dragonknit

I've moved!

2008-05-22T19:18:00.001-06:00

Update your links!

Not Friday Yet

2008-05-20T12:38:00.005-06:00

I did nothing today when I got home. Too much stress. I couldn't even bring myself to finish my sock. It could also be contributed to the mass amount of frusteration I have over the second sock.

I checked the mail. My Simply Socks order came in the mail today. Black Opal, 75% superwash wool, 25% Polymyde. It will go well with the orange skein of the same. Shibui, Sky Blue, a color I didn't have, and it helped to get the order above the free shipping amount requirement. Can't argue with an extra skein or two. Lastly, Farmhouse yarn, it's pretty in person. Sort of this crazy clash of colors. It should be fun to knit up.

I just don't know what to knit next. Or for that matter when I will find the time. I guess that's good news for my shoulder.

I fed the children leftovers. I learned that they like leftovers as much as I do. We went for ice cream. The thing we didn't know was that it was some local elementary school's fundraiser night. At least we got there "early," I don't like crowds.

I think I'm looking forward to the weekend. I'm just looking forward to the warm. I hope to have a *much* more relaxing weekend than last weekend of worry and drama.

Gimme and "S"...YAY, Stress!

2008-05-19T10:26:00.008-06:00

I had a craptastic weekend.

It started on Friday with a call from my mom. There was an incident at the daycare. This is a very long story that I still haven't gotten to the bottom of yet. No one was hurt, but the story isn't very clear, and I was not personally notified, nor was my X.

So, I wandered home and I found Smooshy in my mailbox, and well, yarn always makes me feel a tiny bit better. Yellow, blue, and purple colors. Beautiful.

I'll tell you, I am completely a Noob at this whole "luxury" sock yarn thing, but I can't tell the difference between the mediumweight STR and the lightweight. Of course I don't have any lightweight. So I ordered some. I agree that the mediumweight is thicker than Koigu, but it appears to be of similar weight to Shibui. It's soft.

I went to Fontana Sushi in Littleton and Abe's Cafe in downtown Littleton on Friday. I had cheesecake. It was nice. I'm good at the description, huh? They had these cute little miniture snapdragons out front and the gentleman working called me "Carolyn" with his accent. I was amused.

The next day I received my order from Fearless Fibers. I've been impressed with what people have knitted with this yarn as it supposedly doesn't pool. Also, it's the 7 deadly spins sock yarn club, at least I think so. Either way, I like the colors, the prices are good, and the shipping is quick.

I met up with a friend on Saturday night and we went to Vines in Parker. I highly recommend this place. It's a tapas bar. I had some sort of filet migion wrapped in pastry and brie. Drool. It was good. I also had the bruschetta, I have to admit I like mine with chunked mozzerella, this one wasn't too bad. More of a cream cheese with tomatos and balsamic on top. The wines they serve in glasses, bottles or basically half bottles. They also have "flights" where you can try 3 types of wine. I thought that was kind of clever. The prices are from $3 - $15 for the tapas. They have a patio or a dining area. I'd post a picture except my phone won't allow me to email pictures to myself anymore. Another lesson learned, take the camera stupid.

That night too, my friend and I talked about the supernatural. So, let me start with this. My experience with people, in general, is that often I find myself talking about stuff with people, and I find that people seem to tell me all sorts of things without any sort of filters, for whatever reason. Also, I get creeped out very very easily. My X always found this mildly amusing and would like to scare me just to see my reaction. I hated this. Lastly, I do think that there are things that cannot be explained. So, here it is about 10:30 pm or so, and she's relating her story to me. I told her, that I'd be more happy to talk with her about it, but it needed to be during the day, this was after about 30 minutes of conversation. She said she understood, but how conversation often goes, she kept going. I then sort of shuffled her out of my place then. Blah, blah, blah, tired, etc, etc.

Well, the next day, I had had my phone on silent because I had been up until 5:30 am watching Star Trek, partially due to stress, partially due to a little creeped out. When I finally check the phone around 11 am, here is this voicemail... "I think you were rude, my feelings were hurt, I was trying to tell you a story, etc etc." Then an hour later, another voicemail... "I'm sorry, I know your under a lot of stress, just forget my prior voicemail."

sigh

I have drama. I'm so normal it's painful I think. Maybe it's because I don't know what I think.

Sunday I went to Michaels to find a cross stitch frame holder. I found one, and I like it, I think it will work with my frame, but...I also picked up a 50% coupon for next week. Rats. I think I'm going to get another one using that coupon. Why, oh why, do I find out about sales when I'm AT the store.

Anyway, my long winded weekend came down to this. Did you know that stress causes you to knit tighter, which causes your gauge to be thrown all to pieces? I know, redundant. :) Sarcasm is my friend. So, my sock, my loved little sock, the first one came out so perfect. The second one came out at least an inch shorter. The YO look way smaller. I almost frogged them both. Dang. I've decided just to finish them up. Chalk it up to a learning experience, otherwise I will be knitting these same socks forever.

I don't think I'm a great knitter. I don't even think of myself to be an expert. I do find people asking me questions. I know quite a bit about knitting and I haven't ever knit anything yet, that I wasn't able to interpret, eventually. One knitter I met not too long ago told me I must just be good. Knitting, it just makes sense to me, now if only the rest of the world did.

Lessons learned from the Noro sock.

1. Stress effects gauge.
2. Try counting rows.
3. Try knitting both at the same time on 2 different needle sets.
4. Don't be afraid to pull enough out so the socks can kind of match, if that's what you want.
5. If making your own pattern...WRITE IT DOWN...more is better than less...

Due to happen again

2008-05-16T15:08:00.004-06:00

It's official...per me...I have too many projects going on at one time and none really reaching a state of completion.

1. Noro Silk Garden Scarf
2. Scarf for friend
3. Noro socks
4. Granny square blanket
5. Blanket for son
6. Socks for family member

Not to mention all of the other projects of non-yarn nature.

A gripe

2008-05-15T12:56:00.003-06:00

It's occurred to me in recent months, I need to make some more friends. It's partially I think because some of the people I have known now, I have known for 10 some odd years. There can be some old drama that just doesn't heal in time. I'm glad to say that a lot has, but with some, the some I don't really talk to, it hasn't.

This occurred to me at a gathering that happened with people I don't always see on a regular basis. Apparently some of the group was pre-asked to give advice. I had no idea, I wasn't asked, I figured it was because I don't really get along with the host. We're sort of distanced acquaintenaces. However, I noticed that another newly divorced person there also mumbled about how she meant to give to this as well, but the way she mumbled it made me wonder if she had even been given notice. We were the only two non-married people there in that particular circle of friends.

So, it made me wonder, there were some rifts made when my X and I split. Not that he kept up with any of those friends we had had. I had the opinion that he had done something wrong in my opinion, and he had the opinion that he was doing the right thing. That in itself is neither here nor there. It was important to me at one point in time, now it just makes me think that it must be very hard to be friends with a person whom you know is actively cheating/lying/etc on their spouse.

It also made me wonder if there are any single women, who knit, have kids, like games, and are happily divorced. I only seem to run into mostly happy married people or singles who have never been married and who don't have kids. If there's anyone out there who fits the first category, please say hi.

I love my friends. They are very important to me in whatever capacity they are able to spend time with me or I with them. The constraints of my life however, seem to hinder a lot of the time I wish I could spend with them too. I wish too that I knew of more people who have had similiar life experiences like I have...ugh, I don't know, it's all just this sort of weird lonliness I think, where I realize sock yarn and the internet won't necessarily make up for real live people. Realizing too, that some of the interests I had, that kept me in constant contact with people, were not really mine, but my X's.

I'm over-sensitive, but I won't admit that to you.

In need of advice, or maybe just encouragement

2008-05-14T12:15:00.008-06:00

Let's first talk about dp ladders from hell. They look SO big to me. Poo.

Ladders happen with dp right? They just do. No matter how hard you tug at the yarn between the switch, they just happen. Do they ever correct themselves? I've never really asked anyone I've knitted socks for. Besides the people I have knitted socks for are not knitters, and most certainly they would look at me as though I had lost my mind talking about the ladder in the garage.

Second, how important is it to count rows? I know that tension and gauge can often vary slightly from day to day, and mood to mood. I've always just measured. I'm sure my inner perfectionist is just having a hay day with my brain. Poking at the little worrier child in my head.

I'm using this cast on for my toe. I like it. It's less likely to need tightening. Although the first stitch seems to always be loose. On the first sock I just tightened it and left the little loop it left, the second sock I tightened and then knit it with another knit stitch. This I think may have left a tiny hole, so I may have to rethink my thoughts about that loose first stitch. I may just try the Knitty version of the figure 8 again. It's been so long I really don't remember.

On a side note...I'm so ready for it to be Friday.

It's always seems like I get home at night and all I want to do is sit down, read some blogs, and go to bed. It's not that I forget to take the pictures, I just seem to run out of time.

Today I had a first. I took back sock yarn to an LYS. I'd link you to their website but String, A Knitting Boutique seems to have had it deleted. I don't know what is going on there, but it remains at my least favorite. I'm grateful that they took back the 2 skeins I had. One was a Fortissma, and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't convince myself that the cotton/wool/nylon blend was going to work with the wool/poly blend of the Opal skein I have to go with it. So I ordered a solid Opal skein instead, and opted to take this one back. I also took back a skein of Noro, not because I didn't like it, but I had 2 of them. I decided I only needed one. Instead for their store credit, I picked up Jitterbug and Koigu. A much better idea in my stash.

I'm still not crazy about this store. I went up to the counter and let the person at the register know I wanted to do a return, she informed me of the store credit thing. I said that was fine and I just thought I'd pick out my new selections now. She nosed through my bag and picked out the solid color Fortissma and said, "Are you sure you bought this here?" I replied, "Yes, here's my receipt." sigh. For that reason alone I don't think I'd really want to be a shop keeper. Maybe I'm a crappy customer having the expectation that you ought to have a basic idea of what is in your store.

I also went to Knitty Cat. Ann has Flat Feet in bright colors. She says she's going to order more. Yay, because the stuff she had, I don't think will last through the weekend. I hope she gets in some of the Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn too when it comes out. She said she'd ask her rep. I went for Flat Feet and a Jitterbug followed me home.

The Jitterbug has so many colors in it. It's like a crayon box that tastifully threw up.

I also came to the conclusion today that I need to have yarn at my desk...on my desk as a display. For some reason it kind of just makes me feel good.

A little bit of Monday, a little bit of Tuesday

2008-05-12T12:36:00.007-06:00

It never fails me. "Cycle" at work comes around, and I can't sleep at night. I hate that. So, the time when I need to be most awake comes at the time when I'm the most exhausted because I can't sleep. Goody. I also start falling behind in every other aspect of my life, blogging, bills, eating, etc. I've done this for 5 years. Oh, how I need a change.

I finished my first sock. Yay. Noro is nice. It can be rough on your hands. My skein had 2 knots, hopefully no more. The colorway looks great on the skein, but can be troublesome because of the knots. It has slubs and sticks. However, it keeps my foot warm. It feels soft to me. I didn't have any problems with breakage, although I have heard others who have had issues with that. I'll be interested in seeing how it handles washing.

Have I ever mentioned I hate feet? I think they're sort of odd looking. I don't paint my toenails and I don't like pedicures. I do like to knit socks.

My second sock has begun, and well, I've miscalculated the colorway. Poo. I thought about frogging and pulling until it matched closer...but...nah...forget it. It's my first set of my socks. I'm sure it will be fine. Yes. Fine. No frogging.

This of course is not the second sock. I haven't had the time to take a picture of the second sock, or post pictures of flowers from mother's day.

This is a picture of my "design," the one that made me slightly batshit insane. It's cute though.
Needless to say, I did nothing last night. I fed the kids, read, and went to bed. My cloud of fogginess is better today and my shoulder doesn't seem to ache, which I am sure is a direct result of work and not from knitting too much. *cough*

I ordered some Smooshy. Seems interesting enough, stupid sock yarn habit. The worst thing about this habit...is when I send my order to my PO box instead of my home address. Duh. Now I have to wait until Friday instead of stalking my mailbox.

I need to figure out how to wear my socks. This I can sense is going to involve a new pair of shoes. I'll have to ponder this. I don't like women's shoes much. I always like to tell the men I've dated, "Slow down. Next time you get to wear the heels." I normally wear some type of boot, heeled usually, looks sort of professional with my slacks. However, this does not bode well for socks. I think my Teva's will work well, but I can't wear those to work or in the winter. I did see some Mary Janes that seem sort of cute, heeled, and in an elderly sort of fashion. No offense to anyone, really, but I remember my father's aunt wearing those shoes. So, it's hard for me not to imagine a 90 year old German woman in association with those shoes, but I still like em. One day I'll even have a link so you can see.

Randomize

2008-05-11T19:59:00.004-06:00

Geesh, I almost forgot. Look at the time.

I pondered it for awhile. I've read on other blogs people have just happened to mention that the first commentor never seems to be picked when people use randomizer.org.

So, I decided with my contestants that the old fashioned way was going to work okay for me. I penned up everyone's name, shuffled them up and tossed them in the air.

The winner of my first blogiversary is...

See you on the 30th?

Oh, mighty sock gods of frusteration...this looks okay right? After finally puzzling out the maddening zig zag...the end is now upon me...

A picot seemed the most perfect thing in the world. I knit, I picot, I knit and bind off, I cut...and try it on.

Oh crap.

The bind off is so tight it cuts off my circulation. I try and try to ponder how slouch socks will be okay.

Riight.

I frog. I start again. K1, P1. I made it 14 rows, I think, and now I'm going to sew it up, once I locate the nifty K1, P1, bind off in my books. Only one more sock to do ~~cries~~.

Going, going...

2008-05-10T16:42:00.006-06:00

Last chance. Happy blogiversary to me.

My order of Socks that Rock arrived. Mediumweight. Korppi, Haida, Rauen, and Stormy Weather.

grin

I like it. Sqooshy and soft. Not as thick as I expected. I think I'm going to be fine. I'm knitting my Noro sock on a size 3 needle. I think I'm going to be just fine. After all, I've knit worsted weight acrylic socks before. *ducks*

Progress on my sock.

I've learned a few things.

1) It's not the wisest thing to knit a sock at 3:00 am, you will make mistakes.
2) Frogging sucks.
3) It may be wise to wind the skein into a ball first before knitting, that way you can find the knots first (2 knots in this skein, can you believe it, let me tell you how pleased I was)

This is why the sky blue is kind of long I couldn't really determine, at 3 am, how long the colorways were, so I guessed.

Yeah, well...looky! I made a pattern. It is my special friend and I shall call it George. George is also the reason why I had to frog 6 rows...my zig didn't zag and instead made a line, and well my Borg perfection just could not have that. The second sock should look interesting.

No title is a good title

2008-05-08T14:24:00.005-06:00

I've been pondering some about blogs lately. I've never really found myself to be all that interesting. I'm sort of full of self induced complaints, know-it-all advice, lousy grammar, and noncontinuous thoughts. I used to think that I was better at putting thoughts into words instead of words into thought, but I'm not finding that to be true. I'm finding that I simply am a random brained person who makes up words to describe their perception of the world. I think too, I don't have as much to complain about anymore. It's this sort of just acceptance of any given situation, and knowing when situations are simply out of your control. This doesn't mean it is any easier not to give my advice. I like running things.

Maybe that's why I enjoy knitting. I'm in control of how my product turns out. At least, most of the time. Like my sock for instance. I'm kind of following a pattern, but I'm improvising some. I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm enjoying my kfb instead of M1, although I wonder if they will be too tight.

I also like seeing progress. This is why knitting is so great for me. This too explains why I'm so frustrated with my job, but that is not a story for today.

The great part about knitting too, is realizing when you almost have the heel flap completely done, that you've knit it off to the side somehow, just slightly. Enough that you know there is no good quick fix, frogging is the only answer. Since I didn't figure this out until 10:30 pm last night I don't have a picture, because really, when I find my mistakes I usually don't go looking for my camera right away, because that would impede on my progress of correcting the error. So, all I have is this picture of the sock I'm working on. My happy twiney sock.

The thing that is bugging me the most today, is that fact that I cannot figure out how to tell someone that I think that they are a worthless ass, in a nice sort of PC way. We've had this discussion before, him and I, many, many times before. He just doesn't seem to get it though. So, I'm left with accepting the situation. I just hate sucky situations. I hate it when people don't understand what the right thing to do is. Even if it sucks for them too. Somehow it will puzzle itself through. This however is complicated in situations of divorce. Things become mine and not ours and responsibility is only okay when it doesn't involve money.

sigh

Somedays I wish I could just do more.

Did I ever mention I'm vague too? 3 more hours until work is over and I can go knit more. I'm reading Yarn Harlot's book, I think the first one, it has a little distressed looking sheep on the cover. Her humor and observations are delightful. I especially can relate the parts about children. Mine told me that for Mother's Day they will allow me to sleep in, even though they will be hungry. My daughter also informed me that she was going to just let me stay in bed if I wanted to all day, but no knitting.

Lol, what? What kind of relaxing day is it when one can't knit to relax?

You know it's time to clean the house when...

2008-05-07T09:55:00.010-06:00

...you can't find the nifty wire device that changes your iPod into a cool thing that play music in your car. As a matter of fact, you stomp around the house like a crazed woman who's lost all her marbles. If you hadn't guessed, that would be me. I hate, hate when I hide things from myself. I moved it from my car when I had the car fixed. I should have just left the damn thing in the car. Then I'd know where to find it.

And you know what even makes it better? The X calls to see what your message is about, right when you are in the middle of your focus. Why, oh why, did I end up making children with the one person on the planet that aggrivates me the most? I'm sure this is a question many ask themselves.

I've been having some thoughts rolling around in my head today.

First, I like the rain.

Second, contest.

Third, I'm a fairly intensely private person. This in itself is a contradiction. So, perhaps the better description is contradictive. Anyone can ask me anything and I'll give them an answer. Sometimes answers they don't want to hear. My thought process being is if they don't want the answer, then don't ask the question.

Lastly, looky what I made.

It's a spaghetti holder.

No, no, really it's a wine bottle cozy. My adventure in bags, felting of bags, and yarn that was on clearance that I just knew was going to look wicked cool when felted. I was right.

At least I like it and see? I do knit from my stash.

It's functional and fuzzy.

Birthday baby

2008-05-06T18:15:00.007-06:00

Tomorrow my baby will be 4. Kinda crazy how quickly time is slipping by.

Today we went to breakfast, hung out at the park, went to Posh, went to the store to buy cookies for class tomorrow, and to another store to buy a birthday present.

Whew.

The only picture I have is this. He helped me pick them out. Ah, yes, training my little ones to pick out yarn. Posh is a nice store, they have roving. It's small, parking can be complex, but they carry Shibui and Happy Feet. I liked the name of this store and the owner is very friendly.

Also, Imbrium, is the pattern gusset similar to this one? I'm lame, I know I could just email you too.

Lastly, a contest! Go check it out.

Alpaca's squeak

2008-05-05T08:36:00.008-06:00

Contest...I still don't have my "prize." I don't know if I am being impatient or if they are sort of slow. I emailed yesterday.

Update: I'm kind of slow. I finally puzzled out the confirmation number out of 3 on the receipt, and wha-la...progress of transaction. They mailed it the day after I ordered it. So, busy weekend, I checked today at lunch and poof there it was. See what happens when I don't stalk my mailbox? So, this is the prize. Lovely, periwinkle.

So lovely, that I had to acquire a set for myself as well as the orchid colorway. Yipee. Maybe I should start counting sock yarn as stash?

All I know is this, after I finished organizing my stash, I ended up having more room in my stash boxes. So that means I need to fill those spaces right?

I think there was a time when I thought that it would be cool to have a few sheep or alpaca or other fleece producing animals. However, this has sort of changed. I'm sort of afraid of animals really, unless they are cats or fish. Dogs, I tolerate. Sheep, while cute, especially when made into a stuffed animal, are a little odd looking to me and a friend told me, full of ticks. Alpaca's...well they make this really weird screaming noise that kind of freaks me out a little.

Am I a bad knitter/spinner? I would like my fleece processed and colored and ready to go, as though it was never on the animal. Just like my chicken comes in cellophane, all clean and plucked...so should wool.

Speaking of wool. The Alpaca thing, I made it, on Sunday no less, but Saturday I had an ass ton of things to get done (help build a fence, pick child up from other parent's house, take child to birthday party, take child back to other parent's house, go home need shower from fence building, go to meet D, go to bar and listen to bands.) So, Sunday, I set my alarm, and I made it there right at 10 am. I didn't remember my camera. It is my talent to always forget 1 thing, on Sunday, it was the camera.

It's a little show. There were a few vendors. The vendors downstairs had a handful of fleece, all alpaca, all 100% worsted weight alpaca, seemingly handspun, some small skeins of milled. I wandered upstairs to the "fiber arts" area. I expected crafts however, to my glee, I found more vendors. The first one I run into, selling plain roving, and colored roving to needlefelt. Rats. I didn't want to purchase just plain ol' roving. What's the fun in that unless you're going to dye it. Sure, I guess the practice is good. The next one was the same as well, and then there were a few people to my delight, spinning. Roving, yay.

I found this at the Eye Dazzler Alpacas. It's ready to go and it mixed with silk. I bought 2, they were only 1 oz. sizes. They had red, yellow, purple, and a brown/black. The purple and the yellow were great, but I took home the purple. They teach classes at this farm, which is approximately 2 hours from Lone Tree, CO. They offer natural dye classes as well as acid dye classes, but not until next fall or spring, which is okay. All sorts of exciting. I'm hoping that perhaps I can take a class or set something up perhaps. They were very friendly and at this booth I learned how to spin and ply at the same time from a drop spindle.

This selection I found at the next place. I picked up some alpaca roving as well as merino. They had silk hankies which were beautiful, but I just didn't think I wanted to bother with them at this point. I also found this sport weight red/black yarn, socks of course, it's not superwash, but it's a really great color. Does anyone know, if you knit socks out of yarns that are not superwash can you still wash them in a cold water wash in the washing machine. I don't mind hand washing socks. Just curious. I keep pondering the socks I think I want to make for D, although I think he'd like slippers better, and I keep thinking that superwash is a good thing.

Speaking of socks...I'm making socks. Out of real sock yarn (yes, I make socks out of worsted weight acrylic). It's Noro sock yarn. I figured since I haven't really used super squooshy sock yarn to knit with yet and only the scratchy sort of Fortissma sock yarn, that Noro would be a good start. Besides I had 2 of this colorway in my stash, how did that happen? The reviews that I have heard from fellow sock knitters is, it's like knitting with twine. Hmm. Sounds great. I'm actually liking my twine though. I like Noro so much anyway. I'm enjoying the weird slubs and picking out my little bits of vegetation. Odd little knitter I am.

I only frogged the toe 2 times before I decided that the toe up K1, M1 was leaving a sort of little hole by the toe increase that I didn't care for. I only frogged once more after that realizing that I should at least sort of use a pattern in order to knit this in a sock that might fit me. D pointed out that my children have smaller feet than me and if the sock is too small I can just give it to them, practice practice.

Practice? What? It's not going to be perfect on the first try? I can't have that. My sense of Borg perfection cannot assimilate. Okay, so I didn't frog it a 4th time. It's going well so far, except for work and life getting in the way of my knitting time. I think it needs a pattern in it, however I want to practice the gusset heel instead of the short row heel. The short row heel is why I don't like to knit toe up, but the toe up concept makes me keep wanting to try.

Observations...and my first yarn tasting.

2008-05-02T07:53:00.007-06:00

I haven't been checking my mailbox like a crazy yarn junkie. I've had the best restraint ever. However, that has caused me to wonder, where is my order (I need it for my contest)? Okay. It's only been 3 out of the 5-7 business days. This is the only reason I visit any LYS. I like to buy things online, I like their cheaper prices and I like free shipping but, damnit, I want it now.

Tonight is Yarn Tasting at A Knitted Peace. I've never been to one before. I typically don't knit with expensive yarns (unless it's a scarf) out of a weird sense of guilt. I paid how much for what? What if I screw it up?? It's as though I want to put it in it's own vaccum seal bag/box for posterity. I'll walk by it occasionally and think, "Wow. That sure would look pretty knitted into a sweater."

This was really a great event. Apparently, around 40 people had signed up for this. I can't say I met a lot of people. I saw a lot of people. My social skills are waning. If it weren't for my love of yarn I wouldn't have gone to this seeing that my social skills right now are on the bristly side.

They were busy. I would so go to this again. They had little appetizers, sushi rolls, crackers and cheese, and fruit. Wine and sodas.

I think I like this store because it's medium sized. They had about 5 sitting areas. Mostly around tables of some sort.

My little bag o' stuff had about 6 balls of purpled yarns (which was great, I like purple), a little sheet of patterns, a glass bowl, a sample of SOAK, a nail file, and a pad of paper. *grin* Now if I could only figure out what I ought to knit out of the yarn. I tried twice, but decided that my only pair of needles, size 7, weren't going to cut it. I forgot the rest of my needle set, but they had some "house" needles. I've pondered a scarf from this only because I don't really want a bunch of swatches wandering around my house.

I found some (clockwise from the left) Koigu, Kauni, Noro Silk Garden,and Berracco that just begged to go home with me. The Berracco everyone was raving about. The Noro...269. Happy, happy. Oh and they sell Happy Feet, I just couldn't find 2 skeins of the same colorway that I liked. I'll check back.

At the end of this year. They also have a ton of the Noro sock yarn, they did not have the Noro silk garden sock yarn. They said their rep would be coming by soon and that they would check with them. I want to try the silk twine. I still haven't tried my Noro, but I haven't heard great things so far.

Whilst I was at the yarn tasting, I noticed a sign for an Alpaca Fiber Festival and the National Western Stockshow complex...this weekend. Oh crap, roving galore...and me helping a friend tomorrow. Rats! Friendship. Perhaps Sunday then. Yes. Sunday. Roving.

I have a confession. One I've been avoiding for months now. It however is becoming harder to hide and one I can't deny.

I've become a yarn snob.

I know. Can you believe it? I still have 4 boxes of cheap acrylic yarn (verigated, solid, boucle, extra bits). I like cheap acrylic yarn...wait...before anything might be thrown at me for my tastes...it's easy to wash, I don't mind terribly if I totally screw it up, I have kids, it's worsted weight and makes fairly quick socks for people I dutifully think I have to knit for out of family kinship (and who think I ought to knit these things faster than I do.) My yarn snobbery is starting to show through more and more though.

It started with a box, just one, barely filled. A few skeins of Noro, a clearance wool from an LYS, a couple of balls of sock yarn. Then I went to the Estes Park Wool Festival with Imbrium and her beloved. It was like a small force of nature walking through the aisles of yarn. Laceweight, 2 of some sort (didn't keep the label, ah the innocence of not realizing how batshit insane that would make me now), 2 cashmere lace, and some roving later joined my lone box. My lone box however communicated to me, in a dream I'm sure, that the roving could not mingle with the yarn, you know, being roving. So the boxes became 2. One with roving and spindles, the other with luxious wool. No longer was it this itchy horrible nuisance to me anymore.

This brings us to the present. I got a great deal on some plastic bins at Target. The lone box became, the box of lace and worsted, commercially produced sock yarn, hand dyed sock yarns, and roving/spindles. They now rival my acrylic and I have this foreboding sense that it'll just grow larger. I'm hoping however that the higher quality yarns with just over take the boxes of acrylic. I'm not convinced of this. Especially since I'm expected at A Knitted Peace tonight and they have Kauni and Koigu. I sense that the Kauni and laceweight may demand their own box. Especially if there happens to be the black/gray or purple/black/gray colorways at the store.

Ah yes, my children will one day sit down and think, I wonder what mom left us...what?! Whadda ya mean 120 boxes of yarn? (6 in two years, divided by 2, equal 3, if I live to 70 and 3 boxes per year, would equal 120, which includes the 6 I currently have)

Lastly, I have a question, I hope somone can answer. Socks that Rock. I am the worst customer ever. I've emailed them about 4 times waffling, lightweight, mediumweight, mediumweight, lightweight. Oh hell, just stick with my mediumweight order. My friend once told me to quit reading about medical ailments online, this goes for yarn reviews as well. I don't know what kind of sock yarn I prefer. I've never knitted a pair of socks for myself. I've only knitted Fortissma, in the same colorway no less, 3 times. My daughter said she liked them but they were itchy. So, when STR colorways wandered into my view I had to have. I ordered 4 skeins of mediumweight. Am I going to hate this yarn?? I'm scared.

Blogiversary - Year 2

2008-05-01T10:31:00.002-06:00

Yay...blogiversary month for me. So, here's the contest...leave a comment below on what makes a good blog. I like blogs because I like looking at pictures. Let's say that you can leave your comment until May 10th. On May 11th I'll stick all names in a hat and pick one, as I am unfamiliar with the random number generator god. The prize, cause that's fun too, is this. Two skeins of that actually. I don't have my own pretty picture however, because it hasn't arrived in the mail yet.

Here's a question for anyone, I hope someone can help me with this. Socks That Rock...lightweight or mediumweight? I ordered 4 skeins of mediumweight, then I read posts about how people weren't really crazy for it because it was very thick. What are your thoughts? I already have a list of other colorways I would like to acquire at some point.

I'm excited for tomorrow's yarn tasting. 1) because it's yarn, I like yarn...it is a problem, 2) I realized that Noro Silk Garden comes in 269 a way lighter color than what I got 267. The reason I am unhappy with 267 and 211 is that when I knitted it together it seemed to have gotten a yellow color from 267 and a sort of dark honey color in 211 to stripe very close to each other. I thought about frogging this. I hate it when that happens. My Kureyon scarf did that twice. I lived with it. I lived this too in the Silk Garden Scarf, but poo, I hate it when that happens. So, long story long, I want to see if they have any 269 available.

Why does it have to look so good?

2008-04-30T19:41:00.003-06:00

Yarn that is. Impulse buys are going to kill me. Help! I've drowned in my own stash. That is what my tombstone will read. So, we won't go into that especially since I didn't have to sit on the box lid to close the stash box. :)

D pointed out to me yesterday that I don't have to crochet all the pieces in one night. Hmm...I guess that might be why my shoulder is a bit sore. It's not close to being done and I have not idea how I'll piece this together, but the sewing is something I'm not looking forward to. The crocheting is easy.

I'm going to A Knitted Peace this Friday. If you're bored you should go to. $12 yarn tasting party. Why the heck not. If my link didn't work Google their website and look at their newsletter. I'm going to be about an hour late because of the drop of thang, so hopefully I won't end up with the ickiest color ever, but it'll be cool yarn and new people. Should be grand.

3 days...

2008-04-28T08:53:00.005-06:00

...until May 1.

May 1 being my 2nd year blogiversary. I will see how many lurkers I have. I'm thinking 3.

I'm not sure what the prize will be. It will either be a sock yarn of something, I was thinking Shibui however, my little ones do not have much tolerance for 1) yarn stores, 2) mom's weird need to always run "errands" to them. Therefore this weekend I did not make it up to Knit Knack to pick up some (yes, I know I have some, enough to drown myself, but it's it's in my stash and seems so very happy). So, my dilemma is this, I may just pick up some lace from A Knitted Peace tomorrow as I will be in that area of town, and hopefully it will be warm as I will be carless.
Reading back...I may just stash bust. It would probably save my sanity and give me a reason to order a few more colors from Simply Socks.

Onward. Yesterday my girl kid decided that her special friend of the day was going to be Furrball from Tiny Toons. She renamed him "Bob." Bob went everywhere with us yesterday, yarn store, haircut, home, park, home, park, haircut, ice cream, home. You may have noticed home and park were in there twice, this was not a typing error, but my reality as I have a boy child who always insists that he does not have to go to the bathroom only to find out frantically that he does once we arrive (sometimes before) that he has to go. If you see my car on the side of the road...yeah. Anyway, Bob was noticed missing at bedtime. Rats. I hate to admit that I actually have this weird sort of emotional tie to Bob. You see Bob was once mine. I got him on a trip to Florida with my parents. I think one of the last trips I went on with them really, because then I just became too cool to hang out with my parents for any length of time. So, my stupid inner "only" child was pretty annoyed at my girl child for forgetting Bob somewhere. I know, I know, then why give it to her to play with? Well, I'm over 30 now, do I really need hundreds of stuffed animals? I mean I don't sit up late at night playing tea party with them, and really they do sort of sit in my variety of plastic bags and boxes lest they take over the house. I couldn't be mad at her, she was very upset at forgetting Bob. I can understand that...sort of...stupid only child syndrome, everything is mine.

Bob was located at the haircut place. He was a little miffed about hanging out there all night, but the girl was very happy to see Bob.

So, my lesson for the week it to let go. This is a very helpful lesson really, because my inability to let go of issues causes me to worry about everything. Less stress would be a good thing right?

The good news. I called the haircut place today and they have Bob. I will pick Bob up after work. See? All that worry for naught.

I have resurrected the project of this scarf for friend. I worked on it last night. Can you tell? I can't either. I have come to realize between watching Captain Janeway and crew try to get back to the Alpha quadrant and SSK that I'm not sure how to end this scarf. By end, I mean how to do the last triangle. It started from a right angle to an equilateral triangle...how do I get it back to the right angle? The directions are a little confuddling. My solution it to make a mini version of this...bookmark sized and puzzle it out. I'm sure this will only confuse me more. I can't wait to finish off this scarf though. I'm not very excited about this yarn. You know, when I first bought this type of yarn (I have 3 more colors of this stuff) I had grand ideas of them becoming sweaters for the kids. Riight. Since this scarf I have learned...um...no way. So those colors will become scarves...but hopefully scarves where you don't have to knit and then knit in the back of same stitch at the beginning of each odd row. I don't know why my eyes seem to think boucle yarns seem so fascinating...because my brain knows better.

My granny square crochet is progressing. 4 squares. They take me about 30 minutes to crochet. Longer than I thought, but mind numbing. So mind numbing in fact I think I messed up the 3rd one by forgetting to ch1 at the beginning of one of the white sc. Poo. I will not frog the square. I will not frog the square. It's not as off as the pink one I ch3 in each corner instead of ch2, and let me tell you, that makes a big difference. I'm not looking forward the the sewing. If only projects could sew themselves. Maybe that is why I've only really made socks and scarves. I don't have to sew them.

Happy warm week.

And fin...

2008-04-27T13:35:00.005-06:00

I found a basket. Finally. I did go to the Ross/TJ Maxx stores seeking one. I gave up and just went to the Container Store, which had them in 4 different colors. It's high enough to keep the yarn from crawling out of it I think. It's perfect to sit on my couch, and should deter the children ~~son~~ from stepping inside of it. It even has a nifty zipper.

My order from Crash Into Ewe came in the mail yesterday I think. It's so pretty. Red and sparkly. I think I'm yarned out now ~~until June~~.

Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to knit with all this lovely sock yarn.

Lastly, I got to go check out Purls of Wisdom in Parker, CO today. Only because hangs head in shame, they have Flat Feet in stock. This stuff just looks so nifty that I couldn't help it. It also makes me realize that I'm very happy I don't live any closer than I do to this store. This place is *great.* Not only did Jen the owner offer that it is okay to just come over and hang out at the store, but the kids can come too. She has a little TV and VCR set up in the back with kid sized chairs. She also carried dyes for wool and roving. What more can I ask for. Sunbeams? Yup, her store had those too at 10:00 AM. Sold on this store.

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
Smaller without feeling crowded at all. Inviting and the knitting areas are well lit.

Kid friendly: 5 sheep
Jen, the owner, has set up a small area in the back of her store with a TV and VCR with kid-sized chairs.

Product: 4 sheep
Nice selection. Could use a bigger selection of sock yarn, but they carry Flat Feet. I'm not complaining. They also sell roving and dye.

Staff: 5 sheep
Very friendly and willing to assist in any information about the product or project you may be considering.

WTF (willing to frequent): 5 sheep
I've never had a yarn store owner say to me that it's okay just to come by and knit in the store's atmosphere. That was really neat actually.

New Obsession

2008-04-26T09:51:00.003-06:00

Like I need another one.

Plastic yarn. I really meant it. :) Here are the plastic bags at my house. More than I can possibly ever use for trash in my life. They just grow exponentially.

I separated them into color and the into the ones I want to use for my bathroom trash cans.

Here is the waste so far from 2 bags.

These were vegetable bags from the grocery store.

Here is the result of yarn so far. I'm intrigued how this will knit/crochet.

So, if anyone happens to run into any plastic bag (that has not had raw meats or pesticides inside) that is not white or brown in color, send them my way if you happen to think about it. Seriously.

Crap

2008-04-25T23:09:00.001-06:00

Anyone see this? I want. Or I want to make some. Now I need a knitting machine. Damn.

Friday

2008-04-25T13:30:00.006-06:00

Today is the second "jeans" day Friday they've had at work, well, since they brought it back. It's kind of nice. I'm easy to please. Give me work. Say thank you. Let me wear jeans. Now only if I could work from home. That would be super.

Hopefully when I get home I will have my order from Crash Into Ewe. I know, just what I need, another skein of yarn. Last one. Really. :) Rats. It didn't make it today. It's another silver skein in a red colorway. A friend of mine said it was soft, because I had mentioned that I was concerned that the others weren't going to be, and because of her comment I decided I needed a red skein. I think a black and purple skein would be nice too.

I have a new ~~obsession~~ interest pertaining to yarn, plastic yarn. Made from plastic bags of course. I have just a *ton* of these and I haven't remembered to take them to the little recycle kiosks at the grocery store. Soooo.... what better way to entertain my inner OCD child than with making yarn out of plastic bags?! Kind of odd aren't I? I think I have come up with a method too. I'm excited. I'll knit a bag or something. Too bad grocery stores don't make them out of really pretty colors. I think I only have brown and white. My kiddo wants me to make a bag for her. I'm excited and she's on this eco kick since hearing about Earth Day at school.

I started crocheting last night. Well, after I finished frogging these pink granny squares. I had made them a long time ago out of yarn, mixed with new yarns, from an afghan I frogged that I was going to make for myself and my X for our room. Oh well, I figured I wasn't crazy about the colors anymore and I didn't want to use the yarn that was something for us, so I thought I would use it to make something else. Unfortunately, when I started making the pink granny squares I made some, stopped, made some more, realized the squares were different sizes since I wasn't using the right pattern. Apparently I just made one up in my head. So I plundered on, corrected myself on the ones going forward, but there were 2 that bugged me. I figured that I would sew them in and no one would be the wiser.

Well, last night I decided that was BS and that I wanted to start on another afghan for my cousin's second son. So I frogged the pink ones, they were bugging me, and I started on some blue ones. I know...different color anyway. Stupid perfectionist brain. You really have no idea how hard it is for me to fix that one sock.

So, I will update this later and add pictures.

I've now added pictures. I don't know if Bloglines updates, updated blogs or not. Anyone know?

I took the kids to dinner tonight, which was nice family time for us. I also met Imbrium and her *husband* (grins) and gave them their wedding gift, which I did have at the time of the wedding but had left in the middle of the floor of my apartment when I was rounding up myself and the kids to get ready and leave. I was so worried we were going to be late, we ended up an hour early.

To my total surprise Imbrium gifted me with fluffy *greatness* from Rhinebeck. OMG. LOOKY!! Merino/Tussah and Tussah. My wheel drools. Thank you!!

It was so nice to run into you guys twice. lol.

Another good excuse to head up north is Black and Read in Arvada, CO. It's a used book/CD/DVD/VCR/game store. I heart this store.

I've always liked used CD stores. My girlfriend in high school introduced them to me when I was 14 or 15. 200+ CDs later I was hooked. Needless to say, my interests moved from there. Not to say that any of the games I've purchased there yet have been used, but they have the best discount in town IMO.

I think I've always loved games. This however was always difficult for me, being an only child. I remember many many times playing Life, Monopoly, PayDay, etc by myself. I'd max out the players and take turns and play for hours. My parents, especially my mom, was very good at taking the time when she was home to play the games with me, but I always wanted more players. My dad was pretty good at trying to understand the rules too, but didn't play as often as my mom.

This fascination has followed me to my adulthood. However, I am running into the issue of frequency of play, as in, not nearly enough. My friends are pretty spread out now, le sigh. I am toying around with an idea of having Friday themed nights, sending out to people I know and see how many people are interested in coming over to play a specific game, and then whatever after. This is a good idea...otherwise I'm just this odd sort of collector...with a yarn addiction.

Mornings

2008-04-24T06:09:00.007-06:00

My mom always told me I'd become a morning person when I grew up. Either she was 1) wrong, or 2) I haven't grown up yet.

I'm still sick. I hate being sick. I'm waiting for the sore throat and achy body to drop into my lungs. I'm not looking forward to this prospect.

I fixed my daughter's sock yesterday. The one with the stitch that never got knitted. I'm still not sure how I did this.

I'm convinced now I'm not sure if I know how to weave in ends of if I've been making it up all along. The first fix was terrible and I had to take it out. It looked like something gone wrong with embroidery.

This is a sock she has outgrown. My crappy fix will do, I will not frog the sock.

Can you see it?

How about now?

It's right above my finger. Oh, and in the sunlight theres a pretty little ladder too.

My sock perfection is far from...perfect. Sigh.

Well...well...someone also put the pattern on this yarn off about a foot. So there. Ha!

I'm still not convinced I like the look of short row heels. They just look sort of holey. I like the idea of toe ups, but not this heel, I want to try a skein of Noro with a gusset heel and see if I like that better.

Yesterday I received my order from Hazel Knits. This got here so quick. Wow.

I made the order with the intention of the dark pink that I just noticed listed. However, the light pink, light and dark green, blue and purple wanted to come along for the journey, so I had to order them too.

This yarn seems so soft and squishy and I love the semi solid shading effect of this yarn.

I finally picked up a green/black colorway. This one was from Kindred Spirits Yarn. It was just what I was looking for. Not too much green, not too much black, although more black would have been okay.

Now if you asked me why I was looking for this colorway, I can't tell you. I just think it's pretty.

Look!

2008-04-23T09:07:00.006-06:00

A pretty spring day!

I'm sick. I hate being sick. What's worse? My ceiling is dripping...again.

I'm not finding much excitement in my breakfast, but I'm eating because I know I ought to.

No pictures of yarn or projects today. I did however think of the subject of topic for my blogiversary contest..."What makes a good blog?" I've been blogging, my knitting for 2 years now. I've had online journals for more than that. However, I still feel sort of like a newbie.

Anywho...blogiversary in May. I hope to see what kind of lurkers I have. :)

My relationship with the mail

2008-04-22T14:08:00.005-06:00

Since I'm not so cool to pre-write blogs and remember to take all the pictures later...

This is my FO wine cozy. Cute. Can't wait to see what it looks like felted. It will be the first non clog I've felted. I like the green yarn with it's bits of color. I found it on clearance at the Recycled Lamb, years ago. It think the biggest trick will be to keep it from felting on itself.

This is the latest of the Noro scarves. I love the way the dark and the light are mixing together. There's another colorway of Kureyon that I think would look better, but I'm going to wait for an end of year sale. Besides, I have enough socks to keep me busy for years.

Yesterday in the mail I received stuff from Knit/Purl. They have Shibui AND they have new new colors of Shibui. I ordered, a lot. I think that Shibui will be my blog contest yarn, I just haven't figured out what color. I may wander up to Knit Knack and figure it out sometime in May or I may look on Simply Socks. I'm such a stash fiend.

I also received stuff from Damselfly Yarns. Apparently this was a dye and then a re-dye. It turned out lovely. I love the orangey/melon color, I think it goes so well with the pink and blue. I can't wait to see how this knits up.

I've realized something about myself recently. The more I seem to want stuff from the mail, the more distant I'm becoming socially. I'm not really sure what to make of it. I just happened to notice that I became very involved with swapping with penpals twice in my life and I've been feeling that desire to get back into that hobby again. However, I realize that the amount that I tend to get involved is very time consuming.

My ceiling is no longer dripping, now there is a gaping hole in the ceiling. We can please people some of the time but we can't please all the people all the time.

Ah..Monday

2008-04-21T09:12:00.008-06:00

My apartment is leaking. This foul smelling drip from the fire extinguisher system. The bucket I placed under the slow drip is making the smell worse. Hopefully they will send the maintenance people soon.

My wine cozy is complete, and eagerly awaiting felting. I had enough yarn to make the handle. Now comes the test...how much will it shrink. Go me...patternless wonder.

I've been working on another Noro scarf out of Silk Garden. It's turning out well, soft and of course fun to watch the color changes. I'm pondering that I should finish up the other scarf and a pair of socks I started last year before diving head first into my sock yarn. If anyone who happens to read this and has any sock leftovers that you would like to get rid of...I'm willing to pay, at the very least postage, and depending on the size of the leftover, I'm willing to pay for the leftover. Send me your emails... taelixev AT gmail DOT com.

Speaking of sock yarn. Friday and Saturday left me with loot.

Woolgirl on Friday. I decided on Saturday to try and see how yarn photographs outside. Needless to say I did enjoy the results of the morning sun. I don't really have a good place to photograph though. I'll have to keep looking.

I think the pictures however do a better representation of the color of the skeins.

There was something wonderful with taking pictures in the warm sun with yarn in hand.

Purple, black and white. I wish there had been bigger skeins. I bought 3 just in case. I think they should make 1 pair of small socks.

Another black and purple skein. It didn't have white in it, but it's pretty. This is the picture that I over exposed. Ah yes, like everything in my life, I am in a hurry.

Lastly, blue and yellow. I think this will knit up interestingly.

One day I will update Ravelry. I'm not sure when. Perhaps one day during the summer. I might find a great place to photograph yarn near the pool or tennis court. I'll have to explore the area I live in more this summer.

Hazel Knits on Saturday. As always, quick delivery. I love how this yarn feels. I think the hardest thing for me sometimes is that I make a purchase of yarn and then I see a color that I didn't notice before and I want to acquire that too.

I've realized that I don't really have a plan for the sock yarn. My initial idea, that got me jumping into sock yarn, was a mitered blanket made out of sock yarn. I haven't been able to locate any really good deals in destashs (there was one, and it was sock yarn enough to make 10 adult sized socks for $30 including shipping, ever since I saw that I've sort of been very picky about what I think is a great deal on a destash) and there weren't any leftover sales, so I started buying new. Then I figured out how easy Etsy was to use...and well, it was all downhill from there. So, with new sock yarn, I feel as though they truly need to be socks (or something) before they are piece mealed into a blanket. I've only made really plain socks thus far in my knitting career. Stockinette stitch, 2x2 rib...you know, kind of plain, but I am excited to begin these projects. I suppose I'll see how long it takes for me to get utterly bored with the idea of socks.

Process

2008-04-17T13:05:00.005-06:00

Knitting is such a process to me. I love watching how the piece grows and shapes itself. This is too why I love working with variegated yarns.

My mailperson is not done delivering yet. However, my last order was ordered today. The colors of Shibui that Nachaele showed me today was just too much to resist. Who needs food, I have yarn.

Speaking of awesome beyond words. Nachaele brought me a pattern for the Transition Gloves and the Central Park hoodie today. She also brought me Malabrigo...blue, purple, and red. Gorgeous! I love love love how this stuff felts. I'm sure it will knit something nicely as well. It feels soft and not nearly as itchy as Kureyon, a scarf may be in order. Thank you Nachaele!

This is how the wine cozy looks so far. I have the top part and the handle to puzzle out still, as well as the felting.

I've discovered a use for this bucket too. My X-MIL gave me a bucket bath stuff for Christmas because she liked this bucket. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but it seems just the perfect thing for a small project and my couch.

This is the scarf for my friend. It just seemed like a good idea...and well, I apparently am the scarf maker. I think I can knit anything, but I always seem to make scarves. This is a multidirectional scarf. It's turning out sort of neat but the color transitions are just slightly longer than I anticipated. So it doesn't quite fit the picture I had in my head. Also I was hoping to start with black and end with black, however it makes for a very short scarf. Therefore, for the very tall person it will need to start with black and most likely end with white.

I can't wait until June. I need more spinning fiber.

In the mail today...3 packages greeted me.

This one is from Crash Into Ewe. This is the Jewel colorway. Pictures do not do this stuff justice. I'm not sure how it will knit up, but looking at it made me want al of the colors I could possibly get my hands on.

The reds look great the orange and green looked great. I don't know if I noticed a black or not, but I sure do hope she keeps making these great yarns for a long time.

This came from Stash Up Yarns. I liked the name, Peace Rose, on the left and the color on the right. Peace roses are my very favorite roses. This yarn looks just like one.

This came from Loopy Ewe. Angela is the colorway on the left. I love black and a contrasting colorway. The color on the left is Cosmic Dawn, it is silk and sea cell, and it is amazing to touch. I have plans for Cosmic Dawn in the form of a Clapotis, although this yarn is not worsted weight. Either way I think it'll make a grand scarf.

Okay, so my blog doesn't make any sense and doesn't follow any sort of writing pattern. That's what happens when I write part of the blog during the day and the rest at night.

I found this at Michaels today. It just screams felted bag to me. I hate it when yarn talks to me. I don't have a pattern in mind really, although the felted recycled bag pattern that I saw over the weekend and Knit Knack spoke to me.

I thought while I was driving home today what is my favorite color. I'm not sure. I'm still partial to purples, blues and blacks, but really I just enjoy yarn. Does the color rainbow count? Although I do have to admit that I had one friend who tried to buy yarn for me for 2 Christmas holidays and I wasn't exceptionally crazy about what she picked.

Lastly, aren't presents great? This one is for a friend. Won't she be surprised. :)

Snow day

2008-04-16T14:42:00.005-06:00

I don't have a picture of the cloudy cold today. It depresses me. I don't know why this year especially, I am so over the snow.

I have completed my redo of my daughter's scarf. Here's to kids not acting like puppies and pulling on it again. I wish it was just a little longer, but it works out okay.

I also love Knitty Cat. I picked up some Noro Silk Garden the other day. I was inspired by a light colored yarn vs a dark colored yarn scarf, so I thought I would make one. Knitty Cat is having a sale in June and I couldn't bring myself to buy yarns that will be on sale then, even though the light colored Kureyon better. Sock yarn too is going to be on sale. I hope they get more in before the sale.

Last night I started my wine bottle cozy. I don't think I have enough of this yarn to make it completely olive green, so I used some Lamb's Pride on the bottom and depending on how tall this turns out I may use it for the top cuff and maybe a handle. I think this green yarn is going to felt wonderfully. It is fun to watch how the colors mesh together as I knit.

Other than that, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm not sure by what. Relationship woes, car woes, tax woes, kid woes, work woes. Just a lot of woes.

My second yarn blogiversary is in May. I'm not sure what day, that's okay. As much as I think I can live online, I can't, although I do try. I think this year, since I didn't even acknowledge it last year I may have a contest...some just random number contest. I'll keep you posted.

I'm still into my sock yarn buying craze, although I think I'm starting to slow down as i run out of room to store it. I need to knit from my stash a bit before I start collecting more. However, I've said this before too. I would like to start a toe up sock with some Noro that I've stashed, although that has been kind of put on the back burner since I started another 1x1 rib Noro scarf. Someday I will update my Ravelry.

Today Starbug Knits delivered. Lovely orange and black, and pink and black sock yarn.

Springtime

2008-04-14T18:44:00.002-06:00

Today felt great. The sun was shining, the air was warm, my kiddo was sick. Springtime colds suck.

Fiber however, does not suck. Fiber is faboo...and this one came in the Saturday mail at the PO box.

This is from the Enchanted Knoll. It is a part of their blackbird series of batts. No, I don't like batts, but this one was irresistable. It has fine bits of silk and glitz in it. I can't wait to see how this spins up. It also came with a sample.

My other weakness...wool fiber to spin. Sigh...

Today, in the mail came from the Yarn Chef. It's black, white and red. It looks better in person than in pictures. I'm totally impressed.

Kathleen also sent a recipie and a stitch marker. I'm so excited to try both of these items out, and of course the yarn too.

Lastly, came Hazel Knits. I purchased Terrywinkle. This color is awesome. The yarn feels great.

This skein too came with a stitch marker. It's this lovely dark purple/blue and the picture does not to it justice.

Now, if I could just find the time to start knitting again. That would be nice too. ;)

Sunday yarn

2008-04-13T17:12:00.005-06:00

I didn't get to my PO box at home quick enough last night so I had to wait for the office to open today.

I received beautiful Sangria from iWunder.

It's such a bright and spring like yarn. I'm not sure what I want to make out of it yet.

Something about the cool spring air and yellow just makes me so happy. I'll have to keep in mind yellow yarn at some point.

2 wonderful skeins Karen's Heavenly Creations.

Oh, how I love yarn, especially sock yarn. Now I just need to get crackin on making socks.

The blue skein has quite a bit more purple than I expected but it's beautiful and it's going to make a wonderful looking sock.

I think that the ones from Kindred Spirits Yarn are my favorites.

The black and the color just meld so wonderfully with each other.

Krystal also threw in a few Werther's candies. I haven't had these buttery tasting candies since I was little. I just love them. I also liked the dragonfly tissue paper. I've never seen tissue paper like that before.

My first order from Loopy Ewe. I think this online shop is great!

I got two skeins in a "shark" colorway. I bought two more Lorna's Laces, the colors are just so great. And an Ethos yarn in purple and black.

There was also a few yarn sample cards and a set of 3 cards in order to take an inventory of how many knitting needles you have. A great idea.

The best part was that they had a skein of color 407 by Interlacements. Not the same dye lot and I was worried by the picture online that it wouldn't even be close, but it is!

So happy!

What have I learned? When buying yarn on a vacation make sure you have enough yards to make 2 socks and don't just randomly impulse buy.

LYS are bad for my health

2008-04-13T00:36:00.007-06:00

Okay. Here's the deal. No more LYS and no more yarn until the Estes Park Fiber festival.

Period.

I went to go check out Knit Knack today.

I really enjoyed the store. It was comfortable and there was no pressure to buy anything. The best part was that I walked in on a sale.

Sadly, the only yarn I found on sale was the one on the far left. A good thing either way. I also left with 4 skeins of Shibui, and 2 skeins of Hacho. Sock yarn will be my undoing. :)

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
This is a very cozy store. Much more of a feeling like it's okay not to just shop, but to sit down and knit too. They also serve coffee.

Kid friendly: 3 sheep
Seems as though kids are okay as long as they are not touching the yarn or picking things off of the shelves, like most stores.

Product: 4 sheep
Nice selection of sock yarn, and Shibui to boot. They carry KA needles and interchangable needles.

Staff: 5 sheep
This store can go from busy to quiet quickly. The staff does well in keeping up and assisting when needed.

WTF (willing to frequent): 5 sheep
Just for the Shibui alone I'd go to this store. I'd also go to this store so I can just sit there and knit.

Look what I noticed.

I found a cute little crochet hook to assist in the run and some ideas on how to correct this.

My daughter no longer fits in this sock, but it was my first toe up sock.

I also found a great WPI tool.

Yay.

Now perhaps I can puzzle out what weight my handspun yarn is.

I learned something important today too. LYS are bad for me...it just causes random impulse buys. Although I must admit this one was good one.

I have a terrible relationship with bamboo...but these...are not only interchangable but they swivel.

I adopted a set today. Notice the size 7 that is missing and assisting in the reconstruction of my daughter's scarf. :)

Ah...if it's not the yarn, it will be the notions.

Today in my PO box, I happily discovered Sunrise. Yay. I love the red and black.

Thank you also for the pin and magnet. :)

I can't help but love mail.

Now if I could just figure out what projects to complete with the yarn.

Love mail...

2008-04-11T17:11:00.007-06:00

So, sock yarn is my latest addiction, only to be followed by Japanese knitting books, although I have not yet acquired any of those. Probably a good thing for now.

So may I present the first of my acquisitions...

This is from Crash into Ewe. Orange and black, beautiful. It came with a little project bag and a magnet. I'm sure my daughter will acquire the bag once she notices it. Today it was hiding under the yarn and was safe.

I don't really have any plans for this yet. The orange shade is a little different in the evening light as opposed to the afternoon light. I sort of had these ideas of socks for D, but I'm still not sure. I have black yarn, and I may acquire more solid color yarns. I like the idea of solid socks with variegated toes and heels.

The second package, with candies is from Ruby Sapphire Yarns. I got two from them. My daughter instantly loved the darker one. She has ideas that she wants me to make toys out of these yarns. She even drafted up a list of objects she wants.

Squid, octopus, dolls with clothes. So much for socks. I may have to get another dark set from them. I like the idea of a mostly solid yarn with dots of color strewn in it.

I'm sure I'll start knitting socks soon and quick collecting yarn.

I love the toe up socks idea, but I hate the short row heels. They just don't look quite right to me, and I haven't mastered how to make them without holes.

Beemer Knits was the last package today. Not only did the yarn come, but lovely vanilla bath salts.

My daughter likes the smell of the bath salts, she thought it was coming from the yarn. She was disappointed when it wasn't and thought it would be neat if it did.

I love this colorway. I love colorways with bold colors and black. Green and black, blue and black, purple and black...

Not sure what to do with this quite yet, but the colorway spoke to me.

I'm debating if I want to take the TKGA's master knitter program. I'm not sure. However, I've added to my books. I thought these would help inspire. At this point I want to add some Japanese stitch books to my collection. The designs are interesting and delicate looking. So, hopefully I'll learn how to read some graphs.

I'm sure at some point I'll get back to actual knitting and spinning.

Sock it to me

2008-04-08T18:48:00.007-06:00

I think I have a small sheep growing in my closet. My stash is growing. I can't help it. I've been bitten by the sock bug and I can't stop obsessing about it.

My first frantic stop, really, was at Knitty Cat. The Lorna's Laces on the right...I bought a skein months ago. The other day when I was reorganizing my sock stash, I came across my little wound cake and realized that it was awfully small. There was just no way to get 2 good socks out of them. Maybe little ones or short ones, either way I called Knitty cat and I was in luck they had a skein. Knitty Cat is great. Small, but great. I raced over there to acquire the skein.

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
It's small, but it's welcoming.

Kid friendly: 4 sheep
Ann, the owner, and her customers have never glared at my children which as a parent is such a wonderful thing. I wish people really understood this more and how much of a relief it is not to go into a place and feel like you are carrying the plague.

Product: 4 sheep
Quite a selection for a small store. I could use a larger sock selection, but I've seen worse. If Knitty Cat doesn't have it, Ann will take note on perhaps ordering in the future.

Staff: 5 sheep
Ann knows me by name and I've never taken a class at her store. She's more than happy to tell of any of her sales before hand and she advertises them on her Ravelry. Knowledgable and helpful to any questions regarding knitting.

WTF (willing to frequent): 5 sheep
Great store. I always like to come here during sales and not.

However, a Jitterbug, 2 more Lorna's Laces and a Fortissma followed me home as well.

Today String, A Knitting Boutique an additional skein of Cherry Tree Hill, Noro and Fortissma followed me home.

I'm always a tiny bit disappointed when I go to this store. Today I am disappointed because when I just went to get this link, I noticed that they are having a sale on Saturday and the owner didn't even bother to mention it. I'll just be happy with my find of solid black yarn, although Colorful Yarns had solid colors as well.

I went to Knitty Cat once and a situation similar was occurring and the owner very kindly mentioned it to me. To which I made a special trip the following Saturday and bought twice as much as I would have normally. Kudos to Knitty Cat.

I think I'll just skip String and Lambbe Shoppe altogether from now on.

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
It's organized by color.

Kid friendly: 4 sheep
No kid distractions unfortunately, but they don't glare at you if you have one.

Product: 4 sheep
Lots of yarn and notions. They carry a large selection of other Noro items besides Kuryeon and Silk Garden.

Staff: 2 sheep
The staff is friendly when they talk to you. Sometimes it's hard to get their attention, I'm not sure if it's because of classes or just other customers.

WTF (willing to frequent): 1 sheep
I will not come back to this store as I was disappointed that no one happened to mention the sale...their big annual sale...was only 2 days away. I understand this, but at the same time, why not say something?

Finally, today I went to Colorful Yarns and found the orange Opal yarn I was looking for. Yay! On sale, double yay!

In addition, 3 other Opal's on sale and 2 Regia because there was a nice customer who showed me a sock she was knitting with it and it looked super cool.

So, there you go. :)

Here's my list so far in order of knitting stores I prefer.

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
Well lit and nice environment.

Product: 4 sheep
Great selection of sock yarn. Don't forget to check out their clearance area. That's where I found the 3 balls of Opal and granted I probably would not have picked those color when normally looking for yarn, sales are always a good thing.

Staff: 4 sheep
Depends on the staff...sometimes you get someone who is a people person. Sometimes you just get a sales person.

WTF (willing to frequent): 4 sheep
The only thing that sometimes causes me to pause before going to this store is that I have to have cash. I like their selection. I like their prices.

1) Purls of Wisdom
2) A Knitted Peace - They have Kauni
3) Knitty Cat - Smaller selection
4) Knit Knack
5) Colorful Yarns - Good prices
6) Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins
7) Recycled Lamb - has a box of toys for the kids to play with while you shop
8) The Cottage Yarn
9) Showers of Flowers
10) The Lambbe Shoppe - Mostly likely will not return to
11) String, A Knitting Boutique - Will not return to

Seeking socks

2008-04-08T08:35:00.002-06:00

I have been bitten by the sock yarn bug, badly. I'm looking for sock yarn, any color, mostly superwash wool, and wool/nylon mixes. I want to make a mitered blanket, and while I know that making a blanket, out of fingering weight yarn, may drive me 1) nuts, 2) until I die, it still seems like a good idea to me.

With that said, if you happen to stumble upon this blog and you are destashing. I'm considering paying some for left over sock yarn, or sock yarn that is just taking up room in your stash. Leave a comment we'll chat.

I'd just like to say...

2008-03-31T18:54:00.011-06:00

I hate my oven.

I used to have this wonderful oven in the first place that I owned with my X. It cooked everythig correctly. Since we moved from there I have had little luck.

This oven has no window, no self clean, and it's set too high.

Note the picture to your left. Those are cookies. They look like pancakes. They would be slightly overcooked for pancakes. I think I may stick to the toaster oven. At least I know that works.

Well, they taste okay. Now if I just had milk. (shh...the kids didn't notice either)

On the up side, I received my order from Dreamweaver Yarns.

Oh happy day. I really like these Namaste bags. I have one with a scarf project, one with a sock project, and one with a blanket project.

I'm still not thrilled with the part of this bag where the yarn goes because the fabric used is very stiff and difficult to close. However, the color is wonderful and apparently I'm a sucker. :)

Too bad the picture quality on the second bag is not my best work. Doh.

This bag is pretty cool though. It has 3 sections inside, and little pockets for stuff. And the color is great too.

It's bigger than I expected from the pictures. This bag is actually the same color as the bag above. Hard to tell, gotta love autofocus and being in a hurry.

This past Saturday, Imbrium got married. In efforts to have well behaved children at the wedding I drove my kids all over the place to try and get them to fall asleep in the car. This effort was in vain. They did however rest and take a small nap directly before and on the way to the wedding.

On my effort to have naps occur, I found myself at A Knitted Peace. I suppose if I pick an LYS this one is one of my top 5. Mostly because of Kauni and Koigu, although the Koigu I was hoping for was already sold out.

Atmosphere: 4 sheep
It's comfortable, the staff is friendly, it's in downtown Littleton close to food and benches in the summer.

Kid Friendly: 2 sheep
It does not however cater to distractions for young children. I only include this bit in my reviews because of the fact that there are LYS that have little baskets of toys/books or TVs even. However, the staff is friendly and they don't hover over you if you do happen to bring your children with you, which is why it's at a 2 and not a 1.

Product: 4 sheep
They have a wonderful selection of yarn and a variety of notions. They don't have a very large selection of bags. However, this is fine now that I have plenty of bags to choose from and do not need more unless I clone myself. This is the only place locally that carries Kauni, and they just started carrying other colors besides the EQ (rainbow). I'm thrilled. So thrilled I bought a cone as you can see above. This also is the only store I've been in thus far that carries Koigu however, my sock yarn fetish has only just begun since I think I want to attempt to make this.

Staff: 4 sheep
Very friendly. Always willing to start a conversation with you and never seem bothered if you happen to walk into a conversation. Knowledgable about their products and willing to advise on technique.

Overall: 4 sheep
Mostly because of the staff and especially for the selection of yarn. If you haven't stopped by, you definately should add this to your list.

WTF (willingness to frequent): 5 sheep
This store is great. It's close to the lightrail. They have an awesome selection of Koigu and more colors in Kauni. Their staff is friendly. I always come here.

I spent sometime last week making and measuring (approximately) how much handspun yarn I have created thus far.

Hello, OCD. I actually ended labelling them twice because the first time I didn't include yardage and I had some of the fibers named incorrectly.

Now if I could just figure out what to do with all of this yarn. I've made rough guesses on how many yards each skein holds, so that will help in the project picking.

Lastly, more yarn.

A friend of mine is crocheting a scarf out of this. Two strands...it's very thick, but fuzzy.

I however have been looking for thick chinelle for the stuffed rabbit. This I think is the yarn recommended for the project if I recall, and hey, it was on sale.

I think that attitude is going to make me go broke.

So...

2008-03-27T20:56:00.008-06:00

I've been busy. Doing what, I'd sure like to know. I wish they would let me knit at work. At least that would keep me busy. I think sometimes whats worse than being too busy at work, is being not busy at all.

Anyway, my project of stealth...

A scarf!

I guess that's not that big of a surprise really. I meant for the Karabella yarn to be a pair of fingerless gloves. I just couldn't find the right pattern. Then I worried about size. Then, then, then...

Scarves. Scarves are always nice. This one is soft. And long. And pretty.

I followed a pattern, and I'm lame I don't have a link. However, the information is here. I just don't have a picture up there yet and you have to be a member of Ravelry to see it.

Turned out swell I think. It was for Imbrium. She's getting married this Saturday, and her bridal shower was last Saturday. What better gift to give a fellow knitter than something knitted?!

AND of course I had to get her yarn. I settled on Noro sock yarn. I've decided if the price is right on the yarn, and the quality is anything but acrylic, then really, it doesn't matter what color or fiber type really, they're going to like it.

What a great excuse to go yarn shopping when it's for someone else!

Here it is blocked. I think I did okay and there wasn't any curious boys pulling out the interesting looking pins from the floor. All was well.

Last but not least Karabella Margarite is a faboo yarn. I give it a 5 sheep rating. It's soft, it feels great to knit with, it's small and easily portable. It does have cashmere so it can be a victim to static electricity. I'd use it again.

Review

2008-03-24T23:07:00.012-06:00

I have decided that I am going to start keeping track of knitting items I come across. This includes but is not limited to, LYS, yarn, needles, notions, etc. My opinions and reviews are based solely on my experience as a knitter, yarn enthusiast, craft hobbyist, mother, and female.

One of my biggest irks over time has been the rudeness that I have encountered at LYS. Not only that but I have encountered staff looking at me if I have my child or children with me like they are the plague. I have been followed around stores to the point where I just won't shop at them anymore. I have encountered and elitist or snobbish attitude at times as well.

I also have had wonderful experiences where people have spoken kindly to my children, who are not the type of kids to 1) run around in the store, and 2) pull things off shelves. Face it, even though we have kids, and there are times where projects don't necessarily wait for babysitters, we do need to watch over our children's behaviour.

These opinions may change over time and I may review a place, item or thing again in the future.
I have been knitting for about 7 years and crocheting for about 9. I hand spin yarn on drop spindles both top and bottom whorls as well as a spinning wheel. I have been interested in crafts in general all of my life. I am the mother to two younger children and experienced in taking children to all sorts of craft stores.

So let's begin.

I'll start with The Lamb Shoppe.

First, my first trip there was actually my second trip there. I had forgotten.

Ratings are based on a five sheep rating, where five is the best, and one is the lowest.

Atmosphere: 5 sheep
I give them a 5 sheep rating since I am unaware of any other LYS in Colorado that has a coffee bar inside. They have at least 2 tables to sit around and a small sitting area. I also really like the hours that they are open. The one odd thing that I found about this LYS is that it seemed a little library like...fairly quiet and there were quite a few people in there at the time. I think that this may be a quality about LYS that is typical of them, so I didn't downgrade a sheep for it. The one thing I loved was the fact that this LYS stays open late. Most LYS in Colorado close shop at 5:30 pm, which makes it somewhat of a nightmare if you need another skein of something to finish a project.

Kid Friendly: 2 sheep
A 2 sheep rating because if you take a child there, there isn't really anything for them to look at. I hovered between a 1 and 2 rating...I raised it to a 2 because they do have the coffee bar and they did have non coffee products, such as flavored sodas.

Product: 3 sheep
This rating is in the middle...this is because the yarn selection seems wonderful, but I haven't seriously nosed around the store. I'm actually a little irritated about their bags right now. I bought a Namaste KnitTube from them and I think I got completely overcharged. Granted, it was 1) my fault for not researching better before buying, and 2) I never brought it up. Their receipt doesn't specifically include bags in their list of non returnable items. I paid $71.00 for the KnitTube whereas Dreamweaver Yarns has them for $39.00. So, learning that after I got home left a sour taste in my mind.

Staff: 4 sheep
The rating of 4 sheep is good, because I wasn't flat out ignored nor was I stalked. Their staff seemed friendly enough and they did seem to manage smiles, which believe me I have encountered many grumbly LYS staff before.

WTF (willing to frequent): 1 sheep
I'm always willing to go to any store if the product I'm looking for is about 5% to 10% more instead of waiting for it to be mailed to me from an online purchase. However, when the difference is 82% higher it just saddens me and makes me never want to go back.

So, here's the first one. I'll add more categories as I see fit. Feel free to comment if you wish. This was just something important to me.

LYS

2008-03-19T22:16:00.008-06:00

Why me?

:D

I always find something...something super, and then, well, I find it about 50% cheaper online. Let's just chalk it up to instant gratification. Yes, we'll go with that. I will not be tempted to go and return. Besides, LYS don't usually return well.

Anywho...

I ended up ordering a cranberry knitube and a messenger bag.

Yay

2008-03-19T19:43:00.014-06:00

Yay.

This bag is so freakin' cool. I liked the cranberry one in person, but the lining was very stiff and I couldn't get the darn drawstring to close fully. I did try. A lot. Oh well. I like this one too.

Just what I need. Another pointless object. I heart it.

It occurred to me I could probably just use a yoga mat bag, but this is pretty durable. I suppose I could try to make one, but I'm not very talented with any shape other than a square.

I've also never lined a thing in my life. This works much better.

I'm excited.

1) It'll hopefully distribute the weight evenly-ish on my back instead of my side bag or my backpack.

2) You can wear it while knitting.

3) I think it's stylish. I'm telling you, the red one was really really pretty.

Inside is my favorite yarn ;p it's going to be a multidirectional scarf. It's turning out sort of the way I think it should. I think I should make one out of Noro someday.

This was my quick fix to my size 6 needle that my son accidentally stepped on. The project of stealth was partiallyknitted on this as well as my trusty old aluminum needle.

This fix consisted of craft glue (which didn't hold) and nail polish (which did). Quite clever. I'll have to remember that trick, or just settle for knitting needles sold at LYS.

The replacement finally arrived. Much, much sooner than I expected which was great. Although I had already finished the project of stealth.

It'll be ready for next time. I've also acquired some DP out of the harmony wood. Not as fascinating as the circulars, but still neat looking. Shorter than I usually knit with, only 6 inches. I would have preferred the 8 inches. Oh well. This works.

I also picked up some bare wool for my dye experiment. I didn't take pictures of that. I figure the kids and I can take out the crockpot sometime and some food coloring to try it out. I am sold on the whole acid dye thing...but really, studios...outside, vented...away from the house is a good thing.

Anyone interested in the fish tank...

Look!

I have fish!

The bacterial bloom has cleared itself up. No casualties. Woot.

Distracted

2008-03-14T21:14:00.006-06:00

Work is busy, life is busy, head is busy.

I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to figure out this school thing. I wonder if I have the energy to go back. Ugh.

I found myself at Joann's the other night. I needed straight pins for my project of stealth. I couldn't find the ones I had bought a few months ago. My ability for organization strikes again.

I hate boucle. However, I seem to be collecting more and more. I love self striping, I love $5.00 yarn. Well, it was on sale. Who was I to say no?

I wanted to buy more. I wonder how long it's going to be on sale. I think they are both going to be scarves. Diagonal ones I think. Not 100% sure yet. I just finished frogging the blanket for my son. Again. Crochet + boucle = evil. I have one friend who disagrees. I think she's a brave brave soul.

I have been meaning to make this since I ran across the pattern.

I learned...I still can't make a french knot to save my life, but it's kinda cute. I think it will be well received. I meant for it to be a toy, however it's much too small for the person intended. I think perhaps a great decoration is much better an idea.

Of course the kids noticed and they want ones too.

One thing I've learned about the project of stealth...don't ever leave knitting on the couch near 3 year old boy. While, bouncing, he happened to bounce on my needle and snapped it half. You know, the pretty needles from Knit Picks. Rats. I did a quickie fix, although I must admit I ordered a new size to replace it, but some craft glue and nail polish worked in a jiffy.

Heh...

2008-03-07T19:37:00.001-07:00

...anyone want to open an LYS...

Ack!!

2008-03-06T18:57:00.004-07:00

No knitting today at all.

Um...any aquarium enthuists? Help! Not sure how to cure a bacterial bloom. There are 8 fish in here...somewhere.

Partial water change...ugh.

8p

Dear Neighbor...

2008-03-05T00:03:00.009-07:00

The post in my LJ is:

Much swearing to follow. Please avoid if you aren't one prone to the taste of swearing.

As much as I like the Eagles...which I don't...I especially don't like being woken up to them blaring through my fucking wall at 11:45 pm.

HATE SHARED WALLS

HATE THIS FUCKING NEIGHBOR

This has been a problem since elephant feet and her kid moved in with their little dog.

Yes, I am the fucking wicked witch of the west. Note to self. Do not live on 1st floor under stupid neighbor.

Bitter. Bitter.

Get this out before I go insane. Please Mr. Sandman fucking whap me in the head.Oh and you know what's super cool. My apartment doesn't...um what's the word? Oh yea, give a flying fuck. Okay whatever. Their courtesy patrol doesn't cover this property anymore. Great.

Note to self. Wake up at 5:00 AM and slam doors, and make children scream. Maybe karma could help me out and thirtysomething, party animal, with child, could wake up with a big hangover or something. Maybe her hand could be glued to her forehead. Maybe her dog will pee in her shoe.

I've already written my complaint to my worthless management company. Again.

I cuss like a sailor. Screw it. I'm tired. I'm cranky. I hate being woken up. The thing that bothers me the most is that I can't figure out if I am a light sleeper or if my neighbor is an ass. Right now I think it's the latter. On the off chance that she's a knitter and surfing the knitting blogs...it's 12:19 am on Wednesday March 5, 2008...please turn it down...

I always thought that when I grew up I was going to party all night and be loud an obnoxious. What I'm finding out is that my party animal ways and opinions are becoming more and more conservative the older I get. I don't know if this is good or bothersome. Frankly, my one brain cell is having enough problems typing in the dark rather than puzzling this out. Oh, how pissed I'm going to be if one of the kids wakes up...try me...

On to a better topic. Yes, so my sleepy brain can go back to happy dreams of Star Trek and yarn. Yay.

I found more Noro sock yarn, in less circus like colors. Yay!

My 4th plastic yarn box is becoming crazily smaller than I thought...rats. Not sure where I'll stash a 5th stash box.

Stupid addiction to randomly buying squooshy yarn. Now...all I need to do it knit some socks up. It amazes me the lack of knitting items I've done, even though I've knitting for about 8 years now. I'm pretty sure I can knit anything, but all I ever seem to knit are scarves and socks for other people.

My current project is the project of stealth. One day I'll post pictures of it, but not today. :)
I bought books.

Another annoying habit of mine. I'm suspecting that if I didn't have this nasty tendancy of picking up books, yarn, card/board games, and kitchen appliances, I might actually buy a house.

Nights like this should remind me of this. Although the one little hang up I have is this overwhelming stress I have from the X over a lousy property owned between us that we just could...wait...that he just lazily dealt with and now is going belly up because of it.

Ever have moments in your life where you are being dragged under because you were too close to the edge of the whirlpool? I'd like off of this ride now. One day...one day...all of the crap I've got to deal with from my divorce will stop.

Right? o_O

I broke my ball winder. I'm not sure when it happened, but one of the little feet snapped off. The worst part is that I think I found it at one point in time and I threw it away because I thought it was part of some toy wandering around the house.

I made a sort of hopeful replacement from Fimo. I tried super glue...to stick it on. I think I need epoxy. Eventually I'll remember this from the hardware store.

It seems a shame to throw the whole thing away for a tiny foot. However, I found that tiny missing foot to be so important.

I finished the Crosspatch fiber batt. I have another one I just started spinning.

The new one has a pretty high silk content and is spinning almost threadlike. I was going to spin it on the Golding spindle I've never used. However, either I've forgotten how to use a drop spindle or at least I'm not sure how to use this one. It would wildly spin, and it annoyed me, so on the wheel it goes.

The spindle seemed as though it was going to be beautifully balanced. Top whorl, but it seems to spin the bottom half wildly...going to try again at a later date.

This batch however, made a lot more yarn than I expected. I'm not sure that I spun it tight enough. That sadly didn't make itself apparent until after I plyed it. 2 ply. Seems sort of wispy here and there.

Now that I've spun other fiber brands than Crosspatch, I'm not sure I'm so excited about it anymore. I enjoy the colors and especially the tubes for some reason, but...

I am going to some how figure a way up to the Estes Park festival this year so I can stock up on some fiber. I've got to remember this this year. Mostly because I don't want to develop a habit of buying fiber online. Way too tempting to do it all the time. :)

Kay...time for bed again I suppose. Pillow over head.

Plague

2008-02-19T16:57:00.006-07:00

I hope this isn't an annual occurance, but I seem to recall fighting off illness that turned into walking pnemonia last year at this time. Suck. I hate being sick.

I'm not sure I'm going to need to finish my story. It's mostly for myself I think, I like to beat a dead horse.

I'm pretty happy though. So, perhaps it's just the inability to understand happiness.

I found.

I called a couple LYS instead of just the one I go to for Kauni. They actually had Noro sock yarn in now. Although I wasn't super crazy about the colorways at the one store I went to. So I'm going to try the other store sometime.

Did I blog about this before? The sick is getting in the way of my normal brain function. I sure hate germ season at daycare let me tell you.

The boy's still pretty cranky too from being sick, but at least there isn't the fever anymore.

I finally got mail! Yay!

My bf told me to quit stalking the mailman. I think I must have checked the mailbox at least every day for a week. This normally is only an occurrance twice a week, sometimes just once a month.

KnitPicks Options needles. Pretty. They do snag just a hair, but I like them. Eventually I will acquire the two longest cables. I don't like that the actual size isn't somewhere on the needle or on the cable. That's just asking for disaster when dealing with me.

Look, they even look pretty when used on the project of stealth.

Again

2008-02-14T18:46:00.007-07:00

I'm getting tired of the snow. It makes some people even dumber than normal. It's pretty, but the older I get the less tolerant of the cold I get.
If it could be a nice balmy 80 degrees and snow, that would be nice. All this really does is get my car dirty.

I've lived here all my life and during the summer it's okay, but during the winter, I'd rather just hibernate.

It'll be gone by tomorrow. It's going to be cold tomorrow. Blech.

I've completed my 3rd striped Noro scarf. I just need to weave in the ends.
I'll be starting another one soon, but first I think I'm going to start a lace project. I have some wool/cashmere that is just wanting to be something. Sadly, the project pattern I had for it I don't think is going to work.

So, I've found 3 others. It's not even going to be what I thought it was in the first place. I'll divulge more into this project at a later date.

Look what I found.

Yum. Noro sock yarn.

I heart Noro. The ones I found today were so very bright. I think the bottom one will be a pair of socks for my daughter. The top one perhaps for me. Not sure if my son will get a set, he doesn't seem to like wearing socks much. I've also thought to start a list about what I'd like to learn that pertains to fiber arts this year or next.

1) Dye. Roving and sock yarn. I'm not sure where to find bare yarn though. I know KnitPicks has some, but I'm still waiting for my needle order. I hate waiting.

2) Lace. I have lace yarn. It's breeding in the bin I swear. ~~stupid compulsive buying :)~~

3) Fair Isle knit. Enough said. I am collecting bits of Kauni, and I have plans for Noro as well. I'm sure they are somewhere in my head.

4) Design. I know I can. I just don't know what.

So, it should be a good year.

Pigeon-holed

2008-02-12T22:17:00.008-07:00

As a verb. I've become a little obsessed. This was how my ~~laughable~~ "career" was described to me by a hiring manager at the corporation I work for.

I'm a little bitter.

I'll deal.

So, half ass-ed job hunting now. Why half assed? Well because part of me thinks that I could be chucked to the side any day. Although that would put a serious damper in their soul-sucking demeanor every day. I'd hate to put a kink in their quirk. The other part is because when I finally get home, I've got my other job, "mom," to complete in 3 hours or less. I am a tired tired person.

But I've realized a few things in the past month...

1) I don't think that that hiring manager wants to work with me really. It's the second/third time I've posted for the job.

2) It's not that I don't know enough. The first time she sent me away with stuff to improve on, this time she did it again. The guy who had a work history similar to mine is still there 2 years later. If she had hired me in the first place she wouldn't have gone through at least 4 other people since that point.

3) I do need a change from the evil window cube they've stuck me in, as well as the job, but I hate that window more. Worst thing to do to someone with crappy eyesight...stick them next to a window.

4) I am really freakin' busy with the kids. Mostly worrying over them. Which is what I'm doing now. I think my son is coming down with the croup again...or the plague, we'll see what the temperature is tomorrow morning.

5) This job is hindering my "career" goals.

6) I can't do it all. I really can't. I'm good at trying, but I can't. I'm tired

7) I think people at work, at least those around me to some extent, think I'm stupid. I'm not sure how I've given them this impression, but somehow I think I have. I think because I'm distracted at times...because I have a lot to remember. Work things, kids things, my life things...oh yea...bills...

Anyway, knitting.

Isn't it beautiful?

It is, and it's soft to touch. Silk and Romney, I think...label too far away, don't want to get up from chair.

I've learned one thing about this beautiful lump of fluff.

I hate batts.

This sucker just sheds all over me. I think I've gotten it down to a teeny trickle now, but it's irratating.

Even when I split up the batt and prepare it. I dunno...I did happen to run into another batt online that I think I like, but...well, we'll see.

It's spinning up nicely though. My wheel is not squeaking right now. I still can't figure out what is causing that by the treadle. I've oiled everything but the plastic. Kind of hesitant to do that.

I'm interested to see how this will ply. It may be a scarf or hat for my kid. She helped me pick the next spinning project from my plastic box collection.

Speaking of...the lace yarn I bought the other day...because I'm not quite sure how to reply to posts...I've forgotten the name of the yarn, but it's super super soft and just the right sort of gray for something. I haven't knitted lace and my needles have not yet arrived in the mail. I think it's enough for a scarf or something. I just need to find a pattern. I have a few books on lace, but I'm not quite sure I like any of the patterns.

I want to make a shawl or stole, but I'm not sure I want to wear one. Just like the Kauni yarn. Beautiful, but I don't know if I can wear that much rainbow. I'm not convinced I want to make a Fair Isle for the kids either. They grow so quickly and I knit kind of slowly.

The Koigu, I've never knitted with. I liked the colors though.

Here's the scarf so far. I'm almost done. I think I can complete it by Thursday. The skein had much more pink in it then it lead on. Oh well. Still nice.

I can't wait until I figure out if there are any LYS that carry Noro sock yarn. I know one will in March. But

March is SO far off.

When I'm rich, I'll open up a yarn store or something. Haha, better yet, when I have time to look into business requirements again.

Pretty sexy lookin' scarf too where I joined the pink end of a skein to the gray part of a new skein. Ah yes, lack of perfectionism at it's finest.

Spreading the word

2008-02-11T05:51:00.001-07:00

A contest! Thought I'd do my part and let my 2 readers know.

Dramatized

2008-02-10T22:33:00.001-07:00

Ah, yes the fun of being me.

Male in my life says, "I'm confused." I reply, "I'm crazy."

I wish I could figure out what it is exactly that is making me so cautious about relationships. I think in general, really. I seem to get to a point and then just stop. I can't figure out really how to move forward, or if I need to move forward or really what.

No more dwelling. I should get some sleep tonight.

So, one thing I did yesterday was go to my LYS, one of the many, but the only one that carries Kauni.

They had made mention of Noro sock yarn in March, and I had to check to see if it was in early.

Nope.

Rats.

But I did find some lovely lace weight yarn that is wonderful to touch and wanted to come home with me. I also found some Koigu. In two colorways I likes, but only one came home with me. I think I have plans for this.

I'm starting to not a trend though...nice yarn follows me home, but I don't know what to do with it. It's so lovely that I don't want to do anything with it for fear of fucking it up, really. So this is just causing a now overflowing bin of yarn to stockpile.

Okay, I knit Noro, but only scarves. In fact my kid asked why I only knit scarves. lol. Socks too, but mostly acrylic ones. I like cheap yarn, you can screw it up and not feel bad. It's washable and well, affordable.

I'm eager for the mail person to come soon. I think I'll get a package, which always makes me happy. Hopefully tomorrow.

Satisfaction

2008-02-09T23:06:00.001-07:00

I don't think I'm ever going to be satisfied. It's a problem.

And now my knitting blog is my bitch blog. For those of you uninterested, skip it. :)

My career is pretty much at a stand still. I don't think it's because I'm incapable, I think it's because I've landed myself in this sort of vortex of inescapable doom. Okay. Time to move on. I'll figure out something. Granted, I'm sure I'll leap from the pot to the fire, but I suppose being roasted alive is different than boiled alive.

My dating life...yeah...well...my dating life is always complicated. Goes like this, evil selfish loser, in another state guy, selfish not a boyfriend, ready for too much to soon guy, and guy.

Guy's great. But. We're not too stupid teenagers anymore or even young carefree fledgling adults. We're two very very busy parents with little kids. And after his kid decided he wasn't going to sleep tonight, but instead just stay up forever mode (my kid's done this, I understand), I just sort of got irratated by it. But that's not a good description. It's like I came to this understanding...his kid needs him more than I do right now. I'm not doing so good coming in second here. It's also not helping that his kid tends to get away with behaviour that I can't stand in my own kids.

There's so much complication to this it's starting to tear at me. Tonight apparently was the night that I just didn't want to hang out on the couch knitting by myself waiting for kid to fall asleep.

So, now I'm home. Instead of at a friend's going away party because I had especially set aside this time thinking that it was going to be spent with me. However, that's not how it exactly worked out. I'm selfish I guess. It's all about me I guess. I said, "I'm going to go home if you're going to fall asleep." (since he was the one now sleeping as his kid is sitting there trying to point out items in the movie on TV) He says,

"I figured you would."

Thanks.

He says, "Don't I even get a kiss goodbye?"
Me, gives peck, hands full of stuff.
He says, "You're mad."
I say, "I'll talk to you later."

I think he may have said, "Ok, be careful driving."

I don't remember.

I kind of feel bad. I kind of feel just full of awareness. I was married and had a bad marriage because I was unaware. Now, now I'm overaware. It scares me to get involved with relationships. I want it my way or at least close to my way or forget it. I can't figure out if it's that I don't mesh well with the kid or with the situation.

Stupid racing brain. Stupid X marriage that fucked me all up in the relationship department. Stupid selfishness. Stupid dissatisfaction with life.

I know it could be worse, but tonight I just feel cruddy.

You know the worst part? This guy really really loves me. I can see it all over his face. That's the worst part of all.

Motivation

2008-02-07T19:08:00.001-07:00

This is my latest spinning project. I bought this batt a few years ago. Needless to say I have another one in a different color in the closet.

It seemed like a good idea when I bought this for the drop spindle.

Now that I'm using the wheel to do this...

I don't like dealing with batts. Roving is SO much easier. This is just shedding all over me. Anyone, suggestions?

I don't have carders and I'm thinking that it would ruin the color if I just mixed it up more.

On the knitting front, I'm not up to much. Sort of due to 1) a lack of inspiration, 2) a great amount of stress.

However, I have been working on yet another Noro scarf. I heart Noro.
The scarf I made last year is currently falling to pieces. I can't even figure out where it came apart, but there's a gaping run in it.

Me: What if it's pink?
D: Did you make it?
Me: Yes.
D: Then I bet it will be warm and I'll wear it.
Me: What if your friends giggle.
D: Then I'll tell 'em they're jealous 'cause they don't have a girlfriend who'll make 'em one.

Ah, how can I not like the guy? He just makes me smile so. There's no hour long argument. No questioning my thoughts for being my thoughts. No snide remarks. He's taking me to dinner on Saturday. I hope I like it. ^_^

Maybe some could explain to me...

2008-01-31T21:05:00.002-07:00

...why I pay my taxes every year. I think a part goes to public eduation. I think. Not sure really, I've never seen the check.

Why do I get letters for please donate $5.00 to our silent auction. Yes, $5.00 isn't much, but what about the people who have 3 kids? Please buy books from our book club...I now get 5 pamphlets, almost every other month. They sell DS and gameboy games. This is beyond stupid. What happened to the $0.99 books? Why are they selling entire 29 book series now for just $29.99!

So, please, someone explain what happened to the ability to knit a potholder and donate it to your kid's class silent auction basket? My kid's basket last year...consisted of and i-pod!!!

WTF??!!!

An i-pod AND a $75.00 itunes certificate...it may have been $50.00...am I the only one who thinks that that is COMPLETELY insane???

I'll make a scarf, I'll make a dishrag...I'll teach someone how to knit. But buy an ipod??? I can't afford to get one for my kid. Oh, and last year she was only in the first grade people. Yes, I believe that a bunch of 7 year old kids thought of an ipod. What kind of fool does this overpresumptious, popularity contest, mom think?!

(apology to the presumptious...well, sort of)

Oh not to mention the 2 snacks a day my kid gets. America is overweight...I wonder why...is it possible because we're feeding our children snack stuff from a box twice a day so that by the time I get them home and put some veggies into them they turn their noses and make gagging sounds? Yea, super.

My ex mother-in-law sent me roving. For fixing her computer that either of her sons are too lazy to help her fix.

My *boyfriend* and I have assisted her with fixes around her house. This boggles my mind...

My EX mother-in-law...sends me items because I help and I keep in touch. Fascinating when families fall apart. Sad really. I don't understand why people do this to themselves really.

I have friends doing this to each other right now, and I just can't figure out the motivation.

It's beautiful though. I was totally surprised. It's a complicated story. But it was a very sweet thought.

I've finished the roving from Pagosa Springs. Turned out pretty good I must say. But it bleeds a lot when washed. I added vinegar and let soak, but it still ran.

(heh, the gloves remind me of Dexter's Laboratory.)

It's still drying. 10oz of fluff!

Not too bad eh? I <3>

I'm starting to understand...

2008-01-21T14:59:00.001-07:00

...I have a weakness.

A weakness for kitchen gadgets ~~and food, card/board games, yarn, hello kitty, scrapbook supplies, fimo~~. This is the latest one in my collection. A rice cooker yay. I don't eat rice really. My daughter loves it though.

The issue, my apartment stove. The stove I used to own cooked many a thing wonderfully. This stove...not so much. I figured out that the oven cooks at least 25 degrees higher than what it is set to, and the burners...I'm not so sure.

Rice...I just don't like babysitting it. I never seem to get the proportions correctly either and I hate cleaning the pot.

But I try.

This however is the solution...at least for me. I had a friend who owned one and he just loved it. That and the ice tea maker...but I don't think I'll acquire one of those.

So today, as a first try...white rice and forbidden rice. As I was reading reviews yesterday...I ended up taking back the first rice maker I bought yesterday and purchased this one about 6 hours later...someone was talking about forbidden rice. Purple rice! What better to go with the purple potatoes...oh wait...those freaked out the daughter...well, colorful food...why not.

They'll eat pho, and asparagus, but they won't eat cheese in eggs.

On the knitting front...nothing really. I frogged a scarf and restarted it because it wasn't wide enough after suggestion by the person it's for. They said it was fine and not to frog it but...after the suggestion I just wasn't satisfied with it any longer.

I finished spinning the roving from Pagosa Springs. Now I'm starting to ply.

My wheel is squeaking a little, I'm not sure where it's coming from. It's driving me quite crazy. I've oiled everything I could think of. Argh. Suggestions? Anyone?

First time as a 2 ply. Not too bad.

Happy New Year

2008-01-10T20:23:00.002-07:00

Okay.

Out to the endless sea of bloggers...maybe someone will run across this site. Maybe it'll just be me. I remember being so full of stuff to write, a long time ago. Now, I just don't really have that much to say. Surely, I think still. It's just that when I get some free time to myself I'd rather knit, read, spin, craft, play WoW, instead of load up pictures and write about them. I've always been bad with pictures anyway. I either forget the camera, take the camera and forget to take te pictures or something.

Like the crock pot lid. Which I did happen to find. My son acquired it into his play kitchen where the cars were using it to race...somehow.

2008. Another year.

I'm starting to feel old. I'm feeling lazy, and there's nothing I seem to want to DO to fix it. Oh, you know like get off my soft bottom and do a sit up. I remember being very skinny. I still have my skinny pants. I find myself wondering what it would have been like to be 25 without a little kid, and a tummy that looked like a raisin.

So my resolutions I'll find time to do when I'm dead...

1. lose 10 pounds.
2. eat healthier.
3. exercise on a regular basis.
4. be calm.
5. learn control.
6. learn patience.
7. knit more.
8. design and create.

That's a pretty good list. I'm a train wreck.

Note to self...

2008-01-02T18:33:00.001-07:00

...make crockpot recipes from scratch. Things from bags do not turn out well when you do not pay attention to them.

Almost ready...

2007-12-21T18:37:00.001-07:00

So the bad news is, no one turned in the blankie. I'm more upset than my son, which is good news. Although he tells me he misses his yarn blankie.

Finished, clogs for EB. Kind of a fuzzy picture. Herm.

Anyway, felting in the new Woolite bag was delightful. No trying to keep the pillowcase shut. Fuzzballs contained inside. Super!

Rabbit done for AW. Now just to mail. Sadly not in time for Christmas, but pretty close. I hope to make more, they're awfully fun to make. I hope to make one for JB and a co-worker. Although I'm not sure if I'll have time to complete one for the co-worker.

Christmas present done for J. He even said I could actually embroider the face on it. I had to resew a leg on since he got excited and pulled it off a few weeks ago.

Christmas present done for C. Three of them. Have I ever mentioned how I'm not fond of sewing? I'd enjoy knitting a lot more if I enjoyed sewing more. But necessary evil. Turned out pretty cute. The pink, white, purple and gray yarn is all handspun. That was fun to spin and knit.

I wish I could think of more things to do with my handspun.

Happy Holidays!

Devastated!

2007-12-20T11:26:00.001-07:00

I've lost J's blanket. The one I made him. The one I made in pastel colors because I was convinced he was going to be a girl. The one I bordered in blue shortly after he was born. Damn.

Updated 03/24/08, someone finally turned it into the lost and found. :)

A test...

2007-12-18T18:20:00.001-07:00

Boy child has a concert this week. I felt compelled to find a camera that takes super pictures plus video with sound. Mostly video with sound. I am an impulse buyer. Bad bad habit. So one of my big tests with the new camera is to see how it compares to close up shots.

Here's the old camera. 3.2 MP bought 6 years ago or so. It's served me well. The videos are tiny and there isn't any sound. The pictures look pretty good.

Here's the new camera. 8.0 MP bought yesterday.

It's closer. It's pretty much in focus. I like it. It makes videos with sound. Supposedly it eats batteries like it's going out of style, but the smaller cameras kind of scared me...tiny and so...well, tiny.

Oh yea, this is my second bobbin on the fleece from Pagosa Springs. Not too bad eh?

No knitting for you!

2007-12-14T12:03:00.002-07:00

At last we met I had a bunch of doors, stairs and windows primed.

Since then I have primed the house. Much more fun than sanding. Much more fun than priming doors and windows.

Who knew it took so long. So I finished last weekend sanding the primer. Not going to sand doors and windows. Lazy. A little scared. Really, just running out of time. Santa hasn't even wrapped any presents yet. How is it that I always seem to go over board with holidays and parties?

Last weekend I finished painting the outside. Took me until midnight to get the right blue. Gray blue has quite a bit of red in it. Who knew? After mixing up almost 2 cups of paint I finally figured it out. I was happy. a tad darker than I envisioned but, works well.

D suggested why don't I just leave it primed and let C pick out the colors. Well, that wouldn't work then would it? Santa's elves do a half assed job? Seems sort of not right. Or maybe this is really my dollhouse. Nah. It's easier this way...

So by the time the weekend was over, I had this. One painted kitchen, all ceilings, and a boy's bedroom. Super. Now just to do the other 4 rooms, the floors, and windows/doors/stairs.

I'm going to be busy this weekend.

I also...totally spaced the KPH at my house. SO embarassed.

At least Imbrium called. o_O

Life Is A Pain

2007-11-21T19:49:00.001-07:00

...but I won't get into that and this will be short, but my advice is that getting married is worthless if you end up getting divorced. Why oh why won't this divorce ever end?

On my wheel...a little slow in the works. The dye sometimes gets on your hands. Not exactly sure what to do about that. I've never experienced that before. I am still enjoying the wheel spinning though. Just as much as I thought I would.

However, convincing some small boy that a spinning wheel is not the niftiest device to spin and use is a bit difficult. After all, mama does it, so how come I can't? I'm just as good at making it go fast as she is.

I want a new digital camera, any suggestions? I have an old Sony that has 3.2 megapixels, which may be a lot to some, but makes a fuzzy close up spinning pictures.

In the works...Christmas presents for the kids. This will be a dinosaur, and mice, and if I'm really awesome I'll squeeze out a pair of felted clogs and a pair of socks. Not sure if that's going to happen.

I got to go to a KPH that Nachaele organizes last Saturday which was cool. I think it's good for my well being right now to meet new people. This sort of odd funk is/has been making me an awfully odd duck to be around at work. I'm not sure what people think of me anymore.

Anyway, I got to sew up a few of the mice, which was super because I hate sewing, unless it's with a machine. This is the reason I make small things...like for children. I have yet to make anything for myself and I've knitted for about 6 years or so. Imbrium thinks I should change that.

And looky what I found...heck yes! In town even. I got the last two skeins, eat your hearts out! Although, as I drove to the LYS I thought to myself, I should have called first, just in case, but I lucked out. Apparently they will be receiving more. I may have to acquire more, although what I will do with this yean, I have no idea. They're only ordering the rainbow colorway which is somewhat of a bummer, but I saw the swatches of the others and there wasn't much colorways on them, but still it would be fun. They do have some solid fingering weight yarns in solid and semi-solid colors, so maybe I can figure out something with that.

However, I just got onto Ravelry, although when I will have time to take pictures of my yarn stash, myself, my FOs, my WIPs...etc I have no idea. This will also involve me trying to recall my password to Flickr...yeaah...

So, besides the stress with the X, which believe me is taking up way more time that I prefer it to, not to mention asking for lots of patience and understanding from my work, is this...

To be honest, I haven't even taken the progress Santa I did last weekend, and this is just the primer. I found furniture, but then I took it all back. I hope she likes this. I really really hope she likes this. I found a doll family...wooden and ethnic. Kind of cute.

Thus far, I have the whole house, windows, door, stairs, the big doors to shut the back of the house (from little brother) and the back part of the shutters. This weekend I have to find the furniture I think will fit. I started looking at the calendar and realized how bad of an idea it would be to leave it until I have a free weekend again, which will be the 2nd week in December. Wish me luck!

Maddening

2007-10-17T22:20:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I went to Hobby Lobby looking for some more skeins for the blanket I was crocheting since I had a gift card. I found one but I didn't find the other. I thought that the other may be exclusive toWal-Mart. Rats.

Today I went to Wal-Mart and I couldn't find the Bernet self striping yarn at all. So, being my wonderfully stubborn self, I went to Michaels. No luck there either. The bad news is that the blanket I was working on for my son I had put down and then picked up again...with the wrong crochet hook size. As a matter of fact, I have no idea what size I was using. So I finished the second skein of the blanket only to realize that it seemed as though it was shrinking in size. Damn, I think it was a J or K I was using and not an I.

Last night I proceeded to frog that part of the blanket. Well, it didn't go well. Can I reiterate my loathing for boucle style yarn? I just *knew* I should have knit this thing. 1 ball of yarn turned into 4 balls of yarn with no end in site yet. I thought I'd just throw awaywhat I did thus far and just start over. That, of course isn't going to happen if I can't find the yarn.

*grumble*

Update

I found some of the yarn at another Wal-Mart. I have 5 skeins. I bet I'm going to be short anyway. Oh well, at least I found some to do something with.

I was trying to get a few things in order...or at least try and find out what plastic bag I stowed them in...for girl child's birthday party coming up soon.

What I realized was I had a small disaster in my "craft" closet. So I organized.

Only to discover that I'm not satisfied with my organization and that my quilting/sewing items are in my garage. Also, I really do have enough stuff to start a small craft store. If I don't start letting the kids into the craft items that I've gotten for them over the years, I will be run over by them.

If you don't hear from me, I have been buried from the stuff in my closet, please send help.

Too Tired To Think Of A Title

2007-10-15T21:48:00.001-06:00

...I want to take a bath. It's cold.

However, I've spent the last hour looking at amigurumi. Ah...just what I need...another to add to my crafting. I could open a craft store.

Now, instead of taking a bath, I'm writing to you, my non-existant fan base. I do appreciate you. Leave comments if you are out there. ^-^

A few weeks ago, I got to go here. I think I need to go back. I love hot springs. This place was wonderful. It was like skipping around in 15-20 different hot tubs. I could have stayed there a long time. The hardest part was that I don't think we took enough water...and by water I mean frozen bottles of water. Also, there wasn't a super selection of lunch items there. Next time I want to stay at the resort itself and nose in and out of the pools as I wish all day. On my trip I did happen to take one crochet project. I've been trying to finish it for what feels like forever.

And, I didn't that weekend, but I did this weekend...still with me? I'm not convinced that the recipient loved it too much though. Oh well, he's only 3, with a fondness of fleece. His dad liked it though and I know he was touched by the thought.

Now, back to Pagosa Springs...I found a LYS. What a good idea. I had to buy something...anything...well, not really, but it seemed the touristy thing for me to do.

I found some Noro, one of my favorites. This is destined to be a scarf, 1x1 rib, 2 rows 1 skein, 2 rows other skein. I love how Noro knits.

I also found sock yarn. Interlacements. Now mind you, I can find any of this stuff at home, but for some reason I felt the need to acquire more to my stash. I wonder if I can fit another plastic bin in my closet...

Lastly, to add to my new found spinning wheel addiction, not to be confused with my drop spindles, which are a little dusty, I had to buy this. I'm not super crazy about the colors, but the store had 3 of these and one just wanted to come home with me.

I think part of my issue was that the man I was with was so very supportive of my hobby. Encouraging even, see the sock yarn...that one was his idea...I was fondling them...he said, "Oh, this is a nice color." Sold. I'm not sure if I can take him shopping with me anymore.

That was my trip in a nutshell.

Speeding up to last weekend, again...I finished my girl child's pick of fleece from...3 years ago?

Navajo ply. 2 skeins. There was one full bobbin, and a tiny bit left over. The reason why I didn't 2 ply. Also I kind of just like the colors staying together. It's probably in between laceweight and sport weight. Either way it's pretty, I'm proud. Not too bad for my second try.

Fin

2007-10-11T19:50:00.002-06:00

...and...

fin

Turned out pretty good. Navajo ply...not too shabby. I love looking at it.

Especially after hand spinning for about 2 years now. I wasn't sure if I'd like spinning on a wheel or not, but I have to say that I'm really enjoying it a lot. The wheel is pretty low maintenance and doesn't take a lot of work to fold down or set up.

I even twist the skein decently. I'm so proud.

Closer picture of course, but kind of fuzzy. I thought I did pretty good for my first spinning wheel project.

Le sigh...

Commitment

2007-10-10T21:39:00.003-06:00

I apparently have commitment issues. I start writing one blog, only to start another one here. Not for any reason other than for some reason I started feeling very vulnerable...not really the right word...I was just too out in the open and it bothered me at some great degree. So I started a new blog for anonymity.

Today, checking up on the knitting blogs I browse...Mouse had this.

What a great little button. So true.

So here I am back. Why? Because sometimes I think there are people out there who read this. I suppose, there are others like me, who want to be read, yet at the same time don't. It's a weird thing. I am the queen of indecision.

Counter Clockwise

2007-10-10T21:37:00.002-06:00

Actually posted on 09/25/07

Okay...now in reverse!

Plying turned out a little more challenging than somehow my brain had envisioned. My lead was technically too big, the wrong material, and too long. When the yarn caught, I had a thread like catch. It broke at least 3 times. Then Navajo plying...it's fun once you get the rhythm down, but frusterating trying to initially start. I think that the biggest problem was that some how my bobbin got tangled and there was a thread holding the thread I was drafting down, which caused breaking.
Tomorrow, hopefully, a FO.

The Mission If You Choose To Accept It...

2007-10-10T21:35:00.002-06:00

Actually posted on 09/24/07

Yes, yes Imbrium and I...shopping together we shouldn't. So D, E and get up bright and early at 8:00 am and eat breakfast, get dressed, the usual. I fuss and make panicky gestures and complain that it's 8:30 am, we leave at about 9:00 am. We arrive at Shuttles early...9:40 am. D suggests that we just drive around and look around for 20 minutes before the store opens. I fuss...what? I could be late, I could get lost. He rolls his eyes in a loving way...you know, the way that says, "My girlfriend has *completely* lost her mind." So, we drive, down the street, turn around realizing that this is highway 93 and I'm now heading out of Boulder. D jokingly says, "Yes, there may be a line" to my sort of anxious state of being. We drive into the parking lot again to which I exclaim, "OMG! There IS a line!" He laughs, "Please don't make me have to fight an old lady over a spinning wheel okay? That'll be so hard to explain, 'I'm sorry ma'am but, I really need to have this wheel, because if I don't get one, I'll have to go home with HER.'"

I park the car, jump out of the car, and throw the keys on the drivers seat, all in one smooth movement. I then race up the stairs...there's a line! We wait...all of the lovely ladies...open, open, open...the longest 4 minutes...EVER! Imbrium isn't there yet, but I know she'll show up soon. The door opens, they make noise that there is a cake somewhere in the store and welcome welcome, thanks for waiting. I enter the store and 3-4 spinning wheels stare at me. Sweet. Who works here? I can't tell. In most LYS, I can't tell the employee from the patron. I finally find a woman walking by in an apron...I stare her down and she asks me if she can help me...why YES you can! Yay!! She indicates that I'll need to talk to another woman, who just wandered off with another customer...rats...but wait, she'll go let her know. YAY!!! The right person comes walking back within a minute, and leads me to the back to open a box which happens to be sitting on the floor...was meant to be! I ask another employee who happens to be standing nearby, if they have swifts, and she fetched one for me...plastic.

The other woman is busily showing me the bits and pieces and making sure they're all fine. They are. Can I leave the box here while I go grab some other items? Yes. Super! She goes and places an oil bottle in the box while I'm gone. I'm looking at books, and sort of lost, this is a big store, when I get a tap on the shoulder. Imbrium! Made it at last. Want to see?! Of course! So I lead her to my box. I can tell she is impressed that I made her get up early on a Saturday to go to a store where she is not allowed to buy anything, just to see a box.

We nose around the store...we talk about the various rovings and how some are beautiful and must be acquired, and how some just look like clown vomit, but you can't stop staring. I offer and insist that I buy some of the beautiful roving for her dedication to coming out and supporting my emotional purchase. She says really, no need...oh yes...but...you have no choice...blah blah...those fun conversations you know? In the end...I purchased 7.5 oz. of the roving and acquired about a yard and a half of it to practice with. My drop spindle project will soon be the wheel project, but I first need to know if I can spin lace weight yarn on the wheel successfully.

I also found some lovely cashmere and wool blend yarn. It's going to be a fingerless glove pattern, once I find a pattern. I'm picky and I can't decide. Maybe I should just make a scarf.

I found more lace weight yarn for the lace I'm going to make for my mom. I wanted to make her a shawl...but I don't think she'll wear it. I'm leaning towards table runner now. I know she has tables, and she'll use them there. Imbrium keeps encouraging me that really, I ought to make something for myself.

Sadly, the store did not carry and Noro. So my need to make thousands of self striping scarves for random people, or at least myself, see there's a thing for myself, has to be put on hold. They didn't carry Malabrigo that I could find either but they did carry this, and I purchased some because C wants mama to make some toy mice.

I also found this lovely cotton, which of course can't be a solid color, it must be a varigated color because I like color movement when I'm knitting/crocheting. So this cotton is destined to be a dinosaur for J, because he too found the book of knitted toys that I was hiding in the cracks of my couch and exclaimed that mama should make him a dinosaur. Well, haha...Christmas is taken care of...if it's anything like last year, I will be knitting until 1am, freaking out. However, unlike last year, I will not be trying to see if the wet felted slippers fit on sleeping feet or if I need to quickly knit another pair.

Oh, and the swift...I ended up going with a wooden one instead. Lucky for me Imbrium noticed that after I paid, while I was waiting at the car for my keys, as D and E had wandered to the grocery store, that there was a piece missing. Luckily it was in the basket where I found the swift.

I love mail

2007-10-10T21:34:00.001-06:00

Actually posted on 09/17/07

After playing a nerve wracking game of, "Where In The World Is My Wallet," I received a nice surprise in the mail. I love mail.

A top whorl drop spindle, a present to myself. I fell in love with it after seeing Margene's from Rhinebeck last year. Since I won't be attending Rhinebeck this year, nor possibly any year in the near future, I thought I'd order myself one.

Today is Monday...5 more days until I can get a spinning wheel.

Open! Open! Open!

2007-10-10T21:32:00.001-06:00

Actually posted on 09/13/07

Remember those commercials of once upon a time? I think it was a Mervyn's commercial where a woman stood eagerly at the locked door waiting for the store to open and the sale to begin. That's me right now, although the store is not Mervyns. Ever since Imbrium introduced me this glorious item, I have been obsessing ever since. I haven't hand spun in months. In fact my poor little drop spindle has been decorating my basket of remembering, where I keep my keys and other items I shouldn't lose, for months now. So last Saturday she brought her spinning wheel that we had joked about at Estes 2 years ago. The jist of the conversation was that we should get them and the controversy was that we didn't really have the funds nor the room in our respective homes.

I must acquire a wheel I have decided. I've spun on a spinning wheel exacty 2 times. I think I'll do okay without lessons. I'm brave. Besides the place where I would like to go is about an hour or more away from me and to be there by 6:00 pm I'd have to leave work by 4:30 pm and find a sitter for the kids. Oh well, I can learn from the internet right? Haha. It's more the aintenance stuff about spinning wheels that I am unsure of.

The store I want to go to will be having a sale soon...but not as in this weekend soon...rats. So I have to wait. Well, not really, but I should wait. So in order to keep my excitement to a mere crawl, which isn't working all that well, but I'm trying, I'm hand spinning. Like I mentioned before I haven't spun for a few months now. Since last Saturday I've been trying to spin every day. So much so, that I noticed that I haven't been putting enough spin in some of the yarn I've been spinning. So today at lunch I wound it off of the spindle onto my niddy noddy and I am respinning it...if that is possible...I guess the better term is that I am adding more twist to what I have spun. Kind of OCD of me dontcha think? I mean I could have left it alone and just plyied it when the time came, but something kept bugging me that perhaps it would pull apart or something. Want to guess the percentage that I most likely place the yarn on the drop spindle on to a bobbin when I get a spinning wheel?

Sadly, I must admit that my UFOs are greatly suffering due to my interest obsession with spinning. After finishing the baby blanket for M and C, I started a blanket for my friend's kid E. I had this yarn in my stash, I had originally purchased it for a co-worker who had purchased socks from me for his new nephew. I thought he might be interested in a blanket, after all he had mentioned it in passing, and really who am I to give up a chance to buy some yarn? However, my co-worker was recruited and I didn't hear from him again. So, I thought this yarn would look nifty using a wave crochet stitch...and it does! I was so excited about this stitch I had to make another one. This time for my son because the only blanket he has made by me is the one I made before he was born. I was convinced he was going to be a girl so it's white and pastel with a baby blue border.

Now I swore I would never crochet with a boucle type yarn again, but here I am...and this time oddly enough...it's not turning out nearly as horrible as I thought.

Eh...

2007-10-10T21:28:00.000-06:00

Actually posted on 09/06/07

So...summer. Girl child took swimming lessons. Boy child loves water. We swam, went to the zoo, we went to the aquarium, we went to the park. It wasn't a lot, but is was a tiny v-cation. Maybe one day I can take them elsewhere, but for now we'll just nose around our places. During this time until this post...I just could't find myself motivated to blog anything.

As for knitting. I finished a blanket. My friend M and C enjoyed it for baby J. It was smaller than I hoped, but after knitting on size 7, I think, I didn't want to to it anymore.

It's my own take on a log cabin pattern in a self striping yarn, very soft.

School now is back in session. It soon will be getting colder. I can't really determine my mood other than just sort of meloncholy.

I'm working on 2 kid blankets, for my 2 favorite toddlers, a pair of baby socks, I want to start a pair of felted clogs, and I'm thinking about knitted toys. Oh my old blog is here.

I've also finished 2 Noro scarves.
They are so addicting to make. I want to start another one.

Still kickin'

2007-05-15T20:09:00.002-06:00

I seem to have recovered from the plague. No more licking doorknobs, I have learned my lesson. XD I am no longer launching into a fit of coughing, I am now just dealing with a bit of soreness in my left ribcage.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day, I got to spend with my children and my parents. It was quiet and calm and filled with leftovers.

A wonderful surprise greeted me in my mailbox and boy was I surprised. Not only did I win one of the prizes on the blogversary contest on Wanda's site but there were extras. How I do love getting mail. I used to have pen pals, I think around 50 and we would swap all sorts of things. It was grand.

Trekking yarn...I have the perfect pattern I think for this yarn. The Thelonius. One of these days I will start those. So many things to knit, so little time.

Also included were a lovely bottle of lotion from Aribonne. Great line of products. I love their orange sugar scrub. One day I will acquire a jar. Until then this will satisfy me greatly.

Lastly, a bunch of nicknacks in a lovely little metal case.

They will fit wonderfully in my bag that I carry my knitting in.

So lately my projects have been put aside because I have finally started a knitted project with Noro. How great it is to knit with expensive yarns or at least yarns that are more than $5.00.

Snow day

2007-04-26T18:51:00.006-06:00

So I got a chance to visit Knitty Cat a LYS that carries Alchemy Yarn. I didn't get a skein of Alchemy, I didn't like the colors, but I did pick up some Desert. It's calling "scarf" to me. At some point, I'm thinking, online, I will have to acquire some Alchemy. The bamboo was so soft. But I like their Migrations. That just looks nifty. I think I also want to acquire some linen yarn as well.

I also found some Lorna's Laces in Embers. Couldn't live without it. I think it will make a dandy pair of socks. I like the colorway so much I may have to acquire another skein.

My daughter also found a skein she didn't want to leave without. It is now her pet. :)

I came home and found this...

And what is that? Why that is my ceiling in my apartment kitchen peeling. It didn't feel wet. I'm hoping that it's not a leak. Well, at least if it is, I'm hoping that it was due to the rain and not a pipe.

Finally, some knitted objects. A hat and 1 bootie for now for my friend and his wife. One more to go. Not sure if I like the bootie pattern though. It was knit on two needles, it was a bit tight to manipulate.

This is a scarf...it soon will be a big ball of yarn. Bummer to frog so much, but the basket weave pattern isn't showing up at all, and it's a little wider than I expected.

Socks! Done!

2007-04-24T19:17:00.001-06:00

They only took about 4 years of asking. But my family member will finally get them. So now I won't have to hear it anymore. Do I look like I can just pop these things out in little plastic packages like at Wal-Mart? But I would like to say that those of the population who are not knitters some times do not understand the amount of time that it can take to knit items. This in fact is proven to me by my young daughter all the time. :)

Not out of the woods yet...

2007-04-17T20:38:00.001-06:00

I think there can be a point of working too much. For me that came about ~~4 years ago~~ last week. My job is okay. We've all read about that before. It could be a lot better. I've been at my job longer than my supervisor. Sad. I've had two title changes in the last two months, which is nice ~~and about time~~. However, I am still sick, not nearly to the outrageous fevers of last month, but coughing sneezing, etc. My lung hurts. Last week I worked perhaps 51 hours or so? This week I think will be normal, but I'm wiped. I'm still sickly. My co-workers have commented on it. But...enough about that.

Today, I received a lovely gift from Knit.Eat.Sleep...yarn...wool...beautiful. Part of some unstashing she was doing, and I will always adopt yarn.

However, this has caused a dilemma with my stash boxes...a need for another stash box. I will have to acquire another one soon. For now I moved my roving and spindles to another space on my bookshelf.

This also caused the need to reorganize my boxes. As well as the thought ~~stupid OCD~~ that I may need to rewind some of my yarn.

Also, I remembered since this is such a yarn porn post, that I have not shown off my latest acquirement of soy yarn from Colorful Yarns, by far my favorite LYS so far. One skein of Tofootsies (sp.) with chitin in it. Soft! and another soy silk, 2 skeins lace weight. Enough to perhaps take on a shawl. I have been much better about leaving the tags with the yarn I wind so I know how much yardage I have, a mistake learned from Estes Park last summer.

I also picked up two more skeins of Malabrigo, by far the most fun wool I've gotten to knit thus far. I love the colors, they're a dark purple and wine, but you can't tell from this picture...and right now I'm to lazy to dig them from the bottom of my reorganized box.

Back from the beyond...

2007-04-01T11:08:00.001-06:00

...well mostly.

I have been sick. My lovely flu turned into walking pnemonia and took me out of work for about a week and a half. I feel so behind right now, at work, at home, in my life. However, slowly but surely things are returning to normal. Slower than I would prefer of course.

I didn't get much knitting done while I was out. I did watch a lot of TV and napped. I don't think that people who have never had children really understand the scope of being sick. Going to work for 8 hours and then come home to work another 8 hours getting the kids, fed, washed, played with, read to, put to bed. Getting a good 6-8 hours of sleep just isn't enough to get better.

This is the progress on the blanket so far. It's a little bigger.

My spinning has been going slow. But I do love this dragon spindle.

My son graduated to a big boy bed. He's been doing fairly good at staying put at night. *sniff* Babies grow up too fast.

I think the most I've gotten since I got sick has been *finally* replacing my dishes. My dish set was a Noritake Colorwave in plum. It was nice. It was basically picked for me by my former mother-in-law. I thought we would go to 2-3 stores for dinnerware when she offered to buy us some, but we went to 1 store, and I thought the set was okay. Frankly, it was too expensive in my opinion. I wanted a black set I saw at Target, but we never made it there.

So, finally now after, what 2 years, of being divorced I have replaced that set with a set I do like, and that didn't cost a small fortune. They're teal and black and lovely AND something I picked.

I especially like my little fish dipping set. Target is so much fun.

snork hack wheeze

2007-03-18T18:19:00.001-06:00

I think I was in high school the last time I caught the flu. I'm trying to convince myself that it's not the plague. Good grief. I've stayed home sick for 2 days, thank goodness it was close to a weekend. I think I hurt myself going to work earlier during the week. Stress plus illness, bad combo.

I don't have pictures. All I have is a quiet apartment (they finally took out the darn photocell so the buzzing wall is history), 70 degree weather, and my computer. My kiddos are so sweet, and well, my parents are wonderful. I don't know how I would have pulled this off. But you know when you look online and it says the flu can last 5-7 days. They aren't kidding.

I've knitted...a row...maybe two on the blanket I'm working on. Knitting is the farthest thing from my mind. But I've been watching a lot of old Star Trek DS9 recently.

Just the voices in my head

2007-03-01T22:18:00.001-07:00

The buzzing in the wall is at "medium" right now. It was at a ~~going to go fucking insane~~ "loud" for about 3 hours. Now it's ~~cough~~ tolerable ~~going to go crazy because of the stupid noise, I hate apartments~~.

So this week...I've been dealing with lovely drama ~~bullshit~~ from the X. Gotta love X's. Our perceptions of the world are so very different. I think he's a jackass and he thinks he's a saint.

But on to better things...why dwell on crap that you can't change ~~especially after the phone was hung up on me for the umpteenth time~~? This was my Valentine's day present. Flannel sheets that were the wrong size that turned into satin sheets because he thought they were soft and they reminded him of me. A lacqeured rose and a plastic piece he shaped in a heart. Actually I got the heart last night, but I lumped into Valentine's day. It was a very nice day actually. First nice Valentine's day I ever had in my whole life. It's not that the other ones were comparable...in fact they were so craptastic that I think I have some emotional damage from them...that is if I were in fact to muse over them for any length of time.

On the knitting front...I hate to report my slow going. I think at this time I have truly run out of things to knit. I picked up a new lace pattern book which is wonderful, and I'm lacking the needles and the lace yarn to start any of them. And my patience has been lacking lately due to asshat. However, my progress on this little guy keeps progressing...I'm not sure into what. I'm making it up as I go. Seems to not be making ruffles on me this time...can't remember the word for it...making ruffles...new word, yay!

I actually thought brilliantly to myself that I should make tissue box covers. I think I'm getting desperate. Hehe...come to my house I knitted a couch cozy! Well, not yet... ;)

Still kickin'

2007-02-21T19:08:00.002-07:00

Frogs. Lovely little critters. My children pretend that the house is over run and they have to chase them out the door.

However, the little blanket below...

This is what it looks like frogged. Notice the lovely wannabe stripes.

I have since restarted the blanket. It's turning out better this time. Last time it started puckering some.

What is it that I have been up to lately? ~~Updates for my 3 loyal readers.~~ Not much sad to say. World of Warcraft. I have recently started knitting again. Can you believe I'm having a difficult time thinking of what to knit? Enjoying time with friends.

The picture to the right...someone thought that I was funny.

What?

The cola cap fit.

Well, I think it'll turn out okay

2007-02-06T20:10:00.001-07:00

It's a baby blanket in progress. Self striping yarn...interesting. It's going much slower than expected.

Because...

I'm an elf baby!

Which makes me wonder. Why am I so fascinated with the stats on my leather pants, and the pretty yellow numbers of DOT?

The real world

2007-01-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

Where have you been?
Well, after months of resisting, my precious free time has been sucked into The World of Warcraft. Yes, I am sad to report that this game has envoked my curiousity and intrigue.

What does that mean for knitting?
I'm still knitting. But I just haven't been knitting as often. After finishing the epic 2 year baby blanket I'm taking a breather. Although this breather may last until the Estes Park Wool Market.

So, there you go. Still kickin. Just kickin it in Azeroth.

Why do I blog?

2007-01-18T21:13:00.001-07:00

Well, that's a good fucking question. If anyone has ideas please let me know. It's a weird little exhibitionism quirk in my brain I suppose. It's not as though I really want people to know what I'm thinking. It would be truly fun to be completely anonymous and let it all fly. Just one of those moods after getting off a phone call with my favorite person, because it's always my fault.

On to other items though. Here is the scarf I finished for my friend. He loved it and wears it all the time now. He says it's warm. It matches his jacket too. I wasn't too sure about the orange and black combo, but it seemed to work okay. It may be the last time I ever knit a scarf lengthwise though. First time I ever knitted anything for a man who was not related to me. Not even the X got anything out of me. But then again, I never thought he'd truly appreciate something from one's heart and hands.

I finally finished the blanket I started 2 years ago. It will be sent in a package to my sister. How odd it is as an adult to know now that I have a sister. Especially after being raised an only child.

A closer view of the Korean and English. The variegated yarn made interesting patterns once you stand back.

Hehe...I must work on my photography skills. I tend to get in a hurry and suddenly you notice a baby buggy wheel in the corner or extremely clashing colors or background texture.

I must remember that single crochet on a G hook takes a long time. But I admit I am not the world's fastest knitter or crocheter...I just enjoy the process.

A picture of the edging. She had a baby girl, if I understand correctly. When I designed it, it was going to be for a woman I hardly knew who was going to have a boy. However, this seems a much more appropriate present for my sister than for this woman who I have now lost touch with. I thought the lacy edge would be a good touch.

Going forward onto projects that I'm working on now...well, this blanket is taking the lead right now. I love self striping yarn. Have a mentioned this before? Haha. It's turning out well, now that I've figured out how many stitches to pick up on the side roughly...since I'm making this up as I go along. Fun stuff! Should be more interesting as I progress.

I finished one of two socks. Is it just me or is it always harder to knit the second sock...motivation wise really. I'll take a picture when the second one is done...heck, he's waited 4 years so far, what's 4 more?

Will it ever end...never mind got distracted...

2007-01-06T20:26:00.001-07:00

I was going to write another blog about more snow, but I forgot to take a picture. That's okay, there's more in the forecast next week. In the mean time, enjoy these snowmen. I'm sure I'll have more pictures during next week's snowstorm.

There isn't much to say about knitting or yarn right now. I started making a pair of socks, hypothetically for my cousin's husband. Who's been asking for the last two years. Really, I just don't knit that fast, and well...I get side tracked easily.

For instance, I found this tonight at JoAnn's which will be turned into some sort of blanket like thing for a friend who's having a baby. I know four women having babies so far. All about the same time too. Only two will actually get blankets ~~hopefully~~ out of me. I'm not sure what color I want to make the other one out of. I may wait to see if they find out what the gender is first.

This here will make a perhaps nifty pair of socks. I like the colorway. Cherry chocolate. ~~Cheap yarn will be the end of me.~~ I can't wait until the Estes Park Wool Festival.

A hat here for my son. The one I bought is too small. So I thought I'd make one. Wool and soy. Now I just need a hat pattern.

A scarf for my daughter. How I love self striping yarns. She kind of liked it. It'll still looked nifty. After the scarf Imbrium made I'm sure it'll look nifty either way.

A bundle of wool from my friend for Christmas. I have no idea what I want to do with this yet. 100% wool. I'm sure I could think of something to felt it into.

I still have the blanket for my sister to finish and I've started spinning some roving that I bought 3 years ago or so that my daughter picked out.

I will need to acquire some of the lace yarn from Yarn Place that Imbrium acquired. So much yarn...running out of room...must buy another box ~~although I really ought to use some of the stuff~~.

Well, not as impressive, but it's not over yet

2006-12-28T18:13:00.001-07:00

Well, it's lighten up some since I got home, but it's still coming down. I'm not convinced that the office will be closed tomorrow, but I'm willing to bet the daycare will. It's supposed to continue until tomorrow about midday and then start up again in the evening. Should be an interesting trek across town for the hostage exchange.

De ja vu!

2006-12-28T14:49:00.001-07:00

Got sent home again today. Didn't this already happen once? Hmmm... Well the snow bank melted pretty quickly this week, but perhaps it'll pile up again. So, here's the first. I'm supposed to call a toll free number at 5:00 am tomorrow to see if the office is open. Ah...why can't they tell me tonight...I won't be able to sleep well. Kind of ruins that sleep in thing.

Snow...is still the topic of the day

2006-12-25T21:46:00.001-07:00

Ah...

Thursday was a snow day. I haven't had a snow day since I was in high school. Something about 2+ feet of snow and the city was shut down. I still could have made it into the office. The plus and minus of living about 2 minutes from work. However, I must admit I was happy to have a snow day, even though I didn't have anyone else in my home since the kids were visiting others. What other better thing to do when there is a ton of snow outside? Knitting of course!

I finally finished the set of slippers for my daughter...these shrunk up quick too...I'm glad I checked them after 5 minutes. I also worked on the black and orange scarf. I didn't actually finish that until 12/23. But the recipient greeted it with much enthusiam. And of course, in true fashion I forgot my camera and therefore I do not have a picture of the final product. He did say he'd stop by and I'll have to take pictures then.

The next day at work on 12/22, greeted us with open parking lots. There was so much snow off the top parking lot that you can't really tell that this picture to the left is a parking garage. You could just hop off the top and slide on down.

Lastly, I have made stich markers, 3 sets actually, this is only the blue set. I'm still organizing my mass chaos I call, beads, but it's working out. I received new organizing boxes for Christmas. Grand things I'm sure will occur.

And morning brings...

2006-12-21T06:34:00.001-07:00

A lot of snow. Delayed start at work. Still makes me giggle at just the thought. If they truly have a delayed start I wonder how many people will even bother. That's a lot of snow.

I am thankful for a few eggs and bacon in the fridge. Now I'm off to go watch the news and wait until 8:00 am to see if they really are going to make us come in to work.

Gone

2006-12-20T19:20:00.001-07:00

I had to actually step outside for this picture. The window and the flash were not agreeing...but the view from my window...remember the wall...yeah...gone. Plus it's still snowing.

On the other hand. I accomplished this. Now I just need to get the motivation to make a 2 or 3 more. But I'm cold and I hear my bathtub calling.

Impressive

2006-12-20T15:48:00.001-07:00

Well, here I am. Yup. Wow. The excitement. I've cleaned the kids room, their bathroom, did the dishes, did the laundry. Continuing to vacuum. The kind of moving furniture cleaning. Of all the times I could have used a cat. At least I could talk to the cat. Right now, I can only talk to myself and my silent viewers online. Yes I like to delude myself. I am interesting darn it.

It's now 4:00 pm. I've lost 2 stones in my view...methinks the snow is deep. Okay, I'm starting to give into this blizzard idea. I wonder if the office will be closed tomorrow so I can have more time talking to my imaginary cat.

I do have most of my decorations up and stuff.

I have cabin fever! I have cabin fever!

I got sent home

2006-12-20T10:41:00.001-07:00

Blizzard like conditions. I got to work at 8:45 am. I got sent home at 10:00 am. I sent out an email. I ran a query. I wish that that decision had been made at 8:00 am when I wanted to just roll over and snooze more. Ah well. The prediction is 2-3 feet of snow. That would be nifty. Although it's just me and the computer at home. Rats.

I'm not convinced it's going to be that much snow. It's just real buttery and slippery on the roads. I'm from the mountains...6 inches...bah!

Eh. I've got a lot of cleaning to do before Christmas. I wrapped everything last night until 1:30 am, so a nap would be good. My beads are all organized. I'd post pictures of knitting...hence a knitting blog and all, but I haven't done anything. I have 3 days to finish a scarf and slippers. I suppose today is the day.

Doesn't it suck when you have so much to do you don't know where to start?

Well, it started out as a good thought.

2006-12-11T21:51:00.001-07:00

For those of you who read this blog...here's another picture of slippers. Same like the ones below, but a bigger size so hopefully this time I will not shrink them too much. I am curious as to who reads this blog. I know of perhaps 2 or 3.

Lately, I've been going through this lonely phase. Not sure what that is about...other than I feel sort of bored. I know I have tons of things to do...like the bottom sole of the slipper and the scarf to your right. I somehow keep finding new things to do though. I hate when I start to wander...things just end up piling up. And really, these two items need be done by the end of next week.

The scarf is for my friend. I think he'll like it. I've never knit anything for a man before...well my dad I did...but someone outside the family? I hope I get it done. I'm doing a lengthwise garter

stitch...it seemed like a good idea at first. I am finding that it is taking longer than I thought. Also I didn't plan out how I was going to sew in the ends very well because I wasn't going to put fringe on this. I will go on the theory no one will notice.

So, when I was in high school, I had a business making jewelry. When I moved out of my parent's house I boxed up all of my stuff which had been sitting for a long time gathering dust since my interest had waned due to college and thinking that drinking beer was more interesting. And as moving things...well...moves them, stuff got all jumbled up.

I spent last weekend sorting out seed beads...thousands of them...by color...it's a sickness I know :). It's good to know it'll be carried on by the next generation too...since my girl kept asking me, "Mama, can I sort some beads for you?"

So, then, as I nosed on the internet, I thought, "oh...stitch markers look nifty...I should make ~~hundreds~~ some."

Well, I learned a few things. 1) Just because a picture looks nifty does not make it easy. 2) Memory wire is evil. 3) Seed beeds are a pain in the ass. 4) I don't think my eyesight is what it used to be.

But in the end I created this...and it turned out okay. I don't know how many I will make ~~one~~.

Mantra

2006-12-02T11:13:00.002-07:00

knitting is relaxing...

knitting is relaxing...

So yesterday I got to catch up with some friends and we happily played cards until ~~yawn~~ 3 AM. Always seems like an awesome thing until I have to deal with that ball of fire in the sky the next day. Anywhoo...I then couldn't sleep after they left...so I watched some Star Trek: TNG and knitted. I finished my girl's first slipper. Hmm...my yarn senses are tingling...I think somethings missing...oh well...I'm sleepy.

Snore...Zzzz

The next morning came...I wander to go find out what time it is...pick up said slipper and stare at it and the pattern...something's wrong...keep in mind...I frogged it Thursday night because the toe was 2 stitches off...I was thinking about just keeping it that way and then my the need to frog overwhelmed me and I frogged off the toe and did it again...

I continue to stare and make the slipper nervous...I had finished the cuff and bound it off last night...

crap

The purls seem to have crawled *inside* the slipper. Rats. How'd that happen .

So...do I 1) frog, 2) felt it inside out, 3) felt it right side out and pick up on the side stitches when I combine the outer sole...

Did I say ?

Curse you perfectionism!

I've been busy

2006-11-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

So, I've been pretty bad at updating my blog. There are reasons for this. They aren't great reasons, but they are "life" reasons.

1) I work a lot. My job seems to take up more of my precious knitting time.

2) I have these two smallish people who call me "mom" and follow me home...ALL the time! ;)

3) I've been dating a man on a regular basis. I guess you could say he's my boyfriend. Freaky huh? It amuses me to no end really. We dropped off my girl over at a birthday party in a part of town neither of us were familiar with. Would you believe he noticed the yarn store before I did and he pointed it out to me and encouraged me to go back and check it out. I like this guy.

So in the time I've been playing hooky. I've finished plying the wool I spun that I purchased in Estes Park. I can't wait until the fiber festival comes back next summer. I keep seeing all this lovely fluff online and I'm just trying to wait until summer. But I think it turned out pretty good.

So, there I was thinking that I was done for awhile spinning yarn because I needed to start on Christmas presents. Most importantly two pairs of slippers for my children and a scarf for my...ahem...boyfriend.

But then I was seduced by this gorgeous spindle Imbrium gave me. It spins amazingly smooth.

I've had to put it up on a shelf. Out of sight out of mind right?

But it spins so thinly...and fast...and and...

So then I started a slipper for my girl. It's with bulky Lamb's Pride and Malabrigo. I thought the kids needed matching slippers. My girl, "Is that for me?" Well, yes, do you like it? "Well you can give that to my brother because I want to have slippers made out of the yarn you're spinning for me." That's not going to be thick enough (see picture above). "Oh, well I guess that can be for me."

This coming from the girl who told me she likes green. Well, she is 7 and a girl...mind changes constantly. Santa is in for a big job.

This was the first project I ever felted. I prepared my washer, stuck the slippers in a pillowcase and started the machine. I checked it after about a minute and it seemed as though the process was starting. I was surprised at the amount of wool that had already come off in the pillowcase. I put them back in thinking to myself that if I watch it I'm going to go nuts. So, I went and sat down and watched TV for 5 minutes. I came back. And wah-la...slippers. The size...for my son. Rats. I tried fitting them on my sleeping girl to see if they would fit. Nope. Tried when she woke up this morning...nope. Rats. Back to the knitting needles to make a pair for my girl. At least I started with her in mind.

Mommy's counting

2006-11-22T08:53:00.001-07:00

My children are wonderful creatures. They are polite and sweet most of the time. They are learning...they are learning that a moment is sometimes needed when mommy has knitting needles in hand. I got all the way to row...

uh, rats...forgot the pattern, but I remembered the yarn...guess I gotta run home for lunch...

...anyway, I think I was on row 15 or so before I realized the clog I was knitting...the toe had migrated somehow to the side of where it was supposed to be. It wasn't because I was counting wrong...*blink* *blink*...oh!...k33 not some random number...

Yes...so happily I frogged away. Again. I will have pictures of projects soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to my readers. All 2 or 3 of you. ;)

*giggle* my "boyfriend"...for lack of better term...is quickly learning how boobytrapped my bedside is...a foray of knitting needles, yarn, patterns, spindles, fluff, scissors (although those *try* to stay by my bookshelf...sometimes they end up on my bed...I'm trying...this kind of amuses me some. But thus far...he'll happily smile as I'm showing him some sort of clog like lump of knitted yarn at 2:00 am. And that, makes me happy.

Can we say obsession?

2006-11-21T10:41:00.001-07:00

I can think of more projects to start...than well...yeah. Tired. Very tired...it has something to do with a clog. It was a nice little clog, with lots of directions...lots and lots of directions. Challenge is good. It also had to do with a 250 cast on scarf. Seems like a good idea...I need to go get a cable needle now. Right. More cable needles. I just bought two. And then there is this yarn thing...oooh...pretty colors, I like pretty colors. Must obtain more yarn...for what...I don't know...but I'm sure it will come in handy...for something...eventually.

And did I mention I need to spin more yarn? More hand spun fluff for projects yet to be determined? Hmm...

Oh, and I think my gray scarf and new bottle of pink fluff must be put on hold. I have clogs and a black/red scarf to finish for Christmas. Whadda ya mean it's almost December? Ack! Ack! Quiet babies...mama's gotta knit some stuff...

Ah, a Sunday...

2006-11-12T18:08:00.002-07:00

I finally finished the roving I bought in Estes Park. It turned out beautiful. I'm not sure if I'd like spinning on a wheel, but I do enjoy the process of spinning on the drop spindle.

I'm not sure if I'll ever find anything to do with the yarn I spin. I just love watching the colors. I am happy how it turned out. I had much more consistancy in the thread this time.

I've also conquered the appliances. I have thus far fixed my vacuum cleaner and now my hand held blender. With satisfaction I can now go join my little duck.

I'm here I'm here

2006-11-06T18:23:00.002-07:00

Over here on the right...the progress on the gray scarf for my friend the Student. I think that next time I will modify the cable pattern so that there are only 3 columns instead of 4. It's turning out to be quite large.

Oh, and looky here...apparently now is the time to redo. Wow...look at that...my patience for the scarf that's taking too damn long was right now. Even one of my male co-workers eyed it warily...the width really was ridiculous and I had botched the pattern at the bottom.

Oh, oh...and now it's a happy wound skein of non frusteration. I will start it again soon I'm sure. After all scarves are great for small projects easily transportable to the office. Blanket are not.

I would start it now...but over the weekend my food processor and I and I exchanged words...and well...after all was said and done...I lost. Thank goodness no need for stitches...I was just very very surprised and got a lesson in how to bandage wounds.

Giddy!!

2006-10-22T22:21:00.001-06:00

So...had a lovely weekend.

Friday night I went out with friends to a Korean restaurant. Got to introduce my friend to Korean food. So, that was neat. I think he liked it.

Saturday night I went out to a semi-formal party with friends. I got to dress up in my sparkly blue dress. My friend wore a suit for me. That was pretty cool. I bought him a tie. He looked really good. It's not often I've been able to talk a man into a suit without a lot of whining in the process. I don't think the X ever wore one...and hmm...my junior and senior prom the boys dressed up...I've had men wear ties and a button up shirt...but not an actual suit...

*grin*

Sunday...knit, purl and hurl at my house. Imbrium gave me this...

I was totally floored. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Beautiful! I don't know what fuzz I want to put on it yet.

As far as progress at the KPH...well, I meant to work on that scarf for A, seeing that his birthday was this weekend...but the cables are taking longer than expected. So I worked mostly on this...I know you can't really tell the difference. But I'm enjoying how this is spinning out. I hope there will be more next year at the Estes Park fiber show. I would love to see what the fiber that has metallic bits in it turns into.

It is something about the process...the process of crafting. Creating something out of something else. Watching the colors blend, feeling the material run through your fingers. If there were anything I have to describe as my passion, it would be the process of creating.

Someone made it snow!

2006-10-17T17:44:00.001-06:00

I have this love\hate relationship with snow. I like it, but I don't care much for driving in it when there are other people allowed to drive anywhere near me. I'm not a great fan of the cold winds. But it is kind of pretty. 6-10 inches they say...hmm...I still don't see it, the flakes are too little, but I suppose we'll see.

A view from my window. The lightrail that will bring the DTC all that much closer to LoDo. Well, at least that's the theory. It will however, I am sure, bring up the rent price.

This right there...that is the nifty blanket I bought yesterday. It's soft and fuzzy. It collects static cling and shocks the hell out of you when you touch it. But then I washed it, and so far...it's soft and fuzzy. So much so that I am contemplating buying another one.

And this...this is the ~~disaster~~ that I call a cabled scarf for A. Yes...I lost count of the rows...and yes, I have not ~~burned~~ frogged it yet. It is taking all of my will power not to too...although I am trying to ~~hahaha~~ have this finished by Saturday. We'll see how that plan goes.

Getting back to normal

2006-10-13T18:40:00.002-06:00

So last night was my first night I actually made some progress on things that I wanted to do involving yarn. I finished spinning the ball of prepared fluff and got to pull more fluff off of the really big ball of fluff, and proceeded to spin that. That is still a work in progress. But I am happy with the way this stuff is turning out. I am still getting used to the 100% angora fluff though since my prior experience spinning fluff was with a mixed pile of fluff. Wool and silk blend as feel so much stronger than the 100% fluff. The blend is a little tougher to pull, whereas the 100% is very easy to pull, and tends to pull too fast and too evenly, causing breaks. I need a spinning wheel. I hear it calling me. Drop spindles are fun and all, but...

Yes, and soon...this one will be mine...

I got about 3-4 inches done on the scarf...and today at lunch I continued to work on it. The pattern I'm using didn't have adescription of how they suggested to do the C6L and C6R...so I just madeit up based off of the C4L and C4R described. And well...the further I got through it...the more it didn't look like the picture. And since I am sadly a perfectionist and I have sadly not realized that some things can be improvised...I frogged it all and started over. I'll try again...this time making up what I think the C6L and the C6R should look like based off of the picture.

I am more than ready for the weekend this week. I've had it. Between me, myself, and I and all of my self induced stress a weekend is good. Let the games begin eh?

UNgrown up

2006-10-12T20:38:00.002-06:00

So, yes, I did accept the new job. However, somehow I was convinced to stay with my current job. So I'm staying, with the hope and desire and did I mention hope, that they can somehow point me in the right direction...in my directionless quest called life.

I never knew "jobs" to be so difficult before the few events in the last month. This coming from the woman who was once the teenager who had 3 jobs at the same time, at the restaurant, at the office and at the theatre. Somehow I survived that and I finished high school. Although how...I am not sure. I don't know how I convinced my parents to let me do that.

Anyway...

I suppose we can now get back to our regularly scheduled program.

This is my craft closet. Apparently I forgot that it takes extra effort to make the picture vertical. Oh well. There it is. And that's just basically the middle shelf. I have at least 3 more boxes of stuff I couldn't fit in there out in the garage.

Part of my crafting includes a ton of note pads. I don't know whatever possessed me to start buying lots and lots of Hello Kitty note pads but I did. That and Orange Story, and White, and Tare Panda...and...

I like paper. People think it's weird. And yeah it kind of is...only because I just like to look at it.

As for knitting...I started a new scarf, because I have a friend who is currently in college...at that point of "ack ack too much don't wanna you can't make my study any more." So I've decided he needs a scarf to convince him to hang in there.

So, that's my world in a nutshell.

Sometimes things just don't work out the way you think they should

2006-10-03T20:59:00.001-06:00

So, last night I really was going to update my blog, but then my friend stopped by. I'd give the real people in my life names but, then it would be weirdly personal, and I'm oddly private online since I don't want to be blatent about my ramblings with my ex wandering around on cyberspace too. I'm weird. I accept this fact. Wish I could just plaster pictures of myself online. Oh well...I can plaster my knitting...yay. Oh and my friend ended up wandering on the internet himself and blah blah...I just quickly saved my post.

Okay, so my weekend was lovely. I'm sorry I missed you Imbrium. I heard from C & M that you stopped by Dave and Buster's with an entourage. :( Perhaps next time, besides then you could meet my friend.

So one of my co-workers lives on a farm. She brought in about 3 boxes...like the type offices order large quantites of paper in...of tomatoes. They are lovely. I had one with some balsamic vinegar and salt tonight. Yum. Kids are not as impressed.

The blanket is perking along...well, slowly...about 40 more rows to go and then a border. From what I can tell my sister is due sometime in November. My sister and I don't speak the same language...literally. So it makes email communication more challenging. I always have to find translators and vice verse.

Oh and this here is a picture of a dog, not my dog, for my friend M.

Blah...

2006-10-02T19:23:00.001-06:00

So Saturday came with me knocking the stuffing out of myself. I took a shower and proceeded to whack my head on the soap dish when I turned around scrubbing. Yea. Didn't take a picture, but I had a large marble sized knot on my head. It's a little tender today still, but I'm fine. Other than feeling goofy.

Saturday was nice otherwise. My friend had a 31st birthday party where we dressed up as pirates and invaded a Bennigans. No pictures of that either sad to report. I'm internet shy, where as my knitting is not.

2006-09-28T18:44:00.002-06:00

Udon...mmm...Not as good as the stuff in the mall, but does in a pinch. update: that stuff was spicy...oops...my poor babies ate it anyway...brave kiddos eating things mommy finds at the Asian market...

This is my attempt at entrelac. I have a much bigger pattern and plan with different yarn... It will be a wrap in Noro yarn...beautiful...but practice...practice is good.

The best part of my own little kitchen are my egg magnets. They amuse me. I also have a whisk, which started it all, and an egg slicer...they're just too funny...

Why is it that some of us have such a hard time saying "I love you?" A random act of violence makes me ponder this. I have friends who knew her. I grew up near there... I think once you're a part of a small mountain community it never really leaves you. Even though now I live far away from the trees and quiet. From the place that once caused me much misery. Still hits home. But that's off the original topic. It's an important thing to say. Always, not occasionally. I think it would be worse not to say it and never get another chance to say it rather than say it and be rejected. Gotta remember that.

dragonknit

I've moved!

Not Friday Yet

Gimme and "S"...YAY, Stress!

Due to happen again

A gripe

In need of advice, or maybe just encouragement

A little bit of Monday, a little bit of Tuesday

Randomize

Going, going...

No title is a good title

You know it's time to clean the house when...

Birthday baby

Alpaca's squeak

Observations...and my first yarn tasting.

Blogiversary - Year 2

Why does it have to look so good?

3 days...

And fin...

New Obsession

Crap

Friday

Mornings

Look!

My relationship with the mail

Ah..Monday

Process

Snow day

Springtime

Sunday yarn

LYS are bad for my health

Love mail...

Sock it to me

Seeking socks

I'd just like to say...

So...

Review

LYS

Yay

Distracted

Heh...

Ack!!

Dear Neighbor...

Plague

Again

Pigeon-holed

Spreading the word

Dramatized

Satisfaction

Motivation

Maybe some could explain to me...

I'm starting to understand...

Happy New Year

Note to self...

Almost ready...

Devastated!

A test...

No knitting for you!

Life Is A Pain

Maddening

Too Tired To Think Of A Title

Fin

Commitment

Counter Clockwise

The Mission If You Choose To Accept It...

I love mail

Open! Open! Open!

Eh...

Still kickin'

Snow day

Socks! Done!

Not out of the woods yet...

Back from the beyond...

*snork* *hack* *wheeze*

Just the voices in my head

Still kickin'

Well, I think it'll turn out okay

The real world

Why do I blog?

Will it ever end...never mind got distracted...

snork hack wheeze