Plath’s Adventures

Woo hoo! Yarn Harlot is now shipping from Amazon!

I’ve been updating my FO blog this morning and realized I’m missing pictures of a few finished objects– my Chickami the 3rd (knit in grey Knitpicks Shine) and my Tempting. I’ll have to get on top of that!

Last night I starting casting on for the Knitting Pure and Simple Top Down Summer Cardi in the Online Linie Marly I picked up at Elann a month or so ago. This yarn is great! It’s nice and stretchy and very soft.

More later

New Knitty:

MUST knit:
Samus
I fell in love with the Keplar sweater when I first saw it, but I’m loving the construction and sleeves on this one even more. And I adore cardigans!

Cinxia
Another cardi knit in the round. Need I say more? I’m thinking a nice broach to pin in closed.

I love love love
Leaves in Relief
but I’m not ready for something so complicated. Sure, I could probably do it (maybe), but my brain’s not up to it right now.

Revolution is cool, but I dislike all the pieces. Bloom is a possibility for the future as well. And maybe even Lacey or Bubby

Are you ready for an FO?

Well, I’m calling it an FO even thought there are a million and a half ends to weave in that sort of felted together almost. Jason called them dreadlocks, and they seriously look like it. I cast off last night and our houseguest glanced over after I declared it finished (do you all do this? Proclaim out loud, “It’s done!” with a sense of accomplishment? Or is it just my goofy ass self?) and was amazed that I’d finished a sweater right under his nose without him noticing. Maybe he thought I’d need super-special finishing tools or a sewing machine or something. He then told me he’d wear a sweater if I knit it. Um. Ok. I’ll get right on that…. Then again, he may still be around at Christmas… and he did mention he’d wear a sweater vest… Well, I’ll think about it.

Next up? I’m trying to decide if I want to go with one of the Knitting Pure and Simple patterns I picked up at Elann or one of Knitty’s new sweaters. Hmmm. I’m leaning towards the KP&S’s Neckdown Summer Cardigan… We shall see! It’s Friday and I get to wear jeans. Can’t wait for it to cool down enough to wear my handknits!

If you happen to be in a Target soonly (or you could head there for this very reason as I did yesterday morning before work causing me to be 5 minutes late. Oops!), be sure to check out their Dollar Spot section. They have…. drumroll please…. yarn, needles, crochet hooks and knitting pattern books for $1! For the yarn, they had acrylic baby yarn in a variety of colors, a boucle yarn, a railroad type yarn (they called it fringe?), and a super soft fur yarn. The pattern books are little, and I’m wondering why in the heck I bought them– I bought 2 (except it was knitting related, I was excited and in a bit of a hurry) since the patterns consisted of pretty much “cast on x amount of stitches, work x amount of rows, bind off.” But STILL. It’s knitting supplies at Target for $1! I also picked up a skein of Boucle in what looked like pretty fall colors yesterday morning and now looks like ugly browns, 2 balls of the Railroad yarn (my MIL may get a scarf knit from this for Christmas. She’s commented that she likes that type of yarn) and 2 balls of the gray Fur yarn just because it was so soft. Yep, the novelty-yarn-hater just bought 5 balls of novelty yarn. Please don’t take my wool license away!

Just a quick post this morning. The weekend was nice– the weather was perfect! Saturday we went shopping all afternoon as our houseguest needed some new clothes, and I scored a couple of nice bargains at TJ Maxx and Old Navy. We also stopped at Borders where I picked up the fall issue of Cast On. There are a couple felted purse patterns that were cute, and one sweater which is knit in the round. I browsed through Simply Knitting and UK’s Knitting, but couldn’t find any patterns to persuade me to purchase them. I was disappointed with that.

Yesterday we hit a street festival, and then I knit for the rest of the afternoon while Jason worked on the garage. I’m up to the raglan shaping! I decided against the cable insets on the raglan shaping, and I’m planning on making the neck more of a crewneck as well. Remember, I’m knitting this sweater.

I also found a nice tank top pattern the other day. It’s knit in the round, and I’m betting Cotton Ease would work great! Isn’t it cute?

Well, it’s back to the daily grind. Ugh.

It’s been said before, and I’m sure it’ll be said again, knitters are a generous bunch.

A quick browse through the blogs this morning and I stumbled upon so many knitters making a difference in the lives of people plagued by the latest tragedy. Of course you know of what I speak.

Please check out the great things other knitters are doing and make a difference yourself.

Go buy some great handmade items, with all proceeds going to charity. I bought some really great handmade buttons this morning, and there’s yarn there as well!

Pick up the Katrina Rib pattern– a great, knit in the round ribbed tee for $5 and $30 goes to the victims.

Donate some yarn or other knitting goodies to the Give a Little blog, and be sure to send them your donation totals. They’re keeping a running tally on knitter donations.

Rox has created a great auction-style blog for knitters to auction off their knits for charity. Great especially if you’re low on cash to donate.
Hurricane Katrina Donation Drive

Other places to donate:

Humane Society Disaster Relief Fund
“In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, The HSUS has launched a massive relief effort to rescue animals and assist their caregivers in the disaster areas. Our highly trained Disaster Animal Response Teams are now in Louisiana and Mississippi coordinating a multi-state animal rescue and recovery effort. Our Disaster Response Unit, and other rescue vehicles affiliated with our teams, are in Mississippi.”

American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund

America’s Second Harvest– the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization

Salvation Army

Small knitting update: still plugging away on the Raglan sweater. I hope to get lots of knitting done this weekend. The office I’m working in closed at 2 today for the weekend, and we’re closed Monday as well.

Candy

Look what Jason was able to score for me!

They’re Skittles from England. Skittles from the US are made with gelatin, which I choose not to eat (I’m a vegetarian), but Skittles from England aren’t made with gelatin. Starburst aren’t either and they both have a different flavor of Blackcurrent (instead of grape for the skittles and instead of cherry for starburst). I haven’t had Skittles in a long time! Yum yum yum. I love candy from other countries, but it’s even better when it’s something I used to eat all the time (pre-vegetarian) and I get to have it again!

One of Jason’s co-workers is moving over from England and Jason saw him at a conference asked him if he’d bring me back some Skittles on his next trip back. Next time he told me he’d get some Starburst (which used to be called Opal Fruits in the UK) He also brought Jason back two bottles of Spitfire, which you can’t buy in the US anymore.