Bad Blogger

I can tell when I've been a "bad blogger" and haven't posted for awhile because I had to log in to blogger to write this post. Can I use a family visit last week as an excuse? Today I thought I'd share with you all the projects (I'm willing to admit) I have on my needles.

I've realized that since I'm going to freezing cold southern Idaho for a week in December, I may need some real winter knit-wear. So, I decided to design a scarf for myself. This is the Cable Wave Scarf and I'm using Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Prairie Fire although I've also test knit it in Malabrigo Worsted. I've *got* to add more of that to my stash!

My sister's birthday is in December and she requested a pair of fingerless gloves that convert to mittens. The pattern I'm using is Urban Necessity from MagKnits Sept. 2005, but honestly I'm not in love with all the yarn end weaving that this project entails. I do love the Cascade 220 superwash wool though so that definitely helps. I must admit though that after trying these on multiple times, I think I need to rip these back and make them larger. Drat.

I'm unsure why I was so excited to cast on for these Diamond Waffle Socks when I saw them in the last Knitty issue, but I think I cast-on in haste because I've not liked knitting these at all. I thought they'd be perfect for DH, but I've not liked the yarn (Cherry Tree Hill Supersock) nor the pattern and once I completed knitting the heel, I disliked the particular heel in the pattern, ripped them back, and threw them across the room. They've been sitting in time out ever since. Normally I love CTH Supersock, so that's odd, but maybe it's a bad combination of yarn and pattern. Regardless, since I've already done so much work on them, I'm going to pick them back up soon and maybe DH will have them in time for Christmas.

Tangled Yoke is completely knit and ready to be blocked. This is the first cardigan I've knit for myself (or anyone else for that matter), so I'm excited to almost have it finished. I suppose I should also be concerned about getting buttons too. Hopefully the next photo of this will be me wearing it.

I've had the Drunken Bees socks in my queue ever since the day I saw the pattern on Domesticraft's blog site. Finally I received the perfect yarn (Shibui Sock) and cast on. Can I just tell you that both the pattern and the yarn are exceeding my expectations. I'm in love!


I'm test knitting Laura's South Seas Stole and loving every minute of it. In fact, all the above mentioned projects have been sitting in limbo since I cast on for the stole. I already had the yarn in my stash which I coincidentally purchased from Laura a few months ago. I'm not sure what the yarn is comprised of, but it has very little, if any stretch to it, so I'm suspecting there is no wool. Maybe an Acrylic blend? I have no clue, but the finished fabric is beautiful. Finding the correct sized beads though that complemented the color was quite tricky though and luckily I've discovered (after 2 other stores failed to "wow" me) a wonderful store right by my house called Brea Bead Works.

I've knit the entire length of the stole and am now working on the border, but have discovered I'm running out of yarn. Hopefully Laura has more I can sneak away from her while I distract her with a German beer and deli sandwich from Mattern's deli.

Thanks again for everyone's comments. If I didn't get to yours or your blogs recently, I'm sincerely sorry. My sister's family was here visiting last week and my fibro wasn't cooperating, so computer time was limited. Since this big desktop system won't fit on my bed or my comfy knitting chair, I think it may be appropriate to start researching laptop computers.

Tuesday This 'n That

Labor Day was fairly uneventful around here, since it's honestly too hot to do anything. If you read any blogs from others Californians, then you already know that we're having an extreme heat wave. For example, last night at 7pm it was 90 degree INSIDE my home and I'd had the air conditioner on since 8am that morning. In addition to the hot weather though, my health has taken a turn for the worse and in addition to my normal Fibromyalgia symptoms, I'm battling the return of all my Epstein-Barr Virus symptoms. Supposedly it has returned because my immune system sucks, so I'm attempting to remedy that with a 30-day trial for what I hope to be "miracle" vitamins.

Laura recently asked me about the sock I was designing to see if it were complete. I'm on the verge of posting about it, but not today, so here's a sneak-preview photo.


Wendy wrote a post last month regarding this light tent. I'm feeling tempted into purchasing it. Although my photos are alright, I would love for them to better. Also, with this tent, maybe my photo assistants wouldn't steal my props. Currently I photograph everything outside by placing a few sheets of white tissue paper on my backyard patio or walkway, and I keep it from blowing away with a few rocks stolen from the base of my water fountain. Unfortunately, my golden retrievers think they are my photo assistants and just for giggles they like to steal the rocks off the tissue paper when I setup between photos.

All setup and ready for it's picture

Kya nonchalantly standing near the photo setup acting all innocent

The little thief stealing the rock from the bottom left corner

The yarn in the photos was recently acquired from Jenny of the Stash & Burn podcast. She was doing a de-stash and I decided to pick up these two skeins of Lamb's Pride Worsted in the Prairie Fire colorway. I'm considering using this yarn to make a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. They've changed the guidelines this year to sending in a maximum of five scarves and they need to be received by October 15th, but they are also recommending no mohair scarves. There is 15% mohair in this yarn, so do you think it would be alright to use this, or should I find something else?

Cup a what?

DH: That is beautiful honey, very nice work.
ME: Thanks
DH: What's that called again?
ME: (I think I've told him a million times this is called a Clapotis)
DH: Cup...a.....
ME: (Did he say cup?)
DH: Cup a tea?
ME: Did you say cup a tea?
DH: uhh.. yes
ME: BWAH HAHAHA!
DH: What? (looking at me wondering what's so funny) What's it called?
ME: (still laughing) Clap-o-tis
DH: Well I don't know, wasn't I close?
ME: You're *so* getting busted on my blog for this.

So, I'm not calling it the Clapotis anymore, it's now the Cup-A-Tea.

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Source: Knitty.com Fall 2004 issue
Yarn: Brooks Farm Four Play (2 1/2 skeins)
Needles: KnitPicks Options size 8 US
Finished Dimensions: 22" x 59"

Notes: I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of knitting this. It was fun to watch two stitches grow into 107 stitches, and dropping a line of stitches after a 12 row repeat never got boring to me. It was also my first time using more than four stitch markers on one project and thankfully I had 18 jump rings hanging around here in my beading kit. The needles were good for this project, but right now I'm all about the yarn. It was HEAVEN. There are not enough adjectives in the world to describe how absolutely fabulous this yarn is. Next time I'm around Brooks Farm yarn though, I may just blow the bank! Their prices are very reasonable and now I'm especially glad I purchased the Acero yarn to try.

By the way, am I the only person who doesn't get the email adresses for those who comment on my blog? In my email inbox, it shows this:
"Commenters Name" noreply-comment@blogger.com
How in the world can I respond back to new comments if I don't know their email address? Did I set up something incorrectly on blogger?

For those of you new posters/de-lurkers to my blog, thank you sincerely for your comments about my toe up pomatomus. I sincerely appreciate it and if you send me your email address, I'll keep it on file so I can personally thank you whenever you comment.

I'm off to see the knitters....

I'm leaving for Stitches West in about 3 hours, then you'll have to put up with another post or two about it, and then I'll try to stop talking about it. Now I understand why you guys talk about Rhinebeck to death! It's very exciting to be attending one of these events & since it's my first, I have lots of anticipation!

And now.... presenting ... my extremely belated Christmas gift for my mom.

Pattern: Forbes Forest by Kathy Zimmerman

Pattern Source: Scarf Style from Interweave Press

Yarn: KnitPicks Merino Style; Nutmeg colorway; 5 skeins

Needles: KnitPicks Options size 5 US

Finished dimensions: 9.5" wide by 60" long

Notes: In making this scarf, I learned how to make cables without a cable needle and make bobbles without turning your work. The yarn was so inexpensive that I don't dare say anything bad about it. It was pleasant enough, but not anything to go on and on about. The pattern was well written, but I was unable to memorize it. If I were to knit this again (and I might), I would change the pattern to omit one of the two knit "stripes" before the center panel & one of the two knit "stripes" on each end. Personally, this scarf is too wide & I calculated that if I omitted these knit "stripes", it would cut the width by approximately 1.5" thereby making it the perfect width.

I'm taking my laptop and camera with me to Stitches so hopefully I'll remember to take photos. I'm always horrible about having my camera with me and not snapping one photo. What's with that? Tonight is two blissful hours of shopping at vendors booths, Friday morning is my 3 hour "Pattern Customization" class from Gwen Bortner and then Friday afternoon I meet up with Lain (who has been commenting on my blog since I started it a year ago) for more shopping! I'm so excited!