Jeremy's Knit-a-bit

Decisions and Strike One

Baseball season has started and I already have strike one! I joined Stashalong 2008 and yesterday I broke one of my rules. I bought yarn that wasn't for a gift. I went to I'd Rather Be Knitting to pick up 10-1/2 dpn's to finish Joy's Bulldog hat. In the ten minutes I was in the store I ended up coming out with this:

First there was the Opal Uni Solid sock yarn in the two colors I had been looking for, blue and gold, our high school colors.

I have been looking for these colors to knit the Go Team socks.

As I was checking out the clerk asked me if I had seen their new sock yarn. To which I replied "no". So she led me to a selection of Misti International Hand Paint Sockyarn(ralvery link). Since I love the Misti alpaca yarns I just had to select a skein. It is 50% alpaca, 30% merino wool, 10% silk, and 10% nylon. Just dreamy.

That comes to decisions. First my original intent was to use my mountain colors bearfoot to knit socks for the April Sockdown from the Sock Knitters Anonymous Group in Ravelry. Aprils challenge was to knit either a pair of socks from one of Jeanie Townsend's patterns or from a pattern without a picture. I chose Jeanie's Cascading Leaves pattern (the pattern is available from the yahoo group). Then came the Opal yarn and I thought I should knit those right away before I was distracted and I really enjoyed the colorwork in Madison's hat. And what about the Misti Alpaca???? So I eliminated the Go Team Socks first since the KAL has a deadline. So know I must decide between these two yarns for my Cascading Leaves:

And the winner is....the Mountain Colors. Selected for it's green colorway along with the leaves pattern.

Joy's Bulldog Hat is almost done. Just a few more rows and a pom-pom.

And here it is being modeled.

I am out of time and I still haven't posted about the Wee Tiny Sock Swap (I received the cutest sock from Jackie) and confessed to the Stashalong 2008. Food for another post I guess.

Decision Made

JOY IS GOING TO BE A BULLDOG! She decided she would be happiest at Redlands which is most important. She has also decided that along with playing Water Polo she is going to swim at Redlands. I did have to order some yarn in Redlands colors, maroon and grey, so that I could knit her Madison's hat by Wendy Dunlap. I am allowing this purchase with the Stashalong 2008 because it is a gift. With that done Lily is the only one left. It is hard to believe that our family has gone through the college search process three times now. All I can say is each one has been different as I am sure the next one will be also.

I have been knitting the Waves of Blue afghan (semi mindless for TV watching) and working on the Wee Tiny Sock for the swap. I am stuck picking up stitches they are tight and I either split the yarn or drop the stitch. Here is a pic from the other day. Sorry it is not as clear because the auto focus focused elsewhere. It is teeny.

I am alittle further than this picture, I just have to get over the stumbling block.

I Gave Up Blogging for Lent?

That is what Carolyn suggested I say when I told her how long it had been since I posted. As you can see Easter arrived along with 6 or so inches of snow. In order to help spring along I decided to lighten up the look of my blog. I don't know how long I will keep it but I always like a little change and I kept the old layout for over a year (which is unusual for me).

Things that have happened since January:

1. My LYS closed. Mary's rent went up and she decided she had to relocate or close. By the time I found out the closeout sale had been going on for a couple weeks and almost everything was gone. I did pick up a couple books and patterns. Yarn-wise all that was left was baby yarn and some bulky cotton. My favorites were long gone. It looks like the internet will become my new LYS.

2. Carolyn got a real job and then quit. Basically it was collections for a law firm. I wouldn't have liked it either. But as with life she was able to learn something from the one week experience and that is that she would like to write (I could have told her that) and that she wanted to go back to school for her master's in journalism. Unfortunately application deadlines have passed so it will be another year or so. She is working on finding something until then for now Starbucks calls.

3. Joy was accepted to several schools and after a couple recruitment trips she has narrowed it down to two, The University of Redlands and Gannon University. I know she would rather be in California (Redlands) but it is more expensive. She has one more day to decide because she has to let the Gannon coach know tomorrow.

4. I continue to do very little knitting. Partly because my back hurts and I can't find a comfortable position. I did join the Stashalong 2008 and at least have not bought any yarn this year.

5. I am teaching two "knitting" classes at school this trimester. Big knits - big needles, bulky yarn, because kids like instant gratification. The other is Dying to Knit - we dye our yarn and then knit it. In fact our first dying project is the Easter grass pictured above. As the yarn was drying I realized it was the perfect Easter grass color.

6. I am thinking of signing up for the Wee Tiny Sock Swap. The socks are so cute and quick. You knit one tiny sock (pattern here) and mail it to your swap partner on Monday. Sign-ups end Thursday partners come out Friday.

I am on spring break this week so my to do list is:

1. Post on this blog.
2. Finish taxes
3. Turn in Jump Rope for Heart order.
6. Send in PE Central Challenge order.
7. PE equipment order.
8. Plan for end of school year.
9. Whatever else I have forgotten.

With two in college again next year I plan to work a lot this summer. I asked Darryl to increase my days at the golf course and I plan to teach summer school in the mornings. I will be quite busy. But I like it that way.

#1 is done so on to the next task.

A Little Harry Potter and My TTV

Joy and her coworkers from the pool dresses up to see the midnight showing of the new Harry Potter movie. She said it was good and I am looking forward to seeing it. I am trying to get Lily to go see it with me (she is a big Potter fan) but she wants to see it first with her friends, who are out of town right now. We'll see how long she can hold out.

I tried on the Turtleneck Tube Vest from Fitted Knits this morning. It fit perfectly. I am glad I went up a size and based on the measurements I took I don't think I will have to make any adjustments to the pattern as it is written. I am using Cascade 220 in the heathered celery.
For the move, so far today I have arranged another fence estimate, garbage pick up and continued to organize things and pack. I now need to arrange the phone, internet and cable TV. Hopefully there will be more time to knit later this evening.

I am getting the bug again...

I have been really good about staying loyal to my two projects (along with my car knitting dishcloth). Every morning I knit two rows, yes I know that isn't much, on my Mock Cable Socks for the Favorite Socks KAL then the rest of my knitting is usually in the evening when I am exhausted and I work on the turtleneck tube vest for the Fitted Knits Along. Well yesterday I saw this at Liscensed 2 Knit. Maybe it is working at a golf course but I just have to make some. I may even be able to figure the pattern out myself. I am pretty busy with the move but I am getting the urge to go buy yarn (you would think I would have what I need in my stash. I don't. Stay tuned.

FO's keep rolling in

Here is Grandmothers Favorite Dishcloth 2. These babies just fly off the needles. #3 is done except for weaving in the ends and a picture and #4 is half finished. All of this knitting takes place while waiting in the car. The plus is they are my favorite dishcloth to use and I have a lot of Sugar'n Cream in my stash.

And the monkey socks are finally done and off to my swap partner (I won't reveal who until she gets them). I loved making them and learned a lot.

Things I learned while making monkey socks:

1. Check gauge. I learned the hard way when I had to frog half a monkey because it was too small.
2. When using fine yarn and small needles don’t unknit to fix mistakes, it usually creates more problems than there were to begin with. Either fix the mistake without unknitting (which I became quite good at) or compensate and continue.
3. Have adequate lighting. After I purchased an Ott light the number of mistakes I made decreased drastically.
4. When knitting wool socks I prefer the "grip" of bamboo needles.

Once my swap pal receives her package I will post a picture of what I sent.


I also wipped up this water bottle cozy because my water bottle at work was sweating like crazy. I was going through a dozen napkins and everything was wet. This works much better. Searched for patterns and modified what I found and came up with this: Download knit_bottle_cozy.doc


Now that the monkeys are finished I am going to focus on my knitting for the Fitted Knits Along and the Favorite Socks KAL. I have already gotten back on track knitting the Turtleneck Tube Vest. I am going to use this Lorna's Laces Shepherds Sock in Childsplay for my first pair of socks from Favorite Socks.


I have decided on Ann Budd's Mock Wave Cable Sock pattern.


Of course the first boxes I packed for the move are my knitting stash. It was good to organize everything and I know I will be able to find the most important things when I get to the new house in August.