Whew

Okay - I feel better.

Got the top back to where I am about to start the lace yolk. Will swatch that tonight & maybe get started.

Tinked back about half a row on CotR - will try to get the other half tonight, then have to do one more row. That row is mostly pure knit, so should be pretty easy (relatively speaking). Then I stick a lifeline in and stick to the mantra I should have stuck to. Don't knit when you are sleepy and especially don't knit LACE when you are sleepy!

I HATE Frogging

Tuesday night, I industriously worked away on the Vittadini top and the CotR shawl and messed them both up!

GRRRR.

So last night, I frogged the top back and restarted the yoke shaping. For some reason, I started the yoke and armhole shaping at the same point. But the armhole shaping doesn't start for another couple of inches after yoke shaping. I would have been "creative", but I think it would have looked dorky, so I frogged.

Worked my way back up to about where the armhole shaping should start, so will do that tonight and try to get the front to the point where I am ready for the lace yoke.

If I have time, will start to painstakingly tink back on CotR - can't just rip out a row on that one and pick up stitches. Bummer.

However, it has stopped raining and the sun is out! Yippee!

Bad Poster! Delayed update.

I have been very remiss in keeping up. Busy busy busy! And my camera batteries have finally given up the ghost on recharging, so I need to get some more. So no pics until I get that squared away.

Lessee - Callas has gone down to Melanie's to be truly started under saddle. Yesterday she walked off lead for the first time. Mel reports that steering and brakes are not yet fully installed! LOL But she was just walking around the paddock, so that was okay. She also reports that she is quite lazy!

Shadow is doing great. He packed one of my students to a first and third at a show last weekend. And we have started riding with a new instructor who is very good. I am quite pleased. We did a little cowboy shooting. I made someone else ride him - good thing. That guy rides faster than I can and Shadow went faster than I have ever seen him go! Holy cow! We show this weekend and my camera toting pal will be there, so hopefully we get some pics. Also not supposed to be so hot - good thing. Heat is NOT Shadow's best subject!

On the knitting front - finished the Maggi's linen clapotis. Gotta gotta gotta get pics, it's GORGEOUS! It is supposed to be a gift, but I am struggling with that notion! LOL. Camo hat is done - very ugly, but I think the nephew will like it.

Working on the Vittadini shell - almost to the lace neckline stuff. Fairly boring knitting - just stockinette until you get to the neckline, but the yarn is really cool.

Got the linen for sis's ("baby" sis) top - it's Euroflax original in Neptune - a beautiful wedgewood kind of blue. Cast on for swatching, but am focusing on the shell, though the gauge looks a little goofy. Wound up going down two needle sizes for the shell and looks like this might be the same. Wonder if I am knitting differently? Doesn't feel like I am knitting particularly tight.

Finished the shell border row on the CotR shawl and started the first chart. OMG, this is gonna take forever. I have to commit to working on it at least one night per week, but I am not loving this process - I think I need to find a knit-along to help with the charts. Not terribly clear to me what is supposed to be happening.

Took a break from stashalong for two weeks. Basically got the linen for sis's top and a few cool & funky yarns to make Christmas presents with. I am thinking about felted purses for the neices, and maybe some crazy scarves for the sisters and not sure what for the bro-in-laws.

Baby blankie is on hold. I have to frog it back an inch or two and I am feeling cranky about that notion.

Cleaned up my little sitting room where I knit. Put stuff away - it's a much nicer space to work in now. Have a few more little touches and it will actually be respectable.

Well - I am really late for work. Better run!

This N That

Here's a pic of the clapotis I am working on out of my illicit Stashalong ooops! yarn. The pic doesn't capture the glorious turquoise of the yarn and the sheen of the linen. It's really pretty. That's pretty much all I am working on right now. Someone on knittyboard said "sorry Kate, it's a boring knit" and that's true, but just what I am needing right now. Kind of a mindless task, but the outcome is so pretty I just pet it every day!


Hank and I went on a judged pleasure ride yesterday with Pro and Shadow. Sorry no pics. I really wish I had brought my camera. A judged pleasure ride is a trail ride with obstacles. Each obstacle has a "judge" sitting by it who rates your performance through the obstacle. They were very cool, ranging from quite natural - a steep bank down to a muddy creek, to kind of surprising - the trail system there goes through a GIANT culvert. It was quite scary for my boy, but he tried like a champ. There were wooden bridges, a mailbox that you had to open and close, a "campsite" with a tent, a dummy on a cot and clothes hanging out. Fun stuff.

Pro took everything in stride - a little cautious in some places, but he is a very curious and confident horse. It's pretty cool because he was a big time show horse and I am sure he didn't spend much time out on the trails. Shadow is a bit more of a chicken and didn't do as well, but I was still really proud of him. He showed a ton of try working on things he was scared of. But I definitely need to get that boy out more! LOL

Mel came over and rode baby Callas again. Callas was still quite "exuberant" at first under saddle, so we need to work on longeing her under tack more. I ran short of time last week.

Heading out to feed the pones, catch a ride on a boarder's horse, do a little gardening, then YUCK - head into the office for a few hours.

Baby Callas got her first ride yesterday!

My friend Melanie came over and backed my baby for me. She will go down to Mel's for 30 days or so, and then will be in very light work for the next 6 months or so. She is still quite immature physically, but a light program will be good for her busy little mind!

That saddle thing is SCARY!!!

Okay - so it's not so bad after all. I can trot around like a good girl!








And I can handle someone sitting on me! I am such a big girl!

She really was pleased with herself after all was said and done. And after her initial nervousness about the saddle was quite sensible - just had to include the drama pic!



On the knitting front - got some Maggi's linen at a really good sale and am working on a clapotis. along with all the other stuff that's still in work.

Quickie update

Nothing really to photograph. Lots of stuff in barely beginning stages!

Baby blankie is about 4". Figure this is 1/9" of the way done. Hmmm. It doesn't sound quite so bad put that way!

COTR Shawl I am almost finished with the scallop edging - just have to gather all the yo's. About 1 1/4".

Started the camo hat for my nephew. I was going to put a spider on it, but I think I will just let it be camo all by itself. It's kind of cool looking in a goofy way! It's about 2" along.

Purple vest is on hold until I swatch, measure, wash and measure again. I am afraid I am going to have to frog, so am putting it off! LOL

Other WIPS - just sitting there for now. Trellis Scarf and a shawl in Blue Heron.

Lots of stuff lined up waiting for a start!

I have been a good little yarn gal and haven't bought a thing.

Henry and I took the pones to a nearby park this am and went for a nice hour and a half trail ride. Pones really enjoyed themselves. We did too!

Show pic

Me and the Shadman at the show this weekend. Pics courtesy of my pal Shari.

Quick pics

If Blogger will cooperate - a couple of quick pics of WIPS!

The blurry one is the Creatures of the Reef Shawl. 5 rows times 400+ stitches each, 20,000 stitches and it's sooooo short! LOL

The bright one is baby blankie #2 out of a sunny Koigu on #4 needles. Progressing nicely.

The purple one is a Vest in Progress, but I am a little concerned about gauge and it's really on hold until I have a little time to do math!

Horse showing today. Will bring baby blankie along as I show at 10:30, then not again until 4:30! ZZZZZZ

Ridin' lots

Prepping for a big show this weekend. Riding every day. Man do I feel fit. And pone feels great too!

Cast on baby blankie (on 4's daggone it!) on Monday night. About 5 rows in. Haven't done any more on CotR - will do a couple of rows tonight.

I think the vest needs to be bigger. Measured it and it was 31" - mini! The yarn blooms, but I forgot to write down by how much, so will swatch again, measure, wash and block, measure and do math. Don't know it it will bloom 10"!!!! So might have to frog and start over. But it's gonna be sumthin!

Gotta run!

SKUNKED!!

Well this was going to be a knitting update, but just had to report that Rowdy the bad got skunked last night. He is currently stashed in the horse trailer awaiting a bath. He's really stinky!!!!

On the knitting front, I have done three rows of Creatures of the Reef in Milan laceweight linen. It's knitting up fine, but I think I have decided that I am much happier in fingering weight! This is gonna take forever!!! LOL

Swatched my purple/black/gray wool/silk again. It wasn't going to work for the top I was thinking of, so am looking at doing a cropped vest. I only have 660 yards, so it's a bit of a squeeze to get a wearable out of it. No sleeves, no length to the body, no cables. This is a design challenge!!!

Swatched the koigu baby blanket yarn. Swatched on #5's, not totally happy with it, will swatch again on #4's and see if I have to force myself to suffer with the smaller needles. The yarn is really pretty, but a little bit girly - don't know if the baby is boy or girl at this point - was trying for a unisex yarn. Will have to post a pic and get opinions.

And I think that's lots of knitting (plus I have two lace WIP's that I should do something with).

Gotta feed the ponies and give the BAD dog a bath!

Finished!!!

Whew! Finally finished hub's vest! It's in Alice Starmore Hebridean three-ply. I almost gave up a couple of times, but you gotta stand by your man! LOL





Also finished a cashmere scarf and a Diamond Fantasy Shawl but didn't get pics of those.

On the needles - linen lace Creatures of the Reef for my mom - just cast on.

Swatching for some other stuff. Blew a big wad of moola and got bunches of stuff at MDS&W - details on Stashalong.

Pone is doing FANTASTIC!

Speaking of which - I had better go ride!

Frustrated!!!

I am SO close to done on hub's vest, but I have now put in and ripped out the button band 3 times! ARGH!

I think I just need to pick up more stitches, it is too tight, so that will be next "thing" to try, but I hate redoing. This tells me I am SO not cut out to be a knit designer! LOL

Also wound up tinking like 5 rows of the DFS - must be in a bad biorhythm place!

On the horse front, Shadow is back from the trainer's - all tuned up and lovely to ride! Just had the saddle fitting lady come out this am and we bought a new saddle for his wideness!

Since April 8, have ridden every day except for three! No wonder I am having trouble finishing any knitted items. Too much fanny in the saddle time! LOL

My photo op pal is gonna come and take pics of our ride this afternoon, so if she gets any good ones, will add them on later.

The Restash in pics

Well - a friend of mine says "if it doesn't taste good enough to be worth the calories don't eat it!"

So here are my post/pre Stashalong splurges.

Euroflax Milan lace weight. Can't wait to get started with this. It's sitting by my desk as my petting yarn right now! LOL. This will be a Creatures of the Reef shawl.

Schaefer Andrea. Laceweight silk. Ohlala! This will be a TBD. Will swatch and see how it knits up as entrelac.


Lorna's Laces Sock. The camoflouge (?sp) color. For my nephew - a hat. Cabled spider. Ohyeah!

Last but not least - more Koigu. Another baby blanket. I am out of my freakin mind. Will swatch on 5's. If I don't get too anal, I might be able to do that instead of 4's. Crazed.

Horse stuff.

Rode little Biz today. She is such a nice little mare. Easy peasy. No bucks in the canter, left canter felt quite nice. Right canter still awfully stiff, but she is getting more supple. Also stepped on Ranger - a big chestnut QH who belongs to a student. What a fun horse. He's a little green, a little crooked, but nice movement and a nice disposition. Then hopped on Smokey (boarder) for a bit during the lesson with his owner. He is coming right along. I am most pleased with him. Need to drop a note to the folks who are training Shadow and ask for the weekly report. I miss my big baby boy!

Off to work the DFS - on repeat 6 - will probably take it to 8, but maybe more. Will decide as I go along.

Horsey De-Stash/Knitting Re-Stash

Not really, but...

Shadow has gone down to VA for a few weeks with my teacher. Getting some tuneup, getting him to understand some of the next level of work/movements he will be doing, so that he doesn't learn them from a dork! LOL So one pone down. Then my friend Mel had her filly at my place for a short while as her barn was full, and she took her home yesterday, so two pones down. Five horses! I won't know what to do with myself in the morning! LOL Rode my boarder's mare this am - delightful older QH - very well trained but a bit stiff. I am tuning up her canter so that my boarder, who is an adult beginner, will be able to learn to canter on a cadillac.

Knitting-wise, I re-stashed, but only with stuff that was earmarked for projects. Pics later -but 2 cones of Euroflax Milan for a lace shawl for my mom. 2 skeins of Shepherd Sock in Camo to make a hat for my nephew. I think I will cable a spider on it - very cool! 6 skeins of Koigu for baby blankie #2 and 1 skein of Andrea for a shawl for my sis. I might also try the boucle silk from Schaefer for my sis who is allergic to wool. So destashed 30 and added 9. Almost finished with my DFS shawl which will de-stash another 3.

Starting today, I am on a new stashalong for 2 months. So when the DFS shawl gets done, it will go in that pot. Then I STILL have to finish hubby's vest, but that should go quickly, then I think I will start on the baby blankie and the hat concurrently. The baby blankie will take a while. I need to swatch a bit to decide what stitch I want to use on this one.

That's all!

Really the windup!

I MADE IT!!!!!

Didn't finish anything over the last couple of days - been helping hub with his www.marylandshallissue.org web updates.

I was gonna place an order at midnight plus one, but I was too sleepy. So as I fall off the wagon, this is what I am ordering...

1) 2 skeins of Euroflax linen laceweight for a shawl for my mom
- Was thinking another Diamond Fantasy, but I found the "Creatures of the Deep" shawl from Fiddlesticks and I think she will really like that - she is a beach girl at heart.
Yarn - (in the lichen color) http://www.darnityarn.com/index.php?item=46
Pattern - http://www.fiddlesticksknitting.com/CreaturesLarge.html
2) 1 skein of Schaefer Andrea for a shawl for my sis
- Haven't decided which shawl yet. I have lots of choices - I have the Myrna Stahlman book, plus several Barbara Walker books (design my own), plus the DFS or a couple of other Sivia Harding patterns, plus all the free stuff that's out there, so I will take a look at the yarn and swatch a bit and see what I come up with.
Picked the Frida Kahlo color http://www.schaeferyarn.com/yrn_cc_womencotton1.htm
3) "Something" for a shawl for me (maybe if I like that linen, I will get some for me)
-Am thinking the Baltic Sea Shawl or the entrelac shawl out of IK (Now that would be a CHALLENGE!

So I will still have a nice net loss in the stash and this yarn is all earmarked for definite "things". Mom has a september B-day and sis has an October b-day.

In the meantime, I will need to start cataloging my stash, so that I can target the reduction areas! I did sell some Noro and Poof on Ebay - forgot about that. There's a couple of other impulse buys that I should probably put up and just move down the road!

So add another 12 skeins to the de-stash - 10 Noro Silk Garden and 2 Poof. Whoo hoo - removed 30 skeins! That's pretty amazing.

The only other "problem" is that Maryland Sheep and Wool is the first weekend in May. That could be a small problem - ULP! But I promise not to buy 30 skeins! LOL

Stashalong windup

Okay - here's what I used up during the Stashalong...
Seaman's Shawl (Myrna Stahlman)- 2 Sk Araucania Nature Wool.
Shari's Socks (Actually Wyvern socks Marnie McLean - very nice!) - 2 Sk Koigu
Peg's Scarf (self designed) - 2 sk Koigu
Horseshoe lace scarf (self designed) 1 sk Lisa Souza Cashmere
Baby blanket (self designed) 5 sk Koigu
Hank's Vest (not quite done, self designed) 6 sk Alice Starmore 3 ply

So counting Hanks vest - I think I am allowed it's only the neckband left used up 18 skeins of yarn! Not so bad!

On the sticks -
Dancing Leaf Shawl (Sivia Harding)- 3 sk Koigu
Trellis Lace Scarf (IK Winter)- 1 sk CTH Possum Lace
Linen Lace Shawl (Nancie Wiseman) 1 sk Blue Heron Sparkly Rayon
W - (knitty.com) 1 or 2? , not sure Schaefer Lauren

In planning stage -
DLS shawl for my mom - planning to get some Euroflax and try that
Kuba Vest - Kit from LaLana is in my stash.
Wyvern socks - for me - plan to use up the Lorna's laces for these.

Vest Q and DFS WIP

Otay - here is the WIP Diamond Fantasy Shawl - in Koigu. It looks pretty nice when you pin it out! Kewl!


I have a dilemna too though. Here's the samples for the front/neck bands for hubs sweater. One is garter stitch (on the right), one is seed stitch (on the left). I like the buttonholes I practiced in the seed stitch swatch way better than the other buttonholes, so ignore the bad ones! LOL


Whaddya think? Garter/seed? I am leaning a bit towards the garter, but like 'em both okay.

Here's a closeup to help you decide...

And the almost finished object below!














And from Knitter in Progress...

A is for Age: 49
B is for Booze: Not a big drinker, but microbrews, white sangria, Merlot, Shiraz
C is for Career: Network Engineer
D is for Dad's Name: Mervin
E is for Essential Item to Bring to a Party: Dessert
F is for Favorite Songs at the Moment: The Wind (Warren Zevon)
G is for Goof-off Thing to Do: Web Surf & play computer games
H is for Hometown: Great Falls, MT
I is for Instrument You Play: Mandolin
J is for Jam or Jelly you Like: UGH. Does Peanut butter count?
K is for Kids: None – 2 pups (gunner/Rowdy) 3 horses (Pro, Shadow, Callas)
L is for Living Arrangement: Small Farm with hub and critters
M is for Mom's Name: Carol
N is for Names of Good Friends: Shari, Mel, (Randy, Shelley, Kaja, Jo - sis’s)
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: ? Maybe for tonsils when I was two
P is for Pets: See K is for kids
Q is for Quotes you Like: "When will then be now? Never again." –Space Balls
R is for Relationship That Lasted Longest: DH – going on 8 years
S is for Siblings: See N for Names of good Friends
T is for Texas: AustinU is for Unique Trait: Like to clean the barn!
V is for Vegetables You Love: Brussel Sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
W is for Worst Traits: Sometimes bitchy!
X is for X-rays You've Had: teeth, knees
Y is for Yummy Food You Make: Fudge, stir-fried chix, Pork loin in mustard sauce
Z is for Zodiac Sign: Aries/Taurus cusp

More on the Blankie story

Well - just got back from Fla. The wedding was err.... spectacular!

They held it outdoors on the beach, scheduled for sundown so that they would be married against the backdrop of a sunset. It was a beautiful idea and was beautiful to watch, however, the temps were unseasonably cold and a vicious north wind was whipping!

Bride's mom had provided her with a white hoodie sweatshirt with Just Married spelled out on the back in rhinestones (cuter than it sounds!), so after the ceremony, she hopped into her sweatshirt, but she was sooo cold. I made her open her present a bit early, so it spent the evening wrapped around mom!

She loved the colors and it certainly proved useful on the day!

I decided to go with #5 - the medium blues for the shawl. I was leaning towards the Lorna's laces, but someone commented that it might prove too stripey and could look a little funny, so maybe I will make a pair of socks instead. I liked the light blue also, but I am making it for me and with the farm life I am afraid it would show the dirt too much.

Finished two repeats of the lace patten now - about 70 rows - and it's very pretty. Not much to look at in process, but when you stretch it out, you can see that it will be very nice! No pics til later in the week. Next task - TAXES!

Blankie Complete!!!

Wrapped up baby blankie just in time! "Designed it" myself (a Barbara Walker pattern with a garter stitch border) and am soooo pleased with how it came out! I even washed and dried it to be *REALLY* sure it would work before I gave it to my neice. Snuggly soft and scrumptious feeling. It's in Koigu on #4 needles and finished size is 28x36.

Now I am on to the Diamond Fantasy Shawl by Sivia Harding. Since I am being a good destasher, these are my choices! Help me out with which one I should use. I like 'em all, so the winning vote gets made! LOL



1) Dark Reds/blues/purples. Washable wool. Koigu
2) Purple/green. Washable wool. Lorna's shepherd sock.
3) Amber/gold. Merino alpaca blend, handwash. Haneke.
4) Pale blues/greens. Koigu
5) Medium blues/greens/purples. Koigu
6) Dark Purple/green. Washable wool. Bonkers

What do you think?

Just a little ridin' stuff

Thought I would post a piccie of me and my boy from a clinic we rode in this weekend.


No I wasn't knitting, but I am about at 26" on baby blankie with one more ball of koigu to go. WHEW!