Picture time!

So we're back from Boston, and I owe you all some photos. Xback progress has stalled, and there's really nothing to see. The booga bag has gone missing. I went round the house calling for it and it didn't answer. I think it's gone into hiding. But my husband thinks I'm ready for the nut house, because I'm calling for the booga bag wearing pajama that have this on it:

Does that make me crazy?














The letter-have-it bag...how darn cute is it?!?

I think I'll be making more of these. Not only was it a quick knit, it felted in just one washing. Yay!







So my goodies from Boston (bought at A Good Yarn where I got to meet Alison!)...






That's 2 skeins of a very yummy pinky colorway in Koigu, 2 lovely pinky skeins of Lang Jawoll, and a very cute must have tape measure. I also bought 2 sock patterns and Folk Shawls, Folk Shawls being for my mom for her birthday.

The Lang Jawoll are for socks for my Sockapalooza Pal, even though I've started a pair for her already. I couldn't decide between the colors she said she liked, so...she gets both! I love making socks and knock them out fairly quickly, so it's not a big deal to me. Here's what I've got so far from the first pair:









And because I LOVE this picture, I thought I'd share it. We're on the Swan boats in Boston. How cute is this picture?










Oooh, I found a pic of the very elusive booga bag...

Pictures later

I started Xback again. I only picked it up because all my projects lay in a bag under my desk at work, and I was at home. I was sick last week, and when I left the office early on Wed. last week, I went home with the essentials: me, my wallet and my keys. I then spent the rest of the week home in bed. But Sunday, I met with Bean, and we went to The Point, and I needed something to knit while there. So out came Xback again. I did a few inches and tried it on, expecting to have screwed up again, but it was perfect. Who knew that I would ever knit something for myself that supposed to fit a bust of 32". Anyway, I've knit away on it, and have close to 12 inches done.

I also started last week, before my strep throat took over my life, a Letter Have It bag, from SNB Nation. It's for the director of the little guy's daycare. She left for another position, but will be back for the Pre-K graduation on Friday. Must seam it and felt it by then.

The booga bag is done, and felted, but after 5 washes, there's still stitch definition. I gave up on felting it anymore, blocked it, and put the i-cord in. I absolutely love it, even with the stitch definition. I think it gives it character. I might make 2 more for the little guys teachers as thank you gifts when he leaves for *gulp* kindergarten in Sept.

I purchased my yarn for my Sockapalooza 2 socks. A purple colorway from Lorna's Laces. And I chose a lacy sock pattern from SockBug. This will be my travel project for Boston this weekend. After graduation on Friday morning, we're hitting the road and heading to Boston. Hopefully it will be a lovely weekend. We've got no set plans, just hanging out and seeing the sights. We'll do the children's museum on Friday night ($1/person admission...can't beat that!!). And maybe, just maybe, hit a yarn shop or two. I've got directions from the hotel in Cambridge to Circles in Jamaica Plain and A Good Yarn in Brookline. Maybe I'll see Alison's NBT in the window of A Good Yarn. Ooooo!

Also, I made hubby a little something last week/week before last. He posted an article on it here. It was done in Lorna's Laces, which is wool, not cotton, but what does a man know, right? :)

!@*!@#

Can you hear the screams of frustration? Can you hear the pain in the screams? The Ribbon Xback is causing those screams. I did gauge. I swear I did. I did 2 balls worth of knitting and measured and it was SO not right. So I ripped. I started again, and that's the picture you saw in the last entry. This time I swatched yet again, used bigger needles, and everything was great. I measured, and measured, and measured. I measured like it was going out of style. I started the left front and thought, wow, I could have this done and wearing it on Monday. Then I read a comment from the last entry on trying it on. So I did. And I cried. It's about 2 sizes too big. That seed stitch combined with the ribbon yarn is very stretchy. So out came 4 balls of yarn. I started again, 2 sizes smaller. And I really did make sure the stitches weren't twisted. I make socks in the round all the time...I know how important it is. 4 rows later, guess what? The stitches are twisted. Out came 4 rows, and all the balls of ribbon yarn have been put away until I can bear to look at them again.

Photo happy

A finished Rebecca sweater:


I had problems with the neckline being too plunging, but a couple rows of garter stitch and then the crocheted picot edging, the neckline is perfect. See?


Elizabeth and I did a swap awhile back and she sent me the makings of a felted bag along with a pattern she wrote herself (you can find it here. It was my first attempt at felting and though it's taken me awhile to actually go felt it, I think the results are wonderful! I used some leather strips that I found at M&J Trimmings and an eyelet maker to put eyelets into the strips (doubled) and attach them to the bag.


I was at The Point last Sunday to meet up with Abbey, who was making a pit stop in NYC on her way upstate with her family. Little did I know that it was going to be packed in there because Amy was going to be there! Check out the blog to see the pics of The Point and of all the people that came out to hang with her. Here's a pic of me and Abbey:


When I left The Point, I left with 3 balls of Noro Kureyon to make a Booga Bag. I figured since I needed to felt Elizabeth's bag, I may as well try something else as well. Here it is all knit up:

It still needs another washing; there's still stitch definition in both the bag and the icord. But I love the colors and the way it's coming out. I think I'm officially addicted to felting.

Last week I bought ribbon yarn (Schulana Samt-Color in the color on the left) and started a Ribbon X-Back. This is what I have so far, just starting on the 3rd ball:


I have joined Sockapalooza Two. I can't wait to see who my sock pal is!

No pics

Just a quick post to say that I'm working hard on the Rebecca sweater. I've finished all knitted portions, blocked, sewn it up and added the crocheted picot edging on all edges except the neckline. The neckline is quite plunging. I don't mind plunging, but this is a little too much for me. I'm trying to decide what to do to fix it up. The wonderful gals at the Knitty coffeshop have given me suggestions which will swim around in my head for a few days while I work on something else.

Am working on the last pair of socks for Gina's mom.

Must work on top secret project for hubby soon.

Have given my mom a ball of left over Knit Picks Shine to play with and she emails me to say, and I quote, "I think I need to quit my job to stay home and knit with Shine all day long". I think I've created a monster.

Pics of FOs (hopefully) and WIPs soon.