baby hat

Whew...Finally the holiday season is over! Althought this year was better than most, I was still so zapped by the festivities. I have been knitting (of course) but have been to tired to post. Here is a look at my latest FO

Just a cutesy baby hat, and in my opinion, the only way fun fur should ever be used. No pattern, Lion brand jiffy yarn, size 10.5 needles. Lazy daisy embroidered on each side and center back. I just braided yarn for the ties. This was a gift for one of the Gaming One's pregnant coworkers. Started and finished in one evening.

I also knit a loose version of Antifreeze for the Boy Wonder, but managed to misplace the pics, and he managed to misplace the hat less than a week after I made it (I have a suspicion it is at his great-grandparents house). Since the Boy wonder is all about anything ARMY I have been on the lookout for a varigated yarn that looked like camouflage. When I spied Bernat Camouflage I knew right away it was just what I needed. I do hate that it is acrylic, but it does serve its purpose and he loves it(well, he loved it before he lost it, anyway). I bought the yarn about two days before the Knitty came out, and after the boy saw the yarn and was asked what he wanted it to be knit into he specifically requested a "camouflage hat that covers my face so only the eyes show." I started with fewer stitches to fit his little pea head, but used the same construction. I liked the pattern not to mention that it took the guesswork out of coming up with a pattern myself and it was a quick and fairly easy knit! He wore it all day the day I finished it and insisted taking it with him where ever he went- nevermind the fact that it was over 65 degrees! Now that is some knitting love right there... and I must admit I smiled a little smile when he came inside all redfaced and sweaty after wearing his army hat. I would gladly knit that boy 100 hats for that kind of appreciation!

I have been working on Twinkletoes for The Girl Wonder but I can't get gauge so I am tweeking the pattern. My first one ended up being big enough to fit a ladies size 10. Although my girl has big feet (already a size 8 and she is only 10yo!) they were a bit too floppy.

My Icarus Shawl is progressing rather slowly, but it is getting longer and longer.

That is all for now, sorry for any typos, as my brain is still on the mushy side and my fingers feel as if I am trying to type with big thick winter gloves.

oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

No more angst!

remember this post all about how the holidays fill me with dread and despair? Well, I decided about a week later that I was going to make things better...We pared down our holiday gift giving and declined a few party invites. These two things alone reduced my stress level. Then, I decided that the kids and I would make all our Christmas tree decorations. We spent a week making a few ornaments each day all the while blaring the Christmas carols and singing along. We decided to stay home Christmas morning and let the kids enjoy their gifts. Best of all, my Dad is coming over on Christmas to have breakfast and the Girl Wonder will be here! My Dad and I had a long talk and I realized he was feeling the same way about the holiday season. But this year it will be better, the lines of communication have been opened. The tree is up and decorated (even though the cat has taken every ornament off the tree that he can reach-it just gives us a chance to change the look of the tree everyday). The presents have been purchased and are mostly wrapped. I can honestly say that I am happy and not just pretending. I am also the proud owner of a this new cell phone that my Santa baby gave me as an early Christmas present. Happy Holidays indeed! and it is about damn time!

Miss Dashwood

The Gaming One came home from work a few nights ago and asked
if I minded knitting something for one of his pregnant co-workers. I was more than happy to, of course.

Him:Maybe you can knit her a blanket or something?
Me: That would be fine. When is she due?
Him: Any day now, you better get to knitting.
Me(inner voice): and you are just now realizing this?! You should have mentioned this months ago if you wanted her to have a blanket!
Me: I know a hat that would be perfect!

Info...
Pattern: Miss Dashwood, Knitty
yarn: Knit Picks Shine, color: Cloud- hat worked 2 strands held together throughout. Earflaps, crochet edging and i-cords are worked with a single strand.
needles: size6 circs to top of bobble band, size5 dpn's for crown, earflaps, i-cord.
mods: worked a single crochet trim on earflaps, worked i-cord for straps. no buttons inside the hat.

The Picot cast-on seemed to take forever, as did the bobble band! They were both new techniques for me, I guess that could contribute to the slow going. I am really happy with this little hat and have been waiting for an excuse to knit it!

four things

1. My first skein is almost dry!

2. Busted!

3. The Girl Wonder's reproduction of The Birth of Venus (Botticelli) hanging in out bathroom.
4. Hmmm...this looks kinda familiar.

Bravely facing addiction

of the fiber variety....last week I could fight it no longer. After months of comparison shopping and longing, I suffered a weak moment and finally ordered a learn to spin kit from the nice peeps at Webs. I knew it would be arriving in the mail yesterday because I had been tracking it's progress to my house daily. I also knew it would be at my house around 6pm 'cause that is when Big Brown rolls through the 'hood. So ya'll know time seemed to stand still from the hours of 3 and 6, but finally it arrived! I am hooked already! After about 15 minutes I had it figured out. The Boy Wonder even had a go at it. Although he thought it looked like fun, he was bored with it after a minute. Not me! I spun all night and by midnight I had this...
It is so satisfying, so calming...and I thought I loved knitting! I feel as though I must have done this in a past life because it really seems to just flow from my fingers.

Necia asked yesterday to explain my twisting stitches technique. (girl, I know you want to finish Starsky!) So here goes my best attempt.

2-st RC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the back, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed in front of the other stitch). Knit both stitches.

2-st LC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the front, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed behind the other stitch). Knit both stitches.

2-st RPC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the back, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed in front of the other stitch). Purl both stitches.

2-st LPC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the front, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed behind the other stitch). Purl both stitches.

1/1 RPC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the back, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed in front of the other stitch). K1, P1.

1/1 LPC: Slip the two sts to be twisted off your left hand needle. Holding first stitch to the front, slip it onto the left hand needle. Now slip the second stitch onto the left hand needle (it should have crossed behind the other stitch). P1, K1.

Thanks so much for all the kind comments about Starsky! Ya'll really made my day!

FO's: Starsky & Nephew's Raglan

Info: Starsky
Needles: Size US 10.5
Yarn:Knitpicks Merino Style
Color: Moss (color truest in top pic), 9 skeins
Mods: Buttons instead of belted
Favorite.Knit.Ever!
Info: Little raglan for newest nephew (now 3 mo. old!)
Pattern:None
Needles:Sz US4 dpn
Yarn:KnitPicks Shine
Color:Cloud (I am not exactly sure how many skeins it took, because the yarn was from a failed attempt at a Somewhat Cowl.)

I started and finished both of these during the month of November.

On blocking and seaming

So ya'll know I blocked Starsky yesterday. I gently gave the pieces a handwashing... smooshed out the water, all the while being very careful not to stretch the pieces out of shape while moving to a thirsty towel. I rolled everything up and and pressed to get the extra water out. I then moved to the bedroom to block it undisturbed on my bed. When I unrolled the towel and laid out the sleeves I almost vomited. Ya'll, my sleeves went from being about 26" to 37". I looked in disbelief at those long, long sleeves and really wanted to cry. I may have even uttered a fuck or two. I looked again at the pattern to see how short they should be...I wa snot to happy to see the 21" measurement. So I smushed the stitches and patted, and smushed and patted and still they were long enough to fit monkey arms. Then I went a bit crazy and got my hair dryer. I planned to shrink those bitches. So I blew and smushed and patted and still they were nowhere near 21"-much closer to 26". I looked at my pattern again to see if somehow I misread my pattern, that is when I realized the 21" measurement was only to the armpit...it did not include the sleeve cap. DOH. So I pinned everything down and left it to dry. A few hours later my whole room reeked of wet sheep. I had to spray Oust before I could even go in there to sleep, it was that bad.
Today all the pieces were dry and I settled in to seam. I want this sweater to be perfect and all my attempts at attaching the sleeve left them looking homemade-and not in a good way. I finally decided I needed bright light, quiet and a stiff drink. So I sat on my front steps and enjoyed the beautiful day while seaming my sweater. Mattress stitch never ceases to amaze me! The stitches came together as if pulled by an invisible zipper. After about two hours all I had to show for my efforts was one sleeve attached and one side seam sewn, but boy, oh boy, those seams are beautiful (if I do say so myself). I do think I will have this sweater finished by the end of the month, which was my original goal. I think it just might be my favorite knitted garment yet!

Thanks for the perspective

I have to start by saying a big THANK YOU to each of you for your kind words and advice in response to my last post. Reading your comments really helped lift me from my funk before it got the best of me! I am amazed how much better I feel just getting it out and having just a few people tell me that it is ok and even normal to feel the way I do. Ya'll are great!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming....
I finished knitting Starsky last night! Woo hoo! Now on to the blocking and sewing of the seams. I cannot wait to try it on and show it off! Off to block!

Thus begins the holiday angst...

Warning: If you are one of those "let's shop til we drop the day after Thanksgiving, then go home and decorate the entire house for Christmas" types, you may not want to read this....but I gotta get it out.

I admit it, I HATE the holiday season. From Thanksgiving until the New Year I am stressed, in a horrible mood and filled with guilt. The pressure to smile and sing christmas carols and shop for everyone, and their cousin, I could really do without. This goes back to my childhood I suspect. My parents divorced when I was 8 so I was ferried around to see all the relatives, a little time with dad, a little time with mom, not enough time with either, oh yeah, don't forget about all the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and other extended family we only see twice a year. The guilt I felt having to tell my dad goodbye on Christmas eve, knowing he would spend christmas morning without his kids. I spent a lot of time pretending to smile and be happy all the while wondering what the other parent was doing without me. Never really embracing the true holiday spirit.

Now I am grown, and have a family of my own, I still feel the crushing pressure to see everyone, but only for an hour, cause we have other places to be. I hate that christmas is a big gimmie gimmie holiday- a contest to see who can go the deepest in debt. I resent the fact that I can't just stay home with my little ones and drink hot chocolate by the fire. I resent the fact that I still feel the need to do everything everyone expects, all the while ignoring my own needs and wishes.

Now that I am older, and share custody of my daughter with her dad, I realize how miserable my own dad must have been christmas after christmas away from his babies. But he never complained, he never let us know how much he missed us, never let on how sad he was, how lonely. It has only been since I have had my own babies that my step-mom told me how depressed he would be during the holidays. How he really missed me and my brother. To this day he is distant, only lives 15 minutes away, but we never see eachother. I don't know what to do. I have no idea how to mend our relationship. I did not even talk to him or see him yesterday. Part of me just wants to let it go, but most of me can't. I love him despite it all. Last year, right around Christmas, he and my step-mom seperated and it kills me to think how lonely he must be. But still he does not call. I would love for him to come over on Christmas morning and have breakfast, watch the kiddos open presents, but then reality sets in. More than likely, one of my kiddos will be with her dad and his family, and her absence will be a blaring reminder of christmas past.

Since I left her dad, I have always let the Girl Wonder decide where she wants to go for the holidays. I have told her to spend time with who she wants and not feel guilty about her decision. I refuse to let extended family lay a guilt trip on her when she is not where they want her to be. She usually spends more of the holidays with her dad, he is still single and The Girl Wonder knows he needs her, she knows how lonely the holidays can be and she does all she can to fill his with joy. For this I am truly proud. I want to protect her from the guilt, the back and forth, the too-many-holiday-feasts-in-one-day that I had to endure. I want to let her enjoy the season that is meant to be filled with joy.

I feel like the grinch, and then feel guilty. My kids deserve a happy momma during the holidays... they love the decorations, the songs, presents, all the family and yummy deserts. I wish I could just see christmas through their eyes, and feel the joy they feel, instead of the dread and disgust with it all. It seems like such hypocracy- celebrating a holiday for a religion I do not even believe in. Simply because it is a tradition. I realize I am very fortunate to have such a large and loving extended family, fortunate to have so much to eat, so much of everything. I appreciate it, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it is just too much for me. Too much noise, so many expectations and I constantly feel like I am failing miserably. I don't get joy from shopping for things that are expected. Last year, I asked my family to donate to a charity instead of shopping for me...no one did. How can I ask for what I really want?- a quiet day at home, no hustle, no bustle, no one expecting me to be cheery and eat yet another holiday feast. I can't ask for that, it would be too selfish, and I realize that, so I just put on my fake holiday cheer, and pour myself another martini. Bah humbug.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is wishing ya'll a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!



This has to be the best cake ever! I should know since I have made three this week. It is as tasty as it looks, and the family has requested I make it for every family gathering.

Just a few thing I am thankful for...
love of friends and family, health, a warm home, great food, refreshing beverages of the adult variety, and of course, knitting.

knitting content to come soon!

Starsky is coming along quite nicely. I stopped using a cable needle after the first pattern repeat on the back. Instead I am just slipping the stitches to be cabled off the needle, twisting them, then knitting or purling (based on where I am in the pattern). I was going crazy picking up the cable needle every few stitches and it was really slowing me down. Now the stitches are flying off the needles, pleasing me to no end! Back is finished, front right has two inches to go! At this rate I will be casting on for the sleeves by this weekend! I plan on working both sleeves at the same time. I am also entertaining the idea of putting buttons on this instead of knitting the belt. I will have to see how it looks after the front is finished to see if it will be possible. Any Ideas?
After seeing my adorable newest nephew in a snuggly cotton sweater last weekend I decided to use the Shine I had on hand from the frogged Somewhat Cowl to make him a little raglan. He has a giant head for such a little young'un (41cm) so I decided to put a few buttons at the neckline so it will be a little easier to put on. I am not using a pattern for this, nor did I measure him, so I am just kinda hoping it fits. I am going to babysit him tomorrow while his mama goes for a job interview so I can try it on him then. I have to admit it is a bit fun knitting this little sweater on dpn's...
I have abandoned all hope of knitting a complex blanket for this same little guy, and he is going to have to be content snuggling this boring garter stitch blankey instead. At least there is love in the stitches.

On a non-knitting related note I watched Click last night with The Gaming One. I love Adam Sandler movies and this was no exception. Some parts were quite touching and I had to reach for the tissues more than once. Mr. Sandler is all grown up (ok well, almost all grown up-he retains his childish sense of humor) and shows a bit of his range as an actor. It led to some snuggling and a sweet exchange of words between The Gaming One and I. Do yourself a favor and watch it with your sweetie (especially if you have kids).

Thank you Socktoberfest!

Without you, Socktoberfest, I may have never gained the motivation to finish these socks!
Pattern: Universal toe-up sock formula from Knitty.
Needles: us size 1 dpn
Yarn: KnitPicks Essential sock yarn colors Grass and Cocoa
Thoughts: I was consumed with Second Sock Syndrome, as the first sock took about a month to knit. However, since I am a joiner, I figured the last week of Socktoberfest would be the perfect time for me to crank out the second sock and it was! I finished binding off when I woke on Nov 1 (Halloween seriously cut into my knitting time!) Although The Gaming One would not have picked these colors for himself-I think he referred to them as either Dr. Seuss Socks or Willy Wonka Socks because of the colors- he really does love them! The yarn did soften considerably after washing (machine wash and dry-I will hand knit socks for him, but there is no way I am handwashing them!) and did not shrink a bit. I knit them a bit short, since he always pushes his socks down, in plain stockinette stitch. I finished with a 1" 3k1p rib cuff and a sewn bind-off for an extra-stretchy opening for his giant feet!

I cast on for Starsky this past week and am loving it so far! After knitting solid for a week on Sz 1 needles, the 10.5 I am using for this makes it seem like the stitches are flying off the needles! It is a nice change to knit 10 rows and add two and a half inches to my work instead of the measly inch I was getting with the sz.1. I am using KnitPicks Merino Style color Moss and it is heavenly! So soft, so cuddly I can't wait to wear this one! My only gripe about this pattern is that the leaf pattern does not grow from the ribbed section beautifully. It seems that there is no "flow" from one to the other, but the chart is easy to follow, mistakes are easy to see and fix. I am really getting the hang of finding a mistake in my knitting and instead of frogging back to the mistake, I knit to the mistake, unravel the ladder of stitches until I get to the problem, then pick the stitches back up with a crochet hook. Easy peasy! I hope to have this finished by the end of November...

Better late than never

In honor of "Socktoberfest" I have decided to finish The Gaming One's socks. I had the dreaded SSS (second sock syndrome) since the first was finished. I guess the planets aligned or something and I finally sat down and cast on for the second two days ago. I am half finished with the sole and hubby is amazed how quickly they are "coming to life". He lends encouragement when I put them down, saying things like "Woman, those socks aren't going to knit themselves!" and "My poor feet are so cold, and since I only have one sock, I guess I will have to decide which one gets to be warm!" all the while looking pitiful! I told him there will be no more hand knit socks in his future until he wears holes in this pair!
In other knitting news, I frogged my entire Somewhat Cowl. I had the body and both sleeves finished, but just could not knit a neckline I liked. I was trying to modify the pattern, since I am not too fond of what would have been a heavy cotton cowl. It was actually easier (emotionally) to frog all the progress than I thought it would be. Besides, with winter quickly approaching here in NC I would not have been able to wear it anyway. A warm, wooly cardigan for myself will replace the Somewhat Cowl in my knitting basket and keep my Lovely Lacy Shawl company. I am thinking I will buy the pattern book the shawl was published in so I can knit from a chart instead of those long line by line instructions. Oh yeah, and some size 2 circs. I am hoping then it will fly off my needles! That is all the time I have for now, as The Boy Wonder really needs someone to play army with! Is it bad that a 5yo talks about snipers, flame throwers, grenades, securing the area, holding back enemy forces and the ins and outs of winning a war? I am hoping it is just a boy thing, although he assures me he is practicing for when he is in the army so he will be really good and be able to defeat the enemy. I guess I need to prepare my pacifist heart!

My celebrity look-alikes

I have been seeing this everywhere and thought I would give it a go...

Swallowtail Shawl from IK fall '06

Yarn: Knit Picks Memories (100% Merino Wool; color Redwood Forest), 2 Skeins.
Needles: size 4 circs
This was a super simple knit, and my first complete lace project! I did not use lifelines for this as the pattern was very easy to memorize and mistakes were easy to see. I did forget a few yarnovers, but could easily pick them up on the next row with a crochet hook making this a fun, stress-free knit! I probably could have stretched this a bit more while blocking if I had blocking wires, but alas I have none and had to use pins. All told it took 2 and a half weeks to knit, and an hour to pin for blocking!
The nupps did not present a problem, although they did slow me down a bit (purl 5 together is quite a fiddley stitch!)This is actually a gift for a very understanding secret pal. I hope she likes it along with her other gifts.

I don't want to jinx it, but...

I finally knit a section of the Lovely Lacy Shawl without having to rip back to my lifeline! Since my last post I finished the third and fourth sections of the pattern...I also realized there are actually 8 sections to the pattern, but since one section is only 2 rows, it really does not make much of a difference. I am FINALLY able to look at a previous row and realize at that moment if the next stitch is the one that fits....I am no longer blindly following the pattern, stitch by stitch, preying that I won't look down five rows and notice a mistake. That being said, I will probably have a screaming fit after making a stupid mistake the next time I pick it up. I really hope it stretches a lot during blocking 'cause it is really looking small. I mean, I am petite (realized yesterday my 10yo Girl Wonder only weighs about 15lbs less than I do) but now it looks like it might fit a child much to young to be gifted a hand-knit lace shawl...

My Somewhat Cowl is also rapidly growing. I am now half finished with the optional waist decreases. I am beginning to think I should try this one on before moving along just to make sure it is gonna fit. This is the official tv watching project, easy-peasy lemon squeesy.

I am finally to the cuff of The Gaming One's first sock. It has become the official traveling project to ensure I finish it. Since I do not drive and all my family realizes I am knitting obsessed and no longer takes offense when I knit in their company, this can be quite a chunk of time. While at my Momma's house (knitting) I realized a few things...
1. I could have realistically knit The Gaming One the cardigan that he asked for in the time it is going to take me to knit these socks. I honestly thought they would be finished by now. I mean, come on, a month!?
2. He will never wear them outside the house because well, they are green...and wool.
3. If all else fails he can use them as christmas stockings. They honestly look that big. Fr reference sake, I have almost used the entire skein (231 yds.) of KnitPicks Essential (minus the heel and toe) for the first sock on sz 1 dpn's.

Here's what's happening in the greenhouse. Angracum is finally blooming after 4-5 years of thinking it would never bloom again. Darwin made a a really astute prediction about butterflies when he first laid eyes on Angracum. (You have to scroll down the page to the pictures of the flowers to see what what he thought.)

This oncidium smells like chocolate.

and since I love haiku...

the stanhopea

hovers bird-like in hopes of

sweet pollination

It is always a treat when this blooms because besides the fact that it's pollinator in the wild are birds, (hence the bird like shape-see the little eye?) they bloom from the bottom of the basket and the flower only lasts a day.

no blogging does not mean no knitting!

I have been knitting up a storm since I last blogged. The past month has been crazy around here. We spent one week in the mountains for the Gaming One's annual family reunion. The Girl Wonder explored her thrill seeking side by jumping off a bridge into one of the local rivers! She was at least 15 feet above the water. I told her that if she jumped I would...however, I lied! That water was so cold I did not even put my toes in. She jumped with her uncle instead, twice! She was so proud of herself and immediatly wanted to do it again!
Our return home marked the official start of our school year! The kiddos are homeschooled and this year the Boy Wonder started kindergarten, so that means a bit more on my plate, teaching wise. I do not know how those ladies that have large homeschooling families do it! my hat is off to y'all. Just two weeks into our school year the in-laws invited me and the kids to spend a week with them at their beach house! One of the many perks of homeschooling...the flexibility!
The water was nice and warm, I got lots of knitting time in and the kids were well behaved! We survived the first hurricane of the season while there...it was very exciting as there was no damage just lost of wind and rain...PawPaw took the kids to the beach as the storm was approaching to check out the waves in the pouring rain, of course they thought it was cool to say they were on the beach during the hurricane! So now that we are all caught up on to the knitting!
First the FO's! First off is the Silk Corset Top. This has to be my favorite knit EVER! It is everything I hoped it would be and more! Pattern: Silk Corset Top
Size: medium-I could have knit a smaller size, I think the top lace section would be a bit more snug, but it is very comfy!
needles: size 4 circs
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Worsted-mc= bachelor's button, cc=cloud

Pattern:Razor cami Needles:size 4 circs Yarn:Knit Picks Shine-mc=orchid, cc=cloud

mods:I wanted a more bra-friendly option, so I knit the front of the top section in stockinette stitch starting with a yo, k2tog round just below the boobline and ending with the same ribbing pattern from the bottom. On the back I continued the ribbing for the bottom. I crocheted around the arm and neck holes for a more finished look. I also crocheted a chain to thread throught the eyelets created by the yo, k2togs. However, I ran out of yarn so it is not bra-friendly at all. Now I have a sexy cami to wear around the house for The Gaming One. The straps could be a bit shorter, but there is no way in hell I am taking out all the crochet edging to fix it. All told I really like it.

Now for the UFO's
Fetching in alpaca laceweight held double.












I finished another section of the Lovely Lacy Shawl. 2 sections down, 5 to go!












Last night I cast on the Shelia Capelet...I am using much smaller needles than the pattern calls for (sz 8 instead of sz11) and did not check my gauge, so this may be frogged or I may have to add a few pattern repeats...I really just wanted to see how this yarn knit up... I knit this pattern before with a white mohair-like acrylic over a year ago. Looking at it now I can see all the mistakes I made then and how far my knitting has progressed...that was also before I realized that there was such a thing as wool that was not itchy...mmmm merino

Socks for The Gaming One using this Knitty pattern. My foot is there for reference...If these were for me they would be finished by now. Not to mention it took at least 6 hours (and three attempts) to successfully turn the heel. By the second attempt I was seriously doubting my knitting ability, then I picked up an Interweave Knits and followed their directions for short rows and all was well with the world! I am not a moron after all, I just could not wrap my brain around the knitty directions. Does anyone know if Knit Picks Essential softens up a bit in the wash?


I also started a Somewhat Cowl for myself...I plan on knitting it with shorter sleeves than the pattern calls for and less of a cowl.










I am also making another attempt in knitting a fabulous baby blanket for my newest nephew! The blanket is five months in the making and I have had many false starts, as of today I am about 15 rows into it...could it be that I just hate it because it is knit with acrylic?

knitting? what knitting?

It is too hot to knit, please send cold beer.

Seriously, I have hardly knit a stitch. I did manage to completely finish (ok ok I did not block it yet) the silk corset top. but of course, the camera batteries are dead. The Razor Cami is coming along slowly. I am trying to make the top a little more bra friendly, but my first attempt was not quite to my liking so I frogged back about 4 inches to try again. I am also dealing with the fact that I am quickly running out of the color I started it in and may not have enough to finish. Fuckety fuck fuck.
I am feeling the urge to start something new...I think it just may be socks for The Gaming One. After much thought, I have decided I am not going to knit him a cardigan although he says he wants one. Why not? 1. He never wears sweaters- not even in winter. 2. He wants a plain stockinette stitch cardigan (boring) 3. He is 6'7 so it would take me months to finish it.
I broke the news to him gently, and offered to make him socks instead. I should be able to finish them in about the same time it would take me to knit a top for myself. He has the biggest feet I have ever seen...10.5" around the ball of foot, 11.5" from heel to toe. And ladies what you hear about big feet is true! *wink* they need the big socks! tee hee!
Only 3 days until our 5 day family reunion in the mountains! I cannot wait! I hope to have lots of time for knitting, much red wine and lots of togetherness!

I am the luckiest woman alive....

I love blogs, but even more I love the links on other people's blogs. So far, I have only really ventured into the blogs of other knitters, but today I stumbled onto this site. After reading a few of the posts there I realized I have a confession of my own. I am indeed the luckiest woman alive. While my husband is not perfect, neither am I. But he loves me anyway and I love him back.
He...
holds me when I cry-even if it is about something silly
tickles me just to hear my laugh
gets up early with the kids and lets me sleep til noon-even though he stays up much later than I
tell me I am the standard by which he measures all other hot chicks
lets me be me
never berates me
stands up for me-even to his parents
cooks me dinner even though he has worked all day and I have been home
is a loving, caring father
lets me have the last beer
tells me he is a success because of me
takes the kids grocery shopping so I can have time to myself
then brings me home a treat
doesn't say anything if the house is a mess
is fantastic in bed and makes sure I always get mine first (and second and third)
is always honest with me
encourages me to knit because it makes me happy
calls me at 12:34 just to tell me he loves me
tucks me into bed
kisses me in public
is nice to my family
never complains that I don't drive
really listens to me when I talk
calms my fears
rids me of my insecurities
gives great advice
lists me as "Sweetie" on his cell phone
is my best friend

really the list could go on and on and on...
I love this man so much sometimes I think my heart will burst.

7 days and still no FO...

Has it been a week? Really? Y'all, time is really flying! the Gaming One, Boy Wonder and I took a trip to Charleston, SC over the weekend to celebrate the Wild Cousin's 4th birthday. Although I was really kinda dreading this trip we ended up having a great time! It is a 4 hour trip one way, so I managed to make major progress on my Razor Cami. I am about 12 inches into it, and have made/am going to try to make a few changes to it. First of all I am knitting it flat because my circs are a bit too long for it to fit all the way around the needles, but a bit too short to magic loop it. I am planning to turn it into more of a tank than a cami, especially since I saw Jae's altered Lelah. Cause as cute as the original razor cami is, I am willing to bet a boob job, that the designer is 1-Not 28, and most important 2-has not nursed two babies. Although my gals are small, going braless is no longer an option. So my cami has to be a bit more bra friendly. Now, I have to decide between darts and short rows....decisions, decisions...

The LLS continues to kick my ass, and after my last attempt at lace surgery I decided to frog back to the lifeline and just reknit the entire section. It is in timeout until I finish the Cami.

The Corset top is patiently awaiting delivery of yarn for finishing. I decided to go with Cloud for all the edging, and also ordered enough so I can Sizzle! I just love Wendy's patterns, they are so simple, yet stylish with a bit of sexiness.

The last knit causing me much grief these days is the Yankees baby blanket for my sister. After realizing I suck at intarsia...that fabric was more puckered than a baby's face after her first taste of lemon, I frogged the entire thing. I plan on taking the easy way out and knitting a big square, then duplicate stitching the NY on. She thinks she just might deliver next Tuesday since it is the Full Moon! I hope so, because I am going to be out of town the entire week of her actual due date and she and hubby wants me to attend the birth! I am sooooo honored! I actually cried when they asked me! Sis keeps telling me I seem even more excited about the baby than they are, I told her I am just more excited because I know I will be sleeping through the night after the baby is born!

1 step forward, 2 steps back...

that is the only way to describe my knitting progress over the past week. First there is the razor lace cami that I started last week at the baseball game. I was well into my second skein, I was loving this mindless knitting and had completed almost 6 inches. It was at that time I noticed that I was losing stitches on either side of the sl,k2tog, psso on some of my pattern repeats...that was no good...then I decided to try it on and realized it was a bit too big. So I frogged the entire thing. I am finally starting to realize that it is not a race to finish projects (although I really want this finished by my family reunion in August) and that I am indeed human and make mistakes. This is a big pill for me to swallow as I tend to hold myself to a high standard. I am a bit of a perfectionist and prefer to have thing done right the first time. However, through knitting I am realizing that mistakes do not mean failure, they simply give me room to grow and learn. Ultimately, my mistakes are making me a better knitter and a more patient person.

My other learning experience is the Lovely Lace Shawl (LLS). I had the weekend to myself-no children, no husband just me and my knitting. I decided since it was an unusually comfortable summer day here in NC that I would pour myself a glass of ice tea and head outside with my lace knitting in hand. I learned two things that day. 1-lace knitting on size 2 needles with this loosely spun yarn is so much easier with the naturally bright light the sun provides. 2- I cannot hear the siren song of the computer and TV when I am outside and I can actually stay focused on my knitting. I love the TV- I am not proud of this fact- but I do...I will leave it on all day when I am home alone even if there is nothing of value to watch. Knitting enables my TV habit, as I do not feel like such a slug when I at least have a lovely knit to show for my hours spent in front of the boob tube. Although this sometimes drives my husband crazy-if only I had a quarter for every time I heard "Sweetie, are you going to watch this with me or are you going to knit?" I would have a much bigger yarn stash! *ahem* sorry for the tangent...back to the LLS...I actually managed to complete the second section of the LLS. I was so proud of myself, that is until I got online to check my progress. Ada Barneveld of Dutch Knitting has completed the LLS and has fantastic pictures that I have been using as a reference point for my own. hmmmm I thought to myself...I have made quite a few mistakes. Shit...back to my lifeline at the end of the first panel. Let me tell y'all, whoever thought of lifelines for knitting should be made a saint! Haha the Patron Saint of Knitting! I wonder if there is such a person? Anyway, back to the lifeline I frogged and this fuzzy delicate yarn is becoming fuzzier and more delicate with each tug. I picked up the live stitches and tried again. However, after 9 rows I realized that I have made yet another error. Instead of frogging these rows for fear of what might happen to my delicate yarn this post by Yarn Harlot came to mind and and I figured What the hell do I have to lose? (I have no pictures to prove this as it was 11pm last night and the lighting sucks for picture taking- Y'all will just have to believe me!) Here is a mental picture for ya though. Me sitting on the floor facing the sofa, unraveled knitting daintily spread out on the cushion in front of me, notecards with the pattern repeat written out inches away from my needles, DPN's poked into the sofa for easy access, my nose mere inches away from my work, breathing as softly as humanly possible for fear of blowing the stitches off the needles. I carefully dropped the twenty stitch pattern repeat back to my lifeline and with size 1 dpn's I carefully reknit the 9 offensive rows. Yay for me! I was victorious! I almost break my arm patting myself on the back. I even did it with no swearing, alcohol, throwing things, pouting or other childish behavior. I then realized with dismay that the fucked up section was actually between two of the pattern repeats and I would have to do it all again only this time I have to drop down 40 stitches. I think I may have uttered a few profanities at this point...seeing as it was 2 am at this point, I admitted woefully that I had lost that battle- but I am determined to win the WAR!
Somehow, my friends, after a week of knitting I actually have less to show than when I started, but I have gained confidence and a new skill to boot!

Proud to be an American

We had an all American 4th of July in honor of The Boy Wonder's 5th birthday. His birthday is on the 5th and he has always thought the fireworks were in his honor. We decided to attend Sky Show in lieu of a party. The Military tribute was The Boy Wonder's favorite part of the entire day, also one of the only free aspects of our excursion. Priceless.

Seeing as it felt about as hot as the third level of hell, we decided to forgo tailgating. Instead, we sat in the car and cranked up the AC, I had a few icy cold beers (I think they were the most refreshing thing I have had the pleasure to drink in years!). The Gaming One sipped on a Pellegrino and the Boy enjoyed a little cotton candy and a lot of ice water. He was really that hot and flushed-I'm tellin' y'all it was hot!

After some fun and frolic in the car...

We took our seats 13 rows behind home plate, and our little one was in awe throughout the double header. I was afraid he would get bored, but he had a great time!

Cold beer, my trusty sunhat and a new and easy knitting project were my constant companions through the 8 hour funfest.
The fireworks were the best and most moving I have ever seen. To all the wonderful brave people that have sacrificed, fought for and defended our independence I have no words to express my gratitude. You are so appreciated for all you do. Happy Independence Day and Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Lovely lace shawl: part 1

After a few false starts I have managed to finish the first panel of the Lovely Lace Shawl. I am learning the importance of each stitch. I also learned when you slip stitches it indeed matters whether you slip them knitwise of purlwise...in this case slipping them purlwise results in a mess of twisted stitches, while slipping them knitwise allows the pattern to rise to the surface as if by magic...I was on row 35 of 56 when I made this discovery. It was soon after I realized this that I decided to start over. I also learned the difference needle size makes on lacy patterns such as this. My first attempt was made on sz 4 needles (they are the smallest circs I have). While it looked ok, the pattern did not pop out of the knitted fabric like I would have hoped. So for the second attempt I broke out my 14" size 2 Susan Bates. Within a few repeats of the pattern I was convinced the switch to smaller needles was the right one! The solid sections of the fabric are indeed more solid and the super pointy needles are making knitting this loosely spun yarn much easier. I know that as the shawl gets bigger I am going to want to move this to circs (which I will have to order) but for now I am happy.

Lovely lace shawl flows
as water in the river
turbulent then calm.

it is all in the details

and those details are keeping me from from completing my corset...perhaps y'all can help.
Here is my corset top as it is now... What's that bit of pink you ask? It is the crochet edge that runs around the entire piece. I ran out of blue-KnitPicks Shine Worsted bachelor button- I needed a much larger size than anticipated. All I have left in my stash is the pink-KnitPicks Shine Sport Orchid. I originally put buttonholes down each side so I could lace it up (or part way up if I were feeling extra saucy!) It looks a bit unfinished this way though, so I broke out the pink...
The top was also a bit floppy, and the extra stitches really help it keep in shape.

I have pretty much decided I will crochet along the front and top edges. Then sew all those buttons on... I am horrible at sewing on buttons...but I should be very good after all the practice I am gonna get sewing on these 23 pearly pretties. But I can not decide if I like the pink...on one hand I do have it....however I think I would prefer Cloud or Silver Sage.

If the needles were in your hands what would you do?

1.Spring for the extra skein (color suggestion anyone?)-even if it means waiting...

2.Use the pink-it pops! and you have it after all...

on an itchier note...thanks for the well wishes...my bites are still insanely itchy. I have been taking benedryl for days and I tell ya it makes me woosey as a space cadet...but still I itch...y'all I knew I was really bad off when I would walk into a room with the kids and either of them would look at me and chirp "Momma, stop scratching, you are makin' it worse!" Next time I am breaking out the bug spray before heading out!

I did however suffer much less while trying to knit the lovely lace shawl. It seems obsessing over each stitch you make occupies enough brain cells to help you forget how horribly itchy you are. I also read that the pattern had errors, only after I got to row 20 and the lace was no longer lovely. I did a quick google search and had all the correction at hand (first mistake on row 19 arrrr)...there was even a picture of the finished shawl...very inspiring to say the least. So I am giving it another go. This yarn prefers to only be knit once...in case of mistakes I bought a little, tiny size 4 crochet hook. I am sure it will be worth its weight in diamonds by the time I am finished.

If I like knitting lace as much as I think I will be asking for winder and swift for christmas. Now ladies, I hope you are sitting down, I have no LYS nor do I know of one within an hour of where I live. I cannot beg, plea, or pay them to wind my yarn for me...I am much worse off than those poor kids with no Xbox...

Corset top finished!

I finished knitting the corset top yesterday, although I half-assed the pattern a bit...details and pictures to come after the ends are all woven in, the buttons attached (or should I lace it up since I did put buttonholes up each side?), washing, blocking...I cannot wait! It's so pretty already!

I have had a deflowering of sorts yesterday on the fiber front. I ordered two skeins of this yarn from handpaintedyarn.com. That is 850 yds of lace weight per skein. It arrived snuggled together dyed and wrapped just for me...The thing is, I have never ordered yarn that did not come in either a center pull skein or a ball. I got online to try to figure out what to do with this yarn so 1) it did not turn into a tangled mess and 2) I did not collapse in a tear-stained cursing mess. I finally came to the conclusion that I would have to wind it into a ball by hand. All 1700 yds of it...by hand...it took almost 2 hours and I only got one of them wound.

Cinnabar lace yarn
lovingly twisted, loathsome
will the winding be.

But never fear, It was enough to get me started on this Lovely Lacy Shawl! I am loving lace these days. I guess I feel as if it is my next knitting hurdle. I love that there always seems to be something else I can learn or do with knitting. It really prevents me from getting bored! Trucker Papa even commented that he is really proud of me for sticking to knitting like I have since I have such a tendency to be so flighty. I am really great at starting thing and thinking up things I would like to do...I just seem to have problems with the execution...Just when I get one thing going I get an awesome (at least in my mind) idea for another thing-sometime I gotta tell y'all about my earthworm farm...oh well, it is part of my charm, as my Mamma says...

There is a fitness trail for the University track kids to practice on near our neighborhood. The family and I often go back there to take nature walks and such. On one of these walks we discovered there are wild blackberries growing along most of the trail. Yesterday the kiddos and I grabbed a few baskets and went blackberry picking. The Boy and Girl Wonder had a great time! The Girl Wonder picked about as many berries as I did, while the Boy Wonder was a bit less productive... We picked over three pounds of sweet, juicy (free) berries and headed home while thunder rumbled in the distance. We decided to cook blackberry cobbler before we even arrived home. The Girl Wonder suggested we make one for our neighbors as well. Since "They are such good neighbors to us!" She and the Boy Wonder split up the recipe, she cooking the berries, he preparing the crust (I supervised). Twenty minutes later two bubbly cobblers were put to cool on the counter. After they cooled a bit, the kids insisted on delivering the cobbler next door alone, remembering to mention that they made it themselves and thought they were lucky to have such good neighbors!

I woke this morning thinking I was covered in mosquito bites...and when I mean covered, I mean it! I have 40 bites that I can see to count...however, after a strong cup of coffee and putting 2 and 2 together I think I have chiggers instead... I always heard my Grandma warn people of chiggers when berry picking, but I never thought it could happen to me! So now I feel itchy, yucky, repulsive, and generally grossed out by myself! Did I mention I am really itchy...I also have the phantom skin crawling itchiness that sometimes afflicts us that are grossed out at the thought of having parasites feasting on our flesh...um yeah...at least it is not contagious, and the kids do not seem to be afflicted or infected as the case may be...they stayed to the edges of the berries to avoid the thorns-and the chiggers apparently- lucky them... send hydrocortisone cause if it gets much worse I am going to have to tape oven mitts over my hands...

Crafty but stupid...

There is a post on Craftster titled crafty but stupid. There is also a post titled Persian Waxing. Based on my experience today, these are one in the same. For those of you that do not know Persian Waxing is actually a combination of sugar, lemon juice and water that you cook on the stove until it is basically caramel, let it cool a bit, apply to hairy areas and rip the hair right off. I have waxed before so when I saw the DIY on Craftster I was really excited to try it. I let the hair grow while patiently waiting for my period to end (waxing is less painful then). Well, my friends today was the day! I could not wait to be slippery smooth from the underarms down (in my opinion if a gal can get through childbirth with no drugs she can wax and I do mean all of it). I prepared the sugar solution and burned the shit out of my middle finger testing the consistency of the wax. Who knew sugar at the soft crack stage was hot enough to raise blisters. Stupid, stupid girl...I had only been cooking it for about 15 minutes, the spoon was hot to the touch, but I touched the little innocent looking blob of sugar anyway. It was too hard by the way. I have a lovely blister now, I am sure knitting will be lots of fun-typing sure is....NOT. I do not easily give up, especially when a month of not having to shave is at stake, so I tried again. The second attempt ended in a sticky mess. So I decided to break out the few remaining VEET wax strips I bought last summer to rid myself of the hairiness, after all I had a bottle of wax remover if things got too messy. After all, the whole point of making the sugar hair remover was the beauty of the easy cleanup. Have you ever had your freshly waxed sticky self stuck to your bathtub? I have. It is not fun and as funny as the mental picture of my sticky self stuck to my tub is, I am still not laughing. Little did I know the wax remover apparently has a shelf life, and was the consistency of pudding when I tried to use it to clean up the leftover waxiness. Let me tell ya, it did not work, and I do not even have enough strips to wax the other leg-or the other parts I intended to wax. So after an hour and a half, I am left looking like spider woman (not the one in the sleek sexy costume-I am the one that looks like a tarantula) except for one leg below the knee and it would be smooth if it were not for all the dark blue fuzz from my jeans stuck to the leftover wax...sigh...oh yeah and a huge blister on my finger.
In case you are wondering, yes, waxing hurts, but girls, let me tell ya, it is worth it! I will try the sugaring again tomorrow, cause I know it can be done, I just don't know if I can do it. If that fails me I guess I will be buying my hair removers like all the other uncrafty masses.
And all you hairy gals out there can spare me the feminist bs about why I am waxing in the first place...you let your man or woman (no discrimination here) go down one time after a "stem to stern" waxing (as The Gaming One likes to put it) and you just might change your mind...

Silk Corset top

My silk corset top is coming along nicely...especially since I have decided no baby born in August needs a knit blanket and have devoted all my knitting time to appease my own selfish desires.

I am loving this. It actually fits around me, but I was afraid of pulling the stitches off the needles. I will get a good picture when it is all finished...hopefully by Sunday so I can wear it to my sisters baby shower!

Hope y'all had a better Father's Day than I did. My Stepdad's older brother died over the weekend, and although it was expected, it is never easy to deal with. The wake was Sunday and the funeral was yesterday. It was all so sad. The man had 7 grown children, only one shed a tear during the two days. His widow didn't even cry. I know all people show emotion differently, but his kids acted as if it was a burden to have to take time out of their day for him. I cried for him, for the joyless life he led, for the pain and suffering he endured during his last months, but most of all I cried for him because it seemed as if no one cared and no one would miss him, except one of his daughters-my heart aches for her, I cannot even begin to imagine what she is feeling...it was, as my mom put it "the saddest funeral I have ever been to." It really put a damper on Father's Day, as I felt to celebrate was out of place and inappropriate during a time which we should be mourning the loss of a dear uncle. He was only 62. May he finally rest in peace.

Manly Knitting! and some rambling...

No it's not The Gaming One...He has decided he "probably does not have the patience to knit" although he does have the patience to play Call of Duty for hours on end...go figure.
Anyway, manly knitting My son saw it and said "Can they actually do that!? That must take a really big ball of yarn!"

I am also glad to report I found my knitting mojo! It returned after the first night of uninterrupted sleep I have had in months. The (almost 5yo) Boy Wonder actually slept through the night instead of waking during the wee hours to climb into my bed. Sometimes he sneaks in quietly-but only if I am snuggled up with The Gaming One and there is room, usually he crawls in and drapes his legs over mine. I tell ya there is nothing like trying to sleep while being the personal body pillow to a wiggling four year old. My kids have never been good sleepers. Both quit taking naps way too soon for this little mama (The Girl Wonder's gave up napping around her first birthday, and The Boy Wonder gave them up around 18 months). Ironically, they didn't sleep through the night when the napping ended. The Girl Wonder is a bit of an insomniac and it is not uncommon for her to be awake and reading in her room at 1 am (although her bedtime is 10:30) and she only started sleeping through the night when she was around 8-she is now 10. I hope The Boy Wonder reaches this milestone sooner, as 13 years of kids waking me up in the middle of the night is almost too much to handle...Before the children, I could sleep 12-15 hours without batting an eye, now I am lucky to to sleep three hours without interruption. At least I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mama and the kids are lucky enough to be homeschooled so the sleepless nights do not interfere with school. I know one day I will roll over in the morning and for just a second will yearn to have those sweet little warm bodies contently snoozing beside me. However, these days I am happy to roll over and realize they are still in their own beds!

On another note, I am so excited about the Secret Sistah Friend Exchange (link on sidebar)! I have been scouring the web for gift ideas for my secret sistah and while I have a few ideas, my pal seems to be one of those gals that have everything! I am not usually one of those people that "want" anything. It drives my family crazy. Last Christmas my Mom asked what I wanted and I told her I had all I needed that she should donate to a local charity instead of buying me something. This mentality sometimes makes it very difficult to choose presents for others, but I am working on it. So ladies, if you happened to be my Secret Sistah what might you like to get in the mail?

LOST:My knitting Mojo Reward offered!

Sometime between yesterday and today I lost my knitting mojo.
Exhibit A: I have forgotten how to count to six, and placed a buttonhole on the wrong row of the Silk corset top. This is usually not a problem, as I would just ladder down the stitches and pick them up with a crochet hook. However, today I had to unravel the edge and reknit the button band. It was a messy affair, and I had a bit of an out of body experience as I looked on with horror at the tangle of yarn realizing that I may very well have to not only frog eight entire rows, but then pick-up the 160some stitches and reknit all my progress. It looks ok now, but only ok. And I almost cried after I was finished.
Exhibit B: I posted earlier today about a cute little alpaca baby sock I knit for my preg sis. I was unhappy with the super-pointy toe so I thought I would frog just the toe and try another. Apparently my brain and my knitting mojo are buddies and decided to take a vacation together, because 1-the yarn is fuzzzzy alpaca 2-the needles are sz 1. My dear friends this 1+2=ERROR!ERROR!ERROR! um yeah...that baby sock was sailing across the living room faster than I could say "another vodka tonic, STAT!" I actually went to my room a shed a few frustrated tears about this one. Knitting for relaxation, my ass!
Exhibit C: The yankees baby blanket is a tangled mess. I have mentioned this blanket on more than one occasion to the expecting parents and they are both so excited to see the finished result. BIL even went to the trouble to find me a great NY logo to use for the charting. I think all my bragging is coming to bite me in the ass. What is up? I can knit a fucking sweater but cannot manage a square stockinette stitch baby blanket? My first attempt at intarsia over a year ago went off without a hitch, now it is killing me.
Do y'all realize that is every project that I have on my needles? They are all fucked and the cocktails are not helping.

I have not left the house so I have a strong suspicion my mojo and brain are vacationing beneath the sofa cushions. Maybe those rugrats of mine have taken off with it, however, kind souls, if you come across it please return it, as I really need it back. My sanity relies upon it. Reward: half a bottle of Stoli Vodka...(the other half is helping me cope with my loss)

Knitting in public & new love

So Saturday was Knitting in Public day, but apparently no one in the greater Charlotte area was aware of this as I saw ZERO other knitters all day...alas, none at the farmers market, either of the restaurants we went to, not even the ice cream shop...WTF is wrong with people in NC? Ah well...I have always liked to be unique! I vowed I would only work on the Yankees blanket for my sis and BIL, however it looks like this... You see all the balls of yarn down there? they are going to be the death of me I am sure...I need advice ladies. How in hell do I keep them from tangling and making me curse in front of the elderly and small children? That clip is my feable attempt and I tell ya, it ain't working... Anyway, I took my Silk Corset Top to knit in public, but when I got home and was coming in the house I had my arms full of purse, knitting, coffee cup tucked in crook of elbow...I bent down to pick something up and poured half of my coffee into my knitting bag! AHHHHH! yes I was pissed. At least I spilled the coffee when I was at home so I could wash it out quickly. Thankfully there is no coffee stain on my half finished favorite garment ever. I guess that was my sign to get back to the baby blanket... but I am really not enjoying knitting it...I don't know what it is about it, could it be all the tangled yarn, the worry that the NY in the center will end up puckered and gappy, all the stockinette stitch, the realization that it will never be finished by the baby shower or simply the fact that I am kinda selfish and just want to make something for myself? You choose.
Since I know I cannot finish it in time I decided to go another route...a cutsy pair of baby socks with an IOU a baby blanket note. The socks are slightly selfish, I must admit. I have a pair of sz. 1 dpn's that I have been really wanted to try out. I also have seven skeins of laceweight alpaca leftover from MIL's Clapotis that I thought just might make the most comfy (or most itchy) socks ever. So what better way to try out both than baby socks! (Sorry about the photo- I had just enough batteries left in my camera to take the two pics for today's post.)
say it with me: AWWWWWW! ain't they cute! I accidently unraveled a few rows of the toe transporting little sock to its photo op, which is ok cause the toes were pointier than any baby toes I have ever seen. I am going to try a few different options to see if I can round them off a bit more. Also, after the practice baby sock, I see a pair of alpaca socks in my future! MMMMM fuzzy alpaca. These tiny needles are my new love, I really thought I would be in ladder-between-the-dpn's-hell, but I have not had any problems. Gotta go fix that toe then on to the second sock.

Selfish Knitting

Two weeks after frogging my Silk Corset Top, here is my second attempt. I wanted to make one size larger than before, but somehow when I was casting on I casted on enough extra stitches to make it two sizes bigger... I did not notice this until I finished the top diamond section... To make up for this (since there was no way in hell I wanted to cast on all those stitches again) I decided to knit the ribbed portion on size 5 needles instead of size 6...So far, so good!I love this pattern, the yarn (Knit Picks Shine Worsted) everything about it! I cannot wait to have it finished. I am down to the mini cable portion (chart D). I must admit the twists gave me a bit of difficulty at first, but after printing a closeup of the twists to use as a reference it was smooth sailing! I tried it on after completing the bust decreases and asked The Gaming One what he thought....His response "I think you should stop knitting now! You look hot, baby!" Gotta love a man that appreciates knitting!
I cannot put this down, although I should be working on this...It is the Yankees baby blanket for my pregnant sister. Her baby shower is in two weeks, you would think I would be knitting this and only this, but I have not even charted the NY yet...I guess I will be wrapping this one still on the needles! Hey, the baby is not due until August, so I really do have a bit of time. Although I would like to have a bit more of it finished before her shower so I do not look like such a slack ass...after all, she has been pregnant for seven months now...sheesh