Shawl - looking good!

When I got home I decided that I'd take advantage of my recent class on knitting continental and only knit that way throughout the rest of this shawl.  I know it won't be perfect but if I don't use the skill I'll never get good at it.  Sooooo....here goes nothing.  Here is a couple photos of the shawl being modeled by my 5 year old Z.

Think I'm going to have to invest in a blocking board and some pins.  

Presents from China

My good friend Vickie lives in China and has been talking to me about yarn and knitting etc. She's been threatening to send me a box of mish mash which I would obviously LOVE to have. Got a note from her this morning on facebook saying that she has indeed sent my box of goodies out...but alas it has gone surface mail which takes 6 - 8 weeks. She also mentioned that she's headed to Hong Kong for a family vacay and has heard that they have nice Japanese yarns there. She'll scope out the LYS in HK and get back to me. :) I love having thoughtful friends like that!

I'll be sure to share photos when the long awaited box arrives!

Lessons in Legwarmers

So, the 4 year old refuses to wear pants to school and they eat outside. ?? While trying to talk her into some pants to cover her little legs she suggested that it would be fashionably better to wear a pair of legwarmers. (again, she's 4!)

Me: I don't know where to buy legwarmers that would fit your little legs...let's maybe just try the pants on?

Her: {looks disdainfully at the plaid uniform pants} How about if we buy yarn and you can knit me a pair????

I am not an overly lenient parent, but I do admit to picking my battles. We were at Hobby Lobby one day soon after, buying project supplies for the 10 year old, and passed the yarn isle. They both want to meander down the isle and the 4 year old comes up with a nice soft light pink bamboo and announces that this is the yarn for the legwarmers. UGH!

This is what we ended up with:

The problem is that 1) This particular bamboo isn't very stretchy 2) she wanted them above her knee which she neglected to mention before they were finished and 3) Did I mention she was 4 and picked out light pink???

We tried again with a darker blue using Comfort Solids by Berroco with the knowledge going in that she wanted them long enough to cover her knees and the dark blue would not show all the dirt from the playground.

I used Jenny's Super Stretchy Bindoff and ended up dropping two stitches but didn't notice till I was finished and had weaved in the ends. UGH! During the binding off the yarn slipped off and obviously I didn't pick it up right. Note to self: Learn to tink the JSSBO. What's a girl to do?

This particular girl goes to the LYS to see if someone there can help! Took three people and I still ended up with a knot and a loop but just gave up and wove that in. The (she's had a birthday between the pink and blue legwarmers) 5 year old loves them and all is right with the world especially since she isn't required to perpetrate a 5 year old fashion faux paux by wearing plaid pants to school. Whew...disaster averted.

Half the Calories

I love love love ruffles and have many projects queued on Ravelry that have ruffled edges. Problem is...I am daunted by casting on several hundred stitches and keeping track of decreases etc. Have I mentioned lately that I have two children and a husband? LOL Projects that I can memorize are easiest for me to accomplish. It isn't that I can't do the one ruffle scarves like this one: Just Enough Ruffles it is that I don't have the time to sit and keep track!

Trying to think outside the box I realize that the beloved Potato Chip Scarf would be great one sided. It is an easy repeat pattern except that I don't like the way it sits on the back of my neck all bunched up. What's a girl to do I ask again! Well...How about if we only did one side of the ruffle?

Here is the instructions:

CO 20 stitches

Knit 4, turn work and knit 4 back

Knit 6, turn work and knit 6 back

Knit 8, turn work and knit 8 back

Knit 20

Knit 20

Repeat pattern until desired length.

Taaaa Daaaaaa

I'll post more pics as I go along so you can see. I also plan to do this in another yarn since this one is obviously for Mardi Gras and isn't something I'd wear any time other than Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras Scarf

Someone came into my LYS with a scarf that was so pretty and I came home to find the yarn and of course now I had to make it!

First time working with these big giant needles but I REALLY like them even if they are a little hard to manage because of the size.

I love the muted Mardi Gras Colors. I have to work on this when I can have access to my iPad as I'm using a stitch counter from the App Store therefore, I think this will be slow going as far as that is concerned.

La Novia

I ran across the La Novia scarf pattern and just love it. Emailed the site before I bought it and asked about the stitches involved. What is it about designers that they don't tell you that in advance? I don't like buying a pattern and then finding out I don't know how to do the stitches.

Tried this over and over and over and just can't seem to keep the same number of stitches on the needle. WTHeck?

LYS suggested I start with an easier lace pattern called Falling Water.

Not sure I like this one as much so I haven't really decided to follow that advice. Maybe my LYS will do a class this year.

Stitches 2011

Finally booked my room for Stitches 2011 today. Woo Hoo!

I need to decide what classes I'm taking. Too many look good but they are very pricey! I have it narrowed down to these:

Stripe it Rich

Turn Mistakes and Mishaps into Knowledge and Experience or

Preventing and Fixing Mistakes

Intentional Patterning with Hand-Dyed Yarns

We'll see which ones I finally decide on. Very excited about the market portion!