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

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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