Sweatin It



The whole time I was knitting on the final border of the afghan I was sweatin it.  I wanted to finish it by Sunday night so I could block it on Monday.  And I knew the yarn shop that I had purchased it from was not open on Sunday or Monday.



This is what I had left when the final bind off was done.  Golly, was that cuttin it close or what.



So of course, I threw it over the chair unblocked to see what it would look like.    Not bad.

 In the light of day and blocking on the dining room table, I am more than pleased with the results.

 Now, onto a little sweater that I would like to have done for the shower.  Heck, there are a couple of things still to be knitted for this shower and the next one the following Saturday.



Sunday Musings

About 35 years ago, I was a crochetaholic.  I didn't know anyone who knitted.  My aunt who lived across the street was an avid crocheter and so I just gravitated toward crochet. She had a great swing in her yard that faced a fairly well traveled street, and after work at night, I would go over and sit with her for an hourish and swing, talk and crochet. 

At the time, I crocheted a lot of afghans and a couple of baby sweaters for friends.  I crocheted the Tall Guy a very large sweater out a super bulky yarn that could have fit king kong.  I remember I tried shrinking it by putting it in hot water.    Big Mistake - it grew, did not shrink!  Somewhere buried there is a picture.

At the time, I thought it was too bad that there were not more crocheted adult things.  If I had been smart at the time, I would have put on my designer hat on and created some really cool crocheted garments.  Could have been a good part time job eh?

But, because I did not really care for the look of crocheted garments (and the fact that all I was crocheting with was mostly worsted weight yarn), I turned to knitting and never really looked back on crochet.  Crochet seems to making a come back, doesn't it?!

Yesterday, at Knit 4 Together, we were discussing the line up of Stitches Midwest classes.  A couple of things that have been swirlin around in my brain, even before the discussion yesterday, have today after a good night's sleep kind of helped me make some decisions when it comes to what I knit for me.

But, the blog will have to wait for those revelations until tomorrow, I have some knitting to do on the last border of the baby blanket.  This is one I will not knit again, or if I do, I'll do the borders differently.

Serious Knitting Mode

I'm in serious knitting mode this weekend.  I hope to have the heart blankie done this weekend so I can block it.  The shower is in a week and I have some other knitted things I want to include with it.

The following weekend is another shower in Iowa and I have yet another blankie with some lace that I want to finish for it.

Then I can settle down and knit towards the birth which I have a group of baby things that I want to have finished for the birth.  Remember that Moses basket liner from Mason Dixon that I blogged about a while back. 

The thought is to knit it and then fill the basket with knitted things.  Kimonos, bibs, burp pads, wash cloths.
Deadline on that is July.

Talk about having your spring knitting booked up!  Oy, I don't think I'll ever knit for me again?  I am not complaining, but well maybe more like whining.

The Jury Is Still Out

I've got some blocking to do and soon the baby blanket will be done and will need some blocking too.  I've been blocking on my dining room table padded with batting and a couple of muslin pieces.  I've been tossing around for some time on buying those blocking puzzle pieces from Knit Picks, but they are like 12 x 12 or something like that for $20.

Since I am such a Ravelry fan, I went over there and searched on blocking boards and then finally posted on the Folk Shawls board.  There were some great ideas all over Ravelry.  I finally settled on these from Harbor Freight for $9.99.  The Tall Guy loves that place and so he bopped over there on his lunch and picked me up two sets.

 I'm not sure I'm keeping the second set.  What's the problem?  They stink.  I am not sure I want to put my soon to be finished baby blanket on it to block.  I don't want it to pick the smell up of these.  Maybe if I let them sit out for a couple of days, the smell will go away.  Or maybe, I'll do a test block on it first and see.

 I do have my gridded muslin piece that I can throw over it to see how that does. 

I may have to go shopping at Sam's and see if their's have a smell to them. Better yet, I think I'll head over to Ravelry and ask the question of the knitter who told me about the ones at Harbor Freight.

Pacific - My Review

I'm always up for a new yarn at a local yarn shop.  Several of my friends are knitting or planning to knit with it, so I thought I would give it a try for an afghan for Baby H.  It's 40% superwash merino wool and 60% Acrylic, so it's a great choice for something that may get washed lots.  Touted as an alternative to Encore, I have to say after knitting most of my blanket with it, I am still a fan of Encore.

I am using my Knit Picks metal needles on it and granted they have a pretty good point on them, but I found that the Pacific yarn had a tendency to split.  Many times I had to rip back a stitch to get all of the strands back on the needle.  Some I did not find until I was way past the point of return.

The other annoying thing?  It had a lot of static to it. 

 What I loved about Pacific?  It's superwash.  The color. It was just what I wanted.  Not too light, not so deep pink, but just right.  Only one knot in about 10 skeins.   It's soft too, not scratchy.

Will I use it again?  We'll see. 

Saturday Musings

The kids are here from Iowa so I can't do what I normally do on Saturdays.  We are having a lazy Saturday until we have to go to MIL house to celebrate Baby Boy A, Baby Boy B, my niece and other niece's husband's birthday.

With the mom to be and Baby Boy A here, I cannot work on the baby blanket or any of the other baby knitting I am thinking about.

I am taking a little time here to search on Ravelry for more baby stuff, as if I need to be doing that.  There are some really cute things out there, but nothing that floats my boat.  I am, however, also finding some great stuff that I would like to knit for me.

I came to a realization this week after fellow radical knitter, Jo returned one of my Sally Melville books.  I have some really great books in my knitting library.  I really don't need to be searching on the net for more patterns!

Final musing - this morning, Baby Boy A asked me if I was going to move the yarn downstairs and make the other bedroom a place for the new grandbaby?  I guess I am.  Which means a new yarn room in the basement.  Or, also to be known as the stash down or knit down as it get my butt knitting and less surfin!

Happy Birthday Willie and Roger!

How can they be 29 when I feel like I am 39?!

Wednesday Website

http://www.knitforlife.org/KNIT_FOR_LIFE/Home.html

Baby Knitting Update

I'm doing a lot of baby knitting this week. Showers are just a few weeks away and I need/want to have a couple of my projects done for both of them.   This weekend the kids will be home, so I'll put the baby knitting away while they are here and knit on stuff for me.

The Little Heart Blanket still has about three more blocks in length til it is done.  Also, the side borders will have to be knitted on.  Along with a wash and some blocking.

I've been searching for just the right yarn for a little cardigan to go with.  I found this sock yarn over in Morton this weekend.  I spent a little time trying to find a simple little pattern and have not yet decided on what it will be yet.  Somewhere, darn if I can find it, I have a book of baby patterns for sweaters from years ago.  Do you think I can put my hands on it?!

The kids bought me this book last year, and if I can't find what I am looking for, I might play around with one of the schemtatics in the book.  Wouldn't it be cool to design a cardigan and name it after the baby?

I have other baby knitting I am working on too.  One of the young gals I work with is due any day now.  I've got the sweater and hat all done, but ran out of yarn last night on the longies.  I really didn't think the baby would be able to wear either with the warm weather we had, but now, it's taking a little turn for the cool.  I'll bop down to the yarn shop tomorrow on the way home (isn't it nice when a yarn shop stays open til 6? so we can just bop in on the way home.

So much baby knitting to do. 

PJKNITS Rides Again

Traded both the blue Jeep Yarnmobile and the Tall Guy's red Jeep for a new car that gets some good gas mileage.  Best of all?  I can now hide the yarn in the trunk and until Fridays when we grocery shop, the Tall Guy won't even know its there!

 It's a little different not being so high up, but I think I can adapt. 

Things I Like Today

This is my Knit 4 Together project for Saturday knitting.  It's the Waterfall Jacket from Sublime Bamboo and Pearls yarn from last year.  This yarn has been a couple of things in person and in my mind, but I finally settled on it's current project.  The back is done and was a simple knit. 

This is one of the fronts.  I really like this patterning down the front of the waterfall.  It was fun to watch it evolve.  It is now at the point where I can sit and knit at the shop and talk at the same time.



You have to check out Franklin's new pattern.  The color is beautiful and this one is really calling me.  Like I need one more something to call me, but this one is definitely on my list.  

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/franklin/the-anna-shawl

The yarn is Heritage Silk.  I have some in a variegated, but won't use that for this.  I may have to look at the shop today and see if they have it in a solid that might work.

I have a skein of this which is a possibility, but that would mean that I would need another skein of it from Fiber Universe.  This is another yarn from Cascade - Heritage sock yarn that originally was going to be some gloves from Knitty with the conductive thread.  The cast on was a booger and never made it past that point.

I could recycle this yarn for the Anna Shawl and be quite happy with it.

Darn, I would have to visit two yarn shops in a day.  I may have to fit this into my schedule.  The pattern seems to be not real super difficult. I could see me casting on this tonight. Oh wait, I've got baby knitting to be doing!

Really Like This One

I 've been eyeballing this book for sometime. Finally, while picking up a couple of extra skeins of yarn for the baby blanket, I decided to buy it. Coastal Knits has some nice sweaters in it. Some top down, some bottom up, some in the round, some that will have to be put together.
I'm actually reading it. Alana and Hannah have not only designed some really cool sweaters, but have given the readers a little tour of places on both coasts that should I ever make it either way, would be great side trips to take. The photographs and their descriptions of the places really wet my appetite for traveling there.  One can dream.

I've been a fan of Hannah's for sometime, from Ravelry and read Alana's Never Not Knitting Blog whenever she posts.  I'm so pleased I picked up the book for my library and have high hopes of knitting a couple later this Fall, after some baby knitting.  Maybe, I'll even buy yarn specified in the pattern, wouldn't that be fun! 

What To Do

My great niece asked me at the last family function we had if I would knit her a blanket from some yarn that was her grandmother on her father's side.  Her grandmother passed away last year and when the family was cleaning out her stuff they thought my great niece might want the yarn.

I couldn't say no.  But, now you see my dilemma?! 

The variegated is in pretty good shape, but the others especially the cream is a little iffy.  I'm going to have to take a lot off of the outside because of the dust.

I'm noodlin on doing something like substitute?!  Is that bad?  Probably. 

Guess I had better find a pattern for something.

It's A Me Day!

I took the day off just for me.  I got up at the normal time 4:00 am.  I have been sitting here drinking coffee and catching up on some internet thingies.

I am going to get out of my jammies when I want.  And knit and listen to a couple of podcasts I am behind on from:
http://knitcircus.libsyn.com/

Going to check in on a webcam later:
http://www.theloopyewe.com/webcam/

And knit...just a me kind of day! Oh, and I may head out and shop just a bit, I've been wanting to try Skinny Girl Cocktails and want to see if someone in town carries them.  Some days you just need one.
http://www.skinnygirlcocktails.com/

Google Search

Knitting Fun Stuff

http://www.cafepress.com/+knitting+fun-stuffs?rpp=28

Happy 21st Birthday dear Jenny!

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This Is Tough!

I have made myself a deal...I cannot cast on something new until I finish something on the needles.  I cannot buy yarn until I complete something. 

While at Knit 4 Together yesterday, I fondled the new spring yarns.  I've spent last night and this morning jotting down what sweater/jackets and tanks or tops that I already have in my spring/summer wardrobe mostly for work and casual days. 

It is really important to me that I not buy yarn in a colorway that is real similiar to what I currently have. Even though I dearly love Caribe Blue, sometimes you need to change it up a bit.  And I have a lot of tank tops that are perfect for some spring/summer sweaters.  So, using them as a base I think I'll make over sweaters for them.

I'll be known as the Tank Girl for spring and summer and not the Evan Picone Turtle Neck lady. 

Back to the new yarns/colors my lys.  http://www.knit4together.com/

 Linsey.  I love this yarn when we saw it a year ago in Galena.  Somewhere I think I have a small booklet with sweater patterns in it that I wanted to knit last year.  I really like these two in the front.

Lago.  A new yarn from Berroco.  I need to research this one.  It has a periodic shine to it.  Love both of the colors, just not sure it's for me at this time.



Sublime.  Not a new yarn, but I love the way they moved it to the dark cabinet.  It looks so much nicer there.  And there are some new colors.  Love those 6 on the third shelf.  All of them are following me, and lord knows I have a lot of Sublime books to choose from.

Unfortunately, I just bought that bag of kelly green last week that really must be knitted up before I buy one more skein of  Sublime.  Maybe, I should deal with myself on that one too.  No more buying Sublime until I finish the kelly green. 

And last but not least. Berroco Weekend in Worsted and Chunky...can I say I love this yarn and Ultra Pima Cotton, can I say this maybe another new fave.  Nice weight, nice sheen and I think it's maybe right up there with my fave Tahki Cotton Classic and King Tut.

I forgot to take pictures of a new Lang yarn that caught my eye, but I can't remember what it was called.  And one over to the left of this pic is a uber fantastic Sierra Quatro that is mine mine mine.  It is the bestest color of all and of course we all know what that is.  I just have to take my listy and see what it might be.  But, not until something or two is finished.  That's the deal I made with myself and I'm sticking to it.

No, really I am.  Really!