Sandee the over achiever and Brooke the achiever...

So, Brooke and her mom are both well into swatches for the master knitting program and I still can't settle on a single type of yarn... Great!!! Thanks a lot ladies.... Hmmmppphhh! ;)

I am thinking of heading over to craft mart and checking out some yarn there. I was also going to try the last bit of Zara that I have. I figured that it can't hurt to try it out and if it looks decent I will pick some up at Jessica Knits on Sunday. The only downside to that is that she opens at noon and I have to be out at my sister's early in the day... So, we will see.... Here is the Zara.




I finally got the pattern for my "flapper scarf" again. So, I will be able to finish it and wear it this winter. I had to write to a store that gave me a copy of it and it took forever to get a copy again. I am plugging away at my lace scarf. It is about a foot long right now. I am pretty durn proud of it!

Well, off to pick Amy up from work. Happy Knitting

What has brown hair, likes to knit and hates written questions?

ME!!!

I met up with Brooke and her wonderful mom Sandee to work on my TKGA swatches. I have learned a few things from this escapade. In no particular order.

1. Encore worsted weight yarn is not the best yarn to use for making the swatches. It is just a little too fuzzy
2. Cream colored yarn is not good to knit with. It makes the swatches look like the crap ass baby sweaters you see in the goodwill. You know the ones that had the dog wee on them.
3. Jack loves me, okay he loves my pin, my glasses and my plastic page protector.
4. A knit 1 purl 1 cast on? It looks crappy at best
5. You learn just how bad of a knitter you really are when you know that others are getting ready to scrutinize your work.
6. The question's and swatches are open to interpetation. You just have to make the right one.
7. The best cast on method for swatch one is the knit cast on

So, I had a really good time. Jack was adorable as ever... he has the fattest little legs! So cute!

I also decided that I was going to get to work on some of my written questions. Before I knew it, I had half of the knitting section strewn over a desk and was well into finishing them. I have about 6 left to do. I tried to get as many references as possible but i found myself referring to the same books over and over again. In some books it is quite obvious how much the writer(s) valued certain aspects of the knitting by how much content was there for a subject.

I am going to try to get them all typed up. I can't decide on my cable pattern. I get really picking when I have to choose things... so it's a good thing I have a little time.

I am going to try a differnt type of yarn with my swatches.

Happy Knitting

ahhh yes master...

I have decided to complete my Master Knitting Level One program. Okay, I better say the truth, I have decided to start my Master Knitting Level One program. Thanks to the wonderful motivation from Brooke, I have decided that I need to get this done. We are meeting up on Monday to work on our swatches. I want to get to work on the written portion of the program as well. Knitty's new issue has a little blurb about it...

I worked a little more on my scarf. I ended up scrapping the one I was working on and starting fresh. Matt's sweater piece is still MIA and I have been to down trodden to start it over again... okay okay okay it is all just laziness.

I am off to find out some info on knitting...

Happy Knitting

Manic Mondays...Oops I mean Manicure Mondays.

Okay, so it seemed that last Monday I had a " Manic Monday" but last night I learned that I will be having "Manicure Mondays" ! I trotted over to Amsterdam with my pal Lindsay to talk to the manager about working on Monday nights for their Martini's and Manicures. They don't need someone right away but she said she would love to take both of us on! The cool thing about it is that I won't be doing a full manicure, just a file, buff and polish. I need to buff up on my polish skills some more So, that will be some nice extra cash in my pocket. The down falls? I have to be up until at least 2:00 A.M. that night Good thing I have Tueday's off!

I have no knitting to report. I have to go back a few rows on my scarf that I am working on. I was one stitch off and it set the whole pattern off center! grr! Oh, I was asked what the yarn size was. There are three different versions, but they are all done with different types of lace weight.

I am off to work my late shift today! happy knitting my friends.

weakness struck.

I knew that it would. I fell victim to some lovely silk yarn from Kaalund. It is so yummy to work with.





Of course, this doesn't give you any idea on how beautiful this color really is. I am working on a lace scarf for me!





It is the one on the far left. I had actually intended to make the middle one, but I started the wrong pattern and I really like how it is turning out, so I kept it that way.

Matthew's sweater side is still MIA. I have come to the realization that I am going to have to knit another left front piece. :(

I am working on invitations for Amber's baby shower. I have the cutest idea going right now! I am so dan proud of myself! I will get a pic of them if I can...

happy knitting

life or something like it...

I have been barely going through the motions of my supposed life. I found out why today. I went to the Doctor because it seemed that lately my heart would start racing and I would get jittery and zone out and almost want to puke my guts up. Well, I found out today, not only am I border line Bipolar (which I have known about for a few years) but I am also starting to develop an Anxiety problem. What the F&%^ is wrong with me? My wonderful Doctor (Dr. Cohen at Healthy Outlook Family Medicine Which was voted 7.7 of 10 points on City Search) tells me nothing.... that anxiety problems usually accompany depression and Bipolar, I just have to go on a different medication now. BLEH!

I had my little sweater for Matt almost finished. Unfortunately, I lost part of it somewhere. I have now idea where it is at. I am going to have to re-knit it. I am on day something for not buying any yarn. I think it has been over a month. I am quite proud of myself. I feel, though, that after today's news I might pick up some silk yarn that I have been dreaming about since I bought some for my secret pal.

Work has been good. I had a crappy day on Saturday, my boss made it all better though by telling us that we had a mini meeting he wanted us to stay for and surprised us with beer! Ya gotta love a boss that will do that!

Well, off to knit before I have to pick Amy up.

Happy Knitting

feeling quite accomplished, but...

I have gotten Matt's sweater almost done. He is going to look so Freakin' cute in it. I have decided that he will get it for his birthday. He is also going to get a sandbox from me and Amy. We have settled upon the turtle one.


How cute is that?

My nephew's birthday is a few days before his. We are pitching money in for a drum set for him. My poor poor sister... what is she thinking?????


So where does the but.... come in at?

I have decided to throw in the sweater and send back the test knit to SWTC. I just can't do it. I hate the yarn and I hate the pattern. I know that I won't finish it and I don't think that it is fair to them, for me to be holding onto something that I can't get done in time for them. Maybe in a few months I can work on something else, but not now.

Off to work on something...

happy knitting

what's going on???

I have been slowly working at decreasing my stash! Did you know that the only yarn I have bought in the last month has been for my secret pal! Cool huh? I have a few purses to show off for it but have decided to work on baby patterns. They are a quick knit and you feel more accomplished than you would with a purse.

I am working on this pattern right now. It is from Rowan Babies.









I am making it for Matthew.

I also have these two patterns lined up. The first one is going to be knit from some stash yarn and the other I am making to match the little pants I made for "baby Austin" when he arrives.
I am going to knit sweater all in one color so it doesn't look quite so girlie!









If I have learned one thing about knitting Rowan patterns it is that they run quite big. I have also found this to be true in Debbie Bliss patterns. Which will leave you to ponder this question....
Are babies and little kids bigger in England than they are in the US?

Happy Knitting

OOOOOOO yarn.....

I got my last package from my secret pal the other day.... Lovely! I forgot to borrow the camera from my sister yesterday so I will have to post of a picture of it later. She sent me some awesome stuff. Definitely things that I would have never bought for myself.

A sock making kit from Hello Yarn, in berry and purple and blue shades. Beautiful.
She also sent me some chocolate. A little happy face button that I have adorned on my knitting bag! Then there was some Mango lip gloss inside the box too! I love love love lip gloss/chapstick. I am literally addicted to the stuff. If I go out somewhere for more than two hours and I don't have any with me I have to go buy some... it is a sick habit... I also got a lovely little skein of purple yarn that was super mega soft. I had to knit it up right away. I will get a picture of that up as well. I made the shocking pink coif pattern from knitty. It is more a pastel purple coif. I love it. I can't wait for winter and it's not even that hot here!

I am sending out my last package to my secret pal. I had some family issues to take care of before I could deal with other life. It took me a long time to decide on what to send but I hope that she likes it.

I am just doing housework today. It has been put off for the last week and it really needs to be done. Oh, I finished the pair of drawstring baby pants that I knit up for Amber's baby. Everyone keeps telling me that I need to make a little matching vest or sweater for them. I look at them and realize that they are right. I am going to check and see if there is one out there for the yarn, if not I will make one myself.

Happy Knitting