Halfway there...

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The back of THE VEST is done. Finito. THANK GOD.

Endless stockinette could literally kill me. Here it is, all 26 inches long and 22 inches wide of it. It looks longer than that because of the angle that I took the pic. And Chad wanted it longer! Ugh.

I am now going to double check the argyle charts I made, I think I'm going to make the diamonds a tad bigger now that I know what exactly I'm dealing with since the front is nearly identical to the back until the neck.

I've been scoping out new projects to make after I finish this. I'm dying to work on anything else but this vest. I literally only stopped knitting today to eat, use the bathroom, and of course play with the kids. Speaking of the kids, here are some pics we just took.

Here is Nick and his new dinosaur. In this one he's telling the dinosaur to smile. Literally lol. Right before I took the pic he goes, "smi diuhsaur!"And here's Alexis reading a book with daddy. Something about bunnies I believe. Nick would never sit and read with you when he was that age. I can hardly believe she's already a year old!
Well that's all the news. Hopefully next time I post it will be about a completed vest!

THE VEST

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Ok so for the next week I am pretty much doomed, required, and committed to knitting The Vest. Chad's vest, the one I promised to make for him to wear to the golfing tourney they are having for his job. They do it every year, there are prizes and stuff. So anyway it took a little while to get the yarn in but I got it on...Thursday. It took him a bit to decide what he actually wanted design-wise on the front, but he finally picked regular argyle. So I had to chart out the design and this was the second one actually since first he wanted something like the drunken argyle on knitty.
So charted, and a few false starts later I was finally casting on the vest. It's plain old boring stockinette, but it's going relatively quickly on size five needles. Here are some pics, this is the back of it. I figured I would save the intarsia for last. One, because I figured it's more interesting and I'd be more inclined to finish it, and two, because I'm scared of it. Especially in this yarn. I hate it. It's annoying to work with, really splitty. I'm up to ten inches, I need to get to 15 before I start doing armhole decreases, etc. Here is the hem of it, I purled it up so it looks sorta seamed but it looks really neat. And there is a shot of the back. It looks very clean, and beats sewing it up later!I also started my Clementine Shawlette yesterday. I brought it in the car on the way to do some errands. I got a good amount done. I like it a lot in the cream color too.Here is the start of my third Spring Things Shawl, the one I mentioned a few posts ago. It's black kidsilk haze and I haven't gotten very far as you can see. I'm not bored of it, but there are so many other things I have to finish too. This is the very crude, retarded looking spindle that I made. I didn't have all the supplies so I had to improvise...a lot. There is the dowel, and the cd's...and I didn't have the rubber thingy so I used rubber bands to secure those in place. I also didn't have the hook, so I sat and carved a retarded hook into it. It's really really basic. It works though, as long as I keep the yarn thin. When I first tried it, the yarn was wayyyy too thick and it kept popping off. I really need to get something else lol. I was really just desperate to try spinning and couldn't wait. So here's the pics. One of the yarn I spun today, and a close up of the hook and rubber band combo lol.

This is the roving I was spinning up. Some grey wool with pretty blue sparkly in it.
I also have this wool which I'm saving till I get better equiptment.
And this, this is my baby. It's really a darker blue than this. It's wool and tencel and soft and gorgeous. I looooove it. I'm saving it for when I'm much better at spinning and I'm hoping that I'll be able to spin it up for a shawl.
I was looking on craigs list today and found someone in my town who has a spinning wheel for 275 dollars. Anyway I contacted them and asked if they might take payments for it. The husband responded back saying his wife was out of town and to call her Tuesday, but that we might be able to work something out! I would be more than thrilled to get a wheel. I wasn't even thinking I'd ever get one. Anyway, here's hoping. I wonder where I'd even put it lol. Not much room for one. So we'll see about that.

That's about it I suppose, not much else going on.

A visit to the frog pond...

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Well I got really really far with the drop stitch tank I have been working on exclusively (that's a big deal for me) for the last few days. Really far...

And I have to frog it. It's too loose and I'm running out of yarn. I've only got one ball left for the back top half and the right front. Anyway...I'll have to start it over. I'm thinking that the smallest size will be fine because this stretches a TON. So I'm disappointed, but that's just how it goes sometimes.

Sorry no pics this time. As Christine says...this is a drive by blogging...off to bed now!

New project!

Monday, May 21, 2007

I started something new. I had to. I needed to. There just aren't enough interesting projects on the needles. Lol.

This is my drop stitch tank for the fitted knits along. Its actually red, not orange...a darker red in fact, don't you love flash? It's a very quick knit.This is my lace wings shawl. I've got a good bit left but I love how it's going.And this beauty is my new purse I just bought from QVC. I admit I'm an addict. I don't buy much though...

I had to have it, it's gorgeous. Check out the bling on that buckle!
I also started another spring things shawl. In black kidsilk haze. It's really pretty, but slower to knit since my needles aren't sharp enough and the fuzz makes it hard to see, but it's getting there!

I am going to start my sahara soon but I'm not so motivated to do it as I was. I somehow don't have enough of the pima silk I was going to use but that's ok because I was debating using a different color anyway. So we'll see about that.

Anyway that's it for now.

Y Dos

Thursday, May 17, 2007

So I finished my second spring things shawl!!! This is the first one I started actually, but I ended up finishing my moms first somehow. It is beautiful and I'm loving it. Just what I wanted. Either way here are some pics, and now I can take a break! I've got two more planned but my fingers are killing me from the tiny needles. That and I've got quite a few other projects that were put on hold until I finished these. So here are the pics!

This one is before blocking. Not very big at all.Just after I pinned it down...man is it a pain, it is sooo hard to get it even!
Closeup of the bottom point and some of the beads.
Sideways...
Without flash, so you can see the beads better.
The coloring on these are off, the top ones are too blue, and the bottom looks gray. It's teal, so somewhere in between, but it's beautiful! Also, I only used half the ball to make it, so I have enough to do another if I want!

Uno

Monday, May 14, 2007

Well I finished my mom's shawl! It's even prettier than I thought it would be. I was scared pre-blocking, but it stretched just fine and is definitely big enough. I mean for her it could be a tad bit bigger, but she'll like it anyway. I showed her a picture of it and she didn't believe at first that I knit it and it was really for her! Honestly it's like anything else, if you know the stitches, you can knit it. I'm really pretty proud of myself though. No matter how easy I make it look! ;)

Here it is all stretched out after blocking overnight. Ignore my toes, they snuck in.This is my favorite part, the pretty bottom point.
A picture of the beads, they are a yellow-green color, and look really nice on the shawl. I love that they stand out.
And just a cool pic of the sun coming through it.
Pretty much that's all I've been doing, that and mine. I have a sleeve to finish on my cropped cardigan for the FK along. I am also slacking in regards to my Isabella. And I need to finish the scarf for my secret pal, her second package is just about ready to go! I am ready to move on to some new things and need to finish up my old projects to feel like it's ok lol. Otherwise I will have too many WIPs, even for me!

And due to all the questions...this is the Spring Things Shawl, it's available from the designer's site for purchasing!

Blogging Fun

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Found this on another blog...anything bold is stuff I've done, italics are those I plan to do, and regular is everything else (stuff I haven't knit and don't plan to).

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down

Socks: toe-up
Knitting with Camel Yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan

Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book

Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars

Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else's handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks

Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac

Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern

Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug

Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Also I was tagged by Valerie awhile back. To list seven things about myself that no one knows. Well I don't know what no one knows, I'm mostly an open book, but here are some main things
about me.

1. I (like Valerie) am extremely afraid of spiders. Not snakes, or mice, or whatever. Spiders.

2. I love sci-fi, fantasy stuff. Like the Lord of the Rings, Tad Williams books, mermaids and dragons.

3. I was a bookworm growing up, all I ever did was read.

4. I have always wanted to write a book, and have tried (at least a hundred times) unsuccessfully to write one. As in started and never finished.


5. I love thunderstorms, with lightning and thunder and downpours, the kind that last all day.

6. Being pregnant, although uneventful, was harder for me than giving birth/labor. I could do that a hundred times.

7. Wolves are my favorite animal, although they scared me to death growing up. They are beautiful, majestic, and misunderstood.

Ok so I'm supposed to tag 7 other people but I don't really know 7 other people to tag lol. So just pass it on!


On the knitting front:
I have finished the first chart on both of my spring things shawls and am patiently waiting on my crochet hook to place the beads. They are both so beautiful, I can't wait to finish them!

That's really all I've been doing lately...so until those are done lol, there won't be much new.

Oh and just so this isn't boring (all text), this is the shawl I started today to work on until I get my hook to finish the others. This yarn is gorgeous in this, I'm loving it so far and can't wait to finish it! (p.s.-it's some of Christine's yarn!)

Time flies when you're having fun!

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

I can't believe my last post was almost a week ago. I could have sworn that I posted since then. Ah well. I've been busy knitting!

I started my spring things shawl, and in fact started another. I did the first one in the teal I ordered and was planning on another in garnet. But I also promised my mother a shawl. So I started one in the color emerald which I got in a trade. So now I've got two on the needles. My teal one is almost to the next chart but I'm waiting on a crochet hook for my beads, so I am not doing that one now. I figure I'll do the green one for my mom in the meantime. This pattern is so easy so far, i can't wait to finish one! Here are the latest pictures of both shawls. I've gotten further on both but they are recent enough.


Here are a few flower shots that I took of all the pretty flowers in our yard, they are finally blooming!



These last ones are my favorites. I loooove the peachy pink color in the center. Ok well more later when I have more pictures to post!

Arrrr, Treasure!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

I got more fun stuff in the mail today! WARNING, this post is image heavy! Lol.

First up is a skein of Kidsilk haze in Hurricane that I traded for. It's such a pretty color, hard to see in the picture though. It's like a dark grey blue. It's really pretty and soft. Still feels a tiny bit scratchy on my neck but there isn't much that doesn't. I've got other colors on the way that I ordered as well for shawls. I am probably going to make a mini shawl with this one of my own design. And then make the regular version out of the rest that is coming. We'll see.Next up is my ball winder!!! I'm very excited about it and it works GREAT. I also discovered on Joann.com where I ordered it that it's now discontinued. So it's good that I got it when i did, and so cheap too! Here it is with some yarn I'm winding up to send off since it's Alpaca. I figured nice wound cakes are better than in a ball. And the blue/white cake is some laceweight I bought a week ago. My first yarn cake on my new winder!!!
Here is the zephyr wool silk from sarahsyarns.com that I ordered! I'm very excited because now I can start making my spring things shawl! The colors are in order, Teal, Aegean, and Garnet. Teal is the color for my shawl. I am going to use one of the other two for my swallowtail shawl, and one for something else. Not sure yet. I also bought some beads. I couldn't find any teal for my shawl but I got some silvery clear ones that should look ok...at least they will stand out!
Allll of the yarn below is from Christine, we traded and she's getting that alpaca that I'm winding up. :D The red is laceweight that she bought for me. A whole 1600 yards in a very soft gorgeous red color. The perfect color to pick for me. I'm thinking of making an Icarus shawl with it maybe. The debbie bliss is some stash yarn she had. I'm not sure what I'm doing with it yet but I've got 6 balls of it! And all the other fabulous yarns are ones that she dyed herself. I loooooove all of it!





So, that's all my treasure for today!

 
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