Busy busy

Wow, so I never get to post anymore, even though I have Internet access at home now. I never have time to knit! I get half a row here, a few stitches there and that's about it.

I honestly can't think of anything interesting I've been working on. I still need to finish up Jess's stole and send it to her. Long sad story there. It was almost finished, and then...it snagged on something in my bag...two feet from the needles...I couldn't fix it. I had to rip back. So poor Jess didn't get her stole in time for my wedding, and she still doesn't have it yet. I promise you will, Jess.

And for the record, the matching stole she knit for me is BEAUTIFUL. As is the Swan Lake she just posted. I'm in awe over that one. I'm buying her leftovers so I can knit an identical one. Yeah, I know, here I am saying that I don't have time to knit and turning around and buying more project stuff. But I can't help myself. I have to knit it. As soon as I finish some other things.

Let's see, what else...I started a pair of Bayerische to work on here and there. It's going slowly. I've done, oh, I think 31 or 32 rows since I started. I'm about halfway done with the leg of one sock. It's been about a month. It's looking great, but I'm never going to finish.

Sadly, I still have no pictures of anything because we still don't have a digital camera. I have my web cam, but it's never even close to accurate on color and it's not very detailed. I'll post some pictures when I can get good ones. I'm not sure what I'll post pictures of, but I'll think of something. I've got a lot of projects planned, a lot of projects laying around half-finished.

Oh, upcoming projects, just so I have a list somewhere:
Cigar gloves for Luke
Swan Lake for me

Of course, now my mind goes blank. I'll add to the list when I remember more.

-Amie

Justin's #3

Because I couldn't resist the urge to cast on another pair of socks. Justin now has 3 pair.



Yarn:Austermann Step
Needles: 2.0mm (us 0)
Pattern:His Basic k3p1 rib. We did a longer heel flap this time that he thinks fits better than his last pair. But we think we need to do a couple more rows next time. Will test it out and see. This pair like the last has a round toe.
Start Date: Feb 27
Finish Date: Mar 4


The lace is coming along nicely. I've finished the little flower section and just have to do the repeat of the LoV chart. Then the edge chart (which right now I dont have). I'll do my best to post another picture once this chart is finished.

changes and a wip

Some changes are being made here at PixieRose Knits. Before both Amie and myself would sign in as pixierose to make post. This got a little confusing for some people (example when my local knit group asked me about teaching knitting when that was Amie). So now we are posting as separate identities. It also got a little confusing when I'd comment on other blogs. I've commented as PixieRose, Gayle_Rose, JessicaRose, etc. Now I'll post as JessicaRose. The goal is also to post more. I think I can easily accomplish this. Amie has a lot on her plate right now. Her wedding is coming up and work and what not. But hopefully she'll start posting more too because she is an amazing knitter and needs to show her stuff off more. That and come on, she created our blog. As of right now she hasn't created her "identity" but I'm sure she will soon.

So this is my first post on here as JessicaRose. And for my first post I'll show off progress on the wedding lace.

picture flood! (now that i can finally upload the pictures AND update, i'm making the most of it!)

I got my Favorite Color Swap package in the mail today, and I love it. It's so wonderful. My secret pal picked out the best stuff for me. :) I gave tons of information on my questionnaire because that's just how I am, and she did really well with picking out special stuff from what I said. She sent me candy (Reese's Pieces, Starburst and Milky Way...my 3 favorites...now to hide it from Luke, hehe), bath/body stuff (pear & white tea moisturizer and strawberry and green apple pie scented bath crystals), a green apple scented hand-poured candle, a magnetic notepad, 3 really cute post-it pads, really pretty stitch markers she made herself (which I can't wait to use, because...well...they're like jewelry for my knitting! and they're PRETTY!) and 2 skeins (218 yds) of the most gorgeous dusty rose elann baby cashmere yarn. It's so soft. And the color is perfect. I already have a project in mind for it. I think I'm going to use it to add color to the Estonian Garden lace stole I plan to make for myself to wear at my wedding. :) The color is exactly what I have in mind for the bridesmaids' dresses (and convinced Luke to go along with last night), and I was trying last night/this morning to figure out how I could incorporate some of that pink into my stole without having to buy a separate colorway of whatever yarn I decide to use. I swear, my secret pal must secretly know me or be psychic or something. I love everything she sent me. And it was all wrapped up with pretty pink, green and bright-striped tissue paper tied with purple ribbon. (My favorite colors for the swap were pink, purple and green.)

Okay, now pictures.

The tissue paper wrapping on all the goodies. (I was too excited to get a picture before I ripped the things open, so this'll have to do, hehe.):


All the package contents together:


The bath/body stuff (which I can't wait to try out):


The candle (which smells so good it's making me hungry):


The candy...mmm:


Cute notepads:


Handmade stitch markers:


Gorgeous yarn:


I'm so happy with this stuff and I'm glad I did the swap. If you're reading, Rhoda, thank you SO much! I love it, all of it!

I also have pictures of the package I sent off to my own secret pal. See?

This is how the box looked just before I taped it up. On top there's a mix cd (of music she likes of course) and a card. I didn't individually wrap everything because I didn't have any pretty tissue paper and the stuff was oddly-shaped and stuck in wherever I could fit it. Hehe.


Next layer: an assortment of various fabrics. Some scraps, some remnants, some large pieces; some from my stash, some purchased specifically with this in mind. She likes sewing and patchwork, and I tried to pick out an assortment of pretty prints and textures. There's some floral, some corduroy, some denim, some jersey-knit, some satin, some shimmery...like I said, it's an assortment.


Under that, there is more fabric tucked into the empty spaces, plus a bunch of smaller stuff. In the upper corner is a bar of Dove pink soap. (Her favorite color, obviously, is pink...and she also likes red and green.) tied together with a handknitted face cloth with an "M" imprinted on it. (Her name is Michelle.) Below that is Bath and Body Works stuff...which happens to be exactly like what I have, but it smells good and it was pink and it was cheap. (Going-out-of-business sale.) :) Tucked into the edge is a group of old magazines and leaflets that I didn't plan on using. In the center, on top of some of the rolled-up fabric, are 2 packages of pink and green beads. On the right is a knitted 100% alpaca eyemask filled with rice (so it can be chilled) and lavender (for its relaxing properties and because it's one of her favorite scents). And underneath that is a homemade Sculpey magnet depicting Kentucky (complete with white mark to show where I am) to add to her collection of magnets.


And finally, on the bottom, yarn. 3 skeins of Simply Soft in pink, green and cream, 2 balls of 100% wool from my stash, and 2 balls of Peaches & Creme, which she said she likes using.



And that's her package. :) I hope she likes it as well as I like mine.

And I ALSO have progress photos of Rogue, some of Mom's Perfect Sweater and a couple of swatches for the Estonian Garden stole. I swatched the 3 lace patterns with some spare Simply Soft last night, to get an idea of the difficulty level and how long it would take. It was relatively easy, I'm happy to report. Very happy, since I plan to make 1 modified Estonian Garden stole and 3 Lily of the Valley stoles (using the modified Lily of the Valley lace pattern from Estonian Garden) before my wedding.

I'll post the Perfect Sweater pictures later (they're on the other camera card) but here are the two swatch photos...




and a bunch of Rogue-in-progress photos:

~and more pictures...later, when I have more time~

Now...to knit some more, so I have more to post. Hehe.

-Pixie