The world conspired

I have no idea how that happened. I mean, really May just started and yet I find that it is officially June. I've tried 3 times to post this week and each time work got in the way. Stupid work, gets in the way of lots of things like blogging and knitting and stitching and well fun stuff.

I feel like I accomplished nothing last month, and in actual fact, I probably didn't. I met none of my stitching goals and barely worked on anything that was a class project. Ok, there was the small finish of one side of "the cube" as my friends and I call it. But that was it. Best not to dwell on these things.

Let's talk about the good things...like scoring new shoes that I love!Needed a new pair of black slip on sandals...hey I live in Florida! Found these Then I've been eyeing the cute ballet flats I've seen around but hadn't seen a pair I really liked until these. Found these while shopping with my friend Jill who was in town for the ACC Baseball Tournament (which our alma mater didn't win...and yes, we're sad). Always nice to find cute and comfortable shoes.

So, it's June and for those who've been following this month thing Heather (It's Geek to Me) and I have been doing that means "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat June" or "BIG project month". So for me that means pulling out some pieces I haven't worked on in awhile and even starting a new one. I will try to be better about posting and letting you see what I'm working on. I haven't decided which of the Martina pieces I've got started I plan on working on. They are both on my stitching shelf and both are crying out. Another piece that's cried a bit lately is a really old one and was supposed to be a SAL with some friends. Again, I'm leaving you in suspense...ok, really I'm not sure what's going to happen so I don't want to say I'll work on it then feel awful when I don't.

In answer to Brooke's question concerning the Eliza tank

Can you post and let us know how the length works out for ya?

Why yes I can and I will. I actually measured the back last night and realized I'd gone 1/2" past the 11 inches it calls for, so I'm going to do a bit of ripping tonight and then continue on. It's hard to tell where it's going to fall on me since you do the straps when you knit the front and then attach them to the back. So, we'll see, and I'll keep you updated. This is one I'm trying desperately to finish. If only so I can see where I might make changes. I may regret taking out the 1/2" later. Thinking I might want to leave it in, but not sure I have enough yarn to do that, so I'm going to play it safe on that. But I will update and show some pictures.

Hope everyone else had a more productive month then I did in May and here's hoping for some great finishes in June!

Meme from It's Geek to Me seeing as I have't posted anything this week due to work and having to take my dad to an appointment. I'll have plenty to say next week!

Bold for stuff you've done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn (just not my cup of tea!)
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting) (in process)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (looks like it would be too warm for FL weather)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments (eventually)
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book (Teresa- don't I wish!)
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money (Teresa - yet another wish!)
Knitting with alpaca
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
Olympic knitting!
Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art (Teresa - maybe....)
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting (Teresa - not sure about this one)
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public
Button holes

Must say that was an interesting exercise. Would be interesting to see what I've managed to do in a year from now.

Hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to all who have served our country and to those who have lost a loved one in that service.

Friday's update

I'm not sure exactly where the week went, but I'm fairly sure I survived it. I've not felt on the "top of my game" this week, and I really meant to post more often, so this might be long, but bear with me, it might actually be interesting.

Let's see....Tuesday I actually stitched on the current ornament. This is good as I HAVE to get it finished as well as it's cousin "surprise ornament". I managed to get a picture of the current ornament, or as I've started calling it, "3 of 4" (and yes I'm making a very vague reference to a certain sci-fi show that is well loved by many). I think this is called "Silver and Gold" so far it's just been a lot of gold. I need to remember that I don't really like working with the gold threads like this so much. Some here and there, very pretty. Large amounts over many stitches, also pretty, but very annoying to this particular stitcher. Yes, I've done all the things you're supposed to do, I've cut it in smaller then normal lengths. I've knotted it into my needle. I've waxed it. I've done it all. It doesn't really matter when you've got this much to deal with. It's still pretty and I'm sure that when I get it all finished I'll love it. Not to mention I'll be very glad that I offered to stitch it rather then receive it kitted to be stitched. In fact, that's precisely why I offered to stitch it. I know myself and this self would have waited until doomsday to do this even if she loved it without a deadline. So all this moaning aside, I'm very happy I'm doing it and truely can't wait to see it done.

I really haven't stitched on anything else, the rest of my time, when not working or doing other such mundane tasks, has been taken up with knitting. I've been working on Eliza, the tank. I do love it. Love the color, love the yarn. Love how I think it will fit. Don't love that I seem to have lost one of the skeins of yarn. However, I have come up with a solution which will be revealed in due time. Right now I'm working on the back, so no need to worry and give it away. Giving you a small shot to see how it's coming along. It really is lovely to just knit and purl. Works well when watching baseball on TV. I was planning on working on this tonight at KnitWitz during knit in, but right now my stomach isn't cooperating with my and I've decided to stay in and sit in front of my own TV and knit away. I'll probably work on this some.

The other project I've been working on I don't have a picture of. It would be boring to show anyway as it's basically just a rectangle of stockinette stitch and reverse stockinette stitch. The real fun will happen when it's finished, felted and some finishing is done on it. I finished the larger of the 2 and am working on the smaller. The larger will be a needleroll for my straight needles, the smaller will either be for circulars or for dpn's. I'm leaning towards dpn's. They match a bag that I finished last year, but haven't put the handles on. Amazingly I don't have a picture of it either. How odd, was fairly sure I did. But, I will get one and add it later, so check back if you haven't seen it.

That pretty much sums up my week of needle arts. I am looking forward to this weekend. I'm planning on going to hang out with some other stitchers on Sunday. My friend Melody introduced me. I must decide what to take with me. They are mainly sampler people, so will probably take a sampler. I haven't worked on Blackwork Band at all this month so that's probably going in the bag, especially since it is both a class project and a UFO. (May being "May Memories" and devoted to class projects and UFO's.) Will have to see what else yells to be taken. Hopefully everyone will have a productive and fun weekend.

Tuesdays for ornaments?

Well, they are supposed to be, but last week didn't work out that way. I'm hopeful that this week will be better. I have two more ornaments to finish before I venture to Atlanta in July for a weekend of Harry Potter (the movie that is), stitching and perhaps some knitting. I am sure I will finish the stitching, not so sure about the actual finishing portion. But the important part is to get them finished so I'll know how much materials they take and can put the kits together for those receiving from me. The good news will then be that the rest of the year can be devoted to finishing some of the MANY ornament kits that I have collected over the last few years we've been doing this swap/exchange. Seriously, I have a lot.

In other news, I've been working on my HP Sock exchange socks. They are looking very interesting, if I do say so. I took them to knit-in on Friday and showed them around. I think everyone there liked what I am doing, so I'm hopeful others will like it as well. I did not, however, get time to work on my idea for a surprise item for my pal. Hopefully I'll find some time soon.

Finally, for those who may have been wondering...my father is doing better. We went to see his GI doctor yesterday, who ordered a couple of more tests to be run to make sure there are no more little places where he might be loosing blood. Daddy had to go today to have a blood test run, to check his levels, make sure he's building blood and not loosing again. I'm very grateful for his doctors who have been so thorough with this whole thing. It was scary and they were very quick to do what was, and is, needed to figure out what was going on.

And on that note...I'm off to stitch!--- I hope....

I present some finishes

Finally something to show for all the work I've been doing.

I found the right size of dpn's to complete the knitting of "the hat". I love the colors and I just know it will be so cute when I get around to doing the felting part. I need to felt a couple of other things, so I may have a "day of felting" soon. I just love how this pattern, from Pick Up Sticks, does the brim. Even though it looked like a really simple pattern, it did teach me a new technique, so I was really happy with that. Making the "tuck" is really cool and I think when it felts will really add to how it is shaped.

Second, I finally have a picture of my completed Monkey socks!!!!! Made from Jitterbug in the Jay colorway, I just love these. If there weren't so many other sock patterns I want to try I'd probably sit down and make another pair of these. When I was making them I wasn't quite sure if I'd have enough to make 6 repeats of the lace pattern on the leg, and when I measured it on my leg I wasn't sure I wanted the socks to be quite that high, so I did change the pattern and did only 4 patern repeats. Works wonderfully on me, so I'm happy. This was also my first experience with Jitterbug and I really liked working with it. It's got a great feel. This skein was a gift from my dear friend Jill, but I'm sure I'll be purchasing more in the future.

Finally I leave you with a glimpse of the socks I'm working on for the Harry Potter Sock Exchange. My pal is in Ravenclaw and I finally recieved my yarn on Friday. I sat down and started right away, so you see a bit of where I've gotten to. I have hit a snag. I had designed something to do at this point in the socks, but it appears I miscounted. (Really I do know how to count, but sometimes....) anyway, I've had to go back to the drawing board, so to speak and no progress can be made until I figure out what I want to do. The yarn is Louet Gems and I think it's very appropriate for Ravenclaw colors. Notice I went with the movie colors as my pal said she didn't care either way and I love the silvery color with the blue best. I really hope she likes them.

Speaking of the HP Sock Exchange, I've had an idea for a little extra something for my pal as she's an avid reader. I'm hoping to have a prototype made this weekend. If so, I'll post a picture and see what you all think.

May Already???

I'm not sure how it happened, but I looked at the calendar on my computer and it says it's May. Wow! Well, for those following along at home with the monthly theme this is "May Memories - UFO's and class projects". That means it's time to pull out the UFO and class projects that languish in my stash and do a little work on them.

I'm here to say that I have a lot of class projects in my stash that also qualify as UFO's. And by a lot I mean more then 20, heck maybe even more then 30. You see I like school, yeah, that's right I was that kid. I'm the one that liked to go to school and liked to learn new things. So when I discovered back in the early 90's that you could take classes for things like cross stitch, well I thought I'd discovered heaven. Not only were there classes, but there were whole conference like things you could go to and sign up for multiple classes over several days. This seemed to good to be true. Since I was, and still am, single and carefree, I decided to sign myself up for one of these. The best part was they had them in a town in NC very close to my first ever college roommate Maria. This meant I could visit Maria and while she was at work go take classes about needlework. Now, I'm sure you can foresee the initial problem. That first year I felt I had to cram as many classes into the time I had. So that's what I did. I left early in the morning from Maria's house to drive about 20 miles to the convention and take classes. I think that first year I signed up for 6, it's still a blur. What I do know is I learned from some really marvelous teachers, one of whom is still a friend. Over the years I made more friends going to these "festivals". Most memorable is my dear friend Heather. Maybe one day I'll let you in on that one. Let's just say a class with Rae Iverson and steak set the stage for a friendship that I treasure.

So, as you can see, I have plenty of things to choose from. I'll have to keep working on my ornaments for the exchange in July. The 3rd of 4 is coming along nicely I might add. But I imagine I'll work on some other things as well. I've already told you about the scissors keep from a class last year, I'm sure I'll work on it some. I haven't really looked hard, but I feel that Blackwork Band Sampler, another Moss Creek beauty seen here, is calling my name. (BTW, this is the class that Heather & I met in.) I've said for a couple of years now that I'm going to finish this one so I can take it to ASG. Perhaps it will happen this year.



In knitting news, I started the toe to the 2nd of the Monkey Socks. The finish is near! I'm very excited. Plus, my yarn for the Hogwarts Sock Exchange is in, so I'm planning on picking that up Friday at Knit-in. That way I can start on them at the shop. Very exciting news!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, my dad is feeling ok, but not great. I'll be glad when they do this second test to see if there are any more places where he's "oozing" blood internally. I think that will go a long way to helping him feel better. Thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers.