Lauri's Blog

Its Official!

2006-11-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

I decided to move.
Please come find me at my new blog:

Lauri Knits

Thanks for reading my blog, and I hope that you keep visiting me at my new home!

2006-11-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Probably making the change...
I haven't made the official decision, but I am pretty sure that I'll be moving here

For now, I'll be posting only there just to get used to it, so come and see me there while I make my decision.

on making changes

2006-10-31T20:59:00.000-08:00

I am continuing to struggle with the decision on whether to change to wordpress or stay with blogger.

There are a lot of reasons to do either one.

I like the ease of wordpress, it has been really easy to get to know it, I haven't had any troubles with posts, with adding pics, etc. It was very easy to set up a nice looking blog in a short time.

A few things I like about blogger - already set up, familiar, everyone know the address. Also, easy to post pics thru picasa once I save the pic on my computer. It has been relatively easy to change the template, even with the minimal skills I have.

What I don't like about blogger: troubles with posting more than one pic in a post, sometimes I can'tget any of the pics to upload! Recently I have had trouble even accessing my blog, or the dashboard on at least 3 different occasions.

On wordpress, I wish that there was the option to change the template for free. I am not opposed to paying for the blogging service...but...

-----
So, my question is: what is everyone else's opinion? Should I stay here or move?

shawl update...

2006-10-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

You know how when you are tired and frustrated you tend to jump to all sorts of wrong conclusions....
It is a good thing that I didn't completly overreact last night (I was almost ready to rip it off the needles!
Yes I've made an error somewhere in the pattern, and I am off by one stitch - but that will be easily fixable. The part I overreacted to last night was my fault - reading the wrong paragraph, which made me think that I'd been knitting the wrong stitches since the 7th row...I'm blaming it on the time change this weekend, and being stressed out.
I have more than 100 stitches on the needle already, once I get to 191 I start the lace pattern.

2006-10-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

post deleted - obviously I am not smart enough to read a pattern...more details later when I decide if I should rip it all out and start over, or if I should just change course now...

changes?

2006-10-29T14:12:00.000-08:00

I am thinking of making a change. Blogger gets frustrating sometimes...
I am trying out a wordpress blog right now. I started it yesterday, and like what I've seen so far, sorta.
here is the address http://lauriknits.wordpress.com

In the coming weeks I'll decide what I want to do. In the meantime, I'll be posting to both blogs.

Does anyone have any experiences or opinions they want to share? please let me know.

again, I have no knitting progress to show. I turned the heel on the pink sock, and started on the gusset, only to come to the realization that I might have made a huge error with the pattern - it will require some fussing and moving of stitches...drat!
I also started a shawl last night - and ripped it out this morning. And. NO, I haven't even touched the fair isle sock in days...

Very Fetching!

2006-10-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! I love how quickly these knit up!! They were a lot of fun, and really fast! Two days from start to finish - work days too! I only knit a little during lunch each day, and in the evenings!

They are warming my hands as I type this. I want a pair in every color!! Ok, maybe not that many, but...at least a few pairs.
The Baby Cashmerino worked out well (I didn't have access to the aran weight.) I used 32g of the 50g skein, so lots of yarn left, but not enough to use to make anything!

I already bought several more skeins in different colors for gifts. (ok, and maybe another pair for me...)

The pink lace socks are coming along, but not ready for a photo shot yet. hope to show and tell by the end of the weekend.

planning

2006-10-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

The schedule was posted today!! I have made up a list of the sessions I want to attend...now I have to narrow it down to a realistic list! It is a good thing that I have 2 weeks to think about itbefore I need to make a decision! Also, I need to make sure my time off request is approved.

The lace socks are coming along. I started the heel flap today. I'm still not entirely sure if it will make a wearable sock, but continuing on. I'll see how the fit is after the gusset. No pictures yet - I'll keep you tempted until I make a decision! hehe

So, as if I didn't have enough projects already in progress....Sherri got in a terrific color of Baby cashmerino - sorta melon-orangy pink. It was screaming at me to use it to make Fetching. Started tonight, and have knit about an inch already!

That's all for tonight, gotta go knit up the gloves- it is chilly here!

new challenges!

2006-10-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I started a new sock. (lol)

I have this beautiful new sock yarn (colorway: Roses, by Pat Fly), after looking through all of my sock books I couldn't find a "perfect"pattern"...

...then yesterday morning I was at the library returning some very overdue books, and of course had to look at their knitting books! I checked out Vogue Knitting's Stitchionary Vol 1, knit and purl!

So, last night after spending some time looking through the patterns, I decided to try to design my own sock! I am using one of the lace patterns, and had to do a little bit of tweaking of the pattern, eliminating 2 stitches, but it is working so far! (15 rows finished!)

No pictures yet, but I will share soon.
One question: the scalloped lace edge at the top of the sock is wanting to curl somewhat. Does anyone have a suggestion for me to try and avoid it?

Since there are no sock pics, I decided to leave you with a picture of the beach (taken last month)

Friday!

2006-10-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the dahlias from my yard. I can't believe how they've bloomed this year!! Last year they didn't bloom at all - and now more blooms than I can count!
The colors are sorta washed out in the picture, the flowers are actually orangy peach on the outside and yellow in the middle. There are dozens more blossoms left!

---

This afternoon I finished the 3rd pattern repeat (of 4) in the fair isle sock. If all goes well, I will do my best to finish the sock this weekend.

Starting again!

2006-10-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight I actually practiced my cello! I've taken quite a long break from playing lately. I am really not sure why exactly - numerous reasons, including but not limited to a few injuries, frustration and knitting.

I had not played at all for about a month, and haven't regularly practiced for quite a long time (I don't even want to admit to myself how long it has actually been!)

It was a wonderful feeling to have the bow in my hand (even tho it started cramping up quickly) and to feel the cello resonating against me. It amazed me that I could actually play for about 20 minutes before I needed to stop for the night, I didn't think that my endurance would be that good.

I did sound pretty out of practice...difficult to find the right positions with my fingers to stay in tune, but that will come back with more practice. I was able to play through several of the pieces that I'd practiced a lot last year, and did sound ok I think (at least the cat didn't go running out of the room!)

To my friends that read the blog regularly -- please hold me accountable to my practicing ok? I feel like I really need to get this part of my life back, and I need a bit of encouragement and prodding to keep at it, especially since I am out of the habit of regularly practicing!

...darn

2006-10-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

I've been working on the fleece artist sock again (now that I finally finished the baudelaires) and this evening, I've now made the tough decision to rip out the sock and start over.

I've been using size 2s, which is too large of a needle, and I don't like the fabric it is making. I know that I'll hate the sock.

I did like the pattern, it is easy to knit, very easy to memorize the pattern. Though, I'm not sure if I'll try it again with size 1s or if I'll try a different pattern.

2006-10-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am so angry right now...I can't even come up with a title for today's post!

So, my mom was supposed to arrive here in WA this Friday. She bought her tickets nearly 3 weeks ago. She told her dialysis unit in SD the next day. They dropped the ball and didn't attempt to coordinate switching her care to here until 4 days ago! The dialysis center here ABSOLUTELY positively MUST have 3 weeks notice prior to her coming...therefore "you'll just have to change your plans" (said with a very 'nice' sweet voice)

I swear - they are going to kill her in SD (I don't say this lightly - they have mismanaged her care for so long, in so many ways) Someone is going to get an earful from me tomorrow morning, at least I have overnight to cool off - thank goodness for the time difference between pacific time and central.

---

On another note - I finished the Baudelaire socks!!!

And here is the picture of my finished socks that I tried to put up last week:

duh!

2006-10-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is a perfect example of why you shouldn't knit while watching a refrigerator repairman disassemble your fridge...

duh....

Socks

2006-10-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't join the Socktoberfest group, I have more than enough on my plate this month unfortunately.

But I've been thinking a lot about socks, about why it is that I like knitting them.

I guess it is probably because of the function and the folly of socks. They can be worn every day(not the same pair!!), and the nicely made fun knit socks really set you apart from almost everyone else who is wearing plain old white cotton socks.

Last night I spent time looking through the knitting books trying to find the best pattern for Joy's socks. I decided on the Unst pattern from Knitting on the Road. I haven't started yet tho, because I have far too many socks on the needles right now.

So, for a full accounting of my socks:
1. Finished pairs:
- red and black opal, basic sock, for me
- blue/purple wildfoote handpainted, basic sock, for me
- green stripe fortissima, ribbed sock, for me
- multicolor opal DK, basic sock, for me
- blue stripe opal DK, basic sock, for mom
- 2 pair baby socks, cascade fixation, for Kris and Kizmi
- yellow opal, Conway sock, for me
- blue/brown striped Steinbach socks, for me
- 2 pair Silk Garden socks, for me and for mom
- pink socks, Fly yarn, basic sock, for someone as a Christmas gift!
Twelve pairs!

2. In progress:
- Trekking traveling rib sock (1 half finished), for mom
- Fair Isle sock (one finished, other almost half done), for me
- Baudelaire socks, STR yarn (one done, one started), for me
- Fleece artist yarn, small capitals pattern (one almost half done), for me
- Blue, Pat Fly yarn, Unst pattern (ready to cast on), for Joy
Five pairs

3. Upcoming projects
- Purple Trekking XXL socks, for me
- Brown socks, to be determined
- Opal handpainted, shades of brown and rust
- Pat Fly, lightweight sock yarn, (soon on its way to me - thanks Sherri!)

----------

I've started to feel that I have SO MANY projects in progress right now that I have to make myself accountable for finishing them. Besides the socks in progress, I have too many other wip's: silk beaded scarf, meadow flowers shawl, pinwheel sweater. And so much yarn designated for other projects: Green Gable sweater, Pacific Northwest shawl, multicolor felted bag...And don't get me started on all the fiber from last week!
...gotta go, must start knitting!!

(edited: I've often wondered where the pictures go when you upload them to blogger, but they don't appear on the blog...hmm; well, I tried to add a picture of the socks, but no such luck)

frustration

2006-10-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Well, its been a really long week. It might be Friday today, but I am working tomorrow at least for half a day, so my weekend hasn't started yet.

This has been a really long and pretty miserable week! It might be because of being sick this week -- yes, sick again! I went home on Wednesday after nearly passing out at the nurses station. Ate only saltine crackers and drank gatorade for a day and a half.

We have been busier this week than I have ever seen it in the 4+years I have worked at this job! Overall, tho, I've been holding up, seeing as many patients as possible, etc...
... So, why is is that just ONE person who is rude, unreasonable, and just NOT nice, can ruin everything!? And why is it that when you're tired and overworked the default physical reaction to the rudeness is a total meltdown? (as in blubering, crying mess!)

----

I think that a couple reasons might be (besides the general very busy week) is that I haven't had a chance to knit more than a few rows on a sock in days, and going cold turkey off of caffeine the last 3 days. I'm planning to take a hot bubble bath, then early to bed, and maybe knit a bit.

(Disappointed that I don't get to go to the knitting group at the library tomorrow. It seems like there is always something keeping me from going - hope I can come next month. I'll be thinking of everyone while working tomorrow...)

update

2006-10-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of the yarn I made from the roving I bought this weekend. I love the colors! This was approx 1/4 of one of the rovings, and I have approx 52 meters; so by the time I spin it all there should be enough yarn to actually make something...

disclosure...

2006-09-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest with myself (and others) on just how much I bought at the fiber festival...

4 ounces of the blue/green/yellow/purple roving:

4 ounces of pink/orange/yellow roving:

1 pound of white alpaca roving!:

a basket of medium and dark brown alpaca roving (weight undetermined):

A beautiful needle felted llama hat:

A hand knit ruffle scarf: (beautiful & I know that I could probably knit one just like it, but would lose my mind doing it!)

two adorable needle felted birds made by the Sisters at the St. Placid Priory:

And last but not least, some apricot pepper jam, yummy!

(I will not, however, disclose exactly how much I spent on all of this!)

wow!

2006-09-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

So...after I wrote last night, I decided to try some more navajo plying with the singles that I spun yesterday at the fiber festival. It went much more smoothly. I was so thrilled with the yarn that resulted that I HAD to knit it up right away!!

I LOVE IT! Colors are just like a sunset out at the beach!

Then I had to start spinning up the aplaca...

(maybe I should watch that video that I linked to last week about obsessions again?)

----
On another note, it is somewhat reassuring that things don't function smoothly at work without me. I've been on the phone with a coworker and my boss twice already this morning...its nice to be needed

yarn!

2006-09-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to just go ahead and ply the singles that I spun from the bright colored roving that I purchased at the OS Arts and Crafts fair.

I had been unsure of how I should do it since I divided the roving lengthwise into 3 (of course unequal size). The 3 different singles of course had different lengths of each color...Well, I decided to just let the colors do what they wanted to do.

The effect is nice, I think. Although the colors are not true in the picture. It slowly fades from one color to the next.
With the small amount of single ply I had left of one of the singles, I attempted to learn how to navajo ply. The result is the smaller skein. I like it, but will need LOTS of practice.

----

The fiber festival today was a lot of fun. I bought roving: some wool very similar to what is pictured above; also some nice alpaca (brown and very dark brown) I can't wait to try spinning it! Then I bought 2 needle felted birds, they are adorable.
(pictures of what I bought will come hopefully tomorrow)

Help?

2006-09-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have a chronic problem with my socks...(OK besides the ever present second sock syndrome!)

Does this happen to anyone else; and if so how do you fix or avoid it?
- on the heel flap, the slipped stitches on one side look very nice, even, etc.
- on the other side they are bigger, loopy, sloppy looking.

For a long time, I thought that it was just me being uneven with my stitches, but on the last several socks, I have consciously tried to even things up, and now with trying several different types of heels and coming up with the same problem...Well, I know I must be doing something wrong!

The looser stitches are always on the side that is at the end of the knit row / beginning of the purl row.

(sorry for no pictures to illustrate this)

one down...

2006-09-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

I finished my first Baudelaire sock (finally!!) I was even a very good sock knitter and cast on for the second sock within ten minutes of finishing the first!!!

I have a 3 day weekend! I was very happy to see the end of this work day, it was a very long week.

This weekend is the Schafer Meadows Fiber Festival. I can't wait!! I just have to try and avoid spending too much money.

lessons learned...

2006-09-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

1. Lace sock - I haven't yet finished a lace sock, this is only the second that I've attempted. I really like this pattern. I love how the texture looks both off and on the foot. I think its beautiful!!

2.Short row heel - I haven't done a short row heel before, and thought that this would be the perfect time to learn. I had a pretty easy time of it, and am only disappointed in two things:

a. there is a gap on one side, despite my numerous attempts to make the stitches tighter
AND
b. AFTER TURNING THE HEEL AND STARTING TO KNIT IN THE ROUND....THE SOCK IS TOO TIGHT IN THE INSTEP!!!!!

3. Pattern designers know more than me! This is not really difficult for me to admit, but I guess it's hard come to terms with this more than halfway through the sock. I didn't think that it would matter so much which heel I did - I thought that they would be interchangable. And, maybe they could be, but with some tweaking of the pattern.

4. Ripping back and picking up lace stitches (actually I haven't learned this one yet, but will soon!) So, I get to rip back 1 full pattern repeat on the cuff, the short row heel and at least several rows on the foot -- and then I'll do what the pattern told me I should do.

But not today. It is too nice to spend the day inside, I'm going out to the garden!

So...

2006-09-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I talked about being tempted by Eunny's socks.
well,
somehow, instead of starting them, I started a sock from the Sensational Knitted Socks book. Here is my progress so far, 2 full pattern repeats done.

I made a few modifications: different toe cast on, started with more stitches so I didn't have a really pointy toe. (sorry it is a bit blurry)

Here is a nice picture of Terry (but I think that he looks sorta sad here.)

Also, I added a button on the sidebar to subscribe to bloglines. I've just recently started using it too - saves a lot of time!!

Dangerous!!

2006-09-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

Eunny's blog is DANGEROUS! (at least to a distractible sock knitter like me!)

Here are a few examples:
entrelac socks!

beautiful cables!

I already have 3 socks in progress, and sock yarn for 4 more pairs. And the yarn that Joy bought for her socks I promised her. And now I feel like dropping everything and starting both of these socks...
...instead, I'll go spin some wool.