The Land of Misfit UFOs

3rd Time ribbed sweater and the second helmet liner.

Mom's Koigu Scarf and one CrazyLandLady Regia sock

(now frogged back to the ankle because I wasn't crazy about the fit).

Check it off the list

Halfway through my 6-day 'vacation' and the to-do items are dropping off like cluster flies after a hard frost (at least here in my achingly old farmhouse). 3 Dulaan projects and the 2 Red Scarf projects are blocked and folded away. 1 Helmet Liner is done, the other is 1/3 finished. The second skein of Mom's Koigu scarf is wound and ready. The storage cubby has been cleaned out and organized. Christmas gifts bought throughout the year are sorted in and boxes (not wrapped). The rest of the fall clothing has been put away and winter sweaters are at the ready. The down comforter is on the bed and 8 loads of laundry have been washed, dried and folded.

Not yet done: cleaning the apartment, paying bills, cleaning off my desk, scheduling my physical and mammo appointments, replying to my inbox, finishing the Christmas list, and starting the Christmas socks and gloves.

Of naps and knitting

How we spent Thanksgiving (notice the prominence of the Serengeti wrap)

There is much rejoicing in the CattyAbode - I'm off until next Wednesday! Unfortunately, even if I start knitting RIGHT NOW I won't finish everything on the to-do list. Even more unfortunate is the fact that knitting isn't the only thing on my to-do list.

Viva la Toque

Here's Frenchy's toque done in 2 x 2 ribbing. Since I'm not a personal fan of the look of decreased ribbing, I chose to make the red and yellow area at the top just stockinette. All the yarn used for this hat was a recycled gift from a friend - the gray yarn was actually two strands together wound into a ball. I diligently unwound it and rolled it into separate balls, but had NO IDEA it was two different colors of grey until I took this picture. To explain - the contrast is much more apparent in bright lighting (the flash of the camera), and I have old eyes and new glasses. Frenchy likes the subtleness of the color transition (it is subtle. really.) and is very happy with the hat.

In other news, I am looking forward to having 6 DAYS off starting Thursday. My list is getting long, but definite projects to finish include 3 Dulaan projects in various stages of doneness, my mom's Koigu scarf and two helmet liners for Kimberly. And then I can start my holiday knitting. And maybe finishing 1 x 3!

Bright lights, big city

And the surprise trip was tooooooo.......

Montreal!

After a few misleading clues from the CatMan, he finally revealed our destination. We had a lovely weekend in Montreal's Centreville. This is the view from our room in the Courtyard Marriott on Sherbrooke. We walked to the Museum and had a wonderful dinner at Cafe Bistro le Baroque (190 Sainte-Catherine Rue Ouest - right across the street from the Museum.) The weekend was cool and rainy, but perfect for some rest and regrouping. To top it all off, we stopped by IKEA on the way home. I think we always disappoint the Border Crossing when we declare so little after an IKEA run!

No baby yet

But we have a sweater!

Project specs: This pattern
One skein Sockotta cotton/superwash wool (color 5613) on #3 needles.

This was a quick knit and I like the result. If I knit it again, I'll probably use a different yarn (I'm a matchy-matchy girl).

In weekend news, the CatMan is whisking me away for a surprise getaway. I've got no details (did I mention how I hate surprises?), but a couple of projects will be going with me to keep us company. I just wish I knew where we were going (and if there will be yarn for sale!)

Stop the presses

This just in: I went to the happy place today to pick up some needles and walked out with this.

My mom's birthday was this past weekend and I found out she got a new winter coat in periwinkle. So being the loving, yet neglectful of the present-buying daughter I am, I thought I'd knit her a scarf as a late gift. (I know - really! A scarf! What a new and novel idea. I've never done THAT for Mom before!)

This swatch picture is labeled "KPPPM P523" and my actual dye lot is "KPPPM P210": however the colors match. If anything, the yarn is a bit brighter in person than online. Problem is I'm in love with this yarn. Deep, possessive love. The kind of love that may not endure separation. Or may cause me to go back and buy the remaining sale skeins.

The world's a little wonky...

...through new eyeglasses. It seems for the past two years, my right eye has been doing all the long distance looking, and my left eye has been doing all the close work. Well now, they're back in sync. And I'm having some problems. The closest I can relate it to is the sensation of only one eye looking through a lens and the other one is trying to catch up without any help. Disconcerting? Yes. Unnerving? Yes. Annoying? Definitely!

In knitting new: the Sockotta Cardi is done, blocked, buttons on. Seems the CatMan made off with the camera, so pic coming later today. Frenchy's toque came out a little smaller than I had planned, so it's going in the Dulaan bag and I'll start a new one tomorrow. I've also started a Dulaan kids' poncho.

1 x 3's front is finished. Now I just need to motivate on the back. Then the sleeves. Then the neck . You get the idea.

I'm all for a challenge!

Especially when it's a win-win like this one!

Ya want fries with that?

Red Scarf #2.

These Cascade 220 colors make me think of warm, comforting things like tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The CatMan took one look at it and said, "Why are you knitting a McDonalds scarf?" Norma has already cautioned me against putting my response in print on the grounds it may incriminate me later.

I'm ticking off the projects with deadlines and this is the most pressing. Baby is due in less than one month with mom feeling like she could go at any time. I thought I could make this pattern in Sockotta and it would be successful. Now I'm having some doubts:

Notice the lack of matchy front stripe-age. And the big bars of colors on the sleeves. The pattern has a remarkable lack of guidance - at no point are you given the overall length of the garment or the sleeves. This is a slight problem for me since I don't have kids or know of anyone within a needle's throw who does. So I culled what information I could from other baby patterns I had on hand. I'm thinking once I finish, block this puppy, and sew on the buttons I will be much happier than I am right now.

And in preparation for upcoming projects, I wound off some more of the "alpaca cones that will not die." Note the green/blue cone is a full 2.2 kilos; the burgundy and black have had some major knitting applied against them. I think I'll be keeping company with these kids for a good long time.

Just in time if you're my knitting, not my car

Tonight marks the first snowfall in my neck of Vermit. Woohoo except for the fact I don't have good snow tires on my car. On the Suckfest scale (of 1-10) , the drive home rated 200.

My niece's Urban Rustics. Once I got the clue, they went very quickly. Some pattern mods on my part: I just cable-cast for the additional finger stitches instead of the crochet cast on, did a 3 needle bind off instead of the grafting, and did a finishing single-crochet all around the cuff opening with a loop for the button. My project specs: 1 skein Berroco Foliage on #10 1/2 Brittanys.

And here are the Socktober 2006 socks. Since I'll be wearing them with clogs, I don't mind how funky the fraternal twins look. And really, how much do I love the fact they were $2.00 and took me just a smidge over 2 weeks to finish (that's gotta be a record for me and sock knitting!)

This weekend I'm hoping to make headway on the 1 x 3rd Time ribbed sweater.

Fall is ap-pair-ain't

As Norma has mentioned, the colors aren't as vivid this year, but I'll take 'em. The Catman observed there so many wooly bears, the road seems more like an obstacle course. That can't bode well for the winter, can it?

The pairs not yet apparent, but getting there. One Urban Rustic (which fits and looks better on than in the pic) and one Soctoberfest sock.

One Red Scarf fini - Leftover Koigu and fingering weight alpaca knit lengthwise (450 stitches, thankyouverymuch)

And this weekend, the CattyAbode celebrated the end of summer by dressing the bed in its flannel sheets and turning on the heat. Miss Isabellie says, "It's about freaking time, people!"

Enter expletive here

Urban Rustic is kicking my butt. I think tonight might be the charm. Or the night I'm found impaled on my needles with a noose of Berroco Foliage wrapped around my neck. Let the betting pools open now.

Gotta get knitting!

Progress on the two-tone sock - I kinda like the striping!

I've decided to do the heels and toes in one of the solids.

Non-progress on the 1 x 3 ribbed sweater.

However, I did pick out red yarn (Cascade Heathers) for Red Scarf #2. I'll be knitting this along with the buttery yellow and soft orange from my stash.

Pretty, hmmm?

Some gorgeous Berroco Foliage to knit Urban Rustic for my niece's birthday in 16 (!!) days.


And to confirm I'm completely off my rocker, the co-worker's baby that I thought was due in December? Is due in a month. Ack. I was going to attempt the Sockotta baby cardigan using this:

Oooo, check this out!

My friends at Soapdish in Burlington just launched a new site.

There's still a little tweaking, so keep checking back.

Here's something you never see on my blog

Scarves. *snerk*

Here is the Sari Silk Scarf knit from the recycled silk yarn I picked up at the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival. Note to anyone using this yarn: when you are blocking it (yes, I gave it a cool, handwash bath), you will need to open all windows and extinguish all open flame, 'cause dang! The fiber smells as if it is magically spun from pure gasoline. Once the scarf is dry, there are no worries (and I didn't detect petrol fumes when I knitted it, just some not-unpleasant funky organic scents). Truly, I love this scarf - the way the colors surprised me as I knitted it and the way it drapes.

Scarf details: Wool Peddler Kathmandu Unrefined on #7 Inox straights. It's about 5' long, 3 3/4" wide.

Pattern (over 20 stitches)

Row 1: K3, YO, K2tog, K12, K2tog, YO, K3

Row 2: K3, Purl 14 (including the YOs), K3

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until desired length. The K3 on each side helps the curling issue (and the blocking takes care of the rest of it). I tapered the ends by decreasing/increasing the K2togethers at the appropriate ends.

And here's a little glimpse of Red Scarf #1 (ayep, the wonky one is frogged back to the diamonds). This one is knit with some leftover Koigu and the red alpaca cone that will not die

Start your needles!

Here we go!

My entry will be from 2 skeins of Jawoll Superwash Cotton in my favorite pattern on #2 Brittanys (as modeled by Senor El Cinco).

Yes - the 2 skeins are 2 different colors - I scored each of them for a dollar!

Right now, my thought is to knit alternating bands, which

may look funky-cool with the pattern's vertical ribbing.

Stay tuned for the verdict.

A bag and a view

First a bag winging its way to CIC - yarn and knitted goodies accumulated from my stash and various other knitting f(r)iends. Not pictured are two large Ziploc bags of toiletries, etc also included in the box. If you love shopping the samples section of your local drugstore, I encourage you to check out the CIC site for needed items and MAIL THEM.

Here's a pic of my knitting spot for Purl. Really - it's my spot. I just let the cats think it's theirs. I'm doing a pretty good job, if I do say so myself.

Of Grandparents and Squares

Here are my squares for the Grandmother Purl project. I started knitting with the idea I would do 2. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to knit one for each of my grandparents. So that's what I did. Sadly, I was never able to knit for 3 of my 4 grandparents, but I'm thinking these squares will honor someone else's.

From left to right: (all squares were knit with yarn from my stash. I think my grandparents would have appreciated the frugality of it all!)

Block 1: In memory of my grandfather William Cryder (who died when I was 5 months old). This square is Jawoll washable sock yarn in a green/yellow/red colorway (the ball band has long since disappeared) knit together with black Peruvian alpaca in a fingering weight. I love how the square looks like stained glass. I threw in some vertical twisted ribs to add some texture to the plain garter stitch.

Block 2: In memory of my grandfather Charles "Shep" Shetler. This square is a basketweave stitch done in Berella Country Garden D.K. machine washable 100% Merino, in a soft sage green. The yarn made me think of how Pop-pop loved to garden, especially irises.

Block 3: In memory of my grandmother Lula "Sister" Shetler. This square is pink/lilac/taupe variegated wool sock yarn from Dorchester Farms knit with Froehlich Wolle washable sock yarn in taupe. I did an open dropstitch pattern in keeping with Grammie's love of crochet. (If I had really planned this out, I would have figured out how to do a chevron pattern.)

Block 4: In honor of my grandmother Irene Nell Holcomb Cryder. This is the first block I knitted for the project. It's a trinity stitch square combining 2 strands of Baby Ull; one in periwinkle, the other a sky blue. I used the trinity stitch to honor the fact she has been a spiritual mentor for me and the colors are her favorite.

Thanks Kristy and company for taking on this project! I hope we have enough squares to give to all the residents.

Don't make Soba angry.

Just do it!