knittlelittle

Graduation Day

2006-10-02T20:56:00.000-05:00

My how time flies. It seems only a year since he was born and he's already graduating...into the Toddler class, that is. Such a big boy, walking this month and developing such a sweet, inquisitive personality. They just moved him over today since he's walking so well on his own. So now he gets to take naps on a pallet and I guess I have to send sippy cups. I don't know if I'm ready for all this!

I guess it's a good thing I finally got a good start on his blankie. After 3 false starts, I finally got the right number of stitches cast on and a pattern that is simple but interesting. I've knit about 8 inches in the last week, which is pretty good for my slow-as-Christmas needles! Addi-Turbos in my hands knit about as fast as pixie sticks in the hands of an old-timer. But I'm not the slowest knitter in town either.

Still working on Color on Color...finished section 16, knit a couple of I-cords for fun and now I'm about to start 17 - with my alterations of course. I'll keep you posted how that goes.

WIP Heaven

2006-08-30T21:16:00.000-05:00

...or stitch holders = death

I just bought some knitting needles off eBay! I had some Addi Turbo circulars picked out (I compared Patternworks and Ram Wools - both were $14.95 + $6 shipping). Then I just thought I'd check eBay and maybe buy used needles. There they were. Brand new Addi's for 9.95 + 2.25 shipping)...what a deal!

I was feeling really guilty about buying them anyway. The only reason I need them is because I have a half-finished sweater sitting on my size 8 Addi's and I don't want to take them off. There's this fear that if I take it off the needles and put it on a stitch-holder, it'll never get finished. It will die or go to WIP heaven.

What is WIP heaven like?

Is it a place where once-coveted and long-out-of-style sweaters get finished by smallish, bearded dwarves in tweed knickers brandishing lightening-quick needles?
Maybe it's like the Island of Misfit Toys where decapitated bunnys, toe-less socks, armless jackets, and foot-long lace stoles frolick together gaily, all-the-while hiding their secret longing to be finished and lovingly worn.
Or perhaps it is an emancipation when, after decades of imprisonment, the tragic yarn is released from its stitch-holders and unknit, subsequently having to go through years of therapy to erase its memory and relax all the kinks from its fiber. Then hopefully there's rehabilitation where perhaps it can once again become a contributing member of society and be "re-knit" into a usable garment.

I prefer to think of my WIPs as in a sort of yarn purgatory. Tonight, I'll light a candle for each project in progress (do I have that many candles?) and pray for their poor, imprisoned souls. Then I'll pull each one out and lovingly caress the hand-wrought stitches, reflect how far my skills have come, and ponder over the pattern to see if I can pick up where I left off.

Socks and Sex

2006-08-24T22:39:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one to realize how perfect knitting socks while watching "Sex and the City" can be? They go together like peanut butter and chocolate...the peanut butter being the socks cause they're so, well, "like buttah"; and of course chocolate is the next best thing, you know, endorphins and all.

You can watch your stitches most of the time and just listen cause you know all the episodes like the back of your hand. Yet it's funny and lifts your spirits to find you're not the craziest girl on the planet after all. And helps you identify with your sexy city gal self even if you're a crafty, suburban homemaker who'd rather wear your comfy Clarks than a pair of Jimmy Choo's. It's a great pick-me-up after a long day---OOPS, I dropped a stitch.

Sit-N-Knit

2006-08-22T10:53:00.000-05:00

Last night, some friends and I had our first Sit-N-Knit. We all said it's bout time...we've been wanting to (no, needing to) for ages. I brought my Color-on-Color scarf from Scarf Style.
Marcela brought a gorgeous hand-dyed afghan she bought in Canada this summer. And Sharon started a crocheted bag.

Sharon was the bestest hostess and had made Oreo Balls. They sound weird and look weird, but they taste like heaven. She said just throw a bag of Oreos and 8 oz. softened cream cheese in the blender. Refrigerate for an hour or two and roll into balls, then dip in melted chocolate. Yeah, Sharon! One more recipe that I'll be tempted to make during the deepest, darkest hours of my chocoholism.

Marcela and I are going to the KANG Conference this Saturday. Hope the market is fun, since we didn't sign up for classes. What am I saying? Surrounding myself with fiber, color, and fellow knitters is my idea of paradise, not to mention getting away from the husband and kids.

Speaking of which, Cole is going to start sprinting across the room any day now. 10 months, 2 weeks, and a gut full of get-go. He's going to complete my gray hair any day now. Course, that's not saying much.

Expecting the Best

2005-08-11T08:48:00.000-05:00

Less than a week before school starts back. We've been clothes shopping, bought school supplies, enrolled for day care, and now we're making the most of the last few free days. This week Daddy's off spending time with the kids...he'll be begging to go back to work any day now! But it's been a great summer all the same.

I've begun several new projects and actually finished one. It's a ballet-neck swing tank from Knitter's Magazine Spring 05 issue. In case you didn't know, there are almost no knitting patterns for maternity wear, so this pattern worked great! And I thought maybe I could recycle the yarn afterwards.

I also started a sweater for baby Hank (we can't agree on a name, so I've just been calling him Hank). I used Dalegarn's Stork yarn. The cotton is nice and cool for summer and it has such a fine feel it knits up very fast, even on size 2 needles. I'll probably put the pattern out here after I finish it, if anyone wants it.

Don't Give Up!

2005-04-26T20:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in so long...had a few things going on. Busy trying to get my life back to normal, whatever that is. I typed up a lot of info about exactly what's going on, but it was too depressing so I just deleted it. Think it'll be better if I write more when life is more interesting. Please don't give up on me!

Back in the Saddle

2005-01-22T23:37:00.000-06:00

I've got my priorities all straigtened out now! Too much going on due to the holidays, and maybe a little laziness on my part. Hubby was home for 2 whole weeks and if you don't think that got on my nerves...?

I decided to treat myself to a knit-in at Twisted Yarns in Old Town Spring and got myself roped into starting a new scarf. The "Color on Color" scarf from the new Scarf Style book. Didn't realize exactly what I was in for, but bought a kit immediately. I think I may even enjoy the weekly meetings more than the finished project...on second thought...I can't wait to finish the darn thing so I can wear it. If you get bored with projects easily, this is the pattern for you!

Jackpot!

2004-10-04T20:13:00.000-05:00

The area garage sale was a success. Brandi and Shay decided we had to leave at 2:00 AM to sit in line and get a prime spot (I took coffee and Bailey's to make it more fun). I made around $180 less the $30 fee. Unfortunately I can't spend much on yarn as hubby made me promise to spend it on the house. But I really need to paint the living/dining rooms anyway. I'm very tired of the colonial blue paint and wallpaper in the dining room but am not looking forward to tearing it off and "prep"ing the walls.

I started the new sweater after debating on the design. It's kind of a herringbone pattern, instead of my initial thoughts of ribs and cables. So far, I've knitted about 4 inches up the back. Photo to come.

Bummed!

2004-09-29T20:16:00.000-05:00

I just finished putting together my valentine red "Ruffled Edge Cardigan" sweater from Vogue Knitting Summer '03. I know that Large sizes sometimes have too-long sleeves, but this is ridiculous! It's supposed to be 3/4-length. Instead it looks like I'm just a really bad knitter (which I may be but let's don't go there)! If it has to do with the knitting, I'm prone to blame it on the fact that (as usual) I modified the pattern by using Dale Baby Ull instead of forking out $200 on Bliss Baby Cashmerino as the original pattern calls for.

So now instead of getting to wear it, I have to somehow eliminate 2 inches for it to look anything like the original. I thought about washing it in warm water, but then it would show at least 2 inches above my belly button, which I prefer to keep under wraps for now. Maybe after a few more months of Atkins I might be brave enough for that.

So, should I attempt the impossibly boring task of shortening two sleeves and kitchenering them together again or start a new project? I really want to begin a two-color sweater project of my own design with some Sirdar Legend DK yarn that I bought last year when NeedleArts went out of business. Since I'm hoping to publish a pattern, I should probably start the new one. At least that sounds like a good excuse to me.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to earn some yarn money by going in on a garage sale with friends. So I've been tagging toys, clothes, and everything else I can get my hands on. I keep thinking...if I just sold everything I own, maybe I could start all over and "remake" myself and the house and all. I am definitely selling all items I haven't used or worn in at least 2 years (except my yarn and fabric stash of course).

POSTSCRIPT 2/2006: Great - I just sold the last of the baby stuff last fall and poof! Bun in the oven. Hope it's a boy.

Memory Jog

2004-09-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

I've been pulling UFOs out of my closet, cabinet, sewing totes, and even my filing cabinet! I have some projects that I forget I ever started. I thought I should chronicle my progess and in so doing realized I better finish some things first.

So before I can show all the cool stuff I'm working on, I'll talk about what I've finished lately.

Here's my first attempt at a real sock (Christmas tree ornaments don't count). I bought the Dale Baby Ull yarn in Estes Park, CO last year, and decided it was just right for my first footwear fiasco. Then I got totally hooked. WOW - It's unbelievably amazing when you turn your first heel.

Early summer I started creating felted bags. Here's a Lucy Bag (pattern from Two Old Bags) where I combined a Noro yarn with Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Worsted in Limeade. I only needed one skein of Noro and slightly more than a skein of Lamb's Pride.

Just a Knittle about Blogging

2004-09-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

I'm a little intimidated about starting this blog. I just discovered a whole new world out there on the net...all these wonderful sites with knitting journals that are so much more than just knitting facts. These bloggers are like a little village where everyone knows each other and they all visit weekly to see what's new with knitting and catch up on the last gossip. Not only do they share patterns, they open up their souls to the world in such a heartwarming and poetic way, sharing joys, sorrows, and just plain old everyday stuff.

I've never been able to keep a written journal, although I love to buy them at Barnes and Noble. But it seems I fill them with wishes, pipe dreams, and mostly things I want to change about my life. How depressing is that?

But how exciting to have a place to share projects (finished and WIP), books I've read or want to buy, my favorite yarns, and of course, excuses for why I haven't found time to use them yet.

Therein lies the rub. Will I have any time left to knit or will I be too busy blogging? I guess time will tell!