Dr. Who is now as long as I am tall!



Brandy is quite concerned that I am hidden underneath the scarf for the picture. I am having to fold the scarf up into my lap as I work on it now. It's getting really long.



Even working on it everyday, it's a bit slow going. Or maybe it's just in my head since it's all garter stitch. Either way, man, this is a lot of knitting!!!

I'M KNITTING LACE!



I've cast on for the Laminaria from Knitty for a knitalong at my LYS. I'm 3 repeats of the star chart in and I've only had to frog once. *knock on wood*

Magknits is gone. I am sad.

What is fun:

Making a Punk Rock baby hat. With a mohawk.



I want one for myself.

What is not fun:

Going to the doctor. OWIE!!!!!

Yes I am still alive. Just barely. I've been hard at work finishing things lingering in the UFO pile, working on commissions and ripping out things that were...just not working.

Let's start with what I have finished. ( I have pretty pictures for those things. )

I have embarked on knitting what will be, quite possibly, the longest scarf I will ever knit. I am working on turning this box of yarn...



...into a 20 foot Dr. Who scarf.



10 inches down, 19 feet 2 inches to go.

I definitely think that something is going on with my sock mojo and I think I've figured out what it is.

I can knit socks for myself with reasonable aptitude. I can knit them for my sister like nobody's business. But everytime I try to knit a pair for my mom, *insert my best Austin Powers impression here* someone steals my mojo, baby!

I have developed a theory. My sister is somehow doing some kind of knitting voodoo to control my sock mojo and ensure that I only knit socks for her! Think about it! Everytime I screw up a pair of socks and make them too small they just so happen to fit her feet perfectly. Coincidence, or supernatural intervention? You decide...

I got my first package and what a sweet one it was!

( Clicky for piccies )

Specs: Made from a kit from Six Loose Ladies, pattern from the book One Skein, size 5 and 9 DPNs. The kit was a birthday gift from a friend of mine. I substituted the knitted cherry with a button rosette. Yum!

turelie had a request to make the Chain Chomp hat when I had a moment and wasn't really that busy. Well, I wasn't really that busy Sunday.





It will be out in the mail just as soon as I wash my husky's hair out of it. :)

Since Christmas, I have finally had a breather to relax and start working on some stuff that I've been wanting to do since forever.

First up was a pair of cotton socks for rambob. Since she moved to a much warmer climate, wool socks really aren't always appropriate, especially since it can be in the 70's-80's right up through October. So I decided on a simple pair of cotton anklets that would combine the warmth of the West with the homeiness of the East.

I present, Mom's Pumpkin Pie Socks!





A prefers anklets, so I made the cuff a 1 1/2" mock cable rib. When I finished the first sock, I realized that the colours and ribbing reminded me of the pumpkin pie that mom makes for the holidays. PERFECT! Don't you just love it when a pattern comes together? Specs: Size 3 circs, Elann Esprit in Coffee Bean and Grand Canyon (1 ball each), pattern is a modified version of Emily's Basic Circular Socks.

Second up is a pattern I've been dying to make for years, but I've been putting off. I finished this pair on the right day; at 12AM on the morning of what is supposed to be the coldest day of the season so far. And winter has kept that promise. My house is freezing (gotta love these drafty houses with broken heating systems) so they've been getting quite a workout since I wove in the last end. Without further ado, I present the Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers!



They are so warm, the Lorna's laces so yummy, I never want to take them off. Although, if it doesn't warm up soon, I might not. Specs: Size 7 DPNs, 1 hank Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Uptown, pattern is from Stitch N' Bitch Nation.

In WIP news, I've been working on a granny square tote from Sugar N' Cream mill ends I bought during my stay in Virginia after the New Year. I saw this purple, blue and green tweed colourway and I just knew I had to have a market tote from this yarn.



It's coming along beautifully, but the gusset is taking me longer than the front and back did. Maybe because it's a thousand feet of single crochet. Ok, not a thousand, but it feels that way every time I measure it.

Ok, does anyone else think this dude has suffered some kind of serious yarn related trauma during his life that makes him hate knitters and crocheters with such a passion? Perhaps his grandmother overlooked him when she was making all the grandkids an afghan? Or maybe got stabbed in the butt with a sock needle during sex with an ex? Or maybe he made a smart comment to the wrong crocheter and ended up finding out that yes, you CAN chain 40 with someone's chest hair.

Whatever the reason he seems to hate the yarn wielders so much, all I can say is this: If you are going to make broad generalizing statements about people's interests and passions, at least get your facts together and have your argument at least make some type of sense. All you succeeded in doing is proving that you're a whiner.

In other news, I have made a very painful decision. After 3 years together, I am ripping out Angelina. Now before anyone gets upset, I have a very good reason for this. When I started making her, I was about 40 lbs heavier. There is really no point in continuing to make her since I am thinner now. So I am going to rip her out and make her in a smaller size. This will provide both a better fit and, hopefully, give me a snowball's chance in Virginia in May (as opposed to a snowball's chance in hell) of actually finishing it before I croak. Now I just need to get up the courage to actually do the deed. Where's my tequila?

I made it through the Christmas season once again. Jess's sweater was completed in time to be given as a gift (and she loved it, YAY!), I completed my handknit washcloth gift baskets and gave them out (and everyone loved them, YAY!) and I managed to survive another holiday dinner with my family.

So what is on the list for 2008? Two of my friends are pregnant, one with a boy and one with a a girl so each of them will be getting something. I'm also working on a pair of Esprit socks for my sister and the Argosy scarf for myself again. Do I have pictures? No. I am in Virginia at the moment and left my camera at home.

In other news, there is sadness in Middleburg, VA. My favourite yarn shop, Hunt Country Yarns, is no longer around, at least in it's former location. I asked around at The Creamery and was told that they didn't move and did, in fact, close. It makes me a little bit sad. For a while, I was told that Springwater Fiber Workshop would be closing as well. Thankfully, the community pulled through with enough donations to enable them to only close temporarily in order to reorganize.

Mike's favourite store is also going to be closing. It's not a good sign when hobby type stores and stores where people generally spend their disposable income are starting to, one by one, close down. I feel even worse for the stores that are individually owned. They don't have a large chain corporation to help them. It's their dreams, their savings, their lives, all gone in the blink of a bad economy.

I've been working my poor fingers to the bone. Thankfully, though, the end is in sight. My commissioned sweater just needs buttons and I almost have enough washcloths for my gifts. Within all that mayhem, I somehow managed to find time to learn how to double knit.

I think I love it too. It's the coolest looking knitting ever! I don't know what I was scared of.





This is a swatch for the Uncle Argyle pattern from Son of Stitch N' Bitch (my new favouritest book ever.) There are a couple little boo-boos in it and I need to work on my edges, but all in all, I am really rather proud of this little swatch. Next up on the list: lace.

I have the best boyfriend ever! Seriously! Look at what he got me...



A FREAKIN' YARN BASKET!!!! WITH NEEDLES!!!! AND A CARD!!!! AND IT'S SUPERWASH WOOL AND SEACELL BLEND!!!!



Ok, I can take the caps off now, but still, holy crap! Thank you, wespennest.

*resumes rolling on the floor with the yarn*

Now that Brandy's sweater is out of the way, it's time to concentrate on Christmas and commission knitting. This year I am severely limiting the amount of commissions I am taking on in order to avoid another burnout.

( Lotta pictures ahead! )

I desire a pair of these.