Freebie
Okay, so the prediction for today was 80% chance of wintery mix--snow, freezing rain, etc. I woke up and joked with Nerdy Hubby about the lack of precipitation then checked my email...school (I work at a college) is closed! Granted, there's a very thin layer of ice out there, but it's already over 35 degrees, so the chances of it getting any worse are pretty slim. Here's a look outside Nerdy Hubby's office window (note the complete absence of snow/rain/ice):
What does that mean for this nerdy knitter? No drawing class...you know, the class whose homework sits incomplete in my office? Yup, that class. So, two more days to get my homework done (I have class on Fridays, but because of my work schedule, do homework on the weekend only). Yahoo!
That also means a whole free day for knitting. Now I'm torn--I received a lovely package from my Mystery Theme Swap2 partner, Wendy, and would love to jump on the project she sent (more on that in a moment), but I'm also trying to gain some ground on the new-old project that is Nerdy Hubby's Elizabeth Zimmerman Hybrid Saddle Shoulder Sweater, v.2...rounds and rounds of stockinette, or a fun new (small) project with beautiful (new) yarn...such a touch decision. Out of loyalty to Nerdy Hubby I've been ignoring the siren song that is my new project. Sigh.
So what did I get from my swap pal? Well, the way it works is we each chose a secret theme for all of the items in the package--that's the "Mystery Theme" part, you see. Wendy chose a sheep theme for me. I love it! (I chose a bird theme for her since her Ravelry username is Birdee.) Part of the swap is that we send yarn/pattern for one complete project.
Here's what I got:
That pile of goodies includes: pattern for a felted tote with needle-felted sheep decorations; Louet yarn in a gorgeous deep-dark purple/blue color (name: Dragon); fleece for the needle felting; needles for the needle felting; sheep tape measure; sheep row counter; sheep stitch markers; sheep soap; sheep ornament; a cute little zippered bag for my accessories/notions; a little pouch of Eucalan wool wash; chocolate from Godiva (!!); Smarties candies; a notepad with a pen attached; teeny-tiny sticky notes for marking my patterns...and a lovely note from my pal, Wendy.
These are the stitch markers--I don't have anything there for scale, but they are teeny-tiny, and so much cuter because of their size. I love them! They come from an Etsy vendor named Hide and Sheep--how cute is that?
The chocolate might make it through the day today...maybe. It's so incredibly delicious--I love the folks at Godiva for thinking of this product!
And the little sheep's-head row counter? Totally cute, and unusual.
I'm having trouble with the yarn/project, though--the yarn is so beautiful, I'm not sure I can felt it. But I'll try...I'm sure it will still be beautiful when it's felted.
For the moment, though, I'm returning to the neverending sweater...I'm hoping to make some progress before it's time to start my sample projects (no yarn yet--grrr).
Happy no-snow day, everyone!
For distraction since I can't knit (pout!)
This is the little ascot I made while I was sick on the couch (before I was immobilized):
Here's the end, with the cute little bobbles:
The pattern is the Huckleberry Ascot from the Interweave Knits Holiday 2007 issue. It's supposed to be shorter, but I used larger needles than it recommended because the yarn needle size was larger. It feels like cozy down, and is sooo snuggly. I love it! And I have about .75 of the 2nd skein left to use for something luxurious. The yarn is Louisa Harding's Kimono Angora. Sigh. I love it.
Meanwhile, a tale of woe:
I frogged the Elizabeth Zimmerman sweater. Yup, the whole thing. Nerdy Hubby tried it on after I blocked it, and it was certainly bigger, but not big enough to be a useful, throw-over-everything kind of cardigan. The sleeves were really skinny, too, so I just couldn't rationalize letting it be (no matter how hard I tried!).
The sweater is actually the cause of neck problem, so maybe it's a good thing I'm starting over. Now I'll use all of the things I've learned when I start again. I need to plan for ease, and want to make some effort to shape the neck a bit more than the EZ pattern does. So, back to the drawing board for that one.
Meanwile, I'm waiting for yarn to arrive to do a sample knit project--a 45" throw in a cable pattern on bulky yarn. I have to get better in time to start that project--it's due in a month!
I'm definitely on the mend--the chiropractor said today that I only have to come back next week if I'm still feeling pain--that's a good sign. I've gone 3 times this week!
Thanks to the commenters who wished me well--I appreciated every good vibe sent my way. It has been a long time since I hurt that much--ick, I say!
Happy Friday--I hope the rest of you get to knit (not that I'm bitter or anything).
Knitter down
Well, I've fallen, and I can't get up (so to speak): I have hurt the muscles in my neck so severely that knitting (and typing, really) aren't feasible. So here's a quick update:1. The neverending sweater for Nerdy Hubby is blocking to make sure it stretched enough to fit him like a top layer instead of like a shirt (forgot about ease in doing my calculations!).2. I can't knit right now.3. The baby booties were a big hit, and they fit: 
The booties are hard to see since the soles are dark blue, but they're there, honest. And that's the proud papa you see there--he's Nerdy Hubby's good friend, and we're thrilled for the happy family.
No other news as I'm going to be without knitting for some days now. Sigh.
First it was the week-long cold (which meant lots of couch/knitting time, which led to the current situation), and now it's the who-knows-how-long neck injury. Grr.
So there might not be much to post for a few days. Happy February--hope yours is better than mine so far!
