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July 29, 2005
And The Winner Is...
Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed. It's soft (or so I hear from a reliable source), the right gauge, reasonably priced, and comes in a lot of yummy colors. Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. I really appreciate you guys.
There was not a lot of knitting going on yesterday. I knit two rows on the LBS, which means that I have 8 rows left including the bind off row. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm off at lunch to buy welding rods for blocking wires because I hope to block by Sunday. In Sherbet Sock news, I have completed turning the heel and have about 1 cm to knit before I do the little bit of ribbing at the ankle. I will soon have the first one completed. And, if things go perfectly (doubtful, I know), I may get that long-languishing project seamed this weekend, but maybe not the zipper. That still scares me, even though I've read the instructions about 50 times. We'll just have to play that by ear.
So, have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:56 AM | Comments (6)July 28, 2005
Help
I really need some help here. I've decided on the Turtleneck Shrug from Scarf Style for my scarf for SYNO. The pattern calls for Rowan Kid Classic, which is 70% lambswool, 26% mohair, and 4% nylon and is aran weight. Now comes the help part. I really want to get fabulous yarn to send off to my secret scarf knitter and am not sure what to choose. Do any of you have any idea or suggestions? It would have to be something I can find on-line and I'm thinking of a solid rather than varigated yarn. I know you all will provide great ideas. Thanks in advance!
Posted by Stephanie at 10:57 AM | Comments (7)July 27, 2005
The Goal
I worked on the LBS last night and am happy to report that I've completed the second set of lotus blossoms. This puts me at the beginning of the last chart - 22 rows to go (and the bobble bind off, let's not forget that).
I do believe, if everything continues to go well, that I will have this puppy finished in time for the wedding.
I've also been working on the sherbet socks on the commute and have turned the heel on the first sock - short rows. They're really fun and are a nice break from the lace.
Last but not least, I decided to join the Stitch Ya Neck Out knitalong/swap. I got in just under the wire - very nice ladies running this deal. I'm such a procrastinater - I really need to work on that. Anyway, I think I'm going to have the turtleneck shrug made for me - I'm into shrugs right now. So, this weekend I'll have to find some fabulous yarn to send off to my pal - maybe when I order it I can have it mailed directly, since it's guaranteed I'll have to order it - nothing around here fabulous enough for such a fun thing.
I have this afternoon off from work - Cheyenne Day. A day during Cheyenne Frontier Days that pretty much everyone gets all or part of the day off in order to take in the festivities. I consider it bonus knitting time! Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:36 AM | Comments (11)July 26, 2005
This Is Gonna Be Short
I feel the need to post, but don't really have anything to tell you. Work has been absolutely crazy, but it makes the days go fast. I had to teach karate last night, so I didn't work on the LBS at all. I've decided that I can't work on it on the commute because I have to talk to my co-commuter and then mistakes are made, so I worked on the Sherbet Sock and am almost ready to turn the heel. Today is rainy and cool, so it will be prime knitting at lunch and tonight. I'm really hoping I can finish the second set of lotus blossoms, which would complete the 5th chart. In other news, I'm thinking of buying a drop spindle. Anyone have suggestions on a good one? I know absolutely nothing about spinning, so keep that in mind. I hope you all have a great day and can keep cool if it's hot where you are.
Posted by Stephanie at 10:28 AM | Comments (6)July 25, 2005
A Good Weekend
Saturday morning I had to take Isabelle (the cat) to the vet for her booster shot. She and Riley were just there a month ago, but she needed a second shot. I was really annoyed that they didn't just charge me for the shot and wormer, but for another wellness exam. Jeeze, if she was ok a month ago, she's still ok. Just an excuse to get another $30 out of me! But, the good part started right after that. I went to the post office and picked up my swift and ball winder and a denim skirt I ordered. So, I go home and guess which package I open first. Yep, the swift. Shows you where my priorities are.
The swift and ball winder are from The Oregon Wood Worker and I'm in love. The swift comes in pieces in a bag and you can take it apart for storage. Don't ya just love that?
It worked great and I'm hooked, especially because I wound the second hank of yarn for the shawl and it was so fast! I'm going to wind the yarn I have in my stash, but I have to finish the shawl first. Diana was right, these things are necessities. I'm not quite sure how I've gotten along without them for this long.
This weekend was also particularly productive in the LBS arena. I finished the stems and the first chart of blossoms. I'm now on row 136 (that's Chart 5 out of 6)! So I have about 30 rows left! I thought the blossom part would be a lot slower than the stems because there are more stitches and the pattern is a bit more complex, but I think it's actually quicker. Now, this could be due to the fact that I haven't made as many mistakes that require massive time to fix (knock on wood), but still.
I have high hopes that I will have this finished by the end of next weekend, which means I need to find some blocking wires - it's time to get Travis on the hunt for some welding rods. Keep your fingers crossed that things continue to go well. Have a great Monday.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:43 AM | Comments (9)July 22, 2005
Brace Yourself
You might want to sit down. Oh wait, you probably are because you're at your computer. Ready? I knit 5 rows on the Lotus Blossom Shawl last night and did. not. rip. out. a. single. stitch. It's fabulous isn't it? I was so giddy I couldn't even get to sleep (and I needed to sleep after the 4 hours I got the night before)! I believe the devil has been exorcised and the knitting gods have been sated, and not a moment too soon. I am cautiously optimistic that this means things will be moving along on the shawl. I'll know more after the weekend.
Do you know the worst part of living in the country? No? Well let me tell you. It's those little orange slips they put in your mail box that tells you you have a package at the post office to pick up. It's torture. My ball winder and swift have arrived, but I can't get the package until tomorrow (since I don't work in the same town as I live I can't run down to the post office over lunch)! The suspense is killing me. I will post pictures as soon as they are in my possession. Promise.
In other news - Cheyenne Frontier Days starts today. It's a huge thing for Cheyenne. Thousands of people attend the rodeos and concerts and shop until they drop. There are parades, art shows, food, and fun for more than a week. A lot of our friends enter the rodeo, so Travis and I get to catch up with people we don't see very often, which is nice. The really great thing though is that in my office we get to wear "western attire" for 6 whole days. To truly understand this you have to know that we don't even have casual Friday - we're a business attire place 5 days a week. So, the fact that we get to wear jeans and boots (or sandles) for more than a week is pretty freeking fantabulous! It really doesn't take much to make me happy - knitting that goes right and jeans. I'm a simple gal.
Have a wonderful Friday and happy knitting.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:19 AM | Comments (6)July 21, 2005
They're Mad Again
The knitting gods are pissed at me again. There's really no other explanation. Ok, there is one other explanation - the Lotus Blossom Shawl is cursed. Take your pick. The results are the same. Here's the deal. Last night I got home and decided that I'd fix the stitch 25 rows down where I only picked up one strand of yarn.
So, I decided to be extra cautious and practice on one of the swatches before I attempted the shawl. This went well. I figured out how the yarn overs on either side were supposed to look and how to pick up the ladders in the correct order for the center stitches.
Armed with my crochet hook and a couple of dpns, the fix went off without a hitch. That was the last thing all night that went right. I know you're getting tired of hearing me bitch about this shawl, and I'm really tired of bitching about it, so I'll keep this brief. Because really, how much can I expect you all to handle. At some point something happened (and honestly I don't remember exactly what it was) and it required this:
(Thanks Cyndi for the how-to tip)
There was crying and screaming and cursing involved with the first attempt, but I figured it out (although I think I could have maybe taken half the shawl out and reknit it in the time it took me). The really good news is that this same activity occurred another two or three times throughout the evening. So, it's now about 11:30 and I'm really tired and I want to stop, but I can't just stop in the middle of a row. I'm on the last row of the second chart - actually on the wrong side row after the last row on the cart - just purling along and I feel one of my stitch markers hit my leg. I look down and think to myself, "How'd that get off the needle? It must be broken." Oh no, it wasn't the stitch marker that was broken. It was the needle. The bryspun needle just broke at one join.
As I'm sure you can imagine, this resulted in about 20 stitches jumping off the needle and yarn overs and stitches running willy nilly down the shawl. I really almost lost it (I was too traumatized to even take a picture of the disaster). I wasn't even pulling on the cord, I had lots of stitches on the needle and the cord was just hanging there - and at some point it just snapped off. Luckily I had another size 8 needle to transfer the stitches to, but it took me another hour to get everything transferred and the dropped stitches picked back up (I actually had to do a repair like above). So, you decide, have I angered the knitting gods, is the shawl cursed, or am I just the worst knitter on the planet?
On a happy note, I finished the second chart (finally) and counted the stitches. I have the right number! Please take a moment to really understand the implication of that statement. After all of the crap I've gone through with this stupid shawl, I have the right number of stitches. That means I got all the yarn overs and decreases right! That realization required a happy dance this morning, such that it was after 4 hours of sleep. Chart 3 is the same pattern - the stems - and is only 14 rows, so I really should be able to handle it, assuming I can pull my head out of where ever it's been the last few days.
Have a good day and happy knitting. And as always, thanks for listening.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:49 AM | Comments (14)July 20, 2005
Public Apology
It appears that I am guilty of defamation. On July 18th and 19th I blamed Row 91 for all of the problems I've been having with the Lotus Blossom Shawl and it appears that that was incorrect. I started my merry little way across row 93 last night and found this.
Do you see the problem? Yes, I realize that it's glaringly obvious and I missed it for the better part of 72 hours, but I believe I did mention some mental problems I've been having with this little project. Yes indeedy, that is in fact a missed yarn over. And guess what. It wasn't on row 91, it was on row 89. Please try to contain your horror. I know I'm an idiot, but thanks for agreeing. So, I will express my profound apology to row 91 for all of the blame and bad things I said, not to mention the cursing I did to it directly. I will defend myself by saying that I did make a lot of mistakes on row 91, but is it really any wonder after this new information has come to light? I think not.
So, guess what I did. Yep, I tinked back. Back across rows 93, 92, my favorite 91, and almost all the way across row 90. I then picked up the yarn over on the wrong side and proceeded back through the aforementioned rows.
So, three hours after I sat down to knit, this was what it looked like.
Better, no? This is the status after the completion of row 93 and I swear, everything seems right. I even counted and have the right number of stitches. By gollie, I believe I'm on a roll. Keep your fingers crossed, just in case. You just can't be too careful with these things.
In stash inhancement news: I received 2 packages yesterday. One was from Knit Picks and included a copy of Knitting on the Edge and some Shine in cream for this shrug.
Isn't the shrug cute? I think I might do a different edge, hence the book, but I really like that it's so simple and practical.
The second package was from Wool Gatherers and was some Mountain Colors in Moose Creek for the rib and cable socks by Nancy Bush in the new Interweave Knits
The new yarn and book almost made up for the ripping and reknitting, you really just can't dwell on those things or they'll drive ya nuts. Happy knitting and have a great Wednesday.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:15 AM | Comments (10)July 19, 2005
I Am Weak
Weak I tell ya! It takes very little to convince me that I should buy something. So, yesterday I'm reading blogs and I get over to Diana where I find a wonderful post about the merits of a ball winder. You can see where this is going, can't you. So, in my defense I have to tell you that I've been thinking about a ball winder and swift for awhile now. I didn't take the leap because I thought, "Oh, Stephanie, that's such an extravagance. You don't really need one - there's nothing wrong with winding balls by hand." Well, apparently a ball winder and swift are essential and should not be considered frivolous. That was all it took to convince me! (Well that and winding 800 yards of yarn for the LB Shawl - tedious! And I still have another hank to wind.) A surfin' I went. I looked at some info on Knitter's Review, did a Google search, and ended up at The Oregon Wood Worker where I purchased a swift and ball winder. Weak, but happy! My purchase will ship today, and they say I should have it by the end of the week. How excited am I!
The Lotus Blossom Shawl saw very little action yesterday, and after a brief trip back to row 91 (again), I finished 92 and am keeping my fingers crossed that 93 turns out to have all the required stitches - mental block, I swear. Tonight promises good knitting time, so I'm hoping to finish the second chart. I'll let you know how it goes.
That's all for me. I hope you all have a wonderful day and nothing but perfect stitches (and the proper number of yarn overs).
Oh, and an update on Riley. He had his toenail removed. It was loose and came out easily. He had his teeth cleaned and charmed all the girls at the vet clinic. He has to keep his foot wrapped for 2 days and take antibiotics for a week, and he'll be good as new. His foot doesn't seem to have slowed him down at all and this morning he wanted to play. Everything turned out just fine. Thanks for all of your kind words and well wishes.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:51 AM | Comments (9)July 18, 2005
Just Call Me Tinkerbell
Because I think I knit row 91 on the Lotus Blossom Shawl no less than 6 times yesterday, which means I tinked back 5 times. Row 91 is the same pattern as the 90 rows before it, so I can't claim complication as an excuse. I believe it was just a mental block - every time was something different, but my gawd, I didn't really think I was that dense! The good news is I am on row 93, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Row 91 Jinx has passed me by.
Saturday we went to a bbq for my friend Ashley's birthday. Ashley and I have been friends since we were 12 years old and she's the one who got married in Scottsdale in March. The birthday party was great. We had good food and margaritas and lots of time to catch up. I hate that she lives in Phoenix because we get to see each other so rarely, but the nice thing about a best friend is that even if it's been months since you've seen each other it's always like it was just yesterday. But dang, I miss her.
Riley's presence was specifically requested by the birthday girl, so he had to have a bath before he could go. He's had so many baths in his life, he's really good about it (when you spend a lot of time outside and your belly is 8 inches off the ground, you're gonna get dirty - it's a fact of life), but he always runs around and barks and rubs himself on the carpet after the bath, it's really funny.
Riley had a bit of an accident at the party. He was running (because that's pretty much the only speed he has - a run) out the sliding glass door and got his foot caught between the door frame and the deck and partially tore one of his toenails off. It's ripped out of the pad on one side and still attached on the other. Man did it bleed (this is the cleaned up picture).
He got it wrapped by Dr. Ashley and proceeded to play fetch all night - so I don't think he was too traumatized. We talked to Ashley's vet and he said that it wasn't an emergency, but to take him to his regular vet today, so Riley's on his way to the vet this morning. The vet thought they might have to sedate him to remove the toenail, and since they're gonna do that, they're gonna clean his teeth too. Two birds with one stone and all.
So, all in all it was a good, but wirlwind weekend. I can't believe it's already Monday and we're starting another week, but that's how it is. Have a great day. Happy knitting.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:36 AM | Comments (4)July 15, 2005
Is It The 21st Century?
I'm just checking because it seems that electricity should be a bit more reliable at this stage of the game. We had a thunder storm last night - started about 6:00. As a result 1/2 of the town lost power. I think lighting struck a transformer, but come on, really. This is the 3rd time in 2 months that my power's been out for more than 2 hours at a time. Last night the power went out at about 7:00 and didn't come back on until almost 10:30. I left for karate at about 7:10 and it was pouring. Luckily the gym still had power so we had class. When I got home there was still no electricity. No electricity means no shower. Ewwww. It wasn't good, trust me. No electicity also means no knitting after dark. So, I've made minimal progress on the Lotus Blossom Shawl , but here's what she looks like after 72 rows.
The wind blew so hard last night that some of my delphiniums blew over. They were staked and everything, but one has some spikes that are taller than the stakes. They were bent this morning. I staked them up the best I could and I'm hoping for the best, but they may need to be cut and put in the house. It's very sad because they are so beautiful in my yard.
Have a great day - it's Friday!!
July 14, 2005
Progress
The shawl is coming along nicely. I'm on the second chart - row 64 out of something like 200 - and I'm still doing the stems. I have the pattern mostly memorized now, which makes it good for knitting on the commute and while watching tv. I struggled a bit yesterday with the join on the Bryspun needles so I knit a couple of rows with my Addi Natura needles to see if I liked them any better. Honestly, I didn't really notice much difference in getting those little yos over the join. I have absolutely no problem on either needle on the rs of the work, but when it comes to the ws (which is just purled), things get a little difficult. Before you shake your head and say, "Stephanie, you must just be knitting too tight," realize that I'm actually a fairly loose knitter. My theory is that it has something to do with the yos getting stuck, but don't ask me why that would be because I don't have a clue. I didn't say it was a good theory, just that it was a theory! So, I'm back to the Bryspuns and things seem to be going well. We shall see.
Thank you all for your thoughts and understanding yesterday. I really appreciate you all. Have a great day and stay out of the heat (it's a good excuse to stay inside and knit).
Posted by Stephanie at 8:27 AM | Comments (1)July 13, 2005
Excuse Me While I Complain
If you don't want to hear me complain about my crappy job, you might want to scroll down to the stuff on knitting. I'll try to keep it short, I promise. Ok, I work for the State and sometimes politics just sucks. There's no other way to describe it. We had a lady leave the office about 6 weeks ago who had been here for 25 years. I'm taking over her work and they've hired someone new for my job. I asked my boss a month ago if I could have her nice office if he wasn't going to put anyone else in it. The new girl starts Monday, so we need to know who's going where. So, yesterday afternoon (nothing like waiting til the last minute to make a decision) he decides that he's going to put someone who's been here less than a year in the nice big corner office rather than let me have it. Talk about pissed. I know it's just an office and it shouldn't matter, but in the environment I work in where people get fired for little or no reason, it seems that all we have are the little things. So, I've decided to renew my job search. I really don't think I'm going to be happy here in the long run, and it's time to step up my search. The problem is figuring out what I want to do with my life. Any of you know any great jobs for a lawyer (even if it isn't as an attorney)?
Ok, thanks for letting me vent. Now, on to knitting. I'm on row 37 of the Lotus Blossom Shawl and I'm really liking the pattern. It's pretty simple (at least so far) and it's going quickly because there aren't that many stitches yet.
I'm finding the joins on the Bryspun needles a bit difficult, but I keep hoping it'll get better as I get more stitches on the needle. We'll just have to wait and see.
And I remembered to take a picture of the rainbow sherbet sock. It's about 15 cm and I need 20 before I shape the heel. I think the colors are perfect for a summer ankle sock. What do you think?
So, that's it for me. I hope today is better than yesterday and I hope you all have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:38 AM | Comments (14)July 12, 2005
Bryspun Needles Rock
They came, they came, they came!!! And I'm excited (can you tell?).
I had karate last night so I didn't get very much done, but I got the shawl started. So far the pattern is going well. At this rate it will only take me a couple hundred years to finish it, but...
The Bryspun needles are so much better than the Addis I used for the swatch. The tip is great and makes doing the increases and decreases a lot easier. There's no fighting with getting the needle into the stitch you want. What a concept! And for not being a fan of plastic needles, I don't mind these at all - or maybe I'm just that excited about the tip - I can't be sure. Thank you Grumperina for the heads-up on these wonderful needles!
I meant to take a picture of the sock because it's coming along nicely and I like the rainbow sherbet quality of the stipe pattern. I'll try to remember tonight.
Have a great day and remember to relax and knit a bit.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:16 AM | Comments (7)July 11, 2005
Music and Mints
After shopping until we dropped on Friday, Saturday wasn't really any better. As you may know, my mom recently purchased a new house. And to go with the new house, she purchased some new bedroom furniture and a couch for her sitting room (aka tv room). The movers came on Thursday and could not get the armoire, couch, and chest of drawers up her lovely old staircase. Travis, being the darling man that he is, offered to help her with this dilemma on Saturday. He removed one of the newel posts and the armoire went up with minimal fuss. The couch was another matter entirely. It was determined that no amount of wishing and cursing was going to make that puppy fit. The second story window was measured and it was decided that the couch wasn't going in that way either. It was then determined that the loveseat from the same set would in fact fit up the stairs. This decision resulted in driving the 2 blocks to the furniture store, picking up the loveseat and hauling its heavy ass up the stairs. Next came the chest of drawers. It was too long to fit up the stairs and make the corner at the top, but it would in fact fit through the window. Travis, being as handy as he is, brought over scaffolding and I learned all about building scaffolding - not the easiest thing I've ever done, but interesting all the same. I then helped my dear husband lift a very heavy dresser up onto the scaffolding and then manuever it up 2 more levels of scaffolding until it could finally be lifted into her second story window. Can I just tell you how much my arms hurt today. Yesterday wasn't so bad, but today it's all I can do to lift a pen. Yikes. The lesson in this is: make sure you can get your furniture into you house before you buy it!
The furniture extravaganza was followed by grocery shopping and a bbq at my karate instructor's house - his birthday. We had good food and good entertainment. These people are the talented ones in my karate class (notice I am no where near this musical feat).
Yesterday I helped my mother-in-law finish her first sweater and we made mints for the upcoming wedding.
After that I wasn't really in the mood to work on the Zip Cardi, but I'm happy to say that I have all of the ribbed pieces sewn on and just need to put it together. I should be able to do that this week. My needles didn't come, so I've yet to start on the shawl, but I'm hoping they come today. If not, I'll just have to be patient (I'm not good at that). Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 11:35 AM | Comments (5)July 8, 2005
Does Money Grow On Trees?
Because it's either that or I've completely lost my mind as well as all will power I may have ever possessed. This is what I bought today. If you have a heart condition, don't look - seriously.
What, you can't really see all of it? Well I'm here to oblige.
Yes, 2 pairs of shoes - both Clarks, both extremely comfortable.
And doesn't the blue pair look lovely with the Zip Cardi?
A new outfit for work. It was very reasonably priced, and you should be proud of me that I chose not to buy the extremely expensive suit I liked (it was ridiculous, trust me).
Really, what shopping trip is complete without a stop at the make-up counter. I think I exercised restraint in just purchasing the few items I did because I really like make-up and can be a bit impulsive when it comes to these things.
Books!!!
A new laundry basket (which I justified by telling myself I needed one, but I probably didn't need this one, but it's pretty).
Some supplies from the yarn store (such that it is)
More red dishes to add to my growing collection:
And just so you don't think I'm a completely selfish jerk, I bought a couple of things for my soon-to-be-sister-in-law.
The 4 wine glasses she was registered for and a really cute yellow, orange, and red vintage-style apron.
I also picked up a couple of goodies for my secret pal, but I can't show you what - it might ruin the surprise.
So, all in all it was about 12 hours of shopping. My mother-in-law has a pretty pink dress, cute shoes and jewelry to match, new make-up and finger nail polish. We're set. We also both got our shower gift shopping done and I got my shopping fix for a couple of months. I'm exhausted, so I'll have to tell you all about seaming on the Zip Cardi tomorrow, but it is going better. Have a great night and a wonderful weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 10:52 PM | Comments (7)July 7, 2005
I Really Shouldn't Be Surprised
I started seaming the Zip Cardi last night and guess what, it didn't really go all that well. You start by sewing the ribbed armhole insertions onto the back armholes and it's tough to get those little straight pieces of ribbing to curve and fit nicely. I'm not really happy with how they look, so I'm going to take out the seam and re-do it tonight. Oh goodie.
See how it's puckering? That's obviously where I was fudging the seam to get everything to fit, and it didn't work - too much fudging. I really don't want to re-do these, but it'd be worse to know that they weren't right! So, keep your fingers crossed that the second attempt is better.
I watched the grand finale of Dancing With The Stars while I was seaming and Kelly Monaco from General Hospital won. I just think she's the cutest thing and I can't help but root for the underdog!
Tomorrow is dress shopping with my Mother-In-Law for a mother-of-the-groom dress for my brother-in-law's wedding in August. It ought to be fun, and you know I'll find somethings I won't be able to resist. I have no willpower, but what can ya do?
Have a great day and thanks for coming by.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:29 AM | Comments (7)July 6, 2005
Priceless
Licorne Yarn, 10 skeins = $50.00
Time Knitting = Hundreds of Hours
Finished Pieces = 12
Blocking Board = 1
Pins = 350 (or more, I lost track)
Hours Spent Blocking = 2 1/2
Having a Perfectly Blocked Sweater = Priceless!
It was hell, my back may never recover, but it's blocked to the measurements on the pattern. Now, I just have to wait for it to dry and then the ever-fun seaming begins. I wonder how many hours that will take. Yikes, I'd rather not think about it.
I made 2 swatches for the Lotus Blossom Shawl, one on size 7 needles, the other on size 8. Size 8 is the winner.
I found the Bryspun needles I want to try at Wild & Wooly in Lexington, MA! Yippee. The lady I spoke with was extremely nice and she shipped them yesterday. Keep your fingers crossed for the end of the week.
And, since I've decided not to start the shawl until the proper needles arrive (I just can't take much more lace on addis, although the bamboo was much better) and I thought I wanted something else to work on in the meantime, I've cast on for some socks (crazy, I know).
This is my first attempt at a figure 8 cast-on and I found it kind of difficult. Well, more awkward really, but not the easiest thing I've ever tried. We'll see how it turns out. These socks are destined to be short summer socks and the yarn is a gift from Jenn.
I really appreciate all of your compliments on the new site. You really made my day. Have a wonderful day and thanks for saying hello.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:19 AM | Comments (11)July 4, 2005
Welcome To My New Home
As you can see, there were changes made over the weekend. The marvelously talented Diana did the design for me. It's a big change from Paint & Purl, but I really like it. What do you all think?
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In other news, I was busy knitting and doing home improvement stuff. I am happy to report that I have completed the knitting on the Zip Cardi and now I need to block it and sew the many pieces together. That should keep me busy for awhile!
This morning I started one of the gauge swatches for the Lotus Blossom Shawl and it's kind of fun.
I think this will be a fun project, but I really need to get some different needles because these addis are driving me crazy!
In home improvement news I made a peach pie (is that home improvement?) and painted my light fixtures.
The pie turned out rather well and it was my first experience with one without a pan. I like the free-form aspect of it and may have to try this recipe again.
The light fixtures started their lives as brass, which isn't really my style. So, I painted them.
I started with a flat black spray paint and then used 2 copper paints and wet sponges to make them coppery. I don't know if I love them, but I like them a lot better than the brass, and they were a heck of a lot cheaper than new fixtures. These will get new shades in the next couple of weeks, so I'll post more pictures when that happens.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.
Posted by Stephanie at 5:20 PM | Comments (17)July 1, 2005
Before Knitting?
Well crap. I just lost my post. I hate it when that happens. So, let's try it again
I was sitting in the living room last night working on the ribbed inserts for the Zip Cardi and I started thinking about the time I spend knitting. Then I started wondering what I did before I knit and I couldn't really think of what it might have been. I may have used the time to read, but I still read, so the time must have come from somewhere else. I didn't go out to wild parties or have group obligations, I did watch tv, but I still do. Maybe I just added my knitting to my tv watching time. What do you think? What did you do with your time before you started knitting?
The ribbed inserts for the Zip Cardi are coming along better than I imagined. I shouldn't be surprised because each one is only 16 or 17 stitches and 84 rows - not a lot of stitches. I finished 2 yesterday and am about 1/2 done with the third.
I imagine I'll have them all done by the end of the weekend. Then everything will need to be blocked before it's seamed. How much do you stretch k2 p2 ribbing when you block it? I can't seam it like it is, but don't want to overblock it.
I took some pictures of my flowers and the view from my house just because things are pretty right now and in another month everything will be dry and brown.
Have a great Friday and a wonderful holiday weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:33 AM | Comments (3)