KTE Prize!
When I got home yesterday afternoon, to my surprise, I had a package from Ireland in my mailbox! The ladies who organized the KTE, Teaandcakes and Tangelled Angel, sent me a little prize. The package included tea, a pen, a marker, hand lotion, chocolate, and a thank you note!


Thank you ladies-- you rock!

...Gone!


Here's my mom wearing her new sweater...

...Going....

Hey, I'm a winner!
Thanks RandomRanter for the nomination!

Going...

Maybe it's not so far fetched!

I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe I will have it done by Memorial Day !

Rusted Root, Take 2!


Well, I didn't have nearly as many difficulties CO for this project as I had the last time. I'm only 20 rounds in but it's coming along nicely. I really need to concentrate on this one and crank it out so I can have it to my mom for her birthday on June 14th. I really hope that she's ok with the color. I like the color-- that's why I bought the yarn in the first place ;-) She has a nice olive complexion so I thought that it would look nice on her in the spring/summer when she's a little tan. I know no matter what she will say that she likes it and will be very grateful for the gift. My mom is coming to visit me here in Boston from NY Memorial Day weekend-- I wish that I could knit faster and have it ready for her then but I don't think it's possible. A girl can dream...

So, this is what I've been up to...

I went shopping yesterday and bought some time herb plants, potting soil, several clay pot and a little shrub. I re-potted the tiny herbs into larger pots so they have room to grow and just re-potted the shrub in a clay pot.


As for knitting, I've started the LBT and have decided to make it a hybrid of a design, Lelah, I saw on Craftster(like another Craftster did). I'm doing the the Lelah lace (fishtail lace) pattern and the LBT top. Lace knitting takes forever!!! I've been working on it on and off for the last couple of days and I barely have two inches to show for it.


I sent my mom a pic of my completed Rusted Root and she loved it!!! I'm thinking of making her one for her birthday next month. I have the yarn...I just have to knit it! Maybe I'll CO for that tonight. I don't have to swatch because I'm using the same yarn as before and I was able to get gauge easily. Since she's smaller than I am, her sweater will be smaller therefore knit up quicker. I hope that I can gt it done. She'd be so happy!

Tag: I'm it!

I love games and this is a good one...I was tagged by Devon.
This is how it works: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those who are tagged need to write on their own blog those 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. So here are my facts:

1. I've lived in Boston for 10 years and in seven different apartments.
   
2. I grew up in Long Island, NY.
   
3. I've worked at the same medical organization for the last 6 years.
   
4. I LOVE crafting. Especially knitting and jewelry making.
   
5. ZipCar was the reason I sold my own car last fall.
   
6. I never plan on having babies even though I take care of everyone and everything around me.
   
7. I recently lost both of my grandfathers within the last month and a half.
   

I'm Tagging:
RandomRanter
Sharon
Susan
Sarah
Torrance
RubysNPurls
knittyknitter

Tiiiiin Roof...Rusted!
I finished Rusted Root and am proudly wearing it today. It turned out well. My only problem was getting started with this pattern-- and that had nothing to do with the pattern at all. But once I got into it I enjoyed it. The mindless stockinette wasn't too boring because once per round I'd have the lace panel to work. All in all, the pattern was an easy knit and easy to follow. Thanks Zephyr Gals!

Next up is the Lotus Tank. I will swatch the cream KnitPicks Cotlin tonight and hopefully get started soon. I'm going to Florida the first week of June and I'd love to have it done to take along. We'll see how much life gets in the way of my knitting.

Crafty, but not Knitty!
Today Devon and I visited The Wake Up the Earth in Jamaica Plain, my neighborhood. There were local businesses, food vendors, local crafters/artists, musicians, dancers-- a regular three-ring hippy circus. I usually love the jewelry that I see at this festival but not much caught my eye that I didn't think to myself "I can make that!" This is what I bought....couldn't help myself:I have no idea what I will do with them but for some reason I just couldn't resist these little knitted guys.

As usual, I'm still chugging along a few rows at a time on my Rusted Root. I'm seriously ready to be finished and wearing the FO. I also want to CO for this: The Lotus Tank! My memory has failed me yet again...I thought that that the pattern sample was in a cream color but this picture proves my mind wrong. Anyways, I'm still making my version in a neutral cream color. I make actually modify this pattern a bit. I'm thinking about doing a different stitch pattern on the bodice. I don't know how I feel about the one in the pattern and I'll definitely be knitting it to hip length. Well, soon enough.

What the hell....
I hate when a post mysteriously doesn't offer comments....I just don't get Blogger sometimes--very inconsistent!
Grrr....

I'm half-way there!
I got a nice chunk of knitting done this weekend. It's funny, sometime when I feel like shit I can't concentrate on anything but sometimes I can block everything out and just go with it. Yesterday I was able to just go with it. I'm about 50% done with Rusted Root and just itching to wear it. I tried it on last night and I think that it's going to fit ok-- at least it accommodates my chest which is a feat in and of itself (I always have a problem with that!). I have a feeling that the FO will be a bit loose but it's better than too tight right!?



The yarn that I purchased from KnitPicks a few weeks ago has been in the back of my mind. I bought yarn for The Puff-Sleeved Cardigan and yarn for The Lotus Tank...but I can't decide which to CO first! As I knit away on my RR, I find my mind wandering and daydreaming about The Lotus Tank. Is that a sign?

I decided on the CotLin in a neutral cream for the Lotus tank. I think it pretty much the same color as it was in the magazine where the pattern was published (different yarn though). I hardly ever chose the color of the pattern sample but in the case I did. I figured that it would be a nice neutral for the spring/summer in a breathable yarn. Hope that I'm able to CO for this piece soon, which is short for I really want to have my RR completed, like, tomorrow! A girl can dream!

My KTE Package has Arrived!
So my package from my secret KTE pal arrived yesterday! It is great-- I was totally spoiled! She sent me two magazines: knitsimple and Knit'n'Style, Cherry Tree Hill Rainbow Ribbon in Maple Sugar (lovely and cotton!), chocolate among other fabulous treats! Thank you Sharon for being such a fabulous KTE partner! Go check out Sharon's blog .Also, a bit of Rusted Root progress. I'm just about 45 rounds in and I'm finally liking what I see. The lace is starting to look like lace. Thanks to Hattie over at the SKC for her kind advice pertaining to the lace panel in the project. I'm knitting tonight after work with my JP knitting ladies (mmm, maybe an official name!?) so hopefully I'll be making even more progress.

Progress and Presents!
So there ya have it...I'm only 23 rounds in but at least I'm in!
So far I'm not really in love with my lace but maybe it's only
because I don't have enough done to see the full picture. I really
need to get going on this project because I really do enjoy the
process of knitting once I'm actually motivated enough to do so.
And I wouldn't mind having a new sweater to wear!


Also, here's are my KTE goodies wrapped and packaged and ready to be mailed out. I love the sense of accomplishment to have completed a task. I hope that my gift is well received by my giftee. My gifter sent my package out yesterday so it should be here relatively soon. It'll be nice to get a present in the mail.

SKC got me Dizzay!!!
So, looks like the SKC is back to blogger from typepad ....ahhhh! Now we all have to be invited again to post for the current KAL. Because of all the blog switching the KAL hasn't been very motivational at all, but thanks to Jeanie we're going to be back up and running....and motivating each other again very soon. I NEED the motivation, especially at this time.

I've been having some problems in my personal life that are not helping my lack of motivation to knit. I really want to knit but it's been really difficult to concentrate on much of anything right now. I'm just very sad lately and have been living inside my own head. I really hope I can get through this. I wish I had more friends in Boston...I've been sort of lonely lately.

If there are any like-minded ladies in Boston speak up ;-) Us chicks need to stick together. A special thank you to Devon for her support and friendship.

I'm almost done packing up my KTE gift for my secret pal. Hopefully I'll be able to send her package out to her on Fri or Sat.

Happy knitting/gifting/crafting to all...

Rusted Root: again and again and again...

I started fresh, and so far so good (can someone please knock on wood for me!?). I'm trying to be very careful this time. I really love this sweater so I am determined to give it my all.

On another note, I have started to put serious thought into my KTE package for my secret pal. It's so much fun to play detective to try to figure out what she likes. I plan on making a couple top-secret gifts for her which will be a fun way to spend tomorrow afternoon ;-)

Rusted Root , my ass!

Rusted root has become the bane of my knitting existence. If it's not the multiple CO issue it's making mistakes with the increases on the wrong rounds. Ahhhh....I plan on just rip, rip, ripping out out tonight and starting over yet again. I couldn't even bring myself to photograph my so-called progress knowing I was going to have to frog my project. Oh well, that's knitting for you.

I decided to make a few purchases on Amazon & knitpicks to soothe my soul. I bought yarn for the Puff Sleeved Cardigan from Fitted Knits and yarn for the Lotus Tank from last Summer's IK. Also, non-knitting related, I bought myself a new fragrance: By by Dolce and Gabbana from Amazon. My mom has it and I tried it on when I was home and decided that I needed to have it too! I also decided to order No Sheep for You by Amy Singer through Amazon on the recommendation of my KTE secret pal. I listened to a podcast while on the Chinatown bus last week to NYC and was totally intrigued.

Well, that's all for now.

Rusted Root

So I knit my gauge swatch on Sunday. Luckily, and to my surprise, I came up with the exact gauge called for in the pattern. But that was the end of my luck...

I cast on too tight at first. So I cast on again....too loose. Then I can once yet another time and started knitting the first round and made a mistake and ripped it out for the third time.

I don't know what my problem was but it just wasn't in the cards for me to actually start the sweater on Sunday. I did end up casting on (hopefully for the final time!) yesterday evening and I think I'm finally good to go. I just need some nice quiet knitting time to get it going.

You can't really tell from the picture but this green is actually a lot brighter...more kelly green than piney green like it appears in the picture. I'm really pleased with the color. Now I just hope that I can actually get knitting and turn out a fabulous FO!

SKC KAL
I just received my Holly Green Cotton Fleece for my rendition of Rusted Root for the SKC KAL, which starts today. It's the perfect grassy green I was looking for! I was planning on gauge swatching last night but I decided to finish up a few WIPs instead so I would be able to fully concentrate on Rusted Root today.

I finished Le Slouche last night. Cute, but who knows when I'll get to wear it at this point:

Also I promised the bf awhile back that I would add "thumbs" to his red VooDoo (from Knitty) arm/wrist warmers from last year. He begged for thumbs after he saw my Fetchings (also Knitty) completeted. Since I loaned out the correct sided DPNs needed for this project I had to go down a couple of needle sizes...I'm really not happy with how they turned out:
Maybe it's partially because they aren't in the best shape....he doesn't take care of his hand-knits like I would. And partially because of the gauge of the "new" knitted thumbs. Oh well. However, I do like how Isis's cute little head is in the pic ;-)

Ok, enough rambling....I need to go start on a gauge swatch. Yay...