Staying on the Porch

There is a saying "if you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch." I did just that. Leslie, a talented knitter in Girls with Purls designed and knit a fabulous Christmas Sweater for the state fair which opens later this week. She encouraged others of us to step up but I am not brave enough for that strenuous a competition. Instead I entered my teeny tiny local county fair and won a blue ribbon for Skuld. I could share that there was minimal competition but that would spoil the fun! Leslie, you are my knitting hero...Good Luck running with the big dogs!

Swaps are terrific!

My swap partner received her package and e-mailed me to let me know she loved it. What fun, I have already signed up for a Christmas themed swap and am looking forward to shopping for her (not likely to be him but possible).

ASSS Swap

Joined the ASSS Swap on Ravelry, no we are not exchanging derrieres it is the Autumn Sock or Scarf Swap. My first one ever and I have had a blast buying things for my partner's box. See the box , it is ready to be mailed Monday. Can't reveal the contents until she receives it. I am hoping she enjoys it as much as I have!

Lessons Learned

I finished this sweater tonight, finally sewing the side seams. I HATE seaming and will avoid it at all cost in the future! I do love the Rowan Bamboo Tape, it is beautiful to knit with and has a nice drape.

Accomplishments!

I finished the Malabrigo Chunky Hat and love it! Fast and beautiful. Margaret Urban of Cozy in Durham NC designed the pattern and it is free with a purchase of the yarn. The picture doesn't do it justice. Also finished the back of Amaya and will start the front tonight. This Bamboo Tape is delightful, feels wonderful and has a pleasant drape. Wow, I could really get used to coming home everyday and finding a new bag of yarn on my dining room table! I ordered sock yarn from Webs and it came today. I can't possibly feel guilty it is for Christmas presents...one down. twenty or so to go!

Bad Knitter! Selfish Knitter!

Wow, I can't believe this weekend is almost over. A co-worker wanted to learn to knit so I went through my stash to get her started. I thought of giving her this ball of Malabrigo Chunky. I cast on for a hat just to get her started and then couldn't stop. She got a nice ball of Rowan wool in soft gray. I am almost done with this Christmas present (yeah! I am impressed with myself too) ! This is a great pattern by Margaret Urban at Cozy in Durham. It is fast, easy and would make a great first learning project.

Knitting at Work

Do you knit at work? I do but have always wondered if anyone minded. Today though I got my answer. We were in a meeting right after lunch and everyone was struggling to stay awake except for me. I was knitting of course. My boss was sitting next to me and started to unravel the yarn and remove a tangled section and rewind it. All the while we continued to work, solving the problems of the universe! The Lorna Laces, Paca-Peds and Jitterbug are spoken for, I will figure out shipping and payment and get them to their new homes.

Help! I am trying to reduce my stash... Please check out these pictures and let me know if you are interested. Just leave me a comment or e-mail me at michielerelliott@yahoo.com. THANKS! 3 balls of Rowan Tapestry 131 yards 50grams 70% wool and 30% soybean fiber. Shade 175 10 balls of Classic Elite Sundance Color 6520 a soft pale yellow. 50% cotton and 50% microfiber 83 yards per ball. Paid $5.95 per skein will sell or swap for $30.00 Art Yarns Silk Rhapsody 100% silk and 70% kid mohair/30% silk 260 yards white and variegated gray. Paid $39.95 would like to sell or swap for a $20.00 value Gusto 10 30% wool, 30% mohair, 40% acrylic 50 meters Color 2099 Chartreuse Paid $9.90 a ball. Will sell both for $5.00. Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock Color Yellowstone (pale yellow, pale green and lavender). 80% Superwash Wool 20% Nylon 215 yards each skein Paid $10.25 a skein, will sell or trade both for $15.00 value. Colinette Jitterbug Colorway Toscana (multi-colored) 267 meters 100% Merino Wool Paid $20.75. Will sell for $14.00. Paca-Peds Color Green Gator #609 2 balls 180 yards each. Can't remember what I paid but will sell for $10.00. 2 balls Liisu Hand dyed Yarn 55% Mohair and 45 % Merino. 115 yards per skein Paid 10.25 a skein, will sell both for $10.00 (one ball knitted about 15%, frogged and rewound.

Back to Blogging!

Encouraged by a visit from my sister, a new knitter I am wanting to document my knitting and blog again. I have been way to focused on work and haven't given myself time to enjoy much else. However, a twelve day vacation has returned my commitment to maintaining a work life balance. Here's pics of what I've been up to... An update on the knitting resolutions from January 22nd.

1. Knit one pair of socks each month, in keeping with Ravelry 2008 sockalong.
2. Choose knit projects carefully, whether for myself or others.
3. With each new project, learn at least one new thing.
4. Knit the Modern Quilt Wrap (kit was a Christmas present but is back ordered).
5. Start CeCe sweater by February 1 and complete by April 1, 2008. (turned into green raglan pictured above)
6. Knit a lace project with Cashmere.
7. Manage Stash!
8. Resist the urge to buy every knitting book published.
9. Learn Fairisle knitting.
10. Enjoy every knitting moment.

The only resolutions I am holding onto are the ones in bold. I am currently working on two projects for myself, which I hope to finish and use this summer! The top picture is a purse from Nora Gaughan and the second is a summer sweater from the Rowan, Bamboo Tape collection.

Making Good Choices

In the interest of ensuring that I do as I last posted, enjoy every knitting moment, I don't think I will maintain this blog. I find myself feeling guilty that I haven't posted or made this a better blog. Just what I needed something else to feel guilty about. I am going to try and take a step back from my internet surfing, blog reading, Ravelry ways and knit more.

Connections

We had a meeting of our knitting group, Girls with Purls on Sunday. It was a planning meeting for 2008. After we planned events for several months of the year, we ate a bit and knit a bit. We talked throughout about our lives and our knitting. Someone made the comment that we shared alot more about our lives when knitting. Somehow, it was easy to open up to each other. I think it goes beyond the fact we have knitting in common. With needles in our hands,we talked about families, careers, joys and disappointments. I am amazed at the capacity that knitting has to help me adjust the distance between myself and people or events. On occasions like Sunday, I can share details about my life without hesitation, bringing me closer to people I want to know better. I also use knitting to create some space between myself and others. Space to listen, consider what is being said thoughtfully and NOT respond unless it is constructive and necessary. Knitting - it's good stuff! In light of all the resolutions abounding on the knit blogs, here is my knitting Top Ten. In 2008, I want to...

1. Knit one pair of socks each month, in keeping with Ravelry 2008 sockalong.
2. Choose knit projects carefully, whether for myself or others.
3. With each new project, learn at least one new thing.
4. Knit the Modern Quilt Wrap (kit was a Christmas present but is back ordered).
5. Start CeCe sweater by February 1 and complete by April 1, 2008.
6. Knit a lace project with Cashmere.
7. Manage Stash!
8. Resist the urge to buy every knitting book published.
9. Learn Fairisle knitting.
10. Enjoy every knitting moment.

Comparative Lace

We all took comparative literature in college, this is the lace equivalent. My knitting group is having a knit along of the CeCe Sweater. Reading the pattern, I was a bit anxious. At one point in the sweater we will be decreasing and maintaining the lace pattern. Never having knit lace before this sounds a bit ambitious for me. In order to prepare, I bought a simple lace pattern and a ball of lace weight. Went home and knitted a few inches and quickly discovered this was a long term commitment. Went back to Cozy, a LYS in Durham, NC and bought 2 skeins of LaGran Mohair in this lovely seafoam green. Found another 3 skeins at Great Yarns, a LYS in Raleigh, NC and started knitting. It is now about six feet long. I think this is the perfect first lace project, it is a pattern by Margaret Urban copyrighted in 2005. Margaret teaches knitting at Cozy. The pattern is called "Shawl and Scarf in Vine Lace, it is a four row repeat and if I can do it anybody can. I hope to finish it this weekend and wear it soon. Adventures in lace, who would have thunk it!

Curbing My Enthusiasm

I visited a new yarn store on a recent afternoon. The Hillsborough Yarn Store, in Hillsborough NC of course. The owner was very nice and welcoming and the yarns lovely. She carried many of the Debbie Bliss yarns, which I love. Long story short, I bought a few things. Three balls of baby cashmerino in a pale gray for cabled socks and a nifty little kit with a skein of yarn, hand milled soap and directions for a bath mitt. Did I need these things? Absolutely not, I wanted them though. I once fancied myself a stashless knitter and then promptly developed a whole system of rationalizations for buying yarn. You know the drill... sock yarn doesn't count, yarn for gift and charity knitting doesn't count etc... I am trying to control the amount of yarn amassed and the number of things on my needles. There is a point when the excitement of new projects and yarn overwhelms me. I need to limit myself so I am fully engaged, excited with the promise and possibilities of future knitting. My system is to limit yarn into what will fit in the bins pictured and limit my knitting books to this small cabinet. It is a challenge though, especially the books. I am trying to finish the three WIPs listed at the top of the blog as I am due to get my yarn from KnitPicks anyday f0r my daughter's CeCe sweater.

Getting Started

Having enjoyed the blogs of others I've decided to join in. It is interesting, I have felt like a voyeur at times, being welcomed into the knitting lives of strangers, having them share the highs and lows of their lives in stitches while sharing nothing of my own. My knitting life has blossomed from a sometimes pastime into a daily necessity. It smooths out the rough edges of the day, the little things like traffic, obtuse co-workers, bad coffee etc... It also has the power to ease the big things too, cancer, the unexpected death of a friend, etc... I tell my husband, yarn is cheaper than therapy. I think it also keeps me from engaging in random acts of property destruction and violence when life gets messy. Bottom line it is very important to me and that is not easy for non-knitters to understand. Hence the beauty of knitting relationships, be they real time, real body or net based. Onto the knitting, I have the hardest time figuring out when I am being obsessive and when it is reasonable to frog my work. I am currently working on a pair of socks for my son. They are lucky Vegas socks for him to wear for his first trip to Vegas later this month. Love the yarn, it is "On Your Toes" by Kertzer. This is a 4 ply sock yarn with Aloe Vera 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. The problem is... I like to knit both socks simultaneously and they don't match. This is usually not a big deal as the colors are not in such big blocks. Think I definitely need to start over on the second sock. Oh well.