Last post of 2012

(I'd like have a hope that I'm doing another post on the 31st, but there's not a lot of hope for that. . .)

I suppose I should type-up an entry here. I don't actually want to, but one small "thing" in my head is bugging me to do this.

My Aunt Marion (My Mother's eldest sister) died on the 28th of November (the day before my Dad's birthday - that particular day was a "fun" day, let me tell you - even my Dad forgot his own birthday.). Well, since her funeral, (about 10 days after) I've not wanted to do much of anything besides sleep, eat and watch television. I know it's not enough to do (i.e. Go out, cook, clean, be sociable, shop. . .), but right now, it's what's going to happen. I've only been doing it for about 2 weeks, so it's not going to keep occuring for much longer, but I'm going to immerse myself as much as I can in this self-indulgant misery (just so I don't re-immerse myelf in it later. Trust me, that way lies madness and chaos). It will mostly finish on Boxing Day (since I'm going to an Aunt's party). Though at this stage, I don't want to go. I'm just so. . . .lethargic. . . .I have no "oomph". I mentally want to do things, but when it comes down to actually phyically doing them, I just say "screw it" and they don't happen.

There are a small amount of semi-significant things that I'm making myself do - Like making sure the garbage bins get put out on the relevant collection day - just to keep me "awake" (wrong word, correct intent). I don't want to do them. I don't actually know why I'm doing them, but I am.

Just like this typing. I've wanted to do an entry for about a month, and before the lethargy, I was a bit busy. After the lethargy started, I just couldn't make myself enter the website. I had the computer open in front of me, I had the time, but, I just couldn't do it. I would frequently sit, looking at the screen, waiting for the get-up-and-go to actually click on the web address. Nothing.

But on the other hand, I think I'm coming out of my "Funk". There are signs. You see, I knit a couple rows last night, then I read some of a book, and, I've been planning my Christmas dinner (Pasta and a salad - nothing fancy - I won't be eating a trad. dinner, and I don't really want to imitate it.).

I've also been thinking again about what present to get my Dad. That's a toughie. Always is - he's really hard to buy for (right now I think it'll be a new year's present, since it'd be madness to go out shopping NOW) - Ok, yes, I should have already bought it, but buying for him is not that simple. He has a tendency to go and buy for himself the things he wants, and I can't tell you the amount of times I've had to re-buy a present. *grr, sigh*. So, Present-buying tends to be either a "wow-that's-unusual-and-unique-but-he'll-think-it's-neat-so-I'd-better-buy-it-now" type of thing lots of time in advance (with me hoping all that time that he doesn't find another), or it's a "drat-that's-all-I-can-find-and-it's-not-good-enough" thing at the last minute. The funny thing is, is that he's not that bothered about presents. I have, unfortunately, had years I didn't get him a present and he honestly didn't mind. Made me feel bad, but I had sincerely tried to find one, and that really was all I could do. I have had some great present years, though (I'm not telling - since it would dent my happiness). But finding a gift or not, it's going to be a not-so-jolly-holiday-christmas this year. I'm a bit sad at that, but there is another one next year. Hopefully it'll be a very good one. *sigh*.

So. Since I am writing this, I am paying a bit more attention in small degrees to everything (a tiny bit more every day). Like right now - I'm typing this AND I'd like to take a shower (that's a really good thing right now, believe me!). . . .So I figure, at this rate, I'll be done with this "blah-ness" completely by Boxing day. I'm crossing my fingers. Whew.
So, I'll end this. I'm going to watch some pre-christmas TV to kill the time before sleep (and hopefully do some knitting).

Night.

I love you, my brain.

I had 2 weeks(ish) away from knitting due to volunteer work. I didn't miss it for most of the time, and felt a tiny bit guilty towards the end and thought about what I was going to work on. It felt decidedly weird, but adult. I knew I was going to knit again no matter what happened and for a change, let myself not feel wretchedly guilty.

But within that time, I have had this small epiphany: I'm really, really, totally, honestly, truly wholeheartedly allowed to not feel guilty or bad for something that I can't do anything about - or even just because I don't want to feel guilty - today. I've known for a long while that it was true, but my brain wouldn't let me believe it or let me act on it. So much FUN.
You see, I've spent far too many years feeling like hell (sort of permanently apprehensive) because of my childhood and teenage years. Not because any of it was my direct fault - far from it, but because most of that time was spent in apprehension about how my Mother was going to behave every day (I had an ulcer from 12 to 18, so joyful). This feeling was so indoctrinated from an early age, that I didn't know it was supposed to be any different, so I carried it along with me, even after I was 23 (she died a few weeks before my 24th birthday). I suppose you could call it the mental equivalent of a habit. I got thoroughly sick and tired of it in my 30's, when I knew that a lot of my "misery" was partially self-generated, finding things to be "worried" and "anxious" about, since my psyche felt oddly "unused" if I wasn't worried about something. I was in my early 40's when I finally made a concerted effort to quit the "mental torture gymnastics" when one or two nights (not consecutive) were spent in tears trying to shut up the paranoid "voices" in my head.
 - I have no diagnosis or previous activities of DPD (dissociative personality disorder) and those two nights felt like I was going insane.
I had no idea of whether my efforts were working until these last couple weeks-ish.
The following things last week tell me that they are: I had a friend brush me off and it only irritated me for a couple hours (normally I'd take it to heart and I'd analyse it to death, dig it up and analyse it some more for a few days). I could sleep without needing to go through my regular routine of relaxation. I turned the TV off so I had a quiet room to sleep in.
Now for most people, these things aren't anything to think about, but for me, it's pretty darn great. I'm hoping that I can keep it going even when I'm tired. That will be a true sign of success....

As for the knitting, well, I bought a set of Addi interchangable lace needles (short tips). I'm SO happy. I've decided that the first project I'm going to knit on them (after I've finished a project) is going to be a Muir shawl/stole with Angel 2ply yarn and delica beads as accents. Yum. Again, SO happy. I've wanted to knit this for over a year. WHEE!

I'm off. I have a stole (Raspberry Dream Stole by Dagmara) to finish up a repeat on (4 rows to complete a repeat of 34 rows - 17 pattern rows, 17 purl). There's another ball of yarn to go (hopefully I'll get another 3 repeats out of it), but it is a joy to knit. Mmmm.

Later

Yay and Blah....

I've finished the two pieces I put in for the Ravellenics.
Growing Leaves Shawl #1
and
Yoga Cardigan.

Before I start, I'm running on 2 hours sleep - I just could not get to sleep last night. I couldn't do much of anything except look at the TV most of the night. Very frustrating. *bah*. I finished off the last seam under the left arm this morning feeling like fog was creeping in my head.

The title is, well, while I wasn't keeping either item, I did like the way the shawl turned out.

The sweater, on the other hand. . .
As I was finishing off each seam and then knitting up the second half of the neckband/waist tie, I started disliking it more and more. I "knew" it wasn't a good garment. I'm a sewer first. I started out by hand sewing items (I made a dress by hand when I was 8, and while it looked like a Frankenstein's Monster dress, it did work) and eventually graduated to a sewing machine in my teens. Over the years, I became good.
Anyway, I knew the blocked pieces were ok, but even as I turned the sweater back and forth and in and out during the seaming, I thought it wasn't working. They weren't sitting right (yes, I am a bit of a perfectionist). But, at the same time, I was going to give it a second chance by re-washing it (I've got to "lock-in" all those sewn-in ends) and then blocking it by pinning it to my dress form. I am hoping it works, really I am. if not, I'll felt it and turn it into a cushion (I'll knit up a filler panel for the neck and sew everything in place except the bottom seam (zip goes there) and sew up a cushion to insert into it. I can't send out a (possible) substandard garment, really I can't.
Now - I am brain fogged right now. I do know that the sweater needs re-blocking. But tomorrow (or the next day), after I get enough sleep to function (thank goodness it's the weekend), I might look at the sweater with a kinder eye.

I hope so. The yarn is so soft and has the nicest halo.

Until next week(end).

Watching the Olympics and Knitting...

I've been enjoying the Olympics, watching Archery and Fencing, Equestrian Dressage, individual Artistic Gymnastics (the regulation team events with set routines get boring fast), and occasional other events.
I saw the beach volleyball in Beijing and I was bewildered by the clothing mis-standards (odd word, but bear with me). The men get to wear beach shorts and long baggy vests. The women wear a heavy tan and a tight bikini. Why? If it's a matter of comfort, why aren't the men topless? If the IOC are concerned with equality, why don't the women get to wear long vest tops (with built in brassiere) and beach shorts? In many other sports the women dress similarly to the men (I'm not including gymnastics - it's irrelevant, but, I would like to see the option of the women using track-suit bottoms during competition). Ok, I'm done. I had to say something. It's been bothering me.

I've been knitting and sewing during the Olympics. I signed up for the ravelympics (bad, bad USOC)  ravellenic games. I entered a shawl (Growing Leaves #1) and a wrap-sweater (Yoga Cardigan) into WIPS wrestling. They're both unfinished projects I hadn't worked on since last year, and they needed to be finished. I've finished the shawl, and have put in the entries and form for a "medal" (yes, that I thought I wouldn't get) and am still trying to finish the sweater. It needs seaming and the other half of the front edging/tie to be done. I'm still struggling with the seaming. It's not difficult, but it's tedious. After it's finished, I'm debating on whether I'm giving both items away.
I knitted the sweater for me, but it's way too small (I have to be realistic, I'm not going to lose the required weight this year or the next *sigh*), and I'm not in love with the shawl. The problem is that I know they need a bit of special care (blocking after every wash) and the average person won't know how/won't want to do that.
It annoys me - not because the items won't be cared for - but the fact I'm caring quite so much. Once they're out of my hands, and I send them off with appropriate labelling (which they'll get) it's not my concern anymore. But I do care, and that's just me.
We'll see what happens.

Since the last entry, I've bought all the yarn talked about, with a couple changes. There's enough for three mistake shawls. I bought two lots of dark purple yarn from Deramores: 12 balls of Wendy (Merino (chunky)) and 10 balls of  King Cole (Merino Blend (chunky)), and then took myself (and my Dad) off by train to Texere Yarns and bought 7 100g balls of their own Chunky wool in claret (dark red). I'm not sure which set I'll use, but I'll be happy with the colour no matter what.
Whilst at Texere, I also bought yarn for another project (funchal mobius cowl, by Kate Davies), and  I finally caved and bought a ball winder, as the thought of winding up another 100g skein of lace yarn by hand makes my shoulders scream.
I'm planning on going to either John Lewis in the Trafford Centre (by Tram and bus, because I can), or, Up Country near Wakefield (by car, because it's really the only option), to check out some Rowan Creative Linen yarn. It's to make a sweater (Sorrel, from The Knitter Magazine, Issue 44). I do like using the required yarn if possible. I have the chance to buy the yarn online for a 10% discount, but, I'm picky about texture and colours and I don't want to buy yarn I'm possibly going to hate. Yes, it seems like a lot of work for 8 balls of yarn, but that's the way I float.
Unfortunately, right now I'm delaying (it does seem like a lot of work for 8 balls of yarn), but all will be resolved eventually (at least before the end of the month).

Anyway. I'm still without my netbook, though it's hard drive is out and being copied (very slowly) and we'll see what happens - my Dad is under the delusion that the extended warranty is still in effect, even though I told him it wouldn't be, I now just have to persuade him that it will be cost effective to get it fixed (if it can be).
Let's see what happens. . .

Later

I can only post if I can get online . . .

Well, I've been offline for over a month, as my netbook was the victim of a spish of tea (I couldn't have called it a real splash, as there was literally just enough to get over the rim of the cup) and the netbook had not been in it's regular place, but unluckily, resting for a second against the sofa. *sigh*. Well, eventually, my father wanted to be online, so he bought a notebook (Toshiba) I'm using this right now. I'm hoping that my netbook will be fixed soon. I want to be using that, as its keyboard and general size fits me.

So, while I've been offline, I've been knitting and reading. I've done much more reading than knitting, so much so, that I'm 15 books ahead in my reading challenge (I increased the number of books to complete the challenge this year from 84 to 94; I was previously 18 books ahead).

I finished a shawl Coquille, from knitty.com) and something else, but can't remember what it was.

I felted a shawl (Mistake shawl) during laundry (washing, not drying - arrgggh) and need to buy yarn to make another. (10 - 50g balls of chunky weight - I'm not decided on colour or company, and I'll be off to Texere Yarns this friday to check out a few possibilities, if that trip isn't productive, then there's 2 contenders on the Deramores website, and I might get both of them - a dark red of King Cole Merino blend, and a pretty purple of Wendy Merino Chunky. Neither of them are expensive, but I might end up getting the Wendy Purple regardless.).

I'm thinking about starting another shawl, but, I've been looking at the categories for entries for the Ravelry "Olympics" (ravellencs, I think, or something like that) and noticed a UFO category, and I'm seriously looking into entering that. I'm not going to get a medal, but I'd finish something, and that's appealing.

Later.

Doing . . stuff

I've not completed anything craft-wise since the last entry.
I've done a bit of knitting, but to be honest, I've been doing a lot more reading.

I don't feel that guilty. Ok, I feel a bit guilty I've not knitted more, but I'm 2 books ahead on my reading challenge (it's really 5, but three of them haven't yet been entered into the Goodreads library - oh well), and that can't be wrong.

I'm working on a new shawl -Coquille, by M. L. Egan. I'm knitting it in laceweight Zauberball (Lace ball), in a variegated green (summer green on the website). It reminds me of a Tudor corset, which really made it irresistible.

Later. I'm off to read. I did start to read the book that arrived in the post, but I'm also in the middle of a histrical novel, and I'd rather be reading that.

NO, NO, Noooooo........

What is wrong with me? For three years I've not been able to go to any knitting "festivals"/wool events and I was determined to get to one this year.

For me, there's 3 main ones:
Wonderwool, Wales (April)
Woolfest, Cumbria (June)
Knitting and Stitching show, Harrogate (November)
and
other 'minor' ones are:
Fibre-east (July)
Gaelic Wool Festival, Argyll (July)
Knitting and Stitching show, London (October)
Fiber flurry (October)
Masham sheep fair (September)
Knitting and Stitching show, Dublin (November)

I'll get to the Knitting and stitching show in Harrogate - they put on a coach every year. I can do that. . . I hope. . .I forgot about it last year. *sigh*.

anyway

I'm at home, it's the last weekend of April and. . .
I forgot about Wonderwool.
No - I remembered it, but transposed the date with Woolfest. Then I forgot about "that".
*waaahhhh*
(No, I can't go tomorrow, as I've got my cousin's christening to go to. It should be fun. There'll be family there I've not seen in years.)

Nevermind. I'll remember it next year. *crossing everything*

Besides, if I start a "wool fund" for Wonderwool now, I should have a nice little nest-egg for next year. *grin*

Later.

General Update on some projects....

Well, I scanned posts back to January a couple weeks ago, and realised I had forgotten "things".
So here's what I've done (or not done) with some of the knitting and gardening.

Gardening - nothing. My garden lies ignored. I hadn't planned on it, but things happened and I got distracted from the garden. I'm hoping I'll fix it next year. I'm not going to start work on it now because I'd need to start seedlings and it would get too cold for harvest for some of the plants.

Knitting. Ok.
(Jan 2012)
Cable-icious ear-warmer/scarf - I'm knitting erratically on it. It should be finished by now, but it's not. I don't know why as it's a fun knit and completing it would mean I would have finished off the set.

Not-so-Raspberry-as-Cherry Dream Stole - I completed 2 1/2 repeats on it and put it to one side to work on later, but later hasn't arrived yet. Again, I don't know why I'm not working on it. It's fun.

Mochi-Mochi Elephant, Chickens and Hearts - Well, The Elephant is at a fiddly stage. I need to do the legs and tail. I'm not in the mood to mess with them. The Chickens need stuffing (I stuff them as I make them) and with no stuffing, I can't make anymore. I will buy stuffing on Thursday (27th April). The hearts aren't working out. I made 2 sides and they look pathetic. More work needed on them.

Eyelet Gloves - Well, I just got overwhelmed. While the yarn is 4-ply, the needles are tiny and it seems like I knit a million rows and knit an inch of glove (lovely warm fabric, though). I'll work on them eventually. I like them.

Mitered Vest/Jacket - I said I was going to frog and re-start it. I haven't frogged it yet, don't know why.

(Feb 2012)

Indiski Shawl - I'm chugging along. It's a bit better than the gloves. With lace work, the light fingering yarn and small needles don't seem too bad. I feel like I'm making somewhat acceptable progress. I'm still on the first set of borders. I'll be glad when I start work on the second set of borders.

Patchwork Jacket - Well, I'm sewing in an end or two every week. It's heavy and too warm in my lap (for all the lovely soft alpaca yarn) and I'm dreading blocking it. I'll get all finished eventually.

(March/April 2012)

Blue Leaf Shawl - It's just been finished and blocked. I love it. It came out bigger than I expected (I did end up using 5 balls insted of the 4 expected in the pattern), but it's great. All resolved itsself wonderfully, and the beads in the border are perfect.

Reading Shawl #2 - Well, I fixed the hole, but I need to weave ends in and I was wrung out fixing the hole (tiny area, lots of pins to keep loose stitches in place so I knew where to go and multi-strand black yarn - it doesn't seem like a big thing, but it was).

Brea Bag - I've finished knitting the pieces, and skeined the rest of the yarn to finish off and seam the pieces. Dyeing needs to be done next. I've worked out the ratios of dyes I'm using (2 greens and 1 blue from Dylon) as the yarn weight exceeds the amount by weight a single packet of dye will cover. I'm using 66% Green #1, 66% Green #2 and 12.5% Blue.
This bag is part of the Cable Knitting I wanted to start doing more of. I haven't found a pattern for a beret I like enough, and I still need to find the right yarn in order to start the cabled yoke cardigan that I want to make. I'm not having any luck so far.

Kerchief Cowl - Done, blocked and with the rest of my "winter" knits. I'm planning on making a pair of flip-top mittens with the remainder of the yarn. It'll be a nice set. I had thought of a making a hat, but I've more than enough of those.

I've just re-started work on the Mariposa shawl in the last entry, as I wanted something "new" to work on, but didn't want to start a NEW project. Right now I REALLY want to work on old projects. It's not a matter of finishing them, it's more a case of wanting to feel less like being stuck-in-a-rut. Stagnant. So if I'm making progress on them, all is well.

By the way, my "inner knitter" (go read Yarn Harlot's journal entry for April 11th, it's perfect) is all better. She's in the mood to knit now. She's being a pest, in fact, but I'm just managing to ignore her. I have other things I need to do...like...

I had caught up on my reading 3 days ago, but I looked at Goodreads last night and I'm behind again *sigh*. The reading never ends. *dramatic (with hand on forehead) sigh*. Never mind.
I "won" a givaway in Goodreads, and it arrived Friday (20th). I'm now off to start reading it. It looks interesting -in a good way.

Later.

Frustrated, frustrated, frustrated. It happens sometimes...

Well, so far this month, I've not finished a project without incident. I was going to finish off 3 projects that were close to completion (or quickie project) for the month of April and feel smug doing it.

I think it was the smugness that undid the plan....

It's the 3rd week of the month, and I had to re-knit the first project - 98-12 DROPS shawl - (from it being 70% finished) because I didn't have enough yarn and had to order a new batch +2 balls - the new batch was just different enough in tint. . . I added beads to the new knit and then had to frog back 4 rows because I didn't like the way they looked. It still needs blocking as I don't want to deal with it. It'll get done next week.

The second project - Mariposa shawlette - is sitting in a heap, pulled off the needles in mid bind-off row because I didn't have enough yarn to finish it - even with having to miss out the last two rows of the border. After getting over the frustration, I'll re-knit it on smaller needles (3.5mm instead of the 3.75mm I used). I'm a bit miffed at this point....But it sort of helps the project that I'm using Knit Picks/Pro Harmony needles on it and I'm using the 120cm cable on another project so it'll be awhile before that gets started. . . . . . . .
drat.

The 3rd project was a pair of should-have-been-a-quick-knit yoga socks that don't have a heel or toe. I've only done the first sock and I hate it. It's a bit scruffy and the cast on stitches for the leg/ankle section looks like hell and I just don't want to frog it back and re-do it. They're stuffed into a baggie in a bag nearby. I'll might/probably pull them out next month (or I might not - I'm putting all possibilities in here) and do the odious job and finish them off in 2 weeks.

There's nothing else on the needles that are far enough along to finish in the next 2 weeks.

Nevermind. It happens sometimes. I think I'll take a bit of a break from knitting for the rest of the month and catch up on reading for my annual Goodreads challenge as I'm 3 books behind (I should be reading 2 books a week). It'll also probably help my inner knitter as she's sulking in the corner, snacking on chocolate pudding with a shovel.

Later.

Been busy

I didn't mean to miss a post in March.

I've just been busy reading and knitting. I've set myself a challenge for the next 6 months to get as many projects and books finished as I can. I've taken one day off knitting and one day off reading in the last month.

I've only started 2 new patterns in March (a cowl (Kerchief cowl) and a bag (Norah Gaughan's Brea Bag), I've only completed 2 projects (Reading shawl and Kerchief cowl) I "punched" a hole in the reading shawl while washing it before blocking (obviously didn't happen, I just dried it flat). I'm still repairing the hole - I've got it done, but have to sew in the ends - and I'm then planning to get it dry cleaned, then I'll dry block it and spray it 'til it's damp. I really hope all goes well. It's a nice shawl.

The Brea Bag is going relatively quickly considering I hate knitting moss stitch. I've got 1side done, part of the gusset and I'm working on the other side. The yarn I'm using (Drops Lima) is gorgeous. SO soft. I'm hoping it stays soft after it's dyed (I bought off white ayrn and I'm planning to dye it a medium slightly blued green).

As for the rest of the knitting, in April I'm planning to concentrate on finishing a Drops shawl (I call it blue leaf) knitted in Drops Alpaca yarn so I can wear it to a third cousin's christening on the 29th. I'd like to take the bag with me also, as I'm expecting that the knitting will be finished in the next week (or so), but, I need to find large D rings and a strap (I'm NOT knitting a strap as I don't have enough yarn). I don't know quite what I'm looking for, but I'll look around for cheap (leather) handbags and if I see a sutable strap and I'll buy it. I'm also going to line the bag in this lovely cotton with a leaf pattern on it I had planned for a reversable shopping bag. Yum. I can't see all that being finished in April. No way. I'll settle for the shawl being finished - at least that's realistic.
I'm also (still) working on other shawls and sewing in the ends of the Patchwork Jacket. It's long time it was finished. I really think it's more of a case that I'm scared of blocking it. It's a heavy monster and it's not going to get lighter when damp/wet. *sigh*. I'm tempted to get it dry cleaned and block it after I've let it air out for a bit. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. More news on that when it happens.

On that note, I think it's time I quit for the night.

Later.

Changing and changing my mind....then changing it again.

I've spent 3 days (in chunks) putting my ravelry queue back to chronological order.

Luckily, I didn't have to guess at that, since the dates the projects were chosen sit right underneath the project picture. I have NO idea how I'd have chosen to organize them if I hadn't had that. I have put "labels" on them, but since there's multiple ways to organise a list of knitting projects, that would have driven me even more crazy. So I decided on the simplest (and most obvious) method.

I think the basic reason I decided to do this is because after a search through the queue for a project to start, I realised that I hadn't started some of the first projects I'd queued, and furthermore, I didn't remember how many I'd queued from the start of my joining Ravelry (I think in September 2007).

I usually spent hours deciding what the start next. I'd go back and forth from page to page, looking and usually going "hmm. maybe" before going to the next page.
That was futile. It IS futile. I like all of the projects in my queue, whether I decide to knit them or not, there's an aspect of all of them that pleases me.

But.

I have to shrink the knitting queue faster than I have and picking the next in line (unless the yarn I buy, on impulse, screams for a specific project) is the easiest way to do it. My ADD touched brain might not like it, but that's just too bad.

That's it. (I hope).

Later.

A cold is NOT condusive to knitting. . .

Not last time, not this time, not ever.

I'd much rather be curled up in a cosy blanket, with continuous hot tea (herbal or fruit) and lots of sleep.

I caught this throat wheezing beauty from my youngest godson. (many thanks, Darryl.  *humph*).

I'll whine and grumble for a while, I'll take lots of supplements, and I'm planning on a shower tomorrow.

Having grumbled, I must admit that it's getting better in the past day or two - as colds do.

Later. *grumble, cough, wheeze*

(I'm not asthmatic, btw, it's goo.)

More knitting. Hopefully faster.

Well, I've started another shawl, finally. It's one of the primary 16 on my internal set - and my queue on Ravelry.

I'm just happy right now. I have been in a foul mood for a few days and I'm gratefully through the other side. I'm hoping that it's going to last a few days and I can knit in emotive peace.

The shawl is a beautiful Orenberg shawl "Olga's Indiski [Indian] Shawl" designed by Galina Khmeleva (in Piecework magazine May/June 2009) and it's glorious, honestly glorious. I'm using Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace (55/45 merino silk), colourway 501 (cherry). It's a ripe cherry colour, with hints/shadings  of brown and blue that change as the light source changes. At this time, I'm sitting under an energy saver bulb and the colour's a medium/dark blued-pinky-red. Hard to name.

I think, if there's one bad thing I can think of about this shawl, it's that I've got a Kindle, and I want the charts on it.. So, I'm having to type up the charts into text (.txt) files so I can upload them to the Kindle - I don't have a way to transfer them to pdf files. But, luckily for me, the body chart had an error, so Interweave press re-pubished it on their website as a .pdf file, so that was a sanity saver *whew*. I'm only halfway through typing up chart 1 - and that took a day. Eek.

Anyway, I'm going to fix the last row of the edging (I accidentally pulled the needle out), finish up typing chart 1 (and start on chart 2) then I'm back to knitting on the shawl. Yum

I'm itching to knit, and so off I go.

Later.

SOPA shelved

SOPA's been shelved!

I had no idea it was making me so uptight until I read the info via a google search and I jumped up and down with the news. Unlike my impetus before the news, I'm very happy to knit now - and I've a lot of projects to catch up on.

Whew.

I hope SOPA never leaves the shelf, and disintegrates where it is. . .#


Later.

Re-starting a project.

A while ago - a LONG while ago, I started a colourful mitred jacket/vest with removable sleeves. I wanted it a bit big, so I made the squares 18-20 stitches wide and long.

This picture is an early shot of the bottom half of the left front.

At the time I started it, I was on the way to becoming a size 18 (quite happily, as I just wasn't seeing my body change, and had things continued, I might have gotten to a size 22.). Later that year, I walked in front of an office building, caught sight of my winter glory in the mirrored windows and noticed I looked  like a weeble. It was quite the eye opener.
I've lost weight and inches since then and am at a size 14 (average). I'm hoping that eventually I'll (slowly) get down to a size 12 - I'm really not one for exercising like a fiend or starvation dieting (I'm using a mixture of exercising 3 times a week and removing 95% of all dairy products (I'm now lactose intolerant) and it helps that I'm a pescetarian.
Since I'm 47 now, and only 5'4", I'm most focussed on reducing my waist measurements (more a ratio of waist measurement/height - I forget the exact ratio) in order to prevent me becoming (at all) insulin dependant or glucose intolerant. I'm determined NOT to become dependent on a regiment of pills to control blood pressure/cholesterol/glucose (I'm fine, and healthy, but I worry).

Anyway, all of this means that the mitered jacket I started is now big on me. I'm going to have to rip out all the knitting and re-knit the squares in a different size. It helps that I found a free pattern on Ravelry (Freyalyn's Modular Vest) with a different style of mitred square and I'm going to use it instead. The new squares are actually about half the size (I think) of the original ones and I like the orientation of them better than the ones I originally made. I don't know at this point how I'll design/engineer the sleeves - again, removable - but it'll happen one way or another.

So.

I'm off to frog a vest. I'm a bit sad and frustrated, but I'm not going to work on it as it is. So frogged it will be. The "yarn" deserves to be something nice/pretty.

Later.

A small change in Focus

  I'm still knitting. I think I'll always knit from this point on - not necessarily every day, but as often as my psyche is comfortable with. If it wants to take a break, that's fine too, as there's more than enough knitting to sew up when I don't want to knit. . .

  Anyway - the change in focus. I'm primarily a lace knitter and love, love, Love lace, but, I'm finding the beauty and delight in cables. Soft, squishy, textural cables. I want to knit more cables.

 I'm looking for patterns with cables. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to do a full cabled garment, but a persistant pattern is lovely. I'm delighted with the 6-piece plated cable accessory set I'm almost (about 2 weeks to finish the last piece, a gartered scarf) done with.
I'll be sad when it's finished. I've already been thinking about the next cabled piece I want to do, and at this point, I'm pretty sure there's going to be 2 - 3 of them - definitely a beret (piece 1) and a wrap/shawl with either a cabled edging or central panel (piece 2). I know for a fact I'll end up giving the beret away, but I want to knit one and why not one with cables. The developing pattern will be fun. (Yes, I said fun.).

Even as I'm typing this, I'm also thinking about knitting Eunny Jang's cabled yoke cardigan (I'm pretty sure it's in an issue of Interweave Knits). I've had it in my queue for what seems like ages, and I think that this is the year (not sure when, as is usual for me) I'll be starting it (- there's piece number 3) Whee!

One of the other "big" garments I'm planning on knitting and will definitely buy is a pattern for a moss stitch coat from Vogue Knitting (I'm pretty sue I've mentioned it in the past, but like the cardigan, I can't remember the issue or even the designer). As far as I know, it's for sale on their website, and they had it last month on sale, but I just didn't have the opportunity to get it (no credit card). I'll have it bought for me as I'll send the money for it with my Father when he goes on his yearly trip. Hooray!

Anyway, I'm off, as I'm in the process (slowly) of knitting a pair of toe-up sock-lets (no toes or heels) for yoga. I'm tired of my feet cramping because of the cold. I'll probably have them finished by spring *grin*.

Later.

Old Year, New Year.

Well, here's the overview of the knitting of 2011. It's what I've been working on the most. I've got old projects that haven't been finished, and I'm planning on getting a couple of those done this year, but here's what has been accomplished:

Projects completed in 2011:

Felted Slippers (DROPS Design)

Bamboo Circular Vest (Shelly Mackie/Elann.com)(needs to be adjusted, but it's wearable)

Wisp #1 (Cheryl Niamath/Knitty.com)

Cabled Kindle Cover (adapted from pattern by Emily Nimz)

Summer Shawlette (Wendy Knits/Ravelry knit-along)

Seafoam Shawl (Sarah Barbour)

Growing Leaves Shawl #2 (Lankakomero)

Iris Shawl (Krazee Kitty/Ravelry knit-along)

22 (BIG) Leaves Shawl (Lankakomero)(knitted with aran yarn)

Bamboo Dishcloth (own pattern)

North Roe Shawl (Aux Dentilles Dodile)

Nightsong (for the Day) Shawl (Nightsongs)

Thrummed Mittens (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee)

Amurigumi Cephalopod (own pattern, based on Tiny Mermaid pattern from Teeny-Tiny Mochi-Mochi Book)

Braidy Cowl (Maryse Roudier)

Braided Mitts (Tera Johnson)


Almost Finished in 2011:

Hooded Snow Scarf (Nikki McGonigal) (I decided at the last minute to make the hood detachable. it's been knitted and blocked. Buttons and loops need sewing on)

Clapotis #2 (ends -LOTS of ends- need sewing in) knitting finished 29 Dec. 2011 (started June 2007)

All Over Cables Hat (Lindsay Koehler) (just needs crochet edging)


Projects Started in 2011:

Cable-icious Ear Warmer (Scarf) (Kate Black)

Raspberry Dream Stole (Dagmara)

Mochi Mochi Tiny Elephant (Anna Hrachovec) (Tiny Chicken and Tiny Elephant from Teeny-Tiny Mochi-Mochi Book)

Mochi Mochi Tiny Chicken (a flock has been started) (Anna Hrachovec)

Eyelet Gloves (Cara Jo Miller)

Reading Shawl #2 (Danielle Landes)

Mariposa Shawlette (Dutch Knitting Design/The Knitter Magazine)

Moonlight Sonata Shawl (Shui Kuen Kozinski/Elann.com)

Growing Leaves Shawl #1 (Lankakomero)

Mermaid Jacket (Hanne Falkenberg kit, colourway #7)

Classic White Shirt (Sian Brown/Knitting Magazine)


Knitting Planned in 2012:

Shawls, a sweater, some baby clothes.