Category: Knittastic!

It’s really a strange feeling to get a phone call from your mother at 8am, waking you up, asking you why you didn’t tell her you were in the paper. For the rest of the day yesterday, my Dad asked me if the papaprazzi was keeping me on the run. Kymberlie called to let me know about the newpaper sighting also – but I haven’t actually seen the photograph myself. It’s not online with the article about the Northwest Knit at Night Guild chapter.

Back in March, I went to my first knitting guild meeting. A freelance photographer that does work with the Chronicle was there, and he wanted to take a photograph of the knitters that had been knitting the longest and the shortest amount of time. One lady had been knitting for 45 years; I had been knitting for 2 months. So he took photographs of us with my Claptotis, and I believe the captions are that she is showing me how to do something on it – but in reality, she was telling me that I knit very well for having only done it for 2 months. That was a fabulous thing to hear!

Now that I’ve had my fix of the glowing box for the day, I’m going back to my knitting marathon for the weekend – I have about 3 weeks to finish my shawl, so it is knit, knit, knit this weekend! Fortunately, I’m at a point with the pattern that I think I can watch “Sideways” tonight while working on it!

Since I know at least two of my friends are pregnant with boys, and there are other friends that have young boys, I think I need to master the Devan sweater, which just might be one of my favorite patterns for little boys. Or girls for that matter, because who says that boys should have all the fun?

Isn’t that sweater simply adorable?

Now that I’ve changed the pattern I’m using for Mel’s lace wedding stole, I no longer have the desire to stick the Addi Turbos in my eyes. It has been smooth sailing, and I was even able to work on it while traveling this weekend.

Now I’m making myself paranoid that it’s not wide enough. I want it to be something she can wrap herself up in, like this. That is not the pattern I’m using though – I am doing a traditional feather and fan pattern. Problem is, it’s just a “here is how to do the pattern” chart – not a full pattern. I’m doing 4 repeats, with a garter stitch border on each side , for a total of 80 stitches. It is a lace weight 100% merino wool and I’m using a size 5 US needle. On the needles (unblocked, obviously) it reaches from Mike’s elbows to his shoulders. He’s my model right now since Mel is 5 inches taller than I am, so I figure if it is long enough for him, it will be long enough for her.

I’ve been told a million times that lace comes out much wider when blocked. Is that true? Anyone have any tips? (I could just block what I’ve done so far as a test, but … hmmm. That just seems too easy.) Maybe I’ll see if I can borrow some size 5 needles and use my spare ball of yarn to make a swatch to block while I continue with what I’ve already got on the needles.

It would probably be a little over the top if I skipped town to go to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, wouldn’t it? But it’s free to get in! *sigh* It is still 3 weeks away, but I’m getting festival envy. Just think … all of that yarn … oh my … I’m hyperventilating just thinking about it. Such yumminess!

Hmmm… if I go to the festival to promote Blogomania and knitting blogs, it is a business trip then – isn’t it?

Yes, I know that those of you that don’t knit or crochet think I’m nuts right now. Yes, there are actual festivals for these things. Not only festivals, but there is so much more. Knitting tours for England and Ireland. Knitting cruises. Oh, the places I could go and the things I could do…

Man, if only we had commuter trains like this one here in Houston: a close-knit group relaxes on the fast track. I would be on board! (pun intended) Well, that and if I had to commute to work. Guess there isn’t much point since I work from home.

It makes me want to go to Oakland just so I can ride to Sacramento and back on the Stitch ‘n Ride car!