Admitting defeat

I'm admitting defeat for the moment about having the Clapotis done for this weekend. I'm almost done with the straight repeat section, but that's just a little past the half-way point for the whole scarf/shawl. It is an easy knit, and very relaxing. I'll probably knit it again, but first I'd like to finish this one, without the pressure. I really need the time to make sure the laundry is done and to clean up the house a bit before this weekend.

Life has gotten in the way of blogging and knitting lately. Oh, these are not bad distractions at all, I think it's probably a phase, as the weather was so cooperative last week for these things. Soccer, tee-ball, friends, church, and work....all competing for the same time. And then there's sleep too! Sadly, even though I usually knit a little each day, it seems as though I'm not accomplishing much. However, you must simply take a peak at this yarn.

It's the sport weight version of Yarntini! Colors (from left to right) Merlot, Pure Fall, and Ice. Aren't they lovely? I'm excited, as I've never knit with Yarntini before, and I didn't know that she had a sport weight version of her yarn - YEAH! It feels amazing too! Please forgive the overuse of the exclamation point, but if you had this yarn in your hands, there would be some shouting too.....

Which brings me to my last paragraphs. This weekend is the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (SHOUTING heard in the background)!!!! Mom and I are heading to the festival early on Saturday morning. We have booked our hotel room and are staying until Sunday. I promise to take lots of pictures, and inhale plenty of fiber fumes for you. I'm sure I will be inhaling much more than that, as it's a very country-type fair/festival. But it is so much fun! We are planning on going to the Ravelry party Saturday night too - I think it will be a great time! I'm a little nervous about meeting new people, but I'm sure we will make fast friends! So, I have been spending a lot of time researching vendors, getting directions, looking at times for shows and competitions, and such.

Here's hoping the weather holds out for this weekend. It was am extremely rainy day here today. I came home from work and took a nap - YIKES! The nap might have been brought on by the extremely stressful moment when my boss called to ask if I could work this weekend, as the nurse who was working for me (planned since December of last year) broke her ankle last night. Oh my gosh! My heart started pounding. Was I going to be asked to miss the weekend with my mom and all that fiber? I was speechless (this is hard to imagine if you know me at all), and then I gathered my courage, and said, "I'm sorry I can't work. I have a hotel reservation in Maryland." Then I held my breath (weekend time is sacred in nursing), and the powers that be, said they would figure it out, and they understood that I had a life outside of the office! WOW! but that negative part of me (how I hate it) is still holding my breath for this weekend....wish me luck!

Distractions

There have been a lot of knitting distractions lately, but all good ones!
Check out this picture. This lake is less than a mile away from my home. Who wouldn't want to take their canoe out of its storage place to spend a couple hours in peace? It was beautiful!

There are other distractions too, friend's birthdays at the local tavern with all you can eat wings in 30 different flavors, baseball games where the hot dogs are fresh and the whole town visits with their sweet babies, as proud grandparents watch on as their grandchild gets his first hit of the season, older movies like "Great Expectations" that you didn't catch the first time around, freshly steamed shrimp and clams as well as steak at a picnic with friends, other "regular" distractions like work, sleep, laundry, you know, the usual things. Notice that all distractions don't necessarily involve food, but somehow the best ones seem to!

Have a great week!

Just Drop It!

The dreaded dropped stitch. In some patterns, dropping a stitch is enough to make any knitter cower in the corner in tears....OK, in any pattern that I'm knitting, I cry like a baby over those dropped stitches. I'll be honest, I'm not great at fixing my mistakes, like dropped stitches (I wonder if this has anything to do with being a perfectionist....maybe that's another post). I just can't quite seem to fix things very well. Sometimes I manage, but to be honest, if I end up fixing the mistake, it's usually by sheer dumb luck. No actual skill involved. Not on my part, no siree. I'm still an infant in this part of knitting.
So you can imagine my chagrin when I'm cruising along finishing the last of the increase rows on my clapotis (not many days left until Maryland Sheep and Wool, and I'm starting to feel the pressure), and realize that row 8 of the straight rows requires me, the scared, paranoid, perfectionist little knitter, to drop a stitch ON PURPOSE! Is Kate Gilbert crazy? Just an FYI, Kate Gilbert wrote the pattern for the clapotis. Ok.....it was so gut-wrenching for me, this thought of dropping stitches, that I saved this portion until tonight. Considering that I have the on-call beeper tonight, maybe not the smartest move. I'm a bit jumpy yet with the beeper. A lot of responsibility. So, I decided to head into the knitting when the house was empty, and I had already received one beep.

Here you see the clapotis, all pretty and such (if I do say so myself), and it's just waiting for the dropped stitch row. I visit Ravelry, the life vest that has saved my sanity many times. There is a Clapotis group there, and there is a discussion thread about dropping stitches, and there are step-by-step instructions for those like me. Amazing! Yeah Ravelry!
So, I gather as much courage as I can.....look, even the beeper is gathering courage and resting on the beautiful Wollmeise!

And I sucked it up, and did what the pattern said. I dropped the stitch, on purpose. And let me tell you, it was enlightening. Then, the dropped stitch has to drop to the bottom of that particular row.....I used my DPN to unravel those pesky little stitches that wouldn't unravel right away. Why, when I drop stitches by accident, do they seem to drop down rows much quicker? I don't know if there's an answer to this question that could satisfy even my infantile knitting mind. But anyway, I feel loads lighter....having dropped the stitch, and I'm off to knit some more. Hopefully this weekend, I can put a major dent in this project. But the weather, oh, it's been so beautiful. It's hard not to be outside! Maybe some porch knitting? Where's your favorite place to knit while enjoying the great outdoors?

All the Hype

Okay. I have finally figured out what all the hype is about when knitting with Wollmeise yarn. It's almost as if one is knitting with a yarn that is partial silk, when in reality, it's a 100% superwash wool base. I'm not sure where Claudia gets her yarn base, but it is fabulous! I did enjoy knitting with the 80/20 Twin yarn (the one that has some nylon content in it), but it wasn't quite as soft and silky as this yarn base. Knitting with this is pure heaven. Which begs the question...why on earth don't I have more knitting done on this project? Will this clapotis be finished in time for Maryland Sheep and Wool festival on the first weekend in May?
Well, the answers are not always as simple as they seem. Throw in a little nice weather, a vertigo spell on Saturday morning, and volleyball games on Saturday night, and tee ball and soccer practice for the DD's. Not a lot of time for knitting. And then throw in the new librarian, who actually has taste in books, and orders things from the BIG library (BIG is very relative where I live) for me on a regular basis. Hmmm.....it does not leave much time for knitting.

Did I mention a couple of new movies too? I finally got to see "Freedom Writers" which was fabulous, but has totally ruined my infatuation with Patrick Dempsey. His character didn't have any character or back bone. When it came down to it, he was simply a cad. And that, my friends, is SAD indeed. It's a sad day when a husband cannot support his wife's dream.

And the other movie - "The Holiday" - a total chick flick, but I liked it anyway. I happen to think Jack Black is very comical in this silly, predictable film about love gone wrong, and then made right again. The best part for me was the small English house that's called Rose Cottage. Beautiful. Wish I could live there for awhile! Short ceilings and all!

Happy Monday! What's taking you away from knitting these days? Or are you hard at work, finishing the last of those worsted weight sweaters before the lazy days of summer?

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Fickle Me Too!

Shell Silverstein is probably rolling over in his grave at the pun on those words.
I'm referring to this. You know the clap that HAD the tiny mistake in it. Notice the past tense in that sentence. It has been frogged and is no more. I just love the yarn too much to have it not be pretty much perfect. And here's another catch, in case you were wanting to knit your own clapotis from Wollmeise sock yarn. It does appear that it's best done with the 100% superwash yarn, as it has more yardage. The initial color of my first clap, pictured here, was the 80/20 twin (20% nylon), which has about 60 yds less than the average skein of superwash, and I would have had to modify the pattern. Me being new to a pattern and then trying modifications doesn't usually work too well....just saying. I think this yarn will most definitely become a Clapotis, albeit a smaller one. But for my sanity, I think I'll just stick to the pattern as written, ahem....this time.


So, fickle me has started another clap in Dornroschen. Still Wollmeise, but in the 100% superwash version. Here's the skein before I wound it into a yarn cake. Now, I'm happily knitting away, up to the 2nd increase row last night (not very far, really, but almost as far as the first one). Here's hoping that I can get it done for Maryland Sheep and Wool!



Happy Hump Day!

The Perfectionist In Me

I am a perfectionist about most things. Most obviously my work. There's no room for mistakes in the medical field. There's double, triple, sometimes quadruple checking going on all the time. Is it the right medicine? Is it the right dose? Etc. My charting - is everything complete? I don't lock my computer charting until the day after....just in case I think of something I forgot to add at say, midnight. I have woken up from a dead sleep thinking, "I forgot to chart that he's not having pain today." Or something like that.....Did I push 5mg or 25mg of that cardiac med....I know I pushed 5mg, but it makes me wake up out of a dead sleep with worry/fear. I'm hard on myself that way.
I am a perfectionist with my music. I hate playing for anything other than my own enjoyment anymore. I get too nervous. I fear the mistakes that will come with my nervous tendencies. Somehow, my nervous tendencies used to work in my favor when I was younger.....they would float away as I began the piano concerto. Now, my fingers don't move as fluidly as they should when I play in public. My fear locks them in place. It's sad that I can't share it more with others. I truly love to play the piano, and not a day goes by that I don't play for my own enjoyment.
So you're probably wondering how this perfectionism is leading up to anything involving fiber or knitting. I would be too. Thanks for hanging in there. I made a little boo-boo on the Clapotis last night, on the end of the 4th increase rows. I tried to fix it on the next row, but it appears to have left a small hole (smaller than a yarn-over whole) at the edge. The perfectionist in me (who is mad because she cannot fix this mistake) wants to rip the whole thing out and start again. The realist in me is like - keep moving, nobody will even notice. BUT I WILL KNOW IT'S THERE! What to do, what to do???? Can I live with a mistake in this knitting - it's made with Wollmeise FPS! I love the Wollmeise. It's so beautiful. Somebody weigh in on this matter please! What do you do if you can't fix the mistake, or don't want to bother? Are you a perfectionist? How do you handle that? Sometimes I can't stand the perfectionist in me....

And the "on-call" status - here's a picture of the beeper and me. I'm trying to establish a relationship with it. So far, we have not made it past the love-hate stages. It rode my hip all night long, because, heaven forbid, I would put it down, and then panic. "Where's the beeper? I know I just had it in my hands." So, I'm being a good girl....you know, wearing it everywhere (DH was in State College taking in Breaking Benjamin and Seether), and the girls were at Mom's house for an overnight stay, in case I got called to a patient's home. I stared at it all night long. The wind howled outside my windows, shaking the depression glass on my quilt shelf, making the first "on-call" night even more terrifying. I looked at the beeper. I stared it down, it stared back at me. I dared it to beep, to just get it over with. Go ahead beeper, ring your little tones. Make me drive somewhere, just to get the whole "first time out at night thing" DONE. 9:20pm, the phone rings, it's the hospital operator. My heart rate accelerates. She's been trying to beep me, but I'm not responding. Hmmm.....she has the wrong beeper number, so I made her try out the the beeper who has become this growth on my hip. It works. She has the right number now. And BTW, here's a lab result. No problem. I can handle that. And then, the beeper looked at me. I looked at it. I put it on top of my alarm clock, and somewhere after midnight (and DH is home now from the concert), I fall into a fitful sleep. 5:00am - the alarm goes off, and I jump, alas, it's only the alarm. The first night is done. No more beeps. But, I'm sure, the next night, I will not fair so well. At least it's over for this week. I can conquer this, this beeper fear, even with my perfectionist tendencies!

PS - my stomach is not as large as it appears in the picture. The one thing I don't have is a stomach. Now, hips, I am extremely blessed. Just wanted to clarify.....for the record, you know. :) Also, for the record, it's extremely hard to take a picture of your own body or body part. Any of them. I know, I've tried it several times!

Ode to the Clap

The Clapotis....what is it? How do you pronounce it? Is it contagious? Stay tuned for this blog entry in which I discuss this pressing subject in detail......

The Clapotis - the pronunciation. The pronunciation is like this, Clap-oh-TEE. Sort of like "cup o' tea" or even "coyote," if you say it quickly. Notice that the emphasis is on the last syllable of the word. I used to just put the old Pennsylvania accent to it, and rather gracefully (NOT) called it the Clap-OH-tiss. This pronunciation, besides being completely wrong, makes it sound like something you could catch doing something very nasty. Hmmmm....Thank heavens those French people turn the most horrific looking words into beautiful sounding gems.

The Clapotis - What does it mean? According to Wikipedia, Clapotis means, "lapping of water." Once you see the finished knitted project, you will understand its name. Trust me.

Now, the question you have been dying to know the answer to.....
The Clapotis - Is it contagious? Strictly speaking, in the world of germs and all (I live there most days at work), it is not. In the knitting world, you will find hundreds, okay, probably thousands of knitters, working on this project right now. Me included. So, is it contagious? YES! But, in a good way.

Above here, you will find a snap of the beginning of my Clap (no pun intended). At this point, it looks like it might be a bikini, or maybe a thong....but no, sadly....it's not. It's being knit on a smaller scale, and I'm using Wollmeise sock yarn to knit mine! The Wollmeise is making a nice knitted fabric. I'll keep you posted. I want this to be finished so that I can wear it in some fashion to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in the beginning of May. Here's hoping!

More progress photos, as I've worked on my Two-toned triangle purse. Here's a picture of the Eggplant colored triangle. The purse is knit in two of these triangles and then overlapped like origami to create the purse.
Here's a truer color picture of the two colors I've chosen for this purse....Wild Asparagus and Eggplant. The Eggplant is especially difficult to photograph and probably is best shown above, but here's a pretty close color comparison.

And lastly, to show you that I'm not wasting any yarn, here's what I have left after knitting the Asparagus half - not much to sew the thing together. I'm still debating which color I want to dominate....the Asparagus or the Eggplant....what do you think?


Oh, and say a little prayer for me tomorrow, April fool's day....it's my first night of "on-call" status. A hundred patients or more under my responsibility all night long. Did anyone say try to sleep, because I know I'm not going to.....maybe the clap will be finished faster than I think! I'm off to bed early tonight in preparation! Have a great week!

Clubbin'

The Sock Club - a wondrous invention by stores (brick and mortar or on-line) that will sell you a sometimes exclusive/sometimes not, colorway of their specifically dyed yarn. It comes in a package to your home every month or every other month. It's sorta like a magazine subscription. Often there are perks other than owning the prized yarn, that say, maybe only 200 or 2000 other people own. Sometimes you get really nice stuff with the club package - this is known as SWAG. It could be anything from lip balm, hand lotion, DPN holder, tape measures, shawl pin, sock knitting bag, etc. The swag is usually related to knitting or sometimes, it is more personal in nature (see list above). Most times, sock club shipments come to your door with a pattern, written specifically for the yarn of the month included in the package. Of course, no one holds a gun to your head and makes you knit said pattern, but sometimes it's fun to "play along." Some clubs are very exclusive and hard to "get into." Ex. I won a lottery drawing for the sock club at TLE! Amazing, as usually I'm a big 'ole loser. I've got a point here, so stick with me.....

I've joined some sock clubs, because, as a knitter, I gravitate toward the same colors all the time. Sock clubs stretch me beyond my comfort zone colors. Otherwise, I might just knit jewel tones and be done with it all.

However, this month, I received some shipments that made me a little "green," and not with envy. I like green. Green is my birthstone. It's a jewel-toned color, so I usually knit with it - see the project below - a thong? Nope, a two-toned triangle purse, knit in Wild Asparagus (green), and Eggplant colorways. Easy knitting. Nice mindless project. Horrible picture, as usual. It's a bit washed-out, and I apologize. The colors are not true at all. Moving on......


So, we've established the fact that I like green. But did I really need this much of it???? But, on the other hand, you have to check out these green skeins........WOW - I don't need to buy anything else green for a long time! I've made an excutive decision after this month's club haul. I'm cutting back on clubs next year. It'll be a hard decision to pick and choose which ones to keep. But, I've got enough in my stash to do it. And in the end....I might just want to save my money for yarn that I REALLY love (not that I don't love all this yarn, but hey, I've got enough colors OUT of my comfort zone to last me for a long time).

Emerald City - Yarn Pirate


STR - Lucky


The Loopy Ewe - Cherry Tree Hill


And just to show you that I'm not totally mad or anything about the green colors.... I'm choosing my favorite selection from this month's green flavor - here's to Chewy Spaghetti's Blue Plate Special offering. I love this color, and it speaks to how I feel a bit right now - "Ludicrious!"


And to be even more ludicrious, I'll probaby purchase green yarn from Maryland Sheep and Wool.....you so KNOW I will......:)

Happy Easter!

Another week has gone by.....without a post. Life gets in the way. Actually, some knitting has gotten in the way, which is a good thing, considering that this is a knitting blog, most of the time. I've also been reading, and sometimes, as most of you can relate, it's just hard to put down a good book. Currently, I'm reading "The Red Tent." I'm loving it! I just finished Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants." It was another good read. I'd recommend either to those of you in need of a good book. Neither one is difficult reading, per say.

On the knitting front....Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is quickly approaching (first full weekend in May). I'm so psyched! I know, that last statement makes it sound as though I grew up in the 80's, and I did! Ok, back to MDSW. We have our reservations for the hotel, and we are staying for Saturday and Sunday! YEAH! But now, what to wear.....what to take? I'm currently knitting a few projects that I am hoping will come with me on the trip. Check it out.....

The two-toned triangle purse

This is a quick knit, as I've modified the pattern and knit with somewhat bulky weight yarn and US# 10.5 needles. The project will be felted when I'm finished. It's a lot of stockinette stitch, and there are increases and decreases. Basically you knit a big diamond, and then you knit another one and sew them together and felt. I've read about it on Ravelry, and some people label this project as boring. I guess that's relative to the knitter. I find the easy pattern very relaxing, and I look forward to having a "quickly" finished object in the end. I'll keep you posted regarding its progress. I'm knitting with Brown Sheep Shepherd's Shades - in the Wild Asparagus and Eggplant colorways. These are quite different from the colors in the photo for the pattern. In fact, if I like this project, I could see it becoming a nice quick gift to give at Christmas time, which means that I should begin knitting them now.........
I may run short on yarn, which has caused me to knit faster, and I find that whole phenomenon a bit funny....."Oh my gosh, the yarn may be short, let's knit faster (and inevitably a bit tighter) to see what happens....." The whole thing amuses me, yet I cannot stop the cycle from happening! YIKES!



Back to MDSW, and the fact that I need to adorn my body with some knitterly item (already planning on wearing the Ravelry beta t-shirt) in early May, which could be somewhat warm here. Kate Gilbert's Clapotis (we shall discuss the pronunciation and meaning of that word in a different post) is luring me. It's fairly calling my name. When I spent some quality time on Ravelry and discovered that people were knitting the clapotis pattern with only one skein of Wollmeise sock yarn, I nearly fainted. I knew it would be my next project! So, hopefully, it will be started and finished in time for MDSW. Here's the colorway I'm planning for it.....if I like the pattern, I'll probably knit more in different colors. I had to do some research on the pattern, as I've never done the PFB stitch before, and thank heavens for Knittinghelp.com
- what a life-saver!

Next post.....well, who knows when it will be. I only hope to have some more knitting to show you. Until then.....Happy Easter! I hope you had some chocolate, eggs, family, and peace today.

Picture Post

I haven't knit much in the past couple of days. I did manage to knit some rows on the Montego Bay Scarf, but to be honest, I haven't been home. Working weekends is proving to be a difficult transition for me. I know that I did make the right decision by changing jobs (the days really do fly by now, and I'm not chained to a desk), but I still feel very "NEW" and uncomfortable yet. I haven't slept well the past three nights. Today, I was so tired, I didn't take a nap. That doesn't really make sense does it? But imagine it! I don't think I've missed my Sunday nap in months!

So this post is more about the pictures. Here are the three skeins of lace weight yarn that I purchased from the Wollmeise. For you Muggles, this is the MECCA of all yarn. It is in such high demand that 200-400 skeins of yarn (Sheri would be able to tell you the exact number) sold out in less than 5 minutes on Thursday at TLE. Unbelievable! I managed to snag some of this at Claudia's last update at the beginning of March. Don't ask me how. I'm still waiting on another bag from that shipment, which is unusual.

I'm wondering if one of these skeins of yarn should become a simple lace shawl to wear for Maryland Sheep and Wool in early May (This festival is almost equivalent to Rhinebeck for those not familiar with this fiber event)? Does anyone have any suggestions for patterns that would work well for these skeins? I'm thinking the blue one would be really nice to use for May. Please post your suggestions in the comments. I'd appreciate it ever so much!

And PS - Enjoy the view of the yarn! I know I do on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to Tuesday, which is my day off this week to compensate for the weekend work. Hallelujah! Hopefully, I can get some cleaning done, and some time to just relax and knit. Oh, and how about a nap? :) Have a great week!

Things That Make Me Weep

Things that make me weep (not all bad):

1. Ripping out the scarf pattern in the previous post for the THIRD time. You all were close in your guesses. It is the Montego Bay scarf from IK Spring 2007 issue. Amy Singer is the designer. It's supposed to be an easy pattern, but I keep losing stitches, and frogging it, because I can't pick them back up with all of the YO's. Help! This is an easy lace pattern. How will I knit more complicated lace if I keep doing this? Suggestions please? :(

2. I want to be able to knit slightly more complex lace patterns (I need some sort of progression, don't I), because I just bought three skeins of laceweight from the Wollmeise. The colors are phenomenal, and they make me want to weep (they are that beautiful). I keep fondling them and sniffing them (this might appear as abnormal behavior to muggles, but trust me, it's a perfectly sane gesture to knitters and crocheters alike).

3. I have to work this weekend. This makes me weep. I had today off, and I get Tuesday off next week, but I work Friday through Monday. This past Tuesday was enough to make me weep. I'm not liking the thought of working this weekend, but next weekend I get three days off again (but we spend the Monday after Easter at the hospital for my DD's doctor appts).



4. Lastly, to end on a great note (weeping still involved), and to include the picture of the post - this is my youngest daughter knitting! She said to me today, after we came home from the doctor for her ear (it's infected), that she wanted to learn to knit. Do you know what - she's doing really well for just turning six years old. She asked me who taught me to knit, and I said my Mom and my Nana. And then, bless her heart, she said, "Mommy, if you show me how to knit, then I can teach my children, and they'll know how to knit because you taught me."
WOW! What a legacy!

Guessing Game

Okay, who's up for a guessing game? I don't think there will be prizes this time. Sorry! :( It will just be for fun. Why? Because my big 'ole butt doesn't get time to go to the post office lately....BUT, I'll do a blog contest as soon as life calms down.

So, strictly for the fun of it.....can you guess what this will be when it grows up? A nice little yarn ball with 200 of those nice little fringes?



And then when it's knitted up, looks like this?



Any guesses? Go ahead. Blow me away. Show me how much time you spend on Ravelry, searching the patterns to load up your already overflowing list of things to knit! I love Ravelry, but sometimes I hate the knittng time that it sucks up. I find myself saying, "You're never gonna have a finished object at this rate. Get off that computer!" FPS!

Ok - off to knit some more of the mystery object. And finish cooking dinner. Have a great week! And what do you know? - it's Monday, and there's a post here. Daylight savings time ROCKS! It is still light outside at 6:00pm, and not looking to get dark anytime soon! YEAH!

Blog Lag

I haven't forgotten any of you, or this blog. I sorta feel like I have jet lag, but really, it's blog lag. It's sad indeed, that I've not posted for more than a week. I have no excuse, but to say that work is busy. I've gotten a break, and this weekend is a three-day weekend for me. I've been enjoying reading your blogs and commenting. I've seen some really nice yarn, and some really nice knitted items! You all rock!

Last weekend, on my day off, we took the kids to see a children's production of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." It was wonderful, and for a couple dollars more than the movies, they were able to experience live theatre, and eat their favorite foods (pizza, chicken nuggets, macaroni, salad-bar with only lettuce, croutons, tomatoes, cheese, and ranch dressing). At least they had chocolate chip cookies and ice-cream for dessert! It was a wonderful experience for them, and the actors and actresses came back on stage following the performance to answer questions from the audience, all dressed in the costumes. I'm glad to expose them to some culture, because we sometimes feel that we live in isolation. Isolation is good though, and I'm itching to take the canoe out on the local lake. That lake is less than 2 miles from my house. That's the isolation working in my favor! :)

Last night we had our group of friends over for our traditional Friday Night Bible Study - my hubby walked into the house with these in hand. He said, "I thought these would look nice on the table." I'm a blessed woman, indeed! Please, we just cut the ends before putting them in the vase. There is no arrangement of said flowers. I don't do that very well. I feel fortunate that I know about cutting the ends of the flowers, FPS! :) Hee Hee! Martha Stewart, I ain't. And I'm thankful for that too.

Also, take a peek at this beautiful vase/pot that my MIL and FIL gave me for Christmas! It was purchased in State College, PA at the local arts festival in July. State College is home to the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS! The butterfly and flowers are actually part of the vase, and are painted in my favorite colors - yellow/blue. I have finally removed the snowmen from our living area (they abide in the attic during other seasons), with the hopes that Mother Spring will peek around the corner and banish the bad weather.


Don't forget to move that clock forward an hour tonight! What a welcome thing, even if it means losing an hour of sleep. The next post, I promise to show knitterly things....yarn, socks, something. I have been knitting....but it's been a slow go, and I've visited the frog pond a couple of times.....

AND (BIG AND), I've made our reservations for Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, and thankfully, managed to get the weekend off work! YEAH! Anyone else attending? It's spectular!

For The Love of Audio Books

I've strayed from audio books. There are several reasons. I love to hold the actual book in my hands. If it's new, I love the smell of it when I first open the book. If it's from the library, yeah, not so much. The freshness, the newness, the possibilities......I love to read the written word. I love to read the words and descriptions and form the mental pictures in my mind, sorta of transform my mind to see if I can grasp the world the author is trying to create with the book.
But, as with many things, there's always a drawback. I have a nasty fault. I will admit it here, but please, don't judge too harshly. When I'm reading a book, I will often start the story, and pick up the pace and chug away with it. Then (here's the nasty part), I ALWAYS go and read the ending! Can you believe it? I do go back and finish the story, but.....I have to read that ending! No, there has never been a time when I didn't read this way. I even did this with the last Harry Potter book. Hey, I had to know......

Now with my new job, and lots of time spent in my car, I took a trip to the library and checked out an audio book to try. I've had them before, but haven't really gotten caught up in using them. WOW - I didn't know what I was missing. These past two weeks, I've been listening to "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.

I know, I'm a little late to the party, but it was a spectacular read! I was actually worried that the author's accent might distract me, but I found it to be most helpful in setting the story for me, personally. And guess what? I did NOT put the last disc into my car after the first one (the equivalent of my nasty habit of reading the ending first), and WOW, did the book ever hold my attention (not that it wouldn't have anyway, because it's a fabulous novel). I found myself seated in my driveway at night listening to the end of a chapter or disc. Last night, I could take it no longer, and listened to the last 3 discs after the kids went to bed. Tears were running down my cheeks at times. Small smiles escaped my lips at other times. Fear gripped my heart at times. It's all one can hope for from a book. What a wonderful first novel for Hosseini. I hope the movie doesn't spoil it at all.

So, if you've never tried audio books - take a moment to consider them. They are perfect for knitting/crocheting/scrapbooking, or just anytime, really. It's lovely to just knit away, and take in stories of far-away places and people, as the snow just continues to fall, fall, fall.

Happy weekend!

Persistence

Persistence pays off. Here's the finished socks. I hate to even give you the stats, because frankly, they are embarrassing.....

Simple 2x2 Rib socks
US #1 needles (2.5 mm)
Shibui Knits (I forget the colorway #) - fingering weight.
Started 12/07
Finished 2/23/08
I have dubbed them my Hockey Stick Socks (they look really skinny when off the foot).

Pathetic time frame for the knitting. I think it might have been the fingering weight yarn. I'm used to knitting most of my socks in sport weight yarn. We have cold winters here, and the added thickness of the yarn is great. I also think that I personally would have liked to knit a more complicated pattern with this semi-solid colorway. It might have kept things more interesting for me. These socks are actually "modeled" on my feet, but they are not for me. The recipient (who has more knitted socks now than I do), has larger feet, so they are a little big for me. Hence the pointy toes.


A little bit about the yarn. Initially I didn't like this yarn. I'm still a bit ambivalent about my relationship with it (a pity too, because it's a fabulous color, and I have two more skeins of it myself). It does have a pretty nice twist, but I had trouble with laddering at some points on the bottom of the sock (which was knit in stockinette). I fixed what I thought the problem might be on the second sock. But I was conscious of it all the way through. I've never had ladders on any socks before, so I'm not sure why with this yarn? I certainly didn't change the way I knit ML in general. ? any thoughts? My needles are kept in very good shape, and I don't think they are the problem. I am the problem, let's just face it.

Now of course, there are new socks on the needles - this is a nice 6 row pattern repeat, and I am loving the colorway - Hot Rod Red. It's so NOT my color, but it is bright and cheerful. A welcome distraction from the gray of winter that surrounds me.
It's fingering weight too, so I'll have to report on the laddering effect with these.


The new job....it's kicking my butt. I'm hoping for some relief soon. But it's six days of work in a row this week, and then four days next week, with a three day weekend. YIPEE! The work is a bit demanding, especially the charting. It's also stretching my nursing skills/comfort zone immensely. But the patients are so appreciative. Today I got a gift from one of the families. A lovely pearl and crystal necklace. It's beautiful, and so thoughtful!

And so I'm off, driving the countryside looking forward to the springtime when I can see the flowers in bloom and smell see the cows and farmers in the fields....then, maybe then, I'll feel more relaxed about the job. For now, I soldier on, with more wintry weather predicted for Friday in these parts......SIGH! Persistence....that's the ticket!

Another Saturday Night

"Another Saturday night, and I ain't got nobody..........I got some money, 'cause I just got paid." Actually, my version goes like this.....
Another Saturday night, and we have 9 volleyball games scheduled. I need some money, but I don't get paid until next week. And the gas prices - BLOODY BOOGER! $3.19/gallon here in RURAL PA.

Pictures! Oh look at this great book! I love it. I have to read through some of the patterns yet, but it just arrived today, along with some needles. I love this book! There are so many interesting patterns for bags of all shapes and sizes, by the best in knitting designers....Pam Allen, Ann Budd, Kristin Nicholas, just to name a few!
Let's talk about the needles that I purchased, shall we? I have to admit that I don't knit my socks with DPN's. I used to think this was a weakness. You know, never having 4 or 5 needles going all at once, making you look all smart. I have two needles, and the wires curl around looking like puppy dog ears. But, I have since developed the perspective that I don't care how you knit anything really, it's enjoying the process that makes it all worthwhile.
Since preferring magic-loop method for most things, I have become an Addi-Turbo Snob. Shocking, I know. But I have. The problem with Addi-Turbo Needles???? They don't make a 2.25mm needle? Huh....You read that right, they simply don't. So, I started browsing Knitpicks, and saw that they did, and after some research on Ravelry, I ordered some needles from them to try, including both their nickel-plated and one pair of the Harmony wood (they are so pretty). I'm anxious to see how they will work, but am determined not to cast on for anything until some other stuff is finished. I'm curious....what's your thoughts on Knitpick's needles? Do you love them? Can you tolerate them? I'm really fussy about the join......from cable to needle. They look smooth, but only knitting with them will confirm this. I "snug-up" on my second stitch when switching needles, and this has caused problems with other needles in the past (but never my dear, sweet Addi's).

Ok, enough rambling about needles......Here's the newly revised start of my fingerless mitts.....I am loving them.


And lastly, who doesn't like to look at some Wollmeise? On the left - Suzanne in 80/20 and on the right, please meet Pfefferminz Prinz in 80/20 also. 80/20 is 80% superwash merino wool, 20% nylon (for added strength for the socks). Both are in the medium dye. I just love them, and fondle them most days! And if you notice, the sun is actually shining through our blinds! :) A welcome surprise after the snow and sleet yesterday. Happy Weekend!

Where's My Lily Pad?

I've done it! I've taken your greatly appreciated advice, and have attacked this funk with some cool moves of my own. But, as the knitting fates go, I'm frogging the new project! Dear muggles, "frogging" means that I'm going to rip the whole project out to the very beginning and start again. One might think that this alone would be enough to send me into yet another funk, but I'm determined that it shall not! I've really enjoyed knitting with this new yarn from my LYS. It's from LoneSome Stone, and it's their superwash merino, worsted wt yarn called, "Sheepish." The yarn is very, very soft. The knitted fabric is even softer, if you can imagine.

The pattern that I tried is from "One Skein Wonders," and it's simply screwed up when it says to cast off for the thumb. I followed the directions as they were written, even though I KNEW suspected that they were incorrect, I soldiered onward. Silly me, I should know better, and trust my instincts.

So do not fear, I love the yarn! I'm going to frog it, and start afresh with a new pattern that I personally like a little better. The yarn will still become fingerless mitts, but I think that this newer pattern will show off the colorway a tad better. It's a beautiful shade of blue/purple (I like to call this blurple) and green with shades of each just lovingly fading into each other. I have another 200 yd skein of it, and I wonder - Hat or scarf? Is that even enough yardage with the little I'll have left from the mitts (probably about 90 yards or so) to knit a scarf? Probably not.

I did purchase the Cadet pattern on Etsy from Kathryn Ivy. Minerva Turkey has a great photo of it on her blog. Check it out. I can wait. So....what did you think? Maybe the Cadet hat to go with some fingerless mitts? Of if you have a suggestion, I'm open to it.....

As for this pair (or maybe I should say, singleton)......it's headed for the frog pond. Make way for my lily pad! :) Thanks again for all the encouraging comments on my last post! You are the best! :)

In a Funk.......

Yes, it's happened. I'm in a funk. A knitting funk. The whole thing can probably be traced to a whole life funk right about now, if I'm really honest. I hate February and the feeling is mostly mutual regarding March too. It's gloomy, gray, cold, and just downright blah. Bottom line - it's affecting my knitting. I can't seem to finish the Hockey Stick Socks, no matter what I try. I'm being so good at not casting on anything else, but I'm reading other people's blogs, and they are just cranking out those FO's. I'm a bit envious, and I don't like that trait at all. Does anyone else feel in a funk, or is it just pathetic me?
Does anyone have any suggestions?

BUT on a lighter note, I have to relate this funny story from the weekend. It may be detrimental to your thoughts of me, but I shall proceed, because, frankly it's too funny not to share. Hopefully it will brighten your day, as it did mine. The SUN was actually shining yesterday, despite cold and windy conditions. I did errands and some laundry in the morning. We ate lunch, and took our toboggan to a nearby field for some sledding. Now, it's been awhile since I've been on our toboggan. In fact, this may have been my inaugural trip on the thing (it's been used by DD#2 and DH quite a bit). I decided to go with them this time. It's a very slim toboggan, and I am an average female. Remember this fact - it's important for the rest of the story. DD #2 is sitting in the front, I have my legs wrapped around her and my feet are propped on the curve of the front of the sled. DH is behind me.........we push off. I suddenly realize that my thighs have extending beyond the outer limits of the toboggan, and the ice and snow (very hard and sharp) begin to cut into my outer thighs as we descend down the field, slowly at first, but then we head rapidly to the center of the field, where there is a slight ditch.....there is no avoiding it....we hit it and are airborne for a few seconds of glee (I'm laughing so hard, I cannot possibly steer at this point), and my thighs hurt so badly from hanging over the edge of this toboggan....but does the toboggan show any mercy? NO, it did not stop, ...we kept going....down, down, down the field, all the while, whooping with glee, and me of course, whooping with something akin to laughter and pain mixed together. My thighs, oh, my thighs. I'm totally certain that my jeans have ripped.....Did I dress for this inaugural event? Nope, I'm just in jeans, no winter outwear, because I figure we are NOT going to do this for very long, but 7 more trips later, we are still at it. Of course, after this magnificent ride, we look back to the top of the hill, and then we realize that we have to walk to the top to do it all again. Sadly, today yes, there are small bruises on my outer thighs from that darn ice and snow. Heaven help me, I didn't think I was that overweight.
Anyway, we finished off the day/night with a chili cookoff at church, and then home to watch some Lewis Black on Broadway (hilarious), and drink some great wine from a local winery with our friends.

And so, I leave you with this picture, taken by my DH....it gives me hope that soon, oh very soon, we may have some nice weather and sunsets that are beautiful. Knitting help or suggestions are greatly welcomed. I hate funks - how about you?

Happy Heart Day!

No knitting news...still working on the Hockey Stick socks. I have about half of the foot done, and I just keep plugging away. But it's been a bit stressful with new job, driving in all kinds of weather to see my patients, and basically, coming home exhausted and doing the charting, and sometimes taking a short nap before the arrival of DH and the kids.

So, look at the pretty pictures, and I'll work on an FO for the next post (finished object for you, muggles). Muggles = non-knitting folks. I love you still, even though you are a bunch of funny muggles. Funny in a good way!

First up - Kay brought this beautiful Valentine's cookie package to book club the other night for all of us! Isn't it beautiful? I haven't eaten the cookies yet because they are so pretty! Thanks again Kay! You're so thoughtful (and obviously very talented and creative)! Don't worry, I'm sharing the cookies with the girls tomorrow on the 14th! The book we reviewed...."The Other Boleyn Girl" by Phillipa Gregory. A historical fiction book. It did bring to life the story of Anne Boleyn from her sister's perspective. I find myself forgetting the history behind all of this, and now want to dig a bit deeper into the actual facts, although the book is somewhat factual. It was an easy read. I've also renewed my dislike for King Henry VIII, who was an absolute male PIG! Unbelievable!

Next up - this gorgeous skein of worsted weight yarn from my LYS. The colorway is called, "River Runs To It." It's my usual favorite jewel-toned colors. I'm thinking fingerless mitts, and maybe a scarf? I wanted a hat, but when I called for the last skein, someone had already bought it! YIKES! I'll see what I can do....maybe a skinny scarf? Wait a minute. I don't want to knit scarves, or do I? This scarf phobia has now left me a complete bumbling idiot. Wait, maybe a Montego Bay scarf with my Yarn Pirate Booty Club Icicle yarn...............oh the possibilities.

Lastly, I also purchased this book at my LYS. I'm going to try a pattern from the book first, and then I'm going to head into trying to do the two socks at a time thing....they are knit from the top down, which is interesting. Although my LYS owner found a mistake in the book. I'm thinking I'll knit a pair of child's socks first to make sure I know what I'm doing when I do them two-at-a-time.

Has anyone else tried knitting two socks at one time?

Lazy Winter Days

Just a short post....I wish I could have entitled this post "Lazy Summer Days." But alas, it's about to dump some ugly weather on us yet again today. Unfortunately, I have to work, which means I have to drive in it. "It" being snow, sleet, ice, whatever is headed this way. I'm pretty sure that I should have been a meteorologist. Nobody sues them when they're wrong. We're actually a bit happy most times when they are wrong. I'm going to visit my patients early this morning, and work on my charting from home. Now that's the beauty of this job.

FO alert! I FINISHED the Scarf of Constant Sorrow, and if you can believe it, there are no finished photos. I think I just wanted to get it to its recipient as quickly as I could (which I did). He absolutely loved it, and I wanted him to have it for Valentine's Day (the perfect color). I also gave my nephews their Boy Beanie Hats, and I made this one for my daughter in a more "girly" camo color. It's taking a walk on the wild side with crochet, I know. But I like the variety.

I'm slogging away on the Hockey Stick socks, and as Chicken Knits so aptly puts it, I've turned the heel and am headed for home......It's a long and winding road though, to be sure!
Happy Tuesday!

PS...I'd rather be traveling in my parents' suitcase today. They are headed to Hawaii! But first they must leave that dreaded Chicago airport! UGH!

Knitting Monogamy is Not Exciting Fodder for Blog Posts

I'm doing the impossible. I'm knitting on the Scarf of Constant Sorrow monogamously! Can you believe it? I can't either. Trust me, I'm not always this fickle with everything. My DH and I will be married for 10 years this September! Yeah! And, I rarely change jobs, which is why this change is so hard for me. This is only my third job in 11 years as a nurse (nurses will agree this is a pretty slow turn-around time, as some nurses change jobs as quickly as they do their underwear, and burnout rates are high in specific job areas). The Scarf however, seems interiminably long, but the ball of yarn keeps getting smaller. I keep knitting away, at least an hour a night. My knitting stamina is not up to par, with the new job, which has its moments each day. This morning started with a BANG, as I dropped my moisturizing cream from Estee Lauder on the tiled bathroom floor. It broke. Glass container. Tiled floor. Shattered Pieces (could this be song lyrics?). Do you think the jar was nearly empty - NOPE. Nearly full. It's $50/jar + tax. I have to clean up the floor tonight, as there are still little pieces of glass that I missed this morning in my haste to get to work on time. So, you know, it all started kinda lousy today. Moving forward....

Here's a picture of the completed 5- hour baby sweater. If you look really close, I didn't seam it yet, or weave in any ends. Yeah, I'm lazy like that. But I did like how it turned out, and it was knitted in less than a week. I knit with Nearly Nazareth, by Kreamer Yarns. I forget the colorway, silly me. It's my favorite - light teal, purple, and pink. Uh-huh. I think it's quite pretty, although it is NOT superwash. Silly me. Next one will be. What new mom wants to soak their newborn's sweater in wool wash on a regular basis (ok, stop raising your hands, I know you "get" nice wool yarn, hand-knitted sweater, etc. Muggles DO NOT)? It is, as I mentioned before, not a 5-hour Baby sweater. I am a slow knitter. Always have been, probably always will be, unless I learn continental sometime soon. It doesn't look like that task is on my horizon, although some very beginning colorwork may be sometime this year.....look for it around December!




Also, I caved and bought some back issues of Interweave Knits.....I've been perusing them in between folding socks and stuff like that.

I found the Montego Bay Scarf - I think my "Icicle" from the Yarn Pirate Booty Club is destined to be this scarf. But then again, I've vowed not to knit another scarf for awhile....or did I? Clearly, my brain has gone fuzzy with the whole monogamy concept!

My Blog Faves and Misc. Musings

Today was a lazy day. I slept until 9:00 am, and we didn't go to church. There's something about not going to church that makes me feel insanely guilty. I woke up Saturday morning at 4:30 am, and slept fitfully until 6:30am or so. I felt tired all day on Saturday. I believe I was exhausted from this week of new beginnings at work. I knew that I needed some rest today. Still, the guilt about not attending church lingers.
I must confess that I stayed in my pj's until after 1:00pm today (that never happens unless I am sick). It was a nice feeling. I took a shower and we went on a nice walk in the fields with the dog, my DH, and my youngest DD. It was a glorious winter day today in PA. As I quietly walked through the fields, I believe I had my own church service. I think the quiet time walking through the fields was what I craved and needed most. Sometimes I lose site of perspective. Oddly enough, the fields that we walked on today are right across my friend's house, the one who just recently passed away. I was reflecting on the fact that our lives are so short, and can be changed in the blink of an eye. But mostly, I just took in the beautiful sunshine of the wintery day, conversed quietly with God, and enjoyed the crunch of my boots as I walked along the ice and snow. My family, with the exception of my oldest DD, loves to be outside. Luckily, my DH is not one who is tied to sports all day on Sundays (as evidenced by the fact that our house is now quiet, and the SUPERBOWL is on the tele), although he watches every now and then. YEAH for me! He does play sports though, and he starts in a competitive men's volleyball league this week. We play in a co-ed league on Saturday nights until March. It's a lot of fun! I'm much too competitive though. I don't like losing. :(
Moving on to my favorite blogs. These are the ones that I enjoy, and read fairly often, if not every day. They are listed as bookmarks on my computer, and I check them often. I really should sign up for bloglines, but I just haven't yet. These are in no particular order.
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe - she's just a lovely person. So sweet and kind. Her sweetness comes through even in her writing. If she'd have her way, I'm sure she'd wing a skein of Wollmeise to all her customers.
A Caffeinated Yarn - now here's a woman who is wildly intelligent, and knits a lot of sweet baby things. And her recipes are so interesting!
The Yo Yo Knits - Alyson is so funny! I think she says exactly what she thinks, without any reservations whatsoever, and yet she does it in a way that makes me laugh and earns my respect at the same time.
The Yarn Pirate - Georgia is so environmentally conscious, and I respect that. She's using a diapering service, and is having an at home birth! Yeah for her! I love her yarns, and her colorways are just gorgeous. She's a wicked knitter too!
Jen at Woolgirl is another sweet personality. I love her quirky and fun contests, and she is the BEST at putting together your shopping purchases. She always includes nice little extras, and I'm always impressed that the tissue paper matches the yarn that you purchase!
Wendy intrigues me with the sheer number of FO's she completes. She describes herself as a process knitter, and that intrigues me as well. I'm much too slow to be a process knitter. She's never much distracted from her projects, and seems to start one, and finish it before casting on another. Amazing!
The Yarn Harlot - how to describe Stephanie? She's probably one of the smartest knitters around, but yet, she speaks to the masses. Although I am nowhere near her knitting level, she writes such witty blog entries that I find myself in tears laughing with her. I also have her books, and she is just the same in them. A very down-to-earth person, whose everyday occurences become blog entries that you can relate to.
Minerva Turkey - I can't say as I frequent her blog every day, but I do visit a lot. She does some very cool projects, and again, doesn't seem distracted by the burning desire to cast-on a new one before the old is finished.
Peaknit - This is one of my very favorite blogs. Stacey has time for everybody. She answers many questions, is always supportive and honest. I'm sure if we lived closer, I would love to make her aquaintence in person, and feel we would be friends. She also has excellent taste in yarns and projects. Check out her recent Clapotis - it's amazing, and her Cherry Cordial socks are beautiful!
Chicken Knits - To start, the title of her blog just cracks me up! :) Nell is a great knitter who accomplishes a lot while going to nursing school. I know how precious any free time is during nursing school, and yet she manages to knit beautiful objects in between the studying! She has great taste in yarn (very similar to my own). I often find if I'm not loving a sock club yarn, she has posted a similar comment on her blog about it. Again, this is one of my faves!
Monica Knits - this is one talented designer! I love to look at her FO's!
A Little Bit of Pink - this is a friend of mine who comes to our craft and book club (and she goes to my church). She is SO talented! She just started an Etsy store, so please go check it out! You won't be disappointed!
Calling Dr. Bombay - Jen is an old friend from high school. She's actually a year younger than me (in my DH's class). She is by and far a witty, wickedly intelligent female, whose writing abilities amaze me. Her sister is a sheep-to-shawler in the New England area. Jen's gone dark on her blog right now, and I miss her entries. She's had it rough since November, with a broken leg. I hope she's back soon!
Grumperina - talented knitting designer. Loved by many. Witty and smart. I think her wedding photos were fabulous! I've yet to knit her Jaywalkers....hmmmmmm...
Two Knits of Ivory - I've just begun reading this blog, but I'm enjoying it so far. I love her photography skills, as well as her commentary. I look forward to more entries.
Marisol has a lovely blog! Very sweet and kind. She has won me with her gorgeous Amethyst shawl, and lots of pictures in her posts! And Lil' Cowboy is the sweetest little boy! Marisol does a lot of contests, so go check her out!
Lastly, to my dear family friend Reenie - she's just begun the blogging journey! I wish you well. I hope that you find blogging to be a great way to organize your thoughts and crafts! :) Love ya!

I'm signing off - this time without a picture. I'm hoping you'll live without a picture until the next post. I am working on the Scarf of Constant Sorrow, and I've cast on the second Sunfish sock. I've crocheted some samples for my LYS owner. And I stand victorious at the top of Mt. Laundrymore! :)

The Scarf of Constant Sorrow

The post you've all been waiting for, The Scarf of Constant Sorrow. I laughed when Crazy Aunt Purl called her sweater the "Sweater of Constant Sorrow." So, I really can't take credit for this phrase, but I like it! I hope she doesn't mind if I borrow it!


The scarf details, whining rational discussion of its various points will be kept to a minimum.
The Yarn - It's a really pretty yarn, It's Lobster Pot Yarn Whale of a Skein in Lobster Red(mix of wool, dehaired angora, and cashmere - 10%). It almost feels a little like cotton, but better. It's a heavy sport-weight yarn knit on US # 6 needles.
The Yarn Problem - It bleeds. My fingers are pink when I put it down, and two weeks ago, it turned one of my Columbia shirt sleeves a nice pink too. The dyer has mentioned that it will need a soak in white vinegar to solve this bleeding problem, and that will happen after it's knit.
An aside - Imagine my horror when I received my first STR sock club shipment and saw the varied shades of RED as the first color. I almost cried, and unless they redeem themselves with other shipments, this will be a one year subscription. I'm probably gonna get lots of negative feedback for that remark, but I'm being honest, and this is MY blog. I digress.
The Scarf Pattern - A very simple rotating purl stitch on the right side between knit stitches, purl stitch all the way baby, on the wrong side. Hundreds and hundreds of rows of it. UGH! It's taking forever. But I am really, frankly, not motivated to knit it. I'm just not. Gosh, I feel better. Now let's discuss scarves in general.
Sometimes scarves get on my nerves, and one never really thinks about it when they begin knitting them. You know, new project syndrome, otherwise known as startitis. Scarves require insanity endurance, staying power, patience, and longevity. Sometimes I have these qualities, and sometimes, well I simply don't. I get bored with some of these projects easily. I started a chevron scarf from LMKG - and hated the needles, and still haven't moved on it. And it's being done in fabulous colors from Fearless Fibers, but the yarn is fingering weight. I really think that the LMKG scarf needs to be done in sport weight, IMHO.
I do love the appearance of the chevron scarf, and want to finish knitting one....someday.

The blog awards - I tried downloading the button, it's not working. I loathe dial-up access. We don't have any other choice where we live. We don't have access to DSL, and we only get five TV channels via an outside antennae. I know that some of you are gasping for air at this point. We don't find this a problem. We actually like it. Less choices make for more options of other activities when nothing worthwhile is on the Tele. It also helps to limit the kids with their viewing too. Blog awards...I may just feature a post where I actually list the blogs I enjoy, and acknowledge the talented people, and just do it that way. So, no pretty button on my post. Sorry! Stay tuned though - you're still appreciated! :)


Back to the Scarf of Constant Sorrow - Here it is in all its horror refined splendor. When I put it on, it wraps nicely around my neck and comes to rest on both sides of my hips - I would call it a moderate low-rise fit! It's being knitted for my cousin, who is a man, and I think I'll keep knitting it for awhile....if I can get up the gumption. I'll need a reward system for this project! I think Wollmeise should do the trick!
Happy, Happy Weekend!

PS - the scarf is all one length and width, it is done in an pattern that encourages rolling at the edges, sorta like stockinette does. There is not a mistake in the middle of it on the last picture, I just can't get it to stay flat! But that was the recipient's choice of pattern.

Fessin' Up

I really didn't have the energy or the strength (ok, maybe the guts) to admit how many UFO's I have hidden at the bottom on a yarn basket on the needles.
But I've decided that it's time to be mature about this knitting thing. Ha ha ha.
I'm listing three UFO's today (unfinished objects for the muggles), and then tomorrow,...........wait for it....the Scarf of Constant Sorrow.....you know the one, that old red thing I've been knitting since this fall. It's almost done. But, I digress, and I don't want to spoil the next post. On to the confession.....Please step into the box next to the priest read on.

First item up - Sunfish socks - yes, there seems to be one done - that's the problem. Just one! It's a simple knit, in a light sport-weight yarn, and I've just got to cast on the other one, and actually KNIT it, and well, then it would be a FO.



Moving on.....this sock looks so funny! Why do my socks look so anorexic skinny? I know that I'm a tight knitter (obviously, this tightness doesn't apply to yarn purchasing...), but COME ON! I do get gauge (sometimes). And they usually fit the person's foot. Anyway, I've named this sock (notice I didn't say sock(s), because alas, there is AGAIN only one of these babies), the Hockey Stick Sock. Its single status puts it on the UFO pile. In my defense, the second sock is on the needles, but it's been there for almost two weeks. It gets knitted during bowling matches. PS - the bowling matches are pretty much over for the year, so I'll have to suck up find other time to finish these mean socks. I'm not loving the Shibui Knits, but again, I digress.



Lastly, for this post because I'm in denial, I've been knitting this sweet baby sweater. I'm almost done. I'm going to modify the pattern, and add a couple of extra rows in stockinette before starting the band of garter stitch at the bottom. I have enough yarn, and I think it would look better. BTW - this pattern is called the 5 Hour Baby Sweater. Yeah, right. I've knit on it for about 7 hours already, and the directions are a bit wonky. It took a little more time last night when I was trying to separate the stitches to knit for the sleeves. I also might have been distracted by "Criminal Minds," but I digress yet again.


My knitting has truly saved me this week, as have my family,friends, and fellow bloggers. Work is tough people. Starting a new job takes guts and fortitude. I'm losing both as the week wanes. I know it will get better, but I'm such a perfectionist that it's interfering with my stuff, and I'm way behind on the charting (the patient visits are good and interesting). The charting is hard and slow. Lots of rules and regs with the charting. And apparently, I can't work a mouse that is the size of a pencil eraser or use a stylus very well either. This slows me down even more. Sigh.
BONUS - tomorrow is TGIF, even if there is ice/snow predicted weatherwise.
Stay tuned for the Scarf of Constant Sorrow, and maybe some blog awards (if I can download the button on dial-up).

All In A Day's Work

Today was the official first day on the job (although I've worked for this hospital for over 2 years on a "as-needed" basis). It was a bit overwhelming....you know...they had to set-up my company laptop (brand-spankin' new one), set up my company cell phone (which I still need to program), and also sent me to see two patients (one of which needed to be admitted to our service - this is an extensive process, with lots of time spent in the patient's home and time in the office doing the charting). I have one word that drives most of this extensive charting.....MEDICARE! I came home from work, made supper for tomorrow night, and helped DH with supper for tonight, and then promptly crawled in my bed for a long winter's nap....My DD's woke me up, and I made it downstairs again to photograph these things for you.

First up - who would think this odd-shaped piece would amount to anything at all? Maybe we should get a fish tank for it? HA HA - NOT! I threw it at my DH last night after it was finished, and asked him to assemble it. He couldn't put it together. Just like Humpty Dumpty!


But alas, Elizabeth Zimmerman was a knitting genius! Look at how this lovely little jacket comes together with a mere folding....All I have to do is sew the shoulder seams and pick out some buttons (still not sure of the sex of the baby, so will hold on the buttons for now), and WOW - Baby Surprise Jacket. I'm just surprised that it's finished!


Stats:
BSJ - Started 1/20/08.
Finished - 1/27/08.
Lisa Souza Yarn in Joseph's Coat Colorway (sport-wt yarn)
Needles - Size US #4 Addi Turbo 40" length.

With all the help on Ravelry and the BSJ Knitting Guide (Cheat sheet - can someone help me here? How do you draw a line through words on your posts, yet still be able to read them?), it was an easy, enjoyable knit, although I must say, it does take faith to just keep knitting.

Last night, after the throwing of the completed BSJ, my DH mentioned that his co-worker is expecting a baby girl any day (I think I forgot this), and that he didn't have a gift. They usually pool their money together at his work place, but alas, this hasn't happened. So, I began knitting this sweater - it's from a pattern from my LYS called the "5-Hour Sweater." Now, I'm a slow knitter....so it will take more like 10 hours, but it is fun so far, and the colors are just gorgeous! It's Naturally Nazareth Wool, worsted weight, and I'm knitting on US #8 needles. A nice change!

What's up your knitting sleeve this week?