Monday, March 10, 2008

start-itis!

Oh Iceland, I'm sorry, I know I hast forsaken thou!

I have total start-itis right now...there's about 50 things it seems like I want to cast on for, forever thwarting any progress I can make on Iceland.



The task of her is just too daunting right now, especially when I know that when I'm finally done she'll be too warm to wear. So for now, alone she sits with the same one repeat of the pattern done.

Ironic isn't it --especially in light of the extra what? 70 cms of snow since my last post?

Here's an aerial before/after shot of my balcony right now:



aye yi yi.

So yeah, the whole city was pretty much housebound all weekend. We did groceries on Friday night and it was like Xmas...people seemed to think the sky was falling and there was nothing on the shelves. The city had a NO street parking ban on the downtown core all weekend. That has never happened before. The streets were eerily still and quiet (and pretty with all that snow!). The few people who *were* trudging though it looked like zombies, plowing slowly down the middle of the streets since there were no longer any sidewalks.

So what's a girl to do but watch movies and knit all weekend?

From the amount of "neck" related paraphenalia I've knit lately I COULD have completed an entire sweater by now.

another giant cowl:



(I'll get more photos and the deets on that later..)

and the Herringbone Neckwarmer done.



Done in gorgeous Manos kettle-dyed wool (in colourway: Flame #115). See ravelry for all the gory details on trying to figure out this stitch pattern. Once it made sense to me it was easy-peasy...prior to that, well, let's just say you would not have wanted to be in the room.

You know, I hate to be one of those people who endlessly posts the cat + yarn pics but well,



I guess you're just gonna have to get used to it.

Other things I'm currently about to cast on for:



(actually this one is already cast on --thanks Julia for finding the pattern. Tell me-- do you ever wear this thing? I have half a pound of School Products cashmere itching to become something (other than a scarf...) and I'm giving this a whirl. I know "shrugs" are kind of over, but I'm hoping that "vintage shoulderette" will still be passable. (at the very least it'll work for TOR and/or EW...)

I'm also hoping to stash-bust with these babies:



AND stash-bust for this:



and still MORE stash-busting:



Finally --something to do with all that Kureyon in the stash. Here's what I've decided (for myself) about Kureyon: it's ugly. For the life of me I haven't really been able to find a use for it. No, I shouldn't say that--it's not ugly...just way too colourful for me. But in that purse--I love it! (also what is up with me an knit purses lately?).

Anyway, that said, anyone willing to part with the pattern for that Counterpane bag would really help me out, (and save me from buying yet another book chock full of patterns I will never use) --I'm willing to trade of course for anything from my (massive) pattern library. It's from Handknit holidays --any of you have this book and willing to scan me zee pattern?

I am officially giving myself props for even coming up with stash-busting ideas. I'm getting serious about that particular new year's resolution. Twice this weekend I had things "in my cart" at both webbs and elann.com and I somehow managed to not click the paypal button. That kind of restraint for me is essentially unprecedented.

Now --go shovel people, the bus is starting to anger me!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the pattern but I don't have a scanner. I'm sure we can figure something out.

Reckless Glue said...

girlie, I heart you so!

Macoco said...

That neck warmer looks deliciously warm.

Julia said...

You bust out FO's like nobody's business, lady!

I don't think Kureyon itself is ugly - I just think people make a lot of ugly stuff with it! Busy yarn should be used with simple patterns, no?

I can see why you wouldn't want to knit something called "Iceland" when you're buried in snow. The snow on MY balcony is up to my kitchen window. Aye-yi-yi indeed!

Oh - and that shrug/shoulderette? I wore it a lot last winter but got sick of it. I made a it a long time ago when I didn't know about blocking lace, so now it bugs me that it isn't blocked properly. Someday I'll fix it!

Anonymous said...

You KNOW I heart you back!

I'm free after Wednesday this week if you'd like to finally get together.

Happily Knit said...

Oh I know what you mean! It seems like everything I see lately I want to pick up an start!! Who knows whats gotten into me...knitting fever perhaps? Or maybe just the winter blues. Ah well, happy knitting!

Virtuous said...

Great F.O.s around here lately!!

SO glad you are now converted to ML! I have always been allergic to DPNs from the beginning! LOL ;op Haha!

You know I luv CocoKnits designs! The boots are fab!!

Great stash upcoming spring projects!

Reckless Glue said...

thanks everyone! you are the best...and miss Julia has already sent me off the pattern, so thank-you thank-you! (man I have so many awesome knitting resources in you guys!)

hey Amy--friends of mine are playing a show at Irene's Saturday night if you feel like coming out...the BF and I are planning to attend :)

lomester said...

Those boots are AWESOME! And i know its getting warmer, but I think i am going to cast on for iceland soon. I love it so much!

Anonymous said...

Cool! What's the band called? We had plans with friends last Saturday that were cancelled because of the storm but so far they haven't be rescheduled so we might be able to join you. I've never been to Irene's. I've heard the food is great.

Every time I try to make a comment it makes me type in the letters twice.

Anonymous said...

yo. I just catching up with your blog. Lucky you, i borrowed the handknit holidays book from the library, just for that same pattern. i got the scanned goods. email me your... email. (allow myself to introduce....myself)
dancefeefer@gmail.com
ravelry: p-knitty

Reckless Glue said...

Amy, the bands are the Felines, Shanker & Romps, and Mississippi Grover. All three have a myspace if you want to check them out

http://www.myspace.com
/thefelinesrule
/shankerandromps
/mississippigrover

Irene's is pretty good pub, but it is a seriously crap venue for bands...consider yourself warned!

Anonymous said...

They all sound fun! They all remind me of a lot of oldies bands like The Zombies and early Kinks.

Twiss And Weber said...

Those Prairie Boots are incredible. Thanks for posting the picture, I now have them queued up myself for stash-bustin'!

Anonymous said...

We'll have to see what the weather is like this evening and if I can Chris to venture out. Nat's also coming over to knit tomorrow if you'd like to join us.

Reckless Glue said...

no worries--next time!

folksmith said...

LOVE the purse. i'll have to get the book.