Absent, but not forgetting to knit & spin

I just realized that it has been over a week since I last posted to this blog. Working, knitting, spinning, and socializing.....but that is no excuse. Yes, it is, really. In the last week, I attended two knitting groups....one generic and one at my local yarn store.

I sort of fell off the yarn diet wagon...but Stacy so kindly informed me that what I bought was roving and not yarn, so technically, I am still ok. What I bought was Louet pencil roving in the color Thunderstorm. It is Wool Top and very soft and hardly needs any drafting at all. I thought I would participate in the August Spinning Challenge on the Ravelry Spindlers Group where the theme is Rainforest. I definitely think these colors work in the theme.

I have also been plying my third skein from my CVM fiber purchased in Estes Park. It should closely match in weight my second skein posted earlier.

I finished Mom's socks, but since it has been 23 days with the temp over 90 degrees here, I will wait till I gift them to her. I love the way these feel. Should be nice and toasty, whenever the cooler weather hits.

Tonight, at my LYS, I knitted again on the World's Biggest Sock. I was mistaken in my earlier post...... there are 10 circular needles that knit the circumference. We all knitted at once for this photo. In actuality, it really is an ugly combination of colors and textures, but what would YOU do for a posting in the Guinness Book of World Records. If you are in the Denver Area, be sure to stop by A Knitted Peace for your chance to knit on it and get your name recorded as a participant.

After the beast of a sock was removed from the table, a congenial group of knitters pulled out their own projects and continued knitting for a few hours. I had my BSJ with me, but forgott to bring the pattern. I knit a few rows, and put it aside to begin another project which has been calling to me. The BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) by Elizabeth Zimmerman, is starting to look pretty weird on the needles with the decreases and increases. I am still guessing where to put the stripes, but I think it is turning out well. I folded it up the way I think it is going, and I can see what the future holds. It will be pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

What I started was the February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne.

I decided to use my alpaca yarn purchased in Estes Park. It is thinner that I thought, once I started swatching, so instead of size 8 needles, I am using size 4, and will knit the extra large size, which should come out just about right for my size with the gauge of 22 stitches to 4 inches instead of the 18 which the pattern calls for. This pattern, like the BSJ, is adapted from an EZ baby sweater and is knit by rows, not inches. Since it is top down and raglan sleeve, I can try it on as I go to see if it is going to work out. I have 1600 yards of the alpaca, so it should be a lightweight lacy version of this sweater instead of the heavier weight of worsted... Glad I had Stacy there tonight to help me with the math!

So see, I haven't been a sloth this last week, but with the heat, there is a limited amount of time to relax at the computer when I have so much else going on. Oh, yeah, I did work a full week, went to Book Club (be sure to read The Double Bind by Chris Bojhalian) , visited Mom, and played in the garden too. No wonder I am tired. Off tomorrow and get to sleep in....zzzzzzzzz

This and That

The weekend was a success for all. I went to pickup Amanda at the airport, waited in the "45 minute holding area" for her call, and then headed to the west side of the departure area to pick her up, since she only had carryon luggage. I waited and waited and waited. She called again and said she was at door 611. Of course, the West side only has EVEN numbered doors--- she had gone out the east side. If anyone has ever been to Denver International Airport you know that it is quite a trek from one side to the other. I waited some more and there she was, relaxed as ever, and on the phone, as always. We had a lovely afternoon driving home, picking up Gary, going to lunch, and then over to my Mom's for a visit.

We then went to Target to buy baby gifts for her friend from high school who is due next month. Back home, it was time for her to get ready for her 10th High School Reunion. To me, she still looks the same as high school, but she had grown up so much inside and I really enjoyed our visiting. Before she left, we took photos, just like she was going to the Prom!

On Sunday I worked, and she was busy all day, but late in the evening, she came home and we talked some more. What a pleasure. Only the people who know us know what a challenge she used to be and how little time we were able to spend together before the conversations deteriorated into arguments. I like it so much better now...... Monday she flew home but not until we bought her a new sleeper sofa for her new apartment on the upper west side. It is a real 1 bedroom, and I want to make sure when I go to visit, I won't be sleeping on the floor.

Last week, I took care of a co-workers kitties while she was on vacation. Three times in the week I went over to take care of the litter box, feed them, air out the house, deadhead some roses, and water some plants. Sounds like work, but it was very nice, because she lives in a beautiful house with lots of open space around and she has a lovely deck in back. She also left me frozen margaritas in the freezer to enjoy. I spent a few hours each time relaxing on the deck, listening to my Ipod, knitting and enjoying the margaritas and sunsets. I finally remembered my camera on the last night.

Knitting update. I have begun the Baby Surprise Jacket by EZ to give to my college roommate's first grandchild due in January. I purchased Dark Horse Fantasy, which is acrylic and nylon. It is washable and very soft. I chose a pale shade of sage green and a multi color green. This is the first time I have tried this pattern and not knowing what I am doing, I am adding some stripes, but I have no idea where they will end up once the finished piece is folded into a sweater. I think this first batch of stripes is on the sleeve, but I am not really sure.

I started this pattern twice because I just didn't get it. Thanks again to Ravelry and the forums, I have found several explanations and alternative ways to do things here. I have chosen a different double decrease for the diagonal lines than the pattern originally calls for. I am using the following: slip 2 as if to knit, knit one, pass slip stitches over the knit stitch. What this does is lay a nice knit stitch diagonally on top of the garter stitches. On the wrong side, you purl the stitch which is behind the diagonal. If you have ever done the Jaywalker socks, it is the same double decrease there.

I have been spinning away on the blue green CVM fiber. I had a good amount on two toilet paper rolls, so I rigged up a Lazy Kate with a shoe box, and knitting needles.

Taking Jennifer's suggestion (thank you), from her comments on a previous post, I used my ball winder and wound the two singles together into a center pull ball, and began plying together from the OUTSIDE of this ball. It is going really well and I should be done with the 44 grams tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if the finished washed and skeined yarn is much thinner than the first skein from a few weeks ago. I feel like I am really spinning much more consistantly thin now and I will post a side by side shot of the two skeins when I finish it.

I still have lots of fiber to go, so I am sure I will have enough for a small project, not yet determined.