a need of inspiration

I got put on call today (at my request) because of a flippin headache. I'm trying to get some things done around the house despite the fact that the headache refuses to leave. I've thought about planting my backside on the couch with some knitting in hand, but the baby sweater I am currently working on just isn't doing it for me. I originally started out with a Debbie Bliss ribbed yoke pattern and that sweater was just way too huge. So I tweaked the numbers and decided that instead of a stockinette stitch I would do a reinforced heel stitch to jazz it up a bit. Well, I got to the yoke part and just didn't like the way that the yoked rib was looking with the reinforced heel stitch so I frogged it. Then I decided to go with a cabled fabric look. I like the cabled fabric but not with the heel stitch. *sigh*. So I am currently thinking of frogging it and doing the whole thing in the cabled fabric but I just haven't brought myself to frog almost the entire front of the sweater yet. I've got some seaming to do on a sweater so I may do that instead. I hate when I'm not feeling the groove of a project!

the pink sweater

Finished a baby sweater for a pregnant coworker over the weekend and got it to her just in time for her shower. The sweater is based on the Helena pattern from knitty.com. I changed up the bottom of the sweater, though, and used the ribble pattern from the Socks, Socks, Socks book. I loved the yarn...... Sheep Number 3. I've used the yarn before for some socks so I knew I wanted to do the sweater in the same yarn. Its such a soft pink.
Now I'm working on finishing another pair of socks, working on my Malabrigo sweater, and the sweater I'm knitting for Nathan. And just to add some more fun to all of that, I'm making a swifter cover from the Mason Dixon knitting book.

while I've been whiling away the time.

Four weeks ago I had knee surgery so I've been out from work since then. I didn't feel much like knitting the first couple of weeks as I had to endure pain and physical therapy. The upside to this is they gave me some good pain meds so it made up for it. I HAVE managed to get some knitting done lately, though. I am working on a baby sweater for a coworker, some socks, and a couple of sweaters. The sweater piece in the picture is the front of a sweater I'm knitting for my youngest son. I've got one sock done and about 10% of the second sock. The yarn is from my good friend the Knitwitch. Its a worsted weight and I do believe the colorway is Sagittarius. She'll have to correct me if I'm wrong. It has a really nice feel knitting with it. The pattern is Red Dwarf by turtlegirl. I've never been much of a toe-up sock knitter, but this is a fun pattern. Also, after a much anticipated wait, my LYS Sugarfoot special ordered me some Pagewood Farms sock yarn Glacier Bay in the colorway Crayon. I am loving working with this yarn and highly recommend it if you can get your hands on some!
I go back to work in about a week and a half so we'll see how that goes. Besides the physical therapy I 've been trying to take some walks around the neighborhood to build up my endurance in anticipation of my 12 hour shifts I'll be going back to!
Also posted is a picture of my cat Zooey surfing facebook.

Harry Potter

I went for my second viewing of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince today. I saw it on opening day with my husband (who bears a striking resemblance to Dumbledore), Ramone (aka calicoknits), and another friend who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent. I had promised my boys I would take them to see it so that's what we did today.
Now, we're just kinda chilling out and I'm about to work on my February Lady sweater some. I'm doing it in Malabrigo in Olive that I got from Sugarfoot Yarn in PTC. Its super soft and goes well with my reddish hair.
I imagine I'll see HP again before the weekend is out. My stepdaughter is out of town right now and she'll want to see it when she gets back in town as well.

summer knitting

While on vacation, I managed to finish a baby sweater for a friend of mine who just had a baby. I had started completely different sweater and one sleeve to go when I totally misplaced the yarn I needed to finish it. I grabbed some Rowan Calmer out of my stash and took it with me to do a "do over" while we were on vacation. I did the Elizabeth Zimmerman baby sweater on two needles. The pattern February Lady is inspired from it. I had been wanting to knit February Lady and figured this was a good way to give it a test run. After completing the baby sweater, I went to Sugarfoot Yarns and scored some malabrigo in olive to knit my own February Lady. I'm still on the garter stitch yoke right now.
On another note, I've got some pictures of the mailbox I painted for my husband for father's day.

little cable chemo cap

I had a request for the chemo hat that I designed, so I'm posting it in the blog for all who are interested. Its a rainy day here and I'm trying to get motivated to get some domestic chores done.
Project info

Tags

Needle and yarn

Needle

US 10 / 6.0 mm

US 8 / 5.0 mm

Yarn

Bernat Softee Chunky Solids & Marls

How much?

1 skeins = 164.0 yards (150.0m)

Colorway

Color family

Brown

Purchased at

michael's

Yarn

Bernat Softee Chunky Solids & Marls

How much?

1 skeins = 164.0 yards (150.0m)

Colorway

Color family

Natural/Undyed

Notes

I whipped this up for the Yarn Harlot appearance at Knitch here in Atlanta. Since I don’t have a website, I posted the pattern for it here and also on my blog for anybody who wants a quick knit chemo cap for whatever reason. I modified the little cable fabric pattern from the 365 knitting stiches a year calendar.

Little cable fabric chemo cap
1 skein Bernat softee chunky beige
1 skein Bernat softee chunky cream
Size 8 circular needle 16 inch
Size 10 circular needle 16 inch

little cable pattern: (this has been modified from the 365 knitting stitches a year calendar)
rows 1 : slip1,k3; repeat from to end
rows 2 :* slip 1, k3; repeat from* to end
rows 3 :* cable 3 left, k1; repeat from* to end row
rows 4 &12: knit
rows 5 : slip 1, k3, sl1, k3; repeat from to end
rows 6 :* slip 1, k3; repeat from* to end
rows 7 &15: slip 1, k1, C3R, k1; repeat to last 2 stitches, C3R (this will involve using the 1stitch of the next round. Do not move placement of stitch marker. Start row 8 and 16 with 2nd stitch of round)
rows 8&16: knit
row 9 & 10: k2,sl 1, k3; repeat from to last stitch, sl 1
row 11: k2, C3L, k1; repeat from around (include 1st stitch of next round in C3L)
row 13 & 14: k2, slip 1, k3: repeat from to last 2 stitches, sl1, k1

cable 3 left: place next stitch on cable needle and hold to front, k2, k stitch from cable needle
cable 3 right: place next 2 stitches on cable needle and hold to back, knit next stitch, knit 2 stitches from cable needle

Directions:
cast on with beige color and size 8 needle 72 stitches. Join.

work k3, p3 in rounds for 2 inches in bernat softee chunky in beige. Knit one row.

change to bernat chunky softee in cream and knit one row

Change to size 10 needles and Follow little cable pattern for 16 rows .

Knit one row around

change to bernat softee chunky in beige with size 8 needle and k3, p3 in the round for 2 rows

next row: k2tog, k1, p3; repeat to end of round
next row: k2, p3; repeat to end of round
next row: k2, p2tog, p1; repeat to end of round
next row: k2, p2
next row: k2tog, p2; repeat to end of round
next row: k1, p2
next row: k1, p2tog; repeat to end of round
next row: k1, p1
next row: k2 tog; repeat to end of round
take long tail and run through remaining stitches twice. Pull tight and weave in ends.

Where NOT to be at 9pm

Last night as I was driving home, my car (that is also home to my many opinionated bumper stickers) started slowing down and I was cruising on I-20W. Now, I do have rather short legs and sometimes it takes an extra effort to extend my leg to the gas to keep my speed up, but the car was slowing down no matter what I was doing to the gas. I put my hazards on and started to pull over to the side of the road. The engine light came on. And despite my best efforts to try to drive slowly to the next exit...my car came to a dead halt. I had to call my husband and he came to retrieve me right away but it was a long wait as we live in Peachtree City and that's about an hour from where I work. It was cold. I was tired. And I have to say that the whizzing by of semi trucks by the side of my car resulted in quite a vibration of me and the car. It was rather scary. But my husband did come and rescue me. The car did not start so we had to leave the poor little thing where she was and come home and call a tow truck. Luckily we have a van and another older car that my husband drives so I'll be able to get to work to do some paperwork today and then go get my kiddos. However, I'm still trying to figure out what my cosmic lesson is in all this. I'll let you know if I get an answer.