Sharing.

Ok people, I am gonna share.

While on vacation, we found a fabulous wine. At least my mother, my Nana, and myself thought it was fabulous. If you like sweet white wines, give this one a try. it's Nummy.

Socktoberfest and other things.

First, the other things.

My Gallery seems to have shit itself when I wasn't looking so I'll be dinking with it more later to correct the issue. So no beach pictures right now.

I ripped the Clapotis (which I may have already mentioned, can't remember) and I have ripped out the sock I was doing for shmoo as well. I am also ripping out the one Jaywalker I have completed and the 3 rows I did the other night at knitting group. It was a hard to decision to rip my first completed sock, but I have decided I really don't care for the colorway with that pattern. I want something better, or different, or something. I still like the pattern but I will wait til a yarn tells me that's what it wants to be.

I finished the cape for Supersheep while on vacation, it's a little short, but mostly the thing still looks the same, so no new picture.

I also worked on my lace leaf shawl but didn't do that much on it because it will be a gift for my mom and I didn't want to flash it in front of her too much.

I did some spinning as well, both lace weight with Mama E's Platinum and then some fingering of that chocolate cherry fiber I mentioned ages ago. Also no pictures right now.

But wait! Lest you think I have no pictures to show. I do!
I was working on the front of Viveka cause that will be the hardest part with the most mods on it, and I wanted to get rolling on that before I forgot what I wanted to do while drudging thru the back.

So I started with an OXO cable up the front sides along where the zipper will be.



But then I didn't think it popped enough, so I decided to change it to a simple chevron like cable and let it go at that. This however, required surgery.

The braid I switched to:


One surgery down, one to go:


And finally, for Socktoberfest, I have cast on for the Red Herring Socks from Knitty. These socks will be for my shmoo, since I just ripped his current WIP sock out. I do like the colors I have chosen, and while they don't "pop" as much as I would perhaps wish for myself because of similar color saturation, I don't think shmoo will mind at all. They are definately his type of colors. And since he also approved the zigzag design, as long as they fit, I am sure he'll wear them! This is of course assuming I actually finish them.

Dolphins on Monday.

Actually, we saw the porpoises all but two days (Wednesday and Thursday). With the best showing being the morning we left right as we were doing one last check to be sure nothing was left behind. We checked the porch for several minutes. Just to be sure nothing was left behind you understand.

We had a wonderful vacation in a beautiful location.

All my knitterly needs were met.

And as a bonus, this was my view.


And I was able to relax and enjoy it because I knew that Daisy was in good hands.


I'll try to get the photos up in my gallery soon, in the mean time I have babies to collect and errands to run. It's good to be home, but I certainly wouldn't have minding staying longer!

Vacation

I've done some knitting but not anything I am ready to show. Mostly still working out the front of the mods I am doing for that viveka pattern. I've set it up twice and frogged it once and now considering frogging again, but a two color cable set into another color seems like a lot more work than I really feel like doing.

Regardless, we are leaving in the morning to go to St. George Island in Florida, and will be staying here for the next week. I look forward to a relaxing week of knitting and spinning and perhaps having another FO by the time I come back.

I'll think about you all while I relax in glorious splendor............ really I will.

Stereotypical.

OK here's the typical "with a dime or pen point" shot with double your stereotypes.

And here's some more stuff I am messing with. I can't decide which fiber to spin up as lace. So I figure I'll end up trying them all. The results might be less than glamorous should I decide to knit with them all, but that's ok too.

Woot Woot!

My beautimus new spindle has arrived! It's handmade by Mr. Tracy Eichheim of Woolly Designs in Colorado. I got the Ultralight with hummingbirds carved into it. It's about 19 grams (just under .7 ozs) and spins like a dream.

And check out those hummingbirds! He carves all that stuff using a scroll saw. No laser cutting! He has lots of great options, but I chose hummingbirds cause they make me think of my mom.


I have big plans for it next week when we go on vacation to St. George Island (Florida) with my family. I plan to spin up some of the deep dark blue I bought awhile back from Cloverhill as a lace weight, and do more of the BFL I got from Amy Boogie on my Kundert spindle as well.

Anyway, overjoyed, and wanted to share. A shot of some finished yarn after it dries.

Hypocrite.

Not too long ago, (I am sure if you scroll down you can read it, it should still be there) I bitched about Knitty and Suss and the Suss pattern with the Suss yarn. Yeah. That was me.

But then it was cold, and I didn't feel good, and I just wanted a big floppy cardingan that would be easy to make and still have good details to it and ended up casting on for the damned thing.

Yeah. Me. Hypocrite. I am however changing a few things about the sweater. I am NOT using Suss yarn. I am using Paton's Classic Merino Wool. And I shorted the bottom band from 5 inches to 2.5 inches. I am making it a Cardingan and not a Pullover. I am adding a zipper to the sleeves as well, so they can be loose and floppy or close and tight.

I am not proud of myself for giving in this way, but hopefully it'll be a nice comfy sweater I can wear on the days I feel bloated and fat and be fine with it.

I leave you with a picture of my pin-up girl modeling beside my knitting the other day.

Oh noes! Not again!

Yes! Again! Again I have an FO. And this time it didn't take 3 months either.

It's the Child's Placket-Neck Pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts that has already been seen a bazillion times on the 'net so I don't feel too bad about my horrible pictures.

The yarn is Lion brand Wool-ease. I did the smallest size. It took just under one whole ball. I bought two just in case, but I don't really use wool-ease unless it's a baby project for the washable factor so I guess I'll hang on to it until the next sucker has a little girl that needs a sweater.

The only thiing I didn't like was the sewing down of the front flap you make at the bottom of the neckline. See below.

I feel like it would have been better to tuck it under and sew it to the upper side. but I didn't want to change the orientation of the opening so I haven't redone it that way. I'll just keep it in mind for next time and add the 5 flap stitchs on to the opposite side so I can sew it to the back side.

I am not going to add buttons. I think it's fine just like it is. Easy to get over the kid's head and easy to get off as well. And no fiddly buttons to scratch or distract little hands.

This was my second completed sweater ever. (The first being Batman) It was also my first Raglan. I do believe I like raglan just fine and could see easily making one for myself. Perhaps the cardigan I have been dreaming up for myself for eons will be a raglan now. I kinda doubt it because I want cables, but you never know.

That's it for me today! Soapturtle OUT!
(I really hate American Idol and "Seacrest Out!" btw. I'd hate it more but it would mean I'd have to bother to watch the show.)

I did it!

Holy Shit! I actually have an FO!!! The first one since the Mother's Day shawl!! Whoa.

Unfortunately it's a seekrit. I can't show it until the recipient gets it. Which will be over a month from now. In the mean time, here's what I can tell you. It's Manos. Colorway 119. It's the first time I have used Manos, and damned if I don't like it! It's nice and soft and knits up fast. It's a little pricey for me, but for what I did with it, I could see using it for Christmas gifts and getting away with quite an affordable Christmas.

Here's a close-up, so you can see the colorway/yarn without seeing the actual knit.

A lovely day.

What kind of day would you expect to have if you woke up to this?

And the culprit of this mess? Why he's innocent as a babe of course!

Fall Knitty - the self-promotion issue.

Rant incoming.

It's great that a new knitty is out. It's great that it has more and more patterns all the time. It's great that it's free and accessible to innumerable knitters out there.

But this post, it's about what's not great.

Knitty is becoming more and more......"snotty". It seems that it is so hung up on it's own leetness that we are losing something somewhere. I think that something is quality, freshness, and the chance for the small new designer to get their feet wet.

And this issue, (it's the self-promotion issue because knitty has allowed something I have never approved of to not just continue but to flourishing this issue) designers submitting patterns that are in yarn that they make. (With no listed alternatives I might add.) And not only has knitty accepted them, it has given one of them top billing. What the hell?

3 patterns this issue are by the people who make the recommended yarn. Viveka is by Suss, and made in an expensive Suss yarn. Lucie is by some chick that also sells the yarn, but her name is long and cumbersome so I forget what it is. Tamarah is by the owner of Artyarns in Artyarns made yarn.

When did this groundbreaking free knitting mag become a venue of shameless self promotion for yarn manufacturers? When did something the knitting community was so proud of become something shameful, sold out, and dirty?

The fabulous Kim over at YarnAbuse has covered my thoughts on Vivika very well, so go there to read it, I'll wait here and then we'll continue.....

Ready? Ok good!

I find more and more that I prefer MagKnits. Not because they publish monthly, (and on time I might add, since it seems Knitty doesn't know how to do that anymore) but because they aren't pretensious. They don't pretend to be cooler/hipper/leeter than they are. I've always preferred people/entities who are themselves as opposed to always trying to impress, and MagKnits is whooping Knitty's ass in this department.

So while I like "Sherwood" and one of those pairs of socks in the new knitty, (can't remember which and can't be assed to look) mostly I just come away feeling dirty.

If you are still here, thanks for listening.
I have to go wash up now.

Am I crazy?

Or does this 5lb rice bag look like it would be a great small/medium project bag? Because I sure think it does. I'll have to test it of course, but I am sure it will be great, and if it gets dirty or tears or something.... who cares? It was a rice bag!

In other news, I didn't die from the plague that beset me, I just felt like I would. I haven't really been knitting much so I haven't posted either. Hopefully, I'll finish something soon so I actually have something to post about.

Long Incoherent Rambling

I had a fun trip, but was extremely glad to be home. And then I woke up Monday morning with awful throat cooties and didn't feel like doing anything at all.

I would love to show you the beautiful photographic highlights of my trip, but... well... I forgot my camera. So we'll do like Amie did and just pretend, kay?

First we have a picture of a box truck that is spewing smoke out of its tailpipe. Lovely, black smoke. And then...as you can see on the back of the truck, it has a picture that says "You're car has never run better." and then.. the "Snap-On" logo. That's right folks, the Snap-On man can't fix his own truck.

And then we have a picture of of the green exit sign for "8 Mile Road" if only because I had no idea that Eminim was from Detroit. And while I don't like all of his music, and I think he has lots of issues that he needs help with, I sometimes find his point of view correct and think he is lyrically brilliant.

And now, you'll really have to picture this one.... because I really regret not being able to get a shot of it. Imagine a small seedy adult "toy" shop with a nice big parking lot all around it. And next to it.. there's a lovely woodworking shop with the title "Natural Wood". Talk about shop placement!! We rolled.

That's about it for missing pictures. Wasn't that a fun game? Sure it was. But moving on!

The driving itself was long and tedious. And it turns out, that if you make a wrong turn on the Penna Turnpike, you end up having to go about 30 miles out of your way and pay a freaking toll charge just to turn around. Ask me how I know.. ASK ME!!!! (ok don't, it'll just bring up all my frustration again) And their "Service Plaza" areas, well, they sucked. Dirty, crowded, shitty parking, just unpleasant.

But that did mean that when we got to the lovely, beautiful, wonderful, oh so flat state of Ohio, we rejoiced. Well thought out and planned Service Plazas, that were spacious, and clean. They had a nice food court seating area, and they were clean. Did I mention clean? Ohio charges less for you to go across their state than Pennsylvania charges to go across one freaking corner. And it's so much nicer. They really know their niche I think. They know that most people aren't stopping, but just passing through and they make you happy to spend your money with them. So kudos to you Ohio! ( Pennsylvania however, can die in a fire.)

That mostly sums up the trip. Other than the I got sick somewhere along the way part and feel so very rotten now that I am back. I can't sleep because I feel like I am suffocating when I lie down. I can't get my throat to stop hurting, and I am a miserable human being. *whine whine whine*

But I found my camera. So I can now supply some photos for you eye candy readers out there.

These are the bowls we got on our trip. They are perfect French Onion Soup bowls and I plan to make some as soon as I feel up to going to the store to replenish the onion supply.



I am thinking of making myself a new needle case now that I know more what I need in one, and was thinking of using these fabrics, but I am still undecided.



And then I was going to take the current cover flap of my old case (below) and make it into a dpn case. There should be just enough fabric there, and I love the print, which I got as scrap, so I don't think I could ever find more of it.



Now I just have to feel like bothering to sew them up.

Cleaning up and heading out.

I am headed out of town this weekend so I have been spending my free time doing more cleaning than usual. I hate to come home from a trip all tired and have a dirty house. It's depressing. Home should be warm and inviting and comforting after you've been gone.

So tomorrow I do tons of last minute things. Work, gas up the car, try to get an oil change in, last minute laundry, packing, and dropping the kids off at a friend's. If said friend is reading this, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I hope they do anything to make you never want to baby sit them again.

Speaking of the kids, is this familial love or what? I came out of the bedroom to find them both sacked out on the couch.

I couldn't resist. They often lay around on each other but never when I have my camera handy.

Since all this doing has left me with nil for knitting time, I'll leave you with a picture of our new bedding set and new roman shade. (If you have problems with light still coming in even with blinds, go to Ikea and get a roman shade, it's cheap, easy to hang, and does a bang up job of filtering the light. We love it.) It's no home magazine display, but I like it. And I was happy to find a bedding set that had sheets to fit my super thick mattress. And it was $40.00. Total.

Have a great weekend, I am off to Michigan!

My SuperSuit.

My SuperSuit is done. Now I just need to put a sheep in it. I bound off at the collar and cuff of the outfit so that I could pick up stitches for the hands and feet. I want the demarkation to be definite and deliberate. I want it to appear that sheepy is actually wearing a suit and could fly away at any moment with a young Sheep Kent appearing is glasses shortly thereafter.

Now that I think about it, I should go ahead and add the cape before I pick up for the head. It'll make it a lot easier. Thanks y'all, I'm glad you suggested that before I forgot!

I am so stealing this idea!

Tonight at knitting group we had a new member join us. Her name is Lisa and her blog is over at I Tink, Therefore I Am. And besides having a clever and orignal blog name, (of which I am envious, because while soapturtle knits is cute, it's not clever) she also had a great idea and I am going to copy it.

When we asked her if she had a blog and what it was, so I could add her to my sidebar, she pulled out a business card!!!!!

It has her name, her blog link, her email, and her cell number on it, (which I have blurred out most of, since I figure if you want to start stalking her, you need to work for it a little more than just getting it from my blog) and all I could think, besides "oohhhhhhh purple!!! pretty flower!!!" was how freaking cool is this? And how freaking cool would it be to have these on hand at something like Maryland Sheep and Wool? And in your knitting bag, so if you pick up random knitters they can find you to come to your group, or if you get a new group member they can easily find you on the intarwebs and get it touch with you if they need to do so.

She ordered them online at VistaPrint, and I have to say I am inspired and will be doing the same!

Now go on over to her blog and say hi!

Absence

Please excuse Laura's absence... blah blah blah.

I'm not sick anymore, but I just haven't really been knitting. I don't have anything really exciting or cool to share, so I haven't posted.

The best I can offer is some pet pictures to distract you from my recent lack of content.

First up is the cat, who it seems likes printers. And if he isn't parked on my 3-in-1, he's got his ass parked on our HP. Go figure. It might be that the printers are above our desk and he likes to look down on us.

And finally a picture I took of my other babies, while they were sleep. Say it with me now.. "awwwwww!"

Have a great weekend!

Raise your hand, raise your hand if you're sure.

Not much to post about today. I haven't done much on the knitting front and today I am sick as all get out. Mostly I sleep and then drink fluids, or try to make myself have some soup. It's fun.

Supersheep is not much further along than he was last Monday.



And my handspun swap is already in.




And what I am sending her is done and packaged and going out tomorrow.




What's that you ask? Is there actually a bit of soap being posted here at soapturtle knits? Why yes, yes it is.

It's some I had made a while back and boxed up and I figured it would help the yarn smell until it arrives at its new home. I always like to include a little something extra in my swaps.

Have a good week people, I'm going back to bed.

Results.

The results are in for my Telemark swatch test!

The pattern calls for 22 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches.
With Telemark using size 4 Brittany Birch needles I got 24 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches.
(Please note that I did a full soak and then laid it out flat to dry, per instructions on this one because everyone was having so many problems getting gauge.)

I plan on using it and just bumping up a chest size (or 2) to make up the difference and just going with it over all because the row gauge matches. Now to choose colors. I can't decide if I want to keep the double green combo or do something else.

And here's one for you sickos who like to see the knitting innards.

Go there.

Read this.