It’s hard to believe it’s already almost the second week in January – time has gotten a bit away from me while I’ve been buried under blankets and beat down by sinus pressure.

I’m pretty close to finishing my first real sweater (for me), so I’m using the last pic of that I took for WIP Wednesday.

It’s a bottom-up baseball style raglan.  This pic doesn’t show it, but one sleeve has stripes in the same color as the body because I was not going to have enough yarn otherwise.  All that’s left is to seam it – I haven’t been up to that this week, but I’m hoping I can finish it off this weekend.  After that, I’ll be showing off my first FO of the year!

It has been well documented that when a knitter is faced with the possibility of running out of yarn, said knitter will knit faster in the hopes of out-racing the yarn to the end.

It does not always work out.

This week, I knit faster than I, in my meager experience, have ever knit, finishing 2/3 of a sock in 2 days. This involved desk knitting, lunch knitting, train knitting, sitting-up-in-bed knitting, knitting elbow, sore fingers…and alas. Defeat. (Or, since we speak of socks, should I say de-feet? Heh.)

The battle was lost. The yarn beat me.

Thankfully, Jen from Woolgirl is my new BFF and has come to my rescue with a 1/2 skein of leftover yarn so that I can finish the socks. (As an aside, I wonder – why can’t life behave more like this? For example, when it appears you will surely run out of gas before you get to where you are going, wouldn’t it be swell to mention it to your car and have the gas tank adjust accordingly? Do you see what I’m getting at?)

Oh, and I can give you no other pictures of the socks. They are a secret. (Also, my camera battery has died a sudden and complete death.)

In other news, I wish a hearty good luck to my NY Giants. Eli, prove your Manning-hood.

That is all.

For as long as I can remember, my family has spent Christmas with some cousins on my Dad’s side. Now we kids are all grown up, and sit at the adult table. (As an aside, I managed to point out that this meant our parents were sitting at the senior adult table. Har.) I still live in Atlanta, but the cousin children have all moved away to the chilly Northeast, so I love the holidays every year where we get to catch up.

The New Hampshire cousins spend a lot of time outdoors, so I wanted to make hats for them. For the boy, I chose – wait for it – The Boy Hat, which I found on Ravelry, and fell in love with because of the crown decrease. So cool. I used Cascade 220 Heathers and size, er, 7 needles, maybe?

Ravelry link
For the girl, I went with Foliage in Malabrigo worsted, colorway Dark Earth, size 5 and 7 needles as directed in the pattern. For the record, the hype on Malabrigo? ‘Tis true. Also, the pattern – very excellent. I have made one of the bulky variety as well for another friend.

Ravelry Link
The NYC Cousin is a classically trained vocalist, honing his skills in the Big Apple. He also tunes organs, and I thought he might need some fingerless gloves to help him stay warm and still have the dexterity he needs. First I tried Dashing, but my row gauge was ridiculous just a smidge off, so they ended up reaching to my elbow without really stretching. Evidence:

Not quite the look I was going for, so I scrapped that idea and jumped on Knitspot’s Hot Waffle Mitts with some Cascade 220 Heathers.

Ravelry Link
This turned out much, much better. They are a little big on my hands, but fit my cousin perfectly (I hope he’s getting some good wear out of them with the recent cold blast!). Anne’s pattern is super – well written and quick (I’m planning to make myself a pair with the matching hat very, very soon).

As usual, it was great to see them at Christmas, and I so enjoyed making these gifts for them – I hope you guys are enjoying using them just as much!

But when the Sun in all his state
Illumed the Eastern skies,
She passed through Glory’s morning gate
And walked in Paradise.
-Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Last Friday afternoon, after a life in which she loved us all as hard as she could, my Grandmother passed away.

Words fail to express how I will I miss her.

 

 

*Project details and other photos of the shawl in this picture can be found on Ravelry here.  I finished it for her for Christmas, not quite one month before she died.

It has come to my attention that I have a blog.  It has also come to my attention that said blog has not been updated in, oh, roughly 4 months.  Woops!

I blame many things.  First there was buying my first house (stress) and moving into that house (stress).  That ran right into the holidays, and as a result of the moving messing with my holiday knitting schedule, my holiday knitting schedule messed with my blogging.  And then, you know, the great time-suck Ravelry. 

But now I’m moved, unpacked, done with holiday knitting (almost), and starting to normalize, I’ll try and get back to the business of entertaining you all with tales of stash enhancing, startitis, late-night finishing, and so forth. There have also been several FO’s, which I will get to in a series of Holiday Knitting Round-Ups. However, in the event that you are in Ravelry and positively cannot wait a moment longer to see them, they are updated here http://www.ravelry.com/projects/joymichelle.

If you’re not in the Rave, here’s some proof that I actually did knit while I was on blogging hiatus:

These are knit in the Moorish Lattice stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, knit for the lovely Gale.  Yarn is Reynolds Soft Sea Wool, knit on Size 2 bamboo dpn’s.  Backdrop is my new backyard.

On that note, I wish you all a Happy New Year, friends ~ here’s to an amazing 2008 for all!

Normally, I’m not a fan of the “What kind of <insert random object> are you?” quizzes that the Internets seem to propogate. I took a “What Animal Are You” quiz recently, and ended up with this:

You’re a Sowbug!

You go by many different names and wear many different hats, but
you still have a strange universal sort of appeal. You were extremely popular in
grade school and while your popularity has slid downhill ever since, many still
have fond memories of playing with you. These days it seems you find yourself
between a rock and a hard place, but you know you’ll do fine as long as you can
procure some water. No one should try to make a silk purse out of your
ear.

Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I mean, really? A sowbug? I could think of several animals I would choose before a sowbug, people. In any case, it makes my point about why I generally don’t bother.

But then I saw this one and made an exception – it’s about yarn and all – and I think the answer is a sign.

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Mohair.You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with others, doing your share without being too weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely refuse to change your position once it is set, but that’s okay since you are good at covering up your mistakes. Take this quiz! Quizilla | Join | Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

See, I’m about 20 rows and some seaming away from finishing Ester (and hopefully just in time for some kinda-sorta-autumnal mornings and evenings), and I was having a bit of trouble deciding which sweater project to cast on next. So many options, you know. Notre Dame de Grace? Sesame? Nordic Wrap (cover pattern) to learn stranding?

But then I took the quiz, and I’m taking the answer as a sign. I ordered some of this (in a charcoal gray that’s sold out now) from the summer sale at Webs, and I’m hoping it will work for Ariann. I need a fall sweater I can wear to work, because none of my old clothes fit me anymore. Which is a good thing, but still leaves me in a bit of a predicament. I’m loving the “minimal finishing” part, and think I’ll probably go with the long-sleeve option. Swatching to commence at some point this week – I’m going to try and be good and actually finish Ester first, but maybe while she’s blocking and drying…

I mentioned yesterday that I have a few more FO’s (besides the Jaywalkers) from my blogging hiatus.

I’m combining these two since they went to the same place at the same time – sorry I only have one picture of each, but I cut my deadline a leeeeetle close. I’m hoping I’ll get pictures of the knits in action (ahem…Aunt Sheila, that’s a hint).

The first is a raglan cardigan for my baby cuz’ Zachary:

The buttons are courtesy of Mom (thanks!) but I think they make the whole sweater. The pattern is the Raglan Cardigan with Fully Fashioned Shaping from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss. I used Caron Simply Soft in Dk. Country Blue (easy care and all) and got guage with size 6 needles. Definitely a quick knit, but I would like to try it in the round to get rid of some of the seaming.

The second FO was for Zachary’s precious big sister, “Just Allison” (she calls me “Just Joy”). She loves purses, and loves pink, and so this seemed only right:

It’s a pattern from the 2007 daily knitting calendar, and it took about 4 hours total in Bernat Softee Chunky with size 10.5 needles. Color? Bet you can guess, but it’s Hot Pink. The button came from Wally World. I can only imagine Allison strutting her stuff with it!

Next up for this side of the family are some treats for the other lil’ cousins – Amber, Wilson, and Wyatt!

Next FO post will feature more socks (unfortunately, some of them are unbloggable with Christmas coming and all, but check ‘em out on Ravelry – er, once I get some pictures up…)!

I’m off to my first softball game of the season – be afraid…

I had no idea it had been so long since I posted last.  It’s just that it’s been too hot to breathe – much less blog.  My Atlanta people can back me up.  After the long hot train ride, and the taking the dog out in the hot, the extra steps to the computer were just too much. This week is the first full week we’ve had in the last month where we haven’t hit 100 at least once, if not several days in a row.  

I have been knitting, though.  There are projects to finish and projects to start, and I can’t let a little heat wave get in the way!  Just to prove it, I’ll show you an FO…the Firework Jaywalkers!  (now read the title again. get it? back with a bang? har.)

See? Those are my feet they are on. Which means they fit! And they’re all matchy! W00t!

I’ve also finished 3 more socks (1 more pair and 1 single sock), as well as a scarf, a cardigan for my baby cousin and a BRIGHT! PINK! bag for his sister – FO posts forthcoming on those, I promise – I just have to take some pics.

Since I’ve got nothing else, let’s talk about other things that make , like these:

• I haven’t been taking pictures, by my friends Mandi and Diane have, and I’m proud! Check it out – http://media.freep.com/roseylackey/index.html and http://media.freep.com/respect/index.html…
• My boys won, and looked good in the process.  (Have I mentioned it’s FOOTBALL! season?) 
• It’s not like you knitters haven’t already all seen this, but really? I have never loved knitting so much.   

I’ve missed this place – hope you are all well!

I have had issues knitting my first socks.  I started with the Jaywalkers that tried to choke me from the foot up.  Rip.  Then I managed to complete a passable Woven Stitch sock, but somebody tied a knot (the word knot does not do it justice. ha.) in the middle of the second half of the yarn. And so, Single Sock.

But, as I promised I would (see the post about the Woven Stitch sock), I have prevailed.

I proudly present my first PAIR of socks.

These were knit out of Rowan Calmer (love) for a friend with no tolerance for the sheep, on size 4 Brittany bamboo dpn’s. 

The pattern (kinda-sorta visible) is the Beaded Rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks.  Knit toe-up, with an easy toe and short-row heel, per the book’s instructions.

From trying them on for the photo, I’d say they’d be great lounging socks. Super cushy and soft – perfect for keeping the tootsies warm when fall finally comes.  (Maybe in red or black for watching football games? Hmmm….)

Stay tuned for another sock FO; I’m on a roll.  Forces were working against me from the start, but I have overcome!

This is not a yarn cake. No, don’t argue – this is a yarn cupcake.

(Blue Sky Alpaca Silk for Mom’s Clementine Shawlette)

This, dear readers, is a yarn cake.

(Cascade Eco Wool for a project to be named later)

You don’t believe me? For comparison purposes:

I’m just saying it’s a good thing I decided to take that hank into Knitch (it’s the best LYS in the world, have I mentioned?) to get it wound, because I fear what would have become of me and the yarn trying to wind that sucker by hand.

<<In non-knitting news, I would just like to say that I cannot remember a time when I have not been a loyal fan of the Atlanta Falcons, even when they were really, really, really bad. Now, because of this,  Michael Vick is officially dead to me.  And until Arthur Blank does the right thing and gets rid of him, so are the Falcons as a whole.  I’m taking suggestions for a new team, if you have them.  In the meantime, I say put Mr. Vick in a ring with one of the dogs he tortured and see if he likes it.>>

How about something pretty to take our mind off of it?

Yes, that is the Mystery Stole #3, which I have decided to knit.

I have never knit lace before.

I have to learn to knit lace, because Anne did this.

So see? It’s all her fault.