Clean Slate by 2008

I just joined the Clean Slate by 2008 knit-a-long on Ravelry. Not sure if it is too late to be including officially in the knit-a-long but I thought it would be great motivation to finish up some UFOs. (All the links are to Ravelry)

UFO #1:

Harry Potter Scarf from atypically.knit: this is being knit for a friend to give her boyfriend for Christmas, Gryffindor of course. Current Progress: 75% done.

UFO #2:

Camo hat- a basic ribbed hat, this is an experiment with cheap camouflage yarn I found at Jo-Ann Fabrics. My family loves hunting, fishing, and other camo related things. Current progress: 40% done.

UFO #3:

Gloves for Mom-Christmas present for my Mom. She picked out the yarn so I'm not ruing a surprise here. Current progress: 50% done.

UFO #4:

Shawl collared tunic from Vogue- started this a month and a half ago, I'm afraid I am not going to like the way it is going to fit so I've put it aside. This will be my first full sweater project. Current progress: about 40% (I have to finish both sleeves and the shawl collar)

UFO #5:

Sheldon from Knitty.com-I love this pattern. All I have to finish is the legs, 4 little legs have taken me over three months! Current progress: 90%

UFO #6:

Mystery Christmas gift- Someone who may read this blog can't see what this is. The link sends you to Ravelry if any you are curious. (the recipient of course is not on Ravelry). Current progress: 85%

UFO #7:

Nautie from Knitty.com- don't really know why I haven't finished this. Just got bored I guess. This may be one that gets frogged. (I couldn't find this picture on my computer, it is on Ravelry) Current progress: 35%

UFO #8:

Elisa nest tote- Not for anyone in particular but will probably end up being a gift. Current progress: 10%

UFO #9:
Knucks for me- O-wool scratches my hands and it is annoying. I do like the finished product and need to suck it up and finish these before it gets unbearable cold outside. Current progress: 50% That is currently all of them. Only nine, that isn't too bad, right? I'm not sure what the rules are about casting on new projects. Do those have to be finished before New Year's as well? That could be what gets me into trouble. Ok, wish me luck!

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?

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.

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?

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!

Orange gloves.

One half of Dashing is done! I was originally planning on knitting Fetching but decided I liked this simpler design better.

Yarn bought at 3:30pm, yarn arrived home at 4pm, yarn was on the needles at 4:30pm. No point in messing around when I get to try something new. The left glove turned out well. I was a little unsure of knitting the thumb. In fact, that is my only complaint about the first glove, the holes from picking up stitches along the side of the thumb opening seem a little big.

Overall I am very pleased. Especially considering this was my first project with cables. Cable knitting is far easier than people make you believe. I will have to look into scarf or hat patterns with a few cables thrown in.

About a minute after I started knitting with this yarn, I wondered why I bought bright orange yarn. I usually stick to neutrals or blue/greens. But, I love the orange! I like orange, just never thought it was a color that I wore well. However, a little bit peeking out from a coat on the hands will be just perfect.

Onto glove #2!

Blast from the Past

I was recently at my parents house and my mom had found old boxes of my stuff. Among the boxes was a crochet project I started when I was around 11. I plan on finishing it, I'm just not sure how to do it yet. It is supposed to be a blanket. When you are 11, a blanket doesn't need to be that wide. This blanket covers my shins and feet, if I never move. I have more of the yarn I used so I think I might just crochet another piece and seam them together (I don't think anyone will notice because the blanket is already pretty...well, lets just say you can tell an 11 year old made it). Nerdy side point: I remember working on this project while roller blading. Yes, while roller blading. I had the yarn in a backpack and rode around the neighborhood while crocheting. If I saw someone doing that now I would think, "What the hell is wrong with that person? That isn't safe. Who rolls around the neighborhood while roller blading? What a freak." and on, and on. But hey, that's just what kind of person I was while in grade school. I was cool like that.

A Few Ripples!

I have a few rows of ripples done for my blanket. I am afraid the colors have taken a turn for the ugly. My plan was to blindly reach into my very large box of old yarn that I got from my grandma and whatever color I came out with was my next row. Perhaps I should start paying a little more attention. Maybe it will turn out to be one of those things that is 'kinda ugly but in a cute way.'

Also, just because it is cute: My new job is at The Animal Medical Center of Chicago and this is a cat that we are trying to find a home for (hoping the owner will let us keep as the house cat). His name is Kipling. On my break yesterday, I hung out with Kipling while I worked on Jim's scarf and he was very interested in the bottom of my knitting bag. He normally has very lovey dovey eyes, he just doesn't like the flash on my camera.

Big Blue

Although I love my first (and only) scarf for myself that I have made, it is time to knit one that is a bit fancier. While on a trip to the store to find yarn for a scarf for my boyfriend, I also found some Alpaca yarn that was on sale in a beautiful bright blue (one of my favorite colors). I have been playing around with different ways to make patterns and finally decided to make this scarf with k1, yo, k2tog. I had seen a scarf done similar to this but I think there were more knit stitches involved. Anyway, here is the very beginning of my scarf:

Ripples

Everyone has already moved on to granny square blankets and I just started a ripple blanket. I inherited a bunch of old acrylic yarn from my grandma and since I have recently touched nice yarn, I really don't like the idea of using anything else. However, there is a lot of yarn that I have to use for something or just keep it laying around. I tapped into my crochet roots (I learned when I was a little girl) and decided to use it up on a ripple blanket. Here is the very first row, more pictures to come.

Jim's Scarf

Jim decided that he wanted a 'very plain' scarf for this coming fall. I am using malabrigo yarn in rich chocolate that I purchased from Knit1. Today I was browsing blogs and I came across a post on Knitty Gritty Thoughts and she is making the same scarf only a different color. Not that finding someone who is making a garter stich scarf is unusual. I was just excited because I don't really know anything about yarns yet and I picked the yarn I did because I liked the color and it was soft. Anyway, here is a link to the post. Here are pics of Jim's scarf in progress: