First FO of 2007!

Yay me!

Yikes! I look WIPED. OUT. (As opposed to WIP'ed out, hee hee).

What It Is: Central Park Hoodie, from "Knitscene" - Fall 2006

The Details: I used some "Kilcarra" Donegal Tweed from my stash, on 5mm needles, and obtained the specified tension. If I had to do it again, I'd have either gone down a size (I made the 40"), or used a smaller needle. It's a tad big, but then again, it's a cardigan! And I love it! It has rope cables along the seams, and up the middle of the back, and up the front next to the buttonband that continue along the hood border.

PITA Factor: None really. It knit up quickly, it took me about 3 weeks to complete comfortably.

I've been mainly concentrating on Amphora, and I'm just a few rows away from the neckline. But, I'm feeling like I may start up the last Dalarna sleeve soon! Soon! And Marina - I've even resurrected Western Seas, and have done around 12 rows. I'm still on the back section, above the arms. It is tough going, the VY Scottish Fleet gansey yarn is not the easiest to work with. But, I will try my best to work on it at least one night a week. Thanks everyone for your encouraging words re. my messed up Dalarna sleeve (still can't reply to e-mails - so if you're newish to the blog, leave me your e-mail address!). It's definitely NOT something I can get away with "ignoring"... *sigh*

And I've been tagged by Marji - 5 things about me that I've not mentioned on my blog!

OK.

1. I make my own yogourt. Always. Using 2% organic milk, a good quality starter, the light in my oven, and 20 - 24 hours. Once you try it - you'll never go back!

2. I have a tattoo on my right arm. One day I'll show it (and it's not knitting related either). Oh, and I have another one. OK, maybe 2 others... Moving on.

3. I lived for 2 years in Vienna, Austria in the late '80's. It still has a very special place in my heart, and I do plan on going back for a visit one day. I've travelled quite a bit - most of Europe, Israel, Egypt, and my favourite place in the entire world - Morocco. I would go back in a heartbeat. It has all the history I love, the Atlantic ocean on one side, the mountains to another, the Sahara desert, Roman ruins, and the kindest, most generous people.

4. I have no allergies. Not to dust, pollen, animal dander, flowers, bees, or anything of the like. Only to food, but even those have been classified as "sensitivites". I got a wee bit hammered at work once because I took the specified dose of Benadryl (as indicated on the box!) for some mosquito bites. I had NEVER taken Benadryl before in my life, and it hit me like a ton of bricks! Oooo, that was a dandy day... Oh, and I've also never had the flu before in my life. Ever. (Knock wood.)

5. I'm a complete geek when it comes to history and natural history. Complete. Nerd. The only magazine I subscribe to is National Geographic, and I read it cover to cover, and I always learn so much. In high school, I excelled in geography and history, because I just thought it was so fascinating and, well, cool. And of course, the history of the people behind it.

You know, there's probably more, but that's it! For now anyway.

"Hee hee, Mom doesn't know I rolled all over the Hoodie when she wasn't looking! And if she did suspect something, I'd have blamed it on my little brother Gandalf."

One Of These Repeats Is Not Like The Other...

One of these repeats is just not the same...

Can you see it now?! It's the 2nd repeat from the bottom (of course, it's never 4 rounds ago...), above the first row of stars. The zigzag on the right? That's the good one. The zigzag on the left? That's the bad one. I either messed up the repeat, or skipped a row altogether.

*sigh* See?

I've decided to restart it from scratch. Because I also used the wrong needle size when casting on and working the first 5 rows (which are done on 2.5mm). And I don't want to untangle and unravel all the yarn. Not to mention I have MORE than enough of both the red and white. And it also won't be so demoralizing...

But, on the good knitting front... I'm pretty much finished the Central Park Hoodie! Yay me! I'm just finishing the button band, so I will post after she has received her dunking and drying.

What's next? Well, I should tackle Dalarna's last sleeve. Sure. OK. But I think I'll work on Amphora for a while, and de-Dalarna my brain for awhile. Hey, it's not like I'm starting something new!

"Atticus! Mae! Guys, get over here! There's some funny white fluff flying around! Oh, wow... What's that? Why can't I catch it? Man, you're no fun Mom."

Yes. Gandalf is seeing his first "real" snowfall. We've been receiving snow squalls off the lake all day, and I for one LOVE it. I'm a winter person - I do like snow, and don't mind the cold, as long as I'm dressed for it. Which, having grown up in cold Ottawa, is not hard to do... Bev, what's up with you in Wyoming? I hope you didn't get snowed in!

Isn't Gandalf getting big!?

The question was asked how many XXL Ziploc bags I had filled up with my stash? Well, I used up 6 of them - but that doesn't include the 3 XL Rubbermaid bins, 2 Large ones and the Medium one. And Lorraine? Yeah, you saw the MESSY version of the stash. Now it's more...organized. Yeah. That's it. Organized.

(Didn't show my sock yarn either oh well bye!)

Why Is It...

...that Dalarna's second sleeve is working up slower than molasses in January?

Second Sleeve Syndrome.

OH NO!!!!!!!

I'm looking at the picture, and thinking, hey, there's a fold in the arm there Brigitte.

NO. I messed up!! (And I only just noticed this now as I'm posting...) Look at the first Charlie Brown repeat. Man...

*screams and swears into pillow*

*kitties scramble*

Do you think anyone will notice...?

Le Super Big Bummer.

OK. I'm ok now. At least the Central Park Hoodie is looking just fine. I'm on the second sleeve, which should be done by tomorrow night, I hope.

I'm going to have a drink now.

(PS - Hi Kathryn! Thanks for the compliments on the rug. I actually purchased it, and another one, on a trip to Morocco in 2002. Their rugs are unique (and not exported out of Morocco for sale) - this one was bought in a small village, and the design is completely random and made from what colours they had available.)

"Mom's not doing well right about now. I think she's swearing, but I really shouldn't repeat what she's saying... Something about *poopy* Second Sleeve Syndrome, my *butt*... Knitting! Dude, that's why I choose to sleep and eat and stuff."

Le Stash, Part Deux

OK, I guess if I'm going to 'fess up to having an out of control stash - may as well lay it all for you to see.




Uh. That would be under my bed. Meet Ziploc XXL bags #5 and #6. Both are labeled "Mixed", and have a mixed (you don't say Brigitte) variety of yarn, including *gasp* cotton!



The little "one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other" bag is my odds and ends bag. Lots of odds and ends. Lots. And no Hebridean or Jamieson's either. Um, that would be in Rubbermaid XL bin #2... (Right now, my sister is nodding her head and saying, yup, she probably has the bin labeled too...)

And this is the "whatthehellwasIthinking" box. Just that. What was I thinking. Not that there's anything wrong with any of it - the colour's off, or it looked better in the store/online.


Yes. That's an old computer harddrive box. Note my lame attempt at camouflaging the box with my harem pillows.

Nice. Oh, next post - I flash my WIP's, and I'm going to list them on the sidebar. Because kicking my own butt often doesn't do the job. I need you to help me with that.

WOW, I'm so thrilled at all the new commenters! Hi Brenda and Tracey and BVD! Hey, I've checked out your blogs, and will be adding them to my list. I love this blogging thing, and meeting all kinds of interesting knitters. Keep 'em coming! And thanks to everyone for your comments on my Central Park Hoodie. It's knitting up so quickly - I have the fronts/back completed, and half of one sleeve done. And, no, I haven't been neglecting Dalarna - the sleeve is half done, and will get most of my attention this weekend.

Next to "Rome", which starts up again on Sunday night on the Movie Network here in Canada!

Speaking of TV - allow me a few lines to rant on something that, although was on the Canadian channel, is probably no different in some newscasts in the US and other parts of the world.

OK. Can you explain to me why David Beckham signing with a North American soccer (football) team merit TOP spot on the newscast, above, oh I dunno, the police manhunt for a guy WITH A GUN in Sick Kids Hospital here in Toronto? OK, so we're all bummed out about Afghanistan, Iraq, the economy, gas prices, global warming, crime... but please don't dumb me down by leading off with a gossipy piece about someone who lives a lavish lifestyle I cannot, and do not wish to, relate to. Oh, and yes I know, I do have a choice. And I think my choice will be watching "Crossing Jordan" re-runs on A&E from now on at 6pm.


Just sayin'.

"You tell 'em Mom! Yeah, let's watch Animal Planet instead!"

New Year...New Look!!

So, I decided I needed - wanted - a change. Nothing drastic - just a change in blog look (well, what did you expect? I cut off my hair?!). Hope you like it, I know I do! I've been having those knittin' blues of late...the post-Christmas I-don't-want-to-knit-any-of-my-WIPs blues. And from what I've been reading on other blogs, I'm not alone.


I took stock of what WIP's I have - Dalarna, Amphora, Arangenser, Western Seas, uh, what else...oh yeah, Seaweed Scarf... Probably missing one... Anyway - what's a girl to do? I love each and every one of them, but, sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...


Start something new.
What? Oh, like you haven't done exactly the same! It's a really easy knit - the "Central Park Hoodie" from Knitscene magazine, the Fall 2006 edition. I'm using some Kilcarra Donegal Aran tweed (yes, from my stash), on size 5mm needles. The back is complete, and the left front is at the underarm. You can't really see from the picture, but there are rope cables along the sides, and the middle. The colour is as vibrant as it shows in the picture...we all need a bit of colour during the winter!


And you know what? Starting something new certainly did help me recover my knitting "mojo". Just so that you don't think I succumbed to Second Sleeve Syndrome with poor Dalarna (I haven't forgotten her!) -

Here's the start of her 2nd sleeve. My progress is staggering, I know. But, it's a start!

Lorraine was over a week or so ago, and helped me stitch up the steeks. She brought over her sewing machine, and a great big paper bag that Atticus and Gandalf thought was the coolest toy in the world. Mae...she was kinda "meh" about it. I think when no one was looking though...

I for one am glad to be back to a normal routine. As nice as the Christmas season is, it can be stressful at times. Hey, so thanks to everyone for your stash comments! Pretty pathetic, huh?! But, I gather it's probably not as bad as I think. Some of you have stashes to rival mine... You know, there is NO way knitting ennui can set in. All I need to do is visit my "store", and I'm bound to find something I completely forgot I had. Not hard. Trust me on that one.

The funny thing about this new Beta Blogger is that it doesn't indicate the return e-mail address of those of you who have left comments. I always love to reply back to them, but unless you're in my address book, I can't always do so. And I want to, so I'm sorry about that! I do appreciate them, and I'm really quite thrilled that I get comments.

Just when I thought I'd never get another shot of the 3 Little Dudes all lined up on the couch. As you can see, my part of the couch real estate is limited to non-existant at times.

"Mom, enough with the holidays and the change and all that stuff. You're moving furniture around, changing your blog layout, there's no snow yet you claim it's January, and you have the nerve to change our water bowl. Enough already. *sigh* ...so tired...must sleep...again..."

Coming Clean

Dear Mom,

You know we love you. We sat back and waited patiently while you were in St. Catharines partying with Finnegan and his Moms. But, then you just had to be away all day on Saturday. We cats are patient, and when an opportunity presents itself, we know to take advantage of it.


Which it did.
Love,
Atticus, Mae and Gandalf


Happy 2007 to everyone!


Like what awaited me on Saturday night when I got home?! Someone was miffed at not being fed on time and on schedule. Pardon me.


And in case you needed a reminder of why I MUST knit from my stash in 2007:

Hmmm...let's see... There are 3 XL large Rubbermaid storage containers, 2 large ones, 1 medium one, 4 XXL Ziploc bags, and 3 VY kits still in their boxes.

Oh, and hey! That doesn't include the 2 other Ziploc bags UNDER my bed, and the bag of assorted odds and ends...

Yup. Knittin' from my stash. It's going to be a good thing.

*Note to self: Need more Ziploc XXL bags!*