Tuesday, May 30, 2006

If my photo software and blogging software were on my laptop instead of the desktop, you'd get blog posts from me much more frequently, but they aren't, so you don't. 

I took a number of pictures a week or so ago, but never got around to posting them.  Here they are:

The body pieces (including the ever popular breast windows!) of Virginia's Cable and Moss Stitch Panel Cardigan, blocking in my carefully cropped-out messy laundry room:

Since this photo was taken, the sleeves were also blocked, the shoulders were joined, and the front bands, pocket borders, and collar were knit and sewn on.  Other than that, it looks just like this photo.  All that remains is to attach the sleeves and sew the side and sleeve seams. 

The Chainmail Shell is coming along beautifully:

There appear to be just over nine chains completed in this picture.  In reality, 28 have been completed.  Two more before the armhole is reached.  I am LOVING this fabric:

The Mystery Blanket is progressing slowly.  I kitchenered all of the squares together . . .

. . . which leaves an additional fifteen sets of four huge gaping holes to be woven shut . . .

. . . and then I picked up around the edges for the garter stitch border . . .

. . . which isn't what the directions said to do, but I was running low on yarn and I needed to be able to just knit until I ran out.  Which I did a little earlier than I had anticipated, so I had to scavenge a bunch of green tails from the back to finish off the bind off row (phew!).  All that remains is the tail weaving, which I'm saving for a rainy day.  Or until hell freezes over, more likely.  I am NOT in a hurry to finish this blanket.  I've determined that the "Mystery" that the pattern name refers to isn't so much the construction technique, as we are led to believe, but where you'll find the patience to see this thing all the way through to the end.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  I'm just saying.

Here's the Cherry (Blueberry) Blossom sock, looking a little blurry and a lot reptilian:

The pretty Cherry (Blueberry) Blossom sock from Maeve is a thing of the past now, as is the cool Wavy River (or whatever) sock from Michelle which was version 2.  This yarn (Paton's Kroy Socks) is lovely, but the colors are VERY muted (despite what the photo shows) and there's a fuzzy halo to the whole fabric.  Lace wasn't showing up, and neither did cables.  I've now got the foot and heel of one 2x2 ribbed sock (version 3) completed, with the leg waiting for the baseball game and knit-in tonight (two separate events, although I'll be knitting through both of them).

I've got a lot more out-of-date pictures to show you, but I'll save them for another post.  I'll leave you with this bizarre configuration of water spots on my kitchen counter.  Sorry for the shadows, but I had trouble getting everything to show up.

See the happy face?  If you could see the surrounding arc of water completely, you would see that it is most definitely female.

It's kind of freaky when the kitchen starts smiling at you.

Sarah

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Technology is an amazing thing.  What will our grandchildren take for granted that we haven't even dreamed of?

I only watch two shows on television.  ER, because I have too many years invested in it to give up now, and 24, because it piques my interest.  Son Number One, the resident teenager, is in charge of "taping" both of my shows each week.  I have them both programmed into my planner, and I ask him each Monday and Thursday whether "my" show is ready to record.  We have Comcast DVR, or whatever it's called -- the best birthday present I ever gave my husband, if you ask me.  I don't know how to use it, but I don't care because, like I said, I have a teenager.  Usually, everything runs smoothly.  This week, however, things didn't work out so well.  I made my lunch today (heated up leftover pizza -- um, yum?) and settled in to watch Monday's episode of 24.  Halfway through the "Previously, on 24" part, the recording stopped.  What the?  Apparently we only taped one minute of this week's episode. 

Upon his return from school, I charged Son Number One with the task of finding me a re-run to watch before next Monday's two hour season finale.  He didn't find any re-runs, but for $2 we could download our very own copy of the episode.  Done!  I'm fully caught up and ready for Monday.

In the meantime, however, I forgot to remind him to record the season finale of ER, and therefore missed it.  When he wakes up tomorrow, I'll set him to the task of finding me a downloadable version to watch. 

Isn't technology wonderful?  I never would have imagined I could just order up my favorite t.v. shows on the Internet.

Weird.

Also weird:

Son Number One, trying to get rid of a severe case of hiccups.

When I asked about the hand, he replied, "We're learning about Nixon."  Oh. 

Let's go to the camera, shall we?

More facecloths for one of the guild's charity projects:

Sweaters from my Sweater Design students -- necklines done, sleeves begun.  Great work, ladies!!

I finished the latest sample for my Intro to Aran class:

Here's a flash photo to show the lining, although it washed out the yarn.  Neither photo shows off the true color, which is a lavender/gray.

Next, the bag I made for the Guild's secret exchange (for Sharon E.), from Folk Bags by Vicki Square, using Tahki Cotton Classic:

Front:

Back:

Close-up of the texture on the front:

The perfect lining!

I wanted to keep it for myself, but couldn't.  I will NOT be making a second one.  A wee too much embellishment after the actual knitting for my taste.  Fun once, but not twice.  You can see Sharon with her new bag on the Guild's website.

And finally, I present to you . . .

The amazing bag I received FROM the Guild's secret exchange (from the needles of the incredible Mary D.):

The museum shot:

The "in the wild" shot:

Isn't it the most exquisite thing you've ever seen?  I'm in awe.

Mary said the beading was almost as much fun as the knitting.  Here's a close-up:

I haven't let this bag out of my sight since Tuesday evening.  I am most definitely a happy camper.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mary!

Sarah

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

May is for GREEN, according to Project Spectrum.  Here's my contribution so far:

Check out this way cool Corkscrew Scarf! 

Very corkscrewy!

The pattern was given to me by Nancy McRay of Woven Art in East Lansing.  I used Berroco Crystal FX for the innards and Trendsetter Dune for the outards.  It was fun to knit at the beginning, icky in the middle due to a circular needle that wasn't QUITE long enough, and then pretty thrilling during the bind off, when the spirally stuff started happening.  Fun!  If I find one more ball of the Dune in the same color, I'll have enough yarn to make another one. 

Definitely making progress on my Mystery Blanket (April's Almanac-along project):

All of those squares need to be joined with kitchener stitch, like so:

Umpteen hours and a very sore back later:

Next step:  I have a choice!  I can start weaving in the multitudinous tails, or I can start filling in the huge gaping holes (which are supposed to be there at this point).

And here are a couple of (green!) bags from my latest Introduction to Entrelac class:

Annette's, worked in Lamb's Pride Bulky, which makes a VERY STURDY fabric (and a RATHER LARGE bag!):

And Sandra's, done in, um, Cascade 220, maybe?  I can't remember.

I'll be casting on for a pair of Toe Up Socks in a day or two, from Maeve's pretty Cherry Blossom Sock pattern, although mine will be blue and green, so they'll be more like Blueberry Socks (yum!).

Oh!  And I'm about halfway done with the main part of the bag I'm knitting for our Guild's secret exchange.  No details on that yet, since it's a secret, obvoiusly.

I really SHOULD be finishing up the Cable and Moss Stitch Panel Cardigan, but I've been procrastinating.  Can you tell?

Sarah

Thursday, May 4, 2006

Finished:  Mock Croc Socks, a free pattern from KnitPicks:

Finished:  Pomatomus Socks, a free pattern from knitty.com:

Finished with the knitting of the pieces (some assembly required):  Cable and Moss Stitch Panel Cardigan, designed by Kim Hargreaves:

Ready and waiting:  Yarn from the green family for May's Project Spectrum:

I didn't think I had any green yarn in my stash.  Imagine my surprise when I went stash diving and found all of this!  And this doesn't even include the olive green Kroy sock yarn or the green Cascade 220 for Judy's Christmas stockings.  And there's probably more hiding away somewhere . . . 

Can I get all of this knit up by the end of the month?  Um . . . no.  But I'll give it my best shot, okay?

This is the basket where I throw all of my swatches:

Notice anything unusual?

Mica prefers this basket to her own personal kitty bed:

I've caught her sitting in it once or twice, but she won't lie down.  Sigh.

Sarah

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