Dishcloths for Grandma

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I noticed that my grandmother's homemade dishcloths were falling apart and she needed a few new ones. Truthfully I doubt she needs my help, she's quite an accomplished knitter on her own- but I thought it might be a nice "thank you" gift if I sent her a couple. (And okay, it was a perfect opportunity to start busting the immense amounts of crafter cotton I somehow have!) And so, I took a brief pause in my frantic blanket knitting... and knit some dishclothes.

#1- Young Love

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! It's just SO CUTE!

Pattern: Young Love Dishcloth by Rachel van Schie
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream Cotton in "Sunshine"
Needle: US size 6
Pattern Thoughts: Grandma is going to love this- it's just so adorable! The pattern really pops on this so there are no worries about her seeing what it is. The pattern author was excellent- I would definately make more of her patterns!

#2 & #3 - BALLBANDS! Is there any knitter ot there that doesn't love this pattern?

Pattern: Ballband Dishcloth as published in Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream Cotton in "Sunshine", "Cornflower", "Country Twists" and "Rose Twists"
Needle: US size 7
Pattern Thoughts: I love making these! I love mixing the colors and I'm always pleased with the way they turn out.

Hopefully Grandma will like her little care package I'm sending her. Would you be happy opening this up?

The dishcloth distraction was much needed- but now I need to get back to the task at hand- baby blankets. I need to get the recent blanket off the needles this weekend so I can cast on the green blanket. Remember when I stopped knitting blankets except for "really good friends"? Well- apparently all my good friends met up and decided to all get pregnant at the same tim for this fall. YEESH there are so many baby blankets to knit- IT. IS. STAGGERING. If reading a blog that features mostly baby blankets is your idea of purgatory- you may want to look away this summer. :-)

Breaking the Diet

I suggested in my last entry that I had done a little online yarn shopping recently, and in the past few days my spoils have been brightening my day at work!

First up, (although last to arrive)- my Knitpicks Comfy yarn has arrived. Oh man is this nice stuff. It's a cotton/acrylic blend- and is destined to be a blanket for a friend expecting in September. I typically knit my baby blankets in acrylic, but I decided to get something that will block out a little- especially since, (fingers crossed), I'll be submitting this blanket as my entry to the Stampede this year.

Next up, from the Loopy Ewe, I got my Knit Kit. This is such a cool little kit!! (Although everyone thought it looked like an old birth control holder from the 70's!) BUT, once you get past the esthetic, (it IS bigger than I thought it would be), it is just downright COOL.

Pictured up in front, there's a stitch counter, an emergency crochet hook, a yarn cutter and tape measure.

Pictured in back here, the scissors, point protectors and stitch markers. (I've also thrown in a darning needle) This is absolutely perfect item for the "on the go" knitter.

With all this exciting stuff in hand it's hard to stay focused on the current projects on the needles. I started mittens, (why? I don't really know...) to knit while I was in Saskatchewan this weekend and now I'm onto a n even newer project! I noticed Grandma's dishcloths (homemade by her I'm certain) were falling apart- and I thought it might be nice to send her a thank you note and a couple of new dishcloths.

I found my patterns that I wanted to make and decided to raid my dishcloth cotton stash. Um..

... there's a little more cotton yarn there than I remember!!! How did I end up with so much?!! I think I'm going to have to add a little dishcloth knitting to the agenda to "stash down." Hmmm maybe get a foot up on th Christmas knitting this year? I also need to add another pair of socks for Grandpa on the list. It turns out the socks I made him for last Christmas he likes so much he's afraid to wear them out-so he doesn't wear them! Maybe if he had something to alternate he'd wear them a little bit more? :-)

I must run- I have a cotton stash to deplete!!

Easter Knitting

It feels like the blog posts have been a lighter recently around these parts. It's not necessarily out of neglect- just out of work. Mostly I have photos of items in various states of completion, but very few pics of completed objects!! This Easter we made a little progress towards getting you, my faithful reader (HI MiL), a completion photo.

Firstly- more hats. With this most recent batch of hats, I'm nearly back on pace for the goal... I mostly knit this weekend, and hats were the priority. I made myself knit 2 hats per day off before I got to work on other projects.

Secondly- say hello to my 28thirty sweater, which is freshly cast off the needles, an upon reading this blog post, I will have (hopefully) finished weaving the ends in and have the sweater pinned up for blocking. We'll still have to wait a little while to see an actual finished photo as I'm actually one button short to sew on. (Cross your fingers that order is in soon!!) But it's good to have something else to focus on...

... Like BABY BLANKETS. OMG people the babies due this fall is STAGGERING. It is a virtual TIDAL WAVE of babies this fall. (It seems like I'm always saying that!) And so I must get to the knitting... I might have to throw a few sweaters in there! At least the Sweetheart blanket is a quick knit-- might have to do that again this summer. (Will you forgive?)

Lastly, I thought I'd show you a picture of the most recent pair of purse socks, that are seeing a lot of action over my lunch hours. (Although thankfully no one has started to complain about about how sick of them they are yet... my goal is to finish them a little sooner.) They're just plain and they're just black- I figure the will be the envy of every man in a close radius. :-)

So there you have it- we're light on blog posts simply due to the fact that I'm heavy on actual knitting. I'm crossing my fingers that there will be some exciting news around here soon. (I'm expecting not one, but TWO knitting orders to show up in the mail. One from Knitpicks- where I broke my embargo on yarn and bought some baby blanket yarn. Can't wait for that one to get here so I can start it ASAP.)

I'll be back- hopefully with some finished stuff for you next time. Until then- back to the knitting.

**I'd like to thank the Masters tournament for providing the perfect background noise to all my knitting progress. Without the Tiger and Phil showdown I would have floundered on that last hat. :-)

And My Co-Workers Rejoice!

I often knit over my lunch hours- squeezing in a few precious stitches between sandwhich bites and complaining about paperwork. I typically lunch with a regular crew- a few of whom happen to be knitters. I knit often enough that I have a "purse project"- which basically travels around in my purse and I pull out when I'm spared enough time for a couple of stitches. My purse project is also my work project.

The purse project is great in theory for those "MUST KNIT RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BE DRIVEN TO VIOLENT ACTS" moments when you need a little zen infusion. In execution, if you spend any regular amount of time with someone, the slow progress of the purse project drives them to near insanity.

2 weeks ago my regular lunch crew had enough-- and I heard this:

Luncher 1: "I can't sit next to you if you're going to knit those socks- I literally cannot look at them anymore"
Luncher 2: "OH GOD- THOSE SOCKS!? Again? Still!? You still aren't done?!"
Luncher 3: (who may also be related to me) "I hate those socks so much."

No, these are not the protestations of hugely awful and cruel individuals who hate knitters and yarn and sheep as an extension- these are the protests of friends, who have been watching me knit the same pair of socks, with the same yarn since NOVEMBER 25, 2008! I would not be lying to you if I confessed myself that I have a little loathing when I look at them too.

Viola- I give you the NEVER ENDING SOCKS OF TEDIUM!

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina (knitted by like every sock knitter EVER in the history of the KNITTING UNIVERSE) from the now defunct, "Magknits". (You can still find the pattern on Ravelry)
Needles: US 1 or 2.25 mm
Yarn: Zitron Trekking XXL , colorway 133

Notes: I knit these once before, but I forgot just how long they take- for some reason you just keep knitting and knitting- and well... not a good purse project! No complaints on the yarn, or the pattern, both were great, but victim to my inane boredom.

I will say this- I took great care to line the stripes up on these socks- and my efforts wer well rewarded!

So with the socks off the needles, and in "time out" until I get to the point where I can look at them again not feel a heavy case of ennui- I look ahead to the next "purse sock"- which I've decided will be a delightfully simple pattern that will hopefully complete itself much faster! (I have a man in mind for them- so sadly, they must be dull as tombs to fit the male "MY SOCKS MUST NOT HAVE COLOR NOR MUST THEY HAVE WILD/OSTENTATIOUS PATTERNS" dress code they so strictly adhere to.)

In the mean time- I'm certainly glad to be moving on to something new- it'll be nice to sit with the old lunch crew again!

Pluggin' Away

If you're one of those "finished project photo only" people- you may want to skip this here post. It's been awhile between my last post- but mostly because progress has been slow, but steady. This is the first time that I've divided myself between two major projects- and I must say both projects are enchanting me so much that I can't remember the last time I've so looked forward to coming home and seeing what I can knit next.

Firstly- the Sweetheart Blanket. (It's acrylic- don't hate!)

I just love it. LOVE it. When's the last time you heard me all excited about knitting a blanket?! It is turning out beautifully- easy enough to go quickly, challenging enough to just keep you engaged. Perhaps it's only because I'm a 1/3 of the way into this beast, but I can't get enough of this pattern- it's so cute!

Secondly - the 28thirty Sweater:

The yarn is soft and the pattern is really simple- I can't wait to model this little sweater!

Just when I get sick of knitting the one project- I move on over to the next one- keeping me engaged and excited about the next row. I'm working on an informal schedule- for every one skein of red I knit 1.5 skeins of the sweater yarn... it gives me little mental goals to reach for each week.

Geez I sound like I'm on a knitting honeymoon... remind me all of this "knitted bliss" that I have now when I'm whining to you in 2 weeks that I'll never finish the blanket and I'm so sick of the sweater - okay? The early stages of knitting is always more fun than the end stages- which seems so warped to me. I should be less excited about the long road ahead and more excited about the finish line- but I'm quickly learning that's just not me as a knitter.

In other less exciting news- I need to knit more hats. I've been SO. LAZY this winter about knitting the hats. I've deemed next Monday- and the entire week 'hat week' to get me back to where I need to be in the hat count. I've got until Sunday to enjoy my fun little knitting projects here- and then it's time to crank out the hats.

I better get knitting!

Distractions...

We interrupt this blog (and my weekly knitting progress) to show you something adorable.

This is Orlando.

Orlando is my sister's frog, who spent the week with me last week while his "mom" was in Mexico. Orlando also had the unfortunate luck of spending a very cold week in Calgary. In fact I couldn't look right at Orlando without feeling cold- so I had to do something about it. As a knitter- this presents an interesting challenge.

I did what any knitter presented with the same dilema, I designed the frog a dashing cable sweater! Doesn't he look dapper?

Pattern: My Own
Yarn: Bernat Baby Softee leftovers in "antique white"
Needles: US size 5

The hardest part of this pattern was figuring out the sleeve decreases- given that the little froggy has such differently shaped arms. But overall- I'm so pleased with how this sweater turned out!

Now... back to my regularly, neglected projects!  (And we can all sigh a collective relief that Orlando now has a sweater to keep him warm.)

Back in the Saddle

I did it!  I did it!  I did it!!  I finished the Lakeside socks!!

You think that's impressive?  Look at the backs!  They're GORGEOUS!

I'd show you how much yarn I had left over- but it's an embarrassing display of my own over reaction so I won't. Let's just say there was no need to panic and worry as much as I did.  I'll just tell you I had enough and let the beauty of this project speak for itself!  (And yes the legs DO match up- the husband just didn't tell me they were lining up for the photo...)

Pattern: Lakeside Knee Socks by Julia Vaconsin

Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle 100% Superwash in Jultomte (sock club colorway- LOVE)

Needles: US 1 (on my knit picks options which, FYI, were AWESOME)

Thoughts/Notes: There really aren't enough ways I can gush about these socks.  The yarn is absolute dream to knit with.  I really get what all the fuss about Wollmeise is now.   I also love the pattern - it's stunning, a very simple knit pattern that looks more complicated than it was.  I added the picot trim at the cuff and skipped the addition of the elastic.  (Although I left the whole open on the inside should I change my mind about sewing it in at a later date.)  The pattern author really thought the whole process out and the calf shaping is excellent.  Everything about this project was a PLEASURE- and my happiness in it is reflected in the finished project.

I just can't get over how awesome these look- I keep coming back to them and marvelling at myself.  Yeah, at the end I was getting sick of them, and my anxiety attacks about enough yarn, but the pain and suffering, (as it so often is), was TOTALLY worth it.  Oh hell, just look at it again!

It's amazing how I can go one minute to marvelling at my talents and in the next second move on to the next thing.  All that work, all that labor and the only thing I'm anxious to do is throw myself into the next project. I'm definately a process knitter- no standing around to admire for me!  And so- with a fearless heart I cast on my 28thirty sweater!

This little pattern should knit up quickly- and I can't wait to wear it out on those chilly (envitable for Calgary) spring days. So far I love the yarn- so soft and yummy. 

I could probably tell you I made more progress but also, in a fit of insanity and over confidence- I also cast on a baby blanket. (The number of babies due this fall is staggering... I must be prepared!) No pictures of that one yet, as it was kind of a last minute decision to cast on. I just decided one morning that I was also going to knit the blanket AND, oddly enough, right now the blanket is seeing more progress than the sweater. (Typically I drag my feet on that one, but not this time.)

AND if this post wasn't filled enough with "LOOK WHAT I DID" gloating... I finally got around to chipping away at the yearly baby hat total- which is now sitting at 6.

This last week was incredible on the progress scale-- it was great to get some new projects on the needles and feel "back in the saddle".  

Readers will also note that the blog seems to be working with photos again.  (And not a moment too soon- can you imagine if I had to WAIT to show you those socks?  I would have gone insane!!)  There are a still a few bugs and a few questions- although much of what happened I still don't understand, how does it go working one day and not the next?  I've switched my photo hoster- (I'm all Flickr now!) and you'll have to bear with me as I figure out sizing and such, but none the less, it's good to be back- and showing you what I've been up to.

Use Your Imagination

So I don't know what's happened to the dear old blog. I can make the posts show up, old posts show up with any trouble but trying to throw a picture into my post and BOOM- blog explosion. Since it would be nice to maintain this, and because I've tried more than a few times to come over and say hi and be denied, I've decided to just go ahead and blog, sans photos. So let's all use our imaginations... shall we? (I continue to make offerings to the blog gods...)

Progress on the knee socks continues at a slower pace than I'd like. I still live in agonizing terror, with every pull of the yarn my brain says "there won't be enough". I'm knitting the foot tonight- and hopefully this agony will be over by tomorrow... with a completely finished sock and not me crying in a corner saying "I just need 5 more yards". Other than the paralyzing fear that I will not have enough yarn to finish, the socks themselves look stunning. Absolutely stunning. Close your eyes, imagine stunningly beauitful socks in red, and you'll envision what I'm doing. Let's all pray to the powers that be that I'll be able to fix the picture function and I can show them in their blazing glory when I'm done. If they get done. OH PLEASE let me finish them!

Waiting in the wings of my imagination (and stash) is the 28thirty sweater that I'm finally ready to cast on. The yarn is soft and squishy and it's the right kind of cardigan to usher in the spring. Because it's going to come... eventually. I'm convinced that my not making the sweater is the reason it hasn't warmed up yet. :-) So, I owe the people of Calgary at least a decent shot at spring.

Also on the needles, is my purse socks which are also in line to be finished. I just turned the heel on my second sock, so hopefully we'll put those to rest soon. On the needles and being ignored is the Noro self striping scarf. It's not because I don't love the project, it's gorgeous, and addicting- but it's the right project to work on when visiting with others, it's mindless enough that it's nearly impossible to screw up. I've been mostly saving it for "group" knitting and so slowly, but surely, it's getting finished too.

Have you been closing your eyes and imagining them? They're nice huh?

Hopefully this won't be an imaginary knit blog forever and we'll all get back to lovely knitting pictures. Let all your computer geek friends know- I'm willing to trade hand knit items for computer help!

Blog Go Broken

So I'm not sure if it's me, (Nennie's blog skills = pretty crappy) or if it's Blogger- but I've hit a glitch.

I AM NOT GOING AWAY-- I'm just currently trying to figure out that the heck I did and I how I can not do it again.

Until that time- please be patient, I will return and please, send GEEKS!

The Fear

I should be ecstatic that sock #1 of the Lakeside knee socks is off the needles. (Pictured above)

But I'm not. Not even a little bit.

I'm too busy being terrified about sock #2. Oh no, I'm not afraid that I won't knit it. I'm afraid I won't have enough yarn to finish it.

I have the fear.

"The fear" is mostly common in knitters who worry about one thing, and one thing only- having enough yarn to finish. The mere idea that we'll run out of yarn and be unable to finish our project, (as if the yarn in that particular colorway would just magically evaporate from the world somehow), and we will be left with an unfinished object to taunt us. FOREVER. The fear will cause you do to crazy things- like alter the pattern in a way not suggested just to save a little yarn, or rip back large sections of work on the thought that the yarn won't last.

This is not a new concept for me. I seem to be struck down with it whenever I knit something I'm particulary proud of myself over. You may recall the New Enlgand socks, or my grandma's socks- where I looked at the yarn remaining and said to myself "no way there will be enough". And with every pull of the yarn ball, and as each tug would bring the ball smaller and smaller I'd sit and stew in the fear, praying and bartering with God to "just give me enough yarn to finish!"

In fact only a few days ago MiL also experienced the fear. Emailing me her concern that she was going to run out before her baby sweater would finish. (She had just enough.)

Here's the worst part about the fear. After the fear has made the knitter do something utterly irrational, like rip back or alter the pattern (and leaving the finished item in a way that is less satisfactory to ourselves), in almost all cases, it is rarely realized. Yes. That's right- all that worrying, all that obsessing, all that holding your breath with each yarn tug- and in the end, you would have had enough to do exactly as you were supposed to.

The fear is sick that way.

I have the fear right now. It doesn't matter that the pattern author of this particular pattern has written down the exact yardage she used to knit the socks (516 yards). It doesn't matter that I'm knitting with the Wollmeise, (the wollmeise's "goodness" cannot adequately be expressed in words... it's THAT good), and therefore assures me of 576 yards. My brain is telling me I'm not going to make it. I'm already imagining short cuts. I couldn't even allow myself to sew in the ends on sock 1, just in case, I need to rip it back and accomodate the yarn to have enough for 2 socks. The fear is strong in me.

The fear does have one small, teeny, tiny upside- it guarentees a quicker finish. When I have the fear, I knit like a mad woman, desperate to see if the fear was real, desperate to know what I'll have to concoct to make up for the missing yarn. So desperate am I to KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, I will knit and knit and knit and knit and knit and produce a finished product. The fear sucks the joy out of a project, but it also ensures that it gets done.

I know that someday, somewhwere, the fear is going to be realized. I am going to knit something and realize that there is not enough yarn. I will probably melt down. (Because if you haven't guessed it- I'm a bit of drama queen.) I also know that I'll probably figure it out, a way around, or find someone (THANK GOD FOR RAVELRY!) who has a couple of scraps in a similar color way. It will happen. It's not knowing what I'll do to get past it that scares me.

I will get over the pain. But I doubt I'll ever get past the fear.