Showing posts with label mitred square. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mitred square. Show all posts

Monday, January 31, 2011

Time Flying

It was another driving weekend, so a lot of knitting happened. On the way out to western MA, I cast on some new socks, because I wanted a project that would fit in my pocket. Also I wanted something in plain stockinette, so I could knit without more than the occasional glance. This proved quite useful, as I not only knit in the car, but while strolling around the train show:
They know what draws the crowds
This was my favorite scene- you can't see it in the photo, but the 'movie screen' was showing train videos. "I'd go see that double feature," Jonathan said seriously. More photos from the show here.

The train show was even larger than last year, which is quite a trick since it already covered an area the size of about four large Home Depots. We were almost glad we weren't shopping for anything this year--it took us over three hours just to see all the layouts, and skim the booths. If we'd been seriously looking for things for our own layout, we'd have been there at least twice as long. (We're getting ready to build the next large section of the layout, and we already have quite a backlog of kits and things to build, as well as details to put on the existing more-complete section. It'll be some time before we need additional supplies that can't be obtained at the hardware store or local hobby shop.)

I continued knitting at dinner, after dinner, at my mother-in-law's house, while visiting a friend, at brunch, on the drive back, at knit group (where I only made a brief appearance due to having returned late, and needing to return books and DVDs to the library), at home and while watching Midsomer Murders on library DVD. (We're finding them mildly enjoyable, though we like Inspector Morse better. But we're almost through all the ones the library has of those, and we're also nearing the end of Foyle's War *sniff*.)

Anyway, as of today, the first sock is progressing rapidly. The yarn is Wildfoote in Geranium, which I had never heard of before, but which is proving quite charming. It's a four-ply but a bit lighter than Trekking, which I'm using for the toe and heel. I have three skeins which I received as a gift, and I'm hoping that by mixing it with black, I might be able to get two pairs of socks from it.
Photobucket

I've also started a cowl for my sister. I got it cast on on Saturday and then thought it looked funny, so I didn't go any further. And sure enough, when I got home and checked Ravelry, I've been using size 8 needles for this yarn and not size 6. So- saved by project notes! I've been making a serious effort to note yarn/gauge/needle size in Ravelry, and it's really paid off for me. Whenever I use a yarn I've already had experience with, I'm able to save time in swatching.

Nor have I neglected the tulip scarf (much) which is up to about four feet of tulips. And on the mitred square blanket, I've finished the fourth round of little squares and started the fifth. It's up to about 16 X 16 inches.
mitred square blanket

And speaking of the mitred square blanket, while I was working on it over the weekend, I felt something pointy in the ball of yarn. I squished it and felt around and pulled out a darning needle. I had to smile, because I've misplaced needles that way myself- you stick them in the ball of yarn, they get pushed below the surface, and that's it until you use the yarn up and find it again. So this evening, I was working on the mitred square blanket again, and what did I find? Another needle. Same ball of yarn. I started laughing, albeit sympathetically. I could just picture another poor knitter, looking everywhere for a needle, any needle.

My husband asked what was so funny. So I told him I'd found a needle. He gave me a Look, the sort that says, 'she's probably harmless but not too tightly wrapped'. "But wait," I tried to explain. "It was the second one!" That got me the Look that says, 'but maybe I should back away slowly just in case'. Which of course made me laugh harder. I don't know, maybe you just had to be there.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I'm Happy This Week

For a whole bunch of reasons:
1. I have knit enough tulips to fill half of Holland. Okay, I'll admit that I still have to knit enough to fill the other half. And it's possible I may have solicited input from the knitting group Sunday in the hopes that they would say 'oh, totally this should be a short scarf' ...which they didn't... but it really is very pretty and springlike.

2. When the tulips start to become a little too much, I have been relaxing with a few simple mitred squares. I've long admired Valerie's mitred square blankets....though it's possible I should have been more cautious about starting a project she refers to as the 'crackghan'. It is very addictive. I catch myself saying, 'just one more', a lot. I love Valerie's scrappy blankets, but I don't have scraps, I have tons of baby solids. So I've turned to quilting for inspiration and am working the blanket from the center out. Here it is:
Mitred square blanket

3. Coffee and doughnuts. (Yesterday I decided that driving to work in yet more snow was a good excuse.)

4. My commutes, both yesterday and today, while snowy and slippery, were refreshingly free of drama and excitement. Possibly my fellow commuters had the fear of God put into them last week, but they have slowed down, kept a decent following distance, do not swerve in and out of lanes, nor have they run into one another and snarled traffic in such a way as to inconvenience me. You'd almost think we lived in a place that got snow regularly, where people are used to winter driving.

5. I am no longer sick. It wasn't a severe cold as these things go, but it's surprisingly annoying not to be able to breathe through your nose. Also, I was starting to look forward to swilling Nyquil and going to bed after dinner, which is just scary.

6. It's very snowy! My inner child is delighted. (The freezing rain, I'm not so fond of. But I have a huge bag of rock salt and I'm not afraid to use it.)

7. I scored the next three sequential episodes of Foyle's War at the library. Including both a season cliffhanger, and the episode *after* the season cliffhanger (whew!).

8. The cats have been providing excellent entertainment. Biscuit continues to spend more time out from under the bed. This morning they determined empirically that the cat castle is not big enough for both cats to occupy the middle level at once and Biscuit took over the back of the armchair instead for some companionable outdoors-watching.
Two cats taking in the view

9. The weather forecast for Saturday (the day of our concert) is clear!