The Beatnik Continues

The Selfish Knit Along is rolling right along and despite my best efforts I'm still about two weeks behind. It's been a crazy week around here complete with an ER trip for a very very sick husband. Thankfully David is doing ok and there was a lot of waiting around in the ER so I did get quite a bit of knitting done.

This sweater has cabled charts which I had never done before, its really no different than following any other kind of chart but there are small variations between them that I took Allyson's advice and color coded the different cables so that I could identify the variation quickly and find the description. 

I had a really good time of calling out "GREEN" or "RED" when I got to the right cable, although I'm sure it was a less endearing quality to my surrounding human beings. None the less, it gave me a little chuckle and kept me entertained. 

I'm really enjoying this pattern so far and I've pretty much go the charts down so that I really only need to double check stitches a few times. The trouble becomes in remembering where I am in the chart and in all of my increases. The little post it note up there comes in handy to mark where I am before I put it down and don't have a complete brain fart the next time I pick it up. So, the plan is to just keep plugging along and hoping that I can pick up some time along the way. Either way, I know I'll finish and that's what's important.

Snowpacolypse

Here in Chicago we were treated to a truly epic blizzard last night. THUNDERSNOW is new to my vocabulary but it truely was a sight to see. A thunder storm INSIDE a blizzard. I felt like an arctic adventurer braving the snow this morning to make it to breakfast. After a quick (and by that I mean a few blocks through knee deep or waist deep snow drifts) jaunt to our local breakfast place david and I holed ourselves up inside most of the day.

I had the very rare adult treat of a snow day from work! Unheard of! But considering that the side streets were impassable at most points much of Chicago was shut down today. Tomorrow I'll be hitting the slopes bright and early to make it out to the mall that I work in. But today I got to relax and luckily get a lot of knitting done.

I'm still plugging away on my Beatnik Sweater as part of The Sweatshop of Love Selfish Knit Along. It's going pretty well for just starting it a few days ago, I've gotten through to the waist decreases and am just getting ready to knit up most of the body before the waist increases. Super exciting stuff all around.

Looking good!

I'm very excited to have Friday off of work as well so I'll just be drinking lots of tea, firing up some movies and knitting my little heart out. I also have some new projects I'm working on and hopefully will have some more information about in the next few weeks. Until then I'll be glad that this isn't my car:

There are two cars under there! Promise!

Knit Along!

While my lovely friend Allyson over at The Sweatshop of Love has been staycation-ing in Minneapolis for three months my Chicago knitting sceen has been a little lonely. That's why I was super pshcyed to get on board with a knit along. I've never done one before but I am drooling over The Beatnik sweater in the deep fall issue Knitty that I just couldn't help myself.

The Knit Picks gift card my lovely mother in law gave me for Christmas was a nice little bonus as well. Unfortunatly I waited so long in my deicion and ordered my yarn late so I'm THREE whole weeks behind schedule.

The idea is to turn this:

into this: 

I'm working with the Knit Picks DK City Tweed. It's a slightly thiner yarn than what the pattern calls for but I think that I'm going to be ok as far as size goes. I half heartedly knit up a gauge swatch, eyeballed it once or twice with a ruller and just dug in. It kind of just feels like I need a little blind faith in my life right now. So here's jumping in head first. I ordered a few extra skeins so I should be alright in the end. 

I'm really loving how soft and buttery it is. The yellow is a little more mustardy in real life than it appears on the web site which I love. We've got a crazy snow storm forecasted in the next two days here in Chicago so I plan on enjoying my days off and getting some serious knitting in!

cha-cha changes

Even with the end of the holiday season and the end of school (forever!) things have still been really crazy around here. I've got lots of projects to look forward to and set up to get shaking on my needles but its all been set back by my transition to MY NEW APARTMENT.

I'm pretty physced about all of it but its been a whirl wind of activity. I've officially been there a little over a week and tomorrow on my to do list is setting up my very own CRAFT ROOM!

I'll be sure to post some pictures up once I get it all arranged. I also was lucky enough to add a sewing machine to my repertoire (thanks to the hubs for a fabulous Christmas gift!) So we can also look forward to some sewing projects in the future.

I'll wrap this all up with a little finished Christmas project.

Crocheted Washcloths

These were gifts that went to all of my lovely sister in laws along with a cute bar of soap to round it out. 

Such a quick and easy gift these were perfect to whip up for a crowd. 

I also am going to be participating in the Sweat Shop of Love Selfish Knit-a-long. It officially started last week so I'm getting a little late start but once my yarn arrives in the mail I'll be off and running.

Slippin in some slippers

As promised up next on the Christmas Gift List extravaganza is... SLIPPERS!

After seeing these adorable crocheted slippers over at the purl bee I knew that they were going to make it on to my list in a very serious way.

The first ones I finished were for my father in law Juan. Having gifted him with hats and scarves on many occasions I knew that I was going to have to get a little more creative this year.

Having already stocked up on Lions Brands Vanna's Choice while I was in New York.

I knew that this affordable, durable acrylic yarn would be the perfect choice. It helps that it comes in about a million colors too!

A beautiful combo of maroon, red and orange I love how all of these colors come together. They were a nice quick project the way in which you seem them together is ingenious! I definitely see a few more of these in some family members futures.

so cute!!

Christmas Review: 1

Well, now that the packages have been sent off and are going to be opened soon I can finally get what I've been so busy with all month up and out here!

It's been a busy busy month around here with lots and lots of changes up on the horizon. I can officially say I am college graduate (!!!) not to mention all of the fabulous projects I've got lined up for 2011. So, before 2011 begins lets recap with what I did in the end of 2010.

One of the projects I've been working on the longest has been my Nautical Nights Blanket started back in July this has been something I've pulled out every few weeks to chip away at. I can't say enough how much I love the Knit Picks Shine Worsted yarn. It is absolutely one of the softest things I've ever felt, silky and smooth to the touch. Just a delight!

I added a single crochet around the border to give it a little weight and definition. I do really enjoy the granny square technique but it feels just a touch flimsy without something to anchor it. Over all I'm very happy with how this project turned out (and to be done with it!) and hope that it brings some color and warmth to a bed or couch.

I can't wait to keep digging into all my Christmas project photos. Although I realized more as I went through them that there was more crocheting that I had thought. I've also thought of my self as just a knitter but its becoming clear I just need to update that title to crafter.

More Socks! Holiday Edition!

Starting December off right! I've working on my holiday gifts ferociously for the past few weeks.

The latest installment is a gift for my lovely step father. I found this delightful pattern on raverly a few days ago and realized that this yarn would be perfect:

Knit Picks Imagination Hand painted yarn. A lovely blend of alpaca and merino wool. The best part is the color name: WILD WEST. I have to admit that's part of what attracted me to it.

I've finished the first one and just need to plow through the next one. So excited to get these done! They are super super soft and I love how great the yarn looks. You can't really see the colors very well in the pictures but its a soft brown with some olive, blue and red through it. DEEEElightful.