It is finished

The Advent scarf is done!



We had our last class for the scarf tonight. I had everything done but that damn Day 12. I was determined to finish it, no matter what kind of mood I was in. Things didn't start well, seeing as I ran late (forgot my purse at home--*sigh*). But I settled in, got knitting, modified a stitch a bit, and all of a sudden I was done.

This being a dark red yarn, I need to put it up to the light to really show the patterns. So I went all Christmas Geek and threw it on the big tree and the little tree. I tried to get a closeup of Day 12, but my hands weren't steady enough and you don't need the headache of a blurry picture. I still need to block it, which will make some of the lace even more beautiful, so maybe I'll get a shot then.

I'm tempted to do this again in a white yarn I found in my craft room. And our instructor is already talking about a different set of textured patterns for next year. I can't wait.

Coming up: another Work in Progress event. We have 3 months to register and complete as many works in progress as we can. I have a 4-year-old sweater I'd really like to finish.

Advent Scarf: Day 22

For the first time in a while, I got a day's pattern done on that day. I took these last night.



Not the sharpest focus, but you get the idea :)



2 more days!

Catching up big time

From top to bottom, Day 18 through Day 21. I love how the lily of the valley (2nd from top) turned out



In front of a light, so you can get a better idea.

S is likely going to bed early tonight, so I may have time to do Day 22, or at least get it started.

Working my way backwards

I just went ahead and did Day 21 today, a Russian lace pattern called chained hearts. This knit up pretty quickly.



and up against the window



Tonight I'll start at Day 20 and work back.

Falling behind

Yesterday was knitting class, so I could take that damn Day 12 pattern and get some help. I swear our teacher Tricia ripped out at least one row in the 4-row repeat at least once. I thought I had it, but I came home and attempted just one more row, screwing it up yet again. I ripped the whole thing out and vowed to figure it out later.

I'm now a few days behind, but for some reason I'm not too worried. Unlike last week when I would wake up in the middle of the night wondering how I was going to finish Day X. I know I have some time over the next week or 2, so I'll get it done eventually.

Today is football and quality time with S. Here's a picture to tide you over.

Advent Scarf: Day 17

Elfin lace




Our pattern creator said she liked it because it looked like little faces. I'm not imaginative enough to see it, but I still like how it turned out.

I'm excited for tomorrow morning. I get to fix Day 12!

Advent Scarf: Day 16

I really liked this one. Here's one with flash, to give a slightly different perspective.



And without flash. J helped hold this still so I didn't get a blurry picture.

The scarf is getting pretty substantial. It goes around my neck down to mid-waist. I'm pretty excited.

Better

S is feeling better. I'm feeling better. I finished the first draft of my work project. The weather is getting slightly warmer. And I'm caught up on my Advent scarf (minus that pesky Day 12, which will be resolved this weekend).



Can't wait to see what Day 16 brings!

One step forward, and hold...

As stated, it was an easy, relaxing section. Which I needed. My freelance work is heating up, S is suffering from her cold, and time is precious right now. Day 14 is sitting on a cabinet upstairs, and I'm really hoping to get caught up tomorrow ::fingers crossed::

Catching up, giving up, and moving on

Days 10 and 11 are done. I finished them up at the beginning of Day 12 *sigh*



A little more in focus, as I didn't have them near a curious child who was crawling toward my scarf.



I ripped out Day 12 twice yesterday, or was it 3 times? But that's the beauty of this. I can hold off on Day 12 until my next knitting class, and move on to Day 13. It will make my scarf unique ;) Day 13 said something about it being a relaxing pattern, and that's what I need right now.

Catching up

Day 8 is done. I was worried about this, but it turned out beautifully



In front of a lovely winter background



Aaand, Day 9 is done. I like

Back in the saddle

Day 7 is fixed.

Advent Scarf: Day 6

Yeah, I've definitely turned a corner



I banged this out this morning before the baby woke up. She's still sleeping (never wake a sleeping baby) and I can focus on my other knitting later tonight.



It's lightly snowing and is apparently going to be "brisk" outside today. S and I are going to settle in and enjoy the day.

Advent Scarf: Day 5 (and a confession)

To begin this post, I'd like to thank my daughter, who had a bad night, meaning she's been in bed most of the afternoon. This enabled me to do my 16 rows of horseshoe lace. And a load of cloth diaper laundry, and a load of dishes, and some Christmas decorating. Ahhhh....

She's stirring now, so on to the pictures (and the confession)


The scarf so far in front of the window


Tossed on the carpet

The confession: I don't like lace. Let's amend that: lace makes me nervous. I feel like I spend most of the time stressed about dropping a stitch and messing up the whole pattern, and having to rip back to the beginning only to be stresssed again.

But a funny thing happened today--I loved doing the horseshoe lace. Loved it. It was so nice and relaxing. I sat back with the NFL on TV, a mug of chamomile tea on the side table, and knitted lace. And it's beautiful.

Maybe I've turned a corner...

Advent Scarf: Day 4

Today's pattern was a fern pattern, and I think it turned out really well.



I took 2 pictures just to get a better idea of how it looks so far. Above is hanging from my (surprisingly steady) hand, and below is tossed on the carpet.

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Advent Scarf: Day 3

I didn't have to rip this one back!

Today's pattern was a lovely diagonal Spanish lace. It looks better in person. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings :)

Advent Scarf: Day 2

This took a while to get done. J had to stay late at work, I had to rip this one back (this seems to be a running theme), and all of a sudden it was after 10pm and I had to finish another 6 rows.

Fortunately S slept until 8:30, just as I expected, and I got those last rows done. I now have a set of gull wing lace and a set of fleurette lace. Day 3 hit my inbox early this morning, so I'll get to work on it at some point today.

Advent scarf knit-along (sorry Mom)

My mom prefers that all my posts center around S, but she'll have to settle for some knitting posts as well.

My local yarn store is doing an Advent scarf knit-along. Let me explain. A knit-along is where a group of knitters knit a pattern, usually one sent to them periodically over a set period of time. Advent comes in because we're getting a piece of a pattern every day from 12/1 through 12/24, much like an Advent calendar. Except instead of a sweet treat in the form of candy (as our Advent calendar has), our sweet treat is the completion of a pretty lace scarf.

I decided this morning that I'm going to post my progress each day and let you know how it's going. December 1 brought a 16-row gull-wing pattern, and it turned out like this:




I only had to rip it out once ;)