Friends don't let friends knit drunk.

Finished sweater










And here's what it looks like on (to the best of my ability)















So I've started a new sweater, as I mentioned, but I'm making it up as I go along, based on the Karabella Yarns pattern, but trying to upsize it and make it boob-accomodating.

It's just as well that I screwed up the neck before vacation, because if I had tried to finish the neck detailing in time for my trip, it would have driven me nuts and I would have been up all night. I spent 5 hours finishing the neck. The back stitching took way longer than I thought.


At 11 pm I didn't have the energy to pay proper attention to the attachment of the sleeves (and I'm going out drinking tonight) so it'll have to wait until the weekend. Maybe I'll wear it Monday.

Day 12.

I finished both sleeves and started on the neck, only to realize that I'd screwed up the rows on the neck. So I won't be finished by today, I have to pull out the torso and do it over, and I have nothing to wear on the plane tomorrow.

Day 9. I'm hauling ass on this, if I may say so myself. I'm on the sleeves now - definitely done by Friday.

Day 7
















and Day 8


at this rate I hope to be done by Friday so I can wear it on my flight.

Here is the loathed shawl















And day 4 of the new sweater

This must be one of the most infrequently updated fiber blogs online. Well, don't say I didn't warn you.

I actually have been knitting a lot, but I HATE the pattern I was knitting. It's the Spring Lace Shawl. I've made it before, years ago, and hated doing it so much that I ended the shawl a full pattern repeat early. I'd made it out of hemp so I could see whether or not I liked it enough to make it with the cashmere that was given to me with the pattern. I didn't, and the cashmere eventually went to waste (m@th$)! Overall, I had a negative impression of the whole project.

Occasionally, I still wear the shawl - I have it on today - but I'm generally not a triangle shawl type of person, so mostly it was all for naught. (I have other patterns by the same company, which I like and recall no errors from, but this particular on just gets under my skin.)

But get this - my brother loves the shawl and wanted me to make another one, as a favor to him, to give to his boss. I couldn't get him to change his mind about the pattern or the materials. He wanted it out of hemp, just like mine. I cannot adequately convey to you how pissed I was about having to do this. Raw hemp is not fun to knit with (although it has softened up and lightened in my old shawl so that it's quite lovely).

To make matters worse, it turns out the copy of the pattern I have is full of errors! I didn't bother to correct them last time I made it because I knew I was never making it again. So I had to refind them and refigure them out. (I wrote them down this time.) About this time, I'd put the project down in disgust. The damned yarn wasn't in my budget in the first place, I hate the pattern, my version was unique and I didn't want to duplicate it, and I don't even know the recipient; I certainly couldn't be bothered. But I'd been in a seriously crappy mood, and figured I'd exacerbate it, so I hauled ass to finish the shawl by last Thursday. (I don't have it with me - will photograph it tomorrow.) I have yet to mail it off to my brother.

So - the outcome of this: new rules.

I don't make anything for anyone by request, unless I want to, or they're paying for it. (Rates may range from 5¢ - 50¢ or more per yard, subject to my discretion.)

Now that I have that off of my chest....
Currently, I'm working on a pattern I want to knit. Dawn by Euroflax Linen. I got linen/silk from School Products on sale. This is 3 day's work.

I hope to have this done in two weeks, so I can wear it on vacation. I'm optimistic. My volleyball season is over, so I won't be damaging my thumbs or going out drinking with the team during that time. I can concentrate on knitting.

I started the arm warmers from the Anticraft, but then I realized that the pattern was just duplicate stitch, so I lost interest. I was all of the way up to the knuckles when I bailed on the project. On the other hand, I think I'd like to make some fitted gloves. I like how the arm warmers tapered in at the wrist. Maybe some fitted-mid forearm length gloves would be good.

I skeined the grey yarn with which I was going to make the skulls/snowflakes. I'll use that for the gloves. I'll have to find a nice lace border, and a more fitted palm than the one I usually use...