Tuesday, February 28, 2006

My Apologies

I apologize for being AWOL. I have a good excuse, really I do! Oh, and I've been knitting as well.

We're moving! we got the word last Friday that we will be heading to San Antonio in June. I am so excited! Much of my recent computer time has been taken up with house hunting and whatnot. I've also been doing a little networking to find some nice knitterly types and a group of some sort. Laugh if you will, but when hubby told me the news that's the first thing I thought of...'who will I knit with??' Knitting helps to keep me relaxed in times of stress and what's more stressful than packing up the kids, the cat(!), and the husband in a 2~car caravan for a 20 some odd hour trip? I need a drink just from typing that.

Anyhow I have met some nice ladies online and was welcomed into Stitching San Antonio with open arms. I'll miss the group I am a part of here dearly though :o(

Like I said I have been knitting. Clapotis is coming along nicely. I'm up to the 4th dropped stitch. I had to rip my nacho sock because it was just too loose. I cast on again with the same amount of stitches (48) but in an allover 2x2 rib. I did my first flap heel (I'm usually a short row kinda gal) with a heel stitch (sl1, k1), and I'm almost to the toe on the first one. Oh what you want to see pictures? Well I don't have any. Due to recent events (us moving) and a teething baby I do most of my knitting late at night. If I had time to photograph my knitting during the day with good lighting I'd actually be knitting my knitting during the day in that good lighting. Hell, I'm even typing this with one hand. Besides,If you've seen one half knit Clapotis and an unfinished sock you've seen them all :o)

Yesterday I did what anyone who has 2 projects already on the needles and a multitude of other things going on would have done...cast on for another preject! I started the Big Bad Baby Blanket form Stitch N Bitch out of King Tut Cotton in a steel gray. I couldn't resist. I love the yarn and the pattern practically knits itself! When I finish one of these 3 I will start on my SockapalOOOza socks.

Speaking of socks, check out Brooklyn Handspun Yarns. I ordered some of her superwash in the flickering flame colorway and it's absolutely gorgeous. I think I'm going to have her custom dye some for me for my sock pal's socks, maybe in some purples and reds?

DH has a wedding to go to in GA this weekend but I'm staying home because I didn't want my son to miss school. I should see some project progress this weekend since I plan to knit from the boy's bedtime until I pass out.

There are many changes on the horizon for us but we can't wait! I'll keep everyone posted on moving news as I get it, that is if you care...LOL! Time for me to go knit a bit while everyone is sleeping!

Friday, February 17, 2006

It's true what they say

You know, about grocery shopping when you're hungry? Well did you also know the same holds true when you go to Knit Happens *just* to buy needles. I went with the intention of getting the Addi Naturas I needed (er...wanted) for my Ribby and started browsing. I had to take this home with me...

Why? Because it reminds me of Nachos. Nachos supreme to be exact. I'm sorry to say I haven't had really good Mexican food since we moved from Tucson and this yarn reminds me of the food at this little place called Filiberto's that we used to frequent (expecially when working the mid~shift!). It's Artyarns Ultramerino 6. The color # escapes me now but I'll be darned if it doesn't look like nacho cheese, tomatoes, green olives,and jalepeno peppers :o)

The night before the Olympics I started a sock. I couldn't resist.

It's the Lava Flow sock pattern from Sock Bug. I love how it's turning out, and the Ultramerino is simply wonderful to knit with. I wanted to knit it all the time. I wanted to knit it late into the night. However, the Olympics were starting so I set my beloved sock aside to cast on for the Ribby Cardi.

Unfortunately, the odds are against me on this one. Not only is all that ribbing and stockinette making me want to stab myself with my new size 7 Addi Naturas, but this month has been crazy busy! So far we've had a birthday sleepover and an anniversary (DH and I hit 9 years last Wednesday), with another birthday on the horizon. Every Saturday is basketball and since the boys are on different teams we spend a lot of time at the gym. The weekends have also been filled with social obligations. When I do get a second to knit the Ribby Cardi is not my knit of choice. Add to that the pressure of a deadline and I'm one unhappy camper.

I want to knit my sock. I want to knit with this...

...Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in the Jeans colourway. Yum! So what did I do? I set this aside

and cast on for Clapotis. I'm much happier now. I think I might even finish Clapotis by the Olympic deadline! I'm already almost done with the increase rows. Today was supposed to be my 'day 'o knitting' but my girlfriend called last night and needed emergency childcare. So I have an extra little person who screams every time Phoebe the Cat crosses his path *sigh*. Oh, and I'm really grateful that it rained just enough this morning to soggy up the playground equipment.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

No real updates but...

I've been playing with my camera


and I changed some things around here. Still some stuff I have to learn about HTML, but I think it looks ok. I still need to come up with a button and I want to add some stuff to my sidebar. I'd love to change the font of all of my titles to match my blog title but I feel that will take more time than I have at my disposal.

What else is new? Cozy still hates me. I am determined to make it work, just not now. Right now I'm working on a pinwheel baby blanket and the Manos shawl simultaneously.

Friday is the start of the Winter Olympics, which is also the start of my Ribby Cardi. In preparation I will be swatching again because I think I'm going to buy some Addis. I also need a zipper. Anyone know a good place to order from? I'm a little nervous since I have a lot going on this month. For example, this weekend we're having a sleepover for the boys. On second thought, maybe it's the thought of a house full of boys that's making me sweat?

I've also been putting some thought into what I want to do for Sockapaloooza. Right now there are two different directions I can go in. Once I figure that out I'll be shopping for yarn. Let me ask you guys...do you like fancy socks in solid yarn or plain(er) socks knit with something variegated?

I'll be giving regular updates on my Olympic project as well as the socks for my pal. Don't miss the excitement!

Friday, February 03, 2006

Wishy~washy

First off I want to thank everyone for their comments on Ella, my haircut, and my little guys. You all are so sweet. It really made me smile to log on and see such nice stuff said about something I made (kids included..LOL). Really, it means a lot just to know people read here and take time out of their busy day to leave me a note.

Thanks

Things I decided to do this past week:

make a hat for Isaiah*
make a curly q scarf with leftover Brooks Farm*
get my nails done (with a nifty little design even...a perk of no longer being in the military)
clean the bathrooms**
do laundry**
grocery shop**

* Sorry, I don't have pics. My models are still asleep and it's all rainy outside. Maybe later today?
** ok, so these aren't technically things I can choose not to do. Unless I go on some type of mom strike or something.

Things I started and decided not to finish:
Essential Stripe Sweater
Little Leaf Lace Scarf
Cozy
River from Rowan 38

The only one of these I have no excuse for is River. I just didn't feel like it. The Essential Stripe is a great pattern, but I'll be racing to finish the Ribby Cardi for the Knitting Olympics and I decided I'd rather not rush through two sweaters in a row. The scarf didn't like me. I just couldn't get it to cooperate with me which is weird because it's a 4 row repeat. Now I'm no master knitter but I can usually handle a 4 row repeat for goodness sake!

And then there is Cozy. Cozy hates me. I've started Cozy a number of times and it's always all wrong. This time was extra~special though because I was using Lavold Silky Tweed which I now realize I'm not crazy about. I'm seriously thinking of offering this stuff up for swap or something. I was hoping that once it was balled up it would fluff up or something. You know, be a little more pleasing to my senses but I'm still not feeling it. Knitting with it felt like knitting with sticky and slightly nubbly string. Has anyone used this stuff? What do you think of it?

What did I decide to do? While blog cruising I saw this and this and fell in love. Both patterns are from this one. Since I don't spin my own yarn and certainly can't afford enough handspun to make a big ol' shawl, I used some green Manos from my stash. I LOVE this stuff! It's going to be big and ridiculously warm and that's what I'm going for. So far it's a quick and easy knit.


I joined SockapalOOOza and recieved the names of the person I will knit for and my 'sock sister' this past Wednesday. The person I'm knitting for has tastes similar to mine, which is actually the opposite of the last socks I knit for me! Ha! Go figure. Anyhow, because of this deciding what to do shouldn't be too hard. I just need to make up my mind so I can get started when the Olympic torch goes out on the 26th!

Since I did my grocery shopping and my bathrooms are clean I'm off to knit and read some blogs while my 5 year old has breakfast