Nicole the Knitting Goddess

The Yarn List

My birthday is coming up (about a month).   Since I like Michael to be prepared I always have a wists going but I also give him a list of yarn weights and yardages for projects that I would like to do.  I know that he finds lots of yarn to give me but is confused about how much yardage I would need.

So love, here's your list!

The list is comprised of lace, fingering, dk, worsted, bulky and super bulky items.   I try to list 3 projects per weight with varying yardage.   This year I've chosen:

Laceweight Category

Flit 'n Float.  437 yards.

Garden Party.  900 yards.

Anything from Strickwear.com

Fingering weight Category

400 yds of anything will make me a pair of socks!

Shetland Shorty.   490 yards.

Bottoms Up.   916 yards.

DK weight Category

 

Susie's Reading Mitts.   218 yds.

 

I do.   845 yards.   Cotton preferred.

 

Cable-Down Raglan.   1200 yds.

Worsted weight Category

1 skein of anything 100% cotton will make me a dishcloth.

 

Krista.  550 yards.

 

Green Gable.   700 yards.

 

Hourglass.   1200 yards.

Bulky weight Category

 

Anthropologie Capelet.   300 yards.

 

Cache Coeur Bergamo.   726 yards.

 

Corsica.  950 yards.

Super Bulky weight Category

 

Really Warm Hat.  83 yards.

 

Green Cable Capelet.  123 yards.

 

Lacy Chunky Throw.  498 yards.

Works In Progress

I decided to go with a simple title for today's post.   I'm all about embracing the simple this week.

Work has been ridiculous.   Last week the company laid off approximatly 160 people.   They recalled most of those layoffs and now almost everyone is back at work.   So now no one is secure and no one feels safe.   I've been working my tush off trying my best to be indispensable.   I think it's worked because customer sent a note to my management saying "Thank goodness we have Nicole".   Damn skippy.

Tomorrow we'll be painting our guest bedroom.  Oh let's be honest.   Michael will be painting our guest room.   I'm a horrible painter.  I want to go with Marigold from Sherwin Williams.

 

And we're purchasing the MALM line from Ikea.  My future SIL and BIL have the same set as does my neighbor friend Josh.

  

The bed linens will be my beige pineapple quilt.   The room colors are dark brown, marigold, and beige.  However I did purchase a silver ceiling lamp so I think that the hardware will be silver.  I kind of wonder if that looks funny...

The complete room transformation will have to wait awhile (drapes, wall stuff, new bookcases).   We have a wedding going on!

Now... finally... for my knitting WIPs.

Hmm... it looks like my camera sensor needs cleaning.   Ms. Marigold does not look very pretty in this picture.   Her ends are all exposed and her neckline is all unfinished.  I'm almost finished with the body and then I can move onto the neckline and the ruffled sleeves.

 

This is a the first sock in a pair of Globetrotters that I'm knitting for Michael.   Maybe I'll get them done in time for Easter!   Probably not.   We don't celebrate Easter anyways.   I mean, we go to our family's for dinner but we're not celebrating the reason for the holiday or anything.   We do still stuff each other's baskets.   That sounds dirty...

This is my Bamboozled headband made from a leftover skein of Knitpicks Andean Silk from my Something Chocolate.  The pattern is pretty cool but I constantly need the chart.   It requires some attention.

Hopefully soon I'll be showing you our new guest room.   And maybe Totally Autumn will make a surprise appearance!

FO Friday: Swallowtail Shawl

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark

Yarn: Zaol Olive, 2 skeins

Photo Shoot Location: DCL Magic Deck 10 Forward

I knit this shawl with the intention of keeping my shoulders warm during my wedding.   I may wear it and I may not.

The pattern was easy to read although I need to work on my nupps.   They are loose.   The blocking instructions were very specific but I don't think I did a great job on that either.   I need more practice.

The yarn is awesome.  I picked it up at our LYS and she hasn't gotten more in but I've asked for it.   The fiber is tencel and the weight is fingering.  It has a slight sheen without being overly shiny.  It has great drape.

I'm glad that I choose this yarn for this pattern.  The shawl is very light but provides nice coverage.  I just wish I had better lace shawl skills!

WIP Wednesday: I'm Too Tired for a Catchy Title

But I'm happy.   Because I am still employed!   Woohoo!   My division just went through a reorganization and we are on our 2nd round of layoffs.   I do believe there is a 3rd round to come but no one has confirmed it.   Therefore I have been working my tushy off and trying to be a model employee.  I think it may be working.

I have been switching between calligraphy and knitting at night to keep my stress down.   I've still got quite a few envelopes to go for our Save-the-Dates but the end is in sight.  They have totally taken over our dining room table.

I've also been looking online at DIY home decor.   We will be making this room into a guest room later this month.   I'm thinking on warm gold walls and dark brown furniture.  We've already gotten some lighting from Ikea!

This week I've been working soley on Totally Autumn.   I just completed it this afternoon!  It's already a good length (5 ft)  I can't wait to see what it looks like blocked out.

FO Friday: Vanilla Gelato Socks

Pattern: Two at Once, Toe-Up Magic Loop Socks by Knitpicks

Yarn: Knitpicks Felici in Gelato.   This colorway is on sale now because they've stopping making it so if you want it, go get it!   You can get a pair of striped socks for $8!  Their new colors are pretty cool.   I'll probably be ordering some of the Putty colorway for Michael.

 

Photo Location: Disney Cruise Line Magic.   Deck 4, Port side.

I know what you're thinking.   "Does she only knit with Knitpicks yarn?".   Just about.  I haven't found anything better for the price that they offer.   And I almost always buy enough for free shipping.  They've got great selection as well and I like their colors.

As the pattern title suggests, I knit both of these socks at the same time on a long circular needle from the toe-up.  It was a nifty way to knit socks and I'm glad that I learned the skill.  I still have some ladders near the heels but they're not huge.

If I were to knit these socks over again I would skip the part in the pattern that tells you to narrow the stitches for the heel.   The socks are snug around my ankles.  Also I wouldn't have knit them so tall.   As tempting as it is to use up all of my sock yarn I do not like the end result.

The pattern is very detailed which is something that I need.  And I would feel comfortable modifying another sock pattern to be two-at-a-time, toe-up now.

Overall I am very happy with them.  I always wanted to find a price reasonable self-striping yarn (I don't like Regia) and Knitpicks Felici fits the bill.

WIP Wednesday: It's Been Awhile

So I've been gone for about 2 weeks.    What have I been doing?   Well, not much knitting.

But a lot of wedding planning.

And a lot of vacationing.

And some pampering.

And even some rock band.

I managed to squeeze in two new knitting projects but I haven't really worked on my existing Ms. Marigold and Totally Autumn.   I really need to get crackin' on the Totally Autumn.   My future sister-in-law is moving on March 20th and I'd like to give it to her soon after that.

I cast on and finished a baby kimono from Interweave Knits Spring 2005.  I used leftover Knitpicks Shine Sport from my Picovoli.

It still needs a white ribbon and a cute white dress to go with it and then it's being shipped off to my best friend from middle school.

I also finished up my UCF scarf.   It's fun and skinny and furry and festive.

I plan on busting my butt to get the Totally Autumn finished in time.   Then I may start another white shawl to see if I would like it for my wedding.  I want to use some Tilli Tomas with sequins to give it a bit of sparkle.