What Am I Doin Up So Early?





I'm waiting/watching the lunar eclipse and knitting! God, am I going to be tired at work today! I should be sleepin. But, I just could not resist getting up to watch it.

**Pics are in reverse order of the Eclipse**

Searching For The Perfect Blue

How many blues are there? And how hard is it to find just the right one? Well, it appears that there a tons of blues, and before it is over I will probably have one in every shade. And, I'll probably own them all before the right one works.


I found that I had drop a stitch on my sleeve right above the cuff on Saturday. I ripped back the 20 rows and was just going to knit those 20 rows back on. Almost a sleeve later, I can't put it down.

I wanted to see how the Addi lace needles worked, but the Adult Babies and Bears Sweater #2 just keeps calling me. I think it is because it is almost brainless knitting and I need some immediate satisfaction with my knitting.

I Got Lace Needles

Yesterday, my Knit Picks needles came and today I got my Addi lace needles. I'll let you know how I like the Addis later. And I'll show you some pics of my three shawls I am working on. I never thought I'd do shawls let alone lacey ones, but I am actually liking it!

Tuesday Tidbits

I finally finished Harry Potter #5.

I am working on the Pi Shawl, but I have to rip back the row I just did.

I may have to change the color of my dress for the wedding. The color they may choose may be a variation of the dress I was thinkin about. But the shawl color will be okay.

Thursday at noon, begins five months of a Losers are Winners Contest. That means less eating, more exercise and more knitting so I won't eat.

I felted my Pyth Jacket, unintentionally.

I have not bought any yarn since camp.

I have ordered a couple of needles from Knit Picks and I AM WAITING for them. I come home every night expecting them to be here and still I wait.

I ordered a pair of the Addi Turbo Lace needles too. AND I AM Waiting for them too. See above.

I am tired of the rain and humidity! Isn't everyone?

The Tall Guy Is Off To The Yarn Shop

Read that as the Gun Shop for him. He needs a project and his hobby is guns. I said, "well, maybe I'll go to the yarn shop, then". He said, "so much for your pack with your group". I said, "I'm not really going to the yarn shop, but it is enticing since they are having a sale".

But, no, I'm not going- the weather is so cool outside we turned off the air, and I'm going to knit today. It is a good day for knitting with wool. And I have three new Fall knitting magazines to keep me occupied. Vogue, Interweave and Knitter's came yesterday. I can peruse them and see what kind of stash I have that can be knitted up.

So, there! I'm not going to go to the yarn shop. I wish not eating un-healthy was as easy!

2 Out Of 5 Ain't Bad


I love it when I can cross things off my list. At first when I finished the first off the five list, I immediately knew I could add the Kuani Cardigan to it and begin working on it. After a couple of false starts on it (operator errors), I tossed it aside and went back to the other four on my list. Then, when I finished another off of the list (you can't see them until the end of the month), I thought about what should join the list.

Well, heck, I said, why not keep plugging away on the list instead. So, I am knitting on my Pi Shawl from Knitters Almanac and having a heck of alot of fun with it. I'll see tonight, if I can knit on it and at the same time be in a room with other knitters.

If not, I do have a pair of socks that used to be my at work knitting I can work on. So, I guess, they have joined the five list.

I'm really enjoying being focused on my knitting for a change. And I have Camp to thank for it.

Focus on Five Friday

Or than there was four, but not for long! I knit a little Christmas tree tonight from Knitter's Almanac....kind of fun, kind of interesting. But, don't want to do a whole lot of that kind of knitting. I guess that is why Elizabeth called it Fiddle Faddle.

Now, what should replace the Ribwarmer on the Five List? The Kauni Cardigan? It is just beggin me to start swatchin it. The yarn has been sitting there a whole week tomorrow. Can you believe I have not succombed(spelling) and started it before now?

I even surprise myself. What surprises me even more is that I am not jumping right into it. I am even entertaining other possibilities. I must be sick. Or I want to be very sure and what takes the place on the list....Okay, I must be sick.

No, I'm just a knitter.

Yes, I Am Tired


As you can tell from my eyes, but the Ribwarmer I started at Camp 2 is done. What an interesting knit. I started knitting it directly from Knitting Workshop. With the help of Char who is also knitting it and Linda who knit some years ago, I made it! But, man was this tough. I could just not visualize it. But that is so typical of EZ, she makes us think even when we think we know what we are doing!


This one is a combo of the Knitting Workshop directions and the directions from one of the Spun Outs. Next time, I make it, I think I'll do it from the Spun Out, and make it maybe a little longer. I did add some width to the side so it would fit me and I am pleased. I would, however want any more across the shoulder. The Spun Out also has directions for a shaped armhole which I think I'd like to try.

And I liked the Unspun Icelandic in two ply. Since I bought a bun of the silver I could do it from that, but not real soon, there are other things on my list to knit!

Sox on Sunday



But of course, and just before midnight last night, I kitchenered the first one together. Now, I am eager to get the other one finished so I can move onto another project!

Look What We Got

The yarn for the Kauni Cardigan. I cannot start it until one of my current projects are done! That's the deal, that's what we said. But, who said I could take the yarn out and look at it? Maybe I'd better sit down and sew the ribwarmer together!

Linda has a really good plan of attack for her knitting. She could not narrow it down to five, so she narrowed it down to categories. Let's see if I can get them right. I can't remember all seven of hers, but they go something like this:

Color Work
Technique
Aran
Socks
Lace

Focus On Five Friday

Oh no, I still have more camp to talk and show some pics of, but around the last evening of camp, the other two Radicals and I discussed how out of control our/my knitting and knitting related shopping had become.

We made a committment to each other that we would concentrate on the projects we have and buy no new yarn, unless it is needed for a current project to be completed. I think we also committed to not starting anything new until something is finished. Me, I have decided to concentrate on five things at a time. Before, I can start or move to a wip, I must complete (and I do mean complete) one of the five things on my list.

I am using my new journal from Schoolhouse Press to keep track of my knitting between now and next year's camp.So far, I am doing really well with my commitment. I almost cheated the first day we were home, and ordered some laceweight from Meg, telling myself that I could always lie and say I ordered it on the last day, but I held tough, and I did not order it.

So, I have dubbed Fridays, as Focus on Five, on the pjknits blog! My five for the moment are:
1 - Socks (Char and Linda say socks don't count, but for me, they really are a major project and warrant their own spot)
2 - Ribwarmer, the knitting is done, it just needs to be sewn together. It has been in that state because
3 - The Gansey, I've been knitting along on it and am at the pattern part of it as of a couple of nights ago. I am using Gaffer's Pattern for the pattern. The yarn is my Rauma Wool from Arnhild
4 - The Wing of the Moth Shawl for my son's wedding next May. It can only be worked when no one is around, because I really need to pay attention to it
5 - The Pi Shawl from the Almanac.

Stuff I Want To Knit PDQ

From my camp experience, these are just a few of my favorite things that I want to knit before camp next year.




I'll have to wait on this one til late Fall when the new book comes out!

Show and Tell, Final Page

But, not the final post about camp. I have alot more to show you. But, this is the end of the show and tell that others brought. Not all by any means, but ones that I got pictures of.

My traveling knitting pal, Char with just one of her grandchildren's outfits that she showed. I saw these as she was knitting them. She is a good grandma. The black background would have been daunting for me.


Linda's (my other traveling knitting pal)Aran. She amazes me on how she works these. That's alot of cables. And when she has to take one out, she just lets it drop and picks it back up. Me? I gotta rip it all the way back.

Lori from California. Another sweater her husband actually picked out for her to knit. She is a good wife, because the consensus at camp was that the rest of us would have told him to choose another sweater. Can you say tattoo?


Judy from Crystal Lake. She was working a design from Joyce's book during camp as well as a pair of socks that she was just flying through. Amazing work, and just a subtle hint of the color her husband did not want.

The show and tell at camp was just phenom. It makes you want to knit more and knit better. Just simply amazing!

Show and Tell, Page 2



The Ribwarmer. Char and I are both working on this one. To say it is quite the task is minumalizing it. Oy and Vey! This one is an adaptation one of the campers did. She added the diamond shape to the back. Meg is hoping the camper can recreate it and then it will be named after her. Wouldn't that just be the coolest, to have a variation named after you? Hmmmm,food for thought!



Another unbelievable sweater. This camper did it from a mouse pad! Do you now understand why one would be intimitated by show and tell? You just cannot imagine the amount of talent in one room. It boggles the mind!


And to think it has been a week since we have been soaking it all in. I'm wishing my life away...for next year. And already worrying about, what if I don't get in?

Show And Tell, page1

Char put it quite well, when you see everything that campers show, it kind of intimidates you. Me, I am in my garter stitch phase, and so I brought my Suspender Sweater. Not nearly as wow, as everything else I saw....but it makes your creative juices flow. Here is today's sampling of Show and Tell.

Here is Jodee in a beautiful shawl in my kind of green. I think the yarn was Kidsilk Haze. If she would have left in laying around, I would have had it in my bag in a New York minute. Well, maybe not, because, that is just not a knitter. Knitters go off and buy the yarn so they can make their own. Okay, so this goes out there on the list to investigate the yarn(at a future date, like in a year)

But of course, I would like this shawl. It has all of my colors and will be the thought process for a future project for me. Can't you just see Elizabeth's Pi Shawl with all the colors of the sea in shetland? Ooh, I can!

Pam in her Mimbres vest. This is on my list to make. Pam sat across from me at camp and was so sweet to worry about us driving home. Aren't knit campers the nicest people!

Oh, no, this is not all of the pictures of Show and Tell. You are going to have to endure a couple more days of Show and Tell. And then there are more Camp stories to be told and pictures from the album to be shown.

After all, it is my blog, you know.

A Sea of Knitters

That is camp. You can participate as much or as little as you want. You can knit on a project you brought with you. You can buy yarn and start a new one. You can do one of several projects that are in the folder Meg gives you. No matter what you decide to do, you learn something.

And of course, you get to see what everybody else is working on from across the states. It is just amazing the amount of talent that is in one room for one weekend. The ages are varied, the walks of life are different, but yet we all have one common desire that brings us all together.

It is just indescribable, what Camp is all about. You have to experience it. And once you do, you want to do it again. You want the year to go by fast, even though it means one year of your life goes by too. It gives you something to work towards. All three of us from the Radicals came home with a thought of what we want to work on towards next year. Where we want to take our knitting. Who we want to be when we grow up as Linda puts it.

Where Do I Begin?

At the end....here is what is on my table after unpacking from Camp. Doesn't look like a whole heck of alot, but trust me it is. Two buns of Unspun Icelandic. Just add water and they become a sheep. Or add knitting needles and they become 4 or 5 sweaters.
The other yarn is what I took with me. And as you can see, most of it came back with me. Except for the one skein of Gansey in the foreground. I got it to do the Bavarian Twist Hat handout we got at Camp. I, probably should have been knitting on it this weekend, but Char and I decided to work on the RibWarmer.

Pictures of that project will come in the days to come. At the moment, I am working from three different sources on the RibWarmer, and attempting to write my own up as it makes sense to me. I intend on making at least one more of these in the near future, but first am testing it out to see how I like it.

And of course, I had the bestest two campmates - Char and Linda. We had joining rooms, which was so nice, and when we were done camping for the night. I could shut the door, stay up as late as I wanted and get up early if I wanted to. I like having my own room, I have decided.

Back to work tomorrow, I'd rather be getting ready for camp. Isn't that what every camper says? I met some really nice ladies this weekend and hope to see them all again next year. In the days to come, I'll post some pics.

I'm Home~From Camp
I'm unpacked. The dirty clothes are separated and downstairs. All of the makeup and sundries are put away. The suitcase with yarn and books and projects are unpacked and sitting on the table so I can play with them tomorrow.

The knitting bag still needs to be unpacked, which I am going to do shortly.

I have a ton of pictures to look at tomorrow on the camera and will add them to the blog in the next few days along with lots of comments about how nice camp was this year. Even better than last year!

There just seemed to be an awfully lot of nice people at this Camp. Char, Linda and I can hardly wait to go back next year and see some of the same ladies again.

And of course as usual, the Staff at Schoolhouse Press could not be any more accomodating. And Meg, what can one say? What a lady!

Gone Fishin....er Knittin

Be back on Monday Night!

Have You Tried Explaining

Knit Camp? What it is and why you are taking precious vacation time to do it? Some understand after you tell them. Most don't. And alot of them are men, too. So after telling one of the guy's I work with (one of the nicest guys you'll ever know)where I was going (he laughed heartily, not once but twice), I have started telling people I am going fishing. It's much easier!
And if I had the inclination, I'd knit him one of these and take it back to him next week. Because you see, as I am leaving yesterday, he yells at me "catch a big one"! Okay, so maybe he is not the nicest guy you'd ever meet!

But, Knit Camp is tomorrow and I think I only have to explain it to one more person today. After that, I'll be with a group that just understands! I don't have to Go Fishin!

Seriously, Whats Wrong?

I already know, I think. It's the first color pattern, the green, it's just too much. Or maybe the last color motif, too much cream?

So, I will take it to camp with me and rip it out. For my friends who went with me last year, you will recognize this as the same sweater I was working on last year. Only at that time, it was going to be the Norwegian Drop Sleeve Cardigan.

Constructive criticism will be accepted.

Just Sleep Til 9

When the kids were younger, I used to get up really early and knit. It was always nice to wake up to a quiet house. My husband would sleep later then too, and I would drink my coffee and enjoy the quiet of the house.

This morning really reminded me of that. I fell asleep last night on the couch (was just goint to lay there a bit and get cool). When I woke up there this morning, I reverted to all those years back. The first thing I did was make coffee. The second thing was, say a little prayer, just sleep til 9.

They all did not sleep til 9 this morning, but they did sleep long enough that I mastered Emily Ocker's Circular cast on. And so I started this shawl this morning, while watching EZ's Knitting Workshop (the chapter on lace).
It's kind of fun, and I have had a great day getting stuff ready for camp next Thursday.

I can hardly contain myself! It is really going to happen.

I'm Not Showin Yet

I am to the color work on my round yoke sweater. I have added the green, but I think it is going to take a few more rounds and the rest of the colors in it, to make me really love it. It is my two fav colors.

I have narrowed my Camp Take Along Projects last night.
The Above Cardigan - I am hoping to have it done so I can cut at camp
The Guernsey - it will be a great project just to knit on
The Wedding Shawl - for at alone times only
The Cuff to Cuff - hope to have it to the color work so I can get help
The Russian Prime - just in case I feel the need to work on it
The Pi Shawl - have decided to do it all in garter
And two just take along projects, a scarf and sox

You know I'll be gone for 5 weeks and not 5 days don't cha!

Eventually

I will stop blogging about getting ready for Camp! Then, you will have to put up with all the post-camp blogs...but until then, ah read or not.

Seriously, this weekend, I am going to map out a plan of what I am actually going to transport to camp to work on and take along just in case. Lately, entirely too much of my time has been spent thinking and not enough doing! So, I am going to get it all thought out and written down, so I can spend the next week and a half (give or take), knitting and NOT thinking.

Sounds like a plan, huh.

Nancy - aren't you just giddy with excitement?

Two Weeks

Exactly two weeks from today at this very hour, we will be sitting at Knit Camp, knitting and waiting for dinner in an hour. Oy, I can hardly wait!

Happy 4th of July

Be Safe Today!


And when our little get together is over (mom and aunt have left and the boys have went to work and to their friends house), we are going to get a movie to watch and I'm gonna knit some!

I gotta go back to work tomorrow! But, only two days and then it will be the weekend again. A week and a half later and it is KNIT CAMP 2! All right, now!

You Just Would Not Believe








What I have been knitting on these past few days. I'm like a knitting fiend. I flit from project to project, throwing nearly finished ones on the table only to take them off again when it is time to eat.

I've knitted just a bit on the Adult Surprise Jacket. Found some Brown Sheep that I want to get rid of that will do just nicely.

I have been knitting steady (but getting no where) on the cardigan that was going to be a dropped shoulder Norwegian cardigan, but now I am going to use some leftovers from the Babies and Bears Sweater to do a Round Yoke cardigan.

I have re cast on and re cast on the Russian Prime and am now 6 rows into it. I have told myself that I MUST knit 2 rows a day on it. Which means, shut the t.v. off and knit.

I have knitted some on the Cuff to Cuff Sweater.

I have not knit on the Pi Are Square Shawl. I have not knit on any socks. I have not once got on the treadmill or paid attention to what I have been eating. I have surfed the net and read blogs and half listened to podcasts. I have found a couple of sweaters I'd like to make, but have talked myself out of. I have thought knitting, slept knitting and just plain had a ball!

I love being off.

The T.V. Is Off

Normally, I knit by the t.v. But, today is my day, and I shut it off, except for the times I want to look at a Schoolhouse Press DVD for reference. I am working on knitting thngs that require concentration today.....but my mind keeps wandering to other projects. FOCUS, Penny, FOCUS!

You know how it is when you complete a major sweater and then you sit and veg for awhile, trying to decide what you really want to knit on next. Thats me. I am flitting from project to project. No, thats not what I want to knit on, no not that one, put it in the tote for after Knit Camp, or maybe I better take it with me, just in case the bug hits me.

See what I mean! You'd think I'd been drinking caffeine and eating chocolate....hey, that's not a bad idea. No, no, today is the start of another new week for weight watchers, must FOCUS! Off to knit...on something.

I Have Five Off

Five Days before I have to go back to work. Saturday, we are celebrating my in-laws 60th Anniversary. Sunday, I'll do the weekly laundry chore. Monday is JUST for Me. I will be home alone, and I am going to knit all day long and think about what I want to knit on! Tuesday, I will clean and get ready for our 4th Get Together with my mom and auntie and Wednesday, after they leave I'll do some more knitting!

After the week I have had, I am so looking forward to after the party tomorrow night!

It's Done! And It Was Fun!

The Babies and Bears Sweater is done! Yesterday, I gave thought to starting another one. Then, when I thought about it, I just could not do it.

But, today, when I actually looked at the picture, I decided I really like the way it looks and fits. Sometimes you just need to see it that way. The only thing I will do different, besides a new yarn, is too shorten the sleeve by 2 1/2 inches. This one is turned up, but unless I told you that you would not have even know it.

Now, I just have to decide what yarn to use for the next one. Twisted Sisters leftovers or Russian Prime Yarns?

I Like Rainy Days Sometimes

Yesterday, I was a half an hour early for work. I had a hot cup of coffee with me and my knitting. When I pulled into the lot at work, I decided to sit there and see if the rain would let up a bit. It was perfect, coffee and knitting! By the time it was time to go into work, I was feeling much better about working.

And today, it rained on and off all day. A perfect excuse to NOT to have to go anywhere. I've been doing some laundry, knitting, reading and a little sleeping. A nice day despite the rain.

And I have almost got the Babies and Bears Sweater done. And I knitted a bit on my lace shawl! Radicals - I think I can do it!

I Don't Wanna

Work tomorrow! The Radicals helped with my Shawl Thinkin tonight. I came home sure of what I was going to do for the Wedding Shawl. Mind you, I had talked myself into a Pink Kid Merino Rectangular Shawl before going to Char's.

Then, I somehow came home with my mind set on the Caribe Blue triangular shawl.

Then, I went to the Zimmermania blog, to check the website for this really cool yarn that the Baby Gull Sweater was out of, which led me to a round about way to the Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits, Summer 2006 at a picture of it. http://www.thedailypurl.com/shawls/icarus/

Now, I am starting to wonder again, and I need some hours to play...I don't wanna go to work tomorrow, my mind is just a spinning with everything!

Something else I found in the Summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits - Part One of a Lace Primer. I think there are a couple of stitches that I could use for my Pi Shawl!

See what I mean....I don't wanna!

Today Is Lace Day

It is going to be another hot day today. There is nothing decent on the t.v. to knit with. We are saving going out to get groceries til late this afternoon, when all the screamin kids, hopefully will be home having dinner. I can't go to the Yarn Shop two Saturdays in a row....so I am doing lace today.

I am armed with my Barbara Walker Treasuries, my Gathering of Lace Book, my Victorian Lace book, and some leftover yarn and I am going to play with lace patterns to decide which ones I want to use for my Pi Shawl.

The Radical Knitters came up with a great idea for me to make a killer shawl for my son's wedding next May. Next Thursday, we are going to help me find a killer pattern and discuss what yarn I should get for it.

In the mean time, I need to practice knitting lace and what better way to do it then on the Pi Shawl. Linda and Char assure me I can do it and with their helpful guidance and holding of my hand, I think I can!

What a great way to spend a Saturday!

Pre Camp Planning

I'm a planner. I plan. I think. I make lists. I don't always adhere to my lists, but I make them anyway. On Sunday, in between laundry, I had a Pre-Camp Planning Session.

I started looking at some of my books/projects/spun outs that I want to
take with me to camp. You see the thought was to cut down on the weight of the bags this year. Yea, right! I know we will only be gone just shy of 5 days, but one
would not want to have the proper pattern with one or have to buy it
again, cause one did not plan well enough.

My yarn purchases last time were based on sweaters that I tried on at camp and really liked. It was a good way to go. We'll see what this year's bring. This shrug is one that I will be looking at for yarn and fit this year.



I also started thinking about what I will take with me to work on. You know kind of like 5 days/5 projects!
Here is my short list:The Guernsey....so I will have to take my Guernsey Books along with the Knitting Workshop, because Gaffer has a Guernsy on that I might want to
use the design from.

The Ribwarmer (I'll probably have yarn before we go)....I was going to
use the 2 ply Sheepswool that I washed. After swatching a bit
yesterday, I have decided the 2 ply for me requires a looser gauge on a
bigger needle. 4 sts to the inch just makes this WAY too stiff. I have
cast on the Tomten in my size for me in that Charcoal Sheepswool and
don't mind working with it so much. I'm sure there will be others.The Guernsey....so I will have to take my Guernsey Books along with the
Knitting Workshop, because Gaffer has a Guernsy on that I might want to
use the design from.

The Pie Are Square Shawl...I am still kicking around if I want to put a
little lace in it towards the bottom section. I have two sections at
the moment that are just garter, but am thinking about doing the Feather
and Fan for a little bit of interest. So, I will have to take my
Knitting Around book for both it and the Tomten.

So, it looks at least a couple of my books and Wool Gatherings are going with me. And a lot of sweaters to knit on!

New Toy

The tall guy found this in the Walgreen's ad. $99 at Walgreens. It has a nice carrying case and accessories. Battery life is around 2 1/2 hours. It is just what I was looking for AND the price is right!

Now, when I go to camp, I take EZ DVDs with me too! Even though, we will watch them at the night session, sometimes, I want to have the glossary near by so I can look something up later at night.

What A Wonderful Afternoon!

I met Karen out at Knit 4 Together. We were going to compare jackets. She has two Babies and Bears Sweaters on the needles. We decided that her strip of yellow needs to be pulled out too. It will require a bit of ripping out.

Mine, we discovered also must be ripped back to quite a ways down the sleeve. It appears that on the second half at the point where I went from double point needles to circular needles, I jumped to a size 10 1/2 and not the size 9 I was suppose to. I thought the ridges were a little loose too soon and the # of rows I had knitted did not seem quite right. But, until, I actually measured sleeve against sleeve, was when I noticed something funny. Karen noticed the difference on the sleeve a little ways back. Oh well...

But, amongst the looking at yarns, seeing the Tofutsies yarn and talking to Marilyn one of the shop owners, (who also bows at the feet of Elizabeth Zimmerman and Meg Swansen) we had just a great Saturday, talking knitting.

We enjoyed it so much, it was a perfect day! I can't wait to do it again! We also recomend the wrap and the soup at the Coffee House across the street. Next time, I'm going to try a Smootie.

You Cringe, But

Yes, I do knit at stop lights on occasion. Not as often as I used to, because the lights are a little shorter these days. But, last night going home, the traffic was AWFUL! IDOT is working on a stretch of highway (since March of 06 and it will be ongoing until November this year.) Last night the traffic was backed up....thank goodness, I had my Babies and Bears Sweater within reach. I pulled it up and got quite a few rounds knitted while waiting at the stop lights and resulting backed up traffic.

Oh, yes there was that moment, when I looked into my bag for my row counter, that could have been a problem, but I recovered nicely and from now on I will have my tools laid out ahead of time.

And, well, yes I was alone....I don't usually knit when I have some one riding with me!

1/2 Way There

Finally, I got half of the sweater done. The yellow has been in and out more times than I want to think about. But, finally it is out and I'm glad. I have tried it on and it fits okay I think. I have trouble telling myself that a sweater does not have to big and bulky on me to fit.

Then, comes starting the other side. After unwinding several skeins of the Ironstone, and knitting two cuffs, I decided to go with close. It is impossible to get it exact. I think that is what I am going to find on the sleeve itself too. But, I am okay with that!

Talkin Gauge

Just as we were walking out the door from Knit Nite last night, we had a little discussion. I, being terribly obnoxious when it comes to gauge, have not been all that concerned with it since I starter the garter part of the sweater. So, this morning, I measured it. It varies between 4-5 sts per inch depending on what yarn I am using. I'm going as is for now, and am wondering if I might have to accomodate for that when I get to the end. I'll worry about that later tonight, when I can get back to knitting it.

And yes, you do see two rows in it of yellow. It is not as bad as I once thought it was....but I'll also worry about that later tonight!