Thursday, March 24, 2011

Technical Difficulties

I am finally going get to participate in Lets Knit2gether Live show this week on Stickam. I had not been able to join previous shows because they were held while I was working or commuting home from work.

The KnitGirllls and His and Hers videocasters also have virtual knit nights on Tinychat. They have become very popular with the Ravelers and Plurkers. Virtual knit alongs are a great way to show off your projects and discuss patterns, yarn and fiber. Look for announcements on Ravelry and/or Plurk for chat room information.

My technical difficulties were due to equipment incompatibilites. I have an integrated webcam in my laptop - check. I have a headset microphone from my Rosetta Stone language set - check. So what was the problem? The webcam worked but the microphone on the headset was weak and cut in and out. I purchased a new Logitech headset with microphone. The new headset with microphone works perfect, and has great sound quality, but the webcam won't broadcast with it. So I have been either typing or talking without video in the virtual knit nights due to technical difficulties. Last night I decided to troubleshoot in an empty Tinychat room. I tried all of the video and audio settings I could find until I made it work. Fingers crossed, the next virtual knit night or the Lets Knit2gether live show, I will be able to broadcast with no technical issues.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Oh Dear

I am just not getting it done.  I meant to blog at least once per week, I have failed.  What do I blame my tardiness on?  A gazillion new video podcasts, forum posts, new books, new patterns and the Cobblestone Sweater.  I cannot keep up with the video podcasts or forums any longer.  Which makes me sad, because I really enjoy most of them.  However, the vidcasts take a lot of time to download if you fall behind a couple of days, and they take up a lot of disk space as well.  So I will be culling my list of to-be-viewed.  I joined the Ravelry groups for all of the vidcasts I watch and they are very active, so I cannot keep up with those either. 
The Cobblestone Sweater on the other hand is just plain tedious.  I am knitting on it every day.  I am working on the yoke, so the end is in sight.  But because the rounds are more than 200 stitches of plain purl or knit - it is boring.  I try to stay motivated because I am so close to the end but - ugh, I am afraid it is going to be put away for awhile.  At least until April.

Today I purchased a couple of shawl patterns and  I want to cast on one of them tonight.  I have gotten two Malabrigo pattern books, and purchased several pdf patterns through Ravelry.  I want to start all of the new patterns.  I still have both of my sock club packages, which I want to start too.  Then April 1st is the beginning of the KnitGirllls spin along.  So unless I can get my collectible Harry Potter Timeturner to work something is going to suffer.  Unfortunately it has been my blog.  I cannot give it up yet.  I have to do better, and get back on a weekly posting schedule.

Saturday, March 05, 2011

Update

I have chosen 11 of my works in progress that I want to finish in 2011. Details in my Ravelry Projects.

1. Ardeo Socks ** DONE **
2. Chocolate Mint Socks  ** DONE **
3. Cobblestone Sweater
4. Drop & Cross Scarf
5. Eiffel Tower Shawl
6. Glenesk Cardigan
7. Lazy Katy Shawl
8. Martini Scarf - Shaken Not Stirred
9. Rudolph Socks ** DONE **
10. Sockolatte Mousse Socks ** DONE **
11. Tweedy Clogs - Felted Clogs

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Acts of Kindness

I have been knitting a lot of shawls.  Last year I knit a dozen and I have knit four this year.  Unfortunately I have not fully recovered from my surgery.  The area where my scar is prevents me from being able to block lace work properly.  I cannot stretch to do pinning the way I need to.  To the rescue came Lynn.  LynnZimm mentioned on plurk that she enjoys blocking and likes to see lace go from it's original knitted state to something open and beautiful.  I jokingly said I had some shawls I would love for her to block.  I had shawls from last year that I never got to block, the two Charlotte Web shawls, the Faro Easy Shawl, etc.  Well Lynn said send them to me.  Is that not the most generous and kind offer ever?  I could not think of a way to thank her enough, I threw some goodies in with the shawls.  But how do you really thank someone for such a helpful kind act?  I just really appreciate everything Lynn is doing for me and I will share the blocked beauties on the blog when they get home. 

Small Shawl Swap Package


DSC07471
Originally uploaded by paletpc
My swap pal Lemonhalf sent me a wonderful package. Beck handspun the yarn, and knit me this beautiful Argus Shawl. Also, she was the very first person to send out a swap pal package - AWESOME. My goodies included a bath bomb that smells wonderful, a dark chocolate palette from Naked Chocolates that was delicious, two cute hearts which now hang above my desk, and a braid of fiber. I happen to have a braid of the same fiber in my stash. I was very happy with everything, Beck is a great swap pal!!!

#3 of 11 in 2011 Shaelyn Shawl for Meliabella

The Shaelyn Shawl I knit for my swap pal Meliabella came out really pretty. I did knit my first choice, the Malka Shawl in STR Incredible Shrinking Violet and it is pretty too. But, as I suspected, once completed this shawl was more Meliabella than the Malka. It is also Socks That Rock, in medium weight colorway Rose Quartz. She likes it and has blogged and Raveled about it - yay. I used almost the whole skein, I had about 10 yards left.