Eek a Steek!

I've been knitting since I was little and I've tried lots and lots of techniques, but there's one thing I've never done because I was terrified. But I'm going for the Ravelympics again this year and there was a sweater I just had to knit. Have you seen Elizabeth Zimmerman's recently found pattern, the Green Sweater? After I read this article, I fell in love with the story and the sweater, but it involved steeks, eek! The one thing I've avoided. But I really want to make it, I even have the yarn. So I swatched and procrastinated. Finally, I made up my mind and I announced it to Mr. Truck and then my Saturday morning knitting group. I was committed. I got everything ready and I read this and this.



I crocheted and cut.




And it worked!





It was so much fun I did it again!






I have conquered my fear, I am now a truly fearless knitter. Bring on the Ravelympics!

Spun to Finished

If you have a really good memory, you might remember my fiber buying at Rhinebeck. This was 3 oz of cormo from Briar Rose, love their colors! And I really like Cormo.





After spinning and plying, it ended up like this. It's still a mystery to me what the roving will turn out to be, maybe other spinners can visualize how the colors will spin up but I'm still happy when it turns out to be yarn.




The colors look so much better in person, but they're really "fall" colors.






And then there's the hunt for a pattern that I can make with a little bit of yarn. Obviously not a sweater and I really don't need another hat. So after searching the patterns on Ravelry I found this one. And after fiddling a bit with gauge and needles and length, I have this. And I used one of my new wood buttons.





The problem is I still have some yarn left. Any suggestions?

The first of 2010

So I get this text message from BDE with a request to make a pair for her Maid of Honor. Pleeeeze!






So it's not much but here's the first FO of 2010.




And I want to thank all of you for the nice comments and emails about Wekendy. I'm so happy to report that all of his and his wife's family are accounted for and fine. He was in tears when he told us. And then all of us were weeping, too.

Help for Haiti

One of my co-workers, Wekendy, is from Haiti. His whole family is unaccounted for but for his mother. My heart breaks for him. The Yarn Harlot is doing something for the Haitians and you can read about it on her blog. She's throwing up the Knit-Signal for those of us fortunate enough to be able to help. I wish I could do more.

Around the House

I saw this meme on Anna's blog and I loved it. She got it from Sonia, who I believe started it. So here goes:


The idea is to wander around your house taking pictures of the following things. Nothing special, just what it looks like at that moment. I love to get a peek of other people's houses, don't you?

In the kitchen
On the nightstand
In your work/craft space
Out the window
What the pets or children are up to
On your feet
Knitting or knitwear in action

In the kitchen, we had pea soup and cornbread for dinner. Nice on a very cold night.




On my nightstand, lots of lotions and books and my latest project.




This is where I sit and spin or knit in the evenings watching TV.


Since there's really nothing good to see out the window, I thought you'd like to see what I look at next to the window. The 31 is the humidity in the house, and that's why I need all that lotion. 63.3 is cool but that's because it's next to the window, the rest of the house is much warmer than that. 31.8 outside is much better than 15 which is what it was when we got up.



What the dogs do most of the time. Duffy was on my bed. Dunkin got a new duck for Christmas and it goes everywhere with him.


What's on my feet, really old socks from Lionbrand Magic Stripes. That yarn lasts forever.


Knitting in actions, my downstairs project in some of my hand spun yarn.




Now show me yours!

Last Look at 2009

It started with this roving. Finn wool, called Drugstore Chocolate.

Navajo plied into this yarn.

Knit into this shawl.

Blocked out to this.

And just because everyone else did it, a look back.

Knits Finished in 2009

* Pillow

* Shawl
* Bentley's Sweater
* 26 no make that 27 Christmas Ornaments
* Mittens
* Black Hat
* Striped Hat
* Pirate Hat
* Owl Hat
* Pixie Hat
* Teeny Tiny Legwarmers
* My Very Own Sweater
* Sunshine Socks
* Baktus
* Baby Beret
* Baby Shrug
* Spring Chicken
* Bruja Socks
* Eunice Socks
* Textured Circle Shrug
* Ishbel
* June Square
* Printed Silk Cardigan
* June Square
* Glynis Socks
* Top Down Bonnet
* Pedicure Socks
* Plain Socks
* May Square
* Mug Cozy
* Clapotis
* April Square
* Cabled Socks
* 3 Sugarless Panoramic Eggs
* March Square
* Courtney's Bit of Blue
* Leyburn Socks
* Nutkin Socks
* February Square
* Ribbon Edge Cardigan
* Mary Jane Booties
* Top Down Bonnet
* Nutkin Socks
* Peapod Sweater
* Dragonfly Socks
* Apres Surf Hoodie
* January Square
* Beanie
* 2 Hats
* Chevalier Mittens
* Dragonfly Socks
* Flora

Now onto the next year in which I will steek.

Longest Socks Ever

I started these before Rhinebeck, I'm not sure exactly when but I was knitting them in the car on the way. I knit them at Stitches East. And I finally finished them on December 23. Seriously, I've never taken that long to knit socks. I'm blaming the Christmas knitting. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Devon by Cookie A.
Sheepfeet 2 by
Sheep Shop Yarn Company
I got it on a really good sale from Webs but it pooled a bit on the foot, not sure I like that.