Happy Birthday Norma and Karen!

Look What I Got!

My camp shirt. I just love it.

Four Day Weekend

It was so smart of me to take an extra day with the four day weekend. If I was working today, I would be hating myself.

Instead, I am sittin drinkin my coffee this morning and working on a few swatches. Last week, in our goodie bag from Ewe-nique Yarns were these two cards with yarn from their Yarn Tasting. Both kind of intrigued me for a couple of projects that have been stirrin in my head. Sally's Favorite Summer Sweater and an Adult Babies Surprise or Tomten in a tweedy yarn.

This first is a cotton and I think it will be okay. Definitely, I will have to go WAYYYYY up on the needle for the opaque section because I want more open than I got with the size 5 and 9 here. I am giving serious thought to going over to Morton this morning and perhaps I will just see what colors this comes in. This sweater is not on the top of my list right now, maybe for next Spring wearing.

You cannot tell from this pic, but this is way too fuzzy for what I want for the Surprise or Tomten. Again, neither of these are urgent to be made so I'll keep searchin.


And finally, I am working on swatches from my Malabrigo. A texture stitch is just not going to show up with the darkness of this yarn. I really want to knit it up fairly quickly in case I failed to buy enough. Then, I can give my new best yarn shop friends in Memphis, Yarniverse a call, and get some more before it is gone.

So far, it has been a good first few hours of a nice long weekend. I'm havin fun!

Happy 32nd Anniversary, Bob!

I love you. But, I'm knitting tonight.

Isn't he the best? I think so.

See - It's Not So Bad!

Handles for a bag that is finished. Handles for a yet to be knitted bag.


My new Malabrigo yarn that I am testing swatches out of.



A new baby book. The samples in the Cabin Fever booth were so darn cute!

And a new book. I just discovered yesterday on Ravelry that you can knit these out of other yarns than Koigu, like Cherry Tree Hill. Definitely a possibility, since Koigu is soooo out of my price range at the moment.

I Can Change My Mind


$50 for the bus trip. A pretty good deal. Water, snacks, spudnuts, prizes, goodie bag and drop off and picked up at the door of the convention center. I do believe I will make this an annual trip. A day was just enough for me at the market. And it was great to have a Radical knitter along with me.


Just a few short weeks ago, I had decided to not renew my Knitters. But, when I got to SMW on Saturday, I saw some garments from the Fall issue and then the bag that I could get with my subscription for a price. It was bashert. The color, the bag, I just don't know what came over me. I only renewed for a year on the advice of Anne (since a new bag will be out next year) and I figured I could delay the decision.

XRX has a great book coming out later this Fall. Knit One Row Below looks like it has possibilities. Elaine Rowley gave me a demo on Saturday and we got our picture taken together by the XRX photographer. So, I pre-ordered it. I, also, got a scarf pattern using the technique that I can hardly wait to cast on.

Tomorrow....more SMW.

The Olympics Are Over

What shall I watch? What shall I knit on?

Since I did not finish my Pi Shawl (and did not receive any medal) I will be working on it, but that is sitting in a small time out for a couple of days. Right now, I am trying to decide what to do. I spent the bus ride on Saturday working on my adaptation of a cardigan.

I'm not 100% sold on it yet. The pattern calls for it to be knit and pieces and in keeping with my "sew as little as I have to" I decided to knit it back and forth. I could have put a steek in, but really did not want to mess with that either. Linda talked me into knitting the front ribs with separate needles. I, as she would verify, I'm still not sold on it.

For me, it lessens the fluidity of the knitting. I kicked and screamed all the way and back to Stitches doing it. Yesterday, after taking it off the needles, I wrapped it around me, and decided it really could do with a few more stitches. And I am contemplating knitting the front ribs with the same needle as the body. Linda, sorry bout that.

But, then on Saturday at Stitches, I found this pattern. And I am seriously giving some thought on using my Cascade 220 for it.

Tomorrow, Stitches Midwest report #1.

You won't believe what I did.

Stitches Midwest

It was meant to be. A week ago, I was over at Morton, and saw that they were going to be closed tomorrow. They are doing a bus trip to Stitches Midwest. I had not signed up, because after knit camp, I just thought I should stay home. That and I did not have anyone to go with.

So, yesterday, I get an email telling me they have three spots left. It was bashert! I called and made my reservation. I figured what the heck, I can go by myself. But, of course, I emailed the other Radical Knitters. Norma was already going and the others could not go.

But, today, I talked (coerced) Linda into going. Linda and I could be a lethal condition! I have my list ready of a couple of things I want to look for. I have the vendor list printed off and hilited for must see booths. Now, I just have to decide on what to knit on the bus. You know what that is like! The Pi Shawl is WAY too big to take so it will sit out at home.

To be continued.....

How Long?

does it take to go around 576 stitches?

20 minutes in stockinette

33 minutes in pattern

Back On Track



I'm back on track with my Pi Shawl and feeling pretty good about it. When I got to the diamond section I had a few too many stitches. I tried to bluff my way through, but then it became apparent that I bluffed too far and had too few.

One should never try to bluff, it very rarely works!

I'd like to say after a week that I am see the finish line, but, there is still alot of knitting to do. But, like Michael Phelps, I will continue to the end.

What 576 Stitches Look Like Off The Needle

Again.

I had the Pi Shawl off of them once on Thursday night at Radical Knitters. And now a second time this morning, I seem to be off somewhere.





And because I am NOT a patient person, I am not ripping it back while on the needles. Rather, I pulled it off the needles and will pull back the yarn a couple of rows, count the stitches and see where it went wrong.

Speaking of Radical Knitters, we commerated the Olympics and Olympic knitting last Thursday, by first going out for Chinese. Then, back to Norma's to sit in her den around the t.v. to knit and watch the Olympics.

Is that define Olympic knitting or what?

Ravelympics Day 5

I have been knittng almost constantly on my Pi Shawl since the Olympics began. I am pretty pleased with myself. I hope to hit 576 stitches tonight! This is alot of knitting, and there were a couple of times when I was wondering why I took on such a huge project.

What makes me feel the best is that I do believe I can finish it by the end of the Olympics. A whole shawl in just a couple of weeks. Reflection on this tells me that after the Olympics are over, I should go back to concentrating on just one project at a time.

The possibilities are unlimited!

I'm On A Bit Of A Roll

I am downsizing my subscription list of magazines. With only one issue left on both Vogue and Knitters, I am not going to renew. Instead, I'm going to start buying them off of the rack, IF there is enough in them to warrant the purchase.
The Fall issue of Vogue had a bit more to my liking at second glance. Of course the cover mittens struck my fancy, mainly because of the designer AND of course the color of the yarn he used is half bad.
The biggest reason that I have been subscribing to Vogue is the article each issue by Meg.
I have really been impressed by ads in the knitting magazines in the past. The yarn companies have had some great ideas for making me want their yarn or their latest book of patterns, but I have to say the last two magazines that came to my mailbox, just did not cut it!

There are a couple of sweaters that I might think of making in the future from the current Vogue with alterations of course. Maybe, that is what the magazines are trying to do - make me a better knitter, by venturing out. Hmmmm.

This Is Just My Opinion

And it is my blog so like EZ, I can say this. When the new Fall magazines comes out, I expect to be wowed! I want it to be chalked full of designs that I want to knit NOW! Like cast on immediately.

So, forgive me when I am dissappointed and the best thing I can say about the new issue is an article about a designer that I did not know her name, but liked and am knitting some of her designs. And to find my further disappointment when there is no design of hers in the current magazine, at least none that I could find.




In all fairness, I suppose there a couple of designs that I kind of like, but would have to be altered to look okay on me. But, will I go through the hassle of doing that? Doubtful, I'll probably just refer back to those on my list that really are exciting me and do them.


And what is with all of these fingerless mittens? Continue it out and make a mitten for god's sake. Who wants their hand exposed to freezing temperatures. I just don't get it!

It makes me wish now that I hadn't just renewed my subscription. And that is my opinion for today!

Changing Horses - I Can Do That

By the time I got home from work last night, I had changed my mind on my Ravelympics project. I decided to go back with my first thoughts as to what I would knit. I spent all those weeks tossin around ideas and swatchin a bit and then ended back where I had began. I really wanted to use my new Unspun Icelandic Colors.


I did not get as far on the first night of the Olympics as I wanted too, because I am tossin around ideas for the next lace patterns. And then there is when to change colors and go with something else.

I need to change it a bit, because I am already using the lace patterns in my purple laceweight Pi shawl and my idiot knitting project is the button hole shawl, also from the July Almanac.

See my dilemna? So much for just sitting down and knitting.

On Your Mark!

Get Set, Cast ON!

I have decided on the Pie Are Squared Shawl out of some of my denim unspun icelandic from Schoolhouse Press. The jury is still out on if or what lace patterns will be used. I swatched last night with my Knit Picks needles. I like the points, but am not sure if I am going to stick with them for the unspun, it seems like the knitting is kind of draggy over the wood.

Unfortunately, I have to work today, so casting on will have to wait until tonight!

Got Em!

My Knit Picks Sock Needles. Just had to have them. I also bought a set in size 10 1/2. They were supposed to be my treat when I went six months of yarn sobriety. But, the heck with that notion. Why bother! If I stop buying yarn, what will happen to the economy?

Tomorrow, the Ravelympics start at 7:00 a.m. Pekin time! Finally, I have narrowed it down!

Lights Off! Lights On! Lights Off! Lights On! Again....

We were pleasently surprised last night, just as we pulled in the driveway with dinner that the lights came back on. Several of us at work were without power yesterday, and we brought our curling irons in and a hair dryer so we could at least look like semi-humans. The consenus today was that all had power back on at least by 9pm last night.

And we also had a couple of discussions about how hard it was to be without power for just a short time really, compared to say those who were in Katrina. Puts a little perspective on it doesn't it?

So, the first thing I did last night was get my Ipod charged up so at least for the next time I would be ready with something to listen to. Little did I know that it would be earlier tonight that I might need it.

I was sitting in my favorite chair with August Rush in the DVD player and my knitting in hand, and a little ice cream next to me, when the lights flashed, sputtered and then kaput, went out all together! Huh, not again! So, out I go with my knitting to knit for as long as the light held, and just as I was about to give up, crackle, zap the power is back! Yippee Skippee!

So here I am posting, before something else happens. Hopefully, tomorrow, we can return to normal knitting in the light of day!

No Power!

A huge tree fell on our powerline at home. We are without power. And no anticipated time of when we will be back up. It took them 2 days to get my mom's power back on a month ago.

Do you know how crappy that is going to be if we don't have power tonight? My IPod is getting low on battery power so I can't even listen to it! And in Central IL it is hot and humid! I won't have access to the internet either. Times are tough!

Guess I might have to knit on some cotton stuff tonight!

Fooled You

I stayed home Saturday afternoon and did some knitting on socks, started the laundry and read a book. The yarn shop was pulling me, but I did not go!

Pretty proud of myself I am!

Screw It!

Life is short! The life insurance will cover my bills. I'm heading over to Morton to Ewenique Yarns. They are having a Yarn Tasting this afternoon. I am actually going over early because I have a wild hair to knit three things for gifts for this Fall.

And since none of the Radicals are sitting here right now, to slap me along side the head, I think I can get away with it!

I am beyond help and I feel the need to help out my LYS. And if I am still there for the Yarn Tasting, what the heck I may stick around!