Sea Anemone Knits

I started the Silk Camisole in LMKG in a fog of euphoria over finishing (!!!) the SC. I was so thrilled about having finished something that it carried over and I cast on for the Silk Cami. (I keep knitting things that can be abbreviated "SC"… what’s going on here???)

I cast on and knit the friggin vine lace with a passion that I never experienced when attempting the Orangina. I knit til the airport blacked out. I got home and I tinked. I tinked til right before the cows came home. Undid 3 rounds. Whole rounds. Fixed things. Knit the lace correctly. Or so I thought. Apprently thinking is something that needs to be left to better people than I.

I’ve put down the Silk Camisole. Only momentarily. You see, I joined this Knitting World Cup knit a long deal. My mom had emailed me with a link she had found for it. We’re all quite excited about the World Cup even though the US never made it out of the first level. So now, as I had joined, it occured to me that I needed to start working on something for it. So I started a baby sweater. A second baby sweater. Ok, let me back track a bit. I’m knitting a wee baby argyle vest for a baby soon to be born to a woman in my office. And there’s another baby to be born around the same time to another woman. And you can’t knit for one baby and not the other right?? Anyway, I’ve also never knit a sweater with seams before so it would be a bit of a challenge. I actually started the argyle vest about 6 weeks ago. It’s been languishing for 4 weeks. I lost enthusiasm. So even though, the one sweater got started before the KWC, I’m still using it as part of my personal challenge. Two baby sweaters, 10 days. That’s my plan. Leave me encouragment. It’s appreciated!

I’m actually kinda sleepy though I don’t know why. My boss decided that she’d work from home again. This would make it like the second or third Friday in a row. Which, actually, I don’t mind all that much except it means that I don’t stay on the ball and get work done. Now, don’t get me wrong, I got things accomplished, but probably not near what I’d have gotten done if she’d been there.

Example: I was on the knitty board today at exactly the right time to find out about a 50% off sale that KnitPicks was having on EVERY addi turbo needle in stock. I grabbed 8 different sizes and still didn’t have $40 so I emailed Kelly, Mo and Susan and asked if they wanted to jump in on an order. Susan did. But by the time I clicked through to the checkout counter on the site, 40 minutes later, 5 of my eight needle sizes were sold out! Yippee Sh*t! Now, I know knitters can be a little wild when it comes to sales, but where did the rush come from?? So, as an end result, Susan’s needle was available, and I’ve got two 12" US #1 circs, two 12" US #3 circs and a 24" US #3 all to be coming my way shortly. I love me some socks on 12" circulars…

I’m kind of feeling "eh…" about knitting this past week. I finished the cowl and I’m terribly pleased although she grows. A lot. I wonder if I should have gone down even one more size so that I didn’t feel like I was wearing a bag after one outing.  I’ve been working slowly on the tank top. I only knit about 2 inches of lace during the enitre trip and I didn’t even hit a yarn shop the whole time. GASP! Those who know me know that as soon as i confirmed that I was going to be in NJ, the first, and I do mean first, thing that I did was google yarn shops in Princeton. I saw the yarn shop in Princeton. I even walking down and gazed lovingly in the windows. But it was closed when I got there. When I got to NY, my dad’s girlfriend convinced my dad to allow that we stop at a yarn shop for me, (even though I’m 24 years old I’m not allowed to spend the day in NY by myself? Strange, but apparently true) I immediately called upon Mo who graciously and frantically googled yarn shops in NY for me as I had come unprepared. But even with notes and scrambled addresses scrawled across the back of my pattern, the closest I actually got when all was said and done was to wave at one that we happened upon by random chance as we drove by in a cab while trying to get back to the hotel to pick up our bags and dash to the airport. Oh well. It was not to be I suppose. I actually don’t really mind. Probably because my cousin Joanie dropped a little purl of wisdom in my lap. Apparently, her parents are quite good friends with Julie Carles’ (she of the Yarn Girls fame) husband and they very kindly told me to let them know the next time I was going to NY and they would call them for me so that when I dropped into her yarn shop, they might know to expect a knitter who has never walked into a yarn shop without a disastrous slip and fall near the register resulting in a swipe of the debit card as I go down.

I leave you with this picture

This is my "baby" and his name is Bug and he is 7 years and 2 months old. I adopted him on Sept 9, 2001 (I dug up his paperwork the other day. Hadn’t realized that I had gotten him so close to 9/11)

Have a great weekend folks!

Oh, I hate Newark airport. Jay-sus. Ok, so Friday, Jenifer (sweet gal from work) took my tush to the airport and dropped me off. I met up with my dad and his gf, Annie. Our flight, was an hour late taking off. We left at 8pm instead of 7 like planned. grr. We got to the hotel in Princeton at 3am. gahh! Our flight home, lets talk about this one. We first show up at 4 for our flight at 7, which yeah we were early, but better safe than sorry. Our flight gets delayed an hour and a half due to the weather in Houston being crap (read, flight now at 8:30). Then, the flight gets delayed another hour due to shite weather just north of Newark (read, flight now at 9:30). Then, oh holy mother, THEN! the flight gets delayed further when the airport loses POWER. Fricking power outtage! In all of this, the plane never gets there. The plane finally shows up at 10pm. We get boarded at and are in the air by 11. We land in Houston at almost 3 in the morning. I get home by 4. I was originally supposed to be home by 11. I called my boss’ voicemail at like 4 in the morning and was like, I can’t do it. I won’t be in today. There’s no way this will work. I’m sorry. I then took a quick shower and passed out. I didn’t wake up until after 3pm this afternoon. How’s about a nice almost 12 hour sleep?? I really really enjoyed the trip though and got to see my family and spend time with them and share in the celebration of a truly beautiful life. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

I called my friend Meryl up in tears that Saturday though. My dad’s cousin Chris is a filmmaker and had done a film of Marnie with pictures and old film clips of her and there were pictures in there of her and my Grandmother and all of a sudden, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be able to hug my grandmother again and tell her that I loved her, and I couldn’t. It broke my heart all over again. Thus, I’ve been getting weepy the last couple of days whenever I think of my Grandma. This sucks. But I’d still do it all over.

On another note, I went today after I woke up and picked up my sp gift from the postoffice. I very gently placed the package in the front seat and then went to the grocery store.

I got home and calmly quickly made myself something to eat. Ate, and then scrambled to get into the box like a starving person tearing into a cracker packet. And this dear SP of mine, had sent me to the loveliest, most well suited surprises ever! A tantalizing note telling me a few things about herself. The package hails from NJ. (Which is where I just visited!) SP put in 3 skeins of Misti Alpaca laceweight yarn in a gorgeous dark eggplant color and a handmade drop spindle (which is absolutely sweet because now I’ve got a spindle to use for my class next month!). She also put in a bunch of Ghiradelli dark chocolate with mint filling which is only like the best dark chocolate in the entire world! Yippee! I am so spoiled!! Here, have a picture!

By this time, I’ve now finished all the yummy chocolate (yes, I’m a piggy, but I enjoyed every last bite) and am plotting what lace to knit. Granted, the lace will most likely be a couple months away on the knitting radar. I want to finish the tank top I started and do the Hourglass sweater and finish the purty blue socks that I’ve done exactly one toe of. I’m thinking that I either want to try the Madli shawl (minus the nubbly nupps) or the Print of a Wave shawl that Eunny has on her blog. Suggestions are desperately needed greatly appreciated.

A very finished Somewhat Cowl. I love her. Well, almost all of her. The neckline is lumpy in two spots and I’m hoping it blocks out. But without any further ado, have some pictures!

Welcome to the world Somewhat Cowl!

Better shot of the neckline which gave me the most trouble of the whole sweater…

See you when I get back folks!!

edit:

So, I figured that I might mention some of the things I changed about the Somewhat Cowl. Frankly, the pattern kind of sucks. The only size that seems to work exactly is the size that the author did for herself. Which is fine, but you ought to get all other sizes test knitted before you go out and sell something to people. If you’re going to knit this pattern, I suggest going out before you buy the pattern and read every set of pattern notes you can find from the knit-bloggers out here on the web. Seriously.

First, I knit for bust size 38" due to my gauge and that I’d read alot of problems with knitting for your size and having it turn out huge. Plus, I was knitting with 80% cotton and I was afraid of blooming. I normally wear a size 42".

I did not knit the raglan sleeve to the length suggested by the pattern, if I had, the arm hole would have been gargantuan. I shorted it to 9 inches long before I began the sleeves.

I added an extra set of waist increases and decreases because I curve in more and also because I needed the additional length because I’ve got a longer torso. It still turned out just barely long enough to suit me. Consider adding more length if you don’t want your tummy to be exposed when you lift your arms above your head.

I did not knit as far down as the pattern requested for the neckline. I didn’t want to show off my belly button and needed something more modest.

For the collar, I ignored the suggested pick up stitches amounts and simply picked up and knit stitches as evenly as I could all the way around. I like how it turned out and I picked up more stitches than suggested.

When casting on for the very beginning, Wendy asks you to do this: CO 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2) [front]; PM; CO 8 (9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11) [sleeve]; PM; CO 28 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) [back]; PM; CO 8 (9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11) [sleeve]; PM; CO 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2) [front]

If I were to do it again, I would simply do this: CO 8 (9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11) [sleeve]; PM; CO 28 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) [back]; PM; CO 8 (9, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11) [sleeve]

I would do it this way because it removes a sort of triangular area that the original pattern has that makes the neckline sort of whumpy when you pick up stitches around it. I hope that made sense…

Finally, I ignored the neckline part of the pattern altogether. I did the 2×2 ribbing the entire way around the neckline except for the very bottom where you are knitting in the cleavage area and there I did 1×1 ribbing. I did this for 3 inches and then, continued in 2×2 all the way around. increasing by one stitch in every stitch that was 1×1 ribbing. This way, the neckline gathered up as little more tightly and then the increasing made the collar lay down flat when folded over and hid the 1×1 ribbing. I’ve then tacked the collar down in a few spots around the neck to keep it from flying up when I lean over. I did NOT fold the collar inside and tack down all the way around.

Hope this helps!!

So, I’m taking a break from running around trying to pack. Love the last minute stuff. I wanted to make a BLT for dinner and took the bacon out of the fridge to cook it. I hadn’t opened it yet and my ex called and we talked for a few minutes and I was like, so, if bacon was bought three weeks ago, and, obviously, kept in the fridge, would it still be good? He didn’t think so. Bodaggit. I really had my heart set on a BLT. So I had a salad instead. Just as good, but still. I could practically taste the bacon and fresh tomatoes… Eh, perhaps when I get back from NJ.

So, with the help of Catherine, and my SP, I’ve decided that I ought to bring the cami with me. I’ve read the pattern and it’s got no shaping so I can do mindless stockinette til I’m blue in the face. Yay! I happen to know the lace pattern very well as it’s the same used for Glampyre’s Orangina. This tickles me for some reason perhaps becuase that makes it into even more mindless knitting as I’ve already got that lace pattern memorized from my attempts at Orangina.

My post-person has my lovely package from my very lovely SP held hostage. This does not a happy camper make. I had left them a note asking very nicely to please leave it today but they apparently think it’s better to not do that because I rushed home from work today having psyched myself up for opening a delightful parcel of surprises to find nothing. So I’m hoping that they leave it for me on Monday so that when I stagger back from the airport at a sprightly 1am on Tuesday folks (yikes!!) I can stagger past the mailboxes and perchance be surprised then? Keep yer knitting needles or fingers crossed for me! If not, I’ve decided that I will leave the office early on Tuesday to go bemoan the fact that the postoffice closes at 5 and try and get there before 5 so I can collect my giftie prior to them deciding that they no longer want to hold it hostage and (oh the horror!) send it back! Please Post-person, there may be a scarf in your future this winter if you decide to be kind and leave me surprises.

I bought a pattern today in a fit of randomness before I left work tonight. Want to see what I will be making myself to wear this fall/winter? Check it out! I fell in instant apple-y love with it and have most of the yarn needed for it already, so I would only need to purchase a couple more balls in order to do the whole thing. Yippee!

I have way more planned than I think I acctually have time to knit, but hey, it’s part of the joy right? Oh well, back to packing and when I’m dpne with that, I will cast off the neckline of the SC and block it! I will probably get back on here and post blocking pictures later tonight! Wahoo!

I’m humming along to a Jack Johnson song right now which is where I got the title…

I’m about three inches of ribbing away from finishing the SC. I’m finding it hard to stay motivated. Is this stupid or what?? I mean so friggin close and yet I’m starting to eyeball other projects. So, I WILL, MUST be done and able to wear this sweater on Saturday in NJ. Meaning that I must block it Thursday night.

I need help deciding what project I will cast on for this trip to NJ on Friday. So listen to the choices and weigh in please!!

1. The Leaf Lace Shawl - Fiber Trends - Rowanspun 4-ply in Hansel: I’ve only got half of the yarn needed for this project. I’ve located the other half but am waiting on a shipping quote before I purchase it. The shawl would be specifically knitted for use with this dress and the green yarn matches the paler green of the leaves perfectly right on down to the tweedy aqua bits matching the blue bits in the dress. See this picture.

2. Hourglass Sweater - Last Minute Knitted Gifts - Classic Elite Renaissance in Valencia Orange: Valencia is a soft tweedy orange wool. I’ve got 12 skeins (priced at $5 each? Who could resist?) weighing in at way more yardage than needed for this sweater and frankly, it’s such a flattering knit, who could resist!

3. Silk Camisole - Last Minute Knitted Gifts - Adrienne Vittadini Teresa in a smoky blue: It’s the exact shade of my eyes on a day to day basis. I’ve heard that the Fiesta La Luz called for in the pattern pills a lot. I don’t like pills on my handknits. It’s an absolutely elegant little top and I’ve got a feeling that it will be a quick easy knit for a long boring flight.

So, my question is this… besides the socks I’ve been strugglind with for my mother, which of these large scale projects should I bring?