kniftyknitter

kool.

2009-02-08T17:50:00.003-07:00

I had my first dyeing sucess this weekend with kool-aid. It turned out so much prettier and nicer than the last time tried to dye wool. I had a rather ugly skein of yarn that I overdyed with 2 packets of cherry kool-aid and it is really pretty now. I also overdyed 6 skeins of orange o-wool Balance with 15 packets of orange kool-aid and 2 packets of cherry. Lovely. Hopefully I can get the photos of them up when I get home tonight. I re-cast on for my Susie's reading mitts last night. I am using some left over knitpicks DK wool. They look kind of garish - but I know a friend that will LOVE them so she will be getting them for her birthday.

I have the picot edge done on one of them. I even put the seam together because I am horrible about seams and ends. Photos to hopefully come later.

Goldilocks and the three mitts?

2009-02-07T09:48:00.002-07:00

It seems that my vision is off. I worked on the bird and vine mitts for my sister and lo and behold - they are entirely too small for her to put on - good thing I am only into the first half of the first mitt. I also worked on a 2nd pair of mitts Susie's Reading Mitts - and they are entirely too big. So I am ripping both out and hoping that my new cast on will be the right fit...

slipper sensation

2009-02-06T10:20:00.003-07:00

I am working on some felted slippers for my sister for her birthday present in December - yes - that was last December if you MUST know... And the pattern is leaving me utterly confused. I am thinking I might just have to scrap it and go back to my original plan of making her some felted clogs. They will be equally loved I am sure. Both patterns are from Fiber Trends. The one I am having trouble with is the pattern for the ballet slippers. I have tried three or four times and it just looks so wonky. So I am going to work on the felted clogs. Although - my last endeavor with them ended up being to small for Matthew and Austin... (speaking of which I need to get those out to someone...)

I am going to try to work on some Christmas gifts this year. I have a few great ideas planned but it is hard to see them come to fruition (sp!).

I am going to be working on a few very exciting but topsecret gifts this year... maybe I will take small and cryptic shots of them...in case anyone reads this.

Rock n Roll

2009-02-05T08:55:00.002-07:00

So I have fallen in love with these stones. I think they are truly lovely. I am forcing myself to wait to craft them until after the house move. I am going to make a set for my best gal pal Crystal for Christmas this year. I was thinking about doing a set that said peace, love, family, friendship and hope and karma. Crystal is a very big beleiver in Karma so I think she would really appreciate them.

I also have an idea pending for a necklace for her based on one that I saw at Kohl's but figured I could do a much better job than a storebought one!

okay - new year - new blog

2009-02-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have decided that this year I am going to actually make an effort to blog. I miss doing it - even it is just for me. Ravelry seems to be taking up a lot of my knitting time. But this year I have a goal of having a handmade holiday and I really want to work on making as much stuff as I can this year. I know that it will not be easy but I will try - so this is going to be dedicated to all things crafty from now on and not just knitting... more to come.

CHRISTMAS 2008

2008-09-01T16:46:00.002-07:00

okay - so my great idea of knitting all year long turned into a bust! But I am going to be working on christmas/winter gifts for the next few months... here is my list

Amy -- hat
Kim -- mitts
Amy (sis) -- breadcloth
Pat and Liz -- blanket
Amber and Neil -- tbd
Austin
Matt
Steven ^^^^^ DONE
Noah ^^^^^ DONE
Junior
(all the boys are getting hats!)
Noel -- bread cloth ?
Crystal -- bread cloth ?
Sheyenne -- mitts
Logan -- mitts
jamie -- hat
Michelle ?
KJ -- hat
Dylan -- hat

I have found a cute pattern for some Biscuit blankets and I think I might download it. Although it looks like a big dishcloth with holes in each corner for a thread to go through. I might just make it out of simple garter stitch or a giant DW dishcloth because I really like that pattern!

Hmm -- we shall see! : )

Gift List for 2008

2007-12-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

I have joined along with this fab little group through Ravelry. The idea is to keep track of all the knits that you want to accomplish through out the year and to keep you on top of it all. I am going to keep a running tab of the items that I want to knit on here as well. The pattern browser on Ravelry is dangerous. I keeping adding and adding and adding... So here is what my knit list for the year looks like.

Crystal Birthday - Cable knit bag - pattern undecided

Amy Birthday - Bag - pattern undecided

Pat Birthday - Eye pillow and lavender sachet - IK magazine

Amy Birthday - Sweater

Kim Birthday - Thick scarf

Amber Birthday - undecided

Liz Birthday - book cover ?

Christmas
All are getting personalized pillows
Sheyenne
Logan
Jamie
matthew
Austin
Steven
Noah
Junior

All are getting wristlet (SNB nation and holiday IK 2007)
Kim
Amy
Amber
Pat
Crystal
Noel

Scott - Scarf
Josh - hat
Neil - Hat
Amy - Hat
Liz - Hat or scarf

Random Items I would like to knit throughout the year

A gift for Louise
A gift for Rosie

A blanket or throw for the house.

That is it for now... I will post more later and as I get patterns decided upon I will post the link for them .

Already out with the old...

2007-12-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

I don't normally make new years resolutions. But I have decided that 2008 needs to bring some minor changes in my life. Just simple little things that will help me on my lifes journey.

The first started out of frustation with a friend and as I was figuring something else out this realization came to me.

I have decided to really read up on at least three current events each week and follow them. It is too often that I pass over important news events and end up reading the entertainment sections. So here is the beginning of my newest resolution. I hope that others who read this will be inspired to read more about their world, too.
Here is my first one for the week:

1) For the first time ever girls have swept both the individual and team challenge for the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technologythat is held in New York each year. The top individual was for research on bone regrowth on zebra fish. The top prize for the team was for two girls who have done research on possible tuberculosis cures with a focus on drug resistant strands of the disease. A brief article about this can be found here.

And now on to knitting news:

Last Saturday when I went to my 13 year old nephews basketball game my 15 year old neice looked at me and gasped - Aunt Becky - where did you get that hat from?
Why? I asked... She tells me "That is the coolest have I seen I want one." Oh - I tell her - I made it.. She tells me " NO way - your are so cool." Okay - nothing makes you feel better than a 15 year old with it girl that tells you that you are cool. So - this morning - in my horrendous drive to work - while sitting in traffic I cast on for her hat. When completed I will get pics up for you.

I finished my Foliage hat. It turned out quite nicely. I am still trying to decide if I like Malabrigo or not. It is butter soft but it gets a weird haze around it that I have decided if I like or not.

Last night, in a sudden realization, I remembered that I had not made a present for a friend of mines daughter for Hanukkah. Luckily she is only 9 months old so I whipped up a hat for her. We are all meeting for coffee tonight so I had to get it done! It is the ribbon hat pattern from itty bitty hats. I forget who the author is. I only did three rows of ribbon. The pattern is wrong though on the eyelet rounds but after some quick math I was able to just drop down to the size below chart and voila - eyelet rounds complete. Finished it up and ran some ribbons through it and it is so freakin' adorbale. I will try to get her pic in it tonight.

More to come later.
Happy Knitting.

Holiday Cheer

2007-12-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Amy and I got a fake tree this year. It is not one that I am too happy about, but I had to give a little, right?

Amy is quite allergic to Pine and has been putting up with it for years. We also go into a "argument" every year about actually getting a tree, then it ensues an "argument" about the price of a tree, then it goes to an "argument" about putting it up and decorating it. I figured that if we got the fake tree, there is nothing that we can argue about, it is already paid for, and it goes together in three easy steps. and I don't mind the decorating. I also found the yummiest of the yummiest pine candle that engulfs my whole house. So, it is a nice compromise. The lovely smell of Christmas but with out the arguing with Amy!

The washcloth knits are coming along uper slowly...After getting a great jump start on them, my hands hurt and I am tired of cotton. I didn't think I would ever say that. I am one of the biggest cotton addicts there is. I just need to give myself a rest on it I think.

The ribbing on the hat is almost complete. It has about 6 more rows to be done. It looks really good.

I headed out at lunch today and grabbed some gifties for my holiday swap pal on Ravelry. I just have 1 more thing to pick up and then I will get the package off. Hopefully I can pick up what I need this evening! But will make no promises!!

More to come later. And I will get photos up... I have just been lazy.

little bits

2007-12-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Just some random knitting postings today. I picked up a skein of yarn for my littlest nephews hat about a month ago, but realized that I should use some basic washable yarn for his hat. So I decided to get to work on a hat of my own... or at least one to give away.

I am not usually one to have to knit the yarn from the pattern. I am more than comfortable with switching out yarns and even refiguring gauge. I decided on this patten from Knitty. Lo and behold, it ended up being the same yarn, just in dark blue. I have seen people write this before and now I totally understand the truth to these words... mmmmm-Malabrigo.

I am going to be knitting a Christmas joke for my eldest nephew. I had knit up some wrist warmers in Kureyon in this color way... and every time he comes over, he asks for my "gauntlets of rock" I can't remember the pattern I used for them, but I am sure I can find one that is fairly similar.

I have more to add, but am feeling lazy. I will try to get some pics up this next post...

Happy Knitting

Where has the time gone?

2007-11-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t seem like it has been nearly a year since my last post! I fell off the knitting wagon a while back and was not completing anything. But in the last few months I have gotten back into my groove and have been completing things left and right.

So what am I working on right now?
I had this great idea that I am going to knit dishcloths for people for the holidays… It was a few weeks back and I decided that I could knit 36 dishcloths with no problem right!?!?! Well, we will see how that goes. I have 10 done. They are going by much faster than I thought, but it is still a pain in the rear! In the speed of things, I have decided to narrow it down to a few patterns.

The DW washcloth
Grandma’s Favorite.. this is perfect for my mindless knitting
and the Woven dishcloth.

I am also crocheting a few of them.
Just a basic granny square and some plain square cloths. These go by much faster but I am not as fond of the crochet squares as I am of the knitted ones.

I need to make a few hats for the holidays as well. All the boys need hats. Junior, Noah, Steven, Matt and Austin. 2 of them are done and one is half done. Hats don’t take too long and because they are for small heads I should be able to get them done fairly quickly. I have the yarn for them. I just need the time!
Aurora is getting the sheep from a crochet book – I forgot the name though-

I will post pics later! Happy Knitting!

Plethora of pictures and yarny goodness...

2007-01-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

I realized I haven't had any pictures up lately and I figured I would share my latest finds...

I have been coveting this book for a long time and finally broke down and picked it up...

I also picked up these on sale at a yarn store by me....

I found this Annie Blatt yarn on sale for $1.00 !!!! I got all six skeins of it!!!!
I know it isn't the greatest picture but it is the best one I could find

This was picked up for my secret pal... The color of the sock is the one that is on the way to her.

I also picked up some Cotton Twist in the green is called Inch Worm...
I don't really know what I am going to knit with it but I love it... This too was only $1.00 a skein!!!!

I picked up 2 skeins of this a while back... the color is called Solar

Then somehow.. this yarn jumped into my hands... I don't really know how it happened but it did. I have 2 skeins of Noro Sakura in color 1.. Maybe a little bag?

Well, that is about it. I will have more to post later. Thought I would share some love with the world!

Happy Knitting

baby fever

2007-01-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have hit into full baby fever mode. After knitting a gazillion hats for Christmas presents I have gone into the knitting for baby mode. Luckily a friend of mine is due in march and i have plenty of things to knit for her.

These are the things I have lined up...

1) a little black sweater... it is long standing joke between the two of us. I am a black sweater junkie and prefer those over coats any day. We always talked about when we had kids that we would have to get them little black sweaters and well... She will have one now.

2) two baby blankets - one crochet and one knit.

3) a crocheted sheep

4) washcloths a plenty

5) cotton bibs from Mason Dixon knitting

I have been off of work the last few days. I got a cold this weekend and I sound terrible. I spent the whole day sleeping yesterday. Not a normal thing for me to take naps through out the day, so I figured that it was better for me to stay home today and finish getting better.

More later.

Happy Knitting

Hollywood or bust..

2006-12-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

Amy and I decided to have a fun new years eve this year, and we are spending it with a friend in Anaheim and then going to Hollywood for the evening. Last year we spent the night with me sleeping as I was sick as a dog!

I finished all my Christmas knitting it done last night. I used to love Noro Kureyon, and love knitting hats... but as of now... I am despising both!!! 7 hats in 8 days... ughhhh. No more hats... and right now... no more Noro... I thought I would never say that!

Oh.... my favorite Christmas gift I got of all... a ball winder... I also got a $25 joann's gift certificate... so if I plan correctly... with the coupons that i get from them... I can get a swift for $25 instead of the normal $70 price! YES!

I will post more later.... I am off to Chinatown... Maybe I can get some wonderful little trinkets....

Happy Knitting!

Wishing you the merriest...

2006-12-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

I just want to send a quick message out to my dear readers - Have a very Merry Christmas! I know it is kinda late but the sentiment is still the same. May God (or what ever higher power you believe in) bless you. Have a wonderful day tomorrow !

Happy Knitting !

2006-12-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

I didn't get asked by my secret pal - but don't want to face the wrath of the yarn yenta ;)

Here are mine -

1)oddest present - I think that would be a decoupage vase that has my name decoupaged all over it.

2) oddest present asked for - While not really odd - just not traditional - I have asked for a food processor, a food slicer and of course a ball winder and swift

3) oddest ever given - That goes this week - I am giving my girlfriend a hubcap - she bought a new car in July and then at the end of August someone crunched the front end of her in a parking lot and stole the hubcap. She has been continually saying for months now that she has to go and get a new hubcap (the insurance didn't cover that in the repair) So I am sick of hearing about it.... and ordered her a new one !

4)worst present - That would be from my cousin Debra - she gave me the south beach diet book one year and then the next year gave me a "how to find a man " book -- Mind you the extended family doesn't know that i have a girlfriend - *That is another story in itself!

Have a merry Christmas I will post of Christmas morning - if I remember to! Have a happy happy happy one !

Computer on the fritz...

2006-12-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

Our computer went down the other week. I should have posted from work - but I didn't want to take a chance with it. I have been knitting my hands off - I have about 3 presents left to do - so hopefully I can get them all done! I will have pictures to post when I am done with it all.

Yesterday my sisters and I spent the afternoon baking - we made over 2000 cookies - those are all going to be delivered in the next few days. I have a few to send to my secret pal! I am sending her a Christmas theme package tomorrow and i hope that she likes it! Got lots of little goodies in there.

Happy knitting

2006-12-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

I joined a gym this week. No real news to tell on that. I just had to do it. I was tired of looking at my fat butt getting fatter. These last few weeks for me has been a kind of rebirth. I had been letting myself go for a while, both mentally and physically. I got the mental part under control (or at least it is getting there) and now it is time for the physical part of me to get back under control. The surprising thing about this is that I had thought I would be quite sore after my first work out yesterday morning, but I was more tired from holding my nephew than spending an hour at the gym!

I am still knitting wash cloths. Nothing exciting about that. Sorry friends of the blog. Oh, I did finish a scarf the other day. It is really pretty. Didn't take me too long - It was knit on size 19's. Nothin' like instant gratification for me!

More later. Off to the gym and the grocery store. Have a good one! :)

2006-11-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

Maggie ( my little pup) had 6 teeth pulled this morning. She is on a lot of pain meds right now. Although, the teeth were barely held in. Actually, they popped right out. YUCKKKKK! That is the one cool thing about having a vet in the family. I got to watch my sis do surgery on my dog. Not something that most people would want to see, but hey, it was pretty interesting to see.

I had a doctors appt this morning too... I had the day off of work, I just don't ever have the urge to go back in and work after a well woman exam.

I am knitting wash cloths right now. NO big Christmas knitting. Just a few for friends here and there.

Every year on my dad's side of the family (for as long as I can remember) we have celebrated Christmas together on Christmas Eve with tamales and ham rolls and pie and a millon other good things to eat. Then we opened presents and have a grand ol time. Well, this year we are changing things up a little bit. We are doing Christmas Eve on the 23rd this year and have decided NO PRESENTS. To be honest.. it is a heck of a lot cheaper this way. And i get to spend Christmas eve with Amy this year. I always felt bad about going with out her. (That is another story for another post). But this year I think we are going to sit and enjoy the light of the Christmas tree and have a quite night alone. Then run around like Crazy chickens on Christmas day... We always do! :)

I got a lot of what I was looking for on Black Friday. There were a few things I couldn't get my hands on, but oh well, such is life right?

More later

Happy Knitting

two weeks?

2006-11-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Okay it really doesn't seem like it has been almost two weeks since my last post! Work has been crazy and after sitting in front of a computer for about 9 hours a day the last thing I want to do is to sit in front of this one at home.

Knitting for me is going well. I am working on a few little things for Christmas. Nothing big to undertake. I am excited about being able to go to the Fiber Factory again. I haven't been there in a while.. money has been to tight... and it is best to avoid all temptations!

My sister's and I are going to do Day-After Thanksgiving shopping again this year. Last year was awesome. We hit the three big stores last year seperately at 6:00 am. I was chosen to go to Wal-mart to get a power wheels for my sister. I was in and out of there by 6:20. Then back to Best Buy to pick up my older sister and off we went to Circuit city to meet my middle sister. She was out of there by 6:45...(would have been earlier had the sales person in the stereo area told her that she needed to pay for the sirius units. So, by 12:00 we had hit 14 different stores... It was amazing...
The best part of it all is on Thanksgiving... when we eating pie and looking through the ads. We then cut the ads up and make pages of all the stores we need to hit to. Then we cut apart the ads and paste them into little "purchase books" . When we get all the pages pasted up we decide on priorities and decide which three big ones we need to go to first and where we will meet up at.. no big bulky ads to carry around, no forgetting what we want to buy!

Well, that is about it for know! Happy Knitting!

2006-11-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

1. FIRST NAME? Rebecca
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? A girl in my sister's third grade class
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? today at the doctors office.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? On a good day. I get lazy though.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Chicken Salad
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would try to be but I would never call myself back.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? I blog. I used to journal all the time, but I got lazy about it.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep!
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Never
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? It depends on the mood I am in. I love gold old fashioned corn flakes though!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Not muscle strong. I used to be though. I am strong willed though.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Butter Pecan and Pecan Praline
14. SHOE SIZE? 10. My mom used to say " They put a better foundation on a church than they do an outhouse!".
5. RED OR PINK? I can go for both.. Hot pink though.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My lack of motivation.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mom and dad
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I stole it so... who ever wants to answer it can go ahead
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Barefoot. Grey yoga pants and a black tank top.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? 3 tamales.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A jet flying by.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? burnt umber... Don't know why
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Mexican cooking vanilla.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Crystal and I texted Amy to come home soon. I miss her.
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their shoulders
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Of course, she used to be my secret pal.
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Homemade hot cocoa
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Cheerleading.
29. EYE COLOR? Blue.
30. HAT SIZE? 7
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? When I am not working. My eyes get too dry from staring at the computer.
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Cheese Enchiladas.
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?I don't watch scary movies. But I roll my eyes at cheesy endings.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter of course... that is... if you would call what we have here a winter.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs. I like kisses but hugs make me feel secure.
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Pecan Pie.
38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I don't know!
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I really don't know about this.
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? no books right now. No patience for them. I did read a few pages in That's a fact Jack at the bookstore.
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? Don't have a mouse pad. The mouse works better on the hard desk.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? 3 episodes of the simpson's, The Family Guy and American Dad.
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Matt and Logan and Sheyenne Laughing. Amy laughing! my mom's old answering machine. It was sung to the song : 10 Little Indian's
One little, two little, three little Dewey's
Been Outside in the Cow pooies
Can't come in cause we're cleaning our shoe-ies.
Please leave your name and number...
And Kim Jones, tooooooo....
WE can't come to the phone right now,
so please leave your name number and detailed message
And we'll get back to you as soon as we can
Thank's for your call.
Bye...
( It was this horribly long message and we would get messages all the time that were just laughter... or we would answer the phone and it would be some stranger saying... they wanted us to not answer cause they were trying to have their friend listen to the message....or we would have messages saying " Oh my gosh what number did I just call. Dang it I can't remember, that was hilarious!".
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Too old for me. I would say the beatles though.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? South Carolina
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I can remember where I got all my yarn and how much I paid for it.
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Phoenix, Arizona
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? stolen from www.askatknits.blogspot.com

Happy Knittin!

2006-10-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry secret pal. I know I have been lousy about posting. I have been drained at work. I know that is a sorry excuse but it is the only one I have. After sitting in front of a computer, the last thing I want to do is to come home and sit in front of a computer. I will make a better effort and posting in the month of November.

I worked at the salon this weekend. I am dead tired from that. It is getting to the point where I don't like doing it anymore. If it wasn't for those few clients that I love with all my heart I wouldn't do it anymore.

I am working on a baby blanket for a friend of mine that is pregnant. It is done out of crochet squares. I think it is coming along nicely. I have some socks on the needles but I haven't really touched those lately. Too tired.

I am excited about going to the doctors office on the 5th. Nothing makes you appreciate a doctor more than not having health insurance for a year and a half! I figured it is my 27th year tune up... when I called in, the nurse asked what I needed done, my list was about 20 miles long of what needed to be done.

Well, I guess that is about it for today. Have a good weekend. Happy Knitting

2006-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have had a crazy week. Work is going well. I have been having good days and bad days. Not much else to really talk about for that. Amy is going camping this weekend with my brother in law and my other brother in law is taking my nephews camping on the other side of the state. So, this weekend we are going to have a girls weekend.

I am going to hit Ikea and look at the junk. Not that I need anything from there, but hey I will always find something that I can't live with out.

I am working on socks right now. I am using the Lime and Violet colorway (see post below) and I really like how it is turning out.

This post is a short one cause I gotta get to bed. I went home sick on Monday and I have to make up my hours through flex time...so, waking up at 5:30 is not my idea of fun!

Happy Knitting

2006-10-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

This that and not much else...

LIfe has been quite mundane for me these last few weeks. I haven't been able to find anyhting that I want to knit... I have tons of yarn, but no inspiration. All the patterns online I have seen a thousand times. I can't find anything motivating in my books and nothing in the magazines suit me.

I want to look at something and be inspired...and lately... nothin'....

Ah well that is life...

I am heading off to go clothes shopping. They sent down a memo for a new dress code last week and then gently reminded us that on friday that the dress code will be enforced on monday... Nice for them to do that on Pay day huh??? hmmmmm.

Off to shop
happy knitting

Secret Pal 9 questions

2006-10-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

- - - I have lots of "favorite" yarns. It really depends on my mood though. Right now my favorites are handpainted...any weight any brand. I am really an open book for this part. I like to try new things. I am willing to pick up a skein just because I haven't used it before.There are very few yarns that I really dislike... I can find a project for any yarn.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

- - - I have a needle case and a plastic bin for my circulars... but the real answer is that I store my needles in unfinished projects or on the guest bed/knitting pile!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

- - - I have been knitting since I was bout 15. But realy got back into about 6 years ago. I am 27 now. I would consider myself to be an intermediate/advanced knitter... I can do it the complicated stuff... it is just the motivation to finish it. Bonus points for you pal if you can find my pattern in a book that is out! (By all means it is not complicated at all....just a fun little thing to do!)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

- - - nope, unless you consider the ENTIRE patternworks catalog!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
- - - like lots of smells, just no patchouli or lavender

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

- - - milk chocolate... I am kind of a chocolate snob... after working in a chocolate store for a while, you become quite the snooty one regarding chocolates.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
- - - I have a spinning wheel. I like to spin. Am I good at it, no, but I still like to do it. I like to sew some things.. I can embroider... but knitting is my passion.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
- - - I listen to just about everything. I like all types of music except for
R & B.... ugggghhh. I prefer harder alternative, though...underground punk... but I listen to country, and bluegrass, and classical. and rap...if it has a good bass to I will listen to it.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
- - - I jump around on my colors. Right now i am in a blue phase, but i can see that ending soon. I like warmer colors... more jewel tones than anything. I like pastels, but not my favorites... again I tend to go more toward jewel tones.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

- - - I have a partner for 8 years. Her name is Amy. I have two cats (a sister and , brother... Pepper Ann and Moose) and a chihuahua (Maggie who is a true size chihuahua at a whopping 4.25 pounds) She is dang cute too! Not like most chihuahuas that people see! I promise!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
- - - I love scarves and mittens... although living in arizona I can't wear them that often... but oh. if it is 62 degrees out side you better believe I got a scarf on! Hats and ponchos... I look a little ridiculous in... So I don't bother...

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

-- Socks, I am really into lace right now. I am also fascinated with cables but don't really do them much.

13. What are you knitting right now?
- - - I am working on a pair of socks for socktoberfest and getting ready to start some Christmas knitting.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

- - - YESSSS!!!!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

dpns, or circs... bambo or Brittany needles. I really love the softness of them!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
- - GOD I WISH!!!!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

5 years?????

18. What is your favorite holiday?

- - - Christmas and fourth of July and of course my birthday... which sometimes coincides with Grandparent's day

19. Is there anything that you collect?
- - - does yarn count as a collection? we kind have a thing for the simpson's and I love Choco-cat

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
- - - no books that I have, have have to have... no subscriptions. I pick up interweave all the time, though

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I have really really really been wanting to get my hands on some fairisle. Real life fairisle, but either the budget is too tight or I can't find a pattern that i want to do at that time or no one to wear a pattern that would fit.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am a sock knitter. I have two pair going right now. A plain one and a nice lacy rib pattern

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 09-10

Secret Pal if you want to know any more about me, just give me a line and I'll definitely answer the q's!

Happy Knitting

soaking in a warm bath

2006-10-01T00:06:00.000-07:00

I would like that to be me right now. I am sore from being on my feet all day.. It is interesting how quickly you can adjust to sitting on the arse all day. But nope... I am sitting here typing... what is soaking you ask!?!?!?!?!?!?

Well it is my lovely Charlotte's Lace Shawl. I finished it this evening. The ends are woven in, and its sitting in a nice tub of warm water and waiting to be blocked. I am heading camping this weekend, so I might bring it along with me for some extra warmth.

I am having some problems deciding on a sock pattern. My heart wants me to work a pair of broadripples. They are my favorite sock, another part wants me to work some lovely lace socks and the other part of me just doesn't care right now. That is my focus this month. I am working on socks...

Well, socks and scarves. I am getting some Christmas scarves whipped up for a few of my friends. It's funny you know, there are people in my life where the only knitting I would do for them is quick and painless project. Then there are the other people who I would knit my death for... Interesting, huh?

Well, I think bath time is over.. I will get a picture of my shawl up as soon as I can.

Happy Knitting

yarn, yarn and more yarn and a book

2006-09-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

Things that I love:

1) socks.... wearing them, pairing them, knitting them. So I jumped on the band wagon and threw myself atop a few projects containing socks... the first one:

Socktoberfest...

I have fallen in love with my nano... we have had this talk before right... well, in the course of it all I have become smitten with these two lovely ladies...

LIME AND VIOLET....

and have joined the Lime and violet knitalong...

you just have to pick up this skein of yarn

And just for giggles... I picked up this fab skein

The color is called milk and honey.. Doesn't it look delicious?

Here are two color ways that I am coveting...

the first one is just because it is so bright and peppy... how could you not love it?

It is called Earth Birth... a fitting name I think...

And here is my favorite... and if I hadn't placed my order before I saw it I would have picked this one up, too... but it will have to wait..

The colorway is Wild Things... It reminds me of the book "Where the Wild Things Are"
by Maurice Sendak.

I know this book by heart... not that it is a hard read or anything but when my now 15 year old nephew was little we would have to read this book to him all the time.. I think we went through like 6 copies of the book. I just know that we had to read it at least three times every night before he went to bed.

Matt, my youngest nephew loves this book too! He is three and we are on the second copy of this book.

Well, I think that about filled it up for the evening... tomorrow.. I will give you the rating of the movie Jackasss 2, and tell you about the spinning wheel working again!

Happy Knitting. :)

60% angora, 20% Merino, 20% Nylon Hand Dyed

color and colinette

2006-09-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

I had to do it... I couldn't wait... I broke down and ended up coloring my own hair. I was sitting at work today and I realized that I hadn't had my hair colored since the beginning of May! This is an embarassment for a hairstylist. I had new growth of about 3 inches long... hideous! I couldn't foresee a time when I could get into the salon with one of the girls, so I just picked up the stuff from the beauty supply house and colored it myself. I just have to get my highlights done again, now... but ahh such is life...

I had a horrible day today. So, what is the best thing to do when life is crapola... buy yarn... I picked up some Colinette Parisienne. It is lovely.. not as lovely as my Kidsilk Haze... but it will do in a pinch :p

I am heading out tomorrow night to watch my niece's football game that she is cheering at. She asked me the other day if I wanted to and how could I pass down the opportunity to watch a Freshman Football Game???

Off to bed.. it was a long night.

interviews..

2006-09-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

I have an interview set for Wednesday for another job. I said a little bit the other day that I was having job issues. I was truly excited about going to work for this company, but the completely misled me on what the job was and what I am doing.

When I was hired on I was told that I would be doing medical billing and in reality, I am a bill collector. What is the difference? In standard medical billing, I would be billing insurance companies and dealing with explanations of benefits and stuff like that. In bill collecting, I talk mostly to private payors who owe on their bill because of deductibles, co-pays, etc etc etc and try to collect money. So... There is a big difference... If I had wanted to be a bill collector, I would go to work at the phone co. again.

I am getting this feeling that I will never get my Charlotte's web shawl done. Every time I get into it, I end up having to back track a few rows to correct a mistake. I don't know why this pattern is getting to me so badly. Actually, it is one row that is killing me every time... AAARRRGGGHHH. I don't know what I can do to make this row better for me. Ugh. I will be really happy with it when I am done, I loved the colorways that I used and I know that this pattern is teaching me patience.

It looks like that is about it for now.

Happy Knitting.

web master

2006-09-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am on my last two color ways with the Charlotte's Web Shawl. I am hoping to have it done by this weekend. It's all crunched up on a circular needle so I don't really know the true size of the thing.

I am having some job issues right now... I was a little misled when I was told what my position was and now what I am actually doing. But on the positive front, I have been playing phone tag with a woman from another job. So, we will see where that takes me.

Such is life... :)

Happy Knitting.

Lala Land

2006-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

I finished my Lala scarf last night. I will get a pic up of it as soon as I can. It was a really quick and easy knit. The picot/loop edge was a little time consuming but pretty none the less. It definitely adds that touch that it needs. I am ready to cast on for another one today. I love this scaf... I am thinking about making it a little bit bigger, but I wanted to make it as the pattern was written before I started my own alterations to the pattern.

I am kitten sitting today. My sister spayed a cat the other day that was about 4 days away from giving birth and the owner didn't want to wait and didn't want the kittens. My sister wasn't go to just let them die. I love my sister for being like that. She has known that she wanted to be a vet since she was about 8 years old and she is living her dream.

These little kittens are so dang cute and tiny. There are only two of them that have made it through out of 5. But these little guys are piggy pigs. I will have Amy take a picture of them tomorrow when she is sitting for them.

happy knitting.

Great things that happened on September 10th!

2006-09-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share with you some great things... big and small that happened on September the 10th...

General Interest
1981 : GUERNICA RETURNED TO SPAIN:
1608 : Smith to lead Jamestown
1813 : The Battle of Lake Erie
1977 : The guillotine falls silent

American Revolution
1776 : Nathan Hale volunteers to spy behind British lines

Automotive
1897 : First DWI arrest is made
1921 : Ayus Autobahn opens

1942 : FDR mandates gas rationing

Civil War
1861 : Engagement at Carnifex Ferry

Cold War
1989 : Hungary allows East Germans refugees to leave

Crime
1977 : Serial-killing couple meets

Disaster
1976 : Jets collide over Zagreb

Entertainment
1933 : Jimmy Durante's radio show debuts
1993 : X-Files premieres
1993 : Final episode of Late Night with David Letterman

Literary
1941 : Stephen Jay Gould is born

Old West
1881 : Tensions grow in Tombstone, Arizona, after a stage coach robbery

Presidential
1833 : Andrew Jackson shuts down Second Bank of the U.S.

Vietnam War
1963 : President Kennedy gets mixed signals
1964 : President Johnson sends signal to both North and South Vietnamese

Wall Street
1833 : Battle over the Bank
1984 : Mondale falls short
1992 : Tax cut proposal falls short

World War I
1919 : New York City parade honors U.S. soldiers from World War I

World War II
1940 : British War Cabinet reacts to the Blitz in kind

Phoenix, Arizona
1979 : Rebecca Lynne Dewey was born

goodbye summer...

2006-09-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

My summer break is now over... I am back to the world of the employed!!!!!!!! yay!

I start on Tuesday and I can't wait. I get tons of benefits and lots of other good things about the job. The best part about it... I didn't even have to settle for what I was asking for pay. I told them and they said okay. That it was in their range. Whew.

I am off to try to work on my Lala Scarft. Kat had suggested the idea that we start a knitalong, soooo... it was officially started this morning...

www.lalaknitalong.blogspot.com

Tell your friends. I will try to get something posted on their this afternoon for it.
I am not really all that good with blog stuff, so I may have my nephew help me out a little bit with it. :)

Happy Knitting.

oh la la

2006-09-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

After reading kat's post here about socks from the Knit Cafe book, I decided to check it out...

Well, thanks to my lovely stash of some Rowan Kidsilk Haze in these fab colors...

I am going to turn it into this lovely little shawl/wrap.

I am in love with Kidsilk and have been trying and trying to find some patterns to work it in, but nothing really seems to work for it for me!

I had a couple of interviews today, so we will see how that goes. I had a really good first interview and an okay second interview. Two different companies. Both good options avail for me, so we shall see how it goes.

Happy Knitting!

The most wonderful time of the year?!?!

2006-09-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's that time again... Christmas knitting.... I always say that I won't do it, but here I am ready to go again.

I was once asked if we give at Christmas time because we feel that it is the right thing to do? That we are in the giving season. But I think for most knitters the giving season is year round. I mean, how many socks, hats, scarves, gloves, purses, can you knit for yourself without A) feeling slightly selfish and B) looking kinda like a weirdo because you are decked out in a knitted ensemble. Hmmm.

I told Amy that I wasn't going to Christmas Knit. I made her promise not to let me do it, but here I am going behind her back and doing it anyways.... I guess that there could be worse things to do!

Here is my list:

Amy
Kim
Lindsay
Martha
Crystal
Amber
Austin
Matthew
Sheyenne
Pat
Liz
Nikki
Amy's Grandparents
My Grandparents
Michelle
Jenn

I don't think that this is too shabby of a list.... I am going to stick to pretty much easy stuff. I am kinda in a scarf mood lately. Leave it to me to be a few seasons behind right?

I have found a few patterns that I want to try out and I figured that this was as good of time as any!

Happy knitting.

a quiz

2006-09-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

So, what is the best thing to do, when you have a limited income because one of the two in the relationship is currently jobless?

A) scrimp and save and buy all of your groceries at the 99 cent store
B) decide to claim yourself as non profit and stop paying taxes on anything
C) sell all of your earthly goods, because you see it as a sign to go granola
D) buy an new couch set

If you answered D then you are correct. It was kind of a whim, kind of a planned thing, but either way, we got a smokin deal on it. We got it at Biglots. They carry the Ashley furniture from last season, and because I am not a slave to the sofa fashion world, we got a smokin' deal. For the fab price of $755.00, we got a couch, loveseat and ottoman! Sweet huh?

Knitting is going well, I have gotten quite far on my Charlotte's lace shawl! I will have to get a pic of that up when I can!

Happy Knitting!

I'm walking in a spider web...

2006-08-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was on row 90 something of my Charlotte's Web Shawl and found that I had made massive mistakes. So, being the person that I am I ripped it out from beginning. Why? Well, I had this one colorway that had this horrible pinky salmony color in it. Horrible! So, after getting two new balls fo koigu I started again. Only here I am, once again back tracking my knitting to figure out where I made my newest mistake at. ARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH! But, I think it is only two rows back and that isn't too bad. I really think that I am going to try out running a "saver thread" through after each color section.

I wasd also gifted a ball of yarn today called margarita. Not my colors of true choice, but seeing how i am not one to turn down free yarn I snatched it up. I know a lovely little 5 year old that will think the colors are fabulous.

Off to try to get my scarf corrected. Don't feel to much like telling of the job hunt, to lame to talk about it today... :)

Happy Knitting!

Crapotis

2006-08-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

I had one of those throw it to the ground I am done with knitting moments the other day. I was not able to get the jaywalker socks right. I was always having one extra stitch, then I would have to go back and couldn't figure out where the heck the problem was.

My CRAP-otis is sitting in my knitting bag, because some how i ended up with more stithces and rows that I needed for a drop stitch, which, by the way, I've dropped 8 rows of that so far. I have yet to have the patience to take that back, I mean how do you pick up dropped stitches that are all they way down. Do I even dare to try that?

I also was covered in webds the other day, from this lovely little number I some how added an extra stitch once again. So, I was half way unknitting my rows of mistakes and after dropping stitch after stitch after stitch, I said screw it and threw it on the ground mid row. It is still there this morning. I know that i need to go pick it up but dang it... i am just too proud right now.

Laundry is on my list of things to do today. I thought that not having a job would me be more motivating for me to clean the apartment, but nope, I am perfectly content to sit on the couch and watch the t.v.

On the job front, a guy from the staffing agency and I are playing phone tag. He has said that he has a couple of things for me, so we will see how that goes.
I also got a call from my old boss at Western. He had told me of a position open for what I was doing with another company and that he would give the guy my name.

So, we will see where that leads me. I am kinda enjoying this little vacation though.

Happy Knitting

Love Loss.

2006-08-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

After haveing two wonderful months at my job, the company that bought ours out decided that it didn't need all of us. In a company of about 250 they took around 35. I of course was not one of those lucky people.I am trying to make the best of this and am seeing it as a motivator to get my house clean and what not. I have applied to what seems like a million jobs these last few days. So, hopefully I will learn something in the next few weeks.

And of course, how life always works that way, I come home, check my mail and I have a present from my secret pal! It was filled with lots of fab goodies... I got some lovely
Regia sock yarn in this colorway

I love this color! I have socks already in mind to make it. My secret pal wanted to know if I liked Regia and yes yes yes I do... I prefer that over every other yarn type for socks. Maybe it is the part German in me... who knows!

I also got this little bad boy...

I am super excited about this cause I was going to head to the store this weekend to buy some more!

The box was filled with lots more goodies... a yummy lime smelling candle.. It is lit right now! Powerful and great smelling! Some lip balm, a great eyemask, a little carryall sack, a notepad with fruit on it, tres cute and its going on the fridge, and a cool bookmark...

Ooooh. I also got to find out who my secret pal is...

www.purse-ho.com

Thank you Pal! I loved everything I got from you! I will get pics of those socks up when i get to working on them!

Off to work on junk around the house. Happy Knitting

A pea in the iPod.

2006-08-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Wooo hooo.

I had been having a really craptastic week and my dear love decided to make my weekend with this lovely little present.

I am the proud new owner of a Nano. Love it love it love it. Work was a breeze today with this little guy in hand...

I am working on Clapotis. I started dropping stitches the other day, but as usual Becky style I got called into socks. It always happens that way doesn't it?

I want to finish Clapotis though. It is calling me... :)

I am getting ready to send a package out to my secret pal. She loved the last one that I had sent to her, so I hope that this one is going to go off rather well. I have a few more things that I want to add to it, but that has to wait for payday friday! Of course, being from Arizona I have to send her a cactus. I know that a lot of people think that they won't be able to grow a cactus outside of the state but my mom's aunt who lived in Iowa had the best method of watering the plant. She would watch the weather and if it rained in Arizona, then she watered the cactus. If not, it didn't get watered. The last I heard a few months back it was still growing strong and it was brought back to Iowa in the 70's.
Pretty Nifty huh?

Well, that is pretty much it for today. I have to get to bed. I have a long day tomorrow. Well, not quite that long, I do have my Nano to keep me entertained!

Happy Knitting.

2006-08-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

I am heavily working on clapotis. I am a few rows short of getting to the dropping part... I know I know what the heck am I doing sitting here typing on the computer when I am that close right?????????????

Truth is... I am exhausted. I went over and did a friends hair tonight...actually, it was hers, her husbands and the two boys hair...after working all day... I am poooped and I want to be able to throughly enjoy what I am going to do!

Maggiel, my chihuahua, has been clinging to me like nobody's business lately, so her and I are meeting my brother in law tomorrow and I get to watch my nephew while he does
ninjitsu practice.

If you happen to really look through the site.... he is so not that crazy about it... he keeps telling me that I should do it but I keep telling him nah.... Matt (my nephew) loves it cause daddy is a ninja and that is cool....

I picked up a copy of this book the other day

I have a ton of people in my life that are getting ready to pop out kids and I want something easy to do...

Well that is about it for today... Happy Knitting :)

2006-08-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry for such a late post. I have been going through a little hecticness at work this last few weeks. The wonderful company that I was to finally feel settled at, has massive issues right now. I am not feeling too much of going into the details so I will just pass over the junk.

I have decided to jump on the clapotis band wagon, yep, I know it is a litte behind, but hey, a girl has to do it once right? I have some Beautiful Noro Silk Garden that I am using for it...

Of course the computer never does justice to the beautiful color.

I am also getting ready to start making Amy some socks. She has decided that she doesn't really want a sweater anymore right now, so I can at least give her socks...
Plain Vanilla (okay plain grey socks) but still its knitting...

I will post more later...I have promised to do laundry and clean up my yarn mess.

Since U Been Gone....

2006-08-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

I went to the Kelly Clarkson concert last night. Mostly out of a charity case for my sister, who didn't want to be ditched by a group of 13 year olds. And of course, she was right, the minute they got there, they booked it. I thought the concert was going to be quite, well American Idol-fantastic.... But the girl can sing! I am not sure how many people out there are really into her pop music, but the concert aspect was awesome.

For those who haven't been to Cricket Pavillion, it is a total train wreck of a place for a concert. It is outdoors, the seat are horrible and it has a huge lawn area, but if you don't sit in just the right place for the lawn area you can't see squat of the concert. Luckily, we got a pretty good seat in the lawn section.

There was this little pad thing sitting out in the lawn area that hadn't been there before and most people thought that it was for cameras or something, but during her last two songs, she actually came to the lawn area and sang. It was pretty cool. My niece was having a heart attack because she was like 10 feet away from her with her friends. All in all, a pretty good concert.

I am tired and ready to go back to bed, but alas, work calls... I was going to hit some overtime in but not today, I am tooooo sleepy. :(

Happy Knitting. More to report Later.

honey, I am home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-07-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter how well you know someone. There is nothing like being in the comfort of your own home. I mean lived with my sister just a few months back but how quickly I adjusted to living on my own again. I think that most of it was the long drive to and from work every day. I would leave the house at about 5:45 and not get home til about
7:30 every night.

My niece is coming over on Sunday and I am going to use her as cheap labor. She wants money and I want a clean house, so we have come to an agreement that she is going to come over and clean up my apartment on Monday while I am at work and I am going to come home to a clean kitchen, bathrooms and vacuumed floor! YAY!!!!

This week the Yarn Harlot is coming to Phoenix, and I am going to be there! I bought her books the week they came out and have devoured them all! I can't wait!

I bought a book today that is quite cute. It is all knitted toys. Tres Cute.

Have a great weekend and Happy Knitting!

mi casa es su casa

2006-07-15T21:45:00.000-07:00

I am house sitting again for my sister. She is lounging in the warm sun of Hawaii.
And here I am stuck in Phoenix with 115 degree weather and a heat advisory. Although, I do get to swim in her pool, so I guess that it makes up for it.

Amy and I have had a pretty expensive day today. On Tuesday, she went to take the Escape in to get it ready for emissions. It had been doing this chugging thing for a little while and she figured that it better be taken care of before it was emissions time. Well, it turns out that it was the computer and it was going to cost about 1500 bucks to fix. Her brother in law, who is rather car savvy told her it would be better in the long run for her to get a new car. So, today she is the proud owner of a new NEW new Ford Fusion. Wait, what is that you say.... Yes I did talk a few months back about an Amy getting a fusion. Yes... my sister and my girlfriend, same named, have the same car. Anyway, she got a pretty good deal on it and we got more for the trade in on the Escape than we thought that we would so it works out in the end.

In about a month we are going to head over to Anaheim, CA. She has a pal that lives over there and we are going to invade her apartment. I am also going to get myself a lovely little birthday present at that time too! We will be passing by the Coach outlet and I have decided that I am going to work overtime and get my self a two or three seasons passed Coach purse.... I have always wanted one and I figured that I could get it if I work over time. Also, if I get it at the outlet, I can't go and have buyers remorse and return it. It will be mine forever.

It also looks like we are going to hit Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend. I know, I know what am I thinking. But hey, I will have a three day weekend and an extra paycheck that week, so I am willing to go and do it. There are a few of us going so hopefully that will make the rates of the rooms a wee bit cheaper.

Secret Pal, I have started knitting up the yarn you gave me. I love it. Thank you so much for thinking of me and sending me something I have wanted to try out. I like the pattern that you sent out too, although, I am waiting to use that on another yarn I have sitting in my stash!

I am working a few secret small projects to give to a couple of friends that read this so I can't really talk too much about them. I can say, though, that they are way cool!

I hope that everyone has a good week

Happy Knitting.

wooo hoooo!

2006-07-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

A big fat thank you goes out to my secret pal. I was going to try to get some photos up but of course I dug into everything and well, it isn't very pretty to take a picture of a half used bar of soap and a dirty washcloth.... Okay

I made this sound horrible but my sercret pal sent me a super yummy smelling bar of soap Lemongrass. I could smell it outside the package. and a hand knit washcloth to go with it and this fabulous ball of yarn from fiesta yarns in a color way called quince. She also included a pattern to go with it!

Thanks again secret pal. I will post more later but I gotta hit the sack. work is coming super early tomorrow.

wedding bell blues? Nope not me!

2006-07-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, they did it. My friend who never thought she was going to be married, tied the knot last night. She was a beautifull blushing bride. For all the craziness that it was befor hand, it went pretty smoothly during the ceremony and the reception. The only real misshap of the night was my dress strap breaking! Of course, with the dress how it was I didn't have any thing holding me up so when I went to hug a friend I hadn't seen in a while, I almost gave him a full show. Thankfully someone had a safety pin! But of course the night wore on!

So, I picked up a few items at the Fiber Factory sale. *(AMY I REALLY DIDN'T SPEND ALL THAT MUCH ON IT and it was a super deal!!!!) A skein of allhemp 6 to play with, a couple of skeins of Debbie Bliss silk and a skein of silk kaalund to send to my secret pal.

Speaking of secret pals... I am sorry... I was just told today that I was sent a package. My office left a note on my door and when I read my comments I saw that you had asked if I received anything.. I haven't been home when they are open so I will get it as soon as possible. I am soooo excited about getting it! YAY!!!!! I will post pics of it when I open it! I can't wait!

I am off to bed. I was too tired to finish this the day I wrote it, I had to save it in draft and complete it on monday. I wish you all a happy independence day... this is my favorite of all holidays!

Happy Knitting~

bachelorette bust...

2006-06-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Last night we had my pals bachelorette party. What was to be a fun night out for the girls ended up being a regular night at a game place. A few of us had tried to convince her to go to other places but she really wanted to go to Jillian's. (A game place with a restaurant and bowling alley and club.)

Five of us started the night at the restuarant and when I sat down to the table that the waitress had moved up, there was a used bandaid on the table. AAAAAAAHHHH!!! DISTGUSTING I KNOW!!!!!! We got our drinks for free and I got my dessert for free ( I was going to be one of the DD's)

We went up to the game place upstairs and about 20 minutes into playing skeeball and other games like that one of the girls had to go home cause her boyfriend locked his keys in their car. She didn't drive so one of the other girls took her home and five were down to three. Well, about an hour after that the Bride says that she is bored and wants to go home. Still sick with a horrible cold, I thought it was a good call!

I saw my grandma today. She is getting kind of senile, it is kind of depressing. My nephews just had their birthdays and she gave all of us birthday cards, because she couldn't remember when anyones birthday was. She forgot who we were a couple of times and didn't remember who Matt was half the time. My grandpa is going deaf and between the two of them it was a tiring morning.

I came home and took a nap. I don't know when I am going to get rid of this cold. It has been raging on strong. I just want to feel good again. : (

I was working on some arm warmers but I am not too crazy about them. I am thinking about ripping them out. I have one about 1/2 way done but I think that I found something better than armwarmers to knit.... HMMMMMM...

Here I was trying not to have a blah and sad post and yet, here it was.. I promise the next time I write it will be a little more upbeat!

Happy Knitting.

knitting and other stuff.

2006-06-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

I got hit with the update your blog email. Sorry about that... secret pal especially...

I have been down with a horrid cold/sinus infection. And of course I can't do anything about it but sit here and suffer. No insurance means no meds... My Dr. charges about 120.00 bucks a visit.

I think that this cold thing is Karma. Just about two weeks ago Amy and I were having a lovely little discussion on federally paid health insurance. She said that yeah we would have to pay a little more in taxes but we would be able to be seen when we needed with out the fear of a visit costing us an arm and a leg. In my then healthy mind, body and voice, I said, " Well, I see where you are coming from, but what about healthy people like me, I shouldn't have to pay out my butt for other people's sicknesses"!

IT IS KARMA!!!!

The FIBER FACTORY is having it's first ever inventory sale and don't you know who is going to be there on the first night... THIS GIRL! I only wish that I could take off early from work to go... ahhh that would be heaven... So, withe me saying this... we all know who is going to be breaking their no yarn buying policy. (Amy, I know that you read this some times, so please forgive me for what i am going to do on Tuesday... I know that you understand!)

Well, I have to head to work this morning... I am just working on soem socks and some arm warmers for my super duper mega cold office... Will post more about that later..

Sorry about such a crappy post last week. I didn't mean to sound so blech... Happy Day and happy knitting!

2006-06-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

There is really not too much to post about. Work is going well. I am actually starting to understand things a little bit better now.

Knitting is going pretty good too! I am working on a few projects (of course!). I ripped out a purse that I had knit from a pattern of my own design. I wasn't that crazy about the pattern and it was Noro. You can't waste that stuff!
I am almost finished with it. I have the handle left to do and then to sew it up. I am also working on a shawlette and some socks.

I had a really bad day today so I am going to keep this post short. I don't want to go into a rant about bad things and I am afraid I will do that! I will try to post later.

Happy Knitting!

I want the comfy chair...

2006-06-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

day 2 of my new job is going well. I am getting my feet wet still. I hate the chair that I am in. It is so dang uncomfortable. Most of the people around me have these horribly comfortable chairs and it feels like I am sitting on a rock. I think that when I am there for more than 2 days I will say something about getting a better chair. My cubicle is at the edge of an open walkway, so I am free for everyone to see. I understand my positioning, I will eventually have to walk around to see people and people will come and see me but it does kind of suck having yourself out in the open like that. The worst part...it is right by a VP's office. So I really can't goof off at all. Not like I would have the chance. We are so backlogged from only having one person doing the job it is not even remotely funny.

Stash reduction

Phase 1:

ORGANIZATION

I am almost organized with everything. I have my yarn sorted out by colors and then also by weights. mostly my sock, lace and novelty yarns are seperated. I am hoping to have it completed by the end of the week. I stopped counting how much yarn I have. It was making me sick to my stomach. I think I am going to list a few things on ebay or else make a lot of stuff on size 19 needles.

Okay before anyone starts to think that knitting isn't about the process for me, they are quite wrong. I just have horrible start-itis. I will find that if something isn't working out quite how I expected then I a) leave it and move on or b) rip it out and move on.
Socks will always be there for me as process knitting. I can not find anything more pleasurable to knit than a pair of socks.

I will leave on that happy little note..

Happy Knitting

box office...

2006-06-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I had my first day at Western Medical.
It went fairly smoothly, the person that was to train me was out sick today so, I got taught some basic stuff and worked on this and that. I got a good half hour of knitting time in today at lunch. I forgot what it is like to get a real lunch. A girl could get used to this kind of thing.

Okay, so I did something that I said I wasn't gonna do. I bought some yarn. It just kind of happened. But seriously, that is the last skein I am buying for a while. I mean it. I can't help it if I get stuff given to me though. That is far beyond my control.

Amy put me up to a challenge. She told me that if I work up 75% of my stash I can get this as a fabulous prize....

So, I have to do a count up of what I have over the next couple of days. She is getting tired of computer room being covered in yarn. I can't really blame her, it is getting to be a lovely little wreck.

The only disclaimer that she put on this challenge was that it had to all finished. No little half projects here and there... they had to be done. So, here is my game plan.

A) yarn that I know that I won't use and I am holding on to for whatever reason I don't know is going to be sent to nursing homes or the goodwill.

b) yarn that I am willing to part with for cash will be done as such

c) yarn that I will give to my sister or friends will be sent out

d) all the rest I will take inventory of that and work on getting that knit up.

See my little slyness here. I am getting rid a lot of it with little or no effort on my part... [insert evil laugh here] MWWAAAAHHHHH

well off to do the dishes. I can't see my countertop!

Happy KNitting

ouch!

2006-06-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

I am recovering from a lovely little sunburn from Tueday. Sheyenne (my niece) was over and we went out to the pool. I haven't had real sun exposure in about 5 years so I was a little tender when we went back in. Not that I was horribly pastey but I after learning that skin cancer runs really bad in our family I decided it was better to not be in the sun all the time.

I have decided on my next knitting project. I am going to work on a lace shawl. It is from the knitting calender 2006. The South Slocan shawl. The pattern calls for dk weight but I think that i'm going to knit in lace weight. I have the yarn, and it needs to be knit up.

I really have to go through my yarn this weekend. I have so dang much of it. It just keeps piling up. MOre and more and more and more and more. Amy asked me if I had bought any more yarn since we have moved back in together and I could lie. I just said well... a few skeins. But here is the list of yarn that has entered the house since I have...

10 skeins of blue skye alpaca chunky (20.00 total)
5 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca DK weight (20.00 total)
2 skeins of misc red multi wool (3.00 total)
6 skeins of Eros all multi color (I GOT THESE FOR A DOLLAR EACH!!!!)
12 skeins of Brown Sheep sport weight wool ( I GOT THESE FOR A DOLLAR EACH!!!!)
2 skeins cascade fixation ( I splurged on these)
1 skein of hand dyed cotton lace weight ( a splurge as well)
1 skein of lace weight green yarn ( on sale but forgot the price)
10 skeins of knit one crochet too 18 karat ( 20.00 total)
5 skeins of Ironstone Fun wool in (20.00 total for that one)
2 skeins of Ironstore Super Rayon Chenille (10.00 total)
2 skeins of Berroco Foliage ( 3.00 total)
6 skeins of some tape like stuff that i got a for a buck each

and 4 skeins to send over to my secret pal.

Okay So I have a serious yarn buying problem. I have made a vow that i am not going to get anymore yarn...(unless it is a smokin deal!!!) until I have at least these skeins listed above knit up. Man I gotta get working!!!!!!!!!
This won't do much for my previous stash but it will cut it down a bit... I have overflowed on my yarn stash once again... GRRR> How does this always happen to me? I do knit. But maybe I am buying more than I am knitting. I realized the other day that i have a yarn buying problem when a friend went to open up the little cubby between my two front seats and said... there is yarn in here... I without blinking said... "
"yea cause Amy would freak if she saw that I got more yarn!" Mind you there are 10 skeins in the trunk of the car being hidden as well in a dark bag.

I remeber when I was working at Macy's and I would get women in who would pay for their items in cash or partly on cards so that there SO's didn't find out. Or ask for them in multiple bags so they didn't have to bring in stuff all at once.

I HAVE BECOME THE WOMEN THAT I PITIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully this weekend I can get this all under control and live a happy yarn life.

I think that I am going to be working up a lot of scarves over the next few weeks... and purses too!

Happy knitting my friend...

2006-05-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

I had Martha's bridal shower today. It seemed to go pretty good. The only thing that really was bad about it was that half of the bridal party didn't show up to it. One of the girls had to work. That is understandable. But the other one... I don't know. I doubt I will ever know about that one.

I have hit a full knitting slump. It seems that I do this around this time of year. I wonder why that is. Hmmmm. I have been getting a great plethora of yarn though... Which I still have to go through and clean out some things. I think that in a couple of weekends I will have my neice over to go through it all with me.

I didn't go and get the Koigu. I wanted to but since I really didn't have the time to get over there I just said forget about it.

Ahh well... that is life ... I am going to try and get a few pics of the shower up tomorrow.
I hope that life is going good for anyone who reads this...

Happy Knitting

say hello to the newly employed

2006-05-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

I got a job offer on Wednesday and I took it. They also offered more than I was expecting, too. So that was a total bonus! I start on June 5th, and am looking forward to it. I have decided to stay working at the salon on every other Saturday. Don't know how well that will work, but hey, I will give it a try.

Had my niece's gradution today. Man does the school know how to make it quick. We were in and out of there in about an hour and 10 minutes for 150 kids. Not too shabby.

I have to send off a little something to my secret pal tomorrow. I know that she is probably waiting for something...

Happy Knitting

2006-05-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Finishing up the last few hours of my house sitting. Actually, the housesitting is over, I am just waiting til Amy gets off work to head back home. She and I only took 1 car out over the weekend and she had to work today.

I have a dilemma. I had a horrible experience at a certain yarn store and had told myself that I wouldn't go back there, but then they have Koigu on sale for 25 percent off. I feel that if I go I would be letting my morals down, but then again where do you find Koigu for 25% off? Oh, what to do what to do.

I have to finish getting all the junk together for Martha's bridal shower. I hope that it goes off well. We will see though.

Tomorrow Amy and I are doing a little bit of housecleaning and some dumping of material goods. We had been talking the last couple of days about getting rid of material posessions but we both know that we couldn't do that with everything. So, we both decided that we will rid ourselves of a few things at a time. Tomorrow, I am getting rid of some home decor that is just sitting in boxes, yarn (actually I am going to crochet it up and donate the squares to charity), and a lot of the clothes in my closet. Amy said that she is going to get rid of computer stuff, like games and cd's that she doesn't need anymore, clothes and books.

I think that is a good start for us. It seems lately that we have both been wanting to find a bigger meaning in our lives. Amy says that it isn't religion, cause she has had that and it didn't give her any answers. I personally think that we need to find our spiritual selves. But more on that later.

happy knitting.

2006-05-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

My job interview went rather well. I haven't heard anything back from them yet. I hope that I get a position. I really need it. Hopefully they will call me on Monday or Tuesday. We will see, though.

I am house-sitting for my middle sister this weekend. I am in charge of watching two greyhounds, a great dane puppy that is 8 months old, 3 cats, a cow and two alpacas. I brought my little Maggie along with me to enjoy the time. It is so funny how a little 4 pound chihuahua with no teeth can whoop a great dane that weighs about 90 lbs into submission. Ellie knows that Maggie is the boss. No doubt about it.

I am working on a bag from the one skein book. I wanted something that I could get done over the weekend and it looks as though I will have it done...

I will post more later.

Happy Knitting

2006-05-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have a job interview on Thursday. I am not too sure how well it will go for me. It is for a medical supply place. I am not crazy about the job, but I will stick to it. I mean Amy and I can always use the extra cash so it is better that way.

I am heading off to my sister's house today. I am helping her and my niece get a school project done. She is like all the rest of us Dewey girls. Procrastinators. She decided that she wanted to do a quilt for her extra credit project.. Although I don't know why they named it extra credit when the whole class was required to turn something in.. but anyways, she decided she wanted to work on a quilt and it has to be on the planet mars. I helped yesterday with getting it to look pretty good. We found some tye-dye fabric that looksquite Mars-esque. We just have to finish sewing it up tonight, and sew on the stars.

More to type later.

2006-05-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

I headed off to a new yarn store today. The owner was quite nice. Not much inventory there yet, but they are building on it. It was kind of hodgepodged together with cabinets and shelves but definitely cute.

Didn't do too much today, I wasn't in the mood. I am not normally the kind of person who gets all depressive about holidays and junk, but this Mother's day was hard on me for some reason. I know i have mentioned this one before, but will remind and update for the new readers out there. Both my parents have passed away. My dad passed nearly 10 years ago and my mom passed just over 6 years ago.

My mom had a very complicated death. She did die suddenly in her sleep but she went through a lot of medical problems for about 7 months before she died. It started a few years before hand. She stepped on a nail while outside and while not normally a really big issue for most people, she had diabetes. My mom was a little bit overweight but she was taking care of herself, her diabetes was under control and had no other really main problems. But as with a disease like that the small little wound on her foot became a full blown ulcer in the matter of two months. She was working with the doctor to try and get it healed but it wasn't healing and it was seeming to get worse. The doctors thought that it was mostly beacause there was something on the nail. It ended up being that they decided to amputate. She lost all five of her toes and a little bit of her foot. It was a little strange to see but she was still able to walk and drive and do most things. But unfortunately the doctor missed some of the infection and it festered. But it didn't show itself outside at least not yet. It worked its litte heart out on the inside slowly working up the my mom's leg and when my mom went to the hospital one October for a violent case of the flu, it worsened. Not to go into a lot of details, but the wound came back to the open and by the time the doctors really took a look at it it had gone almost to her knee.

She spent the next few weeks in and out of the hospital and then 2 days after thanksgiving in 1999, my aunt saw her leg and took her to the emergency room. (again not going into too much detail) they had her leg cut from the end of her foot up to her knee. She stayed like that for over a month before they worked on it. Becauase all the tissues had dried out they had to amputate. It was heartbreaking but my mom was strong. She never let it affect her. She worked hard at rehab and was ready to take on life again. Unfortunately the wound wasn't, she had to start going to hyperbaric treatments every day for 6 weeks. To heal the wound from the inside out. My mom passed away sometime in the middle of the night the day before her last treatment. She had the appointment later that afternoon to get fitted for a prosthetic. It was quite sudden. The death certificate says that it was from heart failure but we never found out for sure. There was an issue about getting an autopsy done but it didn't matter. my sisters and I could have fought for one but one of my uncles told us that we had to think about what our mom would want us to do. We all decided that it wasn't worth it. That our mom's memory was more important to us than a sheet of paper.

I hope that I didn't make this too much of a depressing post. I was just having a hard time this Mother's day. I don't know where it came from but I had to get it out. I will leave with this fab photo of my mom. It was her senior year in high school. I love this picture of her. She looks so young and sweet. I really look like her in this photo.

2006-05-08T09:20:00.001-07:00

Not too much to really report today. I am on my weekend today. The nice thing about being a hairstylist is having Monday's off. I get to have a full day of peace and quiet and be able to go to stores with out fighting the usual weekend crowd. I woke up quite early and got my grocery shopping done in about 30 minutes. We hadn't done actual grocery shopping in about a week or so and the cupboards were looking rather bare!

TOd ay is housecleaning day. It is also the day that i wish that I could afford a house cleaner. How two people can make so much clutter is beyond me! I have knitting strewn all across the guest bed, the couch, next to the couch, on the kitchen table, on the counter, and then my bead stuff in the corner on the dining room. Amy has her music all over the place. CD's lying here and there, a bass by the door, an amp in the living room and cords all over the place. The best thing about this that we pick up after ourselves most of the time. I can't imagine what the place would look like if we didn't.

Sometime this week I have to go out and get some shoes for this

Martha is getting married on July 1st and since she doesn't care what our shoes look like we have decided on getting silver. We think that they would look best with it! I didn't really want such a high heel on it but I don't want to have to pay to get the dress altered. The only part that didn't really fit on it was the length and I thought with a higher heel I could get away with it. Here are my choices so far.

We shall see, we shall see. I might get them on and fall on my face! That would be hilarious!

I guess that is enough here. I have to get the house cleaned cause I told Amy that I would type here paper up for her. So she doesn't have to do it and 10:00 tonight

Happy knitting

Answers... I got your stinkin' answers....

2006-05-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

So,I realized that this title seemed a little silly but i don't really care all that much. I like it so it sticks. I have decided to join the SP 8. Golly..I know I was out of the knitting world for a little while, but it didn't seem like that much time had passed to make it 8! Ah well, time flies when you are marooned in Fabulous Rainbow Valley... I really need to get a picture of that up for people to really see how far out I really was from the Phoenix area. But here I am rambling... let me get back on topic....

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I really don't have too many "favorites". I like a good wool, a good rayon and even a good acrylic. I have no real particular tastes.I will work with things when I need them to work and always willing to try something new. Something that I have wanted to try out is a boucle but haven't gotten round to that. The only thing that I really don't like is yarn that has a little bit of glitter in it and it isn't soft!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

My sister and I made a few needle holders a while back and I love them. I keep my circulars in CD case and also a plastic Rubbermaid bin (when I have them torn out of the CD case)

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting since I was 15. So we are going on 12 years... I would have to say that I am intermediately advanced. I like the idea of working on hard projects and have great momentum but go quickly under when I make my first mistake.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Nope... I have a wishlist that goes on in my head but its not really anything too big.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I am better at telling you what I dislike... I ABHORE the smell of Patouchli. UUUGGGHHH! I am not very fond of Lavender. There is too long a back story to expalain either... And Vanilla i am rather picky about.. I just mostly don't like sugary sweet vanilla... as in Bath and Body Works type. Though you can't go wrong withe citrus scents for me. Lemon, lime, tangerine... like them all.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I am a super choco-holic. Milk, that is. I would say I am more of a chocolate snob than a yarn snob!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do spin. I haven't done it in a while but i have a wheel and I do like to spin. I am also into beading and cards. I am an all around general crafter. At Christmas time, I try to make all of my presents for people. A little ambitious but, I try..

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I am not really a music person. I listen to music all day at work, so I tend to tune it out. If i had to decide on something, I prefer punk, jazz (more funky than bluesy) and I must admit that I am an NPR addict and a Howard Stern Junkie... I went out and got satellite for my car when he moved to Sirius.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I like everything. I am really fond of purples and blues and reds. I am not really too fond of oranges or anything "burnt something or other". WHile i like yellows I can't wear the color so I stick to giving it to others.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a partner of over 7 years. There will be a time when we get "hitched" but not anytime soon. We just moved back in together after a 2 month split and 7 months of living seperarely. I have two cats. Pepper Ann and Moose. American short hair and a teeny tiny Chihuahua named Maggie who is about 14 years old.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear scarves and mittens, but no hats or ponchos. I just look way to wormy.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I like to knit socks. I taught myself and fell in love. I also like to knit lace scarves. I get into purse binges and that is all I will knit for a while. I like to felt too!

13. What are you knitting right now?
Ohhh.. I knew this one was coming... here is the list... 2 pairs of socks, 3 scarves, a baby sweater, a shawl on size 11 needles, a couple of baby hats that need to be seemed and a few purses that have to be felted and lined.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? YOU BETCHAA!!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo circs and short straights. I prefer the Casein straight needles

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? ahh I only wish but I like to wind so skeins aren't a bother to me!

17. How did you learn to knit? My mom taught me after she couldn't get me to learn crochet. I let it sit for awhile and then I decided to take a class and after about 10 minutes into the class I remembered everything and realized that i wasted 60 bucks!

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

I don't really know. I have a few socks from a couple of years back that i ended up not liking and haven't done the second one.

19. What is your favorite holiday? Fourth of July!

20. Is there anything that you collect? Oh, you want besides yarn... not much really. I have a friend who has started getting me German books. NOne of them are of real value but they are kind of cool. I also have started to develop this thing for sushi paraphanelia.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

No mag subs. I don't know of any real things I have have have to get. I talk about them as I see them. I know that there are a few patterns here and there that i want to try out but then I forget to link them and then forget about them until a few weeks later. Something that i haven't gotten around to getting for myself is enough lace weight yarn to do a lace shawl.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I want to do some fairisle but haven't gotten round to do it. Something that really intrigues me are Latvian Mittens but I tried to do gloves once and couldn't master the thumb gussett so that is putting me off a little bit... I am really intrigued by fancy colorwork.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am a slave to socks. I don't even know how many I have knit anymore. I wear a womens US 9.5 to 10. (Huge feet I know, I know!)

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) The birthday is September 10th!

So, I hope that I got everthing down on this one. I have a lovely little story to tell of my day of woe when I went to the Needler's Nest sale on Sunday. But i will get to that later....

Happy Knitting

Happy Pigs in a Blanket Day!

2006-04-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today was National Pigs in a Blanket Day and of course, that is what we had for dinner. I devoured mine.. Yummmmm! Amy on the other hand, had eaten too much bean dip earlier and hers are still waiting to be eaten. I have a couple extra for Matt to eat tomorrow when he comes over. I am hoping that they will re-heat decently. If not, I don't think that he will notice.. he is 3 afterall!

I remembered that Needler's Nest is having a sale this Sunday on yarn and i will be there when the doors open!

I mis-estimeated one of my paychecks and have a little extra spending cash this weekend! I think that I will be taking my sister with me. I don't know how much she will enjoy it, but I am slowly getting her into better yarn... she is mostly making dog toys but is sprinkling a few good baby items in there.... In time, In time.... i must have patience!

I finished up my Debby Ware hat, but don't have anything to put on the top of it and Amy says that it looks like a Pagoda... I just need a baby head to try it on...

Happy Knitting

Girl you better work it.

2006-04-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

So, I had a really depressing day at work today. Don't want to go into too many details but it was pretty crappy and confirmed that being a hairstylist is not the job that I want to do right now. I have been getting a lot of crap from both sides about what I should do. Here is what is happening.

I have bills that I have to pay and with what I am bringing in right now, our money is stretched tightly. I still can afford to do some fun things and make a purchase here and there but it is still tight. Thank goodness for "tip" money. That isn't allocated in the bills so that is my fun money! But the desire to own a house is strong and while I really don't have that many problems living in an apartment I want to live in a house. To have something that is my own and not just see my money go down the drain. And to own a house one day in my life I need to have a steady income and not one that goes up and down by season, month or even week. Frustrating.

But on the other side I have those little bees in my ear telling me not to leave the hairstyling world. That I need to give it a little longer, that I am doing really well in the year that I have been there. and that what happens when and if I want to start doing hair again. I am back right where I started. With a struggling clientele base and little money coming in.

And what about my clients???? Could i just leave them high and dry? Well, no I can't but i think that most of my clients will understand and that they would want me to do what is best for me. And those that don't understand well, screw them! Okay that isn't quite so nice but hey... I says what I feels.

So here I am on this. Stuck in the middle. I know that some of this hesitation to leave is my boss. When he can't get his way, he throws a huge fat fit. It is all about him or nothing at all. I have seen other girls leave and what they have had to go through while they are doing their last two weeks and it was hell for them. He rode their butts all the time and gave them crap about how they were selfish and blah blah blah... My sister and I were talking about all this and she had some good advice for me...

1) We all need to think about our tomorrow but if you can't get through your today then there will be no tomorrow. True enough dear sister!

2) You can have Dan ride your ass for two weeks and then you are done with it. Or you can come home to Amy and have her getting on you about your job and money until God knows when. Which one would I rather deal with???? Hmmm food for thought.....

No knitting to report. I have been to bleh to want to knit!

Does the sweater curse apply to girlfriends?

2006-04-17T10:29:00.001-07:00

I have decided to take on the "dreaded sweater challenge". Amy wants me to knit her a sweater and I have agreed. After picking and choosing for a while I have settled on Jesse's Flames from Stitch N' Bitch Nation. I am going to do it in shades of grey. That is Amy's favorite color. The first sweater choice was going to be Leo from knitty but size 3 needles and grey yarn seemed to be leaving me a bit well... unenthusiatic!

I hope that it turns out well. I had told her on her Birthday that I would knit a sweater for her...but we had to decide on the design. Design chosen, yarn chosen, all is well in the world... okay not the entire world, but at least in my world of sitting in front of the computer typing out this post...

I drove down to Needler's Nest today and stumbled across these two lovely little patterns.

I have bene wanting them for a while and was going to order them off the Debby Ware site but aha for me I got them with no shipping cost! I also picked upa little more yarn for the hats. Will get that up later...
Happy Knitting

what's on my needles

2006-04-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

I must say that having been gone so long I didn't think that anyone still read my blog. But imagine my surprise to read two comments!!!! YAY!!!!!!!! I have been reading up on everyone elses.

To answer questions:

1) yep I am still knittin'. I haven't been very creative lately. I am just working on purses and junk like that. I haven't had real motivation. During Christmas my sister and I under took crocheting an afghan for my grandma. Of course we decided that 400 squares wasn't too much to crochet with two people working on it. Let me tell you. The only time it won't be too many squares is when you have to make less than 10. I don't think that i ever want to see another skein of mauve, rose, cream or burgandy yarn ever again!!!!!!!!
The closest yarn store to me didn't have much of a selection so I used up a lot of my stash. I have been getting a lot of really nice 1 or 2 skeins at a time and figuring out what to do with it. I knit a baby blanket. Actually I knit the Big Bad Baby Blanket from SNB The Knitter's Handbook. It was really nice... but then I got something on it and had to wash it. The label said it could machine wash and dry and of course me being so trusting, I ended up having a stroller rectangle!
Speaking of the 1 or 2 skeins of yarn. I have decided that I am no longer doing "Christmas Knitting". I have been working on things through out and have decided that I am going to just have an open house one night and have my friends pick and choose what they want.
I knit up the Leaf Cravat from one of the old Interweave issues. It turned out rather nice. I usually don't want to knit something twice... (you think I would learn this by now and do both socks at the same time...) but this goes into the definitely will knit again pile. Mind you, I only have two other patterns that I will do that with. The first one is broadripple sock pattern and the second one is a drop stitch scarf pattern!

Question 2: I am living closer to downtown. I am living near 19th and Thunderbird. Okay, I know that really isn't close but when you are living in Buckeye... This is a heck of a lot closer. I did see on the calendar about knitting on Thursdays, unfortunately I am working Thursday nights. One of these days I am hoping to be able to get off earlier and join... AAHHH other knitters.... that would be a dream come true!!!!!

So what do I have in progress right now... the better question is what am I not working on? In true Knifty Knitter fashion I have more projects that I can handle. I am finishing up the Edgar scarf from Fall Knitty. The Friend of last post about Roller Derby is wanting a purse, and of course because I can't just whip something together and call it done I have decided to chart out the roller derby logo and knit it up. The only problem is that I can't seem to get it to look right. Grrr!

What else? There is a purse that is needing to be finished and felted because I found this wonderful fabric that has playing cards and pin up girls on it and I was still in my Vegas mood. So I had to cast on right away for it! Then there are ideas that are just sitting on my head. I have a pattern idea that I think I might send in to Knitty if I can get it right. I just started really thinking about it a few weeks ago and haven't given too much real thought to it. Then there is a purse that I fell in love with and thought it would look so much better if it was knitted.... no casting on for that one yet, though. I know where my limits are.

I am watching my nephew on Tuesday nights now. My sister and her husband are taking two of their dogs to obedience class. I am so okay with this! After living with him for so long I get kind of lonely. Although I do enjoy being able to watch something other than Nickelodeon until 8:00 at night. Off to do laundry. That seemed to never quit in my life.

Happy Knitting

back again...

2006-04-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hey all I am back on the interneting world again. let's fill in these last 6 months of my life... where do I start? I don't really know, so I'll go with whatever comes up.

Amy and I moved back in together in March. It is kind of strange. But a lot better. We were seeing a therapist for a little while but it was quite obvious that she was one sided and was favoring Amy. Amy even noticed this so we ditched her. But the relationship has been going well. We have both been working hard to try to talk to the other one, making sure that we have time to spend with each other and that we just don't go off into the other room. It gets a little frustrating sometimes but that is all relationships. I think that we needed this to happen in order for us to get our heads straight.

I am working at Savant still. The hair industry is not as promising as it seemed when was in school. While I am getting a lot of return clients I'm not really getting a lot of new clients in and becuase I need a steady paycheck I am applying for other positions. I had an interview with South West Trading Company as a customer service rep. I don't know how well the interview went but they said that they would call me by the end of the week to let me know. So... we shall see where that goes.

My little nephew is turning three this June and that is making me feel quite old. My neice is graduating 8th grade but what makes me feel even older is that in June my oldest nephew is going to be turning 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me feel super duper old.

A pal of mine is trying to get me into roller derby. (YEP the real thing) and I am still debating on it. the good thing about it is that I need to get health insurance before I start so I have a reason to get out of doing it right now.

We have to go and by a table set this weekend. We had been putting it off, but we invited people over for dinner on Saturday and we realized that we don't have enough chairs for everyone to sit in... Nice...

Okay, so now that i have no reason not to blog. I will make a better goal at it. I will hold my contest once again in a few months.... I will keep my promise on that one.

Happy Knitting

The Earth is Round...

2005-10-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Thank god the Earth is round otherwise I would have fallen off and no one would have seen or heard from me again. I have been living in my own little psuedo-world and have finally decided to re-surface. I fell off the knitting wagon and haven't gotten much done. Sorry folks I still haven't finished that scarf. So I was thinking that I am going to have a little contest again closer to the holiday months.

Life has been a little hectic for me. I have gotten the cold from hell that won't leave my body. It is slowly taking over my brain. (or at least it feels like it)

Work has been sub par. I am trying to make ends meet but I am pulling rather hard. I just wanted to let all those who read this know that I am still alive....

shibori....

2005-08-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

I have been working between my scarf, my purse for swtc and contemplating this wonderful little thing called Shibori.

I have some great ideas for working on a scarf done with Shibori. I am thinking of using some Noro Kureyon that I have been waiting to use. Most Shibori is worked with dyeing of the fabric but because I want to get my hands wet now with it I am going to use my Noro. I will have to do a couple of swatches to see what pattern I want to do but I am thinking waves again... I guess that it sums up how my life is feeling right now. You can find more about Shibori in the fall 05 Interweave Knits and at www.shibori.org

Contest info... all guessing is closed for the finishing date of my scarf. Unfortunately nobody picked my lucky date... It is September 10th. My Birthday!!!!

Happy Knitting.

so this is the creative process?

2005-08-13T19:52:00.001-07:00

I have been working my buns off trying to create a pattern for SWTC? How come it seems so easy in my head and then when I knit it, it looks like junk? Grrr...

As promised I have not started on the finishing of my Flapper Scarf... I am giving two more days for votes to come in on the finishing date... I have a few dates already... I didn't read the names of the commenters just the dates... I mean I read the entire comment but I didn't focus on the name.

Here are the dates I have so far -

8-27
8-30
8-31
9-1
9-3
9-7

There is one lucky date that still needs to be picked if someone out there picks the lucky date they will, too will get the yarn and the pattern from me to make a scarf! I am not telling you what the lucky date is but it has not been chosen yet....

Oooh this is so fun for me.
I will post more later. I am going to partcipate in International Pajama day tomorrow. Although, I do have to do a little bedroom manuvering. So I will try to do it as long as I can. :)

Happy Knitting

as the world turns...

2005-08-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems life my life is soap opera. Really. I am going to rant for a little bit so if you want to read about knitting then please scroll down to the asteriks. If you crave the drama... then read on, my friend...

Starting with this, one of my greatest friends in the world is going to be leaving me. Her husband has been looking at jobs all across the country and they are pretty sure that they are settling on Nashville, TN. WTF? I have no idea how to cope with this. She has been a strong pillar in my life, always seeming to know what to say or has dealt with something similar. We will see where that takes me.

My other really great friend has set a date for marriage with her boyfriend. I say that and not that they are engaged because... A) she has no ring and B) she was never really properly asked. (okay, I know that in this day and age that women don't need a ring or even have to be asked. But this gal pal of mine feel the same way about this topic and to see that she is going about it this way really irks me. So maybe there are some other reasons about this that urk me... in no particular order they are... 1) I have to wear a pee yellow and navy blue two piece item, the top having an empire waist...which will make me look anywhere from 8 to 25 months pregnant depending on the exact style... 2) The date is 2-10-2007... more than a year and a half away... and she is taking me on wedding dress scavenges next week.... 3) She has chosen me as maid of honor by default... I am the only one of her close friends that is not... a) lazy b) crazy c) controlling or d) sleazy.... 4) I have in the last week received 8 calls already about what changes she is already making to her wedding and with each phone call I am reminded that I am her MOH so I need to know this stuff.

I have decided to sit down with her tonight and talk with her about it because I was seriously making a call to Bridezillas on the Bravo channel. I don't know maybe some of this is irking me so much because I am single and feel like I am going no where.

Which brings me to my last story for today before I get to knitting. Amy called me last week and wants to get back together with it. I have really no idea what to do. We have had so many problems before that I don't know if I really want to but on the other hand, it seems as though it was mainly the last year that was really bad. And that was both of our faults. More hers but I was just as equally a culprit. One of my sisters's says no, it is a horrible idea, the other says after 6 years you need to at least try to make it work because if I don't I will be wondering for ever. Amy has told me that she is making changes in her life and trying to focus on not falling into the same old rut with herself but I don't know. I know in my heart of hearts that most people aren't able to change but I also know the good person inside her. The one that kept me happy for so many years before then. I know that this has to go slow if it is going to work but I am so afraid that it won't and here I will be again with a broken heart and more tears.
ARRGGHHH. I hate it when I don't have a perfectly clear answer.

***********************************************************************

Okay, so my rants are over and here is the knitting junk..... I have been plugging away on a few little projects. I took my test knit to Jonelle and we had a good discussion about the pattern. It may be a no go. For knitters out there, that is one pattern that shouldn't be. In return, I got three balls of Oasis yarn and am going to work on shawl pattern for moi. I have the pattern and the yarn, I just need to get some other things finished first.

I told a little bit of a project that I had in my head for SWTC. I have gotten the yarn for it and it slowly making progress. I have to felt my swatch but the pattern I have been working on with a different yarn seems to be working quite nicely. It looks like this one is good to go...what does this pattern look like.. well, I am going to keep that secret but what are things that remind of you summer in CALI?

CONTEST ALERT!!!!!!!

There is a contest I have going on. I have been working away for almost a year on my flapper scarf. to celebrate it's anniversary and it's soon to be completion I have decided that who ever guesses closest to the date that I have the scarf finished will get the yarn and beads and pattern to make one of their own! Some rules..... I will post weekly all the dates that have been chosen. There will be only one winner. If a same date is chosen the second chooser will be notified and have their date changed. You can pick any date that you want... but I will not continue work on the scarf until next week. After the winner is announced I will contact them to verify yarn and bead color and adress info and stuff like that. So here goes and hope all have fun....

Happy knitting my friends...

test knit - complete....

2005-08-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

I finished it! It is done and well, not my favorite thing I have ever knit. I get to turn it in tomorrow and be done with it. I am trying to write up a purse pattern for SWTC but I don't know how well it will turn out. You know.. it is the whole... Looks good in the head but on paper... well that is a different story.

Everyone I know has been to California this summer and has been lounging on the beach so it will be on that theme. I want to type more but I have to chase after my nephew...

happy knitting

knitting my heart out.

2005-07-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been working on Testy for the last few weeks trying to get it correct. Now that I know the pattern it is much easier for me to knit up. I have about 10 inches left of the center band. That is only 22 stitches so I should have it done by tomorrow or Saturday.

Not much else has been going on. I have found that I am really into finishing projects lately. Actually, I have noticed a pattern with myself. Once I finish something I will tend to finish one or two other items after that. I am still plugging away at my flapper scarf. I have a date set for finishing it. But I think I am going to run a little competition for my fellow blog readers. I am still working out the kinks of the contest but it involves free yarn. soo... let me know if there is some interest.

I will blog more this week. Happy Knitting.

big fat duh for me...

2005-07-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have been working and working on this test knit for SWTC and I hated it....mostly because the pattern was a piece of crap... unfortunately it was my thinking that was a piece of crap. I had been doing this pattern wrong the whole time... So, now that I have the back and one of the sides done I have to go back and re-work them correctly. GREAT!

I am working my buns off with trying to finish this tank. I have found a pattern for a shawl and I think that I can get a pretty nice size shawl out of three skeins of the Oasis.(which is what my yarn payment will be)

I am also going to find out if some felted bags are needed becuase I have a really cute idea floating around in my head. Hmmmm... we will see.

Not much more to say than that. I forgot to check out the coffee shop but will try and do that on Saturday... happy knitting

- 8+ 2 = YAY

2005-07-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Martha came over last night and ended up staying the night. Who knew that we would end up staying up until 1:30 in the morning looking at stars! It was so beautiful last night.

We had so much to catch up on. I didn't realize how much I missed her until we started really talking about life and stuff.

We also did a little yarn trading this morning. She needed to get a project going for a baby shower and wanted to know if I was willing to trade her for a couple of her skeins for a couple of mine. She ended up taking 6 skeins of Lion Brand wool-ease and 2 skeins of some Paton's Grace. In return I got some SWTC melody and some SWTC chenille. She had gotten then when they had their big sale and didn't really have anything to do with them and was willing to do the trade. We both ended up happy in the end so it works out!

I am still plugging away at my projects. So really no other exciting news to tell. I think I found this wonderful little coffee shop for meetings on the West side of AZ. I am going to go check it out this week and see how they feel about knitters invading the area. It is at 127th Avenue and Indian School. So, we'll see.

I am avoiding cleaning house... As always but I do want to have a little bit done before my family gets back they went out camping this weekend and I figured it would be nice to have that done for when they got home.

Well, happy knitting everyone.

10 projects and counting?

2005-07-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, you know that last post in which I talk about me finishing up things...wrong.....

I have a total of 10 projects going and so many many more that I want to start. Some of them are really simple projects to work on, like sew linings for my purses and I think make some handles for them. I was really seriously considering selling the ones I have made. They don't have a pattern or anything, so does anyone know of places online that I can sell to or even places in Phoenix? How do I go about getting started on that?

Here is a list of projects that I am currently knitting

1) SWTC test knit... almost done (thank god)
2) black beaded scarf
3) lace scarf
4) leaf scarf (can you see a theme going on here?)
5) Grandmas blanket (not really started but more in developmental stages)
6) Sock pattern from Fall Interweave... I couldn't wait to get started on it.

Projects I need to take apart:

1) clown socks... okay it is the regia stripe yarn but my Brother in law says they look like clown socks
2) black purse
3) Regia black and grey striped sock. (they were going to be Amy's but I think I am going to rip them out and do a hat or something
4) lace shawl I have going...blech is all that I going to say

So I have made it a goal to finish up at least two projects by the end of the month. Let's see which ones make it to the finish line. I want to get them completed because I have a shawl idea floating around in my head that I want to get out on paper.

More later... Happy Knitting

Becoming me.

2005-06-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband are on vacation right now. They went off to San Diego with the babe to have some rest and relaxation. I am enjoying these days to myself. I am learning who I am as a person again. It is funny how being in a relationship, (or at least the one that I was in) who you really are. My likes my wants my dreams my everything. I didn't realize how much I was turning off or ignoring for the other person. 5 Things about the person that I am...

1) I don't like to be rushed in the morning. I like to have my coffee, sit a little bit and take in the sunshine, because I really am a morning person.

2) It is okay to "project" your feelings and thoughts on your animals.

3) Baseball. I really like that game.

4) Just because I cry doesn't mean that I am over emotional... It just means that I have feelings and I am not afraid of them.

5) I am pretty sure I was using my knitting as a subconscious hint about my relationship. I have been finishing projects left and right. Not flitting from one project to the other. Not that I was doing that in my relationship, mind you, but it was me not ending a project, needing something new and fresh and fun and exhilirating. hmmm...

Okay, enough of me being deep here. I have a few yarn stores to critique and rate...

I went to the Needlers Nest awhile back and the women in there awesome. Love them. The store is at El Mirage and Bell Roads. They do carry some rather exspensive yarns but they also carry other, more afordable brands too! Being a "young" person (at least near this area - Sun City) I was treated wonderful in there. They chit chatted with me for a while. Wound the skeins for me and put in me in there database.. spend 250.00 and get 10.00 off your next purchase or something like that... Or maybe it is 20.00, I can't remember. But anyways, if you are on the West side of town or make your way over here for some reason make sure to check them out.

I also went to the Knitters Nook yesterday and wasn't too impressed. They had mostly Plymouth yarns in there. A few from other vendors but not much. I was said hello to and that was it. A woman *much older than me* came in after me and was talked up a storm to. I walked around a couple of times, was asked if I knew how to knit but was really given a chance to answer before she was showing me acrylic stuff and where the needles were and how to knit books. I told them I knew how and then she walked off. I left. I would say that if you are in desperate need of a yarn store and have to have some Plymouth Encore on a Monday then head over here. Otherwise. Bleh.

I am hoping that some of you will show up at Coffee Plantation this afternoon. Brooke, I don't care if Jack is a grumpy sourpuss or a smiling cherub come and see me! All you other ladies too! Get your buns out to 20th Street and Camelback and seeme!

Happy Knitting

Sweater completed

2005-06-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

I finished Matt's little sweater the other day. It is a little big, but it looks really cute on him. It will fit him perfectly this winter. I am adding a new feature to my posts when I finish a project. It will be something I learned from knitting it.

1) When working intarsia, you really do need to weave the ends of the second color into the coordinating stitches. I didn't think it would show that much but boy did it ever. I ended up wasting more time by pulling out the yarn and having to re-weave it.

2) Speaking of re-weaving ends in. When you make a mistake and cut your tail or even if you leave it too short, this little idea will help you out. Place the eye of the needle through the stitch that you want to weave your end in, being careful not to pull the needle all the way out, now thread your tail through the eye and pull the needle back through the stitch like you normally would. Voila...you have your tail weaved through one stitch. Repeat this process until you are sastified, then cut off what is left. I learned this trick a few years back, it is a little longer to weave in the ends but when you need to do it, it works like a charm.

3) If there are any parts on a pattern that are confusing or you had to change. Write them down. You will save yourself hours of refiguring numbers (or even worse reknitting) to work the other side. This is also helpful if you are making more than one or want to knit it later on down the road.

I have the afternoon free tomorrow and will be in central Phoenix. I was thinking about going to the Coffee Plantation at the Biltmore Fashion park around 1:00 or 1:30 if anyone is interested. I will post this on the SNB group too!

I am off to go run errands.
Happy Knitting

must... have...contact... with...other...knitters.....

2005-06-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am not really that desperate.. I mean I have my sister knitting but she will only do it after the babe's gone to bed...(Obviously she is not that taken with it!!!!) But I really do miss fellow knitters. I was trying to meet up with some other knitters tomorrow but it seems as though it really won't fit into my schedule. I have a lunch date with Lindsay, who I haven't seen in over a month!
Well, it is not really a lunch date I am getting my underarms and my legs waxed. She needs the practice and I got the hair to practice on.

So, I am almost finished with my Rowan sweater for Matt and have decided that I hate hate hate English written patterns. I know that I have written this before in a previous post but I feel it needs repeating. I have everything knit I just can't get the stupid sleeves to look right. I don't know what the problem is.
Hopfully the net will have some answers for me.

I am also going to see if I can find a place for people to meet up on the west side of the valley on Mondays like near Avondale or something. Maybe in the evening or even in the mornings...

Well, I have to head out for now. Dinner is waiting and I need to find out how to do that dang sweater. Happy Knitting!

Cult tally - 3

2005-06-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

I forgot yesterday to add what I have been working on! I was having a self pity moment a while back and decided that I needed yarn. You know the really good stuff that I normally wouldn't buy for myself kind of yarn! Well, I picked up some recycled silk. 2 skeins. It ended up costing me about 40 big ones but I loved knitting with it. I made myself a cute little purse with some silk lining...Awesome!

I have also been teaching people how to knit. Last week I gave my niece some refresher courses and she knit 1/2 a wash cloth before she got bored. She then asked me to teach her friend to knit. So, when they came over on Sunday I gave her a lesson. They had fun and I am going to practice knitting with them at least every other week. Last night my sister Amy said, "okay, it is time for me to learn". So I grabbed my needles and yarn again and off we went. Amy has always been a perfectionist and within an hour she had learned how to knit, purl, do a 1x1 ribbing and seed stitch! I was quite afraid of teaching her because I thought that she would have issues with learning it. She is left handed and when she taught herself to crochet she came up with a new stitch that she calls the "oopsy" stitch. I was going to try to teach her to knit continental but, she is doing awesome with the "american method". She already held her yarn in her right hand so I figured it would be easier that way. She just had to learn to get the needles comfortable. So, I am off today to find an easy pattern for her to make that is not your standard dishcloth or pouch-esque bag. She was asking this morning about when she should learn to knit socks...I told her to at least get one project done first.

I forgot about a pal's birthday so I am going to make her a purse pattern I got off Knitty.com. I am hoping I can whip it out rather quickly. My next challenege is to make a sweater to fit a beagle. I think I will try the pattern from the SNB nation book. Well, I think that wraps it up as for what has been going on... I think I have my numbers in for the knitting cult requirments for this month! How about everyone else?

Life goes on...and so do I...

2005-06-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

So, I am still living. Thank you to everyone who has sent me a well wishes. So, here is what is going on..

I am still working.. I am wating for my duplicate license to come in so I can take a second job somewhere. I am living with my middle siste Amy, her husband Josh and their little babe Matt. You may remember those cute little pics I have posted of him before... if not look back for previous posts. So total in the house right now there are the three of us adults, Matt, my two cats, and Maggie, their 4 dogs (a beagle and 3 greyhounds) and 3 cats, and for the last two weeks we have been watching Josh's moms greyhound. So needless to say that the house is a little full but it doesn't feel like it at all.

I carpooling twice a week with my sister and the other two days I am taking her husbands truck to work. I am trying to save up money for to get a car. It is kind of frustrating but hey, I could be worse off. I have family and friends that love and support me.

So on to what this post should really be about... KNITTING!!!!!!!!!

I am been getting a little bit of knitting done. I finally finally finally finished the first part of my flapper scarf. Wonderschon! I love it. I started putting on the beads for the 2nd part of the scarf and I realized I was about a hundred beads short of what I needed. After scanning almost every bead store in the Phoenix area I was finally was able to get to the bead store near my work... they have wonky hours but lo and behold they had my beads. They are wee bit darker but they still look good. I am moving right along on this one. I forgot the pattern I was working for my lace scarf and haven't motivation to find where I messed up at.

So, while my life is not back to what used to "normal", it is becoming a new "normal" and I like that. I think that next tuesday I will be in town so if anyone wants to meet up in the central phoenix area around lunch time I can do that. I would love to knit with people again....

Happy Knitting...

It's over.

2005-06-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while because life has been rather cray. In the course of a week, my life has gone from content to catastrophic. It has just been settling back down and I decided that I should let the world know where I have been.

A few weeks back Amy told me that she didn't love me anymore and that she wanted to break up. I told her okay, but I needed time to save up money to get a car and to move out. We had decided that I would leave in about 5 months. Well, that five months turned into about 10 days. We got into a riff a couple of Sundays ago and Amy told me to pack my stuff and leave. So, I did. I am pretty sure that she didn't think I was going to be gone but I left. I was tired of the fighting and the well everything.

I moved into my sister's house out in Buckeye and I am trying to get back to my normal life. Or at least what could become a normal life. I don't know how often I will be able to post but I wanted to let you all know what has been going on. The good thing about being so far away from the city is that I have my nights to myself now and I have been getting a lot of knitting done.

I wish you all the best.

happy knitting

Sandee the over achiever and Brooke the achiever...

2005-05-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

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?

2005-05-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

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.

Encore worsted weight yarn is not the best yarn to use for making the swatches. It is just a little too fuzzy
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.
Jack loves me, okay he loves my pin, my glasses and my plastic page protector.
A knit 1 purl 1 cast on? It looks crappy at best
You learn just how bad of a knitter you really are when you know that others are getting ready to scrutinize your work.
The question's and swatches are open to interpetation. You just have to make the right one.
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...

2005-05-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

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.

2005-05-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

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.

2005-05-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

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...

2005-05-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

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...

2005-05-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

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???

2005-05-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

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.....

2005-05-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

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

Animal House.

2005-04-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

These last few days have been filled with multiple trips to the vets office. On Tuesday I had to take my cat Pepper Ann in because she hadn't been doing her normal upheaval of cat food. It was a lot worse. I found out that she has a severe urinary infection. It had reached her kidneys! Usually something that can be taken care of, but because she has been on medications before and it hadn't gone away. She is going to be on a special prescription only diet that alters her pH for the rest of her life. Good thing I will get this at a discount!

I then had to take my little Chihuahua Maggie in yesterday because she is starting to give out milk. Mind you I told my sister like a week ago that I thought she was getting a little pudgy in that area and she told me I was crazy. Well, Tuesday night I had her on my lap and all of the sudden it was wet on my leg and there was milk coming out of her! Mind you, my little dog is 11 years old and we thought she was spayed because she has this little tiny scar on her tummy. Aparently, she isn't. So went back to my sister's office on Tuesday and found out that Maggie is having a false pregnancy. Great! So, she goes in on Monday to get a hormone shot to stop it.

I have gotten a little knitting done. My goal right now is to try and get as much yarn used up from the stash as possible. So far I have knit up three little purses. I want to make something bigger, but I don't have enough yarn to make anything but purses or socks or mittens or hats. I figured that in Arizona the best option was to make purses. I was thinking about working on a few hats to send to my cousin and his girlfriend for the winter time.

Adam and Sarah live in Kentucky so they can get use of out them. Get this, my cousin and his girlfriend moved there so he can go to professional wrestling school! Yep, we all have a little hillbilly somewhere in our families!!!!! I am just kidding. I am actually really proud of him. He has been trying out for the pro wrestling circuit and made it to the final cut the last two times. One day he will be there. He is following his dream and this all that counts right?

Well, Happy Knitting

2005-04-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

So, what happens when you clean up your yarn? You find some roving that you had tucked away! I found some lovely brown and white roving that I had set aside for when I got better at spinning. I am going to spin this up and send it to my secret pal as she is quite fond of brown shades.

Today, I have no real plans and I love it. I am off to the grocery store, we haven't done real grocery shopping in two weeks. So, we will see how much junk I come home with. I am then off to Bookman's to take a few more books that we have laying around and are just filling up space. I am not sure how much we will get for them but we can get them out of here. After that, whatever Bookman's won't take I am heading to the goodwill and dropping those and more junk off. It is a great spring cleaning day.

I was waiting for Amy to get out of class today and think I decided what to make with a wonderful skein of yarn that my secret pal had sent to me. This is the colorway that she sent to me. As always, the picture doesn't do the colors justice but you get the idea.

I have been itching to do some cable work and was thinking about doing a thin cabled scarf. I have a book of cable patterns that I will get the pattern from. Or maybe I can find one off the net.

I was also reminded that at Christmas time last year I had said that this Christmas everyone was going to get Christmas stockings. I am not sure if want to do that this year. Although, they would be a fast knit. hmmmm.. we will see.

Oh, Finished stuff to report. I finished up my soysilk purse yesterday. My sister, great loving person that she is, helped me sew the lining. I then machined sewed it in, I am not too crazy about the way it looks but it doesn't look bad so I think I will leave it. I also have some dpn holders that I knit and felted that just need to be adorned. Those are going to my SP, too. I can't wait to send them out. I think that I should have it all ready to send out by the end of the week.

I am off to run errands. Happy Knitting.

what purple, green and yellow and hasn't been touched in days?

2005-04-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

You all guessed it. It's Testy. I thought that the front parts of the sweater would just be smooth sailing. WRONG!!!!!!

I have devoted myself to working on a purse in some soysilk. It was one of those hanks that I picked up when SWTC had a sale. I am not too crazy about the colors after I have been knitting with it. They are just patterning kind of weird. Definitely not supposed to be a purse with that yarn. The purse is going to be a gift and I am quite sure that the recipient will approve of both the colors and the patterning.

I stopped in to get the summer issue of Interweave and got Yarn Harlot's book. I have had it for just over 24 hours and have read the entire thing... Great Book.

I am trying to find some fabric that has yarn or knitting or sheep on it. Any one out there know where I can find it let me know...

Happy Knitting

Down with taxes...at least until extension time...

2005-04-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, so being the total procrastinater that I am, I waited until the last minute to do my taxes. I went to go get my W-2's and two of them are missing. Mind you, I have it quite easy to pay taxes. I get to still use the 1040EZ form and all, but.... I misplaced two of them. One for my school info, the other from a place of work. Grrr. So I filed an extension online. Quite easy. So, I have to go and call on Tuesday and get the new forms sent out to me.

I am pretty sure that Amy or I accidently threw them away. They were in non descript envelopes. We both cleaned the top of the book shelf off twice since I got them in. We are both to blame for this...

I have no knitting to report. I just have been working on Testy. I don't think i will take another test knit for a while. I haven't been spinning. I opted not to get any roving. Although, a big thanks a lot for the peer pressure goes out to the girls in my SNB who whole heartedly agree that it is perfectly okay to buy roving on a yarn diet... What if I was going ruin a regular diet? What about jumping off a bridge? What about doing drugs??? HHHHMMMM HUH HUH HUH??? Okay, I see it's different now... Yea yea yea whatever ;) JUST KIDDING

My secret pal left a little comment for me asking me if there is anything that I really wanted or needed. Know what is nice about that? There isn't anything. I can honestly look at my life and see that I am rather content. Yes, of course there are the things that are going to be coming later in life... Secret Pal, I am assuming that you don't wanna marry me or give me kids... ;P

(Here is where I get cheesy...) Have you had moments in your life when all of the sudden everything feels good and feels right? I am having one of those moments right now.

I guess that wasn't too cheesy. But it has been a long night and I have to be up early tomorrow for a roller set... OOOOhhh the glamourous world of cosmetology...

Happy Knitting

Time Selfish?

2005-04-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Amy told me today that I am a home hoarder. What is a home hoarder? Well, Amy thinks that it is me... or to be exact- it is me slightly scrunching my face or a small amount of detest in my voice when she tells me that she is going to be at home for a couple of hours when I get off work.

She had taken a few hours of vacation and had to go in at 7:30 tonight. I guess that I must have mad a sound or something but in truth, she was right. As much as I love her, most of the time I enjoy having the few hours after work to myself befor she comes home. I have found it is a great me time for relaxation and just ahhh time. It's not that I am a house hoarder, it is just that well, when I get off work and she is home I have to start dinner right away and do other misc stuff. I can't just flop and play with the dog and just goof off. It doesn't happen very often so I shouldn't complain but I am and I probably will continue to get time selfish.

On to knitting. I finished the back of Testy. I have the pattern figured out. For the front part, too. The front pieces are going by so much quicker than normal. Yay! I have to just type out the corrected pattern, now.

So, I was asked to other day if I would barter. I said sure. I am going to make her a purse. I get to choose the colors and the style. I already have the yarn picked out, but I don't know what pattern to use. If anyone has some ideas on a purse pattern for worsted weight yarn, please let me know. I have searched the usual sights... Knitty, about.com, etc and not crazy about any of them. So, please let me know if you know something that I would love...

Happy Knitting

Oh. I almost forgot... here is the tip for yesterday...

Finding that some of your rows in knitting are a little uneven. That is goes from tight to loose to tight to loose? Pull out enough yarn for the row at the beginning of each row. That way you can keep your tension.

If you don't look at it, its not really there....

2005-04-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have decided to use this wonderful method on my organization. If I just don't look at the whole pile of yarn, I will be okay... I have been feeling a slight knitting slump lately.

It is nice to know that I am not alone with my boredom. Kirsten was feeling quite blah, Shannon had the non-knitting fever, and who knows who else is out there.

I am going to meet up with the girls for dinner tonight before we knit. I don't know how long I can stay to knit , as I have to go to the Fiber Factory and pick up a pair of handcarders from a wonderful lady.

I am on day4 of the yarn diet. I am wondering how long this is going to last. Get this, I am even taking some yarn that I bought last week back to the store.. I realized that I just don't need it right now. The nice thing about being on a yarn diet, is that I have been looking at all the books and magazines I have. It's funny how there are some patterns that I had passed over time and time again are grabbing my attention. So, if I don't organize my stash today, I will at least organize my books.

Question: Does buying roving to spin break my yarn diet?

Happy Knitting

off to straighten the stash

2005-04-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I forgot about a party that we had to go to. I remembered at nine o'clock in the evening. So, I threw someting semi decent on and we headed over there. A good time was had. I played this game.

It is called Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot. Kind of hard to explain but you get to kill other people's bunny cards. I am so buying this game next week.

I am officially out of fiber to spin. I am awaiting hand carders for the alpaca. But everything else is gone gone gone... It is all nice little hanks of yarn. I have to set the twist in all them but it is spun. I was thinking of making some novelty yarn one of these days. We will see how it goes.

Yesterday was family haircut day and then it was off to my the movies with my sister and my niece. We saw Beauty Shop. My sister had passes that she one from work so we went and saw a movie that we normally wouldn't go to. It was alright but I am glad I didn't pay for the movie.

I feel like a have a ton of things to get done but I know that it isn't true.
Here is my to do list.

Grocery Shopping
Get Gas
2 loads of laundry
organize yarn
Drop off bags at the goodwill

A lot of driving today. I had just wanted to lounge around the house.. Oh well.

Happy Knitting

this and that

2005-04-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

I worked on testy a little more last night. Nothing really new to report. I am once again considering buying the book Adorable knits for tots. I browsed through it again and falling in love with it... Maybe next week or next month.

I have also decided to put myself on a yarn diet. I am going to go through my yarn and sort it out.

I have decided to do the following sorting:

Pattern already decided
Looking for Pattern
Sock yarns
Bits and pieces

I will sub-catergorize the yarn from there.

I was thinking about the yarn that I have patterns for to put them in ziploc bags and the pattern inside so I don't forget what I want to knit. Well see, it just really depends on how much energy I have when I start to clean...

Happy Knitting

I am feeling quite testy..

2005-04-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

So, I had to frog 4 inches on testy. The pattern was way F**KED UP! I couldn't figure out how to get the pattern to stay when I was doing my decreasing. Well, I happened to look at book that I had lying around and I found the answer to one of my problems with the pattern. With the type of rib pattern that it uses I can't do normal decreases. I have to bind off or the pattern will get fudged up way bad.

So, that was taken care of, but I still kept ending up with a purl 2 on the end and I needed a knit two on the end. Well, looked and looked and read and read and read and read the patten over and over again and then it hit me. It was off by two stitches. The math decrease was wrong. It was right for the small and the large but not for the medium. So, know that I have that taken care of I can knit my little heart away... at least until I get to the front panels of the sweater...

I got some yarn today to start working on a small fairisle project. I had to only buy two skeins, so I won't get into too much "trouble". I am going to force myself to finish the back of Testy first before I try to work on the Fairisle project...

Happy Knitting my friends

It's getting smaller....

2005-04-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

As much as I wanted to spin last night I diligenty worked on Testy. Okay okay, I confess I did finish up a bat of roving and plied it, but I did get a lot done on testy. I worked on the decreases for the back and it is taking great shape. I am just about finished with the arm hole decreases, the next part will be to work on the neck and shoulder shaping. I don't think I will get a picture of it up.

I did learn about decreasing in a rib pattern while working on this, so that is quite helpful.

I am working until 8:00 tonight. Blegh. All my clients are later in the day, so I think I may be able to get some good knitting time in...maybe, just maybe...

Happy Knitting