You Don't Know Til You Try

I used to crochet. My Baba taught me when I was about 8 years old. I was never very good, but I could do it. My best friend at the time had a Grandma who knit. I thought I would never learn how to do that. It was so complicated and you had to use 2 (!) needles.

I crocheted a little at a time, never really comitting to this needle craft. When I was about 20, my Sister In Law bought me needles and a ball of crafters cotton for Christmas. I was going to knit. At first, I couldn't understand how to draw one loop through another. It took me about half an hour to knit 4 stitches very poorly.

Fortunately, I kept at it and learned to enjoy the simplicity of stocking stitch. All those little "v"s in a row were pleasing to my mathematical mind. I tackled cables on my own and found them very simple once I unlocked the mystery of the extra cable needle.

Lace, though, was always a little too girly for me. While I can be a girly girl, I've never been one for frills and such. It was therefore a big shock to me when I wanted to knit a shawl. And not just one shawl, but three. In one year. AND it turns out that I like them. I even managed to wear my two completed shawls to two different events yesterday. I don't think I would have imagined myself wearing a shawl until I made one that I was really proud of.

Just goes to show, doesn't it?

Getting Everything on the Table

Let's just say I haven't been entirely honest about a lot of things. Things like how many objects are actually on the needles. And definitely not about how much yarn is stashed in places throughout my house. So, I'm coming clean. I'm letting it all hang-out.

This is my pile of UFOs (minus the 2 UFOs I can't find....more on that later....)

This is my Rowena Cardigan. Back done, 2 front panels done. No sleeves.

These are my most recent cast-on item. Socks for my mom for Christmas. I'm not sure why I cast them on considering all the other socks I have on the needles. I think I just wanted to try out this new yarn (Crystal Palace Panda Cotton from the Loopy Ewe).

Next, this lovely, but VERY incomplete pair of socks for my big boy (one of 2 incomplete pairs of socks for him ... the other pair however is currently misplaced. Not sure where. But I'll find it).

Then there's this. I've purposely not posted about this because it's for a Christmas gift. I won't tell you what it is or who it's for. But, there it is, out on the table.

Oh ya, there's this too. A Tomten jacket for someone. Possibly for the new baby in the family, or my baby, depending on the size. This project was cast-on because of my new-found obsession with EZ. The lady was a genius. I'm in awe and wonder with what she came up with and I just want to figure it out.

There is the Mystery Stole - it's still quite a mystery to me.

And the beast of all UFOs. This was completed 2 years ago. It's a baby alpaca yarn (of course I've lost the ball-band so not sure where it came from) in a worsted weight. I think the colors are fabulous.

There are a few problems with it, however:

- 1 arm is longer than the other - I think I sort of fixed it when sewing it up, but it's still a little off, and no amount of blocking will fix that.

- I don't love the neck. The shape is good, but it needs something - maybe a couple rows of garter or moss stitch. Not sure. I just don't like it the way it is.

- It's not long enough. I have started picking up stitches from the bottom in an attempt to lengthen it. However, I'm almost out of yarn and not sure how many extra rows I'll get. And not sure if I should do the extra rows in stocking stitch or garter or moss. I just can't decide.


The Hanami of course. This is moving along well and I'm quite happy with it.


My Chevron scarf - also very happy with it. This is my "in the car" knitting project, so I can only work on it when I'm a passenger in the car - this doesn't happen too often, given I'm the head of Mom's Taxi.

So there they are. The UFOs. Not including the 2 missing things (a pair of Monkey socks and a pair of socks for my boy).

Whew. That took a lot out of me.

Next time, we'll tackle the stash.

Oh No, You Didn't!

Oh yes, I did!

Amazing what a little blocking and new black boots can do for a skirt!

Ladies Who Lunch

Today, my wee girlie turns 17 months old. She doesn't look like a baby any more. In fact, it is hard to remember what that was like.

To celebrate, we went out for brunch. We bought a memento. Now she's having a much earned nap and I'm going to finish this skirt, if it kills me.

Also on the needles, I'm whipping up some little kid socks...

... and the Spiral Boot Socks continue their very slow and not so steady growth.

I have too many things on the needles. I should really simplify. But then I want to cast on a Tomten jacket and a sweater for my neice and more socks....

Things you don't know about T.

So J. and I have been at this blogging thing for a few months. I figure all you really know about us is that (a) we're obsessed with yarn, knitting and knitting related people (like her and her and her) and (b) we spend far too much time (and money) on knitting.


I thought I'd like to deepen the pot. Make myself seem less self-indulgent and more 3-dimensional. I thought I'd let you in on a few, more meaningful, parts of my life.


1. I was somewhat athletic, at some point in my life. I was actually recruited by 3 colleges/universities to play basketball for them (I didn't play for any in the end).


2. This post makes me laugh. I'll be bookmarking this.


3. I have very eclectic music taste. On my iPod, I have the following: Hall&Oates, Jack Johnson, Coldplay, Back Street Boys, Neil Diamond, Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, Chilliwack, Def Leppard, Everclear, Fergie, Gin Blossoms, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Joni Mitchell, the Killers, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nellie Furtado, Regina Spektor, U2 and my ultimate favorite, Rick Springfield. There are many others, a lot of which I won't admit to in public.


4. In my job I've been referred to as "highly-organized" and "driven"; more recently, I was referred to as a "key researcher". I relate to none of these labels...not even a little bit.


5. I love taking the boys to the park; I hate engaging in small talk with other park moms. It relates to my abhorrence of small talk in general.


As you can see, I'm much more than just a knitter (maybe not as deep as I had originally hoped). Far more than that. Anyone else want to share some nugget about themselves? Something few other people know about?