Good Weekend

We got a new couch. It's a sectional. Cooper has found her aspot that she doesn't have to share. She likes to have a pillow, too. She'll be One this Tuesday.

I'm doing an in-the-round swatch for Lacey Vee Tee. This is the first time I've done a swatch in the round. It's part of my effort to make sure the finished product fits. That's the private side of the Borscht Tee front that is in the background. I'm almost finished with the Front. The yarn I'm using for the Vee Tee is called Svale. It's from Dale of Norway. It's a DK weight and I bought it from someone on Ravelry.

Friday

Yesterday evening, I arrived at the split for the neck on the front of the Borscht Tee. It won't be long now and I'll be able to start the sleeves.

Yesterday, at lunch, a co-worker (who is also in my knitting group) and I met with three other co-workers for what ended up being a short knitting class. Two of them already know how to crochet, but all three of them wanted to learn to knit. I wasn't quite prepared for teaching three ladies to knit. A was quite a bit of help. We're going to try it again next week.

I'm also working on a black sock. I don't know if I've mentioned that here yet. I'm thinking about looking for some sock yarn to match the Borscht Tee -- because I like to match my shirts and socks.

Tee Back

Here it is: the finished back of the Borscht Tee. On the front, I only have a few more rows and then I can do the garter band which transitions to the pattern for the top part. I'm pleased with the fabric that the Love It yarn is making.

I typically have more than one knitting project that I'm working on. At KIP this morning, I was asked what else I'm working on and I had to say that this Tee is it right now. SO, I decided to cast on for something else. I got out the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in blue that was given to me and this pattern .

Most of the time on Saturday I go to Panera in the morning and then head over to Twist for a couple of hours. Today I thought I would do something different. Instead of going to Twist this morning, I'm going this evening for SNB. I'm hoping to see some knitters I don't usually get to see.

Borscht Tee Back

Haven't had time to take a picture, but the back of the Borscht Tee is finished and the fit looks promising. I'm about 3.5 inches into the front. School is cutting into my knitting time, which I expected, but it's still frustrating. Maybe I'll have time to post a picture this weekend.

Rasta Hat

I managed to finish this hat a few days ago, even though I've been sick this week. It's the Rasta Hat from DIY Network: http://www.diyhelp.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_5312018,00.html

I used James C. Brett 100% acryclic Marble yarn purchased from Twist Yarn Shop. It's better than the white hat I made, but the fit is still a little dubious.

I've had the flu this week, and I'm still not well. I haven't been able to go to work and I'm missing school this evening. It's not good to miss class when you're in a concentrated program. I found out from the teacher that I need to answer the discussion questions for three chapters in order to make up for only half of the points I would have gotten for being in class. This is going to take me longer than the time I would have spent in class. Grumble!

I'm into the sleeve shaping for the back of the Borscht Tee and it's still looking good.

I hear it's cold outside. I've been in bed . . .

Wish I Could Knit

It's Saturday morning and I'm at home rather than with my knitting buddies at Panera. I used to be able to do a lot of knitting on weekends. Now, I'm spending my time with the textbook in the above picture. If I can get 76 pages read today, maybe I can let myself do a little bit of knitting before I fall over into bed tonight. Then, tomorrow I need to write a 2-4 page paper. Then I have three evenings to do the rest of my homework before going back to class Thursday evening. This will all be worth it in a couple of years.

Cherry Tee

I was never able to get this pattern photo scanned, so I just took a picture of it. This pattern is called "Quick Cherry Tee" from the Quick Knits to Wear book edited by Jeanne Stauffer.

This is the pattern that I'm using the Borscht Love It yarn for. The Wright is no more!

Above is the first picture of my progress on the Borscht Tee. It's about 6 1/2 inches long. I need to get to 14" and then I can do the garter ridge around the bust.

Sunday

I started school this past Thursday evening. I have 18 classmates. We will all stay together in these classes for the next 18 months. We did some group work the first night and already have a group project due this Thursday. I also have to write a three-page paper. I don't have quite two pages of it yet. This first module is just two sessions. The ones afterwards will all be five sessions long. I will get my book for the second module this week. I'm looking forward to having reading homework rather than writing homework.

I scanned a picture of my current knitting project but it saved in a format that I can't upload to my blog. I guess I'll have to scan it again and see if I can save it differently. I'm making good progress, a little over four inches. That may not sound like much, but I rarely get long blocks of knitting time.

I'm looking for a cardigan pattern for my next sweater project. Why is it I can never find a pattern I like just the way it is? I just want a simple cardigan pattern with a textured stitch pattern, button band, pockets, and collar. Is it so hard?! If you see one you think I might like, PLEASE let me know.

Too Big Already

I knitted a gauge swatch and measured it. I did the math and cast on the number of stitches that was supposed to get me the width I need. What I have knitted so far is laying on top of a sweater that fits me well. It's too big. How does this happen? I'm just glad I decided to check before continuing.

White Beret

The White Beret is finished. I don't know if I'll post a picture of me in it or not. It makes me look like the kitchen staff in Mary Poppins.

Now, I'm ready to work with the Borscht Love It yarn again. I have decided not to re-knit Wright. After trying on the too-big one, I realized that I'm just not that crazy about the style of the sweater, afterall. Knitter friends helped me decide on a different pattern for the yarn Saturday morning at Panera.

It is the Quick Cherry Tee on page 116 of Quick Knits by Jeanne Stauffer. I'm going to do a gauge swatch this time - and I'm going to do it carefully.

Tweed Beret

I decided to try to make this tweed beret from Interweave Knits Winter 2006. Mine will not be tweed, however. I'm using white Berroco Love it. I started with dpns size 7, then went to a 16" circular. Now I'm on an 18" circular and could probably go up again; I just don't feel like it. This makes it difficult to try on the hat to see if it fits, so I'm just trusting the process.

I really like the idea of hats. I don't wear them very often, though. The Kansas wind likes to rip hats off heads. I'm uncomfortable with an under-the-chin tie. It could be a good idea, but I feel like I'm a little too old for that look. I have a black felted hat that I made last year, but I haven't worn it at all yet this year. I don't like how it makes my hair look after I take it off. So, here I am making another hat that I might not wear. What's the deal?

Could it be that hats are smaller and faster than sweaters and easier to make fit? Could I be frustrated with the sweater-making process? I wonder . . . I had just gotten started on re-knitting Wright when I decided I just HAD to knit a hat. Go figure.

What do I need a hat for, anyway?

I haven't been able to get that white tam from that Christmas movie out of my mind. I couldn't find an exact pattern, so I found one that was close. I didn't get much past the brim. I don't even remember exactly what went wrong now, but I frogged it. Oh, it might have been the RT stitch.

So, the other night I had some friends over. I was looking through my books and magazines, trying to find another hat pattern to try. I found one that looked simple enough and the friends agreed. I didn't have a circular needle that was short enough, so I was using a set of double points. The problem was that it was an old set of double points and there are only four of them. I'm used to using sets of five. And they're a little too long and unwieldy. Again, I didn't get much past the brim. It's a lace pattern, and I dropped several stitches. ARGH! I wanted to bawl. I just ripped the needles out and threw the yarn in it's bag.

I still wanted to knit, even though I'm sick. So, I picked up the Wright II sweater, which I haven't gotten very far on. It's just stockinette stitch, which is easy, but it lets my mind wander. I remember that this is my second attempt at this sweater and start feeling like I'm a bad knitter. Poor me.

I went to bed, contemplating the hat issue. Will I really even wear a hat? Why do I want to make one so much? Will a tam make me as cute as the girl in the movie? I like the look of a tam, but I want a hat that's going to cover my ears. What to do . . .

Finished Gloves

The gift gloves are finally finished and I will give them to my supervisor today.

I plan to start the new Wright this evening.

New Wright?

After doing some investigating and calculating, I discovered that I don't have enough of the Borscht Love It yarn to make the alternate sweater pattern that I was considering.

Therefore, I began considering actually re-knitting the Wright pattern, making it smaller. So, I sat down and re-wrote the pattern last night. I haven't unknit it yet, though.

I'm still working on finishing F's gloves. I had a little glitch the other day when I picked up non-adjacent stitches to work the middle finger. It wasn't pretty.

The Wright is Wrong

It happens again. I knit a sweater that doesn't fit. I finished knitting it last night and worked on seaming it this morning. I was so looking forward to wearing it to a family gathering this evening. I am so disappointed. I was even in a bad mood at Twist. I should be working on the other glove, but I didn't feel like it. So, I took a sock to work on, that I haven't touched in a couple of months.

Before I left this morning, I got out Cindy and measured the finished bust: 41. Wright is 50.5. How did I let this happen?! I guess I didn't do a gauge swatch. It's been long enough, I don't remember and I don't feel like looking at my notes. I need something with about a 46" finished size. grumble grumble grumble

I debated what to do. I briefly considered trying to sell it, but the cost of the yarn is probably too much and, even though the quality of the knitting is pretty good, there are a few places where you can tell where the ends were woven in. So, I guess it will be frogged. I won't make the same pattern again because I decided that I don't like it. I will now need to find another pattern. I would like that, with all the books and magazines I have, I would already have a suitable pattern, but NO . . . And I'm wondering if I don't need to knit something top down so I can try to make sure it fits!!!

I did some therapy shopping, thinking I would find another blouse or top so that I can wear something new tonight. I didn't. I did, however, find several pieces of clothing for work.

Tam

I watched a new Christmas movie yesterday. It was called Snowglobe. One of the characters in this movie was wearing the cutest hat. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to make one. It looked sort of like the picture above, but not completely. On the next commercial break, I went to the computer to do a search for a pattern like the one I saw. I'm still trying to find it. Did you see the movie? It was Marie, the girlfriend of Douglas, in the snowglobe.

Gloves

L and S called me Gwen Needle Hand. What's up wit that? The abuse I take because of my Craft. I'm tellin ya! L took this picture and you can see where the focus was. On the many needles. The glove does have a cuff. This was taken a few days ago. I'm now on the index finger and will only have the thumb left. Then I can start the second one. Oh goody!

Finished Scarf

I have finished the Flying Geese scarf that will be a gift for a Pennsylvania man. It's about 48" long. I'm not sure how long a man's scarf should be, so I hope it's alright. I may never know.

Now, I can get back to the black gloves, which are the third and last Christmas gift I'm knitting this year. I have some things for myself to get back to.

Flying Geese Scarf

Here is the Flying Geese scarf at 19". That's about 40%. It's going so slowly. I never knew how boring scarves are. I'd rather be knitting 16" of stockinette on the Wright sweater. I did take a break this evening and worked on a black glove. I can't wait until I can get back to working on a sweater for myself again. I found yet another sweater pattern that I want to make. It's called Fifi and it's practically perfect.

Next Scarf

This picture is kind of dark. When I used the flash, it produced a big shiny spot. This is the beginning of the next scarf. It's a flying geese knit and purl pattern from Vogue Knitting. The yarn is Berroco Comfort.