Ribs and Lace

Pattern:Ribs and Lace Tank - IK Spring 07

Yarn: Naturally Caron - Country - 4 skeins

Needles: KnitPicks interchangable US#8 and US#4

Size: small - 33 1/2"

Started: Feb 14th, 2009

Finished: Feb 24th, 2009

I'm happy with how this turned out and it was a pretty fast knit. Just not happy with the photos! You don't wanna know how many clicks of the camera I had to make before I got a few decent ones!

I bought the yarn at Hobby Lobby because I liked the soft feel of it. It's 70% acrylic/30%wool! It was only after I got it home that I realized the pattern was knit in 100% cotton. Still it turned out pretty nice, and I should be able to just throw it in the washer and dryer (according to the ball band!). Don't think I'd use the yarn again though, there's too many nicer ones out there. I didn't actually use all 4 skeins, but had to break in to the fourth one when it said to split the top for shaping and knit both sides at the same time. I might even try to knit a pair of ankel socks with the left over, just to put on when my feet get cold in the summer! (yes I wear socks in the summer indoors cos the a/c makes my 'tootsies' cold!)

a closer shot of the back!

and even closer!

and my little Boo man, getting in on the action!

my 15 minutes of fame!

Over the past few days I've recieved 2 messages in my Ravelry inbox. They were from someone I didn't know - someone named 'bioengiknitter'! The messages were a request to use my photo on the Ravelry page for that particular pattern. The first was the Lace Bolero from Sirdar, and the second was the little baby jacket and hat I just knit. So if you click on these patterns you will see my photos featured in the left hand column :-) I have to admit I was rather thrilled to get the request - that someone liked my FO that much that they would feature it in the photos column... well, it really made me smile.

On another bright note, Hetty awarded me with a 'Fabulous Blog award last week - thank you Hetty!

Hetty wants to know 5 things I am addicted to and then I should pass the award on to 5 other blogs! Right now I'm seriously only addicted to one thing, and that's knitting, but I'll try to make a list of 5:

1. Knitting! There's not a day goes by that I don't pick up the needles.

2. Knitting Magazines - seriously! I can't stop buying them, even when I know I will probably never knit anything from a certain issue, I'll buy it anyway!

3. American Idol - I can't deny it, I love everything about this show and never miss it. AND... I really like Simon Cowell!

4. My computer! and all the things on it like Facebook, Plurk, IM... I'd feel totally lost without it.

5. and last but certainly not least .... RAVELRY! of course. To be honest, I don't think I'd be as addicted to knitting if it wasn't for Rav ;-)

I can't pick just 5 blogs to pass this on to! I think ALL of the blogs I read are just fabulous :-)

and look who's coming along nicely.....

...she may well be off the needles in the next couple of days!

I wish I could knit faster!

Don't you ever wish that? When I start a project I seriously wish it would take only about 3 days to complete, because by that time I'm already itching to cast on for something new! That would obviously be the 'ADD knitter' in me, but it doesn't help that there are so many great patterns out there that I would love to knit. I've always felt this way, and Ravelry certainly didn't make it any easier for me. I sometimes get on there and can sit for hours browsing all the patterns and seeing what everyone else is knitting. Silly really, because that is some serious knitting time I'm wasting!

I don't have any FO's to show this week, but I still wanted to just post an update (lest you all think I've disappeared and you stop visiting!). I'm half way through the second Almeara glove but I have to admit I've slowed down a little on it... that's because I cast on for the Rib and Lace Tank from IK, Spring 07. The weather is really warming up here in central Texas and all of a sudden I felt the urge to find some summery looking tops to knit (and by that I mean 'quick' knits that have no sleeves in them) ;-)

I am hoping I can get the tank done in the next few days. I have book club next Thursday, if the weather is nice enough I may even get to wear it that soon! One last thing before I go, I must point out my pretty 'knitting graphic' at the top of this post - isn't' she adorable? She was made by my sweet bloggy friend Judy form Homespun Blessings. Judy asked me what kind of things I liked, and of course I had to say knitting. I also love reading, so this totally sums me up. She created it so I could add it as a sigtag to my emails, but I want to keep her on my blogs for a while too.

problem sorted - kind of!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Turns out that blogger works ok for me in Internet Explorer but not in Firefox! Hubby says sometimes Firefox will get a glitch in it and they will get it sorted eventually. The problem is that Firefox on my laptop doesn't seem to have the glitch? so I'm still a little confused, but for now I'm using IE when I use blogger and it lets me upload photos etc.

I mentioned to a couple of knitting buddies online that I was planning on making 'heart-shaped' meatballs and spaghetti for my loved ones yesterday..... I blogged about it on my daily blog. So if you want to see/read go HERE.

I'll be back soon with some knitting news! Hope you all had a lovely Valentine Day yesterday.

it's rather strange!

It must be my computer, this problem with blogger. The reason I think this is because I checked blogger from my laptop this morning and it has the same screen as it's always had, and it lets me click on icons above the 'posting' box. I wonder if I have a bug in my system:-(

I'm going to have my hubby look at it tonight. In the meantime I wanted to show a picture of my finished 'left hand' Almeara Glove. I am happy it's finished but not even looking forward to starting the second one! I am attaching the picture here by using my laptop, so hopefully you can see it.

It's only taken me a week to knit, so hopefully by this time next week I'll have a pair! And I can then get back to the Cleopatra Wrap, which is ALL for me (unlike the gloves, which I'm not sure are for me or will be gifted yet?)

what's wrong with blogger?

Well I was going to show a picture of my Almeara Gloves with two fingers knit! But the little icons at the top of the post in blogger aren't there and I can't see how to add an image? I rebooted my computer but it's still coming up the same when I restart the program. Has anyone else tried to blog and got this problem today? It's very strange!

taking the plunge!

So yes, I 'bit the bullet' - 'took the plunge' or however you want to call it. . . I cast on for Almeara Gloves on Friday night! Eeeek! I thought it would be rather scary what with all those complex cables but so far I'm fairly happy with how things are turning out. The pattern has been pretty easy to read and each round knits up pretty quick, so I can do at least 10 rounds in an evening or afternoon if I get a few minutes on my own (it seriously has to be very quiet around me when I pick these up!) and sometimes more than that.

The only scary part I find is when the pattern calls for changing the cables and you end up purling a stitch that was perhaps knit in the previous round - I'm never quite sure if that is indeed correct or if I'm a stitch off or something.... as far as I can tell though I think I'm doing it right.

I have about 10 rows to go before I cast off for the pinky, then things might really get scary! I can't remember the last time I knit fingers, let alone fingers with cables on them! Is anyone else going to cast on for these? I know Charity did - how are you doing with yours Charity? Hope you're getting some quiet knitting in as I type this ;-)

ADD Knitting!

I finished the socks off for Kristen today. Remember, with the yarn I ran out of! They came out pretty nice and she loves them (first pair of socks I've made for her!).

Just in time too, cos I already cast on to knit the Almeara Gloves! And a couple of days before that I cast on to knit the Cleopatra Wrap. Yes there is some serious ADD knitting going on here. I might have put off knitting the gloves, but Charity said she'd knit along with me if I started them, so I couldn't resist :-) I'm hoping I can get the gloves knit pretty quick, if I don't I fear I may lose interest and want to put them aside - hopefully that won't happen now that I have a 'knitting partner'

The wrap will be put aside though until I get the gloves done. I'm still trying to get photos of me modeling Soleil! I was waiting for warmer weather, which we actually have this weekend (don't hate me, but it's 75 here today!) but I still have to crochet around one armhole, which I know I won't get to this weekend.

We're having a nice relaxing Saturday today, and I think I'll go pick up the gloves again ;-)

off the needles

Knitting took a back seat this past week when I started painting our master bedroom. That's not to say I didn't already have something on the needles that was very nearly finished. This was a quick knit that I decided to try with some yarn I had in stash.

I wear a lot of long sleeve t-shirts at this time of year, but lately I was still feeling the cold. I hate wearing layers, my arms just feel so hindered when I do, so I decided a vest would work better for me.

Here's the 'Scoop' on the Scoop!

Pattern: Ski Lodge Scoop, from 12 Months of Knitting
Yarn:Cascade Yarns Eco+, from stash
Needles: US10 (US9 for armhole and neck edge)
Started: January 28th, 2009
Finished: February 4th, 2009
Mods: Knit in the round up to armholes

I actually checked my gauge for this and had to go up a needle size in order to get it. I knit the small size 30" and it's a perfect fit. I'm always worried that patterns like this will turn out too tight under my arm and I was even more concerned because I would be wearing something under this. But it's very comfortable to wear, armholes are the perfect size, and I love how the ribbing hugs my body. It's like having a little extra blanket wrapped around me to keep me warm, but at the same time my arms don't have that annoying 'covered' feeling like when I wear two 'long-sleeved' tops (which I don't do very often).

I wish I could get some decent shots outside, it would be much more interesting than up against the plain wall in the bedroom - note to self "when you can't get a decent (read flattering) shot of yourself, simply 'chop your head off'!