Back to the grind

It is always so hard after a holiday to get back in the swing of things. I have been doing a little bit of knitting on the ribbon edge cardi (sleeves don't make great pictures) and I started a pair of Monkey Socks.

But this is what I was doing during the break.

This is some Merino that I dyed ages ago and tucked away. Some of this was my most even singles yet. The second bobbin was not as even. I think I was just so into spinning again that I was tired but determined to keep going. It is plied but I didn't take a picture of that yet.

This one is some silk and wool I think (no label as it was some left overs from a class I took) There is also some green and blue in there but you can't see it here. I haven't plied this one yet.

I will post pictures when I finish but for now I'm going to get back to Ribbon Edge Cardi.

I feel like I'm back

After the knitting Olympics I seemed to have lost my knitting mojo. I didn't finish in time, I wasn't sure I was happy with how the vest was turning out so I just avoided it. I didn't knit on anything else (except a baby sock that I had to finish before I get together on Tuesday) I had little desire to knit anything at all.

Tuesday I decided I had put things off long enough. I'm on holiday right now and there is no excuse for not getting some serious knitting done and all I had left of Ivy League was to pick up around the neck. So I got out my trusty knit picks interchangeable set (cuz that is the only place I have the shorter needles and started to pick up the 200+ stitches around the neck when this happened.

The cords I have for this set are almost all loose. They don't often come unscrewed but they do come out from where the cord is attached. Well today the "loose" cord pulled free from it's join leaving my newly created stitches with nothing to support them. After a few muttered profanities I decided I could put off a new set no longer (I was planning to buy one as a birthday gift to myself in June).

This was at 7:30am and didn't think it appropriate to call Connie and say "I'm coming over right now", so I put the vest down gently, resisting the urge to throw it across the room, and did some housework instead.

When I did go by Pick up Sticks (during the hours that they are actually open) I was faced with a new dilemma. Connie has two different sets of interchangeable needles. One which she has been using for a while and one she is just trying out. Well after a long period looking at pros and cons and wondering which to get I came home with.....

So far so good. I know I have read some mixed reviews but I think you are going to get that with any interchangeable set. They all have their own little snags (haha yarn... snag... hmm it is too early for this). I did finish Ivy League and it is blocking in my craft room/office.

Today I have to make myself clean in the basement. I have been working on it for two days. Packing up some stuff for charity and some stuff to just put in the garbage. Now today I have to get that stuff out so I can keep cleaning. However, after knit night last night I feel the knitting and lounging today.

Like Oscar!

What Ivy League Vest?

I may not have finished the Olympic challenge but I finished my own next challenge which was to be ready to cut the steeks on Saturday. My husband was at work so the house is empty and if there was the need to use colourful language no one will question me.


I did decide to hand sew a reinforcement before I cut because this is my first time and I want to take all precautions possible and am I ever glad. As I was picking up around the arm holes the steek stitches inside did start to unravel in some places. Yikes. It was not relaxing at all so one arm hole got finished on Saturday night and then I had to put it down. I didn't pick it back up again until Monday.

Last night I finished the second arm hole and am now picking up for the neckband. I did however try it on last night and .... I don't think I like what I see. Mind you I was trying to be very gentle with it but....I think even after me changing a bit of the pattern at the bottom edge it is still a lot shorter than I had wanted it to be. I got nervous about adding too much when others online told me they actually had wished it was shorter. I guess this is where body type comes into play because this is not the case for me. I am feeling a little disappointed but ALMOST to the point where I want to knit another vest and make it longer. ALMOST!

When I didn't finish it for the Olympics I really stalled and now ... well I'm itching to cast on something new. I should really go back now to my pre-Olympic plan to finish a lot of projects.

So close yet so far...

I hate to admit defeat but I didn't make it. I have to be honest about it. I'm disappointed because I have been working very hard at this project and I really was very close.


I had report cards to write too which took up a lot of time I might have spent knitting so I might have made it otherwise. Next time the Olympics come, I think that should be a consideration when they decide what time of year the term should end. I mean the Olympics were in Canada people. But no excuses...

I knew I was picking something challenging. Trying things I have never done before. In that way I am proud of myself. In 17 days I almost finished this whopper of a project. I want to keep at it this way and see how long it takes me to finish. I have not knit anything today yet though so .....

Today is my anniversary. Hubby and I have made it two years. I told him that all I wanted for our anniversary was for him to make dinner. He had the day off of work so I thought it was a simple thing to ask. He said that he didn't know what to make and I told him honestly that I didn't care as long as I didn't have to cook it.

When I got home tonight Hubby had candles lit in the living room and the dining room. He had the table set (we never eat at the table), dinner was on the table and he was waiting to pour me a glass of wine. He made a lovely pasta with shrimp and the wine was really yummy. It was all I could have asked for after the day I had at work today.