Happy Birthday Jalayne!

A little birdy told me you were sixty...how can that be?

Just A Small Side Track

 One sleeve finished on the Bloomsbury Jacket. 

The second one started despite my notes that say I only did one decrease on the sixth row.  When I looked at the first sleeve really closely, it was quite evident that I made a couple of more.  Maybe that is why I thought the sleeve felt a little tight.  BUT - I am not ripping it back at this point.

I'll just do a little blocking.

 As a reward to myself, I cast on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Longies to go with the sweater and hat I knitted a couple of weeks ago.  I just felt like it needed a little more to complete the ensemble.  Not that the July baby will be able to wear it, but a baby will and maybe even the July baby will be able to in the Fall.  Not sure about that, but either way, it's a fun knit anyway.  I can always add it to the Baby Hope Chest.

 This one I could not resist casting on.  I was just taking a quick peek this afternoon at my friends activity on Ravelry and saw Wingspan. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wingspan-2 I couldn't resist casting on.  It's an easy knit.

And of course I had the perfect yarn in the Yarn Room.  Schoppel Wolle's Zauberball Starke 6.  This is the kind of knit that you want to keep knitting on to see what is coming out next of the ball and how it will look knit up. 

This one has great potential for a late night of knitting.

I Have No Willpower

I waited, oh at least two weeks and then I had to have them.  What was I thinkin?  They are a cool color, yep.  They have lambswool in them which means, warm and comfy, yep.  I don't pay this much for shoes, why for slippers?

Because I want them.  So, there mine and I love em.

It's A Jewel

I am lovin knitting on Jewel from Kim Hargreaves.  The yarn is Cascade 220 Sport (who knew they had one) and I love it.  A couple of false starts ( trying to knit fronts and backs at once) and finally I am seeing some progression on it.

I love the color of the yarn.  Thats no surprise, but it has some blue and green in it.  With the first measurements being confirmed on it, I think it is going to fit just right. 

I won't like the seaming when it is done, but this sweater is definitely a contender for me in the style category.  I just hope to have it done this season to wear.

The Longest Sleeve

When the weekend started, it was my intention to finish the first sleeve on my Bloomsbury.  This sleeve seems like it going on forever or so it seems.  The worst part?  There is still another one to do after this one and the front bands.  Oy, I want to be wearing this jacket in the worst way.

Specially since, it seems like Winter and Spring here keep alternating here in Central IL and I barely get to put a sweater on and then Spring steps in again.  Not that I am wishing for Winter or anything.

I am using my handy dandy plastic marker to mark each of the cables after it has been finished.  8 rows later, it's time to do another cable.  This patterning is fairly simple with the marker in place.  The sleeve just goes on for EVER.

You Know How I Am!

Always searching for the perfect purse. I have lots of them. My Summer faves still remain the ones that my friend Norma made for me. They are just perfect and always my color. And just with the right amount of pockets and deep enough to carry just what I need.

Then there is the bowler from Vera Bradley. It's no secret that I have a few of those as well. Just wish that they would make it with just a tad longer handles on them.

The one thing that I have been searching for is a winter bag that I could carry that would hold my knitting.  I've kept my eyeballs open and watching passersby and on the internet to see if I could find just the right bag.  It wouldn't hurt either if I could put my lunch in it and a file or two for work, so I wouldn't have to carry two big bags.

Search and search and search.  I couldn't find just what I had been looking for since last Winter.  Voila! I had an epiphany!  I just so happened to have just the right bag hidden somewhere here. 



My Namaste bag in Peacock.  I bought it like two or three years ago.  For some reason, it wasn't that big of a hit with me then, other than the color.  It just seemed way too big.  It slid off my shoulder all the time and I don't think then I had a decent project that I wanted to carry around with me in it.   It was always collapsing on itself.  I just wasn't a fan.

Fast forward a couple of years later and I really like this for a winter bag.  Plenty of room in it and it stays on my shoulder now.  Huh?  Maybe, it is from all the extra weight in it.


 

I leave a knitting project in it all the time.  It is the same knitting project (a shawl) that I leave in it for emergency knitting.  If I ever need to take off somewhere in a hurry, I always have a knitting project that would pass the time away. 

I have everything I need in it.  I have stuck some files in it for work and my phone is right where I need it.

I do have my wallet and keys in the center pocket that zips so I have to dig for them.

Best of all?  It still wants to collapse on itself, but the thief who walked into my office and stole money out of my wallet a couple of months ago will have a hard time just reaching down into this one real quick.

I'm lovin my winter bag and it didn't cost me a dime...this year.

On To The Next Project

Yesterday's sweater is finished except for buttons and blocking,  So now it is back to the project notebooks to find something else that needs to be finished.

My current project book has a couple in that are WIPS but-

 what I am really trying to do is finish up some from my old notebook so I can put this one in the file.

 I put a few paperclips to signfy those that are WIPS in the Mean notebook.  A couple of these belong to Spring/Summer WIPS and frankly I am just not quite ready to be knitting on Spring/Summer yet, even though a smart woman would so they would be prepared.

I think this simple EZ sweater is the next contender for a WIP.  It's a nice t.v. project and easily finished.  And it feels so good to be finishing some things!

Buttons Buttons

With all the buttons I have (from my days at the fabric store when I collected cool buttons), you would think that I would not have to buy any buttons for my sweater!  But alas, I think I might. 

The ones that actually fit well are the middle ones.  These are like frosted glass, but I think they just stick out way too much. 

The far right buttons are a little too fancy I think and the first ones are black but a real matte finish.  And I am not sure that they will stay buttoned.  Guess the button piece of this will have to wait til next week until I can get to JoAnn's or over to Ewe-nique Yarns which has a pretty decent button collection.

Remember This?

 I was knitting the sweater a year ago.  In my quest this year to get some items off of the needles this year, I hauled it out about two weeks ago.  I am going to admit here that it has been sitting on the corner of the couch as a reminder that it needed some sleeves, some buttons and some blocking.  Something I bound and determined to finish before our knitting getaway at the end of February, especially since last year in Galena I was knitting on it. 

The yarn, Mushshishi was purchased at Stitches Midwest in August of 2010 at the Mass Ave booth.  It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to knit with it, but finally settled on another Knitting Pure and Simple pattern.

It's no secret I am a fan of Diane Soucy's patterns.  They are top down which allows me to fit this odd body as I knit down and get a good length on them.  Now, that I have completed the first sleeve I am anxious to finish the second one and figure out what buttons to put on this comfy sweater. 

This is a three day weekend for me and my goal on the other side of it is to have this one completed.

Things That Make Me Smile

The whole time I was knitting on this ensemble, I had a smile on my face.  They are just too dang cute!  The

yarn is Batika from SchoellerStahl that I bought last Saturday at the The Fiber Universe.   

The Sweater is Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker.  It's a free pattern I picked up over on Ravelry.

 The hat is Noggin by Corrvin Smith.  It, too is a free pattern on Ravelry.

I may have just enough yarn for some booties, not sure about that, but I'll check that out tonight.  Can't wait to start another baby project. 

Looks like we are getting Winter later this morning.  Snow and Wind.  Time to take the sweaters out to wear!  It will be a good night to come home and knit tonight.

Wednesday Websites

My Local Yarn Shops
http://www.knit4together.com/

http://www.thefiberuniverse.com/page1.php

http://www.ewe-niqueyarnsetc.com/

Another Great Invention



I use this post-it tape quite a bit.  I can make little notes on it and it marks the row that I am working on.

This Is Going To Be So Cute

 Love the colors in the skein

 Love the colors coming out of the yarn

 Love this cute little newborn pattern

 Really love how this is turning out.  I think I may need to make a little hat as well.  What I am really afraid of is that I may need to knit another one out of pastels too.

This Isn't A Secret

The world knows that I have WIPS.  Thats no secret. 

Trouble for me is deciding what to knit on.  So, I made a list or a rotation or a plan or whatever you want to call it. I like to call it focus.  Too often, I am led off in one tangent or another and hence there becomes a lot of WIPS.

In my quest to spend more time knitting and less time thinking about knitting, I have a plan.

My Knit 4 Together Project:  The Cranberry Capelet from Flicker - purchased there and a project that I am working on when at the shop and when I can at other times as well, since I would like to wear it yet this year.

The Fiber Universe Project:  Jewel from Cascade 220 Sport - purchased there of course.

When At Home:  The Bloomsbury Jacket by Cheryl Oberle -- another one that I would like to wear this year, the yarn came from Webs last year at Stitches Midwest.  At times, it requires a bit of my concentration.

The Grab and Go or when I need some mindless knitting:  I'm working on a Wool Peddler's Shawl kind of sort of out of Miss Babs that I bought the main color at Stitches Midwest probably two years ago.  The contrast ruffle yarn came from Miss Babs last year while at Stitches Midwest. 

Also under this category is the Cocoon yarn vest for at home when I need some mindless knitting.  This yarn came from Iowa about 4 years ago when traveling to Arnhild's retreat.  It didn't work out for a jacket I was knitting at the time, and of course there wasn't anymore to be had so a vest it is.  This yarn is lush!

And finally, the Baby ProjectS list: still to be determined what they are. At the moment there is a Christening Shawl from Dale Baby Ull and this is a definite quiet at home project.  The jury is still out on how much I love this one or if I want to deter to a shetland shawl type christening shawl.

I picked up this yarn today at The Fiber Universe and am going to try knitting a little somethin out of it for the baby.  Can't wait to cast on it.

Thats my focus list for now.  Ta Ta!

Wednesday Website

Click on Current Textile Display and then you will know why I worship at Meg's feet.

http://www.209main.com/

Whoosh And The Day/Evening Is Gone

I can't believe how late it is!  The day flew by at work.  Then I get a call from my realtor who also is my cousin about a house that is just going on the market tonight.  Do I want to take a look at it?  Sure.

Whoosh, it's after 9, I have not picked up my knitting at all tonight.  All I've been doing tonight is talking to the Tall Guy about the house and the pros and cons of it.  Conclusion?  I like 50% of the house, the parts with the room upstairs and down. The 50% I don't like?  The bathrooms.  I have two new bathrooms, the bathrooms tonight are not!  The rest of the plumbing, we have new plumbing, the house tonight does not. My bedrooms (2) are small, the bedrooms in the house tonight (3) are also small.  I have new hardwood floors, the house tonight has laminate floors that have seen some wear.  The cupboards in our house need replaced, the cabinets in the house tonight need painted or stained.  Our house has no counter space, the house tonight has plenty of cabinets and counterspace. 

Guess we will keep looking.  Time to do a little knitting. 

The Final Day of Christmas Vacation

It's almost over. It's been a nice vacation and holiday.  I am very fortunate to have been able to do just what I have wanted during this time off.  Seriously, though, it is probably to my advantage to go back to work.  I've pretty much ate what I wanted during this time off and with most people, it's time to get back on the wagon and eat right and start getting some exercise.  Today, seems like a good day to start.

On the knitting resolution front, I have a couple of thoughts on my list.

1.  Knit Stash - it's no secret that I have a stash, but with a new grandbaby coming this Summer, it's important that I start knitting down the stash.  The baby is going to need a space to sleep when it comes to visit and although, the yarn is good insulation in the room, it would be nice if I could actually have a space for it to sleep.

2.  WIPS - I did take do a little clean-up last Summer on some WIPS, taking them off of the needles and re-purposing the yarn.  In 2012, I am going to try and get some more off of the needles, hopefully in the form of finished project.

Late yesterday, I hauled a pair of socks out that I have been knitting on for I don't know how long.  Before bed, I finished them.  The yarn is Lorna's Laces that I bought from Needleworks in Urbana years ago.  I have had one done for probably two or three years. 

 I am not particularly happy with the fit on them.  They seem to me a litle big and wouldn't fit very well in my shoes.  One thing is for sure, I am not ripping them out.  They will make a nice boot sock should I need them in my snow boots or nice just throw on sockies around the house.

The needles that were in the knitting of the second sock was a size 2 which may account for the bigness of the sock.  I am such a loose knitter, I can't imagine knitting the foot part in a size 2.  Normally, I would use a 2 in the cuff and then switch to a size 1 for the rest.  That tells me that this sock has been around for awhile!



 Enter yet another WIP. This time a sock out of a cotton yarn that I bought at Knit 4 Together probably two years ago. This one had size 1 needles in the cuff.  Huh?  So, I am motoring on with a size 1 needle for the entire sock and we'll see how this one turns out.

As it turns out, this WIP will make a nice grab and go project when needed. 

I'm feeling pretty good this morning about my knitting resolutions and a tad about going back to work tomorrow.  It's time to get back into a routine. 

Happy Knitting for now.

The Eleventh Day of Christmas Vacation

(*the post below was written at 3:30 pm on New Years Day*)

We've had a great two days.  The kids were here from Iowa and we celebrated Christmas with them and other family.  Everyone has went home now, and we are having a quiet afternoon.  I'm watching a lot of Home and Garden TV this afternoon, knitting on a sock that I brought out of wipdom and hoping to finish it today this 1st day of the New Year. 

Somewhere, sometime, someone said that however you spend the first day of the year is how you will spend the rest of the year.  So, for me it looks like, I'll be knitting on WIPS this year, enjoying a cup of Mystic Chai Tea, watching tv and kicking back.  Not a bad deal if you ask me.

(**the post below was written just after midnight**)

And with 2012 officially started, you can tell here at our house, by the fireworks going off and the neighbor kids out screaming and yelling ~ it's time to recap what Pjknits finished knitting in 2011.

1 Baby Hat
2 Shoulder Shawls
2 Baby Sweaters
2 Sweaters for Toddlers
31 Scarves ( one for me)
1 Hat
1 Pair of Slippers
6 Sweaters
3 Afghan Squares - hey, I'm counting them all
1 Pair of Mittens
1 Headband

That is more than I thought I had accomplished, since there sure is a lot of knitting needles that are MIA.

Anywho, Happy New Year to you all dear Blog Readers, thank you for following along.