Yarn Shortage (a.k.a I'm an Idiot)

So there I was just zipping along on my Tulip top, when halfway through the 2nd skein of yarn (I only bought 3 skeins), I realized that I'm definitely going to run out of yarn WAY before I should. I couldn't believe that the pattern could be wrong & that I actually needed more skeins than it called for.

I went to my favorite yarn guide resource: Yarndex
I typed in the yarn the designer used: Katia Jamaica - 219 yards per skein
I then looked at my skein of yarn: Elann Sonata - 115 yards per skein

No doubt about it -- I was so excited that I found a substitute yarn that I forgot to double check how many yards I should order. DUH! Then...the panic set in. What if I couldn't get more of this yarn in the same dye lot?

Lucky for me, Elann did have more yarn available in the same dyelot. I quickly placed my 2nd order for more Sonata yarn -- 3 more skeins of Ruby & 3 more skeins of Natural & then just for fun, I added 6 skeins of coffee bean. I suppose Tulip is on hold for now!

Since I'm a bit burnt out on knitting the Jaywalkers (from frogging them so much), I decided to start work on the Katia Twist Pullover.

Katia Twist yarn isn't the most pleasant yarn to work with (unless you're drinking something mixed with Vodka) & I find myself knitting with it very slowly. There are about 12 or 13 threads all twisted together in a strange way to make this yarn & if your needle catches it just right....you've got a mess that I can't figure out how to fix. I'm knitting the back & started my first armhole decrease, so we'll see how much further I get before the yarn drives me to the Vodka cabinet permanetly.

Blogger influences yarn purchase

Well now I've gone & done it After reading blog posts by Wendy, I've finally placed & received my my FIRST order from Elann. Of course I had to -- their prices are just too good to pass up!

The red yarn & the off-white yarn are RUBY & NATURAL from Elann's Sonata Collection. Both are 100% mercenized cotton & should work very well for the Tulip Tank. It definitely doesn't look like there's enough yarn for it, but who am I to say?

The multi-color yarn is Katia Twist in the Cancun color. I'm planning on knitting the Pullover Sweater I saw on Elann's site months ago! I've wanted to make it for a fall/spring sweater, but they never had the right color in stock. Finally they did, so I've ordered it. After seeing this yarn though, I think I may have been wrong about wanting it so badly. It looks like it is going to be EXTREMELY splitty and I think frogging would kill it! Stay tuned.

I'm turning green

I swear...I'm frogging all of my projects so much, that I feel like I'm turning green! What is wrong with me? Does everyone frog their projects a million times too & they're just not blogging about it? No wonder I never have any FO's to show...I'm too busy frogging them to finish them.

I've tried to make the Jaywalker's 3 times now. First from the top down, but it was too tight. Then I decided to make them at the same time on circulars from the toe-up using a revised pattern. NO GOOD! I'm either mis-interpreting the pattern, or the gusset increases go on & on for 37 rows! Admittedly I've only made 2 other pairs of socks, but a 37 row gusset seems awfully big. I ripped it out TWICE! All 37 rows, on two socks, two different times. No more -- I'm sticking with the original pattern, not a modified one. If that doesn't work, then maybe I should end my sock knitting career!

I bought a pattern -- Tulip. There's so many freebies on the internet & what do I do...buy one! Well, I'm just so picky about what I knit for myself & this one seemed like something I'd wear. I purchased a plain color cotton yarn that was on a great sale from Elann. Between the pattern & the yarn, it's only going to cost ....drum roll please........$11. Yes, $11 so if I hate it, I won't feel guilty about spending a bunch of money!

My Knitting is SAVED by this kit!

You MUST try this kit! I received it last week during my home improvement nightmare, so yesterday was the first time I got a real chance to look at it.

I was going to review the items I liked the most in the kit, but after looking at everything, I like them all. It states it is the "organizational kit for the disorganized knitter", but I disagree. I think I'm a very organized knitter, but this kit takes it one step beyond to organize you in ways you never thought of (especially the Needle Minder) - very clever!

Visit the KnitAndPlenty website or email her at Purl@knitandplenty.com if you are interested in ordering.

What Is A Shrug?

Yesterday we were at the most interesting Birthday & Father's Day Party that I've ever attended. We were not only celebrating DH's birthday (from Thursday) & the up & coming Father's Day, but we also celebrated his ex-wife's birthday & her DH's birthday (up-coming on Tuesday) & Father's Day for him. Strange, confusing & true.


I made a comment at the end of the party about needing to complete my neices shrug & the question was proposed:
"What is a Shrug?"

I paused for a moment wondering how to explain it, when DH responded:
"It's two sleeves with a back".

It doesn't sound as funny now when I write it, but at the time it made me laugh to the point that beer was almost coming out my nose!

Here's my neice Katelyn posing early this morning with her Girlfriend Shrug that FITS! The one I sent her for her birthday was too small so I ended up ripping off the ribbing edge, then ripping out the middle section, and adding 4 inches. I finished it at 1:30am! I didn't enjoy making it the first time, let alone feeling like I had to make it again, but I must admit....it looks lots cuter on her than I thought it would.

Of course my mother commented that I should make one for all my neices.

I almost poked her eyes out with my knitting needles.

My Home, My Family

These last few days there's been no knitting because I was busy in one of the bedrooms doing this:

and I didn't receive any help ripping out the old carpet, carpet pad, tack strips & baseboards, because my DH was powerwashing the house to get it ready for exterior paint.

This process was only supposed to take a few hours, but joke on me..he was outside all day powerwashing & I was inside all day working on floors. Then just when we sit down & turn on the TIVO to watch Big Love, there's a knock at the door & it's my parents & 2 of their grandkids (my sisters kids that live 1/4 mile from my mom).

My parents live in southern Idaho (god-forsaken place) in a city called Idaho Falls. Although I was born in Seattle, WA, I grew up in Idaho Falls, ID. I loved it so much that 3 days after my high school graduation....I moved!

So my parents are here to help us update our house with new exterior paint (which my dad has done a million times) and installing about 650 sq ft of hardwood flooring. Of course nobody here has done that!

This is my mom.

All she ever says when anyone has a camera is, "don't take my photo, I'm too fat". Well I calculated today that she has been saying this same statement for AT LEAST 12 years (probably 15 years would be more accurate). Now I will admit, these photos do seem to add 10 pounds on her, but still.....get over it!

I did manage to get a somewhat-photo of her when her & my neice were coming out of the bathroom! Surprise Surprise!


These are my sister Angie's kids. (my parents are in the background & my mother would probably kill me if she knew I posted this photo of her behind)

They are visiting because my sister is in the wilderness camping with a bunch of teenagers & needed my mother to watch her kids while she's away (she probably doesn't trust her DH because he lost their son once).

Anyway, they've spent all day Monday & all day today at Disneyland & then Wednesday & Thursday is installing the new hardwood flooring & Friday is exterior paint day. I believe they leave on Saturday afternoon so we may get in a trip to the ocean that day. Too much too fast!

The only fun knitting news I have is receiving the YarnHarlot's book in the mail today & I can't wait to read it!

Jaywalkers in ZEN

I've decided to use my ZEN yarn from Scout's handpainted swag for Grumperina's JayWalker socks.

After completing 1/3 of the first sock (and it not fitting), I decided to frog it.


I unwound my one skein & rewound it using my dining room chairs

Now I'm using the toe-up version, and the magic cast on (I'm so thankful I found that!) and the M1F & M1B increases (great video instruction on that site) for the toe sections! I'm also knitting both socks at the same time which should ensure they will both end up the same size (or close to it) AND I won't end up with SSS (Second Sock Syndrome).

Since the instructions in the toe-up version aren't as clear as I need (since this IS only my 3rd sock ever), I may not make it all the way through knitting this sock without some major frogging...but...I'm willing to give it a try. Cross your fingers!