Mr. Purple Greenjeans AKA The Dissertation Sweater

I haven't actually taken a full two-year hiatus from knitting. I knit two shrugs last summer, neither of which really fit well. But, graduate school has consumed the last 2 years. I'm finally finishing my dissertation. It's a really lonely and frustrating process. It's hard to stay motivated. I decided I needed something to calm me down, help me think, and reward me when I get over a writing hump. A quick venture into Ravelry led me to Mr. Greenjeans by Amy Swenson. As you can see, my Mr. Greenjeans is actually purple. I'm knitting it with Rowan Calmer 493 (how appropriate). It is affectionately known to me as THE DISSERTATION SWEATER. I hope to wear it when this dissertation is but a distant memory. For now, I'm in the beginnings of the cable rows. Wish me luck.

Knitting Again

I'm knitting again. Just thought I'd let you know. More to come...

The ultimate inspiration to return to my knitting

My knitting has taken a back seat to my Ed.S project over the past month. But, there's nothing like the Big Apple Knitting Guild (BAKG) Retreat to recharge the knitting needles. I took three wonderful classes with awesome teachers and the most amazing women I feel honored to call my friends. Friday night was a crocheted bracelet with Tatyana Mirer, a knit/crochet genius. Saturday was Aran Knitting with Janet Szabo of Big Sky Knitting. Nicky Epstein did a great class on Fair Isle Sunday morning. I have always been afraid of knitting with multiple colors, but this was really fun. So here's my list of projects to get started for the summer (and months beyond).

1. First aran sweater
2. Silk shell
3. Some small Fair Isle project - suggestions?
4. Tatyana's Rosette Lace Shawl

So much to do, so little time!

Same yarn, different pattern

Look familiar? A whole two weeks since my last post and not much progress. Yes, I know this doesn't look quite as sophisticated, but I'm enjoying it a lot more. I decided I would never complete the second sock in Conwy. In fact, I was already hating it and I wasn't even close to the heel of the first sock. (The pattern looks great, but it was just too slow for me.) So, meet the Twin Rib Sock. It's a simple pattern...Row 1: K3, P3. Row 2: K1, P1. I love how the light purple makes little "waves" of color.

Lorna's Laces and Video Worthy of Oscar

I'm knitting with Lorna's Laces for the first time. This yarn was a wonderful gift from one of my secret pals. I definitely see what everyone is raving about. The colors are beautiful. Yarn is lucious. The pattern is "Conwy" from Nancy Bush's "Knitting on the Road".

In honor of the Oscars...
A big THANK YOU to Comfy Bev for posting a brilliant YouTUBE video, "Knitting vs. Crochet". You really must take a peek. It's fresh and funny. I give it two thumbs up.

Another Finished Fetching

Yet another Fun Finished Fetching. This was a great little knit to help me get over my sweater. I love knitting these. I hope Gayle enjoys them. My sister arranged for all of us to take the kids this Thursday evening to see the Florida Orchestra perform music from the "Lord of the Rings". I'll give them to her then.

The Closest I got to Maine

We were supposed to be in Maine this weekend. However, our flight was cancelled on Friday due to the cluster &^%$ taking place at JFK and within JetBlue Airlines. Apparently, their problems were bigger than our cancelled trip. I must admit, I would rather stay home than sit on a runway for 11 hours. Ouch! But, just think how much knitting you could get done!

Anyway, here's a shot of the progress I've made on my Log Cabin throw. In honor of our big weekend (may it rest in peace), I took this picture on top of an old lobster pot in our back yard. The colors (green, brown, and blue aka khaki, cork, and slosh) remind me of the colors I see out my back window. This is slow going, and I do get a little bored with the garter stitch. But, I think I'll really enjoy it if I ever finish. The Rowan Calmer is very nice to work with.

I've also been knitting a pair of fetching out of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (black) and a new pair of socks out of Lorna's Laces. (My first time with this great yarn.) I'll post some progress on those a little later.

FO Woes

Doesn't this sweater look great? I had so much fun knitting this beauty. It's cashmere. Sooo soft. I posted this with the flower as a remembrance of sorts, a funeral for a friend (thanks for that tune, Elton). I frogged this the first time around after finishing the back. I realized that it wouldn't be big enough. My dear sister-in-law, Susan, helped me cast on the right amount of stitches. I gleefully re-knit from scratch - 42 stitches on size 11 and 13 needles. It even fit. That is to say, it was the right size. There's just one teensy, weensy problem. It looks RIDICULOUS on me! I now remember why I knit so few sweaters. It just seems impossible to know whether the damn thing will fit. This is one of those knitting life lessons. You have to kiss a few frogs (or is that frog a few FOs) before you get a really good sweater. I have to take a break and go back to my log cabin throw and a quick pair of Fetching for a friend. This puppy will soon be laid to rest in the back of my closet until I get over the trauma and rip it out to knit something better. &%$%$#@!!!

On a lighter, non-knitting note, I picked up the pretty flowers for my tea tasting. What's that you say? Yes, I had a tea tasting today with my family and a few friends. I thought I was being so creative with the tea party concept until I read this in the St. Pete Times last week. That's right...tea is the new wine! Cheers!