Blue Blob Blunder

Kamati is showing you his tail, because this is the end of Unst.

Remember how many obstacles I faced throughout this project? and how I overcame them all and continued on? If I only stopped and asked myself, "WHY?!" I would have figured out that I bought lace weight instead of cobweb, therefore WHY I was having tension problems and ultimately ran out of yarn! I realized I was using lace weight after I completed the first edge corner and felt sick! I kept thinking I didn't have enough yarn and noticed there was no more for sale! Then I read 'lace weight' and thought, "WHAT? NO WAY!"

I kept going and told Wooly who was more upset than me until I used the term "horse blanket" because I held it up and it's huge. He laughed so hard he had a "flip back head", you know, like a PEZ! I wish I had taken a picture! Then I told my friend Tracy at work, who also laughed then said, "Hello! You're too big friend the horse is here! Give it to ME! Okay, then you have to show it to me!" She thinks it's really cool, but I'm not giving it to her since it's not perfect or finished.

I learned that weight matters. What bothers me the most is that I didn't listen to all the signs the universe was throwing at me! Usually, I'm very aware of feelings and signs. I think I was caught up in knitting something heirloom, therefore, very cool in my mind. I spent 8 weeks on this lesson, which was well learned!

There's no crying... lots of self loathing! but, no crying! I'll make a perfect one someday in cobweb! Now it's a challenge! Can I get those 8 weeks back?! ;)

Check the weight! Knit a swatch! Check your gauge! Knit on! :)

Trinity - hurts my hand

What do you think of when you hear ' Trinity?'

Holy Trinity - Father, Son & Holy Ghost?
Celtic Trinity - Earth, Water & Air?
Cooking Trinity - Onion, Celery & Bell Pepper?
Trinity Stitch - aka: Blackberry Stitch?

I'm talking about the Stitch. Making 3 out of 1 stitch and purling 3tog is hurting my hand. Egan's center panel is solid Trinity. I figured out how to lessen the pain. I use my crochet hook to make the 3rd knit stitch for the M3, and slip 1, P2tog, psso for the P3tog! Yay! :)

Wooly inspecting: "Moss.. Cable.. Crab.. *sniffs yarn*.. Cable.. Trinity.. *sniff* Yo! Is this the front or the back? Right! It doesn't matter?! The back?! Right! *snifffff* " I like the Crab Stitch. I thought those cables flanking it we're ugly/boring, but I see how it helps the design element. I love the yarn. Those flecks are navy. The knitting pops!
Kamati inspecting: "Looks like a salt-lick wall! *sniff* Is this what a sheep smells like? I'm glad I'm not a sheep! *lick* Definitely, not a salt-lick! Okay! I'm not licking!"
I decreased for the set in sleeve. It's fun using US7 and Aran yarn! Lots of gratification and feeling like I'm making progress! I forgot how fun this is!

Next time we will talk about 'blue blob' and how I'm feeling about that.
Happy Knitting!

Alpine

Alpine Scarf

Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby

Zephyr lace weight - violet - 50% merino & 50% silk

US2 or 3mm Turbo Addis (circular)

60" x 18" finished size

Made for Poohla

This was a full time love-hate relationship. I'm so glad I finished it and that it blocked beautifully! But still can't wait to give it to Poohla and get it out of the house.
Note to self: You do NOT like to P2tog, YO or YO P2tog! It occured on ALL even row for Alpine and I have a bad feeling that it's part of the pattern for most of the non-heirloom knitting lace patterns you have. You need to get over it fast!

Wooly does it again!

Wooly Yarnmeister, Irish Yarn Snob Extraordinaire, my hubby!
Wooly: "Yo! My pattern and yarn are here! Will you make it for me? PLEEESE...."
Pattern: Egan, Yarn: Irish Ewe Aran in Nep
Wooly: "It's real Irish yarn from county Kerry! It even smells like a sheep... can you smell it?! here, smell it!..."
Me: "Okay..., but I want FULL participation from you... you can't just buy the pattern and yarn and expect a sweater to appear... FULL participation!

Wooly winding his wool... supervised by Kamati the Gemsbok...
Kamati moves in for a close look... yarn ball is getting bigger.
Wooly: "Looks like a cake! Can I eat it?!"

Kamati: "What a dumb thing to say!"

Me : no comment

Repeat 5 more times for a total of 6 cakes.

This is nothing new! I have already made Wooly 8 sweaters and each time he has bought the wool and pattern all by himself. At least he wears them constantly during fall and winter. You should see him fold, unfold, smell, admire, pet, and repeat. He really loves them, so I'm willing to make them. I'm still trying to get him to knit, but he keeps saying, "as soon as you learn to play the bagpipes!" which will never happen!

I'm not starting until Labor Day (this coming) weekend. In the meantime, I'm still working on Alpine and Unst's edging.

Wonder how many knitter's partners do this? I'm probably the only 'lucky' one! :)

Cut + Unst Border #2

Cut and repeat.

Cutting the waste cast on rows and picking up 185 stitches wasn't as hard as I thought.

I went all the way to Africa, and the only thing I bought for myself was this Gemsbok!

He's great for modeling, listening to me ramble, and staring at me.



Then there were TWO!

I completed the second border (right side) and enjoyed watching those motifs appear again.

Here's a close up of my favorites... I like diamond shapes and think my tension might be getting better.
After finishing Border #1, I rewarded myself by buying the Bee Stole!
I have 2 skeins of the dark red Fino that I've been saving for something special. But I also like the Zephyr in chanel (fushia). I like the vertical lines of the stole. Not starting yet!

Now I'm off to work on Alpine for a while before starting the Unst's edging. Remember? Edging is like sleeves... not fun, easy to put off, but if you don't complete it, you can't wear it! :) and I can't start anything else. Now maybe I'll reward myself for finishing Border#2... there's another pattern I want!

Happy Knitting!

Unst Border #1

Yes, I'm back to reality, knitting away!

I present my Unst Border #1 (side view)



Here's a close up of the first half...

Here's the second half...
Now I have to CUT the cast on waste stitches and pick up 185 stitches...
so I can knit the 2nd border... not that I didn't enjoy making the first border... but, CUT??!
The only cutting I do is for steeks - and that was scary the first time! Bad things can happen!
Yes, I'm doing my version of avoidance... I think I need to... shop! ;)

Bye Gail B!

My knitting and quilting mentor Gail B retired, sold her house and moved to Pittsburg, PA.
We worked together for the last 10 years. She started the 'Knitting at Noon' gang every Friday, which was a joy. She gave me the best gift that keeps on giving - knitting and quilting!
I know you will miss Little Knits - but at least you can still shop there online. :)
Now you need to start blogging, so everyone can see what you're knitting!

Here's my 'proof of life' photo:
Me at my desk holding Alpine. I decided I need to work on Alpine during lunch, or she will never get done by Christmas.
Gail - you can image the stealth it took to get this photo taken without comments/questions from the peanut gallery! Thanks to Mike T for taking this photo, nobody knew it happened! ;)
Yes, I've got my website on my screen! See Gail! It's really me! Now start blogging!


Okay, enough fun! I'm off to start cutting... wait, what about the shopping?! :)

Happy Knitting everyone! Knit on!

Back From Africa

Namibia, Africa 7/22 to 7/31
I love this shadow photo of Wooly and I.

We stayed at Eden Wildlife Safari.
90 miles east of Grootfontaine.
Here's the lodge and the fire pit - our favorite place.
From the fire pit you can see the waterhole, where the animals come to drink and stare at you. You could set your watch by who came when.

This is our guide Voter (say it with your best German accent!) and his dog Mauser. Mauser had the biggest personality and had a grunt and sound for each action and emotion. I miss him already. He followed us everywhere and was constant entertainment.

Kudu - male has the horns. Also known as The Gray Ghost. They're very majestic. Wooly says he's coming back as a Kudu.
Gemsbok or Oryx. I'm coming back as one of these. Fierce, yet beautiful, with chopstick like horns. Males have thicker short horns, females have thin long horn.
Giraffes - whole family at dusk. They're so tender looking and inquisitive. They just stood there and stared at us until they realized the jeep wasn't going to stop!
Springbok - aren't they pretty! They can run and leap really fast too. Only males have horns.
Waterbok dueling - they're real wooly and look like the belong in north America. I love the white ring on their rear. The females don't have horns. We heard them dueling at night too, along with the jackals howling.
Blue Wildebeest - they're the clowns always acting crazy and scaring everyone else away. Warthogs (Pumba) in the rear.
Wooly's niece Ciss. Yes, she knit that scarf while we were there. Actually, she knit 3 scarves while there, which was more than I did! I couldn't focus! I was distracted by the animals!
Dusk at Eden.
What an adventure! It seems like a dream. I am glad to be back home, but miss the animals staring at me. Where's Mauser?! ; )