The giraffe...yes that one.

He is done and I have to say super cute. I will however have no problems giving him away. I more than likely will attempt a second one at some point. I have other babies to knit for at the moment. My sister-in-law is pregnant with their 4th boy and I have an octopus on the needles for her now. After that, I will start a Monkee for my friend Jen O and her baby boy. I suppose after that I will work on something for my friend Justin and Aimee's baby. It will either be a blanket or a bear. I have yet to decide. For now the octopus seems to be flying off my needles- not to mention that everything else I am knitting is being ignored. I will one day finish the socks and shawl, no really I will. We are heading to Tahoe in less than 1 1/2 weeks which means lots of car knitting, and knitting at night, and at any other given moment. Hmmm, I must start to plan what knitting I will take...

I have made a realization....

I like DPNs...who knew? I switch my LSU sock (one of the 2 I have started) to teeny tiny DPNs and find myself flying on them. I'm sure the total of 7 hours I spent on planes within the last month didn't hurt either, but I'm saying it's the DPNs magic. I also find that I am now more consistent in my stitches. You can definitely tell where I changed needles, but I can live with that. I just want them on my feet.

(this was before I switched over, now I've turned the heel ,and have a little bit of the leg knitted since switching)

I have made a decision...I am completely done attempting to work on the giraffe! I am going to make something else for my friend. I'm currently thinking a blanket, bu we will see. I am planning a baby blanket for another friend and an octopus for my sister-in-law that is pregnant.

My shawl is coming along well. I have finished on pattern repeat. I have no idea if I can manage to do a total of 4 repeats before I loose my mind, but long enough to make it useful is all I need. I love the play of the yellow, green, and grey of the alpaca. This pic was before the repeat was finished, but it's not all that much bigger now.

Well, back to watching the Olympics for me...

Why some projects and not others?

I find myself preferentially knitting on some projects more than others. I was so excited when I started my LSU socks, now they just sit in their bag and are barely worked on. I love them and want to finish them. I somehow think it is the magic loop method. I am not a fan of contantly sliding and moving the stitches around. I love the idea and don't find it difficult to do. I recently made a pair of fingerless mitts for myself. I knit them quickly on dpn's. Is it cause I can just keep going and going around and around without re-arranging all the stitches? I am tempted to place one of my socks on dpn's and see if I get more knit quickly.

Don't even get my started on the giraffe. I know why I don't work on that one; I don't like the pattern. I find the directions hard to read and confusing. The reason I can't the toy is the finished product is sooo cute! I just hope it is worth it and I can actually give it away in the end. I am tempted to look for a new pattern, but somehow I know I won't.

Time to get knitting again.

So I must still be on a knitting high! I have bound off another scarf, made another hat, and finished a fingerless mitt. I pretended to start a shawl today, but do to not reading the directions I had to frog the first attempt. The lace pattern looks relatively easy (yes I realize looks can be deceiving).

This Wednesday night my knitting group is going to have a frog party. Surprisingly, I don't have anything to frog, but I am going to take the giraffe toy that has been haunting me in hopes of working on it. Natasha says I'm not allowed to leave unless I have more of the giraffe knit when I leave. I am bringing only that toy with me...I must finish it before my friend's son starts college-I realize he is only a few months old now so I should have plenty of time to reach that goal.

Since I still have one hand that is mitt-less, it's back to knitting for me!

More big changes and lots of knitting!

Again lots have changed in my life since my last pledge to do this more often. I am now back with my husband (yes I was as surprised as anyone) and things are really well. I dare not say easy cause by far they are not, but they are so much better than it was. I am also happy. So lots of knitting. I have finished a wonderful Clapotis made from this stunning blue sea-silk that was actually a gift from David back at the height of our fighting. I was never able to pick up this yarn and knit it until we decided to give us another go. I look at the wrap and I am amazed that something like that came from my hands (I hope to get pics up at some point). I have also managed to crank out 2 scarves and a had recently. The first scarf and hat are thick and chunky and made of wool. I made a joke saying that I was only going to wear it when we venture to Tahoe cause it doesn't get cold enough for it here in Southern California. The very next day David called to tell me that it looks like we are moving to Northbend, Oregon. I have found a use for my scarf (although it won't be till next winter).

I have had the knitting Mojo with me the past few weeks. I just can't seem to put it down or stop thinking about it. It is not unusual that I have knitting with me everywhere I go, but I find myself yearning to pull it out and work on it way more often than I have previously. By no means should you take this as complaining...I love this new Mojo that I have found. I think part of it is getting to start new things that I have been not-so-patiently waiting to start. I am currently working on a pair of fingerless mitts called Susie's Reading Mitts and my LSU socks. My next project after one of these is complete is to start on the Shoalwater Shawl. That will be my first attempt at a big lace pattern. I don't wear shawls and know no one who does, but it will be beautiful. I will find a use for it!

Addicted to yarn...

As with most knitters, I am addicted to yarn. It is hard to decide on a next project when there is so many beautiful yarns to choose from, and I am just talking about the yarns in my stash. I have tried to not buy any new yarns...for the most part it has worked. It takes a lot of restraint to walk into a LYS with my friends and leave with nothing (well almost nothing).

I am starting a new project. I finished Joe's hat and it looks great. I just need to wash/block it and send it on its way. I am still working on the lace stockings and the giraffe. I am proud to say that 3 of 4 legs for the giraffe are done. My new project is using Hand Maiden's Sea Silk. The yarn is fabulous...smooth and soft silk and the most intoxicating varigated blues. The yarn was a gift from David after our horrid Tahoe trip this year. He spent a lot of time in a LYS in Northern California trying to decide what to purchase. He sent me 2 skeins of this decadent yarn. I haven't had much urge to knit with it though. However, we have been talking recently...we have even spent time together...and it has been really nice. I think this summer caused him to grow up a lot and realize a lot of things. We are taking things slow, but it is nice to have him in my life. I don't know where things will go, but it feels like the right time to knit with this yarn...time to make it into something beautiful.

Hello again!

OK, so for real this time lets go. I have just finished a great scarf in this yarn trio from my LYS. It is ocean colors with soft greens and blues. It was a simple garter stitch pattern but I used one #35 and a #11 needle (the #11 came from needing a smaller needle and finding a #11 with a butterfly decoration on the end). It came out nice. It is very soft and scrunchy. I hope to get a pic up soon, but it's currently drying.

There have been a lot of changes in my life recently and I am just trying to get my feel planted back on the ground. My husband and I filed for divorce, I found out he had a girlfriend, and more recently I re-established a friendship with a friend I thought I had lost forever. I am learning to put me first, and for the first time in a very long time I can say that I am happy. Being happy I have noticed I want to knit all the time. I am currently working on a hat, some lace stockings (I have one done and the second is almost halfway done), and a giraffe that I am at war with. The giraffe should be my priority as it is for a friend who should be having her baby any day now, but after having started the thing 6-7 times I needed a break. I have 1 of the 4 legs done and that is it so far. I'm hoping that after I finish the hat I will finish the giraffe.

Well, I really should be in bed as I have to work tomorrow, but I just wanted to say hello again, and we will hopefully talk again soon.