i'll knit if i want to...or not

So this use to be my knitting blog, now its a purging place for all of my ramblings...whether it be craft, cooking, or just the craziness of my everyday life!

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Peanuts


So here is (finally) a picture of an FO. It is the Super-Easy Leg Warmers from LMKG. I used Lambs Pride for the heavier yarn, and Jo Sharp Mohair for the dark green bits you see. I l.o.v.e. how long they are (26 inches!). Okay...so this is really only half of a finished object because I have yet to knit its partner. Due to me trying to save money and be strict on my spending, I forced myself to wait until my next pay day to buy more yarn for the other warmer.

Luckily yesterday was payday:

I decided to do it in different colors because I didn't really get the effect I wanted with the first one. I love how it turned out, but I am really interested in how the author of Last Minute Knitted Gifts (where this pattern is from) holds a mohair yarn with the heavier yarn and the effect is that it almost glows. My color choice for the first leg warmer was a bit to contrasting so I didn't get that effect. I think these oranges will work nicer. And it is always fun using different colors...I have never been one to match. I am especially excited for that little tiny bundle of Habu mohair/silk blend. It looks like it is just a sample of yarn, but there is actually almost 200 yards in that neat little package!

So in the meantime I have been working on a sweater for JFC. I had originally started this a year a go. Yes over 12 months a go I cast on for this puppy and then after knitting up to his underarms I realized it was WAY. TOO. BIG. so into a basket it went and I didn't touch it again until just a few days a go.

It is the Berkshire Pullover from Weekend Knits. I am making it 2 sizes smaller than I had originally planned, and I added ribbing to the bottom instead of the roll bottom in the book. Now lets just hope I finish it this time.

And lastly...This just really tickled my giggle bone:

Last night we were at our neighborhood bar, the Peanut Barrel, and at this particular bar they give you bowls of peanuts and you get to just drop your peanut shells on the floor and it is very novelty indeed. Well It seems that this lady had her jacket a little too close to the floor because she had half of a shell stuck just so on her collar as she was getting ready to leave. And it really just gave me a belly laugh. heh heh heh

Sunday, October 22, 2006

The Cross-eyed Bear that you gave to me...

So do you remember that angry song that made alanis morsette so popular way back when? I think it was called "you oughta know" and it was about an exboyfriend?? Anyways in it she sings (well i thought that she sang) something along the lines of "its not fair to deny me the CROSS-EYED BEAR that you gave to me!" And I remember thinking...yeah taking gifts back isn't nice. Then again if i was her, I probably wouldn't want the teddy bear anymore anyways.
Well I just recently realized that what she was actually saying was "..to deny me the cross I Bare, that you gave to me." heavy. heh heh heh

Anyways...this here is the cutest tape measure in the world. I had seen these before at JoAnn's but they were poor quality. Then I was at my LYS just a few days ago and found a table full of these adorable little things from Lantern Moon. You pull on the tail for the tape measure and then there is a button in its belly that pulls it back in. I l.o.v.e. it!

And this little girl right here is also the cutest thing ever. Whizzle, as my dad calls her, has a tongue that is too long for her mouth so it is always sticking out. Which means I am pretty much laughing the entire time I am at my dad and tracy's house.


And last, but not least...well ok kind of least. i have been slacking on the knitting big time. I have just been so busy with work and family stuff that I have barely been knitting for more than 10 to 15 minutes a day. And this is all i have to show:

The first 12" of my leg warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts". I love how the author describes the use of color and how by holding a strand of solid (in my case the lambs pride and bright green) yarn and a mohair (i'm using a darker greenish brown) to get such a fun new color effect. I will definitely be playing around with this a lot more.

Oh and those other legwarmers I want to make from Knit2Together...I didnt have the right needles, but I got them the other day so hopefully I will get back on track with the knitting pretty quick here!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

New Knitting Books!!



Amazon brought me a treat yesterday. The knitting book stash just keeps growing larger. I am really excited about both of these books. It seems like everyone has LMKG, and after seeing so many finished Hourglass Sweaters on other peoples blogs I just had to get it. There are so many great patterns, all of which are simple. I also appreciate the time frames she estimates for the projects...its just nice to have something to go on.



I didn't expect Knit2Together to really be a book I would like (don't ask me why), but I started peeking thru it and the patterns are amazing. I plan to start these puppies today:



My Baudelaire socks are just bigger than I would like so I think I will frog them and use the yarn to make these legwarmers. I mean I seriously have never seen anything so cute. I l-o-v-e the little ruffle and tassle. And the fact that they have a heel! Baudelaire isn't a lost cause though, I think I will just by some fun sock yarn that is the appropriate weight.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Grandmas and Oatmeal



Well with all of this cold weather knocking at our door, there is just nothing better to start the day with than hot porridge. Which immediately brings to mind my grandma. Everytime we would stay at my grandparents house there were 2 things you could be sure to get...stove-popped popcorn and oatmeal with milk and brown sugar. (You could always count on dessert too, but that is a given!) I don't remember having it anywhere else but their house. I loved the way the brown sugar would melt on top of the warm oatmeal. My grandma was very good at warming us kids up...she knit every single one of her grandkids a blanket, letting us pick out the color (mine was turquoise). And she always made us warm, home-cooked meals like soup and on at least one occasion, from what my mother tells me, rabbit and squirrel stew, which I guess I l-o-v-e-d in my pre-vegetarian days.

So thanks grandma...for playing cards with me, teaching me to knit, and giving me a love of all things homemade (even if one of those happened to include rabbits and squirrels).

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Oh Snow!



So Michigan weather is pretty iconic for being "swift changing." It's the kind of place where one day it is 80 degrees and sunny and the next day we have 3 feet of snow after a freak blizzard.



So I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised that it snowed today...even if it is only the beginning of October. But I feel like I should be stringing up lights and practing my caroling. I mean seriously, it isn't even Halloween yet. Just a few days a go I was sitting in the sun...and could almost describe myself as HOT. Now...I am wondering if I brought enough hats mittens and scarves. And to think I packed a skirt! I have a feeling that puppy isn't leaving the suitcase. And once again, I couldn't be happier to be a knitter as we are so prepared for things like snow when the leaves haven't even had a chance to change color!



These wool socks I am knitting I am sure will prove to be very handy indeed. The pattern, Baudelaire, is a very entertaining knit. And I am really enjoying watching my handpainted yarn change color with every stitch. They are a little on the big side, but that is my own fault, my gauge is a little off, but I was too stubborn to use a different yarn. Now that I am back working full time, the knitting progress has slowed a bit, so I think I better go hop to it!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

M....I....shhhh....I...G....A....N



Well I'm back in my hometown. The traveling was very tiring but I thinking I am adjusting quickly. And I can't complain, poor JFC had to get on planes #4 AND 5 and continue onto England. Talk about jetlag. Ouch.

I have tried to control myself and have only gone to the yarn store once. And I didn't allow myself to buy any yarn! I just picked up the Addi Turbos I needed to start the socks I brought yarn for. But man is there a lot of yarn in there that i NEEEED. And I have to say, after casting on for Baudelaire with my handpainted yarn Aqua fluff, I l-o-v-e the addi turbos. And I am enjoying the toe up knitting.

As for being back on the mainland...I still cant' get over how cute my nephews are and how wonderful it has been hanging out with all 4 of my siblings and my parents. And school spirit is just a block from my front door:

did I mention I was a Trojan cheerleader?? heh heh

I go back to work tomorrow at the restaurant. I cant' wait to treat myself to a little yarny goodness after getting a paycheck :) There are so many crafty things I want to do while I have all of these wonderful resources at my fingertips. And hopefully with all of the inspiration (and the fact that I plan to force my sister to learn how to knit) I will have plenty of juicy blogs coming up.

Edited to Add: I totally forgot! I finished the Asymmetrical Cardigan and gifted it to my sister Meagann who looks fabulous in it...but I don't have a picture!! I will take one as soon as she wears it over again.