One Day Blog Silence

Arg...

I won't let myself be beaten by sticks and string.

$#(*&@Q*_!#&$&

(Deep Breath)

Ok, so I got my STR kit and I stink. That's all there is to it!

It took me an hour to finally figure out the cast on. It was hard for me to knit into the bottom of the cast on for the second needle stitches. I fought. And futzed and really wasn't getting frustrated, just trying to figure it out. It was just a challenge, you know?

Finally got it cast on correctly, finished the toe increase and then started on the pattern. It's not an easy one, requiring you to P2tog with YOs. Anyway, figured that part out and kept going for about 3 inches and tried it on.

It was too big. I was working with 2s and hadn't checked gauge. I'm a dork that way. I was 1/2 a stitch off every 2 inches, which amounts to 1 off in the 4 inch gauge.

I frogged. No big. Just have to do the stupid freaking cast on again. And the silk content of this yarn doesn't hold up well to frogging and futzing. It's starting to be fuzzy on the end.

I cast on for the medium with 1s. Finally got it, only took 1/2 hour this time, and finish the toe and it was too small.

@#$()@*%*)(

*cough*

So dug around and tried the Turkish Cast on, or the figure 8 cast on. It was easier and I cast on for the large with 1s and it still didn't fit right.

The yarn, which really is lovely, is having a little time out in my yarn bag.

I'm off to work on the chevron for a day and think about where to go from here.

Rockin Sock Club April

Wow.

The new kit is gorgeous! I like it so much more than Monsoon. The STR yarn was lovely as usual, but the 'camo' colors just aren't me. This kit, oh ya, much more me!

If you want spoilers, hop here.

I actually think I'm just going to leave the hank lying around for a few days. That way I can really enjoy it.

Happy happy joy joy yarn....

Amazing

Had a few amazing run-ins today.

1.) My 6 year old daughter is knitting a Chevron Scarf. Dude. And it's nice. I'll put up more picts when it's longer. But damn, she can PURL! K2Tog! Knit in Front and Back!

I need to remember this when she throws knitting needles at me when she's a teenager!


2.) My wrists no longer hurt since I've been working on the Chevron. I apparently needed to take a break from sock knitting. Yay for healing wrists. :)

Other than that the Chevron is growing longer and I'm waiting for my Rockin Sock Club shipment! Woohoo! See? I needed to rest my wrists. :)

OH! And the DD is using my kool-aid dyed yarn along with a skein of bare wool. Too cool. Not only is she knitting, but she's decreasing my stash! Wohoo!

Ok, enough exclamation points....

Are you a Follower?

Normally I consider myself independent. I like to do things my own way. But sometimes, just sometimes, things don't seem like they can be improved upon. And so I'm following where so many have gone before...

The Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in STR colorways Watermelon Tourmeline and Farmhouse.



Dude. It's addictive and gorgeous and just what I needed. The hubby's sock(s) and my sweater are repetitive as far as colors go. The Chevron? Nope, the colors are all over the place and work out in the end. I think that's the magic.



The other items will wait, after all it FINALLY hit 65 here in Milwaukee. I knit to have fun, and this is incredibly fun.


Check out the Flickr Group to see the Chevron scarf in a variety of colors. It's so inspiring!

Sloggin and Waitin

Woohoo! My laptop is up again, thank goodness. For the 4th time, my powercord broke. Stupid Dell. It's an older model and they've actually fixed this problem in the newer models, but I'm still stuck replacing it. Anyway once the battery died, poof. That was it until the replacement cord came. I swear I felt like I was missing a limb. How silly is that?

Thanks for all the lovely comments on Jack's sweater. Now that my computer situation is back to normal, I'll be replying and cruising blogs again. :)



Here's another picture of Jack's Sweater, officially complete, buttons and all. Right now it's wrapped and I just need to take it to the Post Office. Got to get as much milage out of an FO as possible, you know.

Otherwise I continue to slog along on various projects. I've actually sent in for a password on the Slogalong. What a great idea, and since one of the slogging projects is the Perfect Sweater Sleeves from the Mason Dixon site, it's appropriate.



I have 8 more inches on each sleeve. Then I get to block, sew together and pick up for the v-neck. Soon soon. I WILL wear this sweater this fall. Yay!

I have NO idea what the hell made me pick this pattern for my first sweater. I think I figured 'Aww just SS, no big' OMG. SS from hell. It goes on and on and on and..you get the point. But the end is in sight and I know I'll love wearing this sweater. Next one will be a top down EZ pattern. Screw seaming. ;)

Slogging project number 2, the hubby's sock(s). Really just sock, since I haven't finished the first one. Wow. I really feel for those of you who have knit a men's size 13 or something. My husband is an 11 and it's bad enough. I swear I feel like I've knit knit knit knit this thing and it never gets longer. You know it's bad when you lay the item out after every row and hope it's grown.


These will be an amazing pair of socks. I keep having him try them on to make sure they are going to fit. He has a high arch so I am doing a slip stitch pattern in the arch to make it nice and snug. It looks nice and he says it feels good. Just a few more inches, slap a toe on it and off to the next one.

Next week the new Rockin Sock Club shipment is due to be sent! Whoohoo! So what did I do? I went and order 2 skeins of mediumweight in Farmhouse and Watermelon Tourmaline.
Oh yay, I'm making one of these for myself. I think the Chevron Scarf has become some sort of virus around the net, much like Clapotis and Jaywalkers. But damn I really want one and I love those colors. I personally blame on Ashley for this! :) Originality be damned, I don't think I can improve it!

The other thing on my mind is this collection of yarn.


Rowan Summer Tweed. I think I'm going to make the girls tank tops, each with 2 colors. It's in the thought phase. I'm loving the colors though, so springy.

Jack's Sweater - FO

Yay! I actually have an FO of my own.

I finished up Jack's sweater. I bought the buttons today and will get them on in a bit. I took this picture in Allison's style of the blue blog. It really shows it off better than flat on the floor.


Specs:
Pattern:
shawl-collared jacket from Baby knits for beginners by Debbie Bliss (a wonderful book)
Yarn: 2 hanks Blue Sky Alpaca's Cotton in Sky, 1 hank in Drift
Needles: size 7 Clover 14" straights
Started: March 10, 2007
Finished: April 12, 2007

I turned the heel of the 1st Trekking sock. I'm not knitting as much as I wish I could since my left wrist still twinges every now and again. I do have to curse Cara, of January One. I couldn't stand it. I cast on a miter, which distracted me for a day. I made myself put it down so I would finish the sweater. I'll work on more miters later. They really ARE addictive... Her work is breathtaking and very inspirational. I warn you!

Have a great weekend!

An Amazing FO & Progress

*sorry for the gloomy photos, it's been yucky gray weather*

I've mentioned this is in the past, but I'm a mom, so bear with me. I taught my 6 year old daughter to knit when she asked me. I was honestly afraid to teach her because I didn't want to turn her off of the craft if it was too difficult. Silly me. Here is my daughter's FIRST Finished Object.


I could pop. Absolutely pop with pride. These were knit IN THE ROUND folks, on DPNs. I actually took her to one of my Guild meetings and she sat there knitting along while 60+ year old women gaped at her. I cast them on and I helped with picking up the thumbs. She did all the knitting AND she purled the single row. They were knit on size 13 DPNs in a bulky 100% yarn, not sure what brand. Anyway they are going to be felted soon and I'll pop up another photo then.
The pattern comes from the book Sunny's Mittens by Robin Hansen, which Abby and I both highly recommend.

Here's a photo of Abby and Valerie in their Easter finery. It's so fun to shop for little girls, btw...


Even while hopped up on chocolate and candy, I've managed to make some progress on two items. Here is the hubby's sock. I turned the heel at our family Easter gathering, and needless to say I had to frog it. Turning a heel does require a tad bit concentration. Ooops.


Still loving the Trekking. It's so soft and doesn't split, two of my favorite things.

I've also worked on baby Jack's sweater. I need to pick up the collar and button band, then sew the underarm seam. Hoping to be done with that in the upcoming week so I can send it off. I knit it in the 6 month size and he just turned 12 weeks, so all should be good.


Hope you all had a good Easter! I'm trying to keep my two girls from killing each other. Gotta love Spring Break!

OMG

Ok,
I read this and I honestly nearly hyperventilated.

Yarn Harlot

Read the whole entry..and down at the bottom Steph talks about going to dinner with Annie Modesitt and Lily Chin.

Ok. Can you FREAKING imagine passing that car on the highway?? I'd so run off the road. And thank GOD that they didn't get in an accident. Can you IMAGINE how crowded the hospital would be with knitting visitors???

I'm sorry, for some reason this as obviously really freaked me out and I'm going to lay down now. I also won't use caps for a month now....

Onward!

I took a day to bask in the glory of my Inside Out Socks. They really are pretty, comfortable and yada yada. :)

But I have a new love.

Trekking XXL.

Yes I know, you are thinking to yourself, 'Where the heck has SHE been? Trekking is all over the place.'

Yep, it is, but I'd never worked with it before. I wanted to make hubby a pair of socks that he'd actually wear so I picked a manly colorway. Number 69, to be exact. When I grabbed it off the shelf at my LYS I thought 'Eh. Gray. Should be bland enough for Hubby to wear to work.' and it promptly went into the stash for the right moment to cast on.



That day ended up being last Thursday night. And I found out the total coolness that is Trekking XXL #69. It has so many color nuances in it, I was excited to knit with 'gray'! There is a woodsy brown, a dark green, a gray-blue color, yet the colors aren't obnoxious, they are subtle.

And then there is the way it feels. Soft! Lofty! I also hear it washes up well.

I'm using a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. It's a great book, I highly recommend it. I think I've knit 4 pairs of socks from it now. Anyway here is the lovely gray sock in the making! Click on it to really see the color variation. It's so neat.