Monday, January 31, 2005

Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, it's today. And yes, it is my 30th.
Michael was sweet enough to throw me a little partay on Saturday. We had a nifty little time. Some of his co-workers chipped in to get me a gift certificate....for yarn. Yep, it's gone already.
I got: 1 skein of CE Tigress to make a quick poncho on size 50 needles (done in about two hours)
4 skeins of CE Premiere to make that twisty short row scarf in Scarf Style~Pam Allen
9 skeins of Silk Garden in that lovely red colorway (I'm too lazy to look up the color)
2 skeins of Lopi in eggplant to supplement my Banff
Scarf Style, by Pam Allen

I'm feeling seriously attention deficit with all the projects a'workin.
Think I'll go eat another piece of Tiramisu cake.

PS...I've been trying to get my Haloscan thingie up here, but Blogger hasn't been my friend lately.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

I've been knitting....and ripping...

...and I've just been too busy to blog. I thought I would have some pictures up of this winter's projects, but it just hasn't happened yet. So, picture with me, if you will, a lovely Silk Garden #213 Klaralund *here* and the beginnings and dribs and drabs of my undulating stash over *here*.
Let's see. I knit about five inches into the back of my Ribby Cardi and realized that I probably should have made the next larger size, so I ripped that out. I cast on and knit the ribbing for the Gansey in the Old Way, from the last IWK, and realized that it was much too stretchy and wasn't going to have that nice, firm rib shape. Ripped that out. Found out that there really is a 10.75 needle for Simply Marilyn. Found out that I didn't have one. Cast on for Libby Baker's Belle Epoque with Jo Sharp Rare Comfort kid mohair....I wanted so desperately for it to work, but alas, even though it knits to gauge, the crocus bud pattern is totally MIA in the fuzziness. Ripped it out. Or should I say that it sits, waiting for me to rip it out, because I'm scared to frog mohair. I think that yarn is destined for something else, and soon, because I love it so much. I am scouting out more yarn for Belle Epoque~I love that pattern and I really want to knit it!
Purchased some laceweight from KnitPicks for some unspecified shawls for several upcoming birthdays....there's quite a few of you, so no one will know exactly who I'm talking about.
Oh yes. I had purchased some Cascade 220 Quattro for a sweater that I really just don't want to knit. Exactly half of that yarn is perfect for an Irish Hiking scarf, so that's what it's destined to be. For me. Perhaps the other half is already earmarked for you.....

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

From the top-down

I can't believe my little babe is one! The boy had a birthday on Sunday, which he wasn't especially able to enjoy due to the sniffles...aw, don't worry. We're having cake and ice cream with the family on Saturday. It just doesn't seem possible that a whole year could have passed. I remember driving to the hospital (OK~my husband drove) at 1 in the morning praying that I was going to be at least 3 cm so I wouldn't have to pack it up and go home....again. Yes, I have had three children, so you'd think I'd know, but for some reason this time, the third visit was the charm. Babe was born that morning....and now he's almost walking. *Sniff, sniff*
As for the knitting, well, I'm going full bore on this top down raglan. I never made one quite this way before and it's fairly mindless and fun. I dyed the yarn with cherry and grape Kool-aid, and I'm liking the random patterning.
Cast on and knit the first few rows of Belle Epoque the other night. I'm having a difficult time seeing what the crocus bud pattern will become. The Jo Sharp mohair is quite furry, albeit gorgeous, and I'm not getting much stitch definition. I'm trying to figure out whether or not to save it for another project, but I really dread frogging the mohair. Eek. What to do.....
I returned the yarn for the Kyoto KAL...don't even ask me what I was thinking when I ordered it. Move on. I'll find something before say, June. In returning that mess, I thought again about the ChicKnits Ribby Cardi, and so I ordered some Paton's Classic merino in pink and brown. With that, plus swatching for several other projects, I should keep busy. Not to mention I have a birthday cake to construct for Saturday......