Branching Out scarf

Well, I managed to get a few more repeats done on my Branching Out scarf!

I'm pleased to say that I haven't had to visit the frog pond for three repeats now! (I got two more done than are in this picture.) Some wonderful person on one of the knitting lists I belong to (sorry--don't know who or what list) suggested marking each stitch type with a different color of marker, and that's made a HUGE difference. I also re-did the chart so that I have it five different times, each with all but one row grayed out so that I can follow along more easily. I need all the help I can get, and I'm just overjoyed that I haven't had to tink for a while.

The blue and white lines are lifelines that I need to take out. Crochet cotton out and it works much better as a lifeline than shiny thread, by the way. ;-)

New pictures of old projects

I finally got around to taking pictures of two doilies I made. They're both crocheted, and I really enjoyed making them.

Now I want to start doing knit doilies, but I have other projects I want to do first....

I think I made these last year.

August K.N.I.T. Meeting

I just got back from the August meeting of the K.N.I.T. guild, or Knitting Needles In Tulsa.

What a neat group!! There were two young teens working on scarves, which was really neat. And the older ladies are so inspiring!! The amount of talent in that room is just amazing.

I started a new scarf at the meeting, Branching Out from Knitty.com (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTbranchingout.html).
I'm pleased with it so far. I've only got one repeat done, but it's looking really beautiful! I'm using the Kid Mohair from Feza that I showed in a previous post. I didn't think it was quite substantial enough single, so I'm using it doubled. I'll get an in-progress picture tomorrow, I hope.

I'm getting way into lace, and hopefully it's something I won't have to wait until the kids are in school to do (the youngest is 18 months...). I just got my hands on a copy of Stahman's Shawls and Scarves (through our wonderful library system), which is an INCREDIBLE book. I'm trying to get my hands on a copy to purchase. I'm thinking that one of the Faroese shawls from that book will be my next project. We'll see, since I have SO many things I want to do! I also joined the Mystery Shawl along on Yahoo Groups, although I haven't started it. Haven't even gotten yarn for it. I'm really enjoying reading about everyone's progress and seeing what all the others are using for it.

Better get the kiddos to bed....

Yummy yarn

I went to JoAnn tonight for two spools of thread. Yeah, right, like I'd come out of there with just two spools of thread.

I found this neat yarn, Sensations (the JoAnn brand) Thick N Thin yarn. The scan really doesn't do it justice. It's warmer and more tactile in person.

So now I'm thinking that I must do a sweater for myself out of this yarn. Hmm, how the heck do you figure out the gauge??? Yeah, it says 8 sts and 11 rows is a 4" x 4" swatch, but I'm not sure I'm even close to that. Where exactly does one count the stitches? I think I might just knit up the whole skein, then measure it to figure out the square inches, then divide that by the 85 yards per skein and maybe get an approximate idea about how many skeins I'll need....

I also bought the coordinating Angel Hair, which is 12 sts an 16 rows for a 4" x 4" swatch. It'd be neat to combine them, and originally (in the store) I was thinking about a capelet with a band of the Thick N Thin and the remainder of the Angel Hair. But then reality set in and I thought "when do I EVER wear something like THAT??" So now I'm thinking just the Thick N Thin for a sweater. Maybe with the Angel Hair as the collar and cuffs or something. Who knows...

Home alone again

Well, not really "alone"--not with two little ones! But the in-laws have returned home after a very nice two-week visit. It was so neat to have them here, although I didn't get any blogging done (any excuse sometimes!!). The computer is in the guest room, which means a bit of a change for me since I can easily spend ALL DAY on the computer. I shouldn't, of course, but I still manage to do it with amazing regularity. It's been a good change, and I need to get motivated to do other things than look at wonderful things on the internet.

I've gotten a bunch more (I'm up to four completed) Moebius neck rings, and I've had wonderful responses from my testers. I've revised the cast-on instructions a few times now, and I'm hoping to run them by a few of the testers who haven't started yet. I've been very fortunate with the people who are testing my pattern. Anyway, I hope to take some pictures and post them in the next day or two. It's so hard to get pictures of myself in it!! Maybe I'll just resort to draping them on hangers or something.