It has been way too long since I've posted. I've been knitting a lot, though. And thinking of lots of things I want to say, here or somewhere, and just not finding the time. I'll try to catch up a little! It has been a very busy spring. We have officially joined the ranks of over-scheduled families. (Is there a badge?) It happened SO quickly; I didn't see it coming. Eli wanted to play Little League, but he was not going to give up cello (nor did we want him to) nor Hebrew/Sunday school (he would give that up, and I would let him, but his father feels strongly that the pain of religious education must be handed down from generation to generation.) And recitals and science fairs and Auden wanted to play soccer ... And my parents were here visiting from California this week, and last weekend was a reunion with my college roommates, and this week the children are in a play and next week I have a concert with rehearsals all week ... next year something may have to go!
Knitting (combined with mindless television) has been a great stress-reducer. Except all my knitting has been going wrong!
I started this sweater for Auden, Gretel by Penny Straker, but even though I swatched very carefully, my gauge got much tighter when I knit in the round and the sweater was clearly going to be too small. Now I am bored of so much stockinette and think I will knit her a cardigan from Rowan Pipsqueaks instead, even though I love the Gretel and have heard wonderful things about Penny Straker patterns.
And then there were the socks for Will, which I went great guns on until it became clear I was going to run out of yarn; I don't know why I thought one skein of Cherry Tree Hill DK was going to be enough, but I did. So I thought I'd make the toes gray, with leftover Lorna's Laces, and then I ran out of THAT and now the toes are purple and gray. *sigh* They are not the things of beauty I once envisioned, though I know the toes won't show, and I haven't been able to get motivated to finish them off.
THEN I decided to make the cabled purse from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts for my friend Julie's 40th birthday, using the leftover Koigu from the scarf I made my friend Alison for her 40th birthday. I didn't check gauge, and halfway through the purse was coming out VERY tiny! About 3" wide instead of the 5.25 called for in the pattern. I couldn't bear to rip it out – it's not a hard pattern but it's a little bit fussy – so I went ahead and finished it and managed to spray-block it (around a plastic container lid) to about 5". Hopefully it will stay that way! It is a fun way to use Koigu; much quicker than socks and a better spring/summer gift than a scarf, I think. This could be my go-to girlfriend gift.
Still plugging along on my cabled cardigan; no disasters there, thank goodness!
I will try to be back sooner. Thank you for putting up with me! And thank you all for your wonderful comments, which I love reading despite my lack of replying.
