Where has November gone?!

It seems like just last week it was the beginning of November.

I started the button band on Dad's Cardigan last night. I am on my second attempt at the first band.

One would think that spending three days home with a sick child would lead to some serious knitting. It led to a lot of time sitting on the couch next to a fevered child. About the only thing I accomplished was cleaning out my e-mail boxes.

Today we are back on track. Her fever finally broke yesterday about 1pm. Tonight I have a meeting for an event my husband is helping with. I will not be allowed to bring knitting. Grrr.

I wonder what interesting things happened at work the last few days.

Creeping Crud

My daughter appears to have strep so I will be home to take her to the Dr. today.

Yesterday I got one sleeve sewn on my Rogue. I also spun 1.75 oz of wool/silk. Today I might spin the other 1.75 and ply them. The Woolee Winder works quite well. Since I have never timed my spinning I don't know if I'm really spinning more quickly and efficiently or not. But the bobbin is filled nicely and there appear to be fewer thin/thick spots. We'll see when I ply them. That usually makes the unevenness more apparent.

I also started warping my loom for that belt I have on my list of things to do. I need to find the container with the silk thread in it. I believe that I put the remainder of my tablets in it and I need a few more. But do you think I can find it? No. I had it on Sunday. But now it has gone for a walk.

Nearly the end of November?!

My birthday present arrived yesterday. I order a Woolee Winder a few months ago. It is finally here. I'm hoping it really will make my spinning faster. I am also hoping I like it as much as everyone else I've heard from does.

I worked on finishing projects last night. I got a few things done. Yay!

I have the cuff to one mitten started. Yay!

I have started another pair of socks. Yay!

I can't believe it is going to be in the 60s all week. Yay!

I am going to do some spinning tonight. I should finish some more stuff, we will see. Maybe I will manage to do some of both.

Mmmm - fibery goodness!

Wild Weekend

It was a wild and wonderful weekend. I had a great time. I took classes and visited with people.

I started a pair of socks for a friend. She is a wonderful person whom I adore who wanted to knit socks and was. She had a leg knitted. Every stitch was crossed and she had decided that she couldn't knit the heel and I must knit it for her. This is a problem. I am incapable of knitting every stitch crossed. I am also incapable of matching her gauge. So after a couple of rows and attempts at heel creation I took apart her sock and started it over. I finished the first heel this morning and started the second cuff. I will proceed with the second sock to the heel and then knit both feet. I feel slightly guilty about not letting her finish the sock. But I couldn't help her with it. She is also making a scarf and it is going much better. She has better tension and not all the stitches are twisted. I will buy her another ball of yarn and a pattern for the winter gift giving holiday and she can try again.

I am off to check laundry and get ready for another week of fabulous fun at work.

Lists

I have always been very fond of lists. Here is a list of things I'd like to have done by January 15th.

Mittens - 2 pair, I have the yarn
Sweaters - Dad's cardigan: just needs button bands
Mom's cardigan: needs assembly and button bands
Husband's cardigan: have yarn, need pattern
Rogue sweater: needs assembly
Green baby sweater: needs buttons
Blue baby sweater: needs assembly and buttons
Mary Tudor sweater: currently knitting, about 1/2 done with body
Weaving - Aaron's belt: have string and pattern, need to get 'on loom'

In addition to these little items I'd like to get my new sewing room done so I can clean out the old room, get stuff put away so I can actually find/use it and get the remainder of the flooring down. I wouldn't mind getting the shelving up in the library but that can wait a little longer, as long as the flooring gets done.

Part of the hold up with my parents' caridgans is getting near a sewing machine so I can finish the edges and lock down the cut steeks. Actually picking up the stitches and knitting up the bands will not take that long.

Finding a pattern for my husband's cardigan is turning out to be alot harder than I thought it would be. I really am down to using the woman's pattern I have and making adjustments for size. I can't believe that something as simple as a plain worsted weight men's cardigan pattern is so hard to find. I think I'll post this list on the sidebar and we'll see how I do.

Only the bones remain

Turkey day was good.

I finished the weaving.

I have done no knitting. I need to make mittens. It is getting cold outside.

Maybe this weekend.

Annual Feast Of Gluttony!

Don't get me wrong I love Thanksgiving. But it has become a day devoted to over-eating. I am as guilty as the next person in this.

I made pie last night. I'm trying to avoid having pie for breakfast. I am going to make a turkey with stuffing and gravy with potatoes, I don't know what type of vegetable yet but either corn or beans.

It will be just me and Mike and my friend today. A day that they suggest should be a family holiday isn't much of one if it lands in the middle of the week and they don't give you time to get to your family. In order for us to spend this day with family we have to leave on Wednesday and come back Friday.

Well off to cook.

Turkey Day Cometh

One more work day before the festival of gluttony.

Tonight I'm planning to make pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie.

I am about 1/3 done with the second item in my weaving project. If I work on while cooking tomorrow I should be able to get all the weaving done. I looked for buckles last night at JoAnns but I didn't find anything that would work. If I don't find the ones I already purchased by Friday I'll have to think of another way to fix them or maybe I will be able to find something this weekend.

We will see what tomorrow brings, but not until later.

Monday Morning?

Here is a picture of the first section of Beadwork:
I haven't managed a good picture of it at all. This one was the best. You can sort of see the pattern. a little bit. It looks really good in person. One day this week I will set the pattern rows and I can start on the back.

I have finished the first section of my weaving and I have started the last.

I really need to start on the mittens (it was cold walking from the parking ramp to the office this morning) and finish the neck on my modular sweater. I have had company all week and I am likely to have company most of the rest of this week. I need to finish the weaving before the weekend so I'm unlikely to get any of the other stuff completed or even started unless the weaving goes much faster. I spent nearly all Saturday sitting and weaving and visiting.

It was a nice weekend. Sunday I went shopping, first for fabric, the yardage calculation error was pretty bad but the good news is I have some nice fabric for shower curtain and window curtains in the upstair bathroom. The bad news is I also have fabric for two or maybe three more such bathrooms. For some barely known reason the feet in my head became yards and instead of 15 ft I asked for 15 yds.

Then I went for groceries. I managed to find a turkey for 37 cents per pound. Mike was cranky that I didn't just get a breast. I pointed out that I got a whole turkey for $4, which is nearly the price of 1 pound of breast. I'm not sure that the coup with the turkey makes up for the fubar with the fabric, but I'm thinking I could make a dress with the left over fabric and pull a Miss Scarlet. Which will amuse me, if nothing else.

And how was your weekend?

The missing post

Here are some pictures of my weaving:

Here is my loom. It is an inkle loom. I am doing tablet weaving on it.















Here is the front of the weaving. The pattern is one I drafted in alternate threaded double-face. This means that the threads twist both ways and that the front is the same as the back, but the colors are reversed.


















Here is a picture of the back.














I am using a tightly twisted silk thread. About the weight of #30 crochet cotton.

I spent all day yesterday (7am until 10pm) out with friends. This kept me from posting yesterday. But I had a great time and I really needed to get out.

Two Post Friday

There are likely to be two posts today.

I have appreciable progress on my little weaving project.

I have completed the first section (hem) of Beadwork.

I promised pictures of both and they would be here now - but I couldn't find the camera this morning. I saw it on my way out the door to work.

My daughter has been moved into her own room. It would be nice if we could be starting to put down floor in my sewing room. We can't do that until we get the nailer back. Probably next week. :(

All the doors are stained. They look very nice. I'm glad the weekend is here. I need the time to myself. Not that I'll actually get it, unless I lock myself in the bathroom and take a 4 hour bath.

Again with the postman

I found the address!

The yarn for my new lopi sweater came yesterday. I want bonus points for not killing the sister-in-law who said "more yarn?" in a snotty way when I came in with the box. UP YOUR NOSE! I spend less on yarn then she does on cigarettes and beer and when I wear what I have after I use it I don't smell like the floor in a bar. Besides which, it is none of her business what I do with my money or my time. Guess who's getting nothing for the holiday?

The floor in Liz' room is done. Tonight I'm going to put together her furniture and she can put her stuff away. Then, maybe they can put the floor down in the new sewing room and I can put my stuff away. Won't that be nice!?

They plan to paint the hallway today. And maybe finish staining the doors and windows. The stain we choose is really nice. We have decided to wax instead of applying poly. We may regret that. But we can always apply poly later. I hope.

Off to work.

Mid-week Mid-November

My loom is all warped up for my little project, pattern is all selected and I hope to get started with the weaving tonight.

I'll try to get some pictures tonight.

It is unlikely that I will get any knitting done this week. But I will be playing with string.

I can't find my SP9 pal's address. I was sure I wrote it down and saved and printed the email. But apparently I'm deluded, at least as far as saving the email. I'll have to contact my hostess and ask her to send it again. I have a package to mail!

I will be so glad when this remodeling is done and my house is less of a disaster area. Perhaps then I will be able to find stuff more often.

Hey a girl can dream!

Carptastic

Since I planned to try to write a post every day in November - here it is.

But I'm really angry at my husband and since I have nothing nice to say I'm not going to say it.

I hope you are all having a nice day.

Monday, Monday

Modular Sweater - I have both cuffs done. Tonight I will finish the neck and maybe sew in the sleeves. I am still enjoying finishing things and I don't have any deep desire to start anything new so I will probably manage to get it done.

I still have not found a cardigan pattern, that I like, for my husband's sweater. I have started several swatches - but so far, nothing that inspires. I will probably focus on Beadwork until I do.

I got a call from my mother about her new sweater. She likes it and it fits. She promises to send a picture. I'll post it when she does. She said that she could feel the warmth from all the love that was knit into every stitch. I told her it was still warm from it's visit to Hades. Although I do have to admit that knitting it was an act of love and devotion. I wouldn't have persevered with that pattern for myself. Only for Mom!

I nearly finished all the laundry. I didn't start doing it until Sunday afternoon. I did do two loads this morning. Getting up early really does help get some stuff done. I also bought shower curtains yesterday. They were too short. I'll have to make another foray this evening. I hope I will have more success. The rod for the shower curtain is what I wanted though. The boys put it up. They are very funny.

I should also start working on mittens for Liz. We got a light dusting of snow last night. She is off for her winter break now so I have some time to finish them up before she has to have them. I think I have found a pattern for them. I haven't knit the swatch yet. Maybe tonight, after I finish the Modular sweater.

I also need to ball some fiber and set up my loom for some weaving. They need to be done by Thanksgiving. So guess what I'm doing tonight? Setting up for a small weaving project! I think, if I'm diligent I can get them done in a week.

Pictures? Likely!

Alas!

No knitting today.

I helped finish the wardrobes in my bedroom (well - almost)

I did some sewing on a dress and ate an excellant dinner.

The weekend went by too fast.

Mail!

Here is one of the little mushroom stitch markers I made. I am very fond of them. They are so cute.












I got this in the mail yesterday

It is a lovely gifty from my SP9 pal.

My daughter and I had a great time opening all the little packages.







Here is what was in the packages.

The Cherry Tree Hill is lovely blue and purple. I will make myself some lovely socks with it!

There is also a nice ball of soft grey yarn that I might just keep for petting. It is so soft!

And Chocolate! We tried the pepper chocolate first thing. It was quite good.

There is also some nice little candles and an adorable little notebook.


Thank you to My pal.

Yesterday I started the cuffs on my modular sweater. I am, again, in the position of trying to guess what the pattern is suppose to be. Thank goodness there are pictures and that I am an brave knitter. Otherwise I'd be really stuck. Actually I would never have gotten this far without my 30+ years of experience and a lot of fearlessness.


To my mother who taught me to knit and be brave - THANK YOU!

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!