see mi knit

So, how long have I been actively knitting now?  3? 4 years?  So you'd think after, I dunno, sometime between "immediately" and "pretty soon" after taking up knitting I'd have learned a couple of The Basics.  Basics like:

• Consider yarn subs
• Check your gauge
• Make sure you have the needles you need
• Make sure you have enough yarn

Oh yeah, that last one... a REAL NO BRAINER RIGHT?!?

So tell me, after I found a yarn sub, checked the gauge, got the right needles, and finished the back of the sweater I had the brilliant stroke of genius to do some casual math to make sure I had enough yarn in my stash and then realized I am over a hundred yards short???

Just... just take my knitting badge away right now please. I deserve it.  I mean, I thought the fact that I had 14 balls of the stuff meant I was totally in the clear, but nope. Over a hundred yards short.

Sigh.

Anyway, lesson learned and let's never speak of this again.  I still love the sweater and I'm sure I'll make it eventually, but when I do let's never mention its predecessor hmmm?  kthanx.

Onwards and upwards!  Never one to be be knocked down for long, I've already fallen in love with another project and this one I did the math before casting on (she eventually learns, folks) and I'm pleased as punch with the progress.

If that spiderweb motif didn't give it away, it's Anais by the awesomely clever Norah Gaughan (omg I love this book).

I'm knitting the body in the round but other than that, I love it exactly the way it is.

Rhinebeck is this weekend and a couple of my dear friends are going. I'm a bit sad that I won't get to join in because I really miss our knitterly times together.  I've also heard so much about Rhinebek and the fact that Ravelry is going to have their own little shindig happening makes me a bit grumpy about being stuck in cold England.

I can't stay gloomy forever though, there's plenty of wool here to keep me busy (although I still lack knitterly friends). Last weekend I even ventured to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London!  It was held at the Alexandra Palace ("Ally Pally"). 

Inside was an absolute madhouse.  In a good, woolly sort of way.  I picked up up a respectable amount of stash, but not as much as I wanted to because I just couldn't get myself to buy a granny cart.  (I assure you, I would have, but I was meeting Craig later and if I had a granny cart I would never have lived it down.) 

Stash diving!

The knitting and stitching show is not just about knitting. Oh no, it features all aspects of the textile arts.  I clearly was not mentally prepared for this because although I had every intention of sticking to the knitterly arts, somehow these lovelies finagled themselves into my bag:

I should mention how:

1. I never did get that much into sewing
2. I gave my sewing machine to my mom when I moved to England
3. I don't sew much now

But dudes!

Flowers! Owls! Bunnies! Kitties!  Turtles!  There isn't a force on earth that could resist such a fearsome combo!

Ok so.... without a sewing machine what can I do with them?  Ideas?

I would love to actually make a box bag but I fear that requires a sewing machine and that's really just out of the question right now because of lack of space and uncertainty of living conditions.

Don't worry, plenty of knitting is still happening around here.  The kismet scarf is (slowwwly) chugging away during car rides and this

is flying on the needles when at home. (I love chunky yarn!) (pattern from Ally Pally using some old old stash yarn)