Knitting in the Gaps

So I've been making other things--scarves, of course--to fill in the gaps while I get my courage up for The Sleeves. Somehow the Quidditch sweater is languishing, unfinished.

Made this scarf from a skein I got from Yarn Lust just before heading to Denver last week. Spent the conference and the flights knitting up a storm. I gave it to my friend Connie last night, and she immediately put on her new neckwarmer (it's barely 46" long, every last micron of the skein going into the scarf!). But what soft yarn--a silk-merino blend. I think she liked it!And this is 90% finished, and somewhat longer--from a skein of alpaca my mom gave me out of her stash. I love the slip stitched edging and it's just a simple garter stitch. So soft.

Here's another one of my projects, though not recent. DD#2 is learning to knit Fair Isle designs! What a thrill to see another addicted knitter learning new skills!

I have been thinking about trying the sleeves again quite often actually. Trying not to psych myself out with the intimidation factor. Then I realized, Hey, if I want to do these sleeves right, I could go to the LYS and ask for some guidance, and sit right there and work on them, with help at my elbow, should I need it. Now that is a brilliant insight, Stacie. So either late this afternoon or tomorrow I'm going to take my project and my optimism over to Purlescence. Maybe this sweater will be finished before it's not needed this winter!!!

Google Homepage, Anyone?

I decided to change my theme (boring, classic) and looked for a knitting theme--there warn't none. I couldn't believe it--tch tch. So I made one and have registered it for general use. Check it out! Google themes, search box, type "knitting" or "keramoso" and switch to it . . . or make your own. It took me less than two minutes. 8^)

I finished the Cadenza scarf and sewed some buttons on it for extra embellishments, and gave it as a ridiculously belated Christmas present to my friend/masseuse Aleia.
I also made a version of Thermis and am foregoing buttons in favor of a dickie look, with the "vent" on the bottom for easy donning.

I am 3/4 done with Bonnie and Clyde after frogging the Bonnie section three times to get the right needle size for a close width match--the Clyde doesn't tighten up in ribbing the way Bonnie does, so I finally settled on #11's. It will be a bit thinner, but I think it will look great, once wound around a neck.

Last weekend, DH wore his Malabrigo hat, that I'd knitted for him last year, on a snow camping trip to Lake Tahoe, came home and threw all his stuff in the washer. When I went to remove items from the dryer after he went off and got distracted doing other things, I found the hat totally felted and about half its size. Um, DH? Well, I stretched it out and am hoping he can still pull it on over his head, as it is now so thick that he'll never feel the chill on his sensitive ears. ;^)

Off to run errands prior to my departure for beautiful Denver, Colorado, where I'm attending a conference and hoping it won't be too cold or too dry. With the little bit of free time I will have, I hope to visit The Tattered Cover, the CELL exhibit, and perhaps Crybaby Ranch. Fun, fun! And yes, I'm taking along my knitting. Do you think I'm crazy? All that sitting time in workshops without my knitting?

Here's a hummer picture from yesterday. They were happily sipping all day long.

Meme Time!

Tagged by Newton's Knitting, I bring you . . . the sixth folder's sixth picture. Here goes!


Awwww. That was a lovely day indeed. We were at Michel-Schlumberger winery for a special tasting event with our friends Greg and Connie, and I went to clear my head by walking up into one of the vineyards. It was fall (no, really?) and everything was just beautiful.

That was also the day that DH said, in agreeing to go halfsies on a case of special release wine with our friends, "This is an indicator that I intend to live to drink this wine!" (DH is, BTW, doing well in remission and goes for scans next month. So far he seems to be feeling in the pink and has just a bit of residual pain from the chemo caused neuropathy. 8^)

In turn, I tag Mel, Cosymakes, Jejune, and Kathy. Happy photo file hunting!

When I'm Not Knitting or Teaching . . .

I'm having crazy cakes decorated for a retreat contest we had today. "Guess the person represented by the dish." Various faculty members brought items from a foreign country (Turkish family) or favorite cookies, or various other categories. I got a cake that had been decorated with fondant made into that sweater that I seem never to finish, along with a pair of needles and various other knittish things. It was quite fun and the cake was out of this world good, with almond ganache frosting inside. Yum.

We also had an hour of R and R at our retreat today, which Queen of Purple Yarn and I headed up with one activity--knitting of course! So we were three knitters with three learners/refreshers, and it was a hour to work on my latest start--Louet Bonnie and Clyde in a scarf that will be 2x2 ribbing, half Clyde and half Bonnie. Clyde is boucle, and it's reminding me why I don't love boucle yarns, but the scarf is turning out great. I knitted on it at the retreat today, and people mentioned having been watching me as it progressed through an interesting presentation on how to maintain proper boundaries with students. And actually this was the best speaker/topic we've had at retreat in a long time. Pictures at 11. 8^)

Back to knitting now, and tomorrow I intend to try the sleeves on DD#2's sweater one more time.

Well, Ya Win Some, and Ya Lose Some

And I ain't talking about the Superbowl.

I ended up stitching the seams of the main body and sleeves with good ol' mattress stitch, after finding that crochet seaming is fine for flatter knits but doesn't do the job with big deep ribs. And I picked up and knit stitches around the collar last night, tacking that down (it folds under) this a.m. But my first efforts to set in a sleeve were FUGLY and a rather major issue arose. If the arm hole remains as I originally stitched up the side, I have to ease in a lot of sleeve, but worse, there's no way that armhole is big enough. I tried it on, and though DD#2 is petiter than her mama, it is not going to work. So . . . I think I need to take out about an inch of the seaming in the side and then the easing will work perfectly, and the sleeve will fit.

But I kinda wore myself out with undoing the seam (what was I thinking, doing the whole thing twice around?! before checking to see if it looked good/fit a normal adult?) and now, I think I need to take a breather. I also found I was so proud of the way the neck came out that I want to rest on my laurels for a bit. 8^)