July 30, 2004
Some people spell it 'karma'
Others spell it 'kharma'. However you spell it, it is what gets served to a knitter with good intentions. The knitter I speak of is me and the karma is my new dog. I who love all things fibery was just trying to help out a sad sick doggy and I got an evil yarn stealing machine of destruction who wants nothing more than to eat my yarn and poop it out. The theory of karma is that I have done something to deserve this. Talk amongst yourselves.
Her latest target was my new yarn from eBay that came in yesterday. Its two skeins of Wendy Cotton with Linen in pinks and tans and two skeins of Cindy by Bouqet in pink. The textures and colors work great together, so I'm thinking a little cardi for one of my nieces. Or! I just got a baby shower invite today, maybe I'll find out if she's having a girl. Anyway, let me introduce you to Wendy and Cindy.
What do you like to make for baby showers?
Her latest target was my new yarn from eBay that came in yesterday. Its two skeins of Wendy Cotton with Linen in pinks and tans and two skeins of Cindy by Bouqet in pink. The textures and colors work great together, so I'm thinking a little cardi for one of my nieces. Or! I just got a baby shower invite today, maybe I'll find out if she's having a girl. Anyway, let me introduce you to Wendy and Cindy.
What do you like to make for baby showers?
July 28, 2004
Portrait of a Yarn Junkie
Here's (part of) my haul from eBay, it's 10 skeins of Reynolds' Kurlie Lamb. Don't worry, I've never heard of it either. It will make an awesome sweater and although I have eight hundred and forty-two sweater patterns I'm sure this will constitute buying another one.
What lesser known yarn would you recommend?
P.S. I just called my mom to ask her how to spell "junkie" and she's like, "That's ie, sweetheart. Okay, bu-bye." Didn't even ask why I needed to spell junkie.
What lesser known yarn would you recommend?
P.S. I just called my mom to ask her how to spell "junkie" and she's like, "That's ie, sweetheart. Okay, bu-bye." Didn't even ask why I needed to spell junkie.
July 27, 2004
Oops, I eBayed again!
Seriously, never leave me in a room with a computer again. I stayed up late Sunday night keeping an eye on the dogs, making sure they didn't kill each other, and I somehow bought a bunch of yarn on eBay. I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm blaming the dog.
This will probably be a little doggy blanket, since it looks a little slippery and thus would not attract doggy hairs.
It was cheap.
Ditto. I see something for my nieces out of this one and the one above.
Mmm, snugglicious sweater! Probably a Christmas present.
Have you SOLD any yarn/needles on eBay?
This will probably be a little doggy blanket, since it looks a little slippery and thus would not attract doggy hairs.
It was cheap.
Ditto. I see something for my nieces out of this one and the one above.
Mmm, snugglicious sweater! Probably a Christmas present.
Have you SOLD any yarn/needles on eBay?
July 25, 2004
Yarn Stealer
I adopted another dog today and upon coming home, she promptly jumped on the coffee table and grabbed the mohair and my mom's shawl and started to run around the house with it. We're going to have a little talk about house rules, but first she needs a name. They called her Damsel at the rescue, but that's not going to work unless I just shorten it to Dam. I was thinking Mohair given her affection for the stuff and the fact that she's a long haired something. Look at that face!
So the mohair and the shawl are unharmed, but they're still a bit shaken. I have moved the work onto 40" Inox needles and dang! those things are slippery. But I am able to view my progress much better.
I had to buy more sock shaped point protectors for when I put the shawl in its bag. I went to Michael's yesterday to get those and I got some scrapbooking stuff for my SIL and myself but no yarn. I must not be feeling well or something. :P
Do you have yarn stealers in your house?
So the mohair and the shawl are unharmed, but they're still a bit shaken. I have moved the work onto 40" Inox needles and dang! those things are slippery. But I am able to view my progress much better.
I had to buy more sock shaped point protectors for when I put the shawl in its bag. I went to Michael's yesterday to get those and I got some scrapbooking stuff for my SIL and myself but no yarn. I must not be feeling well or something. :P
Do you have yarn stealers in your house?
July 24, 2004
Math Geek
I admit to loving math and using it on a daily basis. Especially in my sewing and knitting. C over at Knitters Anonymous also uses the "how many stitches left" formula in checking her progress. And I'm sure there are plenty more knitting math geeks out there, so I don't feel so bad.
This morning I concocted a little calculus formula to figure out my progress on the Snowdrop Shawl and I am 20.5% complete. But that does not include the attached I-cord top edge or any beading I may wish to do. This also made me aware that I ordered TWICE AS MUCH mohair as I needed. Geez, what to do with all that mohair.... I can only think of about 20 projects. Hee hee!
I'll take a picture soon, but it's so rainy and dark here today, I'll wait until later. I also may not see my mom until a week or so after her birthday, so I have a little extra time to finish up the shawl.
Are you a math geek?
This morning I concocted a little calculus formula to figure out my progress on the Snowdrop Shawl and I am 20.5% complete. But that does not include the attached I-cord top edge or any beading I may wish to do. This also made me aware that I ordered TWICE AS MUCH mohair as I needed. Geez, what to do with all that mohair.... I can only think of about 20 projects. Hee hee!
I'll take a picture soon, but it's so rainy and dark here today, I'll wait until later. I also may not see my mom until a week or so after her birthday, so I have a little extra time to finish up the shawl.
Are you a math geek?
July 23, 2004
"Givin' You the Vest that I Got"
After reading Shannon's post about the poncho she wants to make, I went out and bought FCEK's fall edition. It's okay, but I didn't find myself losing my mind and squealing with delight in the middle of the store. I do want to make this, though.
It has Laura written all over it, can you see it? For quite some time now, I've wanted to make three v-neck vests, one in orange wool, one in chartreuse mohair and one in chocolate polar fleece. I think that would cover my vest options for the fall/winter wardrobe. FYI, it's impossible to find chocolate polar fleece. If you see it anywhere, please instantly telepath with me so I may find it.
Are you into the v-neck vest thing?
It has Laura written all over it, can you see it? For quite some time now, I've wanted to make three v-neck vests, one in orange wool, one in chartreuse mohair and one in chocolate polar fleece. I think that would cover my vest options for the fall/winter wardrobe. FYI, it's impossible to find chocolate polar fleece. If you see it anywhere, please instantly telepath with me so I may find it.
Are you into the v-neck vest thing?
July 22, 2004
Happy Birthday Big Man!!
Today's my birthson's 1st birthday, yay! To celebrate, here's a picture of a blankie I made for him before he was born.
I used Cotton Tots (let me remind you it's my absolute favorite yarn) and a pattern from Vanna's Favorite Gift Afghans . Yes, like Vanna White--she's crafty. It's a very heavy blanket, more of a "lay on top of" than a "lay under" blanket. So I was disappointed that the Boring Baby Blankie didn't turn out, because I wanted to make him something every year. Oh well, he's only one, he won't notice. :P I'll try to make it up at Christmas.
Have you tried Cotton Tots? Do you love it as much as I do?
I used Cotton Tots (let me remind you it's my absolute favorite yarn) and a pattern from Vanna's Favorite Gift Afghans . Yes, like Vanna White--she's crafty. It's a very heavy blanket, more of a "lay on top of" than a "lay under" blanket. So I was disappointed that the Boring Baby Blankie didn't turn out, because I wanted to make him something every year. Oh well, he's only one, he won't notice. :P I'll try to make it up at Christmas.
Have you tried Cotton Tots? Do you love it as much as I do?
July 19, 2004
The only constant is change
So by now you've noticed that anything I start to knit turns into something else. Such is the case with the baby blankie. It was a few hours before the big birthday party and I took the blankie outside to look at it in the daylight.
The colors just aren't cutting it. The blankie portion at the bottom of the picture is what I wanted, but you can see the color repeat change toward the top. Also pictured are two of the uncooperative skeins, one mostly blue, one mostly yellow. Grr.
So guess what it has become! It's the new dog blankie. I'm adopting a new dog soon and she will have a snuggly brand new soft blankie and we hope she's color blind. This will make the current dog extremely jealous so I see another dog blankie in my future. Or perhaps a very GQ doggie sweater.
And for the next 12 days it's all hands on deck to finish my mom's birthday shawl. It's not getting done, so don't waste any money betting on it. Although some creative wagers on how close I get may be fun. I realize this will make for boring blogging, so I will simply have to buy yarn and cute needles like these to show you.
What have you knit for your animals?
The colors just aren't cutting it. The blankie portion at the bottom of the picture is what I wanted, but you can see the color repeat change toward the top. Also pictured are two of the uncooperative skeins, one mostly blue, one mostly yellow. Grr.
So guess what it has become! It's the new dog blankie. I'm adopting a new dog soon and she will have a snuggly brand new soft blankie and we hope she's color blind. This will make the current dog extremely jealous so I see another dog blankie in my future. Or perhaps a very GQ doggie sweater.
And for the next 12 days it's all hands on deck to finish my mom's birthday shawl. It's not getting done, so don't waste any money betting on it. Although some creative wagers on how close I get may be fun. I realize this will make for boring blogging, so I will simply have to buy yarn and cute needles like these to show you.
What have you knit for your animals?
July 14, 2004
A word from the yarn
Hi readers. Encore Colorspun here. Yes, of Boring Baby Blankie fame. Although honestly, Laura has the audacity to call me boring but I'm not the one who comes home from work and falls asleep on the sofa. Ahem...
Were said boring knitter ever home while the sun was shining, she has promised to take pictures of me and my fraternal, not identical, twins. My fellow skeins and I work well together, but we are not peas in a pod. In fact, Laura has made one of us stay home alone because he's too blue. No wonder he's blue, he's lonely! So it will be the three of us making up the baby blankie. Two of us matching perfectly and one of us close enough. She's also not adding the fourth skein because, frankly, the party is on Sunday and we're just not moving fast enough for her.
The needles and I were wondering what all the hubbub is about. For whom are we working so hard? Here's the lucky recipient pictured with my good buddy, Lamb's Pride Bulky. Hey, LP, why don't you return my calls? Anyway, isn't he the cutest little future knitter?
Which yarn siblings of yours don't get along or aren't identical?
Were said boring knitter ever home while the sun was shining, she has promised to take pictures of me and my fraternal, not identical, twins. My fellow skeins and I work well together, but we are not peas in a pod. In fact, Laura has made one of us stay home alone because he's too blue. No wonder he's blue, he's lonely! So it will be the three of us making up the baby blankie. Two of us matching perfectly and one of us close enough. She's also not adding the fourth skein because, frankly, the party is on Sunday and we're just not moving fast enough for her.
The needles and I were wondering what all the hubbub is about. For whom are we working so hard? Here's the lucky recipient pictured with my good buddy, Lamb's Pride Bulky. Hey, LP, why don't you return my calls? Anyway, isn't he the cutest little future knitter?
Which yarn siblings of yours don't get along or aren't identical?
July 11, 2004
Perspective
Yesterday I charted the entire Snowdrop Shawl, sans lace edging, in Excel just for the heck of it. Then I decided to fill in with green the stitches I've already completed.
This gave me a very crushing realistic perspective on where I am in the project. This is totally not getting done in time for my mom's birthday. But I'm not going to set it aside. My family--okay really just my mom--is famous for wrapping up half-finished projects as christmas or birthday presents. It's a running joke and if one holiday goes by without one of my mom's I.O.U.'s then we're shocked. So I won't feel bad or out of place if I have to wrap it up unfinished.
Do you chart out patterns on graph paper or do you use Excel?
This gave me a very crushing realistic perspective on where I am in the project. This is totally not getting done in time for my mom's birthday. But I'm not going to set it aside. My family--okay really just my mom--is famous for wrapping up half-finished projects as christmas or birthday presents. It's a running joke and if one holiday goes by without one of my mom's I.O.U.'s then we're shocked. So I won't feel bad or out of place if I have to wrap it up unfinished.
Do you chart out patterns on graph paper or do you use Excel?
July 09, 2004
Time Travel
I've been knitting the baby blankie and the Snowdrop Shawl religiously and exclusively, but it's getting really boring. I was home sick yesterday afternoon so I got a bit done on each project, but there's no point in taking more pictures because they will look exactly the same only bigger. I have to entertain myself with such scenarios: If my mom's birthday were tomorrow, she'd be getting a handkerchief, not a shawl; if her birthday were next week, she'd be getting a triangular doily; and if her birthday was in September and I didn't want some of this mohair to myself, she'd be getting a really big shawl. Then I flashed-forward to the future when I would be finishing up the flower washcloths. I'm going to put them in a "preggers basket" I'm preparing for my friend A. I thought of wrapping them along with some handmade soaps, but you know how smells can bother you and she's been very queasy.
I was on eBay last night looking around for yarn when I realized how ridiculous that was. I have enough yarn for ten projects! Then on the way home I was thinking about just getting some more pattern books, but I have a million patterns that I haven't used yet. Then I read Shannon's post about yarn diets and I realized I could go on one and not suffer the least bit. It would clear my conscience and make room in the spare bedroom. But it is SO not going to happen. :P
Thoughts on yarn diets?
I was on eBay last night looking around for yarn when I realized how ridiculous that was. I have enough yarn for ten projects! Then on the way home I was thinking about just getting some more pattern books, but I have a million patterns that I haven't used yet. Then I read Shannon's post about yarn diets and I realized I could go on one and not suffer the least bit. It would clear my conscience and make room in the spare bedroom. But it is SO not going to happen. :P
Thoughts on yarn diets?
July 07, 2004
The Purls That Refreshes
Hi gang at Cheers! I had a pleasant holiday weekend filled with yard cleanup, laundry, baseball games, bbqs, of course knitting and most importantly not work!! It was the first time off I had in ages (okay maybe a month) and I savored it.
Even though I was asleep through most of the time the Snowdrop Shawl spent in my hands, I did get a repeat and a half done. I also added a safety line and I'll give you one guess why. Here's a pointer--when the needles fall right out of your mohair lace project, do not gasp loudly and sharply because the sudden vacuum formed will pull all that mohair straight to the back of your throat. Ha ha!
You can see some snowdrops emerging. Thrill! I also worked on the baby blankie in the car and late at night when I couldn't concentrate on the lace. I am concerned about the new ball of yarn I started for the blankie. The outside of the ball matches the previous yarn swell, but the inside of the yarn is not the same color. I don't mean not the same dyelot, I mean the yarn is supposed to be white followed by a twist of yellow and blue together and instead it's white with solid blue. No twist! No yellow! I dug through to the core of the skein and the color goes back to normal, so I may have to cut out that center yarn. Oh well, just means it will be done sooner, and I only have 11 days anyway!
Did you do any independent knitting to celebrate this weekend?
Even though I was asleep through most of the time the Snowdrop Shawl spent in my hands, I did get a repeat and a half done. I also added a safety line and I'll give you one guess why. Here's a pointer--when the needles fall right out of your mohair lace project, do not gasp loudly and sharply because the sudden vacuum formed will pull all that mohair straight to the back of your throat. Ha ha!
You can see some snowdrops emerging. Thrill! I also worked on the baby blankie in the car and late at night when I couldn't concentrate on the lace. I am concerned about the new ball of yarn I started for the blankie. The outside of the ball matches the previous yarn swell, but the inside of the yarn is not the same color. I don't mean not the same dyelot, I mean the yarn is supposed to be white followed by a twist of yellow and blue together and instead it's white with solid blue. No twist! No yellow! I dug through to the core of the skein and the color goes back to normal, so I may have to cut out that center yarn. Oh well, just means it will be done sooner, and I only have 11 days anyway!
Did you do any independent knitting to celebrate this weekend?
