Pictures, pictures, Pictures!!!

To make up for the severe lack of posting recently, I have a huge amount of pictures today. So lets see, what have I been up to? First, update on Sapporo: I have about 3-3.5 inches of the body completed...and I haven't worked on it for over a week. Miles and miles of plain stockinette to go before the interesting patterning starts.

In rebellion against doing miles and miles of plain stockinette, I have started a few scarves. I don't know why, but I had the unquellible urge to knit some scarves. Here we have a bias scarf in Rowan Tapestry, and a Ruffles from Scarf style in Sarah's Yarns' dk cashmere. My comments on the yarns? I don't really care for Tapestry. It is very pretty, but it is a bit more hairy than I thought it would be. The soy in it gives it a sort of silky feel, but the wool content is VERY hairy. I don't have any other words to describe it, its not scratchy or halo-y, its just ... the scarf feel reminds me of a hairy man leg...eww

Speaking of man legs -- I got some new yarns, one DH has approved for his first sock request (the middle one). The one he liked is various blues, and its wool with bamboo. Other sock yarns I received (because you can't just order one!) More Trekking, and TOFUtsies!

Going back to Sarah's Yarns, I had also purchased two cones of Jagger Zephyr for some lace knitting. The first project: Swallowtail shawl from fall 2006 Interweave Knits. I love this pattern, especially after some clever nupp strategies. My method for nupps: Using a size 0 dpn, transfer the five stitches from the left needle, to the dpn. Now purl into all five. This way is a bit tedious because of the transfer, but it is MUCH easier than trying to purl all five from the original needle. Even with the size 0, it is still hard for me to get much of the right needle through all five loops. This shawl is destined to be gifted to Aunt Dorothy -- the one person I know adores my handknits.

I finished one Pomatomus sock! Here it is in all its Pucks Mischief Beauty. The Rockin' Sock Club is almost ready to start so I better get working on this mate! The second Dreidel Jaywalker is almost completed as well.












To carry it all, I splurged on a Namaste messenger bag! This thing is huge, it stores all my needles, notions and several projects. Notice in the picture my CrippenWorks dpn case. Mom gave this to me for Christmas, but I forgot to post about it.

Interweave Knits Spring '07

I wanted to write a little bit about the new issue. The layout has changed, and while I understand the reasons for the change, it is going to take a bit to get used to it. Basically, they have moved the instructions for the patterns to the back, while leaving pictures in the front.

Other knitting magazines do this currently, but I don't know that this is what I prefer. Something about having the instructions with the first picture is nice, convenient and makes it more like an article rather than instructions.

When the instructions were located in the front, I felt there was more of an emphasis on the designer and description, and I liked that. Each pattern felt like a feature rather than mere instructions.

Also, I feel it's a waste to have to flip back and forth in the magazine to see all the available pictures of the pattern. Only a few pages divide the section of pictures vs. instruction, and so it seems a bit of a waste to have them separate. If the magazine its self had more content in between I could see how it would possibly be more logical.

I don't know, maybe it is just me, but it will just take me some time to get used to it. I will keep my eyes on the blogs to see how others feel about the change.

As for the patterns themselves, I have a few in mind that I might like to knit, but overall, I enjoyed my long awaited winter issue much more. Maybe this is only because I had to wait so long for it, or maybe the patterns were just more appealing.

Other events in my knitting world seem to have slowed down. I think it is because of the cold weather. Friends have grown quiet in both blog land as well as in email -- And I am no exception! While work has kept me very busy, I just haven't been in the mood to write or communicate much.

Perhaps we humans still have some instinctual process similar to hibernation. The holidays provided us with the over indulgence in food needed to sustain us through the long winter months. Then we stay at home surrounded by familiar comforts where it is unnecessary to communicate with the outside world. Tucked away in our cubbies, we knit, and dream of warmer weather.

Nupps!

I am very happy! My Interweave Knits Spring 2007 came in the mail today. It was a very nice surprise during a very busy week.

Tomorrow I will have pictures of my various WIP, including my almost finished Swallowtail shawl.

New Blogger!

Finally I was able to transfer my blog to the new Blogger! I love it so far. The biggest change is with the template, I will have to learn about how they are doing that so I can convert to the new way without loosing my buttons and images etc.

It has been quite a while since I posted last. I have been so busy; work, contract work, and illness have kept me away from the fun stuff on the computer. But the good news is, I have gotten a new antibiotic and hopefully this is the last time I will be sick this winter.

Another change for the new year: No more Verizon! I am sooooo happy to be back with Cingular/AT&T. It has been nothing but headaches with Verizon: bad customer service, bad phones, bad prices. The first night of the phone number port there was some weirdness happening, but the very kind customer service people of Cingular were most helpful, and got everything straightened out. The customer service really is the most important part of providing any type of service.

As for knitting, I have started on my Sapporo 2007 sweater! It is turning out really nicely. Knit on size 2's it will take quite a bit of time, but it will be well worth it. Also on the needles is a pair of Pomotamus socks and the second Jaywalker sock. I have turned the heel on the Jaywalker and am on the foot of the Pomotamus.