Pics of My Lutea and A New Project!

This is me enjoying my Lutea! I am very happy with the fit and drape of the garment although I think I made it a tad too long but.....whatever! I like it! I have worn it several times since this picture was taken and I have found the armholes to have stretched a bit. I'll be putting a nice round of single crochet there to reinforce it this weekend.
This is what it looks like from the back. I love this color. The King Tut Cotton has given this tank great crisp stitch definition and the heaviness of the fiber actually works for this design (except around the armholes of course) I got 21st/4in gauge which is alot tighter than the pattern gauge called for so I followed directions for the 44" inch size to compensate. It doesn't have too much negative ease. I haven't measured myself since I started loosing weight to I kinda winged this one. I used to be a 45" bust but no longer. My bras have been getting smaller. That makes me sad! Why can't my hips and but just get smaller? I'll just have to live with it and hope that eventually things will balance themselves out.

I originally wanted to where this with brown since brown and blue are one of my favorite color combinations. But I just couldn't find a brown belt that I like! I have 3 black belts (no, not in any martial art unless you call shopping one) and I've been looking for that belt in the perfect shade of brown. I have the shoes already so it can't be that elusive, right?
Any guess what this latest finished object is? Yes, I know its a hat but does the pattern seem familiar? It's EZ's Very Warm Hat! Done all in Noro Kureyon on the outside and for the inside I used about an inch worth of Cotton Ease so that my sensitive daughter won't have a scratchy forhead while trying to keep warm this winter. I started on Sunday and finished it up on Friday. Took way too long to complete but things like work, sleep and general tiredness kept me from finishing sooner. It's a good thing I am starting winter knitting in August or I'd have some cold kiddies!
Until next time. I still don't know what my next project will be but I promise I will announce it as soon as a I do!

August Update 2010

I've mentally prepared lots of posts since my last post in July. Too bad mental isn't actual since I've forgotten half (ok most) of the things that I wanted to tell you about.

I am almost finished with my second project in my year of "Rediscovery". Rediscovery of yarn already in my stash, and rediscovery of all the wonderful patterns that I once fell in love with and vowed to knit up yet somehow languished in a seemingly endless que of knitting projects that keep amassing on top of those once beloved patterns.
I am loving the Lutea Lace Shell. The pattern is wonderful and a pretty quick knit! I made it in some King Tut mercerized cotton that has been hanging out in my stash for years! It was previously knit up in a free form type of raglan t-shirt but the armholes were too big so that project was sent to the frog pond while the yarn went safely back in my stash. Its such a gorgeous color. The labels have long been tossed out but I would describe it as a shiny cadet blue. (Cadet blue as I remember it from my Crayola crayon box as a kid).
I finished the back and am just starting the front. I plan to be done by tomorrow but wouldn't it be fantastic to have it done so that I could wear it for tomorrow?
But I must wear it with just the right outfit. I am picturing a cute chocolate brown belt, a brown pencil skirt and brown shoes. Why so much brown?, you ask. I want the top to be the star and not get lost with competing accessories/colors! I was thinking of doing a little embroidery but...... would that take away from the top or enhance it? There is only one way to find out and that is to try and try some more.
I'll be posting pics soon of the finished product on Ravelry. It's so much easier to post and update on Ravelry from my iPhone than it is to post and update my blog. For some reason blogger is just not feeling iPhone posting. If you know of any way to get around that please shoot me a message. I really only get access and time to a computer very rarely. I am kind of stealing a little time right now so ..... gotta go. Same bat time, same bat channel!

Highs and Lows

7/4/2010
It just occurred to me that maybe I should have a name for my year long knitting project.
Hereby am trying to tag my ravelry projects accordingly but I have no official identifier. I can't just go around calling it "my yearlong knit patterns only from my magazine collection and only from my stash adventure" it just doesn't roll off the tongue that well, you know?
So I was thinking of
"the rediscovery project" since I am rediscovering patterns that I once loved and yarn that I always wanted to knit with all at my fingertips in my stash. The best way to be happy is to be content with what u have right?
Mods on the Whisper Cardigan
I used 3 different yarns that were already in my stash. Believe me there was some serious temptation to buy more of the ultra alpaca when I ran out. But I held myself back.
Begin Side Note:
After all it's compulsive buying of yarn and other things that I didn't really need that landed menin serious debt to begin with. I've already paid off 2 credit cards of which j am very proud of and I am not about to mess that up!
End Side Note.
So like I mentioned above I used 3 different kinds of yarn all in the red/black family. The last yarn was a no name red/ black sock yarn that left my fingers red after knitting with it and bled like a stuck pig when blocking. I didn't mind too much though since the ultra alpaca was already reddish and the jawoll is black so no harm no foul. I do have some left over which I was thinking if making a skinny scarf for but after seeing how red my fingers got by jut knitting it I am going to have to rethink that thought. The last thing I want is to end up with some scary looking red line across ny neck and throat. Not attractive.
The other mod I made was to pick pick up fewer stitches for the ribbing. I wanted a snugged fit and that is just what I got. All in all I am very pleased with the results!
7/08/2010
Sad, sad, news.
Yesterday I got ready to where my whisper cardigan for the first time. I was in Atlantic City with my husband on a very impromptu trip where we were trying to re-kindle our romance. I packed the cardi cause in the restaurants it's just stupid cold. Somewhere between the hotel lobby and the parking lot.....I LOST THE SWEATER! Talk about sad. It fit so perfectly and I didn't even get any pics of it while I was wearing it. I do have pics of it blocked as you can see here:

A sad iphone pic. I am hoping that eventually the Borgata Hotel and Casino will call me up and tell me someone found it. In the meantime I will be e-mailing and calling as often as possible. If I never get to see it again, I pray that someone out there is actually using it. I put over a month's worth of work into it and fell in love with the fit and color. Something that is hard to say about any other project I've made.

Getting creative

The following are two posts in one. I had one prepared but never posted it. So, I decided to combine the two.

6/27
Ok so I am still working on the whisper cardigan. I really thought I would be done by now and here it is a month and still not done yet. Well not exactly a month but three days shy of it anyway. I am finally on the skirt part of the cardigan. I finished the ribbing and founf that I did not have e nough of the black to complete the skirt. So now k have introduced a third yarn into the mix. A no name variegated red and black yarn. It's gonna be funky but I am ok with funk. I said I wouldn't buy anymore and I am determined to stick to it.

7/1
Holy unending project, Batman! When the heck is this cardi going to be done???? I bound off the skirt last night and it seems too short yet I don't want to undo the bind off and knit down. Although... That is probably what I am going to end up doing anyway. I like the thought of the cardigan and if I am going to do something I might as well do it right. Today I missed my bus so I took the later bus being all grateful that it was an express but then my train is late. Yikes! Not a good start to the day since I wanted to leave early.
When I get home I will be working on lengthening the skirt and hopefully put this project to rest. I post some pics tomorrow with the announcement of my next project!

Whisper Cardigan Day 13

I was really hoping to have it done by now. I really have a high opinion of my knitting speed, don't I? I start a new job on Thursday and was kind of hoping to wear it. Oh well. I must keep plugging along. It is a pretty straight forward knit so far. I finished knitting the right sleeve and am half way through the back. I am a little past the back gathering. I like this pattern. It's easy to read.....well the part about what needles to change to could be a little more clear. For example instead of saying "change to largest, longest circular needle" it should read "change to Size 4 24"circs". It's shorter and much more specific!

I am tempted to make the gathering in the black yarn but after careful consideration I don't know how I feel about a black stripe going down the back. I could always duplicate stitch it in later on if I change my mind.
Please ignore the awful flooring in the picture. My "new" apartment has nasty flooring and a grimy dropped ceiling. The nice thing is that in July there will be a renovation of the apartment. New floors and the ceiling will be sheet rocked. Of course that means I will be somewhat displaced for at least a month but it will be worth it. My momma and daddy are going to let me stay upstairs with them. They are the greatest parents ever. I am so blessed that they are helping me out through this trying time in my life.

I want to share my new obsession with you. Ready????

Get Out of Debt!!!!!!

I had an epiphany when I went to Georgia back on Mother's day weekend. I was walking around early one gorgeously warm morning in Fort Gordon when I started thinking about money. I was and still am pretty scarred about being on my own with my kids to support but I have come to a point where I get to do things right. This is like a second chance to clean up my act and become a more responsible momma and woman. I have a bit of debt and not so much of an income but it's do-able. I want to do things God's way. I mean lets face it....I spent that money. I should be paying it back.

I am going to follow the Dave Ramsey plan and do those baby steps he talks about. I've also been listening to pod casts about personal finance and I've especially enjoyed one called "Rebound". It's a husband and wife talking about their personal journey through foreclosure and getting out of debt.

First magazine to review

Interweave Knits Spring 2009

Ok, so why in the world am I starting with a mag so recent? I am just in love with the Whisper cardigan pattern! I have seen it made from sock yarn and ultra alpaca fine which happen to be two yarns that I already own.

The whole issue has some beautiful patterns. There are very few magazines that I own where I like more than one thing. Usually I purchase a mag for just one pattern, one article or just plain old inspiration.

I like the sweet tee also. Hmm I might just park it on this issue for a while... Now what kind of yarn does that call for?

The petal halter and posy slip are two more that I have been eyeballing. I can't wait to get access to my yarn in order to start "shopping" for my new projects. It's so nice to get excited about what I already have.

Betty's lacy stockings is also a pattern that I would like to try. So that makes it a total of 5 patterns that really catch my eye. Do I have the yarn for these? Do I have the inclination to knit all of them? What kind of order am I putting to this whole knit your way through your mags project? Do I have the time? What's reasonable?

There is plenty of time to answer all those questions later. Today I have decided to work on the Whisper Cardigan by Hannah Fettig. I am making it in a gorgeous shade of red Ultra Alpaca Fine by Berroco and a perfect deep black sock yarn by Lang called Jawoll. I plan to make the shrug part of the cardigan in red and the ribbing and skirt sections in black. Can't wait to see the results!!! I've already swatched and blocked and washed. I am happy to say I got gauge and I am ready to start full speed ahead! Well, off to cast on. I will post pics of my progress tomorrow. Until tomorrow spidey friends, same bat channel same bat time!!!

Contemporary Baby Blanket......DONE!!!!

This took me almost two months to complete simply because of the new and busy schedule I've been keeping. Whaddaya think?

Excuse the crappy iphone picture. My regular camera isn't working well. So as previously stated I used Berroco Comfort for this. Precisely I used 1 1/4 skeins of white and red and a little less than 3 skeins of the black. The blanket measure about crib size at 33x46 inches. I am very pleased with the results.

What I Would Do Differently:

I would put in an extra panel to make it 4 instead of three in order to make it wider.

When blocking I would only use cold water. The red bled a little making the white slightly pink. I should have know better but it really doesn't take away from the overall look of the blanket.

Work on it more frequently instead of letting the project languish for days. (This really should have been done 3 weeks ago!)

And last but not least I would like to have put more embroidery on it but time is running short since my little niece will be putting in an early appearance. Baby is healthy but the Doctors are saying that the baby needs to come out. Baby wasn't due until Father's day but it's close enough to the due date to avoid many complications.

I am currently working on my first post for my year of knitting through my stash of yarn and magazines. Can't wait to show you what I've got cooking!

Whoop, Whoop

That's the sound of da police. JK it's really the sound of me finally having my yarn all around me. I've decided that no matter how tiny my apartment is I can't run the risk of not having access to my yarn. So, how did I do it? you ask.

I had to fill out a form at the storage place in order to have the lock cut and of course purchase another lock. And wouldn't you know it.....the day AFTER I had the lock cut I found the keys. In a jacket. I left at work.

This just confirms my philosophy that the best way to find something lost is to replace it. Goodness, I hope that doesn't apply to relationships. There are some things that are better left lost, ya know?

Currently I am working on a baby blanket for my little brother's first daughter!!! Yay! I am going to be a Titi again. She is due at the end of June. My SIL told me she liked black and red so I asked her if she would mind if I made a baby blanket and added white to it for a little contrast. I must say that at first I didn't know how I felt about those colors. You know how we knitters are.....especially when we are knitting for a little relative not our own child. I had ideas, I had aspirations and they all included pink and brown.


So, in keeping with her wishes I started out on a yarn quest. Which yarn will hold up to years and years of use? which yarn will be soft on my little niece's skin? At first I was going to go with Berocco Vintage which I have been dying to try out. But when I went to buy it my lovely LYS had just run out of the red that I wanted (that's what I get for trying to buy after a big sale....when will I learn?) Then I remembered my go-to yarn for long wearing projects....Berocco Comfort. I love this yarn. The colors are so vibrant and there are so many to choose from. I went ahead and started the knitting and I am loving the color combo. So much so in fact that my very first project for my year long knitting from magazine project is going to be in red and black. Let's just say I imaging myself looking super hot in this.

You know, H-O-T!

and not the sweaty kind of hot either.

Since October I have lost 30 pounds. I lost it through a combination of weight watchers and extreme stress. Weight Watchers has really helped me to stay on my points when I really didn't feel like eating. Many, many days I would eat way under my points and I started feeling worse so I make it a point that no matter how aweful, stressful, distracting my day is to make sure I eat a minimum of my points. Another way I've been coping with stress is to excersise. Usually I power walk, occasionally I jog. This really tires me out to the point that the issues that I am dealing with don't affect me as much. And I am finally able to sleep at night. Praise the Lord!!!!!

In Psalms 4:7-8 it says:
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

These verses are incredibly cool. The first part about putting gladness in my heart..... well, to be honest when things get overwhelming I am anything but glad but I start reading my bible or hanging out with the kids or talking to my mom and friends and the gladness is there. God's word brings me comfort and reminds me of all the blessings that I have now even in this valley that I am going through. And this time of my life is much more meaningful because of the relationships I am able to establish. More than my time of "corn and wine". You know, when things were going well. Or at least I thought they were going well. God has been my fortress and at night I lay down in peace and sleep just like the verse promises.

Being in God's word is not easy because many times there are things that I just do not want to see. But.......I want to be in His will. I want to be what He wants me to be. Because it's nothing but good!

Ch-Ch-Changes

Lots and lots of changes have taken place since I last blogged. Lots of sad changes but God knows what He is doing and all things work for good for those who love the Lord. I might talk about those changes in later posts but for now.....

Drum roll please....

I am pleased to announce a new direction that I am going to take this blog. Cause really if u think about it it really hasn't been going in any direction.....

I have been going through my knitting library and have noticed that although I have a huge stack of magazines that I constantly drool over I haven't really made a thing out of any of them. Ok so maybe I am exaggerating, I probably made one or two projects out of the 53 magazines that I have. Here is my idea.... I will be going through these magazines one by one and knitting a project out of each one and commenting on the patterns in general as I go through them. All the while I plan to blog about my experiences and thoughts. I also plan to use stash yarn for this and comment also on each yarn that I use for each project. Waddaya think?

There's just been one itsy bitsy little snag in this whole plan. I lost the keys to my storage room. I just want to cry my eyes out because I have so much yarn that I haven't even had a chance to put on Ravelry yet. Now I have to either wait for the district manager to come with some lock cutter thing and cut the lock whenever he happens to be in the district or rent one from Home Depot and cut it myself. Sigh.... I'll have it all figured out soon.

Because of the slight difficulties with gaining access to my yarn I have decided that I will be starting June 1st. This is a commitment. I am documenting this and I am setting up my alarm on my iphone to alert me when I should be doing each step of the process. This is so exciting!!! Pics to follow shortly. My next post will be in one week!