Cycling for a Cure

Incase you are interested in helping a friend of mine raise money for Leukemia & Lymphoma research check out his page. He is cycling from Seattle to Portland in order to raise awareness and money for this cause. This link is also useful for a small giggle as there is a picture of him suited up in preparation of the event.

What makes you smile?

Do you ever write a post and then stupid internet explorer just f#$ks it all up? I hate that. Mozilla-foxfire, although not perfect, is much nicer. But as I was saying...

"My" camera has taken a vacation (with baby blu) to Colorado. Thus, I am unable to bring to you a picture of my most recent endeavor, the iPod case. Lemme tell ya, it is amazing. 100% wool felted magic, holes in the right places (allbethey somewhat uneven), screen cover, velcro closure wonderment. I am very happy that my first (and swatchless) attempt has turned out successfully. Of course I used some expendable yarn incase things didn't turn out. So now I can make one to my every desire... maybe some stripes, spots, or maybe just a different color (perhaps with a pocket for the headphones?).

In other knitting news, I have finished Odessa. She is nice, but would have appreciated being knit with the correct needles... Yeah, use the right size needles if you try this pattern, I recommend it. I have also reached the second heel of the blu's socks. They will be finished soon, I hope. Next on the list of items to knit is more toys I believe. Skatergirl is having a birthday soon and desperately needs another knitted toy to join stevebear. I hope I have all the appropriate colors in my stash because I don't have time/money to get to a town that sells yarn.

In the last couple of weeks I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to devote to knitting. Instead, I have been sitting in front of a computer, entering, preparing, and analyzing my data. I am happy to say that it is my own data and that it was collected from places that look like the photo below. When I am not knitting or playing with data I get to work in beautiful forests such as this. This makes me smile.

sun rays

After yesterdays lengthy rant (I got her to waive the extra $32 btw), I wish that I could post some astounding knitting accomplishments. However, I have only finished the first sock, started the next, and added an inch or two to odessa. Thus, I have decided to create a post that is both light hearted and short. So here is a nice pic of a future knitter. For some reason kids love those huge plastic needles.


And here is a picture of the beautiful mountains that are so close by and that I do not visit often enough.

landlords

About a month ago I finally got a bank account down here in the south. It was a long time coming due to the nature of having a credit union (with one location) over 1,000 miles away as your primary banking source. But I really like my home bank and my debit card is really cute, it has a picture of a hodag on it! Anyway, back to the story at hand...

I got this new bank account, wasn't able to access my account details online, over spent the money I initially deposited and bounced a $100 partial rent check to my landlord. The rest ($350) was paid without problem (with a check from my old account). So I was less than $20 short on covering this check, but because I don't have any money in my savings (yet) it bounced... Nevermind the fact that I have a credit card with this new banking partner and they could have charged the amount on there... Ok so the check bounces, I get an email from my landlord about it

"If you have a hardship with your cash at this time ---lets talk about it! The $100 check was returned. There will be a $30.00 charge for the returned check in cash or made out to..." The subject was " Important Call me ASAP I have to talk to yo9u about a check that was returned and I need your current phone #"

Kind of sweet right, sounds like a nice concerned landlord. So I drop the check off in her drop box (in her carport). Well she apparently didn't get the check because yesterday I got an email from her, subject: " I need to hear from you in order for you not to have your door pad locked one night when you come home!"

The body of the email was blank. Well, I was thinking this was a real humdinger, because I wasn't sure how she was going to padlock my doors...just doesn't really make sense and sounds a little maniacal. So I responded,

" I dropped a new check off at your place this weekend with a note apologizing for the check and explaining that I will pay the fee with next month's rent. Again, I apologize."

Today I check my email and I have this in my inbox,

"Great! I will get it from the box. Any time you put something in the box and it is not rent time---please call me to let me know. Remember to make you late fee on a separate check or cash. $10.00 plus $2 per day the it was late. The return check fee is $30.00 Total $62.00

Thanks for getting in touch. I need you new phone #’s please."

Now apart from all the problems she is having with the english language, I think she is also having a hard time with logic. Isn't a returned check inherently going to be late? And it wasn't the whole amount that was late, it wasn't even half. And I like the part how I need to make the fee check out to her personally, not the company. When I signed the lease (a year and a half ago) she made me pay her like a $60 filing fee - to her, not the company. And yes, I should have known then, and I did, but I was SOL as far as apartments were concerned and her places are nice. Since signing the lease for the first year, I have had no problems with her, until now... You think she would cut me some slack - I have never been late or bounced a check in 17 months.

Once I calm down and figure out something logical and not angry to say to her, I will call her to convince her not to charge me that extra $32... after all, I bounced the check because of lack o' funds, not because I was squirreling away all of my huge graduate student paychecks!

dyed in the wool

I have yet another exam in an hour. So last night I didn't get to knit as much as I would have liked. However, I did knit a few rows on each project and drank some knitting related wine, you know, to relax a little... Baby blu bought me this bottle (because he won't touch white wine with a ten foot pole). He knew I had to have it because of it's cute label. I am not a huge fan of the whites either, but after the first glass this stuff was tasting pretty good.
Well, I must go cram a few more bits of information into my head before this exam.

baby blu

I have been working on blu's socks, I am working on the foot of the first one right now. Then I have the other one to start/finish. I also finished his black and gray hat, last friday I think. I would like to thank all of my fellow knitters for their overwhelming response to my call for help. I will post a picture of it when he lets me take one and I may write up the pattern too...
On other knitting news, I started grumperina's Odessa hat (sans beads, of course). It is a simple pattern with very cool results. I suggest that anyone, even a beginner, give it a try. It calls for size 4 and size 6 circulars, of which I have neither, so I am knitting it all on a size 5 circular- hope it turns out ok.

about knitting podcasts

I recently joined the world of iPods and soon discovered that there were podcasts entirely devoted to knitting. I figured out what a podcast was and started downloading everything related to knitting. The first one I listened to was Knitcast, it was an interview with Debbie Bliss by Marie Irshad. I thought it was a pretty good interview and enjoyed their british accents. As I scrolled through and listened to the others, hoping to glean new techniques or pattern ideas, I was gravely disappointed. It seemed to me that random women (around the country mostly), with annoying voices, found some microphone equipment and started talking to themselves, about themselves and their families, sometimes adding information about their most recent knitting accomplishments. But the thing that disappointed me most was that I spent time listening to these women, trying to learn about knitting, and they (for the most part) were less accomplished than I in their knitting. Now I am all for talking about knitting and having open channels for doing so, but I will no longer waste my time listening to knitting podcasts, instead I will listen to good music and smile about it.

v.d. recap

Alright, I just have to show off, check out this sweet bouquet I got yesterday. They are the most beautiful flowers I have ever received by far. I loooove calla lilies.
I also got the gift of yummy food prepared for me. The menu included a Mediterranean plate complete with pita, feta, olives, and homemade hummus. The entree was a delicious Mediterranean shrimp dish served over jasmine rice. We also tasted two different wines, one was a bordeaux and the other a babera. I thought they were both delicious, too delicious if you catch my drift.

I gave blu a few gifts as well the best and most important was the burro finger puppet. I knit this when he wasn't around - which means I knit most of it yesterday afternoon while recouping from my exam. It still wasn't done when I gave it to him, but I quickly finished the body and arms after dinner. Thanks again to the stitchkommander for her embroidery expertise.

socks and swatches

ahhh, the statistics test is over. I should be entering data, I only have 4 plots left. But I decided to take a break from school/work things and post a picture of my foot and the sock I am working on. The yarn is nice, it is Regia, but I am not using an interesting pattern for lack of a masculine pattern (they are for blu). If I find one before I turn the heel, I will frog it and start again. And I would be doing two at the same time on two circulars, but the second size 1 turbo still hasn't arrived. It will be there when I get home, I can feel it (that's what I said yesterday).


I took a small break to knit last night, just after dinner, just before continuing on with the statistics studying, to knit up this cute swatch. It is angora yarn and the pattern is from the book Knitting on the Edge, a xmas present from stitchkommander. I plan to do nothing with this swatch, just thought it would be perty (sorry about the dark, fuzzy pic - I was trying for the details of the pattern).

the second amendement - keep and bear arms

I finished the tiny socks, and they were just what I was hoping for, the tiniest socks I've ever made. All baby sock patterns I have followed in the past are more for toddlers, nothing seems to be designed for newborns. So I amended a pattern that I liked and it worked out. However, the heal turn on one circular with a double point thrown in... not so much. They were so small that it was way easier to just knit them individually, but then I knit the foot and the toe at the same time for both socks. It wasn't a complete failure, but I wouldn't say that I have mastered the technique. So now I am back to the age old dilemma - what next? I think socks, in cotton/cash, on size 3's, 1 circular method, pattern to be decided. Lately I only have one project on the sticks at a time, if I only had more money, or more time, then I could be working on lots and lots of patterns at the same time.

This is a picture of my ball winder (that I got for xmas) and all of the little scraps I organized with it.

2 socks, 1 circular

Well, I finally sat down and read some directions and figured out how to knit two socks on 1 circular using the magic loop method. Here is what it looks like.

or

I decided to test the technique out on a pair of baby socks before I get into my expensive yarn and more complex patterns. So far, so good, but I haven't gotten to the heal turn yet, maybe that will happen tonight... I guess one double point gets thrown into the mix at that point - I hope I have a size three.

speedy delivery to you

When I checked my mail at lunch yesterday there was a very smushed bag of yarn crammed into my mailbox. I was able to squeeze it out and happily check out the contents. Why has all my yarn been delivered in plastic envelopes lately? Do they know that I have a tiny mailbox? Anyway, I think it will be perfect for it's intended use and it was super cheap from knit picks. Why is their yarn so cheap? I am hoping beyond hopes that it is not child labor or animal cruelty... If all goes well I will have a product from this colorful yarn soon. Also, I am pretty sure I purchased this yarn last month, so I don't have to put it on this month's tally right? If not I think I have already spent my budget for the month. sighhhhh.

Bootie procreation

Several people that I know have been procreating lately. Thus, I have been knitting up my favorite baby bootie pattern from Knitted Gifts. I just wish that I knew what they looked like on tiny little munchkin feet. If I ever see the tiny people that are receiving these perhaps I will find out. For now I will just let them climb all over the sofa pillows.

This weekend I took a trip down to the South Carolina coast to do some work and I was lucky enough to get to spend some time in beautiful Charleston. I had a delicious seafood dinner and was able to stop into the new location of Knit where I purchase some cherry tree hill sock yarn, it is hand painted, machine washable, beautiful, and will knit up exactly 1 pair of socks for me!

Oh how I long to have a LYS... But it is probably good that I don't, my wallet would be even more empty (if that is possible) and my small apartment would be more overflowing with yarn (which I am sure is possible, I just wouldn't want to deal with it). I am thinking about emplacing a cap on my monthly knitting spending. Since I am not TAing this semester my paycheck is about half what it was last semester and money is really really tight. The number I have in mind would probably seem like a lot to the nonknitter/nonyarnobsessed person, but for a compulsive knitter it is more than reasonable and for me (and those really really obsessed with knitting), the budget seems tight. I'll keep track for this month and see how it goes.

To check out other knitting updates of mine and a few friends check out for the love o' knit.

monster trucks

I went to see Brokeback Mountain last night and it was really good, infectious even. So for those of you who haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it. That is not to say there wasn't things I was picking apart in my head while viewing it, but you just have to get over those things sometimes.

On the way back from the movie we swung downtown for a beverage at my favorite local establishment. I was following this huge monster truck that decided it was cool to stop in the middle of the only street that runs through downtown. So this guy (I'm just assuming) stops to let a bunch of bros out so they can get their drink on I guess. I'm sitting behind him in my little civic thinking how rude this was and that there wasn't a thing I could do about it because he could just put it in reverse and crush my beloved car. But for the sake of entertainment and a little bit out of annoyance I decide to start laying on my horn (or quite little meemp) and I proceed to press my horn until he finally starts to move. The best part about all of this is that he honks back, and this guy definitely doesn't have the factory stock horn in this rig. The noise that came out of this massive truck was a huge semi - whoooomp whoooomp. It was pretty sweet. The only way it could've been improved is if it was followed by some sweet southern tune.

Hurray!!! Hurray!!!

The yarn I ordered over 2 weeks ago, that made it here, was sent all the way back to Reno (for an incorrect address!!??), well, it finally made it to my very own, very small apartment. Hurray!!! It is all DK weight - for making socks, but now that I got I am thinking of other things to do with it... The karabella aurora 4 is unbelievably soft and has a little stretch to it, the debbie bliss cotton cashmere looks like it might separate, but make good socks all the same, and the 'cloud' rowan soft baby looks more like something one should use to make a baby gift than it did online. I'm thinking of making my first pair o' socks with the debbie bliss (I may use the others for something else).

Although my second size 1 turbo has yet to arrive (grrrrrrrr), I think I will try the double magic loop method with my extra long size 3 turbo. I just have to work up the nerve (and find the time) to try it.

Last night I started a cute little baby bootie from last minute knitted gifts. A co-worker just had a baby girl and she needs some cute little booties. They are great because they knit up really quick and have that great square toe. If I have time I will finish this one and the other one tonight, but I have a movie double date to see Brokeback Mountain, oh are the boys excited to see that one.

mittens and toys, mittens and toys

Saturday was filled with shopping. A stop at a chain craft store with a sale on yarn and knitting accessories left me wanting for a small, uncrowded lys. Unfortunately the lys closes early on Saturdays and after somewhat involved stops at 2 more stores we were all tuckered out. That and we needed to get back to get to a Chinese New Year Celebration. But I got some new needles and yarn for more toys and mittens... it appears I have got some themes going, two to be exact.

The yarn purchase included some brown chunky that I used to make my brother a pair of mittens with. He will wish that I would have lined them with something extra warm for those Wisconsin winters, but I really hate figuring out how to line knitted items I create. He will just have to use them when he is not going to be directly exposed to cold winds.

I used the same pattern for the bro's mitts as I did for my green ones, with some amendments. I ribbed the cuff - for a more secure fit and I also made some adjustments to the suggested thumb gusset and length, as well as the hand length. It seems like that pattern was made for really big cozy mittens, but the proportions seemed to be off just a bit - so I tweaked it.

Why is it that I can't seem to do a pattern without tweaking it, I am trying to think if there is a project I have completed where I didn't make/wish I had made some amendments. Ah, the search for the perfect pattern continues.

(skater girl is pictured above sporting my "bow" hat by pick up sticks and the knitted toys)

what next...

I finished the other mitten, during the OC, as promised. I would post a picture, but really it looks the same as the other one. I am thinking of putting some embroidered flowers on them for a little character. Plus I love embroidering. I must hang my head at my first mittens compared to the madisonienne's first mittens. That girl can put me to shame...

That's about all that is new on my knitting front. I am looking forward to shopping for yarns tomorrow. Hopefully it will inspire me to create something great.

This pic is of some toddler socks I created for my little friend Nina. I didn't have a pattern for the size of her foot so I made one up from the little experience I have from sock knitting. I must say i really liked the colors of the selfstriping yarn. Word is that she like them so much she created a sock song. Ah to be able to inspire young minds.

mitten kitten

I have successfully made my first mitten! Hurray! Living in the south, there isn't much need for mittens and I already have at least 3 pairs from living in the cold north, so I haven't had the need to knit mittens, but the want got to me. I used this really easy and fast pattern in Weekend Knits .

I knit this first mitten up last night in no time at all. I used some cheapo lion brand chunky yarn - just to be sure this pattern was a winner before I invested in some good stuff. I'm thinking if I do this pattern again that I will make a cable on the top of the mitten, just to give it a little character.

One of the women at the stitch and bitch last night said it looked like an oven mitt. I do admit that it lacks luster and shaping, but I wouldn't want to use it as an oven mitt -ouch! Anyway, I have made a mitten and she hasn't so there! A better comment I got was that I should put some eyes and a mouth on it. I think this is a great idea, but I'm pretty sure it won't happen.

I will finish the other mitten while I watch the OC this evening. Looks like some drama is going to unfold tonight, but it always does, ahh life in the OC.

This weekend I am headed to the not so LYS's to shop a few sales. Not exactly sure what I am shopping for and considering my budget (very small) I hope I don't come home with too much, but I don't have too many projects on my needles (hmmm, I do have a few shipments in transit...) But can I ever be satiated with the amount of yarn in my apartment? I think you know the answer to that.

Toys!!!

I just finished up with bunny. I haven't come up with a more creative name for her yet, so if you have any suggestions let me know. I have made a few toys in my day, but this one is the most creative, patternwise and visually. I had fun making her and and I think this is the first toy that I am going to keep for myself. The only thing lacking is a bunny tail, that is easily enough amended with a tiny pom pom. I have yet to do this for lack of a tiny pom pom maker...


The pattern is available from Jess on her blog. She makes lots of sweet toys/patterns. I like her placement of the eyes better, I'll try harder to place the eyes wider next time I make one of her patterns. The thing is, I embroidered the face and embroidery is defineately not my strong point. After I finished adding them I knew that I had place them too close, but I didn't want to rip both of them out to widen them because it was hard enough the first time, ah the trials of a lazy embroiderer...

My second favorite toy is ele, she is a beautiful elephant, although i am not sure if she is african or asian. She is from a pattern out of the Last minute Knitted Gifts book by Joelle Hoverson.
This book has a lot of good patterns. I still want to make the hour glass sweater which i believe there is a knit along for. hmmmm....


I'm off to compile some knitting goods for a local stitch and bitch!

yet another knitting blog...

I find myself obsessed with reading all of my favorite blogs, which for the most part pertain to knitting. I waste so much time during the day reading them that I have decided to waste even more time on the topic by starting my very own (smart thinking on my part, I'm sure I'll get even more work done, work that I currently put off for all things knitting).
This is a very short post due to the fact that I have no pics of my latest project to post and well reading about projects without a visual reference just isn't fun. So until I have some pics...