Calorimetry

Calorimetry was the perfect project to use the very first yarn I ever spun (grey) combined with a small skein of handspun (yellow) that The Girl Wonder bought for me on a trip to Charleston, SC with her Dad. As many have before me, I cast on fewer stitches- between 70 and 80 ( I cannot recall, as this was a little something to take my mind off this). I ended up stitching mine closed, so I would not have to sew on a button. I would rather seam a extra large man's sweater than sew on buttons.

I finally broke down and did the math to convert Twinkletoes into a wearable slipper for The Girl Wonder. I used the Universal sock pattern as a starting point, and used the original pattern as a guide. I should have them finished by the time The Girl Wonder returns from her Dad's house on Monday. I would model the first complete one, but my little 10 yo girl has bigger feet than I do...

I will blog in more depth about Sunshine (my entry in the 'One stitch to Rule them All' Craftster Challenge) in the days to come.

the power of knitbloggers

I have seen the great things y'all can do when you band together...and I need a little of that love right now. I am not asking for yarn, knitted things or money- right now my family and I just need your thoughts and prayers. My paternal Grandfather has had health problems for years. (Out of respect for his privacy I am not going to go into his medical history.) During the past few weeks he has gotten much worse and I am afraid he is losing his will to fight. He has requested a DNR order. He feels as if he is nothing but a burden to my Grandmother - his wife of more than 50 years. My heart is breaking for my Grandmother. She told me today that she really thinks this will be his last year with us. I really need to go see him, but cannot even think about him without bursting into tears. I do not know how I am going to face him without upsetting him because I know I will be a wreck. While I realize the death is a normal part of life I am having a hard time letting go- for my own selfish reasons. I want his suffering to end but cannot imagine this world without him. He was always such a strong man. It hurts so deeply to see this shell of a man he has been reduced to... to see the shame in his eyes for what he has become. He was and is a good man- full of love and kindness for his family and neighbors. Although he never was one to gush about his family or feelings, anyone could interpret his feelings simply by looking into his eyes. Some of my earliest childhood memories are following him in his vegetable garden picking beans, tomatoes, melons and cukes. I remember sitting on his knee while he cracked pecans from the trees that shaded his house each hot summer. I know I will never see a tomato on the vine or a freshly tilled garden without thinking of him.

Y'all I need strength. I feel like my Grandma and my Daddy and Brother are going to need someone to lean on through this. I feel this is my responsibility as the oldest granddaughter. So I am gonna need to lean on y'all a bit. I need some inner peace if I hope to calm the waves of emotion I am sure to encounter in the coming weeks. I know I am not the first person to have to go through this-but it is a first for me...and I am hurting.

I've been tagged...

By Lara of Yarn It to tell 5 secrets about myself. The rules are

• Get tagged
• List five things that have not been revealed on my blog
• Tag five other people

Ok...since the 100 things about me meme, five secrets are really hard... I think my real secrets may be a bit more than ya'll really want to know (also a bit more than I want on the web) but here ya go, some not too secret, secrets...

1. I have always wanted a tattoo but could not think of anything I would want forever. Currently I want this on my side.

2. I support this.

3. I am considering breast augmentation.

4. I am deathly afraid of the dentist.

5. I want to win this. So kindly go vote for my Sunshine!

That is all, and tag to anyone that has not already been tagged, just leave me a comment so I can read your secrets, too!

One stitch to rule them all!

additional pics for the knitting challenge over on Craftster. More info later (The Gaming One must game!)

Lela

I inherited this 401A Singer from my Great Grandmother, Lela. I have had it for years, and before that it sat at my Mom's house gathering dust. This past week I decided it was damn time it worked (partly due to the awesome quilt Steph made, but I digress) and took it to have a little much needed TLC. This machine is over 50 years old and let me tell ya'll it still sews like a champ. It seems to remember the miles of thread that has traveled through it before, and has given me no problems.

I have been sitting thinking of my dear grandmother as I sew, feeling connected to her as my fingers are just where hers where for so many years. Saying this woman was amazing would be an understatement. Sometime during the early 1940's, after the birth of her fourth child, her husband left her for another woman. He moved to California never to be seen again. My Great Grandmother never remarried, had no family that lived near and still managed to raise four small children all alone. I could not imagine what that must have been like. She mainly kept to herself and preferred not to talk of the past.

By the time I knew her she had a sewing addiction for sure. I remember her sewing storage room: A bare bulb hung from the ceiling illuminating an ironing board island surrounded by a sea of cloth and doll parts. The smell of moth balls wafting out of everything. There were closets so full of cloth you could not see the floor. Half finished dolls, patiently waiting for an arm or perhaps a face. Lela made hundreds of cloth dolls and I bet that every child that was supported by The Christian Children's Fund in the 70's - 90's has one of her dolls. She made them for less fortunate kids, the homeless. I would love to have one of those dolls now. I was amazed by that room, with all the different colors, prints, textures. How I wish she could have lived to see my interest in all things crafty.

She also made her own clothes. For some reason she always choose crazy polyester prints to make her matching pants suits. I don't think I ever saw her when she was not wearing polyester. Oh yeah, and she was mostly deaf. So it was always comical to have conversations with her. One I really remember between her and my oldest sister... Lela was well into her 80's at this time.
Sister: So did you have a good time in California?
Lela: Oh yes, we had lots of fun.
Sister: What did you do?
Lela: aye? (cupping her ear)
Sister: Did you go surfing?
Lela: yeah lots of times.

I can never smell peppermint without thinking of hers growing in her back yard garden. Ahhh....memories.

On the needles

Here are the first few fishies for my Tessellating fish afghan. I have not the heart to calculate how many of these I will have to make to have an afghan worth... So far I have enough to make a dishtowel.

Here is the beginning of my entry for the Knitting Challenge on Craftster. I am thinking 3/4 length sleeves, tunic length, as well as garter stitch lace v neck. We shall see what happens as I have never attempted to knit anything for myself without a pattern. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft -color soft yellow (this pic is a bit washed out...the color is a bit brighter) Size 6 needles.
Icarus is poking right along. I am almost to the end of the first skein. Lace looks so small and pitiful while on the needles.
Twinkletoes seemed like such an awesome idea. I knew The Girl Wonder would love them. I loved the pics on Knitty...maybe I am not getting gauge, perhaps I am reading the pattern wrong. But this does not look like the ones pictured on Knitty.
So, I adapted them a bit. Fewer cast on stitches, shorter toe, no short row heel, single crochet around edge and crochet ties. This is my third attempt. Personally, I think they look more like ballet slippers, but who am I to say...at least they do not have a funky heel. They are still not quite right, but I am getting closer.
That is all the knitting for now. I have officially been blogging a year now, which is a major thing for me. Hobbies do not generally "stick" with me. My step-dad has told me time and again "I am so proud of you for sticking with knitting like you have...you are usually not the type to stick with things." I have never written in journals for more than a few pages, and here I am a year later still going strong! Thanks to all y'all that have left me such nice comments and good advice throughout the past year! I appreciate y'all more than you know!

2006 Finished Objects

Red Baby Shoes

Five Hour Baby Sweater

Pinwheel Baby Blanket

Pinky

Eve

Anthropologie Capelet

Lolita Legs

Elephant

Monkey

Clapotis

Somewhat Cowl

Saving Grace

Anthro. inspired

Swallowtail Shawl

Silk Corset Top

Modified Razor Cami

The Gaming One's Socks

Starsky

Nephew's Raglan

Miss Dashwood

Daisy Baby Hat

take two...

I just spent over an hour composing a post full of self-doubt and my computer froze and the post is gone...Is that the universe telling me to keep those thoughts to myself? perhaps. I have not the time or energy to try to recap it all. So no personal thoughts today. We are all probably better off. Perhaps I should start another blog for my ranting and self doubt and keep this one strictly knitting.

Needing motivation I have decided to join a Craftster Knitting Challenge. So far all is going well and I will give more details as my project progresses. I have also started a tessellating fish afghan to use up my acrylic stash. It is a fun project so far, very portable and I am really loving how the little fish are fitting together. I am weaving in the loose ends as I finish each fish so piecing together will not be so horrible. I will try to take pics tomorrow as it is dark now and we all know that my picture taking is sucky enough in daylight and downright craptastic at night....I blame the camera.

Twinkletoes is still waiting for it's mate. I really am not happy with the way the third attempt looks, but The Girl Wonder thinks they are cute, and she will not be wearing them to any beauty contests so I guess they will be fine. sigh. I hate "fine" I prefer "ohhh, those are awesome" but don't we all.

The Icarus Shawl is at that stage that I am really wishing the gnomes will complete the last pattern repeat for the first chart as I am bored with it....also, I realized I forgot a ssk about 8 rows back and can't decide if I want to ladder down and fix it or just do an extra ssk on the row I am on. No one would ever notice (except me that is). I do know I am not frogging those 8 rows because I can't bear to knit them again.

I hope y'all are keeping all your resolutions if you made them. I don't make new year resolutions...I make birthday resolutions...but I usually don't keep them either...

I just realized that in three days my blog will be 1 year old. I can't believe that I have stuck with it this long...as I am notorious for starting things but not sticking with them.

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...