Six Weeks of a Knitter's Life...

So many times have I blogged in my mind-and yet, nothing appeared here! I finally log in and realize it has been six weeks since my last blog! No time to catch up with the final segments of Sock Summit '09!

What have I done over the past 6 weeks?

Besides the usual PTA meetings and activities, I was inspired to crochet a Amigurumi Fuzzy Panda as part of a Craft Magazine CAL.

The body parts were quick to crochet...

All panda-parts crocheted and ready to go!

And the idea is you crochet the body parts out of a single-ply bulky wool, then use a dog brush on it to create a 'fur'...

It is still not assembled as I await joint for the arms and legs...

Then there are my Lays (Cotty), Too that I put aside for a bit. But I had to take a progress photo.

I'm thinking I may actually start and finish a third gift pair before I finish this pair, but I know I will eventually get them completed!

I had a chance to enjoy my new mug from Jennie the Potter!

The mug and memories make my homemade latte even more enjoyable!

After careful conversation with Knittinggolfer about a particular yarn I recalled in my stash. I resurrected this...

I first told Knittinggolfer that this yarn was perhaps the perfect colorway for her, and that I would never be able to wear these colors...then I pulled out the two skeins and realized I still love the colorway afterall! So, Knittinggolfer and I will ponder the possibilities-gift to her, keep for me, or bff scarflets for us!

I got a chance to sneak over to Knit-One-One Studio for their monthly Crafts Sale and, after a long yarn-buying hiatus, caved and purchased some yarn from Snicklefritz.

Who could resist the feel of merino/cashmere (bottom) in the colorway "Matrix"?!

I turned around and saw Girl on the Rocks' stuff and had difficulty resisting this!

I tried to resist the call of this Squash Blossom colorway, but alas, it won out!

I brought Lil'Emp to the local community center to sign up for some art workshops and was surprised to see Urban Fauna Studios/Maryjane's Attic there with their spinning wheel, spindles and fleece!

Blas showed LE the ropes-literally-as he taught him to spin! And I got to spin away on a spindle they had brought!

The next Sunday was my bff trip to the Farmer's Market where my bff made me buy some of the most awesome miso dressing in the world!

Nago Miso dressings are deeee-lish! What to get? Wasabi, Original or Spicy? Ginger was a no-brainer: since I don't care for ginger, it was immediately eliminated. I went for the Spicy and Wasabi!

It was my first trip to this particular farmer's market and we then journeyed over to Urban Fauna Studios, as I had yet to step foot in the shop-and it had been open for over a year!

For such a little place, there is plenty to intrigue me and I couldn't walk away without this...

My last count has me up to over 13 spindles! But who could resist? The feel, the spin...! GORGEOUS!

After a loooong time, I was finally able to make a journey to Sunnyvale to pick up Cat's new book and to get a skein of Purl Up and Dye! Now I'm wishing I'd bought two! (more on this later...*) It was great seeing the Purl Girls and spending a bit of time knitting. I even got some great help on the Solly Sweater that is still in progress!

Sassyman's birthday fell in the month of October. I opted to make him a more diabetes-friendly cheesecake. I added mangos and bananas to the top of a classic NY style cheesecake and I must say it was pretty tasty-even with half the sugar subbed with Splenda!

Not-so-diabetes-friendly was the Cupcake Clash Sassyman and I attended with Lil' Emp in tow! It was put on by SF Food Wars. There were 22 mini-cupcake entries-I think I tried at least 18 of them. And, Murphy's Law being what it is, one of the few I did NOT taste, won First Place!

See that orange one in the upper-left with the stick? It was an Orange Creamsicle flavor! Tasted just like the real deal!

And a bit of reinforcement for my ever-wandering knitting hands-if I stick to one project, I really can get it done!

After seeing a woman with a long stole at the horseraces one weekend, I wondered why I never got around to making myself such warm wrap? I then became inspired-no, it became my quest!-to make myself a nice, long stole! I realized that I: 1) had never made a Clapotis, 2) could make a bigger Clapotis to be more wrap-sized, 3) had 11 skeins of Noro Kureyon in my closet, 4) had forgotten exactly WHAT I had purchased it for and 5) only knew that whatever it was supposed to be for, was probably not so good of a use for it anyway!

I started my first Clapotis and after about 50 yards, decided I could perhaps have a finished wrap by the end of October! With a few mild meanderings away from the Clapotis for an occasional knit on my "Carmen" and to start a sock KAL, I mostly remained faithful to my Clapotis. By October 30, look what I got to wear to work!

*So now I want to make a smaller, scarfier Clapotis! If only I had TWO skeins of one of my sock yarns-and that Purl up and Dye colorway would have been just the perfect choice!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! HAPPY FALL! HAPPY KNITTER!!!

Happiness is... (or...the CASHMERE edition...!)

STASH JUSTIFICATION!!!

I had these two skeins of a pinky-red ArtYarns Cashmere, languishing in my stash. I had forgotten exactly what I had in mind when I purchased them, and realized they were only 25 g. skeins-very little yardage...

Low and behold, I get an invite for my quilting teacher's 60th Birthday celebration-and she likes REDS! I'd been meaning to make her a second pair of fingerless mitts! I searched and found the "Princess Mitts" pattern (I think Nartian had already knit these a while back...I'd forgotten about this pattern!). Turns out the gauge and yardage were perfect!

I'm happy to report that I may make 'deadline' and get them done for the party next Saturday. Actually, as long as I keep focus (the more definitive sort as opposed to my "8-9 Projects" sort I've already discussed...), I can get them done.

Confessions-I actually have almost finished both. Problem? Well...sadly (visuals to come later...) my gauge changed considerably from the first to the second, resulting in a second mitt that is almost a whole INCH longer! Yes, it's true. And yes, I didnt' notice until I finished the whole length of the mitt, sans completed thumb.

Here, I have completed the cuff of the second and there is no indication that I am knitting a tad looser!

I wasn't 'loving' the way the instructions were written. As a matter of fact, you have to really read through the "start here, do this chart, start this one on row x of this chart, stay in pattern for this many stitches before this chart and so many stitches after...stay in pattern for this many stitches before THIS chart...Get the idea? A lot of things going on at the same time and after the first mitt, it was less 'thinky', but the beginning was kind of a big 'thinky' hassle and went a bit more slowly, so I ended up knitting much more tightly.

And yes, I did consider NOT frogging, but I think that the Nartian Influence has pushed me to frog. I started the second from the other end of the ball and will frog as I go--HEY-I can pretend I'm knitting from Flat Feet! ;)

I wish I had the pic to show you with the two side-by-side, but I'm having tech difficulties now...

But I can show you these!

My finished first pair of "Lay's"-OK, Cotty's! (I'm not supposed to use the "L" word on our Rav group, but since this is my blog...I CAN...! These are knit with my Pigeon Roof Studios merino/cashmere (Siren Song Two) sock yarn. Nartian and I decided that this is the Sport Weight, not the fingering weight (and that perhaps her heavier was the "worsted", not the sport...cuz her fingering weight was much thinner!...)

You can see how much yarn remained after making my Lay's--I wear a size 6.5 WW, to give you an idea. Actually, I think my foot is technically a 6WW, but basically I'm wearing 7M to make up for my pudgier and after-kid feet. But I would bet that based on the width of my foot pulling the knit fabric up a bit, my socks probably do end up longer than just a regular size 6, wouldn't you think?

So I guess I get to buy more yarn at Sock Summit now, right?

"Lay's" socks, AKA "Cotty"

KnittingGolfer and I keep saying you can't knit just one pair of Cotty's and so, my nickname for them is "Lay's"! I cast on for my second Pigeon Roof Studios Cotty and quickly cast-on for a second pair, too!

I love the Sam 'n Ella colorway and decided Cotty would be a great knit for it, so I couldn't resist-I went ahead and cast-on, putting all UFO's further back in my mind!

Cotty's, v. 2.0

In my last post, I had included a picture of a new sweater I started for Solly, one of my many cousin's baby. I'm using the Baby Racer Sweater pattern by Marie Connolly. I'm using Knit Pick's Mainline cotton/wool yarn for the body in the Ink colorway.

After seeing Miss Babs Worsted in Van Gough over at WoolGirl's July 4 sale, I had to get it to use for the contrasting arm/neckband. So SassyMan was kind enough to go to the PO and get my package out of hock today! How could I resist a WoolGirl sale? I would have been in bigger trouble had someone not beat me to the 3 Wowza skeins of Miss Babs Worsted in Hemlock. Alas, it was not to be! But I did manage to get these...

Miss Babs worsted in Van Gough and Miss Babs Yummy Sport/Sock in Lilacs!

And speaking of WoolGirl, I resurrected this sock I started using Spunky Ecclectic sport yarn, also purchased from WoolGirl.

Slipped Stitch Delight pattern by Terry Ross, knit in the Spunky Ecclectic Sport sock yarn, Hummingbird colorway.

Yeah, the ADD continues. I have narrowed my focus to about 6-8 projects right now; hopefully I'll prioritize and plug through them! Vacation is in the near future and hopefully some good knitting time!

Don't Blink!

When I first took pictures to post a couple of days ago, I meant to show these current projects I'm working on...


A sweater for Solly...

The back is done; working on the front!

Great Uncle "Hooey" (Henry's) crocheted slippers for his 94th Birthday...

The original pair appeared to be a bit larger than I imagine his feet to be, so I started a new pair to present to him at his party yesterday. Sadly, I didn't get them finished and now that one is complete, I am thinking perhaps the larger size won't be so large once seamed and finished! Back to square one!

And the start of my Cotty's by IrishGirlieKnits!

These are being knit with the Pigeon Roof Studios merino/cashmere I had picked up at Stitches West. The colorway is Labyrinth, and is more purple than shows in this picture.

Once I cast on for the picot cuff last week, it went quite quickly. So quickly, that by the time I had a chance to load the pics above, I was able to take a pic of this and completed my first of the pair! This, while trying to get the Uncle Hooey Slippers 1 & 2 done!

Cotty's shown, almost to the toe!

As well as bring the Lil'Emp to the Alameda County Fair on Furlough Friday...
Sadly, I didn't get a chance to pop in to the Fiber Arts building; something told me if I had, I may have seen some wonderful socks or shawls knit by BellyButtonKnits! Darn if I missed it! But we rode the rides and I ate a chocolate-dipped cheesecake!

So while Uncle Hooey needs to wait for his slippers, I am LOVING the Cotty pattern! Quick and easy and awfully pretty! Now to cast-on for the second...sorry, Uncle Hooey, I'll have to try and get your slippers done inbetween the Cotty's, now that your party has passed and I missed deadline!