And She Knits Too!

Sick Day

Emma is home sick and I'm home with her and happy for it.  I'm not happy she's unwell, poor thing, but having another day at home, an unplanned day at home is a great opportunity to catch up on things.

I spent the weekend catching up on the other stuff of life, buying the kids winter boots (if you haven't done this, go now--all the sizes are gone, I mean gone), getting the coat thing sorted out, laundry groceries, birthday parties, stair stripping (7 done, 7 to go) and I don't know what else, but it made me tired when I plopped on the couch at 10pm to watch Myth Busters and then Robot Chicken. 

About the coats.  I didn't get just one, I got two.  Having my mom to shop with really helped.  She's a great shopper and enabler.  She bought me the dressier fall or not-so-cold-day winter coat

(mine is Brown, all the info is here).  The hood comes off and makes it a snazzy fall coat that's perfect for right now.  It is also the perfect coat for the Earth Stripe Wrap.  Thanks Mom!

I bought the super down filled puffy coat (Eddie Bauer, good basic stuff). 

I got style and substance (but you knew that about me already ;) ).

I also finished Sherbie.  Well, it was almost finished in the wee hours before I left for Rhinebeck but I didn't like it so I didn't bring it (good thing, it was tropical that weekend).  I actually still have one side of the zipper to backstitch (I do an overcast on the edges and then back stitch the middle) but since I have time now, I figured some FO pictures were in order.

It's warm, technically well knitted and okay, but I don't really love it.  It looks great on my mother in law who is larger and more curvy than me since the ribs hug her the right way.  And it looks great on my very tiny mother, since it's oversized on her.  But on me, I'm feeling meh.

I know that all over rib doesn't suit me, so I'm not sure why I made it since it makes me look all over ribbed.  Adding horizontal stripes doesn't help the matter.

 

But it is warm and looks good on other people so if I don't keep it, someone has a nice Christmas present.

Almost zippy

Sherbie is almost done.  All the seams are stitch, the ends are woven in and the zipper is bought.  I've even basted the front pieces together so I can sew on the zipper.  I wanted to get to it tonight, but things have kept me busy and I've learned over the years not to attempt difficult tasks at 10:32pm. 

I'm going to re-read my zipper tutorial and get to it tomorrow night.  There are only 5 more sleeps until Rhinebeck (all in my new bed--we got it today) and even though I started Sherbie in the Spring (well late Winter--I hadn't realized it was March) this is going to be my Rhinebeck sweater. 

If I like it on me.  I made the XS size because the finished measurements were 46.5" and then next size was 49" and that's a whole lot of ease.  If I had made my usual medium/large we would be in the high 50" range and I learned my lesson with a beautiful kuryeon coat that looked like crap on me.

But when the ribbing is all scrunched up (as ribbing is wont to do) it looks a bit small.  Nice and cozy, but small.  I'm not a bit fan of allover body hugging ribbing so let's hope some steaming does the trick.  (Sorry about the camera phone photos--my battery died in my real camera).

So for the rest of tonight (all 15 minutes of it before it's bed time) I'm going to keep working on this darling pumpkin hat kit I bought at Lettuce Knit.  It's for a friend's baby and it's perfect for this time of year.

Oh, and I got my shoes.  They're awesome.  My heel slips a bit in them, but I guess that's what's supposed to happen with Danskos.  They're very comfie.  For those who wanted to know, the style is Mira and the colour is Kimberlite.  I got mine via ebay.

Weekend Plans

It's the Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada.  We're not so enthusiastic about Thanksgiving as our neighbours to the south, but it is the last of the long weekends for a while and that is cause for celebration.  We actually had our turkey dinner tonight (the actual day is Monday) and now I'm seeing a free and clear weekend.

For Roam:

 

And to finish Sherbie

I've had all the pieces done since August, but it's been far too hot to think about a bulky wool sweater (no matter how nice Iro is).  Now I'm looking forward (to Rhinebeck) and the possibility of cool mornings (next week maybe, we're still having mid-day highs of 25C and above which is weird) and a new Fall sweater would be great.

And I might even get out the Grey Mist Bohus.  Seeing Stephanie's is motivating me.  She's the one who offered to let me "just knit a few stitches" and got me hooked. 

Sherbie Weather

I was hunting around in my knitting ottoman and realized that I had almost all of Sherbie done before I abandoned the sweater in the Spring for lighter weight knitting.  So I spent Friday night finishing the first sleeve, blocking the body and starting the second sleeve. 

This will be my first Fall FO.  I like the idea of having something ready for when the weather turns (today was a preview--brr), but never seem to get organized to do this.  I'm usually starting more summery projects like Maris (which I have in my Ravelry queue).

Good thing it's knit at 3 sts to the inch. 

Since the yarn is full of Noro-goodness (I heart Iro) it's not like it's hard to go back to this project.  And it's good ole' mindless knitting.

Looking good eh?

WIP Roundup

I used to be a 3 projects + socks kinda knitter, but I drifted.

Thing is, I don't like the idea of having too many projects on the needles at one time--it just messes with my type-A, keep things organized, have control personality.  The other thing is, I have the urge to knit a whole bunch of new things on top of what I'm knitting now, so I need to just make a list and see where I come out at the end.

I suppose I could do all this in Ravelry, but I'm still getting thing organized over there, and while I love the whole idea of the place, I still like the blog medium better.

Current WIPs and their ontological status (from oldest to newest):

1. Colourwork classic.  I actually picked this up and started working on the sleeve again this week.  So I guess I'm not ready to let this one go, despite the fact that it's 2.5 years old and reflects my emerging skills in stranded knitting.

2. Collette.  Lace and Intarsia and craziness.  I think I want to own this one more than I want to wear it since I haven't touched it since about February.  I'm also too lazy to unravel it right now so it's in knitting limbo--fate to be determined.

3. Grey Mist.  Bohus beauty.  This will get made.  I don't like the fuzziness of angora when the weather is hot, so it might just be a while.  I already see myself wearing it this winter.  Yum.

4. Sherbie.  Simple mindless knitting that go put away for summer.  I'll finish this in the Fall and return Anmiryam's book.

5. Honey.  Soccer Knitting.  I think the sweater is going to be too short for me, but I don't want to rip back.  If it doesn't fit me, it'll look great on Mom.  I really should make this my Summer priority so I can wear it a few times before it's too cold.

And I started a sock because at the time sock knitting was what I could handle.  The Vesper Yarn was a trade with Anmiryam and I love it.  So do all the kids at the soccer games, who are amazed that socks are made, not bought at the store.

Okay, now that makes me feel a bit focused.  But only a bit.  I already have some Zephyr lace yarn on the way from Red Bird Knits (in onyx) and beads from Earthfaire to make another shawl. 

And I really really want this Hip in Hemp skirt from the new Knitty (I get to see the patterns months before you do and I've been wanting this one for a while).  Thankfully I'm stuck on colour choice.  I need to find this yarn in Toronto so I can make a decision.  I'm thinking Brown, Turquoise, Orange and Sand. 

   

And then Michelle, spotter of all the good new knits, alerted me to a new Hanne Falkenberg that I will buy as soon as I figure out what colour I want (though I'm leaning toward that green because it's so gorgeous).

Do you ever feel like there is just *too* much great knitting out there that you will never get to do? 

Now back to editing manuscripts...I tend to organize for procrastination, it makes me feel productive when I'm avoiding other tasks.  But now deadlines loom, I'll treat myself to a few rows once the first article is sent back to the journal.

Back to regular And She Knits Too! programming

Holy comments Batman!  What an interesting discussion.  I wanted to do a little content analysis to sum it all up (I'm currently in content analysis mode at work, so it seemed natural) but I just didn't have the time.  I assure you I read and considered every comment and while I didn't respond to all of you, I did pop over and visit a few new blogs and I gained a solid understanding of people's take on blogging and blog commenting. 

As I said before I love the interactivity blogging creates, and your thoughtful comments just went to prove my point.  Thanks!

My personal life has been a bit topsy turvey lately which means that I've been really busy with work.  I'm starting a 4th employment contract this Monday which just adds to the pile of stuff I need to do for pay.  My teaching is winding down by the end of April and the Post-Doc is in the final stages, but I need to take what I can find when I find it so right now blogging, knitting and socializing may be on the low side for a bit.  I did have a small triumph--my first, first-authored academic article was published on Wednesday.  I have some more in the peer-review tubes but this is the first and I'm really happy about it.

Now to knitting.  My parents have been visiting and my extra-super-Mom has been taking very good care of us.  Laundry is done, meals are cooked, house is clean--which leaves lots of time for knitting.

Uncle Ken's second sock is coming along nicely:

I fear I'll run out of yarn.  I even dug out my scale and it says I'll have just enough.  The heels on these socks may not match, but I can live with that in the interest of not having to rip back.  Next time I'm knitting toe-up socks (I usually do, so this is adding to the fear).

Pimlico is also cooking along.  It's a beautiful garment but rather boring.  A 32" rectangle is not exciting.  I'm at 13" so it's getting less fun by the minute.  It would be perfect for this time of year, so I need to get cracking.

Bohus, Collette and Colourwork Classic are marinating.  I haven't got the mental energy to knit these (and with a house full of people it just isn't wise) but I'm thinking fondly of them.

Instead of just getting to knitting business, I started something else using Noro Iro that my super fabulous virtual pal Ann sent me.  I love Iro and decided being wrapped in Sherbie--a nice knit jacket--would be the perfect thing.  This one would be perfect for cool Spring mornings and I might even finish it before the weather is warm.  The back is done:

It needs serious blocking to spread the ribs and get the 23.24" chest measurement.  I'm blocking this part first to see if I'm knitting the correct size.  I made myself do the XS because the small seemed a bit big, but I also don't want a body hugging chunky sweater. 

I'm also planning a few summer knits.  I don't do tanks because it's too hot to wear them in the height of summer and I never really wore the ones I've knit in the past.  But I could use some cardigans.  They're good for cooler mornings and a/c crazy offices and they can add a little something to a tee-shirt to make me look "professional" (as opposed to the schlumpy academic look that I tend to fall into).  Right now I have a few things catching my attention:

Dune from Rowan 33.  I've had the yarn stashed for this since it came out.  I think it's time to continue my plan to knit from the stash.

I'm really liking Rowan 41 too.  Particularly Maris and Spice (I know, not a cardigan, but it's Calmer in bold colours.

Right now the plan (ha!) is to finish something, anything that I have on the go now and then start Dune.  Let's see how much resolve I have.