Sugar Sticks

Hi, it's me again.

2011-03-11T16:34:00.004-06:00

It's been a long time since I've posted, but I think we can all agree there is a lot going on over here. Warren is fabulous and gorgeous. We've passed the 8 month mark already. I still can't believe how big he's gotten. He sits up on his own now, munches on teething cookies and other mama-approved solid foods with vigor, does the army crawl, and is just generally wonderful in every way. Now that my Warren gushing is out of the way, I can move on to the many FOs I have finished since my last post.

Rufus Cardigan

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light (3 skeins), handspun alpaca (brown, partial skein)
Pattern: Rufus Textured Cardigan by Kristen Rengren from Vintage Baby Knits

Coline

Pattern: Coline by Lucy Sweetland
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Mineshaft colorway
Mods: I knit a wide 2x2 rib band so it could be rolled up over the ears. This also made it a more manly looking hat than the one in the pattern. Also, I knit the band in the L size, but only decreased for the rest of the hat up to the M size, making it more of a beanie than a slouchy hat.

Citron Shawl

Pattern: Citron Shawl by Hillary Smith Callis
Yarn: My own handspun plus a bit of Australian wool in lime green for the bind off
Mods: I used worsted weight yarn on size 8 needles

Ok, I have time for one more at the moment.

Mystery Socks

Pattern: TTL Mystery Sock 2010 by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Multi in Hearth colorway
Mods: none

Now that the blog neglect is out of the way, I can stop feeling so guilty about it. Also, I hope you all are listening to the Revenge of the Knits podcast, which I do with my good friend Julie. We are really behind on getting episodes edited and up on itunes, but there are 6 episodes up already for your listening pleasure.

That's all there is for now, but I have a few other FO's to share later. I felt like they deserved their own separate posts. :) Ta-ta!

Baby Mario: Warren's First Cosplay

2010-12-04T19:53:00.010-06:00

For Warren's first anime convention, we dressed him up as Mario. I knit the hat using this pattern generator.

There was much squee-ing. Much, much, much...

And just when we thought it couldn't get any cuter, this happened:

Cuteness overload.

**Also, the 3rd episode of Revenge of the Knits is available through itunes and the Revenge of the Knits website. Episode 4 is coming soon!

Kanoko Pants

2010-11-04T14:02:00.002-05:00

I "finished" a pair of Kanoko pants for Warren.

I say "finished" because I need to add elastic to the waistband so they will actually fit him. :)

I also have pictures of him in the Snug jacket I made for him while he was still only gestating. He wears this one A LOT. It's a great pattern.

Also, Episode 2 of Revenge of the Knits is forthcoming!

It's kind of a big deal.

2010-10-27T22:04:00.004-05:00

Well, I've gone and done it. I've joined the ranks of the many and proud knitting podcasters out there. I'm not in it alone. My lovely co-host is a good friend of mine named Julie and we ramble on at length about knitting and nerding. It's called Revenge of the Knits (Get it? Snort, snort) and we like to think it's pretty awesome. Please give us a listen and subscribe to us in iTunes and/or through our website. We'd really appreciate it. :) I just used an emoticon so you KNOW I'm serious.

Revenge of the Knits website and show notes

or

iTunes link

I assure you, "nerding" is a word. If it isn't, it certainly should be.

Two Sweaters.

2010-10-07T11:28:00.003-05:00

One big. One small.

Big:

Pattern: Crafter's Bay Cardigan

Yarn: Cascade Eco +

Mods: None

Verdict: I love it. It's easy to put on and go.

Small:

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: Newton's Yarn Co., merino cashmere blend and a touch of Brown Sheep Nature Spun fingering

Mods: None

Verdict: He only fit in it for a short while because I used fingering. Even when it did fit him, it was short in the arms. This seems to be part and parcel to the pattern itself and not a mistake or gauge issue. In the future, I will use a much heavier yarn and figure out a way to lengthen the sleeves. Still, it was very cute while it fit.

Other news:

I have a thousand things on the needles. Hopefully, I will finish some of it soon.

Babies are distracting...in a good way. Sorry I haven't posted lately. I really do want to get back to it. Does having the cutest three month old ever count as a good excuse? I mean, come on. Just look at this kid!

Grrrr! I know. Very scary. ;)

Remember these?

2010-08-09T09:56:00.010-05:00

Here are a few pics of Warren in two of those soakers I knit him. He was only able to fit in these for the first two weeks, now they are way too small for him. :(

He still looks so little to me, but I guess the boy has grown a lot. :) A lot of his newborn clothes don't fit anymore, especially with the cloth diapers creating extra bulk.Can I just say that I think Warren is totally awesome? While I do find motherhood (and especially breastfeeding) to be more stressful than I anticipated, this kid is adorable enough to make it all worth it. He completed his 6th week of life yesterday and he's becoming more alert, playful, and stronger everyday. I'm pretty sure most of the smiles are still gas related, but I think more and more of those cute little faces are becoming intentional. He even laughed in his sleep this morning.

Here are a few of his "Six Week" pictures:

Cute. That's all. Just cute.

But enough baby talk, you're here for the knitting. I'm working on approximately 80,000 projects right now without really having any time at all to work on them. I'm nearly finished with a Baby Surprise Jacket:

I've made more progress than the photo lets on. I swear. It will be done in a day or so. Then...PICTURES! Of the "modeled" variety!

I'm also getting close to finishing a sweater for me. Here's a sleeve:

I've actually finished both sleeves and most of the body up to the point where it all gets joined into one piece. Yeah. Like I said, I'm getting close. Good job, me.

And it's a good thing too, since I just bought yarn for another sweater (from the most recent Interweave) and I might need to use the same needles...depending on my gauge and preference...blah, blah, blah.

I've got much more than that on the needles, but let's be honest. I'm not working on them religiously. I have nearly warped my loom too, but I can only work on warping it in small bursts before being interrupted. Once it's finally warped, it will be easier to squeeze in weaving time than knitting time, I'm sure. Or maybe not. I've never tried to weave with a newborn in the house before. I've never tried sewing with one either...and I just bought fabric to make a ring sling. Perhaps, I am in over my head here.

A final bit of blabber. Stitches Midwest is fast approaching. My attendance is undecided. I would like to go, but there are three things that might stop me: convenience, finances, and potential visitors that weekend. We shall see. I haven't missed a Stitches since I learned it existed.

Introducing...

2010-07-27T14:39:00.002-05:00

Warren Uel Khailo!

Well, we had our baby, named him Warren, and pretty much stopped sleeping. He was born on June 27th, weighing in at 7 lbs 6.23 oz. I was in labor for a good day before pushing for three hours. The doctor had to use forceps. It was that or a complicated C-section because he was already in the birth canal at that point.

We love him. :)

Some things

2010-06-03T12:02:00.011-05:00

Well, I'm officially full term with all this pregnancy business. That's a big deal. We only have 14 days until the due date. So, there's that going on...just waiting. So much waiting.

To pass the time, we took some belly shots. Here are a few of my favorites:

These were taken at 37 Weeks, 4 Days. :)

I have been sewing diapers. Here they are:

I used the Rita's Rump Pocket pattern for them. The first four (dogs and monsters) are "stuffable" and the other two (frogs) are "done stuffed and ready." I'm going to keep making the "done stuffed and ready" variety, but I think I'm going to try out a different pattern to see what I like the most. Another thing I am hoping to change is the material that I use to make the soaker pads. I have a ton of polyester fleece fabric and that is what I used, but I think I'd rather use a few layers of thin cotton batting and flannel. I just have to find some. I'm not sure that 100% cotton batting is something I can easily find at Joann's. Not being a quilter, I've never looked at the batting they carry.

I hear pregnant women can be crazy. I guess I am no different. On a whim, I decided to start two shawls. One of which is of the beaded lace variety: Aeolian. It's actually moving along quite quickly. I am surprised because it looks like it should be really complicated. Of course, I'm only on the first chart. I might be singing a different tune in a week or so when I'm juggling a complicated lace pattern and a newborn on close to zero sleep. Yeah, didn't really think that through...because I also bought needles to start a Shipwreck Shawl...and hope to get it started as soon as said needles arrive.

Here's the Aeolian in progress. I've done a few more repeats since the photo was taken:

The second shawl I started is less crazy making and I'm loving it because I'm using my handspun! It's the Citron shawl, but my yarn is much thicker and I'm using size 8s instead of the 6s called for in the pattern. It's also working up quickly...but I'm going to have to spin up the rest of the yarn soon or it will be stalled indefinitely!

See? It looks good in my handspun! :) I don't knit with handspun very much, but I really should make more of an effort to do so. I'm so much more proud of the results when I know I made the yarn myself.

Well, I don't know what else to say. That's about it. Maybe next time I blog, I'll have a baby to show you. I'm really hoping he comes sooner rather than later. :)

FO: Kick in the Ribs Shoaker

2010-05-21T13:09:00.005-05:00

I finished this:

Pattern: Spare Ribs Shoaker

Yarn: Malabrigo worsted (DROOL...I only want to knit a million more things with this yarn...too bad it's so expensive).

Verdict: Very cute soaker. I knit it on size 6 needles so it might be a bit dense. Perhaps I will try again on 7's because 8's were way to loosey-goosey for my tastes.

I'm hard at work on two sweater wips and a baktus scarf. This baby is due in about 34 days and I really need to get this stash down. Some people feel the need to clean the house when nesting. Not me. No, no. Not me. Cleaning is the last thing I want to do at the moment...even though it really does need to happen...I'll somehow convince my loving and supportive husband do that for me. :) So, sweaters shall be my focus until baby comes (with the obvious exception of the irresistible baby knit here and there)!

Here's one of them:

Pattern: Lush and Lacey Cardigan

Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic

Progress report: I am nearly finished with the back! Problem is, I have a wicked cold/sore throat and this is mohair. I sat down with this today and felt like my throat was getting worse and worse the longer I worked on it. I blame the mohair. I can't think of any other explanation. I guess I'll have to focus on the other sweater until my throat recovers. :(

Well, that's all she wrote for today's post. Cheers.

Mitt Envy FO

2010-05-18T11:03:00.003-05:00

I knit a pair of these:

Pattern: Mitt Envy by Weezalana
Yarn: Louet Gems fingering (only used a partial skein, have a full skein and half left...dammit)
Verdict: They are cute. I miss-crossed one cable on each mitt...but didn't care enough to tink back and fix it. They are for me, so who the hell cares?

Falling behind, catching up

2010-05-11T15:38:00.009-05:00

So, I have not updated the blog in a while. I have been avoiding it. It isn't that I don't have anything to share. It's more that I just didn't want to sit still for long enough to write about it all. :) I have been knitting. A lot. An awful lot. I have much to show you.But before the knitting, I will show my latest weaving project (albeit, a few weeks old now).

The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky wool in various colors. Stash yarn, all. Weaving really uses it up. I have a few other things planned for other pesky yarns in the stash that just can't seem to find appropriate projects. :) Yay!

As for knitting. Where did we leave off? I'm just going to plow through and not give much detail here, because there is a lot of stuff!
First, this is a gift that I pulled together for my BFF who is due only a few weeks after me!:

Patterns here and here. I fully intend to make matching ones for our little guy. Squee.

Here is another super easy crocheted soaker:

It's not as cute as some of the others I've made, but it will fit for a long time and that is possibly more important. :) Pattern here.

I was commissioned by a friend to knit a yellow vest for one of her ACEN cosplays this year. I worked my bum off and managed to finish with time to spare! The convention is May 14th-16th.

The actual color is more yellow in person. It looks really light in the photo. It fit her. Success. I will post pics of her wearing it with the rest of the costume (which I didn't make, for the record) after this weekend. :)

Finally, I just finished this vest over the weekend. It is from a Japanese pattern from this book. It was comically small before blocking, but now it fits just right! This was another stash buster project. I've gotta get through it before the baby gets here!

I'm starting to feel very cluttered and panicked over the state of the condo. I don't feel like any room in the entire place is up to my standards at the moment. We need more bookcases, and storage. I need to go through every cabinet in the kitchen and re-organize it all. I need to fill up a few boxes for the Salvation Army...trouble is, I don't know what to fill them with! All I know is that there is way too much going on in this tiny space and I am SICK TO DEATH OF IT ALL! I know that this is all a part of nesting and completely normal, but I'm definitely working myself up over it. I just feel like I don't even know where to start.

Otherwise, this being pregnant thing is a good experience (can that go on my resume someday?). I've not had many issues or discomfort...just a bit of acid reflux/heartburn and sore and swollen legs. I don't sleep as well either, but I think that's just nature's way of preparing me for the sleepless nights to come. Thanks a lot. I really like making my husband do things for me...like the laundry and sweeping. :) We thought we had decided on a name a long time ago, but now we are changing our mind and haven't made the final decision yet. For certain, his middle name will be Uel after my great-grandfather.

The baby's room is slowly coming together. Pics when it is more presentable. We have a crib and a glider/ottoman (thanks to the in-laws). It's looking cute (but cluttered) so far. Oh clutter. Hopefully our trip to IKEA tonight will help with that a little.

OK, that's enough of an update for now, I think.

On Weaving

2010-03-31T15:57:00.004-05:00

I love it. Setting up the loom is a lot of work...but I love it. :)

I finished my first weaving project. It's a scarf for Maxim.

Specs: 10 dent heddle, simple weave. 58 ends. What other info do people give in weaving projects? I'm new to this and don't understand it all yet!!!!

Warp: Silky Wool

Weft: Creatively Dyed Steele in Topdog colorway

Recipient: Max, my love. :)

I also finished that soaker from my last entry:

Pattern: Adirondack Soaker

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted...Hand dyed by me!

Modifications: None

Verdict: Cute and easy! I'm definitely going to make another one because I really only used half a ball to do this one. You can never have too many soakers!

AND that obnoxious potholder:

Pattern: Your Nana's Potholders. That's not a Ravelry link, so anyone should be able to click to see it! :)

Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream (stash yarn!)

Verdict: Love!

Well, that's all for now. More to come soonish. :)

FO's and WIP's (Image HEAVY)

2010-03-23T15:39:00.014-05:00

First up, I finished my Slouchy Entrelac Tam:

Apologies for the nightgown and scummy mirror.

Pattern: Slouchy Entrelac Tam by Linsay Ingram

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (2 balls)

Modifications: Pom pom! I did one extra round of 8 stitch squares to use up more yarn and add more floppiness. I blocked it on a dinner plate.

Verdict: Love it! I've worn it a million times (well, not really)

Link to my Ravelry entry for this project here.

Second in line, my Moderne Jacket is finished! And I didn't run out of yarn! Phew!

Pattern: Moderne Jacket--free pattern from Lion Brand

Yarn: This was a stash extravaganza! Cascade 220 Heathers and random Japanese stash yarn (cashmere content)

Modifications: I fudged a few of the numbers in an attempt to get between two sizes. It didn't really work, lol. No buttons or buttonholes.

Verdict: I didn't do a great job seaming because I'm not quite sure where to pick up stitches with crochet. Also, the seams might be a bit tight in some places. Again, I'm not super experienced with crochet...yet. I think it looks quite adorable without buttons as an open "jacket" thing. My favorite thing about making this was how much yarn it ate up! I only have one ball left of the Cascade 220 and just a scrap length of the blue Japanese yarn! Woot!

Link to my Ravelry entry for this project here.

First up in the WIP's department:

We have a nearly finished soaker! All I need to do is figure out how many stitches to pick up around the legholes and do some ribbing. The pattern doesn't specify how many, all it says is pick them up "evenly."

Let's just say, I've already tried that once or twice. I'll figure it out eventually.

Pattern: Adirondack Soaker

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted...Hand dyed by me!

Modifications thus far: None

Verdict thus far: Cute and easy!

And finally, yet another WIP:

Pattern: Your Nana's Potholders. That's not a Ravelry link, so anyone should be able to click to see it! :)

Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream (stash yarn!)

Verdict thus far: Oh, so very kitschy! Love it!

You might have noticed that I am all about the crochet lately. I'm sure it's only because it eats up tons of yarn and is fast, fast, FAST! I'm still predominantly a knitter, but I am loving the change and challenge (and it's good for the brain!). :)

Slow and steady...

2010-03-17T13:57:00.003-05:00

...wins the race.

That's what I have to keep telling myself with my Blomsterknopper cardigan. At this point in the game, I have five decreases completed on the body of the garment, with 12 more to go. This thing is killing me, but I know that it will be more fun to work on once I get a few more decreases under my belt (because there will be fewer stitches!). Right now, one row takes me approximately one million years.

I really want this sweater finished before baby Armen (aka "womb monster") arrives in June because it is a major project (not to mention, the yarn takes up a lot of precious closet space). I should really adopt a regimen of complete project monogamy, but that hasn't really been happening.

Article 1: Slouchy Entrelac Tam (pattern by Verbena Knits)

I have had this yarn in my stash waiting for this project for a few months now. It's Noro Silk Garden (which is in my list of favorite yarns that I rarely have an opportunity to use). I'm loving it so far and it has been working up really quickly!

Article 2: Baby Romper

I couldn't resist casting on for this one. It's in Crystal Palace Maizy, which is made of corn fiber! It's really nice to work with, kind of silky but softer than silk. I love it! I can't wait to put a human in it. :)

Article 3: Moderne Jacket

I'm crocheting this out of leftover (purple Cascade 220) and stash yarn (a cashmere blend I bought while I was still in Japan a million years ago). I will probably run out before it's finished. If I do, I'm not sure what I'll do to rectify the situation. The Cascade will be easy to find (I know finding the same dyelot would be nearly impossible, though). The other yarn is the tricky bit. I guess I will just have to find a yarn that is nearly the same color and weight. Since the yarns are held doubled, dyelots might not be that big a deal. Still, I can worry about that if I need to. I might end up having plenty of both. We shall see. This garment takes no time at all on a size N hook! Big crochet is definitely the way to go!

Other than those three new projects, I'm still working on that baby sack I was supposed to finish during the Ravelympics (but didn't). I don't pick it up too often.

I've also been weaving. I'm not sure if I mentioned this on the blog, but my amazing husband bought me a 24" Kromski Harp for Valentine's Day. :) Weaving is a slow process for me, but I'm definitely getting the hang of it.

Turtle Butt

2010-03-11T10:44:00.005-06:00

Pattern: Turtle Butt Soaker by Melanie Hoffman

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Turquoise and Orange

Recipient: Armen Uel (aka, "Womb Monster.")

Verdict: Adorable, as expected. I think with this pattern it is nearly impossible for it not to be cute. I'm only making this one in the newborn size because it was a lot of work for something that will only last a few weeks. Also, I won't make any more in this yarn. It's just a little bit too fuzzy for my liking. I have a ton left over, and I'm thinking of making a striped sweater or something with it.

So, you might have noticed above that the Womb Monster now has a name. That is because we had another ultrasound about a week ago and found out "it" is a "he," with 80-90% certainty. He wiggled around too much and when he was sitting still, it was an awkward position. So, we are just going with "It's a Boy!!!!" and leaving it at that. :)

Ladylike Pullover, and other lady-ly things

2010-03-04T12:10:00.003-06:00

Well, the last Ravelympics project came off the hooks at somewhere around 10 on the final day of the events! That means I finished an entire crochet pullover in less than 17 days (keep in mind that I didn't start the sweater until a few days into the events!). All in all, I'm happy with the results. Crocheting is super fun, yo!

Pattern: Ladylike Pullover, free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn: Full O' Sheep (one of the new Stitch Nation yarns) in fuchsia
Modifications: I omitted the turtleneck because I noticed that this yarn is incredibly WARM and somewhat itchy. I thought a turtleneck would be too much. Also, I made necessary modifications to correct the pattern, which was messed up (as I ranted about in the previous post). Otherwise, the sweater was knit to pattern specifications
Verdict: I like it. It sort of fits me now (over my big prego belly), but I don't think it will fit me after I'm done having babies. :/ It might go to my mother next winter. It looks nice on her:

Wouldn't you agree?

I also crocheted this for my mommy in two days:

It's a cowl/hood thing knit out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. My mom picked and purchased the yarn and then put me to work. It was done in no time. I LOVE the yarn. I've decided to make another one for me because it was so fast, easy, and OMG SOFT.

Snug (and Ravelympics Day 15)

2010-02-26T13:34:00.008-06:00

I finished that cute baby sweater.

Squee.

Pattern: Snug by Hinke
Yarn: Cascade Eco + (half a ball, if that)
Modifications: I believe I made the sleeves a bit longer than suggested. This is because they can be rolled up and maybe this thing will get more wear that way!
Verdict: So very cute! Because it is garter stitch, it is super stretchy. That's a good thing for baby clothes! My only complaint is that I bound off perhaps a little too tightly on the front button bands, so there isn't as much give there as I would like. Still, I think it will be ok.

The fuscia pullover is coming along, but not without rage.

Yes, it looks pretty on the dressform (you can't see how it sags in the back, but I knew it was going to be a looser fitting sweater than I'm used to and it doesn't bother me).

Ok, now let's rant. This pattern is easy. Because it is is easy, it shouldn't be "wrong." It is wrong. The pattern is wrong. If you do what the pattern tells you to do for the smallest size, you will have a wacky number of stitches and not at all the number of stitches they tell you to have (not even close!). I discovered this after finishing the bust section and had to frog back and fudge the directions to make it work.

All was supposed to be well after that, right? Wrong. I finished the first sleeve, all my stitch counts were spot on. On the last row, they have you slip the first 9 stitches and double crochet 31 stitches to create a gap for the underarm...much the same as was done on the body. The only problem here is that it creates quite a larger gap than that created on the body. My stitch counts are right, so I'm leaving it, but I'm a bit worried that I'll be having some difficulty when it comes time to connect those underarm seams. I'll have to seam 10 stitches to nearly 20 stitches, which might make things bulky. Bulky underarms don't make me feel "Ladylike," they make me feel sweaty and gross.

A resounding "ugh" of disapproval. Maybe this underarm worry is all premature. We will see how it turns out. If I can keep up this pace, I might actually get it done by Sunday and "win" a "medal" for this in the Ravelympics. We shall see.

We shall see.

Nerd Hot (and a Ravelympics update)

2010-02-23T15:39:00.002-06:00

Well, since it's finally finished and done blocking...

The Nerd Hot Vest:

The last photo is a better representation of the colors.

Pattern: #B65 Argyle Vest (bonus pattern for subscribers) from Verena Knitting Magazine. Ravelry link here. I named it Nerd Hot because that is exactly what it is! :)

Yarn: Cascade 22o in purple and gray.

Modifications: Original pattern is knit in the flat. I converted it to be knit in the round with arm and neck steeks.

Verdict: I LOVE IT! It fits him perfectly. I was really worried when he tried it on before blocking it because it was small...comically small. It's amazing what a good block will do for colorwork!

So, mark that one off of my Ravelympics queue! The little baby sweater is coming along as well. All I have to do is sew on buttons and take pictures! I'm pretty sure that the baby sack and the crochet sweater will not be finished in time, but I am chugging along just the same. :)

On Progress

2010-02-20T11:44:00.003-06:00

Max's vest is finished and is currently blocking! I had to stretch it pretty violently to get it to the specified measurements, but I think I got it under control. Once it's dry, there will be pics of Max wearing it...assuming it fits.

In the meantime, I thought it might be fun to show how this whole thing came together.

Here's what the steek stitches looked like before being reinforced with single crochet:

Here's what the steek stitches looked like after reinforcements were added (doesn't look much like a vest, does it? lol):

Here's the first armhole, with the steek already cut open:

Here's both armholes, steeked and finished:

Here's a scary picture of the neck steek being cut open:

Here's a picture of the result of that cutting (at this point, it actually looks like a vest!):

And finally, here is the finished piece, blocking and drying:

Yay for me! I'm calling this steeking experience a success. It was really fun and it doesn't unravel at all!! Now, I want to cast on a million colorwork cardigans just so I can steek them! I'm crazy.

Ravelympics 2010: A progress report (Day 3)

2010-02-14T12:25:00.010-06:00

If you want to learn about the Knitting Olympics, The Yarn Harlot describes it on her blog.

I am totally all-in on this thing. Just to let everyone know my plans:

Finish Maxim's argyle vest (shown in previous post)--This is considered Olympic knitting for me because I am steeking for the first time...which is kind of a big deal. Knit in Cascade 220.
Cast on and finish Snug, by Hinke for the Unborn Womb Monster--in Cascade Eco +, which is so far a wonderful yarn to work with!!!! The pattern is great as well, with an interesting construction and ridiculous cute factor.
Cast on and finish the Ladylike Pullover (crochet pattern! first link to Lion, second to Ravelry)--This one was not part of my original plan, but I saw it and instantly fell in love. I'll be using the new Stitch Nation yarn Full O' Sheep (in a splendidly obnoxious fuchsia!). I might be crazy taking this on in what is now less than a 17-day period, but I am FEARLESS!!!!
Cast and and finish a sleeping sack for the Unborn Womb Monster--in a hand dyed (by me) non-superwash fingering weight wool.

When I'm finished with the vest, I will post the pictures that I took during the process...for posterity (and gloating purposes!). I used a really awesome tutorial from Eunny Jang's long abandoned blog. She really did a great job with her photos and explanations. I would recommend that tutorial to anyone who wants to try their hand at steeks (and I might just be addicted to them now).

That's all for now, I must get back to the Olympic knitting.

Oh, and if anyone knows how an American can get their hands on the 2010 Olympic gear for Russia and Armenia (both made by Bosco...I think). DO LET ME KNOW!

Well, will you look at that?

2010-02-07T13:17:00.000-06:00

That's some finished cullerwurk, if I ever sawr it.

Now, I just have to brace myself for the steeking. Deep breaths and hot tea are going to be my saving graces, since the booze is off-limits for quite some time, lol. When it comes right down to it, though, I'm not all that nervous about taking sharp scissors to my knitting. I trust that centuries of knitting wisdom cannot be wrong! :D

Soaker #2

2010-02-05T09:10:00.005-06:00

Earlier this week, I finished another soaker:

Pattern: same as in last post, Wool Diaper Cover by Ottobre Design.

Recipient: Unborn Womb Monster

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky Handdyed in Cherry Cordial colorway

Size: Newborn, but knit on bigger needles this time. It's slightly larger than the last one.

Verdict: LOVE! SQUEE! GULP! CUTE!

I've also been up to no good making some fleece soakers in a newborn size and have dastardly plans to make them in a few bigger sizes as well. I'll post them once they are finished. I might even decide to sew a few diapers, because I found an awesome free pattern online that looks really easy! :)

Today, I have my 20 week OB appt. We aren't having an ultrasound or anything exciting like that...something that I've heard is standard (so, of course I go to the office that DOESN'T do it as a standard). Grrr. I think we have decided that we want to know the gender (despite having said this entire time that we wanted it to be a surprise). SURPRISE, we don't want a surprise anymore!

Here's what I look like now:

20 weeks means that we are halfway there. Hopefully everything will be fine at today's appt. :)

Another Cute Thing

2010-01-20T14:01:00.004-06:00

I knit this soaker for the unborn womb monster:

Pattern: Wool Diaper Cover, free pdf on Ravelry

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Bulky. I will not use this yarn again for soakers because I later learned that superwash is not a good choice as it doesn't wick as well. The yarn was really nice to work with though, and I can see myself using it in the future for other items.

This thing took me no time to make. I've already started another one, in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky Hand-dyed! I'm also working on this soaker (Ravelry link) in Lamb's Pride Worsted. Let me tell you. Soakers are quickly becoming one of my favorite things to knit. It's almost impossible for them not to look cute!

I've also been chugging along on Max's argyle vest:

I only have 1.5 more repeats to go until the armhole decreases! My plan is to have the knitting completed for this vest by the start of the Ravelympics on February 12th so that I can do all of the finishing (which will include steeking for the first time in my life!) as a personal challenge during the events!

Wish me luck!

Bunny Baby Hat

2010-01-08T12:24:00.004-06:00

I immediately fell in love with this pattern the instant I saw it!

I'm not sure about the size of it, it's definitely more of a winter hat than a summer hat. Oh well, if it doesn't fit, it's no less adorable.

Pattern: Blue Rabbit Hat
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Sport
Verdict: I love it. I did make a mistake, though. I accidentally added an extra bunny somehow. That bunny is conjoined to another bunny. Because I think it's kind of funny, I just left it alone. That can be the back of the hat.

I've been hard at work knitting soakers (I'm planning to sew a bunch of them too) and Maxim's nerdy argyle vest. I think the next post will likely be a WIP post because I don't have much that is nearing the finish line. Maybe doing an update on WIPs will help to encourage me?

If it does, it does. If it doesn't, it doesn't.

Silly, but ambitious, Icarus

2009-12-31T13:11:00.007-06:00

Well, as promised, here is another FO post. This one has been a long time in the making! I have completed my Icarus Shawl, just in time for the New Year!

Now for the specs:

Started: April 13th, 2008

Completed: December 28th, 2009 (Over a year in the making! Damn, that feels good!)

Yarn: Baruffa Cashwool in Dark Green (I have a ton of this yarn left. I have no idea what I will do with it!)

Modifications: I did fewer repeats of the first chart. At least I think I did. In all honesty, I was just too lazy to count my repeats as I went along and also too lazy to count the stitches.

Verdict: I love it. The yarn is really light and airy. I like that it isn't a fuzzy yarn, so you can really see the details of the lace. I might have wanted it a bit bigger, but let's be honest here. I have no patience. Once I start to feel like I'm forcing myself to work on something, it's time to finish it! Fortunately, lace shawls sort of lend themselves to size modifications. The final word is that I love it!

To shift gears, since it is New Year's Eve after all, I think it is necessary to make the ubiquitous resolutions blog post. I don't think these are going to be too terribly difficult, but we shall see.

2010 RESOLUTIONS

Before the baby arrives:

Finish Max's Argyle vest (This is the only resolution that should be ridiculously challenging. I don't know why I hate working on it. I think there is some kind of mental block there. It's easy knitting...and I'm excited to learn to steek, which is something I worked into this project)

Go through stuff in basement. This is really urgent. We need the storage space cleared out before the baby comes and I know that half of the stuff in there is only there because we have been too lazy to throw it out/take it to Salvation Army. Some of the stuff is just junky crap from when I was in grade school that I kept for no good reason. Garbage. Out with it.

Throughout the year:

Get WIPS down to only 4-5 at a time

Spin a sweater's worth of yarn (and possibly dye it, see item 4)

Knit a sweater from my handspun

After the baby is born, get back to dyeing yarn (with natural dyes!!)

Gym once a week (I'll have to lose the baby weight, after all)

Take a prenatal yoga course

Write something (Too vague? Here's an explanation from my "other" blog)

If I don't like it, frog it. (This isn't just about the knitting, folks!)

In other news, I might be considering a destash in the new year. I have way more yarn right now that I will ever knit and I'm going to have to say "bye bye" to the craft room once the baby takes it over. We are planning to keep the baby in our room with us for a while to make feeding (and bonding time!) easier, but "it" will still need a place for clothes, a changing table, stuffed animals, and other silly things we and others will be spoiling the tiny womb monster with. So, just be prepared for that. ::wink, wink, nudge, nudge::

And come back in a few days for ANOTHER FO!!!! I know!!! Crazy, right? It's nothing too exciting or impressive, just another quick knit baby item! Squee!

For he who loves buildings and scaffolding

2009-12-15T21:13:00.009-06:00

Well, it has been a long time since this happened. I have an FO. It is a hat for my wonderful husband, who deserves all the hats in the world that are awesome (and some of the ugly ones too, as long as he likes them).

The pattern is Lillehammer and is meant to be like a snowflake. To me, it looks like the skeleton of a building. Considering that my husband is sort of obsessed with skyscrapers and architecture, it seemed like a perfect fit! I used Knit Picks Merino Style and it was a really nice yarn to work with.

Oh yeah, I also made a pair of these for the unborn womb monster:

Saartje's Booties are basically the cutest booties ever. I want to cry from the cuteness. I used leftover handdyed (by me!) sock yarn. I used the modified version of the pattern found here. I think they are quite sharp in a gender neutral kind of way, which is what I believe I am striving for in choosing my pre-natal baby knits. :D I just can't get enough of the buttons I found for them, little yellow duckies! Could anything be cuter?

Up next, a third (that's right, a third!) FO!!

I'm actually going to finish something soon

2009-12-11T13:37:00.006-06:00

Well, I have been knitting...just not very much. I'm about halfway done with a hat for my husband.

The pattern is Lillehammer (it's a ravelry link, sorry if you don't have an account). I'm using Knit Picks Merino Style. It will probably be a few more weeks before it's finished, but I'm excited to be close to finishing something.

Direct link to my ravelry project is here.

Insect, gummy bear, whatever you want to call it

2009-12-03T10:55:00.003-06:00

Well, since I haven't been doing much knitting or crafting lately, I suppose it is only fair to let everyone who reads this blog know why.

That thar's a 10 week old parasite, I reckon.

So yeah, I'm 11 weeks pregnant! Yay! And my husband keeps laughing at me because I'm a little freaked out by fetuses. Fortunately, our ultrasound images weren't terribly "fetusy." Although, I did sort of freak out about what appears to be a hole in the kid's head. Everyone says I'm being crazy though, because the poor thing has clear skin and it's just the little insect guts sloshing around in there and nothing to be worried about. I'll just call it The Third Eye and pretend this baby is going to be born fully enlightened. Imagine how much easier parenting would be, if that were the case. :)

Ok, enough joking around. My husband and I are really excited and feel nothing short of wholly blessed. I'm nervous about giving birth (ok, more than nervous...low pain tolerance and a bit of a lazy streak, here), but not about anything else, which is good. We've seen and heard the heartbeat, saw the little insect arms wriggling around, and life is just good. We spend a lot of time just smiling at each other...can it get any better than that? Granted, I've fallen behind a bit in school, but my teachers understand and are making exceptions for me...but I only have two weeks to get caught up because the semester is ending!

So, again, YAY! And I don't want to turn this into a baby blog, so I'm really gonna try to get some knitting done soon! I still have Christmas gifts to knit!!

Another Handspun Yarn

2009-11-20T15:45:00.005-06:00

Bulky two ply! The fiber is from Cloudlover, I do believe...I can't find the tag anywhere (typical, lol). This is so FRIGGIN' soft and is my first successful bulky handspun! this is 2/3 of the fiber, so there will be one more smaller skein coming up sometime in the near future! :D

Spun on my beautiful Kromski Minstrel. :D

I have no idea what I'm going to make with it. Because it's a bulky and I will only have 4 oz. worth, my options are limited. Maybe I can use it in the yoke of a sweater or something. Hmmm....

Not much knitting to speak of going on around here. No focus whatsoever. :/

Progress Update: Cosplay and Knitting

2009-10-24T08:54:00.006-05:00

Cosplay:

The hemline needs to be brought up about 5 inches for it to be the length I want. There are a few areas of concern in the gathered waist that I will be fixing over the weekend. Still needs sleeves, collar, and zipper. :D So far, it is going well. I have not started designing the pinafore, but will likely get started on that this weekend. (PS-this is my Alice in Wonderland costume).

Knitting:

My Demi pullover, likely started in 2008...I can't remember. I really wanted to have this done by my b-day (November 14th), but I seriously doubt it's going to happen. I've just started the armhole on the back (no, the front is not finished yet!). Yikes. The sleeves will not be full length nor will they be cabled. I have very little yarn. Probably just enough for a short sleeved sweater (or possibly only a vest!).

Stitch Markers!

2009-10-20T14:17:00.005-05:00

A friend had a Gumbo and stitch marker making party! It was a lot of free fun! Here's what I made:

I'm super excited!

Always eager to do my part, I baked some cupcakes for the get-together:

It's a sad day when a bit of loose change is all the booty you can find in your household. Note the predominance of copper there. The cupcakes are just from a box mix, but I made a homemade lime glaze and added some pomegranate to the top for fanciness.

And more things are happening. I finished this yarn:

Because it is brown and rolled into a skein, I can't help but think it looks a bit like a turd.

But it's' a really soft and fuzzy turd!

Now, I'm working on this fiber:

It's some hand dyed merino wool that I got at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art festival that I'm finally getting around to spinning. I'm actually drafting it out completely before hitting the wheel because that's the only way I've found to spin bulky yarn!

It's going to be a super bulky three-ply!! SUPER BULKY!

I'd also like to show off my favorite furry things:

Awwwwwwwwwwwww...

PS: I changed my blogger template because I noticed that my photos were being "cut" to fit the template. Because I have some OCD qualities, I could stand it no longer. I'd rather have a boring template where my photos aren't messed with than a flashy background and photos that look like I have no idea how to frame a photograph.

Today's Lesson

2009-10-16T17:21:00.005-05:00

Today's lesson is "Never assume. Always baste." I can't tell you how many times I have sewn beautiful seams, pressed them open (sometimes even finished the entire garment) before realizing that I needed a little bit more wiggle room. Which meant I had to rip out the seams I just painstakingly stitched and finished.

Well, I just did it again.

I pinned it to "roughly" to where the 5/8" seam should be and I'll be damned if I dare take a breath! Here's what I don't understand though. I created a muslin on the dress form and while the dress form isn't a perfect model of me, it should be a perfect model of itself shouldn't it? My muslin pieces, which are identical to those cut in my fashion fabric, seemed to fit the form when I created them. I definitely have a lot to learn about pattern creation and modification, but I just don't get it. It's not as bad as it could be, I guess. I have plenty of fabric in the seams to let it out a bit and I'm really not that far off in terms of this bodice fitting in the waist (like a 3/8" seam rather than a 5/8"). It is quite annoying, nonetheless.

The annoying part is not that I messed up and have to sew it up again. I expect things like that in creative endeavors of any kind. What's aggravating is that I didn't baste the seam first to make sure it was going to fit me! So, picking out those stitches is going to be a royal pain in the ass!

I'm still knitting

2009-10-15T12:52:00.004-05:00

This is actually a knitting post, for once! :) I've got a couple of things to show you.

Blommsterknopper (a swingy cardigan):

Silk Stainless Steel Jacket:

Lillehammer (a hat):

Coraline Sweater!!!!:

I am most excited about the Coraline Sweater! I'm making it with this awesome navy blue yarn WITH SPARKLE that I found at Joann's! It's a Vanna's Choice yarn and I am amazed at how nice it feels despite being acrylic.

I'm sold! It's the perfect color (and the perfect price!)

New Things

2009-10-07T14:08:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I started a new blog. It is not about knitting or crafting, but is rather a place for all my rants, raves and struggles with being a writer and philosophical, political, and religious issues. That isn't to say that this blog will now be safe from these things, because quite frankly, this is MY blog too.

If any of you are interested in following my "other" blog, here's a link. It is also in the sidebar. I'd like to get some good discussions going over there. So, please stop by if you get a chance. I'm good people. :)

As far as knitting and crafting goes, I have half a million projects...and little motivation to work on them. Don't let me cast on any more. I don't think my brain could handle it. There's a lot of schtuff going on with school right now (papers, readings, group projects), and I'm doing my best to keep sane.

In fact, I need to leave for class soon...

Rant? I don't know what brought it on.

2009-09-30T10:24:00.004-05:00

Today I have class. It's not my favorite class, but it's all right I guess. Listen to me, censoring myself again. I need to stop doing that or I'll stifle the revolution.

Sometimes I imagine I'm in a revolution.

What would I change if I could? Anything? Is it arrogant to assume that changing things is the way to making things better?

Nah. As long as it all changes the way I think it should change, things should be just fine. Republicans and Democrats, I am your worst enemy because each of you thinks that I am the other! You are both wrong, of course. So very, very wrong. And you're wrong about Obama too. That's right, both of you! Honestly, I could take him or leave him. He's really just filler...and that's a dangerous thing because it only succeeds in maintaining the current state of things.

Well, whatever, the Republican/Democrat argument is as old as the dirt. The words mean nothing anymore. If you think the words do mean something, it is because you identify as one or the other. It means something to you...you make sure it means something to you. That's OK. Just know that to people who don't identify as one or the other, the words are meaningless letters and both ideologies are wrong. That's the benefit of objectivity.

You'd think I were boozing heavily before writing this. On the contrary, it's just me and Earl Grey in this neck of the woods. Maybe the fact that I have a lot of reading to do for my class today has something to do with it.

Once a procrastinator, always a philosopher.

Emoticon.

I'm probably up to something

2009-09-22T14:28:00.007-05:00

This just happened in my mad scientist lab. I found this strange organism while looking through my microscope:

It kind of looks like a science experiment, right? You know. Like an iodine stain revealing strange life on a glass slide...or something? OK, nevermind. So, here's what I'm really doing:

Tatting. I'm at it again. :)

Needle felting. It's finally working for me. :)

I've also started one of my Stitches sweaters. I've decided to knit the entire sweater Continental style (holding the yarn in my left hand rather than in my right) in order to master the skill. No pictures yet.

Stitches Midwest

2009-09-15T07:57:00.004-05:00

I went. I spent a hell of a lot of money on two sweaters worth of yarn...but in my defense, I haven't bought yarn in a really long time and I won't be buying yarn again for at least a few months.

Possibly my favorite purchase is my habu kit. I don't have pictures of it because they actually have to ship it to me...which they said they should be rolling on by today or tomorrow. Hopefully I will get it by Saturday, but who the hell knows? Here's the link. The color that I chose is not one listed on the page, but I will tell you that it is the most obnoxious red that anyone has ever seen. What's cool about this sweater/yarn, and the reason that I was willing to spend nearly $200 to make a sweater from it, is that it is a stainless steel core wrapped in 100% silk. So, it has memory. I played with it at the convention and it didn't feel like it would be uncomfortable to wear at all, which was something that had worried me. I hear that it is tricky to get the hang of knitting with it, but I will do it. I have no choice but to finish the sweater.

My second/third purchase is for the Flower Buds/Blomsterknopper sweater from Japanese Inspired Knits:

Finally, Max bought something at the convention that he just had to have:

We have the coolest door mat in the effin' building!

The Ubiquitous February Lady Sweater

2009-09-10T14:01:00.005-05:00

I made one:

I love it. At first, I was a little iffy on the yarn because it was very splitty and fuzzy. After blocking it and giving it a good talkin' to with the sweater shaver, I think it is really nice. I love the colors!

Changes: I made the sleeves and body a bit shorter than suggested. I did not make any buttonholes in the sweater. As an afterthought, I did one toggle button at the apex using an attached icord so it looks neat and tidy. :) To make it a bit more fitted, I decided not to cast on the 7 stitches under the armpits. And there you have it: a FLS a la Sugarsticks!

This sweater only took one skein of the yarn used (Plymouth Mushishi in Oceanic colorway). I still have a full skein leftover! I am thinking that I will double it and make another Sideways Grande Cloche, only this time for ME!!!!

PS: Stitches is in TWO DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!

Stitches Midwest Jabber and an FO

2009-09-01T11:25:00.002-05:00

So. Because I know it's what people really care about when they go to knitting blogs:

A finished Montego Bay Scarf!! It's knit in Knit Picks Shimmer in the Cumulus colorway. I must say, the yarn is completely lovely. When I wrap this baby around my neck, it is so light that I hardly notice it is there. Good thing, because I have been known to get a tension headache from wearing a necklace.

Ok, and because my blog posts have been lacking in wit and commentary lately, let's talk about Stitches! It is fast approaching and I. Can't. Wait. I don't know if I ever mentioned this on the bloggy-wog, but I've been on a yarn diet. I haven't purchased any yarn or fiber since July 19th! After the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair, I realized that I have more than enough of both to last me quite a while. So, I decided not to buy yarn until Stitches Midwest (September 10th-13th) and then not until my birthday after that (November 14th).

But now Stitches is nearly here and I need to figure out what I am going to buy!! Ahhhhhh!! I'd like to try to stick to my Ravelry Queue if at all possible, but I know I'll probably break that rule. One thing I know I want to try to get is a kit from Habu Textiles. I've been in love with their stuff for a long time, but have never ordered from them. It's just one of those things. I see them every year at stitches and drool. This year is the year. Other than that, I have no plan! I want a plan!

I think I might try to get a sweater's worth of yarn. I'm sort of leaning toward Zelda by Joan McGowan Michael, but I really love Sherbet by Katya Frankel too! Oh, and we mustn't forget Aimee by Kim Hargreaves, which uses four balls of the ever-decadent Kidsilk Haze and will simply be amazing to wear... Oh, and then there is the Mimico Vest by Barbara Gregory, which would allow me to use a new-to-me technique called mosaic knitting. But I also really want to knit Blomsterknopper by Marianne Isager (along with basically everything else in her book, Japanese Inspired Knits, which I'll probably buy soon).

So, in other words, I'm completely torn. :/ Help.

2 in 1

2009-08-28T13:52:00.002-05:00

Mistake Rib Socks (my own pattern):

Irish Hiking Wristwarmers:

Yay!

Next up: Montego Bay Scarf!!!! I'm a finishing fool!!!!

In a million years...

2009-08-20T15:13:00.002-05:00

...I fully expect to be dead.

I'm knitting away on some WIPs...no pictures at the moment...no descriptions either. I'm pondering the goings on of the psyche, the universe, the human condition.

I'm reconsidering options.

Sigh. I should have it all figured out with all the thinking I do. Thinking+Inaction=Whole Lotta Nothin'.

I'm acting like it doesn't bother me...

It does.

The Envious Peasant

2009-08-18T08:37:00.002-05:00

I made this little blouse for the Bristol Renaissance Faire! It was super easy and turned out just as I had hoped! :D

I also got this a-ma-zing hat for those blustery Chicago winters!

Whatcha think?

Monkey Socks

2009-08-12T13:10:00.002-05:00

With this, I catch up on my blogging. Here is my most recent FO:

Monkey Socks. Knit in my own hand dyed yarn! They are cool. :D

Eyelet Chemise

2009-08-07T09:07:00.002-05:00

Here is my finished Eyelet Chemise from the Summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. I LOVE it!

I made it much shorter than the pattern suggested (as opposed to making it longer than suggested which seems to be what everyone else did, lol). I've worn it once or twice already and it is super comfortable. I knit it up in Rowan's Lenpur Linen, which was decadent to say the least. Amazing. I still have a few balls of the Lenpur Linen leftover, but no plans for it yet. We'll see.

Next up in the catch-up-on-the-blog game: Monkey Socks!

Leyburn Socks

2009-08-01T09:07:00.004-05:00

Leyburn Socks by MintyFresh, knit by ME! The yarn is a merino nylon blend from KnitPicks, which I hand dyed myself! Isn't it amazing?! I love them. They are a little loose in the ankles, but it doesn't bother me much. I may decide to run elastic through them at some point, but I've worn them numerous times without having done so and they stay up.

More FO posts to come! Stay tuned!

Asuka Cosplay

2009-07-23T11:31:00.007-05:00

Well, it took me long enough to get this posted, but I've finally got myself off my butt to do it. At ACEN in May of this year, I cosplayed as Asuka from Evangelion. Here is a picture of her:

Here are some pictures of me cosplaying as her:

I made the dress myself (you might recognize it from a previous post. I'm super happy with it. It fit me perfectly and is altogether cute. My husband made the sync nodes (the little red things in my hair). I made the baby blue choker. I bought the wig. I already had the shoes. I love the costume. There you have it. Asuka. Yay.

I have a lot to catch up on here. I've finished a few knitting projects and I really need to share them with the blogosphere. So, up next: Leyburn Socks FO!

Lucy Cosplay

2009-06-03T15:29:00.005-05:00

Since I said I would, and never did, here is the first post of two in which I will highlight my cosplays from Anime Central 2009. I will start with Lucy from Elfen Lied.

Here are a few images of the character taken from the anime:

And here is me:

I dyed the wig using sharpies. It was super easy. You just buy a couple sharpies in the color(s) you desire, pop them open, slit the plastic casing to expose the color, and drop them into a bottle 70% alcohol. I let my dye soak for a few days before using it. Then you put the wig (if it is small enough) into a heavy duty ziploc bag (gallon size) and pour the dye right in there with it. Shake, squish, soak, and rinse. You may have to repeat this to get the right color. So, a genius idea would be to empty the dye back into the bottle so you can use it again. To do this, just clip a small hole in one of the lower corners of the ziploc bag and you have a funnel! :) Yay.

The horn was made using Fimo clay. My husband did it. It looks like a cat ear, but it most certainly isn't. In the anime, Lucy has two horns but loses one in the final episode. So, I decided to only have one horn. I can't tell you how many times I heard this phrase while walking around ACEN, "One of your kitty ears is missing."

The socks were purchased from Sock Dreams. I cut out the heel and the toe to make them like they were in the anime. The shoes are just a pair of red kitten heel maryjanes that I already had. I just took the strap under the foot instead of over it to make it look like simple red kitten heels. Yay.

The dress is sewn from a nice heavy knit fabric in a dark gray. The neckline binding and straps are a heavy black jersey. The pink 3/4 sleeve shirt is American Apparel.

I painted my eyebrows to match the wig. I just coated my eyebrows with washable Elmer's and mixed acrylic paints to match the color as closely as possible. Once the glue dried, I put that paint CAREFULLY on my eyebrows. It washed off really easily at the end of the day and I didn't have to do anything crazy...or semi-permanent.

I call this one a success. :) It was a lot of fun to wear. My next post will be about the other costume I wore at Anime Central: Asuka Langley Soryu from everyone's favorite anime, EVANGELION!!!!

Cosplay woes

2009-05-06T09:50:00.004-05:00

Some things look perfect, amazingly perfect...like I'm shocked I was able to make it so perfect.

Other things don't look so perfect, but they are acceptable.

Still other things look outright wrong...and there is very little that I am going to be able to do about it. These things are the wigs for my cosplays. I can hardly style my own, human hair. Styling synthetic wig hair is another story. I am most unhappy with my Asuka wig as it is orange (too orange) and the bangs are too short.

Which wouldn't be a problem if I knew what to do with my eyebrows. They are dark (my natural color) and my wigs are orange (too orange) and fuscia. Dark eyebrows certainly clash. The fuscia one sort of covers them, but the orange (too orange) one does not. I've considered bleaching them and using an eyebrow pencil or eyeliner in orange/fuscia to color them in...but then I reconsidered--because my hair is dark and I'd look like an idiot any time I didn't have the wig(s) on, which would be everyday minus 2 (the days I wear my cosplays). I've decided that I'm not crazy, nor that wonderful of a cosplayer to bleach and color my eyebrows. Sorry.

That's what we call "responsibility" and "better judgement." Grown ups are supposed to exercise these skills when presented with Utter Crazy.

Of course, I could just buy eyebrow powder to match my hair and continue to color in my eyebrows until the bleach grows out...only not in orange and fuscia...unless I wanted to...for kicks.

Kicks.

Lucy's Progress

2009-04-25T14:18:00.002-05:00

She's coming along quite nicely:

Ok. For those of you readers who aren't familiar with anime...or the special brand of crazy that is cosplay...all shall be revealed in a later post. Basically, I am dressing up as characters that I like at a convention devoted to anime. Yes, sort of like those Star Wars geeks...Trekkies too. I will post photos of the characters I'm cosplaying as well as pictures of myself in the finished costumes as soon as the costumes are finished, which will be soon!

There you go, a very basic and undetailed explanation of "cosplay."

Tatting.

2009-04-23T16:43:00.004-05:00

This is the result of my first tatting! I used a pattern in a book called "Tatted Snowflakes" by Vida Sunderman.

1 shuttle, red size 10 crochet thread

My second tatted piece: "Bejewelled Snowflake," also from the book, "Tatted Snowflakes" by Vida Sunderman. I made a silly mistake in the starting ring: I made seven picots instead of six. I didn't realize my mistake until the last stitch of the piece, so I just left it alone. Ooops! lol

I'm really loving tatting. It's super fast and easy (so far, anyway!)

I have been sewing. I have two dresses for cosplays which both need the hems finished (one of which is the yellow number from my last post) before I call them "finished!" I'm really excited about Anime Central! And I LOVE the characters I'm cosplaying! Nerd squees all over the place.

Nearly done with something

2009-04-17T16:10:00.003-05:00

I'm very close to finishing this yellow dress. It's for my Asuka cosplay (from Evangelion). All I have to do is finish the hem and also the ends of the shoulder straps. I worked really hard on this, adding special touches that make it a more "professional" job (full lining, invisible zipper, hand sewing in places etc..). I wanted it to be cute in real life as I intend to actually wear this on a semi-regular basis, despite it being made as a costume.

ACEN is approaching very quickly!

Weeks

2009-04-08T09:13:00.003-05:00

For a few weeks now, I have gotten up in the morning (if you can call it "morning") harboring the same feelings. I don't want to get up. I don't want to do anything. I don't like who I am or what I'm doing. I feel like I continue to make the wrong choices in my life, as though it were my hobby to always mess up, spazz out, or run out of steam and sanity. Most importantly, I feel stupid. Feeling stupid is the worst kind of feeling for me because I have wasted a lot of time trying not to be stupid.

And, honestly, I'm sick of trying. There are things I am good at, being a graduate student is obviously not one of them. And before anyone says that graduate school is a lot of stress on everyone and I shouldn't be so hard on myself, have it be known that I am not a full time student, I do not have even a part-time job, and I do basically FUCK-ALL all day long. I have two classes, one of which has only one assignment (no tests, quizzes, final, etc...), and I am overwhelmed. The funny thing is that I am overwhelmed not by the class with the constant stream of busy-work type assignments, but by the one in which I have only one due date for the entire term. The term is almost over. Have I made any progress on that one assignment? No, of course not.

Of course not.

When is it due? I, honestly, am not sure. I skipped class last week because we were supposed to "talk about" our papers. Since I would have nothing to say, I avoided putting myself in a situation in which I would look like the idiot I undoubtedly am. I thought I would take a week to actually make some progress and then go to class this week...prepared.

Let's just say that I'm thinking about skipping out again.

I am batting out of my league. I played T-ball in grade school and not very well. The puzzling thing here is that I don't really want to do well, but rather feel like I should be doing well--at least as well as my peers. I feel like I have no place from which to start, appearing out of nowhere with nowhere to go--no sense of direction. So, I stay where I am. I feel stupid. I cry.

I've always felt stupid and I've always been crying.

And I know that deep down it isn't about school. It isn't about school at all.

FO: Kutsushita

2009-03-19T13:50:00.003-05:00

"Kutsushita" means "sock" in Japanese. These are just really simple toe up socks with short row heels. I added random purl rows to break up the stocking stitch and give the socks a bit of "interest." If you'd like to copy me, go get two balls of Noro Kureyon Sock, pull out your favorite basic toe-up sock pattern (of the knee high variety), size two needles, and go to town! For the cuff, I did a K1, P3 rib for about an inch or so, then did a K1, P1 rib until I decided to bind off!

They ended up a bit on the snug side, but after wearing them a few times they have stretched out. A note on the Kureyon sock yarn: It is weak. It breaks...even when you aren't pulling very hard. I have so many breaks and spit splices in these socks because the yarn just fell apart while I was knitting. Honestly, I cannot recommend this yarn for socks with a clear conscience. It's better suited to other knitted objects (scarves, hats) that don't get a lot of wear and tear. We'll have to wait and see how these socks hold up! Keep your fingers crossed!

Lace Ribbon Scarf

2009-03-15T20:23:00.005-05:00

It's finally finished:

Lace Ribbon Scarf from Knitty.com. I used a sock yarn from Hill Country Yarns. It was nice to work with. I'm so glad it's all over, though. Scarfs kill me. I just don't have the attention span for them, I suppose.

I have a ton of lace projects on the needles right now...and I want more.

I'm almost done with my Noro Kureyon socks. I think they will be about knee length, which is exactly what I wanted. I have started the ribbing for the cuff and I want it to go for about 3 or 4 inches before binding off so I have a nice, wide cuff. I originally decided that they would be finished tonight whether I liked it or not, but I think I will move it to tomorrow because I sort of got sidetracked by the cosplay thing. That's fair, right? :p

I have been working on my cosplay. I am going to Anime St. Louis in two weeks and I had hoped to dress as Asuka from Evangelion in her adorable yellow sundress. I found a pattern that I assumed I would have to make a lot of modifications to, but after making a muslin of the bodice there weren't as many necessary changes as I had expected. I love it when things run smoothly.

My dog is cute:

We went to Legoland. I have lots of pictures on my flickr page. I don't feel like uploading them all to blogger. Have fun.

FO: Snowdrop Jacket

2009-02-27T14:25:00.004-06:00

Behold:

The Snowdrop Jacket by James Coviello, knit by Yours Truly. This started out as one of my most ambitious knits, but turned out to be a lot easier than I had expected. I've worn it only about a thousand times already.

I've started dyeing yarn. I don't remember if I showed any of that on the blog, but here are a few examples of my work so far:

The fire-y red yarns were my first attempt and I am happy with how it all turned out. The purple and orange, on the other hand, did not work out as I had hoped. The dye didn't take in some places, but I still sort of like it and will use it for something in the future. I'm thinking fingerless mitts or something of the like.

I finished the knitting on my Lace Ribbon Scarf:

It still needs to be blocked. I'll call it an FO once it's blocked and the ends are woven in.

I'm working on another Montego Bay scarf (the same scarf I knit my mother for Christmas in yellow). This time, a lace weight alpaca/silk version for myself.

Not a bad photo, eh? I'm quite proud of it.

So, yeah. There's a lot of knitting going on around here. There should be a lot of library science oriented research going on, but you know how it is. I should be working on sewing projects as well. I need to get cracking on my cosplays for upcoming anime conventions (one is in March!!!!). That's right. ANIME conventions.

Chew on that for a minute.

PS--Have any other Blogger users noticed the strange cropping of photos on their blogs? The right side of my photos is always cut off. This has only been happening within the last few months. I've had this blog for a long time and don't really want to switch to another one (I'm attached, one could say), but if this issue isn't resolved... I'd love to hear others thoughts on this, solutions too...

Skies

2009-02-05T14:28:00.005-06:00

I bought this punta wool top from Muzzlepuff's quite a while ago. I have only recently been able to spin it up. It's Navajo plied, fingering weight:

And it's beautiful. And I'm going to knit the Morning Surf Scarf out of it.

I'm knitting socks:

I finished a pair of slippers:

So yeah. That's good (except that Matilda has already chewed on them).

My Snowdrop Cardigan is coming along. And by "coming along," I mean SO CLOSE to being finished. All I have to do is tie off the snowdrop holes, attach the pockets, and find buttons. I do have one concern, which I am trying not to think about right now. I may have to re-knit the buttonband. It buckles around the curves at the hips. I blocked it and it seemed fine, but after a while it wanted to go back to the original state. I'll see how I feel once the thing is finished, but I will probably end up ripping the buttonband and trying again. ::sad face:: It's either leave it as it is and never wear it or take the time to make it better and wear it all the time.

I've also cast on a new sweater, Demi. It's insanity. Beautiful, cabled insanity.

What's even more insane is that I want to cast on MORE projects. I'm not going to stop myself. Why should I? If I want to work on a thousand things at once, that's my business. ;)

Boots

2009-01-15T16:01:00.003-06:00

I love boots. No, I mean I really do. I would wear boots every day if I could...and really I probably could. I have 5 pairs (although one pair digs into my ankles and causes bloodshed).

Did you know that I found the greatest pair of knee high wedge heel boots a few days ago in a thrift shop in the city that fit my skinny scrawny chicken calves for $30 and I didn't get them? I never mentioned it? Oh. That must be because I'm still getting over the loss.

Well, that's OK...because I love all boots, even the not-so-chic practical hiking sorts, and tonight I am winter boot shopping. The idea here is to buy the most practical and well made pair that I can find that is still adorable enough to wear with a skirt (leggings and leg warmers are implied here). Now, I'll wear pretty much any shoe with a skirt...the real criteria is how the boots make my legs look. Clunky short boots often do not work for me because my ankles and legs are so skinny. I end up looking like a cartoon character. Plus, I trudge through the snow with the dog and prefer a taller boot for things like that. There's nothing worse than getting snow in your shoes...or on the hems of your pants. Then, walking around the house stepping on those wet hems. It's enough to drive me insane.

I have no idea what I'll end up with. We'll see if fashion supersedes practicality as a result of my girlishness.

What's Crack-a-lackin'?

2009-01-14T16:25:00.003-06:00

About that list I made in my last entry. I'm feeling less and less like any of it is going to happen and more and more like I shouldn't even bother. I should bother, though. I really should.

Should, could...all those words with "oul" make me shake my head. The only "oul" word I should worry about is "soul." How is my soul? Is it functioning? Is it happy? If not, fixing it must become priority one.

That and more knitting. Can I have two priorty ones?

Knitting. (This is my transistion.)

The snowdrop cardigan is totally going to happen. It's going to happen so much and so soon that I'm beginning to feel giddy. 5.5 small tasks remain on this project. 0.5) I must finish the border and buttonband. 1) I must work the collar. 2) I must work the border on the pockets. 3) I must attach the pockets to the body of the sweater. 4) I must find the perfect buttons. 5) Close the snowdrops and weave in the ends. Whoa. I'm excited.

The body of Max's Cobblestone sweater is off of the needles and resting on scrap yarn. He tried it on and it could use a few more inches of length, but it fits him nicely otherwise. Someday, I'll cast on for the sleeves and lengthen the body for him, but not just yet. Sorry, love, you'll have to wait.

I started knitting a pair of suede soled slipper boots. The knitting was done in two days. Both boots are seamed and one has been attached to the sole. Because it was a hassle to stretch the knitted fabric into place for the sewing, I did not finish the pair. I will do it tomorrow. It is cold outside, so that will be my motivation. One thing I'm (not so) worried about is the yarn I chose to attach the boot to the sole. I found a coraly pink color that looks like it matches quite well, but the lighting in our place is sort of insane. I'll have to take them with me into the real world and see them under natural light. Not that it really matters. I'll only be wearing them at home anyway.

I worked on some socks yesterday and had a great time. I think I'll knit socks again. I sort of told myself that I shouldn't there for a while. I even removed most of the socks from my queue on the Ravelry. But the itch is coming back. I still really want a collection of handknit thigh-highs. I'd wear them. I'm one of the few people in the world who would, I'm sure. So, I went ahead and made a wish list over at The Loopy Ewe. I put a link to my wishlist in the sidebar, hehe. Then, I went over and looked at the colors to be had by Blue Moon Fiber Arts, even though I hated (HATED) working with their Socks That Rock in the past. I found that they now have a sock yarn with silk in it and I'm assuming it might be softer/less dry-crap feeling. I might have to try a skein, because I always thought it was such a shame I hated the yarn when the colors were so awesome.

I've been spinning too. Nothing more to say about it until I actually finish something and get pictures. I don't really know what I'm doing well enough to explain it...just simple spinning...nothing complicated or amazing...merino at the moment...

Ehem...

If you are on Ravelry, there are a few previews up for the Winter 08/09 Vogue Knitting. We all know what happened with the last Vogue Knitting. I immediately found something that I had. To. Have. and cast on for it within the fortnight. Even though there are only three patterns on Ravelry right now from the upcoming issue, that must-have item might prove to be "Green Iiris." Anything that makes me feel more elven is a winner in my book. Check it out. If you don't have Ravelry, I am very sorry. I tried to find a preview online somewhere and could not for the life of me. I'll keep an eye open, though. I don't want anyone to be out of the loop on this thing. :)

What else...what else. My dog is the cutest, but needs to be groomed. I'm a bad owner.

A List of Things...expanded

2009-01-08T23:19:00.003-06:00

Edit novel!!!!
Submit my work to at least 10 places (journals, magazines, publishers, etc)
Get my work published somewhere...ANYwhere!!
Knit a sweater of my own design
Knit a sweater from a Japanese pattern
Learn and master 4 couture sewing "techniques"
Buy thrift, handmade, or independent before resorting to large chain stores
Make heavy use of dressform
Do something creative every day
Write at least one original sentence (or a line for a poem) everyday
School--don't procrastinate! Start big assignments at least two weeks or more before they are due.
Weekly yoga
Get excited about life
Do Asuka (Evangelion) cosplay
Do Miwako Sakurada (Paradise Kiss) cosplay
Do Rina (Luminous Arc 2) cosplay
Do Lucy (Elfen Lied) cosplay
Tailor a suit for Max
Read the Bible (which means finding an accurate translation)
Read 100 books (fiction or non fiction, but not course textbooks)
Learn to weave
Spin a sweater's worth of yarn
Go to Rhinebeck
Knit for charity
Redesign blog
Start a website to market my writing
Get a really nice camera
Edit our wedding photos (a friend took them for us for free...so the editing became our job)
Put together a wedding album (we were married in 2007, lol)
Have enormous prints made of really awesome photos I've taken in the past
Frame above photos
Hang above photos
Obtain a fancy corner desk thing for the guest room
Go camping
Go to Wisconsin Dells
Go to Mackinac Island (they don't allow cars! I think that's the greatest thing ever!)
Remodel both bathrooms
Enroll Matilda in obedience school (she's a good girl, but a bit of a nonconformist)
Take a Russian language class
Read School Rumble in Japanese (I have every volume already)

Doing stuff

2009-01-05T14:35:00.003-06:00

Check it:

That's a seamed and ready for more knitting action Snowdrop Jacket! I tried it on and it looks good! Woot! I'm not looking forward to weaving in all those loose ends. Sheesh.

I also started this, pattern here:

It's the Best Friend Cardigan by Wenlan chia. I'm modifying it to be roomier and tunic length rather than the super short tight thing you see in the pattern pic. So far, it is going well, and VERY quickly, but I must say...if this thing doesn't look fantastic I will likely never do another chunky knit like this. It HURTS my hands to use such large needles for extended periods of time. If it looks great, I will suffer again. If it only looks so-so, those size 19s are going into the garbage (not really, I couldn't do that, but you get the idea).

And just when you thought I might shut up, I have one more thing to talk about. It won't take long, I promise. I got a dress form for Christmas and it just arrived at the store today! I'm about to take a shower and head over there right NOW! I'll post pics, of course! OF COURSE!

Love, peace, and Chicken grease! (name that movie and you'll get a pat on the back next time I see you, lolz)

A List of Things

2009-01-02T16:57:00.004-06:00

Edit novel!!!!
Submit my work to at least 10 places (journals, magazines, publishers, etc)
Get my work published somewhere...ANYwhere!!
Knit a sweater of my own design
Knit a sweater from a Japanese pattern
Learn and master 4 couture sewing "techniques"
Buy thrift, handmade, or independent before resorting to large chain stores
Make heavy use of dressform
Do something creative every day
Write at least one original sentence (or a line for a poem) everyday
School--don't procrastinate! Start big assignments at least two weeks or more before they are due.
Weekly yoga
Get excited about life
Do Asuka (Evangelion) cosplay
Do Miwako Sakurada (Paradise Kiss) cosplay
Do Rina (Luminous Arc 2) cosplay
Do Lucy (Elfen Lied) cosplay
Tailor a suit for Max
Read the Bible (which means finding an accurate translation)
Read 100 books (fiction or non fiction, but not course textbooks)

These aren't really New Year's Resolutions. They are more like goals. I'm running off of the DayZero idea here. Although, I don't have 101 things...only 20 so far. :)

A New Year

2008-12-31T03:12:00.002-06:00

What do you think? Should I do it? Should I make a list and put it out there with only a teensy hope of doing what I say I will? Every year I tell myself that I'm not going to do it. Then, I decide that I'll make a list, but that rule #1 is that I will take it easy on myself...ahimsa, people...ahimsa. Puh-shaw! Whatever! It never turns out that way. I make my list, I take it easy on myself, and then at the end of the year, it hits me like an aluminum baseball bat to a tee. I'm feeling the wind from the childish swing as I type.

It's troubling when you know there are many things you want to do, but you lack the determination. This has always been my problem. I walked the mile in gym. I'm usually walking when I should be running. I quit choir before high school. I'm usually humming silently in corners when I should be singing the melody. I wanted to be a ballerina. Now, I don't dance unless I've had a few and I'm in the right company.

I've always been scared. I've always been terrified. Of what? You name the juvenile fear and it's in me. I still sometimes shiver at the thought of something grabbing my ankles when I step out of bed, of hearing my own voice, of being forgotten.

This post is a downer...but it's how I feel.

More Christmas Knittings

2008-12-28T14:01:00.002-06:00

Well, I finished the things I was knitting for the In-laws this Christmas.

The first is a Sideways Grande Cloche from the incredible book Boutique Knits by Laura Irwin. I used Catalina Baby Alpaca Chunky which was super soft and nice to work with. I'm going to make another one with the same yarn (because I have a ton left still) for myself eventually!

The second is a We Call Them Pirates by Adrian Bizilia. This one goes to Max's dad and was knit using Knit Picks Telemark.

With that I end my Christmas knitting! I confess that I did not finish the Father-in-law's hat until today...but I did get the other one done in time!

More progress has been made on the Snowdrop Jacket. It is BLOCKING!! Whee!

'Tis Christmas Eve-Eve (a Picture-heavy Post)

2008-12-23T14:26:00.005-06:00

I don't know about all y'all, but I love me some single digit temperatures with snow and Christmas. New Year's too. The colder and snowier, the better. I can do without the wind, but really it's tolerable. I would love to live in the mountains way up North and spend my life celebrating holidays. Is that an option? I guess it isn't.

My mom and kid brother came to visit over the weekend and we went to Chinatown for dinner and fun.

I gave my mom this scarf and bag as Christmas gifts:

She wore the scarf from the moment she opened it and didn't take it off all weekend. To be honest, I'm not even sure she took it off when she went to bed.

I call that a "win." It's the oh so very popular Montego Bay scarf knit out of KnitPicks Shine Sport. It was an easy knit and FAST, FAST, FAST!! It took a few days of sporadic knitting.

...but not so fast! There is more to show!

This is a progress shot of my Thrummed Mittens:

They are stupid warm and pretty adorable if you ask me, although they do not have thumbs yet. I'm going to finish the thumbs once Christmas knitting is done. I still wear them without the thumbs though, even though my husband makes fun of me. I don't care! Thumbless thrummies are perfect for wearing while you are warming up the car (a nice long process around here, especially lately).

Although, nothing is warmer than my obnoxiously Russian husband this winter:

He added to the warmest hat in the universe the warmest coat in the western hemisphere. That's a thick real shearling coat that his parents gave him. If you didn't know he was Russian, it should be completely obvious by now. In fact, he told me that he overheard Russians talking about him and his hat/coat combo while walking around the city on Monday. lol :)

Ok, that's the post. I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season. God bless!

If Progress Were a City...

2008-12-16T17:52:00.002-06:00

...I'd live there.

My Snowdrop Jacket is ready to block! Woot! Now, just because it needs to block does not mean that I am done with the knitting for it. I have knit the main body pieces (fronts, back, sleeves, and sleeve cuffs) but once it is all seamed together I will have to pick up for a collar and a border around all the raw edges. I also have to finish off the pockets (they just need a border knit onto them and then must be carefully attached to the fronts). But seriously, guys? I'm close. I'm very close. I never expected to GET this close so soon with this crazy sweater. I half expected that I would lose interest somewhere along the way because it is a somewhat complicated ("tedious" might be a better word, actually) pattern.

I'm going to say it again: Yay. Double Yay.

In other news, no yarn has arrived for the Christmas knitting extravaganza that I will be participating in. The site says it should arrive on the 18th! AHHHHHH! That pretty much gives me no time at all to get these projects done! I will not admit defeat until I am defeated! And that can't possibly happen until December 25th!

In other other news, my mom is coming up to visit for the weekend. She will be arriving on Friday. On Saturday, we intend to be geeky tourists in Chinatown. lol I'll never grow out of being a geeky tourist in Chinatown.

Big Trouble in Little China was an awesome movie, by the way. I say so only in case you didn't know that already.

Oh, and one more thing. I have decided that I want a knitting machine. I know. Blasphemy. But I'm always seeing sweaters that I want to buy in the store...then I don't because I know that I could knit them...then I don't knit them because they are SUPER DUPER boring. So, in the end, I don't get the sweater because I'm a snob...and I don't get the sweater because I am lazy. Lazy snobs such as myself benefit from knitting machines. lol And actually, they are still a great deal of work to operate. It's not like you flip a switch and leave it alone for a while, returning to a sweater. From what I hear, it's more like weaving on a loom...and no one ever calls a weaver lazy. No one I know would, anyway.

Christmas Knitting

2008-12-12T10:51:00.003-06:00

I always say I'm not going to do any, but then December comes and I feel the urge. So, what does a silly girl like me do? She waits until the 11th of December to place a Knitpicks order for three and a half projects that will need to be finished by December 25th...and she doesn't use the fastest delivery option, being cheap, so now has to wait about a week before even starting those projects.

Why, oh, why do I do this?

I also ordered another size 4 needle tip and a 24'' cable. I gave them a note with my order because, while I love my interchangeable needles, I have had an issue with every single cable popping out of the metal casing. They aren't coming unscrewed, they are DETACHING. I have had to do them up with super glue, and when I do that, the glue always dries before I can get them in as deep as they will go, leaving a little ledge for finer yarns to get stuck on. I asked them to please make sure my needle and cable go through some sort of quality control before they are sent to me. All I'm asking for is a little tug before dropping the sucker in the box. Is that so much to ask? I've been hearing a lot of people complaining about this lately on blogs and podcasts and such. So, while it's horrible in some ways to say it, I'm glad I'm not the only one.

But as for the planned Christmas knitting and why I think I can do it, the answer is that I became unrealistically optimistic having just finished my first term of library school. The final grades are not in yet, and I'm sure I didn't do as well I had hoped I would...but all the same, I feel accomplished. Next term will be better, I hope. I'm taking an online course, which is kind of scary because I've never done one before. I will need to activate my self-motivating gene, which oh so very difficult to do. I've never been diagnosed with anything, but let's just say I come from a line with an interesting mix of psychological barriers to success (ADD, ADHD, bipolar disorder) and I am in no way a "go-getter" without an enormous amount of outside pressure and motivation. See why I might be nervous about an online class? Yeah. It was the only one that did not conflict with my busy, sit-at-home, knitting, housewifely schedule. In other words, I didn't want to take a class on the weekend and the only other class was with the dude who's course I dropped previously...which ruled that one out. Still, I'm excited about a new term. I think I might like change. As in the Fiona Apple song, "I'm good at being uncomfortable so I can't stop changing all the time."

So, until my Christmas yarn arrives, I will work on other projects. I should be able to finish my mittens and at least finish the sleeve for my Snowdrop Jacket by the time it arrives. Max's Cobblestone Pullover needs about 4" before the body is finished. Then, that gets put on scrap yarn while I knit the sleeves. I haven't decided if I'm going to do the sleeves one at a time or simultaneously. We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

If anyone loves spaghetti westerns, Tarantino cameos, and awkward English from the mouths of Japanese people...Sukiyaki Western Django might be the way to go. It's on Netflix as an instant watch (which is pretty much the best thing ever).

Ok, that's enough rambling...and that truly is what I have done here. I'm going to make my sick husband kasha and eggs, finish a mitten cuff, and spin a million yards of pink laceweight.

More WIPS

2008-12-06T19:25:00.004-06:00

I know...shocker, right?

Thrummed Mittens from the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits that look remarkably like a sea creature at this point:

Knit up in Silk Garden, which I'll admit, makes me feel decadent and self consumed.

Toe-Up Stripedies from my own brain (no pattern) that I will probably never finish, but I love the way they look so far:

And the other stuff is still being knit on...good times. But for now, I must quit procrastinating and get back to my take-home final exam for my cataloging course! Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Lace Blouse

2008-12-02T13:21:00.003-06:00

I would like to share my latest FO with you. That's right...I've finished something...and I'm not so humble that I'm not 100% proud of myself.

FO SPECS:
Pattern: Lace Blouse by Jennie Atkinson from the book Romantic Style.
Yarn: Rowan 4-ply Cotton
Started: 6.07!!!!
Finished: 11.28.08
Modifications: None to speak of. I have not added buttons. I kind of like it without them. I may add them later, but there is certainly no rush.

This damned thing (and I am comfortable calling it that. It likes it) took me forever to finish. That border around the neck and front basically killed me. It seemed like no matter how many times I estimated that I had only three or so repeats left, there were four more to go. Now that it is done, I am so happy that I put myself through the torture of finishing it. Good job, me.

Here is the Ravelry Link for you spiffy Ravelers out there. :)

Now for some WIP talk. Max's Cobblestone is about 10 inches long, at 16 I put it off on scrap yarn and start the sleeves. He's pretty much accepted that this thing will take me forever to finish. My snowdrop cardigan is moving along as well, but very slowly. I'm still finishing the second sleeve, then I have to do cuffs on both sleeves, the pockets, seaming of peices, and picking up around the whole darned thing for a collar and border. So, while I wish I could say I'm nearly finished as I usually do when finishing the sleeves, I am nowhere near finishing it. It might take another month at the rate I'm going now. :/

School has got me pretty busy. This week I have to work on a take-home final exam ("take-home test" in graduate school usually means a gazillion times more work intensive and time consuming than an in-class test. Sigh. I had two weeks to work on it (it's due next Monday), but I went to Saint Louis for Thanksgiving and, of course, did not hit the books. Not even once. I must study for the final in my other class (which will be on next week's Wednesday), write one more paper, and read a couple-hundred page book for class discussion (by tomorrow, I might add). I'm not complaining, not yet anyway. I just know that I won't get much knitting in until finals are finally over. Then, I will become a knitting and spinning fool!

That's right--a fool!

Why I'm Not a Grammar Nazi

2008-11-18T01:16:00.002-06:00

I associate Nazis with bad haircuts
In my opinion, nothing makes one more pretentious and self-righteous than unnecessarily correcting the mistakes of others
While I appreciate the English language (and the United States' dialect particularly), constant doting on the rules leaves little time for adventurous and experimental language.
I am constantly committing my own pet peeves. If I were a Grammar Nazi, this would be horribly irritating. But I am not...cognitive dissonance solved. ((I started the preceding sentence with a conjunction. That's a no-no. I also have a tendency to use ellipses whenever and wherever I see fit. Furthermore, I often double-up on my parentheses as exhibited in the present sidenote)).

Why on Earth am I talking about this? I shall tell you.

Last week, I turned in a take-home test for my cataloging course. It ended up being a good 12 pages of solid writing...which I accomplished in all of two days. Tonight in class (or I suppose it was last night as it is now 1:00 AM), the exam was returned with comments. All in all, the grade was not so bad. Full disclosure: 90 = A-, which I can deal with. But as I looked through her comments, I could not help but face palm. I used the word "between" when discussing differences among three institutions. Face palm. I committed my number one pet peeve when I used the possessive pronoun "their" when I intended to use "there." Face...wait for it...palm. At one point, I put a period in the middle of a sentence. Of course, spellcheck didn't catch that one because I intelligently capitalized the letter following the punctuation mark. Face palm. Then (apparently, for shits and giggles), I committed the between/among transgression one more time.

Ugh.

Meh. What are ya gonna do? I use converstational United Statesish. Language exists for communication and if I am able to do at least that much with my native tongue...well...kudos to little old me!

FOs and progress: a qualitative analysis

2008-11-14T15:36:00.001-06:00

I did some knitting with my handspun one insomnia-riddled evening. I was up until 4 in the morning working on it. The next morning, I decided that it was too big and frogged. It was a lot of work to rip out, but it wasn't too disastrous and I recognized the fact that I was out of my mind tired and wired, which does not lend itself to good dimensions. So the next day, I cast on once more with fewer stitches. After two days of knitting, I had an FO!

It's a squishy cormo cowl. The ultra-cheezy geek smile represents that this cowl is going to be perfect for walking from the metra to my classes downtown this winter! And it's from handspun! And it was instant gratification knitting! And I like yuzu-cha!

On the NaKniSweMo front, I am not doing so well. I don't think it's happening...just like last year. I'm not upset over it or anything. It was all for fun and games. I am still trying, but the sweater seems to stay the same no matter how long I knit on it. lol Instead of finishing the cobblestone, I think I will call myself a winner if I finish my purple lace blouse and my snowdrop jacket. They are both so close to being done that I am pretty sure I can finish both by the end of the month! Hooray for hopeless optimism!

What about NaNoWriMo, you ask? Well, funny story. NaNoWriMo and I aren't talking anymore. We both said some things we didn't mean, but both of us are too stubborn to apologize. Instead of burying the hatchet, I flung it full force into my dung heap of a novel (I've only got like 3,000 words, maybe less). I'm disappointed in myself, but you win some and lose some. Right now, I'm so wrapped up in my own way of doing things that the careless NaNoWriMo approach seems childish. The idea that I shouldn't worry if what I write is crap gets to me. I want writing to be my life...GOOD writing. So if I write crap, I'm a crappy writer, not a good one. Right? Then again, if I don't write anything, I'm not any kind of writer at all.

Oh, muse, strike genius. I'm sure she's working on it.

Winter Twist Collective

2008-11-13T15:33:00.003-06:00

OMG, I looked at it...and while most of it made me go, "eh," this one nearly brought me to tears it is so beautiful!

FEAST YOUR EYES!

Wow...I want to knit it...I want to knit it...It's going to look stupid on me because I am petite...but OMG...

That is all for now. I have an FO to show you all, but it will have to wait as I am once again without a proper camera. :P

Did I mention I'm happy?

2008-10-29T12:48:00.008-05:00

I finally found yuzu cha. I first had a taste of it while studying abroad in Japan. The nice girl at the social security center where I did an internship gave me some and told me what it was called. What she didn't tell me was how to find it. I searched in Japan before I returned to The States, because I knew I'd have a hard time finding it. Couldnt' find it. I searched everywhere in the US as well and still couldn't find it. Then, after a few years, I finally did an internet search (save discussion on my silly negligence up until this point for later, lol) and found out that I wasn't finding it because I was looking in the wrong aisle. Cha=tea and tea=the tea section, right? Wrong. Wrong-a-mundo.

Now, I know many people already know of this tasty Korean/Japanese (but Korean FIRST!) treat. It's a marmalade made from the rind of the yuzu (a small citrus fruit) and honey. Put a spoonful or two into a cup of hot water, stir, and enjoy. I bought mine and am pleased with it, but there is one word in the ingredients that I am not fond of (I think it's a preservative...who needs that when you have FREAKIN' HONEY?), leading me to the decision of making it myself in the future. My jar will be empty soon anyway, which is good because now is the time of the yuzu. They are in season during November in Japan, so I should be able to find them quite easily at the Japanese grocer. Next time I go, I'll probably buy a basket full (no, probably not THAT much, but you get the idea). I was even thinking of giving some away to friends and family if all goes well and I think people will appreciate it enough. :)

So yeah. Yuzu-cha. Yum. Also at the Japanese grocer (well, technically at the bookstore), I ordered the most recent issue of Keitodama. They said it could take up to 4 weeks to arrive! Sheesh! Still, I love looking at Japanese patterns, even if I haven't knit any of them yet...

Look at this!

I started Max's Cobblestone Pullover. Can we say, "a million gazillion plus infinity stitches makes a man-sweater?" Yeah. It's a lot. I'm doing this as part of NaKniSweMo (National Knit a Sweater Month) so that I am urged to get it done quickly. It's an easy pattern, but it's going to be a boring knit.

I'm doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again this year too. It's more important than sweaters and I wrote 1780 words today. Only 48, 220 words to go!

Gazillion

2008-10-24T08:34:00.005-05:00

My mind is hop-skip-jumping around about a gazillion things right now. I'll start with those things most of interest to readers of a knitting blog. Mainly, progress.

The Snowdrop Cardigan is coming along nicely. I have finished the back piece, knit both of the pockets, and got a good start on the front pieces. Even though the fronts are all stocking stitch, I've really been enjoying them and they are working up much more quickly than I expected. Of course, I am knitting both at the same time--as is my preferred method. I won't, however, be knitting both sleeves at the same time. I only have one ball of each contrast color and I don't feel like taking the extra time to divide them.

Anyway, here's a picture of the pockets. They still need the borders knitted on the upper edges, but this is the general idea:

The sleeves have the same "snowdrops," making this the sweetest, most adorable cardigan EVAR.

I finished spinning that corriedale fiber, as promised. I ended up with approx. 900 yds total. It varies from lace to fingering mostly, but I only eyeballed it to come to that conclusion. I think it will turn into a triangular shawl which I will simply knit until I run out of yarn! It might end up a present to my mother, whose favorite color is yellow. Maybe. Really, this is more MY KIND of yellow than hers. She's more the soft, buttery type. I'm more the earthy mustard variety. But we shall see. And so shall you (the photo, that is):

The scarves from the last post have not been touched.

But surprisingly, a long neglected WIP HAS been touched. Last night, I seemed up the back and front peices of my Purple Lace Blouse. Remember how I was terrified that it wouldn't fit me (too big)? Well, after trying it on, I am convinced that it WILL fit me! This means that I must finish the lace border. Ugh. What I have decided to do is knit one lace repeat each day. JUST ONE! That shouldn't be too hard, considering that the rows are very very very short! I know I'm being a baby, but it's the only way this is ever going to happen...and I SO want it to happen, because I can already see that this is going to be a GORGEOUS FO! ((Rah Rah Rah!!!!))

Finally, I can't get a silly knit design out of my head. I have a pair of pants...and I have decided that my life is not complete without another pair...only this time...they will be handknit!!!! I am batshit crazy for wanting to knit a pair of pants. I'm even more insane for wanting to knit this particular type of pant (which I will not share until I actually make them! lol). These will likely not happen for quite some time. I will need to find the right yarn (I'm thinking a somewhat fine linen or a linen/cotton blend...and organic would be nice, but probably way too expensive).

But yeah. Batshit crazy.

As crazy as bat shit.

Scarves

2008-10-20T14:16:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, I do not have a huge number of scarves. I know it seems strange that a knitter doesn't have a lot of scarves, but really it is true. I don't even think that I have more scarves than the average non-knitter and it isn't because I do not love scarves.

I really do.

I love them so much.

So, to live up to my own knitterly expectations:

Scarves.

The first is a quick and silly crochet deal that I am working on. I've woven strips of satin fabric through it (and will continue to do so throughout the scarf) just for fun, but I haven't decided if I will keep it that way or not.

The second (and third, duh) is, of course, the Ribbon Lace Scarf that I started ages ago. I am still working on it here and there.

Here and there.

And that's what's great about knitting scarves, I've come to realize. They travel well and don't require crazy attention. Of course, there are exceptions, a few of which I will be casting on in the weeks/months/years to come.

I finished the back of the Snowdrop Jacket and decided I wanted to get to some of the fun stuff. So, instead of casting on for the boring plain front pieces, I cast on for a pocket. I thought it would be a good idea to do the pockets before the sleeves since the pockets are very small and like little learning swatches that will be sewn onto the garment. I don't have a picture for you, but let's just call what I have so far on pocket one, "So much cuteness and fun, fun, fun." Yeah. I think that's a good name for it.

:)

Sumpin' or other.

2008-10-17T13:26:00.011-05:00

Yeah. What of it?

I've been a lagging knitter and crafter, but not so much that I am not creating anything at all. I am working on the Snowdrop Jacket from Vogue Knitting and it is coming along. I am working the armholes for the back piece at the moment and it is just plain stockinette right now. Stockinette=boring. Here's an older picture:

I haven't sat in front of my wheel for a disgusting amount of time. It is my goal to get some spinning in tonight as there is really no excuse for my negligence. That wheel was expensive and was intended as more than a pretty (OH SO VERY PRETTY) hunk of folk art. I was in the midst of spinning up some yellow corriedale wool before I shoved it in the corner. That was so long ago.

What else is crafty, you ask? You don't think that just because it's Halloween time, I would be making something silly like a costume, do you? Please, give me more credit, people. I'm a grown up. I'm so much of a grown up that just last night I wasn't sure how old I was going to turn on my next birthday (we decided on 25, for the record). Grown ups, while known for doing other silly things like destroying the planet and desecrating the economy, do not waste time on silly things like Halloween costumes.

This isn't what it looks like...

Hey, what's that over there?!

Mmmm...Braunsweiger! I try to be healthy around here, but please, do not deny me my love of braunsweiger. Grown ups eat braunsweiger and are also apparently not turned off by creepy tarantula-like dried hibiscus flowers...they knit practical things like socks and mittens (speaking of which, I have some fingerless mitts to get workin' on...).

Peace (which isn't likely with the two major presidential candidates, but whatever...that's for another time).

Eco

2008-10-06T23:11:00.002-05:00

I'll bleed on these, thanks.

Homemade cloth pads and pad inserts. I like using these at night instead of the Diva Cup. Yay for eco-friendly (and vagina-friendly) menstrual cycles!

Oh yeah...I kinda forgot...

2008-09-26T15:01:00.002-05:00

FO!

Boatneck Pullover by Shiri Mor. It's all big and Flashdancey in the magazine. Leave it to me to knit at such a tight guage that I get a nicely fitted 3/4 sleeve sweater. lol

Ugh...I'm SO READY for a new camera. The Artist/Perfectionist in me is really sick of the grainy images I've been posting lately.

That's all for now! Mwah!

Sewist

2008-09-13T00:30:00.004-05:00

Looky, looky:

I finished that dress that I started, oh, forever ago.

I really wish I had better pictures, but again, I am limited to phone pictures for the time being. :(

Pattern: Butterick 4812
Fabric: Linen with floral embroidery
Rant: It's a little baggy, but it's comfortable. I used a linen fabric with a really beautiful floral embroidery. It's wearable as long as I wear a miracle bra! LOL!

Here you can see the problem I always have with dresses. The back neckline always protrudes. Maybe it is my posture...or my petite frame:

Does anyone else have this problem or have any suggestions as to how to avoid this problem in future sewing projects???? Much appreciated.

I have a really hard time with zippers. I had to attach this zipper by hand because I could not maneuver the dress through the machine properly to machine sew it. :( You can see here how it is a little baggy around the nape of my neck. I have this problem with store bought dresses too. Ahhhhhhh! It's driving me NUTS!

Ehem, all in all, I'm happy with it. I think I will wear it with a long-sleeved "something" under it. For some reason, I think that might help.

No, it's not the only new WIP I have on the needles...

2008-09-09T17:00:00.005-05:00

...but it is the only one I have a picture of at the moment.

Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang, an amazing free pattern by the editor of Interweave Knits (who wasn't editor at the time, I don't think). So far, they seem very very small, but I'm ignoring those fears and continuing on. I tried them on as best I could with the DPNs and they seem like they will be OK. Being basically a stick figure with scrawny wrists will come in handy for wearing these babies! lol

What other new WIPs have I started, one might ask? Why, the Snowdrop Jacket by James Coviello, of course (progess is minimal and not exciting enough to photograph)!

One thing off the list

2008-09-05T15:34:00.007-05:00

Well, I've gone and done it. I have finished my mother's sweater.

I seem to recall this being on a list of New Year's Resolutions...Yep, sure was. Just as a reminder, I will copy and paste those resolutions here. Let's take a looksee at my progress:

Knit a sweater from a Japanese Pattern (I already have one picked out and have figured out possible yarn substitutes...and it won't cost me more that $40 to pull off...God, I love knitpicks!)

Knit two sweaters for myself

Knit two sweaters for Max (Cobblestone and something else. I'm all torn up inside between Jared and Beau, both from Vintage Knits)

Knit one sweater for my Mother

Spin on a regular basis

Abandon the Park and Draft method of spinning

Knit a sweater OF MY OWN DESIGN (this was a resolution of last year that I did not accomplish...on to round two!)

Focus more on lace projects

Not bad, right? A lot of these are happening, but they can only really be marked off when the year is over as they are ongoing practices more than they are concrete goal oriented. I have yarn for one of Max's two 2008 sweaters, yarn for a self-designed sweater (yet to be designed, lol), and I am SO CLOSE to finishing two sweaters for myself that I could slap myself for never working on them.

I must also toot my horn and say that I've made progress on the more personal resolutions that I did not list on this blog, the major contender being applying and attending graduate school. ::TOOT TOOT!::

Well, I will report back soon. I am feeling the sewing urge lately and hope to get my hands on some fabric really really soon...

A Temporary Solution to the Camera Problem

2008-09-03T23:42:00.004-05:00

I got a sweet new cellphone. It's a Palm Centro. I'm a total Palm Whore now. I named it Wilhelm. LoL. The thing has a pretty nice camera on it...well...at least it is better than my malfunctioning Canon.

The point of this is to show my progress on my mother's sweater. I have finished everything but the neckline and sewing on the buttons. Tomorrow, which begins in 15 minutes, I will be taking care of all that. So, without further ado, photos:

I'm in love with those cap sleeves. They are so adorably feminine, don't you think? And the photos aren't bad considering they were taken on a cell phone. For the record, this pattern is the Scalloped Edge Pullover from the Spring/Summer 2008 Knit Simple Magazine...in case anyone was wondering...

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2008-09-02T01:31:00.003-05:00

Words cannot describe my intense infatuation with the garments in this movie. ((It's a beautiful movie as well, lol))

At the moment, I am pouring myself all over the interwebs to find stills of the laid back linen-y goodness that caught my eye in every scene of the movie. Perfection.

I hope to be so breezy someday. I am completely inspired to return to the sewing machine after this movie. I'm sure a wardrobe renovation was not Woody Allen's intention in making this film, but I am a stereotypical girl when it comes right down to it...if anyone knows who designed the clothing worn in this film, I would very much like to know. Not that I will pay top dollar, but I would bookmark a webpage for inspiration. hehe

...Great movie, great clothes...someday, we will up and leave for Europe. Just you wait and see.

Mom's Sweater Update

2008-08-29T16:07:00.002-05:00

I now have a front and a back to my mom's sweater. I am a bit concerned as the front appears to be a few rows longer (approx. 1 cm.) from the bottom to the underarms, but I'm hoping that some more-mindful-than-usual seaming will help ease that away. All that is left are the sleeves and the finishings. I hope to have all the knitting completed by Sunday and then it will be off to the blocking boards with this one! ((after which I will have to pick up stitches for the button band and neckline...ugh))

Still no photos. That camera is doomed. :(

Last Night

2008-08-27T12:20:00.003-05:00

Last night, Max had to drag me out of my depressed stupor to get some fresh air. We walked to the Caribou that is right down the street and to our surprise we found two acquaintances there chatting with one another. They knew each other! And we knew each of them separately! How weird is that? What an awesome social species we are. We are all so interconnected.

We closed the store chatting about politics and the like...and I was happy for an opportunity to spout out a few of my favorite conspiracy theories to fresh ears. Max has already heard all of it. So, I was excited to amuse someone else for a change.

It was nice. I'm not completely over the melancholy that preceded, but I felt much happier on the walk home and could enjoy the fresh air in my lungs which I stubbornly ignored on the way to the coffee shop. I also feel slightly more inspired, but not terribly so. I still feel as though I don't know enough. I must learn more.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Oh, I was working on a Stitches Booty Post, but my camera is spazzing. I haven't been able to take a nice picture in a few days. I think the thing is finished, which kind of makes me sad. It is the camera that I took to Japan, the camera I snapped a few wedding day pictures on. I am sentimentally attached to the damned thing...but I'm about to come out of my denial and find a new one. :( So, there will likely not be a photo filled post for a while, unless I can get the thing to cooperate.

Off the Wagon

2008-08-26T17:48:00.003-05:00

I haven't written in weeks. This is a problem. If I am ever to become the writer I hope to become, I must commit myself over and over again to the act of writing. For a while, I was moving like clockwork. Every day, I sat with my notebook and pen and wrote my brains out. Lately, I have been feeling completely uninspired with just a hint of self-loathing.

I sat and thought about my "work" for a large chunk of my day and I have decided that I really need to pull some submissions together within the next few weeks. I need to hold myself to my promises so that I can at least feel like a worthy human being.

My "work." That always amuses me. I feel like what I am creating is of little value. I am called to write, which is why I avoid writing. I want my writing to mean something. I want my words to hit the right people in the right places. At the same time, I feel like I don't know enough (although I might know more than the average citizen--again, might) to really make a difference with something as passive-aggressive as the written word. Especially considering that I am not even addressing issues in a direct manner, but in more of a roundabout way...simply hoping that some schmuck might in a million years pick up on it. If it ever gets published, that is.

In other words, "Sigh. I am a card carrying member of The Angst-Filled Writers' Club."

Tonight, Tomorrow

2008-08-22T14:40:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I am going to be washing this stuff:

Tomorrow, I will skein it up and possibly take some pictures.

Tonight, I am going to knit on my mom's t-shirt until I puke.

Tomorrow, I will be buying yarn for man sweaters at Stitches Midwest!!!!

So, until next time, C-ya!

And PS--My dog is cute:

Spinning Up Lovin'

2008-08-21T14:49:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in a while.

That's some BFL that I'm in the process of plying. I have a small skein of spindle spun like this and it is MUCH FINER. Dammit. What on Earth am I going to do with it?

While at the St. Louis Botanical Garden, I came across a flock of sheep. How could I resist taking the following photo?:

To see more of my shenanigans with my buddy Michelle, go to my flickr page.

STITCHES MIDWEST IS THIS WEEKEND!!!! I told Maxim that I will be buying yarn, but that he should be happy because it will be man-sweater yarn. :p I just can't decide which lovely man-sweater to make him. Cobblestone, Retrograde, or Beau? ((sorry, non Ravelers...))

Weekends

2008-08-11T14:18:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend, Max and I went to babysit my cousins. We had a great time.

Those kids are growing up so fast. Gabby is now ever so slightly taller than yours truly. I can't believe it.

I did knit some while I was there. I worked on my Noro socks. The feet are about halfway done (toe up). I took my mom's sweater, but I didn't feel like casting on.

Does anyone else hate casting on??

Bags

2008-08-08T03:04:00.004-05:00

I've been fantasizing about handsewn bags lately.

And you know me, I've already scoured the interwebs and picked out a few options:

Birdie Sling

Frenchy Bag

A Day in the Park Backpack Tote

I love all three, but I am especially fond of the last one as it is "more than meets the eye"--if you catch my meaning. If I had to choose between the first two (as they are kind of similar), I think I would choose the first one.

But the backpack tote will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine. (I love Wayne's World)

Helloooooooo, Productivity!

2008-08-05T12:19:00.000-05:00

Dudes, check this out:

That's lots of handspun yarn and lots of progress on my mom's t-shirt...and my puppy getting into trouble while I'm photo-ing. Silly Tilly.

Stats (in order of photos):

Here we have around 204 yds of Cheviot wool singles. It's all sproingy and bouncy. It's pretty thick and thin, but mostly falls in the fingering range with a standard deviation of 3. lol.

I don't know what I'll knit with it, maybe an organically lacey scarf(lette)?? A beret?? Maybe not enough here for a beret, bummerz...

This is approx. 106 yards of navajo plied Icelandic, which I have spun up on my new wheel. I have two mini skeins spun in the same manner that are 50 yards each. Those were spun on a drop spindle. I confess that I prefer the wheel. Eeep! I will call this yarn a sport or DK...Gawd, I need to stop being lazy and start measuring WPI. :p

My dear mother's sweater back. Waist decreases and increases complete, armhole decreases also complete. Now I just knit for 7 inches and then start shoulder shaping!

Who's awesome now? Who's made even more awesome by the use of bullet points?

...

...

Come on, people. It's ME! I'M awesome now...

Sheesh.

Fine, whatever. In other news, we (the husband and I) are currently redesigning this blog. I'm just sick of using the standard blogger templates and want something new and fun, nothing to fancy, mind you. So far, it is looking good. It will remain at http://www.sugarsticks.org because we paid for that, dammit. :) So, keep a lookout for the new...look.

"Air" in my life

2008-07-31T17:01:00.003-05:00

So, I realized that I haven't really been doing a good job participating in Project Spectrum lately. Right now, we are supposed to be photographing things that invoke "Air" and the colors yellow, grey, and white. So, today, I made a conscious effort to find the Air in my life. There was more there than I had expected. :)

Books:

Daily activities:

Art (I painted this in high school and it now hangs on my wall):

So, that's my post for today. Tomorrow, I hope to have much to show you!

Ciao!

Kromski MInstrel

2008-07-29T08:43:00.003-05:00

I humbly introduce:

Isn't he dashing? I'm quite smitten with him, anyway. This is a Kromski Minstrel in the walnut finish!

Let me start off by saying that I was a little bit worried about learning to spin on a wheel after having used spindles for so long. Now, I see how silly I was. Immediately, I was spinning yarn just as thin and even as I had on a spindle...and perhaps even more so. My spinning productivity has increased dramatically.

I love the sound of the wheel as it turns, the leather bearings, the finely turned wood. I love everything about it, but perhaps what thrills me most of all is the relief on my shoulders compared to spindling. Because with spindle spinning I find myself spending prolonged periods of time with one arm high in the air, I tend to develop a great amount of tension in my neck and shoulders. Pair that with a general disregard for proper posture (I'm working on it, though) and you are setting yourself up for pain and headaches. With the wheel, on the other hand, both of my arms sit casually in front of me and much of the pressure is relieved. Needless to say, I am quite the happy camper.

So, at this point and time I am going to say that I love my Kromski Minstrel and I have no complaints at this time. I've only been spinning on it for a few days and I can't help having one of those so-far-so-good kind of feelings.

I think it needs a name. I'm considering Rasputin. :)

Until Then

2008-07-24T07:44:00.003-05:00

I'm supposed to get my new spinning wheel in the mail tomorrow sometime. I can't wait! It's going to be lovely. When it does arrive, I'll be sure to post some good pictures and info. :) Until then, just enjoy one of my current favorite songs:

THE SKY IS OVER

I couldn't get it to blog through youtube. So, the linkie-poo will have to suffice.

Not much of one.

2008-07-18T16:32:00.003-05:00

Well, I haven't done a knitting related blog in a while. So, I figured today was the day, not that I've been knitting or anything. I mean...I've been THINKING about it more and more over the past week or so, but I haven't picked up the needles.

I hope that changes soon.

I've been thinking a great deal about cosplay and I really want to get started sewing up another costume really, REALLY soon. This weekend, I will be making a duct tape dress form (I have all the supplies, lol) so that I can avoid the kind of sizing heartache that I had with my last sewing attempt. Ick...let's never speak of that again.

But yeah, Cosplay is fun to think about.

Oh, the real reason I'm updating is to inform all that I will be leaving shortly to attend the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair up in Crystal Lake. While there, I will be BUYING A SPINNING WHEEL!!!! My husband loves me. Ehem. Anyway. If I can't find the one I want there, I will just order it online and wait for it to come to me...but I really really hope they have it at the fair! I also plan to buy lots of fiber is various shades of pink to spin up on my new wheel (bulkily) and I will use it to start a scarf for a cosplay:
It's Miwako Sakurada from ParaKiss! Eeep! She's so adorable! I hope I can learn to spin on a wheel quickly so that I can churn out nice even bulky yarn for that awesome scarf! I shouldn't have too many problems though, because I already have the basics of drafting and such down from spinning on a spindle all this time.

Oh, I'll also be knitting the sweater AND the socks as pictured. I probably won't use handspun for it though. Unless, I end up REALLY loving my spinning wheel! Still, I'd have to justify using handspun on an oversized sweater like that. I'd never wear it except as this costume...but maybe I'm wrong about that. Maybe I'm wrong.

Ok, well, anyway. I will likely post again this weekend with sexy pictures of my new wheel, assuming I get one.

Fashionistas Unite

2008-07-08T17:29:00.002-05:00

Does anyone else have a secret desire to be featured on The Sartorialist? Neither do I...ehem...I was just asking. ::puts on that "I'm so cool and apathetic that it makes me even more cool and apathetic" demeanor::

No really, all jokes aside...that would be awesome. REALLY awesome.

Just another day...

2008-07-02T12:14:00.009-05:00

...full of puppies,

fiber arts,

and books.

Happiness happens in a moment. :)

Oh yeah, one more thing...

2008-06-30T12:59:00.002-05:00

I've decided that I shouldn't care how many WIPs I have at one time, as long as I am enjoying myself. I mean, an FO feels really good and people recognize it and compliment, blah blah blah...but that's not what this is about in the end. It is about sanity.

Sweet, elusive, sani-tay.

So, I started another project last night. A giant granny square blanket for my grandma. :)

New Resolve

2008-06-25T14:54:00.002-05:00

((FYI--this is a repost of a blog I wrote on myspace))

Well, my promise to write something (anything) every day has turned out to be relatively successful. Although, I have skipped a few days here and there, I have pretty much stuck to it. I think it also helps to be kind to myself when I don't find the time to write.

Be kind to yourself!

But, this little experiment has got me thinking. There are a few other things I'd like to work on as well. So, here are my new "everyday" promises to myself.

1. Write something (continuing on)
2. Do some yoga (even if I only get into balasana for 30 seconds, IT COUNTS).
3. Walking meditation (this one's for you, Max)...Matilda can join me. She'll like the time outside.
4. Read something

Now, this might seem like a lot...and it is...but keep in mind that there is no minimum on these and if I don't do it at all one day, I have vowed not to tear out my heart in self-disgust. The whole point here is to LOVE myself so that I can feel peace and love for others. Lately, I've been struggling with that as images of the disgusting things we humans do to one another have been flashing in my head. Indeed, I have wished for some terrible things to happen and I don't like it. Anger is a form of unhappiness...a form of suffering...both for me and those I feel it towards.

Yeah...I get sort of spacey sometimes...lol

Twisting Wool

2008-06-18T13:25:00.003-05:00

I have some FOs.

The first is the result of my first time navajo plying. I came out with two mini skeins of about 50 yards each. I have a lot of this roving left over, but I wanted to work on more exciting spindling projects. :) Still, I love this stuff.

The second is a Superwash Merino, Ingeo, Lincoln, and Firestar blend from Dragoncraft. I got this fiber as a freebie with my Dragoncraft spindle (the pretty orange one--eep). I was pleasantly surprised by how much fiber I was given for free! I managed to get 120 yards out of it as a singles, which is how I'm keeping it. It was a different experience spinning with this roving because it sort of lended itself to being kind of unpredictable. There were little bumps and clumps here and there and it really added to the organic feeling of the roving. Plus, there were sparklies in it. Gotta love the sparklies!

I also have a picture of my new spindling Wip:

It's handpainted BFL from this shop.

I'm having a great time with the spinning lately. I might even like it more than knitting at the moment. However, I will happily tell you that I think I have the knitting mojo back! I picked up a pair of socks I started working on a while ago. They are Just a pair of toe-up socks that I’m working on. I started with a linen stitch toe and am planning a simple stockinette foot and leg with scattered purl rows. I’m planning on arranging them randomly…just whenever I feel like purling. :)

I haven't knit a pair of socks since FOREVER ago. I forgot how much fun/addictive they can be!

Yay for knitting!

What's Up?

2008-06-17T10:07:00.002-05:00

Last night, Max had a brilliant idea to make root beer floats. I must say, my first reaction was along the lines of "Whaaaaaaat." I'm so glad we did. Yummy, yummy. However, I now have around 7 cans of root beer to drink. :/ So much for healthy! But really, we hardly ever drink anything carbonated. So, one week full of root beer shouldn't kill us, especially since we don't eat the fast food (despite my affections for it).

While I'm on the subject of food, I'll share some:

This was so freakin' good. It's japanese eggplant (nasu-the skinny eggplant), maitake (mushroom), and kale (leafy veggie like spinich only it might be even better!). I sauteed the ingredients in olive oil with a bit of sea salt and cracked black pepper. It was one of those experimental dishes that turned out to be wonderful. Just thinking of it makes me hungry. Luckily, I have enough left over veggies to make more. This dish will be made again this week, I'm sure. :)

I've been spinning a lot lately. I have a new spindling FO to show the blogosphere, but I don't have it washed or photographed yet. I've started a new spindling project that I will also show once it is photographed. I've been lazy with the photos lately. :/

Today, my goal is to fix the neckline on my cosplay dress. I'm pretty ticked that this has turned out to be such a hassle when I used a pattern. I mean, it isn't that difficult, but if I wanted to do all of this work, I would have just drafted the pattern myself. :/ At any rate, this cosplay might not happen as it is because I have a feeling my wig won't arrive in time for Saturday's festivities. Oh yeah, if all goes well, I will be cosplaying Emily the Strange on Saturday at Wizard World. I needed an exuse to cosplay her and since she has her own comic book and is kind of a so-called "counter" culture icon I figured Wizard World would be as good a place as any. :) Buuuuut, there is still a huge chance that it won't happen. The stars might not align for me. :/ Keep your fingers crossed!