WIP's

School has been kicking my butt, but I have managed to fit SOME knitting in.



This is the Celtic Cable Scarf (PDF). In wonderful Cascade 220. At first I was using a cable needle, but then into the second repeat I decided to see if I could remember and successfully cable without a cable needle, and it's working great.



And here's a somewhat decent picture of the Orchid Lace Scarf. I took about 30 different pictures of it, and this is the one that turned out the best so far - anything with a flash at all causes the Sea Silk colors to look garish and you can't see the lace pattern.

So I've just been working on both of these. Tonight I might pick up a pair of socks that need the heel turned, and get that done.

And Socrates got his nails done!



No, that's not nail polish, that's Soft Paws. Putting them on was really simple - I thought he would get crazy like he does when I'm cutting his nails, but he just sat in my lap and watched me. You just put some of the cat-safe glue they give you in the tip, and slide it on. Socrates has been scratching up the boxspring and the corner of the couch - and he has outsmarted everything so far. We Saran-wrapped the boxspring, and pretty soon he would go UNDER the bed to scratch. For about the first 5 minutes he walked around like something was stuck to his feet - that was pretty funny. But he got used to them pretty fast, with just some licking. But they are all still there and secure, and he can't scratch anymore!

Can I just say...

That photographing Sea Silk is a bitch? And I have a dark colorway of Sea Silk for my Orchid Lace Scarf, so whenever I try to take a picture it flashes and make the colors look garish. Working with this yarn is interesting.. I like working with wool better, but gee, since I'm allergic, I don't have too much choice. This yarn has very little give, so you have to make sure to keep your stitches even. But it is working up very pretty! I plan to take it outside, or set up lighting so I don't have to use the flash.

I'm only about 2 repeats into the scarf.. knitting has been a little slow. My PMS symptoms decided to show up early, and since its the first period since my ovary removal.. it's been bad, since my estrogen is evening itself out. I've been eating Advil like it's M & M's. (If anyone is doing the math, yes, it's been over a month since the ovary removal.. but I'm on Seasonique, and I only have my cycle once every three months. :-) So I've been reading knitting blogs and going to class, and doing knitting here and there.

Today I planned to stop by Knit On!, my fav LYS, but when I stopped by the bank to cash a check, I realized it was Columbus day, and the banks were closed. So that'll be postponed until tomorrow. I want to knit the Celtic Cable Scarf (PDF) out of Cascade 220, in a nice fall color. Cascade 220 is my savior when it comes to wool.. it's a wool yarn I can make a scarf or a hat out of and actually wear without itching. I guess it's with the way it's made.. I did the "bra test" with a swatch, and it was too itchy, so I guess a sweater is out of the question. But having it for accessories is great, because it's nice and warm, and I do *a lot* of walking on campus this semester.

And since this is such a disjointed post, I'll leave you with one more thing..



My cat in a necktie.

I'm still here!

I'm still alive, I promise! I had a horrible sinus infection this week, but thanks to a Z-Pack I am getting back up on my feet. I love those things.

Not much knitting.. I am making some progress, slowly but surely, on my Orchid Lace Scarf. And yes, PinkPorcupine, I will have pictures soon. :-D

But I trimmed down the yarn winder a bit, and c'est fini:



You might notice there is no treadle. But looking at the picture, I do notice a cat in the corner :-p. I fiddled with the foot peddle for a while, and finally, just to try it out, I took the attachment I had made for the peddle off the yarn winder and turned it with my hand. That part looks like this:



I just turn it with this (kinda like a ballwinder), and I can get a thing of lace on there in 10 minutes. A whole heck of a lot faster than when I was doing it on the swift! A lot less manpower needed, too. It seems really sturdy. I used a rubber band and put a clip on the end of one of the arm thingies to hold the yarn as I get it started. Works really well, and it really speeds up the process. So I just decided not to mess with the treadle and go the simple route. And it works great!