Bamboozle Tank Top

I'm seriously starting to worry that I don't have enough yarn as I'm getting ready to switch from in the round to the back and forth bit at the top to make the arm decreases. I'm also starting to wonder if it was wise to think that I was smarter than the pattern by knitting it in the round instead of following the directions.

What's the worst that will happen? I'll run out of yarn and the pattern will laugh at me. And then I will rip the tank top out, pick out a new pattern while laughing back at the original pattern.

Have an urge to start a new lace project even though I have one in a project bag that really needs to get completed and a pair of felted clogs that I promised my husband I would make for him.

Socketta Socks

Socketta Socks
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Finished my second pair of socks for the month! I *really* liked this yarn, it's got a great feel, lots of stretch and I hope it wears really well.

Size: Women's Small
Needle size used: US 1 Addi Turbo
Yarn: Socketta Cotton Blend Socj Yarn
Method: Toe-Up, Magic Loop, Two at Once
Who the socks are for: ME!
Date finished: Sunday, May 28, 2007

Playing with Alpacas Again...

Oh my gods, I can't believe I haven't posted yet about the excitement of this past weekend -- we went to a friend's alpaca farm to watch the shearing! It got even more exciting when Dirk was asked to help wrangle the alpacas down to the barn floor -- the big males can be really ornery and can spit pretty nasty stuff. Anyway, it was very cool to see the process.

I just started a new project! What? Of course it's a pair of socks. I *love* the Socketta cotton blend yarn and requested that it be stocked at YarnArts. Photos to come later today. I'm still working away on the Bamboozle tank top, another yarn I LOVE. It drapes very nicely, works up evenly and the stockinette edge isn't rolling! I also need to share a photo of the lace wrap made with Ironstone Yarns "Pizzaz". It's a gorgeous novelty blend yarn that has been enticing me at the shop for the last two years, but at $37/skein I needed to find a good one skein project for it.

My father-in-law got his socks and they fit perfectly (whew). I was so scared about making socks without being able to measure the recipient's foot first, but all was well in the end.

I'm gathering together the items for my final Secret Pal 10 swap package. I can now see why people can get addicted to these swaps -- I love to give gifts and coming up with different fun stuff to include in them!

Well, I have a meeting in about 30 minutes, so I'm off for a fun and exciting day!

Knitting Meme

So how does your own list look? If you post this on your blog, put a note in the comments here letting me know to take a look!

THE RULES

• Bold for stuff you’ve done
• Italics for stuff you plan to do one day
• Normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing

THE LIST

Afghan/blanket (baby)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Hat
Moebius band knitting
Sweater
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip-stitch patterns
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with circular needles
Cable-stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Scarf
American/English knitting
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday-related knitting
Knitting with cotton
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Swatching
Long-tail CO
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegated yarn
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Intarsia
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Knitting a gift
Knitting in public
Teaching a woman to knit
Knitting with metal wire
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Knitting with silk
Participating in a KAL
Drop-stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted-stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two-end knitting
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Publishing a knitting book
Teaching a child to knit
Knitting to make money
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Teaching a man to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting with beads
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Stuffed toys
Darning
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Pillows
Rug
Thrummed knitting
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on or to be left on the street)
Olympic knitting
Knitting smocking
Knitting art
Machine knitting
Knitting on a loom
Hair accessories

Knitting Stash May 07

Knitting Stash May 07
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here's a photo of my knitting stash storage at the house.

The black trunk was my husband's grandfather's and is stuffed to the brim with yarn. The basket of books on top is all that is keeping the lid from flying open. :)

The big blue bag is my spinning wheel folded up and in it's padded bag.

Who's Secret Pal 10 rocks?

Mine!

I got a wonderful box today with a cheery pink wrapped package -- and what is even funnier is that these are the same colors of tissue paper that I used for my secret pal packages!

The pink package was soft and squishy, it smelled nice and crinkled a little when I squeezed it.

There was even a little card with a sweet sheep on the envelope!

So, do you want to know what was in it?

* 2 skeins of "grape" handspun, hand dyed yarn. I'm already thinking about what a great thick scarf it would make, I'm imagining it with Aran type cables...

* Vanilla "Lip Blam!" With the dry Colorado air, this was a wonderful surprise. I use a lot of lip balm and this one smells really good. I have it on right now!

* A bag of heathered red roving. :) I'm digging right into that tomorrow!



Thank you, SP10!! I love everything!

What's New with Me!

I couldn't live with the jacked-up handles versus bottom on Cotton String Bag #2, so I carefully undid the 3 needle bind-off, changed the bottom to a round bottom with smaller needles so that it is more solid. We tried it out a the farmer's market on Sunday morning and it did a fantastic job of holding 1 lb of pasta and a green chile breakfast burrito. :)

The yarn is Butterfly Cotton and it took one ball plus a bit from a second ball. I did like the heaviness of the Fantasy Naturale of the first bag better, but this was easier to knit with.

I also started a tank top with a center front cable in Crystal Palace Bamboozle in the Strawberry-Lime color.

And because I knit like I cook, patterns are occasionally just "suggestions" - so I am knitting this in the round instead of flat front/back pieces. Why seam if you don't have to? I love this yarn, the color is divine, I love that the stockinette edge at the bottom *doesn't* roll and the drape is fantastic!

I just hope that I have enough yarn and that the damn thing fits me well. I'm thinking it might be wise to pop in another long cable onto my Denise needles so that I can see how it really fits around my torso before I get too far into the body.

Finally, I have my first iris bloom of the season!

Herb Garden and screwing up knitting

My herb garden is starting to fill in after a long cold winter!

The soapwort has engulfed it's corner of the garden and is almost as tall as the whiskey barrel pond already in some spots! The skullcap is poking up between the irises and has invaded other parts of the garden where it *knows* it doesn't belong -- the thyme plants hate being crowded by it! The enchincea's spiky leaves are up, valerian is thick and bushy and the rue looks to have tripled in size from last year.

As always the chocolate mint is taking up more room that it was originally allotted, the elfin thyme is getting greener and greener on it's rambling path across the rock wall and the St John's Wort is hiding in the daylilies.

I'm hoping that the tri-colored sage is able to recover from a horrible accident involving my husband and the lawn mower last season and that the lavender continues to fill in the open spot at the end of the driveway.

I finished cotton string bag #2 last night. However, I was paying 0% attention and started the three needle bind off on the bottom about 1/4 of the stitches before I should have. So, the handles go this way, while the bottom of the bag lays flat that way. (laugh). I'm going to have to live with it because I'm not certain I can undo the bind-off, pick up the correct stitches and correct it without making it worse.

Father-in-Law Socks

Father-in-Law Socks
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Size: Men's Medium
Needle size used: US 1 Addi Turbo
Yarn: Brown Sheep Wildfoote in "Tom Cat" color
Method: Toe-Up, Magic Loop, Two at Once
Who the socks are for: My father-in-law
Date finished: Sunday, May 6, 2007

I *HAVE* to get some sock blockers. I hate that my socks look all weird when they are unblocked.

My Favorite Spring Flower

I got an email this morning from the organizer of the Secret Pal 10 Swap asking about our favorite flowers, so I grabbed the camera to take a photo of some of my favorite flowers - TULIPS!

We've got a selection of pink and pink/white ruffled tulips blooming in the front yard right now. They make me smile everytime I see them! The pink ones in this photo are growing in the patch of chocolate mint. :)

I also found out this week about a Knitter's Coffee Swap, but I missed the deadline to join so I have to remember to check on that again at a later date for a different one!

Did you feel the earth stop spinning?

Last week I was couch bound by some wicked upper respiratory crud that still has me a bit winded. The crud was so bad I couldn't even knit.

Yesterday, however, I did take my friend Kati's "Cotton String Bag" class and get started on the bag with some varigated cotton from my stash. I got the handles done, the edging done, started the bag itself and then prompted screwed up the bag's body pattern requiring me to rip back to the edging. The cotton yarn is extremely difficult to knit with and I feel like I'm wrestling with it. However, I will love the completed bag and will enjoy taking it to the farmer's market with me.

Father-in-Law Socks...

I've turned the heel on the socks for my father-in-law but now am a little concerned that they aren't the right size. I used the charts in Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks as a guideline, but I think I started turning the heel too early. I think I'll head to the yarn shop either today or tomorrow to find someone with a women's size 9 foot to try them on. Yes, I happen to know my father-in-law wears a woman's size 9 shoe...(snort)

Nothing else new on the needles, but I did teach a private beginning knit lesson yesterday afternoon and enjoyed it very much.

Father's Day Socks for John

Father's Day Socks for John
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

Here's the start of the socks for the yarn that my father-in-law picked out last weekend. I'm a little nervous about fit because I can't have him try them on like I do with Dirk or myself. The only other person I've made a pair of socks for outside of Dirk and me is my mom -- but she has the same size foot as me so I tried them on as I went.

I'm using the sizing charts from Sensational Knitted Socks and am going to find someone at the knit shop with similar sized feet to try them on before I get too far. Though if they turn out to be too big, they will fit Dirk so not all will be lost.

These are also the first socks of mine that can count towards the 5280 project. (See blog button at the side for more information about this project!)

PS These are plain vanilla K2, P2 ribbing. I wasn't feeling inspired.

Friday Night Sit 'n Knit

I love to go to YarnArts on Friday nights. This Friday we had a special guest stop by....my husband and his father. I really thought Dirk was kidding when he said "maybe I'll bring dad by the shop..." as I couldn't imagine anything more boring to my father-in-law! However, I forgot that he does enjoy pretty women and there is no shortage of them at Sit 'n Knit!

They stayed for less than 20 minutes, however both men did pick out sock yarn and put in a request for socks. They even picked the same yarn -- Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn in the 'Tom Cat' colorway. :) I cast on the first pair last night and will need to decide what foot/leg patterning I want to use once I get the toe increases done.

Tomorrow night I have another 'Toe-Up Sock' class that I'm teaching. I love to teach these classes! If you are in the Denver area, the class is from 5 to 7 PM and is $20.00 at YarnArts of Parker and I've got room for a few more students!

FO: Wool Peddler's Shawl

It's DONE!

And the photo is pretty crappy....and it still needs to be blocked. Once I sorted out where the markers go along with how and when to move them, the pattern was really easy. The only difference I'm noticing in mine is that I didn't do any "partial" repeats of the pattern in the middle, so I've got some stockinette stitch were on the cover of the Folk Shawl's book, there is lace. However, I love it!

Knitting Update

I'm on the second to last lace pattern repeat on my Wool Peddler's Shawl. Goal is to try to have it completed by this weekend so that I can wear it during the impending snow storm I've heard is heading our way.

I turned the heel on my cute little lace socks and now it's dreadfully boring knitting round and round and round up the cuffs. This is why my socks always wind up as ankle socks... However, I'm determined to make these really tall. I also am dying to cast on with the Sockatta gift yarn that I got recently, so I have to either finish the lace socks or buy another Addi Turbo 40" in US 1. However, I don't think the husband will see the merit in purchasing a new needle because I'm bored with the project currently on the needles...

Let's see what else is new....erhm...nothing much. Well, if I want that shawl done I think I better go get knittin' on it!

Great Adirondack Yarn.....

...sigh.... Yarn Arts just got in some of the most beautiful yarns!

They are G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!!!

Neck Down Sweater -- 100% Complete

The final decision on the length was determined by the tiny bit of yarn left over after I finished the neck -- which was very little. Because I don't want to use a whole 'nother skein of handpainted yarn at $24.95 for just another 1-2 inches in length, I'm going to leave it as is. *unless of course I change my mind again -- laugh*

Oh, the photos? Of course! Here's the finished product and a shot of the *beautiful* neckline with the correct decreases:

Sockotta Sock Yarn

Socketta Sock Yarn
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

A very dear friend gave me a surprise gift today -- Sockotta sock yarn! YIPPPPPPEEEEE! I've heard fabulous things about this yarn and I'm excited to give it a whirl. I love that it's a cotton/wool/nylon blend because it will make great summer socks! And my first pair towards the DenverKnits 5280 sock challenge. However, I must first
finish the lace socks currently on my favorite sock needle.

[Note: Rumor has it that this yarn may be coming to my LYS soon.]

I'm 3/4 of the way through the first lace repeat in my Wool Peddler's shawl, it's going very well -- FINALLY. I had a *very* rocky start on the lace which had me on the verge of tears and ready to throw the whole thing in the trash. I actually yelled at the cat for purring too loudly while I was trying to decipher the pattern. (snort) The pattern wasn't written clearly to me about where the markers go and when you increase stitches INSIDE of them. Then I found an extremely helpful worksheet online where someone had written out how many stitches were between which markers on which rows and now it's perfectly clear to me!!

Sweater Update: I picked up the stitches for the neck ribbing last night. Got it all done, looked at it and noticed that it was very apparent this was my first go -- the decreases were will-nilly, some were backwards -- all and all it looked like utter shit. I pulled them out, got some good advice a YarnArts and a fellow knitters blog. I'm now confident the neck will be completed tonight and I will be happy with the results.

Secret Pal 10 Gift

Secret Pal 10 Gift
Originally uploaded by BoxerPixie.

How lucky am I? Look at the goodies I got in the mail yesterday from my Secret Pal!!

Chocolate, yummy smelling soap, a cute notepad and a delicious hank of hand dyed fingering weight yarn!

I love the colors on the yarn and I'm picturing it as a little lacy wrap/scarf!

You can see the edge of the box that everything came in and it's so pretty I don't want to throw it away. I told my secret pal that I was going to send it to my assigned secret pal with a note telling her where I got and suggesting she use it to send her package to HER secret pal with a note asking her to send it on and so on and so on...