Continental knitting?

It has come to that time of year when I start trying to figure out how to knit faster. I see people who can go whizzing through rows of material, literally working inches at a time, while continuing to pay attention to the room and conversation around them. It boggles me every time.

In my search, I found this video on YouTube, and I'm watching over and over, trying to get my hands to grasp the concepts and follow them. Slowly but surely, it's happening. I was taught as a "thrower" by my grandmother. I, however, while I may have enough patience, am always sidetracked by the newer project that catches my eye. For example, my Tie-Wrap sweater was started about a year ago. I enjoy knitting it, I love the color, and I'm excited to wear it. Smaller, quicker projects have caught my eye and definitely allowed me to stray from my beauty though.

Practice makes perfect, though. This is why I've decided to make my MIL's scarf in a ribbed pattern.

Pictures to follow soon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I haven't posted in almost a week, because a LOT has ben going on. Unfortunately, not a lot of knitting.

This past weekend, I was contacted by my best friend from my growing-up years. I haven't spoken with her in 9 years! My mother was instrumental in getting my number to her, and we talked for almost three hours on the phone. It made me realize that I am truly thankful to my mother and to her this year for Thanksgiving. There were so many things that we were involved in together while we were growing up, and I know I see now how much I really missed talking to her and having her around for my milestone years. My hope now is that we stay in contact, even though we live in different states. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Then, for work this week, I woke up Monday morning to a phone call from my boss alerting me to the fact that there was no power at the University. Woohoo! I stayed home and got some knitting done. I finished off a Christmas Stocking, got some more rows done on the Pirate Mittens, and I found a Continental Knitting and Purling video on YouTube. Genius! I had recently (about 3 months ago) taught myself to wrap my yarn on my left index finger for the quicker knit pick-up, but had no idea how to adapt it for purling, so I wasn't really going too much faster. With this video, though, I was able to see how to do both, and with some practice, I should be able to get a ribbed scarf done for my MIL in no time.

A day of catch-up was what waited for me at work on Tuesday, so when I work yesterday, I closed my office door and just sat down to get things done - no unplanned interruptions. Definitely needed. Working at Starbucks both nights though, has left me with no knitting progress.

With the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on, I'm now in the mood to cook. Knitting will come later while I digest. Ahhhhh. Turkey, roasted vegetables and apple crisp are being done at my house. A few other things are being made at my friend's house and we will all be eating together - which is of course, the best part of today. A friend of Adam's will also be here, so that make 5 for playing games!!!

Progress!

I doubled the size of the first Pirate mitten, and then I tried to take a picture of it, but no dice. I tried to take the picture with the camera in my phone, and it looked awful. Oh well. I also got a few rounds done on the foot of the new Christmas Stocking, with pics to be posted once the recipient sees it.

Site needs pictures!

I realize that I have already dropped the ball on keeping my blogging coordinated with my knitting. There will, however, be a knitted-stuff photo shoot occurring this week. I just have to gather all my WIPs and get them in the same general vicinity as the digital camera.

On the pointy sticks I have:
- A new Christmas Stocking, which just needs it's foot finished off.
- The double-knit scarf for Ross.
- The Pirate Mittens that I am knitting to go with Ross' scarf.
- A double-stranded alpaca scarf, which I keep changing my mind about as soon as I start into the cabling.
- The curtain for my office window.
- My hot-pink tie-wrap sweater, which is still in pieces since I haven't touched it in weeks.

The double-knit scarf is actually making the most progress since I work on it in my office during the slow points of the day. Knitting and listening to Cast-On....

Plowing through

This always happens: I make great headway on a project for a good, solid amount of time - then something happens. I either mess it up, lose interest, or lay it aside to start something else. Thankfully, the window curtain doesn't really have a deadline. I'm kind of mad at myself, but I'll get through it.

I also need to get cracking on the right front panel of my tie-wrap sweater, as well as move forward on the double-knit scarf. Of course, the scarf is the only thing small enough to carry in my purple Jordana Paige Satchel at the moment. That's ok by me, though. I'll probably get quite a bit done tonight since I'm either babysitting or sitting at home - just not working again.

Second wind

I didn't around to any knitting this past Sunday - too tired. I picked up my double-knit scarf again yesterday. This is a patterned scarf that I started over the summer for a friend of mine. He saw the pattern in one of Adam's paintings and wanted it for himself in some way. Originally he wanted a sweater, but I knew that would take me too long. So, I'm slowly plugging away on the pattern. Pictures to follow.

Total day of gluttony....

After working 4-hour shift this morning, I had the whole day to myself. Husband's in PA, friends already have plans, and I have to be in bed early to work the opening shift tomrrow, so hitting the town tonight is not an option. Plus, everyone at school seems to have some sort of cold-type thing, and I really don't want to get it, so a relaxing day of rest and rejuvenation is much-needed.

In knitting news, I made a decision yesterday, and ripped the curtain back. I knew that I would not be able to stare at a curtain that I knew was supposed to be different from what it actually was. I got about 10 rows done today, and hope to get about the same amount done tomorrow.

I was able to go through all of my started projects and weed a lot of them out. Not that I didn't want to finish these projects, but I had to face facts with a couple of them. Either I didn't really have enough material to finish them, or I was finally able to see that the initial idea wasn't very good or practical. For the most part, I'm still following patterns, and altering things as I can. I've only developed two of my own patterns, and those were mostly so I could try out a new technique.

I'm behind getting started on Christmas gifts, and I'm starting to nix ideas from my mental list already. Sigh.

Day Two...

There is a lot involved in blogging. I like the format so far, but I'm obviously still tweaking things.

Last night, I took the bubble-lace window panel off the needles to measure it and take stock of my progress.

It's too wide.

So as of right now, I'm still pondering my options. Do I rip it all apart and start over again - knowing full well that I will be frustrated about starting over, but relieved to have fixed it and finished it right? Or, do I keep going to way it is, a third completed, regardless of it's too-wide-ness and hang it bunched, rather than the flattened out image that attracted me in the first place?

Another thing that I'm taking into account is the fact that the original pattern suggested that this panel is really only supposed to be knit to cover those decorative little windows that appear in doors and kitchens, and my window is about 4x that size. I obviously took that "supposed to" as a direct challenge, and now that I've screwed up my gauge I have a hard time with admitting defeat. Hmph.

I'm accepting suggestions. Either rip back, or keep plowing ahead.

As a follow-up to yesterday's picture, Avery held still for just long enough to have that picture taken of her, sitting nicely with my yarn. Minutes later, she was batting the balls around and got wrapped in the curtain - of course.

Inaugural Post

Since this is my first post, it will be brief. I plan to post pictures and musings about my knitting and whatever else I feel I need to post. Hopefully this will go smoothly.

Currently, I am working on the Mason-Dixon Bubble-Lace window curtain, the Stitch 'N Bitch Nation Clover-lace Wrap Sweater, and AlterKnits' Lace-Up Scarf. I have started and abandoned a number of other projects along the way, but I have also completed a number of projects as well. I will add pictures soon.