Sale on Etsy

I'm currently having a Holiday Sale at my Etsy Shop - I'm offering 10% off ANY purchase from my shop made today through December 25th. Check it out!

I made some bowls!

And I posted them on Etsy. Wish me luck.

The pictures I promised.

Somewhat Cowl, with 5.5ish" of ribbing at the neck... a little more to go.


Marvel Cowl (Wendy Bernard) with The Fibre Company's Canopy Sport in Wild Ginger - about 6" done so far:
Progress on my Danica (knitty) scarf for my Dad (I'm calling it Dadica).
And my nearly-finished-except for the buttons Drops 103-1 Jacket!

Update

So since the last post:
-I finished the body and have knit about 4" of the cowl on my Somewhat Cowl
-I am happy with the bottom of my DROPS jacket, after adding several more rows of double moss stitch, but I have not yet found buttons I like.
-I started and am more than half way done with my Marvel Cowl, by Wendy Bernard.
-I made red and white striped "legwarmers" for our greyhound's front legs... because I had leftover red and white yarn.
-I've also started a black and grey entrelac scarf (Danica from knitty.com) for my dad for Christmas (first time with Entrelac! I'm forcing myself to become more comfortable with picking up stitches).

More pictures to follow as soon as I get around to uploading them to the computer.

Whoops!

I apparently haven't posted in 1 month.
So, here's my progress on the Drops Jacket 103-1. Since this picture, I've finished the sleeves, made the collar, and I un-bound off the bottom because it was flipping up, and I think I wanted more length since I had leftover yarn. I'm adding more double moss stitch instead of just 2 rows then 2 rows of Garter. I've done 6 rows of double moss so far, will probably do a couple more.

Here's another picture of my Francis Revisited - I don't mean to look grumpy, but it was my 4th attempt of doing the self-timer. I couldn't get a nice sunny day for an outside picture, but at least it was still day-light.
And here's my Somewhat Cowl -- Since this picture I've started on the ribbing at the bottom. Another inch or so of ribbing to go.
Anyway, that's all for now.

More on the Drops jacket.

Got a little further on the Drops Jacket. See pictures below.
Not as much progress as I'd like though. I want to finish it soon so I can wear it before it gets too cold. At least Francis (see previous post) is ready for the cooler weather.

Internship + Assistantship + Classes (time spent in them, not so much the workload) is sucking up all of my perfectly good knitting time! And needing to get up at 6am means I should probably go to bed by 11 if I want my brain to work. Doesn't leave much time for fun stuff when I'm at grad school til 10 one night, and 7:30 on two other nights. On the plus side, I am really liking my internship despite it being unpaid (I just try to forget about that part).
Anyway:



Also finally finished ONE of the convertible fingerless gloves I'm making for the husband. But no picture of that yet.

My Francis is Finished!

So, I am quite happy to announce that my Francis is finished. 9 days, and 14 skeins of Mirasol Sulka later... here it is. This picture is kinda dark, I will have to try to take a picture outside during daylight, when it's not 80 degrees out (in NJ... in October!?) Anyway... this is such a warm and cozy sweater and i can't wait to wear it for real in a couple weeks when it cools off. Next up is my Drops Jacket in Olive Malabrigo Worsted. No, I'm not throwing gang signs, I needed a way to hold the front closed for the picture. I'm quite proud of myself here... This is my first time using a provisional cast on. With the help of Wendy Bernard's Custom Knits directions for top down non-raglan sweaters, I converted the Drops pattern from button up, needing to be seamed all over the place - to a top down with set in sleeves. So I had a provisional cast on for the shoulder... knit down to just below the arm shaping, put the stitches on a spare needle, unraveled the provisional cast on, and knit the front down, past the arm shaping, then connected to knit in one piece. I'll post all my modifications once I know if it works out ok!

I <3 Francis

So, I jumped right on the Francis Revisited pattern Friday night with my Mirasol Sulka. I decided this one was easier to start, because I'll have to play around with the Drops Jacket pattern a bit to make it as seamless as possible.
Here's my swatch:And by Saturday evening I had this much:Later Saturday night:And Sunday before bed I bound off the body! (Nice PJ pants, eh?)
I love it so far, and I can't wait to finish it. I love how it fits so far, it's slim-ish fitting, yet loose enough to wear a tank or a t-shirt underneath. It's going to be an awesome cozy warm sweater. Now I just need size 10 dpns... I found a set from someone who was destashing them on Ravelry this past weekend. (I thought I had 10s, but only have 10.5s...boo). But I may decide today that I am too impatient to wait, and go check out Michaels or JoAnns for a size 10 small circ. needle so I can get a start on the sleeves sooner...

Best Friday Ever.

I love getting mail!

Despite always having a couple works-in-progress, I'm planning my next few. And here they are.

1. Drops Jacket. (ravelry link).
2. Francis Revisited. (ravelry link).

After finishing Wicked, I've decided I'm in love with Malabrigo. So I ordered 5 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in Olive for the Drops Jacket. Long sleeves. Buttons all the way down the front (not just the top). Not so much of the A-line shape, a little more fitted at the bottom.

And, from a Ravelry swap about 2 months ago, I received a fantastic little skein of Mirasol Sulka yarn (merino/alpaca/silk) in Cocoa. And also love it. But was having trouble figuring out what to make with 1 skein. (and that 1 skein is only 55 yards). I basically decided I'd have to buy more. And I don't need another shrug at the moment. Nor do I need a plain scarf. But a big squishy warm sweater in this yarn would be fantastic for the winter. So I decided to splurge and get enough for a big sweater. So Tuesday, I saw that Verra Yarns (www.verrayarns.com) carries both Sulka and Malabrigo Worsted. And I happened to have a 15% off coupon from my previous label kit order that expired ON Tuesday. So I made up my mind and ordered it. at 10pm Tuesday night. And free shipping with $75 order. Also, I had some difficulties with getting my coupon code to work, emailed them (at 10pm EST) and got a response back in about 10 minutes with a functional code. The next day I got an email that it had shipped to me - I love it!

And so the package was on my porch waiting for me when I got home 15 minutes ago. And now I can't decide which to start first. Also I got another skein of Malabrigo in Pearl Ten to make some fingerless mitts for my sister for Christmas. (Pearl Ten on the left).
In other knitting news...
The textured tunic is no longer. Well, it is taking a nap while I figure out what to do with it. With the weight of the rest of the sweater (I knit all the way to the bottom, bound off) - the box stitch section starts at the fullest part of my chest. It looks funny, and doesn't even deserve a picture. I'm bummed because I got the shaping just right! I'm just not sure what to do with that box stitch section...

But my Somewhat Cowl is going strong-I've finished the second skein- as is the Hemlock Ring Throw -- but I've ordered a 40" cable from Knitpicks to accommodate the ever growing number of stitches - and the Harmony 10.5 tips (I figure this is a good way to try out those needles so I can determine if I want to ask for the Harmony Interchangeable Set for Christmas).

Is it possible to have Knitting ADHD?

Or maybe Knitting OCD -- as I compulsively cast on new projects and I obsess about knitting when I'm not knitting (like the 38 hours a week I'm at my internship, or the 10 hours a week I'm working my grad. assistantship, and the time I spend in my car driving between these places, and possibly while sleeping).

well, my Wicked is finished, and blocked, and now I want all my sweaters to be made from Malabrigo.

Determined to not let my new busy schedule get in the way of my knitting, I've also been working on the following projects:

The Somewhat Cowl, by Wendy Bernard with Blue Sky Alpaca Silk I bought from another Ravelry User. I started this last night despite the many other projects I have going right now, but I really wanted to try out the yarn:Textured Tunic (ravelry link) from Fitted Knits with the Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed I picked up on sale at the Woolly Lamb back in March maybe - I started this sometime last week i think, and since taking this picture I've gone another 3-4" or so:
Convertible Gloves for the hubby, a Knitpicks Pattern, using KP Wool of the Andes, Soot Kettle Dyed yarn:And Fetching, from knitty.com made with one skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran I picked up from another Ravelry User. I finished these Thursday night I think:
Also, earlier this week I was able to go pick up my Cascade 220 Superwash that I had ordered back at the end of August from the Woolly Lamb with my birthday coupon. I got 7 skeins (1540 yards?) to make the Hemlock Ring Throw from Brooklyn Tweed as a wedding gift for my friend getting married at the end of March. I'm into the second skein already:

Wicked busy.

I'm very disappointed to report that my knitting is suffering while I attempt to juggle my full time internship; 10 hours of my grad assistantship; and two 2 hour 40 minute classes each week. But alas, I am trying to do the best I can to make my Wicked (zephyr style pattern) with Malabrigo in Rich Chocolate.I'm obsessed with Malabrigo already and this is only my first project with it. I want all of my sweaters to be this soft! This picture is actually from earlier this week, I am about to bind off the body and start the sleeves today. More pictures to follow.

I'm hoping once I adapt to my new schedule I can make it to Panera for the knitting group once in a while! But getting up at 6am is killing me, even though I was up by 7 every weekday over the summer. It's been getting darker in the mornings too, which doesn't help. Mondays are definitely going to be the worst, starting my internship at 7:30am, then heading straight to work for 4 hours until class, which ends at 10pm. I'm sure I'll get used to it soon... :-X

Not at all Knitting Related

ACCENT: Apparently the people of NJ notice my Rochester, NY accent - I don't really know what I say differently though.

BREAKFAST OR NO BREAKFAST: Always breakfast or else my stomach will eat itself.

CHORE I DON’T CARE FOR: Cleaning the bathroom.

DOG OR CAT: Our dog Molly.

ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS: Digital Camera

FAVORITE COLOGNE: Victoria's Secret Angels Heavenly

GOLD OR SILVER: Gold - the white kind.

HANDBAG I CARRY MOST OFTEN: Always my Vera Bradley wallet, the bag I throw it in changes a couple times a week.

INSOMNIA: Never

JOB TITLE: School Psychology Intern + Graduate Student + Financial Aid Graduate Assistant

KIDS: Not for at least a couple years.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: Apartment with husband and dog and my yarn

MOST ADMIRABLE TRAIT: Sense of humor?

NAUGHTIEST CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR: I apparently went through a butt-pinching phase when I was around five? Other people's, that is.

OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAY: Nope.

PHOBIAS: Spiders, and these really big slugs that I only learned about after moving to NJ.

QUOTE: Quotation. It was a pet peeve of my 11th grade English teacher for people to incorrectly use the word 'quote' (a verb) as a noun.

REASON TO SMILE: husband, dog, almost done with my grad program

SIBLINGS: one younger sister

TIME I WAKE UP: It was 6:45 over the summer in preparation for my 6am wake up call for the school year.

UNUSUAL SKILL OR TALENT: My friends say I have a mental rolodex for people's names from high school and college & random facts

VEGETABLE I REFUSE TO EAT: I can't think of a veggie I don't like.

WORST HABIT: Procrastination

YUMMY STUFF: Wegmans buttercream frosting, found on their cakes & the white half of their half moon cookies

ZOO ANIMAL I LIKE MOST: Monkeys

Finished FLS

I finished my February Lady Sweater Last week, here it is:

Good News!

The Mossy Jacket survived a cycle in the washing machine & dryer. I'll be mailing it off to my friend in NC tomorrow! And I got to use my "Hand Knit by Amanda" tags for the first time.

Absurd, I know: A second post on the same day.

Alright, so I received my buttons from Etsy in the mail today, and now I will post about them. I went ahead and sewed on the three buttons for my February Lady Sweater.

And, I'm trying to decide which buttons to add to my Puff-Sleeved Feminine Cardigan, from Fitted Knits. Leaning towards the white.

And I also wanted to add that I bought some cool yarn from Flying Fingers' online store the other day. I think I ordered it Monday, and it came Wednesday or Thursday.
Hopyard Potluck Yarn -- apparently this normally goes for $16/sk, it was on sale for $4/sk. It's 75% New England grown Lambswool, 25% Alpaca. 100 yards, 5 oz/skein. Bulky. May do some felting with it, haven't decided yet. I actually expected to get three very different skeins, didn't expect three similar ones. The colors remind me of the Noro Kureyon I used for my Maine Morning Mitts

And, Farmhouse Yarns Andy's Merino in Balsam Fir. On Ravelry, they only list it in 200 yard skeins, but I bought these in 100 yard/2 oz skeins. Flying Fingers normally sells this for $10/sk, but it was on sale for $6/sk. I've been on a green kick lately, or maybe the past year, so I picked this color.

I have enough to make myself a sweater. When I finish the February Lady Sweater, of course. I will try really hard not to cast on another new project before I finish the FLS! I think I'll have to do something like knit from two balls at the same time so I don't have any weird striping though, as the color obviously varies alot within the same skein. Now I'm torn... when I start my Wicked sweater... do I use this stuff, or do I use my Malabrigo in Rich Chocolate?Or do I make 2 Wickeds?

If anyone reading this knows of another good preferably seamless, top-down sweater, I'd love to hear suggestions!