False starts, progress, and...oops!

It's Friday afternoon and I'm ready to cast on my project for the Knitting Olympics. First I can't find any needles. I needed a long US 5. I have 3 US 5's, 1-16", 1-24" and 1-36". The 24" and 36" are on projects in progress. I consider putting one of these on holders, the 24" is too small and the 36" has markers on it as well. Plus, if I needed a break from olympic knitting, then I'd have to switch back or work on something else already on needles. I could have bought another set of US 5's...but then I remembered I had an extra a set of Denise needles. Usually I keep a set intact for convention knitting and with Stitches West around the corner I couldn't really break up the set, except that I bought another set recently for my daughters to use!
I cast on 197 stitches of the worsted weight Dale Hauk (with teflon) and had a go. Now I don't use these needles regularly. Just at conventions or for a quick swatch. I had never used them for a project and wasn't used to them. After about the 3rd row of seed stitch I found the stitches weren't sliding around the cable all that easily (even with the teflon -- ha, ha). Well, with all the scrunching, pushing, pulling and twisting I accidently disconnected one needle from the cable.

It took a bit of fiddling to get past that but I've stuck with the needles (being careful not to twist the stitches around the join) and after some weekend knitting I've gotten this far. That's the self striping version of Karaoke which is very soft and silky. I've got about 5 inches of the vest done and need to get to 11 1/2" of body before dividing to do the fronts and back. You can see the schematic in the backround of this progress shot. I thought I'd leave the rest of the rest of body knitting to do while at Stitches, it's perfect mindless knitting to do during the Fashion Show and the Student Banquet. And then I found this:
That slipped stitch is suppose to be a purl stitch. Must have missed it when I was putting stitches back on the needle...sigh.

Score!

While the rest of the US were watching the half time show of the Super Bowl. I was here. This is my pile -- not too shabby -- major touchdown on the lantern moon bag -- like the pink polka dots? Cris got the same one in blue. Fumble on the Cherry Tree wool silk dk -- matching colorways, mismatching dyelots, oops. Nabbed the Cherry Tree supersock in potluck watercolors and the Karaoke (adding to the 3 balls I had at home -- same colorway AND dyelot). Went in for the lovely laceweight lambswool -- sooo soft, that's the two pink balls -- total yardage 1650 -- and for the extra point grabbed the Cherry Tree supersock in wild cherry as I was going out the door and heading in line.

Things to do in 2006

1. knit more
2. spin more
3. weave more
4. dye?
5. weave clan tartan (I already have the necessary colors in zephyr)
6. attend Highland Games
7. drink Irn Bru

What the?

I've decided to join Team Scotland for the Knitting Olympics. Having just missed an opportunity to try haggis, I only qualify by marriage -- actually I cohabitate with a total of 3 persons of scottish descent. Of course anyone can join really -- I mean who doesn't know a line or two from Auld Lang Syne? And besides if you join the team you get to display this button (click his bum for details).













As an addendum, as if the above button wasn't enough, I found this via ChicKnits -- I'd give you a direct link to generate your own (you must have a blog to do it) but that would ruin all the fun.

Letting Go

I finished the Fairisle Pullover. It's done -- the last of the 2001 projects. My oldest "knitting" ufo is now only what 2 years old, if that. What was it that held me back? The ends? Was it such a monumental task that I took several months to even start? Maybe. Was it the holidays? A good excuse. Last week I asked my daughter if she'd like to wear it this week. She said yes! So I started. One night, one side, the next the other. I could have finished it in time for her to wear it to school on Friday. But I didn't. I skipped working on it that night. Picked it up again the next to finish tucking in the ends of one sleeve then one more night to do the other. Why? Why couldn't I finish it by Friday? Because -- I was afraid. Afraid she'd wear it to school only to casually take it off and leave it on the playground (she's done this before). I was afraid of the days ahead where I would check the lost and found and wonder if it would ever come back (the last item did -- and yes it was handknit -- a poncho). It was safe in my knitting basket. Nothing would happen to it with it's ends free. With ends neatly tucked in the sweater was ready to be worn and not by me. It was ready to leave my care. Saturday she wore it to her ice skating lesson. I watched both her and the sweater. They seemed okay. No one got hurt. Then Monday came and my daughter emerged from her room wearing the sweater. "You're wearing that to school? Promise me you won't take it off -- no matter how hot you get (it's cotton!)". And with a kiss she promised. I didn't think about her or the sweater until they both came in through the front door, safe and sound. Here it is now, hastely thrown aside in her rush to get her ballet togs on -- I didn't pick it up though -- it's no longer mine.

Add one more to the pile!

knitting olympic entry

Yep I'm doing it. I'm taking the YarnHarlot olympic challenge -- see the button in the sidebar for more info. This is my entry. The Very Luminary Vest -- I picked up the yarn at a new store that opened up in Los Altos during one of their sales. I'm using Dale Fauk (w/ teflon!) and Karaoke for the slip stitch color. I figure I could do this in 16 days -- no sleeves. We'll see.

I am making progress on Noro Mavis. I finished the back and started the front. However, I've done nothing with any of my "old" projects. Nope, not even the stupid fairisle. It's still cold here -- but I'm willing to bet I'll miss my window altogether and it won't fit anyone by next winter. I can't believe I finished it last September and still haven't wove in those ends! Maybe that should be my olympic entry.