EyeKnit

I haven't been posting... or reading e-mails... or cleaning... or doing much of anything except KNITTING since I got back from Stitches.

I took a great class with Beth Brown-Reinsel, called "Fair Isle Tams". I made this.



The tam part, I really don't care too much about. The fair isle part... wow! I had been using the Philsopher's Wool method of weaving every stitch, holding one yarn in each hand... and I liked doing it, but wasn't thrilled with how uneven my stitches were.

Beth taught a method of holding both colors in the left hand, and stranding... what a huge difference! I got back & immediately started a 2-color watch cap from the book "Hats On" (which I love). I told Jonathan if I had a real job, I would have called in sick to stay home and knit... I did go to work, but couldn't wait to get home and knit... here's the result.



(You know I have to like this hat a LOT to showcase it instead of my baby's face!!!)



Did you ever have one of those projects where you can't even believe what's coming off of the needles!?! Pretty cool, right?

And in case you don't believe that I did NOTHING else until this was finished... here is the disaster AKA my house last night.





Don't call DYFS... I cleaned today. I also attempted to cook spinach pies with phyllo dough. Let's just say I'll be sticking to knitting.

I finished a sweater.



I know... I never posted that I started this sweater. Well, I did. And finished it. It's a baby sweater, to start to replenish the stash of "Oh no, the shower's this weekend and I need a gift" presents. It's from the Sunsette yarn that I got at the Woolly Lamb's half off sale last summer. I needed some thought-free knitting. I'm at the point on the cardigan where I have to concentrate on what I'm doing, and I just don't have the energy lately.

We went to the NJ Sheep Breeders festival yesterday. It was fun... very small... I took a little class on how to spin with the drop spindle. I'm happy to report that I did not like it at all. Whew. I was a bit worried that I would. All I need is a new hobby... NOT.

I am anxious to make it through Wednesday morning-- I'm taping a training video for my low vision consulting project... eek. I will be beyond relieved when that's over. Then I can start getting excited for Stitches!!!

Look! My Sockapal2za socks have arrived!!!



Sam thinks they make suitable roads for his cars. I think they are GREAT. They fit PERFECTLY, they are so soft (Koigu!) and best of all, they were made just for me by someone who doesn't even know me! Kathy in MN (no blog, so I can't link)... THANK YOU for making these socks for me.

The socks for my sock pal will go out today... occasionally, I am fairly awestruck by the concept of 350 pairs of handknit socks all flinging their way around the world at the same time.

One day I will get around to doing these memes... I was happy to be tagged-- makes me feel like a "real" blogger 2 years later. Right now, work is a bit crazy. Someone moved my cheese again, and I have to take a few days & remember what exactly I'm doing in this maze anyway, and why I wanted to get to the cheese in the first place, before choosing my new path.

I'll say this, sock pal...



Good thing your feet are bigger than mine... otherwise I'd be keeping these puppies & out at the mall looking for something 'handknitted' that I could send you and try to pass off as my own. I like these socks! They're done (ahem, SUE, note it is 4 entire days BEFORE the deadline)... of course, I still have to wash and block them, but they are finished!

I'm about 80 rows into the 2nd cardigan front-- once I hit 108, I'll do the neck & shoulder shaping of both together.

What a beautiful day we had today! The weather was gorgeous-- Sam & I spent most of the day outside.

Even after finding my notes on the cardigan, I still finished Shedir. How do we pronounce Shedir anyway-- SHED-ear? She-DIR? In any event, it's done... I love it. I don't know who it's for yet-- perhaps someone with a large head who doesn't mind having hat hair... or who has no hair. Public Service Announcement: You still have to twist the M1's... even if you're M'ing them on a purl stitch. (For this one, we will call those funky little holes design elements)



Then, despite the September 15th Sockapal2za deadline looming in the distance, I started a front to the cardigan. 43 stitches a row... zoom zoom zoom... fast knitting. My plan is to work both fronts separately for the first 108 rows (yes, I'm counting- I really want this to come out great!) and then work them together for the armhole and neck shaping. I think I have about 80 rows done on this one.



It looks so narrow-- it's a ribbed pattern, that blocks into a whole other fabric. The swatch that I knitted and blocked has held its shape extremely well-- so I'm counting on the sweater to do the same.

And lastly, with gentle encouragement from Sue ("Why don't you just take 3 nights and finish the sock?") I picked up my 2nd sock pal sock. I e-mailed Sue to tell her she'd be so proud... I had gotten the ankle done and was ready to start the heel flap... she e-mailed back "How's the sweater coming?" (and they call me an enabler)



Wishing everyone a relaxing labor day weekend...

Test test test... Bloglines is not recognizing my last post-- thought I'd try another one.