Seaman's Lace Done

It's done. Actually could have been bigger, but that will just have to be another wrap, a real one, maybe a shawl. This will perfect to tote when Kelli and I go on our next vacation. Perfect for a little something on your shoulders or as a lap blanket or to hide your face under so no one sees you slobber or something when you fall asleep on the train. OR if it's windy and I'm walking with my favorite neighbor, I can use it as a head wrap. She loves it when I do things like that.

Needle Organizer

I had the muslin left over from an old quilting project, so this was a freebie. Thought about using a baby hanger for it, but that would have involved a trip to a store. Had the dowel from some other project - ah, yes, the wedding cake. Just another attempt to organize...

Paper? Who needs that stinkin paper?

Up to this point I have been relying on this piece of paper to tell me am I on Row 1 of the lace pattern or am I on row 3?? Many attempts were made before I finally got this thing going. It is a simple pattern. I've done a couple lace things already. This should be a piece of cake. But I'd knit, then I'd mess up, then I'd rip, then I'd knit...But I am a determined soul. Finally I tried to chart it a bit. Then I wrote notes. Then I finally wrote what row should be next after the purl row - every single time I put that 3 or a 1. This was getting quite old. Finally I made a point - look at the dang thing before you start the row. I did. The next pattern - look at the row. I did. Well, they are very distinctive. It isn't quite the magic I thought. Very simple indeed. Sometimes I can be so smart and other times I can be sooo the other way.

Seaman's Lace Wrap

This wrap is nothing fancy. I doubled the rows of lace in it from the original "scarf" pattern. It's wide enough to be thrown over shoulders and scrunchable enough to be a scarf, and it feels heavenly.

Blog Stalking...Combination Knitting

Geez I hate it when I check my favorite blogs and they haven't updated! Where the heck is NONA??? Everyone's entitled to a vacation, but 26 days! (Who's counting) Petite's better than watching TV any day - well, there's no knitting going on there, but it's so much fun. I can't wait to see where she's been and what she's been doing. There's so many more out there that I read, I think I'm goin to add them all here so I can find them easier. I've checked NONA's out more times than I care to admit and nada, zilch. I think she's abandoned her blog. Then all the KH bloggers...

Annie Modesitt has a great tutorial on combination knitting. In the middle of my wrap I decide to try it. Well, some advice: don't go trying to change your style midway through a project! So I ripped it. But oooooh it's cool. It's fast. I can't wait to swatch some.

Finished Gansey Gloves, Baby Gomer Hat

Well, what do you think? Close enough fit to not mess with the black elastic thread? I think they'll do.

And per my task master, here's today's knitting assignment, Baby Gomer Hat.

Hole-ly CRAP

Why OH why can mistakes not present themselves before they are so far embedded into the project?? I mean I knew something was wrong, but I could not for the life of me understand what. Well, 20 rows later it became so clear that I had twisted this way when I should have twisted that way. I figured I had nothin to lose but time. I knit(ted) to the mistake. RIPPED the needle out. Called a neighbor to witness this mess. Calmly sat down with all the necessary tools and proceeded to reknit each row across, properly crossing when necessary. Now I'd like to say I only did it once, but no. I had to rip it out a couple of times and start over before I got it.....

Glove Mania

I started the crayon gloves a long time ago, but got stuck on the fingers thinking the gloves just were too small - I just hadn't tried making the fingers long enough! I tried several ways to make the fingers, but have found that I actually like the dpn method best. The black gloves look fabulous, but they are a bit loose. I actually tried to felt them a bit (gasp - felting this cashmere blend yarn!!!), but it didn't really do it. When they dry, I'll photo them on. One thing I'm going to do is buy some black elastic thread if I can find it and run a few rows right under the cuff. I should have attempted gloves on some less expensive yarn before doing them with this stuff. I WILL wear them. I've since found a great looking pattern for gloves and scarf at Garn studio. They may be next - well, after I finish the denim cable raglan and maybe a sweater with this Donegal tweed stuff.

Black Gansey Glove

Woohoo - I'm pretty happy with this first completed glove! I mean it's by NO means perfect, but I'll wear it! And it feels sooooo nice. It's Elen Cashmere by Filatura di crosa. Pattern is Gansey Glove pattern from www.knittingpatterncentral.com

Now if I can only make another to look like it!!!

Edited to add: Am now starting the second one. Guess what? I can't follow directions! The ribbing was supposed to be a FOUR ROW pattern, not a TWO row pattern! So I guess it was a design element on my part!

Happy Easter!!

I just couldn't decide which was my favorite, and since it's my blog, I decided I could just plaster my only child all over it if I wanted!

Bluebird of Happiness!

I opened my front door, and guess what I saw!! A BOX addressed to me! I ripped it open to a burst of Easter colors! And amidst all the colorful tissue paper was my bluebird and a beautiful mat bearing his likeness! Now I just have to find the perfect picture for it. Miss Holly has a knack for wonderful surprises! Their new home will be right near my desk as a reminder to choose to be happy.

The internet is truly incredible, and without it I would never have met you, Abi.

The Thief Wears a Headband

Why can I just not throw these out? How long am I going to let them lay on the counter in the hall? It's a reminder, I guess. When the police were crawling all over my house after the dirty deed, I didn't see this. Didn't have my glasses on. Things were such a mess, I thought it was just one of my socks that got kicked out in the hall??? Anyway, when cleaning up I saw it's definitely not a sock, but a headband! Then I find a weird piece of plastic, some keys I can't explain left on my bed. I could just throw them out. But I guess it's a reminder. I've always been lax about locking up, leaving lights on. I like fresh air. Maybe by memoralizing it here, I can dump it now.

Well, Soleil is frogged. Swift works well for that - and the ball winder! First of all I used too small of a size of needles for that yarn AND it was a little snug for me.

Here's what I've accomplished so far this weekend on my denim zip-up. I'm sort of winging this. Not sort of, I AM WINGING this. Could have spent a bit more time planning out how I wanted it to end up, but I couldn't even imagine how it would all work when I started. Then when I went into the Aran knitalong site, I saw something about how neck downs were not common because it's harder to plan the cables that way. No duh. But I charged on. I wanted something simple and one piece after having to sew so much on Mom's denim sweater. So there will be no "errors" on this; they're all design elements - cough, cough.

What did DH say when I said, "If I mention purchasing any more yarn, please gently remind me that I have no more storage space"? He said, "Ah, you can get more yarn if you want." Now, before you think the man is just a saint, I will admit I didn't show him what's in the cedar chest.

So there's about 2800 yards of this Donegal tweed, dk weight - not the nicest wool to knit with, but I think I can do something with it. See the little brown square in the picture? Well, that was a swatch I knit with it. Then just because....I felted it. (Neighbor has some also and wants to make felted slippers with it) It was knit on size 5 needles and knit to about 5 stitches/inch. We actually only half seriously thought about knitting and felting a pad for Sweets (horse!) The denim is a top down raglan that I'm goin to put a zipper in. The the black fingers, well I think I have to redo. I think the thumb's too big and the other fingers are too tight... but that wool/cashmere/viscose/silk blend by Filatura di crosa (Elen Cashmere) is goin to be some nice (hopefully) gloves and wrap pour moi!

And while we're talking about it, what would the world be like without criminals? No thieves, murderers, child molestors... Today since I have NO address book (on my computer that was stolen and also on my PDA as a back up that was stolen), I went to get Bob's antique paper one and it wasn't readily available. So I looked for his nice Tumi computer/briefcase that I thought it might be in and noticed it was not around. I went to ask him if it was in his car....well, uh, no. Guess that was taken too. Makes sense. They needed something to haul the goods in.

Well, I've already made my claim to the insurance and, by the way, RECEIVED THEIR CHECK! Now is that believable? Not even a week from the loss.

Now, wasn't it just a wee bit ironic that two posts ago I had a Zippidy-doo-da day with rainbows and bluebirds? Well, I have a nice new security alarm system installed since yesterday. Maybe I'll sleep well again.

The Postman Delivered

Tuesday was a good day. He brought be presents!! A swift, ball winder, and YARN. This brown yarn I made hanks and washed because it is rough Donegal Tweed. A little bit of work, but the knitting pleasure will increase dramatically with softer yarn. These cones are 2 pounds. The Classic Elite color (the red) is a bit off, but very nice. The black is a wool/cashmere/silk blend. And the Encore is for possibly The Rogue!

Later when I feel calmer, I'll talk about last Friday when some punk broke into our house, trashing it, stealing my laptops, PDA(plural - mine and Bob's), and my software key. I had four outstanding transcripts on the computer, one HUGE one almost ready to turn in. Probably a junkie looking for cash. The awful thing is it was someone walking or they would have taken more. It was between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 - when most people are arriving home. This person more than likely watched us leave to go to dinner. That means it's probably a neighbor. Anyway, I guess I did just talk about it. Soon it will be nothing but an unpleasant memory.

SS Encore

I decided I was being lazy. So here it is in its final glory.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my what a wonderful day!
Plenty of sunshine heading my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah,
zip-a-dee-ay
Mister Bluebird on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actch'll
Ev'rything is satisfactch'll
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah,
zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling,
wonderful day!

Finished Shirtail Sensation

This is for my mother; I'm only modeling as she's not available. Done just in time for my new shipment of yarn from Web's Anniversary Sale that should be here April 11! My vote is to leave this buttonless. What does Abi think? (Or anyone else who stumbles by, for that matter.) In the bottom photo you can see where I added panels.

Arrowheads

What is this, you might ask. A sign for "ou sont les toilettes?" NO! Denim SS needs to be a little roomier for comfort. This is my take on a detached armhole gussett and side panel. We'll see.... The point will dovetail into the sleeve seam. Is this going to work??

See that little bit of a cuff on my arm? Remember this
I love it and it is a favorite of mine!