Checking In

I'm not knitting very much, mostly because of the hand - I've got to take it slow. Before, most of my "spare strength" that I had went to knitting, but now it's all going to strength training. Which, by the way, sounds way awesome-er than it actually is.

But I've been making little bits of progress! I'm also stuck, though, which is tough.

First road block: Puppycat.

He looks like a puppycat! Hooray! But... I lost my notes for him. Though I could finish him free-style, I was really excited to have the notes to put up as a pattern. It's been a long time since I've published any patterns. Really long. So losing the notes has been a bit demoralizing. So, he's in time out until I find them.

Second road block is on my pretty little blanket. Can you see it?

How about now?

Okay, I'm sure it's actually really hard to see... but I can't un-see it! This row is supposed to be red, but it's orange. ORANGE. And I had to find it after I finished the entire row. No, I couldn't figure it out after the first square. Or the third. I had to realize it after laying out the pieces to bask in my pride.

So, I have to tear out that entire row and re-make it with the right color. I just haven't gotten enough guts together to do it. 

My other projects are going along slowly but surely. I've got a baby sweater that's almost done (!) (Yes, I might finish a project this year!) which I don't have pictures of. I've also got two socks going.  The first is a pair of socks for me, designed by the amazing Anne Hanson:

The second pair is... you guessed it... more waltz socks! I started these in Rochester for Dan. He picked out the yarn, but I'm a little worried that they won't make very good socks. But I don't really care, because the colors are great.

I'm not dead! I swear!

I've just had another case of the wrist aches. So I've been quiet. I am still working, just so slowly because I can only knit a little bit once in a while.

The good news is, I'm in a program through my new job to strengthen my wrist muscles so that this stuff doesn't happen as often! Maybe one day I can go back to knitting like a maniac. I might even be able to do embroidery again (a lot of my pain is when I pinch, so I can't really hold the needle.)

Anyway, that's all for me. Hope everyone's summer is going great!

WEBS Tent Sale!

My friends and I went to the WEBS Tent Sale today, and I'm so glad that I did! They had so much yarn, and it was SO affordable! I only spent $120. That may be a new record for a yarn event!

Here's my total haul:

When we got there, I thought "Phew, I thought there would be more people." But when I got under the tent, it was obvious that everyone was crowded in there!

It was no where near pandemonium, though. the other shoppers were polite, and the place was really well staffed with lots of helpful people. We waiting in line for a loooonnnng time with our treasures, but it was worth it. We got there at around 11, and there were already colors and brands that were sold out! Crazy!

After, we celebrated with tacos from the Bistro Bus food truck that was parked there. They were so good and really filling. I only ate one, and took the other one home to Dan, who also had positive reviews.

That's all the news from my end. Just knitting along on my Hue Shift Afghan (Do you remember that thing!? It's going to be turning 2 soon.) and Puppycat.

P.S. - The post is not sponsored by WEBS.  I just really really love them!

Star Crossed Slouchy Beanie

I needed some gratification, so I knit this hat up this weekend with some random Plymouth Encore yarn that I had in my stash from who knows what. (It was a half finished skein! So I know I used it for something!) I knit it up using size 10 needles, because slouchy hats tend to slowly slouch off my head. I really like it! It's great for the chilly spring weather that we're having, and I think the color looks really good on me.

I finished it in the car on the way to a night out, and thought I could use it to cover up my hair. So I wore it, and people had trouble recognizing me! I recently got new glasses for work, and was wearing them because my non-safety glasses were at home, so I did look very different. Someone called it "a hipster disguise."  Here's photo evidence:

Dan and I are both constantly in a "hipster disguise." Here's some broccolini that I picked up from the organic market and we grilled (because it's never too early in the summer to convince the man in your life to cook dinner for you.)

Here's Dan adjusting the grill while holding a craft beer.

Hipster disguises, guys.

Finally, something to show for my efforts!

Attention feels like it's been spread really thin lately. Reading, weight loss, exercising... there hasn't been much room for knitting. But really, I think it's because I've been knitting less due to stress, sickness, etc. Yesterday I took the whole day off to recover from a pretty miserable kidney infection (it was also my last day on antibiotics, but I still feel kind of crummy) and I spent yesterday and today taking it easy - knitting, reading, and going for walks.

Finally, I have something to show for my effort! A Dan's blueberry waltz socks are done!

I was really proud... until he tried them on. The heel is just way, way, way too tight. I don't know what to do here - on the last socks I made him, the heel fit well! He says he doesn't mind it, but I mind it! For all the time and effort, they should fit like a glove.

Anyway, he told me not to worry, which felt patronizing, but I'm going to trust him. When I'm re-making the heel in a year's time because they wore out, I'll point to this post as an I told you so!

Other than the socks, I'm making progress on my puppycat and my little afghan for my hope chest. Slowly but surely. I haven't really been in a mental state to read blogs though... I've just gotten gloomy from it, so I hope ya'll will forgive me. Have less awesome lives, darn it! :P

Bonus photo of my landlord's adorable cat, Curtis:

And I'm Off! On a new pair of socks!

I started these almost as soon as I'd finished the Reeses Pieces socks.  They are socks for Dan, made out of Zauberball Crazy that I had in my stash.  I am knitting them one row at a time, like my Watermelon Waltz socks, and it's been fun going! I really like the way the yarn works up.  This may be my go-to "design" for zauberball crazy, haha! And it's so simple and lovely.  I'm calling these "Blueberry Waltz" socks, because the blues, purples, and greens remind me of blueberries. Here's a photo, but the colors aren't really true to life (darn daylight light that I have isn't always the best)

The first time we went to Maine (Before he even asked me to "go steady" we went on vacation together with his family in Maine! Can you believe him?!) his little cousin dressed up as a blueberry patch for a costume contest on the island.  I remember that she looked so adorable, with blueberry branches and blue and purple balloons.

Anyway, that's the memory of the week.  And here's my project of the week.  My knitting is set to speed up, since I'm mostly recovered from my wrist injury last summer.  Maybe soon I'll be able to look at other knitting blogs again without feeling sorry for myself!

Reeses Pieces Socks Finished!

I finished them over the weekend, and I have to say I love the yarn.  They knit up so well, and the stripes are STRIPEY and fun. I couldn't resist just using plain stockinette.  The fabric is so lovely as is, I didn't want to muddle it with a pattern (but that's how I feel about most self-striping yarn!)

I knit them two at a time, and just kept knitting until I felt my calves were too big.  I could have increased the number of stitches and kept going, but I just didn't want to. I felt like it was the right length.

One thing I love about this yarn is that the striping pattern isn't mirrored - so the socks don't quite match. One sock was knit from one end, the other from the other, so the stripes don't line up and they have a mismatched look!

The pair was 70 grams, which means I am just short of making a third sock! Though that might be for the best, since 3 socks of the same would confuse me down the line. 

If you're interested, I bought the yarn from the Revelations of a Delusional Knitter.  Her blog is here, and her shop is here!

Change of Address

My ymail account has been hacked.  AGAIN! So, I'm just going to stop using it.  If you need to contact me, send me an email at alyoopsknitting AT gmail DOT com.

Boo yahoo! :(

I have Centerpiece photos!

My Seattle trip was amazing.  I love Seattle, the energy and vibe is really great.  The wedding was perfect, and we're all happy (except, of course, that I'm not still in Seattle :( )

I forgot to take photos of the centerpieces with my camera, but Alysia was kind enough to send me these photos that were taken by their photographer, Jeremiah Sjoberg.  And they are absolutely amazing. I'm wondering if I can save up money to have all my FOs photographed by him! :P

These may be the most epic photographs of wedding centerpieces that ever was.  Really.  I'm totally blown away by these!

So, a great FO finished! And please check out Jeremiah's website if you have any photography needs!

Blizzard and Inspiration

The snow is coming down today across New England, and Dan and I are at home because our workplaces are closed! Which is good... because there is no way I'm driving in this weather.

So, what to do? Watch cartoons, duh! I discovered Bee and Puppycat through a friend, and I am obsessed.

If you haven't seen it and have ten minutes, you need to watch it NOW.

Ok, now you're back.  So, I'm going to make a puppycat.

Thankfully I got a gift certificate to WEBS for Christmas from some cool people, so I ordered the yarn today! It should be in next week. 

I'm really excited.  I haven't had a strong inspiration like this to knit for a long time. Hopefully it doesn't fizzle out! :(

My latest FO! Kind of.

So, the best person every, Alysia of Anxiety and Coffee, is getting married in a few days! And I'm in her wedding fellowship, I get to wear a dress and everything.  It's kind of surreal!

But, for her big day I helped make some centerpieces.  These squares are gunna be sewn together to cover vases of paper flowers.

Fascinating, I know.  When the day comes I'll snap a picture of them, ok? Tomorrow we're going to be on the plane to Seattle for tourism and tears (because every good wedding is one you cry at).

Swap Package!

I got my package for the Tis the Season Swap hosted by Kim at Hand Eye Crafts a while ago, but I've been saving it for a dreary day.  Today can't get much drearier, so I opened it up and it really made things way better!



I got an adorable notepad, a pair of cuffs, TWO skeins of yarn, a pretty dishcloth (that has a snowflake, so I can leave it up until after Christmas! hehe!) a pen, a sticker, and a lovely note.

I can't wait to knit something up with this yarn.  It's so lucious and soft.





The colors are perfect for me! Thank you Kim! :)

Other crafts

A week using my laptop at work has really bothered my wrists, so I have been avoiding knitting (what else is new?) and focusing on other endeavors this weekend.

One is drawing a picture of Roo from this photo...

The other is sorting through these books from my dad's and selling them online...

Another is making these stockings for Dan's family...

And finally, I finished a very, very old WIP.  I didn't even put it on Ravelry, because I thought I would publish the pattern.  I'm still not very into it, but it has a little bit of sentimental value.  He's my first felting project! I used Paton's wool, and a big rubbermaid container and a plunger.  I remember sitting in the bathroom of my dorm pounding it in water and soap with the plunger.  He's a slug!

I was so "creative" then... I had so many ideas.  Now I guess they've all dried up.  Or I just feel like I don't have the time to do them, or I think they're not worth my time.  Whelp... sorry, that was me being a bit of a downer.

Don't you think he looks a little nervous? I think his mouth is so cute!

Yummy Yarn

This is the first year that I haven't gone to Rhinebeck.  I have mixed feelings about it - I WANT to go, to just sit around and watch the people, to eat the tasty fair food and oogle (and buy!) yarn.  But I have so much yarn! And I would like to use my money to pay off all that student loan debt... and I'm sick. 

Still, I tried desperately to find an excuse to go.  Several friends are busy this weekend; some didn't return my texts.  Some are sick like me! I couldn't find anyone to meet up with.  I couldn't think of any books I wanted to have signed or to buy.

So, I spent the weekend at home taking it easy.  But I still wanted to get some nice yarn.

Enter this.

I ordered it from Revelations of a Delusional Knitter's online shop, here.  I got it about a week ago, but I figured I would save it for when I needed a pick-me-up.  So yesterday I opened it up and oogled the pretty yarn inside.

The colorway is Reeses, but it reminds me more of fall colors.  I think the photos capture the color really well, one of those oranges is a little more pink, but overall it's pretty good.

I can't wait to make some fall socks for myself!

I Love This Shawl!

I didn't take photos last night because when I got home, Roo came to hang out and decided to sleep on the pile of knitwear that I had left on a chair.

But, first thing this morning I took some selfies! You can tell because of my hair.  And lack of very good makeup.  I did put on lipstick! That's something.

I just love the way the yarn feels around my face.  I'm going to be wearing the heck out of this this winter, even if it isn't blocked.

Speaking of not blocked... the edges are curly and the spine isn't straight.  Usually even if I block something, the spine isn't straight, but... still!

Yeah, my project area is pretty cluttered.  I have a lot of little things to do right now, and not a lot of time.  It's funny - the cleanliness of my work area is related to how stressed I am.  The more clutter, the worse I feel.

But I have a method! I'm not allowed to take anything off the table until I've taken care of it.  So, the only way to clean it up is to work on the projects.  Which keeps me from packing things away into oblivion.

My photo-taking came to an end when Dan poked me and told me I had to eat breakfast.  I think the photo turned out kind of cute.

Poor Res Photos of My Dream Shawl!

I finished the shawl yesterday, then washed it to be blocked, and then... I made a horrible discovery. My new apartment doesn't have carpet!

Okay, this discovery isn't really new... I LOVE my hardwood floors... but where am I going to block my shawl? At my last place, I found some out of the way place and blocked it using the carpet and mastic to hold my pins, but here, I don't have that! Even before, I used homosode board from Warren's stop motion set.  I don't have that either.

I guess I'm going to have to invest in blocking mats.  I tried to use the futon cushion but the pins wouldn't go in well, and when they did they were easily pulled out.  I guess I could use the mattress to our bed, but then where would we sleep? Would Dan make that sacrifice? (Probably not.)

Still, I love this shawl.  I took it down from it's farce of a blocking spot and played with it when I got home from work, and tried to take pictures on my phone.  Of course, it's after dark, so that probably doesn't help! But here are some photos.

Tomorrow I will pull out the camera and take some REAL photos that you can actually "Oooh" and "Ahh" at. For now I have these, and some photos of my landlord's cat.  His name is Roo and I steal him sometimes when they aren't home. >_>  (Not really steal, I always send him home when I hear them come in, and I don't feed him anything or keep him overnight.  And if I thought it bothered them I wouldn't do it! I swear! I would just lie on the porch or in the stairwell and cuddle him.)

Until then... V for Victory over a shawl! Mwah.

The surgery was a success!

My Haruni shawl is back on the needles! Armed with a "repeat of chart A's worth" of yarn (can we make that a unit of measurement?) and Kitsune's tip that I can do a bind off with zero yarn left over, I'm confident that I can finish this.

I really benefitted from the fact that I'm working with Qivit, I think.  When I pulled out the needles, the yarn stuck together on it's own but still unravelled when I tugged gently on the end.