Long Distance Hugs

My best friend lives in 1100 miles away, give or take. Recently she has been in need of a big hug. All I could do was knit her this:

A shawl/Afghan made from a variety or yarns knit on size 11 needles.

Up close and personal.

Theses are her colors, nothing like mine if you've been paying attention. It is quite long I was able to wrap it around my shoulders twice. It would have been a great deal of fun to make if it wasn't for such a sad purpose. I hope it brings some joy or at least a smile.

On to other things....

I apparently Can learn. One sleeve for Intoxicated is finished and the other well on its way. I am now able to knit when the Bug is awake without mistakes. Still no blocking so looking a bit off. I'm hoping to be sewing it all up by next week.

Current Level of Suckage

Over the weekend the Level of Suckage was rather high do to the large amount of ripping and frogging. I was almost done with Little Bugs second sock when I decided I should look at the first one to compare. My first though was wow my gauge must be much tighter on this second sock. But why are the stripes wider and the sock is longer. And..... Wait a minute..... I counted the stitches on the first sock, 48, the on the second sock, 39...... Ugh! Mr. Gnome tried to convince me not to rip it all out, that it was ok for them to be different and "limited edition" socks. I couldn't' live with that. The second sock was going to be about two inches Longer than the first! It's always sad how fast you can rip out something that took so long to knit. I haven't faced restarting, just can't right now.

Then there is the sleeve for Intoxicating. I knew this was something that would take concentration; Not something I could just pick up do some stitches then throw down to chase the kid. But I was excited I wanted to work on it. I got through 26 rows before I saw the mistake. I tried to just rip back to that point. But silk is slippery I had to rip it all back and start again. I have truly mastered knitting back on this piece. I think I have knit enough stitches to have done three sleeves by now. Alas I only have about 3/4 of one sleeve done.

Sunday morning Little Bug woke up at 6:30am, her usual wake up time is 7:30. Mr Gnome had worked late the night before (when I say that I'm talking 1am-2am). So I got up with her and tried to keep her from waking up daddy so he could get some more sleep. We washed diapers, made chocolate chip scones, a yummy breakfast, and seitan to be used in that nights dinner.

Almost Vegan Chocolate Chip Scones from Vegan with a Vengeance. Almost because my chocolate chips are not vegan. Quite tasty and not at all dry. The Seitan was for the Jerk Seitan in the same cookbook. So Yummy!

Getting so much done so early in the morning made me feel better about the previous day's knitting failures.

The current Level of Suckage is moderate but on the decline.

Ooh Ooh!

Look what I got in the mail today!From North American Vegetarian Society getting ready for October's Vegetarian Awareness month.

From Insubordiknit. I signed up for her monthly yarn club; three months of very fun yarn. No idea what to do with it but it is too cool.

Auto Pilot

Last night as I was casting off the 183 stitches on the secret knit I was watching my hands. I wasn't thinking about casting off my hands were just going through the motions. I sat and watched my hands do their own thing and thought how cool it was. It was like they weren't my hands they were someone elses hands.


Instead of pictures of the above I will show you other finished projects.

These are two felted coasters made from left over Auracania Natural wool from Mr. Gnome's sweater. The pattern is from the 2007 pattern-a-day Knitting calendar. This is a Crazy easy knit. The felting instructions said to check on them during the wash cycle. I have a High Efficiency washer, you know front door. Can't really check on that while it's washing. So I just threw them in and hoped for the best. They are a bit smaller than they are supposed to be but still hold a cup just fine. The plan is to make felted coasters for Mr. Gnome's family for Christmas. Yes, I'm already thinking about that. Too many years in retail trains you to think about Christmas starting in August. Anyway. These were done to see how much yarn would be needed and how felting even would work in my machine. Of course I plan to use different yarn, more on those dreams and fantasies later, so that theses ended up a bit small may not mean anything. Regardless they are cool and will match our sitting room in our soon to be house.

My previous attempts at felting had only been with old wool sweaters.

On the left is a project bag made from an old sweater I loved; store bought in pr-knitting times. The top is actually the bottom of the sweater. This sweater fit great, the color looked wonderful on me and it had such cool beading. Over time the sweater got a stain then holes. But I did not want to give it up it had been such a great sweater. So it sat in the closet. Until I began knitting and thought, "Hey that thing is wool, I wonder what will happen if I throw it in the washing machine on hot." I took this sweater and some other old sweaters that had outlived their time and threw them in the wash, turned it to hot and crossed my fingers. What I got was four felted sweaters, one that only kind of felted, and one that actually turned out cleaner than ever, defuzzed and fits like never before. That last one is just weird. These two things are the only things I've made with those sweaters. The one on the right is a needle holder made from the front of a sweater. The gray line was the bottom. The strings are cut out seems.

Vacation Knitting?

I did finish that sock from the last post, actually before we left. I got a good bit of the second one done before it got wet and Never dried. Everything that got wet never dried. We had a good time though. It was nice to see the family. Extended family being what they are and all. Nice to see them once every five years or so. The above is my Florida sock yarn. Really says Florida doesn't it! Or I'm on Acid. Also our shot glass. We get a shot glass wherever we go. We had a Florida one from our honeymoon to Disney World but it broke in a move. Thus a replacement was needed.

Little Bug got to see the ocean for the first time. She wasn't too impressed and told us she wanted to go to the pool. The water hurt her eyes and tasted bad and the waves (while being stupid tame) kept almost knocking her over. So we only stayed for an hour. She did love the pool at the hotel though. Kept jumping in at the 6ft end. A couple times when we were there to catch her. And let me tell you holding a two year old while treading water is Not fun. It was a nice week and really not that stressful. I always stress on vacations. I'm crazy like that. Drives Mr. Gnome crazy!

At the moment I'm working on a secret knitting project, well just a not to blogged about project. I'm putting off on the sleeves for Intoxicating. You see they are lace. I've never done lace. Doing lace for the first time as sleeves with silk yarn is a rather frightening idea. So I stall. But really I do need to do the above mentioned secret thinger. More about that later. Hopefully next time.

And I guess I should be packing. I have a month. And no place to put packed up boxes. My mother suggested taking down our table and using packed boxes as a table. It may come to that. Most of our things that go into boxes are on shelves, in closets or in drawers; there really is no floor space for them. Not to mention I hate packing. I have done all the packing the last three times we've moved! Then all the unpacking. Though that last really is for the best. Who knows where Mr. Gnome would put things.

To end on a knitting note I give you hairball:

This is a ball of yarn that came in that log like ball that I then smushed into a more ball like ball. It's huge and furry and rather freaky!

Shroom

Look what has taken up residence in the Oregano pot! Don't you need spores to grow mushrooms. Do I want to know where they came from?

I finished the back of Intoxicating. You really can't see the pattern but I guess that is ok, it still looks neat. Now I just have to do the lace sleeves. I'm still exited about this project. Usually when I get to the sleeves I loose steam. We'll see how I feel after the first sleeve.

If i don't finish this sock on vacation it will be really sad! Must remember to pack darning needle and scissors! Mr. Gnome is working tonight. I plan on casting on for Little Bug's second sock.

See you in a week!

Woohoo!

We are getting a house!

We found the Television Remote!

Little Bug put play-doh in her shirt!.....

We leave for vacation in 5 days. Intoxicating is not coming. Silk and sand should not mix! But I would like to be able to say I'm done with the back before I go. I need to cast on the second sock for Little Bug before we leave. I finished the first a while ago and haven't cast on for it. I want to be able to do most of the toe when I cast on or I get messed up and forget where I am. I'm also not thrilled with the sock: I'm not motivated. We also need to get a bunch done so we can buy the house before we leave for vacay. We are all about timing here.

I hope to post again before we leave, maybe in even with some pictures. If not there will be nice pictures when I get back.