Master Level III Sweater Design

The Stashology Class I had hoped to attend yesterday was cancelled. This proved to be a good thing. I gathered up my information and sat down and started the first gauge swatch for my Aran Sweater for the Master Level III Course requirement. The yarn is beautiful - silk and wool. It feels great in my hands. It will make a beautiful sweater. Today, I will write up the instructions for the gauge swatches I will knit to determine the gauge and measurements for the sweater pattern. I have found my Knitting Mojo!

Progress...

I finally made a decision on yarn and purchased the yarn for my Level III Fair Isle Hat. It is going to be in the Boy Scout colors so I bought two tans, two greens and a red. I also ordered the yarn for my Aran Sweater. It should at the store to be picked up in a few more days. Wow!! I am just amazed that I am finally at this point.

I have several projects almost done - just need to weave in ends and block. Would like to get these finished up. I could really use a day when my husband and boys are gone so I can focus on this!

Have a great weekend!

Progress...

It has been awhile since I updated my blog. I have been so busy lately.

I am making good progress on my Level III knitting requirements. Finished up 2 swatches this past weekend. There are 2 swatches left to knit and my 2 projects - the sweater and hat. The hat has been designed - just need to purchase the yarn. Is it possible that the end is in site?!

I have signed up for Stitches Midwest and am excited to say that I will be staying at V's house and will not have the hotel expense this year. I am starting to research and gather patterns for items I would like to purchase yarn for. I LOVE shopping at Market at Stitches. There are some fabulous booths.

V and I are on the waiting list to attend the Minnesota Knitters Days retreat this fall. We are hoping that there are 2 cancellations so we can meet up there and attend this knitting retreat. I think it would be a very fun weekend.

My boys are home from college for the summer. The house suddenly seems crowded! I have to pick up several knitting projects because I had definitely 'spread out' after the 2 went to college last fall. I am at a bit of a loss on how to organize all my knitting! I wish I could afford to hire an organizer...

My birthday is less than a month away. I wonder if my husband will remember my birthday this year. He FORGOT my birthday last year and it was my 50th! What a crappy memory for such a milestone in my life... I do have a massage scheduled for myself. That is going to feel soooo good!

Changes to my job have added a lot of stress to my life. My upcoming massage will do me wonders... I have taken 2 days off to just relax and KNIT!

Christmas Eve is 8 months from today!

I have boughten some beautiful Trekking Hand Art yarn from the Webs sale to make my husband a scarf for Christmas. The yarn color is called 'Caribbean' and is a varigated yarn of blues. It is going to look wonderful in a herringbone stitch pattern. I'm going to work on the scarf when he's not home so it is a surprise. That won't be difficult because he has so many commitments to Scouts he is gone a LOT!

The Stitches Midwest Class list is finally available. I was getting very impatient and then I reviewed the list and was disappointed at seeing so many of the same classes offered. They really need to come up with some new class offerings. I am still looking forward to spending time with V and shopping at the Market - especially Webs!

My boys will be home soon from college for the summer. It will be nice to have them home. I really do miss them at times. It will be an adjustment to have them back home also!

I have started looking at stitch patterns and trying to make some decisions for the Aran Sweater I need to make for Level III. I have several selected and need to start swatching to see how I like them in my yarn. I pulled out the ball of yarn I had boughten to swatch with and saw I had bought it in December of 2006! Yikes I don't know if it is still available - I'm going to buy a new ball of yarn.

Taxes Deadline

Well I mailed our state tax payment this morning on the way to work. Glad that is done and I don't have to think about it anymore other than where is my Federal refund check? I thought I would have had that by now - it's been over a month since we mailed that return in!

The boys liked their Easter Bunnies that I made them. Still need to get the pictures uploaded to my Ravelry site. They did turn out cute - especially the pink bunny!

Back to my Level III requirements now. I need to make some headway on these last requirements. I REALLY want to move on to 'regular' knitting projects. My schedule has become so busy I don't seem to be able to get a good block of time to sit down and make headway.

This Saturday I am attending the Japanese Knitting Class being offereed through the Minnesota Knitters Guild's annual Yarnover Knitting Convention. It should be very exciting class. I hope to come away from this with something to incorporate into my Aran Sweater for Level III.

Cherry Tree Hill Yarns has announced their annual design contest and I have been doodling with some ideas to make something to submit. The yarn is so beautiful. My mind just starting running with ideas of what I could make. It is so easy to find a distraction to avoid doing the last couple of Level III requirements!

Spring is around the corner...

This has been a very loooong week and I am so thankful it is finally Friday.

I started knitting some felted Easter Bunnies which need to be finished this weekend in order to ship them to my sons in time for Easter. Neither of them will be home for Easter - it is too far to travel for the weekend with end of the year projects, papers and finals looming. The bunnies knit up quick and then need to be felted. The pattern is by Marie Mayhew. The bunnies are so cute!

I hope to work on completing another swatch for Level III this weekend. I re-worked my twisted traveling stitch swatch and like this new swatch better.

I don't know where the time goes but I haven't been able to sit down and have a good block of time lately to knit. For being 'empty nesters' we are never home! Maybe I should take an afternoon off to just focus on knitting? It would be great to get a bit of swatching done for my hat or my sweater.

Tomorrow I am going to the Swedish Institute to see the Bohus Knitting show. It should be very exciting. The show has been getting rave reviews and I was so glad that the show was extended through this weekend!

I am just itching to get outside and work in the yard and gardens. I am so ready for warm weather - this chilly weather needs to blow out of here!

What should I make with this yarn?

I bought this yarn 3 years ago at the first Stitches Midwest that I attended. I still think the colors are fabulous but still have not figured out what to make with it. Anyone have suggestions?