More Shipwrecked

Now that I have so many stitches on my needles, 290 in fact, it’s taking a lot longer to get an entire Round done on the Shipwreck Shawl. It’s taking about 40 minutes to do one round, ugh, and I thought I was a fast knitter. Well, I should take that back. It took me that long to do the first round of the Madeira Pattern. But I was also putting in stitch markers every 10 stitches so that it’s almost effortless to keep up with the pattern. I ended up messing up the 4th or 5th repeat of first round. Of course, I noticed this after I had gotten to the end and only had 8 stitches to do the last repeat. And, I had been counting all the repeats so that I knew where my stitch markers were supposed to be and they were correct. Ugh!

So I spent the better part of watching Lost ripping out the row. I was able to get about half of the next round finished though. So I’m on Round 59 out of 158. Yay, I’ve only got 100 more rows to do! OMG, that’s a lot. I know I won’t get to do much with it tomorrow though.

Rob’s 30th is tomorrow. He’s not very happy about it and I’ve been warning people not to sing at all. Many people have been teasing him about it and he keeps getting upset. Now I understand why he ‘feels’ old, but I’m trying to make him understand that he’s not old. I really hope I don’t feel this way when I turn 30 in 4 years. Luckily, my birthday is only 3 weeks away and I get to go to the IronPigs game that night. Okay, well, I’m off to change addresses, then ka-nit!

Shipwrecked!!!!

I noticed that some weeks I feel more prone to writing than others. I guess the past few weeks was one of those I didn’t feel the urge. Oh well, I’ve been doing lots of stuff around the house and knitting, as usual. Plus, Rob was out of town last week, so I was able to get a lot more accomplished than usual!

I went to The Knitter’s Edge on its opening day of April 20th. I ended up getting 4 skeins of Jojoland Melody Superwash in the pastel blue and pink colorway. I started on the Jojoland Swirl Scarf that Sunday. Which means I’m working mainly on that scarf and Crystal’s Baby Blanket still.

But THEN, my Lost forum on ravelry decided they want to do a KAL (Knit A-Long) for all you non ravelry people. We’re working on the Shipwreck Shawl pattern. It is absolutely gorgeous. I initially wasn’t sure if I wanted to make this, but the pattern is so pretty that I kept coming back to it. Normally, I wait to purchase ANYTHING now or make something. If I keep thinking about it at a later time, say a week later, and I still want to get it or make it, I’ll start. So I toyed with the idea for about a month from when it was first introduced. Finally, last week, I said screw it, I’m making it. I love the pattern and I want to do it.

So I purchased 6 skeins of Knitpicks Palette in Blue Note Heather. It’s a finger weight 100% Merino Wool. The color is a mixture of mostly blues (royal and navy) with some hunter green and plum purple in it. I also purchased Czech Seed Beads 8/0 Blue Tones Mix, roughly 4800 beads, which will be threaded on the 3rd skein as I start the border.



So far, I finished the first 4 sections. I’m on the second time around on Round 8 of the Bleeding Hearts Pattern. I absolutely love the fact that it’s not too repetitive. I get bored when they are! The only time I ripped anything out was Round 10 of the Bleeding Hearts pattern because I didn’t move the stitch marker correctly. I knitted the stitch, then moved the marker, then K3 (Knit 3 stitches) instead of K4 (Knit 4 stitches). Other than that, I feel as though I’m making tremendous progress. Of course, that will change when I have loads of stitches on the shawl and placing beads in between the YO (Yarn Over). I’m excited to be doing my first KAL with the Lost girls. It’s a blast!

A Very Good Weekend!

I didn’t end up getting tons done this weekend in terms of knitting, but I did get a ton of stuff done in general. Friday, after I had gotten back from work, I began raking up the leaves in the back of the house off the deck. We don’t have any trees, but the neighbor across the alley does, and the wind blows our way. I think I might just put some fencing around the bottom part of the deck so that we don’t get leaves stuck in there this year. It took me about 2 hours to get it all raked up. Loaded about 3 trash bags worth of leaves. I’m not quite sure HOW that was possible as we don’t have that big of a yard and our deck might be 20’x10’ and the first beam under is only about 1 foot in.

After I had finished doing that, I pulled some weeds along the back of the house. Once that was finished, I mowed. Now I have a hand push mower, no motor. It’s a complete hand power push mower. It’s not too bad unless we leave the grass grow for more than a week, then it gets difficult. This summer I plan to keep an eye on the weather, and make sure if it’s gonna rain, to mow on Friday night instead of Saturday or Sunday. It began to get dark by the time I finished that up, so I called it a night and put the trash out.

For the rest of the night, I spent it watching Harry Potter 2 and knitting. On Saturday, I woke up and decided to knit a bit and watch Harry Potter 3 (ok, I got up real early, around 6ish). I went to the ‘Knitter’s Edge’ opening day over in Bethlehem. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I wandered around for close to 2 hours while I was trying to figure out what I wanted to get. I ended up getting 4 skeins of a finger weight multi colored yarn and a pattern for a swirl shawl and size 5 DPN (which was the only thing I needed to get). The shop is beautiful and I highly recommend going there to check it out!!!

After that, I went to Dan Shutz's (I'm not sure of the spelling) to get some pruning sheers. Once I got home (with a new outdoor potted flower basket and another gnome), I charged the weed wacker and started pruning all the shrubs that were just randomly sprawling out of their neat trims I did last year and over the sidewalk. Once that was done after about 2 hours, I got the grass all trimmed up and weeded the front garden. By the time I had gotten all that done, it was about 4 in the afternoon.

I also was able to piece up another pair of jeans Rob had holes in (so that's 3 now that I got done). I was pooped from the day and decided laundry was going to have to wait for Sunday. So I settled down and put in Harry Potter 4 and watched the movie. I got pretty far with my Flore hat. I'm now into the green part (and it's going onto the DPN so that's why I had to run to the Knitters Edge). Sunday I went to church, got home and folded laundry for 3 hours. Yes, I know I really shouldn't wait for the laundry to pile up that it takes me that long. I also had to run down to my father's to feed his cats (why my dad doesn't ask my brother, who lives 10 minutes away, or my grandfather, who lives next door, to do it, is quite beyond me). Then I went home and watched HP5 while knitting, and finally finished the day up with reading Harry Potter: HBP.

I still have some laundry to get finished, so I'll finish those loads up that are dirty AND FOLD THEM tonight!! Along with knitting and watching House and 24 with my loving husband! A very accomplished weekend!

Another Finished Object!

Hooray! I’m done with Hannah’s sweater. I might have goofed the button holes though. I put one 2 stitches up from the bodice/lace switch, and again 8 stitches up from there. The one at the bodice/lace area is fine, but I’m not sure if the one above that will be able to be closed without choking the baby. Rob said it’ll just be a decorative button then. I love him for saying that! I found these cute buttons at Wal-mart that are butterflies. I put a purple and yellow one on. I had 2 pink, but I was afraid that they would blend in too much. I’ll post a picture tonight when I get home and take a picture of it.

Now I’m back on working on the Flores hat for Arielle. I think I will get started on the Peachy Baby Sweater for Jackie’s baby shower. I think if I start on it today, I’ll be able to get it done by mid-May. She’s saying she doesn’t want me to get her anything as I’m already helping plan her shower. We’re going to be doing lots of fun stuff anyway. Well, back to working on my story now. Yay, it’s Wednesday and Lost is on tonight!!!

Almost Done Hannah's Helena!

Well, Easter has come and gone already. The weekend was packed with getting the house ready for Sunday dinner, going to visit my Aunt in Colts Neck, NJ with DH and Dad, 3 separate services for Church Sunday morning, and then Easter dinner at our house. It was a busy weekend!!! But in between dancing during the services, I was able to work on Hannah’s Helena. I’m now done with both sleeves. I’ll post pictures later tonight when I’m home!

Tonight, I have a list of things I want to get done. FIRST, I will sew up Leslie’s Tote with the lining and handle. Then I will patch DH’s jeans and pants that need mending (there’s a few that I’ve put off for a year now). Then I just need to vacuum a bit. I also need to go get healthy foods for eating. DH and I are trying to eat more balanced meals, but it’s difficult!

And, Harry Kalas passed away today! So terrible and sad. He was such a voice to listen to. I loved hearing his voice watching the Phillies play. DH and I were just talking about how we thought he was retiring once the Phillies won the series, but he didn’t. Very sad :(

Congrats Frank & Crystal on Hannah Nicole

So it’s been a long month and a half since I last updated. Let’s just say a few things happened in my personal life that got in the way of knitting. But all is well now! I haven’t touched Jess’ Winter Gloves since before Christmas, or Dale’s Mastercard Ad ‘Hug.’ They’ll be worked on as soon as I get Crystal’s baby blanket and the baby outfit done.

Yes, Crystal had her baby on Sunday morning, March 29, 2009 at 7:15 AM. Her water broke around 11 PM on Saturday night. She was lucky she didn’t have too long of a labor, and she delivered naturally. And they have (drum roll please) a baby girl!!! Hannah Nicole Flemisch weighed in at 7 lbs 5 (or 9) oz and 20.5 in long. She has a full head of dark brown hair, just like mommy and daddy. She is actually a quite cute baby! I’m so happy for them. Frank seemed so natural interacting with her. I took the “Jester Hat” with me to give to them.

I made the hat in advance because I really liked the pattern, and the yarn looked more gender neutral before I knitted it all up. Then I realized, well, DARNIT, I hope someone has a girl! Two days later, I found out Jackie is 90% sure she’s having a girl as well! I had made the Irish Leprechaun Hat too for Crystal’s baby shower, with a promise to make a sweater and finish the blanket for them when the baby’s born.

I’m on the 16th set of the pattern out of 21. *sigh* it’s so boring!!!! Ah well, what do you do? I knew if I didn’t finish it in a month that it would turn into an ordeal!

I just have to get it done with the outfit. The outfit I decided on was the Helena I found on ravelry. It’s just so cute! It only uses DK yarn and is much quicker to knit up than a finger weight yarn. Though, for Jackie, I believe I’ll make her the one from Chic Knits for Stylish Babies.

I also am making the Flore Hat (another pattern I found on ravelry, though paid for it) for Jackie. I began making the infant size and it seems huge! So, I’m thinking the one I’m working on now, which has 6 petals/repeats, will be for big sister, Arielle, and I’ll make another one to have 5 petals/repeats for baby Lilly (don’t know the exact spelling yet, or if that’s the official name).

I also started making cute little baby booties, Pixie Boots, from 50 Baby Booties. However, this was before I found out Jackie was having a girl and made them in a dark blue and teal laces... So now, I have one bootie done and I have to make the second one, but no one’s having a boy now! Shoot, I’m just going to have to get pregnant and have a boy just so he can wear them! LOL.

I also began making the ‘Eye of Jupiter’ after BSG had its series finale. I wanted something to remember the show by, and this yarn just screamed out to me! I don’t have enough for the entire Vortex Shawl, so it may be about half the size that the pattern calls for.

I also have the Cornelius Baby Blanket to make, though I’m not sure if I want to go ahead with it or not. Jackie’s mom is making her a blanket, and after Crystal got 3 of them at her shower, I’m not sure if I want to make it for her too! So I may hold off on that one!

And on a side note, the paperback of “From Dead to Worse” Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Series #8 came out yesterday. I must hold off from purchasing the book. It’s only 10 dollars, so I’ll have to wait until Rob gets paid on Friday. We’re pretty much broke cause of the mortgage due tomorrow, but we’ll be fine once he gets paid. Yay!