zzzzzzz!

man, what a snoozer - i am on sleep mode! currently on my size 4 needles is a sweater that is sooooooo boring that it is a struggle to continue. i just keep telling myself that the product will be worth the process - i love the yarn (debbie bliss cathay) and the look of the finished sweater. apparently my problem seems to be with simplicity! could it be that since there is absolutely no challenge i find it painful! perhaps i've been knitting way too many lace-type patterns recently - now, those will keep you on your toes!
this leads to problem #2 and my earlier decree that i would finish a project before i started a new one - you can kiss that idea 'bye-bye'! two other projects have appeared and i am fighting the urge to begin a third! argh!! the only saving grace with this whole situation is that the temperature is supposed to hover around 100 degrees today so i will be forced to find some type of refuge in the shade which should allow for hours of endless knitting!!! ahhh, nirvana!!!

screw the kitchener stitch!

and i mean it, damn it!!

there, i've said it, thank you very much!

after two hours of frustration, i am over it!! i finally did a three needle bind off and got on with life! i don't know what it's all about but i just can't seem to make that stitch work!! i read the directions and i follow the pictures and i mentally know what i should be doing but...enough is enough!!!

the good news is that i have finished this little number. it is the minimalist sweater by ruthie nussbaum from interweave knits, fall 2007. and while i've got a whine going, i might as well complain about how long it took to put this sweater together!! jeepers, it took me less time to knit the thing than to sew it together!! now i remember the reason that i like to knit 'all in one' numbers!!

this really is the same sweater even though the color looks different. this is another classic example of my terrific photo abilities! not!

i think this sweater will be a keeper - it feels good and looks pretty good! and, the best part is, i actually used some of my stash instead of buying new stuff. now, that is progress - in more ways than one!! and i really like the texture of the moss stitch - soooo groooooovy!!

time really does fly!

man, a week has flown by already! and has my knitting also flown - well, not exactly!! i'd have to say that instead of being on a big ol' jet airliner, my knitting and i am on a slow boat to china!
i am making progress but not quite as rapidly as suits my taste! i'm 'between third and home' on my 'minimalist cardigan' by ruthie nussbaum from IK - fall 2007. i'm halfway through reknitting the back - yes, reknitting as in 'did i swatch the yarn to check the guage?" - well, 'nooooooo, i did not' sooooo, i'm paying the price by having to knit the back twice! ugh! one of these days i will get the hint! what i really can't believe is that i knit sooooo loose that i am using needles that are 2 sizes smaller than the recommended size - what's with that?
anyhoo, the sleeves and fronts are done and languishing in anticipation of the back joining them soon. the back should be joining them sometime this weekend but according to the weatherpeople on all of the local stations, we will be having several rainless days in a row! a miracle!! i hesitate to say this as it surely will put a jinx on it but i've just got to 'soak up some sun' by spending time in my perennial garden. since it was rainy outside, i've also been painting my bathroom this week which has caused my hands to replace knitting needles with brushes and rollers - not nearly as zen like as knitting! i promise to post pics of the finished product in my next post. until then, keep on knitting in the free world!

nirvana

friday was it! a day of total nirvana! the sky was blue with no clouds in site, the temperature was 75 degrees (perfect in my book) and i was in the garden! it doesn't get any better than that! i've included a couple of garden shots - a beautiful clematis spooneri in full regalia and some chives and siberian iris in dappled sunlight. this spring, our nice days have been few and far between (as i sit here typing, it is pouring outside!) so one must make hay while the sun shines!! so...what does one do when forced to abandon the garden for inside activities...well, knit of course. silly you, what else is there?

speaking of knitting, here is the first half of the rockin sock club 'leafling' pattern in the colorway "lucky". this was the rsc march issue so, as you can see, i have fallen behind in my promise to myself to keep on task and finish these rsc sock projects in a timely manner!! alas, since staying on task seems to allude me, i now have a beautiful violet yarn and an exciting pattern starring at me each and every day - but i will endeavor to persevere - i will not take the new yarn out of its bag and ball it until i finish the mate to the above! i promise, i promise, i promise!!

here is one of the reasons that might have kept me from my appointed task. this is the 'little silk shrug' from the book "lace style" with a close-up of the lace pattern. i had originally knit this yarn into a camisole top but it was just too heavy. i employed the ol' froggin technique which i seem to have mastered quite well, thank you very much, and decided to give this little number a try. wise move on my part as this delight is much lighter in weight! the lace pattern was very simple and easy to memorize (love not having to drag a pattern along!) and was a quick knit - simply a rectangle. doesn't get much easier than that, complete with some pretty instantaneous gratification! yes, yes, yes!

i'm sure that the shrug photo would have been much nicer on a live body but this is NOT the body that needs to be showing it off! i'm hoping i have a niece that will provide that in exchange for the shrug. i'll let you know if that happens!!