I’m Back!

Well that was an unexpected break!  One would think that after several months of not posting I would have an endless supply of finished objects to chat about.  Sadly, not so.  There have been many minor projects (dish cloths, hats, etc), but no notable knitting.

HOWEVER!  Last night while watching a movie, I did this…

Yes, that would be 16 balls of wound yarn to start this….

My plan is to cast on for this today while it rains.  Yes, I said RAIN!  We are in a seriously dry situation (as my yard can attest since it is more brown than green)….so sitting and enjoying the rain sounds like a perfect Saturday!!

Perspective

So I survived the holidays and they were great!  2009 is off and it is already mid-January! Crazy!!  I have not picked up my needles at all yet this year.  I had a flurry of little projects in December, and I think I’ve just been recovering.  2 years ago I spent New Year’s day looking for some cotton yarn to make a sweater.  That was when I got my lesson in how much my yarn addiction could cost.  At the time I found the most gorgeous green sherbet cotton bulky yarn.  It was $22/hank and I was overwhelmed.  What??  I need 9 hanks….that’s like $200 for a sweater!!  I went home and made a dish cloth.

Now 2 years later I’ve gotten over the sticker shock.  Right now a $200 sweater won’t exactly exactly fit in the budget, but I have learned that getting nice yarn which is exactly what you want is worth the expense.  The whole time I am working with it I’m loving every minute of it.  Some people love gambling and can spend $200 in an hour….at least I get to play with the yarn for weeks (maybe months if my latest projects are any examples) and end up with a usable item….not a bad hobby at all!

For Christmas this year I asked for a few knitting related items that I will share as I use them, however, I also asked for a weather station for my house.  You know, it has the little displan inside that tells you what the temperature is in your house, and then you put a little receiver outside and it tells you what the temperature outside is.  I live in a state where the weather is typically a converstaion opener and can lead to many people’s entire conversations.  I rarely watch the news these days, so figured I could at least know what to prepare for when I leave the house.

Yesterday, I didn’t want to know what I was leaving the house for…..

Do you see that negative sign in front of the 17?  Last night we got more snow and today the temps are supposed to start droppping again.  It got cold so early this year that it is turning into a really long winter!  I am going to need a beach escape soon….but in the meantime I need to dig out those needles because I have a little knitting group on Saturday and with these temps, I need a sweater!!

It is better to give than to receive

I know it’s been about 18 years since I have posted, however, when I logged in everything looks different!  I take an unplanned couple-of-weeks-break and wordpress decides to remodel!  Do they not understand I haven’t posted because I’ve been busy, and now posting is going to take a little longer than scheduled because everything has been moved and spiffed up??  But since I love change (in my alter-universe where the sky really is pink) I am rolling with the change (well, kind of, other than the griping above)!

As for everything else….I think I left off at Thanksgiving.    My Mom was still not very perky so I cooked.  If you knew me at all this would scare you.  Bottom line….it was edible and no one complained (about the food or that they would get fat from too much of it).  There was much knitting completed, most of which got photographed, some of which still needs to be photographed.

The hats (Shadir and the Cashmere Button Beanie) were hits!

They were both given to the bigger girl in the picture….but 2 heads were needed for modeling!

There was a slight snafu with the scarf that was to be given with the hats.  The morning of the gift exchange I was finishing it up (like you really thought I would be done early) and had about 45 minutes before I needed to be at my destination with presents wrapped and ready.  I ran out of yarn.  Yes, I had not showered yet and started freaking (just a little) about ripping back enough rows to start the corner over (darn garter-stitch diagonal scarf) at an earlier row which would allow me to finish the scarf!  I stopped freaking, took a shower, and admitted like a big-girl that I had over-estimated my skills and would be gifting her the scarf in the very near future.  She very graciously agreed to my plan and loved her hats without the scarf!  It is done now, but I still need a good modeling photo of the finished product.  Until then, enjoy the shot she received with her hats (it really is prettier in person).

Also, for those observant people out there….this is not the yarn pictured in the last post.  I  made that yarn up and had 2 people tell me it looked like a man’s scarf.  So it is being gifted to a man for Christmas.  When he receives it there will be pictures!

My very fun multi-colored scarf was a huge hit with it’s recipient, but once again I am short a photo.  We were a little more focused on the martinis.

Soooo, no pretty scarf picture, but instead an ugly sweater picture. 

I did not, however, by any means get shorted in the gift department!  My non-knitterly friends truly outdid themselves by surfing online and even watching a knitting show on HGTV to give me some really nice things.

I got yarn dye!!!!  OK, I have no idea how to use it, but I am so excited to try!  I’ve decided I need to be focused while dealing with things that can dye my countertops a rainbow of colors, so will be experimenting with this after the new year when I am less spastic.

Then there is the Cables & Arans book.  I can sit and look at it for hours just like I used to drool over the Sears toy book as a kid!  Cables just make me happy!

I have been blessed with truly good friends and love them everyday for what they add to my life!

Thanksgiving Preparations

For most people Thanksgiving preparation means going to the grocery store.  For me it means going to the yarn store.

There are scarves to be made for Christmas!

I cant’ wait to start this one!  The colors are so cheery!

There is some cooking being done…I made banana bread tonight which has made the house smell so good!  And, so that I don’t appear a total slacker, I will be helping my Mom with the bulk of the cooking at her house since she has been slightly under the weather.

I hope everyone has a great week! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Saturday Hats

News Flash….I am not a fast knitter.  I read people’s blogs that talk about cranking out this and that during a movie….that would not be me.  For the purpose of being able to post more finished objects, I wish that was me, but I am realistic and am fine with the fact that it takes me at least 2 days to do a dishcloth.  That is, until this past Saturday.

One of my friends requested a hat for Christmas this year.  The only stipulation was that it be some sort of purple to go with her coat.  I found the perfect beanie pattern and went off in search of the yarn.  Even though the pattern is called Cashmere Beanie…I didn’t go for the cashmere.  Instead I found a really nice chunky wool (Rowan Colourscape Chunky).

I figured the fact that it wasn’t a solid color would eliminate the issue of it not matching her coat.  I, however, am not a fan of varigated yarn.  So I liked the fact that the pattern/color repeat was very long so I could avoid the busy look that varigated yarn can give.

I did not, however, consider the fact that the color repeats are very long and the hat is not that big…so the color I want may not appear in the hat!  See the pretty hat that has no purple in it. 

But after completing it I do think it will look nice with the Noro striped scarf I made last year. 

Hmmmm a really good Christmas set for a friend!  The shading in this yarn is reminiscent of Noro, but it’s quite a bit more tactile.

So with one hat done in about 3 hours…YES!!  3 hours!!  I started the next one with the hopes that the purple would come up in time.

It’s a little hard to tell, but that is lavender at the crown!  Yes!  It’s a winner!  I made this one a little bit shorter (started the decreases at about 5″) so it came out more beanie like as intended.

Please note:  it is very hard to photograph your own head.

And it is hard to believe, but I still had yarn left.  So I made a little hat for one of my co-workers that is having a baby girl in December.

Count them.  3 hats in 1 day!!  Yes, it is an all time fastest knitting day for me. (Bless chunky yarn and #10 1/2 needles!)

There’s a Place for Fun in your Life….

Mall of America. 

Ok, I don’t know if they use those commercials all over the country or if we just get them because it is here, but when I talk about the Mall I usually sing the little jingle too (remember I also have a very weird love of jingles).

This weekend I had a visit from my college roommate and her family.  That would be her, a husband, and 3 little boys.  Wow!!  The energy those little beings can put out!!!  So what do you do with company from out of town when it is about 30 degrees and flurrying??  I take them to the Mall!

Underwater World was a hit…..

Yep, there were real sharks and everything.  But touching the stingrays was probably the highlight.

Other hit stops included Lego Land and the amusement park.

I personally usually avoid the amusement park because it is noisy and chaotic (some would argue that the whole Mall is like that, but there is shopping in the rest of the noise & chaos!), but on Saturday I managed to spend at least 2 hours walking around and waiting in line for some of the smaller thrills the park has to offer.

This one managed to entertain the boys, but also managed to make my old roommate wish we had not eaten at Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Co which in turn meant our time in the Park was over.  Whew!!!  Finally off to do some shopping!

It was a fun weekend and I am so glad they came to visit.  The boys assured me they would be back to see the Mall again because they were sure they did not get to see it all in the meazley 6 1/2 hours we were there!

Kitchen Jewelry

I have lived in this house for almost 5 years and the kitchen cabinets have always drove me nuts.  They are just flat fronts so you have to grab the edge to open them, and they stick sometimes…just irritating.  I have debated on putting pulls on them for a while, but you have to drill the holes and have you priced out pulls??  Needing 25 of them adds up (amazing considering my kitchen is smaller than most people’s offices, but I have a lot of doors).

But finally it all came together and I got motivated this weekend…..   

Before:

After:

My sister and I likened it to adding jewelry to an outfit.  It just finishes it off and makes it look just a bit less plain.

I also got all motivated and finally painted the basement stairwell.  Once again, I have been putting it off because painting above the stairs was going to be slightly challenging.  But I do love to paint, and I was tired of the pinky/taupe color the last owners had chosen.  Whala……

So much for sitting around all weekend and knitting!  I did get the ribbing on Thermal started, and yesterday I got the last needed hank of yarn for Moira….so it should be finished soon!

Thermal Swatch

Well, my luck did not hold and I ran out of yarn to finish Moira.  I have searched on the internets and found 1 hank that is now rooming in some distribution facility waiting to be delivered to me.  While I wait for that to arrive I looked through my vast list of projects queued up to see what I should cast on for.

Thermal won!

I swatched for it and everything (probably the 1st time I have actually done that)!  Size 3 circular win the prize for closest gauge.  I plan to make a good start on it this weekend.  I’ve had a busy week and have a nasty fall cold, so will hang out, watch movies, and knit.

But first I have to get through tomorrow.  We are “required” to dress up for work.  Last year I was a biker chick. 

And my favorite part of that was spraying my hair black.

So this year when my group decided to be Smurfs (typing it, saying it, or anything makes me laugh) I am pretty sure my favorite part is going to be spraying my hair blue in the morning!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

NYC Recap

Yes, this is where I went last weekend.  I absolutely LOVE New York City and I have the souvenir license plate/stitch marker to prove it!  I am pretty sure I wouldn’t want to live there (well, at least not for longer than a couple of years), but it is a place that is awesome to visit!

One of my co-workers and I have been feeling a titch burned out.  OK, I’m going to tangent for a second…..I had to lookup how to spell “titch” because I say it but have never written it….you get some really odd things with that search!!  Back to being burned out…..so we decided about 6 weeks ago to plan a trip to NYC.  I had been there about 1 1/2 years ago and she had been there about 20 years ago and we both wanted go back.  Tickets, travel book and maps were bought (because I am a geek and the ones from 1 1/2 years ago needed some supplementing) and we were off.

Thursday evening started off with checking into our hotel in Times Square.  The Doubletree is not the most expensive hotel in town, but it had a great location (see it on the corner), 2 beds, 2 rooms (yes a little living room AND a bedroom), and most importantly when 2 women are travelling together….2 sinks.  VERY spacious for NYC.  The lobby had crazy construction going on, but seriously who cares!  We had no intention of hanging out in the lobby!  The guy checking us in recommended a Mexican Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen.  Arriba Arriba was a short walk away and a great start to the trip!  The food was good, the people watching was fun, and the margaritas were awesome!  In the excitement of the first evening there might have been a couple too many margaritas…but we were on vacation and what happens in NY stays in NY!

Friday morning required a lot of fresh crisp NY air!  And then we were off to the Financial District.  Our first trip on the subway and I had to stare at the blue dot on the floor since the motion was about to kill me….UGH!  (But, thank you subway!  You saved my feet from lots of walking which result in lots of pain after 3 days!)  Once we arrived at our stop, and since we work in the crazy financial world, the New York Stock Exchange was a given for our 1st sight to see.

Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and the Brooklyn Bridge were all also seen and appreciated and then we were on to Lady Liberty.

We had purchased our tickets ahead of time which I highly recommend! We didn’t have to wait in line to buy a ferry ticket, our ferry ticket line was quicker (like a FastPass at Disney World), and we got to go into her base…..so close we could look up her skirt!

We ran out of time (and energy) so we didn’t stop on Ellis Island where I could have seen where my great-grandfather signed the book when he arrived.  It gives me a good excuse to go back.

That night we got to see the skaters at Rockefeller Center.  I would love to go back at Christmas and see it all decked out!  This just gave me a tease for what it must be like!

And one of my favorite sites at night is Radio City Music Hall.  It fits in with my love of old movies and old musical movie stars!

Saturday started with visiting my favorite skyscraper in NY.  The Flatiron Building.

The building’s shape fascinates me, and Madison Square Park is right across the street where you can catch glimpses of the building while you watch the dogs in the dog park.  I think we got the most laughs trying to match the dogs playing together with the owners talking together.  We then tried to go to Purl….for my yarn fix.  Unfortunately it doesn’t open until noon on Saturdays and we were there at 11.  WAY BUMMED!!!  I stood outside with my face plastered against the window drooling over yarn I couldn’t touch.  My co-worker does not understand my “knitting thing” and threatened to walk off and leave me there.  Next time I will get pretty New York yarn!

The day ended with the musical Chicago which was fabulous!  I want to be a teensy bit as talented as those people are!

Sunday started with Central Park and the Met.

  

         

 

   

 

  

  

There was ice cream at Serendipity.  Then the day ended with Grand Central Station and the top of the Chrysler Building (I always think of the song from Annie… “You’ll stay up until this dump shines like the top of the Chrysler Building!”).

The trip was fabulous and I came home tired and happy.  The next trip will involve WAY more shopping (I discovered my friend is not a big shopper), but that just means there will need to be a next time!

Moira Update

I have been obsessed (not an exageration) with working on Moira.  Progress is being made!!

I put the neck on yesterday.  Big news for me since it involved picking up and knitting stitches.  It went pretty well.  I realized after doing it that it didn’t mean to knit the stitches that had been on the front and back holders, and instead, I should have kept in pattern.  But, alas, the neck is on!!  I pulled it on after finishing the neck just to see if everything was sizing up ok, and I really do think I am going to like it!  As you can see I have 1 sleeve done, and the 2nd is about 1/4 of the way done!  YAY!!

On the front I did a Cable 2 twist on the border edge of the center panel.

This yarn is a little drapey and squishy for this large (and rather heavy) project.  So I thought it just gave better definition than the simple K2 that the pattern states….see…..

I have a feeling the heaviness of the sweater is going to make it pull out of shape.  But it feels wonderful and shows off the cables so nicely!  AND I really thought I was going to run out of yarn.  I am getting ready to wind my last hank to finish the sleeve….then with the bits I have left from all of the other hanks I am hoping to make it to the finish line!