No Knitting News....

Wow I have nothing! I was tempted to do some stash enhancement just so I'd have something to talk about. But instead of buying yarn, today I broke down and bought a new DIGITAL CAMERA!!! yay!!! I can only hope that my future photos are much better than the previous ones. I stuck with Fuji. Got a good deal on a Fujifilm FinePix A345. I really liked my Fuji but it just wore out. I use it a lot for work and play and it's a dinosaur as far as technology goes these days. It is only a 1.3 megapixel! I was way overdue for a new one. I ordered it online at Circuit City but I can just stop at our local store on my way home from work and pick it up. It was neat because it was a "web only" special, would have been $20.00 more if I had gone to the store to purchase it, but I can pick it up at the store for the "web special" price after ordering it online.

I don't think I'll get much knitting accomplished this weekend either. My daughter and son in law are coming home and I'm babysitting the monster dog. (one year old golden retreiver with energy out the wazoo) All the kids and their significant others are trekking off to Kennywood tomorrow for some sibling bonding so it's just me, DH, and the dogs holding down the fort. Irish and Zoe are not too crazy about each other so it should be an interesting weekend.

What kind of needles?

You are "turbo" charged.Fast moving and classy, you get things done with
power and grace. Your expensive tastes can be
deceiving, since what you really value is
quality and efficiency. As you're careening
around those corners in life, finishing a dozen
knitted objects each month, stop and smell the
roses. Don't miss the beauty of process!

hmmm.... expensive tastes, yes. dozen finished objects each month, no. I really should stop from time to time to smell the roses though.

What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by

Slow but steady.....

progress on Clapotis II. I figured you really don't need to see a photo of clapotis with a few more rows on than the last photo, right? It's just a bigger "V" at this point. My husband's brother and his wife are visiting from Florida so there hasn't been much time to knit. And who feels like knitting when it's a gazillion degrees out anyhow? Holy Heck! Turn the heat off! I can't stand it. All I can say is Thank God for air conditioning. I don't know how people live without it in this heat.

I got my red Soleil back from the seamstress the other day. She re-did the thing a la Bonnie Marie (? was that the name?) It fits now but the shoulders look a little funky. I am so tempted to rip those things and do a kitchener closing. But with my luck I'd just make it even worse so I'll probably let it alone. It will sit in my drawer forever because I won't get rid of it since I made it but I'll probably never wear it because of the shoulder funkiness. (is that a word?)

Work has been Gawd-awful lately. One problem after another. From radon to roof problems and people bitching and moaning about anything and everything. It would be nice if I had the power to make everyone happy and agreeable to everything but it doesn't work that way. I think I was due for some rocky roads since things were going so smoothly for so long. It tends to go in cycles. In real estate, so much is out of the agent's control but who is the first person in the line of fire when something goes wrong? You got it. Moi. So why do I love it??? :-)

Third Time's A Charm

If you'll recall, I came home from Florida to find my second clapotis pulled off the needles and in a stringy mess on the love seat in my living room where I left it. I don't know who or what was responsible for the destruction but I didn't ask questions. I figured that if I was dumb enough to leave it sit there, I shouldn't be surprised to find it in that condition upon my return to the insane asylum I call home. (Think Malcolm In The Middle and you get the picture) Anyhow, since I have failed miserably with the lace project, I decided to get this thing movin again and finish it for my sister's birthday next month. I am again reminded how much fun this pattern is to knit. I just like the sequence of stitches.



I got the pattern for the felted purse in the mail on Saturday. It calls for acrylic handles and I'm almost sure the one I saw in the store had knitted handles. For some reason I don't like those plastic handles on knitted bags so I will have to fashion some type of a knitted handle for it. It shouldn't be too difficult even with my limited skills! Buy pattern here:
Hand Knit Purse Patterns, Felted Purse Patterns


I measured the yarn from Ireland using a tip from Jillz (thank you Jillz!). Turns out I'm going to be just short for Rogue. So I sent an email off to Ireland asking if I can buy just one skein but I think the answer will be no and I will have to buy another bag. But it's not like I'll never use the rest of it if I have to do that. Just more really, really good stash! Right?

Off topic, we got brave yesterday and ripped the carpeting off the stairs to the second floor in our house. (old Victorian circa 1891) We had no idea what we would find. I am sort of pleasantly surprised. The top of each step is an oak hardwood that was never painted over. The risers are painted white. The wood is in semi-okay condition. It is splitting in some places and will need to be sanded down and filled in with wood putty but I think I can get it to look half decent. Of course this will take away from my knitting time and I'm not real happy about that. But it is definitely not my husband's thing so I guess it will be my project. The dog is not loving this change in her little world. The bare steps are freaking her out.

The Weight Watcher's report is that I lost 10 lbs. so far. Yippee! I have 28 days and counting until I have to put a bathing suit on so the HEAT IS ON!!! I have decided that Weight Watchers is definitely the way to go. Because my work schedule is so insane, I went to weigh in the last few weeks but didn't stay for the meetings. I was losing willpower and determination and when I did finally attend the meeting on Saturday it really helped. Listening to all these people who have SO far to go and hearing them talk about their progress is really motivating. You think, hey, if they can stay positive knowing they have to lose 100 lbs. , then surely I can stay positive to lose 20.

Whoa! Majorly bad day at work... majorly!

Can you say wine? And lots of it tonight? What is it with people this week? I'm not into astrology but somebody's moon got messed up with somebody's stars or the axis isn't turning right or the house of the 7th moon isn't lining up with the galaxy or something like that. Whatever it is it's BAD, really BAD!!!

Lace II - Frogged!

Well, I hated it. It was going okay but I just hated the way it looked. I'm going to put that yarn away for now and forget about a shawl. It obviously is not meant to be right now. So the good news it that I can start working on my sister's clapotis tonight and over the weekend. The aran scarf for my boss is coming along but it's a boring knit. That will be a good "take along" project for when I need something to do at an Open House or waiting for clients. I do like the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn.

The yarn shop in Ireland never answered my inquiry about whether or not I have enough yarn for Rogue. Wouldn't it be absolutely terrible to get that 3/4 of the way finished and then run out? And why don't they mark the yardage on those bags??? That doesn't even make sense. Those people are world-class knitters. You would think they would realize the importance of yardage! The lady told my daughter "It's enough for a woman's sweater, but not a man's extra-large". So, I'm wondering, with the extra yardage for the big hood, do I have enough?

I'm anxious for the Vogue Fall knitting magazine to come out. I usually like most of the patterns in Vogue. I was very disappointed with Interweave Knits Fall edition. I don't know why I'm so anxious for it to arrive.... it's not like I don't have enough projects swimming around in this head of mine to last for the next 3 years! I really don't need any more! But it's fun to look, isn't it?

Stuff... Just Stuff

Well thanks to Jane I now realize I can add photos to my blog a lot easier than I was doing it before. Thank you Jane! Unfortunately, I have no photos to show today. That's what happens when you work until 10:00pm... no knitting!

But I do have some knitting news. The yarn my daughter got me in Ireland has been officially designated for this:knit this cabled hooded pullover :: rogue :: the girl from auntie I COMPLETELY forgot I ordered this pattern. It was one of those "back burner" things that I thought I'd do eventually when the right yarn sort of popped into my life. Well it popped, baby, it popped!!! I will wait until after Christmas to give this one my full attention. My only problem with this is that I know I will need help and I don't like to ask my LYS proprietor to help me with projects if I didn't buy the yarn there. Maybe she'll be up for some private lessons for a fee. I'd be happy to pay her to help me. The instructions for that are 19 pages long. Very intimidating. Because the bag of yarn isn't marked as far a yardage, I sent the shop proprietor in Ireland an email asking if there was enough to complete this pattern. Believe me, I'm not entering the realm of shortage again. It's way too painful.... which reminds me that I do have to finish the big bulky blue thing with the yarn that doesn't really match at some point before winter. That Cascade 220 was never located despite extraordinary attempts.

In other knitting news, my daughter picked up a little felted bag at The Wool Gathering in Kennett Square the other day and did some really pathetic whining and hinting that she would sure love to have one of those for Christmas. I just ignored her but I called Karen at the shop today and she does have the pattern. It's on it's way to me. That will be a quick and easy gift and the best thing will be the surprise. (don't worry, she doesn't read this blog!)

Whoopsee....

I didn't know that the photos that you submit to Photobucket and then send to your blog have to STAY in your photobucket album in order to show up on the blog!!! I cleaned out my photobucket photo album today thinking I was doing a GOOD thing. Wrong. Well I am NOT retrieving all those photos and putting them back on the blog. Sorry folks. If you missed them the first time, you missed them for good. Geesh. Live and learn. Bill Gates I'm not. (damn)

Lace - Part II

My dilemma is that I have the yarn, it matches the dress to perfection, and I need to knit a shawl with the yarn to go with the dress. Having failed miserably with a very lovely pattern, and needing to switch to a pattern I could memorize, I came up with this "seafoam" stitch shawl when I was searching open/lace stiches on Knitting.about. I think it will be ok but it's sure not going to be as nice as Micahaela would have been. But, like I said, I have enough frustration in my life.

Off topic, our dog ate a carton of paint balls while we were in Delaware and it was touch and go for a while. The kids did a great job of following the vet's directions and getting her to throw it all up. If you have teenagers into playing paintball... make sure the paintballs are out of the dog's reach. According to the vets, dogs love them. And if you don't you'll be cleaning up red poop for a long time. Ask me how I know this.

What a great weekend!!!

Our trip to Delaware was very enjoyable. The photo is blurry, but this is the yarn my daughter bought for me in Ireland when she and her husband were there last month. The sales person told her it's enough for a woman's aran sweater. It's 100% wool aran weight. What a great gift! Thank you Kelly! (she got mistaken for a local the whole time she was there... that's what freckles will do!)

She did indulge me yesterday and carted me around to a few yarn shops in and around the Brandywine Valley. The Wool Gathering did not disappoint. What a nice shop and Kennett Square, PA is a wonderful, scenic little town. She had some 100% cashmere that I couldn't afford so I settled for some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for my boss's scarf. It will be fine for him. It does feel nice. I'd like it to have a little more cashmere content but it will have to do.



Cute bags, huh?

So... just to let you know... Michaela is history. WAYYYYY too frustrating for me and after about a foot of knitting that looked great, I frogged it all. I was spending more time trying to figure out how to fix mistakes than knitting. I just couldn't keep it together. I kept losing my place in the pattern. There was certainly nothing difficult about it, I just couldn't concentrate on it. My mind wanders way too much for that type of knitting. But, not to worry, I have a plan for another open-work pattern for that yarn that is much less troublesome.



I started Richard's scarf on the way home since Michaela was frogged. I didn't have a pattern so I just made this up. It's pretty basic but I think it looks good.

Finished Accessory

I think it turned out so cute! I can see more of these little bags in my future. I wasn't crazy about the sewing that was involved attaching it to the handles though. That took longer than I would have liked and the knots in the bamboo got in the way of a smooth and uniform line of stitches.

Things are going better with Michaela. I'm getting the hang of it. I found that as long as I take it slow and don't get too distracted, I'm okay. I was one stitch off on a row last night and had to back-track two rows one stitch at a time and re-count everything and find the mistake. It took FOREVER. Usually, in a non-lace piece, I just pull everything off the needles and just start ripping. You can't do that with lace... at least I can't.

Tomorrow I'm going to Delaware to visit my older daughter and son-in-law. I already informed my daughter, who does not knit, that we'll be visiting yarn shops. I think she is less than thrilled. One stop will be at the "Wool Gathering" in Kennett Square, PA. It advertises having a definite "celtic feel" inside. Is that MY kind of shop or WHAT???? I've been wanting to visit for a year now.
Wool Gathering

Other stops may include "Bag of Yarn" in Chadds Ford and "Stitches with Style" in Wilmington. That is, if I can talk her into it. Hopefully I can find the cashmere blend I've been searching for for my boss's Christmas scarf. I don't know exactly what I want, but I know that I'll know it when I see it! If that makes sense.

Hmmn... Maybe it will be okay

I think I see the pattern emerging and I think it might be correct. This is a surprise to me. I was sure I screwed it up. One thing is for sure, if you mess up lace knitting, it's a lot harder to correct your mistakes than on normal pieces. The stitches all look like a jumbled mess to me.
Wish me luck!



I was going to finish the little purse last night and I lost my tapestry needle! I can't believe I'm down to only one needle and I lost it. So, back to JoAnn Fabrics to get this finished. The only problem I have with this is that I wish I could have found straight dowel handles instead of the round loop ones. Any ideas where you can purchase those? I'm not into buying regular dowels and cutting, sanding, and staining them. I searched online and came up with nothing.

Lace Knitting + Attention Deficit Disorder = Total Frustration

Wow... I don't know if I can do this Michaela thing. I keep losing my place. I get lost in the pattern. I can't concentrate on it. At this point I can't tell if the pattern is emerging or not so I have to keep on going. At the end of some of the rows, there were not enough stitches to finish the pattern sequence. That certainly doesn't seem normal to me. But in the instructions, it says that the number of stitches will not be the same on every row because of the pattern. I don't know if that means that it's ok to end a row in the middle of * to * or not. I guess my only option is keep on truckin until I can see the pattern in the work. This is such a bummer. If nothing else, now I know how my son must have felt every day in school. And I probably did too... but I've managed to block it all which is probably a blessing.

Michaela

Decision made... I started this last night. My plan is to get this finished and still have time to make Clapotis for my sister's birthday the end of August. We'll see. The yarn I'm using for this project was meant for the Seascape Shawl by Fibertrends but the pattern never came in to the store so I'll use this yarn for this project. The yarn is "splitty" and a little irritating. Here is last night's progress:



Below you will see the disaster that once was the almost finished back of "W". Yep.... frogged. Completely and totally frogged. Why? Well I started the 5th wedge and I could see that something had gone terribly wrong. Because W is knit from side to side, and every single row is different, and because I am using a fuzzy-type yarn, I absolutely could not figure out where I went wrong. With this yarn, you can't even tell which are the knit stitches and which are the purl stitches. I just decided it was easier to rip it all and start again from scratch... someday. It's on permanent hold until I get this other stuff finished. Sad, because it was going so well.






And here is the finished square that will be the little clutch bag. I'll look for the handles this evening at A.C. Moore. I don't know if they carry those or not. It should be easy to find fabric lining at JoAnn Fabrics. I try to avoid going in there most of the time because every time I do, it makes me want to sew again and I REALLY don't have time to get back in to that.

Free Evening Wrap Pattern

Check it out.... it's lovely. This could be the one!!!
Berroco® Free Pattern Michaela

Cute Little Purse

I have just a tiny bit of "W" to do to finish up and what do I work on last night instead? A little purse to match Arlene. I have an entire skein of yarn left over (yes, I'm overcompensating for my tendency to run short) and I just decided to do a fun little quickie project. I've been wanting to knit one of these up since I discovered them on Tara's blog. (www.dirtypurls.blogspot.com)
And since I saw this website:Margaret Nicole New York, clutch bags Can you believe those prices? That's just way over the top outrageous! For something that cost them about $5.00 to make? Please! Do you think people actually BUY them?

I also discovered this morning that the powder blue cotton yarn I bought at the LYS's midnight madness sale matches a dress I got for an upcoming wedding in September to perfection. Can I get a shawl made by then? Only if I start right now and let everything else go which would mean no Clapotis for my sister's birthday. :-( Decisions, decisions.

Finally Finished Arlene... Voila

The lovely Cate modeling Arlene. Oh if only it would look this good on me! It's pinned big time in the back for this photo because it would be WAY too big for Cate in it's completed state. But it fits me and I'm happy with it. The little beads are cute, huh? Beats those big round silver things shown on the pattern.

In other knitting news I almost have "W" finished as well. One more good night of knitting and I can put that project to rest. As you can tell, I didn't get much done this weekend besides knitting. It was a great relaxing weekend for me. I'm usually working my tail off but I only had to work Saturday morning and that was it!

I will cast on for my sister's Clapotis after "W" is finished. I'm looking forward to doing another one of those. Hopefully it will go fast and I can dig into the Christmas projects.

Portable Knitting

I always keep a pair of socks with me in a little fabric bag to pick up and knit when I am sitting at a property waiting for clients. It gives me something constructive to do to pass the time and they are easy to carry around. I am enjoying the ribs on this pattern. It's a nice change from the pattern that I usually use (basic sock pattern by Regia) This pattern is called "Quick Knit Socks" and it uses DK weight yarn and does knit up very quickly. It was written by the proprietor of my LYS and can be purchased from her if anyone is interested. (www.victoriasneedleart.com) This yarn is Sirdar's Country Style DK which I love.

In other knitting news, I finished the back of "Arlene" last night. So the two pieces are finished and all I have to do now is the finishing work which I hate. It needs blocked and then crocheted around the arm holes and finished up with little connecting straps. I get to this point and I just want to PAY someone to do the rest of it so I can move on the next project. And speaking of the next project, instead of starting in on the finishing work that needs done, I cast on for the front of "W" and made pretty good progress on that last night. I would think that in about two weeks time I'll have two summer tops to wear. Although, looking at the piece of "W" that I do have finished, I'm thinking that it may end up to be Catie's top. For once in my life I think I actually knit something too small which is a real switch for me. I'm not sure how to knit something that will fit me. I look at the measurements, I know MY measurements, and I think I'm knitting the right thing and it never turns out. I know what you're thinking... I don't check gauge. Right? But I do! Well, I'm not giving up. No matter what I knit, my theory is, it will fit someone!

Future Projects

The new Kertzer Butterfly Super 10 yarns arrived at the LYS and the proprietor had to show Cate these patterns to go with the yarn:



And of course now she wants one. Currently having 3 W'sIP, and about 5 other projects in my head that I have to complete for Christmas, I can safely say that THIS is going to wait until next year. You can check out the Kertzer site here: [ S. R. Kertzer Limited: Freebies ]



This is also a must. It's Trellis at knitty.com. It's just too cute for words. I read the instructions and they are a real stretch for me, but with the help of the LYS, I think I can pull it off... if I camp there and become a permanent fixture.



And this pattern is just absolutely "gnawing" at me still. Lady Eleanor from the Scarf Style book. My problem with this is that I want to make it with really good yarn and when I see one that is worthy, and figure out how much I need, I then need to be resucitated when I see the price. It's nice, but not "cardiac arrest" nice.

So the new "Knitty" is up for summer. The MAN issue! I have to say that I'll probably never knit a sweater for my husband in this lifetime. First of all, he's not crazy about sweaters. He gets too warm in them. My son is too picky about what he wears so I'll never knit for him either. I was SO looking forward to that and what a letdown! I'm sure it made all the guy knitters happy though!

Fun Fur

Cute, huh? These will match Arlene, which is about 3/4 finished. I can't wait to wear them together!!

Yay! New Stash!

The midnight madness yarn sale at the LYS was a success. I got so much for so little! I was very well behaved if I do say so myself. The only purchase I made that I wouldn't have if I had gone alone turned out to be this sock yarn that Catie talked me into because I dragged her along.



Apparently she HAD to have it.



This blue cotton is what I will use for the Fiber-Trends Seascape Shawl. Fiber Trends Hand Knit Designs I was feeling all pushed to start and finish this for my beach trip next month but I'm going to put it on the back burner for next year's trip. I have too many other more important projects at hand right now.



And this is without a doubt my biggest score of the evening. 10 Skeins of one of my favorites. A washable wool in DK weight perfect for childrens clothing. This is going to be whipped into a very special baby project to be named later... because I haven't decided what it will be yet. But definitely something with an Aran flare!

Interweave Knits Fall 2005

Maybe I didn't give it a chance and I perused a little too quickly at the LYS at lunch time, but ...BLAH. Nothing there to float my boat. What a disappointment.

Bats in the belfry...

or more accurately, A bat in the bedroom. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. We were about due again. It seems that about every 10 years or so we get a bat in the house. There are tons of bats in the old historic buildings in our town and at dusk you see them flying everywhere. The story of this particular bat is that it landed on my son's chest in the middle of the night waking him from a sound sleep and causing him to jump out of bed like a bold of lightning. If that had happened to me I can assure you that I'd be dead right now. My heart would have stopped. So, anyhow, the men, in their infinite wisdom decided that it was too late at night to start the hunt so they closed the bedroom door, my son slept on the couch and they got up early this morning to hunt the little bugger down. And guess what? THEY CAN'T FIND IT. I am SOOOO at the Hampton Inn tonight.

In knitting news, there is none. Once again no knitting last night. Work is consuming me these days... and nights. I'm not complaining. I just miss knitting.

The LYS is having a midnight madness sale on the 3rd from 10:00pm to 1:00am. That should be fun. I'm going to go get my yarn for the seascape shawl. Since the pattern hasn't come in yet, I don't even know what to buy but I'm assuming it is going to call for lace weight. I'd like to get a cashmere blend for my boss's Christmas scarf too but I don't think she has any. Photos of my new stash to come!