200!

Today marks my 200th post - that's a lot of babbling! Thanks for seeing me through all this fun! It's so nice to have "regulars" - makes me more apt to post to get to hear from all of you! And to all you lurkers out there, come out of hiding! I kept forgetting to post about "De-lurking" week, so consider this your call to delurk!


I have another finished project to share with you! Hold on to your hats! Literally!

Em - your hat is done!


Specs:

Pattern: My bastardized version of the Basic Cable Hat from SnB Nation
Yarn: Patons Classic Merino - ivory
Needles: Sz US8 Clover Bamboo DPNs
Time: Sometime last weekend, finished Saturday night
Mods: Well, I really changed this up. I've knit it four times now, each different. The first attempt was a *bit* too small. For the second attempt I added two cabled sections and one more pattern repeat. It worked out OK, but was a bit too big. The third one I removed one of the cabled sections and added six more rows of ribbing and one pattern repeat. Still a bit too big. So, for this one I went with the same number of cabled sections, but kept the other mods. It seems a bit longer than the third, but is more snug than the second or third.
Thoughts: I love it! I am loath to part with it, and will be checking the drug-dealer scale to see if I have enough yarn left to knit one for myself. It fits great.
I cannot say enough good things about this yarn. I knit three of these hats with this yarn and it seems much sturdier than the Knitpicks I used for mine. Don't get me wrong, I love my Knitpicks yarns, but they just don't seem as sturdy as the Patons. And it's almost just as cheap (especially if you get it at Joann's with a 40% off coupon like I do - then it is as cheap as Knitpicks).


I have been very neglectful in blogging about these beauties. You see, a few weeks ago, Lauren posted some knits that she wanted to send on to a good home. Being the bag lady that I am, I jumped at the chance to have a bag knitted by the awesome Lauren. And I didn't luck out on just one....she sent me two!


Suki Bag from Knitty.


Cabled Bag from a Vogue Knitting pattern.

Lauren was kind enough to send along a lining for the Vogue Bag, I just have to sew it in, and it has a zippered pocket and everything! Cannot wait to put these to good use! So nice to be able to give them a new home! Thanks Lauren!

And finally, because it is the beginning of a brand new, though short, month, I've got goals.

To recap:
January Goals:

1. Finish Turtle Neck Shrug - almost done...
2. Finish sockpal socks - DONE!
3. Finish at least one Jaywalker sock - DONE
4. Start The Husband's Whitby socks - started and frogged
5. Finish the back of Ribby Cardi - DONE!
6. Clean and organize and inventory stash - DONE! And I did the books/mags too!
7. Basic Cable Hat for Sis - DONE
8. Start Leaf Lace Shawl - started
9. Seam Baby Cardi - DONE
10. Finish Anouk - DONE!
11. Make baby tote bag for shower gift (sewing) - DONE
12. Buy yarn for February projects with xmas $$ (as if this needs to be a goal!) - DONE!
13. READ!!! - Finished 3 books
14. Spend some time each week on The Girl's cross-stitch stocking.

I'm really upset that I didn't finish the Turtle Neck Shrug. I'm so freaking close - literally a manner of inches, and if I had just been able to concentrate on doing one thing on Sunday, I'd be done. Ah well. Hopefully by the end of this week, it's almost still January right? I tried the sleeves on last night and it is SO FREAKING SOFT that I want to wear it right now! I think I would have finished this if it wasn't for the red scarf project.
I also didn't do any work on the stocking, but I'm thinking that it might be a great summer project, as it sometimes gets too warm here to be comfortable knitting. You know what excuses are like...
I didn't finish my fourth book - I just can't get into Mrs. Dalloway. I may scrap it and start something else tomorrow night.
I frogged the Husband's Whitby socks - he told me he didn't want more socks, he wanted a sweater. Who am I to argue? I did tell him he'd have to wait until my sweater was finihsed. Might be a while.

February Goals:
1. Finish Turtle Neck Shrug by Feb 4.
2. Finish second Jaywalker by Feb 14 (Hopefully by Feb 10, in time for Olympic knitting)
3. Olympic knitting!
4. Start plain sock for me - brain break and portable knitting during the Olympics.
5. Order yarn for Olympic knitting and Sockpal socks!
6. Make some progress on Ribby Cardi - ideally one sleeve and one front, but that seems like a big bite with Olympic Knitting and all...
7. Read 4 more books and post reviews of them!

Whew! I think that's plenty!

And just for fun, a cloud: