Photographic Evidence

This is sort of a marathon post (even for me) so I will get down to business. Might I suggest you fix yourself some coffee or hot chocolate or a glass of wine and find a comfortable spot.

Here are the pictures of the goodness from Colleen. The fabulous Colleen!! Thank you again, honey, for your willingness to trade. I love this yarn and I can't wait to do something with the roving. Brown & cream rovings.
Fancy colored roving. The Star Gazing Farms wool (that she traded me for the Brown Sheep in Oatmeal) for the lambs.

and And AND!!! Here is the wool meeting its destiny.

This picture isn't as clear but here it is with my phone for scale. (It worked up much bigger in the worsted weight than I had expected it to.)

Here is the pre-felted, unstuffed lamb trying to stand. (He's a newborn. Cut him some slack.)

INSERT PICTURE OF FELTED SHEEP HERE (I think I've pushed the limits of bloggers tolerance for me an my pictures.)

Here he is after two hot water wash/warm water rinse cycles. The black felted markedly more than the off-white. The body still plainly shows the stitches while the black is quite tight and fabric-y. I don't really mind this look and I didn't want to risk the black drawing up anymore so I need not wash it any further. He is stuffed full of temporary stuffing and busily drying in the bathroom. I've already cast on for the grey and black lamb. Both the grey and the black are Lamb's Pride worsted so I am optimistic that that will felt more evenly.

This is two skeins of Cascade 220 for the secret project. (Which I am happy to report has undergone some test knitting by someone other than me and that someone was successfully able to knit my pattern. And she isn't me! That is good.)

This weekend I promised myself that I wouldn't start any more new projects until I finished at least one square for Grandmother Purl.

I still plan to make the California square but for now, here is the square I knit this weekend. I just made it up as I went along because I had the yarn and needles with me but I didn't have the California square pattern. This was the result. My own version of a kisses and hugs square.

If You Show Me Yours....

Thank you so much to all of you who responded to my questions and requests about stash. I guess I had my nose buried in a corner somewhere back in April, otherwise I surely would have noticed all the Flashing of Stash that was going on back then. I spend a couple of hours over the weekend look at all of the stashy goodness from April and from the pictures ya'll shared with me.

In the spirit of fairness, here is a picture of my stash for ya'll.

See? Relatively neglible just like I promised. That main containment unit there in the chair is the plastic zipper bag that my queen sized comforter came in. The brown bag on the top, on the left is all yarn for lambs and a couple of small holiday knitting projects. The two other bags contain the Cascade 220 pictured above plus all of the Tahki Cotton Classic for the Daddo blanket I am working on for my mother.

This is all of my yarn except for a few items:

1) 2 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride that are destined to become Fuzzy Feet for my friend Allison. (Technically these do not count in my stash tally as she purchased the yarn and she ultimately wants to knit them for herself. Really, I am just the caretaker of this yarn.)
2) A skein of yellow Cascade Magnum that is on the top shelf in my closet, which I cannot get to in my current crippled state.
3) A skein of Sugar'n Cream and a skein of Calmer in the basket next to my knitting chair.
4) 6 skeins of some quite old pink baby yarn that was my Nana's and came to live with me after my Daddo passed away. It is destined to be something heirloomy but for now is in my little cedar chest on my bedside table.

Forgive Me, Bloggers, For I Have Sinned

I have been withholding yarn porn and I’m sorry. The exceptionally fabulous Colleen sent me wool - oh so snazzy Star Gazing Farms - for doing my sister’s Christmas sheep. She also included some roving that I really love and have been touching and admiring and contemplating. I received this package full of love and goodness two weeks ago and I've yet to show off the photos. I have pictures of new yarn from Anjelika’s Yarn Store that I haven’t showed you. I have pictures of the finished red Sophie bag. I have pictures of the fabric I bought to line both the red bag and Lori’s purple and green one.

It has been kind of a long tedious week. I’ve done some knitting but nothing worth talking about (i.e. a little silk bookmark for my niece, surrogate knitting of Lori’s square for Grandmother Purl, 3 swatches for my Grandmother Purl square – all of which got subsequently ripped out – and a square for Warming Grace.) It is sort of restless, fidgety knitting. Do ya'll ever get like this?

Tonight after work I have to go help my sister prepare for her Halloween party tomorrow night. I have at last come up with a costume so that is one less thing I need to think about. I will post the pictures I mentioned above over the weekend. Probably Sunday. Katy’s projects always seem to take on a life of their own so I am guessing I won’t be blogging tomorrow.

Show Me Your Wooly Secrets

I am doing a little bit of data gathering. Do any of you have pictures of your stash…pictures you’d be willing to share with me? I’d like to start a gallery of stash pictures. My motives are purely selfish: I need to settle an ongoing “discussion” at my house over whether or not I have “too damn much yarn” (my husband) or if I “can never have too much yarn on hand” (me). If you’d like to remain nameless, I understand and would honor that request. In fact, I have already received pictures from one anonymous knitter and her willingness to share has encouraged me to ask the rest of you. I’d also like your thoughts on a few questions:

1. Does your husband/significant other/additional household members know the whole truth about your stash? If not, do you keep it a secret on purpose?
2. Do you keep all of your yarn/paraphernalia in one location or is it scattered about?
3. Do you have a system for documenting your stash so you know what you have on hard or some other method of organizing what you’ve got?

In the course of doing this, I will show ya'll pictures of my stash and then you will understand why I am firmly in the "can never have too much yarn on hand" camp. My stash is negligible in comparison to some I have seen and/or heard rumors about.

And Again with the Tears

I occasionally convince myself that I am not in fact a big crybaby. Then I go see my ankle doctor. (He really is a nice man. It is unfortunate that he insists on stomping on my hopes and feelings.) I am fully convinced he knows me too well at this point. I went for a check-up today and while he did see "some improvement" - nearly 9 weeks post surgery - it isn't healed. Furthermore, I still can't walk on it. At all. He said, "Kristy, I have to tell you this but first I am going to give you a Kleenex because this is going to make you cry." That's when he told me that I am probably looking at 8 more weeks on crutches, no weight bearing. None.

Honestly, though, I think I was well within my rights to get a little weepy. Again.

Feeling the Love

Katy and Lori came back from vacation yesterday. They spend last week in Mendocino, on a vacation that I had originally planned to enjoy with them. They brought home surprises for me. What you ask? Yarn, of course!

This would be thrilling and a cause for major joy regardless of the circumstances, however, to truly appreciate this, please stop and consider with me for a moment. Yes, Lori, though not a knitter, is the president of my local Knitting Boosters. Katy, on the other hand, is not a knitter nor is she a knitting booster. Katy is not crafty. Katy, we joke (only half jokingly), failed cutting and pasting. She is one of the least crafty people ever. I am awed that she even went into a knitting store. And she bought me yarn. And a sock knitting book. Ahhh. What a good sister.
For those who crave such details: the red on the left and the pink on the right are Cascade Fixation while the two in the middle are Austermann Step in the #10 and #12 colorways. They also brought me a pattern to use the Fixation to make socks that don't require doing a heel. I'll let ya'll know how that goes. I haven't talked much about it here but socks are my next knitting conquest. Probably in January.

Knitterly Secret

Remember my project I mentioned on Friday? I ordered some yarn for it. Ya'll need to check out this yarn store. Angelika's Yarn Store. She rocks. She carries every single shade of Cascade 220. She also carries a really great selection of needles and books, etc. She ships stuff out promptly and is just as nice as can be. Plus, the shipping charges are reasonable and fair. And if (when!) you order the wrong color and you call her and tell her, she just laughs sweetly and says, "Send it back to me and put a note in the package telling me which color you want instead." So nice. And so not hateful that I was foolish in my shopping. I mean, theoretically.

Technical Difficulties

I have pictures of that yarn and of the finished red Sophie bag but blogger is being bitchy and I can't seem to upload the pictures. Ya'll will have to check back later.

One for the Road

Have ya'll seen this Snickers commercial? Click on the 15 second song. I don't know why this makes me laugh every time it comes on. See? I told ya'll I'm not well.

End of the Week Wrap-up

Knitting News

There is very little in the way of knitting to discuss.

KN, Item #1: The red Sophie bag is progressing. It is going somewhat more slowly than the first, of course. Ya'll know me so this isn't news.

KN, Item #2: I started my Grandmother Purl square. Actually, I got about 3/4 through my Grandmother Purl square. Then I decided I didn't like it so I ripped it out. I started it over and I'm about 8 rows in on the new one. We'll see if I like this one any better.

KN, Item #3: I have another little something I am knitting on. If it works out to be worth talking about, I'll tell you about it then.

In Non-Knitting News...

It has been a funny week. Actually a funny couple of weeks. With a nod to Dr. B, some of these fall under her favorite category and mine: overheard.

NKN Item #1: Last night I went to pick up dinner for my flu-infested husband. (Apparently mashed potatoes from KFC are the balm that soothes a tempermental tummy.) The guy who took the order? His name was "Math-you".

Sidenote: And before you ask what I was doing at KFC by myself: I can drive left-footed. It isn't easy and it isn't pretty but it will do in a pinch.

Item #2: In the doctor's office waiting room, about to have x-rays, I saw an elderly couple in a heated conversation. (I think they thought they were whispering.) I only caught the tale end of it but this is what I heard:

Him: You can't tell him that. He will think I don't satisfy you.
Her: (in a kindly voice) You don't, dear.

Item #3: Again at the doctor's office waiting room, this time with my husband, I saw a little boy playing with a littler girl. He took her blocks and she started to cry. He said, "Stop crying. You act just like mom." A now-sheepish Mom made him return the stolen blocks.

Item #4: In my job as a secretary, I take lots of calls from telemarketers. Yesterday I finally had the great pleasure of speaking to a realistic one. After telling him that my boss was in a meeting, I said, "Can I take a message and have him return your call?" He said, "No thanks. We both know that he doesn't really want to talk to me anyway so let's not waste the paper."

Introducing the Kniterella

Hurray!! The ISE3 scarf has at last been delivered to its new home. I'd like to introduce ya'll to my wonderful, fabulous pal: Kim of The Kniterella View. If you would like to see her package, you can look here. She is a sweetheart and a dear friend already - though until Monday she didn't even know who I was! Thank you, Kim! Sincerely, it has been a pleasure to knit for you and I so look forward to continuing to get to know you. (In case ya'll are wondering, Kim is just a few weeks out from jaw surgery. She assures me that she is smiling in this photograph!)

Scenery

Isn't this a beautiful sunset?
And this one?
I took these pictures one evening in early September while visiting my parents' house. I emailed them to Kim and so I couldn't post them here - because I was worried that she might stumble across my blog and see the pictures and know who I was.

So there you go. Belatedly beautiful scenery.

Off on a Tangent

Ya'll know what they say about the best laid plans...well, that's where I am today. No, I still haven't started the sheep or the Grandmother Purl square. Instead?I am knitting another Sophie bag. I had a single skein of Cascade 220 in my stash and it has met its destiny. I took the finished purple and green Sophie to the office on Monday to show Lori. One of the ladies we work with, who knit a square for Grandmother Purl, admired it so I decided that she needs one of her own. She is a dear and kind woman and I wanted to do something nice for her. Her husband is currently serving in Iraq and she is here, working with us and tending to their 3 children and keeping the home fires burning. If anyone is a worthwhile diversion from my knitting plans, it is her. Plus, wasn't I just saying what a quick knit this is??

I Do Have Priorities

Irresponsible Knitting Blogger

I've had a very nice weekend. Yesterday, I hung out in my pajamas knitting nearly all day. I only got dressed and "ready" at about 5:30 when I went to dinner with my Mama and my twin niece and nephew.

It was a good weekend for knitting but I didn't finish my niece's bookmark.

And I didn't start on the felted sheep.

And I didn't knit my Grandmother Purl Square.

I did start a new project. And finish it. (Now for the irresponsible part...) I didn't take even one progress picture.

Remember this yarn that I bought to knit a little thank you something for Lori? She decided she wanted a stripey version of the Sophie bag from MagKnits. So yesterday, I set out to knit a stripey Sophie bag and today I finished it. It is a wonderful pattern and such a super fast knit. Here it is drying after felting.

I've got to make a trip to the fabric store tomorrow to get some fabric to line it but otherwise, The stripey Sophie is done.

Not So Irresponsible Knitting Blogger

I may have neglected the Sophie pictures but I did not neglect the baby pictures. I'd like you to meet my newest tiny friend. It will be a while before he can wear his sweater - at about 7 lbs now, he is currently swimming in this 0-3 months - but Courtney wasn't just being biased when she told me how perfect he is. Speaking of Mama, here she is. (Yes, I got her permission before parading her picture across the internet! Hi Courtney!)
They are both home, healthy and (I'm sure) enjoying her maternity leave. Congratulations, Courtney!

All in all, I'd say I've had a very good weekend.

The Trouble with Drowning Your Sorrows is...

...sorrows can swim.

It has been a hectic week. The scarf exchange scarf is on its very merry way to its new home along with some happy little tidbits. I am about 97.3% confident that I've kept my identity a secret but just in case, I won't itemize the package contents. Of course, in my enthusiasm to get it in the mail, I didn't take pictures of any of the goodies except, of course, the million and a half pictures I took of the scarf. Hopefully my pal will take some pictures once it gets to her.

I am knitting a little silk bookmark for my niece. That will be a quick little project. This weekend, I'm going to try to get my Grandmother Purl square completed. The sewing up is fast approaching!! AND! If I find lots of knitting time this weekend, I might just start working on the Christmas lambs, which I am able to do because - hurray - my super duper yarn trade yarn arrived today from the lovely Colleen. I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them. She sent me some roving, too, which I will eventually figure out what to do with. (Thank you, THANK YOU Colleen!)

Do ya'll remember my friend Courtney? The one whose baby I knit the Daisy sweater for? Well, the baby has arrived!! He was born this morning at 2:48 a.m. and mother and baby are both doing very well. I haven't seen him yet but I'm 400% certain he is just perfect. I'll try to persuade Courtney to let me take a picture of him for ya'll when I go visit them this weekend.

I guess that's all from me. I'm going to do a little work on the bookmark. Have a wonderful weekend!

Before Work & After Work

This morning the sun was rising when we were on the way to work and the sky was really beautiful. My husband, who drives like a lunatic at the best of times, was driving this morning (of course) so the picture I took isn't of the highest quality but still pretty.

I know I am milking the ISE scarf for all it is worth but alas, that is what we do here in knitting blog land. We relish the minutiae.

So, today's addition of tedious details: Blocking pictures.

I know this close-up pictures isn't the best and is kind of dark but I love that it shows the pattern. This picture portrays the pattern more accurately.

My "blocking board" is a doctored up foam board wrapped in a towel so it is too short to do the whole scarf at once. So here are the two ends and later I will do the middle.

Just a Block Away

Grandmother Purl and Her Bevy of Squares

My long-suffering husband scurried the container of Grandmother Purl's squares into the bedroom to me so I could organize it. I've gotten them all sorted out and I've been busy taking pictures of the beautiful squares. (I've got 70 squares waiting happily in this Rubbermaid bin.)

A Finished Scarf is a Beautiful Thing

While I had my beloved camera with its fresh batteries out, I thought I'd show ya'll some pictures of the finished scarf. I've woven in the ends but I've yet to block it. I'll do that one night this week. For now, I'll let you all take an early look. Pre-blocked, it measures 4" wide, 68" long. I'm not sure how much this yarn is going to block out but we'll see.

Artistic full length shot.
(If by artistic you mean a shot that shows my messy bedside table.)

The kitchenered join.

A better full length shot.

So? What do you think?

NEWS!!!

Guess what, ya'll?

All the knitting on the ISE scarf is complete - - including the kitchenered join of the two halfs. (Which does not even betray my wine status!) I need to weave in the ends and do the blocking but the knitting is complete!!! I'm taking a moment to type this victory post. Of course, as luck would have it, my digital camera is currently a holder for dead batteries and I can't drive to the store so the pictures will have to wait until tomorrow. For now you will have to take my word for it: it is very pretty...finished.

Hurray.

Title? Who Needs a Title?

Yesterday my friend told me she was going to run by Barnes & Noble on the way home from work so I asked her to pick up something for me. A book I've been wanting to buy. And here it is:

I hadn't ever looked at it before I bought it but I've heard such wonderful things about this book that I knew I had to have it. It is a beautiful book and funny and the patterns are amazing. I've already decided which pattern I'm going to make first. Of course, who knows when that will be, as there are so many other things in the queue but I am still excited to have a new book.

So when you don't have much to blog about on a Saturday morning, what do you do? You take a picture of the dog, of course.
Sally, apparently curious about why I am on the computer and not busy knitting on my scarf, decided to pop in for a quick visit. I think she is loving the heat from the laptop and contemplating a leap over to the bed so she can get under the covers. (She is still on restriction from the jumping so after I took this picture, I picked her up and put her on the bed.) Me, am ridiculously glad that fall seems to actually be here.

Keeping Promises

Remember I promised ya'll that one day I would again post a picture that wasn't taken on my laptop? Here you go:
Look what arrived in the mail from Dorothy! Beautiful wool, dyed by Dorothy herself. Isn't it cool!?? It is very soft and the colors are so rich. I wonder if this yarn will felt...perhaps I could make a technicolor sheep???? We'll see. I am going to have to think on this. Also! She sent me the needles you see sticking out the top of the yarn. They are wonderful, too. Thank you Dorothy!!!

I can see the light at the end of the scarf tunnel now. I've completed about 20" on the second half. I'm really happy with the way it looks. I had to frog a little last night (about one repeat) because I had picked up a stitch. I really should work a little harder at maintaining my knitting focus. Believe it or not, most of these unknitting incidents have been because of my own carelessness. I know you find that hard to believe but, really, it is true!

The Grandmother Purl squares have been coming in at a steady pace. I hope to post an update there either today or tomorrow. The squares are all so lovely and so different. I can't wait to start sewing them together.

If Finding Nemo Took Place at the LYS

Just keep knitting. Just keep knitting.

Just keep knitting, knitting, knitting.

What do we do? We knit, knit.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ho. I love to knit.

When you want to knit you want to knit.

The second half of the ISE scarf is up to 14 inches now.

Minimal Progress is Progress Nonetheless

Thanks for your comments and input on the wool for the little sheep. I think I've solved my dilemma with the help of the RabidCrafter. Hurray! A couple of people have asked what I have planned for these little guys. Well, my oldest sister, Carrie, collects these dolls. They are very fancy dolls, that look disturbingly like real babies. Carrie loves them and we mock her for it. It is good natured mocking, of course, so I am going to knit sheep for Carrie for Christmas, for her babies. I'll let ya'll know when I get around to starting on them. (Sometime after the completion of the scarf.)

Speaking of the scarf, I have been doing some work on the second side. See:

Yes, yes. I know. It isn't much progress...but it IS progress.

In Other News

It has been a nice weekend, kind of busy. Friday night I went to watch my niece, Tegan, cheer at her homecoming game. (No, I didn't take my knitting.) My twin sister, Katy, and I are apparently not very adept with my camera. We were able to take some relatively clear pictures of her back
though we had little to no success with a frontal cheerleading shot.
She's such a cutie. Really, she is...despite the lack of photographic evidence. Oh well. I guess it is the thought that counts, right? She is such a sweetheart and really loves cheering. I love this girl - as my willingness to attend a high school football game on crutches attests.

Have ya'll ever watched Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading: Making the Team? Not the world's most intellectually stimulating tv viewing but it is good knitting tv. Good to watch while making more progress on the scarf.