Wow!

Thanks for all of the wonderful comments! I knew I like it, but I'm so happy to hear that everyone else thinks so too! You all are so sweet and nice! I'm a shy person, and oddly enough I thought I wouldn't be online. I sort of am, but I really want to meet some new knitterly friends, so thanks for taking time to stop by my little space.

I started school last week (my last year of graduate school!), so there may not be as much knitting done as I wish for a while, but I'll try to keep knitting and posting! The 3 items to the left in the "on the needles" section are items I will try to finish before starting anything new, but I can't promise anything. I want to cast on for most of the items in the newest issue of Interweave Knits, and the Irish Hiking Scarf from Hello Yarn. I also bought the Spring Things Shawl from I'm Knitting As Fast As I Can last week when she had all of her patterns 50% off. I have yarn for the Irish Hiking Scarf that I bought in Minnesota on my vacation, but no yarn for the Spring Things Shawl. I also have many items in my 'queue' on Ravelry. I am still amazed at how cool Ravelry is, and if you haven't gotten your invite yet just hold on because it's totally worth it!! If you are on Ravely already, or remember this post when you do..here's a link to my page there.

Well I'd better finish up here at work, eat lunch, and then head to the library before class!!! So much to do in so little time....and that doesn't even include knitting time!

My Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt.....is FINISHED

I finally got all of the finishing work done on my Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt, and it turned out AMAZING! I love it soooo much! The finishing part took me a lot longer than I thought it would. There was single crochet around all of the edges, and a crochet scallop around the 'tuxedo/lace insert' part, but all in all it was totally worth it! I found the buttons on sale at JoAnn's on Wednesday. I paid 0.50 for 2 packages of 4. They are La Mode brand, and look just perfect on the shirt.

Details.....

Patern: Interweave Knits Summer 2007, Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt
Yarn: Filate Bamboo Yarn in colorway 11 pink, 5 1/4 skeins
Needles: Clover Bamboo in size US3
Notions: La Mode Pearl Buttons, 3/8" (9mm)
For: ME!

I'll be posting more pictures on Ravely, so if you're on there look me up: k3gRachel.

Last week I bought the Fall issue of IK, and I'm already trying to figure out which one I want to buy yarn for and cast on! I knew there were some cute things, but WOW! I also bought a Patons book with a bunch of cabled patterns in it. I've never tried cables before, but between that and the new issue of IK I'm bound to figure them out and try my hand at it. I really need to finish some of my other WIP's before I try to start learning cables........

p2tog tbl - wtf??

IT'S ALMOST DONE!

Back - check

Front - check

First lace insert - check

Second lace insert - cast on

The yarn I'm using to knit my Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt, Filati Bamboo yarn, hasn't been easy going on the lace panel inserts. It has been fabulous for all the rest; in rev St, but since it has almost no give, doing the yo's, and p2tog tbl. Nothing against Filati Bamboo yarn, I just doubt I'll use it in the future for anything that requires a lot of lace type sts.

To the right is a close up of the front.

I did figure out what p2tog tbl was after referring to my handy-dandy "The Knitter's Handbook". At first I thought it was going to be really hard, but it turned out being fairly easy.

So close, yet so far...

to being finished with my Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt!!! I'm getting so excited about finishing it. The back is currently being blocked. I was smart and did it before going to bed, and ignored it this morning, so hopefully by the time I get home from work it will be dry. With the heat we've been having down here in the southern midwest I could put it outside and I'm sure it'd dry in 10 minutes!!! Two days ago it was 104..yuck! I don't like cold weather, but gosh..104 degrees is a bit much! But I digress... I am just about done with front piece minus the lace insert. I am half way done with the armhole shaping.

I am holding my new yarns hostage, so I will have some easy/mindless knitting once school starts, but I want to play with it sooo bad! It is sitting on my coffee table looking so pretty and cozy! I am still trying to wrap my head around school starting next week! I do feel like I've had a nice, somewhat long summer. I did work the majority of the summer, but I got a few breaks here and there. My trip to Minnesota was very relaxing, and going to Rio Bravo, Mexico on the mission trip was an unforgettable experience.

Well, back to work....

Vacation Knitting & Yarn p0rn

I finished the back of my Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt, and I've started on the front. I'm really excited to get it finished so that I can wear it! I finished the back while on vacation, and would have done more, but I forgot to take more yarn....duh. I worked on other WIP's, but nothing got finished. I did realize that I actually have to work on Nicole for her to get done. :) I did pick up some yarn while on vacation too from Yarnworks of Minnesota. I got two skeins of Patons Classic Wool Merino, and two skeins of Reynolds Caviar. I don't remember their colorways. The wool is brown, and the caviar is mostly purple w/ shades of pink/blue and gold thread throughout. Both gorgeous, and great prices!

Vacation

I'm finally taking one. I'm leaving this afternoon to meet my parents, and then we are driving to Grand Rapids, MN. I'm super excited to have a break from work. I am also excited to have LOADS of knitting time!!!!! In the car and at the lake. We have a family reunion at one of my aunt's cabins.

See you in a week! Hopefully I'll have a few FO's when I get back!