making new time to knit

My mystery blue project is almost finished! I used most of my lunch breaks last week for knitting. This is good unless someone stops by to chat and then I get distracted and mess up the cable pattern. This happened on Wednesday and I couldn't trace my stitches back to fix it, so I stopped by AFY and Lois ripped out a couple of rows to get me back on track. I can drop one or two stiches at a time to go backwards on a project, but I am not brave enough to pull out a whole row all at once. For that I am grateful to Lois for her help!! The shipments I was waiting for also came in so I was able to pick up a couple more balls of the red ribbon yarn to finish off that cute x-back and I exchanged the skinny green yarn for skinny turquoise yarn that I like much better for the lacy wrap.
I am having to reevaluate my knitting time and figure out a new schedule. I used to just knit all night while Wes was working, which got me through some projects very quickly, but also didn't allow for much sleep! Now that Wes is on day shift and I am running more to prepare for the Nike Run Hit Remix 5-mile, I don't have as much time at night, but I also do not go home for lunch as often. Lunch breaks have now become my main time for knitting. I also grab a few rows here and there in the evenings before Wes gets home on days I do not run, or if there is a ball game on, but we have been watching less television lately. My list of things that I want to knit keeps growing longer ... My priorities now are the blue project and the x-back tank, once those are finished I will concentrate more on the lacy swatch to get the pattern right before I cast on hundreds of stitches for the sweater. I also need to decide what Christmas presents I will be knitting and get started on those. I am going to try and only have two projects going at once (the lacy wrap being one ... since it is so complex, there are lots of places I wouldn't bring it so I need to have something a little easier to carry around to bring to work and other places).
This newfound realization that I probably won't get to make all the projects that I want to make has led me to purchase a few sweaters at the store, instead of making them myself. Also, now that I can knit my own cables, I find I am more attracted to store-bought sweaters with cables.

out of yarn

I used up all my red ribbon yarn ... I'm just waiting now on a call from AFY to say that the new shipment is in. I kept grabbing bits of knitting time all weekend in between activities and eventually used up the yarn. It has been unbearably hot for a coastal city this week in Ventura. Nothing compared to last summer in the valley (blech) but at least there I had A/C. Wes and I keep opening up the windows and blowing all the fans trying to keep cool, but finally yesterday we just went and sat in the pool for a while. Nothing better!!!
The tiny yarn and needles project is still in practice mode. I think that will be something I go to sporadically in between other, easier things. I got a few more rows of pattern done and it is coming out all right. I have never counted stitches for gauge in a lace pattern ... I feel a "help me" trip to Lois coming on ... but it won't happen tonight. Tia is forcing my lazy butt to run in this heat. But after the torture, I have delicious leftover sugar steak (best thing ever) ready to eat in a big green salad. yum yum. I am hungry already!

You stay classy, San Diego

this has been a real busy week! Wes and I drove down to San Diego on Saturday and stayed until Tuesday. I did find an extra ball of the red ribbon yarn in the bottom of my knitting bag, so I was able to make some more progress on the drive home, but not much else has been done on the x-back tank in the past week.
On Thursday I stopped by AFY on my way home from work and picked up ten balls of tiny tiny yarn and size 2 and 3 needles (I must be crazy). I cast on double the suggested stitches for my swatch to give me more practice on the lace pattern. Out of five pattern repeats, I have only done it right twice (the third and fourth times ... don't know what I was thinking about on the fifth one, I thought I had it down!). So I need to practice on the swatch a little more before I cast on for the actual sweater. I haven't even figured out my gauge yet because I haven't done the lace pattern right to figure out accurate stitch count. I think I will need to do some math for this though because the sizes given on the pattern are four inches apart and my ideal size would be right in between two sizes (two inch difference). I worked on the lace pattern swatch a little bit while in SD, but it was so hot and humid there, I didn't really want to touch yarn. The weather is not much cooler right now in Ventura, so haven't been too anxious to pick up the needles since we got back.
Anyway, San Diego was so fun that I didn't really think about knitting for four days. Saturday night we went out to the Gaslamp District and for dinner and drinks Warren suggested Yardhouse. I had (Mac+Cheese)² and Wes had the biggest turkey pot-pie I ever saw. We also sampled some delicious beer ... my favorite was the Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale. Sunday we went to see the Padres get beat up on by the Braves - we had great seats right behind home plate in section 300 at Petco Park and the first row in the shade for most of the game! After the game we took a long walk all along the harbor ... good thing there was a trolley station at the end of our walk! We had to save our energy for Sea World on Monday!
Sea World was awesome ... neither of us had been there since we were kids! There are a couple of changes, including some new rides. It isn't just a zoo for sea animals anymore. We thought the Wild Arctic "helicopter ride" was a cool way to introduce the arctic animals (I love the Beluga Whales!), but thought that Journey to Atlantis was stupid ... especially because it broke down while we were at the top of a drop! The Shamu show was a little cheesy, but still cool to see all the tricks and how those huge 3000-pound whales interact with their trainers. And while we chose not to get drenched on Shipwreck Rapids, we did enjoy watching everyone else go under the waterfall after dinner. Tuesday we just got up and drove home ... made a quick stop at the Carlsbad Outlets for a Crate & Barrel fix and then home at last!!

attempting what I always wanted

my x-back tank is out of yarn and temporarily out of commission! my decision to make the tank longer than the pattern required and my smaller-than-designed-for gauge were two factors not considered when I bought the last five balls of Deco-Ribbon at Anacapa Fine Yarns last weekend (the exact amount required for the pattern, but not for me, apparently). Lois is on vacation this week, so my tank must be put on hold until she gets back and can order more of the stuff.
I feel like this is the opportunity I have been waiting (maybe avoiding, because I am scared) for to attempt the sweater that I have wanted to knit all along. Can't link to it because it is in Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'N Bitch Nation pattern book and she doesn't have a website or post patterns online. I have been drooling over this particular sweater ever since Heather brought the Stitch 'N Bitch books into my life, close to two years ago. However, I do know myself pretty well and know that I get frustrated when things don't go right the first time. I am glad I waited to attempt this until I found an LYS with great classes and an owner/instructor who is helpful and explains things in a way I understand. After three or four scarfs, one grownup-sized shell and a baby dress am I ready to attempt lace, wrap-fronts and sleeves?