Ah, the Yarnage

Some might think that I'm loosing it a little since I seem to be buying so much yarn from other knitters on Ravelry. Seriously, people are worried. I have to console them by letting them know I am not going to dig myself into a financial ditch by buying too much yarn (is there any such thing?)!

But I am getting some beautiful yarn from some very nice people on Ravelry. Okay, so I don't know them personally, but they've been very nice to me (well, of course; I'm getting beautiful yarn from them).

Seriously, YodaGirl has got somet talent in those fingers! She's a fantastic knitter. PassionateMind is a very sweet person (that's my impression over the InterWebz, anyway) and also a very active knitter. jeanius is the same.

And pix as soona as those yarns come in. I can't wait!

But since the office where I work will be shutting down (mostly) shortly, then I'm going to have to curb my yarn spending a whole lot until I get a new job someplace. I hope that wherever I work next will not be an office job; I really don't think I'm cut out for office work. I don't like it much at all. I wish I could work from home or outside. Maybe I'll just speed through my water training and just do that, but as far as I know there is no demand for a water operater around here just now. *sigh*.

But there's always knitting.

Which brings me to another thing. I cast on the sleeve for the Ms Babs sweater last night and I'm very happy! I thought knitting on bamboo dpns would be a nightmare because they are so light and I hate knitting on light plastic needles. But these are much better than plastic. I really like them. My stitches don't slip like I thought, though they do slip a little (the yarn is slippery, though), and they're really comfortable to work with. Now I know why some knitters swear by wooden needles. I don't think I'll ever use them exclusively--I'm not picky enough for that--but I do think I will be acquireing some more!

But back to the sweater. The increase for the sleave is right after the ribbing--all the increases on one row, which doubles the stitch number on the needles. It makes the sleeve look poufy. That's fine, but I don't want a full length sleeve with a pouf. I'm making them 3/4 length and adding a hood to the sweater. Won't that be just great? It will certainly be unique and I will be very happy with it!

The Merchant Mariner is done, as you have probably guessed. It just needs to be blocked. It's nice and soft and the length is medium. I still have some yarn left over; I don't know what I'll use it for. There's not that much, I don't think. Maybe a lacy cowl?

Anyway, I might just let myself start the socks since I'm so happy! But not tonight, and tomorrow is going to be so busy, I probably won't get a chance to write at all. I'll get on Ravelry for a few minutes in the afternoon because I have the proverbial "promises to keep", but beyond that I'll be busy around the house.

It's getting kinda late, so g'night to all, and Happy Knitting!

First Socks

Okay, well, I haven't started them yet, but I got the yarn and needles from Alpaca Direct today. I'm going to have to curb myself and not start them until I've finished my Ms Babs sweater. Why? Well, this Merchant Marine scarf refuses to be put down! It's like a needy pet. 'Finish me!' it cries. 'But...' I reply. 'Finish! Please! It'll only take a little time!' And thus I've knitted all day for 2 days in a row, go to work today, and guess what I do when I get home? You got it. The scarf calls.

But it's nearly the right length, now. I'll finish it tonight. I can actually start the end edgings anytime I want right now.

I know; you want the pix that I keep promising. Well, I'm having a hard time getting that together, so Sunday, probably, will be the Coming of the Pix. Seriously.

Well, I need to find the first sock pattern I'm going to use. I think (I haven't looked around yet, but I think) I'm going to use a generic toe-up sock pattern with a ribbed cuff. But most likely, I'll get to the cuff and decide that I want to do something different and incorporate a cable or different rib or something. Which is fine, so long as they fit!

Anyway, time to straighten my Knitting Room and clean out the last bit of scrambled stash that's in here. I think I've got another tub downstairs with random bits of stuff in it that I'll have to sort out later, but not right now.

And I promise Pix on Sunday!

Happy Knitting, and Good Night!

Priorities Shmiorities

Yes, well, that's how it goes. My priorities today were:

Vacuum Out Car
Clean Out Stash

Guess what I did? That's right; I knitted all day and cleaned out my stash later. No time for the poor car. I'll have to do it next week some time. I have to work Weds/Thurs and Friday is going to be epic busy.

But I did get some knitting done! I didn't cast on for the Ms Babs sweater sleeve yet...I'll do that tonight. I have to have quiet when I do it because I have to count the rounds via tally marks...I don't have a row counter, haha. Gotta love stitch markers, though. They make the whole system a little less stressful.

I have grown to really love Ravelry. I am going to get some yarn off of there from some very nice people. I will post pictures as soon as I find my camera charger...or maybe I can borrow someone else's camera? If all else fails, I'll use my cell phone, but that would be a last resort.

Anyway, I'm going to pay for some yarn from Ravelry on Fri. and hopefully I will be able to pay for some other yarn within the next few hours--if not tomorrow or the next day. I sent a note to the seller to ask about payment method and am waiting for an answer.

I seriously would have liked to join a sock club this year--seeing as how I have never knit any socks and want some experience--but I couldn't. Oh well, that's all right. Next year!

The Merchant Mariner scarf is coming along very nicely. I thought I was going to need 2 skeins of the yarn, but it looks like 1 is going to be more than enough at 325 yards. I really wish I could stay home tomorrow and make more progress, but that's just another case of my priorities being off track. I treat my knitting like I should treat my work!

Then again, the job I have now isn't really to my liking. It's an office job and I'd rather be working outside more. 8 hours inside doing filing, etc., is not so fun. And there is no way that I can bring my knitting with me. sigh.

Oh, well, that's enough complaining. In further news, my Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride in Heathered Gray is screaming at me. It's my first encounter with yarn trying to get my attention, I think--except for the seductive skeins on the shelves of the yarn shops whispering "buy us...buy us!". It badly wants to be knitted--or do I just badly want to knit it? I don't know. It's going to be a 1-piece hooded vest with a zipper in the front. I've got it all planned out in my head and I need to write it down. It'll be done primarily in reverse stockinette with a 3x2 ribbed edge and a nice cable up the back, and possibly the front panels, for decoration. I'm still deciding on what to do with the hood, however...I'm open to suggestions!

I cut down my stash from 3 Rubbermaid-tubs to 1 1/2 Rubbermaid tubs, which I think I can consolidate together. The first empty tub I will give to my mom--she isn't a pack rat or anything but she loves storage--and the second I will begin to put my new yarns in--of which I have few for right now, but soon I will have more. Hopefully!

Oh, yes! The Exciting News!

I found the blog Knit N Things and on it there was a contest--identify the movie that went along with a certain quote, and win some free yarn. I happened to be the first and happened to see the movie just a couple of days before. It almost feels like cheating, since it was the first time something like that has ever happened to me. But I do like the idea of getting more yarn...yum. She (I seriously wish I could remember her name!) is going to post her stash soon and I'll get to pick.

How cool is that?

There would be pictures, but, like I said, I need my charger for my camera...I'll find it sometime tonight, hopefully, and will be able to take some pictures. I tried taking a couple, but the battery went dead. As far as I can tell, Merchant Mariner--the yarn, that is--is going to look more like a turquoise-teal color instead of the heathery blue-gray that it is. I'll try and fix it, but if I can't, maybe I can find a good picture of the yarn on the 'net that I can use...hmmm...perhaps different lighting?

Anyway, that's all for today, I guess. Time to go check up on some Ravelry and blogs, etc. That's the fun part, right?


Happy Knitting to all, and to all a good night!

The Introduction

I have been knitting for about 5 years now, give or take. But it is only within the last few months that I have become what I call 'Serious'. Serious...hmmm...when I already have 3 large tubs worth of stash... Yeah.

Well, here's the deal. By serious, I mean actually knitting and finishing things. Like sweaters--that fit--and beautiful scarfs made out of yummy yarn (or just stash-busting the acrylic) instead of the plain garter stitch thing that I made (and lost and loved) a couple of years ago.

My problem? I don't like to follow patterns. I'm a rebel, in that respect; I don't want to knit something that someone else already has. I want to design my own stuff, make my own pattern stitches, and not follow a pattern. Well, I have found a couple of patterns (so far) that lend themselves to my fancies. They are the 'knit by numbers' sweater I found at www.knitty.com, and another simple pattern I found in a Better Homes and Gardens booklet that would lend itself nicely to embellishment.

So, my plans as a knitter who has just discovered exactly what 'knitting' can mean? Well, get rid of half my stash, at least. I don't want it all! Most of it is older yarn, and all of it is acrylic (except for the stuff I've newly acquired, which I wouldn't give up for the world). Then, my plans are to keep it organized, if not in control, and to continue knitting like a fiend!

Now, for my current projects:

A sweater (for me) in 'Spring Lettuce' by Ms. Babs. This is the 'knitting by numbers' sweater that I mentioned earlier. It's going to be a plain one so that I can get the hang of the pattern (not that it's complicated) and the yarn itself is so nice, I don't really need to embellish it. As a matter of fact, the yarn is so nice that I could probably spend a good long time on it. But I won't. Not yet.

The second project is a scarf (again for me) in a pattern stitch that I made up. I love the stitch, too. I can't wait to block the scarf when I'm done so that I can really see it. It's made of Sheep Shop Yarn Sheep 3 in Storm. I love it. It's wool and silk. The yarn makes my hands a little dry when I work with it, but once it's worked up, it's soft and nice and warm feeling.

So that's it for so far, I think. I am practically going crazy because I won't let myself start a new project--not a large one--until I finish that Ms. Babs Sweater. I'll cast on for the first sleeve today. Hopefully I can get by without a row counter. Tally marks are my best friend, haha.

Also, I am so excited, I just got my first sock yarn off of Alpaca Direct (Lorna's Laces Sock Yarn Envy) and my first needles for such a purpose (my smallest that I have right now are 4s, I think). I got size 2 mm/ O us. I hope they turn out once I start them!

But my goal is to only have one large project and one small project going at once, so I don't get out of control and things don't sit for a year and a half. Oh, dread.

So, for my last word, I must ask you to understand that there is no LYS (Local Yarn Shop) in my little hick town. Terrible, isn't it? Fortunately, we have had to visit Oakland recently and I found Article Pract. I love that store! Hopefully I get a chance to go in again.

Other than that, the Internet is my best friend as far as yarn goes. I love Wool Girl and Alpaca Direct and all those that I can get my hands on. And I visit Knitty every day, even if the new zine doesn't come out for months.

And, oh yes, I need to post pictures of the Scarf That Everyone Loves that I made for my mom. But all that later.

And hopefully my posting will be consistent (at least once a month, hopefully once a week, and wishing once a day).

Happy Knitting.