The final product...

Actually, I don't think I'll call this the final product. I think I'm closer to the ideal I'm searching for -- but not there yet. I will leave this one as is, though, and even wear it when the snow comes in the winter (please, winter -- not fall!). And in the meantime I'll work on perfecting the shaping. This one was a combination of the Ann Budd pattern mentioned in the previous post and EZ's method in "Knitting without Tears." Anyway, as promised -- a pic. :)


Can you tell I'm happy to have finished this one?

Learning curve

I've been ripping and knitting like mad the past several weeks -- I guess you could say I'm reknitting through the recession. What better time to take apart all those projects that weren't quite right and learn how to make them better? With this in mind I unraveled a gorgeous (albeit HUGE) shawl knit with Lana D'Oro (now discontinued, but very yummy!) and have 21 cakes of yarn with which to knit a luxurious throw -- without spending a penny.

I also knit, ripped, and reknit the sleevelss Soleil from Knitty. I won't say just how many times I knit, ripped, and reknit; suffice it to say I can now knit this top from memory. I've not finished it yet, as I think there's more to learn from this curvy top. The last lesson will be adding sleeves.

Next on my list was a soft and warm beret knit in Cascade's Cloud 9, a wool/angora blend. I had already knit, ripped, and reknit several times. I had put it up for almost a year and figured it was time to try again. Three times I knit, ripped, and reknit -- over four days. Using Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns I thought I could finally get this thing right. I measured, checked my gauge, and knit -- only to find the brim was too loose. Okay, recheck, cast on fewer stitches and reknit. Still too big. Take out the colorful stuff I ran with the Could 9 in the ribbing -- maybe it made the rib gauge too large? I thought I had it this time. Fewer stitches, just the Cloud 9. And here is the result: You can imagine what fun the family has had with this. :)



So. Here's what I learned:

Lesson #1: Always check for errata. Sure enough, I eventually found on the 'net some conversation about this very pattern and the fact that there were several corrections to this book. (FYI: the decreases for the swirled top were incorrect in the book -- thus, the "conehead" shape and a wonderful opportunity for poking fun at Mama's new hat.)

Lesson #2: No, angora does NOT have a memory like wool. Therefore, no matter how small I made the circumference, the hat stretched and did not "bounce back."

So, for the price of dipping into the stash (of yarn and of completed "misfit" projects) and several hours of leisurely knitting, I learned some very valuable knitting lessons. Not bad, really. "But," you may ask, "where's the finished product, then?" Well, the Cloud 9 is back in the stash -- perhaps to be a scarf some day (what else does not need memory?) -- and the beret (or tam, as it's called in the Ann Budd book) is in process (with a wool yarn from the stash). Pictures to follow. :)

Valentine's Day

Somehow DH managed to make Valentine's Day very special this year...

And here's the "after" picture...

*sigh*

oh, ouch....

Isn't that sweater beautiful? I did say I love my husband, right? Well, all I can say is that it's a good thing I enjoy this pattern, 'cause that is, indeed, a ball winder attached to this sweater. Can we say, "Frog pond?"

Fiber Fun

Fridays are usually relaxed here at the "School in the Park" (which is having class in the kitchen today because it's 38 degrees and snowing in Western NY). Anyway, to relax I decided to get out the fiber and do some needle felting (for an upcoming swap, and because, well, it's fun!). What you see here are various pieces in various stages. I'm waiting for a shipment from Black Sheep Designs before I can do the detailing on the red guy. Who knows what the other two will be...

FO!

After eight Monday afternoons knitting in the "Mom Room" while the kids take homeschool classes, I've finally finished my Trekking socks. Love 'em! Unfortunately, the colors aren't great here (available light just isn't happening today in western NY). Anyway, the vital stats: Trekking XXL color #181.

Riding the bus to beautiful

So I'm in the shower for my five minutes of peace (okay, ten) and I grab the new bottle of shampoo. I'm a reader -- need I say more? I'm shampooing my hair and reading the bottle. Use to be the bottles had simple messages; "shampoo, rinse, repeat." Well, Suave has decided that's not enough. Now we've got a pep talk on a bottle for all the moms out there enjoying their ten minutes of peace in the shower. So, if I use Suave I can be "riding the bus to beautiful." So here you have it; me riding the bus to beautiful. Ha! (And no, I'm not turning around... Suave didn't do a thing for the other side. ;-)

Wow -- we finally have DSL so hopefully I'll be posting a bit more often. :) Not much to say tonight -- it's 9:07 and Hubby should be on his way home with dinner... He better be here quick, I'm fading fast...

An ideal afternoon...

Dinner in the oven.....
Bach on the stereo.....
Daughter in her room
(Gone Away Lake on the tape-player....)
Son on the floor....
Boddingtons in the glass....
Apron on me......
Cascade 220 Tweed on the needles....
Feet on the coffee table.....
Sunshine on the grass....

Life is good!

Legos at 5

This one's for you, DH. Pah was busily building this morning while I was tensely treading. This is the result. Buttercup designed the horse and Pah did the rest -- no instructions. Oh, the wonderful world of Legos! Do you think he could sell his designs? :)

Here we go again...

Year two has just started for Buttercup. We're at the end of week one and she's already asking, "When do I get to the hard stuff?" The joys of teaching the precocious. I think after a few bumps the weeks should go smoothly. Already I've decided to alter the schedule -- the benefit of homeschooling, of course, is that one can change the schedule as necessary. Week one ended with a scrapbooking day. We've decided to do one page for each state as we cover them in geography. We're starting with New England and Maine is our first. Buttercup's excited to be scrapbooking (not Mom's favorite hobby -- "but, where's the yarn?"). Today's result was worth the effort. I think she's absorbing the state information and having fun in the process.

Where have all the socks gone?

Well, I've finished the Diamond Patch socks, knit up the Sixth Sense Socks for the Six_Sox_Knitalong (which, I understand, is closed to new membership!), and started a pair of socks on circs. In the meantime I'm working on a baby blanket, getting ready for a garage sale, and waiting for a visit from Mom (here we come, yarn shops!). One of these days I'll post pics. I also took a break to read Perfect Madness: Mothering in the Age of Anxiety. What did I learn? Mostly, it's not relevent. These women are not me, their mothers are not my mother. We really don't have much in common as far as mothering goes. *sigh* Maybe I should write my own book; but who would buy it?

Adventure of a new pair of glasses....

Not two weeks old, the new glasses went carefully into the lovely eyeglass case. Rebecca put on her sunglasses and placed the case (with the new glasses) on the car; "...there, now when we leave, I'll grab them and I won't have to wander through the garden center wondering what the lovely flowers really look like." Two tantrums (kids) and one discussion (husband) later, Rebecca gets into the car and the family heads to the garden center. At the first garden center Rebecca gets out of the car without looking for the new glasses because, "I just want to get in, get what we need, and get out." An hour later the family returns home and Rebecca gathers her things from the car. Except the new glasses. "Hmmm, didn't I put my glasses in here? Well, maybe they're in the house..." (Husband gets glazed look -- wifey did something again) "Well, no -- they aren't in the house." (Husband gets in the car and retraces route to garden centers and back) On the way home Husband recalls hearing a sound, "like we drove over plastic." Husband (gulp) rings neighbors' doorbell to ask if they've found any glasses lying about. Neighbor asks wife -- who found a pair of glasses in the road and set them aside. Neighbor and husband form bond looking for "new" glasses. Glasses found (see picture -- that's exactly how they were found -- the arm on the left side of the pic was stuck in the bent case -- Mark used the pliers to unbend the case and free the glasses!). Wow -- not a scratch on the glasses!!!! Wifey is saved from husband's wrath; husband can go on with the day's work. Wifey gets on with the gardening... Oh, and that little sticker in the lower right corner of the case? "Made in China."

This one was fun

Your Linguistic Profile:

65% General American English

20% Yankee

15% Dixie

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Too accurate...

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

The Five Factor Personality Test

You Are My Sunshine....

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

OTN (On the Needles)

I received this pattern as a Christmas gift from Mark and I've been waiting for the right time to start knitting. I decided to start the pattern now -- the yarn is a lovely spring colorway and I haven't anything else to work on as I'm waiting for yarn to arrive for the next sock for the Six_Sox_Knitalong. This is the Diamond Patch Socks pattern from Heartland Knits. I'm using Koigu KPPPM P314L. I love the colorway, but I'm thinking already of picking something else for another pair of socks. I think something with greater contrast would show off the diamonds nicely. These socks will be a bit thick (the diamonds have ridges of stockinette/garter stitches), and slightly loose -- just about right for my sandals on a cool day. :) The pattern is easy to remember and the placement of the diamonds isn't too difficult. Can't wait to finish the first one!
I just realized, after posting this, that I put the sock on upside down! Well, I suppose the finished pic will be right side up. ;-)

Pah

To be fair to the children, I thought I should have a pic of Pah posted, as well as Buttercup. So, here he is. :)

Opal Follies

Here's an Opal sock I attempted to design by myself. I was going for the embossed leaf pattern because of the fall colors in the Opal skein (I adapted a pattern from Beautiful Knitting Patterns by Gisela Klopper). I did a two-color rib at the top (the solid is an Opal Uni). The sock, however, is way to small for me. I think it's even too small for Buttercup... So here's the pic, and now I can rip it out, rethink, and head back to the "drawing board."