I'm slow, but I'm learning

I had kept my lifeline at row 26. And I've ripped it back to row 26 3 times now. I'm learning. Lifeline has now moved to row 34. I've still got all of my stitches.

Why does Charlotte's Web hate me?

I had cast on for Charlotte's Web with the very nifty Koigu. This is the 3rd time that I'm going to have to rip back to my lifeline because I am missing a stitch somewhere. I count 86. I am not supposed to have 86. I'm supposed to have 87. 43 stitches on each side of the center stitch. Sigh.

I've decided over the weekend that Bead Obsessions is like the crack house. I keep going there and buying another couple of tubes of beads. Gotta keep working to feed the food, bead, yarn addiction!

My first class was this past Saturday. I think it went well. It was definitely a learning experience for me, but I think it's something you learn as you go along. I have a few mental notes for myself for the future.

Casting On...

Charlotte's Web. I bought the pattern and my 5 skeins of Koigu during Knit Happens' pre-inventory sale and I've cast on tonight. First color is a blue/purple mix (426-275). Moving onto a varigated purple (305-198). I kinda want to go out and buy more of these two colors. They're so pretty!

Finished! 1 tea rose topiary

TeaRoseTopiary01-Final
Originally uploaded by jyiu7.

I finished this a few minutes before 9am on Saturday morning, right before Reshma and I were going to leave Philly and head up to NYC. This was a present for my friend Dorrie who graduated law school last year and had just begun her job.
This was another Donna Dickt pattern except I used a smaller ball (4") than the one her pattern called for (6"). Lots of beads and I'm a bit worried that it's top heavy, but it still stands.

Do I need some real leaves?

TeaRoseTopiary1-WIP
Originally uploaded by jyiu7.

Brunch is Saturday and I have until sometime Friday night to finish this. I've added little boxwood branches and I definitely need more boxwood. The question is...the pattern calls for leaves around the tea roses, do I really need them?
I'm starting to think that if I don't have time, it's not getting leaves. At the same time, it looks perfectly fine without. I can just make more boxwoods in different (darker) shades. I have a nice dark olive...

crazy ripping

So, I've begun the dismantling of Kepler. And now I'm thinking...maybe instead of remaking Kepler, I should just go ahead and use the yarn to make Tubey. I don't know how I still feel towards the Kepler pattern, seeing how I lengthened it and really didn't like it and I don't know how I feel about it being as short as it is. And I really am fascinated with Tubey. What to do?

Status check

In progress:

• Kepler - it's almost done except for the neck edge...and I'm taking it all apart to start over
• Hopeful
• A surprise topiary for a bday present - the bday is next weekend so pictures to be posted then.
• Blue sky alpaca's Opera Scarf - belated xmas present
• various beaded flower things
• finishing up the pattern for my intro beaded flower class at Bead Obsessions
• must write up the gerbera daisy pattern and make some leaves for it.
  

Materials in hand:

• Charlotte's web - have the pattern, have the Koigu, have the needles, need to cast on

Wishlist (That I actually plan on getting to):

• Fiddlesticks Knitting - Lotus Blossom Shawl - I picked up this pattern
  

Look what I made!

Chicos-crochetshawl
Originally uploaded by jyiu7.

Okay, not really ;) I was at Chico's admiring some jewelry when the door opened and one of the sales women had this around her neck. It took all my restraint to keep myself from reaching out and ripping it off her neck. This is actually a shawl, and not a scarf. They really have some really amazing things. This is inspiration for a future project.