It’s 8:00am EST, let’s get it started…

…Our Knitting Marathon, That is!

I started at EXACTLY 8:04am.  Is that important?

Hmm… I think I’ll wait another 15 or 16 hours to answer that!  🙂

So, here’s how the day is going…

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8:04am – started with the Raspberry Scarf (I really want to make a lot of progress on this one)

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9:13am – first break (I went a little longer because… well I just started!  I snapped a picture, warmed-up coffee, made a client call (Murphy’s Law in play here) and had a little bite to eat)

I only completed 5 rows (I’ll explain later), but at least I’ve made progress!

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9:28am – I’m going to continue with the scarf because 5 rows is not going to cut it!  (I need to see some visual progress before I jump to another project.)

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10:37am – BREAK TIME!

Less time, more rows (15!) and the sun is shining outside my window – LIFE IS GOOD!  I’ll add my pictures later.

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11:05am – Ok, break went a little longer because of a client call (Murphy’s Law still in effect here).  But I’m good to go for another hour or so!

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12:05pm – Taking my BREAK!

60 minutes, 13 rows – Not Bad.  I’m going to take a few pictures so you can see the progress…

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12:20pm – Here come the Snail Mittens – I needed something different.

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1:15pm – LUNCH TIME!

Spent most of last hour getting acquainted with the pattern again and figuring out the thumb placement instructions.  I should make some good progress next hour.

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1:35pm – Back to the needles!

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1:39 – 1:42  Wonderful Day by OAR – HAD to get up and Dance!!!

And… I confess to rocking to the second half of Kryptonite by Three Doors Down (can you blame me???).   It DID get the blood flowing!

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2:34pm – Stopping to take some pictures and post them here so you can actually SEE what I’ve been doing!

I ended with row 31 (of 79) on the Snail Mittens chart.   You can see the snails – but there are some embroidery details that get added after knitting, so it will POP even more!

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3:06pm – Back to the needles!

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4:06pm – “Takin’ a break, Boss” (any Cool Hand Luke fans out there?)

It’s a bit slow-going with the Snail Mittens.  I haven’t done any two-handed stranded knitting in a good while.   But at least I’m still moving forward!  On row 36 of 79.  Not sure I’ll get to 79 by the end of the day.  I’ll shoot for being at row 45 by my next break.

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4:22pm – Back to the needles!

• KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT

5:26pm – DINNER BREAK (this will be my longest of the day)

Did not make it to row 45 YET – but I will do that today tonight. 🙂   I took some time to test block the mitten based on some advice I read on  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s blog.  She had a post on stranded knitting – it’s funny AND informative!  I’m VERY happy to say, my mitten doesn’t look so bad after all.

I’ll post a picture here on my next break – I’m already over my time-limit.

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6:29pm – Back at it (That was a 60 minute break – ouch.  But, hey a girl’s gotta eat!)

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8:13pm – Phew, time-out

I made it to row 45 – Yipee!!!  I am more than half-way on the 1st mitten…

…and I got a visitor!

Janet, aka TKF (Thursday Knitting Friend) made it over to knit with me.  The brownies she brought may be fueling my sudden burst of new energy. THANK YOU TKF

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8:25pm – Back to the Mittens.  Think I will try to get to row 50 by next break.

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10:06pm – Made it to Row 50!

Hey, I’m getting a bit giddy, but don’t you think it’s apropos that the Snail Mittens are going so slow???

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10:12pm – Guess what?  I get to knit some more!

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11:45pm – Break:  Contacts out – Glasses on!

YES, THIS PICTURE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST ONE – YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK CLOSELY.

Note to Self:  If you want to make MEASURABLE progress, pick a project that doesn’t use size 0 needles.  YES, THAT’s RIGHT, I’m using size ZERO needles.

Time to pick another project.

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12:00am – It’s Midnight, and I’m still going… strong.   pretty good.   okay.

I’m still going.

I changed to the Heather Harvest Vest project – Size 10-1/2 needles.  🙂

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12:29am  –  6:36am   ZZZ…….

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6:37am – Back at it (Refreshed from sleep, I am heading towards the finish line!)

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8:16am – Break Time!

I know this is not a revelation to anyone else, but WOW it’s a lot easier to make progress using size 10-1/2 needles than with size ZERO!

This is the front of my Heather Harvest Vest.   When I started this morning, only the ribbing was done.  It’s a bit hard to see, but there is one large cable that runs up the front!

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8:26am – Back to my Knitting!

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10:19am – FINISH LINE!!!   I actually went 3 minutes over – but who’s counting???

I will post the latest picture of my Heather Harvest Vest later today or tonight.  It’s time to step away from things for awhile!  🙂

Here is the photo of my progress on the vest:

GOODBYE FOR NOW.  AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO FOLLOWED ALONG!