Monday, July 01, 2002

Well, during the 6 hour drive to visit my parents I got out "Knitter's Workshop" and cast on for the Baby Surprise Jacket. I figured I should start with the more simple, original pattern. AND GUESS WHAT!! I figured out what I was doing wrong with the sl1, k2tog, psso decreases!!! I'm so excited, because I was really starting to worry that there was something inherently wrong with how I knit that made them curve. No, no, no. It's just that I was stacking them one atop another. Duh. You know, like if you're decreasing around for a hat as you get to the top, and it makes a spiral? Well, I was making the spiral. But if you want a straight line, you have to offset them, consistantly moving one stitch to the left/right so that they don't curve!! Some of you more wise knitters may have known that, but I usually have to slog through the hard way to figure stuff out. At least I (probably) won't forget now. So that was good. I think I'll work on the Baby Suprise Jacket for a while now because both my friend and my SIL are having babies soon (my SIL is adopting) so I'll need stuff like that in the works. Then I can decide what to do with the mess/adult surprise cardigan I was working on before. I am slowly working my way up to a Hanne Falkenberg design.

We're going up to Duluth for wed. through Sun. so I'll be near one of my favorite yarn stores, Playing With Yarn in Knife River, MN. Last year for our 1st anniversary Dan and I went up to Duluth and he bought me a bunch of reeeeeeally thick yarn (2 sts/inch) for my first sweater, supposedly. Well, that never came to fruition, especially when I realized that I'd look like a (fat) bear in a big, black bulky sweater. So now I'm in the dilemma of whether I should try to return it (I don't think he'd be offended?!?) let alone if she takes 6 mo. old returns (they're still in the skeins with the bands around them). Otherwise it's felting time. As I was driving back yesterday I was trying to brainstorm all the things I could make and felt out of that wool and who I could give/pawn them off on. I could knit a huge black diaper bag and felt it. I could knit huge shapeless shoulder sling bags. I could make everyone I know felted woolen hats (although my hats always turn out too small). A giant blanket (not felted). Well, we'll see. Part of me just really wants to get rid of it all. Anyone up for some Cascade something or other yarn? (can't remember the name offhand).

I'm on vacation! and I'm debating whether to venture outside to do some thrifting in the 88degree weather (there's a heat index warning today- it got up to over 100 degrees apparently this weekend! hooray for AC). Maybe I'll entertain myself by surfing around the ring. Ta.