Before February Comes

I want to thank you all for your well wishes. I am soooo feeling better. I even started back to my running this past weekend!

I can't believe February is right around the corner. Can anyone tell me where on earth January went? I thought it would be good if I shared my first FO of 2009 before a new month rolled around next Sunday. So, in it's unblocked state, here is what I call Berries and Caramel Shawl.

Pattern: Something Mary Beth created, but Iadded a different edging from her Beauty & The Bead Shawl. The edging came from Nicky Epstein's "Knitting On The Edge". For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the pattern I selected.
Yarn: Lumpy Bumpy Yarn (Colorway-Berries & Caramel); Shepherd's Shades (Colorway-Chestnut) (1 skein each)
Needles: Bamboo Circs Size 15
Started: December 31, 2008
Finished: January 3, 2009

My goal this coming weekend is to get it nice and blocked out so I can't started wrapping myself up in it! I know with the blocking, the main part of the shawl will spread out nicely and be in a good proportion to the edging.

I thoroughly enjoyed knitting with the Lumpy Bumpy. I purchased the yarn during mine and MB's outing to the knitting shop in Georgetown, SC. Every yarn in the store was 20% off that day. I couldn't stop myself from going back to the Berries and Caramel colorway. It was calling out to me and it couldn't resist from hopping into my basket.

Missed Me?

Yeah, I didn't think so. Sometimes I don't miss myself either. It's really amazing what slipping on the ice, bonking the back of your head on a concrete step and hear your co-workers and doctor refer to it as Blunt Force Trama. I have survived my concussion and am feeling a bit more back to normal. At least the headache's have subsided. My landlord is very lucky I wasn't seriously injured. I mean he's the one that shoveled the snow at 8pm, didn't put salt down and left all the water to freeze up like an ice rink, which of course resulted in me falling on my a**.

So now that I have recovered, I want to present to you my final FO of 2008.

Pattern: Burnished Tunic (Knitscene Fall 2008)
Yarn: Berroco Cuzco (5 skeins)
Needles: Size 11 Circs
Started: December 27th
Finished: December 31st

First I have to say I love the Cuzco yarn so much that I bought more on sale in a beautiful red! So soft and scrumptious. I still can't believe I knit this sweater up in 4 days. I heart bulky yarn. The only modification I made was to leave out the horizontal purl lines across the body. My womanly figure didn't need that aspect of the pattern and I feel the design of the sleeves, collar and vertical pattern line across half of the sweater was enough.

A note to anyone who may knit this in the future, there is an error in the pattern that the magazine hasn't published. I've notified them and told them exactly what the error was, but all they can seem to do is take turns emailing me and asking if I still need assistance with the pattern. The error is in the placement of the markers at the beginning of the pattern. For sizes 39 1/4 and every other size after, the markers can not be placed evenly around the stitches or else the vertical patterning will not work out. So for example on size 39 1/4, the markers need to be placed at 29, 25, 29, 25 not at 27, 27, 27, 27.

I'd like to thank Miss Panther for taking the time out of her busy schedule of napping to pose with my new sweater!

Gift Knitting Roundup

Before the new year got to far ahead of me, I thought I would share the remaining Christmas gifts I knitted! All items were started and finished in December.

First up are Turn A Square's #4, #5 and #6. Two of them went to my nephews and the other went to a co-worker. I used Cascade 220 Superwash and Noro Kureyon. Since I already knew I was not going to have enough Kureyon for the 3rd had (first picture here), I knitted 2 rows Kureyon and 3 rows Cascade (instead of 2 and 2). Hats were loved by all.

I also knitted up some wascloths. I used Euroflax linen from my stash. The pattern is a Seed Stitch pattern. I can't remember where the pattern came from but it's in my Ravelry info. One thing that is so true about linen is that is does soften up with each washing! These washcloths make a nice light exfoliating cloth. I gifted these to my sister's Mary Beth (yellow), Kathy (purple) and my mom (blue).

The last 2 things I knitted up were a couple of very cute cable purses. They are done in a chunky yarn and knit up in a day on size 17 needles. They are even lined with a black cotton fabric. I purchased the handles in SC at Knit-N-Purl. Two of my neices received these and I know for sure one of them loves it. I witnessed her using it many times before I left SC!

Next time I'll be sharing my last FO of 2008 and my first FO of 2009. All were completed while on holiday in SC.

Favorite Christmas Picture

I just finished uploading all 142 pictures that I took over my Christmas vacation at Myrtle Beach. This is the one photo that is my favorite...


It's my favorite picture for the simple fact of the hilarious looks on their faces as they opened the well-loved electric blankets. Of course you probably couldn't really tell just how much the blankets were loved by looking at them. You really have to click on it to enlarge and really see the looks. MB is the proud momma. BTW, it does get cold enough at night in the winter in Myrtle Beach to warrant the need of these blankets.

A longer knitting post will come soon. I'm too exhausted right now. A combination of a long flight delay yesterday and having to get up at 4am to catch the subway at 5am to get to work by 6am because work no longer provides car service has left me a bit tuckered.

Oh, I also finished the first course in my Paralegal classes. I got a 93%. My second course started today. So far this online learning thing is working for me.

Ok. I'm off to snuggle with a good book.

Welcome 2009

Can we believe it's 2009 already? Where did this past year go?  Amazing when I sit and think about it.  I am still sitting here in Myrtle Beach on my Christmas vacation.  I will be back in the land of freezing on Sunday.  I have accomplished quite a bit of knitting projects to share, including my 4 day sweater that I completed while waiting for a yarn delivery.  The yarn delivery is MIA so I had to purchase additional yarn to keep my fingers busy (fortunately it was all 20% off).  I will return in a few days with lots of lovely pictures.  Until then, Happy New Year everyone!!!