Countdown to Mexico!

I hesitated using this title for a blog post for a couple of reasons; not the least of which is, if I say it out loud, then I'm somehow more accountable and in knitting that isn't something that always works out for me. (Cough) What Knitting Olympics? (Cough)

But here goes.

In November my husband and I are going to Mexico; so in true Creativehands fashion I have an overwhelming desire to knit and sew a whole new wardrobe to wear on the holiday. I already found a couple of bathing suits that I'm happy with, but I'll need to wear other stuff too!

The other challenge I face is that fall is upon us here in Ontario and there are a number of previously started sweaters calling to me; not to mention all the bags and bags of yarn waiting patiently to be made into something that will keep me warm and not just fashionably stylish on the shorter colder days that lay instore for us.

Where to start?
Well, I have a tank top from this past summer's Knitters that should be ready to show you in a day or two and I'll talk about how I handled that one then. See? Again with the accountability. Today, however, I'll talk about something that is apparently near and dear to a number of us Cyber-Knitters.
I was catching up with Maria and what should I see?
She's knitting Seascape as well! It's kind of getting spooky with Maria; on more than one occasion we've picked the same project, yarn or fabric. It's really nice to leave her a comment too, because she usually responds back and that makes me feel special. (smiley face)
Last evening, after I completed the first repeat of Chart B (it has to be repeated 6 times) I got out my calendar to see if there was any realistic chance that this could be done; it's totally doable! (Once again, the naive knitter cast on more than she could chew) Even if I only do one repeat a week I still have a week for finishing, blocking etc. I am going to definitely try to get through more than one repeat per week, it's a 44 row repeat of 83 stitches with a purl every 0ther row pattern. I'm actually hoping to complete a repeat every two days! Awww, the exuberance of losing touch with reality. Sweet. There is one teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy problem with my plan.

I'm using Noro.

The love affair continues with their new lace weight Seku, but it has presented some new challenges as well as maintaining the well documented existing ones---hello knots! There is no way to work this yarn as a centre pull. Oh, I guess if you rewound it yourself, but you'd have to wind it off the outside to make a centre pull; so really, still winding off from the outside! I don't usually knit this way and have to keep making adjustments for that. It also has a very tight twist that spins back on itself if you've taken too much off the ball. I've already undone a bunch of my own knots and had to cut the yarn once because I could not undo one of my own knots. Then came the Noro Knot! Wiped out a whole colour sequence! It's a two ball project, I'm just knitting it as it appears, and it would just be silly to buy an extra ball of lace weight yarn.

Buying extra yarn? Who's ever heard of such a thing. What I want to know is though....

Since when does lace weight look like this??? I admit the nubbly quality is one that I find appealing in most of Noro's yarns, but lace? Full, flat and unspun? I'll knit it, but I won't be happy about it.
Chocolate had to be brought in to the mix.

So, after my green tea, my chocolate and a tissue if need be, I'll see if I can't get to row 22 by the end of today. I don't know if this is weird or not, but my favourite row is 23.

Don't you have a favourite row when you knit? Just me? Oh.

I'll keep you posted as to the other projects making it to THE COUNTDOWN TO MEXICO!!