Check it Out!

Yay!!!!! The Jane Pullover is done!!! Well, it's been done since Sunday, but I had to block and then actually look somewhat presentable for a picture. It was a very easy knit, the only tricky part was the joining and actually reading and understanding the instructions. I do really like it. It's so different. I do think it's shorter than I had anticipated, but I like it.... with spring, and then summer, I feel like I will wear it lots. It's kinda like a longer, more covering shrug. I haven't decided if I'm into the whole shrug thing or not. I've always thought you have to be stick thin to wear them. Love handles and shrugs are not really ideal in the same ensemble. I have recently lost some weight, including my love handles, so you never know I just might try a shrug. Maybe I'll try one on in a store, before I commit to knitting one. So, after I got all geared up in my new sweater I went out to do some shopping, and, well, it seems I had a bit of a spree. Heee Heee Heee! It was fun, and besides I haven't bought any clothes in ages, and it was much needed after my weight loss. Most of my pants are now 2 sizes too big, and the baggy, saggy bum look is out this season! Oh, and of course I got a new pair of shoes too! I had to get a nice brown pair to go with the two skirts I bought! So, after all that, I'm beat. V and I went for a walk with the doggie, and now I'm flaked out on the couch watching the tube and trying to get my Jaywalkers finished up. I'm so close. I have a long driving day in store for me tomorrow, so I'm even thinking about casting on the Retrograde Sweater tonight, to keep me busy for the drive tomorrow. We'll see.

Relaxing Weekend

The weekend was nice and relaxing, with some knitting, and lots of hanging out and movie watching. I even left most of my house cleaning until this morning. I am chugging right along on my Jaywalkers. I opted to shorten the length, which I am happy with. I also had/have yardage fears, so I haven't grafted the toes on sock #1 yet. I'm fairly confident I'll have enough yarn, but there is that little fear, that I'll have to frog. The Jane Pullover is complete! I finished it yesterday afternoon. The joining technique was interesting and not that hard, however I really did think that the pattern directions were not that great. I had no idea what to do with the 42 stitches that were the back of the neck, and the pattern just neglected to say.... so I just knit an extra row and bound them off. I think it worked out ok. There were what seemed like a thousand ends to weave in, and when it was done I was still skeptical, it's kinda small and I had a lot of yarn left (a third of what was in the kit!). So, right now the sweater is being wet blocked. It looks a little bigger now, that it is flattened out, so now I just have to wait for it to be dry, and then try it on. I think it will be nice. Hopefully there will be some pics in the next few days. Must get back to the Jaywalkers. Can't wait to wear them!

Recent Discovery

Yesterday after some work on the Jane Pullover, I decided that I was bored of that, and needed some new knitting stimulation. So I decided that it was time to pull out my skein of Sundara yarn, wind it up, and start my Jaywalker socks. So, of course first step in the process was to wind. Well, I am not so lucky to have a winder. So as I have been doing, I set up on two of my kitchen chairs, and my method of choice is to stand on one of the chairs and wind the yarn into a nice tight neat ball. OH MY GOD, this was the straw that broke the camels back. I AM GETTING A WINDER. Winding one measly 100g skein of sock yarn took me about an hour. It got tangled up, and being so in love with this yarn I was determined to untangle it and not lose 1 inch of the much coveted, and might I add beautiful silky yarn. I was successful, but most definitely frustrated when the winding was complete. I never really thought I needed a winder, as most of the yarn I do use comes in conveniently pre-wound balls, and up to this point have convinced myself that the round ball doesn't really bother me all to much. NOT ANYMORE. I will be searching out one, and hopefully aquiring one in the near future. I am debating now, do I also need a swift??? I'm not sure. I guess I'll check around and see what is recommended. I don't want to have to buy both at once. That will really cut into my yarn and craft money. Maybe that's not a bad thing! So, after I admired the yarn for a while, I cast on for my Jaywalkers. So far I am loving the colorway and how it is knitting up, right now my only concern is yardage, and I really want to sure I'll have enough. I may make them a little shorter, as insurance and piece of mind. I actually prefer a shorter sock anyways. I always find the longer ones fall down (not that I have skinny legs or anything).

Last night was my normal scrappin' group. I went, really not knowing at all what I wanted to do, and actually feeling quite uninspired. I guess the whole winding incident really deflated my creativity. Anyways, after a little looking and flipping through some mags, I decided on a Get Well card for my sisters DB, who had a surgery this week. There it is on the left. It's hard to make manly cards, when you have a real obsession with all the lovely pinks, and girly papers. I am pleased with the result and think it looks good. I'm sure he'll be appreciative of the efforts. I have to get that out in the mail today. Also I made a thank you card. Not sure of the recipient, but you can never have too many cards ready to go. I really have to get some pictures lined up and printed, so that I can do some actual scrapbooking. I'd really like to have an album, just for my coffee table. You know, kinda like a little brag book.

So my mandate for today.... work on Jawwalker sock, maybe a little work on Jane, she's actually very close to being ready for "the special joining technique", which actually scares me a little. Maybe that explains me casting on another project....? It is nice and sunny here, so a few doggie walks are in order, and if I get really ambitious I may wash some sheets and hang them out to dry (we'll see about that!). I'm also seeing a movie in my future tonight as V will be out with his Firefighting cronies. That's all for now, Happy Friday to all!

Yarn Filled Wednesday

Today was a good yarn day! That means I had two packages come to me. My Knit Picks order arrived, which consisted of yarn for two sweaters, Wool of the Andes for the Retrograde sweater for V, and Shine Worsted in Cream, for a summer cardi for me. I had totally intended on another Ariann, but I have come across another pattern that I like. It's called Lucy in the Sky, and it's really nice. Also some more sock yarn that I got for a steal on the Destash site. Nice colorways, one is green and blue, and the other is pink with orange. They will get knit up some day, but for now they will go in the stash bin, which is starting to bulge. I got a little knitting done today. I've been working on the Jane Pullover. Both sleeves are done now, and seamed. I am working the fronts, and then I just have to figure out how to put it all together. I am going to put the push on this one now, and hopefully get it done by the end of the weekend. I am really wanting to cast on more socks, but I need to finish up Jane first. I have decided to do Jaywalkers with my Sundara Yarn, as I was contemplating yesterday. I also got signed up for Sockapalooza. Yay! I was so excited to get all my info in, and now I just have to wait to see who is going to be my sock pal. Must go and get knitting!

Is This an April Fools Joke?

Does this not look like January or February weather? That's not what I would have expected for April. Oh well, hopefully spring flowers will come along soon. For now we'll just have fun, and make the best of it. One nice thing about the snow still being here, is that walking the dog is not followed by a messy cleanup of a muddy, wet dog. Yuk. This has been a very relaxing weekend for me. Lots of movies, knitting and just plain ol' relaxin. I didn't meet all my goals but feel as though I did accomplish lots. Cable and Rib Sock 1 is done and awaits a mate, and Jane got a sleeve now too. My house was cleaned from top to bottom this afternoon, and three million loads of laundry were done, so I should have lots of good crafty time in the next few days.


Since this is a knitting blog I guess I should occasionally include some knitting content! So here's a peek at the Jane Crossover Pullover in the works, it is HandMaiden Ottawa in the Rose colorway. It is a nice yarn to knit with, and I think it will create a nice sweater. The construction of the sweater is like I've never seen. The whole sweater is knit in one piece, but not how you would ever expect, and then it is folded like origami and joined using a special joining technique. More on that when I get there.