There was a little bit of this:
and a little bit of that:
I sat outside and watched my daughter play with her new scooter and I looked up. This is for Sandy.
Happy Birthday to my special girl.
After finishing the scarf I moved on to the pieces of my Moriah's Wildflower Cardigan from the Green Mountain Spinnery. I am knitting this in their Mountain Mohair that I picked up at Cummington last year. The pieces are now all finished and the shoulders need to be sewn and the collar worked before I can block the pieces. I couldn't resist and I started another project - a sweater for my daughter. I am making this sweater out of the most fantastic yarn - Malabrigo. Try it - you won't believe how soft this stuff is - I think I'm in love. This instant Malabrigo love was mentioned briefly by someone else and now I know what she meant.
And Connie - this next picture is for you. My Charlotte's Web shawl which is waiting for an edging:
I was so happy that my Secret Pal enjoyed her first package. Apparently we have both joined the Knitting Olympics - big surprise there. ALOT of people are signing up for this. I am planning on trying some fairisle colorwork - either a hat or mittens. I already have Frostrosen and have ordered 2 hat kits and will most likely choose one of these projects. This leads into something else I have joined. How could I resist?? And you get this button - which describes me to a tee. I admit it - I have absolutely no willpower.
I really like them and they fit well. Will I start another pair? I probably will just because I'd like to try them with some of the STR that I now own. I measured the leftovers from one of these socks and it looks like I used just slightly over 180 yards. I'll have to be a little more accurate next time - actually measuring the skein before I use it instead of going by the details on the label. But I found a matching color of Lorna's Laces to use with my STR and will probably do the toe and the tip of the ribbing on the cuff in the coordinating color.
I have also started the scarf for the Red Scarf Project - a Mistake Rib scarf made from Mountain Colors wool. I just did some blog surfing to come up with that last link and saw that Sandy and I must be kindred spirits. No pictures of the scarf yet, but it should be done in time for the deadline.
I'm off to wait for the furnace man - no heat this morning. Figures it happens this week and not last week when we didn't need the heat!
My holiday shopping for books this year was of the following variety - one book for you, one book for me. Plus there was the day at B&N that a percentage of the sales went to my daughter's school. How could I not shop then!! As you can see, I like socks (and mittens). I had taken Ann Budd's book out of the library so many times, I decided it was time for my own copy. And I just threw in Stitch 'n Bitch since I've heard so much about it. Somewhere in my blog wanderings there was a KAL where each month you took a pattern from one of your many books (that maybe you haven't looked at so much) and started knitting it. That's a really good idea since sometimes I buy the books and then life gets overcome by events and I don't look at them for quite a while. Anyway - reveal gluttony of book purchases. Check.
3. The update for Cara was done quickly last night since she needed it by 8:00. Check.
4. My friend Connie has been asking me for a picture of the Charlotte's Web shawl that I knit last year. I haven't finished the edges (either fringe or crochet) since I haven't decided to whom I am gifting it. I'm sorry but I still haven't taken a picture - maybe I can get my daughter to pose with it. I'll have to ask her when she wakes up. Can't check this off but I can tell Connie that I am once again enjoying the wonderful coffee you sent as I am typing this post.
5. Show the beginnings of the latest project. I've written before that I joined this KAL, but perhaps I haven't made it clear that I am quite intimidated by it. So, I decided to start the hat. Someone has already made it in Jaeger Shetland Aran and I have plenty of this yarn leftover from the Girlfriend's Sweaters so I took the plunge. The first obstacle was the tubular cast-on which was a disaster when I tried to do it in the round. So, I started it on straight needles (sorry for the blurry picture, but you can see the purls bumps that I have to pick up).
On the row where I needed to pick up the purl bumps, I switched to my dps. I will admit that this cast-on gives a nice edge, but it does take a while. So here is my progress to this point.
I think this ribbing will take a while. Maybe it's the aluminum needles or the fact that you have to knit each stitch twisted, but this is the first time my hands have ever started hurting after knitting for a while. Guess I could go shopping and see if bamboo needles would be better. Check.
6. Tell about my daughter's accomplishments in gymnastics during yesterday's practice. She participates in Level 2 Team at our local Y (this level consists of 4-7 years olds that have already perfected some of their skills from taking general gymnastics classes). She actually did her back walkover on the ground! They start by doing them on a wedge so that it's easier for them to get over. She was working so hard and it was so exciting when she finally got it. I'm so proud of her! Check.
7. OK, so I'm off to start a scarf for a worthy cause. Why don't you join me!! (End this post on a positive note - Check.)
My Jaywalkers are slowly growing up.
On another note, my Secret Pal from SP7 visited my blog and left me an anonymous comment. This is so exciting. I've also had a few emails with the person I am spoiling. All this is putting a smile on my face.
It's amazing how the little things can make one happy. I found one of the orange Chibis. I think it was in one of Norma's archives where I first read the saga of the pink Chibis. Apparently they are slightly older than the green ones and could be highly sought after. Well, I'm not selling my pink one on ebay and now I have an orange one. As Cara said, size does matter and I can't wait to use these to close up my toes on the Jaywalker socks. I'm not there yet, but .... soon ... And check out this cute little rubber stamp. Can't wait to use it on some handmade cards.
Last night we watched the movie Mighty Joe Young. Sunday night is usually a relaxing night since we order dinner and watch a movie. My daughter was in my lap because we were both a little nervous about the "bad people" (poachers) and what might happen to the gorilla. At the end there is this tearjerking moment - a horiffic accident where the gorilla saves this little boy. The boy survives, but you don't know whether Joe (the gorilla) will live or die. Tears are running down my face and my daughter looks at me and says "Mommy, don't cry like a baby." I tell her that this is a sad part and I can cry if I want to. Then she looks at me with this incredulous look on her face and says "Mommy, are you really crying?". So, here is another random fact about me. Yes, I do cry very easily at sad and/or sappy parts in a movie.
(this is the one time of the year that I really go overboard with baking), drank wine and martinis and had a good time with friends and family. Now the new year is here and I have been thinking of intentions. I borrow the word from Cate since I like it much more than resolutions. Resolutions are usually too cut and dry and get broken way to easily. For me, intentions imply more of a frame of mind - a general state of affairs. Anyway, I will start 2006 with a few intentions. I enjoyed doing the charity knitting last year and intend to continue with that this year. I've learned that I should never say that I'll give up buying yarn, but I will try to use more of the stash (probably for the charity knitting). And I do need to control the stuff that has been collecting in my house. A lot of it does bring me pleasure, but there are times when it feels out of control and ends up bringing me more stress than happiness. I definitely have had a lot of stress in my life lately - some of it is not in my control, but I need to determine which of it I can do something about and do it! And lastly, there are a few relationships that I need to try and work on. These will be my intentions for 2006.
and the girlfriend sweaters.
I was also able to start my Jaywalker socks and I really love this pattern. It's only a two pattern repeat so it's easy to remember and it's fun to do. Here is the sock on the train going into NY
- the sock enjoyed seeing Peter Pan. And did anyone hear that bump last week - that was me falling off the yarn wagon as I couldn't wait till the new year to buy some sock yarn. See I told you I should never make an intention to not buy yarn. Anyway, here are my 3 skeins of Socks That Rock, 2 skeins of Trekking and 1 skein of Cherry Tree Hill.
This year I received a great gift - a yarn meter. This will make it so easy to divide those single sock skeins in half. Even though the STR now have more yardage, I'm still thinking I may not have enough for my rather large feet. I don't really know how much yarn I use for my socks. So, after I finish the Lorna's Laces Jaywalker socks, I plan to use the yarn meter to see how much yarn I have left over to determine how much yarn I need for socks. Then I'll know if I need to have another color for toes when I start using the STR.
If you've made it this far, Cara has created a site for the Crossed in Translation KAL. And since I just finished Persuasion, please send any suggestions for a good book. Thanks! Wishing everyone a wonderful and creative 2006!
