Too Many WIPs!

I seem to have way too much on my plate currently, I suddenly feel like knitting is a job instead of my favorite pastime. I finished a shawl that I gave to T for her birthday, and I'm doing a two tone shawl for my mom for mother's day and I think I'm doing one like T's again for L for mother's day. That is unless I happen to find something else that catches my eye. I really want to make a felted bowl for some reason.

The baby jacket laid around long enough that I felt the need to wash it again and I also made some washcloths for the mom. Once everything is dry again, I'll get all the goodies bagged up and passed along.

I really want to get these things done so I can start on socks for myself. I can't let myself get distracted when I have deadlines.

Man thong is going to have to go on hold for a wee bit until I get size 4 needle tips, otherwise I think I'm going to be off gauge by too much in the long run.

*will post some links in a bit, Rav is currently down.

Yay for LYS day!

My lys was having a sale, so I got my butt up to get over there during the early part of the day. I was unaware of the mini-marathon going on through the middle of town, and normally I wouldn't mind walking, but I was a little disoriented with the parking and it was raining. Got there, spent more than I should of. I don't really feel guilty though-but I was shy about telling E how much it was.

I could have waited on the sock yarn I bought at full price, but I really wanted something new and that didn't really take me out of the ball park figure I had set for myself. I bought some Kpppm for socks. I really wanted DIC Smooshy, but they had only 2 colors and neither were what I really wanted. Perhaps for a gift, but I was picking yarn for me. While looking through the yarns I hear some ladies scoffing at paying 20-25 dollars for a pair of socks. I've been there, at one point in time I didn't get it either. Then I made a pair. It was a pair with knitpicks essential (which I would never put down, I love that yarn), but it made me a believer. If I love $7 socks, why wouldn't I pay 20 bucks for a different yarn that I also loved? If you think about it and subtract the entertainment portion of the cost (I mean hours of knitting and in the end, you have socks!), the socks themselves don't end up costing that much. How much would I pay to rent enough movies to go through the hours it costs to knit a sock...a lot. Well, ok, I have netflix, but you see my point. I have hope, she was spending about 45 dollars on yarn for a scarf, perhaps she'll figure it out.

I ended up buying the 2 hanks of KPPPM in a beautiful colorway, 3 skeins of Reynolds Utopia from the clearance bin, some Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo (that's going for some delicates), some wool wash, and got the spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. I probably should have bought a couple of issues, they were 40% and I'm sure there are some people out there who would like to pick up a back copy. Maybe I'll go back this week.

I finished the baby jedi sweater last night. It's currently blocking & drying so I will get a picture up later before it gets gift wrapped.

It works! It finally works!

So, as a quick backstory, I bought a sewing machine shortly before my dad died in 2004. Right after my dad died, the sewing machine starting being a jerk and I was told I needed to get a new bobbin case because the tension was off. I've been toting my sewing machine around all these years even though it was barely used and unusable. FF to last night, I went to L's to help her set up her sewing machine as she had only sewn by hand before. It all went without a hitch and I decided that maybe I could try to reconcile with mine. Lo and behold, not using the self-threading aspect of my machine seemed to make the difference. The bobbin case is still a little angry, but so far it hasn't screwed up anything. This means I have reason once again to pick up cool fabrics and make things out of what I already have. I've already made 2 small project pouches (I just need some matching ribbon), and I have so much fabric waiting to become something. I'll post some pics once I get ribbon.

On the knitting front, I bought beads for the mother's day scarves and cute spring baskets to put them in. I can't decide if I should go ahead and start and get it done, or if I should wait until the Jedi sweater is done. And I should be getting a package in the mail soon with some Rav destash yarn... and my LYS is having a fabulous sounding sale in a couple weeks. If I have some extra cash (which is laughable, right?) I might try to take advantage and see if I can get some things going to open an etsy shop. I'd love to be able to make some extra cash with my craft, who wouldn't?

I'll also get up pictures of my newest hand-dyed yarn. It's absolutely gorgeous, it looks like color just dripped off of fall leaves and onto my yarn.

It didn't work out, so I'll make it again

My Baby Jedi Sweater didn't work out even though the gauge was spot on throughout and I really do know math. It ended up being fine for a baby, just not the baby and the size I wanted it. I frogged and will make it again (it's such a super fast knit!). It's my first attempt into making my own pattern, so I definitely feel like it's worth it no matter how many times I have to re-knit it.



On the other hand, I ended up making this for the girl. It went through a few changes from the hat it was supposed to be, but it turned out well.


more views can be seen in my flickr account

I did dye two more yarns, one I love, one I don't.
Love:


Don't:

(it's up for trade on Ravelry)

I've also added some other yarns for trade.