addition to my spring wardrobe

Pattern: Ruffled Surplice
Source: Mari Lynn Patrick, Interweave Knits Spring 2007
Yarn: Tahki Bali
Needles: US 10

Well, here it is. All finished. The ruffles, the ties, everything. As you can probably tell, the ties need to be made longer. They barely make it around my waist. I will take care of that one of these days. No worries. Really.

Overall, I like it. It is very pretty and had it not taken me so long to finish it, I think I would be more excited about it. Really, I am just glad to have it done with. One thing about it...it is very heavy. Don't know if it is the yarn or just the bulk of it due to the ruffles. There are lots of ruffles!

Don't know what I was thinking, making something so frilly for myself. Perhaps, by Easter I will have lost a few inches around the waist and I will be able to wear it then. It is a little too spring-y to be worn now. And frilly, I may be able to pull off at Easter.

death by ruffles

ruffled edge
Originally uploaded by my_weezy

It is done. I managed to use a spare set of circs to hold stitches and got the last two rows knit and bound off. Finally. This sweater has been a pain in the neck, literally, and it sucks that it is not very flattering on. It fits, it is not too big or too small, but I just don't think it is meant to be worn by someone with no waist.

I have to add a few inches to either tie I realized when I tried it on, so it really isn't completely finished. They turned out to be too short. Urg. I need to lose some weight. Walking and going to yoga has not been on the agenda lately. I really need to get back to that.

I guess this sweater will have to be gifted. It has to look good on someone.

what do I do now?

WTF
Originally uploaded by my_weezy

Well, I am on the very last part of this project that I have been working on since March. I am on the ruffled bottom edge, finally. I may actually get this done while it is still warm enough to wear it. Yeah, well, that isn't going to happen just yet.

I was being stubborn. I used my straights for the entire thing, and even though I knew there would be a lot of stitches to do the hem, I refused to go and buy circulars. Why should I, I said to myself, the pattern doesn't specifically say I need them, and I have these perfect US 10 needles ready to go. Urg.

Now I am on the last row of increases, right in the middle actually, and I have run out of room on the needles. What do I do now? I really have no way of pushing all those stitches on the second needle plus the increases onto the right one. What a mess!

So close to being all done, too.

another wip

I used to be really good at only working on one knitting project at a time.

What has happened to me?

At this moment I have four different projects going on and none really close to being finished.

1. I can't bring myself to finish the ruffled surplice. I hate seaming, and I have only done it once!
2. I frogged a lace washcloth I made in a HCW class and restarted with some revisions to not have to make a lace edging. Going simple. I like simple.
3. I am about half way done with Shedir.
4. And now I have begun knitting the french market bag.

I had it in my queue and I bought the brown Berroco Ultra Alpaca I needed on Sunday morning at HCW. ( I am sad I didn't get to enjoy a Bellini with the others there. Husband was patiently waiting in the car for me and he had to get home to pack for his business trip.) I cast on yesterday and have already knit up the base and am a few rows before changing to my green yarn for the rest of the body. Which reminds me, I need to wind up a ball of that to be ready to use. It knits pretty fast and it is good mindless tv knitting so it will be done before the shedir, which requires my concentration or I cable in the wrong direction.

new knit books

I got two new knitting books in the mail yesterday. Amazon was quite quick with getting them here, having just ordered them on Tuesday. I was updating my wishlist and saw that Stitch N Bitch Nation was on sale for $3.95! Isn't that amazing. I don't know if it still is, but go check it out if you don't have it. I couldn't quite get over having to pay more for shipping than the actual book, so I threw in Charmed Knits as well. It too was on sale, but for about $10.oo. Anyway, very exciting. I am ready to be through with my wips and start something new. On that note, I decided against frogging the sock and finished it last night. Now comes the SSS. :) The sweater is now ready to be put together. All the pieces are done except for one sleeve. Seaming, ties and bottom ruffle will be all that is left to do. Yay.

chocolate-my drug of choice

First, Vinokourev out for blood doping along with his team, Astana. Now, Teams Cofidis and RaboBank. RaboBank, the team of Rasmussen, the Tour leader. The team sacked him for missing off season drug tests and then lying about where he was.

This is making for a strange tour. Contador will be the tour leader tomorrow due to Rasmussen being removed from the Tour. Evans and Levi right behind him.

The article I read by Phil Ligget mentioned the fact that there has never been any suspicion of doping amongst the three which will hopefully help to save the face of the Tour de France.

No knitting today. I spent the day, after watching the tour this morning, with a friend. We went to a Pilates class, had lunch, then scrapbooked until about 5pm.

Last night, however, I put my sock away (until I figure out what I want to do with it), and worked on my wrap around sweater. I finished the right front and have begun on the sleeves. It may actually get done before the end of the summer. A bite of the yummy peach vodka truffle I got yesterday should help.

Chocolate is an allowed substance

spring has sprung

Look, spring is almost here. It is in the seventies and the trees are blossoming. It's hard to believe it is still cold in other parts of the country. I mean, I know it is still technically winter, but it really doesn't feel like it here.
Since it is too hot to work with wool right now I got myself 14 balls of Tahki 100% bamboo ribbon yarn.
The package showed up in the mail yesterday and I immediatly cast on this sweater. Ruffled Surplice.

It is the softest, springiest yarn I have ever used. And cool! It makes an absolutely perfect project for Spring. The color is really great, too. It's a periwinkle blue, almost purple. So pretty.

This is coming with me on my ski trip this week. Spring Break! Woot!

I love being a teacher.