Yarn Along - 1/25

Joining in with Ginny for Yarn Along this week. I'm almost finished with my Dahlia cardigan, I just have to knit one more sleeve which I'm already half way through. I have both sleeves still on the needles because I wasn't sure how much yarn I would have left! The first sleeve needs a few more rows of moss stitch (if I have enough yarn!). I'm hoping I'll finish it by the weekend and I can block it - I'm so excited!

As much as I want to finish Dahlia quickly I sometimes just need a break from knitting with the same yarn. I cast on for the Drifty mitten last night, actually late afternoon! And I finished it last night, all except the thumb!

I'm knitting with the same yarn again (Hobby Lobby's I Love This Wool), but using size 6 needles. It has turned out a perfect size for Kristen's hands. Usually mitts that I knit often turn out a little big. I'll probably try to finish Dahlia before I cast on for the second mitten.

I finished reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese last week for our book club, so before I start our next monthly read (which is Girl in Translation) I thought I would pick up the Harry Potter book again. I started the 5th book weeks ago and am not even half way through it. I'd like to get it read so I can watch the movie. I haven't seen the 5th, 6th and 7th movie yet, but I want to read the books first.

Yarn Along - 1

 I thought I'd join in with Ginny's Yarn Along this week. The two things I've been doing most since Christmas is knitting and reading :-)  I'm now in two book clubs, my main (real) one, and a 'virtual' online one with some friends.

This week I'm reading Cutting For Stone with my 'real' club, we'll be discussing it at our first monthly meeting on January 19th. I have to say, this is not my kind of read at all, so I'm not really enjoying it, but still plugging away at it . . . it's over 600 pages long!!! I'm also reading a Thomas Kinkaide novel with my online club and I'm really enjoying that one (more my kind of read).

As I mentioned in my last post, I cast on for a pair of socks so I had something small to knit while working on Wray and Dahlia. I'm using THIS pattern on Ravelry, they are called Double Knit Oversocks. Even though I've gone down two needle sizes (the pattern calls for us6 and I'm using us4 dpn's) I still feel like it's a little loose! I know, I know, I should check gauge, and honestly this is the LAST TIME I don't! I really will check my gauge with everything I knit from now on out - promise!

I've come to the conclusion that I have tiny feet - well not tiny in length, I'm a size 7-7/12, but the width of my foot seems very small, either that or I just knit really loose. All of the socks I've ever knit have felt loose and could, in my opinion, be a little smaller for a better/snugger fit.

Still, one sock finished, the key now is to cast on straight away for the second sock or I will be dealing with SSS (second sock syndrome) and will end up with yet another 'lone sock'! Yes I have others sitting in baskets waiting for it's partner!

I'm waiting for a package from Knitpicks this week, I ordered a 16" needle so I can knit the sleeves of Dahlia, doing them on the dpn's is slow going and I keep getting 'ladders'! I'm hoping I can knit them on the 16" for the most part before the decreases start? I've also ordered some sock yarn from them, in cream. I've wanted to knit these socks for ages. . . 

They're the Lingerie Socks from Knitty.com You can see them on Ravelry HERE. The picture is linked to the Knitty site. Not sure if I'll make them or pick a different pattern, I'm also wanting to try toe-up remember!

It's taking forever!

It's Wednesday - time for another 'Yarn Along with Ginny. Christmas knitting is getting rather boring!!! There's nothing worse than thinking you HAVE to knit something (tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that). In order to make sure I have a little something knit for all of my family back in England, I've resorted to making hats for the last few people on my list (mainly the guys!). I think I only have about 5 to go. 

Other than hats, I have Wray on the needles for me, designed by the lovely Lily Kate . . . . 

 It's taking forever (in the title) is pertaining to the 1x1 rib around the yoke! It was only for 31 rows, but with over 200 stitches on the needles, it did indeed feel like it was taking me forever. Especially as I wasn't picking it up very often. But I love this pretty cardigan, knit in lace and I think it will all be worth it in the end ;-)

I'm hoping this will be my first FO of 2012 - the year I knit for ME (even though I cast on in 2011)! Along with the knitting, I am back to reading Harry Potter - after a short interval where I read 'Look Again' for book club this month. I'm reading the 4th book and can't wait to finish it, just so I can watch the movie. I borrowed the book from my neighbor and it doesn't have a dust jacket, hence the reason for the photo courtesy of Amazon.

Also joining in with WIP Wednesday 

Yarn Along - 9/28

I was going to post my ADVENTure update today, but I thought I'd join in with Ginny's Yarn Along first, and post my other update later this week (cos I haven't got much to share for it!). Just like Ginny and many others who join in with 'Yarn Along' two of my favorite things is reading and knitting. I do a little of both just about every day. For the past few weeks I've been reading the Harry Potter books. I only read the first one many years ago, even though we have the first 4 books sitting on our shelves, and I've seen 3 of the movies. I started book 2 a couple of months ago, finished it in about 3 days, then watched the movie again. The following week I read book 3 and watched the third movie again with my hubby and daughter (she's 10). Now I'm reading the 4th book which is over 700 pages long and it's not going as fast. 

As well as that I'm also reading a book for book club this month called Look Again by Lisa Scottoline. It's about a woman who adopts a baby boy and later finds out he was actually kidnapped from his parents and then abandoned by the kidnappers because he had a bad heart. Bit of a mystery/suspense book and a pretty quick read. It's an interesting story line and one that will make for a good discussion at the meeting too. The woman has to make the heart breaking decision to either ignore what she finally realizes and keep the child, or share what she knows, knowing she will have to give up her son to the rightful parents. 

On the needles next to the book is another Christmas Gift hat (fit for a boyfriend!)  Knit with Hobby Lobby's I love this Wool, in black. I actually started knitting Jared Flood's Koolhaas last week but made a mistake and with black! oh my, I just couldn't do it - I hate knitting with black, so I pulled it out and started this simple beanie. I really want to do Koolhaas, but I think I'll try it with a grey yarn next time.