Weekly Stashalong Update

Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (2 projects).
Red = Done (8 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Yet again stalled.
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- Almost done, on to the cuffs.
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be -- DONE
6.) Shawl for my Mom -- DONE
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Working on. The knitting version of a crazy quilt. I've determined the width.
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- DONE
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- DONE and sent off

Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (3 projects).
Red = Done (7 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Trying to do a minimum of 2 rows a night.
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- Halfway through gussets.
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be -- DONE
6.) Shawl for my Mom -- DONE
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Working on. The knitting version of a crazy quilt. I've determined the width. I'd say About 15% done.
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- DONE
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- DONE

Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (3 projects).
Red = Done (7 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Trying to do a minimum of 2 rows a night.
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- Started to gussets.
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be -- DONE
6.) Shawl for my Mom -- DONE>
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Working on again. Being done in random sized blocks
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- DONE
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- DONE

It's Done

Yes, it took 7 months (several of them laying dormant) yet it's done. I finished it yesterday (saturday) while at SnB. It's 37 repeats long. I was going to do 40 repeats, but if I went to 40 the scarf would have been too long for dad to wear to work. This way he can wear it to work and not worry about it getting messed up. I also needed to save a little bit of the yarn for the afghan I'm working on. There's 2 pics below. 1 up close detail and the other a distance shot.

I Finished The Irish Hiking Scarf!!

Yay! Seven months after starting it I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf yesterday at SnB. I'm quite excited about it. It came out at the perfect length too. I did 37 repeats as it is for a man. I was going to do 40, but I needed to save a little of the yarn for another project. Being a man's scarf I was able to go a little sharter. IF it was any longer it would get in my dad's way at work anyways.

Stashalong Update

Green = Sitting there feeling neglected (1 Project).
Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (3 projects).
Red = Done (6 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Doing a minimum of 2 rows a night.
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- Almost to the gusset increases, about 20 rows away.
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 (yarns unknown) -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 (using 1 partially used ball wool yarn and 1 partially used skien red heart) -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be (using lilly sugar and cream) -- DONE
6.) Shawl for my Mom (Homespun) -- DONE
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Stalled
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- 32 repeats in, about 12 to go before reaching the hoped for length
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- DONE

Halfway on Counts list. Inventory count Met!!!

Green = Sitting there feeling neglected (2 Projects).
Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (2 projects).
Red = Done (6 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Still there
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- You would have had a good laugh Saturday
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 (yarns unknown) -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 (using 1 partially used ball wool yarn and 1 partially used skien red heart) -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be (using lilly sugar and cream) -- DONE
6.) Shawl for my Mom (Homespun) -- DONE
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Stalled
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- On a roll with it. Even remembered the pattern without any help after several months
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- DONE

ISE 4 Scarf Completely Several Photos

I finished and blocked the scarf I've been working on for my downstream ISE 4 pal today. Below are photos of the finished scarf whole blocking and then afterwards. So this scarf will be making it's way to it's recipient over the next couple weeks with a couple little gifts in it. I will post yarn and pattern information after my scarf pal gets the scarf.

You'll notice that it took 2 surfaces to block. In my little corner of the world, you use whatever you have at hand. For the method I used to block I didn't want to chance ruining the carpet so it meant taking up the kitchen and use the kitchen table and ironing board. Plus guard it from Cliona.

Scarf while blocking (please pardon the ugly litterbox and messy bakers rack).


Post blocking, sitting on the ironing board.


Close-up detail of the cables

Distance shot of the scarf after blocking.

By the way, Cliona loves it and I will be paying for it with her when makes it way in the mail. I think I'm going to make something for her with a little of the yarn left over to keep Cliona from loosing it with me. She's been a bit tempermental lately.

Got A Lot Done This Week

In both the knitting and non-knitting worlds of my life. In the knitting world of my life I was able to:
1.) Get going again on my Irish Hiking Scarf. It's been sitting there on the needles for about 5 months. I've had other projects that were demanding my time with deadlines that were more pressing. Ok it was originally going to be a Christmas present last year for my Dad, but when I realized it wasn't going to be done in time for Christmas last year or his birthday this year, I decided to make it one of his Christmas presents this year. I'd have more than enough time then. Now with the other projects out of the way, I have time for it now.

2.) I've nearly finished the scarf for my ISE 4 pal. It will actually be done by tomorrow night. Blocking and all. That will give me plenty of fime to get it ready to go out.

3.) I got a couple more rounds done on my lovely socks. Oh, what an adventure they were today. I went to work on them, went the twong way for half a round, had to undo that bit and get them onto smaller needles. Then back onto the correct needles for fear I was going to break the bamboo needles they were on for those weren't my needles. BY the time i got that accomplished I should have known to take a breather. I didn't though. By the time I got going it was 45 minutes later. What took me 45 minutes? I couldn't figure out what direction to go in and which needles to use. Ok if you go in 1 direction and that's the wrong way then you need to go the other way right?! But the 2 tips of 2 circs had me stumped for some reason till I remembered I had my book with me to help me out. Definitley needed more caffiene to wake up. At least I provided humor for the others in my SnB group.
4.) Did some destashing.

In the Non-Knitting world of my life:
1.) Got back in touch with another family member
2.) Had my usual group and appointement
3.) Attended the monthly Community Advisory Board meeting
4.) Ran the Advocacy Committee Meeting (I chair the committee) that meets every other month.
5.) Attended the AdHoc committee where we chose award recipients (if you know me no I will not tell you who's getting the awards. I'm not allowed to till the Annual Dinner next month)
6.) Some heavy duty spring cleaning and rearranging.
7.) Spun and set the twist of about 37 yards of wool.

Stashalong Udate

Green = Sitting there feeling neglected (2 Projects).
Yellow = I'm plugging away on it. (3 projects).
Red = Done (5 projects).

1.) Irish Aran Sweater (using Patons Classic Merino) -- Sitting there feeling neglected. Must pay attention to it soon.
2.) My First Pair of Socks (Regia 6 ply Crazy Color ) -- Toes done...somewhere on the foot. Only got to do 1 row this week
3.) A scarf and hat set for a raffle on March 1 (yarns unknown) -- DONE
4.) A scarf for same raffle on March 1 (using 1 partially used ball wool yarn and 1 partially used skien red heart) -- DONE.
5.) A cotton hooded bath blanket for the baby to be (using lilly sugar and cream) -- DONE the family won't get to use the blanket for the baby as the baby died 3 days before the due date.
6.) Shawl for my Mom (Homespun) -- DONE
7.) Afghan for Dad (Yarn will be a mix) -- Slowly working on. It's my mindless project.
8.) Irish Hiking Scarf -- Working on it again got a pattern repear or 2 done this week.
9.) Gifted Mittens -- DONE
10.) ISE 4 scarf (Lopi) -- less than a foot to go. To be finished this weekend.

The yarn count is down to 81 after going through it and pulling out a bit to give to my 10 year old "niece" (daughter of a family friend that looks to me as an aunt) who will be learning to use the Knifty Knitter, and donating other yarn.

4.5 Days Away Translates into…

er… 4.5 days of knitting. Yep that’s what it meant here. I just back this afternoon. Was house and dog sitting while I was away. My days basically consisted of knitting, taking the dog out, knitting, vegging out, going to knitting group with my aunt Saturday morning, talking on the phone, and relaxing. While I was gone I was able to get my aunt’s scarf done, baby booties made, the back of a baby sweater (Knitty’s Chaos) made all the way to the arm shaping, a pair of slippers, and working on my IHS. Pics are below. Left to right, the project pictures are: Baby booties from SNB Nation; Slippers; Chaos from Knitty.com; Irish Hiking Scarf; Drop stitch scarf; My parent's dog modeling the previously mentioned scarf. This is all knitting I did over 4.5 days. Exception is that I started the hiking scarf during the week, but only had 2 or 3 twists in it.

Playing Catch-Up Posts

Looking back I have realized that I have left a bit out of some posts.

1.) Last month I went for a search of yarn made in Ireland. Preferably wool. Just so you know I was brought up to be proud of my Irish heritage and I sill am. When I went to Ireland 9 years ago I was more at home there than I had ever been until then in the states. In face I didn't want to come back home, but I did. I'm still looking forward to the day that I return to Ireland. Well during that search I found a store in Maine called The Irish Ewe. On that site I found some Irish Aran yarn. It's even form the county my great grandmother came from and the county I visited. It's 100% wool. Well, this month I ordered a hank of it. I just had to have it. Plus I wasn't going tohave any normal dreams until I had it as the yarn was invading my deams.

2.) I've started the Irish Hiking Scarf and joined the kal for the scarf. I'm using the previously mentioned yarn for this scarf. It only seems appropriate. THis is the first time I'll be doing cables. Now that I have lace down (I think) it;s time for me to get cables down.

3.) I've decided to do the Red Scarf Project.

4.) Maybe I've mentioned this, but I have quit teaching knitting on mondays. It was getting to be too much on my schedule. I also counldn't handle the people. They just wouldn't pay attention or listen to me.

1 down .... too many to go

Well, I finally finished my aunt's hat so I have one person off my list of people I'm knitting Christmas gifts for. So an updated works in progress list:

1. Then a baby sweater (Chaos) from Knitty.com. that's barely started. I's cast on and about 5 rows done, so maybe 1% or so.
2. I'm also working on a svarf (knitty.com's Embrace) for another aunt's christmas gift. That's about 25% done.
3. Finally, I'm making another pair of slipper socks. That has about 1" done on the first one, so maybe 10%.

Wha Is On The Needles??

What in the world am I working on? and how far am I int on the projects???

Well, I usually have more than one project underway. As of right now I have 4.

1. For starters is a hat for my Aunt's Christmas present. That's about 50% done
2. Then a baby sweater (Chaos) from Knitty.com. that's barely started. I's cast on and about 5 rows done, so maybe 1% or so.
3. I'm also working on a svarf (knitty.com's Embrace) for another aunt's christmas gift. THat's about 25% done.
4. Finally, I'm making another pair of slipper socks. That has about 1" done on the first one, so maybe 10%.

Also I'm reading Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (The Yarn Harlot). If you haven't read it yet, You're missing a great book.