Start-itis & Continu-itis

I had a major need to start new projects in the past few weeks.

A neckdown Cardigan from Knitting Pure & Simple. I'm using Tahki-StCharles Donegal Tweed. I named it Shrek the Irish Cardi. I began this cardi right before Bobbie returned from TNNA with the news that Diane Soucy of KP&S had released the Woman's version of the Child's Bolero. You can see both on the KP&S site. We're expecting the pattern this week. I promised myself I wouldn't cast on for it until Shrek was completed. And I'm trying not to pre-shop for yarn. It's hard though.

Right before Bobbie left, I heard about a new sock yarn concept by Paradise Fibers called "Flat Feet". And being a sock knitter Bobbie scouted out and found them at TNNA. We'll be receiving our shipment soon.

The yarn is pre-knit into a "blanket" (my description) or a "scarf" (Maureen's description after I said "it would make a nice scarf too" Maureen said "it's already a scarf"). You pull out a holding thread and the sock yarn unravels as you knit. It does not unravel on it's own, you do have to give it a gentle tug.



The result is a crinkled yarn (because after all you are frogging). And of course I had to cast-on. I swatched on US3's and it was much too lose for socks, but a nice fabric. Pulled out my 7" US1's & the extra 5" from my other 2 socks (see below) and cast on. The crinkled yarn seems to make this still a loose knit on 1's. I'll knit a few more inches and then block, as the directions indicate, to see what happens. So far the only downside I've found is that when I frogged I didn't have a ball to wind the yarn around until it was reknit.

So to get myself through the need to shop for yarn, I decided to join the Quant KAL held at Ewe Knits and lead by Donna yesterday. I used Crystal Palace Taos so pictures would look just like Knitty. Just imagine only 2 rows knit.

Now prior to casting on for Shrek, I had the need to knit lace and the Flared Lace Smoke Ring from HeartStrings called out from my stack of patterns. It also helped that someone pulled it out of the binders at Ewe Knits and left it on the table. So, armed with natural colored sock yarn, I cast on. It's a fun knit. A little tricky there at first, so many markers were utilized. But now I'm at the repeating of the final chart of 8 rows until it's as long as you want, so it's a nice tv project.

Speaking of TV, heard last night that Big Brother is starting in February! My favorite reality tv show! I could so be on it! Of course, I'd add to my contract that I'd have to bring my knitting.

There are other items on the needle and I have actually pulled them out and started to knit on them again.

Toe up socks. They were on Magic Loop but I just wasn't feeling it. So, off to double points. There's another sock at the same point. So just look at this twice.

And My Favorite Shawl in Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool .

So you're caught up. Of course this will change as the new yarns and patterns start to come into Ewe Knits. Did I tell you Bobbie has ordered all of the Elizabeth Zimmerman DVD's and books from Schoolhouse Press including the reprint Barbara Abbey's Lace book. I'm soooo in trouble.