where did the time go?

Today's entry is brought to you by the letter V (as in Vacation and Vomit) and the number 3 (as in the average number of showers per day I've needed since Friday)....

Well, this week is school vacation week.  I took it off to spend some time with the kids.  In some ways I'm very glad I did, as trying to work while a 40 lb moaning creature lays on your lap can be somewhat detrimental to actually getting things done.  In other ways, I look at the knitting I refuse to touch while I am continually bathed in effluvia and sigh.  But, I did do my taxes, so that's something off my mind.

I've been busy.  Very busy.  It might be easiest to do this bit as a photo series.  These are photos of things I've been working on for the show in March at the local coffee shop.  I'm going to give some detail shots, but not too many of the full shawlettes.  I'm hoping they'll be a pleasant surprise for folks in the area who can check them out.  And anything that doesn't find a home from the shop will make it to my artfire store, so it's always possible you'll see them later on that page.

Let's start with this:

malabrigo silky wool in indicita.  Needs ends woven in

Something simple I could knit while being driven places on a weekend.  Which brings us to this:

same yarn, same colorway, testing a concept

Unfortunately, this segues me into these, which I'm debating for the full concept knit:

for the record, going with the bottom for the full size shawl

Yarn makes me think about other yarn.  This was the second package of my last yarn fling.  It had the very pale yellows and the green in the middle above.

I really do like their stuff

Those yellows make me think of a concept that I did out twice.  Once for the show:

detail showing the new increase.  I like this method better.  There aren't missing threads, there are dark beads between leaves.

That one is the shawlette version that uses some really dark red beads.  Then, there's the version that my husband inspired:

to show the natural colored yarn and the pink beads

None of this stuff is blocked, so it does look like limp noodles.  Plus, the two above are in cotton.  The second one with the pink beads is a full sized shawl, but I'm having trouble deciding whether it needs to stay with me as an example of the pattern.  Yep, example of the pattern.... that's my story.  I do not intend to pet it and drool (although we all know that's exactly what will happen).

This leads us to this one.  Same pattern, in a familiar yarn:

man, this is hard to photograph.  It is NOT neon in real life.

Again, showing the increase.  You get a full leaf at the top of each, which almost looks like a flower bud.  I like this effect much better, and have changed the pattern to reflect it.  This may look very familiar.  It is the same yarn I did the original Joie shawl in.  I had just enough left to squeak out a shawlette, so that's what I did.

Then, I think pink.

strawberry smoothie

linen yarn.  Yes, I made a linen shawl.  In worsted weight no less.

And finally, there are these:

don't look like much at the moment

That beauty above is a market bag.  It's made from cotton (also in worsted weight), and I can wash the silly things if the little man has a bad tummy  moment near them.  I love these bags.  I have a bunch, and there are 2 ways to knit them that create 2 very different types of mesh just using a yo, k2tog as the "lace" pattern.  I started with these because I found that the grocery bags you can buy are not typically washable... making them really heinous germ magnets.  I actually have 4 different sizes and styles that I make, and figured that since I can't work on 'ettes at the moment, maybe I'd see if the local coffee place would want these as well. 

Anyhoo, I am hoping small tummies are quiet tomorrow so I can 1 knit, 2 blog, 3 work on hang-tags.  All the fun things in life and cleaning the kitchen too!

Strawberry yarn-bons

So, I spent this weekend resting.  No real progress to report, so instead on this most red and pink day of the year... I think I'll share my last indulgence. 

mmm wooly bonbons

I know, I do feel a bit evil putting them up since I really don't have enough for the entire class this time.  But, but, you can always invest in your own bonbons!  These ladies run a classy affair.  Their colorways are humorously named and they positively glow.  These are kind of my last yarn hurrah for a little while.  But I can't complain, you've seen my stash.

I did have another pink and red combo that I wanted to upload pictures of but somebody small who shall not be named (lest the house knitter become vexed and then need to soothe herself with more yarn...  mmmm..  more yarn) apparently ran around the house while I was resting taking photos of feet, flooring, and other items of 4 year old interest.  Killed my battery, whomever that was.

Anyway, I hope today treated you well.  I'm off to put He Who Shall Not Be Named to bed.  Little stinker.

ah, yes, not quite healed.

swelling is worse because this is the one that was broken

Must remember, little man doesn't play gently.  Rest now.

nothing to see here.... tralala

I've come to the conclusion that I would be a dangerous woman if I could count to... say... 3.  Effectively.  Consistently.  This morning is obviously not a lace knitting morning, as I've screwed up counting to 3 more times than I can count (haha).  Coffee is not helping, so while my fingers are feeling fine and ready to fly.... I should stick with the blanket until the stupids fall out one of my ears.

This morning, I took my heart in my hands, my finished knits in a bag, and walked the (freaking freezing btw) distance to the Coffee Shop in the heart of my town.  Nice people there, and they know my husband and youngest on sight.  Which is kind of funny and kind of cool.  Anyway, they're doing a craft show there in March and my husband asked me to put some stuff in it.  As much as I grumble, I really can't refuse him anything (but don't tell him that or I'm doomed).

I'm hideously shy.  Something about being able to always find the exact wrong thing to say in any situation.  Need to know what to say?  Ask me, and do the exact opposite.  It's a talent.

Anyhoo, I brought in the last set of knits I finished and blocked to show them and.... they said would be happy to have some shawlettes in their craft expo thingy.  Yay!  It's totally not me, my social retardation was at an all-time spectacular high.  They like the knits, they really like them.  I've been happy dancing for a while, but now I have to knit about 6 more ettes in something other than a triangle shape.  I guess it's time to do some stoles.  I've knit purples, blues, pinks, greens, browns... so I'm thinking some reds, some black, and some white.  Maybe a yellow... although the yellow yarn hasn't gotten here yet.   I do have some gorgeous gold yarn, but am not ready to share it.  It makes me happy when I haven't seen the sun in days, so I'm having trouble knitting it instead of just fondling it.

You guys have listened to me gripe about the not as happy things, so I figured I'd share about the exciting (and slightly scary) things too.  I'll post more about it when I get more details, and I'll blog the remaining ettes as I get them knit so you can see them as they happen.  I won't be not doing the full size shawls in the meantime, and in the almost finished conga line of blocking I have some that I've knit for myself to keep as samples... and to wear because I lurve them.  So I'll have some FO posts coming up soon.

And thanks for making it to the bottom of a non-picture post.  :)

he's convinced it's his

So, I'm in the middle of the conga line of death (otherwise known as blocking my brains... what brains there still are... out).

Being as cold as we have been this year, I've been poking my way through a very simple wool blanket.  I think it's Knitter's Knee-jerk Reaction to Being @#$%@# Cold.  Given how much strength I've lost, I'm managing roughly 1/2 of a "stripe" per day.  After that, the hands want to fall off.  I'm using bags o inexpensive wool that I got a year ago for $15 per bag.  It's pretty stuff, and this is what it's looking like at the moment:

nothing fancy here, but very very warm

Of course, little man has decided it's his.  In fact, he has been running around in lots of wool today. 

time to replace that sweater!

That sweater is one I knit for him last year as a stop-gap.  It is not superwash, and it has been treated to every evil behavior the little man can think of.  The sleeves have been through various forms of velcro hell, the buttons are getting loose... and he's almost outgrown it.  I'm going to need to knit him something a little more durable.  Although considering what he does with his knits, this hasn't held up terribly.  He loves them.  To death.  There are worse ways to die.

After I finish the conga line, we'll go back to lace.  But this is what's been on my mind.  That, and editing patterns.  Getting a well written pattern that is readable is harder than it sounds.  I think I owe my tech editor lunch.  Or more likely, more knits.  hehe

things that come or go in boxes

Last week, while life was blowing up completely, my husband brought me home a box that looks like this:

WOOHOO

Yep, I am a woman who is well loved.  Anyone who lives local enough to know these folks know that anything that comes in one of these boxes will be decadent, sweet, and tasty enough to make the things that make it decadent and sweet worth eating all at once.

This is what he got me:

pure love, in cheese and cake and sweet form

So pretty.  So yummy.  Even the little guy tried a little, which is something he wouldn't usually do.  Caramel cheesecake.  A little bit of love in food form, for sure.

Then, today, I got a brown paper box from Japan.  Inside it is something for the little man.  To wit, these:

totoros!!

These are from one of the greatest movies ever created for little kids.  My little dude loves this movie, and he sings along with the songs.  It's so cute that when I got a notification that Totoro figurines were for sale again, I couldn't resist them.  I considered the squishable, huggable, lovable ones that were stuffed-huggies.  They were 78 USD plus shipping.  I considered them very seriously, and then watched how the little dude plays with his things.  I got these instead.  They are fuzzy, and fit in the palm of an adult hand.  They are basically action figures, and I know he'll love them when he gets home.  Much more reasonably priced, and they'll fit into his play-style.  I am bouncing in glee waiting to see how he reacts.

In terms of things that are going in boxes, I just finished packing this:

guilt yarn, keeps leaping out at me

A wonderful and fantastic person is about to get a box o yarn.  You know who you are, and thank you so much for accepting charge of it.  I am hoping there will be glee when this gets there too.

Finally, on my parade of things to do, I have these to block.

to be blocked, and ends to be woven in

Yeah, one of those needs a final row knit on it, but it'll be joining the blocking party in another few hours.  Woohoo, block party at my house?

Anyway, that's where I'm at for the moment. 

still no pictures, is she broken?

As things go, life interfered with me being able to post after my initial stab in the dark.  I've got some interesting hours and some interesting client projects for the next few weeks.  They may make for foreshortened blogging.  I'll do my best to try to keep up though. 

I've sent the first pattern to be tech-read, and have 3 more waiting in the wings for my poor intrepid volunteer.  I'm feeling hopeful but really sore.  I'm not sure how long it's going to take to get my arm back to where it was, but one week apparently won't be quite enough.  I'm sore and bruised from using it.  Which is making me a whole lot of fun to be around.

I do have some pictures, and as soon as my camera battery finishes charging... no that's a lie, it takes hours and I hope to be in bed before it finishes.  But as soon as I'm not completely knackered and my camera is feeling sprightly too, I'll be sharing.  Hope you're keeping warm out there!

and so it goes

More snow here.  I'm hoping to get out of the house when it stops to take some pictures, as the pictures I took this morning are blurry and unidentifiable due to the speed of the falling snow.  It's gorgeous, and I wish I could sit in an insulated bubble and just listen to the wsh-whs-whs of the snow accumulating.

There are almost no cars on the road (for obvious reasons) and my yard is the kind of still quiet that can only happen in mid-winter when you live on a main street.  It's easy to forget this kind of quiet still exists when you're in the middle of so many people's commute every day.

On the needles now is a Shedir in silk.  I wish it wasn't, but am glad to be able to do something at all.

More this afternoon during lunch break, and pictures to come.