Halters Away!

I am about an inch away from fnishing the back of the halter from the Hollywood Knits books. I know, it sounds like it was a huge effort to do this. Alright, it wasn't, it was 12 inches of straight knitting. Purl 1 row, Knit 1 row. Hey, but I did have to add a second colour - do I get points for that? No, I can not even convince myself this was a huge feat! But, maybe it will be done by the weekend? I am aiming for that, but then again, don't hold your breath - for too long anyway.

Picture this - it is Friday - I had been trying all day to go to my LYS and because of work (which always gets in the way) I could not leave until 3:45pm. So the usual 20-25 minute stroll to the store turned into a 12 minute power walk. Got in a long over due work out, sore legs and sweat included! What was the rush? I needed to get this yarn and make it back to the station before my train left. It is Katia Mississpi yarn, a 60% cotton and 40% acrylic mix. I have knit about 5" I think:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could have used Rowan All Seasons Cotton, but in my old age, I have become cheap, and since this was about half the price of Rowan and feels just as heavenly, This Was It! If this yarn had cheeks, I would pinch it all the time. Now the question - What is she making? Well I like show and tell, so this is what I am making:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can not wait for it be done. Looks like an easy and fast project, but those are always the one, where I tend to do the most ripping out. The one that springs to mind - the sad, sad story of the Bella and the Sweater. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I made another purchase:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is black and will be a chickami. This is next on the hit list after the halter above. That about covers the knitting news for the week. My kids are starting to scream, so that is the cue for bath and bed. Ahh - my favourite time of day.

Knitting News - why? when I can bring you this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you believe the size of this thing? We could not bring ourselves to boil it, so it sits proudly on the kitchen window sill on display. At least it gives us a laugh when we see it.

On to knitting - I knit 4 more rows of the cowl neck. Nothing wrong with being slow is there? NO! If I keep saying it, it will be true.

I have started another bucket hat for my younger daughter in Bernat Cotton Tots, in pink. The brim went alot faster this time around, maybe my hands are getting used to knitting two strands of cotton together. And it also looks better than the first one which I used Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. Live and learn.

Also, my birthday is coming soon, and my wonderful mom bought me this:

 

 

 

 

Instead of putting myself on a yarn diet, mine is the no more buying books diet! I was holding strong, even cancelled my Crafters Choice Book Club membership, but, after seeing the tank Sarah made, I knew I was about to fall off the wagon. And so now, I have another project I NEED to do.

Not much in the knitting department to report. I finished another four rounds of the cowl neck thingie. I think I have about 4" completed, so only 8" more to go. No problem. 

What a great weekend. I judge the greatness of any weekend by the amount of screaming from my two little ones.  The less crying there is, the better the time, and the more crying, well, lets just say I look forward to those Mondays.

It was my mom's birthday on Friday, so that means - eating, eating, eating. She got two dinners.  Lots of meat on Friday and Sunday, which on this day we bbq'd some big ass t-bone steaks. Yummy.  Well, surprisingly, I am not hungry. I wonder why? Could it be all that food consumed yesterday?  I think so. 

I am done the bucket hat! I used bernat cotton in sage green, and off white. Colours will be great for spring/summer. I look forward to wearing it. I tried to take the picture with my girls...here is the 1st try:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My husband did not get it quite right. Then we kept trying and the younger one would not co-operate, so here is another shot, sans Maddie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I can figure out how to make the hat smaller, the girls will love it, but I think a lot of trial and error (and dont forget alot of swearing) will occur. So I dont think I am ready for that frustration. I feel good right now, and I dont need anything to bring me down.

Also, forgive my choice of top. Colours dont match, but I needed to sieze the moment when my girls sit still to get the pictures taken.

I am moving along like a snail with the bucket hat knit along - wanna join? click -  here.

Cast on - done, first 2 rows - done. And that's it folks, thats all she wrote. I bought cheap circs, for this project and I think I did not buy them quite long enough, so my hands are cramping from pulling the stitches along and holding the needles so tight so that the stitches dont fall of the ends. Sounds like this is project is going to be interesting. If I like how it turns out, I will buy better and longer circs for these hats to make for my daughters.

2nd post of the day - we interupt this program to bring you an important announcement - the scarf has been completed, I repeat the scarf has been completed. Here is the final piece, which measures about 6' long:

 

 

 

 

 

And here is a close up:

 

 

 

 

 

Using the swing needles was such a fantastic knitting experience. Easy, but satisfying and far from boring.

A Knitting We Will Go, hi ho the dario, a knitting we will go...

I have completed about 48" of the scarf using the swing needles. (See below post for before picture). Hopefully, it will be finished tonight and I will post a picture in it's completed stage.  It looks wonderful. I will need to order more of this yarn in different colours. I bought the yarn and needles from www.geminifibres.com.  Man, I think I will be one of their better customers! 

On Sunday night I organized my yarn stash.  It was a good and bad thing. The good news - I have alot of yarn, the bad news - I have alot of yarn.  When am I ever going to find the time to make stuff with all this yarn?  And I know, for each project completed, a few more will be added to the list.

UPDATE - I cast on about 60 stitches of the 120 required stitches for the bottoms up bucket hat. You ask the reason for not, at least casting on all stitches?  Due to a little girl in the bath tub splashing water everywhere, I thought it would be better to get her out of the tub, before I was a drowned rat then to finish the dreaded cast on. Once, the scarf is done, the hat is next. The hat is next. The hat is next. 

 

It has not been that long since my last post, but I need to organize my own thoughts. (for those of you who know me well-keep your comments to yourself!) I finished Maddie's socks, and thought I would be good and finish the ones on the go. But NOOOO. The Knitters Frolic took care of that hope! I started the scarf using the swing needles and yarn below. About 2" completed so far. Using these swing needles, you can knit with two strands of yarn, instead of knitting with both at the same time, you knit one row with one colour, and the next row with the second one without carrying the colour not in use. Use this link for a better explanation. http://www.gryarns.on.ca/ODDS-TURBOS.htm

Also, I am thinking of making the sweater from the pattern I bought at the Knitters Frolic (see below post for pictures) and the bottoms up bucket hat, which I decided to join the Knitalong hosted by fluffa.com.What am I thinking? Gotta run - Easter lunch at my in-laws...YUMMY.

Been a couple of days, since my last update, and you are probably thinking - is she done the sock. Answer=YES. But the second one is 1/4 shorter. When you rush, things go wrong. Enough about the sock. I went to the Knitters Frolic held in Toronto today. It was pretty fantastic. I am very happy I did not have my visa, and only brought $60.00. Spent every penny, but could have bought more - the yarn, patterns and books available were amazing. I can see how going overboard is an understatement. See here for the yarn & pattern I purchased. There was a table selling skeins for 2.99 each, and in the other room, another booth selling the same yarn for 5.00. There was the utilmate knitting machine. Now, if I had visa in hand, machine would be in hand as well. Good thing, I was smart not to bring the visa - DAMN. What was I thinking? Better luck next time. All in all, it was worth my time and effort to wake up early. And waking up early, meant my friend Diane and I had more time to look at the booths in peace. It is late, I need my beauty sleep, as every bit helps.