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!

Serious Withdrawal

I haven't been able to knit the last three nights and it's making me crazy! Between work and helping my mother shop, there is no time for frivolous things. But on a positive note, I have found some nice bargains while clothes shopping with my mother. I HATE to shop (as noted in the 100 things about me from February's posts) and I never do it until I'm absolutely desperate for something. So, having to take my mother so she can get ready for a trip to Colorado for my brother's wedding, I have been forced to shop and it has been successful. Amazing what you can find when you aren't really looking.

So, work is serious today. The largest closing of my career on tap for 4:30pm. I've got knots in my stomach the size of beach balls over this one. (for those of you who think it would be so much fun to show houses for a living, believe me when I tell you that it's days like this that no one thinks about or knows about when they say that!) Keep a good thought that all goes well because you never know about these things until you walk away from the table. If all goes well it translates into YARN, baby! Lots and lots of YARN. :-)

Beaded Front

You probably can't see the little glass beads I bought to sew on this top but I threw a few of them on just to take the photo. The fun fur I bought to put on the flipflops matches this top exactly. It will be a cute outfit when I'm all finished.

I hope the way my day started out today is no indication of how the rest of it is going to go. I got stuck in a car wash stall this morning. The door wouldn't go up when it was all finished and of course there was no attendant anywhere in sight. Fortunately, the back door didn't go down when I went in so I was able to very carefully BACK out of the stupid thing. And, of course, I paid EXTRA for the dryer and didn't get to use it. Grrrrr......

Fronts and Tea

I got fronts! I finished the front of "W" and I almost finished the front of "Arlene". Of course I forgot to take my camera home so I don't have photos of the progress but here is a somewhat recent photo of "W". For those of you looking for a interesting pattern, W is it.

I missed the "stitcher's night covered dish" at my LYS on Saturday. I would like to have attended but one of my best friends was co-hosting a "high tea" party at her house (hat's mandatory) and you can't be two places at once. Talk about fun... that tea party was the best. Her table was gorgeous and the food was great. We laughed until we were sick. Some of the activities were such a hoot. Hats and outfits were judged, we had to tell where and why we purchased the outfit, we had to explain why we thought our favorite tea matched our personality, we had to tour the hostess's new landscaping but only so that her neighbors could see us in our finery and wonder what the hell was going on. We were informed about the history of tea, the benefits of tea and the introduction of iced tea at the world's fair in 1904! They read a humorous commentary from one of Andy Rooney's 60 Minutes segments about women over 40. Hysterical! Tea quotations were written on little cards and placed at everyone's place at the table. They were supposedly chosen to match the guest's personality. Mine said "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. And whoever this "Earl Grey" fellow is, I'd like to have a word with him." by Jean Luc Picard, Star Trek, The Next Generation. Do you think my friends might find me a tad outspoken??? Who? Me?

Tons of photos were taken for a scrapbook that will be reviewed every year at this annual event. I can't wait until next year. I'm going to be SO much better prepared. For this party, I threw on a sheath dress and a plain, wide brimmed straw hat, and flew out the door. Next year I will do a little planning and maybe I won't win for the "most plain" ensemble!!! But, on the bright side, I won the cutest little bear candle made out of beeswax and a jar of honey. Parting gifts included a potted "lemon" plant to flavor tea, a little bag of assorted tea bags and a meditation CD suited to our personalities. Mine is the ocean sounds because the hostess knows I'm obsessed with the beach. I think it's safe to say that this sort of thing really isn't "me" and sounds like something I would hate but I loved it.
Hopefully, I'm growing. (I'm growing alright....growing old!)

Holy Cleavage Batman!

Soleil II is finished. Sadly, I probably won't ever wear this. There isn't much I like about it. The fact that it's too low cut doesn't bother me because I'd be ok with wearing a camisole under it. It's the fact that it feels too big, too long, too flimsy, etc. I guess I could take it and do the tailoring thing with it but I'm just not feeling it. I don't think I'd like it even if it fit me. The color is good on me though. I've come to the conclusion that I just haven't knit for myself enough yet to understand good fit and how to make a pattern work for me. And to tell you the truth, I don't know if I'll ever be able to alter a pattern to work for me because my brain just can't work that way. I can follow instructions, I just can't make them up! Geez, no wonder that through the years I rarely knit for myself! This is sooooooo frustrating!

Soleil II - Not Feeling The Love

I washed Soleil II to get it ready to block and I have to say I regret the Knitpicks Shine yarn. Pure and simple...it's flimsy. The drape is lousy. Oh well, live and learn. I like the look of it in the skein, I like the feel of it, and I love the color. I just don't like how it knit up. Once again, you get what you pay for. Damn!

I made major progress on "W" last night. I can't put it down. The pattern is addictive...sort of like clapotis. As I was knitting, it amazed me that someone came up with that design in their head. Having a mind for design like that is so foreign to me. I'm guessing that being able to do that involves the same part of your brain that enables you to be good at math. The part of the brain that is virtually non-existent in my particular organ. When God was passing that out I think I was still in the fat-gene line.

I'm anxious to start my first lace project. The LYS hasn't called me yet to let me know the pattern came in. I'll never have it finished for the beach if I don't start it soon. I know I need lace weight yarn but I don't want it to be fuzzy and that's how I picture most lace weight yarn. I'll have to give this some thought.

W

I got it into my head on Sunday that I just had to start knitty.com's pattern "W". It was one of those "I have to do this and I have to do this NOW" type of things. So, not being able to find any good Aran weight yarn that wasn't wool anywhere, I headed off to A.C. Moore and did exactly what I know better than to do. I bought cheap yarn. Really cheap yarn. And I love how it's turning out. I'll hate it of course after the first washing but for now I love the colors and the feel.
This pattern is so much fun. It is constantly changing and it's fun to watch the pattern emerge.
I think I'll do it again in good yarn at some point in the future because I like how it's taking shape.

It sure beats the boredom of this:



Arlene is so pretty but it sure is boring to work on. I think I'll bounce back and forth between the two of these until they are both complete. And then, for sure, it's on to Christmas gift knitting!

The beginning of Arlene....

Since I have to wait for the Knitpicks shine yarn to come to finish Soleil II I did cast on for Arlene. It's going to be a boring knit but I think I'm going to love the thing when it's completed.
I think I'll go look for the beads today at lunch time.

I stopped at Walmart early this morning on my way to work to buy a cheap pair of black flipflops to do this:
Free Crochet Pattern: FUN FUR Flip Flop Sandals

I can get the Fun Fur at A C Moore when I buy the beads. I think they are cute. But, they look like an obsession in the making. When I start making things like that I usually end up having to make a pair for everyone. I can't stop at one pair.

Weight Watchers is going great. I promised myself I wouldn't get on the scales until the next meeting but I couldn't stand not knowing and I hopped on this morning. To my surprise I lost 5 lbs. in 6 days. I know the remaining lbs won't come off that fast but you still have to love that instant gratification. Appleby's has a good Weight Watchers menu and I went there for dinner last night. It's great to be able to eat out and know exactly what you can eat. They are going to be seeing a lot more of me!

Are You Sitting Down????

What is wrong with me??? I ran out of yarn. Again. It may LOOK finished, but I still have to single crochet an edging around the arms and neck and I have no yarn left. Zero. Zilch. Yes, the good news is that I can buy more Knitpicks Shine in the color Butter without a problem. Thank goodness! But I did order more than the pattern called for so where did it all go? I thought I would have an entire skein left over. I don't get it. The good news is that this one does fit and it fits very well. I thought it looked big but it's perfect actually.

Knitting two of the exact same tops with different yarns has taught me a lesson. The total for the yarn I used for the red one (Butterfly Mercerized Cotton)was about $40.00 with almost a whole skein left over. The total for the Knitpicks (Shine) yarn for this one was $16.00. (including the additional skein I ordered last night) The red one feels like a million dollars. The drape is awesome, it's heavier and I love everything about it. The knitpicks one feels like a t-shirt. It's comfy and soft but in no way measures up to the Butterfly. It occurred to me,however, that when I spill something on it and ruin it, (as I have a habit of doing) I'm not going to feel nearly as bad as I would with the red one. So there is a good side and a bad side to everything!

I guess the bottom line is this. If you are going to sit for hours and hours on end to make something for yourself, you might as well go the extra mile and buy the good stuff. It definitely makes a difference.

Funny Stuff

I found this today on another knitting blog that I read. I think it's really funny. I was going to put it on our family blog but somehow I think only knitters would really appreciate it.

Soleil Boredom

I was bored with Soleil last night and I wanted to cast on for Arlene in the worst way. But, I am committed to finishing Soleil before starting the other one so I ended up doing NO knitting last night. I just couldn't talk myself into picking it up. I guess you'll have days like that.

In totally non-knitting news I started Weight Watchers on Saturday. I've tried to lose this 20 extra pounds on my own but it's obvious now that I have to answer to someone or I won't get it done. I have to say this program is not bad... not bad at all! I'm still enjoying my all important glass of wine with dinner and eating mostly what I want.... just a lot less of it. To me, the 8 glasses of water a day is the most difficult part. In truth, I can't do it. Thats too much water and way too many trips to the bathroom to my way of thinking. I guess I'm going to do this like I do everything else.... MY way. I have some important functions and two very nice vacations coming up in August and September and I'm too vain and self-conscious to go with the extra weight so I'm totally committed to this diet. I just wish I had the desire to excercise. I hate the "E" word!

Self Image

It's official. I must think I'm a lot bigger than I actually am. I keep making everything too big. This one is going to be better than the last one. I'm going to be able to wear it without taking it in, but, there is no doubt that it's going to be "roomy". I must be like one of those people who look in the mirror and see themselves as bigger than they actually are. Either that or I'm doing something else drastically wrong. I don't know... I measure myself, I check my gauge.... what else IS there?

So why did I kick such major butt on this project this weekend??? Because of this, of course:



How do I hate this camera? Let me count the ways. Anyhow, this is Arlene just waiting to be cast on. The directions say to make the front and back exactly alike. I'd like to do it in the round. How hard could it be to figure that out?? I'm thinking not very. I'm really hurrying Soleil II so I can start this. I am going to bead the front of this. I saw a cute top at T.J. Maxx with the kind of scattered beading that would be perfect for this. I'm not crazy about the thought of sewing every little bead on but I think it would be worth it in the end.

Parking Lot Knitting

I had to work at the Altoona Curve game last night for my Ambucs organization. What a commitment. You get there at 5:00pm and leave at 10:30. But, on a positive note, I didn't have to deal with one rude person this time so, all in all, it wasn't too bad. ( I hate rude, there is never any need for rude behavior) It was fireworks night, so, unfortunately, the crowd was just leaving as I was and I got tied up in the parking lot madness. Fortunately, I had my trusty knitting bag with me so I just sat and knit and paid absolutely NO attention to what was going on around me. I probably got 5 rows of soleil II finished before the crowd dissipated. I was glad I had it with me.

I went to the LYS yesterday and got some Butterfly 100% mercerized cotton to do the cute summer top (below). The name of the pattern is "arlene" by the way if anyone cares to check it out on Berroco's site. For those of you who haven't worked with Butterfly yet, I highly recommend it. The drape is awesome. It's heavier than Knitpick's Shine, and although I like that too, I do prefer Butterfly.

While I was at the LYS, I ordered Fiber Trends Seascape Shawl pattern for my first Lace project. I'm hoping I can have it finished for Kiawah in August but that is doubtful. I have too many other projects in the works. My Christmas knitting has gone totally by the wayside. I don't know how I hope to accomplish all that when I'm obsessed with summer knitting. As I recall, in a previous post, I stated that I was not going to knit cotton and that I was on a mission to complete all sorts of wool gifts for Christmas. Ha Ha. So much for that.

However, speaking of Christmas knitting, I found a scarf pattern through the magic of a google search and the kindness of this blogger: The Yarnpath I searched the words "masculine" and "scarf" and found her pattern called "Tweed and Seed Scarf". It IS masculine and just what I was looking for for my boss for Christmas. I think all of the scarf patterns in ScarfStyle are too "fussy" for him but that one is perfect.

Cute Summer Top

Hey check it out! I just found this and I love it!! Free Pattern at berroco.com... under the Cotton Twist yarn. Of course I'd leave out the shiny round things. I'm not a shiny round thing type of person. I'm thinking little beads might be cute to dress it up though. Yep, I'm makin it!

Stuff, just stuff

Here's the latest progress on Soleil II. Hopefully this one will fit me. I did take the other one to the seamstress to get it taken in a la Bonnie Marie. That should be interesting. The way I look at it, it can't hurt. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I DO like this KnitPicks cotton yarn. It's soft and nice to work with.



I started these socks last night at knitting night. I have a philosophy... crazy though it is.... I won't work on anything there if I haven't purchased the yarn for the project at the shop. It doesn't seem to bother anyone else to do it but I'm weird like that. I wanted to work on Soleil II but, sorry, Knitpicks yarn and I'm behind on my sock knitting anyhow. I like to give socks as Christmas gifts and I've got a few pairs to go. Knitting night was poorly attended. This is a busy time of year for everyone. There weren't too many of us "knit knuts" there.



So here is another new obsession. I don't think I'd put the bobbles on it though. I love this sweater. But, I was thinking, I bet if they showed it in any other color but the light blue I wouldn't have even noticed it. Sometimes I think I'm attracted to color more than pattern. I have LOTS of new 0bsessions in that Vogue Quick Knits book. I want to make everything in there.



My roses are blooming. They are beautiful. They will look nice for a while and then they will get black spot which I never seem to be able to control every year. I spray and do all the things they say to do but they still get it. And this variety was supposed to be black spot resistant. Right.

Ta Da! Weekend Quick Knit

I love this pattern. (knitty.com - archives - coronet hat) This hat looks so cute on and it's fun to make. And this time, I actually followed the pattern. I'll take this to knitting night, which should be tomorrow, to show to the girl who spun the yarn. (I can't think of her name!) If I went to all that trouble to spin and dye, I'd like to see the finished product.



I got this at Barnes and Noble. I think the only thing I'm NOT crazy about is the sweater on the cover! I hate chenille. I can't stand the feel of it. But this book is FULL of great patterns, both summer and winter. And there's a nice shawl in there I'm thinking about. Check it out at your local bookstore.

Stashbusting... and other things.

I felt like I needed a little diversion from the worn out projects (soleil and clapotis) so I took a little break and decided to knit up another Coronet Hat (archives at knitty.com) I am using the hand spun and dyed yarn that I got from a local spinner at my LYS knitting night. It is turning out ok but has this ... almost... "felted" feel to it. I can't explain it. Anyhow, it's just what the doctor ordered to get me out of my knitting slump. It's going fast and you have to love that instant gratification.

I got a new book at Barnes and Noble that I just love. (photo tomorrow) I think it's called Vogue Quick Knits. (I'm at work, the book is at home) It's got tons of winter and summer projects... almost all of which I love. Just what I needed, more future projects to add to the list. I don't have enough already.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to take the drastic measures mentioned in Tara's blog (www.dirtypurls.blogspot.com) to make Soleil I smaller. As I don't know where my sewing machine is, I'm going to take it to a seamstress to have it done. Anyhow check it out...
ChicKnits : TEKtalk : Downsizing Drastic? Yes, but in this case, I think it's the only option. And, yes, before you say anything I know it will screw up the lace design on the sides. At this point I'm going to suck that up and live with it. The other option is the trash can so I'm willing to give it a shot. I think the yarn would be too stressed out to rip it one more time and start something else. Remember, it used to be a baby jacket!

More photos tomorrow... and, yay, hopefully only a few more weeks of lousy photos as I am going to get a new digital in a week or two.

Interesting.....verrrrrry interesting....

Last evening, after making some sense of laundry piled to the ceiling upon my return from Florida, I got Soleil out of the knitting bag to work on. Seems I lost my knitting instructions on the plane. No big deal.. I can always print them out again but my printer at home is broken so there was no knitting on that last night. I hate running back and forth to the computer. So I decided to work on Clapotis II. I picked it up, and low and behold, half of the stitches were off the needle. So all the markers on that half are no where to be found. That's not a big deal either. The pattern is so repetitive that I could easily have figured out on the next row where they were supposed to be. However, upon further inspection, there was a huge pull in the middle of the piece with yarn dangling loose and a HOLE in it as plain as day. When I tried to gently pull the piece back into shape, the stitches ran. Now, I don't get this. First of all, obviously it was messed with while I was gone.... my fault for leaving it sit out. But, more curiously, if I had dropped a stitch earlier on, I would have known it. You can't do that pattern without the correct number of stitches between every marker. I cannot for the life of me figure out what happened. To make a long story short, in my frustration, I frogged the whole thing. I hadn't gotten to the first dropped stitch yet so it wasn't A LOT of knitting but I only had two rows to go to do that and it was enough to make me want to SCREAM.

I might try something different with that yarn now. I saw a wrap in Vogue Knitting that my sister said she liked. Maybe I'll make that for her instead. Also, on the plane, my mother commented on a lace scarf that she liked while leafing through the Vogue magazine. That makes life easy when trying to decide on gifts!

And to add to the stress of flying....

there was this little number



Well, in spite of my fear of heights and flying I had a great trip. I ended up being very angry at myself for not starting a pair of socks to take along on the trip. Soleil was NOT mindless enough for the the plane and airport so I ended up doing no knitting on the trip. I could have had a sock completely finished. I will remember that the next time.

So it's back to work, back to knitting, back to blogging, etc. There's no place like home!

Any Questions?

Let's review why I am afraid to fly.

A. There is no pulling off to the side of the road.
B. If people were meant to fly they'd have wings.
C. No one feels the need to give you emergency instructions on a bus.
D. Panic attacks - Ever had one? Not fun. Not fun at all.
E. Air pockets. Why? Why are there air pockets?
F. Turbulence - Say that word a few times. Is there a scarier word in the English vocabulary?
G. Terrorism - Too scary to even THINK about.
H. Lazy plane mechanics. "Oh, I THOUGHT I tightened those bolts."
I. Lost luggage...ok, not scary, but DAMN annoying.
J. Take Off. The worst part by far. The noise alone takes 3 years off my life.


I could go on but what's the point? You get the picture. I need some serious medication for tomorrow... but I can't take it because I need a clear head to help my parents travel. So, to all my knitting buddies out there in cyberspace, keep a good thought for me tomorrow around 7:00am EST. I need all the help I can get.

Knitting Rut

I'm in a knitting rut. Instead of branching out I'm stuck repeating already tried patterns. Don't get me wrong... I LIKE the patterns and I want to make them again but I had vowed to try new things and I'm not doing it. Wait, I take that back. I never dropped stitches before and I did with Clapotis. I never knitted lace or did YO's and I am doing that on Soleil so I guess I am doing a little experimenting.

But I want to knit LACE lace and I want to make another big cabled sweater pattern and I am avoiding both. I also want to make a big rectangular wrap. So many projects, so little time.

I am also drastically disappointed in how my big sweater is looking with the new cascade 220 that Karen was wonderful enough to send me from Seattle. I didn't think it would make that much difference but it does. It is much brighter in the piece and very noticable. I cannot believe I can't locate ANY of that yarn. I bet I contacted over 50 yarn shops that I found online. I even had my LYS's Cascade rep looking for it for me. I don't know what to do about it. I hate the thought of frogging the whole thing but I also hate for all that good yarn to go to waste. I guess I'll give it more time.

38 hours and counting to airport hell. I'm feeling queezy already. I HATE to fly!

Smooth as Butta - Soleil II

Here is new Soleil resting on blocking Soleil. Knitpicks "Shine" yarn this time. Feels much softer than the Butterfly cotton. I'm detecting a bit of inferior quality but I love the softness and the color (butter). And you can't beat the price. I really was on the verge of doing a different top but I ended up with another soleil. I figure I like the pattern so much I might as well make one that fits me correctly this time.

Finished Soleil.... almost

Well, it's almost finished. I just need to put the crocheted edging around the armholes and block it. It's big. But, I do think it's wearable. The next time I would make the smaller size and NOT add the extra two inches to the length. All of the posts in the soleil-along said they regretted not making it longer so I went with their advice and added two inches. I think I would have preferred it shorter. Oh well, live and learn. I also regret not grafting the shoulders together instead of sewing the seam. I know I could easily frog that and re-do it but I'm just so glad to have it done that I'm going to leave it alone.

I'm flying to Florida on Friday so I have to start a pair of socks for airport/airplane knitting. I don't think I'll have small wooden needles confiscated and socks are very portable so I think that's the way to go although I'd much rather work on clapotis II. I hate to fly. HATE IT. In order to work up the nerve to get on a plane, I usually just get plastered to the point that I can still function and maintain a look of sobriety all the while being pretty much buzzed into submission. However, with a 7:00am flight on Friday, alcohol consumption isn't really an attractive option this time around. My parents and siblings have stated that they would never fly with me again but they got roped into it again... probably much to their regret. The fear of flying is something that I have managed to pass down to two out of three children. I'm not proud of it. My oldest has recently visited her physician to get the proper medication to endure a flight to Ireland next month. My youngest has stated that he will never fly. Period. Poor kids. It can't be easy having a nut case for a mother.

Designed for Negative Ease

While it may sound like these words are describing my life, they are not. I have the nasty habit of ignoring things I don't understand. Take the Soleil pattern for instance. It says "this top is designed for zero or negative ease". I had no clue what that meant. What did I do about it? Nada. Zip. Zilch. I just ignored it. Maybe, just MAYBE, if I had taken the time to do a little research, my soleil wouldn't have ended up HUGE. I am still hopeful that it won't look so bad being loose fitting but the chances of that are slim (no pun intended). I have a photo but Photobucket isn't cooperating this morning so I'll add it later. I can't say enough good about the Butterfly 100% mercerized cotton. The drape is awesome. It feels good and looks great. I'm going to try to get a few more tops done in this yarn before my trip to Kiawah in August. I also ordered some Knitpicks "shine" cotton yarn to do something with...probably a smaller soleil. Have you seen the soleil with short sleeves yet? Check it out!!! www.artisokka.com

The Weather Chic

Totally off topic... but look at the weather chic. I want to be built like her. Yeah, that might happen... in my next life.

Grrrrrrrr!!!!!

What is it with me and sweaters? I get to within 4 inches on a sleeve to finish my big sweater and run out of yarn. I end up hating the baby sweater and rip it all out, and now I'm realizing that the Soliel I'm making is too big for me. As I was knitting away on it last night... and loving the results.... I'm thinking, this thing looks awfully big. I measured myself, I swatched, it should be right, but it still is just looking very ...large. So I got some waste yarn and threaded it through the stitches on the needle and took it off the needle and tried it on. Sure enough, it's too big. I refuse to frog this thing. I will keep it as a gift for someone although I'm not sure who. It was meant to be form fitting and it would be very loose on me. I think it would fit my older daughter right now the way it is but she is rapidly losing weight so that's not an option and I don't think she would like it anyway. It's not her style. Hey, maybe I'll sell it on Ebay!! One thing is for sure. I like this pattern so much that I will try it again in the smaller size. I'd like to try Knitpicks "Shine" yarn in yellow the next time although I'm really liking this Butterfly Mercerized Cotton too. Decisions, decisions.

Awwww..... Anniversary Flowers

Tulips are my favorite. Aren't they beautiful?

New Clapotis and Soliel Progress

I forgot how addictive this pattern can be. You can't put it down for some reason. While you are constantly changing stitches, it's an easy repetition to remember. I just love knitting this and this yarn is so different from my last one that the project is still as enticing as it was the first time around.



Blurry photo of soliel but you can see the progress. I found a "soliel knitalong" and I was perusing the posts yesterday and found that almost everyone wished they had lengthened the pattern. So, with that advance warning, and being at the perfect place in the pattern to take care of that, I added on 2 inches through the body. I will start the armhole shaping this evening... if I can stay away from clapotis long enough. Why, oh why, did I start that thing before I had soliel finished? ADD - that's why.

Yay!! Yarn!!

The yarn from Karen arrived yesterday and here is what I've got. The little one is my leftover. The big one is what I'll have to work with. You can see the difference in color. One web friend suggested alternating rows with the two different yarns to help it blend better so that is what I'll do. (great suggestion, huh?) Knit together with the off white.. it shouldn't be too, too noticable.

A Blog Thing

Yep... this would be me:

Your #1 Match: ISTJ

The Duty Fulfiller You are responsible, reliable, and hardworking - you get the job done. You prefer productive hobbies, like woodworking or knittings. Quiet and serious, you are well prepared for whatever life hands you. Conservative and down-to-earth, you hardly ever do anything crazy. You would make a great business executive, accountant, or lawyer.

What's Your Personality Type?

The Birthday Thing....try it!

Your Birthdate: August 23

With a birthday on the 23rd of the month (5 energy) you are inclined to work well with people and enjoy them. You are talented and versatile, very good at presenting ideas. You may have a tendency to get itchy feet at times and need change and travel. You tend to be very progressive, imaginative and adaptable. Your mind is quick, clever and analytical. A restlessness in your nature may make you a bit impatient and easily bored with routine. You may have a tendency to shirk responsibility. Very sociable, you make friends easily and you are an excellent traveling companion.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Soliel Progress

Friday the 13th... with a vengence

Sooo.... If it was a perfect world I'd be in Niagara Falls by now. A trip planned in September that I was really looking forward to that got nipped in the bud a few weeks ago when DH realized he had a mandatory quarterly meeting this morning and a charity golf outing this afternoon. Goodbye Niagara Falls.

You're probably asking yourself (I'm sure) how I'm spending my day today since I no longer have travel plans. Well, after my house caught on fire in the middle of the night and after the engine in my car blew up on the way to work this morning, I'm pretty much just hanging out here happy to be alive and wishing I could get some sleep. It's all a long story but suffice it to say that when the next Friday the 13th rolls around, I will be hiding in a hole somewhere with a blanket over my head. Oh.. no damage to the house... somehow the shrubbery and mulch outside against the porch railing caught on fire (cigarette butt?) and I actually was wakened by the smell of smoke through the bedroom window...thank GOD the windows were open. I live in a 1891 historical victorian tinderbox. Had that porch caught on fire, it would have been all over. Yep, we had fire engines, an ambulance, a police car, and fire whistles and sirens to wake the neighborhood at 1:30am. I'm a very lucky person today. I think I'll celebrate life tonight with a bottle of wine ...or two.

Now, on to knitting news. I'm enjoying Soliel. I had trouble with that decorative edging though. Very simple pattern... should have been a no brainer.... but I'm a little distractable and I kept forgetting yarn overs or psso's. I'd be knitting along thinking everything was fine until I got to the end of the row and didn't have enough stitches to complete the pattern. Frog. Frog. Frog.
This poor cotton yarn has taken a beating.

So Cate just called me and told me she did something to her knee and she can't walk. I'm sorry but it's getting a little freaky now. Stay tuned.

Soliel

I am still working on the patterned bottom of this tank top and I am one stitch off. Somehow, somewhere, I ended up with an extra stitch and do you think I can find it? I have ripped, I have knitted and I have ripped again. And the little bugger is still there. It's driving me nuts. I hate it when things like this happen!! I kept getting interrupted by the phone so no wonder it's off. I want to knit on a desert island.

But the good news today is that Karen in Seattle has come up with some Cascade 220 that I can use to finish my sweater. She sent me a little piece, and when I looked at it last night when I got home late, it looked like a perfect match. In the light of day, I can see that it is a little different, but, when mixed with the other color, I don't think it will be too noticable and I am definitely going for it!! Thank you Karen!

A Funny Side Note about MS&W

I have a friend who does not understand knitting and fiber. She is the friend I refer to in 100 Things About Me in my February Archives. She is the one who can talk anyone in to anything.
She is not crafty and wouldn't know a knit from a purl to save her life. When I told her I was going to Maryland Sheep and Wool she thought that was just about the funniest thing she had ever heard of. However, coincidentally, she was going to be in Baltimore for the weekend at the same time for a little relaxation at Inner Harbor. So she calls me late Saturday afternoon on my cell phone and can't wait to tell me that her whole hotel in Baltimore is full of people from all over the place (including Hawaii) going to the "Sheep Festival". I have a feeling she may have a newfound respect for my hobby! Maybe.

Baby Jacket Out... Soliel In

I frogged the baby jacket. I hated it. My philosphy is, if I wouldn't have worn it on any of my kids, I'm not giving it to anyone else. So my Butterfly Mercerized Cotton is turning into Knitty.com's new pattern, Soliel. This is the first time I ever worked a pattern from a graph with yarnovers and I'm loving the results. No wonder people love to knit lace.

Maryland Sheep and Wool - Part II

Below are my photos from the festival. They are just some general photos of the whole experience. There are very few photos of actual yarn vendors because you really couldn't get good photos in the barns as it was too dark for my camera. There are also some photos of the yarn that I purchased. I got a 75% wool and 25% mohair blend hand dyed from The Good Shephard - a Vermont vendor. I'll use this for the "Besotted" scarf. The second yarn is a cotton/rayon blend from Dyed Dreams in Silver Spring Maryland. I'll use that for the Clapotis. I spent a grand total of $80.00 on this yarn. To me, that's a lot for two small projects. The yarn "weren't" cheap folks!!! But it's beautiful yarn.


Rest room line












I wish you could see these colors. There is no way to tell from these photos how nice this yarn is.

Maryland Sheep and Wool

Where do I begin? First of all, I was unaware. About a lot of things. It was much bigger than I thought. There were more people there than I thought. There was much, much, much more yarn there than I thought. I didn't go quite prepared enough. Next year I will sell a house and dedicate the commission to that trip alone. (over my husband's dead body) I went with the thought that I would not spend money on yarn similar to that which I could purchase from the LYS locally and I kept my word on that. But I definitely needed more money. I'll dream about that yarn at night that I wanted to buy and didn't. (ok, I'm getting a little carried away here but I'm telling you .... it was truly sensory overload) There was a silk-merino blend to die for at $40.00 a skein. It would have made the most fabulous clapotis.

I was there from 9:30am to 2:30pm and I know I didn't get to see everything. Many of the vendors had small box-like cubicles with their yarns in bins and you couldn't get near it....too many people. So, some of the yarns I really wanted to see, I couldn't. The lines for the bathroom were incredibly long. The lines for the food were even longer. Getting there early, we didn't have to walk far but some people were parked so far away that it was an actual hike for them to get to the fairgrounds. There were cars in that parking lot from every state in the country.

I watched a border collie exhibition that was fun. Those dogs really can herd sheep. And it was interesting to see all the different breeds of sheep and shearing being done. There were people everywhere with huge bags of fleece that they had purchased. I kept thinking, wow, there are more people out there who spin than I thought. That is something I have NO desire to do. Talk about taking time away from knitting!

All in all, it was an excellent "Mother's Day" weekend event. I was in what my kids refer to as "mommy heaven". Next year I vow to take more money, perhaps stay longer, and go with a better plan of what I want to purchase. (I thought I had that one covered until I actually got there) Photos tomorrow.... my camera cord is at the office.

holly stuff

I love "holly" things. (go figure) I found this the other day while searching websites trying to locate my cascade 220. I have to have it. I have to make it. I'll put it in a box for a grandaughter to be named later.

Holly Hat

Ugh!

If I read one more blog that says "this is what I'm knitting to wear to Maryland Sheep and Wool" I'm going to scream. Apparently it is going to be a fashion show of hand knits. I was unaware. I am unprepared. All I have are socks. Dammit.

Not to switch the topic or anything but I was watching the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" last night and Reese Witherspoon had on the cutest basketweave stitch shawl. It was something I could definitely see myself wearing. It reminded me of the Lady Eleanor shawl in ScarfStyle a little bit but it was less fancy. I just loved it. Another future project. I really don't need more future projects at this point. I have so many now I can't keep them all straight.

My New Obsession

Here she is. I want her. I want her in cotton. From Vogue Spring/Summer 2005. I am enjoying the "Butterfly" mercerized cotton so much that I want something for myself made from it and I think this is the thing. When I get the monster baby jacket finished I'm all about this sweater. But hopefully I'll get another pair of socks done in between.

Cate is home. The house looks like a bomb went off with all her stuff everywhere. How does one dorm room hold so much crap? I don't know where we're going to put it all. And, get this, the air conditioning in our van blew when Cate and DH were on their way home. All I can say is that I hope it's not warm on the way to MS&W because there certainly isn't enough time to get it fixed before 7:00am tomorrow. Sorry ladies... we're going to have to tough it out. Thank God it's not July or August. I have not gotten organized for the trip yet. I have to decide what I'm looking for when I'm there. I don't want to get there and not have a plan. I know more Clapotis yarn for sure but I can't decide what else. I have visions of cashmere scarves for Christmas. I hope I can muster up some restraint. I'm thinking I should take cash and no credit cards. I'm usually pretty good , but this is YARN we're talking about here! And lots of it!

Posting just to Post

If you're looking for exciting blog content today you've come to the wrong place. I wanted to add a photo of the baby jacket today but I forgot to take my camera home from the office yesterday so that won't happen. I may not be using that jacket for the baby gift after all. I think I'll keep it in case the jolly green giant ever has a kid. I'll be so prepared.

Cate comes home from school today for the summer. She still doesn't have a job and I'm starting to panic. She REALLY needs a car for next year and she REALLY needs to help pay for it! She'll be wanting help with her Sophie bag which she is currently in the middle of. I thought about finishing it for her but I never did. I'm glad I didn't now because it will give her something to do until she finds a job. She has real knitting addiction potential. Like mother, like daughter. Too bad she can't go to MS&W. The bus is full.

I posted to KnitList to try to find my blue Cascade 220. I've gotten some responses from some really nice people. No solid leads yet but a few maybes. There are other people out there like me who do not keep the bands from their yarn. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I have learned though, that from now on, I will keep at least one when I purchase multiple skeins. At least if I ever run out again, I'll know exactly what I'm looking for.

Knitting News

Last night was knitting night at the LYS. I worked on my Opal sock and we finalized our plans for Maryland Sheep and Wool. There will be 7 of us going and I will drive our 7 passenger mini-van so it all worked out pretty well. I have visions of having to stop at the closest Sears to buy one of those "luggage bubble" things for the top of the car to bring home all the loot. I told them it IS an "extended" van but let's not get carried away!!

In non-knitting news our dog has recently been hacking up a lung and I was sure something was caught in her throat. My husband called the vet (who is our friend) and told him about it. He said, "Well, is she dead?" My husband said, no, she is decidedly NOT dead. To which the vet replied, "then she doesn't have anything stuck in her throat and she has kennel cough". I'd like to know how a dog who has no social life whatsoever (sort of like her owners) ends up with kennel cough. She has not been boarded, she has not been walked (we're terrible dog parents), and she does not have any close doggie friends other than the dogs in the neighboring yard who also have no life. Anyhow, he said to give her Robitussin cough syrup. YOU try giving a 85 lb. dog digusting cough medicine. Not gonna happen. Strange that at 9 years of age it's her first bout of kennel cough.

I've made progress on the Debbie Bliss baby jacket. I have to say that it is turning out much larger than anticipated. I did not swatch it to get the gauge correct because I didn't care if I didn't knit to gauge on this. I mean, it's gonna fit the kid at some point, right? I just didn't anticipate the fact that the kid would have to wait until 5th grade to wear it. I think Debbie Bliss is British, right? They must grow 'em big over there. :-)

The Dump Truck From Hell

On Sunday I had an Open House at one of my new construction listings. It's a beautiful new home in a nice development. I expect lots of people to show up. I never bothered to tell the contractor that I was having an Open House because the house is finished and I can pretty much just do as I please with it at this point. As I approach the house, THIS is parked in the driveway:



Yep, it probably would have been a good idea to tell him about the Open House in advance. So no one bothered to approach the house with this monstrosity in the driveway and I got about a half of my second Opal sock finished!!! Everything happens for a reason ;-)

So much for socks and stash reduction...

Traveled the 40 miles to State College, PA, to go to Barnes and Noble Friday night in search of a "baby knits" book. The choices were endless but I finally decided on this one:



I don't think there is a pattern in this book that I wouldn't make. Every single one is cute. I think it's a book I will use over and over as (hopefully) grandchildren come along. So, since I got the book, of course I had to get the yarn for the baby gift I have to make. The pattern calls for Debbie Bliss (of course) cashmerino aran yarn but I didn't want to make it in wool so I settled on this:



It is "Butterfly" mercerized cotton in DK weight. It's braided so there is no splitting and I am enjoying working with it although I usually hate knitting with cotton. I will definitely use this yarn again. The project is a very simple garter stitch jacket and hat on size 8 needles. Here's the progress so far:



I found out yesterday that the lady who said she had the skein of my Cascade 220 yarn that I need to finish my big sweater was actually mistaken. She only "thought" she had it so the hunt is still on for dye lot 8811. I need so little of it! I can't believe it's been this hard to locate it.