KnittingZen

And so it begins…

Well it's the first of November, and it's time for NaKnitSweMo to begin. I'm doing something relatively easy project the Fairly Easy Fair Isle from SnB Nation. Now before you call me a cheater or a slacker... remember that I have a kid that sometimes doesn't nap, and a part time chiropractic practice, and, and, and. (yeah I'm sure 90% of the people participating have stuff going on, but hey this is MY blog. ;) ) I chose this sweater because...1) I've never done fair isle, so that will be a challenge. ((yeah yeah yeah, it's easy, whatevs!)) and 2) I need a comfy bulky sweater! besides, I had all the yarn in my stash, so not only am I knitting a sweater in a month (or less, since we're traveling to MI for T-day and I'd rather not knit a big bulky sweater while traveling... I prefer to wear it!) I'm using all (i think, I may need an accent yarn) stash yarn (some of which was purchased at the craft thrift store)! go me!! Anyway, it may not be 50K stitches, but it will still be a challenge for me to finish it. I have several other things on the needles (knitting ADD has struck again) and xmas pressies to make, AND am participating in a craft swap mid month... so yeah, it's a challenge.
My friend Adina is doing this also.. and is also participating in NaNoWriMo. She's attempting to write a novel in the month of November. Maybe someday I'll think about trying that.. but quite frankly I'm no where near capable of that right now. However... in a stand of solidarity I am going to try to write more this month also. I don't know if I'll blog everyday, but I'm hoping to actually post more of the things that go through my crazy head during the week. We'll see. My true pledge is to try and finish my blurb book from my pregnancy, and (if I'm really productive) Ruby's first year. I figure if I spend 30 mins a day, I can finish one of them this month, right? I mean, I was only pregnant for 10 months. Ha. ha. ha.
Well... So the sweater has been cast on, and the latest version of blurb has been downloaded. I'm going to go knit for half an hour and then if I'm not asleep, maybe spend some time on the book. I hope November is productive and fun for you too!

Community…

If there is one thing I've found from the blogging community... is community. I found a world of people surviving infertility before I knew I needed them. I had complete 'strangers' sending love and gifts to a child they hadn't met, and now, I'm asking for a little knitted love.

I grew up in souther california, and now... it's on fire. Sadly, the fire has more than touched those I love. My Aunt and Uncle, and one of my cousins have lost EVERYTHING. Houses burned to the ground. My Grandma is living with my cousin, and all of her belongings and those of her nurse were also lost. Thankfully, my other cousins house was untouched, and they have a rental house that was saved (and thankfully empty) so they will have a place to stay. But what else do they have? nothing. After being grateful for their safety, thoughts turn to comforting their losses and replenishing their stores. Today I shipped of boxes of toiletries, because although they have a place to buy all of those things, and money to do it... they are a little busy and paralyzed by the grief of losing everything.

My Aunt Beth is a crocheter... and has always crocheted afghans for new babies. So.. I'd like to return the favor. It would take me a million years to knit an afghan for an adult and I'd like to end up with two maybe three of them (for my aunt, my cousin and my g'ma), so I'm asking for some help. If you have any inclination ...
Any color, any pattern, knit or crochet, 8x8 square in machine washable yarn. that's it. that's all... an evenings knitting. An afternoon watching amovie, and you can contribute to warming the heart of someone close to mine. Comment and I'll get you the address to mail it to.

PS. I love you.

Fall knits

We went to the pumpkin patch today with friends, so Ruby was in need of a pumpkin hat!
(this is Jake wearing Ruby's hat... he wore it more than she did!)

Pattern from Crazy Aunt Purl
Knit with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino with the stem made out of Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool. Started on Monday finished on Thursday. Oh how I love a quick knit!

Finished!

Briar Rose in action!
Originally uploaded by Ruby2Shoes

This morning I sewed the final seam on this sweet sweater for Ruby... and it was on her 10 minuets later. I knit it in a 2T and...um... it fits her NOW. (and it fits her well!) So the sweater I thought would fit her all winter will probably only last the fall. I'm sure we'll have a friend who's got a girl smaller than Ruby we can pass it down to, but she'll be wearing it often till it's too small.
next up... wardrobe refashion with some itty bitty galoshes!

finishing…

Oh how I hate it. I hate weaving in ends. HATE IT. I abhor seaming. And, moreover, I suck at seaming. My seams never look good, no matter how hard I try. They always look frankenstein-y and crappish. I need to take a class in seaming. I learned to knit from a book, but can't seem to master seaming from pictures and tutorials.
I'm attempting to finish Briar Rose. The knitting is beautiful. I'm a pretty decent knitter. My gauge is usually pretty even, and the pattern is lovely. Of course, my finishing skills are mucking it all up. My first impulse is to put it in a bag and forget about it and cast on for something top down in the round. But.. I really want Ruby to wear this sweater this fall, so I'll finish it, and try not to criticize it too much.
I'm wearing my ribby cardi that has poorly seamed sleeves and snaps instead of a zipper, cause I don't trust my ability to sew a zipper. Sounds like I need knitting/finishing therapy, no?
Of course, the next few things in the queue are top down in the round, or knit in one piece. I'm so predictable.

Decluttering the crafts

I have been enjoying the excitement that is Ravelry. Oh how I love a little organization. I'm a virgo rising so organization is in my blood (but only sometimes). I have found myself desperately wanting to enter my stash into Ravelry so that I have a clear idea about what i have, and what I can do with it.
So this weekend I had lovely friends visiting, and at the tail end of our visit, I sat down in my craft room with my last crafty buddy and started decluttering my yarn into her suitcase. Gone was some odds and ends of stuff that either I wasn't interested in working with anymore, or just didn't have any ideas what to do with it.
Then.. I decided to frog several half finished items that were driving me insane. Gone is the cuff of a lovely sock in kiogu that I know I'll never finish. Gone is the half finished sweater for Ryan that will shortly become a fairly easy fair isle for me. Gone is the rebecca 29 wrap that I got tired of after half of the front. So... now there are few things on my stalled list, and more yarn that need plans.
I still have to finish Ruby's Briar Rose. It's been stalled for a week as I just knit some simple cotton string bags for holiday gifts. I know I should finish that sweater first.. but I feel a quick clapotis cap calling my name as the days have seemed cool enough for a hat, and I need something to match my Clapotis.
Now, if only my baby would go to sleep, so I could cast on!

Yay!

I'm in! I'm too tired to play with it, but i'm finally in Ravelry!

I’m in

I have plans for a couple of sweaters... but now I have plans to actually knit one. This time it will be for me. ME! I think I knit Mariah in about 3 months, but i also did a million other projects at the same time, and I'm hoping to focus just on the sweater (and maybe a christmas gift or two) in November.
In the mean time, I've got to finish Briar Rose for Ruby, and hopefully knock off a couple of christmas pressies... and maybe toss in a little something else. We'll see how much knitting time there is in October!

Zen

Sometimes, you pick a pattern, yarn and color combination that is so beautiful and perfect and soft and fun to knit, and you realize how knitting really is your zen.

Briar rose in mission falls Teal and Zinnia. yum.

Knitting and knitting and knitting

Ruby has started sleeping a bit better, and that means I have time to knit again! I've actually had time to finish a few things, and of course I have a million projects rolling around in my head, but right now only one on the needles.

In the finished objects pile... a dress for Ruby, my own pattern, knit in left over tlc cotton from a previous project.

A pullover for Ruby, Top down pullover from knitting pure and simple, Knit in left over silky wool and some silky tweed from a trade with a friend.

A soaker that will hopefully fit Ruby this winter for nighttime. Wooly Wonder Everlasting wonder soaker, knit in some bulky wool that a friend gave me.

A pair of pants/skirt for Ruby for winter. It's a mix of a couple of patterns, using some left over wool from other projects.

A wash cloth for Joi, knit in cotton cashmere, pattern from whimsical knitting designs.Not photographed... and now it's missing.. I believe that is the babies fault!

Oh it feels good to have finished objects! You know what feels almost as good as finished objects? New needles! I got the knitpicks options set for my birthday, and so far, I think it will be a fabulous addition to my knitting life. Smooth join, slick needles, and they seem pretty sturdy. We'll see, I'll keep you posted.

On the needles right now is the hourglass sweater from Last minute knitted gifts, in Elsbeth Lavolds silky wool. my how I love silky wool! There is a lot of stockinette in this sweater, so I'm sure it will be alternated with another project, or three....
Which brings us to future projects...
1. Pants for Ruby for winter. I have yarn for at least 2 pairs of pants, maybe more.
2. Cardi for Ruby for winter. I have some mission falls wool, and have chosen the Briar Rose pattern from Knitty... lovely!
3. Bulky Cardi for me. I have an alpaca blend that I bought to knit a sweater for Ryan, but it never happened, and quite frankly, he'd never wear a bulky sweater. He gets to hot for it. So i'm looking for a fun and funky pattern, or I may do the Fairly Easy Fair Isle from SnB nation.
4. Xmas presents. nuff said. Lots to do. oy.

Then there are all of the things I COULD do with the yarn in my stash.... I need to organize and decide if I'm going to ever use some of this stuff and either pass it on, or something. Oh Ravelry, pick me! pick me!!!