Something new

I just couldn’t do it.

I couldn’t be project monogamous.  I had to start a new project.  I really like Coraline.  I love the cashmere scarf.   But I just really had to start something new – I missed that new project feeling.  You know, the feeling when you rummage through your stash, look at Ravelry and find just the right pattern, the right yarn and start something new.   I used to have a lot of projects going at once but then I realized the more I started the more I didn’t get done.  So I tried to have one at home project, and one commuting.   Which worked for a long time.  But last week I just needed something new.  And I’m really happy with it.

The yarn is Ellen’s Half Pint sock yarn – my Ravelry stash shows I bought this at Maryland Sheep and Wool.  I haven’t gone to Maryland in at least three years, so this is old stash.   I picked it out for a simple reason – it was already wound up.  When we painted our bedroom I put my swift and ball winder away in a box and I haven’t unpacked yet.  So when I was rummaging through the stash for something new, I didn’t want to pick something that I’d have to wind up since I’d have to do it by hand.   I had started a pair of socks for Dan with this yarn but it was too pink so I put it back.  But its perfect for now and I’m enjoying it.

The pattern is Sunday Swing Socks from Knitty - a very very nice pattern, especially for variegated yarns.  My cast on is 64, and it worked out perfect for this yarn; no pooling and just nice little stripes.   I really love how the pattern looks and I think this may make my “have to make it twice” list.  They are top down, and I’m really enjoying the knit.  I’m just about done the first sock and I think this will be a quick pair.   In fact, I like them so much that I didn’t sleep on the train at all yesterday and knit all the way in – very unusual for me as I normally pass out half way there in the morning!

We have had a little bit of change in the house recently.

Last Saturday Dan (on the left) moved into his own apartment, and we got our office back.    We are very happy for him, and I know he’s much happier in his own place.   I will miss seeing him every day but I have Facebook to harass him with!   

Larry and I painted the trim in the office on Sunday, and today Larry painted the walls.  We picked out a color we thought was close to what was there which is a dark gold.  Going on the paint looked like a something between 70′s appliance gold and carrots – I was a little scared.  But it dried into a very pretty color  – sort of like a dark butternut squash (I know – sounds weird but it is pretty) – and I’m very happy with it.  We have to move our desk back in and get it all setup as an office/guest room again (we had everything in our bedroom while Dan was living here).    It will give me more room in my bedroom and a place for my Mother to stay with us when she gets here next week. 

I was planning on going to Maryland Sheep and Wool this weekend – as I said, I haven’t been in a few years.  But I don’t think its going to work out.  We have a lot of things to do this weekend to get ready for my Mom’s visit – we still are getting our bedroom back in order, and now the office.    Plus we have three graduations coming up and it’s just not the best time for me to have that much temptation to spend money.  I really went back and forth on this – Maryland is my favorite fiber festival – but I know that I wouldn’t be able to go and still get everything done I need to – and I certainly can’t go and not spend money.  So I think I’m going to skip again – but I may go through my stash and remind myself that I’m really not all that deprived!  But I’ll enjoy seeing all the pictures and reading all about everyone else’s good time.  Maybe Rhinebeck!

OK, time to go play with Penny.  She’s harassing Ruby (who is feeling better by the way) so she needs to be distracted.  Have a great week (and weekend!)

Nothing nicer

I just don’t think there is anything nicer than cashmere…

Well, maybe the exception to that is cashmere and silk.  Isn’t that nice? 

I bought this yarn in California when I was visiting my mother – it is Golden Line Superior from Filatura Di Crosa.  Its 70% cashmere, 30% silk – and I can’t help but love it.   After I finished Traveling Woman, I needed a commute knitting project, so I looked through my stash and saw the yarn and thought it’s time had come.  A friend of my mother’s knit my Mom a scarf and my Mom wanted to give her something in return.  Mom can’t knit lace anymore and asked me to knit something  – she wanted something special so we went to the yarn store while I was visiting and when we saw a scarf made from this yarn we knew it was the perfect yarn to use for a special gift.

It took me a bit to find the right pattern for this – I wanted something simple because I don’t like to worry about charts on the train, but something that would be lacey and light.  After wandering Ravelry for a while, I found the Party Lace scarf and thought that I’d give it a try.

It turned out to be the perfect pattern – easy and simple, but something that works really well with the yarn.  And the beads on the end just add a little something extra.    All in all, I’m really enjoying this and I am about half way done.  My mother is coming to visit in May and I’m hoping to have it done so she can just take it home with her.  I mentioned to her the other night how much I liked the yarn, and that I wished I had bought a ball for me.  Today I got an email from her asking what the yarn was so she could bring me another ball of it.  Of course I didn’t turn down that offer! 

Its been very busy here – lots of happenings but I’ve taken terrible pictures and probably should re-take them before I post them.    Its been so busy we haven’t had a lot of down time – but someone has is going to have a lot of down-time in the next two weeks…

Poor Ruby – she has a slipped disk and will be confined for two weeks.  The vet thinks it could be playing with Penny or just running and jumping.    It just happened suddenly today and now she’s sad and depressed with no one but her stuffed bunny for company.   

I haven’t done a lot of knitting at night so I haven’t made a lot of progress on Coraline.  I am pretty sure at this point that I won’t have it ready to wear to Maryland Sheep and Wool (if I’m going) but I’m going to keep on plugging on it and I’ll wear it when I can.    Although – I’ve felt the urge of a new project lately – maybe a new shawl?  A pair of socks?  I think this is why I never finish sweaters – it just takes too long and I get distracted by new and pretty things. 

OK, I think I”ll go have fun with cashmere – have a good week!

Starting Coraline

I haven’t knit a sweater in a very long time  – in fact, its been about a year and a half since I finished Cobblestone.  I can’t believe its been so long – I’ve wanted to make sweaters but they just seem to take forever, and to be honest, I don’t think they ever fit well, so I think that I avoided the whole issue by focusing on shawls and socks and little projects.    But in the last few months, I have felt the urge more and more and I decided that I’ll never learn how to make them if I never try – and so I picked a pattern, bought some yarn and started Coraline.

The first thing I had to do was learn a new provisional cast on – I’ve done them in the past for shawls but generally its just a couple of stitches and no big deal.  Coraline started by casting on over 200 stitches and I was very intimidated by it.  But the pattern recommended a very good site with a video and other than getting my counting right (which is always the issue regardless of cast on method), it wasn’t bad at all.  The only thing I need to do differently next time is to loosen up a bit when I do it – some of the stitches were a little tight.  Very nice cast on -  much easier than I expected.  Here is a shot of the sweater with the provisional cast on just waiting for me to pull it.

The reason for the provisional cast on is that you create a folded hem – it seemed to take forever for me to knit the hem but I finally got it done on Friday, and I’ve been clipping along on the sweater ever since. 

Isn’t that hem nice?  I am really enjoying this project  - the yarn is just amazing to work with (Serena by Manos Del Uruguay) and its one of those projects where I stop ever little bit to just look at it and enjoy how it looks.  The colorway is slightly variegated – I’m not sure you can see it but its a very light blue with small bits of white.  Very pretty, very spring/summer. 

My tension is a little uneven but I am hoping that blocking helps it even out.  I don’t know why its uneven – I think my knit tension is tighter than my purl.  I was thinking about why that is and I think it’s because I knit more than I purl – socks in the round have very little purling, and although the shawls I do have purling on the wrong side, I don’t think tension is important or apparent.  But for this it is – I think it will be ok – but I have to admit to a little worry about it.   But I’m enjoying the sweater, and I’m already thinking about the next one I’d like to make – maybe Featherweight Cardigan?

I took a spontaneous day off on Friday (well, it was spontaneous on Thursday when I decided that I had enough for the week), and had a really nice day off – and it was the start of a very nice weekend.    A little golf, a little shopping, a lot of eating out and a lot of down time too.   I’m going to be sorry when I’m out of vacation days in October, but sometimes you just have to play hookey, right?  The nicest thing is that I’m scheduled to take next Friday off too – Thursday is Larry’s birthday so we planned on taking Friday off to go play golf.  It may rain, so I’m not 100% sure, but the thought of two short weeks is sort of nice! 

OK  – I’m off – but before I go, I thought I’d share with you why I’ll be stalking the mailbox this week – I’m hoping these come in soon!

Have a good week!

Traveling Woman

I thought I’d start this post with a little sweet

Doesn’t that look good?  Cieara and I made carrot cake cupcakes today (with cream cheese frosting of course!) and Cieara piped some carrots on them.  I have to admit – everyone in the house already sneaked one.  They are very good, and I’m looking forward to having another one later. 

Want to see something else sweet?

I finished it last week, but finally got it blocked today.   And really – what a perfect shawl for spring! 

Pattern:  Traveling Woman
Yarn:  Top Cat by Wandering Cat Yarns, Aurora colorway
Started:  March 16, 2010
Finished:  March 30, 2010 (well, blocked on April 4, 2010)

This is a great pattern – very simple, very easy, very fast.  Just what I need sometimes in between bigger projects.  Another very easy, great as a first time lace project.   I like the stockinette portion, and I think the lace piece is a little different from other small shawlettes so it kept my interest, and I enjoyed working it.  This was commute knitting – so you know it wasn’t complicated. 

The yarn is a cashmere/merino blend and I have to say – it was fantastic!  I loved working with it, and couldn’t wait to pick it up.  It is so soft that it would make wonderful baby clothes or blankets (if you think that a cashmere/merino blend would be good for a baby!).    I couldn’t resist this colorway when I saw it – it’s just perfect for this time of year – spring colors – a few different soft pinks with yellow.   Just so nice to see and use after such a long dark winter.    I’m struggling a little with wearing this – I don’t typically wear pastel colors, but I think I’m going to branch out a little and do it.  Because this colorway just is so beautiful that it will make me happy to wear it  – and make me remember that its nice outside when I’m stuck inside working.    I love this yarn too - I’ll be stalking the Wandering Cat shop for more  -  highly recommend!

All in all, another succesful knit.    Fast, interesting pattern, wonderful yarn.  What’s not to like!

We have been really busy this last week – the room got painted, and we had a bit of a time cleaning up after the painter (he’s cheap but so sloppy – not sure we’ll use him again).  The room looks beautiful and we are starting to get things back in.    I’ll have some pictures to show you once we get it a little further along, but wow – there is nothing better than going to sleep in a room that makes you happy!     

We took the dogs for a walk today in a preserve right across the street from us (very convenient!).  They had such a great time – they are so happy that its nice again, and that we are back to fun walks.  There is a lake in the preserve and Penny ran right in up to her belly (we don’t think she realized how deep it was) – we had one dirty dog on our hands!    I didn’t care though – it was so good to be out in the sun and be moving.   Isn’t it amazing how good Spring feels?

I’ve been working on Coraline – I’m still working on the hem, but I should be finished with that shortly and then onto the body of the sweater.  I needed some commute knitting so I started a project today with the silk/cashmere that I picked up visiting my mother.    I’m having a hard time putting it away in my knitting bag  and saving it for my commute – amazing yarn!

OK, I’m off – have a wonderful week and enjoy Spring!