The To Do List Grows

Somebody please stop me. Can I put some kind of parental controls on my computer so I can stop getting sucked into other people’s cool projects? As a result of Sew? I Knit! I’ve been looking at some blogs with sewing content lately and I really think I need to make some of these Pointy Kitties. There’s a bunny pattern coming out soon, too. Seems like a good way to use some of my fabric stash and make some quick little gifts. And don't even get me started on the great bags that people make. Must. Not. Look. (I DO need a lovely knitting bag though...)

Then there’s this sweater. I saw it on someone’s blog a couple of weeks ago and rushed out to Michael’s to get the VK issue. This may be the “complicated” sweater I’ve been searching for.
Kathy asked a couple of questions about my UFO quilt. It’s made of 2 inch squares (not 1 inch!), but it’s strip pieced (sew long 2 inch strips together and then cut those into strips and sew into blocks) so I did not do any sewing of individual squares. I agree with you on the ironing…it’s a big pain, especially when the pieces get big. The quilt is a wall hanging or smaller throw. I do not have the courage or strength to try to quilt a bed size quilt on my machine…as evidenced by the fact that I have completed twin and full size quilt tops languishing away in the corner of our sewing room/office/spare bedroom/junk room. Finding someone to quilt them for me is on my To Do List for this year.

I'm still working on my miles of I-cord, still pretending my Not Cashmere Sweater doesn't exist, and I'm fighting the urge to cast on for some socks...I think they will be Whitby from Knitting on the Road.

Uggs and Ughs

Mara’s Baby Uggs
I probably should have made the smaller size, since these are probably more likely to be Toddler Uggs.
Pattern: Knitty Gritty
Yarn: Berocco Suede and Berocco Plush
Needles: Sz 5 Aluminums for soles, Sz 6 Addis for the rest
Started: 31Jan2006
Finished: 11Feb2006
Mara's Arrival: 16Feb2006
Mailed to baby and parents: Uh, not yet

Now presenting the Christmas Rose Bag (Almost finished)

I finished the base of the bag in the car this weekend and started on the miles of I-cord. This bag could use a good blocking before I assess my stranded knitting skills. I think my floats are a little short and I’m getting some puckering, but hey, it’s a first attempt. This has been a fun project, except for the I-cord, which I find extremely tedious. Next time I'll use ribbon instead.

Not Cashmere Sweater-Here is the UGH:

Even the photo is blurry. Ugh! I've ripped out the above "travelling seam" at least 4 times so far. It's supposed to look something like this:

My next attempt will have to wait until I'm back with it mentally.

Laura, I got the yarn a couple of days ago. Thanks!

Falling of the face of the earth

Thanks for the nice comments on my quilt. I am really hoping to finish it sometime this year! I do have several other quilting UFO's, but the one I posted about it my favorite.

It is likely that I will be out of commission for a week or longer. My grandma's health is failing and I anticipate having to go out of town very soon. It's a very difficult thing to have to deal with, since she is really my second mother, however, she's been suffering for awhile so it will be a relief to all. I was a bit of a basketcase last night, and was only able to relax for a bit while knitting. I'm really glad that I have something to take my mind off of things when I need to shut down for awhile.

It's a little strange how I feel like I need to make an entry on this on my blog, but I know that I get a little worried when people who usually post a few times a week drop off the face of the planet. I also won't be able to make it to Last Saturday knitting this month. Originally I was going out of town for "Girls' Weekend" to meet up with three of my high school friends, but now it looks like I might be gone for other reasons.

I do have some knitting news to report:
The Baby Uggs are finished. They have not been mailed though, because I hate going to the post office.
The Not Cashmere Sweater is causing me major frustration. I ripped out a particular section at least four or five times over the weekend while watching the Olympics and need to rip again. I threw it down in frustration. Apparently I can't read or count or something.
I started the Christmas Rose Bag, my first fair isle project. I must say, it's looking pretty good for a first attempt!

Until next time...

Alien Abduction

Here's the UFO:

I think this was started in 2001 or 2002.

My sewing machine has been abducted by aliens, but it should be back in a couple of weeks.

I’ve been inspired by sew? i knit! Perfect for knitters like me who have been neglecting their sewing machines. Since I started knitting I have touched my machine long enough to sew some borders on cross stitch fabric so it will fit into my stitching frame as well as a couple of frustrating Saturdays working on this UFO. I'm about a third done with the free motion quilting. My thread kept breaking so I got ticked off and abandoned my project again. Sew? I knit! has inspired me to get back at the machine.

I bought a pattern and fabric for some flannel lounge pants a zillion years ago and never got around to making them. I've never sewed a garment before, so the sew along will be a great way to learn some new skills.

I called the sewing machine place and got myself set up for a tune up. The woman I talked to recommended a tune up every couple of years…whoops, it’s been 5 for my poor, neglected machine. I think it’s angry at me for not touching it for over a year. I’m hoping it’s going to work like a charm once it gets back in 2 weeks and I will be able to finish my quilt and sew one of these skirts for the sew-along.

I am hoping to make a skirt to wear with this:

Crazy Wild Jaywalkers

Pattern: Jaywalkers by Grumperina
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Multiringel, Color 5080
Needles: Susan Bates aluminum, US 1, 2.25 mm
Started: 07Jan2006
Finished: 09Feb2006

When I first saw these in Magknits I thought, "Hmm, nice pattern" but didn't get serious about jaywalking until I saw striped ones on someone's blog. I had received some self-striping yarn from my SP...perfect.

Count your socks

Regular readers (all three or four of you!) may have noticed that I put up a Count Your Socks button recently. The idea is to keep track of the number of socks you make in 2006. Click on the button to be included in the group with fellow sock counters. Here's my starting count of 3 pairs, completed in 2005:
Regia, KnitPicks, and Mountain Colors Bearfoot. The Regia socks are holding up very well. KnitPicks, eh, I'm not so happy with the yarn. Really nice to knit with and wear, but fuzzes up instantly. I am completely in love with my Rib and Cable socks. Yum. Although they do make my legs itch a bit after wearing them all day.

I cannot tell you how much I love knitting socks. I love wearing handknit socks. I feel special when wearing handmade socks. I love looking at sock yarn. I can wear wild socks in colors I would not normally wear elsewhere on my body. I can splurge on $20 of sock yarn, but not $100 for sweater yarn (at least I haven't done that yet, just give me some time, I'm sure). Socks do not require finishing other than weaving in the ends. Mild imperfections are no big deal; they are just socks. They can be simple or complex. WIPs can be easily transported.

Next time I go to First Saturday Knitting, I think some Cherry Tree Hill yarn is going to come home with me. 10% off when you're with a group... (enablers!).

Just the toe left on my second Jaywalker! They should be done tomorrow!

Thanks, Laura!

I went to First Saturday Knitting this morning. When I left my house, the roads were wet and it was snowing ever so slightly. Halfway to the yarn store, it started blizzarding and I was questioning my sanity going out in that kind of weather. Linda arrived about 10 minutes later than I did and she had seen two accidents on her way there on the same route that I had driven.

I brought my Jaywalker, against my better judgement. I knitted away for over an hour then messed up. I decided to stop and shop for yarn instead. I picked up some wool for my first fair isle project, the Christmas Rose bag from Handknit Holidays. Or if I decide to do the tree bag instead, this yarn will work for that, too.

When I got home, I fixed the problem spot, but then realized that I just couldn't live with the hole created when I picked up stitches on one side. So I ripped it out and now I'm back to where I was last night.

I was feeling pretty bummed about wasting all that time. So I decided to console myself with some blog reading. I squealed with delight when I found out I won a skein of worsted yarn in a blog contest from Laura. Laura is a cohost of the Cover Your Head KAL, and I've been reading her blog for awhile now. The yarn is from Sunshine Yarns, which is so great because I've been reading Dani's blog, Knitting Sunshine, for months! I've always admired Dani's hand dyed yarns. Thanks, Laura! I don't even feel bad about my Jaywalker anymore!

Ni hao

In honor of tonight’s season premiere of Survivor (which I am eagerly anticipating despite thoughts last season of ending my relationship with this show…the new season looks interesting) I participated in my own special food challenge today. See this, people? It’s a candy wrapper.

With A Shrimp On It.

I work with an extremely diverse group of people and normally I am delighted when I get to sample an authentic dish. We’ve had a couple of fantastic potlucks at work, let me tell you. Anyway, one of my Chinese coworkers has been bringing candy in the last couple of days because she claims to have too much in her house. Amid the Tootsie Rolls and Dots, there were two of these shrimpy things. A coworker tried one and was pretty disgusted. I cut up the other one into thirds and ate a piece and forced the other two pieces on my coworkers. It was not good, but not exactly horrible. Two of my Chinese friends could not say for sure whether the candy contained actual shrimp, if it was shrimp flavored, or if it was merely some kind of decoration. It didn’t really taste like anything specific to me. Does anyone know exactly what this is?

When I logged into Flickr to post my pictures it said, "Ni Hao!" That's Chinese for "Hi." Very fitting.

I much prefer candy of the chocolate type. Here, at long last is a poorly lit photo of my Holiday SP gifts.

Thanks again, Kathy, I love it all! The yarn is absolutely gorgeous (my first Noro!) I’m resisting the urge to start another project right now. It’s very difficult. But I currently have four things on the needles and that is just too many for me.

Baby Ugg progress:

This is my second project with suede yarn. I really don't like it. When the yarn twists, the stitches look uneven. I am not particularly impressed with this whole thing. The booties are enormous (yes, I am knitting the 9-12 month size, so this is to be expected), and it just doesn't feel "right" to me. Oh well. I'm sure the parents won't be as critical of them as I am.