Stubborn Knitting

Do you ever knit and knit and knit knowing your going to rip?  It happens to me quite often, and can be very frustrating.  What I mean is, I'll be making something and along the way I'll see one of those annoying defects in how a stitch looks or how the yarn I'm knitting with doesn't sit right on the fabric, either it looks splitty, looks loose, or just plain sticks out like a sore thumb to me. 

Usually these things are only noticeable to me, as all items knitters make are personal to that knitter, and I know I'm not alone, all knitters have their own opinion about what they make and can easily point something out they would change if they could. 

Well I do that alot, and I have not qualms about ripping back inches of hard work or even frogging all together to start over.  I'll do, and I do it quite often, not because I mess a pattern up but because I'm just plain picky about my work.  No I'm not some knitting genius, just a perfectionist, my perfection, not others' perfection.  My perfection is personal to me and where I'm going with this is, that "my perfection" can usually get me into trouble or cause alot of wasted knitting time.  Well one project which sparked this vent, is the Homin shawl.  Take a look at the latest WIP photo for it.

Can you see anything wrong with this lace edging?  The pattern is written with lace edging first, then you pick up stitches to continue the body portion of the shawl.  Now, somewhere along the way, in the first lace edging pattern repeat, I miscounted the row I was one and voila, I no longer have a straight edge.  Now I noticed something was askew about halfway done with the 2nd lace edging repeat but that whole "my perfection" thing got in the way.  Sometimes even though I know that something's wrong and it's not something small but rather significant to the overall pattern, I'll be my most worst enemy, flat out, stubborn.  I'll fight myself and become reluctant to rip or frog, whichever is needed.  So I fought myself on this one.  Literally getting 5 full lace edging repeats into it before finally stepping back and saying, yes, it's time to give and admit the problem.  So after all that knitting and time spent, I'll be frogging and casting on again.  You better believe I'll pay attention to the row next round.  

My vent done.  Why don't I share some other more relaxing projects.

A newbie fresh on the needles.

Picked this yarn up this past weekend at work, it is Zealana Kiwi lace, new at the LYS.  Lovely lace, and it's 40% New Zealand Possum!  Not the freaky American Possum's we have, but New Zealand Possum.  This was one of our featured yarns at this past weekend's Pennisula Shop Hop.  I casted on a simple narrow lace scarf, great for summer wear.

Again I picked up the Cotton Candy Lace Hearts blanket. Started another block, I'm guessing I'll do 5 or 6 block rows before binding off.  I'm still amazed at how soft this yarn is, simply silky.

And the WIP of choice right now, mainly because I want it done so I can wear it, is the Vita Cardi.  I'm finishing up one arm, and then I have one more arm left, a collar, blocking, seaming, and finishing.  Not too far from the finish line but getting there.  

That's it for WIP Wednesday.  Let's see if there's an FO post coming soon.  Happy Wednesday!

And knits move on

My knitting over the past few months has been rather erratic, I'm all over the board with mini-knits to large full on sweater knits.  Not that I'm complaining, I do love the variety in the knits, and crochets lately but sometimes I sit back and really want to focus on more fulfulling knitting. 

At this point in my knitting reportoire I've grown to really enjoy the satisfaction of edgy, elegant, intricate, creative patterns.  So what gets in the way of me knitting all that my heart desires? 

My Harry Potter escapades!  Yes, I'm a HP fan, along with being a Twilight fan.  There's a fantastic group on Rav that is HP themed and there's actually classes per month turning in knitting and crocheting items.  It's rather fun actually, but it can actually be pretty busy as well.  So here are a few gallery pictures of FO's from January and February.

In other areas I did finish the lovely Rosamund Cardi for Pico Accuardi Dyeworks at Stitches West 2011

This is the last picture I took of Rosamund (this is knit in Guiseppe "thick/thin" yarn from PAD), I should be getting a complete picture soon, but it turned out gorgeous!

I also started a new Acorns sweater, using lovely  PAD yarn in Negro con Rojo, it's absolutely lovely!

Now onto Solstice Slip socks, I was actually done with these babies but frogged because I felt they were too long.  So now I'll pick this up again to make the right length.  The heel was literally about 1.5 or 2 inches of extra length of the foot, vastly threw off my length!

I'll also be starting these cute Arista Gauntlets, another great one from PAD

And finally I've started a new Cotton Candy Hearts Blankie, using Cotton Candy yarn.  It's all eco and all soft cotton.  Feels so silky and soft knit up.  I believe this will be a present for one of my nieces, definitely not for me!

Phew! Ok see you Wednesday!  Time to get back on track with all my duties, I do believe time has been off lately. 

Happy Monday!