I don't know where to begin...

I have a lot to say, really I do! But I have been sitting here trying to figure out how to start this entry, and I can't find the words.
(well, I guess I just did!)
Ok, I got good news, and I got bad news. What do you want to hear first?
Most people want the bad news first, so that's what I am gonna do.
Remember that beautiful blanket I finished for the baby shower? (If not, scroll down one entry, see, there it is.) Well, I decided that I would weave in the ends and block it today. So I did the dutiful end weaving..making sure everything was secure, and then I tossed it into the washer. Remember, this yarn is washable and dryable so what happens next is my fault, not the washers.
When the wash was done, I lovingly pulled out the blankie. It smelled so good and felt so soft. I took it into the bedroom and spread it on the bed, and that is when I saw this......

I was numb. I just stared at it for the longest time, and then said out loud, "well *bleep* me!" You would have too and you know it!
My sweet and optimistic boyfriend thinks it can be fixed. I am not so sure. I do know some amazing knitters, but this seems hopeless. I mean look at it! Did I mention that it is right in the middle of the darn blanket?
The only way I can think this happened is that I did join yarn in the middle of the row. I thought that as long as you knit with both yarns for a few stitches that you were safe. I guess I thought wrong.
So what have I learned from this? ALWAYS attach new yarn at the edge of the project. Always!
I did not cry, I almost did, but it is only yarn after all. This is supposed to be fun, and I can't expect to have everything turn out perfect.
The reason that I am upset is that this was a gift intended for a friend that is soon to be a young, single mother with not a whole lot of support. And I wanted her to have something special for her new baby. She does not know how to knit, but she loves handmade items, and when she found out I was making her something she was ecstatic.
I do still have the kimono and the booties, but this was the BIG DEAL.
Oh well, I will try to get some help on it tomorrow and see what/ if anything can be done.

Ok, now for some good news.

As I was heading off to pick up my car from the garage yesterday (driver's window needed to be fixed) and contemplating how much it was going to set me back for, I opened my front door and found a package!
I love packages!
Especially this one.
It came from Shelly (aka The Heathen Housewife) and inside was this!




WOW!

I was not able to get a closer look at it 'cuz I was in a hurry but darn if that did not make my day a hell of a lot better!
Today after the blanket fiasco, I decided to go through the box and see what all it contained. Check this out.

Now that is a lot of yarn.

I am planning on making a mitered blanket with this yarn. Wonderful knitters from all over the country (and other places) heeded the harlot's call to bury Shelly in sock yarn. At last count Shelly had received over 90 packages. Can you believe it?

She offered to give away what she did not need, and I told her I would be happy to take some off her hands and make a blanket for charity.

My plan is to make this up and sell it, and then donate the proceeds to Knitters Without Borders, the Harlot's charity, as a way to say thank you to her and to all those who donated the yarn. That is my plan, not my guarantee. It all depends on how much interest this raises, and if I think anyone will bid on it if I sell it on e-bay....And if I don't end up screwing it up somewhere along the way! LOL.

I hope to start this new project soon. I have a lot of other things going on right now (some of them knitting related) and I want to get cleared of some of that first. I also want to buy some plain colored yarn to do larger squares in this blanket. I am planning on doing something quilt like with it. Larger, plain squares surrounded by smaller variegated squares throughout. You will see soon enough I am sure.

In another bit of knitting news...I bought my first ever ebony needles today. They are size 5 lantern moon circulars, and from what I can tell so far, they are AWESOME! I am doing some lace knitting, and my Denise's were just not "cutting" it. I needed something pointier and smoother. So I went to Tricoter, an Amazing yarn shop here in Seattle, and they sat me down with the ebonys and some yarn and let me have at it. I fell in love within 30 seconds of having those suckers in my hand. $25 later and they were all mine.

I got to say some more about Tricoter. I am so impressed! This is the only yarn store I have walked into that people are actually sitting and knitting! It is like stitch-n-bitch in there everyday! The store is beautiful, and is (forgive me) crack for an addict like me. =) So much gorgeous yarn, everyone working on what I want to make next (hehe), and a sales staff that let's you try the merchandise out before you commit to buying it. When I went to try the ebony's out the woman steamed them for me first so the cord would be smooth and not wrap on me. I have never heard of that before!

Needless to say we are going back ( and I have not even mentioned the awesome teriyaki we got next door after we left.)

OK, I am gonna shut up now and go play with my ebony's now. I am working on a Flower Basket shawl with some Lorna's Laces, and I am loving it so far! ( pics up soon, promise)

BAM! Another FO!

The first of the baby blankets is done!

OK, I still need to block it and trim the ends off, but let's just say it is done shall we?


The pattern is called Lace Blocks and is from the book Big Needle Knit Afghans. I used Bernat afghan yarn. I love me co-worker Lauren, but I was not about to break the bank to make this blanket! Besides, this is totally washable and dryable, and you know how mommies need that!

If the pattern looks familiar to you it is because there is a very similar looking pattern for a scarf in Scarf Style, and don't we all own a copy of that?

Here's a close-up...My that is a lot of squares!





Scrappy had to test it out and make sure it was up to her specifications.


I am not exactly sure what this look means. I have a feeling it has to do more with the catnip mouse she was playing with right before this pic was taken then her thoughts about the blankie.

It was a fun and easy knit. There was a chart to follow but it was super super easy! Do not be afraid of charts my friends, they can make your knitting life a heck of a lot easier. (OK, so I may have to try this a bit more before I can really form an opinion but for now, I stand by what I say!)

I finished it in record time, the shower is on the 27th of August. I also made her a baby kimono (from Mason-Dixon Knitting, don't get me started, I am obsessed with that book!) and a pair of booties. Will show pics when everything is all sewn up and ready to go. I am still trying to figure out what to use for a closure on the kimono, I do not want to use ribbon. I was thinking maybe doing some I-cord ties or a braid or maybe just getting some snaps to sew on. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

I can tell you exactly what this look means:

"Mom, this is all fine and dandy...But where the heck is my kitty bed you keep promising?"

FO: Tempting II

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I actually finished this a while ago. But I have been too lazy, err, I mean to busy to post it.
I did this as part of a knit-along for the sexy knitter's club. The pattern is Tempting II from Knitty.com designed by Jenna Adorno.


I used the recommended yarn, Rowan Calmer in the Tinkerbell colorway. ( Tinkerbell, ha, it still makes me giggle.)
It's not horrible, but it looks nothing at all like I had envisioned.
First off, the yarn is weird! It is very stretchy and a little tricky to figure out how to knit with. Although my gauge was correct, the ribbing seems larger for my sweater then the pattern model's.
It fits way larger then it should. I made it to my bust size and I feel like I am swimming in it.
All 1x1 ribbing for 15" makes me a dull girl.
I had a cute little buckle all ready to put on, but it ripped up my knitting something awful, hence the buttons and the "not-so-perfect" neckline.

On the plus side it is amazingly soft and soooo comfortable!
If I was to ever do this pattern again, I would put in some shaping, snug up the neckline a bit more, and keep a case of good wine handy for the endless ribbing hell. =)

The only thing for me to do now is decide if I like the buttons better on the front or the back!