Stitch Counter

Favorite Baby Gift? Puppets!

I recently gave a good friend and co-worker a darling set of finger puppets (a.k.a. puppers) in a Nantasket Basket. They were a breeze to knit up and a huge hit. Next time, I'll knit them in the round, even though the pattern is written to seam. Yuck. Didn't enjoy that part so much. Cute as a button!

My set included fuzzy bunny, stripey tiger, pink pig with corkscrew tail,elephant with a great trunk, and a friendly bear. I put them in a blue and white bag, tossed it all in a red Nantasket Basket, and put it all in a white bag from the LYS.

If I had knit the blue and white bag, it would have been all knitting, all the time!

Procrastination Finished

The taxes are done and none too soon. Today was a productive day, filled with cleaning, filing, tax preparing, shopping, and (of course) a bit of knitting. I finished seaming the Cashmere Teddy Bear from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. It turned out okay, and I have realized (again) that I really need to take a finishing class. The nose is a bit left of center, but that happens to the best of us.

I started my third Nantasket Basket today. I love this pattern! It is designed by Susan, and has several ingenius techniques.

Here is one of Susan's pictures. The bottom left basket (with the plant) is mine! This one was made with Heilo. I've finished one using red bulky Alpaca and I am almost done with the bottom of one out of Gjestal Naturspunn.

The stripey basket and teddy bear (made from alpaca, rather than cashmere) are gifts for a baby shower tomorrow this evening. I'm so excited that my taxes and the shower gifts are complete and it isn't even 1 a.m. on April 15th!

Haunted House of Wonders

Yesterday, I journeyed north to Ogden, Utah, for a day of knitting and shopping with Margene, Susan, Laurie, and Larisa. Much fun! We went to The Needlepoint Joint, Rooster's, Knit Craft, and Shepherd's Bush.

When we walked in to The Needlepoint Joint, I think my jaw actually dropped to the ground. So much yarn! needles! tools! space! buttons! books! It was all too, too much. I need to go back up, maybe with my mom and sister during an upcoming visit. I guess I thought that it would be almost all needlepoint, with a little bit of knitting. Wrong-o. It is an amazing, well-organized, fully staffed shop with lots of stock. Yes, I was quite impressed. I found (was shown) several sweater books that I now need, but nothing that I could only get there. I was able to restrain myself and spent nothing.

Next it was next door to Rooster's for a great lunch and some birthday cake. We sat on a glass-enclosed patio--all the sun, none of the wind.

After lunch, we swung by the Ogden synagogue which Margene's husband's family helped establish. It is a darling building, smaller than I expected, but a tall presence. It was rebuilt after being firebombed in the 1970s or 1980s. It is still unbelievable (inconceivable, if you will), the power of hate and fear that exists in this world. But I digress...

On to Knit Craft, the Haunted House of Yarn! When I was in North Carolina last Thanksgiving, I went to a great shop (Shuttles Needles & Hooks). It was as if someone hads opened the roof and dropped yarn into the house. Knit Craft is even more so! It has been a family business for years and some of the yarn we found was decades old. Plus, they get in new yarn that no one else can. Bags and bags of Noro--Silk Garden, Kureyon, and more. Yarn and needlepoint everywhere.

In one room, the transom over the door was opened (swung down and parallel to the floor) and stacked with yarn. I walked away with a bag of beautiful Silk Garden (number 86 on this chart) and a bag of old Reynolds Grizzli. The Noro will be a sweater for moi and the Grizzli will make a great felted bag. The shop was not set up for credit cards and I never carry my checkbook, so the owner just asked me to send her a check. She gave me an addressed envelope and a pen, my skeins and skeins of yarn, and sent me on my way. I will send her check on Monday, but I was overwhelmed with her trust.

The last stop was Shepherd's Bush, a needlework shop. They have great project bags, and I can see that it would be a great place to shop if you were a needleworker. Like The Needlepoint Joint, it was a well-lit shop with much inventory.

The shops were great, lunch was delicious, but the best part was spending a sunny Saturday with the girls. Are we going again soon?

The Lone February Post

I know, I know. I haven't updated in ages. Sorry. But... I have been knitting. Here's my updated list.

1. Nate's tiger striped socks (Finished! 1/2/2005)
2. Caroline's wristwarmers (baby alpaca) (Finished 1/12/2004)
3. Bes' shawl (huge, alpaca) (Mailing 3/1/2005))
4. Suzy's bag (felted w/ lining) (Mailing 3/1/2005)
5. Cozy - grey mohair wrap - ready to block
6. Felted bunnies (4)(3) 1 done!
7. Jocelyn's repair (Aran)
8. Audrey (sweater) (Finished 2/13/2005)
9. Siv (sweater)
10. Oriel
11. Ruffle (Done!)

The list is getting shorter!

I have pictures of Nate's socks and Caroline's wristwarmers, and will post them soon. (I want to wait until Caro gets her package.) I need to take photos of the other FOs for you (and me). The project for the last two weeks was a pink baby blanket marked with an E. The knitting is done, but it needs to be blocked and trimmed.

I think I'll work on two bunnies and some blanket finishing at SnB tomorrow. Siv will be my next project, but she requires a bit of concentration.

Happy March!

The Updated List

Missed Sunday's special session of SLC SnB and a debate, to boot! See Laurie's post for an exploration of the discussion dynamics of our group.

The list is going swimmingly. I finished knitting the grey mohair wrap (Cozy), as well as a little bitty scarf with the leftover mohair. Still haven't decided who is getting either, but I'm on the short list! Here is the updated list:

1. Nate's tiger striped socks (Finished! 1/2/2005)
2. Caroline's wristwarmers (baby alpaca) (Finished 1/12/2004)
3. Bes' shawl (huge, alpaca) - block (should be ready to pick up)
4. Suzy's bag * (lining, clasp) - have lining, part of clasp
5. Cozy - grey mohair wrap - ready to block
6. Felted bunnies (4)
7. Jocelyn's repair (Aran)
8. Audrey (sweater)
9. Siv (sweater)
10. Oriel
11. Ruffle *

*Current project(s)

I currently have two current projects (currently...), because one is really a sewing project and one is knitting. So that's allowed. And Ruffle used to be #5 on the list, but I bumped it down. Now I'm bumping it back up. I bumped it because I was dreading the measly 2" of frogging required. The frogging is done, the knitting has begun, and I hope to finish it in a week or so.

For those interested in the speedy completion of the lined bag, I'm shooting for this weekend. I need to preshrink the fabric, get another piece for the clasp, and put it all together. Oh, the anticipation!

Sticking to the Schedule

Well, kind of sticking to the schedule.  I've finished Caroline's wristwarmers and just need to mail them to her.  I have also finished knitting Bes' shawl, but need to weave in the ends and have it blocked.  The lining for Suzy's bag has been purchased--I'll probably sew that up this weekend.

So I really should be working on Ruffle.  That would mean ripping back 2" to get rid of a mysterious hole and knitting on in this yarn I'm not fond of.   

So I started a new project...

I just couldn't help it!  Last Tuesday our Salt Lake SnB celebrated our glorious one-year anniversary.  Happy Anniversary everyone!  We celebrated with bubbly, cake, fun fur, and a white elephant style yarn exchange/pattern swap/prizes.  But the stuff was all great!  Near the end, Shannon pulled out a head of grey mohair, purchased at a French grocery store.  I had to have it.  For a couple of days I merely admired the large ball of fluff, dreaming of the perfect project for it.  I had to finish Bes' shawl, of course.  As soon as the fringe was frinished, I started on my new cozy project.  Oh, she will be lovely!

New list:

1. Nate's tiger striped socks (Finished! 1/2/2005)
2. Caroline's wristwarmers (baby alpaca) (Finished 1/12/2004)
3. Bes' shawl (huge, alpaca) - block
4. Suzy's bag (lining, clasp)
5. Cozy - grey mohair wrap
6. Felted bunnies (4)
7. Jocelyn's repair (Aran)
8. Audrey (sweater)
9. Siv (sweater)
10. Oriel
11. Ruffle

New Beginning

I had a great holiday season, but I must confess that I'm glad it is over.  Time to get started on next December's gifts!  Well, maybe not just yet.  Right now, I'm working on finishing up some works in progress before starting new and exciting projects.  Not that my WsIP aren't exciting--most of them are.  So I'm taking down the project status bars for now and will put them back when I only have a few projects.  It's a bit overwhelming to keep a dozen status bars current, at least for me.

But a simple list, that's not too much!  Here it is, a list of the projects to be completed.

1. Nate's tiger striped socks (Finished! 1/2/2005)
2. Caroline's wristwarmers (baby alpaca)
3. Bes' shawl (huge, alpaca)
4. Suzy's bag (lining, clasp)
5. Ruffle
6. Felted bunnies (4)
7. Jocelyn's repair (Aran)
8. Audrey (sweater)
9. Siv (sweater)
10. Oriel

And these are the projects for which I have fiber, but have not cast on or even necessarily picked a pattern.

1. Fairisle sweater (thanks to my SP!)
2. Socks for me (trade from Margene)
3. Something from recycled silk yarn (ideas welcome)
4. Frode (another Viking sweater, but I may change my mind.)

Lots of projects, I know, but they will all get done. I'm actually going to try to finish the first list in order.  Can she do it?  I'll keep you posted.

Return from NC

My cat just ran from one side of the living room to the other, puking all the way. Started at the chair, ran along the back of the couch, jumped to the arm of the chaise, then hid under the table.  Disgusting. 

Today we put together a big ol' care package for one of my co-workers who is Afghanistan with the Army National Guard.  People brought in some great stuff!  DVDs, beef jerky, dried fruit, games, coloring books, cards, candy, etc. etc. etc.  (That's redundant.  I know.)  I'm so excited for her!  On one hand, I want her to get the best care package ever; on the other hand, I hope that every soldier gets a fantabulous care package.  Check out the My Soldier program if you would like to adopt a soldier.

I took lots of knitting projects with me to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, but only worked on a few.  I finished a Christmas present (slippers) and a sock and started a shawl.  My niece took me to a great knit shop in Cary, Shuttles Needles and Hooks.  It was this darling house that was packed with yarn.  Lots of Noro.  I picked up some red alpaca for the shawl and some electric blue Lopi for the slippers. 

Bit disjointed today (cat puke, soldiers, knitting), but then I'm still getting back in the swing of posting regularly.  Enjoy your weekend!

North Carolina bound

I'll be spending Thanksgiving week in beautiful North Carolina.  Does anyone have a must-visit LYS in the Raleigh/Durham area?  I need to pick out yarn for a shawl I'm going to make for one of my nieces, Bes.  She wants to learn to knit, so maybe we'll pick up supplies for her, too.

More on the lace...  I have two of the ten 28-row repeats done.  It looks a little loose, but it is lace, right?  Susan, Margene, and Laurie are working on the same scarf and have pictures of their lace on their respective blogs. 

I was thinking of leaving the lace here next week so I could concentrate on knitting gifts and spending time w/ the fam.  Can't do it.  Oriel will be coming with me to NC!

Loving the Lace

Last weekend, I took my very first bona fide, real money knitting class.  We learned the pattern for an Oriel Lace Scarf/Stole and I was able to knit a fair number of rows in the lovely classroom at Black Sheep Wool in Salt Lake City.  This is my first time knitting lace and I'm loving it!  I'm using a skinny alpaca (50 g/437 yards) in a camel color.  The pattern calls for a mohair yarn, but I am glad that I picked up this alpaca at the Back of the Wasatch fiber fest earlier this year.  There is trouble in paradise...how will I ever put Oriel down and pick up the projects begging to be finished?