So much catching up to do!!

I'm baaaaaack!! Well actually I never left but I haven't been posting much because I am using my faithful but less than state of the art laptop that up until today, was WAY too slow for any picture programs....can you say dial up and 128 megs of RAM?? Sloooooooooow.......but to be honest, this was a really great laptop in it's day so I decided to give it a facelift! I added some RAM and a little perseverance and voila! Pics galore to make up for lost time! and now I have a really good "spare" if my really expensive piece of shit wonderful Gateway decides to show it's self again!

So on to some KNITTING CONTENT WITH PICS!! First up I give you the long awaited Adrienne Vittadini Shaped Top! I started this on KIP day (June 11) and finished it on July 6th so just about one month. The pattern was a bit more "organic" than I would have liked....you were given ONE pattern repeat of the lace and fitting in the armhole decreases and simultaneous neck decreases while keeping the lace looking as it should was left up to me! So the *second* time I knit the lace, I got it :) Here she is (and I *LOVE* her!!)

Specs:
Adrienne Vittadini Spring 2005 Pattern Book

Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Ravish - just under 8 skeins

size #6 US Addi Natura Bamboo Circs ( I knit really loosely with cotton!)

Mods: aside from having to figure out the lace/decreases myself I added the picot bind off that was called for at the neck and the armholes to the hem and I like it A LOT!! The pattern called for a plain cast on which being stockinette, rolled unmercifully and I felt the Top was too dressy for a ribbing or a seed stitch hem. I think adding the picots to the hem really pulled it all together! To do this, I did a provisional cast on by crocheting *around* my needle to form temporary loops and knit into each loop. Once the peices were finished, I unzipped the provisional cast on, placed the live stitches on my needle and bound off using the matching picot bind off.

All in all, a fun knit and a (in my opinion) beautiful result! I'm very happy with the top and I hope the acrylic content of the ASC will keep it from stretching out so I can wear it for many *Summers of Lace* to come!

Now what else has Debi been up to in her blogging absence you ask? First up, I finished my socks for my Sockapal-2-za pal:

I hope she likes these sunny beaded socks and they make her smile all year long!

Next, I knit these Leaf Socks for a friend. She's a lover of the color sage so I used "Artic Moss" Naturespun Sport for the body and some Mountain Colors "Sagebrush" for the trim, heels and toes. I think she will *love* these socks!
The pattern is from the German Sock Knit-a-Long Yahoo Group.
I also used the Sagebrush Mountain Colors (one of my favorite yarns, btw!!) to make some socks for the charity Children in Common (CIC). I think these are just so cute and it warms my heart to know they will be keeping the feet of some sweet child warm when that child might have little else. I really *love* being able to use my beloved knitting in a charitable way....go ahead, make a few, the **FREE** pattern is right over there -------------->on my sidebar! You know you wanna!

Now I leave you with...what else? Cute Pumpkin pics!! When he lays near me on the couch he usually curls up so tight his flat, little face is mashed into the cushions, something like this:
And one second later, here he was:
Doesn't he look like he turned himself inside out? hehe....And don't you *need* to scratch that tummy?

Next week, two new WIP's and hopefully a new toy*

Happy knitting everyone!!

*please forgive the horrible quality of these pics, my camera :::cough, Gateway, cough:::is not very good at the close-ups and it was my first digital camera ie: I didn't know any better!) My birthday is in September so I think there's an early birthday prezzie in my immediate future! Stay tuned.....

addendum 7/16 4 pm: I took my camera outside after the rain stopped and re-shot all the pics....the quality is slightly better but still not very good so, if you visited earlier, your eyes are not playing tricks AND I'm still looking for a new camera :)