stitchingmystressaway.com

I have joined the WIP Wrestlemania KAL on Ravelry. Why not get some projects finished with some of the most awesome knitters and crocheters on Ravelry–LSG!

1. Climbing Vines Pullover, 2. My Gumdrop Socks, 3. Baby Bendall’s Vest, 4. Darsana’s Mittens

Yes I know it seems rather odd to be doing a sweater in JULY but I have to say–I’ve thoroughlyenjoyed making the Climbing Vines pullover. I’ve completed all but the front of the sweater and I really am liking how it’s turning out. The subtle semi-colored yarn, Classy, is great for this pattern and it’s making the not so interesting parts (read-sleeves) fly by.

These socks are SO. MUCH. FUN! and this heel:

fleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew by. It’s a short row heel with very little dealing of purling/knitting three wraps blah blah blah. I think I might use this heel for a while.

Baby Bendall’s Vest – I LOVE Swish DK from KnitPicks. This yarn is just so soft, which is obviously ideal for a lil bebeh. I really like the heathered effect in the blue. I showed this vest to the mom, a coworker of mine, and she just loved it. I’m making a vest in between six and eight months. Yes, that doesn’t fall within the sizes in the pattern, however I added a few stitches From what his mom tells me, lil Dylan Bendall will be a rather big baby so he might very will fit into this when he hits four months. hehe

Finally, these stranded mittens are for Darnsana. I know it’s a little odd, again, to be making such a winter item in the heat of summer but I love stranded items, so there

I think, if I stay focused, I’ll be able to finish these. Then again I said “stay focused” teehee

Well now that Denise has the package I sent her for the Loopy Ewe Swap Four package, I can share with you what I made fore her.

La Cumparisita

Pattern: La Cumparsita by Marnie MacLean  from her blog (this is my Ravelry project page )
Yarn(s): Schaefer Yarn Company Anne
Colorway(s): Misty Green
Needle(s): US 6 / 4.0 mm
Casted On: I guess sometime in late May. I didn’t post this project on Ravelry until I knew the package was sent to her
Casted Off: June 13, 2009
Modifications: I followed the directions pretty much through the entire project except when it came to purling on the outer edge chart. I tend to like a nice stockinette stitch over, what looks like, the wrong side showing on the front side of the shawl.

See, I’d rather take this

a lovely border pattern

to this below.

…what looks like the background to any knitted item.

But I thoroughly enjoyed this knit. It was nice and fast and very well written. I really hope Denise likes it in Southern California. I doubt she’ll be wearing it a lot now, but I know it will get some use

I really like how you can see in the first few shots how linear this pattern was. Quite simple yes but still a very captivating pattern.

On a different note, I did something rather odd to start the beginning of summer. I casted on my Climbing Vines Pullover from the Winter 2008 Interweave. Cuz, really, who doesn’t need a 100% wool sweater in June? Really? hehehe

I’m plowing through it too. Halfway done with the back and I started it about 30 hours ago. Dream in Color Classy is lovely to work with.

To finish this entry, I’d like to leave you with the funniest Jermaine, Laura, Luna sandwich picture EVAR. It was a rough rough day being a commuter in DC today. So I cheered myself up by hanging out with the girls and we got this shot during an “Oreo hug” Jermaine and Luna are the chocolate, Laura is the vanilla in the middle? get it?

I hear crickets.

Anyway, it’s a darling shot

What is she thinking? Tell me. Enlighten me.

thanks to socks and a pregnant coworker!

This is the beginning of my Gumdrop socks. This has been a pattern I’ve had my eyes on for some time. I am a Socks that Rock WHORE so I love and appreciate patterns with their yarns and colorways in mind. It has been really fun to make and I’m already close to the heel of the first sock.

One of my coworkers is pregnant. When she told us, I explained to her that knitters view little babies as personal Barbie dolls. So here is a Cabled Slipover for Baby Bendall who will be debuting in July. I’m making the 4-5 month size, right as it is getting chilly or downright cold.

I’m using Swish DK and I have to say that I’m really enjoying knitting with it. It’s very soft and the cables pop with it. I’ve got some more from the Knit Picks sale in their Jade color which might be Henley Perfected or the Oriel Lace Blouse…or that just might change a few more times. hehe

I still find myself wanting to start a sweater. I swear my buddy Lindsey can practically  set her watch to the desire I express via Plurk/Twitter “I think I’m going to cast on a sweater when I get home” I have some ideas in mind but there’s nothing really pressing especially as the temperature increases.

I can’t remember the last time I could NOT put a project down. I’m crusing Ravelry and even swatching some projects but nothing is sticking

Cascade Sierra

I was going to make The Josephine Top out of this but there wasn’t a logical way for me to convert from a DK weight to a worsted weight. It just was not happening

Tess' Superwash Merino

This was the beggining of Bonnie from Fall 2008’s Twist Collective but it’s also June…there’s a part of me that’s kinda like “eh, Why?!” but another part of me really wants a challenge–I want more sweater experience

but I also want to get passionate about a project again…I’m feelin’ a little naked!!

HALP

Purple…Green…or Rough on the hands…

Yes that’s how I can explain my current projects. It’s starting to get to me. I used to be on this Finish-Everything-Now kind of mood because they’re something gratifying in finishing items but due to the lack of diversity, I seem a litttle less eager.

Recent Purple stuff, the socks finished, obviously, the rest are works in progress

Right top is my Fountain Pen Shawl, which is made from Brooks Farm Acero, which is a dream to work with. It has a tweedy effect that I like. Right center (this is the rough feeling yarn, by the way) is Darsana’s Mittens made from Knit Picks Pallete. I love this yarn in that it think it makes wonderful stranded projects. But in order to make wonderful stranded projects, it has to be a little bit rough and stick to the other yarns in the project. Bottom left is Nebula, a recent Cookie A. Pattern that I fell in love with.

All these projects are quite enjoyable but there’ s such a thing as too much of single color….and speaking of which..

Three green items (and I’m working on a green __________ for my Loopy Ewe Swap buddy…she reads this blog so I’ll be shady with that particular project )

I’m working on Dad’s cardigan too and there’s some bit of grrrrrrrrr as I knit it because I was this close // to finishing it before when I was making a Central Park Hoodie for him. I’m now making him a more male-appropriate cardigan, the Garter Stitch Cardigan. I had to do some editing because the smallest size was a 48 inch size and dad is a 40. That was a little stressful because I didn’t/don’t have a great deal of confidence in my editing of gauge/patterns.

My most favorite part of knitting is plying. Making singles is fine and relaxing but plying is the fun part for me. So when I’m faced with spinning, there’s a “not as fun” step I must do first in order to get to the “more fun” part…if that made any sense.

Then I got this from Allspunup:

I’ve been spinning more lately because it’s been purely magical. Because, see, when I draft multiple colors are spun at the same time and I get some wonderful candy cane effects, which LOVE! It’s truly exciting and magical to see the stripes occur.

You can see some orange and gold striping towards the left of the bobbin and some purple and navy blue towards the other end of the bobbin.

So I’m spinning the first half the this gorgeous roving and will start the second half in a few days. It will be so exciting to see it ply!

As far as knitting is concerned, I seem to be on the search for something new. I seem to be knitting a lot of green and while it’s one of my favorite colors, I’m feeling the urge to do something more. And if it’s not green, it’s purple….that’s another color I seem to be making a lot of things with. If it’s not green or purple, it’s my dad’s sweater and we all know the story of the Central Park Hoodie fail.I’m evaluating if things need to get shooved into hibernation. Because, really, I want to complete dad’s cardi and the green and purple things but I just need a change.

I work in grants administration and we have a huge center grant application due tomorrow at 6pm. It’s multi-disciplinary, multi-projects…multi everything. The leader of this grant has got to be one of the most creative passionate men I’ve ever met and here he is trying to combat the many health disparities that African American women encounter as they try to seek breast cancer care. The grant is HUGE. I’m not used to getting to work at 7:30am and leaving at 10pm. I have friends that say “that’s so common for me”

Well it isn’t for me. Some might look at a 9-5 job and call it boring. That’s cool That’s what makes us all special. I, personally seek great comfort in it. Simplicity seems to be an overall theme for me in general and my career is no exception.

But I’ve been coming home at asinine hours absolutely exhausted. Priorities don’t really exist because EVERYTHING is important and I find that stressful, as someone who takes great comfort in making lists and checking things off them. It’s one of the most professionally stressful times for me right now and care to know what’s been getting me through this

Friends and family, of course. Keep random funny emails/ravelry messages coming. You might think we’re just talking about crazy things boys do or patterns to knit, but they help me remain in touch with the outside world as I run around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Knowing that “Up” is coming out this weekend. Jermaine and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Pixar movies and this looks just so wonderful. It’s getting to the point now, where I walk into the the theatre and have no idea what the movie’s about but I have yet to be disappointed. Shoot their shorts are pretty awesome too

There is a little part of me quite curious about the new Twist Collective that should be coming out in June as well as the new Knitty AND my final Wollmesise sock club installment. Twist, Knitty Wollmeise, OH MY!

and coming home to these little girls is always so wonderful

she looked so comfortable here! I often find myself jealous of Layla and Luna. But they also help me keep things in perspective. Hugging, Schnuggle and Bonding ALWAYS come first!

...and man can they make you laugh!

I think I can….I think I can….

I finished my VA Tech Socks

Pattern: New Years Day Socks by Dipsy Doodle.  from her blog
Yarn(s): Scouts Swag, DK
Colorway(s): Hookie
Needle(s): US 2½ / 3.0 mm
Casted On: November 8, 2008
Casted Off: May 23, 2009
Modifications: Short-row heel

These socks are for my boss’ son. His girlfriend and a few of his friends passed away at the VA Tech shootings on 4/16/07. Since then he has really been involved in keeping guns off campus.

I showed these socks to my boss and originally asked her if she would want them. She goes “they’re a little loud for me but my son would love them” Apparently he looooooooooves loud clothing so, there you go, Mr. Woods.

and opppps

And because these socks turned into a male pair of socks, they needed to be longer. I ran out of yarn and I had to use a little Happy Feet in burgundy. opps. kinda to be expected.

I will try not to pontificate about my feelings for Jermaine because there are times when I read PDA online and I want to yak. So I’ll limit it 

That said, I firmly believe that when you pick a partner, he (in my case) should really be your best friend. And man is Jermaine mine! He truly is my best friend and knows me so so well.

Aaaaaaaaaannnnnnd because I’m a cornball, I made him a pair of BFF socks

Pattern: BFF Socks by Cookie A. from her blog (Ravelry Project Page)
Yarn(s): Socks that Rock, Heavyweight
Colorway(s): Jade
Needle(s): US 4 / 3.5 mm
Casted On: December 20, 2008
Casted Off: May 19, 2009
Modifications: I did this pair of socks toe up and used a short-row hell, but really, what else is new?

I didn’t want to waste a gram of yarn doing these toe up so I weight two skeins and thought they were even….and…well….they weren’t.

Despite that, it was a wonderful knit. I love heavy socks….both making them and wearing them. They spent a lot of time in hibernation but it wasn’t because I was getting sick of the project. Jermaine loves them. He picked the color and will have warm feet this winter.

Who doesn’t need a pair of wool socks this upcoming Memorial Day weekend? hehe

Ok so I’m not going to be that adament but I want to finish stuff before I start to go batty.

These are Jermaine’s socks. It took me about five months to finish the first one and it doesn’t look like it’ll take me five days to finish the second

and yes, those are actually dpns I’m working with. (I was using the 32in size 4s for something else at the time this photograph was taken. )

I guess it’s just been a little frustrating for me to just start start start. I mean you start something then think about it till it’s complete and well….it can get exhausting. I’m incredibly tempted to start something with my MDSW loot but even more than that, I want to finish what I started months ago. I started another shawl, yes, but for the time being, I just want to work on some remaining socks and a pair of gloves so I can start anew. There is something to be said for starting with a clean set…without thinking about projects started months ago

The first glove in picture #1 is complete and I’m on the cuff of the second one. I’m halfway through the leg portion of the third sock as well. So tell me why it’s taken me so long to wrap up the ends? I have no idea why but the projects themselves are flirting with being just plain annoying because I’m draggin’ on them. So, as I knit them, I try to think about the finished product and remind myself how fun it is to do fair isle or how comfly these VA Tech Socks will be. The middle sock are my Bauldelaires and the yarn, Fleece Artist Sea Wool just feels so heavenly. It just unfortunately been pushed to the back burner.

Finish Laura Finish!