A Productive Weekend

Saturday and Sunday proved to be a bit productive.

I worked, a little bit, on the Wheat Ear Yoke Sweater from Interweave Knits. I am working the sweater on US 6's and 7's, instead of 7's and 8's.

I'm not too sure about the stitch definition though. I really think it would look better if I went down another needle size and just make the largest sweater size. I have enough yarn. But tell me what you think? (When I stretch it out a little, it looks 100% GREAT...so I guess the blocking could make all the difference.)

I also made a lot of headway on the Monkey Socks. I am using yarn from my stash that I bought on Etsy a while back. I went up a needle size, (from 2's to 3's). They are a bit loose for me, so that's a good sign. Cause they aren't for me. I'm actually further along then the pictures. (I'm almost to the toe shaping.)

This is a great pattern.

The heel flap was a bit long for the pattern, but that's probably because of the change in needles. I will definitely be making myself a pair of these...quite possibly in some Koigu.


And because she's driving me crazy, I thought I'd post a cuteness picture.

She's not so cute when she's munching on grasshoppers. Three this week. Gross.

I'll be updating Etsy later. There are a couple Amethyst sets I'm adding. (Just in case you ♥ purple.)

Happy Thursday!

So last night, Shawn bought a car. A big car. A boat. It's a 1989/1990, (I forgot the year), Lincoln Towncar. A silverish one. A boat! A car nevertheless. So my sanity is slowly seeping back into my bloodstream, (though the neverending, "I'm bored", coming from Jem could be quieted and then I'd really be happy).

I was even happier to get a very lovely package from my very lovely secret pal. Katie has spoiled me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I have to say that I was very lucky to have her as a pal. She understood me! And she was even having contractions, (every 8 minutes apart she said), when she wrote me a quick note. Talk about dedicated!

So here's the package:

No, Pepper wasn't mailed back to me. She thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the box and popping out to attack your ankles. (Thanks Katie!)

And here are the contents of the package:

Included is: a box of See's Candies, (YUM-O), a Knitted Puffy, Cupcakes! book, (all about baking and decorating cupcakes), a little pink and orange purse that has Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Shower Gel and Body Butter, AND a skein of Yarn Pirate's yummarific yarn.

In Village, (which was only available at the shop that Katie went to, told you I was spoiled):

So, Katie: THANK YOU!!! I am so excited to start using the YP yarn. The candy will be gone tonight, I assure you! ;)

In other news, I started my neighbors Charlotte's Web this afternoon. I even went to the LYS and had a chance to knit for two hours! TWO hours! So nice, so nice. So I think I'm on row 31. But the deadline is July 18th and I don't know if I can do it. It's awfully pretty though, don't you think?

Then I had a chance to check out the new KnitScene and I want to knit the Ingenue Blouse:

Sorry for the small picture, but it's all they had on the website. Anyway, it's made from Classic Elite Bamboo, and since I've never worked with bamboo, I think I'll have to pick up a skein and swatch first.

After the Rusted Root, which needs about 3"-4" of body and then the ribbing. I'm 1/4 way done with my second sock for the Hogwarts Socks. I guess I'm procrastinating because I dread the ends. Oh the ends. No more striped socks for me. Unless it's self striping yarn. Oh, and the Wicked. I started a swatch for that too.

Boy, I have a lot of knitting ahead of me. One good thing, I finished the neck on the Rowan Flood, I just need to take some pictures of me in it. Next post.

BTW, there's a few open spots left in the Sock It To Me Sock Swap, so come join us if you wanna have fun!

Rusted Root

Way back in September I bought the Rusted Root pattern by Zephyr Style. In October I bought a few skeins of Rowan Wool Cotton in a pigeon grey color. (Wool Cotton is my fave and the fact that I saved a few bucks on it made the deal all the sweeter!) Nonetheless, no matter how easy the pattern could be or how nice the yarn was I still hadn't knit it. I did make a swatch. To my dismay, I wasn't knitting to gauge and I'd have to go up to size 7's, (instead of 6's).

But Friday night came around and I went to the Stitch and Bitch at Simply Knitting, with a new swatch, (that was knit to gauge), and the goal of at least starting the pattern. However, I didn't start the sweater at the SnB. I did have a chance to show off my newly finished Charlotte's Web, (which by the way, I blocked last night and it makes a big difference in size), and I worked on Scout's Debbie Bliss Diamond Cardigan. (More on that in a moment.)

I left around 8 or 9 and when I got home I cast on for the Rusted Root sweater. This was my first attempts at knitting a sweater in the round, and I must say that I'm quite pleased. I especially like the sleeve increases. Very nice and linear.


The lace pattern is very easy as well. (Can't beat that.) It's a 15 stitch, 10 row repeat. (Even numbered rows you just knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.) I like the repetitiveness of knitting in the round and a little bit of excitement when you get to the lace panel. It's kind of hard to see at the moment, (I blame lighting and positioning), but the lace panel makes the stitches turn into leaves.

So I'm happy. (And the reason I started the sweater was because I'm awaiting the last skein of yarn to arrive from England so that I can finish the Rowan Flood sweaters neck.) And I don't believe that socks count as a project. (I can justify almost anything.)

So Friday night I didn't really get too much done. In part because I was talking a lot to the other ladies and in part because, (ssshhh, don't tell anyone), I wasn't feeling the vibe from some of the women. I was talking to my neighbor about this the other day and how I felt "out of place" when I used to go to the scrapbook crops. Sometimes there are some people who look down on you and make you feel like you aren't good enough. Unfortunately that was how I was feeling Friday night. On the flip side, one of the girls there that I talk to told me she'd meet me on Thursday so she can help me with my crocheting for the Ripple blanket that I intend on starting. And I could sure use the help. (I don't do the increases/decreases so well.) Anywhoo, I did finish the front to the Debbie Bliss Diamond Sweater. And I did a three needles bind off for the shoulder seams. All that's left to do are the sleeves and a little bit of seam sewing.

I really like this pattern. This is the third time I've made it. The 6 row pattern is really easy to memorize and it knits fast. (Gotta love baby knits.)

In other news, I took our new kitten to get her vaccines and she's doing very well. We've named her too. Pepper. She looks like a Pepper. She's gotten very comfortable living here. She likes to hide behind the couches, inside the TV stand, (where the CD's are), and in my knitting bag:

Yes, in my knitting bag. I caught her taking a cat nap there this afternoon when I cleaned everything out. And she likes yarn. A little too much I think.

Dalton hasn't really warmed up to her. But we did catch her trying to play with his tail and he trying batting at her, (without the growls and hissing). There will come a day when he loves her so much and we'll catch them curled up together. Until then...

Scout is doing quite well too. We had a nice, (too short), weekend. Most of it spent at the pool. I took Jem and Scout swimming. Scout really likes you to hold her in the water, rather than just sitting in the little boat. But she was especially happy when Daddy got in the pool too. Not much else happened over the weekend, except for a little Secret Pal shopping. Can't tell you what though. (Don't you just hate a tease?) I'm not sure if I will do the next round of SP though. I had a lot of fun with whoever is spoiling me. But the person I'm spoiling doesn't really respond to my emails. (And it's so hard to buy for someone who says to get them, "whatever".) For some reason I don't get very active partners. But that's ok. My SP has made this round a lot of fun. (I still have some chocolate leftover, can you believe it?)

Other than that, I am now participating in the Knitting Lingerie Style KAL. I think my first project from the book will be the Bedjacket. Very pretty. My Hogwarts Socks are coming along. I need to cast on for the second one and get the package off to it's owner. I still have a month, so I'm good. Lots of projects in the que, just need to find the time and the right yarn!