In the homestretch...

Day XXI



Day XX

 

Day XIX

Three more days left to go ~ I think I have just enough yarn but may have to skip day 23 anyway since the chart appears incorrect and I only downloaded the charts and not the written instructions for this kal.  I think Kelli and Karen both skipped the day but Morgan, if you did do day 23 and figured out what the errors are I would love to know!

I wasn't liking day 19 at all, until it was completed and then I decided it was lovely.  Day 20 took me quite a few hours over three days to do ~ the 3/9 stitches are slow going but I managed to get it done error free and love (LOVE!) this day!  I did find a few small mistakes in this batch of patterns which I'll list at the end of this post even though I think I'm the only person left doing this scarf!

If it will help anyone, here are the stitch counts at the end of each row for day 20~ Row 1 [104st], Row 3 [123st], Row 5 [86st], Row 7 [104st], Row 9 [123st] & Row 11 [86st]

It looks like I'll meet my goal of having this beauty finished and blocked so that I can wear her on Valentine's Day ;)

Errata Day 20:  In the spacer section it says to decrease 2 stitches on row 8 before starting the chart ~ DON'T!  You need 86 stitches for this day's chart so don't do any decreases before moving on!

Errata Day 21:  In the charted instructions it says on all wrong side rows to 'knit all knit stitches and purl all purl stitches' ~ there are no knit stitches to knit so you purl every stitch between your edge stitch markers.

Worthy of a Second Post

Thank you, JR, for a brilliant idea!  Fantastic way to end a great weekend and a good use of some of our blackberry jam!  I never post twice in one day but I had to make an exception.  You rock, brother ;)

Girls in Sheep Clothing Blackberry Milkshakes

4 T Girls in Sheep Clothing Blackberry Jam

1/4 c 2% milk

2c Dreyers Slow Churned Light Vanilla Ice Cream

Blend together until well mixed and then share with a loved one ~ makes enough for two ;)

It's yummy!!!

Soaking as we speak!

Hooray! She's done and soaking. Now to run to SeaTac and see if they have a spare runway for blocking purposes!

The Knitting Attic ~ Part II

Primed and ready for paint!

Rice Paper

Remember the attic before I started?  I finished the primer last weekend and just finished painting the ceiling and the sloped part of the walls with Martha Stewart's 'Rice Paper' ~ it's a creamy, egg custard looking color ~ I love it!  Makes me hungry for a Chocolate Eclair...

Not sure if I'll need a second coat or not since the paint went on really thick.  I'll have to see once it's dry...

Went to IKEA yesterday to look for cabinets for the room.  I thought we had a great plan by showing up 10 minutes before they opened so that we could be in and out before it got crowded.  No such luck.  I have to say that although I did find what I needed for an exceptional price, that store is like hell on earth for me.  I know they give you a map but, dang, to try and find something a second time is ridiculously hard.  The crowds weren't sooo bad, other than the families who truly believe that it takes a village and let their little (and I mean preschool age little!) children run unattended through the maze with their little IKEA shopping carts and expect that you will not accidentally plow over them while you are wheeling a cart loaded with so much junk that you can't see in front of you.  We left there at noon, having found everything we needed but completely stressed and vowing never to return.  I rarely complain, but that was not a pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning.

Hate to end a post on a negative note, so I'll share what cabinets I picked out!  We bought 2 Alve Cabinets with Doors to place side by side, and they will almost fill up an entire wall, with room on top to put baskets or pictures or random knitting paraphernalia...

Who wants to come hang out and knit with me when my room is put together?  I can't wait ;)
Melissa

Morgen's Photo Update

Well, here they are in all their "glory." These photos are the best examples yet of why I could never have a successful blog. I am lazy when it comes to photographing my knits. I see other people who have documented their work in beautifully artistic ways that in-and-of-themselveves are works of art. Me? Not so much. You know those gorgeous photos some people are talented enough to take of their handknit laces??? (Melissa, Kelli?? I mean you as well as others...) I actually made myself giggle out loud the other day contemplating my own photographic skills, or lack thereof. Instead of sunsets, flowers, chocolates and pearls that comprise the setting of successful lace photographs, I mentally picture mine surrounded by empty Slim Jim wrappers, pork rinds and beer cans. Oh well, I claim to be a knitter not a photographer!

So here are the photos of Days 14-21. I have completed the spacer section for Day 22 and hope to have the whole thing wrapped up and blocked on Monday. We'll see!

I have learned several things: while I love the colors of the Alpaca Sox yarn, I really don't like knitting with it that much, at least not for lace. I can feel the nylon in it, and it just disappoints me somehow. There have been days' patterns that I have loved and some that I have hated with a passion. A few have spurred my brain on to some design ideas (yay!) Overall, I really enjoy the piecemeal approach to doing these scarves, and I have LOVED every minute of chatting with new friends near and far about the process. Thank you all for keeping my nose to the grindstone and making sure that I completed this one!

I have been toying with dyepots this week trying my hand (I have no clue what I am doing) at dyeing yarn for my next shawl project, "Shipwreck" from Knitty. The shawl is actually supposed to be dyed post-knitting for a more weathered look, but it calls for 5000 beads, and I am a little nervous about how successfully one can dye a shawl and not mar the surface of the beads. Good thing too, because while my dye trial turned out beautiful in its own right, it didn't turn out the color I want. I have tried three additional overdyes and still have a beautiful but wrong color. Have ordered more yarn and will try again. In the meantime...I shall finish the calendar knit which my son has dubbed a car cozy because we think we could wrap our Highlander (the car not the Celt) in it!

How goes it with all of you?

Nightmare!

I have been racing on this scarf/shawl/circus tent which, of course, is a mistake. The faster I try to go, the more mistakes I make and the more tinking/frogging I need to do to recover. I should know this by now. Methinks I've been working a bit too much on it. I bolted awake early this morning from a bad dream in which I was pinning out the shawl to take pictures of the days I haven't yet photographed and saw a dropped stitch about 2 feet down that I had some how made up by adding an extra stitch somewhere along the way. Day 20 just about killed me; that day when you make 9 stitches out of three...

I am currently 1/2 way through Day 21 and am determined to have this finished and on the blocking board on Tuesday.

Then will begin the difficult search for an elephant with a sense of style who is in need of a hand-knit scarf...

Making the most of every minute...

Day XVIII

Day XVII

Day XVI

 My boss said I could take off early since it was a quiet afternoon ~ so I did!  I managed to get home in time to get some daylight photos of my latest three kal shawl pieces.  Much truer in color than the last batch, not that I didn't like the amber shade they appeared!  I finished the spacer for Day 19 in my car before work this morning while I was drinking my coffee, so I should be able to get that one done tonight.  Three quarters done...or more if my yarn doesn't hold out til the end!).

View from our deck

 Here's proof that the sun does shine around here once in awhile, even if it is just peeking between the hills and the clouds.  That's enough for me!  Can't get enough of that sight this time of year!

Pink Polka Dotted Pre-Primered Attic

Now I still have time to get one last coat of primer on the knitting attic ~ man, those giant pink splotches are tough to cover up ~ before I whip up a batch of Kelli's Tuna Noodle Casserole and then settle down for an evening of knitting.  I love unexpected free time during the week ~ time to go make the most of it!