ARRGGHHH

After completing 28 rows of my MKAL (Kitman Figueroa), I, in a fit of rage (or stupidity) frogged the entire project.  Mind you, this is a bottom up shawl.  That's more than 8000 stitches.  While this is only the second lace project I've attempted, I think I've learned the importance of knitting accessories - namely stitch markers.  I use them when casting on and to keep count of how many stitches are on my needles, but I'm going to have to rethink this system.  I'm going to have to put one in between each repeat, even if it means changing the location of said markers on each row.  There's NOTHING WORSE than plodding along (maybe getting distracted by a toddler or two), coming to the end of the row and have too many or not enough stitches!  SERIOUSLY!!  I hate ripping back.  It makes me angry. 

So, tomorrow's a new day.  I'm only on row 7 of clue 1.  Clue 2 was released last Friday.  I will catch up.  I will catch up.  I will catch up.

Anxiously Awaiting

I am anxiously awaiting my shipment of ChaiGoo Red lace needles for my MKAL.  I know they've left the store because I've checked my tracking number, oh, I'd say about 500 times since it happened 2 days ago.  I am hoping they come tomorrow...  My yarn came today, and my swift (YAY) is coming soon.  By the way, after dropping numerous hanks of yarn on the floor where they have become hopelessly tangled, I don't know why I didn't make the investment sooner - especially with 2 three year-olds tearing around the house. 

In the meantime, I've really finally finished Emma's quilt - and now I don't know why I was scared of binding it for the last 6 months...  I did it my hand, as those were the directions I found online first :-)  Said quilt survived it's first machine wash after an unfortunate night time accident as well, which I was overjoyed about.

So, It's Really Been a While

School's out for Summer!  Everything has FINALLY settled down around here!  I've been able to actually sit down for more than 10 minutes in a row.  In the midst of end of the year 8th grade activities, and rehearsing/performing in dance recital, I managed to cast on for Damask by Kitman Figueroa.  This is my first ever shawl -  I just fell in love with Kitman's patterns and in the process WOLLMEISE.  OMG!  Seriously.  I don't know if I can ever turn back now.  Lucky for me, my father-in-law travels to Munich a couple of times a year... Hopefully I can talk him into a side trip! 

It's Been a While...

Since I got my cast off, I've been busy catching up with lots of stuff here around the house (BOO), and some of my projects.  I'm almost done with from #28 Lace Cardi Vogue Knitting, which I think I will gift to my mom for her birthday in two weeks.  I've also tried my first pair of socks 2 at a time on magic loop with a very simple sock pattern.  Today, I HAVE to quilt my daughter's quilt for her.  It's been hanging over the back of a chair for a month now waiting for me to muster up the courage to rip out the stitches yet again.  I tried free motion quilting for the first time, and I must be doing something wrong, because I've had to rip it out 3 times.  I think I'm going to go for straight forward diagonal lines. 

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

So after 10 days on non-craftiness, tomorrow is finally the day when I will have my hand back!  There are so many things I've been itching to do (washing my hand/arm being #1 on the long long list).  I've managed to spend quite a bit of time searching for my newest project.  I decided to give magic loop socks a try.  I bought a size 1 48 inch needle, some beautiful sock yarn, and watched a dozen-ish tutorials.  I'm thinking about a cookie a. pattern, and counting down the hours til 8:30 am!

Horrible, just horrible...

For a girl who doesn't like to sit still, or if I have to sit still there must be some sort of crafting going on, having wrist surgery really stinks.  So, I'm sitting here typing with one hand, thinking about all the things I COULD be doing right now, like finishing a quilt, or working on one of the numerous knitting projects I have on needles right now.  Oh well, this, too, shall pass...

I've Never Been Good at This

This is my inaugural blog.  I've never been good at this sort of thing before, in fact,  I've failed many journals and diaries.  I think the reason for failure there was the lack of audience.  Hopefully that won't be the case here.  This will be a blog primarily about handcrafting, so hopefully there will be much to post.


By day I am a middle school English teacher, and by night, mother to twins.  This doesn't leave tons of time to craft, or blog for that matter, but this is the start of Spring Break!  This much needed break started out with a quick trip (or two) to JoAnn's for "notions."  I have recently delved into quilting, and there's always something a newbie needs.  In fact, my first quilt is for my three-year old daughter.  Her only stipulation for her "coat" as she has been calling it was that the primary color of it be purple.  It's ready to be quilted.  I think I dislike the color of the thread I picked out - it contrasts too much against the lavender of the quilt.  So, until I can get to the nearest craft store (tomorrow? - why not, it's Spring Break!!), knitting shall be my craft of choice.  There are too many projects on needles lying around.