Yarn!

The Malabrigo came yesterday. I balled it and I have started to finish the second sleeve. The color isn't an exact match but with the varigation it might me okay. Well, it will have to be okay, I don't have any other option.

I have today off! I am going to cook and knit and visit with my son. He is home from college for the three day weekend.

We got a light dusting of snow last night. Very soon I will need new sweaters.

I better start knitting!

Another Sunny Day!

The sun is out. It is cold but we have sunshine.

I worked on my AS Beadwork yesterday. I am almost finished with the 'hem' chart. I have about 4 rows left and then I do a border and set the pattern for the back.

I found a potential pattern for Mike's sweater. I knit the wrist and then waited for him to show up. It won't go over his hand. He also asked what I'd done to the color. Wasn't it blue? Uhm - it is the same color it was when I asked if he liked it after it arrived. GAH!

I also unknit the Lopi sweater. There isn't enough tonal difference between the colors and the pattern washes out. So I'll have to find a different pattern or buy different yarn. Later. I'm going to finish stuff I already have started first. I even contemplated casting on a pair of socks and didn't have a real desire to do it, I wanted to work on stuff I had started already. This is why my Beadwork went to the meeting last night. Yes, I took a chart heavy requires paying attention sweater to a social setting; and worked on it. Completely nuts!

I love the little mushroom stitch markers I made. I'm going to buy some more of the pieces and make another batch. They don't have any small pointy parts to catch stitches. I might put a couple more rings on just to make them a little longer but that would be the only change I'd make at this point.

I have a holiday tomorrow. I don't know what I'll do with the time.

Post Election Day

Mike's yarn came yesterday. It is an interesting blue. He likes is though so that is what matters.

Now I just have to figure out the pattern.

I am looking forward to having Friday off. It is one of the only bright spots of my job. Those random holidays.

Cookies - I really want cookies or brownies today. I think I might go bake something tastey. Not that I really need the calories. :) But there is solace and comfort and those things are important too. And of course all these things involve chocolate and we all know that chocolate is vitally important to good health.

Oh - I know - chocolate lava cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting! Yummy!

I'll talk to you all later - I'm off to the kitchen!

Election Day

Vote early.

It certainly makes the day better. I heard some gentleman complaining about how no one had shown up to vote this morning while I was filling out my ticket. And other precincts had 40 minute waits. I was quick in quick out.

I managed to get most of the blogger stuff fixed. I want to get some other adjustments made but that will wait.

I hope that the yarn shows up today. I still don't have a pattern. My aunt told my mother she'd send me a couple that she had.

I hope I have enough yarn. I hate running out.

I made some really cute little stitch markers last night. I'm going to make some more this week. Probably on Friday. It is much fun. I will not likely run out of stitch markers ever again. I should have ordered some more split rings when I ordered the beads from Fire Mountain. I thought I had all I could ever use and then some. But I was wrong. Probably in the same way I'll be wrong about never running out of stitch markers.

Blogger bites

Long ago I updated to the beta blogger. There were a couple of things that didn't go so well, but have been overcome.

This morning I attempted to use a new template/layout. That did NOT go so well. I tinkered until I HAD to get ready and leave for work. I can get ready and out the door in 10 minutes.

More tinkering will have to occur this evening. I hope I can get all my ring-links back up. If not I saved the entire template on my home computer and I'll reload it from there.

I am not a programmer, I know nothing about programming, telling me that the tag has to have a terminating tag, without offering a link to actual information about what the H you are talking about is not helpful. Not to mention that I cut them straight out of the old template and pasted them in, so how come they worked fine before and won't work at all now? It isn't as though I actually typed stuff in or changed it in anyway.

I have complete faith that I will figure it out eventually, I always do. But initially it is very frustrating. And since it is foremost in my mind I'm being distracted from my real job by trying to figure out how to fix it.

Just a little obsessive.

Oh darn

Well - my fears were realized. I have 1/2 a sleeve left and I'm nearly completely out of yarn. I managed to find a place that had the right color but not the lot and after 6 mos I'm pretty sure no one does have the right lot, I know that the store where I bought the yarn doesn't have anymore. I bought a skein anyway and I'm going to hope for the best. There really isn't any other choice. If I'm creative and careful only the back of one sleeve will be out of the odd lot.

With any luck at all the lots won't be too different and they will only butt up against each other on one sleeve seam.

This is the second time I have followed the yardage recommendations on the pattern, bought extra and still run out. And it isn't just a little bit off, it's over 100 yards off, a whole 1/2 a sleeve off. I might have enough of the CC to finish the neck band, maybe, but even that might be wishful thinking. It is very frustrating. Although considering the amount of knitting I do only 2 isn't so bad.

I'm still so disappointed.

The yarn for my husband's sweater should be here today.

Hey Look - Pictures!

Here is the modular sweater body and sleeve.



And here are the baskets I bought at Menards. They are spiff.


Here is the wool I've been spinning for the shawl (maybe) It is less blue and more grey than the picture indicates.

Saturday - IKEA

IKEA has great breakfast. And for the price it can't be beat.

We had fun. We also had a cart and three trolleys. We stood in line for 45 minutes waiting to pay for our stuff. We got two side tables, the bed and one dresser put together after we got home. We will be sleeping in our new bed this evening. We chose the Hopen collection. Well - my husband chose it.

The flooring is all done up to the doorway. Liz' room won the vote and her floor is next.

I started the last sleeve of my modular sweater. I might get the sleeve done tomorrow morning before my family gets up. But if not I'll be busy putting more furniture together. Well, once they get up I'll be putting more furniture together rather or not I get a chance to knit in the morning.

I am going to try to make some new stitch markers on Monday. I want to try to make some like the cute little sheep ones that I've seen on the 'net. I have some nice shiney black beads for eyes. I also have a bunch of cute little mushrooms that I want to turn into markers. That will be an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours.

Don't you think so too?

And now for something you'll really like . . .

The body of the sweater is finished! I have to do the second sleeve and cuffs and neck. I might even be able to wear it next week! Still not sure about the yarn issue - but I will be by next week.

I hope to spend a good portion of Sunday working on project sorting. I know that I have about 8 pairs of socks in various states of completion that I'd really like to gather together and finish. I don't know how successful I'll be since we also need to continue putting flooring down. I also will be able to get our clothes and stuff put away in our new closets. That will really clean up the mess in a couple of the other rooms. Which would also be a very good thing. This is very exciting!

The thing I really need to start knitting is mittens. I need a new pair, my daughter needs a new pair and my mother needs a new pair. My poor mother has been looking for a pattern that she used during my childhood for the last several years. I don't know if that pattern can really be as fantastic as she remembers it being or not. But I hope she finds it, soon.

I also have only 6 more (self-imposed) weeks to finish a baby sweater and 4 weeks to finish a baby surprise jacket for my friends in NC.

So much for socks.

Doors!

Today the contractor is coming to install the doors! I am SO pleased. We don't have all the floors down and he'd rather we did but he is going to come anyway.

So rather than doing fibery things last night we cleaned up our tools and other stuff that has been sitting around so the contractor will have clear doorways.

I did, of course, get some knitting done. I started the last strip on the body of the sweater. I am going to check the 'net for errata and if there isn't any out there I should write up the errors I found and post them here. If I didn't have a bazillion hours of knitting experience I would have been stuck more than once.

This has been discussed on a number of knitting e-mail lists I am on, but I still don't understand why designers, writers and editors can't do a better job of editing the patterns. Don't they have knitter friends who would be willing to read the patterns? This pattern in particular had errors like putting one side of the arm stitches on a holder and binding off the other side. I know enough to choose to put the stitches on the holder and three needle bind off the sleeve. I have the knowledge and skill to set in this sleeve - not everyone does.

And before the fury starts - I am not talking about ever single designer who has ever made a pattern anywhere on the planet. Please don't send me scathing comments or emails about how hard they work etc. I know all of that. I know that some designers are very conscientious and do their best to proof their work. I also understand about pressing deadlines, long hours ready the press copies.

That is NOT what I'm talking about. There are some errors in some patterns by some designers that are so obvious that I am at a lost to understand how anyone who knits could have read through the pattern and not noticed. I do realize that sometimes when you proof your own things you read what you intended to write and not what is there, that is why publishers hire editors. Of course not all editors knit, so they may not understand that the directions make no sense. But someone, somewhere knit the samples for these sweaters, unless they were working from directions NOT in the book they must have noticed this small problem. Like casting off the armhole on the wrong end of the body - assuming you followed the directions as written.

That's what I'm talking about!

Yarn - Stalked

So I bought Wool of the Andes from Knitpicks in Sapphire Heather for my husband's cardigan-to-be. I knit Rogue with this last winter and it seemed like a nice enough yarn. I hope the blue isn't to bright. If it is I'll have to skein and over-dye the yarn first. Which is really no big deal. Now I have to find a pattern.

Since I was ordering yarn I also bought a few skeins for socks. Some solid colors for the cabley patterns that came out this fall. Knitty had one, Knitting Universe had one and I found one on Eunny's blog. I bought yarn for the pair in Knitting Universe (I'm not really sure that is the right title.)

I have 1 1/2 panels left on the modular sweater body. I will be cutting the yarn yardage VERY close. I'm obsessed about this at the moment.

The Menard's baskets are great. I'm going to go and buy some more. Maybe tonight. The middle sized one holds a sweater. I have been grabbing this and knitting in the car while I wait for my daughter's bus to pick her up. I am going to grab a couple of the little ones. I think they will hold pairs of socks. Maybe I can convince myself that I can't cast on anything new until I open up a basket? The best part though is that I can leave the ball in the basket and it doesn't go rolling across the floor like it does if it is on my lap; and the bag top doesn't fall over the yarn and keep it from unrolling freely. The yarn also doesn't get tangled around the bag handle. The little annoyances.

All Hallow's Eve

I did not get yarn stalking done last night. I had a 'date' to meet a friend from out of town for an afternoon of yarn stalking but her appointment ran late and she had to cancel. (sadness) We'll try again next time she is in town.

I finished the sleeve on the modular sweater and another section of the front. If I remember correctly I have three body panels and one sleeve to finish. Then neckband and cuffs. I rechecked the yardage requirements against what I bought and I should have about 30 yards of each color left over. 30 yards really isn't much. I seem to have quite a lot of the main color remaining and not much of the contrast color. (and the yarn is Malabrigo - not whatever name I made up yesterday) I will be cutting it really close.

My mother got her package and liked the sweater. It's a good thing. She has declared that the sweater has never been to Hades. She makes me smile. She also thinks it will fit. I hope so.

We have almost finished laying the floor in the master bedroom. Next weekend we are getting the new furniture for it. I believe that after we finish the master bedroom we are starting my daughter's room. She will be pleased.

I still don't know which yarn I should get for my husband's sweater, other than blue dk wool. I also done have a pattern so that doesn't help much. I should make him come along and choose his own yarn but I'm pretty sure the cost of the yarn would give him a heart attack. He wants something to wear around the house. I'm thinking a nice heathery shetland, but I'm not sure that will not be too scratchy. It doesn't bother me anymore but when I first started wearing it I thought it was pretty scratchy. I'm not sure he'd suck it up long enough to adjust.

Suggestions?

The weekend

I am getting nervous about having enough yarn to complete my modular sweater. I bought some lovely hand-dyed Magellans (I think) and there is no way I would be able to ever get more. I decided to knit the sleeves and then finish the body. If I do run out it will be very close. I may have to find an alternative neck treatment. I've decided to finish one sleeve, use the remainder of that ball for body then knit the second sleeve and finish the sweater. I'm not sure what that will really accomplish yarn wise but it's my plan.

I am going out yarn stalking on the way home from work. Blue worsted and a cardigan pattern for my spouse.

Tonight - casting on or finish the sleeve - perhaps both - or - neither.

What?!

My spouse has decided that he needs a sweater, a cardigan to be exact. A blue one. The design doesn't matter.

He has never wanted anything I have made ever. I'm perplexed.

I suppose I will find some yarn and a nice pattern and make him a sweater. He will never wear it.

That Sweater!

It is done, in the box and as soon as I get my mother's address it will be in the mail.

Carrie K asked why I was sending it to my mother. Well - firstly it is her sweater, secondly the reason I made her the sweater is because she sews the pieces together for me sometimes. I hate the actual act of finishing a sweater. It isn't that it's difficult or that I don't know how; it is that I don't like it. Waste of good knitting time. Although I almost un-bound the shoulders so I could knit them together and put the neck in before I sent it.

Liz - you are quite capable of knitting your own mittens. But we'll talk - later.

So what neglected project did I pick up next. A pair of socks. They needed the toes done so I did them. They also go to my mother. They are a gift for her friend Lana. I hope they fit.

Next was - tada - the modular knits sweater that I have about 1/3 done. It is really turning out nicely and would have been done sooner but I couldn't find the book for a couple months. I located said book while looking for other stuff that had nothing whatsoever to do with knitting, isn't that always the way.

Again there are no pictures because I'm still not that together. Someday soon, I hope.

The end is near

I completed one front last night. I will complete the other tonight and box it up!

It will be winding it's way to my mother tomorrow!

Next on the agenda - lopi roses.

Or maybe a Starmore.

Or perhaps mittens!

Stay tuned!

What to say?

I don't have anything to add here but I feel the need to add something to this space. As opposed to letting it sit idle, like so many other things seem to be doing.

I am up to the neck on The Sweater From Hades. If I can actually find some knitting time it will be in the mail by the weekend! Won't that be nice.

Then I need to get busy on Beadwork, St. Bridget and Mary Tudor. That's a whole lotta Starmore. Not to mention that last year my spouse bought me Zauberflote for my birthday and I haven't even balled the yarn yet.

I think I will concentrate on finishing sweaters rather than starting new sweaters though. I have a lovely lopi that I'd like to finish up this winter. I like lopi sweaters. I can normally knit one up in a couple weeks. I also have a couple of lovely Philosopher's wool kits to knit up. They are also fairly quick knits, once I decide on my color pattern. I have one that I've knitted nearly the entire sweater - but I've only done the first 5 inches of the sleeve, since I keep ripping it back and changing the colors. As soon as I get the sleeve done in a way that is pleasing I'll be able to have the rest done in no time.

We went to Menards (again) instead of IKEA. They had some nice woven baskets. I bought a bunch. They stack nice and one basket will hold at least an entire sweater, and then some. I plan to sort my projects out and put current work in the baskets. They won't be so messy sitting around the family room. I will take pictures of them as I go along and post a list here. Do you suppose that will keep my motivated and focused? We can only hope.

The other problem keeping me from getting much done is that my work room is such a mess, due to remodeling, that just going into it is discouraging. I hope that we can get moving forward again soon. Once we start getting floors down in the second story we can start putting stuff away. This will certainly make life better as we start to settle back into our house rather than living out of boxes as we are now.

Weekends are really focusing on getting the house finished though. We dont' have all that much to do, but we are running out of steam for working on it.

Knitting news

I have started the armhole shaping on Mom's sweater! How exciting. My friend Giovanna came to visit, and brought yummy veggies, we sat and knit for about an hour on Tuesday night.

I stayed home with my sinus headache on Wednesday and vaccumed my basement. The carpet is so dirty I don't think it will ever be clean. Or course I always feel that way about carpet.

The house is getting settled painfully slowly. I am going to IKEA Sunday to get some stuff to organize the bathrooms and laundry room. I should also look at getting some stuff to make the kitchen cupboards more user friendly. Perhaps I can get some things to organize my knitting and sewing stuff.

Most of my difficulty is because until the rooms are done there isn't anywhere to really put a lot of stuff. Which means it is all stacked everywhere and never 'put away'. As soon as we can start getting flooring down in the upstairs things will get markedly better very quickly. Once we get moved up stairs we can set aside a weekend to put the tile down on the main floor. We are just at a stall point.

Sort of like that sweater.

And again - no knitting

I have a clean counter and four clean chairs in my downstairs kitchen!

I have a tub full of knitting stuff and the couches appear to exist, sort of. Some of what is there needs to be thrown away and some just put away. Tonight there will be a clean coffee table and two clean sitting areas! I also need to clean the cupboard countertop portion of the kitchen and wash the top of the stove and the floors could use a good scrub. That might happen on Wednesday. There is progress though and that is nice.

There may even be some knitting on Wednesday! You just never can tell.

Progress? Not in the knitting department

I started cleaning the living room last night. I moved the desk and the computer back into place and moved the boxes off the coffee table. I have to find some place to store my knitting which is currently covering the loveseat and put the basket of vaccum stuff back under the end table. I also have a microwave oven that has no place to be anymore that I need to move and several boxes of stuff that need to go to the sewing room and some boxes of bathroom and kitchen stuff that need to make their way to the proper rooms.

I have mounds of laundry to do but the bed has clean sheet. Yes that's right, I could only find the bottom sheet. I know that I had both of them when I took them to the laundry room but I can now find only one. I decided it doesn't matter.

I need to sweep floors again. I think I'll give that job to Liz this evening. She likes to sweep. I'm not sure why, but I'll make use of it while I can.

Perhaps knitting can occur tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Friday the 13 - my lucky day

I got all the stuff done that I needed to last night. I have a couple of things to finish in the car on the way. I managed to pack this morning and thanks to listmania I don't think I forgot anything important. I also managed to find almost everything I wanted/needed. I'm amazed. Now I just hope it all fits in the car.

I don't know what knitting project to take with me. Probably socks.

We will be home early on Sunday. I will attempt some serious house arrangement on Sunday.

I will have to spend a lot of time at work next week. It will really cut into my knitting time. I also have to get a couple more rooms painted. No knitting will occur - hahahahahaha. Let's be realistic. Some painting and some overtime will occur, so will some knitting.

I have started shopping for my SP9 - FUN!

Pique?

I am feeling overwhelmed with the stuff I want to do and the stuff I should do first. I have so much. And I will be gone all weekend. I should just take the day off and go home and do stuff. Except work must get done as well.

I'm still working on That Sweater. I am about 1.5 inches from the armhole shaping. I knit and knit and knit on it and even though I know I complete rows I am not sure that I'm getting anywhere. It is so close to being done and yet it is taking so long to finish.

I talked to Mom and she said she'd put the neck on, rather than sending it back. Uh - no - Gauge! Remember? Teeheehehe. She sent me a pair of socks she started, that she doesn't like but thought Liz might, so I could finish them. There is no way I'm going to get the right gauge on that, ever! So my options are 1) send them back to her to knit or 2) frog and start over.

It is snowing. Our coats are lost in the garage. I have no idea where the box of hats and mittens is.

I took Liz' mitten apart because the yarn requires a larger needle.

I still can't find my needle case.

I have things to hem and fix and I need them done tonight. There is no time! I spent last night trying to get ahold of my son, baking pumpkins and buying and mail a coat for aforementioned son.

Tonight I need to package the baked pumpkin, hem some stuff, sew some stuff, pack and get a call through to aforementioned son. GAH!

I'm busy developing a stress headache.

It must be magic!

I was just over reading a post at Franklin's blog. He stated that if you knit long enough a copy of EZ's Knitter's Almanac will likely materialize on your shelves.

I think he might be on to something. This weekend while looking for something completely unrelated I found one in a pile of books in my temporary sewing/knitting room. It appears to be brand new and I don't remember buying it. I had it on my list of things I should buy - but I don't recall actually paying for it. I don't believe I have developed kleptomania in my impending dotage.

The other thing I found is a second copy of Folk Mittens. I know it is a second copy because the first one is currently residing in my knitting bag with some lovely angora/merino that will be mittens for my daughter. The second copy was sitting coyly on the sewing machine table, under my dombek.

I wish the knitting book fairies would kindly provide me with a copy of AS' Aran Knitting.

Tuesday Morning

The joy of the three day weekend!

This weekend I finally got my Beadwork gauge almost correct. The gauge should be 31 stitches to 10cm, with 2mms I finally managed to get 30. I declared it close enough and cast on. I have four rows done.

I also cast on for St. Bridget. I managed to get this guage almost immediately. That was a little unnerving. I saved the swatch. I usually just frog them and use the yarn in the sweater. But I've been working on the class idea and I'll need some samples for it.

I worked on The Sweater From Hades for at least one hour before I did either one of these things. I am about 3 inches from the armhole shaping. I would guess about halfway to a finished front. I can hope that I will be putting it in a box to mail to her by this weekend.

I asked my son if he would wear a button up cardigan (no reason to knit it if he won't wear it). He said "sure". So I have yet another old project to break out and finish. This UFO is 15 years old. Well aged. It isn't be a hard knit and I can certainly take it to karate class and work on it while I wait for my daughter.

He was concerned about taking care of it - I told him I'd show him when he came to visit. I have a few dirty sweaters waiting to be washed. He also requested socks. Which of my precious yarn should I place in his care? I'll have to measure his feet when he comes home. He wants to come home for Halloween.

I really need to focus on getting the house in shape. Except there isn't anywhere to put stuff until the floors are down and so crap is scattered EVERYWHERE.

Some things just never change.

Arrr, Mateys

Yesterday my daughter and I went on the 7 Jewels Treasure Hunt. We had a great time. In addition to the door prize entries each shop had clues you had to solve in order to get a little charm.

We started at The Yarnery. We got there at 9:30 and there was on parking place within blocks of the store. We went and had pastry and coffee while we waited for the store to open. We bought two skeins of yarn.

Next on the list was The 3 Kittens yarn shop. We had several discoveries there. They have new owners. Yikes! they also had the best clue of all the shops. They had several cards that had questions about different yarns. We each got our own clues and went off in search of the answers which took us to different parts of the shop. A lot of work on their part and great fun for us.

We then headed of south to Zandy's Yarn and stuff. She had a Russian Punch work designer there showing off her designs and how to do the work. Her stuff was beautiful.

Fourth on our list was Needlework Unlimited. The place was packed with shoppers and my anxiety kept me from shopping much. My daughter was also hungry and we went off in search of lunch.

Fifth was the Coldwater Collaborative. Liz found the clue in this one first and she was soo excited she screeched. One of the clerks giggled about it. This place was also packed with people and cool yarn. I'd like to go back sometime and look so more. I also got to see Deb who we met at the Yarn Harlot book signing in Eau Claire. We bought little tool kits and a cat toy kit.

We went across the street to the Mill Cafe for lunch. It was a great lunch and I wanted more of the great Key Lime pie at afternoon coffee time.

We then headed north to Amazing Threads. I really like this store and I wish it was closer. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. It is a little hard to find and I missed the corner again. Once we got their we found the clue and hit the sales attic where my good intentions of not spending a lot of money went right out the door. I bought yarn to knit Eris and some Silky Wool and Book One of the Viking Knits Collection. But it was CHEAP.

Last on our list is the shop closest to home - the Sheepy Yarn shop. I always have a good experience at this shop. It is one of the first I ever found when we moved here. The staff and Marge have always been so nice to me. I broke down and bought a Strickwear shawl pattern. I wanted the gold one but Liz like the purple/pink one. If the pattern is nice to knit I might make two.

Here we learned that the treasure hunt was a great success. All but two of the shops ran out of charms by 1 (including the Sheepy Shop - but they are going to mail us charms). Their distributors were so excited about the idea that the Grand Prize value increased and some other prizes were added.

They might do it again. I hope so, with some new shops. It was fun to go to stores I like but don't get to very often and some new ones that I have never been to.

We left at 9:20 and got home at 4. It was a very long day.

Socktoberfest Questions

When did you start making socks?

I made my first pair of socks while I was traveling in Europe 16 years ago. It was the most fantastic experience. They sell Jawoll yarn in the department stores there! So I bought scads of yarn and a really nice Jawoll knitting mag that had an entire section on knitting socks - to fit your foot, your yarn and gauge.

Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I basically taught myself - but my cousin in Switzerland showed me how to do an hourglass (short row) heel. I just couldn't figure out the instructions but once she showed me it all made perfect sense.

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

My first pair were made with Jawoll yarn on size 1 needles with three color patterning. I made them for my husband while waiting for trains and planes. They have felted a little (it took him a while to learn to NOT wash the knitwear. I'm surprised he didn't ruined more things) He still wears them on winter Sundays. He thinks they are too warm to wear otherwise.

What would you have done differently?

Nothing.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

I love Koigu and nearly anything from Regia.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

I have never crocheted socks. I knit on DPNs. I have tried 2 circulars, this was a complete disaster for the most part. I kept knitting onto the wrong needle and getting a lovely mobius strip type thing happening. I also tried the magic loop method. This wasn't nearly as disasterous but since the whole draw for me was the ability to knit both socks at the same time and I haven't found a circular in the size I want with a long enough cable I won't be doing this again either. I kept losing my loop and having to re-divided that last sock.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

I prefer the short-row hourglass heel - both for wearing and knitting. I dislike picking up stitches and with the hourglass heel I don't have to do that. I find it is a less bulky heal to wear.


How many pairs have you made?

I have never counted my socks, nor have I kept track of the ones I have made for other people. But I usually save up my socks until I have 5 or 6 pairs before I kitchner the toes and I usually do that three or 4 times a year. Someone else do the math - because something tells me I don't really want to know the answer.

The Sweater from Hades

(My mother gave me the what for about my language here)

I have once again stopped twitching when I think about working on this item. I thought I was about 1/2 way done with the sleeves so I went to pull it out and finish it - because I'm sure my mother would like to have it eventually. I'm about 1/3 done with the front and the sleeves are finished! YeeeeHaw! I managed about 8 rows before bed last night. It would be nice if I could get it done next week. Then I can mail it for sewing up. It better fit or we will both cry. I think it has taken me at least 4 years to knit this sweater!

I am still looking for my Options needle case. I can't imagine where it could be. I found the second card of buttons for the little green sweater - but now I can't find the first card. I know it's the second card because they are all still on it and I took off one from the first card and put it in my purse so I could buy more. So I have 4 buttons and I need 5.

I have quite a little pile of stuff that needs a little bit of finishing. (seams and buttons and ends) I think I'll spend the evening doing that, maybe tonight.

One Year ago today

Where did the time go? Amazing!

So I dug my pattern out of the pile and it calls for 3.5oz of cobweb weight wool. I have 4.4 oz of silk/merino. I'm spinning it at roughly 40 wpi which is cobweb weight. I think I should be covered. Now the question is do I want to make my wedding ring shawl out of this lovely blue/green silk/wool. Or should I just bite the bullet and spin the baby camel/silk? Or BOTH!

Crazy is as crazy does after all.

I also have a bag full of bison to clean and spin. I really need my basement kitchen clean up first. I think that will be my first woolee winder project. I'm very excited about that purchase. I'm not sure why. I will have to practice spinning slightly heavier for that. I think about 20 wpi from the sample I looked at at the Yarnery on Wednesday.

I need to call my aunt and find out how much she wants and my mom to see if she can get some more fiber. I'm not sure I have enough down for a sweater. Even at that weight.

And that is the story of my life - lots of projects all due next week.

Grumpy - for no good reason

I'm just crabby. I'm not sure why. I'm staying in my cube and avoiding interacting with anyone who should be allowed to keep their head.

I am running out to a yarn store a little later. I'm grabbing a skein of yarn for a friend and, in all likelihood a couple skeins of koigu for the KOTR socks. There is yarn in my stash but I do not want to try to find it. I had enough trauma trying to find my keys this morning.

Last night I spun another 2 foot piece of the lovely silk/merino roving I bought last spring. I have 4.4 oz of it that was on sale - the last of the dye lot - cheap. I should have enough to make socks but I'm spinning it fine enough to knit a shawl should I decide to use it for that. It is a lovely color and I will take pictures just as soon as I have enough on the bobbin.

I have to figure out how much yardage of it I'll have. Then I can decide what I'm going to do with it. I also have a lovely "garnet" roving to spin which is suppose to be enough to make a sweater. I need to find a pattern so that I know what guage to spin it at. I hope that the Woolee Winder gets here soon. I've heard many good things about it and I can't wait to try it out.

Busy is as busy does

Last night I finished the EZ Surprise Baby Sweater. It is very nice. I had to alter the button bands because I was running out of yarn. I have about 5 yards left. Maybe.

I pulled out things I need to finish; the green baby sweater that needs buttons, two pairs of socks that need kitchnering and the EZ that needs buttons and two seams sewn. I resisted the urge to start anything new by counting the things I need to finish. With any type of luck and perseverance I'll finish them all before the house is done enough that I have time to catalog them all.

I should have painted but some other things went cross ways and that didn't happen. Hopefully tonight.

Other (forgotten) Sunday Acquisitions

We also drove through Chippewa Falls on Sunday. Since it was fall we thought the Leinie's Apple Spice was available and went looking for a liquor store. Instead I introduced Terri to G's childhood ice cream parlor. We went in and had ice cream to go and I purchased some cinnamon ice cream. Tonight there should be apple something hot from the oven with cinnamon ice cream!

Yummy

Holy Crap!

Friday is my Blogiversary!

September is almost gone. Leinie's Apple Spice Ale doesn't come out until November. So I'm torn. Between not believing it is almost October and wishing it was November.

I finished knitting my spouse's slippers, now they need felting. I have almost finished EZ' Surprise Baby sweater, size 12mo. I would have finished it if I hadn't made so many mistakes yesterday.

Friday I ordered a woolee winder with bobbins and two cones of 5-ply guernsey weight wool. I also ordered some lacing rings and some brass pins. The rings and pins were here when I got home Sunday evening. The brass pins bend like they are made of tin foil. But only the first two items are knitting related in any way.

I also stopped at All About yarn over my lunch hour on Friday and bought some sock yarn with the aloe/jojoba oil in it. I needed it for the KOTR KAL. It is a lovely color and will either become Friday Harbor or Canal de Midi socks. I also bought some lovely Cascade 220 for a baby sweater - but I think I'm going back and get enough to make the wrap around sweater pattern from Yellow Dog Knits; either that or the Cromarty from AS. Because really - I don't know that many babies.

Saturday I went to Hobby Lobby with my friend and bought some books I didn't need and a split ring tool. This should make stitch marker making much easier. I will have to make some more stitch markers. I also have to find some friends to gift them to, because who needs 11ty dozen stitch markers. Well okay - people who have 11ty dozen projects going - but I intend to stop that, really - I do. Step one - recognize you have a problem, Step two - stop contributing to the problem. I'm trying really. I'm finishing stuff and not starting new stuff - more or less. :)

Sunday we went to Ben Franklin and I bought some reed for costuming. It's a good thing we didn't go to the bead store, because while I wanted some beads - really! what do I need with more stuff. But next year I am going to the Bead and Button Show! Ha!

I petted some fabric this weekend as well - but I managed to leave it in the store. I attempted to find some worsted weight cotton so I could make a baby sweater for a friend but failed to find anything appropriate.

And thus - once again we are thwarted in our attempts to curb the acquisition of yarn and other sundries.

I'm Cursed!

Okay so I found the sweater pattern and the yarn for the baby sweater. But the only needle the right size that I can find is 32" circ. It's a little hard to knit a 20" baby sweater on that. I found 3 double points that were the right size and long enough but three isn't really enough needles. I could manage with 4 but three - no. I did cast on and I am about 10 rows in but my joints all ready are aching. I have approx. 17 weeks to finish it, so I think I'm good.

My poor spouse says - so are you starting my slippers? No - I can't find the needles. I can't imagine where they are, how often do you use size 13 (9.5 mm) double points? I bought them for some bulky weight mittens that I had to have a couple years ago. I can't find either one of my needle cases at the moment, which is where the needles are, I'm pretty sure. It's very annoying. I'm going to stop at JoAnns and grab a set (assuming they have them) and work on the slippers this weekend.

I think I should be able to get them done over the weekend. I hope that I can get them to a agitating washing machine for the felting. My gentle front loading machine doesn't felt. Which is great when you don't want to and sucks when you do. Maybe I should see about buying a little apartment size one for felting?

Another one Bites the Dust

Aberlady is no more. I was wrong about over coming the yarn not being right. There are too many other things I want to knit to spend my time on this. The yarn is ready to be skeined and washed and I'm ready to move on to other things.

I have no lack of items to work on. I think I'll start the baby sweater for Shannon. I hope I can find the pattern!

Progress

The lights are all hung at my house. Yay!

I knit another inch on the back of Aberlady yesterday. Only 4 more to go and then I can start the front! And then - the sleeves. Two weeks to knit a sweater on size 1 needles. Who exactly was I trying to kid? It is taking at least 1 day to knit one inch. I have 9 inches on the back and 20 something on the sleeves. That is a month of knitting, at least.

I still can't decide on a color for Beadwork. I really need to order the yarn last week. At this point it is either grey or cream. I should just flip a coin. Or maybe go with the cream. I wear a lot of cream anyway. I'd like more color in my wardrobe - but I'm drawn to purple and I have a lot of purple. To have less purple I've been going with blues. I have several blue sweaters now. I think I'll head into green next. I have several kitted up in burgundy (which is as close to red as I'm likely to get)

I have decided to design my own version of St. Brigid (another AS design) I simply will not pay $250 or more for a book. I have several Aran design books and some pattern discussions to go by. I have some lovely gold aran weight yarn that I bought for a pattern that is nice but not as much me in person as I thought it would be online. So I have the yarn and the knowledge - we'll see if I can manage the ability. That will keep me busy thinking all winter and I'll start knitting in the Spring. (ha! I know me better than that!)

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.