Needle Me This

Today is the last of my vacation just couldn’t bear going back on a Monday. Right now I’m felting my Carie Lynn bag.

My Ravelympics had two false starts. I started at 8:30am on Friday. Completely restarted on Saturday night. The 2nd part of the project had to be completely restarted last night. So right now I’m on still on the first mitten of my Mrs. Beetons.

This was supposed to be a challenge and it is. Like I said this is the first time working with beads and Kid Mohair… black no less! What an event.

Vacation was very relaxing in the Great North Woods of northern Wisconsin.. no cell phone service.. work couldn’t reach me.. YEAH! We had a cottage on a lake. For this city girl it was like another planet.

It is good to be back… off to watch and do more Olympics. Last nights swimming race was the balls!!

Mrs Beeton Yarn
Originally uploaded by MiniGirlKnits

for the RAVELYMPICs. I need another WIP like, well, like we all do.

This doesn’t start until August 8. Need to order my beads tonight. This will be a first working with beads, I hope it doesn’t drive me nuts.

I imagine that stringing the beads is like the swatch and doesn’t count as jumping the gun. This yarn is gorgeous and I will have to stop groping it or it will be in shreds by the time I truly cast-on!

yarn:
Bouton d’Or - Songe
Anny Blatt - Fine Kid

that I’m still working on my first pair of socks since January? OMG 1 sock is done and I must admit it fits fine. My second sock is just about done with the ribbing but my gawd these have taken a long time to get done. Granted I have started and finished a few projects since but still.

I read about peeps that kick these out in days and I’m sorry I just don’t see it. My mini goal is to get these off the needle by the end of August. After my first attempt - Thank god for Silver’s Sock Class, I have 2 recommended sock books that I refer to but it’s Silver’s class that got me through that first sock. I mean I stared at every wonderful shot she had, her directions were right on.

It has been quite awhile since that first sock so I imagine I’ll be back on the site as I don’t remember all steps in order. Maybe once those are complete, I’ll feel the sock love in my knitting soul.

As of this morning I put a slight dent in this project. Maybe I can finish it this week that would be awesome. This is Lion Brand’s Cotton Ease and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it but for this piece it is working out just fine.

I still wouldn’t consider myself a lace knitter but I guess this puts the foot in the door other than the Montego Bay scarf I had made. I want to eventually try a true lace piece. I see that in my knitting horizon.

Ribbed Lace Bolero
Originally uploaded by MiniGirlKnits

While I have several WIPs I felt possessed to start yet another. This happened due to too many silky summer tanks and nothing to wear over them. I work downtown Chicago and just a little tanky number bare is not often the best choice especially when they blast the air conditioning.

I wanted something light to cover the upper arms a little. So this project (see progress bar for link) has taken full focus to finish. Since taking this picture I’m already well into the lace pattern say another 4 to 5 inches.

You know this knitting blogging has gotten confusing. With everyone or almost every knitter on Ravelry, Ravelry requires Flickr, most patterns are now found in Ravelry… how do you freakin link? I’m torn to link directly into Ravelry, but because not everyone that may stop through is even a member or do I go hunt down the original source and link there?

As far as pictures I have my own domain, I USED to put all my photos there but if I have to put them on Flickr so they show up in my projects that too seems like double work.

Example, this post, I would normally post directly from my WordPress but I wanted to use this picture which is on flickr. So I’m posting directly from there. I’d have to come here anyway to pick up the URL for the picture so WTF I may as well just stay here. See what I mean? I guess it will all depend on what I’m trying to do and how lazy I feel.

Today was a semi-lazy day.

Just joined the Summer Kal-Cal hosted by Sharon and Marly aka She-Knits and YarnThing.
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I’m working on Sharon’s bag Carie Lynn. This is more or less my first KAL. Kinda looking forward to it.

onerowscarf
Originally uploaded by MiniGirlKnits

I love my new scarf. One Row Handspun Scarf by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Made with Lion and Lamb - very happy with this yarn. I would use it again in a heartbeart save for the price tag.

On the sock front, I went down to size 2 needles and I’m a whole 2 inches in. Sock1 take 5.

A vest I’m working on is turning out pretty good. I’m hoping to finish it in a couple of weeks.

please have a look at my first sock before I take it apart today. It looks like a sock, it even fits like a sock, I’m proud of my sock. However it is too big, there is an error in the heel where there is a whole of purls when it should have been knits.

This little bugger took me a whole month to finish. Granted I was working on 2 other projects but still. I’m like where is the love?? Actually once I got past the heel I relaxed and was able to get through without the dread. This was a heel flap which I didn’t really care about. I may try short rows. Either way this baby is coming undone and starting over with smaller needles.

I WILL finish a pair sometime this year!

Happy New Year first of all. This has been a great knitting year for me. I made it out of the 1 year newbie mark with some decent FOs. On the 30th I was officially done knitting for others. I had made a pair of Fetchings for my SIL. She loved them but she has long hands and they were a little short in the palm. So I had to hurry take them back, put the sticks back on and add more length by the 30th as she was leaving to go home. The pic is before. I added another cable row and 2.5 inches.. forgot to take a final shot. Oh well she is happy now and I am done.

I’m looking so forward to my sophomore year. I plan on capturing my world in images with this.
Yes! Mama’s got a brand new toy. I’ll have a slight learning curve as this is my first SLR.

On my lists of things knitting.

1. make a freakin sock already! don’t know why I have been so intimated by these but I am biting the bullet. I joined a KAL in Ravelry to help me get going. I am working a gauge (in the round) with Lorna’s Laces. No you can’t see the yarn. So. Here I go.

2. for a newb I have bought or have been given as gifts lots of yarn. Let’s see I have at least 3 sweaters full, a couple for larger projects, and yes sock yarn.. all waiting to be used. Yesterday Loopy in Chicago was having a sale and of course my friend and I went. I walked out of there with Lion and Lamb and yes.. sock yarn! go figure. So we are in Day 1 of the New Year and I am already on a yarn diet. My number 2 is finish what I have started AND use what I have. (at least for a few months).

3. Learn more about bust darts and shaping. I figure the time and money I spent on my new love I better learn everything I can about making it fit the way I want. So many times I read how people make their project and it doesn’t fit, or this or that, and they are not happy with it. So far what I have made like a vest didn’t require too much shaping but on my to do list I have some patterns that I definitely want to do and shape for me. I would be pissed spending a month on a sweater to find out the girls can’t breathe.

4. Be a better blogger. I am weird. I love my blog but I get all shy when someone comments and get all nervous. I don’t check logs so was thinking of pulling the comments so I don’t get all weirded out. I don’t have a problem at all leaving comments elsewhere. Go figure. Haven’t decided yet on that but I do plan on being more active in here.

Hope to see you soon have fun with your sticks.

Mom and I first picked up needles together on 9/5/2006, just over a year ago. So naturally she was the easiest person on my list this year to buy for.

This Mohair and Silk is from Knit One Crochet Too -DOUCEUR ET SOIE

Also bought her some Colinette TAO in Madras so together they can go with the pattern in the Arboretum pattern book I picked up for her.

So then I’m thinking well how am I going to present this? ah knit something for her! So here is the pouch from Last Minute Knitted Gifts filled with the yarn goodness.

It looks a little slouchy but it is passable. I truly hopes she likes it. Personally I hope she shares the pattern book it has absolutely gorgeous patterns in there. While the yarn is on the pricey side, it is only this time of year this time of year so what the heck.

On the side I also got her a GoKnit pouch for her projects on the go. I LOVE mine and use it daily it is a part of me and my el rides. I’m more excited to give her all this than I thought it would be. Now I just need to wrap it up. Wrapping begins for me in a couple of hours.