Eeeek! Steeks!

Actually, WOOHOO!

I finished knitting the Crayons & Chalkboards vest Wednesday night during the very long American Idol finale.

After much reading and internet research yesterday, I finally got brave enough to crochet the edging on the steeks. I know how to crochet so this part was actually pretty easy. The hardest part was deciding where to crochet the steek because everything I read said that crochet steeks should be over an odd number of stitches and, of course, I had an even number. Eunny Jang makes reference to crocheting over an even number but I just couldn't get my mind around what she was saying until all of a sudden it just hit me.

Then, I sat and stared at it for a long time. I made the excuse that my scissors weren't sharp enough. Finally, I just grabbed the scissors and starting cutting and...

IT WORKED!

The purple edging is where I cut. See how clean it is, with no unraveling?!

I've only cut one steek. I did the right armhole first. I'm picking up stitches around it now, then have to knit 6 rows of ribbing.

Last night, Hayden decided he was going to help build the sunroom for Grandmama and Granddaddy.

This was after he and Granddaddy turned the scrap lumber into some great building blocks!

And before he learned to climb the fence!

Our Weekend

Hayden had an exciting weekend. His Grandpa, Patrick's dad Len, flew down to visit on Friday and Saturday. Hayden wasn't as nearly as shy with him as he tends to be with other people.

On Saturday, we went to Dauset Trails Nature Center. Hayden had a blast. We had never been there before and didn't realize how close it is to home. I foresee many more trips in the future. They have feed, either dog food or corn, at many of the exhibits. It's in gumball machines and you pay a quarter to get a handful of feed. Hayden loved feeding the animals, especially the ducks, geese and turtles.

We did have one small tragedy though. Hayden was trying to squeeze through the railing on the bridge and I grabbed his arm to pull him back. When I did this, it caused his beloved pap (pacifier) and keeper to fall into the pond. Of course, we have plenty of back-up paps but no back-up keepers. The only ones that we can keep attached are the ones from Babys-r-us so it's not simple to run out and get one. I came home and made a length of I-cord to attach it to. I don't have any diaper pins though and he pulls hard enough on the safety pin that it pops open, so this has not been a great solution.

Instead of knitting the instant gratification dish cloth on Thursday, I spend most the day plotting out dyeing some sock yarn. I ordered some Knitpicks Bare some time ago with the intention of dyeing it match my teal green scrubs. Shortly after that, I found Regia Crazy in the colors that I wanted so I ordered that instead. Then I decided that I would dye it match my orange scrubs. Of couse, after that I found some Opal Neon that's the perfect colors to match that so I ordered it instead. Now I have no idea what colors I want to dye which is why I abandoned the idea of dyeing for now.

Thursday afternoon I started on Hayden's Crayons and Chalkboard sweater vest. I had been putting it off because, honestly. the thought of Fair Isle terrified me. However, I have found it to be incredibly simple so far. Of course the thought of steeking is still terrifying but I'm not to that point yet so all is well. I am almost to the armholes.

It almost looks like a hat in the photo but it's to gauge. It's just 192 stitches packed onto a 16" circ! I'm using a KP US#3 which is sooooo sharp. I had to borrow a thimble from my mom because I tend to push on the tip of the left needle and it was wearing my finger tip out.

The best thing about this Fair Isle is that it has forced me to knit Continental, which I knew how to do but I throw so fast I felt like Continental was slowing me down. Now that I've had to do it, I've gotten much faster with it and I think I will likely switch to it permanently.

Friday, my Opal Neon arrived from The Loopy Ewe . This is the first time I've ordered from Sheri and her service is great! I ordered late Wednesday afternoon and my yarn arrived on Friday. You just can't beat that. Plus, she includes all these great gifts and samples. She sent a sample of Regia Bamboo and I think that will probably be my next purchase!

I immediately cast on Cookie A.'s Pomatomus Socks from Knitty, which is a great pattern for variegated yarn.

After taking these photos, I declared that I must have a new camera. I have two digital cameras. One usually takes good pics but the flash doesn't always work so photos come out dark and underexposed. Plus, Hayden dropped it and now you have to hold the battery compartment closed while you use it. The other camera doesn't have zoom and the flash overexposes everything. So I'm off to buy a new one today. Look for better pics coming soon!

Ruffled Surplice

Pattern: Ruffled Surplice
Source: Interweave Knits Spring 2007
Designer: Mari Lynn Patrick
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Batchelor Button Colorway
Needles: Addi Turbo US#10.5
Cast on: 5/1/07
Completed: 5/16/07

I found this pattern a really easy, quick knit. Most everything I've been knitting lately has been on small needles so the bigger ones were a welcome break. The pattern was simple to follow except for the shaping on the back. I much prefer patterns that tell you which increase/decrease to use. It took some playing around with to find the most invisible ones to use. On the front panels, the specific shaping is specified. I wish I would have done the fronts first. It would have made the back easier.

These really aren't the best photos but we were trying to take them before American Idol came on. We got the photos made but I couldn't get them posted because Hayden decided to help me type. Trust me, you wouldn't have been able to read this. It looked like some unknown language!

Speaking of American Idol, Travis and I were both in a state of shock when Melinda got voted off. I guess everybody got complacent, figured she was shoo in and didn't bother to vote for her. I have to admit I was one of those people. I fact, the whole season, I've assumed that Melinda was safe and, while I thought she the best, I never voted for her.

I haven't decided what I'm going to cast on today. I have several projects lined up. I'm still dealing with the huge wad of yarn vomit, though it is getting cleaned up a little bit. I think I'm going to have to give up and break out the scissors though. The Regia Crazy is still making me crazy and I haven't decided what to do with it. I placed a large order on Monday for the supplies I need to start my Christmas projects but it's not here yet. Me, being my dyslexic self, transposed the credit card numbers when I ordered it so that caused a delay in shipping.

I have a whole skein of Shine Worsted left so I might just make a wash cloth from it today. It will be some real instant gratification and knock an item off the Christmas list. Wash clothes wrapped around handmade soaps are on my list of Christmas gifts to make. Does anybody know where I can get some great handmade soaps?

Hayden decided that he was going to visit Granddaddy up on the roof at Mama and Daddy's house yesterday. Thank goddness that Patrick was there to go up the ladder with him. And, no, he didn't actually get on the roof. And, yes, I was glad I was at work and I didn't see him climbing that ladder!

My $1.50

Pattern: Dollar and a Half Cardigan from IK Spirng 2007

Yarn: KnitPicks CotLin in Royal Plum

Started March 8, 2007 Finished March 30, 2007

I changed the fronts and did them both in the lace/ rev St st pattern. The yarn is incredibly soft after washing blocking. I think I need to lightly steam the sleeves though. It was hard to block the sleeves without making a crease down the side.

I never thought I'd have this finished in time for Easter so Tuesday was a mad dash to Joann's for buttons and fabric for my mom to make me a skirt to wear with the sweater for Easter Sunday. I'm so excited to have it done!

Finished with knitting

WOOHOO! I have a $1.50 now! I finished all my knitting this morning and did the three needle bind off on the shoulders. I have just started the laborious process of sewing it all together. I'll post a photo with an update later.

Half sleeve to go!

I am almost finished knitting my Dollar and a Half cardigan. I have to complete the second sleeve and I'll be through with all the knitting. BUT, then there is all the sewing to be done and THEN the button hole band. I still don't see a chance that I'll have it done by Easter.

Actually, it's okay if I don't have it done by Easter because I still haven't found anything to wear it with, besides jeans. I did find a great outfit to wear on Easter though.

Speaking of Easter, I still have to knit and felt Hayden's Easter basket and finish the bunny. All the bunny needs is his nose embroidered on and to be re-stuffed. I'm still stressing about the sheep because Travis and Patrick both say that the nose I put on him makes him look like a dog. I tried to take it off unsuccessfully and I don't have enough yarn to make another so I guess Hayden will have a cross bread sheep/dog in his Easter basket.

Will I ever have a $1.50?

I'm almost finished with left front of my Dollar and a Half Cardigan from IK and I don't like the way the shaping looks.

It suddenly dawned on me last night that normally you ssk at the beginning of the row and k2tog at the end of the row. The pattern and Veronik's tutorial have you k2tog at the beginning of the row and ssk at the end of the row. I put a post out there to see if anybody else thought the pattern should be reversed but I didn't get a response, so off to the frog pond I went this morning.

I frogged a few rows of the right front and reknit it using ssk instead of k2tog. The good news is that it really doesn't look any different so I don't think I'll frog all the shaping. The bad news is that it really doesn't look any different so I'm still not happy with my shaping.

So I've sat here all day without knitting. My only day off all week. I feel like I've wasted the whole day. Oh sure, I have other WIP but they are an almost finished Moderne Log Cabin blanket and sweater out of Paton's SWS. The Moderne Log Cabin is made out of Knit Picks WOTA and it's too hot here today to work on it (mid seventies already on the second day of spring!). The sweater involves another trip to the frog pond. Paton's SWS is NOT the easiest stuff to frog, believe me. It's not spun very tightly and the stitches really cling to each other.

I really haven't wasted the whole day. I did manage to get all of Hayden's (my 19 month old)winter clothes put away and his summer clothes out. I had forgotten about all of the hand me downs that we got last year from one of Patrick's co-workers. There were a lot of shorts that he can wear in the bag so no need to shop for him right now! Woohoo! I must be the only mom on the planet who doesn't like to shop (except for yarn, of course!).

I wanted to start a pair of socks today but Kyle (my 18 year old) hasn't made my swift yet and I just couldn't get excited about using my lamp today. If he doesn't make it soon, I'm taking his power tools and making it myself!