sweater

So let's see, nearly a month has past since I last updated--whoops so much for the resolution to write every week. Although you know just because I blew it once, doesn't mean that I am a failure, I could start again and again and again. I will say that my silence has been due to being very busy and then very not busy but rather very sick. I have recently taken on a freelance style job which you frequently find in schools when someone is absent. I wasn't going to mention it and am not calling it what it truly is just to avoid the inevitable google search for that plus my name. Let's just say I picked up a lot of jobs one week and a lot of germs too and ended up sicker than I have been in a LONG time.

I read a lot while I was gobsmacked by this cold. And knit some, although I found it hard to concentrate on the pattern. I did however, get the two sides of the sweater done!

Not pictured is the first sleeve which is underway. (so far, ribbing and nearly one chart repeat).

To me it looks small, but I do know the lace will stretch. I also know there is a fair amount of 1X1 ribbing that goes around the entire thing---so essentially 8 more inches.

Sort of on a related note: I've been thinking about doing "thingadailies" for February. I know that I can't really finish a "thing" for every day, but you know what, I make things every day. I knit a little every day, I make dinner nearly every day, and Maybe between those and some random other stuff, I can make it work. Plus it would kick me into updating more often I think.

I don't know--would it be boring to see daily updates of a sweater that never seems to progress? Although maybe by then there would be more progression....

Placemats

Christmas is over, kids are back at school. The tree is still up, but probably after this entry, I'll be starting to dismantle it too.

I already shared the knitted project I gave as a gift . It was very well received. And with great surprise, which speaks volumes about my readership.

But I also undertook a sewing project. My mother has moved to a new smaller house this year, and now has no room for a "kitchen" table, so they have started taking a majority of their meals in the dining room at her "good" table. Because of this she asked for a tablecloth for Christmas. Since you know a tablecloth is kind of boring by itself, I decided to make her some placemats.

I used a quilt as you go pattern that I picked up somewhere and promptly forgot where, and some Christmas fabrics I had decluttered from the main fabric storage (and sadly moved to a new place until I could decide how best to dispose of). It was rushed. But the great thing about sewing, is that generally it takes much less time than knitting. And so after spending the odd 30 min here or there cutting strips, I ended up marathon sewing 6 placemats and then sewing binding down. All in about 3 or 4 hours. Most of this time in 2 sittings. But because I usually hand sew bindings down (on the wrong side) I was not done. Indeed, 8 hours of driving later, and I had 5 completely done. The 6th finished in the hotel room. And viola! Placemats.

Also not the best picture. I tried cropping out the hotel floor clutter but iphoto hates me to crop thing--preferring I give you the whole picture. To the end of not allowing me to export in any manner any photo I have dared crop. Try to imagine it without the edges.

It kind of made me sad losing all that driving time to sewing. But on the way home, I knit. (also a little at the family gatherings, but one family has a dog, who isn't used to yarn, and one member of my family feels we aren't paying attention when we are knitting so out of respect to her, I try to limit it).

But! I did make headway on the sweater I am knitting for one of my daughters!

The picture doesn't do the color justice, as it looks a rather plain blue, but in reality is brighter. The pattern is Girl Friday from knitty. I am about an inch (maybe 2) from finishing the back. I'd probably be done with the back already, except I find it hard to follow a pattern (even a simple one like this) when I have a headache, and I have had a headache for the last three days. Today it isn't terrible, so maybe later.

My goal is to finish both this and the other sweater (for the other daughter) by the end of January--so there will be plenty of sweater weather left. We'll see though.