Stupid Directions!!!!

I finished the first sleeve last night. Those stupid directions! Did anyone make this pattern after it was written before it was published?!?! I can’t imagine I’m that dense in order to understand these as poorly as I am! The sleeve tells you specifically to work the one side like the back and the other side like the correct front piece. If you worked the two pieces correctly, they SHOULD be the same (i.e. after one stitch on end for alt rows single decrease twice, then double decrease, repeat 5 times). The wording suggests that there is a different type of decrease for the front part of the sleeve/arm hole than the back part of the sleeve/arm hole. It tells me, after I've finished the decreases for the front... wtf? Aren't they the same?!

I love this actual outfit, but I’m appalled by the writing. I’ve had to reread these directions more times than I care to remember. Now, I’m no pattern writer, but honestly, it’s not like this is my first sweater from a pattern. I’ve been knitting different styles (past easy scarf and blanket squares/rectangles) for at least 4 years. I could understand this being written for something like ravelry, where you can just publish it yourself, but for a printing company?! Ugh. Maybe it’s just me and I’ve totally screwed up this shirt. I really hope not. Sorry to the author, I’m sure you wrote the pattern for the 6 month size and whenever it was converted to the 3 month size and no one had actually made the different sizes. *sigh*

Still Not Done!

Lol, so nothing has gotten done with regards to my projects. I got caught up in reading Sookie Stackhouse the past week. See, I received the first 7 books for Christmas. I had read the first 4 about four years ago, when I borrowed them from my friend, Laura. So, since Christmas, I’ve read them all (and finished the seventh one Monday night).

With that being said, I haven’t really done much in the way of knitting. Becky and I didn’t get together until Monday evening of this week, and I had time to run out to get some items for her. I got her a quote book day calendar and some stuff from bath and body works.

I’m still working on the Tie-Front Sweater. I’m done the body and now half way finished with one arm. I’d like to work on it tonight, but I’m not sure if I will or not. I have to be honest with this yarn. I love the colorway and it is beautiful when knitted. However, I imagined it very girlie, thus the reason why I decided to use it while knitting this particular shirt. It looks something girlie that maybe a 4 or 5 year old girl would wear, not one that is only a few months (especially when the baby’s sex was a surprise and people will still be asking if it’s a boy or girl). Well, I know better now. The yarn seems to have a lot more pastel blue than the pink I had originally pictured for “Pixie Dust.”

I have been working on it when I’ve gone to Wired for the Tuesday night knitting group. I’m a big fan of getting together with a few other knitters and chatting through the evening. It’s a lot of fun but unfortunately, I won’t be there this coming Tuesday, as I am assuming I won’t be up for going out at night especially since that’ll be my first day back to work after my surgery Friday.

Schedule of Projects for January!

Still, so many projects to do, and NO time to do them! Okay, with that being said, I need to finish one by Wednesday night. My hug was originally going to go to a friend of mine for Christmas, but I think I’m going to give it to a different friend. The original friend to receive it has already gotten many other gifts from DH and me. My friend, Becky, and I are getting together on Wednesday evening for some girl catch up time. And I realized I never got her a Christmas present (bad, BAD friend am I). Thus, I think she’ll like it. I will then make another one for Dale.

With that being said, I think I can get it done tonight! All I have to do is finish sewing the hearts, arms, and legs on, stuff him, and then sew up the top. That shouldn’t take TOO much time.

After the ‘hug’ is complete, I will sew up Leslie’s bag. All that is remaining on that one is sewing in the lining and attaching the handles, so honestly, that shouldn’t take too much time. I just hate having to fish out my sewing machine and doing all that fun crap.

Then, by Monday, I’d like to have the Tie-front Sweater done for Brian so I can give it to him on Tuesday. I’d give it to him on Monday, but we are off for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. This is where I LOVE working for the government!!!

Then I will finish up Jess’ gloves. I have one more glove to make, then weave in the ends. That’ll take me up to my surgery on the 23rd, which is NEXT Friday. I’m thinking I’m gonna be out of it for the following week and NO knitting will get done! Oh well! What do you do?

A Perfect Little Girl – Tie Front Sweater

So I’ve been working on “A Perfect Little Girl – Tie Front Sweater” from the book, “Chic Knits for Stylish Babies” by Patricia Wagner, as I stated in my last post. It took me 6 extra hours to knit the back together because I kept misunderstanding the directions. The raglan decreases I originally read as doing the single decrease, single decrease, double decrease, repeat 5 times, as doing the decreases all in the same row. Only after I did all of them that I was confused. By that time, I had started and stopped so many times because I was royally fracking up.

So I finally was able to finish the back. I’m super stoked about how the yarn has been looking now. It really has turned out quite nice.

I was hoping to get it all done in a week, but alas, it is not to be. Oh well, I’ll try working on it tonight as well, and this weekend. Hopefully, I can get it done by next Friday, or at the very latest, before I have my surgery on the 23rd.

Oh, yea, getting my tonsils out! Yay!

All These Projects and No Time To Do Them!!!!!

Sometimes I wonder if there is enough time in the day for all my knitting projects! I mean, I work 40 hours a week, and get a paid hour lunch (in which I use to knit, not eat. Eating occurs prior to my lunch break, while I’m working). Then, I try to get to the gym to work out (sometimes happens, sometimes not). When I get home, I make dinner for myself and dear hubby, Rob (he doesn’t cook much except pancakes and, well, that’s it). I’ll finally get to sit down at 7 or so and knit. So all in all, I get approximately 5.5 hours to knit per day.

Now that might seem like a lot of time, but it’s not enough for the amount of projects I have to do. I have 3 friends/family members due with babies in the upcoming year, which means baby blanket for each AND at least one outfit. Hubby tells me that I should work on projects for myself, but I’d much rather work on projects for my friends to appreciate. Plus, if I weren’t so crafty, I’d really like a crafty friend to make ME something.

On top of that, I have 2 pairs of gloves I need to finish, one for Jess (She bought the yarn over the forth of July and I put it off until after the wedding – October – but then I put it off again until after Christmas), and one for Rose (her belated Christmas gift). I also have to sew up a bag that I made for my best friend, Leslie. She also bought the yarn at a wine festival in July with hopes I’d make her something. The knitting aspect is complete, now I have to sew it together and line it. I don’t HAVE to line it, but I think it makes it better if you do! She knows what it looks like now, so we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m hoping to get it done prior to the Eagles game on Sunday (GOOOOO Birds!).

I also have one ‘hug’ to finish which will be for my friend Dale. She’s not a huge touchy-feely type of girl, so I figured I’d give this to her as my ‘hug.’ I’m a big fan of hugs when I’m upset or someone else is upset.

Alrighty, well, that’s it for now! Stay tuned for the next one about my current baby project for Brian. He and his wife just had a baby girl, Anna (Ah-nah) Janette. The name sounds like the Italian Wedding Cookies, so I told him I’m calling her Cookie. Anywho, I’m making the “A Perfect Little Girl – Tie Front Sweater” from the book, “Chic Knits for Stylish Babies” by Patricia Wagner. I’ll write in more detail about my process tomorrow or over the weekend!!!