Liz is OTN, Dales are on, Auction news, and a Tag

Liz is OTN
that would be.....Off The Needles
whew, finally.

So today, after the Mister around here leaves for Chicago to go watch the Bears game tomorrow, she goes into the bath, then onto the blocking board.
That gives me a whole (mostly whole) weekend to project play.

Is anyone else feeling this left-out sad empty "Everyone else is playing, why can't I" that I'm feeling because today is the official cast-on day for the Dale of Norway KAL? The little guy in the back of the brain that says, "you can play, just go" is urging me on...maybe just a pair of mittens... or a hat...

The last week or so I've been v busy with some personal things around here, but I've also spent my computer time helping to set up what we hope will become an annual fundraising event for the Artisans Square Stitchers Guild web-community. We've set up an auction . Items are being listed daily until the end of the month. So far the only yarn that was listed has been sold in a buy-it-now situation, but there are fabrics and books and more to come.

Have loads of fun Lorraine and Jewel and Marina and all the rest of you 90+ knitters who're casting on Dale projects today.

oh, I almost forgot,
Shannon and Nanflan both have tagged me (I got tagged)

So, here's the deal:

• Get tagged by someone
• Write down 5 things that have never been revealed on your blog before
• Tag 5 others

1. Even though I tell everyone I'm from Traverse City MI, I was born in Rochester NY and lived there til I was 12, then moved to the Detroit area, where I stayed til I was 31
2. When my husband and I went on our honeymoon to the Grenedines (the windward islands where we'd chartered a boat), American Airlines lost our luggage for 10 days. We recovered it from the unclaimed pile in customs in St Vincent, but 2 months later AA contacted us to tell us it was permanently lost.
3. When my son was 12 he got a baby iguana. Bob lived a long life, as a male ig he got so aggressive that even ds had difficulty handling him towards the end. Bob died of kidney failure a week ago today. He was 12 yr old.
4. Even though I lived with a large lizard, I have a terror of alligators. I have alligator dreams.
5. Even though we have a dishwasher, I hand wash all of the silverware and all of the glassware everyday.

ok, I tag Jae (whose got an important fundraiser of her own going),
Kim (Kim, that'll give you an excuse to write a blog entry),
Brigitte, because she is feeling sad and left out today too,
Carrie, because she thinks she's got time to cast on today ;)
and ErikaB

more eye candy

Eye Candy More Chihuly glass

No project pics - there has been production and activity, just nothing that I've gotten the camera out for. I'm working on my own stuff exclusively for a change. No client work but that will change soon enough.

I'm taking this time to work on projects that are on the UFO list. I'm feeling stressed by the volume, and that is not good. This week Marina sent me an email, starting with the comment Face it, Marji, you've got too much on your plate! and you know, it was like getting hit between the eyes with a sledgehammer. She is so right! (you are right Marina, sorry about quoting you without telling you first...but you've hit it dead on).

This has led me to make a decision that I know is the right thing. I'm going to delay my Dale. I've got 2 scarf/stole projects on the needles that are gifts, one will be finished tonight, the other I need to have finished by Jan 29.

I'm still knitting back up the first sleeve on Liz, and I have a hat to knit for ds Mark and another to knit for ds Daniel. (dh isn't going to get his hat this winter to go with his foul weather gear - it can Wait). Then I'd like to finish up the Drops cardi in that awesome BlueSky alpaca silk , and I'd like to get the yoke on the red cotton cardi. As much as I'd like to start a Dale of Norway sweater, I just think it would be plain stupid right now. Not to mention the fact that I'd need to buy yarn to go with the Dale Tiur I already have to do any of the patterns I have up for consideration. So, I'm still considering, but I'm going to be a voyeur in the Dale KAL, instead of an active participant.

I did pick up the new Vogue knitting. (late to the party again) At first glance the Only design I found interesting enough to want to do was the New York noir cardigan jacket. Has anyone else seen anything in there that I'm just not getting that is fabulous?

The new Burda collection is out too. I'm really liking this jacket. Meanwhile, I'm still working on my version of this jacket by Marc Jacobs. (yellow lines are drawn on picture by me).

I'm also working on the next pair of pants. I wore the black pair yesterday that I made just before going to Boston in November - they are too big !Yes!. I'll need to take them in before we go to Chicago in Feb.

I need to catch up on blog reading and commenting too. take care my friends. Stay warm.

Picture heavy update.

Well, Christmas week family visiting here have left, and more family is due here tomorrow.

quick and to the point:
Knitting I finished knitting the 2nd sleeve for Eliz I and ripped back most of the first sleeve...and started knitting it again only to realize I knit what I Thought the directions said - not what they actually say - it's not changing again. A.S. has you knit the decreases in the form of a dart in the center of the sleeve, then knit straight for awhile, then, instead of adding the increases back in the middle, she has you increase on the edges. I didn't actually read it thoroughly I guess, 'cause my increases on the sleeve are radiating from that center dart - and dang it, it's a new design feature 'cause that's how it's going to stay. I'm half-way up re-knitting what I ripped out.

Weaving, While Mark (#1 ds) and Alana (his gf) were here, with lots of direction and help they warped the loom, and Alana was able to weave herself a scarf (using stash coned yarn I might add), to take home with her. There is still enough warp on the loom for me to weave off a scarf for Mark, however for his I have to order from Halcyon yarn some Jaggerspun Maine Line 2/8 in a different color, then Lauren (youngest dsd) can weave one off for her bf.

Sewing The Missoni knock-off dress is complete, however I think I'm going to remove the sleeves and try a different sleeve on it. I bought some black cotton broadcloth Monday to make a mock up to try, before cutting into the actual dress sleeve.

In a post last week I mentioned that I was going to take stock of the UFO pile in the sewing room and dispense with it by June 30. *ahem that isn't going to be possible. I took inventory, and suffice it to say, I'm not sure that I can dispense with it in a year. I've finished 3 UFO's already since Jan 1 2007. A skirt for Katie that needed a yoke facing, some handstitching, and a hem.
Maybe the oldest UFO down there, a wool jacket started when I was in college. Alana tried it on when she was here, she likes it and it fits her, so I finished it yesterday and it will go in the mail to her as soon as I have an address to send it to.

While the kids were here we went to see the Chihuly exhibit at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Following are just some of the hundred or so pics I took.