Happy Halloween

Working against a deadline

Taking a weaving class.  Got homework due tomorrow afternoon.  Work requires me to be present at the office (and not weaving) in order to be paid.  How unreasonable!  Guess that means knit night in Ithaca is out and weaving is in for the evening.  I will have to admire everyone's market bags next week.

Upsized Freddie Mac

One upsized Freddie Mac successfully executed.  Gotta turn my scribbles into a readable pattern and then see if my guess for my size turns out as well.

What to work on next

No pictures to share but the needles are working...

The upsized version of the Freddie Mac vest for my daughters is progressing nicely.  Back was finished last week and I am currently working at the shoulders of the front.  Hoping to finish it this weekend while waiting between games at the 3 on 3 my daughter is playing in.  Then we will share pictures and plans for my vest which will be out of the beautiful cashmere blend I have had my eye on at the yarn store.

Got the yarn from Sharon for the American Brilliant throw and I started on the first square.  Casted on, knit about 3 rows, compared to gauge and her sample square and then promptly frogged it back.  My guess is I will need to go down about 2 needle sizes but I haven't gotten back to it yet this week.  Pattern calls for a loose cast on and I just saw a you-tube video for a new one I may have to try out so I am waiting to find 30 minutes of time to fire up the computer and sit with the yarn.  Maybe I should set the alarm for 2am.

And lastly, yarn arrived for the hooded vest in the Fall 2009 Knit Scene and I have the first skein in the knitting bag waiting for the swatch to be done.  Gonna have to do that before next Monday so I can pick up any needles or notions I need to get it going.  Carri is already flying on her version and it looks lovely.

Available for Hire

I have been doing test knitting for Alpaca With A Twist yarn for a couple of years now and I just got a new project.  What is test knitting you may ask...this is when you take a newly designed pattern and knit it up for the designer or yarn company so they have a sample to send around to your favority lys.  You are also looking for any errors in the pattern so they can be corrected before it gets printed and made available to the general public.  My new project looks very cool and I am excited to get the yarn next week and start on it.  It is a Sharon Winsauer pattern titled American Brilliant.  A really cool looking throw knit in blocks.  And if you know of Sharon, you know it includes lace.  The perfect traveling project for this coming fall and the sports seasons that will be here before I know it.  Come back next week and check out my progress...current plan gets me and the yarn together on Tuesday.

Back from Vacation

We are back from the family vacation in Tennessee.  I can report that summer weather does exist and we found it 10 hours south.  90 - 95 degrees every day.  We had a great time hiking the trails and doing the tourist thing and are now happy to be back home.  Weather this weekend looks like rain and cool (only in the 60's tomorrow --eek).  Perfect weather for me to stay inside and do the final check on the new pattern.  If all goes well the Freddie Mac vest should be available via etsy and ravelry sometime this weekend.

Thanks Maggie

Last night I took a trip over to knitting buddy Maggie's place with shovel in hand.  She has a beautiful and peaceful little slice of heaven next to a creek and a massive stand of deep purple lilac bushes.  (They were no longer blooming so I had to search the internet for an appropriate picture to show you what I would eventually have blooming in my own yard.)  The runners dug up easily and are now planted in my yard.  Weather report for today says to expect some rain which is perfect for my newly planted friends.   Then, to treat myself for a job well done, I stepped over to the strawberry patch and picked a couple quart.  These were quickly washed, smashed and served over shortcake and ice cream which was eaten while we watched the final period of the hockey game.  Bummer, we are going to have a game 7.  At least the food and company during the game was good.