Thoughts

All this talk of plans for what to do with knitting in 2008, I think mine is simple enough. Complete a sweater for myself.

I think I may rip out the Cardigan for Arwen, I long ago became disenchanted with it and no longer am sure of what I am doing or if I am even doing it okay.

So I am thinking of frogging and starting instead the Central Park Hoodie. I think I like it a little better. I dunno.

Or maybe I'll just let it sit for a bit and start working on Jazz. I don't know, but I'll have to commit one way or another soon if I want to make this happen.

Otherwise I'll just work on my Mystic Waters shawl for now (I just finished part A! 8 more to go..)

A cool September day

On this day, my mind turns to warm knits. It's definitely September, cold, chilly and grey. I even heard the dreaded word on the news last night!

Snow.

Not for us, but for the west of us, in the mountains.

I've got lots of things on my needles though, so I'm actually making progress on the second sock out of Jitterbug that I started ages ago (linoleum floors, they're quite chilly and I'm wearing my slippers but they are kinda heavy for the weather yet so I look at the one and a half socks and think.. 'Those would be perfect to wear..' so I'm working on finishing the foot). But I'm also pondering what to do for winter knits.

Velociraptor will be getting a pair of mouse mittens for winter, and I'm thinking Mom needs an Irish hiking scarf and a nice hat made out of Misti Alpaca (in the light blue to match her jacket). Those will knit up fast. Maybe one for Dad for Christmas too.

I'm also slowly making progress on the cardigan, thanks for the tip of colouring in the squares Gina that did help and it at least looks right now, though it is slow going. Once I hit my stride it'll move faster though.

I'm also pondering a Here and There Cables scarf from Scarf Style, which my friend showed to me when she was here on Wednesday. So I'll have to find something to make that out of. But that isn't an immediate concern, I have a scarf already so it can wait.

I'm also eyeing some finger puppet patterns as presents for Christmas. With all the toy recalls I'm leery of what I will buy for Velociraptor, he might like finger puppets and they can easily travel with me on the bus. (They're crochet too, so I'll get to learn to read crochet patterns since I only ever did what Grandma told me or made up as I went along!)

Lots to do, lots to plan and hope I have time for. But for now while my boy has his nap I'm knitting socks and watching a romantic movie. It's been a nice week off for me, but soon it'll be back to the usual grind.

ETA: and I just discovered (remembered?) I had 5 balls of Patons Shetland Chunky in a very nice blue-grey colourway. Enough for 2 Irish Hiking scarves, or one and other stuff. Since I don't have enough of the Misti maybe I'll make one for Mom out of this, it's still blue just a darker blue than the other..

I don't think I like charts..

Today I have started, and frogged back, the start of the front left panel of A Cardigan For Arwen 4 times. The first time I realized I was reading the chart wrong, the other times once I got going it just looks wrong like nothing is really lining up as it should.

One more attempt tonight, then I'll go work on something else before I drive myself betty. But this time I photocopied the charts and am writing in k, p etc on the darn squares. Maybe that will work better.

Maybe this is good for something after all..

Yesterday was such a nice day I took my son to the park.. and I twisted my ankle.

So today I've been sitting with ice on it, up on a pillow.. and getting some knitting done. Browsing on Ravelry also gave me a little push to work on my Cardigan For Arwen, so I'm now just over halfway done the back panel. As I was working I also realized.. I'm going to have to adjust. eep!

What? Well I'm going to make it longer, so it actually stops at the small of my back like it's supposed to, not above my kidneys like it almost would be if I followed the pattern exact (I can hear Grandma's voice in my head 'You'll catch a chill and get sick!') I'm going to have to add on to the sleeves too, make them a little longer so it actually covers my wrists.

This is going to be fun, I did measurings and math.. I just hope it works out right. *bites nails*

Boxing day sales, knitting & you..

So I DID get to Make One for the boxing day sale, and I went crazy.

As did several other people! I've never seen the place that busy, but everyone was polite as we scootched our way between the furniture and people eyeing skeins as we all stuffed our bags that had been handed out to us as we stood in line. (Who'd have thunk? A line up outside a yarn store on boxing day!)

I spent over three hundred dollars, but from what I've figured I saved well over a hundred from if I'd gone shopping on a non-sale day and I got all that I wanted needed plus a little extra.

What did I get?

I got enough yarn to make myself A Cardigan for Arwen from Interweave Winter 2006, plus needles since I have been buying as a project needs (unless I already have them of course). I also bought a pattern to make a hooded sweater for my son, along with the appropriate yarn and needles and more row counters since the ones I have are already on projects. The only thing I need are buttons for that.

I have also promised myself two things.

1. No more yarn shopping until I finish the majority of the projects I have everything for (which, all together includes seasilk scarf, Harry Potter scarf, mouse mittens, 3 hats, fingerless gloves and now two sweaters, one adult and one child). That is more than enough to keep me busy for the next long while, I don't need to buy any more. Oh, and two of those hats need to be done in the next four days. The fingerless gloves have just a few more rows and a thumb and finishing.

2. No casting on for Arwen until I've finished the hats.

Guess I'd better get knitting hmm? Because my hands are VERY itchy to start Arwen.

ETA: I guess I should add my socks in that list too shouldn't I? Oy, too much!