Image by Mike Monteiro

December was pretty eventful, in a weird sort of way.  I was sick most of the month with two different monster colds, we had family visiting, and I didn’t get nearly as much gift-making done as I wanted to.

Overall though, it was nice.  I’m really grateful that I didn’t have to use much of my paid time off to be sick, at least!

I’m still finishing up a hat for a friend.  I had a few stops and starts with other cable hat patterns, but I decided to go with a pattern I know and love, and not give myself a headache.  It’s The Anti-Craft’s Glaistig, which is very easy, and somewhat monotonous, but very elegant when finished.  I’ve made it twice before, and I think it’s a great unisex hat pattern.  Honestly it seemed a good challenge the times I made it before I started my descent into the depravity of lace knitting.  Now I’m spoiled.

But!  I found a great lace beret pattern which was really super fun, and which I’ll make lots of, I’m sure.  It’s Meret by Wooly Wormhead.  (Ravelry page)  There are lots of variations, and since I used a sportweight alpaca yarn, I made a size larger and one level floppier to get a fairly conservative size for Wendy’s classic style.  I love how she’s paired her hat with a gray cabled sweater in this picture!

If I make it for myself, I think I may go full-on floppy and try to get the same soft drape with whatever yarn I choose.  I have a purple cashmere/merino blend that, although it’s sock weight, may indeed be calling out to be made into a fine-gauge Meret.

Other projects on the horizon:  the Mermaid Kimono ensemble, continuing modifications to the Steampunk ensemble (this year with hot-weather concessions and new headgear), the completion of the Hemlock Ring blanket, and many more.

Also, today is Kasper’s birthday!  He’s 2 today!  This is probably what he’s doing right now:

It's a tough life on the couch.

The tweedy yarn was definitely the way to go with this pattern.  I’m looking forward to figuring out how to block it aggressively.  I want lots of drape when it’s done.

Also.  Puppr.  He is an attention-addict.  But will he face the camera?  Only if it’s out of focus.

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hemlock1, originally uploaded by d1g1t1ze.

Look! A picture! Shocking, I know.

This is my 4th attempt, but it’s really going now. Finally have the right combination of needle size, paying attention, and knowing about the error row (35).

I’m at 33 right now. Again. But this time it looks much better. What a difference one needle size makes for those yarn overs. I’m looking forward to the famous feather and fan section, since I’ve never tried it before, and it is sooooo stunning.

I’m kinda stuck in the middle of a bunch of projects at the moment.  Mom picked up the pattern book Brooklyn Tweed used for his cardigan version of the Urban Aran, so that’s good.  Now I’m going to have to choose yarn.  I think I want some of the stuff he used from elann.  We’re thinking we’ll both knit one for ourselves first to get the hang of it, since it is a pattern intended for women, then we’ll know better how to alter them for Dad and B.

I’ve got a third baby booty about halfway done, but I’m stalling out on it because the baby is so far from being born, and the needles are so tiny.  So I’m putting that project to sleep for a little while.

There’s the trip to Canada in November peeking over the horizon that has me anxious to knit a pile of toasty warm goodness.  Most of my Ravelry queue is for that purpose.   I really hate being cold.  I think I need some gorgeous mittens, too, but I haven’t found any that leapt out at me quite yet.

And I’ve got the yarn for the Hemlock Ring blanket (Yes, I am stalking Brooklyn Tweed.) and can start any second, if only the vintage doily instructions weren’t so horrid.  I’ve tried charting them out twice now, and I know there was an error in the first chart, and I got so confused doing the second one that I just couldn’t keep it up.  My next attempt will be to print out the written instructions and highlight every separate “maneuver.”  I get lost in all the k2sl1pssok2tog crap.  I don’t think that exists, but I refuse to look at the pattern right now.  It ANGERS me.

In an effort to jumpstart the old creativity machine, I ran across this FANTASTIC collection of sketchbook prompts.  They suggest going through and altering all the pages of the sketchbook before doing any artwork in it to counteract blank page syndrome.  I really like the idea of doing some washes or textures on the pages – seems like a relaxing process.  There’s a big group campout coming up in a few weeks, and I am putting together some activities that will help me cope with all that togetherness.  I think a couple of knitting projects, a sketchbook, pencils, and watercolors will be just the thing.  Oh, and some books!

See? Not bad for a first timer. It’s a leeeetle small, but so soft and cuddly. I’ve been using it as a tiny lap blanket when I go somewhere and sit with my coat on. Warm legs are good!

Next up, some knitting for other people, oh yeah, and I’ve gotten sucked into the Hemlock Ring Blanket. Just received my KnitPicks order of 1.eleventy million balls of Wool of the Andes in Claret Heather.

And I just started Bellydancing class! When will I ever sleep? I’ll be having WAY too much fun.

You know I’m a knitting nerd enthusiast when I get all excited and bouncy to go home and block.

So, no, no pics today. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

• Need to get me some wires to block out my Forest Canopy Shawl – yay! It’s sooooo soft. I just want to huddle under it until Spring remembers it’s late for something.
• I’ve signed up with The Kitchn‘s 8 week Kitchen Cure challenge. Yes, that middle photo on their post is, indeed, my kitchen! I took a ton of before pictures. It’s keeping me fairly busy.
• Yesterday I spent most of the day working on painting my Skorne Hordes army. I’ll take some pictures when they’re all done. I’m painting their armor peacock turqoise instead of the red they’re shown in, which is part of the fun of these figures. My elephant-like Titans are the palest shade of pink, because what is scarier than a rampaging pink battle elephant?
  • In case you aren’t sure what the heck this is all about, it’s a game that is sort of like chess in the sense that there are figures with different moves that you play against an opponent’s army. But unlike chess, there are several different factions and the rules get pretty complicated. Still a lot of fun though.
• I’m eyeing several different projects to begin soon. A couple of friends are pregnant, so I may work on some baby booties for real.
• Just for fun, here’s the stuff currently at the top of my Ravelry queue:
  • Urban Aran man’s cardigan – going to KAL with Mom
  • Saartje’s Booties – I hear good things
  • Arbor – a woman’s short sleeved sweater
  • Spring Things Shawl – I would totally jump right into this one except I haven’t blocked Forest Canopy yet and I don’t know how often I’ll use it. I’m also chomping a the bit for the Icarus shawl.
  • Ophelia - a sleeveless summery lacy cardigan. I’m still kind of on the fence about this one. I might try to concentrate on more mittens over the summer to prepare for our trip up to Victoria, Canada in November. We are going to freeze to death.

That’s about it for now. I’ll try to post some tasty pics this week.

I really liked how the pattern was constructed, hardly any finishing. I didn’t do any finishing since I just wanted to play with the pattern and see how it worked. It came out pretty large, and used all my yarn, but the color isn’t appropriate for the baby I need to knit for anyway. Best to be conservative with colors for coworkers’ baby boys.

The sole is worked back and forth, then you pick up and knit in the round. I was a bit daunted by the old “pick up and knit” routine, but I’ve been learning recently (I CAN be taught!) that often the way I fear something has to be done is different than the way it’s actually done. I found a video online and it was pretty easy. Fun, actually. They mention that some knitters like to use a crochet hook, and I think they must be Continental knitters because I’m a thrower and having the yarn in my right hand gave me a good angle on pulling the yarn through. *shrug*

On to my latest project, suggested by Opal, the Forest Canopy shawl.

It’s knit on size 8 needles (I went down to 7 since I’m such a loose woman knitter) and it’s soooo pretty. I love the leaves! They will definitely open up a lot in blocking. The yarn is such a dream, so soft, just a whisper in my hands as I knit. I’m heading up to Victoria, BC in November for a wedding, and I think this will be a great item to keep on hand to stay toasty warm. In fact, my brain has been working furiously on millions of projects to work on for that trip, like this one for B. But I digress.

Oh, look at those gorgeous, wondrously useful and glorious lifelines delicately wandering off into the distance! Oh how I love them. They’ve come in handy at least 3 times so far. It’s also really interesting because the construction of a triangular shawl is kind of funky. The lifelines show how the knitting bends in the middle. It’s sort of hard to describe, but that bumpy border is the top long edge of the shawl, and it is somehow at the beginning and end of each row. Magic!

I just can’t fix it, and I can’t continue on, either. My short attention span got me good this time, and then my “try it and see” got me too. I just can’t rip it out right now, I know I have to, but I have to let it be for a little longer. I somehow feel like I must honor it by allowing it to exist untouched for a short period of time. It’s a weird feeling.

I went on Ravelry last night to see if there were any patterns that looked interesting, particularly a more beginner-friendly lace project. The Veil of Isis is the opposite of that. But oh! How pretty it is!

What. Is wrong. with me?

Maybe I’m the compliment to people who will knit anything for any reason, regardless of its utility or how appropriate something is to be made out of interlocking loops. (I’m looking at you, edible knitted thong pattern!) Apparently, I’d rather torture myself to make something intricate and breathtaking.

Yep, that totally fits.

It’s so disheartening not to know how to fix something. I’ve helped countless people fix their stuff but I’ve bitten off more than I can chew this time.

Also. Hubris is a bitch. All this horribleness is happening after an easy finish to the Hint #1 chart, after which I did NOT add a lifeline, and now I’m stuck on the first row of Hint #2. So frustrating.

Hint #4 came out today. I am feeling really very far behind indeed. Maybe I’ll be able to figure something out this weekend.