Bad choices and I need a photographer

There was a little finishitupus this weekend, finally cast off and blocked my second Endless Knitted Cardi-shawl This time it was knit using Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2ply in the color Ayers Rock. My intent was to use larger needles and get a softer drape than I did in version 1 and if my gauge had been consistent that might have been what I got....instead I got an almost-too-big-man-that-is-a -lot-of-drape piece that I had the bad judgment to wear with red sweat pants and pin with a double pointed needle for self portraits!

The least I could have done was brush my hair before throwing the finished piece on and trying to get pictures!

And while a double pointed needle can certainly step up and act like a shawl pin, grab a wooden one for a much better look than I presented here!

In other knitting news, such that it is, those long rows didn't stop me from making progress on my Feather Weight!

Terrible picture coming up!
No, I am not knitting a mud colored cardigan, the flash was just a little too much to show the sweater but here is the real color...
I made this longer than the pattern called for, and am about ready to start my third hank of cashmere to finish the sleeves. The Drama Queen opted to not have a lace edge on this, if I get around to making one for me it will certainly have a much more interesting border than the one she likes! But before I get there I have some more Christmas knitting to do and a sock that is crying piteously to have a heel, foot and toe so that it can join it's mate and be a pair.

~M

From my Calendar

"You can do whatever you with this information, but there are about nine weeks until Christmas. I don't know how fast you knit or what your plans are, but I thought it might be time to start thinking about it. No pressure."

I have page a day calendar with quotes from none other than the Yarn Harlot. This was today's quote, and I checked, there are nine weeks until Christmas, and even though I have been knitting like a mad woman, and have a couple of things in my Christmas Gift Stash there is plenty of knitting left to do. I am sure I can get all of my Christmas knitting done in time. I knit fast, and I have picked some pretty easy patterns for this year.

I am sure that I even have time to knit for another person or two. If I stumble across the perfect pattern or yarn.

Why just today I was browsing through Ravelry and came across.......

Who am I kidding?

You know what, face facts family and friends of mine... no matter how fast I knit, or how well I budget my knitting time someone WILL get their present still on the needles!

~M

Blame it on.....

Say hello to Dear Son #1 or The First Twin, or one of the chance brothers*, however you would like to know him! Modeling does not come easily to him, and truth be told this was still a touch damp from it's final blocking when I made him put it on for the photo shoot, so he does deserve a pat on the back for trying!

Stats:
Modified Durrow
Obviously this is a cardigan and not a pull over, V-neck not crew and much skinnier than the smallest size. I went down a needle size and down a yarn weight to get this skinny enough for DS#1, other than that I pretty much followed the pattern and had the same problem I heard about on Ravelry...the neck was too big, luckily a round of crochet from arm saddle to arm saddle tightened things up just enough for it to stay on him.
Yarn: ColourMart 3/15 Lambswool just over a cone
Size 7 (US) needles
6 buttons, which is a mistake I meant to put in 7 and mis-measured the placement for the second button so I ran out of button band before I ran out of buttons.
I am not usually a big fan of marled yarns, but this one knit up so nicely I am very glad I have another cone to play with! It took six soapy washes to get the oils out, but once they were gone the yarn softened up like you wouldn't believe. Even mister picky there likes it!

I am still working on version 2 of the Endless Knitted Cardi Shawl, being in a heavy lace weight yarn it is a time sink getting through a row and even with my putting in faggoting instead of a drop stitch pattern it is pretty boring to work on at the moment. I would say I am about half way through that long haul now, maybe for next weekend I will have a finished object shot for you.

So, having just finished miles of k4,p2 ribbing and in the middle of miles of knit one row, purl one row what did I cast on yesterday?
I would blame it on Amanda, but truth be told I bought the pattern weeks ago. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go work on my mind numbing knitting!

~M

*What? You haven't heard of the chance brothers? I am sure that you have really...There is Fat Chance and Slim Chance and although the name comes from these books one or the other of my boys is always bigger than the other so although they switch roles, calling them The Chance Brothers is my prerogative!

Where did the week go? Or Should I call this Variations?

I have no idea where the time is flying off to, if you find some of mine laying around near your house having landed somewhere nice and warm, please send it back!

There has been knitting and frogging going on here, and some cleaning up and some trial runs at being the tattooed lady!

This is the tattoo that TDQ is determined to get, for real, sometime soon! Any guesses as to what that character means? (I already know, the answer for you will be at the bottom of this post!)

I needed something quick to give me that sense that I can finish something this week, so one ball of yarn and a couple of hours later I have this:



Yeah, I know the picture quality kinda sucks, what can I say? Artificial light, a flash and cream yarn do not play well together.

Stats: Fancy Gifts and Carlsbad Flower Fields Combo
Pattern: Edging from Bad Cat Designs Little Gifts...Plain and Fancy attached to Carlsbad Flower Fields wash cloth
Yarn: Sublime Organic Cotton DK
Size 4 US needles and two hours of knitting time. Just what I needed to catch up on the online broadcasts of NCIS.
This one is going in the Christmas stack, paired with some fancy soap it will make a wonderful teacher gift.

In other cast on news...yes I seem to have forgotten the finishitis I needed!

Another version of the Endless Cardi Shawl, this time in fingering/lace yarn.


I really hope I did the math right, there is a huge difference in gauge between the pattern and my knitting. I also changed up the pattern stitches as the dropped stitch wasn't doing it for me!

And just so that you don't think I have forgotten my other knitting projects....I did finish one sock (photoless, but finished) the second is yet to be cast on....And....

The top half of a sleeve and one front to go and I will be finished my variation of Durrow!

That's all for now!

~M


*The tattoo is Crazy

Nearly halfway through...

Here we are, nearly halfway through Socktober and all I have to show is half a sock. Not even half a pair of socks, just half a lonely sock.

Through the Loops is hosting another mystery sock, this Socktober. I have snerked* through some of the in progress shots on Ravelry and have to say that I will be casting on that sock just as soon as I get something else off the needles!

The Colourmart contest is still running, and I am still slogging through K4,P2 ribbing for that. I have now completed : one sleeve, one back and started on one front. The first twin has suggested a cardigan would be nice, so I split that pullover front up the middle and am working two fronts instead of one.

In other news, sometimes having an unemployed nephew is a good thing...look at what he got done today!

He took my house from this :

Click to embiggen and see all the moss/algea growing on the siding!

To this :

Click to embiggen and see clean siding!

Well, if I am ever going to be able to cast on some through the loops mystery socks I had better get knitting on other things!

~M

* from the verb snerk meaning to give spoilers or hints

Nothing to see

Hard to believe that out of four things cast off there is not so much as a picture to share, but it goes that way some times.

For those keeping track, scratch the yellow, two of the burgundy and the red off the list of works in progress.

On the needles now we have a greeny/grey, oh no, another one I can't talk about!
And miles of ribbing and a pair of socks...like I said nothing to show.....

Wait, I haven't shown you the socks...hang on while I get my camera!

Go grab a drink, I will meet you back here in a minute. :)


Just in case you don't get the emails..the new Knitty is up and running! My lunch time/conference call knitting is Nemesis shown above in one of my all time fav sock yarns Steffi in the Just Abouts colorway Little Falls. Magic Loop works well for "knitting on the go" hence the Knit Picks Options Nickle plated needles. Very distinctive cable on those, you can spot the purple in a knitters hands a mile away!

While I had the camera in my hands :
Miles of ribbing, just like I mentioned. Looks pretty uneven too, but don't worry I am knitting straight from a cone of ColourMart yarn, still covered in oil - that unevenness will disappear with a hot, soapy bath and a little luck. (Luck not really being involved, my swatch evened out nicely!)

Like I said, nothing to see here today...maybe later!

~M