I -still- remember

So, this is the nearly completed right half of Peggy's vest and the purse that got me started working on it. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get good measurements for the vest while the work is still on needles as short as I've chosen so I may well get done with this half and find that I have to start over. That's always the price paid for trying something new though so I'm pretty well prepared to deal with the possibility. Mostly I'm just happy that, even with the tightness of the knitting in the purse and the weight of the vest, my hands are still in working order. It's actually a big deal because it's very unusual for me to ba able to do so much work, and spend so much time on the computer, without having to take a lot of down time due to pain in my hands and wrists.

Mah computer's sick!

Or maybe it's a cable. Anyway, it's not talking to the internet right now and had to go to the shop since I wouldn't even know where to start on fixing it. That means I'm writing this on the kids' computer and can't get the picture of my latest finished project from Flickr to Blogger. It's a knitted lace scarf of handspun wool/silk fiber in a couple shades of green. I made it as a "thank-you" for the mother of a classmate of Littlest Kidlet who has been bringing the elementary kids home when it was so cold. This was particularly kind since it involves going a little out of her way each time and I wanted to give her something nice to show my appreciation.

Aaand they're off

In the mail that is. Mom's gift, Peggy's gift, Judy's gift, and the other copy of my will and trust documents that are going to my sister and her husband so that some adult knows what to do if something happens to me. Oh, and the thank-you cards did go in the packages as well since that way I didn't have to pay for the seperate stamps. In case anyone's forgotten what the presents look like, and because I'm trying to raise internet awareness of my projects, here's a repeat of the pictures. No pictures of the documents though, that would be boring.

Minor projects

These are the projects I've been working on around the larger projects so far this year. They are all "purse tidies" made with various techniques. Top left-to-right is an entrelac business card holder made with two types of handspun, a self-striping bag for brush and comb, and bottom left is a notebook sleeve in a slip-stitch twill pattern. The first two are finished and the last needs only the final repeat completed and the end sewn.

Done again

I was able to finish Judy's scarf today. Staying up until 2:00 a.m. this morning working on it certainly gave me a jump-start. I ended up using a lacy entrelac/modular square pattern that was a combination of my various failed attempts at Peggy's scarf and a pattern from an entrelac book I ordered from Amazon after Christmas. I thought I might need to block this one but it seems open enough, as well as large enough, and the crochet edge seems to hold the shape well. I also don't know if it would be dry in time to mail on Monday with everyone else's items if I were to block it now.

The kids just recently finished their "thank you" cards for Christmas and I'm thinking about just adding them into the various packages instead of stamping them individually. The people getting packages represent 3/5ths of the people getting thank you cards so it certainly seems more efficient to send the cards with the knitting. My only concern is if it would seem rude.

Next up is a side-to-side knitted vest for Peggy based, loosely, on a pattern from Knit Kimono . I've never done a sideways garment before so this will be interesting. Particularly since pretty much everything about the pattern but the general shape has been changed. I need to call and get measurements before I start because I have the feeling that a couple of swatches are going to be needed. Fortunately, the vest isn't a tailored fit but it still needs the length and width to be pretty close to right if it's going to be comfortable to wear.

Yes

The answer to yesterday's questions is "yes". Yes, it does work to use the second end of each yarn ball even with three yarns. Yes, it also makes a tangle pretty quick. Yes, a couple of rum and colas, though light on the rum, certainly don't hurt when getting up the nerve to start and yes, I did have to take out a couple of rows due to mistakes but at least there was progress.

That word that means "putting off a task"

Procrastination. I knew I'd think of it if I got started.

Anyway, the handspun vest I made for mom for Christmas didn't fit. She tried really hard to convince herself and me that it did but before long it became clear I'd need to start again. I'm using the same basic design as for the first but have changed the stitch pattern slightly as well as adding a third yarn to the row repeats.

I worked very hard to from the starting point of the vest to the place where I have to break all the yarns and start on the other shoulder, maybe a third of the entire vest finished. It has now been at least two weeks since I worked on it at all and I'm trying to think of a way to get myself moving again. I'm considering using the second end of each yarnball instead of cutting the yarn, which I think is the cause of my reluctance, but with three different yarns that may well create an incredibly tangled mess.

I wonder if a couple of rum and colas would help me get over my inhibitions or just create a self fulfilling prophesy.