holiday knitting has kind of stalled. I need to sit down and start something (anything? everything?). then I can pick and choose what to work on. but I haven’t yet.

at least the overall knitting mojo hasn’t died. Vintage Velvet has sort of become my default project (I’m nearing the end of the first ball of yarn) when nothing else will do. The Candy corn bag is nearly finished - just needs some handles, and maybe a trip through the machine to felt it. k-chan #2 has been felted, I just need to sit down and sew the other end of the handle on.

life is getting a little crazy, so the blog may be quiet. (well, quieter than my usual.) I’ll at least attempt to keep ravelry up-to-date, so the sidebar will reflect progress. (Knitwars will also be kept up - got to keep leveling up, ya know)

and now for a rant about the Bond USM. works great for large stretches of stockinette, no doubt. (that’s why I’m working my Harry Potter scarf on it). but they tell you ‘don’t let the knitting hit the floor’. what they don’t tell you is how to keep it from doing so once it gets to an unwieldy length. and so I’m working it in blocks at the moment and need to figure out how to rig them into something scarf-like at some point. (kitchener? three needle bind off? not sure yet). they do have a customer service number you can call, but that’s only open until 4pm Eastern time. right, because the only time I use the machine is during Eastern time’s business hours. grr.

Finished size: woman’s large
Yarn: Paton’s Classic Merino in Palais, Taupe, Wedgewood & Faded Denim
Needles: Size 13 (Denise set)
Pattern: Fiber Trend’s Felted Clogs
mods: none

Started: 10 October 2007 …
Finished: 20 October 2007
made for: myself

I love them! I almost overfelted them, but managed to save them in the nick of time. They fit perfectly (though they’re still a bit damp after drying overnight. yeah, I love them that much, I can’t not wear them right now.) The pattern confused me a bit at first, but like many things in knitting, once you just accept and follow the pattern, it works out as it should. These knit up pretty quick - I can see why people find them addictive and make them for everyone they know. (I’m contemplating making them for next year’s holiday gift theme. will have to see if my sister thinks they’d wear them…) I’m also wondering how they’d work for ghillie-covers at feiseanna - probably would need non-slip soles added to prevent killing myself.

Here’s more pics:

Finished size: kids medium/large
Yarn: Pingouin Pingofrance II (from SP9)
Needles: Size 3
Pattern: basic mittens from Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Patterns
mods: none

Started: 1 October 2007 …
Finished: 19 October 2007
made for: Yarn Cafe’s Knittin’ Mittens project to benefit Sharing and Caring Hands

last night I headed over to St Cloud to meet up with fellow Ravelers valkyrie, jennakate and jenlessinger. (apologies to those not on Ravelry - the links take you to their profile pages). we had great fun. Jenna was working on a scarf that she’d started earlier that afternoon, and she was nearly finished by the end of the night - dang she’s a fast knitter!

as usual, I took way more knitting with me than was truly necessary. I managed to finish the mittens I’ve been working on (FO report post coming soon), and finished the knitting portion of the felted clogs. (also with me were Vintage Velvet and the HP bookscarf - both current residents of the bus knitting bag. should time have allowed, I also had the candy corn bag, the poinsettias, and yarn for one of the holiday gift toys)

this morning, while doing the mitten photoshoot, I let Kashka out to visit the catnip. to my surprise “planty” (dh’s name for his pepper plant) seems to be doing well:

Kashka enjoyed her visit with the catnip:

for the ‘Tools of the Trade’ shop hop. here’s a map of the shops - you can rearrange the route to fit your starting point (I love google maps)

I’m starting at Sheepy Yarn and working my way down and around to Amazing Threads. I’ve also added two shops to the route that I’ve been meaning to check out for a while - Double Ewe (my true start, since for me it’s en route to Sheepy) and Knitter’s Palette (since it’s so close to Zandy’s and I never get down that way anymore).

I’ll report back tonight or tomorrow. any bets on if I resist the Dream in Color yarns? (I think almost all the shops are listed as carrying it. I may be doomed!)