The long silence

I know that it has been a long time since I blogged.  It has been a long time since I have done any significant knitting also.  Since this is a knitting blog, the two kind of go hand in hand.  Sometimes, life just gets in the way of important things like knitting.

I have finished the second row on the Pink Ruffle scarf, Take 2.  Look at the pictures of Take 1.  Right now, there is no difference between the two.

I am close to the halfway point on the edge of Fuchsia Wave.  The halfway point should tell me. . . absolutely nothing about the yarn yardage.  I have accepted that I am simply blundering forward with blind faith and denial, certain that knitting would not betray me like that.  Knitting would not let me run out of yarn that close to the end.  Knitting would let me run out of a yarn I cannot possibly find more, even if I searched the far reaches of the internet and the four corners of Ravelry.  Knitting has been my faithful companion these eighteen years.  Knitting wouldn't do that to me.

Today, it is all about the certainty.

The Long Goodbye

It is a little difficult to see in the picture, but I have started casting off the pink ruffle.  Ont he right side of the pic, you can see the couple hundred stitches, off the needles, in all their rufflely glory.  On the left side of the picture, you can see the seveal thousand stitches waiting on the needles. 

This is going to take a while.  Prepare for several weeks of casting off pictures. 

It is too soon to tell the overall proportions, but right now, the ruffle is flowing nicely, but isn't curling at the edge. 

Knitter like. 

Today, it is all about the endless end. 

The Last

At long last, I am on the LAST row of Pretty in Pink.  The last 3,000+ stitch row.  The last endless 3000+ stitch row. 

That is like saying that I am on the last 20 rows of a sweater.  Or I am halfway through the foot of the second sock. 

How can the last row seem so loooooong from the end? It really is a cruel irony. 

I have decided that casting off will feel like the true end is in sight. 

Unless I decide that the ruffle isn't long enough.  Then I will have to tink back the last two seed stitch rows and continue on.  Or kill myself.  Same difference. 

Today, it is all about the endless end. 

The Usual Suspects

After a month of all Aurora all the time, I am slowly returning to my usual knitting multi-tasking.  I worked on a sock a little at the office.  I finished the heel and started on the foot.  The Unnamed Red Sock.  That doesn't really work, does it?  I am halfway through the second sock, and never named it?  Lacey in Red.  Good enough.   

I worked on Pretty in Pink at home. Almost through the second needle, on the second to the last row before bind off.  I measured the cone, last night, and this yarn-sucking ruffle used about 1/2 inch off the cone.  I still have 1 3/4 inches left.  Plenty to make something else with it.  Must think on that. 

I didn't pick up Fuchsia Wave, but her time is coming soon. 

I am sorely tempted to start in on Jane shawl, but I am not giving in to that temptation, until I finish two other nearly finished projects.  In my post-Duchess high, I really did go overboard with a full-on case of startitis, and it is time to reign in.  My work in progress bag runneth over.

I could not bring myself to rip out Aurora.  I was too tired to concentrate last night, and ripping out inches will probably require a glass or two of wine as anesthesia.  For me, not the shawl. 

Today, it is all about the Finish-itis.         

Inch by inch

I am at the part of projects that make for boring blogging.  Inch by uneventful inch, I knit, but it doesn't leave me much to write. 

The beginning has the excitement and selection, and occasional mishaps that I can turn into self-depreciating humor.  The end has the "ta da" moments and photos.  But really, how many times can I post a picture that realistically looks exactly like the three photos before, with an extra inch or two that you have to use a tape measure to discern?

And yet, this is where I am, so here goes. 

Pretty in Pink: another row finished.  Four to go (including cast off).  Four ENDLESS rows.  Not unexpectedly, the giant cone of yarn is only marginally smaller, and not more portable, so this poor project is still banished to home. 

Spring Haven: 18 inches down, 54 inches to go.  I think I am going to need another ball of yarn.

Fuchsia Wave: 18 inches of the edge down, approximately 166 inches to go.  (I did some actual measuring to arrive at this number, so it has a closer resemblance to reality than the estimate-size-from-memory method that I normally use.)

Fuchsia Wave has some excitement around the corner.  Literally.  In about another repeat, I have to round the corner.  I am pretty sure there are special instructions for that.  I should check on that, preferably BEFORE I start the corner. (Though a major screw up from not bothering to read the instructions would make for good blog fodder.) 

Today, it is all about the inches that DO matter. 

Next in the Queue

I have been thinking of the next project to cast on lately.  I have been tempted by Jane Eyre Shawl (ravelry link) lately.  I like the traditionalism of the gray yarn recommended by the pattern (very British governess-esque) but I think that for a shawl in the modern age, that might come off as too old fashioned. 

So this yarn has volunteered itself.  Sage green mohair, with hints of gray and gold.  Very lovely.  Very Soft.  Very cozy. 

I actually had something else in mind for it.  A rectangular wrap with Celtic knots/chains or something.  I hadn't found a specific pattern that I liked, so I still had this vague idea of creating an original pattern. 

You know, because I already have so much experience with lace now. 

I still have that Celtic motif in my head, but somehow this yarn and the Jane shawl keep pairing themselves in my imagination. 

So as I was laying in bed the other night, I was starting to think about starting it BEFORE I finished Fuchsia Wave.  Just a little.  Cast on, maybe a few rows.  I started thinking about possible needle sizes.  6 would be too big.  Maybe 5's.  I have a plethora of Size 5 circular needles.  (Thanks to Duchess).  One is being used for the Swirl Skirt, but I couldn't for the life of me remember where the others were.  When I woke up the next morning, I saw it: 

Pretty in Pink, and all the needles in it.  Ah-ha!  There are all of my size 5 circ's.  How could I have forgotten?

Maybe I should hold off starting to new shawl.  I don't have a problem with numerous WIP's, but at some point, it starts to be overkill. 

I think I hit that point three cast on's ago. 

Today, it is all about the overkill. 

And again. . .

I need more size six (for Fuchsia Wave) and size five (for Pretty in Pink) circular needles.  I am starting to feel like a broken record with that sentiment. 

Last night was Knit Night,  My sweetie made it home early, so I was on time.  (For a change, but I am choosing not to criticize, since he was such a good boy last night.)  I started picking up stitches on Fuchsia Wave.  After around 70something stitches, I realized that I was working the wrong side.  Rip out, start again.  That was 40 minutes badly spent. 

I started at the other corner, and knit the stitches on the provisional cast on.  I was ready to start picking up the last 240 stitches, and realized that my needle was full.  No more stitches for that evening.  (It really was.  I wasn't just using that as a feeble excuse to procrastinate, I swear.) 

So I knit my sock for the rest of the evening. 

Tonight, I have been working on the pink ruffle scarf.  I have been making reasonable progress, or what I thought was, until I did the math.  You would think that I would learn to keep away from the math.  I have completed 18 out of 29 rows.  I knew that since there was the occasional "double the stitches" row, but I thought I would be at least close to halfway.  Then I realized that I had completed approximately 15,000 sitches already, and had another 30,000 to go.  That isn't halfway.

   At least it looks pretty. 

Today, it is all about the math. 

P.S.  Snow is gone.  Warm weather over the weekend made me sick of the cold again. 

I'm Gonna Need a Bigger Needle

For an allegedly intelligent woman, I am shockingly dense about some knit things.  For instance, I have repeatedly been oblivious to the fact that only a certain number of stitches can fit on a needle, be it straight or circular. 

This problem has been increased with the popularity of ruffles.  I start a ruffle.  The stitches fit.  Increase.  Knit.  Increase.  Oh, dear.  As each increase row doubles the stitches, it doesn't take long to become overcrowded. 

I am encountering this problem with Pretty In Pink.  (I didn't bother with another picture.  Look at the last one, then mentally add a half inch.)  The stitches fit fine on the needle.  A bit crowded, but workable.  But after I finish the current row, I am going to go from 410 stitches to 820.  The end count will be over 3000.  (I know, I know.  Prepare now for stitch number rants in the near future.)

I think it may be time for me to invest in some interchangable circular needles.    Extra long cables.  I understand that some even have cables that you can stack together end to end, for those knitters that are stupid ambitious enough to do ruffles or edges on all three/four sides of a garment.

I know that there are a number of different brands.  Thoughts from the peanut gallery?  Likes?  Dislikes?  I am particularly picky about my joins.  And I like lace knitting, so I want very pointy points.  I usually like metal, but I am not anti-wood.  I don't like plastic, though its stickiness on slick yarn is tolerated.   

Today, it is all about the advice. 

After my little nutty

Ok, for regular readers (both of them) of my blog, you may have noticed that I staged a little nutty a few days ago.  I was driven over the edge by endless stitches waiting to be picked up, mind-boggling lace and never-ending ruffles.  We will forget for the moment that I CHOSE all of those projects.

So, over the weekend, I picked up Fuchsia Wave to start picking up the other long side of stitches.  Only then did I realize that I had only picked up HALF the first long side.  HALF the stitches that I had thought I picked up.

I was particularly proud of myself for not losing it again.  That would have been bad in front of the children, after all.  Instead, I just spent a few hours picking up the other half.

Then I worked more on Pretty in Pink.  An inch and a half completed.  420 stiches at present.  Three more rows until the number of stitches doubles again.

At least the gauge is correct.  Not that gauge is critical for a scarf, but the result is loose enough to be pleasantly drape-y without being so loose that the stitches are gape-y.  And I believe that I have avoided a ruffle that is so tight it resembles a corkscrew.

Tonight is Knitter-vention.  So I hope to knock out a healthy chunk out of Fuchsia Wave again. 

After an unsuccessful attempt at potty-training one of my uber-stubborn children, Mommy definitely needs a few hours knitting.   

Today, it is all about the nutty avoidance.

Oh, what new sweet hell is this?

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I enjoy knitting.  Normally, I smile as I knit, and feel the stress and tension of the day leave my body, mind, and soul with each stitch.  The soft click of the needles marches the thumps of my heart, and for one moment of time, the worries of the world slip away. 

Then there are weeks like this, when I think that knitting truly casts doubt on my sanity. 

Monday night was Knit Night.  Over 90 minutes (I was running a bit late) of uninterrupted knitting time, and all I was able to accomplish was picking up the 180 stitches on the long side of Fuschia Wave.  The short sides have an provisional cast on, so it is just a matter of switching the stitches from the waste yarn to the circular needle.  (My first ever use of the provisional cast on, so there may be a hidden disaster lurking.)  But the remaining 180 stitches on the other long side hang over my head like a thundercloud in July.  I just haven't been able to bring myself to work on it since. 

Then last night, I realized I was setting myself up for a similar situation with Pretty In Pink.  I started the second increase row one evening, worked on it a second evening, and realized I am only halfway through the row.  Then I glanced at the directions, and read that there were several more increase rows.  According to my math, I will end up with more than 3000 stitches after the final increase. 

3000+ stitches for a bloody scarf!  What I am thinking?  Have I lost all sense of reality?  Tiny yarn, tiny needles, millions of stitches.  Charts and symbols and stitches, oh my!

Where are my socks?  There must be a couple socks in progress here! Still tiny yarn, but only 60 stitches to the row. 

Today, it is all about the knitting nutty. 

Not exactly portable

I couldn't resist.  Instead of picking up hundreds of stitches on the circumferance of Fuchsia Wave, I started something new yesterday. 

I started the Romantic Ruffle Scarf (ravelry link).  I have had this cone of laceweight pink yarn forever, and I am finally doing something with it.  The common problems that others have seemed to have with this pattern is too tight of ruffles, so I am knitting on Size 5 needles.  I want a nice light, airy feel to the scarf.  

The good news is that I don't think I have to worry about running out of yarn.  The bad news is that giant cone isn't exactly portable.  I could just wind off a ball, but why create joins where none need exist, especially of a whisper-light ruffle scarf that is going to eat of the yardage.  

Today, it is all about the airy.