stash, knit, repeat

Can I even express in words how FRUSTRATING it is that I’m writing this post over dial-up? I don’t think so. The DSL folks say that it might be another 3-4 business days before we get real network connectivity, here. No blog reading over morning coffee for me, and I’m totally going through withdrawal.

Sigh.

I don’t know what others do when stressed, but I seem to buy yarn. So, in lieu of another picture of an un-blocked Waterlily or a half-completed Tangled Yoke sleeve, here’s some luscious stash enhancement instead!

(The Plucky Knitter’s “Pumpkin Latte” sock yarn. YUM.)

(Long-overdue solid sock yarn purchase–I’m really way too finicky about variegated colors for my own good.)

Aren’t they gorgeous? Just the thing to make a girl feel better about not being able to properly blog-surf.

And, I also have Rhinebeck to console myself. I doubt I’ll be wearing Tangled Yoke, though–I vastly over-estimated the amount of knitting time I’d have during our move. I’m still only about halfway through the second sleeve, and then there’s the yoke and button band and ribbon finishing to consider. I’ll probably still be working on it there! I signed up to be a square in the blogger bingo, along with Marlena. I think it’ll be lots of fun, and for reference I’ll probably look something like this:

I have no idea what hand-knit I’ll be wearing, and my hair may be curlier. (Who has time to blow-dry when there’s YARN to be fondled?!) But I’m really looking forward to meeting some of you virtual folks in real life!

This weekend, Neil kindly wore the cable yoke sweater in rather warm San Jose weather so that I could snap a few shots.

Pattern: Cable Yoke Sweater from Debbie Bliss’ “Wish You Were Here” collection

Yarn: RYC Cotton Jeans, color “shingle”, 20 balls for the 38″ size (chest measurement 42″)

Time Elapsed: Well under a month. This was my plane knitting through two trips back east.

Modifications/Notes: After measuring some of Neil’s existing sweaters, I didn’t change a thing. That should actually serve as a warning to others knitting this sweater: Neil is especially tall and slender. I think the sleeves and body would have been far too long for my husband, who has a more average build.

I was thrilled when Neil picked this as his birthday sweater, because I loved the way the simplicity of the design married with things that are fun to knit–especially this shawl collar that’s shaped with short rows. Ingenious, fun, and it looks great. I also especially love the way the main cable motif is picked up on the cuffs and border of the sweater:

The heavy cotton and subtle color variations keep this a fairly casual sweater, but I like to think it is elegant enough to be at home in most settings. It’s very, very soft and pleasing on the skin. Another plus: It’s machine-washable. More importantly, of course, it bears the toddler seal of approval.

I hope he enjoys it for many years to come. You can see a few more shots on the FO page, as always.

We have had our little iMac since early 2002. Almost 6 years is a lot to ask of any computer, and it served us very well. It’s been flaky a lot lately, but we assumed it would just keep plugging until we were ready to give it up. Not so much. Earlier this week, it died one final death, and so we made a field trip up to San Jose. Now, a very (very) new iMac graces my desk. Where the old iMac was cute and helpful and a little goofy, this iMac is sleek, graceful, and helpful. I almost feel too shabby to use it.

Our little lampy chose a poor time to die, and we weren’t really happy about plunking down the cash for the new one, but damn if I’m not going to enjoy it. The new iPhoto is fantastic, it’s faster than God, and the screen is so big I feel like I’m in a theater.

There was some knitting during the anxious “Is it going to come back up?” times with the old computer. I finished a monkey.

I finished a sweater.

(I’m seeing Neil this weekend, and his wife assures me he’ll agree to some FO shots, so look for a roundup next week on that one.)

I cast on for the Tangled Yoke cardigan, and I’ve swatched for my “quickie” project after the monkeys are done. It’s very. very. very. unlike me.

Any guesses on the yarn or the project?

Planes, if nothing else, are good for knitting. (That is, assuming one is not traveling with a toddler. I’d almost forgotten what it was like!) The trip went well, the new tenants are pretty funny and seem like good folks, I got a ton and a half of knitting done, and upon my return I found out that we got a house we’d been trying to rent for almost a month. Better location, larger, lovely, all newly renovated, and way cheaper per month. We’re beyond excited, but also rather busy.

Still, I’m to the heel on a monkey.

I’m going to do just 5 repeats of the lace pattern on this, because I’m worried I won’t have enough Koigu. I also, truth be told, tend to like the slightly shorter socks. Not anklets, but also not something that will have to contend with my calves of doom. I’m really enjoying the knitting, and I love the way the lace pattern plays with the color changes. I understand, now, why these are all over blogland.

I also understand why man-sized sweaters in aran weight cotton *aren’t*:

I just adore the way this is turning out, and it’s going to look fabulous on Neil. But my gosh, am I ready to be done with this stuff. It hurts my hands like a 10-day MMORPG binge. It’s nuts. Fortunately, I have only 4 inches of front left, and then it’s seaming and collaring. Should be done by the weekend, I think. And then, Tangled Yoke! A secret tank that’s totally unlike me! A finished pair of socks! Holiday knitting!

…not necessarily in that order. Do I have itchy fingers, or what?!

I’m beating it back to Boston again tonight, this time to spend one and a half crazy days changing our condo over from one tenant to another. You know what that means: More plane knitting time! The Cable Yoke sweater is coming along well, although working with such heavy cotton does wear on the hands after awhile. Plus, men are big.

It’s enough to turn me into a lemming!

Hope you all have a great weekend–see you Monday!

Well, I can say one good thing about spending so much time on my tush in tin cans this weekend. It helps me bypass second sock/sleeve syndrome pretty easily.

(Two sleeves for my friend Neil’s birthday sweater, one completed Sidewinder, one in-progress. Boo yah.)

The Sidewinder pattern didn’t exactly make the STR behave. It still pooled and streaked a bit. But, as it turns out, that sort of thing looks a whole heck of a lot better when it happens vertically on the foot instead of around. So I formally declare the Pebble Beach hank saved, and I’ll look forward to wearing these socks for years. The sock fits very well, and the construction is so very interesting. I should have the pair done in a day or so.

Until then, obviously, we’ll just have to have some fun with the first sock.

The weekend went well, overall. It was the first time Jacob and I had been apart overnight before, and I have to say he seems to have handled it a whole lot better than I did. I did get used to it, though, and now my last worry about Rhinebeck is totally gone, and I can’t wait for October.

By the way, this is the pattern I’m using for Neil’s sweater:

It’s modified drop sleeve, which is so weird to me since I don’t think I’ve ever done anything but set-in. I like the way it’s looking so far, and the cotton isn’t hurting my hands too badly. I hope I can finish the rest of the sweater quickly, because I’m all excited about my holiday knitting. I can’t believe it’s almost September!

I’m headed to Maine for the funeral this weekend, and my travel itinerary (bus, plane, andtrain!) is a little nightmarish. Fortunately, I’ll have my knitting with me, and even more fortunately, this is no longer among my knitting:

Blocking will have to wait until I return, but hooray! The darn shawl is done done done!

Jacob wasted no time in appropriating it for himself. Shawls make fun toys, don’t ya know.

Up next in the queue: Sidewinders (and if they don’t make that STR behave, by golly, there’ll be another darn giveaway) and the cable-yoke sweater from “Wish You Were Here”, for my friend Neil.

See you Tuesday!