Thermalgal’s Temperate Mumblings

Someone Needs to Stop Me!

I’ve been drooling over all the blog entries that have to do with this for a while now. It might have been since about September.

Anyhoo. I was just innocently surfing on eBay when I saw a knitting machine up with 8 hours left and no bids. So, I decided to bid on it. And guess what, I won! I got an EZ Knittr (which was the Wal-mart stripped down version of the Ultimate Sweater Machine sold at craft stores) for just under 40 bucks including shipping! I priced it out with sock blanks that you can buy from Nancy Roberts. And using the Knitpicks Color Your Own (which I have two of already), it will be worth it if I only do two four pairs of socks with this technique. I also have some homespun that I want use for this.

And the Mernio Style I bought from the Divine Ms. Em arrived yesterday! Now I just have to figure out what project is next. So far I have two votes for Liv and one for Eris.

Err…

I think I might have gotten a little carried away…

I was afraid I wouldn’t make my deadline so I knitted frantically over the weekend and this week. Well, I’m finished the body. I have to knit the big chicken that gets appliqued to the front, sew up the bottom hem and add a crochet edge. Knit edgings on the armholes and neck. And then duplicate stitch eyes, beaks, and feet onto the mini chicks. I have more than two weeks to do all that. I guess I don’t need to worry so much anymore.

Knit Knit Knit…

Maybe it is because it is spring and all the cute little sheepies are going to be sheared soon so I’m seeing lots of pretty rovings and yarns. Maybe it is because I finished the baby cardigan and I’m making great progress on the chicken dress (currently at about 87%). But what ever it is, all I want to do is spin and knit! My poor cross stitch projects are getting ignored again.

I just bought some Knitpick’s Merino Style from a blogger having a stash sale. And I decided to use it for Eris. That lead me to make a list of what projects I have kitted up and ready to go.

Liv in color Dawn Rose

Ribby Cardi in colors Lotus Blossom and Autumn Purple

Ribby Shell in color Orange Brandy

Zip Neck Pullover (for Scott) in Sisik in Navy and Aubergine (I think)

Eris Cardigan in Merino Style in color Moss

Oh and this doesn’t include the yarn for the 5 pairs of socks in my stash. But I only know what pattern I’m going to use for one of them.

Chicken Butt

When I first started dating DH every time I asked “What’s up?”, he would reply, “Chicken Butt.” I was just thinking about that as I was looking over the photo I took last night of the chicken dress. As of lunch today, I’m about 76% finished excluding the finishing (applique chicken, duplicate stitch on the mini chicks, and the crochet edgings).

My goal for the weekend was to get half done, I started today at 72% completed! So, since I was way ahead of schedule and my high speed flyer kit arrived on Friday, I decided to take some time and play with my new toy. My goal is to eventually be able to spin sport and lace weight yarns. With my Louet (with the old two ratio bobbins), I had to spin like a madwoman to get anything finer than bulky. So, I decided to take some of my tax return and get the high speed flyer kit. I just grabbed some unknown wool that someone gave me to try it out. I’m still not adding in enough twist, but I’m happy with my little 2-ply.

I’m insane!

Insane I tell you! I just realized that Easter is a week earlier than I was thinking. I have only three weeks to finish the chicken dress. This reminds me of my April from last year when I knit the Pi shawl for Sue in less than two months. Let the frantic knitting begin.

I think the baby shower went really well (with lots of great food!). Tara is part of our Thrusday stitching group at work so the other members all made things for her (well not all of them). Most of the items were crochet, mine was the only knit one. But I think it was a big hit. She definitely got lots of pink stuff.

Starting on Monday, there will be lots of chicken dress pictures. I wonder why Dalegarn doesn’t give names to all their designs. I have the pattern for their Hawaii sweater, but the chicken dress is #13907.