Kickin' stash butt, and takin' stash names!

Well, in an effort both to save money and decrease the amount of unused crapola I have in my life, I have been visiting my yarn stash on a regular basis, hoping to find yarn to use up. As other knitters know, there is sometimes a disconnect between the patterns we want to knit and the yarn we already own. I have been trying to bridge that gap- I knit two secret items for Christmas presents out of yarn I already had, and for Yankee Swap items, I have done a couple of quickie novelty yarn scarves. Nothing unusually exciting, unless you consider the fact that the above projects effectively removed about 7 balls of yarn from my life, and will bring joy to someone else's! Yee haw!

And for the most exciting stashbusting news, I do believe I have finally found a purpose for some off white worsted weight yarn that I have been saving for just the right aran knit sweater, since I bought it in approximately 1995. That is some ancient yarn in my book, considering that is just about the time I reached back into the recesses of my mind, dragged out the rudimentary knitting skills my mom taught me when I was a wee one, and started kicking major sweater knitting ass! I must say, I have pored over knitting books and patterns looking for just the right sweater, and even considered trying to design one myself... but it just never happened. I will not stop looking, but in the meantime, am going to repurpose the yarn for this: Starsky from Knitty! I had noticed the pattern when it first came out, but forgot about the yarn I already had. Now, I hope it turns out well. I won't start it until after all of the open houses, jewelry parties and so on... but at least I'll have something "extraspicy" (according to the Knitty rating scale) to work on over Christmas vacation! ANnnnnd, I'll be one step closer to destroying another lump in my yarn stash!
Oh, Cece and I did decide that the true destashing attempts won't start until AFTER we go to the Webs holiday sale after Christmas... there must always be a "Webs holiday sale loophole"... it seems only fair.
So, I put up my Christmas tree yesterday, and it looks fabulous, if I do say so myself...

For those of you who have not been privvy to my explanation, I feel that someday, I may very well live under the same roof with someone who thinks that a pink and white tree is completely unacceptable... so I'm getting it out of my system right now! And last year. And, with the way that my dating life is going, possibly for several (maybe many) years to come. MEN: STOP BEING FREAKS, PLEASE! It's just a thought. But really, I think it's a good thought, and you should really consider it.

General Woolgathering

Well, I got home from work today and promptly fell asleep for almost 3 hours. So it goes on Fridays, it seems. So, even after waking up, I find myself feeling fairly dazed, daydreamy, and generally not completely with it. This might not be good if I were operating heavy machinery, but it definitely allows the mind to wander all over the place.

So, over the past couple of months, I have been pondering the fact that my collection of crafting supplies continues to grow, no matter how many crafts I complete. I am not totally sure what the actual solution to this is... I don't think I've ever met a crafter who does not have this problem. However, I have been thinking about either starting or joining some sort of post-holiday "UFO-along" or a "stashbuster - along", with the idea that new supplies would not be purchased, other than perhaps materials needed to complete a project with materials already owned. For example, I have a sweater's worth of super bulky yarn, and I'm pretty sure I don't have the right needles to knit with. Therefore, under said 'along', I would be allowed to buy the needles. And, I was thinking that after the holidays would be a good time to pull out unfinished projects and... well... actually finish them!
So, that's what I"ve been thinking about. Now, we will see if it actually happens.

Another No Picture Post

Ohhhhh, this is KILLING me! I have been slaving away, making things for Christmas gifts of all types- straight up gifts, Secret Santa gifts, and Yankee Swap gifts. And, due to the fact that people I know and like (and therefore may very well be receiving gifts) look at my blog, I can't post the pictures until after Christmas! I will say this: I have been staying up LATE trying to get things finished. Alas, you will all have to wait another 2 1/2 weeks to see the results!

Last year at this time, I had a craft show every weekend. I was so tired and stressed, I ended up getting shingles, and got sick a lot all winter. Things are a little more low key this year, but I still feel like there is so much to do- send out Christmas cards, tidy up my place and put up the tree, and so on. I want to host a holiday open house, and am doing a couple of jewelry parties... it is a festive time, but sometimes I just feel so pressured, ya know?

Despite the pressure, I am trying to remember the things I'm happy about in my life, particularly the biggest change, which is the new job I started this fall. I am in a new school, and like the environment/ atmosphere much more than where I was last year. It is a much better fit than where I was last year. I am seeing kids for individual counseling, and do a lot more therapeutic work instead of crowd control and babysitting. I went over to my old school yesterday to visit a student, and I must say that I did NOT miss it or yearn to be back there in the least! Some things happen for a reason, eh?

Well, enough of that... I'm going to be gettin' to that whole Christmas card thing. Every year, I consider writing a generic Christmas letter to enclose, but I haven't followed through yet. I'm assuming that this year will be the same...

'Tis a Christmas Miracle!

I do believe that I will be able to completely avoid having to leave my home to complete Christmas shopping. How, might you ask, is this possible? Well, you probably wouldn't ask at all, what with you being aware of the internet... but there's the thing- although I did do SOME of my shopping online, the rest of my gifts will be lovingly created by ME from the stores of my somewhat massive array of craft supplies! I am psyched! I was thinking that I might have to leave the house to get stocking stuffers, but I have also figured out a super sneaky solution to that issue, as well! To that end, I bring you a resounding huzzah!

I have one more miracle to report: I have NOT sneaked a peek at my amazon.com wish list to see whether any of my items have been purchased. The thought has certainly crossed my mind, and it is also quite true that I still need to hold out for almost 3 more weeks, but I'm doing my best.

Apologies for the lack of pictures. I am bursting at the seams to put up pics of the things I'm working on, but sadly, that must wait several more weeks so as not to ruin the surprise... and in the case of some of my knitting friends, the pics will have to wait even longer than that! I can hardly stand the suspense! EEEEEEE!

One of the things I'm good at is recognizing people's faces... well, people I've met, that is. Anyway, I went to a grocery store that I don't usually go to, because it's near the liquor store... I needed to get some red wine to make my stew with. (Beef stew. It was super duper delicious. But I digress.) I'm walking through the meat aisle, and I see a familiar face.... could it be... someone I went to high school with and haven't seen since our 1991 graduation??? Why, yes, it could be, and it was! I was flattered when she said I looked exactly the same... and seeing that I recognized her, she looked about the same, too! She had three lovely girls with her (her own, I ascertained), and lives nearby. What a small world it is!

Well, I am going to stare briefly at the awesome projects I've been working on, and then dream about them as I sleep.

Redemption!

Allow me to clarify through a brief pictorial:

Yesssss! I finally got up the nerve to try these again. So far, I have made this:
I guess the main impetus was that I'm taking a polymer clay class tomorrow morning, and I wanted to be wearing a little somethin' to be bragging about!
Yes, this post is brief, but it's really late and I am sleeeeeepy.

How did THAT happen?

How did it suddenly become December? November seemed significantly shorter than usual, didn't it? Not that I'm complaining, mind you, particularly because I don't think I have to leave the house at all to complete my holiday shopping... other than the stocking stuffers. Our family draws names and fills the stocking for another family member... sort of a secret Santa kind of thing. We then guess who was the person who filled our stocking. I can't write whose stocking I have, because most of my family reads my blog. However, my grandma doesn't, so I can post what I'm getting her (or rather, making her) for Christmas. A couple of years ago, I knitted her some socks that she wears as slipper socks around the house. She mused aloud that they were getting a bit worn, so I decided that was a heavy enough hint to start work on these, for which I already had some nice, soft, stretchy Cascade Fixation yarn:

Also, I managed to finish the socks I was previously working on! I am even wearing them right now. They rule.

Pattern: Cedar Creek by Blue Moon Fiber Arts
Yarn: Socks that Rock in Puck's Mischief , again by BMFA.
Needles: Double Point Susan Bates sock needles in sizes 1 and 0
Comments: I totally love working with this soft and beautiful yarn, except I do not like it when hand dyed yarns pool. That being said, I was too lazy to alternate knitting from opposite ends of the yarn, so I guess I brought part of the problem on myself, now, didn't I? As I may have previously mentioned, I also found a bit of an issue with the pattern- and I'll only restate this part of my complaint: If I am going to pay for a pattern, it clearly should have been test knitted, and it clearly should be nice, pretty, and symmetrical when knit up. It was not. Therefore, I am peeved. Peevish. Peevish may be one of the awesomest words ever. Additionally, I do realize that awesomest is not a word. Deal with it.

Cedar Creek

Well, I totally love the Cedar Creek sock pattern, and I am ADORING the Socks that Rock yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. The colorway, called Puck's Mischief, is not quite coming out right in the pics below...


I have started on sock #2. As has been common recently, I have a couple of complaints about the pattern. first off, it is a little unclear when to switch from the larger needles to the smaller ones, and vice versa. I feel like sock #1 fits just fine, so it is not that big a deal... but issue #2 is a little more significant to me: on the smaller size, once you turn the heel and start working the foot, the pattern is completely off center on the top of the foot and looks stupid... unless, of course, you are able to figure this out and change it on the fly. The 34 stitches across the top of the foot means that you are only knitting two of the six columns of the twist panel, which is ridiculous looking. Here is my feeling about this: if I am paying for a pattern, I want it to be right. I want it to have been test knit in ALL sizes, and I want it to work out right! Otherwise, why am I paying for the pattern???
Anyway, I have started with sock #2, but haven't gotten very far yet... holiday season jewelry making has taken precedent for the time being. I must say, however, that the sock yarn is exceedingly soft and nonscratchy. I am psyched, because I frequently find sock yarns to be scratchy. Yay! Go buy some now, but leave some for me!

Polymer Clay Pics!

Okay, Blogger is being agreeable today. Below, please gaze upon the AWESOME polymer clay tiles that I made a couple of weeks ago:

There, wasn't that awesome? Sorry about the blurriness, but so it goes. And, there is another 'so it goes' aspect to these tiles... this is a picture of them prior to being baked. Let's just say that the 'post' pictures are not QUITE the same... there was a 'toaster oven incident', which involved toxic fumes and burned clay. I was beside myself with unhappiness, for a multitude of reasons: First off,the tiles were really complicated to make, second, they were like the first good thing I ever made, and third, they turned out so derned great. However, I have made a new slab from which I can make very similar tiles, but have been scared to cut it out into pieces... and understandably so, says I!
Anyway, that's my update for today. Enjoy the weekend, all! At least in my neck of the woods, it is cool but sunny, and promises to be a lovely day.

What I've been up to

No good, people, no good! Well, that might not necessarily be true. However, here are some pics.

First up, the Urban Bubble Scarf from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Ain't it the coolest? This is made of their Kidmo yarn, which is the seriously soft, wonderful and beautiful yarn that I mentioned in my last post. The scarf is knit flat, and then the Japanese shibori method is used to alter the fabric. In this case, the kit came with a couple hundred wooden balls, which I snuggled into the flat fabric of the scarf and held them in place with rubber bands. Then, I tossed it into a zippered pillow case, then tossed THAT into Cece's washing machine on HOT a couple of times (and pretended not to be nervous), and, Hooray! Bubbles! I must say that it shortened a lot more than the pattern suggested that it would, but I had luckily made it a lot longer than the pattern suggested I should, so it all worked out for the best. Ain't it cute? (I did create a rotated picture, but Blogger did not like it and angrily refused to accept it. Dumb Blogger.)Next, my first Merino Lace Sock. At some point, I will order another skein of it, and another skein of the not quite matching ball... but not yet. I have included a top and side view. I liked knitting this first sock a lot- there are three different, interesting panels of 12 rows- not unusually memorizable, which kept it interesting.
I think you can kind of see how the pattern from the front is repeated down the back of the leg and down the heel. It is totally cool.

And today, I did some very exciting and fun stuff at my friend Kathy's house. She is blogless, so her name is not highlighted. Kathy is the queen of making interesting and beautiful crafts, and owns every craft thing imaginable. She is my polymer clay benefactress- she decided she wasn't interested in polymer clay any more, so she gave me all of her clay, tools, and everything. It was awesome. (as a side note, I will photograph some of the stuff I've been doing with that at some point. Fer sure.) So anyway, she recently set herself up with lampworking and precious metal clay stuff- the works. So she invited a few people over today to have a play day! I made a couple of lampwork glass beads, although my first (and most awesome) one exploded. These things happen in life. I saved the pieces, but it is not much to see at this point! I also made a couple of things with the precious metal clay, and here is a finished pendant that I made, strung with some nice beads. The silver polished up so shiny that it was hard to get a picture of, so I have a 'bright' and a 'dull' picture below:
The bright picture shows the accurate color, but the dull picture shows the detail on the pendant. The silver is mixed in with clay, so you can roll it out, stamp it and cut it to your heart's content, as long as you work fast- it dries out very fast. Then, you fire it in the kiln, polish it up, and bam. Pendant! The other thing that I made is currently in an 'emergency... how do I fix it" state. I choose not to say any more than that at this point.

So, I have tried six times now to include some pics of some of my polymer clay stuff, but again, Blogger is being a poophead. Growl. Well, eventually, it will work out.

Meme- first ever!

Okay, I decided to finally give a Meme a try. I got it from Cece's blog. You're supposed to use one word answers, which will probably be a challenge for me...

1. Yourself: silly
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): huh?
3. Your hair: fluffyish
4. Your mother: friend
5. Your Father: strong
6. Your Favorite Item: bed
7. Your dream last night: weird!
8. Your Favorite drink: cold
9. Your Dream Car: paid-for
10. The room you are in: studio?
11. Your Ex: who knows???
12. Your fear: alienation
13. What you want to be in 10 years? 43!
14. Who you hung out with last night? friends
15. What You're Not? rested
16. Muffins: warm
17. One of Your Wish List Items: raise!
18. Time: plentiful
19. The Last Thing You Did: phoned
20. What You Are Wearing: J Crew...
21. Your Favorite Weather: breezy
22. Your Favorite Book: **brain freeze!*** (too many)
23. The Last Thing You Ate: cookie!
24. Your Life: mellow
25. Your Mood: sleeeeeepy
26. Your best friend: sister
27. What are you thinking about right now? headache
28. Your car: Civic
29. What are you doing at the moment? Duh!!!
30. Your summer: footloose!
31. Your relationship status: (see #2, jackass!)
32. What is on your TV? nothing
33. What is the weather like? Arctic!
34. When is the last time you laughed? Recently.

Okay, I didn't do a great job of sticking to the one word thing, but I did my best. I mean, this is me we're talking about. I can TALK. I guess I'm not as talkative as the girls in my knitting class (holy smokes!), but I can hold my own against the average talker. No one but another 5th grade girl can compete with a 5th grade girl, I promise you!

I sleep now.

I am weak. So weak.

But seriously- how was I to resist??? I didn't mention it IMMEDIATELY upon receiving the package, but I was afraid if I did, I would start knitting IMMEDIATELY, and drop my current sock project. I managed to last just over 24 hours.
What, might you ask, am I talking about? I received my package from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, which contained some very delicious yarn.I must confess that so much time has elapsed since I started writing this email that the parenthesized part to follow is seriously out of date:

Outdated typing to follow:(Yes, yes. some of the yarn is already wound into balls. Lovingly wound. Into soft, fluffy, heavenly, wonderfull puffs of yarn. Seriously, folk(s), the mohair is not only fabulously soft, but the color changes are like nothing I've ever worked with before. So, I only lasted a FEW hours before I wound the yarn into balls, but I lasted until Friday night before I started to knit it up. The final project will still be a mystery until completion, and no fair trying to figure it out! (Insert menacing grimace here)
Okay, now the outdated part is over. So, anyway, while I was trying to avoid playing with the mohair yarn, I managed to do a decent amount of knitting on my current sock project, the merino lace socks. I will someday include a picture.

I am enjoying the pattern, but found a nitpicky little 'error' in the chart: the "V" stands for 'sl 1 purlwise wyif", but it really ought to also say 'sl 1 kwise wyib' on wrong side. If you don't, then you don't get the nice slipped stitch edge on one side of the heel flap; instead, you get a mess. Luckily, I figured it out pretty quickly. I'm all about patterns being super specific- if it's a pattern, I expect to be doing just what the person tells me to do, unless I plan to lengthen the torso, which I sometimes have to do.
Anyway, this is one of those posts that I'm writing with the full intention of not posting it until there are pictures to be involved. So you will not even know that I have been keeping you in suspense! Buwahahahaha!

Rainbow Yarn 1; Amanda... moving on.

So, the rainbow yarn is giving me frustration. It is not a particularly stretchy yarn, and the Jaywalker pattern is not a very stretchy pattern. Attempt #1 yielded an unwearable sock, and so did attempt #2. There will someday be an attempt #3, but for now, I have decided to put that particular project on hold, and move on.
I have selected a pattern from the summer 2003 Interweave Knits, Merino Lace Socks by Anne Woodbury. It is a fairly involved lace pattern, with several panels of interest. The yarn is nice- Gedifra Fashion Trend Sportivo. Unfortunately, in a shopping frenzy at Webs, I picked up two slightly different balls of yarn! One has a purplish background, and one is sort of navy blue. We'll see how the 'pair' looks- if it is lame, I will order one more of each and make their pairs. If it works out, I'll just rock it! Tell me what you think from the picture- it's color # 5793 and #5707. They look even a little more similar in real life. I guess we'll see what happens! I'm only a few inches in, but will post a pic when things get a little more interesting.
In other news, I am feeling much better today; went back to work and everything. I'm not saying I DID much work, but I was TOTALLY there. I then hovered by the side door so I could RUN out to the car when the bell rang, because I agreed to go see Saw III with Cece for moral support, because I actually like horror movies, and the dudes from her work made her go. It was totally gross; I would recommend it if you like horrifyingly gross horror movies full of horror and horrible things. Later on, Cece called me to say, "That was scaaaaaary." I hope she doesn't have nightmares about having to saw her own leg off. That would be... horrible.
Well, back to KNITTING. Wheeee! (I wonder how many posts I've ended with "Whee". Just a thought.)

Sniffleupagus

That is my name for today. I felt a little worse this morning than I did yesterday morning, and knowing how cruddy I felt by the end of the day yesterday, I decided to sit this one out. However, there is no fever, so I will not be shivering under the covers all day, which is cool.
I forgot to mention yesterday that I received a package from J Crew last night, and have found my new favorite chinos- the Heritage Chino. What makes them so great? They are not super low cut, they are cut to assume that I have both a waist AND a booty, and they come in a 35" inseam. Long legs rule! My only regret is that they have stopped making any chinos in black! Now, I must re-start my quest for a washable work pant in black. Sigh. And we all know that they won't be at "Let's cut all of our waistbands so low that you don't actually have to take the pants OFF to use the bathroom". (Oh- also known as Gap) I am not sure whether any of my reader(s) have any suggestions, but they are welcome. Requirements: long inseam, not low waisted, generous in booty and thigh region, and NOT TAPERED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. That is all.
Last night, I also got a very exciting email from Blue Moon Fiber Arts that my package has shipped. What did I order? A groovy sock pattern that I coveted from Cece, (Cedar Creek) and some excellent sock yarn to accompany said pattern. And a secret surprise that you'll just have to wait and see! I am actually forgetting which sock yarn colorway I ordered, and in order to surprise myself, I am going to forego looking back at my order to figure it out. It will be like opening a present! Wheee!
Last night, I had a knitting incident that I did not capture on film- I have been knitting a pair of Jaywalkers out of some fabulous rainbow Regia sock yarn. I decided to try and knit them on size 0 needles, since I had to downsize the pattern on 1's for my skinny feet. However, in addition to using the 0's, I also appeared to be knitting more tightly than usual, and wound up turning the heel, trying them on, only to find that I have made my first ever too-tight pair of socks! I unravelled the partly completed unwearable item before snapping a picture. Too bad, so sad.
Hmm, what else. Last Saturday, I went to the opening of a new show at the Revolving Museum, and two of the jewelry pieces I have showing there got sold! One of the women who bought something asked for a matching pair of earrings, and I was only too happy to oblige. I whipped them up last night while sniffling unhappily on the couch. I hope she likes them.
I haven't bothered to peek through the blinds yet to see what's going on outside, but I hear it might be gross out. All the more reason not to look.

Yay for Stripes! Boo for sniffles!
Please gaze upon the latest completed project, blocking happily.
Project Details as follows:
Pattern: Rosedale United from Knitty, size 38
Yarn: My favorite, Noro Kureyon #95
Needles: Size 4 circular (pattern called for an 8- I'm such a loose knitter, it's embarrassing)
Comments: This was fun to knit, in part because I lurve the yarn, but also because it involved an intarsia rectangle. However, the pattern required some intuition- it was not always clear at all points. For instance, I knit the smallest size, and the pattern told me to continue with the intarsia rectangle, despite the fact that it would be cut off by the raglan sleeve decrease for that size. And, at another point, it told me to decrease every right side, even when you go from knitting back and forth to knitting in the round... you had to be wily enough to know that you should NOT begin decreasing every row, but continue to decrease every other row. There were several issues like that. Near the neck, I had been working in the round for quite some time, but the pattern had said to keep working back and forth, which made no sense to me. And it said to bind off stitches at the front of the neck rather than just short row-ing and picking up the live stitches later to work the turtlenecky part. There are more examples, but I do not care to continue with such trash talk, as I am happy with the results, and that is what matters.
Prior to blocking, I was a bit nervous- it appeared a bit tight, and I was having horrible visions of having to give it away to my sister for Christmas- she is a few inches shorter and is proportionately slimmer, and this sweater (in its pre-blocked state) would most certainly have been a good fit. However, as wool is apt to do, it blocked to Amanda Size quite nicely! Huzzah!
Oh, another thing- the pattern never even mentions what to do with the leftover live stitches at the armpit. I mean, duh, kitchener stitch them closed, but really. To leave that out? Most patterns even mention to weave in leftover stitches, which is a big 'duh', but they still SAY it! ARRRRGH! I have an editor inside of me, I know it for sure.
Okay, so now it is the time in my post where I begin to whine about part two of the post title: Miss Amanda has a stuffy nose. It is totally gross. And what do you need when you have a cold? Sleep. What can you not DO because of the stuffy nose? Yeah. Sleep. Oh, cruel fate. Thank goodness for sweet, sweet Nyquil. I took some last night and felt like I was awaking from a 15 year coma when the alarm went off. I won't even MENTION the amount of 'sleepies' I had to cut through to be able to open my eyes! (EWWWWW!) Sorry, had to be said. No, really, it did. Just accept it. Love me, love my lack of editing capabilities. OH, and to make things worse, I got the flu shot today and now my arm hurts a lot. Another thing that is annoying about this is that I wanted to go to yoga today, but my nose and arm were significant hindrances. No one wants to be in a 105 degree room with a girl who is not only sweating profusely, but is also blowing her nose and spreading germs... 105 degrees... talk about a breeding ground for cold germs! Plus, I definitely think that the whole not being able to lift my arm above my head would have been a problem.
So, if I post in the middle of the day tomorrow, you will know that the cold has taken a turn for the worse. The school nurse told me today, 'Oh my goodness, you look HORRIBLE!' Yeah, it WAS good for the ego. No,really, it was. I strive to look as horrible as possible on a fairly regular basis- that way, when I try to look good, everyone is blown away by my awesome beauty. Hmm. That might actually not be a bad strategy- I will attempt to put into practice "Operation Look Ugly Most of the Time So that When I Put On Makeup, All Will Bow To My Transformation"!
What is scary is that I haven't taken the Nyquil yet, and still these ideas are flowing out of me. Hmm.
Well, faithful reader(s), we have now reached the portion of the evening when Nyquil taking and tooth brushing shall commence. Wish me luck- either that I will wake up feeling refreshed and like a new woman, or that I will feel JUST enough worse than yesterday that I can justify staying home and watching Netflix movies and making jewelry. YESSSSS!

Yarntastic updates

So I have some yarnular news. First off, do read below this post- there are a couple of backdated posts that I never finished up, due to Blogger being a jerk. Call me scattered, call me disorganized... heck, call me Ishmael, if you wish...

Prior to the most recent project (cotton short sleeve sweater that is now awaiting blocking and seaming- yeah, don't hold your breath for completion OR a picture), I had genuinely been wanting to knit yet another item out of my favorite Noro Kureyon color. So, I decided not to wait any more!!!
Please witness the Kureyon fabulosity! I am making Rosedale United from Knitty. Please note the interesting intarsia rectangle! In the real pattern, it is a bit more to the side, but it's early and I'm in a hurry! In three more inches of the body, I get to connect the sleeves to the whole deal and begin the raglan shaping. Yayyy!
Now, when I first cast on for this, I believed that I only had eight balls of the necessary yarn left, and the pattern calls for nine. Then, the other day I was going through my giant sweater drawer, and I found... another ball! I held it up and cheered, as though there would be someone nearby to share in my glee... but I live alone, so said glee was really only enjoyed by me. So it goes.
This is the first time I have made an effort to match up the yarn- the sleeves match, and I have been matching up ends/ beginnings of skeins. Once, I came across a knot that caused a significant color change, and I pillaged the ball that's being used for the intarsia rectangle. I'm serious about the matching, folks!
After this project, I think I will finally be able to lay to rest my obsession with Kureyon #95. Of course, at some point, I will have to pick another color, but that is another post for another day...

ARRRRRGH!

I have just drafted a letter to the Reynolds Yarn Company via snail mail, as I couldn't find a website. I have been knitting with their lovely yarn, and yet am being driven crazy! The yarn is nice, but there are soooo many knots in each ball of yarn, I am losing my mind! The knots are the kind where the yarn has split in two- the kind of knot that if you just leave it there, it will undoubtedly give way at some point and your garment will explode. And since it's cotton, I can't just spit felt and keep knitting, I have to tink back to the beginning of the row and work as though I'm joining a new ball of yarn. Instead of having just a few ends to weave in, it will be a weaving bonanza at the end of the project. Arrrrgh.

Back to Basics

So, one of the first things I ever knit (after the weird, holey Barbie scarves) was cotton washcloths made out of the tried and true "Sugar & Cream" yarn. The colors have certainly improved over the years, and I recently cast on four stitches and started knitting the pattern (as I remembered it). Then, I thought to myself that the index card that the pattern was written on had been in my knitting bag for SO many years, that I probably still had it around. It literally took me about 35 seconds to find it (not in the knitting bag, but in a logical enough spot- my sewing pattern box). It is all yellow and the pattern is written down in my elementary school handwriting:

The rest of the pattern is on the back of the index card. And, of course, a shot of one of my ancient washcloths next to the new one. I notice that my knitting is looser now, but other than that, the knitting 'skill' seems about the same on this easy of an item:

Aah, nostalgia. Happy is me.

Crafty Updates

This week was the week of cancellations: the polymer clay class was indeed cancelled for Saturday, and my yoga class was cancelled tonight. That was a bit of a saga- first off, I drove up to NH right from work, so as not to get sucked into the vortex of the post-work nap. I went to Parlee Farms to buy some apples, then scoped out the Salvation Army to see whether they would accept my donated clothes. They will, but I need to put them in bags. No problem. Then, I went to the River Art Studio, which is right around the corner from the yoga studio, to see what kinds of classes they offer. The woman who was there seemed pretty vague about when a polymer clay class might be available, or how much a private lesson would cost. I'm not going to hold my breath... then, I went and parked in the yoga parking lot and knit and talked to my mom for 45 minutes, until it was 'kosher' to go inside, 1/2 hour before class. It was cancelled. What an ordeal! Almost two hours 'wasted', and no class at the end. Sigh. However, there are updates. First off, my Swallowtail Shawl from the most recent Interweave Knits is blocking:

Second, I am knitting this fabulous short sleeve sweater named "Camisa" from the most recent knitscene from Interweave Knits. Here is the front so far:

The construction is fairly interesting- first, the basketweave panel is knit from side to side, and then stitches are picked up on either side for the rest of the panel- cute. I am almost at the armholes on the front.

And last but not least, I have created a new polymer clay friend, "Bird With Teeth". I am definitely still at the point of copying someone else's pattern. I think that the expression on my bird says, "Stop cancelling things on me, dammit!" (Or, perhaps, "Tomorrow had BETTER be Friday!") I think this bird means serious business:

I still haven't baked him, but my polymer clay benefactress donated to me a clay-dedicated toaster oven, so NKA birdie (No Kidding Around) will get toasted soon. Oh, and you know what I totally love about polymer clay? You can leave it out unwrapped and it will not dry out overnight! Awesome! A non awesome factor is the somewhat poisonous nature... it is not 'non toxic', like Play Doh is, for instance. I am not the most fastidious of humans, so I am going to have to watch this. No snacking while claying!

Tomorrow, I am going to an all day conference- and will hopefully be able to do some knitting during the lectures. Whee!

Because I Don't Have Enough Hobbies...

I have signed up for a polymer clay class this weekend! Unfortunately, I am only the second person to sign up, and they're not sure that the teacher will come for just two people... I am crossing my fingers for this one! Anyway, I had been becoming a little more curious about polymer clay, and several things have converged all at once... and I'm taking them as important signs that I should give claying a try. First, Michael's had all polymer clay on a GREAT sale. Second, I received a flyer from the Bead Gallery with their class schedule, and they are holding a class on the technique that I am the most interested to learn. And third, my friend Kathy gave me ALL of her polymer clay (there is a ton of it!) AND, she gave me her pasta machine! The only 'catch' is that I am going to give her pendants that I made... as soon as they are actually good! Oh, and if I decide that clay is not for me, that I will pass along all of the materials to a good home. I can indeed do that!

Gross Thoughts

So, some of you did not heed my warning long ago when I posted a picture of my foot blister. I will again warn you, I am having gross thoughts. There are, however, no pictures. So, read this post at your own risk. There is no knitting or yarn talk in this post, so you will not have missed anything fibery.

So, I was just sitting quietly, eating a cookie and having a glass of milk, when it suddenly hit me that I'm not so sure I like drinking a glass of milk any more. It is so.... milky. It is cow boob juice. It squirted out of a chapped, hairy udder. eeeewwWWWWWWwwww. Now, I have been drinking glasses of milk for longer than I can remember, and this is the first time ever that I can remember feeling a little icky about drinking milk. I have felt that way a few times recently. I still feel fine about yogurt and cheese and even cottage cheese. But milk? again, I repeat, eeewwwWWWWWwwwww. What is wrong with me? Am I going weird? Please tell me I am not about to turn vegan. I would hate to have to give up steak. Or bacon. Or leather shoes, for that matter. Help!!!

If Buying Beads is Wrong, I Don't Wanna Be Right!

Today, I went to the Bead Affaire Bead Show, which is a great show with some super high quality glass beads and other stuff, too. I got some pretty yet relatively inexpensive beads, but a set of beads kept calling me back to them. These beads were made by Ann Campbell of Kennebunkport Bead Art, and I HAD to have them. They were not cheap. They were not a bargain. But I assure you, I either had to buy them or steal them, and not being the theiving type, well, I bought them. Of course, I rushed home and made this:


It hangs down about five inches from my collarbone, and is about 28 inches long. The big beads are 3/4" wide, and are super awesome. I am quite sure that the picture doesn't do them justice, as usual, particularly because I didn't bother to rotate the picture or anything. The beads are more glossy and delicious in real life. It is my new favorite thing. I also made earrings, but let's face it: any picture I tried to take would most certainly suck.

So, I am home on a Saturday night, in part because I was too lazy to find something to do (again), and because I promised that I'd have new jewelry to bring over to a nearby museum- my 'collection' over there is lookin' pretty skimpy. So far, I have made 9 pairs of earrings and 3 necklaces. The bracelets never really sold well before, so I figure I'll only make a few. Okay, this is boring. Change of topic.

As I was typing this post, I noticed a burning smell. What could it be? Well, it COULD be the burner I turned on to make some tea... the burner, in fact, directly IN FRONT of the one that the teapot was actually sitting on. Good grief.

So, tomorrow I'm supposed to do a charity bike ride. My only qualms about this? What should only take a couple of hours out of my day (it's only 20 miles) will end up taking maybe 5 hours, because it's a point to point ride, and they pick you up and drive you to the starting line, 2 1/4 hours BEFORE the ride even starts! Why, why, why! It is so dumb. It is so dumb, it is dum. You know, so dumb that it forgot the 'b'. I am considering not going and just sending in the money, because I don't feel like sitting around in the cold waiting for the ride to start. Does that make me a bad person? Please say no. I will be sitting around in 40 degree weather in biking clothes, being sad and angry. Oh, and bring along warmer clothing for before and afterwards? No thanks- last year, it took HOURS after the ride was over for the clothing to arrive at the end point. Totally ridiculous. But still, I just might be stupid enough to show up and do the ride. That is just the kind of girl that I am.

Then again, maybe not.

NUPPPPPP!

I was again fretting about what knitting project I was going to start up on next. I actually pulled out my last balls of Noro Kureyon #95, as seen in such projects as the Counterpane Bag and the Butterfly Sweater (which I still haven't taken a final picture of), but then decided to do a little stash diving. I stumbled upon this, which I actually had thought I had thrown away in a cleaning frenzy a while back... I guess it remains safe. Look how gigantic this cone is- Chapstick is present for comparison:

I have been knitting the center pattern furiously and have the tired hands to prove it. I have now reached the nupps, which involve k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 in the same stitch, and then p5tog on the way back. NUPP! this is all cotton yarn, so it is not unusually stretchy, and I am knitting on my Denise interchangeable needles, which are great in many ways, but definitely do not have unusually pointy tips. Errrgh. I am therefore nupping very loosely. Here is a shot of my progress:

And, here is a shot of the cone of yarn. I see no noticeable decrease in size. (Note: If anyone likes this difficult to wear color, feel free to borrow the cone... I'm pretty sure it's one of those neverending cones!)

A couple of winters ago, I knit a cardigan for my grandmother... which, now that I think about it, I do not believe I have ever seen her wear... it was out of this horrifyingly pink mohair, on a cone, and I swear there was enough to knit about 15 more of them... I was very tired of pink mohair by the end of that sweater! EWWWW! She was all excited about the sweater, and that thing was torturous to knit, and she never wears it. That'll teach ME!

So, I tried to get a good shot of the nupps, but to no avail. My photography skills are clearly not as good as I'd like. Sigh.

How many of you out there are like me- all excited to leave work on a Friday, and then you're so tired you fall asleep and don't end up doing anything? I hate that. However, I had a funny dream during a post-work nap tonight- I dreamed I went to Wal Mart (or a similar store) and was buying candy. It was all awesome candy that doesn't even exist in real life, and I was soooo excited to bring it home and eat it. But when I reached into my pocket to pull it out, there was a hole in my pocket and some of the best candy had fallen out! I woke up sad. It was genuinely awful. :(

I can't wait to block the shawl, although I have quite a ways to go. The shawl calls for a smallish finished size, and since I am tall, and for fashion reasons, I need/ like a bigger shawl. I did about 50% more repeats of the center pattern than were called for, and my hands are tired! The lacing bloom will make it worth it, though!

Olive, meet Baudelaire. Baudelaire, meet Olive.

First, giant olive:

Now, granted, I do have thin fingers. But still, you must admit that I have stumbled across an exquisite olivial specimen here! It tasted good, too. I guess I wasn't impressed enough to save it from a dismal death.

Next, meet my newly finished socks:

Here is a side view:

And, an awkward pic of the back:

Project details are as follows:

Pattern: Baudelaire by Cookie A from Knitty.com.
Yarn: Jawoll by Lang Yarns in color 83.0178. Love Germans and their orderly color names.
Needles: Well, I initially used four size one bamboo needles and one metal one, but then one of the bamboo ones broke in my checked luggage... I then made to with one less needle, but used the broken one as a makeshift cable needle. Now that I think about it, I suppose I could have dug through my stuff to find an actual cable needle, but why go through the aggravation???

Overall, I liked this pattern. It gave me a chance to try a couple of toe-up options, and i had never used a sewn bindoff before. I also really liked the cable running up the side, and I still continue to totally dig how yarnovers and sl 1, k2tog, psso's all mixed together can result in such vastly different lacy results! I mean, I used the same stitches in this pattern as I did in the Shetland Triangle, but they look so different! Yay!

So, now, I am back where I started: what to knit next? There are a TON of projects I've seen lately on the Internet that I'm dying to knit (thank you, o knit bloggers, for trying the patterns out and showing us all how they REALLY look on NORMAL people without perfect lighting and zillion dollar cameras! However, I don't think that my stash matches up appropriately with said patterns... tune in next time to see what I picked! Wheeee!

I Have Found My Way!

A couple of evenings ago, I managed to finish off the knitted portions of the Counterpane Carpet Bag I'm making... and even set it out to block. However, I'm not in a sewing mood, and am not completely happy with the handles that I picked out, so that project will be on hold for a little while. As an aside, I did find some nice hot pink canvas lining fabric for the bag, that I think will be nice and sturdy... plus it's hot pink- what's not to love???
Here is a preview... once I manage to drag out the sewing machine, I will be done in no time, I'm sure... and sorry about the sideways situation... I just didn't feel like fixing it, despite the short amount of time it would have taken- ha!
So, last night, I found myself feeling a little lost... no pressing projects that I really wanted to do (well, a couple of jewelry things that I want to do, but I don't have the supplies I need at the moment), so I started knitting a hat that I have since frogged. It genuinely sucked and did not deserve to be a hat. So, I decided to pick the Baudelaire socks back up... and started sock #2 but with a twist. The sock is worked from the toe up, and requested that I do a figure 8 cast on. I found this method to be unusually lame and fiddly and awkward and ugly and I hated it, so I took a move from the Shetland Triangle, and made two little crochet lengths out of scrap yarn (read: same yarn as project, but I'm so awesome I won't get confused- really!), and did a provisional cast on. At some point, I will zip out the crochet with a hearty tug....zzzzzip! and then will close up the toe with a kitchener stitch. I think that will look much better in the long run- the toe on the first sock is a tiny bit more holey than I would prefer. The less said about that, the better. It's really not all that bad, but I am dissatisfied. So, here is a shot of sock #2, with the toe completed:

You will, of course, notice a lot 'going on' around the toe. Trust me, I've got it all under control!

So, I realize that I'm not all THAT old in the grand scheme of things, but I feel like I have more trouble sleeping than I should. Particularly the night before I have to get up to go to spin class. Then, I'm super duper tired at work, and then come home and literally cannot manage to stay awake, so I fall asleep after work. Then, I feel all perky and awake until past a good bed time, and the cycle continues. YEEEARRRRRGH! What's a girl to do? I need to hire someone to keep me awake after work or something, or just wander the streets like a vagrant until bed time. Or maybe take tranquilizers at 8 pm until my body resets itself not to take naps. Or become independently wealthy so I can sleep whenever I feel like it and don't need to worry about feeling all tired and stuff at work. Hmm.
At any rate, I feel better now that I have a project on the needles. If I finish that one, I will then only have two UFO's flying around- the Carpet Bag, and the dreaded yet beloved Gibson Girl Pullover... all she needs is seams and buttons and a bit of neck blocking... what exactly is keeping me from finishing this one up? No clue. No clue at all...

A Day with Cece

Well, after yoga today, Cece came by for some lunch and some knitting. She finished knitting her Klaralund, and started on her Shetland Triangle, which is now done blocking. Here are several pictures. First up, a closeup of the pattern: Next, me in the courtyard near my home, smiling like a silly idiot:
Third, a nice shot of the whole thing- I still don't think the awesomeness of the yarn shows AT ALL:And finally, a nice lion statue struttin his stuff:
Here are the project details:
Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style
Blue Heron Yarns, Rayon with some sparkle, 550 yds
Denise interchangable needles, size 7
16 pattern repeats
66" wide, 29" long
Started 9/24, finished knitting 9/28, blocked 9/29
Comments: I hadn't knit with such an inflexible, nonstretchy yarn for a while, and at first, it was a little weird. However, once I got going, I rather liked it, and it is soooo pretty! I found the pattern fairly simple, and was able to memorize what was going on after giving it some thought over the first several pattern repeats. I would call it a good 'first lace project' kind of pattern.

Next, here is the Sweater with Lengthways and Crossways Ribs, in all of its glory:

I liked the way it turned out, but in looking at this pic, I have decided I need to invest some time in buying a belt that doesn't stick out so much- I swear I have more of a waist than that... really!

Project Specs:
Sweater with Lengthways and Crossways Ribs from Rebecca Magazine #25, size 34/36
Wildflower D.K. from Plymouth Yarn, 51% cotton, 49% acrylic, 4 1/2 balls
Needles: Denise Interchangeables size 6
I believe I lengthened the torso a bit, and found that the armhole portion started getting longer than I thought it should be... quite possibly, my row gauge was a bit longer than expected... This was a fairly quick and easy knit. I will mention here that I miscalculated how many balls of yarn I needed, and when I got a fifth ball, it was not of the same dye lot, and it shows a bit. Luckily, my hair is just long enough to hide the flaw! Hee hee!

And last but not least, a shot of my latest project, the Counterpane Carpet Bag from Handknit Holidays:
I don't yet have the lining fabric or the purse handles, but whatever.... that's just a detail! I am again using my very favorite Noro Kureyon colorway, #95, and am happy as a clam to see it again! Therefore, I shall tarry no longer and return to my knitting.

I have been quite bloggerly lately. I might or might not continue this trend, so don't think I've turned over a new leaf or anything...

New Blocking Method

(At least for me)

Here is the Shetland Triangle, all blocky and drying pleasantly. I fortuitously ran across a blocking technique that was previously unknown to me, and as soon as I checked it out, I knew it was the method for me! I bought some T pins, (finally) then I went to Kay Bee Toys and bought a large foam puzzle. As you might be able to tell from the picture, I do believe I will need to buy another puzzle to add to it for next time, but I squeaked by this time! It was so easy in comparison to the 'ghetto' sewing pins and towels technique I used in the past... nothing ever quite looked totally even, but whoa. I am doing awesome, baby! What symmetrical halves! What a perpendicular middle line! What nice, even and pointy points! I was previously unaware that I was capable of such precision, such PINNING! I love squishy foam puzzles! Unfortunately, the foam fishy inserts and multicolored nature of the puzzle pieces make it a wee bit difficult to actually see the shawl in any kind of appreciable kind of detail, but so it goes. I will try to get Cece to take some pictures of me tomorrow. Although I love living by myself, it means that I don't have a built in "picture taker of me in finished knitted items", so I must catch as catch can. So far on this blog, I believe that all pictures have been taken by me at arm's length. Good thing I have long arms. I really must whip out that camera manual and refresh my memory on how to do the automatic picture taking thingy. I'll bet that would be good. And as I mentioned once, if you set the camera on the counter in front of a metal bowl, you can totally see the viewfinder's reflection and see what you're going to get a picture of. Stellar. (I found that out by accident, not that the picture actually got taken... but if it had worked, I wouldn't have accidentally cut the top of my head off or anything, I swear!)

I am currently having a devil of a time with Blogger. This seems to happen every once in a while- I will upload pictures over and over and over again; Blogger will tell me that they uploaded successfully, but NOOOOOO. The really didn't. Same with posts- I will go to publish posts, I will be told that the published just fine, but NOOOOO. They are not showing up on the website. ARRRRRGHHHHH. I have AT LEAST one or two people who would quite possibly like to look at my posts- I feel it in my bones! Oh, well.

Regardless of these ridiculous snafus, I feel confident that, if Blogger can cooperate, there will be even more pics of finished objects this weekend, as Cece is coming on over to knit tomorrow afternoon. KNITTTTTT!

*****UPDATE*****

Little Amanda was sleepy this evening. So sleepy that she took an unusually large nap and then did not go to to a party she had been planning on. Instead, she... um... did some knitting- duhhhh! What could it be? Well, there is one nonsurprise item, and then, there is a new surprise that perhaps there will soon be an update on! How marvelous! But for now, I will sleep. Of course, I'll probably dream about knitting- sometimes that happens if I overknit, which it is possible that I did tonight. At least my arm isn't tingling. No, that has never happened. OKAY, IT HAS! STOP GRILLING ME ALREADY! But it did not happen tonight. Which is good. Okay, enough already. I'm outty.

Wuh-oh!

Hmm. It appears as though I have made a minor error. I have been knitting along happily on my shetland blob, and casually decided that I had enough yarn to do several extra repeats. However, I now have this much yarn left:

and still have 5 knitting rows (of almost 300 stitches on a size 7 needle) and one bindoff row left... pretty sure it's not QUITE enough. I am going to do some research and see if I can leave off the last two knitting rows, as they are repeats of the ones before and do not add any extra stitches. I wish I had weighed the yarn or something, but don't have an appropriate scale. I should get one- it would be helpful both with knitting and with beading. But alas, there is not one in my obviously impoverished home!

This is not a desperately terrible situation; just a lame one. The yarn will take nicely to frogging, as it is rayon and not all fuzzy and meldy. So, worst case scenario, I frog approximately two dozen rows and delete one of the pattern repeats and keep on going. It will be okay. Sigh. What do I blame for this snafu? A desire to utilize as much as possible of a very beautiful (and fairly expensive) skein of yarn- I felt like if there was even a scrap left, it would be a waste! Silly girl. I will naturally post, with all of the gory details and pictures, with the results...

And, regarding the nice ribby Sweater with Lengthwise and Crosswise Ribs (picture attached was my inspiration for wanting to knit this little number), I had run out of yarn, but the new ball just came in the mail! Once I finish this shetland blob, I shall be moving on, baby! Finished objects shall abound!

*******UPDATE ALERT*********

Whew. I guess I made the right decision- here is what I have left for yarn- with so many stitches, I'm certain I would not have enough yarn for two more rows!

And, here is the Shetland Triangle lying on the floor- it is way too late tonight to start the blocking... but the next pic of this baby will be in the blocky state of being, I'm sure!

My Very Own Shetland Triangle Blob!

As previously mentioned, I bought some beautiful yarn that was just begging to be knit into a lace shawl of some sort. So, I decided upon the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style. Of course, I didn't OWN Wrap Style yet, so had to order it, and then WAIT for it to arrive! It got here during day 1 of Open Studios, but I managed not to start knitting until Sunday evening. It has grown rapidly, into a nice, yarny, bubbly blob. It is initially gratifying to knit a shawl from small to big- rows of under, say, 50 stitches go by really fast- but I'm now almost at 200 stitches, and each row is taking somewhere between 7-10 minutes, depending on how distracted I'm getting. The lace pattern is simple- nothing more difficult than a slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over... but I really like the pattern, so it's all good:


Oh, yeah... it is clearly difficult to actually SEE the pattern in this picture, but I assure you that it's there. Really.

Having Difficulty!

You know, it is really hard to take pictures of your own feet, particularly while you are trying to get a picture of the detail on the back of a handknitted sock. "Open Studios" is today, but I was pretty much all set up by bedtime last night. I did a good job cleaning up my condo and hiding things that I didn't quite know what to do with. Note to self: PLEASE do not turn on the oven without checking inside! (It's actually okay- I hid extra plates in there- rather than, say, my vast collection of oily rags...)

So, the knitting project that was begun on my trip to Eastern Europe is now... half finished! I have been quickly trying to take a few shots of the finished sock, but I have run into a couple of snags: dead camera battery, poor lighting, and most importantly, non-rubber legs. I will most certainly continue my quest for a flattering shot of Little Miss Baudelaire. Speaking of socks on Knitty, have you seen the new issue? This pattern looks like a real noodle twister- five zillion 1x1 cables on size 1 needles. SUPER. No, really, sounds like FUNNNN.

Okay, I think I continue typing because I am trying to avoid the fact that I probably forgot something super important in setting up for the day. You know, like putting on pants. Hmm, let me see... Pants? Check. Other important clothing? Ditto.

Okay, real quick, I am going to try and take a couple of pictures of Miss Baudelaire... and as thought, the one of the back of my leg just didn't work out. Sigh. But, here we go so far- first, the top view:And next, the side view. I like the little cable that runs up the side:

As usual, the color is not accurate at all. I mean, it IS actually blue, but it is a brighter and nicer blue, in my opinion. Okay, over and out... gotta make SURE I actually put on pants...

Amanda's Food Groups

Okay, so I was just thinking about foods that are bad for you, and I have decided to create some new (and pleasing to me) food groups:

1. Fluffy. (think whipped cream, FROSTING, puddings, mousses, etc.)

2. Cold and creamy. (Ice cream. Trust me, in my world, it would have its own group!)

3. Salty and crunchy. (Cheetos come to mind pretty immediately)

4. Doughy. (I suppose pizza crust, doughnuts, soft pretzels, and other various bready items would go here)

5. "Turns the paper clear". Rub it on a piece of paper. Can you now see through the paper? Yes? Okay, it goes in this group. And yes, I did steal that idea from the Simpsons episode where Homer is trying to get super fat so he can go on disability and work from home. He also purchases (and wears) a muumuu in that episode. Muumuu is an awesome word, by the way.

6. Sticks in your teeth. (Butterfinger, Starburst, Toffee, Salt water taffy)

7. Makes people make inappropriate noises. (Godiva chocolate, perhaps?)

What prompted this list? Well, I went shopping for various brownie/ cupcake/ cookie mixes and bought some 'fluffy white frosting'. I decided to give it a taste test. It satisfied both food group #1 and #7, as it was both fluffy and also made me do some sort of Homer-like "ggggaaaagggghhhhhuoooooooooggghhhh" kind of noise. Yeah, it was good.

So, with the full knowledge that large numbers of people are coming over to my home in two days, I continue to avoid cleaning. Actually, I DID just put some DVD's that were lying around into the cabinet. And I put my scented oil burner near the sink- it does appear as though it could use a bath. Yes, I'd say I'm well on my way, wouldn't you? And before you snicker, I am definitely on my way over to the shelves- I am gonna bust out the duster and give them what for! Yeeeearrrrrgh!

Speaking of yeeearrrrrgh, we all missed "talk like a pirate day", which was on September 19th. WHY did nobody remind me??? Arrrrrr. I be disappointed, be I. I would have heartily enjoyed calling ye me maties and possibly swabbing the deck (yes, the poop deck) and even shivering me timbers. I would have called someone a maiden and probably would have referred to a 'bosom' here and there. And, while we're on the subject, can someone remind me what a foc'sle is? I seem to remember that word from my various pirate-y readings... and no, I am not quite sure that is where the apostrophe goes, but it was a good guess.

Well, I shall go drown my piratey sorrows in some rum. I mean, frosting.

LAZY AS HELL

That is how I've been feeling this week. I did manage to go to spin class on Tuesday morning and get SOME household chores done Monday night, but I have sooooo much to do to get ready for Open Studios and have barely done anything. I mean, the PUBLIC is going to be coming into my house, and it is a mess! It is not as bad as it can be at times, but it is certainly not 'ready for the public'! I am a giant, lazy loser.

What do I REALLY feel like doing? I feel like knitting! Whoa, where did THAT come from ??? Well, who am I to argue with spontaneous spurts of emotional outbursts!!! I am going to go work on the socks I was knitting in Eastern Europe. Sweeeeeeeet.

Website is LIVE!

Well, I avoided that pesky nice weather this weekend (sob) and finally got my website in working order. Feel free to visit it now. www.amandahosmer.com. I selected a small portion of my finished jewelry to put online, but I tell you, it took me all freakin' weekend! Now, my business card doesn't have to say 'website coming soon' any more. Whew. So glad that is done.

Believe it or not, I saved my new yarn (see yesterday's post) as a reward- I will now hand-wind its beautiful lengths. I will have to wait another week or two for the pattern to come in before I can start knitting it, but that's okay. I have a couple of UFO's floating around that it will be nice to knock off and take pictures of... the Noro sweater will now have a clasp, and the Gibson Girl will not be in three separate pieces any more... at least, in theory...

Okay, I have seen WAAAAAAY too much of my computer today... I'm outta here!

Emotionally Reparative Experience

Well, I passed the 'evil sweater' off to Cece last night. Good riddance to evil knitting. RRRRrrrrrr. However, I convinced Cece that she did not want the rest of the yarn, (by the way, darling, there are currently two balls left if you want them back- speak now before they are knit) and in order to flush out the evil spirits, I knit this:

The satisfyingly simple Spiral Rib Hat by Song Palmese, available from Ann Norling. This yarn was just right for the pattern, so I was happy to be knitting with it. It was a shame that I was growing to LOATHE the Debbie Bliss alpaca silk... and so I feel better now! I have actually made this pattern before out of Noro Kochoran , and it is one of my faves. Notice how the different size yarn looks so different in the pattern!
So, Monday is Cece's birthday... so go on over there and wish her a happy 31st! (God help us all if I've gotten her age wrong...) For her birthday, I bought her some SUPER YUMMY yarn from Blue Heron Yarns... it is a beautiful fingering weight rayon with a metallic strand running through it. Of course, since I bought it at the very last minute from the Hub Mills Factory Store (and on the last day of their sale), I didn't get a picture of it, but managed to buy a skein for myself, heh heh:

The pink is a little more 'pinky' in real life, and the brown is a little more 'coppery'. I am planning ot make some sort of a shawl with it- I have determined that if I wear shawls with a jacket, I look totally cool. No, really, I do! :)

So, upon looking at Blue Heron Yarn's website, I have decided that they have awesome yarns. I'm just saying. I am going to keep my eyes peeled for more.

Today is GORGEOUS out. However, being the total dumbass that I am, I have squandered several months avoiding taking pictures for my new website. As next weekend is Open Studios and I will be passing out tons of business cards, I feel that I absolutely MUST have a working website for people to go to after they SPRINT home with my business card to do even more online shopping. Or something like that. So, I am sequestered inside today, taking pictures. And doing laundry. Might as well kill two unpleasant birds with one sunny stone. (Trust me, it made sense before I typed it)

Last but not least, I am considering trying to host a "UFO-along" after the holidays. I think it would be totally fun to get a bunch of knitters together to dig out their unfinished projects, and spur them along to get them done! It's perfect for after the holidays, since we'll all be broke from buying gifts and such. Thoughts?

Okay, back to the evil picture taking. It's really the picture editing that completely sucks. Bleh.

Hmm.


Okay, so the color is NOT accurate at all. And Cece, you're in charge of blocking. (Heh heh) I am not completely confident about the way that the sweater hangs, although I assure my vast readership that I followed that cockamamie pattern to a T... other than the length modifications that Cece specified.

Cece, my friend, if you know who does not like this sweater, I would probably prefer that you not tell me, and that we never enter into this type of agreement again. I'm just saying.

And now, I believe I will go back to the Gibson Girl Pullover - a UFO if there ever was one! I am a 'finisher' of projects, but this one is somehow an exception to the rule. Stay tuned, faithful reader(s), for update(s)!

WHOA.

I have been shirking my bloggerly duties. For one thing, I have been shirking my beading and knitting duties, and therefore don't have much to blog about. I did do some work on a cotton tank from an old Rebecca magazine- I found a picture of another blogger's FO of the "Sweater with Lengthways and Crossways Ribs" (Germans are so utilitarian with their names, eh? And in German, it's called "Pulli mit Rippen", which I assume translates as "Sleeveless Pullover with Ribs"... "Pullover" = pullover; "Pulli" appears to be "sleeveless pullover"... but I digress).

ANNNNNYWAY, it also appears that I may have gotten too little yarn and am about 1/2 ball short. Sigh. That is good news for CECE, and it is also good news that I have a headache and won't be going to yoga tonight, because it means that I'll be staying home and doing some seaming on the evil cardigan. I believe I have referenced said cardigan in the past. If I finish it tonight, I shall plop a picture up for all to witness. If not, I suppose I will finish it tomorrow night, or possibly Friday night. One may never know.

So, it has been so long since I have posted that I forget if I mentioned the two dates I went on a couple of weekends ago. I had a repeat date with one of the 'gentlemen', who ended up being a BIT more.... um... aggressive than I was in the mood for, and he called me again since then. I called him back, but my heart was pounding out of my chest. Even though I come across as someone who would have no problem telling someone to go jump off a bridge, it is hard for me. I am dreading the conversation, but just imagine how happy I'll be when it's over and I won't have to worry if he'll call again! Yay!

Okay, off to seam the sweater from Hades.

Productive Weekend

Amazing but true, boys and girls, (well, probably no boys, if we want to exist in the realm of truth) I have been immersed in a weekend of productivity. With the advent of a new school year, I have thrown myself head-on into a project of self improvement: eating my fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and tidying that which is inordinately messy. I have a huge pile of clothing to be donated to whichever charity will take them (any tall size 12's out there are more than welcome to anything from the pile), have organized my beading and knitting books and magazines, and have kept my kitchen clean all weekend. Laundry is done, the fridge is stocked, and I am back at Bikram Yoga, sweating my brains out and falling over during most of the balancing poses. One of these days....

I am also (buckle your seatbelts) working on my website. I have been threatening to do so for quite some time... three months, to be somewhat more precise... and it is turning out to be a LOT less painful than I had initially feared! I do believe that the basic framework is all laid out, and I will now need to begin the arduous task of photographing the jewelry pieces and adding them in. The changes I have made are not yet on the web, so stay tuned. Yipeeee!

And last but not least, Miss Bead & Fiber Babe managed to have TWO dates yesterday. I set them up through match.com, and one of those two dates was really fun! Stay posted... there ought to be a 'let him down gently' update, as well as a 'juicy details from date #2' update in the future. If not, I guess it will be back to the drawing board. Same story, different day. I tell ya, there are some weird, weird, WEIRD dudes out there. I am just glad that I manage to find a normal one out there every once in a while.

The only knitting news is that I have unraveled the sweater front from Cece's mother in law's sweater... the piece that I knit several inches of without remembering to add button holes. I have every intention to get that finished... I truly do. I wish I could burn it afterwards, but sadly, that would defeat the purpose. I might instead just burn any leftover scrap yarn- that might make me feel better. Or maybe I'll tie it to a brick and throw it in the river. Yes, that would be FUN!!!