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!

Catching Up!

I kept avoiding posting because I have all these pictures I want to share but really NEED to set up a photo storage account to link to and I really just NEVER take the time to figure all of that out…I mean, I need knitting time here!

That said there’s been a lot going on here in our little world. Pride was the 29th and as usual it was a great day with great friends! Not so great was the mini van that had parked directly behind us blocking our exit…bleh!

Work is very hectic for us both and most evenings we’re exhausted but I still manage to knit. I finished the gargantuan entrelac market bag and took it to my LYS to felt it. I LOVE how it turned out! I’ll post pics later today, I swear! I also finished the purple socks pictured below and I cast on another sock in an absolutely gorgeous yarn by Lorna’s Laces called Hawaii. The pattern for it is here: http://www.knitlist.com/00gift/japanese-feather-socks.htm I’m hoping that the white will really make the pattern pop – the purples and blues are really short segments within the yarn.

I am also working on the Adara Rainbow Shawl but in 3 colors instead of 12. I can’t do all those pinks and stuff, I am a green kinda gal so I picked 3 in the green/blue spectrum. It’s my first (successful so far) attempt at lace techniques and I am finally getting to know the pattern well enough that I’m not constantly ripping out as much as I knit! I’m starting to worry already about the size – it doesn’t look big in the picture but I’ve used 1 ball (of 12) and it is already like 20 inches wide when I stretch it a little! And yes, my gauge swatch was right on even though it says the gauge isn’t critical. I may end up with a triangular blanket, who knows.

The sock monkey has been adventuring – he traveled to Lincoln Park via bicycle recently and stopped with us on the way for pizza. Soon there will be pics of him in his travels! I also was assigned my 'traveler' in the Virtual Knitter's Vacation Swap and have been shopping for her already!