Take a stab

How many different methods of knitting small circumferences does it take to knit a sleeve to a sweater that is considered “acceptable”  by my freakishly high standards?  I have vacillated between three separate methods.

DPN’S – The ever evil three or four needle method.  Created to drive the sanest person bat shit crazy.  It’s all “cool” and “clever” but there are upwards of five needles to work with, and how exactly are you supposed to work with them and how come no matter how often I use this method it never seems to get any easier or less cumbersome?

Two circulars – Wonderful method, much preferred to the above mentioned “five needle madness” method. 

Knitting flat and seaming – Unlike some people, seaming has never bothered me.  In fact I find it rather cool and oddly satisfying to pull my yarn and watch the two sides “magically” come together.

I’ve tried all three methods for my sleeves, which is probably why they still aren’t done.  The dpn’s were ruled out just because they’re evil.  The two circular method was going great until I started to [slightly] obsess about the fact that my stitches along the join looked wonky even though you couldn’t really notice it unless you stretched the sleeve (and lord knows my sleeves would have stretched like crazy to accommodate my massive muscles.)  Anyway, I decided to knit the sleeves flat and seam.  Except knitting things flat gets kind of old because you have to purl, and for some reason purling seems to take a lot more out of you than just plain knitting.  Why is that?  Is it all in my head?  Have I just become spoiled by working in the round? 

New years resolution 1:  Fall in love with purling. 

Eat Your Spinach!

One of the wonderful benefits of not ever exercising is the lack of muscle tone.  It’s fabulous when you’re knitting… oh let’s say a sweater that requires you to increase in the forearm area (apparently to accomadate your massive forearms) of which, thanks to not ever exercising, I do not have.  So I stuck my arm in the sleeve only to find that I could have probably fit my entire body into it.  On one hand it was rather comedic in the fact that it was so freaking huge, on the other hand I had to frog an entire sleeve due to my lack of “Popeye-esque” muscles.  I could have just gone to the gym and pumped some iron, but quite frankly the thought is not appealing and plus I’m directly related to the Bradypodidae family, except I have five toes, or rather 10 if you count both feet. 

 Oh and for you fellow Bath and Body Works fans… huge end of the year sale!  I went today and totally stocked up on my two favorite scents, both of which are discontinued and only sold during this sale.  While it slightly pisses me off that they don’t still carry them, I am glad I was able to snag several bottles… I wonder how long they last?

6 Minutes

Into Christmas day. 

Happy Holidays!  Hope everyone has a wonderful time with their families and loved ones!

Mass update

 

 

Cobblestone for her. I think I’m almost to the point where I need to attach the sleeves which means I have to buy some needles. I also haven’t tried it on and have no idea if the body even fits. It looks a tad small but I’m hoping that Silky Wool has amazing stretching abilities. The color isn’t that bright of a red either, but then trying to photograph red tends to be an extremely difficult task, at least for me. It’s a much deeper, yet still bright enough red.

 

 

 

 

Thermal. The never ending project. Of course it doesn’t help that I haven’t touched it in about three weeks. One day I’m hoping to wake up and thermal will magically be finished. Whereas the tooth fairy leaves you a couple of quarters under your pillow, the knitting fairy actually leaves you finished projects! Google her.

 

 

 

My son’s hat. I think the colors look a lot like the Redskins or whatever football team is burgundy and gold. You can also see my lovely schedule, which brings me to a topic completely off the knitting track.

 

My new digital camera. My Casio gave me a very nasty message when I turned it on, “Lens Error.” Nothing creates feelings of dread and gives you cold sweats than when a beloved electronic decides to retire. (Note to anyone reading: Shaking, and banging electronics do NOT make them magically work. In fact if anything it makes the situation a little worse. If your electronic item decided at any time that it might come out of retirement, any shaking, banging, yelling, swearing might just make it give you two middle fingers and completely shut down for good. So if the urge comes over you… Speak to it lovingly and whatever you do, DO NOT let your husband take it on business trips to Japan.) The great thing about my Casio dying… not only does it make a pretty drawer ornament, but I got to bought a new digital camera. A very very cool, kick ass, beautiful interface, 12 megapixels…. Be still my heart! It’s a Kodak Easyshare V1253 and because I’m a nerd for technology I have memorized the model and everything about it. Go ahead, ask me anything!

 

 

 

 

 

“Normal” knitter?

Q: ” Are you still knitting? We miss you.:)”

A:  I am still knitting although not nearly as much as I’d like, but thank you Nika!

I’ve talked about it before but I’m one of those one project knitting at a time anomalies.  Recently I joined all you “normal” knitters, after realizing that if I didn’t I would never start or finish anything.  Which is completely ironic because now that I have several projects going at one time I’m finding it harder to finish anything.

Right now I have three projects going.

1.  Hat for my son.

2.  Cobblestone

3.  Thermal

And soon there shall be another project added to the list.

4.  Hemlock blanket

I recently purchased two skeins of Cascade Ecological Wool from the Knitting Nest, a new yarn shop that opened up in Austin.   If you haven’t visited yet you really should!  Stacey, the owner is super friendly and extremely helpful.

I’m surprised how beautiful the yarn is considering it isn’t dyed or treated, it’s also fairly soft and I think after a bath in soak, it should soften up even more.  Can’t wait to start the hemlock blanket!  Here’s to hoping that I finish at least one of the four projects by the end of the year.