Sweater...

I'm seriously tempted to frog the entire front of my sweater and start over. First of all, there was the misprint on the chart. And then I managed to screw up a few other rows...and I'm not sure how bad it looks quite yet (I need to do another set of the chart to be sure) but I'm about ready to rip it all out and start over!

But, in other random events, I started working on Sherri's Christmas present...finally. We'll see how well my needles behave and whether or not I'm going to have to frog this one just so the needles straighten out a bit (40" circulars). I actually found a pattern I like for her shawl...I've been toying with the idea of making up my own but that requires more thinking than I'm ready to do at this point. So, I found one. It's the Optic Waves Shawl from The Knitter's Book of Yarn. We'll see....maybe I'll post pictures when I get beyond the first or second repeat of the pattern. Or not.

Anyway, happy Friday. Happy Hallowe'en. Happy weekend! And happy knitting.

Random pissed off moment...

I'm having a random pissed off moment: I went on Ravelry earlier this morning to find out what other types of knitters were doing the sweater I was doing. This was grand and there weren't any problems with that. And then I saw the little note: Errata at Berroco. Dammit.

Apparently the front cabling had a misprint in the chart legend.

I'm glad I'm only two sections into the charted pattern and it's at the bottom where no one will notice. But still...dammit. I'm glad I found that when I did. But dammit.

New Yarn...

I swear, photographs of my sweater progress are coming. Eventually. When my camera batters are charged again and I think about taking the picture at the same time.

But, that's not the point of this post. The point is that I bought new yarn the other day. I bought it from htNEVELE Designs on Etsy. I've been thinking about buying yarn from her for awhile...and I finally did it. And I even know exactly what I'm going to make out of it.

I'll post pictures of the yarn and it's worldly goodness. See reasons above...

Cabling among the death...

I've started the front of my sweater. I think I said that somewhere before, but I'm just saying it again. I had something strange happen...I swear, I was using the same needles and you would think I would have the same gauge. But, I discovered that my gauge got screwed up on the ribbing and so I went by how many rows I had done rather than how long it actually was because I was off by a 1/2" and had the same amount of rows. Everyone basically said that I should keep the rows the same because I can always stretch that out a bit. So, I did. And now I've begun the cabling pattern. It's not really difficult except that it's small and kind of a pain in the ass to read/keep track of. So, I don't know...maybe I'll just write it out or make it larger (or something like that).

Anyway, as my title says, I'm cabling among the death...and this is sort of true, though no one's died. My husband, who never gets sick, has been sick for four days. Actually, let me re-state that: when Brian gets sick with anything, it's for a day, maybe two, and then he's fine and back to normal. He's been sick for more than four days now. Granted, he's just really congested, has been cold (again, something he never is) and has a fever but still, he never gets sick for this long. We're a little worried that he's got H1N1 because he works in a school where he's around kids (and about three have come down with it - that he's worked with recently) and one of his friends has it (that he's seen recently). And Brian's reactions to illnesses aren't normal. Of course now, I'm getting sick. Well, maybe not...I don't feel sick or anything like that which makes me think it's been my allergies acting up. Usually if I get sick, I get sick and you know I'm sick. But I feel okay, other than the sneezing and itchy eyes (again, why I think it's my allergies). So, we'll have to keep track of it...if Brian's still sick after a week, I'm probably going to make him go to the doctor. And then I'll probably have to go. *sigh*

Other than that, it's raining. That's going to be a pain in the ass for classes today. I hate dealing with umbrellas and my laptop being in my backpack and walking through mud and puddles. Hrm. I suppose it could be worse. We'll see.....

New Bag :)

Is it bad that I bought a new zipper bag for the sole purpose of being able to take my knitting to school with me?

On MKG and other things...

I'm in The Madison Knitter's Guild. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to go to a meeting yet due to my class schedule. They have meetings on the second Monday of every month from 6-8pm.....when I'm stuck in class. So, I have yet to be able to go to a meeting. I'll be able to go come January...pending that my class schedule doesn't go apeshit again and I'm stuck in class on Monday nights again. I'm rather sad about this because I think I could benefit from going...and I can't. If I remember correctly, I'll be able to go next semester to the Guild but I won't be able to go to my Wednesday night knitting group. *sigh* The things I sacrifice for my education.

So, I'm wondering if I should make a unisex baby sweater out of Lionbrand Cotton-Ease...in that spring greenish color. I'm not sure that's a good idea because that's not really a "boy" color (no one knows what they're having)...but I don't want to make it white (because of baby puke and poop and food) and I'm trying to use some of my stash yarn. So, what to do? I don't exactly have the income to go buy more yarn (though that has never stopped me before) and I'd rather use up some of my stash.

Wait.

Maybe I should back up. I have three couples I know of having babies, all within the next few months. Matt and Johanna are having a something...no idea what. I was thinking of making them a hat/blanket/washcloth set that I found. Kyle and Stacey are having Yoda...but they don't know what Yoda is. I was thinking of making them the baby sweater with a matching hat (pending the yarn I use). And then there's Sarah and Ben...and they don't know what they're having either. I was thinking of making them two small blankets (using my cotton stash), one for the baby and one for their 3 year old son (who's totally adorable, by the way). I have a ton of yarn in my stash and I know I should use it for something. However, I want the yarn to be washer/dryer safe (obviously, if it's for kids, this is grand) and I want it to be something that lasts for awhile...the sweater may not last that long so I'm not sure I want to go there. The washcloths and blankets will last. Let's be honest, kids bring their baby blankets with them to kindergarten. And some still have theirs............

I have so much yarn in my stash that is just begging to have something done with it! *grumble*

But, I've been working on my sweater and a washcloth (probably for Matt and Johanna)...and I have those other projects all going on. So...we'll see what happens.


Oh, and randomly, I changed my name with the University today. That was entertaining.

Papers and reading...

So I finished my Educational Policy paper last night and I'm not happy with it. But it'll have to do. I mean, I could spend time and try to fix it to my standards, but, I don't want to. I have other things I'd rather be doing :)

So..........

I haven't been knitting much either. I started working on the hat for Nellie and I'm not sure it's going to turn out the way I'm envisioning. This may be due, in part, to the fact that the yarn is difficult to work with. It's not bad when it's one strand by itself but when you add another strand into the mix, it gets pissy.

I just wrote down all the homework that I have to do for the next two weeks....it's kind of scary. But, on the upside, I only have two papers to write...and an in-class, open note, open book, open computer exam. It's not horrible...just a lot of reading.

I want to knit, damnit. Is that so wrong? I want to finish my sock. I want to finish my scarf. I want Nellie's hat to work out. And damnit, I want my sweater!

I think I should wind more yarn this week....I have ideas in my little head that are going to require that I have some yarn ready to be knit up into wonderful things. We'll see...





I'm babbling. Am I babbling?

Random goings ons...

I finished the back of the sweater I'm making. I should post pictures. But, I don't want to (yet). Maybe when I get the front done, as well :)

I also started another project...I made a scarf awhile back out of some Lionbrand Homespun that I had...I used two strands of two different colors held together and made a scarf (darkish midnightish blue and grassish green). I wound up using it as a prize at my bridal shower a few months ago and Nellie, one of my bridesmaids, decided she wanted it. And because I know where she is, I'm making her a matching hat (because I have extra yarn). We'll see how it goes. It may not work out that well......but, we'll try it. What's the worst thing that happens? She doesn't get a matching hat. Oh well. She'll live.

Otherwise, I'm working on the same things, and a bag I forgot to mention before.

I think I have a paper to write today. Something about being in charge of $100 billion for the Department of Education...where should the money go. I'm not worried that the paper is going to be difficult to write, I just have to find evidence in my books to back up why I want to spend money here and there. And then I have to read. I have a lot of reading to do today. Maybe I'll get some knitting done...but I doubt it.

Oh, and Long Island Iced Teas from Fireside in Platteville, WI are DANGEROUS! Seriously, it was probably a 64-oz drink that had something like 12 shots of liquor in it...and some lime juice and Pepsi (all on ice - so it was more like a 32-oz drink). I'm still paying for my lack of sleep on Friday night. Oh well.....

Things...

So, I promised pictures........and I have pictures :)



I originally had to take this photograph for a class (that I'm no longer taking...the "art class"). I took it at Woodland Studios, my LYS. Basically, it's the "Cascade Corner"....this is almost all Cascade 220. I just like this photo :)



This photo is the beginning of my sweater. It's my first sweater and it's probably going to end up a little large (and I'm okay with that). It's from Norah Gaughan/Berroco Fall-Winter 09-10 Collection (Men's). The pattern is called "Devon". Right now, this is just the back. The front has cabling and such. It's made out of Berroco Pervia Quick wool (12 skeins). So far, I'm loving it....







These are my first attempt at socks. I bought sock yarn a zillion years ago with intentions of making a scarf...and then I found HiyaHiya 9" steel-tipped circular needles. And I decided that I'd try my first sock. It's slow-going but I enjoy the mindless ribbing that goes on...at least for now. I'm not sure how the hell to do the gusset/heel but, I'm sure I'll figure it out. I have directions and I can always ask the sock goddesses at Wednesday Night Knitting (and there are a few). So, we'll see......who knows. What's the worst thing that happens? I frog it and start over? Oh well.





This is one of the may scarves I've made in the last year. But it's not done. It's made out of Berroco variegated cotton something (I can't remember what it's called right off-hand). I found the pattern in a book of different stitches and I just kind of threw it together (I had to write the pattern down, first). I'm thinking that, once it's all said and done, that I'll make a PDF and, perhaps, sell this pattern. Or not. We'll see how things go. But, anyway, yeah....my scarf.




This is a close-up of the pattern. I've discovered that I shouldn't knit this while I'm at my Wednesday Night Knitting Group because I have a tendency to drop stitches and screw up the yarn overs. So, there are quite a few mistakes in this scarf....but I'm too lazy to go back and fix them. Besides, no one will notice unless they're nose to yarn with it.

Anyway, those are the projects I have going on right now. I was thinking of casting on another project...but I'm not sure I should right now. However, I do have about three baby items to make, as well as Christmas presents for the family and some of my friends.........so, maybe I'll cast on another project. I don't know. *sigh* Now I have to figure out what I want to make for people.

Is it wrong that I don't want to make anything for anyone else and be selfish with my knitting? I want to make something for ME! Oh, wait.......that's what the sweater's supposed to be. *hrm*

Beware! Wedding Photo Goodness...

So, wedding pictures galore, probably in no particular order...I'll try, but no promises :)

The wedding program with us in the background. I just like it. So I thought I'd share.





This one is me and all my bridesmaids in the chamber off the Assembly Room at the Capitol Building. Yes, there is a fireplace behind us...





Brian and all the guys, just as my uncle and I were coming down the aisle





My great-uncle and I, walking down the aisle.........because my dad's a pile of crap and my grandfather has passed away and he's the only father-figure I have left (besides Brian's dad).




The wedding party in the Rotunda portion of the Capitol Building (girls, hike up your dresses!).




The wedding party and us, outside of the Capitol Building.......I almost felt sorry for the girls. Almost.




I'm a sass. I admit it. Becky's a sass too (Brian's sister...giving him ears). *sigh*




Who knew a cake from Evil Wal*Mart could be so good?!




Everyone said I should go see my grandma, who is in a nursing home due to Alzheimer's...I did. And I was glad I did.




And, last but not least, the "Abbey Road" picture....except that it was MLK Jr. Blvd. It was still grand :)