Warm Woolies Wednesday (On Thursday)

Warm Woolies Items #39 - #42

 

So, I’m a day late.  Such is life.  Thanks so much to everyone for your advice on my sore wrists and hands last week!  I switched to hats for the week and I think the change has really helped.  I still have some soreness in a couple of my finger joints, but otherwise I’m doing pretty well.

I mailed off my second box for the year to Warm Woolies on Monday.  Nestled inside was the cardigan coat I made recently as well as 17 pairs of socks, bringing my mailed off total to 34.  Warm Woolies is still holding their contest until November 30 and in reading the fine print the other day it says you can be eligible for $50-$75 worth of prizes if you knit 25 items for them by that date.  What a nice little bonus, though I am certainly not doing it for the prizes :)

The hats above bring my total of finished items up to 42 for the year and I am currently working on item #43 (another hat).  After that I think I may try to make a couple vests and see how long they take me.  Then, maybe back to socks.  I’ll keep you posted.

It’s beginning to feel like fall here already and though I thought I was ready for it, I don’t think I really am.  I’m wondering if we may be in for a long winter……  I feel like hibernating!

Maximum Spoilage

Happy Chrismabirthdaversary to me!!  So it arrived a few weeks early, but who am I to complain when I got so awesomely spoilt?  On Friday, R. Darling (Mr. Enabler Extraordinaire) bought me this, a Pfaff Select 3.0:

 

Image courtesy of Pfaff USA

 

I had to steal the factory photo because my machine was being all prima donna this morning and refused to have its photo taken. 

I’ve wanted a new machine pretty much since I got my old machine. It’s always a bad sign when your new sewing machine won’t zig zag or do basting stitches and when, over time it starts to even screw up regular straight stitching.  Granted, there was a bit of operator error involved most times, but your sewing machine should be able to stitch whether or not you are a dumbass.  I kinda started to hate sewing because I knew it would always be a monumental struggle to get even the simplest of projects finished.  So lately, perhaps being inspired by all of you who have been doing so much sewing on your bloggies, I’ve been thinking more and more about the kinds of projects I would do if only I had a machine that worked right.  I have ideas but it seemed like such a waste to put time and energy into them when I knew they would only come to ruin.  Enter Pfafftastic!  

I spent Saturday making this (thanks for the link AJ!)…..

 

 

No, mine’s not as pretty as hers by far, and if you don’t squint hard enough you’ll notice the seams are wonky and the corners aren’t square, plus there’s a very ugly pucker on the underside where I had too much extra fabric when I went to handsew the opening shut, BUT – I made this!  How I ♥heart♥ my new machine! 

Despite this, I’ve made some new conclusions about sewing.  One:  if you’re not careful, you will end up making a damn huge freakin’ mess.  I had stuff spread all over the living room by the time I “finished” (which wasn’t really finishing because I still had to add the ribbon and buttons).  Two:  I completely and totally suck at sewing, even though I have done it for years.  But I don’t care.  I want to do it anyway!   Three:  Because I totally suck at sewing it is most definitely not relaxing for me right now.  After 2 hours on Saturday I was sweaty (from ironing), stressed, and had a raging headache.  I’d much rather be knitting!  But I will persevere.  I have to get better eventually, right?

As if that wasn’t enough spoilage for one girl for one week, in a moment of bad bad naughty naughty badness, I purchased a single skein of Vesper Sock Yarn from Knitterly Things last week and somehow ended up being her 2000th order.  I don’t read her blog regularly so I had no idea that this qualified me for a prize until she sent me an e-mail notifying me that I’d won.  I never win anything!  A completely amazing surprise.  So get this, she is custom dyeing me my very own batch of handspun sock yarn!  I told her which colors I liked and she says that is enough for her to get started.  So exciting!!  I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.  Betcha can’t guess what the main color will most likely be ;)

And today, to continue the streak of awesometasticness, I received my August shipment of yarn from the Stash Menagerie Yarn Club I joined last month from Three Irish Girls.  Behold, Riddermark Merino in Moonrise!

 

 

So this must be how pretty pretty princesses feel, like, every day!

Anyone? Anyone?

O.k.  I’m feeling extra desperate, so here goes….. 

Any of you supa cool bloggy peeps out there interested in a sock yarn exchangey thingamawhutsit?  I need 2 more people to play along and I seem to be having some trouble finding takers.  To play, you’ll have to find 6 people of your own to pass the info on to and send out one ball of sock yarn, but if you do, you can get up to 36 balls of sock yarn for the price of one!  Sounds pretty good in theory.  Anyway, if I haven’t asked you already, it’s probably because I thought you didn’t knit socks, were too busy to play (Wendee!), lived internationally, or maybe didn’t even like me.  But if you think you might want to, send me an e-mail (my addy is in the sidebar over there on the right) and we’ll chat.  I’d love to be able to have you play!  Doesn’t it sound so great to get that much sock yarn in the mail???

Warm Woolies Wednesday

The heat has broken, the rain is tumbling down, and I’ve come to the realization that the time for outdoor photographs is slowly coming to a close.  Soon, it will be dark more hours than it is light, my garden will don its coat of winter dreams, and I will have to get more creative with when and how I photograph my craft.  Methinks it is time to bust out the book and do some studying.

 

Warm Woolies Items #36, #37, & #38

 

This week has been rough when it comes to my knitting.  My forearm, wrist and all the joints in my right hand are aching and knitting has become a bit painful.  I have no choice but to blame it on my Warm Woolies projects.  I think the repetitive motion required while knitting with bulky yarn on dpn’s is wreaking havoc on my right hand, and though it hurts and I worry I may be doing more harm than good, I persist.  How else will I even approach the goal I have set for myself this year?  I’m already dreadfully behind.

This week I did manage to complete 2 more full sets of small-ish sized socks and as of tonight, I am halfway through a large-ish sized set of socks that will bring my total up to 38.  The smaller socks are easier on me and faster to complete (i.e. more satisfying!) but I try to knit at least one large sized sock for every 3-4 small sized ones that I knit.  After all, big kids need socks too!  Once this large sized pair is finished I can go back to some small-ish sized ones which seem to be easier on my hands.  I’m trying to switch up projects too and not knit with bulky yarns as much, hoping that will give my joints a rest.  Perhaps a hand massage is in order……

Now where did I put that photography book?

Kohinkydentally…..

As a knitter, there are things that I never bother to explain to my non-knitting husband.  Stuff that I assume  he will never need or even want to know about the little microcosm of fiber that has invaded every spare inch of my swiss cheesy brain.  Like why exactly I need five different size 7 needles, what a provisional cast-on is, the difference between worsted and dk weight yarns. You know – all that stuff that we fiber folk are constantly turning over in our minds. 

So imagine my surprise when, not 20 minutes ago, he starts to read me a post from one of his kayaking forums.  In the post, someone was explaining how they were writing an article for a magazine and a certain word, clapotis, was giving him a particularly bad time in spell check as the preferred substitution was a word which – um – describes a certain part of the female anatomy that sounds a little like Dolores (remember that Seinfeld episode?).  Oh you mean “Clapotis?” I say all smarty like.  Do you know everything? he asks, both astonished and slightly suspicious.  That happens to be a rather famous knitting pattern, not that I’d expect you to know, I say maybe a little too smugly.  Apparently “clapotis” also refers to a standing wave pattern of some kind. Whoda thunk?  I just thought it was some frenchy word for “shawly thing that you drape over yourself that has a bunch of dropped stitches in it, but somehow I still want to knit it”.  The best part was the response to the post about the spell check error for clapotis – it came from a salty old kayaker that I’ve actually met in person, and he said quite simply, that clapotis is “actually much more commonly used as a knitting term”.  I would never have pegged him as a knitter, but wonders may never cease….

 

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And now for an FO!

 

 

Pattern: Evangeline (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: Just under 2 balls Debbie Mumm Traditions from Jo-Ann’s in Midnight #14047

Needles: Size 7 bamboo dpn’s 

Mods: Added extra rows on cuff and ribbing at fingertips to make mitts reach the knuckles; used yarn doubled throughout

New Techniques: Nope.

Time Lapse:  1 day!!  Remember my knitstonage weekend recently?  One day baby!

Comments: LOVE this pattern!!  HATE this yarn!!  Oh yes, I was warned.  But I used it anyway because Mom can’t tolerate 100% wool.  Do not – I repeat – DO NOT wind this into a center pull ball if you are going to knit with it doubled. Resist the urge. Trust me. It does this weird thing where the outside fibers bunch up around the inner strand and you will not be able untangle it once it starts if you’re using it doubled. I had to cut out a particularly bad section and start over several times. I am by no means a yarn snob. But if it weren’t for the pretty colors I would totally give this yarn a zero. Scratch that – this yarn totally gets a zero anyway. The finished item isn’t bad actually, just a little pilly, but the knitting experience itself was awful.  I told Mom she is never getting another pair of these made out of this yarn. But she loves them anyway and that’s all that matters I guess.  Oh and they were only 9 months late….

 

 

Hope you are all having a fantastic week so far!

Stuff From All Over

Meh.  The end of another hot, sticky week at work.  Still not feeling extra blogalicious, but I do have a few things to share and it’s just not as much fun to keep them to myself even if they’re not particularly blogtacular.

Last weekend was complete and total knitstonage.  Kind of embarrassing how really knitstoned I was.  I left the house on Friday only because I felt like a loser for sitting on the couch and knitting the better half of the day.  So I went out, bought a coffee, a size 8 circ that I needed to start a project, and some sushi, and then promptly returned home to plant my ass on the couch for the remainder of the day until I decided I should probably go to bed before I feel asleep in mid-stitch.  I would say it was a waste, but I did finish one entire project that day that I’d been putting off for months, so it wasn’t a complete loss.  If you ask my thighs though, they might disagree.  I finished a total of 2 projects over the weekend (pics to come soon) but managed to start 2 times that many.  I think I have a problem.  I didn’t really start like, 4 new projects did I?  Needless to say, the knitstonage continued for 4 days while R. Darling was away running another marathon.

I finished a few more Warm Woolies projects toward my goal of 100 for the year.  We are up to 35 items now and I have a box packed with 18 items that will most likely get shipped out next week sometime.  I just couldn’t fit that last item in there without the box busting open of its own accord, so I figure it can go in with the next batch when they go out.  It’s silly, but it makes me feel good to already have one item to go into the next box.  And Item #36 is already on the needles.

 

Items #33 & #34 for Warm Woolies

Item #35 for Warm Woolies

 

O.k.  So I cheated a little with the vesty.  I actually knit that one last year but wasn’t sure if I liked how it turned out so I held on to it until now.  I blocked it this weekend and decided it wasn’t so bad after all and will send it in my next batch of items to go.  I did a funky little half-linen stitch action in it and it seemed to be pulling a little before blocking which I didn’t like.  But it seems cool now.  I’ve never thought much about using Lamb’s Pride for a sweater, but I have to admit, it feels ever so much softer and more appealing after blocking.  Hmmm…. may have to give that some more thought.

 

 

My tigridia is blooming again!  I had doubts as to whether these would survive the winter in my garden, but here they are to astound me yet again with their vivid beauty.  These flowers are like a secret that floats away on the breeze if you are not there to hear it whispered.  They will bloom and fade in one day of glory, which can be easily missed if you are not vigilant.  Last year I had a red one as well but so far I only see a clump of the yellow.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a lovely surprise sometime soon though.  This one stopped me in my tracks this morning when I did my quick before-work garden perusal.  I had no idea it was even close to blooming!  What a beautiful way to start my morning.

Tomorrow….. The Dark Knight!  I’ve been waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting.  Christian Bale has to be the best Batman evah.

Other than that, just hoping for more knitting!  Hope all of you have a lovely weekend doing whatever it is that makes you happiest ;) 

Friday Fill-In #84

Heart of The Lily*

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #84
(get yours here)

 

1. You know you’re old when you start to wonder if you’d look utterly ridiculous wearing whatever item is the latest fashion craze.

2. My heart is divided between a desire for solitude and a desire for meaningful friendship.

3. A nap is what I need RIGHT NOW!

4. I have felt the high of love, I have known the depths of despair.

5. Gah, won’t these people stop with the campaign ads already?

6. Laugh as hard as you can as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching “The Fountain” (can you tell R. Darling is busy and I actually get to touch the remote?) & continuing my day of knitstonage, tomorrow my plans include meeting a knitty friend and knitting a bit and Sunday, I want to maybe spin a little!

 

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*These lilies were a surprise gift from R. Darling one day several years ago.  After they were done flowering I planted them in my garden, and every year for the last couple years they have bloomed faithfully for me, reminding me how thoughtful my sweet husband really is.

 

Have a happy, sparkly weekend bloggy peeps!

Warm Woolies Wednesday

I’m feeling kind of ooky today, and it’s been miserably hot in the lab all week, so I’m really not feeling the bloggy love tonight.  But despite the fact that I’m not down with sharing about my 100 Woolies project right now, I think it’s been good for me overall to feel the pressure to have something to post every Wednesday.  I think I knit more items this week than I have in a single week to date and that’s a good feeling.  What’s also a good feeling, is clearing out an old WIP that I have had hanging around since last April (WTF! I did mention I had bad habits, right?).  Say hello to the Warm Woolies Cardigan Coat/Sweater (on Ravelry here & in my Ravelry notebook here):

 

 

 

Like I said, this little guy had been hanging out in my Warm Woolies project stash since last April with only 1/2 a sleeve and the button placket left to complete.  So this past weekend, while R. Darling was away kayaking, I broke it out and finished it up.  I’m really happy with how it turned out and it feels so good to know it’s going to get used and not just sit in my rubbermaid tub for another year!  Even though I liked this project, it eats a ton of yarn and I’m not really in a hurry to make another one.  I think I’ll stick to socks for now in order to make my goal.  Speaking of which, I knit 2.5 pairs of socks as well since last Wednesday (too tired to take photos today).  I think that brings me up to 31.5 items towards my goal of one hundred for the year.  Realistically, I don’t think I’m going to make it, but I’m sure going to give it a try!!

 

Hope all of you are having a great week so far!

Silence Of The Blogworthy FO’s

I think we all know I’m not anything close to perfect.  I’m quirky and more than a little bit of a dork, and I’ve got bad habits.  I drink too much coffee.  I don’t take my vitamins.  I eat too much candy, drink too much coke, and don’t exercise enough.  I spend too much money, and I hoard (but it’s too nice to use!).  I laugh too hard at my own jokes, sometimes even before the punchline gets delivered.  I say I’m sorry even when something isn’t my fault; I’m mean to myself.  At one time I pulled grey hairs the second they stood up and waved haughtily at me from the dark depths of my hair.  But this came to a screeching halt one morning when, tweezers poised above the offending pale strand, I asked R. Darling if he would still love me if I was completely grey.  “Of course,” he replied, “but I won’t love you if you’re bald.”  You never saw a pair of tweezers drop so fast in your life.

But with the arrival of Ravelry, a new bad habit has entered my rhapsody of odd behaviors: Silence of the Blogworthy FO’s.  I’ve been working on a lot of small projects lately and for some reason, all I care about is logging them into my Ravelry notebook and promptly forgetting them.  The pics are there, the details of the yarn and pattern and what I liked or didn’t like, I just can’t seem to remember to blog about them.  It seems enough that they’re recorded in Ravelry.  But why do I do this?  No idea.  It’s not like I have tons of things to blog about.  I should be blogging about FO’s more than anything.  I should be proud and want to share.  And my WIP’s have been getting the same stiff arm treatment.  So what gives?  It’s truly a mystery why I do the things I do.  Maybe it’s time to break the cycle.

 

 

Pattern: The Perfect Baby Bib (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: Approximately 50-75 yds (0.5 balls) Lily Sugar’n Cream in Swimming Pool & Lily Confectionary Colors in Marshmallow for 12 month size

Needles: Size 7 addi turbo 16″ circular, size 9 dpns, size 7 bamboo straights 

Mods: Zip. Zero. Nada.

New Techniques: Nope.

Time Lapse:  About 1-3 days each (they’re quick!)

Comments: These bibs came out pretty darn cute. The pattern was easy and I could see myself making a ton of these if I ever have a munchkin myself ;) Next time I’ll add a design to the center panel. But these are for my SIL who I don’t know very well so I didn’t want to make them too crazy in case she isn’t down with the design action.

 

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 Pattern: Grassy by Larissa Brown (on Ravelry here)
 
Yarn: Approximately 0.5 balls Cascade Sierra in Lime – #48
  
Needles: Size 6 Crystal Palace bamboo 16″ circular 

Mods: Zip. Zero. Nada.

New Techniques: Nope.  But this is totally my first cowl ever.

Time Lapse:  June 27, 2008 – June 29, 2008

Comments: I love this pattern! I wasn’t sure about knitting it in a cotton blend, but I’m really happy with how the stitch definition worked out. It’s slightly floppy but I think that’s o.k. in a cowl. The recipient lives somewhere very warm so I thought something non-wool might be a little more practical, and might come in handy during whatever kind of winter warm clime folks get.  The coolest part about this FO is that the designer asked to use my photo on her pattern page!  I get all melty when someone likes my photos!  And I actually took this one myself too, which makes it even better ;)  I think I may be hooked on cowls now…….

 

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So, what about the WIP’s?

 

 

I’ve been working on this.  But like any victim of bad knitty behaviors, I haven’t touched it in over a week…..

 

So how about you?  Do you have any bad Ravelry habits?

Friday Fill-In #83

Mmmmm…..lookee what I made today!

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #83
(get yours here)

 

1. If I could travel back in time, I’d go to Ancient Egypt and watch the sun rise over the Nile and the newly constructed pyramids.

2. Give me quiet time alone or give me a stressy meltdown.

3. I am listening to cartoons on the TV in the background.

4. Somewhere, someone is thinking “If only…..”.

5. I’ll always be striving to be the best version of myself that I can be.

6. My idea of a good time includes margaritas!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to knitting & reading a little, tomorrow my plans include some chores and more knitting and Sunday, I want to try to enjoy the idle chit chat at the company BBQ! 

 

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Enjoy your weekend bloggy peeps!