It has been since I last bought yarn!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Slow But Steady....

Well- as me and sweaters usually go- progress is moving slowly. BUT there is progress to share so it was time to update you on where I was at with this sweater.

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Viola! Two fronts and just under half a back! NOT BAD. I would really like to capitalize on the long weekend (as I have thus far) and finish the back soon. I am beginning to get antsy about yarn amounts, as usual, right now I'm knitting on ball 6 out of 10. I imagine I will have to crack into ball 7 before the back is done- which could or could not leave me enough for sleeves.

I'm quite charmed with the decreases in the back and the way the cable starting curving together.

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Yeah for interesting pattern writing!

But that's not all on the needles! I got around to knitting my April hat for the Knit Wits Hat Pact- and I thought it turned out pretty cute and springy!

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And, if that wasn't enough to show for, I've also invested myself in the sock.

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My lunch time knitting dates with Merlperp (and special guest KnittingWater and adorable Althea!) have picked back up again and when I pulled out the neglected purse sock- I realized that I actually really liked the project. So, in effort to not give up on socks entirely- I have committed to one hour a day to knit the sock. Sure, this is going to slow up the sweater progress a little- but one hour does see a lot of progress in the sock. PLUS- if I'm ever going to get through my sock yarn stash I need to make a time commitment or it will just grow and never shrink.

Speaking of stash- I'm happy to report that after getting out six balls, thus far, of wool out of the bin- the drawer now opens easily and without challenge. I still have a ways to go for stashing down- but knowing I'm one drawer with a smooth open, helps keep motivate to continue to stash down!

Hope your Easter's are just as productive as mine!

Monday, April 11, 2011

I See Progress!

It was like the universe wanted me to blog today. Work wasn't busy so I got to leave early, the sun was shining when I get home so I could take pictures and there was, afterall SOMETHING to show you.

Fireside progress continues. Not a break neck pace mind you... but it continues.

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That is a lovely right front side of the sweater. There is a newly inspired motivation to move along with this project as I want to start something else. (SHOCKING!) I bought the yarn for my Stampede Project this year and I want to get that under way.

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BUT, as a motivational tool, I'm not allowed to even LOOK at the yarn or the pattern until I have a right side, left side and a back side of a sweater completed. Since my fingers are itching to cast on... I'm hoping that's the kind of motivation I need to devote any and all non-work hours to this project! (It helps that hockey playoffs start on Wed and we'll be hanging around the old tube to see what happens there anyways.)

I also did my section for the WCOBB blankets this weekend. This blanket has a special theme- Super Heroes! We collectively decided to do the "Justice League" and so I knit my section- BATMAN.

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Not bad eh? (Although it is evident that my intarsia skills leave much to be desired. I'm hoping whatever kid gets this doesn't look up at his mom and say "mom- this lady's intarsia skills aren't all that great!)

Since the only reason that I'm off early is that I'll have to work later tonight (*sigh*) I'm going to quit gabbing on here and get back to knitting on a right side of a sweater! Ciao!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Snow Day

When last we left our fearless knitting Heroine (me), I confessed to you a loss of mojo. A rather "meh" feeling about my knitting. And, quite frankly, I didn't know when it would return.

And then, on Friday, as a cruel NON April Fool's joke, the weather man broke the bad news. Snow. A lot of snow. A METRIC BUTT LOAD OF SNOW. The kind of snow you just stay home in. We planned carefully Friday, buying our groceries for the weekend and then we waited. Saturday we woke up and it was gross. Any snow in spring is gross... but this was really gross. There was so much snow. It's like spring regressed into winter. (Not that it's acted much like spring anyways.)

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I tried to capture what it's like to wake up to a metric butt load of snow but this picture does not do it justice. This is halfway to the 25 cm of snow we got. (25 cm = metric butt load) There was a lot of snow.

As good Canadians do, we just bunkered down and stayed home. There was absolutely no reason to drive in this weather- so we didn't. We stayed in our pajamas. We ate junk foods that I lie to my doctor and tell her I don't eat. (If she ever asks... tell her I only snack on veggies.) We watched movies. We maybe didn't shower....

The point is we were homebound. It was ideal "forced knitting time". At first, I will admit I just wanted to lie on the couch and watch the movies, but I forced my hands to knit. And soon, like an old friend, knitting came back to me. There is nothing, NOTHING more cozy than wrapping yourself in a blanket, in your "jammies", knitting in your lap listening to Jane Austen being read to you while the snow falls, (admittedly beautiful) outside your window as you watch from your cozy spot. And thus... mojo engaged again and a left hand size of a sweater was born. VIOLA.

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This kills me to say. K.I.L.L.S ME- but thank you snow day. I think I kind of needed you.