a day off!

Let me tell you about last Saturday.
We had nothing on the calendar, and decided to go to the Catskills.
It was a day where we saw an incredible amount of green.

Some of the leaves turning.

And I got to knit on top of a mountain.

We enjoyed incredible views while on the chairlift and while walking around the top of Hunter Mountain, which is a ski resort in the winter and a mountain bikers paradise in the summer.

We stumbled upon a sculptor

who's been working on Rip van Winkle for 11 years. I wonder if he's working on his sculpture for as long as Rip was asleep...

You can see the ski trails from the lift.

The road from Tannersville.

Then we went to North Lake, which is near South Lake. :) A state park.

After a short hike to an escarpment where a hotel once stood, you have a view of the Hudson Valley.

Annemarie re-learned how to skip stones.

We felt very lucky to be able to take advantage of the gorgeous day and get out of town and breathe....

blocked!

During the third week of my tenthousand yard challenge, it was painfully clear to me that I am not superknitter.

In fact, I had a serious case of Knitter's Block.

The gallery ended up not liking my felted bowls, and I think it took the wind out of my sails. I didn't make anything for two whole days. That's a lot of days not knitting if you should knit up about 400 yards a day at that point.

I finally came to my senses and remembered that I wanted to make a little boy a colorful blanket (please forgive these awful pictures taken in full sun. There are actually 4 different center colors there.) So I knitted blocks to get out of my blocked stage...

It worked, but things were not progressing fast enough. Single strands of worsted weight on size 7 needles is not record breaking material.

Then I made some more hexagons, attaching them as I went. There is one single one there that I made to re-teach myself how I had done them, and I cannot figure out for the life of me how to incorporate him into the fabric. Remember, this thing is completely seamless! I have tried every which way, and if I want to keep the cast-ons and pick-ups consistent, then I will have to leave that one out.

On Sunday, I began panicking again about the low yardage I was using up. So I started a neck down pullover with a strand of mohair and a strand of 6 ply sock yarn.

It's pretty, but my gauge is off, and most likely this will not fit me. I'll have to find a very petite person to give it to. 32 inch chest, anyone?

Today then, on my day off, I decided to use up some more Cascade 220 that I bought several years ago. It's becoming another felted bag.

I hop back and forth between the projects. Last week's tally is only 895 yards.

One more week to go. If you don't hear from me again, don't worry, I'm only up to my ears in wool.

Halftime Report, part 2

This scarf was the first project I made for the challenge. I barely am able to even admit I made it, let alone take a picture and show you. The yarn came deep down from the stash, and it harks back to the Scarf Craze, back to when I first had my yarn shop.


This baby sweater is not finished yet, I don't seem to have to time or patience right now to be picking up stitches for a button band. However since it is a baby gift for a little girl born almost 3 weeks ago, I better hurry up! Morehouse Merino pattern, but washable wool from Filatura di Crosa.

Also last week, I started the "fylingdales" sweater from a fine fleece.

Bound off but no ends woven in: a rectangular stole in all oranges and some pink and pale yellow. A total mix of fibers, held double with a strand of laceweight mohair/nylon.

180 sts, size 10.5 needles; stitch pattern: knit on the right side; k1, p1 rib on the wrong side.

This next one took me a week to make, and I loved it...again, a mix of orphan balls, about 450 yards worth of worsted weights; double stranded with Douceur et Soie laceweight kid mohair and silk. It added a fine halo to the whole shawl that makes it look very cozy and elegant. Size 10.5 needles. The edging is 1.5 balls of chinchilla by Berroco.






I can't help it, I love garter stitch in a shawl...

So together with the last post, you can see what I was able to make during the last 2 weeks.

Onward!

Halftime Report, part 1

In the second week of my 10,000 yard challenge, I've knitted up 2058 yards.

It's picture time. Today, quickly before I run off to work (for the 6th straight day), I'll give you my felted projects.

I made 15 bowls, varying in height from 3 to 8 inches.

Last night and this morning, I made this little tote bag...9x9 inches after felting.

I've sufficiently recovered from my shock the other day, the wool having gotten the better of me. Works every time.

That book shall be written, I know I have it in me.

Now I need YOU to hold me to it.

Watch out!

This is a link to a politically oriented blog.

If politics of any sort bore you, or you simply do not want to deal with it right now, ignore THIS.
(I had this page pop up that said the blog is currently under review. I clicked on Proceed and got there right away.)

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Which is where I almost tore my hair out today.

I had very secretly been getting a book proposal ready to send out. Introduction written, dsigns drawn, etc.
Today an old acquaintance asked me if I'd be interested in maybe trying to contribute a few designs to a book that a friend of hers is writing?

Same book. Same idea. Same everything.

Pardon me while I go back to my darkened bedroom and cry for a while.

pit stop

Total yards knit as of September 8, 2008, 10 am: 2144.

Things I have learned so far:

- Life goes on, whether I knit, or not.

- I am more sociable than previously assumed. I will never be a knitting hermit.

- Constantly counting yardage is not as much fun as I had anticipated.

- The house still gets dirty, and still needs to be cleaned.

- Sleep is NOT optional.

Excuse me...

...while I go knit some more...

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Knitting on Day 3

Yesterday, on the 3rd day of the tenthousand yard challenge, I knit a little more on the baby sweater from the day before, but had to set it aside due to wrist pain.

I switched to this -- much easier on my hands.


And managed to knit up 300 yards, according to my educated guess and a baker's scale!
It's a fine collection of mostly oranges, worsted weight, that I am combining with a variegated lace weight mohair. Size 10.5 needles, 180 sts.

I finally managed to get a picture of the socks, before I deliver them to Trumpet Hill as a shop model tomorrow morning.

Have a good day!

Back to School

It was back to school for Crafty Girl today! First time without her big brother, and she did great.

She decided to use the same backpack as last year and embellish it! She had received a very nice kit as a gift at her half-birthday party which allows you to make your own iron-ons. There were templates she used. We also found a peace patch and put that on.
We'll see how many more things will be added throughout the school year!

On the knitting front, I managed to knit up 270 yards of worsted weight yesterday, almost finishing a baby cardigan.

I don't want to fall behind too much on the yardage count, so today I am starting a stole where I am using a mix of worsted weights, but am running along a strand of lace weight mohair blend...thereby doubling my yardage used with every stitch.

Have a good day today!

Reporting on Day 1

Yesterday, I finished this set which I had started Saturday night.
I was able to count the 25 yards that went into the second bootie towards the 10,000 yard project. Woohoo!
The hat and booties were made from Encore DK, 120 yards including the ties, but no turned up brim; size 5 needles; Fibertrends pattern #CH-36. They are going my friends' newly adopted little boy.


Also yesterday, taking advantage of a glorious day and Dear Husband taking Crafty Girl shopping, I turned this (not all 12 skeins shown, obviously)

into this

and this:

Then, thanks to my friend Anna having us over for dinner, I was able to finish a sock. Approximately another whopping 50 yards were used up. I don't have a pic!

And this, my dears, is what 10,000 yards of yarn look like. I made the black scarf in the front of the photo yesterday. 218 yards. I held a strand of mohair and a strand of -- hold on to your hats -- ladder yarn together. True, buried stash, unearthed and used up. I am not counting the fringe I have finish attaching.

The first day't total is 293 yards...not quite the goal of 333 yards.

Tomorrow, school starts.

I am sure my totals will improve.