Sunday, May 30, 2010

done, done, done!


The traveling sweater is done! I love, love, love it.
It's probably going to be my favorite sweater ever.
I'll have to post pics later. Need a photographer. It just doesn't do it justice to see it flat. It needs to be on a person.

Thanks to the bad weather, I also finished my endpaper mitts, and started on the "hammelies" shawl for my friend's christmas.

Next week, some new bugga (I think I'm addicted now), and the lace I ordered for the summer mystery shawl KAL.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

what IS it about cats and wet wool??


Really!
The first sleeve of the traveling sweater is done and blocked, with no help from the critters. The second one is about 1/2 done. I'll probably block the big piece today and be finished with the second sleeve before the end of the week. All that's left is to put the pieces together. I'm still not sure how that goes, but I'm trying not to stress about it. I think I'll be the first one finished in the KAL, not that it's a race. I can thank the bad weather here for that. No yard work in the rain.













This week I also bought some Malbrigio Lace from a stash on Rav. I think I'll make Anne Hanson's "bee fields" with it. I'm trying to decide if I want to try for another skein. I know it would be a different dye lot, but I could do the edging with it. I really like a larger shawl. We'll see.

Next up, I'm going to finish the second endpaper mitt, and then move on to "hammelies" with the DIC gothic rose I got in the trade for my may sock kit.
It's going to make a nice christmas present shawl for my friend Amy for christmas - don't worry, she doesn't read this blog. I think it'll be a good beach knitting project.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

MMMMMMM, Bugga!

Ok, so, all those folks can't be wrong. The Bugga phenom has a definite reason.
I took the opportunity to buy some a couple of weeks ago from the sanguine gryphon site and, it's very nice. L to R, 2 skeins of 'fat' bugga for my birch stole, a mystery skein of skinny bugga, I'm thinking it's going to be a shawl, and some dream in color smooshy in gothic rose, that I traded my may sock club yarn for. That yellow was just not me, and the gothic rose will make a perfect shawl for my friend Amy for christmas. I'd definitely do the bugga again. They're having a special thing on the site where they pick a color and offer it in unlimited quantities on a dye to order basis. It's only good for 24 hrs after the update, but it's a great way to try something new. (and the mystery stuff too) Some gorgeous stuff there.













The traveling sweater is progressing. I've finished the 'wedges' and moved on to a sleeve. It's about 1/2 way done. It's supposed to start raining like crazy by the end of the week, so there it is, some good knitting time.

I'm also looking for the perfect shawl. When we went to sock summit last year, the most impressive thing wasn't the socks (although they were impressive), it was the gorgeous shawls that everyone seemed to have. So......I'm in search of the perfect one. Gotta play with the cool kids. I'll know it when I see it.


Meanwhile, it's out to the garden!

Sunday, May 09, 2010

that's a whole lotta rib'n


One more 'wedge' left on the traveling sweater edge. Then it's on to the arms and back, which should go a bit faster. It'll all be determined by the weather, though. When the sun shines, it's outside to play.




This week brought a nice surprise. The next installment of the Loopy Ewe sock club. I joined this club because they offer different yarn companies each time and I really wanted to try something different. I like the kind of yarn, the patterns are great and I love the Namaste bags, but I'm not too sure about the color. I may end up trading for something that's more my style. Just not a big fan of the yellow.











I also bought myself a bit of a treat. I've been wondering for a while what all the excitement is about over the sanguine gryphon bugga. Well, they have a new deal where they pick one color and offer it in unlimited amounts for one day. Then they go and make as many as folks have ordered. I couldn't resist the dark green and brown one they offered this week, and I immediately thought of the Birch that I want to make. The griffon also had some 'mystery skeins' as well, so I couldn't resist the challenge of the surprise. I just hope my mystery skinny bugga is not yellow. I'll probably have to trade it out if it is. Pics when it comes.

I'll leave y'all with some signs that spring is sprung.......

















and a visitor we had early saturday am. We think it's a red-tailed hawk.

Sunday, May 02, 2010

knit, knit, purl, purl


Endless k2p2 rib.
Yes, this is the newest "thing", the traveling sweater.
It was love at first sight. Luckily the pattern has just enough to keep some interest and it's not so complicated you can't take it along. Although, it is getting a bit too big. I'm almost through the fourth "wedge" - there's 8 of them, and then it's on to the upper back and arm pieces. The yarn is Wooboo, Thraven color. You can't really tell by this photo, but it has a nice, underlying bit of green. It's coming right along.

There was a bit of excitement this week when the dates for Sock Summit 2011 were announced. Is it wrong to be SO excited about something that's nearly a year away?
Of course, I'll be there. Another knitter and I are thinking about volunteering a day, and shopping a day. I'd kind of like to add a day of classes, and maybe a trip out to the beach with some out of town folks I met at the last summit. We'll have to see how the registration goes. I was extremely lucky last time to get the classes I wanted, but I know how many folks will be trying this time. Bunches. I'm not sure they can have a server big enough.

Today, the weather is nice, so it's out to the garden to get caught up with planting and the annual pressure washing of the deck.

knit, knit, purl, purl, knit knit, purl, purl,.........