Finished Objects and others

I have yet to find out how to put photos up from a Mac, but I did finish Ben's "Alien Illusion" scarf and a felted laptop holder from the latest IK. I am on the LAST ROUND (finally!) of "More Thank Circular". I think I will set it down for a while before beginning the sideways edging.

I have a serious case of "Startitis". I want to start about three projects. I haven't decided yet between a gorgeous coral colored sweater with lacy hood, the ubiquitous Nikki Epstein Rose Bag from last winter's Vogue Knitting, another bag to knit and felt with some yummy Manos and novelty yarn, Fair Isle gloves for my future MIL or an ipod case for my son with the Misfits logo on it. Decisions, decisions.

OK, I need to get to work! Photos to follow.

Long Time No Post

Well, it has been quite an eventful summer! I recently returned from a long trip with my two kids. We went to Oregon, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin. My daughter learned to fish, which really thrilled her vegetarian brother :)
Our home was burglarized. I lost my computers, all my digital photos, all my music CDs, all my software. I'm now the proud owner of a new Mac but I have a lot of work to do before I'm completely comfortable with the PC to Mac switch.

Knitting! Oh yes, I've been knitting. I finished a laptop case from the new issue of Interweave knits. I am ALMOST done with "More Than Circular", and almost done with the Giotto cardigan. I'm kind of off knitting socks at the moment.

I have yet to learn how to post photos with the Mac, so that's it for now!

With Due Deference to the Yarn Harlot (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee )

You know you knit too much when....you wonder whether you can get away with knitting socks during your ex-husband's wedding. Oh, yes, I am serious. The wedding is next Sunday and I KNOW that knitting will make the experience ever so much more fun.So maybe if I sit in the back, bring a huge purse, and use bamboo needles, nobody will notice. They will, after all, be watching the bride and groom, right? Then again, maybe my kids will take it the wrong way: Mom sitting there with two sharp implements in her hands. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....

On another subject, I had a semi-Eureka moment while working on my Master Handknitter swatches. If I make my stitches with just the tips of the needles, I get virtually no rowing out. I know, I know, every book says to do this! I've just gotten very fast and loose over the years (in my knitting, I mean!) and I've been trying to compensate by tightening up. The result of that has been exascerbated arthritis, sore hands and arms, and a bad temper. Not to mention continued rowing out. Well, I think I've solved the problem. No full-Eurekas yet, however.

I've set aside the "More Than Circular" shawl for a while in order to knit a cardigan out of Giotto. (I want to wear it to the above-mentioned wedding) It's a quick knit on huge needles. I HATE huge needles. I am simply astonished at all these new knitters who persist in knitting with eyelash yarn on these things that feel like broomsticks in the hands. I would detest knitting if that were they only knitting I could do. Someone should clue these newbies into the JOYS of knitting with size 5 or 7 needles (or smaller) and worsted or lighter weight yarn.

Well, so much for that fantasy!

Back to the swatches for me...

My STASH! 

Statue on the Stairs 

Dalya as Statue 

Mastery and Life, too

I have been reworking my swatches for Level I of the Master Handknitting Course. I have ten swatches to resubmit. I believe I have five that are now good enough to send in.

Other than that, many exciting things have been happening, not knit related! My daughter appeared in a Gala for her local ballet company and it was thrilling to see her progress and how grown up she is getting. See photos!

Also, my "office/studio" is finally in an organized state. I'm posting a photo of my "stash" which includes yarn, fabric, beads and photographs.

On the needles: Still working on the second version of "More than Circular" this one is yellow. I'm also working on a lovely cardigan in "Giotto" which I'm hoping to wear to the Ex-husband's wedding next week. I've lost three pounds this week and am bound to lose more by the 3rd. It feels GOOD!

Giving It Up

Sometimes it's good to know when to STOP! I am still messed up on one stitch on "More Than Circular". I can SEE the error. I know exactly where the error is. I just can't figure out how to fix it. I've decided to set the thing aside and start a new project. If I don't do this, I will obsess and rip and obsess and rip and I will get more and more frustrated. Better to wait until I have a better understanding of lace structure or find someone who does!

Lifelines!

After frogging the "More than Circular" shawl four times, I finally got wise to the "lifeline". I think I've spent more time ripping than knitting on this and it's all because I have yet to really learn to read the structure of lace knitting. The YOs and decreases just have me dizzy if I have to correct an error. I am perservering, however, and now that I am inserting lifelines, I feel more confident that I will finish the thing before my trip to Los Angeles next week!

I have been disappointed in most of the yarn stores in the LA area, with the exception of "A Major Knitwork". Most are trendy and seem to cater almost exclusively to scarf knitters. I am baffled that so many Angelinos need so many scarves! I will continue to explore the area, however, on my next trip.

Road Trip

Still on the road trip. Yesterday I had to frog the entire "more than circular". I had a mistake about five rows back and I could not figure out how to correct it. Lace still confuses me; I don't know a good way to rip out with all the yo's and put the thing back together. I tried, and failed, to rip just the offending sector of the shawl. So I have started over from the beginning and I'm about 1/3 done. I'm itching for a different challenge but I'm not sure what it is!

Tomorrow, Minneapolis. I know some great yarn shops there, so I have plans...

On the needles

With all this driving, I'm getting a lot of knitting done. I finished one of my sandal/clog socks with the separate big toe. Very fun. I'm making lots of progress on the Hanne Falkenberg DaCapo jacket. I'm beginning to fear I may run out of yarn since I notice I am SUCH a loose knitter! Yikes...

I'm about halfway done with the More than Circular shawl. I may finish it in time to wear to the wedding we are traveling to in Petosky Michigan this coming weekend.

I also brought with me a kit from "Knitability" for an entrelac felted back pack.

that's it for now!

You're It

I am tagging Cathy, HomeJewel and Luvs2Knit!

Tagged!

Karen tagged me. Here is the game:

Pick 5 of the following and then complete the sentences. Then pass it on to 3 more of your blog friends! But no tag backs!

The Premise (pick 5):

If I could be a scientist?
If I could be a farmer?
If I could be a musician?
If I could be a doctor?
If I could be a painter?
If I could be a gardener?
If I could be a missionary?
If I could be a chef?
If I could be an architect?
If I could be a linguist?
If I could be a psychologist?
If I could be a librarian?
If I could be an athlete?
If I could be a lawyer?
If I could be an inn-keeper?
If I could be a professor?
If I could be a writer?
If I could be a llama-rider?
If I could be a bonnie pirate?
If I could be an astronaut?
If I could be a world famous blogger?
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world?
If I could be married to any current famous political figure?

I don't like the way the questions are worded. "If I could"???? What's up with that. I assume I could be amost any of the things on the list, so I will respond "If I were a....." OK, here goes:

If I were a musician I would play honkin' saxophone and sing like Bernadette Peters.
If I were a scientist, I would be a physicist, meaning, a philosopher in scientist's clothing.
If I were an architect, I would specialize in spaces for children AND adults to play in.
If I were a doctor, I would go to law school and become a forensic pathologist.
If I were a lawyer, I would work for health care reform and women's rights.

Well, I'm not sure who to tag, so I will find some tagees tomorrow.

My first felted project. This backpack is from an old issue of Knitter's. I believe it has been republished in their new book "Bags: a Knitter's Dozen". This was very fun to make. 

My mobius scarf from Cat Bordhi's first book. This was more fun to knit than it is to wear. I still haven't gotten the hang of it yet! 

And one more... 

Another lovely rhodie 

I finally took some photos of our rhodies. I couldn't resist sharing them. 

Clouds and More Than Circular

I've been working on "More Than Circular" from the Knitter's Shawls and Scarves book. I'm making it in Dalgren "Stork" cotton in a pale lavender.It is really going fast and is quite easy. I expect I'll finish it by the weekend.

Still have the Hanne Falkenberg DaCapo Jacket on the needles. That is a LONG, somewhat boring knit, but I expect to like the outcome. Also I've almost finished the first sock of Fiber Trends Clog/Sandal socks (with a separate big toe and cables down the back).

I was disappointed in the new "Knitter's" which came yesterday. There are a few things in it that I would make, but most of the designs leave me cold (no pun intended). Perhaps I will actually design my own stuff soon.

TGIF

I finished the last swatch last night and blocked it. I'm about to attach the tag and then-- to the post office! I've decided to stop obsessing about the Master Knitter business and start a new project. I bought some cotton yarn in Sun Valley to make the Joann Besold "more than 360" circular shawl from the Knitters Shawls and Scarves book. I've been resisting starting it because she increases the size of the circle by increasing needle sizes as the work progresses. I think it takes five or six different circulars to make the thing. I have all the needles, I am just a bit leery of this process of gauge-increasing. Well, I can always frog it if I don't like it.

Carry on!