Sunday, November 25, 2007

Where did the week go?

Back to work tomorrow (wahhh..) and I thought I would be further along on my Baudelaire's than this:



The longest part was doing the leg where the pattern wrapped around the whole sock. I figured out that eliminating one stitch at each end meant I had to eliminate the cable stitches between the front and back but it is still time consuming to do the pattern on both sides. Good thing I'm a process knitter and am not too impatient (hah!) about getting them done.

And I don't know what is wrong.. but for the first time in a long time - I am losing some of my passion to knit. Maybe its cuz I have stopped doing much anything else. I haven't picked up a novel since Harry Potter. Or maybe its just that I don't know what to do next. I OUGHT to finish the Hanne Mermaid if only to provide the sleeve pattern to Amy to add to the spreadsheet. I also OUGHT to finish the objects that are off the needles but not 100% done. My plan is to that over Xmas break (I have 2+ weeks off) as I did last year.

Part of me is thinking about Fair Isle. Maybe start one of my Philosopher's Wool kits or maybe one of my Starmore kits. Don't know. After the Baudelaires - I'm not in a mood for socks anyway.

I have been perusing the internet for toe up sock patterns. My problem is my 56 stitch count. I've found that there aren't as many patterns that can be easily adjusted down.. Most are multiples of 8 or 16. If I continue the pattern across the back - I need an even multiple so we are talking about 64 stitches. How do I get that down to 56? I considered using a smaller needle but I'm already using size 1's. Not sure I want to use toothpicks. If anyone reading this knows how I convert these patterns down to 56 stitches.. please help!

So - I think that maybe after these socks are done - I am going back to what I used to do - read my books on Sat's, knit on Sundays and lunch breaks. Maybe some balance will help my mood.

I ended up with 16 big bags of clothes to donate after my closet cleaning. Amazing. I am getting to the point where comfort is more important to me than fashion so I had so much in my closets that I don't wear anymore. I put the items (after photos and tallies) into my Its Deductible (TurboTax) program and it added up to over $2000. Wow!
I'm babbling today. I love vacations but its so hard to go back to work when they are over.

Have a good week. I will try!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Things don't disappear!

I have just spent the last hour looking for my last two pairs of knitted socks! I remember taking photos of them (my STR ones on sock blockers) but don't have a clue what happened to them after. I went through all of my project totes, my new sock yarn, my piles of "things" (yes I'm a packrat!)

When I was about to accept the fact that I accidentally threw them away, I moved a bunch of "things" from one of my cardboard drawers (my clothes runnoth over a few years ago) - I FINALLY found them behind them. They had fallen over - don't ask me when. Sigh.. I am so absent minded. So I just washed them for the first time and set them aside.

And here is my progress on my Baudelaires. I just finished the gusset. Much truer color.



And another! I love this pattern!



I decided to order a set of Knitpicks Harmony needles - after having my Denise set fall apart on me. I swapped my Options with another knitter awhile ago since they were too pointy for my knitting style so I'm hoping these aren't as pointy. I tend to push the tip of the needle with my left hand so its deadly if they are too pointy. I also ordered their DPN's.

Tomorrow I get new Blizzak's put onto my new CR/V. Just in time - they are predicting 3 inches of snow tonight and 2 more inches tomorrow. I have AWD on the car but I want to feel as safe as possible. I'm a big chicken driving on snow/ice especially with all the hills I drive over on my way to work.

I am also spending my vacation cleaning my closets. I haven't been this resolute about tossing stuff in years. I have been experimenting with my 2007 TurboTax Its Deductible program and I should be able to deduct quite a lot towards charitable donations. So far - with 8 bags (and I haven't started cleaning my winter clothes) - my tallies total over $1000. I just don't wear so much of it!

I love vacation!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Who would have thought?

A year ago if anyone asked me if I would ever knit socks I would have told them never. I struggled enough having to use DPN's to knit the cuffs on my sweaters. But look at me now!



Not only have I knit 4 pair of socks (2 toe up) - now I'm venturing into patterns. I love this pattern - it is Cookies Baudelaire pattern on Knitty.com. And the yarn is Aunt Maude's Mauve Handpainted Fingering Superwash Yarn from ThreeWatersFarm. So pretty.

The actual color is not as bright as the photo. It is more pink than red. The mauves are more brownish. Actually - this photo does not look like the yarn at all! Hah! I will adjust the color when I take another photo!

I was nervous about doing this since my stitch count is 56 and most patterns provide the smallest count to be 60. But this one had 4 stitches on either side of the pattern so I just changed it to have 3 stitches on either side. So easy! Not sure if some of the other patterns I have been oogling will be as easy to adjust.

I would have posted yesterday (I'm home on vacation this week so I have no excuse). I was tooling along, had a good 4 inches to show, and then noticed a section of fuzzy yarn (already knitted). Silly me thought I could pull out the fuzz. I pulled it out so much that the yarn broke and a huge hole exploded! Wah! So I started to pull out a few rows thinking I could recover at least some of my work. I tried twice to pick up the stitches without any success. So - I just pulled it all out and started from scratch. Today's photo is my second attempt. From here on - I check out the yarn before I knit it. This yarn is gorgeous but may have some more sections that aren't well spun. What's a new sock knitter to do!

Yes - I stopped working on the Fleece Artist triangular shawl. I think you are supposed to use the entire skein in one shawl - but around 8PM Friday night I realized that it was not meant to be. I rationalized it by telling myself that I'm petite and don't need more humongous shawls, right? So it was bound off and I went on to bigger and better things.

Its so good to have time off. I am cleaning out my closets (hit my downstairs coat closet this AM). Embarassed but this is the first time I REALLY have cleaned it out for maybe 15 yrs? Hah! There were lots of old dog leashes, a bunch of broken hangers, and old gloves. I found jackets I forgot about and FINALLY tossed some oversized coats with big shoulders that I can't believe I ever wore. Now I can actually see the floor. Tomorrow I start on my upstairs clothes closets. I think its finally time for me to accept the fact that I want to be comfortable and will NEVER wear those clothes I used to wear. It will go to charity.

About all for now.. I will blog more often this week. If not - happy Thanksiving to all!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

It's all about the yarn!

This Fleece Artist Goldielock's yarn (color = FruitPunch) is so pretty! I am up to 118 stitches and over 2 feet across the top (I want to take it up to 225) and its just mindless knitting.. creating this fuzzy fabric of color.

If there is anyone out there who has knit this.. did you block it? Seems that it doesn't need to be blocked.

Here is the result:



On the other hand - I find myself wanting to put it down. In fact - I got my whole backyard raked this weekend. Kinda strange for me since I haven't done much anything but knit over the last few months. Could it be that I'm kinda bored - Doing a Church Lady gaze look.. I'm thinking that it could be!!


So - unless this moves faster - frankly the larger it gets - the slower it goes - I will probably start my Baudelaire socks next weekend!

Hah!

Later: Whoa!! That was close. I love Denise needles for shawls because you can keep making the needle longer. But I hate Denise needles because they can sometimes come apart. And - yes - they just came apart on me! This yarn is not easily rippable - so I had to undo one stitch at a time to put them back on the needle. Its back in one piece now but I think that's it for me today!

Monday, November 5, 2007

New things to learn

I normally don't blog twice in two days but I'm so excited about my Fleece Artist Goldielocks shawl I had to post a photo (easier than emailing my sister...).

I brought it to work today and struggled for a half hour trying to figure out how to do a YO at the beginning of a row. I finally gave up and decided to just do a K1 and then YO.

But then I found a website (can't find it right now) that explained - if you do this - to hold the yarn in the front (purlwise) before you start. Voila! It works. I had been holding the yarn in the back and was basically wrapping the yarn around the needle twice in the first stitch making a very large big hole at the end but now I have corrected my technique! So here is my lovely start. Isn't it purty! The YO's create a scallop along the edge. I LOVE it!

Sunday, November 4, 2007

13 rows to go!

I am going to make a real effort to finish the Mermaid body tonight.. but with the change in time I have a feeling I'm going to zonk out early. I am so close to the end but yet so far. The size small pattern is definitely done (body only) and my last minute edits have been sent to Amy. So here is the current state of affairs. As you can see its getting hard to fit it in one photo:



And a closeup of the final section. I know - I still need to do the applied I-cord but that is going to wait until I take a break:



And to those that wonder what is next.. here is a gorgeous skein of Fruit Punch Fleece Artist silk Goldilocks yarn that I bought on Toadal's (Love that site) Ebay shop to make the triangular shawl:



Then I'm planning to knit the Baudelaire socks (Cooky) from Knitty.com. I think that will be enough of a break to come back and finish the Mermaid. Maybe its time for me to start knitting more than one thing at a time anyway..just to break up the boredom. I guess the total time in hours/garment won't change but I will be happier. I really do get bored with anything that takes longer than 2 weeks.

I was thinking that this is the reason I enjoy software programming. Every day is different, the problems changes, and I am never bored. Doesn't mean I want to do it forever but it has been a good career. At least for now. Retirement still sounds a lot better!

I'm awaiting my first Zen Art Sock Yarn shipment.. supposed to arrive this week. Can't wait!

Wish me luck tonight.. I can finish this if I stop blogging now!

Later: YAY!!! It's done!