Saturday, March 30, 2013

Set your mind Adrift

The other one has been cast aside. I just can wrap my head around it. So, I found I had four skeins of Malabrigo lace in Molly and found a wonderful pattern by Stolen Stiches called Adrift. Lovely summer cardi for my future in Florida. I will opt for sleeves. Don't want to feel too exposed with unfit upper guns.



You gotta know when to fold em....

So, how many times is too many for starting a project you ask????
Is it me?
Why can't I comprehend the flow of this oh so simple scarf??

Is's garter stitch for cryin out loud!!!!!

This lovely scarf, who shall be nameless (from my last post) is giving me hell. I want it to work so badly. I love the idea of this beautiful piece.

How many starts you ask?? I think it is FIVE! I have not even gotten to the join round part.

Here's my issue. I want to use her instructions for the special M1. Why not follow the designers instruction I say? Besides the other M1 is a pain with all the twisting of yarn. Problem is with that method the stitch marker doesn't stay put. So, you either move it (PIA) or try to see the look of the center stitch and hit it correctly every other row. Ya, I guess that might be considered lazy if you want it to turn out right. I guess I'm just a convenience type of crafter. I can eyeball a 1/4" see with stunning accuracy when sewing a quilt. (decades of practice).

I admit it! I AM A SHORTCUT JUNKIE. Computers (tell me why I should mouse click, FILE, PRINT, OKAY; when i can hit CTRL P???), sewing and I guess now, knitting.

What will happen with my Viajante you ask? Her fate has yet to be determined. After all I am a determined knitter. The yarn was hand picked for this project. So, "yet to be determined" is where our relationship stands.

feicfidh mé go luath sibh
(See you soon)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I love reading other's blogs

Do you ever start trolling websites and start reading other's blogs? Something catches your eye and the next thing you know that hours have gone by?

I get my inspiration from seeing projects of others.  Unfortunately (Is baolach... ) usually I don't see anything to fit the 90+ types of yarn I have in my stash!  Blast!

I recently wanted to start a new project because all the ones I have on needles remind me too much of Kitty.  So, I saw this on Ravelry pattern page and thought it was just great!

Viajante by Martina Behm
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/viajante

 I was jonesin to visit a LYS and went to google maps and saw there was one in Lamberville - but alas, google had not updated that this shop has closed, boo hoo :-(
I saw then that there was a shop in Yardley, PA, so I went on over.  Y-Knot Knit is a lovely shop.  She has a nice collection of yarn including some lovelies from Shibui.

I had NO BUSINESS buying more yarn, but I spied some Juniper Moon Farm Findley in red and thought, I don't have 1700 yards of one lace weight in my stash... 60 bucks later I am ready to cast on Viajante.  I joyfully cast on!

Needless to say, I have cast on three more times and last night I had to rip back all the rows I managed to knit from 6:30 to 8:00.  Ugh.  There is a center increase that is tricky, the marker keeps moving so you have to move it back every row.  Once it is deeper in you might be able to just see the stitch.  We shall see.  There are 1700 yards of center increases to work so we shall see how this goes.

Irish of the week you ask?  Learning the consonants and how to ask if there is anything new - An bhruil aon scéal agasta? 

We also learned that gob struck comes from the word gob which was adapted from Gaelic in a way.  "Shut your gob" etc.  béal means mouth. FYI

go dtí an chéad uair eile
(Until next time...)
Fionnuir

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Knitting has sadness attached to it :-(

Alas it has been a few weeks since my last post and my last knitting time.

I lost my dear precious Kitty (cat). 

She and I were thick as thieves.  She was a sweet sweet girl with the patience of a saint and a bite that said "I own you, now love me and go to sleep."

Since CJ went off to college and moved out on her own, she found her way in my bed and on my lap for the past 5 years.  She was my protector and my knitting partner.  No matter where she was in the house, the minute I pick up my needles, regardless of the room or chair I was sitting in, she was staring up at me waiting for me to say "up, up, up" and make room on my lap.

The grief was insurmountable at first. I would have never believed it had someone told me I would feel this way.

After a few weeks I try to think of the good things, knowing that she is no longer feeling poorly and that across the rainbow bridge she is healthy, happy and playing with a green ball (her quote not mine).

I talk to her all the time and call her to bed every night and sometimes the tingle on my legs assures me that I am loved and not alone.

Precious girl, give me the strength to go back to knitting without being sad for you not sitting on my lap. I love you very much!  Mommy.

Monday, March 4, 2013

An labhraíonn tú Gaeilge?

An labhraíonn tú Gaeilge? (do you speak Irish?)

Well, I am learning!  Love the Internet for the possibility it affords us, add Skype and we are cookin with BACON!

Gaeilge and cniotáil - fun combination.  Now, 'cniotáil' is actually Scottish Gaelic but I will make adjustments accordingly as I learn.

Update on 'cniotáil' -

Still working on Kodachrome - and because I did not read instructions through properly I almost had a complete blunder.  I was only supposed to decrease at the END of the 15th row 5 times.  DUMMY ME - I did it at the beginning and the end.  So I had to frog back to the first decrease!  All is good - front is back at 3rd decrease already and last night i started to rip out to get back to 1st decrease  on back.

Oh well, I am sure it will do it again!