I would totally post a new picture of Imogen

But no matter how much I knit, it looks exactly the same. Blob.

I am, however, 4 sets of short rows from finishing the short rows. Then I decide if I want to keep going or wrap it up. But I think it will be about 24 inches across the fronts, with 20 inches across the back (unblocked. That seems like it will have a good two inch overlap and I can finish her off. Anybody think I can do it tonight before I fall asleep?

I sincerely hope to have a finished and modeled sweater sometime tomorrow.

Then what shall I do...

Peace.

And now to pay it forward

Having been named by Heide, I must pay the happiness forward and name seven of my favorite blogs so here goes! I will leave out some ubiquitous ones (this means you, Yarn Harlot) as everyone would list them but here are some people who have been supremely nice to me as a cyber friend and a couple in real life.



I got to meet Star a couple of years ago when we were both entering yarns in the L.A. County Fair. She's as nice as can be and has done some yarn crawling with me. I drove her yarns to the fairgrounds that year and have been keeping up with her exploits ever since. She's moving to Portland this spring but I sure hope she keeps blogging!

I get a huge kick out of Rose-Kim's blog, especially her "What the Hell is this" feature on Thursdays. Snarky, sure. But always right!

Rainy is a person I met over the tubes and then in real life. She's having a rather hard week/year and could use some cyber hugs. She's a terrific mom, knitter and spinner and I hope everyone goes over for a visit! When are we spinning together again?

Trek is another blogger I've met in person. She lives out near my mom and very kindly invited me to her knitting group last summer vacation. She has a cutie little Neatnick and a wonderful way with words.

Can you tell I like actually meeting you all?

Three more...

I know a lot of people read Cara's blog, but I'd like to give her a little encouragement, as some people seem to be very critical of her postings sometimes. I like hearing about her pregnancy tribulations as well as her fibery pursuits and her photography is UNBELIEVABLE!

Someone who's been very kind and helpful to me without even knowing it, I'm sure, is Melanie at Pink Lemon Twist. When I first got DSL and didn't know anything or anywhere to go, I used Melanie's blog as a sort of a hub from which I found all kinds of great stuff as well as really enjoying her blog itself. Thanks, Melanie!

And finally (although by no means is this the last person who's been nice to me over the tubes) Faith at The Needle and the Damage Done. Super mom, super knitter, super spinner and all around fun blog with lots of photos of her lovely family in Europe. She had a new baby, Daisy, this year and is really a breath of fresh air.

So that's it for now. Guess I'm supposed to let everybody know they're listed here and put up the button. Huge thanks to Heide for including me and for putting me on your blogroll! You would be here, too, if you weren't upstream!

And I would like to say that of course Edwards has dropped out, I just ordered my lawn sign. Sigh.

Peace.

She likes me, she really likes me!

Heide has kindly given me a blog award and I am SO dorkily excited about it!

However, just in case someone comes over here, I figured I'd better have a real blog post, eh?

Have been experimenting with new video camera which also takes still pictures. It's great and will be wonderful to carry one camera, small and lovely, rather than two when great dpi is not needful. But the still cam is still better for stills, who would have guessed it! Same thing in reverse, of course. I wanted the new video camera because I was taking lame videos with the still camera, which is not its best feature. So now I am replete with fabulous equipment, thanks D!! I also finally figured out why the screen on the still cam didn't come on in regular mode and turned it back on, yay!

Anyway, some okay pictures and some better ones:

Imogen progresses apace and may very well be finished...are you ready?...Today!

I have enjoyed this pattern and am hopeful that the sweater will be warm, squishy and worn a lot. It would also be a great pattern for handspun (hmmm....) singles yarn.

Of course, I needed something mindless for Family Game Night on Sunday (but I didn't end up taking my knitting out at all) so I cast on for the Gentleman's Fancy Sock in Trekking that I got in a trade on Ravelry:


I only cast on 64 (the pattern is 80 stitches for a men's size 9) and it might be too small but it was an emergency. Might go away. And anyway I NEED to be knitting with handspun. I shall get Pomotamus out again and now that I'm not sick to death or practicing for my recital I need to get on the stick about dyeing for the Fair sweater.

I will finish this blog post with some (but by no means all) of my favorite children:



DS's first experience of paintball with the cousins. They weren't allowed to shoot at him and he had something like 6 BB's to work with. But he had a good time.



J's younger daughter G at her birthday party at American Girl. Which led to another trip there for DD to purchase her own doll, very successful. Happy birthday, G!

And finally, DD and her friend B (who has moved away, so sad) at DD's birthday party at Club Libby Lu. They have been made over into Hannah Montana! And Daddy had to take them, LOL!!!



I was basically too sick to stand up for that long.

Next up, the felted slippers that turned out like giant paws (but I'm wearing them anyway)!

So that's a bit of an update. Soon with the dyeing, the modeled sweater, the plying, the John Edwards yard sign. Hope you're having a great day! Bye-bye, Rudy, it's been fun!

Peace.

Not dead yet...

Feeling much better...

Knitting away on Imogen (have reached the first sleeve) and wanting to wear it in the pouring rain.

I will try to get photos up today.

Still fantasizing about how to make my own Kureyon for the Fair sweater. I've decided against Kauni for this project, as I think I will make myself crazy and Bettna would be fun, fun, fun and easy. And singles yarn. Is it too lazy to make a worsted weight singles sweater rather than a sportweight 2-ply fairisle? Well, not TOO lazy, just LAZIER.

Hope you're feeling better, too!

Peace.

M.I.A.

Sorry, sick again, like "let me die" sick. Seem to be coming out of the abyss, however slowly.

Sadly, too sick to knit.

And now DS has a temperature and is staying home today. I shall hereby let him play the Wii.

Anybody got any cyber-soup?

Peace.

WIP Wednesday

Mostly a list but here goes.

I swatched and cast on Imogen today out of my Christmas Manos del Urugay:

Isn't that a pretty cobalt blue? Just about perfect. Of course the pattern calls for size 9's so I had to go down to 7's, but the fabric is so much nicer at the real gauge.

I'm spinning up the end of the Celebration roving from Spunky Eclectic:

When that is plied, I will have two empty bobbins and I hope some laceweight that I actually like. It will probably wait for the fair. Unless it's not quite good enough, in which case who knows.

Evil Raglan is done except to steek or not to steek (probably will, but not tomorrow):

Sorry for the bad picture. Too dim, too far away, too everything. Might wear it as a pullover till the weather warms up. I love how the sleeves turned out just right.

Other stuff OTN, but hibernating, except for socks that I started for mindless knitting at camp training and knit on the plane, but no pictures.

Good enough? Think so!

Have a lovely!

Peace.

Another Milestone

I have apparently uploaded more than 200 photos to Flickr and now can only access the most recent 200 or upgrade to a not-free account. Who knew?

Christmas was a mixed bag, although, of course, lovely to see family from far away. We were sick, sick, sick and didn't really recover (still haven't entirely) until the Friday after Der Tag. Then we went to PA to visit DH's family but by the time we got back my poor mother had come down with the bug, too. Sorry about the germs, mom!

However, we still had a good time and gave and received many lovely gifts!

Today's photo, the modeled Arwen:



I think it really came out great. It fits, thanks to those reversible cables on the sleeve cuffs, and looks great on mom!

In other knitting, I finished DD's Fetchings:

And my own. But I couldn't find one for a few days so I haven't taken pictures. I must also take pictures of the BIG presents we got, and they are BIG. And FUN.

More later!

Peace.

If I can get my sh*t together

I will post a video of the kids opening their Wii. Shrieks!

I think that 2008 is going to be the year of the sweater. This will mean more sweater knitting than 2007, which if I really think about it, was a 4 sweater year! (Rogue, Top down green sweater, Wallaby, Arwen) Yikes!

I also need to make some more socks before more of these give up the ghost. I went to reheel my Koigu socks and figuring out how to get them back on the needles was a HUGE pain. I may have to start doing all my heels and toes in contrasting colors, just to find them more easily the second time. I also think that unfortunately Koigu is not the best choice (I knew this) as those socks have been worn less than any other pair other than the very first handspun and already need new heels and toes. They are also rather boring color wise so I might let them go...

Anyway, sweater plans! You all (that would be like three people) know about the Kauni sweater I will be spinning for all spring, that's one. I also really want a Must Have Cardigan. I must have it (oh, did I really just write that?!?). I need to finish my Evil Top-Down Raglan (possibly in the next three days) and Scoop du Jour (give me another week or so). That's four. Summer Braids has been lurking for quite a while. Bettna! Tangled Yoke! Oh, and my Christmas trip to the LYS in NJ yielded enough Manos del Uruguay for an Imogen (which may be first as it is easy and quick). Eight. Doable, right? No deadlines helps.

Yes, I have a thing about cardigans. The thing is, in my climate, it gets chilly often but not really cold. A layer to throw on is a lovely thing, but a pullover doesn't get wear except on vacation. I absolutely want a Philosopher's Wool sweater someday. But not yet! And the kids' Wallabies will last them another year for sure. DH could use socks or something, but doesn't wear sweaters. I think I'm in the clear! There could be baby gifts in the offing, I suppose but those are small and easy to work into the queue.

So no resolutions except to spin every day (I'm doing NaSpiMoMo with Margene, et al. over at Ravelry) and get a handspun sweater into the Fair.

Sound like fun? Does to me!

Off to it!

Hope you had a safe, happy, joyous holiday and new year's!

Peace.