Moving!

Well, I knew it was a possibility..I knew Jack was applying for various promotions in cities we had discussed as 'ok' as potential new locations but I'm not sure I expected it to happen. It did.

Jack will be moving to Memphis, TN on August 3rd to begin her new position with Home Depot. I'm staying here for a few weeks more in order to pack up the house and finalize things in Chicago. It's exciting and sad for me. I've been here a long time and Chicago is truly a city that I love. Like many Chicagoans, I am now bemoaning the things I never got around to doing...the Architectural Tour via the river, Randolph Street Market..as well as the things I know to be so fine about this city; Italian Beef sandwiches with lots of juice and hot peppers, My Pi deep dish pizza, Jimmy's Hot Dogs, our nearly new apartment right on the beach on beautiful Lake Michigan..our friends Nancy and Chris and Debera..

Loopy Yarns..(sigh)

It is truly exciting though! The economy in Memphis is much more forgiving - it's possible that Jack and I can finally buy a home and there it means a home with a little land (think garden and maybe a few animals) and if we're really careful I can stay home to take care of all that and of course knit.

I haven't touched myChicknits Twist sweater in several weeks but have not lost my love for it. I've just been enamoured of quicker projects that don't require quite so much attention to charts and rows. We've been doing a KAL on a Yahoo Group, ILoveKandCAlongs of a free pattern from LionBrand called Lacy Stole. It's lovely and lends itself well to a variety of yarns and needle sizes which made it a great stash buster for the members. I finished it yesterday and got it blocked (Noro Silk Garden discontinued color 264-US 10.5) and I adore it. I'm mad that it's in the 90's and I can't reasonably WEAR it. The edges on my work still look sloppy to me, not sure what I do wrong at the end (or beginning!) of a row but I crocheted a border around this stole to tidy it up and I'm glad I did. (Sorry the pictures suck - somehow my digital camera was mysteriously 'not' among my belongings when I picked them up from my former employer)

Hanging in my dining room window in the breeze....

A closer shot of some of the detail...

Next, I plan to start the Forest Canopy Shawl in Koigu. I swatched last night but my needles were too small. (US 5) I'll try today with a 7 and see if I like what I get.

Blocking Boards and cable

So along with knitting and knitting on the Adara shawl (on the last repeat section OH YEAH) I’ve been working on this blocking board so I will actually have somewhere to stretch it out and shape it.

Last year somewhere on a blog I saw the version that spawned my blocking board. It is by no means original and many thanks to whoever posted this originally, I’m sorry I don’t remember who you are!

I bought a 6-pack of Styrofoam panels at Home Depot (actually I had Jack pick them up while she was at work). They were a little thin but dirt cheap (like 6 bucks) so first I glued together 3 sections of 2 panels each.

Then, I put double sided tape onto one side and covered them with gingham fabric with 1 inch squares (about 4 bucks at Joann’s with a 50% coupon). Then on the back side where it wouldn’t be getting damp I used craft glue to secure the rest of the fabric.

Then I took Velcro strips and fixed it so I could attach all three boards together for a bigger item, end to end for a long scarf, etc. etc. Apart, they’ll take up a relatively small bit of our space when not in use. Together, it will block a fairly large piece, I have built in measurements in the fabric and my bed won’t be damp when I move it for the night! I’ll take more pics of it in action when I finish this shawl!

My lace is totally stalled. Enough said. My other new project can’t be posted because it’s getting too close to that holiday and the recipient reads this blog! My only other knitting news is finally trying a cable and guess what!

Mystic Waters Stalled!

I have stalled at row 65 on the KAL and I cannot get past it! ARGH! I have tinked now 5 times and redone it all with the same results. I’m going to try one more time with the written instructions and if that doesn’t work I’ll have to frog, I suppose. (muttermumble)

I had to lay it aside, it was making me too crazy. Instead, I’ve been knitting again on the Adara shawl. After doing Mystic Waters this pattern now feels like a mindless snore, exactly what I need to get it finished with no more mistakes! I have about 36 more rows to do and it will be (finally) finished.

I’m really anxious to see if it softens up a little with blocking, the linen content is a touch rough. Anyone else out there knitted anything with the Elann Adara? Please tell me how you liked it with time! It’s also looking a little grubby to me after so many months OTN. It will be nice to brighten it up with a washing.

Here’s a picture of the Adara as it stands..it is traveling with me everywhere because I am determined to finish it and then re-start Mystic Waters. It’s just a little huge!

Knitting about

I haven’t been blogging this week; I’ve been knitting! I finished a hat/scarf in Kochoran for my friend Nancy’s birthday and tried to knit the swatch for the Mystic Waters Mystery KAL a dozen or so times in the Alpaca Cloud from Knit Picks. I kept finding mistakes and ripping back which sort of scared me since the shawl starts today. I’d already swatched once in a laceweight (Shimmer) so I decided that the knitting goddesses would not strike me down if I started in the alpaca. Here it is 15 rows along:

This is my first laceweight project, my first KAL and my first mystery knit. I think it’s pretty fun and I swear I’m not going to necessarily pressure myself to ‘keep up’. Deadlines and knitting combined make me very cranky. Just ask Jack.

I’ve also finally started socks again since lace and the Chicago Transit Authority (aka The Bus) don’t get along well – I decided I was attempting a pattern that was too ambitious and reverted to my nice, neat k2 p2 ribbing. I read on one of my lists where someone did both socks at once in sections to avoid second sock syndrome and I’m trying it. I have one cuff done:


I’m starting the second cuff on my new Knit Picks dpn’s – I’ll be interested to see if my gauge is any different with the metal! I’m also still doing a few stitches here and there on the Adara shawl, I refuse to give up on it!

This and That

The Adara Shawl and I are fighting. I am not speaking to it until it stops removing yarnovers that I know I placed and messing up my count. I have put her in the basket for a time out. I cannot tink the same 200 stitches again this week!

As a distraction I decided to try an easy lace pattern with an actual laceweight. (Note: laceweight and Chicago public transportation do not mix well)

I love the yarn, KnitPicks Shimmer and now that I've tinked it a few times I'm alot more comfortable handling what seems like a thread. Sorry for the grainy shot, it's my cameraphone.

Yesterday I picked up the last item for my tourist in the Virtual Knitting Vacation Swap and got all that mailed off today. It had been awhile since I spent any time at LoopyYarns so it was good to see the ladies there! With volleyball over, I've sworn to make Friday night knitting there a priority at least twice a month!

I have been messing alot with Ravelry too now that I finally got my invite - it is pretty amazing! It kind of boggles me too, I mean I feel rude being able to 'add friends' that bloody well have no clue who I am! The Harlot must be innundated! (No, I didn't add her but I was tempted)

Projects and Yarn!

This is my ever growing shawl and first effort at 'lace' knitting.....below is THE BAG FROM HELL, my vacation yarns and my yummy wool and spindle. Oh yes, and the Skully facecloth and finally finished wonderful table runner!