Back Again

The computer arrived yesterday afternoon about an hour after I arrived home. So nice, as someone needed to sign for it. Surely did miss my toy. Yea for fast service!


I've started on the mystery stole 4. I am dredfully slow. Still on clue number 1 and clue number 3 arrived today. Doing both ends at the same time, so each "row" is forever long, I timed myself on the row, both sections takes me 40 mins. The "way back" is a purl row for the most part and no beads, so much faster. I think the final estimate on the bead count is aprox 1000. Yikes! Hope that I have enough. I was told that each of the tubes I purchased had about 800 beads. I surely hope that number is correct. I am keeping the ones that won't slip easliy onto the crochet hook in a separate baggie. Just in case there isn't enough, I will see about getting one of those bead borer thingies. Or begging to borrow one at the shop where I purchased the beads as I won't be using beads enough myself to really warrant the purchase of one.

It is an interesting process, but is a bit tedious. Each of the beaded stitches is done individually, the beads aren't threaded onto the yarn in advance. I am using the smallest crochet hook I own (1.25mm- I believe) and size 8/0 beads. Oh... and I need to wear magnification glasses so that I can see the buggers. The beads are amethyst colored, and are a higher contrast with the yarn than I originally intended. (I was thinking about a barely there beaded look) However, I believe that this will be a good thing. I didn't end up purchasing the beads until after I had the first clue and could see how important a role that the beads were to play. Going to be a pretty piece. I will have to purchase clothing to wear with this stole. I don't have anything that would do it justice.

To bead the stitch, you first knit the stitch you wish to bead, then slip a bead onto the crochet hook. Slip the bead up past the hook. Grab the stitch you just knit with the beaded crochet hook, pull it (the stitch) taut, and slide the bead onto the stitch and place the stitch back on the needle correctly oriented with the bead below (obviously) the needle. Did I mention that this is a slow process? And that the pattern calls for nearly 1000 beads? I think that this stole will be a long time in the making as I really don't have vast amounts of time to knit and there are a gazillion things I wish to knit. Don't look at my Ravelry listings.... that is not nearly updated enough. I don't seem to have much time for that, can't knit and play on Ravelry.

Photos soon!

9-11

We will never forget!

Computer Update

Just got off the phone with the HP guys. Boy was this an improvement over the Dell Customer Service. I was really happy. One hour total on the phone. Good and bad news though. Bad news is the computer has an issue with the mother board. But... good news is that it is a known problem and so it will be fixed free of charge even though my warranty is of course out of date. A computer won't break until a week past your warranty coverage. So I will be without my laptop for a week or two... Fellow said 9 days average... but it will be fixed! Back up is done.. just in case they have to wipe it.

Happy knitting!

Harder than it looks...

to pick the pit bull out of a line up. Took me 4 tries to get it right. I thought I would be better than that. However, I don't think that they used a very good photo either.

I heard about the "photo line up" while listening to the report about the elderly lady that was attacked in King County. I hope that she recovers fully from the attack.

OUCH....

Screen doors hurt... Just ask my kitty.

I went out to the back deck last night and shut the screen door behind me. Spice ran up the back steps and through the closing screen door... and very nearly made it... but not quite. I took her in to the vet today, as she was comfortable last night and in good spirits despite the sore tail. Unfortunately, she did have to have her tail amputated as the cut was deep and went nearly all the way around. So her long beautiful tail is now just a short four inches. I talked with her vet just a few hours ago and she was waking well from surgery despite the funky cone hat, and wrapped up tail. Let's hear it for good kitty feel good pain drugs.

What's more important?

"What's more important, Knitting or Camping"? That's the question my husband asked me. My answer was of course "Knitting". He then re phrased his question stating what he really meant to ask. "What's more important.. Knitting or Me"? Well, put that way, I had to answer that he was more important.

No that doesn't mean I have to stop knitting, it means that I will not be at Friday Night Fiber Frenzy at the Lambs Ear this friday night. I will instead be up at Silver Springs camping. As much as I want to go to this knitting meeting I have to admit that my husband comes first. This should also be the last camping adventure of the year, pity that it coincides with the restart up of knit night. I tried to get him to agree to let me drive out later that night, but there is a $9.50 charge for additional vehicles. Ah well.

I finished up my bamboo tank top. Will be wearing that to the Thursday night knit group. If I make the pattern again I will have to make a few changes. The shoulder straps are to thin for my liking, and the neck shaping is higher that I would prefer. It fits nice, with just a wee bit of negative ease... I was quite unsure of that bit, but it worked out well.

Still needs to be washed and blocked out. Have to check and see if "blocking" would be the proper term for the bamboo yarn. May just need to be gently patted and smoothed into shape. Have to find that swatch and check it out. No I did not block my swatch... I knit it and it gave me the gauge I was looking for and all was good. amd so I knit. My swatch has never touched water. I am now afraid to let my tank touch water. I need to test this before Thursday. Yikes.

What's more important?