Thursday, March 30, 2006

3.30.2006

I was halfway through the capelet and it was looking suspiciously small to me. So, I measured the inside top border of the capelet and it is 32". (Do keep in mind that I properly guage swatched before beginning and my gauge was spot on) My daughter is not a big girl (chest 36b) and the measurement where the top of the capelet would be, around the tops of her arms just below her shoulders is 46". Hmm, that is a whopping 14" difference. So, just for $%*#s and giggles, I had her try it on. She couldn't even get it over her shoulders. I'm rather peeved now. Although the picture on the pattern is what appears to be an adult female, she must actually be an eight-year-old girl. Because that is the only person who could fit into this. So I'm ripping the whole derned thing out and am going to try to create my own capelet pattern. And, as I rip out each stitch of this blighted capelet I am going to curse the name of Karabella, for which I paid an undeserved $7 for this useless pattern. If I was a thirteen-year-old boy I would have felt that price well worth it, for as my daughter pointed out the model is clearly topless under the barely covering capelet and one can see her nipples rather clearly - at least the model got to pose in a warm studio for the the photo shoot.

Friday, March 24, 2006

3.24.2006

Snarl. Snarl. Ripped out and restarted the capelet pattern. It makes no sense. Maybe because there are penciled crossouts and changes written in on it. I think it has not been tested. And what i am knitting looks nothing like the pattern picture. I'm going to bed, snarling.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

03.21.2006

Baby blanket ends are all woven in. It is currently soaking in a lovely warm bath of Dreft. All the better to smell babyish.

Started Jesse's capelet last night. The pattern is confounding me, so I must confer with the knitting goddess. And, I'll need many, many more stitch markers. Many more.

Must go finish washing baby blanket and hang it to dry.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

3.19.2006

So. I was chugging along on the baby blanket. Happy. Starting the first row of the border which means I am starting the first of the last eight rows. Almost done! And, then, I see IT. A hole. About eight inches back. Keep in mind that this blanket is only 36 inches log. That's roughly 20% of the whole frickin' blanket. So, I spent most of today ripping back the blanket, stitch by stitch and row by row. Alternately pissed that I did that thing again and joyous that I can actually rip back, stitch by stitch, row by row. But, hey - I finished it. I still need to weave in the ends, wash it and then block it - but I AM DONE!

Saturday, March 18, 2006

3.18.2006

No knitting today.

Last night we went out for St. Paddy's day. I drank way more than normal - about seven White Russians - as far as I can remember. The Village Pub was so jovial and crowded! What a change! And, of course, the night was highlighted by UCONN winning. Good night.

Had to get up too early this morning to go to a foreclosure sale. DH is the Committee for Sale (glorified auctioneer and representative of the Superior Court) and I got to be the Notary Public. Yipee! At least it was sunny - but quite windy and cold.

I made Irish Stew (lamb stew) and Rumpledethump (colcannon). No dessert, though I am jonesing mightily for chocolate.

And then, tonight we had some friends over for wine, cheese, chess and hot tub. Five and a half bottles of wine. For four people. That means I drank over a bottle of wine myself. Why do I not feel like shit? Yet another question for the ages.

Off to bed with me. Tomorrow I'll rework the stew so that it is thicker and has no bones. And I'll knit, bloody knit.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

03.16.2006

Mother Goose's mittens are done! Whoohoo! I'm so excited, I want to mail them off to England for her! But, instead, I'll wash and block them, then give them to her when she returns at the end of next week.


Oh, and Jesse and I finally made it out to the knitting circle at the LYS. What a nice, peaceful time! Jess started a new scarf for herself in green and beige tones. And the knitting goddess agrees with me - she does knit weirdly.

At any rate, a very nice woman - the new employee - taught me how to rip back, which I am sure, for a more experienced knitter, is no biggie. For me, however, it was a major thing. It took me an hour to rip back the thirty-something rows and I got to restart the blanket at the point where I had done something incomprehensible to create the hole in the first place (being assured that I definitely did not drop a stitch) and then it was time to go. But, (fingers crossed) I should be able to finish it this weekend. And you know what that means . . . Yes, I'll get to start Jesse's capelet and get back to work on DH's sweater.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

03.14.2006

One mitten down. Second mitten started. I'm in awe. I don't know why, suddenly, I am again knitting flawlessly, quickly. I just don't understand it. How is anything different?

Come hell or high water, I am going to LYS this Thursday to get help with Barb's baby blanket. I am, I am, I am. I must finish it.

Friday, March 10, 2006

03.10.2006

Neighbor's scarf is done. Looks good, doesn't it? I'm quite pleased. Maybe I'll make myself one . . .

Now, I need to wash and block it, then I can finally give it to him. Only three months past his birthday. Hey! I'm on a roll!

Thursday, March 09, 2006

03.09.2006

Frickety fricking frick frick frick! These mittens are just giving me fits. I keep finding holes several rows back. I don't know what the bloody heck I am doing, but I am definitely doing something wrong. The yarn is starting to look rather worn. Frick! Frick! Frick!

Monday, March 06, 2006

03.06.2006

This must be the worst month for knitting. I have restarted Mother Goose's mittens a total of eight times. I keep dropping stitched or some other such %#*@ed up thing because I'll notice several rows back - a hole! Then, I get to rip it all out and start over. And over. And over.
And the baby blanket sits in my yarn bin and mocks me. It knows I can't rip it back to the dropped stich without ripping out the entire 30 inches of it. Neither can I go forward as I am knitting ignorant and can not just rip back the thirty plus rows to the mistake to fix it and then finish it. Errrggghhh!
So, I am going to go quietly restart Mother Goose's mittens for the ninth time. This will be the last time - I will not drop another stitch. I will finish one mitten tonight. I will.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Memorial to Kitty

We are very sad that PJ "Kitty" passed away on Monday. The poor old lady was over 21 years old, and she brought a lot of happiness into our friends' lives with her gentle, girly kitty ways. She was always good company, always there to greet you when you came in the door and quite the cuddler. She was the easiest and sweetest pet to sit. She will be greatly missed and I'm certain that she is very happy in the great catnip field in the sky chasing mice and watching birds.

Nothing to do with knitting - but so funny!

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know.
You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems.
Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green.
Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

3.3.2006

Chugging along with neighbor's scarf. I like the broken rib pattern - it looks quite nice and the wool is so soft and bouncy.
The picture doesn't really do it justice - it's a lovely hunter green sort of green. Rather like holly-colored (without the shine) velvet.
Haven't made any progress with the baby blanket - the whole state was shut down yesterday due to a snowstorm, so that meant no help forthcoming from the LYS. Maybe I'll get out over the weekend - we'll see. Jesse is anxiously awaiting the advent of her capelet, Kyle his mutant mittens, and tho' they haven't said anything, I am sure Bubba would like her hat and DH would like his sweater. And let's not forget Mother Goose and her mittens. Hmm - I think I need to grow another set of hands. Or maybe two.
Plenty to keep me busy - It's a shame Bernard Cornwell has published a new series (this one about the Saxons and Vikings) and, of course, it looks just great! http://www.bernardcornwell.net/index.cfm?page=2&BookId=41 I should have time to read it this summer . . .