Days off

Summer is so weird. I have so many vacation days to take in the summer - not that I'm complaining about how many vacation days i have - I'm hardly at work. Since DH and I do not have Internet at home, I really on my lunch and breaks to post on my blog. Since I haven't been at work too often, I haven't been posting too often. It's sad really.

I had a great time with my parents this weekend, although I was ready to see them go on Sunday. My mom especially, gets a "great idea" about decorating, then she finally leaves and you have none of the furniture you started the weekend with. ok. I'm exaggerating. In reality, I asked to borrow her carpet steamer to clean my living room furniture. When she left, I had cleaned furniture, slip covers, new pillows and blankets for the couch, a new rug in the living room, matching covered dining room chairs, new rugs in the bathroom, new sheets, replaced knobs on the hall closet, and replaced screen in the sliding glass door. It's good it was only 3 days. If she was here a week I'd have an addition on my condo.

Because of the "renovations", I didn't get to start on my Mystery Stole until Saturday Night! I cannot tell you how hard it was to wait. I finally cast on at around midnight, and promptly did the first chart. I forced myself to go to bed. Sunday yielded little progress, although there was some - it was filled with recovering my dining room chairs and replacing my screen door screen. Yesterday I finished clue #1! OMG I LOVE I SO FAR!!!

It isn't pinned out very well. Push pins do not stay in the couch cushions at all.

This is the border

The center motif is taking shape too.

You can hardly see my beads, as they match really well. It's ok though, I like them IRL. I am using a slightly larger beads than the designer, Melanie, calls for in the pattern. I was a tad concerned about it going in, but I actually like the size of them now. You'd never even know they were a a bit bigger unless you held them up to the smaller ones. Over all, a very good clue #1.

Since I had a day off, with no parents, and no moving to do (!) I decided to go shopping yesterday. "for what?", you may ask. "Why yarn of course!" Don't be silly.

At Dagmar's I picked up some sock yarn.

I have an itch to do some more color stranding, and thought the Kroy would work well. The bright blue was too much to resist.

Then I went off to Saybrook Yarn, and bought some of their clearance bags!

Two full bags of Cascade Pima Tencel. One in red and the other in purple. I think I have a plan for the red......

OMG! It's up!

It's hard not to get caught up in the frenzy of excitement. I get about 10 digests a day from the Mystery Stole 3 group, and the excitement is absolutely building. There are now 3,500 (!) people signed p for the group, and we still have a week until the group closes! All 3,500 people were getting antsy for the first clue, and the speculation was wild regarding the look and theme of the stole.

This morning the first clue was posted. After the initial OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!, another posting blitz happened with comments, questions, ideas... I'm in awe. Still, I felt myself getting sucked into the Malay. I can't even start until Sunday, why am i getting all worked up? Crowd mentality I suppose.

I have to tell yo, the first clue looks really awesome. I think we are doing a triangular start and finish to our stole! Cool!

I must go, parents await!

I'm moved!

Sweet! we go today to turn in our old keys, and are officially done with the three story walk up nonsense! Big thanks to our friends that helped us out on the blistering hot move day. We were excited to move in June, since our normal MO is JULY. "Oh it'll be cooler". right. We ended up in the 90's. Of course the 90 degree days were proceeded by a lovely run of 70's days, and are to be followed by another run of 70's days. ehh. What are you going to do? It's done now!!!

I am completely immersed in the unpacking portion of my adventure, and as my parents are coming to "help" this weekend, I need to do it quickly. No offense to my parents. They are lovely people, and I am always happy to see them, I just like to unpack my own stuff. I like to know where it all is. Picky, I know.

I am close to finishing the bedroom, and while DH is at work tonight, I think it will be my goal. hmm. This will be my first time at home alone in the new place! Sweet! The Living room needs some playing so the stuff fits in right. The current set up is a bit odd. Tweaking is in order. Unfortunately, we need to unpack the electronics to make this happen - they are currently in the middle of the floor, making all attempts at furniture arranging difficult, at best. The dining room is pretty set, but we are storing all the "crap with no home yet" in it. the Kitchen could be done in relatively short order as well, I just have to dig it out from under all of the bags of miscellaneous "small bits you don't want to lose". The bathroom is done. We even replaced the shower head, so as to go from "can peel the skin from your back" to "gentle rain". The office is no were near completion, and won't be for at least another week - if then. We moved 36 boxes of books. All of the boxes were at least milk crate size. That's a lot of books to reorganize and put away. Our friends were astounded by how many books we have. I mean SHOCKED. There were a lot of "I thought I had a lot of books" comments. Well, we evidently do not have enough, because we bought a couple more last night. (grin)

In all the moving madness, I've had some time to knit! really! The Sockapalooza socks are coming to an end! I'm so excited! They are very cool, and I want them for me!! Thankfully, my pal has longer feet than me, so I'm not tempted to keep them. They would be too big. whew. Sock crisis diverted.

I also received my first mail at the new place! and what mail it is!!!!!!

I slid it from the envelope...

unwrapped it....

It's my VESPER YARN!!!!! In the colorway Knit and Tonic! Oh my god! It is sooo pretty. resist! Resist! Don't cast on! I tucked it away - after much fondling - so I wouldn't be tempted my is seductive nature.

The MS3 clue comes out Friday, and I still have not swatched. There is a cast on Party in Windsor on Friday night. I wonder if I could talk my Mom and Dad into going. Maybe mom. Definitely not Dad. I still have to bring up SnB. My Mom might come along if I ask her. I don't want to miss it. It'll make me sad.

Lastly, take some time to fill out this poll from CNN. I wonder if we can make knitting #1?

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/leisure/your.picks/index.html

Whew. That's a lot of writing!

Cooked Tomato

Do you know how long it's been since I posted a FO?

Me neither. I realize I could look it up, but who cares anyway. I think it has been about a month. That's a long time for me.

After the sleeve disaster of last Thursday, I didn't have much time to work on this poor neglected object. Monday night, after doing a bit more packing, I found myself with some time to knit. (I should have done more packing, but tough cookies)

I got all but the ribbing done on sleeve #2. So I took this bad girl to work yesterday and knit during an ultra boring meeting. Go me! I finished her up, and set her out to block.

Behold the cotton-y-ness!

I still need to finish the end weaving (blech), but for all intents and purposes, it's FINISHED!

Pattern: Tomato from Amy Singer's "No sheep For You"
Yarn: Plymouth Fantasy Naturale

Needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable circulars

Notes: If you make this sweater, go for negative ease. I was a titch concerned about the cotton being too stiff and not stretching if I made the sweater with negative ease in mind. I was wrong. It is a bit too big - ok a lot. It's ok though. I chose to knit longer sleeves, and consider it a baggy "layering" sweater. Big and comfy. I would love to make this sweater again in a wool blend yarn - but this time using the negative ease principle. I also learned it impossible to take agood picture of yourself.

In other knitting news:

*I'm making good progress on the SP socks. I have reached another milestone.......

*I think I have finally moved all but my WIP basket to the new apartment.

*I keep buying stuff - I guess my Psyche feels the current apartment is too naked without all the fibery goodness, and wants to refill it. It is a hard row to hoe. I did cave in and bought some much coveted Vesper Sock Yarn! It's like trying to buy a breeze. The site gets refreshed ,and is sold out 20 minutes later. I have no idea how I got a skein, but I did! Now I just have to wait for it to arrive....

*I still haven't swatched for the the MysteryStole3. But, I bought beads and a small crochet hook for the project. I'm still undecided about using them ,but I figure if I have them, I am ready, should I decided I want to use them when clue #1 comes out.

Pretty eh? oh, and there really is a hook on the end of that needle. Hard to believe isn't it. I had a 7 that I thought was small. Not even close to this size 12.

Need a size reference? This is the #12 next to the head of a regular pin.

Squashed Tomato

I had a minor knitting disaster last night. Thanks to Pheobe, it wasn't a MAJOR yarn disaster! (whew)

I brought my Tomato along to SnB last night. I was in the "I'm finishing it!" frame of mind. I was kntting like a mad woman. People were getting drafts from the wind I was creating with my needle speed. ok. I MIGHT be exaggerating, but I was cranking along. Any how, I was nearing the halway finished with the sleeve point when Peopbe asked how the sweater was constructed. We discussed top down raglan construction, and I unwadded the sweater from my lap to show her what I was not explaining very well with my words.

"hmm" I said. "This sleeve looks like it is a different color."

"yes," she aggreed, "It really looks different."

"What the Hell?" I said. "Is this dyelot different?"

*costume chick roots out ballband - Thank goodness she is a packrat*

"OMG! It's not even the same colorway, let alone dyelot!"

fume fume fume. rip rip rip.

3 hours of knitting wasted on wrong color yarn. I wish I would have taken a picture of the half finished sleeve before I ripped it out. I knew I had to rip right then or i *might* be able to convince myself that the yarn was close enough. I really isn't. better off ripped out.

It is really weird how yarn works. In the ball or skein, I can't even tell it's a differnt color. But MAN could you tell knitted. I took this picture this morning:

In the ball i can't tell, and I KNOW it is the wrong color.

Thankfully, I have two more skeins of te correct color, so I can easily knit the other sleeve. My poor one armed sweater.

I am also waiting for my swatch to dry.

You guessed it! It is the swatch for the "bathrobe I won't shut up about". It appears my guage is off. poo. I need to go up a needle size to get better fabric, but I need a smaller guage for the pattern. I really like this yarn, so I am going to be doing some sub math. (duh duh DUH!) At this point, I am guessing that i will need to knit two sizes smaller than the one for my bust measurement. we'll see when it dries.

That's it for now! I'm going to be doing a lot of moving stuff this weekend. (joy) I hope to squeeze some knitting time in between car loads!

ps. check out the MS3 button! -->

you still have time to join!!!!

My wish to knit list

ok, so I have thoroughly perused the new Knitty. I have found several things I NEED to make. Now, this is of course in addition to the bathrobe I keep going on an on about, and the 75 million other things I am in love with. keep that in mind.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTunmentionables.html
Dude! Knit Pettipants! I have been thinking about a pair of pants like this for at least a year! I never made a pattern for them as I hadn't *really* thought it out. now I am required to make them! They are great! I will also be making a top to wear with them, so they can be PJs. 5 years ago I would have worn them all the time, but I have recently developed some modesty in my dress. Odd, I know. I can't wait to wear my "bathrobe I won't shut up about", with my knit pettipants and matching knit top. eee!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTsweetpea.html
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTcoupling.html
Of the 4 (!) sock patterns, these are my favorite ones. I can never have enough sock patterns. You know, I figure that if I am ever caught with out heat, or my wall falls in, I have enough printed out sock patterns to heat the house for 3 weeks. Or build a new wall. one way or the other.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTcoachella.html
I should not like this as much as I do. seriously. I don't think I could actually wear this. But I am compelled to knit it...... at least I don't have yarn for it. I'll maybe come to my senses before I knit it if I have to buy the yarn.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTtangerinetwist.html
this is the pattern the board is going crazy over. well, it and the pettipants. I am not feeling this one. It might be the collar I don't like. I just don't know. It feels too.... teachery? I'm going to reserve judgement until I see a few knitted up in the blogosphere. I might be inspires when I see someone Else's. Obviously others are seeing something I'm not.

Did I tell you I found more yarn last night? umm yeah. Moving is very, let's say -surprising-when it comes to really seeing all the stuff you have. really.

Ok. I refuse to think about the amount of crap I have, and how close my move date is anymore. back to knitting.

that makes my list:
1. sockapooza socks - WIP
2. tomato sweater - WIP
3. DH sweater of Doom - UFO yeah. I'll get back to it
4. MS3! (sign up's still open on Yahoo groups!) Start date June 29
5. Bathrobe I won't shut up about
6. knit petti pants!
7. shirt for with knit pettipants
8. elbow length gloves in cashmere for me
9. rayon table cloth - OMG! This yarn might work for Coachella! bad bad bad
10. log cabin bathroom rug
let's stop at 10. I don't keep a written list anywhere. I just put down the first 10 patterns that pop in my head. Obviously, they are the 10 I most want to make. or at least the 10 my wanderlust brain is centered on today.

Editing my post to add:

It CAME!! My yarn for the "Bathrobe I won't stop talking about"!!

Be prepared to "oo and ahh"

Check it out!!!

oo and ahh damn it! Ok. I understand that not everyone is excited as me, but you should be! It is super nice, soft yarn, and has a great shine to it. I cannot wait to work on it. Maybe it should be my "good job getting your tomato sweater and moving done" reward.

Patience

I am patiently waiting for Live Nation to load. I am trying to get tickets to OzzFest, and it is going SOOOOOOO slow. dang it! Just let me on already! This is the first day of ticket sales, and I think the site is overwhelmed. Crap!



I am also "patiently" awaiting the arrival of my rayon yarn for my Cheap-Ass version of the awesome bathrobe from "No Sheep for You". Not that I can even start on it until July, but I want to pet it! I want to lust after it! I just want to see if it will actually sub! I can swatch it - as I smartly did not move ALL of my needles yet. (smarty smart pants.)
Thie link to the (cross your fingers) sub yarn:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1lb-Bulky-Silky-Ivory-Rayon-Knitting-Craft-Crochet-Yarn_W0QQitemZ290118984650QQihZ019QQcategoryZ36597QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Again, in the patiently waiting category, is my "Tomato" sweater - also from "No Sheep For You". "Where is my second sleeve?", it keeps asking.

"Leave me alone. I'm moving", I keep saying.

"But don't you love me anymore" it whines.

sigh "Yes I love you. I just can't deal with you right now."

"O.k. I'll go back to the bottom of the basket."



Knitting guilt. I tell ya what.

Wooly Carp!

It has been forever and a day since I posted. Well it at least FEELS like it. SO much has happened in so few days.

Since last I left you, we had the Gala at work. I designed a rehearsal hall to the theme of "Illumination". I think it was very successful. Dh took pictures for me, as I had to be away doing other things. I wanted the pictures before the guests came in and filled the space, so he had to take them before it got completely dark out. In reality, the whole room glowed a candle flame orange. I had many compliments coming my way, and I am happy for it. I'm glad everyone had a good time, and enjoyed the surroundings.

I also debuted the FPS at the Gala! And DH took pictures to prove it!

The front view:

A back view: (oddly my tushy looks enormous in this picture. I choose to believe it is the angle, not the tushy)

I also got tons of praise about my FPS, along with a request to submit a lace piece for the silent auction next year! hmm. I maybe should have had him take the pictures in a decorated area, instead of in the ugly catch all of the costume shop.

Speaking of new lace projects, I signed up for the Mystery Stole 3! I had a ball last year with MS2, and can't wait to knit another one. I printed out the welcome info, and am patiently awaiting the arrival of the first clue! I even have yarn in the stash that will work for this piece!


For those of you who don't know what the MS3 is, check out the hosts' blog: http://www.pinklemontwist.blogspot.com/ . Come on! You know you want to join me!!!

Let's see, what else... I finished one sleeve on my Tomato sweater. Thank freaking god! I fell as though I have abandoned the sweater. In reality, with the hurt wrist and the busy-ness, I just haven't been able to work on it. Maybe I'll get the other sleeve done soon! Well, at least before the fall.

I am also working away on my Sockapalooza socks! I have just started the leg on the first one!! I refuse to post a picture, BUT, I will give you a peek!

Look away Secret pal, lest you see the sock!

Either the color is slowly burning out my rods and cones, or I am getting used to the bright pink. Either way, it is certainly the brightest project I have ever worked on. Well, except my Gala room. - it was also this color, along with neon orange and yellow. eh hem. I'm amazed that my world is not in black and white now.

Oh, and as you know, Saturday was WWKIP day. Which to you non-knitters is "World Wide Knit in Public Day". I did KIP, but not with a group, sadly. I knit on the 6 train between Westchester Ave and Grand Central. And at the Staten Island Ferry Station. Not too much KIP, at least for me, but enough to feel I participated.

I intended on taking the day off from moving yesterday and just sit and knit. Preferably on the beach. It was all cloudy and threatening to rain yesterday, so DH and I took a drive instead. We went to the giant Borders and bought books. We are moving! We DO NOT need more books! Yet, we bought more books. sigh.

I added Mason Dixon Knitting to my collection. I am inspired by the rugs and lack of planning the authors advocate. I like his approach to crafting in general. See where it takes you! I don't know if I'll knit any patterns directly from the book, but I'll certainly use the projects as "jumping off points". In grad school we talked about "Jumping off points" a lot. Like using a photo as color inspiration, or a shape as a major theme in a design. Spring boarding your ideas is another term for it. I like to do this when I knit. I guess tat is why nothing ever turns out *just* like the pattern. I always adapt and modify. too bad too sad. I like me this way!

Another giant post from Costumechickland. I distinctly hope to be more postalicious in the next few weeks, even through the move. (Wish me luck.)

My new condo

I like saying that. It makes it sound like we bought it. It is technically a condo, but we didn't buy it. we are renting from the owner. oh well. It still sounds good.
I snapped a few pictures last night. we have been moving a few things in, and cleaning up the past few days. The owner is elderly, so the cabinets need a good scrub, as well as the appliances and doors. I think she just couldn't get down to really clean anymore. It's ok. I always clean before I move in anyway. I don't care if they *just* cleaned that morning. *I* didn't clean it.

Like any apartment, there are some repairs to be made, but nothing we can't handle. Also, we need to have a medicine cabinet, and some shelving in the closets, so we did a bit of measuring. I like all the possibilities that surround a new apartment. Where do you put the couch? Can the bed go over there? How many bookshelves will fit on that wall?

Part of the reason for the l o n g moving process is that we have time to make it happen. i hate the feeling of snap moving. You are here, then SNAP! You're there. I like to ease the transition. we are moving a car load a night. a nice reasonable amount of work. It's also nice that we can make a pile of packed boxes that are next in line to go, so after we remove those boxes the next night, we have floor space to pile the next set. the goal is to unpack everything we can before we move the heavy stuff. Like the kitchen cabinets, hanging clothing and bathroom - save stuff we need to keep around for the final two days in the old apartment.

Once we get past this weekend, the "moving in earnest" process starts. Count down to M-day. We are making the move official on June 25. For those paying attention, that is two weeks from Monday!

so, here are the pictures!

The master bedroom. Not very exciting, but...

A walk in closet is!!

The second bedroom - our office.

The living room, looking into the kitchen and dining room

off the balcony

The dining room and kitchen, from the balcony

and the bestest part! A washer and dryer!!

SO there are pictures of the walk-in closet in the living room, or the bathroom. But you get the idea!
Sorry, no actual knitted stuff. I can't really show pictures of the socks or my Socakpalooza pal, and my tomato sweater has halted. (I hurt my wrist, and I can't knit on the heavy-ness of the sweater with out pain. So it is 1.5 sleeves from being done... :(

BUT, I can show you my packed up knitting stuff!

AHHH! These is so much of it!!

I have to be honest.

That's not all of it.

(eep)

I still have a couple of shopping bags of yarn, and a chest of yarn yet to move. hmm. I might need a yarn diet.

I can start next week. I just bought the yarn for an amazing bathrobe from NSFY! When it gets here, there will be pictures!! (and, no. I did not buy the yarn with the $450 price tag. I bought a sub for less than $50!)

Tomorrow, I hope to take pictures of my latest scenic project - a room at the Gala, and on Monday, there will be pictures of the finished FPS, modeled with my gown!

New socktopia themes

It is June already!! Time is just flying by, and I'm no closer to landing. Actually, I seem to be ramping up in speed and altitude now. One week until the gala! One week until work calms the heck down, and I can just worry about moving. Speaking of which, I officially take possession of the new place at noon today! (eep!) I want to move an inaugural ---- load in tonight. I want to run the dishwasher and the washing machine! I want to grill on the balcony! Frankly, I want to pull a "bewitched" and be done with the process, but what are you going to do?

Tonight I want to get some real packing done, and start on my SOCKPAL's Socks. Speaking of which, I ave decided which June Socktopia theme to use - "Summer in the City"
the rest of the theme choices are:
"Here comes the Bride"
"The Equinox"
"Not another Tie!!"
"Orient Pearls fit for a Queen,
will I give thy love to wing
And a shell to keep them in" - John Fletcher, The Faithful Shepherdess

Last night I got the ribbing done on the hem of my Tomato Sweater. I just have sleeves to do! I have plenty of yarn, so I think I am going to make 3/4 sleeves./ Most of my shirts are 3/4 sleeves, and I think they suit me best anyway. Frankly, I probably will wear my tomato most in the fall and spring, and I get chilly easily.
Well folks, till Monday!

Finished Object and a Meme!

First off, I finished some socks!

Details:

Name: Birthday Socks

Yarn: Louet Sales Gems Pearl

Needles: KP circulars in Size 0 and 1

Pattern: My Own toe up

They are my second submission for Socktopia in May, this time under the theme "May Flowers". I call them my Birthday socks, and this is why: My Birthday is in May, and using the day, year, month, and my age, I came up with all of the numbers in my pattern! I cast on the year I was born. The lace pattern is repeated 5 times - as May is the 5th month. There are as many rows of ribbing as I am old. And it goes on. I chose the lace pattern - Lily of the Valley, because it is my favorite flower AND the May flower. Fun!

Notes: I like this yarn. This was my first time using it, and I'd do it again. (Good thing since I have another socks worth at home in Lavender.) It isn't my favorite sock yarn I've ever knit with, but it is definitely not the worst! Nice middle of the road - and in Solid colors!!

A close up of the lace:

The modeled shot:

I've also made progress on my Tomato sweater.

I've been slowed done quite a bit on the sweater production. We are getting ready to move. Just across town, but you still have to pack and clean and crap. I've been trying to reward myself for packing with a "pack some knit some" type system. It doesn't work too well.

I am also patiently waiting for June to start my Sockapalooza socks. Only two more days!

I suppose since I will be moving in June, and I will mostly be working on my Sockapalooza socks when I have time, I will have a boring blog. I think it might be the time for me to work on the housekeeping around here. I'll work on how to make progress bars, and make lists of FO's and wish knits. I can dream, can't I?

Ok. on to the Meme.

Pheobe tagged me for this one. I am to tell 7 little known facts about myself, and tag 7 more people. (The last bit is the hard part.)

1. I have two implanted things on my body. No they are not my breasts! They are my teeth beside my front teeth. They were growing in upside down, and as a kid the dentist removed them. I had the implants put in in High School.

2. I know how to drive a frontend loader, Dump truck, and back hoe.

3. I listen to music that most people hate. Country and Heavy Metal. My favorite band of all time is Metallica, and I listen to more Toby Keith than I probably should.

4. I am part of the 1993 Pennsylvania State Square Dance Champion team. I secretly still love to square dance and Line dance.

5. I watch professional wrestling on Friday nights. It's just like watching a soap opera, only with Heavy metal music, pyro effects, and additional punching. Hey! It's a Connecticut industry! I'm supporting my local economy!

6. I love goat cheese and fresh mozzarella. Add tomatoes to it, and I will order it. You are guaranteed that I will choose an item on a menu because of tomato's and either of those two cheeses. Literally. I scan the menu for any of those three words and am almost certainly going to order the entree with at least one of them in it. Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I ate something for lunch or dinner without a tomato in it.

7. If I suddenly became wealthy, I'd still be a costumer, since I love it, but I'd live in St. Thomas. Ok. That's no secret, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case anyone wants to give me a bundle of money to live out my dream.

Well folks, that's it!

I'm tagging the following people:

Debi http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/
Emma http://stitchnsue.blogspot.com

Trillian42 http://katydidknits.blogspot.com/

Knitting Therapy http://knittingtherapy.blogspot.com/

Romi http://rosemarygoround.blogspot.com/

Janette http://knitavenue.blogspot.com/

emilee http://emileeknits.wordpress.com/

Hey! Today is the blogaversary of my first "real post"! Go me! Is started the blog on May 3, but didn't post anything until 20 days later. It's hard to imagine going 20 days now.
And i thought I'd run out of stuff to say...

Sockapalooza Spoiler!!

If you are my sock pal, you will see the yarn for your socks in this post! It will be the last thing I show. Be warned!!

Ahhh. I have some time to update my blog. Sweet.

Did I tell you what I found at a flea market? A giant garbage bag of yarn!! I have some pictures.

this is the wool/ animal fiber pile:

This is the cotton pile:

Can anyone say "score!!!!!"????

Along with the annibervisday - which was great, btw! Red Lobster - YUM! - DH and I went to visit DH's dad this weekend. It was a good visit. we spent a lot of time just talking, so I got a lot of knitting finished. bonus!

I took along my Tomato sweater. The pattern is out of "No Sheep for You" by Amy Singer, and it is my first cotton sweater. I don't knit a lot with non-wool fibers, so I really like this book. It has great info, and is making me feel inspired to expand my knitting world. I have reached the fair isle section of the pattern. It is my first time doing stranded knitting as well. Two firsts in one go!! It is a lot easier than I thought it would be. I've wanted to do color work for a while, and picked up one of those handy stranding gadgets on clearance once. I've now officially put it to good use.

From all of my blog reading, this sweater picks up speed after you hit the body part. The sleeve increases felt like they took AGES. I am ready to increase speed!

I also took along my Birthday socks. I have the foot of #2 finished. They will be done before the end of May! A bit late for my Birthday, but still in my B-day month!

Then, on Monday night I took DH to a YANKEES GAME!! He has wanted to go for, well, forever! His anniversary gift was a baseball themed gift bag. It included, a Yankees T-shirt, peanuts, cracker-jacks, binoculars, an MP3 player loaded with his favorite songs (and gets am/fm radio to listen to the game), and two tickets for the train & game! It was even the big rival game between the Red Sox and the Yankees!!! Who is the best wife ever?!

Yesterday we went apartment hunting again. Blech. Stupid apartments. we can't seem to rent anything before someone else does. We;ll see how the application goes for the one we saw yesterday. I like it, and I want this process to be over. I need apartment vibes!

We also went Geeking! DH to is store in New London, and I to the Yarn Barn in Woodbridge, followed by Saybrook yarn in Old Saybrook. Why, yes. I did by yarn!

In woodbridge I picked up some contrast yarn for the tomato sweater. you can see that above. Not terribly exciting, but needed. Did I mention that the idea of a "Blue tomato" makes me smile every time I think it?

In Old Saybrook I found tres' wonderful yarn.

evidently, Brown Sheep is putting out a new Yarn called "Serendipity Tweed". It is 60% cotton, and 40% wool. The wool is dyed a slightly lighter shad and twisted with the cotton. The result is a tone on tone tweed. I, of course, bought a skein. I must try it!

I also cannot resist Trekking. I bought colorway 100.

Finally, I bought yarn for my Sockapalooza Pal's Socks!

Look no further Secret Pal, unless you want to see your sock yarn!!

I'm not kidding!!

PELLIGRO!!

You asked for it!

wow. Sure is pink!!

Ahhh. updated feels so good.

My Blogaversary is coming up!

I am officially one year older. My Birthday was yesterday, and DH's the day before. We get to grow older together - literally. Also, our 10th anniversary is today! Yes, I said 10th. We will have our traditional Red Lobster tonight in celebration. yum. The SnB people will just have to be with out me tonight, but Ann will understand. After all, it is Red Lobster!
My blogaversary is sometime around my birthday. So it is soon! I'll have to find out exactly when...
I am making a modicum of progress on my Tomato Sweater. I am using this yarn:


I got it in a swap on Knitty. I am not used to using cotton, so I don't knit very much at a time. I like top down sweaters though. They are easy to see if they are going to fit. The pattern is written with a contrast design. I can't decided if I want to do that or not. I don't have another color of this yarn to do the design, so I'd have to order some. hem haw. hem haw. hem haw.

I have stalled on the Birthday socks. I have been working on my end of season gifts for my staff, and candle making is time consuming. who new? Anyhow, I am finished with them now. Tomorrow they will be handed out, and I will not see my people for 3 months. All alone at work. I expect that I will get a lot done this weekend, as we are going to DH's Dad's house this weekend. we will spend a lot of time sitting and visiting. Socks and easy sweaters are good knitting for that kind of weekend.

Tomorrow I hope to post a picture of my Staff gifts, and maybe an update about the sweater. Then I will be gone until Wednesday next week. ahh. Time off. sweet.

May Socktopia Socks

My May submission for Socktopia is under the "Yikes, Stripes!" Category. I had a lot of fun knitting these! Why did I enter them in "Yikes, Stripes!". hmm.... let me see... could it be the STRIPES!? Well, and what is more "May" like then these colors? Come on!

The details:
Pattern: Cable Rib Socks from Favorite Socks, from Interweave Press.
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Multiringel
Needles: Knit Picks Classic Circulars, size 0 and 1
Notes: I really like the finished look of these socks. The yarn was very fun to knit, as the stripes never got boring! The stripes were incredibly even. I usually cannot get my socks the same from foot to foot - no matter how hard I try. These came out perfectly!! I got a little bored with the ribbing eventually, but it was a perfectly easy pattern to knit in the dark. Overall, a very successful sock project.

I am half way through my Second Submission for May Socktopia. One sock down! I am also starting the "Tomato" Sweater from "No Sheep for You". See? I finshed up all of my projects at the same time, so I had to start a bunch more. I cannot work on just one at a time. :?

Completed Forest Path Stole!

The specs:

Name: Forest Path Stole, from Interweave Knits

Needles: Size 3, Knit Picks

Yarn: Zephyr in Basil

Started: Februaury 1, 2007

Finished: May 7, 2007

Notes: I learned Entrelac to knit this puppy, and I don't regret it. I love this stole. I shortened it by several repeats, and it still blocked to 77" long. That is plenty long enough for me, as I am 5'2". It also measures a generous 31" wide. So worth the work!

Blocking:

A Close up:

Next time, pictures of it dry and displayed, and my May Socktopia Socks!

My Sockapalloza pal already figured out who I am!

I sure to suck at being a secret! Maybe someday I will be better at it.
I guess now I will have to be all clandestine with my posts. Only showing little glimpses of the socks in process. sneaky sneaky
I am almost done with my first pair of May Socktopia socks. I will finish them up today. I will also finish up my FPS today!!! I only have 21 rows and a bind off to get through yet!! Tomorrow will be blocking pictures from both projects!!
I finished up the knitting on my staff gifts as well. As of this evening I will be officially "project-less"!! This never happens to me! Thankfully, I have a very big stash. crisis avoided.
I think my next project is some birthday socks for me. My Birthday is on the 16th, and I want some Lilly of the Valley socks. It is my birth month flower, and also my favorite flower. I'm not sure how nupps in the round will work, but, I'm gonna give it a shot. If I finish them in May, they will also count as a second pair of Socktopia socks!
I don't know what my next big project will be. I kinda want to do a sweater - slightly impractical as we are headed into summer. Maybe some more lace?? There are so many projects I want to knit. I'm a bit overwhelmed.

I had to knit all day for work.

Yup. I did. Granted it was a 2x2 rib scarf, but it was still knitting at work - for work! I knit at work frequently anyway, but the chance to do it for a "requirement" was awsome.

FPS update

Really, I AM working on it!

I have finished the right side border!!

Seed stitch is, well, not very interesting to look at. Frankly, not interesting to knit either, but, whachyagonnado? I have decided that it will premier at the Gala this year. (My work's big black tie fund raiser for the year) I'm so excited to finish it!

I'm headed into, yet another, tech this weekend. I'll be switching over to socks for the duration. The Seed stitch is easy enough to do in the dark, but the dark green is not the best choice. Light colors are way better.

In other knitting news...

I got my Sockapalooza swap pal's info yesterday!! She doesn't have a blog, so no blog stalking for me. (frown) But, she is a fine artist! Her flicker page is amazing! I have to pick a pattern and yarn worth of an amazing sculptor. I'm thinking knee highs...

I'm working away on some Socktopia socks right now. I know this pair won't last through tech, so I am planning another pair. I was going to start my Sockapalooza's, but I think I need to think on them a bit more. (I also need more information from my pal)