Monday, October 27, 2008

Christmas Chaos

Hey Robin,
Yep. I went there. I said the "C" word. The big "C". The one that puts fear into the heart of crafters everywhere (no, not chaos... the other one). I have been madly working away at my wish-list of gifts to give this year and am already massively behind. How did that happen? I started at the beginning of October!! Actually I have about three or four completed (one in question because I REALLY want it for myself) and eleventy-thousand to go. Seriously! Look!
Let me count... that's maybe 6 projects there. One of which was for me and is indefinitely on hold because I cannot resolve an interesting issue:
That 'tab' on the lower edge is supposed to be the same width as the rest. Long story, but I digress. (It's Sonnet from knitty if you want to see how it's supposed to look)

Yes! SIX projects on the table where they have been living for the past few weeks as I flit from one to the other. It's amazing that I have finished four things. Oh, I just thought of the one that's not in the picture, resting on the side table. So seven WIPs. I am having to force myself to finish the one (a linen handtowel) this week and not touch any others until it is complete. It's the nearest to being done, so I am hoping to actually get it done faster.

And to completely screw myself, I also have volunteered for more school things this week AND have people coming over for company saturday AND let's not forget candy-day on friday.

I'm a mess.

Discuss.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Rockin' the Swap-bah

Hey Robin!
(Yes, I know the title sux, cut me some 80's slack ;)

Doood! I sewed! Lookey!


The pattern for the kneedle roll was simple enough for my brain to comprehend (even so, I made a couple of mistakes but SHHH!! You are sworn to secrecy... oh hello world wide web? Were you listening??) And ended up with a TON of fabric left so I whipped up a project bag from the seat-of-the-pants region and it's cute if I may say so.

If it isn't already obvious, these items are going to be in the posession of a deserving malabrigo swappee sometime next week I believe. Along with some other fall-themed goodies! I had an awesome time with this swap because it's seriously the first time I got a Chatty-Kathy and she made it SO EASY to stalk her and figure out what her loves are!

In other news, I made a hat with the most difficult cast-on that I have attempted to-date. I kid you not I re-started this thing 7 times.

The first time the cast-on didn't work, i frogged and looked on the hallowed www to find another way of doing the same thing. This is a tubular cast-on ladies and gents. The one from the book was VERY different from all the ones I found in my frantic Ravelry-search that were recommended. I finally settled on an Italian version, with a video! (I heart you Fluffbuff!). After many aborted attempts to get it right, I finally got SMART and used a different yarn, bigger kneedles and cast on fewer stitches (listen, when you are trying to make a hat with 132 sts, ANYTHING is better than having to try to do that 5 times in a row!) and magically it just started to WORK! I held my breathe, cast on the 132 sts needed for the hat and gave it a go. It worked!!

He loves the hat btw. Has worn it every day since (well it HAS been chilly in the a.m.). I think the only thing I will change when I do this again is do that cast-on row in smaller kneedles. I saw that recommended somewhere and I have to agree. It makes for a super-stretchy edge, and so his hat is a little 'flared' at the edge, but it still looks great. I plan to use this cast on lost and lots even though it's a p.i.t.a. ;)

On to the holiday knitting!! :D

Later!

Monday, October 6, 2008

I'm alive!

Hey Kate!

Sorry for the blog absence, but I'm back! At least for now... Here are some random bullet points to get back into the swing of things:
Those are all ancient links that I meant to write about months ago. So it goes.

Later!

Robin