Finally a finished object!

I've been knitting a lot - have four projects 'almost' done... and one not nearly close to being done... (and wanting to start another project - LOL)... so before starting another project, I swore to myself I'd finish up the last steps of a few things.

Last night I finished Kyra's sweater... doesn't she look sweet?



She doesn't "LOVE" it, but then again, she doesn't love being cold either - so while she doesn't understand why I'm putting a sweater on her - I figure she's getting a good deal out of it anyway.

Next, figure out how to "crop" out the disaster zone of the house that's developed while I'm not feeling well and knitting instead of cleaning.

Wrapped in Comfort

I did a very simple garter stitch shawl for donating to Wrapped in Comfort ( a charity that provides these shawls for mothers who have lost a child ). It's knit with an easy-care boucle that I love the colors in. I did something unusual in that I intentionally chose to use bits & pieces so that the color transitions weren't as smooth to add a little interest. I have made similar shawls before - but I always allowed the color to work as designed before - and I did "wraps" to add a little lace here & there. This time, I skipped the wraps (wanted to see what it looked like without) and played around a little with stopping & starting different colors. It turned out "ok" - I think that I'm ready for trying more complicated stitches. I really only picked the garter stitch (easiest thing in the world) because with the move & stress I wanted something mind-less to work on. And the boucle (which is SO soft & I love) looks better with simple stitching and would not show off the other stitches as well. I'm dying to try several new things (but have SO many unfinished projects as it is) and can't afford to go yarn shopping ... so, this is what it is because I was using yarn up from my stash, and I was too stressed to focus on much of anything.

You can see that Kyra thought it was quite lovely!

Doesn't feel like there's any progress

First, I wasn't doing a lot of dedicated knitting as I was busy with the move... a little here, a little there. Then, I wasn't "focused" enough to handle anything challenging, so I worked on a simple, easy, brainless shawl -for the charity Wrapped in Care (it's almost done).

But honestly? I've got a few too many unfinished projects that are unfinished for more than one reason. I'm not happy with the baby sweater (80% done)... and as much as I'd like to rip it out, I'm actually partially got the idea I might just toss it in the garbage as is instead of trying to save the yarn (which is really a shame). Can't quite bring myself to be that wasteful - if I'm not going to save the time I spent knitting it, the least I can do is make something else with the yarn. We'll see.

I'm almost done with the second panel of the afghan - and have decided instead to turn it into a lap afghan for Vets... so I'll rip back both panels to a smaller length - and then work on the third/fourth panel.

My spring sweater is still only about 50% done... and in two days it'll be the first day of fall. The good part of that is I can dig out the sweater I knit for "a" - still too small. But it makes him happy. When money starts flowing a little easier, I'm going to go pick up a half dozen bright colors of $2/skein yarn... I've been wanting to make him a winter cap that I saw when I was on the ski slopes last winter.... my version will be brightly colored - with primary colors knit into "braids" that all pop out from any direction. Looks kind of funky & fun and I think he'll love it.

Not much progress to Post

My sweater has been put to the side for a while (new puppy tends to try to chew everything visible); and have been working on an afghan. Puppy still trying to chew, but the yarn being a boucle has a little bit of "give" and won't look like it's been tore up! And she's learning that mommy's yarn is a no-no and I can still work on something. But it's going to take forever, as big projects tend to do.

I do love the yarn & the colors -- will try to snag a picture and edit this. It's got self-striping built-in with a neutral color running along with it. I've got a couple of different kinds - but love the colors anyway... so I've got a second neutral that I'm using to separate out sections instead of linking two similar (but not quite the same) skeins to each other. I'm making it in panels; and am planning on putting thin vertical stripes in with the second neutral color when I piece it together. Only issue is that it looks like with the yarn I have, I only have enough right now for two panels. So, when I get a little further, I'm going to have to go back to the yarn shop and either pick up the first neutral color to do a couple of panels of that color - or a mixture of the other colors and use them to make a couple of panels that have different colors from one "section" to another. Guess now, I'll have to post a pic of the first panel I've completed so this wandering verbose explanation makes even the slightest sense.

No pattern. Just working with a loom knitter in a ribbed knitting. The yarn is yummy soft and I'm hoping my sister will like it (as it's for her Christmas gift). Issue is that if it's for this year's Christmas present, I really should be looking at completing THREE more afghans... so my brothers and their wives/significant others can also get one. I'm thinking that's maybe a little overly optimistic. We'll see!

OH, my goodness!

I don't check this blog too terribly often, as I was certain my only reader was Phil and I knew that while she's a wonderful and supportive friend, going on about knitting projects and lovely yarn - is probably pretty boring to a non-knitter.

Lo & behold, I have a comment... and NOT just from any commenter! The author of the book I used to knit my socks (even though I totally messed up the name of her book)... posted a comment - on my socks... I feel so excited! AND she had just posted about going to a Yarn Harlot event - which I had wanted to go to so badly! One day, I'll get to see her - I swear! Anyway - here I am feeling quite excited by getting a comment from someone who is out-and-about in the knitting world!

Here's a link to her blog..... 2-at-a-Time-Socks

Pair-at-a-time Socks

OK, I have NEVER knitted socks before. There was just this negative idea about spending hours and hours and hours to knit a pair of socks, when you can buy a pair for a couple of dollars that just kept me from even considering it.

But, a co-worker has been doing them, and having tremendous fun... and it's gotten my curiosity up. But, knowing that it takes about 12 hours to knit one sock, and knowing that once your done, having to turn around and start over on sock number two? Well, that's just kind of depressing concept.

So, I went out and bought a book, called pair-at-a-time knitting. The idea is that you knit both socks simultaneously on the same needles. Still takes the same amount of time, but you avoid that whole depressing condition that's got an official nickname "second sock syndrome". Which means that there are LOTS of knitters out there who make a sock, but never quite end up making it's pair - which how depressing is that? All this singular socks who never even get to the point of getting worn, to getting washed to losing their match! Their match never gets made!

Knowing that I'm a prime candidate for second sock syndrome. I figured that if I was going to learn how to knit socks, I was darn well going to do it two at a time and try to avoid that second sock syndrome.

HA! I failed miserably. Not in making the socks, if I do say so, I think they're quite cute. I failed to avoid second sock syndrome? Why? Because in the book, the first time you do this, it's QUITE CHALLENGING.... and they strongly recommend that you use two different colored yarns one for each sock so that you can tell them apart and not mess up. SO, I ended up with two different socks. If I want to make 2-pairs, I can, but that would involve making a second set of mis-matched pair-at-a-time socks. Guess what? I'm not going to bother! Totally have second sock syndrome. These two lonely socks will never meet their sole-mate (sorry, couldn't talk myself out of that pun!).

Half-done with sweater

It is definitely taking forever to do! I got a lot of work done on it while I was laid up... but then there was a damaged knitting needle issue that I had to get new ones. Didn't trust "A" to run to a knitting store to pick up the needles for me... so I got them online.

Here's the back piece: