KnitHappens

DPNs Please

2007-03-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

How hard do you think it would be to find a set of size 2 DPNs in a town that boast 3 yarn stores?

Pretty damned hard, I'm learning.

Full disclosure: I want metal, I have metal, I work well with metal and metal doesn't give me nightmares of breaking in my purse leaving my work dangling amongst splinters.

The search: Knit store one--my knit store-- the one where they know me by name. I can have wood or bendy plastic with bolbus tips, ummm no, I'll pass. Knit store 2-- oh, so close to scoring-- they have INOX in all sizes (as opposed to #1 which had Inox up to size 0) can you guess, though which ONE size they were sold out of?

So I took my search on a more creative route. Walmart and Meijer's--- oh so close, but just not close enough, Ahhh but there's a Michaels, Michaels will have Boye and they've got to have those sizes that the Super Stores don't.

Can you believe that Michaels had 2 sizes of aluminum DPNs and 2 bamboo. That's right-- 4 sizes total, and that's all they had hooks for too. Someone should talk to them.

I'm not even going to try JoAnnes-- they don't carry sock yarns anymore. I was desperately looking the weekend I had to go see my dad off, I know.

So what am I to do-- well, I guess finish the stupid socks that I already have on the 2 sets that I currently own. Guess Lisa Souza's "Wild Things" will just have to wait. sigh.

And for those that are wondering about my absence-- well between catching the never ending cold and moving and misplacing my camera-- I just haven't had fodder for blogger.

Though I've made 2 sweaters and 2 pairs of socks with 2 more sweaters and 2 more pairs of socks on the needles-- it just isn't the same without imagery.

A Tale of Two Sockies

2006-12-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

These socks are familial socks. They will be given to two sisters, my neices. And like my two nieces while the socks may have many similarities, they are vastly different.

For the younger niece, the sock on the left. Just as the sock, the neice is sweet and pretty and a bit unassuming. This is the child that has the knack of never being in a room when a fight breaks out. She can even accomplish this when all 5 of my parents grandkids are under the same roof. She can be trusted with white on her socks because she avoids muck instinctively.

The other sock goes to a child(teen) who has a flair for drama, she is vivacious and sometimes a bit obnoxious. This neice is the center of attention (and many times the center of the fight). This child and her sock never have to worry about getting lost in a crowd.

But the most beautiful chapter in the tale of these two sockies is the the final chapter was completed well before Christmas.

I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and I accept all well wishes for every wonderful holiday that is celebrated during this season!

babababababad to the bone

2006-11-30T06:54:00.000-08:00

Socks v. Scarves-- Instant Gratification

2006-11-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

or........ "How my LYS deluded me"

Maybe when I first discovered my LYS they highlighted sock yarn. I can vaguely remember a display towards the front of fine, verigated yarns that were called "sock weight" but I also remember displays patterns for sweaters and hats and vitrually everything else to do with the yarns.

I do know that I've never, ever seen in their flyer an advertisment for a sock class. I can attest to this because I've been playing with the idea of making socks for years but I've been a bit skeeered of the whole heel/toe process.

So, I've knit scarves-- a whole bunch of scarves. The ones that I haven't given away are on a 6' curtian bar I installed in my bedroom as they took up too much space in the hall closet. Now they are functional wall decore.

But through scarves (primarily novilty yarn scarves) I was told I'd get instant gratification, they are quick and the yarns are interesting and make cool fabric. Sounds great, eh? Trouble was that not only did the yarn loose it "oooooo" factor after I knit 6 inches or so, but they weren't as totable as I'd imagined and most would languish until I was struck with a massive finishitis virus or a need.

But socks, with socks I've found interesting color changes in verigated yarns, I've found patterns galore which I've yet to delve into and I haven't even had issues with SSS as I've WANTED to wear each and every cushy sock that's come off my needles so far (which would be 2 pair done, two first socks on needles now). I can walk while knitting a sock, I can stand and talk to someone, hell I can stand in line on Black Friday and almost not mind. I love socks, I love the little stiches, the way it grows without becoming huge and how seemingly fast all those tiny stiches knit up. And I love that everyone else love socks too-- so many patterns and books. So much yarn (my hookup: brooke5653 on ebay-- hand dyed merino to die for).

Everyone loves socks, except apparently my yarn store--that vision of desire that is only 3 blocks from my house, that house of refuge from the cruel outside world where I should spend countless hours fondling yarns.

They have sock yarn, one tiny-tiny display case of mostly self striping (puke) yarns at the very back of the store.

But they have novelty. Want to knit a jelly purse? And you thought we were so over the 80s.

Fine! Take it.

2006-11-28T07:29:00.000-08:00

My baby sister has a nasty tendancy for asking, both directly and indirectly, for anything, everything........ I choose to believe that it's a subconcious tick that has developed through years of financial hardships, regardless, she can't spend 10 minutes in my house without suggesting that she would make better use of something that belongs to me then I do.

There are some items that she's become quite tenacious about. (and if I ever get robbed or loose everything in a fire I can count on her to provide the inventory). Some she doesn't stand a chance in hell of ever prying out of my grasp, while others she will recieve in due time (yes, I know, I enable-- but I'm a purger too, it serves my purpose.). For at least a year one of the items she has repetatively told me she's going to lift from my house is yarn, not just any of the stash, but a particular yarn which I've told her she'd have to wait on since I've stil got use for it.

This weekend, I decided to conclude this particular conversation, the easiest way. Do what I wanted to do with the yarn and give it to her. It's a lovely color way, I'll admit that, but now that I'm working on it, I have to admit, I don't like it. I've been working with natural fibers for so long now that this synthetic feels icky in my hand and I wonder if I'd feel the same when I wear it. Though, I can't give in to the sister and give it all to her........... what a quandry, to act like a sister or a rational adult? And maybe I won't hate it when it's done anyway.

The yarn was purchased during my e-bay craziness. At a time when I felt financial stress and so a cheap price looked like a great deal that I couldn't pass up. And I bought whatever I could get my hands on that was cheap. This particular yarn seems to be intended as a rug or craft yarn. It's thick, made of nylon and is on a very large cone-- were talking 5-7#s here. I'm sure that my indecision will cause me to continue to move forward. It's not like I don't rip out sweaters............ who knows, maybe I'll be in desperate need of a welcome mat someday.

Oh look, another sock.

And so it begins

2006-11-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

When it became apparent that my father's health was fading, I forsaw that I'd be spending more time away from my couch and my TV and the happy place where I create sweaters. I also knew that I didn't like toting sweaters or even pieces of sweaters and I've got way too many scarves as it is. So the idea of learning to make socks started bouncing around in my head. I liked the idea and searched for a pattern and bought yarn (full disclosure, the first yarn I bought was chosen because it was the cheapest sock yarn at the yarn store).

I cast on at home the day that mom told me that dad was going to the hospice and I told her that I'd be there in two days. The next day I found my BIL at my door with istructions from my sister to get me to the hospice RIGHT NOW! I packed the sock, again with the idea that I'd be in a strange place for prolonged periods of time with not much to distract me but learning how to make a sock.

As it turned out, Dad died within minutes of my arrival at the hospice and the sock never made it out of my bag. However, it was my security blanket during the ride with my mother to her house and the next 24 hours that I spent with her. The sock also saw me through the viewing and the memorial service. The next sock helped me through the funeral dinner and the visitations over the course of the next couple of days by the dear friends and supporters that love my mother and loved Dad.

My dad would like the asymmetry of these socks. He would appreciate the randomness, nay the chaos that the yarn presented. I'm not entirely sure that I could have ever gotten two matching socks out of this yarn. Dad, like Grumpy has been around since 1937. Also like Grumpy, he had a gruff exterior but a heart of gold. He taught me old fashioned morals and ethics. He taught me to work and to be proud of my accomplishments and he taught me to be a great person. Dad taught me many virtues that he himself did possess and could never change his paradigm to ingrain into his charecter, but he taught them and ingrained them upon me anyway.

So one legacy has come to an end, but in his shadow, a new skill was born.

April 1937-November 2006

2006-11-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

Daddy, I'll miss you.

2006-11-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

But tell me, is anyone else but me concerned that they don't ask for IDs when handing out ballots?

Regardless, one never knows if his voice will be listened to so long as he remains mute.

Video Games are good?

2006-11-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

I have never been a go-to-the-store-to-buy-a-costume kind of girl and I've never let the kids take the easy, comercial route either. My son also seems to love Holloween enough to start thinking about it in, oh, February or so. This year he didn't just tell me that he wanted to be a vampire or a ninja and we didn't just make up the costume based on a pre-fab charecter. No, this year the boy brought me a picture and told me that that was his costume. It was apparently a composite of several of his favorite video game heros plus a few twists and turns of his own.

Thank goddness he does come up with these things in plenty of time to figure out just how to make it all work.

With the help of duct tape (and yes, the residue did wash off the pants-- finally) some form board and a bit of luck, we nailed the costume and he was very happy with it. Who knows if this creativity will result in something lucrative and enjoyable when he gets taller (because do we ever really have to grow up?) But I like the start that we have. ******It took an hour to straighten all that hair, enjoy, for it won't happen ever again.**********

the girl has convinced me the her life will be enhanced by reptiles and we are going to be extending our family by one skink in the near future (after she reads up on them a bit). Who could say no to that facination?

On the knitting front: Once upon a time, there was a girl who had learned to crochet when she was 9. Had known how to sew forever, but the stars and the fates had not yet determined that she should get the knack of knitting. This girl loved to make her own clothes and loved sweaters, so, in a fit of delusion, she created not one, but many crochet sweaters. Many out of worsted weight yarns. Now it took her far too long to realized that crocheted lace makes beautiful sweaters, but if one is trying of imatate knitting, well, that's just crazy talk. So she was left with monstrosities such as this.
Which begged the question of what to do with such crap? Obviously, she couldn't give these to the charity stores because it would be a crime to humanity to offer up shit to someone with less taste and dicernment then she had previously possesed (though maybe she could heve eventually found her items on the truly clueless celebertis on Go Fug Yourself, ummmm, yeah, she'd rather not) and being the cheap wench that she was, the garbage wasn't happening either. So what was left to do but to take these finished monstrosities to the frog pond. And lo and behold she found such destruction to be cathartic, so much so that she's got plans to do it again.

Now if she could just get the 400 some odd stitches of the front band worked and bound off, she might just have a new, fabulous sweater to show.............

a halloween blog

2006-11-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

without pictures is like gretting a whole bag of candy without chocolate. Maybe tomorrow.......................

Thank God for Stash

2006-10-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

This year has seemed fairly tight financially, I just never seemed to be coming out ahead nearly as much as I'd have liked, it's been fairly stressful for I am determined to take my kids to see the Pharaoh Tutankhamun while he's so near to us (my parents took me the last time-- it was an event that I feel shaped my future). Luckily for me, I have stash so scrounging up projects wasn't anymore difficult then stepping into my basement. So I was a silent participant in the summer of stash this year, partially because I only heard rumors and partially because I avoid committment whenever possible (why, oh, why did I commit to Serrano, I'll never know). Not to mention that I'd have failed miserably because I did happen to find some "extra" money here and there that just screamed to be spent on yarn.

Well, I found out yesterday that I can expect to have @5% less for the next year to spend. I processed this information last night and thought of possible solutions, getting a second job?-- no, ick-- can't do it when I have an 11 year old son that often remarks on how much he likes cuddling with me in the evenings, cutting back on expenses?-- not much left at this point. I was going to buy a new computer this year since mine has been in the shop more then it's been home this year and it will soon be obsolete (thanks Bill), I could cut cable, but that's only $25 per month and really the only channels I watch are in the upper cable range. I've already dropped my car insurance (live in a city with great public transit-- I'm not driving illegeally) and we can do without Marco's Pizza delivery and the occasional eat out that we do. But really, when it comes down to it, it's the superfluous things like DVDs, shoes, fabric and yarn that I can live without.

I think I just felt the earth tremble as 5 people fainted.

The only reason I can say this is because of stash. Remember the mention above about the Summer of Stash and the basement? Let me assure you that my yarn (and fabric) holdings most likely exceed my life expectancy right now. What will be tough will be making do with the old rather then indulging on newly introduced yarns when keeping my needles clicking, but as a single mother, I think that really, I've had to be tougher then this many times in my life.

This will build character.

I was about to regale my premition for this life experence with a photogenic journey of the ugly duckling yarn style, but it would seem that my dear sweet daughter felt that her music needed the batteries more then my camera, so I will have to leave that for next time.

No suprises here.

2006-10-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.

Take this quiz!

2006-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

Of Sense and Sensibility

This weekend was crazy busy, so when I sat down to knit, I didn't have the attention span to work on Serrano as I've already discovered that I have to be in peak condition to count to seven over and over and over again.

But I also have issues that I'm trying to reconcile in my mind so that I will love my sweater once again. The pattern isn't symetrical. I want each section of the body to independently contain a series of pattern repeats, I don't like the continuous pattern. I'm seriously playing with the idea of using some blocks of st. st at the underarm seaming area to cater to my sensibilities a bit, but I don't know if I will like this better. I just think that lack of mathmatical perfection is going to grate at me (boy would Mr. Noffsinger be ROFLHAO right now-- I flunked his geometry class, hand to take it over-- of course I got an A when he wasn't standing in front of me, but I digress).

Anyway, between trying to decide if I would like big hunks of anti-lace while achieving logic, or if that would bother me more, I keep looking at the yarn and seeing cables. Oh, what a temptation to use the designger's schematic and insert cables......................

Which is why I'm working on something different for the most part (though I know not what that will be), until I fall off the Seranno fence and can commit to a single path.

2006-10-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

How old Can you Go?

This blogger asks what the oldes UFO in your possession is. Well I don't know what it is now (though I'm suspecting it's a pale blue sweater that I started and stalled out on for my daughter when she was about 3 or 4-- she's 17 now). But I can tell you what the oldest piece used to be.

Two summers ago I was rummaging through a closet in my parents house and I came up with a sweater that I'd started in 1982. Seeing that I was hip and trendy at the time, the sweater was not going to cut it in that incarnation. So I ripped (I get a perverse pleasure out of ripping, BTW-- I rip finished sweaters that have exceeded their fasion-life expectancy). And I used a table runner pattern from Majic Crochet to create a shawl/scarf thing with fringe on the ends. It's wide enough to be a shawl, but it's made out of sport weight yarn so it also compresses to become a nice scarf-- very handy when you are going to the night club in the dead of winter, scarf outside, shawl inside, no need to carry extra clothes.

The yarn was an acrylic with an irredecent metalic thread wrapped around it (which of course won't photograph). The yarn was bought at Lee Wards, it was a pound skein and it cost, according to the price sticker, $2.50.

2006-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Could this Prevent the Boyfriend Sweater Curse?

My son has been asking me for years to knit him a sweater. He had one when he was younger that he wore to death. But have you ever tried finding a suitible boys sweater pattern for a boy who is older then 6? (or one that out grew that age when he was 4?).

Imagine my excitement when I discovered this year that he was able to wear men's sizes. Out came all of the man sweater patterns that I've been hoarding. And let me tell you, gone is that child who would wear anything I threw at him. He disliked some patterns for being too plane, some for having too many cables. Some he didn't know why he didn't like them, he just didn't. He wanted blue, but he didn't want a pure blue, a sky blue, a pale blue, a bright blue or a purple-blue. By the time we had settled on a sweater, one could have been knit (and how many times I thought I'd drop this project in favor of one of my own, I'll not say.)

We settled on this, it's a Crystal Palace pattern and the yarn is stash, I'll admit that this is a test sweater, it's acrylic. I have to see how an 11 year old boy treats this offering before we look at real wool.

And it will be interesting to see if he's a bit more inclined to desire hand knit sweaters from romantic interests as he matures, or if this expereince alone has scared his knitting aquisition desires for life.

2006-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

I've joined my first KAL

I'm working on a sweater for my son now (yeah, I'll get the pics up as soon as I have the camera and the sweater in the same room). It will be done soon and I hadn't figured out what I'd move on to and then I saw this KAL today and figured it would be fun.

So I'll go the the LYS this weekend or next to find yarn. The sweater takes sock yarn-- what fun. I'm thinking something autumny, something verigated maybe?

We'll soon find out.

2006-09-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

I have gotten to the point where I have to see if Pictures post before I even attempt to start a thought, ick. Today is my lucky day though because I have pictures!!

To Knit a Sweatshirt:

over the past weekend, I recalimed some yarn.

I bought this beautiful verigated brushed cotton five or six (or seven, eight, nine?) years ago. At the time I either didn't know how to knit or wasn't proficent yet as I paired up the yarn with a beautiful crocheted textured fiddley top.

Well the marriage of these two beautiful items wasn't harmonious and it became a DOG-- though I knew it would be re-done some way some how, until this past weekend I didn't invest any thinking or energy to it.

But this weekend when I'd just finished one project and hadn't yet cast on for another, the yarn called to me and said it needed to be made.

So I decided to make a very simple sweater with little or no patterning (the yarn is thick-thin as well as verigated). Found the simple pattern with perfect guage and in 3 days I'm almost done with it.

The bonus is that while it will technically be a sweater--it's already appearing that it's going to wear like a sweatshirt. and it is beautiful.

I am so glad that I didn't push the original project and instead waited for the right time and the right inspiration to really do the yarn justice.

Both the blue sweater below and the pastel above were knit using the Spring Issue of Cast On. I utilized my summer of stash for both of them and the pastel was made with 5 skeins of Sidar Magic that I had purchased two winters ago. Though the price per skein was $5.50, I'd bet I bought it on sale. The blue sweater was made with 4 skeins of Lion Brand Jiffy that I found in my old bedroom at my parents house the last time I was trying to purge there (I think they have a fear that if I don't have any stuff there, I won't come back-- I have yet to convince them that if I haven't used it in 15 years, I'm not likely to want it now). The price tag was from Meijer and I stopped working there 16 years ago and it was a clearence purchase of a whopping 40 cents a skein. Sometimes inexpensive doesn't have to be cheap.

2006-08-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

The Yarn Harlot came to town!

I don't know why I thought that such a cool person (and she is cool-- don't let her try to fool you) would come to my town, I just never thought my town was worthy of excitement. But she came on Sunday.Now, I tried to tell her a story, but in the haste of trying not to hold up the signing line for too long, I mucked it all up. Hoobastank was did a live feed from Borders last weekend and this was the crowd:
As you can see, I'm about six or seven people away from touching the band. Really nice intimate forum that you wouldn't normally get a chance to be a part of with a band that is touring with Nickleback.

Then I go see the Harlot. I showed up an hour early just like I did for Hoobastank but rather then being about the 20th person there, I was one of the last people that could find seating in the mediaroom where she was speaking-- they already had opened another room up for which they were sending a feed of her presentation to. Here is my view of the Harlot:

Stephanie is such a nice person that when I tried to tell her how much cooler she was then the band, she apologized for the wait in line for the book signing. Now, I was standing amongst knitters, do you really think that the time dragged at all? In fact, the lady behind me teaches and though I didn't get her name then, I do think I will be interested in finding her and pursuing some knowledge for myself.

As for my Summer of Stash; it's going well. I've finished the navy sweater and will get that picture up, as well as the multi colored short cardigan. Then I turned to this: This was one of those sweaters that I generally loved but felt that the summer months when my brain tends to melt weren't conducive to making it happen. Boy was I wrong-- it was much easier then my mind wanted to make it-- I had imagined this engineering feat that only the most skilled and amazing knitters could achieve. It turned out to be quite simple though I chose to use a thin yarn that I had to triple to get gauge so for a short period of time I was juggling 12 strands of yarn at once, but it was for a very short time when the end was in sight so nary a tear of frustration was shed.

Now I'm back to the Olympic yarn my Artful (I love this yarn) and a pattern from KnitScene (I love this magazine) and I'm on the second half so I'll be off to that Bamboo yarn soon, if the heat index subsides and my brain stops melting, otherwise, maybe something a bit less thinking.

2006-08-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have stuff to write, pictures to share, I finished my "office work"-- I usually keep something at the office that I can pickup during lunch, breaks or lulls in productivity. I was working on a scarf that I named Joseph because of the beautiful handpainted multi-colored wool. I used the feather and fan and I love it. Love it.

I started the next project for the office, another "scarf" (hey-- it's in Scraf Styly by Pam Allen) It's the turtleneck shrug by Teva Durham (for those who haven't seen it-- it's sleves and a turtle neck). The office is at least 2 degrees cooler then my comfort zone and is a great place for winter knitting-- even in the melting month.

I caught my daughter knitting, she doesn't do it often yet she's finished one scarf and started another this week (won't try on the FO right now though-- too hot).

And I've taken a few more pictures of FOs from my summer of stash.

Yes I have the makings of a photo heavy entry, yet I still can't post pictures.

2006-07-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

The Yarn Harlot came to town!

I don't know why I thought that such a cool person (and she is cool-- don't let her try to fool you) would come to my town, I just never thought my town was worthy of excitement. But she came on Sunday.

Now, I tried to tell her a story, but in the haste of trying not to hold up the signing line for too long, I mucked it all up. Hoobastank was did a live feed from Borders last weekend and this was the crowd: (OK-- photos aren't up loading-- I'll try to add then later) As you can see, I'm about six or seven people away from touching the band. Really nice intimate forum that you wouldn't normally get a chance to be a part of with a band that is touring with Nickleback.

Then I go see the Harlot. I showed up an hour early just like I did for Hoobastank but rather then being about the 20th person there, I was one of the last people that could find seating in the mediaroom where she was speaking-- they already had opened another room up for which they were sending a feed of her presentation to. Here is my view of the Harlot: (imagine for now, please.)

Stephanie is such a nice person that when I tried to tell her how much cooler she was then the band, she apologized for the wait in line for the book signing. Now, I was standing amongst knitters, do you really think that the time dragged at all? In fact, the lady behind me teaches and though I didn't get her name then, I do think I will be interested in finding her and pursuing some knowledge for myself.

As for my Summer of Stash; it's going well. I've finished the navy sweater and will get that picture up, as well as the multi colored short cardigan. Then I turned to this: (please be patient I will show you this teal cross-over tank from Vogue 2 summers ago) This was one of those sweaters that I generally loved but felt that the summer months when my brain tends to melt weren't conducive to making it happen. Boy was I wrong-- it was much easier then my mind wanted to make it-- I had imagined this engineering feat that only the most skilled and amazing knitters could achieve. It turned out to be quite simple though I chose to use a thin yarn that I had to triple to get gauge so for a short period of time I was juggling 12 strands of yarn at once, but it was for a very short time when the end was in sight so nary a tear of frustration was shed.

Now I'm back to the Olympic yarn my Artful (I love this yarn) and a pattern from KnitScene (I love this magazine) and I'm on the second half so I'll be off to that Bamboo yarn soon, if the heat index subsides and my brain stops melting, otherwise, maybe something a bit less thinking.

Final note: I've tried to upload the pictures all day and need to revisit the problem tomorrow to perserve my sanity.

August 1-- still trying-- still no pics. How can a person have a freakin' knitting blog without pics?

August 3-- pictures are still a no-go. grrrrrrr

2006-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

the vanilla is done.

I won't bore you with pictures (read, I don't like any of the pictures taken.) but it's done, it's nice and it's perfect for the skirt.

So now I am back to this:

It's going well. I ripped out the front that I'd begun because they had a fake seam in it and the more I looked at it the more I didn't like it. I envision this with a smooth front, so a smooth front it will have.

and speaking of ripping this one really wasn't working for me and so it's been ripped and is now in the process of becomming this:

Yeah, I'm digging that much better.

2006-06-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

I won't bore you with the details of the vanilla wrap, especially since it didn't grow last night. First, we had an ice cream social in my community and I found out that the new community aid's husband is studying Paleontology-- my second love after Egypt. Not only that, but he's going to be part of the next Russian trip with the Discovery special covering the whooly mamouth finds. I could talk to him forever, and almots did.

Plus I was two stitches shy on my increses according to the row counter and while I've been known to fudge and pretend that the mistake is my one planned mistake (as per the Persian and Amish tradition the holds that only God is perfect) I decided I was close enought to the beginning to rip and restart. So I am back to where I was with two more stitches now.

However, I did think if fitting that I show you the skirt that I am sacraficing my sanity for.

I also thought it would be nice to hop on the summer of stash band wagon. Since I want to take an extravagent vacation this fall to Chicago (meaning no budget, I want all the bells and whistles), I will simply save the money I'd like to spend on yarn. I have enough to keep me busy at home, I just have to decide how to utilize it. So while I'm boring myself with valillianess, I will document with photos how I will mate stash and pattern.

This is SWTCs Bamboo, the skeins are heavy and I can imagine the drape will be awesome. I bought them 3 weeks ago, so while they aren't stash yet, the did sneak in before my resolution.

2006-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

The good, the bad, and the reality check

I've been working on my mother's day present to me. I love Olympic yarn from Artful and if I'm not careful, I will own a sweater in each of the colors.

It's a beautiful sweater isn't it? I love the wrap sweaters, I thought that they are flattering on every body type. I already used this color for a long sleeved tunic a couple of months ago, so I chose Rome this time.

Stunning, isn't it. And imagine it layered with a lavender tank-- it it truly stunning. I had to try it on, I had to admire my mother's day present...............................

Damn! Yep, that really is me. I guess me and Billy Blanks will become very close friends in the near future because I am repulsed by this image. How could I do this to such a beautiful sweater?

Moving on..........................................
This is going to be occupying my every waking moment until complete:

Not because I am in desperate need to knit mindless simplicity with bland vanilla yarn, but because I have a desperate need for the finished project. You see, at Christmas time my boss gave me a gift certificate for my favorite of all favorite stores, Urban Outfiters, and as luck would have it I'd been eyeing a skirt there. I snapped up that skirt like no ones business, not thinking for a moment that I wouldn't have anything in my closet that would really make this amazing skirt pop. After all, what woman doesn't have an over abundance of black or white?

I forgot the main rule of fashion, not only does it have to be the right color, but it has to be the prefect style too-- leading me to dismiss every item in my closet as just not quite right.

So bland vanilla mindless knitting I am resolved to, until I am a hair shy of clinically insane or until I can wear my skirt.

2006-05-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm wondering how insane I have to be
to consider making this offering from Elann. I absolutely love it, but all those squares, all those tails to weave in. Would I hate knitting when I was done? Or would I still respect it in the morning?

2006-05-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

of monsters and wolves

My son, who is in the 5th grade, has been practicing for a play for a couple of months now. And for a couple of months, I've been asking for details, you know silly things like when and where and what will you wear?

Monday he called when he got home from school to tell me that he needed a costume by Wednesday and he needed to buy it from the one and only costume store that is open year-round here.

Shit.

Now there are two things that people recognize in me quickly upon making my aquantance, I am ridgid as any OCD person could be about my schedule and routine and work much better when I am given several days to acclimate myself to change and I am cheap-- I won't even try to use euphanisms, I'm cheap. I will spend $100 on yarn for a sweater that I will wear for the next hundred years, but I will not, cannot spend money when I don't see an efficient return on my investment.

So, I did what my son has taught me to do. I called the teacher on Tuesday to confim his story. He did indeed need his costume preferrably on Wednesday as she feels the get into charecter better when costumed, but she preferred that the costumes be created rather then bought.

Ironically, my rigidity flys out the window when creating and craftiness fly in. So rather then a trip to the costume store (which I looked forward to as one would the Inquisition), I planned a scavanger hunt for "stuff" to make a warewolf costume (which I can more liken to Christmas).

I checked off in my head what I had at home, face paint from a previous holloween (check), black sweatshirt and black jeans (check-- jeans are in donations bag- rescue operation inacted), fangs (check-- boy has an obsession with vampires, a good set of teeth were actually worth their money) and an assundry of fabric paint. Missing white paint and brushes though and still really had no clue as to what I was doing. A sewing co-worker had some fake fur reminants (sewers, like knitters can't toss-- even when they have no use for the scraps of fabric)-- cool, cool-- we might make something decent.

We found paint, brushes and brown utility gloves at the store and that seemed to be all we needed. We turned the sweatshirt inside out for better texture and just dabbled with the paints--literally.

I'll take pictures when we feel we're close to complete-- which isn't anytime soon, I think. But I'll tell you what, nothing, nothing will ever dim the memory of my tween son claiming that his costume will be the best costume by far because of the time he spent with his mother creating it.

2006-05-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is for all the Mommies who have sat up all night with sicktoddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here." Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing cryingbabies who can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up intheir hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sewHalloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T. This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes. This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hangingo n their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers atfootball or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth oftheir cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?"they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for theworld," and mean it. This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocerystore and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and screamfor ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count toten instead, but realize how child abuse happens. This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children andexplained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) motherswho wanted to, but just couldn't find the words. This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children caneat. For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a nightfor a year. And then read it again. "Just on e more time." This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie theirshoelaces before they started school. A nd for all the mothers whoopted for Velcro instead. This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and theirdaughters to sink a jump shot. This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when alittle voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know theirown offspring are at home -- or even away at college. This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school withstomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there,only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them toplease pick them up. Right away. This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't findthe words to reach them. This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's childor children, and gave their time, attent ion, and love... sometimes totally unappreciated! For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their14-year-olds dye their hair green.For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, andthe mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in frontof their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely. This is for all the mothers who taught their children to bepeaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war. What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broadhips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the acheyou feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down thestreet, walking to school alone for the very first time? The joltthat takes you from sleep to dread, fro m bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? Th e panic, yearslater, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear theirkey in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or theneed to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hearnews of a fire, a car accident, a child dying? The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts arefor young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation... And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. and the wanna be mommies too. Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray. Please pass alo ng to all the Moms in your life. "Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall." Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know. (I just did.)

2006-05-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Can I alter time?

Or maybe be in two places at the same?

I had made plans for the day before Mother's Day (read my townhouse community is having a yard sale and I want to get rid of shtuff and have more yarn money) and now I find that at the same time knitgrrl and the knittingfrau (half of Big Girl Knits) are going to be at a book festival not 3 miles from me. For goodness sake-- how could I not go?

I must find a way. I must, I must. Where there is a will there is a way........................

2006-05-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

overheard at the yarn store............

Lady 1: Oh look at that lovely yarn
Lady 2: yes, and see the poncho above made with that yard?
Lady 1: oh, yes I do and isn't it devine, too bad poncho's are out of style now, I haven't seen one in any of the magazines or in the catalogues this season.
Lady 2: yes, I know *sigh* I gave all mine away.

What do I see wrong with this picture? Simply that I wouldn't let someone tell me how to spend my money, I wouldn't let someone dictate what car I drive, where I work or any major decision I make, I certianly don't rely on someone else telling me who to vote for, but year after year, season after season we allow a handful of fashion industry icons decide what is in style, what we will go to the nth degree to own and what we will shove to the back of our closet or give away to charity. Why do we feel the need to allow someone else to tell us what the "new black" is, what lenght our skirts will be or how pointy our shoes? If we can decide who is going to be our next president individually why can't each of us decide for ourselves if we will put a poncho over our shoulders.

Besides, no one seems to have told the very trendy college chicks that ponchos are out-- they still seem to be enjoying them imensely all over campus. Or maybe, just maybe these 20 somethings know something we should all learn-- to follow our own tastes and not some person who pads his pockets by making us desire entirely new wardrops every 3 months.

2006-05-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

Done and DONE!

remember this?

Well, now it's this: yeah, I had to change the boarders-- I just couldn't help myself, but I read those wonky instructions a hundred times and still didn't get a good visualization, besides, I like feather and fan.

and this:
is now the lovely but unphotogenic this:

don't you just hate photographs of black garments where you can't see the detail? Oh, wait-- do I detect cables?

And this grew ........................

That means I have 3 sweaters on needles, one scarf, a nagging memory of a UFO that is calling for attention (though what kind of attention I will give it I cannot say) and a huge case of what-do-I-do-nextitis.

Too much yarn and to little time.

2006-04-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Why I knit (and sew for that matter).

Yesterday one of the bosses took a bunch of us to a luncheon for professional administrative assistants day (that would be secretary's day for the un PC of us). It is an anual lunch held by Planned Parenthood to raise funds for their cancer program (they treat women with breast and cerivical cancer on a sliding scale-- those women who couldn't get the treatments elsewhere due to lack of money-- good cause people-- good cause).

Besides the wonderful lunch and a fun fashion show, there are also raffel prizes. I happened to win a gift certificate to a high end clothin botique that I would normally never enter. Of course I had to hurry over there right after work before I woke up and learned that someone else had actually won and I was delusional as usual.

I anticipated purchasing a foundation piece for my work wardrobe and was suprisingly dissappointed to learn that the buyer for this store is a Paris Hilton protagee(sp?). I found one skirt that I would have loved if not for the pattern of the fabric that it was made out of (but I do think I can copy it with my trusty Singer) and one sweater that I might have considered as it was on sale if it wasn't the last one and not my size. The sweater (or shwrap I guess you could call it) was a basic black version of this version which is provided by Caron. Ironically, I've seen this in their magazine adds all winter long and both my sister and I have comented on what a great sweater it is, but until I saw a monitary value placed on it, I kept forget to look for the pattern (I should warn anyone else who loves it-- it's not on Caron's site, I had to e-mail them and ask them for it and they are the ones who call it a shwrap. I will keep a close eye on the bottom line when I make this (keeping track of both materials and hours spent on it) because the finished product in a smooth (prpbably wool blend) light-weight yarn with no edging detail cost $390. originally. I am sure I can do better than that. I should also mention that the fronts can be draped over your shoulder instead of tied-- like a wrap.

2006-04-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

Knitting happened.....................................

Pictures didn't. Maybe tonight? I hope.

2006-04-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

I was neglect in announcing the most significant event this month. This beauty turned 17 on the 20th (so she claims). I'm still not sure how I could have a child that old.

2006-04-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Take Two

Well, I found this morning that I have put my W-2s in a very safe and secure place-- so safe and secure that I can't find them now. Luckily for me I can re-print them thanks to my high-tech employer. Unlucky for me, I'm too lazy to load all the software on my home computer (yeah, picture downloading capabilities would be part of that) So off I trotted to work.

Well, since I'm here I might as well use the handy software that my sext IT team gives me.

This was what I started Wednesday night, Thursday I realized I didn't like it-- to spongy and the pattern didn't look right, but I trudged on until last night when I couldn't take anymore.

Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it. Today I have this:

What else do I have going? Well there's these:

And I do manage to get stuff done: (one for the color and one for the clarity-- stupid camera)

and now I'm really out and about.

2006-04-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Time for me to fly

I'm bad, I know-- I was going to tantilize y'all with pics of all my works in progress so I could show you just what I did on my Sring Break. As it was, I plopped my butt down after my work out and just worked on said works. Yes, I am hinting that I am dissappearing next week-- I am just going to hang out with the gremlin gang and make sure that I still have a house when they go back to school.

As for the works-- I have 5 on the needles right now, maybe, and would like to have one done by the end of my sabbatical. But then again, I'd like to do some sewing too and Gremlin Girl turns 17 next Thursday so I suspect she'll have ideas of her own.

So, hopefully the next post you get will be heavily overloaded with actual pictures, you think?

2006-04-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

HEY! I resemble that remark.

I take a bus into work, what can I say, I'm cheap and parking is premium near my office. Anyway, being the creature of habbit that I am, I take the same bus every day and so it's come to the point that the bus driver and I talk-- wow- I guess he's almost a friend, what a concept.

Today he was a bit vexed by his girlfriend. She is a student from China and in enamoured with Western fashion and designer labels. Apparently often at the end of the month she is frustrated because in order to pay her half of the bills she has to forgo an amazing Prada bag or a pair of wonderful Itallian leather shoes (I know, I'm not up on my Sex and the City enough to remember the name).

Now, I bet, many like me are thinking "Thank God I am not a label hog". Don't lie. But then when I'd gotten off the bus and walked for a bit it struck me that I am. I swoon at the Lily Chin collection, I adore the Vogue sections that highlight Koors, DNKY and their ilk and I know practically every designer attached to my creations. And that's only the knitting. I also sew the designer patterns and I do look for certian names when I purchase them.

The only difference between me and our fashion victim? Skill. Yeah, I go for the quality and the namebrands with no less fanaticism as she does, but I have a bit of know how behind me so I can take what the designer visualized and make it my own. Sure I don't pay $6000 for a dress, but I've paid over $100 for yarn to spend hundreds of hours of my life (and even at minimum wage even that would be a small fortune) and there are people who would look at me with the same disbelief as I internally visualize myself looking at this woman. Most of the same people who wouldn't groove with designer lables, also wouldn't be down for huge segments of their lives sucked in to the clothes they wear-- and they certianly wouldn't pay more for yarn or fabric then it would cost them to purchase an ensemble at Walmart.

So I am no different then this lovely and fashionable Chineese lady, what seperates us is that while Visa knows her secret, only my sewing machine and knitting needles know mine-- and I don't think they're going to rat on my anytime soon.

2006-04-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

My mother's mother spent most of her life sick with something or another, when she was a child she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and the family (all 12 children and a mother who had enough of an alcoholic husband) packed up and headed to California from Cleveland on a doctor's suggestion. She had toxemia when my mother was born and spent 6 more months in the hospital then my mother did. She also had to find a job a few years later when they lost the farm--literally.

My mother tells wonderful stories of my great-grandmothers, both of who she got to spend lots of time with. One was from Ireland, one was from Wales via Charlotte Michigan. I used to spend hours listening to my mother weave tales especially told to her by my Irish great-grandmother as she would slip into a delightful Irish brogue during the telling.

One day when my mother was about 6, she was taught how to crochet-- this sent the other grandmother into a tizzy of massive proportions and my mother had no choice but to learn how to knit as well. It's a good thing too because in the 50s when she was in highschool and wanted to wear the tight pullover sweaters that were all the rage, she discovered that she was allergic to wool.

I grew up watching my mother pick up a crochet hook as naturally as knitting needles and it never occurred to me until I got around other needleworkers that there could be a preference, nay a prejudice for one genre over the other.

The stories, the craft........... I sometimes imagine that it brings me closer to two amazingly strong women that I only wish that I could have met and known.

2006-04-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Well, there you are-- obviously this is a consiricy between you and blogger to get you a post all to yourself without any other sweater that could compete for attention.

Details: I bought 7 skeins of Mexico by Katia (at 50% off the $8.00 price, I might add). I used 6, but two of those are still fairly full (are we thinking scarf?). The pattern was the short cardigan with 3/4 lenght slevees in Knit1 by Vogue. Started Satruday morning, finished Tuesday night. How is that for (almost) instant gratification? I almost forgot to talk about the ribbon. After hours of scouring fabric stores Saturday for just the right ribbon and striking out, I walked by a flower shop on Monday at lunch and popped in there, not only did I find the perfect color and perfect width of ribbon (the only reason it wasn't completely perfect is I had to de-wire it), I asked the lady for a couple of yards and she appologetically told me that it was 80 cents a yard (she's talking to one who has spent more on the perfect button then yarn or fabric for the same outfit). I may have found a new ribbon outlet.

2006-04-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hussy

Dear yarn,

When I walked into that yarn store 2 months ago, I wasn't looking for you-- I didn't need you, I didn't need anything. I was there to pass the time and to inspire me to get to work on what I already had so that I could appreciate it and love it more. But there you were, with all your boldness, all your brightness and all your charms blatently on display. Before I knew it, I'd gathered you up, paid for you and wisked you home.

That should have been enough to appease you, shouldn't it? After all, you now had a home, friends and a place to rest. But you had other plans-- you weren't going to make friends, you weren't going to integrete with the others, you felt you didn't belong and you were bound and determined not to stay long enough to become just another peice of the stash.

I have to say, you carried it a bit far when you kept interrupting me while I was working on the Mexico City Tunic, you knew that I couldn't get more yarn for that without ordering-- you knew that it was important to me to make sure that the investment of that yarn didn't go to waste, but you didn't care-- you wanted the stardome-- you wanted my undivided attention and you were not going to be silenced until you got it.

Well, you got your wish, I found the perfect pattern for you, I cast you on and I worked feverishly for 5 days to be done with you-- and you cooperated for it doesn't seem like you just wanted attention--but you desired to be taken out and shown off. I must admit, after all we've been though, I should despise your manipulation, I should be ashamed to be seen with a floozie such as yourself. I should, but I love you and for the moment, you are my favorite sweater.

and I'd love to show you off right now, but the blogger seems to be as tempermental as you.

2006-04-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

I set up a blog somewhere else and wasn't happy with it. Unfortunatley one has to actully get hands on experience with a blog before they know if it is all they desire.

So-- I definately am digging the photoshop much better, now I just have to decide if I start over here or I just add on from where I left off there.