Nothing Like a Little Super Bulky Yarn for Some Instant Gratification!

I managed to start and finish not one, but TWO things today. Okay, both are hats, one for each son, and both are in this, so they knit up quickly, but still. TWO. It's not like I've been finishing much lately, so this was a bit of a thrill.

Back story, both sons are going to be skeletons for Halloween. My oldest decided that's what he wanted to be (because of some Lego, I think), and younger son is in "I have to be just like my brother" mode these days. Okay, fine. I got the costumes a bit big, so we can layer 'em up underneath. One of the joys of growing up in NE is that it could be 70 degrees (F) on Halloween, or it could be literally freezing. I asked them if they wanted me to make them each a hat and scarf...for some reason, I thought that would be really cute - little skeletons with hand-knits. Cute, right? They both said yes, and DS1 picked RED and DS2 picked (OF COURSE) green. Green is his favorite color. And has been since before he could talk.

I was out with DS2 at Target, purchasing said skeleton costume, and we hit the Michael's nearby. We ended up with the Wool-ease, which is mostly acrylic with a bit of wool. It's fairly soft and fulfilled my requirements of being cheap, bulky, and available. I got one skein for each kid. This afternoon, I had some time so I started the first hat. I did my usual wing-it method. Recommended needle size is 13s, and it's 9 sts/4". I decided to do 11s, and figured I'd get closer to 10 sts/inch, based on...well, nothing. I just like the number. I measured DS1's head and figured I was shooting for somewhere in the 20" diameter range (his head is 21.5"). I cast-on 50 sts, and got going. I did a twisted rib to start, for 5 or 6 rows, and then switched to stockinette. I knit it until it seemed long enough (based on trying it on his head-gotta love Magic Loop) and then did one round of 2 decreases to get to 48, and then used a 6-pt decrease. I did 1 round of decreases and one round of knitting even. I decreased down to 6 stitches, and then pulled the yarn through. I tried the hat on DS2 and decided to go down 2 stitches for his hat and make it a bit shorter. His hat had 6 rows to the ribbing, 11 rows in the body of the hat, and then the decreases.

I started the first scarf - I am doing a simple garter stitch scarf with a slipped stitch edge, over 10 stitches. Easy easy, and hopefully it'll go quickly with the bulky yarn.

Another quick post.

I did finish one more pattern repeat on my sister's Swallowtail. It's really going to be lovely, and I think it's going to be what she wants - less of a delicate pretty shawl and more of a snuggly "wrap around you and keep warm" shawl. I've been struggling with how many repeats to do of the initial leaf lace pattern and I think I'm going to 12, which should leave me enough yarn to finish the whole thing. I'd like this to be a bigger shawl but I am, of course, limited by how much yarn I actually have. Funny how that works.

This week as been all about settling back into the regular schedule. DS2 started school. He's a kid who doesn't thrive with transitions and has had some separation anxiety issues, so I really wasn't sure how he would do, but he did wonderfully! He had a great time and I'm so glad to get him back with his friends. We also have soccer up and running, both boys are playing. My oldest *loves* it and is actually pretty good, which surprises me a bit given that he had some physical issues. But he has a blast and it's so good for him. Of course, that makes *me* a soccer mom, minivan, purple hair, nose ring and tattoos and all. DS2 had his first practice/game today and was initially resistant but had fun (even if his coach had to hold his hand for a bit out on the field). :) He even scored a goal, which was so cool! DD is just a firecracker, into everything, chattering up a storm. I can't believe how big she's getting. She's so independent! And funny. She and the boys are playing together a lot, especially she and DS2 - I found them rolling a melon at each other the day and laughing hysterically. It was really funny, except for the poor melon.

I've spent the past week looking for a new phone, as my Treo is not doing well. It's three years old (which is what, 60? in people years), and it's hanging in there but since half the time it doesn't answer when someone calls me, well, that's not so good. We're switching carriers which is totally tweaking my loyalty thing, but I'm excited about what's to come. And really, it's a phone, not a marriage. Sometimes I take things too seriously. :)

I swear, I *will* start posting more pictures and knitting content, once I actually have anything to show!!

Still Here!

Just swamped in the minutiae of life with three kids - school has started and the oldest is starting Kindergarten! I am so, so thankful that he missed the cut-off as I am sure we would have agonized over whether to hold him or not, probably would have sent him and I don't think it would have been the right choice. Not simply because he is a boy, though from the research I've read, that's important, but just who he is. He's so ready academically, but he's been ready for years, but socially and in some other ways, having this year to solidify has been so important. He's riding the bus, he seems like such a big boy to me. He also just got glasses and is completely adorable. Son #2 is starting back to preschool next week (FINALLY) and I can't wait! Once we're into our routine, I think I'll have bit more time for knitting. I'm sneaking in a few rows here and there but nothing substantial to report.

It got cooler, and I broke out the socks. I need to get some more pairs finished! I love handknit socks. I also have some very pretty malabrigo slated for another Foliage hat, which I'd like to get done. I have shawls in process that I'd like to finish - especially the one for my sister. Her elderly cat, who has been her baby for 17 years, is dying, and I'd like to send her some comfort.

September?

How did it get to be September??

The rest of the summer has flown by. In part, we've been ridiculously busy the last few weeks. We were away for a week, then the weekend we came back, we rearranged our house and hauled a lot of furniture. Then we had some friends over then another friend came for 3 days with her 10-month-old baby girl. Then we were away over the weekend visiting family (and seeing James Taylor!!) and now we're back. We went down to RI yesterday to hang out with a friend at the beach, and now we're gearing up for DS1's birthday. Friend party tomorrow, family all through the weekend...and then he starts Kindergarten next week! We had the practice bus ride this morning and I will admit I got a bit choked up when the bus pulled out with all those wee folks waving to us. They couldn't see over the seats in front of them! Sometimes he seems to big to me (and he's older for Kindergarten due to the cutoff, which I am so thankful about) but I have to remind myself that he's still just a very little boy and this is a big deal. He's nervous about it, but I'm hopeful it's going to be a great year!

So, while we were in the Berkshires, I knit a sock. :) Just an ankle sock but still a sock! I used the leftovers from my Branching Out (and I'm going to be cutting it verrrrrry fine to squeeze the second one out of what's left!). I cast on in the car on the way out and bound off the day after we got home. So, it's STR, I can't remember if it's light or medium weight (lemme look at the other skeins...lightweight), toe-up, 60 sts and a 1x1 ribbed short ankle. It didn't pool weirdly at all and it's so pretty!! It knit up really nice and quickly and if I didn't live somewhere with serious, serious winter, I'd make all my socks ankle socks because it's really nice to turn the heel and think "wow, I'm going to be binding off in eight rows!"so

Now I just need some new shoes for the fall, to show off my socks! Keen replaced my warped Calistogas with new Calistogas...which warped again!! And the glue that holds the toe to the shoe leather leaked, and I can't get it cleaned up. I think Calistogas are just not in the cards for me...we'll see if they replace these. I love Keens, but this one style just doesn't work. Which is a bummer because they're perfect for showing off handknit socks.

Of course, in order to show off all these alleged socks, I need to actually finish some PAIRS. Yes, socks come in pairs. I know, it's shocking, but it's true. So, this means you have to KNIT TWO OF EACH KIND OF SOCK YOU WANT TO WEAR. Can you believe it? I apparently couldn't because I've now got four or five single socks hanging out, waiting for mates. Need to get on that.

Oh My Aching Back!!

We got home from VT on Friday and decided to rearrange the house. What we thought would be a half-day project took, of course, the entire weekend and we're not done yet. We moved downstairs to the master bedroom, moved the kids into the other bedroom and moved the office upstairs into the huge room that is now the office/playroom. I think I'll just call it the multipurpose room. We've got some very heavy furniture and wow, does my back hurt! I'm sort of worried I reinjured the thing I did where I couldn't move for two days, so I'm lying down now, taking it easy. Part of the urgency is that my roommate from college is coming to visit for a couple of days and I need somewhere for her and her 10-month old to sleep. I think I've achieved that! I've also boxed up some stuff that was on top of our wardrobe and dressers and I'm just going to stick it in storage. Why is there a category of stuff that you don't want out but don't want to throw away? Sometimes my mind doesn't make sense to me.

I'm also deep into "getting rid of baby stuff" mode. I just gave away all my maternity clothes, and all my baby boy stuff, and I've got the baby girl stuff going away soon. I can't believe my "baby" is such a big girl now, walking, starting to talk, throwing tantrums with the best of 'em! I am sure there will always be a tiny (or maybe even not so tiny) part of me that will want more, but it feels good to know we're done. I am so grateful and thankful every day for our blessings, even when they drive me crazy!

So, that's all the news here. No knitting happening. I am hoping to get motivated to organize all my knitting stuff. I got some bins for it, so let's see if it happens.

You're just going to have to trust me.

I have been knitting! My camera won't talk to my laptop (laptop too old? camera too new?), so I can't put any pictures up. But it's true, I have been.

I'm on vacation in lovely VT, land of glorious sunsets, rolling hills, and a mosquito army that is apparently poised to take over the world., We're having a lovely time but it's a skosh itchy.

So anyway. I managed to knit the entire drive up, and finished a simple vanilla sock! I also started (in my head) a screen play for short film about a woman who marries a skein of Koigu, but that's a different post. I've done a couple of pattern repeats on my Swallowtail and decided I'm going to do 12 instead of 14, because I think if I do 14, it'll be the Swallowtail That Swallowed My Sister, and that would be no good.

I also started another sock, because I need some mindless knitting. More basic toe-up, magic looping goodness. Why no, it's not the mate for the sock I just finished, what a funny thought!!

I've also been hiking, swimming, and did a brief drive-by an alpaca farm but (a) the store was closed and (b) it was apparently the breeding ground for the Mosquito Army and we were driven out.

Now I want alpacas though.

Size Matters

In which I ramble my thought process onto the page...

So I've been knitting pretty monogamously on my sister's Swallowtail shawl, but I've got a conundrum, which is the size issue. The pattern calls for 612 yards of DK/sport-weight yarn to get a blocked shawl size of 64" across. I've got about 600 yards of what Ravelry calls an aran/worsted weight yarn. 64" across is pretty big, so I think it would be okay if the final product were smaller. I've done 8 pattern repeats of the Budding Lace, and I'm just about through the first ball of yarn. I have estimated the width at about 26" so far. I The pattern calls for 14 lace repeats. I'm worried that I won't have enough yarn. I'm not going to do the nupps because it's a mini-bouclé and I don't think they'll show up. I just have no idea how much, if at all, the final product is going to grow due to blocking. Some might have done a swatch and blocked to learn that information, but me? No. No, I didn't. So here I am, knitting away, hoping that I don't run out of yarn.

Okay, I just did some math with my lovely, lovely spreadsheet. I've completed3,903 stitches out of 19,550 (pattern as written). That is 19.96%, which looks very close to 1/5th so theoretically, I should have enough yarn.

Of course, you know what they say: In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.

It's all in how you think about it.

Yesterday we spent the entire day at the celebration of a friend's mother's wedding. It was a lovely day, beautiful weather, lots of love and joy in the air. It was also very, very social, and I think we're a family of introverts (even me! This would surprise most people who know me), so we were all left a bit tired. Today, the boys were just Not Listening to me. I'd tell them to stop doing something, they'd do it again. I'd tell one boy to knock it off, the other would then do the exact same thing. We were out on a walk and I ended up taking the boys home because of this, while DH took the girl off to poke sticks in the lake (a favorite pastime of most of the family). Instead of staying angry, or just tuning out, I decided that we needed a little running around, so I got out the cones and the soccer ball, and we played a soccer/tackle/rolling down the lawn game for the next hour, that left us all laughing and breathless. It was a powerful reminder to me that so much of life is truly what I make of it. I have been very influenced by Viktor Frankl's work (probably time to go reread it, actually!) and it's useful to remember that I have a great deal of control over how I experience my life.

And on to the knitting!

I got a chance to do some knitting, and I actually took a picture! My sister, when I told her that I'm currently obsessed with knitting shawls, asked if I'd be willing to make one for her. I immediately got excited, and did a little stash-diving to come up with this! The yarn is some yarn that my mom found for me at the local second-hand store: The yarn is Madil Rebus in sapphire. The pattern is Swallowtail and I'm knitting it on size 8s. Since the yarn is listed as a bulky weight, I'm sort of winging it on size. I've got 5 skeins (600 yards), which I am hoping is enough to give me a good-sized shawl. I really wasn't sure this yarn would work with a lace pattern, because it's a mini-boucle, but it actually really works nicely, in my opinion. It also just feels so soft and velvety! I think this will be a lovely, warm, but lightweight shawl. I'm interested to see how it blocks, with the nylon content that it has. It looks like it will felt, so I'm hoping to spit-splice the skeins and have fewer ends to deal with. I've done 7 pattern repeats, and am about to do a couple more. I haven't decided if I'm going to do the nupps or not, since it is a bigger and fuzzier wool, I'm not sure if they'd look good or not. I'll decide when I get there! Mainly I just have to figure out how many pattern repeats to do! And yes, I am using lifelines.

And in other news, my SIL asked if she could "hire" me to make my niece a cardigan! On the one hand, wow! I got really excited...on the other hand, I am not sure my skills (especially my buttonhole skills!) are really good enough to do something that she could actually wear. Scary!!

FO: Falling Leaves Lace Socks

(subtitled OH MY G*D, I FINALLY FINISHED THEM!!!)

So, I apparently started the socks in August of 2007. So yes, that's two years. I recently got re-energized on them, and today I actually finished them! Remember that whole thing of "three major errors is my threshold and then I need to rip and redo"? Well, apparently it's context-dependent, and when the context is that it's something that's hung out on the needles for two years and I'm 12 rows from done, and it's socks so the error(s) will be hidden under my pants leg, then I don't rip and redo. Just saying.

So, anyway. Here they are!


















Pattern: Knitty's Falling Leaves Lace Socks
Yarn: Tofutsies in 729 (according to Ravelry, the ball band is loooong gone)
Needles: KPs fixed circs in 2.5
Pattern Mods: none really. Used Judy's Magic Cast-On, a double-wrapped, short-row and did 2x2 ribbing instead of 1x1.

Thoughts: First, this yarn, while pretty, was annoying. It's splitty and the repeats are a bit too long for this pattern, leading to interesting pooling.


















As you can see in this image, they both pooled, but quite differently, and it's actually a great illustration of the impact of knitting tension. The sock of the right (labeled first sock completed) was, um, the first sock I knit. Apparently I finished this in October of 2007. If I recall correctly, I was a bit stressed out. I was newly pregnant with my daughter, and we were seriously house hunting and planning on moving. So, I knit quite tightly. The spiral is thicker on the foot of the second sock, started definitely after we moved, though I can't find a date. I was clearly more relaxed. I apparently got a little too relaxed around the heel and ankle, so I started deliberately tightening up my knitting to get the spiral back. So, it's fine, I'll wear them, of course, and I'm thrilled that they're done, but I think this was not the right yarn for this pattern. How the yarn stripped on the heel was really pretty and it if had done this over all of them, I'd like them better.

It's funny, I'm such a control-freak, but I *love* variegated yarn and the total unpredictability of the outcome. It's good for me. :)

I still have too many things on needles and I'm feeling really psyched to get some things done!

Did you hear that thud??

That was me, falling off the yarn diet wagon with a resounding thud. You may have heard it? You know it's bad when you're gathering your new purchases to photograph them and think "waaait just a minute, wasn't there a whole 'nother box around here somewhere??"

So yes. I have purchased yarn. A lot of it. Well, a lot for me. And now, reallytrulyseriously I have to stop because, well, I just don't have that much time to knit!! And this pretty much blows my allowance for a while too.

First up, we have the Knit Picks order:

Here we have the Essential sock yarn (now called Stroll) in Meadow. You know, I read the description of this colorway, but in the picture on my monitor, the brown looks more greenish, but it's really...BROWN. We'll see, I'm undecided about this.














Next up is Stroll in Pansy Multi. Purples, it's very pretty, what can I say. I love purple. This will probably be a basic stockinette sock.



















After this, we have the Stroll Handpainted, in Make Believe. This is gorgeous! I have three skeins because I was pondering a lace shawl of some sort, but I'm a bit concerned it'll be too busy. I guess I might *gasp* have to swatch. Not sure what pattern, maybe a Swallowtail? And really, it's a handpainted, superwash sock yarn with Nylon in it! I don't know if this is the same base as the Felici self-striping, but the socks I made from that line have worn really well so far, and I do love being able to toss them into the wash as needed.

Also in this order I got a replacement Options cable (for the one the cat chewed on) and some more locking stitch markers because I'm running low.



Then we have the Simply Sock Yarns order. I was a bit frustrated with how long it took to get this until I read the blog wherein they mentioned that they were on vacation! So, once I knew that, no worries and they shipped immediately upon return. First, the Ty Dy Sock Yarn from Knit One, Crochet Too, in Blue Pansy. What can I say, I'm a follower. It's totally "my" colors, and will be some sort of simple sock. I need to do some Rav surfing to see what other people have done. (Ooo, just found a gorgeous sock in the same colorway, I may have to do it!)
















Then we have the gorgeous Dream in Color Starry in Midnight Derby! It's *much* darker than on their website, but on the Simply Sock Yarns website, it's a bit more accurate. There are color shifts in there, but they're more subtle. But, the main reason I wanted a darker yarn was that the silver fibers just really pop! This is destined to be shawl of some sort.



















And then we have the huge, terrible splurge from ColorSong Yarn. Hand Maiden Sea Silk. More of it than one slow knitter should have. I just fell in love with the Lily Pond colorway, so I actually bought two skeins of that. I don't know what pattern it will be, but a shawl of some sort, most likely. And then, they had the 150g balls. So I got one in the Renaissance colorway, which I think will be a Gail. This yarn is gorgeous, just gorgeous.





























I was feeling pretty seriously guilty about all this, but you know, it's not like I really have any other vices left to me! I do love yarn, I really do.

The Simple Things

There's a song I really love (exposing my adoration of cheesy music) by a guy named Jim Brickman. Most of his stuff is sort of new-age, instrumental, George Winston-esque piano, but he's got one song that has been in my head all day. Here's a sample from it:

So here we go,
Let’s just dance,
Teach my soul to take this chance,
Put my heart, in your hands.

Out of all the moments that,
We leave behind,
Turn around and tell me,
Baby we’ll remember.

The thunder and the rain,
The way you say my name,
After all the clouds go by,
The simple things remain,
The sun, the moon, the stars,
The beating of two hearts,
How I love the way the simple things,
The simple things just are.

I think it's on my mind because I've had a day just filled with simple moments of joy.

• Breakfast with one of my dearest friends and her son (who is, of course, my daughter's future husband).
• Some time home alone with my girl, just playing. She adores me right now, and I'm trying to soak it up because I know (a) it won't last and (b) she's the last one. The older they get, the more complex the relationship gets. We've been having all these moments lately where she looks up and connects with me and just lights up, and gives me a giant, sloppy kiss. Pure love, what an amazing gift.
• Time playing Lego with the boys while the girl slept, just listening to their imaginative play and chatter.
• Time knitting - I got re-engergized on my Falling Leaves Lace Sock! It's sock #2, and I started the pair in, oh my, August of 2007! For some reason I just have been dragging my feet. I don't love the yarn, but it's bothering me less right now than it did. They're so pretty, and I am almost done turning the heel, and then I have 7 pattern repeats to go and the ribbing and the pair is done! (I am totally laughing because I am doing colorway 726, AKA "Put One Foot in Front of the Other"!)
• A gorgeous moment this afternoon, at the farm where we pick up our CSA produce. We always pick up the veggies, put them in the car, and then go visit the goats, the chickens and the bunnies(in that order). Today we also took a walk out by the pond. My daughter was walking next to me, holding on to my finger (did I mention, since Friday, she is *totally* a walker now!), the boys were running and playing and chattering, the sun was so warm, it smelled like sweet hay, and it was just a moment where all was *right* in my world. The only way it could have been better is if my husband had been with me too.
• We had a delicious dinner: steak (from our meat CSA, so local and humanely raised); fresh, local corn; fresh local greens for the salad; and mac'n'cheese (always a hit in our household).
• Another wonderful moment, when I was taking out the recycling. Our lot slopes up to the road, so I was hauling stuff up the hill, smelling the summer evening, and feeling the earth beneath my feet. I try to be open in the present moment as much as I can, but it's so easy to get lost in all the things I "have" to do.

This isn't to say that I'm somehow calm and zen and happy all the time. I live with an anxiety monologue in my head that can make me crazy if I'm not careful, not to mention all the regular worries of an ordinary life (Did I pay all the bills? Why does my sink smell so bad? What *are* we going to have for dinner? Oh crap, the deadline for soccer registration is tomorrow!). There are also always larger concerns in any life of substance. But, I believe I have some choice, a lot of choice, actually, as to how much power I give those worries.

Ultimately, all I have, all any of us has, is this moment right now. Sometimes those moments are painful, or scary, or sad, or lonely, but often, far more often than I pay attention to, those moments are just simply beautiful.

Knitting and Math

Now, I really like math, I always have. I never got far enough along for it to get messy, and I just always enjoyed the fact that there were right answers, and they could be worked out. I loved equations, I adored geometry. Calculus was where I met my Waterloo but up until then, I loved it. It's odd, given my love of black&white thinking, that I ended up in Philosophy and Psychology, both areas known for fuzziness.

(Total tangent, I've been reading a bit on the whole issue of illiteracy in the US, and I'm wondering if math illiteracy is also an issue. Is that even the right term? Not quite the right term, but yup, it's an issue. Thanks, Google!)

Anyway, so I love to read and I love math. And statistics.

So, I'm knitting on my Forest Canopy shawl, and looking at the pattern, which calls for 8 pattern repeats. I'm knitting a large gauge yarn on smaller needles (god, will you just stop with the whole SWATCH thing already!!!), which is looking nice, I think, but really, I'm already halfway through the 5th pattern repeat, and this thing is nowhere near shawl size. It's not even napkin size, should you, you know, want a wool/silk blend, lace, hand-wash-only napkin, which I'm not saying you would, but it takes all kinds, people, it really does. Wait, what was I saying? Oh yes, it's not big enough. I also don't appear to have used a whole lot of my 100g ball of yarn. Given that it's a triangular shawl, knit...well, how to describe it if you haven't done one, it's knit out from the center of the long side. So, you're increasing every other row for a bunch of rows (20 stitches per pattern repeat of 8 rows). So I was pondering how to figure out how much yarn I might be using.

So, I created a spreadsheet. Ahh, the noble spreadsheet.

I figured out how many rows the pattern calls for (this is just for the increases section, not the scalloped edging, I'll fudge that calculation later), and put those in, and figure out how many stitches you're doing on each row. Then I look at how many rows I'd already done, and weighed my ball to see how much I've used. (Caveat, I didn't weigh the ball to start with, so I don't know if I started exactly at 100 g or not. Which may make all my calculations way off.) Then I summed stitches completed (2974), and divided the weight I'd used (100-the weight of the ball, or 3 g) by the stitches I'd done, giving me, I think, a grams per stitch calculation. Just FYI, it's 0.0010.

Then I summed the total number of stitches for the lace body as the pattern is written (9706) and multiplied it by my grams per stitch variable, giving me just under 10 g for 8 pattern repeats. This seems low, so I'll be interested to see what it comes out to be! It is interesting to me that while I'm just over halfway through the lace repeats, I've done about less than a third of the pattern stitches.

This means, obviously, that I'm going to be doing far more pattern repeats than the pattern calls for. Which is so not a problem, but I was all psyched to get this thing done, and it's not going to happen that quickly.

And, since I'm home with one baby sleeping and two boys off at Machines Camp, I'm going to go knit on the thing right now! I *should* be doing housework, but knitting and math are way more fun.

Proof that I'm doing *something*

Well, I guess TECHNICALLY it isn't proof that *I'm* knitting, just proof that someone has started a Forest Canopy Shawl. This is being knit in a fingering weight yarn, purchased from the Vermont Yarn Company, and it's one of their yarns, hand-dyed. I can't find the tag, but I believe it's a wool/silk blend, with 2% silver fibers. I wish the silver showed up more, it's very subtle but really pretty. I don't think you can see it all in these pictures. The color remind me of the twilight sky.

I am trying to get better at the double decreases (sl1, k2tog, psso), because when I pass the slipped stitch, I tend to pull it a bit, and it gets loopier, and thus more noticeable than I like.














And as you may have noticed, I am using lifelines. :)

Hubris

I am a researcher. Whether it's psychology, child birth, diaper bags, strollers, yarn, or whatever, if I am caught by something, I like to learn a lot (A LOT) about it. I love to share what I've learned, but I also just like knowing things. So, having gotten caught up by lace, I've done some reading, books and blogs and whatnot, about the process, other people's projects, etc.

The hallmark of hubris is a presumptive pride, and let me tell you how mine went. "The pattern's not that hard...I'll be REALLY careful...I can do this...I DON'T NEED A LIFELINE."

Ha. HA.

I ripped out the 7 pattern repeats I'd done on the Swallowtail shawl for a mistake that I cannot for the life of me figure out. I finished the pattern repeats with the correct number of stitches, I did Row 1 of the next repeat correctly (verified about 8 times) and yet...I had the wrong number of stitches. Perhaps it's the fact that I did something horrible to my back yesterday that resulted in hours of lying on the floor weeping from pain (that's actually not an exaggeration, sadly), but my morale was low, and I frogged it.

*sigh* I decided to do the Forest Canopy Shawl instead, as that is listed as a good beginner project, and I *am* a lace beginner (however many lace socks I've knit notwithstanding). It's very pretty, and I've already got my first lifeline in. I'm using unwaxed dental floss and the clever clever hole in the KnitPicks Options needle to pull it through.

In other news, I finished Wicked Monkey #1 and it's very pretty.

It's funny, I really like variegated yarn in lace, but when I linked to some yarn I was interested in in another forum, one (very experienced) knitter raised the opinion that the yarn was "too busy" for lace (and clearly owned it as her own opinion). I thought it would work. I am doing Branching Out in STR, (this, to be specific) and I think it looks nice. I don't know, now I'm second guessing myself.

Willpower is overrated.

Isn't it?

*sigh*

Back on the yarn diet tomorrow...

Things I am Interested In

People who know me, know I could be described as a bit obsessional and controlling a planner. I like to think about what I might do, I like to look at yarn...I am pondering some purchases (which I should NOT be making).

So, let's see what's on the radar right now.

A friend *cough*ROBIN*cough* has me convinced I need this yarn, in this colorway: Knit One Crochet One Ty-Dy Sock in Blue Pansy.

I am knitting with a local version of Dream in Color's Starry, and I *love* it. I want to do a darker colorway because I think the silver will really pop. I'm pondering another triangular shawl (you know, because I've already finished the one I'm worki...oh wait, no I haven't). But I'm thinking about the Forest Canopy Shawl maybe. Either in a dark blue or green colorway. Pretty, right?

I am also thinking about doing Gail in Handmaiden Sea Silk, maybe in Lily Pond or Renaissance (if I can find it anywhere).

Hmm, apparently I have become obsessed with knitting shawls. I think a shawl (or three) would be really useful for me to have around the house this winter, as we like to keep the heat low, and I don't actually own a ton of sweaters (odd, I know, I live in New England). I love being wrapped up in a blanket, and really, what is a shawl but a blanket sized for mobility?

I still laugh at how emphatic I was that I would not, never, no way no how, want to knit lace, and now....well, that's all I want to knit!

I'm also pondering Rona (in Iris Heather) and Janet (as shown, I love that color) from KnitPicks. And, they've got some new sock yarn colors that are nice too.

Hi, I'm Knitting with a Purpose, and I am addicted to sock yarn.

There's a lot of muttering in knitting lace.

For me, at least. I have to mutter the pattern aloud so that I don't lose my place or forget things like a YO or a K1. And since I'm either sneaking some knitting in while on kid duty or knitting after the kids go to be (i.e. when I'm in an exhausted daze), I need all the help I can get.

Someone, please stop me before I order some of this. Look at how pretty the pansy is! Pansies were my wedding flower! I have pansies tattooed on my back! *sigh* I'm broke.

I am very very tired. We had two very sick little boys yesterday who recovered enough to have energy today, but not enough to do anything (and we were still in quarantine anyway). And the baby got me up at 5:30, which is too damn early. Good thing she's cute.

And, I am completely ashamed to report that in the midst of a bounty of wonderful produce and delicious meat, tonight's dinner was canned baked beans, hot dogs and frozen garlic bread.

Wait, what's that??

It appears to be my knitting mojo! Not embracing me completely, mind you, simply putting in a bit of an appearance.

Part of the circumstances leading to some actual knitting happening are that both of my boys are SICK. They've got some crappy (and hopefully short-lived) virus that has knocked them out with HIGH fevers, and each one has had one random barfing episode (SO FUN). So today was spent entertaining the baby while bringing them ice water and letting them watch the most consecutive hours of TV they have ever watched. They watched more TV today than they've watched in the last 4 months, seriously. We're not usually a big TV family, but today was one of those "do what you gotta do to get through." I'm swimming in a triathlon on Sunday as part of a team, so I'm praying I don't get it. But anyway, I had some actual time while the baby was napping.

And I had some repair to do. SOMEONE who shall remain nameless (mainly because I don't know which kitten it was) pulled a sock-in-progress out of my bag and CHEWED THE YARN THROUGH! ARGH!! It's my KP Imagination in Wicked Monkey sock. I *love* this yarn. So I sat down to fix it in my own fairly half-@ssed way. It's superwash so you can't spit splice it, so I just tied a tiny knot and hoped it would land more on the side of the sock. Which it didn't, hopefully it won't be really uncomfortable under my foot. But, I'd rather have the knot there then in the lace work on the top of the foot. So, I actually managed to complete a couple more lace repeats, and I think I have about 4 more before I'll start the toe. Which makes me very happy. This sock is going to fit me very snuggly but it should work.

Then I pulled out my Koigu stockinette sock and swooned over the yarn a bit, and then knit about 15 rows. I decided to decrease it down 2 stitches as it felt like it was going to be loose. (Gague? Huh? What?) This is another one of these socks where I just increase until it sort of looks right.

Yesterday I also managed an entire lace pattern repeat (it's only 6 rows) on the Swallowtail shawl. This is so, so pretty. I'm struggling with my higher nature on this project, in terms of keeping it versus gifting it.

AND I also got Branching Out going again. I'd say it's close to half done, it really doesn't need to be that long as it's a decorative scraf, not a 6-foot-keep-me-warm-in-the-depths-of-Massachusetts-winter scarf. Also, so, so pretty.

So there you go, I'm knitting a bit. It makes me happy.

Blog Name Not So Accurate

...at the moment, anyway. I'm not doing much knitting at all, either with a purpose or without one. It's summer, it finally got warm, I have three kids. Yeah, yeah, same old same old. It does hit me sometimes, holy cowzels (a phrase of my son's), I have THREE kids! That's a lot of kids. Thankfully they're awesome. Have you ever noticed that all bloggers' kids are (a) awesome and (b) brilliant? Heh.

I will say that I'm enjoying July a lot more than June. At this moment in time, everyone seems healthy (knock wood, it won't last). Older son's bone thing was nothing. Younger son's tummy thing is NOT celiac (don't know what it is but it's not celiac). We're really busy, which seems odd, because it is summer, but we're having fun. The last couple of weeks have been hit or miss with weather (miss, really), but we've had a couple of good days. Today being one of them - it's GORGEOUS out there. We spent the entire morning at the beach. Both boys actually enjoyed their swim lessons - hey, how odd, when it's warmer than 60 degrees, they like it better! Then we just hung out for the rest of the morning! We came home for DD's nap and now we're heading back to the beach, to meet up with more friends and have dinner there. The local pizza place delivers to the beach, how awesome is that?

I'd love to get more knitting done...but somehow, when it's hot, I'm just less in the mood.

Summer is here!!

After something like 30 straight days of rain, we've finally had some wonderful summer days! This weekend, my DH and I were able to go out for dinner ALONE together! The place was even BYOB so we had a lovely wine for a reasonable price. It was so wonderful just to sit and be together, and remember why it was we wanted to get married NINE years ago! He's the best. We had a nice long weekend filled with some productive stuff (finally weeded the front gardens, which desperately needed it!), some lounging around, and some fun family stuff. AND, I got some swimming in! I'm doing the Appleman Triathlon with two friends, and I'm the swimmer. I finally got in the lake and did the course, and I'm quite pleased with how it's going. The race in is less than two weeks. Of course my gym membership expired Saturday so I have to decide if I'm going to re-up or not. I probably will, it's cheap and close and has babysitting. But for now, I'm swimming. Today was gorgeous, and we spent the whole morning at the lake, and then the afternoon at a friend's house for swimming lessons. I am *exhausted* now. But happy.

Knitting has been, well, um, you know, not so much going on there. I started YET ANOTHER sock, because I needed a plain stockinette project for knitting group (that's my story and I'm sticking to it) and I just couldn't face the Mini Mochi yet. So I pulled out some Koigu. Ahhhh, Koigu, how I love thee. It's just so pretty! I also did a little more (like, two rows) on my Swallowtail but made the mistake of leaving it out on the couch. Did I mention we have kittens? Thankfully they didn't pull it off the needles, but SOMEONE chewed on my KP Options cord, so it's no longer usable!!

I think I may go do a little knitting right now! Though honestly, given how tired I am, I'll probably just go nap on the couch until it's time for bed.