Let's get ready to rumble

Do you remember the big wrestling craze of the 80's? My younger brother was obsessed with wrestling. He love Hillbilly Jim and Rowdy Roddy Piper. He had these action figures that my older brother called dolls to get him all worked up. He had my dad take him to the car show so he could meet wrestlers. Why is Andrea talking about wrestling? I joined the WIP Wrestlemanina 2009 event on Ravelry. I have four unfinished objects that I want to finish before I start some new sweaters. So what we do is we tag our UFOs with wrestling themed tags and spend the entire month of July working on UFOs exclusively. I am competing with Team Redheart again. We kicked but during the Ravelympics so we reformed to bring our acrylic based smack down to the people!

I have my hep cat, tiger eye scarf, dog bag, and the lucadore mask for Mike to work on this month so I hope to busy.

Speaking of RHSS smackdowns I made two pairs of arm covers for my cousin and her co-workers work chairs. I knit two rectangles using a basketweave pattern and wove a pull string through the edges. She just put them on the chair pulled the string underneath and created a very classy chair cozy. I guess you get to a point as a knitter that people think you can make anything. Oh wait I guess I can. Here is the red set. I also did a black set for her co-worker.



I also finished Liesel scarf but haven't blocked it yet so no photos. I have been knitting but don't have much to share. I also have been sewing. I did 5 totes for Morsbags, and 6 drawstrings. I made them out of recycled scrub tops I got from my sister and cousin. They turned out cool, I kept the pockets on the totes so they have front pockets which is handy.

I made a few coffee cakes, some herb and fruit infused waters and spent some time stalking the blue jays out back. I made orange-basil, lemon-basil, lemon-rosemary, and lemon-mint. We have a mating pair with one baby. He is so cute with his white head! He looks like a freak and I like that!

WIP Wrestlemania 2009 (rav link)

Liesel Scarf (rav link)
Morsbags my pod is called eco-friendly bensalem

No more Swallowtail

When I went to California about a month ago I started the Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave. I was feeling very confident. I had just finished the Shetland triangle and I had some great merino lace weight in a beautiful brown heathered color from Knit picks. I knit so carefully on the body of the shawl and ended up perfect. Like golden, enough stitches and not too many issues. I started the first chart of the edging and things went wonky. I ripped back and started again. I got to the third row and the first half was fine. I did the first set of nupps and did the ungodly p5 on the reverse. But the second half did not line up. I ripped back and counted no go. I gave it a weeklong time out in the knitting cabinet and tried again yesterday. No go. the nupps were not diagonal they were on top of each other again. I put it in the bag and decided to give it a go this morning on the bus. I pulled it out this morning and sighed. I realized I hated the dang shawl. I decided then and there that I would rip it out and abandon it.

So I did. I even deleted it on my projects page on Ravelry. It is gone a distant memory. Life is too short to knit bad lace! Nupps you kicked my ass but I will be back someday. This photo of J.R. really sums up how I feel. Knitting you have defeated me today.

Swallowtail Shawl (rav link)

Check these puppies out!

So I had this great idea. I would try to knit a pair of socks during my eight hours flying to CA. I had a lay over in Houston dot dot dot. So I got out the only sock yarn in my stash. It is Lorna's Laces I was gifted during the Yoga Swap. It is in a wonderful teal color varigated with light blue and grays. I love the yarn and was hording it. I tried socks last summer and made the practice socks in Ann Budd's sock book but I hated the whole flapping heel and picking up stitches thing. I felt like it was too out of control for me. But I have been pattern stalking some awesome sock patterns on Ravelry and decided to try my hand at socks. So I did a search for the yarn and the Jaywalkers by Grumperina were suggested as an easy pattern. So I took the plunge and I made some socks. On tiny size one bamboo needles that made me feel ham handed but I did it anyway.

Here is my finished sock along with it's fledgling mate at Valley Forge on Memorial Day.

Two socks how awesome! They turned out great I had one small hole on the second sock where I picked up stitches but I did a small repair and you can't even tell.

Here is a snap I made the boss take of my first sock. I was sure I wasn't going to finish the second and I wanted proof that I made at least one sock. How weird are my feet? In yoga class they call them monkey toes. Our instructor said I had awesome toes for yoga. Sister would be so grossed out by my foot on the internet for sure!

HEY JACKIE I MADE A PAIR OF SOCKS!

Pattern Link (ravelry) Jaywalkers by Grumperina