DISASTER!

I have had a knitting DISASTER!

The armseyes of my sleeves for DH's sweater are a million inches too big!

ok. I'm exagerating. They are about 6" too big. That's still freakin' HUGE!

So I have to decided what to do.
I can frog and reknit them a size smaller, using my patterning skills as a guide - as opposed to blindly following the pattern as I did before.
I can do major sewing surgery - this is a tad scary, and not high on the list.
I can say "screw it!" "I'm makin' a sweater vest."

I am leaning towards re-knit. Blech. I wanna be done with it.

stupid sweater.

I couldn't even look at it on Sunday Night. For fun I inserted the sleeve, as is. It is really REALLY stupid looking. Like a leg o' mutton sleeve. Actually kinda funny, if you think about it.

SO, since I didn't feel like working on the sweater since the disaster, I decided to reswatch for my FPS. I didn't take a picture. It looks like the last swatch, except I used different needles. My KP size 3's came. What a difference!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I got the DPNs too, in case I want to use them to work the entrelac bits. We'll see once I get going.
Funny thing about the DPN's. DH had to dumpster dive to retrieve them. Yep. I threw them away by accident. Thank god we threw our garbage out after the truck came in the morning. Talk about pissed off!!
I also found out the themes for February for Socktopia! I'll post more about them tomorrow.
Lastly, I made a trip to NYC for work on Friday. Coldest dang day of the winter so far- (woo hoo) and I got to trapse around Manhatten in it. Of course I had a subway line problem, and had to walk 8 blocks in -15F (with windchill) to get to my meet up point with my assistant. I was walking and grumbling, when I came across... SCHOOL PRODUCTS! It is an awsome NYC yarn store that all the NY knitty's talk about. I went it. In my frozen haze I bought this:


I am going to make gloves to go with my 1960's coat. It is absolutely perfect for it. It looks a bit blue in the picture, but it is really black and brown. I've been putting off the glove project for lack of a good yarn choice. I found one! Of course, I found one when I have another pair of socks to start, a big KAL to do, and a sweater to finish.

Tonight will be about the frog. And the sock planning. Maybe a little actual knitting - if I stop typing and go home.

Project anticipation

I am at that place in my sweater project where I can FEEL the end. I am so onto the next project, I can taste it! alas, I am still only half way done with my sleeves. I have a 4 hour train experience tomorrow. (CT to NY and back) I wish my sleeves weren't so... cumbersome. I haven't decided if I'l take them or not. It seems like a giant waste to spend 4 hrs on something else, when I am trying to finish this sweater before Thursday. I just don't know.

The next official project is the FPS, and a pair of socks (shock) for Socktopia. I don't know what those are yet, because the themes aren't released until Feb. 1. I am DYING to knit some socks right now. Anything with lace or pattern to it.

I got my KP order yesterday. No yarn, but I did get some more cables and a set of classic circs in size 3. I will reswatch this weekend for the FPS. I think I will try the seed stitch again. I don't mind doing it, I just am not particularly fond of the end product. We'll see. This time I might like it better, since I won't be fighting my needles.

Today I got a package in the mail from my Mom. She sent me two gorgeous vintage purses, both in need of repair, but very easy to fix.

I love vintage things, and my Mom knows me best!
I also found.... YARN!

Vangie, who bought me yarn for Christmas, and who is a knitter herself, was on the recieving end of my Kiri Shawl. After she opened her gift, she declared that I couldn't possibly use only two balls of the Fusion yarn. She was going to go get me more. I didn't really expect her to, but she did! 4 more balls! I now have 6 balls of pink and purple fuzzy that needs to have a project! I think I might mave enough for a lacy sweater.........

from my MP3 player

I am moving along on the sleeves, and to keep myself entertained trough the Stockingette, I have been listening to my MP3 player a bit. I have set it to shuffle, which means, for those of you without one of these handy dandy gadets, that it plays all of my music randomly - with out regard to style, artist, or whathaveyou.

Last night I heard these tunes back to back. I have put brief excerpts for your entertainment.

Kid Rock - Heaven
If heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, I don't want to go
If heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, I'd just as soon stay home
If they ain't got no 8 mile, like they do up in the "D"
Just send me to Hell, or Salt Lake City, it'd be about the same to me
It'd be about the same to me.

Hank Willims, Sr.- Hey Good Lookin'
I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill,
and I know a spot right over the hill
there's soda pop and a dancin' spree
so if ya' wanna' have fun come along with me!

Nickleback - Learn the Hard Way
Hey there little darling, where'd the old man gone?
Why don't we get out of town and do it all night long?
We can lie out in the field til the morning light
Then me and your old man are gonna have to fight
Oh, no, gotta learn this someday
why, I, gotta learn the hard way?

I kinda' have a medly of these songs in my head today. As if people need more reasons to think I'm odd.

Progress amidst doubts

I am moving along nicely with the Rust Sweater for DH. The body is done, and ready to block. Now I am in sleeve land. I am knitting them at the same time, circular - no seams for me! So I am Magic Looping two sleeves. It isn't hard, as I am a MLer all the way, but it is a bit fiddly with the two balls of yarn, and the counting. Why are arms shaped? Why can't they just be cylinders?

my progress thus far:


The little white marker is just to show me where the beginning of the round is. So there is none of that , "what sleeve am I on?" "where am I?" nonsense.









If I can keep knitting at the rate I am currently knitting, I should be able to break the Feb. 1st deadline! keep your fingers crossed for me!

Red Scarf Project Update!

I am prepping the box to send off to the Orphan Society "Red Scarf Project" this morning. I am waiting to send it for a few more days because I have one more scarf trying to make it into the box, so if you are reading this, and are still trying to get your scarf into my box, you'd better stop reading and start knitting!!

The total, as of this morning is...... 18!! we collected 18 scarves for a wonderful purpose!

The pile:


These are the first names of the wonderful kintters and crocheters from LWT, and a friend from SnB!
Alice
Lesley
Denise
Sara
Caroline and her Mom
Amy
Danny
Sam
Christina and her Grandmother
Amanda
Phoebe
and Me and my Mom
Good job everyone!

and as promised,
pictures of my three scarves:

The one on the left is Woolease. The middle one is Lambs Prise Worsted. The Right hand one is Encore worsted.

The entrelac one was knitted to learn entrelac. Since I have had FPS on my to knit list for a while, I decided it was time to learn the technique. What better way than a scarf? All in all, pretty easy, and quite impressive looking.


Thanks again to all who participated!!

Forest Path Stole update

Wanna see my pretty pretty yarn?

I knew you did!


AHH oooo! Isn't it shiny?! and fuzzy!
It is the highly acclaimed Zephyr, in "Basil" colorway. Frankly, it is divine!

WOW! Look at all the exclamation points!

Seriously, I see what the hubbub is about this yarn. It is gorgeous even before it is washed and blocked. I did one swatch of it with my Susan Bates' that I used for my Mystery Stole this summer. The problem is - Knitpicks has ruined me! It was like wrestling a garden hose! Where is my flexibility? Where is my slippery? Where is the love?! I was becoming a cranky pants really quickly. Oh, and my size 3dpns are all bamboo. blech.

So I just ordered #3 classic circulars and #3 DPN's from KP. When they get here, I suppose I will be reswatching. I must say though, I hate seed stitch. I am considering changing the seed stitch bits to garter. Maybe not. I don't know. All I know is, I NEED my KP fix!

Progress

I like progress. It shows that you are actually accomplishing something! I suppose that is the definition of progress....
I am obviously not very eloquent today.

SO let's skip the gibber jabber and show some pictures!

I am about 14" into the body of DH's sweater. I have officially reached "cruise" stage. I am just knitting with out paying attention. I created one of those fancy dancy row counter/ stitch marker jobbies. It is awsome. Check it out!

Suddenly, it is very easy to tell when I am to cable! I just slip the next ring down easch time I pass the marker, until I am on the last ring - then I cable. AH ah! Movie knitting is easy! As a matter of fact, I knit the whole way through a movie on Saturday. I don't usually do that. I like to really watch a movie if I'm going to pay for it. I am SO glad I had this sweater along. The movie was the most boring movie I've ever seen. Dear God.

I swatched for my FPS along last night. (Pictures tomorrow) I think I'm gonna like it! More about that later!!

Oh, and I never did start another project. well, I tried, but I wasn't feeling the love. I decided to focus my energies on the sweater.

If I knit two inches a day

I can have the Rust sweater finished in.... two years.
Just kidding. Probably by February 5th. The way I figure it, I knit two inches a day around the body of the sweater, up to the armpits. Then 4" a day working back and forth across the front or back after I split for the armholes. Also, 4" a day on the sleeves, or 2" a day if i knit them at the same time.
I might be having wishful thoughts.
But, I am making progress! I have joined the front and back hems together! I have done 1 cable! I will have more progress to show for it on monday.

I think I have decided to stave the bordom by knitting some fingerless mitts. I am going to use the left over yarn from my celebration socks I think. It's all fuzzy and stuff.

I suck. No pictures again today. hmmm. Maybe I'll just put in a past picture.
Tada! Branching Out table runner in Farmhouse Yarns "Summer Spun".
See ya'll on Tuesday!

A companion project

I need another project, cause ya' know, a giant men's sweater is not enough. Actually, I need a not stockingette thing to work on. hmm.

It has to be a small project, since it has to be done by Feb. 1 for the FPS KAL. I'd like it to not be mostly SS. Well duh. I'd like it to be useful - meaning not a toy or some such. I have a few things in my mental list o' projects that I want to do. Elbow gloves for me. A new winter hat to match my scarf. fingerless mitts for work. I could start on end of the year gifts for my staff, but I don't know what those are yet. I am in a bordom lull.

I will swatch for FPS this weekend. I don't really need to, but it gives me something to do.

I have some Silk Garden for the mitts. I have yarn for the hat, but I don't know what I want to make yet. If I figure out what to make for end of the year gifts for the staff, I could at least look for yarn or that project.

blech.

In Dh- sweater -that -has- no -name news, I have finished the back hem, and have started on the front hem. It doesn't sound like much, but it is. You just have to trust me.

Maybe I'll be inspired tonight after SnB. I'll have a "ta da" moment, and have a more interesting project to post about...

The next big thing.

I was never one to follow fads until I started knitting. I never have made a clapotis, but that it probably the exception. ( I Have the yarn. I'm waiting for it to go out of style I think.) Seriously. I never wanted My Little Ponies, or Cabbage Patch Dolls. I wanted art supplies. When everyone else was making friendshi[p bracelets, I did cross stitch. bedazzle a sweatshirt, no thanks. I'll make a sweatshirt. I was a strange child. But, I absolutely cannot resist the call of a KAL. I have joined another one! I am now part of http://forestpathkal.blogspot.com/. The linky is in the side bar too. The Forest Path Stole KAL. I am such a sheep.

A little about the Forest Path Stole:
I fell in love with this pattern the minute I saw it. It is from the summer 2003 IK. I bought the magazine just for this pattern the one time I was at WEBS. Never mind that I didn't know how to do entrelac. Never mind that I had no idea when I would have time to knit such a glorius thing. Never mind that I had never knit a large lace garment at that point. i HAD to have it.
It takes 2625 yards of Laceweight yarn (!) and most of it is knit on size 3 (!) dpns. A mess of different Lace patterns! In entrelac!
Well, I have mastered lace. I understand entrelac. I have printed the errata. I am ready to knit this shawl.
The KAL starts on Feb. 1, so I have time to work on getting yarn and swatching before then. AWSOME!

In other knitting news, I have started on my sweater for DH. He is not a small man. He is very broad and long. (Get your mind out of the gutter!) I have consulted my Ann Budd Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. I decided to knit it in the round until the armholes. Easy ok.
Nope. I cast on the nearly 300 stitches, making sure to not twist. I decided to knit a hemmed edge, as DH looks good in that type of hem. Knit knit knit. hmm. something looks odd. CRAP!!! I twisted the cast on! (Insert swearing here) for those of you counting, I knit approx. 3,000 stitches before I realized it.
So I ripped. and ripped.

oh. and that was CO #2. Let's not even talk about #1.

So, CO #3. I decided to make it easier on myself. I am kntting the back hem up until the join of the folded up bit, then co the front hem, and do the same. Then I will join the two together, in effect, making a vent in the side seam about 1.5" long. A nice detail I think. (even if it was out of frustrated desperation.)

A picture of the new back hem. I just knit the turning row. Only miles of SS to go!

My mom controls the weather

In case you were wondering, my Mom controls the weather. She just concentrates, and moves the snow away, or holds off a thunderstorm until after the wedding. I know this because she has been able to do it all my life.

Evidently, she has done it again. It has been 70f in CT recently! A high of 72 on Saturday!! In January! I like it warm. My mom knows that. But she must have also known that I wanted to wear my completed "Emerald" today, because it is 30F outside right now. Tomorrow she can jack it back up to 70F. (please.)

Wait! What was that? You finished your sweater?! Where are the pictures?!

They're coming... be patient...
tap tap tap

ok. Here they are. Sheesh!

This sweater is hard to get a full front picture of, and not get lots of backround crap in the way!

On to the details!!
Pattern: "Emerald" from the Winter 06 Knitty
Yarn: Cervinia Londra, Charcoal Heather Colorway
Needles, KP options size 10
Started: 12/28/06
Finished: 1/7/06
Changes: I knit this sweater with out a button and button hole because I look down right awful with a button closure located where the pattern calls for the button to be. I considered placing more than one button, or lowering the button. I thought about snaps, or hook and eyes. I finally settled on no closure. I rarely wear my sweater closed anyway. I took a bit of a hiatis from this project while I decided on closure-ing, well, and to finish my Socktopia socks for January. The only other changes I made were to make the sleeves longer (I have long arms for my height), and to make the collar and button band wider. I wanted more coverage in the front than the picture in the pattern, and I wanted the front edge to hang straight. The ribbing at the hem pulls the sweater in a bit, and I wanted to counter that.

Overall, a very fast knit, well written, and very easy to wear. I've recieved lots of compliments today on my sweater, and even a good one that the person who said it didn't think was good. My one coworker said, "Oh it's finished! I love it!" to which the other coworker, whom I was just speaking with, spun around and said, "Oh my Gosh! I didn't even realise you were wearing your new knit! It looks so much like what you always wear!" Then she got all back peddely, and said that she meant that it looked store bought... I knew what she meant. I think that that is a great compliment.

I've made you wait long enough. Here is the obligitory blurry picture in the mirror shot. Heaven help us all.

it is so hard to take picuresof yourself! The collar is all turned weird, the hem looks uneven. trust me, it's a lot cuter in person. and less blurry.'

btw,
To explain the Mom and the weather thing:
Growing up, my brothers and I never watched the news, like most kids. We would bemoan going to school, and wish for snow days. My mom would say things like, "sorry, you'll have to get up, I'm not letting it snow tonight. " or "You look tired, I'll give us a delay tomorrow" Over the years, you actually started to believe that she could control it. She was never wrong! Also, the weather guy was an idiot. He was not from the area, and would predict snow from the west, and we never got snow whaen it came from the west. We were in a valley, and the snow would hit the mountains, then peter out before it got to us. She would know when to contradict the weather guy, so it always seemed that she was in charge!
Now it's a big joke. I call her and tell her to stop sending rain, or whatever, and she aways says, "I'll work on it."

Celebration Socks

I have finished my first pair of Socktopia socks! Yay go me! I am in absolute LOVE with this yarn! It is so soft and so pretty. I'm all gushy.


The details:
Name: Celebration Socks
Socktopia Theme: January; "Celebrate good times"
Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot, in Mountain Tango Colorway
Needles: KP size 1's
Pattern: my own toe up, over 60 stitches using a "traveling vine" lace pattern
Started: 1/2
Finished: 1/6

The Inspiration: 5 years ago I went on a cruise with my family in JANUARY, on the cruise ship CELEBRATION. We toured many beautiful places in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. When we docked at San Juan we decided to go on a tour of the rain forest. I chose my yarn because the colors remind me of the lush greenery of that day, and my lace pattern brings to mind the gorgeous exotic plants. I have many souvenirs from that trip, but the memories, and the constant loop repeat of the song "CELEBRATE" by Kool and the Gang on the ship, will be forever present in my mind to serve as reminder of my awesome trip to the Caribbean!

On the blockers.

A close up of the halo.

The vine Pattern.

Workin' for the weekend

Every once in a while I think to myself, "Yay! It's thursday! One day until the weekend!" Then I remember that I have tech this weekend. Poo. I shouldn't be unhappy about having Dress rehearsals this weekend, as I got to knit all of last weekend. Still, I like to be selfish every now and again. I do get to do an amount of knitting while I am in Tech, but it has to be easy-ish knitting that I can do in complete darkness - not the big challenging brain busting type of knitting.

Very unsatisfing.

I did have a bit of satisfication last night! I finished my Emerald Sweater up to the Neck Line.

I steamed the front edges today to make it easier to pick up the button band and collar. I am goign to work on it tonight at Sn'B. I have a BUTT LOAD of ends to weave in. I might work on that a bit this afternoon while I am waiting for return phone calls. Exciting, I know. But it must be done. Might as well do two uninteresting projects at the same time.

I am cranking away on my Socktopia socks. I'm almost finished with the ribbing on sock #1. I might get sock #2 cast on tonight. I can probably have my pair done for next Sunday or Tuesday. (Not Monday. No computer access that day.) I certainly won't be the first finisher for January, but I really like my socks. Hopefully so will others!

Well, tata! I probably won't be around for a few days. Tech can be hectic as hell, and I might not have time to update. (It can also be BORING as hell, and I'll be able to write a novel.)

I love a new KAL!

But you knew that, didn't you.
No, I haven't joined yet another one. I am just newly busy with Socktopia! I picked a theme, the yarn, the needles, and created pattern last night. I'm not going to give too much away, but I will tell you a few things...
The yarn is from my stash.

It is the first time I'm using this brand of yarn.
I'm using size 1 needles.

I'm working toe up.

That's it! (at least until I can't wait to tell someone something!)

In addition to all of the sock planning, I managed to get a few rows done on emerald. I hope to spend some quality time with her tonight. I want to get it to a place that I can try it on! I get so nervous about things fitting!

I also managed to do some work for the Red Scarf Project.
**reminder**
Anyone kntting for the project has until the end of this month to finish them and send them in!

Later Gator!

24!!!!! and most of a sweater!

I did it! I did it!! I finished 24 pairs in 1 year! I even took a picture of my watch to prove it.

As DH pointed out, my watch doesn't have a date on it, and for that matter, I could reset it, BUT... you'll have to trust me. I did it!!!!

The details:
Name: Seascape Twist socks
Stitch pattern: Melanie's twist
Yarn: Lorna's Laces in Seaside, 1 ball ( I have small feet people)
Needles: KP Classic Circs, size 0

I also made huge headway on Emerald. I am up to the raglan decreases!
It was like a knitting factory this weekend. I went cruising through both projects, saw a movie, watch a lot of tv, slept in everyday, and still managed to make it to WEBS! Aw yea. Knitting mecca.

Let's take a looky at what I got.

Yarn for a sweater for DH. It is called Knittaly by Colorado Yarns, and is Superwash. I got 15 balls of rust colored yarnyness awaiting a simple pattern - maybe with a vertical center motif.

Yarn for another sweater for DH. 15 balls of Arucana Nature Wool Chunky, for a sweater with a cabled yoke. I decided that if he doesn't like the yarn once I start knitting it up, it might be for me. hehe.

I also got two books. I am a book crazy person. If you saw my house you'd understand. DH and I have more books than any sane person should have. Yet, I keep getting more....
Anywho, I got Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls, a book I have wanted for some time, and an impulse book - Naughty Needles. DH likes Naughty Needles. He wants to know what I am going to make first. (grin)

Socktopia has officially started! Whoot! I got the challenge for January. There are three choices: "Celebrate Good Times", "Blue Monday", and "Snowflakes and Stary Skies". I have to pick one theme, or more I suppose, and knit a pair of socks by the end of the month. I am going to look at my stash tonight and see what I can come up with. I think I plan to post updates about my socks for this year long KAL, but not pictures until I have finished product. Kind of like a mystery.

That's it for now. See ya'll tomorrow!