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: