Why......

Impulse buy + stash yarn = Next project.

Novice at work

So, I'm knitting the marble sweater and things are going well. I knit up the back in no time and have been working on the front. All is going well, until I got the the v-neck shaping. The pattern said Work to last 3 sts before marker,(center) k2tog, k1, join 2nd ball of yarn and work as follows...... Ok so I'm thinking what, join 2nd ball of yarn? Do I now knit with both yarns together....nah that can't be right?? Ok do I start a new skein of yarn now?? Well that makes no sense, who would join a new skein in the center of the sweater, on purpose.... Can't figure it out, see I'm still a beginner. Anyway, so what do I do, I start a new skein of yarn, the whole time thinking this can't be right. I knit and knit thinking how do you get a V neck out of this...Something is not right
Thankfully, while reading other blogs I found this entry and bingo it all makes sense. Duh....
After frogging back and working on it today, I'm almost back to where I was..

I should finish the front and I'll start on the sleeves tomorrow. I'm going to do both sleeves at once. I hope to be ready to seam it up next weekend. Wish me luck. Oh as you can see, I'm having the same mismatched skein issue on the front. I know I should stop frog and re knit, but I can't tell the color difference until after it's knit up. For now my plan is to knit it all up, decide if I can stand the difference or not. If not when I frog, I will be able to tell which skeins are the same and leave out the lighter ones. I think I'll end up with one extra skein.

Oh !!!!

Oh my aching tooth. Just returned from the Dentist. I want to knit, knit, knit. I can't due to the pain, pain, pain. Off the couch for drugs. Marble sweater update later....

Be careful what you wish for...

In my last post I wished for rain. My daughter plays soccer and I'd hoped if it rained hard, we'd get out of a weekend of soccer games. I mean this is Southern California, we do nothing in the rain. Everything stops and we go on storm watch mode. We have emergency broadcast announcements warning of heavy flooding and mudslides. So of course, there would be no soccer....WRONG, Saturday afternoon with heavy rains and a light dusting of SNOW, my daughter played soccer. Thankfully, our coach decided to forfeit our game once the snow started, the officials stated they would only call the game for lightning. The girls enjoyed it but they were cold. The parents, well, let's just say, we were not happy. My day of knitting, gone... My fingers took hours to thaw out.

Sunday morning, with cloudy skies and intermittent rain soccer was played.
Lesson learned, don't wish for rain.

Here's my progress on the Marble shawl collar sweater. The back in finished and since this picture, I'm halfway through the front. It goes quick when I have time to knit. As you can see, there's a big difference in color in the skeins. I'm trying to ignore it for now but since this is the back I may ignore it. We'll see how the front goes.

As promised, yarn porn

Lorna Laces Worsted: Not sure for what yet but I love it!!
Karabella Marble for my shawl sweater and some Kareoke for wrist warmers.
For more felted clogs for the family.
Malibrigo, oh so soft, for the Ballet wrap sweater.

And the winner is.....

It's a tie, the darn packages arrived on the same day. Of course, so how do I decide. I whip up a "swatch" ( yea I'll call it a swatch) of both yarns. Both are to die for... but, I couldn't resist the shawl collar pattern. Wendy, I saw your comment this morning, definitely the right decision.
This will be my first project that has to be seamed. I knit up a few rows last night and completed to picot edge. That was so simple and it looks so pretty. I'm not sure why I thought it was hard.
I just heard the weather forecast and it's supposed to rain the whole weekend. Aww shucks, that means no soccer games. Guess I'll have to sit in my comfy chair and knit all weekend.

Oh, and did I say I bought lots of yarn.
Yarn porn later..

I've been a bad bad girl.....

After my great stashing event, aka Stitches west, I bought more yarn, a lot more. I ordered yarn for the ballet wrap top last week from webs and I've been anxiously waiting it's arrival. In the mean time, I've been finishing some of the numerous projects on the needles. Here's one here.


Thuja socks from Knitty.

So, back to my purchases, as I said I ordered from webs, and have been waiting, and waiting for the package. I haven't ordered from them in a while and I didn't realize they were so slow. I'm used to knit pixie, yarn in 2-3 days. Since I'm so impatient,in the interim I've been reading my favorite blogs, one of which is Wendy's. I love the shawl collar sweater she just finished. I tried to resist ordering the pattern and the yarn, but I couldn't. It's all webs fault. If my other yarn came sooner, I would not have succumbed to temptation. I would be happily knitting the ballet top now. So it's a race, whichever package arrives first is the project I'll start. But, what if they both arrive the same day, no, that won't happen.

My new baby

No it's not a wheel. With all of my other hobbies, knitting, gardening and reading, my hubby would kill me if I got a spinning wheel. I'd have to help him, I can't add another hobby....that would take away from knitting time.

Stitches west goodies

I thoroughly enjoyed stitches west, unfortunately my wallet wasn't as happy.
First are the kits: A mini lace wrap(poncho, I couldn't resist), 2 shawl kits and a cute scarf kit for one of my girls.


Next up:Socks that rock yarn, do I have to say more. Once I saw them in person, I couldn't pass it up.


KOIGU!!!!! Who cares for what, probably socks, and I bought the Carley shawl pattern.

Last up, reference material to improve the knitting.


Not too bad, next year watch out. I think I was slightly overwhelmed with all of the choices. I tried to not buy just for the sake of buying. Everything is ear marked for specific patterns. Now if only I could clone myself. I have enough patterns and yarn to knit this year and next.

Oh and by the way, I made that OTHER purchase too, more on that next time.

Finally a FO

Finally essential stripe is finito. I started this on my cruise in December and through all of the illnesses and new job, I've finally finish. One thing I've learned with this project is,, I hate weaving in the ends. Multiple color change = too many freakin ends to weave. I don't think I could ever get into intarsia or fair isle. Once I'm finished knitting, I want to be finished.




Since I took this picture, I've weaved the ends in. Whew, that took a while. I'll try to get a modeled shot on the weekend. I tried to take the old in the mirror picture, but for some reason I couldn't remember how to turn off the ole flash on the camera.
Here's what I've been working on since finishing the essential stripe. Thuja socks from knitty with artyarns supermerino. Very soft.

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!