Taos is on the left, Superman is in the middle, and Breezy is on the right
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Package Delivery!
So my package from The Loopy Ewe arrived yesterday! Hooray! I have been wanting some Cider Moon Glacier yarn forever and when I had finally decided what to buy, they closed up shop! (The blog says that's temporary and due to a legal matter, so hopefully this won't be too long.) So then I began a quest for Cider Moon, and wouldn't you know? The Loopy Ewe had it! So I ordered two skeins of Taos and a skein Superman. I also ordered a skein of Perchance to Knit in breezy. YUM!
Taos is on the left, Superman is in the middle, and Breezy is on the right
Taos is on the left, Superman is in the middle, and Breezy is on the right
Score!
Here's where I am on Ravelry....
You signed up on July 6, 2007
You are #14529 on the list.
589 people are ahead of you in line.
18893 people are behind you in line.
41% of the list has been invited so far
I am sooooooooooo excited! Can you tell how excited I am? Can you? Can you!?!?!
Ok, I'm out, but I did get my awesome package from The Loopy Ewe yesterday, so tonight there will be sockporn!
You signed up on July 6, 2007
You are #14529 on the list.
589 people are ahead of you in line.
18893 people are behind you in line.
41% of the list has been invited so far
I am sooooooooooo excited! Can you tell how excited I am? Can you? Can you!?!?!
Ok, I'm out, but I did get my awesome package from The Loopy Ewe yesterday, so tonight there will be sockporn!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
No More Humdrum Mittens Questionnaire
HA! I joined the "No More Humdrum Mittens Swap". I am really excited, I've never participated in a swap before, mostly because I always found out about them too late! Well, not this time, baby! Below is the Questionnaire. Lalala! I'm so happy!
NO MORE HUMDRUM MITTENS QUESTIONAIRE
1. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
I have been knitting for a little over a year now, and I am self-taught. I learned through the videos on the internet and the back instructional sections of knitting magazines.
2. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I would consider myself to be an intermediate knitter that accepts challenges.
3. What are your favorite colors? Any you dislike?
I LOVE reds and turquoises and purples, the only colors I don't really like are olive greens and mustard yellows.
4. Do you like Latvian type patterns? If so, what are your favorite patterns?
I do like the Latvian patterns, however I do not have a favorite style. Although I can say that I do not like the fringed bottoms I see on some of the styles. I'm a no fringe kinda gal.
5. Do you desire mittens for yourself, your "special someone else" or your child?
I know it sounds a bit selfish, but I'd like the mittens for myself. I've never really owned mittens before, mostly because until recently I lived in VERY warm states.
6. What other things do you enjoy knitting?
I enjoy knitting socks and sweaters and hats, of all kinds. I have been on a sock kick recently, but I am also enjoying the sweaters that I have going on as well.
7. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum)
For socks I like working with DPNs, for sweaters and hats I work with circulars. I recently purchased some Brittany wooden needles for my socks and fell in love with them! Although, I have been trying to hunt down some swallowtail casein needles to try them out.Usually ai Work with my Denise needles for the Circs and Pony needles for my DPNs.
8. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make?
The embossed leaves socks from IK, possibly something entrelac, the lace leaf pullover by Teva Durham. Something entrelac or fairisle. Umm...that's all I can think of. I really just enjoy knitting anything, except shawls.
9. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?
I have been dying to work with Alpaca, cashemere or a wool/silk blend. I also would like to try working with some Socks that Rock yarn from Blue Moon, I love their Christmas themed colorways.
10. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Cook?
I enjoying baking, cooking, photography and sewing. I also love to entertain and go for hikes with our dogs when the weather is nice, and this year is the year I am going to learn to ski and snow shoe!
11. Besides yarn, do you collect anything?
I like to collect oddities, kitschy/tacky things that I can place in various places around the house, they make me laugh. I have a poodle ornament that hangs around and is all coated in feathers. It's so tacky it's cute!
12. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?
I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I love cupcakes and candies and chocolate, and sweet combined with salty things too! I'm a food nut!
13. Do you have any kids? Pets?
I have no kids, but I do have two dogs and a live-in boyfriend.
14. What is your favorite part of Winter?
The mugs of hot chocolate while you're inside watching the snow come down, warm fires, the holidays and time with family.
15. What is your least favorite part of Winter?
Finals and the never ending grayness that lasts until April!
NO MORE HUMDRUM MITTENS QUESTIONAIRE
1. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
I have been knitting for a little over a year now, and I am self-taught. I learned through the videos on the internet and the back instructional sections of knitting magazines.
2. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I would consider myself to be an intermediate knitter that accepts challenges.
3. What are your favorite colors? Any you dislike?
I LOVE reds and turquoises and purples, the only colors I don't really like are olive greens and mustard yellows.
4. Do you like Latvian type patterns? If so, what are your favorite patterns?
I do like the Latvian patterns, however I do not have a favorite style. Although I can say that I do not like the fringed bottoms I see on some of the styles. I'm a no fringe kinda gal.
5. Do you desire mittens for yourself, your "special someone else" or your child?
I know it sounds a bit selfish, but I'd like the mittens for myself. I've never really owned mittens before, mostly because until recently I lived in VERY warm states.
6. What other things do you enjoy knitting?
I enjoy knitting socks and sweaters and hats, of all kinds. I have been on a sock kick recently, but I am also enjoying the sweaters that I have going on as well.
7. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum)
For socks I like working with DPNs, for sweaters and hats I work with circulars. I recently purchased some Brittany wooden needles for my socks and fell in love with them! Although, I have been trying to hunt down some swallowtail casein needles to try them out.Usually ai Work with my Denise needles for the Circs and Pony needles for my DPNs.
8. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make?
The embossed leaves socks from IK, possibly something entrelac, the lace leaf pullover by Teva Durham. Something entrelac or fairisle. Umm...that's all I can think of. I really just enjoy knitting anything, except shawls.
9. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?
I have been dying to work with Alpaca, cashemere or a wool/silk blend. I also would like to try working with some Socks that Rock yarn from Blue Moon, I love their Christmas themed colorways.
10. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Cook?
I enjoying baking, cooking, photography and sewing. I also love to entertain and go for hikes with our dogs when the weather is nice, and this year is the year I am going to learn to ski and snow shoe!
11. Besides yarn, do you collect anything?
I like to collect oddities, kitschy/tacky things that I can place in various places around the house, they make me laugh. I have a poodle ornament that hangs around and is all coated in feathers. It's so tacky it's cute!
12. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?
I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I love cupcakes and candies and chocolate, and sweet combined with salty things too! I'm a food nut!
13. Do you have any kids? Pets?
I have no kids, but I do have two dogs and a live-in boyfriend.
14. What is your favorite part of Winter?
The mugs of hot chocolate while you're inside watching the snow come down, warm fires, the holidays and time with family.
15. What is your least favorite part of Winter?
Finals and the never ending grayness that lasts until April!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sabbatical
After a long sabbatical, I am officially back. There was time there when it was touch and go. When I wasn’t sure I even wanted to continue with this blog, not because I don’t like having a forum on which to “let it out” as they say, but because it seemed like such a useless commitment. Let’s face it, nobody really reads this blog and there’s the commitment of writing on it and taking photos of my knitting and various other things going on in my life. It just seemed like…a waste of my “me time”. However, the realization struck me that the blog can be part of my “me time”. With that in mind I have returned to you, my non-existent public.
What may not be known is that in the interim of this break several things have happened. The first of which is that I had a birthday. Ry, Mom, and Stevie did everything in their power to make it very special for me. It was the nicest birthday I have had in a long time. Among the gifts I received were a sewing machine from Mom and Seinfeld DVD’s that I take such delight in I watch them nearly every night. My brother got me a jewelry box from his travels in Europe that is apparently made from Camel bone, but the dogs seems to think it’s made of the most delicious kind of doggie crack on earth. In other words, all Molly wants to do is sniff and lick the jewelry box and all Sam wants to do is eat it. I have sewn a few blouses on the sewing machine and I love it, the patterns are fairly simple, but they are lovely. I have already committed myself to sewing curtains for the bedroom, and a friend of mine has inquired as to whether or not I’d be able to sew her a Snow White costume. Ummm…we’ll see on that last one.
Another big occurrence is that I am able to afford law school again, so I will be able to continue my education. I have mixed feelings about this. I am still not sure that this is my path, but on the other hand my pride will not let me be a quitter. I have done some research, and I can pursue an alternative legal career or perhaps just maintain my hobbies to be a well-rounded person.
My major difficulty this summer has been Sam. I am having a hard time adjusting to having a puppy in the house, particularly one who is still not fully house-broken nor crate trained. Let it be known that I did not want a puppy, I wanted a dog. To be more specific, I wanted a dog between the ages of 1.5 and 2 years, the same age that Molly was when I got her. I’m not going to fool you, Molly was tough when I first got her, there were accidents and chewing incidents, but I crate trained her and the accidents and chewing stopped. I hired a dog trainer and taught her most commands. She is now a good girl, she can be left in the house with no accidents and no chewing, unless an errant cotton swab finds its way out of the bathroom. She behaves. Sam on the other hand wakes me up in the night to go outside (3:00AM people) he chews everything, he barks his fool head off in the crate (yes, even when we’re right there with him), he pees if left alone for any extended period of time. He kind of knows his commands, he does come when called, he does know “inside”, and he knows “No”. But he needs his shots he needs to be fixed and he needs to be trained, both crate trained and command trained. It was my hope that we could have accomplished this before classes began, but that was not to be. So now we have Sam, and it’s like having a difficult child. Ry, of course, thinks the world of him, which is wonderful. I wanted him to have a dog to love and bond with, and now he does. We just need to work on the obedience aspect of Sam. He has potential and all we have to do now is get him fixed and hire a trainer. Ry & I discussed it and decided that those things need to be done asap, because neither of us want to continue to worry if Sam's incessant barking will cause us to be evicted, nor do we want to walk with dread into the house wondering what he has destroyed this time.
The next big thing that happened is that I paid a surprise visit to my Mom over Labor Day. She had no idea that I was arriving, and was shocked beyond imagining when I waltzed through her living room door. It was a wonderful weekend, and my brother and I got a wheelchair for her (because she has a lot of leg pain which prevents her from doing most things) and took her to the Farmer’s market, the craft store, and lots of other places. We all had a lot of fun.
And last but not least, Ryan had a birthday. It was his 31st and among his gifts were some books, picture frames and a few other little things. I am also having party for him this weekend, which should be perfect, the high is only going to be 68 and we’re going to have a bonfire. How exciting!
In knitting news, I have finished one of Ry’s socks, I have cast on for a Beret and I have the back piece of Simply Marilyn done! I have a thousand other projects in mind, but I realize I should pace myself, 3 projects at a time is probably enough, especially with the sewing I want to do. However, I do need to get some more Christmas gifts onto needles. By the way, does anybody out here have a cool, basic pattern for a hat and scarf with sock yarn? Well, I guess I have some projects to think about!
Here's a pic of Molly and Sam. They are cute together...
What may not be known is that in the interim of this break several things have happened. The first of which is that I had a birthday. Ry, Mom, and Stevie did everything in their power to make it very special for me. It was the nicest birthday I have had in a long time. Among the gifts I received were a sewing machine from Mom and Seinfeld DVD’s that I take such delight in I watch them nearly every night. My brother got me a jewelry box from his travels in Europe that is apparently made from Camel bone, but the dogs seems to think it’s made of the most delicious kind of doggie crack on earth. In other words, all Molly wants to do is sniff and lick the jewelry box and all Sam wants to do is eat it. I have sewn a few blouses on the sewing machine and I love it, the patterns are fairly simple, but they are lovely. I have already committed myself to sewing curtains for the bedroom, and a friend of mine has inquired as to whether or not I’d be able to sew her a Snow White costume. Ummm…we’ll see on that last one.
Another big occurrence is that I am able to afford law school again, so I will be able to continue my education. I have mixed feelings about this. I am still not sure that this is my path, but on the other hand my pride will not let me be a quitter. I have done some research, and I can pursue an alternative legal career or perhaps just maintain my hobbies to be a well-rounded person.
My major difficulty this summer has been Sam. I am having a hard time adjusting to having a puppy in the house, particularly one who is still not fully house-broken nor crate trained. Let it be known that I did not want a puppy, I wanted a dog. To be more specific, I wanted a dog between the ages of 1.5 and 2 years, the same age that Molly was when I got her. I’m not going to fool you, Molly was tough when I first got her, there were accidents and chewing incidents, but I crate trained her and the accidents and chewing stopped. I hired a dog trainer and taught her most commands. She is now a good girl, she can be left in the house with no accidents and no chewing, unless an errant cotton swab finds its way out of the bathroom. She behaves. Sam on the other hand wakes me up in the night to go outside (3:00AM people) he chews everything, he barks his fool head off in the crate (yes, even when we’re right there with him), he pees if left alone for any extended period of time. He kind of knows his commands, he does come when called, he does know “inside”, and he knows “No”. But he needs his shots he needs to be fixed and he needs to be trained, both crate trained and command trained. It was my hope that we could have accomplished this before classes began, but that was not to be. So now we have Sam, and it’s like having a difficult child. Ry, of course, thinks the world of him, which is wonderful. I wanted him to have a dog to love and bond with, and now he does. We just need to work on the obedience aspect of Sam. He has potential and all we have to do now is get him fixed and hire a trainer. Ry & I discussed it and decided that those things need to be done asap, because neither of us want to continue to worry if Sam's incessant barking will cause us to be evicted, nor do we want to walk with dread into the house wondering what he has destroyed this time.
The next big thing that happened is that I paid a surprise visit to my Mom over Labor Day. She had no idea that I was arriving, and was shocked beyond imagining when I waltzed through her living room door. It was a wonderful weekend, and my brother and I got a wheelchair for her (because she has a lot of leg pain which prevents her from doing most things) and took her to the Farmer’s market, the craft store, and lots of other places. We all had a lot of fun.
And last but not least, Ryan had a birthday. It was his 31st and among his gifts were some books, picture frames and a few other little things. I am also having party for him this weekend, which should be perfect, the high is only going to be 68 and we’re going to have a bonfire. How exciting!
In knitting news, I have finished one of Ry’s socks, I have cast on for a Beret and I have the back piece of Simply Marilyn done! I have a thousand other projects in mind, but I realize I should pace myself, 3 projects at a time is probably enough, especially with the sewing I want to do. However, I do need to get some more Christmas gifts onto needles. By the way, does anybody out here have a cool, basic pattern for a hat and scarf with sock yarn? Well, I guess I have some projects to think about!
Here's a pic of Molly and Sam. They are cute together...
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Here's What's Happening
Well, I'm almost done with sock #1 for Ry. I tried it on him last night to see where I was on it and make sure everything is turning out ok,not like the last sock disaster! When I tried it on him he made two comments, #1 "Ooohh, that's comfortable, I like it," and #2 "Is it going to take you this long to finish the other one?" Whhhaaaaaat?? I just looked at him and said, "Yes, it's 88 stitches around and you have a BIG foot." So I promised him he would have a set by the end of August. (I sincerely hope that holds true.) Anyway, it's summer and all he's putting on his feet these days are sandals or gym shoes when we take walks, so he'll be fine with gym socks until it gets cool out.
In other news, I was hired at my job (YAY), and will now receive a LIVING WAGE. Can you believe it? I was so excited when i found out I bought myself a little "Congratulations" cake and waited up until 12:30am (when Ry got home)to eat it!
The search for a new pupperoni continues (and will do so until we have some moolah to pay an adoption fee) and I sometimes worry about Molly and if she'll adjust to a new addition very well. I guess I'm mostly worried about dividing my attention evenly between the two doggies, and I don't want to neglect Miss Molly...I'm sure it will all work out for the best. I mean, ultimately she’s getting a companion so she’ll have someone to play with during the day and hopefully they get along like a house on fire, which will ease my worries considerably.
So I have a birthday coming up. I'm a little excited and a little anxious about it. Something usually happens on my birthday, and it’s usually never good. I am trying to be positive, although I am a little sad that I don’t hardly any people that live in the area that I could invite to a party, or that I haven’t had a birthday party since I was a kid. I guess it’ll just be a quiet night, which will be nice, too. Especially because a big birthday bash requires a lot of clean-up before and afterward.
I have a gift already waiting for me…it’s from my Dad…it’s been in the house for almost a month now…I REEAAALLY want to open it, but my willpower is pretty strong, so I am resisting the urge. (barely)
I have some new sock yarn from Chameleon Colorworks...but no photos yet, and I still haven't felt presentable enough to take a photo of the Anthropologie Shrug. I will take & post those pics as well as the sock progress pics soon, I promise.
In other news, I was hired at my job (YAY), and will now receive a LIVING WAGE. Can you believe it? I was so excited when i found out I bought myself a little "Congratulations" cake and waited up until 12:30am (when Ry got home)to eat it!
The search for a new pupperoni continues (and will do so until we have some moolah to pay an adoption fee) and I sometimes worry about Molly and if she'll adjust to a new addition very well. I guess I'm mostly worried about dividing my attention evenly between the two doggies, and I don't want to neglect Miss Molly...I'm sure it will all work out for the best. I mean, ultimately she’s getting a companion so she’ll have someone to play with during the day and hopefully they get along like a house on fire, which will ease my worries considerably.
So I have a birthday coming up. I'm a little excited and a little anxious about it. Something usually happens on my birthday, and it’s usually never good. I am trying to be positive, although I am a little sad that I don’t hardly any people that live in the area that I could invite to a party, or that I haven’t had a birthday party since I was a kid. I guess it’ll just be a quiet night, which will be nice, too. Especially because a big birthday bash requires a lot of clean-up before and afterward.
I have a gift already waiting for me…it’s from my Dad…it’s been in the house for almost a month now…I REEAAALLY want to open it, but my willpower is pretty strong, so I am resisting the urge. (barely)
I have some new sock yarn from Chameleon Colorworks...but no photos yet, and I still haven't felt presentable enough to take a photo of the Anthropologie Shrug. I will take & post those pics as well as the sock progress pics soon, I promise.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
A few Pics
Ok,ok, here are two pics, one of the fingerless mitt, and the other of the slippers for Mom for Mother's Day. More updates later!! Happy Fourth (a little early)!
This picture is terrible. I assure you they look much better on my mother's feet than in this photo AND let's not forget that the color is all funky because I was using the craptastic camera! Ugh. Sorry about that.
This picture is terrible. I assure you they look much better on my mother's feet than in this photo AND let's not forget that the color is all funky because I was using the craptastic camera! Ugh. Sorry about that.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Grunge ruined Wrap
I have been sitting here wondering about the knitted shawl/wrap. Here’s my problem. I kinda love them, but only when they are simple (i.e. Glampyre’s City Shawl). When they are this confection of laciness, I think of sweet little grannies all wrapped up in their shawls ready for church. I can’t shake the granny image of these lacy things. To be sure, they are masterful pieces of knitting…but they do seem a bit…old. Perhaps it’s me…I’ve had an aversion to all things lace since I was able to make fashion choices. It always seemed contrived and most of the girls I knew who wore lacy things were always trying a bit too hard. I can’t do it, even to this day when I see lacy blouses I can’t help but pair it with shoulder pads, big hair and the 80’s when all prom dresses had fountains of lace. (A co-worker frequently wears a black acrylic lacy ruffled blouse that smacks of white trash; not in a good “tongue in cheek/kitsch is fashion” kind of way, but in a “this is seriously what I wear” kind of way.) The second part to this is the fact that I’m just not sure I could pull it off even if I wanted to. I have a pashmina, I love it, I bought it in Italy, but when I wear it, I fiddle. I fiddle with the arrangement of it, so that it has the “I just fashionably threw this on” look to it like then women in Europe had. But then after I throw it on it inevitably slips down one shoulder or I feel as though I am being pretentious. (I’m a snob, but not a pretentious one.) This uncomfortability keeps me from a few projects that I love, such as the City Shawl or the Clementine Shawlette, both of which I admire (and own the patterns for), but neither of which I am sure that (a) I can pull off or (b) would even wear. I’ve always been a cardi girl. It’s chilly out? No problem, throw on a cardigan, no biggie. Maybe it comes from being part of the grunge generation (Nirvana hit mainstream when I was either in 8th grade or a Freshman in highschool)? Having kept my flannel tied to my hips and throwing it on when there was a chill in the air reminds me of throwing a stylish cardi over the handbag and putting it on when the chill sets in. Anyway, just to sum up, I won’t be knitting a shawl or wrap anytime soon, unless it’s requested as a gift for someone…it’s just not me. (yet)
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