Stupid Needles

So I've been really good about actually working on my knitting rather than sitting around waiting for it to grow (wouldn't that be cool?!).  Last week I finished a strip for Miss Ladybug's blanket; when I finished it, I was sitting on the couch and a set my needles down next to me.  Around the same time I also finished the purple socks and had also set my needles on the couch.  Well when it was time to start the next strip for Miss Ladybug's blanket guess what needles I picked up??  The smaller ones I had used for the purple socks.

In my defense I use knitpicks options needles and, as they are interchangeable, they all look exactly alike and the needles I'm using for Miss Ladybug's blanket are only one size bigger then those used for the purple socks.

So here's how it stands.  The two needles are only 1/2 mm different in size.  After measuring I find that is enough to increase my gauge (which I measure in two inches rather then four) by an entire stitch.  After doing the math I figure out that each square ends up 3 1/2 stitches smaller, which works out to be about 1/2 an inch, when knit with the smaller needles.

So at this point I have finished knitting two squares in the next strip with the smaller needles.  This little two-block piece is about 1/2 an inch skinnier and about 1 inch shorter then it would be if I had been using the lager needles.  I could (1)be a good little knitter and rip it all out and start the strip over, or (2)I could fudge it and start knitting the rest of the strip with the larger needles and leave it at that; trusting that when seaming the strips together I can make it work.

I like option 2.

Mommy time

Miss Ladybug is taking a nap so I thought I'd take a few minutes to blog as I haven't been blogging as regularly as I'd like to.

I've been searching for cute baby-related knitting patterns as I have a a friend who's baby is due soon (I think...I'm such a bad friend) and another who will soon find out her baby's gender.

For friend #1 (we'll refer to her as Pooky) I'm planning to make this:

I LOVE this hat!!  If Miss Ladybug had been an Oliver (which was my favorite boy name) this would've been at the top of my baby knitting list.  I know Pooky will love this hat and I'm excited to make and give it to her!  I'm trying to knock off a few more projects from my in progress list before I start it....

For friend #2 (who has a blog under the name yarnpixie) I've found several patterns I like but as yarnpixie could possibly check out my blog and spoil the surprise, I won't be posting any links or pics until after I give whatever I make to her.

I also have a review for another dairy-free product I've tried...

I've not tried this as cream cheese on a bagel, but I have tried it on a baked potato as a substitute for sour cream.  YUMMY!!  When I tried it for the first time I ate it plain and didn't enjoy it.  However I've become accustomed to the taste and quite enjoy it with something.  I'd never eat it plain with corn chips like I do with real cream cheese though.

Well I'm off to find something to munch and try to get some knitting time in before Miss Ladybug wakes up.
Have a lovely day!

Socks!

I have access to PhotoBucket again!!  So here's what I was intending to post on friday....

I did it! I made progress on my knitting!

Behold!  Socks!


Originally I started these to take with me to the hospital when I had Miss Ladybug but obviously that didn't happen.

I also finished a strip of Miss Ladybug's blanket!


Still need to finish seaming it to the others, but on to the next strip I go! :o)

I have come to a decision about this pair too...


...frogged!!  I really didn't like the toe and couldn't remember what pattern I was working off of anyways.  I'm going to start over after I get a few more projects out of the way.

So I had nine projects going and completely knocked off two...
9 - 2 = 7!
7 = yay! :oD

I love tangible progress

So yay for blogging!  Now I'm going to bed :o)

AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

We recently moved to a basement apt. and for the most part have been happy with the change.  It's cold, as the air-conditioning  is set on auto and the sensor is upstairs, but we've got blankets and hot drinks.  They have 3 dogs that we have to battle out way through as we go though the back yard to get to the entrance to the basement; but the largest usually leaves me alone now when I'm carrying Lily, and we've worked out a system where one of us holds him by the collar while the other takes breakable/edible/just-don't-want-the-dog-to-get stuff in.  It also needs some work and had a weird sink but everyplace has it's quirks right?

So we're connected to their wireless internet network and about two weeks ago one of them tells us that he's put a new filter on his network because he has kids.  I totally get his wanting to protect his kids from all the crazy stuff out there but am very frustrated with the whole filter thing right now.

I first ran into problems while trying to watch 'Keeping Up Appearances' on youtube...it's blocked youtube.  I also can no longer watch any videos linked to youtube from another site (such as something posted on facebook).

I now just ran into another roadblock when I tried to upload pics from my computer to photobucket....it's blocked photobucket.  I am also no longer able to view any pictures linked to photobucket including those I've already put up on my own blog.  I now understand why I was having problems viewing pictures on other blogs as well.

We're planning to have out own internet installed at some point; it's very frustrating to be in the middle of something and have it go down and not be able to fix it or have to keep asking them to fix it.  I cannot wait till we're able to have it installed.  As soon as I'm done posting this I'm going to research which company has the best reviews and prices (if the filter will let me).

I am very disappointed that I will not be able to post what I had originally intended to: a knitting update.  I even have fantastic progress to show off :o(

I'm planning to go over to Mum's later, maybe I'll try to take the lap top with me and post from there.

Bugs

I just wanted to make it clear that I think bugs are gross.

The book I'm reading at the moment ('The Lost City of Z' by David Grann) is about the search for an explorer who disappeared in the Amazon jungle and it talks about various encounters with a variety of bugs.

Disgusting.  You really don't want to know what happened and I never want to go there.  EVER.

:op

Cute pictures!!

So when I borrowed Mum's camera to take pics of knitting projects I also took a few of Miss Ladybug cause I couldn't help myself :o)

Not very smiley but still major cute :o)



She's not too fond of her Bumbo yet :o)


While poking around I also found my old digital camera!!  For Christmas last year I got a new camera that could also take decent video because I knew I'd want it for when Miss Ladybug was born.  However I have had nothing but trouble with it!  It's under warenty so I'm going to send it back and see what they make of it; but for now, I've got my old one :o)

Lots of Knitting

Mum was nice and let me borrow her camera (thanks Mum!) so I now have pictures to show off!


Upon digging through my knitting stuff I unearthed more "in progress" projects then I thought I had going.  So here we go...


(1) Purple socks



These are knit using some unknown yarn from my stash that a fellow knitter gave me years ago.  The picture really doesn't show the color very well.  The lighting in our living room is not very good for photographing purposes; when I take the finished picture I'll take it in sunlight.  I used a pattern from 'More Sensational Knitted Socks' by Charlene Schurch.  As you can see I'm very close to finishing them; I've only got about half the toe left :o)




(2) Pink socks (Well, sock.  It's pair is not yet in existence)



These are also knit using some unknown yarn from my stash given to me by a nice lady from church.  I've been successfully ignoring these so much I can't remember what pattern I was working them from and have been thinking of ripping them out and starting over because I don't really like this style of toe :o/




(3) Blanket for Miss Ladybug



This is a baby blanket I started about a month before Miss Ladybug was born (she just passed her 3 month mark).  It's knit using Carron's Simply Soft and the pattern is from 100 afghan squares to knit.  I decided to work it in strips rather than all squares so I won't have so many seams later.  I'm also weaving in ends and seaming as I go so as to cut down further on finishing.




(4) Dragon Shawl



This shawl is a beast of a project.  I started it about 4-5 years ago.  I've had to start over once and rip out about 20 rows once.  It has spent most of it life either in time-out or being ignored.  You see, it is so complex I have to concentrate on only knitting when I work on it.  I can't listen to music or watch TV or talk to people.  The chart (the entire shawl is charted) is also so big I had to mount it on a poster.  Here's what it will look like:

I'm still on the tail.  Mine doesn't look very much like the finished shawl yet as all lace looks like poo till you block it.  I'm knitting my shawl with a Knit Picks yarn called Shadow and the pattern is Sharon Winsauer's "Heere be Dragone".




(5) Leftovers Blanket



This is just plain old garter stitch.  The yarn is, as I said, all my leftovers.  I'm only using acrylics for this as it is so massive (it's scrunched and then folded in half) I don't ever want to think about hand washing it.  Once it's finished it will easily fit on a queen size bed.  It's very squishy and I love it already!




(6) Thrummed Mittens



These mittens are thrummed!  Meaning all the little orange flecks are bits of unspun wool worked into the piece with the ends sticking out inside.  Like this:

This way the mittens are lined!  Eventually, with wearing, the ends inside will felt together.  The yarn I'm using is a Lion Brand yarn but I can't remember what line it's from.  Originally Mum and I bought it together for her to use; she was going to knit a pair of slippers but didn't ever finish them so she gave the yarn to me!  The roving is from a friend and I don't really know anything about it.  The pattern is from an issue of Interweave Knits.  As soon as I find it and finish these I'll post which issue it was as I can't remember off the top of my head but will know by then as I have to find it in order to finish them :o)




Now we move on to the projects that are finished, but not finished.  In other words, I've finished knitting them but they still need some sort of finishing work such as seaming, buttons, or blocking.


(7) Cardigan for Miss Ladybug



I knit this for Miss Ladybug while I was pregnant.  I used Caron's Simply Soft and the pattern is one I got off Ravelry.  Originally the sleeves were supposed to be longer but I ran out of yarn.  I even had to bind off in a different color!  The only thing left is I need to add buttons.  First I need to go buy them though; I'm thinking little white ones...




(8) Shrug



This shrug is from an issue of Vogue Knitting.  I thought the construction was fascinating so I had to make it!  It still needs is to be blocked and I need to add a button.  Here's what it's supposed to look like:

I finished knitting mine a few years ago and can't remember what yarn I used except that it was wool.




(9)  Pi Shawl



This shawl is knit from 4 different yarns.  It was not intentional, I just kept running out!  I started out with a Knit Picks yarn called palette (that's the light grey in the middle; I had originally purchased it to make socks but got bored one day what I was sick and stuck at home).  Next I thought I'd be able to finish it with the red; that's a hand spun/dyed yarn my sister brought me back from Michigan.  As that didn't quite do it I bought more palette but it's been so long since I bought the grey they've changed up the yarn a bit so it's like a different kind.  And then with about 3 inches left I ran out of that so stuck some leftover sock yarn in there.  It's made using Elizabeth Zimmerman's pattern.  I've got a few ends to weave in, and then I need to block it!




So there you have it.  My knitting-in-progress list of guilt and shame.  No one should have 9 projects going on at once; especially when half them have been on the needles for years and spend most of that time being ignored!  I'm going to try really hard to change that though.  From now on Friday will be my knitting update day.  I'm going to post what I've gotten done on the knitting front and possibly a picture of it too.  And as my knitting group meets on Thursday I should have at least a few rows done.  I'm hoping that the possibility of having to post that I got nothing done will inspire me to find little bits of time here and there to knit.


If only I could figure out how to knit and nurse Miss Ladybug at the same time....