Just in case anyone still checks this, I've started updating over at my Typepad blog, http://hippygoth.typepad.com, so if you want to see anything new, check over there!

I have a ton of yarn coming over the next couple weeks. I went a little crazy, and ordered FAR MORE yarn than I really should have. And a swift, to boot. But I'm really excited about it. Tonight I'm considering casting on for a few sample stitches of MY wedding shawl. Once I'm unemployed I need to really, really work on Jenn's wedding shawl, and the one I had HOPED to wear to her wedding. The first of November is creeping up faster and faster....

I started a new kureyon diagonal scarf, possibly for another stepsister or something. I may keep it myself, but then, maybe I should make one to match the Rosedale I'm planning...I asked the guys at threadbear to let me know when they get their Noro in, so that I can order what I need for Rosedale.

I am hoping to start the wave and shell shawl for Matt's grammy soon. I have some mohair yarn that I thought of using, but I may get something else, something synthetic, so that it isn't really a high maintenance thing.

I'm also really curious to know when the mouseathon raffle is going to happen...I have bad luck with winning things, so I kinda doubt I'll win something, but I am really curious.

Alright, another slack, no pictures entry, but I hope to fix that soon!

I'm getting full in the swing of holiday knitting. At least in my head, I am.

too busy for more of an entry, just some links.


blog:
keyboard biologist

other links:
gorgeous brooches
knitter's symbol fonts - link thanks to creative soul confessions
apple laine handpaints...i want some!

potential christmas presents to knit:
* blackberry ridge's a week in the life of a knitter's cat scarves, made out of silk or mohair blend yarn
* heritage cotton rayon yarn and silk rayon...possibly the landscape shawl?
* cherry tree hill laceweight merino

Mad, crazy knitting weekend, yo! I'm pretty happy. On Saturday I finally got around to felting the water bottle holder and the Kureyon Booga Bag I just finished. I was not originally happy with the Kureyon...it seemed to me like there was still too much stitch definition, but it dried pretty dense, so I'm okay with that. I'll post pictures, soon! As for the water bottle holder, well, the strap was just an eensy bit too long, because, as I figured but didn't compensate for, double knitting doesn't quite felt down as small as regular knitting. I do like the double knit strap, though. Thick and strong. The water bottle part itself is just a tiny bit too long, more of a liter bottle of water sized than nalgene bottle of water sized. But it came out pretty good for the first pattern I ever came up with, and with some tweaking it should be ready to be posted soon. Hoorah!

I made a couple more mousies this weekend, bringing my total to 5. I have 4 Kool-Aid dyed mousies, and one leftover Kureyon mousie. I had 2 purple Lamb's Pride mousies, but they have disappeared into the ether. Just as well. Virgil is pretty darn jealous of all the mousies and catnip that are NOT for him. If I find the other 2, I can stuff them for him!


Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! (purls before swine)

Lifelong Knitter

My Glass House

finished 2 scarves on saturday. the 80's fuzzy scarf and the silk garden diagonal scarf. the 80's scarf has already gone to live with my friend kelly, and the silk garden scarf needs ends woven in. i think this will be going to a stepsister or stepmother. virgil (the cat) has been trying to eat the ends that i haven't woven in yet.

i realized that i need to get the mousies stuffed and mailed out, like, right pronto, as well as the baby hat and socks i knit for my cousin rachelle's baby aurelia, who was born (yikes!) a whole month ago. i doubt the hat will fit the baby, but the socks still might!

i've been working on the booga j noro bag for my mom's christmas present. i'm calling the color "the great pumpkin." it's black, brown, orange, teal, and burgundy. the bright orange stripes are what are the most noticable, and the other colors are just so autumnal. i'll tell you what...i'm not looking forward to making 6 feet of i-cord! i have another 3 skeins in another colorway that may end up being a bag for me, or the start of rosedale, or for someone else. haven't decided yet.

should have been posted yesterday, but my computer at work wasn't cooperating.

not a very knitty-ing week. i've been working a little on some scarves while at work, but at home, haven't been doing all that much knitting. taking notes and typing is staring to put a little strain on my wrists. i'm going to try and get to web's this saturday to see if they have more copper quest, and see what prices they have on a swift, because i really do need one. if it's more than KnitPicks, i might just suck it up and order from KnitPicks, since i wouldn't have to pay shipping, and i could order more quest at the same time. i think i'm also going to pick up some sock yarn to make some mittens and/or gloves. i haven't made any yet, but i think i can handle it :). it would be nice to make some for me and my sister.

i like the new knitty, and i've picked up the new cast on and the new knitters. here are the highlights from them all:

knitty - love,love,love the Noro jackets, particularly rosedale. don't know if it's big enough for me.

cast on - as usual, the articles are interesting, and the projects are lame. i really like the fibonnaci article, and the zipper article. they way i feel about knitter's reminds me of what some people say about playboy - "I buy it for the articles, I swear!" Though I like the Shipton Aran Cardigan and the Diagonal Rib scarf. the article about short-rows is okay, and the bulky raglan cowl-neck makes me think of my sister. I wonder if wool ease thick and quick would have the same guage? i could make it for my sister

Knitters - i like a couple of the arans, the lavold vest, the lavold article, and the sock article. i'd like to try those socks.

Phew. I haven't updated in a while. I will admit my sordid little secret. I was sucked into the world of Stargate SG-1 fan fic, and spent all my free time at work reading it. (If anyone else shares a Sam/Jack obsession, check out my links blog!)

But that' doesn't mean that I haven't been knitting along. I finished the front of the Berocco top, only to realize that a) it's huge b) didn't need those short-rows and c) they're in the wrong place anyway. So I need to un-seam it (and I had just hit mattress-stitch zen, too. *pout*) and then rip it back to where I added the short rows. The short rows were a great idea, and I get how they work now, but I didn't need them for this project. Perhaps for the languishing Sigma tank in intermezzo chunky cotton?

I'm excited about the new knitty. My librarian geologist buddy, Kate, is thrilled with the Hoover blanket. I'm digging it too, as double-knitting is something I just figured out how to do, and have figured out a million different ways it could be useful.

Well, I meant this to be longer, but I don't think it's going to work out that way. Bear with me. This will turn back into a real blog soon enough, complete with photos. Er, eventually.

links:

* bruxknits
* the knitting purse...featured in knitty. i saw it in knitpicks, and desperately want it.
* www.thesmooch.com

The realization that Jenn is getting married in less than 2 months has spurred me into winding up yarn to start her shawl. I will say right now, for the record, that Quest is a BITCH AND A HALF to wind, even by hand. It is just too slithery to stay in its proper skein, so it is loose and knotted before you even begin. Luckily the yardage is positively dismal, so it didn't take as long to wind as it would have if it were, say, Cascade 220.

I've decided that my major projects right now are the 80's scarf (I'm 70% done with it right now) which is made out of some weird novelty yarn I got at A.C. Moore, the Berroco tank top, Jenn's Shawl (I think I'll name it Penny), and my travelling project is the never-ending Koigu socks (as opposed to Matt's neverending Wildfoote socks). Most of these things are almost done. I'm just about to the heel on the Koigu socks, just need to decide whether I'm going to attempt short row heels or regular heels. The scarf if just garter stitch, and going to be added to my christmas pile. After I finish Jenn's shawl, I need to start on Matt's Grammy's shawl, and after I finish my tank top, I need to start making Kureyon bag for my mom. Whew! I'm psyched about all my projects, but starting to get a little nervous about finishing them all in time for Christmas.

Work is slow today...got past the heel on the ancient neverending Koigu sock. Pictures to come eventually.


Yarn
fixation bulky

Blogs to add to the list
Lifelong Knitter
squiblog

Patterns
fuzzy kid's pullover from Lion Brand
Kim Salazar of Wise Needle has this sock pattern up...very useful for short-rows!
Shapely Tank link for more short-rows!

Oh goodness. Not a lot of knitting news lately. I finished up the water bottle holder, but have yet to felt it. I have taken all the pre-felting measurements, so we'll see how that works out.

I'm a little disappointed. Here it is, September, and I never finished my tank top. Bad Jenn! I've not only forgotten about it, but I've moved on to the Aspen top down sweater. Very Bad Jenn! Though, I may finish off the tank top, because I'm just so darn close. This weekend I need to swatch for the other Jenn's wedding shawl, maybe wind some yarn and make tiny mock-ups. Tonight is killer...this is the day I work, then go to class from 5:30 to 9:30. I think I'm going to cheat and skip out of work at noon, since I have so many other things to do at school than just go to class. I need to get my books, a parking sticker, and a picture ID.

links
* free rebecca patterns
* not knitting, but sewing...denim throw
* try this hat for my brother
* eyelash trim shell

elann wish list....
8 balls of den-m-nit
swallow needles in 5, 6, 7 - 12"
swallow dpn's in 1.5, 2
pakucho...6 Natural, 2 Vanilla, 2 Vicuna, 2 Cafe, 2 Chocolate, and 2 Avacado (if they ever bring it back)...though it looks like they are running out of the brights. :(

To move to my Typepad blog...

At My Knit's End
Much Ado About Knitting
Pioneer Woman with a Cell Phone
Have a Cup of Tea

train of thought knitting entry:

extreme hedonism neck wrap - good knit gifts, maybe for Matt's mom?

Furlana & 12" circ, 3mm
Furlana - $9
Furlana - $8.50

cascade 220, looks like some quatro, too - $6.75

furlana - $9

Silky Wool, $6.95 a skein

considering ordering some patterns(these and these) from Naked Sheep, yarn from Elann, and making some lace scarves...on Elann, there is the GGH Merino Soft, Den-M-Nit for another Tasha, Skyline, Cabotage, Klimatika ...and of course, Pakucho. I have a naturally multi-colored cotton sweater from L.L.Bean from years, and years, and years ago. It's machine knit, fair isle, very very thin yarn. But all the colors are very much like the Pakucho yarn. The lovely geekpixie suggested that I remake the sweater, or make an "inspired by" sweater. Something about fair isle, in pieces, in cotton is kind of scary...but tempting all the same.

Lets see, I would need lots of Natural for the main part, with a few skeins of everything else. It's so, so tempting. I could probably get a really great cardigan out of it for about $60...maybe. Maybe. Though, I am sad that there is no more Avacado...(which looks spelled wrong, but I don't think it is). A little bit of green goes a long way.

man, i lust after the long life kimono, and i've wanted the floral gathering sack since i first saw it...

http://www.perunaturtex.com/yarn.htm

koigu P136 looks like Crusoe sock candidates to me..

I still want the "I'd rather be knitting." knitty bag..I'm feeling a shopping spree coming on...Elann and knitty and FuzzyMabel??

Great idea from Wendy...the accessory box for yarn...

just some links...

Hiawatha stole

Jamieson's Lace Weight and more Jamieson and Smith Wool - I'm thinking L1A for wedding shawl....

considering this...

Had a great visit with Amber, the geekpixie. I was too lazy to go out on Saturday night, so she came to me while everyone else was gaming! We talked about everything, but quite a bit of it was knitting. There was even talk about a knitting-inspired road trip for when I'm unemployed...

What I need right now is some project priotitization...right now #1 on my list is finishing that water bottle holder...I need to perfect the pattern so I can post it for anyone interested, and see if I want to make a couple for my sister, and my buddy Kelly, and whoever. #2 is Tasha...just because I'm so close to being done that I want to be done. #3 is Jenn's wedding shawl, though that of course means I actually have to figure out what to do. I suspect it will be sideways, like the Tartelette shawl, with a stripe of gold in the copper...it's the new Berroco yarn, Quest, and it's wicked soft and liquid. I suspect I'll need bamboo needles for this puppy. The colors I'm calling copper and gold are probably "Rose Glow" and "Polished Copper" respectively. Hard to tell on my monitor.

I want to make Matt's Grammy a shawl for Christmas, and I was sniffing through my stash. I found 3 balls of Mohair Classic, in a nice sage-y color. I may end up carrying it along with something, but I'll try doing just a mohair shawl first. Perhaps even the Wave and Shell Shawl?

I still have tons of WIPS that I'd love to finish, along with all those other projects for the Christmas season. I have yet to finish a sweater for myself, so I think the easiest to get done would be the top down Aspen raglan. I dug it out of the dresser today, just in case. I'd also like to finish Matt's Noro scarf and the Wildfoote socks, so I can think of something else to make for him. Those are also dug out of the dresser. Now...if I can just find the pattern I'm following for the Aspen sweater...

quick links

Hat Calculator

http://carrie.prettyposies.com/

http://www.supereggplant.com/

http://www.sege.blogspot.com/

http://tricoquelicot.com/

Kate, Amber, (and Sarah and Heather)...all the knitters I know in real life...I think we should have a knitalong. I don't know what...either something we all want, or something christmas present-y to get a jump on the holidays. I'm jealous of all the knitalongs going on. I want to make myself a bulky cardigan, but I think I really have other things I SHOULD be making. Scarves, mittens, etc? I have no less than 3 shawls coming up on my plate...one for Jenn, one for Matt's grammy, and one for me...

Also, for a while I'll be mirroring this at my TypePad site, which is http://hippygoth.typepad.com, until I get this all worked out.

Sigh, blogger is being frustrating again. This happened before...I made a bunch of template changes, saved them, republished the blog, and 24 hours later, GONE. I just added the bit of referrer code on the right, and had to add it back in this morning. Shortly I believe I'll be going over to TypePad, once I have the template the way I want it. I'm impressed by the archive importing tool. Hopefully I can get it to work, and get it up on my actual hosted domain. Wouldn't that be cool? Just the way I want it.

No more knitting progress to report since this morning. Haven't had time at work. Man, I'd love to finish some projects this week, but I don't know if it's going to happen. I'd especially love to finish the koigu socks, but I have quite a way to go, depending on how long I decide to make the cuffs. I need to make some more mousies, too. I made 2 already, but haven't stuffed them, and they got lost in the move. Drat. Ur, Dmouse?

I've been on a U.F.O kick lately. I've been thinking of all the things I've started and I'd like to finish, like my Aspen sweater, and my Koigu socks, and the red/black RockStar scarf I'm making for Morgan in Korea. I'm also WAY into getting Christmas presents started...I'm 1 skein into the diagonal scarf, and I started Roxanne out of some Hip-Hop I got on sale. Let me tell you - Hip-Hop does not survive ripping nearly as gracefully as Aspen.

I'm down to just the strap on Tasha, and just the strap on my water bottle holder. If I get them done soon, I can wash them up on Friday or Saturday, then sew up Tasha, and see how my felting experiment came out. I finished Jane in time for the munchkin's birthday, but, sadly, didn't get a picture, or get to see her and her mom open it. I'll send them a note begging for a picture later.

blog links:
dogsstealyarn
Grammar Avengers Web Ring
Bron's Blog

Cabling in cotton is exhausting. I'm doing the strap for Tasha, and the cable is kinda not coming out, but kinda coming out. Mostly it's due to my elementary cabling skills, and the unforgivingness (is that really a word? kinda awkward) of the denim yarn. Gaps where I don't want 'em, and squished together cables around tight purl stitches. I'm hoping that the more repeats I do, the better it will look.

Well, this Saturday is my niece's birthday, and I'm still plugging away on Jane, hoping to get it done in time. I kinda want to finish Tasha, too. It reminds me of the day before the baby shower for Madison - I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish the little garter stitch hat I made for her. It was a sound decision, though...she still wore it when I saw her at Christmas that year. Hurrah for the stretchiness of garter stitch!

Links grabbed from other blogs:

Bonkers Fiber

A Week in the Life of a Knitter's Cat

Shelridge Farms

Brainylady's blog

just a few links:

http://www.kangaroo.uk.com/
http://moonglitter.net/knitfemme/
http://myglasshouse.typepad.com/

Aw man, I'm cranky today. Broke one of my size 6 plastic straight needles. I love plastic and bamboo, and lately it seems like everything I want to make is using size 6 and 7 needles, and with Tasha, I can only use plastic since it stains the bamboo. Though, if the stain doesn't rub off again, shouldn't be too big a deal. I've got a whole bunch of Tasha parts laying around. I don't think it will be done by my deadline of tomorrow. Oh well, I'll just have to wash it somewhere else. It will be annoying, but I'll survive.

links:

* IndiGirl's knit tracker

* free kureyon felted bag pattern

* on Elann - Sonata Print, Purple Swirl

I *heart* Wendy's new project, Maximilian. So I went to check out Virtual Yarns, and found this scarf, that I love - Grosvenor. Love this children's vest, and Widdicombe Fair. I'm also in love with St. Ciaran, in that color, too.


today's links:

* knitjapan

* kilt hose

I am bad...ran out the other day to pick up some silk garden, and started the diagonal scarf. I like it. It's not the most vibrant colorway, but I like it just the same. I may have to make one for myself out of Kureyon. Not 100% sure who this is going to - probably just a Christmas pile. As for my other projects, well, tonight's plans are just one word...butt ruffle. Okay, that was two words. But I need to get the other butt ruffle done for Jane, so that I can finish the bottoms. I would love to have both Tasha and the felted Nalgene bottle carrier done while I still have access to my washer and dryer, so I need to work on those, too. Maybe I'll bring in the back of Tasha to work. And I have to keep cranking out those mice!

I love to be busy. Too bad I don't have enough time to knit.

I love Silk Garden colors, and I love it once its knit up, but sometimes it's rough in the knitting. I remember the first time I knit with it, I was sad at how rough it felt. "What's the big deal about this yarn?" I thought. "Sure, the color is nice, but the yarn itself isn't very nice to touch." I made a hat. And after I wore it a few times (and it got snowed on, a little) it got softer, and got a lovely sheen. Now it's very drapey and liquid. I'm hoping this scarf turns out the same way.

Hello out there in Blog-land. I have an offer to make. I have 2 packages to be sent out. One is a box of granny squares, in rainbow-y colors, out of acrylic yarn. There are probably enough to make a medium afghan. These were donated to me, and I planned to knit them or sew them together, but it just never got done. I will be happy to send this to anyone who wants them, on the condition that when (or if!) the squares ever get sewn together, I will get a picture of the resulting creation! The second package is a box of odd balls, single balls, and small selections of yarn. Too be 100% honest, it's mostly acrylic, and acrylic/wool blends. Great for a scrap project, a beginner, or a school. If no one wants this box, I'll find a school to donate them to, but I can tell you there is at least one whole ball of Sockotta, which is enough for a pair of socks, enough Wool-Ease for a pair of socks or perhaps mittens, and 3 balls of some random rainbow boucle. Fun stuff, but I have to pare down for moving. For moving details, feel free to check out my regular blog/LiveJournal. In return for this, all I ask is for a letter/email saying you got the package!

So, hope y'all have a lovely weekend, and get back to me soon, so that I don't have to throw this stuff out! I'll even pay postage! You can leave a comment with your email address, or email me at emily_ghost@NOSPAMyahoo.com. Just take out the NOSPAM.

Just some notes to myself, no real entry. Finished another mousie at work, got some rows done on the Sigma tank. Poor Berocco tank is stalled on the last 1/4. I feel bad for it, but not enough to pick it up when there is some instant gratification to be found with Tasha and mousies and bottle cover!

links:
* www.UniqueKolours.com
* Love this top, Heather by white lies designs.
* Knitter's Magazine Issue 37
* YS in RI
* Art Fibers in WA? OR?

Finished a mouse. Well, the knitting of it, anyway. Yay work!
I'll probably braid a tail for it while I'm here, too.

Joy of joys...I brought in some Lamb's Pride Worsted and some #5 needles to work today. Cast on for a mousie, and I'm a good 60% done. I'm sooooo happy to have my knitting.

Forgot a cable needle, so tried my first foray into cabling w/o a cable needle. Well, all the pictures/directions I can find online are for a front cross, not a back cross, so it did take me some time, but I finally figured it out. Wahoo for me! It is a little unnerving to let all those loops go, but so far, so good.

I love Lamb's Pride. I want to make things from it. Maybe a hat and some mittens. And at least 2 sweaters. I love the yardage, I love the fabric, I love the way seed stitch looks in it. Maybe I'll make myself the Kitty hat, out of purple.

Oh, and Amber, I looked up the color of Cascade 220 that I started the water bottle holder...it's color number 9440 - Quatro Kauai. Some pictures are here, here and here.

I wish I had some knitting. I'm missing it this week. It's been so crazy...I'm up at 7, out the door by 7:45, and at work until 5. After work, it's home to change and pick up supplies, then over to the new apartment to work on that. After that, get home around 9, 9:30, eat, and then pass out. I don't feel like knitting at 10 pm when I'm covered in paint, sweat, and food grease.

beautiful, beautiful scarf. maybe I'll make some for christmas...

I think my new thing will be to bring some yarn to work to work on mousies on my break. I think I need some more catnip, too.

mouse-a-thon links:
about the mouse-a-thon
pattern
pattern variation

OMG - finally found some more Cadiz! And this one is for Cadiz patterns! Ooh...this site has the best price for it.

LIST

Cadiz Patterns:
Jaeger Handknits JB08

Cadiz Yarn:
Showers of Flowers

Rowan: Winter's Tale (2 matt sweaters?)
Highland Fling
Snow Queen
Night Life
Warrior Princess
wish you were here

Road trip sometime?

started the bottoms of Jane. loooooove the butt ruffles. so cute! i find that i do love ruffles, even though the number of stitches you either start or end with are ridiculous. went to both the creative needle in amherst and Web's in northampton hunting for shiny copper yarn. found Quest at web's - it's the softest, cuddliest metallic yarn i've ever felt. also went to the amherst teddy bear rally, and saw lots of bears, and lots of bear sweaters. i don't feel the urge to knit sweaters for my bears and dolls, but i do love looking at them! i saw some sweaters made from sock yarn - very clever. the striping is perfect for the size.

it's summer, it's crazy hot, and all I can do is think about making myself a sweater, a cardigan. work is sooo chilly, and my summer-weight cotton sweaters just aren't cutting it. I'm longing for a sweater so much...considering picking up some cheapish yarn on the way home to start. Though, I do have that Aspen pullover that I started...maybe I should dig that out.

yarn wish list:
from Elann:
cotton colori
valeria di roma topacio print
pakucho cotton
Circulo Venezia
Austermann Emozione
o2
tahki magic
emu superwash DK
random
zephyr

Hmmm...knitting a bright orange vest out of O2? Now that's an idea.

Busy, busy, busy. Not knitting all that much, finished some Tasha parts and got some rows done on the felted-Nalgene-bottle-carrier-to-be. Still craving to finish some other projects. Things like Jenn's second sock...which I am SO close to finishing. Or Matt's first sock. But I want something else I can carry around and look at. I love bags, I just need to knit one.

I'm a little frazzled today, so I'm just going to round this out with some links.

LINKS

scarf & hat patterns for kris from Lion Brand:

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

and lots of other free patterns

Anna Knits blog tips

I am queen of the short-attention span knitter lately. I finished the top of Jane, and rather then start on the bottoms, or finish off anything else, I started the two new projects - the felted Nalgene bottle carrier, and Tasha. I'm loving Tasha...I think it will be smaller than I expected, but great for a small bag. I've also been craving a warm sweater, since it's been so cold at work.

links:
* knitting kitty webring

* http://knitwit.blogspot.com/

* Aran Hat Pattern link from waaaaaaay back in my archives

I'm a knitting fiend today. It's the day that Matt's gaming group (the exalted game, not the 3rd ed d&d, for those of you who care) games at our house, and I sit in the computer room watching DVD's and knitting. Sometimes Amber comes too, though as of right now, she isn't here yet. *sniff*

So, I cast on for Tasha, and I'm loving this yarn, despite all the indigo dye its leaving on my hands. It's truly going to look gorgeous. And I found a lot of my circular needles, so I'm redistributing and rearranging my Denise needles and my bamboos. I'm finding that I could probably use a few more long bamboo in the 5 to 8 range. I may pick some up next week when Jenn and I look for yarn for a possible shawl for her wedding. We're thinking either copper or black or black and copper, as her dress is red velvet and duipon silk. Gorgeous!!

I also finished the Jane top, just have to weave in some ends. I'll try to photograph it soon. I'll have to cast on the bottom, perhaps tomorrow. The second sock for Jenn and the front of the tank top are both languishing, suffering form second item syndrome. I finished the pink baby set, all but the end weaving, and have been working off and on on the tartelette shawl that I plan to wear for Jenn's wedding. Circular baby blanket (no baby in mind, just for practice and to create a "baby gift" stash) is coming along great, but my eyelet row is not that dramatic. I wonder if blocking will take care of that? We'll have to see. That's one of the reasons I'm trying this baby blanket before my first real eyelet or lace shawl project.

So, that's it for now, just thought I'd update, in case anyone is wondering.

Another whole mess of links:

zen

link one
link two
link three

tartellete

link one

random

bathing suit yarn
volare yarn
more yarn
koigu yarns

trendsetter metal

link one
link two

general

jimmy bean's wool
Showers of Flowers
Halcyon Yarn

looking at Koigu is fun...I think I like this color - Dye Code: P124. Maybe I will make some socks with a fair isle'y type pattern, black koigu and some of this Dye Code: P216. There is black koigu here, and here too.

sorry for the extreme lack of updates. short story: work drama plus a minor car accident. no one was hurt but my car, and that's taking time to work through. anyone with a burning interest can check out my regular blog, here.

Project wise, I've been working on my tank top, purple tartelette shawl, and a varigated, be-ruffled version of Jane. Not sure if I'll finish the tank top by my Saturday deadline, but should have the halter top of Jane done by then. Ordered yarn from Woodland Woolworks to make Tasha, and some black laceweight yarn to (hopefully) make a simple shawl for my friend Jenn. Worked with my friend Kris to finish up her wonton for her kitties, and started a gauge swatch with her for her very first sweater. Started a small circular baby blanket to work on my circular shawl technique. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, lots of knitty-ing news, but not a lot of time to post it.

Special note to Kate: thanks for your comment and sympathy about work stuff! I would have emailed you, but I lost your email address, and you didn't leave it in the comments. I want to develop a felted pattern for a Nalgene bottle carrier...I'll let you know how that works out. I bet it will be a pattern right up your alley!

just sent these links to Matt's mom, figured I'd post them, just in case anyone has an interest:

books w/ socks on circular needle techniques:

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordi (2 circular needles)
The Magic Loop (1 long circular needle)

Links for doing 1 sock on 2 circular needles:

Straightlaced from Knitty
oodles of sock patterns
with pictures
Flor's pictures

These links are for doing 2 socks at a time:

needletrax illustrations
socknitter's tutorial


hmmmm...maybe I'll pick up some fixation and knit a suit for madison...she is going to be in Florida, after all. Maybe not the Jane w/ Leopard Spots...something varigated.

Here's a picture of the hat and socks I made my new baby cousin:



And here's the back of that Berocco tank top (it's longer than it looks, it's hanging of the side of the radiator):



...and a bit of the ribbing at the top:



links:

* On FuzzyMable.com - where I can find K1C2 Frosting and possum yarn

* pattern for neck warmer from Geane

Anyone see the new Patternworks site? It seems to me like a lot of images are down...not very impressed so far.

This weekend I tried to drown my sorrows in yarn. I sorted through my yarn cabinet, and I think I found some things I need to get ride of. Nasty acrylic odd balls (10 yards or less) and some started projects that are so knotted and horrible they need to be extinguished. I also found a bunch of cotton twist, and if I like the tank I'm making, I might make one for my sister, too. I ended up acquiring some chunky cotton, and cast on for the Sigma tank in Knitty. I may or may not finish it this summer, but I like the color and the yarn. I cast on the second Tartelette shawl, this one in purple (I believe the color is called "Kaleidoscope") for me.

My mom and her husband are off for their honeymoon in about a week - they got married in April, but decided to save the honeymoon for when she could take 2 1/2 weeks of off work in the summer. Bob's retired, so he was flexible. They are going to Ireland! I'm sooooo jealous.

I keep intending to post the pictures I took of the little hat and socks I made my new cousin Keenen, but I forgot.

Almost too upset to post. I found out that my company is closing down this office on September 5th, and everyone who works here (about 350 people) is being laid off. For those keeping track, that means me AND Matt will lose our jobs.

I guess I better stick to this yarn diet.

I'm doing better than I expected, and knitting does help.

Knitting news:
finished the back of the tank top I'm working on, cast on for fixation sock #2 (finished #1 months ago), and have been working away at a few other socks and the rockstar scarf. I've already decided that as much as I like it, I'm going to make a second one in a purple-y green colorway that I'll probably end up wearing more. Maybe I'll send the red/black one to Morgan in Korea. Don't know if it gets cold there, but it will be an interesting accesory.

Cast on for the front of the tank top, have decided to use short row shaping at the bust line, but am not 100% sure how to work it in. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Note to Amber: Hey Amber, the futon I mentioned is just a frame....you can email me at jenn AT hippygoth DOT com.

Wow. I'm on the last few rows of the back of the Berocco tank. I've made a list of the next WIP's to start, and preparation for the next few things I'm allowing myself to start...

WIP's to Work on:
matt's socks
jenn's second sock
cropped tweedy pullover
purple felted bag

projects to start
purple tartelette shawl for me
wedding shawl

yarn to wind
cotton twist for the rest of the tank (by hand)
tartelette for shawl (by hand)
wool for wedding shawl (ball winder)

next to pick up
matt's socks

next to cast on
tartelette shawl

You know, as much as I hate my job, I try to be happy about the fact that I can spend a lot of my day knitting. The reason I can do that is that if you train a monkey to speak, he could do 80% of my job...(can't get online? shut down computer. unscrew cable from back of modem, unplug power. if you have a router, unplug it. let it sit for 60 to 90 seconds. put cable and power back into modem. when green lights are on solid, start up router/computer)...which is depressing for a Gemini like me. We like change, us Geminis. But that gives me time to knit...as long as it's mindless. Stockinette in the round was made for tech support calls.

links gleaned from blogs:
*Cinnamon's Dyepotfrom Glampyre
*little turtle knits from Cyborgoddess's Slip Stitch Pass

holy stream of consciousness, Batman!

right now i'm resisting the urge to buy some white cotton twist yarn from KnitPicks. I haven't even finished one Cotton Twist tank and I'm dreaming of the next one...in stripes, even. Hot pink, hot pink/orange variagated, and white. But I'm on a yarn diet! I'm also considering ordering lots of Dover for the sweater I'm going to knit for Kris. Maybe I should order that, too...and Lara is on sale, I remember that vest made out of Lara in Knitty...that takes 9 balls...Portrait Circle Shawl Pattern...and the Regia Clear Boots are down to $21.99!

grrrr. dratted knitpicks. i'm closing the page. won't look at it any more.

Thinking about joining the Knit Bloggers Reading Group...

making my way through tank top. am surprised by my own willingness to focus on one project. must be the added bonus of getting to wear it myself when i'm finished. want to post, too tired....bleh.

don't know if I've posted this before, wrote it about a year ago:

My knitting history

lame semi-update:

Surprisingly little knitting done this weekend. Though, after all that whining about the tank top, I realized I was further along than I thought. Whoopee.

link
* Lamb's Ear Yarn and Roxi's Blog

quiz


You may not be a granny, but you've got the
mentality. Hard work and artistic vision lead
to your beautiful knitted results.


Are you a knitter?
brought to you by Quizilla

Tank top is a little slow. I hate purling. It's not that it bothers me, I'm just so slow at it. I want to wear this before summer is done, dammit!

Update:

Finished:
Tartelette Scarf #1
Pink Baby Sock #1

Phew. Busy, busy, busy. I think I'll take the tank top (attempt #4) to work to make progress on. It will be time to cast on for Fixation Sock #2, and finish that up, shortly. I'm on a finishing streak!

Finished:
Slytherin Scarf
Mexico Socks
Pink Baby Hat

Almost Finished:
Tartelette Scarf #1
Pink Baby Sock #1

Made Serious Progress:
Matt's Sock #1 - turned the heel!

Pictures to come...I hope.

Happy Harry Potter Day!

WIP recap:

1. Finished weaving in the ends of the Slytherin Scarf. Tomorrow - the fringe. Matt figured out that there are 58,422 stitches in the Slytherin Scarf. It's humbling.

2. I'm past the 1/2 way point on the Tartelette shawlette. A few observations - I prefer to put Tartelette into balls by hand, center wound balls twist too much. Also, the Denise needles tend to snag the yarn, so for the big one, I think I'll have to steam out the crimps in my size 15 bamboo circular needle.

3. Gotta do something about the tank I'm working on, maybe separate back and front. I'm just not getting anything done keeping it in the round.

4. Pink baby hat is only about 1/3 of the way done. Can't wait to get to little pink baby socks.

5. Yarn for the Highland Triangle Shawl came. Too bad I sent the ball-winder home with Amber. Actually, that's probably for the best. I can't afford to start that quite yet. I think I'm going to try and keep the end of June and all of July for finishing various started projects. If I could just wind up some of these small projects (socks everywhere!) and a couple big ones, I can really start to devote time to the 2 shawls by the end of the summer.

So much knitty-ness, so little time. Love my new Denise needles, finished baby sock #2, 10 rows and finishing left on Slytherin scarf. Too much yarn that I will never use. If anyone really wants loads of baby yarn (all acrylic), mostly in white, let me know. Seriously. I'd love a swap, but at this point it's free to a good home. Email me at emily_ghost@NOSPAMyahoo.com. Just take out the NOSPAM, of course.

I had a crappy day Friday, so I comforted myself with some retail therapy - new gel pens and 4 skeins of tartelette in this purple/green/pink combo. I've decided that the tartelette shawlette thing-y in Pink Grapefruit will probably be a gift to someone, and the bright purple one will be for me. Maybe I'll even wear it to my friend Jenn's wedding. Fall, evening wedding - dark colors are permissible and welcome.

Then on Saturday we had a bunch of people over gaming, including Amber's boy Aaron, so Amber came over. She used my ball-winder to wind her huge hank of gorgeous hand-painted yarn, and I started my de-stashifying by giving her some yarn that I'd never use, and that I'm sure she'll think of something cool for.

Monday, today, my friend Kris (the one I'm making the Slytherin scarf for) gave me the present that she's been slaving on for me - a handmade knitting bag! It's purple with stars, deep, and full of pockets. I adore it. I will post pictures soon.

Off to work out with the boyf - I mean fiancee (wicked grin) - before heading home.

So yesterday was a good knitting day.

Got the yarn from Bonne Marie, got my requisite 8 rows done on the S.Scarf of Doom, and also got to the gusset decreases on baby sock numero dos. Oh, and I got my order from Elann. 3 skeins of deep purple tecno fur (slated for another Rockstar. Gonna make two, then decide which one to keep.), and lots and lots of swallow casein needles. Okay, well, 2 sets of single points and 2 sets of dpns. But it seems like a lot piled on my desk. And one size 8 24-inch bamboo circ for the Highland Triangle Shawl. Just waiting on the yarn from Patternworks for that. Knowing Patternworks these days, I'm scared that a) it'll be a long wait, or b) it was backordered and they have no intention of telling me. They have a few more days before I panic and send them an email.

Now, however, I cannot sleep. My darling is a little under the weather, and I'm having a hard time falling asleep knowing he's in the bathroom (don't drink whiskey on an empty stomach if you haven't imbibed spirits in ages) and not in bed. Plus, I'm supposed to be somewhere relatively early in the morning, and I always agonize that I'm going to wake up late.

Too tired to knit, though. I might botch something up when I'm like this. So it's best to hop around the blogs and get this post up. I'm too tired to try working on the template, too, don't want to screw that up either. Ripping code can be as exhasuting as ripping mohair - or tecno fur.

Phew. Finished Baby Sock #1, good head start on Baby Sock #2, and now I'm on the second to last stripe on the Slytherin scarf. Yarn swap w/ Bonne Marie was a success! I'm going to ball up some more cascade today and knit up some swatches to see which carry-along felts best for my Fiber Trends Tote.

Stupid free blog system. Didn't update my template, and duplicated a post a couple days back. Sigh. Now I have to go fix stuff.

3/4 of the way done with baby sock #1. 60 more rows to go on the Slytherin scarf. Then it will be time for end weaving and fringing. Other projects are on hold while I finish scarf and baby projects.

P.S. - I am very very disappointed that the template changes didn't save. I had updated all the blogs I try to read on a daily basis, and was looking forward to getting there from here. grrrrr.

Last night I finished Fixation sock for my friend Jenn (as opposed to me Jenn), and today I cast on the first baby sock for my cousin Vanessa's upcoming boy baby. Other than that, not much knitting news. I updated this template a tiny bit, and have been wondering why my comments are acting up again. Eagerly awaiting several knitting orders (only a little yarn! Wedding yarn!) and a yarn swap!

Okay, I guess I was fated to order those Denise interchangeable needles. Anyone see the new article about them in Knitty?

I actually was a teeny bit disappointed in Knitty this time. There didn't seem to be a huge size range for a lot of the projects. I am kinda burning to knit a skirt, and there were two of those, so that was kinda cool. If I can find a good deal on some of those denim yarns that are out now, and if I do some math, maybe I can make the eyelet
skirt. Bonne Marie's article on short-rows was just what the doctor ordered, however. I'm creeping up from the bottom of the Berocco tank, and suspect that I will need to add some
short rows to the top to get the desired drape.

Upon further consideration, I'm also kinda interested in the grass
skirt, the tank top, and the socks. But nothing is really leaping out at me. I wondering
if the laddering in the Fixation would be noticeable in ripple socks?

Picture Experiments. In theory, clicking on the pictures will open bigger pictures. If I'm REALLY cool, they'll open in another window.





Madison's baby sweater. I really loved the buttons.








Mom's red socks (which apparently don't fit)









Virgil and the knitalong mouse.









Virgil looking cute.

I'm stuck in this planning project phase. I keep thinking that I'm gonna want a cardigan this fall. I was thinking about the "My First Cardigan" or whatever it's called from the last Knit It!...probably not in Wool-Ease Chunky, though. I actually like Encore better, and I'm wondering if I can get away with substituing Lamb's Pride Bulky since I like working with regular Lamb's Pride so much. But that project is in the far off future. I've also considering doing those Dresser Scarf socks in Fixation, since I have some Navy lying around, and if there is only one seam, up the back, then maybe I can avoid that horrible laddering.

As for wedding shawls, I think I've narrowed it down to 2, and I'm going to order the stuff for 2, so that I can start them, and see which one I could theoretically finish in a year. One is the Legends of the Shetland Sea shawl, and the other is the Highland Triangle Shawl in Folk Shawls. That one uses WoolPak 8 ply, and I think I'll probably do it in natural.

Ooooh, Naked Sheep had Denise Interchangeable Needles...I've always been happy ordering from them before. I may be on a yarn diet, but I never said anything about a needle diet! Oh man, so many online stores are having sales. I must resist! Even though Elann has Tecno Fur on sale, and One Fine Yarn has some interesting grab bags. Please note that I am in no way affiliated with any of these stores - I'm just trying to share my pain.

Soooooooo many started projects. I'm flitting from one to the other, and therefore, making progress on none. And, of course, contemplating adding more. I think I'm going to order the Legends of the Shetland Seas shawl, and yarn for one of the Scotland shawls in Folk Shawls. Since Matt is most likely going to be wearing a kilt for the wedding (and I'm thrilled about that) I figured a Scottish style shawl will keep it within a sort of theme.

I'm also aching for a set of Denise Interchangable needles.

Jeez, there are some crazy yarn sales right now. Naked Sheep and Handworks Gallery just sent me email notices...must resist...no new yarn 'til fall...think of all the half-started projects....

Though, one of the things I was thinking of making for christmas was a scarf or shawl in some crazy novelty yarns for Matt's mom. I'm making myself a tartellete little shawlette-thingy, and if I like it, I was thinking of making one for her.

Oh man, spare me from the startitis.

I'm working on a tank top right now...all the tank girl knit bloggers got me inspired. It's taking forever, because I decided to do it in the round. I keep telling myself I'll be happy when it's done that I don't have to seam, but right now I wonder if it will ever be done.

Nothing too thrilling to say today, but I wanted to say it here anyway. :)

This is kinda cool - counterpane shawl and tank

I just want to say thanks to everyone who posts comments on my blog - I love reading them, and knowing that people are checking this out. Thanks, Gwen, for the congratulations. Thanks (as always) for your comments, Amber. And thanks Alissa and Krista Jo for your shawl suggestions! And Kate, I will be happy to show you Bella - haven't started a ruffle yet, but I can show you how it works.

Plowing through on knitting in the round - a scarf, a tank, and a sock. Sometimes it seems like all I do is knit, knit, knit, and my purling is starting to suffer. I can purl pretty evenly, my tension is okay, but I'm wicked slow. I guess one answer would be to do everything in the round...just kidding!

My mom just emailed me pictures of my cousins last night - both looking pretty pregnant. I think Vanessa is due late this month. I have a hat for her done, and I'm planning on matching booties/socks. Maybe I'll get off my butt and and post pictures tomorrow.

So, over here in lazy no posting land, I have little bits of progress to make. I have been doing the scarf everyday, and it shows. It's seriously enormous. I think that making myself do 8 rows a day was a good idea, and I'm already planning to set myself goals for other languishing projects. The Berocco tank and Matt's socks are the next bring-to-work-and-do-X-rows-a-day projects.

I worked on Bella a bit last night too. Angora fluff everywhere, but it's so soft. And the lace pattern on the sleeves is fantastic. I started a sleeve as my reward for plowing through the back. So far I'm about 1/3 of the way done with the back, and only 1 1/2 pattern repeats done with the sleeve. Its fun, and I can't wait to get to the ruffle!

I definitely want to make myself a shawl for my wedding. Now the question is, do I make one to match my dress (probably ivory or natural colored yarn) or do I make one bright and variagated? Do I try and make something complex, or do I stick to something simple and repetitive? Right now I'm thinking of a few from Folk Shawls (Kimono Lace, the Himalayan Birds' Nest Lace, Scotland Fir Lace, or the Iceland Feather and Fan triangle shawl - all my names for them, I'm not looking at the book), the Peace Shawl, the Shetland Sea Shawl, or the Forest Path Stole, or something else entirely. Help! Maybe I should take a vote. What do you all think?

links

* pacific northwest and seascape shawl kits at Knitwitts

* nice looking yarn/craft store in Great Barrington

Hoo doggies. I meant to be so good about updating, and I just haven't. Sorry. Had a great long weekend. 4 days off of work! Lots of stuff happened, the top 5 which are:

5. I spent my $30 Webs gift certificate - ball of Opal, 2 sets of dpns (including 4's) and a ball of that Berocco sequin stuff.

4. Iturned 24.

3. My sister Nicole came out to visit.

2. I bought a car!

1. I got engaged!!

Matt proposed on my birthday, while I was opening presents. If you're really interested, I did post the whole thing over at my regular livejournal, here, providing that livejournal will actually work and let me post the darn thing. I used to find that of the three free journalling services I use, Blogger, Livejournal and Diaryland, that Livejournal was up the most, at lest for the free accounts. Right now my paid Diaryland account is available the most for posting, and Blogger and Livejournal keep going down. I do have my own webspace, and I could start using moveable type, but my domain hosting isn't all that reliable either.

Anyway, back to knitting. I decided I want to knit myself a shawl for my wedding, or more likely, the reception. I've always wanted a big nice fancy one - what better motivation, eh?

When Nicole came out we picked up some Chinchilla and some size 8 needles. She wants to make a nice square pillow cover. I explained that Chinchilla might be a little tricky to get back in the saddle with, all that fuzz, but she wanted to try. And she was doing great, had 4 inches or so done on the front of the pillow cover when she left on Monday. She said she'll come visit me when it's time to bind off!

Still plugging away on the Slytherin Scarf. I'm 2/3 of the way done - 14/21 stripes. Then all that fringe. Dear God, the fringe!

Cast on for the cropped tweedy pullover in Horstia from IK fall 02. I *heart* this yarn, and the pattern.

Ripped back Mexico #2 to the picked-up gusset stitches. It hurt, but it had to be done. It was just ugly.

Made Virgil one of Wendy's mice - pictures will be forthcoming!

Phew...I think that's it for now!

KnitPicks order came today - wahoo! I also got a gift certificate to Web's from my sister-in-law (almost) and some "mad money" from my Nana in preparation for my birthday. More yarn money! All coming on the heels of the proclaimed yarn diet. I even told Matt I was going on a yarn diet. But I did say that I might get sock yarn. And needles, of course. Can you believe that I don't have any size 4 dpns? How did that happen? I have like, 2 sets of 0-5, but no 4s. Hmmm. Not that I have any patterns suffering from lack of 4s, but you never know.

I'm suffering from startitis - I cast on for the Rockstar scarf today. I cannot believe how soft the Apart is. And I can see why working w/ furry yarn when it's not a carry along (like in my fuzzy feet) is a bitch. The Koigu is working up pinker than I thought, but so far I'm cool with the effect. I also need to remember that I spend a lot of time in flourescent(sp) lighting, so maybe it isn't as pink as I think it is. I also cast on for Rachelle's baby's hat last night, hereafter known as "pink baby hat." The dye work on this is one of the stranger skeins of Koigu I've seen. It's mostly pinky ranging to lavender, with a few random splotches of dark purple that look more like drips then an actual conceived colorway. Luckily the splotches don't look wicked bad on the finished fabric, though that could be a blessing of garter stitch on tiny needles. I've made this hat once before; it's a garter stitch hat done on two needles with a rolled brim (just a few rows of stockinette). When making this hat I had a dilemma - do I cast it on dpns, and try and do a circular garter stitch? Or do I do it flat (like that pattern calls for) and seam up the back? I settled for flat, because I figure at this point my seaming skills may be up to the challenge. We'll see.

This is kinda cheezy, but I'm really excited by all my knitting right now. I've solved a lot of tension and evenness problems, and everything I make just looks so good now. I'm pretty happy. I haven't steered much out for garter, seed stitich, and stockinette, but it all looks professional now, which wasn't the case even a few months ago. And I'm definitely much faster. I was done with my prescribed rows of Slytherin Scarf before my first break at work, and I'm entering into 20 or so rows on the Rockstar scarf. All while reading 83 pages in The Nanny Diaries, and oh, yeah, doing my job, too!

By the way, as a former "caretaker", this book is amusing the hell out of me. I love all my kids, but some of their parents were another story entirely. There was one family...white carpet. White carpet that they didn't want the 8 month old baby with digestive problems spitting up on. When she was downstairs, she could only play on a blanket on the floor, 3 feet square or so. If her mom came in to see her off the blanket, she'd freak out. Oh, and they didn't put any child safety locks on the cabinets in the kitchen - you see, they were real hardwood, and they didn't want to ruin them. They didn't re-arrange their drawers, either. The knives were still within toddler reach. Eventually they put rubber bands on the handles. The baby pulled them off, luckily when I wasn't there. Then they put on locks that went on the handles, not into the actual wood. That took the 15 month old a little longer to figure out, but not by much. These people also never put outlet covers in...they couldn't find the ones that would match their existing outlets. I swear to gawd.

Been knitting like crazy on the Slytherin Scarf. Everything else is taking kind of a back seat while I read A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. It's amazing, second in a series. I totally love it. But as a paperback on loan from a friend, I'm not able to read and knit at the same time - it doesn't lay flat, and I can't do the damage I'd have to do to it to make it lay flat. Plus, my wrists have been killing me lately, so I've been trying to take it easy.

Current Projects (in case you were wondering)

* the Slytherin Scarf
* felted bag, take 2
* Mexico sock #2
* top-down Aspen sweater
* tartelette scarf

Those are just the main projects. A lot of other ones pop in and out of rotation. Soon to be added: Rockstar scarf, and baby hat for my cousin Rachelle. Hmmm, maybe I can get Matt to wind the yarn for Rockstar tonight...

I'm going to try and update a little more than usual, since so many bloggers are taking a break. I can understand the need for a break; I've been keeping a blog of some sort since October 2000, and sometimes I get tired of trying to think of something to say. So I take a little break, maybe I post in my regular diaryland diary, or write in a paper journal, or something...but I always get back online eventually, and I hope that a lot of the knitting bloggers will too.

This post was supposed to be from yesterday:

Oh dear. In 3 to 5 business days, I'll be in yarn heaven. I just placed a KnitPicks order, and received my threadbearfiberarts order. I had ordered sock yarn for me (LL in Aslan) and some Koigu for Rockstar, and Koigu for some baby stuff for my cousin Rachelle's upcoming girl baby. I LOVE the red/violet colourway I got for Rockstar, and can't wait until the KnitPicks order comes with the Apart so I can start it!

I'm sticking pretty well to the 8 rows a day rule on the Slytherin scarf.

Let's see, what have I been doing that's knit related lately...I've been doing pretty well sticking to my 8 rows of Slytherin Scarf a day. We went to visit Matt's parents and grandparents this weekend for Mother's Day, and Matt's mom was very interested to see what I was working on. She just finished a birthday present for Matt's sister, so she has nothing on the needles right now. On Sunday morning, before church, she did 8 rows for me on the scarf!

I started a top-down raglan sweater from the Aspen I got on sale from KnitPicks. I like the pattern, I can understand how it works, but I'm unhappy with my increases. I've taken it off the needles, and I'm ripping back to the beginning. I found the Interweave Knits from last fall, which has the article about different types of increases. I think I'm going to change my plan of attack on that.

Still plugging away on Mexico #2, and spending lots of time daydreaming about future projects. Right now, foremost in my mind is that turtleneck made out of another KnitPicks sale yarn. I do have a couple yarn purchases in mind, and then I'm going to try to work with what I have until the end of summer. It's a tall order, but it needs to happen. My yarn situation is a little ridiculous at this point.

I'm trying to talk myself out of buying ridiculous amounts yarn. I found two sweaters that I can make from KnitPicks sale yarn....including a really great turtleneck from last fall's IK from the Herstia.

Just say no, Jenn.

Today's big knitting news: getting serious about the Slytherin Scarf. To recap - I'm knitting my friend Kris a "Harry Potter" scarf in Slytherin Scarf colors. Originally, I'd hoped to do this for Christmas, but I was not able to find the perfect yarn - it needed to be close to the colors in the movie, and at least partially wool. I found the yarn in early January, and hoped to get the scarf done by late January, in time for her birthday. All together now, folks - "Yeah, right."

So now the scheduled date of completion is June 21st, the day the next Harry Potter book comes out.

Slytherin Scarf Stats:

7 stripes completed.
14 more to go.
26 rows per stripe.
364 more rows.
47 more days.
8 rows a day, approximately.

(incidentally, there are 100+ stitches for row, but the math for that was too frightening.)

lame lonely link
* source for Henry's Attic yarn

Man, I read about Squib's kayaking adventures, and all I want to do now is go canoeing on some upstate NY quiet little lake. I used to do that all the time, back when I lived in NY, with my mom who had a canoe.

Not much knitting progress to report. I am almost done with fixation sock #1, and it's coming out a little too small. I'm hoping to give them to a friend. I like the fabric this yarn makes, but I'm unimpressed with how much it ladders. I don't have a dramatic laddering problem with anything but fixation. I think it must be the stretchiness.

Well, I can't really say that it was a good knitting weekend, but it was a good finishing weekend. I finally seamed up and added buttons to the now ended neverending baby sweater. I wove in the ends, and decided to tack down the top of the red sock to make picot edging, rather than just leaving it roll top with a row of eyelets (that was my lazy design element). And I did start felted bag #2. I'm going to follow a pattern this time, so hopefully it will turn into a bag, rather than a felted bolster.

I like the new IK. Better than the last one. But then, I always can find a several more projects to make in IK than in anything else. More comprehensive discussion later, when I've finished all the articles.

I kinda want to make a rockstar scarf. KnitPicks has Apart...and ThreadBear has Koigu...get some nice pastell-y koigu for baby booties for cousins...

Startitis strikes again. Seriously.

And in other news...I'm feeling like some site revamps. This blog may be moving in the near future. But then again, maybe not. Anyone know of any good, cheap webhosts? www.yarnporn.com needs a new home.

links:
* cat pillow, thanks to Erica

* my birthday's coming up. I want this kit, badly.

* and this book

Grrr. I'm cranky with knitting vendors right now. I had yet another order from Patternworks delivered where they tell me that they no longer carry an item. Well, if it's discontinued, take it off your webpage! The other order, the one from 4 weeks ago, has STILL NOT SHIPPED. I think I'm cancelling it today. Sigh. Now I need to find 5,6 skeins cotton twist in tie-dye, which Patternworks didn't have, and size 11 16" circ & bee stripe yarn, which I ordered from the annoying vendor. Blech.

As far as actually knitting goes, I've been knitting like crazy! Working on Mexico #2, and Fixation #1, both of Matt's socks, and also the Slytherin scarf. I've been in such a sock mood lately - they really are the perfect project for work, as long as you are on the leg or foot. Nothing makes stockinette whiz by like multi-tasking. I've picked up Bella a few times, but I can't work on it when a) I've just gotten out of the shower, b) when I'm dressed for work, c) when I've got my contacts in. The angora fluff is just too agressive. But I'd like to note that the finished material doesn't seem to shed, it just seems to be that the knitting process loosens up all that fuzz and throws it around.

Still haven't seamed up that baby sweater, but since I just wrote a letter to my step-sister, I might as well finish the sweater and put it in the mail along with the letter. That's my goal for the weekend - seam the sweater!

one lousy link:

* four pairs of ebony circs, a la Martha

Lots to say about knitting, too tired to do it. Almost done w/ Mexico sock #1, picked up some yarn at Webs, and ordered a lot from Patternworks. We'll see how well this order goes. I'm going to be going on a stash diet very soon, because hopefully I'm getting a car! So I ran up one more credit card bill, and now I'm going to see if I can go without shopping for yarn until at least the end of June.
Wish me luck!

(luck on the car, and the stash diet. I am so freaking out about the car thing...)

links:

* BeaEllisKnitwear.com

* www.lisaknit.com/ - buttons

* various knitting hints (got this from one of the knitlists...purls perhaps?)

Last night at work I got 1/2 the shawl fringed. Instead of working on it more, I'm racing through Mexico sock #1. After lunch, though, I think I'll go back to the shawl. It would be so nice to get it done.

Started wonton#2 for my friend Rachel last night. Virgil likes his so much he lost it within 4 hours. That's a good sign that he likes a toy. It means that he's played with it so vigorously that it got stuck under something.

And in completely random news - I, rather Matt, found the pair of red wool-ease socks that I knit for my mom. They have been missing for 8 months. They were stuck in one of the blankets we have lying around. Matt was picking up blankets to put away for the spring, and he found them stuck in one of them when he was refolding it. Now I just need to weave in some ends and send them to Mom. I had seriously given up on ever finding them.

Ooh, reading Ann's blog about using Labrador...reminds me of this yarn I got on sale, a thick and thin online yarn, the # of which I can't remember. I got 2 balls, which turned out to be not enough for anything. I'm thinking that with a ball of Labrador, I can make this scarf, and stripe it. We shall see. Hmmm...maybe limeade stripes...something about purple and green is very appealing.

links

* Swedish knitting site - in English!. I love this sweater.

* Bair Isle

I've never quilted before, but I need to make this T-shirt quilt. I have too many t-shirts that are just not wearable anymore, but too many memories to throw them out. I remember when I was little, my sister and I would wear our parents t-shirts as nightdresses during the summer time. I remember wearing my dad's Boston Celtics shirt, and my mom's crew shirt, and field hockey, and lots of other extra-curricular Wellesley shirts. I would ask her what each one meant, and she'd say, "Oh, this was from when I was on Intramural Crew...crew is when you are in a long thin boat and you all row at the same time. Like in the movies, when they say, 'stroke! stroke!' We used to do crew on the Charles River in Boston."

This entry makes me miss my mom. I saw her on Saturday, and showed her all my knitting projects. She didn't seem tooo interested (my sister can't wait for me to teach her again), but then she sent me an email today saying that she was impressed by the sock - she wanted to know if it was hard using such tiny needles.

I've been busy trying to make up a birthday list, and I've decided - I need a swift, too. It would make winding that huge nasty hank of ebay yarn into balls SOOO much easier.

Finished the homespun shawl...well, almost. It desperately needs fringe. I don't think that often, but it does. Trust me on this. Last night I finished a wonton for Virgil. Pics of that when it's daylight.

I'm considering making the Baby Norgi in an attempt to a) use up some stash and b) learn some new techniques. I wonder how well steeking works with acrylic yarn? It isn't quite as "sticky" as wool. Practice for Matt's Dale of Norway project in the far future.

I bought some more yarn for Kool-Aid dyeing today. I don't know what I'm going to do with all this bits of yarn. I think some more socks, of my own design even? Who knows. But it will be full of eye-popping kool-aid color. I've got grape and orange from my local 7-11. I also bought even MORE buttons for the baby sweater. I think I'm going to sew on the pretty ceramic ones, and send the plastic as "just in case" with some extra yarn. I'll try to knit a hat and socks to go with it, but mail those separately.

You will never, ever guess what I did last night.

I finished the never ending baby sweater.

Of course, by finish I mean that I bound off and just need to block, seam, and attach buttons, but seriously, I can do that all tomorrow. I am SO thrilled that I got this done.

To celebrate, I immediately cast on for a tank top in cotton twist - I'm not adding those shiny silver things, though. I'm trying to modify the pattern to do it in the round, as I hate purling cotton. By the way, I cast on 276 stitches at 2:45 a.m. That's how excited I was to be done with the baby sweater!

whoa. I WANT this set. Looks like it would take forever to knit, though. I also desperately want to make janda. I need some pullover sweaters to get me through the damp Massachusetts spring. If only my needles that I ordered two weeks ago would get here. Then I could start that top-down Aspen raglan I have planned...

Last night I cast on for another pair of socks. I won't even tell you how many pairs I have started right now (okay, I will, 3 pairs and 2 singletons), but somehow those new Swallow dpn's were screaming for some socks. And since I did have some needle-less self-patterning yarn around (Mexico, maybe? something Fortissima and rainbow-y) I decided to cast on. And I'm really enjoying it for some reason.

I feel like my startitis is disgusting at this point - I need to finish SOMETHING but I have so many long term projects going that it's hard to feel motivated. Really the only thing that has a deadline is Kris's Slytherin Scarf, and the deadline for that is June 21st, when the next Harry Potter comes out. I guess I can say that I'd like to finish Bella by my birthday (late May) and the tabby socks by Matt's birthday (late June). And I need to finish that stinking baby sweater.

[Rant on] Grumpy about a recent yarn order. I ordered from one online vendor, whose site did not have any notices about being behind, or anything. The email from my order said that I would be notified by email when my order shipped. After 2 weeks, I had still not received an email saying that my order shipped, so I emailed back customer service and asked (very politely) if they knew when it might ship. I got a reply stating that all my components were in stock, but that they haven't shipped yet. What irked me most was this quote:

"We are very behind. The entire industry is swamped...retailers and wholesalers alike."

Well, maybe other retailers are behind. But no one I ordered from. I placed 4 orders recently, and 3 of them I received within 5 to 7 business days. The other one still hasn't shipped in over 2 weeks. This does not sound like the entire industry to me. I think that one line made me mad. "We are very behind" is well and good. "We have doubled the size of our shipping group" is even better. Putting in that one line about the whole industry being swamped sounds too much like an excuse, rather than a real apology.

Okay, [rant off].

no knitting related links today. Instead, I will tempt you with a link to two of my obessions in one - a bag with office supplies in it.

I desperately need this bag.

These are beautiful, but I can't begin to comprehend doing intarsia in cotton. I feel I would need something sticky. Thanks to Michelle for putting this link in her post today.


I got my order from Elann.com today. My word, but they are fast! Nothing big, just the pattern for the landscape shawl (been dying to make one forever) and some swallow dpn's. I think that the 9" length may be a *bit* much, but I was thinking about making that roll-brim sock yarn hat - if only I could remember where I saw it! Does anyone remember where that free pattern is? It shows a roll brim hat, with an inch or so of ribbing, made out of self-patterning sock yarn. I've googled the hell out of it, and I must not be entering the magic words.

links:
* Cascade sock link

* cute baby set from sock yarn, at the bottom

* sock kits

* little turtle knits

Well, I didn't finish the baby sweater. I didn't even knit all that much.

Friday was spent (9 am to 5:30 pm) picking up components for the new bed, and then putting it together. We had to go down to Connecticutt to pick up the mattress from the manufacturer, and then bring it home, then go back to CT to get the bed frame, and bring it home. We then had to take apart the bed that was in the bedroom, move it to the computer room, put it together again, and then put together the NEW bed. In between, we ate lunch, and did several loads of laundry - bed linens, mostly. Then off to dinner and hanging out with friends.

If you want to see what it's like, this is the new bed.

Friday night I watched Real Genius in the computer room while Matt geeked out on his computer. I got two pattern repeats done on the Conwy sock. I really love the Lorna's Laces yarn. It's soooo soft.

Saturday I read, cleaned, and did laundry. I did wind up a ball of Tartellette, and made a huge mess doing it, too. Luckily, not much yardage means there is a limit to must how big of a mess one skein can make, and I did get it finished, no thanks to the cat. Then off to dinner with other friends. Indian food, ice cream, and beer at The Tunnel Bar. Home in time for Trading Spaces and The King of Iron Chefs.

I have made a ton of progress on the homespun shawl, almost done w/ one skein of yarn. And it's homespun, so it's kind of a lot. I did pick up Bella last night, and had a very very very scary moment. There was a bug on one of the balls of Lush. It looked like an inchworm, but orange, not green. I'm kinda freaked out. I have just enough wool to be alarmed at any bug infestation. Most of it is in either Tupperware or a cabinet, but I might need to get some more cedar blocks, just in case.

links from the lists:

* www.awesomeewe.com
* www.becreativebooks.com
* The Spring Garden Maze Shawl
* http://www.strickwear.com
* http://www.maggiesrags.com
* Boxy Silk Window Purse Kit
* toe possibilities

Note: This entry should have been posted last Thursday, the 10th, but I got too busy.

Brought the homespun shawl into work today. Usually I work on either the Slytherin Scarf or Matt's tabby socks, but I decided I need something with bigger needles. Plus, the shawl keeps my lap warm. I'm really looking forward to finishing this. It'll probably stay at work - my office has HORRIBLE climate control.

This weekend I'm looking for some good knitting time - Matt has his 1st edition D&D game with the guys on Saturday, which means I have the day to watch movies he wouldn't like and knit! I have a few movies from netflix that I need to watch and return - Velvet Goldmine and The Pillow Book. I've seen The Pillow Book before, and I loved it. I've been meaning to see Velvet Goldmine forever. So I can have a mini-Ewan
party. I can always round it out with Moulin Rouge.

I should probably use this chunk of time to finish and seam the neverending baby sweater. I am sooooo close to being finished. But I am sooooo tired of it.

P.S. for Amber - Hope you and A. had good birthdays this past weekend!

I've been bogged down by crappy job lately, and not posting much about knitting. I am getting quite a bit done, though.

Bella is temporarily on hold, due to my insane allergies to spring (or should I say winter?). I am already sneezing and snuffling enough, I don't care to throw angora fluff into the mix along with it.

The neverending baby sweater is, well, neverending, as are the neverending slytherin scarf and neverending tabby socks. I am making astonishing progress on all my non-vital, non-gift projects, though. The Kureyon bag is 80% finished, needs one more strap, some seams, and felting. The homespun shawl is coming right along, and I've done enough repeats on the Conwy socks to determine that they are going to look like cute little braids once I've got them going.

At my mom's wedding, I spoke with my uncle and found out one cousin is having a boy, and the other is having a girl. The boy is due in June, I think, and the girl in August. I'm 70% done with a hat for the boy, and would like to at least get 2 pairs of booties/socks done too. As for the girl, I can probably finish the 70% completed sweater and get it to her mom in time for her birth. I do love this baby sweater, and am wondering if I could possibly finish the 9 month size in time for my 8 month old niece to wear it...probably not.

Right now I'm really enjoying my knitting, and the whole lack of posting is more related to a general lack of posting across all my blogs. I think of tons of things to write about in the shower, but sadly, I do not have internet access there.

finally, some links!

* Oh dear god! Did you know that some boys knit? (warning: this article mentions that not only is knitting not just for grandmothers, but it might be the new yoga!)

* San Juan Islanders' Scarves and yarn, from somewhere on the webring

* the butterfly shawl, being discussed on the Ample Knitters list

* free patterns (mostly socks), linked from KnitDad

* more shawls from heartstringfiberarts.com

I cast on for a new project last night. Just a simple homespun triangle shawl. I was able to successfully read and knit at the same time while working on it! Once you get halfway through a hardcover, it will stay open on its own.

I've gotten about 20 rows of the slytherin scarf done this week at work, and I'm mostly done with the soon-to-be-felted Kureyon bag. I'm pretty sure that the fabric will come out fragile, even felted, so I'm begging Matt for some t-shirts to use as linings. Maybe I'll even get around to using that sewing machine of my mom's that I begged her to give me.

This week is kind of crazy because my mom is getting married this weekend. She and Bob have been together for 10 years, and finally moved into the same house this past summer. They never moved in together previous to that because Bob is significantly older than my mother, and felt like since his daughter was grown up, he didn't really want to raise anymore kids. Once the three of us were all off to college (and beyond), he and mom bought a house together. It's a great house, and they seem to be doing well. Bob is very, well, set in his ways, and that's another reason he and Mom didn't really try to live together before. But they are now, and they're getting married, and honestly, I can't wait. It will be weird referring to Bob as my stepfather. He's always just been "Mom's Bob." Anyway, this is so not knitting related. Sorry about that. I guess I just wanted to explain what's on my mind, other than knitting.

And, the wedding means I'll get to see Nana. And show her my projects. The woman who taught me to knit, all those years ago.

Amber pointed out something funny, which I had never realized before. I know I "knit funny." Not really any style, closer to English/American/whatever than Continental, but hardly any style. Amber looked over at me this weekend and said, "You knit like you are crocheting." Which sounds weird, but is exactly true. I guess it's because I crocheted first, or because Nana is a crocheter and a knitter, but whatever it is, that's what it looks like when I'm knitting.

Funny thing is, I don't crochet.

I want to make this shawl. I bet I could, too.

I have more to write, but my "Monday" has been too exhausting.

I read that article*. I got mad, very mad at first. Then, I realized that it was a hideously poorly written article, and instead of working myself into a frenzy, I should feel bad for the author. Just because you are writing an Op-Ed piece doesn't mean you shouldn't try to follow some kind of form. When you are trying to criticize something, you should usually perform some kind of research. There were no comments from knitters, or even knitting experts. Just some meaningless statistics and specious assumptions.

I would wonder about that woman's conception of feminisim, if she felt threatened by women who pursue traditional "crafts." Feminists fought (and continue to fight) for a woman's right to CHOOSE whether she wants to learn to knit, or play basketball, or do both! She obviously didn't take a very good look at the knitblog community. Sure, we have our share of stay at home's, but we've also got a huge amount of technical people, programmers, enginneers, and tech support people like myself. Some of us follow "traditional" female roles, and some of us follow what Tany may consider "traditional" male roles. And as for passively "hiding behind the needles," she certainly hasn't read our blogs! Knitters have opinions on everything and anything, and are at the forefront of a lot of great causes. Check out Theresa's entry a few weeks ago about health insurance for the un-insured. And the Revolutionary Knitting Circle. And for crying out loud, what about Montessori schools? Are we turning those little girls into homemakers? Or teaching children a skill that they can find joy in?

What about the men who knit? From what I hear, that's a growing population, too. What is there excuse? Are they trying to become women? Are they anti-feminist?

I had more to say on this, but I got bored of myself, and Bonne Marie and Erica summed up my thoughts better than I could have.