Knitting Content!

It's been awhile since I've posted about knitting content (Thanks for the reminder, Niki). I'm working on some test knitting for SWTC and it's due to be finished this week. I've been knitting like a mad woman trying to get the project finished and they didn't send me enough yarn to finish.
So, I'm waiting for more to arrive and picked up Baby Blanket #1 of 2008 and finished it this week! I'm happy with how it turned out (600 stitches around) and can't wait to give it to the new parents.I've also been working on Mom's birthday socks which I had hoped to be finished by now, but I needed to check if they would fit. One sock is 99% finished and the other will get started on today!
Also, started was another dish/washcloth that will be part of a Christmas present. Cloths do not take long at all-if I really work at it, I can finish one in 2 hours. (Sometimes the brain and the hands just don't work that fast and it takes a whole day!) {This got frogged-undone-because I was using leftovers from another dishcloth and ran out of yarn. I hate when that happens!}

Since birthday socks seem to be the trend this year for me, of course I have another pair to make for Niki! I picked out the pattern and she picked out the yarn.
For now, the queue of knitting projects is overwhelming especially since there's another baby blanket to finish before July!

Isn't this a blog about knitting???

Yes, I know. The blog is lacking in knitting content. There really is no excuse other than work and that I've been knitting!

Some Christmas knitting that I couldn't post about because the recipient (my hubby) reads my blog...I made him 2 Iowa Dish/Washcloths.
I have also finished a pair of socks (Pine Cone Socks) for my mom:
And a pair of socks for one of my MsIL (yes, I have two!!):I've also been working on a pair of socks for me...no pictures of those yet. I'm using the Jaywalker pattern from Grumperina in Austerman Step in a blue/gray colorway. I thought the gray stripe was awfully thick until today. I was looking at the gray section and saw that there are THREE different shades of gray in the one stripe-dark gray, light gray and a greenish gray. All of this noticing took place under florescent lighting-gotta love it?

I'm Back

I have returned from my first School Library Media conference! It was in Ocean City, Maryland. I went for both days of the conference, but the first day was much better than the second. I wish some of the sessions had been offered more than once-like the one on "edgier" books (ones that kids don't share with their parents or have more mature themes). I was able to get a copy of the handout from that session, but the media specialist who presented also presented at another session I went to and was fantastic!

I was able to finish another YA novel in my down time-Gossip Girl-it is a series about a group of kids who have more money than they know what to do with, drink like fishes, date each others' significant others, do drugs and shop 'til they drop (and that's just in the first book!). There's even a TV show on the CW by the same name (It is based on the books.) Since I finished that book, I've started another, Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman. This is one that I wanted to read, maybe even listen to as a book on tape (Vinny from Doogie Howser is the narrator) since my YA lit class over the summer. It is about a teenage boy who is trying to have a social life, but his family's business gets in the way-being part of the Mob!

I've also done some knitting...here's Skully! My SP sent me the pattern and the yarn in my latest package (mentioned in a previous post).

Getting ready...

I made this Thursday night...

It looks like this at first glance...











Then like this...












The magic of illusion knitting!

So much...

I have been quite busy of late. I've been trying to stay ahead with my grad school class, but am not being entirely successful about it. It's tough to do when I am a procrastinator by nature. My BEST work has ALWAYS come at the 11th hour. In high school, my partner and I WON the biology portion of the science fair by putting the whole project together the night before. (Yikes!) In college, my best paper in poli sci-finished the last minute and running to class to turn it in (me? run? I think not!)

Back to the being busy...Jason and I went to the Caps game on Saturday (hockey) with our friends, Niki and Colleen. It was a very sloppy game. I almost got to see a fight (darn those referees!). It's not hockey without one!

I've also been knitting a shawl for MYSELF with the Lion Brand Microspun in coffee and blush. It's turning out well. I'm using the feather and fan pattern that came on the label. I've made it before, but never with double strands. It will be nice and warm when I finish. I also completed two dishcloths for Niki as a housewarming gift-she moved in to her new abode last May (better late than never!). This is one of the dishcloths. I really like how it turned out. The pattern is from Creative Knitting. (I forget what issue and I'm too lazy to go downstairs and look!) Niki posted a pic of the festive dishcloth on her blog. Check it out!