Bohemian Bluestocking

Without further ado, a photo of the first sweater, sans one sleeve, but almost there. It is really done, so this picture is a bit old. And as with every "first" I am having issues:

• the sleeves are much too long (3 inches, oops).  You'd think, because I make clothes for a living, I could measure and calculate properly. nope.
• The collar won't roll, and is too short. I am going to have to pull it out and start over. Never mind that I've woven everything in. oops.
• Because it's a one-button cardigan, the front edges are rolling a bit. I think I might single crochet(and I HATE to crochet, mind you) up the front sides and add a separating zipper for a cleaner finish.

So not a terribly long list of corrections. It is wearable, just not to the point when people say "you knit that?" I don't respond with just "Thank you." I respond with the list of corrections. oops.

I do have a knitting stash, though I think it's more than managable (says she who buys fabric because "it might be useful...really it might....someday soon....maybe next year....)

And here it is, packed:

So, I have, the following yarns:

6 balls Rainbow(WEBS), 2 lorna's laces shepard(thanks, jessalu!), some blue angora blend, 4 skeins shetland weight and 2 red & off-white heavy worsted (Rhinebeck), various skeins of rough handspun (which you can have Abi), Dale of Norway Helio, Tauk, and Baby Ull, half-balls of Lopi, enough black cherry Cascade 220 to make a sweater, 3 skeins Lion brand Kitchen Cotton (never know when you might need a dishcloth or two, and some unidentifably half-balls of blends of who know what.

What a way to start off the new year. One goal it it get this down to a managable level. One basket would be great, but I am not putting much stock in the possiblility of that happening.

I am moving right along. The holiday season got me really swamped with retail lackey life, but there is a lightening soon into the new year, because soon the tourons (an alien species that sees our earth as a vacation planet) will leave earth for their home planet in the planetary system Longus Islandia Prime. And then I can focus on finishing up all the various projects left over from the fall. Really I will.

A bit of goodish news: I did get an email from my fearless leader at S&Co. saying she wants me back for the summer and fall seasons, which can mean anythings as far as shows go. I'll keep everyone posted as soon as I know where I'll be.

I think I have New Year Resolutions, but they may wait for couple of days.

I have photos to pick up from development, at some point.

Sort of. My cold has returned with a vengence. Now it has become bronchial. yech. For those who are interested, some photos from Fall Festival are now available. The site is Digiproofs. You will, however, need these event keywoods: ffs05mtgreylock & ffs05taconic to access the photos properly. I have not cut and pasted them because they are technically copyrighted and I should really give credit where credit is due. Plus, it's not that.... hard to link and enter a password.

I have some knitting projects on the table(besides my own stuff, which I will detail tomorrow or Friday, if I have time.) But for other people, and for cash($$ -- yipee!!), there are 2 hats and 2 scarfs and some mittens, and a vest. So a little cash flow, plus my other retail lackey work.

Yes, my shows at Shake&Co are almost done (they open Wednesday), but:

• My molars have started to ache. sharp shooting pain kinda of ache, with me lying on the bed, saying"please give me a respite, please."
• I've developed a sinus headache that's turning into a headcold. So now when the toothache throbs, I feel in my ear, and behind my eyeballs. A toothache behind my eyeballs.
• I am at work at 2am, stitching trim on a dress, because the director wants another dress rehearsal today, but I have to be at the other school this afternoon for their dress  rehearsal. Can't I drop it off Wednsday am? nooooo, that would make too much sense. They have to run changes Tuesday, never minding that this actress doesn't actually change clothes. And I also got: "I thought the veil would be longer? Can you make it longer?" IT'S TWO(now one actually) DAYS BEFORE YOUR SHOW, . HMMMM. NO. THAT WOULD BE YOUR ANSWER.
• My parents might actually come to one of my shows. Before everyone says, awww, that's so sweet, why is that on the "but...." list; In the over 5 years I've lived in the Berkshires, they have never once come to see me. They only live 4 hours away. hmmmmm. Now I know Massachusetts is a foreign country to the rest of New England, but....
• And because the shows are opening Wednesday, I am missing knitting circle. And I might miss it next week as well, since we are in the middle of Festival Week.

Somewhere in all this, I promised myself I would start my Buttonhole Bag. I've changed my mind about the colors. I've gone with a chocolate brown and sapphire Cascade 220 instead (old standbys). (Gave me an excuse to buy some yarn, like I needed much of an excuse.) Probably some stranded colorwrok of some sort. I also bought more Dale of Norway Tuir in black and dark magenta, which I will use with a halh ball of mustard colorl,  for another pair of Warm Hands Knitalong mittens. Two pairs are down so far, though: (1) A fingerless pair in Adrianne Vittadini silk/cotton baby blue, with a eyelet edge threaded with blue-edged brown ribbon, and (2) some anynomous(sp) dark green silk/cashmere/merino from Goodwill, 1x1 cable twist cuffs with squared off tips. Pictures to follow soon, I promise.

So despite the multiple pains in my head and ass, I seem to be making some progress nevertheless. humph. That wasn't supposed to happen.

So finally some of my photos are back from the developer (maybe I need to ask for a digital camera for the holidays. hmm...) but without further ado:

this was the Web's Haul (and yes, Abi, this is all your fault; until you I never photographed yarn that I just bought.)Just a wee bit more yarn to finish up my one-button cardigan (Valley Yarn Rainbow in Red -- this is an inhouse yarn for webs, produced for them in France) and some #2 short needles for an Jaeger alpaca project I've been thinking about. This was followed up by this purchase:

Yes, I haven't posted for days. Between my projects at Shakespeare & Co and lackey work, New England has been living in a version of the Pacific Northwest -- rain, soggy ground, and none of my bath towels are drying out. Combine that with the cold weather and it makes for an oh-so lovely combination and damp *and* cold. grumble grumble. I'm in major crunch for my two shows (you trying costuming 60 kids). I'm fighting an on-going low-grade migraine and PMS-ing. I need some rest, some real food, and some chocolate. (this order might change at any moment.) All said, I am suffering from some general malaise.

And my Bohus book hasn't arrived yet. sigh.

Onto goodish news, I joined two knitalongs, Warm Hands, and Knit the Classics. Now if I can ever find time to work on this stuff.

Can you tell I'm having a grumpy day?

It's sorta like being hung over, but not quite. But I am suffering from a case of sensory overload. It was just too much information to take in.

I did keep to my budget, and ended up with a smallish bunch of loot, to wit: 4 skeins of shetland weight, in shades of burgundy, pink, brown-pink, and grass green. (Everyone will have to be patient, my photos are out being developed as we speak). And then 2 skeins of heavy worsted in granite and a great 50s style red. I think the shetland weight will become a hat (?) and the worsted a scarf.

I just bought from Alibris: Poems of Color:Knitting in the Bohus Tradition by Wendy Keele. I think I am going to have my work cut out for me for the next year, learning new techniques. For those unfamilar, this is dale of norway ski sweaters meets starmore fair isle meets estonian mittens meets 50's couture meets yoked sweaters. The cover doesn't even do it justice. I 'll let people know how this all goes, but I'm already feeling nausous about it (but in a good way.(?))

I hit 1000 visits! la la la (imagine me doing a little hula dance.) Thanks to everyone who is reading. Leave some comments!!!! So I am off the Rhinebeck with Jess and Abi this Saturday, and hope to see a bunch of you there. I might even wear a pair of the nordic mitttens. hmmmm.

please mom, can I have one? I coulda got the cutest angora today for only $50. But I didn't. Krista wants a goat. A bunny doesn't seem so bad. I did however, buy a skein of bunny yarn at the fair. 190 yd of 60% merino/40% angora at $18(yea, I probably paid too much), millspun and kettle dyed, get this, "blueberry." (hey, it's Maine.) I ate divinity fudge with walnuts, and maple cotton candy, and pizza, and coffee. ooh, too much sugar. Krista and I usually play this game where we see how many people we know are at the fair. She won this year, though I did see an old boyfriend(but he didn't see me.) I got treats for Abi and Jessalu. Yippee -- treats for all.