Tuesday, October 21, 2008

oh, Rhinebeck!

another year, another closet needed for all of the yarn. le sigh...

well, Rhinebeck was its usual fun and excitement, with a bit of crazy thrown in. crazy wake up times, crazy lines (advice: peeps at the Fold- CASH ONLY LINE!!! also, BIGGER BOOTH!!), crazy amounts of food. but always seeing good friends and good yarns make up for all of the crazy.

this year, the weather was perfect sweater wearing weather. in fact, it was a bit cooler than was comfy, so it almost became a coat wearing day, but luckily there were a lot of very crowded barns to wander through when it got too chilly.

oh, and in those barns, there was yarn! would you like to see?

well, since you asked so nicely.

Wild Apple Farms 100% Wool

I got enough of this to do my next project from "A Fine Fleece". I've decided i need to do Two Hearts in a nice big size. one that i can hide in when the job search gets to be too much. Glenna has told me that I'm allowed to swatch it to take the edge off of the startitis that i have developed.

the line at the Fold was insanity itself. they need to get a bigger booth, in a better location, and they need to have a cash only line. because any line that loops around itself is (almost) too long a line for yarn. almost. but i did score some lovely skeins! lookie!

STR- Lightweight in Lenore


STR- Mediumweight in Thraven


STR MILL END- Mediumweight in a Brown/Pink. Mill Ends are an incredible deal (about a 3rd off of the normal price) and what I will be checking out more often.


This is the Holiday Yarns Sock Yarn that I got in a lovely shade of Amethyst


a skein of ? sock yarn colorway "Beaches". I'm thinking i need some contrasting yarn, b/c i almost have enough for knee socks.




we got home exhausted, but kitty was wide awake and eager to play with the yarns, too! here he is attacking Glenna's knitting sack



oh and this is me in Espresso. it is my new most favorite sweater. but given all the beautiful sweaters i saw at Rhinebeck, it may not hold that place for long! i am truly fickle!



sadly, the knitting gods caught up with me, and destroyed my plans to finish my current sock project in a timely manner.

i broke a freakin' needle!!



so now i have to figure something out to try and finish this sock soon. i put in an order with knitpicks, so hopefully i'll get the replacement needles soon (i ordered metal needles so hopefully they will last a bit longer), but i think i can make do with the 4 needles and just find another needle to cable with. i have discovered i really like doing cables with another DPN rather than a cable needle, and no, i don't know why.

ok, so now that i have made my update, i'm going to think about changing and maybe leaving my house for a bit. i feel the need to cook, and its mostly b/c its so damn cold in my apartment.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

mwahahahahahah!!!

my powers of mind control are greater than i thought!!!!

they just announced that BSG is coming back Jan 16, 2009.

my protest sock worked!!! woo-hoo!!!

now this means i have to finish the second sock. and that means finding the yarn. and that means finding the yarn before Rhinebeck, or it could get buried by the purchases and never be heard from again. and that could tempt the wrath of whatever from high atop the thing, and i'd never finish another knitting project again.

(wow, two TV fandoms in one post!!!)

this is a picture of the heel of my Eye of Jupiter sock:


tomorrow, the wonderful Glenna arrives and there will be tea and scones, frolicking in Central Park, yarn shopping (as warm up to the weekend) and Mac and Cheese for dinner.

and then Saturday, RHINEBECK!!!!!!!!!!

not that i'm excited or anything

Sunday, October 12, 2008

it is done, and i did it!!

now, where are my bagels and muffins? most of my friends will get the reference.

so the Espresso sweater is done. DONE, i tell you! ends weaved in, all blocked, buttons sewn own. and it is beautiful!

click on the pictures to get full sized shots.

side view


kitty is curious


and the Shetland Triangle shawl i started on Tuesday and cast off my needles tonight. seriously, one of the fastest patterns i've ever done. here is a WIP picture. i'll post more of the joy that will be blocking it tomorrow when I actually don't have to be in my bed while the shawl dries. plus, i will be able to lock the curious kitty out of my room while i block it.

it was such a great pattern to knit. i will absolutely be making this again!!!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

a light at the end of the tunnel

i can see it, i can see it!

the sweater is almost done. i've already seamed everything and woven in all of the ends. the only thing left to do is attach the collar, which will be a bit fiddly but not heinous. well, then the button band and buttons, but that's just icing.

one thing i have noticed this past summer with the 3 upper body garments i have done. i think all of my sweaters are too short! looks like i need to add an inch (maybe even 2) to the body of the sweater, probably one inch above the waist shaping and an inch below. that will bring it down a little further on my hips as right now, all of my sweaters are hitting just above the biggest part of my hips. its not too bad if i make sure to keep my tee-shirts tucked in, but if not, the whole look is sloppy. granted, some of that may be because tee-shirts are made so damn long right now, but i think the next sweater i make (still deciding) will be a bit longer.

anyway, here is a picture of the sweater ALMOST done:

Thursday, October 2, 2008

soothing the soul

i needed a break from job hunting, worrying about the cat, and getting angry at all of the construction around my apartment.

i needed peace and quiet. i needed natural beauty. i needed a new place to knit.

The SIP (sock in progress) goes to Wave Hill


One of the most beautiful days ever. Totally worth the schlep.

More pictures here.

all of a sudden, the sweater of doom with the sleeve from hell, and the sock pattern that has 72 stitches involved in some sort of cable every 4 rows? they just don't bother me as much.