Author: Chauntel Ensey

Yay for Tracy! You go girl! Everyone must go visit her new blog…go on…I’m not kidding….GO NOW!!!

Why are some motions so rhythmic, so soothing…Laura (from Mondays at Java Station) has felt the lure of the spindle. Yes…it’s so soothing…nice to watch it go round & round. It makes me feel like a little baby just fascinated with a ceiling fan.  Yeah, like that!

Having not posted for a few days I guess there is a little catching up to do. On Monday night I was thinking I was just so damn smart because I brought my digital camera with pics of finished projects that I didn’t want to lug around with me & toot my own horn, but I forgot to get a picture of the group. It would have been a good picture too because there were more ladies ( I use that word loosely b/c we are all different ages) than usual. So next Monday I will try to remember. My mom always teases me because I have a horrible memory. She says it is ok for her to have a bad memory because they are “senior moments”. That wasn’t even accurate when she started saying it b/c she was in her 40’s. I digress, she likes to tease me is my point.  On with knitting news. I received some of the silk yarn I have been waiting for, 3oo of 700 grams that are coming. So I got it balled & I want to swatch it but I am afraid to start another project considering I can’t really knock too much off of my current projects list. And I did start a Christmas gift that will take a bit of work b/c it is a new pattern & a lot of stockinette through the body, which tends to get really boring. And the sweater for George is all straight stockinette too. But I had a grand idea. I have the front & back complete, I could do something interesting on the sleeves. He is a bit of a plain jane but I think that a stripe of cables up the middle of the sleeve would add just a touch of interest. He isn’t one for skull & crossbones or even hearts   So cables it is. Now to pick which kind….if you can’t tell I am making this up as I type, no prior thought went into the sleeves. Now you can all see how my thought process works! <slow drawl> Interestin’ ain’t I?

Okay so I went to Michaels on Monday before our group since I have shopped myself sick at our other lys. Got some fun new bernat soft boucle, in Carnival shades, that will work up quick into a fun sweater. Those are the best! I also ordered Rowan It’s a Tape Thing because I love the Clara sweater! And of course Fluffa’s came out so perfect I must be makin’ me one of those! I am not one of those people that have a problem with acrylic. As a matter of fact, I think acrylic is neccesary for the art of knitting & crocheting to continue. I learned on red heart & the likes & if it hadn’t been available then I would not have continued in the art at all. Not everyone can spend a lot of $$ on yarn when they first start to knit. So that is my opinion…just thought I would share that with ya…

Tonight my goal is to get at least 3″ done on the in the round sweater I am doing. Also now that I have decided what to do on the sleeves of George’s sweater, I need to start working on those. So if my spindle doesn’t call me too loudly I should be able to get that accomplished & get the kids dinner & get them washed up & get them ready for bed, then finally in bed to (hours later) fall asleep. That is my night, hope all you out there have a more fun evening than me

I just felt the need to be heard for a moment. Not much on the knitting front today. Got about 8 rows done on a circular poncho I am doing. It’s up to about 216 sts now. Increasing 4 sts every other row. I will post a pic after it gets mailed to its future owner. Don’t want to spoil the surprise!

So other than that I only have 2 baby hats done for the shower tomorrow night. Just not motivated to do much else. So they will get the hats & hope they are happy with them. I may get them a little smell-good stuff to pamper themselves after the babies come screaming out of them & they are thinking ” what have I done??” ~ Can you tell that today was a hard day with my screaming hooligans~

I ordered some scrumptious yarn to soothe the raw nerves…koigu, noro, cashmere, summer grab bag, winter grab bag. I hope it arrives in a timely manner because I am just tired of waiting over a month for yarn!! Not happy, 3 orders still have not come that I am waiting for. Another 2 orders are coming from Canada & I won’t see them for at least 2-4 more weeks! AAAHHH!!! Too bad my LYS just doesn’t have what & want or am willing to pay.  In one of the knits for home books, can’t remember the name of it just now, there is a ruched blanket….oh lordy….I must make it & I have some silk yarn coming just for it. That is the canada orders….I don’t know how I will be patient for that one. I think I will force myself to finish a few of my outstanding projects before I dive into the blanket.

List of current projects:

~George’s sweater- 1.5 sleeves left, then sewing

~Sadie’s handpainted yarn sweater-1.5 sleeves left then sewing

~Sadie’s labrador sweater-only needs sewing

~Argyle pinks sweater-1/3 of back done is all

~Stripey sweater- broke a bamboo #2 needle so things came to grinding halt until I replaced it. Back is complete, 1/4 of an arm is done.

~Ribbed neck poncho- 14″ done, needs to go down to at least 23″ or more.

~Few hats here & there. Nothing important or rushed.

I am sure I could dig & find about a dozen more projects that I have put aside…oh that reminded me.

~Colinette ab fab throw- 1/3 done

~Vogue cross neck tank- finished back, frogged back, now just cast on ribbing for back. This may be a springtime project.

Um….thats all for now. I do actually complete projects…just not the ones that I put down for months at a time. My goal is to finish the poncho, the stripey sweater & George’s sweater before I start on the ruched blanket. High hopes but I think I can muster the strength.

Whew! Wish me luck, not that that has anything to do with anything…ciao!

Who could knit in HOT weather like this? I knit about 6 rows on a baby blanket today & couldn’t handle any more. I think it would be smart to maybe do something like a bucket hat out of some cotton for the time being. I forgot to post about knitting on Monday. 3 new girls! Yay! So our group is growing & I think we are getting a really good mix of people. It’s good to expand ones’ acquaintance group to more than a dozen people.

Also today I got an EZ book at the libraray. Haven’t ever used a pattern of hers so I am excited to actually dig into the book, the first few pages got me hooked.

I have this problem, I am trying not to buy any more yarn or start any new projects but I can’t stop myself! I just started a baby blanket for a shower on Friday & a poncho for my daughter (it may also end up a baby blanket depending how long I go with it, I haven’t decided).

I abandoned my husband so I should go & do bedtime. Kids a-calling!

Thank you Goleta Union School District for accepting my children into your fold once again. I am now a grounded, capable “homemaker” once again. For the last month there I was pretty sure that there was a huge possibility-let’s say 9 out of 10- that I would officially go crazy!

Alas, the great gods at the public school district put all of us crazy moms at ease & took our children from us. Whew! That was a close one. Now to knitting…

I started, and finished, a cute little bag this weekend. Felted, I will post pics. I also did a keyhole scarf using boucle wool from hand painted yarns, in color velvetgrapes. Nice & fun to go with the trusty jean jacket this fall. Actually it’s more of a winter coat here. Especially with the heat wave the past week, our balmy 70degrees flew up to high 80’s & some 90’s. Not good with 60% humidity but if you live in the east you don’t feel too sorry for us out here in beautiful Cali.

So now I have to go do the forced baby shower gifts. Super soft, chunky blankets are the key to the quick projects that all gush over at these events. So off I go, I get one hour until the last kid is home & my peace is gone for another 17 hours. Once again, I love school!

Like I needed another money siphoning hobby! But I just knew that I would love to spin. Jayme brought her spinning wheel & a bunch of drop spindles to the Java Station on Monday night. Holy crap!! I am in love, I bought & received (thank you for the fast shipping & service Annie May) a spindle & 1.5 lbs of roving fibers in the most amazing colors. So last night I used the green multi and did a few yards. I am just so happy to be able to make my own yarns! I am really going to experiment & see how many weights I can get using my 2 oz. spindle. So for Christmas I know what I want!!

Other than that I am just working on the colinette absolutely fabulous throw. Love it! At first I hated it & put it away after 6 rows. I pulled it out feeling guilty that I paid so much for it & not worked on it at all. Now I am about a quarter of the way done with it after just a few hours work. So I have new found delight in colinette. Not that we all don’t already know how fabulous colinette is!

For shame! I still have not put the pieces of the labrador sweater together. I will get it done today or tonight, if I make that statement then I will really feel like an ass for not doing it!

We are going to my sister in laws for dinner tonight to get a good visit in before school starts next week. WOOHOO!! School starts in 6 days! My kids need it, but I need it more! You mean my house will be quiet? The only time it is quiet now is when there is a crime happening. Like, cutting of things that shouldn’t be cut, or coloring on things that shouldn’t be colored on, or eating of things that aren’t to be eaten. Yup that about covers it. Speaking of too quiet, I should go!

I posted a new photo to knittingphotos.