Getting over the knitting blahs

I had a bad knitting day on Tuesday - I tried to do the tubular cast-off technique as described in Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up, on my bamboo stripey socks. I realised I'd made a mistake early on, so ripped back a couple of rows and redid it. Then after separating the knits and purls onto separate needles, and then kitchener grafting all 64 of them (gah!!) I discovered I'd obviously done something else wrong, because the cast-off was not at all stretchy. In fact, it was t-i-g-h-t. So it will have to be undone (I've no idea how...I suspect I might just cut it off....) and redone. I was so cross I did no more knitting that day.

And the next day I was just feeling blah about all my knitting. Yep, even though you can have 20 or more wips, it is totally possible to feel uninspired about all of them, and want to start something new.

So I did...(I'm pretty sure that surprises no regular readers!). And it is a project I've wanted to knit for ever so long but have kept putting it off. Well, no more!

So here's my Shetland Triangle in lush Karabella Magrite, an 80/20 merino/cashmere. This is going to be my huge cosy winter wrap. And I'm ever so happy with it, and my knitting!

Loppem

I finally managed to sew the buttons on Loppem, which I finished about a month ago, and organise husby to do a photo shoot for me. Fortunately it was a nice breezy day so I didn't feel totally ridiculous and/or hot wearing a worsted weight cardigan/vest thingy in the sun!

Details

Pattern: Loppem, by Norah Gaughan, from her Norah Gaughan Collection volume 3. Lots of errors in the pattern so make sure you print out the errata before you start! But other than that, it's an easy pattern and knit all in one piece, which, while it seems slow, at least means you have no seaming at the end. And it's bottom up, so the rows get nice and short towards the end!

Yarn: Naturally Sensation, a wool/angora blend, in the most gorgeous red. Of course, this colour is now discontinued. And only 6 skeins!! I can hardly believe it. I've got 2 skeins leftover. And I thought I'd be running close to the wire on the yardage. I wish I'd known, because I would have made it longer. As it was, I made it longer than the pattern specified by nearly 2 inches. If I could do it again, I'd add at least 2 or 3 more inches again to the bottom.

Sticks: 5mm KP Harmony options

Time: 29 September - 15 November 2009

What I learnt: Check the chart when doing cables! I ended up doing an extra cable crossing on one of the cables (but fortunately on both the left and the right side) so I had to make a feature of it - by alternating the actual cable pattern with my modified cable pattern. It worked out fine, I think!

To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure this is the right garment for me. A round yoke with a relatively high neckline does not do wonders for my bust...but I think it'll be a good layering garment, even if I just wear it around the house! But the colour, oh my I love the colour!

Keeping Track - November 2009

I admit, I've been putting off this post...but can wait no longer. Darn Bendi for having a sale (which, by the way, is still going - you've got until 11 December to make me feel better about my purchases!)

If not for 7 big balls of Bendi cotton (these are 200g balls or the equivalent of 4 regular sized balls!):

And two sock club shipments - one: Yarntini Self-Striping - totally indulgent but I couldn't help myself, her self-striping sock yarn is SO COOL!

And the other being Knitting Inspirations Summer shipment - lovely Fleece Artist Sea Wool:

Then I'd be ok this month. But of course, I am not...as usual.

In: 32 x 50g balls

Out: 10.5 x 50g balls (OMG these two numbers are exactly the same as last month!!)

YTD: 218.5 x 50g balls

I wonder if I can ensure December, at least, is yarn neutral. Or even, wonder of wonders, yarn negative!!

Cute

I bought an outfit for the Baby yesterday:

I think he'll look pretty cute in this. Especially if I make a matching eye-patch and single black sock aka faux peg-leg. And possibly a parrot for his shoulder...

Hello friend!

When I went out to hang out some washing this afternoon I found this little (or big, really) fella sunning himself (or possibly herself) on the pavers:

It's an eastern blue-tongued lizard (I think...) - it was probably about 40cm (16") long. I snapped this photo before hanging out the washing and by the time I was done it was gone! So I didn't get to see it flash the blue tongue! Oh well, maybe I'll see him (or her) again some time. I hope so, because they eat snails and slugs - great for the garden!

A commitment

Sorry about the dearth of posts lately - my mum has been visiting the last two weeks and it was just a bit harder to take photos and write posts etc. Not that we were out and about a lot, I have to admit there was a lot of sitting around and knitting and me teasing her about knitting for other people instead of her next grandchild - not that it had any effect!



But even though she didn't mention it once while she was here, her visit did make me feel guilty that I STILL have not finished the lace shawl I started for her in April 2007 (!!!). The last time I knit on it was April this year! Oh dear! So I pulled it out on Sunday after she'd gone home and realised I'm just over half way done (a bit more than I thought - hurrah!).

(sorry about the crappy photo - it's too long to fit anywhere to photograph easily!)

I know I can't get it finished by Christmas, but her birthday is in early April, so I figure I've got 5 months (including November!) to finish it - that's 10% per month, or 40 rows - totally do-able, right?

In fact, since Sunday, I've done two repeats - that's 16 rows - only 24 more to go until the end of November! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I have a dilemma

Hmmmm....what should I do?

Baking?

or Knitting?

I shall have to have a piece of cake while I ponder this weighty issue.

(thanks Husby for my birthday presents!! OK, I know I chose and bought the Barbara Walkers but you did real good with the Julia Child!)