knit1frog2

tweed can be soft

Sometimes it's easier to just knitknitknit than stop to take pictures, resize the image for the web, upload the image, code the image, post the image.  So that's what I've been doing, knitting.  Of course as I was taking photos of some recent knitting, it made me wonder what other people out there were doing the exact same thing on a Saturday morning...taking pictures of their knitting...funny thought, eh?

Did anyone else living in my city go to WW and use the 20% coupon?  It was valid thru yesterday.  I totally spaced and forgot that I had put some skeins of Karabella Soft Tweed on the hold shelf!!  I have been looking at this yarn for I don't know how long.  Z can attest to that fact.  I have never felt a softer tweed...ever.  I have been thinking about it ever since I first felt the swatch (though not with my face, thankyouverymuch).  I am not kidding.  I have thought about this yarn a LOT.  It is soft, tweedy AND light.  I really think this is what I'm going to knit the UA with.  I'm going to knit up a swatch tonight.

x13 (hover over for close up)

See what I mean?  It is lovely.  I think my dad would have liked it.

sleepy and scary

I woke up today at an inanely late time.  I don't even want to tell you how late, it's so embarrassing...but when I woke up and saw that it was raining (actually *pouring*), it made more sense to me.  It's SO much more quiet when it rains...it really muffles the sounds from the everyday sounds...neighbors clanking around, cars starting up outside, etc. plus, I must've needed the sleep.

On the way to the kitchen, I thought since it was all rainy out, I'd wind my hanks into cakes...at least two of them and cast on for gauge.

McTaggart Tweeds from Beaverslide

Possibly you can make out the purl bumps in the gauge swatch?  There are 8 which means that I used a US8 needle.  It always makes me feel satisfied to remember to do clever things like that.  One thing was evident...the brown yarn (which I actually like better) gave closer gauge than the puffier grey.  It also knitted up much cleaner than the grey.  I've been wanting to knit a knockabout sweater anyway, so I'll use the Heathered Charcoal for that and order up more Tamarack.

Why scary in the title?  One could be that I've decided to buy even more yarn (the Tamarack), the other may be b/c I watched one of the scarier movies in awhile.  I never heard about it the first time it came out (did it go straight to DVD?), but it was on after I had settled in with my cereal and coffee.  Egad.  Scary.  It was called Stay Alive.  yikes.  I must think of something cheerful now.

For Sockapalooza4 news...

Yes, I've cast on and started!!

argh, pooling...but at least it's pretty

The above socks are called Diagonal Rib from IK Winter 2004.  Speaking of Interweave Knits...I really don't like their 'new' web system.  What happened to all of the great patterns that subscribers could peruse by inputting the code word printed on their subscribed magazine?  Maybe they think it's more "friendly" and "accessible" to have free patterns for all, but I miss the huge wealth of resources that once was on that site.  It's pretty lame now.  They give 4 free patterns and you can no longer search the archives.  How I hope they reinstate this functionality when the newsletter site is really launched.  I'm glad that I downloaded this pattern when I did AND that I was able to find it on an old HD.  Yes indeed.

I suppose this should be posted on the Sockapalooza4 pligg site, but I find the site a bit overwhelming.  I wonder if anyone will actually see it since people 'vote' for posts and other posts get buried if not voted for.  Yeah, what?  That said, I do realize that it's got to be challenging to find a way to corral 1,006 knitters' updates and the like so that's not to say that I don't appreciate the effort going in for this year's Sockpal fest, it cannot be simple.

For the sock savior socks, I want to use a pattern called Zokni socks from Pepperknit...it's such a lovely pattern.  Oh shoot.  I just checked and all of the sock savior socks have been taken!  Maybe I'll check back to see if anyone needs a pair of socks later in the summer.  You never know.

I've never knit with STR yarn before and I can see why people like knitting with this yarn.  It's lovely and springy/sproingy and does not split easily.  I am looking forward to knitting a pair for myself at some point!

if i had more time

I need more time in the day.  If there was more time, I'd get more sleep and I'd be able to knit more...

Look what arrived...

McTaggart Tweed from Beaverslide

Now...when am I going to be able to start it?   Hmm.  Knitting heavyweight wool for the Urban Aran in 70° weather just doesn't sound appealing unless it's in a fully air-conditioned apartment.  I only know 3 people with A/C here.  THREE.  Wonder what they're doing in the next couple of weeks...^_~

when tired...

One shouldn't do stuff when tired...like drive...or reply to emails...or...shop.

But in a fit of tiredness and wanting to just unwind after 4.5hrs of training after a full day's work all after being up since 5AM, well...yes, one's defenses can weaken a bit.  I had been holding out for yarn...wasn't quite sure whether I was really going to knit the Urban Aran...but well, I guess I have to now b/c I just bought the yarn.

See, what happened was...I came home...delirious...changed clothes...and saw my lovely color cards from Beaverslide sitting on my dresser and well, everything looked so pretty.  So I flipped through and looked at each card and came to the lovely McTaggart Tweeds that I loved so much when they first arrived.  The Charcoal heather...man...seriously soft...and thick...oooo...I didn't even care that it would probably add 15# to my frame.  (Yeah, I'll probably care tomorrow, but right now I am blissfully calm.)  Though I wish it were a browner color, the Charcoal really is lovely.  Yes, I will take pictures when my little bundle arrives.

image courtesy of Beaverslide

Really $47.25 for the yarn isn't half bad.  Oh geez, I see I added a hank of Tamarack to my order...I was thinking about trimming the sleeves or collar...see what happens when one is tired? I am telling you...so add another $6.75.  Still, not bad!

Can you tell that I got a tax refund this year? Now where's that espresso machine that I wanted to get for my office...wait. I'm going to bed.

Oyasumi!  ^__^

delivery 1

Well yay!  When I got home today, this was waiting for me at the doorstep...

okay the pattern is here, now should I knit it?

You know those little flat flower pins? I love those for some strange reason and while I have a box of the mixed pastel colors (someplace) I saw the PINK ones and knew they had to be mine!

While at WW w/Z on Sunday, I saw and felt the softest wool tweed yarn on the planet.  I love swatches that are already knit up at the LYS, don't you?  I can't, however, remember what the name of the yarn was.  As long as they don't rearrange the shelves before the next time I can go in (unlikely, right?) I should be okay.

Okay, off to do some calculations...yardage, size, gauge if my head will let me.  After a bout with what seemed like the stomach flu last week, I feel like I'm coming down with a cold now!  argh.  Yes.  I did just take my vitamins...