Domestic Bliss
It's like you're unraveling a big cable-knit sweater that someone keeps knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting...
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Gold
Gold
I can almost hear the national anthem playing...
::Posted by Bliss at 3:47 PM ::
(4 comments) ::
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Day 16: Victory!
From this...
They're all blocked and ready to wear! I'm glad I blocked them; I wasn't sure they really needed it, but I was able to loosen the fingers just a little, and they're much softer than they were while I was knitting them. They fit well and are quite comfortable.
(I think the 2002 Olympic berets are a lot cuter than the 2006 ones.)
Day 16: Victory!
From this...
...to these!
They're all blocked and ready to wear! I'm glad I blocked them; I wasn't sure they really needed it, but I was able to loosen the fingers just a little, and they're much softer than they were while I was knitting them. They fit well and are quite comfortable.
You can't see it very well, but the left ring finger has a hole in it. Originally I thought it would be cool to make some space for my diamond ring by making a dome with short rows; it sort of worked, but I kept thinking it looked like a tumor on my finger. I went ahead and knit the rest of the glove, but decided to frog the ring finger and do it over with a hole, like Stacey suggested. (I wanted to post a close-up of it but it didn't read in the photo. I really need to find the owner's manual for my camera so I can learn to take better pictures!)
Since you really can't see the color variations in the photo either, I scanned the finished product:
Since you really can't see the color variations in the photo either, I scanned the finished product:
I just love the colors of this yarn! As it turned out, I was able to get the entire right glove plus the cuff, hand, gusset, and two fingers of the left glove out of one ball, which means I have almost an entire ball of the stuff left over. I'm trying to decide whether to look for another skein of this dye lot and make a matching hat, or perhaps I should just put it in the stash and use it for the occasional bit of detail work.
Gotta give a shout-out to my knitting team:
(I think the 2002 Olympic berets are a lot cuter than the 2006 ones.)
::Posted by Bliss at 8:31 PM ::
(2 comments) ::
Friday, February 24, 2006
Day 15: Perseverance
I'm done.
I'm done.
The knitting is finished, the ends are woven in, and the gloves are blocking on a towel as I write this.
Photo tomorrow.
I'M DONE!!!
Day 15: Perseverance
I'm done.
I'm done.
The knitting is finished, the ends are woven in, and the gloves are blocking on a towel as I write this.
Photo tomorrow.
I'M DONE!!!
::Posted by Bliss at 11:56 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
The pizza man delivers!
Syntax and I have become curling fans! We've been closely following the US men's team (I've been watching a lot of the women's games too, but the Americans didn't do so well there), and I had planned on watching the bronze medal game today at 1:00 and calling him with updates. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that by 1:00 they meant Torino time. I'm very bummed that I missed this match. So, instead of writing about the game, I shall post my Ode to Pete Fenson:
There once was a curler named Pete
Who made watching the men's team a treat.
And although they lost twice
When Canucks took the ice
They won bronze due to Britain's defeat.
(I never claimed to be a poet.)
I did see the women's gold medal game yesterday between Sweden and Switzerland. I love it that the Swedish skip, Annette Norberg, wore giant gold hoop earrings during the match! You've got to love a sport where you can wear big jewelry while you play.
Edited to add: Oh my God - they are showing the men's match right now on tape delay! I'm going to go watch. Now I really wish I hadn't found out who won! Dang.
Edited again to add: Okay, it was just the last part of the bronze match - part of End 9 and all of End 10. I got it on TiVo for Syntax. Pete won it on the very last shot! Wooooooo!
::Posted by Bliss at 1:28 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Day 14: Plateau
Last week at my job was truly awful. I used to really enjoy my job, but over the last year or so they have made a lot of rather unpleasant changes; last week the stress finally got to me in a big way. I've been doing that job for 8 years, and until now I never felt burnt out. Since I can't afford to quit anytime soon (let's face it, with my rather odd skill set I will never find another job in this area that pays me anything close to what I make now), I decided to use some vacation time and take a week to decompress. The idea was that I'd spend the week doing the housework that I've been neglecting, running necessary errands, and finishing my gloves.
Well, I have run several errands, and gotten a bit of the housework done (not nearly enough, alas), but I have not been able to knit all week. I just haven't been able to make myself do it. It's all I can do to stay awake when I'm sitting down. Part of it is the change in my schedule, but I think most of it is that I just didn't realize how exhausted I've been, and now that I have time to rest, that's all my body wants to do. But if I finish this week with nothing accomplished, I'll feel like it's been wasted time. So today I will knit. I'll do laundry. I'll knit some more. I'll organize another cabinet. I'll go to the day spa and use the gift certificate I got for my last birthday. (The chair massage will be lovely, but it will be preceeded by having my eyebrow hairs ripped out with hot wax. Fun!) And then I will knit some more, and I will finish that glove.
Day 14: Plateau
Last week at my job was truly awful. I used to really enjoy my job, but over the last year or so they have made a lot of rather unpleasant changes; last week the stress finally got to me in a big way. I've been doing that job for 8 years, and until now I never felt burnt out. Since I can't afford to quit anytime soon (let's face it, with my rather odd skill set I will never find another job in this area that pays me anything close to what I make now), I decided to use some vacation time and take a week to decompress. The idea was that I'd spend the week doing the housework that I've been neglecting, running necessary errands, and finishing my gloves.
Well, I have run several errands, and gotten a bit of the housework done (not nearly enough, alas), but I have not been able to knit all week. I just haven't been able to make myself do it. It's all I can do to stay awake when I'm sitting down. Part of it is the change in my schedule, but I think most of it is that I just didn't realize how exhausted I've been, and now that I have time to rest, that's all my body wants to do. But if I finish this week with nothing accomplished, I'll feel like it's been wasted time. So today I will knit. I'll do laundry. I'll knit some more. I'll organize another cabinet. I'll go to the day spa and use the gift certificate I got for my last birthday. (The chair massage will be lovely, but it will be preceeded by having my eyebrow hairs ripped out with hot wax. Fun!) And then I will knit some more, and I will finish that glove.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:52 AM ::
(3 comments) ::
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Day 7: The Halfway Point
Woo-hoo! I have achieved gloveness! Ends are woven in, loose stitches and gaps are repaired, and it fits! I'm glad I made it snug, because even though it's a little tricky to put on, after I've worn it for a couple of minutes the fingers relax and conform to my hand.
Glove #2 has been started; I'm about halfway done with the cuff but I'll have more done before I go to bed. I'm wondering if I can come up with a way to add some space to the ring finger to accomodate my engagement ring - it's a square stone, and I'm sure it will catch on the stitches if I don't make some extra room. The trick will be to figure out how to make it not look strange.
Day 7: The Halfway Point
Woo-hoo! I have achieved gloveness! Ends are woven in, loose stitches and gaps are repaired, and it fits! I'm glad I made it snug, because even though it's a little tricky to put on, after I've worn it for a couple of minutes the fingers relax and conform to my hand.
Glove #2 has been started; I'm about halfway done with the cuff but I'll have more done before I go to bed. I'm wondering if I can come up with a way to add some space to the ring finger to accomodate my engagement ring - it's a square stone, and I'm sure it will catch on the stitches if I don't make some extra room. The trick will be to figure out how to make it not look strange.
::Posted by Bliss at 11:50 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
It was the "ergo" that made me laugh.
I went in the bedroom at 5:00 a.m. to wake up my husband.
Me: Get up.
Him: (incoherent muttering)
Me: Wake up, sweetie.
Him: (grumble)
Me: I'll just have to make you get up, then. (I commence gently tickling his side.)
Him: I really don't want to have to kill you.
Me: Yeah, I'd hate for you to have to go to jail.
Him: I wouldn't go to jail.
Me: Oh?
Him: No jury would convict me. I'd say, "Your Honor, I was asleep. She started tickling me. Ergo, she needed killing."
I refrained from pointing out that that defense is only valid in Texas.
::Posted by Bliss at 5:46 AM ::
(1 comments) ::
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Day 6
No time to knit at all the last two days - I was starting to go through withdrawal! I didn't have as much knitting time as I might have tonight, but for a good reason: my dear husband took me out for a belated Valentine's Day dinner at Bonefish Grill. (Last night I had work and he had school, so we postponed our observance until today.) I didn't make it to Stitch & Bitch either.
After he went to bed I was able to finish the index finger and thumb, then I decided to redo the pinky yet again. At some point I apparently set the glove down on an uncapped pen (I'm guessing it's the one I've been using to make pattern notes), and there was a big black spot at the base of the pinky. Fortunately, I hadn't yet taken out the lifeline, so it was easy to rip back and start over with fresh, unstained yarn. I'll weave in the ends and sew up the loose spots between the fingers tomorrow, then I'll post a photo.
(Many thanks to Anny Purls for the Olympic countdown timer script!)
Day 6
No time to knit at all the last two days - I was starting to go through withdrawal! I didn't have as much knitting time as I might have tonight, but for a good reason: my dear husband took me out for a belated Valentine's Day dinner at Bonefish Grill. (Last night I had work and he had school, so we postponed our observance until today.) I didn't make it to Stitch & Bitch either.
After he went to bed I was able to finish the index finger and thumb, then I decided to redo the pinky yet again. At some point I apparently set the glove down on an uncapped pen (I'm guessing it's the one I've been using to make pattern notes), and there was a big black spot at the base of the pinky. Fortunately, I hadn't yet taken out the lifeline, so it was easy to rip back and start over with fresh, unstained yarn. I'll weave in the ends and sew up the loose spots between the fingers tomorrow, then I'll post a photo.
(Many thanks to Anny Purls for the Olympic countdown timer script!)
::Posted by Bliss at 11:58 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Day 3
Good bit of progress today - I finished two fingers, and I just have another couple of rows to go on the third. The pinky and ring finger are a little more snug than I would like, but I think I can fix that with blocking. (I've already reknit the pinky once; the first time it was really tight, so I added an extra stitch. Probably should have added two.) I'm going to have to fix some small gaps between the fingers, but that shouldn't be too hard.
Day 3
Good bit of progress today - I finished two fingers, and I just have another couple of rows to go on the third. The pinky and ring finger are a little more snug than I would like, but I think I can fix that with blocking. (I've already reknit the pinky once; the first time it was really tight, so I added an extra stitch. Probably should have added two.) I'm going to have to fix some small gaps between the fingers, but that shouldn't be too hard.
::Posted by Bliss at 11:33 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Day 2
We were supposed to take a road trip today to visit my sister's family, since it's my niece's third birthday. Alas, because of the weather forecast, we decided to cancel the trip - we were sure we'd make it down there with no trouble, but not so sure we'd be able to get back up the mountain safely after dark, so we'll reschedule for a more temperate day.
My disappointment was mitigated by two things. I had time to make pot roast, and I gained half a day of knitting time.
Today's knitting went so much more smoothly than yesterday's. I completed the cuff and thumb gusset, and I've got about 3 inches of stockinette to go before I start the little finger. That will be the challenging part; I've made mittens before, so the thumb gusset step was familiar, but since this is my first glove ever, the fingers will be my learning curve.
Day 2
We were supposed to take a road trip today to visit my sister's family, since it's my niece's third birthday. Alas, because of the weather forecast, we decided to cancel the trip - we were sure we'd make it down there with no trouble, but not so sure we'd be able to get back up the mountain safely after dark, so we'll reschedule for a more temperate day.My disappointment was mitigated by two things. I had time to make pot roast, and I gained half a day of knitting time.
Today's knitting went so much more smoothly than yesterday's. I completed the cuff and thumb gusset, and I've got about 3 inches of stockinette to go before I start the little finger. That will be the challenging part; I've made mittens before, so the thumb gusset step was familiar, but since this is my first glove ever, the fingers will be my learning curve.
::Posted by Bliss at 11:25 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Olympic Diary: Day 1
The Knitting Olympics have begun, and I'm not off to a very good start.
I cast on my first glove, knitted three rows, and dropped a stitch I couldn't pick back up. I frogged it and started over.
I took a short break, cast on again, and knit several rows in the cabled rib pattern I chose for the cuff. After completing a couple of inches, I realized that it was going to be way too big. Instead of frogging it right away, I kept going in stockinette so I could get a more accurate measurement; even though I swatched with this yarn, apparently I am knitting a slightly different gauge now. (WHY???) I also figured out that the cabled ribs don't look nearly as good in this yarn as they did on my practice sock, and they don't pull in the way I would like. I thought, "Hmmmm - maybe I need a smaller needle." FEH.
I recalculated my gauge, frogged it again, and started over with a smaller needle (the dreaded triple-aught). I soon realized this idea must have been whispered in my ear by the Bad Idea Bears. I had a really hard time working with the yarn on the tiny needle. At this point I reevaluated my choice of stitch. As much as I'd love a cabled cuff, I love my sanity more, so I decided to switch to plain 1x1 ribbing.
I started yet again with the larger needle, and in my second row I realized that I had cast on too many stitches, as I was following my original directions. Poo. Frogged it again.
Fifth time's a charm, right? I cast on the correct number, and in the middle of my second row I suddenly became so exhausted that I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to finish it. I crawled into bed, slept for five hours, woke up with a start, realized I couldn't go back to sleep, and decided to post this.
So, to recap: I worked on my glove most of the day and have virtually nothing to show for it.
::Posted by Bliss at 4:02 AM ::
(3 comments) ::
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Blog makeover!
Reason #287 why I love my husband: he created this lovely new blog template for me! We still have a bit of tweaking left to do, but overall I think he did an excellent job, don't you? I also want to thank stAllio! for his assistance with CSS. Much appreciated!
The background of the title banner is a scan of a sock I'm knitting out of Sock Garden yarn in Star Gazer Lily. The scan turned out really well - much better than the photos we took. The yarn inspired the whole blog color scheme.
Blog makeover!
Reason #287 why I love my husband: he created this lovely new blog template for me! We still have a bit of tweaking left to do, but overall I think he did an excellent job, don't you? I also want to thank stAllio! for his assistance with CSS. Much appreciated!
The background of the title banner is a scan of a sock I'm knitting out of Sock Garden yarn in Star Gazer Lily. The scan turned out really well - much better than the photos we took. The yarn inspired the whole blog color scheme.
::Posted by Bliss at 1:21 AM ::
(4 comments) ::
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Toothpicks.
Well, I was looking forward to Stitch & Bitch tonight, but no one else showed up. I hung out at the pub for about half an hour, then stopped at the store for a 6-pack of hard cider, went home and knit and drank while watching the last episode of 24 on TiVo. (Not something I recommend if you're trying to follow a complicated pattern, but fine if you're just doing stockinette.)
As part of my Olympic training, I've been doing a lot of fine-gauge knitting lately. My current project is a pair of toddler-sized socks on a 000 needle. People, it's like knitting with toothpicks. They're just about that big around. I could probably actually use toothpicks as DPNs and get the same gauge.
I really do like the end results when using tiny needles, though; the socks I made with the size 0 needle are much more comfortable (with shoes) than the ones I've done in the past with 2s and 3s. I think I'll save the triple-aught needle for Barbie clothes in the future - the zero is much easier on my hands (and my eyes).
Toothpicks.
Well, I was looking forward to Stitch & Bitch tonight, but no one else showed up. I hung out at the pub for about half an hour, then stopped at the store for a 6-pack of hard cider, went home and knit and drank while watching the last episode of 24 on TiVo. (Not something I recommend if you're trying to follow a complicated pattern, but fine if you're just doing stockinette.)
As part of my Olympic training, I've been doing a lot of fine-gauge knitting lately. My current project is a pair of toddler-sized socks on a 000 needle. People, it's like knitting with toothpicks. They're just about that big around. I could probably actually use toothpicks as DPNs and get the same gauge.
I really do like the end results when using tiny needles, though; the socks I made with the size 0 needle are much more comfortable (with shoes) than the ones I've done in the past with 2s and 3s. I think I'll save the triple-aught needle for Barbie clothes in the future - the zero is much easier on my hands (and my eyes).
::Posted by Bliss at 11:07 PM ::
(8 comments) ::
