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July 26, 2006
Midnight before leaving
Tomorrow I will leave for vacation, and I finally prepared my vacation project packs. I try to stay reasonable, chose two brand-new projects along with two WIPs. Unfortunately, one of the wip is the sock for FIL:
The photo has taken yesterday, actually I have just turned the heel some minutes ago, but anyway I could not finish it before leaving. As you see, I am using Boye needles, so I cannot take it in the plane. I thought about to change the needles to banboo, but you know, the US metric and Japanese one is not exactly the same and I don't want to take a risk of getting deformed sock due to needle change, for the socks as a gift to someone. So the flight time isn't available to continue, my only way to finish is to bring it in the suitcase, keep it secret and knit. Oh-ah.
(besides, the trip with two boys won't let me anyway much time to knit...)
Contrary, I finished a tank for MIL but I have wrapped it before taking FO photo, so there is only the photo of its WIP state, one side joined:
The size looks nice, I hope it is acceptable for her...
And my vacation pack contains:
1)Seahorse tank in WIP
2)Hemp ponchette
3)sock for FIL in WIP
and, this:
This is also Claudia's handpainted yarn, in colorway "Turquoise Jeans". The other one which I have showed you in my last post is gorgeous, but the colorway makes me think rather autumn...so I chose this one for summer. I love this colorway, but when I made it in center-pull ball...
Can you see? the color is slightly different...I am making another Jaywalker with this yarn(yeah, I have not yet made a pair for my first Jaywalker, but I just need something new!!). As I cannot knit the current monotone sock, I will start it in the plane if I could sneak time...
Hoooray! I will be away for two full weeks, so my next post should be around August 11. I am going to France, I will report if I could score some goodies at next time!
Posted by trico at 11:43 PM | ???? (3)
July 19, 2006
Project IL
Now I am rather frantically knitting garments. One is the tank for MIL, which was supposed to be casted on July 1st and instead casted on July 15 actually. The pattern I chose is quite simple one, a fitted tank by Blue Sky Alpaca's design, so last week-end I have finished the front. (This pattern requires to start the front first) Now I am ribbing for the back and am quite optimistic about it. The problem is, while knitting this tank I thought I should knit something for FIL if I make something for MIL, decided to do it, looked into my stash and found the appropriate yarn for it, and casted on.
My project for FIL is simple socks, with self-patterning sock yarn. Not complicated. BUT, I will leave for summer vacation on July 27 for 2 weeks and we are heading to the very recipient's house. After all, I HAVE TO COMPLETE both projects by July 26.
You bet it isn't difficult? Yeah if I could stay at home without kids and work and making dinner for three full days. You know, but in my real life I have to pack for 2 weeks vacation for me and two kids, do laundries for it, organize all the errands beforehand, tidy up all loose ends for work and all, and I have only weekday evenings and one weekend to handle all of them. When I can knit??
So. anyway I am trying do what I have to do. Though, I will show you my first Jaywalker FO sock, just the first one.
I am liking really this pattern, but I just cannot start the second one...
Also, I have to show you an incredibly beautiful yarns and bits:
By some reasons a lady from US sent me these gorgeous goodies as a gift....the red variegated yarn is silk/cashmere blend, beige one is KnitPicks Alpaca Clouds, Artisanal precious fish button, and Susan Bate's COLORED ALUMINIUM DPNS set for sock!!!! Wow!! That made my current busy, gloomy and rainy day made brrrright and happy.
Besides, I have no photos of current IL projects. I will show you next time as FO, that tank minimum!
Posted by trico at 11:18 PM | ???? (0)
July 11, 2006
Life is short
Thank you ladies for your comments. My boys are not so good yet, but I can make it. It would be OK, soon. I know.
So let's talk about more pleasant stuff now. Let me show you my recent stash enhancement:
Sooooo beautiful, gorgeous sock yarn....Claudia's. The colorway "Donna's faborite". Now I keep my FIRST Jaywalker at the bottom of purse, and finally, miraclously I am finishing the first one, but I cannot wait to cast on the another sock! Not the another one of the pair of current Jaywalker, the brand-new sock to try this Claudia's yarn! Aww... Maybe it might be my another summer-vacation project to bring out with Hemp ponchette. And, I have just got these:
You know, cheap colored aluminium dpns. Since I have read Yarn Harlot's second book, I have searched and searched these needles, but could not find out it was Boye. For the photos of Boye dpn on online shop's page are normal silver, I could never know actually these would be colored one! The other day when Grumperina showed her needle collection on her blog, I sent her an e-mail to ask her the brand of her colored aluminium needles. She kindly replied me at once, with detailed explanation of color differences between Boye and Susan Bates. Oh how nice she is! Thank you Kathy!! You cannot believe why I have been looking for these cheap needles, but these are "rare" for Japanese knitter and I just wanted to try it.
But wait, if I bring Boyes for sock I cannot knit it in the plain...embarassing. (you know, I love that kind of embarassement to find a way out)
BTW, two full weeks later than planned, I finally finished my Coast:
That's just...imagined. Nice for size, good for now to wear, no surprizing. This garment is not so bad, but I don't think I am glad. After that, I resolved that I will never start to knit something for just "because I have these yarns" reason. Life is short, no time to waste. I want to enjoy knitting, that's not the way to tidy up stash.
Posted by trico at 09:56 PM | ???? (3)
July 03, 2006
lack of love
Since two weeks I have not knitted much. Currently I have mainly three projects, red tank, gray tank and purple tank. I love tank. It is OK, but why I have not been in the mood to knit?
For me, my motivation to knit consists of 1)instant practical use(I don't knit wooly item in summer), 2)love for yarn(color and touch), 3)love for the design, 4)my calmness of mind. The order isn't important, but I need all of them at the same time to keep the project going. Some days ago when I was thinking about it, I inspected my current project according to these conditions. I realised there is lack of love for the yarn for red tank, lack of love for yarn and design for gray tank, and lack of priority for purple tank.
Adding to that, I have been restless for weeks, due to illness of my boys. Not only I was worried about them, but also I was quite distressed to embarrass my co-workers because of my inability. I have been stressed by all of that recently.
People says often that knitting is very good activity as anti-stress and it works well. I am not doubtful about it for the others but it just doesn't work for me. When I was pregnant, knitting was something difficult for me, because I was so obsessed to the reality of having baby. I was too much busy to worry about the baby and health. There was no place for knitting in my brain at that time.
This past weekend, finally DS first's fever has gone, and instead at Sunday evening I found DS second had some skin problem which looks contagious one and if yes it would cause other bad day for me. I was devastated and stressed out, but I tried to be sane. This morning I brought him to the hospital and doctor told me it stays yet the incipient stage and he doesn't need antibiotics to take, just apply an ointment. I heaved a deep sigh of relief and was able to bring him to the day care and went to work. I made my day today, but I know tomorrow is the other day.
To be working-mother is sometimes quite difficult, you know. This is just one of that kind of days, but it prevent me from knitting. I have to be relaxed to enjoy it. How is it for you?
I have made center-pull balls of Blue Sky Cotton for my next tank for MIL, which was supposed to be casted on two days ago. It remains this status yet.