk - but it was pretty slick and I think it would be an exercise in frustration. I'm probably going with the shetland cobweb. I can order that from J&S when I order the yarn I left off of the last order.The samples are: Gassamer Merino, Shetland Cobweb and Gossamer Silk. The silk has serious tension issues. It is really too bad that you can't reall see the fineness of the fiber here. My camera just isn't good enough.

Knitting Camp costs about $650 from Thursday through Monday. This includes classes, four nights hotel, hotel breakfast, lunch and snack. I'm going to save money so I can go next year. I spent almost that going to the EGA convention in Minneapolis and it didn't even include food or hotel. Still expensive, but I think it will be worth it. Applications for this year are due starting Friday, I have to save for the remodeling and I can't get out of my responsibilities at WW this year. So I'm going to just suck up that I can't go this year and enjoy the fact that I get to go to Pennsic instead and spend a weekend at Lillies.

I also started ANOTHER sweater Sunday. This one is a lopi sweater. I will be dividing my time between that and mother's sweater. I have only about half the front to finish and since we are going to visit her the 14th I hope to have the pieces done to take along. She can sew them up, try it on and I can put the neck on it either while I'm there or have it ready for her to pick up when she comes here the end of April.

I'm still balling yarn for the cardigan. I have to find some freetime to read the pattern and make some copies of the charts. I'm willing to bet I finish the lopi before I get all the yarn balled for the cardigan.

I've fallen off the wagon!

Yes - I bought yarn. My mother has declared it is her fault though. She wanted to order from J&S but she was afraid to do it herself. So she begged me to order too and combine our orders and place the order. I was a hard sell but she was a good salesperson. (okay - I caved)

I convinced another friend to join us. I ordered a wooly board as well. I know I have the wood to make one and I'm still going to - but since we were ordering anyway and it is over $100 less to get it from there (including s&h and exchange) I decided I could have two.

I ordered the yarn this morning. I had forgotten how to dial over seas. I sent the order by e-mail and called in the CC number. Now I get to sit on pins and needles and wait for the yarn to show. I hope it is here before my mother comes in a month.

I ordered yarn for a sweater I want to design. I have drafted the graphs and the pattern is sketched. Once I get the swatches done I might be looking for people to test the pattern for me. Any one want to volunteer? If it works out I'm going to donate the pattern to NS for fundraising. Yes - a NS sweater. What is a good price?

EDIT - Crap! while figuring out how much each person owes I discovered that I forgot to order part of the yarn I needed. Looks like I'll have to place another order. I will wait until the first bit comes and then order the remainder for the sweater and the cobweb for the lacework at the same time.

It's official

I am a freak! I discovered that I had dropped a stitch in an aran knot on Mother's sweater. I attempted to find it and knit it up but I couldn't. So I unknit the entire knot section and reknit the knot back up. I couldn't face unknitting the entire thing down to where I could find the dropped stitch. It turned out well and I can only barely see the slight tension issue from the reknitting. I think blocking will make it almost impreceptable. Pictures later.

I have balled about half of the yarn for the cardigan. It is REALLY fine. I had an interesting experience when one of the balls I was winding jumped off the ball winder. I have two balls of that color now.

No Rogue Monday

Since G decided to stay home last night I didn't work on my Rogue last night. I worked on Mother's sweater (I had the first pattern repeat done Sunday and the knots were too big. The guage seemed fine - but the knotwork wasn't. I now have 1/2 of the first repeat done. It looks much better. The gauge on the stockinette stitch was fine - but the knots worked up too loose. It was less than 1/4 inch longer and no wider but it LOOKED much different.

I have about 1/2 of pattern on the Mary Tudor done. I'm almost where I was when I un-knit it. It looks much better and I'm happy with it.

I have decided that my next project will be this Cardigan I bought the kit on clearance last year. I have a couple of the skeins balled. The yarn to very fine. It should be a lot of fun. I am going to start it when I finish the front for Mother's sweater. I will make the swatch sometime this week.

Success!

I got the split splicing to work! Go Me! I'm so excited. WooHoo.

I checked my gauge. I'm perplexed. It is knit much more loosely, and the gauge is 16 stitches per inch instead of the required 15. I'm not going to sweat it. But I'm perplexed. I was worried that the gauge was going to be 12 stitches per inch and I'd have to really tighten up my knitting. It seemed so LOOOOSE.

I make a gauge swatch and then constantly check my gauge while knitting. I'm obsessive, although I have stopped checking it with socks. Gauge can change a lot from week to week, depending on stress and things. I'm worse about checking gauge with fair isle because the constant work on stranding properly doesn't leave enough brain power for watching gauge. Once I get into a rhythm I'm better but since I'm now trying to do all these other new things with this sweater I'm very concern that my gauge is going to get all wonky on me.

I got out my Katherine of Aragon Kit and played with the yarn a little. I read through the instructions. I have to go through and count my skeins. There are two versions and I can't remember which one I bought yarn to make. Then I'm going to set up my ball winder/swift and have the daughter ball yarn. I'm hoping she'll manage to get it all done - but she has a tendancy to get all pouty about the 4th ball and quit.

This weekend I MUST cast on for the front of my mother's sweater. Probably Sunday since I have sewing to do Saturday.

Tah

Why isn't it Friday?

I got up early and did some knitting on Mary Tudor this morning. I'm about 1/2 way through the bottom band. I think it looks better and I'm enjoying practicing carrying my threads across the back.

I have given up on spit splicing. I'm doing something horribly wrong and nothing is more irritating that doing the splice and leaving it to dry and then coming back hours later only to have the splice come apart - I could have knit a couple rows in those couple hours! So, back to weaving in the ends for me. Of course I'll try it again a hundred more times before I really give it up completely.

I think I'm going to ball up another sweater kit that I have sitting around. Call it incentive. Trouble is - which one. And if I set aside one night each week to work on a different sweater would I get 5 of them done? Rogue - Monday, Mary Tudor - Tuesday, Jamiesons Lilies - Wednesday, Katherine of Aragon - Thursday and Friday off for good behavior or to work on the most fascinating pattern (not Rogue). Oh - now there's a plan. Although I think Friday and the weekend will have to be the front of Mom's sweater just so I can get it done.

I'll think on that some.

Snow Days

This weekend I ripped out the Mary Tudor. Thank you for all the helpfully comments. It came down to - I won't be happy with it so it needs to come out. It is once again a bag full of yarn balls.

I have now attempted to restart it a couple times. I started redoing the cast-on this morning for the third time. It's a new (to me) cast-on recommended by AS for this style of knitting. I got a copy of her Fair Isle knitting book cheap. It was about $100 including shipping, last copy I saw on Ebay went for over $200 and used book stores list it at $125 so it was a bargain? It really is a nice book with a lot of useful information. Including many chapters on designing your own. I'm glad to have it but I can't believe how much money I spent on it. I am using the techniques suggested by her in Fair Isle knitting. We'll see how the sweater turns out.

Fiber enablers and terrorists society didn't meet last night due to the storm. I'm glad my friends were smart enough to stay home. But there was no progress on Rogue.

I got a couple more Elizabeth Zimmerman books last weekend. I really want to go to knitting camp in July. It is run by Elizabeth's daughter Meg Swansen now. Unfortunately the session I want to attend is the same weekend as another annual get together that I usually attend. This year I am commited and don't really think I can back out. But maybe next year I can attend knitting camp instead.

Bitch Warning

I like rings, web rings, blog rings all kinds of rings. They are fun to surf through and join. Many blog rings require that you update your blog on a regular basis. I have no issue with this. It sounds like a good requirement to me.

But if you are going to require that people update their blogs regularily - then for heaven's sake make sure you update your ring regularily. Sitting in the queue for weeks and months is not conducive to pleasant feelings. Especially when there is no contact about why you are still in the queue. The code is up and functioning, blog updating is occuring.

The other thing that has been getting on my nerve lately (yes I have only one) is the dreaded Knit Along. If you are going to post that you are hosting a KAL on an open list and that everyone is welcome to join you then for the love of pearl when people ask to join RESPOND. Didn't get enough information - say so, don't know if you want this person to join you - say so. Complete silence is NOT the sign of a good host. Not to mention that when I see you posting about how you need one more skein of yarn X to finish a sweater for your beloved even if I have it, in the right dye-lot and I plan to never use it I am not likely to offer it to you. Just saying.

This week in knitting

I did finish the sleeves on Monday and managed a couple rows on my Rogue. WooHoo. I was telling Mother this and that I hoped to have it done so she could sew it up and I could add the collar when she was here the end of April. She wanted to know why I didn't knit the body all one piece. Uhm - I started it that way and then when the patterns wouldn't come out and I had to take it out and reknit it over and over and over and over I decided against taking out 200+ stitches and recasting them everytime after the first restart - because of all the errata in that pattern and the added problem of the knotwork not coming out correctly. But now I have only the front left (YAY)

I think I'm going to take out my Mary Tudor and start it over. I've learned a lot about colored knitting since I started and stopped working on it (tension issues) I think I will do a much better job from here on up and I'd like it all to be better not just the last 20 inches. Does this sound crazy to everyone except me? You can see the progress through the link on the side bar - I'll take votes.

The weekend update

This is an exciting post - I spent all of my knitting time this weekend working on my mother's sleeves and THEY STILL AREN'T DONE. I did no other knitting all weekend. I'm close to finishing them though - I think. Of course I also thought I'd have them finished by the end of the weekend and I was wrong about that.

I hope to finish them tonight. Yes it is Rogue Monday - but the sleeves are driving me crazy and I want them DONE. I think that it is the need to get things finished and out of my room so I can buy more yarn that is getting to me. Well that and she is coming to visit the end of April and I can send the sweater home with her if I get it finished. Then it will no longer be in my house!

I bought The Opinionated Knitter and I have a deep desire to make three or four of the sweaters in that book. Mostly I want to use her method for creating a sweater. I want to make a blue/teal/purple fair isle with green/yellow/ivory/pink flowers. Something lotus blossom-esque. Swatching will ensue as soon as the doodling is complete.

As Promised

Finally time was found to take pictures.

Rogue sweater Day 4


The sleeve for mother's sweater


The green yarn I spun a month or so ago:



Not much of an update - but more later.

Rogue Day 4

I did manage to knit on the Rogue for a couple hours last night. I wasn't motivated at all. I did get the front and back seperated and a couple rows on the back done. But if you consider that the first row I completed last night took me 20 minutes that's not bad. I had a terrible time all evening and reknitted several rows before I called it a night.

My spouse was being a wise ass and said I should just quit knitting and write patterns. Maybe edit them, but I'm not sure about writing them. The directions on the several of the last few sweaters I have started have been unclear and difficult to interpret. Which accounts for no small part of my frustration with a couple of projects I have on needles and some I've taken off needles and put aside.

From this weekend - I also have more than half of my mother's sleeves finished.

I'll post pictures later. It seems I left it on while I was playing with some of its features and the battery is dead.

Weekend workings

I finished this sweater this weekend.



Here is the sweater I've been making for my mother FOREVER

The Back:



The Sleeves:



This is a cardigan that I made for her last year. I can't finish is until she comes to visit. She has been waiting to see it since I finished it in December.




And tonight - Rogue Day 3

Rogue update.

Here are pictures of our progress from Monday 2

Giovanna:


Mine:

I had to rip mine out and redo it. Silly mistakes.

Stash Reduction Update

Last night I finished a sleeve this sweater . I also started the body and the other sleeve. I started the body because the needles were right there - but the needles for the sleeve were in the needle case and I didn't want to get up and get them. How lazy is that! But after I had finished the ribbing and set the pattern I got the needles and started the second sleeve. The second sleeve is now off double points and on the 16" circulars. If it wasn't for Rogue Mondays I'd probably be able to finish the second sleeve tonight.


I'm going to have to rip out my aran. The stitches aren't tight around the cableing and they must be fixed.

My daughter is making a scarf for herself and her doll. She has been working on the doll scarf pretty steady. I raised a thrower. I don't know how I will manage to live with this. :)

TKGA - update

I have found answers to the questions and I will now need to start knitting the swatches. After I knit the swatches I can answer the remaining questions, write up the answers, references and bibliography and proof the blocking report.

Maybe I'll have the swatches done by the end of the month. That would be nice. I am going to try to get this done by end of March.

I ordered new 'business' cards to attach to the swatches. They are here already. I will write the requested informtion on the back, punch a hole and attach a string. Quick and easy, and most important, legible.

Rogue

Tudor Roses - Mary Tudor

Monday Knitting

We started our Rogue sweaters last night. I got about three inches done. Liz hasn't ever worked from a chart before. A new learning experience. The instructions seem pretty clear to me, but I'm only learning what the new symbols mean.

I like the way this chart is done. I need to find out what software was used and get it. I have some patterns I'd like to do and if I'm going to make charts this would be good software to use. (Like for the Master Knitter level III)

I have a few things to take pictures of and post. Maybe later today I'll get a chance to take care of that.

Why?

So I've been running around the net, wasting perfectly good knitting time, reading knit blogs. I've found some really good ones. (I've also found some scary and crappy ones - but that's the way it is)

Today I stopped by a blog and read a post about news reports of men knitting (and I use the term 'news' in a sardonic manner). All I could think while reading the blog was: Why are people so obsessed with who others are attracted to, having sex with, want to have sex with and so forth? Really - why do you care? Aren't getting enough on your own? Why are you so sure that any male who practices any fiber art is gay? Why the hell do you care?

Of course the feminist in me says that it isn't really about gay men knitting so much as it is about knitting being a less worthy past time because women do it and if men do it then they might have to start giving it respect. But then that sort of implies that the conservative white christian male feels threatened by giving women and their work respect. Even if they did they wouldn't stoop to name calling and stereotyping. Of course not.

So I did the math. I'd have to spin the singles at 250 wraps per inch. That is so not going to happen. I could do it at 80 pretty easy, but 250?

I did skein and wash the green that I spun and plyed at fingering/lace weight. The singles were more than 40 wpi but I'm not sure how much more since my gauge doesn't go smaller than that. I'll have to knit up a guage swatch and then start the socks. I'll attempt to post pictures once the skein is dry and I get it balled up.

I think I'll find a pattern for the mobius scarf/head covers and spin the baby camel/silk for that. Gossamer I'm buying. Enough to make the shawl will cost $25 + shipping, depending on the exchange rate. I have a few other things to finish up first and I want to practice my lace knitting techniques before I start so I've got time to do those things and still not buy any more yarn this year. Maybe I'll convince the spouse to get it for me for my anniversary. :)

I have started my own KAL. Liz, one the ladies in my Monday night fiber enablers get togethers, wants to make the rogue sweater. I already have the pattern and the yarn myself. Thus we decided yesterday to knit it together, but only on Monday nights. We can't work on it any other time. We both have other things to finish and if I can't obsess about it I'm less likely to get bored with it. Plus if I have to work on it every week I will be more likely to finish it in a decent amount of time.

I think I'll take pictures of our progress at the end of every get together and post them here. I'll have to talk to Liz about that. I'm very excited about the whole idea.

Ah-ha!

I bought this beautiful bag of silk/baby camel roving. I had no idea what to do with it. But something light and delicate (I couldn't afford enough for a sweater and it's too lovely for socks).

The problem has beed solved. While reading blogs I found this Shawl http://www.heirloom-knitting.co.uk/projects16.html Vera Nice! So there you have it. I'm going to spin gossamer yarn and knit this shawl.

If you see my mind go by - stop it - I might need it back later.

I think that this project will be easier than thinking up 100 things about me; I have 15.

Well - here is the toe of the sock. It seems rather large but I am assured that it is the right size. I should just bite the bullet and finish it up and then make him try it on. I'm not thrilled with the idea of reknitting it but it isn't like it would be the first time I ever did that.

It is 100% cotton 9.5 sts/in on size 0 (2mm) needles. I am reminded again why I hate knitting with cotton.


I have been reading a lot of blogs lately. Some of them are very fun. I have especially enjoyed reading the '100 things about me' posts. I think I will start one on Saturday. I wonder if I can come up with 100 things?

I've been working on my friends socks. When I get the foot done I'll take a picture.

I started working on the Master Knitter stuff. I'm answering questions and writing book references. I'll start knitting this weekend.

I tried to renew my driver's license today. I have to go and have my eyes checked. It is bad enough that I can't enjoy 3D movies but I can't see in the silly little machines either. The clerks usually give me this look like I'm trying to pull a fast one. At least this gal was aware it happens sometimes. She gave me a form. In North Dakota they just ask you to get a letter and leave it up to you to decide what it needs to say. My appt is tomorrow. Maybe I'll order some green contacts.

It is cold here.

I got my new master knitter instructions this morning.

I finished graphing and planning a pair of socks for a friend. He does historical recreation. The graphs are based on knitted samples found in museums from the appropriate time and place and the sock pattern on other reproductions and period examples. My first foray into designing, other than doodling.

It is very exciting.

A very productive weekend

I finished the mates to two of the socks shown last week (the first two). I still have to graft the toes but I always save up socks until I have several pair and do them all at once. It always takes me so long to get the kitchner stitch down that it only makes sense to have at least two pair I can do after I have figured out what I'm doing. I seem to forget it promptly after I close the book and get up.

I did 12 rows on my Black Water Abbey Sweater. Once I decided that I don't have to watch all the graphs I'm doing better with it. I should find a picture of the pattern to put on here - I'll attempt that later this week. It also helps that I have the base rows done. I'm having some trouble with the outside cable stitches being gappy, but not enough to take it out. I'm probably the only person who will ever notice it and I'm working on making it stop. Every item an act of self improvement.

I did a few rows on a new sock that I'm starting. I still might take it out and go back to the pattern that came with the yarn. I've only got an inch done so I won't have lost much.

I have also sent in my request for updated instructions for the TKGA master knitter program. I'm going to finish it this time. I have now made 6 sets of swatches and done the report twice. I would like to think that I've learned something and I need to stop being such a coward and send it in. I am making new swatches and rewriting my reports, because I'm assuming that I have learned and improved since the last time I did them (two summers ago). But I am going to send them in this time. I will not chicken out!

I think I'm going to join the Black Water Abbey knit along. Here is the sweater I started. How serendipitious to find a KAL.
















Time to knit.

The Camera Strikes

It's here - I have pictures.

Here is the yarn I spun:




















And some socks I finished since Thanksgiving. Hopefully I'll get the mates done soon.


































It's amazing how a good camera makes the colors better! WOW!

There are photos in my future!

The new camera was left on my doorstep on Friday. That's right - UPS left a $350 camera sitting on my doorstep. My son was up waiting for it, as requested, and they didn't even knock twice.

I'm going to get a big sign that says "RING THE FUCKING DOORBELL" We live in a rather small house, but the main living area is downstairs and you can't hear someone knocking lightly on the door. If you do hear it you aren't sure it isn't the cats, so you listen to see if it happens again, when it doesn't it was probably the cats and you ignore it.

But it is here and I played with it and I can now take some pictures!

I have successfully not bought any new yarn this week. I even looked at some spiff yarn and managed to not buy it. I also successfully bought no new fabric. I didn't look at any new fabric and thus avoided that temptation. Last night I did wash and iron some fabric that I had purchased previously and will cut it out this evening, or maybe I'll knit.

Completely Random Rambling

I decided yesterday morning to spin a few skeins of the body color. I have one full bobbin and one half full bobbin. This should work out to three skeins. I hope that is a few. I'm going to finish up this bobbin and then spin the lovely green I dyed. Then we'll see if I can remember how to Navajo ply.

Today we are attempting to make soap. Okay - it isn't really so much attempting. I've done it a zillion times before. It'll be fine. I need to get cleaned up and get the downstairs kitchen cleaned up and preped. I'm just being assisted by new people.

My camera has left CA. It is supposed to be here on the 6th! I assume someone will have to sign for it. But no one will be here to do so. I HATE UPS. It was my only shipping option. Did you know that asking them to change your delivery block from 10-2 to the 2-5 is asking for a specific delivery time? Uhm - right! And someone got shot last week in front of the place you have to go to pick it up if you aren't home so that is a pleasing option! Oh well.

Effective Enabling

Yesterday I was a very good enabler. I helped my friend buy a spinning wheel. We then brought it to my house, stained it and put it together. It worked.

I bought a bunch of roving. I would post pictures - but the camera is in the mail (it will be here sometime next week!) My favorite to drool over is the Baby Camel/Tussah Silk. I can't wait to spin it. But I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but it is beautiful and soft.

I have finished spinning the orange and the green for my sweater. I have left - the main body color, navy blue and the lavender. The end is near. I think I'm going to start working on the main body color. The navy and lavender I can do in an evening. The body color is going to take a week (I think)

And yet - another

I take it back; the second piece of roving is not very green. I'm thinking it will stay the color it is though. I'm not sure it will survive another session of boiling. I'm a little bummed.

I ordered my camera. I'm so EXCITED!

I also ordered one last bit of yarn. Silk for this garment. Silk is a nice fiber and I think it will make a nice dressy summer top.

Off to sit and spin.

The end approaches

Three more days of 2005. I have been working on my list of Resolutions. Starting off the new year on the right foot. What, you ask, does this have to do with knitting? Well - my first resolution is to pay off bills, which means NO MORE YARN. It isn't like I don't already have enough to knit for a couple years without buying anything new. I'm going to keep the Sock of the Month membership, because I enjoy it. But other than that NO MORE YARN. :) We'll see how that goes.

This will probably also require a decrease in the fabric purchases area as well. But then it isn't like I NEED more fabric. Pretty much the same shape as the yarn.

This one resolution will assist in a couple of other annoying things. The overstuffed crafting room. If I knit up and sew up what I already have I just might be able to get in and out of that room without killing myself. So - first resolution - paying off bills.

The other item on my list is to lose that 20 pounds. I got my legs fixed so I should, in theory, be able to start running in May, when the snow is gone. I have since high school gained 40 pounds. I'd like to keep some of that because weighing in at 103 is not something I look forward to and lets be honest - it isn't attractive to be that thin. So 20 pounds, in a year. That's two pounds a month with time off next holiday season. This will also allow me to wear some of the nice things I have in my closet and thus avoid buying new bigger clothes, and thereby assisting with Resolution #1.

So - 2 Resolutions and that is enough for anybody. Two goals which will make a lot of other things better. Two manageable goals.

P.S. The redyeing of the green wool went swimmingly. I now have one chunk of lovely deep green and another chunk of an equally lovely but not so deep green. I will spin them together and they will make lovely socks. I only have 8 oz so that is pretty much the maximum output, two pairs of socks. (100gms = 1 pair, 8oz = 250 grams)

After the holidays attacked

- two entries in one day! Yikes

So I redyed half the wool. It is still cooling. I think there is enough dye to redye the remainder so I will do my best to save the bath and do that. Cross your fingers.

My brother and his wife sent me an Amazon gift certificate for the holidays. I bought books. :) They were shipped today. I can hardly wait.

I bought myself Sweaters from Camp by Meg Swanson for my upcoming birthday. I now have a new list of sweaters to contemplate.

I also bought the Alice Starmore Zauber Flaute kit. It is beautiful and I've wanted it for a couple years. I don't know when I think I'm going to find the time.

I'm also getting a new camera courtesy of my mother and my spouse. I'm pretty excited about that. I'm hoping it takes decent pictures. Then I can post them here.

The red wool is all spun. I'm off to finish spinning the sage wool for the sweater. Then Orange!

Dyeing to know

I dyed some nice Alpaca/Merino/Silk last night. It was suppose to be GREEN. When I looked at it this morning, after it is mostly dry, it is green. I don't know if I should attempt to dye it again and hope for more color or not. There was still dye left in the pot so the dye solution didn't exhaust. Does that mean that the fiber took all the color it could? Will it not take more?

What to do what to do. I need a dyeing book with some trouble shooting tips. I suppose I could spin it up and then over dye the yarn. Would that work? Hmmm. So many questions so few answers.

I am getting a digital camera for Winter Holiday. My mother sent us Winter Holiday money and this is what we decided to do with it. I hope that I will get better pictures with it then I did with the old one.

In knitting news: I have spun another two skeins of the wool for the Spinner's Sweater. I have finished the light blue, I am nearly finished with the red wool. I have left the dark blue, orange, green and the main body color. I will post pictures soon.