Not the Batteries

but the camera that is dead. Grrr.
I've been a knitting fool lately, but not a good blogger. I kept telling myself that I couldn't blog until I got new batteries so I could post photos. I got new batteries, put them in, and have a black screen. *sigh*
I finished the Mock Harlet Wedding Shawl in 4 weeks!!! It went really fast, and was much easier than I anticipated. It took me a few nights of plotting on graph paper to figure out a bridge for the two patterns, and I think it is more seamless than the original, but of course, I can't show it off. I wound up doing 6 repeats of the Springtime design, weighing the ball after each repeat, and checking an online triangle shawl calculator to make sure I would have enough yarn to finish the 50 row border. I wound up with a small ball left.
I've also completed the first bit of baby knitting, a pair of Saartja's Booties in the left over yarn from my Monkies. I think I have enough to either do an other pair or a small hat for her.
Next on the baby knitting front, the Pea Pod Baby Set from Kate Gilbert. I got gauge in some Brown Sheep Natura Spun Sport, in apple green left over from Cromarity last year, and I think this is going to go fast. C is insisting that I knit a sweater for him out of the same green yarn, and I think I will have enough to knit something for him as well.
I've also cast on for the Rona Lace shawl, a Knit Picks Pattern, in some of the Alpaca Cloud Iris Heather that DH got me for my birthday last year.
I hope to get photos of stuff soon to show off, but don't know when/if the camera will be fixed.

I really need new batteries

for the Camera. I now have 3 FO's that I need to get photos of, two of which need to be blocked still.

I finished the Peacock Feathers 2 shawl Sunday Morning, and cast on for the Mock Harlot Wedding Shawl in the black Alpaca Cloud. I got through the first chart and 1/2 through the first repeat of the second chart and decided the black color was too dark for the pattern. I convinced DH to take me down to Simpatico, hoping to find a nice leafy green laceweight yarn to use instead. Nada. I did find a cream/off white Merino Ono (cobweight yarn) and grabbed a skein of that. I have 1375 yards to work with, and cast on as soon as I got home. I also grabbed a skein of Schoeller + Stahl Fortissima Colori Socka Color sock yarn in shades of blue and cast on for a different pair of socks. The yarn I was using for the Bayerish socks is too splity, and they are going to weight until I either get brave enough to cast on in the Lorna's Laces, or get a few skeins of a good solid color sock yarn.

Two more FO's, A deadline, and a new Obsession

This post is brought to you by the dead batteries in my camera. Never try to blog about FO's with them.

I finished both the Monkey Socks that I have been working on since July, and the Shedir that I started as a quickie two weeks ago. Do I have finished pictures? Nope, and probably won't until next month (unless Target has some AA's in the dollar bin tonight). Once I sucked it up with the Monkeys, and turned the heal, I finished them in less than a week. Two trips to Dallas (with DH driving) and my fear of highways helped. I still have to weave in the ends, and I want to get a good FO picture before I actually wear them, but so far I love them. Sheidr I cast on one night while sitting in C's room, and couldn't put them down. I love the yarn (Elsbeth Lavoid Siky Wool) and dream of knitting a whole sweater in it, but am torn as to which one.

I have cast on for another pair of socks for my "take and go" project, Eunny's Bayerriche Socks in some of the left over Bare from Venezia, making it my, um, 5th Eunny project this year. I have over 1000 yards of this yarn in stash, so I know that I will have more than enough to make a pair. Lets hope that it takes me less than 4 months to finish this pair.

A deadline- I am almost done with my second Peacock Feathers Shawl! After months of this shawl just sitting there mocking me, I have made it past the endless second row of feathers, jumped through chart 7 in a week, and just this morning, at 6:30 am, started the final chart! If all goes well, I think I will have a FO by the end of the month!

I also have a new lace obsession. Ever since the Yarn Harlot posted pictures of her Wedding Shawl last year (October 24th post) I have been in love with it. I currently have the books (First Book of Modern Lace Knitting, and A Gathering of Lace) checked out from the library, and the crazy plan to try to re-create her masterpiece. I know my bridge wont' be anywhere near as perfect as hers, but I have ideas, and plans, and I hope to cast on for this as soon as I am done with the PFS. The yarn, the black Alpaca Cloud that has tried to be so many shawls this year, the failed Alpine Lace Scarf (twice) and the MS3. She has held up well to the repeated frogging, and I hope to reward her with something so perfect. I think I have lost only a few dozen yards due to frogging, and still have one full skein left to wind. I am going to judge how big to make the shawl by how much yarn is left after the peacock is finished.

So far my pregnancy is going well. I'm at 24 weeks as of yesterday, and the little girl is kicking up a storm right now. We have started buying a few items for her, and I have plans for a baby sweater or two up my sleeves, but that is going to wait a bit. No names picked out yet. I have some I like, DH has some he likes, neither has found anything that we LOVE yet. It will happen.

A whole lot of FO's going on

I'm behind on posting pics of my FO's, so I am going to try to cover everything I've finished in the last two months in one post. So fair warning, this is long, and photo heavy.

Pattern: Venezia by Eunny Jang

Source: Winter 2006 Interweave Knits

Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Peruvian Fingerling weight 2 1/2 skeins

and YarnTreehouse Melody 2 5 balls

Cast on: Easter 2007

Cast off: Sept 2007

Modifications: Changed to two color pattern instead of the 10+ colors in Eunny's pattern.

Added a scoop neckline instead of the boat neck.

I love this sweater, and wish that I could wear it this winter, but maybe if it is still cool after little girl is born in Feb.

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl (#2)

Source: Interweave Knits Fall 2006

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace, petal pink

Cast on Mid-September

Cast off 7 Days later

Mods-none.

This will be a Birthday present for my sister in December.

I can't believe that I finished this in less than one week. This was the project that proved to me that my summer long knitting funk was over.

Pattern: Childhood by Natalie Wilson

Source: Knitty.com

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease

Cast on: September 29th, 2007

Cast off: October 7th, 2007

Mods: Added pockets for C, made the button band work, instead of snaps.

C loves this sweater, and wants to start wearing it now, even though it is in the mid-high 80's here in Texas.

Pattern: Mr. GreenJeans by Amy Swenson

Source: Knitty.com

Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Wool Print

Cast on: September 2007

Cast off: October 13, 2007

Mods: none

I feel that this sweater turned out way to busy for my tastes, and the button hole is much lower than I wold like. I still need to weave in the ends and sew on the button, but I'm not feeling the love for this sweater.

And a quick shot of a current WIP, Shedir from knitty.com
Cabely goodness. Yum! I'm knitting this in Elsbeth Lavod Silky Wool, and I'm in love with this yarn.

I'm behind on my posting

And I have a bunch of FO posts that I need to do, but I either need to block or have help with taking better pitchers. But I will get there, I promise
C's third birthday was this week. It was all Star Wars, including a Yoda cake and multiple light sabers.
I was late in starting his birthday sweater, I actually didn't cast on until 3 days before his birthday, but as of one week in working on it, I am close to being done.
I'm doing the Childhood pattern from Knitty, but I added pockets in the front since , C like all small children, likes to put things in his pockets.
Monday we went to the craft store and he picked out Balloon Buttons for the front of his sweater. He has been asking if I was ready to sew them on ever since. Since I currently can't find any of my yarn needles, the seaming and adding buttons is on hold. All I have left on the knitting front is one sleeve and flaps to cover the pockets. Already he loves to wear the hood.
I've done some progress on Mr. Greenjeans as well. I've finished the body (mostly), and the first sleeve. I'm halfway done with the second sleeve, but C's sweater is taking priority right now.

Since it looks like I won't run out of yarn (like I thought I would last week) I think I am going to add one more cable repeat to the bottom before I knit the button band. I'm still thinking of over dying this with kool-aid but I will reserve judgement until I am finished knitting.

How many days does it take to knit a lace shawl

If it is a super easy, super fast, super small shawl that you have knit before?

Swallowtail as of Friday Morning

7, including the day you take off of work for a "knitting sans DH and child" break. That's right, the second Swallowtail shawl shawl that I cast on for last Saturday, and knit on like crazy all week, is now a FO. Well, it will be after I block it when it is DH's turn to do bedtime tonight.

As soon as I finished binding off, I started swatching for for Mr Greenjeans. I started with my normal 2 needle sizes below the called for gauge, but it was too tight, so I went up to 7's, and it was still too tight, but almost there. Here's where I decided to throw caution to the wind, and just start knitting with 8's. I did stop and check gauge when I was a few inches in, and it was spot on, and since I am knitting a smaller size then I normally wear, any growing in the blocking will be a good thing. I got to the point where I separated the sleeves before I stopped for a progress pic.

The patterning on the yarn is really busy, but it is growing on me. This will either be the ugliest pregnant woman sweater that doesn't cover the belly, or it will wind up being over dyed with kool-aid to help tame the colors.

I also finally got a progress pic of the Monkey's that have been on the needles since July. I finished the first sock in less than 2 weeks, and have been on the second sock since the last week of July. Talk about second sock syndrome.

And second shawl syndrome. The second Peacock Feathers has also been on the needles since July (July 4th), and I'm only on chart 5. I know I only have a few charts left, but this has been an effort to work on more than a few rows a week.
We have been doing a lot of planning for C's birthday, and have started going out and looking at all the new baby stuff on the market. All three of us were going "Awww" at the cute little girl outfits at the store today.

100th Post

And Baby News! Its a GIRL!

I'm working away on the second SwallowTail shawl. I cast on Saturday, and I am already halfway through the first Lily of the Valley lace chart. I think I will have this done either Saturday or Sunday, and then I can cast on for Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty. My yarn came from Webs last night, and I can't wait to cast on.

Venezia is finished!

but I have no new photos to share, since yesterday was a busy day and I couldn't get DH to help me with non-bathroom mirror shots, and the fact that it was in the 90's and I didn't' feel like putting on wool.

Now I'm in the "Big project that has consumed my life for the last 5 months is finished, and I have nothing to work on" stage, even though I really have 3 other things on the needles.

The Peacock Feathers 2 shawl is coming along slowly. Since this is for me (I think) I have no real deadline to finish. Since it is a shawl, I can take FO picks any time of the year/stage of the pregnancy. I did finally get around to winding the second ball of yarn for this, but haven't started the second ball yet.

I have a pair of socks that I cast on for mid July, Monkey's in Jojoland Kaleidoscope, that I have been on the second sock for months, and really only work on in the car, with DH driving, when we are going more than 10 miles. I just started the 5th repeat of the leg pattern, and have quiet a bit left to go.

I did cast on for a second Swallowtail Shawl, in some of the Misti Alpaca Lace left over from the Cap Shawl, which might wind up being a birthday/and or/Christmas present for my sister. This is going fairly fast, and I am almost done with the 10th out of 14 repeats of the Rose Bud lace pattern. Then I have to face the dreaded nupps, but since I'm using my knit picks needles, I don't think it will be that much of an issue. At least I hope. I think this will be a fast knit, if I make it my #1 priority this week, and should have it FO by this weekend.

There are two patterns in the new Fall Knitty that I have fallen in love with, and plan to make. Mr. Greenjeans looks like it will be a fast, easy sweater that i should be able to wear (unbuttoned) all pregnancy, and during the early weeks after the little one is born. I was bad and ordered some yarn from webs to knit this (pics when it arrives). I also love Muir which is the first fairly complicated looking bit of lace I've seen in Knitty. I think I am going to use my much used/frogged black KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud (that has been put through such Frogged items as the Mystery Stole 3 and the twice started and frogged Alpine Lace Scarf) for this project. But I need to finish the other two bits of lace I have on the needles before I can cast on.

C's birthday is coming up in a little more than two weeks, and part of me feels guilty for not having knit him a birthday sweater this year, but he hardly wore the one I knit last year, and to be frank, the little guy likes being cold. It doesn't matter how cold it is at night, he will only sleep in a tee-shirt and diaper, and will resist any attempts of putting covers on him. Last winter he wore his birthday sweater twice, and only after much fussing, yelling, and screaming. If he wants a sweater this year, I think I will buy him one. He has become fascinated with all things Star Wars in the last few weeks, and I think his family party is going to be very Star Wars oriented, from the cake (Yoda), to the gifts (a new lightsaber and the one movie we don't have on DVD), with a bit of Little Einsteins thrown in.

Almost a FO!

I finished knitting the last sleeve of Venezia tonight! And thought I would get some quick photos taken while I had time. Here is the body all laid out
Close up of the sleeves. While the stripes don't match up 100%, I like it.
A quick seaming later.... and I can fit it on over my 17 1/2 week pregnant belly. I sill have to finish weaving in ends and blocking, but I think she looks good.

And while I had the camera out, here is an official belly shot!

I do still knit, right?

I just don't knit every day, or post about it that often.
I've had two great knitting weekends in the last two weeks, and I plan on having a third one this weekend. Sure, I thought I would get the second sleeve of Venezia done this week, but thanks to a killer headache that has lasted most of the week, which lead to a 8 PM bedtime, I haven't done any knitting since Sunday, but I did get a lot done last weekend. Not only did I get to the halfway point of the second sleeve, about one repeat from the start of the steak, I finally sewed down the neck bands, the first sleeve band, and sewed the shoulder together. Then I couldn't find my size D crochet hook so I could reinforce the sleeve steak, so I couldn't cut that and sew the should in, but I will go hunt up a new one this weekend.

I haven't done any lace knitting in the last week, but will go back to the 2nd peacock as soon as I am done with Venezia, then I'll think of something to do with the rest of the massive ammounts of lace weight that I still have in stash.

Some Blog Cleanup

I've cleared out some abandoned/frogged items from the WIP bar. The Mommy Snug, while it looks like a good idea, isn't working out in the yarn I had for it, and the more I thought about it, the worse the idea of a knit sweater in Texas while pregnant sounded. That's 4 or 5 abandoned projects that the box of Cotton Ease has been through, and probably not the last.
The Mystery shawl was going well, but I wasn't loving it. I think working on that was part of where my non-knitting has come from. I had to force myself to work on it, and when I saw the direction that clues 5-7 were taking, I was less than motivated. To make matters worse, I lost track of where I was in the pattern, and repeated a 10 row section 30 rows back from where I was. I tried tinking/frogging to that point, but wound up frogging the whole stole in a spray of black beads of doom.
Instead, I have been working on Venezia, thinking maybe I can get the sleeves done to get a FO picture done soon before my belly gets too huge. I kicked out the rest of the first sleeve in a weekend, and know started on the cuff of the second sleeve this weekend. I couldn't remember the mistakes that I made in the first cuff, so they won't match 100%, but I think with careful blocking, it shouldn't be too bad. I don't think I'm going to worry too much about getting the stripes on the sleeves to match up, I'm just going to go with what ever surprise the ball of yarn I pick gives me.
The second PFS does get some work, here and there, but not as much. Maybe its because I have already knit the shawl once that the mojo isn't really there, but I want to get this done so I can use the salvaged black yarn from the MSA to knit something for my twin for Christmas/birthday time.
I haven't had DH take any recent belly shots, but its there, somewhere under all the flab that is getting pushed up and out. Ugg. I told myself that I was going to be in better shape and thinner when I got pregnant again, but oh well. We had a good midwife appt last week. Finally got to hear the little stinker's heart beat. S/he was hiding under the pubic bone, and didn't want to be found.
The Fall semester is getting ready to start on Monday, so this is crunch time (and overtime season) at work, so there won't be much knitting going on.
My parents sold their house, and are signing the paper work today. And I am in a bit of a funk about that, but since they are both retired, there is no way they can afford the old house, and now they can move to the beach and be bums for the next few years.

The Pregnancy Blogging Blues.

I'm still around.

I just haven't been knitting that much over the last few weeks.

DH and I have has some issues come up that are taking up all my brain function, and I have been spending hours in deep thoughts instead of with yarn and needles in my hand.

I am falling behind on my MS3 clues. The first 3 clues I had done before Sunday night. I was almost done with Clue 4 when C hit the needles out of my hand, while I was on a border section, and the lace laddered all the way down to the life line 50 rows back. I have done some work on it, but I'm only 1/2 done with clue 5, and clue 6 came out this morning.

The second PFS shawl gets maybe 4 or 5 rows worked on a week. That's it. I was hoping to have it finished this summer, but I don't' see that happening.

I have been working on a pair of socks. Monkey's in one of the yarns I picked up last month. I got the first sock done in 10 days, and have been working on the cuff of the second sock for just as long.

Venezia is still in hibernation. With us hitting the 100's here in Texas for the foreseeable future, it is going to be another few months before she will be picked up again, and knowing that I won't be able to wear her, or even try her on when she is done is a real downer.

In some ways this pregnancy is harder on me than when I was pregnant with C. Maybe its because I'm in my 30's now. Maybe its because it is a second pregnancy, but I was nauseous for most of the first trimester(even if I haven't thrown up), and have been so exhausted every day, that I come home from work and take a 20 minute nap while C is watching a cartoon off of the DVR.

I'll try to be a better blogger, Heck, I'll even try to remember to take photo's every once in a while.

Is it nap time yet?

750 pages in 12 hours.

We got back from the bookstore yesterday morning at 9:45 AM and I started reading.
I took a few breaks, driving C over to my dad's for the afternoon, lunch with DH, picking up DS from my dads, but I was offically done with HP by 9:45 last night.

My head hurts, but today I have to keep C occupied so DH can read.

And knit.

Finally, an update.

I have been knitting along, mostly first thing in the morning, and on the weekends, not so much in the evenings or on my lunch break. Its too hot at those times, and I'm too tired most of the time.
Work goes on on the MS3 stole. I am almost done with clue #3, and so far, so good. I don't think this is going to wind up being too big, maybe a nice wide, short scarf size, but that cool. Depending on the actual theme, this might wind up being a birthday/Christmas gift for my sister. Work is going slow and steady on the second Peacock Feathers shawl. I only work on it when I have the energy at night, after I am done with that week's MS3 clue. I am almost done with the third chart, and so far I haven't had the massive tinking and frogging issues I had with the first Peacock Feathers Shawl, knit last year. (What are the chances that I just jinxed myself, and will have to frog by the end of the month?)
I did some yarn shopping today at the Woolie Ewe in Plano. I picked up two skeins of Jojoland Kaleidoscope 100% Merino Wool. This colorway is very close to the results of my one experiment with Kool-Aid Dying, and I think they might become a pair of Monkeys.
I also gave into temptation and picked up a pair of Lorna Laces Shepherd Socks in Somerset. The pinks and greys kind of suit my mood these last few days.
So far, the pregnancy is going good. I'll be 10 weeks on Wednesday, and I have my first midwife's appointment that afternoon. Just for laughs, here is a belly shot. I bought a pair of maternity capris today, which is good since my one pair of jeans I could button suffered a horrible rip this weekend.
As usual, please pardon the messy, ugly bathroom and my fat gut.

The Knitting Blues...

For the last three weeks, ever since I found out #2 was on its way, I have had the knitting blues. I'd knit some, but quickly lose interest in what was on the needles. I'd have to force myself to get to the end of the row. Sure, I finished Rusted Root, but really, it is too short, and I really don't care right now. I have had some progress on the first sleeve for Venezia, but more often than not, it has sat there, on the arm of my couch, the next balls of yarn rolled and sitting all alone on the coffee table.
So Friday, came the first clue for the Mystery Stole 3, and I printed it off at work, and spent the next 9 hours looking at the charts (because I left my knitting stuff at home, silly me) and trying to guess what it would look like knitted up.
I cast on as soon as I got home from work, between snuggles from DS and all, and managed to get most of chart A done before bed time. I had a few struggles with putting the beads on, wondering what the heck I was thinking, getting beads that were smaller than the ones called for in the pattern, but they were the only ones the craft store had that were the right color that I wanted. Saturday I finished chart A, and started on chart B, when the perfect way to handle the beads, and not break my tiny hook, came to me. I started licking the yarn before I put the bead on. Not only did it make the beads slide on easier, but the yarn was less likely to split in the process. It went from taking me 5 minutes to put each bead on, with much yelling and screaming, to less than 1. I finished chart B last night, and with it, clue 1, and I realised that I missed knitting lace.
I haven't had a finished lace project since March, just two attempts at the Alpine Knit Scarf, that both wound up in the frog pond. I decided to break my one lace project at a time rule, and ran to the stash for a skein of the Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Tide Pool Heather that was waiting to be cast on for a second Peacock Feathers Shawl. The only problem was my favorite lace knitting needles were in use with the Mystery Stole 3, and my size 4 options were in use with Mommy Snug. But, I remembered something about the options, I could just put the Mommy Snug on hold, and "borrowed" the size 4 tips for the PFS2. So I did, and I cast on last night, and I feel the lace knitting groove starting back up.
Will I return to Mommy Snug before the bump is born next year? Will I finish the sleeves for Venezia? Who knows. But I will say, most likely not while it is Summer in Texas and way to hot to knit sweaters.

FO: Rusted Root

No photo of me wearing it, but I am done with Rusted Root!

Pattern: Rusted Root from Zepher Style

Yarn: Cotton Ease Sugar Plum, 4 skeins, has been in stash for 2 years.

Needles: Size 5 for body, 3 for ribbing

Size: Large

Cast on: May 2007, Cast off June 2007

Modifications: After 4 repeats I changed the leaf pattern to make both sides look neater. I left out the waist shaping on the body so I could maybe wear it for a month or so in pregnancy, not going to happen. Might go back and add another inch or two later on.

Its not a knit I see myself wearing out that much, maybe next spring and summer, but it was a popular pattern that I had stash yarn to knit.

There has been some knitting on other projects as well.

I'm about 60 rows in on the front of Mommy Snug. This has been my main week day knitting project this week, but I haven't done much knitting on it. There is something about rows and rows of 2X2 ribbing that drives one nuts.

I did get my new 16inch size 3 needles Thursday, and have done 2 repeats of the Venezia sleeve pattern since then. I think the longer stripes will work with the body, but I don't think I can get both sleeves to match up.

DH and I went and saw Spamalot Friday night for our anniversary, it was a riot, and not a complete rip off of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. My parents have had C since Friday, and they are due to drop him off any time now. While I loved having a child free day last night, I can't wait to have my little boy in my arms again.

Yes, I'm pregnant!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest after knowing for 2 weeks. So far, I'm feeling good, really tired, but no MS yet (knock on wood). Right now we are looking at a EDD of mid February.

I haven't really felt much like knitting lately, but I've been getting a little done.

I finished Rusted Root, but I haven't got any photos yet. I need to "wash and block", but since it is knit in cotton ease, I figure running it through the washer and dryer will be good enough. I did modify the the pattern a bit by leaving out the waist shaping, that way I would be able to wear it a little bit this summer, but I don't know how long.

I have done a bit more on Venezia, but I had too many stitches to do DPN's right, and way too few to use my one size 3 circ needle (even with magic loop), so I'm waiting on a 16inch needle to come in from KP before I do much more. I have lost steam on this sweater knowing that I won't be able to wear it this winter,

I did start my Mommy Snug, from the Summer 06 Interweave Knits. I'm using more yarn from stash, Cotton Ease in Popsicle blue, and I am pretty close to gauge, but not 100%. I figure since it is a maternity sweater in ribbing, the extra bit of room won't be too bad. I cast on Sunday and have 50 rows done already, so this looks like it will be a faster knit than I thought it would be.

I'm still waiting for the start of the Mystery Stole 3 knit along, which will be next Friday. I need to get back in the lace mode. I haven't finished a lace project since April.

I'm also looking forward to Friday night when DH and I are going to see Spamalot. The tickets were our anniversary present to each other for 5 beautiful years together.

Finally, a week for knititng.

After taking a week's break from Venezia, and with many stupid mistakes that shall not be repeated, I have finally started the first sleeve! I decided to save my sanity and not P2tog the hem, but will slow it down when I am finished knitting. There isn't much to see yet, but it will look better in the next photo.


I have been working mostly on Rusted Root this week. I have finished the ribbing on the neck and the sleeves, and only have the rest of the body to finish. I think I have three repeats to finish until the bottom ribbing, and I may have it done by the end of next weekend.

The Alpine Knit Scarf has once again, regrettably, been sent to the Frog Pond. Not for any mistakes with the pattern, but because I hadn't touched it in two weeks, since we were waiting to see Pirates 3, and I needed the yarn for something better.
The Mystery Shall 3 was announced this week, which I signed up or, and the called for colors are either white or black. Midnight Heather Alpaca Cloud would be perfect. I went out and found beads, and bought a small enough hook. It can been seen here, since I accidentally deleted the picture and don't know how to re-upload it with out having to start the whole post over
Cast on is at the end of the month.


I have one other project that I am excited to start, but not ready to blog about yet. I think the photo will give a hint: The yarn has been in my stash for the last two years, since Cotton Ease was first discontinued, and I bought enough of a dye lot to make a sweater, which has been abandoned. I think I have enough yarn for my size, but I'm not 100% sure.

Knitting under the influence.

Yeah, not a good idea.

I had to frog the first sleeve of Venezia twice, and many times over on the color work.

I missed 10 stitches when I cast on, and it really threw off the color work.

Venezia is in time out for the rest of the week.

Rusted Root has come out to play this week, with a little bit of Alpine Lace, but I really haven't done much knitting this week.

I have been working on setting up my Ravelry account and reading the new Anita Blake book.

Did I mention I now have a Ravelry account? Its so cool!

Body Works.

I finished knitting the body of Venezia last night! Since I am subbing for non-Shetland wool yarn, I decided to take out some steek insurance, and crochet them before cutting. C was most excited to watch me cut the steeks this afternoon, and I think he likes the finished product.
I like it too. I "tried" it on the best I could without having the shoulders seamed, and it fits! Most susprising, I think the neck mod looks real close to Eunny's last teaser sweater, but I can't be certain until I have this bad girl finished and blocked. I am going to finish the neckline like the pattern says, with the short-row shaping, but I need to wait for payday to get a size one circ needle, and if I can't find one in town, that means placing a KP order.

Until then, I've started on sleeve island, trying to fit the cuff on my size 1 DPN's.

Black Lace and a Dark Movie Theatre Don't Mix.

DH and I took off early yesterday to go see Pirates 3 while C was still at daycare. Thinking we were going to stop off at home before heading up, I didn't bring one of my main knitting projects with me to work on before the show.
DH had other plans, and we went from work to Wendy's and straight to the Cinamark.
He had the Harry Potter books with him on his PDA to read, and he told me to go ahead and knit something.
The only thing I had with me was the Alpine Knit Scarf, which is on size 2 needles, in black lace weight. While we were standing outside the theater in the light, it was fine to knit, and I got a good 3 rows done. After we were seated, it was a different matter. They had the lights turned to the almost off, and hadn't started playing the onscreen pre-movie adds that theatres play now.
I managed to wedge myself in the seat so I at least had the white screen as in front of me without holding my knitting up to my eye level at all times, and got another two rows knit.

The movie ROCKED! Both DH and I left the theatre saying we HAD to go back and see it again after we got paid, (Or Monday and put it on the CC, and its been a long time since we felt that way after seeing a movie.

I'm still podding away on all three knits, and looking ahead to what is next.

Next lace will be the Peacock Feathers Shawl, again, but this time for me, in KP's Alpaca Cloud Tide pool, but I need to finish both The Alpine Knit Scarf and Venezia, since I currently have my size 3 cir busy with that.

Next Fair Isle will be the Bauhaus Fair Isle from the Spring 2007 IWK (Unless Eunny publishes another amazing pattern before then). I've been looking at Subs, and I think Knit Picks Telemark will work best, but it leaves me pondering. If KP Telemark is a sport weight yarn at 103 Yards per 50 grams, why does KP WOTA, a worsted weight have 110 yards? But it looks like the Telemark knits up to the same gauge as the called for Heilo, at $3 less per skein.

Next "Anytime" sweater will either be Wicked or maybe Saharah or the Simple Knitted Bodice, or any of a thousand projects that will come across my eyes between now and then.

*ETA*- Black Lace, Work, surfing Bloglines while knitting the row where the pattern changes don't mix either. I lost count completely after I read about Glampyre's good news. Since I don't have a Word Press Account, and can't commit on her blog, I wanted to say CONGRATS! here.

Now with Photos!

There has been a lot of progress on Venezia since I last took photos. Saturday I got up to the start of the arm steaks, and decided to try on for fit one last time:
I am not happy with how the hem keeps flipping up, and if it doesn't block out flat, I am going to rip it out and re-knit on size 1 needles, after I buy them.
I did another 3/4s of a repeat before I decided to modify the neck. I put the center 60 stitches on waste yarn, and grafted out a gradual scoop.

I'm thinking I will have the body done by next Thursday (if not earlier), and will start on sleeve island in June.

I also started Rusted Root on Sunday. I have about 20 rows before I separated the sleeves, but I am running out of room on my needles already. So far the pattern is easy, but I am wishing that I had used the Rose Leaf charts from the AKS since the lace charts are written odd.

C is doing better today, and went to day care for the first time all week. I think he had a good day, and I hope he goes to bed early since DH and I need to do some major house cleaning tonight.
Tomorrow DH and I are taking off early to see Pirates and do lunch.
Today is the anniversary of the day we first saw our house. If we had to chose again, I don't know if I would pick this house again, but right now, it is home.

FO: Leaf

Well, its not one of my favorite FO's, but its a FO.

Pattern: Leaf by Stephanie Japel

Yarn: Mystery Green Wool bought on Ebay.com, my first wool yarn purchase, 3 hanks.

Needles: KnitPicks Options, size 6, various length cables

Time: About 3 weeks, with working on other projects

Size: I started planning on making the 45" bust, but changed to the 40" after holding it up to me. I'm glad I didn't make it the larger size, since this thing is already big.

Modifications: I shortened the arms a bunch. I was going to skip the i-cord all together, but the neck was rolling way to much.

What I learned: Top down- this was my first top down sweater, but not my last, in fact I cast on for another top down about 5 minutes after I finished seaming this one. I-cord- in two years of serious knitting this was my first attempt at doing i-cord. I think I only minded it when it was time to attach the i-cord to the neck.

Depending on the dress I get to wear on our anniversary, this one might actually get worn once. or twice.

I've Been a Bad Blogger Lately.

Not only am I not updating the blog as often as I would like to, when I do its at work and without any photos.
Since I broke the screen on my laptop, and have to use a monitor screen, its just not as easy to get on the computer at home, and now I find that C has taken the cable that allows me to download photos and hid it somewhere.

Saturday I did a lot of knitting on Venezia. I started the arm steeks, and am almost done doing the decrees rows there, then I have 48 rows without any increases or decreases before I start the neck. I think I might be able to have the body done in a few weeks.

Sunday I finished Leaf while watching the Ninja Warrior marathon on G4. I do have some cruddy bathroom photos to post as soon as I can. I sucked it up and did the i-cord edging around the body, and except for a few spots where I missed a pick up stitch, it looks pretty decent.

I then cast on for Rusted Root in some old Cotton Ease that has been in the stash for 2 years. While I love how the knitted fabric feels, I forgot what a number the cotton ease can do on your hands. I think this is going to be a slow knit for the most part, but that's ok with me.

C has been sick all weekend, I stayed home with him yesterday, and DH is home with him today. Since C has gotten worse last night/this morning, DH is taking him in to the Doc's in about an hour.

I finally got a chance to look through the Summer Interweave Knits, and it just reaffirmed that this is one issue I won't be buying. The few things that looked like I might knit didn't look as good to me in print.

Artistic Licence.

One important part of knitting is to pick projects that feature new techniques that will challenge us, and teach us new techniques. One of the reasons I picked Leaf to work on is the i-cord, which I have never done before.

I started the i-cord edging on Monday night after finishing the first sleeve, and got a few inches in before deciding that the I-cord was coming out way to thick, about the size of my thumbs.

Ok, So I frog it all out, and re-start on size 4 DPN's, about two sizes smaller. The i-cord is still a bit thick, but it looks better, and it takes me a little over an hour to get to the 11 inches called for before starting the attached i-cord.

The directions state Now work applied i-cord around neckline as foll: *k4 on DPN, then knit last st tog with 1 st picked up from right front neck edge—5 sts. Slide sts back to working end of needle and rep from *.

I got two inches in and decided it looked like crap. Frog back, and try again, still looking like crap and I've been attaching to the left side.

Frog again, attach to the right side this time, but still looking like ass.

Third time's the Frog. Decided to just knit the i-cord solo and sew on. Work on the i-cord for another half hour this morning hating every inch of the lumpy tubular thing that was coming off of my needles, thinking there must be something easier.

Like crocheting the ties and the edging.

Frog for the forth time, look through drawers to find an appropriate crochet hook, modify the leaf so I start with three stitches, and start whipping out a chain. Had the 11 inches done in 60 seconds flat. Started attaching to the body (from the left, because I am feeling rebellious) and get halfway done with the front before I remember that today is a work day, and I do need to get dressed and get C up and moving.

I think I will be done with the i-cord this evening, and then all I have left is the last sleeve and seaming.

Happy Mothers Day

To all the Mothers and Mom's to be out there!

My Mothers day present was a day to myself yesterday, of which I spent a large chunk of time knitting on Leaf. The body is finished, and I am working away on the Sleeves. I think it might be possible to have a FO on this by the end of next weekend.

I did some knitting on Venezia today while we were at my mothers.

I am about half way done with the fourth chart repeat, and about 23 rows away from starting the steeks for the arms, again, I am thinking by next weekend.

I did break my "No more than two at a time" rule and re-cast on for the Alpine Lace Scarf last night. This time I am working on the size 2 Knit Pick options that I bought last month, and the P2tog's are going a lot smoother.
DH also bought me the pattern for Rusted Root, which I am planning on knitting with some Cotton Ease that has been in the stash for over two years, when I bought up tons at half price.

Computer problem fixed...

Sort of.
DH mentioned the problem with my laptop to his boss, and his boss gave him an old 17inch flat screen monitor that they had no use for other than collecting dust.
So, we got the monitor set up to the computer, same size screen as the lap top had, so no real change there. Now I have to type on the laptop, and turn my head to look at the screen. DH and I are thinking of hooking an external keyboard and mouse up as well, and just using my laptop as a CPU unit. But that would be silly looking, wouldn't it?

It was late by the time we got it hooked up last night, and I didn't' get any photos shot or uploaded, but I will try to do that tonight while cooking and DH takes C to the park (weather permitting).

What also made it late last night was the dogs both got out while C and I were going out front to wait on DH to get home with dinner. I set C down in our front yard and took chase, since both dogs were headed to the park. I cornered Ying, and got her back home, but Yang was across the street and running fast. I went in and grabbed the quick leash, since Yang can't seam to keep any collar on for more than 5 minutes. So, I grab the collar and C, and we head out the door running. A group of guys playing basketball in the park said that he took off running to the left. As I was looking that way, I saw DH driving up, so I flagged him down, put C in his car seat, and hopped in the passenger seat. We drove up and down the street calling his name and asking anyone we passed if they saw a orangish brown dog run by. Nothing. Its at this time that it sinks in just how close we are to Hwy 377 (Carroll) and that my baby could be hit by a car. C kept asking where Yang was, was he hiding in the leaves? on the roof? in that garage? After going the full length of the street DH decides to drive by our house to see if he showed up on his own, nothing, and we drive down the the cul-de-sac to turn around, and there we see him, running after the car. Thank god! I got out of the car and gave Yang a big hug, put the leash on him and walked him home. I'm so glad he is safe, but he gave me a major scare.

I'm an Idiot.

I broke my laptop on Friday, so I am temporally unable to blog (or post photos!!!) from home.
How did I break it? I forgot that I had a pen resting on the keyboard, and I went to close it, cracking the screen. DH thinks we can hook the laptop up to a monitor so I'm not completely without Internet action at home (he will not let me touch his laptop after this), but until then...

I didn't get much knitting done over the weekend either. I think I have done 20 rows on Venezia since last Monday. I am almost done with the third repeat of the chart, only 3 or 4 left to go, plus the sleeves.

(This spot marking where a photo would bee)

I did manage to get a bit more done on Leaf. I put the sleeves on holders Thursday night while watching Grays, and started the increases for the front by the ties yesterday. Now I just have rows and rows of stockingnet stitch left to do for both the body and the sleeves.

(Marking off another would-be photo)

I did spend part of Saturday night teaching D how to knit. She seems to be picking up the knit stitch really well, and I have her practicing until the next time when I will show her how to purl.

More of a longer update, and photos when I have the ability to blog from home again.

Thank you all so much!

For the kind comments of the Cap Shawl! I can't tell you how pleased I am with how it turned out!
Now that I am done working on that, it is back to the much neglected Venezia. I am a little over two pattern repeats in, and just joined the second ball of yarn for the background color yesterday. I know that I will have more than enough yarn for the entire sweater now.
I do have a dilemma though. I know that I won't be able to get the bands of color to match from the sleeves to the body, and that doesn't bug me too much. I'm just trying to figure out which will be better.
I could just do the sleeves with the wider stripes and have them not match at the shoulder.
I could knit both sleeves as one big tub, incorporating a steak seam like in a cardigan, cut and sew.
I could knit both the body and two separate sleeves up to the steak, and join as one, and work the decreases as indicated in the pattern.
The first option sounds easiest to me, and I can always do that and if I decide I don't like it BEFORE I cut the steaks, I can frog back and do one of the other options.

I did cast on for another project Friday night to give me a break from stranded color work:

Its the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties that Knitty.com has as an excerpt from Fitted Knits. This is the first top down sweater that I have attempted, and so far, it makes for great mindless knitting, with wonderful style. The yarn is mystery wool that I got off of Ebay two years ago when I discovered there was yarn other than Red Heart Super Saver. Its a bit scratchy, and smells a little, but I like how the color is ties in with the leaf theme.

FO: The Cap Shawl

Its finally done! After 7 weeks, and one big frogging incident, I am finally finished with the Cap Shawl.

With the magic of Blocking, the shawl went from this: To this:
Pattern: The Cap Shawl from Victorian Lace Today

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace, three balls

Needles: Knit Picks Options size 4, the two standard size cords that came with the pack, plus 4 size 4 Susan Bates DPN's.

Size: Blocked out to 5 feet, which is smaller than the one in the book, but since I downsized both the yarn and needles, I'm happy with the size.

Time: A little over 7 weeks.

What I learned: Circular cast on and circular shawl construction. I loved working on this shawl, since it was (mostly) comprised of knit stitches. There were a few rows of purl stitches on the outer edge that drove me crazy, and I did leave one row off completely.

Pinning it out was less of a hassle than I expected it to be. One of my tape measures had a hole at the start that I was able to pin in the center and I used that to get all my points to the same length

Just a few more pictures before I close.

(Pardon the bad hair and the big gut)

Which will be done first?

The endless edging of the Cap Shawl, or my ball of yarn.

This edging is taking forever. Besides the mass frogging incident of last Friday, I lost an entire nights knitting on Tuesday due to the massive storms that hit Denton, leaving us without power when we got home from work, and later when the thunder kept waking C up, and I curled up with him so he wouldn't be scared.
I was sure I would be done last night, but no, I have two repeats of the edging left. Uggg. If I didn't know better, I'd think malicious elves or gnomes were coming into our house at night to frog this piece, and put everything back on the needles.
I have very little yarn left in this ball of yarn, but I think it might be enough to get through the shawl. If not, I still have the fourth ball of yarn.
Barring an act of God, the knitting of the shawl will be done tonight, but I might hold off on the grafting and blocking until tomorrow when C is at his grandparents.

Knitty Surprises are up. I think I really like Leaf, and might have to cast on for it tonight. I think I have yarn that will work, even if I have to knit a smaller size for someone else.
I also like Airetta, but is it wrong of me to wish they had fair-isle instructions as well? Mosaic knitting just looks to fussy for me. I can't see myself knitting the other two patterns, so they won't be mentioned.

Out of Time Out...

Saturday morning I left the Cap Shawl sitting in DS's time out spot to remind me that I was taking a break from it. I forgot to move the shawl before DH's buddies came over Saturday night for gaming, and B** went and sat on the cushion, on the shawl, and started eating a sub there, getting lettuce all over my alpaca softness.

He couldn't understand WHY I was telling him to get up, I guess he didn't see the pale pink fluff before he sat down on the black seat, but still..

**Grr**

There was no further harm done to the cap shawl with his actions.

I spent most of the weekend working on Venezia, and have managed to get quiet a bit done on here. I am on the second repeat of the chart, and it is taking me less than half an hour to do each 300 stitch row (again, why can't I stick to a diet long enough to be able to knit a smaller size?). I did give the Cap shawl some attention yesterday, and have 4 more repeats done. I think if I can keep up with doing 4 repeats a day (don't know about tonight, I have WW WI), then I should have it done by Thursday.

Thursday seems to be a milestone day with this shawl. I started on a Thursday, began chart 2 on a Thursday, and started the edging on a Thursday, so I guess its right that I finish and cast on on Thursday. She will be blocked on Saturday one way or another. C is spending the night/weekend with my parents, so I can devote all my attention to the shawl, and take over his bedroom floor for blocking.

DISASTER!!!!!

I was closing in on the home stretch of the Cap Shawl last night, when I spread it out to get an idea of how big it was(n't) going to be.

And then I noticed...

8 edging repeats back, over 240 rows, and 4 hours of knitting ago...

I had missed one of the stitches where you attached the edging to the shawl...

and there was a huge hole.

AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH

I called DH in from the other room to bring me my tiny crochet hook, and to hold my hand and wind the yarn as I began to frog back.

Progress was slow since I had to recapture the live stitches of the shawl. Some of them laddered back one row, ok most of them, but I didn't care at the time. I had to get to the hole before it became unfixable.

Rip-it
rip-it
rip-it

With an occasional pause to put the live stitches back on the needle so I wouldn't have a bigger disaster.
I got to the end and found only one stitch had laddered back, but since it started at an eyelet, I was able to fix it with the hook. I'm going to have to fix the ladders as I work on the shawl, but for now, all is fixed.

In the light of day, it sunk in. I was almost done with the edging, I could have finished it today or tomorrow, instead, I had to rip out two days worth of work.

The Cap Shawl has been flung aside in disgust for now....



I will come back to her soon, but right now the pain is too fresh.
I will spend the rest of the weekend working on Venezia.

This edging is going slower than I thought...

For some silly reason, I thought that it would be no problem to get through at least 7 repeats of the edging each day, which would mean having a FO in a week.

WRONG!

Each repeat is taking a little over 30 minutes (I must be a slow knitter if it takes me a minute to do a 17 stitch or less row), most of it comes from the rows that get smaller. In desperation last night, I hunted up the knitty tutorial and taught myself to knit backwards.

While it was a bit awkward at first, and takes about the same time to do a row as purling would, I am saving time by not flipping the shawl every minute.

I should reach the half way point this weekend, and unless my parents kidnap C this weekend, have a FO early next week.

Venezia is currently lunch knitting only, a row a day, and super slow progress.

Living on the Edge

* Grrr Some days I hate blogger, and the lack of copy/paste*


















I have made it to the edge of Venezia! There are 49 repeats of the edging, and so far I have 8 done. The chart is really easy, and I don't have to look at the chart any more.

Right now I am thinking I might have a FO by the end of next weekend...

That is, if I don't get too distracted by Venezia.



















I think I'm addicted to two color knitting! Since we got in on Sunday night, the only thing I have wanted to work on was Venezia. Don't let the picture use fool you, I am only using two colors of yarn, but the Yarntree house Melody has a slow variegation to it which makes me think it is perfect for my "fake-isle" sweater. It took a few tries to get a photo that was clear enough to show everything, but I'm more than happy with how this is turning out so far.


Tomorrow the weather is supposed to warm up, and DH, C and I are going to get dress up, head out, and meet my family at Scarbrough Faire. Turkey legs and fried ice cream, here I come.