koalas

Well, I figured out what to do with the left over WoolEase. I made this guy over the weekend with an H crochet hook and a pattern from a learn to crochet book I have. I think he turned out pretty cute. The only thing really questionable is the dark area on the top of the white stomach where I experimented with simply crocheting over the grey yarn to get it to the other side of the stomach. Obviously didn't work out so good, but that's OK. That part wasn't written in the pattern so I just had to kind of make it up as I went along. You can see him with his previously made friend below who was made according to the pattern.

I think I'm going to give him to my mom's boyfriend's granddaughter Ellie. She's absolutely adorable (and this from someone who doesn't particularly like children). In which case I'll have to be crocheting up some bears or more koalas or something for her little sister Ava and her cousin Will, both of whom are still babies and also quite cute.

First day of school...yuck

Well, I started my first day of school which means from here on out I will have to (or at least attempt to) put knitting on the back burner. I only had one class today, but had a lecture and two hour lab for it which I found rather exhausting. The information is interesting, but it's overwhelming. I have to learn names for all these woody plants like Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Tilia cordata. I don't know if those are spelled correctly...but you get the picture. It's hard enough having to remember the five or six we learned today, let alone how many we will have learned by the end of the class. And we have to identify those trees. I'm not really complaining...it probably won't be the easiest course as there will be a lot of memorization, which I'm generally not motivated to do, but like I said it's interesting.

On the knitting front, I started the Branching Out scarf from Knitty.com the other day. I usually don't like patterns that I really have to pay attention to (like this one) but the pattern works up so fast I don't mind in this case; unlike the insanely tedious stole I've been sort of working on. Don't have much else to say about it at the moment. This is sort of a test run that I'm making for myself and am planning on making two out of a mohair yarn for gifts. The only thing I'd like to note about the photos is that the scarf will obviously need to be blocked when done, but otherwise I think it looks pretty good. Also the second photo is the actual color of the yarn. I don't know why the weird yellowish splotches are in the first picture.





By the way, since when can you post pictures in Blogger? I've been trying to figure out how to put more than one picture in a post which I don't think you can do using Hello.

And finally, spider plants do indeed have flowers, as you can see here. (Lots of people don't believe me: as Andy says... never doubt me.)

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I just finished my solomon's knot crochet shrug thing and am dissapointed. The front and back are alright, but there was no sleeve shaping so if worn for more than a few seconds they just sort of hang and bulge in the back. I think I can remedy this by making some kind of weird improvised seam, but really don't want to think about it right now. I'm not a sewer, seamstress, whatever. Also used that bam boo yarn which was really expensive and seems now to have been a waste..UGH. oh well...you can't win all the time i guess.

This is not evidence that I'm ready for winter...

Pattern: Coronet from Knitty.com
Yarn: Lion Brand WoolEase
Needles: US8's

I started this quite a while ago because I had some left over woolease just because I had never made a cable before and wanted to try it out. Then I ran out of yarn (typical) and finally went out the other day and got some more, so I have a huge ball of woolease that I don't know what to do with now.

I used the needles called for in the pattern, except didn't use straight needles. I'm finding after knitting with dpns and circulars for all of my most recent projects that I have come to hate straight needles. They're so much more awkward and hard to hold. Also, I used Fiddlesticks bamboo dpns for the project and have decided I hate them too. They don't even feel like bamboo, they feel like plastic that's supposed to look like bamboo. Plus they have insanely sharp points that stab my fingertips. I guess some people like that though.

Anyway, don't mind the picture; just woke up (I'm actually consciously smiling in the photo, hard to tell isn't it?) and finished this thing and now need to walk down to Ben Franklin to get some more yarn for another shrug/wrap crochet thing I've been working on. Also am going to see March of the Penguins tonight and am really excited. It's finally playing at the Fargo Theater which I've been meaning to go to...I think it's a really cool old theater sort of like the NorShor in Duluth, which I hope reopens by the time I get home.

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One (and a half) Skein Wonder

Pattern: One Skein Wonder from Glampyre
Yarn: Classic Elite Wings (alpaca, silk and wool)
Needles: US8 and US5 16" circulars

This was a fun, quick and gratifying knit. The needles were a bit short but I managed to squeeze all the stitches on there. I wasn't about to go out and buy new needles just because the ones I already have were a bit short.

I love the yarn, which I got from Sisu Design in Ely, MN. They're my favorite yarn store - it's a tiny building on a street off the main drag in Ely, but I always find some treasure that's perfect for a project I've been thinking of. They're the most friendly people I've ever encountered in a yarn shop (I think we've all had a bad experience with pretentious snobs working at a yarn store). I also got some Jo Sharp mohair in a lilac and cream color there that I'm going to use for some lace knitting.

Other than knitting I finally got a day off work after ten straight days and am enjoying the beginning of my long weekend. I also have a sick fish and a sick car that have really been stressing me out so it's a relief to have a couple days off before school starts (already?!) next week.

Crossed Front Tank

crossed-front tank front

I finally sewed in the last few ends to complete VK's crossed-front tank. It was a pretty quick, easy knit. I used the yarn called for in the pattern, Lion Brank Incredible. I made the small size and used almost exactly 5 skeins. I used size 11 and size 9 needles. I tried to check my gauge a few times but found it impossible with this yarn so just started hoping it would work out and it seems to have. Sorry for the fuzzy pic of the back. I'm too tired to retake it. Plus camera battery is almost dead. Well, better get ready for work.

crossed front tank back

Floral Mini Poncho

stitch diva poncho

Finally, here is the photo of the finished Floral Mini Poncho from Stitch Diva Studios. The yarn I used was Classic Elite Premiere using two strands with a size J hook. If you've read my previous posts about this project I was really unsure about it, but when I finally sewed in all the ends and added the fringe I really liked it. It's so soft and cozy with the Premiere yarn (which is Pima cotton and tencel I believe), and it will be perfect for layering on a cool fall day.

poncho

New Projects - yay

yarn

I ordered this a couple of weeks ago to start a new project but am a little scared to dive right in...the water's looking a bit cold. What I plan on using this for is the Short Sleeve Top from VK Spring/Summer 2005. The cotton angora is so incredibly soft, and I love the color. I'm going to start this project eventually, but have to completely finish some others and maybe make a few quick, instant gratification projects before I can comfortably sit down and start this one.

All I have left on the crossed front tank are about three ends to sew in which I've been avoiding and I'm also now working on a crochet solomon's knot shrug from crafster.org that I love but had to rip yesterday when I realized when I was almost done that it was turning out too big. Anyway, have started attempt two and am using Classic Elite Bam Boo which I've been meaning to try out and I love it! Will post photos of those projects soon.

photos coming soon

Am finally back in Fargo which is dissapointing because I hate Fargo, but nice since my little apartment has really come to feel like home (make no mistake, Fargo hasn't). Also car is still messed up so am bringing it in this morning; hopefully nothing too serious or expensive is wrong.

I was hoping to be able to post some pictures by now of what I've been doing as I understand it's a little boring to simply read about knitting. However, it seems that I did actually have my camera cable in Duluth and have left it there. So, my Mom is sending it to me and I should have it in a couple days. When it arrives, I'll post pictures of the finished poncho and the progress on the crossed front tank.

marooned

Well, my vacation is supposed to be over, but whether I like it or not it has been extended. I started off for Fargo yesterday morning and had to turn back because of car trouble that strangely, but fortunately showed up less than 20 miles out of town. My wonderful mechanic was kind enough to look at it and ended up working on it for about 5 hours, said it was ok to drive for my trip but that I needed to fix the Barometric Pressure Sensor once I got there or the check engine light would be on forever. Tried to start my journey again but car was barely drivable and wasn't accelerating right so had to turn around again and am getting it fixed now. Work seems pretty cool about it, but we'll see how long it takes.

In the meantime I've been having a fabulous time knitting, reading and watching movies. All the things a perfect vacation should consist of. The rest of my week home was really hectic, and although I enjoyed doing so much and seeing everyone, I didn't feel like I'd had much of a break at all.

So, in knitting news, I have finished the Crossed Front Tank except for the ties and sewing in loose ends. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but once the border was on around the neck I loved it. I was sort of shocked that it turned out so well being my first real garment project. Not sure if I'm going to keep the ties on, but I think I'll like it either way. I took a picture of it but I seem to have left the cable for my camera at home so can't actually post it. I've also been chipping away, so to speak, at the stole and afghan. I hate working on the stole now though because I have to concentrate and I just don't want to have to think so much when I'm knitting right now. It is turning out beautifully though. Well, back to my vacation.