Bad blogger!

As I stated on my running blog, I suck at blogging. I've given up on keeping track of everything I've knitted, which isn't much lately, btw. I have a full-time job, I'm marathon training, and I started an ASL interpreter program in August. My time is incredibly limited right now, but I love being busy. I start to go a little bit crazy if I'm not busy.

I made a second Cerus scarf. It's finished, but I don't have a finished pic posted on Rav (or on my phone). If I wait until I get home to post this just so I can take a pic of the finished one, I'll never finish this blog post lol.

Over the summer, I participated in a Christmas in July gift swap. I had big plans to buy a gift for my swap mate, but then I saw the pattern for the Bigger on the Inside. Of course, I didn't see it until mid-July, less than 2 weeks before the deadline. Being either an eternal optimist or flat-out delusional, I decided to use that for the gift. I ended up delivering it a month late. I think the recipient liked it though, because she's a huge Dr. Who fan. I modified the project a little bit and made it a scarf with some daleks in it.

Bigger on the Inside

I started a Carlina in June, but then I needed the needles for the Dr Who scarf. It's still sitting on my ottoman, in this exact stage. I'm devoting all of my scant knitting time to the next project, so I imagine poor little Carlina will stay there for a few more months. The yarn used is Malabrigo sock. Fabulous yarn, despite the ridiculous acrobatics you have to do just to wind a hank of any kind of Malabrigo into a skein.

Now for the big project. I'm knitting the Argonath for my Mom's Christmas present. Because of time constraints, I am way behind on it. The last time I calculated it, I had to knit something like 4.5 rows per day in order to finish on time. I'm counting on Christmas break to have a hope of finishing it before January. The yarn is Madelinetosh tosh sport in the Norway Spruce colorway. I'm about 3/4 finished with the second ball of yarn; I have 8 skeins total. You can see my lifeline about 4" from the top; you can guarantee that I'm always going to have at least one lifeline in this sucker. I don't have time for mistakes. I really need to put another one in soon.

This will probably be the extent of my knitting for the rest of the year. I'd love to finish Carlina, knit a few cardigans since I have to dress nicer for school, maybe make a few hats.... but none of that is going to happen because I am already cutting back on sleep. My marathon is Nov 24, and after that I won't be running much for a few weeks, so that alone will give me some more knitting time. The fall semester ends on Dec 16, so I will have about a week of nothing but knitting time (and netflix and hulu catch-up time). I think I'll take the week of Thanksgiving off from work, and maybe the week of Christmas as well. Priorities, ya'll.

I should probably be charged with neglect

I have been horrible about blogging lately. I've been super busy and haven't really knit very much. I have finished 2 projects since the last time I posted. I finished the Cerus scarf. I really really like it. It's hard to get a decent picture of it though. Here it is, back in its WIP stage:

And here I am (without makeup... sigh.) wearing it after it's finished. That pic does look like it hadn't been blocked yet though. 

I really love the scarf to pieces, and I want to make another one. However, finding another perfect yarn for it will be hard. I have a lot of blue yarn, but my work shirt at my second job is blue, and therefore I couldn't wear it (or so my friends tell me. Too much blue or something like that). Also, the thought of that many stitches per row stresses me out a bit. I did 655 stitches, and it turned out to be a great length. I had a very difficult time getting the cast off edge loose enough. It still ended up tight, and I can tell which side it is easily.

I also knit a scarf for my best friend Katie for Christmas. The pattern is Almost Ovals, and the yarn is Tempted Lacy Grrl. The WIP pics show the most accurate color. I really need to get better at photographing my knitting. Do you like the lifeline in the WIPs pics? It was totally necessary for this project. I never had to rip down to it, but if I had made a mistake, I wouldn't have been able to finish the scarf anywhere near in time for Christmas. Always use a lifeline with lace. Always.

 You might notice my sock yarn blanket in the background of the last pic. It's been hibernating on my ottoman in the living room since the Ravellenic games (almost used the former title lol). Some day I'll get around to it.

Now I'm slowly trying to finish up my mom's Christmas gift, a pair of Ambroso Mitts. I've finally started the cuff on the second one. It'll probably be too warm for mittens once she gets them. The yarn is Malabrigo Arroyo in Regatta Blue. It has some green in it, but it's ok. This is the first mitt, before I'd finished the thumb:

Hopefully it won't take me this long to blog on here again. :D