They came!

Denise sent me some replacement cables for my kit and they arrived today - I am so happy! :D The new cables are visibly slightly thinner in diameter and feel a bit smoother. As soon as I finish a project or two, I'll start a new one with my new cables.

Now, it is waaaaaaaaaaaaay past my bedtime, so night all!

Home again, home again, jiggety jog

I'm hoooooooooooooooome... Finally. :)

Between hospital visits (lots of knitting time) and knitting at Mom's at night, I really needed to get out and get some exercise. I renewed my Fiesta Texas season pass and went out for a couple hours yesterday -- that park seems kind of small without the waterpark open, but I did a lot of walking and got some sun for a change.

The Noro hat is more than half done, and I even started a sock! Well, a pair of socks, eventually. :)

...and life goes on...

Thankfully (and thanks to God!) Mom's surgery went well and she is doing fine -- still out of it, of course, but otherwise fine.

While waiting this morning, I finished a pair of garter stitch booties, and got a couple inches started on my Noro cash iroha hat, to match my 2-sided scarf. Oh, and last night I finished Mom's prayer shawl -- gave it to her this morning; she seemed to like it a lot. I'll get some pics up in my album when I get home.

More project ideas

Is this not one of the cutest cloche hats?

I actually got this issue of FCEK for the split-shoulder shirt (pattern #5, sorry - no preview). Right now I am trying to talk myself into spending the money on the ribbon yarn the pattern calls for. Or maybe talk myself out of it. I don't know. :)

The plan was originally to buy this yarn (Artful Yarns' Cinema) last night in preparation for my trip out of town this weekend -- my mother is undergoing surgery and wants me to be there, so I figured I'd better take some knitting to pass the time. I still haven't bought the yarn for the top yet, but I have plenty of other WIPs to keep me occupied, I suppose. :)

OH! And if anyone from FCEK is actually reading this - what beginner in their right mind would actually buy 19 spools of Anny Blatt yarn for a little tank top? I like the pattern, but I am seriously looking around for yarn substitutes. Anyone? Bueller?

I love these things...

Toys, toys, toys...

When it isn't knitting toys, it is web development toys. Egads, I really need to reorganize here. Until that time, take a gander at the Blogroll.... :)

Knit Your Bit!

Dilemmas

Mom's shawl is almost done - one more border round, I think.

Next week I want to start something - anything - for me. Not that I haven't made anything for myself lately, but nothing that took serious skill, concentration and/or time. I have to decide whether I want to make a summer top, or maybe even a dress. I think a nice sleeveless knit dress sounds good... Now to find a pattern that seriously fits my dimensions. :D

OK, who wants to be a shawl?

I spent a little time going through my stash, and still didn't find anything in quantity that really wanted to be a shawl. However, the yarn for my 6-hour sweater (which was going to visit the Frog Pond anyway) was sitting there winking at me, so....

I frogged the silly thing. Frogging an item knitted with 2 or more strands held together is no mean feat! It took me 45 minutes to unravel and detangle and rewind all that yarn, and I had only used about half of two separate skeins. However, I now have a couple feet of shawl hanging from my Bond needles, so hopefully it will all be worth it in the end.

Oh, new technique alert! I actually managed to successfully pick up a dropped stitch from my Bond. In all my previous trials, that was one thing I just couldn't manage. I love learning new things. :)

Well, this Plymouth Sockotta I have does not seem to want to be a prayer shawl. Oh well, I'd need to get at least one more skein of it anyway. I do have some RH in a nice variegated that Mom likes that may work. Yes...that has possibilities. Unfortunately I haven't found a good pattern anywhere for a shawl on the bond. Not one that I can seem to manage, anyway. Anyone have ideas?

Yarn Therapy

I found a great book for crocheted socks, using actual sock yarns (rather than the bulkier patterns I have using sport and worsted weights). Unfortunately, the one pattern I tried so far didn't seem to shape the toe well. I'll hold off for a bit and try another one some other time.

Now, to work on Mom's shawl. I still haven't quite figured out what I am going to do, but there are several stitch possibilities. I will try a few out on my Bond to see what looks best.

Bonding with the machine

I love making up silly titles. :D

At any rate, last night I finally got my Bond out, set up, and ready to go. I watched the instructional video a few times, then made my first swatch! It is an ucky brown wool square now - the Bond came with a skein of Sirdar included. Not my color choice, but for learning, it doesn't have to be!

Tonight I will seam up that square for a baby hat to give away, then I think I will start on a prayer shawl for my mother -- she is scheduled for surgery at the end of this month.

Spring is the season...

...for babies, at any rate. :) I know SOOOoooooooooooo many ladies that are expecting! (Not to mention a couple that just delivered within the last month). Busy, busy, busy making more baby booties, and hats, and blankies, and sweaters, and...and...and a lot of stuff. :)

I just started another pair of Emily's Garter Stitch booties, this time with worsted weight. I think the sock weight or dk weight options are better, but these might turn out pretty cute, too.

weekends rock

Sometimes you just need a good weekend away to make you feel loads better. I went visiting, and saw some good friends that I haven't been able to visit for a while. I even got some knitting done this weekend!

Saturday morning I finished up the coif from the Spring Knitty issue -- it works up very quickly! I also got a few more rows done on my Katrina scarf, and a couple more sections done on Jim's scarf. That's one stinking long project, I gotta tell you. Ah well - a foot or so more and it will be done. :)

So much for productivity...

Yup, it has been a rather slow week - for knitting, that is. I did get those booties and the sweater ready for the auction, and I've gotten a few more rows done on my Katrina scarf.

Other than that, I've been rather busy with Chorus and church and choir and work and...and...and...everything but crafting. :D Well, one more day to go until the weekend!

I need more weekend!

Well, the weekend went by a little too quickly, as usual. :) I did get to HCW on Saturday, and I finished the second garter stitch baby bootie. All that needs to be done now is add the ribbon ties, and then I need to print out tags for the booties and the BSS so that I can donate them to the school auction.

Ah, well - it is Monday and now I have to go to work.