A Little Celtic Icon for your Day...

This project seems to just go on and on... and I believe it's due to the fact it's broken up in pieces. My brain is just not in the mood to rewrite the pattern. Ideally it would be done in the round, but then I suppose it would feel like it was taking even longer.

Several pieces are now being blocked and sleeves are on the needles. Hood and placket will need to be added once the other pieces are seemed, but getting this far has really put an itch to get it done.

Meeting Ysolda Teague

Ysolda is from Edinburgh Scotland and has been traveling the states this spring with her new self published knit designs and I got a chance to meet her.



She is soft spoken, super friendly and a very talented knitter. I seriously want to be like her when I grow up!

Her designs were sprinkled all over Nana's Knitting Shop but one in particular just popped out at me...



This is Vivian and I'm so going to make this.

While in the store I also bumped into a few friendly faces...



Laurelena was working on her wedding shawl and zipping right through it. Sorry for the closed eye shot, but the smile says it all, right?



Then of course there is Amy who just happens to jump the knit-along start date and goes and cast-on for the Faery Ring anyway! Thanks a lot! I guess since my swatch seems to be coming sorta close to gauge I could cast-on for it too!

Spring Trip to The Fold

On Saturday our lovely gang of Stitch n' Bitch ladies headed out to a little sweet spot called The Fold. I just love how our group can feel like some hard ass bitches one second and innocent tea time ladies the next.



I promised photos, but besides for this random Lets Get It Started photo, I got nada! Six of us piled into Jenn's mini-van and off we headed in search of fiber.

We had an awesome time exploring the shop and discovering little gems to take home.



I picked up Chuckanut Yarn in hopes I'll get gauge for the Faery Ring, but as my cold has done funky things with my brain... I think I'll wash the swatches and recount later when I have a clear mind.

Home Improvement Hell

The tile was grouted and I'm loving being able to walk on a new floor. I then started to prep for painting the walls, so lovely plastic covers my new floors. We patch a few holes, clean off the walls and BAM! hit a problem. The walls were originally lined with wallpaper which I had stripped off years ago.

Seriously... it was a cave. I now have glue residue still on the walls. My dearest husband claims that I only need to sand the walls and prime. I on the other hand don't feel it will be that easy. I DID test the walls to see if there was any glue, hell I did my darnedest but when I slapped some paint on it only gummed up and refused to stay on. I'm not going to argue with my husband, but I sure will say "I Told You So" when it doesn't work.

Not sure how much knitting I'll get done this weekend, but at least I get to look forward to a trip to The Fold. Our Stitch 'n Bitch's 4th Anniversary is being celebrated by a little fiber filled day. I promise to take pictures of our gallivanting... it's always a blast!

Time Keeps On Slippin'

Slippin', Slippin'... Into the futurrrrre....

Okay, now that I've got that lodged into your brain. I can give a quick update on my crazy life. Knitting? Well there is not much to show. Honestly the damn house has me loosing out on my precious knitting time. Train/work knitting is about all I get done and that is a damn shame, because I use to relax with 2 or 3 movies over the weekends and just knit. Goodbye good ol' days... say hello to Homeowner Hell.

What little has been worked on in my knitting bag is the Tapestry Cowl, which I'm really loving right now. It's my mind escape because the pattern is a little tricky, but not to the point where I'm lost.



One of the major things I've been practicing in this project is purling continental style. How do you knitters do that? It is the most pain in the ass thing to purl holding your yarn in the left hand. I've even tried the combined purling method but I'm not sure that helps, as when I come back to that stitch it's been twisted and I have to untwist it.



One other pain the ass thing this weekend was I swatched for the Faery Ring in the lovely Ginger color and I'm not making gauge. sigh. The pattern calls for 18 stitches over 4 inches and I'm getting 20.5 on 7's and 20 on 8's. I rather work with a smaller needle to get a denser fabric. I love this color, but I'm wondering if it's really worth adjusting the pattern or perhaps I should just look for a different yarn.