Don't Piss off the Knitting Gods

I've really put off writing this post, there will be no gold metal here on this blog. Last week the Everest Vest was cast aside and has not been picked up since. I really wanted to make this vest, complete it in the 16 days allotted but it just isn't going to happen.

In an earlier post I had stated that I was having tendon and wrist problems. Even after the tendon and wrist started feeling better and I tried knitting on the vest, there's just something about the Silky Wool that really aggravates my hands and wrist. This does not make me happy. I think I will really like this vest, in this yarn, if I can ever get it finished. I'm just going to have to take my time with it and knit it in small increments.

So instead of working on the vest, I've been spinning and finishing up (cough), a long overdue Christmas present. Yes, I am ashamed. My poor sister's hands are freezing because I didn't finish her Latvian mittens. I am a bad, bad sister. I have been working steadily on them and plan on finally giving them to her this weekend.

I'm feeling like such a knitting loser. I suppose I don't have to fess up these things here on the blog but the knitting Gods smite me. And I'm pretty sure that until I reveal my knitting misgivings to the world they are not going to let me have one moment of knitting joy.

I have yarn to show, soon to be finished mittens and some pretty handspun to show you all in the next post.

A Fool and Their Money

Last Week I took the trip to The Fold. Need I say more.

Actually I did want to say that the two Merino/Tencel blends are different, I just wasn't able to capture it in the photo.








Blue Moon handpainted top








Fast flyer for my wheel, locks and a book.


Like I needed any more sock yarn.

On Wednesday I bought another skein of Rose's sock yarn. I haven't taken a picture yet but will for the next post. I am now officially on a yarn and fiber diet!

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Olympic Update

Thursday night I was doing some beading. I had read the warnings (linked from Stephanie's blog) about knitting injuries. I took heed but didn't think about it again and then proceeded to do the beading. Trying to get the needle through the too small holes and using that pinching grip over and over. The next morning I woke up and the tendons below my thumbs were really ticked off. I also have a small ganglion cyst on my wrist and it wasn't too happy either. Not off to a great start.

I cast on around Friday at 3:30 pm but knitting has gone slowly. I've had to try and adapt my knitting as not to further aggravate the tendons and wrist. I've made progress but I am a few inches behind where I want to be. Something tells me this may not go as I had hoped. I thought I would really like this yarn for the vest (Silky Wool) but I am not pleased with the unevenness of the stitches. I'm sure part of it is due to my knitting but I think part of it is also the yarn. I thought about ripping and starting a new project but decided to stick with it and hope that it looks better after it is washed.

I have lots of goodies to show from my trip to The Fold but will save them for the next post.

Serious Olympic Training

With all the talk of Olympic training I thought I'd share how my son is doing a little training himself. For the first time, a couple of weeks ago he decided he wanted to play hockey. Being as he has no hockey equipment he creatively made do. Spiderman slippers for skates, a golf putter for a hockey stick and well, what else but old Pooh slippers for shoulder pads. See the little box under the stoool? Well that would be the goal, and there was another goal set up across the room.

Decision Made

As I read blogs today I see that many of us are in high gear of our Olympic training. After much indecision I have finally committed to what I will knit. It's the Veste Everest from the Fall 2005 Issue of Interweave Knits. I kind of wanted to make it in a charcoal but I'm really trying to add more color to my wardrobe so I chose Silky Wool in a pinkish/rose color. Me thinks it will look pretty good with a nice crisp white blouse.

I finished up a scarf last night and hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get some shots of it in action. It's a ruffled scarf that I crochet on the fly with the limey green color of Kid Silk. I have seen others made with what looks like 2 strands but I wanted it to look light and airy so I only used one strand. I think it turned out pretty good.

Yarn Obscenities

The other day I met my friend Rose at the LYS for some knitting time. I asked her to bring some of sock yarn that she has been dyeing and I picked up two lovely skeins. I bought Delightful Glow (and it is very delightful!) and Black tie affair. I can’t wait to knit these up, after the Olympics of course. Dyeing is an area I have yet to enter so it’s nice having a local friend that can dye yarn for you so she’s making me another colorway that I’ve been looking for.

(Click any for larger)

I made a couple of other purchases this week. Steinbach Wolle and Lorna’s Laces, yummm, and a new kitting bag. I went to purchase my niece a new wallet to match the backpack purse she got for Christmas and the bag’s colors caught my eye. There were many different bags in this fabric but this one seemed the perfect size for carrying around and for traveling in the car.

I think my husband thought I had lost my mind. I came in and told him I got the wallet for Katie and “since it was the first day of birthday month I decided to buy myself a Valentine’s present!” I know, that makes no sense at all but I wasn’t going to call it a birthday present since I have a trip planned to The Fold and plan on purchasing many birthday presents there :D

Spinning

I have been really neglecting my wheel. This week I sat down to spin and realized how out of practice one can get. I started working on a merino/tencel blend from Blue Moon Fiber Arts (those Socks that Rock folks) in the Queen colorway. It’s so pretty… I have no idea what I am going to make with this, I have 5 ozs and plan on navajo plying it. I'm sure a project will call to me but if you have any ideas feel free to comment.

Things I have noted this week that will affect your spinning, and not in a good way:

~Don’t spin when you back hurts
~Don’t spin when you are tired
~Don’t spin when your 9 year old is talking non-stop and saying “look” every 30 seconds

So this yarn won’t be the most even that I’ve spun but that’s ok. It was important for me to get back at the wheel.

Knitting Olympics

I have yet to commit to what I am knitting. Now I'm torn between a vest from the new Vogue and socks. Later today or tomorrow I will start swatching for the vest so hopefully that will help me to decide.

Though I put up the Team chocolate, coffee and merlot button I think I need to join the team "what the hell was I thinking? It's so hard for me to stick with just one project and complete something in a short amount of time. I think my ability to be faithful in the life situations that count are in return taken out on my knitting. I would love to be one of those knitters who can stick to one project at a time but I need the thrill of being a party girl when it comes to wool.

As this seems to be the case with many of us knitters, I cheer you on in your quest to be faithful for 16 days!