My New Thing

PLEASE join me...

2008-06-23T10:58:00.002-04:00

... at my blog's new address: http://mynewthing.wordpress.com/

I know it can be a pain to switch your readers, etc, but I'd love it if you joined me over there. I love the new place, and all my posts are over there, too.

My "mommy blog" is over there, too, in case you're interested... http://myadventuresinmotherland.wordpress.com/

Hope to see you there!

We don't need no steeking badges!

2008-06-18T22:23:00.010-04:00

Sorry about that. I tried hard to think of something clever for my first-ever steeking post. That was the best I could come up with.

If you're not a knitter, or even if you are, you may not be interested in this post. It's very picture heavy, and probably a bit boring... but today was a huge day for me in my knitting life.

Remember this? My cousin's 40th birthday was last August 17. And almost 10 months to the day later, I finish her gift. sigh... for most of those 10 months, it has been sitting at the bottom of my craft cabinet, waiting... for inspiration? for me to have time to finish it? No, it's been waiting for me to man up and do what was needed...

Steeking. Cutting up what you so carefully and lovingly made. Usually reserved for cutting in sleeves and cardigan fronts in sweaters that are knit in the round. While it was recommended that I tink (un-knit - get it? "tink" is "knit" backwards) the tight bind-off, I just got this idea in my head that I needed to steek it. Wait... is it sick to say I wanted to steek it?

Ok, here come the pictures... I wanted to document the whole thing for (my) posterity.

I did some research online for info about steeking. Most of the info about steeking includes some type of alcoholic beverage to steel yourself for the cutting of your beloved knitting project.

So while the fridge was stocked with beer, this was my comfort food of choice:

Better, eh? (very delicious, too - handmade by a friend for my birthday yesterday)...

So I laid out the Coachella, cookies, and scissors in front of my computer. I was going to read the toots word for word (BTW - the tutorial I relied most on was this one. THANK YOU, EUNNY!!!) as I attempted this brave feat.

After reading about several different ways to reinforce your steek, I decided upon the crocheted steek. Heck, I'm a crochet wiz after making a couple amigurumi, right? Um... It really helps to find a tutorial that really tells you step by step how to do.. whatever it is you're doing. My first attempt at crocheting on my reinforcement was completely wrong. I'm afraid about what would've happened it I had cut after having done this, whatever it was I did.

This was wrong. Don't do it this way.

But, thanks again to Eunny (new website!), I ripped out the sad crochet chain I attempted at first and really got started.

After eating a cookie (or 3).

MMMMmmmuch better.

OK - here was the line (marked by the straight pin) that I was going to be cutting. Starting to crochet (correctly this time, I might add)....

Wait - that's not a crochet hook! It's a needle! What in the world am I doing here? Hmmm... well, pretend it's a crochet hook - because that's what it looks like when you start your crochet chain.

And DONE! It looks just like the pictures I saw online of the crocheted reinforced steeks...

See the "ladder" of stitches between the 2 raised crochet chains? Look really hard -it's there, I promise. That's what needs to be cut. I kind of made up the "turn around" at the top of the slit. Everything I saw online went all the way through the knitted piece or was reinforced by machine stitching.

Ready? OK - CUT!

Oh, so nice! Exactly what I imagined in my head! And when you tug at the waistband, no more tightness!
But be sure you don't tug too hard. See?

Whoops - OK, easy to fix... better!

Here's the next side, ready to go.

I've moved from cookies to a tall glass of iced water - thankfully. I ate way too many of those cookies. I feel confident enough to turn on some music with iTunes, and then I notice that I need to hurry... only 30 minutes left until naptime is over! OK - 2nd side is ready to cut!

I don't know why I don't have a picture of the 2nd side cut, but I love it... I don't know what took me so long to do this! And I don't know why I was so scared... well, yes, I do. It's a scary thing, cutting up your knitting projects.

I'm loving the look of the single crocheted edge on the steeked slits. I thought I'd try a single crocheted border around the armholes.

See how there are tons of loose stitches up there? There are loose stitches all around. Some due to increases, some due to my inexperience at the time, and some, I think, due to the nature of the yarn that I used.
Anyway, I got one armhole bordered with single crochets during naptime, and finished the other one up during the rest of the afternoon. I was worried the whole time that I was going to run out of yarn.

But thankfully, I didn't. This is all I had left - you can see the cardboard tube through the yarn, though.

It's been blocked, and it's ready to be wrapped up to give to the er... birthday girl. (sorry about the horrible vinyl tablecloth. It's the only thing that keeps Big Boy from wrecking out dining room table)....

See the borders around the armholes?
See the steeked slit?

Ah, it feels nice to be able to get this done. Finally. I'm going to see my cousin this weekend at my family's reunion, so I'll get to give it to her in person. She knew I was knitting something for her, because I had to explain why I showed up in St. Thomas empty-handed for her birthday celebration. Next time, I'll show you pictures of her in it!

So family reunion in New York = 8 hours of knitting time in the car each way (if the boys will let me do it!). I'll be working on my Domestic Betty Baker's Dozen KAL June Sock... I hope I'll get them done this weekend with such nice, long cartrips.
Wish me luck!

It's started again.

2008-06-06T09:35:00.005-04:00

So You Think You Can Dance is back on this summer. Last year I had a really hard time knitting while watching it. This year, I found I can single crochet while watching! YAY!!! I can fuel two of my obsessions at the same time. See?

Isn't she cute? She's going to be this. Have you seen Owlishly's patterns yet? I found her when she was featured on the Craftzine blog, and I absolutely fell in love. I think I have about 6 of her patterns so far. This is the first one I've worked on, and it's been a delight! Take a look at her Etsy store when you get a chance.

In other news.... I found some lighter-weight colored paper for cutting.

I ran into Staples the other day for a printer cartridge, and I found some good stuff. The paper in the first photo is a little bright for me, but they didn't have any earthy colors in reams available. I may not use all of it for cutting, but I'm sure the boys will get some use out of the paper for crafts in years to come! The second photo is paper I'm much happier about - it's Staples' house brand of "mix and match" stationery. I only bought the black, brown, silver, and gold, but they had tons of other colors I'm sure I'll be going back for. And the paper came by itself - you could buy cards and envelopes separately, but the paper was all I wanted, so it was perfect!

I'm giving my dandelion paper cutting as a house warming gift tonight. I finally also got some spray adhesive, and the cutting looks great without all the shadows behind the dandelion parts. Here it is framed and ready to go...

I also made a cutting for my brother's birthday this year.

and framed....

Poor guy. He's 30 years old, and I realized that the past 3 gifts I've given him are robot related. Remember this for his birthday last year? And this for Christmas? I didn't think about that until after this cutting was done. I'll do something different for him for Christmas this year.

Along with a gift card, I also made him this:

And his wife, whose birthday is only a couple days after his, this:
I used the stencils from this great site, and the freezer paper method from this site. The freezer paper tutorial has given me another list of projects I want to work on... Anyway, I really like the stencil on the red shirt. I think it looks fabulous. On the blue shirt, it's hard to see. But it's still fun!

On the home front, we've decided to put the boys to work.

Baby D should be proficient in all the Office applications within the next week or so. He's a quick learner. And the Big Boy? He's going into the entertainment field, of course.

I'm a Betty!

2008-05-27T22:10:00.002-04:00

...a Domestic Betty, that is! A group of women that I know and respect started a very cool website last year... a place to share what we all need to know about - well, everything! They recently put out a call for a couple more writers, and I raised my hand faster than Big Boy can yell, "No!" If you get a chance, stop by - my first post is up there today!

Soon, and very soon, I'll post some more pictures. I've done some more paper cuttings, and I'm working on a very cool gift for my baby brother - who just happens to turn 30 this week! Happy Birthday, UncaDo! So I'll see you later this week with more updates.

The promised update

2008-05-19T11:21:00.006-04:00

I meant to type all this up while I had no Internet connection... however, the time slipped away as I was working on other things. Namely, cleaning my house and working on a menu planning system that works for our family (I'll blog more about that when it's actually done). Shockingly, I had little time to do any crafting while we had no Internet. And I discovered something - the Internet is what gives me crafting ADD. Well, let's say.... it feeds into it. I have always moved from one thing to another, Internet or no. But recently, it's been very apparent. I think it's more apparent to me now because the crafting I do is pretty much the only thing that changes in my life. That sounds odd, but it's a good thing right now...

While I was in school, I loved being a music major. Not only did my classes change each semester, I also was in a couple different opera or musical theater productions at a time. I was always doing something different. Also, I used to think that I loved to move (gasp! WHAT?!?) because I never moved as a child (that I can remember). My parents lived in the same house from when I was 3 years old until I was 23... But now I think it's a sysmptom of my ADD. When I went to college, I remember loving the move-in at the beginning of the year and the move-out at the end of the year. Even now, as an adult, I've loved packing up whole houses and moving. It's the thrill of something new...

Anyway - all that to say my crafting ADD shouldn't surprise me. But right now, it frustrates me to no end. I have so many things I want to work on, but absolutely no time. I guess I could have time if I totally neglect my kids, my husband, the house, etc. But then Hubby would probably get really upset. And rightfully so! So my crafting (and Internet time!) is squeezed into a little time each week. Some days I don't get to pick up a knitting needle or a crochet hook at all, not to mention my Exacto knives....

"Exacto knives?" you may ask. "What in the world do Exacto knives have to do with yarn crafts? Isn't that a bad combination?" Yes, definitely. But when you put some paper in front of me, you get one of my "newest things..." ...paper cutting.

Mmmmm - I've been in love with this for some time, and I finally bit the bullet and actually purchased some quality cutting tools. Now I need to work on finding a good, light-weight paper supply with tons of different colors. Any ideas? I've been using card stock, but that gets a little hard to cut, especially when it's an intricate design. Here's some pics of what I've been up to...

I have a couple more that I don't have pictures of yet. And of course, I have big plans.... I have so many ideas rolling around in my head for motifs to cut. This is where I get really frustrated about not having time to do all that I want. sigh...

Then, of course, I'm working on amigurumi. Here's my latest completion:

The big guy in the back was one I've written about previously. The little sweetie up front is from the same pattern, using acrylic yarn instead of cotton, and using a smaller hook. I like her better - and she's going to be a gift for a really adorable baby girl who is just a tad younger than Baby D. And her ears are floppier (the bunny's, not the baby's).

A while ago I was poking around some crochet sites, and I kept seeing Tunisian crochet popping up. I really liked the way the resulting fabric looks - not lacy like crochet - more like a knit fabric. But it helps to have special crochet hooks for it - they are longer than normal. So I thought I would wait a while until I had time to learn something new and purchase some supplies online.

Well, then I visited my local Ben Franklin's (I've found that outside of the local LYSs, they have the best yarn selection - and by far the best knitting needle and crochet hook selection). I can't remember what I needed when I went in, but I know I came out with many different sizes of Tunisian hooks and Cro-hooks (still not sure about this one - apparently it is another crocheting technique using a double hooked long crochet hook. I'm planning on using the hooks for Tunisian crochet, though). They had a really nice selection!

This is my first attempt at Tunisian crochet. It's a simple dishcloth made out of Sugar 'n Cream yarn. Tunisian crochet has a tendency to curl, but this was my first attempt at it, so I decided not to try any modifications for this one. Plus, it is a dishcloth, so it's wet most of the time and the curl is not noticeable. Look at the stitch:

Nice and tight.... I love it! I'll show you the "purl" side on another project - it looks even more like a knitted purl stitch. The other project = a baby blanket for Baby D. He may be 15 years old by the time it's done (it only has about 6 inches done so far), but I really wanted to make something special for him. Big Boy got so many personalized gifts when he was born, but Baby D, being the 2nd son.... not so much.

It's a 3 Colored Tunisian (TM) crochet with the 3 different colors of the soft and yummy Lion Brand Lion Organic Cotton. Um, well, their website shows 4 colors, but I haven't seen the Almond color around here yet. I love it - the stitch is simple, and the organic cotton is so soft. The back:

See how much that looks like a knitted purl stitch? I love the way this looks, too - what I think I'm going to do is make 3 panels in the same 3 Color Tunisian stitch, and then attach them all together, with the middle panel purl-side forward. I'll show you a picture when I finish it in 15 years.

My other plans include a LOT of sewing. Tons. I tried making bibs for Baby D, since he is a spitter and drooler. Nice.... we go through about 4 bibs a day with him! Silly me, I thought sewing on bias tape would be self explanatory. Nope. But thanks to this video tutorial, I am ready to try again. When, though, I don't know. Then there are the curtains I still haven't finished for a friend, valances for the Big Boy's room, and some repurposing of Hubby's old undershirts that involves Rit dye, freezer paper, and fabric paint. Oooo, I can't wait!

I seriously need about 5 hours added on to each day to get things done. Of course, after the kids go to bed would be nice. One (or two) hours for household chores, maybe an hour for reading for leisure, and then the remaining time for crafting. Please, Lord? Just for a while?

Not Happy

2008-05-13T23:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not so happy with my new blog header. I like the new layout - but now I need to figure out what in the world I'm doing in Photoshop so I can make a decent header. Hmph. One day, one day...

Written April 14

2008-05-13T16:37:00.001-04:00

It is really amazing what happens when one’s Internet connection is cut off. Especially when one thought one would have several days to prepare herself…

We are switching providers for Internet, phone, and cable, and to make the switch, we had to remove the DSL connection from our phone line so our number could be transferred to the new provider…. Blah blah blah… So we were told it would take 3 to 5 days for our DSL to be removed from our line. OK – 3 to 5 days – plenty of time to send an email to people notifying them of upcoming changes, post in forums letting them know we’ll be gone for a while, and copy info out of our provider’s Webmail service that we would need.

30 minutes later, our connection is cut off.

First, panic sets in. WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO DO FOR THE TWO WEEKS THAT I HAVE NO INTERNET?!?

Then, the flurry of activity: trying to find a connection to take care of some business, calling the new provider to see if our installation date can be moved up.

Next comes the resentment – of everyone who has access to the Internet whenever they want it. Including Hubby, who has 2 – count them, 2 – laptops for work, and who can even check email from his new company issued BlackJack. Company issued, meaning no personal use. Especially not for the wifey.

Resignation sets in. OK, so maybe I really didn’t need all that info that was in my Webmail. And I guess I’ll find something to do while I have no Internet.

Resignation turns to amazement when I realize how much I can get done without running to the computer every chance I get. Wow… tons of laundry, clean floors, a shower… and that’s just during naptime. When the boys are awake, a lot of quality playtime happens. Mmm… that’s nice! And after bedtime, I get a lot of crafting done.

It’s still hard… I am typically the one who pays our bills online. So now I have to remember to ask Hubby to do that while he’s at work. If I need a quick recipe, I can’t hop on Allrecipes.com to look something up. And I shudder to think what my blogroll will look like when everything gets hooked back up. But at our new blazing fast download speeds, I should be able to whip through my missed reading with no problem at all!

So writing this not even half-way through my Internet exile… things are going well. We’ll see how I’m doing at the end of the 2 weeks.

Withdrawals...

2008-04-11T10:50:00.003-04:00

FRUSTRATION! I have about 5 minutes on a library computer with 2 fussy kids to tell you I have no internet connection at home, and I won't until April 23rd... and Blogger loses my post!

Anyway - that's it in a nutshell. No internet. So I'll be gone for a while. See you when I can!

And the winner is...

2008-04-04T09:53:00.003-04:00

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! What a fun one year give-away! I haven't gotten around to visit everybody's sites yet, but thank you so much for visiting and leaving a comment! I'll be visiting you soon.

So I decided I needed to put all names into something yarn-related. You know, to honor the fiber that keeps me going.... remember this bag?

Then I decided to see if Big Boy could follow instructions and pull just one name out of the bag.

Then I asked him to show me the name on the paper (that was a fear... that he would just run off with the name and maybe eat it or something).

He decided it would be funny to wear the paper as a name tag... It's not very clear in the picture, but the clear winner was.... willblogforshoes! Congratulations! Head on over to her great blog - I poked around it and it's a lot of fun!

Thanks to oh amanda! and lindabelle for mentioning me and my blogiversary on their great blogs!

OK... next time... some NEW new things. I swear, I have crafting ADD.

My first ever give-away!

2008-04-01T11:02:00.005-04:00

Happy one year to me! As I mentioned a little bit ago, to celebrate my first year of blogging, I am giving away a little crafting "kit," filled with goodies to help you make one of my new favorite things.... AMIGURUMI!

Yes, I am so excited and I want to share this little joy with everyone....

First of all, the book.... so much FUN! I've gotten several books on amigurumi lately, and this is my favorite one. Look at some of the lovelies you can make with this book!

And I've already made you one! A little turtle in my favorite color combo.... green and purple!

Hubby doesn't understand why his head is so big (the turtle's head, not Hubby's!). Men... They just don't understand! I tried to explain, but to no avail. The turtle's eyes are made of felt, so it is completely baby friendly, if you have small ones in the house like I do. A picture for size reference:

Then, to help you get started, an array of yarn (I chose these colors randomly, and I think they are a good combo to create any number of cute critters)...

...a starter pack of crochet needles, and some different types of safety eyes so you can decide which ones you like best.

Sooooo..... to enter, leave a comment on this post! It's that easy! And all you have to do is make sure you comment before midnight ET on April 2. Please be sure that you have left a way for me to contact you (by leaving your email address or blog address when you fill out the comment form). I'll do a drawing from the comments, and post the winner here on Friday!

Thanks for making this first year a fun one. I've met a lot of great people through blogging, and I'm glad you're a part of my blog experience!

a little hint...

2008-03-30T16:10:00.003-04:00

Just a little teaser.... there's so much more, but I'm afraid to show any more.... even this gives it away!

So come back April 1 for the big picture!

Are you serious?

2008-03-18T10:55:00.004-04:00

I cannot believe (wait - didn't my last post start with those exact same words? let me try something a little less dramatic...).... On April 1, I will have been blogging for ONE WHOLE YEAR! wow... I have had so much fun on this thing! I've met some great people, and I've learned so much about knitting and other stuff, too!

I've been cooking up a little give-away to celebrate. And I'm so excited about this.... No details until April 1 - and don't worry - I promise there will be no April Fool's jokes involved in the give-away! I'm still working on a couple details, but here's a hint: the give-away has to do with one of my "newest" things. hee hee! All you'll need to do to enter the drawing for the give-away is to leave a comment on my April 1st post, and you're in! See you then (and hopefully before, but I'm making no promises!)!!!

oh, y'all....

2008-03-18T09:32:00.003-04:00

I cannot BELIEVE I gave away my best knitted gift to date withOUT taking a picture. I am such a bad knitting blogger. So bad. I've put in a call to see if I can snap some pics of the gift in action. I'll post those as soon as I can.

On to better thoughts....

Here's a scarf I crocheted out of SnB's Happy H**ker. I finished it a while ago, and have been wearing it non-stop. I love it - and it was a quick, fun, and easy project! Bonus!

I used Lion Brand Organic Cotton. Super soft, and I love the natural color.

March is National Crochet Month (or NaCoMo... hahaha!). I was hoping to crochet each day this month in honor of it... can you imagine how much I would get done if I crocheted everyday? Man! But this thing called life keeps interrupting. Laundry, dishes, cooking.... OK OK, I cannot forget the playing and cuddling and reading great stories.... this new fun thing of mine makes all the chores worthwhile...

I vacuum everyday now. As my "little" brother says, if you don't know, ask someone.

Oh my goodness....

2008-03-05T22:10:00.003-05:00

I have some catching up to do! I'm doing a lot of crafting, and a lot of things are on deck... but no time to take pictures or to blog! It's hard when you've got these crazy guys in your life.

Here are a couple pics I was able to take... I thought this was going to be given as a gift, and then I decided I could do better.

See how his ears are kind of "fly-aways?" mmmm.... they just kind of bother me. I tacked them down to the poor little bunny's head, but they're not floppy enough for me... if you're going to give a little girl a bunny, the ears need to be properly floppy!

I love the color combination, though! This is Lion Brand Cotton Ease, in Terracotta and Maize. But the yarn's a bit stiff when crocheted up this tight - hence the no-flop-ears. I'll use some of the Vanna's Choice I have to crochet up the next one.

Along with that, I have a cable-knit purse on the needles for one of my SIL's birthday this weekend, and I will actually finish that in time! I recently finished a really cool scarf from S'n'B's The Happy H**ker... I'll take pics of that and the finished purse soon. I need to whip out my sewing machine to line the purse, make up some pillows, reupholster a chair, and if I have some fabric in my stash I like, I need to make new curtains for our bedroom. I've never liked the first set I made up when we first moved in, and when we moved the furniture around last week, we discovered that the morning light hits us in the face with the new bed placement and the old curtains. That will never do!

So.... I have no idea when I'll get all of this done. But I'll keep you updated!

Seriously, folks.

2008-02-13T20:31:00.002-05:00

What's not to love?

He's all, "Well, hello there!"

I mean, really, he even watches American Idol. Did I mention I'm in love?

I found my other little Cabu thingy. He was in a toybox, as predicted.

Hee Hee!

2008-02-12T22:56:00.003-05:00

Here you go, Amanda! That was a hard pic to take!

I'm in love...

2008-02-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

So, how do you tell your new love that you're returning to your first love? Not permanently - just for fun.

I finished the crochetted headband. See? I think it's too large. But I still really like it. I'll have to modify the pattern a bit until I'm happy...

I had a lot of fun crochetting, and so when I saw this link, I thought, "Hey, this looks pretty easy... I'll try it."

I'm in love with crochetting - again.*

Specifically, amigurumi. Ooooooo, so cute!**

This is the 2nd one that I made. I have no idea where the first one is. Big Boy was having a great time sending it into "outer space" as he launched it repeatedly straight up into the air.

I guess I could look under some furniture for it. I already checked in the toy boxes. The first one is much smaller than this one.

This one is made with a bulky yarn and a large crochet hook. I don't have any of the details in front of me - sorry!

Everyone loves him. See?

*I started crochetting when I was a little lass. My grandma, mother, and Nancy Camerrata (the shortest, nicest, Italian woman I ever knew) all taught me. Mostly I crochetted those twisted wormy things and Granny square slippers. I loved the process of making things... it was the start of my crafty ways!

**a lot of the patterns I've seen for crocheting online are still kind of hokey (twisted-worm-and-Granny-square-slipper hokey). I still love the beautiful, clean lines of knitting. But the cuteness of the amigurumi toys is irresistable!

A note on the pictures: The last picture of me with the Cabu makes me laugh. I was trying to smile a big, cheesy smile, but it looks like I'm trying to bite the poor thing! And is it wrong that I take pictures of my kiddos with the flash on while they're sleeping?

Still. So. Tired....

2008-01-26T22:35:00.000-05:00

Man, I forgot about how tired a baby makes you. Make that a baby and a toddler. I can't nap the way I did when the Big Boy was an infant, because Big Boy is running around like a crazy man!

Here's some actual knitting pictures...

This is one side of a purse that I'm making. I've modified a pattern from Crazy Aunt Purl's book - the purse in the book was just way too small. I fell in love with the kind-of-twisted stitch at the bottom of the bag. It's worked from the back when you purl... it's P2tog, leaving them on the needle, then P into the first stitch again and let both drop off the needle. Then the next P row it's offset one stitch. Love it! The yarn is a Lane Borgessa that I picked up on sale at Ben Franklins... nothing special, but I think it would make a nice bag. Nice and fuzzy.

Well, then I found this pattern on a blog that I read... unfortunately, I don't remember which blog. But I need more headbands... and I started it in the Lion Brand Microspun again. What is it with me and that yarn? I wanted to do a black headband, and I thought it would be nice and stretchy (the other one I made with the Microspun is my favorite headband...). But I forgot how much I hate that yarn. Grrr.....

So I started it with a wool/acrylic blend called Tonalita by Trendsetter... this was a special yarn from my swap-buddy that I got back in November. I love it! It is sooo soft, and I think it's really pretty in this headband. Much easier to work with, too....

And did you notice? It's not knitting... it's crocheting! And rather advanced for me... it has these great bobbles on it that are easy when you get into them, but look really hard (at least to me!).

Oh, so much is happening here, it's amazing I'm getting anything done. I actually am thankful for the crocheting, because it's easier for me to cart around the house when I'm chasing after the Big Boy. I feel great physically, despite being tired, and I'm excited about getting back into the swing of things with my housework, etc. I broke out my Motivated Moms chore calendar, and have actually been cleaning again. It feels so good! I've joined the Grocery Game, and I'm looking at the whole CVS ECB-thing, though that kind of scares me a bit. So I'm excited about saving tons of money... but mainly because I get to shop. And I love to shop - for anything, even if it's toothpaste. And I love me some deals!

And I leave you with some pics of what is happening around here...

Big Boy's big boy bed. This white number's been replaced with a newer one already. He loves his bed. My Big Boy is growing up.

Speaking of...

Happy 2nd Birthday, kiddo!

It's trains, trains, trains at our place....

...with a lot of love going around!

I actually have been knitting!

2008-01-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

I have no pictures to prove it, but I have been knitting. I've started a purse... I have these wooden purse handles that I've had no idea what I was going to do with them.... So I've dived n and started knitting. Kind of my own pattern - I've looked at patterns online to see what's out there, and I just started knitting on my own. I'll take pictures eventually...

Here's a picture for you!

Remember this sweater? It was so much cuter flat on a table. I think it looks silly on Baby D... but I think Hubby was proud of me, and he said he liked the sweater on the baby. He wouldn't let me take it off of him. So the sweater was actually seen in public!

I've posted part of Baby D's birth story on my other blog... stop by if you want all the gory details (just kidding... not too much gore involved). I put together that blog to be able to document my boys' lives... And what an exciting start to my new little man's life!

And just for laughs.... my mom brought over the first comforter I ever picked out on my own. She said she didn't know if I wanted it for anything. ummmmm.... no. I think this was 2nd or 3rd grade, people. Don't laugh too hard. Man, this brought back a lot of memories!

OK - I'm off to feed Baby D before we head to bed for the night. Wish us luck - I don't think I've had more than 2 hours of sleep in a row for the past 3 weeks. I'm a bit foggy because of it....

Announcing...

2008-01-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

... the arrival of Baby D! Born December 21, at 8:23am. He weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz and was 19.5 inches long. Everything went well, though he did have to spend his first day and a half in the NICU due to breathing problems. But God is good, and Baby D made a quick recovery and is doing wonderfully!!!

Baby is also doing very well fielding the very enthusiastic love and hugs and kisses from the Big Boy.
It's so wonderful to be together as a family right now!

I don't know why the pics are a bit grainy - they look fine on Flickr.... I'll update when I get a chance! Also, no knitting done since the baby arrived. Not surprising, but I've already got a list of projects going in my head! Also, I got this book for Christmas! YAY! I can't wait to start reading. As soon as my head clears of this new-baby-no-sleep fog...

This is it!

2007-12-20T07:15:00.000-05:00

OK - I'm going to be "going away" for a while.... I'm having a baby tomorrow! And I have no idea when I'll be back to post - probably during a late night adventure with the new baby? Nah... but I'll figure out some time to hop back online with updates and pictures!

I finished up my final Christmas knit last night. And I so wish I had my camera during this entire process.... I left my camera at my in-laws for the 2 weeks there were exciting things to take pictures of.

Remember this that I wanted to knit for my brother? First of all, I have no idea how she got hers to come out so square. And neat looking. All I can say is that I hope my brother appreciates the time and love that went into this thing. All Hubby does when he looks at it is laugh...

Here's a picture from the side. The bump is made from where the acrylic yarn did not felt. So now my brother will always have something to remind him that I was great with child when I knitted this thing for him.

Sigh... It really was not a hard knit. And sewing it all together was a breeze, too. It felted well (except for the acrylic, duh....), and stuffed and finished well. Why does it look so silly? hmmmm....

I did have some issues, though. The pattern said it would take one skein of yarn - and I got the exact same specs for the yarn I used as she did with the yarn she used.... however, it was definitely not a one=skein wonder. As I started on the back of the robot, I realized there was no way I would be able to finish the thing with the amount of yarn that I had. So out I run, hoping that this yarn is still carried, since I've had the first skein in my stash since the spring. Thankfully, it's a staple in Lion Brand's collection, so I got one more skein. Not in the same dye-lot, but I didn't think my brother would mind or even notice.

Then, as I'm knitting up all the little pieces that go around the edges of the robot, I again start thinking, "There is no way I will have enough yarn to finish this, even with the second skein!" So I run out again to get another one... This is all happening while I don't have my camera, but I wanted to document what I had left over when I finished all the knitting pieces.

Sorry about the quality - if you can't tell, it's a picture of a picture on my phone. That is a picture of the last arm that I knit, along with the smallest ball of yarn I've ever worked with. A quarter would've easily hid that little ball from sight.

With that little ball of yarn, I was able to sew all the pieces together AND sew up the robot after felting and stuffing. I seriously only had a couple of inches left over.

And now, with Hubby laughing, I will wrap that little sucker up and proudly put him under the tree for my lil' bro. Merry Christmas, UncaDo!

Themed gifts....

2007-12-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

Amanda is going strong on her oh ho ho a bloggy Christmas with oh amanda... check it out! She's asking now about any themed gifts we've given or gotten, or even we would like to give... Honestly, I couldn't think of any! Until I remembered.... I sent Amanda one - it was a blue, white, and silver holiday themed gift! Remember? And then I sent this one, which never got to its intended recipient....

But thinking about true holiday gifts that I've given or gotten with themes.... I'm truly at a loss! My aunt and cousins all gave me Christmas ornaments the first year I had my own tree - but they weren't all given together. I think I've given some book-themed gifts - to either my brother or to a close friend, but I can't remember what themes they were (besides books)! Dang this pregnancy brain! I bought my SIL a pre-packaged theme gift from the Pampered Chef last year - their Pizza Party gift set.... hmmm... I've tried several years to "reform" my dad's taste in cheesy jazz by giving him what I consider gifts of good jazz (it's hard to undo 60 years of cheesy jazz, though!).

But if I had a million dollars to give a themed gift... I think I'd like to give my Hubby a "Thank You" themed gift. A "Thank-You-for-all-you-sacrifice-and-do-so-we-can-raise-our-little-family-the-way-the-Lord-wants-us-to" gift.

First of all (and everything could go inside this one), I would give him his dream car, for driving crappy cars for years so that I can drive the boys around in a new, safe car. I think that for a dream car, this is a very realistic choice, and I would really like to make sure he drives one one day.

Then, for the years wearing of hand-me-downs and not buying clothing for himself, I would buy him a new wardrobe.

I would also give him some type of gutter-shield, for the years of climbing up onto the roof to empty out our gutters. And while I'm at it, I think I'd get him at least a year of a lawn service so he can take a break. Well, let's see - installation of a lawn and then a year of care. I think we'd like to do this together with the kids when they start getting older, so if we can get a good lawn established, then we can take over from there.

For the backyard, I'd like to get him a "sports complex." Nothing fancy - just a concrete pad for a basketball hoop (our driveway has no room for one!) and a sand pit volleyball court. We have a nice sized backyard... Hubby loves a pick up game of basketball, and he would play volleyball every night if he could! So instead of having him go to play with others, let others come and play with him! The boys could grow up enjoying these, too.

Then I have to find something to keep his coffee hot! I think I found something like this for his Christmas gift - so I'm not going into too much detail here. But one of his pet-peeves is drinking cold coffee.

The rest of the million (heck, I have the whole million, right? it's my pretend gift!).... I calculate to have spent:

$25,000 for car (I rounded up a bit from what the website said, so he could get some upgrades)
$5000 for wardrobe, according to WNTW
$5000 for installation of gutter shields, lawn, and year of lawn care (only speculating on cost of these items!)
$5000 for "sports complex" - I think this might be high, but then he could get stocked with nice equipment
$25 for coffee solution

for a total of $40,025. OK, so I would pay off the mortgage and put the rest in a high-yield account so Hubby would never have to worry about providing what we need again.

There you go! I know a lot of these things I would benefit from, too, but if I could take some of the pressure away from my Hubby so he can enjoy our family more, I think it would be mighty fine!

Merry pretend Christmas, my love...

It's amazing what lack of sleep can do for your productivity!

2007-12-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

So I'm having trouble sleeping. A lot of trouble. My doctor has been wonderful in giving me some sleeping aids, but on the nights I'm not supposed to take anything (that's every other night....), I. just. don't. sleep. Sigh... But I'm getting some great late night knitting done!

Last night, Hubby went to see the Skins play in DC. Of course, it took me a while to get to sleep, as usual. But then, when he got home at 2:30ish (that's AM, folks...), I was wide awake. I laid there for a little bit, in pain, until I couldn't lay there any more. I think I got out of bed around 3:00. AM. I went out to the den, opened up iTunes, and played some Robert Shaw Christmas. Nice and soothing... so calm, so Christmasy. And I picked up some knitting... and got started on these bracelets. Remember me saying I wanted to knit some? I just wanted a nice mindless knit so that maybe I could drift off after a while.

I started my swatches, and I finished 2 today during the day! See?

I love them! The first is Lion Brand Organic Cotton. Oooo, I like it. and I like how the seed stitch looks in it, how defined the stitches are... The yarn is a bit splitty, but it's so nice and soft! mmmm... The second is Lion Brand Jiffy. I have tons of it, so I thought I'd use some. I really like the color, but it fluffs up a bit too much for me when you knit it. I did the same seed stitch in it, but you can't really see the stitches.

I did a bracelet a couple of days ago, but I didn't take a picture of it. It's laughable. I thought I'd do it in the round, so I'd only have to finish up the sides.... it's about 4 inches too large to go around the bracelet insert. I thought fleetingly about cutting it (steeking it? What's the correct terminology?) - then I laughed at myself.

What did I use as the bracelets? This plastic thing I got on sale at... you know. I tried on several bangle bracelets at places at the mall, only to find that either my arms and hands have gotten fat, too, or I'm just really big-boned. None of them fit onto my wrist. So I bought 3 of these stretchy things. I think they look really good covered. Some of the bracelets I'm giving as gifts to much smaller relatives, so if I find solid bangles on sale someplace, I'll snatch them up and use those. The yarn adds considerable bulk to the bracelets, though, so I'll have to watch that.

Oh, wait - go back a couple of days! Look at what I used to wind my organic cotton into a center-pull ball!

Mmmm - too much fun! I need to buy more yarn to wind myself! Like this yarn!!! Next step will be a swift, but it wasn't too bad winding it off of the back of a chair.

Also, last night (before the above-mentioned attempt at sleep) I got a big chunk of the PillowBot done for my brother. The pattern calls for some intarsia. But I realized the yarn I had for the stripes was an acrylic blend and would not felt as needed. So I doubled the stripe colors with the main body color. I think it will be fine. I'd like to get these all marked off my list as I count down the days to baby...

Photos (not taken by me!)

2007-12-05T15:56:00.000-05:00

Fun fun fun! My last Color Me Happy Swaparooni swap pal has a great blog - she's a great person, too! And I have to say, in my pregnancy-brain-fog-slash-lack-of-sleep-for-the-past-7-months-fog, she's given me some great blog reads and some great ideas! I liked this photo meme that she just did...

If you like it, join me! Just type in the answers to the questions on Google Images. Then paste the first picture that comes up in as your answer.

1. Age at my next birthday…

2. Place I’d like to travel…

3. Favorite place…

4. Favorite objects…

5. Favorite food…

6. Favorite color…

7. Nickname…

8. Place I was born…

A note about the nickname... it's not the Hurricane part. But when I typed in Li-li, I got a picture of a scantily clad woman as the first image. The Hurricane was the first appropriate picture!

Some Christmas knits...

2007-12-05T13:28:00.000-05:00

No baby knits, but some Christmas knits to show you!

It's a knit Squid iPod cozy! In it's Christmas habitat, a bowl of ornaments on my side board!

It must be comfortable there... look, it's comfortable enough to show you its backside, too!

For my new SIL... it was a special request, made in her favorite color, an unknown red from Red Heart.... at least I think it was a Red Heart yarn I used. I went stash diving for a red, and found this one rolled into a big ball - no labels anywhere. It was not the most fun yarn to knit with, but it was a fun, quick knit! Mr. Squid is a bit stiff, due to the yarn, but he'll be oh so fashionable with an iPod nestled inside him, the earphone cords dangling out of his little pointy head-hole... I would've finished it in one day save for the toddler crawling all over me.

Here's the other Gillian scarf I cast on a while back. I love this one, too. It's for my cousin, who apparently will be skiing away the winter blues in Aspen. Sigh.... I hope a bit of me will hit the slopes with her when she wears this one...

I love the colors on this. It's like a classic red scarf, but it's not.... it goes from an orange to a brownish-red to a maroony color, and I love it! I think the yarn is a Moda Dea - ooo, I'm so bad! I just bought the yarn for this one, and I've tossed the label and can't even remember any specs on it! I think this is it, in Cinnamon Twist. I like the yarn - it's a great, bulky, wool and acrylic blend. Very soft.

This is what it looks like in post-snow gloom, sitting on my sofa. I missed the sun that melted the little bit of snow we got this morning, so all I got was gloom.

But I think the colors really perk up the place, don't you?

So, as I said, no new baby knits. I still have only one leg of the cargo pants done. And I'm OK with this. I need to finish up on my brother's PillowBot, and then I'm going to try to make a couple of these up quickly for gifts, and if the cargo pants need to wait, that's OK.

Oooo, and did you see this? mmmmm..... bags.....

At last, some FOs!

2007-11-20T19:29:00.000-05:00

But not what I'm supposed to be be knitting.... I'm getting nowhere fast on my cargo pants... It would really help if I actually worked on it. I have about an inch to go on the first leg.

So what did I do? I've cast on some Christmas knits. I was going to knit up a lot of things for a lot of people. But then I decided I wasn't going to knit anything. Ha! So I've cast on a PillowBot for my robot-loving brother. And then I need to cast on a squid iPod cozy for his new wife. And then I've cast on another Gillian scarf....

I knit one of the Gillian scarves for a swap that I did over on Flickr... I couldn't post it before my swap-pal got it, because I wanted it to be a surprise! So I finished that a while ago. Here's a pic...

It was so much fun to knit! So like I've said, I've cast on another one. It is another gift, for a cousin who's coming for Christmas.

Speaking of the above swap - it's the Color Me Happy Swaparooni on Flickr, as I mentioned. It was so much fun! My swap pal rocked (rocks - she still does!)!!! Look at all the fun stuff she sent me! And, as a non-knitter, I have to give her major props - she ventured into a yarn shop and got me some yummy soft yarn (upper left hand corner). I'm having problems remembering things, like how to take good pictures of things, so I have no pics of the yarn up close.

I also knitted a way-too-small hat for the Big Boy. It looked big enough for him - honestly it did. sigh...

He barely even let me put it on him for pictures.

OK - so I'm off to knit some and watch some TV.

Peace out, dudes!

Ah, what a night!

2007-11-10T22:42:00.000-05:00

mmmm.... Hubby's band is in the recording studio, working late on a demo CD. So I'm home alone (with the Big Boy in bed, of course), and the TV on... and it's nostalgia night on TBS! I swear - the original How The Grinch Stole Christmas followed by The Wizard of Oz... I am in heaven! So in between dishes and laundry, I managed to sit down and cast on for the baby's cargo pants... and I got about 5 inches done on the first leg.

I feel much better about this now that I'm actually knitting it. I don't feel as panicky, that I'm not going to get things done.

Also, in my nesting-stage, I cleaned up my craft armoire, and I stashed part of my stash under my bed. I'm relieved about this, too... a lot of this is just really cheap yarn that I can't see myself working with, but I can't get rid of yet. So it's nice to have it out of sight, and I'm surrounded by my pretty, squishy yarn. I didn't take a picture of my armoire, because even though it's "de-yarnified," it's not decluttered. I still have a lot of mess in there. Sigh.... but here's a peak at what's now living under my bed.

I feel kind of accomplished as a knitter - like my stash is growing now that it's officially out-grown the space I had for it! hee hee! I'm now on a self-imposed yarn restriction, because I have so much yarn that I bought for specific projects that I need to cast on for - so I'm not buying anymore until I knit some more of this up!

No Knits....

2007-11-04T21:14:00.000-05:00

No knitting... lots of sitting. Bad combination! I need to get busy! Only about 6 weeks until the baby gets here - yikes! I'm so ready to have him here, but I need to start those cargo pants. If I can get those and a hat done before he gets here, I'll be happy.

I wonder if I'll be able to do any Christmas knitting this year.... people might just have to wait another year!

I want to win!

2007-10-31T13:54:00.000-04:00

From one of my new favorite blogs, Oh My Stinkin' Heck, I found out about a Pink Dyson Vacuum Cleaner Give-away Contest at The Domestic Diva. Our current vacuum does not currently do as well as it should - in short, it doesn't suck enough... hahaha... So I want to win the Pink Dyson they are giving away. Note the button on my sidebar, as requested, and if you want to win it, go to the site - but if I hear you win it after hearing about it from me, I only ask that you come over weekly to my house with your new Dyson and vacuum my floors. Does that sound fair?

I'd buy one if I could - Dyson donates $40 to help Breast Cancer Research for each Pink Dyson that is purchased! I just don't have $400 for a new vacuum. Sigh....

In other (knitting) news - I have some FOs, but I can't show them until later in November - because they are for a SWAP! One whipped up real fast, and it's so cool - I'm so happy that I knit it! And I think my swap-pal will really like it!

In other (non-knitting) news, I joined the NaBloPoMo - but not here.... at my other blog, My Adventures in Mother-land. I started that blog a couple of months ago, so I could write about my kid(s) and their development and eventually have it published in a book for them down the road (whoa! I went searching for the link that I thought I had saved with the website from which you could order a book from your blog - but I can't find it!!!! Does anyone know what I"m talking about?!?). I haven't done well with my blogging there... So hopefully I will be able to get a whole bunch of thoughts and feelings down as I blog every day in November over there! Wish me luck!

Half-way there!

2007-10-26T22:26:00.000-04:00

I finished baby's sweater! See?
It's so soft... I love the Rowan All-Season's cotton! I'm so glad I'm doing the cargo pants in the same yarn. mmmmm..... Notice I'm not showing you up-close pictures of any of the seams. No, that would be silly of me. Because then you'd doubt my judgement in even calling it complete. What is it with me and seams? I can't get the Kitchener's stitch or the mattress stitch - I don't even know what to call what I did at the shoulders... And the pattern was still weird. If I followed it to the letter, I wouldn't have had to (apparently) sew the arms together at the bottom or the front and back together at the sides. The only seam mentioned in the pattern in the shoulder seam. Also, I did not complete the bottom hem or the collar hem as mentioned in the pattern. I did finish the sleeves with the extra rows that you fold up and sew on the inside. I didn't want to pick up anymore stitches at the waist or the collar to create more work for me - and I'm sure in an adult sweater it would make sense, since you would want to wear it for years. This will be lucky to be worn once. And the number of stitches she said to pick up seemed... odd... Anyways... I muddled through it - and I LOVE it!!!

It's so tiny... and I love love love the collar!!!! It's so... cute! and boyishly manly. Is that appropriate to say for an infant's sweater?

I got my swapbox from my first-ever dishcloth swap this week! I was so excited... and I managed to remember to take pictures as I opened up the box, instead of ripping into it and not being able to share the joy!

There were some yummy bath-stuffs, fun knitting notions, delicious choclate truffles (yum! they were gone in a heart beat!), and some fun yarn! I've never worked with any KnitPicks yarn, and she included some beautiful gray Essential Solid yarn in Ash... I'm going to poke around on their website to find some sock patterns I can whip up!

Then, as I peeled away the first layer, I got to the dishcloth:

I love it! So bright and sunny! The pattern was included below the dishcloth, and I'm now inspired to start a notebook for all the patterns I'm using/have used. Right now, they are all folded up and crammed into my craft cabinet.

Hubby is confused that we would use something so nice for dishes! Here's a better picture of the pattern (forgive the window pane shadows - I was attempting to get it into sunlight on the only sunny day we had this week!):

Thank you so much, my sweet swap pal!!!

Unfortunately, I found out that the swap package I sent has not yet reached its recipient. The delivery confirmation that I bought for it says it was delivered, but she hasn't gotten it. I don't think there is much the post office can do - I hope I had the right address on the box... I'm so sad about that!

I have signed up to do another swap, though - and I'm very excited! See details for the Color Me Happy Swaparooni at its Flickr group page...

A quick diversion...

2007-10-21T21:14:00.000-04:00

I have a commitment problem right now. I am so flighty, and no knitting project is keeping my attention for long at all. I put down the Kipling Sweater, and picked up a ribbon yarn that's been sitting in my teeny-weeny stash for a while. I think the ribbon yarn is beautiful - I just had no idea what to make with it. Then I thought about the Dream Swatch Head Wrap. The pattern looked intimidating to me at first, but once I dove in, it was such a fun knit. See the results?

I love it! I had only half of the yarn she called for, so I modified the pattern to stretch the yarn a bit - and I think it's still about a foot short. But it fits around my head, and it's beautiful! The yarn is Knit One Crochet Too's Tartlette in Spring Meadow. I'm going to knit up another one in a plain color, to see how it works.

I also have some sewing I need to do. Oh yeah, and I need to finish up the baby sweater. I need sleep first...

mmmmm.... nice!

2007-10-18T16:37:00.000-04:00

Rowan All-Seasons Cotton. mmmmmm - yummy! It's so soft, and so nice - Hubby declared it "Shexy," which is not what I'd call the yarn being used for a baby sweater, but, um, yes - it is shexy. Hubby thinks the pattern I'm using looks girly... what?!? I picked this one because it is one of the least girly ones out there. He just has no idea. Looking at the pattern initially, there were several parts that confused me. They still confused me as I knit through them, and I know it's not the prettiest knit sweater ever, as far as seaming and shoulders and arms and etc. But it's my first sweater ever (is the Coachella a sweater? hmmm - it didn't have arms, though). And I've decided that it's the process and the enjoyment I get out of the knitting that's important. The finished product is a plus, but I'm not going to knit-pick (bwa-hahahahahahaha!).

I have some khaki-colored All-Season Cotton to make these cargo pants with - and I think I'm going to have enough of the blue left from the sweater to make a hat - maybe I can put some khaki stripes in the hat to make it a set. Yay!

On another note - I feel like a new person. I got a new pair of glasses! Isn't it funny how the littlest things make the biggest difference? Big Boy had effectively ruined my other "new" pair, so I was relegated to wearing old old glasses for the longest time. I felt frumpy and unattractive. The littlest things....

We also signed up for a membership at our local YMCA. I am so excited - they have some water aerobics classes that are supposed to be really good for pre-natal workouts. And our family membership includes a Child Watch program, so I can drop Big Boy off and have some mommy-time. Ahhh.... I cannot wait! I might go in tomorrow to walk on the treadmill for a bit, just to get some time to myself. The water classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I'll be doing those until the baby comes.

Big Boy wants to show you my new glasses, which he has promised not to break or ruin in anyway.

My first pair - ever!

2007-10-13T23:22:00.000-04:00

I've finished Baby's socks.... I knocked out the last one tonight while Hubby and I were watching The Italian Job (I love that movie!). See?

The second one turned out better than the first one. The pattern is actually a variation on one that looked too girly to me, so when it said "turn the heel according to xxxx pattern", and "complete the toe as written in xxxx pattern", it actually did not leave me at the right place either time, stitch-wise. Did that make sense? So I did what I thought needed to be done. And on the first sock.... look:

I didn't pay close attention to where I started knitting the side cables. It's not bad, but look at the second sock:

The cable continues down the side from one of the top cables. I think I'm only a stitch or two off on the socks from making them identical - and it's so hard to see the cables with the variegated yarn anyway - so I'm happy.

Sorry for the fuzzy photos! On to knitting sweaters!

One done.

2007-10-09T20:31:00.001-04:00

From Interweave Knits - a free pattern called Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks.

The first sock is done. The second sock is nearly finished. The only thing getting me through this pair is that they're so small. Aren't they cute? I'm amazed that I'll have a little one that will fit into these soon...

Anyway - I'm so afraid I'm not a sock person. At least, I'm not enjoying the short-row heel, and then I basically have to turn the same short-row heel for the toe to finish it off. I liked knitting the heel flap for the Breeze Sock - it's the foot of the sock that's stopped me there. I need to find a pattern that will keep me interested - or not knit socks while I'm pregnant. I need instant results right now... the nine-month baking period is the only long project I can work on right now.

So I'm going to make this sweater next, with these cargo pants. Then some booties, and then the Yoda sweater. That's my list right now. Let's see how I do....

I feel like I am stuck right now. Kind of in a rut, but not one I can change. It's so weird - it's like I'm in a holding pattern until Baby #2 makes his entrance. I'm glad that the holidays are coming up - that will be a nice distraction. But until then, I am just stuck. Same thing, everyday - no new things, no new ideas... I feel so bad for Big Boy, being stuck inside in 90+ degree weather (what is up with that? It's so wrong!!!!!) with a mom who can't get down on the floor with him right now - with a mom who only wants to sit and sleep. All he wants to do is run. Poor guy.

Swap spoiler alert...

2007-10-02T22:19:00.000-04:00

April, if you're reading this and you want your package to be a surprise, stop reading now!

So... through Ravelry, I signed up for a Christian Knitters group, and they set up a dish cloth swap right away. I've been looking at dish cloth patterns for a little while and have found many I'd like to try, so I signed up!!! We were to knit a dish cloth and send it with something encouraging for our swap pal, and we are to do it by October 5. Um, I'm mailing it tomorrow.

BUT - I didn't just make one dish cloth. I made a pair! See?

I modified this pattern, as my pal asked for dish cloths no larger than 5 inches square. I actually think these are 5.5 inches, but I hope that's OK. I think she told the moderator that set up the swap that her hands are small, and she likes smaller cloths. Sounds good! Her favorite colors are lime green and chocolate. I love those colors together, and I really wanted to put them together in the same dish cloth. The yarn is Sugar 'n Cream, and I'm so glad I found the colors she likes!

I then poked around looking for fun things to put in the box... I didn't find any fun knitting things - I forgot the one time I went into a LYS while I was doing this - and the larger craft stores just didn't have anything fun. So I found a devotional book of Beth Moore's that I hope will bless my pal's socks off... and I added 2 new skeins of the Sugar 'n Cream yarn, plus the leftover yarn I had from making the dish cloths.

I also had purchased some chocolates to go into the box, but then I re-read what was sent to me, and since it's still hot out here in RVA, I agreed with my swap pal that chocolates may not be the best thing to send, especially if the box has to sit in her mailbox all day. So I'll be eating the chocolates. But I topped off her box with other yummy stuff, so I hope she won't be disappointed.

This was fun! I'll have to sign up for more swaps after the baby comes. I'm concentrating on my baby knits right now. I still am working on the Petal Sweater - I am such a slow knitter on this one! I've timed it, and it takes me a full hour to do 2 rows - knit and increase across, then purl back. I'm afraid I'm not going to finish it by the time I have the baby! But to give me confidence, I started a quick knit - a pair of baby socks. So much fun...

I forgot!

2007-09-26T22:39:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by Sherri while I was gone - and I forgot I needed to post my 7 random things...

1. I have gotten hooked on Facebook and finding old friends from high school and college, even though I vowed I would never do a networking website (mostly because I think that MySpace is scary).

2. I hate doing laundry. Period.

3. I cut Hubby's and Big Boy's hair at the same time tonight. Pretty much! I wanted to use the clippers on Big Boy, but I was pretty sure he'd freak on me - so Hubby held him in his lap, and Big Boy watched while I cut Hubby's hair for a while - then I started in on Big Boy. He did really well with the clippers - he didn't start freaking until I tried to finish up around his ears with the scissors. Hubby and I are going to go in and try to finish that part up while he's sleeping... He looks pretty silly with all this hair hanging over his ears right now!

4. I love fall and winter. I love the cold weather and being able to bundle up in front of a fire, wearing a lot of clothing.

5. I have 2 tattoos and would love another one. I don't think it will ever happen, though.

6. I almost became an insurance salesman. In Colorado.

7. I love scrapbooking - not as much as knitting at this point, but I've always put my pictures in scrapbooks, even before it was a big craze like it is now.

I tried to make these different ones than I've done before - it was kind of hard thinking of 7 more random things about me. I almost put in there about my feet being asleep right now, but I think that's kind of cheating.

Since I've done this before, I won't tag anyone. But if you'd like to do it, please do and let me know!!! I'd love to learn some random things about you!

FOs from the road!

2007-09-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Our "ocean-view" from our balcony - not bad, not bad...

I meant to post something after I got back from Myrtle Beach (which, by the way, was a blast. No diapers, no schedules.... ahh, heaven!). But I blink, and time flies!

I got some major knitting done while at the beach. It helped that Hubby and I are home-bodies, and not at all interested in the "night-life" of wherever we are. So after the sun went down and dinner was done, we sat in front of the TV and I knitted! And then on Wednesday and Thursday, it rained - so when we weren't trying to figure out what we could do indoors that did not include draining our bank account, I knitted again! I took 3 projects, and got 1 and a half done!

A rainy day at the aquarium... Hubby watching the shark swim over his head...

YES - I FINISHED THE COACHELLA! Finally! I actually even had a friend try it on for size - and I have a problem.... Apparently my bind-off is way too tight. My friend is tiny-tiny like my cousin, but the waist was pretty tight. I have to figure out something - and I think I have an idea, but man, I'm nervous. What do you think about steeking 2 side slits? Am I crazy for considering that? I know no other way to bind-off - are there looser ways? Should I tink off the bind-off and re-do it? Or would I be OK with the steeking?

Thanks to my friend, Kelly, who did a bit of impromptu modeling for me...

Then, I did something I never thought I would be able to do - knit in the car. I get sooooo carsick if I'm not looking straight ahead with cold air blowing on me, so looking back, I was silly to even try. But I had just finished the Coachella, and wanted to get something else done while I was gone - and a 5 hour car trip seemed like perfect timing! I have no pictures of me doing it - or of the finished project. I knitted my first dishcloth for a swap I'm doing in a Ravelry group, and I don't know if my pal is reading my blog - so no pictures until I send everything off. I am proud of myself, though - not only for the car-knitting, but also for modifying a pattern to fit my pal's request for a small dishcloth - a 5 inch square to fit into her hands without being too bulky. All I have to do is gather some goodies and send my package on the way! This is my first swap, too, so I'm excited about that!

I have one other quick little knit I want to finish up, and then it's on to baby knits! Did I mention I am really excited about football season? I love football anyway, and the fact that now I have knitting I can do while rooting on the 'Skins - life is good! We're teaching Big Boy how to say "TOUCH-DOWN!" He's got the arms up in the air, but he gets so excited he forgets to say anything.

I lied.

2007-09-13T14:34:00.001-04:00

OK, well, I didn't lie. I just changed my mind. I started knitting the Petal sweater (using the K1C2 Cotonade I got a while back - remember?). I want to be able to wear it while I'm still pregnant. You know, I thought that would be nice. Neither the Coachella or the sock are done. The Coachella, though - I am making progress. I'm done with most of the pattern - now it just says "Knit until piece measures 22.5 inches." I haven't measured yet, so I don't know how much longer I have to go. Then I put some trim on it, and it's done!

I'm taking it and the Petal sweater to North Myrtle Beach next week. I anticipate some good, quality knitting time, as the Big Boy is not coming with us. Yup, this will probably be our last child-free vacation for a while. I think it's harder to leave 2 kids with someone than it is with one... at least until they get a bit older and are more self-sufficient. That's my theory, anyway...

So while I wasn't going to start knitting anything new, I still needed to get the yarns for upcoming projects.... that way I could start as soon as I finished one thing. So I went shopping. See?!?
Two shops, one chain, one LYS... almost the same exact amount spent at each. I really couldn't have planned it better if I tried.

The top photo is from the chain store. I hit a great sale - 30% off all knitting needles. So I got ALL of the needles needed for upcoming projects - 3 circulars, 3 straights, and 1 set of dpns (I stocked up on a bunch of those a while ago). Everything I got there is for baby knits, except the Sugar 'n Cream - that's for a dishcloth swap I'm doing.

So the next picture is from my LYS... again, everything is for baby knits, except some yummy yummy sock yarn for me, and the PillowBot pattern. That's a planned Christmas knit for my brother, who is robot-crazy and really hard to shop for.

Next time, I'll show you some details of the yarns. Or maybe I'll talk about football. I don't know....

I've decided...

2007-08-29T14:57:00.000-04:00

...I'm not going to pick up any baby knits, or even Stefanie Japel's Petal Sweater (which, by the way, I found the perfect yarn for - in my stash!!!), until I am done with the Coachella and one Breeze sock. Period.

Now, if I could only pick up the knits and work on getting them finished.

I'm back!

2007-08-27T10:49:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I've been back for a full week now. It's hard to recover from being here....

Real hard...

Knitting? I am 3/4ths of the way done with my sock. I have 1 and 1/2 more repeats to go of the pattern. I am now convinced I am all about the quick knit. This is taking way too long. The speed with which the heel was finished deceived me into thinking I'd whip out the whole pair of socks while I was vacationing. But who can knit when you're sitting here?

I mean, really?

I think I'm going to start a new blog - one for my family. Look at this. It lets you print books of your blogs. I love it, and I think I'm going to do this. For prosperity. Maybe one day I'll do one of this blog. As a gift to myself. One day.

By the way.... it's going to be a BOY!!!!

There is a heel!

2007-08-15T20:57:00.001-04:00

So my very first real sock. So pretty... So nice... Now I know why so many people knit socks. Why so many people swap and knit and knit and swap. So fun! I may be addicted... shhh - don't tell Hubby!

I'm taking my socks to St. Thomas this weekend. Sock knitting on the beach, with no Big Boy to run after, no time tables - I'll just go where people tell me to go! The Coachella isn't done for the birthday girl, but I think 12 people showing up for her birthday will be a nice big surprise. I'll mail her the Coachella when it's done, and beg for pictures of her in it.

So I'll be back to blog about my first trip to the Caribbean next week. Pray that Tropical Storm Dean doesn't really hit anywhere near where I am - or else I might be blogging much later next week than anticipated!

My first sock!

2007-08-14T19:47:00.000-04:00

Yay! I made a sock! Just one, mind you - it's all I needed! I thought of this as a practice sock, before I hit my pricey yarn for a real wearable thing.

I must say, I think my first short rows ever turned out very nicely! I was rather intimidated, but after some advice from some knitting friends and Kristi herself, I dove in and did it. Piece of cake!

The Kitchener's Stitch on the other hand... it got all puckered up in front. See?

Good thing that's the view from the radio - no one else should be able to see it. And looking at this photo, I think I started the decrease 90 degrees away from where it should've been. But it still works!!!

I picked orange, like the original, not because I wanted an exact copy, but because orange is my favorite color right now. And what other color would go well with a little blue Mazda 5? Just orange. Well, green, maybe, but I think that's because that's my default favorite. It's knitted out of Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Paprika. Spicy!

I followed the suggestion to knit 14 rows of K1P1 ribbing instead of the 10 rows Kristi originally did. Now I wish I had knit only 10 rows. The 14 rows kind of overlaps onto the leather bottom part of the shifter. But I think it still looks good.

Bad news is Hubby isn't quite on board with my cool idea. When he saw I finished it, he was kind of diplomatic, saying that he's glad I was able to do it (thanks, sweetie!), but there was no way he was driving with that thing on. Hmmmm.... kind of tough luck, because it's pretty tight. It will take more time to get it off then just to deal with it and drive. Plus, the coolness of it will seep into him as he drives. I'm sure of it. I like to think that I'm all hipster and he's not. Maybe one day he'll get it. Plus, he's driving a mini-van! Granted, it's a Mazda 5, so it's tiny, and it is a 5-speed. But it's still a mini-van. I don't know what his idea of cool is there.

My sock-idol and I are starting the Knitty Breeze socks... I'm going to use the Fleece Artist yarn I showed you here. In fact, I'm casting on after I log off here!

70 Questions!

2007-08-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

I saw this at And Miles To Go Before We Sleep - and I'm a sucker for memes. Here goes!

70 Questions:

1. What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now? Bath and Body Works Moonlight Something Shower Wash.

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? Nope.

3. Is there anything moldy in your refrigerator? Maybe. I haven't opened the crisper in a couple of days, and I forget what's in there.

4. Are there any dirty dishes in your sink? Nope! I'm a step ahead tonight!

5. What would you change about your living room? I need a little bit more space for all the toys. Realistically? I need to paint the walls.

6. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? dirty.

7. Do you have a can of mushrooms in your pantry? no.

8. White or wheat bread? Wheat.

9. What is on top of your refrigerator? Cookbooks, a popcorn popper, a glass pitcher, and a basket of sippy cups.

10. What color is your sofa? brown.

11. What color or design is on your shower curtain? Master bath: White with a tan border. Hall bath: plain white.

12. How many plants are in your home? 14(?)

13. How many candles are in your home? Not as many as I used to have. 6 or 7.

14. Is your bed made right now? Nope. I think Hubby's in it.

15. If you have a coffee pot, what color is it? white.

16. Electric or standard can opener? Standard.

27. Comet or Soft Scrub? both, but trying to use them up to go "natural" with baking soda.

.28. Is your closet organized? Yes, but not as much as usual.

29. What color is the flashlight that you use the most? Black.

30. What kinds of things are in your junk drawer? man... hmmm, gift cards, tape, take out menus, a cutting board, biodegradable plastic bags for poopy diapers, stapler - I can't even think of what else.

31. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? plastic.

32. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? Nope.

33. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? No garage.

34. Curtains or blinds? Blinds covered by curtains.

35. How many pillows do you sleep with? Typically, one. Right now, two. Soon to be replaced by the ginormous body pillow.

36. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? no.

37. How many ceiling fans are in your home? One.

38. How often do you vacuum? once a week.

39. Standard toothbrush or electric? Standard.

40. What color is your toothbrush? green.

41. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? yes - it says WELCOME.

42. What is in your oven right now? Nothing.

43. Is your microwave clean or dirty? Clean.

44. Is there anything under your bed? Yes, storage boxes - but I don't remember what's in them.

45. Chore you hate doing the most? laundry.

46. What retro items are in your home? I don't know... some retro crafty items - Hubby doesn't like retro so much.

47. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? No.

48. If you have a yard, who mows it? My Hubby.

49. Is there anything on your kitchen floor right now? A rug.

50. How many mirrors are in your home? 6, including the 2 bathroom mirrors.

51. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? Nope.

52. What color are your walls? In this room, a nice spring green. Other rooms - red, yellow-orange, brown, baby blue, soon to be orange in bathroom. New baby's room is untouched.

53. Which rooms in your house have wallpaper? none.

54. Do you have a peephole in your front door? yes.

55. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? Hubby has a BB gun. Is that a protection weapon?

56. What does your home smell like right now? Nothing that I can tell, but I'm all stuffed up.

57. Favorite candle scent? any Christmas spice one.

58. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? regular and baby dills.

59. Who are in the pictures you displayed? displayed where? There are pics of my Big Boy on this site.

61. Do you have plenty of cabinet space in your kitchen? It's okay - I could always use more.

62. Ever been on your roof? Nope.

62. Do you own a stereo? Yes, 2 of them.

63. How many TVs do you have? three.

64. How many house phones? three.

65. Do you have a housekeeper? me.

66. What style do you decorate in? comfy modern (?)

67. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? Solids.

68. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Four.

68. In case of fire, what are the items you would grab if you only could make one quick trip? My wedding album, and my truck of photo albums.

69. Do you know how to work your electrical box? Yes, I think so.

70. What temperature in your home is most comfortable to you? 72 degrees.

Finally, a FO!

2007-08-10T18:35:00.000-04:00

Here they are - pictures of Mandy's Candy Bag, complete! When I can, I'll get pictures of it hanging off the arm of my niece, as her new little purse. The only mod I made was to make a really long I-cord so it could be used as said purse.

Thanks for a fun knit, Amanda!

On to... yarn purchases!!! YAY! I bought my first sock yarn ever. Some YUMMY Fleece Artist Merino Wool. Beautiful green shades - see?

Then some less expensive but equally as fun Wildefoote by Brown Sheep Company - the colors are Mums and Soft Jazz (I have to put that in italics because when I say "soft jazz," I even say it italicized). I think these will be my first baby socks.

I stepped up my Coachella knitting. I was shamed into it after reading some descriptions of it as a project for other knitters on Ravelry... one lady said it took her only 3 days to knit. 3 days. I'm almost at the bottom of the arm holes, to start the never ending body... I won't have it done in time for my cousin's birthday on Friday, but it will be well underway.

3 days. Geez.

hee hee!

2007-08-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:

bitch (1x)

Whoops!

I'm glad you're back, my sock-rockin' friend!

I am so addicted - to... well, you know! I've found an entire outfit I'm going to make for baby to wear coming home from the hospital. And - Hubby thinks I'm crazy - I'm going to knit this. I'm going to be the coolest 5-speed-mini-van-driving-mama in RVA. Period.

Rock on, y'all!

I'm in!!!!

2007-08-06T09:23:00.000-04:00

I sat down at my computer this morning to return a friend's email. As I sat down, I randomly thought, " Wouldn't it be awesome if my Ravelry invite came today?" It was a random thought, because I haven't thought about it in a while, except to be jealous when others got their invites....

It came today! ooo, I was so excited, it set me back a half hour on my morning routine! I'm going to be online a lot playing with Ravelry. Don't know? Go here... If you knit or crochet, put your name on the waiting list for an invite - it's still in it's Beta phase, and from what I understand, there are like only 2 people running the whole thing, including sending people invites. So hang in there!

If you're on Ravelry, please look for me, and add me as a friend! I'm lmilla, same as my blog profile...

Now, on other news, I'm finishing up the i-cord for Mandy's Candy Bag, and then I can post pics and let Amanda know I'm done! hmmm - I think that's it. Still stalled on the Coachella. It's OK. I needed a quick knit to boost my knitting energy. When the candy bag is done, I'll hop back on it.

Alrighty! Back to play on Ravelry!!!

New arrival! (not mine!)

2007-08-03T21:42:00.000-04:00

I am very proud to announce that I am an auntie, again! Isn't she beautiful?

This is her, one day old, wearing the baby cap I knitted up last night. Probably will be the only time she wears it. As I was knitting it last night, I was thinking how silly it was to knit it, especially out of Paton's SWS in Natural Pink (which is a scrumptious knit - I will definitely be using it again!), seeing as how it is in the mid- to upper-90's right now in Richmond, VA. Yuck. Poor baby, whose auntie forces her to wear a wool cap for pictures.

While I was waiting for her to arrive yesterday, I got a nice start on Mandy's Candy Bag. See?

I've since done about another inch or so. I think I'm going to make the I-cord nice and long and make it into a little girl's purse, since the baby's big sister, my first niece, was there while I knitted and she was fascinated by the process. I think she'd like a little purse. Don't 3 year old princesses like purses?

Here's the Big Boy with his new little cousin. I think he likes the idea of a baby. It will be nice for him to be used to seeing a little one before our little one comes in about 5 months!!!

I remembered!

2007-08-02T09:59:00.000-04:00

Wow - that really did drive me crazy! I spent the next couple of hours trying to figure out what else I had done new with the Coachella tank top... And then it hit me - it didn't really have to do with the actual knitting - just the prep for knitting. I had heard that you could dip the plastic wire of the circular needles into hot water and then they wouldn't curl as much. I did that with the metal size 7s with which I started the piece (Mrs. Johnston would be so proud! I just typed this sentence ending with "with" - but her HS grammar training overpowered me, and I felt guilty, and so I rearranged the sentence so as to not end with "with." Wait - was that a run-on sentence?). It did work for a while, but they finally returned to their original shape. The bamboo size 9s I'm using right now I did not dip in hot water - I heard that it might swell the wood. So the Coachella is a little ball in the middle of the circular needle's curl....

Also, I realized I was doing something else new. I've never really wound the yarn around my left hand to help control the tension while knitting - but I've found that if I wrap the yarn around my pinky and then around my index finger, it really does help! Gosh! and even when purling, I wrap it a couple times around my index finger. I've read several knitting books that recommend doing this - and I'd tried it out, too, but I'd always dropped the wrapped yarn, thinking it didn't help me that much. Now, it's almost a habit to pick up the yarn like that. Maybe I'm making big strides....

Amanda, the NH Knitting Mama, has designed a really cute candy bag that looks like it will be a fun knit. I think I'm going to start one up, so I can stop stressing about the fact that the Coachella won't be ready in 2 weeks, and so I can get entered for some swag!!! Check out her site here for more info!

I just heard from my sock-knitting mommy friend, and I think we're going to knit these socks from Knitty.com. I am so excited!!! They will be my first socks, and I love short socks (whatever you call them - ankle socks? anklets?). I think I want to have them started up so I can knit them while lying on the beach in St. Thomas in 2 weeks. We'll see if I really want to knit while lying on the beach - at least I'll be able to knit them while flying down there!

No pictures...

2007-07-30T21:06:00.000-04:00

There has been little knitting going on around here. A lot of that has to do with the TV-ban I've imposed on myself.... Except for a little So You Think You Can Dance (which we all know I can't knit while watching), I'm not watching much TV at all. Hubby is gone tonight for a band practice, so I think I'll settle in with some good Food Network shows (love me some Alton Brown!) and knit away!

I started on my cousin's Coachella tank top - I only have about 2 inches done. This has been a good learning experience for me already. I've done several new things with this. I SWATCHED!!!! yes, I did! I've never made a swatch before. The swatch itself was a disaster, because, for some reason, I didn't want to knit it on the size 9 circs that I'm actually knitting the piece with. Instead, I used some horrible plastic straight needles. I've used plastic before, but these were really bendy, and I couldn't get a tight, even stitch on them. I can't remember where I got them, or what I used them on.... But back to the swatch.... the stitches were loose and floppy - but I plowed ahead and decided that the bamboo and metal circs that I'll be using would provide the gauge needed. And I was right, so far!

Also new: I did the Long-Tail Cast On. And I LOVE it! So pretty, so neat! Much nicer than the knitting cast on I've been doing.

There was something else new that I've tried with this, but I can't remember what it was right now. Hmmm.... completely gone. If I remember, I'll post it. Geez, now that's going to bother me...

Once again...

2007-07-14T08:55:00.000-04:00

I apologize. I really do have the best of intentions... I've kind of been holding off on a blog entry because, as of this morning, I can show you.... drum roll, please.... a FO!!!!

It's the Om Yoga Mat Bag from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation.... and it feels like it's been in process for far too long. And it's definitely been a labor of love! Here's the full story....

As you might know, my friend's present started off as the Namaste Yoga Mat Bag. I shelved that after a couple of repeats of the cable pattern. It just wasn't doing it for me.

The Om Yoga Mat Bag was a fun knit. As I said earlier, I had to pay attention while I was knitting, or else I would forget to psso and I'd wind up with way too many stitches. But once I got the hang of it, it knitted pretty fast. I have no idea how long it actually took me, because the knitting was pretty sporadic.

See the lace pattern? It's so nice and neat on the diagonal! At least, it was at the top of the picture. The bottom of the picture show how wonky it is from when I first started knitting. I also don't know what caused the line through the pattern about 3/4ths the way up the picture. The good thing about all of this is that you can't tell any of these things in the FO. The wonky part is on the back, beneath the strap.

Then, earlier this week, as I was approaching 13 inches (the amount you're supposed to knit before binding off), I took the unused needle, thinking that it might be about 13 inches long, to hold it up to the knitted portion to approximate how much further I might have to go. I glanced at the needle to see if, by chance, the length of the needle was imprinted on the side, along with the needle's size. The needle's size?!? Um, the needles that I had been using for the past 9 inches were not an 8, as I had thought. Nope - there, on the side, plain as day, it said "7." Grrr. I decided against frogging the 9 inches I had done, because I thought if I did, I would never finish this thing. And the lace pattern is nice and stretchy - it still would fit the yoga mat. So on I went with my size 7s. I finished knitting it Thursday. I sewed the piece together Friday. And this morning I made the pretty green tie and wove it through. It is finished!

It is knit with Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Charcoal. The tie is the same in Lime.

I see my friend this week - I hope she doesn't mind that her birthday gift is 2 and 1/2 months late!

I got the Berroco Suede yarn for this amazing top to knit for my cousin. Another knit with a deadline... this one I hope will be done on time!!! We're leaving for St. Thomas August 17, so I can hand deliver it, but only if it's done! I think this will work quickly - the yarn is scrumptious! Not at all what I expected. I eyed Lion Brand's Lion Suede at Michael's the last time I was in there, and I thought there would be no way I would give a gift made of that. But the Berroco Suede isn't what I'd called "suedy." If it is, it's a finer suede than I've ever felt! I got it in the Dale Evans color, as shown in the pattern, because I think it would look beautiful on my tanned cousin, with her blond-hair-blue-eyes!

Last week, Hubby, Big Boy and I all went to a conference that the fellowship we attend puts together. It was an amazing time - the Lord spoke to me in many different ways, and I am looking forward to seeing how He works in me, and in us as a family. One thing I wish I had done was bring my knitting. Once Big Boy went to bed, Hubby and I got to sit and talk, but neither of us brought a book or anything else to work on. So after 9:00pm, it was pretty much just lights out for us. But it was a wonderful week of the Word and fellowship. Plus, I didn't have to cook any meals!

WHOA!

2007-06-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

Man, time has flown! I had promised myself I would be a good little blogger and blog a lot - but 2 weeks have past, and I am delinquent!

I've decided I'm not going to do the 10 on Tuesday blog entries anymore. That was fun, but not on topic (ha ha), and I wound up not being able to pots on Yano's site that they were up. The filter I have on our computer was blocking me from doing that, somehow. It wasn't dire enough for me to figure out what was happening, but it was kind of discouraging, because I was doing the 10 on Tuesdays but no one else who was doing them knew that I was participating, too. So.... plus, I didn't like only blogging on Tuesdays.

Thanks to Amanda's encouragement, I did not frog the Namaste Yoga bag. It is safely put away in my craft cabinet, awaiting another day. I did start the Om Yoga bag from Stitch-n-Bitch Nation, and I am enjoying it so much more! The lace pattern is easy-peasy to remember - I just have to look at the beginning and the end of each row to see how the pattern staggers (to make the lace on a diagonal). I love how it's looking!

It is kind of slow going, though, because I love to knit in front of the TV. But I discovered that when I knit this in front of the TV (specifically, So You Think You Can Dance), I forget to psso in the pattern. I wound up with 10 extra stitches on my row at one point, and I had to tink back 4 rows to get to the psso's that I didn't do.

I also can't paint my nails during So You Think You Can Dance. They turned out to be a disaster. I have a problem with that show. I love it so much I can't tear myself away. It's like Hubby watching Heroes. You just don't talk to him while it's on. Same thing for me with SYTYCD. I'm a hopeless case when it comes to that show. I wish I could move even a little bit like those kids can move. Man!

I'm not knitting anything else right now, but I'm eying a couple things. A couple of which are on the summer knitty site... Would these be good socks to start with? I love ankle socks... And I think I'm going to knit this for my cousin... She's a tiny thing, and lives in St. Thomas, and I think she would look phenomonal in this. She's turning, ehem... 40 in August. And.... drum roll please.... I'm going to see her! YES! IN ST. THOMAS! And she doesn't know!!! hee hee hee! (she's not a blog reader, so I'm not worried!). Her sister, my other cousin, has coordinated a girls' weekend down there to celebrate the big day, so all of us female relatives are heading down to hang out. You know, in the Carribbean. Without Hubbies and Big Boys. So nice...

I got this in the mail last week...

Isn't so pretty? It's Knit One Crochet Too's Cotonade in Moss. Now, what to knit, what to knit....?

10 on Tuesday

2007-06-12T09:57:00.000-04:00

Hmmm, Yano, I don't think I can do this one. "Brag About Yourself" - I think the title you said you were going to use was 10 Awesome Things about Yourself. I am not in the bragging mood - not at all. In fact, I'm in quite a negative mood. So let's not dwell on me...

I think I'm going to frog the Namaste yoga bag. It's just not turning out the way I thought, and I can't imagine knitting for another 24 inches on this this. It looks nice - see?

I'm just not having fun with it. And I need something fun right now. Plus, just after taking this picture, the loose size 8 needle fell behind the couch. That makes 2 lone size 8 needles behind the couch. I guess I should retrieve them soon. Especially if I want to start on the Om Yoga Mat Bag without buying a new set of size 8s.

Big Boy decided to have some fun with the white fabric I take pics of my WIPs on. Enjoy!

My Mystery Bag

2007-06-07T14:54:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago - er... a month or so ago, I made my first online purchase from Discount Yarn Sale. I bought a couple different yarns to make the Namaste Yoga bag and...

I was drawn in by the Mystery Bag description (as quoted from the website): "Mystery bags are a surprise mixture of yarns and contain at least $50.00 worth of yarn, but cost only $29.99." And even better - the Mystery Bags were (and are still) on sale for $23.99! I had to have one. Here are its contents (in 2 pics):

The likes...

And they are (clockwise starting from top left) a beautiful ladder ribbon yarn called Eros by Herwool, a lovely acrylic/wool blend called Action by NY Yarns ( I love the green, blue, and purples mixed together in this one. I've fingered this before at my local Ben Franklin), the 10th skein out of my ordered bag of Lions Brand Jiffy (they sell you a bag of 9 on the site - it was nice of them to put the 10th in my Mystery Bag), a lovely Mohair blend called Kitten Mohair by SandnesGarn, and another gorgeous ribbon yarn - this one from Knit One Crochet Too called Tartelette. Beautiful! I'm combing through some one skein books to decide what to do with these guys!

And the dislikes...

I guess the main reasons I don't like these are the colors. I'm not much of a purple or pink person. These are a deep purple chenille called Sinsation from Plymouth Yarn, a 100% cotton yarn called Italy Baby from Plymouth Yarn, a 100% nylon fuzzy yarn called Flash from Plymouth Yarn, and a novelty yarn from Moda Dea called Lazy Daisy. I think I like the last one a little - I just don't know what to do with it....

I've started on the Namaste Yoga Bag - and it's slower going than I thought. I love doing cables... but this is knitting up so tight! The gauge is good, so I'm not worried, but it's hard to purl into the cable rows after I've knit them. I'm trying to knit a little looser (I figure if the bag's a bit big, it will be OK. But I'm a tight knitter anyway. I'm debating... I found a cool lace yoga bag in Stitch 'N Bitch Nation - here's a pic of a completed one. I'm still thinking of subbing the Lions Brand Cotton Ease with the Lions Brand Jiffy that I got for the Namaste Bag... thinking thinking thinking. Although I do have a couple of skeins of the Cotton Ease in my stash...

I can't buy anymore yarn for a while. Sigh. We're out of money. But my birthday is coming up, and I have dropped some hints...

Today I tell the "world!"

2007-06-05T10:59:00.000-04:00

I hinted at some news I wanted to share with the world a couple of weeks ago...

I'm pregnant!

I'm so excited... we started telling people after our first Dr's appointment last week... and I've been thinking I need to post this in my blog... but I just hadn't done it. But since I'm still sitting here wasting time, there's no need to put this off until tomorrow's post!

So Baby is coming in early January (perhaps... maybe late December if we decide to do another c-section). This will make Big Boy 2 years older than Baby. This is exactly the same spacing as my brother and I (I am the oldest by 23.5 months). And to me, this is ideal. Perhaps it's just the memories I have growing up - yes, for a good bunch of my childhood/teenage years, my younger brother was the bane of my existence. But the fun we had as kids (when we weren't fighting) and the times we had once I went to college - gosh, good memories.

And I love being pregnant. All the bad things fly out the window (the hip pain, the fatigue, the 70 lb weight gain!!!) when I think that I am bringing a life into this world. The good thing is I have not been as sick as I was with Big Boy. I think my current stay-at-home situation makes it different/better... last time I spent the first trimester sitting in front of my computer at work feeling barfy, feeling sorry for myself. Now, I have a Big Boy to chase after, who will let me lay down on the sofa, who will run by me on the way to his next toy and give me snotty kisses as I lay there. Much better circumstances.

So... boy or girl? Another boy would be so much fun, and much easier. I already have all the stuff. No need for a new set of toys (i.e. princesses and dolls and the like) to clutter up the house. And seriously, I was such a tomboy myself - I don't know what I would do with a girl. And I have always felt I would be a mom of boys... But a girl... all the pretty dresses and fun girl things - a little girl would brush my hair and think I was pretty and want to do things with me for a long time - and as she grows up, I dream of a friend - like my mom. A best friend who is there no matter what - because she loves me, and sees herself in me... My mom's friendship has grown deeper and more valuable to me as I've gotten older. I want that for myself with my daughter.

So the Lord will give us whatever He wants for us, and it will be perfect - boy or girl.

Now, on to thinking about baby knits!!!

10 on Tuesday

2007-06-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Yano...

10 Occupations You Wanted to be When You Were Young

1. Astronaut
2. Teacher
3. Dancer (ha... ha ha ha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)
4. Interior designer
5. Librarian
6. Musician
7. Movie Star
8. Boss (it didn't matter of what - as long as I was a boss)
9. Veterinarian
10. Pilot

I promise promise promise to catch you up on my Mystery Bag yarns tomorrow. Promise.

Catching up (and 10 on Tuesday)

2007-05-29T20:23:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness! It has been way too long since I actually blogged about knitting! So here's for catching up...

So what have I been doing? I'm working on my Sidewinder bag... no pics of that right now, but it's coming along. I'm shaping the body of the bag right now. Only about 100 rows left! Then I can sew it together and felt it!

I'm loving working on cables. Here is my first cable for my needles case...

And here are a couple more cables. I've gotten quite a good bit done on the first cable strap - and then I dropped a needle behind the sofa, and I haven't gotten it out yet. Just laziness - that's all that is.

The Booga Bag KAL that I did with my amazing sock knitting friend turned out really well. Here are a couple pictures of it... I gave it to my mom and she loves it!

Tomorrow is my brother's birthday - happy birthday, Bucko! I'm proud of myself - today I planned, designed, purchased the yarn, frogged it twice, and completed his gift. A way-too-big armband that says "I heart robots." Because he does. I hope his arm is a lot bigger than mine. Because otherwise it won't fit. Maybe he can wrap it around one of his robots. Here are some pictures.... I was not smart because I didn't get pics of the pattern before I sewed it up. I'm learning as I go, people.

Next time - I'm going to take some pictures of the yarn that I got in my Mystery Bag from Discount Yarn Sale. Can you guess the percentage of the yarn I got that I might actually use vs. the amount I really can't stand?

And now....

10 Greatest Accomplishments in Your Life

Thanks, Yano.

In no particular order (only in which they popped into my mind).

1. Giving birth to my son.

2. Becoming a college professor at age 22.

3. Getting my Master's degree at age 23.

4. Owning a home by age 25.

5. Getting married.

6. Singing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw - while in high school.

7. Being the only one of my friends in high school who drove a stick shift.

8. Being a stay-at-home-mom.

9. Getting promoted at work.

10. Getting chosen to go to Senegal and Africa to represent my company.

10 on Tuesday

2007-05-22T14:34:00.000-04:00

Great list, Yano! I love pictures - and I love taking pictures. Unfortunately, these are not all my best (apparently, when you don't visit the old Ofoto website enough, they cancel your account and you can lose all the pictures you uploaded there. Luckily, I have the pictures on CDs.... now where to find the CDs???) but I like them. WARNING: They are Big Boy heavy.

This is Big Boy's new running style. I love the arms behind the back.

This is my Hubby's Granny as she saw Yankee Field for the first time in her life. This was a special 80th birthday gift - the whole family (including us Braves fans) got tickets and took her to a game.

This is a big-smiling Big Boy at about 4 months old.

I love this self-portrait of the Big Boy and me.

At the zoo....

This was Big Boy's birth announcement picture...

A child in Senegal.

I tried for months to get good close-ups of our sugar gliders. Here was the first one that was decent.

When Hubby was going to be a massage therapist (for a living - he still is a massage therapist, only non-practicing. Rather, he practices only on me.), we were looking for some black-and-white photos for his brochures, etc. I took this one of him massaging my foot, and I really liked it, though he never used it.

Another picture of children in Senegal - they were dancing and singing for money.

I've been tagged!

2007-05-18T10:40:00.000-04:00

This is the first time I've been tagged.... I don't know if I even know 7 people to tag myself... Amanda tagged me. And this was just after I'd read the other Amanda's blog entry with her random facts....

Here are the rules:
Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven 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 need to read your blog.

7 Random Facts about me (I'll try to make these different than the 10 Things Most People Don't Know About You entry that I did a while ago):

1) My favorite ice cream in the world is mint chocolate chip. Specifically, it used to be Edy's Mint Chocolate Chips! but then they changed the chips... and it changed the whole ice cream. I'm still looking for a replacement for #1.

2) I have played the piano, flute, bassoon, oboe, clarinet, and saxophone. The last 3, not so well ever, and the first 3, not so well anymore.

3) I have a problem with my hair. I can never decide how I want it to be. It's always in different stages of growing out, and it always drives me crazy.

4) I am going to be a professional organizer. Really. I'm taking a class on Monday to become a contractor for a local company, Space Matters. I'm so excited!

5) I lust after nice, lush, green yards. My yard is terrible - I don't think there's a single blade of actual grass is my entire half-acre lot. Literally. It's all weeds. I long for the day when Big Boy and I can run on nice green grass. One day....

6) I like bananas but I hate banana-flavored things.

7) Being a stay-at-home mom is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

I'm tagging Kellie, Eileen, Flavio, Becka, Jennifer, Michael, and alisonwonderland.

I'm tired, so I'm going to lay down for a bit. When I get up, I'll post about my finished Booga Bag and my first cables!!!

The "What Have You Done" Knitting Meme

2007-05-16T09:29:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Katydid Knits for this list! I think this is a good indicator of how far I have to go.... I'm still such a new knitter!!!

Here's the key: Bold for stuff I've done, italics for stuff I plan to do one day, and normal for stuff I'm not planning on doing. Some of this stuff, I'm not sure why I'd want to do it... I guess the understanding will come in time...

Afghan/Blanket (baby sized)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener
BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

10 on Tuesday

2007-05-15T07:35:00.000-04:00

10 Songs That Make You Sad - topic courtesy of Yano

1) Tears From Heaven - Eric Clapton (I stole this from Yano's own list, but seriously, this makes me cry).
2) Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something (this song reminds me of a specific a time in my life that just makes me sad).
3) (Don't Go Chasing) Waterfalls - TLC (see above reason for #2 - same time in my life)
4) Don't Drink the Water - Dave Matthews Band
5) Mrs. Otis Regrets - Ella Fitzgerald
6) Thy hand, Belinda/When I am Laid to Rest - Purcell (from Dido and Aeneas)
7) La mamma morta - Giordano (from Andrea Chenier) (this and the one above were both songs I sang as an opera major. I almost always cried when I sang then - they just wiped me out. The song La mamma morta I found when watching the movie Philadelphia - It's the one Tom Hanks' character is listening to when he's hooked up to the IV and walking around - I bawled watching the movie and I just knew I had to sing it.)
8) Everybody Hurts - REM
9) Cry Me a River - Harry Connick, Jr.
10) The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles

Miscellany

2007-05-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

What a weekend. In good and bad ways.... We had a wonderful time seeing family this weekend - with Mother's Day and my niece's birthday in the same weekend, we all saw plenty of each other! And I ate a lot. I'm serious - a lot. But Dad made blue-cheese-stuffed burgers - need I say more? And then all the birthday cake and cheesecake just sitting around? Man oh man! The worst part of the weekend was I spend it all in an allergy-induced fog. Bluh.

I did get to knit a bit over the weekend. I finished up the body of the Booga Bag and started the I-cord. See?

Sorry about the fuzzy pic. It appears I have a jumpy hand when taking pics with no flash. I only have a couple more feet to knit on the I-cord, and then I can felt it all! I'm going to felt the body of my needle case at the same time.

Then I remembered that the baby hat I need to make is for a baby shower this next weekend. So I started back up with that one and I have a couple inches of it done.

I'm excited about this next weekend - my mommies group is having a yard sale. So if you're in the Richmond area, come and check it out. I'm excited about this for so many reasons.

I get to reclaim my guest room from the piles and piles of things that have invaded.
I get to shop everyone else's things. I love yard sale shopping! (this may directly conflict with the above reason, but I promise I'll only buy what I need.)
I'm taking my knitting with me, so when I'm not shopping or selling, I'll be getting some work done!

So this week I need to figure out which knitting project to take. I might take the cables from my needles case - that will be a small and pretty portable project.

Also up this week - finally getting my tomatoes in the ground. We'll see how that goes... I'm an enthusiastic but very un-experienced gardener.

To read about knitting...

2007-05-10T07:42:00.000-04:00

It's almost as good as knitting itself, I've discovered. A blog I read the other day put it very nicely....

I'm convinced that half the knitting thing is in the dreaming and if you don't do a bit of dreaming and aching or whatever it is that you do when you spot a pattern or a skein, a hank, or a ball, then all you have on your hands is a bit of wool and a couple of needles.

Click here to read more. I completely agree. While she was talking about going through her stash and thinking of what she had origianlly planned with certain yarns, I love the dreaming that comes with looking through books and at patterns. This is mostly because I am not very yarn-saavy yet. I cannot look at a yarn and think "Oh, sweater!" yet. Yet. Hopefully I will get there.

But I think a large part of my dreaming comes from the desire to do bigger and better things. Baby hats and felted bags are fun, but when I flipped through Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits, I almost cried from the beauty of it all (granted, a lot of my dreaming about those patterns also involves my dreams for a pre-baby body).

I want to knit everything in this book. Everything.

I also see a lot of things coming from One Skein Wonders, since I have a propensity to pick up a skein of yarn and go, not really realizing you need more than one skein to knit a sweater or a bag.

So those are 2 of my new knitting books. I also purchased Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook and The Knitting Answer Book. The latter will stay in my knitting bag as a reference. I've already looked into it a couple of times.

THEN, when I was running into Ben Franklin's to pick up some new circs to work on the Booga Bag again, I was lured by their 50% off table (I mean, who isn't?). I thought that even if I found some little scrapbooking things it would be cool (I did - I found some stickers). Well, guess what else I found for 50% off? 3 different issues of knit.1!!! I got the Summer 2006 Art issue, the Winter 2006/2007 Love Issue, and the Spring 2007 Sport Issue, all for under $3 each. Fun fun fun! I'm not sure how many items I'll knit out of them, but now I know what they're about, and they have some cool things in there, besides patterns. For instance, did you know that knitting burns 103 calories an hour?!? YAY!

Not doing so well...

2007-05-09T08:45:00.000-04:00

I need to have some encouraging projects done... I am tired of making mistakes and disasters. First the Paris Loop, now the baby hat from the Land of Giant Babies....

I am going to a baby shower in a week, and I wanted to give another cute little baby hat, because the first one was so well-received - plus, it was a really easy knit!!! I didn't have enough of that yarn to make another one (they aren't telling if they're having a boy or a girl, so I figured another beige hat would be in order). So I picked up one of the numerous balls of the Lion Brand Microspun that I picked up a little while ago.... and I cast on more stitches than I had with the first hat, because the Microspun is a DK weight and the Patons Shetland Chunky Tweeds yarn that I used for the first hat is a bulky. It made sense to me at the time.

The Microspun was easier to knit now that I wasn't doing a lace pattern with it. Maybe the larger needle helped, too. But... this is no baby hat. It fits me. Plus, it's all loose and floppy, so the little points don't stick up the way they should.

I should look on each of these times as a learning experience. I learned how to do the Kitchener's stitch on this hat. Look - see how wonky the stitches to the right are? And then when I figured it out, see how pretty the stitches to the left are? so nice....

And I'm moving on. I started the Booga Bag I'm doing as a KAL with my really cool friend. Luckily, she was online last night when I needed help... a quick email to her helped me realize I needed to bite the bullet and frog it - already! I was knitting away, when I started thinking it was knitting up really tight for a felted bag.... I thought I was knitting on a 10.5 circ needle like the pattern called for, but no... I was using a size 10. And I knit tight anyway. So she held my hand through the decision to frog the body of the bag. It's a tough one for me (see #3 on my list here). But I did it. All the way down to the bottom of the bag. Then I realized that the size 11 circ needle I was going to start back up with (yes, I'm going larger!) is too long - it's a 29" circ, and there's no way the bag will space out over 29 inches. So I get to go and buy a new circ needle today. The bag is currently resting on some size 7 dpns. Here it is before I frogged it.

I didn't get too far, thankfully. I love this colorway! The purple color going from the green to the dark purple is... forgive me for waxing poetic... is like a cool mist. So beautiful!

On a good note - I did finish the body of my needles case. I wanted to wait until the Booga Bag was done to felt them both together, but I don't know if I can wait that long. Now onto my first cables!

10 on Tuesday

2007-05-08T08:40:00.000-04:00

This is a good one, Yano! I wish this was happening in a couple weeks, though, when I can actually reveal a big secret to the world... in the meantime, satisfy yourselves with this...

10 Things Most People Don't Know About You

1. I can sing 2 tones at one time. This is not a common thing - the only other people I know of that can do this are a group of monks in Tibet. I do not sound pretty when I do this - I used to freak out my roommates when I did it (we were all music majors).

2. I hate deep water. There are too many unknowns involved - do you really know what's under you? Do you really know how you would survive if something happened to you out on the ocean?

3. I am a perfectionist, but sometimes my desire for a complete project outweighs my desire for perfection. Take my knitting - when I make a mistake, I do not always go back to correct it. A lot of times, I want to hold a complete item in my hand more than I want to hold a perfect item. Hopefully this will change as I gain more experience in knitting - but it's been this way all my life with other things, too.

4. I want to be famous one day.

5. I make a really mean artichoke dip. Not many people around here know this yet. But I'm convinced that's why I used to get invited places... "Let's invite Leigh - maybe she'll bring her artichoke dip!"

6. I have a really good memory. Frighteningly good. I'll pretend to forget things so I don't freak people out.

7. When I go on a plane, I have to touch the plane (on the outside, when you board) and say a prayer. Otherwise, I freak out the entire flight.

8. I get obsessed easily. One day it's cloth diapers, the next it's making everything from scratch. The good thing is that I usually carry over my obsession into my life so aspects of it are continued... therefore, I still recycle, make things from scratch, am still thinking about cloth diapering, and I'm still knitting!!!

9. My first concert was the New Kids On The Block. I was in 6th grade, people!

10. I used to think I would never marry and never have kids. I used to think I was better off that way.

It's not working the way I thought it would...

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

I thought it would be a wonderful idea to knit a Yoga bag for a friend after recycling a sweater for the yarn.

First of all, look at the beautiful Namaste Yoga mat bag pattern from Knitty that I found. I decided I need to knit one for me, too, because it's so beautiful. And look at how pretty the sweater looked before I started to unravel it (this is a close-up of the left-over turtleneck - the rest, well, keep on reading).

Now, look at the yarn when the sweater is unravelled. Completely shredded. I can't knit anything with that. I'm so sad - it's such a pretty color. I went ahead and bought some beautiful K1C2 Cotonade in Moss from Discount Yarn Sale to make a bag up for my friend. Too bad her birthday's tomorrow. I've already let her know it will be a late gift!

So I haven't had too much time to knit. Who could knit with this going on?

This is actually a good face. He stuffed almost a whole half of a banana in his mouth, and while I'm hysterically laughing and trying to find the camera, he starts "smiling for the camera" by schrunching up his eyes. It's a wonder I get anything done during the day!

And then, when Hubby's home, I get to watch him teach Big Boy about his magic super-powers. I think the Bare-chested Kung Fu Big Boy almost has it down!

I am still knitting on the Sidewinder bag and my needles case. Still knitting...

10 on Tuesday

2007-05-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Yano.... This one's a hard one for me, since I'm not a political person... I hope I can come up with 10.

10 Political Figures, and What You Think of Them

1. George W. Bush: I have a hard time knowing what to think about W. As a Christian, I admire a lot of what he stands for, and I am thankful that he is a believer. I do think that there could have been a lot done differently, though, especially regarding Iraq. As a person, he seems like a nice guy - kind of a neighbor-type.

2. Eric Motley: "Who?" you might ask? He's a guy who I went to college with - I swear he will be president one day. Last thing I heard, he has worked in both the Clinton and Bush administrations (is that possible?). An over-achiever in the nicest sense of the word, he is also just a really nice guy.

3. Zell Miller: Governor of Georgia during part of my childhood. I always thought it was really cool there was a fellow "Miller" as governor. Since this was a part of my childhood, I don't know how he performed as governor, or what he stood for. I just thought it was cool.

4. Newt Gingrich: Also a part of my childhood in Georgia. When I started to be more aware politically, I remember being embarrassed that he represented Georgia in Congress.

5. Napoleon: Short, French, self-proclaimed emperor. I remember thinking he was funny in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and hating him in Les Miserables. I think anyone who had such a huge power trip and the means to wreck a country is very dangerous.

6. Al Gore: I felt bad for him when he ran against GWB, because he just looked like a stick in the mud. I do admire him for his environmental work. And for the internet. Thanks, Gore!

7. Barak Obama: I just read his book The Audacity of Hope. I really like him and what he said in the book. I would like for him to be president.

8. Hillary Clinton: I don't like her. Period. I felt very sorry for her when the whole Bill/Monica thing was going on, but now she's not even a woman anymore. She's... I don't know - I don't like her.

9. Mark Warner: I don't know what he represented as a governor of Virginia, but I like him, personally. One of his daughters was in my mother-in-laws 4th grade class while he was a governor, and my MIL always told very nice stories about him. I think he's a nice person.

10. Colin Powell: I think he should run for president one day.

OK, that's 10 - and I think that was stretching it. I'm sorry for the superficial thoughts... That's what happens when you ask a sleepy mom of a toddler to think politics!

Organized at last!

2007-04-30T16:25:00.000-04:00

Oh, the joy of getting organized! I feel like I could knit up my entire (measly) stash right now just because it's all laid out and pretty....

We were going to be getting rid of this computer armoire, since we moved our computer into the den (how in the world can a family of 3 out-grow a home in under a year? oh, yeah, I'm a pack-rat). But with Hubby's lament that "It's a shame to get rid of such a nice piece of furniture" and my... hmmm, how to say it? ...my absolute inability to even move due to the squalor in our home (again, my fault. I cannot work on sewing, knitting, planting a garden, organizing a swap meet, and gathering for a garage sale at the same time. The mess it creates is unspeakable). So Hubby was kind enough to help me move the behemoth out of the guest room and into the living room.

Look at how pretty it looks closed!

I am insanely jealous of Trillian42 of Katydid Knits... look at what she did! Jealous on so many levels.... I have an Ikea Expedit bookcase already, but it houses my enormous book collection. No room whatsoever for yarn. On top of it looking like she has an entire craft room, she has so much yarn!!! drool.... my yarn stash looks itty-bitty in comparision... but I'm working on it!

I finished my dad's iPod sock in a day. He opened it up, and said, "Um, a sock!" At least he got that part right!

Now I'm unravelling a sweater. I had a brainstorm to knit a yoga mat bag for a good friend... her birthday is this week! And of course I'm just starting today.... (What's up with me and knitting with short deadlines? Think ahead, self!!!)... I hope to use the existing turtleneck as the top of the bag. I'll post pics when it's all unravelled.

Tons of pictures....

2007-04-25T14:17:00.000-04:00

My camera and my computer finally decided they would start talking again. Thanks, guys. So nice of you.

OK - here are the pics of the Paris Loop. Let's get the ugly pics over with first. And then we'll move on to the happy yarn stash pics.

If anyone has any kind words to say, or a story about a project gone wrong, it would make me feel better. Really. I have yet to see on any other blogs someone admitting a complete failure.

Too big. In every aspect. Bulky, heavy, and droopy. See the back? See how I would have to walk around with my arms out like an old-school Barbie just to keep the thing on me? See how the camera hates to take pictures of it?

So sad. I thought adding in the black Patons Pooch would be a good thing. It wasn't. The Pooch just didn't show the alternating knit and purl stripes, so I felt like it needed something more. More is not always better.

I'm glad my next couple of projects are felted bags. I need the encouragement of a successful knit.

The Sidewinder Bag

It has begun!

Knitting with 4 skeins.... this is not something I will be knitting with the Big Boy around. One quick grab from him, and I can see myself in tears.

I just think it's so pretty already!

I was worried about the increases right off the bat, and I will admit that the edges aren't too neat. But I'm still learning - and this will be felted! I was also worried about the vertical changing of colors - but see how nicely it's working out on the WS? Love love love it.

New Additions to My Yarn Stash

I bought this with the thoughts of making this cute little cardigan for my new niece due in August. (and isn't the little girl in the photo adorable? Big Boy ran up to the computer smiling when I had her pic up on the screen!)Oooo, I love to make things for little girls!

But then I saw this adorable Baby Yoda Sweater. And now I'm torn. I actually have enough of the Cotton Ease to make 2 of the Yoda sweaters. So I think I might go with that.

What do you think?

Dishclothes, anyone? I've never made any, and I actually thought at one point, "Who would want to make their own dishclothes?" Then I started thinking that it would be pretty cool to be able to make exactly what I want. So I bought this little stash to be able to knit whenever I want to. And I think I really want some towels.

This is my first Noro purchase. It's for my latest KAL, the Booga Bag. So pretty! Any wonder it took me 30 minutes to select a colorway?

I bought this beautiful SoyWool Stripes to make a hat for the above mentioned new niece.

OK - I feel much better now that I'm caught up with the pictures. Next time, maybe we'll talk books.

10 on Tuesday

2007-04-24T13:24:00.000-04:00

Thanks again to Yano...

Top 10 Things You Like to Do Alone

1. Knit.
2. Sing.
3. Read.
4. Drive.
5. Shop.
6. Exercise.
7. Clean.
8. Cook.
9. Nap.
10. Cry.

Wow, that was harder than I thought it would be. There are a lot of things that I do when I'm alone, but I don't necessarily like to do them alone.

I did it.

2007-04-23T13:52:00.000-04:00

So I finished the Paris Loop on Saturday. I did it. Almost. I finished it when we got home from the concert.

I wouldn't have worn it even if I had finished it before we left. I have no pics to show (my camera is not being recognized by the computer right now - grrrr... technology!!!). But as soon as I can, I will post the pics, and you will see why. So disappointing. I'm a big girl anyway, and my fear was that I would look like a large bear in it. But this? Sigh - swatching for gauges really must work. Remember this for next time, self.

The positive side: Pink Martini ROCKS! Oh, so much fun! I wanted to get up and dance, but first, that would've scared Hubby, and second, the 4 blisters I got on my feet from walking 5 blocks to dinner and back were preventing me. I must have all their music so I can dance to it while knitting. Oh, yes... and while cleaning the house.

Also, we ate at the delish Edo's Squid, which, much to Mom and Dad's delight, did not include squid. And our server had a squid tattooed on his arm. I wonder if he was Edo....

And I DID take something handmade along... my beautiful felted bag. It was dying for a night out on the town. So I gave it one.

My next project is the sidewinder bag from Pick Up Sticks. Another felted bag - I'm in heaven. I need something to hold necessities in when I go to the playground with the Big Boy - you know, crackers, juice bottle, wipes.... you know, the necessities. Won't this be perfect? It was my first purchased pattern. I can't wait!

My super-sock-knitting friend wants to do the Booga bag for our next KAL. Another felted bag? Sign me up! And look what else I found! TECHknitting. I love it.

Knitting with a deadline!

2007-04-19T12:45:00.000-04:00

Someone guessed right! I'm doing a shawl/stole thingy: Stefanie Japel's Paris Loop.

I can guarantee you mine will not look like that. Heck, look at the yarn differences! But here's the back story...

As I was finishing up the KAL, my mom called me to remind me that hubby and I were to go with them (my parents) to a symphony pops concert Saturday night (April 21). (Cool. I haven't gone to the symphony in a while. I miss it. But that's a different story...) When we get off the phone, what's the first thing to run through my head? "What am I going to wear?" After a quick mental inventory of my closet, during which I discover that, of course, I have nothing to wear, another thought runs through my head... "I wonder if I could knit a sweater before then."

When I picked myself up off the floor after the bout of hysterical laughter, I thought, "Well, there has to be something I can knit to wear before then!" So off I run to Glampyre Knits and saw the Paris Loop.

It's really an easy knit - when I can find the time. I'm running away this afternoon... my monthly scrapbooking group is meeting and I'm going to rebel and knit. No scrapbooking - only knitting! I'm so excited for 5 hours of uninterrupted knitting, I'm about to pee in my pants. Hopefully this will help me knock the thing out.

We'll see how it turns out - I hope I don't feel like the yarn is tacky after I finish the whole thing. I'd really like to wear a piece I've knitted. sigh....

I heart felting

2007-04-18T15:20:00.000-04:00

I knew I was going to love it. I knew it. It appeals to all my... well, I was going to say my Type A personality traits... but I'm not sure why that is. Maybe because it's all tight and clean-looking - and it covers up any mistakes I make.

Whatever the reason... I do love it. I want to felt everything. Everything.

Here's the finished product. She's so BEE-YOO-TI-FUL!

The buttonhole handles are a little wonky. See? The top of the bag is tighter than the top of the button hole, so the bottom of the handle kind of waves. That's OK. I'll still carry her until my dying day. Even hubby was impressed. I asked him if I could knit him something someday, and he said yes, as long as it wasn't tacky. Me, do anything tacky? Who does he think he's talking to?

So I started something new. Can you guess what it is?

Let me know if you need hints. It's being knitted with Patons Pooch yarn, which is on sale sale for cheap cheap at Michael's.

10 on Tuesday

2007-04-17T10:09:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Yano for the topic today:

10 Idols/Heroes When You Were a Kid

1. My mom!
2. Wonder Woman. 'nuff said
3. Jem (as in Jem and the Holograms). I so wanted her rocker hair - and of course to be a rocker myself, doncha know!
4. Heman - I was not so much a Shera girl. Heman was where it was at.
5. Michael J. Fox - I love love loved him. And I was crushed when I found out I was taller than him in the 4th grade.
6. Ralph Macchio. Love love loved him too.
7. Superman/Lois Lane. I put Lois in here with Superman, because I always wanted to be her. Just to get to Superman, you know.
8. Jonathan Knight. I liked him because he seemed shy. Turns out he was shy. I was the only one of my friends who liked him, so I got all their Jonathan pics.
9. Miss George, my kindergarten teacher. I always thought she was so beautiful and nice.
10. The Beatles. Can I do a whole group for one choice? They have been a favorite band ever since I have my first memories of music.

Part one: done

2007-04-16T12:24:00.000-04:00

Ain't she a beaut?!? Love love love it! I did finish it up on Saturday, just before bed. I didn't get to felt it yesterday (after church I got a massage, so I was pretty worthless for the rest of the day), and I won't be felting it today either. My book club is coming over tonight and the house has to be cleaned. NOW. Shudder...

But as I procrastinate, I would like to share with you again how much I love this bag. And the pattern was super easy - so be expecting them as gifts, people. That is, if the felting turns out OK.

On to the cleaning blitz!!!

My first felted bag begins!

2007-04-14T18:32:00.000-04:00

We got the word that everyone in our KAL got their yarn, so it was go time! Someone got antsy and started early (JUST KIDDING! we had an April 1 start date, so it was fair game!), but I think we are all going to be working on it this weekend. Starting, working, and finishing it! It's a quick knit... the sz 15 needles will do that, I guess!

I figured I better take some pics while it's OTN before I finish it. And I'm really liking the Lamb's Pride Worsted. It's so snuggly and soft.

So far on this bag I've done KFB, SSK, Pick Up and Knit, and M1. All of which I've never done before! I'm also excited about the Button Hole handles - I only have a couple more rows to do before I get to that.

I love these colors together. They are so rich! I'm going to use the green along the top edge as well.

I've also learned that not all yarn is color-fast, and that cloth adhesive bandages are especially prone to picking up color. Nice.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to finish 'er up and felt my first object!

Interesting fact

2007-04-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

"Fact of the day" from How Stuff Works:

Quicksand is rarely deeper than a few feet. It can occur almost anywhere if the right conditions are present. Quicksand is basically just ordinary sand that has been so saturated with water that the friction between sand particles is reduced. The resulting sand is a mushy mixture of sand and water that can no longer support any weight.

I find this very reassuring. Very reassuring. Just in case I ever come across quicksand.

Knitting a new headband. Not a fan of the yarn again... Lion Brand Magic Stripes. In Denim Stripes. I think my disappointment in the Micro Spun yarn is carrying over to all Lion Brand yarns. Not good, I know. Anyone have any favs from Lion Brand they can share? I just need a little encouragement that it will all be OK. The Magic Stripes is much softer in the skein than it is being knit up.

I'm working on some new stuff for the blog in Adobe Photoshop. Now if only I could figure out how to get it into the template. I'll have to ask my brother to help... it's always nice to have a computer genius in the family. What do you think about this for the title box?

I had it in the title box for a while, but the other title was still in there, too.... Help, brother-mine! Help!!!

First FO! (at least, since the scarves!)

2007-04-10T10:10:00.000-04:00

Here it is! The completed headband... finally! So it was just under a week of sporatic knitting from start to finish. Not bad, not bad...

The needles case is still an UFO... Now I'm knitting away at that until all the KAL knitters are a go.

I've been finding all of these awesome sites online, and it's so hard to tear me away from the computer right now! My little mind is just spinning with all the possibilities out there - all the yarn, all the patterns, all the little doo-dads I need, all the other knitters who are a riot and who have been there before me... I've added a lot of them to my lists to the right. Check them out!

Frustration!

2007-04-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

Hubby, son, and I headed out of town this past weekend for Easter... Oh, yes, Happy Easter (belated - though it's never too late to celebrate His resurrection!)! Here's a happy Easter pic, courtesy of my son and his excitement in learning that plastic Easter eggs can hold amazingly yummy treats, especially when they are at Gam's house.

My thoughts as I'm heading out the door, 15 month-old son in tow... "This will be such a nice weekend to work on my knitting... all the in-laws will be around to help watch the big boy, and I'll be able to kick back and enjoy myself...." Oh, how dreams can be smashed - and in so many different ways!

The first hint I had that things would be going terribly wrong: I am literally walking out the door with my son on one arm, 23 bags on the other, and I hear, "clink!" as I am heading down my porch steps. Since I cannot yet physically bend down and pick up anything with a squirming child in my arms, I sighed and made a mental note. No note needed. After strapping the still-squirming child into his carseat, I headed back to lock up the house (another thing I cannot yet physically do in the same circumstances). There, on my front porch, was a knitting needle, glistening in the sun. Sigh... I picked it up and trotted back to the car, where I was going to lay the needle nicely next to the headband project I had high hopes of finishing this weekend.... Oh, the horror to find out it was not the non-working needle that just slipped out of my bag - it was the working needle that was supposed to be still on my project!!! Or rather, on which my project was still supposed to be!!! Foreshadowing....

The other frustrations started rolling in... who do children talk to about behaving in public? Make that misbehaving in public. My normally jolly and very easy-going son apparently has been talking to someone who told him how much fun it was to watch mom and dad squirm when he goes crazy in public. Even more so in front of extended family.

I did get to knit... though my heart wasn't really into it. It's hard to get engrossed in a project when every other row you have to put the needle down and run after a child. It's also hard when said child runs up and grabs your knitting project with his death-like grip and says "MINE!" It's hard to wrestle it back out of his clutches, too.

So here's the progress I was able to make on my headband. I've modified it quite a bit from the original - instead of one solid loop, I started decreasing and ended the first end in an I-cord so I can tie it together instead of just slipping it on. However, I have learned the importance of writing down your mods as you make them, because now I'm trying to recreate what I did for the other end. I'm treating this as a trial/sample piece - I know I'll be wearing it, but it's not a pretty thing at this point. I'm finishing the 2nd end from the cast-on row, so it's not pretty at all.

Plus, this Lion Brand Micro-Spun! Grrr! See previous post, and comments about the yarn. I'm in agreement with Eileen - I like the finished fabric it makes (it's so soft!), but I won't be working with this again. I've got snags galore (see pic), and it's just so frustrating! Too bad I bought several skeins....

Onto another topic - my KAL! Hopefully everyone doing the KAL will have their yarn soon, and we can begin. I also just bought a wireless printer server so I can beam the pattern to my printer and get my hands on some actual paper. I like to see patterns online, but when it comes time to work one, I need it in front of me all the time. Plus, I'm sure I'm going to find out something rather important that I need to write on it - like if I need to modify it at all.

It? So, what is IT? Here's the Mason Dixon Buttonhole Bag I'm doing with some moms from my mom's group, RichmondMommies.com. And here are the colors I'm knitting it in. I'm kind of keeping to the colors in the picture of the pattern, but I think I'm going to throw some stripes in for good measure. I love the richness of the peacock blue, and of course, and anything green... I love love love green!

Wow - That's a lot of pics for one little post. Now I'm off to figure out dinner!

WIP - continued...

2007-04-03T18:57:00.000-04:00

I took a better picture of the leaf green in the sun... isn't it pretty? This is a much better representation of the actual color. I love the ribbing detail on the edges. I wonder how that will look when it's felted! I can't wait to have my needle case done. All of my needles are knocking around my bag, and I discovered that I have 2 sets of size 8s and 2 size 11s. A needle case would solve all of that. And then onto something to hold my circs!

When I was looking up the advanced techniques last night on KnittingHelp (you remember - the video help that corrected my knit stitches!), I was looking for help on YO. I know - you're thinking, hello... yo? sweetie, that's anything but advanced! But the pattern I was looking at had 2 YOs in row, and I just wanted to make sure I was doing it right. After I made sure my "new and improved" - er... I mean, corrected knit stitch had stuck in my tired brain, I jumped into a headband pattern that I decided I needed to do ASAP. I'm adapting it a bit, since I don't need to hold an iPod or anything in my hair.

See, my hair is absolutely driving me crazy (that's a story for a whole other blog), and I decided that the only thing I can do right now is ponytails with headbands. At least until I figure out what else to do. And since I only have one headband, of course I needed to knit one for myself right now. Right now.

I was on my way to Hancock Fabrics anyway, so I picked up some Lion Brand Microspun - in multiple colors - to make all of the headbands I want/need. Has anyone else worked with this? First of all, it is super soft... feels so nice... and the price was right, too. But right away, this happened. I was trying to pull the end out of the middle to start. I wound up with spaghetti. hmmm.... Then knitting with it - it's not the easiest. The strands keep separating. Am I doing something wrong? I don't think I am... but then I thought I was knitting correctly, too (ok - that's enough about that).

Ok ok ok - LOOK AT THIS! I went to Lion Brand's homepage to get the links for the above paragraph, and I found a dream project. Add this one to the list! I'm a bag-a-holic anyway (just ask DH).... and this one's a beaut!!! And the pattern says it's easy! Whoohoo!

Back to the headband. I'm so proud of myself with this one. This is the first thing I've ever done that is more than just knit or purl. It's such a pretty pattern.... maybe one day I'll be able to come up with a pattern that makes such pretty stitches. As I knit this one, I am amazed at the skill it takes to figure out a couple YOs and a couple k2togs will make a beautiful twist in the yarn and will turn out to be perfect holes. So nice....

My current WIP

2007-04-02T08:53:00.000-04:00

I am so excited about felting. I had no idea you could do such wonderful things with wool! Over half of the projects I want to knit are felted. My current WIP (work in progress) is a needle case for my growing collection of knitting needles... and of course, it's felted!!! It's a beautiful free pattern from Berroco...

I am knitting the felted body in Patons Classic Wool Merino in a great leaf green color. The cables (gasp... cables!) will either be in an orange or a cream, and I think I'm going to add some felted flowers to the outside in the color I don't pick for the cables. What do you think of the color?
(note to self: this is why all the pics you see online are taken in full sun. duh!) I'll take a better pic tomorrow during the day.

So tonight, I headed over to www.knittinghelp.com to look up some "advanced techniques" for a headband I want to start on ASAP. Since I just discovered I am a Continental knitter (I never knew there was a difference!), I thought I'd take a look at some of her videos on the different styles of knitting. ummmm.... I was doing it wrong! Not even just the Continental style - I was actually doing more of a Combined style... I was wrapping the working yarn around the needle the wrong way! So all my stitches were turned the wrong way!!! I am so thankful I found this out before I started doing fancy stuff. Apparently, I would've been up the creek.... but it wasn't easy to admit to myself. So it's a big step for me to admit it here. Not that anyone's reading yet. I started doing it right, and it feels good - I don't think this will be too hard for me to change. In fact, I think at one point I used to do it right. But when I picked knitting back up after not doing it for a long time, I think I "remembered" it wrong. Geez!

I'm so excited!

2007-04-01T15:29:00.000-04:00

So as I am surfing around and hitting all these great knitting sites, I notice that a lot of them are blogs. A light bulb goes off.... my dear hubby is not as enthralled with my new hobby as I am, so why not share it with others (or no one, if no one finds my page!) who are!

I've knitted for years - just scarves, though. It never went further. I even taught some friends how to knit - scarves. But then I discovered that this great group of moms that I talk to online has some knitters... and they showed me a whole 'nuther world! Until I started talking with them, I thought knitting was... how to say it... still really for... old women. I'm so sorry - I really am! Since I knew only scarves, I thought everything else out there was way too hard, and that it was the domain of... well, you know. Thanks to my mom friends, specifically the one who asked for a charity knit item, I was able to break out of my preconceived notions. I picked up some dpns and knitted a cap!!! YES!!! Then, I picked up some circs and knitted another cap! I am on a roll!

Now I'm hooked. Looking at all the gorgeous fitted patterns from sites like www.glampyreknits.com and getting lost on www.knittingpatterncentral.com, I've amassed a list of dream projects - projects that I must knit! I've started a tiny yarn stash, and I even bought some patterns to work on too! I am on a roll - I am unstoppable!

So I didn't take a good pic of my charity knit cap - I won't be posting the one pic I did take of it. But I adapted a couple of patterns to create my second cap - a great project that taught me how to make I-cords! Here's a pic of of it from the top (my son is modeling it):

I gave this hat as a gift at a baby shower this weekend, and was floored by the positive response. I mean, yes, I thought it was cute - but would anyone else? Yes! I am completely hooked.

Next time... my WIP and my first ever KAL!!!