Snow Shawl

Neither wind nor rain shall keep me from my appointed rounds.   Or in this case, rows as it is a semicircular shawl and not a true circular shawl.   I am working on my Skywalker shawl.   The pattern is by Laura Nelkin.   I am taking her class "Mastering Lace Shawls" on Craftsy.com.   I am in the middle of the Planet Stitch section.    Then, more Plasma Stitch and the Nova Edging.    I love the class.  

I am really jazzed (jazz hands - come on, you know you want to) about a new app I am using on the Itouch called JKnits Lite.   It has a highlighter bar that I am using for the charts and it is FABULOUS and free!

Interweave Sale

Until January 24, 2012, Interweave is having a winter sale of up to 60% off. I just purchased the digital download of a Knitting Daily Workshop. The class is Knitting from the Top Down with Wendy Bernard. It includes the video class and two printable patterns. One pattern is for a cardigan and the other is for a pullover. I have been seriously considering buying the first Custom Knits book and thought about purchasing the digital download. It is normally $14.99, but was on sale for $7.47. Did I mention how much I like video classes on the computer when in Syracuse, New York it is "warming up" to 35 degrees F on Saturday?

Netflix streaming on the computer is also a favorite. I am on season 10 of SG-1. Next on the agenda is Stargate Atlantis and the 2nd and 3rd movies in the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo series. They are in Swedish, but that only adds to the plot. I read the first book and watched the first movie. Fantastic!

Snow!

(I also posted this entry in the Knits Up? podcast group on Ravelry.com)

In Central New York, we had the first big snowfall of the season. Between Thursday night and this morning (Saturday), we got at least a foot of snow. I shoveled enough so I could get my Dad (whom I live with) could get the snowblower out. This snowblower is vintage. It was bought in 1978 which was the winter I was in second grade. Nothing runs like a Deere.

I spent the morning (okay I woke up at 11am) organizing my yarn stash. Wow, I have a lot of yarn. So 2012 will be the year of the stash. No new yarn purchases unless I can buy it at Joann's with the gift card my Dad got me for Christmas.

I have two large bins and one blanket chest sized bin which contain all the yarn. Okay, I don't count the WIP of the Webs sweater which is in my Hermosa bag. I also have two pairs of socks in progress.

Also on the circular needle, is my Skywalker Shawl in Berroco Alpaca Fine in the Potting Soil colorway. I am taking Laura Nelkin's Mastering Lace Shawls class on Craftsy.com. I know how to knit lace, but frankly, it is a very relaxing endeavor to knit a shawl and be able to see someone demonstrate a technique I am not familiar with.

I finally made a break for it this afternoon to get to a yarn shop and Walmart. I bought an Addi Turbo Lace Needle US size 5 in the 40 inch length and a KnitScene magazine which had three easy lace shawls. Walmart was the usual delight it is following a snowstorm. Screaming toddlers, people buying beer and shovels, but mostly just shoppers trying to avoid the mass of humanity that finally got out of their driveways.

What is everyone else working on?

The Winter Butterfly

I started knitting a shawlette last night. The pattern I am using is The Monarch Shawl by Denise @ Lost City Knits. The yarn is Blind Buck Farm's yarn Fall. I bought one skein of this DK weight yarn at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival 2011 in Rhinebeck. I am through one of the three sections of the pattern and about half way through the second. It is a fast knit. I love the feel of the yarn which is 30% Mohair and 70% Romney Wool and is dense.

Better photos will be coming soon once the shawl is finished and blocked.

Buttons

I shopped at Joann's today and bought buttons for two cardigans I knit this year. I came home and promptly lost the bag with the buttons in it. Much laundry will be done tomorrow night. The buttons will be found. The cardigans will be done and wearable.

Rip Roaring Time

Timely advice: Read the pattern ALL the way through.

Eliminate the possibility that you will cast on half the stitches you really need for the baby hat you are knitting.

Luckily, I have time before tomorrow's baby shower. I am this far on the hat tonight.

Fishing (cast and recast)

This is the sweater I started knitting again last night on US Size 8 needles. This development follows me ripping out the same sweater on US Size 10 needles that would have been a 12-18 month size rather than the 6-9 month size I wanted. The yarn is Bernat Mosaic in the psychedelic colorway.

Oh, and last night's project, that hat. Did I mention that I was knitting the pattern from the bottom to top instead of top to bottom? And that I read the last paragraph of the pattern that reads "continue to increase in the manner described" until you have DOUBLE the number of stitches I now have on the needles. 3 inches worth of stitches to be ripped out...... And the shower is Saturday night.......Maybe I will just mail the hat and booties for Christmas........