Goodies From My Secret Pal

Today I received a package from my secret pal! She is awesome!!! I received two skeins of Venezia yarn, which I think I may use to knit Branching Out Scarf on Knitty. It is a beautiful light blue and feels so soft. She also sent me some scrapbooking paper, which I will put to good use with all my photos I take. I will even need to include a knitting page in my scrapbook, and Chibi darning needles. Who can't use those? This package really cheered me up as I haven't been feeling well and have been a little down. But today I have actually felt great for a change.



Goodies from my secret pal

I missed the Purly Girls meeting tonight, I just have too much to do this week. I will try to make it to Stitch N' Bitch on Wednesday.

Ta Da

I am finally finished with the first Retro Rib Sock! Now on to the second one. Hopefully it won't take as long as the first.

In other good news, my doctor called me this morning and I don't need to have surgery. That is a big relief, I wasn't looking forward to it. I am feeling better today thanks to medication, so I think I will be fine.

This week I will be working on a bag for a friend. I should have started it long ago, but now time is running out, so I need to get a move on it.





Finished Retro Rib Sock

I May Be Away For A While

I found out today I may need surgery next week. Nothing too serious, but it may lay me up for about a week. I'll know for sure tomorrow. But hey, while I am recovering, I'll have lots of time to knit. Just hope I will feel up for it. I have lots of projects going on that need to be finished. So while surgery scares the pants off of me, having some down time to knit sounds kind of nice. Also, feeling well sounds nice too.

No Time For Knitting

Monday I was suppose to go to Purly Girls, but I went to the dentist instead. I guess it is important to keep my teeth in good condition, I don't want to be a toothless old lady, but I would rather be knitting. I had to leave my house at 6 AM to make it to Lacey by 8 Am for a meeting for work, then I stopped and had dinner with my mom on the way home. By the time I got home it was time to go to bed. Tonight I went to the Seattle Stitch N' Bitch meeting, but I wasn't feeling well and left early. I was able to get a little knitting in on the Retro Rib Sock. I keep threatening to show a picture, but I want to wait until it is finished. Tomorrow night I have a meeting after work to go to, so I won't be able to get any knitting in until the weekend. Next week should be better, I want some FOs.

Gettin' The Hang of It

Wednesday I recast on the 375 stitches for Ene's Scarf at the Seattle Stitch N' Bitch. Today I was able to make it through the first 5 rows without any problems. I have used lots of stitch markers which really seem to help. I will post a picture when I have knit a little bit more. So, the summer of lace continues.

I am almost done with my first Retro Rib Sock. I should be posting a picture within the next couple of days. I am still working on the Brown Sable Sweater, but since it is summer, I have a hard time working on a large wool project. I will get it finished in time for Fall.

I have decided to embark on a weight loss program. Next week I will be joining Weight Watchers. I don't want to tell you how much I have to lose, but I'll just say it is a lot. I went to dinner Friday night with a friend who has lost over 100 pounds. She is really an inspiration and looks great. While she didn't do it on the Weight Watchers Program, my doctor recommends that program as the healthiest. So no more Frapaccinos for me.

Banner

It's time to spruce up my blog. I need a banner, but I am no good at creating one, believe me I have tried. If anyone out there has an idea, I would make it worth your while. Maybe some yarn in exchange. I will make up my mind at the end of the month.

I'm finally feeling better and will get back to lots of knitting. Tonight I am going to attempt row 1 of Ene's scarf again. I will let you know how it goes. I am hoping to have time this summer to knit the Pacific Northwest Shawl I saw on the Fiber Trends website. I'll have to see how I do with the scarf first before I attempt a full size shawl.

Getting It Right

My last post regarding Ene's Scarf said that I cast on all 375 stitches. Apparently I did not cast on all 375 stitches and found out about it after I tried to knit the first row. I was so depressed!!!!! I don't know why lace is so difficult for me, Ugh! But tonight I recast on all 375 stitches (I hope). Tomorrow I will attempt the first row again.

I have been working on the Retro Rib Sock in the mean time and I am almost done with the first one. I will post a picture soon when it is finished.

I am joining in on the knitting book frenzy and I am joining Crafters Choice. I can always use new knitting books. I learn something new from each one.

Ene's Scarf

Yesterday I really wanted to get started with the Summer of Lace, so I cast on for Ene's Scarf! 375 cast on stitches! It took me all evening to cast on, as I am really slow. Hopefully today I will get started on the scarf as I have to wait around all day for the cable guy. I guess I don't mind too much as I have been feeling a little under the weather lately.


Ene's Scarf

I haven't forgotten my Retro Rib Socks. I am having a little trouble with my stitches being too loose where the sides join. No matter how tight I knit the joining stitches, they end up too loose. Oh well, these socks are for me, so I guess I can practice on them.

Summer of Lace

I think I want to join the Summer of Lace over at Wendy Knits Blog. I am fairly new at lace having only completed the Flower Basket Shawl, but I would like to do some more. A project I have been wanting to knit is Ene's Scarf by Nancy Bush in Scarf Style. I just need to find the right yarn and color. I like the color of the scarf in the book. I think it's going to be a great summer!

Tonight my knitting companion is McKenzie. He makes sure to keep the cats away from my knitting. Actually he is jealous of the cats and wants my undivided attention.

I Think I've Got It

Jessica showed me the magic loop method last night and I changed the Retro Rib Socks from DPNs to circulars. I had no trouble turning the heel, but was a little confused when it came time to pick up stitches. I decided to just go for it and hoped that it would work out. As you can see I was successful! I like knitting the socks on circulars so much better. Hopefully the rest of the sock will go much more quickly than the leg did.


Retro Rib Sock

I stayed home from work today, I was not feeling well. In fact most of the day I felt so bad I couldn't even knit! Tonight I am feeling better and I am actually getting a little knitting done.

Magic Loop Revisited

People have shown me how to do Magic Loop before. Molly showed me, Suzy showed me, but I never had a project in which to knit that method at the time. So when I would get home and try to do it, I was too much of a dumbass to figure it out. Finally tonight Jessica showed me how to knit the rest of the Retro Rib socks on a circular needle. I love it! No more DPNs for me, unless I really need them.

Some projects I will be starting very soon now that I know my friend Gina is having a boy are: A very cute sweater from a Bouton D'Or book and some baby socks from an issue of Interweave Knits. I will keep you posted .

Needle and Yarn Tote

My new knitting bag arrived today!!! It is wonderful and big. It will hold all of my knitting projects without being too heavy. Plus it comes with a really cool needle case which I forgot to photograph. Thank you Jessica and Suzy for letting me copy you.




I went to a Lynnwood Stitch N' Bitch meeting this evening. We had a wonderful group of people show up. I worked on my Retro Rib Socks, which are taking me way too long to knit. I may switch to the magic loop method instead of the DPNs I am using.



I love knitting socks with Lorna's Laces. I have some more Lorna's yarn in my stash to make another pair of socks, if I ever get these finished.

Secret Pal Goodies

I have been shopping around for my secret pal, and having a lot of fun. I won't say what I bought her in case she reads my blog, but I hope she will have fun with what I am sending her. My secret pal sent me a cute e-card yesterday. Thanks secret pal!

I have copied Jessica and Suzy and ordered a Needle and Yarn tote from Crop in Style. I will post a picture after it arrives, which should be today. I am in desperate need of a good bag to carry all of my projects in. Plus it comes with a really cool needle case.

Finally an FO!

Flower Basket Shawl is finally finished!!!! I just have the blocking left to do. Hopefully the shawl will flatten out once it is blocked. I am really happy with it. It is more the size of a scarf than a shawl, but a great project for a first time lace knitter. Now I want to knit more lace.


Flower Basket Shawl

The weather is gloomy here, so we are going to have an indoor picnic with all the fixin's. We are not going to let bad weather get in our way of having fun.

Next week it is on to a felted bag I promised a friend I would make.

Blossoming Flower Basket Shawl and Knitting Wendys

My flower basket shawl is going to be a FO soon! Finally I will have something to show. I always get too many projects going and it takes me forever to get anything done. All I have left to do is the edging (which is 10 rows). I hope to have it done so I can show it off at Purly Girls on Monday.



Tonight my knitting companion has been my cat Lucy. She would like to check out my yarn, but I have to keep it out of her reach. She is also very good at chewing bamboo needles.



Today I was reading Wendy's Knits and she had posted that there is a web ring called knitting Wendys. Well I had to join of course.