More knitting updates

Duel sweater in progress 1.jpg, originally uploaded by JeweledClaws.

Six inches on the Duel sweater, and seven inches (so far) on the BBS. Here's an in-progress shot of the Duel sweater. The yarn is really less shiny than that (and hence, looks darker in reality), but I needed a picture for the Duel sweater's Ravelry project page, and setting up a decent non-flash photo would have cut into my valuable knitting time. ;)

Progress on the knit objects

At about 4.5 inches on the back of the Duel sweater, and I'm really enjoying the texture, drape, and shine of this yarn, not to mention the hand-dyed forest green. ;) There's a vague possibility that I may acquire a 9-to-fiveish job sometime in the next couple of weeks, which won't leave me much surprise time (that is, Secret Ninja Knitter time to make things without the recipient being around) for the Duel sweater, so as much as I can get done now is great ... plus I'd like to get as much done as possible before my erratic gauge changes again due to some arbitrary life event, or the lack thereof. ;)

I'm also at probably just under six inches (I'm too lazy to go measure right now) on that first BBS sock. Woooooo. I have some evening errands to run with Brian that will cut into my charity knitting time, and phooey on that, but I'll try to get some more done afterward.

Semi-speed-knitter, go!

Finally finished a Warm Up America afghan square

Ben left one partially done in my stash, and I've finally finished it for him, freeing up a pair of size 6 needles. Woooo. ;)

Holy wow

Another swatching miracle: knowing that I'm knitting tightly at the moment, and that I was having problems with not wanting to go into negative needle sizes (all right, well, if they existed, I'd have been there ;)) to get the right gauge for the Socks for Soldiers official sock pattern, I re-swatched just now with the recommended needle size, and I'm within the gauge range (I'm knitting eight stitches per inch on size 1 needles). YAY! Now, to figure out what size I'm supposed to be knitting and get cracking. I've been sitting on this way too long ... with reason, but still. It's always nice to get some projects off my back. ;)

Swatching is your friend

I swatched for Brian's Duel sweater waaaay back when, and got exact gauge with size five needles, one size smaller than the pattern calls for. No surprise, really, except on the "exact" part. I usually knit large. I swatched again yesterday and today to make sure I was still on, and good thing I did; I now have exact gauge with size seven needles, one size larger than the pattern calls for.

Hmm. I guess I'm kind of tense at the moment. ;)

My sewing machine has also been unearthed, and sits actually plugged in, all by itself on top of my sewing desk. No sewing implements, no fabric, no pins, no thread -- nothing but my sewing machine on the sewing desk right now. I suspect this is a first in my personal history of sewing -- no, really. I can't remember ever sewing on a desk that didn't have other stuff on it.

So I'm knitting tightly for the first time since the Newbie Times, and my sewing desk is actually clear for once. I guess I've gotten something out of all this waiting and crisis. ;)

Raspberry cordial ... go!

Not a "craft," officially, but Brian and I just mixed up a recipe for some raspberry cordial. I used organic raspberries, Coombs Family Farms organic Grade B maple syrup, and E&J XO Limited Release Vintage Reserve brandy. We'll probably test it in 10 days or so, just to see how it is. ;) That's August 29, so the clock's a-ticking...

I shall costume!

My father's social butterflyism is actually paying off for me, for once; someone (I think) he went kayaking with wants some costuming done, and -- here's the amazing part -- there is no deadline. There. I said it. I know them's crazy words, but they're true.

Seriously, I'm used to working on like a month's notice, partly because I am a slacker when it comes to costuming for myself, and partly because it just tends to happen that way with other people's deadlines. They need a costume, and they need it a month from now. Two months seems like Easy Street when I can get it.

I can't bring myself to whine too much, though, because I know I can make a pretty darn detailed costume for myself in well under a month. It's the meetings with other people, the fittings, the getting approval that slow me down. Oh, okay. And sometimes the lack of motivation. ;) But that's a pretty reasonable side effect of working with people on a tight budget. I bet if someone said, "I'll give you $2000 for you, and cover the cost of materials plus next-day shipping for any supplies you need, to have this costume done in a week," I'd be done ... nearly ... ahead of time.

Anyway! I have a costume commission from a LARPer who wants a Count of Monte Cristo costume and some Ren-Fairey stuff, and there's. No. Deadline. I can't get over how giddymaking it is not to be under all that deadline-spawned pressure. Woo!

I need to work on my own costumes for D*Con, and on Brian's, too, though. That is a deadline, and eep! It's August already. See? I toldjaso.