Mr. Sandman

Mr. Sandman, bring me a seam.

Make them the cutest seams that I've ever seen

Give me two seams like invisible and kitchner

Then tell me that my seamless nights are over

Sandman, I’m so alone

Don’t have no seams to call my own

Please turn on your magic seam beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a seeeeeam.

Well the Must Have Cardigan's seam dream came true this weekend. The Sandman brought seams. Whether or not they are "the cutest seams that I've ever seen" is still up for dicussion. Now all thats left is the steaming of the seams and some button action. Pheww, I think my finishing patience has been stretched this week, so much that I gave myself a reprieve and cast on for some boot socks for my Dad. I love socks, socks are my soul mate of knitting. No pattern needed, its all upstairs, portable, gratifying and best of all very little seaming.

Well you might have noticed, there are no pictures yet. I know what your thinking," HA she didn't seam those projects, where's the proof. Take my word for it K. After seaming, both projects got sent to the naughty corner with their noses to the wall. I didn't want to look at them, seaming makes me cranky. Go figure.

Anywho, more than seams were accomplished this past few days like this. A 1000 piece winter scene puzzle. And to avoid anymore torment from my four year old about when we were putting up our Christmas decorations, I finished 3/4 of that too. The garland and lights the skating rink and village, and a wreath or two, check.

Progress Made

Yesterday I managed to complete my Fuzzy Wrappy Cardigan. I finished sewing up the dreadful piece of knitwork and crocheted the wrappy edge. I love the look of the Patons Divine but for someone who hates the process of finishing up Divine is definately not going to win me over in that catagory. I am extremely happy with the fit and now just have to find the perfect pin to close it up. The pattern calls for a ribbon, but nahhhh, that means more sewing. Picture to come once it's had a bath, and shed some of it's hair so that when I take it off it doesn't look like I've been wrestling with a cat.

Last night was our groups Knit Night, coffee,dessert and the company was great. Many from our group are doing their Christmas knitting, so alot of Fuzzy Feet and Felted Slippers on the neddles. I finished up my hellish lovely Wrappy cardigan I made good work of fondling all the yarn with visions of new projects dancing in my head. The Fleece Artist Merino in a gorgeous red/pink and a rich brown and grey mix. Then I cheated on the Fleece Artist with the sport weight in a deep chocolate brown,green,blue. Oohhh, it would have looked so nice in my basket by the fireplace. But the in the end I showed great restraint and it was enough to dream and I decided that if it was there next week it was meant to be.

Since my last post I have started a new project, the Peru Alapca Earflap hat for my husband. The picture is of the three colours of Alpaca he lugged home (on cones) all the way home from his soccer trip to Peru. I also have two auctions ending this weekend for Dale of Norway Olympic patterns so wish me luck and hope I win the auction. This is all to divert my attention away from the Must Have Cardigan that only needs to be put together. I've banished it so long now I forget how much I have left to do, I think half a sleeve and side seams. Maybe this weekend.

Photo Shoot

(Click me, I'm cute)
Yesterday after updating the sidebar, I discovered I hadn't taken pictures of several of my finished objects. So after dinner "L" helped me track down those knits and the photo shoot commenced. I think "L" has a knack for this picture taking stuff, at four he may already know what he wants to be when he grows up. "How you say dat? A Tographer?" Close.

After taking pictures of our family of hats (I made these earflap hats last year for my family)"L" thought it would look great to wear them all. Notice my felted cookie monster gloves on his hands. What a ham! Upon closer inspection of this picture I realized that it looked like he was wearing a Doulbe D knitted bra!

So I have added some more FO's to the Gallery but unfortunately Flickr has told me, "Whoa! You have used up 100% of your uploads for this month! Dangnabit!" That's ok I will have something intresting to add next month.

Updates

Well the MHC is still seamless. Yes, it sat untouched all of Sunday while I was being a domestic goddess. OK, well maybe not goddess maybe a queen or princess. There was laundry, and bball practice, and groceries to buy and put away, floors to be vacuumed. You get the picture. I did however, have time to cast on for my husband's Peru alpaca ear flap hat. No picture yet.

I also updated my sidebar ever so slightly, I have removed those items I have finished and opened up a gallery, with some old and new items.

P.S. Thank you to those that commented I appreciate the compliments and I love to hear from those that read.

Seaming Seams

Yes, I am finally making a dent in the seaming of the Must Have. Why is it taking so long, simply because when I learned to knit, I never thought ahead. I didn't realize there would come a day when I would have to sew. I love to knit, but detest sewing up. acck, patoooe. Sorry to all those sewers out there. I've already decided that when the socks I knit get holes that I must trash them and knit more. Logical for the sewing challenged, more knitting less sewing.

Earlier this week my husband, after throwing a load of laundry in, says to me in an off hand way. "Oh, hey I was looking at one of your magazines." I immediately stop what I'm doing, I am in shock. (The only magazines I own are knitting related, you see my surprise) "I think I saw something that I might like." And off he goes to retrieve said magazine, while I sit in rapt attention. He's taking an interest, not like when I had to force him to just TRY the socks I knit for him. He comes back flipping through my newest Knitters mag, and says " Yeah this one, I like it." hands it to me and back off to the laundry room. I'm thinking a hat, but a hat it was not. NO NO NO my man has some knitting taste, the magazine lay open to the ad for the new Dale of Norway Torino Olympic sweater.
http://www.beaellisknitwear.com/images/enlarged/torino2006.jpg

What's a girl to do after a request like that? Hunt down every online shop to see where I can get the pattern of course, and my mind is whirling with yarn choices. The truth is I'm just scared he's going to change his mind, better get it on the needles ASAP.

Finito

The picture of the finished Vogue Vest. This was a great quick project. Well, quick if you used the same yarn and needles called for, not AS quick when you change those and don't check gauge. Annnnnnyways, I love this vest, it's perfect for work. I wore it today with a pink shirt, and on the weekend with a striped shirt in different shades of purple so it's definately versatile. You might notice the armhole and shoulder edges are rolling a bit, I'm going to try and fix that. But overall I am very happy with this vest. *click the photo for a better look.

Yarn Prizes

What can be better than that? UMMMM, Nothing! I received my prize yesterday. Generously donated by Anne, from the Give a Little campaign for Katrina Relief. Not only did she send the yarn described in the prize, but a handmade soy candle that smelled so delicious I couldn't keep my nose out of it. Pearberry was the scent and the tin was beautifully decorated with seaglass and decorative wire. Anne, the extra skein of Canadian wool you sent along is now happy to be "home" in it's country of origin, and we both thank you. What a great ending to a day that started out a little shaky.

Rest In Peace Copper

It is with great sadness I announce the passing of our guinea pig Copper. He was a member of our family for four years, we will miss that famous squeak. Predeceased by his friend Jersey the long haired guinea pig. He was laid to rest in the backyard beside his best buddy this afternoon. R.I.P. Copper, my boys say you are welcome in pet heaven and have wrapped you in your special blankie for the journey.

This afternoon was a difficult day for the boys and probably harder for me. That's the problem with having pets, they die. As much as all that chomping on the metal water bottle annoyed the heck out of us, the quiet now reminds us that he is gone, My husband even said "How sad, no more squeaking EVERY time I walk in the room." (At least someone acknowledged my husbands comings and goings)

The Long and Short of it.

It's going to be a long weekend, short on knitting. This weekend another tournement, this time Taekwondo. We spent 4 1/2 hours there today, Kendal was testing for his #7 GUP (yellow with green stripe)First was Pomsee, then Sparring and finally kicking he did well in all, and I was very surprised at how well he broke his board. Tomorrow is competition, so I should be able to make a good dent in the sock kntitting department. I hope to finish picking and sewing the button band on the MHC on Sunday. I do have an FO, my Vogue Vest is done and I wore it today, I love it. There's a few things I could have changed if I would have actually thought the pattern through, but I like it just the same. Hopefully I will have picture to show on Monday. My next project in the line up will have to be my husbands earflap hat, made with the Alpaca he brought me back from his trip to Peru last November. I will have a full report on Monday about how flat my ass was from sitting on the hard bleachers of the Civic Center. I'm kidding, a full update on knitting news and otherwise.

Less is More?

One could hope that less is more, because I got less knitting done last night. I had to take back about 5 inches of knitting on the piece I showed yesterday, which will eventually become this (without the stripes), from VOGUE knitting Winter 2004/05.



The stars must not have been aligned, or I didn't hold my tongue right because this piece of knitting was much to big after the ribbing. Because it certainly had nothing to do with the fact that I used different yarn, different needles and didn't check gauge. Gauge, schmage! We must soldier on so instead of ripping out all that hand cramping ribbing I decreased enough after the ribbing at the start of the stocking stitch to make it less "poofish". I know I lost you at poofish, these technical terms are difficult to dicipher, my apologies.

On the finishing front: NONE, NADA, ZIP.

Pressure Tactics

Resulted in this, no not the finished object as demanded, but a new WIP. The pattern is from a previous Vogue Knitting Mag. I think from winter 2004, I am knitting this from yarn I had in the stash, amazing I know. It is a cotton blend and very soft, and very heavy, it will be perfect for the office with a white collared shirt underneath. While I love the look and feel of the yarn, it is difficult on my hands to knit with. It was supposed to be knit flat but I am knitting it in the round due to the inches of ribbing and st. stitch. and less sewing up. We all know where the sewing up leads.... D E N I A L !!!

Well it seems that I don't respond well to pressure, I'll do what I want when I want damnknit! I think that I put a little to much on my " to do" list, not to mention that I forgot I would be spending most of the weekend away from the house. My son had a mid-season minor basketball tournement, they came in 6th. There are only 6 teams in his division, but they played very well, and the team received the Most Sportsmanlike Team award. I played bball in elementary school, but never in highschool. I actually thought I didn't like bball, until this weekend when I realized of all the sports/activities we've watched this is my favorite. So much warmer than watching hockey or skating. BRRRR. All that sitting on the bleachers did not result in the finishing I was hoping, but what a comprise.

Frappin' Unravelled

If your visiting, please come and add yourself to my Frappr Map powered by Google. I'd love to know where your visiting from.
http://www.frappr.com/unravelled
The Knitty Board has started one for their members http://www.frappr.com/knitty, and thought it would be neat additiion to my blog. So please humour me, don't be shy.

This weekend may very well result in some finished objects. But hey I'm not promising anything, just saying. I may even get to updating my sidebar. Maybe if I create a pressure situation I may actually get it down. It's a test, lets see if I pass.

Productivity

Well as predicted, not much knitting, well more like no knitting was accomplished this past weekend. But I was productive, housework (blehhhh) productive. I spent a long time spring cleaning our bedroom and ensuite. I took everything out except clothing in closet and dresser. I cleaned from top to bottom and nothing went back in that wasn't clean or junked out. The following day was left to vacumming and washing floors. I need to be remined why I insisted on buying a larger home.

Then of course Halloween pumpkin carving and trick or treating sucked up more knitting time. I must admit we had fun. The boys decided they would rather have a more difficult pumpkin design then to carve themselves. So they cleaned I carved.

Then gearing up to brave the weather and go trick or treating. Kendal the Ninja looked more like a sumo wrestler before we but the belt and muscles on. He had all his winter clothes under his costume. After our house to house we went and watched the fireworks then home straight to bed, Mom was tired!

Some knitting was accomplished and believe it our not, the Must Have Cardi pieces have finished, wahhhooooooo! Only blocking,button bands,sewing up left. I finished one sock and cast on for the other, and I am one sleeve away from another FO, the Wrappy cardi. It may just be a seaming party for me this weekend.