Monday, August 22, 2005

Yarn sale!

Oooooh, JoAnn's is having a yarn sale this week! Plus, I have coupons! Perseph, let's go! I've been thinking about giving Moda-Dea Ricochet a try, (for T and Boo) and found out that there's a sale going on this weekend. I was talking to my friend Agnes, and she pointed out that Wool-Ease is also on sale-sweeT! I can use that to make something for Kyle (nice, solid, not-so-girly colors) ;)

Speaking of gifts, I started Mellon's cardigan on Saturday. I'm using Caron Simply soft baby sport yarn instead of Red Heart Fleece, and so far, the gauge checks out (number of stitches/inch-need to knit a few more rows before I can check rows/inch) The pattern requires you to start out with smaller needles and switch to bigger ones-no problem. Last night I was knitting along happily, got slightly disctracted so I had to put down my needles. When I started up again, I discovered that I had picked up the wrong needle, and had started another row with the smaller needles again. I tried to start the row over, but ended up ripping all the stitches out and starting completely over! (Perseph was having a similar experience with her crocheting over the weekend-I feel her pain!) That's what I get for leaving the smaller needles out where I can reach them. This time, my cast on looked much neater, so in a way, it's a good thing I picked up the wrong needle when I did! ;)

Since the number of rows between color changes are so few, I'm experimenting with carrying the yarn not in use up with my work. My Doctor Who scarf, Perseph's prayer shawl, and Mellon's baby blanket all had color changes, but they were so few (or in the case of the Who scarf, so many different colors at different widths) that trying to carry the colors not in use would have been a bit unreasonable. The cardigan, however, only has two colors, and the color swithes often enough that it might be worthwhile. Having to weave in so many loose ends at the end would be terribly annoying, and might look sort of messy. So far, so good, but I've only had to switch colors twice. ;) When I get a little farther along I'll post a picture.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

more projects...

Well, I finally ordered more yarn to finish my slouching socks...

...unfortunately, they have been put on a stitch holder and will be put in the 'on hold' box. ;) I need the needles!

I decided to put the slouching socks and the wave and shell shawl on hold for now and start working on other things. I'm making the hat and scarf set for Perseph (don't worry, she already knows! She needed a hat for the winter. :)) I still need to get another skein of blue ridge to finish off the scarf, so that's the goal for this weekend (yay, JoAnn coupons!) Since it's my first venture with knitting in the round, I will probably continue to work on my multi effects socks from time to time.

Speaking of my multi effects socks, I had a hair-raising experience with them last week. I was over at Perseph's, working on the sock, when I noticed that I had dropped a stitch about 2 rounds before. (how i didn't notice that before then, I'll never know...) I dug into my bag and discovered I had the wrong size crochet needle (I had been using E to rescue dropped sock stitches-I only had a G with me) So I asked Perseph if I could borrow the smallest hook she had. I think it was a 10, maybe? You know, the kind that can be used to make doilies-very small hook. Due to the nature of that particular hook, it had a tendency to snag the yarn while I was trying to rescue the dropped stitches. I think I dropped at least 3 more before I was able to take control of the sock and fix it. Yikes! It was a learning (and very trying) experience. The good thing is, if it ever happens again, I know I am capable of rescuing dropped stitches-as long as I am patient!

I think the first Christmas project I will be working on will be a Cuddly Cardigan for my niece, Mellon. Hopefully I will have it finished before I go to Minnesota this Christmas (unlike last year, when I was finishing her baby blanket the day she was born! In my defense, I did finish it before she actually arrived. *heehee*)

Monday, August 08, 2005

need more time to knit!

I haven't been making much progress lately-summer is just a lazy season-too lazy to be knitting. ;)

Well, actually, I'm almost finished with the scarf for the hat and scarf set, and my multi effects socks...er, well, the first sock, is coming along-slowly, but coming along. I've discovered the farther along you get, the easier knitting with 5 needles becomes. ;)

I discovered that there is a Stitch-n-Bitch gathering near me-around the Cedar/Lee area. Unfortunately it's the same night as taco night. Perhaps I should get together with some of my friends around town and have our own gathering (on a non-taco night, of course! LOL)

Christmas is coming (well, not for a while yet) but with the rate I've been going with my knitting, I need to start on those projects soon. I've been considering putting aside all projects that are not intended for people and just concentrating on the gifts. Of course that means starting a couple of new projects before finishing anymore! LOL, I'm gathering quite a collection of UFOs. ;)