stitchingmystressaway.com

On the day, I finally return to work, I finished my Snowcopolypse Shawl. Here it is pre-blocking:

This color is a little difficult to capture so I might take ten minutes out of my day tomorrow to photograph it. More details on this project will come later with better pictures.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Ravelympics project I picked, Seneca, by Jared Flood:

I’m enjoying the hell out of this project. The yarn is scrumptious and I have a lot of faith in Mr. Flood’s pattern. I just dont want to knit this sweater competitively. Sure this is a personal competition for me that I’m doing with a bunch of fantastic ladies and gents but I want to enjoy this project a little more and, ya know, I’m getting in touch with my inner process knitter. I don’t want something hanging over my head as I try to enjoy knitting this.

So what’s a gal to do? GET RID OF SOME WORKS IN PROGRESS

Jermaine doesn’t ask for much. He doesn’t. So when he asked for another pair of fingerless gloves, I said sure. That said, knitting five finger holes…..weelllllllll I’m sure many would agree it’s nothing that keeps you up at night. And, truth be told, this is the third pair I’m making him. There was his first pair, then I tried to surprise him and made him a pair and epically failed so working on fingers 21-39….head/desk. But he’s my pookie and deserves double knit gloves so, Laura, tackle ‘em!

Secondly is a scarf for a doctor if you can believe it. After a conference in Philadelphia in August, I strained/sprained my shoulder. (I honestly don’t remember the exact diagnosis but the doc used those two words. Whatever….it hurt). Anywho, I decided to make him a scarf because he’s good people.

Thirdly, this GORGEOUS cardigan just needs half a sleeve done and some finishing components. Seriously, if I don’t finish this within a week, you have my permission to come kick my ass. Cuz I would need it.

On Friday February 5, DC got hit with a record breaking snowstorm. See…lemme show you it from space

I did some research and found this out

Our big weekend storm surged Reagan National Airport’s seasonal total to 45″ with the balance of February and March yet to go. This places our current winter in position number three for the snowiest winters on record, behind 1995-96 (46″) and the big one, 1898-99 (54.4″). Of course, that all-time record was set at a more downtown location (M Street), so some may argue the higher elevation and location away from the Potomac was an easier accomplishment. But in my mind, that makes this potential record season all the more notable.

And on Friday night, at about 2250, Jermaine and I lost power that we did not get back till Monday morning. It was fun on Saturday. Jermaine and I played a hysterical game of Trivial Pursuit. But I have to say, as our apartment’s temperature was dropping, the fun was dissipating. I felt how cold Layla and Luna’s paws were through multiple blankets!

Mom and Ray got their power back on Sunday morning and invited the whole family up to their house. So Jermaine and the kittehs and I went up to mom’s house. I have to tell you it was the most stressful car ride of my life! Roads still weren’t clear making it so so stressful. I got out of the car, shaking and simply said two words to mom “booze please!” I have to say that my mom is pretty damn hip but it still had to be weird for her to hear her little girl request demand that!

I have to say, it was stressful being at someone else’s house. Especially knowing that they’re breaking their rental agreement allowing kittehs to stay the night. (I was nervous they would view the carpet as a scratching post ) That said, it was also great spending the night at home with my mom like old times, something I haven’t done since I graduated from college. We enjoyed watching the Super Bowl (Congrats, Saints!!) and said nighty nighty, like old times…I woke up and my sweet mom made me pancakes. How amazing was that? So there are parts of me that want to go back to my old life–working, relaxing at home….but there is a another part of me that really enjoyed the time I spent with mom and Ray. And popping by Dad’s place to make sure he was ok too. It was like we were all a team helping each other out. I went over to dad’s to help him out and we, in turn, borrowed his metal shovel.

Now I have a poll for Ravelympics 

Should I cast one of these sweaters?

Seneca (Ravelry Link)

or Henley Perfected (Ravelry Link)

These would be for the Sweaterboard Cross event. Only one, mind you. It is either I cast on one of those lovely pullovers or I finish one Lace Cardigan in the WIP Dancing Event

this yarn.....so so so lucious

I am a sucker for these polls, so tell me what you think!!

So I mentioned that I joined the International Knit a Sweater a Month Group on Ravelry and I’ve been thinking about what sweaters/cardis I should make for a long time.  Evidently I have a thing for lace sweaters

The First is Lattice Lace Pullover by Laura Grutzeck from Knit So Fine: Designs with Skinny Yarn. I swatched for this sweater last summer but didn’t go beyond that. I have a wonderful collection of KnitPicks Gloss for this. This color looks great on me if I do say so myself The second is a pattern I’ve wanted to knit for a long time–Apres Surf Hoodie by Connie Chang Chinchio from Interweave Knits, Summer 2008. I was originally going to use some KnitPicks Gloss but I am not a big fan of the color I dyed it with. Instead, for my birthday, I got a gift card from mom and Lindsey to the Loopy Ewe. With it, I got some Dream in Color Smooshy in the Plum Paisley colorway for this wonderful hoodie. The third sweater is Lace V-Neck Top by Pam Grushkin from Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2009. I have no idea what yarn I will knit this sweater with but I have to say–it would be nice if people on Ravelry would state the size they knit and how much yarn they used. grumble. lt; Finally the fourth cardigan is Sabbatical by Connie Chang Chinchio. For a birthday present Jermaine got me a KnitPicks gift card and I got some Telemark with it. I got some of this yarn in the Aubergine color. How pretty!

Why am I thinking about these particular sweaters so early in 2010? Well lace sweaters have a tendency to take forever. I mean shooooooot—I got gauge on the Lattice Lace Pullover with US size 1.5s! That’s going to take some time!

These next two patterns will take some time as well–Autumn Rose by Eunny Jang (kit bought from Knitpicks) and Blackberry Cabled Cardigan by Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe. I got this wonderful yarn, Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool, from Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA.

I don’t think the cabled cardi is going to take a looooooooong time perse but I’m still very excited to make it. The yarn is DELICIOUS!! I’ve already started swatching:

For the past few months, I’ve been considering countless sweaters.  These twelve, however, stick out the most:

TOP ROW: Blackberry Cabled Cardigan, Apres Surf Hoodie, Lattice Lace Pullover, Autumn Rose SECOND ROW: Sabbatical, Lace V-Neck Top , Kelmscott, Henley Perfected THIRD ROW : Notre Dame De Grace, Seneca, Fair Isle Cardigan (With different colors, of course!), February Fitted Pullover

Of course these can change. I won’t start any of these until I get this wonderful cardigan done for lil Abby. I’m test knitting the Starlight, Starbright pattern by Kirsten Jensen. Christmas knitting and some other personal events got in the way of my completing this so I’m bound and determined to get this done….as well as some Christmas socks…still!

I hope to have this completed really really soon.

Have a great night, everyone.