Lots of knitting eye candy....

An update on the "Plethora of Projects"....
The reproduction of the colours really bites- I should probably try to take the pics outside.

I'm almost done the back of Anouk, so hopefully it will be all done by the end of the week.

Anouk

The cocktail monkey bag is starting to take shape. In the picture, the bottom is up. Now that it has some shape, it doesn't slide off the needles as much, but I still don't feel comfortable taking it on the streetcar.

cocktail monkey bag

This is the yarn I bought to make a vest for Joshua, but after seeing the monkeys that Korin made, I couldn't resist. The pattern is from "Knitted Toys" by Fiona McTague. I requested it from the library a while back when I saw her first monkey. It's due next week, and I'm not anywhere near done, so I guess I'll be buying it!
It has lots of great patterns, so I'm sure it will get a lot of use, especially with all the babies around!
This is a pic of the finished body, and the beginning of the legs. Not very interesting yet, but I wanted to show off the colours.

monkey

This is a "sock" I whipped up for my mp3 player. I modified this pattern a bit, using some Lorna's Laces.

sock

These are some swatches I've knit up for the Vogue sweater I want to make. I know that Karma is right, and I should probably try to dye the yarn BEFORE I knit it..... but I'm just so anxious to get started!
I am being good about swatching though. I did four of them to and try and find what I'm looking for. It's amazing how little or big a change the different needle sizes make. I need 18 sts/24 rows, and my latest swatch is 18.5 sts/24 rows, so I think that's as good as I'm gonna get. I am going to be so good, I'm even going to give it a wash to see what happens. Maybe I should try the next 1/2 needle size up to see if I can get to the 18 sts.......
Anyway, it's Patons South Pacific DK, which I bought like 13 years ago..... it's acrylic (which could in fact put a kai-bosh on the whole dye idea) and a little shiny, so I like it. This pic really doesn't show the true colour.


And, last but not least..... this is the cheezy medal I got on Sunday!

Also in the knitting news department....

Kaffe Fassett is giving a lecture for the Textiles Museum on Friday night..... and I have tickets!

Running and Knitting Updates (aka I am a track star in my own mind)

I did it! My first 10km run!
I finished under my goal time, and felt really good the whole way.
I was aiming for 1:11, but my official time was 1:08:22!

The actual run itself wasn't that enjoyable..... the race didn't start until 2:45, so we spent the whole day hanging around the island, in the rain. Yuck.
The most frustrating part was the staggered start times. They had us line up in "waves", based on our estimated times. Me being slow, lined up in the last wave. I get why they do it- the trails are narrow, and there were like a gazillion people there, but the had 10 minute intervals between starts. So, I lined up before 2:45, but didn't start my run until 3:30. As anyone with a finicky back knows- standing in one spot can be an extremely painful experience. Needless to say, I was in pain before I even started.

But, the trail was beautiful, it was over pavement, grass and boardwalk, it was well marked, and they had water stations along the way, and every km was marked.

While I was running, my back didn't hurt too much. I did stop for a few walk breaks, and had to do a little strip part way through because I was getting too hot. I also had to slow down for a couple of mp3 player malfunctions. Excuses, excuses, I know!

Anyway- I think I'll give my body a break for a couple of weeks, but sign up for another one at the end of the summer to keep up my momentum!

As for knitting updates....
I have today and tomorrow off work, with only a much needed physio appt. scheduled for this afternoon. I plan to stay stationary, watch some more episodes of Buffy, and knit. If tomorrow is nice, I may venture to the park to knit.... maybe go for a bike ride (but not knit at the same time!). So, I will for sure have some updates (with photos, I promise!) for you.

Also- knitting advice question..... If I am thinking of dyeing some yarn, should I do it before I start knitting it? Or dye it after it's all done?

The yarn I want to use for the Vogue Sweater is a little too bright for me, so I think I'll try to overdye it with some black or navy. Any thoughts?

Vaughn- A Bad Guy? What?!

I forgot to talk about Alias. My favourite show. Because I want to be a spy when I grow up.

Does anyone else watch it? Are you freaking out about the cliffhanger? I nearly pooped my pnats when she asked him if he was a bad guy, and he didn't answer right away! I was really kinda meh about the whole "one sister will kill the other prophecy", but then the last scene came along, and I was like HOLY SHIT! That and Lost all in one night- I'm surprised I didn't have a heart attack.

Updates on the "plethora of projects"

Look- I've titled my crap load of stuff I'm working on- "Plethora of Projects". It's all about alliteration baby!

Anyway... No pics today, sorry, maybe this weekend. Camera batteries are dead again.

1. Cocktail monkey bag- It's getting easier as I go, but still only a few rows a day. I have also recruited a friend to help me acquire cocktail monkeys. While drinking belinis. What fun!

2. Anouk for Isobel- front is done, an inch away from finishing the back, It's looking pretty funky!

3. Stash Buster- I've decided an the short sleeve top, and I think I have enough in a green Patons "South Pacific DK" which is kinda shiny. The green might be a little bright for my current tastes, but I can always try to dye it. Or just drop it in the mud. I bought it in 1992, so it's a little out of date!

4. The GGH Samoa project will not be a orange and navy vest for the large baby... but a navy and orange monkey! I promise I'll post photos of that. It's gonna be fun!

AND- I whipped up an IPod sock for a friend in a couple of hours. It's in the Koigu Kersti, blue varigated. Very cute. Forgot to take a picture though.

Anyway- have a great weekend- I am running the Nike 10k on Sunday, so wish me luck, and cheer me on if you're there!

MeMeMeMeMeMe.....

A little while back, Karma tagged me with my first meme. I spent hours working on it, and it was witty, and smart and humorous, and maybe would have made you cry a little bit..... but it is lost somewhere in the world of the "internets" (as crazy aunt purl calls them).

Honestly, I have written a couple of posts in the last week, pictures and all, I'm sure I have! Unless I'm insane (please don't comment on that!), then they're lost. SO, I will start again....

"Please list 5 things that you may or may not have done before that you would like to learn or try again. This may just get you to try them or give you some renewed interest!"

1. How to drink Scotch like a Scot..... I'm part Scottish, like to drink, it seems to make sense. So I have been practicing. Every time I have a drink with my dad, I have a scotch (that way he pays! I'm smart). Each time, it seems to go down a little bit easier. My goal is to be able to enjoy a few, and still be able to operate large vehicles while talking on the phone, fiddling with the radio dial, and smoking a cigarette (all though I wouldn't, 'cause that would be illegal). And I'd like to be able to comment on it and not sound like a great big boob.

2. Run 10 km without stopping for a little walking break.... Last summer I could do 5 km by the end of summer, so I don't think it's too out of reach.

3. Be skinny..... I was skinny once, I'd really like to try that again!

4. Get my Masters..... Fall 2006- that's the date, as long as I can get in and get the money together. Masters in Health Administration.. U of T... here I come!

And crap, I don't remember what my fifth one was.... let's see if I can come up with one really quickly...

5. How to attract the man of my dreams... oh wait, no, I remember now!

5. (The real one) Attend a Stitch 'n' Bitch...... I've never been- can you believe it? The one's in my 'hood don't work with my work schedule (damn job, who needs it). So I don't have any actual flesh-and-blood knitting friends, no one to chat and gossip with while we ooh and aah, no one to covet or to secretly hate, no new yarns to see and feel.... only my mom, and the bloggers and discussion group people I blog-stalk. Sad, I know. Will you be my friend?

So, who to tag?........ please read #5 above. I don't know! Anyone I thought of has already been tagged (partly due to my tardiness in posting this). So, I'm breaking the chain! I am the bad friend who doesn't pass on the friendship bread, or ruins the underwear chain. Bad Luck for me I know. BUT... if you desire a tag, please let me know, and I will gladly oblige!

Also, this was kinda fun, so feel free to tag me again! I like to talk about me.

WIPs

So, now that Mariah is all done.... what's a girl to do?
Start a whole bunch of new things!

Project # 1:
Cocktail Monkey Bag from the Summer Knitty.
My friend Steph LOVES Bellini's from Milestones, which always come with the cocktail monkeys (or other plastic things), so I thought this bag would be a nice gift for her. Not that I have any cocktail monkeys.... actually, I was at her place on the weekend, and stole a couple, but I still need 8 more.... anyone want to drink lots of bellinis with me?

It's done in hemp, which I found at Michaels. I went down a mm size in needles to get the right gauge (because I will ALWAYS make sure my gauge is on - lesson learned from Mariah). I don't know where to buy the ostrich fringe though.... I think I'll check some of the fabric places on Queen West. The hemp isn't bad to knit with, but very stiff, so I can only do a few rows at a time, because my wee little fingers get sore. I took this pic last week- now I've finished the bottom and just started doing up the four sides. The longer sides seem to slip off the end of the dpns, but I'm dealing.

Project # 2:
Anouk from the spring 2004 Knitty. My cousin just had a little girl (Isobel- named after my Grandma), and I wanted to make her something. I loved the non-girlie pattern, but couldn't find any decent yarn in cotton. While at Michaels looking for hemp... I found Tutu by Moda-Dea(?). I was drawn to the colours and texture, so I am using the basic pattern from Anouk, but changing the look. I even ended up going with some pink! I've finished the front, and have just cast on for the back. It's looking pretty funky! My mom wasn't so fond of the colour combination though... she doesn't seem to think "Pear Green" and "Raspberry" go together very well....

Sorry about the poor colour depiction, I was in a rush.

Project #3:
Hasn't started yet, but I'm hoping it will be a stash buster.... either the wrapped lace cardigan (#30) or short sleeve top (#5) from the 2005 spring/summer vogue knitting. I think I have some black cotton that I bought 12 years ago that might work....

Project #4:
I bought some GGH Samoa in orange and navy, and want to make a vest or something for my friend Kim's little (HUGE) baby boy.

So, that's all, not much!

I know I have a meme waiting in the wings from Karma, and I do promise I will do it tomorrow!

I'm still here....

OK- I'm back from cat sitting. It was a fun filled week of cleaning up poop from a neurotic cat.... but a shorter streetcar ride to work!

Anyway- I have fianlly finished Mariah. Here are some pics....

I have to admit, I'm feeling a little "meh" about it. The smoosh blocking (as suggested by Aven), got it back to it's original length, but it's REALLY big. But that's my fault, my gauge was off.

I knew that the whole time, but kept thinking- that's ok, all my other sweaters turned out ok- but remembered today that all those other sweaters were knit at a time in my life when I LOVED the baggy look. I went through university wearing extra large plaid flannel shirts and leggings- I would even wear them to the bar!

I've worn Mariah the last couple of days, and I think it will become a comfy weekend sweater. I still love the pattern, especially the sleeves, so some Sunday afternoon, when I feel ambitious, I may frog and see what I can do!

block this, baby!

Ok, I'm blocking...... but when I measured it to size it right- it's huge! It's like doubled in size.
I'm so depressed.