Holy Cow, another FO!! AND PICTURES!!

What is the world coming to?
Anyway, hard to believe, but I finished ANOTHER thing!! This is Knitty's BYOB, and I found it a fun knit. I seem to have themes in my knitting sometimes, and lately it's been seed stitch.

I knit this using the recommended needles sizes (of course I didn't swatch, what are you thinking??) with the recommended yarn, which is Lion Pride Cotton-Ease. This yarn is not bad, actually. I'll have to see how it washes and dries, but it's a nice soft yarn and makes a pretty fabric, I think. I used about a quarter of the skein of the rose, about a third of the skein of the blue, and cut it down to the wire with the green - I had 4 grams left at the end. I was a bit nervous I was going to run out and trying think how it would look if I did the bind-off row in blue or pink. Interesting, I am sure. I wasn't about to go out and buy another skein of the green for one row, you know?

I notice that when I am feeling low on yarn, I change how I knit with it. Usually I pull out a good long lead so I am not constantly unwinding from the skein, but when I feel low, I stop that, as if somehow that will mean I use less yarn. The mind, it's powerful. Don't go in it alone.

I didn't make any intentional pattern modifications (that's right! They're not errors, they're modifications!), and I thought the pattern was well-written and easy to follow. I was a bit confused as to how the handles were going to be attach but it was easy to do, and quite clever, I think!

This sucker is BIG. In the loaded up shots below, I've got *four* cereal boxes in there, and there's plenty of room for more stuff. It does stretch a bunch. I'm a bit wary about really loading it up as I'm not sure how much weight the handles can realistically bear - a lot? Not much? Not an experiment I'll run at the grocery store, that's for sure. But I think it's really pretty, and I'm really working on using reusable bags, so this goes in my stash!

And the crazy thing is, now I've actually got NOTHING on needles! I have one more lace sock to do, so I'll probably get that cast on, and some more plain vanilla socks, and some other things. I've got a pineapple doily on the hook, which desperately needs the miracle of blocking. Which I don't know how to do. Yay, a new skill to learn!

Slogging Through

Holy cow, it's been 10 days since I've updated!

I feel like with every single thing that I do, I hit a point where I just get bored and *enh* about it, if you know what I mean. The exception in knitting MIGHT be some of the dishcloths I've done. I morph from casting on with joyous excitement to frustration (usually) to blah and bored, to DONE and thrilled. This holds true not just for knitting, but certainly for the other crafts I do and have done (cross stitch being the big one), and other things, like, say, my dissertation for my Ph.D. Oh yeah. It was actually finishing my Ph.D. that changed my self-image on a deep level. I'd always thought of myself as someone who didn't FINISH things. Who gave up, got distracted, bailed out. This, of course, wasn't true in the least, but it *felt* true. Then, when I finished my doctorate, I felt like I had something tangible to hold on to (or really, to hang on the wall), to prove to myself that I could do things over the long haul.

That being said, I'm not sure I'm cut out for BIG knitting projects. I'm so bored with this poncho, I just want it finished! I'm not sure I could stick out a sweater for me, at least, not one knit on small needles! I love the thrill of actually completing something, of getting it done. I can't wait to finish the last two projects I've got in flight, so I can move on to something more exciting.

I just read something someone wrote (wish I could remember who) about knitters: that there are those who stash and those who do projects. I'm sort of a hybrid, I have a small but decent yarn stash, all of which was purchased for specific projects.

I also used to be a monogamous knitter - I'd do one project, and work on one and only one until death did us part I actually finished it before I'd cast-on something new. That has clearly changed. I have multiple projects going on most of the time, and sometimes I even work on more than one project in the same evening! I'm not so much promiscuous though, as polyamorous, for I do truly love each project I'm working on.

I need to get out more, I think.

I am way, way too excited by the fact that my Yarnmarket order is due to arrive tomorrow. WAY. I am also too excited for my Webs order as well. Yeah. I really do need to get out more or get a hobby or someth...oh wait. That's what got me into this state. :)

I'm going to go finish foot of sock #2 and get the heel turned tonight, so I can get them both on needles and finish them!

Stash increase

I just ordered several Artyarn patterns (the zigzag scarf, the flat top hat, and a poncho pattern), plus Addis in size 0 (just to have), and the Berroco Boho. I am really nervous about the yarn purchase: I got the Sangria (colors) and the Raspberry Strawberry, in hopes that they'll coordinate to do that scarf/shawl pattern that I'm obsessing over. I just have to call Webs to get it. I am ordering my Artyarn from them too. I would have ordered it all from them, but they didn't have the Boho, and Yarnmarket's prices were better, with free shipping. I'm going to do the poncho for me, the scarf for me, fun! I don't do most of my knitting for myself, and I'm excited to do it!

I have a couple of pairs of socks in flight, a dish cloth going (the Bamboo stitch, which I'm finding a bit annoying, all the passing stitches over, I find it tedious). I've got a baby hat going for a friend that I'm going to frog because it's an elf hat, and, well, the holiday is over! I decided I need to finish what I'm doing before starting yet another project, though that's not going to stop me from ordering the yarn! Then my stash is going to be huge and I need to not buy any more yarn for a loooong time.

I just sold a couple of diaper bags, and there's nothing there that I'm longing to try, so I'll have some paypal to play with....but NO. Must. Resist. Gorgeous. Yarns.

So, tonight I'm going to try and get the foot and heel of the sock #2 for me done, then they'll both go on the needles and I'll do the legs together. This are a basic toe-up, short-row toe and heel, stockinette stitch. So far, I'm digging them! I'm doing them in Cascade Fixation, in a teal/purple/lavender colorway that's quite pretty! I'll post pictures when I'm done!

What would you do, O knitters?

While I was at Webs, I saw this absolutely GORGEOUS shawl. I cannot stop thinking about it! Now, I don't own any shawls (save a fancy dress one from a black tie wedding). I never wear shawls...but something about this yarn and this pattern captured me. The yarn is Berrocco's Boho (and Colors), and the shawl has this amazing lacy pattern. It was GORGEOUS, and I am obsessed. I would have bought the yarn but they didn't have enough in the colors I really liked (you did half of it in a plain Boho and half with Colors, so you need coordinating colors). It looks like the color I like is being discontinued. Ah well. Anyway, would you buy the yarn ($$) and make the pattern (I am sure that Webs would let me buy it), or let it go? You can also do a scarf version, which I would wear, I am sure. If you couldn't get the Colors yarn, would you do it all in one color?

I am also contemplating the Poncho again. I'm pondering one of the top-down ponchos with Artyarn. Again, pricey, but so pretty! I am thinking that if I'm going to be ordering, I might as well get one of the Modular Scarf patterns (triangles? diamonds? squares?) and the Flat top hat pattern too. *sigh* I am going to be so broke, but have SO many things to knit!!!!

I'm about to gear up for another round of baby hat knitting too. I got some Tahki colors that I'll do a simple roll-brimmed hat to start, I think. I just got my yarn all sorted and organized. I think I may try and make some dishcloths to sell also. And oh yeah, that whole professional development thing too! It's going to be a busy year!

Today's Lesson

Actually, it's a lesson of the past few days as I had NO time to knit today.
Don't try and knit anything that needs counting and attention, when trying to wrangle two wiggly toddlers!

That is all.

Today's Knitting

I now have FOUR projects on needles:

1. A hat for a friend's baby. I have GOT to get this done, as it's a holiday hat, and I need to send it to them to have it by, well, the holidays. As in, I probably need to finish it tomorrow. This is my third attempt (the other two are going to the NICU, and also need to get sent out ASAP), and I'm feeling a little less than inspired with it.

2. Bamboo Dishcloth Variation 1. I'm doing this in a variegated Sugar'n'Cream yarn with white/blue/yellow/purple tones. It's pretty, but sort of a PITA to knit. I like to get a rhythm going when I knit, and the having to pass the YO over every two stitches definitely impedes that. Oh well. It's pretty.

3. Toe-up socks for me! These are using a sock wool, knit on size 1s, and they may take me three years to finish, so let's hope they're worth it! I learned the Figure 8 cast on for these, which is really neat, and NO toe seaming! I don't know if all toe-up socks have this, but it is nice. I don't mind Kitchener Stitch really, but it's nice not to have to do it! I think the yarn I am using is #6674 of this, but I don't have the band so I'm not sure. Looks right though.

4. Another pair of toe-up socks for Nik. I'm using the the Knitting Fiend's Socklator, Socklator V, since it's written for Magic Loop. I did the toe for Sock 1 tonight, learning the cheater's provisional cast-on (or some mangled version of it, anyway!), and how to do doubled wrapped short rows. The toe is really cool! I love that you can choose any yarn you want for these, so I'm doing these in a worsted weight wool, since Nik loves wool socks! I think I'm using size 5s (? I can't remember), which means they'll knit up nice and fast! Tomorrow I'll do toe #2, and then knit them both at the same time.

I wore the socks I knit for myself today and they made me happy! They also made my feet quite warm, as they're a bulky wool, and it was close to 60 degrees (F) today. They're too bulky to wear under my Keens, but they worked with my clogs. I think the tiny sock yarns might make me a tad crazy. It just seems like it'll take so long to get anything done. I'm more of an instant gratification kind of woman, myself. :) The Socks that Rock yarn that I am currently obsessing over thinking about has a midweight and heavier weight option. I'm worried that the heavy weight would be too heavy for regular wearing. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see what they think. I think the lightweight would just make me insane, it's so thin.

So, that's today's work!

Go me!

I am have successfully started knitting two socks on one needle, and now that I'm doing it, I can see how easy it is! I'm doing a toe up sock pattern, but I can now see how to do this for a top-down pattern too!

Time sure flies!

I've been meaning to post an update all week, but just haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts. It was my birthday last week (30-mumble) and I received, from my lovely husband, the gift of these which I am LOVING. They are really great, MUCH better than my Denise kit for the kind of knitting I'm doing these days! The join with the tips and the cable is super-smooth, and feels much more secure than the Denise needles. These are nice, solid needles, and the cord is narrow and has very little memory, so it makes the Magic Loop technique much easier. I just with they came in the small sizes, or that Knit Picks regular needles came in a longer cord, but ah well, I guess I can manage with Addis! Since I also received a gift from my parents that "has" to be spent on yarn and yarn-accessories, I think I can get my needle library complete.

Let's see. I talked to the NICU folks, and it turns out they had a slightly different vision of the hat project than I did. I was assuming that each hat would be given to a specific baby, and sent home with that baby, while they seem to be thinking of these as the NICU's. She explained to me that "sometimes the patients take them home" which is what I wanted! Oh well, they can do whatever they think is best. She said they were very appreciative and would take anything else I had to offer. I'm going to try and send a batch off on Monday. The sizes were all great, and I think they really like the whimsical hats. I was just glad to (finally) have someone call me back and give me some feedback on what worked!

I'm having great fun with my dishcloths/washcloths as well! I love the cotton, and I'm really enjoying all the different patterns. I don't quite have the energy to take and post pictures right now, but soon.

My new obsession is knitting socks! I'm not sure why this is, as knitting with fine yarn doesn't appeal to me all that much, but a friend turned me on to this yarn and I must, MUST I TELL YOU, must have some. I actually have some sock yarn, so I pulled it out and taught myself the figure 8 cast on today, in anticipation of figuring out how to knit two socks (toe up) on one needle at the same time. I think this will be a good thing for me, so I don't end up with one sock for many months, which is what happened with the last socks I did. If this works, I'll take pictures! I think the sock thing is generated by the fact that all my socks are old and getting worn out, and I can't find anything I like at any of my usual stores (err, Target mainly 'cuz I'm classy like that) in colors that I wear. Come to think of it, I couldn't find any shirts in colors that I like this year, so I guess the colors I like are just out. I am crushed, as being a fashion icon is really, really important to me. :)

In non-knitting news, I've completed all the reading for Module 1 of the CBE program, and now just need to complete the written work and experiential pieces for it. That shouldn't be too hard. The reading was really interesting, and I can feel the rusty cogs of my brain slowly starting to reengage and perhaps even turn. I am excited about this. One of the books is called "Birth as An American Rite of Passage", and it's a feminist, anthropological analysis of birth rituals in the US. Some of it seems a bit out of date to me, but much of it is spot-on, and *really* interesting and thought-provoking. She's more radical than I am, but has an interesting way of framing different belief systems. It was very interesting to see where I agreed with her, and then where I disagreed - which showed me some of my own blind spots, which is always a useful thing. I'll need to go back and reread this, as it's fairly academic. I really enjoyed it!