Finished My Rowan "Moustiers" Sweater

I finished knitting this sweater months ago... just needed to sew it up. Decided I better get it together as fall has officially hit London. My Sunday mornings are taken up with a long commute and sitting around while my daughter is at field hockey training--three and a half hours--so that gave me plenty of time. You know this is my least favorite part of the job, but each time I finish, I say, "That wasn't so bad!" But I never seem to remember that...

It was the first time that I bought the exact yarn and color for a pattern I found in a book. When the yarn finally arrived I had a "yuck" moment. Loved the texture, but the colors just didn't seem to go together at all. Decided to go for it anyway. Ended up liking the fit, but made a few changes along the way. Made the arms a little longer and took away the fullness around the hips. Nice to have it done. My husband said it's his favorite.

Have a baby vest that needs to be finished. Maybe I'll work on that tomorrow on my long tube ride to field hockey.

Just Needed a Break... It Was Weird

I have been knitting quite a bit for a few years now and it has become therapy for me... relaxing, enjoyable, productive. However, I went through a two-week period a little while ago where I just didn't knit a thing. Not one thing. Couldn't find the time... couldn't be bothered... didn't feel like it... nothing interested me... not sure what it was, but I just did NOT knit for two whole weeks. Normally I knit a little something pretty much every day so it was a weird feeling. Wondered at one point if that was it. I was done, had lost interest and would never pick up the needles again. Kaput. But almost as suddenly as it had started, it ended and the joy of knitting returned and I am at it again.

Of course this time of year is crazy. Just had the people from my department over for a BBQ this afternoon. Sunny, warm, perfect weather. They've been gone about an hour and it's just started to thunder and lightning and hail. What luck! Great way to end a great school year! One more day at work tomorrow and then off for the summer.

Have tons of knitting plans for vacation. Just hope I can get some things done. I've been working on finishing up projects instead of starting anything new, but there's so much pretty summer yarn that I have that I might have to make something summery and ditch the fall sweater that I'm currently working on, the Moustiers from Rowan 45 (see March 17th post). Still haven't gotten far as I've been knitting baby items and Duduza dolls for charity. This little organic chicken below is one of two that I've made. it's really quite easy and although I never thought I'd be the type of person to knit a stuffed animal (whatever that means--just not my thing), here I am thinking this is the cutest little guy ever. He's from the Rowan Organic Cotton Kids Collection book. Many of the stuffed animals in that book are really cute. Also finished some ankles socks for my daughter made from some fun Crystal Palace Panda Soy yarn. Feels great to the touch. We'll see how it holds up.

Glad the year is over. It's been a good one, but now I'm bushed. Have had tons of interesting adventures this year, our first year in London. Saw many musicals and plays... most recently saw the Shakespeare's All's Well that Ends Well at the National Theatre and Jude Law as Hamlet. Spent a rainy Saturday morning watching the Colonel's Review of Trooping the Colour. It's an impressive ceremony that takes place on the Queen's birthday. We just saw the practice so no queen, but still fascinating to watch with the marching band, bagpipes, horses and foot guards.

Hopefully now that summer is here I will find more time to write.

Joy! Joy!

It's done! It's done! I finally finished the "Bookworm Tunic" from Hip Knits that has traveled with me from the States to Prague and then made the move to London. I told myself that I needed to get this sweater sewed up before the vacation was over so of course I put it off until Sunday evening and had stay up until 11:00 p.m. finishing it. It only took a couple of hours, but I just kept procrastinating. Wasn't difficult... actually sort of fun. Why did I wait for nearly two years to do it? Really... two years!

I'm not the only one though. A woman who organized the Prague knitting group had a bedspread that she'd started in the States, took with her to Africa and then to Prague. She kept dragging it out during knitting group, but she never actually worked on it. I think that project was going on ten years.

Also just wanted to post a couple of felted ditties that I made. Hubby started wearing those dime store reading glasses this past summer and he needed a little something to hold them in. Someone gave me some nice yarn, but there wasn't much, so I had to come up with a small project. Also decided to make him a cover for his iPod. There is no creative knitting here... felted them and they work. However, when we were in Switzerland visiting his sister, he loaned her his phone and now his phone case is M.I.A., so he's using the iPod cover for his phone (probably fits better).

Waiting for some Rowan yarn that is back-ordered to come in. I think the package is waiting for me at the Post, but when I walked down to collect it, I found that they closed at 1 p.m. and I didn't make it there until 1:30p.m. Drag. What closes at 1 p.m.? At least it was a sunny day and a pleasant walk; however, I really want to work more on this sweater, but there is nothing I can do until I get this yarn. Even went down to the John Lewis on Oxford Street where they have a pretty good selection of Rowan yarn. They had tons of the Calmer yarn, but of course nothing in the color that I needed. Will have to make another trip to the Post tomorrow, but not sure that's possible as I have meeting after meeting.

Just back from Switzerland

Returned two days ago from Basel, Switzerland where we visited my husband's sister and her family. We had warmth and sun every day... it was beautiful. Took the kids to EuropaPark one day, visited the Tinguely Museum and the Kunstmuseum. Took beautiful walks along the Rhine and ran in the hills by their house in the village of Gelterkinden. Also took a gondola up one of the local ski hills and scootered down. Super fun, but what is it about that jarring of your arms that makes them so itchy? It was nuts.

Visited a number of yarn stores while there. Some in Germany but one in their village of Gelterkinden. Bought a few things... mostly for gifts. Wish I didn't have so much sock yarn at home waiting to be knitted because there is so much cool stuff out there, and what's nice about these shops is that they seemed to always include sample socks in each of the yarns. So helpful to see how it will knit up.

My sister-in-law has been trying to knit for a couple of summers now... gets into it while we are together (and with her mother who knits), but then we all leave and she never finishes her projects. My kids made her children monsters (see the pictures of their monsters). She decided that if the girls could knit a monster, so could she. Just before we left for the train to go to the airport, she finished her monster... the first project she ever finished. Not sure I remember the first project I ever completed, but I'm sure it was a scarf, but I'm sure the feeling was the same... great!

I have way too many projects going at the moment. You can see the socks that I knitted for a friend's birthday. I have to admit that it's the first pair of socks that I ever knitted. I've done one, but never the second. Finally got smart and knitted two at once. They are nothing special, but at least there are two. Had my daughter model them as my feet are much too big.

Off to try and finish some things. Wish me luck!

Frogging at The Pitmen Painters

My brother is in town visiting so we went to see The Pitmen Painters at the National Theatre last night. Great play based on a true story. About a group of miners (pitmen) who start an art appreciation group in the 1930s through the WEA (Workers' Educational Association). They are uneducated and most have never seen a real painting before, and although they want to understand art and be able to know the meaning of a painting, they lack any sort of real experience. Their tutor decides to have them start painting to understand art (not technique, but the feeling you get when creating). There were so many times I thought about knitting and the act of creating something. One of the characters talks about what it feels like to actually create something, even if it isn't technically good, it's that he made it himself and he put himself into it. He describes how he worked a full shift in the mines, came home to paint and before he knew it, he was finished... just as the sun was coming up. He'd painted through the night and was exhilarated. Sound familiar? This is based on a true story and they have some of the Pitmen Painters' pieces in the Tate, among other places, and they had an exhibit at the National Theatre, mostly of Oliver Kilbourn, the main character in the play.

Took my knitting. Noticed a little blip about five rows down that no one, not even a good knitter would notice from more than two inches away, but I knew it was there. Tried to just fix it, but made a mess of things and had to frog down to that point. Should have left well enough alone. Really, had I made a certain side the inside, there wasn't even a mistake. What was I thinking? Spent the intermission putting stitches back on the needle.

Finally Over the Hump

I'm working on a Rowan sweater, Moustiers by Marie Wallin. Started with the large, but then realized that the back itself was a sweater and a half. I never know what size I am. Frogged it, started again, this time with the medium, but I didn't like the flair around the waist so I started with the number of stitches that you get to midway up. Seems like it will still be plenty big. I frogged a couple of times... always seemed just a little wrong... a missed stitch, whatever... just want it to be perfect. I'm about two inches into the sweater now, and after about five false starts, it feels good to finally feel like I've gotten over the hump.

Did something that I almost never do. I bought the exact yarn and in the exact color as the picture in the book for this sweater. Funny how the shade of the "red" is so different. You can see the difference in these two pictures.

After swimming today, talked to a little girl whom I see a lot at the pool. She is so intrigued with my knitting and is super outgoing and very sweet. She was wondering if I might knit her something very colorful after I'm done with my sweater. I'll have to find some bits of leftover yarn that's pretty and colorful and make her a little hat or something. I told her I'd only knit for her if she promised it wear it. She said, "I always wear what people make me... I love when people make me things!" I believe her.

Pictures Will Prove What I've Been Up To

I mentioned the other day that I was interested in making yarn out of old t-shirts. My biggest problem was that I didn't have scissors that were sharp enough. I remember as a kid my mother had a pair of scissors that were off limits. You didn't want to get in her way if she caught you cutting paper with her sewing scissors... now I can see why. Had to go out and buy a pair of scissors and I've read my family the riot act. Here are a few of the balls that I've made, but just noticed that one of the patterns I have for a rug says 18-26 adult t-shirts. My six measly balls are looking pretty wimpy. This may take longer than I'd hoped.

Finally finished the scarf for J at work. Just as Spring arrives... but it is called a spring scarf and it isn't a heavy wool so probably will be good for this time of year. M took the scarf home and did the last little crochet edge. I need to learn to crochet because that nice little edge made all the difference in the pattern. It's a pattern free on Ravelry by Ann Budd. M made a copy of the pattern to make for herself... it is nice.

Finally finished up the baby blanket and hat for B&M. Just frogged a pair of socks that I'm working on for them. Will try a different pattern. Not sure that I have enough yarn, but we'll give it a try. The blanket is a Stitch 'N Bitch pattern: Big Bad Baby Blanket. I didn't double the yarn because the yarn was a gift and I didn't think I could get more, but it seems like it will be fine.

The End Is Near

Wednesday night my husband won two free tickets to a preview show of a new musical opening in London called "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (you probably remember the movie). So we thought, "Great, free tickets!" Saved us a bundle... special thanks to the St. John's Wood Women's Club for giving away their leftover tickets to teachers... as we didn't have to pay the £40/ticket price, but we still aren't at the place where we can leave the kids by themselves late at night. So those free tickets cost us £45. I'm not complaining... sure could have cost a heck of a lot more, but I see now why we tend to go out in turns and not together. But the end is near... I can almost see it. In another year or two, we'll be able to leave them at home alone and a free ticket will really be a free ticket.

Started the baby hat that will go with the baby blanket that I should be sending off to Japan any day so that it gets to B & M on time. Simple hat, so it shouldn't take too long, but then I'll need to do booties because there will be leftover yarn. Just hoping I'll get it sent before the due date in April.

Also contemplating cutting up some old t-shirts for yarn and making a bath mat for my en-suite bathroom. I donate tons of clothes to charity, but sometimes I worry that no one, no matter how destitute, should be subjected to my horrible, pit-stained t-shirts (what is it with white t-shirts and antiperspirant?). I found this wonderful blog with pictures that gives a great tutorial in how to cut the t-shirts and as you can see... the pits aren't included, so the pit-stains can go in the trash. Here's the link to Polka Dot Pineapple. As the economy worsens, I feel more and more like my mom... starting to use every little thing and save stuff because maybe it can be used later. You should see the little back of yarn I've got started with pieces only two-inches long... is that excessive?

Off to fold clothes, nurse a sick kid and figure out how to celebrate hubby's birthday tonight. Wish me luck!

The Endless Hat Saga

Feel like I've been doing nothing but knitting hats lately. There have been the usual baby hats as there have been lots of babies born recently and more on the way. But it was the Instant Glamour beret from Wendy Bernard's Custom Knits that was nearly the death of me. I've been trying to knit a little something for the women at work when it's their birthday. A couple of scarves... but how about a jaunty little beret to shake things up?! I had some yarn that I'd been given that I thought might be nice as the beret, and I paired it with a plain green yarn and another fancy green speckled and slightly fuzzy yarn. As you can see... the hat just never was big enough and I didn't have enough yarn to go back and add stitches so my daughter ended up with a beenie that you see on her head. I tried a thicker yarn for the next attempt... the purple and red combo. I tried to add rows to make the beret slightly slouchier, but once again, it didn't really work. My older daughter quickly snatched that one up. Finally, I tried again and really went to town on adding rows, but as you can see, I ran out of yarn and had to switch to an off-white. Played with the pattern a little, and liked the hat. Seemed like it might be just right. The big day came and I gave the gift and the hat just didn't look good on J. What do you say? That hat really looks horrible? Anyway, I was saved by the woman whose birthday was the next week... I'd been knitting a scarf for her, but the hat actually looked good on her so they agreed to switch. Saved!

Still working on a hat for my husband. Frogged the top about a month again and haven't gotten back to it. Need to finish as it looks like winter just isn't ready to leave London. Temps plunged again today.

I'm back? That's still to be seen

I'm not a big resolution person because I find I end up breaking them, but I did resolved at the New Year to write more on this blog. I'd gotten out of the habit. With the move and the new job, I sort of faded at the end of the year. Well it's March 7th and it seems that I've successfully broken my New Year's resolution. However, spring is on the way and that means a new beginning, so I'll try again.

Part of my problem is our computer situation. One would think with six laptops in the house I would be able to find a computer to use... but two are older than dirt, by laptop time, that is (8 years), and the one that has all my photos on it and the one that's best to use for blogging is the one that seems to overheat and shut down. Very frustrating. And it's one of the two Mac PowerBooks (also old) that have broken/damaged power cords and no battery life left so only one of them can be used at any given time. It's just a big excuse, but I do feel like I don't use my laptop half what I used to because it isn't fun at the moment. But I'm feeling like I need to get back to this so I will.

I have been knitting a lot, however. When I'm on my own computer I'll get some pictures up.

Did get a Wordle picture of my blog to share with you. It's off to the left. If you click on this you can see a bigger version. I'll update the picture every so often to see if there are changes. Wordle fascinates me...

Started a Rowan sweater called Moustiers by Marie Wallin. I actually bought the yarn as seen in the pattern (I rarely do that). Have cast on a couple of times. Just can't seem to count the stitches so see if I have the right number on. Frogged once already... bad start. I have no right to be working on this at the moment. I have so many things to finish, but that's for another post.

It's good to be back... Eric, I'm BAAAAAAACK!