Felt Like Knitting

Car knitting

When you go on a trip, do you usually drive, fly, or take a train or bus?  We usually drive.  I dislike flying and my husband dislikes driving so there was always a long discussion on how we would travel.  But that was before audiobooks were invented.  Listening to a book makes the time fly by and now my husband drives most of the way while I knit.  Perfect!  Fortunately, I don't get carsick while I knit and E is usually content with the laptop in the backseat.  Now if I could only figure out a way to dispense snacks to everyone without having to stop knitting...

Today was the first time I wore my Green Gable.  A friend at church complimented me on how I looked and commented on the color of my sweater, but didn't ask if I had made it.  That was a success to me!  Later at the grocery store, someone did ask if I knitted my sweater.  It turns out she recently bought the pattern and had just ordered the yarn for it.  A positive debut ...  And thanks for the suggestions to wash it.  I had blocked it, but washing it again did help the scratchy feeling.

  While I was knitting GG, I didn't know if I wanted to knit another garment or not.  I'm usually better with short projects, and that one took a bit longer than I'd like.  But I think I've caught the bug.  The Ribby Shell was going well so I also cast on for Boogie.  Boogie is an experiment.  I'm seeing if I can knit it in the round instead of flat (so far, so good).  I've changed the gauge and had to figure out how many stitches to cast on.  And it's being knit from a recycled sweater.  These two projects and the scarf in the picture on the right will all go with me on our trip.  (I got the idea for this scarf on Patricia's blog.  She's knitting hers in yarn that looks like it feels great!)  I may even take my socks.  With all that knitting, you would think we're driving to the moon!

School is starting soon for many people.  I hope you all enjoy your last days of summer vacation!

Update

Thank you all so much for your nice e-mails, comments, thoughts, and prayers for Jenny's family and friends.  This is all still so hard to believe.  Here is a news article about the situation. 

It was great getting to know Jenny during the last school year.  Many people in our homeschooling group had talked about how much they loved and respected her.  When I met her, I could see why.  I looked forward to talking with Jenny each week at school.  She was always so enthusiastic about knitting and would encourage me to show her what I was up to.  Jenny was always smiling and building people up.  She had a strong faith in God.  Jenny was a wonderful person and we will miss her a lot.

Please pray

Update:  I don't know exactly how to say all that I want to say.  Jenny was biking yesterday on the Silver Comet Trail and did not return.  This afternoon the police held a news conference saying that a body was found which matches her description.  The GBI is confirming that it's her.  Details on what happened have not been released.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  Please pray for her family.

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If you read this today, please pray for my friend, Jenny Ewing.  We taught together last year and got to know each other through our mutual love of knitting.

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=82474

Thank you for your prayers!

And the new knit is.....

Ribby Shell by ChicKnits!  I'm going to cast on with the Mediterranean Blue Misti Cotton that I had from before.  The great thing is that I've already swatched (since I was going to use it for a different project)!

You know how one things leads to another?  I finished Green Gable.  Then I realized I'd have to break down and get a few new things for school (while I lose enough weight to get into my other clothes).  So today I bought this great linen skirt (in brown) from Eddie Bauer and a shirt from Talbot's.  They don't go together as well as I'd hoped, but I found a few tops in my closet that will work with the skirt.  I'd like to wear the skirt to a party on Sunday evening.  Then I thought that the Ribby Shell would look nice with the skirt and the blue would look nice with the brown.  I doubt I'll have it ready by Sunday, but I'll be happy to wear it whenever it is done.

Speaking of being happy, I felt like crying (tears of joy) when I was trying on tops with my skirt.  It is such a relief to have something that fits that looks nice and is stylish.  I've been feeling frumpy and overweight and getting a new outfit (or two!) has helped lift my spirits. 

Thanks for the positive and helpful comments about Green Gable.  You all are the best!  And since I've been searching, I now have a wish list of things to knit ... CeCe, Tweedy Vest, Luella, Chickami, ...  Okay, gotta go start the shell.  I hope you all have a great week.

What's next?

                                    

Green Gable is done!

Things I like:

It's not bad for my first sweater.

The neckline stopped rolling after being blocked (except for a bit in the back).

I now have another top that's dressier than t-shirts.

Things I don't like / wish were different:

It's itchy!  Why didn't it feel this way while I was knitting it?  I guess my hands aren't as sensitive as my back.

I wish the neckline was more like the pattern picture.  I used a stretchy cast on, so maybe I just need to re-block it.

I probably should have made it a bit longer, but I was afraid it would be snug on my hips and didn't want to increase it.

The sleeves feel like they need to be a bit longer, too.  I'm okay with them visually, but they feel a little bulky under my arm.

I wish I had decreased a bit more in the waist.  (I wanted to, but my husband kept telling me it was fine.  Which it is.)

I've still got the whole body image issue.  It just doesn't look quite right to me.  (Thanks for all your comments.  I plan on writing back, but I've been knitting up a storm trying to get this thing done.)

It's too hot to wear it in Georgia right now.  I'll wear it this fall.

All in all, knitting a sweater is something I'd do again.  But I'm wondering what's next?  Originally I thought of Sizzle, knit up in a larger size for a vest.  But wouldn't a vest just make me look more bulky?  I like cardigans, but a cardigan would take me a long, long time to finish.  I need clothes that I can wear for teaching, church, or going out to dinner.  Any suggestions?

Body image

You know how some people, typically teenage girls, have a distorted body image?  They think they look overweight when they don't at all.  I don't recall ever having that problem.  In fact now I have the opposite problem:  I think I look okay when actually I'm bigger than I realize.  (Some of my friends have said they are the same way, so maybe I'm normal.)  It's getting harder to look nice in my clothes - the ones that still fit.

Last night I needed to go to dinner with my husband and some of his co-workers.  I picked out my outfit earlier in the day and tried it on.  When it came time to leave, I sat down and discovered I was bulging out where I shouldn't and I was uncomfortable.  I fortunately came up with a different outfit, but I didn't like it. 

Then tonight I tried on my Green Gable again.  Before I ever tried it on I noticed that it looked pretty big.  I compared it to another sweater and it seemed correct.  I think it fits okay, but now I'm getting to the hip area (Danger, Will Robinson!).  Do I leave it short so it doesn't accentuate my hips?  Do I make it the length the pattern recommends and hope for the best?  Do I send it to the frog pond and go back to knitting felted purses?  Maybe I should knit a large wrap.

If I lost weight and toned up, it would take me less time and less money to knit sweaters.  Not to mention I would be healthier.  Sorry for the whining and venting...

I'm a Georgia Voter

Do you all get stickers when you vote?  Here in Georgia, we get stickers.  I'm not sure why this is done, but seeing someone wearing a sticker makes me feel tremendously guilty.  Even if I plan on voting, but haven't made it yet.  Even if I've voted and haven't put on my sticker.  Maybe that's why the stickers are handed out - to guilt others into voting.

Like today...  I was at the dentist getting my teeth cleaned.  In walks my dentist with his sticker on his nice green shirt.  I mean, the sticker coordinated with his shirt!  What do I say?  "I'm going to get my sticker after this."  Does he care?  Probably not much, but he did share about having trouble finding time to vote.  He did have plenty of time to tell me one of my old fillings has decay around it and will need to be replaced.  Yippee!

After my stop at the dentist, I went to my LYS for a sale.  The e-mail I had received said they're trying to make room for new fall yarn.  They weren't kidding!  The porch was filled with boxes of sale yarn.  And the shop was filled with bags and bags of yarn and three people trying to put it up while still waiting on sticker-less customers.  I resisted the urge to tell the shop owner (who was, of course, wearing a sticker) that I was going to vote next.  She seemed a bit flustered by all the yarn upon which she was tripping.

Well, I didn't buy sale yarn (novelty yarn and scratchy DK weight wool) and decided I would look at the Manos.  Which they don't sell.  But, they do sell Malabrigo yarn.  That yarn is incredibly soft, it has a great texture and that wonderful thick/thin thing that I love.  And this particular hank was purple for Project Spectrum and a scarf like Gina's making.  I had to cast on very soon after I got home.  Well, very soon after I voted, got my sticker, then got home.

Okay, I don't want you to think I'm only voting because I feel guilty or uncomfortable about the stickers.  Voting is an important privilege and responsibility.  And even though we may complain about the candidates running for office, I'm glad some people are willing to do it.  Being a politician is not a job I'd enjoy.  Unless I was in charge of those stickers.

Tomato Baby Beanie

When my daughter was a baby, my dad and his wife gave her a little lamb outfit.  I put it on her for a few minutes on Halloween night, but that was it.  I didn't like putting babies in things that were silly.  Then my in-laws bought E a Santa outfit that looked similar to one my husband wore when he was young.  I had to put that on her, so I decided I would have her wear the lamb outfit, too.  You know what?  She loved it!  I have pictures (but not handy) of her smiling away in that little lamb outfit.  She was obviously not bothered by the silliness of the outfit.

So here I am now knitting a tomato hat for a baby.  As I mentioned the other day, it's for one of the Yarn Harlot's readers.  She's encouraging expecting mothers to breastfeed and wants to give each one a hat for their baby.  Since it's a nutrition thing, fruit and vegetable hats are the hats to make.  There are actually two readers doing the same thing - one on the west coast and one on the east.  This hat is cotton and will go to CA.  If you want to knit a hat, too, details are on the Yarn Harlot's blog.  Hats need to be sent by the end of July.

My dad's stepdaughter is expecting her first baby in January.  I started a silly tomato hat for her baby, too. 

Update:  Oops!  I sometimes forget to post the pattern I've used.  If you make this hat sometime, be sure to read the comments after the pattern.  They contain corrections to the pattern.

Tuesday can't get here fast enough!

There is a primary election here on Tuesday and, boy, is it getting aggravating to answer the phone.  We've been getting one or two phone calls each day, asking us to vote for someone.  At least I think that's what they're asking.  I hang up each time.  I'm tired of it.

Another thing I'm tired of?  BellSouth calling to ask me to upgrade to another local calling plan.  I've been getting calls for about six months and they won't stop calling when I tell them.  I once got two calls in one hour!  Well, Tuesday I got a call from someone that lied to me.  I asked if they were switching my serving and just calling to tell me about the change or if they needed me to make a decision about my plan.  "We're just letting you know about the change."  This lie went along with "This isn't going to cost you anymore than you are paying now."  After she started speaking at the speed of light and hung up quickly, I wondered what was up and called BellSouth.  To make a long story short, it would cost me $10 extra dollars each month and they were not switching me - it was something I had to select.  This representative apologized and canceled the order, which fortunately had not yet been completed.  He also put me on the "no-call" at my request.

I tried Green Gable on again last night.  I'm still concerned that it's a bit big, but there's no turning back now.  I'm also working on a cute little tomato baby hat for one of the Yarn Harlot's readers.

One last thing before I finish the tomato hat:  I have a reader called the The Dip Lady Knits.  Shandalynn, I want to comment on your blog, but I'm not registered to do that.  Is there a way you can change your settings to allow other people to comment?  Thanks!  If not, please e-mail me at bethh1024 [at] aol [dot] com.  By the way, I really like your yarn dresser!

Studio cleanup

Last week I mentioned having to downsize my "studio" because I switched rooms with my daughter.  Everywhere I turn I see things that should probably go out of the room, but I'd rather try to use them than get rid of them.  One such thing is my quilting fabric.  I don't quilt much anymore with this knitting habit I've got.  But, I'm not sure I'm ready to get rid of it.  So I did this with a small portion:

                                             

This is the office chair I use at my sewing table.  It is covered in a scratchy black fabric that doesn't feel good.  So I've covered the seat.  (Please don't look at my workmanship!  There are many things "wrong" with it, but I wanted to get it done quickly.)  I have more of the squares to make a cover for the back, but I have to make myself get some other things done first.  This fabric has had many things planned for it from baby quilts for my nieces to a doll quilt for my daughter.  It feels good to get at least some of it used up!

Look what came in the mail today!  I ordered this from Katie's Etsy shop.  My tissues are always getting wadded up in the bottom of my purse, so I bought them a cozy!  I just love this fabric and the brown ribbon together.  Katie makes beautiful things.  Oh, and she's having a stash sale on her blog right now.

And look what I got in the mail a couple of weeks ago!  This great tape measure is from Knit and Plenty's Purl Needlemeyer (aka Jodi).  Purl has some great organizational products and asks her readers for input.  I replied to a question she had and she sent this treat!  Thanks, Purl!  I've been using and enjoying it quite a bit.