For the love of Addi

Today I got some Addi's in order to attempt to get gauge on Leo.
I LOVE THEM
I have always wanted to try them, but never really needed a smaller size, being that I have my Denises and I'm usually not one for doing shawls (which seem to need the smaller size needle). I thought they would be super slippery, and they aren't they are PERFECT.
And to think that KnitPicks Options may be even better. I REALLY WANT THEM NOW.

So yes, you did read correctly, I'm going to cast on for Leo tonight. Of course I have gauge issues (well it wouldn't be a project for DH if I didn't sub yarn and change needle sizes now would it?). In an attempt to thwart problems further down the track, I'm calculating and recalculating to see if I'm doing the right thing. Put your maths head on now and see if this makes sense.

The pattern has a gauge of 24 sts to 10 cms. I'm getting 22 sts to 10 cms. The pattern says to cast on 153 sts. Now, being that I have a gauge of 22 sts instead of 24, does 140 sts seem right? (I went 153 divided by 24 which equals 6.375. So then I went 6.375 x 22 which equals 140.) Of, so working on that theory, I'm going to knit it in the round (after much discussion with Meg, such a dedicated knitter who ended up with a gauge of 42 and thus, rewrote the whole pattern. That's perserverance for you) and am I correct in saying that I have to remove 4 sts through loss of seams, therefore my final cast on being 136. *EDIT: because I am blonde and the follicles are eating my brain today, I forgot that it's 140 per side and there for my cast on would be 280 minus the 4 sts, so 276. duh. I think I'll take it down to 272 so it goes into 8 evenly. End of stupidity.

Now, to confuse matters even more, the rib goes
Row 1 [RS]: K3, [p3, k5] to last 6 sts, p3, k3.
As the original cast on does not go into 8 (p3, k5) evenly. Since 272 does, do I omit the k3 at the end and just continue on my merry way doing a p3, k5 all the way round?

Oi, this has taxed my maths phobic brain. I'm impressed that I managed to get that far and it all make sense.

Cursed

One day I will learn.
One day I will read the pattern and get the correct gauged yarn.
One day I will NOT buy a yarn that requires me to go up a needle size 5 times more than what the label suggests, and think that this will be ok.
When this day comes I will make DH a jumper that will fit.
Today is not this day.

Yes folks, it should not surprise you to find out that Vanille does not fit. Like the Monster Jumper before it (which, although fit for about a day, is now hanging down way too far, and thus I will not let DH wear it out of the house) I have succeeded in knitting something that does not fit. It's a rare talent, email me if you wish to know the secrets.

So now, what to do? In my 'oh my god it does not fit AGAIN' stupor that I am currently riding in, I'm contemplating Leo, because obviously I need to be punished for my sins and I think knitting about an acre of rib would just about cover it.

Anyone got any better ideas? I am even contemplating casting on with KSH, yes it has come to that (for myself obviously, I think KSH might be just a teeny bit feminine for DH) (and I have enough trouble with KSH when knitting it for myself without adding my own special DH sweater curse into the mix).

Want

Another day, another want.
We all know about the love I have for my Denises. Light, easy, and lots of options for when you need a 100cm cord (not that I ever have, but you know what I mean).
However, there maybe a contender to the throne. KnitPicks Options. Oh my, they sure are pretty. And I WANT.
I've read so many positives about them, people are even saying they may be better than Addis. BETTER THAN ADDIS PEOPLE. That is a serious claim.
There are 2 draw backs though, one being do I really need to get another interchangeable needle set? And two, KnitPicks are notoriously hard to get for anyone not in the States (although it does help when you know someone with a KnitPicks pusher... heh heh). But oh do I want...

Another thing I want (and not at all related) is a new couch. We have 2 - one that I recovered a few years back which is now coming apart (as I am definitely NOT trained in reupholstering), and another that we bought about 5 years ago. It looks like it's about 20 years old now, wearing on the corners and has muck all over it thanks to a 2 year olds hands. DH has promised that I can get a new one at the end of this year so I have been on the hunt. I must say I have never been one that is keen on leather, however having a toddler has changed all that and I am looking at this one (love you IKEA). I sat on it the other day, it's comfy and more important I CAN WIPE IT. Liking that. DH, however, likes the idea of a Lazyboy (a la Joey and Chandler). I have told him in no uncertain terms that that type of design tragedy will be fine... in the garage. There is another couch that has a armchair that is Lazyboy like, but those padded backs are reminding me of something you might see in a retirement home. There will be much discussion.

Today I braved the murky waters that is Spotlight on a sunday. I was inspired by Amy and the latest copy of Shop till you Drop, which is showing a lot of girly girly stuff next season. Along with some hideous 80s throwbacks that should not be revisited, what is with that? Anyway, I picked up McCall's 5042 and some cute fabric and hopefully I can make peace with the sewing machine and make something wearable. I think teamed with a pair of Keds I might even look halfway stylish!



Speaking of lady like things for summer - this year I HAVE TO finally make Tempting II. How cute would that look with this cute skirt. We'll see how many of these wants actually come to fruition, I am the queen of procrastination after all.

Edited to add: I have just found this link over at Moppy & Me and it is so darn cute I can't stand it. I WANT WANT WANT. (especially those books, so much easier on here to look at than on Borders Japan.)

I'm so excited

About all the new stock in store that I just gotta post about it.
Namaste Glass needles (ohh la la!!), plus knitting bags, needle cozies, needle shells, needle wraps. Also lots of funky stitch markers from Amy at Good to be Girl.
I also have Yarn magazine issue 3, and lots of delicious Hand Maiden. Phew! And still more to come, I'm like a kid in a lolly shop!

Flash your Fetching

You know, the other day at SSK there were 3 of us making these. See what happens when you stick in on the cover of Knitty? The WHOLE WORLD (or at least the knitting world) wants in.
I thought about taking a pic of me wearing them with a hot drink in my hand, but being that I don't drink hot drinks (unless there is chocolate involved mmmmm... like the hot chocolate I had in Torino, like drinking a melted down choc bar. Amazing) I thought it more appropriate to show them protecting my mitts from the chill of a McFlurry. Yep we are all action here on a Friday night.



What's even more pathetic is that I am watching some MTV show on Hulk Hogan (Hogans Rules or some such rubbish.) I know I have spoken about my love of trash TV before, my reasoning is that I have to watch TV for a living and concentrate on it, I don't want to have to concentrate on it at home. Hence the mind frying nonsense I watch.

You can't see it very well, but my middle finger is sporting a lovely red scar from my latest burn. I say latest because I manage to burn myself with frightening frequency. Once I burnt myself on an iron - just a quick tap on my thumb, nothing bad. But as a result my body has decided that every month the skin on my thumb will regenerate. Lovely. Oh and when I was pregnant with Little Man, I managed to burn my stomach on the oven door. Pulled it open and forgot about the large bump in front of me. You would think being that I put on 20kgs that it would be hard to forget something that large. This latest casualty was from the other week, I opened the sandwich press when it was too far under the cupboard above, thus it hit the cupboard above and then fell down onto my hand. You can call me klutz.

So about the Fetching. Knitted in merino from Handpaintedyarn.com in Fire Engine (from my lovely SP Lucia). Easy peasy, quick fix knit. Just enough to break the constant knit knit knit of Vanille (which, by the way is getting close to done on the body). I like, but am feeling the itch as I wear them right now, I hope a quick visit with wool wash will soften them up.

And Donni, I flashed mine, time to flash yours (all sounds a bit saucy really).

Well whadaya know

I just past my 1 year blogiversary!
And what do I have to show for it? Nada! Zip! Zero!
I have been knitting (halfway through the second fetching) but once again working life is getting in the way of living life (hello, 12 hour days! I'd like to see daylight sometime today so I can take pics of projects and new yummy stock for the store). But I cannot complain, you have to pay for living life somehow!
But anyways, the pics will come, probably tomorrow or the weekend at this rate.

Thanks for coming to watch me bumble through my knitting over the past year, all the comments and support have been amazing. And I have met so many incredible people, here's hoping I bumble on for many more years to come!

Sometimes you just shouldn't leave home

I knew there was a reason that I drive everywhere. Public transport has it in for me.
In my job I have no need to get on public transport. I work odd hours, and it would cost me just as much on PT it as it does to drive it. But today, the first time since I have lived in this house, I caught a train from the local station.
I was off to SSK in Newtown with Julie and on a Saturday I would be a FOOL to try in park in Newtown (for the people not in Sydney, Newtown is inner city, trendy, cafe, uni student central) so the train seemed the way to go. So I drove to the station, hopped on the train and we alighted at another station to change trains. All would be well with this plan... if there wasn't track works going on which meant catching a replacement bus.
Of course, there was a accident holding all the buses up.

So we EVENTUALLY get to SSK at 3pm (it starts at 2pm). I cast on for Fetching (I must say I am a bit feh about the new Knitty. It's not blowing my hair back as my friend would say).
Well, I got as far as casting on.... then ripping back cause I didn't read far enough into the pattern where it said 'do 4x1 rib for 4 rows' and instead did the first row as st st... and I must have been shaken from being on PT as my brain interpreted it as '1x1 rib' so I got 3 rows in and gave up. (I did, however, make a bit of progress on Vanille, and I THINK IT MIGHT BE BIG ENOUGH WOOHOO).

So at about 4pm we left and I had to make the decision to get the replacement bus to Central (only one stop on the bus, but a further journey on the train) or back to where we had alighted earlier on. I choose the latter, stood at the stop for about 5 mins, and decided that maybe the other stop (on the other side of the road) might get a bus at the stop quicker. So I crossed the road... and watched two buses arrive at the stop I had just left. Another 5 mins on and I decided that I might go back to the stop I originally started at (can you tell I was rocked by indecision today?). As I arrive at the other stop, a bus stops at the other bus stop. Finally another bus comes, I was lucky enough to be standing at the stop it arrived at and everything!

I get to the station, and my train? Oh it's going to be delayed. I might call home and tell DH what's going on. Well, will you look at that, my phone is flat.

So, enough of my whining. As previously mentioned I am moving along on Vanille. Onto the 4th ball, so past the previous place where I realised that it was too small and had to start again end point. And I have cast on for Fetching, using the yarn my lovely SP Lucia sent me, Handpainted yarn in Fire Engine. No more progress on Tomten (I am getting the evil eye from DH when I pick it up. He doesn't understand the need to have multiple projects on the go. He thinks that if I do I might never finish Vanille. He may have a point.) And nothing doing on the KSH jumper from 1000 sweaters. I will be patient and wait till I have finished at least one of my projects.

There's a reason why it's called crack...

I am addicted to it.
I'm talking about that damn Crack Silk Haze.

It all started with a purchase (or two) made on eBay almost 4 years ago. Just a little bit, I said. It won't hurt a bit.
Then I got the package from Cucumber Patch (and can I say, fantastic service). Just a couple of balls.
I had to have more.

A week later, and 6 balls were in my possession. I snuggled it, petted it. Placed it carefully in the cupboard (these were the days that my stash was teeny and my fabric took up more room than the yarn) (this coming from someone who can't sew).
There it stayed until late last year, when I spotted the delectable Butterfly.
I had to knit it NOW.

So I started, and then started again and then once more for good measure.
I cursed that heathen yarn, I wished to bury it away, yet I HAD TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH IT.

So then, lookey! A new pattern! Butterfly who? I want Rufflette!
Did we get past the swatch? That would be a big fat NO! It's still sitting here on my desk.

Looking through my 1000 Sweaters book the other night (and then later on dreaming about it, yes I am tragic) I realised that the jumper on the front looks like it was knitted in The Haze...

Hmmm....

Treats for all

Little Man no longer has cold tootsies, thanks to his legend Mama (uh, that would be me)



Knitted in Inca by Patons (the leftovers from DH's Monster Jumper) pattern was from, here. I love it, and I love even more that it holds the heat so well that it is still warm in the morning, even when the water in it was only tap hot not boiling hot - amazing! He's so cute, he hops into bed and tucks his feet under it, sweet.

I have started on Tomten from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears (as inspired by Abi) in K-Marts own brand (Homemaker 'Clinker'), surprisingly soft for a cheapy. It's working up a treat, as you can see by this HUGE amount of progress, started last night while watching King Kong - MY GOD is that the longest movie EVER. So long we are watching the rest of it tonight as after one and a half hours last night we were ready for bed. They haven't even left the island yet - don't they have to go to the city so he can hang off the Chrysler Building or something? I'll know soon enough, we're watching part 2 of what we are now calling a mini series shortly.



I would have had more done on it if I hadn't cast on, then decided to do an intarsia knit so had to re-cast on with both colours, then realise that having one ball of brown makes it a bit difficult when you want to use the same colour at both ends of the row. Thus ensued a search on the inside of the ball for the end of the yarn so I could use the same ball for both ends. Of course, this resulted in a tangled mess all over my lap that I had to untangle in order to continue. Sigh, it's so hard to make it through the day with blonde follicles sometimes. And can I say that I have been spoilt by using nice needles (bamboo and my Denise's) lately, because I am using boring old metal ones for this and I am HATING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I'm becoming a needle snob. Soon I'll be rivaling Kathy... or maybe not, she could open a store with all those needles.



Today I picked up this little gem for a bargain $15. You select the body that you want, then the bottom half of the book is split so you can match the corresponding arm (raglan, drop etc. There's a little icon that tells you what would match) and then same for the neckline. It looks like heaps of fun.



Oh and I am just IN LOVE WITH this from Stefanie, isn't it just divine?

Off to watch the saga... and hopefully enough time for some Trek (because I might have to watch something worthwhile if the saga doesn't come up to scratch) (again with the snickering out there, I know you are all Trekkies/Trekkers too) (and how sad it that I know there's a difference...)