Monday, August 27, 2007

New week

Hiya--

I did finish my MS3 last week, and blocked in on Sunday. I unpinned it on Monday, and I do have to say, I am quite pleased with it. I plan to give it to my sister in law (in place of the Peacock Feathers shawl--now I can keep that one!), so I do hope she won't be thrown off by the asymmetricality of it. I think it is great, but you never know. I really will post pictures as soon as I find the camera cable.

I got in to Ravelry, so I really do need to find that cable. I'm itching to take pictures of my stash, my projects, everything. I love Ravelry! I've found new projects that I want to make, but I think mostly that is a good thing. I'm trying to concentrate on yarn that I already have, so maybe I will get inspired that way.

Today I will be finishing up Aunt Betty Jane's bag. I did it on an F hook, though, and I think it is a bit tight. Maybe it will stretch out a bit with use. I use mine to haul everything we get from the library, so it definitely gets used/abused. Still going strong.

LB gave me the Touch Me--I'm almost finished with four balls. I still haven't decided what to do about mittens/no mittens, but I'll decide that at the end of ball #5. Gimme a couple more days. She also gave me the Alchemy silk. That scarf is done and awaiting blocking. It is so beautiful! I was using some REALLY pointy needles at the beginning, and I kept splitting the yarn. When I switched to duller, slicker needles, it really started to be a faster, more pleasurable knit. I can't wait to wear it.

Job hunt is still on. Bleah.

So current knit-list: BJs bag, Touch Me scarf, Buttonhole Bag (Mason-Dixon pattern) out of SWS, Daddy's vest (really, I should do this one)

Friday, August 17, 2007

Monthly Update?

Well, I'm still here. That is, I'm back. I took DS1 and DS2 to Iowa through Oklahoma on a two week last-of-the-summer car trip. I had a great time--I hope they did.

Have I been knitting? Of course. I have been working diligently on MS3--I have 34 rows left. I think it is looking pretty good. It should be finished and blocked any day now. (Really!)

I have also been working on a Vintage Velvet scarf out of Touch Me. Wow, is that stuff wonderful. I can't wait for winter! My wonderful friend LB gave me 6 skeins of Touch Me for my birthday. (Thank you!) I have wanted to make this scarf for years, but it is out of my justifiable budget for yarn. The pattern calls for 5 skeins, and she thought I might want it a bit long. I think, though, that I may stop with 5 and use the extra skein for mittens. I may have to buy a skein by myself, but wouldn't TM mittens be fabulous?

She also gave me a skein of luscious Alchemy Yarns silk in blues/greens/turquoise. It, too, is wonderful. It is beautiful, but I thought it wasn't a color I would have chosen, so was glad to be going outside my norm. LB told me I have a bunch of yarn in these colors, but I didn't think so. Lo and behold, this yarn matches at least 5 different yarns in my stash and two shirts in my closet. I guess I should pay more attention to myself! I'm knitting this skein in an Alchemy Yarns scarf pattern, and it will be beautiful. This one I will be able to wear in a month or two when it gets just a bit cooler here in Georgia.

Oddly enough, I have also been crocheting. My mother's aunt thought of me when needing to find a home for some little balls of cotton. There were a LOT of them, and I didn't have any of those colorways! (How is that possible?) I made a bag (called Inga's Bag? pattern is on the 'net somewhere) with fairly solid Granny Squares in 16 different colors set on the diagonal, and edged them with navy. Pretty cute, actually. So I took the bag to show Aunt BJ in Iowa. She liked it so much she asked me to make one for her and gave me another 24 or so FULL skeins of cotton. Fair trade, in my book! Hers will be edged in black, and I should be finished with that one early next week. Mailing things, though, is not a strong point of mine. I really need to make an effort this time. When LB saw the bag she said, "But--that's crocheted...will you make one for me?" Of course. Don't worry--I don't think crocheting is truly a new hobby for me--I think it is a temporary diversion.

After I finish these projects, I really do intend to get back to the old UFOs. My dad's vest will be first. Then I have a baby blanket to finish that didn't make the list(again crocheted. what is up with this?). Third, I think, will be my Peacock Feathers shawl. MS3 has made me want to do more lace...


DS1 has already finished one week of first grade. Where does the time go?