Must have...

So more on knitting: I've been working on a pair of Jaywalkers for going on a year now. I had one sock completed mere weeks after starting, but the intended recipient tried them on and it turned out they were WAY too small for her feet. Luckily she somehow did not figure out that they were being created for her. As Christmas approached, I just couldn't get motivated to finish the Jaywalkers, so a pair of basic socks in self-stripping yarn were substituted. The recipient, my sister, had no idea how simple knitting socks actually turned out to be, so she proceeded to gush. Making both of us very happy.

Once a different gift was completed I had little motivation to keep going on the Jaywalkers. It has become more of an endurance challenge, a task really. So they sleep, all cozy like, in my knitting basket waiting for me to get back around to them. My knitting basket is sort of a joke. I don't store yarn in this basket, there's no room. The basket is strictly for those projects I've started but lost interest in/forgotten about and currently it runneth over. I'm in the process of moving and unpacking but I'll add pictures in a day or so.

Here's the current list of UFO (unfinished objects for those uninitiated to knitting jargon.)

1. Jaywalkers - knit in self-stripping yarn which has lost it's label. It's fingering weight in blues and greens. Actually very pretty.

2. Orange Seaman's scarf - knit in an orange-creamcicle color 2451 - Cascade 220. One of my favorite yarns as it's inexpensive but quality 100% wool. I purchased 3 hanks of this because it matches my winter coat perfectly. I did managed to finish the intended hat, "Basic Cable Hat" from Stitch 'n' Bitch.

3. Anniversary Blanket - Knit from Wool of the Andes in Fern and Cloud. My parents had their 30th anniversary coming up. Mom had made a few comments in the months (years) previous that I've managed to make a blanket for my sister, and even some of my friends, then at least one for myself. *Insert Italian mother's guilt inspiring tone* Why do your father and I not merit a blanket? So I started this beautiful cabled afghan, with leaves for the boarder. I'm not nearly as far as I thought I'd be by their 30th anniversary. Did I mention we just passed their 32nd anniversary? Sorry Madre e Poppy.

4. Cabled Purse. - Knit in Lion's Wool-Ease Thick 'n' Quick, Dark Grey. This started out as a commission piece. A friend of Sister requested one after loving the one I had made for myself. I saw this particular purse a few years ago online for way more money than I wanted to spend, so I just knit it up myself, making it up as I went along. Strangly this baby is actually finished with the knitting portion. I just have to do the sewing portion and figure out what I'm going to do with it, as the friend has fallen off the planet. It has a matching scarf in a simple 3x3 rib.

This list isn't close to complete, just what will fit in my yarn basket. I have a yarn Rocket, that was kindy given to me by a college friend that stores most of my yarn and the remaining unfinished projects. The yarn is starting to spill out of said Rocket. Really, does any one law student with limited knitting time actually need more yarn than her rocket can hold? I say no, so from here on I'm on a yarn buying moratorium. I have to either get rid of some yarn or start finishing some of those left over projects. I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

On a completely random note...I want these pint glasses from Ravelry.com badly. They are not in the budget, but they will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine. It just might take a few months.

Beginnings

So, let's see how this goes...I am going to attempt to blog about my random adventures in knitting, with a non-knitting book review thrown in here and there. I may also attempt to make the photography interesting, but some things are beyond my control.

I'm currently working on "Something Red" from Knit and Tonic. I've been going on this baby for almost a week. I'm almost finished with the top (minus sleeves). It's my first attempt at anything remotely sweater-like.I have completed the back, to the section where the sleeves start to be knit later. it is knit top down in one piece, with the sleeves and edging knit last.

I love the simplicity of this cardigan. I'm not sure I would wear a more patterned one, and it makes it knit up relatively quickly.

As this is my first post I will introduce Topper. He is my pet Triceratops who growls to scare away the bad thoughts when I'm alone in my apartment. The kid makes me smile, and happens to hold fond memories of my first Valentine's Day that didn't go awray.

He holding the yarn for your viewing pleasure. It's Patons Decor, in Deep Sage Green, which I picked up at a sewing store in Sonoma. The 9 skeins had been hugely discounted, I believe less that $2 a skein, because they were discontinuing the yarn. Looking at their website, I think they just renamed it "Rich Sage Green" but mine might be a bit darker.

It is *gasp* 75% acrylic and 25% wool, worsted weight. I have to say I really love this color and I'm glad I was finally able to find a patter to use it. The yarn itself isn't too bad either. Not scratchy at all, in fact it is sort of soft.

My hope is to finish this by sometime next week. This may even be an attainable hope as I don't have work for the rest of the summer, and school doens't start until the 28th.

Wish me luck.