Spring Break!

Now I am busily packing to go on Spring Break - to the BEACH!!! Funny, I never got to go to the beach for Spring Break when I was in college. Go figure. Anyway, I am now packing the most important bag - my knitting. I plan to take one baby sweater, 3 scarves and one purse. Can I finish all these in one week? Sure I can. Hope springs eternal! Besides, you never know what I might want to knit at any given moment. I have also checked out, through a wonderful book called - Knitters', Needlepointers', Crocheters', Weavers' & Spinners' Travel Guide 2007-2008, what yarn shops are in the area. Now, I can make sure I don't miss a shop anywhere in the USA! How great is that. Hmmmmm, that means I need room for more yarn to come home with me. Maybe my husband has room in his suitcase???

Twisted knitting finally makes sense

TA DA! I have finished the baby sweater. Actually, truth be told, I finished the knitting and basic assembly several days ago but I still have to weave in ends. But, I have to finish it soon, it has to be sent to a baby shower by the 16th. Weaving in ends is why I don't do more color knitting. I do like the results so I guess there is nothing to be done but weave-and-bear-it.

I also have to share with you my darling Rumpus enjoying his first snow. Yes, here in Texas, strangely enough, we have had snow on March 4th. We may get about one snow fall a year here but usually in January not March! It was in the 70's the day before and will be in the 50's today but, for a brief moment we have snow! Rumpus found it thrilling. He spent the morning chasing falling snow as it melted. Crazy puppy!

twisted knitting

Have you ever noticed that you can ignore one little element of a knitting pattern to your peril? For example, when you are working a pattern that is all in garter stitch and knit in one basically connected way and they say 'mark the front'. I suggest you do it. I am working along happily on this darling baby sweater. I finish the right front and right sleeve front, the back, right and left sleeve back. I am about to enter the home stretch and finish the left sleeve front when it hits me that this folding origami cannot possible be stitch together in any way, shape or form that will make an actual sweater that any humanoid can wear. Drat! That marking the front was important. As, I spent some time frogging it (and saying some words worse than drat), I contemplated the place of hubris in our lives. Pride and cockiness will get you every time. Fortunately, I am back on track. I only had to remove the right front sleeve to the start of it and then cast it on where it was meant to be. So, my friends, pay attention to the details!

Deadline Knitting

So, I got a lot of knitting done on our short trip this past weekend. This is a good thing because I always seem to be deadline knitting. I have to get the blanket pictured here done by the early part of March for a baby shower. I am currently a little further than the picture - I am half way done. So, I have some work to do. I love the colors in this blanket. I can just see it being drug around behind a darling little boy! Speaking of darling little boys, my baby boy i.e. Rumpus the Scottie always offers to 'help' me with my knitting. This is a proposition I have yet to take him up on!

But, isn't he adorable!

February 16, 2008 Contingency Knitting

So, what kind of packer are you when you take a trip? Having battled for years to become a light packer, I have been somewhat successful when it comes to clothing. My knitting, however, is a completely different animal. After all, you have to take your current project but, what about contingency knitting? For you knitting newbies who don't know what contingency knitting is, let me enlighten you. Let's say you're on an overnight car trip to visit your daughter at college. You bring your current fav project to work on. But wait! What if you need something else to stimulate your interest in case you get bored or frustrated (or say, break your needle) or decide a lace pattern was not the best choice for the car? So, you need a simple, keep-my-hands-busy project. Then you need to consider your destination. What if you want to have a show stopper, 'why yes I adore intarsia' project in case you meet a fellow knitter and feel the need to be admired. And, perhaps I should take one skein of something fabulous to try one of the projects in One Skein Wonders. See what I mean? How can I possible take less than three (or four) projects? Now, what about a week long trip to the beach? How many suit cases does the airline let me take???

Happy Valentine's Day

Awwww, love, true love. Just what exactly has the first spot in your heart? Ok, after we answer with the obligatory (and, oh so true) significant others, friends, family and God, what else can you not live without? For me it would have to be my ever growing stash. Some knitters are disciplined and buy yarn for one maybe two projects at a time. Knit them and then purchase more. Some give into occasional temptation and buy on impulse. And, then there is me. I think I can best be described as a yarn horder. Like some demented squirrel, I am stocking up for the possible disaster in the future that might wipe out all possible sources of yarn in the world. I'm not sure what disaster that might be but, I'm sure some evil group is probably working on it right now. In any case, I am ready. I can knit on for years - maybe my life time from my stash. Don't believe me? Well, we don't know each other very well but I'll share a photo of just one part of my stash. True confessions (I won't tell on you, if you don't tell on me) how much space so you devote to yarn? Does your spouse or significant other know? And, if not, do you feel any guilt as you hide your treasure?

Until next time, Happy Valentine's Day and happy knitting,

Robyn

February 12, 2008 - New beginnings

Well, hello world wide webbies! This blog is a new beginning for me. My life is filled with new beginnings right now. I have a daughter in her Freshman year at college, two family members expecting babies, a new Scottie puppy, Rumpus MacGregor (isn't he adorable!) and I am dipping my toes in the waters of a new career - not to mention all the new knitting projects that are simply screaming for me to start them.

So, I am interested in hearing what's
new in your life? And, most importantly, what's on your needles? Currently, I have several UFO's including: one darling baby sweater, one baby blanket, a shrug and 2 sweaters. There are probably more but for the sake of my marriage I'm not admitting to them!

The baby sweater is an adorable kit by Debby Ware Knitwares.
This is as far as I am right now. I'll keep
you posted on its progress.

Let me know what's up with you
and what new beginnings you have in your life.

Until next time,
Robyn