
Thanks a million!
Thanks so much you guys for all the nice comments on "Kate." I am really enjoying wearing it. The Mission Falls is really soft. I plan to make the version with sleeves with yarn I am buying from a Certain Someone. Woot!
And speaking of awesome sweaters CHECK OUT Rachel's Awesome Elfin Sweater!!! Despite some setbacks she perservered and what a great job!
Well, where are ya?
I have the front of the new project done. It's the "Summer in the City" tank from The Yarn Girls' Guide to Simple Knits. I am enjoying this color, it is just slightly variegated.

Click me for a close-up. I just saw Shrek for the first time, and how when I write "click me" I think of Donkey jumping up and down, "Pick ME! Pick ME Shrek!"
Where is poor Ingeborg? It's just too hot to knit that wool right now, and I really want to make some quick tanks to wear this summer. But the Borg is NOT forgotten!
Update on the Victoria tank soon, and some bits about blog/web design, etc. What a lot to learn.
This entry was also stolen by a viagra site. How do these losers get in?
Late June back in 2004...
Congrats to our fab friends Vance and Mel. What a GREAT wedding. I cried, and I never cry at stuff like that (OK, I cried at Richard and Amy's wedding too).

Well, here it is:

As promised, the "problem solver" from Yarn Girls. It was chilly in Tahoe at night, and this sweater was just the trick. And FAST.
Kate!
And here are two updates of Kate. The back is done, the front about 1/4 done.
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| A close-up of the stitches (post-block); this is closer to the actual color. |
Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel
Lots of fun and games knitting my new LACE project for the knit-along. Update on it in the next entry.
Vacation had to get away...
I am on 2 weeks of vacation for the first time in like 2 years. Whew. It was time, let me tell you. Work has become so bad. We'll see if I go back...
Of course, those of you who know me know I'm a slave to my educational debt, so of course I'm going back. But one can dream...
Knitting!
I wanted to share an update on "the problem solver" sweater - it's done, ready to go to Tahoe with us, but the FO pics have to wait...

I made the first sleeve too long, and had to do a little surgery (here's a pop-up a la Skinny Rabbit). Fortunately, I know a little anatomy... I picked up stitches at the end, cut the fabric, then added yarn and cast off where I wanted it to be. Simple!
I sewed in the zipper last night. Could have been disatrous, but turned out okay. Pics when we are back from ze wedding.
Here's an update on Kate too. She is a very wobbly yarn and so really needs a good blocking when she's done. She's my travelling knitting for the trip!

Running!
Lastly, after a week of sloth - I started a new running plan. I am saying it publicly, so I can't get out of it: I plan to run the Sacramento Marathon on Oct. 3. Barring real injury or illness I have to do it (no flu or minor ache counts...) The new running plan is based on minutes, so you will see a change in the running commentary (for those who care...)
Back Sunday!
Ancient Chinese Secret, huh?
So the hard thing about knitting a SECRET project is that I can't show pictures of the progress - but there has been some! Initially I intended to use the selected yarn doubled, then decided against it. I made two parts to the project, only to realize I was right in the first place, the yarn needed to be doubled. Other knitters, raise your hands if you have done this! What do we second guess ourselves?
In lieu of a picture that I can't show you, here are the "Uptown Boot Socks" from IK that I made my cousin Kyle last fall.

Tricoter!
I did manage to translate the entire Kate pattern from the French. I feel so proud! This site was particularly good, especially for translating abbreviations.
Below, an update of Kate:
The good thing about Kate is that I am decreasing now. For the non-knitters, DEcreasing is GOOD. INcreasing is the work of the devil.
P.S. I did email my pattern issues to the folks at The Yarn Co. Thanks for the link, Rebecca!
Hi there!
A few nights at work caused me to delay saying a BIG THANKS! to everyone who gave nice comments on my Audrey, and my run.
I really appreciate you new folks (and old folks!) checking out my silly little blog. I have really enjoyed doing it. The best thing, though, about blogs, is that I have met so many nice people! My new friend, Rachel, has been great to talk with by email, and she has a great blog too! Check it out.
After finishing Audrey, I feel a little lame. But of course, you can't finish everything at once, unless you are Wendy!
GRRR.
I hate it when patterns are screwed up, though. The black sweater from Yarn girls' is totally written wrong regarding the neck decreases. Here's the scoop.
You see from the picture of the sweater that the zipper goes up to the neck, right?

But the pattern has you start the neck edge decreases ONE INCH after the armhole starts. Last I checked, my neck is nowhere near the bottom of my underarm. But of course, I followed the directions, which led to a V-NECK, which is NOT what the picture shows (and is ugly).
I had to rip out my three needle bind off shoulder to have to redo it. NOT COOL. Here's the redo:

I started the neck decreases at 15.5 inches (for the small) to get it right. No big deal, but it did involve math I shouldn't have had to do. Oh the pain. Oh well, not as bad a redo as some have had recently.
What the %&$@?
I leave you with this, one of the funniest things I have seen in awhile.

Rock Chick might even get a kick out of that one. Might temporarily cheer RC up from the sadness of the missing grape yarn...
Bye for now!
She did it!
I ran my half-marathon yesterday. 13.1 miles. It was really hard. The last kilometer was on a sloped beach into a headwind. It sucked. But I did it. My thanks to Kate, a runner I met who kept me going! And to John, my superduper man, who ran the last 1/2 km with me (and ran the 10K himself!)
Finished!
Audrey is done. I think it came out well.

Started!
And, true to form, I started Ingeborg. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fairisle.

I like fairisle more on a circular needle than dbl points, but for the sleeve I will have to use the dbl points for awhile. I still love it though.
Last bit...
Lastly, I decided to scrap the baby butterfly sweater. The green yarn was not enough. I hate intarsia. WHY did I think I could knit that? Sigh. I love my niece but that sweater was too much, and it is not worth it for me to struggle that much for something she will outgrow in a month.
I have been working on a quilt for her as well and I will just finish that, maybe during my upcoming vacation!!
You know the answer...
Yes, folks it's that time! Show and tell. I finished the bucket hat from Becky's knit-along!
  

And a closeup (this is more accurate of the rust color)------>
It's really hard to take pictures of yourself. I took 48 or so to get those shots! Oh, were the other ones silly. They are gone now!
I really enjoyed knitting with this hemp yarn. The accents were done with the remaining Euroflax linen from the previous attempt.
I'm having commitment issues with the Audrey sweater - I'm so close! But yet so very far. I just have to seam a sleeve but I can't seem to do it!!! Help!
Have a good day everyone!
But first...
Certain individuals had their yearly checkups.
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| I love the vet. I love cars. | I hate the vet. I hate cars. |
Kate!
I started a gauge swatch for the Kate-along which I am now a part of. Yeah!!! I like this purple.

Notice the big GLOBBY guy below the swatch? That appeared randomly during my swatching. How rude! Otherwise, I like it.
Rachel - "Kate" comes in two types, one with sleeves and without - you might like the variety with sleeves - see the blog for a pic.
At the risk of wearing out my welcome, more pics on the black sweater next time. It might even be done, the wool is so BIG!