Tuesday, February 28, 2006

KO: Silver

Well, silver is good enough. I got I think 3/4 done, since I had the cuff of the 2nd sleeve done. I still have not got it 100% done, because of course when I put everything off until after the Olympics it all caught up with me when it was over. I still have quite a few things around the house to complete, but I'm putting them off for my pretty sweater. Only 20 more rows to go and they will be fast! So, I think that I will go and get back to work.

presentation ceremony

Just for you, Vonnie! Be proud :D

Sunday, February 26, 2006

KO: Day 16: Silver Medal

Well, I don't think that I am going to finish on time. I'm pretty sure that I will be done by tomorrow. I am still plugging away at my beautiful sleeves. I still have like 3/4 of one and then I have to block and do the collar. At least I will be done for our show and tell night, which is a great consolation. I will probably have pics later, or at least when I am completely done.

Friday, February 24, 2006

KO: Day 13: Waterlogged

Ok, actually we are quite dry. The pipes are fixed and hopefully we will have new carpet soon and new sheetrock, but all is good. In the midst of all this chaos I actually got some work done on my sweater. At least the main bit (lighting is terrible here):




I am so happy that it fits him and that he likes it so far. I still have the rest of the sleeves to do. I have probably 1/4 done on one and I am going to work diligently to get the rest of the 1 3/4 done before the end. I am not sure that I will get done in time for Olympic gold, but I will definately get done for Knot Another Hat's gathering on Wednesday. So all is good for now. I will try to keep you updated on my progress.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Busy, Busy, Evil Day

Well, I got up this morning and was so happy that I was getting a head start on my knitting for the Olympics. Also, I wanted to get a bit done because I got somebody who wanted me as a private tutor this afternoon, which is so awesome, since I love to teach and especially love being paid to teach. I also love people who think that I am a good teacher and would actually come 2 hours one way in order to get me to teach them how to increase and decrease. Woohoo!

Ok, back to the doom and despair. So, not to long after Blair had gotten up I thought I would ask him to clean my keyboard since it was icky. (sorry Asher for not talking to you earlier, but all the keys were on the floor in a pile). So, I went to go back into the back room and there was a mysterious puddle on the floor. We could not find the source. We looked all over the place both up and downstairs, when we realized that the carpet in the back room was wet too. We called mom and all hell broke loose. Apparently we have a leak, we aren't sure exactly where, but it is wet and we have no water. Mom showed up and surprise surprise she had her twin sister in tow. I just really wish that I could have had just a wee bit of warning. I don't care if she doesn't tell me that they are visiting her, but the simple politeness of just telling me that she is coming over too would be very helpful. For one thing it wouldn't give me that sudden knot to my stomach that comes with the sudden sight of somebody is a) doesn't like me b) is hypercritical c) is super paranoid and d) makes a big friggin' deal over every little thing. So my stomach was in total knots, so I went down to teach thinking of the relief I would get. It was a relief, thank goodness. Then I came back and back came the stomach knot. Oh and Bob appeared, my lovely aunt's super annoying husband. Let's just say that the pair of them make all the things listed above grow exponentially over time. Thank goodness that it was my knitting night. I got a lovely break, and even some work on my sweater. I felt much better and hopefully we can actually get a plumber over here tomorrow. (don't ask)

KO: Day ??: Lost.

Row: Lost count.

Lavendersheep is doing her best to bust out my sweater. It's looking pretty good, but she's sooo busy that I thought I'd help by posting for her. I think she's working on the front. Between catatonic fits of insanity and jittery fits of silent mumbling, it's hard to figure out where she is. I like to think she's in a state of calm. Inner peace. But that's destroyed when sheer panic exudes from her pores.

But hey, in the words of American Idol, she's cute, and that's all that matters. Forget that sharp note, you'll be fine.

Seriously, she's doing good. I see no TMK for her. For me, on the other hand, I may wake to a knitting needle in my back for this tongue-in-cheek post. I get what I deserve. :)

Sunday, February 19, 2006

KO: Day 8: Long Time No Post

Row: 146

Ok, so it has been a little while since I have posted up an in progress kinda thing. So, here goes. I'm actually feeling good about my sweater again. I have had to change into commercial alpaca, because I ran out of yarn. This has kinda perplexed me because I coulda swore that I would get to row 140 before having to change. After all there were 7 balls and each ball did 20 rows. I only got a little over 120, so I am thinking that maybe a ball decided to hide or who knows. If I find it later I am sure that I can find something for it to do. One good thing about it though is with it running out there it won't make the back and the front uneven, since the handspun would have gone into the back and then there would have been the commercial only on the front. The commercial alpaca is super nice though. Although, I could have gone 3 strands and been a little closer, but I don't think that I could have afforded it.



















The other major trouble that I had yesterday was that math was against me. I always try to tell myself that once I have a problem down to leave it alone and don't double-check, because it will always make it wrong. All my teachers in elementary school would try and get me to double-check my work, but it always messed me up. So, here I am again. In the beginning I figured out that I needed to part for the sleeves at row 130, but for some reason I ran the numbers again and ended up with row 160. So, I was at row 140 when I decided that maybe I should measure my husband's arm and then that led me back to my pattern, which of course led me right back to the fact that I should have parted for the sleeve at row 130, like I had in the first place. So, since the idea of tearing out all that work horrifies me, I am going to try steeking that itty bitty inch. It can't be that hard right? Kinda like making a button hole. So, that is my plan. You can see in the pic where I need to go down to, marked by the orange marker. My thought is too that tt might help reinforce the armpits, which would be good, since he is always magically putting holes there.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Lavender Llama

I want to welcome Lavender Llama to my blog. He is such a cutey. Thanks so much to Fiberduck for putting up a link for me to find him. Feel free to pet him or even hum with him. Yes he hums! You can also feed him hay. This is soooo wonderful. I am going to be giddy for days and days over this. It is a perfect pet for me.

I will post updates of my eternal sweater tomorrow. Right now I need sleep.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

KO: Day 5 & 6: Too busy to Knit

Row: 88
I did take a pic yesterday, even though I did not have time to post it up. We had a meeting with the tax accountant. We wouldn't even have to worry about taxes this year if it wasn't for winning a new 2006 Ford Mustang (anyone want to buy it?). After that we ended up running errands. So, here is where I was at the end of day 5: Rows: 77



Here is the progress from yesterday: I got to row 88 and I am almost done with the major cable for the time being until I get up to the one that goes in the center. I just feel like this sweater is not really progressing, like I am going to be on the body for the rest of eternity. I have actually been having nightmares about cabling forever and not getting anywhere. *sigh* back to knitting

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Knit Purl

Knit Purl is my other yarn store. They are the ones that carry everything that Knot Another Hat doesn't carry, like Dale of Norway and now Brown Sheep. I rarely shop there because it takes about an hour to get there, but they are fun to visit when going to Powells. Anyway, my whole point to this is that I get their newsletter and in it they have the cutest name for one of their groups that meet. It is called Socks in the City. I just thought that was super cute and that I would post that up to share with everyone.

Updated Plans

Day 5: Row 75
Day 6: Row 105
Day 7: Row 130
Day 8: Row 160
Day 9: Finish Back
Day 10: Finish Front
Day 11:1/2 sleeve 1
Day 12: Finish sleeve 1
Day 13: 1/2 sleeve 2
Day: 14: Finish Sleeve 2
Day 15: Neckband/Finishing
Day 16: Done

KO: Day 4: Interuptions

Row: 65
Day 4 was filled with interuptions. Well, I started out with all the tadpoling I had to do. I had to fix 3 different cable sections that are the major cable that are in the sweater. Each one took about an hour to fix, which really sucked. Then my mother said that she was going to drop by and so there was the mad dash to make the place look a little more presentable, since Knitting Olympics have kinda slowed us down with organization and such. After mom was finally gone I got to go back to work and back to watching Pride and Predjudice (the BBC/A&E version). I got some work done, but as the day progressed I started having a terrible stomach ache. Now this really worried me because I have Crohn's disease and I have been off all of my meds and things since late November. Luckily, my husband started to have similar symptoms later. We think it was some rice that we ate the other night that we didn't realize was old until we had eaten it. I know that food poisoning isn't exactly something to be happy about, but it is certainly better than going back on my meds. I spent most of the evening resting and finally just went to sleep. I feel better today, but it has put me a bit behind on my sweater. Good thing I put breaks in my schedule to account for such things. I will post up a modified schedule next.

Here is my beautiful sweater:













Here is a close up of the major cable all fixed and as far as I have gotten:


Monday, February 13, 2006

KO: Day 3: Tadpoling

Rows: 60
I had a little bit of trouble yesterday. I should have been able to do more rows, but I started the major cable and didn't read the directions completely right. I thought it would be fine, then I got oh say 6 rows of it when I realized that it didn't look entirely right so then I decided that I would take out those 6 rows just in the cable area and fix it. Luckily, I haven't actually done any cables in it, it is just the lead up to the cable, so it is all increases and decreases.

Here is my sweater in all of its beauty. I still have 3 more cables to tadpole (baby frogging).












Here is what it is suppose to look like.
















Here is what it looks like before I tadpole. Doesn't look any different? Well, it doesn't look like such a wadded mess in the end.













And here is something to cheer you up (or maybe it is to cheer me up). I didn't have the heart to put up what 7 rows of tadpoling looked like so I thought I would share this lovely cable. It is absolutely perfect and has several brothers and sisters that look really really cool.


Sunday, February 12, 2006

Change of Plans

Ok, so I have been thinking about this and due to a math error, I am changing my schedule:

Day 1: 15 rows (because it is a 1/2 day)
Day 2: Row 45
Day 3: Row 75
Day 4: Row 105
Day 5: Row 130
Day 6: Row 160
Day 7: Finish Back
Day 8: Finish Front
Day 9: 1/2 sleeve 1
Day 10: Finish sleeve 1
Day 11:1/2 sleeve 2
Day 12: Finish sleeve 2
Day 13: Neckband
Day: 14: Finishing
Day 15: Done
Day 16: Extra Day!

KO: Day 2: Bad Day All Around

Row: 40
I am so sorry it just seems like day 2 was not a good day for people. Of course I am talking about myself and the lovely Fiberduck. I'm not quite as bad as having to take my whole piece out, for which I would just have to cry. Mine is more of I am 5 rows short for the day, hence why I am up at this awful time in the morning. I tend to be a bit morning-phobic and on top of it I can't drink coffee, which really sucks. More of my dilemma comes from it has been 2 days and I have gone through 2 balls of yarn. I only have 7 balls and so far each one of the balls is only doing about 20 rows. I am starting to have panic attacks just thinking about it since the body is going to be 207 rows. I just don't think it is going to make it and it isn't like you can magically just buy more handspun yarn. There isn't even more of the roving to get (cry!).

Ok, so I think I have thought of a plan. I am going to go down to Sarah's lovely shop and I am going to find something to supplement the other amount of yarn. I am thinking maybe something black or white, I am still debating. I have to go down there for troubleshooting class anyway (troubleshooting being I will help anyone with a knitting problem or pattern for the low cost of $10 and 50% goes to charity, come by if you are in the area). I still can't totally understand why I am so short on yarn. I mean I realize that llama is denser than a wool/silk combo, but I have twice the weight of yarn and I know that the yardage should be pretty comparable. Well, I can't figure it out. So, anyway, here is my progress for today:

Saturday, February 11, 2006

KO: Day 1

Progress for Day 1: Rows : 20
I am only 7 rows from finishing the ribbing, so far so good.

















I think that I have figured out a plan of attack. Here goes:
Day 1: 15 rows (because it is a 1/2 day)
Day 2: Row 45
Day 3: Row 75
Day 4: Row 105
Day 5: Row 130
Day 6: 1/2 of Back
Day 7: Finish Back
Day 8: 1/2 of Front
Day 9: Finish Front
Day 10: 1/2 sleeve 1
Day 11: Finish sleeve 1
Day 12: 1/2 sleeve 2
Day 13: Finish sleeve 2
Day: 14: Neckband
Day 15: Finishing
Day 16: Done

I know it looks insane, but I think it is the only way that it will get done. I am hoping that I can go a little faster so that I have room for any mistakes or things like that. I know that I am just going to cry if I have to undo any of it. So, I have my game plan and my friends can now mock me for being this organized, but it will be fun. I am enjoying it so far and I have managed to get my husband up and working with his mittens at the same time. So, that's all for today. See ya tomorrow.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Knitting Olympics

I thought that I would post up this article from The Oregonian on The Knitting Olympics:

Knitting for the Gold


I have been pondering the connection between The KO and my experiences at the University of Oregon. I mean there is the intense short deadlines that keep giving me flashbacks to my first few studio classes, in fact probably all my studio classes. I had a slightly insane professor who really loved samples. Samples of everything, all sorts in a variety of designs. She really wanted us to experience everything. For example: My first studio class with her was a lace weaving class. I think we wove probably 8 samples in round robin and then she decided that we needed to try bobbin lace. This doesn't sound so bad now, but when you consider that the term is only 10 weeks long and we were expected to also complete a whole project after all of our samples. In general she liked to leave us with 2 weeks or less. I learned from these experiences to plan projects that looked complex without really being long and laborous. Also, to start planning my projects within the first couple of weeks so as to give myself more time. The Knitting Olympics has given me this same sense of foreboding and a bit of anxiety. I love it, and I know that it is my own doing, but there is that feeling that what if I have gone over my head. Am I going to pull another one of those late nights in order to finish my project? Who knows. I have been having the tingling sensation that the haunting spectre of my fibers professor is looming nearby with those eery words of "deadlines" and "finals." Hopefully she will disappear when I cast on in about 1 1/2 hours...

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Knot Another Hat Blog

See it does pay off to nag people:

Sarah of Knot Another Hat now has a blog:

Knot Another Hat Blog

First Sweater & Updates

Finally I have gotten pics up of my first sweater that fits me. I have done a few baby sweaters so I thought that it was time that I made my own sweater. This sweater is far more flattering when I am standing in a better pose and it is really super soft. It is made from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino on size 4s and is from The Knitter's Handy book of Sweater Patterns. I modified it a little so that the sleeves are a different color and I added the motif to the sleeves. I really love this sweater, it is super comfortable and it is machine washable. Yay!



















My other big endeavor is that I joined Team Knot Another Hat. I believe that I can join all teams that apply and this one certainly does. This team was started by our LYS Knot Another Hat and is offering $10 gift certificates to every member that finishes their project on time. We are going to meet the Wednesday following the olympic deadline and have a big show and tell night with all of the projects. The only requirements for joining are that you live in the Columbia River Basin and that you sign up through Knot Another Hat in person or by calling. For more information click on the link. So, here is the button for Team Knot Another Hat:







On top of that I have just posted up on ebay this very lovely Dew Retted Flax from Belgium. Yes, I know that I have been taught to spin flax and that I can indeed do it, but I honestly don't see myself doing it anytime soon. I am so far resisting the urge to get rid of my organic cotton, which is very lovely, but I hate spinning cotton. It might end up on ebay soon, I just haven't decided. Ebay is one sure fire way of stash busting, even if it is difficult to let go of things.

Giant Bunny

I just saw this on the Knitty Blog and thought that I would share:

Giant Bunny

More posts later today =)

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Spinning Update

I love my fast flyer. One of the accessories for my lendrum is a fast flyer and it is really excellent. Look at that beautiful thread like yarn. I am still debating if I want to ply them together normally or navajo ply and keep the stripes. I am leaning more and more to the 2 ply, because it would even out the bright yellow and the pale blue that you can see in the rest of my roving. I just love all the colors that come into play here. This roving is 50% wool and 50% soy silk, it is made by Karaoke, the same people that make the fabulous yarn. It spins really easy, and though it was a bit expensive for it ($15 for 4 oz), I am enjoying the little treat for my self. Both the wheel and the Karaoke I got from Woodland Woolworks.















I also thought that I would mention that I posted these lovely skeins up on ebay. They are probably 2 parts wool to one part silk noil. I mixed them myself on my drum carder and just kinda threw in the different fibers. They are fabulously bumpy and slubby and really soft. I would say that you could make baby clothes quite easily out of them. There is a little under 8 oz there:

Monday, February 06, 2006

Sockaploooza

Here's my update for sockaploooza:

I have decided on the pattern that I am going to do. The person that I got really loves ankle socks. So, I have always admired this pair from Socks, Socks, Socks and I am going to make them for my sock recipient. They are on size 1s, and it seems this last week that I have come up with more projects that are on size ones than I ever thought possible, for which I will have pics in the next few days.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

I'm tagging you! In the spirit of the KO... Post it on your blog ;D

Four jobs you have had in your life...
  1. Bin Checker
  2. Student
  3. Guild Co-President
  4. Knitting Teacher
Four movies you could watch over and over
  1. Pride & Prejudice (A&E/BBC Version)
  2. You've Got Mail!
  3. Love Actually
  4. Lord of the Rings (do all 3 count as 1?)
Four places you have lived.
  1. Hood River, Oregon
  2. Portland, Oregon
  3. Eugene, Oregon (College)
  4. Florence, Italy (for about 3 weeks)
Four TV shows you love to watch:
  1. Mystery!
  2. Masterpiece Theater
  3. House
  4. My Family
Four places you have been on vacation
  1. Seaside, Oregon
  2. Seattle, Washington
  3. Paris, France
  4. Nice, France
Four websites you visit daily
  1. Yarn Harlot
  2. The Blue Blog
  3. Cute Overload
  4. The Quacking Fiber Addict
Four places you'd rather be right now
  1. In Bed, Asleep
  2. On my Couch, Knitting w/ blanket and snacks
  3. Nice, France
  4. Knot Another Hat (LYS)
Four bloggers you are tagging. In the spirit of Team Wales – Jamaican Bobsledders of the Knitting World...
  1. Myst Dragon
  2. Ewe Spinster
  3. La
  4. Aquarian Hamster

Friday, February 03, 2006

Baby Sweater

Here is the back to my baby sweater. I love baby clothes because they go so very fast. Makes me just thrilled to get so much done. My next pick is the front of my sweater. I got all of this done while down at Knot Another Hat this afternoon. it makes me quite proud, even if the pattern does drive me crazy for it's weird way of putting things. I think that I might just be overthinking things, because I never really trust that pattern makers are completely competent, but that's me and probably past experience.





After moving and such this past week I am finally back to spinning my wonderful llama for my husband's sweater. Only one week to the Olympics, so I really hope I get it done and a guage swatch. I think that I am going to rewrite the pattern so that it is in the round and will go faster. I am really thinking that it is insane to want to knit a man's sweater in that short a period of time, but I think that I might actually manage it. Who knows?

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Jenla button

Here is the button for Jenla's blog that I am going to put up shortly:

JenLa Post

I'm really happy at the moment. I was reading through JenLa's blog and I was actually mentioned on there. I always have that feeling when I post a comment on somebody else's blog that they don't really read it and that it is going to the air. So, I thought that I would post up a bit on what I posted to her blog since it actually got noticed (yay!). I noticed that the dye that she was using was really expensive. I am always curious about new dyes and different alternatives. It's just nice to see what was out there. Well, I was really amazed at how expensive the dyes were that she was using. They were like $11 for what I usually pay $4.59. I use a dye called One-Shot. It comes in a ton of different colors and is super easy to use. All you have to do to make the dye is add boiling water to rainbow dye or add it to boiling water to immersion dye. You never have to add vinegar or any other chemicals or anything like that. I love this dye. On top of all that it is really colorfast. I usually do a quick rinse, especially with my roving, and then barely get any bleed when I wash it later after it has dried. One-Shot is made by a company called Pro-Chemical, who are the original makers of Procion dyes. If you look back in my archives to my first couple of posts you will see some of the results that I have had with their dyes. So if you are interested in dyeing wool or animal fiber of any kinda make sure to check them out.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Sockapaloooza

I got my sockapaloooza partner tonight. So, I am looking up all sorts of knitting patterns. I suddenly realized that my partner might read my blog at the moment. I have no idea what to put up for my possible sock partner. I have been thinking about lace lately, but it isn't necessary. I think something bright and colorful would be wonderful no matter the pattern. I've thought about lace for the person that I got, but now that I have gotten her request I'm not sure. There are so many possibilities that it is going to be hard to choose. Luckily I have clear 'til May and there are Knitting Olympics starting soon.

In other news, I am very happy that I just finished the back to the little baby sweater that I posted earlier. I am still doing jumps through hoops to read the pattern, but I am enjoying it. It is just so cute! So, I will try to get pics up in the next couple days.