Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

This will probably be my last post this year. Have a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah everyone! And I'll see ya in 2009!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Me and Splitty yarn!

I decided yesterday I wanted to finish the Part Cashmere Autumn socks I have been knitting since Sept (arghh!!). I did the gusset, the wrapped stitch part, and was almost at the end of the section where you pick up the stitches at the end of each row. Then I noticed that I had dropped a stitch. I really really tried to fix it. But darn - this yarn was so splitty and also very sticky.. that I couldn't sort out the stiches after awhile. I admire those of you that can work with this stuff. I guess if you never make any mistakes??

If the 1st sock had fit better I may have tried longer. In fact - I ripped it back all the way back into the gusset.. but once again, when I tried to get the stitches back on the needles - it split all over the place. That was it. Bye bye socks. And I've learned that - me and spitty yarn don't get along - at least with size 1 DPN's.

But now I'm happy. I started a new pair this AM with normal yarn, nice soft, non-splitty yarn. I think the color is Navaho.. but I wound it up last summer and can't remember the vendor. It may be Lime & Violet or Araucania Ranco Multi but I can't be sure. But I sure like it:



I also learned that I cannot start a new pair of socks and watch The Dark Knight. sigh.. And that I prefer the wood DPN's to the metal ones despite the fact that brown yarn is very hard to see with the Harmonies.

Need to go out and shovel soon.

One more week until vacation! Yay!

Later: I dug the Autumn sock out and managed to get it back on my needles about 14 rows into the gusset. so all's not lost. I am going to do the heel REALLY slow the next time so that i don't make any mistakes.. I'm a sucker..

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Monkey See! Monkey Do!

Unlike the Yarn Harlot I'm not even going to suggest that I don't knit things based on what everyone else is doing. In fact, since the Internet, my stash has grown in leaps and bounds so that I can follow the leader.

When everyone did Kauni, so did I. When everyone was doing Hanne Falkenberg's Mermaid, so did I. So I had to try the Noro 1x1 ribbed scarf. I found some Noro Silk Garden on sale and tried to pick out coordinating colors. Having finally gotten to the point on my blue wrap cardigan where I would have to block it before I could do anything more - I decided that I needed color in my life. Something relatively mindless with lots of color.

What I loved about the Kauni was the surprise of finding the combinations of color. This shawl has that same property - which is why I think everyone is so drawn to it.

So here I present the start of mine:



I love it.. love how the colors blend. Magic. But don't try to frog this yarn. I actually knit twice this much today, realized afte rabout 3 inches that I had dropped a stitch on the edge. Ripped it out and started over again. Noro Silk Garden has all these little threads wrapped around the yarn and when you frog it - they get unwrapped. I had to pull a lot of the threads out since they were all tangled up. Oh well - I think it still looks fine. Oh - Noro also has lots of knots in it. I unknotted them and reknotted them with longer ends so I can weave them in easier. What a pain. but worth it!

Two weeks until my Xmas break! YAY!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Bye Bye Cable Needle!



Ahhh.. I finished the last of the cabling on my Jo Sharp Wrap Sweater. Bye bye cable needle - I am not going to miss you at all. You just slow me down. Maybe one day I will learn to do cables without a cable needle.

Here are the finished sleeves (I'm so glad I did both at the same time):



Now I have to block it, seam it up, then do a bunch of ribbing which sounds wonderful to me right now. But I think its time for a break. I probably won't get to any of that until Xmas break. Here's a photo of the 5 pieces. This is such a big sweater it wouldn't all fit into one photo!



I have had a really good Thanksgiving week off. But I'm also recovering from an allergic reaction to Zyrtec (actually happened twice before I figured out the source). Woke up with my face and eyes swollen and on fire. No breathing problems so I decided to treat it on my own. I can't take hydrocortisone so the first 5 days I used antibiotic ointment, Benadryl cream, and aloe vera gel. That helped but it wasn't going away 100%. I still looked like I had a bad sunburn. Yesterday I did some googling and found Aquaphor Healing Ointment (by Eucerin). Geezz.. this is a miracle cream. I guess it is mostly used for diaper rashes - but its fabulous for adult rashes too. And a big jar is only $9 at Walgreens. I am using it over Oil of Olay Sensitive moisturizer. The red is almost gone. I'm still a little itchy but I think the worse is over. I look human again.

Have a good week!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Break time

I really need a break from all this blue.. so I took this photo:



I've done about 32.5 cm and the pattern calls for 44 cm total (I may shorten it by an inch) - so I don't have too much more to do. It will be nice to do something other than these unending cables.

And that is all for today.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

I'm grateful

Not a lot of knitting going on around here (or at least not any that looks any different from what I have been posting since last August - hah!) - but its all about Thanksgiving today:



I am very grateful:

1) For living in this wonderful country where we have so many blessings and freedoms.
2) For almost 31 years of employment with a career that gives me challenges and the ability to learn from others.
3) For 35 days a year of vacation which gives me time to get away from #2 when I need it (hah!)
4) For my family (especially my 93 yr old mother) who puts up with my quirks but nourishes me with love, encouragement and other things I need.
5) For my beautiful home and backyard which takes up a lot of time but gives me a haven from the world and peace.
6) For peanuts and Victor mouse traps which helped me rid of 5 mices (so far)! I thought the photo was relevant since I have been naming them (Minnie, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Uncle Scrooge thus far).
7) For my amazing Charlie, Belle, and Jesse - my life revolves around you - and without you I would be empty. You make me laugh, make me crazy, make me happy.

I have so much and on this day - when so many in the world are suffering and in pain - I am so grateful and thankful for all these blessings.

Having said that - I wish this face rash which I got from an allergic reaction to Zyrtec would go away@!!!!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

27 inches of blue!

FINALLY - I finished the back of my Jo Sharp Wrap Cardigan - all 27 inches of her:



Wowsa.. I don't think I've ever knit something this long. Not sure if I would ever do it again.. hah! Here is a closeup of the cabling:



And now - do I go directly to the sleeves or put it aside until I feel like it. Haven't decided yet.

But I did start the second sock:



Decided to try using the Options DPN's so I could see the yarn better. They are better but the reflection sometimes makes it hard to see the yarn too. Must be my middle aged eyes.

One week of work and then I am off work for a whole week. Can't wait.

By the way - Minnie (and her friend Mickey) are no longer in residence. After many failed efforts - I found a website where there were a whole lot of ideas. I ended up glueing a half peanut to the bait tab.. and sure enough - each was lured to it to their demise. It was hard to see Minnie especially - she was a cutie, but now I was able to clean out the mess they had made under my sink. And HOPEFULLY - that is all for the season. If not - I have more traps, peanuts and glue. Hah!

Later: So at least I did start the sleeves. Its going to be a long holiday season but I will be home more so might just make it by Xmas??

Sunday, November 9, 2008

I actually finished something.

With my new found enthusiasm for life (yes I have been half braindead for the last few months) - I actually finished something. Well - maybe half of it anyway. Here is the finished sock made of the Knitterly cashmere/merino blend in autumn:



I love the yarn but as I thought - it's not very elastic. In fact I struggled to get it on my foot:



I'm hoping - with my sock blocker - it will stretch some. It really is so autumny!

And - I only have 21 rows to go to finish the back of my wrap cardigan:



This is the longest sweater I've ever knit. But it will be nice when its done.

My weekend has been productive. Not just knitting - I raked 8 bags of leaves from my backyard.. I have this huge backyard since I'm at the end of a cul-de-sac (pie shaped yard). So at least now I can find the dog poop. I will need to do more raking before the season is over, but I put in a good dent.

Plus I bought myself a treat. The pattern and yarn for this:



Love it, love it, love it. I think some of my boredom with my wrap cardigan is the monotonous single color. I have been using variegated yarns or doing fairisle a lot lately and the wrap is so blue.. only blue. At any rate - a fairisle appeals to me a lot right now. But I promise, I will finish the wrap. Maybe...

I also have a new pet. Her name is Minnie and she is the smartest mouse in the world. She has managed to evade 3 regular traps (with peanut butter put out three times), 2 no-kill traps, and a homemade trap. I am very impressed.

If you notice, I haven't mentionned anything about the election. I didn't vote for Obama but I do hope he is a good president. Our country needs help and we cannot afford a bad one. So we shall see what happens. His chief of staff sure is cute.

Friday, November 7, 2008

It is really really over!!!

Communications Workers Ratify Agreement
Friday November 7, 2:24 pm ET


DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q - News) workers represented by the Communications Workers of America ratified a tentative agreement reached between the company and the union last month.

Now I can have my life back.....

Sunday, November 2, 2008

One more week??

Well - due to the election mail - the organization that is counting the union's votes to ratify their tentative agreement with Qwest has negotiated a one week delay in counting the ballots. So - here I still am not knowing if I have to be on my way to Salt Lake City to work 12 hr days/7 days a week. Hopefully by next week I will know but I have been telling myself that so many times I am not confident anymore. I fear they will come up with something to delay it again..

But thankfully - I have my Knitting bug back. I am into the 4th repeat of the back:



You can see how much more I need to knit (15 rows into the 5th repeat) when I put it against the sides. This is a LONG sweater:



I think I will knit both sleeves together or I may never finish them. I'm still thinking about taking a break for some fair isle. I am craving something less monotonous.

And I also turned the heel for my socks. This fabric feels stiffer than some of my other socks. Hope it fits:



And finally - here is one third of the real joy of my life. Isn't she a riot! Keeps me laughing!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Taking a blog break

I don't write this blog so much for others (hah! I don't think I have very many readers) - but for myself and to avoid having to email photos to my sister. .hah! But it is obvious to me that I'm in a knitting slump.

Not sure if it due to the monotony of yards of cable, due to fatigue from too many late nights waiting for union related news (why they can't announce things at noon rather than midnight I don't know), due to fatigue from late nights watching election related stuff, or lack of sleep from worry over having to leave town in two weeks in the event of a strike (which will cost me $500/week for pet care). But I'm having to force myself to knit these days- and I am not enjoying the knitting I'm doing.

My wrap cardigan is moving so slowly (I am near the end of the third repeat and I still need to repeat 4 and 5 rows into repeat 5) and I still have two sleeves after thatn and the lapel. Part of me wants to stop it and maybe knit some fairisle.. but I know I won't get back to it.

Bottom line is that I am going to take a blog break for awhile - and maybe a knitting break - until I start enjoying it again. I want my life back. We will know Oct 31st what is to happen. Maybe I will be back then. Maybe not.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Yes I'm still here again!

Well - they did reach a new Tentative Agreement Friday night so I'm here. I just wish I had a crystal ball come Halloween night. That is when the votes will come back from the union. If they vote the new TA down - that will mean immediate strike. I read the Message Boards and its my opinion, thanks to some of the more cooler minds, that it will pass. Primarily due the economy and the fact that a no vote means a strike. They have so much to lose this time around. But I remain on call to leave if it happens. And this is definitely getting old.

SO - having stayed up late on Friday - I functionned on 2 hrs of sleep yesterday, not doing much. Today I did knit. Almost through 2 repeats on the back of my wrap cardigan:



It looks like a lot - but here it is next to one of the fronts - which includes more than 4 repeats so I'm not even half done:



Amazing that I don't quit projects just from the repetition. I wish I was better at cabling and didn't need to use a cable needle. I tried doing it without one and keep dropping stitches.

And here are my wonderfully soft The Knittery part cashmere Autumn socks which I adore (can't you tell):



Well - at least I'm home for another 3 weeks. nahh.. they won't strike.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Hoping I'm back next week..

It has been a hard week for me. We found out on Wed that the CWA union didn't approve their tentative contract agreement. so - here we go again. They are going back to negotiations this Thurs. If they don't reach an agreement by Friday midnight - they may go on strike and I will need to work 12 hr days/7 days a week in Salt Lake City. Waaahh... I thought this was all behind me. This also costs me $500/week in pet sitting expenses (non expensible).. So I have been trying not to think about it but its the white elephant in the room.

On Sat - I decided to finish my first Monkey sock. Counted my stitches and I was short one stitch. Found it WAAAAYYY down - about 30 rows. I really tried to pick it up but the stitches are so small - I finally gave up. Then I realized that frankly I didn't like the socks. I don't like to knit cuff down, it was too busy, and I wasn't looking forward to doing sock 2 anyway.

So - its gone! hah!

And I started my personal recipe for a toe up sock - using The Knittery Merino Cashmere yarn (4 ply) - in Autumn. LOVE the color, the yarn is a little splitty but I am liking it so much more than the Monkey.. here is the start (there is more green in the yarn than shows - but you get the idea):



And today I completed the first repeat for the back of my Jo Sharp wrapped cardigan:



I will get more done after I finish the blog.

I also did a lot of reading this week. Read all of "Gone But Not Forgotten" by Phillip Margolin - and older book but very good. Too bad it isn't available for the Kindle. I realized I don't like to turn pages.. hah!

Well - it may be awhile before I'm back again. This is the pits. If I'm home I promise I will be in a better mood next week.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Noisy ads, Backs, and Clubs

I like some background noise going on when I knit. Nothing I have to focus on too much (or else I make mistakes) but something that entertains that part of my brain that is on pilot mode. But why or why or why - do some of the commercials raise the decibel level like 300%!!! Geez.. do they really think we will pay more attention if they break our eardrums? I just put them on mute. Excuse the diversion - but one just came on when I started this post and it really irritates me.

But I have made progress.. The two fronts of my Wrap Cardigan are fini:



And I have started the back which is just one big rectangle with no shaping:



Maybe I will get this done by Thanksgiving if I try. Hah.. too bad I don't have multiple projects going on at one time so I would be more interesting. If I did - it would take me years to finish anything.

But I have decided to try some new sock yarn clubs. Recently one of my new fav yarn dyer is the Sanguine Gryphon. I adore her Gaia yarns (Dk, Lace, and worsted) plus the new Kypria (so soft) and amazing color combos. SO - I signed up for 6 months of her Fairy Tale Sock club. Then I saw the Three Irish Girls in one of the latest grocery store knitting mags. Found out that her sock club - Sock Yarnista) is supposed to be one of the best so I will try that for 3 months too. Hoping they will provide enough stash enhancement to satisfy me. I really have been good lately tho - I only buy yarn paid for by Ebay sales of yarn that doesn't interest me anymore.

Have a great week!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Slowly but surely

I am such a slow knitter.. That plus having a full time job and wanting to read again and two dogs which interrupt me every 5 minutes for something (they are whining at me right now because I'm sitting when they want to play) - I am almost embarassed to show my progress once a week.

But here is my Jo Sharp Wrap Cardigan - 24 rows to go on the right front before I start the decs:



And as my oldest dog sulks cuz I told him I was busy - here are my Monkeys (actually one Monkey):



So we move along. I also decided to cancel the rest of my Sundara yarn club subscription. Just too $$ right now. I'm sad that she won't be selling singles anymore on her website - and while I'm happy she has become so popular - its just too hard and $$ to afford her yarn. And I cancelled my preorder for the Addi Interchangeables.. Ordered Knitpicks Options instead since what I really want is something pointy I can use for lace and at least right now - the Addi's are more like the Turbos which are too blunt for lace.

I am reading a wonderful book - did you see The Bone Collector with Denzel Washington? That character is the basis of a series of books by Jeffrey Deaver. So now I'm reading The Coffin Dancer. Read half of it yesterday and I'm anxious to finish. That's my excuse for very little progress on my knitting. Hah! Good thing I enjoy the process since I don't have much product to enjoy.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Its the Monkees!

Well - I got a little bored working on my wrap cardigan (all the lace knitting has spoiled my brain) and decided I wanted to make more progress on my Monkey socks. I'm past the heel and onto the foot. This is a neat pattern!



And something new to learn. After the heel flap it makes this point. I suspect this will make it fit snugger. TBD:



And finally another phone. I know how much I raved about my LG Decoy. I really did like the phone. But the Decoy's selling point (and its cost) is the built-in Bluetooth Headset that attaches to its back. Darn if it didn't keep falling out of my ear. How does anyone use those? So - I called Verizon and they exchanged it for the LG Dare. Yes - now I'm part of the trendy set now - an all touch phone. But geez - each phone is so different. I'm still trying to figure out how to scroll down a screen without the phone thinking I selected something. But it is gorgeous:



Busy week this week.. Eye dr follow-up, car dealership (that darned low tire pressure light came on again..what did we do before they had those? Guess I drove on low pressure tires.. hah!)

Sunday, September 7, 2008

In Search Of..

In Search of the perfect knitting needle.. I pre-ordered the new Addi Interchangeable Set which will be available next month! They are pricy but I am growing increasingly unhappy with my Knitpicks Harmonies because my middle aged eyes cannot see darker yarn colors with them. I wonder why they made them so dark.

My Denises are too blunt. So - I'm looking forward to the Addis especially since they will selling their Lace Addi as tips in the future. We will see.

And I really don't have much to "show and tell" this week. I finished one front of my Jo Sharp Wrap Cardigan and have done about 5 inches of the second. Same for the Monkeys socks - just more of the same.

But I did finish a really good book on my Kindle: Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown. It was so good I spent both days this weekend reading. My attempts to balance my life with more reading and less knitting are working! I still adore my Kindle. I have read more books since I bought it in July than I read over the last 2 years.

So - no pretty photos this week. Just words.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Done, done, done!

I should be ashamed to take photos of myself without makeup and put them online - but I am not going to get dressed up just because:

Here is my blocking bee fields shawl:



And dry with grafting done (I really need to not let myself get distracted when I do this):



And the final one of me in it (without makeup or contacts.. hah!):



I even have my Southwest cardigan blocking. I almost forgot about that!

And here is the progress on my Wrap Cardigan.. I'm into the neck shaping of the left front. Love this yarn:

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Something New!

Its so much fun to cast on something new. I was thinking about that this week. It is a sense of renewal, of anticipation, of "another chance" to do it right. And the best thing about my next project is that the yarn is bigger than thread and I'm making a lot of progress. Its a good thing since I'm not a fast knitter. Here she is - the left front of the Jo Sharp wrapped cardigan in Cascade 220 Sapphire heather yarn:



I love the stitch definition with Cascade. I haven't used enough of this yarn. It is so soft but not drapy.

And I did a little bit of knitting on my Monkey socks:



And finally - another new toy. Qwest is migrating all their wireless customers to Verizon. My phone was on its deathbed so I decide to move over now. I love my LG decoy (it has a detachable Bluetooth headset - altho a bit too big for my ears). The phone is sexy - mirror finish. I love the downloads. I have my ringtone - Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and I add a Journey "Faithfully" ringback tone. The latter plays to caller while they are waiting for me to answer the call. Neat!



Finally - my heart goes out to all those people leaving New Orleans today on buses. After everything they went through 3 years ago it just isn't fair to have a repeat performance. I pray that Gustav turns out to be just a bad memory.

Tomorrow is a holiday and then I'm taking off Tues. Plan to block my bee shawl. Will post when its dry!

One last thing.. I am Ravelry'd out. I love it to find ideas for yarn or patterns but I have decided to "unjoin" both Sundara yarn groups. Seems that every thread turns into a "chat" with lots of silly things posted. Maybe I am getting old. I just dont' enjoy or have the time to wade thru all the silliness in order to read the minority of posts that are on topic. Oh well. I am getting old.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Bees are off the needles!

I did it! I did it! Just finished binding off my Beehive Shawl. That was a lot of knitting. Still need to block it and graft the cast-on stitches (I will do that over Labor Day weekend) but here she is:



And a closeup of the last section:



I'm very proud of myself. I learned a lot of new things with this shawl including endurance.

I also started my first pair of Monkey socks. I agree with the others who say it looks a lot more complicated than it is. Very easy. Love the color combos too:



So - what now. I don't have the yarn yet to make the Starmore Oregon. I am thinking about doing this from Jo Sharp Contemporary Knitting Two:



I have enough really soft Cascade 220 in a clear blue to make it. It will be a good break from the lace. I'm all laced out!

Been watching all the crazies in Denver for the convention. I drive past Pepsi Center on the way to work everyday. Nahhh!!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Life is Good

DENVER, Aug. 18, 2008 - Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q)
reached separate three-year tentative agreements with the Communications
Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW). The proposed contract will apply to nearly 20,000 CWA
members and nearly 200 IBEW members in Montana.

Now maybe if I can catch up with sleep.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

I'm still here!

So far so good but my fate is still not certain. CWA's contract with Qwest expired at midnight last night and now they are working without a contract. I read conflicting reports and the status. Some posters are ready to walk out, some say we are close to an agreement. Bottom line is that I still need to be ready to leave town if and when they strike. My only hope is that the closer we get to the Democratic Convention which Qwest is sponsoring, the lower the possibility of a strike.

So what does a stressed out knitter do? Buy yarn. Yes. I ordered myself a kit from Virtual Yarns to make Alice Starmore's Oregon cardigan in the Autumn Colorway:



This is the pattern from Vogue Knitting Holiday 2007 but I ordered the kit from Virtual Yarns which will also include the pattern.

And yesterday - since I knew I was going to be tired today from staying up till after midnight - I finished the socks (my recipe) I was making from Araucania Multi. Very plain and simple.



I really like this yarn. But I thought it was time to knit some more interesting socks so I started knitting Cookies' Monkey sock pattern last night - this is a Lime & Violet yarn - I can't remember the color since I tossed the label. Not a great photo but I will take more of them when I get further along. I am still on the twisted rib cuff.



But - even with only 4 hrs of sleep - I did make some progress on my bee today. I am done with the Bee In Fields 1 section and 3 rows into the 13 row border. At this rate - maybe I will be done by Labor Day assuming I am home. Yeah. it looks just like it did last week (the border is more of the same pattern from Bee in Fields 1):



So - its only 4PM here and I am so ready to go to bed. Nite..

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The Joys of Being Vertically Challenged

Yes I am vertically challenged. At last measure - I was 5 foot 1 inches tall. So I would consider myself to be petite. Yes?? Well as I was trudging along around row 25 of the Bee's in Field Part 1 of my Beehive shawl (near 400 stitches per row at this point) with 11 more rows to go, looking forward (not) to starting the section called Bee's in Field Part 2 (which is more of the same), I made a delightful discovery!

Anne provided alternative directions for petites versus talls. Well - I'm definitely not a tall. For the petite size, it meant I only had to knit 5 more rows of Bee's in Field Part 1, SKIP SECTION BEE's IN FIELDS PART 2 ALTOGETHER (YAY!), and go directly to the last section - which is the hem - do not pass go, do not collect $200. How many ways do you spell relief!! Not that I don't love this shawl but its getting so its taking me 45 mins to knit one row. And I would really like to knit something else at some point in time.

So here I am at the end of row 27:



And a closeup of Bee's In Field Part 1 (it really is pretty):



And - I know - I haven't blogged for awhile. I do have many excuses:

1. disgust with my knitting after the fiasco with Tidal Streams. Actually I did pull the yarn and the pattern out of the garbage, ripped it out to selvage the yarn, and plan to eventually reknit it alternating skeins.

2. I had to rip out 12 rows of my Beehive shawl and really didn't want to admit that it took me 2 weeks to get that back.

3. I spent time on my Kindle.

4. And mostly - I have been kinda depressed about the prospect of going on strike duty. I work for a unionized company and if and when the union goes on strike, I have to leave my happy home and work 12 hr days, 7 days a week. The last time it happened they assigned me to work from noon-midnight (me who normally goes to bed at 7:30PM). I was so worn out I collapsed one night and they had to call in the paramedics. My blood sugar was down to 30. This time I am assigned to work 7AM -7PM in Salt Lake City so it will easier if it happens but it is still a pain in the you know where. Being single - I have to make so many plans. I cannot just behave like it won't happen. So if I'm gone for the next few weeks - that is what happened to me. The contract expires at midnight Aug 16 (next Sat) - so say a little prayer for me and maybe I will be here next Sunday!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

I Love Lucy, But....

I don't know if I'm more upset with Lucy Neatby for creating such different dyelots, or the vendor who sold me two different dyelots in a "kit", or me for not knitting from alternative skeins.. but the bottom line is this:



Yep - my Tidal Streams is toast. I finished one skein (very pastelly), started the second one and even tho it is still Aquamarine.. the colors are bright. Not even close. Here is the culprit:



Can you tell it is bright (I confess I putzed with the computer to make the photo brighter but it was very noticeable in the fabric)? I hoped maybe it was just one section, but no.. the last 6 inches of my stole were definitely different. If I adored garter stitch that much I would have selvaged it but to be honest, I didn't like it that much. Not enough to knit it a second time. I will use the second skein for socks tho.

What can I say? I'm a klutz, Lucy isn't consistent, and the seller needs to be more careful putting their kits together. Sigh.. back to the bees..