Ta DAH!

The other day, I sat at work, not really working. (Hey, it’s summer. Whatever.) I noticed a little blue and green thing staring at me.
“stop looking at me.”
“no,” it said.
“I don’t care. Keep looking,” I said, “I’ll just ignore you.”
“Fine. I’ll just sit here, unfinished, and take up space.”
“I just worked on you! “
“Like hell you did! That was in May!”
“No way. Shut up, and go sit under that pile of resumes.”
“Nope. Not going to. I’ll gonna just sit and stare at you.”
“You are not next on the list, “I said.
“You’re not going in order!”
“I don’t have time right now.”
“Oh. LSG is more important than me. I see.”
I looked at the spot where the voice was coming from. Honestly, the blasted blob has been on my desk for so long, it has started to look like it might be part of the normal desk crap. You know- stapler, hole punch, tape, coffee mug, planner, half finished knitting project. It finally got to me. I had to finish it.
“damn you,” I said, “Now I have to sew.”
Sew I did. And sew, and sew and sew. Finally, Via diagonal came out!

Name: Diagonale
Pattern: Via Diagonale, from Knitty.com
Yarn: Farmhouse Yarns, Single ply worsted in avacodo, and Andy's Merino in Turgoise
Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 6
Notes: Umm. I started this so long ago, I hardly remember anything about it. It doesn’t help that I was on painkillers when I cast on for it. The first 6” were kind of created in a haze. I do remember that it was not easy knitting. Knitting with really thick yarn, on little needles is torture on the hands. I would describe it as “Bullet proof”.

Still, it wasn’t quite as stiff as I would have liked, so I lined it with plastic canvas before I lined it with fabric. The plastic canvas really made a difference. The lining fabric is a silk left over from a show, two seasons ago. It matched so well, I couldn’t resist. I found the handle at Joann’s. The handle selection at Joann’s has really increased recently – and in a very good way.

The slip stitch pattern is very easy to do. I recommend it for someone wanting to learn to do color work, but not ready to try Fair Isle. You still have to work with two colors, but you don’t have to hold two colors in your hands, at once.

Over all, I like the bag. Right now, I’m kind of over it. I have been looking at it for 9 months, after all. I’m ready to not see it all the time. I’m going to put it away until October, when I gift it, then I will probably love it! Vangie loves bright colors, so she should be thrilled, too!
I'm thrilled just to have #2 on the Summer knitting goals list completed.

WIp Thursday...wait. that's a sucky title

How about a project update?

I didn't get quite as much done on the Camisa sweater, as I had hoped, this past weekend. I did get the back finished, and am now picking up stitches for the front upper portion. Soon... soon... Anyhow, I like the back, and it all measures out in a good way, so I have no qualms about fit at this point. This is good. This point in the sweater proces is usually where I start worrying that it'll be too big, or too small, or that I'll run out of yarn. I am worried about running out of yarn. I always do. Everytime.

I have picked up the Mystic Waters Shawl again (Thanks Jenn). I tinked (and tinked), and reknit the row that was all jacked up. I went three pattern rows rows back, and moved 8 pattern rows forward, for a gain of five pattern rows. I want to wear this shawl to the Gala, so I have to get crackin'. I only have a chart and a half to go. Also, I didn't want to finish the Camisa before Thursday, or I would have nothing SnB suitable to work on. I plan my knitting life around SnB, evidently.

The purse is still in it's same condition. Someday I will finish it. Someday..

Sweater in a week!

I knit a sweater in a week! Sweet! Of course, it helps that it was bulky weight; has no pattern, color work, shaping, or "attention needed" parts in anyway; and that I had copious amounts of knitting time. You will also notice, I am not wearing it - it is blocking. I said I KNIT a sweater in a week, not finished a sweater. Just saying.

The pins are just so I get a really nice edge to sew the zipper to, and a nice edge on the hood casing. I really wouldn't need to pin it out for any other reason.

Just for Phoebe, I have an update on my diagonal bag:

Look! I made the stiffener! In another two months, I'll line it. Maybe

I totally lied

well, not really. I did finish the socks. I just forgot to bring them to work to block them. (ducks)

I know! How could I forget?! It's Monday, damn it. That's how.

SO instead, you'll have to wait *one* more day. I'll placate you with a picture of my current "take along" project, "Rainbow Twisted Tweeds".

Fun! This is the yarn I got last week on Etsy from Julia's Yarn. It was uber cheap - as far as yarn goes - and I'm really enjoying working with it.

Also, I finally blocked the via diagonal bag! yes, this was a Christmas gift. Now it will be a surprise Easter gift. (assuming I sew the lining in sometime in the next few weeks) sigh.

Here we go a waffling...

I love Christmas in some ways, but I hate, and I mean HATE the onslaught of Christmas music. I don't mind a little holiday music the week before Christmas, but I get over it really quick. It doesn't help that every commercial on TV uses said music too, making it impossible to escape. Tonight I heard "Here we come a Wassailing" like 10 times. I decided that it would be better as "Here we come a Waffling".
I understand the idea of "wassailing". Riding around in a sleigh w/ all your friends, drinking warm spiced wine at each others houses. In principle, this is my kind of evening of entertainment! However, horses smell - an necessary part of riding in a sleigh; it's cold this time of year, and sleighs are not heated - not to mention the drunk driving charges; and lastly, wine makes me blow chunks. (really one glass and I'm sick. Beer and hard liquor are cool. FYI)
Now think about this: Driving house to house w/ your friends, eating waffles. Of course there would be drinking - don't be crazy! But all that bread to soak it up! And waffles are yummy. And no horse smell, or cold to deal with. Drunk driving charges are still your own dumb fault.

just sayin.

I am making progress on the bag. Slow progress. It is knit at a really tight gauge, and therefore is rather hard on the hands. I have to put it down often, lest I get a tragic knitting injury. That cannot happen! I still have a lot of Holiday knitting to get finished!

Sock #2 is starting the gusset increases....

oh, and just cause, I picked up some more sock yarn. It is another I've never tried, which was the reason behind the purchase.

It is Ranco, by Araucania in color #103. pretty....

Size ten's are huge!

I know I already said this, but DAMN! No offense to my big foot sisters, I'm just not used to it. I mean, come on! This can't be right!

They measure correctly, I swear! Maybe it's because the socks I knit for DH are about the same size, but much wider, therefore, more proportionally like mine.

I really hope they fit, cause I don't want to reknit them. I'm loving the yarn - it's got great shine, and no split at all. Frankly, I love the pooling too. I might be the only knitter that does like it, but at least I admit it.

I also cast on for a bag last night. I needed a size 0 needles break. I am only two repeats in, but it is going well. Slip Stitch color work is EASY! Why did I wait so long to try this?!