Saturday, July 22, 2006

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.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

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!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

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!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

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!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

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.