Projects check in - late fall 2010

A few weeks ago I was sick and down for the count with the really bad cold that's been going around. My knitting friends tell me they are able to knit when sick, and I suppose I could probably manage some stockinette or garter stitch on a project, if I had one that was that simple.  I wish I spent more time working on knitting and other projects. When I'm sick I don't do much of anything, and when I feel fine I waste a lot of time on the internet or watching tv with knitting in my lap. Maybe I need to institute a rule that I can only watch tv if I'm actively knitting since I don't have any progress to show. I did try and knit while I was sick and realized later that I did have a stockinette hat in the round in progress, but instead had reached for my Lace Ribbon scarf - been in progress since, oh, May 16, 2009, according to my Ravelry notes.

Do I really knit that slowly? No. I have major startitis. It's disappointing that I can't seem to finish projects. Story of my life. REALLY. I think it might be time for a post about all of the 'in progress' projects and a run down of where they stand and why. Sound good?

I actually HAVE been working on some of these. Here's a quick list of what I've work on in the past month (fiberwise):

Babette - came out of hiding, looked at ALL the yarn. Started work on some in progress squares. Monday night 10/25 tried to start a new square and realized I can't remember how to start them. That's always been a stumbling block with this project, nothing new. Hate starting new squares.

Lace Ribbon scarf - this was next to the couch so I started working on it again 10/24. Have done 7 rows!

Citron - worked on at knitting group briefly 10/18. Realized I had a dropped stitch and panicked. Wasn't feeling good (impending monster cold) and set it aside with dropped stitch caught and marked. A big thanks to Jimmy who counted all 273 stitches and discovered that no, I didn't have any weird stitches going on and yes, just keep knitting. So, I've done another row, and put it down to work on

Black and White Pair, hat #2 - no excuse for this not being done other than monster cold. As I write this I am working on the i-cord stem of the hat, but stopped to post! I will definitely be able to follow up with another post on the finished product tomorrow!

Static Socks - probably 5 more rows knit because I was going through all my projects.

Emmaline - I stopped this because I reached the point in the armpit where I needed to continue on with the body, and the stitch count didn't add up. Now I've lost some weight and was thinking about ripping it out, but I think I will continue on and make the whole thing so at least I can say I've made myself a wearable garment. I was going to have to modify the belly area on the original pattern, but now I will knit it as written and see where I end up with the fit. Maybe I'll be finished by spring?

Wabenschal - I started this during my last flurry of startitis. I sort of like the pattern, but I am pretty sure I hate the yarn. Its scratchy and I can't think of anyone I could give it to who would be please to put this around their neck, so I'm going to move it to hibernation for now and probably frog it.
One project was in the current list, but...

Modified Twenny Dolla Sweater - officially frogged and put needles, yarn, etc back where they belong.


Posts coming up - an update on all my hibernating projects, sharing my new obsession craft, and reorganizing my craft bookshelf.

Third time's a charm

I've ripped it out. Again. I realized when I was looking at the lifeline, that part of it had pulled ut. As I was threading it back through, I noticed a very weird line of stitces 3 up from the bottom. So, ripped out. Third time's a charm right? I've decided I can't work on this with visual distractions. Tomorrow I'm going to cast on again and listed to audio books and see if I can at least do that while I'm kniting this infernal sweater.

So, for tonight, I'm going to pull out a cross stitch to work on whie I have a Torchwood marathon. Yay!

Knitting is supposed to be fun!

and I seem to have lost sight of that. Lately all of my projects seem to be quite difficult and I can't work on them when talking to someone else, watching tv, or when I'm the least bit tired because I will muck it up. I keep taking on new projects that involve one or two new or difficult things in them, or lots of fiddliness or something.

I've been trying to make progress on the twenny dolla sweater that I started over a month ago now, and I've made ome progress. I switched to Addi turbo lace needles, I've restarted and cast on 120 stitches as the pattern says, and put in a lifeline at row 9 when I put in my markers. I'm now at row 16, but something has gone wrong once again. I have too mny stitches in one section, and an odd number of stitches in another. The increases ar done in even numbers so I should never have an odd number of stitches at the end of a row.

I need to pull out my work to the lifeline and start again. For the third time. At least this time I don't have to cast on again!

I've read that you can relax your addis but dunking them in hot wate briefly and straightening them out under cool water. I'm going to try this when I pull the needles out and see if my magic loop technique gets any better.

I started what I thought was going to be an easy, work on when I'm tired project - fingerless gloves. After changing yarns three times I settled in bit. It's simple, knit in the round, with make one increases at the thumb. I've had to restart once sine I'm using DK weight on size 9 double points and the large came out baggy, bt now I'm doing the medium and it seems fine. Here's a pic of the one I ripped out.