Birdy's Knits, a blog

Busy Bees

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:12:00 +0000

Today, actually this week, has been full of cleaning, not so much knitting being done. I am still knitting away on my Super Secret Project-it's fun and right now easily memorised. Really all you need to remember is TWO rows. Easy peasy.

It's been drizzling today, the sun never even peeked out of the clouds...I know because I was up before dawn...and once again no soccer. Today was supposed to be Micci's make up game for last Saturday's game that was rained out. Oh well. Just gives me more time to clean, less time to knit.

We have about a week before we HAVE to migrate off of Blogger...I keep bugging my husband: you are running out of time!! Come on! Poor guy is overworked. This Spring has been murder on us. Between Jamey volunteering with the Final Four and special project AND Micci and Lorelei's activities our evenings have been jammed up.

Hopefully the Super Secret Project can be finished before May starts and I can concentrate once again on projects I can actually show you. I'll prolly work on the shawl and Kimmy's baby blanket. The blanket needs to be done by June. I do not want to procrastinate on it this pattern again. We all remember the pain I was in trying to complete the first Snow Flurries--I do not want to relive that!

Buzzing Along...

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:58:00 +0000

No more brain fugue! or even fatigue! I worked out the stitch problem and wrangled it into a triangle shape. I COULD see the triangle, just couldn't get the pieces to fit and I KNEW the solution was just beyond my "sight." So I turned off my internet browser and turned up my iTunes playlist. I blocked out the world and focused. Viola, problem solved and a good week of aggravation and turmoil ended. Woot!

I've been buzzing along ever since...the shawl is coming along nicely now. Smooth sailin' ahead. Knock on wood.

I wish I could show you pictures, the yarn I am using and the pattern is just perfect together. My friend, Yvonne, from Germany dyes the most beautiful yarn and she asked me to design a shawl to show case the yarns in her new summer yarn club: Jewel Tones Lace (etsy link). There's also another designer working with Yvonne so you'll receive my pattern and her pattern with as part of the club, along with other fun surprises. You have until May 15th to sign up.

She also has a sign up thru ArtFire, so you can sign up there if you prefer: Jewel Tones Lace Yarn Club.

Have a look at all her various yarns they are all gorgeous!

Yes I know, I am such a temptress.

Brain Freeze

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:36:00 +0000

My Super Secret Project is giving me a Super Serious Headache and Brain Fatigue. I have swatched it all out and the stitch patterns look awesome. The headache and fatigue is coming from trying to stick the lovely stitches into a shawl shape...I don't have enough yarn for anything full. I need half shapes. No squares or circles or even rectangles...I need half moons and triangles.

I think this wouldn't be so hard if my brain was already overwhelmed with mental clutter and stress.

Blergh.

This is the extent of my vocabulary lately: blah, blergh, bleck, gah, and ugh; lot's of nonsensical jumbles of consonants and vowels. Oh, what I have been reduced to! My muse is buried underneath it all.

I want to run away and escape into comfort projects: ones with PATTERNS already written. But, deadlines and promises cling to my back, reminding me I have obligations and not to runaway for too long.

Right now, I have been working on the Still Unnamed Shawl. (It's bugging me it still has no name; BUT at least I know where I am going with this pattern) It's pretty and growing at a nice clip.

I Got's Pictures

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:28:00 +0000

I unearthed my husband's camera today, so I can share the pictures of the FINISHED mediation rug! I finished the edging yesterday morning and blocked it.

It came out perfect!

I am trying to find some quick test knitters for my pattern. Since, although I am happy with how it turned out I do really want to make the edge a bit less tight, BUT I do not want to rip it out to alter it. It took ME 2 months to knit this, but I am knit slower than a snail.

The Details-

Pattern: A Birdy's Knit Original, pattern forthcoming. The final pattern will be priced at $2.50 and will include instructions for a Christian themed rug.
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Undyed, 100% wool 4 skeins (100 grams a piece) and KP Wool of the Andes in Black Cherry, 100% 2 balls (50 grams a piece)
Needles: KP Interchangeables in US size 8 and DPNs US size 6
Misc: The rug measures 45 inches in diameter.

The cabled edging took ages--about 3 weeks. It's about 8 feet worth of edging.

I LOVE the edging though.

Here's close ups of all the runes. They are Eldar Futhark runes and they are arranged in order.

It was done just in time too...it's really getting too hot to have what is essentially a wool blanket covering my lap. Now it's exclusively lacey things and socks (if I ever let them out of time out).

Le Sigh

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:28:00 +0000

Once again I must apologise for being a bad blogger. Between, not having a camera, STILL knitting on the border of my meditation rug and technical website concerns, blogging has been difficult and secondary.

Right now I have stitch pattern books laid open around me. I am having a hard time finding my muse for this new project. While the yarn is beautiful, it hasn't really sung to me yet. I've started carrying it around with me, trying to spark something. I just need a little spark, something to fan to flame.

I have also been working (still) on the mediation rug. I have roughly two feet of border left to knit. It's the longest two feet in the history. It seems like i have been knitting these last two feet FOREVER. It's daunting and frustrating. Never mind that...I don;t know if my Pi calculations were off or what but the mediation rug is shaped more like a bowl that a flat circle. I am desperately hoping that blocking will smooth it all out.

I am also bummed by all the techy stuff going on with my websites. I have still found no resolution to the domain name debacle for my Birdwell Productions website. It's so disheartening: I have had this domain for ten years and it looks like because of shaddy business practises of the domain register (dnbuy.com) I am losing it. So I think I have decided to try to combine knitting blog and personal blog onto one. I am not sure if I'll still have tag functionality when I move the blogs to a new content manager (blogger will not support FTP or own domain hosting as of May 1-and i am a control freak over content management). But I will work out something. I have been working with webs design and architecture for over 12 years I will figure something out. Grin. I just need to remind myself that I can DO THIS!

In any case it is Spring and I am happy. Easter is soon...true mark of SPRING! and rebirth. I feel like I am waking up after my grey winter sleepiness. Although, I have to admit the allergies from the fornicating trees have been acting like a sleeping potion.

Allons-y!

Celebrate!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:21:00 +0000

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone! Hope everyone had a pinch free day, or got their pinches if you swing that way.

No pics today, as the camera is still in hiding. I am however about 4 rows from being finished knitting the rune chart on the meditation blanket. I am beginning to debate my cast off. My plan was to knit a five strand braided cable as am edging--in a contrasting colour: red. But now I am wondering if I should just go simple and do a rolled edging and a regular (albeit loose) cast off. Fancy or plain?

I am good at worrying about things that are in the future-something I can't realistically deal with at the moment. Grin.

I have had 5 baskets of clean clothes waiting for me to fold them (kids will put away) for well over a week. I put on my big girl panties today and decided that TODAY I would fold them all up. No more excuses, no more procrastination. And as a reward: after every basket folded I get to knit one round of the rug.

Woot three down: 2 more to go!!

(I really wish I could show you the progress on this rug, because it does look awesome. The runes are coming out just as I envisioned.)

Knitting: Not So Much

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:03:00 +0000

Well, I am knitting, quite a lot actually--every spare minute I am knitting on my meditation rug. The runes are coming out WONDERFULLY. But so far the project isn't very photogenic and I am not totally sure what I did with my camera. I am very excited to be nearly done (well nearer anyway), I really needed this rug for a very long time.

The "Not So Much" refers more to the fact that this post won't be about knitting. If you also follow my personal (non-knitting blog) Dubh Croi you will have noticed it's gone, replaced by one of those annoying placeholder search engine thingys. My domain registar hasn't been returning my emails or anything and my domain name is expired. Grrrr argh. I have been tryimg to work this out, but I am being ignored on all fronts it seems. (No fear this website is hosted and registered with someone else)

I am seriously missing my blogging outlet, so I am gonna spew all that personal non knitting stuff here, because ARGH I need my outlet!

On a related blogging note: this blog is gonna be a changin' soon--hopefully without too much down time. I use Blogger (and have since April 2000) as my content manager, before then I hand coded and FTP everything myself. This included handcoding at least two pages and FTP multiple files (including pictures). Back then there was no such thing as blogspot either. Blogger did all the dirty work for me and all I had to do was write the post and click a button; everything was archived for me. Sigh. Blogger (rather Google) is tired of dealing with FTP and is no longer allowing FTP type blogs: which files are hosted on the server of my choice. Blogger/Google wants my content on THEIR servers. Nuh-uh, am I giving them any sort of control over my content (I write many blogs not just this knitting one). Yes, it's a control thing. WordPress is an option but my in house TechGuy (Jamey) hates WordPress and we might use an open source CMS. Fun times! SO now you know, weirdness might abound this Spring.

Which leads me to this rant: Sunday is Spring Forward. NOOOOOO!! Already? I am NOT READY!!! I have been sick and depressed with our car situation and I am SO behind. I am playing catch up and losing an hour overnight is NOT HELPING! Sob I really don't buy the whole energy saving spin on Daylight Savings. Office buildings and stores ALWAYS have lights on no matter how many windows they have letting in the bright light. My house is always dark no matter what so the lights that are on during the day are the same I have on at night. It's all VERY pointless. It's just an aggravation that at this point in time I DO NOT NEED. Stomp, stomp

(Not I am not having a tantrum)

One last word, a nice bookend, KNITTING. Because my meditation rug is rather pagan (I am a pagany type of Christian chick), I am planning on designing a Christian themed rug as well. I am also toying with other religious symbols as well, such as the Buddhist Ashtamangala. Although I am a bit weary committing myself without knowing it'll be needed or appreciated since I have a new big project coming up (the yarn is in the mail-and it's definitely a Super Secret Project) and the Knitting Bunnies are beginning to froth at the mouth.

Knitting!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:19:00 +0000

I am so sorry I have been neglecting the blog, no fear I HAVE been knitting. I just kinda forgot about updating the blog. Things have been stressful at Casa Birdy...car shopping and sickness.

Last week I was able to chart the entire Elder Futhark runic alphabet, so I could knit the border of the meditation rug. I am about 9 rows into the chart now. Only 21 more to go!! And then there's the cabled edging!!!!

I picked up the snowflake blanket for easy/mindless knitting at church. Kim's baby is due in June so I thought I should start working on it again.

I've also been working on the Unnamed Shawl...I pushed past the creative block, woot. I really want to get it finished but I also NEED to get this rug done. The Lilac Bloom scarf is also being worked on intermittently...lol. I really do need to grow a few more pairs of arms (or knit faster).

I improved my continental technique, so hopefully that will lead to faster knitting.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, but the knitting is rather blobby.

Keep Knitting...

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:39:00 +0000

I have ten inches left of knitting left on the meditation rug. Right now: 382 stitches per round. Depending on how things work out, I think I will have 764 stitches for my border and then I will make a knitted on edging with intricate cables.

I will be lucky if the main portion of this rug is done by closing ceremonies of the Winter Games. I have 90 rows left, but all of this garter stitch is the boring part...the border and edging is the fun part! That will be thrilling...if I can decide the order and placement of the runes. lol

In other knitting news: I think I will be taking my socks out of time out. I am feeling the sock itch again. (No there is NOT a cream for that!) Not sure which sock I will take out first...prolly the cute bees kness knee highs...because I don't beed to seriously rework them like i need to rework the Cat Bordhi socks I am working on that refuse to go over my heel.

Refresher pictures!

These are super cute no thinking required (not my pattern afterall)

Like the cute strappy, but it's pulling the instep too tight. Must solve the puzzle, but I do not, at this time, want to spare the brain cells.

These (I forgot to mention them above), need more design work. I am stalled creatively on these.

Right now my brains is stuck on a few other things more lacey in nature. It's a good thing because I have a new project that I welcomed into my lap (Super Secret though) and my knitting bunnies have been working over time weaving a pattern in my head.

Wooly Works

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:02:00 +0000

I actually haven't knit on the Citron shawl this week, but I figured it was about time I took pictures. I have been concentrating on the meditation mat and when I need a break from that monotony I knit on the Lilac Blooms Scarf.

Yes lace is my go to relaxation knit.

Anyway, the mat.

I haven't made that much progress really...but it's bigger, but haven't increased at all. I have about 22 more rows till I can increase again. I also realised a few rows ago, it's a good time to practise my continental skills. It's a little stressful on my shoulders (it's cause I am tensing them), but that'll pass once I get better and stop being so tense about it. Grin. Maybe someday I'll be ready to use it in my lace work. I can knit fine continental, it's the purling that I really need to work on.

I am almost done with the first ball. I am so far into it; I am wondering if the 4 hanks of wool was way too much? Not sure, at this point as circles are tricky to work out yarn amounts.

So tonight while I "rest" my shoulder I think I'll knit some lace. That'll be nice and relaxing.

Shove

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This has pushed it way to the front of my knitting queue.

I have been wanting/needing a meditation mat (or rug) for quite some time and lately the need has become pressing. I came up with the idea last month and finally got the yarn, Knit Picks Bare Peruvian Wool.

It's my pattern, knit from the center out using Pi shaping and I am going to knit runes in cables along the border. The plan is for it to be about 36 inches to 45 inches across. I will be offering the pattern for free once it's finished.

Oh and I started this bad boy on Friday (I got the yarn that afternoon and it was wound up in time to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies). It's already nearly a foot across, I am hoping to have it finished before the Closing Ceremonies. Of course, it's going so quickly because it's only the center...just wait until I am on row 197.

I guess I AM knitting an Olympics project after all. ;-)

Pictures for the Lace Ribbon Scarf

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:38:00 +0000

We've had a week of rain (and then it was Micci's birthday)--so it's been hard to take pictures and it's just been chaotic. And then there's that video game that has totally sucked me in (Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility). Let's NOT go into our car problems...major, long drawn out sigh.

I got pictures of the finished Lace Ribbon scarf.

It did soften up in the blocking and I have been wearing it without too much of an itchy neck. It pickles me sometimes but not enough to throw it off in disgust. Grin.

It was a delight to knit and is now a delight to wear. And the fix (I needle felted it) is not noticeable. Woot.

It's nice that I have been able to wear it this late in the season. Yeah, in Texas temps warm up a lot. But this year it's been unseasonably cold (it SNOWED a FOOT in Dallas). As it was it got into the 70s today, before it dropped to 45 suddenly with a evening cold front. (Yes, my head told me a good 2 hours before as the pressure dropped like a penny from the Empire State Building).

Oh, snap!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:54:00 +0000

Yeah, so I blocked the Lace Ribbon Scarf this morning. And I saw THIS! as I was blocking. I don't think the blocking snapped it (or nearly snapped it)-clearly the yarn is still holding on my the tiniest of threads. I kinda blocked around it until I can fix the break after the scarf dries.

It's smack in the middle too...so I CAN NOT go back and reknit. I think it'll be alright, seeing that it's next to a yarn over-maybe I can spit splice the yarn? I am sneaky crafty so I think it'll come out okay. (Thinking positively here)

The scarf blocked out, measures about 10 inches by 77 inches. It's going to be a nice drapey scarf I think. I did wash it with conditioner (what I use on my hair), so hopefully that'll quell the itchiness factor.

Oh here's a pic of my blocking...ignore the clutter.

NEXT!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:47:00 +0000

The Lace Ribbon scarf is FINALLY done! It only took 18 months... I still need to block it. So it's not 100% done (at least how I record things on my Rav page). It's a rainy dreary day (and nearly the end of the day)-so I will block it tomorrow.

Unblocked though, it is long.

And it will probably grow when I soak and block it, but I quite like (love) long scarves. I am a bit worried because the yarn (even though it is 100% Alpaca) is very itchy on my neck (damn sensitive neck). I am hoping the soak and the conditioner I use softens it up.

The details...
Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery
Yarn: 2.27 balls of Garnstudio DROPS Alpaca
Alterations: None whatsoever.
My Ravelry Project Page

Now I can start Citron!! Dance, dance! I still need to wind the yarn. Woot, I get to break in the new Tinky Swift. Hee hee. Technically since I started the snood, I ought to finish that first as well, but technically it did hop into Knitting Bunny-hood, not really Another Designers Pattern.

God, I love technicalities!

And this is the yarn I will be using, the birthday yarn from WEBS.

I am thinking it will look fantastic paired with my brown lace dress.

Short Attention Span

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:37:00 +0000

The problem with knitting scarves (slower than backwards) and BLOGGING about it, it's hard to show interesting progress pictures. Here look it's the scarf, it looks the same, but um it's longer? And because I knit so incredibly slow...I am wondering if my knitting blog can be compared to watching paint dry. What do you think? Tell me, be honest. Smirk.

Well here's Lilac Blooms the same but longer.

It really is a fun knit and easily memorized...I don't even need my pattern notes any more. If I was smart I would work on a draft of the actual finished pattern, so it'll be done and finished once this scarf is completed. (First I gotta steal back my desktop from the kids).

Because I don't have enough to knit, this weekend I started a new project. It was at first someone else's pattern, but then because I am me I just started doin' my own thing. So a hat turned into a snood. (I have been wanting to make a snood for a while now).

I know it doesn't look very snoody, yet. Does it look snoody from this angle?

No? Yeah, looks like a blob to me too. I am not sure if it WILL be a snood once I am done, but I have hopes. High grand hopes. It's going to fly off the needles soon though, as I am knitting on size 9 needles.

I am in desperate need of a finished project. Oh what happened to the Lace Ribbon scarf that was very nearly complete? I am still plugging away...I just got, erm, distracted. Grin.

I am waiting for it to grow to my size. I think I have one more foot of knitting...I think. Heck, this may turn into The Scarf That Never Ends.

Because I Don't Have Enough To Do

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Ha! I cleared my creative plate...I feel at peace with my various Knitting Bunnies...sorta. And yet I seek to throw all that up in the air for the thrilling ride of the Knitting Olympics. (It's when you make goals to knit certain somethings while the Olympics is going on. Knit an entire sweater, finish all your WIPS, knit 17 socks! Craziness like that.)

I am desperately trying NOT to allow myself to get caught up in the fervor, no matter how many blog posts I read about the subject!

I have made my own goals. I don't need the stinking Knitting Olympics to help me.

Besides it's not like they are giving out actual awards or actual praise and laurels.

Repeat: I, Birdwell Evans, WILL NOT join in any Knitting Olympic Games!!

Yarn and Love

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:25:00 +0000

Last night we had our monthly potluck...way out in New Braunfels (about 30 min outside of San Antonio, but an hour and some change from my house). The host also sells yarn...Duuuuuuuuuuuuude, I was in heaven and hell. (Heaven because she had mounds of beautiful yarn; hell because I am on a yarn diet!!!)

I once again forgot my camera in my bag. Oops.

We had a yarn swap--sorta--most everyone forgot and those who remembered forgot to bring out their yarn. No one wanted mine, which was fine because I wasn't sure I wanted to swap. It's the green lace Malabrigo that while I love the yarn, I hate the colour. I need to over-dye it.

Well my friend Juanita let me have this:

I think it'll look great with a mossy lacey pattern I have been playing around with.

This one:

Of course that's not for now...later...someday.

I met the creator of this fantabulous Etsy shop: Bella Lili. Her jewelry? Is an embodiment of me, totally. I am in love. Gorgeousness.

I am still plugging away at the lacey scarves and shawls...they look the same. So I see no point in pictures. Yep, me boring. Lorelei broke my number 4 bamboo needle, the one I was using for the Lace Ribbon Scarf--so that one is being put aside until I can get a new one.

Finishing, ever?

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:08:00 +0000

I am still plugging away at the Lace Ribbon scarf...it's a good TV project. Unless, I am cuddling with hubby then I switch to the Still Unnamed Shawl (I am knitting it on circular needles so I am not poking Jamey in the eye with the end of my needle). Poor guy has enough cuts and bruises from work. Grin.

Speaking of Still Unnamed Shawl, I am a few repeats from another transition...this time it'll be more pronounced. I am thinking of something leafy. But I am not sure, so this is causing me to put the brakes on the project. I had being undecided. Nevermind that I hate that this shawl is STILL nameless!!

Oh, I saw this lovely shawl today, Clothide. So pretty so simple...wish I had thought if it. Grin. I'd love to knit this, but argh don't have the TIME!!! Knitting Bunnies took one look at it and collectively screeched, "Don't you DARE!!!!"

No pics today: it's raining and I am sore from my new workout routine and bending down to photograph my knitting just hurts

Tinkering

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:16:00 +0000

I am pretty frugal when it comes to money: I always want bang for my buck and I love dual use or re-purpose. I have always wanted a swift (it holds hanks of yarn while you wind them into balls). It's on most knitters wishlists. It is pretty damn necessary: if you don't have husbands or children willing to hold the yarn for you. Now I have used chair backs: this is aggravating. I have used my own feet: also aggravating-especially if you need to stop and tend to a child. Like most non-swift folks, I have borrowed friends or gone to a ball winding party.

(You know: a bunch of knitters get together to take advantage of sole knitter that has a swift and ball winder)

Aside: also don't have a ball winder. They are expensive and a uni-tasker. So I am pretty unlikely to buy one for myself. So I use other things, empty cardboard paper towel thingy, a pill bottle, or more recently a cute nostepinde I picked up at the craft store.

It's pretty and it's rosewood.

So I don't have a swift. A few years ago I heard around the internet of a wonderful crafty solution for a swift (they are also expensive): a swift made from Tinker Toys.

Haazzaah! I have tinker toys! But this week I finally got around to digging them out from their putting place (they were in the garage, then the den closet). Armed with the tutorial from Crafty Jen, I set to work. Now over the years they've gotten pretty scarce, so I was a little worried I wouldn't have enough of the odds and ends.

But fortune favoured me and I had JUST enough to make it work.

Tada!

I haven't tried it out yet, I don't like to wind hanks into balls until it's time to start: it's a temptation to let the project to jump the line. But I did try to see if one of my hands fit on it...

Of course the real test is actually using it, but it spins fine. So I am not too worried. Besides it was 50 dollars and it's not some one's poor hands. lol

On the actual knitting front, I am still plugging away on the lace ribbon scarf and since I decided that it WASN'T near completion I'd let Citron cut ahead of those socks. (I really want to knit that beauty!)

I need to dig out the Celtic Knot bag and find my place and finish that thing!

Nibbling

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:50:00 +0000

I saw a really pretty lacey scarf a few days before Christmas when we walked down the San Antonio Riverwalk-it was really pretty and simple...and so a Knitting Bunny was born. Now, I have been making a TON of scarves. So many I am wondering if I am giving the impression I can only design/knit scarves. I decided to put the lace pattern onto a triangle. Get in line Bunny! I have 3 active Birdy's Knits designs on the needles. Okay 3 that I know of right now writing this blog post...there may be more. (Those Bunnies are sneaky--constantly pushing ans shoving other Bunnies out of line.) The lace is gonna be very clean and I am wondering about the border/edging. Should the border flow straight from the triangle? Should I knit it on? Should it even be jagged border? Would it be best if it was smooth? Should I add a fluttery ruffly type of thingy? I like interesting edgings.

The Bunny is nibbling.

I have been knitting on the long forgotten FO, Lace Ribbons. I thought I was almost done; I am nearly done with the skein. But, really it's not as long as I would like and I have another who skein. So at the most now it's only 2/3 done, at the very least 80%.

I started this scarf in the summer of 2008...the yarn is gorgeous, Alpaca, but it's itchy. I am hoping somehow softens with a wash and a block. I am also wondering if I should make a matching tam or rasta. See the bunnies are NIBBLING!!

No Circus Work For Me

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:22:00 +0000

The problem with juggling multiple knitting projects is sometimes one project inevitably is favoured over another(s) and you sorta drop the ball(s) while you clutch just one. Grin.

Right now I am clutching this lavender beauty to my chest.

It's a lace scarf knit in the Orenburg tradition...I added some estonia elements by added nupps (they are on the border--they will be seen easier once it's been blocked). So far I am calling it Lilac Blooms...might change it to Lilac Blossoms. If my other swatch is in any indication--it'll be a wide scarf at about 12 inches. The plan is for it also to be long. I say plan because I only have one hank of this yarn and I am knitting every last bit of it.

Tomorrow it's supposed to be uber cold. They say the coldest in 30 years; so my plan is to sit on the couch wrapped in lot's of blankets and knit (gotta keep those fingers from freezing). I am hoping to get some of those pesky FOs done.

Don't know if you should expect pictures any time soon though...I normally take them outside (lights better), but with it so cold: I am NOT opening any doors or going out side until the weather Canada sent us goes AWAY.

New Year, New Knitter

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:58:00 +0000

Like Anne Shirley says: It's a brand new day with no mistakes. I am one of those annoying types that sets goals (not resolutions) for myself for the coming year. Since this is a knitting blog, well then: I get to share my knitting goals and plans for this year.

I decided to lay off going after submissions. I thought the deadlines would help, but they just made me feel panicky (and cranky) and began to stifle my creativity. I am not saying I am NOT going to submit anything, if a deadline happens to fall in line with a complete project, then I'll mosey it on over, but no more chasing. I want to concentrate releasing patterns here at my shop for all of you lovelies (and of course on my family--they are young and need me to be more present).

I also need to finish up some UFOs that are so near completion that it's ridiculous that they are still UFOs. Bad knitter, no cookie!

My rusty Ribbon Lace Scarf has like a few more rows and it's done. Purple slippers need to be seamed.

Then there's the UFOs that are halfway done. My Knitting Bunnies are excellent at knocking UFOs out of queue. I'm figuring that I won't let myself start any more outside projects (outside meaning Other Designers (OD) work), until I finish those UFOs.

Because I really want to start Citron from the latest issue of Knitty. I figure having one or two OD projects would be very restful from any sort of decision making when I am working out the Knitting Bunnies.

I also need to work on a few of my older BK projects: one of which needs to be finished by June for the arrival of my brand new niece or nephew.

The purple one is done, need to finish the red one. The other two socks are still in time out. My brain hasn't had the time to work out the wibbley wobbley sockie wockie problems.

I also have a few very OLD projects from when I first started knitting that I really ought to finish--almost forgot about those. Nice easy mindless projects...sometimes lately I have needed the easy and mindless. This year my brain felt very overtaxed. And from my current state of mind...it ain't gonna get better.

Also less submission less Super Secret Projects: so the tantalizing teasing will be lessened. Grin.

I also need to conquer the big near unravel of 2007.

One more thing before I go knit some more. The kids LOVED the knitted toys (Yay!) and someone wants a shawl like Granny's Shawl, but in pink. Grin.

One Last Thing

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Here I was deliriously happy that I can knit FOR MYSELF, exclusively...and then I go and decide to through one last knit project for Lorelei.

My mom made these for Lorelei ages ago...they finally fit, BUT we can only find one.

They are adorable, so I decided to re-engineer some, in purple. Going at my pace they'll be done...someday. Grin.

I have also been working on other things...I finally finished that old orenburg swatch. It grew...I had wanted to mount it in a shadow box, but it's a foot wide. It'll make a nice dresser topper.

Originally I knitted this swatch as a teaching aide and to help in constructing my Lorelei scarf...but I fell in love with the pattern of this swatch so I decided to go ahead and make a tradition orenburg scarf--with a bit of estonia tossed in for flavour.

Of course I only just started, but hopefully it'll knit up fast.

ALL DONE!!!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Whew! After 4 hours of sleep I finally finished the last knitted Christmas present!!

Isn't he SO cute. He's also incredibly soft. Which is awesome on the finished product, but HELL on knitting hands and wrists. I used a worsted weight cotton, at a tight guage with lot's of k2togs and k3togs. Because I was on a time crunch there was no rest...I had to work thru the pain. Yes, knitting sometimes involves PAIN. Burning, throbbing P-A-I-N!

But he's so cute!! And yes I will make another one ALL_FOR_ME! Not sure if I'll try alpaca or cotton. ;-)

In any case, I am just knitting for ME now. Glorious lace knitting, no throbbing, no burning.

Pattern: Smith by Ysolda.
Yarn: Blue Sky Cotton.
Needles: US size 5 and 7.
Alterations: none...I even used suggested yarn.

Kitteh Is Done and a How-To!

birdyprod@yahoo.com (Birdwell) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:14:00 +0000

One down one to go!

Lorelei is chomping at the bit for her own knitted stuffy (although sometimes she wants dolly clothes). I am thinking of making her the actual bunny.

As you know I altered the Sophie the Bunny pattern into a kitty, I thought it might be helpful to let y'all know how I made the cat ears, iffen you want to do the same. Grin.

Cat ears instructions.
pick up 16 sts as shown.
knit 2 rounds,
round 3: ssk, k4, k2tog, reapeat.
round 4: knit all
round 5: ssk, k2, k2tog, repeat.
round 6: knit all
round 7: ssk, k2tog, repeat
row 8: k2tog(2)
round 9: k2tog, then break yarn and thread yarn thru loop.

Repeat for the second ear. I also made a garter stitch scarf and boots.

I also included these same instructions on my Ravelry Project Page.

I already started knitting on the hedgehog and so far, LOT'S of fun.