Getting back to finishing things

So, I finished my Sedona mittens last night - I'll take thier picture tomorrow when they're done drying. It's supposed to get cool this week - 50's and 60's cool - so I'm cleaning out the project basket and finishing another complicated black sweater. I hope I have enough yarn because it's Alpaca Silk and they don't make it any more. Which is sad. I'm waiting at the dr's office this morning - just a check up - so I'll have a little knitting time.


Here's a picture from the weekend - the little one had 3 soccer games and really played his heart out which made us really happy as parents. Here he is having a burger and throwing fry prices to the sparrows:



Kid loves malt vinegar on his fries and has a morbid fascination with the recipe on the back for "peachy chicken". Peaches, vinegar and chicken? Doesn't sound too tasty to me either.

Stuff

Hmmm, another crazy couple weeks sorry.
What's been going on - building monorails in the kitchen




And going to see Weird Al in concert - clearly we got our tickets late but it was awesome








Finished those pink and grey mittens (pics soon) and started another pair in an Arizona colorway




And we decorated for Halloween tonight. And I'm going to rip out the mitten scarf and redo the yarn into something else.

Finally, some pictures of Glimmer

 Sorry, I hate to have my picture taken, so I have a hard time getting that stupid look off my face.  On the other hand, it's hard to show off how a sweater looks with the heads all lopped off, I've decided.
You kind of need the glaring sun picture to see the sparkle and colors, and the shaded pictures to see the design better.  I'm totally thrilled with it, fits perfectly and it's all my favorite colors.  The yarn is lovely, light and soft but very warm . .  .

You might wonder ...

What is that?



It a scarf with attached mittens, made in Cadena. I wish lived up north because I would love a sweater out of this stuff. I'm going to line the mittens with Comfy inner mitts.
And this?



Thunder Horn, of course. He's supposed to look stern. I think the artist succeeded, myself.

More lined mittens

Sorry it's been so long - I finally finished my Glimmer sweater and I love it - the closure ended up being quite the aftermarket job, but it works - now I have to get someone to take pictures. Honestly, I'm shocked my modular do-the-math-as-you-go approach worked. Way to go 3rd grade math skills.
In the meantime, more lined mittens!






And I'm making a mitten scarf - I'm also going to line those. I'll get a snap tomorrow. Here's another picture I liked.

Some pictures

I finally got some decent pictures of Kinsale (horrible model aside) -  I'm really happy with this one and this picture shows the stitch definition nicely.  Too bad they're not making Risata anymore!  Below you can see my modular experiment cardigan, which actually fits, amazing as all get out.  I tried it on in the bathroom first and the little one walked by and said "mom, did you mean to make that really short?"  I said no.  "Oh good, I like it, nice colors."

Back from Orlando

I can now say I've stayed at a Walfdorf Astoria (not the, a, mind you) and been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The little shows every sign of being as big a ride junky as I am, so that makes me happy. Here are some snaps:




Why, you might ask, would you put your child in a giant inflatable hamster ball? I don't know either:




I call this one "Cousins with Elephant":








Sorry, gianourmous Lego statues of dragons fascinate me:




Orlando skyline with room lights:




We were all really tired by the end of this trip.
Knitting - working on the back pieces of Glimmer. Which needs a better name.

Doesn't look like much, yet I'm afraid of it

But I'm doing this sweater in modular prices and designing as I go. I'm using short rows for shaping of the arm holes and to give the bodice shape. Top is worked side to side and the bottom section will get picked up and knit down once I knit the arms on. Free form knitting involves a lot of ripping out but since it's mod pieces it's quick. I'll chronicle the construction.

Not sure this is a good sign

I'm going with 4's for the Glimmer. Nice hand, good variegation but ....
The gauge is 6.66 sts per in.

Glimmer

At soccer practice working on gauge swatch for my Paper Crane inspired cardigan.








The colors are richer and fuller than they look here. Hand will be important so I'm working Glimmer in 2,3, and 4. Meanwhile Kinsale dries on the back porch.

Sorry

I thought after last weekends soccer tournament I would have finished Kinsale. Clearly I underestimated it's tiny gauge and intense darkness. Oh well this weekend - I just finished the back shoulders so speeding up.
I went crazy and splurged on some Juliespins Glimmer and I can't wait to start working with it. Oh wait, another tiny gauge, dark colored .... Clearly I'm a masochistic with a narrow track mind.
Well for fun, here's someone taking a bath and someone else who finds him tasty.





Sad day when you can't play with your Legos without getting licked.
Have a nice weekend!

Last of the new windows and a new back door

It's hard to appreciate how much better this if you hadn't seen our old door and gross window...

Necklace and earrings

Leopard Jasper, garnet, tiger eye glass and gold beads. I need a model - this doesn't do the colors justice.

Day not at work

But not exactly off either.  Dentist, termite inspection, cleaning dryer vents, washing the floor.
One nice thing about cleaning the dryer vents this time.  For one thing, it wasn't very dirty so it took only a few minutes.  For another, I've mastered taking down the laundry closet doors without killing myself or hitting walls.  Lastly, I'm both stronger and skinnier than the last time I did this, I was able to wrangle the things no problem and slip back there to undo the vent hose with no twisting or getting caught.  Old age doesn't have to suck I suppose.
If I get all my chores done, maybe I'll make something and take a picture of it.

Finally some action shots

Thanks Urban Farm Wife for taking my picture outside today. I think these give the best sense of the colors of all my pictures so far.

Blocking!

Very carefully, cool water no soap

Random Friday night fun

Dinner at McGhin's

Trying to finish Kinsale

So I'm trying to go through my knitting basket and clean it out.  I've picked up Kinsale, which I love and can't wait to wear but it's black sock yarn (Risata) on 2's so I think this is the 2nd year I've had it on the needles.  Need to check Ravelry to be sure.  But dang it, I'm not starting anything new until I get these 2 self pattern black sweaters off my needles.  I'm sure I'll suddenly discover I have a metric ton of needles I'd forgotten about because they were buried in all these dang projects.


What else?  I have some Cotlin in Harbor I'm dying to make a cable pull over out of.  Some people don't like Cotlin, find it's too sheddy and hard on their hands.  Perhaps the color has something to do with that, because I love it.  I've lots of Imagination in various colors I want to make things with - I think using the colors together with a black background to make a stained glass effect would be very nice, and I have two sets of neutrals I want to try in a fair isle.  And then I'll have massive amounts of tag ends of all this sock yarn so I can make everyone I know hideous Mrs. Weasley socks for Christmas.

I've also been on a jewelry making kick - not that I've been organized  enough to take pictures of that.  My mom asked me to re-string some ivory beads she had for our nieces and of course once you buy beads for a project, you use only 1/2 to 1/3 of each strand, so then you buy a few more things to finish them off, and before you know it you have a huge stash of beads and people at work who want to buy your stuff.



And finally, 5th grade starts on Monday - yikes.  He's half way to moving out of the house.  Here he is playing with his soccer ball while we waited for practice to be called on account of thunder and lightning.

Trying to work up enthusiasm

It's hot down here - heat index in the hundreds, soccer practice started and I'm trying to finish projects.
So not much to photograph except these guys in our lawn this morning

Steeking!

Sewing them by hand this time:



This one is done:



Ugly back side



I hope to start assembling tonight.