I just can't help myself.

I had a lovely, though not too relaxing time in VT, celebrating my mother's birthday, and remembering my uncle, who died 3 years ago. Miss you, Uncle Bob.

I did manage to sneak off and get a little time to myself, so of COURSE, I had to do my usual tour of the local yarn stores. I have NO idea how it happened, but a few goodies happened to make their way home with me. *innocent look* It's truly a mystery.

Let's see. Now residing with me are:
2 skeins of Regia Cotton Color, in Colorway 5407
2 skeins of Koigu KPM in 426
1 skein of Araucania Ranco Multy in 310 (I've never heard of this yarn but it's so pretty! Hmm, this one doesn't seem to be on their website. Well, it's gonna be socks, big surprise.)
Cat Bordhi's new book New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book 1.

And from the local Ben Franklin, one ball of Sugar'n'Cream's new self-striping yarn in Baby Stripes.

I cannot WAIT to start on the NP book! It looks SO cool and the socks are pretty and look like they'll be so fun to knit! I have got to finish ALL pairs of socks in flight first. No, really. NO REALLY, I DO. :)

I think I may qualify as knitter-crazy.

You know how I decided that since I can't find any fun and funky socks that I like, that I needed to knit myself an entire sock wardrobe? Yeah, hopefully before it snows I'll have some pairs done. (Given that it's predicted to be 90 degrees on Wednesday, I'm not too worried about imminent snowfall!)

So my thought today was...why don't I knit myself a bunch of sweaters!! Then I'd have sweaters that I love to wear in the winter! I'm having a heck of a time finding long-sleeve t-shirts that (a) fit me correctly (b) come in colors that I like and (c) don't cost a fortune! I need to finish my socks and then think about this. Webs had a couple of patterns that really appealed to me. My main requirement is that it's gotta be knit in the round because I hate (and suck at) seaming. Maybe I should take a seaming class...

I am going to order some STR!! The big question is...lightweight or medium weight? My current absolute fave sock yarn is KPPPM, if that's any comparison.

I just started another big project, but I'm not quite ready to talk about it. I'm not sure how it's going to come out.

And we're back on!!

I wonder if there's anyway for me to share pictures here from Flickr. Anyone know? I just loaded a few pictures of WIPs up to put in Ravelry and I am not sure I have the energy to redo it here. I got the heel turned on the Falling Leaves sock today. I am not loving the TOFUtsies yarn, it's sort of annoying to work with. I got another cable repeat done on the scarf. That's about it, but I'm feeling reconnected and excited about my knitting, so it's all good. Anyway, if you want to see any of it, go here (but come back and tell me what you think!).

One annoyance...I went apple picking and wore the Purple Poncho of Doom, and it's just too damn big. It slides off my shoulders in a most irritating way. Too bad because it's awfully pretty. Now I need a good poncho pattern of something that WON'T fall off of me. (Yeah, I know, I'm a tad behind the fashion times here.)

Tick tock, tick tock...

That is the sound of time passing and no knitting getting done. I've been in a bit of a slump, my mojo's gone missing. I'm sort of not in the mood for any of my projects, and I don't have the time and space at the moment to work on the things I *want* to be working on.

However, that may be changing. I had an Unfortunate Knitting Incident, related to a KKI*. One of my older son's friends thought the scarf I was knitting would make an EXCELLENT flag, and gave it a vigorous wave. Excellent it was, right up to the moment where it flew off the needle (bamboo even!) and unraveled. It's a more complicated cable pattern and I had no idea how many rows raveled. I blame myself for leaving it out at all. My kids are pretty well trained at this point and know (for the most part) not to touch mommy's knitting, and it just wasn't on my radar. Ah well, it's certainly not the first thing I've had to redo, due to a KKI. I was pretty peeved, BUT it's actually turned out to be a good thing. I wasn't completely happy with the pattern, so I had a chance to add just a bit more too it (mainly I wanted it a bit wider). I had only knit two cable repeats, and I've already redone one (after about 6 starts to get it right), and I'm definitely happier with this pattern. So, I wouldn't say I've got my mojo back entirely...perhaps just my mo'?

When I get more done, I'll post some pictures. I realized that I don't post enough pictures of WIPs.


* Kid-Knitting-Interaction

No, I'm not sleeping.

My melatonin has failed me, so I'm still awake. Not a lot to report here. We had a lovely long weekend, but I just wasn't in the mood to knit. I've made some progress on the baby blanket since I just got hooked on Roswell. Since the blanket is simply garter stitch, I don't even really need to look at it to knit. I've also gotten the band done for the flat-top hat, but I need time and space to concentrate on knitting the triangles for the top, which I haven't really had.

I did get beach time and good family time this weekend, which is always a plus!

I know summer doesn't officially end for a couple more weeks, but somehow Labor Day always feels like the end of the summer to me. My older son starts his second year of preschool on Wednesday and turns four (FOUR!) on Friday. Big family weekend and party planned. I need to buckle down and keep working on my CBE stuff. I got somewhat reconnected to it over the summer, and I just need to finish typing up the answers so I can send Module 2 in. It's one that I'm finding not that interesting (mainly about prenatal testing stuff, which I'm not sure we'll even really cover in the class), so it's hard to motivate.

So, oh well, not much knitting going on. I did drop off another set of NICU hats, and that felt good. Socks are all in limbo. I want to swatch up the Lion Suede for my younger son's sweater so I can do the math for that. I've been digging around in my stash and finding yarns and thinking "Oh yeah! I had planned THIS project too!" I should get all that into Ravelry!

Full of updatey goodness!

For some reason I am in a really great mood. It might have something to do with the fact that my kids are off with the babysitter. :)

I've gotten a ton done today, most of it not knitting. I cleaned a bunch. We had a nice play date and lunch with a friend. I remembered that I should give my son a birthday present and found the Right Thing at Target for much less than I had planned to spend. I cast-on a winter hat. Yes, I know, it's 84 degrees F out there, but whatever! It's the Artyarns Hat P51, in the Artyarns Supermerino, colorway 109. You know, while this yarn is so soft and lovely, I am realizing that I don't LOVE the way they variegate (is that a verb?) their yarns. They have sort of a main color and then some very small bits of other colors interspersed (like 2 stitches) and I think I prefer longer...what would the word be? Slower transitions? It's still very pretty, but I think once I knit up what I've got, I'll probably not use their yarns again. There are so many lovely yarns out there, anyway!

I also finished two NICU hats. One was just about done, it just needed two little leaves added. I can't find the yarn that goes with the hat, so now I've got an apple hat with the red body in Samoa, the brown stem in Sugar'n'Cream, and the green leaves in Tahki Cotton Classsic. Somehow I don't think the babies will care. :) I also started a little lemon hat on Sunday and finished it last night, also in Tahki Cotton. I just used standard Ann Norling Fruit Hat Pattern, from memory. This was knit on Knit Picks Options size 4, Magic Loop and is quite cute. I now have several hats to take into the unit (though I may just send them this time). I haven't taken anything in to them in months, so I'm glad to get back into it. I really appreciate the reminder of perspective this knitting gives me. I feel so grateful for my life, and how full and rich and just plain wonderful it is, most of the time. Most of our crap is little stuff, you know? It's good to remember that.

Triple Argh.

I am feeling extremely frustrated, not just with knitting, though that's high on my list. Nothing BIG is wrong, just lots of little things going on. I just frogged the feather and fan sock I was doing. I hadn't gotten too far, but I accidentally pulled my needle out, dropped a ton of stitches and just couldn't recover. Recovery from these kinds of incidents is not something I'm great at and why I'd rank myself much more as an early-intermediate knitter. I was knitting the sock on 2.0 mm needles, and I don't love them. Also, the sock was going to be too small, I think, so I need to go up a size. I have to order some 2.25s from KnitPicks, because the HiyaHiya 2.25s I have are too annoying for Magic Loop. So that's one project down.

Then, I was working on the Boho Feather and Fan scarf last night and somehow put a HUGE pull in the back. This yarn is pretty but I am coming to hate it. It's so slippery that it pulls easily which makes me worry about whatever you make with it being too fragile to wear. I wasn't havin a good night last night anyway, and I almost pulled the whole thing out. I think I'm just going to snip it and knot it and live with the knot in the back, but still, it's frustrating. This yarn and I just Do Not Get Along.

In non-knitting life...we're going away for the weekend AGAIN, which I don't want to do. Well, I do want to see my SIL and I want the boys to be with their cousins, but I am tired of going away. We've been gone a lot this summer, and it's just tiring (and expensive).

Our lovely cat is sick and she doesn't like her new food so I'm worried she's losing even more weight. Which could be the food or it could be cancer. No way to know without putting her through expensive painful procedures, which we're not going to do. "Not knowing" is really hard for me.

I just feel sad and weepy today and knitting isn't helping, which is not usual.

And now with PICTURES!

I haven't posted any pictures in a long time, so here's a few things.
First, here's the doomed Feather and Fan Boho scarf. Isn't it pretty? Too bad it would be far, far too short. I think it'll look okay with one less repeat, right?

Next we have here the felted Booga Bag. Also, IMO, quite pretty! I took it out last night to ladies night at the Melting Pot in Framingham (Oh. My. God. Now THAT was an event!) It got some compliments!


And here are the Purple Felted Slippers of Doom. Not so doom-like now! They are very comfy and cushy, but the sole is waay slippery. I've got to figure out how to make it more grippy or I am going to break an ankle!

And here we have my boys!

Even *more* frustration!

So the Boho and I? Don't get along.

I started a scarf out of the Raspberries, Strawberries colorway, and there's no way I have enough. By my calculations, I'm going to have about a 28" scarf and that just seems a tad short to me. Call me crazy. It doesn't have to be 6' long, but it does need to be longer. The good news is, the Feather and Fan looks really pretty with this yarn, so I think I'll just drop one of the lace repeats (I was doing 3, now I'll do 2) and redo it. This will be about the 10th time I've frogged this particular skein! It does rip out like a dream though...perhaps the designers knew this sort of thing would happen. Could they be that devious?

It's turned into a battle of wills at this point. I survived a lot of stuff, got a PhD, and gave birth twice. I am not going to let some pissant yarn get the best of me!!!!!

In other news...the felted slippers are still drying. Dude, that double sole is THICK. I can't wait to wear them!

Frustration!

Remember my obsession with the Magic Waves Shawl? The one that resulted in my ordered 8 balls of Boho/Boho Colors (in a coordinating colorway that is not my favorite), but the colors on my computer screen lied so what I ordered didn't coordinate so I had to order 4 more, and couldn't return the ones I got so now I have 12 balls of this stuff (and might I add the Boho is $8.85 a ball and the colors is $9.85 a ball which means I have $110.20 worth of this yarn), and the 4 extra balls are totally unknittable (though I may have thought of something to do with them - feather and fan scarf? What do you think?). Anyway, remember all that? So, 8 months later, I am trying to knit the thing. The pattern that Webs gave me was all funky and weird, so I tracked it down on the 'net and was all ready to go...and the pattern is WRONG.

Here is the pattern as written:

Row 1: (RS) Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: k2 tog 3 times, *(yo, k1) 6 times, k2 tog 6 times*, repeat * to * end k2 tog 3 times
Row 4: Knit.

I am knitting the smaller version, with a cast-on of 80. You have a 4-stitch garter edge on each side.

1. When you do the row as written, it just doesn't work. For a cast on of 80, I have the following:
K4 [4 stitches], k2 tog 3 times [6 stitches], *(yo, k1) 6 times, k2 tog 6 times* [18 stitches x 3 repeats = 54 stitch], k2 tog 3 times [6 stitches], k4 [4 stitches] = 74 stitches, with 6 left over

2. It also seems to me, as written, that each time you knit row 3, you're losing 6 stitches, right? From the k2tog 3 times at the beginning and end? The middle section, the yo's compensate to the k2tog, but there are those extra ones at the beginning and end.

As far as I can tell, there's no way to contact the pattern author and ask for the correction! ARGH. I am so frustrated.

Oh, yay for LJ knitters - someone posted that she thinks it's a Feather and Fan, and gave me the corrected pattern for that! So, I can do something that'll look right, anyway.

Just not tonight.

Gigantic Purple Slipper of DOOM!!

I just like that as a description of what I'm working on.

I picked up the Fiber Trends Felted Clog pattern while I was in VT, and some Lamb's Pride, so I cast it on. I finished the first one today, and spent all evening knitting, so the second is almost all done. This is SUCH a clever pattern! It's also definitely a case "trust the pattern, young Skywalker". If you actually do what it says, it works! I was concerned about yarn yardages and cut it closer than I like with my main color. By my rough calculations, I have less than 8 yards left of it. I used two skeins for the soles/cuffs and one skein for the main part of the slipper.

I cannot wait to felt these suckers, as they are hysterically LARGE right now. I will post pictures, just not tonight (yeah yeah, I know).

The one issue is that I realized that these colors absolutely clash with my favorite winter jammes (which, oddly enough, are red). So either I have to make another pair that match, or get new jammies. Hmm, off to google jammie patterns...

Nothing to see here...

No, really. I've been away - not just away from home, but away from computer access, for NINE whole days! I spent a week at my parents' house in rural VT. They do not, needless to say, have high speed internet. I spent the weekend with my ILs, who DO have DSL, but there wasn't a lot of time for blogging. Lots o' life though, which is always good.

I finished my Sockotta sock and it fits quite well. LOVE the afterthought heel. LOVE IT. Have I mentioned that I love it? Yeah, it's like that. Luuuuuuv.

I don't, however, love the way the self-patterning yarn patterned. I am sure my gauge is off a bit (yes, swatch lords, I hear you). That's not going to stop me from knitting another sock exactly like the first one (if I'm lucky) and I know I'll wear them happily but I love other socks I've done more. I'm stalled on the lace sock because it takes more brain power than I've got right now.

While in VT, I picked up the Fiber Trends Felted Clog pattern and some Lamb's Pride Worsted in purple (M56 Clematis) and grey (M76, Misty Blue), and cast on for that tonight. I managed to restrain myself from purchasing yet more KPPPM as I have too much sock yarn already that has to get knit up. Also, it turns out we're sort of poor right now so I need to go on a yarn diet.

That's about all in knitting right now...lots on needles, not much time or focus. Life is pretty grand though. It was really lovely to spend time with my family, to reconnect with some old friends, and spend time in my hometown. I was at my 20th High School reunion. 20 years is almost long enough for the BS to settle, which made it very enjoyable just to chat. The woman who was my closest friend in HS, with whom I'd lost touch, not only is an accomplished knitter now, she OWNS alpacas, SPINS HER OWN YARN, and knits it. I am in awe. Think I could fit a couple alpacas in my 1000 sq. ft, third floor walk-up apartment?

I don't see having the time our space for a few years, but I am longing to learn to spin and dye my own yarn. How cool would that be?

OH WAIT! I completely forgot the coolest thing! I got my Ravelry invite!! (I know, I know, for those of you still waiting, that's so not what you want to hear, right?!?) I got signed up over the weekend, and did some poking around tonight, and it's so neat! I can't wait to really get my stuff loaded in. I don't have time right now, of course, but it's going to happen! AND, because there is more to life than knitting, I also got my LinkedIn profile going (my husband sucked me into that one). I am so connected! :)

Why am I awake?

My body has this super annoying habit of being unable to return to sleep for several hours, if woken up in the middle of the night. I'd say this has happened 7 of the last 10 nights and I am SICK OF IT. But, I thought I'd blog a bit. Whee! Middle of the night blogging! Better than middle of the night angsting, which is what I usually do, right? Right!

My new favorite sock heel is the afterthought heel, and I haven't even done it yet! We'll see how I feel about it once I actually complete it. I am happy with the sock so far because the striping has stayed in pattern. Hey, here's a question - say you knit one sock, and realize that you don't like something about how you designed it (just, hypothetically speaking, say you knit a sock in self-striping yarn and did a short-row heel and now it bugs you that you didn't do an afterthought heel). When you do the second sock, would you change your design? Which would bug you more - having two socks that are out of striping order, or having two socks that don't technically match? I think I need them to be identical, but I'm not sure.

I have started and ripped out the scarf for my friend about 25 times. It turns out, when I have an idea of what I want to do (a cable knit scarf), substituting all sorts of other things (fake cables, twisted stitch patterns, faggot lace) doesn't work for me. I am not sure why I am surprised by this, as this is completely my personality, but hey, there it is. So yeah, after many more design hours than I anticipated, I just picked a fairly complicated cable, and I'm just doing that. I finished the first set of pattern repeats and I'm fairly happy with it. The cable crossings aren't making me want to poke myself in the eye with a shiny stick, so that's good. The yarn is great, it's KnitPicks Swish in Deep Ocean which shows the pattern really nicely. It even withstood being knit and yanked a LOT without too much pilling. I could see this yarn being a nice sub for the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.

So, I've been having fantasies about dying my own yarn. Shh, don't tell my husband, I think he would be...well, to be honest, he'd be completely amused and supportive because he is the Best Husband Ever, and tends to be supportive, but given the variety of things we have coming up over the next year, I don't think I'm going to have time for this for quite some time.

I also want to learn to spin my own yarn.

The dark side's callin' now...*

I'm not sure this is the best way to manage my WIP issue. I finished a sock (!!), so I immediately cast on not one, but TWO socks today. I am working on a lace sock, but any sort of pattern that requires focus is not possible for me during the day (what with two small boys running around), so I added another plain stockinette sock. No, it's not the mate to the one I just finished, why do you ask? :) BUT, I finished the Booga Bag, so in reality, I didn't change my WIPs at all! Right? Right.

The stockinette sock is being knit with Plymouth Sockotta (I am pretty sure the ball band is long gone but it's colorway 6674), toe up, Magic Loop (of course). I did Judy's Magic Cast-On, which I can finally do without instructions right in front of me. Love. This. Cast-on. I just find it way easier than short-rows. I am using KnitPick Circular 2.75 mm, 32". I have to decide what I'm going to do for a heel on this. I am thinking I might try an afterthought heel, since I've never done one of those before, and given the self-striping-ness of the yarn, that would not interrupt the pattern. Since I'm not using a pattern (I know, me! Can you believe it**??) I cast on 32 stitches, planning a 64 stitch sock, but I am only doing 60 - that looks to be big enough. I think this one will knit up quickly.

The lace sock pattern is Falling Leaves from Knitty. It's quite pretty! I substituted the Magic Cast-On for the toe, as I just like that better than short rows. I'll do the short-row heel. I am usin the KnitPicks cirs in 2.5 mm - the pattern calls for 2.25 mm, but (a) I only have those in the HiyaHiya and I am so not happy with those needles and considering the yarn issue I am having, they would be a total nightmare; and (b) the yarn I am using is a bit thinner than the Koigu, so I figure it'll work out. It may be bit looser than written, but that's okay. So, the yarn. I am using color 726. (Yes, it's purple! Shut up.) Wow, I am finding this yarn to be super*** annoying to work with. It's splitty, and it just doesn't slide easily onto the needles. When Magic Looping, this is...an annoyance, to say the least. I know it's not the needles, because I didn't have this problem at all using KnitPicks Felici on the same needles. It makes a nice fabric, and I think this lace works well with it. It's a bit disappointing because in theory****, it's such a cool yarn! And really, how often do you get to work the word chitin into general conversation?

Would it be a bad idea to work through all the sock yarn I have, making one sock each, and then starting the second socks?

Yes, it probably would. I already feel like I'm flirting with the dark side of sock knitting here. Can't you just see it? I'll die, sad and alone, surround by a million hand knit socks, none of which match.

* Name that tune! Wow, that does take me back to a certain high school dance...
**I obviously use this phrase too often, as my older son has started using it too. He's four.
*** Another word I obviously use to often because now my two-year-old is using it a lot too.
**** In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.

Some pictures!

Whoops! First, I started this yesterday but Firefox crashed on me. Thankfully it was saved as a draft! Sorry for the double post here, I accidently posted it before editing.

ANYWAY. On to the knitting!

First - fruit cardi pictures since this has been sent on its way:
This was knit using Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille in the Fruit Salad colorway. One knitting group I'm on, people HATE chenille, but this stuff is really nice to work with. It worms almost not at all and the fabric it creates is really love. AND, it's completely machine washable and dryable, very important in baby clothes! The patterns is a loose adaptation of a bulky, top-down baby cardigan pattern but with a few adaptations. I really did just wing it (as usual, no swatching!). I changed the increase method and a few other things. I love knitting top-down sweaters, as I really dislike seaming! I can't remember what size I knit this on - 10.5 maybe? It was a quick knit. The proportions are a tad off, but when is that not the case with things I knit! :) I think it's cute, and the recipient also really loved it. The tomato buttons just make it, I think. I was going to do different veggie buttons but screwed up my math and had to add an additional buttonhole (well, it wasn't the math that was wrong, my math was spot on, it was the fact that with FIVE button holes, you have FOUR spaces in between). Anyway, it's cute (IMO) and I have quite a bit of yarn left over, so I can do some washcloths and probably a NICU hat as well.

Next we have the famous Booga Bag. I know, another bandwagon that probably left years ago, but whatever. I've been longing to work with the Noro Kureyon, it's SO pretty and I was not disappointed! The yarn feels less...processed somehow (perhaps that's due to the small twigs and occasional seed that kept showing up in it). This is colorway 188 (why yes, I do love the purples and greens, why do you ask? Oh, because everything I make or wear is purple or green?). The first picture is pre-felting, the second is the bag drying (upside down) on my kitchen table. It is SO pretty! For some reason I had some holes on this knit - I don't think I dropped stitches, I don't know what they were from. And the i-cord was certainly not the most lovely knitting I've done (maybe for my next one I'll try french knitting). The felting really hides all that! The bag is quite a bit smaller than I had anticipated, and I'm already planning a big one. I think it would make a great project bag! It feels close to dry now, and I'm just trying to decide if I want to run the i-cord through the wash for one more felting session or not. It's a bit stretchy now, but I don't want to lose anymore length either. I knit the original i-cord to just over 6 feet, and I'll do the next one longer. This felted up really easily. I ran it through the hot wash/cold rinse cycle with a pair of jeans and some towels. I let it get up to the rinse cycle, then restarted it. Just two runs through the washer had it felted nicely. It's definitely in more Fall colors, and I can't wait to use it!

And back to the knitting!

Now that I've finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I can refocus on the knitting. I just finished the endless i-cord for the Booga Bag, and now it's swishing away in the washing machine, and starting to felt! I have never felted anything before, so we'll see how it goes. It seems to be as much of an art as a science.

The booga bag is a detour from my other WIPs. I have to get back to the sock mania.

I have come to the conclusion...

...That I am just not meant to knit the Zokni socks right now. Don't get me wrong, they're totally gorgeous (when done, you know, CORRECTLY), and I even have the perfect color yarn, but I just *keep* *screwing* *up*. I think my head isn't in the right space for them right now. I don't think it's lace, I think this pattern is just too complex for me right now. It's not simple lace, each row is four repeats of a complicated pattern and I just keep screwing it up. I just ripped it again (this time in my 3rd repeat) and I'm going to put it aside for right now. I have Big Life Stuff going on (nothing bad, it's all fantastic, but I'm not capable of anything but filtering through anxiety right now), so it can wait. I think I need a slightly tighter yarn. I've got KnitPicks Essential (that the pattern is written for) but it's a tad fuzzy.

I am chugging along on a sock that I'm making WITHOUT a pattern. Go me, I am such a rebel!! (Ha. If you knew me, you'd know how ludicrous that is, I am *such* a rule follower....err, piercings and tattoos aside). It's totally simple - I did Judy's Magic Cast-On (which I had to do several times to make it work, I'm still not sure what I was doing wrong), and a simple short-row heel. I used Misocrafy's short-row technique of passing the wraps over, and it looks lovely! My one error was that I neglected to pick up a couple of stitches in between the heel and the instep, so I've got holes. :( I'll stitch them up, no problem, and I'll try it on the second sock. I'm using the new KnitPicks self-striping yarn and it's really fun! Seems higher quality than the Essentials to me as well.

Speaking of KnitPicks, I must order a 2.25 mm 32" needle from them and then my sock needle collection will be complete. I am *loving* these needles for socks!! Have I mentioned that I'm a total gear-head? I love gear.

I think I'm going to go cast-on for Monkey #2, I'd love to get an actual pair of socks finished! OR maybe I'll just take advantage of the fact that my husband is working late and my kids are actually asleep and go to bed.

Argh.

I just ripped out the Zokni sock. It's a bit of a complicated pattern and I made a few mistakes. One thing was livable, but I had to pull some stuff out (I made the mistake of trying to knit while my older son is awake, and while he's an utter love most of the time, he also is extremely chatty). I just can't knit complicated stuff while the kids are awake. Maybe I'll finally learn that lesson?? I am going to start it over because DARN IT, they're pretty. I'm not sure when, maybe tonight. DH is going to be home late again, so we'll see if it works.

And I had a couple of thoughts about knitting needles. When I got my assortment of KnitPicks yarns, I also bought a bunch of needles for knitting socks. Oh man, I *love* them! I love the Options set, so I'm not sure why I thought I wouldn't love these. I like them SO MUCH BETTER than the HiyaHiyas that I'm going to have to order the size that I have in the Hiyas. Those are fine for plain stuff, though the join of the needle and cable leaves a bit to be desired. But the KnitPicks are just wonderful - even better than my beloved Addi Turbos! Pointier, so better for lace. And the 32" size is perfect for magic looping socks. I'm not sure I'd do TWO socks at once, but I don't really like to do that anyway.

FOs: Rosemary Shawl and more Fetching

Given that I haven't posted a FO picture in about a month (and those were all dishcloths), I have a couple of other types of things to show.

The first was actually finished quite some time ago, but I hadn't sent it to the recipient until recently (and if you're reading, friend, I loved your email and I'm truly not ignoring you!). This was a triangle shawl (my very first shawl) out of Lion Suede. I *love* the colors in this colorway, but I was frustrated with the lack of consistency within the dye lot - not only from skein to skein but WITHIN a skein as well. It's OBVIOUS (to me at least). But, the shawl was really pretty and snuggly and I think my friend liked it. I think I knit this up on size 9s? I used my KnitPick Options (which I loved, as always). This picture is horrible, but I was packing it up to send off (which took way too long), so I was really in a hurry (as you can see by the unmade bed! Oh the shame of it!). I was pleased with how the eyelets on the hypotenuse came out, as I had to sort of make up the pattern there. I had lots of fun with the math of this project, both in trying to figure out how long my sides needed to be to get a 60"-62" hypotenuse, and also getting the eyelets to work with the number of stitches (I wish I'd written down what I did).

The second FO is a pair of Fetching for my friend. I haven't sent them off yet (tomorrow, Fred!), but she knows they're coming (though she may have given up hope at this point!). The one modification I made to the pattern was that I made the hands a few rows shorter as she has eensy little hands! I hope they're not too wide. As always, I really loved knitting these. It's such a nice pattern, the yarn is delicious, and I had fun experimenting with different shapes of cable needles. I found that I liked the flat needle better for the cable in back, and the U-shaped needle better for the cable in front.

With the completion of these, I can now start new projects. I started a Zokni Sock today while I had the babysitter (I gave myself a couple of hours off, it was so lovely). I like the pattern but I had to write it out as I'm not adept at charts yet. I still need to do Monkey #2 as well. I need to do a couple more NICU hats and get those off, as they haven't had anything from me in months and probably think I disappeared.

My baby blanket is on hold, but I just heard that an old friend had a baby girl (didn't even know she was pregnant) so maybe I'll finish it up for her. I'm waiting on more buttons for the Fruit Salad Cardi, once I get those, I'll post pictures (if you promise not to laugh at my slightly funny shaped baby sweater, babies are boxy, right??).

In other news, we're house-hunting with a vengeance, which makes me so anxious I can barely breathe (it's just my nature, nothing to write home about), so expect a lot of knitting these days. It calms me.

Back from vacation...

But without my knitting mojo. *sigh*

I just ripped out TWO projects. The Dublin Rose sock - I messed up the lace pattern in a couple of places and it just wasn't calling to me. The yarn is pretty, I'm just not sure what the right sock pattern for it will be. I think it was almost TOO simple a lace pattern - it was a lace inset on each side of the sock. So it's "knit a bunch, do the 3 stitch lace pattern..." type of thing. I think I need either a pattern that requires focus, or brainlessness. I somehow found Monkey totally easy to do.

So, now at least I get to whip out the new KnitPicks needles and try something else. I am so not loving the HiyaHiyas, too. They're a bit pointer than the Addi Turbos, which is good, but not pointy enought that my k2togs were easy, AND the join is a bit rough, so it wasn't easy to slide the stitches up, and when that happens in Magic Loop, it makes me a tad crazy. Anyway. So yeah, what I should be doing is casting on for Monkey #2, but I think I'm going to hold off a bit and start something else. No actually, what I should be doing is redoing the Fetching I just ripped out, as that's a gift, and I want to get them sent off. Maybe I'll recast that on tomorrow. I ripped it out over a dumb error that I just couldn't recover from.

Did I mention all the yarn I just ordered? Noro, a whole bunch of sock yarn, and the baby cardi yarn. I finished the cardi. It's cute, I think, but I mis-calculated my button distances so I need 6 buttons instead of 5 (which, of course, is the number I have) so I need to order more buttons, like yesterday, which I haven't done, because the shower is next weekend. The cardi is a bit boxier than I would have liked, and I think again about how swatching might have helped. Yeah, you think? It's cute though. I do love top-down sweaters, no seaming! I have to post pictures soon.

So, I think that leaves me only with the baby blanket to be done.

Note to Self

Don't knit lace when you're wicked tired, not even a super easy lace pattern. I am working on Mossy Cottage Knits' Dublin Socks. It's a very simple pattern, and I have to admit that I like it much better in real life than on the page. It's not that I didn't like it, but I wasn't sure how the lace inset would look, and it's nice. I'm doing it in the Lorna's Laces in Somerset, so it's a really pretty pink and tealy-green combo, which does remind me, appropriate for this pattern, of roses. I did, however screw up the lace pattern on one side. I'm not going to redo (yay for me, suppressing my perfectionism) as it's not horribly noticeable, and I'm just wanting to move on. I'll do this, than Monkey 2.

I am obsessed with sock knitting right now. In part, because all my fun socks are getting old and nasty and need to be pitched out, and I cannot find socks I like in the stores, so I feel compelled to knit myself a sock wardrobe (which DH thinks makes me weird. WHATever.) Also, because I am a planner, and my life plan has been called into question. This makes me, perhaps, just a tad anxious, and so I am knitting. And planning projects, because I do that well. What's that you say? What about all those projects I've already planned, which are not complete? La la la, what did you say? I can't hear you.

I am going to branch out from variegated sock yarn, can you believe it? I found a couple of really pretty lace patterns that I think call for solid, so since I'm ordering from Knitpicks ANYway, I'll toss in some Knitpicks Essential Sock Yarn. And what's up with the lace obession, anyway?

I'm also designing a cable scarf for my friend who wanted me to knit something for him. I think I'm going to do it Knitpicks Swish, since that's supposed to be really soft. Think it'll show a cable pattern well? I have this big book of knitting stitches that my mom passed on to me (she used to be a big knitter, and gave me all her stuff, which is really neat, because some of it came from HER mom as well, how cool is that?). I'm going to pick a cable pattern and just do it! Design my own scarf! I've got a hat design I'm working on too...I could put free patterns up here, I suppose, couldn't I?

But for tonight, no knitting. I'm too tired. We head out to the midwest for a family thing on Thursday, and I'm going to be optimistic and bring some knitting. How crazy would it be to wing a toe-up sock with no pattern? I'm thinking short-row toe, short-row heel, how hard can it be? I might even wing the gague. Of course, I hate to swatch so I almost never do it anyway.

PSA

When one is knitting from a pattern, it behooves one to make sure that one actually does ALL the rows indicated because otherwise one's cute pinwheel dishcloth actually takes a sort of peculiar rhomboid shape. Twice. (Turns out there was one more line in column two. Sometimes I am amazed that I actually manage to finish anything at all).

And speaking of finishing things...MONKEY ONE IS DONE! Both my angels actually took naps today, so I got about two hours to myself, so I cranked through it! My fear that I wouldn't have enough yarn was completely unfounded. It fits wonderfully and I just love it! Pictures tonight when I have more time.

I've also got a big piece packaged up and ready to send off, so I can post pictures and talk about it soon!

And remember when I said I wasn't interested in knitting lace? Turns out that's not true. I'm going to knit The Woods Are Lovely, Dark and Deep. What the hell, I'm placing a Knitpicks order next week anyway. :)

Now, I just needs ideas for a project for the ArtYarns Yarnmarket exclusive!

What does this say about me?

That when I just read that the Yarn Harlot is also knitting the Knitty Monkey socks, I shouted out to DH "I'm knitting the same socks as the Yarn Harlot!"

I may even have squealed like a little girl.

I believe that this may say that I am a complete geek. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

And in other news, I am currently panicking that I am going to run out of yarn for said Monkey sock, which would suck.

Psychologist, diagnosis thyself!

I think I have a combination of knitting-focused OCD and ADD. The OCD part is that I am obsessed, OBSESSED with planning projects right now (err, in retrospect, that may not be all that atypical, as a brief read of this blog will show), and the ADD part is how many different projects I have in flight. I don't mind having a few, but it's starting to get a little out of hand. Let's look, shall we?

Currently on Needles:

1. Jaywalkers (to be ripped out, and started with a different sock yarn, probably a self-striping as opposed to varieagated)
2. Monkey socks: in a KPPPM, this is gorgeous and I LOVE IT! I turned heel #1 last night, and I'm on a rampage to finish this and get #2 going. This yarn and this pattern are really pretty. This is my Santa Monica/Dartmouth memorial sock. I bought this yarn while out there for my wonderful friend P's wedding, and I knit a bunch of it at my Dartmouth reunion this past weekend (where I met P! And I'd say most of my good memories of college involve her.)
3. A pinwheel discloth.
4. A diagonal knit baby blanket (essentially, this pattern, but bigger). This is completely gorgeous, but it's really more of a girl blanket, and it turns out the person I intended it for is having a boy. Turns out also that her shower is in a few weeks, and I'd love to have something handknit for her.
   
5. Fuschia Fetchings for my wonderful friend K. (I had to stall on those until I saw her this past weekend because she has petite hands and I don't want them to be too long.) Have I mentioned how much I adore Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino Aran? It's lovely.
   
6. NICU hat - finishing up the leaves for an apple hat.
   

Okay, it's not quite as out of control as I thought, but still.

Projects being planned in my head:
Baby sweater and hat for the above mentioned friend. I think I'm going to do a simple cardi in this yarn in the Fruit Salad color, with these buttons. I think it will not be ready for the shower.
Scarf for a college friend (by request). Probably just in some nice, worsted yarn - blue, I think.
Queen of Cups socks, so I can use my new HiyaHiya needles, to try them out for lace. I've got a lovely Lorna's Laces (in Somerset) set aside for this. (Note, why is it that US 1 means different things to different companies? 2.5mm is not the same as 2.25 mm!)
I need to do something with this yarn in the Monet's Garden color. All of a sudden I really really want to knit a shrug! (Could you do this with the Artyarns yarn, do you think?)

This doesn't even take into account all the yarn I have as well!

Jumping off the Bandwagon and some FOs!

So wow, I haven't posted in a way too long. I've actually been doing quite a bit of knitting - I've been on a dishcloth RAMPAGE! :) So, a few things I've finished.

First, the funny looking dishcloths:

What is there really to say about these? They're funny looking. The bamboo cloth is also just smaller than I like. Oh well.

These next two, I'm much happier with. I think I wrote about needing more dishcloths, so I bought a whole bunch of variegated yarns on sale at AC Moore ($1/ball!). I really like the bee stitch cloth in this yarn, the colors are fun and happy, sort of like fruit stripe gum! I originally started the DW pattern in this yarn but it just didn't work, and I think it looks much nicer in this stitch. I also just love this garterlac pattern. I've got more to do, but these are so fun and easy.

By jumping off the bandwagon, I mean...I think I'm going to frog the Jaywalkers. I just don't love how these look, I'm concerned at the tightness of the fabric, and well, I'm not into them. So, I figure it's better to cut my losses and just be done with them. *sigh* I know the knitting blog-o-sphere loves these, but the pattern just isn't doing it for me. There are other patterns I'm more interested in that will suit me better, I think, and I also just need to do some straight up, plain old stockinette socks. I want to get more done. So, rather than not start something that I really want to be doing because I haven't finished the thing I'm not enjoying, I'm just going to call it off. I can't decide if this is a good thing or not, but I do feel measurable relief at the idea of not finishing the Jaywalkers. I think it's the right decision.

I am so skilled!

No, really I am.

I finished two dishcloths today. The first one was another attempt on the Bamboo stitch variation cloth that I frogged earlier. I didn't find it anywhere near as annoying as I did the first time around, though it's still more intricate than I like. I did manage to finish it but it look sorta...funny. The bottom is all wiggly and not even at all. I have *no* idea what happened!! I also had to tink and redo a couple of row several times, as I was apparently spacing out while knitting it and doing things like forgetting the YOs! Oops. Ah well.

Then I decided to finish off some Crystal Palace chenille that I had (I think it's the "baby" colorway) and whip out a diagonal washcloth (you can see where this is going, can't you?). I miscalculated on how much yarn I had left, and ran out, so now I have a penta-cloth. This yarn is lovely but it does not rip out well at all, and I just am so over this ball of yarn and needed it to be knit into something! It actually doesn't matter at all because it's for me, and I'll use it and love it. It's nice and wide, and the flat side sits nicely on your wrist, so maybe I'll pretend it's a feature, not a bug. HEY! Maybe it'll become a trend!!

I'm out of handmade washcloths because when my mom was visiting to take care of the boys while I had jury duty, she told me how much she loved the cloth I had made for her for Christmas and in a fit of gratitude I gave her every cloth I've made for myself. I want to churn out a bunch of cloths, since I want to stop using sponges and switch over to using handmade dishcloths for my dishes. I think I need to put my sock obsession on hold for now and focus on things that I can actually finish.

I'll post pictures when I'm not about to go to bed. I gotta take a picture of the blanket-in-progress too, it is so beautiful, it's almost enough to make me have another baby (except I just know I'd have another boy and it's really more of a girly blanket so someone I know has to have a baby girl soon).

Have I mentioned lately how profoundly grateful I am for the place that knitting holds in my life? It's a hobby that I feel I have some skill at, but so much to learn, so many ways to grow. It allows me to spend time doing something productive yet enjoyable, and perhaps the greatest gift it gives to me is it helps me quiet my mind. The spiritual practice I am most drawn to, and have been for years, is Buddhism, but I am so not there yet. I'd love to have a serious meditation and yoga practice. Maybe someday. Knitting is really quite meditative for me. I have so many blessings in my life, I am so lucky.

FO and some planning...

I finished some things AND managed to take pictures, so let's see what they look like!
Okay, so the picture isn't too great, but you can get a sense of the stitch pattern at least. This is the Bee Stitch cloth. I tried this cloth earlier in the Crystal Palace cotton chenille, and it didn't work at all (who knows why!), but it was great in this yarn (Sugar'n'Cream). It's a super easy pattern, and I love the texture that the stitch creates! It shows of the variegated yarn wonderfully too!

The rest of the FOs are NICU hats. First, the Lemon hat. Quite cute! I'm trying to make my hats a little longer because I think I make them too short. I also did the Raspberry hat. I think it's adorable, though the texture stitch was a bit of a pain in the ass. Both of these are done with Magic Loop, in Tahki Cotton Classic, size 4 needles. The next hat is the Raspberry hat. Also adorable, but the texture stitch was a bit of a pain in the ass. The last picture is two hats: one I knit a while ago, next to another hat that was supposed to be a gift for a friend but I never got my act together to send it so I've got to do something else for them. It's the same yarn, Plymouth Fantasy Naturale, but just different number of stitches. I sort of like the patchy one, it makes me think of easter egg camo!
I also have one more big project that I finished, and it's really pretty, but it's a gift, so I need to send it off (this one I really do have to send off) before I can post the pictures. It's one of the bigger things I've done, and while it was a simple knit, it's really pretty and I'm happy with how it turned out !

On to the next projects! I just pulled out a baby blanket that I'm doing, also out of Crystal Palace Cotton chenille, but in the Painted Iris colorway. Oh. My. God. This is so beautiful! But, the person it was originally intended for is having a boy, so I may have to finish it and keep it for the next girl baby that comes along. I have enough of the yarn to do some washcloths for myself, so I'll be able to keep some of the beauty for myself! Perhaps I'll do one for this friend in the Baby Blue or the Seascape colorway (or maybe the fruit salad, that would be fun!). I love this yarn for baby blankets! Given my issues with color consistency in the Lion Suede, I'm not sure about doing more big projects with it. Which is a bummer because it's perfect for baby blankets! At least for northern babies! It's so soft and warm! Anyway, enough about baby blankets.

So, that leaves on the needles...Jaywalkers. *sigh* I am afraid that they're going to be too small and I'm just stalled on them! I really *want* to be knitting socks...I just don't love the tiny needles! I somehow managed to bring home a skein of Tofutsies, and I'm actually *gasp* trying to swatch it up! I am going to do a non-short-row-toe up, heel flap and gusset heel, with this. I think I need a scale to make sure I don't do one sock too long! I am also planning on getting some of these, so I can do lace socks more easily...What do you think, go ahead and order 1, 2 and 3s? Or just get the 1s and assume that I won't need the bigger ones? That'd certainly be cheaper! But it's almost a new month and a new allowance!

I just need to finish the leaves for one of the other NICU hats I've done (an apple, so cute!), and then I'll take them over and drop them off (or send them in). It's funny, I don't remember being excited to knit last summer, but I'm going strong this summer!!

Where did it go?

I had a post half-written but it apparently got eaten during the whole kerfuffle of jury duty, which is DONE! No one seemed happy, everyone got spanked (metaphorically), so I guess we did a good job. All jury members took it very seriously, which was cool. So, that's my second trial as a juror. So inconvenient, but I am glad I got to do it.

I scrapped the sock. I made yet ANOTHER error and couldn't live with it. I guess that answers my questions...THREE major issues is one too many.

I started another NICU hat in consolation and I'm gonna need some help on another project because I can't decide how to end it. The yarn is bumming me out. Ah well.

I think I may need to learn to spin and dye my own yarn. Or do you dye first then spin?

Musings on Perfection and Perfectionism

aka How Imperfect is TOO Imperfect?

I've mentioned this before. I am a recovering perfectionist. You wouldn't totally know it from my life, but I used to be obsessed with being perfect and loathed myself for all my failures, real and perceived. Lots of therapy and love later, and I don't feel that way most of the time. It gets stirred up, and it's sort of a knee-jerk reaction to many things that I can move past quickly, but it's there.

I see it with my knitting. I want to be *good* at this. I am pretty good, but I'd put myself very much in the early-intermediate level of knitting (err, if there were such a thing as quantified levels of knitterness, which I don't think there actually are). I'm not a beginner, I can tackle more challenging projects, but I'm not very good at some of the things that I think I should be, in order to feel truly proficient at this craft. More to learn, right?

So, I'm doing my first sock on DPKs, and while I'm not finding it as hard as I thought I would, I'm not doing it...well, perfectly. I've got two issues. I've got some laddering going on (to be honest, I had a little of that with the Cascade socks, which were done Magic Loop, but with ML you only have two inter-needle connections to worry about, not the four I have on these needles), and I had a small-child-induced-disaster, in which one of the needles got pulled out of the stitches. I managed to salvage it somewhat, though there's an obvious spot of kerfuffle where I didn't do a good job of picking up the dropped stitches (note to self, go buy some teeny tiny crochet hooks to assist you in these dropped-sock-stitch emergencies).

I'm not hugely bummed about that spot ("See that? That was when you pulled the needle out of mommy's knitting and she freaked out and threatened to put you in time out until you were twenty, do you remember?"), but the laddering is annoying. Not, at this point, annoying enough to pull it out and redo it, mind you, but it's there, and I'll notice it. I'm trying to treat it like a learning experience. This is my first time doing this kind of project, and I want to become proficient, but NO ONE is immediately proficient while learning a new skill, it takes time. I'm only doing this for the joy it brings me, so if it's not joyful, why do it?

Perfection isn't attainable, at least not by me. But at what point do I say this is really not good enough, and frog it and start over?

In Process

As in...that's all I got. I am doing knitting. I got summoned to Jury Duty on Tuesday and thought I'd have a lovely hanging out all day to knit. I did 4 rows on the Jaywalkers (and messed 'em up, ah well), and then got called to a court room...and got empaneled on a jury! Again! This happened to me less than 4 years ago too. So, on breaks and lunch, I'm knitting. I started a different project: Wendy's Toe Up Sock. I'm using some sort of sock yarn, no ball band, I've had it for ages, I think it's Plymouth Socotta in colorway 6674 (it's the stuff in the bag, you can't tell form this picture, but it's really pretty). I started it on my Crystal Palace 35" size 1 circs, and quickly recalled how much I hate using these for Magic Loop, so I switched to Clover DPKs, size 1s (I think mine are 7", they're the longer ones). My gauge was waaaaay off (swatch? what swatch? lalalala I can't hear you!). So I switched over to my Clover size 2s, which are the shorter 5" ones. I still didn't swatch, but this looks way more reasonable. I did want to switch back to my size 1 Addi Turbos, but turns out that Clover's size 1 is 2.75 mm and Addi's is 3.0 mm. Ah well. I haven't done socks on DPKs yet and I'm not loathing it anywhere near as much as I thought I would. I sorta like it, actually! I thought this might turn from jury duty sock to my ER sock as I managed to do something nasty to my foot and thought I might need an x-ray. I don't think I'm really THAT clutzy, it's more that I'm too distracted to be allowed out in the world.

Doing toe-up socks with this yarn is not recommended for someone who's going to freak out at the fact that the top half of your toe is going to be different from the bottom half, and the whole thing is going to be different from the rest of the sock. I thought I would so be that person, turns out I'm not. I think it's cute. I don't love the double-wrapped short-row toe. I wonder what would happen if you didn't do the wrapping? Anyone know? Is there a different kind of toe one could do on a toe-up sock? I'll have to exercise my google-fu and see what I can find.

Am I reading this one right? Ahh, Knitty never lets me down! I am going to have to learn that Figure 8 toe! I've done it (badly) a few times. This one sounds interesting too! I found some crochet patterns too, which I'll have to try at some point, you know, when I have all that free time.

In other things...I've got Jaywalkers going, but they seem to need more from me than I have to give right now. I've got two gifts on needles, once they are given, I'll talk more about them. *scrunches up face, thinking* Uh, I think that's it. Okay, off to knit some more of my easy sock!

Say what?

Okay, I can totally understand that different dye lots may be different, maybe even radically different. But...I expect a dye job to be consistent WITHIN the skein, right? Am I crazy here? I am starting a Project for a friend (can't talk too much about it, not sure if she reads this blog or not!), and there is a point where the color of the yarn shifts. It's subtle, but there. It gets lighter.

It's not a particularly high end yarn, it's Lion Suede, one of the variegated colorways. It's gorgeous, and I love the colors (I actually really like the yarn), but this is...annoying. I don't think it's quite annoying enough to actually stop the project, and as I move along, I think it's shifting back, but come on, people! I know this is going to bug me, but I have no idea what to do about it..."use a much nicer yarn" isn't really in the budget right now, and this yarn is exactly what I have in mind for this project. Hmmph.

In other news, I finally made it to Mind's Eye Yarns (a) when it was open and (b) without kids so I could go in! I don't quite understand why I've never gone (may have something to do with (b) part of my visit today). The woman who owns it is SO nice!! A skein of her sock yarn somehow managed to make its way home with me. *innocent look* It's in my favorite green and purple combo, it HAD to be done! I can't remember if I wrote this or not already, but I think I need to have more than one pair of socks going at a time: one pattern, one plain. By the time my knitting time rolls around in the evening, I'm often not good for much beyond stockinette.

It's a mystery.

Why is it that every attempt I make to crochet a hat turns out like a big yarmulke? I'm clearly doing something wrong, but I'm such a novice, I can't even figure out what that might be! Clearly I need to take another class.

Off to do some more Jaywalkers. I'm enjoying them, but man, knitting on such tiny needles is SLOW GOING!

Peapod Delivered!

The hat made it's way to the big boy today! It fits him exactly - it could stand to be a bit longer, actually, and it's almost too small. *sigh* Sizing is so hard! He may not even get to wear it, but if he ends up with a little brother or sister, that child will definitely be able to wear it! Now I want to knit him the acorn hat once I order some more of the Samoa. Did I mention how much I love this yarn?

I've got an idea for a project for a friend, I just have to go get the yarn for it. You ever just feel *called* to do something for someone? This project is calling me for this friend, so I think I need to move it up in the priority list. /me checks my budget...Okay, I do have my May allowance coming up in 2 days, I should be able to do it!

FO: Peapod Hat

I finished this hat just in time (the first picture is a better representation of the color, but you can't see the top detail, hence the second picture, where the color is really off) - the birthday party for the boy is tomorrow! We got him a present for him (beach toys!), so this is really more for his mom. I am really pleased with how this turned out!! I don't take pride in design usually, as, well, I'm not typically the designer! I tend to knit from patterns. I'm a concrete thinker and I'm good at following directions. I know it's just a simple roll-brimmed hat, but like the pumpkin hat, it's really exciting for me when I have a vision in my head of how I want something to look, and the FO actually LOOKS like it! :)

Yarn: GGH Samoa in 94 (Dark Green) and 116 (Mint).
Needles: Knit Pick Options in size 5, 40" cord for Magic Loop
Pattern: My own!
New Skills: Probably the peas and leaf. I looked at a bunch of patterns and sort of made it up as I went along. I don't usually do this (and when I do, it doesn't really work out so well for me most of the time), so I'm happy with it.

I did a gague swatch for this, because I did actually want it to fit the kid. The hat fits tightly on my 2 year-old's head, so I am pretty sure it'll fit a 1 year old. I'm *loving* the Samoa. The yarn is so lush, and just feels wonderful - almost a suede-y feel to it. I love the colors too. Now I just have to find a place to order it from since I've never seen it around here! I bought this yarn of the recommendation of the lovely lady at Wildefiber in Santa Monica, and I'm hooked, HOOKED, I tell you! Unfortunately, I'm also broke, so no more yarn for some time.

Yay for getting something done! I've got another NICU hat almost done, I just need to add leaves to that. I also learned to crochet granny squares today, that was fun! I need to figure out how to incorporate crochet into my crafting life. Oh, and I started another baby blanket from Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille in Painted Iris, and it's just gorgeous! Almost makes me want to have another baby! ;) It's a simple eyelet border diagonal knit, so simple I could actually watch a movie while knitting it. I love this yarn so much.

Bad Blogger!

I can't believe a week has gone by since I updated! Not, of course, that I have much of anything exciting to blog about. I had an interesting dream about knitting socks last night. I think maybe I should stop taking my Omega 3s right before bed, huh. So, basically, I'm working away on Jaywalker 1, and a NICU hat. I am loving this GGH yarn. I have to do the finishing touches on the peapod hat, and once I do that, I'll post pictures because it's pretty seriously cute. I've got a date with my knitting friend tonight (!!), which we've been postponing for months, literally, so I'm excited about that. We've had a couple of days of gorgeous weather, so I've been outdoors a LOT with the boys, so I've been pretty wiped in the evenings.

Blah blah blah. Like I said, nothing too exciting to talk about. I think I need to start the Magic Waves shawl to get that going.

Oh and I'm learning to crochet too!

Fetching is DONE!

Both gloves completed!

Details
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Purple (607)
Needles: Knit Pick Options, size 6 with a 40" cord for Magic Loop
New Skills: None

This is an easy pattern that translates well to the magic loop (I put 20 stitches on one needle and 25 on the other). There are a couple of things I still haven't really figured out how to do well. The first is the Picot Bindoff. I can't figure out how to get the last stitch to match the other loops. Practice, maybe? Also, I have had a lot of trouble pickup up the stitches for the thumbs without leaving gaping holes. Well, is it trouble if you can't actually do it? On all four of these that I've made, I've had to sew up the little holes on either side of the thumb. On the second one of these, as well, I miscalculated on yarn, and had to attach another ball during the bindoff row, which I don't recommend.

Other than that, I lovelovelove the fabric this yarn makes on size 6 needles, it's so soft and cushy! I made these for my SIL and just loved them, so figured I needed some for myself! Now I need a hat to go with them.

Have I mentioned that I love the color purple?

I realized also in my other post that I forgot the other yarn that I got: some Koigu KPPM in 407 (though mine looks like it has a lot more yellow and brown in it than this picture shows). Now I just need a great sock pattern for my Santa Monica Memorial Socks!

Getting Back My Knitting Mojo

We went away this weekend WITHOUT kids - the longest we've been away from them. Our trip involved a lot of sitting in airports, so I got some good knitting done. I got about 2 inches of my first Jaywalker done. I'm doing it in the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn, in Purple Club. I'm not sure I'm loving the pattern as it comes out, but I'm definitely enjoying knitting it! I haven't done a top-down sock in a while, so hopefully the heel flap won't be too confusing. I am doing the leg in Magic Loop, but I may switch to DPKs for the heel, since that is how the pattern is written.

I also got almost all of my second Fetching done. I just have the bind-off and thumb to do, but I'm not quite sure I have enough left of the skein (not sure why I have less this time than the last, oh well). I do have more, so no worries. I'm planning on doing Knitty's Coronet in the same yarn, I think it'll be cute. Yeah, I know, the cables aren't the same, but I'm strangely okay with that! It's odd, as I'm typically a matchy-matchy sort of person.

I made it to Wildfiber in Santa Monica (a mile from our hotel) while we were in So Cal. I really wanted to see some Socks That Rock in person, but they were out. Ah well, I'm just going to have to order some next month (when I have money again). so many questions - what weight? What color? I did got some wool wash that I've been needing (I have a couple of pairs of non-machine-wash, handmade wool socks to do so I can wear them again!). I think I may have to designate one night a week for sock washing! I am feeling very inspired to keep moving on socks.

I also bought some GGH Samoa for a hat as well. I got that started. It's a hat of my own design, in light and dark green. I got some red to do an apple hat as well. I like the yarn so far, it's really nice to work with! It's machine washable, so this would be an option for baby clothes as well. I'm going to make something for my own kids with it, and try drying it to see how well it machine dries.

So, some funny moments on my trip. This was for the wedding of a dear friend from college, and I saw many friends - some that I've stayed close to, others that I hadn't seen in more than 15 years. For these folks, the news that I've become an avid knitter was a tad...surprising. The initial response was not unsupportive, but more baffled (I think they thought I was joking at first when I said I needed to go to a yarn store before the wedding on Saturday). Once they realized that (a) I was serious and (b) this is a past-time that brings me tremendous joy, they were accepting (not that it actually matters much, as I do this because I love it!). One friend (D) asked me what I knit. I told him the various things I've done. Then he said "What are you going to make for me?" I said "What do you need?" He suggested a scarf, since he lives in DC. [Note: I am thinking something like this for him, because it's pretty, or this.] I may actually do it, but it was a funny moment of "You just don't get what you're asking, do you?" I mean, for what other thing would someone request as a joke a handmade item, the materials for which are not necessarily inexpensive, and which requires a significant investment of time from someone?

I think I'm going to go finish that Fetching so I can wear it tomorrow, the weather seems like it'd be perfect (low 40s and rainy!).

Not much knitting happening right now.

DH and I head off to CA on Friday. Since we're flying out of Albany, we go to the ILs on Thursday night (as in, tomorrow). DS2 had a small tummy thing yesterday so, in addition to every thing else that has to happen, I had to do 17 million loads of laundry. Poor boo, this was his second round of it. No Fun.

I've got two things on needles right now: Jaywalkers and Fetching. I finished the left glove, now I just need to do the right glove. I'm doing the Jaywalkers on size 1s, so they're going to be slow!

The exciting thing about our trip is that WE'RE NOT BRINGING THE KIDS! So, I'll be able to knit en route! Woo hoo! There's also a yarn store that carries Socks That Rock, about 1 mile from our hotel. The only time their hours and my schedule overlap is right before this wedding that we're going to, so I'll be hitting the shop in all my wedding finery!

I have a lovely friend who is (among other things) my knitting buddy. We like to get together for an evening of chatting and knitting. We've had to postpone for coming up on TWO months, due to illness and travel! I miss her! It's been really cool to make a new friend.

Happy Easter, for those who celebrate!

Even though I'm no longer a practicing Christian, I still like the Easter season. I like the possibility of redemption and hope after despair. We did baskets with the boys and it was really neat to think about creating traditions for them.

Well, when I started this post it was about my frustrations with doing lace with my much-beloved Addi Turbos. I was doing Wendy's Generic Feather and Fan sock on 0s, and trying to modify the pattern so I could do the lace on the foot as well. I was getting really frustrated and my gague was obviously off by enough that I frogged it. Basically, the Addis aren't pointy enough. I haven't actually done any socks on DPKs yet, since I don't really like using them. I decided I'm going to do a different sock pattern for now, and maybe try a DPK pattern at some point and see how aggravating I find it, before investing in the Lace Addis. I think I'm going to do some Jaywalkers in the Lorna's Laces in the Amethyst Stripe (I think that's what it is, it's purple!!). I've got all this lovely sock yarn, and a strong desire to wear handmade socks, I just need to knit the darn things!!

I just started a pair of Fetching for myself since I loved the ones I did for SIL so much. (By the way, she told me that she LOVES them, loves the color, loves the style, wears them in the theater all the time, which was what I hoped for, so that made me really happy!)

My friend just asked me to knit her child something for his birthday, so I think I might do a big version of the pumpkin hat I just made. Or maybe an acorn hat. I need the yarn for that though.

I'll be casting on another NICU hat tomorrow as well. I want to get one done per week (at least) so I can get another set dropped off for them.

Lots to do!!

The Joy of Knitting

Yesterday I ran into two ex-friends of mine. They have obviously remained close, while both rejecting me. This happened some time ago (coming up on a year), and while it's still painful, seeing them was actually helpful to make me remember that the action of friends is NOT to be mean, petty, and nasty in a high school of way. Therefore, these women are no friends of mine anymore. There is obviously much more to the story, but frankly, I'm bored with the emotions and ready to let it go (FINALLY!). It's related to knitting in that when I started knitting again 2.5 years ago, I got the two of them really excited about it as well, and we would talk knitting. One of them (the one I really considered a true friend, not just a mommy friend) actually gave me a "knitting kit" for Christmas one year, which I still use every single time I knit.

After running into them, I felt shaky and unsettled. I'm a very conflict-avoidant person, and even just seeing them (and refusing to be sucked into the "let's make nicey-nice" that they were doing) felt like confrontation. But then the universe, as it is wont to do, gave me a perspective moment: an encounter a small child, dying of cancer. This powerful reminder of what's really important is also helping me set aside the feelings related to my ex-friends. It's not that those feelings aren't real, or don't really matter, but rather, there's a lot more going on than that, and it's good to be reminded of that. It's good to get outside my head.

Today, my older son was at school for his long day, and my younger son (universe be praised) actually took a great nap. As soon as I could tell DS2 was actually going to go to sleep, I cast-on a NICU hat. I needed to do this today. I needed to reconnect to my better self, the part of me that delights in creating and takes solace in giving. The part of me that is healed by my willingness to be connected to others. I always try to knit the NICU hats in a spirit of joy and offering of strength, hope and compassion, but I felt truly...filled by it today. This is what came out of it:

Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic in Orange for the body, Sugar'n'Cream Brown for the stem, and Tahki Cotton Classic in green for the vines (crocheted with a size F hook, I think).
Needles: Addi Turbos, size 3
Pattern: my own creation (with some help on the vines)
New skills: none

I am thrilled with how this came out. I just think it's adorable, and I love the idea that some little baby in the NICU will have this to help in the fight!

FO and a *brilliant* idea!!

The poncho is DONE!!!!! I got the last pattern repeats knit this afternoon while the boys were actually playing nicely together, and then did the bind-off and weaving in of ends before dinner. Woo hoo!!
So, the specifics:
The Pattern: Artyarns Multidirectional Poncho (P53)
The Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino in 108 (note: the poncho pictured on the patterns page IS in 108, you can see that my 108 is very, very different from those colors - I was expecting a much lighter yarn. This is pretty, but way darker than I was expecting.)
The needles: Knitpicks Options in size 9 with various length cords.
New skills: 3-needle bind-off.

I don't know that I'm cut out to do big projects like this. It took a long time, and I got so bored towards the end. It's not a hard knit at all, but it's not mindless either. There are definite errors in this execution but somehow it all ended up okay. Now I am really excited to get some warmer weather so I can wear it! It may also be my "keep me warm at home" thing too (since for some reason we don't seem to heat our house). I am so thrilled to have this DONE! The one issue I've got is that I measured the initial front diamond on their recommendation, and it's a bit too big, so I think it's going to have a slipping issue. Ah well, live and learn. Honestly, I don't think I'd knit another poncho (crochet, maybe).

And my brilliant idea. I encountered a family today in which the very young son has cancer, and per the grandmom, it doesn't look good. This made me so sad (of course), and so grateful for the health of my own children. I was thinking about what sort of knitting for donation might be appropriate for kids with cancer, and thought about knitting toys for chemo patients that could be handed out. Then I thought "when do you have time to do this?" And I realized exactly what I need: a corporate sponsor! I need a company that wants to do some sort of charitable giving. They'd buy my yarn and pay me something for my time, and I'd commit to some number of items for donation. They'd get credit for it in some way, I'd get paid to knit, and little ones would get cute toys to give them some small measure of comfort. How awesome would that be?? I think it's a great idea.

Now...on to the important questions. Why are we here? What is the meaning in life? What the heck am I going to knit next? NICU hats are high on my list right now, plus another baby blanket and SOCKS SOCKS SOCKS! Let the fun begin!

Don't think I can do it!

I've tried to stay monogamous to the poncho, I really have, but I'm not inspired right now! I'm longing to start something - ANYTHING - new!!! I love starting new projects! Must resist, must resist!