« April 2005 | Main | June 2005 »
May 31, 2005
Goodies
I got a package from my Secret Pal, and boy did I get good stuff! Let's see, where to start? I got an autographed copy of the bookbookbook. Isn't that cool? I'm so excited that my Secret Pal was so thoughtful and I won't get the chance to meet the lovely and talented Stephanie so this is very special. On a side note, Ms. Pearl-McPhee commented on my blog yesterday! I love all of you, but she's something of a blogging celebrity (as you well know) and I feel honored that she stopped in and said hello.
Ok, back to Secret Pal goodies, I got the cutest little sheep tape measure. He will have to stay away from Riley because there was recently a sheep murder over at Got Gauge and Sophie is the prime suspect (dogs are dangerous to sheep). I also got two fabulous sock yarns - sock garden from Knit Picks in pansy and some lovely Plymouth cotton in great spring/summer colors. I also got a booklet on the magic loop and a 40" size 0 addi for my socks to come. Also included was a book on knitted accessories - yummy patterns that are going to add more projects to my to do list.
As if that isn't enough, I stopped by Bath & Body on my way home from work to get some body cream and just had to get this tote bag. The colors and price were just too good to resist. So, another bag to add to my collection. I'm thinking it will make a great summer knitting bag. What do you think?
At the request of my hgtv pals, I've posted a couple more pictures of my kitchen paint. Now, I took these without a flash late yesterday afternoon (about 6:00) and they still don't appear very green and look a little darker than the paint actually is. I'm so bad at this picture thing, but the color may be somewhere between today's pictures and yesterday's, but more olivey/sagebrushy.
I am about 5 rows from finishing the left front of the Zip Cardi and then I'm on to sleeves. I'm headed to Casper, WY for a couple of days for work so I'm hoping to have knitting time in the evenings. The bad part of the trip will be limited blogging. If I can find a computer, I'll stop in for a quick hello, but it may be Friday before I can get back to say hello. Have a great week.
Posted by Stephanie at 10:35 PMDo I Have A Lot To Tell You
I feel like I've been gone for ages. I have so much to tell you that I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll start at the beginning :)
Friday when I got home I had yarn. Really yummy yarn.
I am totally in love with this stuff. It's Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton in Shell and it is so soft and snugly that you can't really believe it's 100% cotton. This yarn is destined to be Grumperina's Tivoli T-shirt and I can hardly wait to finish the Zip Cardi so I can start on this project. Actually, I couldn't wait to swatch so I did that Saturday morning.
19 stitches and 24 rows on size 8 needles. It will be a nice change from 4-ply cotton!
Speaking of 4-ply cotton, I'm making good progress on the Zip Cardi. I finished the back Saturday morning.
I finished the right front last night and have a good start on the left front. For the fronts I switched back to the addis and the gauge is the same, but the tension seems to be a bit more even. I'm a spaz, I know. I switched from the addis to the bamboos to try to fix my tension and then I realize that it's actually better with the original addis. Oh well, I'm nothing if not difficult. :) So I only have the left front, both sleeves, and 7 ribbed bands to do (yes, 7). I may have this finished in time to wear it on Labor Day!
Saturday was beautiful and Travis and I worked outside. We're replacing the fence around the house (the entry fence, I like to call it) with a nice white pvc fence. We did half of it last summer and are doing the other half this summer. We spent Saturday replacing the fence at the entrance to the property. It was sunny and warm - a really beautiful day, especially for Laramie. Travis wore shorts and I had on a t-shirt and we both got a bit of a sunburn despite our sunscreen (spf 30 for me, 15 for Travis). Sunday and Monday were cold and nasty. The high on Sunday was 55 and yesterday was maybe 50. It was windy and rainy (we always need rain, but come on) and not really the type of weather for you to be outside. Sunday I went to the store and made a cherry pie (a big hit, but no pictures - if you look closely at the first kitchen picture you can see part of it on the counter). Sunday night we went to a birthday party and had a great time. It was a nice day despite the weather.
Yesterday, I painted my kitchen. I know, I've been talking about it forever, but I finally got it done (well, I only got the first coat finished, but it still looks good). What do you think?
That's about all I have to gab about. Nothing earth shattering, but a nice weekend. I'm not ready to be back at work and I have to go out of town Thursday and Friday which always makes me a bit cranky. Have a good day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:29 AMMay 27, 2005
It's Raining Yarn
It's finally Friday and I'm really glad. Not only Friday, but the Friday before a holiday weekend. WooHoo! I'm shaping the armholes on the Zip Cardi, the back should be done tonight, and the yarn for the Tivoli T-shirt should be here today - swatching this weekend. Jenn tells me the yarn for the Ombre Blanket has arrived and she's shipping my portion next week. I'm going to have yarn coming out my ears, but it will be heaven!
I got a lovely package from Jenn with some great sock yarn - a thank you for finding her a pattern to match the Irish Hiking Scarf she's making - she's very nice to send such a lovely thank you gift. I took a picture, but it was horribly blurry - I must have been jumping around when I took the picture :) so I'll have to try again tomorrow. I'm going to have to cast on for another pair of socks now - my list just grows daily.
Here's a picture of Mom's house (it's kind of hard to see with the trees, but it's really cute):
In other picture news, here are a couple of shots from the birthday dinner:
My Mom, Her SO, and his son. Aren't they cute?
Have a great holiday weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 10:00 AMMay 26, 2005
More Questions
Rebekah also asked to be interviewed. So here are her questions. Please see yesterday's post and the one from Tuesday for the complete rules :)
1. What's the best part of owning Basil? What's the worst? What's the biggest difference between owning a bird and a dog?
2. How did you meet your husband (I'm a sucker for stories like this)?
3. What's your favorite finished object and why?
4. What do you find most interesting about knitting?
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I have pictures of Mom's birthday party and the SSS, but I got home too late to download them, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow (gotta keep you coming back somehow). She says it fits (which is great) and she really liked it! Woohoo. Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:53 AMMay 25, 2005
Questions ... Questions
... Get your interview questions here. I had 4 people request interviews and I've composed 4 sets of questions. Please forgive me if there are a few that are the same, I guess I'm not that creative and I wanted to know the answers from all of you.
So, first I suppose we should have the rules again. Rules aren't any fun, but we have them, so we might as well use them. Here we go:
1. You will update your blog with the answers;
2. You will include the complete explanation (see yesterday's post) and an offer to interview someone else;
3. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.
OK, here we go. First up is Lynette:
1. What about photojournalism attracts you?
2. How did you meet your husband (I'm a sucker for stories like this)?
3. What do you like most about knitting? What do you like least?
4. Of all of your possessions, what do you value most?
5. If you were stranded on a deserted island (think LOST), what 5 things would you want with you, and why?
Next is Cyndi:
1. What do you most like about law school? What do you like least?
2. How did you meet your husband (I'm a sucker for stories like this)?
3. What type of knitting project do you most enjoy?
4. If you could give a new knitter one piece of advise, what would it be?
5. What is your all-time favorite project and why?
Next we have Adele:
1. What do you like most about living in (or near) Toronto? What has been your favorite place to live?
2. How did you meet your husband (I'm a sucker for stories like this)?
3. What's your all-time favorite yarn and why?
4. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
5. What do you like most about knitting? What do you like least?
And last, but definitely not least, we have Caitlyn:
1. What's the best part of living in California? The worst?
2. How did you meet your husband (I'm a sucker for stories like this)?
3. What's your favorite knitting project and why?
4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
5. What do you like most about your career/job?
OK ladies, those are the questions. I can't wait to see what you have to say.
I'm still making progress on the Zip Cardi and tonight is the big reveal of SSS. I can hopefully get a picture of it on the recipient. If so, I'll try to post the pattern details tomorrow. It dawned on me last night that I'd been remiss in that, so I will rectify that asap. In other news, I have an odd question for any of you inclined to answer. How many regular push-ups do you think you can do? This is just an informal little survey based on something my karate instructor said last night. That's all I have for today, I'd better go upstairs to the birthday party or I'll be in trouble. Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:16 AMMay 24, 2005
Interview
I've been interviewed by Linda. Here's what I had to say.
1. What inspired you to start knitting again? What has been your favorite project so far? What project did you not enjoy? Why do you enjoy knitting? Is it the process or the finished project or something else.
I really like the creative aspect of knitting and I decided to make scarves for my girlfriends for Christmas. I picked up my needles, some yarn I got at Walmart, and Knitting In Plain English. Once I started, I was hooked. I started reading the knitting board at HGTV and found Knitter�s Review forums from there. I found such a wonderful group of knitters and got such support and encouragement that I haven�t looked back. My favorite project so far has been my first sweater � a bulky purple merino wool (Tahki Baby) pullover. It�s my favorite because I figured it out all by myself and it fits wonderfully. I think I�ve enjoyed all of my projects. My least favorite might have been the eyelash scarves I made, just because the yarn was kind of difficult to work with (at least at the time). I enjoy knitting because of the stress relief and the feeling of productivity I get from it. So much in my life seems unproductive and I like the feeling of accomplishing something. For me, knitting is about both the process and the finished product. I love the creative part of the process and taking a bunch of yarn and making it into something useful, but I love clothes and fashion and I like that I can create something I enjoy wearing.
2. How long have you been taking karate classes? How did you get started?
I�ve been studying karate since February 2002. I took a self-defense class my instructor taught at the gym and really enjoyed it, so I started classes and have been going twice a week since then. It�s the best thing I�ve ever done for myself (physically).
3. Why did you decide to go to law school?
Law school was something that had interested me for a long time and I was at the point of reevaluating my career and I decided that if I were going to make a change, I had to just go to law school. Most days I�m glad I did, and some days I wonder what I was thinking.
4. What's your favorite thing about living in Wyoming? If you could pick anywhere else to live, where would it be?
The best thing about living in Wyoming is the lifestyle. I�m a ranch girl and the big city didn�t agree with me (Dallas). I like being able to walk out my back door and see the horses in the pasture or go for a ride or a run without having to drive an hour. The weather isn�t the greatest, but there aren�t a lot of people (the downside of that is that we miss out on some of the stores and services you can get in the city).We�ve been talking about moving lately, but I�m still not sure where I�d live. I might choose somewhere like Ireland, but there are so many great places and I believe I could be happy just about anywhere.
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself living in a small town and owning my own yarn store.I�m happily married (still) and have a cute house, my dog, and my horses.
Here are the interview rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me;"
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions on my blog. They will be different questions than the ones above;
3. You will update your blog with the answers;
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else;
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.
In knitting news, I'm working on the Zip Cardi and making good progress on it.
Also, I ordered Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton for a sweater I'm going to be working on. I'll keep you posted as I make progress (I'm not going to start it until I finish this darn Zip Cardi). I just have to tell you once again, Knit Happens is the best darn yarn store out there. When you order online they have same day shipping. Yep, you read that right - same day! It's as close to instant gratification as I can get and I totally love it.
Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:09 AMMay 23, 2005
Where Did The Weekend Go?
Another weekend has passed us by. I'm not sure what I did all weekend, but it was gone before I knew what happened. On Friday my mom found out that she got her house - thanks for all of your thoughts. She's just over the moon, and she should be because it's a really cute house and I know she'll be happy there. I treated myself Friday after work and got a pedicure. It was long over due and now my feet look (and feel) great.
I finished blocking the SSS and I'm quite happy with it. Now if only it fits the recipient. Keep your fingers crossed.
I couldn't resist and cast on for the Zip Cardi over the weekend. I really like the licorne and the teal color is good - something different for me, but I really like it. The licorne is so soft and silky and I'm doing better with my gauge with this yarn. I'm excited about this cardigan because I think I'll be able to wear it a lot this summer (if I ever get it finished). Ronnie is still coming along. I worked on it on Saturday at the eye doctor and on our drive to pick up trees. I'm almost to the armhole shaping on the back. I think I'll try to finish the back and then dedicate myself to the Zip Cardi until it's finished. I just don't do well with more than one project (not counting a sock in progress) - I'm too easily distracted and need to be able to just focus on one thing at a time.
I finally found something for the center of my dining room table. I really struggled with this because I didn't want anything too impractical and silk flowers aren't really my thing, but anyway, here's what I settled on.
The runner is from Target and the sugar mold is from a little specialty store in town. What do you think?
Have a good Monday.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:19 AMMay 20, 2005
I Got Nothin'
I'm sorry to tell you, but reading this post will be a complete waste of your time. I have absolutely nothing new to tell you. Yesterday, I worked, went to lunch with some girlfriends, went home, and went to karate. Nothin', I tell ya. I thought karate was particularly difficult, but it could have been that it was about 80 degrees in the room we worked out in, but I'm just guessing. Today is Friday, which I'm extremely happy about. It's supposed to be in the high 70's today, another good thing. I'm going to buy trees tomorrow and might stop by a jewelry party a co-worker is having - there's a wide silver ring calling my name. The blocking of SSS seems to have gone well, but I need to turn it over and do the other side - tonight. Still plugging away on the endless miles of stockinette stitch on Ronnie and am tentatively planning to paint on Sunday (with Travis around, it isn't a good idea to make firm plans). My mom finds out today if she gets the house she put an offer in on. Please keep your fingers crossed for her, she really wants it.
Have a great Friday - I hope you can enjoy some sunshine.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:30 AMMay 19, 2005
Blocking
The SSS has been completed and is now blocking. Here it is in its pre-blocking state:
Sorry for the bad picture, but I'll hopefully have a better one for you in a day or so. I decided to block it by laying a damp tea towel over it and then lightly steaming it with the iron. It looks like it worked, but I left the towels on today. I'll see how it looks when I get home tonight. I had to be careful when I did the crochet for the armholes because the first one I did turned out too tight. Since this isn't for me, I thought I ought to err on the side of caution and redo the armhole so the crochet was a bit looser. It seemed to work because the second time I tried it on, the armhole was much more comfortable.
After the SSS was completed, I picked Ronnie back up and am working on the back again, and I'm using my fabulous new Lantern Moon needles - love them. I think I'll cast on for the Zip Cardi this weekend because the endless miles of stockinette stitch on Ronnie is going to get really old. I think I'll definitely need a little something to break up the monotony.
I went for my second run last night, and it was harder than the first. Maybe because my legs were sore (still are by the way) or maybe it was just because I'm a wimp. Who knows?
Last night was a full night of tv watching for me too - Lost and then 2 hours of Alias. It was like tv heaven. I'm sad that both shows are ending their seasons next week, but I guess that's the cycle of things.
Have a great day - it's Thursday.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:37 AMMay 18, 2005
I'm A Whimp
I was so happy that I could run 1 1/2 miles, but I'm paying for it now. Now, I could have made the soreness worse by riding for the length of time I did, but I thought it would make it better - keep the muscles from getting tight. Let me tell you, I was wrong. And last night at karate proved just how wrong I was. There's just nothing quite like having sore thighs and having your karate instructor kick you in the legs. We're not talking about light kicks either, and the more I whimpered the harder he kicked. Why? He's twisted. That's the only explanation I can come up with. He tried to sell me a load of crap about it building character and being good for me, but I'm not buying that. He just likes to torture me. So, I'm supposed to run another 1 1/2 miles tonight and I'm hoping that it will alleviate some of the soreness, but I may just have to stay home from work tomorrow because I won't be able to walk. That's the silver lining.
In knitting news, I seamed the SSS and I'm quite pleased with it. I also finished the crochet on the neck, and still have the armholes to do. The pattern doesn't call for any finishing on the bottom, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't do the same as for the neck. What do you all think? I'll get the SSS finished this evening and block it. What's the best way to block a cotton blend? Soak and spin it or spray it or since it's cotton should it take a quick tumble in the dryer? Advise please!! :)
Next up will be to finish the back of Ronnie, but I may not be able to stop myself from casting on for the zip cardi with the new Licorne. What to do???
Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:20 AMMay 17, 2005
Ramblings
I'm shaping the neck on the front of the SSS. I should be able to finish it over lunch today and maybe even start seaming. I received my package from Knit Happens with the 2 extra balls of Jo Sharp SoHo Summer I need for Ronnie and some lovely rosewood Lantern Moon size 5 needles. I also went last night and picked up some pearl gray silk/merino lace weight yarn for my fist attempt at a shawl (from the lady that I met that sells yarn out of her house - nice stuff and great prices). I meant to take some pictures last night, but ran out of time. Why you ask? Well because I had my first run in my 5K training program (1 1/2 miles, which I ran all of) and then I went to help Travis with the new roping steers. So, I really got my exercise last night - running and then riding for about 2 1/2 hours. We didn't get into the house until almost 9:00. By the time we ate dinner and I knit a bit, there was no time for pictures and fighting with my computer.
Now I have to shamelessly plug a new cd. This is a county music cd, so if you don't like country music, just skip ahead to the last paragraph. If you do, you might want to check out The Great Divide. The guys in this band are friends of a friend (actually my college roommate) and can mostly be heard in Texas and Oklahoma. They have a good sound and some of their songs are great (at least in my opinion). Check it out and let me know what you think. And if you live down that direction, you should go see them live, I hear they put on a great show.
Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:28 AMMay 16, 2005
Weekend Update
Well, this weekend was productive, but not in the ways I imagined. My pain in the ass dear, sweet husband decided that since our weather was nice on Saturday (actually all weekend) that instead of painting the kitchen we needed to work in the yard. There definitely was yard work to be done and the weather was quite nice - no wind and in the high 60's, but darn it, I wanted to paint the kitchen. Oh well, there's always next weekend. I may just have to take a mental health day and just do it, but we'll have to see how it goes.
I managed to finish the back of SSS and I'm about 10" into the front.
I did run into a few problems as I worked on this project over the weekend.
These knots were in 2 separate balls of yarn. Grrr. I hate knots! Especially in expensive yarn.
Otherwise, I baked some honey wheat bread, chocolate chip cookies, and banana bread and had my mom and her SO over for dinner last night. We had a great time reminiscing about growing up on a ranch and the good childhood I had. I rounded out the weekend with Grey's Anatomy. All in all a good weekend, but not what I had planned. Have a great day and keep your fingers crossed that my package comes from Knit Happens (it's been over a week!).
Posted by Stephanie at 8:47 AMMay 13, 2005
Cruisin'
Although I have no pictures (it basically looks just like yesterday's picture with some shaping and about 12" of seed stitch), I'm really moving along on the SSS. I'm just about to start the armhole shaping, so I'll definitely have the back done this weekend, and maybe a good start on the front. I like the shaping on this tank - the waist looks like it will be very fitted and cute for summer. I love the soft, squishiness of the Goa in the seed stitch and it's a really quick knit on the 10 1/2 needles, which I realize I desperately needed. :)
Still no package from Knit Happens, but I think it's my fault. I recently changed my address and I think I forgot to make sure they sent it to the new address. The package is probably stuck in the pile of mail to be forwarded. I hate it when I do stupid stuff like that. Oh well, maybe it will come today. If not, I'm going to stop into the post office in the morning and see if they have it.
It appears that the alpaca for the ombre blanket is a bit back-ordered, which is ok with me, but it's driving Jenn nuts because she's anxious to start. Don't you just hate it when you're all excited about a project and you can't get the materials?
I'm painting my kitchen tomorrow and I'm excited - mostly because I'm tired of thinking and talking about it, but also because I really like the color. After the paint comes new hardware for the cupboards, which will cost me an arm and a leg. My ideas are much bigger than my wallet. Oh well, keeps me out of trouble.
Have a great day and a lovely weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:53 AMMay 12, 2005
Yarn!!
I got 2 packages yesterday. It was yarn heaven, I tell ya. The Goa arrived and I immediately went to work on it! I just couldn't resist its yummy softness.
This yarn is a nice change from the DK Jo Sharp - thicker and the seed stitch is a nice break from the endless stockinette stitch. It's soft and worked on size 10 1/2 needles. The seed stitch is going quite quickly - must be because I knit continental. :)
Also in the mail was my package from Knit N Tyme. The lovely Phildar Licorne for take 2 of the zip cardi.
It's soft and has a lovely sheen. This is a color that I haven't really worn before, but I like it and think it will make a nice cardi. This project is on hold until I finish the SSS and probably the back of Ronnie. That's ok though because it's still too cold here to wear cotton - it snowed about 4 inches last night. Snow ... May ... Spring ... Problem. But what are you gonna do, but go with it and be glad that you have a little extra time to wear your wool sweaters and socks. I keep thinking that one of these days the weather has to get better, but so far that has not been the case.
I'm painting my kitchen on Saturday - and can hopefully get it all done in one day. My mom's coming to help me because she owes me some painting help and she has plans to use my services more in future months. She's in the process of closing on a house and she's already making plans for painting and fixing up. Sounds like it's going to be a busy summer, but I enjoy it and I'll have lots of before and after pictures. Have a great day and I hope you're weather is better than mine.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:37 AMMay 11, 2005
I'm Irish
| Your Inner European is Irish! |
|
Still no packages, but I know the Goa will be delivered today (at least according to the UPS tracking number). Now I have to decide whether to wait until I finish the back of Ronnie to start the SSS or throw caution to the wind and start it right away. I guess I'll wait to see how I feel tonight, but since the SSS is a gift I'll probably start it right away. Have a good day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:19 AMMay 10, 2005
My Favorite Things
Adele (Passioknit) tagged me with a meme and here's what I have to say:
A List of My 10 Favorite Things In No Particular Order:
My Husband. He's a great guy and he really gets me. We've been together a long time and I can't imagine my life without him. He makes me laugh and he makes me crazy, but I love him.
My Dog. Riley makes me smile and reminds me that it's important to take time to play. He's 3 now and he's responsible for always making my day better.
My Family. I'm lucky to have such a great family. My mom, my sister and brother, my dad and step-mom, my in-laws... We're all pretty close and I know that they'll always be there for me if I need them.
My House. I love my house. I'm such a homebody and would rather be at home than just about anywhere else. I enjoy fixing it up and decorating and just sitting around in my living room. It's very relaxing and makes me content.
Knitting. Obviously. A great hobby that's very relaxing. Need I say more?
Decorating. Also relaxing and very satisfying. You can totally change your environment with just a little imagination and hard work.
My Horses. They're always there and are so sweet. Messin' with them is a great way to relieve stress and riding is good exercise.
Karate. Excellent stress reliever and good exercise. It's very empowering to know that you could defend yourself if you had to.
The Ocean. I love the water, but don't get to spend much time around it. I love the sound and how soothing it is.
Baking. I love to eat sweets and enjoy trying new recipes. I'd much rather bake than cook and find it much more satisfying.
List 5 Things That You May or May Not Have Done Before That You'd Like to Learn or Try Again:
Running. I've never really enjoyed running before, but have decided that I should try it again. I'm going to set a goal for myself to enter a 5K by the end of the summer and see if that motivates me to run 3 or 4 days a week.
Spinning. Spinning intrigues me. I love the idea of being able to make my own yarn. I found a lady in town that might be willing to teach me so we'll see where that goes.
Owning My Own Business. I enjoy retail and think I could put my skills to good use in a yarn store. Maybe someday things will work out and make that possible.
Photography. I wish I could take better pictures. I used to work for a wedding photographer and have taken some photography classes, but I can't remember much of what I knew and I find my point and shoot digital camera sometimes frustrating.
Traveling. I'd like to see places, both in the US and abroad. I'd like to see the castle in Scotland named after Travis' family, Paris, London, Italy, Spain, Ireland ... there are so many places I haven't seen. Maybe someday.
I'm passing this on to: Diana, Rebekah, and Jenn
Posted by Stephanie at 9:04 AMKnitting?
There was no knitting around here last night. I got a couple of new books at Barnes and Noble yesterday and just had to read them last night. The finishing book is quite good. Easy directions and good illustrations for basic techniques, it should be a good reference book. The baking book is fabulous. There is a great discussion of the science behind successful baking, as well as detailed information about various ingredients and tools. I just started on the bread chapter, but I can hardly wait to try some of the recipes.
I didn't have a single knitting package last night. Nothing from Knit Happens, nothing from Knit N Tyme, and nothing from the Knitting Garden. Maybe tonight. Have a good day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:28 AMMay 9, 2005
New Project
I finished my socks on Friday night.
And then I wore them on Saturday. I love them. Super comfy and cute too. So, since the socks were completed I had to start another project. The package in the mail wasn't the Goa (which, according to the UPS tracking number I got from Knitting Garden, will be arriving on Wednesday) so I was left with the dilemma of what to start next. Since I also don't have the Phildar Licorne for the zip cardi, I cast on Ronnie in red Jo Sharp SoHo Summer. This is my first Christmas project for the year. I made some progress over the weekend, but not as much as I would have liked.
So far the stitches have been fairly even, but I'm working with metal needles because the rosewood ones I ordered from Knit Happens aren't here yet. Hopefully today. The only bummer is that since I've started this and I will need to cast on the seed stitch shell as soon as I get the Goa, the zip cardi is going to have to wait until I finish one of these projects. Oh well, I guess there's lots of summer yet and I shouldn't get too impatient.
The knitting guild meeting didn't happen. Apparently you were supposed to rsvp, but I went back and looked at the e-mail and can't find that direction anywhere. Oh well, I ended up spending some time with the lady who had planned to host. She sells yarn out of her house. Stuff that she gets directly from manufacturers and mills. She has some yummy stuff. I wish I'd known about her before Jenn and I had ordered the alpaca for the ombre blanket (from Last Minute Knitted Gifts) because she had lots of yummy alpaca and could have gotten us what we needed for less than we paid. Oh well, there's always next time! :) Anyway, she seems like a good source for yarn.
My in-laws were in town for my brother-in-law's college graduation, which made for a busy weekend. We had a good time, but I don't know where the weekend went. Back to the grind and to top it off, I have to go to the dentist this morning. Routine cleaning, but I never enjoy the dentist. Yuck.
Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:10 AMMay 6, 2005
Package
I had a little orange slip in my mailbox last night telling me that I had a package to pick up at the post office. For awhile I couldn't figure out what it could be, but I think it might be the the Goa I ordered from The Knitting Garden. I'm not sure because I didn't get an e-mail telling me the order had shipped, but I can't think of anything else it could be. I don't think it's a package from my Secret Pal because she sent me a lovely e-mail telling me that she was still waiting on a couple of things before she sent my package out. I'll let you know tonight.
I'm going to my first knitting guild meeting in the morning and I hope it will be fun. I'm hoping to finish my sock tonight, I'm working on the ribbing, so finishing tonight should be an easy goal. If so, I'd like to have the Seed Stitch Shell cast on so I can work on it at the guild meeting. Then it's off to a hair appointment and my in-laws will be in town about the time I get done. Tomorrow night is my brother-in-law's graduation party - architectural engineering, and Sunday is Mother's Day - brunch at 10:00. I decided to wait to paint my kitchen until next weekend because of the company and the busy schedule, but I have the paint and it's pretty. :)
Last night was my first karate class since the eye surgery and it went well. I did notice that any strikes that came close to my face really made me flinch. I've never been hit in the eyes and only once in the face by a junior student, so I really need to work on this flinching reflex - it just won't do. I'm hoping that it will get better as time passes and I get more comfortable with my new eyes. We'll just have to wait and see.
I'm still looking at computers, but something needs to happen in the next month or so. Thanks for all of the great advise - it really helped. Have a great weekend.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:00 AMMay 5, 2005
I Love Knit Happens
Knit Happens is the best yarn store in the world (well there are a couple of others that I really like, but they're on my A+ list right now). The nicest ladies work there and they are so helpful. I'm gushing because they came through for me on the Jo Sharp SoHo Summer in the dye lot I need. Cool huh! I also got some rosewood needles, a splurge I know, but why not.
Posted by Stephanie at 11:46 AMNew Computer
I am in desperate need of advise. It has reached the point that I must buy a new home computer. My laptop is possessed and shuts itself down at random moments. Very annoying because I usually lose whatever I'm working on. So, I would love to hear what computers you all would recommend - mac, dell, gateway, etc. I only use my home computer for blogging, surfing, and the occasional invitation design, so lay it on me. Thanks for your help.
I got the Jaeger pattern book last night and I just couldn't resist swatching. I'm happy to report that I got gauge with the recommended size needles (size 5). I only need 2 more balls of yarn, which I'm going to try to track down today and I think I like knitting cotton on bamboo needles better than metal (I swatched on metal because that's all I have in a #5) so I think I'll order some bamboo needles too. The sock is nearing completion, so I may cast on for this project this weekend. My yarn from Knit N Tyme was shipped this morning, and I paid for express shipping - it should be here the first part of next week. I can't wait to try my luck again on the zip cardi. Maybe this time it will be better.
The Knitting Guild is meeting on Saturday morning and I'm going to try to go for a little while. I have a hair appointment at 11:30, but the meeting starts at 10:00. I figure I'll just go at 10:00 and leave a little early. Do you think it's ok to leave early? Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:35 AMMay 4, 2005
What Do You See?
I am making progress on my sock and thought I ought to compare it with sock #1. When I did, this is what I saw:
Yes, indeed, sock #1 is larger than sock #2. There are the same number of stitches, but my sloppy, loose knitting during the construction of sock #1 made that much difference in size. I am not ripping sock #1 out, but figure that no one will ever know, but I found it fascinating that my knitting had gotten so out of control. At least I'm back on track and am more conscious of my technique at this point.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:44 AMBooks
I've been tagged with a meme by Diana. It's about one of my favorite things - books! I'm at work, so I can't take any fun pictures of my bookshelves, and since they are a complete disaster, I probably wouldn't have anyway.
Total number of books in your house: I have absolutely no idea because I'm scared to count them. If I had to guess, I'd say between 200 and 300. I love books. Why check one out from the library if you can buy it?
The last book you bought was: A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber. It's the sequel to The Shop on Blossom Street and so far it's very enjoyable light reading.
The last book you read was: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much and it was fabulous! I have it in my knitting bag and take it out when I need a little pick me up.
5 (or 6) Books You Often Read or That Mean A Lot to You:
- Vogue Knitting because I always have to look something up.
- The Wyoming Statutes because someone's always asking me what a statute means. I know that really isn't exciting, but this collection of books is probably what I spend the most time reading.
- The latest Nora Roberts book, whatever that might be
- Black's Law Dictionary
- At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much I think this book will become a stand-by in my life
Who are you going to pass this on to and why: Jenn because her life is very different from mine and I'm curious to know what she reads, Adele because I imagine her being well read in areas different from me, and Rebekah because she's really funny and works in a similar field.
I have to go to a meeting, but I'll be back later with pictures of my socks. They'll make you smile.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:58 AMMay 3, 2005
I May Have Appeased Them
The Knitting Gods, that is. I almost hate to say this for fear of retribution, but what the heck - here goes. My sock is coming along nicely. I've noticed an evening of stitches from the start and now, which pleases me immensely. I successfully turned the heel and am making my way up the leg. I should be able to finish it this week (Knitting Gods willing) and then I will move on to another project. I ordered Goa in orange for the Vogue Knitting seed stitch shell. It will be a gift and I imagine it being a fairly quick project. Maybe just what I need right now. Otherwise, I'm still waiting for the Jaeger pattern book to arrive from Knit Happens, but I expect it any day. If that arrives before the Goa, I may start on the sweater for my sister, but we'll have to see (and of course, I must finish the sock first). I'm looking for a pattern to use the Rowan 4-ply cotton and I like some of these - what do you think?
Well, I don't have anything else to share. Have a great day.
Posted by Stephanie at 8:13 AMMay 2, 2005
I Must Have Been Bad...
... because I seem to have angered the knitting gods. These women are majorly pissed at me. That's the only explanation because knitting this weekend generally sucked. The zip cardi and I are just destined to fight. I was going along quite nicely, very pleased with myself that my stitches were even and there was no rowing-out, when it occurred to me that I hadn't checked my gauge since I started over on this little project. Well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. Holy crap. I went from a spastic, sloppy knitter to an majorly uptight, tight knitter. Now, when I say tight I mean tights. Like 34 stitches/10 cm on yarn that on the label suggests the gauge to be 28 stitches/10 cm and a pattern that is written for 25 stitches/10cm. Obviously, this was not going to work, unless I was making the sweater for a 10 year old. So, I cussed and had the satisfaction of viciously ripping out my meager progress. That, however, did not improve my foul mood. I was pissed for the better part of the afternoon. So, my solution? Get on-line to the lovely Knit N Tyme and order the frigging yarn suggested in the pattern. Now, of course she doesn't have enough of the color I selected, but Val was nice enough to e-mail me right back and say that she would have it by Wednesday and would that be ok. It would, so we're off and running with a whole different approach to what appears to be cursed project. As it is, this might be a blessing in disguise because I need to start on the seed stitch shell from VK if I'm going to have it finished in time for Mom's birthday the end of May. So, my plan is to do the shell and then start back in on the cardigan. I'm getting this sucker done this summer no matter what, but a break may be in both of our interests.
So in the mean time, I'm finishing my sock. I've decided that maybe the knitting gods are punishing me for attempting to go outside my personality and have 2 projects going at once. So, to appease the lovely ladies, I'm finishing the sock before I do one little stitch on something else. I'm turning the heal, so I imagine I'll have it done by the end of this week.
Thanks for listening. Have a good Monday.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:01 AMMay 1, 2005
Needle Cases
It snowed most of the day yesterday, which was just fine with me (if I ignore the fact that it's spring and we're having winter weather). I had a project that kept me inside - needle cases. I bought fabric the other day and found some needles cases that I kind of liked and set out to figure out how to make them. Considering I worked without a pattern, they turned out rather well. I made 1 case for straight and dpn and one for circular. I took lots of pictures to document my progress, so here it is:
So first, obviously, I cut the fabric I needed - a front, a flap, an inside, and 2 pockets. Then I hemmed the pocket tops and tacked them to the inside fabric. I then made 1 1/2 inch pockets for needles by sewing verticle lines on both pockets.
Next, I stitched the front and flap fabrics together and then sewed the front/flap to the inside/pockets, and sewed the ribbon closure into the seam. After that was done, all that was left to do was sew on the button and hand stitch the hole that I left to turn it right side out. What do you think?
Next was the circular needle case. It was a lot the same only there was only 1 front piece, which is also the flap, an inside piece, and 4 pocket pieces. I hemmed all 4 sides of the pocket pieces and sewed them to the inside fabric. I then made three pockets out of each piece.
Then I sewed the front to the inside and inserted the ribbon, sewed on the button and sewed the hole closed.
It took me most of the day yesterday to make these, but partly because I was figuring out how they were supposed to work. If any of you want the measurements I used, I'd be happy to e-mail them to you.
I've made a bit of progress on the zip cardi, but nothing worth a picture. I hope to make some substantial progress today, so I'll have pictures for you tomorrow. Have a great Sunday.
Posted by Stephanie at 9:33 AM
