Picovoli for Sexy Knitters Club KAL

Okay, I thought at first I wouldn't be able to do this knit along since I have a number of projects on tap. Then, as I was trolling through my stash and creative closet, I came across three recycle sweaters that I've been meaning to frog for the yarn. One of them was a failed knitting project in Berroco Cotton Twist. Beautiful concept that went horribly horribly wrong. Why? Well, it makes me look HUGE. That alone is reason to frog in and of itself. However, a second reason made it impossible to look at my FO (finished object ) without cringing. I dorked up the lace pattern. I mean really really screwed the pooch. In that moment, lace knitting became my evil nemesis. The Darth Vadar to my Luke Skywalker. The Lord Voldemort to my Harry Potter. You get the idea. Since then, I've determined I will conquer lace knitting, just maybe not today since this post is about Picovoli. So, I mustered all my strength and grabbed the demon FO and proceeded to frog with great abandon. After all, that yarn was freakin' expensive and I'll be damned if I am going to let it remain in the form of a sweater that frightened me AND made me look like a pastel cow. Thus, the start of Picovoli and my participation in the Sexy Knitters Club Knit Along. I gathered my needles and rewound my yarn with growing anticipation. What if the gauge was way off? What if the yarn wasn't going to work? As the gauge swatch came together, I realized YES! Eureka! I can do it! Here's a picture of my progress. Okay this pic is a hair old since I just am getting past the armholes now but I don't plan on another photo till try on time at just below the bust. I take photos in bulk. I'm very regimented that way. Anyway, I'll keep my progress posted here and on the SKC site. In the meantime, I'll prepare to document my ongoing battle with the evil nemesis lace knitting. I'll be a lace knitter if it's the last thing I do!!!

I'm finishing my asymetrical sweater today!

I'm so psyched! My asymetrical sweater is almost done and I should be able to finish it today. I'll modify the post later with a picture. It has knit up very quickly! In my official opinion, Teva Durham is a knitting genius. This sweater has been fun and quick to knit but it has also been educational for me. How she came up with the shaping, particularly of piece 2 in the side seam, is very unique. I hope to have enough yarn left over to make another gauge swatch hat for afghans for Afghans. As usual, I over-ordered since I subscribe to the "buy an extra skein, you won't regret it" theory of yarn sourcing. Right now, I have so many projects on tap and so many I want to do. I wrote a list out this week and I was surprised at how long the list was. The next project of priority is finishing my Picovoli top for the KAL with the Sexy Knitters Club. After that, well, it's just a toss up. Maybe I'll write all the projects down on a strip of paper; place them in a hat, and draw them out to put a priority order to them. Then again, maybe I'll force DH and the kids to learn to knit and do my knit project bidding for me.

As you can see, I've finished! Yeah! Ignore the hair and white bra peeking through. It's Sunday and that means I have a free pass on bad hair and poor foundation garment choice. Everyone does. It's an unwritten rule, kind of like yielding to other shopping carts when exiting an aisle. Carts on the end have the right of way. :-)

Closer Look

Here's a closer look at the hat I knit last night. This is actually the gauge swatch hat from Teva Durham's Corrugated Asymetrical V neck sweater in Loop d Loop. I love that book! This hat knit up very quickly in Knitpicks Sierra (color: coal). No, I didn't block it. I tend to leave hats and socks unblocked unless it just must be blocked. Probably lazy of me but that's what I do. Good thing Mrs Durham leaves this particular sweater unblocked. I'm going to enjoy knitting a sweater I don't have to block for a change.

kai and b model the hats

Okay, just finished another hat for afghans for afghans last night. So,
I figured I would sucker the boys into modeling them. You can see the
enthusiasm. I'm planning to ship these off Tuesday priority so
hopefully they will warm the head and ears of a child in need. I have
to say, knitting them was fun. I love hats because you can really get
decorative or keep it simple. Besides, who couldn't use a good hat?

Why you should never knit to Star Wars

Okay, I've taken the plunge into casting on for multiple projects. This is a very big step for someone who is as OCD as I am. Last night, DH wanted to watch Revenge of the Sith and since no true crime shows were playing that I was jonesing for, I approved his request. As I gamely sat on the couch with needles in hand, I worked on my sock while Annakin was lured to the dark side. Apparently, I was lured to the big dummy side during this time. Eyeballing my work, I thought it looked, well, enormously too big for my foot. Turns out, I kept increasing and knitting without counting my stitches per needle. I should have had 15; I ended up with 22. Yeah, while Annakin and Obeewon battled it out, I frogged back to 15 stitches per needle cursing Sith lords and the dark side the whole way. Next time, I'll be sure to watch what I'm doing instead of what Darth Vader's doing. I have two more projects to cast on for and the I'll list my wip's and provide some pics. Till then, knit on!

Some much yarn, so little time

My stash is now officially taking over my life. It's true. I'll never have enough time to knit everything I want to knit. So, in the interest of efficiency, I have decided to teach myself how to knit continental style. In the meantime, I do have one project on the needles and am making plans to cast on for a second one. On the needles right now is a simple feather and fan afghan. Why you say? Because lace knitting has been my evil nemesis to date, confounding me and foiling my plans to knit beautiful things. So I figured, why not take a step back and choose something very simple on large needles to grasp the rudimentary concepts. So far so good. Don't laugh at the yarn choice. It's really not so very hot and not what I would choose for most projects but I wanted this to be functional. To me, that means DH can machine wash it and not turn it into a nice placemat. History is behind me on this because he has turned two pairs of socks into booties. Once payday hits, my plan is to run gleefully to the store and purchase two pairs of size 3 24" circulars so I can cast on for my socks. I'm trying this pattern that allows you to work both socks at once toe up. I don't get why socks are so intimidating so the whole toe up thing didn't appeal to me as much as the two at the same time thing did. It's almost too much for my overcaffeinated self to handle. 'Scuse me while I knit for a bit!

Charity Knits

Not long after I took up knitting, I decided I wanted to knit for more than just me. Afghans for Afghans was the perfect choice for a lot of reasons. First of all, my sister has been over there twice already and is now there again. She related a lot of stories of absolute abject poverty. Not the kind that she or I had ever known but poverty so great that parents were unsure of whether they would be able to feed, clothe, or provide shelter for their children. The pictures she took were mesmerizing in a unique way. It was like looking into some alternate universe. I googled charity knitting and up popped afghans for Afghans. I've sent them two shipments already and am working on my third. Right now they need hats. 500 hats to be exact. These hats will provide warmth for children who may go cold otherwise. DS can tell you firsthand, winter in Afghanistan is bitter. If you happen to knit or crochet, please consider putting your current projects on hold and whipping up at least two hats to send in. You can go to the website at afghansforafghans.org and get the guidelines and mailing address. Please note that you need to use all wool or 75% wool for these items. They do accept lower percentage wool blends for other shipments but not this one because it will be keeping little heads warm. I am planning on putting some earflaps on mine and will post a pic while in progress this week. Thanks for letting me get a little preachy. This is very close to my heart.

Chloe the wonderdog

Here she is, the wonderdog!!!That thing around her neck was for Halloween. I can't see dressing her up so I just got her a little neckband. She actually stole the little catnip toy on the floor from Thomas. She just has a real thing about stuffed animals. I gave her a bath today so she smells like a princess again. That'll last about a day, if that. She has a real itch for rolling in funky stuff.

Dad and the boys
Alan and the kids on the way in an old pic. He was off that day so took them in to school. I love it when he can do that. I'm definitely not a morning person. He and my oldest are very much early risers. The little guy and I could sleep through just about anything.

The boys on Dad's truck

Here's the kids on Dad's truck. They are enjoying the break so far and will no doubt be sorry when it's over. They go back to school on Tuesday. Yey!!

Hey and Happy New Year!!!

Hey all! Hope everyone has had a Happy New Year and isn't too hung over!!! Enjoyed some champagne and wine last night and watched a movie with DH. Not too exciting but I woke up in my own bed and not headachy in the least! Next week I start my cycle/spin classes (teaching them) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm really excited about that and am planning to burn a couple of cd's this week and coreograph (sp) them. I promise to post some photos in the next few days of knitting WIPs, my kids, DH, me, my doggie and cat. I can't believe it's the new year already. So little time, so many things I want to do. I'm not sure I'll be able to fit it all in really. Here's to trying like heck to anyway! Till later! knitncycle (real name: Alicia)