The Finish Line (but not without a few lists)

Believe it or not, I actually finish projects.

The picture to the right is a baby blanket. It was the first none scarf object I attempted. It was supposed to have stripes and such, but I was still too much of a weenie. I have been working on this project for over three years. Uno, because white gets old pretty fast so other colors start to attact me. Therefore the blanket would get set aside for something more eye-appealing Dos, there's the fact that I had no particular baby to make it for, so there was no real rush. Most importantly though was numero tres: When PoPo was a puppy she discovered my knitting on a shlef while I was at school, where she proceeded to EAT through the middle of the blanket. To say none the less, I had to rip back at least ten inches to redo. I was not real happy, and after I redid those yards of yarn, I wasn't in a real hurry to EVER set eyes on it again.

The pattern, though pretty, was really boring and repeative over 181 stitches. I believe it's in the moss flower stitch. (But I couldn't be sure as I'm not willing to look it up.) It's got a garter stitch edging around all four sides (not pictured). That's 210 stitches along the length of the blanket for all you non-knitters. Those, thankfully, go rather quickly. I have a huge feeling of accomplishment finally getting through this.


One down, Forty more started:

Saxon braid Scarf: slowly, but surely, when fancy schmancy new yarns aren't busy distracting me.

Exhibit 1: Exotic Scottish Yarn
This is the progress on the Hubby's Weasley Sweater. I knitted one skein today. I've altered the pattern some; 1. I've made it knit in the round to speed things up. 2. I've increased the size to fit a 42" chest (M's got a 40"). I have no idea how this will fit his shoulders. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I like that this wool has a little more give to it than the Berroco yarn I used for PoPo's italian jacket. Although, the yarn is a little sratchier than I would have originally liked, as it is wool, but M is having no problems with it so far. I do find pokey bits of straw every few yards. I'm half amused and half mad about it. Everytime I find some I think, this is Scottish foliage, from a Scottish sheep! Damn, carders/spinners can't they do better than this! I'm not real specific about who/what I blaim because I don't spin (yarn). I pay for that luxury and I prefer not to be poked. Heeheehee, Scottish sheep! Yipee!


Also, the color is a little more purple, than one would imagine from the movies. I reread HP1 friday, and Ron does describe his sweater as maroon. I bought the same yarn they used in the movies, but I guess all that lighting during production and technicolor enchancement in post production changes the color a bit.

I plan on adding the "M" as a duplicate stitch after finishing the sweater for several reasons. 1. I have a very small amount of yellow yarn and I'm worried about running out. "M" is a BIG, WIDE letter. 2. This way I can figure out placement on his chest while the husband is wearing the sweater and have it match the movie version spectacurally. 3. So that I don't have to do any intarsia knitting. 4. If the size is all screwed up I can put a "J" on the sweater and go on with my life.


Exhibit 2: Dianna
All five skeins of my Dianna yarn came in Saturday while I was gone to National scrapbooking day with my mother, faster than the time I was qouted. They even gift wrapped it in wonderfully colored tissue paper. I will not be throwing the paper out. In fact, I'll prolly be storing the yarn in it. It's just so pretty. Treadbear makes me so happy. I'm also happy to report that this is a microfiber cotton blend. My first cotton. Yipee! Saxon Braid is in microfiber. I am willing to forgive the splitting while knitting and fuzzing on older bits for the softness. After all the splitting is more likely related to my tight knitting and unwinding of the ball than any quality about the yarn.

Oh, Dianna, I think I'm in love.

I had planned on finishing at least on repeat of saxon tonight and casting on for Dianna, when the Hubby chimed in about Cloud's Sweater/Vest in Advent Children...

Exhibit 3: The Sexy Vest.
The Hubby brought the playstation into the livingroom so that we could chat while I knitted in my special chair. He is on a Final Fantasy 7 kick. For all you non-nerds or non-nerd-lovers, FF7 is the 7th in a video game series, with a central hero Cloud (pictured below). I think they are up to 1o...Anyway, the game producers/directors/artists made a movie of what happened between some of the games. I will not recap the plot, because IMDB does a much better job at it.

This is the best photo of The Sexy Sweater/Vest. It's hard to tell but the vest is actually dark blue with a wide rib stitch. I've found a great basis for the sweater, but the first is in french and not widely distributed, the second is in english by the same company but doesn't contain the vest pattern I need, rather a sweater pattern. DOH!

But I will find a way to knit this, because the Hubby has some very yummy arms and he needs this vest.


P.S. LEAF as been shunted to the side as I'm not really sure I'll wear it anymore. It's 100% acrylic and the yarn has this twist to it that makes the rows slant to the left. So....it's been left in the bag for later when I'm feeling more decisive.