First up~

Ribby Cardi FO





I'm counting it as done, even though I still need to tack the top of the zipper down on each side and secure 'n snip the zipper threads at the bottom.

Don't know if I've said this but I used Cascade 220 I bought from "The Boys".

This was a fun, quick knit. I'm planning to knit another one - hopefully before next summer. Next one is going to be a two color one. C and I were drooling over all the beautiful colors Peruvian Collection Highland Wool from Elann. So many choices!!


Secret Knit Pal III Goodies



That's a skein each of Deb Bliss Alpaca Silk, (Gawd! It is SOsoft!) Rowan 4-ply Soft and Rowan Magpie plus a couple treats for my sweet tooth!
Thanks again Secret Pal! You're the best!

Now that the Ribby Cardi is done...
...I've made another new start on the Kersti for Kristi Poncho:



I'm not using any particular pattern. Kristi said she wanted it to be very simple so I'm going with the two rectangle construction with a pattern of stockinette stitch broken up every 6th row with 3 rows of a garter stitch like thingy. So far I like it.

(Note to Kristi: Look here. See I even made an "On the Needles" Gallery page for it!
Now can I come out of the dog house?)

I spent most of yesterday working on the Alien Illusion Scarf. I've got 4 pattern / alien face repeats done, so I'm in good shape as this is going to be a Christmas gift for my sci-fi lovin' freaky-deeky brother-in-law.

I have one regret with this scarf though, and that is - I wish I'd done the slip the first stitch of each row when I started it so the edges would lay nice and flat. Hopefully blocking will take care of this...


That's it for today.
Not sure if I'll post any more this week - which reminds me...

My blog isn't "Bloglines" compatible and I haven't taken the time to figure out if I can make it so,
BUT!
If you want to know when I post something new you can enter your email address over there on my side bar where it says "Register." Whenever I update you'll get an email.

Easy as pie.


PS...Turns out my blog IS Bloglines compatiable
Soooo...maybe you don't use Bloglines...maybe you're like me and you can't or don't keep up with all the latest gizmos out there to make blog life easier - whatever the case maybe - Register or not - I loves each and every one of ya...Mwha!

...for sure - not to felt.

To cut (Eeek!) now that seems to be the answer to the question.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment and/or played along by giving your opinion via the poll.

As I wrote in the comments of the last post - I had a huge "Duh?!?" moment when Cindy wrote that the vest would probably shrink length-wise more than width wise and I wouldn't want that. Plus, as Felicia wrote felting would ruin the stitch definition and that's what Fair Isle is all about.

I knew I could count on all of you!
That's why I love knit-blogging and knit-blog readers.

So. Cutting it will be. In some form.

(Deep breath, Teresa. It's only a material object. Think of this as a way to push your edges, to take a risk.)

~gulp~

I've decided to make this my Christmas Break project, so promise me you'll come around just after Christmas to cheer me on.

(It's gonna take the next 36...37 days for me to get up the nerve to do this.)


Secret Knit Pal 3
My secret pal has spoiled me once again!
More Rowan, a skein of Deb Bliss (I'm a Deb Bliss virgin - never to have touched a skein) and some yum - a - licious treats!

I'll post a picture of all my goodies, Monday.
(C had the camera at a work function last night)

THANK YOU! Secret Pal for being so good to me!

The Ribby Cardi...
...is DONE!!
Zipper installation was a snap!
FO picture Monday.

Gushing over Augusten
Wednesday evening I went to hear Augusten Burroughs speak at a local bookstore. He wrote Running with Scissors and Dry and has a new book - just out the beginning of October - Magical Thinking which I bought at the signing.

What a total sweet heart! Not only is he brilliantly funny in a most delightfully dark way but I've never seen someone be SO PRESENT with an audience and then with each person that came through the line to have him sign their books. I was #41 and I set in my seat watching him interact personally with each and every person before me. He's just one of those people who's makes you feel good just being in the same room with them.

If you haven't read anything by Augusten - I say read Running with Scissors first...I couldn't put it down when I read it and everyone I've given it to, has said the same thing.

School of the Americas Watch Annual Protest
...is this weekend.
Read about it here.

My best friend Carol is - at this moment - driving to meet a bus taking a group of Iowians to Georgia to participate in the weekends events, which include a Vigil and Nonviolent Direct Action on Sunday from 8:30 to 4.

I'm gonna keep Carol and the 15,000 other folks who will be there in my thoughts this weekend and light a candle Sunday during the vigil time.

The Weekend
It's going to be a short one for me. I'm working Tuesday - Saturday as a permanent schedule now, so I should be off Sunday and Monday but McGregor is closed next Saturday so I have to work Monday in place of Saturday.

Got it?

Bottom line is that I don't do nuthin' I don't wanna to do on 1 day weekends.

...don't do nuthin' you don't wanna do either this weekend, k?
_____________________________

To "I just ordered my first VY kit Hilary":
The Roscalie pattern that came with my kit includes all sizes petite thru ex-large.

See you Monday!

My beloved Roscalie...that is way to big for either C or I.

Too big for me to wear, even under something else - which is a little unrealistic given it's wooly makeup.

When I decided what size to make, I made the biggest size thinking that everything is sized for those much more lean and tight than me. I thought the skinny model on the Virtual Yarns Website was probably wearing a medium, so if I wanted it to fit me I'd need to go large.

Ok. I was wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

But I want to wear it SO BAD I'm willing to take desperate measures.

So...here's what I've been thinking:

Felt it.

Just enough that it shrinks to a reasonable fit.

I'm just a little scared 'cause

It's my very first Fair Isle.

It's my very first Alice Starmore.

It was damn expensive.

But it's sitting in the closet and I'm not getting any joy out of it, other than when I open the closet door.


See the poll in my side bar?
Tell me what you think...

 

Entry into Indigo Muse's Fall Foilage Contest (IM's main blog is here.
I hope I'm not too late.

This picture was taken about 4 weeks ago.

Here's a full shot of the tree:

It's directly across the street from our house, so we get to enjoy the full effect of it's colorful beauty.

Unfortunately, it's fleeting - Mother Nature and her cycles.

_________________________

Last week-end Kristi and Corynna spent Saturday night with me. Cherise was out of town for a conference in Philadelphia and Kristi had the weekend off, so they came to keep me company.
It was so nice to have them to hang out with.

Sunday morning I got up early with the dogs and not so long after I was joined by Corynna - rejuvenated and ready to go, even thought it was barely 8 am. She played some video games for a 1/2 hour or so, while I dozed next to her on the couch. Then she asked if she could do some knitting.

A few months ago, when she stayed with me, she asked me to show her how to knit. We did a couple rows together and that was it. She was done. Given the attention span of 7 year-olds I though we did ok.

This time she seemed to have a longer tolerance for learning. She spent close to an hour with it this time and seemed really excited to see a knitted piece of fabric emerge from her efforts. When she was ready to stop she said it was because her hands hurt, not because she was bored with it.

Some time after our first knitting lesson I had bought her Kids Knitting by Melanie Felick...holding on to it until she asked to knit again. I gave her the book and showed her what she could knit from it. I also showed her (and her Mom) the page of pictures of how to make a knit stitch so she could follow it when she got home since I wouldn't be there.

She decided she wanted to make the piece she had knit into a bracelet, so I cast off the stitches and tied it to her wrist.

Wah-La!

Corynna's first knit FO!

I talked to her on the phone the other night and she told me she and I needed to get together because she messed her knitting up and I needed to fix it for her.

~grin~

I'm finally moving out of feeling overly emotional about the election. I've read so many articulate posts by my fellow bloggers - it's good to know there's a lot of folks out there who think like me. I'm not alone.

Over the past week, I've also been thankful for my knitting. It's soothes my soul. Doesn't matter if I'm actually knitting or just about knitting - it's a steadfast comfort.

And now - a very bad picture:





...of the Ribby Cardi all spread out on the floor. I had a heck of a time getting a good picture - but this should convey the fact that all the major pieces are DONE! and ready for the zipper to be installed.

This will be my first time to sew a zipper into one of my knitted pieces. No big deal - I used to sew alot and I've installed many a zipper...it's just a knitting first.

Somewhere along the line I decided I no longer needed a sewing machine. I hadn't sewn in years and my machine was in a cabinet that was a bear to move from house to house (there was a time in my life where I moved way more than I wanted to) and then I had to find a place for it. So I decided to give my machine to my sister. And as often happens I've often regretted giving it away. A year or so ago my mom found me a used machine at a garage sale for $20 bucks, but the thing weighed a ton and smelled kinda funny. It was such a pain to pull out and put away that I just didn't mess with it. A few months ago, I got tired of seeing it sit on the floor of our garage so I moved it out next to the trash can. The next morning it was gone. I hope someone took it to use, either to sew or to use for parts.

Which brings me to the here and now. For past month I've had several occasions to need a sewing machine - not counting the fact that I was going to need to sew the zipper in the Ribbi Cardi.

So Sunday, I went into the Stitching Post to buy a zipper and came out with the zipper AND a brand new sewing machine.

Now I can install the zipper into the Ribbi Cardi in the comfort and privacy of my very own home.
As it should be.

Shout Out to Susan G.
HI SUSAN!
A week ago yesterday I got to meet Susan G. who reads my blog and just happens to live in the Dayton area. Susan had sent me an email asking some questions about Koigu. Poor Dear had never had the supreme pleasure of knitting with this beloved yarn. She wanted to know if there was some place in South Western O-hi-ah that sold it 'cause she wanted to buy a skein to test knit to see how she like it.

I told her I had some Koigu left from another project and I'd be happy to give it to her. I was going to mail it but then decided to take it to her work place - and I'm really glad I did, 'cause I got to meet her and spend a little time talking knitting with her.

I was tickled when in the course of our conversation she walked over to her desk and pulled a color card from under her pile of work (can't remember which yarn it was for.) My kind of woman!

I'm hoping Susan is going to join me and a couple friends when we get together in the next few weeks for one of our irregular knit gatherings.

Speaking of work and knitting:
What knitting related paraphernalia is in your immediate workspace?
At this moment, my knitting bag is setting about 1 foot away from me, and I've got knitting word magnets on the metal window frame of my cube's windows. A couple lines that people who have visited my cube have composed:

"fingers touch-ing my texture" and "I love the flickering of fiber"

Where is that bitch Hope?

I spent a very wet and cool day at a Dayton voting precint as a poll monitor
I'm very happy to report that everything went well - no problems - lots of voters.

When I finished there I picked up my son Dusty and we headed off to vote.
(C voted this morning on her way to work)

...for a few days of leaf peepin' and R 'n R.

We're cozied up in a cabin with fireplace and hot-tub
somewhere near Hocking HIlls, Ohio.

Photo from Hocking HIlls Photo Gallery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BTW: Travelita left 2 fairly detailed comments with info about pilling.
If you're interested - check 'em out...and THANKS Travelita!

...pilling.
(An ugly little word, in my opinion.)

Last Saturday, the weather here in the Ohio Valley seemed more like winter than fall. C and I had lots of errands to run, so I pulled out my Old Shale sweater/coat off the closet shelf, threw it on and took off for the day.

As the day went by I became more and more aware and more and more annoyed, at what seems to me to be a bad case of pilling.

Not pilling in the way acrylic pills...those funky little bumpy lumps that form a frumpy halo about 1/8 of an inch from the knitted surface.

This pilling looks like glumps of fiber shedding from the wool.
I'm disappointed because I think it takes away from the beauty of my sweater.
Makes it look like it's been worn much more than it has.

I knit Old Shale from Jamieson's Soft Shetland - 100% wool. The ply is kindda soft. (Doh. That's why it's named Soft Shetland, Teresa.)
I haven't washed the sweater, so I know the pilling isn't from that. It just is.

So...I wanna know what you all know about knitting with 100% wool and pilling.
?Why does wool pill?
?Do different wools pill differently?
?What wools are most prone to pill?
?Have you knit with Jamison Soft Shetland and had the same experience as me? Different from me?

Share?
Please and Thank you!