What I finished today (1/6/08)

The Ivy League Vest by Eunny Jang - Interweave Knits Winter 2007



Knit Picks Palette

Twig
Nutmeg
Rainforest Heather
White
Fog
Mist


Size 4 needles


What a great stash buster! The 'sampler' pack of Palette was here and seemed to be a great substitute for the original yarn (plus, it's already paid for). The colors seem to match pretty well.
I've learned from small stranding projects in the past, but am not a pro...yet. The results are pretty good and any unevenness evened out in the blocking.

This project is addictive!


Pictured is my second attempt - the first was past the neck shaping and I did not pay close enough attention to the directions. PLUS, my skills/technique had improved. I will make little purses or something out of the first attempt.



This is the first time I used steeks and there was not much anxiety about cutting, but I did elect to stitch on each side of the cut.


-Absolutely my favorite project of all time and I discovered that I LOVE color work.

My exercise regimen for 2008

Wow! The holidays sure pack on the pounds!

Santa dropped off Dance Dance Revolution for the kid's game system. It seems easy enough while watching and it gets easier with a little practice. Realization settled in quickly that my body is not as young or in shape as it used to be.

An idea! This would be a fun exercise regimen (trust me, it makes you sweat). Have fun and loose the cookie pounds at the same time - sounds good.

For now, I am a closet DDR user. The kids just laughed and laughed. They should watch out, though - after a few week's practice I will be able to dance their butts off!

Now, where did I put that candy bar....

The Family Recipe Box

Ann and Kay over at Mason-Dixon Knitting are holding a contest involving Recipe Boxes and the possibilities they contain.


Where we come from, the Recipe Box (insert spiritual sound here) holds the family heritage much like the Family Bible we brought from the Southern States in the mid-1900's.


Enough suspense, I present the Hartman Family Recipe Box (insert spiritual sound here):

...I did not promise it would be pretty. Totally utilitarian, I know. The inside, you ask?

Wait for it....

My husband's Grandmother and Mother operated family restaurants in the Midwest. They compiled these recipes (many of which call for 40 eggs and 16 cups of sugar) for use at large family gatherings as well as in their restaurants.

Q. What sort of recipe did it take to raise a family and run a restaurant in the Midwest during the mid-1900's?

A. The same type it takes today! Hubs says it looks like a recipe for Kahlua. I am skeptical, but any booze you can brew up at home seems worthwhile.

A well-loved recipe was likely made after the consumption of above:

Any recipe that has been on fire (literally) and survived to collect so many smudges/ingredients MUST be good.

In tribute:

Mary B. Hartman (Stevens) May 27, 1913 - April, 1969

and

Helen M. Heckathorn (Hartman) June 17, 1934 - Aug. 30, 2002

When I win the lottery

The newspaper covered yet another story about a lottery winner who plunged into certain doom after winning.

Hubs and I participate in the Hillbilly* Retirement Plan - we buy lottery tickets most every week for the major lottery in our State. We have won a free ticket on occasion, but our retirement plan remains largely unfunded by any lottery winnings.

Stories of those who have won significantly (at least $1,000,000. qualifies for significant for these purposes) convey tales of woe, but that does not make me think about how winning would destroy our lives. I remain certain that things for us would be very different and the hope remains that someday the opportunity to prove such will present itself.

Top 10 Things I will do when we win the lottery in no particular order:
1. Buy 1 (at least) of everything from Williams-Sonoma (Hubs knows about this and supports my desire)
2. Hire someone to open our mail and 'deal' with the beggers
3. Become a silent partner in a small business venture
4. Support a charity of our choice
5. Pay a personal shopper to find some jeans that make my butt look great
6. Finish my dental work, pay for it myself, then hire an attorney to sue BC/BS to get the money back
7. Spend the rest of Winter in a warm location
8. Invest significantly
9. Become debt free
10. Take time to organize all of my yarn so I can find what I want when I need it

*This comment is not designed to insult or demean any Hillbilly. I am half Hillbilly and Hubs feels certain he is all Hillbilly thus we are legit in making this statement.

Ringing in the nude...um, NEW Year

The New Year arrived safely. The SAFELY part is always a concern with the people who consume vast amounts of alcohol and then choose to drive...possibly at the expense of my innocent family members (or yours).

My parents arrived safely home after their visit and a huge snow arrived. The visit was nice and relaxed without much ado. We played cards and ate, even shopped a little. Oprah's Pomegranate Martini's were a big hit. A few photos of mom to prove how much she enjoyed them...

I won't lie, I enjoyed them too - Oprah and I agree, these are a favorite thing! Note to self: need more Sky Citrus Vodka

Ok, a better picture of my folks:

Dad likes to play it tough, but he loves being loved on.

Apes?

Admittedly, I watched most of The Planet of The Apes movies yesterday. They were mesmerizing - truly! Once it began, there was no turning back. Was it my imagination, or did Charlton Heston look much, much older at the end of the first movie (from the beginning)? Linda Harrison had a great part - I don't think she ever said a word. Anyway, I would steer clear of the name 'Cornelius' for my children - that name wasn't very lucky for the Apes.

Knitting

The Bird in Hand mittens are finished...I like them a lot, but Bugg claimed them (don't laugh, My Favorite Youngest Son was going to fight her for them until I promised to make a masculine version). A few photos:

Happy New Year! May 2008 bring you happiness, family times, and fortune.

The bird on my thumb

Managing to knit something around the holidays is easier said than done at our house.

Kate Gilbert's pattern - A Bird in the Hand - caught my eye while browsing on Ravelry and I thought the gauge would work based on my Ivy League Vest gauge. Knit Pick's Palette has been sitting around in stash for awhile and seems to have worked fine. The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, but it is difficult to find the extra Cascade 220 when I need it...

Purple and Cream colors were used for this mitten.

Mom and Dad are visiting for a few days and Mom modeled the mitten for me this morning. I haven't stitched the little bird features yet.

Speaking of which, Hubs gifted me with 10 storage containers for Christmas (yes, I asked for them). They've helped reign in the excess yarn flowing from my yarn closet. In the beginning of organization, it is apparent that I have enough yarn. I won't make promises not to purchase, but I vow to take advantage of the de-stash group on Ravelry very, very soon.



The Short Row Hat designed by Veronik Avery is a free pattern that I used along with left-over Wistful yarn from Briar Rose. The hat is a fun, quick knit and I will make it again in the future with yarn that will show more definitive color changes.

Dirty Christmas Carols

I find myself singing Christmas songs at this time of year. I find myself ad-libbing dirty words. Hubs and I discussed this not long ago after musing that there may be a market out there for an x-rated Christmas CD - Hubs replied "everyone I know sings dirty words" after hearing me ask if it was only us that butcher these traditional songs with smut.

While Rockin' around the frickin' tree this morning, it occurred to me that there has not been a sharing of the tree hunt from a few weekends ago. So...a few photos:

...Later we'll share some !#1*&# pie before we do some !$@##!

And on to the tree:

We walked the fields looking for the perfect tree. The youngest son found one, Bugg found one and it didn't take a genius to figure out that we could not choose EITHER of those trees because we'd never hear the end of the bickering. My strategy was to drag them all around the other fields and return to suggest a couple of others that we had not previously eyed. It worked! Everyone was freezing and relented with sighs of relief - Just cut it already...and he did, just before the camera battery died.

Youngest son put the stand on and lugged the brute tree into the house. He stood it up and I winced as it it was pushed up to it's full height.....2" shy of the super tall ceiling (gulp). The only thing working for the topper was a Santa hat.

What I finished today

The photos could never do this scarf justice. I set up the camera on self timer and tried to take modeled shots, but kept getting the door and door knob or just a small portion of the scarf and a lot of chin (where did all of that chin come from anyway?).

Settling for these few shots will suffice for now. 2 skeins of Handmaiden Silken in the Glacier colorway and a bunch of beads ordered from Joggles.com for the price of a song.

For my next project:
Hubs also asked for a 'plain old hat'. I've been making these 'plain old hats' for the past two years and he said, "no, you know - a plain old hat".

Hmm...that got me to thinking and I dug out my copy of Never Knit Your Man a Sweater, flipped to the Watch Cap and proudly produced the page for him to see.

YES! That is the kind of hat he wanted. I was not thrilled - how fun can inches upon inches of 1x1 ribbing be? Turns out it wasn't much fun, but I whipped it up in a day or so and he was SO thrilled that the pain of the 1x1 rib was soon forgotten. As soon as my favorite youngest son spied the hat, he begged for one "just like this". OMGoodness, inches upon inches of 1x1 rib again. Seems that we'll do anything for these guys we love so much.

I've named this hat Watchful Cap because my husband is ever watchful over me. He takes care of all the little things necessary to keep me safe and loved.

1 skein of Cascade 220 in charcoal #8400 (picked-up at Knit a Round's sale bin in Ann Arbor last weekend for around $4.00) on size 7 needles.

Knitting goals and accomplishment

Friend Mitzi and I went to Ann Arbor yesterday. It was the first time we've spent together in awhile and our conversation wandered onto our knitting goals for 2008. UFO's were topping our lists; Mitzi with a fabulous Jane Splicer-Smith wrap, a mostly-finished-item for a work raffle, an Eyelet shell that just needs stitched, and the Babies and Bears Sweater for adults. Topping my list is the Ivy League Vest and...hmm, I thought I had a few other UFO's...

Truth is that finishing is a 'thing' for me. Knitting begins and then it is finished, rewards come in the casting on of something new. Problem is, there are tons of skeins of yarn in my stash which are tagged for projects and they WANT to be knitted. Impulse purchases are few and far between (mostly sock yarn). I am a purposeful shopper.

Mitzi pointed out that for 2007 I had wanted to knit lace and that there were a number of finished lace projects in my portfolio now.

True, true. I did knit lace and am ultimately satisfied with my accomplishments there.

We focused on my 2008 desired technique(s). What do I really want to knit in the upcoming year? Fair Isle (definitely!). Beads (on the needles now). I would also like to knit Baby Jesus - seriously, one of the blogs routinely read had a knit manger and that will be hunt down again. More lace is in order --- beaded lace, maybe? There are sketches for a couple of designs laying right here now (on the back of envelopes). The need to knit a sweater is bearing down on me now. It has been awhile since a sweater was created by my needles and I can feel one calling to me - it will be woolly...

Looking back on 2007, knitting was a huge accomplishment. The photo folder for this subject is bursting at the seams - it was a good year! Looking forward to 2008 makes me giddy. The possibilities, plans, yarn, nearly too much excitement to be contained as my heart beats faster.

Back to the UFO's...there is one black/grey sweater which didn't have enough yarn to finish (the grey yarn is discontinued and unavailable now), a multi-yarn 'surprise' sweater that (so foo-foo I would probably never wear), a navy cotton vest that just needs stitched and zippered (just lazy).

How about you-
What would you like to knit in 2008?

Are you happy with your knitting accomplishments in 2007?

What technique would you like to focus on?

The Dance

We had quite the drive to reach our vacation destination last summer. We drove in two vehicles and witnessed this dance after stopping for something to eat.

Funny thing - he couldn't hear the music we were listening to, but his dance was right on beat.

I'm so proud

I've been smitten with the River Rock Scarf since No Sheep For You came out earlier this year. Handmaiden Silken was on my yarn Lust List for quite awhile and when Little Knits stocked it (at 20% off, wink, wink), my order was placed.

It was certain that the Glacier colorway would be my choice and it does not disappoint. The 'waves' undulate through the scarf and make me imagine sitting by a stream, listening to the water slurp and gurgle around the 'rocks'.

This scarf is so pleasing to knit that it has nearly caused me to forget about the Ivy League Vest which was well on it's way. My passion has wained a tad (a wee tad). I contemplate the appreciation of skills and knowledge gained since the onset of this fair isle project and muse through possibly frogging the whole thing to begin anew. These feelings led me to put aside the vest for a few days and gain new insight - the answer will be clear once I return to it.

Bugg finally finished a project! We hunted all over the Southern United States for the Berroco Vibe yarn. She was set on this color and it had to be ordered. They were cast on around July ('06 or '07?). Regardless, they were finished a couple of weeks ago and they are fantastic.

I am so proud!

Teen Scarf aka Easy as Pie Scarf

Bugg's friends find my knitting fascinating. They are often anxious to learn, but finding time for them to sit down and actually put yarn to needle is another story. On occasion one of them will ask me to knit them a pair of socks - heh, heh...we ALL know the answer to this one!

In compromise, these scarves will be quick little gifts for the teen friends this year and they can knit up in one evening!


Yarn: Berroco Foliage; 100 yds (or about 100 yards of any bulky yarn)
Needles: US 11
Button: 1 1/2" to 2"

Cast on 18 or 20 stitches work in K1, P1 rib for 5"

On next row work to 2 stitches before middle and ssk, knit next two stitches together, finish row by working in established pattern. (For example; if you cast on 18 stitches you will ssk stitches 8 and 9 and knit stitches 10 and 11 together)

On next row work to gap created by the ssk and k2tog in the previous row and cast on two stitches then proceed to work in established rib pattern

Work maintaining rib until you nearly run out of yarn (or until the scarf is your desired length) and cast off in rib.


Sew button to opposite side of scarf approx. 8" from the bottom.

Note: Buttons this large can be difficult to find (or costly). Try hunting around at your LYS if the craft store buttons are not on sale.

My new scarf (ISE5 Complete)

Big, Huge Thanks to my scarf knitter for ISE5!

Sarah knit this beautiful lace pattern with Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Fern.

It is absolutely wonderful and I love it.

Sarah also sent yarn that I must make into a dishcloth, an adorable knitting notebook and...candy, yum!

Thank you Sarah!

P.S. Apologies for the wonky photos

Brown Tilly (finally finished)

The shawl has been finished for a few days and the result is so drastically different from it's beginnings that the post waited for good photos. Chris sent this yarn back in the summer for a sample that would be larger than the original and include a knit-on border.

The border was adapted from a Barbara Walker book and a picot edging was added to the top.

Directions for the borders have been written out. Finished measurements: 78" across the top and 42" from top to bottom point.

Insomnia manifested

What is there to worry about? Maybe I'm worrying too much about not having anything to worry about?

4AM and I was wide awake; I've learned to get up, not toss and turn.

5AM blogs read, e-mail read

6AM brew the coffee and, heck, have some oatmeal

6:05AM Make THE list

The list may be the source of my insomnia...it consists of

1. schedule 4 Doctor appointments for myself

2. schedule my first mammogram

(all of which are overdue)

3. schedule Orthodontic appointment for my Favorite Youngest Son

4. take the dogs to be groomed

5. knit designs

6. scrapbook

The Dr. appointments should have been made and attended by now...I am tired of going to the Doctor - the appointments lead to more work and, ultimately, pain.

Let's just skip to #5. The directions for Lace Cable Scarf knitted for my ISE5 pal has been finished since November and Brown Tilly (shown blocking) instructions are all ready, the PDF files just need to be created

#6 is a whole different issue. Way back in July the pleading began. Fortunately, a friend answered and our first expedition last week was a success. Our second session is today and dread is knocking at my door. I am not a Scrapbooker!

(yawn...sigh) Another cup of coffee, please!

A Cold Butt!

Every winter I vow to not complain about the weather. It is what it is - we live in Michigan and it gets cold and grey then stays that way for 8 months. Ok, maybe not 8...but it seems like it (more like 6 months).

The pond is now completely frozen over. I guess there is a lot of work to be completed toward not complaining and I'm starting by thanking God that I don't have to sit my butt on the cold ice. It astounded me that there are Seagulls in Michigan where there is no Sea. Maybe they are fooled by the many bodies of water and the Great Lakes are huge - you might be deceived into thinking you're at the ocean.

Seriously, when it dips below freezing and the water becomes ice, I'd be heading South to visit my Seagull family for the Winter.

Don't you think this Seagull looks much, much happier than his Northern kin on the ice?

...I am a warm-weather Seagull!

My Hemlock Ring

My family was here for the Holiday and Mom just left this morning. A still sadness creeps into my body on the day that they leave. It's hard to explain, but it is a realization that we're away from the things that matter and after 5 years this new 'home' is still entirely foreign to me. I had finished the Hemlock Blanket just as the majority of the family arrived for Thanksgiving. It sat in the living room looking like a sad, dried up octopus and left me wondering how something so blob-shaped could turn into something so entirely beautiful. After mom's departure, it occurred to me that blocking that blob could be THE thing that drove aside the loneliness for a little while.

Blocking this item is a monumental task. It took quite a bit of time (over an hour, easy) and I believe it will be blocked again after drying the first time. Anyway, it was impossible to resist taking some 'before' photos while it was blocking.

Particulars:
Yarn: Briar Rose Abundance
Needles: Size 9 DPN's and various lengths of circulars

Dream Weaver Shrug

DW Shrug 15
Originally uploaded by kniterella

It's been a few weeks since something was complete for Bugg and this shrug knit up in 2 days.

Made with Dream Weaver yarn from Briar Rose Fibers - this knit up quickly on size 15's. The yarn is a perfect mix of thick and thin which gave me a couple of ideas for other projects using the same fiber.

I've blocked the border for Brown Tilly and all of the math is complete. I should have time to start putting the border on this week. Also, I cast-on the Hemlock Ring Blanket using Abundance. This pattern was modified by Jared and seems to be all the rave of Ravelry. His photos are fabulous!

My family is coming for Thanksgiving and everyone is bringing their dogs. All of the doggies are below the knee, but there will be 8 including our 2 -- what a challenge!

Give me something to cast-on

I have truly developed cast-on-itis. This is usually offset by my need-to-finish-obia, but it seems the balance is tipping to the favor of beginning new things.

A shrug in Briar Rose's Dream Weaver will knit up quickly on size 15's.

Eunny Jang's Ivy League Vest proved too much to resist. I don't usually knit fair isle, but it calls to me. Knit Pick's Palette was dug from the stash for this project.

The yarn for Eunny's Autumn Rose Pullover was acquired at a semi-LYS last week and I am itching to cast that on as well. I've been able to resist...so far.

Brown Tilly - a Briar Rose sample has been languishing on the needles for awhile. Cast-on's described above were only begun once Brown Tilly (BT) had been blocked. The knit-on border for BT will be priority once it is dry.

Oh, that Handmaiden Silken that was on my lust list came in the mail...where are my needles?

It'snow Joke!

Surprising weather to this point has helped my roses along. All of these were on the bushes this morning and I thought to bring them in.

After arranging them in a little vase, they went on the porch so they didn't get too warm quickly.

And then....

The snow came...

Tis true, God does have a sense of humor.

Remember my first handspun yarn?

Well....I whipped up this hat. There was only about one inch of yarn left after fastening off the crown stitches - I was sweating that one!

The ISE 5 scarf is also complete. The pattern turned out well. There are a few goodies to pick up and it will be off in the mail.