I'm treating myself to some knitting goodies this week. The way I see it, if my darling husband and daughter are going to leave me with the boys to go deer hunting, I need something to keep my sanity in check. With the Teva Durham sweater (from Weekend Knitting) complete, I've made a resolution to kick it into high gear on the Ombre Blanket...though that may have to wait for my goodie box from Knit Picks to arrive.
I ordered a 47" cable and size 7, 9, 13, and 15 needle tips from the Knit Picks Options line. I currently own two 24" cables and tips in sizes 4, 5, and 6 and though I love them down to my toes - the slickness of the finish, the point of the tips - even with the little key, I still have a little trouble keeping one end of one cable tightened while knitting. Must be that particular cable.
The size 15 tips are for the neverending Ombre Blanket. I've been suffering through the project thus far using a 36" plastic circular needle; it's a wonder I've made it as far as I have. The plastic tips are sticky and the overall cable length is too short so I'm having to rebunch and position the entire thing every 10 stitches or so. My hands get terribly sore from having to fight with this stupid needle. Thus, I am more than willing to suck it up and deal with a little retightening here and there if I can make the process even a teensy weensy bit more enjoyable. I like the pattern, I like the colors, and I love how it's turning out, but the process is a real turn off. I briefly considered the 60" cable, but then thought I didn't quite need one that was nearly as long as I am tall. The 47" cable should do quite nicely. My latest knitting fantasy is dreaming of how quickly I'll be able to complete the blanket and get it safely off to my brother.
After I finish that blanket, I'll use the 9's and 13's to make some more Fluffy Lap Blankets (more Weekend Knitting). I need to give one to Luke's old occupational therapist - he saw her for 4 years until school started this year and her schedule couldn't accommodate him anymore - so she deserves one. A few months ago, Smiley's had Red Heart Symphony on sale for $1 a ball and I couldn't resist. I bought a lot and have enough to make at least 8 blankets. They really are the perfect teacher gift and they knit up in a flash. I'm hoping these needles will help me keep the yarn doubled and not pick only one strand. I only did that one time, on one blanket, where I didn't first catch it and I felt horrible, but it I knew it wasn't going to unravel so all was well.
Lastly, the size 7 tips will be for the...CRAP, I can't remember the name but it's the really cute portrait neckline pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts...Hourglass Pullover...that's it! I also bought what I hope will be enough Wool of the Andes worsted in Sapphire Heather to make that. I'm a little cautious about this one. I've never used WotA before and I'm worried it will be too itchy, but another Raveler said that it got considerably softer after a dip in Eucalan. It was such a purdy color that I went for it. There were actually several colors I would have gladly purchased, but I'm sticking to my resolve and only purchasing yarn for a project already in mind or committed to. It's really not that hard and I'm finishing a lot more stuff.
My last present will be from Amazon. I finally bit and ordered Jenny McCarthy's book "Louder than Words" even though I probably won't learn anything knew, I'd like to take a look and be able to give some sort of review to people. It's next to impossible for me to buy just one book from Amazon so I gave in to gentle evil twin arm twisting and also ordered Clara Parks' book The Knitters Book of Yarn. I'm so excited about this one! I've wanted to buy Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan for some time until the other day I realized that one of my favorite patterns required size 3 needles. I'm sorry, but there ain't no way I'm gonna knit a sweater in size 3 needles! Then the Berocco KnitBits newsletter came out last Friday and showed one of Norah's patterns from the Book of Yarn. Ahhhh! I went to Knit Picks to see pictures of the projects and I was hooked! I put it in my Amazon shopping cart intending for it to be how I would achieve free shipping, but I want it so badly I decided what's $5 anyway?
You might be thinking why would I buy these things for myself when Christmas and my birthday are around the corner? Well, Tony refuses to buy me anything remotely related to knitting and for the past 5 years, nobody has ever given me anything that I've asked for related to knitting. So, I'm treating myself. And I can't wait! I can't wait for the flurry of productivity that will inevitably follow and and for the many happy hours I'll have to spend with the activity I love so much!
And with Tony and Alicia out of the house, I'm gonna need all the fun I can grasp if I'm gonna keep from going loony with these goofy boys!
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It’s @lw@ys @ good tim@ to buy yours@lf @ gift. I onc@ bought mys@lf @ l@t@ mod@l ch@vy with ov@r h@@d c@ms @nd gl@ss p@cks, hood scoop .. Th@ whol@ sh@-bh@ng.. Sinc@ I h@rdly know mys@lf I f@lt funny @cc@pting such @n @xp@nsiv@ gift so I r@turn@d it to th@ own@r b@for@ h@ @v@n r@@liz@d it h@d b@@n hot wir@d.
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