Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Knitting update

I now have project #3 on the needles (4, in you count the Mitered Squares blanket, which I haven't worked on in a long time). I bought some Hempathy yarn, which was originally scheduled for the Clapotis I now have on the needles. But the yarn wasn't lending itself well to the Clapotis application. I tried a few other things, none of which worked, so now I'm making another Magic Scarf (Crazy Aunt Purl's inspiration), in stripes of my MC, CC, and both together. I hope it works. It'll be a faster knit, even though it's DK yarn on size 3 needles, because it's just knits and purls and making sure my squares are 10x10.

Clapotis work continues during lunch, as I can. Socks, well, I need to get to the socks. Maybe the weekends can be for socks. :)

I'm in a knitting phase. Probably because the weather's getting colder and I love snuggling inside my warm loft space, knitting away, while the wind howls outside.

Sean's home from VA on Friday night, and though I have to work on Saturday, I'm hoping to be able to get out by 2 so that we can go to the AT&T store and get my plan set up for my new (to me) iPhone. I'll have to change the phone number I've had for the last 6 years, since AT&T will only port your phone number if it's ported within the same local area as the # itself. If I had a way to port it in 262, I totally would, as changing one's phone number is a PITA. But, I shall do it, because I want the iPhone that badly, and 612 is where I'm at.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Photo update of the current projects on the needles!

Slowly, slowly, I pick up the camera again. Thanks to my knitting projects, anyway. Saw a beautiful sunrise and gorgeous late afternoon clouds, but my commutes to/from work haven't afforded me a good place to get the shots I want yet. I should start carrying the camera with me again, though. Can't get any shots if the camera's at home.

One of my birthday presents from Sean is a gorgeous new Nikon flash. It came today, but I won't open it till Saturday. As it turns out, I'm getting a new (to me) iPhone from a friend, thanks to Sean, so that's also part of my birthday present, the phone and the AT&T activation (and the breaking of my T-Moblie contract).

So, I opened up this post to post photos! Only 2, but still. One photo each of the current progress of the projects on the needles (Clapotis #2 and Sean's socks).

Sunday, September 27, 2009

It's done!



My first Clapotis is done!

The next one will go on needles either tonight or tomorrow. :)

I can now turn my attention to Sean's socks, secure in the knowledge that I finally finished another project!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Clapotis - working on decrease rows!

I'm knitting my little heart out on my Clapotis.

I finished the straight rows last night and am almost through the first pattern repeat on the decrease rows. Hoping to make similar progress on the shawl tonight. It's heavy, and will hopefully be warm in my cold office.

Now I need to find yarn in the right colorway for my next, lighter weight Clapotis. :)

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Small update

I've temporarily sidelined the socks for Sean, in order to complete the Clapotis and have that one off my WIP list.

I'm into the last repeat in the straight rows, so I'm hoping to finish the straight rows this week and then do the decrease rows over the weekend to finish it this weekend. Then I can block it. Hoping to get a photo of it once it's blocking. Then once it's dry, I'll have Sean take a photo of me wearing it. With all that egyptial cotton being knitting on size 6 needles, it's going to be a heavy shawl. Which is precisely what I wanted.

Then I can get back to my sock obsession. And start another Clapotis! :) :) :) :)

Been fighting the fatigue/fibro for a couple of weeks now, but have managed to keep to relatively sane eating, and so my weight's at least not going up. I worked out last night, 25 min on elliptical, 15 on rowing machine.

I need to clear off the floor of my office to move my desk to the other side of the space, so that I have room for setting up the bike trainer for the winter. Then I can do 10 min each on the elliptical, rowing machine, and bike trainer.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Progress!

I wrote this last night, and am posting it today!

I finished my first pair of socks! I could easily have cast on 10 fewer stitches per sock, as they are a bit big, but not unwearable! I'm so excited.

I am turning my sights to knitting a pair of socks for Sean. I have a nice fingering weight Opal self-striping yarn for the socks, and though I learned to do my first socks cuff-down 2-at-a-time on magic loop, I'd like to do my 1st pair of socks for Sean as a toe-up 2aat on the magic loop.


I was looking at doing the magic cast on, but that was failing miserably, so I am now trying the turkish cast-on. My first attempt at it failed, but I think I see what I was missing, and I should be able to be successful with the turkish cast-on tomorrow when I am not tired. ETA - found a version of the turkish cast on that works and I'm now working toe increases on Sean's socks!

We went to see Regina Spektor Friday night at the State Theatre. Regina was awesome. Her opening band was Little Joy, which is a side project of the drummer from The Strokes, and they were quite good as well. looking forward to getting their cd.

We went to the hobby shop yesterday, and Sean bought helicopter parts and a new airplane to fly. We went back today and got some things straightened out, and he's now heading off to an airfield somewhere on the northwest side of the metro, and I'm at home, poking along at socks and probably going to take a nap because I'm not feeling that great, surprise, surprise.


Friday, September 11, 2009

I'm still here!

Have I really not posted since July?!?!?!

Wow. Well, it's been a busy summer. I just finished the 4th of my 4 sock knitting classes - I took a class @ The Yarnery w/ Jean Christensen on how to knit 2 socks at once w/ magic loop!

I love it!!!!!

I have about 10 rows left on the toe decreases and to do my kitchener stitch, and my 1st pair of socks will be done. Hoping to do that yet today, tomorrow at the latest. I'll find all the bad cell phone photos I took and take a nice one with the D80 and post 'em up this weekend!

I'll be casting on for socks for Sean this weekend!!!

I'm so happy to have found a sock knitting method I love! dpns and I are not friends. the end. I think that once I get started on his socks, I'd like to make a concerted effort to finally finish the Clapotis, and then I can devote myself fully to socks for a while.

Otherwise, we're heading into year-end at work... FY09 ends 9/30/09 and I won't surface till sometime in November. Hoping to do a long weekend of R&R in Puerto Rico in mid-November to shake off the year-end cobwebs.

Things continue to go swimmingly well for Sean and I.... :) We begin the birthday celebrations (his is next week, mine's 10/3) tonight with a Regina Spektor concert and dinner at the decadent 112 Eatery. And next week, we're going to another performance, which is still a surprise.