My Joints Feel It

(Vlastas Cowl)

Oops, I have been neglecting this blog. I've been so preoccupied with knitting all these cowls and being addicted to Ravelry that i just forgot about updating my blog too. Lots of stuff has happened that includes non knitting stuff also. Like right now I'm typing on my brand spanking new iMac. Love this computer to death. My old one was a pc and it was just not up to par. My husband built it but he knows I have a love affair with macs.

(Sophia's Cowl)

There has been a total of 6 cowls finished. I was really wearing myself out with all that speed knitting for two weeks. My thumbs and knuckles were just killing me. I need to learn how to loosen up when I knit, plus it don't help that I hold scissors all day long at work either. Lately I have been taking a break and number 7 has been on my needles for far longer than it should. It's almost done though then i have 2 more left. After those two I don't feel like knitting 3 more for 3 women I hardly see.

(Beginning of Summer Funnel Sleeveless Top)

On Monday I started to knit my first garment. It is also my first sweater for IntSweMoDo2010. I'm hoping it comes out the right size. I ran into an issue with the yarn weight that I did not notice in time. There was lots of calculations to try to make it fit me...hopefully in the end. I'm not experienced with editing knitting so this might end up badly. i did notice yesterday that others of the same project that were complete had used aran weight yarn and did not mention it not fitting. This is a learning process that is for sure. If this ends up badly then maybe the next will be better.

(Yummy Latte made by me)

I almost forgot to mention that i got an espresso machine. I've been on a roll making lattes everyday and hot chocolates with espresso in them. Love to make these it's so fun.

A Gift Worth Keeping

(Jeans Cowl)

This is Jeans Cowl all nice and blocked and washed. It's packaged away but it was hard to do that. I made it as a gift to a coworker but I really love it. Jeans Cowl should be Priscilla's Cowl! There is enough yarn in this same color to make one for myself to. That wouldn't end up good having the same cowl as another coworker that I made for her. It's just so gorgeous! I'm sure I'll feel this way about all the other Cowls I'll be making for Christmas Gifts. What a dilema.

(This looks much better in person. The close up image is more the correct color)

1 FO, and 11 Presents To Go

(Winter Lace Cowl)

I finished a knitting project! This was made for me and I love it. I wish I had made it longer but I still have plenty of yarn left to make another one. The Winter Lace Cowl was a test knit and the pattern is great. I used Nashua Handknits yarn Ivy in the color camel. The yarn is super soft and has some tinsel or something it is so it sparkles.

(Betty's Cowl, the beginning)

There is one finished Christmas Cowl. Jean's cowl is finished and is currently blocking. I do have a photo of it being blocked but I'll wait to post the finished product. The cowl came out great and I'm so proud of it. I loved the pattern I used off ravelry which was Peach Petal Cowl. The color of the yarn is gorgeous but I always love blues. I might have to make one of those for myself. Knitting it went by fast, it would have been faster if I wasn't watching TV for half of it. Betty's Cowl is taking me forever and both of my hands are locking up from holding the smaller needles and doing k3tog. K3tog are the devil I tell you! I wish there was a way for me to change them to k2tog and make the pattern come out the same. Also for Betty's cowl I'm doing it on smaller needles and makes it feel like it's taking AGES. By the way I'm using the Burnished Leaves Cowl pattern. I messed up when I started and didn not do garter but stockinette stitch..I don't want to torment myself and start over.

I'm off to knit that cowl now before hubby gets home and I have to start cleaning.

Fake Christmas Cheer

Around the holidays I always find it hard to decorate. My husband and I have been married for almost 3 years but have had our house for only one. Because of this I haven't accumulated a lot of stuff yet. Every holiday I'm scrambling on money yet want to decorate. When I stopped at Michaels two days ago I saw they were having 50% off their fake flowers, gardlands, etc.  I purchased  2 small bouquets of fake red poinsettias with a pine sprig a pine cone a silver leafy thing and a berry sprig,, one of these peachy see through bouquets, and a supper glitter red bouquet. As usually I rip them all to pieces and assembled them to my liking.

I have a set for fall, and one for spring, now one for christmas. I'm getting pretty good at arranging them if I do say so myself. After setting up the red ones in the vases behind my couch I still had some of the peachy poinsettias left. Added those left over pieces to the vase on my kitchen table. It added so much more interest that I think I will keep them there even after the holidays are gone.

I'm still knitting on the test cowl. The cowl should be done today if I stop letting the internet distract me. Still waiting for my Knit Picks order so I can knit the Christmas Cowls for presents. Online tracking says it will be here on tuesday but it left Houston last night. I think it will get here today or Saturday, at least I hope it does.

Off to knit or goof off more.

Yummy Yarn and Test Knitting

Just yesterday I starting doing a test knit. This is my first test knit...but it's a cowl. Even through the rain I went to the LYS that was open to get yarn and needles for this. I found this awesome yarn that's sparkly and make of alpaca and merino. It's Nashua Handknits Ivy in camel. Lately I've had a thing for yarns that have some sparkle in them. This one is great but the little sparkle threads are hard to photograph. It doesn't help that it's cloudy today so taking these photos was hard.

(Nashua Handknits Ivy in camel)

While at the LYS I got some gorgeous super soft yarn for my swap partner in a mystery swap I am doing. I want to take the yarn for myself and make the pattern I'm including with it too! Lastly while there I got addi turbo needles. These are my first set, I wanted to stick to the Hiya Hiya needles but they did not have them at this LYS. My normal LYS is closed on Tuesdays..which is a random day and I needed that stuff NOW.

(On bottom: The Unique Sheep, Verve in fly fishing

On top: Misti Alpaca, Hand Paint Lace in Piney Woods)

On my way to the LYS I got a package in the mail. It was my yarn from Eat. Sleep. Knit. I was super excited but had to wait to open it till I got home. When I ordered these yarns I was in the Black Friday rush of things so I didn't even remeber what I had bought. I got a skein of The Unique Sheep Verve yarn in fly fishing (that's the green, blue, orange one), also a skein of Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Lace in Piney Woods. Wish I had all this time and about 24 hands so I could knit all these projects at once. Right now I'm going to go knit while I have the time. Still have to do my irrigation drawing final that is due tomorrow and all my shows come on tonight (modern family, and Eastwick).

(Misti Alpaca, Hand Paint Lace in Piney Woods)

Ripping My Heart

 (Husband and Tova snuggling on the couch)

Yesterday I ripped back my cowl then started over again. I got to the 15th row the first time and just started getting into the flow of things. Then I had to rip it back again for the second time when I notice my cowl was twisted. I must have done this at the beginning or something. Clearly this is upsetting, it just makes me feel burnt out. The cowl is still on the needles...started it for the 3rd time. This time I made sure it was not twisted to begin with. It's slow knitting this time as I hate having to repeat things when I'm not getting many results.

I've been playing Sims 3. My husband got it for me as an early Christmas present. It was his birthday yesterday but I was the one who got the present. That game has cut back on my knitting time along with headaches.

Welcome World

(My current project)

Starting a blog is always an awkward thing to do. This is my millionth blog that I have started. The gardening blog that I had went on for a while. Gardening has just drained me along with work so now it's knitting time. For now the layout will look like this but i will be fixing it to accomidate my tastes.

Yesterday was black friday, of course I had to go shopping for yarn. I got an email the night before about the black friday sale at my local LYS. When I saw that they had the Dream in Color  Starry yarn I had to go. Just that day I was reading the Yarn Harlots blog and saw she had socks made with this yarn. It is just beautiful and glowing.

At the LYS i bought Dreams in Color Starry in  Cocoa Kiss. I'm in a dark color phase even though I tried to grab brighter more vibrant colors, I just couldn't. I plan on making a scarf or cowl from it because if I don't I won't use it. Next I bought some Noro Kureyon 150. I've seen all the projects on Ravelry and the scarf by Brooklyn Tweed. I just had to get it eventually, so now was the time. I bought 3 skein of the Noro in a beautivul blue green grey purple color. I'll be doing an entrelac project (my first entrelac). The Wellenreiter scarf is just perfect. Lastly I grabbed 3 skeins of Dark Horse Yarns Fantasy in a dark navy blue. I thought that would be a enough for a sweater. When I got home and looked for patterns I found it was not enough. I've never knit a sweater before so clearly I wouldn't know how much yarn one takes. I did find a patter for a tank that was just my style (Summer Funnel Sleeveless Top). Lastly I got a pair of circulars for the cowl I cast up above. They are my first Hiya Hiya needles. So far I love them!

Not only did I purchase from my local LYS but also Eat. Sleep. Knit. I got 10% off my order and 1274 yards to the Yarnathon. This morning I purchased lots of yarn from KnitPicks for Christmas presents. It's going to be hard to get those presents done on time (9 cowls!!).

(Dream in Color Starry in Cocoa Kiss)

(Noro Kureyon 150 and Dark Horse Yarns Fantasy)

(Curently project with stitchmarker I received from a swap)