Out Sick

Christmas is over and I think my gifts were a hit with mom. Here is what I made for her:

I made her another pair of winter socks out of Cascade 220. This time in her favorite purple colors.



I made her a multidirectional scarf using Patons SWS in a pink/purple/brown. The finish scarf is lovely, but it weasn't as purple as I thought it would be and it did not like knitting with the yarn. I probably won't use that yarn again.



Then there is mom's sunflower purse. I haven't felted it yet. I wanted her to see it first. I hope to get that done before she leaves. Mom designed it, I knitted it!



Then I also made her several dishclothes.

KNitting right now has not been a high priority. I have been sick with bronchitis now for a little over a week. You know it is bad when you don't feel like knitting.
But I have had my moments and I have kept it simple. Restarting the Gryffindor scarf, which I am now halfway finished with.

Christmas Scarf DONE!

So I don't know if I even mentioned it, but I was making just a fun, Christmasish scarf for my San Diego Concert band concert. I have this cone of Lily's Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton in the Christmas Mistletoe colorway. I decided to make a Zigzag scarf, just like the one I learned to make in class. I also added pompoms to the bottom with just plain white acyrlic yarn. Here is the result:



I finished it while my friend, B_ was visiting from Seattle. This is the woman who got me into knitting back in 1995! Anyway, we had a great visit, but not a lot of knitting was done, we were having WAY too much fun!

I am now focusing on my afghan for my couch. I am about 1/2 way finished and I am pleased with the results. I think it will look nice on the couch!

Tomorrow my mom comes into town...really excited. I am looking forward to giving her all her knit gifties. Then I can show all of you what I made!

Baby Ballet Slippers!

I found out recently that my drum instructor from high school and his wife were having triplet girls!! By the time I bought the yarn, the triplets were born!

I noticed at my local yarn store, that they had a pattern for THE cutest baby ballet slippers and I decided to make them for the triplets. The pattern called for Annie Blatt Angora...yeah, angora be WAY too expensive. I substituted Plymouth Yarns Baby Alpaca Brush and I used the ribbon it called for [Hanna Silk Ribbon], which was available at the store. The 3 pairs of baby ballet slippers came out WONDERFUL!



To give you an idea about the scale of these, one of my new knitting buds, Corrine took a picture of my hand holding one of the slippers and posted it on her blog [thanks, Corrine!] Here is her picture:



I have finished ALL of mom's Christmas presents...HOORAY!!!! They are even wrapped under the Christmas tree. If you are on Ravelry you can see them...post I can't post the picces here, because I want them to be a surprise!!!

Job update: I sent an application in the University of Phoenix to teach online anthropology courses. It said that I should expect to wait up to ten days to get a response...I got one back today...they want my resume! Hooray! Past step one. It sounds like a really cool system. They give you all the training and everything.

I also found a job opening with MiraCosta Community College for an Art History Instructor. With my BA in Anthropology and Art History AND my Master's in a Humanity, I am qualified to teach Art History there. I sent for my transcripts today and as soon as I get them I will apply for that position.

I'd tell you...but...

I have so many projects going right now...HOLY COW...but I love it.

Gotta do something when you aren't working, right?

I finished mom's sunflower purse. I like the way it looks now, without felting and I am kinda afraid she won't like it when it is felted, so I am going to give it to her unfelted and we will decide if it should be felted. I am almost done with another project I am knitting for mom, but I can't discuss it here. I have one more project to get done before mom shows up on December 18th. These Christmas Projects are top priority right now and I can't tell you about it until after Christmas!

But I have actually organized my ongoing projects on my kitchen table...there is no uncovered surface and I still have projects that aren't on the table...craziness.

Did I tell you all I finished the Slytherin scarf and I have begun the Ravenclaw scarf? I have band practice tomorrow night, so I will probably bring the scarf to work on.

I am also still working on the 8" squares for the San Diego Wildfire blanket squares and the 9" squares that go to the blankets my Local Yarn Store is connected to.

Even without a job...is there ever enough time to knit?

Good Weekend

I would just like to thank everyone who has posted, e-mailed, called me. Bless you all. I had planned a weekend out of town and I decided to go ahead and go on my mini trip. It was a real life savor and I was able to get hugs, sympathy and advice. I actually had a lot of fun, and it kept me from stewing in my own juices this weekend. Depeche Mode fans rock, FOREVER!

My relatives that read this blog said I should clarify WHY this lay off seems like such a disaster for me. I have been laid off 3 times in the past three years. I have also moved three times because those lays offs and new jobs. I moved all the way from Kentucky to California for this last job and I get kicked to the curb after one year. It is a very difficult thing for me. My identity has always been wrapped up in my job, and the lack of stability has really been hard for me.

But enough about non-knitting life...this blog is for knitting.

I had a fab weekend of knittingness. I went to my knitting group on Friday and they gave me lots of hugs and encouragement. One of the ladies invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her family. She is such a sweetie...how can I say no? My local yarn store is a part of another blanket making drive for the San Diego wildfire victims. Apparently a number of companies donated yarn, so I grabbed four balls and am now knitting 9" squares in that yarn. But can I say, this is the FUGLIEST yarn I have ever knit with? I am calling it "yak yarn" because there are these chucnks of different color bloopies in the yarn...it looks like vomit chunks strung in a yarn. I think I can get 6 squares out of what I have.

I have also been continuing to knit the 8" squares for the other San Diego wildfire blanket group. I finished the Slytherin school scarf and I have begun the Ravenclaw scarf. I really cranked on my mom's sunflower purse this weekend while I was visiting my friends...everything is done now except piecing together...this purse is cute as a button!

And...I taught my friend J_ how to knit while I was staying with her for the weekend. I was just going to take her to Micheal's and we'd buy her some crap yarn. But I thought, what the hell, we should at least GO to a yarn store. We found one online called "The Yarn Deli" in Redlands. It was a really nice store, I was impressed. GREAT selection of Malabrigo, Lamb's Pride and sock yarns. And the prices were FABULOUS!! I hooked J_ up with some worsted weight Lamb's Pride in a lavendar heather and some size 9 circular needles. The owner of the store was VERY nice and I think it will be a nice connection for J_ when I am not around to help.

We settled in to teach her to cast on and do the knit stitch. I taught her the long tail cast on, which probably isn't the easiest to learn, but it is very forgiving and she caught on by the time she had cast on her 24 stitches. ONe bad thing is that J_ is left handed...not an easy thing to teach a left handed person to knit when you are right handed. But when I taught J_ how to cross-stitch, she was working with her right hand. She told me she isn't very left hand dominate. I hope I did the right thing in the way I taught her. I decided to teach her the continential method which is still right hand dominate, but the left hand is doing some work. I watched her every stitch for about 4 rows and she was cooking with gas. We knitted for hours and she did SO well...I was proud of my student! I hope she will take to knitting and continue the learning process.

I really did have a good weekend...and after Thursday...that is saying a lot!

Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it...

I had kinda made a promise to myself that this would stay a knitting only blog, but I am devistated by today's events, so I am cross posting what is in my regular blog. Skip this now if you only want to read about knitting:

Ya know, I have noticed that I only seem to blog when something pisses me off, or I have a bad day. I tried so hard with my last blog entry to be positive...yeah, I am a complete loser that has to spend Thanksgiving on her own, but I was trying to be positive, I thought I did a good job.

WELL FUCK THAT...I just got laid off today...isn't that wonderful?! I know I am so thrilled I could throw up...and I nearly did in my car on the way home. I have tried twice to just curl up in bed and sleep it off for just a few hours of oblivion...no my mind is racing...what the fuck am I going to do?

I moved all the way out to California to get laid off after a year? Why the FUCK am I an archaeologist? I swear to God (who I am not sure even exists) I am the BIGGEST waste of human skin EVER to walk the earth. I SERVE NO PURPOSE other than to drain my mother's bank account everytime I am out of a job.

You want brutal, and total reality?! If it were not for my mother and what it would do to her, I would end this. I really do not know of any thing keeping me here. I know I have questioned the existance of God and the afterlife...I don't care anymore...I just want to be done and if that means no more existance, well all the better...I absolutely, positively can NOT live like this anymore. I benefit NO ONE...I am just a burden on my love ones. When I do have a job, what am I really doing....in the grand scheme of things. None of it matters.

I am so tired of the pain, I am so tired of the stress, I am so tired of the effort that it takes to live what passes for my life.

NOw I have to decide do I even want to stay in archaeology? If I wanted to start a new career, I will have to go to school...more bills I can't afford. Do I want to stay in California? My mom flat out told me she would pay to move me back to Georgia. I just don't know. I have really enjoyed my personal life out here in San Diego. I'll never get a job here in my field though, so I will have to move somewhere if I stay in archaeology. I can't even fathom moving, AGAIN no matter where it is.

I absolutey can not deal with what is going on in my life, YET AGAIN I can not deal with this. I hate this crazy ass uncertianty, I hate taking money from my mom, AGAIN. I hate the fact that my life is in turmoil, AGAIN

Why the FUCK can I not catch one break? Even if I do get another job in archaeology...at this point I am going to be so shell shocked from being laid off I'll probably give myself ulscers the whole time I am working there, living in fear of the next round of lay offs

All I have ever wanted to do is be an archaeologist...so now what do I do when archaeology obviously does not want me? I have totally wasted my life...wasted it. I spent years on an education and job that I am not meant to have. I am morbidly obese...I mean I have just given up on the weight thing. I wasted my chance at a good life in college when I was thinner and had such promise. How the hell did I get here? I just want a do-over, because I can not live the life my path is on right now.

loser loser loser LOSER loser loser loser loser L-O-S-E-R

An Afghan!

As you may or may not have read, I had gotten a wild hair up my butt about wanting to knit an afghan for my couch (it is cream colored...it NEEDS to be covered). I had given up all hope of being able to justify buying the yarn versus a store bought afghan...price wise.

So Micheal's and Jo-Ann's both had some sales on yarn this past holiday weekend. And I finally found yarn cheap enough to justify knitting an afghan for my couch! I found this at Jo-Ann's...Sensations Rainbow Classic. The skein has 615 yards!!! And I needed two for my afghan (at a total of about $11), I found a simple garter stitch afghan using that yarn on Jo-Ann's website. Garter stitch=BORING.

I basically ended up creating my own afghan pattern. I needed it to be wider and shorter for my couch, so I used the gauge to figure out how many to cast on. Some how I managed to find my "The Step-by-Step Needlecraft Encyclopedia" by Judy Brittain in my crafts closet. I found a nice ridge pattern and decided to make it a seed stitch border. I am liking the results so far.

The yarn is just a cheap 100% acrylic, and I am hoping it won't pil too badly. It kinda has a fluff to it I can see piling. Here is a picture from Jo-Ann's of the yarn type:



I was hoping to get that colorway at the store, but they were out. I did find a green/gray colorway that will match my chair so I hope it looks good.

Now the above yarn skein looks normal...right? But that picture has no scale...that skein is about a foot long and at least 6 inches high...NO JOKE...the skein is massive!

I will probably work on this on my nights after work. I am going out of town this weekend and will bring a bag full of my left over acrylic to make squares for the wildfire victims.

Multi-Directional Scarf done!

I finished the Muti-directional scarf I made from the last knitting class I took.

Here is the finished product with the pom=poms attached (not in original pattern, but on example in the store)



It looks FABULOUS and the ladies at the yarn store went crazy for it. Sadly, in my picture you can't really the multi-directional part like you can in the example picture below.



I am still knitting squares for the San Diego wildfire victims. You can get an update here http://www.sandiegowildfireblankets.blogspot.com/ AMAZING stuff is happening!

Focused...

All my knitting has been halted. All my energies are focused into knitting those 8" square pieces that will be sewn together into blankets for the victims of the recent fires in San Diego. I have made about 10 now, and surprisingly, it isn't get old, like I thought it would.

Here is what some of my squares look like:



I am using only leftovers of 100% acrylic yarn, in case people have allergies.

Some of you may recognize the yarn from my Doctor Who scarf in the batch in the photos.

I met up with the woman responsible for this project along with members from her knitting group and others from Ravelry Saturday morning. It was VERY nice. And Panera, where we met up, even donated coffee and bagels to our cause! It was awesome.

I will probably continue to go on Saturdays to conitnue to drop off my squares and to make more.

Here is some updated information about the project:

newly constructed blog:

http://www.sandiegowildfireblankets.blogspot.com/

Send Donations To:

GeorgeAnne Smith - San Diego Wild Fire Blankets - PO Box 261859 - San Diego, CA 92126

Knitting for San Diego fire victims!

As I am sure you all know, I am now a part of the Raverly revolution. Through Raverly, I now below to a group of knitters who live in Southern California and the San Diego area. Even though the fires aren't out yet, one of these ladies has already organized a "charity" [she is not taking money] for knitters to band together and help the fire victims.

She wants us to knit and send/give her 8" squares (mostly acrylic/RedHeart yarn) washable squares to sew together to make blankets to give to these people who have lost everything.

I personally and stopping my other knitting projects to take up this project. There are over 1200 homes that have been destroyed in San Diego county...I don't know if there will be anyone in the San Diego area who doesn't know someone who has been effected. I just found out today that one of my co-workers lost thier house.

PLease e-mail me at sg1fan at yahoo dot com and I will get you the information on where to send your squares:

She has posted some links on square ideas:

In case someone needs links:

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/8in_squares.php a great resource for crochet

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/motifs_squares.php for knitters

And someone posted this easy pattern for knitters:

If you use US 9 needles with Red Heart super saver:

CO 30 st
k 4 rows garter
odd rows: k to end
even rows: k4, p22, k4
when work measures ~7", k last 4 rows garter

Someone else posted this pattern:

Here's another easy way to make 8-inch squares.

CO 1 stitch
Row 1: Knit in front and back
Row 2: Knit in front and back of first stitch; knit second stitch.
Row 3: Knit in front and back of first stitch; knit to end.
Continue in this fashion until one of the sides measures 8 inches.
DECREASING ROWS Row 1: Knit to last 2 stitches. Knit 2 together.
Continue in this manner until you have 5 stitches left. Bind off those stitches.

I do not know how many crafters read this blog, but I thought I would put it out there...

Knitting While San Diego Burns...

First off, can I just say, it is shit like this that let's me know I am loved. I have gotten so many calls from friends and loved ones concerned about my welfare with the fires burning around San Diego. On the maps they show on TV, I am in an evacuation zone. I have called my local police, and we are not to evacuate. The nearest fire(s) are about ten miles away to the south. I am completely packed and ready to leave if the situation and/or the winds change.

I have no idea what national/world coverage of these fires have been...it has been the only thing on TV here in San Diego since Sunday night. Almost 400,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and my mind boogles at the amount of possible loss. Luckily, at this point there has only been one death and around 30 serious injuries.

I did not sleep at all last night, just some naps...can I be honest...I was afraid that if I slept, I would be woken by the sound of the police/firemen banging on the door saying GET OUT.

Called my office in Poway for shits this morning...I got voicemail...I was happy until I realized our voicemail could be offsite and not at the actual office. I hope I still have a job.

Having said all that, my only solice has been to knit. What else in the hell am I going to do? My mind just races as I franticaly think about my situation and wondering about my co-workers and friends and if I still have a job. As the night progressed, the projects got more and more simple. I am now working on my Harry Potter Slytherin school scarf...simple stockinette stitch in the round. I can do it unconscience. I am using my knitting to salve my anxiety...

It still seems so unreal what is happening here.

FINALLY!

Last night, it happened...I got THE invitation...the invitation to join Ravelry.

Holy CRAP it is so much better than I ever imagined!I can describe and put pictures up of projects I am working on or have completed and I can find other people who have done the SAME projects. I have also joined a number of groups. I am so excited. Ravelry is SO the next crack. I am actually torn, do I knit or do I explore Raverly more...add more projects, catalog my needles, line up future projects...WOW!

I have also, through a knitting podcast , Cast On, found a place where I can put all my books in an online database and share with others, like Ravelry...all I need is one for music and I will die happy cataloging all my stuff!!!

In other knitting news. I talked to J_. I asked if she was still wanting the Hufflepuff scarf. She said she had decided not to do the HP thing for Halloween, but she would like one in the future. She wants to learn how to knit and I would love to teach her and get her to the point where she can knit her own. I think she would rather have one made with her own hands after I teach her.

So...I have begun ripping out the yellow and black Hufflepuff scarf I was 3/4 done with to redo it to the specs of the Slytherin I am about 1/2 done with. I just like it so much better.

Anal rentention can SO be a bad thing...

Yarn Whore Part 2...Potter Scarves Part 3

Yarn Whore Part 2

So I have bought more yarn. NO...I don't want to hear it! One of the ladies at the yarn store gave me a gift certificate as a late birthday gift and everything in the back sale room was 50% off this weekend...so THERE!

What did I buy? Got me some more sock yarn two colorways of the same yarn. It is Bebe Color Superwash (aka TOTALLY machine washable) wool. I found the colorway examples on the internet. I have the colors 0057 and 0046. See below:



I also bought another skein of the main color for mom's sunflower purse as I realized one would not be enough.

I also bought some size 9, 16" long circular needles (also in the sale room) which leads me to...

Harry Potter Scarves Part 3

OK...to review, if you all will remember I am tackling making the scaves for the four different schools from Harry Potter...the ones with the small stripes:



So I had orginially begun with the burgundy and gold Gryffindor scarf...the thing was wide enough to be a sweater. So I rippped it out.

I had a friend request a Hufflepuff gold and black scarf for Halloween. So I cast on 20 less sts and began knitting on size 8 needles, which the pattern AND the yarn called for. I am about 3/4 done with this Hufflepuff scarf and I hate it, too. It doesn't lay well, it is stiff, STILL too wide and it is eating up yarn.

I learned something simple recently with the socks I have been knitting. Go up a size needle needed for gauge...you make a wider, looser sock (aka better fitting for fat feet). I began to think, what if I went up a size needle on the Harry Potter scarf?

That is where the size 9 needles I bought this week come in. I had the yarn for the Slytherin scarf (green and silver). I stopped working on the Hufflepuff scarf and began the Slytherin scarf, casting on 60 sts on the size 9 needle, which is 30 less than the original. I am about a 1/4 done and THIS IS IT. This is what I like and this is how the remaining scarves will be.

Now what do I with the 3/4 done Hufflepuff scarf? It is supposed to go to J_ for Halloween and I will make another for the band. [Here is where I become a bad knitter/person] What I want to do? Rip out the Hufflepuff scarf I have and redo it for the band and not knit the scarf for J_ for Halloween. It is October 14, I would have to finish and get it to her in two weeks. I hate the project, which makes me always put it down and not finish. Am I horrible? I want to pull out of my obligation to knit the one for J_. If you ever wanted to comment in this journal, tell me what you think about this...

Scarf Class

Took a class to learn how to make a short row scarf. I found a picture of what my scarf will kinda look like. It is a pattern from ArtYarns, actually it is scarf pattern p101 on thier website. Here is what the scarf looks like:



I caught on fairly quickly, although I was slipping certain stitches incorrectly and had to rip the whole thing out once...oh well, it happens. But by the end of class I had passed where I ripped out and I really had the hang of it.

The teacher...the knitting DIVA...said yet again that I was a good knitter. It made me happy, I know she wouldn't just say it and that she means it. She is just a fab knitter I take it as a supreme compliment.

So that is it, I think...

Yarn whore

OK...I bought yarn this weekend, and signed up for a class...but I did not go completely crazy.

Why did I buy yarn when I am on a yarn diet?

Because I get paid every two weeks, twice a year a get three paychecks a month instead of two. October is that month...I have some extra money, I chose to pay off bills and buy some yarn..OK?!

So I bought yarn for the class. It is a scarf class, the "Multi Directional Scarf" class. It calls for any yarn with a variagated colorway (changes colors) and it knits up in these diagonals. It kinda looks like this:



Which is a picture I found using Google...although it is different in that it is framed with a strip down each side and there are pom-poms along the bottom edge.

The yarn I chose for this project is Katia Venus yarn and the colorway looks like this:



It looks kinda faded in the picture, but the yarn is a pink to brown colorway and I think it will look fab on me. Yeah, it is for me. If it comes out cool and people like, then I construct for others.

I also bought yarn to make a my mom a purse, which she is really excited about. The idea is all hers, I am just the person to carry it out. She wants me to knit her a purse with a sunflower on it. It will be done in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky and will be felted. I am adapting a pattern for a purse to created this one for my mom. I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

Finally, I STARTED another project that I already had in my stash. I started the Anne Lace Shawl that is in June of the 2007 365 Knitting-Pattern-a-Day calendar. I have had the yarn for awhile, but had not tackled it. I feared the lace. I have started several small lace things in the past and they all went down in flames. This was no exception...

I ripped this puppy out at least 3 times this weekend. Shortly after the last time, my friend B_ called...also a knitter and suggested doing a life line (where you strand a different yarn through the loops of your knitting on a row you KNOW is correct, then if you have a problem you only have to go back to that line, not rip out the whole piece). It was like one of those V-8 commercial moments where you smack your head and go DUH! I don't know why it didn't occur to me. ALthough I have never used it in the past, I have watched other knitters do it. Anyway, thank you B_...I know have over 10" on my shawl DONE. I will have to take pictures, I can't find a picture on the web.

The wild hair...crushed

First a Ravelry update:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
7471 people are ahead of you in line.
9281 people are behind you in line.
56% of the list has been invited so far

Look at that...getting so much closer. The closer I get the more good things I hear about it. I can't wait!

So, what was the wild hair I got up my butt?

The throw/afghan I have on my couch is totally SHOT. It is kinda a chenille and in about 1/2 of it the fluff is completely gone and you can only see the thread grid the chenille was attached to...aka you can see through the throw and it isn't protecting the couch.

I though HEY, I'll knit a throw for the couch with some cheap yarn from Micheal's...it has to be cheaper that buying one at Walmart or Target. It isn't...it totally isn't and that is so disappointing even with some of the cheapest, craptastic yarn, it would be like $20...a throw at Ikea...$10. I can't compete with that, ya know?

I guess I could go for the ULTRA cheap Red Heart One Pound skiens of yarn, but dude that stuff is SO bad who would want to sit on it? And why would I want it when I could buy something nicer?

I really wish I had lived in the days when it was cheaper to make it myself :(

And it isn't really like I don't have enough projects.

IT IS FINISHED!

OK...not TOTALLY finished, but I cast off on my Season 16 Doctor Who scarf last night. I have been weaving in the ends of the yarn from the color changes at different points, so I don't have the whole scarf to do. Then I only have to add the tassels and I am done.

This will allow me to focus on my friend's Season 18 scarf as well as a cross-stitch project I have been "commissioned" to do. Still Who related. I know it isn't knitting, but I am sure to discuss it here, so get over it. It is a cross-stitch pattern of David Tennant as the 10th Doctor Who. Below is a picture of someone's completed project:



The patterns calls for allowing part of David's face to be the background of the cloth. I think that looks like crap, frankly...so, in agreement with my cross-stitch guru mom...I am going to fill his face in completely with stitches. It will also be personalized for the receipient. It should be fun, it has literally been years since I cross-stitched...lord, don't get me addicted to this ccraft, too!

I also have the Harry Potter scarves...and my friend's commission of an argyle sweater vest...

Ravelry Update

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
11576 people are ahead of you in line.
6849 people are behind you in line.
48% of the list has been invited so far

Pictures!

Sharing pictures:



My in my Doctor Who scarf...I only have about 2 feet worth of yarn left to knit!




Me modeling my friend, L_ scarf. I have probably knitted over 2 feet to this since he picture...




Mom is showing off her new socks!


Pinky before his scarf:



Pinky's scarf:


Pinky modeling his scarf:

Short Update

Ravelry Update:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
14024 people are ahead of you in line.
5030 people are behind you in line.
43% of the list has been invited so far

Getting closer...I listened to the most recent podcast of Stash and Burn where the ladies interviewed the couple responsible for Ravelry. It is making me EVEN MORE excited. They are kinda looking at the end of Septmeber as the Grand Opening due date, as they suggested their funds will run out and they will need Ravelry to start making money. I could be in by the end of the month. I can't WAIT!

Knitting update:

The end of my Doctor Who scarf is at hand. I am almost out of beige yarn. I haven't decided if I will just skip the next beige section or end it there...we will see how I feel when I get there.

So where are the pictures, right?

OK, shut up! Mom and I have been having too much fun to be photographing knitting. It will be done however, before mom leaves town. I have taken pictures if my Pink Panther and his scarf, but haven't posted them yet...I will, I will...

Podcast update:

I have found another knitting podcast I love called Cast On Dude, this woman's voice alone it so soothing. Her podcasts are a great and fun way to look at knitting. Find it and listen to it!

Mom update:

I think she really dug my knitted items gifts for her birthday. She even asked if I could knit her the Coffee Cup dishcloth on a chocolate brown, which of course, I did.

Pinky on my brain!

Some people grew up with a teddy bear...I had a Pink Panther stuffed animal...I got it when I was about 3 or 4, let's just say he is about 30 years old now.

Poor Pinky has taken some hits. I used to carry him around by the neck and it became very damaged. Little Pinky's head nearly came off at one point. I believe both my mom and myself have made various attempts to sew his neck back onto his body. At this point, there are whole sections of neck "skin" missing on poor Pinky.

A number of years ago I attempted to help Pink out by stuffing the fluff deficent neck with cotton balls in an attempt to help Pinky keep his head up. This did not work.

I was joking with mom about the condition of Pinky and that I was thinking of knitting him a patch for his neck. She not only suggested knitting Pinky a scarf to go around his neck, but also removing the cotton balls and replacing them with Polyfil (NO I did not think of that and I am a crafter.) So I did it.

I took the skanktastic cotton balls out of Pinky's neck and crammed it full of Polyfil. Then I began knitting him his very own scarf. I used the leftover Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky from my fauxhawk hats. This gave me the colors of red, white, blue and grey. I made a nice striped scarf, in the round on double pointed needles (so there would be no visible back) and added fringe. Then I sewed it in place.

Now Pinky holds his head up with pride all by himself for the first time in about 30 years. And he looks cute as a button. Thanks MOM!

Pictures to come tomorrow!

Ravelry Update:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
15377 people are ahead of you in line.
4288 people are behind you in line.
40% of the list has been invited so far

My mom is in the air

So my mom is now in the air somewhere between Atlanta and San Diego...so I can post the pictures of the stuff I made for her birthday.

I made her socks out of the Cascade 220 Quattro, using the Magic Loop method.



They are so small and cute compared to socks made for me. I used my Ott-Lite to light that photo, since I found it again in my craft's closet. I forgot how much I love that thing for crafting. But for some reason the colors still aren't right in the photo.

Also knitted mom a couple of discloths to go in her kitchen. She collects apple and coffee stuff in her kitchen...so I made her one of each! LOL Here is the Apple dishcloth:


I got the free pattern at Apple Dishcloth pattern

Then I made her this coffe cup dishcloth:



which I got from here: Coffee Cup Dishcloth pattern
I think everything turned out really well and that mom will like them...

Coming soon...the Who scarves!

STUFF

Ravelry Update:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
17182 people are ahead of you in line.
2972 people are behind you in line.
36% of the list has been invited so far

Closer...but OH SO FAR AWAY.

Two quick things:

My mom will arrive for a visit on Thursday, I am so excited I can hardly stand it! Yes, there has been some majorly crazy cleaning going on, but there is always time to knit! I can't wait until she sees what I have knit for her, and then I can share the pictures here. Maybe I can even get her to model her socks.

I will also use this time to photograph my two Doctor Who scarves. I will either have mom model them, too, or have her take pictures of me modeling them. I think this is the only way to photograph them since they are now both over 5 ft long.

Speaking of the Who Scarf...I brought my Who scarf to knit before/during my symphony orchestra practice last night. I knew I was going to get there early and I wanted something I could brainlessly work on during practice and chuck down quickly if the pieces I am playing on came up. Sacked it all up in the morning (and I had vowed this was not going to be a mobile project anymore because of it's size) and was thrilled.

Got to practice and DAMN if I hadn't forgotten the pattern...yes, shut up, the Doctor Who scarf DOES have a pattern. All I had left in my knitting bag was the first of a pair of socks, right at the turning of the heel. Yeah, EASY place to pick up and put down...NOT. But I still did it, because I MUST KNIT and I was not going to deny myself this fabulous amount of knitting time.

This season, our first concert of our series, only has percussion on one of the three pieces...damn RIGHT that means LOTS of knitting time! What is so funny is that I will most likely end up knitting the Harry Potter Hogwarts scarves for my OTHER concert band (the concert is in April, I am so going to get all those 4 scarves done by then) at the symphony practice...I love it! LOL

And I have a confession...I bought yarn and needles recently. Although the money god paid me back. I bought the yarn for the Slytherin Hogwarts scarf and Addi turbo needles. The needles are where I got bitch slapped. I MEANT to buy US size 3 with a 32" loop so I could knit these socks using the magic loop method instead of double pointed needles. Dumbass picked up US size 1 32" loop turbo needles. I will never use those needles and now I am stuck with them. My local yarn store does not take returns on needles...CRAP...I could, I am sure, find some sock yarn that would meet gauge on size 1 needles, but that would mean buying yarn...spending money unneccessarily either way...pooh biscuit.

Waiting SO unpatiently

Ravelry update:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
17666 people are ahead of you in line.
2127 people are behind you in line.
36% of the list has been invited so far

sigh

I am going to take some photos of my works in progress this weekend to share.

I have decided that I have all the yarn I am going to buy for my Doctor Who, Season 16 scarf. It now touches the ground on both sides when worn around my neck. Even though I am not even halfway through the pattern, I figure at this length anything more is gravy. Last night I cut the yarn for and created the tassels on the beginning of the scarf. Used that as a guide and cut the yarn for the tassels on the end of the scarf...whenever that may be. So, basically, I am going to knit until I run out of yarn, call it finished and add the tassels!

I am so excited to be able to go to my local yarn store (LYS) for the ladies who get together on Fridays. I missed last week due to car repair and I am so looking forward to tomorrow!

Excited!

I have been having problems trying to photograph my knitting.

I really can't complain, because I was using a digital camera that my mom gave me a couple of years ago. Nice, small, light. But it took FOREVER to get the flash to work and then it seemed to also take awhile for the picture to take. The ultimate frustration was I could NEVER find WHERE on the menu on the dang thing where I could switch it to close up to take pictures of my smaller knitting projects.

After talking with mom about the camera she was getting. And I just decided to hunt down my dad's old digital camera. I did find it, and I know how to work the dang thing, so I think I am going to use that for my knitting from now on. When I say old...that is in digital camera years. I beleive he bought it in 2001? The thing weighs a TON and is the size of an old 35mm camera. It has a wopping 2.0 megapixels (stop laughing). But you know what, I know how to use it and I have all the cords to plug it into power and the computer. AWESOME

Having said all that, the only stuff I finished were gifts and surprises so I can't share any pictures anyway! LOL

But I have a question for you all. Do you want to see works in progress, or just the finished objects?

Long Weekend Knitting

My weekend of knitting is going absolutely fabulously!

I have now finished my mom's birthday present parts.

I have also finished the surprise for my friend, L_. It is cute as a button and I think she will get a kick out of it...but she won't get it until I finish and send off her Who scarf.

I have also begun the yarn stash/project database today. It is fab. I guess I will set it up now and then transfer it to the Ravelry website...when I finally get in. Here are my stats today:

You signed up on August 27, 2007
You are #29279 on the list.
17926 people are ahead of you in line.
1250 people are behind you in line.
36% of the list has been invited so far

Sigh...

OK, I got on the internet to look up the stats on the yarn I have in my stash, so I can work on my database.

Nothing like a LONG weekend!

I was cleaning my apartment this morning, and when I clean I kinda organize by area. I will move the kitchen items to the kitchen in a pile, bathroom in a pile...etc. I chose to put all my knitting projects on my coffee table and I looked at it and thought it would make a good picture for this journal.



Hahaha..so Happy Labor Day Weekend for me! Look at all those knitting projects! I have some dishclothes to make, my Hufflepuff Harry Potter Scarf, some possible socks for me, my mom's socks and the surprise for my friend. I think there is enough there to keep me busy this weekend.

And I just realized that doesn't include the two Doctor Who Scarves that are in my knitting basket.

I love knitting!

Bummer!

Well, one of my surprise knitting projects has been "ruined"...it is totally my fault. I had decided to knit my mom a pair of socks for her birthday. I had promised them to her at Christmas when she saw the yarn in my stash and I said I was going to make socks from it. We measured her foot, I wrote the numbers on the pattern and basically put the project down.

I thought HEY mom is coming to visit me for my birthday, I can make these socks and have them for her when she visits. (I was planning on another project for her birthday, even knitted it up...but I have to pay someone to finish it and I just can't afford it-so now it is Christmas).

Anyway, I began happily knitting the first sock and then I looked at the measurement for her foot. All I had written down was "mom's foot 6" " Mom's foot is only 6" long? that can't be right? Maybe it is the measurement minus the 2" for the toe decrease? I was totally stuck, so I had to ask mom to measure her foot. She knew why. Surprise ruined.

So this is what I am knitting for her:

The three completed socks are ones I made for myself out of Cascade 220 Quattro yarn. The ball at the top is the yarn I am making my mom's socks out of.

But, I have more tricks up my sleeves...and on my needles. I thought of some more knitting I can add to the gift that she won't know about!

Speaking of Cascade 220...I love making socks out of it and I think they look cute as a button with Birkenstock sandals in the winter. I was listening to one of my knitting podcasts, I can't remember which one and they mentioned Cascade 220 SUPERWASH. I nearly passed out! I could create more Cascade 220 socks in TOTALLY MACHINE WASHABLE WOOL. Me want...

Destashing

OK, so there is no way around it.

All yarn buying must cease.

I am in such a terrible financial hole, I can't afford to buy any more yarn. period.

But I have been inspired by the ladies at Stash and Burn (see last post). I am going to destash...I am going to knit through all that yarn that I have been meaning to knit. They have even excited the oganizational fanatic in me...they have thier stash listed in a database. I MUST do this. It would be AWESOME to have a database of my knitting projects, yarn and finished objects.

Dude, it is actually making me excited about my stash. I LOVE to organize stuff!!! So, you know that since the holiday weekend is coming up...a FOUR day weekend for me...you so know I will be putting all my yarn in a database while I watch Classic Doctor Who episodes. THis is gonna ROCK!

I have thought about the Harry Potter scarves I have committed to make for my concert band in the spring. The yarn is VERY cheap. and I think if I just buy yarn for one scarf at a time I can do it. I really want to do this for my fellow percussionists. They are such cool people and I want to so SOMETHING for them.

There is a website called Ravelry which is like an online database for your knitting and it seems like it could be a neat community. I don't fully get it and you apparently have to be invited to join? I put my name in, and there is a way to check where you are on the list...check this out for me:

"You signed up on Yesterday
You are #29279 on the list.
18453 people are ahead of you in line.
254 people are behind you in line.
35% of the list has been invited so far"

Yeah, maybe my grand daugther will be able to join some day using my place in line! LOL

Knitting Podcasts

I LOVE listening to podcasts while at work. I feel like I am doing something productive with my brain, while I am at work. Expanding my mind, so to speak.

It hit me a couple weeks ago...like DUH, there had to knitting podcasts, right?

Just looking around ITunes I found Knit Science. I love the science of knitting segement she does. And for some reason, I love listeing to her discuss what she is currently knitting and her progress.


I made a post on my FAVORITE knitting forum KnittingHelp.com and asked people what their favorite podcasts were. Through this I found the podcast Stash and Burn, which I absolutely LOVE. The ladies are so inspiring and fun, too. Their main goal is to get rid of their "stash" of unknit yarn. The blog connected to thier podcast is superb, with links to everything they talk about in the podcast. Fabulous! The Stash and Burn ladies, Nicole and Jenny had inspired me to attack my own stash which I will discuss in my next blog entry.

Yeah, I've got A LOT of needles...

So, the two Doctor Who scarves are not the only things I have on my needles.

Right now I am knitting two gifts/surprises. Suffice to say they are both being knit with Cascade 220 yarn. That is ALL I will say until I finish the items and the people have said items. Then I will post about them and show pictures.

Other things on my needles...

I am doing a series of Harry Potter scarves. One for each school, that means four scarves. For those who know the difference, I have chosen to do the later edition scarves where there is a dominate color with smaller stripes of a second color. Below are retail examples of the scarves.



Why am I doing these mind numbing scarves? The San Diego Concert Band is doing a "fantasy" themed concert in the spring and we are going to play music from the Harry Potter movies. The conductor is pretty cool and allows us to "dress up" a bit at the concerts. I play percussion, and there are four of us and there are four schools at Hogwarts...you see where I am going?

I began the Gryffindor scarf from a pattern I found on the internet. Harry Potter Scarf Pattern I know it is a free pattern, however, I don't know what crack this individual was smoking but nine inches is WAY too wide for this scarf. After one full run of the pattern, I ripped out the entire thing...it looked totally whacked!.

Since I had a friend commission a Hufflepuff scarf (yellow and black) for Halloween. I decided to start that one, to make sure I had a Hufflepuff done by Halloween and I took an inch off the width of the scarf and it looks SO much better. I have about three feet done and am I assured to have it done by Halloween.

All these Harry Potter scarves are kinda just for fun, so there was NO way I was going to pay big bucks for yarn. It is just mega cheap acrylic Red Heart and Caron. Despite the cheapness of the yarn, I still think they look pretty cool. And will be fun for the occasional wear.

NOw the question is, will I get the four school scarves done before spring?

Grand Plan #1

OK...Grand Plan # 1 I have discussed with a couple of people...

I recently completed a number of hats for a friend of mine undergoing chemo therapy. I really enjoyed the project and enjoyed the fact that my knitting could be so useful. My friend has told me that the other cancer patients she has run across have made positive comments about the hats I made...so here it is...

I have been dying to knit for a cause...a reason. There are times when knitting seems so frivilous, both in time and money. So why not do something positive with it? I would REALLY like to knit hats for other chemo patients and donate them to a local group. However, I seem to be jinxed at every turn...

1. I have e-mailed several groups/individuals about doing this and have gotten no response.
2. I have tried to find websites where I could donate or find a place to donate...usually all I can find is "donate in your local area". See number 1.
3. Money, even though I can make a nice hat out of one skein of a soft cotton yarn which is between $5-10 bucks each...I can't afford it right now. I can hardly make ends meet at the end of the month as it is.

I am frustrated. I feel like I want to do something good and meaningful and I can't.

Right now...

So here is what I have on the needles right now...

Word of warning, I am on a Doctor Who knitting craze. I have never been a fan of a TV show that had so many knitable possibilities. I mean, I was a fan of Stargate SG-1 for ten years and it has never inspired me to knit something like Doctor Who has...

Having said that, I am knitting two Doctor Who scarves. The first is for my good friend L_. L_ and I are attempting to go to the Doctor Who dedicated convention called Galifrey, which is in LA in February of 2008. Her scarf is based on the Season 18 scarf worn by Tom Baker. I got the pattern from an absolutely WONDERFUL website http://www.doctorwhoscarf.com.



And so far, this is what I have done on it:




I think it is looking great. Even though the original on the show was chenille, I am knitting it in Classic Elite Inca Alpaca yarn. I am using the colors Damask Red, Persimmon, and Seaside. Over five feet DONE!

I also have on the needles at the same time a Season 16 Doctor Who Scarf:



Here is how far I have gotten...although I think I have done a good 2 more feet since this photo:




I am making this with some cheap acrylic...I don't really see me wearing it on a regular basis in San Diego. So I found this Red Heart Soft Yarn and I am using that.

I think companies like Red Heart and Lion Brand have FINALLY discovered that yes, people DO want cheap yarn, but they DON'T want cheap looking and feeling yarn. Lion Brand has a "Vanna's Choice" Yarn that is so much like the Red Heart soft, I am using a Vanna's Choice for the yellow color in my scarf since there wasn't a good yellow in the Red Heart. Red Heart Soft Yarn colors Lt. Grey Heather, Grape, Paprika, Off White, Leaf, a brown color (the label says Black...oops) and then the yellow is actually that Vanna's Choice Lion Brand Mustard. Over six feet DONE!

More on what's on my needles and my "Grand Plans" future projects...

The beginning...

I have decided to create a blog of the things I am knitting. I at first had tried to just use an online photo album...but I can't really explain what I have done and are working on. So I will do it here...