Mistress Stash Enhancer

At the end of my last post, I really want to say why I choose to knit the Hourglass sweater as my Olympic project. Now that Allysa isn't trying to climb up me, I guess I will tell ya why! I've wanted to knit said sweater for, ohhh about a year or so? It just kept being shuffled down to the end of the "must knit list". You see just reading the pattern baffled me. For some unknown stupid reasons I'm sure, I wasn't understanding the pattern, and where the pattern corrections fit in.  I guess I've been using patterns that really hold your hand through the whole process. You know tell you every damn detail, like ssk, k1, slip marker, k2tog. The Hourglass pattern doesn't do that. The decreases for the yoke? Well, they kicked my ass. I ripped that f**ker twice. If it wasn't for having a deadline, that bastard sweater would have been in time out still. And while talking (argueing) with my Mom I (she) figured out that you need to place 4 markers (where do you read in that stinking pattern 4 markers?? They tell you to place 2, just TWO markers! argh!!) 1st one before the first stitch of the first sleeve attaches, 2nd one after the last sleeve attaches, 3rd before the first stitch of the second sleeve and the 4th one after the last stitch of the second sleeve. Like that made any sense. But it did to me, cause third time must be the stupid charm! Cause I got's that damned yoke done. I'm sure there must be a mistake, if not a million in this sweater. Cause I know damned well I didn't  read the pattern right. I really, really want to knit this sweater again using silk and wool. Oh that would be nice.... anyway... I'm sick *whine* C has strep, and I have it now. damnit. My throat is killing me, slowly. I feel so yucky I barely want to knit. yeah, that's bad I know. But when I called the Dr's office this morning they didn't seem to think that mattered. THE NERVE! I know!  They did at least call in a prescription that Mike is picking up now ( I hope ) I started my Red Hot sizzling socks Thursday I think. And since Allysa seems to think the camera is now her's, and screams MINE, MINE, MINE! When I have it.  click for a picture cause yes,  I want to have something to show her future boyfriends and I'm evil.

After she went down for her nap, cause damnit I don't feel good I don't feel up to the argument I was able to take these pictures of my sock in progress

click for a stretched out on my hand so you can see the pattern picture.

I really, really like this sock yarn!! It's  Schaefer's Anne, sooo nice and squishy. Knits up super fast. Alright, I'm babbling now. I'm off to drink lots of tea, eat many popcicles, maybe do some laundry, and see what I can get Mike to cook dinner!

ugh, I feel like dukie.

*edited to add: Thank you everyone for your complements on my Hourglass sweater!! I really appreciate it!! All my neighbors (except one) thinks I'm crazy when I go around showing off my completed projects. The kids don't understand, and Mike's like uh huh. Thanks again : D

So.... we didn't make it to Cleveland, we ended up in State College PA instead. (Gotta love these people, they're very creative when it comes to naming towns. Frog town, Bird in Hand, Mars, Blue balls, Panic, just to name a few) Did a bit of shopping, had dinner (at Quaker Steak and Lube mmmmm!!) all sans kid-o's!! It was strange!

Here is my Knitting Olympic's sweater

As, much as I love my lil photographer sometimes.. she just isn't interested in taking pictures. Here are some lovely mirror pictures that show the shape a bit better.

I blame the fuzziness on the 75 year old mirror!

Stats:

Pattern:  Hourglass sweater, last minute knitted gifts

Yarn:  Finnian's rainbow, 5 skeins in lilac mountain 1 skein in green.

Needles: size 8 bamboo circ and dpns.

Time: Started February 10, finished the 23.

Size: small

My thoughts: This sweater, as easy as it is, kicked my ass at times. This is probably because I didn't really read the directions, I skimmed them. I had to rip out the collar twice, till I got it right on the third time. I can't explain my stupidity on that one right now. I have a 23 month old climbing around me, making it very, very difficult to write. I will knit this sweater again, maybe using a silk and wool blend.

I hope everyone who participated in the KO enjoyed themselves. I know I sure did!

Ok.. bath time for the monsters! Momma's got a sock to knit! : )

Knitting Olympics:

Finally finished the yoke last night, after three freaking attempts. More on that later. I've ripped out the bottom, ripped back three rows and started knitting with the green. Hopefully will be done tomorrow. *crossing fingers*

Day 7: Totally Torqued Off

I will never forget this one night like 8 or so years ago at my parents house. Everyone was in the living room watching tv ignoring my father was on the phone. Outta the blue he says: "I am torqued off, you can go shit in your hats!" to the guy on the phone and the room fell silent.

Right now, I am totally torqued off. If there wasn't a deadline, hourglass would be sitting in time out (after I jumped on it a few thousand times, and then let the kids jump too!) Remember that picture I posted last night? Almost done? HAHAHAHAHAHA! stinking bastard. I didn't make enough decreases *ahem* WHEN did I discover this? WHEN? When I was weaving in the damned hem thing. URGH! Must double check self!! For some reason this pattern, which is soo easy, is totally kicking my arse, and has me totally torqued me off!!

hmm... Day 7 looks an awful lot like Day 4 damnit.

There is only one thing that will mend this pain, GS cookies come in tomorrow, Mom and Dad are 15 minutes away, that means I gettta sleep in tomorrow!!! Yippiee!!!

Day 5(?): Yoken' It!

      I'm sorry I know its a bad pun and all. But I could.not.help myself!! I am 5 rows from finishing the yoke and I'm done for the night. I still don't understand the folded hem at the yoke. The directions are making no since to me. (see what kids do to a person? *L*)  I don't want to say anything more, cause damnit I will jinx myself.

MandaJ thanks for going out shopping with me yesterday, was it really yesterday??? Braving the mall with my monster A, terrorizing the innocents in Penny's and harassing the Verzion guys. I had fun, and I needed that, thanks! We did tucker A out fairly quickly!

I'm sure your wondering about that picture that I took while we where at Wendy's. well.. hunny.. Its not going to see the internets. ever. I have like 4 chins in that pic. Sorry.. YOU looked good though! brat.

Picture it, Friday night around 10:30 2 Reese's PB hearts have been devoured and washed down with half a wine cooler. Now, people, there is a reason why it takes me 6-8 months to finish a case of 48 coolers. Cause it doesn't take much to get me tipsy! Give me three of them and we're having a goooood time! Lets combine that with the inability to pay attention long enough to read a pattern and comprehend it. I had 5" of the lower body completed, and I had to many stitches. Damn, I'm a moron. So I ripppppped it out, and soothed the pain with the rest of the cooler, and the last 2 PB hearts in the package, and a few of the brownies I baked on Thursday. So here is my progress once I passed out and finished rows 1-32.

I know its a good candidate for the shittiest picture of knitting progress of 2006. Damnit, I was tierrrred! And tipsy. *ahem*

I was also trying damn hard not to panic about the news my ex-husband gave me that evening when he picked up B and C. He told me that he might be moving out of his parents house and moving to a town 20 minutes away from them. Why am I worrying about this? Well, they are not the brightest crayons in the box. Not even the box of 12! (My favorite phone call was when I told them to give C Tylenol brand Stuffy Nose, sudafed, and Tylenol. My ex-MIL called me too tell me that she couldn't give C Tylenol too. Cause wasn't there Tylenol in the Stuffy Nose stuff? *smacks head* I asked her if she read the active ingredients. Did I mention she teaches 5th grade? uh huh) My ex uses his parents as babysitters, so weekends that the kids are there they spend more time with there Grandparents then him. He feeds them pop-tarts for dinner, that was a fun argument when I found out about that one. And I recently discovered that they haven't been giving the kids there med's while they are there. Now granted C's only med's is a fluoride tablet, but B has allergy nose spray and eczema cream. He has moderate eczema that is really hard to control in the winter. They.don't.put.on.the.damned.cream. I suspect that they've been using this blessed energy water crap that they buy from a lady at church which might be causing his latest massive breakout on his legs. *gr*I don't know what to do about this, except confront them one last time and talk to a lawyer. I can (almost deal) with pop-tarts and toast for dinner. But they need there med's damnit. Did I mention that my ex's girlfriend lives with her Dad, and her Dad told C that he likes to play with little girls?!? yeah the ex and I had a conversation about that one too! See Mom, I'm not a subconscious worrier I worry consciously too!

Yesterday I knit all my panic and worry some thoughts into the lower body of the sweater and actually read the pattern.

I completed 15" of the lower body, I couldn't stay awake and get my fingers to move any further to divide for the yoke. I have a nice looooong week of meetings for B's school this week, a fundraiser to organize and start *twitch*, B's belated B-day party this weekend (crap, I still need to make invites), and my parents are visiting this weekend so, I would like to have as much as I can possibly have done before I have to spend 1.5 hours in the car to pick up B and C. hmm... is 11:55 am to early to start drinking? yeah, I think so too. I'm off to knit some more and polish off that pan of brownies. Betty Crocker, your my friend *EG*