Just thinking about Katie's sweater and have this overwhelming panic that I did not knit it in the right size. I'm thinking now that she said size medium and I knit it in a size small. --slapping myself upside the head with my Addi's--. I'm hoping that it will fit 'cause she is petite and it looks to be a pretty loose small. Oh please, oh please fit. She is coming into town Friday and stopping here to pick up a key for A.'s place, so I will have her try it on.( Oh please fit.) I am going to make her another in orange but it would be nice for the first one to fit since she was looking forward to it so much.
Went to Cruise-In on Thursday but ate inside the coffee house since the weather was bad. We ate and beat it home as the storms were coming in pretty fast. The sock didn't even have a chance to enjoy the veggie wrap as I ate it so fast.
Did have a really good latte the other day at Borders. They have a Seattle's Best Coffee as their cafe and must try new coffee. I didn't have a plain cup, which would've been my choice but m. wanted to try some so I thought she would like something a little sweet. I bought the new Knitter's magazine and How it all Vegan, which is the first cookbook by Sarah Kramer. I hate to cook but really like her cookbooks because they don't have alot of ingredients and not much preparation time. And, so far, everything has been dee-li-cious.

Haha! Katie's sweater is finished and I sure hope she likes it. I really don't mind the sewing together part of making them but for some reason I just couldn't buckle down and put it together. So I made a pot of tea and made myself sit down and finish it. Didn't really take very long so I don't know why I made such a fuss about it.
The first sock is also finished...hurrah! It went with me to Cruise-In on Thursday night and while it did not get to see any of the old cars, it did get to sit on the deck and enjoy a delicious veggie wrap and many, many refills of iced tea. It was getting alot of interested looks as well as some admiring comments but I didn't let it go to the sock's "head" as I kept it humble by promptly dropping stitches. There-that'll show it. But we perservered together and am now working on the second.
Also have gotten half of the front of Ad's cable sweater finished. Cables rock!! I am really enjoying working on it. Got alot done while watching the playoffs last night. Go Heat!

Did you ever have one of those days where you want to get up and do something but just end up sitting there staring at the walls? I did knit for a little while but then got to a point where I had to think and concentrate on the pattern so I just gave up. I am about 1 1/2" from finishing the back of Ad.'s sweater and tomorrow I am going to start on the front of the sweater and CABLES. I haven't done those yet and am looking forward to it. I am also finishing the front left of my pink cardigan...I think I am calling it "Miss Piggy" and it's looking good. I only have to seam up Katie's sweater and it is finished. Woohoo! I shall finish that tomorrow.
At Starbuck's on Monday night Deb was telling me that on Wednesday night there is a group of women that meet there and knit. Sounds like maybe I'll have to go have a venti soy latte and take my knitting along for some coffee and a look-see. I made a bunch of cards on Monday night instead of knitting as I really felt like stamping some stuff. I just signed up for a House Mouse bookmark swap that should be fun. I haven't done any swaps for about a year so it will be enjoyable.

I am almost finished with Katie's sweater. There is something to be said for knitting a sweater in a small size... you get finished much sooner. I was wrong though about the pattern. It is not from Yarn Girls' but I cannot remember where I found the pattern. I usually write these things done but for some reason I didn't. But it is a very easy knit and I think she will enjoy it. She couldn't decide between orange or blue so I will make her one in each. A pleasant surprise.
Went to knitting today at the library for awhile. They are going to cancel the Saturday meeting for the summer as hardly anyone comes. I usually go on Tuesday night anyway so no skin off my nose.

Holiday weekends can sometimes be soooooooooooo long. And hot. Today it was 90* out and very sunny. The humidity wasn't too terrible yet so running a few errands wasn't awful. Yesterday went and bought a new t.v. for the kitchen-a 13'' with a Dvd player attached. Woohoo. Star Wars watch out. I will be watching mine all the time. Plus my knitting video. Now I won't have to sit at the computer and watch and not get much knitting done at the same time.
Not going to art night tonight since it is a holiday. A. has been packing up the townhouse this weekend and Katie came down from Columbus to help her. I told her that I wanted to knit her a sweater and she was so excited that we picked the pattern right away (the weekend favorite from Yarn Girls Guide to Knitting) in blue rainbow boucle from Jo-Ann's.
Also have to finish the felted bag which is almost done and have started on Ad.'s cabled sweater. Am still working on the spiral sock...as every time I think it is long enough I decrease and bind off and then it is TOO small so I tear it out and keep on slogging. Sooner or later I will have it done and then attempt a real sock pattern with a heel turning and all.

Oh yeah!! Snap your fingers and tap your toes. I finally figured out how to do the I-cord bind off for A.'s felted satchel. I have been playing around with it for a few days now...I could picture it in my head but couldn't seem to get it into practice. FINALLY! I think I will be able to get it finished this week. Woohoo. I will also finish the big blue cardigan as well. Probably will go to the knitting group at Barnes and Noble tomorrow night as the library group is not meeting for knitting but are going out to dinner instead. I really just wanted to knit so no dinner for moi. Well, it is time for Globe Trekker and since I am an armchair traveler I need to strap in for the trip. And I'm off to finish the bind-off. Par-teeee!!

Why,oh why?? Every time I knit something for myself anymore it never fits. I finished the vest from the Readers Digest Easy Knitting and it looks like I've stuffed myself in an extra small tee-shirt. And that's not pretty. I think it must be the pattern because the armholes are not deep enough. It's enough to make me not want to knit anymore. Plus, I was working on the socks and just finished the three-needle bind off (yah! something I can do correctly) and thought that I'd better have A. try them on and of course they were too short. You'd think I would've had her try them on before I started the decreases but nooooooooo, that would've been the intelligent thing to do. So I ripped them down to below the decreases and I will keep on going. At least I enjoy knitting them. So far anyway.

Ugh!! This has just been the suckiest week ever. Just trying to get A. settled after the fire and having her have to work here with all the jobs she has. And we had to have Spaudling put to sleep today. It's always hard when she loses a guinea pig but on top of everything else I think that was the last straw. It will be better when she has these 2 jobs out of the way and we can have things settle down here a little bit.
Haven't really gotten any knitting done but have been knitting on the spiral tube socks because they are small and portable. LOVE knitting socks! I haven't done proper socks with heels and everything but I think those will be fun also. I am going to use my Opal sock yarn that I bought a few weeks ago. I think I will make those for me.

Crazy couple of days here the last 2 days. Wednesday morning there was a 5-alarm fire at A's complex. The townhouse 2 down from hers had a fire and it was a mess. Thank God the firewall was in the next townhouse and all she has is alot of smoke damage. She is staying at a hotel and it is a major job. All the pets are safe and here for the time being. Too bad I had just given her the green sweater as now it must be washed and washed to get out the smell of smoke. And all the hand-knitted purses. More later.

Why, oh why?? I cannot figure out this felted satchel pattern from Knitty.com at all. It is for the I-cord bind off and I am sick and tired of having to ask for help all the time. Is it the math in the knitting pattern or just stupidity on my part? I just don't know. I will post more in a day or two when I'm not so disgusted.

Working away on the felted satchel for A. Had the hardest time with picking up stitches on the sides and cast-on edge. It was so tight I knew that I had to be doing it wrong. So I went to knitting last Tuesday night (at the library) and after Nancy and Marcia argued about it and which way was the best way to go about knitting it, I finally got it under control. It was hard going the first couple of rows but great now. I have finally done stripes...not as bad as I thought and hopefully I will be able to figure out the I-cord bind-off.
The sock is finally moving along. I was working on size 1's and Nancy told me no,no, no. That yarn calls for size 3 to 5 needles so I pulled it all off...be still my heart...and have started it on size 5's. We'll see how it goes.

Went to lys today and got the yarn for A.'s felted satchel. It is from Knitty Spring '05 issue and looks like it will be fast to knit. As for the felting I'm not too sure. I have a front loader machine and although I've been told it can be used by throwing a pair of tennis shoes in with the knitting who wants to take the chance with the very expensive machine. Guess we will go to the laundry room at A.'s place and use one of those. The colors are cinnamon and a green/black kind of tweed. It is Cascade 220. Should be a neat looking bag. She is so excited that she wants me to start it right away but I can't use my Addi Turbos :( because they are too long and it has to be 24" since it is knit in the round. I guess I'll use the detachable ones...grrrr. Oh well. They are knit on size 13's so it won't take too long. I don't like to use big needles but at least it's quick.

Oh yeah, oh yeah!! Happy dancing all around. I finished the sweater yesterday and handed it off to A. I was so happy to have it finished. It's not that it was all that hard (well, the directions were really confusing) but it just took too bloody long. But she likes it so it was all for good. Now I am finishing my vest and the long cardigan so I can start on Ad.'s sweater. It has cables and I've not done those before. Hope they will be fun.
Last night was "art night" and I worked on making cards since I'd spent most of the day sewing together the sweater and didn't really want to knit. I got 14 cards made so I have a pile and don't need to worry about being short for awhile.
Going to get the needles for the Celtic poncho this week...I think so anyway. I did go to Barnes and Noble the other night and got Mason-Dixon Knitting. I had looked at it before and had decided not to buy it but after purusing it again I thought that it looked like a good one to have. So I'm off to finish the right front on my cardigan so happy knitting to all.

I'm still alive and knitting but haven't been on the computer too much since the storms have had a lot of lightening and who wants to be attached to something electronic. I will be finished with the sweater (it is now called "The Astroturf" since that's the color) this weekend...yeah, I know...you've heard it before. Really, I will. As a matter of fact I am going to go and knit right now. And then to the bookstore and maybe a new book. We shall see.

I cannot believe that I had to go to the library knitting group today for help with the stupid, stupid sweater pattern. Turns out it was not the stupid pattern,(well, mostly not) but me. I was working in reverse stockinette stitch and forgot that the purl side is the right side. DUH! I am going to get this thing finished in the next couple of days 'cause it has taken entirely too long. I need to get the vest and the cardigan finished also. Maybe now that one pattern has fallen into place the others will just go really fast.
Also went to JoAnn's and got a set of size 1 dpn's to start a pair of socks. Marcia said they were very easy and it was time I started some. So, okay, socks we shall do.

Finally got some help with the sweater pattern that I haven't been able to crack. I knew it was going to be fairly easy once I got it figured out. All they had to do was make me understand it in another way. I haven't knitted today but am going to try and finish it tomorrow. I need to get moving on my vest...it seems to be taking forever, although I'm at 10" it seems as if it is never growing. Sooner or later I will get it finished. Probably in time for next winter but better late than never.

Now. For those of you who only like knitting, close your eyes now for this portion of the post. Okay, I hadn't been knitting for the past couple of days because I couldn't finish A.'s sweater. I had to miss the knitting group last Tuesday and am totally uncertain about the instructions. I don't want to continue on as the yarn is rather hard to rip out. I will go to the knitting group at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday night (oh darn, I will have to get the new book Mason-Dixon Knitting). I was disgusted with my lack of "knitterly" instruction understanding and so threw all the knitting aside and picked up the afghan I had been crocheting for A. I am using a size Q hook, which is like crocheting with a fireplace poker but goes very fast. It is huge as she likes to wrap up in them like a "burrito". Um, okay.
I did knit some last night (those of you covering your eyes can open them now). I finished the left front of my cardigan...woohoo. It's good and long and a nice,nubbly boucle. I think the yarn is Bernat but will have to check. I would post some photos but don't own a digital camera and A.'s in on the blink. Maybe soon.

Finally! I am mostly recovered from the "grunge" except for the very annoying cough. I no longer have to take a nap after every exertion...translated means...coughing, sitting up to blow my nose, walking to the bathroom... Knitting? forget about it. I was too tired to think about knitting, much less the actual action of knitting. I could hear it calling me...please, pick me up.We are getting all bent out of shape, we want to be a sweater. I did finish the back of A.'s sweater last night so only the front to go. I have to go to the knitting group at the library on Tuesday to make sure that I do understand how knit this thing. It is the Slim Line Tunic from Lion Brand and I think it's going to look stunning. And verra,verra green.
Went to Barnes and Noble last night and got The Yarn Harlot's new book "Knitting Rules!" and the new Vogue knitting magazine. I have made a pot of tea...Harney tea's Paris...and am going to sit and read for awhile. See ya later.

Whew! Finally feel good enough to sit upright and check my email. I had some kind of nasty "grunge". It must have been announcing itself with the three day headache. Now I have a little bit of a cough but my abdomen is sore and coughing is literally a pain. I have taken arnica both by mouth and topically and it has helped some. As long as I don't laugh I'm pretty good.
Went to the knitting group Tuesday night and figured out the pattern. Plus I got a new knitting magazine and Debbie Stoller's new book "Happy Hooker". Unfortunately, I haven't felt good enough to even look through either of them but I am going to do that tomorrow. Needless to say the knitting has been non-existent. I was worn out by just sitting up to have a sip of tea. But only had to lie down twice today so...woohoo! Things are looking up.

So. I have both sleeves of A.'s sweater finished but I've never knitted a sweater from side to side and am a little stumped about the directions. I should have gone to the knitting group on Saturday but never got to it because had so many errands to run. I am going to the knitting group at Barnes and Noble tomorrow night for some knitting help and maybe, just maybe, I'll look at some knitting books and magazines.
Last night was stamp club and one of the members from the old stamp club joined us. I haven't made any cards in quite some time so it was fun. Hopefully the rest of us will come for the next meeting.
I didn't get any knitting done today as I have a splitting headache. I'm sure it's from all the rain and weather we've been having. It's finally going to stop raining tomorrow but going to be in the 40's. Yuck. Good thing I'm making sweaters.