Nothing says Christmas like a sock monkey on the tree!Â
How cute is he? I found these at a local gift boutique and got one for Sally, too.Â
And what can you say about a guy who would pick out THIS card for your anniversary?
Yes, a match made in heaven (or something like that!). True SOLE mates — could not resist! 😉
Happy Holidays everyone!
As Susan explained, she and I were in New York. I had tickets to two Clay Aiken Christmas concerts: one in Long Island and one at West Point. I had planned on a girlfriend trip: staying up late and talking and knitting. Alas, my friend (she of the red cashmere glovelets) could not attend at the last minute and my dear sister didn’t want me to have to cancel. So, I met another friend in Long Island and went to West Point with Susan.
After the Long Island concert, my friend Mary and I went back to our hotel, which had a lovely lobby. There were comfortable, overstuffed chairs and a fire in the fireplace. We decided to sit there and have a drink. I ran upstairs to get my laptop, some wine glasses, and my knitting. This particular hotel has especially long hallways because it is built around a central, open courtyard. I grabbed what I needed in record time and hurried down two long corridors to get back to the elevator. Then I glanced down. Hmmm. I had dropped my ball of laceweight grey Shetland wool. I peeked around the corner. I couldn’t see it. Uh oh. I started to walk back down the first of the two hallways. No skein in sight. I set down the wine glasses and laptop and started gathering wool (so to speak). I rounded the next corner. No ball of yarn.
Well, it was wedged in the door of my room. I had HUNDREDS of feet of grey yarn winding through the corridors of this hotel. So I started winding. And winding. And winding my way back to the elevator.
It took a long time. I think Mary had just about given up on me. At least she had the wine.
As for my knitting, I am almost finished with my Sunrise Circle Jacket; I’m finishing up the facing and hope to have all of the finishing done in the next few days. I’ll definitely post pictures.
Whew! That Moebius is a %^&**%$. I will be starting it over tomorrow for a host of reasons. I hope that it will be more successful with a redo. That is the trouble with doing a project for a class — you have to get it finished, and you have a deadline. Maybe that’s a good thing (?).
PS-1: Happy Anniversary to moi. It is our mumble-mm-uh-th anniversary. So many years of wedded bliss, it’s hard to believe.Â
PS-2: Michelle — no pics of Anya! I am too camera shy! :) Neither Sally nor I plan on modelling our projects — that’s why we have daughters.
I know I have been very delinquent in my blogging. Where have I been? I was with Sally in New York — not the city, but the state (though we were in the city very briefly). Sally had a pair of tickets to a concert and her friend ended up unable to go, so I decided to be her stand in. It was a lot of trains, cars and luggage wrestling. We did not get very much else done, though it was nice to see Sally and her family.  I did not get my house decorated or the shopping done, but I’m taking it one day at a time.
My knitting has suffered greatly lately, as I have already described, BUT I did cast on for the next project.Â
The Moebius Scarf starts out strangely. You cast on 378 sts and then transfer every other stitch to one needle and every other stitch to another. I am at the “transfer stitches” phase. If you drop a stitch you most likely will need to start over. I did my cast on on the plane, but waited to get home to do the heavy lifting. I am using 2 skeins of Kidsilk Haze in ‘Trance,’ color 582. I was going to make it in [boring] cream but decided to branch out. I have never regretted choosing a color because it is pretty over a color for its practicality.
Sally is wrapping up her Sunrise Circle Jacket — wow! It looks great and fits perfectly. I’m sure she’ll post something when it’s done. I really like her color — a very deep, rich coffee brown.Â
I am thinking that my next “big” project will be Eris from Girl from Auntie. It is the half sister of Rogue, with a zipper. I also need to finish up a couple of oldie moldies, which are languishing on the needles. Or as Sally calls them: head starts!
I will try to be better at writing this week. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season. It is starting to feel kind of festive! :) All we need is snow and a little jingle.
PS — I wore Anya a lot this weekend and decided it ROCKS!! It is exactly what I wanted. So, I am very happy I pulled it out of the abyss.
I wore Anya all day yesterday at the craft show. It was very comfortable and soft — like an old shoe. That’s exactly what I wanted from this sweater. I was not looking for a fashion-forward, edgy, exotic sweater, but a down-to-earth, wear-it-every-day sweater.Â
Thanks to everyone who commented. What nice people you all are. I especially like blog surfing on the links you provide with your names. It’s very nice to see what everyone in knitdom is up to.Â
As for me, knitting has not been in the picture.  I am drowning in life, bobbing with my head precariously near the surface, sinking dangerously beneath the churning surf occasionally. Blub blub.
I have decided that only lists will save me. If it’s not written down, it will not “get in queue.” If it is not in queue, it will not become a priority. If it’s not a priority, it will not get done. Simple.
I am very glad that Sally already knitted the Moebius Lace Scarf. She has agreed to lend it to me to serve as the shop sample until I get mine finished (it is on the list, but has not made it to the top of the queue!). That bought me some very valuable time.
I finished Anya (!). I repeat, I FINISHED ANYA!!
It is not the best, but it is definitely not embarrassing either. I just could not stand the thought of being beaten by a sweater! I wet blocked it — blocking the bajeezers (sp?) out of the sleeves. I sewed it together yesterday and finished the neckband last evening. I kind of like the way the neck turned out. I am still not totally happy with the sweater, but it is wearable.  I have a few last touches and then FINIS!!
Here is a close up of the neckband, which looks a bit squished because this picture is from my scanner:
I do like the way the neck turned out. With this type of neckline (mock turtleneck), there is often a problem: when it’s big enough to go over your head, it looks too big when it’s on. I developed a bind off technique that helps with this — at least I think I developed it, because I have not seen it anywhere.Â
Susan’s Elastic Bind Off:
K1, *k1, YO, slip first 2 sts over YO; rep from * until 1 sts remains on LH needle, bind off normally.Â
NOTE: When you do the YOs, hold the yarn across the needle to the back so the other sts have something to be slipped over.
I usually work this from the WS, not in pattern but as to knit (as shown in the picture). The bound off edge has a slight stretch so it goes over your head easier. I know many people use EZ’s sewn bind off to get a stretchy BO edge, but this yarn does not like being pulled through anything (as I found out during the mattress seam phase!).
Here is a close up of the sleeve cuff:
I crocheted a chain to weave through the cuff at the point where it hits the wrist to tighten it — I wanted it to definitely look like a ruffle and not like I have the world’s longest sleeves. The sleeves are the perfect length — they are just too narrow — and I added 8 sts to the pattern. The sleeves for all sizes were the same (?!) and very small at that. I also do not like how the raglan turned out at the top (my fault). I should have fixed it, but I did not feel like taking it apart at that point.Â
It is wearable. It’s kind of cute, but not great. What more can you expect from salvaged goods?
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Why do men who knit get so much attention? Don’t answer that. I know. *waves to men who may be reading blog.*
Here is a little video on Men Who Knit.
As for my own knitting, I picked up my Sunrise Circle Jacket again — if you recall, I had put it down earlier because I can’t count, and I am almost finished with the last sleeve/front. I’m hoping to be able to wear it by next week.
Every year at this time I fantasize about being a different person: the person I imagine has all her shopping done, house (both inside and out) decorated in splendor, gorgeous Christmas cards in the mail, fun family gatherings arranged (with menus and themes, of course), and is now sitting in front of a lovely fire with a cup of spiced apple cider enjoying the festive lights on the mantel.
Then reality strikes: I have bought NOTHING. Not one gift. Na da. I have a measley string of lighted bells on one window. THAT is the extent of my decorating. Cards? We haven’t sent out cards in three years (good news: our card list has dwindled greatly). Am I the only person who gets more and more overwhelmed by the holidays every year? I’m starting to feel like the Grinch who sucks all the fun out of Christmas.Â
In an effort to stem the tide, I am posting a cute calendar that Michelle has on her blog. It is cute and festive, unlike my home at the moment.
I feel better already! Somehow every year I manage to get it all done — jingle bells, here I come! 😉
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Thanks to Carol and Marina for their words of support and encouragement: much like the smiles and cheers of those left waving good-bye on the dock as the Titanic set sail. And my Titanya has suffered the same fate — disaster.  It is true. My Titanya has failed to make landfall. Blub-blub-blub. Can she be salvaged? Only time will tell.
When Sally and I started our blog, I was excited to join the knitting community and share my knitting progress and successes. I had not counted on the fact that I would also be sharing my flops, failures and UFOs. They are all part of the bargain, but I had kind of forgotten about them — placing them gently on the back burner in my enthusiasm.  Well, here’s one on the front burner!Â
What sank Titanya? It is ill fitting in so many ways. After my careful measuring and knitting, it looks absolutely awful. I basted it together prior to blocking because I wanted to see if the sleeves were the right length (ironically, the only thing that worked!). It looks like it-shay.  It might improve with major wet blocking, but to be honest, the wind just got knocked out of my sails. I think it is going to UFO Purgatory. Whether it resurfaces or not remains to be seen.Â
So, it is on to my next wreck – er – project.  I am going to make a lace scarf for a class I will teach in January, so I need to get it finished fairly soon.  AND, it needs to turn out.
The pattern is from Fiber Trends (AC-39), Moebius Lace Scarf. Sally made this in pale pink Kid Silk Haze, and it is beautiful. I’m going to use Kid Silk Night, color Starlight Beige, which is a soft gray-beige with a silver shimmer. Â
Wish me luck as I set sail on another venture — I’m not afraid to get my feet wet again! 😉
12-5: Additional note: the Starlight Beige does not appear to be working — I think the silver thread changes the texture of the yarn (makes it a little stiffer) so you don’t get the proper drape. Uh oh! I hope there isn’t an iceberg on the horizon!!
I finished Sleeve #1 and have about an hour left of Sleeve #2. I will steam block the pieces tonight and start sewing it together, though I might not get that finished today (I usually wetblock everything, but I want to see if the sleeves are right first). I then need to pick up and knit the neckband.Â
This weekend, I kept getting tempted with new and recently acquired projects, but I stood fast and resisted! Up to this point, I caved. That’s why it has taken so long to finish this very simple and quick-to-knit project!
Depending on all the forces of good and evil, three options remain: 1) it’s perfect — wear it; b) it fits great, but needs to be wetblocked; c) the sleeves need length tweeking. I’ll deal with the reality of the moment and then voila, Anya will be history — this week for sure!Â
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