Finished Halters and More Green

Pattern: Katja from Knitty
Yarn: Elann Denim and Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Dates: 5/25/06 – 5/30/06 (2 tops made in this time)

Notes: Once I found my size 7 circs these were a breeze. As I mentioned the other day, they are for my friends twins who are turning one in June. Except for 1 or 2 ends that I still have to weave in they’re done. As with the red top, I added the white picot edging to the bottom of the halter. I’m still not sure if I’ll hit the denim one with a bleach pen. I tend to think not because I kind of like it as is. I’ll go out this weekend and get hats to go with them – perhaps a white eyelet one and a denim one.

The pattern is very clear and works well with one troubling exception. When you start the body, it says to cast on more stitches and knit them before knitting the cups. After knitting the cups you cast on yet more stitches and then continue the body either in the round or back and forth. Can you see where the problem is? The first cast on stitches are knit an extra row so that there is weirdness in the back of the top. On one half of the tops back is one row longer than the other. You may be able to see that in the comparison picture here – then again, you may not. Take my word for it – it’s wonky. On the denim top I fixed this by not knitting the first set of cast on stitches before adding the cups. It worked just fine. I suppose that another solution would be to cast on all of the additional stitches at once and knit them before adding the cups. This way the seam or beginning of the round would be on the side and all the rows accross the back would be the same. Does this make sense? I hope so.

Today is the end of May and the end of Project Spectrum’s month of green. I really love green. It’s fresh and soothing all at once. I put together a quick little collage of a few of my favorite green things. If you want to know more, click on it and check my description.

This last picture is of a plant that has a little sentimental meaning to me. She doesn’t look so great right now but this ficus tree is beautiful to me. I bought it about 13 years ago when I was still living in New York. It was no more than a twig in a pot then with a half dozen leaves. We lived way to close to a nursery at the time and many plants followed me home so when Bruce saw this one sitting on top of the television he was not thrilled. He made fun of it and how pathetic it looked. I told him that one day it would be a tree and he just couldn’t believe it. Since then it’s survived 4 or 5 moves and rampant neglect and today it’s taller than I am. It sits in a corner of my kitchen and serves as a constant source of wonder and amazement.

Sun & Stuff

Most years, the Memorial Day weekend is way to cold and/or rainy for the pool and I spend the majority of my time trying to reason with two little fish who’d like to go for a swim despite the weather. This year was, happily, the exception and we enjoyed a weekend filled with this:

That's Stinkerbelle jumping into the pool. Unfortunately Lindsey didn’t enjoy it as much as the rest of us because she was busy trying to keep her cast dry. Poor kid! She spent most of the time reading at our table by the side of the pool. I got some reading done too. I started Madame Bovary (still catching up with the classics) and I read most of the Harlot’s Knitting Rules. I could not put KR down. I love it!

All the time spent at the pool was excellent for my knitting. I finished this on Sunday and the second one is about a dozen rows away from completion. I stuck to the pattern pretty faithfully except for the addition of the white picot edging on the bottom. I just thought it needed a little extra something. I’m really happy with it. I’ll do a complete wrap up when I finish the second one.

Sadly we’re back to work today and I’m paying the price for my stellar weekend in the form of a nasty sunburn. I did apply sunscreen – I just didn’t do it well. So aside from being burnt, I’m also blotchy. Yuck!


KAL Prep

I’m participating in the Amazing Lace and Trek Along With Me KAL’s and I had last minute stuff to do for both of them. First, my Trekking XXL arrived on Friday. I bought color #108 and #105. I really like both of them and I’ll have to find great patterns for each. That’s no problem because I have a huge notebook at home full of patterns I want to try. I just need to settle on one for each.

My Amazing Lace prep was a little more difficult and became still more difficult last night. I had chosen a team mate (M.M. Cozy) and a back up (Lily Louet) but then the yarn for another project in the queue was finished (more about that another day). What to do, what to do! I’m gonna stick with M.M. Cozy as my teammate and allow Lily Louet and the newcomer to battle for the alternate spot.

This is my teammate for the Amazing Lace, M.M.Cozy. Here you see her resting against a tree but don’t be deceived – she’s no slacker. There’s a mental toughness and determination about M.M Cozy that will get her through anything. Her colors are spicy but she’s got a soft side too. This is the lace to comfort you in the hard times and kick you in the ass when necessary too.

I know this is a bad idea but I’m not sure why.

This was my husband’s response 2 years ago when I called and asked him if I should adopt a turtle. Clearly that translated to yes, please bring her home with you. Now, 2 years older and wiser, I know exactly why it was a bad idea. Turtles can be a little expensive to maintain. We’ve bought 2 tanks, a tank stand, very expensive Congo wood that didn’t work out, lights, timers, filters and countless other things to make her happy and healthy. Today Frankie lives in a 75 gallon tank in our living room and we love her. She has survived the longest of any pet we’ve ever had and, since she’s only 6 or 7 years old, she has a long life ahead of her.

Our Frankie is a red eared slider and she’s not as pretty as some turtles you may see because she was a rescue. Two years ago Stinkerbelle claimed to want a turtle (you can see where this is going) and, after many inquiries to pet stores we were surprised to find out that there were many turtles living across the street from my grandparents in Queens, NY.

So, while visiting my Grandparents I went to see the turtles and they offered me Frankie. I was assured that they were low maintenance (yeah right!) and told that our dear Frank-uh-la had been rescued from an elementary school classroom where she was kept without proper lighting etc. This is why her shell is bumpy. When I took my crazy, cranky, Stink to see the new pet she literally ran screaming from the house. I kid you not! Never-the-less, we took Frankie home and have found, much to our surprise, that we’re turtle people. She’s very entertaining when she wants to be.

Ready for a little knitting content? It’s not what you’re expecting. It’s not green or blue or purple and definitely not a sock. I saw this Knitty Surprise posted yesterday and instantly started a mental stash inventory. Some close friends have twin girls who are turning one in a few weeks and they’d look so cute in little halter tops. I had planned to make them sweaters when they were born but I was cursed with indecisive yarn that couldn’t figure out what it wanted to be. (the yarn still resides in the stash) These halters, like the girls who will wear them, will be fraternal and made from yarn I found in the stash. How cool is that?! Both will be white on top (the cups) but the bottom of one will be red and the other denim. I may dress them up a bit with crochet edging or maybe I’ll hit the denim with a bleach pen a-la-Kay. How much fun would that be? The best part is that I’m pretty sure I can finish at least one of them this weekend. I know that I swore off making promises and guarantees (after all - I’m no Messier) but I’m pretty sure I can deliver on this one.