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December 27, 2006
Holiday episode
On my last post, I showed you my FO socks and it was sent out on December 21. After that FO, what I had on hand was a scarf for my DH. On 21th, it was just a bit longer than dishcloth, and at that night I didn't knit much. But I've got an ambition, it suddenly was fell on me at night during sleep. When I got up in the morning of 22th, I determined to finish the very scarf to offer him as a holiday gift.
The road was quite steep, for not only I had only two days and these days were counted yet as "working at home" period, so I could not have much time to devote knitting in daytime, but also my DH had been already off the work for holiday and stayed at home. It was a kind of gamble, which I really don't know if I could win.
On 22th, however, luckily it was very sunny bright day and DH planned to go for a long walk visiting parks around the area as many as possible, with kids. Oh I jumped to get this opportunity, got them off with a wide smile, and scored two hours straight knitting time. Thanks to this unexpected time, I could see a bit of the prospect.
At the night after DH went to bed, I worked until around 3am, and the scarf progressed more than half. On 23th, in the daytime there was no much time I could sneak, and I just waited until night time...but this day, DH didn't go to bed as the day before, instead he started to watch a film. From where he was, he could not see my position and what I do, but if he come, it was just some steps to see me. First I have waited a bit but I could not waste time anymore, so I prepared very cautiously around me. I had my wip scarf on the knee, but at the same time I had my Electra(yes, it is. I have not YET completed to weave in ends, and he knew I was working on it time to time)and covered the wip. the yarn was aside and in a bag, which is put on the floor between the chair and wall, so he normally doesn't see.On the table in front of me, I opened a pattern book and I even put another wip, super-easy leg warmer, a darning needle, a scissor aside of the book.
And I knit....carefully. I could know when he get up and come, it is the moment after he switch off the light. I could hear it.
And after a while, I did hear the tiny noise of it so I covered and hide my knitting with Electra cardi, took the darning needle and an odd-end from Electra's front boader. He came near me and looked the cardi, innocently with sympathy (because he knew I complained how long and annoying to weave in all the ends), said something, and went to bed without noticing anything.
Oh yes, after that I worked until the scarf is complete. it was 4:53am in the morning of 24th. I DID. THE SCARF WAS DONE. Yey!!!
when it just completed, it was like that:
the both ends and sides were a little curly...but after steaming with iron, it became perfectly flat:
LOOK! I love so much this "Shifting Sand" scarf designed by Grumperina. Like as Jaywalker, her pattern is perfect and very confortable to knit, and so addictive for me...Wanna see close-up?
Oh this thousands cabling pattern made me accuired the technique perfectly. I am so glad about it. And after this FO, I WANT To do more! I will make another SS scarf for myself for sure, very soon.
And for those who are interested in the wrong side of the scarf, here it is:
It is like densely patterned reverse-stockinette stitch. It is also quite beautiful I think, so far my DH too. He LOVES this scarf pattern for both side, imagine how happy I am. People, I made it!
So what I've got instead as a holiday gift? Will show you at the next post.
Posted by trico at 11:44 PM | ???? (2)
December 21, 2006
ta-da
While you are finishing the 6th pair of socks or scarf for holiday gift, I am just finishing only one pair of socks, Yesterday night, to send out today.
This is a fresh FO photo at night under artificial lighting. I am glad it turned out very gorgeous.
This photo was taken this morning, before making package. I put a data card of the yarn with it, and sent by EMS post mail. Wish it could arrive during holidays...
You ask why I don't knit or show you anything for my family? Oh, I show you a gray scarf for DH. But yes, there is no gift knitting for kids. Because they believe Santa Claus and they don't think what I am knitting is a gift from him. For other members of family?? Because, I am just....not as productive as you.
BTW, I don't blame my so-little knitting productivity level to my working-mother-wife situation. I know very well it is due to my PC addictive attitude. If I won't consume my time to just looking at PC screen to read blog and visit online shops SO MUCH, I would be much more productive than now. Well, I would try, next year.(very easy to say, ha!)
Now, it is a quite big moment for me. it is the time of transition of life, at the end of a year.
This year, there was such a many things happened to me, both good and bad, like you I imagine. Now, I feel a bit of sorrow, and relief. At the same time, though, I am qhite thrilled to open my new life and year altogather. I will stay at home, to be a wife and mother. And I have already some plans to start...including knitting, of course.
After all, I know I am lucky and have to be thankful. I have what I need, enough and even more than that...(hey, I don't speak about my stash yarns!)
Anyway, this is a holiday gift for my own:
Now I am sock-yarn addict...
Posted by trico at 11:32 PM | ???? (3)
December 14, 2006
half and half
OK, what can I tell you now?
My working life will end at the end of this month. I am half sad, half relieved. I will go to work actually three more days, and that's all. Tidy up all loose ends now at office. Imagine what I want to do first after the retirement? Knitting? NAW. Of course I do too, but before that, I am dying to clean up everywhere at home. It should be a good sport to start a new life, I guess and I look forward to doing it, kind of happy.
WIP sock doesn't progress....Oh yes, I am in a hurry but just cannot.
I am glad I remembered the short-row heel. Thanks to the yarn, it looks very neat. I LOVE this yarn. But this is yet the first sock and I wanted to ship it before 20th....ugh.
And I have now another WIP, a secret project. This secret is, not for you but for my DH.
No, it is not a dishcloth.
This is a gray scarf for him, with Adrienne Vitaddini's "Daniella". This yarn is 90% merino and 10% cashmere aran weight, I LOVE SO MUCH this yarn's heavenly softness. The gray is matching DH's winter hat and I have bought this yarn last year, and kept it just in my stash. The other day when I found Grumperina's this pattern, I immediately thought the pattern is perfect for the waiting project. I believed I had DK yarn but actually Daniella is aran weight, so I ajusted a bit for the number of stitch but friends, this pattern is so fun to knit, and besides I have learned "cable without cable needle" method to make it, for this pattern contains more than 2,000 cabling(if used DK weight, I mean). As the result, I could take away my annoyance against cable pattern now! This Shifting Sands is soooo beautiful for eyes, yet it isn't complicate. I don't think I could complete this scarf by Christmas realistically, but I will within January so that DH can use it within this winter...
Posted by trico at 11:32 PM | ???? (3)
December 10, 2006
short row heel
On Thursday midnight, I took my WIP sock and started to knit heel. That day the slow progress has allowed me to reach that part. This time it is a Japanese short-row heel, and I concentrated not to make any mistake. I knit it, carefully, slowly in the dark silence. To calm down my disordered and desolate spirit.
Friends, it worked quite well. Short-rows is a good prescription for me.
On Friday, my DS second got a fever and found at hospital that he had to take ten full days of antibiotics. The doctor said he can return to the daycare when the fever calmed, but I am not sure if the daycare accept the infected baby. I cannot go to work until Monday minimum.
In the midest of the quite serious discussion for job, it just looks me something like a revelation.
Anyhow, he gets sick even if the moment isn't appropriate at all. Illness doesn't care the convenience, of course. NEVER EVER.
Soon I will leave and get the liberty in exchange for an identity which I wanted to keep as a social individual. The good part is , that I made a peace with my situation, finally.
BTW, I sneaked a photo of DH, who put on Jaywalker sock.
He loves it and it makes me very happy!
Posted by trico at 10:42 PM | ???? (1)
December 04, 2006
tangled
My yarns are smooth, but now my working life is quite tangled. I am frastrated, stressed out. Communication doesn't go well, the more I say something, the more the problem is hide...
Now, I am thinking all the time about it, especially when I am knitting. I found out if the problem is too difficult, I can scarcely concentrate even knitting. If not too much, knitting is a good way to think something deeply. my current relation with knitting is like that.
Cactus Flower is devided and finished the front, now slowly I am knitting the back. The new sock doesn't progress much. I am planning to do short-row heel this time.