Monday, October 29, 2007

The Weekend





Big Guy was such a tremendous help at the Halloween Party that I rewarded him by buying myself a new airplane. Of course it was too windy to fly so he had to fly it for me. We really had a lot of fun flying it. Next weekend I will really learn to fly, but it's just as much fun to watch him fly as it is for me to attempt flight. But while watching him fly I realized I need a blanket to keep in the car.

One of the things I left behind at Mr. C's house was an afghan I crocheted over the course of several years. It was made with leftover yarn from projects and then some yarns which I just liked the colorway but wouldn't ever want to make a project. I could ask for this back, but I've asked (and have in the divorce decree) some other things I'd like and he hasn't produced them so I don't hold out much hope for the afghan. So I decided to make a new one along the same principle (yarns I like) but knitted using the Rambling Rows Afghan from Cottage Creations. Okay I really didn't need to start another project, but want and need are different. But after looking at yarn, Red Heart, I decided on a colorway: Monet by Red Heart. Yes, this acrylic is not fun to work with, in my opinion, but the cost and the ease of care far outweigh the acrylic issue. Plus I really, really like the colors! And since there is no dye lot problem, except with the multicolor, I can buy the yarn on an as needed basis and when it's on sale. I have three blocks done already.

And now that I'm in an afghan knitting mood (that could change any second) I've decided I need a handknit afghan for my new home. But I'm going to wait until I have the keys in my hand before I buy the yarn. The yarn will probably be my Christmas gift to myself. And it won't be Red Heart!

Just a disclaimer here: I'm not really dissing on Red Heart, I've made plenty of projects from it and the color selection is hard to beat.

Check out our new ice cream maker: You freeze the bowl (takes a couple of hours) but then you have ice cream in 20 minutes. Yum-O! No cranking, no ice, no salt.

Happy Knitting!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Moving Along

On Monday I drove out to the new house to see what's been done (okay, I'll admit it, I drive out almost everyday! who wouldn't?) and the painting was finished. It's actually a little darker than it looks in the pic, but the color is Tequila by Kwal Howell. I was so worried it would be too dark since they paint the ceiling the same as the walls--just the trim and the doors get the white paint. But the color is perfect!

Today when I went out and checked the main floor flooring was being laid. It was almost done and looks great. I was too embarrassed to take a picture, but will try to get one over the weekend.

It still doesn't seem real that this house will be mine. I worry that something will happen and jinx it. Today I had to ask Mr. C to get a copy of the refinance of our old house to prove that I was no longer on the loan. I hope he'll be cooperative and get my lender a copy.

Off to knit.

Happy Knitting!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Sick Day



I had too bad of a head cold to do much of anything today. After I ran into the real estate office to drop something off for the receptionist, I came home and spent the day and evening knitting. I finally finished Roza's Socks, a pattern from Interweave Knits. These socks were my car and emergency knitting, but I realized today I could finish them and so did!

The booties are Saartje's Bootees (yep, that's how the designer spelled them) and they are the cutest things ever! And so tiny. These are the larger of the two sizes and you can tell how tiny they are. They're made from the leftover Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock yarn from my Pomatomus socks. I still have 76 yards left and since these booties took only 60 yards I can get another pair from the yarn, but will probably choose a different pattern. I can't wait to see my new grand-niece in these.

I kind of went overboard on the purchase of books and patterns this week. The new Itty-Bitty Nursery is so adorable. There are so many projects I want to make from this book, but it looks like the pacifier tethers (clips?) will be my first project. And there is a really cute sweater with a flower--the stem forms the button loops--which will be another project from this book. I'll be using the Cotton-Ease which I'm frogging from a failed sweater for me!

Happy Knitting!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Some Finished Objects and Some UFOs





Most of these have been finished with the knitting just waiting for buttons, ribbons, ends woven in.

The hooded sweater is the Babies and Bears Sweater from Cottage Creations. This is by far my fave baby sweater to knit. It's fast, I can do it in 2-3 evenings, it fits like a dream, and it's way fun to knit. I wish I had kept track of how many I've done over the years; I'm sure at least a dozen.

Then there are two baby kimonos from the Mason-Dixon knitting book. This is such a fun carry-around project. Takes very little thought, but provides much relaxation. As a matter of fact the pink one (almost exactly like one posted earlier--I had bought way more yarn than needed so made a duplicate) was worked on during the "down" time of divorce mediation. The Mediator and my attorney were quite impressed with my relaxed attitude! Hey! I knew what I was entitled to and if Mr. C wanted to argue it out with his attorney and the mediator at least I got something done. The yarns: the pink one is the twist version of dishcloth cotton and the multicolor one (it looks like Play-Doh) is from Bernat.

The green one was a really fun knit and designed by local designer Mary Triplett. It's called Baby Sweater Puzzle and I purchased the pattern at The Unraveled Sheep. I just used the new dishcloth cotton which has long color repeats; I think it's called Stripes by Sugar and Cream, purchased at Joann's.

The bolero is for me! Summer Sky at Magknits.com. I used Bunny Hop by Crystal Palace. I had a lot of adjusting to do on this pattern--I wanted it longer, less fitted, and with longer sleeves. I wore it the other day and received so many compliments it was well worth the many times I frogged it and started over. The linen stitch provides a nice contrast with the stockinette stitch and the multicolor yarn really plays up the contrast. Love it!

I think I may be becoming project monogamous. Which is a really good thing because that's how things actually get finished. Not to say there is only one project on the needles, but just one for each type of knitting. Do you know what I mean? A really easy project which doesn't take much thought, a sock (that's my emergency car knitting), something more complicated, and finally a long started project which needs to be finished.

With the move and the need to start packing stuff, I really have to decide what I'll be wanting to knit on for the next 8 weeks and have just those things on hand. I feel like I'm losing my security blanket since I won't be able to just go downstairs and pull out yarn, books, patterns and start something new. Yes, this will be a good thing.

Happy Knitting!

Monday, October 15, 2007

Blank Slate


This is what I've been working on! A new (town)house. Today I ordered all the finish work and should be able to move in mid to late November. Needless to say I'm very excited.

Choosing the options is so much faster when there is only one opinion to be considered--my own! Of course, now that everything has been ordered I'm starting to second guess my decisions. Yes, that's normal so I really can't think about it too hard. The place is much larger than it looks from the outside: 2000 sq. ft. with 1422 of it being finished. I'm very, very excited. Of course this means I've been knitting new kitchen towels and cloths. Fun!

I actually have quite a few finished objects to show, but it's too late tonight to upload and blog about.

Happy Knitting!