A knitting update, no pictures.

I finish the Branching Out scarf. I made it with one of the first balls of yarn I bought last year, and at that point I was still pretty much an idiot of yardage/weight, etc. So it was enough to complete all the expected repeats, but after blocking it's long enough to be a small decorative scarf. And it's pretty, so maybe pictures next time.

I've been very good about knitting one row a day on my feather and fan shawl. but I'm still days away from being 3/4ths done.

I'm really almost done with chart 1 of Icarus. After that, the other charts are only done once each, so I'm seeing the end! I probably have enough yarn to do more repeats of chart 1, but mentally I can't bear it.

I'm still waiting for more yarn for Grace's sweater, so that's still on hold.

And decided to start some socks, out of Interweave's Favorite Socks: Go with the Flow. I have a goal of knitting at least one pattern out of every knitting book I have. I have a long way to go.

On the family front, Tom's dad is having by-pass surgery this week, so Tom will be out of town for 10 days. My working hours have also been increased, so I'm expecting to be fairly stressed for a while.

I'm enjoying Lucy Neatby's Knitting Essentials DVDs from the library. I wish they had her other ones, but no.

A whole month

As usual, this blogging thing is not going great (although my Ravelry page is quite current). Why can't I at least do once a week? Of course, it would help if anyone read my blog *sigh*

So, on to the knitting: I'm working on lots of big projects, so progress is slow. I'm closing in on finishing the first chart of Icarus (in a week or so?). I'm getting rather tired of the first chart, so it will be a great relief to knit something different.



My EZ sweater is moving slowly. I've knit more inches than the previous version, but still haven't knit as much yarn.

I'm still slogging away at my Feather and Fan. I've knit 101 rows with maybe 60-80 to go. I want to knit one row a day. I started this thing last summer. I really don't want to be still knitting it this coming summer.



So to keep from going insane from lack of progress, I've also been some smaller projects (which of course means these big projects take even longer). I knit myself some Monkey socks



I really like the pattern, so I may well do it again. The short, but not too short, pattern repeat makes the socks go really fast. And it's fun.

I knit a Scaruffle for Maria with Kid Silk Haze. It's annoying, but very quick.



I'm working on a sweater for Grace from Fitted Knits. I'm in holding pattern because I'm waiting for more yarn from Knit Picks.



I also dug into my stash, got some of my oldest yarn, and finally started Branching Out. It's promoted as a good pattern for beginning lace knitters, but I wouldn't think so. The pattern is complicated, if short, and resists memorization. Still, I like it a lot. I'm using Lana Gotto Feeling. It feels really nice, and rather pretty.



What will I have finished by next week?

Happy Christmas and New Year!

Too long since my last post, so this one's going to be long. Let's start with Kisa, this time, exploring the Christmas tree:




Kisa found Christmas to be lots of fun, and just a little stressful (sounds familiar). Ribbons, tissue paper, bows and boxes were great. Visitors, trees being dragged inside, and long absences were not so good. But she survived.

As usual, my family bought me everything I asked for (I tried to keep the list under control). I just emailed Tom my Knit Picks shopping cart and they went to town!:




Panopticon's It Itches, a magnetic chart keeper, some Chibi yarn needles and these really cool DPN WIP holders, so you can safely carry unfinished socks around without fear of breakage, purse holes, or impalement.

Tom order this swift from a guy on eBay. It's much more durable than the umbrella-style, and lots cheaper. I love it, wind away!





Of course then came the Boxing Day yarn sales. From Romni I bought Lana Grossa sock yarn, Cascade 220 Heather, and Lavold silky wool. From Lettuce Knit I picked up some Misti Alpaca hand painted lace, and some Socks that Rock. I was very disappointed they had no Dream in Color Smooshy for sale; that was the main reason I went there. Unfortunately, I didn't take a group photo before putting the yarn away, so I think I'll just link to my Ravelry stash page.

Finally, for my birthday, Tom got me one of the Knit Picks lace samplers:



I have so much lace-weight! And lace takes so long! And I want to knit sweaters! Oh well, it is beautiful.

Speaking of knitting sweaters, after completing about 8 inches on my EZ percentage sweater, I had to frog it and start over. It was huge! I cast on 32 less stitches this time. Didn't you knit a gauge swatch? you say. Yes, I did. I knit it in the round. I washed, dried and measured carefully. Gauge swatches lie.

Before that I finished a hat to match my mittens:



a Noro One Skein One Stole scarf:



a Baby Surprise Jacket for a pregnant co-worker:



and one Monkey Sock:



I also cast on the Icarus shawl in lovely Malabrigo lace weight:



But because of the the rippage, I feel so behind on my knitting. I have one more week off from work and I need to get lots done.

Happy New Year!

On holiday!

Because of an error in calculating my vacation days, I got sent home today, three days early to start my Christmas holiday. No more work until January 5! What am I going to do with myself? Knit, of course!

Secret Santa mitts are here:





9 teachers have been laid off from my work, so the Christmas party won't be so joyful. It's seems like most people are still planning to show up. My gift recipient is not one of the lay-offs.

I'm really proud of my first fair isle project: Ice Wine Mitts.




Checking out the blog of the designer, I suddenly realized I knew her! She goes to the Purl's knit night. So I was able to show the mitts and thank her for the pattern (and coo over her new baby). Yeah!

All my Christmas knitting is now done, so I've moved on to my first Baby Surprise Jacket, for Andrea and her soon to be born baby. It's lots of fun to knit, although it lands in that annoying place between mindless and requiring attention, so I tend to forget where I am in the pattern and have done a lot of annoying tinking. The yarn is Joy by Needful yarns, and it's really cushy. I like it a lot.



Eventually I'll get back to my Noro scarf, though I've made some progress:

more mitts

I keep knitting mittens that aren't in my cue, and not getting other stuff started. Oh well, it's winter!

I was thinking of just whipping up a simple pair of mittens to go with my scarf and calorimetry, but then I saw this Icewine pattern which I had already saved on my computer (in my days before Ravelry). I've never done 2-stranded knitting, so I thought I would give it a try. Also, my daughter Grace encouraged me, so I started them and boy! was it hard at first. But eventually I got the hang of it. Then I noticed that further up some of the floats would go over 15 stitches! Eeek! is that legal? By wonderful coincidence, I read Michelle's Always Casting On post about these very mittens. So I contacted her and she assured me it was okay, just keep the floats loose. Thanks Michelle!



I've also cast one the One Skein A Stole scarf, which designed for one skein of Noro sock yarn, which is just what I have:



FOs: Here's my hemlock ring blanket all pinned out an drying (should be done by tomorrow). I love it.



Ralph scarf is done, it just needs a little blocking:



Secret Santa mitts are nearly done, but I done have a updated picture. By the end of this week Christmas knitting should be totally finished!

knitting progress and stash enhancement

I love the hemlock ring blanket. I never want it to stop knitting it. Both the yarn and the pattern are wonderful. But I will stop, and soon. I'm down to the last four knit rows (472 stitches each) and then the bind off. Here it is in all it's unblocked, almost finished glory:



I've also finished 56" on my father-in-laws Christmas present, a One Row Scarf by the Yarn Harlot.



It was going to be for work's Secret Santa, but then my father-in-law fell and ended up in the hospital and I thought I should send him something handmade. So my Secret Santa giftee is getting some mittens, knit out of a lovely natural yarn I got at The Purple Purl:



Finally, I'm knitting along in happy stockinette my first EZ percentage sweater. The yarn is also natural, but very stiff. I'm hoping it will soften up with washing.



Speaking of The Purl, I was there Thursday night for the Knitty Roundtable, and as a prize I got this lovely bit of sock yarn: Schaeffer Heather (wool, silk and nylon, $29). Not in colours I normally buy, but lovely stuff:



Today The Purl celebrated its first anniversary (Yay! Congratulations ladies!) and all purple yarn was 30% off, so I got some silk seacell for me



and this cotton, wool, seacell, silk blend for a Clapotis for my friend Sharon

mostly complaints

Nobody has updated their blogs.
I've had insomnia since the time change. Keep waking up at 5am.
Tom is out of town for the second weekend (helping out his dad who's in the hospital).
Tom is coming back tonight and I have to drive to the airport and pick him up.
The kids are stuck late at school with a rehearsal.
I forgot to bring home the marking I have to do (maybe not a complaint).
The girls have a really hectic week which making me stressed out.
I can't watch episodes of "Chuck" or "Bones" online.

enough.

Knitting continues apace. I love knitting the hemlock blanket and it's going very fast.
I'm almost done with Christmas knitting.
I've started my EZ percentage sweater.
I want to cast on lots more, but I will restrain myself.