Thursday, April 10, 2008

I'm Terrified of Knitting in the Round

Yep. It's true. Knitting in the round scares the crap outta me.

I have only knit a couple of hats in the round and they weren't really pretty. Wish I had (not) pictures to share. There is always a gap thing going on at least on the first 3-4 rows. I don't really know why and I don't like it. Really. I'd just rather knit flat and sew the sumbitch. Ok, so I said it.

But....there is this sweater that I really love. http://shop.interweave.com/store/popup.htm?images/Gathered_Pullover_L.jpg But it's done in the round. And the freaking gauge is in the round. What does that mean? Oy! But, I think the yarn pictured above would work really well. It is Plain and Fancy wool sport. It's so soft and squishy. I just love it. And I have swatched with it. Just not in the frickin' round! http://www.ravelry.com/people/wendydancer/stash/sport

Fortunately,I still have the VLT scarf to keep me occupied...and I am loving it right now. I'm in the groove on the last border and it's like magic the way that border attaches and becomes one with the scarf. Who comes up with this stuff? I'm willing to bet that no one has thought up an original knitting idea in....forever!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Party Time

The past few 10 days has just been crazy busy around our house! Our friends from Michigan, John & Diana, came through on their way back home from the Valley. We had a little party on the day they arrived, Sunday, March 30. Then we danced the next night, then another party for them the next night, the next day we spent all day long working our asses off at Rick & Cheryl's new "playhouse" helping them clean up and move furniture into it to get ready for....yes, another party on Friday night. But wait...let's don't forget there was another party on Thursday night with more food and even dancing. Friday night was an awesome dance from 6:30-8:30 and then the afterparty which went on until 1 am. There were about 40 people there.

Rick & Cheryl's "playhouse" is a 4 car garage with one bay for a motorhome. The top floor has a gorgeous kitchen with granite countertops and custom cabinetry and built in entertainment center. It also has two bathrooms upstairs and one downstairs. The key is the beautiful hardwood flooring upstairs. Everything in this place is top quality. But why wouldn't it be?? Their home is even more gorgeous!

Ok, so we're up to Saturday now. Saturday we spent much of the day preparing for the dance that night. And nursing a severe headache....couldn't have been caused by too much wine and not enough sleep could it? Saturday night the dance was just wonderful and there was another afterparty. This one at Evelyn's. Another beautiful home. I think there were about 50 people at that party.

Sunday, we rested!!

There was a little knitting content during this period. I worked on the VLT scarf and got to the point of starting the last border. I spent all my spare time over Friday and Saturday which wasn't much trying to figure out what was wrong with that blasted pattern because I kept ending up at row 1 in the chart but the shawl was on the WS. Finally on Sunday, I found the problem. ME!! I had failed to read one little sentence in the directions. PURL ONE ROW, YOU IDIOT! So, now I'm rolling on that. The really embarassing thing is that I posted on several sites all about my woes and then had to go back and basically say, "never mind. I'm an idiot."

In between all the partying and knitting there was also dentist appts, mom & dad needed computer help and massive amounts of laundry.

But it's all good.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Double Digit Favs


I'm so excited because one of my Ravelry projects has been faved by 10 people! Yeehaw!! It's the beautiful Horseshoe Lace Shawl designed by RainyK. I don't know why it thrills me so much that it's been faved 10 times, but it honestly does. Maybe because I LOVE that shawl, too!
I am ready to put the last border on the VLT scarf. The photo is at the 60% mark so it's longer now than that pic. But, anyhoo....I can't quite get the border worked out in my head. Even though I've done a knitted on border before on the MissyLace Shawl for some reason I can't get my head around it this time.
Here's where I am having trouble..
After the last repeat of Chart B you end on a WS row. Then it says knit one row (that would be RS). Then it says don't turn. Crochet cast on 41 stitches. Ok, so this is on the right side and now I've got this long cast on. And I'm supposed to start the Chart A at this point. But if I turn the work here as normal, I'll be on the WS and the chart starts with RS. Argh! I need help.