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I see that time has passed me by.
I’ve been working diligently. I just have no photos to show for it yet, as nothing is finished. I guess you could say that I’ve had a serious case of the start-itus and WIP-itus. Let’s count, shall we?
On the Needles…
1. Orchids and Fairy Lights hat (Manos wool)
2. Supersecretninja 3: Return of the Ninja (this one needs to be done in… 5 days?)
3. Brea Bag for me (Fisherman’s Wool- just need to block, seam and line.)
4. Noro Striped Socks 2 (Noro Kureyon Sock- this is a resurrection.)
5. Mom’s Christmas Socks (Arucania Ranco Multy- yes, still going. I don’t want to talk about it.)
6. My 54 Billionth Pair of Simple Socks (Opal Krokodel or however you spell it.)
7. Green Socks (Arucania Ranco Multy- toe ups! One down, one to go…)
8. Lace Cuffs for me (Knitpicks Gloss- these will be very lovely when finished.)
On the spindles…
1. Tussah Silk dyed in the loveliest reds
2. Temptation- merino, camel, tussah, cashmere, oh my!
3. Newly fallen snow- merino, silk, nylon
On the wheel…
1. Undyed corriedale in a lovely beige hue that will soon be filled with shells.
Perhaps one day, when I can focus long enough to finish something, I’ll snap some photos and share. Until then, I give you the light of my life, Hercules Michaelangelo Heironymous Mr. Barky Pants:
Oh, yes. I’m going to flash my stash.
Sorry, I didn’t have time for the artistic photos. It’s really more organized than it looks. I kinda pulled out the bins, and haphazardly layed it all out on the bed. Except for the last photo which is the office stash and contains most of my WIPs and other goodies I’ve not gotten around to putting in the bins yet.
I really need to destash many things… and never buy yarn again…
Yesterday I decided to further my love of all things fiber by giving dyeing a go. And of course, I loved it.
Following how-to instructions from the fabulous missjulie, I managed to dye a skein of yarn without it looking too unfortunate. In fact, I rather like it. Surprisingly, it was super easy to do. I used Wilton’s cake icing dyes in violet, teal and orange. (I like the idea of being able to use non-toxic dyes that won’t be a danger to my kitchen or dog.)
I’m calling the yarn Lisa Frank because the colors look like a Lisa Frank sticker page threw up on the yarn. It’s crazy bright and garish, but I tend to like garish colors, so I’m extremely pleased with the results. The true test is now to find a pattern that can stand up to the color and see how it will look knitted up. So, I’ll have to get back to you on that one.
I picked up the needles this weekend and have been working diligently on the mitten and hat set for my friend’s daughter. I’ve already knocked out the mittens and have made a decent start on the hat. I’ve never knit anything for a baby before, so I’m really nervous about the sizing. I just have no idea how they should fit. I do have measurements from my friend, but still. He made the measurements, not me, so he may not have measured the right places. I guess I’ll find out once everything is finished and they have been tried on. I do hope they fit. I’ll feel terrible if they don’t.
That’s about all I have to say today, which isn’t a lot really. It’s been a rather quiet weekend as I’ve not been able to go anywhere due to yesterday’s ice storm. But sometimes quiet winter weekends indoors are exactly what you need to recharge for Monday.
I’m exhausted. Every ounce of my being screams for me to go to bed and stay there for at least two days. I spent the entire day at work blankly staring at the computer screen trying not to fall asleep. I turned on episodes of Strongbad on my iPod in hopes that it would keep me awake, but still my eyelids weighed heavy and my head bobbed up and down as I drifted between sleep and oh-my-god-I-hope-no-one-saw-that-I-just-fell-asleep (you know that brief little adrenaline rush that soars through your body momentarily when you wake yourself up from half-sleep in public). Somehow, I made it through without my head smacking into my keyboard with a loud crack that would have made the devout christian woman in the cube behind me swear with surprise. Go me.
But no sleep just yet. I’m about 40 pages from finishing book #1 of 52. So, no sleep until Sookie’s latest shenanigans are through.
And knitting… it’s been a while since I’ve done any of that.
Spinning… I’m way behind on Lew’s yarn. I need to just knock it out this weekend. That’s totally doable.
But I did learn how to crochet last weekend. Surprisingly, it doesn’t suck as much as it has always sucked for me in the past. I’m learning early on that I have a talent for decreasing in crochet. Unintentionally. As in I went from 203 stitches in the first row to 103 stitches in the 3rd… maybe 4th row. And I have no clue how I did it. Now I just need to crochet something that isn’t a sad little test scarf.
And since I have no WIP updates to share, I’ll leave you with my new favorite photo. This is the Best. Spinning. Photo. Ever. And no, I did not do this (although I kinda wish I had because it’s awesome).
Watch out where the other end of your roving is while you are spinning. Otherwise, you might spin the carpet too.
Just a little word of advice.
Happy Christmas to all!
And who knows what it is with the windchill since the winds are gusting around 50-60 mph (EDIT: Per the local weather report, the windchill is -22). I’m damn cold. It’s a good thing that I knit because my stash can keep me warm when I don’t have enough blankets. I need to learn how to crochet because I need afghans. Lots and lots of afghans. Granny square afghans, in particular. Lew, I’ll be showing up on New Years with crochet hooks and a car full of acrylic. Be prepared.
I’m not feeling particularly loquacious today and there’s much to do (laundry, vaccuming, last minute gifts to package, swap cds to make, ridiculous amounts of music to back up, my desk to clean up, Mom’s Christmas socks to knit, and overflowing stash to organize). But a lot of knitting progress has been made this week. So, here are pictures. (Yes, lazy post.)
I just have to finish the above socks by Christmas. I’m on the first sock. We’ll see if it happens. I’m not sure. And I forgot to take a photo of my current spinning project which is some yummy HelloYarn fiber that belongs to Lew. I’m spinning it up for her. Here’s hoping there’s not a freak accident which causes the fiber to disappear. Lew would be sad…
OH! I almost forgot… Kikibowns and I had a little swap. I sent her some of my handspun and she sent me the most awesome bag ever created.
It is awesomeness. My handspun doesn’t even compare to how awesome this bag is. I forgot to take a photo of the other side of the bag: there is a felt bottle and pills made from buttons. You should all stalk her etsy shop when it reopens after the holidays.
Okay, enough of my self-absorbed ramblings. Laundry. Vaccuming.
Two posts in two days? Could it be?
I came home from my long long day at work to a nice big box on the porch. My New Moon Swap package had arrived! I didn’t bother wasting time to take my coat, hat, and scarf off. I had to tear into it. My awesome partner, Kai, put together such a wonderful package for me! Sadly, my impatience means that you don’t get any photos of the groovy wrapping, which had a method: Items wrapped in animal print were things that I need to keep my hobby alive. Items in gold paper were yummies to help me keep my strength. And things in black paper were nice things to have, but not items that my life depended on. So many wonderful things…
Why no! The Lindor Truffles bag is NOT open. And of course there are NOT 3 truffles missing. Mmm… chai. Oh, and a very yummy looking old-fashioned style peppermint lollipop! (I love minty things!) And I’m digging the knitting pouch. Thank you, Kai. You have now enabled me to more easily walk and knit socks at the same time! And there was a row counter and a lovely pocket calendar- which is funny because I was thinking earlier today that it was time to get a new calendar for my handbag since my current one ends this month.
Check out that lovely yarn and shawl pin… sooo pretty! The yarn is lace-weight merino and she included a lovely shawl pattern to go with it: A Leaf In A Leaf. It’s a stunning lace pattern! And because she hadn’t spoiled me enough (haha!) there was also a very cool knitting journal with lots of pages for projects, graphed pages for designs, colorwork patterns and knitting trivia! And it keeps with the lovely flower theme that she had going on as well.
But, the bag… it’s gorgeous! It is a leather-handled, felted bag with such a pretty colorwork pattern.
I love how the color changing yarn looks with the grey solid. I love this bag! OH! Check out the lining!
I’m swooning over the satin fabric Kai used in the lining!
Kai, thank you for such a wonderful and thoughtful package! I love everything! (and NO, I’m not eating another truffle right now…)
Those truffles aren’t going to make it past tomorrow.
Saturday morning and I have bacon and hazelnut waltz coffee. I’m still in my pjs and I’ve much spinning ahead of me. I also have a knitted bag to line. That should be interesting, considering my sewing skills are not the greatest. (That reminds me, I really need to start the bag that I am making my sister for Christmas. Oh, and the mittens for my mother.) Monday I am scheduled to return to the working world and I am SO NOT looking forward to it.
But on with knitterly things, as this is what this place is supposed to be all about, right? I finished the forsaken lace ribbon scarf! I even blocked it. I pinned it out and it was surprisingly not as terrible as I imagined it would be. It still doesn’t change my views on blocking. I still hate blocking.
The colorway worked perfectly with this pattern. I think that I may be in love with this scarf.
I also finished my cowl.
Eh, it’s nothing impressive really. It was more a spontaneous need to knit something utterly mindless than anything else. I decided at the last minute to make it all mobieus-like and add the twist before seaming. I thought that might give it a little more interest. It’s crazy soft and I know it’s going to be hella warm. So, I guess that I accomplished part of my goal. I still think it needs something. Like a large groovy button or flower pin or something. Something turquoise. Hmm… It’s boring. But it was knitting for knitting’s sake. And that’s always worth something.
Guess who got her Twilight End Swap package today? ME!
And can I just say, that the ever-awesome, Troismommy, put together the best package ever! I love everything!!!!
WARNING: PIC SPAM AHEAD
Here’s what I saw when I opened the box:
Everything was all wrapped up. It was like christmas! So, I pulled everything out and there were little notes!
And all opened up, it revealed SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS!!!!
Is that not some serious swappy goodness? Everything was so perfect!!! She found such wonderful goodies for me!
Mmm Twilight Delight chocolate. Must resist urge to eat the whole bar tonight… Mmm the world’s best coffee: Senseo Hazelnut Waltz. This coffee is my vice. If I don’t have a cup of it every morning, I am unpleasant. Ask my co-workers. It’s sooo good. Yummy yummy!
Gorgeous Twilight stitch markers from the fabulous Velvet Hippo. I had spied these same markers or some that were very similar a few weeks ago in her etsy shop and had contemplated buying them, but was trying to save for my vacation so I didn’t! How lucky! :) And check out the ever-so-awesome key ring! It’s a mini Twilight book! I love it!
And the sock yarn! Holy crap, this is some gorgeous sock yarn! It’s MacKintosh Yarns Celtic Sock Yarn in the colorway Half Blood Prince. Oh, yes. Harry Potter goodness!!! This will most definitely become some fabulous socks to wear to the Half Blood Prince movie on opening night next July! (I’m still bitter about the date change, by the way.) And it feels wonderful!
But oh, here’s the best part:
About 2 months ago, I did a test knit for the WONDERFUL Troismommy and made this scarf. THESE GLOVES MATCH MY SCARF!!!! How awesome is that? The fit perfectly. They match perfectly. (Although, it’s hard to tell in this picture with the crappy indoor fake light. I hate that it’s dark at like, 5:00 pm now!) I’m so wearing them to the movie on Friday. I love them. I really, really, wicked love them!
This was such an awesome surprise to come home to! She had mentioned in the swap thread on ravelry that she had sent her package to a “midwestern blue state” and I wondered… because I’m in a midwestern blue state (for the first time in decades). And when I saw the package on my porch as I pulled into my driveway, I got excited. When I saw who it was from, I squeed with joy! (I would like to apologize to my neighbors for said squee, as it was a little on the loud side.) Thank you, thank you, thank you Genevieve for such an AWESOME package! :)
Now, I’m off to pack (and eat my chocolate) as I’m heading to South Carolina tomorrow!
What a great day!
I woke up saturday morning with a plan: get as much done this weekend on my christmas and swap items as humanly possible. Distractions would not be tolerated. Sleep would be forfeited if necessary. And the birthday socks would be completed. No excuses! I am happy to report that all has gone well this weekend and I actually accomplished WAY MORE than I had planned. Go me.
First off, birthday socks: Check.
Good thing I finished these. I’ve sworn off wearing non-handmade socks and have realized that in order to really pull that off, I need lots more pairs of socks. Plus, they’ve been sitting unfinished for about a month now. They needed to get finished.
Supersecretninja knitting: Check.
Did you really think that I was going to post a photo of the whole thing? Just a sneak peek is all that I’m giving on this. I’m not even going to say who it is for. Just know that I started it yesterday morning and I haven’t touched it at all today and I’m still 75% done. Because I’m that cool. And yes, there was a wholelotta moss stitch. And I kinda love it. And I might not want to give it up…
Ridiculous amounts of stitch markers for various people: Check!
Again, I have to be vague on this too as they are all for other people and I don’t want to destroy all suprises. But I was a stitch marker making machine today. Really. I was.
Progress on Sarah’s Juno: Check!
This is the Juno Regina stole from Knitty. I’m making this for my sister for Christmas. It’s all kinds of lacy goodness and it’s surprisingly easy. Not sure if I’m going to get this one done by December 10th, so that I can drop it in the mail to her or not. But I’m giving it my best effort. If I see that I’m not going to make it, then I’ll figure something else out. Who knows…
And since I had such a productive weekend, I can focus all of my efforts this coming week on the massive amount of spinning that awaits. Again, none of which is for me, so deadlines loom.
And just one more thing… A reminder that this coming Tuesday, November 4, 2008, is election day. Please go out and vote for the candidates that are right for you. It’s so important that you do. Vote.
Vote.
