Wrapping it up

I did it again...was in a hurry. I took a picture of my finished project at the last minute which resulted to blurry pics in bad lighting. My model (i.e oldest daughter) was fidgety and strongly adamant that she was not to be in the photo...so I complied - after all she wasn't the focus of my attention, the neckwarmer was!!!

But the main idea is to document that I actually am working on projects and finishing them!

I'll soon get over the embarrassment of these pictures...

It's my favorite simple pattern -

CO the amount of stitches of your preference.

Row 1: k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat until end.

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: k2, *slip 1 wyif repeat from* to the end.

Row 4: Purl

Repeat these 4 rows until you reach the desired length.

Towards the end I made 2 button holes.

I have an incredible desire for short wraps around my neck. It's a turtleneck that can not only cover the bottoms of your ears but one you can unbutton and open up as well.

It's small enough to roll into your bag or when worn under a jacket can be like an unbutton collar. It's also my way to splash some color into my usual black attaire.

I set out to hunt for 2 unique buttons so while the girls were at soccer practice I ditched my walk/run around the park and slipped into CostPlus to peruse the earrings - and voila, beautiful round ornate earrings - now buttons!

I wanted to surprise this co-worker. She's my lunch partner so I rolled the neckwarmer into a pastry bag to make it look like a yummy pastry and set it on her desk.

I have just enough yarn to make myself a little somethin'-somethin'. It's the same yarn I used for my other co-worker and since the 3 of us share an office it'll be a symbolic gesture of department unification - ok, ok, ok an adult friendship bracelet, if you will - yeesh!

Next!

P.S What's next?

I had a few days to knit a project for a birthday present. It's the last-minute-Betty act that I play often. I always have good intentions in the beginning but somehow, somewhere, somewhy, things slip through the cracks and I'm scrambling.
When we were out of town for a soccer game, my girls & I went out for lunch and fell upon a yarn store - yeah! Thick yarn, big needles and I was 2/3 the way there!I knew I wanted to knit a scarf and I knew I wanted to knit a checkered pattern. How many to cast-on stumped me and sent me through a few trial & errors until I felt it was right.

I knitted late at night while watching "Brother & Sisters" on the computer...

and while under a shade of an old tree while waiting for my girls.

I never took a great picture of the final product or even while I was knitting the project - time was awasteing!

But I did it - I finished a project! For those of you who know me, yes, I tried it on and, yes, I contemplated keeping it [I know, that's bad] but, instead, I rolled the scarf, tied it with a wide hot pink lace and left it on my co-workers desk.

BTW, she loved the scarf and adored the color - a wonderful green that mimics the color that illuminates from sun-soaked leaves! We appreciated the color for the same reason! In fact, she laid it on her couch and is now wondering about a knitted blanket...hmmm...how many episodes will that take?!

For this one I CO 15 stitches and knitted & purled for 5 stitches and 5 rows. I tried casting on 20 stitches but that was too wide for me. I even tried casting on an even number...so much put into a wee scarf!

When this quick project was completed - when I binded off that last stitch - I was reminded how it feels to have needles in hand and yarn by my side.

Next!

Knitting projects to consider

I get so silly excited when I find a project I want to knit...but, you know me, will I finish it? Eeep, with all the unfinished projects I have laying around?!! Do I dare even think of starting a project?

But look at this sweater!
I think I've had dreams about wearing a sweater like this!
I even took snap shots of the pattern!

Gasp! There's another one!
I'm going insane here!

I have to gain composure! I have to priorities! I have to be realistic!

I need to finish the 2 baby sweaters and the 2, no - 3, knitted bags first, right?!

Afternoon delight

On the last few days of November while I was changing the beddings & laundering the sheets, I was thinking of how I looked forward to spring & summer when I hung my linen outside to dry...then it dawned on me...why not during Autumn? Why not?! The sun has been out, the sky has been blue - the nights cold and scarves are worn - but the sun still felt warm on our cheeks. So out the linen went on the line. I felt like I was defying rules of the household...but it felt good!
In no time, the sheets were dry and smelled fresh. Autumn-air fresh!
On my needles is my third hat - Christmas is coming - shhhhhh!

Weekend busy-ness

I steal pockets of moments to read, "All Passions Spent" - suggested by Cornflower - between
knitting a few Christmas gifts
and working on our sunroom.

Possible projects ahead!

I'm over it now - that whole sock ordeal...for the time being. For now I'm consumed with ideas for Christmas gifts.
My side of the bed is littered with books and lists (ok, I'm ocassionally distracted by a crossword puzzle.)
I'm copying patterns from library books (that section in the library is starting to look pretty sparse, too) and going through my basket of yarn. I'm matching the project to the yarn and trying to make do with what I already own. It's time for me to get organized and creative.

This should be, as the book above says -"simple" - it's a menagerie of knitting & purling mixed in with a December deadline and picking the right project for the right person.

This is going to be fun!

Sock 101

I have failed Sock 101...not once but twice. The first time the first 6 inches worked out fabulously. How can I go wrong with knit 2, purl 2 on circular needles? My friend got me started and sent me away with my homework assignment. Good enough - I was born to Ace Sock 101. In elementary school my teachers always told my parents that I was a bright student, a bit chatty, but definitely the potential to excel.
How can this be different?
So the next lesson was a disaster. I did what I was told but always had more stitches on my needle than I should so we...cheated...we'd put one stitch here & one stitch there then knit 2 together here and purled two together there to try to get back to the pattern...what happened?!!! I was going through the motions but wasn't quite grasping the concept. I wanted to finish the one sock but was afraid I wouldn't be able to knit the pair on my own. If only I had a wand. I'd conjure up a spell similar to what Mrs. Weasley would...if only.
So for a year this - that "sock" above - sat in a knitting bag.
Say farewell - I started over.
I had to.
Sorry dear friend - oh Professor of Sockology.
I 'enrolled' in her Sock 101 again but to learn the toe-up procedure.
She converted and hasn't turned back since. She has numerous toe-up socks under her belt - er, on her feet.





I have absolutely no progress to report...my brain won't retain the information.
Maybe I should take notes.
Maybe I need to record our sessions together.
Maybe I was not made to knit socks.
Maybe that's why there are stores like "Sockshop".

MacGyver at work

Embarrasingly enough, months ago (dare I saw how many?) I gathered my scraps of yarn that I had a fondness for and started knitting a scarf for myself - a simple knitted scarf - nothing fancy.
I c/o 212 stitches on dpn. I was going to make it so I could wrap it around my neck twice without unneccessary length to it. I just wanted a little 'somethin-somethin' for color on a cold day.
Once summer hit I set aside the project because I just couldn't fathom wrapping my neck while I was wearing tank tops & sundresses! Toward the end of summer soccer filled our weekends up and the time came for me to look for simple knitting projects. Easy, I have a basket full of unfinished projects. Better yet, I had 2-3 projects that didn't require a pattern (i.e no thinking involved).
When I finally bo - feeling quite grandiose for finally finishing a project - a cold front blew in. I grabbed the scarf, threw it around my neck, stood back to admire it in the mirror and that's when I saw it......a dropped stitch.
No matter how I wrapped it, the dropped stitch was front & center. Time was running out, I needed to pick up my girls from school - and I wanted to wear the scarf!
I rustled through my jewelry box trying to be the MacGyver my friend use to call me...

Voila! Problem solved. I was given this barrette for attending a jewelry party 4 years ago and hadn't used it once. It paid off for me to keep it all those years! It clipped on perfectly, holding the dropped stitch in place - and no matter how I wrapped it, there it was!

Again years ago (a reoccuring theme) I was given a pattern for a tank top that I was admiring at a local yarn store. From time to time I'll look over the pattern and consider starting it. I'd immediately get intimidated and pull out another project. This time I did it! I chose yarn from my slowly depleting basket and started...

I've jotted down a Christmas list so maybe this is for someone on that list...or not...you never know!

Some evenings I find myself in a midst of clutter but I'll chose this project instead. I'll plop my pattern down and kick a few piles under the table and knit away. Once I got to one of the straps I took the project to a soccer game and knit/purled away. I am determined to finish this project!

Maybe 2007 will be the year I finish projects - just maybe!

Washing dishes with pretty things

I wanted a "mindless" project - meaning a project I could do while either a passenger in the car or while sitting in a parking lot waiting for the kids...or even while watching tv (there was a week where a lot of good movies were being shown back to back!)
Nancy had given me 3 skeins of 100% cotton Roma yarn for Christmas. You see, I've been talking a lot about knitting dishcloths.

I chose a simple pattern. I fittingly enough co 40 stitches and bo when I felt it was big enough. I wanted it to be the right size. I wanted it small enough so that I could grab it and have it fit in my hand but big enough to wash dinner plates and pots/pans. Once I felt I had that size, it was ready for a test run! Which was easy to do because I can't seem to keep the kitchen counter & sink empty & dry!
It worked just as I hoped and dried faster than I imagined. Even though I have a drawer under my sink for sponges, if I chose to leave it hanging on the faucet it will look like a pretty piece on display. Best of all it's not disposable like sponges.

Caught the knitting ball - er' knitting bug

Years ago sister-in-law, Cynthia, found these 2 sleeves at a yard sale and thought of me. I didn't dedicate time to unravel the sleeves, instead I would pick at it from time to time until I had unraveled one sleeve down to the cuff.
Yesterday was Cynthia's birthday. I took the yarn from the sleeve and combined it with yarn purchased a few years ago from the mother lode Yard Sale and created a fun, eclectic scarf.
CO 6 stitches. Knit 3 rows, then knit w/ 4 over for 1 row.
Every 1/4 of the way I would add another yarn and BO the other then ended w/ 3 rows of the cream.
It was that giver's remorse situation all over again with me. I wanted to keep the scarf! I checked the watch and did the math. It took me 3 hours to knit the scarf (while taking care of 2 sick kids) and I started at 2:30pm. Dan left work at 6:00pm and would pick me up at 6:30 to head over to Cynthia's Birthday Party. I still needed to get dressed and set-up dinner for the girls. 3 divided by 6:00 multiplied by 1 carry-over the ridiculous equals not enough time.

I wrapped up the scarf , handed it over...lovingly...and Cynthia loved it. At least it went to a good home, right? :)

Work in progress

Embarrassingly enough, four years ago I started a project for a birthday present for my oldest daughter. I fell upon this book, "Simple Knits With A Twist" that uses the most interesting materials to knit wonderful projects. I purchased 1/2 a yard of light blue netting and knit a little bag. Unfortunately the bag fell into the depths of a basket full of "WIPs" and was completely forgotton. Four years later I am determined to complete all those projects and mark them off as 'done'. I've changed the bag considerably from the pattern in the book and am now working on knitting a long strap.
Stay tuned!

Bag in progress

Driving on Highway 1 my knitting bag was at my feet w/ skeins & skeins of yarn looking up at me. For days this bag sat at my feet and was moved from one end to the other but I was too consumed with being in the moment until...
all of a sudden I got in the mood. We settled down for our last night away and my needles started clicking away. Below me was this scene and every so often I'd look up to this view
at Bullfrog Pond Campground.
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Deep breath,
Click click click,
Soak in all that is good & pure,
Change yarn,
Deep breath...
Click click click...

Chosen project

I've decided that it is too complicated to bring a sewing project while camping. I am going to take with me a project that for the most part will allow me to do while driving, while soaking in the view, while watching my girls explore and while holding a conversation with my husband. This project has been sitting in a bag for 6 months! The book was renewed from the library the maximum amount of times allowed and has since been returned. It hasn't been available to borrow since!

scarves all mine!

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co 125 - knit

Elaine by Schaeffer Yarns - color: Mary Pickford

Delicious hand painted luxury fibers.

checkered patterns

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My sister's Mother-in-Law called her after raiding a yard sale - excuse me, let me be more specific, 'a yarn sale' yard sale - that we had to go see! Just had to! We didn't have the exact address but somehow our noses knew the way. The front of the house was decieving with chairs & books and odds & ends but we were given heads up that the goods were in the back.

The Yarn Sale was in a 2 room studio that was packed from floor-to-ceiling (in drawers, under tables, behind doors, in boxes) of stacks&stacks&stacks with skeins&skeins&skeins of yarn. I walked out with 2 bags jam-packed with skeins & skeins of yarn & needles. I coveted my treasures. No project was good enough for them.

It's taken some time but I'm finally 'over' hoarding the yarn. I'm sharing the wealth now.

However, I was finding myself 'looking' for certain pieces as I was getting dressed and realized that I didn't have any of my own knitted creations - not a single scarf.

This piece is one that I made specifically for myself. It's made from a wonderful orange (color: 543 Porphyr, dye lot: 4641 to be more specific) 100 % wool Britania, Shetland Type Yarn.

My pattern is co 25 stitches, knit 5, purl 5 for 5 rows, alternating the pattern every 5 rows - similar to this. I didn't knit it too long. Right now, I prefer much shorter scarves - almost neck warmers - where I tie it once or wrap it once and it's all there right under my neck.