Almost there...

I got a lot of progress on Fad Classic done over my four day weekend. Unfortunately the weekend also involved a bachelorette party which took up most of Saturday and half of Sunday. The second half of Sunday was spent slowly knitting because nursing my hangover seemed to be more important at the time. But, here she is in all of her almost finished glory.I've also been working on a little something when I need a ten minute break from the color teal. Can you guess what it is?

First wash

Not only did I get yarn from Knit Picks, I also bought some Eucalan woolwash. My enormous blue scarf had its first bath last night. I'm thinking I will have to wash it again, the blue color of the leftover water makes me nervous. I don't want to have my scarf get damp from snow and then bleed onto my coat!

It's here, it's here!

My Knit Picks yarn was here when I got home from work today! Oh happy day! Before I get to that, I'll let you in on what has been going on around here lately.

I have been working non-stop because two of my co-workers were on vacation at the same time. This is the main reason why the progress pictures have been non-existent lately. However, to avoid overtime on my next paycheck, I get a four day weekend next week. A four-day weekend is like a birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and a snow day wrapped into one.

I finally ripped out fad classic. I got to the point where I made the mistake, but then looked at the rest of it and decided, "oh, hell..." and ripped the entire thing out to start over completely. Why? Just because, I guess. I am actually happy that I did. Now that I have a better understanding of the pattern, I think it looks much better the second time around. I'm almost to where I was before I ripped it out last time. Although this horrible picture just looks like a blob of blue yarn.I have been slowly knitting Natuie from Knitty. I don't know why it has been taking so long. Usually, I love the cute toy projects because I get to practice shaping and they are a quick fix when I want something finished. All of the other toys I have knit only took me a day or two. I started this guy about two weeks ago. That is about when I started working like crazy and before the post office drama, so maybe I have just been in a funk.I also recently bought yarn to knit a sweater that I fell in love with in this months Vogue Knitting. There will be more posts about it one day I am sure, I told myself I would finish Fad-Classic before I started another sweater. The only problem with that is I can start to smell fall in the air. Do you know that feeling? In my opinion, there is nothing else in the world that compares to that. I am a big time summer hater and after the initial novelty of 'ooo.. lets go to the beach' wears off, I am in a bad mood about the weather until very late August/September rolls around.

Oh and because I wanted to show off how bad my 'knitting area' is:Among the wreckage you should spot the following (it's a little game.. if you are really really bored).

• fad classic pattern
• O-wool tag
• reciepts from online bought yarn
• tv and dvd remotes
• Jim's current work-in-progress painting
• pencil
• beginnings of Nautie
• the book that I used to learn how to knit
• scissors
• and of course, an empty glass that at one point was holding a whole lot of vodka and juice

Some serious yarn storage and organizing needs to be done in my house. Unfortunately that just isn't as exciting as knitting. Maybe after I run through my Knit Picks stash I'll do some organizing. I don't think this yarn will last long. All the yarn I got is intended for small projects; gloves for Jim, a couple little Christmas presents, and a hat. Isn't is beautiful? This will be used for socks: A new and improved Norberta from the yarn the pattern calls for: And of course, Sheldon:

Other reasons that I am really happy right now:

• it is 70 degrees and drizzling rain right now in Chicago, which not only is a sign of fall but also reminds of the weather in Madrid when Jim and I were there last fall
• the Notwist is currently playing in my house.. and well, I love the Notwist.
• Jim is quietly sitting across from me in his vintage barber chair that he aquired from a friend and reading. He looks cute.

Knit Picks has fantastic customer service.

Ok... the post office officially lost my package. Well, not officially because I have walked down there and all I got was three extremely rude women talking behind a wall about me as if I can't hear them. Since it has been over 14 days, I called Knit Picks. The woman I talked to was so very, very nice. A new package should be shipped out tomorrow. Hopefully I get it soon, I've read such great reviews about their yarn and I'm really anxious to try it out!

Is it at least fall yet?

Maybe I subconsciously think that global warming is going to cause the ice caps to melt at such an alarming rate that by next month all of the Midwest will have record lows. Maybe I'm going to move to Canada and don't know it yet. Maybe I will accidentally fall into a time travel machine and emerge on the other side and it will be January. Whatever it is, I am stocking up on winter wear. It is the beginning of August and I have recently finished a scarf, hat, and gloves. I am also in the process of knitting more gloves, a scarf for my boyfriend, looking for yarn for another hat, and drooling over the gorgeous sweaters in Vogue Knitting. Monday's high was 93 degrees! What am I doing making hats and gloves?

Giving props to my man.

Jim is an artist. Jim used to support himself on his art alone. Jim got a good paying job with his brother. Jim doesn't paint anymore.

Not that he never paints, just not like he used to. After seeing how excited I have been since I started blogging about my knitting he decided to start a blog about his painting. So, if any of you like art, check it out, http://jamesmroy.blogspot.com/ I think he is quite talented, here is one that he is currently working on:

It is a recreation of Caravaggio's John the Baptist.

Disappointments...sigh.

I have been away for about a week now. Unfortunately my only excuse is that knitting and related activities have made me frustrated. I didn't want my posts of these stories to seem overly angry so I waited until I calmed down about them. First, I thought I was moving along at a good rate with my Fad-Classic until I noticed this:Seriously? Grrrrrr...... This was caused by knitting 2 together instead of purling 2 together after joining the front and back together. I have actually considered finishing it like this and hoping nobody will notice. I can't do that. I probably wouldn't wear it because it would make me angry every time I brought it out. It hasn't been ripped out yet, I'm giving that step a little more time.

Next, as if I didn't already dislike the United States Postal Service (by default everyone does, right?) I especially dislike them now. I ordered yarn from Knit Picks a week ago and I finally started wondering, "where is my yarn?" I went to the USPS tracking website and according to them my package has been delivered. Delivered. Really? If it were delivered I would be knitting a turtle right now instead of crying over ripping out three and a half inches of a vest. I'm hoping that delivered means that it is at the post office for me to pick up... it is still too early in the morning here to call yet. I need eight more minutes. If it is not at the post office then where did the lovely post man deliver my huge box of yarn? If it is at the post office waiting for me to pick it up then how and when did they exactly plan on letting me know? This is very upsetting.

Ok, so half an hour has passed. In this time I have called Knit Picks. They told me that the delivered status means that my package has reached the local post office. If the package is lost Knit Picks can't do anything until 14 days have passed. If my package isn't here by Friday they send me more yarn. I have also been on hold with my local post office for about 20 minutes. I am curious what they have been doing with my package since last Wednesday when it was officially delivered to them. I didn't use this tone with the woman who answered the phone but apparently I did or said something to piss her off because I am still on hold. The unusual thing is she asked what I needed and I quickly explained that I just wanted to know where my package was because according to the sender it was delivered to the post office on Wednesday and that if it is still there, I can come and pick it up this morning instead of waiting for the mail. She then put me on hold without asking any personal information so I know she isn't looking for my package. I think she is hoping that I will just hang up. Ha!