Auction Stuff

It is again "Auction Season" here at the Ranch. For me, that's means deadline knitting, and driving myself crazy wondering if anyone will actually want to bid on my bits of yarn. For my hubby.....it means a new pair of socks for him has been put on the backburner, again! Funny, hubby complains about my knitting, unless it's a pair of socks for him.

So I made a pig purse for a scholarship auction. The "why's" of the pig purse, is a long story, but suffice it to say, it fit with the occasion. I think my little piggy girl was adorable, and a way easy knit. It was a Noni pattern, and done in a flash. A couple years ago, I was on a real felted bag kick - so much so that I totally burned myself out. But this little piggy might get me started again.

The second piece was actually for me, but a test knit for an auction piece. This is my version of Carol's Clever Little Shawl. Really an easy knit, and endlessly different depending on the yarn you use. I used some Noro Kureyon that I had "repurposed" from a shawl I had made when I first picked up knitting again. It's shortened width and slight short-row shaping, make it an excellent everyday wear accessory, guaranteed to keep you warm. Don't let the short-rowing scare you. This is very much a "short-row 101"-type thing. I only finished my first one the other day...and I've started my second already - the "offical" one for the school auction in a wonderful blue-grey wool alpaca blend. Just going from a long-varigated to a single color yarn, really changes the way it looks. I already have a couple other ideas for playing with the pattern. We'll see what happens!

A little sift through my stash revealed at least three other choices in yarn I could make one of these shawls from. I think I may end up knitting this shawl so much this year, I could end up hating it. But for now, I'm in love!

In other news....I have completed the first week of the "Couch to 5K" program. The program trains you to go from being a couch potato (pretty much me, now) to being able to run a 5K in NINE weeks! I plan on repeating week one, next week, mainly because it was so cold last week, that although I did complete the three workouts for last week, I think I would be well served if I repeated it. I have also decided to either train at a local park with a flat walking track, or if it stays really cold like it has been, at the gym. That's the beauty of this program.......it's adaptable to treadmill or outside training, and there are supports for the program everywhere. Itunes has several free podcasts that provide music and verbal cues while training. (free.....I do love me some free!) And if you're on Ravelry and following the program, there's a group there, too.

Speaking of Ravelry....if you haven't joined, why not?

So wish me luck on my repeat of week one. My goal is not to have my lungs scream at me at the end of the week.