Knit Therapy

I am finding that knitting soothes the soul even more now than when I began almost a year and a half ago.  I had to sit on a plane for two and a half hours to Chicago and two and a half hours back to Dallas yesterday.  I was cramped, my legs ached and by the end of it I was thoroughly exhausted.  But I continued to knit, cast on another, knit, cast on another and knit.  I had a very productive 18 hour day.  I hope in the end that the job I went to Chicago to interview for is going to be offered to me.  I guess we'll see.  I know there was another candidate.

So I began the trip with the crown of the Black Angel hat already cast on and started. When I finished it, I cast on a Mille Colori hat to match the scarf I'd made out of the same yarn. Finally, I cast on another Black Angel which is 75% done. 

Also, this weekend I finished a couple other things:  The Soldier's Watchcap and my mom's Fingerless Mitts.  Ordinarily I would not have gotten these two done but I committed an injury to myself which put me on bedrest for two days.  Yes, I'm an idiot.  If I'd had shoes on like a normal person the injury would have been slight or non-existent.  I was putting some shoes into nice boxes and then stepping up on the step stool to put them on the shelf and I was barefooted at the time.  I didn't "center" my foot on the stool and flipped off of it while attempting to step up.  So I sprained my big toe and cracked a nice bruise to my shin.  We put ice on it but a friend of mine said to just go to the ER and have it looked at.  Not broken (good), severly sprained (not so good). Must keep it elevated above the heart and iced down for 48 hours.  So and hence my good knitting fortune.

So the gray pile now looks like this (with a little Mille Colori added in):












This is a good thing.  Still so much to do.

In the Gray Zone

I am in a strange place.  I call it the gray zone. This occurs when the various aspects of my life start to change and move without my permission. So I'm waiting for a final job interview next Tuesday where I have to fly to Chicago.  it involves leaving at 5:30 AM and arriving home around 10:30 PM.  I'll be on a plane, meeting 7 or more new people and then flying home.  I feel like I can't look at other job opportunities because I'm so thinking about this one. At least I don't have to change time zones. 

I'm also at odds with my housework.  When my house is out of order, I feel out of order.  I have been out of work for two months and have only cleaned out the "yarn room" closet which, granted, was a huge task.  I feel...uh...discombobulated (yes, that's a real word). When the Texas Rangers decided to mess up not just one, but two opportunities to clench the World Series of Baseball last night, I had to jump up and DUST for goodness sakes!!!!

I am even off in my knitting.  I made those mittens for no one in particular.  I spent the afternoon yesterday with my mother and ended up with another thing to make for her. And then for no reason whatsoever, I started a swatch of a pattern I saw online. I purchased some gray variegated wool to match her Sassy Scarf that I made her for her birthday in order to make some fingerless gloves that she would like to have.  I also purchased some hat wool for my niece and nephew.  He's in the army so I thought a soldier's black watch-cap would be good and then hers is a soft black and grayish white with some antique buttons to go with his hat. 

So here it is, the gray zone in yesterday's yarn purchase, visual proof. 

Christmas Part Un

I have Christmas presents in full production.  I have the hats done except for one which I'll do later.  I can't decide if I want to add scarves and gloves to this package or not.  I guess I'll need to see how time permits.  Since I have four nieces, I have to think in multiples of 4s!!









For the "gypsy" side of the family I thought I'd make lucky dice bags for my aunt, uncle and grandmother's favorite dice.  I'd need three, so one down, 3 to go.  Yes, I can count, I have to make one for my mom too.  She gets one of everything!!!

Now this little treasure is made from German wool.  It is so pretty, the picture doesn't do it justice.  Of course, I'm giving this to my sister.  She's a bit hard to please and doesn't think too much of hand knit thingys.  Maybe she'll change her mind...???

So this you've seen before but I still haven't finished it.  For my step-mom.  I think a matching hat to go with it.

This is a boa scarf I started a while back.  Just completed.  Not sure who I would give it to.  Maybe my sister-in-law, Elaine if she lets me give her something!

 I mentioned before that I didn't have a winter coat.  It really doesn't get that cold here but I did make myself one.  This involved getting out the sewing machine and finding thread and what not. And the fake wool skin made enough fluff to make a sheep, no kidding, baaaaah....

...and I needed a hat to go with it, for me.

Hat Frenzy

Just this week, I realized that Christmas is nearly here and I've made absolutely nothing for my family.  Now, I know that you're thinking, "Didn't your knitted gifts go over over like a lead zeppelin last year?" Well, um, yes, but I was there with them, this year I won't be there so I won't have to see their reactions to the knitted items.  I can just enjoy making the items and then "poof" like magic they are all gone to new homes.

So with this in mind I have gone into hat frenzy.  I've made 5 hats of which I showed you two but I have two more finished, one on the needles and three more to make.  Its all very exciting!  I love the fun fur yarn (LBY) and the colors are great:

Oh and I definitely made a big hit with this black and red boa yarn.  My daughter's school colors, she loved it! and really it is pretty cute, so I'm making myself one in hot pink for October, Susan G Komen breast cancer awareness month. I also have enough boa yarn to make several more of these.

I did stop by the Woolie Ewe today and I bought some beautiful yarn: Berroco Souffle'.  It looks like it would be so heavy but it is light and airy.  I am quite excited about it.

Cheers!

Lunatic Fringe Hat

 

I have had a really productive weekend.  The new stash items I bought have been put to good use. So first I tried a hat out of Fall 2011 Knit Simple magazine.  It has a crocheted top and knitted sides.  I did 7 hours of crochet/knitting on saturday. The hat looks just like the picture but something isn't right with it...can't figure it out.  Maybe I should have made the large version. I have it blocking now.

The Second thing I tried was the Wasabi Cowl from the Ravelry site.  This turned out really great and I found a great shell button for it.

The last thing I tried was another hat but one I'd made before that was too small.  So I tried the larger hat, it is bright and cute! I'm calling it the Lunatic fringe Hat.  I had to add a wig to my styrofoam model so the hat wouldn't slip down over the eyes.

So I'm off to get back on my larger projects and possibly finish something there!



Insanity knows no bounds

...at least mine doesn't.  I have 7 open projects.  I cannot believe how close some are to completion but not done yet. 

1. The racing socks are two inches from the toe.  Just an hour or two and they will be done. 
2. Another hat, but its actually done, just not photographed and I don't like it all that much and its black, blah, blah, blah. 
3. Then a diagonal dishcloth, its done but blocking right now.
4. I still have the two knitted sweaters started at Christmas. This is actually 2 projects but they are in the same project box so I'm not counting the second for now.
5. I have the free-form capelet that is so nearly done its unbelievable, maybe and hour left to completion.
6. I went completely insane and started a crochet short sleeved jacket. its about 40% done.  I am quite smitten with it.
7. A small portion of a crocheted hat which I started only because I wanted to try out the stitching.

Worst of all is I saw this really cool crocheted shawl pattern (one of those free ones on a card in the craft store).  I bought all the stuff except one color they didn't have.  I searched around on the internet for it and it seems to be DISCONTINUED.  That is so annoying. But I guess is kept me from starting something else.  /sigh

So why all the crochet?  It uses way too much yarn.  So pretty though.  I do want to knit.  I'd rather knit actually.  So tomorrow, really, I'm going to finish something and put it on this blah-blah-blog.  Really, time to tuck in my crazy and look like a normal person again.

Oh, yeah, I had to order another yarn ball winder!  I can't believe I've broken another one.  This new one has brass gears though, not plastic like the last two.  I hope it will be as persistent as I am.

So if anyone locates some Caron-Spa in Purple Rain, I'd really appreciate it. I just need one skein. 

Swathe Buttons?

So I've come to halt on the Swathe.  Its done...except the buttons.  I've made three hats trying to figure out what to do about buttons. 

I looked in the stores, those buttons are...not what I wanted.  I thought I'd try the sculpey.  Making my own buttons it harder than it seems like it should be.  Hmmm.  I'm still working that one out. I've spent more money on trying to come up with something I like than if I'd had the buttons custom made by Tibetan monks.

I've even resorted to re-organizing my yarn (again) just to get my groove on. Its actually not organized as such.  Its more like not hanging out and/or all over the room and floor.

And I've read two books. These are children's books but they are really good.

I also made some prayer beads just to stay busy. 

I really need this whole Swathe button thing to resolve.../sigh.