Oh the Soleil...

I fell in love with knitty.com's Soleil, ordered the pretty yellow yarn, and started casting on 160 stitches...

I had to frog THREE times!! My first experience with lace wasn't going well. I joined the Soleil Knitalong, and now, I officially have finished the lace and am starting to decrease for the curvy fit! Woo hoo!

Here it is, on my lap, at Bomber's, where, during Trivia Night, this week, I completed the 24th row!



And we even won the best round ever, the free margarita round... but it was on the rocks, in little plastic cups instead of the big margarita glass...

The Manos was worth the money...

Yes, Manos del Uruguay is ridiculously expensive.

But, really, I love this sweater. So much.

No, I haven't been wearing it out yet, but it may snow Monday night (awesome! driving home in the middle of the night, tired and cranky,in the snow!) Anyway, I've finally let my beautiful red sweater dry, and took pictures.



And open...

It's a sweater day.

Suddenly cold again, it's time for sweaters!

I finished the baby sweater! Woo hoo! Now I just have to wait for the little one to pop out.



I really like the colors, which should look great if the baby has Kyle's coloring.



Then I finally added button's to my Curry Cabled Cardigan











Woo hoo! It's cold enough to wear!

Baby Sweater Progress!

I almost finished the baby sweater! Here's Joe holding it at Lark Tavern, before dinner came!



A few more stitches to cast off, some sleeves to sew up... and then we wait until July for the little Bamblzer to pop out! Yay!

In the meantime, I've started knitty.com's Soleil and even found a knit-along blog group, at http://soleilalong.blogspot.com/. I've finished the first round of lace, with only two froggings so far! Woo hoo!

We hit the city...

In an attempt to go to Freddy's open knitting night, Anne and I went to NYC Sunday/Monday.

We had brunch in Soho and scored free mimosas.


And we went to Purl Soho and didn't buy a thing. Sad, sad, sad.

We did buy ridiculous amounts of clothes at Century 21 instead, and then hung out in Brooklyn with Tom and Ed...


(at the restaurant from Garden State)


...who informed us it would be a really annoying trip to get to south Brooklyn from Williamsburg. So we didnt go, and instead drank Long Island beer at a bar with a sand floor.


We knit on the train home.

Works in Progress

Sorry no posts since Saturday. Our computer at home hasn't been working, and I can't figure out how to use my reading card on other machines. So here are a few pictures I had already uploaded.

A posie stitch scarf, made with leftover lace-y yarn from Alyce's summer scarf from last year.


The "make-it-up-as-we-go-along" lavendar sweater.

Saturday morning in Altamont.

I went to Altamont today, to learn how to block. I brought my two sweaters and a positive attitude. The owner, Mary, patiently went through it all with me. We dunked it, soaked it, went out for coffee, knitted a little of Kyle's baby's sweater, and then drained it on towels, and pinned it up. Pretty painless actually. She loved it and another knitter in the shop was tempted to try out the pattern.





Now I just have to add buttons!!!

I went home and did it to the Manos. They are now drying in the computer/office/music room.

In the meantime, working on Kyle's son's sweater.



Perhaps I can finish the baby sweater tonight.

My Stash.

Ok, the obligatory yarn inventory (and possible uses).

Pretty "College" yarn from Saratoga. For the 'W' on knitty.com


Pretty yarn (from elann.com!) for the Soleil at knitty.com.


Yellowish yarn from Anne (from Chile), grey leftovers from Joe's cabled hat, red Manos leftovers from the cardigan, pink "ballet" yarn.


Rusty orange Wool-Ease for a chunky scarf (for Marco Benevento)


A big chunk of purple yarn (975 yards) I got for $10 at the sheep and wool festival.


Pretty lavandar yarn from Poughkeepsie (being used in a making-up-as-we-go-along sweater)


More Manos Ruth bought me on sale. (She's a keeper)


Random leftovers...




Inherited yarn from Joe's Aunt Kathy.

Sweaters!!!

I'm going to be recapping for a while, since Im working on a teeny tiny baby sweater for Kyle and Conor's future little one. And using a digital camera is too much fun to wait.

So, I made my first sweater, Grace, from knitty.com, last summer. Here is me wearing it with attitude:



And it hanging:



Now, that one I blocked. I have also made two sweaters that I have yet to block, mainly due to the fear that the evil purple bag (it will be posted eventually) felting experiment taught me.

So, first is the red cardigan. Made from Manos Del Uruguay, bought at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, with Laura in toe to make sure I wasn't making rash purchase decisions. The pattern is (kinda) from the Girls Guide to Big Knits.



And a close up of the buttons:



And the Curry Cabled Cardigan. I bought the yarn on Sept. 12. I finished it on March 15. And its still not blocked! I haven't added buttons yet, but I have them. I love them, and though its a little weird, they are cut from deer antlers. I know, I know, but at least the hunter is using ALL of the deer! They were from a sweet lady at the sheep show.

Anyway, the sweater:



And the closeup:

Scarves!

Not nearly as exciting as sweaters, here are a few scarves I've made that are still around the house. One is the Ribbed For Her Pleasure pattern from SnB. One is a little do rag I made for a friend but haven't given to her yet. One is made from spun silk (ah, luxury). And here are a few artsy shots of em.

So I've started a knitting blog...

After almost a year and a half of knitting, I have finally gotten a digital camera. I mean, I had the cell phone camera, which brought us pictures like this



of me and Anne and Meg knitting while waiting for Los Lobos to rock out.

And I had friend's with digital cameras, which brought us pictures like these



of me knitting in the rainy wait to get into Coventry, taken by Heather, and



of Joseph visiting me at a Wine Bar knitting night, taken by Renee.

But now, friends, I will take pictures of my lovely knitting projects as they go, my scary stash as it grows, and my fellow knitaholics, flaunting our fiber arts throughout the Capital District.

Knit On!