A Sad Day on Sesame Street

Remember, way back in the beginning of this boring little blog, I posted this picture of my alpaca sweater? The yarn was a Christmas gift a couple of years ago from my sister in law. I was ever so excited when I received this yarn and the yarn my Ivy UFO is being knit with. Anyway I knit up this little shell, and even got to wear it several times.

Well, this summer, right after I had that little dizzy spell, and while my head was still spinning, so to speak, I attempted to do the laundry- I'll bet you can guess where this is going, (yes I know...fool). Well we all know this little piece needs to be washed by hand, and I preform this chore most lovingly. So can you imagine my surprise when I found it in the washing machine with my uniforms!?!?! Those scratchy uniforms that I wash on the heavy duty cycle with lots of fabric softener!

Yup you guessed it...it felted! If I had been feeling better I think I would have cried. I stared for several minutes, turning it over and over in my hands.

Trying to determine if it could be salvaged or not. Then uttered a defeated "Oh Boy", shook my head and made my way back up the stairs to announce to everyone in the room what a complete moron I had just been.

About a week later- still not feeling up to par, and still feeling sorry formyself, I lay in my recliner making my daughter wait on me... I told her to go get the sweater.

First I tried it on the baby.

(pardon the grainy camera phone photos)

Then I tried it on the other baby.

Then both the babies had a good laugh! I failed to see the humour, if my daughter would just learn how to knit, she could have appreciated all the hard work that went in to it. Alright, so it wasn't that difficult, but she doesn't need to know that.
If the other baby would just finish that damn bean bag, she too might have been a little more sympathetic.

I mean really! They didn't have to laugh so loud, did they?

Basa unlettered

I finished Basa last night when I got home from work I only had the five border rows to do so it went fairly fast. For some reason this square wants to be bigger than the rest, go figure - same amount of stitches, same needles, same yarn. I am hoping it blocks out the same or it will have to be a do-over.

"Basa"

pattern stitch - basket weave

My fingers are getting anxious to begin stitching the names on each block, but I am going to knit the last block first before I start any lettering. I haven't yet picked out the pattern stitch for Carbon Copy yet. I am trying to decide how best to show off the black yarn. I am thinking my late October deadline will be a piece of cake!

Best viewed in low lighting

...Or chocolate sock! As the title states, this one is best viewed in low lighting, that way you don't notice the toe is not quite right. Ever get your ssk's and you k2tog's reversed? Yup that is what happened here! Of course once I noticed it, I was so close to the finish line that I did not have the heart to frog. Besides, socks should be comfortable - right? Who is really going to see that toe anyway since it will be hidden by my shoe. Then there is that pesky grafting business...I just can't seem to wrap my head around that one. Each time I do the kitchener stitch I find I have to refer to a how to. (no shame in that I guess)

I did wiggle a bit when I took this picture (balancing on one foot with the other on a rocker-quite a feat) so it is a tad blurry. I completed this one while watching Premonition tonite. Freaky movie! I was going to work on the Basa square but I was afraid I would end up frogging that one since I had to watch the movie with a box of tissues. I am a sap, I know, and I get ribbed for it every time.

I haven't yet woven in the ends so I may have a change of heart and rip tomorrow. We'll see.

Now that I have one off the needles I no longer have to split my interest and can get back to completing the Alpaca Project. Socky # 2 can wait.

Off topic- yesterday was mall day with Raine we managed to walk the mall twice (it's a hike). She is such a little trouper she did not even complain until I mentioned we had been walking for four hours. At which point she promply sat down on a bench and announce she was tired, the little stinker, and I was the one carrying the bags. Today we went to see Finding Nemo on Ice. Absolutely adorable show. I think the I enjoyed it as much as she did.

Waste of a day

Some progress was made on both pieces yesterday. Today however was a bust all the way around! My daughter Sarah came over and we were supposed to go to the mall together but we did not get very far in it.
I got real tired right away and had to go home. We were also supposed to go over to a friends to see her new house, but that too had to be put off. It is tuff to be mortal sometimes. The rest of my day and evening was spent sleeping. WHAT A WASTE OF A DAY OFF. I mean, what the hell... I am only 941 years old!!! I should be able to walk through a freakin' mall for pete's sake. (Sorry for the rant- it is frustrating to have to take a 10 hour nap)

Anyway- yesterday was productive, I got quite abit finished on both pieces, well- mostly on Basa. My daughter loved it! I laid out several squares for her to admire and she oo'd and ah'd in all the right places. (This would be my artistic child that refuses to acknowledge her inherent crafy gene and learn how to knit) I have a busy weekend filled with my little Raine so mortality better not interfere! I don't expect to get much knitting done.


This is Raine's knitting project. I started teaching her to knit at 5 (she is 7 now). This is all the further we have got. I don't get to see her much and since her mother won't knit, her knitting stays at my house, when she comes over and we have time, we pull out her knitting- she knits a few stitches then she is off. (she is a busy person you know). Then we put it away for next time. She tells me she is ready to take it home with her but I am not so sure. She makes very nice stitches and it amazes me that she remembers from lesson to lesson (since we clearly do not knit for any length of time here) and it will eventually be a bean bag.
Maybe this picture will spark a stronger interest and we can finish the bag.

On a side note- I just ran across this article about a Stitch n Bitch group in Chicago that was ran in the Tribune (2001) http://www.stitchnbitch.org/ enjoy the article.

My Stash Runneth Over

Ok, What is it with yarn that leads to compulsive shopping? Is it the softness, the color, the textures, or perhaps it is the endless possibilities. I attended Stitches Midwest in Rosemont this August. Waited for an entire year with bated breath. Having attended last year for the first time, I felt like I had discovered a gold mine! In fibers of course...so I naturally loaded up on wool and cotton, bought an autograph copy of Knitting Nell. Bought some books and more yarn of course. I felt like I was in heaven.

Here, where I live, there are no LYS's. We have Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Michael's...woo. woo. We all know what kind of yarn can be purchased there. So for obvious reasons, most of my shopping is done via Internet.

So as I said, I attended again in August. And yet again I bought an obscene amount of yarn. This time mostly exotic sock yarn. Played with some needle felting and dying yarn (very cool). Bought myself some Addi needles (also not available in this area) and this Louet drop spindle kit, which I might add that I seem to fairly suck at.

So here I sit with most of last year's purchases, this year's purchases, as well as every other orphan ball of yarn from any project I over purchased for. Yarn that was bought because it was pretty, even tho there was no pattern in mind. Yarn that has been frogged for re-use.

I feel some serious organization is needed here, along with a solid plan for utilization. I am leaning towards some frenzied charity knitting for this year. I think I can just knit from my stash for- oh a good year or so. I will work on that!!!

Not so lucky Vegas Socks

Having Mentioned my Not-so-lucky Vegas socks, I thought it prudent that I picture them here.

I should mention that I worked at a break neck speed to get them finished prior to our trip this past April...why I am not sure, since I was not able to retire after that trip!

But, in any case, they make my feet look darn cute!

If you look closely- you can see the subtle bead work around the cuff. This was my first attempt at combining yarn and beads and I actually crocheted the beads in a picot edging after the socks were knitted.

About Socks- any sock knitter can probably tell you- they are an absolute addiction! It takes no time at all to memorize a pattern. I personally like mine with plain stockinette against my feet, so they knit up pretty quick. Socks are instant gratification and are just about my favorite form of zombie knitting. hardly any counting is necessary and I can sit infront of the TV with Doctor Who and sock knit away!
And if you decide to knit a pair in a complicated pattern- well there is no huge commitment along with that challenge. And my favorite part of the sock...TURNING THE HEEL! It is like magic to watch it take shape! I think that I subconsciously make all of mine short cuffed so I can get to the heel quicker. Ok- so I am kind of a freak...But I am ok with that.

Having this type of obsession leads to an over abundance of sock yarn, which I decided must be used post haste. Hence, this being my latest pair of zombie knitting! Isn't it beautiful???

I paused work briefly on the Alpaca Project to whip up this lovely bit of Lorna's Laces because I am pretty sure my feet needed them, and well I needed to give my mind a little break. But then having talked to Alpaca Barb, I have since discovered that her Alpaca show is at the end of October and it would be nice for her to have her wall hanging on display there where her animals are being shown.

With only two more squares to knit, I decided to set aside my obsession and kick it into high gear and finish those squares. (Still only an idea in my mind as to how I will letter the animals names on them)

Still- it should be completely do-able, and I work pretty well under pressure.

You can see the color of Basa better in this picture. And the difference between the sock yarn and the alpaca. it always amazes me when I look at them that there is not one skein that has dye in it. You can see to that I actually did some work on it last night ;)

Feather and Fan

And prior to all of that and inbetween and all around... I managed to get my Feather and Fan Shawl completed.

(TG-I have it ready now for the cold ass house I live in)

and then there was the pair of (not-so) lucky Vegas socks. They turned out cute even if I did not win in Vegas.

Ha!! And you thought all I knew how to make was scarves... Oh yeah, I made a few of those too.

The Alpaca project

Each panel has a section across the bottom done in stockinette stitch where I will stitch the name of each animal.
(stitch pattern name to be posted below each square)

"Meringue"

stitch pattern- garter-stitch step

You can see that the pictures really do not do the fibers justice. These two squares are not as close in color as they appear here.

" Patriot"

stitch pattern- stockinette triangles

"Starlyn"

stitch pattern- double moss

(keep in mind please that none of these have been washed or blocked yet.)

and this one is from "Sweet Time"

stitch pattern- bramble

Still on the needles is "Basa", again, no justice in the photo! This yarn is a beautiful rich dark brown that is so pleasing to the eye. My absolute favorite! Next to it is "Carbon Copy" which is actually black.

Alpaca Heaven

Seriously... I told you I had been busy!

In between working a bizillion hours of overtime, some extreme dizziness to boot, I have also managed to squeeze in some important knitting time.

Six bags full of natural alpaca yarn from BarmiksHummers

What could be better than that?!?!

Barb has a total of (lucky) 13 Alpacas now I think and this yarn came from the first 6 of them. First time it has ever been spun!

Each bag contains undyed natural yarn from each animal. Each skein (having been wound first) is being knit into a 14 ish inch square, a different pattern for each square, and will be sewn together to form a wall hanging that Barb will be able to display. I plan to stitch each animals name on the squares (accordingly).

Stale?

Well I can see that it looks like I haven't done a damn thing in a while. Truth is I have been busy... and yes I have been knitting several special projects, and even finished some of them (no- not Ivy...it seems we are at an impasse with that one, being more than just part tarded and not comprehending the instructions for the front.)
Picture will follow...I promise.