I don't often post on the weekends but I'm so excited to show you the sock I completed in less than a week. That is definitely a record for me! I finished it up on Thursday night and bound off yesterday. The second sock will be much slower though because it will be knit during class and I'll be following the pace of my students until the heel is done.
But that's okay. Trump and I already have the yarn wound for my next pair of socks!
When I joined the 12 Shawls in 2012 Ravelry group, I read that I would need to make two shawls that used at least 546 yards of yarn. Prayer shawls can be fairly big so I hoped that a prayer shawl would satisfy that requirement.
I looked in my stash and found some leftover acrylic yarn. If a prayer shawl is not going to a specific person, I make it from acrylic for easy care. (If I know someone will take care of it, I make it out of other yarns.)
I weighed, weighed again, and weighed some more as I made this shawl. It seemed like I could make it to the required yardage but I wasn't sure if the colors would end in the right spots. Would I be able to end at the right spot and use enough purple? How many rows of green could I knit before needing to bind off? How much yarn would the bind off take?
It all worked out. The shawl uses 548 yards of yarn and has the right amounts of purple and green. And it used up just about all of my yarn, too!
I do have some other things I need to get knitted, but this weekend I started two new projects: the Rosaleen Shawl and Sunrise Socks.
The shawl is for a friend. I had made her a scarf a long time ago but never sent it. During my cleaning, I found it but unfortunately the moths had found it, too. I think this new project will be more to her liking anyway. I know she loves this color! (It's called Papaya and isn't as red as it looks in the photo.)
And the socks are for me! Two of my students want to knit socks and I think the Sunrise pattern may be a good one for them to knit. It's for sizes small through extra large which is not common for a sock pattern. And it's toe up so they can easily customize the socks to their feet. I'd like to get one sock mostly completed by Saturday's class then use the other sock to demonstrate how to make the project. I love that the yarn looks like a sunrise!
What are you knitting these days?
My favorite spot to knit is at the end of our couch. It's very comfy and has the best light in the family room. If I am there, the dog is usually beside me. I can see the TV, the street, some parts of the house, things in the room that make me happy, and one thing in the room that does not make me happy. Can you guess which picture that is?
One of the goals I mentioned for 2012 was getting together more often with my knitting friends. That has happened a little, but what has happened more is getting together with my non-knitting friends. I don't know about you, but when life gets busy I don't take time like I should to be with my friends. So I've been fixing that!
Last week I met Molly for coffee. I first met Molly several years ago when she was teaching English at my daughter's school. Then we got to know each other better through couponing. Now we're just plain ole friends. Last week's meeting was special because I got to meet her daughter, Audrey.
Audrey is ADORABLE! She is such a cute little girl and is probably the most contented 6 month old I've ever met. Molly and I talked for about an hour and a half and Audrey was content until the very end when her eyes were drooping. Nap time!
I couldn't resist knitting something for Audrey but I didn't have a lot of time. So I chose Debbie Bliss's Pompon Beret. Notes on sizing are on my Ravelry page and instructions for the crocheted flower can be found at Never Not Knitting. I love knitting with that Cashmerino Aran!
Molly and I decided to not let too many months go by before we get together again. Life flies by and before we know it, Audrey will want to run around Starbucks instead of sitting to chat. I guess we'll have to move our get-togethers to the park!
Yesterday was a full day of errands, including trying to find a new purse. I totally meant to participate in Ten on Tuesday but I never got around to it. I'll definitely be checking out all the food suggestions soon!
So I need your advice on this purse. My current purse is about the same size as this (small tote bag) and I just can't seem to use one smaller these days. (Wallet, Kindle, cosmetics, papers, sometimes knitting... that takes up a lot of room!) I'm not sure that I am 100% in love this purse but it is the one I like the best after looking around. This will be the purse I use all the time. I only change out purses in the summer but sometimes I don't even do that.
I saw several cute purses but they didn't zip and I really like a purse that zips or a messenger style purse with the flap that comes over. This one has a large center section that zips with two narrow sections on either side that would accommodate a note pad, receipts, etc. Another criteria is that I don't want to spend a ton ($75 or less for leather).
Leather...now this is another thing to make me unsure - the description online says "Croco Leather Tote." Do you think that means it's really made from crocodile? I figured it was embossed cow leather. I'm not sure how I feel about a crocodile bag... How can I tell? Wouldn't a real crocodile leather bag have a different look to it? This one seems too symmetrical to be real crocodile. The QVC web site says "croco-embossed tote" so that makes it seem like cow leather. (Sorry for the rambling!)
So I guess my questions are:
1. Do you think this bag is nice or ugly? Be honest, please!
2. I'd love to carry a smaller purse. If you carry a smaller bag, how do you do it?
Thanks for your opinion!
Rebecca: We just finished reading this excellent book for book club and now I really want to watch the movie. There is another version and it might be fun to compare both movies.
Get Low: Our previous pastor helped write this movie. It's about his wife's great uncle (or some relation). They've been all over for film festivals for this film. How fun for them!
Ides of March: It was filmed at my alma mater, Miami University. Can't wait to see shots of the beautiful campus.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: This isn't out yet, but I want to see it when it does hit theatres.
The Hobbit: There and Back Again: I'll have to wait even longer for this one.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn 1: Emma is over the Twilight thing so we decided to wait to rent this. Guess we can see it now but we haven't gotten around to it yet.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn 2: I'll want to see this eventually, too. (I know that's not technically "right now" but there just aren't that many movies I want to see right now.)
Lord of the Rings 1, Lord of the Rings 2, Lord of the Rings 3: I've been wanting to have a marathon LotR viewing but nobody wants to join me. Guess I'll just have to make a date with myself to watch them.
I'll throw in an extra since some of my movies aren't out yet.
Pride and Prejudice: It's been a while since I've seen it. Time to fix that!
There you go! This was a hard list for me to complete because I don't see many movies and usually don't even know what's showing.
What's on your list? Head over to Carole's to share.
Mary's post today was a great one - lots of easy to read bullets that give us a picture of her day. So I'm totally copying her!
listening - to the rain and my dog licking his bowl (He will lick that bowl for five minutes once the food is gone!)
eating - FAGE yogurt with granola and banana, probably soup for lunch, and broccoli cheese soup or beef tips and noodles for dinner
drinking - already done with one pot of Constant Comment tea. Will probably switch to water with lemon and crushed ice but will treat myself to more tea this afternoon.
wearing - sweat pants, t-shirt and sweat shirt. I'll have to get dressed later to go to the grocery store.
reading - Bent Road on my Kindle, rereading The Screwtape Letters for Sunday school, reserved A Small Hotel from the library for February's book club selection.
weather - 43 and raining - our forecast claims we'll have sunshine this afternoon. I'll believe it when I see it!
knitting - tongue, ears, eyes for the GIR hat (Would really like for this project to be done!), and a Boneyard Shawl for our church's prayer shawl ministry.
wanting - to get some things completed. College stuff is half done, Christmas decorations are only partially dismantled, etc.
needing - to exercise but probably won't do it :(
enjoying - the quiet this morning.
looking forward - to watching Downton Abbey (Season 2 Episode 3).
wondering - if I'll be able to get the dog to go outside in this rain.
What are your "currents" today?
Even though "Tinking Villemo" sounds interesting, I think I prefer "Finished Villemo" - don't you?
It's 10.25 inches at the widest point by 80 inches long. It used 314 yards of Berroco Ultra Alpaca. It's wide enough and uses enough yardage that it counts as a shawl for the 12 shawls in 2012 group on Ravelry. I do think this will look pretty thrown around my shoulders, too. But for now I'll wear it as a scarf. It's just what I wanted: a long, narrow shawl that comes down to my waist.
I have to thank Kathy for this FO! She and I met to knit on Wednesday and before I knew it, the shawl was done. Reknitting is painless when you're catching up with a friend. Mary was there with her class and we chatted about Downton Abbey, chocolate cake, the news... The next time I have some reknitting to do, I'll have to head to my LYS to do it!
"Tinking Villemo" sounds like the name of a movie or something... I was within 45 rows of completing this shawl when I noticed that something wasn't right. I was already at the number of stitches I needed for the last point but I still had three points left to knit.
So I compared the width and this end was much narrower than the other end. So I ripped back to the place where both ends were the same width then tinked back to a row I could recognize.
It's back on the needles and ready to go but unfortunately I've lost some steam on this project and haven't picked it up since I ripped it out yesterday. I really want to wear it though so I have to start knitting again! Note to self: Do not knit and watch Downton Abbey at the same time. Apparently it's too easy to get caught up in the show and start knitting two together willy-nilly!
