Winner!

I completed my "Sledding Joy" socks tonight and can say I made it under the burled arch for the Iknitarod.   I'm after the first few but well ahead of the red lantern.   

Now it is time to turn my attention back to the "MalWear" socks.  My goal was to have them both done by Sunday at Midnight but I'm pretty sure there's no way that's happening. Before the end of the month for sure.

Sledding Along

Happy Pi Day!

Tonight's big achievement was getting fluids into Galen (the cat) on my own. I like it when the vet does it and while $8 a treatment isn't too expensive it has been adding up.  He has been looking much peppier over the last couple of weeks.  Using pill pockets to get his meds into him and staying more current with fluids is really helping.  His coat is super soft and shiny and he is interested in his surroundings.  I found the heating pad and it has been pressed into use.  The weekend was chilly and rainy so it came in handy.

Knitting is progress, albeit slowly.  I have started to replace knitting time with Diablo 3 time and there's only so many hours in a day.  I will finish the Sledding Joy socks for sure but don't think I'll be able to turn in the brown socks on time.  Partial points are still points. Soar Ravenclaw!

Sad news out of the Iditarod - someone on a snowmobile tried to run down two teams and killed a dog.   The mushers are still mushing but it is very sad.

Sledding Joy

The first sock is just about done.

I just need to get off the internet and graft the toe. And put away laundry. And do dishes. And, and, and.

Checkpoint

The Iditarod socks are zooming right along.  This morning I started where the stitch marker is and am a out 3" further down the foot.  The goal is to finish tonight but I will be happy if I get to the place where the toe decreases begin.

Taking the cat for a blood draw in the morning but I should be able to get some knitting progress accomplished before work.

Mush!

Watching the ceremonial start of the Iditarod and getting warmed up for the Iknitarod.  I made two mini socks while I was waiting for the race to start so ironically now I need a rest before I cast on for the sledding socks.   But I have my mug, I have some fresh tea and the weather is appropriately overcast.  After the live stream I'll walk the dog.

Month End Wrap Up

Is it that time again?

The "moody hose" are complete. I  finished before the last musher so 'won' the Iknitarod, but only by about 3 hours.  That last Sunday I knit for about 7 hours straight and put 6 inches on the sock.

On the Trail

The knitting continues...

Mush!

I was making great progress on the CeCe sweater (2 sleeves done, ready to join to the body) but it is on pause for a few days because it is time for the Iknitarod!

Yesterday was the ceremonial start and I cast on for Moody Hose with some yarn from last year's yarn crawl. So far, so good.

The Burled Arch / Mission Complete

The stole is done!  I made it in time for both deadlines. It is lovely and warm, soft and squashy.

Iknitarod Time Again

Watching some sled dogs, knitting some shawl. 

Red Lantern, Part 2

I finished my scarf!

 The gray color of the "in progress" picture is more accurate.  The sun was setting when I took the "finished" picture.

Red Lantern

The last musher to finish the Iditarod gets the title of the "red lantern" and I am going to be one of the last in my knitting group to finish.

I had to bail out on the Mush! socks as they are just too small. However, I have been diligently working on the change ringing scarf for most of the "race" as a backup project and if I turn the damn computer off and pick up the needles I think I can finish today.

I would really rather play WoW all day but I am going to a party in the afternoon and won't have knitting time.

WIP Wonderland

Everywhere I turn I see a partially completed knitting project.  Today I stuck to working on the cowl at work as the pattern was the simplest one.  The scarf got stuck on a cable and the socks are at the ankle / heel and very tricky just now.  In addition, the sock pattern has not been printed out so I can work on them only when I am actually sitting at the computer.

However, the mushers are still mushing on the Iditarod trail so I will work for a couple hours on the socks tonight.  I am at that place where I think they are too small, so hate to "waste" the effort in proceeding, but don't want to rip back to the toe.  At least it isn't snowing.

Staying on the Trail...

I am knitting my Mush! socks tonight and watching YouTube videos of sleds & sled dogs. Progress is being made!

I had an equipment malfunction; my single 24" needle came apart at the join and I can't find my superglue.  I tried a few rows with DPNs and that worked fine, but the pattern is really designed for circulars.  Instead of buying one long one, I am trying it with two 9" needles. It is a bit fiddly but I think it is working fine.

Mush!

Today is the start day for the Iditarod and I am in a Ravelry knitting group to participate in the Iknitarod so we get to start our projects as well!  I haven't knit along with this event before but have been looking forward to it for months. You pick a project that you want to work hard to finish before the end of the race (when the last musher crosses the finish line).  I learned that this is a variable time / date, not a set time, and that adds to the challenge.

The chatter on the thread has been focusing on blue / white / gray yarns and fibers to represent the ice and snow and sky of the Alaskan countryside and there has also been a bit of chatter about the Northern Lights. I want my project to combine these things and found a great sock pattern to try. The gloves are in the same color family, but I can finish one glove in far less than 2 weeks, so I wanted a loftier goal.

The pattern is Skew and is free from Knitty.com.   Perfect!  The yarn is a skein I just couldn't resist and am really, really looking forward to knitting. It is soft, springy and drop dead gorgeous.

Finn McMisile from Woolen Mill St yarns

The start of the race is in less than an hour; time to get my materials together, make sure I can live stream the race and make some more coffee!