My bath mat is finished. It's quite a bit smaller than the pattern planned because I had 25% less yarn. I'm fine with that, though, it will fit perfect in my downstairs bathroom which has a very small floor. I am tempted to try the crochet dish cloth patterns that are on the ball band of the Sugar n Cream but I need to knit on the Husband Hybrid sweater a bit first.
I accidentally bought myself a copy of One Skein, by Leigh Radford, in Borders this weekend. (Is that better or worse than accidentally buying yarn? I didn't swear off books, did I?) I snagged it because I wanted to do some small projects, and not just so I could enter the Stash and Burn contest. I also grabbed it because it has a very nifty looking crochet bath mat pattern. That is, of course, what I am working on. It's slightly misleading, though. I takes one 16-oz cone of Peaches n Creme. I have one 12-oz skein (a really big skein) of Sugar n Cream. I suppose mine will be slightly smaller, but no biggie.
With a bit of guidance from Anabel and Karen at BobaKnit yesterday, I've gotten into the groove and now I can't stop working on it! It's even bigger than the photo now. Maybe I will be able to make gifts for Christmas, if I crochet them.
I have completed the lace part of my lotus blossom. I was going to say that I feel like I'm in the home stretch but those long boring rounds of stockinette are a snooze-fest. I'm determined to finish this top with enough time to wear it before it gets cold. I think I have at least six weeks, though. It shouldn't take me that long. (I hope this isn't famous last words.)
I was walking to BobaKnit in downtown Mountain View tonight and found a single 4mm bamboo DPN in the middle of Evelyn Ave. I picked it up, assuming it must belong to a BobaKnitter. No one claimed it though. Now I feel bad that some knitter went back and looked for that needle and it was gone!
Anyone missing a needle?
I finished Niel's Greatest American Hero cape from New Knits on the Block last night. He has decided already that he likes the playsilk capes better because they don't choke him. Never knit for a five-year-old! I'm hoping that I can find a solution for the tie that he doesn't mind, since that is the problem area.
I cast on for Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks from New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One by Cat Bordhi. I think these socks have the best name ever. I am making the smallest size in the pattern which looks like it will fit Stefan. I realized last night at BobaKnit that right before the heel turn, it would make a nice dress for Barbie, so she got to try it on when I got home. This is my old-school 80s Barbie and it was still a touch big. I think today's Barbie has a smaller bust, so keep that in mind if you decide to use this pattern to knit Barbie a tube dress.
Edited to add: Since so many people seem confused by this I thought I should explain a little bit better. I am going to knit this sweater in the round, I had to swatch in the round. I also wanted to test out colors for the contrast on the cuffs and hem, so I knit those into the swatch. I titled it "husband hybrid" because I'm knitting a seamless hybrid for my husband. Makes sense, no?
Here's the heelless footie picture, thanks to Jill! Um, the picture is thanks to Jill, it was certainly not her fault that I was foolish enough to do the i-cord bind off before actually knitting the heel. Actually, she was the one who opened the bottle of Pinot Noir that I drank, so maybe it is her fault, in a weird way.
Don't let your kids play with your knitting needles, or something bad could happen (the story is a touch gory, but there are no photos). Yikes!
I finished my footie socks tonight. There was a brief hiccup earlier today at Cindy's birthday party when I realized that I hadn't knit a heel, about 90% of the way through the i-cord bind off. Oops! Jill got a picture of it, since I didn't have my camera, with the cause of my problem: wine! I actually think her photo was with a bottle of port, but that's close enough. Friends certainly don't let friends knit drunk!
I am pleased that I managed to get two socks for myself out of one ball of Panda Cotton. It took a few tries, though. I'm not sure I'd do it again. I think they'd look better with a bit of a cuff and a turned rather than short row heel. Live and learn!
Now that my sock needles are free: Cat Bordhi patterns, here I come!
Anyway, I have at least three socks picked out that I want to make once the needles are available, as well as a jar full of sock yarn that needs some attention.
the sheep free knitter 