A little bit of progress

...in more than one area, thank you. I went back to work today and my fever/chills/dizziness did not return - the headache did, but oh well - can't have everything, right? AND yesterday afternoon while I was recuperating, I sewed the shoulder seams, finished the button bands, and started the neck band on the Cotolan Blue sweater which has been resting in my knitting pile for OH-SO-LONG! It's so old, in fact, that (shame-embarrassment-ducking of head) the pattern is from the Spring 1998 Knitter's Magazine. The pattern, named Seafoam Sensation, is by Melissa Leapman.


I can't really remember when I started knitting it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was sometime around the end of 1998 - OMG - a ten year sweater project....someone, PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one! Of course, I am easily distracted by all the rest of the things going on in my life...Let's see since 1998 I've finished adding a second teaching endorsement to my credentials, started working full time, lost both parents to semi-protracted illnesses, served on our church's Vestry (4 years), endured hubby's job loss, watched oldest son graduated, gone back to grad school (for 2 Masters...I'm a glutton for punishment), and traveled to England twice -(can't go this year...dollar's too crappy - gas too high). See. I got off on a rant. Shift focus BACK to sweater! I can now see the finish line....but I am afraid of sewing in the sleeves. They are set-in and don't look quite. If I have to do them over, I'm afraid this will turn into the 11 year sweater. I'd really like to finish it so I can wear it before it gets TOO stinkin' hot here. Once again - keeping my fingers crossed - but not so much that I can't knit! Here I go...

Crud -sick again

This is boring & tiring & tedious. I am sick...again...can't figure out where it came from. It feels exactly like what I had at Easter - chills/fever & exhaustion & maybe a little dizziness - nothing else. This is how tired I am. I was watching some movie this morning - can't even remember what is was - and when I woke up another movie was going off. I hit the TV listings to see what it was...Alien 3. I had managed to sleep through the entire thing...monsters, screaming, & loud noises. (I'm glad b/c I hate scary movies).

I'm going back to bed, but this time I'm taking some knitting with me. Maybe the Cotolan Blue sweater - I'll start sewing the seams. (See..Halloween wants to help!) It feels weird to not be knitting the shawl. I was supposed to go to Janice's this evening to start blocking it. I think that will have wait. Here's what else I'm reading in between naps. I bought the Amigurimi book to see if I'd be interested in making little animals - I think I'll give it a go one day!

MS7 - Imbolc finished!

TA DA....here it is! My first lace shawl! I couldn't resist stretching it out to see what it will look like after it's blocked. I'm taking to church with me to show Janice and all the other knitters. Whew! Binding off took a L-O-N-G time...and on the very last row I had a scare - I found two dropped stitches, but fixed them - somehow - without freaking out. HOORAY!
One big project down - I wonder what's next?

Finish it already - darn it!

I am going to finish this shawl tonight/tomorrow...I will....I will...I will...



See...here I am purling back on row 200.
I am now ready to face my arch-enemy - row 201...
that's the row that's held me up for the past TWO WEEKS!


I'm keeping my fingers crossed and you should, too!

Pattern purchased!

This afternoon I had to go into C'ville & stopped by The Needle Lady on the downtown mall. They had the Berroco #240 "Cindy" pattern that the Cindy Knitter group is using for a KAL a the end of May. They really had to dig around for it, but bless, them - they found it!



I suppose I should have proposed a KAL based on yarn that I already had in my stash - but no....I had to go for the Cindy name thing...so darn it - I've been looking at more yarn. I can't afford the silk-cotton stuff that I'd really like to use for this sweater, so it's Knitpicks Shine Worsted in Sailor (blue) for me. That makes $45.00 for a sweater & not $150.00. I'm looking forward to starting it...I think I'll even do a little swatching this weekend!


While I was in The Needle Lady, some sock yarn started whining at me, so I had to buy it to make it stop. It's Koigu KPPPM in this
yummy pink color.

It's is for Lisa's socks....something in a spiral rib kind of thing. I have a pattern saved in my queue on Ravelry.

Speaking of Ravelry, I'm off to check my forums & then finish heel flap #1. Thus ends another Thursday - knit on with confidence!

Surprise - Baby Surprise Jacket!

Don't get excited...there's no baby - at least not for me personally. Yes - those days are g-o-n-e - at least for me personally.
Anyway, tonight I was snooping around in my knitting closet & I found a storage bin shoved
way - way - way in the back. Here's what I found in the bin. It's a half finished Baby Surprise Jacket - ACK!
Here's a question - when did I start knitting this? I think I remember...but I'm ashamed to say that the intended recipient - the cute little "baby" girl just registered for Kindergarten tonight! Or maybe it was 4 years ago when her sister was born. Well, I'm going to frog the whole thing & maybe start over. The yarn is Lion Brand Microfiber - it's very soft but seems to split a bit...I think I remember now...
Here's another question - Why did I STOP knitting it? Hmmm...can't quite bring up anything on that subject....I wonder what else is lurking in the back of my yarn closet? I think that adventure will just have to wait for another day because this one is OVER for me. Good nite & I hope you dream about lots of yarn & finished projects...not ones that lurk.

Status Bars wanted

I want status bars & can't get them to work - I've read the directions - still not working. Poop Here's a photo to make us all feel better - Goofy boys!

New photos - old camera

Well, I found my OLD digital camera - the Olympus. It still works! I had lost the cable to connect it to the computer, but it doesn't matter because this computer has several card readers. Just pop that little card into the right slot & ZZIIIIIIIIIIIPPPP - there are your photos!

So - here's a spring sunrise:

I love how greeen and lacy everything looks!

....and here is the greeness creeping up the mountain, although it's better to see it in person (here's where I could insert a sound clip from Copland's Appalachian Spring!)

Now for the new knitting stuff - I tinked back my shawl TWO rows (poop) and think I found my mistake. This afternoon I'll start again - now purling row 198 for the umpteenth time. THe shawl is too big now to spread out on the needles for a photo, but here's what it looks like in a lump...
I can't wait to see it spread out & blocked! I'm getting clues for Renee Leverington's MS8 and her Spring Mystery Shawl - but I will not start them until I finish writing up my Action Research project.

...and here's some more lovlieness - Zephry Wool-Silk in Curry.

I bought this while daydreaming about Anne Hanson's Honeybee

Stole. I actually purchased the pattern - so did Janice. It's really

hard! Maybe we could work on it together, so I wouldn't get too

discouraged!

This is the Regia Bamboo for the baby Surprise Jacket

that's due in August.

...and this is the Hempathy & beads for a small shawl I saw in Interweave Knits - I have to figure out the placement of the beads though...I'll need help on that one!

So much new yummy yarn - so little time to play with it. I'll keep sneaking in minutes and get stuff finished eventually. I'm glad it's not a race!

Too Much of All the Rest

Whoa - it's the middle of April. I have not posted anything for almost a month. Here's my excuse: my camera is broken - something's wrong with the screen. There's a recall, but I can't take any new photos to post - I really like the picture part! (I'll root around Flickr & see if I can find something to add!)

Halloween's picture is my new Ravatar on Ravelry..well, that's not really big news, but here he is.

Here's an update of all of my incomplete knitting projects. There's not much going on because I'm TOO-TOO busy. Poop.

• I've been fighting with row 201 of MS7 for about a week - maybe two - I've been way too busy with work & grad school to sit down & hunt for the mistake. But the good news is, I only have about 12 more rows to go! I can't wait to see it blocked - it will be my first lace shawl...I'm thinking of giving it as a gift...more on that later
• DH's socks - I have them divided to knit the heels flaps

During my Spring Break visit to Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg, I bought some really yummy looking Hempathy & beads & also some more bead to go with the Claudia Hand Paint Silks I already had......AND some Regia Bamboo for a Baby Surprise Jacket that's due by August.

I also bought some more of this Tonalita by Trensdsetter - now I have enough to make the short row shawl - the one on the cover of the little Vogue Shawl book.

I'd love to take photos of the vivid greeness creeping up the mountains - the bright lavender of the red bud & the lacy whiteness of the dogwood...maybe I can fish out the OLD camera & try with that...stay tuned for an update on spring!