Covered In Yarn

I Have Moved....

2007-10-10T10:08:00.001-07:00

I've picked up and moved over to wordpress. My new site is http://www.coveredinyarn.wordpress.com please update your links.
Blogger has been good to me but I think that wordpress is going to fullfill more of my needs, graphically it looks better and it gives me a little more ability.

See you there!!!

Stichionary Review

2007-10-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

So I traded in my Knitting Never Felt Better for the Stitchionary Volume One: Knit & Purl and I can now say that this is the number one book that every knitter should own!

There are great sitch ideas to dress up your bland scarf, make a little change purse, or whatnot. It is definately $30 well spent for anyone.

***** five stars

TA-DA

2007-10-08T18:20:00.001-07:00

The Minimalist Cardigan is FINISHED! Yay! It turned out beautifully, I'm very excited. I did shorten the sleeves by about two inches due to both yarn conservation and the fact that I have short arms. Also, the sleeves are meant to be a bit baggy so if you have thin arms like me, or thin lower arms, I would also suggest shortening the length. Here are a few photos. Per usual, forgive the quality, the husband snapped the one of me before I was ready.

Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK
Amount Used: 6.8 balls
Color: Magenta
Needle Size: US 7
Time Knitted: About a month

On another note I have begun the husband's scarf (booooring), it's a simple cable from Lion Brand's website. It's called, something first cable scarf. I found it on a boy's ravelry and thought that it looked manly enough. This photo is terrible it doesn't at all pull out the cabling, hopefully I'll be able to get a better photo later!

SWAGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!

2007-10-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

I've got swag of all kinds. Yes, since yesterday.
First the husband swag (aside: bloggers have names for their husbands and I don't have one, my apologies), so yesterday my husband called me half way through the day and completely unprovoked started b*tch*ng at me. He apparently knew that he was in the wrong and he showed up at home with beautiful pink Lillie's. I'm not sure what happened with my camera when I took these, but they are really fabulous.

Next, the post man brought me SP swag. Spoiler, I must commend you on your impressive packing skills. I tried to reconstruct the box after I opened it to share with everyone what I saw when I opened the package, but I sure didn't get it back together as well as you had it. However...boy did I ever get the most wonderful stuff. The husband has not only commandeered, but consumed the dark chocolate. All of it was so fun and fabulous, but as any true knitter, I must say that I am most excited about the yarn. It is SWTC Soy Wool, in a really beautiful pink/taupe colorway, I've read about this blend and wanted to use it, but never got the chance. THANK YOU! You're the best! I can't wait to finally make myself something with the beads too, you got me!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

The last of my swag is from my boss. They just got back today from Florida and my boss bought me Knitting Never Felt Better. Which in all reality is such a sweet gesture, however I don't felt...I sort of don't believe in it...knitting something to shrink it? I don't think so...so, I'll report next week what I exchanged it for, but I really am greatly appreciative!

And So It Goes...

2007-10-03T11:56:00.001-07:00

I have so much to say and so little energy to say it. I'll start with my minimalist cardigan project. These are the sleeves...yes I have come this far. The pattern says to go 12.5 inchest until you begin the decreases for the shoulder, however I am only going 10 inches due to yarn allotment. I have enough I believe, but I'm doing two sleeves at once with two balls and I'd have to break up part of a third ball to continue and that's a bit more work than I'm willing to give it. I'm hoping to get done later this week. Thursday night is a TV night so I should get a good bit of knitting done then ;).

Next...I'm going to attempt a short version of my three day rant. I went in to get my hair layered up and evened out...the hair dresser decided that she was going to instead cut out all of my layers and go against everything I said about not loosing length and now I'm quite plain looking with all one length shoulder length hair. I lost about four and a half to five inches and I didn't want to loose any. I'm UBER upset.

Lastly I took a trek to the LYS today for my SP11. Note that everything is a trek for me. Anyway, I got goodies for her, which I'm not going to reveal in the case that she accidentally finds me...however I practiced a decent amount of restraint and only bought myself one skein of this beautiful stuff. This photo is terrible, but this link is a good photo of the colorway. I couldn't resist, I really wanted more, but I couldn't think of what I was going to use it on, soooo I'm starting with one hank and if I must have more for another project then so be it!

Another Contest Entry

2007-10-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

List your favorite:

Actor - Matthew McConehey

Actress - Charlize Thearon

Animal - Monkey

Band - Jack Johnson (he counts)

Book - Memoires of a Geisha

Bubble Bath - Brown Sugar Pom.

Candy - Reeses (today anyway)

Color - Green

Flower - Daisy

Food - Italian

Lip Balm - Burt's Bees

Lotion - Hemp

Movie - Sweet November

Song - Diamond's on the Inside

TV Show - Grey's Anatomy

Vacation Spot - Colorado

A Bewitching Time of Year

2007-09-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

The Yarn Miracle

2007-09-24T16:12:00.001-07:00

As you all know I have been working on the minimalist cardigan. I have now finished the right front and I'm about half done with the left front. None of this is the point, when I started this pattern I thought (or for the purpose of this story, I was) one ball short of the amount that I needed. My intentions were to start both sleeves at once from the top down and get as far as I could. However a few days ago I went to my "spare room" to find that my yarn disaster had been turned upside down and was all over the floor. I threw everything back in the baskets and left. Yesterday when it was time to tie on a new ball to my shock one extra ball of yarn had appeared! I have the right number of balls of yarn to complete my sweater without any alterations!

Praise the Lord a yarn miracle!

Pick Me! Pick Me!

2007-09-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

One of the articles on the freelance site that I'm using was regarding the resurgence in knitting in the 21st century....It rolls off in the next weeks...Pick Me! Pick Me!

See my article here!

I'm not rated first by my peers yet, but I could still be picked for the featured article. Also the person currently in first doesn't even knit!

The Pursuite of Happiness

2007-09-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Note: The content of this post is 10% knitting, 90% other.

Well, I'm back...sort of...I've been back for a few days. Montgomery was very nice, we are currently playing the waiting game to see what the company down there says, and make some decisions from here. In short I was made to be more honest with myself than I've been in a long while, and honesty has brought me to the point of breaking down the barriers of complacency and facing that I am unhappy. Not simply unhappy where I am in being but where I am in life, I am not doing what I want to be doing nor what is best for me to be doing. I want to be writing...it's who I am. Few professions can also be classified as personalities, but a writer can. I haven't been a writer in a while, therefore I have lost myself to business that doesn't make me complete. I am now on the quest to get all of that back. I have begun some freelance projects to help get me some by lines and get me back where I need to be for a quality job search when the move (no matter where it is) happens.

I'm rearranging my life, and I've already rearranged my "dinning area" to be more friendly to sit and type. I'm happy with it. I am on a quest to rid my life of everything that doesn't make me happy (that I can control). Unfortunately I am limited in my abilities, and my wand seems to be broken, so for now the apartment stays.

For the bad news...the ONE shop in Montgomery has CLOSED *gasp*! I emailed someone in a local knitting ring down there and asked where they bought yarn and she said Hobby Lobby and some other craft store *double gasp*. The snob in me turned her nose up and marched the other direction, the entrepreneur in me decided that it may be the future site of Covered In Yarn the shop!

I have finished the back of the minimalist cardigan and thus far I am excited about it, the color, yarn and pattern all showcase themselves as they should. Oh...and....drum roll please....I got a Ravelry invite! I'm so excited I could wet myself! I won't, but I really was that excited! I'm going to display some self control and work on my freelance work today instead...but Ravelry is calling my name....don't you hear it?

Your Turn Blog Land

2007-09-13T05:46:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Montgomery, AL today to see if perhaps I may want to relocate there. I've been searching blog land for Montgomery knitters, but since I hadn't begun looking for a lifeline through blogs until this morning, I am turning up a little more empty handed than I'd like.

If you are from Montgomery, been to Montgomery, or know someone from Montgomery please contact me. Let me know the ways of the world down there. I have in my trusty notebook a list of apartments to check out as well as the LYS (the most important thing). I thought that I may start there to see where the good and bad places to live are so that I don't wander into unwanted territory. Montgomery is a big place it seems and I don't know that I'll see all that I need to see in one day, but I'm going to try...but your help would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks blog readers!

Naked Knitting

2007-09-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

I'm watching the Naked Chef on BBC America, if you've never watched it, it's great. But his premise is that he strips cooking down to the bare essentials and calls it naked cooking. I think that sometimes that's the way that I knit. There's no sense in making things harder than they need to be, hence me swearing off Rebecca for the 3rd time. I think I'm serious this time...the new preview just came out...I just checked...Luckily this time my looking through the preview is making me utter the words "Crazy Germans" they I believe are trying to be "alternative" they put a LOT of strips and plaids together, and fashion is enough a part of me that it sort of made me twitch a little...Click the photo to see for yourself...not to mention that the patterns seem to be mostly pulled from a pattern book from the 80s or early 90s, and I can get those back issues for a dollar, thanks, but no thanks. So really, I'm done with Rebecca...even though I have a whole sweaters worth of Louisa Harding cotton for a pattern in there, I can always use it on something else. I'm done...GET BEHIND ME REBECCA!!!

Enough of that type of babbling and onto the good stuff. My projects, I am still busy with wire, I'm selling them about as fast as I can make them, but I was ready to pick up actual yarn again. So here she is, I am working on the minimalist cardigan from the new Interweave. Because I rarely use the yarn called for and I am becoming quite good at substitutions I am using Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK, which believe it or not does gauge out perfectly. And as you well know, and if you don't you should, alpaca silk is like knitting with clouds!

I also want to share my mother's method of keeping her yarn ball from running away and getting tangled in a bag. Since she refuses to start a knitting blog here's what she does, it's much cheaper and just as reliable as purchasing a bag with the little grommets in the end. Yes, that is a ziplock baggie with a hole cut in the corner. Just thread the yarn through the hole and the slickness of the baggie makes the ball easily turned for tangle free knitting. She also, when knitting at home, puts her ball in a soup cup, especially when knitting with multiple colors. I had to share because I have since adopted this method and have never been more pleased with the lack of untangling necessary, especially with this Debbie Bliss that likes to unravel all over the place.

Also last weekend I made it to Michael's with my BFF Faith, who is now quickly becoming a knitting addict like the rest of us. I'm trying to convince her to start a knitting blog too, when she does you must all welcome her to the knitting world ;)! Anyway, I picked up the size 19 and 17 circulars that no one ever wants to work with for another pattern in Interweave using Big Wool! I also got the chance to look at the new organic Lion Brand and some of their sustainable yarns using Bamboo blends, Soy, etc. I am actually really impressed. The organic cotton was easily comparable to Blue Sky I am shocked to say, because I love Blue Sky, but it is really nice. I have no need right now, but when I do, I think that's what I'll buy. It's just around $5-$6 a 50g skein. I don't know the yardage, but it seemed to be pretty good, a nice worsted weight. Also while there I came across knitting bags (this is what encouraged Faith to start knitting, for the cute bag). I figure since I am a knitter that I have every right to carry it as a purse, at least until my project is too big to fit with my other stuff, and being that I carry my knitting and mostly just my knitting supplies and wallet anyway, why not? The green and brown fits me!

I think for today this about covers it...Oh my beach reading...I am reading this book...Knitting Under the Influence...looks cute huh? Little ball of yarn stuck through the needle to look like an olive...yeah, has nearly nothing to do with knitting at all. I'm pretty disappointed...I'm still reading it, there are parts that are mildly entertaining, and it's mindless reading, so it's great for the beach! But NOTHING about knitting, except for the names of the sections. Does anyone know when Friday Night Knit Club is supposed to come out? I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself, us knitters, we will take over the world!!!

sigh

2007-09-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

I am living in the midst of a whirlwind of emotion and events. There is so much going on with my husband and I and the direction that our road through life may be taking. There is the possibility of yet another uprooting. We could be moving to Alabama, we go down there in two weeks to try to see what we think of it. If any of my faithful friends are from that area please let me know I'd love to talk to someone that's lived there or is living there.

All of that being said I've been a bit beside myself. Today we just got back from seeing my highschool best friend. I'll have photos of this soon. I also taught her to knit and within hours she was hooked! I also need to update my photos of what I'm working on.

This week should be jam packed in postings!

Happy Labor Day!

"Post Your Stash Contest"

2007-08-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

So this is in reply to the SP11 group contest to post what you store your stash in so that I can win more pretty yarn. And though it is a post a photo and maybe win yarn I'm hoping to play the pitty card up. Have pitty on me and my stash.
Being that we are still in transit, if you will, my stash is the one to suffer. The lovely shelving unit that I usually store my stash in is now my "dresser" because my dresser was too big to get up the stairs. Now my stash is shoved half hazardly into bins that are full to the brim, more or less they are packed in like those canned snakes that jump out when you open them. And sadly the "lesser yarns" are shoved in those liquor boxes in the top of the closet, I'm hoping that there is enough residue in the boxes that my yarn is drunk and will remember nothing once it is unpacked at its final destination...wherever that may be.

I got swag!

2007-08-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

I got my first SP11 package today! What a nice surprise...I was so excited. Here's my booty of the day.
I got Noro Daria, which I'm pumped, I've never used this before. Milky Ways (YUMMY) and good pens, which I have already threatened by husbands life if he removes them. I love nothing better than a good pen...THANK YOU!!!!

On another note my girlfriend that I went to Maine with a few months back is coming in to town this weekend...HOORAY I'm so excited.

I Partake in the Revolution

2007-08-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

We just returned yesterday from our Williamsburg vacation. It's amazing to me how the two of us go on trips, I end up with four pictures and absolutely NONE of them have either of us in them! Isn't that terrible? We did however take part in the Revolutionary War, it was a lot of fun. I think that Williamsburg however needs to put in a spinner/knitter, there is a weaver but somehow we missed them...Here's what we did see.

And no knitters vacation is complete without a trip to the LYS of the town that you are visiting. I spent a ridiculous amount of time at Knitting Sisters at Kingsmill's Shopping Center. After perusing for seemingly hours I chose the last of some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk in a Maroon/Plum color...now I know what you're going to say LJ, "NO MORE PURPLE" but I have trouble passing up 50% off yarn that is perfectly fine only a purply color ;). I bought 7 balls! I'm hoping that it may be enough for the Minimalist Jacket in the new Interweave, they use a Merino/Alpaca blend, but I don't see why I can't use what I bought, it'll just make it a bit softer. The cute little Lantern Moon Sheep tape measure is for me, I've been wanting one for a while and I decided against it when my mother sent me a really cute little orange leather tape measure...that is until my dog thought that it was a chew toy and ingested the whole thing! Sorry Mom! My other prize of the weekend is this beautiful Lantern Moon Needle Case. This came after sweet hubby tried to get me to buy some beautiful ebony needles and I couldn't remember the sizes that I needed because my dog keeps getting into my bamboo needles. He thought that it was the best investment to get a needle case! This one has both slots for my Addi Turbos that I keep in the plastic, dpns, and long strait needles. I am so excited about it, it's so pretty and I finally feel organized. I kept sewing needle cases and giving them away instead of keeping them and really I needed something more like this. So it worked out really well...even though I still wish I had my inventory with me and could have gotten some ebony needles...what a sweet man ;).
Oh and we stayed at a beautiful B&B called Mulberry Garden Manor. It was lovely, the breakfast was second to none and the people were beyond kind. We will definitely go back. We are thinking around Halloween of next year for the witch trials!

So I had a great weekend, how was yours?

Before I Part

2007-08-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

I leave for my "holiday" tomorrow morning. Before I do I thought that I'd share more photos. The first is of the beautiful flowers that my wonderful husband bought me for our anniversary.

The rest of the photos are from more jewelry that I caught up on this week.

This last photo is of a custom set that I made for a lady that owns a gift shop in PA. She is considering carrying some of my "wares." Who knew that this would be such a success!? Not I said the little red knitter.
As for real knitting...you know, with fiber, tomorrow my first stop is Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg, VA. I'm so excited it looks so nice, I think I may get my SP11 something fun from there.

Goodbye Friends, see you soon!

I think I'm in love

2007-08-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Go here...I'm an enabler, I know...sorry...

http://www.poshyarn.co.uk

PS If you would like to purchase something from this site for yours truly I will be happy to send you my address and donate my first born. Thank you.

Second Saturday Prep

2007-08-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

My first note is about pride, my Lynda Jo was officially sworn into the US Army yesterday and was told that she would be the best type of officer material. I'm so proud of her, I hope that she will find her way there and that she'll bring a sort of joy in those that she is in comand over! Love you girly!!!

Now, for the knitting.
This Saturday is the Second Saturday Art Stroll here on the island. In preparation for this I have become the silver knitting sweat shop. Here are some of the completed items and some in the works.

This last one is in the process of becoming something, I thought I would click a photo of one of the beginning stages. There will be an update on this one tomorrw.

SP11 Questions Answered!!!

2007-08-06T19:15:00.001-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm going to do this a bit backwards, I hate, will not use, am totally a yarn snob against acrylic! I love any yarn that tells me a story, Manos, Malabrigo, I LOVE Blue Sky Cotton. I'm not a fan of Mission Falls wool, but I'd give their cotton a shot. Really I love trying new fibers too.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Right now I keep them in their cases so that I know what size I'm looking at.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for about three or four years now, I am completely self taught though my mother is an amazing knitter (I didn't attempt to learn until I was out of the house and she didn't start up again until I was gone). I would consider myself to be an advanced intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes

5. What's your favorite scent?
Pumpkin and fresh linen...not together though

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I do have a sweet tooth though I shouldn't. I love Milky Ways, Reeses, and chocolate bars with coffee beans in it.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do-it-myself anything that I can get my hands on...I do spin but I don't love it, I'd rather someone else do it for me...at least until I get a wheel.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I love mellow music, Jack johnson, Ben Harper, Paulo Nutini, etc. Yes my computer can play anything.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite color changes from my mood...I love greens, but I'm finding myself drawn towards beautiful deep red and blues.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married with two cats and a dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes, yes, yes, Um...negative...ponchos? Seriously?

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I <3 Lace but I'm smitten for mittens in the winter time!

13. What are you knitting right now?
I am finishing up a lace top and table runner...I'm ready to be done with one or both.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Love them, it makes me feel loved.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Addi Turbos all the way. Circulars are great no matter what you're doing.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes I do...changed my life.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
The very end of a mitten from last Christmas.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Between the dust, I collect unique coffee/tea cups. I had a really beautiful antique tea leaf reading cup and my cat broke it, I was heartbroken :(.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Wow...where do I begin...check my Amazon list, and as for yarn...oh gosh, I love trying anything.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I've still not tackled fair isle

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Well...that's a funny story, but sort of...I need help finishing one right now. I wear size 6 shoe.

23. When is your birthday?
march 16

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
No, but I must check out this Ravelry

Hey Mr. Postman

2007-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

I am waiting patiently on the mail man to arrive at the shop with my new spool of silver for knitting. I am very excited and I'm contomplating posting a few pieces on Etsy and just seeing how they do. I am also planning on taking a few more photos of other pieces with the "flower" adjusted on my camera to see if that will help.
ANYWAY while I have been waiting on the postman at work I was pleasantly surprised to see hime come to my home! Look what he brought me!!!! Lynda Jo completely outdid herself this time, I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Each stitch was done with such precision and love. I could feel it when I wrapped it around myself. I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of me in it, I will later, I look a bit ragged today so I didn't want to scare anyone! It is my very own Swallow Tail shawl and I love it. I love you LJ!!!

Also since I've been waiting on the mail I've picked up a UFO from the first of the summer. I am acutally nearly done and I hope to finish it up early this week. My internet has been sketchy this weekend so I've been knitting and reading a lot. For the record I did finish Harry Potter and I can't really say that I'm happy about it, but that's a different blog all together. I am now reading Knitting Under the Influence, and so far I'm not really impressed, but I am slightly entertained so for the time being I'll keep reading.

Photo of the Day

2007-08-05T07:56:00.001-07:00

May Color and Accidental Beauty Inspire us All!

The Silver Knitting

2007-07-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

I know that I've been posting in a sketchy manner, but really all I've been knitting is jewelry and though I know you're all dying to see it, my camera isn't quite good enough to take good photos of the jewelry. I have done in the following the best that I can.
Last week I loaded up my camera and set off for work to take pictures of the stuff that I had made, when I got there everything has sold! No photos. I made up some stuff quickly for the weekend and came in yesterday, everything had sold! I'm famous! J/K! But I did finish up some stuff yesterday and here are the photos of what I've got out right now. Drum roll please...

Perhaps this extra cash from selling knitted jewelry should go for a better camera. This bracelet is actually really pretty, it matches the necklace to the left with pink pearls at each end where the clasp will go. I'm working on some more stuff today but I'm nearly out of silver until my new order comes in. I feel like I should be knitting with fiber at home but at th end of the day my fingers hurt and I want nothing more than to sit infront of a television or the like and let my hands rest. This fall perhaps I'll be knitting more exciting things! I leave you with one last photo, my silly big boy playing in his empty feed bag, I think I will send this photo to Friskies!

First Sale

2007-07-24T07:00:00.001-07:00

I am so excited. I sold my first knitted necklace yesterday! Infact two women were fighting over it and I have been requested to make some matching ear rings! I didn't even get a photo of it!!! It's got me a little revived, however making new stuff is going to severely cut into my Harry Potter reading time, and I'm not really sure that I'm completely ok with that! Oh well...sacrifices you must make!

Hooray!!!

The Twisting Nether

2007-07-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

I have not been up on my posting. If I were to be completely honest I would divulge that I have been swallowed up once more by the gaming world and that knitting has taken a back seat. I would also say that this is fueled by the heat, that seems to happen to knitters in the summer time.

Though I am not trying to make excuses I will also say that the lack of a knitting community has really taken me for a dive. I feel very alone and underappreciated. My art seems to be lacking art it is simply "home ec." For this I am not pleased. I miss my Monday nights nestled in the little white house with the smell of yarn and wine all around me. I miss the encouraging words and the laughter. I even miss the annoyances of unwanted intruders ("Red Rum! Red Rum") with broken hearts and mangled skeins. I miss Jo and our random nights at Starbucks, running on two lattes, a little gossip, and tying on a second ball of Manos. I must find a community or start one. My husband has seen the withering look in my eyes and has made suggestions. There is an every first and third Sunday afternoon in Salisbury at Barnes and Nobel, but I'm not sure that I want to surrender one of my two days with my husband for a 2 hour round trip drive.

As far as what I've been working on here goes:
I have worked some on the South Seas table runner from Knit Two Together. It's coming along ok, I'm just not terribly excited about anything any more....It's fairly mindless and I had been working on it at work until a few days ago. It was suggested that I try working in the medium of silver wire. A spool was brought down to me and I began searching for patterns. I have a few in the book Alterknits that I will post photos of later, but Julie of Mind of Winter was linked in Nona's site for a ginko leaf that she designed. The wire that she used for this project appears to be a bit more dainty than what I'm working with, but I'm hopping to get some better wire for this soon. I'm ejoying this, it is a quick project and I will begin to sell them at our shop, however it makes my hands hurt terribly, my fingers aren't used to working with something so harsh. I am looking to see how these projects evolve.

Knit Funk

2007-07-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

We've all had them...knitting funks that is...I have been officially diagnosed, caused by working a pattern that doesn't excite ones knitting senses. I've been working on this thing for two weeks at least now and I'm just not happy. I'll come back to it sometime but for now, I have to let it go, I have to find the cure. So this is what I did first thing this morning:

I pushed my PIP behind my swift and ball winder and wound a new ball of 100% Linen for the South Seas Table Runner. I'm hoping that it will send my knitting senses into sensory overload. After the ball was wound I couldn't help but think that it looked like a little nest, more so than other yarn, each strand so neatly nestled waiting to be made into something worthy of its winding. I hope that I will do right by it.

I'm very tired this morning, there's no good reason for it, I just am. I don't particularly want to go to work either, we had a theft on Friday while I was there, nothing makes you feel dumber than someone taking stuff right out from under your nose. Luckily one of the owners was with me when it happened so it wasn't totally my fault, but as we all know "shit rolls down hill" so I feel like...well...So anyway, my motivation is wearing thin due to paranoia and stupidity. I think I'm going to make myself a hot cup of tea and braid my hair to prepare for the hot, long day ahead of me.

Cheers!

A New Ball

2007-07-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

There is something refreshing about tying on a new ball in the middle of a project. It is like marking your path. My lace top is taking longer than I'd like it to for several reasons, but one just being the amount of time that I've had to work on it. Oh well...I'm on ball two and moving forward!

Busy Girl and the Blocking Party

2007-07-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

I know...I know...
Since I've been back I've been away, and I'm terribly sorry. I do have lots of pictures though so all know that I've been a very busy girl.
First thing is first. We all acquire new friends when we enter blogging land but usually they remain there, tucked tightly away behind their computer, the ghost writer behind kind words and advice. Occasionally you find yourself at the same place at the same time when it comes to a conference or other such event and you chat about the fun had separately at the same place. This past week I had the honor of meeting a ghost writer in person right here on my little corner of the world. NHKnittingMama (Amanda) came to Chincoteague with her family and dropped by my gallery for a visit. We even did a little bag swag swap, I was soooo excited to get a really nice hefty mug from the great state of New Hampshire, and a sampling of black tea (my favorite). We stood around and chatted for a little bit, and I met her sweet mother. I wish that she'd been around longer and could have gone with me on Saturday to the LYS where I had to replace yet another pair of needles that my dog chewed up!

On to knitting news. I know that I've been dry with that lately. Well I finished the little crop top I was designing as I went. I turned out absolutely NOTHING like I intended it too, but it's pretty cute, could be cuter with a few minor adjustments. I also finally finished sewing up the green lace wrap from Rebecca that I also made some alterations on. Photos of that on will come soon. Since I had a full two days of sewing up there was a large blocking party going on at my house. I took photos, fun was had by all! Especially Aida who can't pass up the joys of a photo op. Lucky for me, the greatly impatient one, cotton, lace, and silk don't take long to dry! Yippee! I could wear my design the next day. Like I said it needed some alterations, and a different shirt under it, but for now it works. The back could have stood to come in a few stitches on both sides, cotton is so hard to know how it will block. I used the Patagonia Nature Cotton that I have been dying to use, it is a dream to work with, and with a croppy top I have plenty left to play around with. The front laces up, and the sleeves also have a lace up. For added interested I added a lace up on the back. My camera is very poor quality so I apologize. As you can see I'm not very happy with the sagging going on on the back but that could be fixes with a few less stitches and perhaps a second blocking party.

As for new projects I am working on a lace top from Rebecca. I'm using Maggi's Cotton Linen, as you all know I do love to work with. It always turns out so crisp and uniform looking. So I'm not terribly far into it, it is worked in the round so that's always fun. Also at the LYS I picked up some FibraNatura Flax for the beginning of some holiday knitting. Christmas knitting in July you know...it also may be something to sell at our gallery, as I have been asked if I would care for a featured section. We'll see how quickly the South Seas Table Runner comes out before I make that decision. I think that it will be a fairly quick and fun knit, at least that's what I'm hoping since it is my holiday knit for nearly everyone!

The last thing on my agenda to share today with my ghost writers and friends is my stupidity. When Jon and I go to the beach our main source of entertainment is human folly. Unfortunately yesterday it was my own. I currently am sporting what I like to call "The Stupid Tourist Tan" meaning I am fried to a crisp on one side. No I didn't fall asleep, that would have made this a little more forgivable, no, I'm just stupid. Our chairs are uncomfortable to lay on your stomach so I just didn't, and now my front half is the color of a lobster and my back half is a stripe of winter snow...I'm hoping to get the fourth off to even up a bit...I'm taking a towel and laying on my stomach the whole day!

Home Sweet Home

2007-06-26T06:56:00.001-07:00

I have returned and with much to say. But I'd rather just show you some photos. I won't bore you with the five billion that I took in Maine just the highlights.
BUT FIRST...
My SP10 Jen is probably about the cutest thing in the world! I aspire to be as good a SP11 as she was SP10 to me. When I walked in the door last night the package was lying on the table. Opening it you'd have thought that I was a child at Christmas, even my husband was ooing and awwing. Here's the photos of my gifts. My hubby loves the sock pattern so much he has requested that she send it to me. They are soooo cozy. They're cotton/elastic so they're great for all weather and they fit like a glove. I do sometimes love having small baby feet. I got quite a raking, more stitch markers, flashlight, magnets, Burts Bees (love the stuff btw), color lava thingy, and beautiful blue cotton fleece!Jen THANK YOU!!! You're a doll!!!

In Maine I kept getting really bummed because all of the yarn shops were closed when we were out and about. Finally on Sunday we drove by Shirley's Yarn and Gifts in Hancock outside of Bar Harbor. It was just on our way, I wasn't even looking. But I was a very good girl, I think I deserve a medal. I only bought three hanks of Malabrigo. I couldn't resist it felt so soft and so beautiful. I insisted in only getting things that I couldn't get at home and that's what I wanted most. There were a number of other great things in the shop, her selection of sock yarn was out of this world, but being in Maine it was mostly for winter knitting, and I've got so much winter stash it's rediculous. I'm calling this color way Lobster...since I was in Maine. The photo doesn't do the color any justice but it is a red with burgandy and a little pink in the lighter areas.

Now for some Maine photos, and then I must be off to work.

Absense Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2007-06-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

I am off in the morning to Maine until the 25th! I'm very sad to leave the hubby alone but I think that the trip will be a blast!

So...blog silence until I return. I will have TONS of photos I'm sure, and this lace wrap thing should be finished today! Woopy!!!

Leafy Green

2007-06-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

After spending about twenty minutes doing math (equivalent to or worse than long division) I figured out how to go about doing the Rebecca Pattern for the Lacey Wrap Jacket (man those people at Rebecca sure are creative with the names of their patterns). So...I've been going steady at that for the last few days. Because it is a continual decrease it is going rather quickly. I am pleased. However right now I don't like the color, which is weird because before I started this project I was ready to wed this yarn. It's Elsabeth Llvold Silky Tweed in the sage colorway. If I don't start liking it by the time it's complete it may very well become a gift...or I'll Etsy it or something.

I sent off my last SP10 gift day before yesterday. I hope that she likes it. I put my reveal information in the package since I won't be sending anything else. This swap has been fun and I do think that I'll sign up for the next one.

The post man also came yesterday to change my life. I received my ball winder and swift in the mail. The swift is a little be odd, it took me a few minutes to figure it all out, but it does serve its purpose so I can't be too upset.

I'm opening the gallery today. My boss is driving to Norfolk to pick up his wife at the airport and gave me a key! I've worked there for a week! I'm feeling a bit nervous but I know that it will be fine...just odd...but fine.

Oh and if anyone is an expert with sock math, could you please message me, I'm dying on my sock...or I'm killing it rather and I need some help.

Spinning Words, Not Wool

2007-06-13T19:06:00.001-07:00

The wind is blowing with a mighty force. I can hear her voice faintly as she pushes her way down gated streets and through buildings unwelcome erected in her path. She's calling, crying, wailing to anyone who dares to listen to her. The water rushes to meet her wherever it can, the inlets seem wide and more forbidding than usual. I'd never witnessed the water so high as she called me towards it. My feet, they could not carry me fast enough, my friend, the sparrow, she did not budge at my presence. I wanted to dip my hands into the salty water and drink it in. I inhale deeply, taking in the whispers and the wails alike. The only life other than my own seemed to be the large white egret standing in the shallow just past the landing, he too seemed to be riveted by the winds words. He searched the sky with me, we both knew but neither of us said a word, she was saying it all. And we, the egret and I, we were the only ones listening.

Boston Hoggers

2007-06-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Maine next week, and like any good knitter I did a search for yarn shops around where I'm going to be. As I was doing a search I came to find out that there are over 100 yarn shops in the greater Boston area. Can someone please tell me how this is even fair? Are there really that many knitters in Boston? Come now...

I did it!

2007-06-12T06:05:00.001-07:00

Yes I did it, I ordered my ball winder and swift. I am now waiting on UPS to change my life forever. I don't know how much I'm going to like a plastic swift, in my head I don't know that I'm liking it that much, but for now it's better than nothing and I could afford it, that's the kicker. There are some really nice, and beautiful wooden swifts out there, but their price tag reveals their elegance. Perhaps someday I will own one of those, for now I deal in plastic.

I did a swatch on the pattern in my head last night, and as I wanted it, it's not going to work, so I'm back to the drawing board, quite literally. And as punishment the husband made me work on my socks all night last night. They are my penance. I believe in all reality he's making me finish my socks so that I can start on his, but for his he has requested that I do two socks on two circulars of which I'm sure I can figure out, but I don't really know how to do...Thanks honey for challenging me. When I yelled from the other room "there, I worked on my socks" he said "you're not done, just do them tonight, it's not like they take long!" I could have slapped him. Mostly for being right. I believe I will continue my penance today at work. But I'm stringing alone the Rebecca pattern from Hell just in case.

Speaking of Hell, does anyone watch Hell's Kitchen? Last nights vote off was a socker...well...not so much who was voted off as to who was nominated. HELLO Aaron has obvious emotional problems and needs to go home, I don't want someone getting tears in my food!

I'm going to dry my hair and pick up a muffin and Chai Latte before work.

I've Been Tagged

2007-06-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I've been tagged by LJ, unfortunately I don't have a large online community that LJ didn't already use up, so I'm going to choose some bloggers at random.

1. I am obsessesive about black tea, my day hasn't started without a cup of tea. (I was a nasty little coffee drinker and I recently decided that tea was better for me.)

2. I have tattoo envy. I have great appreciation for fine art, especially that on ones body...if it's well done (we're not talking Bugs Bunny here). I love back tattoos and chicks with great sleeves (i.e. Maggie from Stranger than Fiction).

3. I have an addictive personality, mostly with certain foods. If I find something that I like I will eat it several times a week for about a month or so until I've found something new.

4. I want to grow up to be a fiction writer someday. But first I need to get back into practice. I've fallen to the beaten path and my pen lays just inches from my reach.

5. I love to peel sunburn...mine or someone elses...gross huh?

6. I have our economic system. I would like to go back to a world that works on the barter system. I give you a pound of chicken, you give me wool. I bake you a cake you give me a goat.

7. I'm afraid of birds pecking my eyes out!

Now I tag:
Camille
Joan
Michelle
forgetfullstitcher9
Sonya (sorry I lost my link thing)
Tina
Caroline

A Morning for Thinking

2007-06-11T09:34:00.001-07:00

I am sitting here now drinking tea and eating biscuits because I like them and I secretly wish that I was British, or really Welsh rather. I take cream and honey in my tea and I always drink it pinky's up, and I watch BBC America religiously. I could curse the sun and still sound as refined as if I'd just walked away from the courts of the queen herself. But this is not at all the point of this blog.

I am thinking this morning about knitting of course. I have two options as I see it. I either go back to the Rebecca pattern, crunch my numbers and see if there's any chance that it's going to come out correctly. OR...I could do so research and some math of my own the work the pattern that's dancing in my head using that blasted Nature Cotton. I know that this sounds risky, and I think that perhaps it is very risky, but if I can work out on paper and in stitches what rest firmly in my brain I think that it would be lovely and fun. I don't know that I have that much faith in myself, but I believe I may be about to find out.

In other news I got a part time job at an art gallery on the island called The Flying Fish. If you every come to Chincoteague you should come by and see me. It's a really fun gallery and is actually very inspiring. When there are no customers I knit and walk around and listen to see if anything is talking to me...you never know where inspirtaion will come from.

Ogee Complete and Smells so Sweet

2007-06-10T15:22:00.001-07:00

In the mornings I take my dog on a walk (well, it's really several times a day, but mornings are the nicest). We walk down to the boat ramp. The mornings are quiet and the wildlife is fresh in the marsh as we approach the landing. You can hear the gulls and the songs of other birds. Some mornings we see turtles out for a walk before the sun is too hot to bare. There are black squirrles here, something I don't recall ever seeing before. Even though I know that they really are the same pesky little gits I am more captured by them. Since I have been going to the landing whenever we walk up on the dock a blue and black sparrow flies out from what I presume is her nest under the dock. For a few weeks she would just sit on an old post further out in the waterway and watch me, as of late she and her mate have made all efforts to capture all of my attention and get me away from their nest. Though I have heard any babies yet I can assume that I will in the very near future. They too will sing to me and woo me early in the mornings as I walk to the water to greet the new day.

As you can see the Ogee Skirt is complete. Not without its share of mistakes, but it adds character (or makes me feel better about not moving my life line). I'm battling if I'm going to pick up that Rebecca top again or start something else, which may or may not also be a rebecca pattern that will make me want to gauge out my eyes!

Oh...if anyone has any patterns that are suitable for summer that allow me to use a thick and thin worsted weight yarn please let me know. I have gobs of Nature Cotton and I don't know what to do with it!

Now in response to Lynda Jo about smells. Mine is more recent I guess but before my wedding I started using Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner. I wasn't dying my hair but I needed some extra luster, so that's what I was using. The smell of the stuff reminds me of my honeymoon and the crisp brightness of our little room in the keys. It makes me thinking of Puloma the calico cat that belonged to the owners of The Abbaco Inn. It reminds me of boat rides and snorkleing, it makes me think of sun burnt skin and the taste of key lime pie. I too recently bought a bottle of Brilliant Brunette conditioner and if I close my eyes in the shower I almost feel like I'm in paradise again!

The Dog Ate My Size 10s

2007-06-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

No really, she did. And my tape measure. Must go to yarn shop...

Ogee and New Tea

2007-06-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

Finally I have photo progress of my Ogee lace skirt (thing) and it's fantastic 57 row repeat! Hooray! It's actually coming along quite well, and as you'll notice from the photo it's not as stretched as the version demonstrated on the lovely model in the post below. My concern is that as I was sitting in my chair working on this two nights ago I paused to actually take in the construction and the words out of my mouth were:
"Uh-oh."
"What's wrong?" Husband turns to look at me and my knitting.
"You see this, what's on the needle itself?" I point.
"Yes."
"That is going to have to stretch to go around my waist!"
Husband chuckles "No way that's going to happen," and turns back to The Deadliest Catch.
I then go on mostly to myself about how I changed the needle size because I didn't like the way it was coming out and how I'm an idiot for doing so as I pulled and tugged trying to convince myself that it might work. So...I'm trying to come up with another use for this lovely thing if it won't fit my hips the only logical thing that comes to mind is a loin cloth, or a cape for my super dog!

I'm drinking a new tea this morning, The Good Earth. Yes I bought it because it was named after a great literary work. I'm thinking it taste very much like earth....good tasting earth, but earth none the less. It's an herbal spiced tea, which is fine on occassion, like death, or near death sickness. I'm thinking I will be pouring it out and filling my cup with my morning chai and being quite content with that.

Oh, update. I broke down and went to the LYS on the last day that I posted. The Fine Needle, Snow Hill, MD. It was unexpectedly good. I was anticipating a small selection somewhat Hobby Lobby like with mostly fabric and a little Brown Sheep for necessary felting. I got this idea from a little place in Siloam Springs, AR. HOWEVER, the Fine Needle was just that, fine. Stacey, the owner (whom I have only spoken on via email) has a great selection and most importantly in beautiful colorways. Though she doesn't carry any Rowan she greatly makes up for it in other areas with Louisa Harding, Maggi, Araucania, Elzabeth Llvold, Blue Herron, etc. etc. etc. So, I am not disappointed, there are still things I will have to send home for, but otherwise I am quite content!

The following and scattered throughout has been photographs that I took at the beach a few weeks ago and have been behind on posting. Enjoy...

Whatever I Want?

2007-05-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

I am struggling with gumption today. It's so easy just to want to stay on the island. To need to stay on the island. But currently I feel that I need some interaction with society. Not at all to say that my husband being the only person that I interact with every day is bad...it's just...well...I need more than one person to be interacting with. I have a few options. I can take a shower, clean the apt. aside: it's amazing to me how no matter how small the space you live in, it always gets really dirty. End aside. go to the post office to officially change my address and pick up some stamps, and if there seems enough time venture to Snow Hill to check out the yarn and fabric shop...OR I can take a shower, go to the post office, go to Snow Hill, come back and clean. OR I can take a shower, clean, go to the post office, come back here and knit because I may have to go towards Snow Hill tomorrow to kennel the dog, but I've got a million other things that I have to do tomorrow before we leave and I may not have time...hm...I just don't know. I'll think on this while I'm in the shower, however the words Carpe Diem keep ringing loudly in my head.

On another note my last check from my job comes in tomorrow. Jonathan has said that I can do whatever I want (within reason) with that money. Here's what I want. I have been battling internally for a swift and ball winder for a while. I just keep thinking how expensive they generally are...however, WEBS is having a sale on this particular set for only $65! I think it's pretty much a no brainer. When it was $90 I wasn't so sure, but I think I can do $65, afterall, that's not even two tanks of gas! No it's not wood, but plastic will do me for now.

Also as a result of the last blog and my frustration I have begun the Ogee Lace Skirt (shawl/apron) from the new Interweave. I'll post photos of my own progress soon. However, as a note I will say that I went down a needle size, 11s made the tight parts of the lace look large and raggy. I believe that the Louisa Harding that I'm using also has enough give that going down a size won't matter that much. At least I hope not, otherwise I will find a very petiete person on the street to exhibit my craftmanship!

On a small note, I hope I get mail soon, I'll even accept a bill. It seems you never feel more alone than when you have no mail. Yet another reason to order something!

A Look of Hopelessness

2007-05-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's terribly hot. The compressor on our air conditioner in the new apt. is broken and I'm not sure when it will be fixed. We must go outside to be relieved from the heat. The animals all lay about listlessly trying to sleep away the hot of the day and I have broken out in a rash. I'm hoping that the landlord will get it fixed tomorrow...I do so miss being my own landlord.

I have taken up photographing people on the beach but my computer with all of the good programs on it seems to have jiggled something loose in the move and I cannot get to my editors. I'll be taking it tomorrow to have it looked at...the prospect of computer troubles makes me nervous, its much like a car, you have no idea how much it will be in the end to get it all fixed. But much like a car, it seems that we live in a world where we cannot begin to imagine living without one.

To add to my problems I will add again that as much as I love Rebecca patterns as they turn out in the end, I do terribly hate having to read them. I finally got the back done on my lace top and began the front left only to pull out my needles and leave it laying half hazardly in its basket to move on to something else. I will come back to this, the lace is very pretty as you see and the yarn is a dream, but right now it is all my nightmare and I need something a bit more easing. I believe I will try an American written pattern. I would return to my beach socks, but I have deamed them just that, beach socks, otherwise the bore me to tears.

I keep glancing sideways as I write this to admire just how pretty that lace turned out, and I then have to counter myself with just how pissed off I've been about trying to read this rediculous pattern.

And now the heat is getting to me. This room is too small and stuffy...I must find rest infront of a fan or perhaps a tub full of ice!

Excuse the Absense I've Been Living in my Car

2007-05-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, the hubby and I have finally got all moved...well...mostly moved I must say. If only my entire adventure could fit within these pages, it would be sure not to bore you, however for the sake of knitting I won't...Being that we have been relocating very little knitting has been done. I did however cast on my second first sock and have deemed them "beach socks" Yes that beach is all of five minutes from me...be jealous...of the beach and my sexy tan! Haha! Basically I happened onto an island by accident on Tuesday and we rented an apt. on it on Wednesday...what luck!

SP10 check your secret email for forwarding address information.

Anyway, I should be back in the saddle now!

Proud Owner

2007-05-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

I am a proud owner of a college graduate!!! Hooray! My wonderful husband graduated from college yesterday and we officially move one week from today. Here are the pictures to prove it!

There's No Place Like Home

2007-05-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

So I bought new shoes and started over on my project. Here are photos of the day...

There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like hom...is it working? Where is home anyway?

I am staying with my in-laws until we move to Maryland. Currently all of their flowers are in full bloom. They were too beautiful to pass up the photo op.

Seriously, I'm getting to knitting, I swear. But I love new shoes too, and flowers...

Ok...really, we're almost there.
Look at that! Hidden there in the flower bed...is it moss? No! It's the new beginning of the Rebecca lace cardi! Hooray. I took a few days off and pouted at the yarn shop last night for a while before deciding to start again with some beautiful green Elsabeth Llvold silky tweed that I purchased at the sale back in March. I do so love working with this stuff....

And aparently so does Azlan....which is by the way doing much better at the in laws, and with Aida. He's getting gutsy and she's getting scared, it's pretty funny.

The Sound of a Dying Project

2007-05-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today is gray...and I sit wondering what exactly a dying project sounds like. Unraveled, crimpled yarn laying at your feet and pure dijection has writen its song all over your face. Those moments that you want to quit, or those that you know that your needles cannot lay bare.

I believed for a short while that it sounded like a raven, but the pecking my cadavor could handle it no longer. That's when I realized that it was in fact a phoenix. You hear a terribly sad song, a faint cry and then it burst into flames. There it lies, it's quiet unbeautiful remains. As you mull over its ending and morn its death, the ashes begin to quiver, and from the ashes rises another beautiful phoenix and you have moved on to another project.

My phoenix has wailed and burned twice this weekend. Though my ashes remain unstirred, from the ashes will I rise again!

Inverweave Summer '07. Baby it's hot?

2007-05-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

I got the email, as many of you did for the new Summer Interweave. The first thing that I am struck by is that 10 out of 22 patterns in the new "summer" edition are for cold weather items, including long sleeve sweaters, scarves and gloves. Shown on your immediate left is a lovely chunky cozy looking sweater made of merino that would be great for raking leaves, or perhaps after a long day of skiing to cuddle up by the fire...nope, I'm sorry, global warming has made us all crazy, it's actually for the summer time...I believe perhaps in Antarctica where they claim that ice caps are melting. Excuse me Miss, can I borrow your sweater, it's only 85 degrees?!?! For crying out loud, it's summer. Some, like this sweater, are done in wool, which I don't know about you guys, but I like to knit in lighter fibers in the summer. There are a few winners, which is a reliefe because I wasn't at all impressed with the Spring Interweave, so I will be buying this mostly for the wing tanktop and the little wrap skirt/shawl deal.

Anyway...that's my soapbox on this Friday...oh and where way my weekly Berroco!

Surprises!

2007-05-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, I officially have the greatest Secret Pal ever! This box couldn't have come on a more needed day. Thank you soooooooo much! I sincerely LOVE everything in this box of joy. Here is everything that I got...you can tell that each item was greatly thought out and so considerate, each piece having a little note of explaination on it.

A message in a bottle...I am so excited about this, I love fun bottles and I had eyeballed this one for a while at Starbucks, it looks very sturdy and I have somehow in my fifteen moves lost my Nalgene bottle and I think this is a very solid and colorful replacement.

First off this box is precious by itself, I honestly wasn't expecting anything to be in it, but when I opened it I got the most incredible surprise. Little personalized stitch markers not only with my logo but also with my name. I couldn't get super close in this photo but I think you can see them. I think that these are so thoughtful and so very cute. Every time I use them I will think of what an awesome secret pal I have!

Of course there is candy...unmelted I might add.

She also sent me this really cute bookmark that seems to be hardened or lackered with something that helps it to be stiff enough to hold up.And last but most certainly NOT least NORO!!!! Noro in the perfect shades of purple blue and green. I think I am in love! I absolutely can't wait to use it! Hooray for awesome SP10!!! You're amazzzzing!

The very last order of business that I have are some photos of my husband and I at our first house on Monday right before we closed...the chapter on our first house. It's been an amazing learning experience.

The Kilt and the the Owl

2007-05-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Minor post blocking dilemas...I didn't measure my elastic correctly so I am currently holding my skirt up with a "bustle" aka safty pin, in the back. I'm going to to have to tear out about two inches in the seam and take up the elastic. Also I must invest in a black slip because you can see through the top of the band. But overall I'm very pleased, I think it turned out charming. And though I am not show on a beach looking tan and charmed, I will be quite soon and I hope that my photos aren't shown in the confines of an office building.

I did begin the Rebecca shawl last night. I'm only three rows into it, but I think I may be pleased in how it turns out. Also shown is my new bag and friend Mr. Owl who I am carrying as my purse and my knitting bag.

Acrylic Nightmares, Wild Memories, and Natural Dreams

2007-05-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

I am being tortured. I am being forced to touch, fondle, and closly inspect acrylic yars and the evil wears that they make. My hands felt as if they were on fire, my teeth wanted to grind together as if the sound of dulling teeth would help ease my pain. I feel dirty, as if I should bathe in merino to clean it off of me. But alas I am stuck here behind my desk touching the stuff and feeling violated!

On a brighter note, the Knit Two Together kilt is completed! It is blocking currently, and I will take photos tonight. I'm hoping that it will be dry enough to wear tomorrow with the great excitement that I encountered upon completion. I will try to add photos tonight of this and a few other things.

As usual the normal sickness has come over me of "what to knit next." This ailment last for several days before I am ready to move forward with something new. Basically my problem is that I am dying to use the Araucania Patagonia Nature Cotton and absolutely no pattern to use it on. After this dilema has oozed not only all over myself but over my knitting group having to hear me wheeze and whine LJ has said that I should make the Rebecca Shawl that the corrections were put on the Rebecca Forum that she has made twice now out of the nature cotton. I finally feel that I may conceed. This is the colorway that I would use for this shawl. It reminds me of a catapillar. It's a bit of an awkward color until you see it knit up, when I was swatching last night (yes, I swatched, I told you I was sick) I realized how beautiful it was going to be knitted up, and really that's what made me think that I may actually be intersted in this shawl.
On the same note our new kitting friend Mary Katherine who is a rather ambicious knitter is interested in making the same shawl in Manos and needs help with her stitches, so we may begin this endevour together. Actually this idea progressed on Monday when she offered to pay Lynda Jo to make her the shawl and we later told her that we would help her if she would be willing to learn on her own. So the lessons begin tonight. I hope to have some photos from this.

My other hang up is this project. I love this lacy cardi warp and I am in love with this Louisa Harding Yarn because it is machine washable and dryable which is amazing! And as you know I'm usually not a same color as the photo knitter, but I just love this color way and I think that it will be super beautiful. Though you can't see the pattern well in this photo I like the photo in general just because it says "wild memories" and something about that accident makes me happy. If and when I decide to do this pattern I will be sure to repost a better picture.

The last thing that I have is a mini spoiler, but only if LJ sees this before I see her tonight. I found this CareBear Cousin Gentle Heart Lamb. I wanted her to always have a reminder of me once I am gone, CareBear being of course in reference to my name and a sheep for obvious reasons. Love you LJ!

SP10

2007-04-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Secret Pal,

Please check your fake email. I'm moving and I've sent you my new address.

Thanks,
Me

Progress for Progress Sake

2007-04-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

The first sock attempt that went south. It was turning out far too large, so for now this yarn has been retired. This pattern is beautiful and will be tried again later on something of the correct weight.

The new socks in the Colinette shown above. They are turning out this really fun purple and green camo that's a little weird but nice. Azlan is using the sock as a blanket in this picture. I have made the heel flap and now I'm ready to turn the heel this week.

This was the next project I was going to cast on, this cute yellow sweater in the purple Noro shown in the photo. However the yarn is too thick and will not easily work into this pattern, so...I'm looking for something to use this beautiful Noro on. If anyone has any idea...let me know!

And last, but not at all the least, my progress on the Knit 2 Together Linen Kilt. This is an extremely SLOW knit. I think it will be worth it in the long run, but I've been so tired of straight knitting that I can hardly stand myself. I'm finally to the 1x1 rib around the top...only three more inches of that, then the gusset for the elastic and the ruffle down the front, so...about two to three more weeks and this B* will be done!!! I am on my fifth ball out of eight, so I am encourage that I'm over half way done. Oh and I made the brilliant discovery today that I've been using US #4 needles and I thought I was using US #5! Good thing that this is a one size fits all skirt and I'm usually too small to wear OSFA so this may work out for me (sorry Mom)! This is Rory's first appearance, she really was intersted in the fun flashy box that Mommy was carrying around, so here she is, dog and skirt.

And these two are doomed to love eachother yet. Azlan has been forced to stay inside to get used to being an indoor cat since we have sold our house and are now moving in with my inlaws until we head to Maryland. Here you see Aida and Azlan side by side at dinner time, they layed next to eachother last night. I think this could be the biggest amount of progress on this whole page!

So all of that is what I've been up to. Sorry for the long time no post or photo, I hope to get a little better about this in the future. This weekend, April 28th is the national public knit out, so I hope to get some good photos from that. If you weren't aware of this it is an opportunity for all to flaunt their craft in public places. So everyone go out to your local square and shake what your mama knit ya!

Oh, and thank you SP10 for the email...I look forward to hearing from you more in the future! You're my little secret knitting angel ;)!

About Me

2007-04-17T19:28:00.001-07:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Tour of Yarn Shops - Your Opinion

2007-04-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

In the last month I have done a rather lavish bit of yarn shop touring all over the area. I have visited (including my local dive) 6 shops in the last four weeks. I know, I'm a spoiled brat...however I feel it my civic duty to inform anyone who may live in this general area where to go and why...Below is my exclusive knit shop commentary:

Tulsa, Oklahoma
Loops - Loops is found in Eutica Square, so it's fairly easy to locate on a normal shopping day and you can justify swinging by after a trip to the Gap or Restoration Hardware. This shop is very nice, it has a lot of sample pieces (as I think all shops should have), they also carry a good bit of yarn that isn't really all over the place. I was most excited about seeing Suss yarns since I have the Suss wedding knits book that unfortunately only uses her yarn (why ppl do that boggles my mind, it's obnoxious) I wanted to compare the Suss to other things that I could use as a replacement. However, they carried only about five or six types of Suss most of which I felt to be of the novelty variety...disappointing...they also carried a good amount of GGH (Rebecca yarn), lots of out of the ordinary Rowan, and quite a number of great patterns. However, there was a decent amount of the store that seemed a little dissorderly. Though everything obviously had it's place, not all of one type of thing was together. Thinking back I think that it was more organized by type of yarn or season, rather than brand, which at the time was very confusing. The people that worked at Loops were not my favorite, though I know that it is in a fairly busy shopping center, please do not assume that I am an idiot and that I don't know how to knit. That's annoying...I am innocent until otherwise proven guilty. Also, please DO NOT hover and DO NOT put yarn in my hands or the hands of my companions.

Naturally Needlepoint and Knitting - This shop was in the process of moving, they are found on Lewis only about five to ten minutes away from Eutica. Though we did not get the chance to see their store in full swing and that we got the rare delight of getting everything at 75% off. It overall was a much better shopping experience than Loops. The women that work there are kind and knowledgable. They are not pushy, and assume the best of you. "Do you have ideas for that yarn?" That kind of thing. I would like to go back so that I could better review the store as a whole, but overall what I could see that they carried a lot of that was really nice was: Araucania, Colinette, lots of Rowan, Maggi, Habu, Noro, and a lot of others that are well known. I hope to make it back there before I move so that this review may be more thorough.

Little Rock, AR
Both shops located on Kavanaugh Blvd
Handworks Gallery - This was noted as the yarn boutique. The Creme de la Creme if you will. We were most excited about this shop. We pulled up, the shop was in a lovely victorian style house. We walk in....*crickets*...it was a disaster! There was tons of yarn in absolutely NO order. It looked as if it all had been thrown and wherever it landed is where it belonged. The back room of "sale" items was litterally all over the floor. The lighting in the place was terrible and completely not condusive to shopping. The only thing in the whole store that seemed of some order was Goddess yarns, which was the store owners line of yarn. Everything else was a true wreck. I felt nervous and as if I couldn't get a grip on anything around me. I couldn't buy anything because I couldn't figure out what I was looking at. Nothing had prices marked on it, so if you wanted to know you had to ask, and the girls working there really didn't know either. They themselves were a bit on the rude side (again acting like you didn't know how to knit) and were not at all helpful. When they were around they hovered and the rest of the time they ignored you. When we got there one girl would walk around throwing up her arms saying "this is on sale, and this is on sale, and this might be on sale...just ask" and I'm thinking...on sale for what? I never did find out the answer to that question. Yarns that were listed on their website that they carried they didn't carry and had in fact never heard of...hm...I pass.

Yarn Mart - This is a nice little store front shop. They also carry needlepoint patterns and threads. This shop was reasonably priced and carried some great stuff that I had never seen in person. They carried quite a variety of Manos, Twinkle yarn (which is lovely in person btw) Araucania, Colinette, and Louisa Harding. They had a better variety of sock yarn than I have seen in a while and the people were very kind. Overall I liked this shop...it did seem more like a store than a shop, but they had nice things, reasonable prices and a friendly atmosphere.

Conway, AR
Bella Lana - This is a beautiful lovely shop. It is a cozy little store front with wonderful friendly owners and employees that didn't care how busy they were, they took the time to help you. They were having a sale to make way for new inventory, but regardless their pricing was decent and they had a fair amount of inventory. This shop is not as large as most of the others, but they carried most of your basics and very little novelty if any. They had a good amount of Rowan, Louisa Harding, Maggi, Elsebeth Llvold, and a few others, mostly of the under $20 a hank variety. They had no Manos, Colinette, Noro, hand/kettle dyed or homespun so it's not the place to go if you're looking for that. The shop itself is very cute was a very warm inviting atmosphere. They were playing Ella in the background which always makes me feel at home. It was an atmosphere to knit in.

Fayetteville, AR
Handheld Knitting - My shop...my hope...everything you need...

My dream is to one day have my own yarn shop. In my yarn journeys around lately I have seen obviously things that I like and things that I don't. Things that I will mimick in my store and things that I will avoid like the plauge. But I have found that my likings are not the same as others. Please give me your opinions and stories. Tell me about tragic yarn adventures and tell me about what you think is the perfect yarn shop. Yarns that are a must have in a shop, and those that don't really matter. Other things that dos and don'ts. Help me help you...

Linen Leftovers

2007-04-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Yes, this is specifically to YOU...yes, you sitting there in your jammies blinking at the screen. You too, thought you could sneek a read on your "break" at work! haha! I have a request. IF you have used linen or a linen blend for any past project and you have some leftovers that aren't quite enough to actually make anything else with, and they are taking up space in the back of your knitting stash that could be filled by a new ball of koiguu or malabrigo if you could only figure out what to do with it...I have a solution for you! I am taking up a little collection of these remains. I have an idea...a plan...but I need YOUR help to make it work...ok not really...but I don't need a lot, but I need a lot of different colors. If you can help me out please post with an email address and the amount of scrap that you have and we'll chat about where you can send the linen (or blend). Perhaps we'll make this into a little contest that will be later determind for some type of yummy yarn goodie.

A Breath on the Wind

2007-04-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after my Coke fiasco I drove to knitting after work. When I pulled up to the little house everyone was sitting outside, spilling from the doors of the house, from the tiny porch and the steps on the lawn. They all were sitting laughing with their half full glasses of white wine. I got out of my car, the breeze was blowing gently through the new leaves of the oaks outside of the shop making a very small rustling sound that could only be heard behind the warm voices.
"There she is!" They all exclaimed as I walked up the path. A seat had been saved for me next to Lynda Jo. Some of the ladies said my name and I smiled and asked how everyone was doing, commented about their outfit, or jewelry and asked what they were working on.
As I sat there in that little wooden chair on the porch listening to everyones conversations (which included a lesson in feminine contraptions, which before last night I never knew existed) I felt a sadness start to wash over me. They were talking about Bikes Blues & BBQ, the towns annual big event, that would be coming up in October, they were talking about the party that the knitting store was going to have and as my eyes began to light up, I remembered that I wasn't going to be here any more. They talked about trips that they could take this summer and various other things that I would no longer be a part of and I felt the most emense sadness. I have lived in Arkansas for nearly two and a half years and it wasn't until October that I finally found a community.
There we sat an oddly diverse group of women (and Paul) coming from different corners of life with completely different ways of life and thinking with one common purpose. That purpose which has torn down barriers and built gardens, a purpose that has brought me to know some wonderful people who have left their imprints deeply in me.
When we move to Maryland in May I will be on the search for a new group with which to share my life. This new group, they can never be to me what my group is now. A group who does not let age and background (or foreground) tear us down.
I smiled as I fondled some of the new yarns that people were using. I laughed at the stories from the week and weeks past. We welcomed two newcomers and we spoke to them about how they had found us. And all the while I was greatly saddened. Not to say that I am not sad to leave my other friends here, there are many that I will miss. But moving my life, quitting my job, and starting over in a place that my eyes have never even seen does not bother me nearly as much as finding a new Monday night group.

On a completely different slightly more cheery note I have a mental disorder. I cannot seem to make myself do gauge swatches! I know...it's terrible...but I just don't do it. I get so excited, so impatient about starting something new that I just don't bother with it. And I suppose if you used the yarn that the pattern called for that it wouldn't be a problem, but 9 times out of 10 I don' t do that. I use something seemingly comperable by hand feel. I know better, I work in an industry that just the slightest change in sizing, gauge and material contents makes all the difference in the way something fits or looks. But I just can't do it...maybe some day someone will come up with a cure for my disease, but until then, if it's too big or too small someone else gets it...so Mother, you do have a chance at my skirt!

Progress and Poison

2007-04-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Above is the progress, however little it may be, on my skirt ruffle. This progress is shown in its natural environment amidst my page of notes about Starter and organic hangtags. I should claim that I'm doing research and should be allowed to knit all day. I'm hoping to get this ruffle finished up quickly this week and begin on the rest of the skirt, my only forseen issue is that I'm going to have to either line this or wear something under it due to the inconsistancy of the linen cotton ply.

This photo was taken only minutes before the poison of slow thinking happened. I was carrying on a conversation with my co-worker and unscrewed the lid to my Coke bottle. I set the lid down and as I pulled my arm forward to pick up the bottle I knocked the whole thing in my lap! I could see it happening in slow motion. I am now sitting in my own sticky Coke scented mess! I look like my water broke, or I had a rediculous accident...there's a trail of Coke running down my leg onto my shoe, and to make matters worse it's right between my legs! I got it on my chair, on my notes, on a project lying on the floor. And after getting somewhat cleaned up I opened the bottle again and whatever bit had settled on the groove of the bottle ran down my hands and face! I should go home! I had this kind of weekend and I fear that it's carrying on to just be this kind of week!!!

Oh save me!

House For Sale - Yarn Does NOT Convey

2007-04-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today we listed our house. There is nothing more stressful than buying and selling a house. We are selling our house to move somewhere I have never been...luckily there's a beach where we're moving, that's what made me say yes, I'm a sucker for ocean tides and the pull of the moon.

If anyone is looking for a nice starter home, come my way...beautiful house, but get your eyes off of my stash! You can have anything in the house except that, I think it's the only thing that's holding my sanity currently, I'll try to get some photos of my skirts very small progress this week. It hasn't gotten very far due to the huge amount of work that we've done on the house the last few weeks...I have when my knitting suffers!

A Problem with Color

2007-03-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I feel red today...and being that I'm writing about color it only seems appropriate that I write as I feel and today, I feel red.

I am, what you might call, a colorful person. I do not fear color, I embrace it. In my house, on my body, the colors that I surround myself in make me feel one way or another, and I think that phsychologically that's the way that it tends to go. Green is the only color that the eye never tires of, if you are around me much you will hear me say that a thousand times. And though I get stuck in color ruts (my current one being various shades of eggplant) I would not say that I am bad with color or that I fear one color or another, I am rather good at seeing color and telling you what makes it up and what will look good with it...I better be, I do work in fashion...though that sort of brings me right in to the rant that I wanted to be on...

*ahem*

I do not understand people and their choices of color. Not that any color is better than any other or that any color is really bad per say. But rather that your average person tends to choose to knit things with terrible colors that do not go together. There are many shades of many colors that I like but I am aware when those shades do not go together. Sadly though fiber artist or not many knitters just pick at random colors that they like and throw them all together and knit them into this pile of knitted Rainbow Bright throw up. A woman comes into a shop and needs five balls in differnt colors all for one pattern (this is purely hypathetical unless you were there to witness this with me), now someone with an understanding of color would choose a variety of verigated tones that would easily work their way from one color to the next, instead this one had the biggest mess of rediculous colors and was all about how great they would look! I believe that the look on my face was pure terror!

Fiber artist, I cry out to all of you, do not fall victim to this. You have been given a great talent that many others wish that they had and we are squandering it on terrible colors and rediculous patterns and making our art looking like grandma's catastrophy! Please...let me help you...if you notice this trend in your own knitting please, send me a photo, I will be happy to help you choose healthy colors that will be both flattering and fantastic! If you see a sweater pattern from the 80s calling your name and calls for 5 different bright colors, please, turn and run, not walk, as fast as you can in the oposite direction. This is NOT ok!

And if you are set in your ugly color choosing ways, please explain it to me so that it makes sense...and on that note, if you're bad with color please don't work in fashion, it makes me cringe to know the people choosing things that are "Must Haves"...I know things...and it bothers me!

Every New Beginning...

2007-03-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

...Is Some Other Beginnings End!

And here are both. I have finished my sweater from Rebecca shown below on my body at a beach I have never been to. I looked really bad and we were in a parking lot at work...so...here's my body at the beach where I would have preferred to be anyway. This particular photo is remanisent of one of those terrible photos found in a Chinese Buffet and genearlly the water is moving in the background...this photo is half for humors sake and half for the sake of the sweater which is more attractive when I'm standing (and probably tan) but it's cute and I am happy with it none the less.

Please excuse the glare on this next photo. This would be my current project, and as you can see clearly I have just cast on. The pattern calls for 4 hanks of Euroflax (which note for those of you who are bargain shoppers, they have recently changed their label so the old label will likely go clearance in various places online and otherwise) ANYway...you see a pattern calling for four of something and generally you don't cringe, unless of course it's Euroflax that is $20 a hank and I don't care who you are but it's a little steep to make a skirt for $80, I'd personally prefer to go buy one at that cost. So, as you can see I am using the Maggi Knit Linen Cotton blend in a gray color way. This would be the color that my dear husband (who is making me nuts working on our house this week) picked out. I have never worked with this yarn before and it is very interesting but I believe that it is going to knit up beautifully. I think this skirt is going to take a long time but be well worth it as I'm sure you can tell from the little bit of the photo that isn't glared. Oh, and did I mention that I got the Maggi at the 75% off sale, so it was actually $2.25 a ball...MUCH better...so if I use all 8 balls this skirt will cost me $18! That's even great for a skirt on sale somewhere...Oh...I've been calling this a skirt, I'm sorry, it's a kilt! I'll be Irish through and through one of these days...I'm determind to knit myself that way, all tweeds and Irish yarns and patterns for me...I believe I shall change my name to Leiry!

A Birthday Luck of the Blarney Miracle

2007-03-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd just throw all possibilities into the pot for this one...it was either Irish luck on great St. Patrick's Day or a full out Birthday miracle, either one you care to believe in, you may take a bit of both if you like also...the point being I struck gold!
Aparently for me the end of the rainbow was in Tulsa yesterday at Naturally Needlepoint and Knitting. We took a little road trip, some friends, that guy I married, and I, down to Tulsa to go yarn shopping and the like for my birthday. We knew that there were two shops there to stop at, Loops, the main fancy shop in the square, and Naturally Needlepoint and Knitting and that the lader of the two was to make a move soon. When we pulled into Naturally Needlepoint in its nearly empty shopping center there was a moving truck sitting in front of it and a sign on the door that read 75% off sale. I was sure that everything would be well picked through and we'd have our choice of novelty yarn and maybe some really terrible colors in some Debbie Bliss cotton rope or something like that. To my great surprise it was a little corner of the shop filled with wonderful beautiful yarns, Rowan and Debbie Bliss Angora, Nature Cotton, Collonette, you name it! After shopping experience A. there and then B. at Loops, which was a lovely unorganized store with women who attack you as you come through the door (I bought a pattern that's it). Let me expound, we walked through the door and were mauled by a woman sitting at the table in the lounge, then treated as if we didn't know how to knit...excuse me madam but is that a scarf you're making, tisk tisk! After leaving there feeling a little silly and disappointed we then shopping went to experience C. back to Naturally Needpoint and Knitting, the photos that you see are of my second stash increasement experience, my total of the day coming to $151 and should have been a much larger number, most of that was encouraged by my husband after he wandered in and kept squeezing and sniffing and picking up balls of yarn and asking me what I could make out of them including picking out the material, Maggie's Irish Handspun to make the scarf that he's been begging for since early January. Obviously Aida thinks that I have bought this pile of goodness for her pleasure as well...Mixed into this pile of yumminess is a gift to my secret pal (who is making out rather nicely when things are 75% off) and of course some yarn for my mother since she would just squalk if I could get such nice cheap stuff and not get her any ;)! Of course I could have just kept my mouth shut and kept it all for myself...why must I be a good daughter?

The rest of the pictures are just random photos of my cat, Aida feeling that she should belong as a part of everything. She must be loved on even when knitting, even if it's just by my foot...
Aida love to read with Daddy, either that or she's a new gargoyle or is seeking out her ancestors place as a sphynx.

Random Short Thoughts

2007-03-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

* To my SP10: Please note, acrylic yarn was so far off of my radar that I didn't even put it on my absolutely will not use if you are holding my stash hostage list...

* Brenda Dane emailed me...that makes me excited!

* My husband has renigged his comment and is now acting like he didn't say it.

Thanks!
(You will likely hear from me again today, I am nearly done with my Poplin Sweater from Rebecca)

Monday Night Tear Out and the Shot Heard 'Round the Knitting World

2007-03-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Forgive me to those of you who prefer picture blogs, today will be just words...short gatherings of words, but words none the less.

Last night durring knitting night I began getting near the "end" of the left side of my sweater, I had just been chatting away not really paying much attention, and then it happened...I realized that I had not put the arm hole into the sweater. For the remainder of knitting I was required to tear out, and we're not talking a small amount, I had to tear out around 38 rows to get to where I needed to start binding off for the arms. Good thing that fun part is knitting...

As for the shot heard 'round the knitting world...I'm not really sure what got into my husband last night but he nearly died a slow painful death. We have been sleeping in seperate rooms since I came down with the flu. In this our nightly few sentance before sleeping chats have been shouted from room to room. I say shouted as if we have a large house, they were more or less spoken loudly. At any rate, I was discussing with him that my mother wanted me to go with her to Little Rock and Heber Springs to the yarn shops there for my birthday sometime in April (note my birthday is Friday and I expect to be pampered ;). So anyway he proceeds to yell "You spend too much time and money on yarn." Followed by me yelling "WHAT!?!?" pause "WHAT!?!?!" and his retreat to "never mind." I'm not sure what that was all about but it's not going to fly. He's been ultra supportive of my dreams to open a yarn shop some day, in fact he wants to open a coffee bar on the other side with discounts to knitters and suddently he's squashing me...I think not!

PS he's buying me yarn for my birthday...perhaps he's getting off easy...or was until that comment!

Needle Disfunction and Stash Enlargement (all without the aid of medication)

2007-03-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

So...it turns out that I have the flu! Super exciting, especially since I'm missing my brother-in-laws birthday bash as we speak. Fortunately they're having tomato sandwiches which would not be my choice meal, so that part I'm not at all upset about.

As for me being home alone and OCD like I am, everything tends to be magnified by about 50% when I'm drugged, so every speck of dust today looked like they do on Honey I Shrunk the Kids, so me in my drugged half drunked state cleaned my house...stupid I know. I sat down for a minute and I kept thinking about all of the stuff that I've failed to share on my blog so then I got up again. To me these pictures look pretty ok, but then again my screen is going in and out of focus while I'm typing so they may actually be terrible. Forgive me my eyes know not what they do.

Side note (I'm sick, my mind works in logic right now) my cat, Aida, is litterally opening every closed door and cabinet in the house right now. After she gets one thing open she's moving on to the next, I think she's doing it to make me crazy.

These first two photos are of course the anxiously awaited "nighty," and the answer is no, that does no cover my booty, it doesn't even really cover much of my hips. Hence why I wear it over a t-shirt and call it a day. It is much more attractive on, but I however am not today, so I am
avoiding the law suites and just posting photos of it on my kitchen table until I look well enough to have photos taken of me in it. If you are looking at doing the Interweave Free Nighty my suggestion would be to do the bottom/edge feather pattern twice more to make length. There is no problem with it fitting around your waist and butt if it were actually that long, but it is not. It is a beautiful quick knit and a great way for any begining lacers to learn, this was in fact my first lace piece and now I'm hooked. This whole project from beginning to end, minus the 6 times starting over, only took one week. The edge does have a tendancy to curl up even after blocking, but right now that edge falls on me right on the bend in my hips so every time I sit down it really encourages the curl. You can't tell very well from the back photo but it does have an extreme drop in the back, it is very pretty.

This is a picture of the new needle case that I made with some fabric that I got at a great deal when Hancock's was having their huge president's day sale. The buttons are from the vintage button stash that was passed on to me from my grandmother at Christmas time.

And speaking of stash the last photo is of my stash enlargement (not caused by the little blue pill). I was however being treated for needle disfunction and the fact that my stash was not as fulfilling as it could be, this was causing a small rift between my needles and myself because as well all know, needle disfunction effects everyone in the family. After consulting the local yarn shop durring their March madness sale my stash enlargement happened, it was like magic, suddenly curing all signs of needle disfunction. With some purchases I have projects in mind, with others, I just bought it because at some point I would have a project in mind, I hear that this is a cure for premature...oh wait...anyway...I'm not very good at just buying yarn without a project in mind, it's a problem of mine, when I do I don't generally buy enough to actually do anything with, I must overcome this and fast. Next week is my birthday...Friday the 16th, buy me lost of presents! Anyway, for my birthday my dear sweet husband is taking me to Tulsa (with some friends) and giving me $X to spend on yarn at the supposedly yummy yarn shops there. So...with several projects in mind I am going, however, if I cannot find anything for those projects, I must embrace something completely different and just buy enough of whatever I like to do whatever I may want to do with something pretty in the future!
Help me! Any words of wisdom? I am looking for advice on how to carelessly buy whatever yarn I want and how much to buy!!!

*Disclaimer - I don't spell well ever, I'm worse when medicated!

I'm Bringing Sweaters Back...Yeah!

2007-03-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, so one day after my last post the monsters that stole my camera returned it completely unscathed to the backseat of my car. Makes total sense huh? I have failed however at taking a photo of the nighty, perhaps I will take it tonighty! I was laughed at because I wore it over a black ls. t-shirt to work, but no one that didn't know it was a nighty thought anything of it, it was only those that knew what I was working on so...perhaps you'll see a picture of it tonight....maybe...if you're lucky.

I am currently fighting off a cold, or rather giving up. I have fought the good fight and now I'm giving in. It's been over a year since I've had a humdinger of a cold so I'm just going to let it infest my body, at least it's coming at the end of the week I suppose. I can't really describe I how I feel other that "UGH!"

So about knitting. I am very excited because I recieved my SP10 newsletter this morning and I anxiously await my spoilee to be given to me next week. You are in for treats little spoilee! So I'm pretty pumped up about it all! On another note, it appears that I am going to be moving...not my blog, just my body...no worries, you can still find me here. Anyway, I have turned enough soil here and it is time for me to be moving on, the demanding North Wind has moved in and called to me that my time is done. For those of you familiar with any eastern culture I believe that I will be able to explain to you my desires and habits in one phrase, I am water. I am moving east, running towards the ocean, towards the shore, and I could not be more content in this decision. Of course I have begun looking to what yarn shops are within' an arms reach of me in these places. If I go to Maryland (most likely) I have one within' 20 minutes (which with traffic here, that's about how long it takes me to get from one side of town to the other). If I go to Georgia it's about and hour and a half or more, and that just won't do! So also if I go to Maryland on those weekends or random week days that I can escape to Baltimore or Washington there are tons of yarn shops in those areas, and I'm sure good ones at that! Purl on Soho is a 3.5 hour train ride (exclusive trip reserved for Lynda Jo's trip to visit...if I can wait that long...or Mom's...Ma, you wanna go to NYC we'll catch a show, it'll be fun!!!). Anyway, my plan today is to email the lady that owns the shop in Maryland, it is a quilt shop as well...according to my research (I didn't get a degree in journalism for nothing) she is having a baby this summer and will perhaps require some assistance to keep the shop open. I am going to grill her on the yarns that she carries, let her know that I've seen that some people were wanting to start a weekly knitting group online and that I would be willing to begin facilitating it, and that if she's looking for some help that I would be looking for a job come May/Juneish! Sneaky I am! That's the plan anyway.

So enough about that, on to what's on my needles. Sorry that I moved when taking these pictures, they're not ultra clear. However, you can see that I'm working on the cute little tunic sweater from this season's Rebecca. I picked the yarn first, that lovely butter yellow Debbie Bliss cotton/angora, it was 50% at the March Madness sale here at the local knitting shop. After digging and digging for a pattern that would be perfect I ran across this one, it's been a rather quick knit, the panel shown is the back panel and has been on the needles since Saturday. The second picture is the cover of this Rebecca in the case that you are interested in this pattern also. Keep in mind that apparently everyone that lives in Germany comes in two sizes, small and smaller, so that pattern must be altered if you're larger than a size nothing ;)! Also if it's your first time following a Rebecca pattern as it was mine, you are required to think and do math and stupid stuff like that, more than a regular pattern. I'm not so much a fan of that, but whatever!

Ok, this last picture is really just for fun. Our camera at work was freaking out and someone took this picture of me by mistake while trying to fiture out what was wrong with the camera. So, this is me in my natural habitat. So I'm going to point out things around me. In this photo I am updating my notes in my notebook and checking things off that I've already finished.
Note the partially empty coffee cup, I have recently decided that I'm OCD in an odd way that I absolutely cannot drink the very end of my coffee. I get one cup early in the morning, at about 9 I top it off to heat it up, and then I never finish it, I leave the end sitting on my desk until the next morning. Note a to-go cup in the far left corner, I did finish it. Next to to-go cup are my ear bugs which often times are playing knitting podcast. Behind me is a Grey's Anatomy breast cancer awareness ad that someone tore from a magazine and put on my wall, a Jimmy Johns take out menu, knitting abreviations list, and a calendar tear out that is Napoleon Dynamite which has to do with my friend Lacie's "holiday moves." And there's lots and lots of paper that I am trying to elimitate today! Ok...that's me in my natural habitat.

To The Monsters Who Hate Me

2007-02-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Sir or Madam (aka the Monsters who have misplaced my camera and blamed my mind),

I do not appreciate this terrible trick. I am beginning to feel a bit on the off side. I am sure that one of you have run off to Nantucket with my camera. I do not in any way shape or form appreciate this. I have finished my nighty and I am quite enthusiastic about showing it off and you are prohibiting me from doing so. I have now begun the Le Slouch from Knit and Tonic and I would love to show all of my faithful ones my progress, but you in your decite are keeping me from doing so. Please return my camera to a spot that is easily seen in my house in my personal various states of wakeness. You may return it with fun photos of your trip to the coast and interesting people that you met there so that I may make up stories about them...that should be a good time for all.

Thank you,
The Cameraless Photographer (...again)

Nightymares

2007-02-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

So...this great free Interweave Nighty has been haunting me for over a week. I have litterally undid and redid a total of six times now (yes mom, I took it out again since you left). Then I had this brilliant idea, due to my high amounts of knitting ADHD I should put place markers between each set in the lace pattern. Then I only have to keep up with 12 stitches instead of 168! 12 is so much nicer a number do you think? So... after getting all of that worked out this is what I have, it's turning out beautifully. I wish that you could see that pattern close up, but my camera went all fuzzy on me.
The next two pictures are just for fun. One is my mom and her hot new hair cut when she was visiting with me this weekend.

And the last was just taken of my dog who beat me to bed and obviously thought that my presents was bothering her.

I Got Jokes

2007-02-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway.
Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting! Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window, turned on his bullhorn and yelled, "PULL OVER!"
"NO!" the blonde yelled back, "IT'S A SCARF!"

Secret Pal 10 Questionaire

2007-02-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

So I just signed up for secret pal 10 and I'm very very excited. Here is the questionaire that it has asked me to post for my secret pal to come and read all about me. I'm terribly sorry whoever you are! j/k! I just hope I remember to check my fake email account...can someone please remind me?

Here goes nothing...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I really love Manos, there is nothing better than knitting with that stuff, it holds together and the uneven texture adds great interest (but not for swater knitting, it peals)...I'm also a fan of pretty much anything Rowan and Noro. I do not however like Mission Falls all that much.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A needle bag.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting for about three years now. I taught myself (to do it wrong and then releared not long ago). I would say I'm intermediatish.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Nope, I want a lot of things, but I just write them down on a pad at work.

5. What's your favorite scent?
Pumpkin and fresh linen.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I have a sweet tooth but my teeth don't like it ;). I love milky ways, snow caps, and bottlecaps.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I am a new spinner and I also do a little bit of sewing but I'll pick up nearly any craft project that you give me.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like really mellow stuff that I can just relax to, I love old jazz (Ella, Louise, and the like) as well as new folky kind of stuff, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Tracy Chapman. My computer can play anything.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I gravitate towards greens and plum (not purple)...I don't particularly like orange.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married with no children except for two cats and a dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes to all but ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hm....um....errr...gosh...whatever keeps me challanged at the time I guess.

13. What are you knitting right now?
See below...the lace nighty from Interweave online (old news, I'm working on a shirty sweater thing from the new Rebecca)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I do, it means more when I know that someone else took the time and effort to make something especially for me.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circulars or bamboo in either (they're my exception to the rule)

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I own a swiffer to clean my floors...so no, I don't!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I'm sure that I'm supposed to know what that means, but since I don't I'll go with this answer: Back on my planet we have no real sense of time...what is time anyway? So in human years I'm sure that our oldest UFO is thousands of years old, and for us, only a moment. (how's that ;)

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Generally just dust, between my vast collection of dust are funky coffee mugs.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Wow...ok...I want to see inside of Tinks Big City Knitting but I don't know that I really want it (Scratch...our shop just got this book and I think that I am completely in love...I must have it!)...I'm not sure that there's anything right now that I'm dying for, I just ordered two that I really wanted. I don't have any subscriptions, I just buy from my local shop as they come out.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Fair Isle

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Not yet...heels scare me. I wear a 5.5 or 6

23. When is your birthday?
March 16 and I like things that sparkle...oh wait, that's a different exchange...I like things that are soft and smell of sheep...that doesn't sound nearly as good as something shiny to those who don't knit :(

So friend, I hope that this has helped you out...can't wait to hear from you! Oh and for any of the rest of you, feel free to get me fun stuff too, I will love you forever!

The Nighty Before

2007-02-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ok...so here's all that needs to be caught up on now that I have my camera back. First would be the sweaer the final product...this can be seen here on your right, and no I am not wearing it for two reason. One would be because at the time of this photo my sweet husband was pretending to be an undead warrior, and that is greatly more important that taking photos of me modeling. The second reason would be because...well...I don't like the thing now that I'm done with it. The sleeves are far too big, I feel like I'm wearing a potato sack. The next image would be part of the sweater while it was being pieced together...yes that is a giant burnt hole in it...no I am not smart. I laid it on top of a light and then absent mindedly turned the light on, needless to say I began to smell something out of the ordinary that resembled burning sheep...ok so I don't know what that smells like...or I didn't until recently. Luckly it was in the lower part of my sleeve so the sleeves then became 3/4.
The next two images are on a more cheery matter. The first being my new old sewing machine. I got a steal on this Singer, now if I can only figure out a use for all of those stitches! And the last is what I'm working on right now, yes that is the free Nighty from Interweave Knits online. Hence the title of this entry, the Nighty Before...I'm very excited about this project...or perhaps the excitement comes once I'm finished *wink*....Oops, my mom's reading this...I mean...Err...no save there!

My goal is try to keep this blog going a little bit more. I know that being in the middle of a sweater there is little to be able to keep going, but perhaps I will start picking up mini-machine projects as well. Oh well!

Cheers!

Still no camera...

2007-02-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

I am still without my camera. I'm terrible, I know...and there is so much that I want to show you. I must first admit to my delightful puchase of new "yarn porn" I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two books posted here...no, I'm not getting remarried, I'm quite happy with my soon to be working man...that book was a rather impulsive buy...here's the story. I went to Borders to buy the Knit Two Together that I've been oggling for a while, the day prior I had seen Wedding Knits online and thought that it looked like a cute book with some really fun gift ideas in it. Once I arrived at said book store and went to pick up my book I saw that Wedding Knits had just arrived there and the charming red head's eyes from the cover were following me. First I was a little creeped out, and then I decided that maybe I should just crack the cover so that at least then she couldn't keep watching me. As I did the further I flipped the more seduced I became. These weren't simply wedding knits, they were knits for all kinds of things that could be done in colors other than white and be used as an anything kind of gift for myself or otherwise. I closed the book and I swear that the red head winked at me, the price however was not winking at all, so...me and my fantastic math skills went to work, I pulled that abacus from my purse and decided that I would save around $25 if I bought both of the books together on Amazon.com so...I am now waiting for the santa in the brown suite to bring me my first of February gifts! On top of that I recieved the new Rebecca this week and I like about half of it and will maybe make two or three things out of it, overall it was a pretty decent purchase.

On my needles however is nothing! I know, can you believe it...I've been searching through books and magazines all week to find something that I am resolute to do and I can find nothing! I'm in a weird sort of funk, one would be because I really have no yarn to work with. I have one pound of roving that's dying to be spun up into something yummy, but I just don't have the heart, I enjoy looking at the big fluffy batts too much to ruin it. The sweater that I wanted to do that is a springy light weight ditty is from the Interweave Spring Sprout magazine but it takes a whoaping 12 balls of Rowan Holiday which no one seems to have or sell...places online that I've found it would still cost me $81 to make the bloody thing, and there comes a time with even knitting that you have to weigh out the actual worth factor, and that my friends, is not worth it. So...those of you feeling charitable with 12 balls of Rowan Holiday, prerrably in the color way rock pool, may send your donations to me via mail, if you need my mailing address just message me and I will be most happy to give it to you...for the mere cost of 12 balls of Rowan Holiday you get an all access pass to stalking me, though I doubt any of you care enough to want to do that...it would be a most unexciting event anyway! So...anyway...I'm yarnless other than a very measly stash, and therefore projectless and I absolutely MUST have a project before Saturday since I am helping out at the yarn shop on Saturday afternoon >WILL WORK FOR YARN<...so I'll have yarn for something after Saturday I suppose...I'm stuck on tweed so I'm sure it will either me Rowan Summer Tweed or Elsebeth Llovold silky tweed...Ideas?

That's all for now, you may now all return to your regularly scheduled life already in progress!

I'm a Bad Blogger

2007-02-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

I've been terrible, I know...forgiveness is not an option for me. I seem to have left my camera at my husbands grandmother's house...I have finished my sweater of which now that I am done I don't particularly love (it's the sleeves, we had a problem, you'll see)
And currently I am in a funk...I can't decide what I want to do now...any ideas guys? I could sure use some.

I do knit...and spin...and dye

2007-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry that I've not updated in so long my dear readers...i will, very soon. My camera is being held captive in the trunk of my car currently but will be released soon I believe and I can photograph all that's been keeping me busy.
I am still working on my sweater and will likely be done by the time I get photos. I'm very excited and pleased with how it turned out.

You will hear from me again soon!
Lost Sheep

No Idol Hands

2007-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Here's my proof!
These are the mittens that I knitted for my Secret Santa at work.
And the progress on my sweater. Both fronts are complete and what is on my needles now is the back of the sweater.

So, that's my proof, i really am knitting...that sweater doesn't look like much now, but I hope to be done in the next few weeks and it's going to be a dream! I'm so excited, and to start knitting from my new Vintage Knits book. I think first I'll be making banana fiber hand warmers, just for fun!

I need a knit fix...Monday Knit Night...will it ever come?

Oh wow!

2006-12-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

Go there!
It's for people like us!

A Knitty Christmas

2006-12-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

I've been terrible at writing as of late. I was knitting like crazy for last minute gifts at the holidays, and then realized after giving them away I didn't even take pictures. I'll be toating my camera with me to try and snag some shots so that you know that my silence has been for reason.

So...knowing that I was knitting wrong I started all over with my sweater. I have the front left panel done and half of the front right panel. My mother and I ripped out the back and balled it along with all of the rest of the terrible yarn. Lovely knitted up mind you, but each skein was in about fifteen to fifty pieces, depending on how badly the moths got into this old womans knitting closet.

My holiday was very good, Santa filled my stocking and my knitting cabinet full. As of this moment I have two desk top knitting calendars, Vintage Knits the book (which is very exciting) a knitters design journal, a gift certificate to my local yarn shop, bags of yarn, and money for more yarn! It's exciting! I of course recieved other non-knitting related items, such as a few nice sweaters and a heinous purse from my grandmother-in-law that was magically changed into a great pair of shoes via the Dillards Elf! I've made out well, and I'm sitting fat and sassy for a while.

My mission tonight is to find a sufficient knitting basket. While the husband is away having dinner with some friends I'm off on a quest. Though the goodies that are waiting for me a grand, I have vowed not to start anything else until my sweater is complete. So I'm very ready to get that done, and well, I can't do that if I'm sitting here typing. So off I go!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a knit night!

To Be Warm

2006-12-06T06:09:00.000-08:00

I would have taken photos of my sweater progression, but currently my camera is on vacation and I haven't been able to use my mother in laws in a while, so I appologize for my seeming slackness. So you will have to be settled with my verbal explaination and photos later. I nearly have the back panel done. There you go. Not exciting at all, I haven't been as vigorous with this project as I would choose to be, but there has been rather a lot of other bustle going on. And not to add to your disappointment, I believe the sweater is going to be put on the backburner for a while. I have three pairs of mittens to pump out before Christmas!

I'm a procrastinator, I'm aware, and I wasn't initially intending on doing this, but it came back to haunt me and here I am with a pair of pink, green, and blue gloves to do in the next few weeks. It can be done, I don't fear it, I'm just disappointed that this sweater must sit in a drawer to wait for me to come back to it sometime around Christmas.

On a lighter and a bit more humerous note, I called my mother after Knit Night on Monday and she wasn't home so I was talking to my dad. He asked me how my sweater was coming and I expressed my guage delimas and how it's rolling but that it's my first and it would be fine. His response was one that would only come from a fellow knitter or the husband of one that cares enough to pay attention to what was going on in the secret world of knitting, he said "It'll all work out once you get it blocked." And I continued agreeing with him as if he was one of those who sat across the table from me on Monday nights knitting up a Christmas present or sweater of his own, it didn't strike me until I hung up the phone what had happened within that conversation. I couldn't help but to laugh to myself and knew imediately that I had to share it with all of you.

So all of this was for the purpose of a post and for you to know that I haven't failed you, I am still working on my sweater...or was. So there will be more mittens to feast your eyes on before too long!

Self Control Fails Me

2006-11-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

So I got a method to my yarn madness and just couldn't stop. I started this sweater from IK yesterday. It seemed really the best to do with my lovely pink tweed. What's the real point in self control anyway?

The Great Yarn Disaster of 2006

2006-11-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

This blog entry has a lot of parts. Let me start with part A. or Chapter 1 if you will.

I have been eagerly awaiting my Unger French Tweed yarn from a lady on e-bay. As I have been continually expecting it and that I am now carpooling from an alternate location half way across town and being that it was Monday Knit Night (I warned you there were a lot of parts), I called my husband to check the mail for my package.
The conversation went something like this.
Him: Well, I haven’t heard the dog bark.
Me: It’s yarn, it may just be squished in the mailbox.
Him: Ok, I’ll go check….There’s an envelope.
Me: Is it squishy?
Him: Yes, but there doesn’t feel like there’s much in it.
Me: Oh, there should be. (dejected) Never mind. *hangs up the phone*
Note I was concerned that I read the amount wrong. *the phone rings*
Him: Hey! It’s a hat.
Me: A hat?
Him: Yeah, and it’s funny looking…Who’d you order a funny looking hat from.
Me: My mother, it’s my mother, she sent me the hat. So no yarn?
Him: No
Me: Ok, I’ll see you at home later.

From here I wander off to knit club to finish my wrist warmers in the beautiful Manos that I bought. Sulking as I was about not having my sweater yarn I was brought up by the challenge of a sweater off starting on December 26th. So I would just hold off on the sweater until then anyway. After finishing my wrist warmers I wandered back to the coral to find a very large puffy package sitting next to the door with my name on it!I yelped as I ran in the door calling my husband a liar tearing at the package like some kind of feral cat.
I finally break open the package and start pulling on the beautiful pink tweed yarn and what’s the first thing I do? I smell it, I want to take it in, first big whiff and the image of an elderly woman with too much lip stick pops into my mind. Yeah, that’s right, it smelled of old lady perfume…but it will be fine, as soon as it’s knitted it will smell like me, like the sweat and blood from my hands. The thought brings me to the I just can’t take it any more, and I insist on starting right away.
I pull on the first skein of yarn to open it up and begin balling it. Like some kind of bad yarn karma resting on my shoulder the skein turned into this wild attempt to make the largest rats nest you have ever seen. On top of which my cat would not get out of lap because she wanted to “play” with the yarn. She ended up running off with a portion of it as I’m shaking the rest like some kind of deranged British Nanny hoping that an end will magically appear and straighten itself out for me.
I’m not even half way through the skein and I’ve found about 8 ends that I’ve had to tie together for my tiny ball that one day will turn into a fairy princess…er…a sweater. So, alas it may be until Dec. 26 2007 that I get all of this mess clean up and ready for me to knit anything. Hopefully the rest of these won’t be so terribly difficult to get in a ball. Until then the monstrosity is lying in the floor of my bedroom, or wherever the cat has run off with it today.

Something about a Story

2006-11-18T12:17:00.000-08:00

Generally I am not at all a fan of multicolored yarn, variegated, shumuckledy, pieces of madness tend to become of them and it makes me feel unsettled. Don’t get me wrong, I fear not colors, I love color, but there is such thing as too much all in one place that can be unsettling. I didn’t even like the mittens that I did in earthen tones, but alas the self striping makes the gifting world much easier for those whole like multicolored hand works.

Regardless of all of this from the moment that I walked in the yarn shop the very first time I was mesmerized by the beautiful multi colored sachets of handspun Uruguay yarn hanging from the ceiling. It was as if they had been bewitched to make my eyes run over every color and water at the very thought of some kind of knitted goodness made from them. I said no to their calls many times and tried so to focus on tweeds and rough solid colored thick wool that would make something very streamlined and Gap. Alas I broke down, their calls I could handle no longer as I ran my fingers over all of the yarns waiting for one to come alive and wrap its threads around me so that I would know that it was the one.When it happened I gasped, taken back by the one that had chosen me, “no” I tried to say to it, “you can’t be right” but I was afraid to walk away, afraid that it would twist it’s grasp around my neck and leave me in a trap of my own devises. I slid it from the beam on the ceiling where it rest, a shining array of pastels and earthen tones in colors that can’t be described by any words known to man or knitter in this modern language. I felt at a complete loss, why had I bought this? And then it came to me, I can’t resist a story.

The tag reads as follows:
" Manos del Uruguay handcrafted kettle dyed pure wool is spun from a luxurious blend of Merino and Corriedal wool. These luxurious striated colors are hand dyed in large kettles to create a marblelized, striated-dramatic effect. No two skeins are exactly alike and there are no dye lots. We recommend buying enough yarn to complete a project and to alternate knitting two rows from one skein with two rows from another, to give an overall blended effect. Manos del Uruguay is a non-profit organization comprised of more than 400 artisans in cooperatives scattered throughout the countryside of Uruguay. The organization's mission is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women."

Above is where the story begins. As I touch the yarn, as I knit with it (a great pair of wrist warmers thanks to the lovely Cassy of my knitting club *curtsey*) the story seems to be told to me stitch by stitch like some deep secret that unravels itself in my ears with every click click click of the needles.

Beanie Bananza

2006-11-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

Thank the Lord it's finished!

Finished Hobo Gloves

2006-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

WARNING: I'm having major font issues, I'm terribly sorry for whatever this looks like!

Ok, so these were really just going to be tagged fingerless, but after the first one was finished my husband claimed them, so then I changed the name to Hobo’s, it seems more appropriate for a man. So minus the adorable buttons that I was going to sew on them to make them feminine they are great men’s Hobo’s. He wore them for the first time today, and though he called to complain that they were too long I believe that overall he likes them. I may have to rip them back about two rows, but he may just have to get over it. My new project is making him a hat with the scraps to match them. It’s nice to be off of mittens/gloves for a little bit.

I have some yarn going off of E-bay tomorrow (I won) for my first sweater project and depending on the exact weight is going to depend on which sweater I go for. Hopefully that will get here around the end of the week or early next week. But note I also broke down and bought some new stuff at the yarn shop this weekend that I haven’t a clue what I’m going to do with it. So…in the mean time it’s hanging out in stash. I have one skein (because I’m poor that’s all I could afford) or multi-colored Uruguay yarn that I’m contemplating leg warmers, but at the same time wasn’t something a little nicer than that to do with it. And one skein of Donegal purple tweed that is just beautiful that I believe will make a lovely pair of mittens for my secret Santa…or something else. Who knows with me?

This has turned into a two day long post, I wrote everything prior to this yesterday. From here down is today. So this hat…I’ve decided that I pretty much hate hats. Or maybe it’s just this pattern, I sweat it’s the worst pattern I’ve ever tried to use. I stopped knitting on it last night after I had started decreasing twice (even after five inches) and it still wasn’t looking right. So I waited until I got to work and stole a youth beanie to measure it to, sure enough it wasn’t going to turn out, so I just ripped about 12 rows out. I think I’m going to borrow this beanie, depending on how far I get on my lunch break, so that I have something to base it off of. Right now it’s just kind of a thorn in my side.

Day three of this post. I keep forgetting to email it to myself. So it’s turned into a week long event. My new yarn is being mailed today via my "dealer" on ebay. But at last I have posted and with photos. Hooray!

Interweave Winter

2006-11-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

I got in Inverweave Knits yesterday and I'm flying about trying to figure out what to do first. There are so many wonderful projects, sweaters to be exact, that I'm dying to do. The issue at hand is which one and what yarn to use that isn't going to break the bank. I do so love Ebay. I'm thinking of doing the knit along A Sweater for Arwen that goes along with the Arwen Cardigan in this issue, but I still must face the yarn issue, this is one that I don't want to do the color shown because I have two jacket/sweaters exactly that shade of blue.

Back to Ebay for me!

PS Mother, if you're reading this, large lots of yarn for Christmas is a great idea!

Homespun Hampster

2006-11-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

I found this on someone's myspace and had to share it!

In Search of a Sweater

2006-11-06T14:12:00.001-08:00

*Breathe Deeply* I’m in search of a sweater, not really a sweater in present tense, more a sweater in future tense. I’m searching for the right sweater to begin on, an easy sweater. So I suppose I’m really searching for a pattern. I’ve been on a hunt, and found some that I would love to do…eventually. I need something simple, something that won’t make me feel crazy and stupid, and send me flying backwards to scarves. I don’t want to be simple, just safe really, and I can’t seem to find it. If anyone has any direction to turn me towards please please do! Knitty has a zip up sweater that doesn’t look too terribly difficult that I may try, but I continually gravitate towards colors in zipper sweaters that I already own, the goal is to make something new, and in that case I really need a pullover, or the sweater that I refuse to buy from Alloy because I swear that I can knit it in a better color. Directions? Please?
Ok…I wrote all of that before lunch…I spent my entire lunch break in search of the sweater pattern for me. I found direction but little luck without a cost. Lolly, who has often been my encourager, though she knows nothing of it, had some beautiful sweaters that she got out of the Vintage Knits book. Though it would cost me significantly less to order this book from Amazon, I’m going on a search for this book, or someone to stop me from making a HUGE mistake, tonight at Knit Club. Or…I can break down and knit the hoodie sweater in my Cool Girls Guide to Knitting book. Someone give me answers for Pete’s Sake!
On top of my sweater panic I have decided to rip my messenger bag that I was making and start all over with it. There’s a huge mistake in it anyway and I’m so out of love with it that I don’t even want to look at it, it’s disgusting!
Help me!!!!

One Pattern Wonder

2006-11-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

Zen knitting...it's a good thing!

I'm having a case of the knitting book blues. I bought a book several weeks ago for basically one pattern. I'm sure that many of you out there in the cyber knitting world have done the same! It's kind of dumb, and really depressing to find out if it truly is a one patter wonder book! Well today I had a few moments to sit down and read through the book, my main idea in this was to see how much yarn I needed to buy for the sweater that I wanted to do...I'm having second glove syndrome, so I'm trying to move on. Anyway as I began reading I found that the book is not just a one pattern wonder, but that the patterns are super dumbed down! Everything is done on straight needles and then pieced together! Even the mittens and the leg warmers!
They're leg warmers for crying out loud, knitting in a round isn't hard! So...I'm a little disgruntled about the sweater that I now no longer even want to use the pattern from the frankinknit book!

I'm off to knitty to find a cute ditty!
Wish me luck!

Oh, and I have an art show tonight, I'm trying to sell two pieces for charity, I'm really nervous that no one is going to buy them!

In A Round

2006-11-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

They are finished! Hooray, the mittens are finished! And let me tell you they are warm! Sure to keep your digets toasty on cold winters nights!

So...now on my needles is the pattern that I'm making up...I'm a little nervous about this endevour, but I'll never learn if I don't step forward and try. So, hopefully there will be an update on this soon.
This was one of those fantastic photo opportunities of my pretty princess Aida. She's my knitting buddy, or perhaps catastrophy would be a more appropriate discription. But this is one of those photos that just kind of happens, and makes you happy to see. A common thread that I've noticed with many knitters is that they are cat owners also, I have a firm belief that it has something to do with the common interest to sink their claws into yarn!

The scent of autumn is in the air. That fresh nip of cold that you can just barely smell when someone walks in from outside. It's in some strange way a comforting warming smell. I love that smell, above that I love the smell of wood smoke on someone's coat, silly I know, but true. I love the look of autumn, it doesn't last long, I suppose that's why I like it the most, it is the most temporal of seasons, the most colorful, and with it it brings the most music. Yes friends, I said music. Be silent. Listen closely on a cool fall day, right before the leaves let go of their branches, there in the wind you can hear that hollow song of autumn. *breathe* It's a lovely place to knit...color that is...surrounding yourself by it. This is the tree in my front yard, I took the photo on Saturday, it is Wednesday night and the leaves are all nearly gone. The colors on my drive to work are fading and soon there will be nothing. My calves from the spring have grown up. My heard of sheep has been moved, I'd like to think to larger pastures. And all of the geese are flying swiftly south to promises of warmer ponds. It is autumn knitters...enjoy it while the colors still surround you!

In Stitches

2006-10-31T21:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

I went to Knit Club for the first time last night at our local yarn shop. It was a blast, everyone there had such a fun and quirky personality, it was really warming, I already can't wait until next Monday. Which I'll be bringing goodies next week (beware of women with pointy needles)!

The first conversation of the night dealt with how prison is the perfect place for knitters. The thought behind this is that knitting would be your job, there would be no digging holes, no road crews, no serving slop, just knitting. It's perfect…and if you're not allowed to have needles in prison, steal the rabbit ears off of the TV (it uses cable anyway)! So…if your obsession has taken you to the place that it's taken me, and you lust after your needles and soft feeling yarn while you're sitting behind your desk at work, then perhaps prison is the place for you!

We also discussed Second Sock Syndrome, you all know what we're talking about. You finish your first sock or your first mitten and you just don't want to go on to the second one. So we decided that we are going to start a charity that knits one mitten and one sock for all of the people who are missing limbs. It would be great, those poor people have to buy pairs of everything, every time that they check out at a store the fact just mocks them! Let the mockery go on no longer! We'll go on Oprah and get free yarn donated for life!

I know that there are certain aspects of knit club that are not to be mentioned, but those were too great to be left just for our little warm room in the little local yarn shop!

So onward to the things that I'm working on. On my needles right now is the mate of the mitten that I finished last night at Knit Club. Yes, I exercised self-control and continued with the second mitten, this was especially hard because they are not done to my liking. The cuff needs to be a good bit longer to make me happy, two inches just isn't quite enough, and I feel like it is a bit skinnier than it probably should be too. I have highly claustrophobic hands and feet, I like roomy mittens and these are not quite that, and if anyone has hands much larger than my own child size hands then these mittens surely wouldn't fit. So my next pair I will be altering my pattern quite a bit. And I will be finding a place that appreciates hand made charitable donations.

Speaking of patterns I am attempting to come up with my own pattern inspired by a spool of ribbon that I bought last week. This caused me to exercise extra self-control due to the fact that I really wanted to get started on writing my pattern. This being said the mate is being finished very quickly so that I can start this rather courageous endeavor.

I have more to share but I will wait to accompany that with photos tomorrow.

The Progression of the Needles

2006-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Deep breathes. I finally finished those lovely lace up fingerless gloves just after midnight on Wednesday night. They turned out most beautifully and I’m very proud of them. I wrapped them up as soon as I finished them and gave them to my friend first thing yesterday morning. She oozed over them, it was really wonderful, as most of you know it’s a great feeling to have things made by your hands appreciated so much. Another girl I work with asked me where I had bought them! Nothing makes you feel that great!

So in natural progression I have finished that project and begun on a pair of mittens. I’m using one of the yarns that I bought on Monday, it’s self-striping, and not to sound disappointed, but I’m not terribly pleased with the progression that I’m seeing. It started off beautifully going from an ivory to pale blue then to brown, then it then it went black and tan and three shades of gray…I picked it because of the beautiful blues and browns that were on the outer edge of the ball of yarn and now it seems that none of those colors are on the inside. I’m sure that these will be fine, but they may be fine for someone for Christmas * laughs *! Terrible I know, but there is a certain amount of bitterness that follows when your colors knit out so much differently than you imagine them to look. There’s a certain amount of loss in control that happens that for those of us who have anal tendencies (such as myself) we get a bit flustered about it.

At any rate, I’ve been (slowly and rather not so fervently) knitting a messenger bag as well. Just with a cheap dirty blue yarn. I should probably pick that up again this weekend, I’d like to get it finished, especially since I’ve been griping about not having a good purse for the fall season all this week. I bought a really pleasant, colorful fabric to line it with, and some fantastic coral buttons to scatter on the flap, but you can’t really say that any of your work is fantastic until it’s finished. I’m saying all of this so that maybe I’ll get on the ball enough to finish it. I think I’ll break between mittens to finish the bag…or to at least get further with it. There’s just only so much motivation you can get by knitting a giant rectangle, I have to picture the end product, and currently it’s been pushed to the back of my mind somewhere awaiting a miracle.

I’m so glad that the weekend has arrived, and I pray so that I find a pure laziness there.

Have You Any Wool?

2006-10-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I visited our local yarn shop. I love how yarn shops are always in cozy little cottage like houses that make you feel as if you could simply fall into the bins of yarn and never wake from your slumber and be perfectly happy that way. I should be flogged for not making it there before last night, but it was perhaps a good thing. Upon the initial shock of the heavenly materials and vast array of colors I found myself listening to the chirping and laughing from the room adjacent to me. There was a rather giddy group of women (and one man) sitting around a family table drinking glasses of wine and knitting happily. It turns out that this group of people (and whoever else cares to be in attendance) meets every Monday night to share and work on their projects. I know that to most of you who have been knitting far longer than I know of groups like these and often find yourself knitting with your friends, but for me this was quite a treasure. I have been wanting to join with a group or start one of my own where people did just this, knitting through projects weaving in the stories and laughter of the people around you. Knitting has become my yoga, my Zen, my happy place. So, next Monday night I will be in attendance.

I was feeling somewhat in a rut about the fingerless glove project that I had been working on until last night. I had trouble getting the tension right on my first glove so it turned out large enough for a good size man to wear so I'm having to do it again. This I believe has a tendency to bum anyone out who has to make three gloves. You start to loose steam and feel like a little bit less of a knitter. These are a gift to my friend Lacie at work for her birthday. She had looked through my newest addition to my knitting book collection "Alterknits" and picked them out, I lied to her and told her that they were terrible and I couldn't do them * insert evil laugh here * little does she know that they are turning out most beautifully. I'm thinking today is the day, today is the day that I will finish them, today they will go into a brightly colored box to be tomorrows gift, and how excited I am...so maybe not today...but tomorrow.

I was given an ounce of enthusiasm back after purchasing the beautiful new yarns, I always seem to gather enthusiasm from being in certain company. The company of books at a book store makes me want to sit and write for hours. The company of yarn and fellow knitters makes me want to knit the world a blanket to clothe it's ugliness in. It's a disease, I know.

My mother-in-law (which is a lovely woman, not to be confused with the normal evil connotation that quickly follows that expression) gave me a small green cabinet out of her house. She is in liquidation mode, as am I only in a different sense. This cabinet is going to be my knitting cabinet. It oozes charisma and deserves to be filled with things of it's equal. Currently my knitting is spread from a roll-away box under the spare bed to a plastic drawer in the spare closet, to whatever surface it lands on. Such works and yarns deserve better.

The Beginning of the Skein

2006-10-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

This blog has been created after a long dark treck through the densest of the forest of self doubt. I have been struggling with my own lack of confidence and self motivation for many many months now. I have been afraid of my needles! I'm not quite sure why, I suppose there is some terrifying childhood memory that I am surpressing, but being that I can't come up with a logical explaination of why yarn and needles scare me, I must move forward.

I fear my own failure, therefore I do not try, and I am now trying to get past this. So what if I mess up? So what if I drop a stitch? Every great knitter has begun some terrible catastrophy I am most sure. So I am starting this blog to motivate me, or rather that you might motivate me to continue. To challange myself. To give greater reason for buying beautiful yarns that move me to tears when my needles lie in their basket untouched.

I left my camera at my mother's this weekend while I was visiting (side note: I swear that woman uses a wand instead of needles to create her knitting. She does some of the most beautiful work, but my wands are broken, so it will be a while before my hands can work such magic.) Anyway, I will attempt to get photos soon so that the motivation runs deeper. But for now you must deal with my words, and just trust me.

So...this is it...the beginning of my skein...may beauty find me here!