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