Spring Vacation

The indecision on socks should have been a give away, but our annual sojurn out to Maui to get some much needed Vitamin D just finished up and hence my little absence.  Fear not!  Actual knitting was done on the vacation, and thankfully NOT because the weather was crap.  (It wasn't.  I can't remember a time with better weather!)

I packed ambitiously on this trip.  In fact, other years I have taken knitting and not even knit a stitch.  I took not 1, but TWO socks to work on and both saw progress!  It helps that I also packed along my Mother in Law and she's a good knitting influence on me.  We made sure to always knit with a view...

But let's talk about WHAT I knit... shall we?

 

Love and Liquor is a bit of a brain bender, (especially for me, a devoted TOP DOWN sock knitter)-but it's looking more and more like the pattern.  (Although I'm going to rip out the kitchner and attempt again... I'm not happy.)  This sock is going to be a show stopper.  Also- bonus?  WOLLMEISE!

Hermoine's socks are also looking well progressed- although I'm currently living the fear of running out of yarn.  Damn you delightful but short in yardage Koigu!

Unlike where I usually lament the over-ambition in my packing, I'm actually glad I brought two projects.  Mostly because for some reason I can't stay up past 9:00 pm in Maui out of pure exhaustion.  And, the ability to work on something very easy was mostly appreciated in those "late night" knitting sessions.  As noted, Love and Liquor is going to look amazing but it requires my focus and attention and when I need easy I can switch up to the Hermoine's socks, which looks great but is also much more "traditional easy sock".

Honestly... it's just fun to work on something that isn't an enormous blanket! (Although that has to kick in again soon as another baby is due in June.)

I'm surprised I made as much progress as I did, to be honest, but it does help that my child is more able to entertain himself (thank you STEVE JOBS) and let mommy enjoy a little airplane knitting time.  But I'm also surprised I got as much in when we were so busy!

Constructing sand castles...

Digging enomouse holes (my kid LOVES the beach)...

"Surfing"...

Deep sea diving on a submarine...

Climbing volcanoes...

Or just "chillaxing"...

We had an amazing vacation- and I'm so glad we got to go.  (Especially since it meant I also got to knit some smaller things for a bit!)  I'm going to try and knock both of these projects out by mid April (ambitious much?) and I'm sure we'll talk "next projects" soon!

Twins!

Well- I went a day past my original plan on having these done.  BUT the good news is that they are done AND the babies are out in this world and most of all I CAN KNIT THINGS THAT ARE NOT BLANKETS!  (hurrah!)

Pattern: Mosaic Blanket by Purl Soho
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Baby Steps in "White" and "Baby Pink"
Needles: US 8
Notes: I added a thin border throughout just because I felt like it needed it.  (4 rows on the bottom and 3 stitches on either side, which yes, necessitated an extra ball, but I felt it was worth it.)

 

This is an excellent pattern to cut your teeth on mosaic knitting.  The pattern is simple and intuitive and, in my case, knit up quickly.  I loved the idea of reversing the colors on each one so that that they are twins but also distinctive in their differences.

 

These are lovely and I'll likely knit this again if I need a quick knit but for now I'm happy to move on to bigger and more importantly, DIFFERENT things.  (I usually get blanket ennui midway through ONE... thankfully the ennui hit midway through #2.)

I celebrated by casting on something new.

Last post I couldn't decide between a number of projects but I was able to focus and decided on Hermoine's Everyday socks.

Lest you give me too much credit I actually decided to work on TWO pairs of socks, and Love and Liquor should be cast on tonight.  L&L is considerably harder and requires much brain power.  When I can't give it my full attention I'll switch to the considerably simpler Hermoine's.

I also managed to squeak out a charity section on a blanket that showed up last week.  The blanket's theme was from Monster's University- and so of course I had to knit a "Sully" section... mostly because I have the best family photo from Disneyland with that character.

 

And that folks leaves us here- new beginnings and new things to talk about.  Hopefully some smooth sailing on the knitting front ahead!

PS- I thought I should also add the cats are back to normal and very happy to be living a cone free existence again!

Distractions Everywhere

The good news is that, as of this posting, I'm on track to meet my goal for this week.  The final hat set is done (thank God) and brings the tally up to 6 hats and 3 booties.  GAH.  No one get pregnant for awhile, I NEED A BREAK.

Pattern: HAT- Cabled Teddy Hat by Marinda Lariz  BOOTIES- Cable Cuff Booties by Caroline Brooke
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Sport in "white"
Needles: Hat- US 6  Booties- US 5
Notes: Love BOTH patterns- SOOOOOO need a break from knitting them.

As far as the blanket goes I'm 2.5 pattern repeats from the goal and we'll see.  I want to be there on Wed.  I really do.  But I don't know it's going to be feasible.  New temporary goal is to cast off the blanket on Saturday and begin the blocking process.  No pictures because it looks the same as last time only like 2 repeats longer.

What I'm really struggling with is my "next thing".  I have "starter-itis" and I want to KNIT! ALL! THE! THINGS!  Specifically socks.  I'm due for a good sock.  The problem is I just can't decide on WHAT I'm going to knit.

Is it Love and Liquor in the much beloved Wollmeise?  My brain will likely BREAK at some point 'cuz this pattern is hard y'all.

 

Is it the Take Five socks from my ample Felici collection?  Simple. Simple.

 

Or is it Hermionie's Every Day socks in the Koigu that I feel strongly compelled to knit with?  Sorta Simple.

 

I can't decide.  Can you?

Ennui Strikes Again

Last week it was ALL MOMENTUM.... this week it's been a fight to just meet the goal.

The goal is met... but I'm having a tough time moving forward.  GUYS- I'm SO. OVER. this blanket pattern.  I'm ready for something new and exciting... which isn't great given there is still half to knit.

I finished the hat, except for seaming the ears on...

But on the upside I've also started the booties- mostly because I just don't want to knit the blanket right now.

Sadly I've knit so many of these I feel the same kind of ennui for the booties too BUT I'd like to give this set to the mom at school on Monday, so I need to drive forward on this.

And yes, I did reach the half way point on the blanket but I just can't seem to get myself  to knit the rest.

It doesn't help that it's been busy around here on the non-knitting front.  I feel like I'm running every day (because I am) to a different event for this guy.  (But at least we're improving..)

AND- the high maintenance cats are slightly more high maintenance this week thanks to a "very special operation" that only Bob Barker feels good about.  (I feel badly... but they are fine.)

Knitting time feels harder and harder to squeak out right now.  It happens but it feels like the time I get I have to fight so hard to make any progress.  SO, because despite the ennui I was able to get it mostly sorted... this week's goal:

1) Finish the hat and bootie set

2) Get 5 repeats done on the blanket.  5 is reasonable self.  You can do 5.  You got this.  Really.  YOU. CAN. DO. IT.  (so do it!)