Sunday, January 23, 2011

Trying something new

First, I've got one white sock done and the 2nd started.  I'm still working on the Niebling.

I am about to make a "swatch" with my unspun Icelandic yarn.  I just hate the though of making a swatch that will not be able to be taken apart.  I've decided on 3 strands to get the 5 wpi, using size 11 needles and hope to get the required 3 sts per inch, before felting.  The uncertainty of felting is why I've never done it before.  But this year is turning out to be so cold.  I want the slippers, some mittens and a hat that are felted.  IF it all turns out ok then I'm seriously thinking of making boots!  Maybe I'm dreaming!  After all, my hands do better with the small needles - less movement.

Once I get the felt down sts and rows per inch I can go from there! 

Monday, January 17, 2011

Downloading pictures

I've spent the last 3 hours copying pictures of my older projects, from a disk, to my computer.  Then I listed them in Ravelry with the pictures.  This took so much time that I did not take the time to look up the actual pattern names and the origins of the patterns.  Many of these I do have in my 3 ring binder, with notes about the process and yarn.  I really should print the pictures and inset them in the binder with the notes.

Now I ned to get with it around the house.  Then it's back to knitting and oops, eating.  I forgot breakfast and it's just after 3:00!

Tinking is not fun

Had to tink, stitch by stitch, back through round 68 on the Neibling.   I think that added up to 1,986 stitches!  Oh well (I say that a lot), it is now done through round 72 and I inserted a safety/life line!

I've done a few rounds on the white socks.  I tried them on and I'm happy with the changes I made to the basic pattern.  Now I need to re-write it, on the computer, so I can save and print it out.  Another 25 or so rounds and I'll be checking the length to see if it's time to start the toe.  This yarn seems to be knitting up tighter for rows per inch.  The new pattern will be noting inches, not just stitches and rows.

Well, it looks like it is after midnight and I just started watching another movie that lasts until 1:30 am.  I don't want to start a pattern round, on the Neibling now, so I guess I'll work on th sock while I watch TV.

Friday, January 14, 2011

OH NO!!

I dropped a stitch in my Neibling.  Of course it was/is in a terrible spot and went back several rows.  I am not going to deal with it tonight, but I may have to go back several rows to fix it properly.  I'll try the pin and  pick up way first, but darn it, that just might not work.  Round 71 in the cross stitches!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wide Awake

It's 5:15 am!!!  Am I tried yet?  No.  My poor bird, Baby, finally gave up yelling at me to go to bed around 2:30 this morning.  Now he just chirps every once in a while.

Looked outside about an hour ago to see if it was snowing yet.  It wasn't, but weather.com said it would be snowing at 6:00 am.   Thinking about checking again.  Checked.  Nope, not yet.

I turned the electric blanket on just over an hour ago, in anticipation of going to bed.  I used to have a real hard time going to sleep until about 4 or 5 months ago.  Now, for some reason, I am able to go right to sleep, so I know if I go in and curl up in bed I'll be out like a light.  I'm just not ready.  I don't know why I'm so "wound up" tonight.  Now Baby is yelling at me again!

Hey, at least I resisted the urge to hop in the car and go to Waterford and visit Marge and all of her yarn!

I'd do a few rounds on the white sock but my gauge would pobably be weird.

Guess I'll go to bed.  I know I won't be able to concentrate to read and gee, my fingers aren't typing all that well!

  Night all.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Progress comes with paying the price

I've been getting quite a bit done but it comes with a price - no sleep, sore arm, sink full of dirty dishes.  Oh well.

I finished the Zombie hat Sunday the 9th.  I didn't even leave the house that day.  I had planned on delivering it to the car salesman at the Chrysler dealership on Monday, but by the time I was ready to leave the house they were closed.  I was at the dealership, getting my car worked on Friday, knitting on the hat when the salesman walked past.  He mentioned he really liked the hat, so I told him he could have it if it fit him when it was done.  It did fit him and he is happy with it.  One project off the list!

Still haven't washed the vest and socks for Sharon, so they can't be mailed yet.  I've decided that the Baby Alpaca Vest won't fit Melissa, so I'm going to send it to Sharon's daughter-in-law in California.  I know it will look great on her and she is the kind of person that will take proper care of it - washing, etc.

I charted rounds 65 through 73 of the Neibling pattern yesterday.  I was in the middle of round 63 when I did this.  Who goes to bed at a decent hour at my house?  Not me!  About 2:00 this morning I was going to go to bed but then Poker After Dark came on TV and I have it set up to record.  Oh well, I'm not really tired.  So I watched it and continued to knit.  By about 3:10 I had completed round 67 and had 2 of the 6 plain sections of round 68 done.   Did about 8 rounds on the white sock this morning after getting back from running around.

I still haven't been back to Waterford to give Marge her check for $4.24 that I owe her!  I really hate to go and not buy anything, but after getting the car fixed Friday and the trip over Christmas, the budget is blown!  I should call and make sure that she isn't expecting a yarn shipment before I do go!  Of course I won't be going this week because we are expecting more snow, starting tonight.  Darn, the urge to go NOW is really strong!  What was it they said in Star Wars?  Resistance is Futile.  Repeat after me:  I DO NOT NEED MORE YARN!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Getting more knitting done

Have the Zombie hat from the Meadville Group Knit A Long almost done.  Wanted to have it done by tomorrow, might happen yet tonight.

Today I received the book I ordered on the 2nd.  It is Felted Knits by Beverly Galeskas.  I purchased her pattern for my "slippers to be" and then thought I should order the book also.  Found out later that night, on one of the knitting threads I follow, that she had passed away on December 29th, 2010.  She was the founder and owner of Fiber Trends.

After the hat is done I will be reading the Felted Knits book.   I think I will find a lot of pre-project work to do in reference to amount of shrink when felting.  Of course I have the in process white socks in my To Go bag along with the in process Herbert Neibling doily.

Slowly removing items from my list!  The great part is I haven't added to my extended want to knit list.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Years need to accomplish list and other DREAMS

I sat down yesterday and  made a list of unfinished items that really need to be taken care of. 

First off was finishing the vest for Sharon, in Idaho.  Then second, also for Sharon, kitchner the 2 pair of socks that had to have the foot part extended.  I am pleased to say that I sat down this morning and finished the vest and both pair of socks.  Boy am I rusty on kitchner!  Now I will wash them and get them mailed.  Wash tomorrow and mail Wednesday, I hope.

The third item on my list was to repair one of David's socks that had a hole in the ball of the foot area.  Although I wasn't in the mood to start darning, the phone rang and it was my sister in Idaho.  As a result I picked up the sock and started setting it up for darning, while talking.  By the time we hung up I was 1/2 done, so I went ahead and finished it!  Wow!  That is 3 things off my to finish list!

I should add that these three items were my "you have to do these before you can start anything else" projects.

Items 4, 5 and  6 are not "they have to be done now" items.  #4 is a pair of plain white socks that are a take along project.  Always have to have socks on needles.  Item #5 is my Herbert Neibling doily and it requires charting.  I have started charting the odd rows as it is easier, for me, to knit from a chart.  My current chart goes from row 49 through row 63.  I have just started round 62, which is a plain row.  So, before much longer I will have to make another chart.    Item #6 is my black and white fair isle jacket.  That is sort of on hold for the time being.

My unfinished pile is larger, but nothing really pressing.

Then there is the new list - Projects for which I have purchased yarn and patterns.  This list got expanded by 3 pair of socks while visiting David.  I had made him a pair of socks in what I call a circus colorway.  He loves them!  So I went to the store and got yarn for 3 more pair of  "far-out" socks.  I can't believe I bought more sock yarn!

My Projects will be governed by why they are on the list.  The Meadville, PA group decided to knit a hat in January and a group on Ravelry is doing a sock pattern a month to knit down stash.  So, both those items now hit the priority list.

Beyond those items I'll just have to play it by ear.  No promises to myself and no more yarn!  That doesn't mean I can't buy another book,   ;-)   which I did today!