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.

Testing

I've been messing around with the template and commits section for a while, and I'm just testing things out right now.

I've upgrade to HeloScan, and can't read any of my old commits, but should be able to respond to newer commits now.

*sigh*

ok.

Still Sick

Have spent the last two days sitting on the couch going "Shoot Me" and knitting in a sleepless haze. I got through a lot of the plain purl rows on the Cap Shawl, I have 2 1/2 rows left of purl, one row of knit (738 stitches per row) and then the edging that will never end. Actually, looking at the edging, it looks like each repeat is longer than the Print O the Wave Stole, but each row is shorter, so it should only take two weeks if I push myself.

I'm about six rows into the color work of Venezia, and right now it looks like the 46' size is going to be too big. I want to finish a few more rows an try it on again to see if it tightened up after I switched to color work. I don't want to have the same problem that SuperStitch had with hers, so if I catch it now, I can fix/modify it before I want to pull my hair out.

Photos soon. DH still has the camera in his backpack at work.

"I don't need to pack another ball of yarn"

The cap shawl has been growing by leaps and bounds. The second chart has been so much more interesting than the first part of the shawl, and the fact I didn't have anything else on the needles helped me get through the long, long rows in 10 days. That and a 6 hour long car trip each way, where DH drove half and I drove the second half, to go visit MIL for Easter. I don't know what I was thinking while I was packing my bag, because normally I am overly obsessive about bringing extra yarn, books, hobby of the month stuff to keep me busy in the boondocks of the Texas Panhandle. I don't know what I was thinking this time. Probably that the first ball of yarn took me over 3 weeks to knit up, and I had just started the second ball of yarn last Sunday, but sure enough, we get halfway down the road and I realise that I have about 1/2 of a ball (about 100 yards or so) left. The delima was to knit to my hearts content to drown out the boredom of the Panhandle, or to knit conservatively so I would have yarn for the drive home. Knitting to my hearts content won out, and the knitting bag was packed away in my suitcase for the drive home. Thank goodness I had a book that I am only halfway interested in thrown in my bag as an afterthought. I have finished the pattern part of chart 2 for the cap shawl. Now I have 9 rows of either pure knit or pure purl left, with 738 stitches per row. Slow going for now. After that, I have the border left. 49 repeats of a 30 row border. I need to learn how to knit backwards fast.
I did have my shipment from Knit Picks waiting for me when we got back last night. It was hard to decide between knitting the long plain rows of the Cap Shawl or casting on for Venezia. Venezia won out, but I plan to be done with the body of the Cap Shawl before the end of next weekend. I am almost done with the facing on the hem, and will take some pictures after I start the color work.
C and I were both feeling down this morning, so we stayed home. He was down all morning, but after a long (3 hour +) nap this afternoon, he was his normal Toddler of Terror self. Me, my head is still killing me, and I am having drainage from heck, but back to work tomorrow. Have to pay for the yarn habit and the house.

FO: Deep V Argyle Vest

Pattern: Deep V Argyle Vest by Eunny Jang
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style in Honey and Storm, about 10 balls total
Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 5
Size: 44inch bust
Start to Finish: About 3 weeks.
New Techniques learned: Stranded knitting on a larger scale, Steaks.

The top of the vest turned out way to big for me. I probably should have switched to a smaller size after the end of the waist decreases. I don't know if I will wear it much, but I think I am pleased with it.

I do plan to do another Fair Isle type project soon.

What was I thinking?

When I cast on for a summery, short sleeved tank top in wool yarn?

Isabella has been frogged.

I really want to knit this pattern, but it will have to wait until I finish the Cap shawl or after I get tired of working on Venezia. This time, however, I will buy the proper cotton yarn to knit with.

*Shakes head*

Crazy.

I finally blocked the Deep V Argyle vest, and with all the rain and humidity, she should be dry later this week, and ready for her close-up.

Swachity

The Camera has been found!
As previously mentioned, I did a test swatch for Veniza using yarn from my stash. I had this wonderful multicolor yarn, Yarntreehouse Melody 2, that C gave me for Christmas. I was swaching for another project when I realized that the yarn was the right gauge and stickiness for a color work fingerling weight project. I grabbed some grey palette, leftover from my Endpaper Mitts and used the computer to make the charts easier to read in two colors. I like how the two yarns work up together, but I am going to go with a different color for the actual sweater. I ordered 5 skeins of the Palette bare (2200 yards) and a set of size 2 circular needles this afternoon, and I should get the package in the next week or so, and then I will cast on.

I've also swached and cast on for Knitty's Isabella in some green sports weight wool from the stash. I don't know if this is going to work out to a wearable item for summer in Texas, but it gives me a shawl break until the other yarn shows up. I did alter the directions a bit and did a provisional cast on using Knit and Tonic's tutorial posted earlier this week. However, apparently in the YoK2tog row, I dropped a stitch. At first, I paniced, raced to find a crochet hook to fix the damage, and then realized that this is going to be on the inside of the back of the sweater. No one will ever see it.
Picking up the stitches was a bit time consuming. and my spar size 2 needle is bent, so that made for an awkward lying project prior to knitting the rows together. But the actual knitting two together didn't take that long.







And in the end, I had a nice, scallopy finished edge... Except for where I forgot a YO on the turning row.







I've still been plunging away on the Cap Shawl, or the Cotton Candy Shawl, since the posters on the Victorian Lace Along have said it reminds them of the sticky sweet fluff. I am on chart two, about 103 rows in, and have 70 rows plus the edging left to go. I am still on the first ball of yarn, and I'm quiet certain that I will have more than enough yarn to finish her. I did have a moment of panic with her this evening as I was switching over to a longer circular needle. I stretched her out to see her full size... without putting protection on the needle ends, and had 10 stitches fall off the needle. Visions of the Peacock Feather Shawl falling of the needle, and the resulting Frog of 3 weeks worth of work flashed through my mind as I bent over to examine the damage. Everything that fell off was a section of YoK2tog's, and I lost the yo's (no biggie) and one K2tog dropped back one row. I think I did an ok job of picking up the stitches, re-knitting the stitches with a crochet hook, and when this baby is blocked out, I don't think anyone will be the wiser.
*Phew*

I've been swatching...

I have been making some progress on the Cap Shawl. I am on the last row before I start Chart 2, which the first few rows will be more of the same. I am maybe 1/4 of the way done with the body and starting to get a little bored with this. While the Cap Shawl has been the only official WIP since Sunday, I have been working on doing some swatching for future projects:

While swatching again to Knit Lucie with the YarnTreehouse Melody that C gave me for Christmas, I realized that it was a fingerling weight yarn, that was sticking to itself rather well. So I had the idea grab a ball of leftover Palette and do a quick swatch for Venezia... They worked well together, and as soon as payday hits, I'm going to order 6 balls of KP Fingerling Bear to pair with it.
What, you want to see a picture... um, DS hid the camera on Sunday, and as soon as I find it...

I also did a swatch for Isabella using left over Brown Sheep Natura Sport from Cromarity. I got gague on size 2, and cast on last night. I am modifying the pattern a bit. How it is written, you knit the hem, and later go back and sew it down. I had the bright idea to knit the hem down (like in the Venezia pattern), and cast on with a provincial cast on. I am one row past the turning row, and it looks like instead of doing k2tog's for the hem, I'll have to p2tog across 141 stitches. Oh Joy.

My parents are taking C all this weekend for my Dad's birthday present, so aside from the normal house and yard work, I should have plenty of knitting time.

I need a Vacation after my Vacation!

Its been a super busy week. Last weekend DH and I did yard work, and ripped out our old shrubbery and their root systems, on Monday, we planted nine new rosemary plants in their place. They don't look like much now, but they should fill out later this year and be a nice, pleasant smelling hedge by fall.







Tuesday and Wednesday were spent painting and re-arranging C's room. We went from boring white to brilliant blue, with a wall of sunny yellow. We also finally moved his crib out of our room, and into his room. We are working on sleeping in his room, C will spend half the night there, but will come looking for us around midnight. Where his crib was in our room is now a sitting/reading/knitting nook that is too far from the bedroom TV to be of much use.

Friday we took C to the Dallas Zoo. While it is much nicer than I remember it being from 15 years ago, it is still a crappy zoo. But I have been spoiled by the Ft. Worth Zoo,which is one of the top zoo's in the south, and by seeing the Singapore Zoo last March, which is one of the top 5 zoos in the world.

I also finished knitting the neck and sleeve bands of the Deep V. Jenny Raye asked where and why the green yarn shown in my last photo of it came from, and while I could try to explain it, Eunny did a great job on explaining the use of the crocheted steek here. In fact, that article was written while she was designing the Deep V.
All that left is to wash and block her, but since we are going to be wet and muggy here for the next few days, I'm going to hold off a bit.


I've also made progress on the pink blob that shall transform to the Cap Shawl. It is so hard to photograph the details of this shawl, but the yok2g pattern spirals from the center like a flower. I love working with the Misti Alpaca so much, I hope that in the end she blocks out close to the original measurements in the book. This is currently my only WIP, and I will probably work on this solo for the next week or so, but plans might change.

Snip, Snip

I finished knitting the color work portion of the Deep V Argyle Vest this morning. Not bad considering I only started the neck steak last Thursday. DH and our friend L have been teasing me all weak about the horrid color combination here.






I expected crocheting the steekes would take a lot of time, effort and tears, but I had them done before DH was up and ready to go today. The yarn is used is some of the left over yarn from Cromarty, truly making this a leftovers vest.








Then, It was time to take the plunge. I gathered up my good scissors (the ones kept hidden in my craft drawer) and made the first cuts, holding my breath and biting my lip the entire time.










A sigh of relief to know that I was able to cut the steaks without cutting the crochet. See how pretty the inside of the vest looks!











I finally tried her on to see if she would fit: DH said that he liked the neckline. The armholes seam a bit wonky, but I'm ok with that. My first steeks cut!

Afterwards DH kicked me out of the house to go knit at Simpatico yarns, and I picked up a little reward to swatch with.




I'm thinking of using this yarn to knit the Weekend Pullover from the Fall 2006 IWK, but the colorway will depend on what Mary Jane has in stock durring the Fire Cracker sale.

FO: Pearl Buck Swing Jacket

After much procrastinating on finishing this one, she is done! Please ignore my big fat gut
I finally got DH to help me take photos, but I forgot to make sure my hair and outfit were photo ready.

Specks:
Pattern: Pearl Buck Swing Jacket by Kate Gilbert from the Winter 2005 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style in Honey, Christmas present from my MIL, 11 balls
Size: 44 inch
Needles: Knit Picks Options, Size 4, various length cables.
Start: January 12 End: March 13th
Modifications: None. I hit gauge spot on for this baby. I love everything about this, from the color, to the sleeve lengths, to the seaming, yes even the seaming! I think this is going to work with me next week to be my work sweater, since the building is kept on frigid all summer.

Ahhh... Vacation

DH and I start a week of Spring Break this week, but I have been productive during the last work week. I finished seaming and blocking the PBSJ: But since I have been unable to get a half way decent mirror shot, the final photos of it will have to wait until DH is back from his D&D game.

I am now 78 rows into the Deep V Argyle Vest, and almost to the arm steaks:

See, I figured out how to rotate photos

I hope to get almost done with the vest this week. I am still having fun doing the stranded color work, and I think I am ready to progress to a "real" Fair Isle sweater done at a smaller gauge. The diamond pattern is much easier to see onscreen than in person. I wonder why that is.

I also started the Cap shawl no 4 DPN's, and just today had enough stitches to transfer to a circular needle I love how the center of this looks like a flower. You can see where the DPN's put extra stress on the stitches (marked by the yellow and green stitch markers), but I have hopes that this will block out. I am almost done with the first chart, and to the "uncharted" area where you add a Yo, K2tog every 4 rows.

In addition to all the knitting I have planned for this week, we are also going to buy and plant new shrubbery, take the lawn mower in to be fixed, paint C's room and bathroom, and take C to the zoo.

Have a good knitting week!

March Madness has struck...

Go Mean Green!

UNT has made it into the NCAA playoffs!

DH took care of bath and putting C to bed last night, so I had real knitting time. I got a few more rows done on the Deep V, I started the neck steak, and am on the first row of decreases/increase after that. I'm probably 1/2 way done with the sweater, considering that after this the rows get smaller and will go much faster, and I am at a point where I need to move to smaller needles already.

I also cast on for the Cap Shawl. After quiet a few mistakes with the cast on instructions in the book, I googled for better instructions, and found Eunny's tutorial. I am about 12 rows in, not much, but it is addictive, and I hope to get much more of this shawl done over the next week while DH and I are off for spring break.

What do

A knitting project your only "ho hum" about,

A huge mistake a few rows back

and a case PMS from hell

have in common?

The Alpine Knit Scarf taking a trip to the frog pond. Of course this happened before I remembered to get any photos of it.

I will re-knit it, but on size 2 needles instead of my 4's. Straights it is.

But first, I think I will give the Cap Shawl from VLT a shot.

Sleepy Thursday

*Yawn*
The PBSJ is officially finished, but the FO shot needs to wait until I have the time/energy to steam block the seams and can get DH help me get some decent photo's of it. Seaming it wasn't as bad as I feared it would be, and by far, I think it is my best seam job yet. But I will wait and talk about that later.

I have picked up steam on the Alpine Lace Scarf. As predicted, once I got past the border, this is going a lot faster, and I have been trying to get one repeat of the rose leaf pattern done each day, and sometimes two done. Even the P2tog's aren't as annoying as I first thought they were. I pretty much have the entire pattern memorised, and only have to look at the chart every once in a while.

The Deep V Argyle Vest keeps growing. If I stretch it out, it comes to the right measurements, but is a tad long...But I knew that was going to be a problem going into it. I'm approaching this project as a big learning experience, and since the yarn is all leftovers from other projects (a lot of leftovers) I don't feel quite as guilty for it not being at gage. I'm on the increases at the waist, and should start the neck steak tonight or tomorrow morning.

I have been thinking about what my next big project will be. I am thinking that I will either give Lucie another shot. I have the yarn for it in stash, and its a lot of straight knitting. It might be boring, but I have started finding joy in the 'boring' knits. My other "maybe" project is the Equestrian Blazer from the winter 06 Interweave knits. I have been thinking of frogging the unfinished and way-to-big Mariah (my first sweater, no swatching done) and using the Plymouth encore from that for it, but I'm not sure. That would be a lot of ball winding, and unsttiching and unweaving of seams. If I can hold off until July, I can buy Cascade 220 at the Simpatico Fire Cracker sale for about $35 ish. Decisions decisions. Lucie and lace can keep me busy until then....
Also on my "to knit" list is Eunny's Venezia, also from the Winter IWK. I saw a two color version on Craftster and have been thinking of doing that as well, in either a chocolate brown with pink/purple or teal or a Blue and cream version, or a tan and brown. I will use KP Pallett to save on money.
But I am really thinking that I will make myself finish the Alpine scarf before I start anything else. Its been three weeks and I have hardly made any progress on her.

Not much knitting going on

this weekend, because it was N and D's wedding! We were all members of the wedding party, and had obligations all three days. Friday I got a little knitting done in the morning running with DH and my Dad to the Asian market in Carrollton to get stuff for dinner Sunday night. After that it was time to pick up C from daycare and get ready for the rehearsal and dinner. The plan was for me to walk out as one of the first brides maids, and for C to walk out just before D. In the rehearsal, when I walked out before him, he stood in the doorway crying, and cried the entire way down the aisle.
Take two. C walk out with Mommy, holding her hand if necessary. That went OK, but DS was getting tired and cranky early on. We let him run wild during the dinner (at El Guapo's), and ran into one of his daycare friends on the way out.

Saturday morning DH took C to the park to get him worn out early on while I joined the other bridesmaids at Danny's salon to get ready for hair. There was NO KNITTING at all on Saturday. *gasp* After I was done with hair DH and C picked me up, went home, packed our bags, and went to the hotel to get ready.

How cute is this?
All three of us clean up pretty well, don't we? I'm just sorry we don't have a better shot of C and I. I did wear the Print O' the Wave stole, and received a ton of compliments on it. D didn't wear the Peacock Feathers Shawl, but still looked beautiful. After the ceremony my dad came and picked up C so DH and I could party with the rest of the crowd, and hang out with friends we don't get to see very often.
We did get to stay in a nice room at the Wildwood Inn, and had a wonderful breakfast Sunday morning. Then we went and picked up C from my parents house, went home and started prepping for Tark's birthday dinner. Home made dumplings with shrimp and fish balls (my fav!) and steamed buns plus pineapple rice (which turned out better than I though it would) There was so much food, and I didn't break out my knitting at all.
I did manage to get to row 49 of the DVAV, almost time to start the increases, and will soon start the steeks, and 5 rows of the ALS. Since the sun is up latter now, I will try to get picks tomorrow night (tonight is my WW meeting).

Rosebud....

I've had that going through my head ever since I started the Rose Leaf pattern on the Alpine Knit Scarf last night. I think I'm finally getting on a roll with this baby. Of course every time I try to work on it, C wants my attention, but that is life.

Progress on the Deep V has slowed down some. I am mostly working on that in the car (when DH drives) and at lunch right now, so I am only getting a few rows done a day. But since I started the color work last Thursday, and I'm on row 31 today... um, about 6 rows a day?

I'm still working on seaming the PBSJ. I have the back, yoke, and fronts joined, so all I have to do is the arms and side seams, pick up and knit the neck band, and steam block. If I put my mind to it, it won't take that long. I will try to finish that before spring break, and I will try to finish the Deep V during Spring break (yeah right).

Speaking of Spring break, DH and I are also going to try to get a lot of home improvement stuff done. We are going to tear out the old shrubbery, plant new Rosemary shrubs, paint C's room and the hall bath, and take C to the zoo one day. We decided to keep him in daycare for most of the week :( but that's the only way we can get a lot of this stuff done.