Do We Have A Winner?!

I finished my wraplan tonight. When I started knitting this evening I had the collar, button placket, and buttonhole placket to knit. Erica posted this morning that she had all but the weaving in to do. So I figured I would just knit and sew in my ends and not check to see if she had posted hers until I had mine photographed and posted.

And she hasn't posted hers yet! I can't believe it. I may have snuck in at the end and stole the sushi dinner!

It isn't 100% complete, of course. It still needs the buttons and I want to block it because the plackets seem taller then the rest of the wraplan. But Angi only required us to have all our ends woven in (and there was a bunch of them). So for the contest I'm done.

Tomorrow, I'm going to look for some cute buttons before I go to knit night and gloat... I mean show off... I mean sew on the buttons. ;)

Contest Progress - Day 5

I worked on the Wraplan last night while watching Robin Hood on DVD (Robin and Miriam are finally together!) and got the sleeves done and started on the collar. Well, I picked up for the collar. I was pretty tired after a busy weekend despite a 2 hour nap yesterday when I got to that part. I picked up 3 times (is this a theme?!?) before I decided my head was too muddled to figure it out.

Don't know how much I'll get done tonight. But maybe I can get the collar done. Erica has her project marked at 90% on Ravelry so I think she is still ahead. She hasn't posted on the Lucky Lurker forum or in her project notes actual progress, so it is hard to know.

Onward!

Contest Progress - Day 4

No progress yesterday on my Wraplan. I did bring my knitting but it was just to beautiful out to be inside knitting.

The Bead Exhibit at the downtown Seattle Art Museum was interesting. They had it in the form of a quiz. So at each display, they would have a question about what a set a bead garments were or who used the beaded item. Then next to the display they had a bunch of cards with pictures of the beads or beaded item and on the back information about it.

I did not like the format. I like to have the information cards posted next to piece of art. In some cases, I couldn't find a matching card. In any case, it was a good exhibit and because I used to sell beads and study bead history for fun, I knew or could guess what the beads were and who used them.

Afterwards, we walked down 1st Avenue to So Much Yarn which was a nice shop but one I probably won't go back to since it is downtown and didn't really carry anything that I can't get at a more accessible yarn store around Seattle.

Downtown was bustling with people which stills surprises me because most Texas cities don't have vibrant downtowns where people live, work, and shop. We were down by Pike Place Market so we stopped to have a smoothie and some roasted nuts.

The water taxi to and from West Seattle was beautiful. Mount Rainer was breath taking. Ernestina is a native of Seattle and so she isn't phased by seeing it. Most people from Seattle seem to not even notice it. I guess they are so used to it.

But I remember most times at least noticing the UT Tower or the Texas Capital when I was driving around Austin. And I always loved looking at the lakes when I drove by them or crossed over them. And wild flowers in the Spring were one of my favorite things.

Anyway, I hope I never lose the joy of seeing Mount Rainer or the Cascade Mountains or the Olympic Mountains especially since they aren't available to see most of the year because of the clouds and grey.

Today is supposed to be another beautiful day and I have a party to go to this afternoon for a friend who is moving to Olympia. Hopefully, I will be able to do some knitting tonight while I watch some episodes of the BBC Robin Hood. Erica hasn't posted her progress but she may be done by now already. :(

Contest Progress - Day 3

Someone on the Lucky Lurker board has already finished the Wraplan! So I won't be winning the discount on the Duet Yarn but Erica hasn't finished yet, so I'm still in the running for the sushi dinner.

I got a couple of hours in yesterday when my computer at worked bombed. The computer is in Califorina. I remote into and all my work is on it. So when I can't get to it, I can't work. Poor me, I had to knit.

I finished the mock ribbing at the bottom of the body and I'm now onto the sleeves. I'm knitting 2 at a time on one circular. I've finally learned how to do that properly on my last pair of socks which I realize now as I type this, I haven't posted here.

I went out with friends to a an Ethiopian place called Mesob last night. It was pretty good. I've only had Ethipian food one time before about 10 years ago in DC when I was on business. It was much more fun to eat it with a bunch of friends. The style of eating is very communal.

I'll post pictures of my progress on my Wraplan later today. I'm off to walk 9 miles with Seattle Fit as part of my training for the Seattle Marathon in November. I'm doing the 1/2 marathon. And them I'm off to take the water taxi with a friend across Elliot Bay to downtown so that we can go to SAM to see a bead exhibit and some artists. If we have time we are going to So Much Yarn.

I'm going to take my knitting with me to downtown. But I doubt I'll have much time to knit. Drat! Looks like Erica is going to win!

Contest Progress - Day 2

I got some more knitting done on my Wraplan for the contest.



Since my gauge is still big, I decided not cast on again with more stitches. I'm knitting the length and the rest of the wraplan for a 9 to 12 month.

I made it to the first couple rows of the contrasting mock ribbing at the bottom. I would have gotten more done, but I'm working overtime on a website that goes live in a week and a half.

Erica says she has started on one of the sleeves. Maybe I'll catch up tonight or over the weekend. Of course, that is if she doesn't get finished first!

The Race Is On

Angi over at A Swell Yarn Shop has a contest going on using her Duet or DeKAY yarn. The winners who finish first get 50% off a skein a yarn. She has posted 2 patterns so there will be 2 winners.

One of the patterns is Broadripple which I've already knit. And the other is the Offset Wraplet (pdf).

I've decided on the Wraplet. It will be really cute with the contrasting yarn for the neckband, button band, and cuffs. Of course, I don't know any babies in my life right now but that doesn't mean one won't show up to gift to.

I'm using some Duet yarn I bought earlier this year:



I know I won't be the first one finished but my friend Ericka and I have a side bet going. We are both working on the wraplet and whoever finishes last has to buy the other one sushi.

So last night we both cast on at the knit night we go to. However, she is in the lead because I had to cast on 3 times before I got it right. First, I miscounted. Second, I counted correctly but the gauge was way big, 10 inches to big! So on the third try I went down a needle size and cast on less stitches. This gives me an advantage though since I'll end up knitting less stitches overall.

Hmmm... should I cast on again tonight with the correct number of stitches and a smaller size?!?

There is sushi on the line after all.

Crap! I can't cheat. Not over knitting. So down one needle size and casting on again! Ugh! I may need to stay up late and knit, knit, knit so I can catch up!

It is all in good fun though. In either case, I'll get to have sushi and there is a new Blue C Sushi over at South Center mall that we can try out.

Wish me luck!