Impossible?

I just counted, and I have eight projects on the needles:
2 socks
1 lace stole
1 lace scarf
1 regular scarf
1 cardigan/jacket
1 tank top
1 bag/random felting project

Who thinks I can complete all those projects before I move? May 31. I think I can complete everything except the stole, lace scarf, and bag/random felting project (it will probably get frogged). Opinions?

Superlong Wrap

This is a pattern from the Knitting on the Go series Caleb's grandmother gave me. The wrap is supposed to be "just the thing for those ever-so-slightly chilly summer nights." Translation for those of us moving to Houston: "just the thing for the coldest January morning." This is going to sound so silly, but to me it looked like something the wife of a Rice professor would wear. We are really hoping we will have more of an opportunity to enjoy the arts once we move because 1) the free babysitting will allow us to spend money on tickets and 2) the university itself has some terrific programs. So that is when I envision using this.

The finished dimensions are supposed to be 16 by 84 inches. But it says a possible adaptation is to make it just 68 inches long. I chose this option not just because it meant I just had to buy one ball of yarn but because honestly the original size seems so big for someone my height.

I really like knitting it. I have already ripped out once. I went several rows without making the selvedge edge (purling instead of knitting) and even though my Knit Fix book made it clear I could fix it, everything got messed up. Plus the pattern called for size 10 needles. The only pair I had were stinky metal ones so I used them. But my gauge ended up being a little small so ripping gave me an excuse to switch to my size 11 bamboo needles. Ahhhhh sweet relief.

It is going to need some serious blocking when I finish. And also, it has a slant to it that doesn't show up in the pattern. I imagine blocking will fix that too, right?

Oh, FYI I am using the yarn the pattern calls for and I really like it: Cascade Yarns Ecological Wool.

*****
To answer your question Jen, I keep trying to come up with a way for me to get to MDSW festival. But I'm not having much luck. The next few months has quite a bit going on and a lot up in the air too, what with the going back and forth to Houston to try to find a place to live. I haven't given up hope yet but you probably should.

Yarn injury

A few weeks ago Caleb took Ellery to the park. She was wearing the hat that Jen knitted her. Well she fell flat on her face at the playground and you can see the results on her forehead. The individual stitches of the hat left polka-dot marks on her skin. Isn't that funny? (Okay, well it was sad when she cried but we can laugh now because there are no long term scars.)

I've been called out

So here it is, all finished and what not. I wore it to the museum today and got many compliments. I had to modify the pattern a little - for some reason the sleeves were waaay too small as written so I left out the decreasing in the patterned stitches. And I have pretty small arms, so I'm not sure what was going on with that.
Just a random life update (because I know you're on the edges of your seats...): so far, it's looking like I will not be going on to a PhD program next year. I still have one school to hear from, but in all other cases it was flat out bad news. So, I'm probably taking a year off to regroup and reconfigure. I'm applying for jobs in the Wilmington area because I have a great living arrangement worked out for the summer and I need to stay here for that. So that's the report. I wish I had better news, but like I said...I'm trying to view this as an opportunity to explore some things. So we'll see. I really just need a job that has benefits and pays enough so that I can buy yarn. Should be possible...right?

this is the shawl that never ends...

it just goes on and on my friends, I started knitting it not knowing what it was, and I will keep on knitting it forever just because this is the shawl that never ends...

Talking lace weight, size 3 needles, and multiply this patch (which takes me 45 minutes cause I'm SLOW) by 108 times and that's without the borders...someday, someday


In the meantime, lovely llama scarf for a cousin who sent me a lovely wooden bowl he had made.


And don't forget the spinnin' y'all. I couldn't quite capture the beautiful colors of this. My friend Erin dyed the roving and it's full of burgundy and light green and brown and gold and pinky-red. LOVE IT! Hard to tell but this is sock weight and probably my most even yet!

Sent in my registration form for a MDSW class. Oh yes, the time is nigh! Any plans, either of you, to come?!

Speaking of MDSW, Abby, your Ravelry pics of the fitted knit tunic sweater with MDSW festival yarn looked suspiciously finished? Did I miss an entry? Something you're not telling us? Anything you'd like to share with the group?

Ravelry Casualty

I've had my first Ravelry meltdown - and it feels so good. I was just browsing. What I was really, honestly doing is searching for a pattern for some yarn I already have in my stash. Then I saw this jacket which I liked but knew it would not work with the stash yarn. But, I thought it wouldn't hurt to see what types of yarns others had used. And of course, I found a version of the jacket in Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL (you can buy it at WEBS online). So I thought, well it can't hurt to see how much it costs at WEBS. What do you know? It was on closeout - half price! I think we all know what happened next. I'll be happily knitting my new jacket in just a few days.

thought I was kidding, didn't ya!

So I really did knit two sweaters, a scarf, two hats, a pair of mittens AND slippers this week...so I didn't mention they were all for four inch high wooden toy mice!!

Meet Basil and Lily, two little mice my Aunt Rhonda ordered from a German company. They are adorable and she's making them a house that is just as adorable. She's making it as if the little mice would have "found" the items. So there is a little vanity table for Lily made out of a sardines can. Their little bed is a cigar box. Think old old Warner or Disney cartoon ideas. I'll try to get some pictures of it when she's done. Lily also happens to be a spinner and knitter, so really she knit these!!





Last night "she" also finished a little vest for Basil to wear when he's feeling especially spiffy. You can see the slippers a little too. If you want to see all the shots from the fashion shoot, check out ravelry!!

I don't want Abby to think she's the only one knitting.

So we got back from the Christmas holidays and started to catch up. Then Caleb and Ellery got the flu. Then they got better and Caleb went out of town. Then Caleb got the offer from Rice and we walked around in a daze. And then Ellery got a cold. It's been an odd few weeks.

Anyway, in the midst of the flu misery I managed to get to Michaels and buy some organic cotton for a baby shower that was four days away. I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I had to wing it. This is the result. It was done on time and I think the recipient liked it though I had to miss the shower itself to take care of my two patients.

Kitchner Stitchner

I made a sock, and when I gave it to the recipient to try on (because there's no sense in making 2 socks that don't fit), found that it was about 5 rounds too big in the instep. Well shoot. That meant I'd have to tear out the cuff and heel. Or did it? I could tear out the toe and pull out the rounds on that end...but then I'd have to KITCHNER. I've done the Kitchner before and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty. I was working off some written instructions and things just didn't turn out. What should have been an invisible seam was actually a very visible, very large-and-in-charge mountain of a seam. I have no idea what I did wrong. But, thanks to Knitty and the wonderful illustrations they provided, I made something wonderful. This is the best I have ever made a Kitchner seam look. And, instead of giving the sock away, I'm thinking of framing it.



Oh, and what's that under the sock? That's right...thesis draft. Written words. Please don't read them though. Wow, how many things does that photo reveal about me?

A solution to 2 problems

Grad school induces poverty and thesising induces the need to finish SOMETHING: one page, one chapter, one paragraph even (it's problematic). I have discovered a solution to both these problems, though it is not novel nor is it exciting.

Well, the way the colors arranged themselves on the green one is kind of exciting...

Ballband dishcloths saved my life. Well, they saved my weekend. I can make one of these in approximately 4 hours. Perhaps less than that now that I don't need the pattern anymore. The best part is that I bought yarn for 4 dishcloths and it cost less than $10! I think there are a lot of dishcloths in my future, and if you're someone who might be getting a gift from me in the next few months, one might be in your future, too. Just let me know what colors you want.