I need to do a little venting

I'm incredibly frustrated right now. I've spent the last week and a half attempting to speed knit a shrug to wear for a wedding that I'm going to on Saturday. I've stayed up until all hours. My fingers have gotten extremely cramped.

The good news: it's done.

The bad news: it's too big.

It just looks wrong. I'm currently attempting to implement a few little fixes (I folded in and sewed up the sides so they don't hang like bat wings, I've added a ribbed band to the neck so I can at least tie it so it won't fall off) to make it wearable this weekend but, in general, I'm really not happy.

There really isn't anything I or anyone else can do at this point, but I just needed to vent.

it's a great pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I have been knitting up a storm lately, but I can't really show you pictures yet, as it's not really fit to be seen. I'm desperately trying to finish a shrug that I'm hoping to wear to a wedding this coming Saturday. It's been an adventure--first I screwed up the increases on the first sleeve, so after I finished the second one I had to go back and frog half of the first and re-knit it. And then yesterday involved two hours of knitting, tinking, re-knitting, and tinking again on one line of the lace pattern. Catherine was my saviour on this part, as I was getting increasingly frustrated and things were going from bad to worse, and she did a fair amount of tinking for me. But I've gotten past that part at least and it continues to move along. Pictures when it's done, I promise!

What else have I been up to?

On Thursday I met Ben and Jerry, as in the Ben and the Jerry of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream.



And there was even free ice cream. And a real cow wandering around (which they didn't bring, other crazy people got the cow).

And on Saturday I went to the Great Glass Pumpkin Patch at MIT. I had never been before and didn't realize quite what a huge deal it was. People got there at 7 am for a sale that started at 10 am. It was kind of crazy. But the pumpkins were fabulous, and I took lots of pictures.















And this one came home with me.

Scarf it down

Though it felt at times like it was endless, the Chevron scarf is done!



Pattern: Chevron Scarf, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Tuscany (1 skein) and Koigu PPPM in a yellow-olive green (a little over one skein) on size 5 needles



And, ironically, I really like it with the outfit I'm wearing today, so I may just keep it on!

Totally unrelated, I am in baseball bliss, with both of my teams winning their divisions. Go Red Sox! Go Phillies!

Shock of all socks

My Sockapalooza socks came today!



I had thought these had disappeared into the sunset, but there was a package in my mailbox today. From my original pal, too, not my sock saviour (who I thank so much for having started socks for me as well!). Pretty pale pink and grey socks, too.



Besides the socks, Paulette sent me two skeins of Lorna's Laces in Iris Garden and a pretty stitch holder.

Thank you Sockapalooza pal!

[the clover under your feet is shooting stars in the night]

I took a little break from my other projects to do some knitting for Hats for Alex. I had been wanting to do some charity knitting and the contest being held was a tiny bit of an impetus. These worked up very quickly and were fun to make.



The above is in Wendy Velvet Touch and is very soft.



This is made from yarn left over from my very first knitting project ever, some Bernat worsted.



Lion Brand Colorwaves.



And Lion Brand Jiffy, left over from my leg warmers.

Of course, now I seem to be stockpiling projects that all need to be completed at once, so the next few weeks are going to be entertaining knitting-wise.

I actually did a little work on the last hat while I was at the Rilo Kiley concert on Friday night, until I managed to drop the yarn over the barrier in front of the stage and it became a tangled mess. But the concert was great, even if it did seem to bring the band's inner power struggles on stage. I've been a fan of Jenny Lewis since I was eight years old and still am, but right now I'm feeling sorry for Blake.

Here are a few of my favorite photos that I took at the concert--there are at least fifty more on my computer.

Looking down from up high

Last Friday night, Ariel was determined to be spontaneous. Except Catherine, Betsy, and I kind of ruined that for her by planning what we would do, and we ended up eating pizza (yummy potato rosemary fontina pizza) at Cambridge 1 and watching the Red Sox take on the Yankees.

But! Then Cassandra called and actual spontaneity ensued, as we ended up at the Top of the Hub for dessert and drinks. It was fun to be up high and look at all of the beautiful views of Boston below us. And here are a couple of pictures I took with Cassandra's camera of the view of Fenway Park.



You can also see the Citgo sign just at the right edge of the picture.

And a closer-up view:



I ended up watching the Red Sox lose (sigh) with the waiters in the bar, but it was an entertaining evening!

And, in knitting news...

I am working on the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, in Koigu (the yellow and green) and Lorna's Laces (Tuscany). It's feeling kind of endless, though it is moving along. Here's a work in progress pic:



I'm also about halfway through my first Secret Spook project, though I may put that down to a couple of charity knitting projects. There's always something to do!

a little bit crafty and a little bit fun

First, the crafty stuff.

When we went to Alison's book signing at Webs, they gave out little kits to make the House Bookscarves. I picked up the one for Slytherin, knowing a friend for whom it would be very appropriate.



Pattern: House Bookscarves, from Charmed Knits.
Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton in green and grey
Needles: size 8

At our last Secret Swap, Catherine gave me a how-to-make-marble-magnets kit she had put together, and I finally made some. It's hard to take a good picture of them, but here they are.



Less good news: I think my Sockapalooza socks (the ones I was supposed to receive) are lost in the mail. They were sent out three weeks ago, so maybe they'll still make their way to me, but it's looking doubtful. Alas.

And now for the fun. Yesterday was my birthday.

I made a cake, which I brought to Knitsmiths.



I went out to dinner with my lovely ladies.


That's Ariel, Betsy, and me.


Catherine and Cassandra.

They gave me a sock knitting bag from Momma Monkey! And it's the one I've been wanting--the London Calling bag!



And we went to JP Licks and ate ice cream while sitting in the teacup.





'Twas an excellent birthday!