All Purpose

So not much knitting in May. I didn’t finish anything at all. I started the Charade socks (like 5 times) and a crochet shrug, but other than that not much movement.

I did manage to get my garden started in May though and now I’m ready to really start busting out the knitting/crochet projects.

I have no idea why the Charade (Rav link) socks are taking me so long, except that my iPod died last month so no more podcasts. I got a new nano last week though so I’m hoping that will motivate me to get moving on the knitting. I am almost done with the leg portion of my first Charade and I’m hoping once I move past that I’ll be back into sock utopia knitting.

I have made decent progress on the shrug (Rav link), I’m starting the repeat for the back. I had been planning to buy yarn for a summer project, like a tank or something. But now I’m not sure if I’ll do that or just try to finish some of my larger projects, like the Ella blanket and the crochet blanket, and bust out some xmas socks. I do not want to be knitting socks feverishly the entire month of December.

No Comments | In: crochet, garden, gifts, knitting, work in progress | tags: crochet, garden, gifts, ipod, knitting, socks, work in progress. | #

I could do something in crochet instead. I really hadn’t thought about that, but there are a couple of patterns I found on Ravelry that might work for either my Louet (I’ll have leftovers from the $1.50 Cardi anyway) or the Tilli Tomas. First, there’s Short and Sweet from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker, which might be good for the silk. I’d probably still need to make it for my sis, but I think the color would be great on her anyway so…

Then there’s the Cap Sleeve Summer Cardigan which is cute. I might make it a little longer but I think I could maybe make this AND the $1.50 cardigan with the Louet I have or I’m sure I can find another project for the Louet that doesn’t require quite as much yarn.

Finally there is the Lacy Days of Summer which would is very cute as just a top if you made it shorter. I’d have to track down the magazine though, and while I really want to knit or crochet an empire waist top for summer I’m not sure this is the one.

Can you tell I’m not getting much done at work today?

No Comments | In: crochet, fever | tags: crochet, project fantasy life. | #

First things first: the hat situation…So I talked with my sis on Friday and she told me that if I made something handwash it wasn’t a big deal. She also said she didn’t think something covering her ears would be practical. I’m still making the Earhart hat anyway though-to give her options. I also made a crochet hat out of some of my Malabrigo Chunky and that was FAST, so it’s ready to go.

The Earhart hat is a little over halfway done (only have a pic of the start of it though).

I went to the sweater workshop yesterday and realized after seaming my shoulders and starting my collar that the neck BO is way too tight. I know I said I was going to fix that last week, but I didn’t and I should have. Ended up unseaming the shoulders and ripping back and redoing the bind off on the back and one side. I’ll do the other side tonight and reseam the shoulders and try the collar again. I’m really shooting to get this done pronto even though I have until March 30th. I really want to start a new sweater (the $1.50 Cardigan) that’s more for the spring. I might even join the Knit Along, we’ll see.

I also have to finish Linda’s hat and decide if I want to start her socks or finish mine first. I talked with my sweater teacher and she helped me figure out where I went wrong. She said for Magic Loop and using 2 circulars you basically do the decreases at the beginning and end of each half. I had them messed up because I was following the DPN instructions and so one of them was in the middle. Anyway, I’m going to rip back and try again I think. So I may finish my socks then start a pair for Linda. I’m, I guess, a little nervous that she won’t like the hats. It’s ridiculous really, but I figure I need to finish my socks anyway for the practice so that hers will be even better than mine. Maybe I could be ready to start her socks this weekend while we’re visiting, or maybe not considering how much else I need to do.

The one thing I have totally noticed since I started Ravelry is that my knitting is not only more organized but I really have started taking more of a project management approach to the whole thing. I feel like I definitely work on my knitting more, I definitely think about it more and I’m definitely finishing a lot more. I have even been planning some spring/summer project, which I have never done before. I just realized I could be working on tanks and socks this summer and I could make socks my present de l’année. So anyway, I’ve been combing back through my old mags for tank patterns and bought some newer Spring/Summer issues of IK that I was missing and now my queue is exploding with projects.

But I am not buying yarn (or anything else I don’t absolutely need) for the next 3 months. If I make it then I can buy myself a skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk for the Montego Bay scarf to test it. I love the idea of knitting that Cobweb wrap from the new IK in Sea Silk, but it would be very expensive (over $100 I think) so I’d want to try it out first I think.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, gifts, knitting, ravelry, work in progress | tags: binding off, cardigan, collar, crochet, gifts, hat, interweave knits, knitting, lace, ravelry, sea silk, shoulder seam, socks, sweater, wrap. | #

I finished my little glovettes. They came out a little big even though I did the small size, but then again I can barely grasp gauge in knitting, much less crochet.

I finished another blanket square and started a sixth one…

I bought my yarn for the upcoming sweater workshop:

In other news my neck is hurting a lot, not sure if it’s all the knitting, the data entry at work or what but it’s putting a bit of a damper on my knitting fever.

I <3 Ravelry. I’ve found so many cool patterns, forums, blogs, yarn on there that it’s not even funny. Please never leave me Ravelry.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, knitting, ravelry, work in progress | tags: crochet, fingerless gloves, finished object, knit, ravlery, work in progress, yarn. | #

Ok, so I got one of my Harmony Guides yesterday and while I didn’t find the exact stitch I was looking for I did figure it out with the help of looking at the diagrams and then trying to diagram/chart out my pattern. After reading it, crocheting the first row and paying attention to what my stitches looked like the directions for the second row finally clicked. It’s moving along swimmingly now:

I finished my wonderful Malabrigo purple scarf last week. It’s so freakin soft and snuggly I want to keep it wrapped around my face at all times. It would look a little weird though.

I’m also progressing nicely on my blanket for Ella, here’s the proof:

I also un-hibernated my Noro throw project just because I need variety in my knitting/crocheting so I don’t get bored or frustrated with any one project.

So a pretty good week of knitting, though not nearly as productive as I would like. I start my Sweater Workshop in like 10 days and I need to get a little further with the blanket and maybe finish the gloves by then.

In other news, I attended the HCW “blow-out” sale and was able to save almost $50 on the yarn for my sweater project. My yarn was not specially discounted but it was 20% off which is nice.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, knitting, work in progress | tags: blanket, crochet, finished object, gloves, knit, malabrigo, scarf, throw, work in progress. | #

Hmm, so I’m working on this new project (fingerless gloves) in crochet and I seriously don’t think I’m doing it right. Check it out:

It’s done in blossom stitch and it just doesn’t look right. I think I don’t really understand what I’m doing and none of my crochet books has blossom stitch so I’m kind of at a loss. I guess I’ll work on it a bit more then try to get to HCW’s or a book store to find a good crochet resource to help.

In other news, I’m almost done with scarf 7, yes I got scarves 1-6 done on time and 7 is my LAST ONE. Yay!

I’m making good progress on my scarf and I’ll be starting my sweater workshop pretty soon, I’m very excited about that.

No Comments | In: crochet, knitting, work in progress | tags: crochet, finished object, gloves, knit, scarf, work in progress. | #

So I’m so getting my ravelry invite either today or tomorrow (less than 600 people ahead of me), I’m psyched! I have been pulling together all my magazines and books, marking all my wishlist projects, gathering all my stash in anticipation.

I’ve finished scarf four and five and I’m almost done with six. Yes, I’m rocking the xmas crochet. I’ll try to do pics of scarf 6 and 7 soon, scarf five is already gone but is like the green scarf I did (#1 I think).

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, ravelry | tags: crochet, finished object, patagonia, ravelry, scarf, xmas. | #

Here’s number three:

I am a wee bit behind on the xmas crochet. I need to finish scarf 4 today and I haven’t started it yet. Good times. I have a vision of myself at like 10 pm tonight (it may not seem late to you, but for me it’s the time to be getting into bed) furiously crocheting while baking bread and trying to create and burn a gift DVD of my wedding for my dad and stepmom. We’re going to their house tomorrow for a little xmas celebration since we won’t be with them on xmas this year, but in the holy land of malls: Dallas.

I did also get some nice things for myself in the mail yesterday. Check it:

Some lovely Malabrigo yarn in Velvet Grapes and the Fern Wrap Sweater pattern from Glampyre Knits. Do you think the sweater will work with the Malabrigo? Ravelry, I need you please hurry!

Not the best pic, but it’s Tilli Tomas Pure and Simple in Moroccan Blue. Oh how I wish I had bought enough to make the Fern Wrap in this, but alas I could not afford it. Maybe next time.

I also popped by my LYS yesterday to get some more Patagonia (scarf #4) and I signed up for a Sweater Workshop that starts in January. Yippee! I’m hoping to really take my knitting to the next level and actually learn how to finish properly.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object | tags: crochet, finished object, malabrigo, patagonia, queue, scarf, stash, tilli tomas, yarn. | #

So here are the two scarves, the blue is done in colorway 212, and the green is 207.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object | tags: crochet, finished object, patagonia nature cotton, scarf. | #

So I have finally shaken loose some of the distractions and obligations that were keeping me so busy this last year. I am ready to knit. I’m ready to crochet. I haven’t picked up sticks or hook for 9 months, that damn wedding planning ate up all my time. But I’m back to it, yay, and wow have I missed a lot the last 9 months.

I can’t believe that I am the last to hear about Ravelry. Almost every knit/crochet blog I read has signed up and received their invite, and most of my stitching friends have too. Where the hell have a I been? I guess my explanation for this is that I not only wasn’t knitting I also wasn’t reading any knitting blogs while I planned the wedding. So I finally heard about it last week and promptly signed up. Only 6000+ people to go before I get my invite (down from 8000+ so there is progress).

I am really fired up about this whole ravelry thing, let me tell you why. Like 2 years ago I was wanting to really get my yarn, wip’s, wish projects, etc. all organized. I am a computer geek so of course I turned to technology to help me and found that not only was there not anything out there for us mac people, but that the pc software for crafting sucked. I really, really wanted to team up with my then boyfriend (M, aka the Italian) to design and build software that would allow knitter’s to list all their stash, wip’s, patterns, etc and then link everything together. Of course, I am lazy so this never happened. That’s ok though because the fine, wonderful people at Ravelry have done it all for me and they had the brains to realize this would be better as a web app with networking/community features. I am so, so excited about this and I really hope I get my invite soon because I’d like to spend my xmas break playing on ravelry.

So enough about ravelry, for now. I’m also pretty fired up to be knitting and crocheting again. I’ve gone on a yarn buying spree and I’ve decided to crochet all the females on my xmas list a scarf (more details later). I have 7 scarves total to make, and I’m 2 down. I’ve ordered yarn for all but one of them, and hopefully I’ll be getting some yarn today so I can start another scarf and stay on schedule. I’ll have pics later today or tomorrow, I need to get some good light for photo taking.

No Comments | In: crochet, fever, knitting, ravelry | tags: crochet, knit, ravelry, work in progress, xmas knitting, yarn. | #