Today was Bring your Child to Work Day

So I brought my son to work and we did a bunch of stuff that the company put together, highlight being the tour of the generators that sit on top of the biggest building….They are huge-twice the size of a semi engine, and there are 7 to provide power in the event of power outages.
Best part was that DS got a couple of hours just with me, no baby to compete with.

Left Coast Knitter said…in response to the lovely picture of the sleeves a couple of posts ago:

What is the smania sweater? All I can find for Smania is handcrafted Italian furniture! Are you knitting a chiffarobe?
1:58 PM

Well, Left Coast Knitter, I am not knitting furniture, although surely there is a market for that. Smania is the name of some yarn from Joann’s that apparently is so new that they have not yet taken a picture and posted it on their website.

The yarn is a series of nylon fibers with a cotton binder thread knit around them into an I cord arrangement. It is very interesting and so I purchased a bunch and am knitting a sweater with it. You have already seen the sleeves. Next is the body. I have not cast on for the body, although I would like to get that done before boarding the plane tomorrow night, in addition to packing my clothes and sewing up some pants to wear that are lying cut out on the sewing table. No I have no ambition whatsoever.

The calendar has no joy today just being a dry continuation of the previous pattern. However, I felt it appropriate to skip ahead a bit since I will be away. This weekend’s entry is a pattern for Arches and Pillars stitch. I may take this one with me on the plane with the laceweight yarn and make a nice shawl with it, but in multiple colors.

Annie’s Attic has this up today, which I like the colors on, but not that I want to crochet it. Besides it’s kind of well frumpy!

Today is Hug an Australian Day!

And since I have no Australians handy, I am sending out virtual hugs today to all Australian, especially members of the ANZACs. More information can be found here. So here come the hugs, brace yourselves…..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And now back to our normal programming.

Today’s Pattern on the Calendar is an Asymmetrical Jacket in 3 Colors by Crystal Palace in half linen stitch. I like the colors on the website better than on the calendar which shows a series of khaki greens. Unfortunately, tomorrow’s pattern is the continuation of this pattern. The best part is that the sizing goes all the way up to a 50″ finished bust measurement.

The Annie’s Attic pattern today are these lovely crocheted potholders. I have to say that I like the colors, and since bands of crochet are woven together, they would be nice and thick to say the least! Would I make them? Probably not.

Smania Sleeves are done…

The completed sleeves for the smania sweater are here. I want to get the body cast on as well before I leave, so that I know I have it all figured out. This is knitting up fast so far, and I am hoping that the pace continues. Again this is SMANIA from Joann’s which I am knitting on 10.5 needles, but is knitting up at 4.5 st per inch. Their brand, and yet I don’t see it on their website, which is weird to say the least!

The dress is done!

The completed dress for my rowanberry.

A quick knit to be sure. All stockinette except for the bottom which has a twisted garter stitch edge and decreases to make the skirt. I have yet to try it on the little girl, but since it’s been chilly, I am not hurrying.

Dead SoySilk Mutant!

Here Lies a dead

SoySilk Mutant

B. 2005

D. 2006

May it Knit in peace

Having likewise spun in peace.

But seriously, a lot is happening. I am going to London on business, which I did not want to do, but off I go on Friday to lovely Croydon for business meetings. I will arrive on Saturday afternoon, go to the hotel, rest a bit and then hit the town. I have managed to get onto a StoneHenge sunrise tour, with access to the actual stones before the visitor’s center opens.

I also plan to visit loop in Islington, and stock up a bit on Rowan and Colinette at the rock bottom UK prices. Okay just so that everyone appreciates how low they are:

• Giotto in the US is like 26.50 a skein
• Giotto in the UK is 6.50 GBP a skein, or 13.00 dollars rough conversion to USD.

Big difference, isn’t it?

I also am looking at BeSweet Magic balls….which are pricey, but having never seen one here, I may look and leap while there. Who knows?

Because I will be travelling and my phone don’t work over there, I am afriad that I may not be blogging while there. Just the way it goes I am afraid. Of course, I will have my laptop, but may not have the time as things go, but if I do, I will post some at least by email, if not directly.

Annie’s Attic had no joy today for me.

The calendar shows Opal Kid’s Socks today in a rainbow colorway. Nothing too special, but felt I should mention. It’s a basic ribbed sock, with a heel flap, and a round toe.

I have started the smania sweater, after a false start at the gate. Silly me, following the pattern without adjusting for my hems with the dropped stitch rib. But I prevailed and the first sleeve is on waste yarn, with the second sleeve on the needles. Two more rows and I drop the middle purl stitch in the rib pattern for the nice byzantine look that it provides. I am still not sure how far up the drop stitch rib will go on the hem, but I don’t have to worry about that right this moment. My goal is to get the sleeves done before I get on the plane, so that I can just knit even on the body. I am thinking that since I will be travelling alone, that I will have lots of knitting time, and this sweater may be done by the time I leave and this is going pretty fast so far. I am also taking the Koigu kit, and enough yarn for one pair of socks. I may see about other yarn to take with me. Of course, I am planning to shop for yarn while I am there, so could just knit on that on the way back.

Ah Yes, the way back. How does one smuggle needles onto a plane in Heathrow? I have done it successfully in Dublin and Toronto. I think I will try to spread the needles around in my bags, and keep the needles and yarn separate. If the security folks ask, I will simply say that I don’t trust the airlines not to lose my yarn. Not far from the truth actually.

I won a door prize at the TKGA Market Preview!

Here is the yarn for the frisky flowers. The green reads pretty true, but the blue is actually a deep violet.

Door prize!

I won a door prize at TKGA tonight!

It was a prize from the FoxyKnits booth, and I was just there looking at this pattern. It uses two skeins one var and one

Smania swatch…

Here is the swatch done with Smania….I plan to do a drop stitch rib hem and sleeve with it on a shortsleeve sweater.

I am feeling subversive

Janet and I saw this at Stitches, and liked it. I just got it at Borders…..because every knitter needs a cross stitch pattern like the one on the cover.

If you have not seen this book, you need to peruse it. They are all traditional samplers with catchy phrase….like Cross Bitch, Too Bad So Sad, Bitch in Kitchen, Homo Sweet Homo.

How can you go wrong??

I am Miss Piggy

You Are Miss Piggy

A total princess and diva, you’re totally in charge – even if people don’t know it.You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won’t settle for anything less.You’re going to be a total star, and you won’t let any of the “little people” get in your way.Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift!

The Muppet Personality Test