Sunny Skies

It's beautiful here in LA today with sunny blue skies.  One of the many reasons I live here.   And I am very much in TGIF mode.  I have just been off this week.  Unable to concentrate on work or get anything substantial done.  So I surfed a bit too much Ravelry and Facebook. 

Add that to the fact that something is up with my left arm.  I have started to get numbness and tingling in it all the way done and including my hand.  I get twinges when I am knitting, when I grab things or just at random.  It's not consistent but it is troublesome none the less.  I have done the requisite web search and it could be a few things including carpal tunnel.  Luckily, I already have a check-up scheduled for next week so I will be sure to bring it up then.  But I really hope it's not the knitting.  Otherwise, I might have to stop creating cool shit like this.

EZ Baby Surprise
Pattern: From Elizabeth Zimmermann
Yarn: Misc Kool-Aid Dyed Wool
Needle: Size 5
Knit: March 13 - 24, 2008
Notes:  Wow!  The construction of this was amazing.  I could not believe the blob was going to become a cardigan but I kept the faith and followed the instructions.  And I could not be more pleased.  Since I was really knitting this for the process, I didn't bother with gauge.  Or buying yarn.  I just went stash diving and came up with ball of generic wool I dyed with kool-aid almost 5 years ago. What a blast from the past!  Then when I ran out of that, I dug some random orange before heading back to a different kool-aid skein to do the button bands.  And the buttons were culled from my vase of buttons.  All in all I think it looks pretty cool.  It was a bit crunchy being vintage wool and kool-aid dyed to boot but I soaked it with some Euclan for a while and it softened up but it's still definitely cold winter wear.  I'll have to save it for a winter New England baby.

Started a new project - a lace scarf.  Actually I started it 5-different times.  This project evolved from a desire to use up some of leftover lace yarn.  I have a pink and a natural.   My design process went something like this.

Decdied to knit with both held together.  Crocheted something.  Didn't like.  Ripped.  Searched Ravelry.  Found a pattern.  Cast-on and did a full repeat.  Didn't like.  Ripped.  Tried it with just the natural.  Still didn't like.  Ripped again.  Searched Ravelry again.  Found two possible patterns, one knit & one crochet.  Cast-on.  Knit.  Rip.  Repeat but with crochet.  Then I started scouring my stitch dictionaries.  Found a lace pattern I liked.  Cast-on.  Liked!  Translated the written directions into a chart.  Knit merrily for 5 repeats (or 60 rows).  Realized I had made a mistake on my chart.  Ripped back and started again.

Now I have about 9-inches done.  It's competing with my Ugly Blanket for TV knitting.  I did a little stash organization last week and found a few oddballs that were too cheap/ugly/weird to sell or even donate.  Into the Ugly Blanket pile they went to add some new stripes.  I finished the first strip (15" x 90") and have started on the next one.  I love how its coming out and the fact that I am using up scraps and random balls.  When it's finally done (probably another year) I will probably have it forever as its got quite a bit of apocalypse proof acrylic in it. Pictures of both soon.

And on the commute and in the random meeting, it's my Blueberry Socks.  I am sooooo loving the Magic Loop method.  It's easy and the lack of less dangly needles is a definite plus. I have no idea why I haven't tried it before now.  And the Trekking is nice too, especially the colors. 

Tomorrow night I am gussying myself up and heading over to the Beverly Hilton as a stand-in for Jon.  He's up for a magic award (the one he won last year) but since he's out of town working(woo-hoo, house to myself!), he gave his complimentary tickets to me.  I'm taking my bff.  We'll be the two hot single gals hitting on the C-List celebs. And if he wins again, I get to bring the wand home.  No speech though.  He got another pal to agree to accept it with some witty words on his behalf and that's a good thing!