last night was the second meeting of the new knitting group at my workplace.
some from the first meeting didnt come back, one has conflicts and wont be joining us now. several emailed about missing. didnt hear from two others - emailed them today. but had three new people come - one newbie and one returning and one expert. the returning knitter had not brought any yarn or needles and we had a lively discussion of the yarn shop closest to our midtown office and what to expect when she goes there - and then about what kind of yarn to buy - with all of us encouraging her to get some lovely gorgeous yarn instead of something sensible and to try to let herself spend a bit of money on what she wants... i offered to go with her - remembering how intimidating some of the salespeople at this particular shop were to me when i was coming back to knitting - i only use them if i am in an ABSOLUTE emergency in terms of accessories and yarn (although i find their selection not very deep). anyway - our group member was little surprised that we were encouraging her to spend good money on good yarn instead of something "to practice" on. we all talked about how you can just rip it out - but that she deserved to create something gorgeous and wonderful for herself. it was amazing to see her realize this could be something she could really enjoy creating!
the expert knitter was a total surprise - a woman who retired from the firm but who keeps an office and comes and goes on her own...the surprise was that she showed up! i hadnt heard from her from any of the announcements i had sent out. she was a wonderful addition - a sharp intelligent presence who enlivened our conversation. i hope she comes again.
these first two meetings have been heartening to me - i was unsure what was going to happen and who would show up and how it was going to go but based on the delights of these two meetings, i am glad that it is taking off so well and look forward to the next one.
as to my projects. .. my order of 12 in circs from Halycon Yarns was delivered in two days (even tho it was ups three day!) so that was good for yesterday. i tried to work on the sleeves for the 3month version of the aran pullover but was tired by the time i got home -(there were some work things i had to attend to after the knitting group broke up).
i did manage to finish the little hat which i created to go with the pullover - i do need to measure and see if it is tall enough - not having a baby around, i have a good diagram for the width of the hat but not for the height - i guess i can check some hats in my baby books and see what - i made it about 6 inches tall - but it knit up so quickly that i can redo it if it seems too small - of course the baby is only two months at this point.... i did the same cable patterns as on the front of the sweater but added a few extra cables to make the pattern continuous around the hat and without the broad side bands of seed stitch that the sweater has.
(ok i am looking for a digital camera and hope to get one soon - like maybe this weekend - so just imagine a little aran hat ;o )
so today i will start the sleeves with the 12in circs and work them - first i have to write out the pattern in reverse (they are written to knit separately and sew in - i will do anything to avoid sewing seams....!!)
looking forward to this three day holiday - although we have our network downtime on saturday morning so that means its really only two and a half days.... BUT they are predicting SNOW sunday and monday - so perfect chance to stay in and KNIT and maybe finish up some of my UFOs that are accumulating - hmm, think i will dedicate this weekend and make it my "finish the UFOs" weekend - it would be great - since i have a bunch of little sweaters that just need seams and buttons and a lap afghan which i need to sew and cut the steek for and then finish the edges. i have some british mystery series i have been saving up - could be just the thing. and i really should do a sweep thru my accumulated stash and record what i have especially with the acquisition of new needles - it always reminds me, i need to update my needle inventory database. ok thats enough things to do!
happy knitting!
Thursday, February 13, 2003
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
not a good ending
today started out fine - even ran errands at lunchtime - and worked away all afternoon very productively- and was getting myself together to leave around 630 pm and then THE CALL - a problem with emails, other offices calling.... argggh.
suffice it to say that it is now 938 pm and i am waiting for the taxi desk to call with my car number so i can go home - and i wanted to knit and watch judging amy tonight! bawawa - this is a special one - where sharon gless comes back in a guest role with tyne daly --- pooh and other bad words... (i dont watch that many tv shows - just a few well chosen ones - and if i had thought i was going to be late i wouldve taped it).
one of my lunchtime finds... maybe i need to read it on the way home to calm me down... i hate stressful situations and i have a job where they are frequent due to... well, best not to say what in a public forum. ok where is that car?
sigh
suffice it to say that it is now 938 pm and i am waiting for the taxi desk to call with my car number so i can go home - and i wanted to knit and watch judging amy tonight! bawawa - this is a special one - where sharon gless comes back in a guest role with tyne daly --- pooh and other bad words... (i dont watch that many tv shows - just a few well chosen ones - and if i had thought i was going to be late i wouldve taped it).
one of my lunchtime finds... maybe i need to read it on the way home to calm me down... i hate stressful situations and i have a job where they are frequent due to... well, best not to say what in a public forum. ok where is that car?
sigh
Monday, February 10, 2003
another snowy day in nyc
so we are getting MORE snow today - it started a bit in the mid morning - then has been alternating between light and then heavy clumps and now is back to a fairly steady heavy falling - i AM grateful to have a window of which i can see out and although the view is mainly of the surrounding office buildings, if i lean way over i can see the spires of the dakota over at the edge of Central Park West thru a gap made by the Sherry Netherlands Hotel and the Pierre Hotel buildings. right now i cant see anything thru that gap except the white of the snowfall; the prediction is 3-5 inches by nightfall and the heaviest snowfall between now and 8 pm. the evening commute will be fun (ha).
oh well, i still dont care about the mess cause i do love the whiteness enveloping all and "cleaning" up the flotsam and debris that accumulates on the city streets - at least for awhile after the snow falls, the cityscape feels close to perfect...
the snow leopards at the Central Park Zoo are happy
on the knitting front
finishing up the Aran Pullover from the Heirloom Projects for Baby book (nichols/falick) which has so many wonderful classic patterns. this one is the three month size for a colleague's new baby boy (father is irish) of course, never one to do things straight, i knit the front and back as one piece on circs and then split off at the point where i determined the armhole would be and finished the front and back separately. i also redesigned theback to mimic the front a bit more - to form the shoulder tops (this pattern buttons at the top - the only way i could see having a pullover for a baby and it makes sense) for the buttons and buttonhole overlap.
picked up the stitches for one sleeve last night (or really early this am... i get so possessed when knitting something new i stay up til all hours even tho i have to get to a 930 am job)...and knitting the sleeves with the addition of the front cable panel along the center of the sleeve - am using 16 circs but they arent going to work for long as i am now knitting the sleeve in reverse (the pattern starts at the bottom and knits up to the top of the sleeve increases along the way = i will have to rewrite and decrease as i go down and change to dps which i am not very good at - but decided i needed to get some more practice at anyway). anyway, the cable may be too much for the sleeve - its three LC and then two RC and very lovely but may be too much cable on that little sleeve - so i may have to go to a few single cables or horreurs - the entire sleeve in seed stitch (sigh). but fun in figuring out .
so just now ordered a whole bunch of 12 circulars from Halycon Yarns (lovely service ) they should be here on thurs - i can struggle thru on the 16 and the DPs until the 12s get here. in the meantime i will knit a little aran hat to go with the sweater.
and then repeat the same process with the same sweater but in 18mos for my one year old nephew. (two weeks ago). even though he lives in New Orleans - it does get below 50 SOMETIMES in the winter and he could wear the pullover instead of a coat.... or to play outside where his dad has his studio (in a converted carport.)
ok back to work. happy monday everyone
oh well, i still dont care about the mess cause i do love the whiteness enveloping all and "cleaning" up the flotsam and debris that accumulates on the city streets - at least for awhile after the snow falls, the cityscape feels close to perfect...
the snow leopards at the Central Park Zoo are happy
on the knitting front
finishing up the Aran Pullover from the Heirloom Projects for Baby book (nichols/falick) which has so many wonderful classic patterns. this one is the three month size for a colleague's new baby boy (father is irish) of course, never one to do things straight, i knit the front and back as one piece on circs and then split off at the point where i determined the armhole would be and finished the front and back separately. i also redesigned theback to mimic the front a bit more - to form the shoulder tops (this pattern buttons at the top - the only way i could see having a pullover for a baby and it makes sense) for the buttons and buttonhole overlap.
picked up the stitches for one sleeve last night (or really early this am... i get so possessed when knitting something new i stay up til all hours even tho i have to get to a 930 am job)...and knitting the sleeves with the addition of the front cable panel along the center of the sleeve - am using 16 circs but they arent going to work for long as i am now knitting the sleeve in reverse (the pattern starts at the bottom and knits up to the top of the sleeve increases along the way = i will have to rewrite and decrease as i go down and change to dps which i am not very good at - but decided i needed to get some more practice at anyway). anyway, the cable may be too much for the sleeve - its three LC and then two RC and very lovely but may be too much cable on that little sleeve - so i may have to go to a few single cables or horreurs - the entire sleeve in seed stitch (sigh). but fun in figuring out .
so just now ordered a whole bunch of 12 circulars from Halycon Yarns (lovely service ) they should be here on thurs - i can struggle thru on the 16 and the DPs until the 12s get here. in the meantime i will knit a little aran hat to go with the sweater.
and then repeat the same process with the same sweater but in 18mos for my one year old nephew. (two weeks ago). even though he lives in New Orleans - it does get below 50 SOMETIMES in the winter and he could wear the pullover instead of a coat.... or to play outside where his dad has his studio (in a converted carport.)
ok back to work. happy monday everyone
