big, fat, traveling updating

It's almost embarassing how little I post. Seriously, I should be able to muster up more than this, but no, I post in spurts. It's been two months! Tragic, really. Since I have so much catching up to do, this post is going to be rather long and a bit photo-heavy. Bear with me, please -- it'll be worth it!

Anyway, as an update, I've been bailed out of that volunteer knitting. I guess the Christmas stockings weren't urgent. I should make woolen Christmas stockings, though, that would be fun ... but kinda scary.

Speaking of socks, I've been knitting Tropical Monkeys with this:

Oasis Yarns Aussi Sock in colorway WS21 Spanish Fiesta.

In the skein, it looks like this:


I wish the reds showed up more clearly, but I've been having that problem with all of my yarns, alas.

In the ball, the Aussi Sock looks like this:

Can't you see that it totally matches my patio lights? (I would post pictures of my sock-in-progress, but I am always home when the light is bad, and I can't bring myself to take more low-light inaccurate-color photos than absolutely necessary.)

So, where did I buy this beautiful yarn? Two weeks ago, I headed out to New York City to visit Chelle, buy yarn, and visit NYU. I managed all three, and came back with the goods to prove it. First, we headed over to Seaport Yarn. The selection there is amazing, but there is one drawback. They only take cash and check -- no cards. Alas, I was short on cash and had not thought to bring my checkbook, so off to the janky ATM in the Duane Reade it was. I came out with not only the Aussi Sock but also 12 skeins of Lily Chin Park Avenue in maroon for the Minimalist Cardigan from Interweave Knits Fall 2007.

Is that yarn not gorgeous?


The next stop was Purl, where I picked up some exclusive purple and cream self-striping Lorna's Laces sock yarn. It says to me: ribbed socks, perhaps toe up. (At their fabric associate, I also bought some fabric for the quilting side of the family.)


After that, the final stop on our marathon yarn run was Downtown Yarns, where I picked up some delicious Malabrigo Lace in 99 Stone Blue. It's going to be Icarus from Interweave Knits Summer 2006.


Oh, and I totally forgot, on my first, incredibly jetlagged day, we managed to hit up Habu and School Products before seeing Spring Awakening. (That was one amazing day.)

There was so much to choose from at Habu that I simply couldn't decide, but at School Products, after much hemming and hawing, I decided on some Lace Merino, which I felt compelled to knit into the Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006.

This is what it looked like a few days ago:

Alas, it resembles a moth, ever so slightly. Anyway, I've finished the kntting, and now it's on to the blocking, which I think I shall do this weekend. This is my first shawl, so I'm way excited.

Volunteer Knitting

My mother has volunteered me to knit Christmas Stockings for her friend. I am knitting for a her daughter-in-law and her granddaughter. I love my mother and all, but I wonder if I'll even get any of my own knitting done if I'm constantly knitting for other folks. Not out of my own volunteering spirit. There is a lot of knitting yet to be done. I'm still working on that sweater ... and a scarf ... maybe socks ... lace. So many projects, so little time.

Ahem ... boo-yah!

I am at work, but I just had to mention that I went back, cast on the Eyelet Cardigan the right way, and lo and behold, I have finished the back of the sweater. It might get a little hairy picking up stitches for a number of reasons, but I am way too excited to care. :) More on this later, as I get off in 10 minutes. Hallelujah!

tiny pieces - hiatus

I am going to go nuts. I insisted on ripping out all that work on the Eyelet Cardigan because I wanted to try my hand at a different cast on. It's the perfectionist in me. If I hadn't, I would always have wondered. Now I have 5 balls of cream colored yarn again. I don't have the time to put it back together.

At the same time, I finished a sock. I have one sock of two. I have other socks that need to be properly finished. I am a right knitting mess. This is crazy.

I don't have time until the term ends to really concentrate on my knitting. I need to do schoolwork, and that's all there is to it. So, until then, I'm on hiatus. See you in a month or so!

all she wants to do

So, what have I been up to lately? I've been knitting my tail off, and there is work to show for it, but it's dark, for which I apologize. I figure I'll share it with you anyway.


This is the back of the eyelet cardigan. I love that the stitching that forms the eyelets looks like vines climbing up the back of the sweater. I'm already making some adjustments for my size, so we'll see if they pay off.


This is a detail shot of the cast on. Chelle told me today that maybe I should have used the tubular cast on, but I'm happy with it. I don't yet feel comfortable enough with the tubular cast on to give it a shot. I know it's my first sweater, but I'm excited.

In short, all I've been doing is knitting. I've shirked homework, I've stayed up late, and all I want to do is knit ... even while sitting and taking notes in lecture! This is getting bad. I have other things to do, but to my knowledge, I have not failed an exam for the sake of knitting, and for this I am grateful. I also (re)started Hedera, the lace pattern in the eyelet cardigan reminded me a lot of the eyelets in the socks. I couldn't resist. that, and the yarn is such a beautiful spring/summer green.

Knitting makes my life better. Even if people do stare at me on the bus.

starting something new and shiny

I'm starting the Blue Sky Eyelet Cardigan tonight, and I've already got the gauge swatch down to my liking.

Materials:

• 5 skeins Blue Sky Dyed Cotton in #614 Drift
• US7 Circular Needle (Denise)

Techniques:

• Cara's 2x2 Cast-On
  

That's all I've got so far, but it's looking good, and I'll probably document my progress and changes that I might make, if any. Here goes!

crossing the finish line

I kitchenered up the toe of Jaywalker #2! I did it! I did it! I finished my first pair of socks. All I need to do now is sew in the loose ends, and I can wear them! ... Strangely, I think my right foot is one or two rows longer than my left foot. I knew it! I'll also admit that Jaywalker #2 is simply more attractive than Jaywalker #1, but if you're not a knitter, you'll never know. Then again, why are you reading this blog if you're not a knitter? You must love me a lot! ;) Anyway, photos coming very soon!