Project Spectrum--May

The Green I Live With

I like green but surprisingly there is not a lot of it around the house. My favorite knitting chair(the backdrop for this pic)is the biggest thing, then I started pillaging the bookshelves, my first felted bag, my first scrap bag(a cross stitch thing), and finally my Amazing Lace partner(who is turquoise so that will work out well for next month as well).

Chronicles of a Knitting Loser

I'm seriously contemplating a name change.

I have been in such a knitting funk lately(for like the last 2 months, maybe longer). I don't seem to be able to finish anything or even work on anything. Just a few months ago I could sit and knit for hours and hours and not get bored. Most of my WIPs are actually projects that have been on the needles for an embarrassing amount of time. This is not like me, people, I finished a TON of stuff last year this year I have yet to break 10 things.

Let me run down the list:

(1) Rogue Revisited(my second Rogue)--quit knitting it, have put the yarn back into the stash, BUT I haven't ripped out the one finished part(a sleeve).

(2) Hooded T--this has been on the needles since last summer and I only have the hood to finish--it's coming out in June as one of my Project Spectrum pieces, hopefully it will get done.

(3) Queen of Hearts scarf(for Little Diva)--it's been on the needles for over 1 year(my longest WIP bordering on UFO) I totally want to rip it out and make her Latvian mittens instead.

(4) Top down raglan--my March Project Spectrum piece--actually I like this and do work on it.

(5) Beginner's Triangle--this is a story in itself--started it last year. It WILL get finished this year as it is my Amazing Lace partner. This I actually enjoy knitting but I have to be in the right frame of mind to work on it--which clearly wasn't the case yesterday. I was knitting along happily, with speed, and a fair amount of over confidence(I remember thinking how easy this was getting). Then it happened. . .a slip of the fingers, leading to I'm still not sure what, and--boom--a hole where a stitch should be. I think I may have dropped a yarn over. So first I see if I can fix it without having to rip--at the same time cursing my arrogance(which as we all know is the curse of the lace knitter)--after a few attempts it becomes clear to me that I have no idea how to fix this problem and that I am probably making it worse. Now I have to tink back at least 3 rows(of about 150 stitches a piece)and hopefully(fingers crossed)that will get me to a point before my mistake. Lesson learned--do not get over confident in your lace knitting abilities as the goddess of lace will make it apparent that you are by no means in control. Another lesson learned--do not try to knit or fix your knitting while you are angry that you screwed up to begin with--just put it down and walk away.

My latest fear is that the Trekking socks I'll be casting on for this week will meet the same fate as my lacy funeral socks. I have totally been in a "rip it out and put it away" mood lately.

Booking Through Thursday and SBQ

Booking Through Thursday

1. What are the last five books that you finished reading? Unleash the Night, Sins of the Night, Seize the Night, Night Play, and Kiss of the Night all by Sherrilyn Kenyon


2. How long did it take you to read them? Two months total.


3. Did you enjoy reading these books? Why or why not? Yes, I have actually read all of them before but I wanted to reread them because the next book in the series is coming out next week(Dark Side of the Moon) and I wanted to refresh my memory on some back stories before I start the new one. The main storylines are just romantic stuff(fluff), but I'm trying to figure out more about one of the recurring characters.

Booking Through Thursday

This week's questions were suggested by Cate.

Have you ever stumbled on a reading and found the author so charming you started reading their books? Or, have you ever met a formerly favorite author and stopped reading their works because of how they treated their fans?

The only authors I have ever met are through book signings that I chose to go to. The authors that I have quit reading in the past were both because of storylines that started getting boring or too weird(Anne Rice and Terry Goodkind).

Today's SBQ was suggested by Nancy
and is:

What is your favorite specialty stitch? Which one is your least
favorite? Why?
I'm going to start with my least favorite--it is hands down the FRENCH KNOT. I cannot make them work for the life of me--I'll use beads or regular crosses just to avoid them. I'm not sure that I have a favorite stitch(I don't do a lot of pieces that require them), but if I had to pick one I'd say the Smyrna Cross.

The permalink to this post is:
http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2006/05/special-favorites/

Goings On

This will be a quick post as today is Little Diva's Kindergarten graduation--there will be merriment, feasting, and much rejoicing :) (Now what am I going to do with her all summer?!?!)

Here is my lacy funeral sock:

before


after

Looking good, huh? I didn't like the way the heel looked and I was getting tired of the pattern(and considering I was only on sock 1 that could be a problem) so I ripped it all out(sorry Wanda). I guess that's one way to get things off your WIP list. Not to worry I'll be casting on another sock next week--when the Trekking KAL begins :)

Here's my progress on Magic Witch this week--again not too impressive, but still moving forward. Magic Witch will be going on hiatus in June as I will be working on Storykeeper(the entire background is pretty much varying shades of blue and will fit in nicely with Project Spectrum).

Magic Witch 8(11,000 stitches)

SBQ and Magic Witch

Today's SBQ was suggested by Jenna
and is:

Lately, it seems that many stitching bloggers have experienced a loss
of their stitching mojo. Have you ever lost your stitching mojo? If
so, how did you get it back and how long did it take?

Yes, until I found HAED last August I was on about a 5 year break from stitching. I just couldn't bring myself to stitch. I think it was a combination of moving(twice), child birth(also twice), and having little kiddos around who don't get the "don't touch Mommy's stitching" thing. Now that the kids are better trained and I found these awesome(and addicting)patterns to stitch, my mojo has been renewed :)



Magic Witch 7 (10760 stitches)

Seven weeks in and things have slowed down a bit(nice weather and knitting intervened). I only got 400 stitches in this week, but the kitty has a body now and I'm happy about that. I'm actually starting to see wisps of the witch's hair; it's been fun to stitch something besides cat hair :)

Amazing Lace--Challenge #1

Hello, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Kim's partner, aka. Beginner's Triangle from A Gathering of Lace. Notice that she is not here with me--that is very often the case. I've been lurking in her WIP pile for quite some time. In the beginning I was the center of attention. She worked on me tirelessly, complimented my color and texture, marveled at the way I felt in her hands. Gradually things changed. I didn't come out of the pile as much--she spent her time on things like socks and sweaters. The nerve! I am LACE--even though I'm a beginner pattern, I need--NO, I DESERVE--respect, time, effort, and appreciation!

The beauty of our relationship is that I know something about Kim that she doesn't think we(by we I mean her neglected projects)know. . .she feels guilty if she doesn't finish something--really guilty, so much so that she will get to the point where she won't start something else until a current project is finished. This folks is my ace in the hole--she HAS to finish me.

I have seen my competition for her attention. There is the ever increasing pile of patterns/reference books--even a pattern on its way here all the way from the UK. I know for a fact she has yarn lined up for one of Mim's Shawls.

Then there is this

the lace yarn stash. Do you see all the yarn in there?!?

Well, partner, I've got news for you--you will not be starting any other lace project until I am finished. I will not be cast aside because you feel that you are ready for a bigger challenge. You will complete the challenge you started a year ago. You will finish ME for I AM LACE, HEAR ME ROAR!

Trek Along With Me--Decisions

Which do I choose?

These are the five finalists for my trekking sock--I have no idea which I'll pick but I'm leaning toward one of the two on the right--because then I can stick to a simple(by simple I mean I don't have to drag the pattern with me)pattern and let the color speak for itself.

I'm in the process of finding some child friendly hikes--as Little Diva and Little Rage are my summer exercise partners :)

Summer Knitalong Madness

Over the past week I have been affected with what can only be described as a case of Summer Knitalong Madness. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:
**an uncontrollable desire to sign up for all the fun stuff going on
**a need to constantly challenge myself
**a desire for some structure and accountability
**a plan for "double duty"--killing a few birds with one stone, you know, the "one project works for multiple KALs thing"

So the above three newbie KALs have joined my sidebar to work in harmony with the Mountain Lace KAL, Stashalong, WIP Wipeout, and the long neglected GALalong.

Anyone else been bitten by the bug or is it just me?

Looks like it's shaping up to be a busy summer and I wouldn't have it any other way :)

WIP Wipeout and Magic Witch

Good News!! I finished 3 knitting projects this weekend :) Bad News--I can't show any of them as they are secret gifts :( Sorry, but I swear I did actually knit this weekend. I also got up to 125 stitches on the needles on my Beginner's Triangle--I may post pics of that next week if I get more done.

I think that I am not going to finish my second Rogue--I only had one sleeve done and I already have a finished sweater. I want to find another pattern for the yarn--maybe an Aran or something. So I guess that is bad for my KAL dropout, but good for WIP Wipeout as it eliminates another WIP from the list.

Since I spent the weekend knitting, I didn't get a lot of stitching done either. I am 33% done with Magic Witch--even with my pitiful progress this week. You can see more of the kitty. Pictures really don't do it justice--it looks a lot cooler in person :)


Magic Witch 6(10,360/31,350 stitches)

I think a picture says it all. . .

Is your water dish really THAT bad?

My Summer Reading List

Remember, back in the day, when you used to have a list of required reading for summer? Well, I'm trying to get my personal summer reading list ready. I figure all the shows I watch will be in reruns, I'll be outside with the kiddos a lot(perfect reading time), and there is nothing better than the warm sun and a good read.

Here's the list:

(1) Lord of the Rings(I STILL haven't read this)

(2) The Belgariad

(3) The Black Jewels Trilogy

(4) Eldest

(5) Danse Macabre

(6) Dark Side of the Moon

(7) Finish rereading Harry Potter(I only need to get through 4-6)

(8) Finish rereading the Dark Hunter series(I only have 3 more and I need to get them done before Dark Side of the Moon comes out)

(9) Read one of the Knit the Classics summer books.


Summer Reading List

So what will all of you be reading this summer(or at least be attempting to read this summer--if you're like me you may set the bar a little high)?

Magic Witch 4 and Blah

Magic Witch--9760 stitches

Here's where I am at this week--31% complete! It's nice to see the kitty's head and the tip of the witch's hat at the top.

I am actually knitting but a shawl is kind of boring to post pics of because it's pretty much the same as it was before just bigger(my Beginner's Triangle). I may post a pic once I start the decreases. I'm also working on some non bloggable gifties--sorry.

I am SO having a case of the BLAHS. I don't feel like blogging, I don't feel like knitting, and I don't feel like stitching. Maybe it's the weather today--I don't know. Maybe it's burnout. Maybe it's life related stuff I don't want to go into right now. Suffice it to say, I'm feeling really blah, so accept my apologies if I don't post frequently for while. No one wants to read a litany of boring ;) Maybe I'll go blog surfing for inspiration!