Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Everything Grows


Ok, not everything - hubby finally got the tree chopped up and it is killing our grass, waiting for the city to pick it up sometime next week.



But the garden is growing (corn),



as is my tummy. Finally showing a little this week, which should shut up everyone who keeps saying "Are you still wearing your normal clothes?" and "Why aren't you showing yet?" (But I am still wearing most of my clothes.)

We find out the sex next week - exciting!

And the knitting has been growing as well, but with the crazy last 10 days we've had I've got no pictures. Tomorrow looks slower though, so fingers crossed.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

FO Retrospective

OK, I suppose only one of these is really a retrospective, since I finished the other two this week, but at any rate, there is proof that I've been finishing things - and best of all, these were all gifts!



Pattern: Shrug This from One Skein Wonders
Yarn: Elann Highland Wool Chunky - about 3 skeins
Needles: Sz US 10 Clover Bamboo Circular
Dates: February 2008-March 1, 2008
Mods: Did more increases than the pattern called for, thus adding width and length. From Ravelry I learned that it ran quite a bit small, so I measured as I went and tried to make it fit my SIL's approximate measurements.
Thoughts: Quick, easy, but frustrating that the pattern really doesn't turn out a wearable size unless you modify it. I hope it fit my SIL - it was her birthday gift, but I haven't heard yet if it was a success.



Pattern: Simple Baby Cap #2 from Itty Bitty Hats
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK (yellow) and worsted (purple)
Needles: Sz 7 Addi Turbo 16" Circular and Clover bamboo DPNs
Dates: Monday April 7-Thursday April 10.
Mods: I added the yellow brim as this is a gift for an LSU lovin' family.
Thoughts: Simple, easy baby hat. Made a lot of progress at knitting Thursday night. Maybe I should knit a baby hat every Thursday night!


Pattern: Flore from Knitwhits
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK in green, lt. blue, lt. purple, pink and yellow - tiny bits of each
Needles: Sz 6 Addi Turbos and Sz 6 Boye 16" Circulars (clover bamboo DPNs for the top)
Dates: March 2008-April 6, 2008
Mods: none, other than changing the colors from the pattern suggestions
Thoughts: I was really nervous that this would be so fiddly that I wouldn't want to work on it. However, it went fairly quickly, and even the tacking down of each individual petal didn't take too long. It is super cute, and I would make it again.

I have been working on some other projects and maybe starting some new ones. More on them later this week (I hope). Oh, and the tree? Still hanging on the power line. C'mon power company!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Rotten Eye Candy



What we're dealing with this week. Two days, and no sign of the power company who are supposed to come get the tree off the power line. Thank you Texas storms. (And of course, it wasn't the two dead branches on the other tree, nor any of the branches that just needed to be pruned. Of course not.)

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Single Sock Syndrome Strikes Again!

Sorry 'bout that break in posting - first I didn't have pictures, then I didn't have a cord to connect camera to computer, then Sock Madness round 2 started and I didn't have time to blog. I did finish my first sock on Friday (after working all week and being struck down with allergies), but sadly, I am out as of last night. :( On the upside, I am half a sock away from having a pair, and I love the pattern and yarn, so I'm happy with my new pair-to-be of socks. And, if I like the upcoming patterns, I'll probably keep knitting along. We'll see though, since I have some April goals to meet.

I did better than I hoped on my March goals, even though I totally sucked at them. Too much Sock Madness and housework over Spring Break really interfered with the knitting time.

March Goals:
Finish Log Cabin Blanket - DONE
Finish Embossed Leaves socks - one done
Finish Child's First socks - one done
Finish the peppermint socks - one done
Finish Devon - DONE
Work on Icarus (get through the repeats of chart 1) - DONE
Work on Rogue (up to the armholes?) - nope
Finish one front of Bristow - nope
Finish one front of Cambridge Jacket - nope
Finish front of Salina - nope
Work on Buttony - nope
Work on Isobel - a few rows
Finish half of mystery knit - 1/4 done
Finish one Solstice Slip sock - not touched


April Goals -

Finish Flore
Finish Embossed Leaves
Finish Child's First Socks
Finish peppermint socks
Finish Icarus
Sock Madness - I'm out already!
Shop model
LSU baby hat
Work on baby blanket
Start something for the baby
Work on Salina
Blog at least 2x week

I'd really like to work more Project Spectrum into my knits, but I'm trying (for the most part) to finish, and not start things. So we'll see. My April Goals are much more manageable than my March (and February), so I hope I can finish some things.

I'm looking forward to finishing Icarus so I can start some new lace projects. I have all the repeats of Chart 1 done, so it's just 3 small charts and I'm done! I think these charts will go much more quickly, not just because they are "shorter" but because they are more interesting than chart 1.

It also appears that I've joined the single sock movement again, since I have four lonely single socks right now.



Embossed Leaves and Reversai


Child's First Sock and Peppermint sock


However, all but Embossed Leaves have a mate started, so there is hope for them (and me) yet. I've really been enjoying the patterned sock lately, so I'm hoping to see more of those in the near future. We'll see though, with all these baby knits coming up!

OK - I've got to complete goal #1 today, as it is for a birthday present that I have to deliver this afternoon. I'll try to keep up with that last goal - with the nice weather and sunshine, picture taking is much easier, so hopefully that will help. Have a great Sunday!