Wee update

I finished the first Math Whiz sock the other night. I started on the second one the same evening, and I'm making pretty good headway on it. The sock is perfect. It fits great, and the design looks really nice when it's on a foot. I plan to post pictures when I'm done with both of them, but I may give you a sneak peek before then.

I came home yesterday evening to find my Momma Bear Yarn Swift and Ball Winder sitting in my kitchen (the hubby brought it in when he got home). It is awesome! I ended up winding 4 balls of yarn last night, and it took no time at all. I decided to re-wind a ball that I had already hand wound, but that didn't end up working too well. It wound, but the ball looks sloppy compared to the others.

That's all for now.

Yet more impusle shopping and a bit of knitting neurosis

I'm getting excited about my etsy shop again. You don't really have to click the link...my shop is still empty. I was scared for a while, but I think I'm getting better now. I've come to the decision to sell the pendants that I have made (and have millions of) as well as stitch markers. I've been making prototype stitch markers for myself and I've really enjoyed using them. It's still going to be a little while before I get up and running because the hubby still has to design my shop, and I now have to get a bunch of supplies for stitch markers. Plus we have a ton of pictures to take. But hey, at least I'm working on it again.

My Math Whiz sock is coming along. I'm about to start working on the toe of the first sock. It's a great pattern and I've really enjoyed knitting it. The only complaint I have about it is the heel. I was completely baffled by the heel, but that may have been me. This is my first short row heel, so it probably was me. Upon completing the heel I promptly ordered Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' book on socks which arrive yesterday. I spent a while looking through it, and while it was completely overwhelming for a sock newbie, I finally found the step by step instructions and they looked easy. After I finish my Math Whiz socks, I plan to try out a plain sock using her instructions so I can hopefully understand what I am doing better. I'm excited about this book because it should teach me how to make a sock without a pattern, which then means I can buy a lace book and start making my own patterns! I have to admit, her heel sounds a bit easier than the heel in the Math Whiz pattern, but like I said, it's not the pattern, it's me. Apparently wrap and turns give me panic attacks, even though she writes out step by step how to do them. I really think the problem is that I don't understand what I am doing when I do a short row heel. I don't like just following the pattern line by line, I like to know the concept of how each line is forming and shaping the garment. I think that's why I nearly had panic attacks during the heel on the Math Whiz. I had no idea what I was doing or how it was supposed to look. Yeah...I'm neurotic.

I really really love my knitting bag from Piddleloop. I love it so much, I've already ordered another one:

It fits my sock project with room to spare, so I think it would be big enough to hold a scarf but probably not big enough for a stole or shawl, and definitely not big enough for a sweater. Seriously, order one of her pouches, you won't regret it.

I've finally squared away an orchid order with Woodstream Orchids. You usually end up having to email them and they tell you the availability, so it takes a little while to square away an order. I'm really excited because I am finally getting my holy grail of orchids. I have been fighting with myself about whether or not to get it because if it dies, I will be crushed. But, I finally decided to get it:

Phrag Tickled Pink

I am also getting this (they have a minimum order requirement). As you can tell, I have a thing for the pink ones.


Paph Kevin Porter
(Both orchid images are from woodstreamorchids.com)

That's all.

impulse buys, knitting, and a little bit of emo

Continuing with the impulse shopping, here's my newest etsy purchase:



honeybee

There is a 2-4 week turn around on it because she makes it to your size, but I think it will be worth it. I'm soooo excited about this ring....I know its just a ring, and I shouldn't be this excited about a ring, but I am. I love it. Oh..and I also really need to get one of those sea urchin skeletons, they look really cool. I can remember seeing them as a kid at stores when we were at the beach, but for some reason I never bought one. I think maybe I thought they were creepy, but I have since embraced creepy....I guess. I seem to remember they were sort of fragile, maybe I was just worried about breaking it.

Here are the completed Monkeys:



Pattern: Knitty's Monkey
Yarn: Knit Picks Risata in Grass
Needles: #2 Clover 7in DPNs

I now really want to knit these mitts, but I think I am going to make her delicato mitts first, mostly because I already have the pattern. As far as I can tell, her patterns are awesome. I am working on the Math Whiz socks, and they are going great. The pattern is easy to follow, and well written. Plus, her blog is fun to read and it has lots of pretty pictures.

On an unhappy note:
I have mentioned that I am going through a hard time lately. I don't really want to air my dirty laundry on a blog, but since I have alluded to it already, I might as well give you the gist. My parents are getting a divorce after 30 years of marriage. It sounds simple stating it like that, but its not. I really don't want to go into details about the whole situation, so we will leave it at that.

Sporadic...yeah right

Ok...so maybe I will be posting just a bit.

In a fit of "Oh My God I Can't Cope With This" shopping I have purchased these things for myself (all from Etsy):



Unearthed


Piddleee




courtneyRS


And for my Mom:

Unearthed

So...it seems I will have a few packages soon.

Update time

I just wanted to say that I'm still here, but my posting may be a little sporadic for a while. I'm going through a really hard family problem right now, so I may not feel like talking too much.

I finished my Monkey socks. I have pictures and everthing, I just haven't downloaded them from my camera. I will try to do that this weekend. I also started on the Math Whiz socks. It's a pretty mellow pattern, and I'm moving along with it. The only thing that's slowing me down is that I'm having trouble focusing enough to knit.

I joined the Sock a Month KAL, and I'm excited about that. As obsessive as I am, I will probably be able to do a sock a month.

I seriously need to get a ball winder, and probably a swift.

That's all.

Quickie

I seriously want to knit this. I have no idea what I would do with a stole because I don't dress near nice enough to wear one. But I want to knit it anyway. It's so pretty and delicate and detailed. Maybe I could treat it like a really big scarf....

I've had a fascination with lace lately.

webrings and socks

I joined knittyheads today. It's my first webring, and I'm actually really excited about it.

My Monkey socks are coming along. I just finished turning the heel of the second sock tonight, so I'm hoping to finish up this weekend. I'll post pictures soon.

I've received a bunch of yarn that I ordered from Etsy, so I'm really excited about starting a new project soon. I'm still not sure what project I'm going to start, or which yarn I'm going to use, but I'm excited none the less.

That's about it. It's been a long, stressful week, so I'm not too talkative today.