Archive for the ‘Jibber Jabber’ Category

Happy New Year!

Yes, insert generic title up yonder.

My Christmas was wonderful.  I actually got some yarn from my mother who is constantly riding my ass about not buying more yarn, so that put a huge smile on my face.

I just finished her ruffled scarf this afternoon, so I will post some pics of those tomorrow.  I am on glove 2 for my brother’s friend, and have the index finger, thumb, and weaving in allllll those ends and I can get them off in the mail.  My brother and father both showed up for Christmas and I thought it was going to be a very melancholy holiday for my mother and I.  But it made it a wonderful Christmas.  I told them they could take all my presents back because I had what I wanted – my family together.  I found out the day before my brother was leaving (he only stayed for 3 days!) that he was indeed leaving, so I didn’t get a chance to finish the gloves to send home with him, unfortunately.  But they should be done in time for me mail off on Monday.  Then I only have to finish the 2nd twin sweaters and get those off.  Those who know me know I am a late runner always it seems, so I am hoping that the fact that these are handmade items will lend some forgiveness.

I have been cracking out on getting caught up on Knitmore Girls, and KIPing it Real podcasts.  Every night I listen to them without fail, and when I am cleaning and stuff, they are always playing.  I am thoroughly enjoying both of them.  It took me forever to get caught up on the CogKNITive podcast, and I did get caught up, so I found some others that I really enjoy, and the 2 mentioned above have been my onlies lately.  I am listening to Jackie’s darling voice as we speak, as a matter of fact!

Johnathan’s fingerless mitts were a hit, I have some pics of them and they are so comfy on him, he LOVES them.  So tomorrow, scarf FO, glove UFO update, and fingerless mitt FO pictures.  I hate blogs that don’t post pics, and I am horrible at posting them.  Pot calling the kettle black, much?

Back soon with more updates!  I have some exciting things coming up I hope, and knitting is at the top of that list!

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The baby’s a-comin’

He wants out.  Now.  He is not due for another month.  This has been a rough pregnancy, I am extremely uncomfortable and I am not getting around well these days.  So who knows when he will show up.  Sooner rather than later, I hope though.

I have been continually working on Christmas gifts.  I have abandoned the gloves that I originally was making for my brother’s friend.  They were coming out too small, the yarn just wasn’t working for the project, and I just wasn’t feeling it.  I can’t give away something I have made that I don’t feel 110% proud of.  So I went to plan B, picked up some Cascade 150 in this gorgeous red color (which was his friends first choice anyways), and am making the Lace Panel Gloves from the Vogue Knitting Fall 2009 issue.  I am almost done with the thumb increases and ready to start on the fingers.  This project is giving me much more of the warm and fuzzies.  It is the first time I have knit with this yarn and I ADORE it.  Great stitch definition, not splitty at all, and it just knits up so nicely.  I am excited to try it on another project one of these days when I’m not broke!

I still have to finish the sweater for Marie’s twin #2, and I am making a last minute hat for my son per his request that knits up on US 7’s, so it should be a fast project.  It’s the Batman Hat, and I just went and bought some acrylic for it.  He has several wool hats that I have made him, and I think that this hat is going to be more used to run around the house wearing his ‘Thing’ hands, a scythe, and an Iron Man costume.  Yes, you read right.  His outfit combos CRACK ME UP.

So I have just been knitting away, trying to stay off my feet, and ignore the contractions as much as I can.  That’s about where I am right now!

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I swear, I have knitting ADD

I have started three sweaters/cardigans in the last few months.  THREE.  And they are all sitting there unfinished, with no plans on finishing.  So today I am going to face reality and rip them all out.

With the lack of time I have for knitting, I really have been sticking with smaller projects.  I made my mother a pair of armwarmers.  I am working on the 2nd of my sons armwarmers and should be done with them today.  And I have been knitting little mittens for my mother’s little Christmas tree like CRAZY with bits of sock yarn, and crochet cotton.  They are so easy and cute.

These are the Cafe au Lait armwarmers from Ravelry.  Great pattern, quick knit, and the FO was definitely appreciated by the recipient.

There will be no more baby knitting.  I just don’t have it in me to do it.  I am am looking for a good sweater pattern to make one for my son…all the patterns that I like seem to use size 4-ish needles and I need something more like 7 or 8 US needles for the yarn I have in mind.

I have been spending more time lately reading knitting blogs and looking at patterns on Ravelry and listening to knitting podcasts.  Usually between those 3 things I get super-inspired, but it just isn’t happening these days.

I just checked out the new Twist Collective and I am in LOVE.  There are several sweaters I want to make.  I am going to wait until the baby is born and I get rid of some of this weight.  Not only do I just not want to knit ginormous sweaters, but the yarn can go a lot further if I just wait a bit and knit when I’m smaller.  So not only health-wise is the whole losing weight thing a positive, but also it’s a bit easier on the pocketbook.

I have just been so restless and frustrated lately with everything I seem to touch.  So smaller projects that it doesn’t matter if they get ripped, if any projects at all.  Hopefully this will pass when my life is a little less hectic.  I know this is all in my head but I can’t seem to get rid of it.  Time will hopefully help.

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Losing my fear of smaller needles

I have knit socks on size 1 and 2 needles, yes, but when it comes to bigger garments, even BABY garments, I shy away from the smaller needles.  Why?  Probably because I have the attention span of a gnat and smaller needles means a lot more time knitting a single project.  When I found Buttercup though, which I know I have seen before in my Ravelry crackout session perusal, I just overlooked it when I saw the yardage needed and the needle size.  The smallest needle I have ever made an adult garment is 7’s, and that wasn’t too bad but it was lace and kept me entertained.  Miles of stockinette though?  Ohhh boy.  I don’t know how people consistently whip up these FO’s that are gorgeous and knit with such a tiny guage, and they LOVE IT!  I have decided that since I am not a faithful mistress when it comes to knitting, and that I always have multiple projects on the needles, that this is indeed doable.  I fell in love with Buttercup and I want it for my own.  It might take me 2 years to knit, but I’m gonna do it.

I will work my way up (or down) to it, though…I am going to be making some baby garments on 4’s and 5’s and that will give me an idea on how it will go.  I think that I will be surprised, because I have become a faster knitter, how fast it will go.  Especially the mindless knitting that can be done while watching TV, waiting to pick my son up from school, waiting in various lines…

We shall see.  But I am no longer intimidated when I see a small needle size on a larger project.  I figure it is just another way of expanding my knitting horizons, trying something new with most projects I start!

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Fitting to Flatter? Hmm…

I have been a blog reading freak today and came across Stash, Knit, Repeat’s blog and the Fit to Flatter series of tutorials.  You can either purchase printable versions or just read from the blog posts for free.  Since I am busty and seem to like all the things that really need adjustments to accommodate said boobage, I am excited about this series.  Not only that, but just to learn more about my body and fits that flatter it.  This of course will be post-baby, but I am still excited about it!

I am almost done with the raglan increases on Juliet…it’s going slow because I had done more LOOKING at knitting than actual knitting.  I know if I really get moving on it I can make some huge strides.  Seems that once I get passed the boring ole stockinette (did I mention I was doing stockinette instead of garter) and onto the lace I think I will be more motivated.  Love the raglan increasing, but it just seems to take forever when you are getting close to the end of it, because of all the extra stitches.  Anyways, it’s nothing you don’t already know, right?

Also, on the Domesticrafts blog, I found the poinsettia wreath from Paper Source that I must have.  I loooove it.  So thank you for the Christmas crack, Domesticrafts! (PS – I love your blog and pretty pictures…pleeeease update soon!!)

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Romeo, Romeo…wherefore art thou Romeo?

So I don’t have any pictures up yet.  This has been a busy week, as last week has been, too.  My little man started Kindergarten yesterday.  All day long I was obsessed with what he was doing, how he was doing, if he was ok, if he was scared, etc etc.  That boy was SO happy to see me when I was at his door waiting for the bell to go off.  But he said he had a great time and he really likes his teacher.  I hope this keeps up because this morning he played that song and dance of ‘I don’t want to go to school, I don’t like it’, which was just because he was tired and wanted to stay home.  I thought 11.5 hours of sleep was enough for the kid, but I guess he needs a little more.  That’s ok, I will oblige my growing boy!

On the knitting front, I am taking a break from baby knits to knit myself Juliet with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, but on smaller needles and the yarn not double.  I don’t have enough of any of my yarn to double it to make this, but I love it, so here goes nothing.  I am working on the raglan increases right now and so far so good.  I have heard it runs a little big, so I am just making the largest size on size 9 needles in hopes that it will hold it’s shape.

I have, sometime in the last few months, lost my ipod and it’s driving me nuts.  I miss listening to my podcasts while I clean and do things around the house.  While I’m on my computer or knitting I can just listen from my PC, but ugh.  Those things are so small, and I think mine is buried in my bedroom somewhere, possibly with the crates of yarn that I have to go through and organize.  Lots to do before this baby gets here!

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All sorted and dusted

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!

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Ravelry Recently Added Patterns

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.

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I DID have the best of intentions, you know.

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.

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Granite FTW!

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!)

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