Lost in exhaustion

I lost my knitting mojo.

It is slowly coming back. I have been working on a pair of jaywalker socks. I finished the first in less than a week. Then second I have just started the heal flap and have been working on it for more than a month. I am almost done a part of Saartje booties but one of my buttons went flying and now I can't find it. I also need to crochet the button loops.

Maybe this week will be better. Thew monthly knit night is on tuesday and I so need to get out and have some me time.

making plans

I really need to just start writing more. I think about what I want to right about but then never do. I am still on the UFO trend. My sugar maple socks have about an 1 1/2 to go then onto the toe decreases. Almost done!!!!! I have picked up the yarn for the next baby blanket now I just need to decide if the one I was going to do is big enough or if I should just use a pattern and make it up as I go. I am not going to look at it until at least tues but more likely next friday. Since I was able to get the yarn on sale I did used my 40% off coupon for some fisherman's wool. It was going to be for a hat for my BIL whose birthday is today but we found something else for me and it means that I have enough to start the Irish hiking scarf for me. I'm also looking at starting a pair of socks for one of my sisters. March is going to be new project filled.

I am so excited. I can't wait to be able to wear my new socks as well. My only complaint is there there were several cuts and knots in the yarn so I have many ends to weave in.

all those christmas gifts

I have never gotten around to posting the xmas knitting that I did.

The Hermione hat for my neice. Using 100% wool bought at Walmart. Using 3.75 mm needles.













A pair of mitts to match the hat. Using the same yarn and using an old pattens basic mitten pattern and just adding a cable on the front.














Also a felted derby in purple and black cascade 220 wool. needles 6 mm. The hat is a little mottled for my taste. I think If I ever knit it again it will be just one colour. But it is a barn hat that should met the purpose of keeping the wind off.











Felted clogs- the ultimate slipper knit with double stranded cascade 220 in brown for the sole and a beautiful kettle dyed teal for the top.

Turning a corner

I am still at the point where I'm not ready to buy more yarn. It may be I'm not ready to start another large project. But I'm thinking its more than that. I'm thinking about socks. A new pair but one problem, my needles are in use. Normal me would just go get another set of needles. I don't have a lot of sock needles and would love to try the bendy ones. Maybe its just the thought of taking both kids into the LYS that is stopping me from that. So what happened,I pulled my socks and finished the heel flap and turned the heels. Now to just finish the decreases and the socks will become a good work project again. I also found a good hat pattern for hubby. WWII watch cap knit in knitpicks wool of the andes Coal. needle size 4.5 mm


The wool stash now fits in its own tote. Now if I could do the same for the cotton and acrylic stash.

FOs

Its been an interesting week. I was able to work on the baby blocks blanket but I row before the cast off edge. I ran out of yarn. So that got put on hold until I was able to get home. So out can the striped baby hat I also had with me. Thursday was particularly a productive day. As I was able to finish both the baby blanket and the striped hat. J's ballet slippers even made an appearance as I was able to finish the pattern for the first one.







Knit from bernat Satin colour Teal. Needle size 5 mm.







Knit in knitpicks Swish worsted colours: Deep Ocean, Avocado, Sunshine. needle size: 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm








And also the basic dishcloths, granny's favorite and cutting edge




Both from Bernat handcrafters cotton swimming pool.

Even though I do have another baby blanket to get going on I'm in the mood to work on wips. Also knitting stash seems to be on the mind. |I do need to find a simple knit to take to work since the baby blanket has been finished.

Back for now

A new post, written on the day it will be posted. I have been working on the baby blocks blanket and only have 1 more block and then the border to go. This blanket has flew off the needles and I started it only a month ago. I had though that it would take more like three to complete. Then I will have to find another simple work project. Maybe a simple pair of socks. I do have another baby blanket to do but since it is for someone at work and does require a pattern its not a good fit for work knitting. I still have a pair of socks that are an UFO but I'm still on the heel flap so they wont work either.

I have been really good about not buying anymore yarn. I even passed up a chance on a group buy from knit picks. I know I will do the order later but I am trying to at least get the overflow back into the totes. Off to work on the blanket again. I am at the point where I do just want it to be finished.

Catching up

January 4 2010

January for me is a need to simplify things, use up what I have and clean up what is around me. Its strange I do with my tea selection. I know it seems really weird but every once in a while I go through and try to use stuff up. Maybe as a way to justify getting more. It seems to be the same way with yarn lately. I have some bigger projects that are either on the go and should be started soon, but I can content just to do dishcloths. Maybe it is just being around all the cotton at work as they are the preferred project there. Or it could just be the need to go back to basic’s. So far in the last few days at work I have done a granny’s fav in lily n cream mistletoe which was given away as soon as it was done. I have also finished another in bernat handcrafters’ cotton in swimming pool. This one still needs the ends weaved in which I will do once I find my needles. The rest of the ball of swimming pool has started a cutting edge but I have to set that one aside as my other ball of cotton is sitting in my desk at work. I need to ball a skein of pink cascade 220 for J’s slippers and also the very large skein of Eco wood for my new mitts.

I also said I would do a blanket for a new baby due March 26^th. I think the colour will be the same as A’s but I will get another bunch of yarn for it. I know I could just finish hers and give it but since it is a gift I want to use the same dye lot for the entire project. This maybe another reason for just working on simple things lately as I have to wait until Friday to go get the yarn and then it will be a rush to finish the blanket in time.

With the addition of 7 skeins of Cascade 220 and the ball of eco wool has really strained the yarn storage and thus another reason to try to work through some stuff. I know that a order from Knitpicks needs to be done some either the end of Jan or beginning of Feb depending on pay. I need a couple of balls of swish DK to finish J’s dinosaur and the ball winder is a big thing as the one I could buy locally is double the price once you factor in exchange and shipping. I may order another set of sock needles and some needle ends but will see.

Jan 12, 2010

Knitting has taken a backseat to a headache this week. So not a lot done, still working on the cutting edge dishcloth. I did make it to the store on Friday and pickup enough yarn for the baby blanket. Cast on sat morning and was able to get the border finished that night. I was doing quite well on it at work on Sunday, not so busy phone time gives me a lot of knitting time. But then I realized I had picked up and starting knitting the wrong way 2 rows before, so a lot of tinking starting. Once that was corrected it seems to put along. I can see how much my knitting speed has increased in the last few years. On the last blanket that I did which was 2 years ago it figured more than 20 minutes a row. Now it is working out to be 15 minutes a row. This works out to an hour a block, Two hours a week and this blanket will done right around the time this kiddo is born (as long as it doesn’t come two early). I have started J’s ballerina slippers and finished the sole of one. I just to pick it up and have some time to concentrate on it. Maybe if the kids are in bed in good time and I finish the blanket rows that I need to finish tonight.

Jan 25, 2010

The blanket is coming along well. I figure I’m about a week and a half ahead of schedule. But that is a good thing as I know things will slow down once I get further into it. Its also nice to know that the baby shower will be after the little one arrives. Its funny how people at work like to ask about it. One checks to see how much I have gotten done each Sunday. I did get a little baby hat done last week but gave it away before I took any pictures. So just to document and also to have another baby hat is standby I have started other. Using three colours of stash swish worsted in ocean deep and a green and yellow that have lost their ball bands it will knit up quickly. Cast on 64 stitches on 3 ½ mm and did 6 rows of 1by 1 ribbing. Switching to 4 ½ mm and stocking stitch work up the hat in the pattern of 2 rows of main colour (blue) three of green, two blue, three yellow. Once the hat measures 4 ½ inches from cast off starting decreasing in knit 6, K2tog rep to end of row K 1 row, K5, K2tog to end of row. Knit 1 row. Repeat this pattern decreasing the number of stitches between the k2tog by 1 each time. Once there are 6 stitches left on the needles cut yarn and thread yarn through those stitches and tighten. Still working on both the dishcloth and J’s slippers. I| will do a row once in a while but not enough to even notice a change. I have balled up the very large skein of eco wool so that is ready to go for either a hat and mitts or a scarf. That process did make the decision that I will be ordering a swift as well. This will put the order up a lot so It just delays it a bit longer. This also gives me time to work at getting some of my stash knit up. I am still trying to get everything into the three totes and that will include storing the swift and ball winder. I am thinking that right now if everything was together it would fill a fourth tote as well. I should be onto the 3^rd ball of yarn for the baby blanket tonight so that will be another ball out of the overflow

This month has been so crazy with weather. Middle of January and it has been over freezing several times. We have had pouring rain since last night and that has removed any snow that we had. I’m not sure if this is going to continue into feburary or if we will be hit hard then.