Just a quick note to let you know that I'm alive and well - knitting as usual. I'm currently working on the 1 x 1 rib on the Interweave Knit's Summertime Tunic pattern. I'm going to a Nursing trade show in San Antonio, Texas tomorrow morning (Wednesday) and will be back late Friday night. I'm hoping to get quite a bit of progress done on my tunic. I'll have pictures for everyone Saturday or Sunday, for sure. The picture on this post is from my trip to Vegas a few months back. I figured I should at least get one picture posted from a past trip before I start taking a bunch of pictures from a new trip in which i'll probably forget to post until another subsequent trip. I see a viscous cycle here....
While I'm still searching for the perfect substitute for Rowan Calmer yarn for the upcoming SKC KAL - Fifi, I've also joined the "No Sheep for You" KAL. Since I live in San Diego, I've been a new convert to cotton blends. Vermont was all about the wool - but I'm transitioning with ease. I've printed out the Tomato pattern from KnitScene and order King Tuts mercerized cotton from Little Knits in Delicious Burgundy & a Little Silver. The Burgundy color will be the main color and the silver will be the contrasting color. I've never done any real fair isle color work, so I'm excited about Wendy Bernard's pattern.
I also have yarn for another Rusted Root for my Sister's birthday in September, Pima Melange Cotton for an Interweave project, Knit Picks Wool of the Andes for Fitted Knit's Textured Tunic, Bamboo yarn for Coachella, Elann's cotton yarn for Nicole (by Chic Knits), Elanns cotton/linen blend yarn for the camisole from Knitting Lingerie Style, and an ever growing sock yarn stash from my coffeswap and SP10 partners. I really need to get on task and start completing these projects. Actually - forget about completing - I need to START these projects....and a work related trade show seems like a great way to start....
| You Are An INTP |
 The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can. Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge. Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat. A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. In love, you are an easy person to fall for. But not an easy person to stay in love with. Although you are quite flexible, you often come off as aloof or argumentative. At work, you are both a logical and creative thinker. You are great at solving problems. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor. How you see yourself: Creative, fair, and tough-minded When other people don't get you, they see you as: arrogant, cold, and robotic |
I have had so much fun with this secret pal swap. My pal has put together another wonderful package. I'm hoping my spoiler will reveal themselves to me soon as I am excited to find out their true identity. Nora Gaughan's Knitting Nature books was on my Amazon Wish list and my SP10 pal spoiled me with it as well as the latest Knit. 1 magazine, stitch holders, and TONS OF YARN!!!! I tried to take "nature pics" in honor of Nora's book.
Here's the first pattern I'd like to work on from the book:
Sknitty did a gorgeous one, which may have been the reason I had wanted to get the book in the first place. I know I know - I need to get back to actually working on patterns instead of looking for new projects, but I guess I have project fever. I'm normally such the responsible knitter - happily working away at one pattern, completely dedicated. It's just too much temptation these days with all of the great designers whipping up patterns just begging to be considered. Hopefully I'll have some progress pics of actual knitted items by this weekend. We'll see.
Happy Monday! I had a good weekend, although I have very little to show in the way of knit progress. On Friday, I cast-on for Coachella with left-over bamboo yarn in butter. Now it is a simple pattern and I felt really good about the progress until I separated for the back... Every now and then, I twist my stitches when joining in the round. Of course the directions say "be careful not to twist" and I try to be careful, but for whatever reason, it was twisted. Daaannngggg! So - I have frogged my Coachella and have cast on for Nicole from Chic Knits instead.
I am also excited about the Summertime Tunic from Interweave Knits Summer '07. I saw the most beautiful FO from Cozy's Place and went online immediately to order yarn for this project. Her tunic is absolutely stunning. I purchased Lang Yarns Musica in Dappled Sunlight. It's a Cotton/Nylon blend that I thing will give me the right amount of stretchiness. I might not have to do short-row shaping, or at least only a small amount if the yarn stretches the way I think it might. It also comes with a cute pattern that's been discontinued, so that'll get added to my stash of patterns. I think I have more patterns as stash than yarn these days.
With my ever growing pattern list, and my new subscription to Interweave Knits, I'm hoping either the Nicole vest or one of the Interweave Patterns like Josephine will be picked for the SKC KAL this time around. I'm not so excited about the top runners as they stand right now. Plus - I need to get through some of the glorious patterns I already have. I really need to lay off all of the blog reading, it only adds more and more projects to my ever growing list. I'm sure y'all can identify.
Here is my progress on my first toe-up sock from the Knitting Lingerie Style book. It's not perfect - a few errors in the lace due to me forgetting if I'm on the knit row or lace pattern row, but for the most part it's looking good. It's a really easy pattern and I'm enjoying the quick progress. I have about 3 more inches before completing the first sock in the pair.
I have decided to cast on for Coachella from the latest Summer Knitty using my left-over bamboo yarn that I used to make Ms. Marigold. I think the drape should work well for the pattern.
Another Blog Contest - which I love - Cass is giving away Bamboo yarn...which is just what I said I'm using for Coachella...Here's the direct link to the contest: Me Likey Hokey Pokey Contests. Have fun!
This past weekend my boyfriend's Sister and Husband came down from Seattle on their way to Florida. Here's a pic of me, Tully, and Seth in La Jolla - a great spot overlooking the city.
I have just purchased the Knitting Lingerie Style book by Joan McGowan-Michael of White Lies Designs. A new KAL for this book is starting July 1st. For my first project, I have started the Lace Sock which will be my first toe-up sock project. Unfortunately I am having issues with the directions (which is probably self-explanatory to everyone else in the world).
I'm on the toe portion and it reads:
Row 3: "Purl"
Row 4: "Pick up and knit 1 st from first half of toe, knit to end, pick up and knit 1 st from first half of toe."
I'm suppose to repeat these two rows until I have 26 sts on the needles. Looking at my pic - can anyone tell me where I should be going and doing? I'm really excited about this project - which seems very simple, I just can't get a handle on it for some reason. I'm using Rowan Cotton Glace, which was a gift from my darling Secret Pal from SP10. I get wonderful notes and ecards through email and through comments on my blog. I'd love to show how much I appreciate this spoiling with an FO using one of my yarn gifts.
Pheelya is having a contest for her birthday on her blog. She's a SKC KAL buddy like most of us out here in knitting blogland. To enter--click on her name (above) and leave her a comment telling her your favorite project, yarn, or drink. You must also include that you read about the contest on my blog! The prize involves some stash in hopes of getting good yarn karma (so it sounds like she's going all out!)
Here is a pic that I took Saturday night. Yup, my two little kids. After Tupper past away last year - Scofield was added to the family. Hannah - who still looks a little less thrilled, is warming up to Scofield. Here he is putting his arm around his new big Sis in love. They both seem to like the leather recliner with Tully's knitted blanket as a resting spot. (Way to avoid the "making your man a sweater" thing, t.v. blankets instead!). Ahhhhh, aren't they cute?
This is my first completed Wendy Bernard pattern. Even though the pattern is well written, I did have some trouble with the hem and neckline. I am happy with the results though and would even consider making another. I'm also glad that I self beaded the neckline. Even though I would splurge for pre-beaded in the future, I know I can do it on my own and without too much hassle.
I plan on starting another Fitted Knits project, but want to finish my Marilyn's Not-So-Shrunken Cardigan first. I'm right at the bust area. I'm planning on trying to add short-row shaping for the bust here, so I'll start looking online to figure out the placement. I'm keeping my hopes high that it'll work well and I can start adding short-row shaping to more knits, which will cut down on the extra yarn, I use to cover the bust area.
