Rectangle Shawl by Kim Hamlin

I'm almost there ... two skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca left to knit up. Why don't I just finish this already? This is it! I vow to get it done. This baby's gonna we worn during the Fall of 2009.

Lady Eleanor - Part 2

All done! Finished on 9/6.

Still haven't blocked. Absolutely love the colorway. No fringe, extra tiers, 1/2 ball of my 10th skein left.

Kureyon ...

Next up, Silk Garden top down sweater!

Happy Knitting!

Lady Eleanor

Started July 24, 2009, I'm now almost done. I'll have two skeins left. To fringe or not to fringe? Maybe I should go over the required tier count, because I'm a plus size woman ... maybe just a few extra tiers and no fringe? This was such an easy knit. I don't know why I kept putting it off. And, I learned something new = knitting backward (purl). I'm a pro at knitting backward now. I never have to purl again (because I always purled back tight). Well I shouldn't say "never" ...

Happy Knitting from me and the Memester.

One Down, One To Go

Ok, one mitt done, one to go ... I will say, it looks good. I left the seam out, because I like a tighter fitted glove. I also used HiyaHiya #2 and 0 for the rib.

I have to confess, I didn't just work on this, I started my Lady Eleanor in Noro Kureyon #149 Friday night and worked through the weekend. Just Tuesday night did I finish Endpaper #1 mitt. Here's my Lady Eleanor Stole ...
looks pretty good. I'm knitting on some big needles for me, #10.5, that's right me - OMG!

Ok, happy knitting!

Fair Isle

My inspiration - Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang Nine years of knitting and I fell madly in love with lace. I tried, socks - Doublepoints. Gloves, OMG 10 fingers of, need I say it, Doublepoints! Bags, I went through a spell - sold 40 Felted Bag. Sweaters - I've got a few. Hats - I've got more than a few. Scarves - whose counting .... Shawls, I have 40+ .... I tried Fair Isle and Intarsia, did pretty well in class. Arans, Cables - I'm ok. Top down sweaters, 2. Why can't I do Fair Isle? Floats way toooooooooooooooo tight. Well, I'm in love now and love makes us MAN UP! Finally, I'm plucking up the balls - I'm gonna make these mitts.

Last Sunday I played with the ribbing on my new HiyaHiya needles. Monday, I'm Fair Isling yall ... I ripped ... Time to practice Endpaper ... Tuesday, I did like the Endpaper Ribbing, but oh well, I'm not crazy about mine. Wednesday, I like Fair Isle! I love HiyaHiya! My floats look pretty! I like ... Thursday, time to start Endpaper in my desired colors, charcoal blue and light blue ... Stevie Wonder couldn't sing it louder, Isn't She Lovely, isn't she wonderful ... Friday, Saturday and Sunday I started the thumb gusset, but True Blood is on ... Lovely!

Happy Knitting! Oh, Meme wants to say something ... Goodnight!

HiyaHiya Eunny Jang

I've always loved color work, fingerless gloves and lace, but I've only mastered one, not anymore, I'm about to become a color work, fingerless glove samari. Hiya!


That's right folks, feast your eyes on my newest necessity 9"s of stainless steel circular knitting needles. Lovely! Craig, Loop! Hurry up becuase I'm going back for a second set of these babies. Hey, I've gotta work the pair together.

The reason for this new necessity ... Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts. When I saw this one knit up for the shop, I felt the pull to knit in my bones. I went home and swatched on doublepoints, but I wasn't feeling it! I have no love for the doublepoints. But this mitt is weighing heavy on my brain. I found the perfect combo too - grayish blue and light blue - to go with my charcoal grey winter coat. Lovely!

Saturday, July 11. I had things to do, and kept telling myself to get to Loop and get a 40" US 2 needle to make the mitts. No, that cable gets on my nerves more than doublepoints. I played and played with my yarn, I was working well, but what happened, I pulled out the wrong needle and lost an entire side of work - AARRRGGGGGGGGG I put down the mitts and played with my stole. To hell with it!

You can't stop the brain from working ...

Sunday, July 12. I am going to Loop to get the 40", these mitts are taking up every extra portion of my brain. I am miserable! I set off ... I got there and my knitting mom was in the shop - Martha taught me to knit oh my in 2000. Hi mom! What ya working on? We chatted and I told her I had to take a picture of the store mitt to give me inspiration to get my act together. I took the pictures and was working my way over to the needle rack when mom said, have you seen the HiyaHiya needles? No mom, what's that? HiyaHiya are 9" circular knitting needles for things like mitts and socks. Over to the table I proceeded. Oh my, too cute. What said a stranger. I said, HiyaHiya. She replied, Hiyatoyoutoo! I said, no these HiyaHiya needles. I think I found what I need. I said, its a go! Let do it. I'll take sizes 0, 1 and 2. I'm all set.

I ran home, walked the Memester, made dinner, and while I was waiting for True Blood - I Heart Bill Compton! - I cast on just to get myself familiar with the needles. I'm in love! They take a little time to get used to because they are small, but its well after midnight and I wanna knit. I frogged my swatch and started on my own. Earth tones are my favorites, so I grabbed a multi ball of Koigu, Olive/Cream/Brown and a solid Celery and I'm going to town. I had to blog about it before I forgot. I'm having a blast.

Hiyanight!

Isager

I love this yarn. Its lace tweed and I think I found the perfect shawl. I was browsing Ravelry and came across Bendis' Icelandic Shawl. And she did her's true to the book.

But I think Cheryl Oberle's Triangle Feather and Fan will look nice in my three color selection.

I originally swatched in the denim, but decided that the sinfully rich chocolate should be the center. The denim is a true denim if anyone is looking for something to go direct with a pair of jeans. And the golden yellow is beautiful too. You can get your fix at Loop. Thanks Craig for finding this yarn.

Happy knitting!!!

Miralda Finished

Its done and I love it!

Ok, I cast on too tight, like I always do. I used a size 10 needle to cast on, I don't know why ... oh well.

Happy Knitting!

Now I have to figure out what the heck is wrong with my iPod/iTunes music. I can't hear my music while I'm playing on ravelry or blogging.

I think maybe I should trade my Dell Laptop in for a MAC!!

Miralda Shawl Home Stretch ...

I am loving this shawl!





I love the yarn too! Classic Elite Yarns Silky Alpaca Lace - 2 skeins




Ok, I wasn't crazy about those nupps, but I stood my ground. Granted it slowed me down purling those nupps together, but it was definitely worth it in the end, they look lovely. I have two extra balls of this colorway, maybe I'll trade them in for black or maybe I can swap with someone out there in lace loving land. Any takers?


Happy Knitting!!!!

Holiday knitting list ...

Each year around May I start on my holiday knitting list. I add some names or cross out some from previous years and start looking for ideas. I have to admit, by November I'm done with holiday knitting. This year I have a newbie to the list.

I still have a job for now (Thank God) and as a token of appreciation and my hard work, I've been assigned a new attorney. YUP, a Senior Associate well on her way to one day (in the next year or two) becoming partner.

Four days after being assigned to her she went on vacation - YIPPEE - Vive La France. She e-mailed me 10x a day, once branding pictures of the Iron tower.

Every day, for 5 wonderful days, I got 20 e-mails with work to be done - did I mention hard working. While I was here, working for my partner and lateral hire, there was a mountain of work to be done for Sr., so I rolled up my sleeves and dove in - the desk was a wreck, her office a maze, her files - where the heck were her files. What was that pile on the floor I nearly skidded across the office on? What was in that mug ... In between the annoying e-mails (if I was with her in Paris I would have thrown her blackberry into the Seine). Here's Musee d'Orsey, evening, viewed from the Seine. I mustered up the strength to clean up, clear out, find, index, purge, re shelf, organize and file, all the while still loving up my partner and lateral. I got Sr.'s old assistant's desk clear, Sr.'s office clean, files organized, books re shelved, etc. by Thursday, 4p. Now if only I could get rid of her blackberry ... . I managed to keep partner appeased, but the lateral must've gotten restless because at one point she tracked me down (oh did I mentioned Sr.'s office is 2 floors away from me ... go figure).

While away, I was wondering about Sr. Should I add her to my holiday gift list of hand mades? All those e-mails, do this, draft that, get, read because I can't see it on my blackberry, e-mail me the contents of this agreement, no that one, go up to my offices and dig through the piles of sugar honey iced tea on my desk and find that agreement and e-mail me the contents ... I was ready to pull her hair out and pick her icy blues off with sharpened paperclips, but Thank you God, I have a job.

Upon returning I was given a trinket box of French chocolates - oh now I feel bad for being annoyed ... but I'm allergic to chocolate, I won't tell yet. I'll keep the box nicely sealed forever. Hey, how was she supposed to know I'm allergic to chocolate - we've only been together for four days. Its not the gift, its the thought, so I will add her to the list of hand knits, but what? I don't think she does shawls, she doesn't look the type. I don't think a hat would do ever, because one snowy cold ass day in January I was on my way to Borders and we exchanged hellos because we recognized each other from the office, no hat, it was freezing out - but I did spy a full length navy blue cashmere coat - LOL! She always in a gray, black or navy blue suit. What to knit ... what to knit ...

So far, there's the ole list of 23 +1 now, not everyone gets hand knits. My baby sis will get a hand knit, my best friend will get a hand knit, my niece and nephew - books.

More unfinished ...

But first,let me introduce ya'll to my peops: Big bro - Joe - and his youngest - Justin. Justin's 3 and a cutie, so what he needs a haircut, he's adorable! Those big brown eyes just snuggles up to my heart. I have to admit it, I can only take the kiddies in spirts. My lil girl is an old broad named Meme.

OMG, I have way too many projects still on needles. What am I going to do? I also realize I have way too many sets of knitting needles. Oh well. Back to the unfinished buz Misti Alpaca Kimono. Ok I swatched for this puppy with Grace at Rosie's Yarn Cellar, yup you heard me - Grace. Now, she's been gone from Rosie's for about three years now and I had to swatch way before that. Frog time. I'm going to use this for maybe the Box Shawl from Folk Shawls, maybe? Stay tuned.

Now, what in the world is this ...
I remember the yarn, Alpaca I found at Lambs Wool about two years later - I only purchased from Rosie's, Sheep and Wool, and Stitches my first couple years and I spent every Sunday in Rosie's for the first two years of my knitting taking classes - YUP! I think I should have asked to buy stock.

Wow, look what I found - Leda's Dream from Pink Lemon Twist, I actually got it when it was the Mystery Stole. I have the pattern somewhere around here. YUMMMM Zephyr, I have got to get back to this.

Well, I'm exhausted and will blog the rest of the unfinished buz next time. Boy, I had no clue I had all these projects still on needles.

FYI, I now have 419 songs on my iPod which includes podcasts. I'm so excited. I've had my iPod for like 6 years and I'm just learning how to really use it. Amazing! I'm techno slow, but I'm completely hooked on the Knitmoregirls and Under the Tuscan Gun. I think its time I brushed up on my Italian too.

Have a good weekend!

Unfinished Projects ...

Wow, I didn't realize I had so many. Some have been long since forgotten. Let's see:
First up, BIRCH - Sharon Miller, I started this is brushed alpaca and I did something wrong and threw it in the basket and its lovely, but I can't rip it out because it knots up and oh its soft as ever, but I swear I have to pluck alpaca outta my eyes for days.


Now here's my cabling scarf that I swear I love, but hate the cable needle, that sucker keeps slipping out of order. I forget which row I'm on, blah blah blah the yarn is Lorna's Worsted Weight, I forget the color. Lovely. I was going to do Melissa Leapman's Reversible Cable Scarf, one day I'll pick it back up. Maybe ...


Here's the Rectangle Shawl from Blue Sky Alpaca and the yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted. I love this yarn. I'm on the 3rd ball. Ok, I keep this one in the bag on the sofa right next to me and pick it up whenever there's a CSI Miami or L&O Criminal Intent marathon on, I love Horatio and Goran.


Now, Lady Eleanor how are you? Noro Sock, loving the brown, green and teal. Pattern is actually boring. I do about two rows and put it back in the bag on the sofa and veg. I get bored. I love seing the color change, but it soon loses its appeal. I hope it blocks bigger than it appears, I used too small a needles and now I'm thinking, should I rip or just have a nice entrelac scarf? Decisions.

Well, enough for today I feel like knitting. Next time more unfinished projects ...

unfinished projects ...

I've finished some stuff too ...

1. Commission work. Spider Queen (Hex) from Victorian Lace Today. In Habu Cashmere, 5 balls, size 3 needles. Here she is blocking. This was worth every minute, every second and the forever wait to block. It took me about two months to finally get it blocked. I gave the finished project to its owner with instruction on how to block. She had it for about a month and then gave it back asking me to block. Well, it sat in the bag, wrapped in tissue paper for two months. Then my brother Joe and his lil boy Justin came over and someway, somehow it got pulled and stretched while still in the bag. I got nervous and took it out to find it was snagged in spots. I panicked and blocked. Viola! Perfecto!








2. My co-worker Charmaine asked me to knit a set for her grandson. She was easy to knit for, she picked the colors and said, go for it. This turned out very nice. I was a little nervous because the yarn was thicker than I'm used to (hey, I'm a lace slut remember), so it knit up bigger. Baby Surprise Jacket, booties and hat. In cashmerino, three balls, size 3 needles. I actually got this done in three weeks too. The buttons came from Carlins at 8th & Arch.





3. Jasmine's Jade Ramblin Row and Zimmerman Sweaters (I forget the name of the sweaters pictured, I think it was the June project). Size 3 needles, Koigu solids, multis from Loop, and a bunch of millends from Rosie's Yarn Cellar. I did the blanket first, trimmed everything in the green that I splashed throughout. The remaining yarns finished the sweaters.

Next time, unfinished projects ... way too many, but I don't care I'm gonna blog them all ...

I'm still knitting ...

I've finished some projects, for real I did. And as always, I have several still on the needles. I'm a needle hog, I have to start as many projects as I can and then when I'm sick of looking at the needles, I get them done.

Here's my koigu pi. The shawl took me 1 month to knit up. That's right, 30 days; however, that dang border took me 9 to 10 months. I stayed up that final night until 4:30 in the morning, determined to get that thing off the needles. And here's my like #8 top down sweater. I have issues loving the sweaters that I knit, maybe because I'm a shawl slut, or maybe because I see how large the sweater is and I'm like - YIKES is that mine!!! I got this yarn, Wings from Rosie's sale bin about 3 years ago. I've cast on and frogged several times, but this time its actually looking like it will be a good looking, 3/4 sleeved mock turtle neck or maybe a cape? Spring is here really, do I need another sweater? Cape? Poncho?

World News ...

For me and many others in the world today it feels like its been 32 hours in every day ... my jobs talking layoffs! The world is talking layoffs. California, Detroit, Pennsylvania. So many people, no jobs! My heart is breaking.

I'm a legal assistant at a med-sized Center City firm where I've been since 9/11/00. Me and my friends are concerned because hey, times are tough and I keep thinking, I've been working since I was 12, what'll I do with myself. I worked through Jr. and High school, college, only once in my life did I actually quit a job without having something already on the burner - that's a story for another day, I'll probably call that, what the F*&! was I thinking.

Anywho, picture this - My First Job - Al's Deli on 7th & Winton in South Philly. Mr. Al was at least 70 when I was 12, but he kept that store open for what seemed like forever. Oh I still love beef brisket with potato salad on it on pumpernickle bread the way Mr. Al made my sammy. I can smell the fresh cut brisket and bread, just thinking about it. I worked at the Deli part-time after school and summers until I turned 17, then I took a job making lots more money at Dr. Salvatore's Family Medical Practice as, a receptionist on 7th & Snyder. Well, I'll never forget Mr. Al, Mark, Sheeba, Ms. Molly and the Deli.

Back to the story, this particular Saturday afternoon before Easter, around 4:30 I saw a pair of shoes that would change my life forever. I ran home and asked my dad for $7 (that's right, eat your heart out I'm over 40 and shoes did at one point cost $7). My dad shouted, "What do you think I'm made of money?" My heart sank! How dare he, he never told me no. He had the nerve to shout GET A JOB! Well, I hit the door running, straight around the corner (I grew up on 7th & Jackson) and into Mr. Al's Deli shouting I need a JOB! I'll sweep the floors, I'll walk Sheeba (his 100 pound German Sheppard that everyone was afraid of), I'll stock shelves, I need $7 now! He told me to calm down and asked why I needed the money. I told him, I'll work for life for $7 (who knew). I shouted, I have 15 minutes to get back or she'll close and lock my shoes up. He told me to walk Mark to the night box at the bank and then I could have my $7. Well, I shook my head no no no, panting with tears in my eyes, I begged to work for $7, trying to explain I needed the money right that moment. I put my hand over my heart and swore that I'd be back to sweep up and stock the shelves for the "rest of my life" if he gave me the money. He handed me $7 and told Mark to walk me to the store. I ran tugging Mark. I got my shoes! Cream victorian lace up shoe boots to go with my cream Easter Sunday lace dress with matching gloves. I was beautiful, mom put ringlets in my hair and a lacy ribbon! I went back to Mr. Al's and sweep up. I kept my word! Dad always said, my word was my bond and that I had to keep it ...

I had no clue deli's sprinkled sawdust on the floors to make sure nobody slipped. I was sweeping until 6:30 that night and the dust wasn't going anywhere. Mr. Al stopped me, gave me a pint of Half and Half - for my mom, he knew mom loved half and half in her coffee - and had Mark walk me home. I had a grin on my face a mile long that night even if my arms hurt like heck.

Fast forward 3 weeks, my Newfoundland Hound, Sally a 110 pound dog (and I was afraid of Sheeba) ate the tip off one of my shoes (who would have thought), but I got one wear out of em, so I was happy.

Today, I feel like I'm waiting for the bomb to drop. There's a knot in my stomach that won't ease and I think my eyes are gonna pop outta my head.

Inauguration Day

My firm setup a television in our Justice Roberts Room and I rushed up at 11:45a. I got there (front row) just in time to see Rick Warren open the ceremony. In December 2008, Barack Obama chose Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Rick caused tears to well in my eyes. He was direct and honest.

As I sat, I got chills anticipating Biden's swearing in and then our 44th President, Barack Obama. My eyes teared as I sat on the edge of my seat. Joe Biden got sworn in around 11:55 and Katie Couric said, technically at noon Joe Biden becamne the President of the United States of America.

At about 12:09p Barack Obama took the stage (I thank God for my eyesight, Barack Obama is one handsome man), to become the 44th President of the United States of America. Words could not escape our mouths, the room was still. My brain shouted, OMG, I'm witnessing history. I am a part of this historic event. My eyes welled, my heart pounded in my own ear. And his words again united this nation. He did it! Barack Obama's my President! FAITH. He knows struggle, he knows strife, he knows fear, he knows God and the brotha is FINE. George Bush set the bar so low, Barack only has to step over it to succeed. This is one amazing brotha as my nephew put it, Auntie he's Superman for real for real!

To close this joyous ceremony, Reverend Lowerly himself, a real poineer from the Civil Rights movement. His benediction was oozing in wisdom and love. Thank you Reverend Lowerly, you put the feelings we all have into words.

Oh and one more thing, Aretha Franklin - Thank you Father for her voice, she's an amazing singer. And thank you Ms. Franklin for wearing clothes that didn't make you look overflowingly silly. And that hat - GORGEOUS - where did she get it?

Here's to our future.

One day at a time.