Thermalgal’s Temperate Mumblings

Can you believe it?

I have another knitting finish! I finished my very very first sweater (okay the first human sized one since my first sweater was for a teddy bear). I’m really happy with how it came out. I’ve heard horror stories about first sweaters turning out too big, too small, lopsided, and just awful. The only issue with mine is that the sleeves are too long. I had an issue with the neck line after seaming, but when I weaved in the ends, it solved most of that. I just went back and reinforced it in some spots and it turned out great! Don’t you agree?

And the details:

Pattern is Gatsby Pullover by Kristin Spurkland from Spring 2003 issue of Interweave Knits. I substitued Brown Sheep’s Lambs Pride Superwash Bulky in Purple Haze for the Classic Elite Gatsby.

Ending the year with Finishes

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Lots of great gifts were exchanged over in the Campbell (and Curran and Garrison and Becker and Keyes) households. I managed to finish the second sock with half an hour to spare. Well, actually I had more time than that, but I finished it up at 11:30 pm Friday night. My mom’s camera has the photos of my aunt wearing the socks and also photos of my sister and her booga bag. As soon as I get them, I’ll put them up. But until them…

I also finished up the booga bag for my niece which I stuffed with knitting needles, yarn, and a booklet to teach her how to knit.

This week, I decided that I will focus on finishing up some knitting projects before returning to my cross stitch rotation (with only Sunday’s for knitting). I managed to finish up DH’s scarf…

And a hat which we bought the pattern and yarn for at AC Moore on Monday.

And for the details:

Socks - Lion Brand Magic Stripes in Blue and Brown using the basic sock pattern on the label
Booga bags - Black Sheep Bags pattern using Noro Kureyon in colors Earth (for sister’s) and Lipstick (for niece’s).
Scarf - Basketweave using Schachenmayr Alpacana Tweed in jeans tweed.
Hat - Fiber Trends Everyone’s Favorite Hat & Scarf in Gedifra Fashion Trend Color 4512 (brown).

Sock progress…

I’m about half way down the calf of the sock. Not bad considering I started yesterday with just two rows of ribbing finished (of 10). I think I might actually finish this before Saturday.

I’m not sure often I’ll be updating my blog over the next week. DH and I are taking next week off. We don’t have any plans so I guess we’ll just hang out around home. Wait, I do have plans, the house inspection is next week. And on Wednedsay DH’s Tai Chi instructor is having a traditional tea party (Chinese tradition not English).

The Christmas presents have started. So far I’ve gotten great stitching/knitting gifts. I’ll take some pictures someday to post what I got. I do have a picture of the floss box that I made for a friend. I bought two FIRA boxes from IKEA, painted them white, and stenciled a castle on one of them.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Fasted Growing County in the US…

Is where I live (lucky me). I’ve heard this on the radio, but you know I think everyone says that. But I looked it up on the US Census Bureau’s website, and it is actually true!

And another random tidbit… one of my least favorite words is “deserve”. There are a couple of uses that I don’t mind, “She deserves a raise,” and things like that. But most of the time in today’s society it is used more along the lines of, “Give it to me because I deserve it.”

Last night, DH and I watched “Return of the Jedi” among a pile of ewoks. Some are fairly new purchases from ebay (two years ago) but one is from DH’s childhood. The little baby ewoks in the movie were soo cute!

One down, one to go!

I took a picture of my very first sock this morning. Now all I have to do is find the time to finish the second one! I’m hoping that I’ll get a lot finished on Friday since I’m off. All I have left to do for Christmas presents is to finish the second sock and make the i-cord handle for my niece’s booga bag.

Lion Brand’s Magic Stripe using the basic sock pattern on the label.