Chinese New Year

So one of my coworkers decided that she wanted to prepare a lunch for Chinese New Year and since we have a small lab (12 people in toto) we had, in my opinion, just the right amount of people!

Because everything took so long to prepare we didn't start the 'lunch' until 2:00, but it was well worth the wait:
Also, I've been making great headway on the socks for my mom and I love the pattern, yarn and fit!
I think I'm going to end up either keeping these for myself or making some for myself. My mom already knows I'm knitting these for her, she's seen them, and will probably not be happy if I chose the former. :)

Oh my goodness! I almost forgot to mention that my Grandma got her shawl and she said that she almost cried when she opened the box! Both her and her husband were shocked that I was able to knit something like that in 3 weeks! I made her day, and she made mine!

FO: Grandma's Faroese Shawl

Sorry for the delay, there seems to have been an influx of bad news this week.

I finished the 6 rows and bound off on Tuesday night and the whole thing was blocked and dry
Wednesday evening. I knit this up on US 5's with Webs Mill Ends & Closeouts 2/4 Highland Tweed in Arctic. This is a 100% wool yarn that was shipped to me still with the spinning oils on it. I knit this up without washing and at first I thought the yarn was very scratchy but soon got used to it because I didn't touch anything else of a fibrous nature until I finished it. I washed the whole thing with eucalan and it did soften up a bit but it's 100% wool so it's still scratchy. I really didn't fall in love with the pattern and probably won't knit it up again.

I'm going to send this to my Grandma with a delivery confirmation so that she will still be surprised but I'll call her and ask if it's too itchy. If so, I'll have to make her another one!

I know, I know

I know I promised to post finished, or at least blocking, photos of my Grandma's shawl but something quite negative happened yesterday... It was 10:00 pm and I had just finished the last row of the chart when I went to the computer to look up the 'correct' bind off method. I had 6 more rows of garter stitch!! And with the rate that the last chart took me that meant at least another 3 hours if you didn't count the actual binding off.

So, I'm going to knit like a fiend when I get home today and hope that I can block the thing tomorrow night. :(

Long post... includes wedding stuff!

Ok, I'll start at the beginning.

First, I got my Blue Nebula from Abby and I SWEAR it feels even better than the last batch I bought from her!
Can't wait to cast on for my own pair of blue socks, but I really should at least get started on my mom's! I finally decided on the Nancy Bush's Half Hose because it's got some interest but not so much that my mom won't wear them. Also, I think the tweed will look great in it!

Second, last night the man and I went to see Bugs on Broadway.
The gist of it is that a symphony plays all the music for various Warner Brothers cartoons, my favorite being 'What's Opera Doc?': the opera that Bugs and Elmer Fudd do starring the ENORMOUSLY fat horse! We had a blast!

Third!! (This is what I'm currently still excited about) I had a trial hair and make-up today for the wedding!


I think everything turned out REALLY well and can't wait for the real thing! These pics were taken back at my mom's after we did a rough redo of the hair because the stylist took it down for me at the place (WAY too many bobby pins for me to deal with if I don't have to. Also, ignore the jewelry it's just what I happened to have on).

And on a side note, I am currently a little over halfway through chart E on my Grandma's shawl. I thought I might be able to finish this weekend but I'm thinking that something more realistic would be by next weekend. :)

Lace update

As the title suggests, there really isn't much to see on this blog lately. I've been plugging away on my Grandma's shawl and have begun Chart D (it goes through chart G). I'm really starting to feel the growth of the shawl now because I don't think I can get through more than 3 or 4 rows in an HOUR! And this is what I have to look at for my rewards...
Not exactly tempting, I know. I'm also a little concerned that the 100% wool characteristic of the yarn will not make a very friendly shawl. The swatch is kind of stiff and it's not particularly cozy. I've told myself that if I finish the thing and it's not something I would want to wrap around myself I'll have to scrap it and try to make something else out of the yarn.

On another note, I have here a picture of the new stitch markers that I bought at the LYS last week. Quite cute!
And finally, I have a picture of my finished scarf.
It was a fast knit with three strands, I'm estimating about 5 hours! I actually enjoyed this knitting, as much as I could with it being a scarf anyway, and plan to CO for the afghan using this pattern. Cross your fingers that I'll actually be able to finish the darn thing!

And one more tasty tidbit, I've ordered some more of Abby's yarn! Can't wait for this gorgeous blue to come! Of course I'll have to put a hold on my own blue socks until I finish the ones my mom has asked for.... I did start sort of looking for a pattern the other day...

How I spent my afternoon

I went to my LYS in search of a good faroese shawl pattern to knit up using the Webs yarn for my Grandma. Even though I didn't find one I did come home with some much needed lotion, eucalan, stitch markers and a lace blocking kit!

I needed to block out a piece of the actual shawl to see how close I would be to its actual measurements when I finish the written pattern (this doesn't include any changes that I will make). Here's a pic for now, dimensions soon to come.
Also, Michael got a new grill for Christmas from my parents and just HAD to use it last night. Yes, we made steaks on December 28 on the VERY cold patio. And, yes, they were phenomenal! We haven't had steaks since the one time (that is a grand total of one time) we did at my parent's house this summer.
Since my shawl will be practicing its blocking technique tonight I think I will get started on the swatch for my Grandma's shawl. I will wash it in the new eucalan and hope I can get all the spinning oils off so that is soft and cozy for cuddling up in.