The baby sweater is now done. Looking spiffy. It took me a tedious 4 tries on the first side and 2 tries on the second to get that button band looking nice. The stinking button band on the sweater should have been made as one piece on the original front pieces of the sweater. Who ever designed that pattern is a glutton for punishment. The neck band should go over the button band so the button band should have been done first. Every time I had to redo the band I had a few choice expletives for the pattern. I have redesigned the bootie to be a circular knit toe-up sock with the lace pattern on the top. One has been finished and the other is just above the toe. If all goes as planned I will have plenty of time to bang out the tam in time for the shower on Oct 9th, then I can get started straight away on the wonderful pink baby layette set for a shower on Oct 21st. I have become a baby clothing knitting machine. I almost feel like I should be making the same pattern again just for simplicity's sake, I could practically repeat it with my eyes closed. The only problem with the heart sweater is that it is a pullover, who really wants to pull a sweater over a baby's wobbly head. Half the time you feel like you're going to break off thier tiny heads so maybe I will change it to be a cardigan. It would make any mom feel much better. Tearing off the head of your first baby, always a bad thing.
So of course I am working on this post last night and my husband suddenly decides he HAS to upgrade my computer to usuing Win 98 instead of Win 95. And it has to be RIGHT NOW right, it couldn't be when I finished so I HAD to stop mid post and I have completely forgotton my train of thought so oh well. Its posted.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Saturday, September 23, 2006
I have finished the sleeves on the baby sweater for the layetter, pics to follow soon. It is raglan, so the sleeves really aren't finished, just ready to join. It is coming out quite nicely.
I picked up some Patons Wool Merino. I am hoping to make a nice felted bag but I am having trouble finding a bag I actually want to make. I don't know what I was thinking abou when I bought that yarn, I just got all caught up in the moment, me and the yarn in the aisle of the store and the money in my pocket just sitting there burning. Something lustful in my mind just snapped, " Oh I know I'll make a felted bag, yeah that's it!! What a great idea." Things really should have been thought out more carefully. I am thinking the Icarus shawl would look good in some Maroon/purpley alpaca lace wieght I have but I really need to try and focus things have to get done in order right? I really am not one of those poeple with the half finished projects all hiding in the closet or on the shelf. I finish what I start (even if it takes 5 months) Or I tear it apart and wind it back in to balls. What's the point right? Keeping all the stuff sitting there, a hideous thing that was popular in 1981, that style will never come back again (we hope) so unwind that precious yarn and turn it into something Fabulous!! Then you won't have all that, unfinished guilt. I just need someplace new to start hiding my stash. The hubby is eyeing that bag of Patons suspisiously like maybe somewhere in that brain of his that never has the time of day for any kind of yarn talk what-so-ever he has some ability to recognize new materials added to the stash. Figures right? The one thing he'd notice is the one thing I would like him to not notice.....
I am off to a craft night at a friend's house where hopefully I will crank right through the rest of this baby sweater.
I picked up some Patons Wool Merino. I am hoping to make a nice felted bag but I am having trouble finding a bag I actually want to make. I don't know what I was thinking abou when I bought that yarn, I just got all caught up in the moment, me and the yarn in the aisle of the store and the money in my pocket just sitting there burning. Something lustful in my mind just snapped, " Oh I know I'll make a felted bag, yeah that's it!! What a great idea." Things really should have been thought out more carefully. I am thinking the Icarus shawl would look good in some Maroon/purpley alpaca lace wieght I have but I really need to try and focus things have to get done in order right? I really am not one of those poeple with the half finished projects all hiding in the closet or on the shelf. I finish what I start (even if it takes 5 months) Or I tear it apart and wind it back in to balls. What's the point right? Keeping all the stuff sitting there, a hideous thing that was popular in 1981, that style will never come back again (we hope) so unwind that precious yarn and turn it into something Fabulous!! Then you won't have all that, unfinished guilt. I just need someplace new to start hiding my stash. The hubby is eyeing that bag of Patons suspisiously like maybe somewhere in that brain of his that never has the time of day for any kind of yarn talk what-so-ever he has some ability to recognize new materials added to the stash. Figures right? The one thing he'd notice is the one thing I would like him to not notice.....
I am off to a craft night at a friend's house where hopefully I will crank right through the rest of this baby sweater.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Just like every time I have ever tried to keep a diary, I have failed to update on a daily (weekly or even monthly basis) as it has been MORE than one month since I have created an entry. What's worse is I have since enjoyed many a thrilling knitting related event that really should have been recorded..
Super Duper Most exciting knitting news. I finished "The Beast".
My gigantic circle has been completed. I have stretched it and blocked it and it looks swell. Before stretching it looked a bit like a middle aged wife, wrinkly, frumpy and suffering from stretch marks. After stretching and blocking, it is a beautiful and taut as a plastic surgeon's wife. Made with approximately 2,600 yds of Knitpicks Alapaca Cloud. Comprised of 223,620 knitted stitches and cast off with just 6,240 crochet stitches. It was truly a labor of love.
September 9th I had to extreme joy of hearing the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl McPhee speak at Full Thread ahead.
She was tremendously hillarious and very friendly. The tickets were obtained by my dear fiber addict buddy Teenuh (because it is never fun to get high alone!?). 
Thank you to you!! We spent a very long day waiting outside to see her speak, Then waiting to have our books signed, though it was very fun and we met a lot of great people. I even met Cookie of Pomotomas fame. It is almost scary to realize how many knitters there are out there. I bought some extrafine lace weight lambswool in black , which is supposed to be machine washable (although by the time I finish whatever grand project I make with all 825 yds of it, I may be too afraid to wash it!!)
I was also VERY lucky and won a Full Thread ahead contest while we were waiting, for having the most stitches of lace knitting on the needles (thanks to the beast!) and won a very yummy skein of lace weight, Belissa Cashmere in Twilight color way, with a $42 price tag on it. It may be the most expensive yarn I will ever own in my life!! 
Here I am with the Harlot. (Why are all the other knitters in the world SO TINY?) Stephanie is very gracious and charming when you meet her and tries to spend a little time with everyone, she was wonderfu and it was awesome to meet herl.
September 17th My beloved yarn buddy and I made a grand 3 hour trek up to 9th annual California Wool and Fiber arts Festival and Mendocino County Faire. It was interesting. It was much like traveling to a different world in a different time. The feel was so very small town (as it was and without parade traffic would probably take about 3 minutes to drive in one end of the town to the other, if you got caught at the stop light.) We saw a sheep shearing with electric shears and manual shears, as well as a spinning competition. It was a little (okay a lot) disppointing to see there were young children there who were better at spinning than me!! I picked up a BEAUTIFUL silk brick in a yummy bright violet color called Violet Thunder, which I have already begun spinning into a beautiful silky yarn.I bought one skein of ultra soft lacweight 100% Fine Kid Mohair by Wagtail Yarns in a lovely light violet colorway. I am thinking.... Fiddlesticks Peacock Feathers Shawl...
In between sewing some curtains and some bed covers I have been trying to finish a baby layette set for a baby shower early in October. I am thrilled to find I have another baby shower to knit for, for a GIRL yippee!! I love knitting for a girl. Better yet, this is her 3rd child and the first 2 were boys so she is ready for the pink!! Yaye I will be knitting pink. I love it.
Super Duper Most exciting knitting news. I finished "The Beast".
My gigantic circle has been completed. I have stretched it and blocked it and it looks swell. Before stretching it looked a bit like a middle aged wife, wrinkly, frumpy and suffering from stretch marks. After stretching and blocking, it is a beautiful and taut as a plastic surgeon's wife. Made with approximately 2,600 yds of Knitpicks Alapaca Cloud. Comprised of 223,620 knitted stitches and cast off with just 6,240 crochet stitches. It was truly a labor of love.September 9th I had to extreme joy of hearing the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl McPhee speak at Full Thread ahead.
She was tremendously hillarious and very friendly. The tickets were obtained by my dear fiber addict buddy Teenuh (because it is never fun to get high alone!?). 
Thank you to you!! We spent a very long day waiting outside to see her speak, Then waiting to have our books signed, though it was very fun and we met a lot of great people. I even met Cookie of Pomotomas fame. It is almost scary to realize how many knitters there are out there. I bought some extrafine lace weight lambswool in black , which is supposed to be machine washable (although by the time I finish whatever grand project I make with all 825 yds of it, I may be too afraid to wash it!!)
I was also VERY lucky and won a Full Thread ahead contest while we were waiting, for having the most stitches of lace knitting on the needles (thanks to the beast!) and won a very yummy skein of lace weight, Belissa Cashmere in Twilight color way, with a $42 price tag on it. It may be the most expensive yarn I will ever own in my life!! 
Here I am with the Harlot. (Why are all the other knitters in the world SO TINY?) Stephanie is very gracious and charming when you meet her and tries to spend a little time with everyone, she was wonderfu and it was awesome to meet herl.September 17th My beloved yarn buddy and I made a grand 3 hour trek up to 9th annual California Wool and Fiber arts Festival and Mendocino County Faire. It was interesting. It was much like traveling to a different world in a different time. The feel was so very small town (as it was and without parade traffic would probably take about 3 minutes to drive in one end of the town to the other, if you got caught at the stop light.) We saw a sheep shearing with electric shears and manual shears, as well as a spinning competition. It was a little (okay a lot) disppointing to see there were young children there who were better at spinning than me!! I picked up a BEAUTIFUL silk brick in a yummy bright violet color called Violet Thunder, which I have already begun spinning into a beautiful silky yarn.I bought one skein of ultra soft lacweight 100% Fine Kid Mohair by Wagtail Yarns in a lovely light violet colorway. I am thinking.... Fiddlesticks Peacock Feathers Shawl...
In between sewing some curtains and some bed covers I have been trying to finish a baby layette set for a baby shower early in October. I am thrilled to find I have another baby shower to knit for, for a GIRL yippee!! I love knitting for a girl. Better yet, this is her 3rd child and the first 2 were boys so she is ready for the pink!! Yaye I will be knitting pink. I love it.
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