New Projects!

Woohoo!! I officially finished my mandatory project and now get to work on some new projects. Well, not new as in just cast on, but new in that they haven't been touched in quite awhile. After so long in the ol' WIP pile, all projects become "new" again I do believe.

I finished the second sleeve on Solo on Saturday and sewed it in on Sunday. I got several nice comments on it when I wore it to work on Monday. The colors seem to be what catches the eye. I really wish this photographed nicer than it does. You can really see the pinstripe effect quite well in person.

My only complaint would be that the front points want to flip out. I'm considering getting some frog closures for this. Or, maybe just use some hook and eye closures to help it stay closed when worn. Not sure yet.



I also finished up the first of the Flying Carpet Socks on Saturday night. I'll need to take a photo using a blocker to show the lace. It doesn't show up well unless stretched out in this yarn.



As soon as I finished weaving in the final end on Solo, I opened up the WIP spreadsheet to see what my next main project would be. It turned out to be one of the almost, but not quite, finished items on the list. The bellydance halter I crocheted was the winner. There isn't any knit/crochet work still needed, but it does need the beaded fringe I was planning to add. Since I didn't have any other projects that I was itching to work on at the time, I decided to let the spreadsheet pick out the 2 companion projects also.

The first of those is Yesterday Once More, the crocheted jacket/skirt outfit I started in late summer last year. I brought that project up from the craft room to work on since I haven't had the time yet to devote to beading.



The jacket is now about 1/2 done. I'm a bit concerned about the size. Although I am getting gauge (using a hook about 5 sizes bigger than that called for-no clue how someone got this gauge using a size 8), it seems a bit on the small side lengthwise. I've decided that since it seems like the width will be fine, and it will get a pleated border at the bottom, I should be able to just add rows to that to lengthen the jacket if it is needed.

I haven't yet brought up the second project that was chosen. Mermaid 3 gets the honors. I'm a bit tired of the garter stitch stripes, so this one may languish for awhile, but hopefully not too long.

Valentine's Weekend

Paul got me some dark chocolate covered pretzels for Valentine's Day. Yum, my favorite! The purchase went something like this ....

Paul: I'll take a half dozen of your dark chocolate covered pretzels.
Girl behind counter: They only come individually.
Paul: Um ok, then I'll take six.

LOL, what's with people these days?

I haven't been feeling great lately, and insomnia has set in. I hate when this happens. I lay awake almost all night, then crash hard just before dawn. I'm super tired tonight, so I'm hoping to get back into the habit of actually sleeping at night.

I did manage to get out Saturday night for dinner though. We went to a Turkish restaurant I had heard about that has a bellydancer on Friday and Saturday nights. Isn't she cute? She did some really neat moves with those candles balanced on her head.












I got quite a bit of knitting done this week. The first of the Flying Carpet Socks is half done. I should be done with the lace repeats on the leg tonight, and be ready to do the cuff.



I got the first of the sleeves for Solo finished and sewed all the seams. The second sleeve is cast on and is about a quarter done. With luck, this jacket will be finished this week. Of course I said that a couple weeks ago didn't I?






I really like the way this is turning out and think it will get a lot of wear once finished.

I've also been doing some emergency alteration knitting. The sweater I made my stepdad for his birthday wasn't fitting quite right and needed a bit of attention. I had to buy more yarn and pray that the dye lots weren't too far off. It looks like it will work out ok, but if it's off too much I have a plan that should hopefully turn out not too bad. Ron wanted the ribbing to be a bit tighter, so I had to alter the pattern some. I've got the new ribbing knit, and I've cut off the old ribbing and picked up stitches so I can graft the new ribbing on. If the dye lots are enough different, I will need to knit new ribbing for the sleeve cuffs. The neckline was a bit too wide for him too, so I will knit that again using the new yarn. I'm hoping to have this done this week too, so he can hopefully get to wear it this year before it gets too warm.

New Project!

Well, I didn't manage to finish Solo, but I did finish the body and have just about 1/2 of a sleeve completed. Paul is going to be out of town tomorrow night and I envision a lot of knitting time :o)



Tonight I will weave in the ends on the finally completed gloves for Emily. I sure hope she likes these.



And, as a reward for being so darn good with sticking to those 3 projects for so long, I caved and cast on a pair of socks using the yarn my SP sent me. The dark yarn is not sparkly like it keeps photographing, but boy is it lovely to work with. I can't wait to get to the lace portion on the foot. Hopefully will have much more progress to show in my next post, but I am planning on concentrating on Solo during most of my knitting moments.

First FO of 2009!

I got my second SP13 package this week! More fabulous sock yarn! I love the colors in these, and can't wait to cast on a pair of socks with them. Last weekend I picked up a kit with a Cat Bordhi sock pattern that I think this yarn will look great in. And, there should be enough of the darker color left to make some matching hand warmers. Along with the yarn there was a dpn holder and a book. Some of the cartoons in this book crack me up (like the one on the cover). Definitely worth picking up if you like knitting humor. If you're reading this SP, THANK YOU!!



I spent a lot of time this weekend working on Solo. The body is almost complete, and should be so if I have enough time to work on it tomorrow night after bellydance class. I'm still not tired of knitting on this, but boy am I tired of blogging about it. I'm going to put a lot of effort into finishing it this next week so I can pull out some other projects to work on.



I'm into the hand section of the second of Emily's gloves. I'm a bit gloved out now, so I think I'll hold off casting on a pair of these for me until later in the year. I'm itching to cast on some socks now.



I finished Jenn's gloves this week and she's very happy with them. If I'm not mistaken, my pair of these were the first FO for 2008, so it's only fitting that hers are the first FO for 2009.



I've done really well so far sticking to my plan to get all my WIPs finished up, but this method isn't doing my blog any favors. There's just only so much you can say, and so many photos you can show of the same projects over and over. If I'm bored with them, then I'm sure that anyone who reads this is just as bored. I may have to adjust my "rules" a bit and allow myself to add a new project if I finish one of the secondary projects. We'll see.