Daily fiber therapy

2008-01-02T20:32:00.001-08:00

Three stockings.
Finished on Christmas Eve, of course. Santa didn't seem to mind, as they were full the next morning.

Pattern: Mix-and-Match Socks from Knit Christmas Stockings!
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic
Notes: This went quickly! I used size 7 needles because I'm a rebel. I embroidered Nora's name on it freehand (how rustic, eh?). I decided to put the "chain" motif between the others in order to unify it all, and I am very pleased with that decision. I looooved the afterthought heel. It was my first; can you believe it?

Pattern: Rustic Lodge Christmas Stocking from Knit Christmas Stockings!
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed
Notes: This went even more quickly. I used size 10 needles and I didn't much care for the yarn. It's a bit inflexible and also quite fragile; not a good combination. The stocking is very floppy, but it holds a lot and Matthew's happy, so I'm happy.

Pattern: Snazzy Argyles from Knit Christmas Stockings!
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic
Notes: The pattern was surprisingly easy to memorize. Had I thought about it, I would've done two things differently. First, I'd hold the green in my left hand even though it's technically the background color, as it recedes a little too much in the larger red argyle sections. Secondly, I'd put the heel on the opposite side. As it is, in order to face all three stockings the same way, the ugly jog faces out on my stocking.

More pictures on Ravelry.

2007-11-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

Pretend there are pictures of knitting here.
I got the holiday Interweave Knits and I want to make almost everything in it, maybe because the items are small and, thus, obtainable. I started an ascot out of Knitting Fever Angora Extra in orange, purchased from the Yarn Cafe along with The Opinionated Knitter with my purchased-for-half-off gift certificate. It took forever to find something to buy, as usual. I guess that store just doesn't row my boat.

(pretend there's a picture of said ascot here)

Your opinion needed:

Valley Yarns Florence (in the first color, dark gray) or Rowan Kid Classic (in "Crushed Velvet") for Oblique (100% love this)? I really love the red, but does the extra expense justify it? I have a $25 gift certificate.

This little one has fried my brain:

Yay four-month sleep regression. Does that help with your baby jonesin', Melissa?

2007-11-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'm a sock savant.
It fits perfectly! Now I just need to make another. Uff da.

My stash sale helped fund a new computer (nothing too fancy but lightyears better than the last one), so I'm spending more time on Ravelry because - *gasp!* - I can actually use all the features. It's even cooler now than it was before.

My baby is now four months old. Where has the time gone? I have to go back to work in a month and a half. I'm not ready, though I admit I'll relish the knitting time I'll have on the bus.

2007-11-08T14:11:00.001-08:00

You know you want it.
Thanks for the help with the destashing! There's still stuff available, if you've resisted temptation thus far.

Note: Listing stuff for sale on Ravelry gets you many, many replies.

If you're interested in getting your own copy of Unusual Toys for You to Knit and Enjoy, I've got mine up on eBay. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders.

The psychological benefits of destashing are wonderful. Just little things like "Now I can take of my stash photos and put them on Ravelry and not be entirely overwhelmed by the task" and "Maybe I will be able to knit everything in my stash within the next year" are uplifting.

The sock I'm knitting for the husband continues; I have about half of the cuff left. I'm also attempting a hat/mitten set for the little one, a combination of Squirrelly Swedish Mittens (opens a PDF) and some brain cells. If it works, it'll be adorable.

2007-11-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

STASH SALE
Please visit Flickr for photos, pricing, and any item-specific details.

Please read the following:

The pictures are not wonderful, but I don't have the time/opportunity to photograph during the day. If you need a better photo, I may be able to provide it eventually.

All prices include either media, first-class, or Priority mail shipping and delivery confirmation (except for media mail) to continental U.S. destinations. If you would like insurance, that will be an additional charge. I will ship outside the U.S., but additional shipping charges will apply.

I accept all forms of PayPal, but items purchased with e-checks will be held until cleared.

We are an animal-friendly, non-smoking household. Items have mostly been stored away from animals, but I cannot guarantee the complete absence of fur (you know how it is). Likewise, since the yarn has been stored in our (finished) basement, it may smell like one, but this is nothing that can't be aired or washed out if you notice it.

Please email me at tipper at gmail dot com if you'd like to purchase an item or if you have questions; do not send payment until I have confirmed availability.

Items will be deleted from Flickr as they are sold.

2007-11-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Major destashing alert
And when I say "major," I mean MAJOR.

I've decided to get rid of almost all of my yarn stash, as I've determined that I'm not a knitter who thrives on having so much yarn lurking around. I'm keeping most of my sock yarn, some sweater yarn, and some odds and ends I'd probably end up buying again anyway so it makes no sense to get rid of it. Everything else is GOING, including:

- Rowan yarn
- Laceweight
- Several sweaters' worth (Dale Sisik, Manos del Uruguay, Lamb's Pride, Cascade 220, and a great merino/silk blend, for example - there's even more!)
- Handspun
- Various other yarn
- Books (Folk Vests, Hip to Crochet, Knit Your Own Norwegian Sweaters - a great vintage Dale of Norway book, and much more)
- Back issues of Spin Off and Knitters and a few others for good measure

I hope to have everything up for sale Monday afternoon/evening.

You - and your wallets - have been warned.

2007-11-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Teeny mittens plus pattern

Pattern: Teeny mittens (my own pattern)

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, Spring Tickle

Needles: US 3

Gauge/sizing: This is a very tight gauge and the finished mitten is about 1 1/2 inch wide and 2 3/4 inches long.

Notes: Cast on 24 stitches and knit 1x1 rib for 14 rows. Knit one row. Increase 4 stitches evenly. Knit 12 rows. Do a decrease row ([k1, ssk, k to three stitches before halfway point, k2tog, k1] twice) followed by a knit row until there are 12 stitches remaining. Graft closed. Make two and connect them with a 3-stitch i-cord. Bask in the cuteness.

2007-11-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

Another February sweater

Pattern: February sweater from Knitter's Almanac

Yarn: 2 balls Rowan Felted Tweed

Needles: US 6

Notes: The last photo shows the color quite accurately. The buttons are from my vintage button box; I believe they are brass. I knit most of this while on bed rest, finished the knitting a couple of weeks after popping out the kid, and finally put the buttons on (it took a whole 15 minutes) two days ago.

2007-10-26T20:55:00.001-07:00

Progress
I've been knitting! *cue applause*

This is the Gentlemen Sock pattern in some Opal something-or-other I received in a trade awhile back. As you can see, I started with the toe instead of the cuff. These are destined for my husband's feet. I've made a remarkable amount of progress while carrying the baby around in the BabyHawk.

And here you see A Cardigan for Arwen (er, ME) in Patons Classic Wool Merino that's going to get frogged. This stuff doesn't show cables well. I am probably the last person to know this. The cables on the wrong side look better; go figure.

I've decided to post pictures from Flickr instead of using my own web space. It makes things quite a bit faster (ethough not entirely streamlined, posting-wise) and now I can easily put progress pictures on Ravelry.

2007-10-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

One month later...
Right now I'm having a rare baby-free moment. She's finally allowing me (Who am I kidding? She's allowing the boob...) out of her sight so I can pass her off to Daddy for a bit. I'm making the most of it by typing this up, editing photos, chatting with my mom, and knitting a tiny mitten all at once.

In celebration, I give you photos! I knit Saartje's Booties (PDF) (using Rowan Cashsoft 4-ply, the recommended yarn) while I was on bedrest, but managed to stall putting buttons on until very recently. I also whipped up a pixie hat in the same yarn, held double and using size 7 needles. I gave the set to my friend Shannon's baby, but Nora was kind enough to model it before it was gifted. Cuteness abounds.

The whole crazy ensemble.

Hat closeup.

Action shot! You have no idea how hard it is to photograph a baby's feet, unless you've tried it yourself.

Booties.

For those of you on Ravelry, come join the Stocking Along!. I've no idea what sort of stocking I'll make, though I'm leaning toward the aran stocking in Handknit Holidays. I'd prefer something colorwork, but circumstances may not permit it.

Oh! I finished the Dream in Color Shrug. It just barely fits me; I should have used the recommended needle size, even if I didn't 100% love the fabric it made. I'm using the leftover yarn to knit some teeny mittens for Nora; she looks like she's got flippers with them on. I'm hoping I have enough yarn left over from this and the cardigan to make something else interesting, such as a baby surprise jacket, though I'm not holding my breath. A little of this yarn goes a long way, though maybe not quite THAT far!

2007-09-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, I'm still alive.
I am pretty much just a walking, talking boob, but I am alive nonetheless.

I just deleted an entry from when Nora turned five weeks old; she's now two months old, so that should give you an idea of where knitblogging falls on the priority chain. She's currently passed out on the Boppy after barely sleeping all day; we WERE in bed, but she woke up as soon as her daddy came in. Now I'm wide awake.

My knitting life lately, in condensed form:
- Have knit most of a Dream in Color shrug, just the edging to go. The sleeves may be a bit tight but I hope blocking (and eventual weight loss) fixes that.
- Adore the latest IK.
- Have added a ton of stuff to my Ravelry queue, not that I'll ever have time to knit (oh, woe).
- Actually liked a sweater in Knitters (the orange cabled cardigan) and bought Norah Gaughan's first Berocco book (purchased both at Amazing Threads, which is amazinger and amazinger each time I visit; they also get a big thumbs up for letting me nurse Nora in the back).
- Ran into a fan at Yarn Cafe (after getting scolded for being on the patio before coming in the store; we're well aware that it's for customers, which is why we were going to come in as soon as Nora was done eating)
- Purchased a $50 gift certificate to YC for $25, but do not know what I'll buy
- Have been reading lots of knitting blogs.
- Have not been knitting much, but I relish what I can fit in.

In conclusion, here is a picture of Nora modeling her Dream in Color cardigan. She likes it, really. She was just a bit overstimulated by the fun birthday party we went to:

2007-08-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

Now with 100% more knitting content.
Don't worry - we were not on any bridges that collapsed, mainly because we don't venture out of the house often these days. As scary as it was, I am very glad that the casualties have been few. It could have been a lot worse, and I'm happy that no one I know fell a victim.

As promised, here are a couple of pictures of the completed alphabet blankie. I tried to get Nora to pose adorably, but she much prefers to sleep. (Unfortunately, she doesn't like to sleep anywhere but right by me most of the time!)

Pattern: Alphabet Blanket from The Baby Knits Book (errata)

Yarn: 11 balls Rowan Wool Cotton in Citron

Needles: As called for in pattern; I didn't feel the need to check gauge.

Notes: This went much faster than anticipated, save for the edging. If I were to make this again - and I would - I'd do a plain edging, such as garter stitch, unless the recipient is very special, as Nora certainly is.

Two bits of knowledge are absolutely essential if you'd like to knit this blanket and keep your sanity (assuming you are sane in the first place; if not, please disregard):

1) Know how to drop stitches down and knit them back up in lace. It would have taken me about ten times as long to knit this if I didn't know how to do that, as I would've had to keep ripping back.

2) If you're knitting the fancy border, which involves many, many little short rows, you NEED to learn how to knit backwards. It's nearly impossible to turn the blanket back and forth at that point, not that you'd want to, anyway.

Yet to come...
I've finished a pair of Saartje's booties that are going to be too small for Nora in about a week (so they'll get gifted after I sew on buttons and take a picture). I've finished the lace knee highs and attempted to take a picture but it came up short (my camera stinks). And I've finished another February baby sweater that needs buttons. I've got half of one Pomatomus done, as well. Yay for knitting!

2007-07-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Eleanor "Nora" Violet

Born Tuesday, July 17, 2007
7:49 p.m.
8 pounds, 12 ounces
20 1/2 inches long

To make a long story short, I had pre-eclampsia and they tried to induce me four different times in four different ways. The fourth try took; thank goodness I had a midwife, or I would've ended up with a c-section. For the final attempt, I was given Pitocin at 4:00 p.m., my water was broken at 5:30 p.m., and Nora shot out into the world like a rocket, after just seven minutes of pushing, at 7:49 p.m. Zero to baby in less than four hours! And no drugs, yo!

We all love each other and are very, very, very happy. Also, Nora is the cutest baby ever.

Matthew provides some adorable commentary and photos here.

2007-07-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

Bed rest is good for something.
Joy of joys, I am now on modified bed rest, thanks to a slightly elevated systolic pressure at my last weekly appointment. It appears that Bellydweller is pressing on my major blood vessels, causing my heart to work a bit harder, so I'm supposed to be on my side more often than not. Although this makes knitting difficult, I'm getting some things done; pictures will come eventually.

The Alphabet Blankie is finished and blocked and it is beautiful.

I finished a pair of Saartje's Bootees (pdf), minus the buttons, for one of Bellydweller's friends.

And I should have a pair of socks done soon, assuming I stop screwing them up.

I was just complaining about having to be at work, but now I wish I was there. Despite having time to rest and knit, bed rest isn't fun. I'm SORE and it's only been three days. I just can't win! Cross your fingers that Bellydweller's an overachiever and she'll make her appearance before her due date.

2007-07-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

If nothing else, she'll be well-blanketed.
Blanket #1 is complete for Ms. Bellydweller. Observe!

You can see the binding and the quilt against the crib better in the second picture. Please forgive the blurriness.

I used:

- The first pattern in this book (fyi - not my auction!)
- Alexander Henry 2-D Zoo fabric
- White and light yellow chenille
- Some reproduction calico I had in the stash for the additional squares and binding
- Batting that I had in the stash
- Random ancient acrylic from the thrift store for the ties, also from the stash (what's with this using stash business?)

Of course, because I am AWESOME, there is a big ol' hole in one of the seams, which appeared after washing.

The other blanket is edging toward the finish line. I finished the long bit of the border and made one triangle last night. Only something like 79 billion more triangles to go. Then 2948 million ends to weave in. And then I have to attempt to get the chocolate off of it (this is what happens when pregnant ladies knit).

The rest of the nursery pictures are here.

2007-06-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Ravelry
Subtitled: This baby has eaten by brain so I'm afraid there is no such thing as a clever subject line around these parts.

After some anxious waiting, I finally received a Ravelry invite. Then I let it sit in my inbox for a week and a half. Then I accepted it.

I am, of course, Tipper, and here's my project page. It's a work in progress and probably will be forevermore. I am gradually adding things, which is sort of a pain in the butt, as I just started keeping track of them via Flickr.

That said, I am not sure how Ravelry will work for me. Isn't keeping a blog enough these days? I am enjoying how easy it is to use, so far, and the queue is nifty, since I am bookmark-organization impaired. I haven't explored it much, but I imagine that y'all aren't lying when you say it sucks up lots of time. How are the rest of you finding it? How is it going to be a useful tool for you?

My only hope is that it stays free, though I'm not sure how that'll be possible when two people have quit their day jobs in order to run it. I imagine they can't survive on donations and advertising alone. Maybe it'll be purchased by Google like everything else.

Alphabet blankie update: One more long border to go, and the knitting is complete.

Quilt update: I just need to tack down 3 more sides' worth of binding, and that will be complete.

I hope to have a couple of finished objects for you by the end of the weekend. It's crunch time, and I want the big stuff DONE before Ms. Bellydweller decides to move out.

2007-06-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

War is declared!
You may remember this shrug (finished back in a time when I could wear jeans without a stretchy waistband). You may be able to tell from the pictures that it droops a little in back. Now, unfortunately, it has droop to rival a basset hound's. I'm attempting to wear it today, and, like every other time I've attempted to wear it, it spends most of its time trying to fall off my shoulders. This is unacceptable!

My plan of attack is to cut out a bit portion and graft it back together. I figured out that I can take about 8 inches out (that is, two repeats of the lace pattern, if I remember correctly) and it'll be nice and snug the way a shrug should be. The magazine picture (scroll down a little) shows some obvious droop, but my row gauge must be WAY off (or Cotton Fleece hates me as much as I hate it) because it's not quite that bad. Or maybe it is, but I will never know due to trick photography.

And, yes, I hate Cotton Fleece. It's splitty and heavy and I have barely touched this and it's pilling.

More pleasant things?
As of today, I have 26 days until my due date. You might ask if I'm ready, and I will answer with a hearty "NO." The house is a mess, the baby's room is a mess, my projects aren't completed, I'm just a wee bit nervous about being someone's parent, etc. My maternity leave will start in a couple of weeks, assuming my midwife is kind enough to deem me unable to work up to my due date. Even though I've had zero complications and everything is a-ok, I highly doubt I'm going to want to be at work until I pop; we may need to put me on leave for the safety of others. I have no delusions of getting a lot of stuff done in these last few weeks, but I hope I can suck it up and get just a bit more prepared.

There are lots of things I'd like to knit before the baby shows up, and things for OTHER babies that I'd like to knit, but my top priorities are finishing the Alphabet Blankie (I finally picked it up last night after it's languished for MONTHS; only two borders to go) and finishing the quilt I'm making. It's a fast-moving quilt and I'm almost done with the top; the problem is that I can't do too much at once or my feet swell up like dead seals washed ashore (without the stench... I hope).

I have been slowly plugging away at the second lace knee high (again, scroll). I'm through one ball of yarn, anyway; it is just a matter of getting off my butt and getting the other. Cute kid story: I was knitting on this sock at a baseball game, and my friend's four?-year-old step-daughter was asking a million and one questions, such as, "Are you done yet?" and "Will you put it on your head?" When I'm done, I'll have to let my friend know that she can relay the information - yes, I'm done, no, I did not put it on my head.

2007-05-29T04:43:00.000-07:00

Whale in a tent.
Hey, I finished a sewing project.

From the front...

From the side...

...and a much better picture of the print and bust/waist detail.

I am fond of saying that this shirt makes me look like a whale in a tent. I have said to Matthew, "I am as big as a whale!" He says, "No, you are as big as a house! No! As big as a whale house!" It is amusing. I've never had so much fun being fat before and eagerly cheer on my belly.

The gauchos were finished on Sunday; man, are these comfortable. I am also proud of myself for altering the pattern to fit me. I made a test pair exactly per the pattern instructions, and the belly panel ended up starting right at my groin area. It took me an embarrassingly long time, but I figured out that I could make the belly panel four inches shorter and the front legs four inches taller and end up with something right on.

Both the shirt and pants are from Simplicity 3888.

I haven't been doing a lot of knitting, partly because I often find that I can't focus on more than one thing at once for more than a few minutes at a time.

I did churn out one bootie yesterday using this pattern and some leftover Koigu. The finished product will be going to one of the Bellydweller's internet friends. (Yes, fetuses can make internet friends, too!)

2007-05-11T04:35:00.000-07:00

I'll just sit here and live vicariously through you.
Oh, the Minnesota knit blogs are a-buzz with pre-Shepherd's Harvest enthusiasm. I was initially planning to go, but I don't have much cash, don't need more fiber of any sort (blasphemy!), and DO need to stay home and do things. I'll just stay at home and watch you guys have fun.

I have been such a bad blogger from the socialization standpoint (though I'm reasonably sure my absence has not been noted!). I used to go to any and all events, but I've been terribly lazy about that. Hopefully there will be time to do a few more things before the baby comes (such as a picnic at Lake Harriet on knit-in-public day and attending some sort of SnB). I got new hearing aids on Monday and I'm anxious to give 'em a whirl (not that I haven't been, but, you know).

I'd take a picture of my knitting progress, but looking at ten inches of 1x1 rib is as exciting as watching paint dry. Something has been finished, but it is super seekrit, so no pictures yet.

I have the urge to start another sock. Must.Resist.Sock.

2007-05-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

Of aprons and ass-kickin'
As mentioned earlier, I made a green-with-strawberries apron for a friend as a very belated housewarming present. Since I forgot to take a photo, she was nice enough to do so.

Why is it that the smallest, most unassuming projects kick our asses so easily? I am working on something that shall be unveiled in due time. It's (relatively) simple and small and maybe I got too cocky. Things are going smoothly at the moment, but there were many potential throwing-in-corner moments.

Work continues on the Lucky Clover Cardigan. The back, fronts, and sleeves are done; inches and inches of 1x1 ribbing awaits. Forgive me if I'm not jumping for joy.

I do want to add something in regards to the Sweet Baby Cardigan - the yarn is awesome. Laura designed and knit a great sweater out of it recently, and she sang its praises as well. These colors are even nicer in person; my favorite has to be Blue Lagoon, which I believe was used in the edging for the cardigan. Y'all should go buy some so I can live vicariously through you.

2007-05-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

11 weeks left, one sweater down.
Time is speeding by. Luckily, baby knits speed by as well.

This was made from the kit I bought from Coldwater Collaborative at the Yarnover. I used size 6 and 5 needles instead of 7 and 5, and I'm thinking it might be larger than what I was going for but, heck, babies grow.

Lesson learned: never underestimate how long edging will take to be completed. Also, applied i-cord edging is nifty.

There isn't much else I can add to that.

2007-04-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

Fiber of a different sort.
I've spent some time sewing (not nearly enough, of course) over the past few weeks. The nursery is set up as a temporary sewing room, which means I can leave everything sitting out, which also means I'm more apt to go back to it (assuming I have the time and/or energy).

The pattern laid out on the table is for a top from Simplicity 3888. Since I, to put it bluntly, suck at sewing, I wanted to make a test top before launching into my pretty, pretty fabric, but nothing I had on hand can be pressed. I really need to stick with cotton, because I need that pressing action. Instead, I launched right into the good stuff, and I'm going to do my best to stay calm, rational, and not put a hole into anything.

Matthew's grandma was very much into sewing (and knitting, as I've mentioned), and that's her machine on the sewing table. It's an old, old Viking, and is about 1,000 times better than my mid-1980s Singer.

And as you can see - the room is orange. It's a nice light sherbet-y color; Matthew and his friend Zach painted it several weeks ago.

I really need to make the curtains for the room - not to mention the quilt - but I am too easily distracted by clothes. I hope I'm not this selfish after the baby pops out.

I have actually FINISHED things, though.

This is one of two aprons I've made for friends from Butterick 4945. This is view C, and I also made a view D in a light-green-with-strawberries cotton (typically, I forgot to take a picture). I didn't mean for the cowboy apron to use THREE different fabrics, but I cut out the large (red) piece upside down and had to fetch more fabric. Of course, they were out of red. The edges between the ties were a pain in the rear to do on both, and they're far from perfect, but I'm pleased that neither was thrown across the room at any point in the process.

As far as knitting goes, I'm a whole inch or two farther on my last cardigan sleeve, and am just starting the body of the little rainbow sweater. I decided to go down a needle size to 6s for that even though I got gauge on 7s, as the fabric was too loose, and I'd rather have something on the smaller side of the 6-9 months it's meant for. Little Bellydweller will be just a few months old when the cold weather hits, and I'd like her to get as much use out of this as possible.

2007-04-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

Ah, yarn.
I came away from today's yarny adventure with a newfound desire to knit. That's always a good thing. I made a silent promise to myself to NOT purchase any more sock yarn, and I remained strong, despite the proliferation of delicious-looking, on sale, and new-to-me yarn.

This is what came home with me instead:

From the top right, we have four balls of Encore DK (from The Yarnery), which is next to what it's destined to become - the Child's Garden Maze Cardigan. I ran into Jess, who had purchased this pattern, and I decided it was too crazy to resist. This pattern is definitely inches away from the fine line between "cool" and "ugly," though it could very well straddle it (imagine it in 1970s colors). The plan is to knit this for a friend of mine who is having her first little one (a girl) in September.

The pile of red and green is six skeins (that's 1650 yards) of Alchemy Yarns Haiku in "tea leaf," purchased for the grand total of $30. I tried to find a copy of Victorian Lace Today, as I think there's bound to be an appropriate pattern in there, but had no luck. If anyone wants to suggest a big, fantastic, complicated (or non-complicated but not boring) shawl pattern that will use up every bit of this, please do so!

Then we have the Sweet Baby Cardigan kit (oh! the shrug pattern on that page is cute!), purchased from Coldwater Collaborative (as was the Haiku). I'm swatching right now; the yarn's not blatantly soft, but is springy and pleasant to work with, even though size 7 needles feel huge to me right now. It's definitely worth it to buy the kit for this, as the colors of the handpainted yarn used are fantastic, but the full skeins cost almost $20 each.

Finally, two balls of Rowan Felted Tweed DK (also from The Yarnery), destined to become a February baby sweater for my little yarn snob.

It was nice running into some wonderful knitter people. I didn't spend as much time shopping, nor was I as social as I have been previous years. It's definitely different to not go with a group, maybe in a good way, since there is no peer pressure. Bellydweller kept me company, though, even if it was in the form of having my bladder socked every so often.

2007-04-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

And inches to go before I seam.
You know the drill by now: I set a reasonable goal, I fail miserably. Tomorrow is Yarnover, and no, the Lucky Clover Cardigan is not done. I'm about halfway through the second sleeve, and inches of 1x1 rib for the edging and ties stretch out before me. I will stay strong and press onward.

So, yes, Yarnover. Tomorrow. I'm excited, though in a very subdued way. I certainly do not need more yarn. I didn't make plans with anyone for breakfast beforehand, as I've done the past couple of years. (If anyone wants to join me for lunch, I'm planning on a visit to Cafe Latte - baby needs cake! - before stopping by the Yarnery's annual sale.)

I think my main focus will end up being baby/kid stuff, not that I am counting on buying anything. I've only used one of the purchases I made last year, and that's the hemp I bought at the Yarnery (used in one of my favorite FOs).

The incomplete cardigan means that I do not have much that is knitterly to wear tomorrow. I may just have to wear my crocheted necklace. It'll be far too warm for wool tomorrow (yay!).

2007-04-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yay fer socks
At last, the Conwy socks are complete. I would have finished them on my lunch break today, but I'm a bad knitter who does not carry a tapestry needle on her person at all times.

They fit, but barely. It could be that my feet have grown a bit.

The rundown:

Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Watercolor
U.S. size 1 needles; metal for one sock, bamboo for the other (following a tragic bus stop accident wherein I lost one of four needles)

I changed a lot more on these than I thought (and nothing much that I can remember, aside from doing the toe the "normal" way), which made knitting the second one (almost two years later) quite the adventure.

As per tradition, I am wearing them now.