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Knitting Abbreviations and Terms

I found this link that gives a different explanation of the cr4L

I think the way I tried is'nt looking right. I HOPE I get this ironed out tonight! I am excited to get this started and finished before it's too hot to wear the sweater.

This weekend I just worked on my chevron scarf as a monotinous project.

Other weekend fun was had:

• Saw the movie Kinsey
  
• Winched Jesper to the top of his sailboat's mast
  
• Ate the best chowder out there at Pike Place Chowder
  
• Saw a great jazz concert at the Science Fiction Museum
  
• Visited Fisheries Supply 2 or 3 times
  
• Baked an apple pie
  
• Learned to swing dance and found out I love it MORE than salsa!
  

Frye Art Museum
I hope to make it to the Frye to see the Mark Ryden exhibit before it ends. I think his paintings are gorgeous!
I didn't realize the Frye Art Museum is free too!

Main news is I am stuck on my Braid cable again. I just re-did the first 6 rows of ribbing and am a little stumped on what Cr4L means - I mean I know it means Cross 4 stitches left- but what do I do to "cross??" If ANYONE can help me with this - please please do. I know I knit a swatch last spring with Jenna's help - but it's all been forgotten now.

Anyway the pattern looks sort of like this to start:
*****/ \****
****| |**| |***
****/ /** \ \***

\ \ means Cr4L

Elongated Chevron I am working on this scarf in a lovely grey yarn that is 50/50 Merino wool and Alpaka. It's fun - but I loose track of where I am in social settings. It makes a gorgeous scarf though!

Thanks to Jenna's sister-in-law for inspiration.

Now I am sort of drawn to this Seafoam stitch.

I got a calendar for 2005 and for January it is the same painting that Amelie has on her bedroom wall! It's the dog with the cone. It's quite nostalgic to see the picture on my wall from one of my favorite movies. I need to watch that movie again very soon. I've never seen a movie in the theater more times. It's RARE I see any movie twice in the theater.

The Knitting Garden - Rowan, Rowanspun Chunky Yarn is the same gauge as my Kool Wool! Hmm....

I think I am going to go crazy now. I am supposed to match the pattern gauge by the cable. How annoying.

I made the 1-hour baby booties from Stitch N Bitch Nation while I was sick and they went to a baby shower last night...which I skipped out on attending at work. Apparently they were a hit - anything tiny any cute - people whine and awe at. I hear the woman took 1.5 hours to open all the gifts!

I'll post a photo soon - I did take one before giving it away.

I DID workout yesterday afterwork - about 40 minutes in the weightroom. It's good to be sore. When I got home I felt a little naxious from it though.

I started "Braid" but found out that the yarn gauge is different than the pattern - I hope by going down in needle size this solves it! That's what I get for using Lion BRand - Kool Wool instead of Rowan. I hate doing gauge swatches!!

I have got to get started on this Rowan pattern next... I've had the yarn (Lion Brand) since spring!!

I finished all the pieces for my Ribby- cardigan - but when I went to block it I found that the front panels are different lengths...
I'll have to inspect for a mistake.

I'll probably start sewing together the sleeves in procrastination for ripping back a panel.

I got some good stuff at Jessica's yarn swap Saturday. Enough pink cotton for a cute sweater, some cool cotton tape in a subdued rainbow color scheme and some mauve wool that I think I might use for a cat bed.

I almost finished a scarf last night from that cotton tape, but decided to sleep.

I awoke realizing I ws supposed to be at work an hour earlier than normal and booked it out the door. Luckily, no one was waiting for me. Pheww...

This week I am going to substitute my social knitting time for gym time. I have got to get back into going to the gym. Those Christmas goodies are going to catch up with me.

Since there is no snow, there won't be many exercise weekends in the snow either.

I just entered 5 of my Holga b&w photos here today...

Cascades Academy of Photography

We'll see if I get into their exhibit. It's my first attempt (other than that one in Italy).

I finished the back of my Ribby Cardigan last night and started on the front panels. I realize I need to start one side again since I didn't reverse the directions. Oops!

I can't believe "The Apprentice" has started again. Didn't it just end only a month ago!?
It seems like it will be another standard season.

I am also happy that for how little TV I do watch I am usually home to see "The Amazing Race" - my favorite show. It's on Tuesdays at 9PM.

I still have my cold, I was hoping it would be gone by now, but it' s just hanging out in my nose longer than I'd prefer.

I've been out sick since Thursday last week!! yuck.

Well now I have gathered energy to update and post some photos.

I've finished the two sleeves (luckily I did them at the same time) - I was able to make mirrored increase mistakes at the same time!
Ready to chug away on the back. I did that bit all today - staying home sick.



Here I am last week wearing my own London Beanie and sporting the sleeves in progress.


AND I finished the "black socks"


I hear our Purlygirls group is getting the boot from Capitol Club since we don't order so much anymore... so I hope our faces will be welcome at El Diablo. You'd think that after the holidays the restaurants would be happy to get the business they do!

I never got around to posting this photo of my topless gloves either! I love them - BUT I wish they were more snug - I'd make them again with a tighter gauge. They are stil soft and wonderful though.


Oh!! and last but not least -the annual report from my MS Money program has informed me that I splurged a whopping $1,514.58 on knitting fun last year. I promise that won't be happening this year. I have the stash to show for it and plan on using it rather than adding to it.

This is an interesting site on Image Transfers. I've done the Polaroid type and they turn out dreamy.

I took a class at Discover U a few years ago.

I made potatoe soup last night - I made up the recipe after having it served to me while sailing on Rowena. It is so yummy when you are cold and hungry. AND cheap. Rebecca didn't use wine, and I'm not sure about the milk either, but this is my spin. I can't wait to eat my leftovers for dinner tonight!
Warning --> HOT soup = burned tounge.

Potato Soup

Boil 4 cups water - add 2 Knorr veggie broth cubes
at same time
Saute 1 small yellow onion and 1-2 pieces deli bacon chopped
Add onion & bacon to broth
Deglaze saute pan with white wine, scraping color off bottom of pan - add liquid to broth
Add 1 large potato cut up into small pieces
Add 1 cup milk
Add salt and pepper to taste
(optional - add chopped celery and carrot)

Simmer for 25 minutes.

Makes 2-4 servings.


Knitting wise... I did only eat and knit last night.
I figured out my mistakes on my increases for my ribby cardigan sleeve and started the back of my UK flag seat cushion.
AND started a new scarf! I wanted to try the chevron pattern. It won't be a project I'll be taking out of the house - I don't want any mistakes.

Photos from Snowboarding at Mt. Baker Sunday

Last night at Purlygirls was interesting - we had about 28 knitters come together and a Seattle Times reporter observing us with her photographer. We'll see what she has to say about us in the Times on January 30th in the NW Lifestyles Section.

I got to messing up my increases on my cardigan sleeves. Then moved to the black sock and can't figure how to match the heel turn to the original "grandma" heel pattern. It's not the same as the SNB socks. I'll have to do some research on this.

I think tonight I am going to solve the sleeves problems and work on my UK flag chair cushion. It should be sweet.

I moved my LIST to another page for everything I made last year. Here is the tally.

15 Hats
12 Scarves
6 Felted Handbags
5 Sweaters
4 pair Fuzzy Feet
4 Bikinis
4 Little flowers
4 Miscelaneous little things
4 Chenille flower washcloths
3 pair Gloves/Mittens
3 pair Socks
2 Ponchos
1 Tank/sleeveless sweater

A little work was had on all three of my active knitting projects. Which means nothing is being finished. I guess finishing comes in waves for me because of this.
Saturday I slept in and knit in bed Good times. Also attended my first baby shower. We played a fun game where you break into teams and they dump 15 pairs of baby socks on the floor to match up in 10 seconds. It was hard. That means I didn't win - boo hoo.

Sunday I went snowboarding at Mt. Baker. I'd never been there and it was a good time. The lifts are long, so you get a lot of snow to cruise down on. I imagine I'll be quite sore tomorrow. I wore my knitted hat afterwards and it was perfect and cozy. I wear a helmet while boarding, so no knit caps there. This is the first 5 day week in a while and I hope it goes by quickly. That will be up to me I think.

Tonight is Purlygirls in Seattle and the Seattle Times will be there to check us out. Maybe you'll see us mentioned in the Living section of the paper.

Last night I went salsa dancing at the Century Ballroom in Seattle. It was fun time - but no knitting was had.

I had yummy sushi for lunch today at "Sushi in Joy" in Bellevue. Oh yum. I am full and sleepy now.

Oh!!! weekend come sooner!!! I'm counting the minutes...

Look where I've been!


create your own visited countries map
AND...



create your own visited states map

I am working on a pair of black knit socks that came from Jesper's Danish grandma - who has since passed away. She had gotten through the heel turn and the socks were left on the needles. I finished that sock on the boat this weekend and am now about 2.5 inches in on the 2nd sock. I am especially excited about these socks because they have shown me that I can make good socks by correcting my gauge, I knit socks WAY too loose and they end up uncomfortable. With the rest of the black yarn I have chosen the Landlocked Socks pattern. It is going to commemorate my moment of surfing waves in 30 knots of wind in the dark. We relied heavily upon our night vision and so if you want to see the pattern in these socks - since they are in black and have waves, I guess you'll have to stare at them a little while.

But I'm NOT going to start them yet...

I did start something else this morning. I ripped out my UK flag "potential felted bag" and have the yarn planned for a square seat cushion to use on my Starbucks chair on Wednesdays. I am going to do the border first (10 stiches wide). It will be a long strip.
Then the back plain - THEN I'll tackle the UK chart. I think it will look pretty good. I may even add I-chord to tye the top to the chair back. Horray for functional knitting.

New Year's Cruise 2005

Dec 31
We had a wonderful trip in the San Juans. Friday night Jesper and I arrived via ferry to Friday Harbor and everyone was ready to party. Lasagna was eaten and cocktails were drunken.

ABBA sang "Happy New Year."

Jan 1
When we all finally were in bed, it rained and snowed, but when we got up, the wet was gone. We went out to breakfast. Had a late start leaving port - around 2 PM.
It was slow going to the first point. The sun went down and tetemperature dropped. Passed the point (sorry I don't have the names of places) and we hit a howling wind. Lot's of navigation in the dark, picking out lights and markers and matching them to the chart. I was sterring for a while, surfing waves downwind in something like 30 knots of wind. It was pretty intense, especially when we were ready to reduce sails and I had to maintain course without an accidental jibe which I was afraid I might knock Maurice of the bow with. Jesper pointed out the phosphorescence in the water on the tops of the waves where the boat disturbed the water. It looked florescent green/yellow/white. Also it was lightly SNOWING! We finally anchored to a mooring ball that Chris from Ariadne arranged for us. His boat rafted up. We had fajitas for dinner - Yum.
The crew from Ariadne cam over and we had 9 people aboard Rowena. The party went late. Sleep came eventually.

Jan 2
Set off around 10 or 11 AM. Sailed to Port Townsend. The mountains looked great with the snow. Lots of fresh air. Rebecca made potaoto soup which I must try at home - it looks so simple. For dinner we had a nice indian dish with chicken and rice. I finished the black sock I was working on and fixed a gaping hole in Jespers knit sweater. So SOME knitting was had on this trip. I think I needed fingerless gloves if I were to knit more. A good night's sleep was had, we all had our eyes closed as Maurice was trying to do the dishes.

Jan 3
More blue sky. Left at an earlier hour that previous days. It was even colder too. Jesper & I made yummy omelets for the crew and finally made it up to deck. I was impressed that I didn't get sea sick. Maybe it has something to do with waking up while sailing. Your body accepts the conditions more. Of course I took a motion sickness pill every day too... After I ate - I didn't feel so hot and had to rush to deck to get fresh air. Later in the day I didn't feel super, I was really cold to for most of the time. By dinnertime, I helped Rebecca a little with our snack and then went on deck to enjoy the sunset and stayed there bunded up in a blanket all cozy.
Finally we made it to Shilshole Marina to pump out and then easily we went through the locks and 3 bridges to Rebecca's spot in Lake Union.