YEAH...

Why "YEAH"?
It has been quite a week. Actually, quite a year and it's only begun. I had quite a few good things happen this week, so things are beginning to looking up.

1. I had a big project at work that carried over from 2005. It was a very complicated and stressful work project that involved many staff and alot of disagreements, etc. However, it was completed this week and I will now have my free time back and be able to concentrate on my life. No more bringing work home and working on work on the weekends!!! It's not a way to live, that's for sure. So, yeah for getting my life back!

2. Yeah... I found a knitting group near home, met up with them saturday morning. It was so much fun!!! We got alot of knitting done, talked about anything and everything, including knitting stories and best of all it was sooo relaxing! The 2 hours flew!! I can't wait until next month's meet-up. I have to say knitters are the nicest group of people anyone will ever meet.

3.Yeah... I found a knitting class and signed up ASAP! it's a class for a variety of levels of knitters. I consider myself to be an intermediate knitter. The class will teach the basics to new knitters with a goal to complete a project in 5 weeks. For more advanced knitters, the class will be offering advanced techniques in knitting and original designs . I like to learn about how to go about designing my own garments. This will be information for future use. I'm definitely not ready for that step yet!!!

4. Yeah, for socks! I wanted to be able to have the heel finished this weekend and that can still happen, but not for this post (darn!). Still, I'm having fun with the pattern and the knitter in saturday's group (whose made dozens of socks, with 6 on the needles right now!!!) complemented me on my progress,thus far! I plan to have one sock done by Kim's next patrol through my blog!

5. Yeah, for Kim of knitter in progress who started the stash-a-long and got me focused on knitting with yarn I have at home. It's really got me thinking about what to do with the stash and, by working on my current projects, I'm using up yarn and of course, making room for more. So, thanks Kim for your encouragement,weekly patrol and reigning in this stash-obsessessed knitter! I imagine this takes up a lot of your time.

6. Yeah, for cats. I just had to show off Samantha. If there's knitting to be done she there! yarn, needles, notions...she doesn't care! It's all good! My other cat Allegra could care less about knitting. I'll have to get some photos of her just being her cute self!!
Hope all of you had some yeah moments in your life this week.
Get knitting!!!

it's looking like a sock!

I started working on a pair of socks last week and initially, I didn't get much done, because I ended up frogging the same sock over and over. I had trouble with a very wide opening as I completed each round. Then, the damn stitches kept falling off the needle! However, I'm not one to give up easily! So, there will be a pair of handmade socks in this abode or else...!!!

I spent a some time re-thinking why I was having trouble with these socks. The pattern wasn't a difficult one. It was just a k2, p2 rib pattern. The yarn is a good one and I like working with it. The bamboo needles were fine. The gauge and the yarn type was appropriate. S0, what's the problem?

I went to my LYS and decided to look at some other patterns or ask the owner for a little help( she's a wonderful knitter and always willing to help her customer's with questions/problems). I found some nice sock patterns and came upon one from the Plymouth Yarn Studio made with sockotta yarn in mind. I purchased the pattern and bought size 2 needles. What a difference! I've been having so much fun with this pattern and knitting these socks! I haven't finished my first pair yet, but I'm well on my way and there will definitely be more sock knitting. I had great restraint at the yarn store. Of course, I had to touch the various new yarns that had come in, but I did not buy any!! I couldn't leave the store with just needles and a pattern, so I bought Cat Bordi's knitting with circular needles for a later time. Right now, I enjoy using the DPNS. I hope everyone is having a good week.
Get knitting!

Glad for the weekend!

Until today, there wasn't much knitting accomplished. It all began Monday evening, on my way home from work. I started feeling dead tired and not in the mood to do anything, but lay on my couch, with remote in hand. In my head, I knew once my body touched down on the couch, I'd be out for the count and I should've gone straight to bed but... By 2:30 am Tuesday morning my head was over the toilet bowl and the puke-a-thon was on. I haven't been this sick in about 2 years and I hope to get a lot longer reprieve, after this bout. At times, I needed the toilet and a bucket to cover all bases (you know what I'm talkin about out there!). I was out of work for a few days and too sick to do much of anything, except drag myself to the kitchen and feed the cats. As all pet owner's know, your fuzzy,cuddly, cute as hell animals know when your sick and feel your pain, but ... Where's the food, my dish is empty, dammit!
O.K. enough of my whining. I've read a several other blogs and know there were enough stomach and other bugs to go around for everyone. Hope all of you out there are well or on the road to feeling better!!!


As can be seen in the pic above, I've started working on my first sock. Kim told me I'd be addicted to sock knitting, once I started. My first thought after losing some of the cast on stitches and some of the first row of stitches, because they kept slipping off the needles was maybe she'd meant,I'd be "committed". If this were the case, I have plenty of time for knitting! My next problem was coordinating all the needles. I also forgot to use the fourth needle as the active knitting needle. I'd look down and think "wow, I really have the hang of this and....%$##*&..ahhhhhhh.. I'd have to divide the stitches again, I forgot about using the fourth needle. Well, finally all is well in the world of sock knitting.

I have also been working on finishing my summer bag (from last summer). It's crocheted. I really like the pattern. It's one I found on the lionbrand site. I will also be lining the bag and found a material whose color is similar to the cotton yarn in "natural". It's perfect for the bag! The pattern in the material has a slighlty antique look pattern. HP scarf continues to grow (yeah!). Well that's it for this week. How is everyone else doing with the stash-a-long. Anyone stopping by for a visit, feel free to comment!
get knitting!

knitting at a snail's pace this week.

I had planned to do lots of knitting this weekend, but that didn't happen. I had unexpected visitors for the weekend! My fingers were just itching to touch some yarn and needles. So instead, I'm going to sit on the couch this evening and knit, while watching t.v. A relaxing way to end a busy weekend!
I placed a pic with this post to show what I've done on the scarf. I'm also knitting a swatch for my socks. One of my new year's goal is to swatch for all projects. Swatching makes me crazy, because I'm always anxious just get new projects started, but I'm going to behave and do it! I know the results will be much better in the end! I wish everyone a good week and more time to knit, so..
Get Knitting 8>) !

sock yarn...will I ever get post and pics in sync?

eenie, meenie, minie, moe...pick one from the stash and GO!

I"ve decided to start using the sockotta yarn to make my first pair of socks. When I started knitting, I swore I would never make a pair of socks, when there were so many scarves, sweaters, shawls etc.. to be made. ( translation: waste of time). However, after reading many of the blogs out there and reading how much fun people have making them and seeing how great the finished socks look, I feel compelled to make a pair ...or 20 8-)! There are so many patterns and of course, so many sock yarns to choose from... no no, I must'nt think yarn or I'll be heading to the nearest LYS.

I was driving around doing errands when I passed by a yarn shop. I started thinking maybe, I'll just go in and look around. After all, I don't have any project info with me,sooo..., what's the harm? Since when has not knowing how much yarn needed for a project stopped any of us from buying yarn, just in case...

NO, I didn't buy any yarn (ye of litle faith)! Instead, I drove right by that store and ordered a pizza! It's gonna be a tasty 3 months at this rate (haha!). Hope everyone is having fun discovering just what's in that stash.
I'll have a progress picture soon of the first sock. Let's hope I don't come down with sock syndrome 8-0!
get knitting!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday and wishing everyone a fantastic 2006! It's gotta be better than last year, right? My first official new year's resolution is to use up some of my stash that has a life of it's own and keeps growing! Even as I write this entry, there is yarn en route. A few days ago, I ordered "Kidsilk Haze" from The Knitting Garden and "Blue Sky Alpaca" (50% and 50% silk) alpaca from Knit Picks. That's it let yarn withdrawal begin! Why no yarn buying you ask? Kim from Knitter in Progress is hosting a Stash-Along and I've joined. So, no more yarn until the spring!!

I'm very excited to be doing this. First of all, it's my first "knit along" and second of all, I'm looking forward to seeing what all of you talented knitters do, with all of that beautiful yarn stashed away!! I have a long list of projects I want to complete. Now comes the hard part, what do I start with?

I think I'll finish the second Harry Potter scarf (sorry, no pics of the first one). It was a last knitted chrismas gift. The next project from the stash will be my first pair of socks or Rowan's "Butterfly".

Have a good week and get knitting.