And She Knits

The oldest twin got engaged on Saturday. We could not be more thrilled. She is a nice young lady. And best of all, she knits. She knitted him this afghan last winter. It has cables. I don't/won't even knit him an afghan with a cable!

When A WIP becomes A WIP Again

You know the problem with working on WIPS? When they are old WIPS, you can't remember where you bought the yarn. You can't just pop in and buy one more skein. So you toil with a WIP and get down to the last sleeve and don't have enough to complete it. You can't add another color, say white, because you have already finished off the bottom of the sweater and the other sleeve.
So what do you do? Well, in the case of the Tomten, I knitted off some yarn from the hood which was not finished off yet, completeing the second sleeve. So, now, if the shop I think I bought it from does not have another skein of it, I'll make it a collar instead of a hood.

So, the WIP goes back into the WIP pile for a week, or tomorrow night, I might just make it a collar, I think I have had enough of it.

What's next?

What Is This?

It's a blue sky! It seems like it has been so long since there was one, I had to take a pic of it. It is supposed to be a fantastic weekend! And this is the first weekend in at least two months that I have free! Don't have to go no where or do nothing.

Well, yes, I do have to do laundry, and the house is definitely in need of a cleaning and vacuuming. But, I am saving those both for tonight, when the sun isn't shining. Today's plan is to sit out in my chair, soak up some real sun and knit (I'm working on WIPS Linda) and read a little.

Funny, how doing just what you want makes me feel real good! Just Knit It!

I'm Knitting

I just don't have anything to show. I am working on my WIPs, well actually only one of them. But, anxious to finish it and move onto the next WIP. All of sudden, I've got a burr to work on some old things. It is mainly because I couldn't make my mind up of what I really wanted to be knitting on.

The weekend is supposed to be gorgeous! I am so looking forward to that! Maybe a little knitting in the sun listening to some podcasts!

Conclusion

If you don't want to be knitting it, DON'T. Knitting is suppose to be fun and relaxing. Not a have too! This is not a job. And I have to remember this. When you want to be knitting on something - do.

The baby sweater is done, all but the buttons. I need to shop for three blue buttons later this week. Sew them on and then wrap it up for the end of May gift giving.

Now, I am going to knit on what I want to! But, which of the want tos?

New Toys

Cool huh?!
This is just three of the five I invested in.


I bought new displays for the jewelry business. Now, I can set up and tear down in about 5 minutes. Tomorrow, I'll use them for the first time.

I'm all about saving time...and earning yarn money.

Happy Birthday to Da Boys!

It Feels Good

No, not the yarn. To make a decision. These two are too small. I'm tired of knitting on baby stuff, but I do HAVE to do one baby project. It is for my boss and we have been friends for a long time and he has been the boss for 13 years. So, I am going to knit one for his first grand child.

But, the lavendar one I DO NOT have to finish right away. It was for a co-worker's first grand baby. I have been helping her knit a baby blanket for her new grand child to be and thought it would be nice to knit a coordinating sweater. When this one turned out so small (barely fits my 17" Snoopy), I thought about giving it anyway for a sort of coming home sweater. I just don't have it in me to finish it and give it to her. Besides, I stopped and thought, one of the girls that works in her department is a very good friend. I didn't even knit her one for her second baby she had last year. Now, how would that look?

And the other, well, I'm going to put them both aside for now and pick them up later to finish at a later date. They will make great presents for the hospital in Peoria for Preemies. It feels so good to make a decision. Now, I can knit on what I want!

I'm Kind Of Tired

Of these baby things. I'm ready to go back to my Camp Knitting projects. I am working on two of the Babies and Bears Sweaters. Both out of a DK, both I think are really small. And the babies they are for will probably wear them a some total of a month.

How do I get myself into these things?

Happy Easter!

Some total of what I accomplished yesterday---a bib, thats it! And I read alot. So much for a plan!

Tonight, I started seriously working on two baby presents that MUST be completed in less than six weeks. And I am working on finishing a sweater I started oh so long ago for my great nephew. It's time crunch now, people.

Today Is All About

#1 - Knitting, I 'm going to knit alot today!
#2 - Laundry, while Knitting I am going to knit today!
#3 - Paying Bills (I must before the lights get turned off, the cable gets turned off and my credit cards starting charging me astronomical interest)-kidding on all of it, but I must pay some bills.

I talked the older twin into taking my car this morning to it's appointment, so I don't have to get dressed until I want to. Actually, it was more of a bribe. Since he had to run to catch a bus from Chicago yesterday (all of the commuter flights were cancelled to Peoria from there yesterday), his luggage hasn't caught up with him and since he has plans for the weekend, I made a deal. Take my car to it's appointment and you can take my car for the weekend. I think it is a good trade off!

Just In

Well, not really, I guess it was announced in November, but I just discovered it.

Julia Roberts is set to start in a movie based on the book "The Friday Night Knitting Club". The movie should be released in 2008. This is one I'm going to have to have!

I can't wait for a couple of the Radical Knitters to read the book so we can discuss it!

I'm Not So Sure

I am not a 100% sold on the corn stitch at the bottom of the Guernsey. I may have put too many rows in between the stitch. I may end up pulling it back out after a few inches. I'm going to knit another row and then see how I like it.

I'm still knitting on a 24 inch needle, but I have jumped up to a size 4. I tried a 2 and a 3 and both are getting me about 6 stitches to the inch. I really want to be more like 5 3/4 stitches to the inch. Funny, how you can swatch on a 16 inch needle and get a different gauge then when you knit an actual size garment sometimes. And then again, it could be that the stitches are so tight on the 24 inch needle that it makes for even a tighter gauge.

I Did It

I did the Channel Island Cast On for my Guernsey sweater. It took Meg's DVD instructions and the pictures from Beth Brown-Reinsel's Gansey Book, but I finally got two pieces cast on and the garter stitch done.

I am using the Rauma Yarn I bought from Arnhild in February. I'm getting a pretty close gauge with a Size 3 needle. I started out with a 24" needle. EZ said all I would ever need is a 16" and a 24" size needle, but I think I might have to disagree. You can get all of the stitches on a 24", but, I like to see them when they are spread out a bit. I think when you have 200 plus stitches on the needle, a 29" or 32" is better for my taste. And it seems to be easier knitting, I am not having to keep jerking the stitches around.

The Guernsey makes #35. Do you think I have a case of startitest?

We're In!

Today's post was to be about the Guernsey, but the email came today. Linda, Char and I are going to Knit Camp 2 in July. We are all so excited! I can't believe it! Yippee Skippee!

What Are Those?

Leaves on the trees must mean that Spring is really coming. And I should be knitting on some Summer sweaters, but yet I'm not. Project #35 is on the needles as of this morning. Thanks to one of my sons.

Sundays are usually for catching up on the lia sophia business and laundry. But, thanks to my younger son, who has been doing a little laundry for me on Fridays when he is off, there is not nearly as much to do today. And since most of yesterday was spent at a function where I was showing lia sophia, I took today off to knit, before going to a little birthday get together.

Now, that baseball season has officially started on t.v., there will be plenty of opportunities to knit and watch the Cardinals. Yes, I believe Spring is here, even if it is going to be around 40 later this week .... one more chance to wear some sweaters!