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Mama, wife, knitter, blogger, spinner, wannabe something or other. That's enough, right?

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Happy WIP Wednesday..

The temperature finally broke here in southern Wisconsin. It went from being in the mid-80s to the upper 60s and low 70s this week. Finally. I got so sick of going outside to walk the dog at 8:30pm and it still being 84 and humid as all get out. I didn't want to walk Puppy because of that.

But, it's finally starting to cool off.

School started in our neck of the woods. Actually, it started last Thursday (September 1). Years ago there was a big hubbub about school starting before Labor Day and how it was screwing up tourism and blah blah blah. So, they changed the ruling to say that school had to start no earlier than September 1...which still supposedly screws up tourism about half the time because of a late Labor Day. Whatever. It means that the kids went to school for two days, had a three-day weekend, and started back up again yesterday. Kind of silly, if you ask me.

Anyway, I have an actual WIP to show you.

I've been working on that shawl (the one I talked about here and here). I'm finally on the last row of the lace section (actually, that was the row before the one I'm on now but I haven't started the wrap & turn section yet so I still consider myself on the last row of the lace section).

I've only had some minor problems...a couple of sections that got messed up and I had to "fudge" (though, in retrospect, the fudging turned out fine), a dropped YO here and there...nothing too major. When I get finished with this row, I'm going to stick a lifeline in, though, so if I screw up, I don't have to rip all the way back. That would suck.

Anyway, gratuitous photo of the WIP...

































 Don't mind my funky Wisconsin pants. They're my new jammie bottoms :) So, as you can see, the pattern pretty much forces itself into the shape that you want at the end...but some blocking is still going to be required. This was a few rows before the end of the lace section. It's actually turning out quite well.

I'm not sure "shawl" is the correct word for this project, however.....more like a scarf but a little too wide for a scarf and you wear it like a shawl but you don't have to...

Other than that, there are things on needles, things in my stash, Puppy, and Little Man to deal with...

Oh, my swag from Stitches Midwest. I don't think I've shown you that...

































Please, don't count how many skeins of yarn you see in this photograph.
I was in the market for a few projects' worth of yarn. So, I picked up some Malabrigo chunky...though, for the life of me, I'm not sure how 16 skeins of chunky Malabrigo yarn (at 100 yds/skein) is going to translate into a camisole for me. Seriously? That just seems like a lot of yarn. What's the worst thing that happens? Oh darn, I have to make something else from the remains. Boo-hoo. There's also a sweater's quantity of finger weight yarn from both Zen Garden and Ella Rae (the latter of which I got at the Webs booth). I also couldn't resist some of the yarns from Miss Babs and Sophie's Toes. I also picked up a couple of skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts' Socks that Rock, a skein of Shalimar Yarns, a couple skeins from MacKintosh, some fiber, and various other things. My "big" purchase is rather small, actually...I sprung for Signature Needles. I got six sets of DPNs (#1, #1.5, #3, #5, #7, and #8)...you can see them toward the top of the picture, in their carrying case (which I got for free with that purchase). I also picked up a set of #1 Kollage Square needles and a small niddy-noddy (I have a large one, I wanted a small one). It was a good time. Little Man charmed everyone. And we had a late lunch at Joe's Crab Shack.

Let's not forget that I got pulled over for speeding just south of Rockford either. No ticket, my middle name is, "Ass," and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Anyway, for more WIP Wednesdays, go see Tami's Amis and Other Creations...

Maybe next time I'll show you the hat that I started...but maybe it'll be finished by then :)

And.....just because he's so stinkin' cute (and at his first mommy-held garage sale)...

14 comments:

  1. Ho-ly Crap! That's a lot of yarn from stitches! My haul seems so wee-tiny compared to yours!

    I also am so envious of your shawl/scarflette thing. I tried doing lace but grew very bored and ripped it out because I also needed the needles. It probably also helps that I don't have the attention span to lock myself in my room with no sound and just the pattern and me.

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  2. OOhh, that stash, I could just dive into it!! I miss the Market at Stitches. I will just have to go to South next year. Man, wish I could have gotten out of the ticket I got last year. What's your secret? Little Man? I only had "Teenage Nerd" and "Cute Mini Goldendoodle who isn't really mini at all", with me.

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  3. I love your jammie bottoms ;)

    I'm also amazingly jealous of your incredible yarn haul - it all looks so good! I'm working on a stashdown at the moment, but the minute I'm done I will be going crazy and will have a photo very similar!

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  4. LOL! You are funny.
    I love how you wear jammmy bottoms at home to kick around it. I live in mine at home.
    I'm SO jealous at your Stitches score; you made out like a bandit! I envy the thrills you got from fingering yarn and buying each hank!
    The sharf is coming along. I love your nonchalant attitude about it.
    Little Man is beautiful.

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  5. Little Man is adorable! And now he's been to a major yarn show :-) Your haul from Stitches is impressive -- I'm still knitting some of mine from Stitches South in 2010.

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  6. @ Marushka: I have a stash that I'm going through and being harsh on. I think that after Sheep & Wool this weekend, I'm going on a yarn diet until March (when Madison Knitters' Guild Knit In is held).

    @ Kepanie and Punkundine: I love my jammie bottoms. If I didn't have to leave the house, I would probably wear them all the time. In fact, last Winter when Little Man was much younger, I pretty much lived in them.

    @ Chrisknits: My secret was that I have paperwork from the car dealership that says they've tested the speedometer because I've suspected something was wrong with it. That and we lost it when the officer looked at my license and asked, "your middle name is Ass?" (my initials for my middle names are A and Z).

    @ Oneskeinandneedles: I usually have the TV on in the background...and this is done on larger needles (US #8s) and worsted weight. It's also not a full shawl. Also, I'm using my Knit Picks interchangeable needles so if I need my #8s, I can just take off the tips and button the ends until I work on them again. It's quite nice.

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  7. That is a fantastic haul! I am totally envious of your Signature needles. They are on my wish list.

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  8. I looked at the pile and said "Oh wow!" and then showed it to my OH

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  9. Wow...what a haul!
    I've got a special place in my heart for little guys...he's a cutie!

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  10. I can't breathe ... that yarn haul is impressive to say the least, then you round out the post with that "stinkin' cute" munchkin. This is too much for me. LOL!!!

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  11. Lovely, lovely yarn! I've got Rhinebeck and Stitches East to look forward to...plus a few smaller ones...

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  12. Wow, you made out like a bandit at Stitches West ...jealous (x1000)! The shawlish scarf looks nice so far!

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  13. Your Little Man is so cute! That is an impressive display of loot. So jealous! The lace is looking so pretty.

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  14. That is some noice yarn! jealous (2964286785235)

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