new sweater YUKA

i was perusing ravelry the other night, and stumbled upon a newly released sweater pattern called YUKA.

there was a coupon code available to get it at a discount, and i was itching to start something new (since i keep ripping out my juniper pullover with silly mistakes).

it's a nice pullover! and i had some yarn in stash … lionbrand fishermen's wool.

i swatched and couldn't get the gauge of 18 sts / 4 inches. my gauge was a bit bulkier, so i opted to knit the next size smaller.

it has an interesting construction which starts with a cable strip knitted for the backside. then stitches are picked up and knitted downward in rib. then the ribbing for the front hem is knitted and then the whole thing is joined in the round to knit the body upwards.

i'm on the waist shaping now, and i'm on the easy bits of mindless stockinette … just what i need this week.

oh what a weekend!

i still have the tune "oh what a night" playing in my head.

i had a very nice weekend. i didn't accomplish as much as i'd dreamed … we never do. however, it was still a goooood weekend.

i can't share all right now, as i really want to settle into my sofa with netflix & yarn.

but, i will share this ….


mom and i rode on down towards gaffney to the outlets. she had purchased a new car the day before, and she said it needed to "stretch its legs".

so, this was sort of a test drive.

on the way there, we always pass the big gaffney peach. but on this day, it was wearing a hat! after i got home (tonight) … i googled why it was wearing a hat. i found this article online.

on my way home (mom/parents home) (not my home-home), i also made a stop at mary jo's.

mary jo's is my favorite fabric store ever. people can brag about how fabulous their fabric store is (and there really are some great ones in big cities). BUT, this one is local ----- and always a treat.

mom was miff'd i'd spent 2 hours there on my way to visit her, but i was on a mission.

i really wanted to find some fabrics for my friend's upcoming show (ps. she has a Facebook page), which has a circus theme.




so, this is what i got.

she said "clownish" … screams "clown"!

i did my best.

what will these be? pennants! i've made some before, from this great tutorial.

i think i have enough for 4 length of pennants.

anyhoo … i will work on these in the next two weeks. tonight, i just want to rest and knit, and watch some netflix.

there was a nice view out my window tonight.


the colors reminded me of my current sweater project --- juniper in irvington.

which, i've started (again) for the 4th time. don't ask.

as the evening closes … enjoy this blast from the past.

having a frankie valli moment …...

oh what a night, day, month, year ??? !!!!! … love the tunes of 70's !!!!!

in house

it's still pretty cold here in the south.

thought it's sunny and clear, with beautiful carolina blue skies, it's cold!

i decided it was a good day for a crockpot meal.


this is slow cooker honey garlic chicken.

it smells great! … it's still in the crockpot.

i had to buy a few ingredients i didn't have in the pantry … such as hoisin sauce, and a new bottle of both rice vinegar and honey.

but, all these will be used again --- as i want to make more of these recipe types.

i bet this will be really great over some noodles or rice (which, DO have in the pantry!).

also, over the holiday, i had a $10 coupon for the world market. they send me a $10 coupon each year for my birthday.

the hardest thing about that is finding something i want, without spending more than $10.

i know, it's a game. they made 51 cents off me.

with that, i got this cute star lantern,



and a funny ecard calendar to use at work. not too bad!

my only complaint is my tea lights are cheap. i never considered that before --- not that i know which brand is best.

but these tea lights have a weak flame, and burn quickly.

oh well --- still enjoying the lantern --- i'll burn through all the tea lights and buy a better bag.

the mighty doily!

one of my online groups introduced a new thread (challenge) to finish projects that have languished. 

i have plenty!

last summer, i dipped into the world of doilies. for the most part, i've done things backwards.  my first knitting project was not a scarf, but a sweater. my first crochet? … a chain … tunisian crochet, the granny square, but never doilies.

so i made a few last summer, with any color but white. and then i started a white one.

it's the largest one for me yet. and then i lost interest.

but recently, with the inspiration of one of my online groups (via ravelry), i decided to rescue this project. 

and, to my surprise, i'm enjoying it again! it took awhile to figure out where in the pattern i was. and i cannot work on it when i'm tired.

however, my booklet has written and charted instructions, and i have a nice supply of post-it flags.

so, i'm set!

happy saturday!

happy new year ! … 8 days later !

this reminds me of the nanci griffith song, who knows where the time goes? (click on the link! you'll love the music … youtube won't let me embed it here)

it has been a crazy and hectic first week of the new year. but, it's like this every year in my job role.

first, we have a long season in the late fall … and then the first quarter of the new year is a time of fixing and recovery.

it's no surprise. it's constantly changing. but, it makes it hard for me to fall into a routine and rhythm.

many things suffer (sleep, eating habits, exercise, routine) ……

however, i'm trying to get back into some sort of rhythm … with my knitting (and/or crochet).

i've started a new sweater.

i really wanted to as soon as i received that big shipment from the knitpicks cyber-monday sale. i had ordered a sweaters' worth of their hawthorne sock yarn. it was on sale at 1/2 off … even their regular price is a steal!


the sweater is juniper. it's top down, in reverse stockinette. it's a bit dolman/batwing. i think it's cute. mom has informed me that it's ugly. lol! she'll change her mind once it's finished …..

i've started it a couple of times. i'm not having much success with the increases in purl aside my cabled sleeve seam.

now, i'm just going to knit … and i will adopt the theory of "that shit will block out !".

yep.

other things … COFFEE!

i'm not a coffee fan. sometimes i like the smell. sometimes.

but, i have some coffee in the house now.

so, i brewed a pot.


i'd like to be purist, a snob, but i'm rather ghetto when it comes to coffee.

i like it chilled with milk … with a bit of sugar. i know. SO WRONG. but, that's how i like my coffee.

i like it hot too … if someone else prepares it. but, i'm on my own with this pot. so, the carafe is stashed in the fridge, waiting for some milk in the morning.

i have some other projects to share, but they will have to wait. now, i want to get back to my afghan and netflix. i should be going to bed, but i'm too tired to think about that. that's how it is this time of year …..