As a lovely British man I know would say.

I have finally gotten my blog to the place I have wanted it to be.  All the grunt work done, so I can just post away.  I am looking forward to getting moving on this a little more.  More than anything else this is the way I am going to document my projects, since writing them down in a notebook works really…well, not well at all.  Besides, notebooks get lost.  And the search function on them isn’t quite what wordpress provides.

I am working in my head (that scary, scary place) on doing a Friday Favorites that will showcase anything I have seen during the week that I think is fabulous and should be shared.  Should anyone happen to read this and have some ideas for this coming Friday’s Favorites posting, please, do let me know!

I know this blog gets little to no traffic, and I would like that to change just a little bit.  I don’t want hundreds of readers, but a couple here and there that remember to stop by once a week or something…I’d be a happy camper with that.

Ciao!

I love Ravelry.  Every week I go in and check out the new patterns that were just added to the pattern directory.  There are so many amazing patterns and designers out there.

These are my favorites:

Chevron Scarf Pattern – This is a variation of a pretty common pattern, but I am REALLY digging the colors she used.  I was actually thinking of a more narrow one using some royal blue, lime green, black, and white LB Microspun that I have hanging out in my stash.  A nice year-round scarf.

Golden Rose Sundress – I would love to buy this pattern when I have a little bit of extra moolah.  I don’t really have any little girls to knit for right now, but it is SO cute.  I could see it in a pretty light blue, adding a little pocket on the left front with a little darker blue star double-knitted on it.  Super cute!

Running with Scissors Socks – Um.  HOLY CRAP.  How talented is Phyll Lagerman?   Here is a close-up of the scissor cable.  I adore this pattern.  Once I delve a little deeper into the joys of sock knitting, I am going to make these for my mom.  WOWSA!  She is working on trying to get the pattern up on Ravelry, and wants to start blogging.  For now all we have is pictures to drool over.

Many, many pretty blocks. These are washcloths, but this is really an inspiration to get moving on mom and dad’s anniversary afghan that I wanted to make for them.  I have a book that I bought to assist me.  Between that book and this sites tons of patterns, I have no reason not to make a gorgeous afghan for my folks!

Bekah Knits has designed THE cutest baby sock/shoe combos EVAR!  I can’t believe how darling and perfect these are.  I definitely, as soon as I know someone who decides to breed, am going to make me some of these.  Agh, the cuteness is killing me.

Never have snails and slugs looked so freakin cute.  I have a friend who I jokingly refer to her cubicle at work a nursery because of all of the plants.  I am thinking of knitting her some of these and just randomly putting them in her plants to see how long it takes her to notice them.  She’d get a kick out of that.

And last but not least, showing that awesome things can come in small packages, this little leaf sachet.  How cute is that?  I would love to make my mom a lavender-colored set with lavender in them.  This little guy was beautifully done.   The link is a PDF, so you have been warned.

Oh, and there is one more.  Rather a collection of them.  The new issue of Knitty is just out, and wowee.  They really did great this time.  There are just a couple things I’m NOT a huge fan of.  Usually it’s the other way around.  Nothing at all against Knitty, I think it’s faboo…just personal preference.

Right now I am working on the Frock Camisole from the latest Interweave Knits.  I am using Twize in Twed, a 100% bamboo yarn that is so soft and lovely.  And it’s red and pink, of course, making me step out of my happy neutral and blue/green comfort zone, thanks to Project Spectrum.  Pictures coming soon.

It is so hard to blog, for me.  I have notes and pictures and things I want to blog, and feel extremely satisfied that I am getting information out there, more for my reference than anything, but I like that I have a web presence.

But, to actually sit down and type out an entry?  Seems like it happens once in a blue moon.

I was at Jimmy Beans Wool last week.  Dannette is the lovely gal that helped me out, and boy did she help me.  I think she has enabled me to become obsessed about Lorna’s Laces the way she is!  I hope she posts in Ravelry her finished sock that she talked to me about that she is doing in the Ember colorway.  That yarn was so pretty and I really will want to get my hands on some of that pretty soon.

Right now I am trying to finish up mom’s ankle socks.  Meanwhile. I started 3 new FO’s this week.  I cast on for Rusted Root, a pair of socks for Johnathan, and the Cabled Newsboy Cap from Stitch N Bitch Nation.  The cap is almost done.  I just have to work on the decreases and the brim.  The socks just got cast on yesterday and I am half-way done with the first sock.  I got about 15 rows of Rusted Root done, and I think I am going to have to rip the entire thing.  It is probably better that way, though, because I should be working on Granite, I am really trying to embrace the Project Spectrum mindset.  The cable cap is red, Granite will be red – I have a sweater vest for my poor kiddo that is almost done that is orange and red.  Ahem, perfect time to get that done, Jaimie-girl!  I have several other projects that I would like to work on in the next month.

Man is Project Spectrum AMAZING.  I can’t believe how inspiring it has been to me.  I just wish I could call in sick for a week and stay home KNITTING.  Love love love this idea, and I am thankful that I am able to be a part of it.

Pictures to come soon.  Of all of it.

Thanks to the And She Knits, Too! blog, I was introduced to the eye candy also known as Granite. I WANT THIS, I NEED TO HAVE THIS. I am so freakin poor right now though, I am going to probably do this in a cotton blend that I can wear into spring and early summer. I love, love, love this.

Isn’t it beautiful? I liked a lot of the other designs in this issue of Rowan too, more on that once I actually get the book. I can’t figure out what color I want to do it in, though. I am thinking something that I can wear with brown and black. Maybe a red? Terra Cotta? Maybe something more subdued like a medium gray. I can’t decide. I’ll look at my options and figure it out. I think this is a cute little knit that can be as sexy or understated as you want it to be, depending on what you where underneath it. LOVE! (and damn you, bloggers that enable me!)

Well, I have been a horrid blogger.  Between divorce/child custody crap, work (inventory, audit, AND new system implementation all at the same time?  COME ON NOW!), and some other miscellaneous personal stuff, my life has been kicking my ass!  I have, of course, received all of my Christmas knitting yarn.  I have also been doing some birthday knitting.  I did join the Holiday KAL-CAL because I figured, why not!  Marly tempts me every one of her episodes to join, so I have to give into the temptation.  Especially since I’ve been busting my arse to get my Christmas knitting done!

So, where am I with the Christmas knitting?  I have completed one of dad’s fingerless gloves, and the matching beanie.  I have cast on for brother’s beanie with a brim and mom’s lace scarf.  I have completed 5 of the ballband dishcloths, and I knitted the Banana Republic knock-off for my mom.  I seriously modified the pattern for this though, because when I cast on and knit the first 6 or so rows, I tried it on and my noggin felt like it was in a vice grip!  So I recast on what I calculated would fit my head, and just knit til I thought I should start decreasing.  I was doing decreasing every 10 stitches on a 130-stitch hat, and it was just a little too short on mom for my tastes.  She thought it was fine, but I really don’t feel comfortable giving anyone something that I’m not completely happy with.  So I ripped back to right before the decreases, and am going to do an every 5 stitch decrease to make the top not so squared and to fit her head just a little bit better.  She also went with me to pick out the button to use on the little button flap.  Can’t wait to see it all done up!

I am at work posting right now, but when I get home (if I can get my wretched camera working!) I will take and post some pics.

Seriously, right now, knitting, reading, and my kiddo are the ONLY things keeping me sane.  Knitting, mainly, because sometimes the kiddo makes me insane too! lol  It calms me more than any meditation I have tried, and something that is actually productive comes out of it!

Speaking of reading, a new coworker got me reading the series that is based on the goings-on of a fictional yarn shop.  I have cracked out on the first one, am about halfway through it.  It is called The Shop on Blossom Street, written by Debbie Macomber.  Great reading so far.

I have taught one gal here at work to knit, and there are another two that want me to teach them this winter.  I am excited to share my love of knitting, as I got my mom knitting, and this one gal at work.  My enthusiasm is what sparks their interest, I think.  That and I am always showing progress on all of my knitting projects.  I love the feedback I get from them, because I can see that they can appreciate the work that goes into every piece I create with my hands.

OK, I’ve blathered enough.  Time to get my knit on!

I just saw on Craftzine this Knitting Basket Cake.  How awesome is that?

And this is a couple of months old, but there are also these knitting cupcakes that I ADORE.  It makes me want to make sweets just to try it out!   The details are incredible.

I don’t know who here peruses Colour Lovers, but I love that place. I am a budding, self-taught web designer, and I love colors. Well, they have a special blog entry just for SOCK KNITTERS and the color schemes that stem from said socks. *drool* I actually tried using the Opal Colourway to revamp my MySpace Layout, but I don’t like how it looks, so I’ll have to be redoing that (I’ll screenshot it before I change it).

In other news, I am working on a little iPod sock from some wool that I dyed in limes and aquas. The dying was a little experiment, so I don’t have a whole lot of it, and since I wanted yet something else to pad my poor little abused iPod, iPod sock it is! I hope to at least get the back of Johnathan’s vest completed. I only have about 10 more rows, then I have to weave in the loose bits and stitch the front and back together, and add ribbing to the collar and armholes. I would like to say I have worked on mom’s socks, or Rusted Root, but I haven’t been doing much knitting. My usual knitting time is spent perusing Ravelry, it’s completely like crack and something the online knitting community has really been in need of. I am glad it’s around.

So, I had planned on doing a post introducing myself, talking about my knitting history, etc. But I can’t.

I know everyone and their dog has been talking about Ravelry, but I have FINALLY gotten to experience it first hand. They added a new feature for those who have signed up for beta but have not received their invites to see where they were on the list. Well, turns out I received my original invite on MAY 23rd, and I have been dying in anticipation while I could have been Ravelrying! This place is truly amazing. Casey and Jessica are to be worshipped for coming up with this concept. Truly! And just when I thought knitting couldn’t get any more crackish.

So, quick welcome to my blog. This is attempt #2, as I accidentally cracked out and deleted my old blog’s database. So here we are, trying it out again!