Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Hello

Haven't really been able to chat. Getting ready for school that started yesterday (yeah!!). I did finish a sock but am going to have to frog some if not all. I am NOT happy about that. Why is it that you can follow the same instructions for the second sock and it comes out smaller!!!! I don't have enough yarn, so it probably will sit. I did work on a shrug and got it almost finished for class. My classroom is almost always too cold. So, four days before class started, I started a shrug. Really cute, basically a rectangle with cuffs on it. Used alpaca, and didn't have enough gray, so I used lavendar with it. Came out very cute. I think that I will frog the one completed cuff because I think that the gauge is too small for the item. Pictures will come later, I have to go read for class. Take care!!

Monday, August 13, 2007

not so arugh!

My last post was about a sock that didn't want to grow anymore. I did rip back the heel stitches a few rows and tried to complete it with the yarn I did have. As I am on a strick yarn diet, I knew that I couldn't just go and buy another skein of yarn. Good thing that I like anklets. The first one is finished. This is how much yarn I had left:








This is the sock on my foot. The front is rolled down because it is longer than the back. And the toe to the mate is also pictured.



I really, really like this yarn. I just now know to buy three skeins of it when making sox for me.



I did finish half a Christmas present. It is for someone in my family with really large feet. I hope that the sox fit, as I am guessing at the shoe size. The yarn is Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted. It is being knit on Brittany's sz4.








I did start the other sock but had to frog it because I started the toe too narrow. I guess that is what I get for not taking notes.

I didn't knit any today because of this:
It started out that R and I were at HomeDepot, and they had some faucets on clearance. I saw one that had all the things on it that I wanted. So, we got it. Along with the rain showerhead that was also on clearance. (why is it that we never can seem to leave with only what is on the list?) I tried to take the faucet off the kitchen sink. And found out that someone had glued the last faucet to the sink!!! So, the sink that has been lying around to be put in got put in. And new lines and P trap and such. So, nine hours later I have this:


The blocks are to hold the sink down while the caulk sets.




So much for only replacing the faucet!

I forgot to show you! I spun up some yarn last week. Take a look at my new pretty:








And a close up:







It is wool samples that I get from the Bellwether. For I think $16 a year, they will send you samples of their rovings 4 times a year I think. Wonderful stuff, I didn't know what to do with it. The samples sat around until I had 3 envelopes full, and decided I was going to spin it up. The cream is merino. The colors are wool. Some of the samples have silk blended in them. I have found that I really don't care for silk noils in my yarn. I like a smooth yarn. The cream spun up beautifully. And the hank was a balanced ply! That makes me really happy, becuase I am not very good at plying. This is going to be a gift. I am going to smooze and give it to one of my professors at school that knits. I hope that she likes it. No, I don't know the twist or anything like that. I just spin the singles and then ply. So far, it has worked out.

Until next time, Take care!!

Friday, August 10, 2007

Arugh!!!

I was working on my sox, and I was just about to turn the heel when I pulled on the yarn to see how much I had left. I have 18'' left!!! For the rest of the heel and the anklet top!!! I don't know what to do. First I think that I am going to rip back the heel a few rows and try that. The yarn is really squishy and elastic, I might be able to make that work. If not, I am going to have to wait until new job starts (no new job yet) and so money comes back my way. So it will hiebrnate if I can't fix it. Poo!!!!!!

Saturday, August 4, 2007

I got a BOX!!!

My Sock4 box arrived today!!!!!!!!!!!!







(note - major pic intensive)



I was winding up some yarn when the mailman came and handed me a box with my name on it. Now, I usually don't receive boxes unless I order something, so I was really, really excited!!


Really pretty wrapping! I love the pink and green together.





An overview of everything. (please excuse the mess on the kitchen table, was winding yarn!)






A set of pretty glass frog stitch markers







Rinse - free wool wash. I can't wait to try out the different scents!






Sox and leftover yarn! Looks like there was quite a bit left. Her blog says that the yarn is Knitpicks sock memories in "Spring Prarie". The pattern is "Cafe Curtains". Very pretty combo. The fit is perfect!




A Lantern Moon lamb tape measure, a cute knitting card, and a steel crochet hook






Sock blockers that she made herself to block my sox







Yarn! It is Lily Pad Love hand dyed yarn. 100% Peruvian Wool. So very soft!!!






The back







The sox on my feet!






Thank you, thank you, thank you Frenchy!!! You went above and beyond.

Friday, August 3, 2007

WIPs and Life

Been lazy lately. But I did get my resume typed up. That will help when I go job hunting starting on Monday. Monday I also go and hopefully pay for next semester's class. It is going to feel very weird going back to school after being off a semester. I also have to ask the Nursing secretary about the board application. I have found several different instructions on how much and when to pay for my boards. I don't know. So, on Monday, I will ask someone. Onto knitting. Have some wips.







The blue is a Christmas present for someone on my list. It is Malabrigo in "Azul bolita". It is knitting up on sz4 needles to 6 stitches to the inch. Wonderful stuff to work with. Nice stitch definition. Then I lost one of the needles last night. In the middle of a movie (the Chronicles of Riddick) when I got back from a bathroom break, needle was nowhere to be found! Yeah, I can finish this and the mate on four needles, but I really like to use five.








The other sock is for me. All the other sox were for others, in fact this is the first thing that I have ever made for me since I started knitting. They are Claudia Hand Painted in "Blue TerraCotta". Note to self, buy this yarn again! Using size 1 needles. So soft and squishy and just glides through my fingers.
You probably have seen this as this:






But no more. It sat around too long and I forgot where I was in the pattern. So, I ripped it out and started new. Same pattern but written by a different person, I seem to be able to understand it better. I also decreased it by one repeat, and sofar, I really like it compared to "let's just get this over with" type of project.






And this is Motor helping me take pictures. He really likes having his picture taken. He also really likes my knitting. He won't chew on my yarn, but he will try to chew on my circular needle cables. So. he isn't allowed on my lap when I am knitting with those. I am usually knitting sox, hats, or scarves anyway. So, until next time, happy knitting, 'cause Christmas is around the corner!!!!!!!!