Realization Dawns

So, I moved over to the new Blogger today and I’m starting to get used to it. But I found something shocking!! People had left comments on my blog, lots of people and I hadn’t realized!! So I have changed my setting and comments will hopefully come through to me and I will be able to respond to all of you great and supportive knitters.

I really do apologize if I overlooked a comment of yours, but I’m very happy to know I will never miss one again!

Keep reading! You guys are so great!

Satisfaction

I finished my Fetching gloves today!! I am also getting ready to finish my cabled dishcloth, and I am very excited about making a felted bowl from One Skein out of Plymouth Galway. This is just a brief update, but I’m hoping to have a more comprehensive post this weekend!!
Signing off with warm and fetching hands!! FO post to come..

Progress

I finally finished Chart 1 of Hidcote Shawl– I had an issue with the last row, because when I started Chart 2 I had one stitch too few. It’s all worked out now and I am very happy with the progress.

I frogged my Icarus and here is what I’ve done since. It’s not too much since I’ve been working mainly on Hidcote.

Wicked has been coming along nicely and is such a fun knit, I love watching it grow!! This is the first KAL on the Sexy Knitters Club that I’ve participated in. Hopefully, I’ll have time to finish it before the KAL’s over.

Still loving my Bejeweled and it just keeps growing. I’m nearly finished with my first skein and I bought another so that I can definitely make it the length that the pattern instructs.

Knitting Along, Singing a Song…

Today is the first day of my Monthly Dishcoth Mid-Month KAL. I cast on in a light forest green. This cloth is cabled, so it will be a fun knit!

The January KAL cloth was a snowflake and I really liked this pattern.

I cast on my Hidcote Garden Shawl last night and nearly finished the first chart, which is what I’m working on right now. The yarn looks more purple than red in this picture, but here’s my progress thus far:

Finally, I cast on Wicked last night for the Sexy Knitters Club:

Here’s a more accurate color picture:

No Longer a Noro Virgin!!!

I purchased my first skein of Noro Kureyon last Tuesday so I could make a ribbed hat pattern that magically appeared in my possession(seriously!): it was an omen. So I cast on Wednesday evening and sewed up the back seam Friday night. I must say that the resulting hat is very warm and cozy, perfect for winter. Here are some progress shots and the FO.


Cast-on: January 9, 2007/ Finished: January 11, 2007
First FO of 2007!!
Pattern: Vogue Knitting Ribbed Cap, like I said it magically appeared from a magazine of some kind, basically knit flat in 4×4 ribbing
Yarn: Noro Kureyon in Color 183
Needles: Clover Takumi US 8’s
Mods: None, great pattern, but next time it will be knit in the round

My Bejeweled is growing…

Here is the KnitPicks order I received last week. Shadow Yarn in Sunset for the Hidcote Garden Shawl KAL

and Palette Yarn in Fawn and Blue for Eunny’s Endpaper Mitts.

Colorwork and lace are definitely my weaknesses.

Also the blanket I need to finish for BF Hunter’s birthday next Sunday

A fun little quiz with a not-so-surprising result.. Of course I’m merino wool!!! What Yarn are you??

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted. You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.
Take this quiz!

Posting, a little late

Well, new year usually means trying to get things done, and so far, I’ve just been procrastinating. Even about blogging! Anyway, I have a few projects to share:
I’ve been swatching for Wicked in order to participate in the Sexy Knitters’ Club KAL. I love the orange of the Patons Classic Wool, so I’m hoping to have it cast on by the end of the week.

Bejeweled is definitely one of the most entertaining projects I’ve done in a while, it seems like every time I pick it up it grows infinitely. Can’t wait to block it into lacy goodness and wear it constantly. The yarn is Universal Yarn, Inc., Eden Silk. For some reason, the yarn feels better in the skein than in the scarf, but once it’s had a nice Eucalan bath that ought to change.

I though Icarus and I were getting along just fine, but then the knitting gods as usual reared their ugly heads(that’s my story and I’m sticking to it). I had been reading the chart from left to right because that’s how I learned to read (books). I guess I figured that I knew everything. So, I read Eunny’s blog and all of her lace primers and I realized that starting over was exactly what I needed to do, and now it’s coming along very nicely.

Plus another book full of ideas: the new Knitscene(one of my favorite mags)!! I already am planning to make the Ladybug(scroll down: it’s #20) headband out of some leftover black Patons Classic Wool from Center Square.

Knitting New Year’s Resolutions

1) Knit lace–
I cast on the Icarus Shawl last night with Skacel Merino Lace in a beautiful teal-green. I will take a picture once I have a little progress and some daylight.
I’m about to purchase KnitPicks Shadow in Sunset for the Hidcote Garden Shawl KAL.

2) KAL’s–
I will do both of the dishcloths for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL monthly. I am planning on saving them up and give them as a Mother’s Day gift.
For Knit the Classics, I plan on reading the monthly selection and participating in the KAL if I am moved to do so.
Sexy Knitters Club- I bought some Patons Classic Merino in “Paprika” for a different sweater, but I’ve decided to use it for Wicked instead- the short-sleeved version.

3) Current Projects–
Multi-Yarn Shawl from Home Knits
Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene
Hush-Hush from Knitty (picked it up last week and then took it to a movie today!)
Candy Cane Hat from Handknit Holidays
Bridgetown Belt Bag from Interweave Knits (nearly ready for FO post!!)
Hunter’s Birthday Blanket (to be completed by January 21, wish me luck!)

4) Knitting Journal–
I began a knitting journal with all of my current projects and plan to include the pattern name, cast-on date, finished date, yarn, needles, modifications, and a snippet of yarn. It’s a plain composition notebook, but I’m hoping to spice it up with a stamped cover. Once it’s beautiful, I’ll post a picture.

5) Finish Stagnant UFO’s–
Irish Hiking Scarf (only recently stagnant- for Mother’s Day now)
Clapotis from Knitty (ditto- for Grandma’s August birthday now)
Baby Socks from Interweave Knits (the baby turned out to be a girl, so I decided blue and yellow socks can go into my hope chest when they’re finished)
Somewhat Cowl (just do it!)
Valentine Pillow from Hollywood Knits Style (nearly out of yarn, but also don’t feel like knitting with fuzzy pink yarn)
Afghan Squares for Taylor’s Afghan from 100 Afghan Squares to Knit
Loopy Pillow from SnB Nation

6) Knit from Stash– Keep yarn buying to a minimum: sock yarn or yarn for small projects

Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Gifts

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. I really had a great one this year. I finished a beautiful dishcloth from my Monthly Dishcloth KAL.

I gifted the cloth to my mom and she loved it, insisting it was “too beautiful to use!” Hopefully, it will be used well and she’ll need some new ones come Mother’s Day.

I got some great knitting-related gifts this Christmas:

Home Knits by Suss Cousin

Inspired Cable Knits by Fiona Ellis

KnitPicks Options Needle Set

I’ve already cast on the Multi-Yarn Shawl from Home Knits using my new KnitPicks needles as straight needles. They’re great, I absolutely love the pointy, pointy tips. I can’t wait to knit more with these.

The orange color is a bit brighter in this picture than in reality, but I didn’t have time (or daylight) to take a proper picture. When I have more progress, I will try to get a more accurate picture.

Since I had to find comparable yarns at JoAnn’s for the project, Suss yarns aren’t available around here. I held together a strand of Sugar n Cream cotton in Ecru and Lion Brand Fun Fur in Champagne, but the eyelash seems too long. See, it’s in the far left of the picture. So would trimming it work well and make the eyelash appear a little less “bushy”??

Short and Sweet

I’ve been busy all day taking pictures of non-knitting-related material, but no knitting pics today. I’ve been continuing to work on my Clapotis today and I’m about halfway through Section 2 of 5. Ready for Christmas? Yeah right.

I bound off my mom’s lovely dishcloth today which I love and could not capture the wonderful colors with the heinous light. I will block it tonight, weave in ends, etc.. and take a beautiful outdoor shot tomorrow.

I picked up a bit more white fleece from my friend and I am planning on slowly, meticulously spinning it tonight until I can get it right.

Happy Holidays to all!!

Spinning… more like Trying to spin

I was introduced to the art of Spinning yesterday (something I’ve been meaning to do for ages.) My boyfriend’s friend’s mother used to teach Beginning Spinning classes and offered to help me learn ages ago. She gave me some brown merino and white long hair roving plus a spindle. I have spun all of the white, but the “tension” (I don’t know Spinning terms yet) is way off and I am continually screwing it up royally. I hope to be able to spin yarn for myself to knit with, eventually. This current batch, however, has very little to offer.

This picture makes it look a little better than it actually is, but I’m still learning. Anyway, hoping to have some decent yarn next time I give it a spin.