Quick note

Much to say, unfortunately I can't. My computer is still down at home so this is a fly by post from w....
I've finished my essential stripe and I'm very please with the end result.(Pictures pending) I'm trying to finished some of the many unfinished projects I have on the needles now. Those include some socks, clapotis, vintage velvet,and a ribbed scarf for my Daughter. Once these are done, I'm casting on either Wendy's Something red or the ballet top from the winter Interweave.

I have lot's of pictures from stitches. Of course the stash was enhanced, but not too bad I think. I learned a lot of new techniques from the classes I took. One of those was a switch to continental knitting class. I think I finally have the technique in my brain, I just need to start a stocking stitch pattern to practice. I missed the dinner meetup with other CA bloggers, that was a bummer. My fault, I thought it was Friday instead of Saturday. If I'd had my, soon to be acquired laptop with me, I would have been able to double check the email for the correct day and time. Maybe next year.

Hopefully my next post will be from my new laptop and it will be filled with Pics.

The attack of the Virus

I think I've finally recovered from the dreaded flu virus, I'm back to knitting and happy with my progress (2 inches away from a FO). Now what happens, my computer was attacked by a virus. I've worked on cleaning it up the whole weekend. I think I have every thing resolved, except installing new virus scan software. This means no blogging from home (internet) until that is done. Shhh I'm sending this post from work, hence, no pictures.

I'm preparing for my trip to stitches west. I'm looking forward to the weekend of knitting, knitting and knitting. I've signed up for three classes and I've refrained from stash enhancing for a month. I've made a list of a few things I plan on buying with the yardage counts so I don't over or, heaven forbid, under buy. I hope to come home a more proficient knitter, now if only I could find a way to add hours in a day....

I've also decided to buy a notebook. I want to have access to a computer when I want to use it. yea, I know I'm spoiled, youngest child syndrome.

Return of the living dead

So, as I alluded in my previous post, I've been sick. Somehow 10 days ago I contracted the creepy crud....also known as the flu. Now usually this is a pretty short lived phenomenon.... A couple of days of crap...mucus, fever, aches, cough and then you are done. Unfortunately the crud which has attacked me, won't release it's hold on me. I have coughed and coughed and coughed until I'm ready to succumb. I missed 4 days of work last week and upon my return I've warned my co-workers I plan to infect the office so they may feel as bad as I have. I've been to see my doc, who has prescribed various "goodies" which aren't doing a damn thing. I am assured that it has not turned into pneumonia. According to my Dr, this strain of flu has been especially virulent on the young- I was very happy to hear at 42, I'm considered young, finally I get good news .
Enough whining, I am getting better, so I'm told, as manifested by my ability to do a little knitting. I have one final sleeve on my essential stripe and I will be done, although I may have to do the neckline over, it's puckering and I don't know if it will block flat. I tried to get the magical pick up 2 skip 1 trick down, but.... We will see.
Besides being sick, my new job is getting in the way of my knitting. Due to an irregular schedule, orientation x1 month and my inability to blog, read or comment while at work, I can't get into the knitting groove. Prior to my transfer, I must admit, I wasted, spent a lot of time reading and commenting on blogs at work, Shhh, don't tell anyone. At my new job, I can't do that, now for me, reading and responding to blogs gives me a huge inspiration to knit. It pushes me to finish so I can start something else. Now this may not be so bad if I had a chance to at least scan some of my favorites when I get home. Unfortunately, my four children have decided they need our computer more, for such off the wall things as homework.... The nerve. I'm contemplating buying a notebook computer, so I can blog when I want... So there. Now do you thing that's a frivolous and totally selfish desire. Help me out, let me know what you think. Should I or shouldn't I? That is the question.

FO pictures soon. I'm back and ready to commence knitting, blogging and interacting again.

Very sick...

I've been very sick, which is very bad for knitting. Will be back soon, with a finished object or two. I trying my best to recoup and get back to my beloved bloggers, whom I get much inspiration from. Up next, stitches west....can't wait.

Interruption

We interrupt this program ( the essential stripe) to bring you a finished object. I didn't get much knitting done in December and I've been itching to finish something. Of course, it would have been nice if it was one of my works in progress, but it wasn't.
I was feeling a little left out at xmas. You see, I always get my brood, new pajamas and slippers for Christmas. They get to wear their new things on Christmas eve, so when we all wake up and open gifts, everyone, looks nice in their new stuff for the opening presents pictures.
Usually one of the kids, will get my hubby and I new slippers as one of our gifts. But... this year, somehow I was forgotten, each child thought the other was buying mom slippers, and none of them did.

So, since I was forgotten, I decided to make my own. These our Fiber trends felted clogs, pre and post felting.





They fit perfectly. As soon as they dry completely they will be on my feet all of the time. Made with lambs pride bulky they knit up very quickly.

Now back to the previously scheduled program, finishing the ES.

A new year

I'm not one to spout New Years resolutions, however I do have some goals related to knitting I'd like to accomplish.
I want to improve my skills, by trying projects that are a little more difficult. A few weeks ago, I mused that I wanted to make a finished garment for myself. I'm almost there on that goal. Here's my essential stripe.
I'd like to try my hand at fair isle, make more socks, toe up, cuff down, short row heels and toes, set in sleeves and increase my speed.
Now that the holidays are over, I should be able to spend more time relaxing, which means knitting and reading.
I wish every one a very happy and prosperous 2006. More posting to come.

Victim #2

Sickness:
Victim #2 has succumbed to the dreaded flu. My son finally recovered and has been up and about today. Now my hubby is sick. My hubby who has asthma as well, and is requiring breathing treatments every 2 hrs, flu meds every 4hrs, and frequent checks to be sure he's "ok". Yes he's one of those men, that are dying when they are sick, especially when he has his very own "personal nurse" at home.

Shopping:
On the Xmas shopping front, I'm almost done. I was able to manage to get out for a few hours yesterday and get all but one bought and packaged up. I'll have to "borrow' the hubby's truck tomorrow to pick up one very large gift that wouldn't fit in my van.


This ray of sunshine arrived at my door today.
I think it's screaming to become a shawl or wrap.

I doubt I'll have time to knit or blog over the next week, so Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, etc, etc, etc.

1 week left!!!!!

There's only one week left until Christmas and I am not done. I'm starting to feel pressured. I need to shop. Thank the good Lord I decided against knitting gifts. So why am I pressured?? One week should be enough time to hit the stores and finish shopping....true, however I have a sick child at home. The flu bug has hit, despite the good old flu shot. My son, also has asthma, so we have to watch him closely to be sure his asthma isn't triggered when he is sick. If it does, he'll receive breathing treatments every 2 hours and maybe a course of steroids. Needless to say, I will be by his side all day watching him closely. In addition, if one child has it, it will surely make the rounds to the other 3, as well as Mom, Dad and Grandma. I'd planned to shop all day today and finish...yea right. But alas my plans were dashed.

On the knitting front, the essential stripe is coming along. I should join and begin working in the round today, if I'm able to knit between being Nurse and Mommy.

Back in the saddle again

We're back from our weekend getaway. We did nothing but read,
knit
and relax.

When we returned, the xmas lights went up.

Today I started my new job. I think this is going to be a very good move for me. One thing I will have more time for is knitting. Here's my progress on the essential stripe. So far, I like the way it's coming together.

Sailing!!

We are finally on our way for our 3 day cruise. I'm very happy to get away relax and unwind.
Hopefully, knitting progress when I return. I'm taking 2 projects. The essential stripe and vintage velvet. I'm trying my best to resist adding more projects to the suitcase, we'll see. I have 12 hours to think about it before we head out.
Back on Monday!

Just a quick note

To thank my secret pal Shelley. I received your final package and thanks so much. It's been on my wish list for a while and I can't wait to start using it. Thanks for all of the great gifts you've sent. They all were perfect.

I've been busy with my last week of work, trying to clean up and such. I'm off this week and I'm hoping to get a lot of knitting time in, after Christmas shopping.
Here's what I've been working on, the vintage velvet scarf. I should finish today and felt it tonight. I'm ready to start a big project as soon as I'm done.

Anyway, more later....I just scanned the new knitty, I see some things that will go on my to make list....

Never go to the store hungry

Have you ever gone to the grocery store when you are starving? What happens? You buy out the whole dang store. Everything goes into the basket especially a huge amount of snack foods. Well, that's what I did on Friday, only I was hungry for yarn. I went to the yarn store while I was starving. I needed to start the essential stripe pullover because I need a project with mindless stockinett stitch. As you can see, I have other projects on the needles, but I must follow the patterns to closely for them to be my mindless knit project. I have some yarn in my stash that I decided to use, only I needed some additional colors for the stripes.
So, I went to the yarn store with the intention of buying a couple of contrasting colors for this project. Of course that didn't work. I walked out with this wonderful alpaca silk. I've been lusting after this yarn for a while but I never had a project in mind. Unfortunately, this store had the alpaca silk pattern book next to the yarn. Once I opened it and found this, I had to have it.
Oh, I bought the other yarn as well.
A lot of dollars later, I walked out of the store shell shocked, but I have a wonderful snack to work on.....Alpaca silk.....yum yum.

Comfort Knits

I've been thinking about the yarns and the projects I've enjoyed knitting with. Does this have anything to do with the how fast I complete a project. In my last post, I mentioned how I did not like knitting the handwarmers with Noro silk garden. I found the inconsistent nature of the yarn very annoying. Sometimes, the yarn was very thin, other times very think and fuzzy. I often felt as if I was knitting with twigs or weeds. Maybe that had something to do with the color I chose, I'm not sure. I bought the yarn initially to use for clapotis, but I didn't get very far. I didn't feel as if I'd enjoy wearing it once I finished it.

I've also realized I don't enjoy the other craze that's going through blog land. Kid silk haze. It is so frustrating. I don't enjoy not being able to figure out exactly where I am in a row. I don't enjoy moving the stitches which have become stuck to the needles over. I don't like the difficulty with tinking back and I don't enjoy the feel of the floss in my hands. If I get motivated and finish River, I cannot see myself every knitting with it again. Of course, I have 6 skeins of it sitting in my stash.
Part of the enjoyment I get from knitting, I get from the feel and texture of the yarn. Not to mention the texture of the finished project. Worsted or DK weight yarn provides that feel for me, that comfort, which says relax. Laceweight and floss is not for me.

80 + Degrees in November

It's 80 degrees with dry Santa Ana winds. Of course, in preparation for "winter", I thought wouldn't it be fun to make some wrist warmers. As I worked on them, for me, my son decided they were just what he needed for cold evenings at Soccer practice. So, these became his. The pattern is from Last Minute knitted gifts. Made from one skein of Noro silk garden and size 8 DPN's. When I make more, my daughter has decided she needs some too, I'll use 2 circs instead. I've decided I do not like silk garden, but more on that later. I guess the whole skein is one repeat, as you can see, these are fraternal twins.

Basking in the sun

Ella had her bath and is basking in the Sun. I'm not sure if she's as large as I want, so I left a lifeline in the last pattern row. I'll try her on later after work. For now here's a sunbathing shot.

No motivation

I have no motivation..... to work. I have my ring and a date (for Dr Laura listeners), meaning I have a new job, and a start date. Now it's so hard to force myself to work. Much of what I do is for the future. A future where I will not be there. How can I in good faith schedule patients to see me, when I will be gone, and I'm unsure if there will be a replacement. So my dilemma, how do I make myself appear busy for eight hours? I cannot in good conscience stay on the internet and blog in between phone calls. I have statistics I must do before I leave, but I have 3 weeks to get that done. I could not possibly do it now... Oh the horror. To actually complete a project, before the deadline, 3 weeks before, I can't do it. I will have to think on it, carefully.....
So here we have a FO.


No not Ella, close but still no cigar, it's the men's cashmere scarf from last minute knitted gifts. Although, it's not for a man, and it's not cashmere. I knit this with 2 skeins of knitpicks peruvian wool in merlot. Yes, I know it wasn't on my to do list, but what are list and rules for... to be broken, changed, ignored. I knew you would understand.

Moving

I was offered a job last week that I'd been hoping to get. It will be at a sister hospital, which is so much closer to my home. I no longer will have to take 2 freeways to and from work. In fact I do not have to take any freeways. Say bye-bye to the 1 1/2 hour commute. I'll be able to get to work in approx. 20 minutes. I can't wait. The job will be similar to what I'm doing now, however it's a new position, which means I'll be able to set it up the way I want to. It should be challenging initially, until the whole process is set up. Hopefully, this will all translate to more knitting time.
Speaking of knitting, Ella is almost done. I think I'll add one more repeat of section 2. I'm making the triangular shawl and there are no finished dimensions on the pattern. I'm not sure how much it will grow after blocking. Once she's done I can start a sweater for me.

Guess

I'm going to stitches west. More later, blogging from work = bad.

Ella enchanted

I love this pattern. I'm into the 3rd repeat of section 2 and I can't wait to finish so I can wear it. This art yarns supermerino is so soft.


As promised, handpainted cashmere from my wonderful secret pal. She also sent me a Halloween e-card. She's so thoughtful. Thanks Shelley!!

One Shall become two

I made it!!I finished the second sock during socktoberfest. Even though, I didn't officially join. I can say I am the proud owner of 2 handmade socks. I need to throw them in water and block, but they are done. It really wasn't as bad as I thought.I was afraid I'd succumb to the dreaded second sock syndrome. As I mentioned previously, I love the 2 circ method, it seemed much easier than DPN's. Now I'd like to progress to 2 socks on 2 circs, and the toe up with short row heels.

Now that these are done, I can finish some of the other projects on my side bar or cast on Ella. I received some very pretty handpainted laceweight cashmere yarn from my Secret pal. I'll post pictures tomorrow if I can get a good shot in daylight. Now I must find the perfect project to showcase this yummy yarn. Thanks so much SP.