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!!!

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:

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.

woot!

why am i wooting? new yarn baby!!! prepaid too, so I don't have to worry about my Rhinebeck budget!

my Socks that Rock subscription just came and while I can't post a picture (at least a week so that there are no spoilers), its beautiful, probably my favorite of all the colors so far. its deep fall colors and there is this greeny-yellow (like a dark chartreuse) that on its own i would hate, but combined with the blues and purples really does remind me of a tidepool.

and combined with me eating Braised Short Ribs with Cheesy Polenta? makes being sick at home not so bad.

:)

i'm going to go drown my sorrows in yarn. and knit that damn sweater faster so that i can knit more socks!!!

ok, no pictures.

which is sad, i know, but this isn't about pictures.

1) the damn sleeves of the Espresso sweater have proved to be one big errata, which might be me, but i doubt it. the website for the book already shows there was a mistake in the measurement of the schematic. needless to say, i hit the maximum width somewhere around my elbow. i'm now contemplating unravelling the entire sleeve back and employing Calculus (gasp!) to calculate rise over run and to see where my increases should be. so the sleeves are moving to the side and i'll do the collar.

2) the puncture wound is healing nicely. there was a little bit of a blip when the doctor decided he needed to make sure that there wasn't an abscess (about 2 inches of the needle went into my, um, buttock). and that hurt a bit.

but nothing like the tetanus shot i had to get. no, my knitting needles aren't rusty (that's not the only time you need a tetauns shot). i got the damn shot of friday, today is the first day that i can lift my arm above my shoulder and the site of the injection is still hot and red. and i haven't slept on my left side in 2 nights and i'm getting sort of cranky.

i'll let you all know when i've managed to figure out the damn sleeves.

you know its going to be a bad day

when the first thing you do after waking up is sitting on a knitting needle and puncturing yourself.

can i go back to bed?

temptation

now, i know what i said. i really need to concentrate on the Espresso sweater so that it will be ready for Rhinebeck (5 weeks, baby!!). i know i was going to stay loyal and not stray to another project.

i broke.


Interlocking Leaves from the fall issue of Knitty. its been a while since i really loved anything from Knitty, but i fell in love with these at first glance.

and of course, i pulled out the malabrigo sock yarn i got from Glenna (who just scored some more crack yarn.

don't worry, i'm still working on Espresso. The back and the left front are done, the right front is in progress. it will be done in time for rhinebeck.

as will my socks. and that's all that will be on my needles until both are done.

*fingers crossed*