Quiet Weekend

What an uneventful weekend! The weather was very blah--super foggy with some occasional rain. We watched a couple movies and relaxed. I love quiet weekends.

I spent yesterday trying to get the smell of bleach off my hands after cleaning up some sand dollars found at the beach. If you go to the right part of the beach at the right time, then there are lots to be found. I have always loved them, and I'm thinking about putting some in a shadow box for the bathroom.

There has been quite a bit of knitting done over the past few days as well. I'm starting to get shoulder pain--that can't be a good sign! I finally bound off my Cavern Cardi, which just needs the finishing touches before it's complete.

I also started a new pattern, the All-Season Shell. I had the called for yarn, which was purchased at a going out of business sale. If it hadn't been so cheap, I probably wouldn't have bought it. I can't resist a good bargain though. Anyway, this seemed like a good way to use it up--something simple that I'll actually wear. I think the name is funny. Is it just me, or is a shell something you wear under a suit with pearls?

Tonight I'm going to start the sleeves for my hourglass sweater. I'm having a hard time getting motivated to work on this pattern, but I think once I get going it will progress quickly.

Center Square

My first fair-isle project is complete! This was such a fun project and very quick, too--finished in just two nights. I'm looking forward to trying this technique again on a more complex project.

Center Square by Knitty.com
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool
Needles: US11 DPNs
Mods: none

I'm very happy with how this turned out, much better than I expected with my first fair-isle project. I think I did a fairly good job of maintaining even tension, although it was tricky with the DPNs.

My one problem with this hat is that it is too long. My gauge was off, and this was the unfortunate result. It is still wearable, although it's a bit large on me it fits my husband (the reluctant model). I may try to shrink it down a bit with some hot water.

Speaking of water, when the hat was finished I soaked it with a little detergent. This yarn has a really strong wet dog smell when wet... ugh. I think it needs another really good soak to get rid of that.

All in all, a great pattern. I would definitely recommend this as a first project for someone who wants to try fair-isle.

In other knitting news, I've joined the new Hourglass Knit-along. I started this sweater many months ago, but it was deserted as I became more excited about other projects. I'm hoping this will kick start me into finishing it.

Just for Fun!

Cupcakes from One Skein by Leigh Radford
You can also find a free pattern here.

This was a fun and quick project using odds and ends of yarn, buttons and beads from my stash. I had a great time picking out the "sprinkles". I think they would make a really cute birthday present.

Knitting... in Two Colors!

When I saw this pattern, I knew that I had to try it. It was just so cute. Which meant that I had to learn fair-isle knitting... something that has really intimidated me. It just looks so hard.

I'm not usually afraid of trying a new technique--I tend to jump right in with nary a swatch (not always so smart). The thought of working with more than one color was different though. It looks so complex.

I was determined to at least try, because there are so many patterns I would like to knit. This seemed like the perfect starter project with its chunky yarn and only two colors. First I taught myself to knit the English way, which really wasn't so bad, just slow, slow, slow. I'm sure I would speed up with practice, but I've always knit Continental style, so it was a little awkward.

I decided to jump right in after that, and start the hat. You know what? It really wasn't that hard at all. My main issues were joining in the new color of yarn (what is the best way? tie it on?) and keeping my tension even. It probably would have been even easier if I hadn't been juggling the DPNs, but I don't really like short circular needles either. For all the awkwardness of knitting with two hands it went pretty quickly--the photo shows just a few hours work.

I spent the rest of the night admiring my work while watching Tsotsi (I highly recommend it--but it has subtitles, so no knitting) with my husband. Afterward, he said that he thought I kept looking at him during the movie, but whenever he turned to look at me I was looking at my hat sitting between us on the couch. Guilty! I'm so glad I finally tried this--there really wasn't anything to be afraid of after all.

Camisole Tube Complete

The Camisole Tube is finished--mostly because I was knitting non-stop like a crazy woman on it. I finished it in exactly one week (not counting two days of starting and restarting). Whew!

I bought this as kit about a year ago, and it sat there while more exciting things were being knit. This wasn't on my to do list last week either, but I noticed it while going through my yarn, and I decided needed a change from the sweater I had been working on.

Camisole Tube
Pattern by Stephanie Japel (Glampyre.com)
Yarn: TLC Cotton Plus
Needles: US7 body & US4ribbing
Mods: I added an extra pattern repeat before the lower ribbing.

The agonizing details:
Despite the simple pattern I got off to a rough start. I thought I had cast on for the size small, but realized shortly after finishing the top ribbing that I didn't have enough stitches. I had cast on for the extra small... so rip, rip, rip.

So I cast on again for the size small. When I started doing the rows of yarnovers, they didn't look open enough. Now, I have always had a feeling that I wasn't doing yarnovers properly, despite having done them in a few projects. After a quick search of the internet and a pattern swatch, this was confirmed. I feel like something of an idiot for not knowing how to do this, but in my defense, I taught myself how from a book--apparently I misinterpreted something.

At this point, I ripped back up to the a few rows below the ribbing. I decided to try it on before putting it back on the needles, and it was way too big. So I had to completely start over yet again, and cast on for the size I had originally (supposedly mistakenly) cast on for. I am truly amazed that I even restarted at this point.

Everything progressed smoothly after that, however. I learned to make bobbles for the first time, which was fun. The only thing I would change would be to add a few more rows of stockinette before starting the ribbing. I think it looks strange with the way it is now, but I'm OK with it.

All in all, I'm very happy with the end result. This is perfect for the weather here since it is light, but will provide a little extra warmth. I'm picturing it paired with cuffed jeans and my favorite espadrilles. All I need now is some sandal weather!

Moving Right Along

My camisole tube is really shaping up quickly--especially since I stopped making silly mistakes. I am just about to start the lower ribbing. I will probably add one more pattern repeat first though... I'm still undecided.

This is a somewhat distorted photo, but it's difficult to photograph yourself! I have a tripod somewhere that I'll have to dig up. Can you make out the four rows of bobbles? Each bobble row also has a row of yarnovers in between.

The yarn is a real el-cheapo variety. I purchased this as a kit, and I probably wouldn't have picked it out myself. I've been pleasantly surprised with it though--it's a cotton blend with a slight gloss and isn't too hard on the hands. Even though the top part of this was ripped twice, the yarn isn't showing any wear or pilling.

The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous, so we were out a lot this weekend. I saw two women knitting in public yesterday. The first on was with a friend at a local bar, and the second was part of a wacky, older hippie couple we saw at a coffee house. She only knit a few rows before they stood up and began hugging and kissing over their table. It was quite the scene. You've got to love San Francisco!

Mmm...

Apart from knitting, one of my favorite things to do is cook. I love to try new recipes or concoct my own dishes. Last night I made something new--Lasagna Soup. I saw a link for this on someone's blog a while ago (unfortunately, I don't remember who) and bookmarked it.

It turned out very well, evidenced by the fact that Joel ate half the pot. I substituted veggie sausage for the Italian sausage since I don't eat meat. I think you could cut that out all together and just add more vegetables, like zucchini or mushrooms, instead. Anyway, it was delicious!

Another new recipe I made yesterday was Instant Chai Mix, found on the Knitting Nurse's website. Chai is one of my favorite drinks, so I had to try that. It was very simple to make, tastes great, and is better than other recipes I've tried. Now I can have some whenever I wish.

In knitting news: I've started a new pattern, the Camisole Tube from Stephanie Japel. To say that this has been frustrating is an understatement. It's not that the pattern is difficult. I just made a lot of really stupid mistakes, and had to restart 3 times. Ugh. When I finally cast on the third and final time, I accidentally cut the wrong yarn--the one that was attached to the ball! There was no way I was casting on again, so I just winged it and joined the yarn back in. No progress photos because they just aren't that exciting, but this promises to be a quick knit.

Unexpected Finished Object

This sweater, last seen here, has been lingering for months. The reason? I did not have the correct needle to finish the neck. Now, I've bought other needles since then, but for some reason, I just wouldn't buy this needle.

So it has sat there, taunting me. Two days ago I decided I must finish it ASAP. Since I still did not have the required circular needle, I decided to use some DPNs and wing it. There were some dropped stitches here and there (the DPNs were too short, which is why I hadn't used them before), but once I got going I finished in no time.

After I weaved in about a million ends, it was done. The funny thing is that this would have been a really quick project if I hadn't set it aside. Sometimes it's the little things that hold you up though.

Pattern: Cables in Chamonix from The Yarn Girls Guide to Beyond the Basics
Yarn: GGH Savanna
Needles: US8 (the pattern called for 10.5!)

I'm very happy with how this turned out. The yarn (a blend of alpaca, linen, new wool and nylon) is soft and lofty, making for a lightweight but very warm sweater. Hopefully, we get a cold day here so I can actually wear it!

The one downfall is that it is too short. I do have a little yarn left, so I may try to remedy that. Most likely though, I will just wear it with a longer shirt underneath.

Here is a closeup of the cable rib pattern, all done without a cable needle. I love doing cables--they make such an impact with very little effort. I can't wait to try a more complex pattern, perhaps Shedir from Knitty.

Heart on Display

While driving near a local college, I happened to look out the window, and what did I see? A giant heart with a knitted cozy. I quickly snapped a picture before we drove away.

Apparently, this is all part of a local art installation, and at one point, there were other hearts on display throughout the city. This particular one was created by artist Adele Louise Shaw. She knit the cozy out of polypropylene rope using hardwood handrails from a construction site.

According to Ms. Shaw's website, she is designing and knitting seasonal cozies so the heart can be well-dressed year round. At one point, the heart even wore a knitted bra, which was stolen. Wouldn't you love to know what they are doing with that?

All done!

Garter Stitch Scarf
Yarn: 2 balls GGH Amelie in color Teal
Needles: US8 straights

A quick and easy garter stitch scarf made with a soft, fluffy yarn. My original plans were a little more grand, but the yarn called for something simple. The scarf is shown with a vintage pin from my collection.

I'm glad this is finished. It was a little boring to knit, but I know I'll wear it.

Shades of Blue

I have been feeling blue lately, thanks in part to Project Spectrum. From a perfect sky to the dark ocean to a fuzzy, soft yarn... I'm enjoying it all.

Yesterday, I headed to San Jose with my husband on business (his). So of course, I had to pack a few things. I may have been a little overly ambitious, but a girl can never be too prepared.

I have been able to accomplish very little car knitting since moving to California. There always seems to be something new and beautiful to see, even if you are driving on the interstate. Yesterday was no exception, so I simply enjoyed the drive.

Once we arrived, I was on my own. So after wandering around for a while and deciding there wasn't much to see, I pulled out my knitting. I had started a simple garter stitch scarf on the drive out west, and that was what I decided to work on.

The yarn is a lovely, soft faux-mohair that is somewhat difficult to work with. I had originally planned on doing something more interesting with it, but after swatching a few different ideas it seemed best to switch to something super simple. This is the first time I've made a garter stitch scarf, believe it or not. My mom taught me both knit and purl stitches right away, so I did a lot of stockinette when I first learned to knit. I have a number of curly scarves to show for it.

When Joel's second meeting ended I was left with only a few yards to go. I was a little sad to pack it away when I was so close, but that may give me the motivation to finally finish it.

I also packed the sweater I have been working on, but it never made it out of the bag.

I finished the body the night before, so I'm ready to start the sleeves. I'd hoped to make it a little longer, but I'm worried about running out of yarn. I'm really happy with how this is turning out. I even like the mis-matchy stripe effect. My goal is to finish this in the next week, so I can move on to something else. Maybe something that has been sitting around for a while.

Can we get some heat in here?

I have been freezing all day. I keep adding more layers, but it doesn't seem to help. One of the more unique features of our new apartment is the lack of central heat. Instead, we have what appears to be a giant space heater in the hall between the two bedrooms.

Now, I'm not sure if this is normal for San Francisco apartments or not. I've never lived in an apartment that did not have central heat before, but it's usually just warm enough here that you don't need much heat. Maybe it's a California thing, but somehow I don't think so.

Thankfully, I came across an afgan my mom knit for me while unpacking some boxes yesterday. This should be the perfect thing for keeping the chill away. I could also go for a roaring fire, but that is just wishful thinking.

Something New

The weather here has turned chilly and wet. I can't complain, because although San Francisco is known for being rainy at this time of year, the weather has been unexpectedly nice. Before moving here, I pictured constant rain storms, but I've been pleasantly surprised.

One thing that has interested me, is how one area of the city can be warm and sunny and another cool and foggy. It's hard to dress for that! The area we live in is known for being foggy, but so far it hasn't been too bad. I love to watch the fog roll in though. You can actually see it moving--so different from the fog I'm used to which didn't seem to be coming from anywhere. It was just there.

I've started a new sweater, the colors of which remind me of this dreary day. It's another top-down pattern, which was not intentional. After our boxes arrived, I started going through my yarn and came across a rather unfortunate sweater I had knit in last spring. About the same time, I came across a pattern I had printed out a while ago. I wanted to start something for Project Spectrum, so I spent the night frogging the sweater, and started it the next day.

I think the gauge is too tight for the yarn, since it's a bit stiff, but I'm happy with how it looks anyway. I'd like to edit the pattern slightly and do straight sleeaves for a more noticeable bell effect. Hopefully, I have enough yarn for that.

I also started my Jaywalker socks about a week ago. There hasn't been too much progress, mainly because I've been focused on other things. So far so good, although once again I didn't do a gauge swatch. I did go down a needle size though, since I tend to knit loose. We'll see how that goes.

The yarn is really pretty (more dark berry and less fushia than in the photo), and the pattern is fun. I made a few small mistakes, but decided to ignore them.

I've also had a lot of fun going through boxes and unpacking all my yarn, knitting books and other craft items. It's almost like getting something new. My new craft nook is small and disorganized, but it still makes me happy to have access to everything again. My next job will be to organize the rest of my yarn, all of my magazines and most of my needles, all of which is currently being stored in the living room.

The Joy of the Couch

Yesterday, our belongings finally arrived in San Francisco. It is so nice to have stuff again. Our butts had become so sore from sitting on the floor, that we went to Target and bought an inflatable love seat. I can't wait to pull that thing out on camping trips.

Of course, now that it is all here, the unpacking begins. The morning was spent arranging and rearranging the living room furniture. Unlike our old, huge Chicago apartment, the space is a little tighter here. We no longer have a separate kitchen, living room and dining room, now we have a Kitchen/ Dining Room/ Living Room. I'm very happy with our apartment though, especially considering what some of the options were.

The most difficult room to tackle will be the extra bedroom. Although I did manage to clear a space to the computer, I think most of the boxes will have to be removed before much else can be done. There are a lot of things that need to be crammed into this room!

Well, back to my boxes...

Something Sweet

Happy Valentines Day!

This afternoon I spent some time driving around San Francisco, and I discovered a few things. My original plan was to pick up a magazine, eat lunch at the mall and then come home, but I took a detour on the route home.

I ended up driving along the beach on the road Joel and I have been wondering how to get onto. It was beautiful. The road takes a steep curve by the Cliff House, and another amazing view appears. As I drove around the block to turn around, I pulled over and got out. As I walked down a trail, I noticed another road leading to an overlook. So I got back in the car. This road led to an amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It was windy and cold, and being the wimpy girl that I am, I did not take any of the trails which I'm sure would have led to an even better view. I think that will be more fun when I can go with Joel anyway.

I also got to enjoy the sunset from our living room window. The view from our apartment is fairly good, and includes a small bit of the Pacific on the clear day, the trees of Golden Gate Park, the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods, and a number of backyards. I particularly enjoy checking out our neighbors' backyards.

Last Sunday one neighbor hung out two pairs of ladies briefs to dry on coat hangers. It was an amusing sight. Personally, I prefer to dry that sort of thing indoors, but to each his own. I also wondered why there were only two pairs.

Finally, here is a picture of my finished cardigan. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I had to chop off my head due to an unfortunate facial expression.

Pattern: Sunkist Cardi from Through the Loops!
Yarn: Auracania Nature Cotton

Mods: I stopped the raglan increases and inch or two short of the pattern directions. I also added button holes, a first for me!

This was a really fun and quick sweater to knit. The best thing about top down sweaters is that there is very little finishing to do except weave in a few ends. I also found out the reason it is usually recommended that you alternate skeins of hand-dyed yarn every few rows! You can definitely tell on the body of the sweater where I switched skeins, but I'm ok with that. I did alternate on the sleeves though, since the effect probably wouldn't have been as nice there.

Westward, Ho!

We made it! After not seeing my husband for a month, it was great to spend the long drive from Chicago to San Francisco with him. I don't think I drove him too crazy with my backseat driving, although I'm sure that is one thing he didn't miss about me!






What Cheer, Iowa








As expected, the ride through Iowa and Nebraska was a little dull. That was the only time I got any knitting done. I finished half of a scarf for Project Spectrum, and finished most of the body of my Sunkist Cardi. I had knit a good bit of this sweater before we embarked on our trip, and it seemed like a good car project. It was, until I noticed dark pink fuzz all over my coat--and I mean completely covering it. For the rest of the day, I was totally embarrassed to leave the car. Thankfully, I was able to pick up a lint roller that night. Needless to say, that was the last time I picked it up on the trip. I finished the sweater this morning, and I'm hoping to post some finished pics soon.






Cowboy Country (Cheyenne, Wyoming)








The drive through Nebraska was windy, but nothing prepared us for Wyoming. When we arrived at the Motel 6 in Cheyenne Thursday night, it was well below zero and crazy windy. Some of the worst weather I've ever experienced. The next morning was not much better, although it was clear and sunny out. Cheyenne has a charming downtown and was much more cosmopolitan than expected. I enjoyed a chai latte and cherry scone for breakfast, and we had fun checking out the vintage motel signs before leaving town.











Joel braving the cold.











After leaving Cheyenne, the real fun began--for Joel that is. Even though the weather was clear, the wind was so strong that it was kicking up all the snow. At times the road was a complete white out. This continued for the majority of the drive through Wyoming. We kept seeing signs saying "I-80 Closed When Flashing", but the road was open for travel. We wondered how much worse it had to get before they closed the road. I'd hate to be there during a snow storm!




Crazy Wyoming weather!























































Even though the weather was insane, Wyoming was beautiful. I didn't get any knitting done, because I didn't want to miss anything. I spent the rest of the trip taking an obscene amount of pictures. More to come soon!

Distractions

I've been thinking a lot about the projects I want to take on the drive from Chicago to San Francisco. Nothing too crazy, but whatever I take has to last about 3 weeks, since that is how long it will take for our things to arrive. Since I'll be looking for a job, I will also have a lot of free time on my hands. I am envisioning lots of knitting time.

I meant to do a guage swatch for the Sunkist Cardi, pack the needles and yarn, and work on it in the car. Once I started I couldn't stop though. I'm loving the yarn, even though it's cotton and it's freezing here. There are subtle variations in the color, and it is so soft.

Today I created a pile of possible projects for the trip. It is laughably huge. Currently, I have four sweaters on the needles, including the cardi. One is almost finished and the others have been sitting for a while. The pile also includes numerous other projects. Since we also have to fit a lot of our belongings in the car, I'm going to have to cut back a bit. Did I mention we have a very small car?

At Long Last

This purse has been sitting around, 95% complete, for months now. All that was left to do was to finish one of the straps, and then connect the two together.

When I saw this recycled silk yarn on sale at a local yarn shop, I knew I had to try it. I had seen a pattern calling for it, and it looked fun. It was an enjoyable project, but by the time I got to that last strap, I had lost interest.

For one thing, the yarn is difficult to knit with. It is very beautiful and has an almost oily feel, but there is no give. Also, this is a little too hippy for me--I probably should have considered that before starting. The yarn also sheds like crazy. I'm still finding little bits of fiber in the strangest place, not to mention all over many of the knitting projects that have shared the same knitting bag with this purse.

Last week I rediscovered it. The finished bag is very pretty, so I am happy with how it turned out--finally. I overlapped the two straps, instead of grafting the stitches as the pattern called for, and attached a vintage button to the top. I'm not sure what, if anything, this will be used for since it is very floppy, but it feels good to cross it off my list.

Socks: The Pair

The second sock has been completed. I worked on this sock whenever I had the chance, and it was finished fairly quickly. Especially compared to the first sock which took 4 months!

The socks are not without issues. For one thing, one is larger than the other. This is especially noticeable in the ribbing. They are both a little big in general, but not so bad that I won't wear them. There are also little mistakes throughout both socks--none of which is too noticeable. I'm not sure I've mastered the Kitchener Stitch either, but the toes turned out ok, so who knows?

I never did a guage swatch for these socks, so that may be where some of my problems lie. One of the reasons for this is that I didn't have the next size smaller needles, so I just decided to wing it. Probably not the best idea, considering I am a somewhat loose knitter. Also, these are the smallest needles I've ever knit with, and I think the thought of using smaller than a size 2 turned me off at the time.

All things considered, I love the socks and I learned so much working on them. It's always fun to learn a new technique or two.

I'm already planning my next sock project. I've been looking for a pattern for some Trekking XXL that I picked up around Thanksgiving. I was originally going to use this for a pair of mittens, but I've changed my mind. Last night I found the perfect pattern (named Rhodie, and found here), but the method involves using 2 circular needles. This would involve buying more needles and learning a new technique amidst all my packing and general moving craziness, so I'm not sure. Maybe I will try to convert it to DPNs. I also have some Fleece Artist, which I want to use for a pair of Jaywalkers, so maybe I will focus on those instead.

The drive to San Francisco is coming up in a week and three days. Let the countdown begin! This week I am going to choose my projects for the drive. As long as I can avoid car sickness, I will be knitting practically nonstop for 4 days straight. That is definitely something to forward to!

More on the Sock

First... I finished my sock! I'm very excited and proud. I keep trying it on and admiring it. I immediately cast on for the second sock, and I'm making great progress. I'll post a picture when the second sock has been completed. Hopefully, it will not take as long as the first sock did.

Second, I've decided to join Project Spectrum. Project Spectrum is an exploration of the color wheel with specific colors for each two month period. The February/March colors are blue, white and grey.


I am on a very strict budget due to my impending move, so at least for the first two months, I will be knitting from the stash. I have some slubby, hand-dyed yarn which I think would make a pretty drop stitch scarf. It is blue and green though, so I'm not sure if that qualifies. I also have some GGH Amelie, which is kind of fuzzy and very soft. I only have two balls though--maybe a pillow. There is also my Hourglass Sweater--I got sidetracked from that some time ago.

I'm focusing on blue, because I do not have any white or grey in the stash. There might be some off-white though. I'll have to get creative--which is the whole point.

Sock Progress

I made a lot of progress on my sock today. It even joined me in listening to Bush give his spiel.

Now that I've restarted it, I have to say that it is exciting. When I first started knitting, I wondered why anyone would knit a sock. It just seemed tedious and illogical. Why not just buy a $5 pair? Then I started reading other knitter's blogs, and I thought I'd give it a try.

While it has been tedious at some points, I've also learned a lot. I'm on a roll and hoping to finish this sock soon. I may or may not knit the second sock, but I can't wait to tell people (non-knitters) that I knit a sock. I can only imagine their reactions.



BTW... yes, that is a hole by the heel flap. I missed a spot when I was picking up stitches. The plan is to stitch it shut when I'm finished.

My First Sock

I have been knitting this sock since early September/late August. It has been so long, that I can't remember when I started it anymore. Originally, this was going to be my "bedside table project" that I would knit before going to sleep.

For any number of reasons, there hasn't been much progress. About a month ago, I started a book that I can't seem to put down. Needless to say, there hasn't been much bedside knitting since.

I've also been somewhat uninspired by the pattern. I rediscovered the sock today and tried it on. It does look nice, although I'm not sure about the colors. It's a good first sock though I would imagine. The yarn is like string, but feels ok knit up.

I keep telling myself to get through this pattern, because I have some Fleece Artist yarn that I want to use to make some Jaywalkers. The colorway is much nicer than the one I'm currently working with, and the yarn feels great.

I'm nearing the home stretch for this first sock, and I've regained interest for now. Hopefully, I will finish before something more exciting comes along. I don't know if the second sock will ever get knit, but at the very least this has been a good practice.

Last Christmas Hurrah

My sister and her boyfriend visited Chicago over the past two days, and we were able to exchange our handmade Christmas presents. Here is a picture of her modeling her scarf. She really seemed to like it, and even wore it a few times.

She gave me a recipe box, and included some of her favorite recipes. I love cooking, so this was a great gift for me. We are going to start a new Christmas tradition of exchanging 10 of our favorite recipes each year. I was very curious to see what kind of gift she would come up with, since she is not the crafty type. I was pleasantly surprised.

Here is a picture of me with my recipe box.


It has been an interesting weekend. My sister and I have always had a difficult relationship; we are very different, and have not always gotten along very well. As long as we avoid certain sujects things are fine. There were a few tense moments, like when she said that a lot of my belongings "were kind of ghetto" (gee, thanks!), and when I dared to bring up her smoking (always a touchy subject). Overall, it was pretty fun though.

I have to say that I'm glad 2006 is almost over. It has been a difficult year. 2007 is going to bring with it many big changes, and I'm looking forward to a new start.

Happy New Year!

Knitting the Night Away

It's not often that I knit the night away in front of the fireplace. In fact, it never really happens, but it does make for a good photo.

I finally weaved in the ends on my sister's scarf. This took two minutes at the most, but apart from this, the scarf was finished about three weeks ago. If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll block it. The yarn is amazing, and I can't wait to use it again.

This picture was taken early in the evening, before the movie and the wine, and before the candles dripped all over the place. The sleeve is now seventeen inches, and according to the pattern, it's time to start shaping the top. I may decide to add an inch or two yet, but I'll let the wine wear off before I make any hasty decisions.

Almost there, well sorta...

No photos today, but I'm excited to report that the front of Cables in Chamonix is complete. The first sleeve has been started, too.

This sweater has come along very quickly--especially considering that it hasn't had my complete attention. My goal for this weekend is to finish it up, or at least the various parts. Then comes seaming. Can't wait for that! Ha ha...

I am a little worried that it won't be the most flattering; it's made with a somewhat chunky yarn and will be quite form-fitting. It will be interesting to see the final result. At least I'm prepared.

Next on the list is some holiday knitting. I really need to get on that. Since I will heading to Florida next Thursday, I don't have much time left. So much for planning ahead.

As if I need more patterns...

The new Knitty is up! I've been wondering when it would appear. There are some cute patterns. My favorite is Corazon--I've been wanting to try Fair Isle, so maybe I will give it a go with these mittens. I also like Center Square, Argosy, Monkey and Emerald.

Actually, if I have time to knit any of these it will be a miracle. Between trying to rent the apartment, getting rid of half of what we own, and packing, I should be pretty busy. And that doesn't even include my current knitting projects!

Today I took pictures of the apartment. This is the best it has looked since we moved in. Most likely, we will be moving from a large 2 bedroom to a small 1 bedroom, so it will be an adjustment. The hardest part will be deciding what to get rid of...

Cross-Country Calling

Not much has been going on around here--unless you count an impending move to San Francisco. Yes, the hubby is being transfered. He's already there, and I'll be joining him in about 2 months.

Apparently, he used my camera to take some parting shots. This one could be captioned, "Crap! It's 8am, I haven't packed anything, and we're leaving in 4.5 hours!"

Since he left, I have embarked on something of a craft extravaganza. There has been knitting, button wreath making, sewing and more. Now I just need to focus on completing something. It's the little things like weaving in ends and tying a bow that somehow seem to languish for a week or more.

So, my goal for this week is to finish a few things and focus on everything else. Let's see how it goes...