one third done

It's been a while since the last sweater update. I have been working on it. It's just so dang slow. I finished the first sleeve yesterday and decided to go ahead and do the seam instead of starting the other sleeve. I think I may go ahead and do the neck first. I'm probably breaking all the rules, but I don't care.

Gratuitous Cute Dog

I've been waiting for this one and I almost forgot! Django and Roxie sent Christmas cards this year and I wanted to make sure that this pic met its recipients in the mailbox first.

I may be a knitting dork...

But I'm not a nerd:



The site says my nerdiness is: "Not nerdy, but definitely not hip."

We all knew I'm not hip, but not nerdy?

Happy Knitter!

I think the face says it all! This knitter could not be more blessed. I got Vogue Knitting, One Skein Wonders, a pattern-a-day knitting calendar, a subscription to Interweave Knits, Stitch 'n Bitch AND... drum roll please... a ball winder & swift!! Yes, a ball winder & swift!!! I can hardly believe it myself! I'm the luckiest knitter ever!!

Christmas List for Muggles

See! I'm not the only knitter to publish a list: Yarn Harlot

Christmas List: UPDATE 2

Books:
Vogue Knitting
Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner, Ann Meador Shayne
Stitch ‘n Bitch by Debbie Stoller
One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant


That's right folks! I received One-Skein Wonders today!! Julie: you're effing amazing! Thank you! Thank you! Christmas is awesome!

Now, what shall I knit you first? hmm....

Not Knitting

I haven't been knitting. But here's what I've been doing:

• Baking cookies. 1 batch each: sugar cookies, Russian tea cakes, chocolate walnut meringues
• Buying presents. Mostly done. A few details.
  
• Wrapping presents
  
• Rocking out to music that no one will ever admit they like, but deep down everyone loves it. Example: In a car on Friday night, Britney Spears Toxic comes on. A guy in the car (no not Hubby. not even a relative) declares, "This is my favorite Britney Spears song." Everyone in car agrees. I've been listening to: Fergilicious. I can't help myself. "I put them boys on ROCK, ROCK!"
  
• Boxing packages for far off relatives
• Finishing up Hubby's gifts that required my crafting skills
• Going to Hubby's company Christmas party. Boston harbor cruise. Much fun!
• Arranging pine centerpieces with orange pomanders
• Making the ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS CD: Santa Baby, Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, All I Want for Christmas is You (Yes, the Mariah Carey version. I can't help myself.)

That sweater will get done and so will the fingerless gloves, socks, scarves and mittens. I'm just not going to sacrifice all the Christmas fun to do it.

Christmas List

I always give my husband a list of gift ideas for Christmas. His family always asks him for advice on what to get me and seeing how he's one of 4 boys, they have no clue what to do with the one girl. I've also overheard Mark on the phone numerous times over the years saying, "umm.... I don't know. A sweater?" I kinda feel bad for him. It's a lot of pressure. He gets put on the spot. So for the past couple years I've developed a list. I guess you could consider it prompting, but my mom always drilled the "5 P's" into my head as a child: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance... er... Presents??

So I gave him this list last week:

Books:
Vogue Knitting
Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner, Ann Meador Shayne
Stitch ‘n Bitch by Debbie Stoller
One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

Magazines:
Interweave Knits

Misc:
Sock Yarn from Spunky:
I’ve been coveting Spunky Super Sock Yarn in Scenic Lookout. I really want it!

There were a few non-knitting things thrown in there, but you get the idea. Knitting stuff.

So the problem with this is...

1. I've just admitted to WAY too many people that I have a knitting problem.
2. I would seriously consider my husband the best ever if he bought me Mason Dixon Knitting. There's something wrong with that, right? I mean, really. That's not normal.
3. Now I want all this stuff.
4. There is no possible way that his 20 year old brother is gonna buy me Stitch 'n Bitch or a subscription to Interweave OR the spunky sock yarn!
5. I forgot to add the Knitter's Companion and The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. Darn!

Christmas List : UPDATE

This weekend I overheard a phone call that went like this:

Caller presumably said: "What does Haddy want for Christmas?"
Hubby: "I've got a whole list. You know how organized she is."
Caller presumably said: "What's on the list?"
Hubby: "Um... I don't have it in front of me. I'll send it to you."
Caller presumably said: "Well... I'm at the store and I have an idea. Do you think she'll like ___?"
Hubby: "Yes. That's sounds great. She'll love it."

After the call:
Haddy: "Aw man! The list! The list?!"
Hubby: "Don't worry. They know you. They've got a great gift!"

Aw man! THE LIST?!?!

SOCK!

My mom is a fantastic knitter! She has turned the heel on her first sock! AWESOME! Let it be known that she did this all on her own and on a magic loop no less.

(I made those stitch markers. That was my first attempt at that too!)

Seriously?

"Footsie is a felted patchwork pillow with foot warming compartments."

My first thoughts when this appeared in my inbox:
1. WTF?!?!?!
2. Can you imagine the smell after awhile?
3. How do you wash that?
4. What if you forget and go to get up off the couch? You fall flat on your face.
5. Slippers are a lot easier.
6. Who actually spent days working up this pattern?!?!?!?!

Knitting words

So I ran to the Harvard Coop on lunch to grab another Yarn Harlot book. I just finished this one and lately I can't get enough Harlot in my life, so I needed another. Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter is proving to be a gem already:

"Knitting is magic. Knitting is an act of creation and a simple transformation each and every time. Each knitted gift holds hours of my life. I know it looks just like a hat, but really, it's four hours at the hospital, six hours on the bus, two hours alone at four in the morning when I couldn't sleep because I tend to worry. It is all those hours when I chose to spend time warming another person. It's giving them my time - time that I could have spent on anything, or anyone, else. Knitting is love, looped and warm."

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. wow.

Sweater Back

I'm done with the back. I'm procrastinating on the front.

 

 

Gift Work

I've been working on Christmas gifts. I can't show the whole work, but here's a sneak:

Stash Update

 

I didn't do any Christmas shopping this weekend. I couldn't face the mall. The only shopping I did this weekend was a trip to the yarn store for gift supplies on Friday. 

Roxy is my girl!

After I took the stash pic, I left the yarn on the floor. I caught Roxy trying to steal my Noro three times. You'd think that I would just pick up the darn yarn, wouldn't ya? No. I left it. Mark caught her with it in her bed. She was lovin' it. She torn the skein all apart. Luckily, she didn't break the strand.



As I took pics of the damage, Roxy came back for another attempt:





It's a good thing this girl is cute. I've heard of bad things happening to those who mess with a knitter's stash! At least the girl's got good taste. Noro Silk Garden!

Been Busy...

I've been busy and not blogging.
1. New dog. Meet Roxy. Yes, she looks just like our man Griffin. She may be smaller, but she's got his spunk.

 

 

2. Sweater's coming... slowly. I had a mild set back. I don't advice knitting on a train without a tape measure... I went way to far and had to come back for the arm decrease. whoops.

3. Fair Isle! I CAN knit two colors at once! YES! I can't show you proof as they will probably wind up as gifts. ;)

sweater update

 

Worked on my sweater today. Added about 4.5 inches for a total of 11.5 inches. Only 8.5 to go. 

Gloves

All done except for a few ends to weave in. Not bad for one weeks work on the train. I wish I had worked on my sweater though. Now I have no choice but to work on that constantly. Boo.

Solace in Yarn Stores

Everyone has an escape when the shite hits the fan. For most of us that includes retail therapy. We fill up a hole with stuff we don't particularly need, but makes us feel good. I guess there's some hope that by buying something shiny and new, maybe we'll become shiny and new as well.

On my lunch break yesterday, I had nothing to do and no one to be with and I couldn't stand being in the office or talking about dogs. So, what was the first destination that popped into my head. Yarn. Internal monologue: "I must buy yarn for that scarf that is #5 on my list of things to make. (ignore the fact that you must complete projects #1-4 to get to #5) Yeah. That makes sense. Besides I can pick up buttons for my slipper straps (read: productive)."

I came home with neither yarn nor buttons. They didn't have the yarn I wanted and I just wasn't in the mood to pick out fun buttons. I felt frustrated in the store. "If only they had what I needed I might actually feel better. Something good would come from today." I left feeling silly for even attempting to fill a void in such a dumb way.

So today, I'm headed to another store to buy that yarn in a reddish colorway that will look great on a friend. Today my mission is not to fill a void, but to keep going. The more yarn that comes in, the more things I can make for others. At least that's the line I'm giving myself today. ;)

Necessary Cute Dog

We lost our cutie pie last night. Very suddenly and without warning, a neurological issue left him unable to breath on his own. At the hospital, Hubby and I decided to let him go.

Griffy bounded into our lives and bounded out. We'll miss him at the door tonight.

fingerless gloves

I started these over a week ago. I got to the thumb and had trouble. The pattern said to cast on 3 stitches. huh? I fumbled through a bit, then decided to put them down. I'll figure it out eventually.

Well wouldn't you know that the darn slipper pattern did the same thing. So... to the internet I went. Knittinghelp.com saved the day. Had they just told me to "knit on" instead of "cast on" I would have been fine.

I'm working on the second glove now. Should be done soon, now that I know what I'm doing.

Secret Stash

So since Christmas is officially coming (yes, NORAD may not be tracking Santa yet, but November is upon us), the knitting of gifts has commenced. I bought yarn today for a few gifts, but I can't post it.

This poses a problem. Half the stuff I'm working on will be for others. Do I post or not?

Don't worry, if I do post, it probably won't be for you anyway. ;)

Slippers!

 

I did it. It actually worked. I had to leave the left one in the washer 5 minutes longer than the right, but it worked out. They are the same size. They are a little silly/cartoonish, but I like them. 

A Slipper for a Gorg!

 

I made a slipper today. That's my shoe on the left and the slipper on the right. Yes, I'm going to shrink it and make it all fuzzy. When Mark saw it he said, "What went wrong?" referring to the size. Funny.

PS - Gorgs 

Sweater Update

 

So I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn and I'm not even half way done with the bottom of the back. This is going to take a while. 

My work bag

Any signs of work stuff? Of course not! The tan is my sweater. The green is for my slippers. I brought that today in case I got bored with the sweater. I picked up the gray at Windsor Button.

leftover scarf

I'm making a scarf with the yarn leftover from the gauntlets. I'm working it lengthwise in garter stitch. Easy. Should finish tonight.

Gratuitous Cute Dog

He takes his sleeping SERIOUSLY. (Yes, he's sleeping with eyes open and tongue out. He's mine. You can't have him!)

Are you kidding me?

Look what was in my inbox this morning. This thing is awesome! I'm so making this.

Berrocco Kable

Almost Famous

Yeah. Almost Famous. My cable bag is on the Butterfly Yarns website. Check it out.

I forgot to mention that I took it into the yarn store on Sunday. When I walked in there was no "hello" just a "DID YOU MAKE THAT BAG? LET ME SEE!" And with that my bag was out of my hand and inspected. There was much oohing and ahhing. Next thing you know she's taking pictures of it.

Tonight the owner told me my bag was on the website and so it is. :)

Sweater Class #1

First sweater class was a success. Since I had already done my swatch, I was able to dive right into casting on and getting started. The pattern calls for 6 rows of stockinette before starting the seed stitch trim. This creates a rolled edge. I'm not too big of a fan of rolled edges, so I skipped the stockinette and just did 6 rows of seed stitch and straight into the stockinette. I'm working the back first and I probably have 3 inches of the sweater so far. YAY!

I'm knitting on 32" Addi Turbo Circulars. I pretty much only buy 32" or 40" Addis now because they are the most versatile. Once I learned the magic loop technique for socks, I learned that you can use that method for any circular project. I prefer circs for straight knitting too because it makes knitting on the train easier. No poking anyone with needles or risk of breaking a needle in my bag.

New Addi Turbos!

I HAD to buy new Addi Turbo Needles to make my sweater. Darn! I almost have a full set: 1,5,6,7,8.

fingerless mittens

I get really bored with stockinette stitch. Since my sweater will be all stockinette, I will need something else to spice things up. (What? I can have 15 projects going if I want to! It's my blog!) My gauntlets work great when I'm chilly in 3/4 length sleeves, but when I'm wearing regular sleeves, my hands and wrists are still chilly. I need fingerless mittens! Right?! I'm making this with Misti Alpaca Worsted in color 6309 (which is not shown on the site). The pattern is Misti Cabled Thumb Mittens. YAY!

Felted Slippers

I am going to make myself cool felted slippers. I don't know if I'll make them with or without the strap. The yarn is Cascade 220 Wool in 2409. The pattern is Fiber Trends Felt Ballerina Slippers AC-14. This will be my first attempt at felting. Wish me luck!

Hmmmph.

Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

You are great at finding patterns and relationships between things. Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments. You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it. You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle. You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

I guess this explains my obsession with knitting and sodoku?

Sweater Gauge - done.

I knit a swatch yesterday in the Skye tweed on the way to work. It was pretty close to 4 inches square. I've never actually checked gauge before and I now know why a few things haven't fit right. I know, I know. Every pattern instructs to check gauge. Since I want the sweater to fit, I went ahead and did it. I'm bringing it to the first sweater class for inspection. I hope it passes.

Gratuitous Cute Dog

Socks

I think after tonight's ride home I may be ready to turn the heel. Hopefully I won't have to pull my sock off on the train to try these socks on.

Gauntlets

 

The gauntlets are finished. I think they will serve me well on the train. If I make them again, I think I will make them a couple inches longer, so I have the option of covering my fingers a little more. These are so easy, that I'm sure I'll make more. Love this yarn too! 

Stash Update

 

I bought this a couple weeks ago at Woolcott's in Harvard Square. It's sock yarn, 100% wool. I had to get it because the colorway is called "Bearded Iris." Yes, it was made to come home with me. I'm thinking socks for your truly. ;)