FO: Selbu Modern

Pattern: Selbu Modern (Ravelry link)

Yarn: 3 skeins Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift (2 Spagnum & 1 Scotch Broom)

Needles: US 0 and US 2 circular

Started: April 10, 2009

Finished: April 25, 2009

Comments: This comes together super quick and the pattern is well written. I reversed the light and dark colors to suite my interest, which lead to me miss reading the pattern at time when I was tired. I ended up not realizing that I had reversed the pattern until I was at 10,000 feet on a plane heading for our spring break vacation. I ripped out 8 rows and slowly picked up 192 stitches on size 2 needles, which is not easy. Luckily the spindrift has some stick to it and the stitches hung there ready to be picked up!

Before blocking I was a little worried it wouldn't fit because of my Big Ass head, but glories be to the blocking Gods because it came out perfect!

In Deep

I'm so busy right now, I don't even know what to say. Knitting is getting done, but I've been swiped away by bathroom remodeling. Over the weekend we made some major purchases for supplies. Here is sample of tile and cabinet:



You don't really realize all the little things that go into putting this stuff up. I'm so excited right now, as this is something we've been waiting to do for years... and when I mean years I'm talking 8 years.

The Selbu Modern hat is done and I love it. I'm hoping to do a photo shoot soon, but as it's rained every day since I've finished. Which is good for my plants not so good for the blog;)



Next bit of news is that Stitches Midwest class schedule is up for review as a down-loadable PDF. Yeah it's 5 months away until Stitches, but super excited anyway!!

Sock Yarn Doesn't Count

So you know I had to visit a yarn store while down in Tampa. Knit n Knibble is my go to yarn store while visiting my family. We've kind of made it a tradition to hit the store at least once. With a bead store just a few steps away, my parents get to brows while I feel on some fiber. Although we need to make note that the bead store is closed on Mondays.

(click-em for full yarn-p0rn)

The Cheery Tree Hill yarns were calling to me and it wasn't until I was shooting these pictures that I realized I got sucked into the colorful world of variegation.



My stash is filled with this lovely stuff. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I had my eye on this lovely cable pattern and truly a solid would look better.

Not like I need another excuse to find a perfect solid sock yarn colorway. sigh.

FO: Tiny Toes

Pattern: My own generic toe-up gusset heal flap.

Yarn: 2 skeins Interlacements Tiny Toes

Needles: US 1.5 / 2.5 mm

Started: February 9, 2009

Finished: April 22, 2009

Comments: The colors of this yarn are what drew me to it. The softness was the next thing that I fell in love with. Once I started knitting I found that it was not heavily twisted and this meant I didn't have to perform the helicopter untangle you might experience with other yarns.

Beyond that I wasn't overly impressed. I guess I'm getting pickier as I knit with different sock yarns. I also find the small skeins a tad annoying. One skein only has 185 yards and your forced to purchase two to complete a pair of socks.

I had miscalculated the length of my foot, or perhaps was knitting blindly knitting when I should have been measuring. So, I over shot by a full inch. Lone behold they fit my mother perfectly, just in time for Mother's Day.

I'm Baaaack!

Spring Break was exactly what I needed to get my spirit back. With work and home on a roller coaster ride, getting to enjoy the days was a nice change of pace.

Like having Miss Mac on her first pony ride...



Or splashing at the Clearwater Beach...



Even spending time with the hilarious family can really center your thoughts...



I even got some knitting done...



Hopefully when things calm down (stop laughing!) I'll be able to update you with deeper details.

Later Peeps!

Vacation Knitting

Ever since I saw Never Not Knitting in her finished Selbu Modern hat... I've been dreaming about it. I then knew this had to be my vacation knitting project. So off I went to Nana's Knitting Shop to pick out colors in the Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift. Thanks to Trish and Knitterary for helping me pick out the colors Spagnum and Scotch Broom.



I cast-on last night and have just started the color work. It might seem like a complex project for vacation, but it's really about enjoying the process and if I don't get it done, so be it. I'm okay with that. I think it's small enough to fit in with my carry-on bag but complex enough that I don't need to tote along another project. Or. Do. I. ... no.no.no, only one project. Heck, there are yarn stores down there if I run into such a problem;)

In other updates, the Nubby cardigan is coming along fantastically. I've reached the arm decreases for the fronts:



This Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL alpaca and wool blend is just a dream to knit with. It really is a shame its been discontinued.

The St. Brigid has made some serious transformations since I last posted. With tight sleeves, I knew this would never be worn. I was looking for more of a jacket style and that needed more room in the sleeves. The seam was undone and then I knit up a wedge of sorts to insert where the seaming was to take place. More details will come when I post my finished object shots.



Zipper has been ordered and braid has been knit on the collar and bottom. I've even gone and added an i-cord edge where the zipper will be inserted and it makes the sweater so streamlined. I'm loving it and can't wait to finally just put this sucker on.

I will most likely been off-line for the next week or so and hope everyone has a lovely time without me.

Just days away...

And then I'm off to sunny Florida. The kids are excited and have already started packing. Life at the house as been a little crazy. My kitchen is or has... well hell it's still not back to normal.



House is going on the market. Please say a little prayer. My Realtor suggested I neutralized the kitchen with something less...vibrant. It takes me a long time to pick out color and when I make quick choices I'm really not happy with my choice. I'm hoping the new owners will like it. I'm on the fence.

With the kitchen not even yet as of today put back together, it makes daily living hard. All the pantry items are on my kitchen table and putting everything back will take some time as well. Not everything will go back as I need to "de-clutter". sigh.

I do feel like there is a turning of the tide, so-to-speak. I feel good about what we're about to get into and I'm hoping all the stars are aligned.

Knitting has been in serious "Get er Done" stages. I'll have photos soon, but it might be FO photos soon enough.

Zipper has been purchased and I was a little disappointed to have to settle with a different color verse purchasing a dozen to get the color I wanted, but either way it will be lovely.

Having Doubts

I finished my seaming at last nights SnB and got a chance to actually try it on for the first time. I'm not all to happy with the tightness of the sleeves. The yarn is a bit course and I was hoping for a more looser fit. The only way I'll be able to wear the sweater at this point would be with a full length shirt like I have on. That really wasn't my intention for this project.

There is no way I'm ripping out the sleeves to re-knit them. Phooey! It was awfully nice to brainstorm with the gals last night about how to modify a looser sleeve. I'm thinking up a cleaver addition to widen them.



I've also started adding the braid along the bottom edge and happy to see it's adding an full inch and three quarters length.



In the comments a question was asked and it got me thinking...

Knitterary asks:
"How many hours a day are you knitting?"

You know... I think I knit a lot during the day and when I actually add it up I was a bit surprised. On average I think I can get in 3 hours a day. I commute by train and that is the bulk of my knitting time, but I do take advantage at lunch and in the evenings after dinner.

So, how about you? How much time do you partake in knitting each day?

~swoon~

Just found out that... omg... get this... Melissa Leapman is coming to Chicago!!!

[faint]