Knitgirl's Stash

I'm a little late to the party...

...but I know y'all will forgive me. :) I finally finished one of the pairs of socks I was determined to finish for Socktoberfest! (Yes, that said "pair" - a finished pair of socks!) Granted it wasn't the guilt of not finishing during October that spurred me to finish the second sock... the knowledge that I was less than 2" from finishing, realizing I had no clean socks with me, and a night of election returns to watch, well, that's what prompted me. :D

Pattern: Nautilus by Anna Bell - available as part of a sockset I purchased from her ages ago
Cast On/Cast Off: I cast on around the beginning of July... I know I blogged about it on 12 July - when I finished Claude. I finished the first sock in a couple of weeks, if I remember correctly. I didn't cast on for the second one until Dani and I got back from Europe. I just couldn't get in the groove of the second sock on this one.
Yarn: Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino in a colorway we named Indian Summer
Needles: 24" US1 Addi Turbos on the first sock and 24" US1 Knitpicks needles on the second. Which did I prefer? The Addi's. While the larger sizes are great in the Knitpicks needles, the smaller sizes are just WAY too freakin sharp.
Mods: None that I can remember. This actually-doing-the-pattern-as-written thing is getting damn old. LOL!
Fun Factor: Definitely fun. The pattern is easy to commit to memory - even after putting it down for months at a time!

Okay, I love this yarn! It is by far my favorite sock yarn to knit with. It's got the sproinginess of Koigu with the weight of Lorna's Laces. I love the short color repeats - they make working with the socks fun b/c every so often a color would shoot through that I wasn't expecting... My one BIG complaint? Well, click on the picture to enlarge it. I'll wait. Can you see it? They look like they were knit from two different skeins - they weren't. I divided the ball of Fleece Artist (which has about 360 yards - info not on the label) into two balls and knit from those... I didn't realize how different they were! I kinda like 'em though. I've never been one for having identically knit socks. The majority of the second sock was knit on the train up to NYC last weekend... I was still about 4-5" from finishing though. (And I was not about to knit while I was up there... I'm just sayin'.)

Speaking of FOs... can anyone tell me what this might be?

It looks familiar? Can't place it yet? Well, how about this?

Yup, Cyd is finally finished! The vest I wanted to knit for the Europe trip is finally done - almost two months after I left. *rolling eyes*

I tried her on immediately after I sewed up the sides and wove in my ends. (Yes, sometimes I'm a good girl...) She fit perfectly - which made me worry about how she'll fit after a bath and block. I'm still a bit worried... Regardless, I'll be wearing her at Late Night on Wednesday - where I might be able to convince a friend of mine to take a flattering pic of me in Cyd! (Who knows, I might even dress like a girl... LOL!) I'll post project info and such when I post the pic of me in it.

Because I'm a joiner... and I suck at the posting

Yes, I know, I'm such a joiner. At least with this one I can possibly clear a couple of the Socks WIPs I have on the needles by the end of the month? Maybe? You think?

To celebrate Socktoberfest, I'll answer the questionnaire Lolly posted on her blog:

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I started knitting socks about 2 years ago, I think. It was definitely not long after I started knitting. I mostly taught myself - I actually started knitting socks because a friend (who has been an incredible mentor and someone I admire) convinced me that I could - and as I've said before, she's not someone who will just blow sunshine up your ass. I'm just sayin'.

What was your first pair?  How have they "held up" over time?

My first completed pair was from the Cat Bordhi book Socks Soar on Two Circulars. They were a simple 2x2 rib done in Regia Jubilee (India colorway). While I hated the pattern, I love these socks - I still wear them when it gets cold. They did not stripe or knit up in the space dyed pattern, but that doesn't matter b/c I hated that pattern, lol. They have definitely fuzzed up over time, but I still wear them proudly!

What would you have done differently? 

I would have knit these at a tighter gauge. I think that the pattern called for US3s, which was just not working for the socks. I also wouldn't have followed the pattern's convoluted heel instructions... I came up with my own shortly thereafter.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Fleece Artist, Mama E's C*Eye*Ber Fiber, Koigu, Lorna's Laces...

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

I knit my socks exclusively on 2 circs. I've tried DPNs and Magic Loop and they just aren't for me, even though I can knit those ways as well. (As demonstrated by a previous post, I generally end up hurting myself when I knit with DPNs, lol.) I completely suck at crochet, so I definitely don't crochet my socks.

Which kind of heel do you prefer?  (flap? or short-row?)

I prefer a short row heel simply because I find it less fussy than a heel flap and I like the look better. Nine times out of ten, I'll change a pattern to a short-row heel.
 
How many pairs have you made?

How lame is it that I have no earthly clue? Yes, I could go back in my archives and add them up, but that would require energy, lol. If I had to guess, I'd say about ten or so.

Knitting Updates? What are those?

I don't really have any knitting updates - I didn't get a lot of knitting done this weekend - I got a few rounds done on Anna, but that's about it. I had a good excuse, though!

I had to celebrate a first birthday with this cutie-pie! :) I'll get back to the knitting soon, I promise!

Sometimes I'm such a follower

Well, it's true. I admit it. So there. What sparked this frank admission, you might ask? Oh... a new project and a new KAL (and not the one I was talking about organizing for Juno).

The new project? (Yes, I realize I don't actually need any new projects on the needles... It's because I'm a follower, damnit!) It's Cyd from Jaeger's JB31.

Before anyone starts worrying about me, no, I'm not doing it in those colors. Nor am I doing it in that yarn. (I know, shocker!)

Pretty, yes? I think that the Rowan Felted Tweed is perfect for this. It adds just a little bit of visual interest without being too "out there." The camel color is going to be the center diamonds, the dark purple is the other diamonds. Now, why did I add yet another project to my list of WIPs? I blame Steph. She's the one who showed it to me and pointed out how good it could look. In the Felted Tweed. Damn her. ;) Of course she's knitting it too. Would we actually both love something and not knit it together? LOL.

The knitalong? Well, I'm blaming Dani for that one. She's the one who told me about Yarnmonkey's blog and the Sock Wars knitalong. Click on the button to go to the info post.

I know I didn't have such a good experience with Sockapal2za - you know, with never receiving my socks I got a bit burned out on those things. However, this one looks as if it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun and played like Assassins. Fab. Sign ups are still going on until 9/8/2006 - and it looks like it's going to be HUGE - so if you're interested, go and sign up!

Another FO? What is the world coming to?

That's right! I finished something... something bigger than an OSW - I'm just sayin'. It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind (and all your knitting time) to it. (And when you've got some good friends who casually remind you that you need to knit on her when you pick up a much more interesting sock to knit. In a gorgeous shade of Koigu. Again, I'm just sayin'.)

I finished up my Green Pink Gable (as Lolly has christened it) at about 1.30 yesterday morning. Since I had the day off and no plans to speak of (always a good way to spend a day off), I decided to focus on finishing her. Especially since I've mentioned to oh-so-many people that I wanted to have it done by MS&W - which would be... oh, THIS SATURDAY. (Yes, Lara and Dani, I can just hear the both of you saying "See? Told you. If you knit on it you'll finish it by Saturday.") So, with a few good and bad movies to watch, I settled in to knit. Around 1pm. Yes, I did knit for 12 hours Sunday - not straight through, I gave myself tons of breaks - but I got her done. This morning I wove in the few ends I hadn't gotten to and gave her a good bath and block. Which is where she still is. Once she's dry, I'll have someone take a picture of me in it, of course.

I did get a little nervous Sunday night/Monday morning when I was finishing up the sleeves. I wasn't sure if I'd have enough yarn left in this skein and I was going to be majorly pissed if I had to break into a new skein for 1 or 2 rows. Luckily, I just squeaked by. This is what I was left with:

Just over 8 yards leftover. Which I think is a bit funny... the pattern uses 5 skeins of Cotton Fleece for the largest size - I substituted the yarn with Cascade Sierra, which has less yardage, and only used 4 skeins. Hmmmm... interesting, no? I'll post the mods I made when I get a picture of me in it.

Of course I couldn't finish something without casting on for something new. (Okay, hush - don't anyone get all helpful and remind me of the 20 zillion other projects I currently have on the needles!) This one is being knit on a deadline as well. (Because we know how well I do with that, lmao!)

It's the back to the Striped Cardigan from the new Baby Cashmerino 2 book by Debbie Bliss. It's a fairly quick knit, but all the striping on US2s and US3s is driving me batty! Yes, already! I do need to focus on this knit, though. It's for my godson who is coming up from Georgia with his momma next week. (She's coming up to walk her graduation ceremony for her Master's and to show off Baby Luke to his grandparents - her parents and mine - and his godmomma.) I will be sure to get pics of him in his cardi... he's gonna be one handsome guy! ;)

There's more to update, but it'll wait. It is time to get some sleep! (It's amazing how tired you can get after having two solid days of nothing, lol!)

What's that I see? An update?

Why yes, it's an actual knitting update! Who woulda thunk it? Now that I'm no longer doing knitting for others, I've started knitting for myself again. Boy, have I jumped back in with both feet - I have a ton of things on the needles, but I have managed to finish something!

With so many things on the needles, I needed to finish something - and quick! So I was talking to Aimee and we came up with knitting One Skein Wonders... She mentioned that she had a skein of Lion & Lamb in stash and so did I - then we told Steph about the mini-knitalong we were having and she's joined in, too!

Pattern: One Skein Wonder
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb, Aslan colorway
Needles: US6 & US9
Mods: As I was knitting the Lion & Lamb, I got 4.5st/in instead of the recommended 4st/in, so I just knit the next larger size, which worked out perfectly. I also added a few rows for a sleeve and didn't do a seed stitch border on the arms. Since seed stitch has no stretch, I did an inch of ribbing instead. I love the look and it fits well on my fat arms. LOL!

Yes, I know that this makes OSW #3 that I've made, but it's such an easy pattern and so quick to knit that I love it. I think that the Lion & Lamb is a wonderful substitute - it has a great drape and isn't hot at all!

Now for some of the things that I've been working on...

I read about Green Gable on Carrieoke's blog and fell in love with the sweater - it's a great shape and I think it'll look good on me. I immediately decided to go ahead and join the GG Knitalong. :) I know, I need another knitalong like I need a hole in my head. I've decided that this will be the sweater I want to wear at Maryland Sheep & Wool, so maybe I'll actually get it done by then!

Of course just two projects just aren't enough for me - you know, Knitters' ADD and all. Ages ago I got my copy of Debbie Bliss' new book for her silk line through debbie bliss: the club. I was all excited to start knitting from it and discovered that the yarn wasn't in the US yet. As soon as it came in, I grabbed enough to make two projects from it: the lace & cabled shrug and the single button cardi. So, what did I do? I cast on for the shrug of course!

And, of course, my collection of WIPs just wouldn't be complete without a sock... or two. I receieved some gorgeous Schaeffer Anne and some Koigu KPPPM, so of course I cast on for two pairs of socks. :)

I used the Anne to cast on for the Fancy Silk Socks from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks book. While I'm not wild about the diagonal striping, I love the colors and it shows off the lace beautifully. Then, the new Knitty came out with this article on toe-up socks. As I hate provisional cast-ons, I decided to give it a try and I was very happy with the result:

I'm actually much further along than in the picture - I took that about a week ago. I've turned the heel and am continuing up the leg. Isn't it pretty?

There's something else on the needles, but I'm just way too tired to find the pictures of it...

To answer a question from the comments, Krista asked "Do you think that Noro is okay as a boy's name?" Well, Krista... I'd say abso-freakin-lutely, but only if it's followed by Kureyon as a middle name. LOL. Actually, I don't find TomKitten's name of Suri awful at all, just odd. I mean, I'd almost expect it from someone who loves the fiber like we do, but then again, the fiberlovers are the only ones who'd make that connection from the name. :) (I was feeling quite snarky that day, can you tell? Hee!)

All right, I'm off to bed - talk amongst yourselves. :)

Damn naps...

So Kristine, Steph, Lara, and I are FINALLY done with inventory at the shop! While I was invited on a movie-date at ChezKristine, I was so beat that all I could do was go home and pass out. (Trust me, if I was that tired, I can imagine how Kristine must be feeling right about now...) Literally, that's all I did. Pass out, and woke up in time for Project Runway. (Priorities, you know.) Of course, how did I celebrate the end of inventory? Like this, naturally:

Yup, I opened a bottle of wine that Carol gifted me AGES ago (see Carol, I finally did it!) - which, by the was is FAB - and picked up a few somewhat mindless things to work on while vegging in front of the TV, hoping that ass Santino would be "auffed" this week.

Can anyone tell me what this might be??

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? (Hee! I love that damn movie... but I digress...) If you said "Well, it looks like it might be the beginnings of a toe-up Jaywalker", you'd be right! :)

As Steph is beginning her first set of Jaywalkers (Steph, notice I said "first" - these things are pretty addictive!) in some gorgeous Koigu she picked up at the shop on Saturday, I started thinking about making another pair. This time in Koigu and longer. So, I head on over to Cara's to find some directions on adapting the pattern to toe-up socks. Yes, I know that I've converted a ton of patterns for various things before and should be able to do it no problem... but remember, I said that I wanted a mindless knit. If someone's already done the work for me, then I don't have to think about it. LOL! But nothing is that easy. :) I cast on, did my short row toe and set up row for the pattern... I worked across the first pattern row and realize that I'm not going to like it for me. (There are a few differences in the stitch count and way the pattern looks. yes, I'm picky damnit. Y'all love me anyway. Hee!) So I spend the next 20 mins trying to figure out how I can adjust the stitch counts to get the numerous chevrons on fewer stitches. It worked, and I am generally pleased with the look. Plus, it's Koigu. I *heart* Koigu. I so wanted to keep the socks I made for Black Olive for myself, but I was good. And now I'll have some Koigu socks of my very own. ;) Why cast on for another pair just as I finished a pair? Well, I'll be taking a trip next month and wanted to make sure that I had a pair on the needles before I left. (More details on that later.)

Also worked on tonight: my Ibenholt. I love this cardigan, despite the 300+ stitches. Yes, this still qualifies as a mindless knit since I'm still in the twisted rib bit. Talk to me in a couple of days, I'll probably have another story to tell. :)

Isn't she pretty? I just finished the first ball of the Cashsoft tonight and can definitely say that I love working with it. By my estimate, I've got 3 more twists before I'm at 4" and can start on all the charts. Hopefully, I'll get some knitting time in on it in the next day or so... I can only knit a few rows at a time since I'm purposely knitting tighter on this and have over 300 stitches to knit each row. She's going to be beautiful, though. And probably done sometime before next winter.

Inventory itself was fine. Tiring, but fine. We would get a bit punchy at the end of each day, which would result in things like this:

See how perfectly I matched my outfit to my newly finished socks?? Aren't they pretty?


Beware of the owner when she's got the Louisa Harding ribbon in her hands... See how I'm hiding at the other end of the table? Or maybe I was laughing... I don't remember, lol!

I know, I mentioned a trip earlier... Kristine was great and let me have a long weekend off next month so I can head out to LA to see the boy I mentioned a couple of posts ago. For those that are interested, the date we had went well. Very well. Of course, he lives on the other side of the country. So, there's that. Hence the trip. :) So, since I'll be spending some time on planes next month, I needed a small project, right? After he left, we've spent the time emailing and texting each other like mad. He's a nice guy and seems excited to see me, so all is good, right? Right. He's even shown interest in my knitting. You know, asking questions - and actually listening! (Maeve and Erin can attest to this... they've met him.) So he's definitely earned some bonus points, lol.

ETA: I just realized that I never referenced the title... When passing out and taking an impromptu nap, be prepared to be up all fucking night b/c you can't get back to sleep. Even after a couple glasses of wine.

And the first FO's of 2006 are...

Yup, that's right, I said FO's - as in multiple, more than one! I know, where the hell did that come from? Hee! Okay, enough stalling - here we go!

First up, the first official FO of 2006 - the Jaywalker socks!

As always, please to ignore the super-white legs...

Are they not great?? I LOVE these socks! The socks were super-easy to knit and are comfy as hell! They're a bit big at the tops, but I'm okay with that.

Pattern: Jaywalker socks by Grumperina (from Magknits)
Yarn: Tess' Supersock Yarn - a pressie from Ann at Maryland Sheep and Wool
Needles: 2 US2 24" Addi Turbos
Time to complete: I cast on for these about 20 November and worked on them on and off for two months. The last sock was finished on 1 January.
Mods: I knit these on 2 circs instead of DPNs, made them a bit shorter, and added a short row heel instead of doing a heel flap. (I just dislike those heel flaps, lol.)
Fun Factor: Definitely lots of fun! I will most definitely knit these again... maybe just not as many as Cara has... Hee!

Next up, the Koigu-tis is finally done! (Thank heavens!) This made a perfect mindless knit - although it was a bit unwieldy towards the end, this thing was damn long! :) I do love it, though. It's soft, pretty and warm!

Why yes, that is a picture of me knitting on the Koigu-tis while wearing it... it was cold in the shop!

Pattern: Clapotis from Knitty Fall 2004
Yarn: 4 balls of Koigu KPPPM, colorway (crap, I can't find the ball band. I'll just have to update it tomorrow.)
Needles: US7 24" Addi Turbo circulars
Time to complete: Cast on - either 3 or 4 November, cast off - 4 January. Keep in mind that I put it down in favor of other projects for almost a month...
Mods: Well, there was the yarn substitution, of course, and the needles - I wasn't sure if the US7s would be too big, but I really like the fabric it creates! I cut out two increase/decrease rows and just knit it really long. (We're talking 24 straight rows... so really double the pattern...) I love it this way. The only problem is that it's going to take a bit of getting used to - I've gotten myself caught on things while trying to take it off. Hee!
Fun Factor: I loved it. While it's never going to win any fun prizes while knitting all those damn straight rows and the fact that the decrease rows seemed to take for-freakin-ever, it was the PERFECT mindless knit. I put this down for almost a month, picked it up and knew where I had left off in a matter of seconds.

So, what did I do after completing those? I cast on for another project, of course! (To borrow a phrase from Carol and Cindy, "hello, have you met me?") I cast on 300+ stitches tonight for my newest project: Ibenholt. No pictures yet, as it's only 3 rows big - this one's gonna take awhile, I can tell. Right now, it's taking me quite a long time to get across just one row. I'm sure it'll get quicker, but I'm damn impatient. :)

I know, I said that I'd have those Jaywalkers done before the New Year rang in, but I had a good excuse, really, I did! I spent my New Year's Eve with some good friends: Chelsea and Amy. Which was a great way to ring in the New Year. Thanks ladies - we will have to do it again soon!

I promised you pictures, didn't I?

Well, still no DSL here at the Stash - Verizon is on my shit list right about now, so Comcast will be getting a call from me tomorrow after I tell Verizon to shove it. After 6 calls in 3 days and no one can tell me what the hell is going on (I've got two different stories from 9 different people), I'm fed up. Damn Verizon. All I want is fast internet, what do I have to do? So, here I sit with dial-up... but I promised y'all pictures, and I'm going to come through on that!

You may be asking what the hell that is... Well, it would be a completed Flower Basket Shawl!! Yup, a FO! (The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that the lifelines are, indeed, still in the shawl. The even sharper might notice that the lifelines were Koigu. As I explained to Erika the other day, I left the lifelines in b/c it made me feel that there was actual progress made. The Koigu? Well, it was left over from the socks I made Paula and definitely wasn't enough to do anything else with... so why not use it for some nice lifelines? Trust me, it's nicer to rip back to Koigu than sewing thread. LOL!) In fact, it's a Christmas FO! I finished this afternoon while watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on ABCFamily. (Hey, it was the version with all the cut scenes in it, so good times were had. lol.) Once the movie was over, a bathing and blocking party was had.

Yup, we really know how to party at the Stash. Hee! It always amazes me at how lace grows when it's being blocked. I even think that it's still quite pretty despite all the flaws. (Apparently, when I copied the pattern, the shaded boxes indicating no stitches didn't come through. I thought that I had caught all of them - until I was in the last repeat of the pattern and realized that Row 5 had been wrong the entire time... maybe that's why my stitch count was off in a few places? You think?) Luckily, this is being gifted to my sister, who is not a knitter, and she'll be touched that I knit anything for her. She's been hinting for quite a while for me to knit something... and while it's not a sweater, it's still a knitted something, right? :)

Pattern: Flower Basket Shawl from IK Winter 2004 (I think)
Yarn: 2 balls - Misti Alpaca Laceweight, held doubled throughout (I wound them both together into one ball and have a quarter of that left.)
Needles: US7 Addi Naturas - I definitely prefer knitting with the Naturas when it comes to lace.
Time to complete: I cast on Friday, 3 December and completed it Sunday, 12 December. I would have had it done sooner, but I got caught up in other knitting that needed to be done.
Mods: Other than the little hiccup about Row 5 in the Lower Basket pattern, none were made! I know, will wonders never cease?
Fun/Ease Factor: (My nod to Phyl-Phyl, lol.) Very fun and quite easy once you get into the groove of the pattern. Even knitting across the 200+ stitches, I couldn't believe that it was still fun and interesting. I'd definitely recommend it to others!

On the FO front, another Christmas FO!

A simple garter stitch scarf for my youngest (she's 18! Eek!) niece. Or at least that's who I think I'll be gifting it to now. Size 17 needles, a couple of hours (about 3 episodes of Gilmore Girls on DVD) and a Christmas present is done!

Pattern: Just simple garter stitch over an assload of stitches.
Yarn: 1 Be Sweet Magic Ball in Purple Haze
Needles: US17 Addi Naturas, 32"
Time to complete: Three episodes of Gilmore Girls... I kept getting interrupted. :)
Fun/Ease Factor: Definitely an easy, fun knit - especially if you just want to knit and not think too much about it. ;)

Of course, after talking to my sister, apparently my older niece has been hinting about something knitted. ::sigh:: She may have to wait for her birthday.

So, with two FOs under my belt, and completely ignoring any other knitting that has been languishing, I continued working on my Jaywalker socks as a reward. When I picked up the sock, I realized that I couldn't remember the pattern! Luckily, I had a couple of copies right in front of me and after one glance, I remembered it and motored along.

So, tomorrow is being dedicated as a day for Christmas shopping and catching up on some of that languishing knitting. (Mainly because I think that I'm hearing it plan to overtake the other knitting. Man, that yarn has got a loud voice! Hee!)

By now, I'm sure that all of you have heard about Ann's good news. Congrats hon! (If you haven't heard or congratulated her, well get on over to her blog to read all about it! Hee!) Well, while she and JT were in Hawaii, having all that fun, I was here in cold DC, keeping an eye on their place. (Really, I loved doing it.) So, to thank me, she and JT brought me back a little bit of Hawaii:

Isn't it fab? A fun lei (in PINK, of course), a yummy scented candle (which the Irregulars all proclaimed smelled like cake, yum!), a fun journal, oatmeal and honey soap, and to top it all off, a jar of delicious Lilikoi jelly! Ann told me when she gave it to me that it tasted like Hawaii... if this is what Hawaii tastes like, I'm moving there!

I'm sure there was something else I was supposed to update on, but... well, I just can't think of it. Call it Christmas-In-Retail brain. I can barely remember 5 minutes ago, much less something I need to remember to update about, unless I write it down. LOL! Makes for horrible updating of the Stash, but the CIR brain is great at work - we get so busy, that we're going from one customer to the next so quickly, that there just isn't a chance to forget anything! ;)

Is that a FO and a half I see??

Okay, no smart-ass comments about it being forever and a day since I last posted. I know it has. I'm a bad, bad blogger. Yet y'all still read me. So you must love me... or something. ;)

But look... To make up for the non-blogging, I have a FO! A real, actual FO! (I know, who woulda thunk it, right?) Granted, it was an easy FO, and somewhat boring, but it was exactly what I needed.

Yup, it's another One Skein Wonder - with lots of mods! Stefanie used a yarn that gets a completely different gauge than the one I used. I used a skein of Brooks Farm Duet yarn (500 yards!! Woo!) - I thought that I was going to run out towards the end, so I purchased a ball of Rowan Kid Classic in a perfect brown color to match all the browns and pinks in the shrug. Anyways, the people at Brooks Farm say that Duet should be a DK weight yarn, when I bought it at Maryland Sheep and Wool, they told me it should be a worsted. I ended up getting 4.5sts/in on US8s and I like the look it has. Other than the fact that it sheds like no one's business. :) It's soft and warm, not itchy at all! With the gauge difference, I ended up knitting the largest size to get a slightly larger shrug. (If you remember my last encounter with the pattern, I measured 16.5" across my back, knit that and it was WAY too small.) According to my calculations, I should have gotten a shrug that was 17 or so inches across... it ended up being about 18. No biggie, but I found that it kept slipping back on my shoulders and I was adjusting it all day. I also lengthened the sleeves to full-length and belled them out.

I also unofficially joined another KAL - the Jaywalker KAL! I'm using some gorgeous Tess' Designer Yarn that was purchased for me at Maryland Sheep and Wool... Ann gave me this beautiful yarn and I finally found the perfect pattern for it! It had a short life as a mostly finished socklette, but I wasn't happy with how the heels turned out (one of my first experiments with a short row heel), so when I found this pattern, I ripped out the socklette and re-cast on for Jaywalker. I cast on for it the other week and finally sat down with it over the holiday and finished one sock!

Isn't it purrrty? (Please to ignore the really white leg...) The only thing about socks is that you have to knit another one. But, in the meantime, I'm sitting here at the computer wearing my one sock, happy as can be. I'll get around to casting on for it, probably just not this week. I was totally skeptical that this pattern would work in fitting my foot - I generally cast on 16 sts fewer than called for and my sock ends up nice and snug - but the chevrons pull the yarn in nicely for a decent fit. I made these about an inch shorter than called for and I like them muchly that way. (Now to remember all of what I did when it comes to casting on for the second sock...)

I've also been working on a scarf for the shop... We got in the Ella Rae book 2 which focuses on KFI's Angora and Whisper yarns. I grabbed some angora and decided to cast on for the Herringbone Lace Rib scarf - and immediately found an error. What're the odds of that? LOL! (If anyone wants to know what the error actually was, just email me at knitgirl at gmail dot com.) Once I got that figured out, it's been going along swimmingly.

It's an easy pattern, easy to memorize and knit while things are going on all around. If you happen by the shop and see me knitting, there's a 99% chance that this is what I'll be working on. :) The scarf is actually about twice as long as pictured now. It tends to go quickly once you're in a groove. I completed most of the second ball while watching the Season 2 Gilmore Girls DVDs this past week. (Just prepping for the Season 5 DVDs that should arrive next week from Amazon... Woot!)

An aside: I uploaded a ton of CDs to the iPod last night and finally took a look at how many songs I have on there. I have 35.9 days worth of music on there! Who knew I owned that much? I'm not even halfway through my CD collection yet! EEK! Well, if I'm ever stranded anywhere, I'll at least have some good tunes to listen to, right?

What?? It's an update??

Why, yes... yes it is an update! I know, will wonders never cease? ;) Thanks everyone for being so patient with me lately - and definitely for showing how much you care. Not only did I receive comments, I got a couple emails and visits from a few of you asking me what was wrong and if there was anything you could do to help. So thank you. It has really meant a lot for me. To make a long story very short, after 2.5 years, my bf and I are no longer together. I'm doing fine. Really, I am. I have a great support system of friends who have made it a point to be there for me. I've ridden the emotional rollercoaster for a few weeks now and am finally ready to get off.

Now, onto what this blog is all about: the knitting! Why yes, I have been knitting. I even have a FO to show for it all!

Is that... could it be? YES! Finished Sockapal2za socks! My sock pal mentioned that she loved the blues and greens in the Koigu color palette - so I decided she should have some Koigu socks! I have loved getting to know her through her blog. (I'm not saying who she is until she's received the package, lol.) In the finishing of the socks, I started looking for a suitable prezzie to add in the package... and these two skeins of Lorna's Laces in the Seaside colorway just jumped out at me. I'm just really hoping she likes it all. Hopefully the package will go out in the mail tomorrow or Thursday - so hopefully, she'll receive it by the end of the week. :)

I've also been working on a baby sweater. My next-door neighbor's kid just had a baby... and what a cutie she is! I was volunteered to knit a sweater - and in many discussions with the person who volunteered me, we decided on the Lottie sweater from the Rowan Juniors book. The big problem? The sweater is in 4-ply. Luckily, I love working in 4-ply... and it gives me a chance to work with the lurrrvely Rowan Cashsoft 4-ply. It's a relatively quick knit.

I took the picture this past weekend - all this came from one ball! I bought 3 balls, but am seriously thinking that I won't have to break into the 3rd ball. Since this picture was taken, I've finished all the pieces for the sweater and just have to finish blocking the sleeve and other front before seaming and knitting the button bands.

While I was on my short hiatus, I even helped teach my best friend how to knit! She is taking lunchtime classes from someone she works with, but has come to me for extra help. Am I ever glad to help out! I don't think I've ever been more proud of her - she struggled to understand the motions and the look on her face when it all became clear was definitely worth it! Tonight I got together with her at the local Starbucks to teach her how to purl - by the time we left, she was purling like a pro! (Is it a bad thing that I admited to one of the Baristas that I am a Starbucks Junkie? LOL!)