What I'm Working On This Week

Wavy Rib Scarf

Stitch pattern from The Harmony Guides 450 Knitting Stitches Vol. 2

This is a very nice, simple yet interesting stitch pattern. I've been on a scarf tangent lately and wanted something different.

The yarn is Plymouth Silk Merino.

Sarah's Hybrid Thorpe

Black Lamb's Pride Bulky and Purple Valley Yarns Berkshire

The purple motif comes from the Norwegian Earflap Hat (search on Ravelry). It fit perfectly in the Thorpe pattern.

I'm working on a pair of socks too but the pictures were kind of blurry. The "So Called Scarf" is finished. I need to make a hat or mittens to go with it with the 2 remaining balls of Silk Garden.

The Basic Chic Hoodie is stalled at the moment. I need to rip back the ribbing I started because I don't think it will be long enough. And I need to go to Yarnia and get more of the Ultra Alpaca, also.

Another Thorpe In Progress

My post the other day was written after having a bad day missing my Mom. Those days are few, thankfully, since she passed. I usually think about all the good stuff. But once in awhile I get to thinking about how I wish she were still here and I get sad. That's what happened the other day. I have no intention of stopping the blogging at the moment. So rest assured, Linda, you can still keep track of me. I think you should start a blog so I can keep track of YOU!And here is my latest Thorpe

I figured out what I was doing wrong. It was really stupid. Like dumbass stupid. And I call myself an experienced knitter. Sometimes I wonder. Anyway, it's looking good, I think, and should be done in time for Peter to take it back to Boston with him on Friday to give to his girlfriend, Sarah. It's a belated birthday present. I hope she likes it.

So I Got The Boot Or Rather Lack Of A Boot

My f-ing computer friggin' up and quit on me Monday. I was in the middle of surfing the net like I usually do in the morning and BAM!! Nothing. After an hour on the phone with Dell Support, it was determined I needed a new hard drive which was installed yesterday. No computer for 3 days. I curse myself for being so dependent on this frickin' thing. After the last issue a month ago where I thought I needed to reformat the blasted thing, I had saved my favorites folder with all the knitting blogs and sites I read. Last week, I decided to delete that from my flash drive because "I didn't need it anymore". WRONG!!! I reconstructed my list for the most part and add things as I remember them. But what a pain in the ass. As soon as I hit the publish button, this new list gets saved. I'm not going through this bullshit again. Oh, and I also need to resolve a video driver issue that's been screwing up the works lately too. ARGH!!!

So I've worked on the Basic Chic Hoodie a little bit. I knit a Baby Surprise Jacket. And a Thorpe hat for Zach. Pictures soon. I also bought 5 skeins of Noro Silk Garden from WEBS last week. Marked down to $5.79 each. Almost half off. Couldn't resist.

Halloween tomorrow!

WIP's and FO's

I guess I've been kind of busy with the knitting the last couple of weeks.

And sewing too.

A Sewing FO

I love this little pumpkin!

The Halloween Socks are done!

TTL Mystery Sock #1
Done to clue 3

Pete's Mitts are done.

He is very happy since the mornings have gotten very chilly!

Catch that glaring error on the left mitt? Oops!

Basic Chic Hoodie

I've completed 5or 6 more inches of the body.

It's kind of slow going at the moment.

Another 3 inches and I can start the pockets and lower ribbing.

Is It Really Fall Yet?

By the weather we experienced this weekend, I'd say no. Rain. Humidity. Steamy. Yuck. Not my favorite. But I started another pair of socks.

It seems it has taken me FOREVER to find the right size needle and pattern to render the patterning I desired for this yarn. These are being knit on size 0 needles using the Magic Loop two at a time toe up. Larger needles knit blobs of color instead of more of a stripey pattern. The color is not quite what I hoped for when I bought it but totally cool for the Halloween season.

I think it's time to knit another sweater. The choice will probably be a Chicknits hoodie instead of the Central Park Hoodie or the that aran cardigan from Interweave. I like the Chicknits patterns and the new basic hoodie is written to include larger sizes (like me). I'm thinking I'll use Cascade 220 unless I can find something else that floats my boat.

Those Bits and Bobs

Details on Ravelry

Stuff

So, I was without internet access for a week.

And moved one kid to college. She's doing well. Experiencing the usual culture shock that is dorm living and higher education.

And waited for another kid to move himself to college. Yikes, into an apartment with four other boys. Yikes again! He and his friend and roommate rented a Uhaul and drove their crap into the city. He says he likes it. He says he's broke. He says he may have another job. He says he's doing lots of school work.

And I've knit lots of little bits and bobs. Well, maybe not lots. But some here and there. I don't feel like taking pictures and posting them right now. I'm going to wait until my computer is back to normal. I'm getting a new motherboard tomorrow. The ethernet card is apparently welded to the motherboard so they have to replace it. Joy of joys! Anyway, I knit a multi-directional scarf with Patons SWS. I had 2 balls I had bought to make a felted something or other and never did. I ended up needing to buy a third ball. It's a nice heavy scarf. I'll probably give it to someone. Summer of Socks 08 ended last week? Yeah, last week. After the third bi-weekly period I sort of got disenchanted with the whole thing. There were some words between a participant and a mod in the Ravelry group and it just rubbed me the wrong way. I'm in the middle of a pair or two of socks. Nothing special. Oh, I am also in the middle of a Flower Basket Shawl. I've always had trouble with lace shawl type things. I get messed up where I am in the pattern and if I make a mistake I have difficulty ripping back to it to fix it. I don't know. Anyway, this one has been very successful so far. I'm using Koigu Kersti I had in the stash (like most of my projects lately) and I love it.

So, to come, pictures of WIP's. And maybe a trip to a LYS.

Projects

What's wrong with this picture? One is bigger than the other and not as tight and neat. And each stripes differently. Blah!

I started this thing a couple years ago, I think. It's been sitting in the yarn closet and gets moved around every once in a while. I took it out the other night in hopes of finally finishing it. I don't know why I haven't worked on it. It's semi-mindless and a really nice pattern. Oh well!

Some Knitting

I'm jonesing to knit some socks. After I finished the "Go With The Flow" pair a few weeks back I decided not to cast on for any new ones until the 21st when Summer of Socks starts. So instead, I started the February Lady Sweater (go to Ravelry and search-it's everywhere)out of my stash Kureyon. I used a larger needle than the pattern called for, cast on 95 stitches to start, and just knit according to the pattern until it looked right tried on over my shoulders. I had to make a few adjustments math-wise but so far so good. If it works out ok and I have enough yarn, then great. If I run out of yarn, then oh well. It's keeping me occupied until Saturday when sock knitting starts again.

This is my Lace Ribbon Scarf using Knit Picks Palette (Yeah, I ripped the La Dentelle Belle). I've stated before that I have a hard time with lace. I get lost and forget yarnovers and have trouble ripping back and keeping track of the stitches and so on. This scarf though is very uncomplicated and easy to memorize. I really like this one.

Hexagons

It was all about hexagons this weekend. Hexagons while watching mindless TV and Saturday Night Live while waiting for Meghan to get home from babysitting Saturday night. Hexagons during the Desperate Housewives finale, the news and Catch and Release on HBO. I don't know why but I really love that movie. Not Jennifer Garner so much but everything else. You'd think with all that "sitting on my butt in front of the tube" time I'd have more done. Well, no. But I'm not bored yet and that's a good thing.

I'm feeling a bit, I don't know, cynical, today. I hate hate hate the media these days. EVERYTHING gets so overdone and over reported. Myanmar. Then China. Now Ted Kennedy? I'm not saying that those natural disasters don't deserve media coverage. People need help. The media appeals to public sympathy. Ok, I get it. But Ted Kennedy gets taken to the hospital and Massachusetts stands still. No more China or Myanmar. The media outlets are on death watch outside Mass General waiting for a glimpse or a sound bite or a press conference or stupid video of his family and friends arriving or departing. Man, give me a break! Channel 5 even interviewed Tom Brady about it at a Kennedy/Shriver charity event on the Cape. Like Tom Brady is an expert on anything. Oh and let's make this an opportunity for the presidential candidates to weigh in too. Hilary Clinton cracked me up with her great respect for Kennedy and his work in health care in this country. Way to go making a plug for your own platforms, Hilary!

Sorry. I've just had enough of all the bad news. Let's hear some good news for a change!

This Should Keep Me Busy For Awhile

Arabesque (free Berroco pattern) using worsted weight Comfort on #7 circular needles

I don't want to start any new socks before Summer of Socks starts June 21st and haven't found anything else to knit that floats my boat at the moment. I've already memorized the Arabesque pattern so it's sort of mindless while watching TV at night. As I've said before, I have a couple bags of leftover balls of Comfort (which by the way is really nice yarn for being acrylic/nylon) and this throw is working out perfectly for that.

One Skein? Really?

Here is my Oneskein clutch. See the blue? Not so much one skein! Unless I used some of the skein previously (I don't remember), there wasn't enough to finish the bag. Yeah, I'm bummed. I really like the brown and the blue makes it look, I don't know, cheap? I'm going to leave it and hope that when it's felted the colors will blend nicely and be a bit more muted. Ugh!

I'm knitting a Trellis now also. I have until sometime this summer to get it done. The yarn is a cone I acquired at my former place of employment. No idea what it is exactly. I should do a burn test. I did knit a swatch and ran it throught the washer and while I don't think it felted really it did shrink a bit. Maybe it's a blend. I don't know. Anyway, it's soft, the color is deep and pretty and the stitch definition is excellent.
Yes, I am knitting it in one piece with an extra stitch on each side as a seam stitch. I'm not fond of putting pieces together and figured "what the heck?".

56

The temperature yesterday was 56. It was a beautiful spring teaser. Pete and I went for a walk in the state forest. The air was cool not cold. And there were no bugs. What a nice afternoon!

On to the knits:

Opal Petticoat socks started way back in 2006

While I still have the itch to start new projects constantly, I've lately had a need to finish long languishing WIP. I've had that single Opal sock hanging around forever. It's time to get it done. And it's almost there. Tonight maybe. And I'll have nice colorful spring socks to wear on my next walk!

Anatolian Mittens from the book Folk Mittens

The mittens haven't been hanging around nearly as long as the Opal socks. But they too needed to get done now or I'd still be looking at one mitten come next winter. Last year, my goal was to work on my colorwork technique and this was a positive result. I'm thrilled with these. Just thrilled.

Happy Spring 2008

I wish I had a pretty spring picture to post. Alas, it's gray and dead looking just like yesterday. And where I live up on the hill, spring blossoms a week or two later than in the world below. It's not like I live on a mountain or anything. Blossoms are a little slower up here is all.

I do have a progress shot of my Malabrigo Koolhaas hat.

It's a blurry pic, I know, but you get the idea. The pattern is a lot easier than it looks. It's kind of intuitive(if that's the right word). You can sort of figure out what comes next. I like patterns like that. And it's quick. I got this far while watching Supernanny last night.

Happy New Year And Oh Yeah, Some Knitting

1. Tan Misti Alpaca Chunky Alison's Scarf

2. The Corrugator which I originally saw on Now Norma Knits in Patons SWS

3. Manly Mitts from Knitty.com in Cascade 220 (finally finished) 4. Anatolian Mittens from the book Folk Mittens from Interweave Press in Wendy Guernsey

I tried to put the captions with the pictures but Blogger wasn't cooperating. Oh well. Anyway, that's what I've been up to with my knitting. The Alison Scarf I started because I wanted to knit something different. It's a really short scarf but will keep my neck warm on days like today. It's 5 degrees at the moment. I got a ball of SWS from Meghan for Christmas with a Joann's gift card and wanted a quick but interesting pattern for that. The Manly Mitts were a bear to finish. I tried to modify the second mitten to center the thumb better and it screwed up the sizing. But I consider these practice mittens so no big deal. The blue and white mittens are my next foray into colorwork. I am VERY pleased with them. One of my knitting goals for 2007 was to work on my colorwork skills and I think I've come pretty far. I'm very proud of myself.