Last June, during the KnitWits trip to NY, I bought 5 skeins of Lion Brand® Nature’s Choice  Organic^® Cotton yarn in blueberry. It’s very soft and feels go good against your skin.  A nice diversion from all that worsted weight yarn I have that can be a little stiff and not so soft.

I’m going to make the Edith Shawl, a gift to myself since I usual give my creations away as Christmas gifts. Well, three weeks ago I decided I wanted to knit something in a lighter weight yarn, so I picked up the pattern and got started.

It’s nice right. Even looks pretty easy to make. Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. Can I tell you that I am having the hardest time getting this thing started?! Well, believe it. The pattern consists of eight rows that you repeat until you get the desired length.  There are a ton of yarn overs, knit 2 together through the front of the loop, knit 2 together in the back of the loop, and they’ve even thrown in a few knit 3 together.  This one definitely requires more concentration than my earlier works.

I can usually pick up a pattern and get into a rhythm after doing it a few times, but not with this one. I get to row four or five and always seem to have too many stitches at the end of the final repeat. I cannot get past those first eight rows! I have frogged this thing about four times already! Frustration is setting in, but I’m determined to get this started and moving. My next plan is to use a lifeline after each finished row so I don’t have to frog the whole project, just the one row.

It usually only takes me two times of frogging before I wrap my brain around a complicated pattern, but this lace pattern is giving me a run for my money. We’ll see what happens. This one may end up in WIP purgatory with that crochet blanket I’m still no where near finishing.

The KnitWits finally made it to New York for a day of yarn shopping. You have not had fun until you’ve gone on a day trip with these ladies. I laughed all day long!

After months of planning how we would travel to NY (we can take the limo next time Karen), we decided to go with MegaBus. The tickets were really cheap round trip, but we learned that the longer you wait, the more your tickets will be. We paid $22 to travel on double decker, green energy bus equipped with free Wi-Fi. Not a bad way to travel and the ride was comfortable. I would highly recommend them if you’re planning a day trip to NY.

Once we arrived in NY, it was as if we were a class of 2nd graders who lost their teacher. I think it was the NY air, but getting our barring took a moment or two. Eventually, we figured out the Metro Card machine, got on the train and headed to our first stop at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio.

Sometimes the most fun you can have is when you hit a snag in your plans. We arrived at 14th St. around 10:30 am and realized Lion Brand Yarn Studio didn’t open until 11:30. So, what would any group of women do? We walked over to the Chelsea Market (which felt like 5 miles) and did a bit of shopping. The place is filled with bakery, after bakery, after bakery. It smelled delicious from one end of the market to the other. Breads cheeses, cupcakes, cookies…oh and they had other shops in there to. One was even having a sample sale (sorry , can’t remember the name right now). As you can imagine, we lost a few of our members to the clothes and shoes stacked on tables through the shop.

It was finally time to walk the 7 NY blocks back to Lion Brand. Once inside, all the miles we just walked left our minds. It was quickly replaced by Ohs and Ahs once we walked in and saw all the yarns, textures and projects that filled the studio. There was a knitting class going on so we were mindful to behave ourselves.

Tracey was working that day (yay!) and it was so good to see her. Monique and I met her the first time we went to the studio last August. She was so full of information and suggestions. I was so glad she was there so she could meet everyone in our little crew. We took our time and perused the wall of yarn, checking out new projects and the yarn sample wall. I bought some yarn with the intent to knit my dad a Christmas gift that he’ll enjoy. And, thanks to Lydia, I’ll be working on a new leaf lace shawl at our next meeting. It’s really pretty and I think it will knit up perfectly in the Nature’s Choice Organic® Cotton Yarn I selected.

So, off to our next stop, Knitty City. We came out of Lion Brand and decided to take a group photo in front of the window. Another hitch. My batteries died. No more shots, but a lot more day and fun.

We get off the subway at 79th street, came up stairs and were smack in the middle of a street fair. The smells of grilled everything hit me like a perpetual wave of barbeque goodness. Yeah, it was well past lunchtime, but we already decided to wait until we finished shopping to find a place to eat close to the bus stop. I was ready for that plan to change, big time.  Needless to say, our group quickly broke up again. We actually held a strategy meeting in front of a table of cut glass pendants since we couldn’t tear two of our KnitWits away!

We left them and walked the one block to Knitty City with a plan to return to the street fair before heading back to 34th St. I began to notice the small yarn shop trend in NY. They have ample room for yarn and tables, but when the shop is full…it’s full! I picked out some yarn that was being discontinued from the sales crates while fingering and dreaming about the chunky Malabrigo yarn I would leave behind.

I was so glad I did. When I got to the register and heard my total, I didn’t even try to justify the amount I was spending on yarn. And, without a project in mind for it! I haven’t been yarn shopping in months, but that’s not excuse. On the plus side, I did get a free tote to carry my projects because of it.

We made it back to the street fair and walked most of it, before heading back to the MegaBus area. We were starving by then and decided to eat at Harrington’s Pub (or something like that). Big mistake. The food was tasty, but one of our members didn’t receive her order until we were practically done with our food. She only ordered a cheese burger and it took forever. I’m still not clear if it was the fault of the waitress or the kitchen, but they had to comp the burger to make up for the disaster. To top it off, she said the burger wasn’t that great.

With two hours left to kill, and pouring rain outside, we walked over to Borders and hung out there for an hour before walking to the bus stop. There were lines and bodies everywhere. Since there wasn’t a line for our bus, we decided to make one and others who were on the same bus, piled in behind us. We made that last hour fun and it went quickly.

The ride home was quiet and uneventful. Most of us slept, but we were all tired from a fun day in the big apple. Now we’re planning our next fiber adventure.

Well, it’s 2010 and this year I am knitting for me.  There are so many pieces I want to try that doesn’t involve a scarf.  This year I want to make my first sweater, hat and gloves.  And, that’s just the beginning.

For the first time in months, I logged into my ravelry account.  Oh, I’ve been knitting, but none of the projects I queued all last year.  My pattern library at home is out of control and it’s time to start working my way through them. 

When I checked out my queue, I noticed that I can now organize it.  I know!  How great is that! So, I decided which projects I want to complete first.

I know there are a couple scarf patterns in there, but…well, I want to make them.  This year I also want to work on the Sweater Machine more.  There are blankets and large pieces I want to make that I just don’t have the attention span to complete (hence my 4 year crochet blanket that I’m still working on).

Although my WIP (work in progress) basket is overflowing with half completed scarves, I’m going to start working on a non-scarf project.  Stay tuned for all the yarny goodness to come!

I received my first issue of KnitSimple over the weekend and read it cover to cover yesterday.  I like that it’s full of patterns and new sources to find yarn and notions.  They’ve also reviewed 10 organic and eco friendly yarns that looks pretty interesting.  This will come in handy this winter when I sit down to really learn more about the yarn I use in my projects.

There’s also a technique I’ve never heard of called Broomstick Lace which is used for the center panel of this bag. I like it.  I want to learn it.  I can’t wrap my brain around the instructions, but I’m definitely going to give it a try.  I have to start moving beyond the scarf and work my way up the knitter’s food chain.

Admittedly, this past month, or two,  I haven’t knit 1 stitch for some reason.  I blame the lazy days of summer, but, I have been planning for future projects.  The problem is I’ve been so busy knitting gifts for this Christmas that I haven’t made myself anything since last year.  I want to make myself something pretty and non-scarf related.  This made me think of all the WIP I have to finish up so I can actually make something for me, myself and I.

I pulled out all of my finished objects this morning and realized that I am practically done with my Christmas list.  Yay!!!  Mind you, this is the completely revised list of handmade treasures.  By my calculations, I have 1 wrap and 5 more scarves to make.  The scarves are knit on size 35 needles and done in a garter stitch so they go fairly quickly.  I’m using a colorful fancy fun fur paired with a worsted weight yarn.  Don’t worry, these are for the ladies.  FYI – this scarf is a great way to knit down your stash.

My only only task will be to block almost every piece I’ve knitted.  Yes, the stockinette stitch is to blame, but at least I’ll have another month or 2 before I have to start laying everything out.

I’m curious, when do you start making your holiday gifts?  Some people start in the fall but I can’t knit that fast.

The newest edition of Bond Buzz is now available.  This issue gives tips for using the #1 keyplate and what yarn weight works best for it.  I think I have used all the keyplates except this one so I am looking forward to trying out the Gathered Toddler Cardi pattern.  It’s also making me look at the weight of yarn I’m using with the other keyplates and not just the gauge/needle size. 

I haven’t knit anything on the machine, or by hand, for almost a month now.  No better time than now to get back on the horse and finish up my Christmas gifts.  I feel a knitty vacation coming on.