Another FO!


I finished Counterpoint last night, and I am totally impressed (as is hubby - I honestly think he's more impressed than I am - lol)!

I've left it without tassels for now - I'll add them after I give it to her if she wants them, but I'm happy without them for now :)

So, that's 2 Christmas FO's this month! Yay for progress! I still have quite a bit ahead of me, but I am happy with the progress so far.

I'm thinking that I might pick up Sarah's Blanket again tonight while doing some tv watching, but for now I'm working on my dad's socks. Hubby has taken the kids downtown for lunch, so I think I might put Dad's socks down for a bit to work on his socks (I haven't touched them in at least 2 weeks now - eek!). I won't get any other time this week as he's home 'til Monday now (was supposed to be going back to work tomorrow) to help me with the kids as I'm STILL pretty much useless from the surgery.

I've decided that the KP orange-ish yarn will definitely become a cardigan. I'm kinda torn between 3 patterns though. It'll either be Wendy Bernard's "Something Red" long sleeved version (or maybe the 3/4 sleeve version - I like them both!), a Central Park Hoodie, or, Laura Chau's Lucy in the Sky.....Hmmm.... Opinions anyone?

It's not everyday that you can honestly say...

...that your bellybutton hurts!

I had surgery on Friday to have my gallbladder removed, and one of the places that they put an incision (there's 4 in total), is in your bellybutton! Seriously - it's not cool! I think that's the one that hurts the most! (Sorry if that's TMI for anyone!)

Anyways, on benefit of this surgery and being pretty much useless, is that I'm getting quite a bit of uninterrupted knitting time! Yay! Counterpoint is almost done - should definitely be done by the end of tomorrow, if not by tonight!

After that, I need to take a quick diversion from the Christmas knitting to make some mittens for my little Goober, and to fix his hat so it'll fit him for longer - if not make him an entirely new hat! That, and I'm thinking he needs a new pair of booties too.... Hopefully it won't take too long to get those projects done as it's starting to get quite chilly here the past few days!

I don't know if I wrote about it here or not, but I've decided to make a Tuscany shawl for hubby's Gramma in place of "The vest that just won't be". I know it's going to be red - but I need to make a final decision on the yarn by the end of the week so I can get it ordered and in and started! I'm thinking that it won't take any longer than 3 weeks from start to finish - plenty of time!

I've also started on a pair of socks for my dad - I actually worked on them while I was waiting to go to the OR for my surgery on Friday. I'm pretty sure that was the only thing that kept me sane and calm! I've got the cuff done on them, and am into the leg now.

I had been hoping to get a pair of socks finished for Socktoberfest, but it doesn't look like I'm even going to get an entire sock done at the rate I'm going at!

Well, at least I'll have 2 Christmas FO's this month!

It's ORANGE!

I like orange. Really, I do (the right shade of it, it's my favorite colour). However, having the "terracotta" yarn I order come in to be frigging ORANGE, well.... that stresses me. Orange is not what Gramma asked for. I don't even know if she LIKES orange! I was told coppery-bronze. This stuff is nothing like that.

Looks like I might get that Grass coloured sweater after all...

Yes, this means that, despite all of complaining earlier, my KP order is in. I love all my needles, and the yarn for my dad's socks are perfect, but this large pile of ORANGE yarn really overshadows it all.

I looked at the website on *3* different monitors (yes, we really do have 3 computers - oh and a server too), plus I got my mother-in-law to check it out on her computer , before I decided to go and order it. The stuff in my box, and the stuff on (technically) 4 monitors is totally different stuff.

I think I'm still in shock.

Here is the yarn in question:

Natural light - inside:
Natural light outside:

I keep on going back and looking at it and wondering what to do... It's still sitting on the kitchen table, and looking at it from here, it looks like a darker pumpkin.... Just waiting for hubby to get home to make a final decision, then I might email pics to mother-in-law and see what she thinks (It's her mom this is for).

**ETA** It's not just me with this yarn - I asked a question about colour inaccuracies in the KnitPicks group on Ravelry, and I'm not the only one who has had the exact same opinion with this yarn! I am going to keep it, but not use it for the intended project. Me thinks I have another Tuscany in my immediate future - this time in RED!

I'll put pics of the stuff I love in another post.

Well, colour me unhappy!

I'm not happy, and I'm definitely NOT impressed.

If I haven't mentioned it before, I HATE the building we're living in (enough to try to move after Christmas, in the dead of winter, IF we can find a house - no more apartments for this girl!).

They've been doing electrical work in the building for weeks now, and despite being on a different meter than the rest of the building, EVERY TIME they start working on the electrical, our power shorts out for a few minutes. Yeah, ok, that's a little annoying and all, but today is REALLY going to drive me NUTSO! They put a notice by the elevator door last night that today the power is going to be out on certain floors, and that the buzzer/intercom system is going to be down for the ENTIRE day!

Did I mention that my KP order is showing as "out for delivery"? Or that my mail slot isn't big enough for the package? Yeah. Wonderful. Not.

Looks like I'll be waiting ANOTHER day for my package because the mail dude will have no way of telling me that he's in the lobby with my yarn-y/needle-y goodness. Boo!

Despite this craptacular bit of info, I DO have some exciting news to report! I'm going to be an auntie again (I already have 2 nephews, hence the "again")! More itty-bitty baby knits for me, sooner than I expected (I know, I have a baby too - but at 5 months, he's almost in TODDLER sized clothing! Where'd my baby go!?!). They don't have a due date yet (waiting for an ultrasound), but it looks like their baby#3 will be due sometime around my 2 kiddos' birthdays (mine are 12 days short of being exactly 3 years apart!).

Looks like I might *have* to add one more itty-bitty baby sized project on the Christmas queue!

Counterpoint & KP order news

I received an email from KnitPicks this morning with a CP tracking number...Of course, since then, I've been pretty much refreshing the tracking page every 5 minutes! When I checked it just now, lovely yarn-y/needle-y package of joy has just been accepted into the sortation plant in my city! I have mixed feelings about this.. On one had - good thing it didn't get here today so I can get more of Counterpoint done (you do know I'll end up casting on for another project as soon as I open that box, right?), but on the other hand, I'm left disappointed - especially, because it says right on the tracking page that it "SHOULD" be delivered today (stupid delivery standard!). It's now 3pm, no way it'll get over here today! Ah well, yarn-y and needle-y goodness tomorrow for sure!

Anyways, my real reason for posting is the aforementioned Counterpoint!

It *looks* like just some plain jane scarf.....


But......

It's a bunch of awesomeness in disguise!!

Quick update...

I just wanted to post a quick update as to where I am with my knitting...

My KP order still isn't in yet, but I have managed to find a way to distract myself from working on that darned blanket...I started Counterpoint from Magknits!

It's progressing quite nicely - 30% done already, and hoping to have it done by the time I have to go in for surgery on Friday! No pics yes, but I'll try to post some tomorrow! I really do love how it's turning out, especially because this is my first shot at illusion knitting!

What next?

I have Tuscany blocking now (should be dry/finished by this afternoon), and now I'm sitting here, torn between working on that darned blanket, or working on hubby's socks.

On one hand, I haven't worked on the socks in about a week now I think - but, at the same time, that blanket is just haunting me. I don't want to work on the blanket, but I do want to get it done and out of the way....

What to do, what to do?

Edit:

Now I remember why I haven't been working on hubby's socks - I'm waiting for my new KP sock needle set to get here so I can work on both socks at the same time without having to go and buy another set of Boyes...

Ugh...I really don't want to work on that blanket, but it's about all I have to work on until my KP order gets in - need the needles, need the yarn...grrr! Hurry up yarn and needles!

Tuscany, a FO!



It's done! It's done! Hurray!

I finally bound off this evening, so it's not blocked yet, but I had to take pics and show it off anyways!
I ended up only doing 9 sets of the repeat, because when I measured it at that point, it was only 1/4" off from what the pattern said should be the finished measurement. If I were to knit this again, I would knit the full amount of repeats, but this one should be perfect as my MIL is 3-4" shorter than I am (yes, I actually called to confirm her height before I bound off).

I absolutely LOVE how it turned out - let me know what you think!

Yippeee!

I just got the email confirmation that my knitpicks order has shipped! YAY! Lots of pretty yarn and needles are on their way to me!

Now the rush is on to try to get Tuscany done before they arrive so I can play once everything gets here! I had wanted to get it done by Friday anyways, so not like it's a bad thing - it actually gives me motivation to get it done quickly :D

On a Tuscany note, there's no way that I have enough yarn to do the 11th repeat (I'm 3 rows into 9th repeat now, and have just started the 5th of 6 balls, with each set of repeats now using nearly a full ball). Hubby says having it being a bit shorter that the pattern calls for isn't so bad seeing as his mom is about 5'3" - so I don't feel so bad having it be a bit on the "short" side.

Only doing 10 instead of 11 sets actually means I'm THAT much closer to being done, and instead of being at the 75% done that I had stated on Ravelry, I'm actually 82% done! YAY!

Watch this space for a lovely FO by the end of the week!

Don't mind me, I'm just having a panic attack...

Seriously. Not in a joking way.

I've had panic attacks since I was a kid - not the crazy-can't-stop-hyperventilating-need-a-paper-bag-I look like a crazy-person kind, but ones that are incredibly unpleasant all the same. It's been months since I've had one, but in the last week, I've had...3 - one of which, I am currently in the middle of. I think it might have something to do with the season - because I do usually start having them around this time of year....

This morning, I was going through my Christmas '07 excel file (I HAVE to be the organized one when it comes to the holidays, or nothing would get done till the absolute last minute, if at all), and honestly, I thing we're doing ok so far.

We've "financially" (meaning some of this is supplies for making gifts that are not complete) taken care of 8 of 19 gifts (this does not include gifts for hubby, the 2 kids and myself).

Here's a list of who we gift to:

Hubby's Side - parents, grandparents, brother,sister,sister-in-law, 2 nephews, 2 cousins (who are practically our daughter's best friends), best friend (who may as well be his brother),one aunt(of MANY, but she's one of my all-time favorite people, and what I'm making her is relatively cheap supply-wise).

My side: Dad, mom, 2 sets of grandparents, sister, best friend.

My best friend is the only one who might have her gift postponed into the new year (I haven't seen her since...June maybe? Don't know when I'll get to see her next either), other than that, the rest absolutely cannot be cut...

Did I mention that I do all the gift shopping/prep on my own? That I won't even have a stocking unless I do it myself? It sucks, but I guess I don't really mind all that much in the end...

Do I really wonder why I'm constantly having panic attacks now? Not really...

At least I have nearly everything planned out, I just have to find the time/money/energy to take care of everything while looking after a baby and pre-schooler!

Cut to the part where this is knitting related (this IS a knitting blog. isn't it?)... I have a bit over 2 months to start/finish 6 knitting projects.... At least I have 3 of these on the go right now, but I am now incredibly driven to finish at least one of them within the next week - maybe then the stress will subside a bit...

Tuscany, you're my target (because I really REALLY can't stand to work on the blanket anymore this week!).

Alpaca silk is a beautiful thing!

I received my MYB Swap package today! Just in time for my much needed instant gratification project need! It's AWESOME! I LOVE IT!

I'll post pics a little later - I need to finish this hat ;)

FRAK!Damnit!UGH!

Sock #2? Yeah, it's frogged. Gauge was off, and had problems with laddering (which I now know how to fix, but that's besides the point). Did I mention I was over half done the leg? Yeah. Me? Not impressed.

I'm definitely NOT working on Tuscany today, can't risk an mistakes with that - no lifelines are in...

Must be the blanket enticing me to work on it again...

Quick update...

Ok, so I didn't manage to finish the 8th set of repeats on Tuscany as I had wanted to, BUT I did at least manage to start that set...Yeah, I finished the first row! Go me - lol!

I also managed to knit another 2" on to sock #2 of the Socktoberfest socks this morning - so, not too bad.

I really aught to work on Sarah's blanket, but for some reason, I have THE strongest urge to knit mittens. Alas, I have promised myself that I will not start another project until I have cast off one of the projects I currently have on the go... 3 WIPs at a time... Any bets of exactly how long that's going to last?

But seriously, as happy as I am with the projects I have on the go right now, I'm feeling like I need a quick start-to-finish project here and there to keep me happy through the large-and-major-time-consuming projects.

On another note, I'm starting to have a minor panic attack here...Despite having bought an extra ball of Sonata for Tuscany, I don't think I'm going to have enough for the full 11 repeats.... DAMNIT! Hopefully something comes out of the ISO thread I put up on Ravelry!

Turkey Weekend Tuscany Progress


I know, the weekend isn't quite over (yay 3-day weekends!), but I am so insanely happy with my progress on Tuscany that I just had to report on it!

Ok, so the pic is not that great - but I can't spread the work out properly because of my own stupidity. Yeah - I some how thought I needed a 29" circ, when in reality, I need a 40"!

In this pic, it is stretched from join to join, so yeah, it's getting big! Yay!

Out of curiosity, I decided to measure just how big it is now. I was unable to get a width measurement because of the circ length issue, but for length - unstretched, I'm already at 18" long, and from cast-on, running up the side of the work, is 21" unstretched.

I'm ok with the amount of knitting that I've gotten in so far this weekend - I was at the half-way point in the 6th repeat at the beginning of the weekend, and am now almost done the 7th repeat. I didn't get as much done as I might have, as we ended up going to my grandparents for dinner after all - yay turkey!

I'm off to knit a bit more before bed - hopefully tomorrow will be my sleep-in day!

Socktoberfest Sock(s)!


DSCF1182
Originally uploaded by gigglemonkey
Ok, I woke up this morning with every intention of taking photos of the progress on these socks...

Memory card....check!
Camera...nope!

Do you think I can find my camera anywhere? NO! Memory card was in my laptop, but does me no good without the camera! So, I am left having to share this picture with you - one that does not show my true progress.

I love that these are coming along much faster than I had anticipated (I'm just about to start the heel now, so there's about 4-5" more done than is shown here) as it gives me hope that I am not actually insane and can manage to finish all of my projects I have planned before their Christmas deadline!

Anyways, now that I am at the heel, I am contemplating starting sock #2. Why? I think this might help avoid second sock syndrome, and I'll be less likely to end up with 2 totally uneven socks! Good idea, no?

I'll post a more updated photo if I can find the camera before the long-weekend sock drought starts...

Ok! Found the camera! I cast on for sock #2 and have half of the "cuff" done - hoping to have the cuff done, and be into the leg before the sock progress gets put on hold (till Tuesday, when hubby goes back to work!)

So, here they are:
Oh, and on another note - Damn you Boye for only selling your DPNs in sets of 4!! I actually now have to go out and buy a THIRD set of your dumb needles in the ONE size...Money hungry much?

....

Well, I've learned one thing, and that is that it's frustrating when you're trying to knit something for someone that you live with without them seeing/finding out about it!

The socks I'm knitting for one of my hubby's Christmas gifts are coming along swimmingly, and would be even more so if I could whip them out at night to work on them while watching tv. Alas, I cannot. On one hand, I suppose that this is a good thing, as I'm actually making progress on Tuscany instead of just plowing through the socks...

Speaking of Tuscany, I have set a goal for it! I finished up the 5th set of repeats last night, and will be working on the 6th set tonight while I watch Grey's and the Office (yay! Thursday t.v rocks!). My Goal? To be finished the 8th repeat come Monday night (I would actually like to be finished the 9th set, but I don't want to get to ambitious!).

This weekend is a long weekend for Thanksgiving, and seeing as how MY side of the family SUCKS, we will be having it here, by ourselves (and possibly with one close family friend, but that's it, even though my ENTIRE side of the family lives within 30 minutes of us), so it should leave me plenty of prime knitting time, especially seeing as hubby will be home for 3 whole days! If I manage to accomplish this, it means that I'll be right on track to complete it well BEFORE the end of the month, and then I'll have no excuse not to pick up Sarah's blanket (which I haven't touched since the circs got in) and get that done and out of the way as well!

So, a small estimate is that there will be at least 2 FO's this month (the cabled hat and Tuscany), the medium guess is 3 FO's (Sarah's Blanket along with the other 2), and the large estimate is 4 FOs (the socks too!). I'll have 3-5 days of bedrest/taking it easy after my surgery, which gives me prime knitting time (no having to put it down every 5 seconds to run after the kids!), so I'm hopefully optimistic that I'll get the 3 FOs in!

I've joined!

This is my first Socktoberfest, and I'm quite excited! Without realizing, I cast on for a pair of socks just yesterday! What perfect timing! Hopefully I'll get them done by the end of the month (both of them - can't afford second sock syndrome!), and I'm also hoping to get a pair of Dad's socks cast on by the end of the month as well :)

Christmas Knitting Update

With so much work still yet to be done before Christmas, I thought I would just write an update on where I am in my list of things that have to be done!

Project list with statuses:

  1. Sarah's Blanket - 2 panels complete, 2 more panels started - on the back burner for a bit until I make a bit more progress on some of the other items on the list (that are more fun to work on!)
  2. Cindy's Tuscany Shawl - into the 5th of 11 repeats! This was progressing faster than expected, but now is getting into the longer rows, so is starting to slow in progress.
  3. RJ's Socks - done the cuff and am about 1/3rd of the way done the leg on the first sock!
  4. Dad's Socks - yarn is chosen, but yet to be ordered
  5. Gramma's Vest - ordering the yarn on the 15th!
  6. Aunt Tanya's Counterpoint Scarf - still need to choose the yarn - I think I know what I'll be using, but want to explore other options before I make a firm decision...
  7. Dad's 2nd pair of socks - same as other pair
  8. Mr.Blue-Eyes' Stocking - pattern is chosen, but am unsure of yarn. I saw the handicrafter christmas colourways the other day and might go with some of those - not overly sure though and want to take a look at what some other options might be first! It IS his first stocking!
I suspect that I'll only make on pair of socks for my Dad before Christmas, and have the other pair ready for when he gets back from Jamaica in January (yeah, he goes there EVERY Christmas - insane, I know!) - less stress that way. Depending on how the other projects go, I suspect that I'll likely knit my boy's stocking on the way to hubby's grandparents on Dec. 22nd - it'll give me something to do for the 6hr ride! That, or I'll work on whatever else is to be done, and work on the stocking after we get there. Either way, I suspect that it (the stocking) should be a fairly fast knit.

I'll be placing a KnitPicks order on the 15th of this month (Yay!), which will include the yarn for Gramma's vest and for both pairs of Dad's socks, as well as the full set of of sock DPNs and a full Options set! Yay!

The DPN & Options sets are a part of my birthday gift - but I'm getting them early (and know about them already) because I told hubby that I can't risk placing the order for the yarn later than the 15th, and no matter what, I was getting the DPN set because I really need it. When I told him that, he told me to go ahead and order the Options set as well, because he had been planning on buying both of the sets for me anyways :D Have I mentioned how much my hubby rocks? Oh, and what makes him rock even more? Yeah, I get yarn too!

I'll be waiting until November to get the yarn though, and I'll be going to Wool N' Things in Orleans to get it. I went there on Sunday and fell totally in love with the place! Now, I have to say, I was a bit leery about going in there at first - my previous experiences with LYS' have not been overly pleasant - I'm usually faced with such snobbery that it makes my stomach turn (I've found CSC is ESPECIALLY bad for this, as well as the LYS in Sudbury that's on Barrydowne), but this place is TOTALLY different! Gisele is so kind and SO helpful and makes you feel so comfortable - I foresee a lot of money being spent in there (not like that'd be a hard thing to do - it IS yarn!!).

This reminds me - the reason why I had to go there was because I had ordered some Rowan Calmer from an ebay seller for the MYB swap on Craftster, and after 15 (now 17) business days, it STILL hadn't shown up (and still hasn't, along with my Rowan Kid Silk Haze - boo :( ). Wool N' Things was (is) the only store here that carries Rowan, so I had to go there for that. They didn't have the colour I wanted, but I did manage to find a reasonable substitute. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was that I paid almost $6 more there than I had online....Ah well, it was worth it - and at least it went towards supporting a LYS!

Anyways, I'll end this "all-over-the-place" post for now (yes, I blabber on a lot!). Hopefully more progress updates will come soon!

First (of hopefully many!) FO of October

My little Mr.Blue Eyes makes his first appearance on my blog! It's been getting chilly some days, and especially at nights here, so I decided that my little guy needed a hat with Mommy's touch!

Pattern: 10 Cable Baby Hat from Hey Julie
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Colourway: Charcoal
Needles: US8
Made for: My baby boy :D


Comments: This was supposed to be a "newborn" sized hat, but I found it came out a larger size (which is what was needed anyways!). I plan on making him a second hat, but will add another cable twist before decreasing as it turned out a bit smaller than what I had originally wanted (although it still fits pretty well !)

What yarn am I?







What kind of yarn are you?




You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted. You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.
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