Fresh Kicks (as the kids would say) and new shawls

It's a sad fact, at least for Loops, but when we go shoe shopping for him, I am the one who ends up with new shoes.  I got two pairs this time while he didn't get a single pair.  Mine are great, especially my sneakers.  Here's the view I've been staring at all day.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="385" caption="My colorful new shoes!"][/caption]

I can't stop looking down at them.  They're so fun.

I also started my Ishbel shawl that I wrote about in the previous journal.  It is FLYING off the needles.  Just this weekend I've done almost all of the first section, which is all stockinette stitch.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Ishbel Started"][/caption]

Once I do the last few rows of this section, I will start the lace charts.  It will probably slow me down a bit, but I still feel like I'll be finishing this project in record time.

Winding and winding and winding and...

I guess you get the point.  Since Loops is working late again (I swear he only does it for the free supper!), I thought I'd get out the Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine that I purchased a while back and wind it up.  That's 433 yards of fingering weight yarn.  We won't even get into the tangled mess the hank was in.  I think I've untangled it all though and it should be smooth winding from now on.  It will still take forever to do by hand though.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="357" caption="Getting ready to knit Ishbel"][/caption]

It was purchased to make the lovely and super popular Ishbel Shawl from Ysolda Teague.  The pattern can be purchased from her website as either the single pattern or it can be found within her new book, Whimsical Little Knits, if you're interested.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="357" caption="Whimsical Little Knits by Ysolda Teague"][/caption]

It's a great little book.  I really like all the patterns and will get around to knitting a lot of them in the future.

I'm still knitting steadily on my other project, Uhura.  There's not enough done to show any real progress yet, but hopefully I'll be able to show you more soon.

And then there were two...

Completed tops, that is.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="324" caption="U-Neck Tunic Complete!"][/caption]

Pattern: Deep U-Neck Tunic by Stefanie Japel from Glam Knits

Yarn: Dark Horse Fantasy

Needles: US 8 and US 6

More details… here (ravelry link)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="333" caption="U-Neck Tunic upclose"][/caption]

The whole top down knitting thing was fun and made it so easy to try it on as I went.  I was loving the top until I went to pick up stitches for the trim around the neck.  I did it twice and still had some puckering.  After the second attempt, I decided it was good enough and just left it as you see it.  Hopefully, I'll get better at the whole picking up stitches thing as the new pattern I just started involves a lot of it.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Uhura started"][/caption]

The Simper's Wild Kingdom

This was going to be a post about how glad I was that we moved from our townhouse in a tidy subdivision to an older neighborhood.  That was before I found out earlier that the owner of the new house we just moved into has decided to sell it, just like the owner of the townhouse decided to do.  It really makes a person never want to rent again.  I guess it's just something we have to accept. :(

Onto the post's original content though.  I love having a yard.  Not just a yard, but a yard that has actual trees.  We have birds and squirells everywhere.  It makes me so happy to look out the window and see critters.  The cats love it too.

Now onto the pictures.  These are basically snapshots, nothing fancy, but I wanted to share the cuteness.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="On the Fence"][/caption]

The squirells are loving all the mushrooms that have been popping up all over the yard.   The other day they were everywhere, chowing down.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Tasty treat time!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Nom, nom!"][/caption]

If the squirrels weren't cute enough, today I looked out the back window and saw a little lizard on the deck.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="393" caption="Lizard time!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="393" caption="Hanging out!"][/caption]

I shot the lizard shots through the back window because I didn't want to scare him off.  He was hanging out on our deck box which is still empty since we can't find any cushions we like for our deck benches.

That's really all I have to blog about now.  The next post should include another finished knitted object so stay tuned!

First knitted top - Check!

It's been a year and a half since I started this whole knitting thing (I did take about 5 months off there in the middle somewhere, but there was still over a year of knitting that happened.) and I've finally completed my first top.  It was started near the end of January and took over 4 months to finish, which is pretty sad seeing as most people knit it up in a month or less, but I'm both a procrastinator and just naturally do everything at a slow pace, so 4 months really isn't that bad.  I suppose I should stop babbling and show it off, huh?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Complete and Wearable! Yay!"][/caption]

If you're wondering, that's my grumpy, I hate my picture taken, but I'm trying to hide it face and in no way reflects how I actually feel about the top.  The top is actually very nice and comfy and I'm very glad it fits.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Ribs and Lace"][/caption]

Pattern: Drop-Stitch Lace Tank by Stefanie Japel from Fitted Knits

Yarn: Estelle Young Touch Cotton DK

Needles: US 7

More details… here (ravelry link)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Buttonless Buttonband"][/caption]

I think I've decided not to put buttons on it.  I did the buttonband, but the 'v' isn't as deep as I thought it would be and I think it looks good as it is.

My thoughts on the pattern?  I think it's a great pattern for a first top.  You get to try things like lace, picking up stitches, and seaming with a pattern that is very forgiving as far as sizing goes because it is soooo stretchy.

So, do y'all like it?

Knitting from the sick bed :(

I had 3 wisdom teeth extracted on Thursday morning and although I've thankfully been in little pain, I'm suppose to take it easy.  On the bright side, there's nothing like having time for getting knitting done because you're not allowed to do much else.  So I thought I'd do a quick blog to update everyone on my works in progress.

I've been working on my U-Neck Tunic.  It's coming along nicely.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="U-Neck Tunic Progress"][/caption]

I've also done a bit on a new scarf.  It is being done in a lovely green Malabrigo.  Also peaking from the side of the picture is my favorite and most used knitting book, The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="Marylin Scarf Started"][/caption]

Lastly, I've done a bit of work on my Lace Ribbon Scarf.  Sadly I cannot seem to learn my lesson about not knitting lace in public.  I managed to mess up my pattern on the first round I did at the new knitting meet-up I attended.  I forgot a yarn over, as can clearly be seen in the circle below.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Bad, Bad Lace!"][/caption]

I can live with the error though.  Speaking of the knitting meet-up...  (You can find group at Meetup.com.)  It was a lot of fun.  It's held on James Island every Monday at a nice little cafe and everyone's really nice.  I just hope I'm well enough to go this next week.

Next time I blog, it should be about my first finished object in FOREVER.  I just have to seam up the Drop Stitch Tank and it will be complete.