FO's of 2009 - 3. my everlasting bagstopper

As usual I messed up with this one and if you look carefully it shows hint: I seem to have missed a stitch in the lace parts which made the lace pattern off slightly. Hence the four rows of stocking stitch in the middle so I could sort the pattern out - then of course I managed to do it again LOL.

I use this bag to store my mohair and a few odd cones. I really wish I'd made it longer but as usual, I was impatient...

I am actually very happy with this and intend to make at least one more this year and a few next year.

Nightmare times

My emotional life has taken a turn for the worse so I'm back on the prozac for a while but I have been knitting:

I am going great guns on the chunky sweater jacket, I finished the hood and have started both fronts. I was going to do them both together then noticed that there was no definite spacing for the buttons so I am doing the left side first (occasionally working on the right side ribbing). Then its just one sleeve and a pocket to knit and I'm done.

The second style of bedspread square is started. I am using the February square pattern from Hanks Yarns, using 52 stitches instead of 44.

I've also picked the baby blanket up and knit one row, not much I know but at least its a start...

Soap wise I have decided on a vanilla scented soap as I love vanilla sooooooo much LOL. I will make that this week and post pics as soon as I'm done.

Bragging rights

Not knit or soap bragging I'm afraid but I just had to say that I got 98% in my Java assignment. Yay me!!!

It also looks like I might be able to make some soap again soon. I'm out of lavender and while I restock that I can make one of the other batches I want to try at the same time. I've just got to decide which batch I'd like to do most LOL.

Knitting wise I have only done a few rows on my curbing bag and one square but at least I haven't ground to a halt :-) Oh and of course I've added a few things to my Ravelry queue.

Now to start the next Java assignment...

Starting off simply

As I've been doing Uni assignments all week (one down, three to go) I haven't been doing a lot of knitting. I have however sorted out some of the squares for the king size bedspread. I am starting with some simple, no brainer squares to reflect the fact that my brain hurts from all the coding I'm having to do for Uni LOL.

As you can see I've started with a simple moss stitch square with a garter stitch border. I will do two of each colour and then go on to some more complicated squares. I fully expect this project to take a very long time as its one of my TV projects and I don't watch a lot of TV. One day I'm going to get the knack of knitting and reading at the same time, until then I will make do with the large collection of audio books I have accumulated. I'm listening to Eragon at the moment and enjoying it more than I did the film.

My stash has exploded LOL

For someone who only started knitting again towards the end of February I seem to have collected quite a stash of yarn. I know I'm bad but there's all those bargains out there and all these wonderful things to knit and I suppose I am getting ahead of myself when I think "ooooh that would be nice to make such and such". Especially since I have so much yarn for so many projects as it is, some secret, some not.

I know I am throwing myself into only one hobby because at the moment I have so much soap that I can't justify making any more. That and I need a hobby that can take me away from the soap opera that is my personal life but I have decided that enough is enough and I can't buy any more yarn until I have used up at least a quarter of my stash.

This could be difficult because I adore buying new yarn, the looking at all different types, the ideas that I come up with for patterns to use the yarn with and even the excitement of going to the LYS or having packages arrive in the post but

1. I really can't afford it
2. I have to downsize from a three to a two bedroom house soon and I won't have anywhere to store it.

With this in mind I am designing a king size quilt/bedspread, all made from squares I like the look of and mostly made with my collection of Sirdar Click. I think 50 balls should go a long way towards making it don't you?

For those Ravelry members here is a link to my stash. For those who aren't Ravelry members or on the waiting list - what are you waiting for - get your backside to Ravlery and sign up, its a great place to be!

Curbing bag rescued!!!

I know I said I was going to frog it but I left it on the needles for a while and yesterday I decided to see if I could rescue it. To my surprise I actually managed it - Yay me!!

The picture on the left shows it ripped back with a new row started. I'm excited about starting this again because its such an enjoyable project to knit. I just won't use any more 2 ply on it because I really hated the hole where the row started.

FO's of 2009 - 2. Waffle Stitch Fingerless Gloves

My second FO this year was my Waffle Stitch Fingerless Gloves, an extremely quick knit. If I remember correctly I needed them for the next day and knit them up in 2 - 3 hours, the sewing, as usual, took a little longer LOL. My Ravelry notes say that I should have checked the gauge first as they were a little baggy. It was my fault really, I have the good fortune to knit to a standard gauge and for these gloves I upped the needle size from 4.5 to 5mm as my 4.5 needles were in use already with some test knitting.

I do like these gloves and will knit them again, hopefully with some gorgeous and relatively expensive yarn as they take so little ;-)