I was getting my behind kicked by this pattern of Nora Gaughan's from Knitting Nature and feel like a bucket-head because it was my fault. When I wrote out the pattern I must have made a mistake. I couldn't figure out the line [(k1,yo 4 times,k1)] into next stitch to make 9 stitches. See, that makes sense....but when you leave out the INTO next stitch it makes everything all discombobulated. Eeesssccchhh. What a mor-roon. So I went to Barnes and Noble tonight and looked it up in the book (I could have just looked at the printed pattern but that would have been too easy) and found out my mistake. And got to pick up the new Vogue knitting and the new Knitters. And got some Harney's Holiday tea that was half price. Yum.That should keep be busy for the holiday weekend. Nothing to do but knit and watch some videos. Maybe I can get the hat knitted. We shall see.

Well, I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. Ours was spent eating, watching movies, more eating ('cause you have to keep up your strength to watch movies), more movies, more eating. And of course there was knitting. On the second front panel of the cardi/sweater and looks good. The movies we watched you ask? "The Family Stone" (a Christmas present for mom from A.), "10 Things I Hate About You"--Heath Ledger...need I say more? and "The Breakfast Club" 'cause it's a classic movie. Just a note to say hi to anyone and have a great week.

Here is the sweater that I made for Ad.I haven't heard if it fits or not, but I'm sure it does.

I just finished the back of A's sweater. It knits up very fast and quite pretty if I do say so myself.

Rain, rain, and more rain here. I'm really not complaining (too much) 'cause it could be snow. At least it is still warm out. Until Christmas anyway. I kind of feel like some winter weather. Maybe not snow but some colder, grayer weather. So far it's doing mostly that. So enjoy the picture and I'll be back soon.

Tonight was the last art night until after the new year. Which is too bad because we really had a good time tonight. It will be interesting to skip these next two times but it will give me a chance to get more inspired. Sherri made all of us the most beautiful earrings personalized with each one's hobby. Mine had a knitting charm on them and are a beautiful fall color. The others were in their favorite colors and had charms on them. A wonderful surprise.
Working on A.'s sweater--the Danbury sweater from Lion Brand website. The color is burgandy and is nice and bulky looking. It is knitting up pretty fast and I am already decreasing for the armholes on the back.

Everyone happy dance with me!! Ad.'s sweater is finished. Yes, you read that right, the sweater is finished. I am so pleased and it looks pretty good. So I am sitting here with my Christmas Starbuck's mug filled with Harney's White Christmas tea (yummy times two) having a pat on the back. Yay! for me.

Finally! I have triumphed over Ad.'s sweater...or the nemesis as I've been calling it. I finished a sleeve last night and just have the other to do and then the neck and done. Also finishing the cardi/coat. Turned out that I messed that one up as well. I went to sew the shoulder seams together and it seems that I made both fronts the same instead of a left and a right. What a gormster. But I have mastered the hat pattern and am about half finished with that. I also started on A.'s big ole sweater and got yarn for another one of the hats that I made her. It was the Rebel, rebel hat from Lion Brand Just Hats. It is a one skein hat and knits up really fast and is v. cute. It is in the Wool Ease Chunky and the color is Walnut which is v. pretty. I think she will really like that. I am going to make it a little longer and try and figure out how to make the "pigtails" a little heavier.
I found the best handcream--Williams- Sonoma's Spiced Chestnut hand lotion. Very good and smells ever so good. And the smell lingers throughout the day which is v. nice.

This is a picture of the niece's sweater that I made last summer. The blue border is crocheted on afterwards. (Notice the Starbuck's table it is posing on...Hi 'bucks).
Have you ever had one of those knitting days where nothing goes right? Seems like today was that day for me. I FINALLY finished the front on Ad.'s sweater....I think it's right but the good thing is that you can't tell if it's wrong so that works for me. I asked Jill to look at it and she couldn't see anything so finished it is. Just have to do the sleeves but didn't want to look at it anymore tonight. So I started on my Scalloped hat pattern with the Noro but after I ripped it out for the third time I gave up on that. I kept knitting the pattern incorrectly or ended up with too few stitches. I was going to seam together my coat/cardigan and pick up stitches for the hat but I was afraid I'd do irrevocable damage so I just put everything away and enjoyed the rest of "art" night.
It's freezing out tonight..19* and windy...brrrr! My scarf, hat and mitten set came in very handy and they are very warm. But I am glad to be home in my flannel jammies and drinking a cup of Harney's White Christmas. Yum! One of the best teas.

Okay. The headache is finally gone and knitting has commenced. Actually the headache was gone by Thursday but I was so annoyed that 1. all the NBC Thursday night shows were overridden by the stupid Bengals game and 2. I totally, totally messed up Ad.'s sweater. I am knitting "The Natural" from Family Circle's Easy (haha) Plus-Size (not) Knits. It is the first charted pattern that I have done and finished the back with no problem. Now I am to the part on the front where I start binding off for the neck split. Thought I had it all worked out but after I did all the decreases and bind-offs it turns out that I am off in my count somewhere and the pattern is off. GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! So I ripped it out and have made at least 8 pattern charts and will just have to go one little stitch at a time. I HATE MATH! I got sucked into knitting before realizing how much math there is to it. Stupid, stupid counting.
On the positive side I am almost finished with the cardigan/coat for myself. Last sleeve and then the hood and finishing work. Also did a hat last night out of some Lion Brand Wool Ease Think and Quick that I had lying around. A cute basketweave pattern and knit up in under 2 hours. Doing a scarf to match and then the fun one. Went to the lys and bought a skein of Noro Silk Garden for the Striped and Scalloped Hat from 1 Skein Wonders-1o1 yarn shop favorites. It's a pretty pink/purple colorway and can't wait to see it knitted. Also bought a skein of Twize-100% Bamboo by SWTC in the color "twurple". I am going to make some kind of scarf out of it. Since the weather has gotten so cold...from 64* to under 30*...what is that all about? I figured I could use a few scarves. And hats. I cut my hair today so it is all hat ready and don't have to worry about pulling it out of the ponytail and having some wicked, nasty hat hair. Then by the time it is spring it will be long enough to "scrape" back into the ponytail.