I appologize for my absense.  I’ve been going through some things.  Personal, work, health, etc.  You name it and I’ve gone through something with in in the last few months.  Things aren’t all the way better, but I’m getting there.  I need to blog.  I need to come back to this.

 I’ve got 5 babies to knit for between July and November.  The first baby is to arrive in just 3 short weeks, and I’m not even close to done with her blanket.  I’m hoping that by blogging I’ll get my butt moving a bit.  I’m not sure why, whenever I have something interfere with my life that I stop blogging and stop knitting.  These things should help me get through tough times. 

 Anyway, that’s all for now.  I just needed a short venting kind of post to get me back into the swing of things… I should be back later this week with some pictures.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I really love this pattern and the yarn (knitpicks essential) is absolutely yummy.  I did the heel flap like the pattern suggested.  Usually I feel flapped heels are really big and bulky but this one isn’t.  (AND NO GUSSET HOLES!  GO ME!) 

I tried to do something different with the toes and wanted to take the lace pattern as far up as possible, but they turned out a little boxy.  Even too boxy for my tastes.  I think a wash will help them out a bit.

I’m in line waiting to join the SAM3 and would like to finish these this month.  Melissa has already requested a pair of socks for herself so maybe I’ll do some simple stockinette ones for her next month.

 Hope this post finds everyone happy, healthy, and warm!

1. Complete 4 more blocks on Zander’s blanket. (total of 7) I’m going to stay neutral on this. I ended up ripping out the blocks I had done and casted on for a different type of blanket (chevron). I made it decently far into it but can’t say whether I did 4 blocks worth.
2. Complete the back and one sleeve for CPH.  If I decide to knit both sleeves at once then I need to get half-way up them. Not Done.
3. Cast on for a new pair of socks. Done. River Rapid Socks.
4. Finish Melissa’s scarf. Done.
5. Rip any old projects I know I won’t touch again. Not Done. Although I do know which projects I intend to keep or finish.
6. Make progress on any I decide to keep. Not done.
7. Two repeats of Ripple lace on Shawl. (This one became: Complete 6 repeats of the body.  I’m halfway through the 4th now.) I ripped this. Not Done.

I did terrible this month.  I didn’t have a lot of time to knit.  I did keep track of my knitting time though and brought in 25 hours of knitting time.  This month’s goals are simple.

February Goals:
1. Don’t start any new projects unless one is complelted.

 I have the following on the needles:
1. River Rapid Socks.
2. Zander’s blanket.
3. CPH.
4. Endpaper Mitts
5. Cashmere scarf.

I also have several babies coming into life in the next 9 months (Courtney’s, Melissa’s, Debra’s, and Tracy’s.)  So I need to whittle some of this stuff away because I’ll be making a lot of baby blankets in the next several months. 

So here it is:

It’s a beautiful shade of reddish brown.  This picture makes it look more red than brown.  It’s going to be a thin scarf, but think it will look just darling with a cream sweater.

I have also been working on my Rapid River socks:

The pattern is really great when stretched out or worn.  There are little eyelets that go down the insides of the curve.  Stunning.  I’ve actually grown a little bored of these.  I want them to be tall socks.  Right now they’re about average leg length. 

 That’s about all here.  I haven’t been knitting as much as I would like.  Those pesky things called life and work have really gotten in the way.  Bummer.

A little lamb toy that I hope to get painted soon and a pampering set that smells just wonderful!    I’ve been needing a small thing of purfume to stick in my purse for middle of the day “refreshment.”  Now I have one.  Thanks!!! 

This is a sheep chalkboard that I have already started painting.  The choc-aid choclates have been claimed by the little guy already and he loves them.  The two bars at the bottom are local to my secret pal’s area.  She told me the 3400 bar (yellow) was her favorite so I IMMEADIATELY dug into it.  It is fantastic dark chocolate.  I’ve been spoiling myself with a little piece here and there.  YUM.

This is where I’m going to put the chalkboard and sheep toy.  To the left you’ll see 3 balls of yarn.  Those were from my last secret pal.  It’s chashmere.  I know that I want a lacy scarf out of it.  I think I’m either going to do diamonds or a lacy leaf pattern.  I’ve never cast on for them though.  The yarn is just SOOO soft that I don’t want to start knitting with it for fear that the pleasure of feeling it will be over soon.  So it sits on my shelf and I look at it everyday.  Don’t the two sheep just complete that little knitting themed shelf?

 I’m off to watch football and enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet while the little guy is with his dad.  THANKS SO MUCH SECERT PAL!!!

 I’ve got the ribbing done on the first set.  I just ordered a fair isle book from Amazon.  I’m going to see if I have the patience to wait for that to come before starting the actual colorwork. 

Take for example the Lite Brite.  New & Improved.

If you remember back to the 80′s this lite brite is a far cry.  The new ones are much safer, cordless, with an automatic shutoff.  Either model produces, of course, the same entertainment and happiness from the child.

Another thing that is better the 2nd time around is Z’s blanket.

Either blanket would produce the same entertainment & happiness from the child, and I suppose that’s all that matters.  But this “model” makes me feel better. 

 I also joined Socktopia. Although I don’t think this is the sock knit along I meant to join. Isn’t there one that was ran “sock a month” knitalong or something to that effect? I tried to google it, but couldn’t find it. Anyone know what I’m talking about? 

It was a disaster. 

Upon getting the squares wet they COMPLETELY lost their shape.  Suddenly holes (that weren’t there before) where I picked up stitches appeared and made the squares look like a 5 year old novice had knit them.  I left them to dry in hopes that they would shrink back down, but I’m really discouraged at this point.  I don’t want that to happen everytime I wash the dang  thing.  I’m not sure if it’s the yarn or the pattern or a combination.  I really like the yarn (Knit picks superwash wool.) It’s soft and squishy.  So I started thinking of other things I could do with the yarn.  Stripes came to mind so I found this pattern and started swatching.  What do you think?

Keep with the log cabin squares and hope they behave themselves when sewn together or do a chevron striped blanket?

Since I was already discouraged I figured I’d work on some more of my current projects.  Picked up the Shetland Shawl, messed up somewhere and am now deciding whether to rip to my last lifeline (at repeat 3) or tink back 5 rows and try again.

Put that down, and decided screw it… time to start something new.

These will be the River Rapid Socks.  Seen here.  This yarn is Knit Picks Essential Solid in Grass.  It is sooo soft and smooth and has a great sheen.  I really like knitting with it.

 That’s all.  Hope your knitting is going better than mine.  And what do you think about Z’s blanket?

 I’ve always looked longingly at denise and other interchangable sets.  How convienient to have all your needles right there, and be able to change needle sizes when going from ribbing to stockinette without jugling a whole bunch of needles.  Besides, I’m not the most organized person in the world.  Having a PLACE to keep them seems like such a good idea.

Here’s the case they come in.  It measures about 7.5″ wide and 9″ tall.  It looks much like a daytimer case.

When you open it up there are pockets that zip open and zip close.

There are pages with 3 pockets, 2 pockets, or just one giant pocket.  I used the pages with 3 sleeves to store the smaller sizes.  I took a permanant marker and marked the needle size above the pocket.  If you see above on the right side at the top I have 4 needles placed in one pocket.  Those are all size 7.  It really fits quite a bit.

Now let’s actually compare to Addis.  Price wise it can’t be beat.

Addis range between $12.95 and $24.95 depending on the size.  Seen here.
Options are priced a bit differently.  The needles range between $3.99-$6.99.  And two cords (any length) are $3.99.  So if I were to buy a size 4, 24″ needle I would only owe $8.00.  If I were to buy a size 7 24″ needle I’d only owe $4.99.  (I already have the cord you see. ha ha.)  Check them out here.

Now, check out this picture:

the shaft of the options needles (shown left) is a full 1.5 cm shorter than the shaft of the addi (shown right.)  I personally love that.  Especially when doing small diameter knitting like magic loop!

I tried roughly 5 times to photograph the tips of the options vs the addis and this is the best I can come up with.  (It’s rainy outside and I had to use a flash.  bummer.)

The point on the options (left again) is much sharper than that of an addi.  I always thought addis had sharp points, but now they seem really TOO dull in comparison.

 Finally, the cord:

the purple cord has VERY VERY little memory and is extremely flexible.  I have had only a few instances where my needles have started to come unwound from my cord.  But the only times that has happened I’ve never been able to remember using the key.  Now, although it seems kind of silly I put that little piece of metal in the hole on the beginning of the cord and twist TIGHTLY. 

Buying the whole set is the best idea… it does save a ton of money, but the needles are really quite affordable to just start purchasing.  And if you don’t want the black case you can always keep them in the sleeves they come in.  They’re labeled nicely and would be fine just lying in the bottom of a knitting basket or bag.

Hope that helps anyone that was curious!