Westerly Whimsies

Moving

2007-04-12T22:37:00.000-04:00

I'm having trouble with Blogger and my template so I decided to move to Word Press. You can find my new blog here. I'm going to keep this blog up and running just for the archives.

Question

2007-04-12T05:29:00.000-04:00

I've been messing around with my blog, so I apologize for the missing sidebar content. I have a question to ask of my visitors: can you tell me if everything looks okay when you visit my blog? On one of my computers it always looks funny and on another it's fine. That's why I was messing around with it because I thought something had gone horribly wrong.

Knitting progress

2007-04-08T20:57:00.000-04:00

Here is the progress made on my dad's socks. One down, one to go:

I love the colors of this yarn and I think my dad will like them. It knit up pretty quick as well so I don't think it will be a problem to get the second one done.

You're never too old...

2007-04-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but I've always wanted to write a book. When I was a kid I would spend most of my time writing stories and sharing them with my cousins. I never seem to be able to find the time to sit down and get started now, although I have a good idea (I even have a title!) I've been inspired lately by this. Imagine writing your first book in your nineties! Read the story - it's great.

Knitting

2007-03-28T20:28:00.000-04:00

I do have progress to report with a couple of things. My razor cami is coming along nicely. I've got about 6 inches before I divide for the armholes.

I'm also using my STR yarn for a different pair of socks than the pattern that came with it (I couldn't master the toe-up). These socks are going to be for my dad. This yarn knits up amazingly quick.

Sockret Pal

2007-03-28T20:22:00.000-04:00

I got my last parcel from my Sockret Pal last week. I've been sick so I haven't had a chance to blog about it until now. But anyway, my wonderful pal was Shelly. This last package was just what I needed to cheer me up. Look at all the goodies!

In the box:
2 photo frames
1 pair of embroidery scissors
1 set of crochet needles
1 pair of handknit socks
3 skeins of sock yarn

One skein of Opal sock yarn in Magic (I think this is the colorway); 1 skein of yarn from Jitterbug in Blue Parrot; and 1 skein of Mountain Colors hand-painted yarn in Firestorm.

The lovely socks. They fit perfectly! Thanks, Shelly.

LMKG Chevron Scarf

2007-03-20T15:40:00.000-04:00

I originally intended to make the Chevron Scarf from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts for my ISE (international scarf exchange) pal. It was taking too long and I wasn't really liking it...so I frogged it. Now, having visited Good to be Girl's blog, which directed me to this Flickr group and now I'm re-inspired. I have some nice sock yarn to use from my stash, so it would be a good stash-busting project. Since so many people seem to be knitting it, I'm going to start a KAL. I haven't found one on the web yet, but if one all ready exists - let me know.

Razor Cami & Dad's Socks

2007-03-11T19:59:00.000-04:00

Although I didn't have a totally free Spring break, I did manage to get some knitting done. I finished my Sockret Pal's socks, so they will be on the way soon.

And I made progress on my Razor Cami. Unfortunately because I just realized I am using the wrong kind of Sirdar yarn than called for in the pattern, I'm going to need more. Does it constitute a break in my yarn-diet if I had to buy the yarn to complete the project I was doing to stash-bust?

I've also started a new pair of socks using the STR yarn from the Rockin Sock Club.

I tried to start the pattern that came with it, but it was toe-up and WAY too confusing for me. So I'm just doing a basic stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. The plan is for these to go to my dad...maybe for Australia's Father's Day (September) or Christmas. That's a long way out, but at least I know they'll get done by then. I'm trying to be better at planning ahead for handmade gifts this year.

**I am having trouble coming up with catchy titles for my posts - sorry about this.

New Knitty

2007-03-09T14:25:00.000-05:00

The new Knitty is up. Unfortunately nothing really jumps out at me as a must-knit. I'm leaning towards the Isabella, but that's it. And it doesn't give a back view of this, which I always like to see.

Book Diet

2007-03-08T15:41:00.000-05:00

I joined the Stash-a-long so I would actually use the yarn in my stash and now it's time for me to go on another kind of diet for my other passion - BOOKS. I have accumulated quite a few books that have not been read yet and I keep buying more! So, I am going to sort through them all and make a nice pile of "to-be-read" and I'm going to photograph them and then set my goals here on this blog. I don't have a lot of time to read now, but I will try. As a political scientist I have a lot of non-fiction to read.

Here are my "to-be-read" piles (sorry for the blurry shots):

I have a nice mix of books here, fiction & non-fiction, at least one biography. There are a couple of nice thick fiction books to get through.

There are 39 books on these two shelves, plus the one book on my nightstand right now - so that's 40! We'll see how I do.

Exceptions:
1. If I get a gift card etc, it goes without saying I can buy books with it.
2. I need to get a GRE study guide, so that is educational.

Selling Knitted Items

2007-03-08T13:27:00.000-05:00

I was browsing Etsy the other day looking for stuff to buy for my Sockret Pal (and I found a couple of good things too!), but I was surprised by one thing I saw. Someone, and I won't point out who exactly, was selling a hand-knit item that definitely came out of book I have. I recognised it instantly and could tell you exactly which book its in too, but to do this, I would likely reveal who was selling it. Now, I thought this was a no-no.

Jaywalker Socks

2007-03-06T10:25:00.000-05:00

The long-awaited socks...unfortunately there is a big difference!

Somehow (and I still don't remember how) one heel is ribbed and the other isn't! I don't even remember doing it.

Pattern: Jaywalker
Started: So long ago I can't remember!
Finished: March 5, 2007
Recipient: My Sockret Pal.
Notes: As mentioned above, there is an obvious difference in the heels, but my pal says its okay. I would re-knit if I had the time, but this is the last month of the swap and I'm busy with an internship and college, so very little knitting time. I think I started these socks way back before Christmas and this is how long it's taken me to finish them.

Socks that (truly) Rock!

2007-03-06T10:19:00.000-05:00

Spoiler Alert: If you still haven't gotten your STR package, well, I feel sorry for you. Anyway, if you don't want to see the colorway don't read the post.

I finally got my STR package. From reading the STR blog I figure they send it out alphabetically, which is why I'm so far down on the list with 'W'. I swear, if my maiden name hadn't given me so much grief as a kid I would have kept it - it started with 'B'.

Anyway, without further ado..here is my STR package.

All the goodies together. I especially love the little key chain with emergency sock yarn.

And a close-up of the yummy goodness. Now I wouldn't have normally chosen this colorway, but it's quite lovely (obviously a photograph doesn't do it justice).

Spring Break Knitting

2007-03-05T09:53:00.000-05:00

First, I didn't get that snow day I was hoping for. :) I'm on Spring Break so I have a couple of days to get some knitting in. I'm almost done with my Jaywalker socks.

I decided to knit them both at the same time, working on one part then moving to the next one. So I'm now doing the foot of the second one. It's a lot easier or seems to be going a lot faster since I know I have to knit 43 rounds. I kept track with the first one to see how many rounds it took me to get to the desired length. Also I'm not used to knitting socks so big because I have tiny feet!

I also got the yarn for the bag I'm making as part of the Knitted Purse Swap. It's going to be a relative simple knit, but it's just finding the time when school starts back up again!

Snow day (fingers crossed?)

2007-02-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

I'm probably a little too old to be hoping for a snow day tomorrow, but I am. I've had a great weekend, driving up to Columbia MD to spend some time with a friend, but no knitting time. I have a pair of socks that I need to get done for my Sockret Pal and they're coming along slowly. I did have knitting time on the train last Thursday, which was nice. Usually I've had to use this time to read for college.

Yeah, Snow Day!!

2007-02-14T18:53:00.000-05:00

Well...actually it was more like an ice day here in Virginia. My classes were cancelled so I had the whole day off. I contemplated spending it knitting, but realized that as a responsible adult I had to do some non-knitting as well. So I worked on a couple of projects and also did some reading for school.

Razor Cami. There is also a KAL for this.

Jaywalker Socks

Other knitting news, my first Socks that Rock Club package should be coming out soon (according to Blue Moon Fiber).

In other news, I'm an aunty again with a new nephew as of last Friday: Bryce Alan, approx 8 lbs 2 oz.

FO: Winter Hat

2007-02-08T08:42:00.000-05:00

Pattern: "Kim's Hats" from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Rowan Chunky Print in Shriek (81)
Started/Finished: One day last weekend
Recipient: Me
Notes: I joined the Stash-a-long so this project is part of my de-stashing.

Knitted Purse Swap Questionnaire

2007-01-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like natural fibers - 100% wool etc. I'm not a big fan of cotton (although for a purse it might not mattern much) or boucle.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have two needle rolls that were gifted to me by other secret pals.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting for about 4 years. I consider myself an intermediate. I can teach myself any new technique - it's just a matter of having the guts to try it. I'm still mastering socks and am planning on doing a toe-up sock soon.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, you can search for it using my email 'beckysue33@hotmail.com'

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
I like fruity scents, mango especially. I like sweatpea from Bath & Body Works too. I DO NOT LIKE cinnamon or a lot of those spice scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, but I'm picky. The one thing I eat regularly is Cadbury's milk chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, sometimes.

8. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love BLUE, orange, brown, pink...I like most colors in the right shade. I don't like pastels or really dark depressing colors - but no neon bright colors either.

9. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married, no kids, no pets.

10. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I don't have a favorite item. I knit what I like at the time.

11. What are you knitting right now?
Socks and a hat.

12. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I use both straight and circ needles. I only like aluminum needles - no bamboo/wood needles for me.

13. Is there anything that you collect?
Well I buy a lot of books, so I guess I'm a bookworm.

Stash-A-Long 2007

2007-01-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

I have been on a cleaning bug for the past couple of days. I've been clearing out clutter, organizing and the like. I finally organized my yarn into some sort of order and found it a permanent home in my house (I've been moving it around and playing with different storage options up until now.)

Looking at how much yarn I have (and I know it's not that bad compared to some), I decided to go ahead and join the Stash-A-Long. My problem is that I buy the yarn to make a certain project and then never seem to get around to making it...and then forgetting what I bought it for. So to kick off, here is what I have and below the photos are my goals for 2007.

Enough sock yarn to make 12 pairs of socks for me (so about 24+ skeins, with two skeins per pair)

This is just a bunch of multiple balls/skeins of various stuff I've picked up along the way.

The big guns! This is yarn I have 5 or more balls of and picked up for a specific project, including the Ribbi Cardi I've never gotten around to knitting.

What I want (hope) to achieve this year:

1. Use half the sock yarn by the end of 2007 and not buy anymore sock yarn this year at all. **Gifts from secret pals and the like do not count.

2. Knit Ribbi Cardi, Dizzy Mitts, and at least ONE more large project to get rid of one of these bags of yarn.

3. To use some of the odd balls of yarn to do one-skein or small projects. So my goal is to knit 10 small projects this year. Since in the second photo there are 17 bunchs of yarn, that should leave me with 7 of them.

Day 2 of 2007

2007-01-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

Does everyone else have the same problem with writing '07' on everything? Lucky for me, I didn't take any checks as payment yesterday at work. Speaking of work, that is where the title for my last post came. I work at the Disney Store (for a few more days anyway) and I hear "to infinity & beyond" more often than I'd like from Mr. Buzz Lightyear [we have toys that talk when you push a button, and he's one of them.]

Polly posted a comment about why I would like to go to Finland. Well...I have a penpal there who I've been writing to since I was 15 (and I am now 29.) I just haven't had the chance to go yet and she has finally set a wedding date for this year so I'm going to meet her and attend her wedding.

As for knitting - I am working on my Sockret Pal's socks (so no photos) and this is my last knitting for someone else for a while. I have some projects I want to finish up and some socks to knit. I definitely have socks to knit since I signed up for (and now paid for) my Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Club. So on top of the bunch of Lorna's Laces I bought late last year, I will have enough sock yarn for a while. This is good considering I quit my job so I could do the internship and won't have any income for my yarn obsession.

To the New Year & Beyond (sorry Buzz Lightyear)

2006-12-31T07:51:00.000-05:00

Things I did in 2006:

* survived two more semesters of college (full-time, while working at least 20 hrs a week.)
* went to Europe - FINALLY saw Paris, among other places.
* spent some well-deserved time with friends.
* knit some great things.
* participated in some great knitty exchanges.

Plans for 2007:
* knit more socks (among other things.)
* knit more for myself.
* travel to Finland (fingers crossed.)
* organize! (since we are trying for a bebe, I'd like to get the house de-cluttered.)
* get through two more semesters of college, and maybe a summer course.
* intern at the Atlantic Council of the United States in D.C.

The "6 weird things about me"

2006-12-28T20:06:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Loribird to do this "6 weird things about me" that seems to be making the rounds on the blogs these days (except I must be blind because I haven't really seen it!) And for the record, I'm pretty sure I could list more than six weird things about me.

Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names.

I am going to tag Kelli of AfricanKelli; Bekka; Rachele, and Vera. I know it's not six, and if any of you have done this or don't want to, that's fine.

1. I have an odd sensitivity to wood, like wooden spoons and wooden knitting needles. I get goosebumps (one word, two words? too lazy to look it up right now) when I have to wash or dry a wooden spoon - so I don't do it! I also don't like it when people rub their chopsticks together. I have to grit my teeth really bad.

2. I like pickles...by themselves. I won't have pickles on a burger or sandwich, but I will eat the pickle on the side after I've eaten the sandwich. Now they all end up in the same state and place, but for some reason (to me) it ruins the taste of everything else on the sandwich.

3. I come from Australia, a continent/country surrounded by water, but I don't really like the ocean. I will go into the water to my knees and that's about it.

4. I always wear socks - to bed, around the house. My feet are almost always cold.

5. I can't sleep with the t.v on and any little noise bothers me now. It won't wake me up, but I can't get to sleep unless it's really quiet which is why I use earplugs just about every night.

6. I get on these loops with food. If I feel like something I will eat a lot of it over and over again until I move on to the next thing I "feel like" eating. This drives my husband mad!

Some projects, and a birthday

2006-12-28T20:01:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my birthday! It's number 29. I'm not feeling too bad about it really, although I do wonder sometimes where the time has gone. :) Last year on birthday number 28 my biological clock starting ticking...I really did think this was just a myth, but for some reason (I kid you not) I just felt like I was ready to have a baby. So my goal for next year is to make that happen. I have (kind of) been diagnosed with PCOS so it's not been smooth sailing this past year. Fingers crossed that in the coming months I will have news to announce here.

I got a couple of Christmas projects done this year. First, I finished a pair of Fetching for a work friend, but I forgot to take a picture.

Sophie Bag

Potato Chip Scarf: Excuse the photo, it is a bad self-pic. Notice my Eeyore PJs?

Yarn Dye Heaven

2006-12-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is evidence of my goodies from SP9 pal, Mary.

A book, The Dyer's Companion; a sleeve of info about dyeing with Jacquard Dyes; 4 skeins of Knitpicks bare yarn; starter kit of Jacquard Dyes from Knitpicks. Yeah!

A close-up of the dyes.

Now that I'm done with exams and classes for about a month I have some time to knit and dye yarn. I'm really looking forward to it. I have a couple of Christmas gifts to knit up and then I'm going to work on socks.

Excited

2006-12-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

Why am I so exited even though I have two major exams tomorrow (ahhh!!!)? Well there are two reasons. First, my SP9 struck again. She had to reveal herself early due to a big move - I sure know how that feels. I've made 4 huge moves in my life, two were overseas.

Anyway, so I got my package full of wonderful dye goodies, which I will post later. And on top of that I also got an internship at the Atlantic Council of the United States during my next semester at Mary Washington. Yeah for me!

You'd think it was Christmas!

2006-12-07T11:42:00.000-05:00

On Monday, just before I was heading out the door for an appointment, I received TWO packages. One was from my Sockret Pal and one from my SP9 (it's like they're in synch with each other.)

So from my Sockret Pal:

I got SEW-U, a book from my wishlist; a book filled with cookie recipes (the one thing I do cook); the little green pouch has a stapler etc in it - very cute; a little charm to match my other one that says "I love to Sew"; glass head pins, and a needle roll for my DPNs.

A close-up of the charm.

The inside of the needle roll. The red fabric has cats and dogs on it and the inside has Japanese/Asian symbols.

Now on to my wonderful SP9 package. I am so lucky to be getting so spoilt!!

I got one skein of Trekking, which I've been hearing a lot about and want to try; two skeins of Regia sock yarn in a lovely blue colorway; and ANOTHER needle roll!!! Yeah, this will definitely come in handy.

So this week my book collection and my sock stash were both increased without me spending a penny. :)

Thank you so much SP9 and Sockret Pal. I apologize for not posting it to my blog until today, but I have exams coming up and it's a little crazy around here.

New Furniture

2006-11-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

My only major purchase over the crazy Thanksgiving shopping weekend was this sewing table/cabinet. It was onsale at Jo-Ann's and since I needed something like this I decided to go ahead and get it. I also put it together myself!

Closed with one flap extended.

Open with one flap extended.

Full of stuff. There is still room for more stuff, but I have to go to work this evening so I don't have time to do any more with it.

DH is going to come home from work and wonder what on earth this thing is in our little dining area. :)

Yarn & Projects

2006-11-22T18:45:00.000-05:00

I have posted a finished project to my gallery. It's the purse I made for my purse swap partner.

I also have a yarn purchase. This actually came quite a while ago, but I haven't had the chance to take a photo.

There are 3 skeins each of Elann Highland Wool to make Danica. There are also 3 skeins each of Elann's Espirit in colors: Licorice Allsorts (I bought this because this is my dad's favorite candy), Rose Motif and Caribbean Surf. I'm thinking of socks for this yarn.

Knitting has taken place

2006-11-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

I have been knitting, I promise. I finally finished my bag for the Knitted Purse Swap. I only just got it in the mail though - deadline for posting was on Wednesday! I won't post a picture to my gallery just yet, I want to make sure the recipient sees it first.

I have also completed one project on my Christmas knitting list. Granted, so far it is a short list, but that is because I haven't finalized everything I want to make yet. All I know is that the projects will be short and sweet. I also got some more yarn and will post a photo of that when I get a chance.

Public Service Announcement

2006-11-10T20:48:00.000-05:00

While most of those reading this blog won't know who this woman was, her death has prompted me to post. Belinda Emmett was only 24 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, twenty-four!

This is just a reminder that it doesn't take much time to do a breast self-exam and you can never be too young. We often hear that breast cancer is an "older women's" disease and all this talk about mammograms at age 40 and above - well, we younger women out there need to think about it too. Please do your exams and have your annual check-up. You might not think it's important now, you might be too busy, but your life is important.

Knit Mitt Kit Swap

2006-11-04T23:19:00.000-05:00

What are your favorite colors? Blue, orange (not bright), chocolate/brown, pink.

Are you a new mitt knitter?Yes, I have yet to make a pair of mittens.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? For mittens I would prefer solid yarn - but I do like multicolored yarn for other stuff.

What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn? Something warm that retains heat, that won't get ruined if it gets too wet (i.e. if snow falls on it)

Where do you usually knit mittens? I haven't knit any so I wouldn't know - but probably on my couch.

How do you usually carry/store small projects?Zip lock bags that are big enough to hold the pattern (usually folded), a pen, a few essential tools, and the knitting.

What are your favorite mitten patterns?I don't have favorites yet.

What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques? Don't have any. I would like to attempt a pair of mittens that have the flip up flap (make sense?)

What are some of your favorite yarns? Knit picks 100% wool, Elann Peruvian Wool (worsted), Cascade, soft yarn.

What yarn do you totally covet? Anything that costs too much money for me to buy or isn't on sale.

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? Clapotis using the actual yarn called for in the pattern (Lorna's Laces Butterfly and Bullfrogs - in Vera).

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? I use only metal or strong plastic (not the Bryflex) needles - no bamboo or wood please! I use all types: DPNs, circs and straight.

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? Cadbury's plain milk chocolate.

What’s your favorite animal? Dogs I guess. Not really sure I have a favorite - I love cute animals.

Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts? I would prefer super warm mittens.

Do you have a wishlist? Yes, I have one with Amazon that you can find using my email address.

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? Just that some of these questions are little beyond my thinking really - I can't really say what yarn I would be (I've never considered it). I find some of these questions to be really hard to give an answer, as in, there are too many things I could put down. If there's anything you'd like to know, just ask! I'm up for answering questions. I will also edit this post as I think of anything else.

A rustling sound at the door -

2006-11-02T14:19:00.000-05:00

...and there was a package, from my SP9!

Sometimes our postie rings the doorbell, sometimes they don't.

An overview of the goodies.

The ONE SKEIN book (from my wishlist), some cute stickers and a ball of Lion Brand wool in PUMPKIN. I think orange is becoming one of my favorite colors.

French Vanilla candle, vanilla scented shower gel and body lotion.

A close-up of the cute little bucket everything came in.

Not so Socktoberfest!

2006-11-01T22:16:00.000-05:00

Well...good intentions, right? I *technically* have a pair, just because they don't match doesn't mean anything right? The blue one is the Holey Sock pattern and the other one is the Snakes on a Sock pattern (there's a KAL for this!)

I had many sock intentions though. I'm going to cast on for my Sockret Pal's pair soon, but I can't disclose anything just in case she happens by my blog (doubtful, but you never know!) I also just got a great sock order from Fifth Stitch: eight (count 'em, eight!) skeins of LL Shephard Sock yarn for $46, including shipping. So that is $5.15 a skein (46 - 4.80 for shipping/8).

Colors: Pewter, Seaside, Winter Sunset, Spring Sunset

Holey Smokes!

2006-10-20T19:02:00.000-04:00

I am on the second sock now with the Holey Sock pattern. Here is what the first one looks like:

I'm rather sad that I haven't been able to knit as many socks as planned during this month of Socktoberfest. This is my first, and likely to be my only pair! If I cast on for others can they still count?

In other news, I received my consolation prize from Jennifer of Craftlilly for the Knitflix swap.

The yarn is some gorgeous Rowan Chunky Print. It's approximately 110 yards so I'm thinking of making a hat or maybe a scarf (if I can.) Note the cute "Animal" card - The Muppets were one of my favorite shows as a kid.

Yarn close-up.

I have also been busy ordering and putting together package ideas for my Sockret Pal and my SP9 pal.

I heart the postie

2006-10-16T16:49:00.000-04:00

I got two packages today, one from my purse swap partner Leslie, and one from my Sockret Pal. This is going to keep me going all week!

First up, the gorgeous purse from Leslie. Made from 100% recycled silk and 100% Aloo, it has cute bamboo handles. I've always wanted a bag kind of like this - and in her note Leslie explained that after reading my blog she knew this would be the purse for me because I seem to be very "worldly." I love that! Thanks Leslie. I do like to travel and have been to a few places. If I didn't have to work and keep up with my responsibilities I think I would be jetsetting off to all kinds of places. Anyway, the purse:

Those are PINK peanut M&Ms in the back. I also got a knitted dish/wash cloth, some cute sticky notes and small notecards.

The bag by itself.

A close-up of all the pretty colors.

I am working on my purse to return to Leslie. Between work and school, it's going a little slower than I'd like, but I think she will like it when it's done.

The second package was from my Sockret Pal. I got spoilt with two skeins of Cascade in a lovely red; a book - Christmas Stockings, a tin of lovely chocolate cocoa, which will come in handy soon I'm sure, two sets of DPNs in size 2 and 4, and a cute little charm that says 'I Love 2 Knit'. Here is everything:

A close-up of the cute charm!

ISE

2006-10-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit behind in my blogging, but late in the week I received my ISE package. Inside was the most beautiful scarf and fingerless gloves (a nice bonus!) plus some other goodies. My pal was Lori of From the Wool Room.

The goods: a lovely cabled scarf and fingerless gloves (close-ups below); 2 skeins of Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn (spun by Brown Sheep Company) in color ELDERBERRY; a lovely postcard from Alaska; and some lovely mango body butter. I've actually never tried this kind of product before so I'm looking forward to it. Of course, I'm going to walk around smelling like a giant piece of fruit, but I love the mango scent!

Scarf close-up.

Fingerless gloves close-ups.

I am knitting!

2006-10-13T08:05:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to squeeze in some knitting here and there over the past week or two, but it's not easy! I have started, very late into the month, my first sock for Socktoctoberfest. Here it is:

(Click on photo for pattern)

I also finished my scarf for the ISE exchange. I just have to pick up one small thing and I will be able to box everything up and send it on it's way.

Here it is blocking just to uncurl the sides. I will post specs in my gallery later. It's not as bright as the photo shows, I just wanted to get a close up of the pattern. I followed a generic stitch pattern from Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 1.

I'm a finalist

2006-10-10T18:34:00.000-04:00

I participated in a swap called Knitflix where we swapped movies and other goodies with our partners. The hostess, Jennifer, also had a little contest going and I'm one of the finalist. Go here to vote for me, I'm #3!

Sock History

2006-10-04T18:35:00.000-04:00

Lolly of the Socktoberfest posted on her blog about sharing our sock histories...well here is mine. It's pretty short considering I'm still pretty new to socks.

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class? I signed up for the last Sock-a-palooza and that's when I taught myself about socks. I'd never knit a pair before.

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
Since I gave them away (see above answer) I'm not sure how they have held up. I do know that the recipient liked them.

What would you have done differently? I'm not sure if I would have done anything differently. I followed the directions, which is how I usually succeed. Anything with clear directions is possible for me to make.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I used yarn I had picked up from Knitpicks for both the pairs I have made so far (yes, I've only made two pair). I really like how Lorna's Laces sock yarn looks and have some of it to experiment with.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I use DPNs. I'm not skilled enough to move onto the two circ method yet. I'm not even sure if I will.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?) Had now idea there were different kinds of heels!

How many pairs have you made? Two, with a third on the needles.

You can see the ones I've made here and here.

Knitflix Goodies

2006-10-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

My last few posts have been pretty heavy on words and not really on photos. I have been knitting, but when I tried to take a pick of the scarf I'm making for the ISE, it wouldn't come out right. Anyway, the reason for this post - I got my Knitflix package from my pal Olga.

She sent me one of my favorite movies, the second Bridget Jone's Diary. I have the first one and have seen the second one, but didn't actually own it. Also there were some yummy goodies, both edible and not. She sent me two (yes, two!) skeins of Lorna's Laces Shephard Sock yarn in Sand Ridge. I think these are destined to become my first pair of two-up socks (maybe!) and some yummy Cadbury and other chocolatey goodies. Oh, and I almost forgot the cute little zippered pouch with that lovely pink lining. I'm not sure if she made it herself, but it's very cute and will come in handy. The fabric is black animal stripe-like and I love it!

Socktoberfest!

2006-10-03T08:36:00.000-04:00

Yeah! The fun has started. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go here.

I'm participating in SP9 and Sockret Pal exchanges and both questionnaires for these ask for feet/sock measurements. I've been pretty lazy about doing this, but mostly it's because I had no idea which measurements were really important. So, Lollygirl from the above link has posted the picture below on her blog because another knitter is doing research for a book. I'm borrowing it and putting it here for anyone who's interested and partly just for myself.

My measurements:
A. approximately 9 inches
B. 8 inches
C. 7 1/4 inches
D. approximately 12 inches

Oh! I also joined this KAL as well.

SP9 Questionnaire

2006-10-02T07:57:00.000-04:00

Yeah, SP9 is starting soon!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I don’t like to knit with boucle, fun fur and other novelty yarns. I will use cotton occasionally, but it’s not something I use all the time. Yarn that splits too much is a pain too. I love wool and soft yarn.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Right now they are in a couple of little vases. I wouldn’t mind a nice handmade needle case like I’ve seen around.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I was taught to knit when I was 10 by my Nanna, but it never stuck. I re-taught myself a couple of years ago. I would probably be an intermediate knitter. I can follow patterns and if I can do that, I can make pretty much anything.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I do have an Amazon wishlist. I also have stuff listed on my blog side bar that I wish for.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) I love fruity scents (like mango) and some florals. My favorite scent is Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea. I also like some of their other floral scents like White Cherry Blossom. I DO NOT like cinnamon or foody scents like pumpkin spice – all that good stuff they always put out at Christmas (yuck!) The one exception to this is vanilla.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Sort of. I love Cadbury’s plain chocolate. But I don’t eat a lot of it and rarely eat sweets.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I try sewing. I don’t spin and won’t pick up this hobby. I do dye my own yarn using Kool-Aid, but would like to try Knitpicks Jacquard Dyes.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like lots of different music really. At the moment I’m into Justin Timberlake’s new music, John Legend, Nickelback.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love Blue, that is my favorite color. I also like oranges, greens, pink and brown. I don’t really like extremes too much, i.e. pastels and neon bright colors. I’m not sure if there is any color I absolutely cannot stand.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married, no kids, no pets.

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

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I don’t really have a favorite item. I’m trying to get into knitting more socks.

13. What are you knitting right now? A scarf, two bags, a baby hat and I just cast on for a pair of socks.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Aluminum or hard plastic (I don’t like the Bryflex needles, too wobbly).

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No. I wouldn't mind one, but it can't be made of wood.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Probably a year or so old – the yarn is going to be recycled for something else.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!

19. Is there anything that you collect? Other than yarn? I love books.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I don’t have subscriptions to any, but I buy Interweave Knits every issue. I buy Vogue Knitting, but I don’t always buy each issue.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not right now.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I do knit socks, but I would still consider myself a beginner in that regard. I have small feet, size 6-6.5. The heel flap on most patterns is too long for me so it has to be shortened a little.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) December 29th.

Extras
1. There are some patterns I would love to knit or have been meaning to knit, such as Clapotis, but haven’t gotten around to it just because I don’t have the yarn. Now I don’t expect the super expensive yarn they call for in the pattern, but if my pal comes across a good substitute, that would be nice.

2. I’m also participating in the Sockret Pal secret exchange. If you want to contact my other pal for any reason I can give you their anonymous email.

Sockret Pal Questionnaire

2006-09-27T16:32:00.000-04:00

Here is my questionnaire for my Sockret pal (I know you're lurking out there somewhere!)

How long have you been knitting? I have been knitting for about 2-3 years. I learnt as a kid and never picked it up again until a couple of years ago.

Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep? I am still a beginner sock knitter. I can generally follow a pattern, but wouldn't be able to do anything fancy like change the pattern up too much.

Shoe size, or any other fitting related info you think is pertinent.I have quite small feet. I wear between a 6 and 6.5 shoe. I've made a couple of pairs of socks and would generally shorten the foot a bit and the heel. The rest is usually fine, i.e. the leg.

What colors do you love? Blue, some greens, orange and even pink. I don't think there are any colors I absolutely hate, but having said that I'm not too fond of bright bright colors or pastels.

Do you prefer solids or variegated? Either is fine.

What fibers do you most love to knit with?Mostly natural fibers, wool and alpaca etc. I do use cotton on occasion, but it's not my favorite.

Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors? Hmmm, a hard one. I buy from Knitpicks and Elann a lot.

What projects (other than socks, of course*S*) do you most enjoy knitting?I knit a variety of things, I don't really have a favorite.

What fibers can you not stand to knit with? To wear?While I like 100% wool, if it's too scratchy I don't like to wear it. Again, I can knit with any fiber except boucle or yarn that is really splitty.

What colors would you never wear? I'm not sure there are any really because each color has various shades. Nothing too bright or pastel - nothing too busy!

Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood?Plastic or metal ONLY! I have a weird sensitivity to wood or bamboo. It makes me cringe.

Circs or Straights? Either.

DPNs or Magic Loop? DPNs.

Are there any knitting accessories you don't have in your collection but would like?I need more DPNs in various sizes. I wouldn't mind a nice knitting needle organizer. I've seen some nice handmade ones like this one from Ellipantom.

Do you have a wish list? If so, please share the link! Yes I do. Some of my "wants" can be found on my sidebar, but I also have an Amazon.com wishlist as well - if my pal would like it they can email me and I'll send it to them.

Do you like sweet, sour or salty? I prefer sweet, but I only eat Cadbury's chocolate and don't eat too many American candy.

Do you have any allergies your pal should know about? (Certain foods, smoke, pet hair, etc)I have no allergies, but obviously don't like smoke. I can't eat seafood, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get any of that in the mail!

Favorite scents? Scents you can't stand?I like fruity scents and some florals. Sweet Pea from Bath & Body Works, and White Musk from The Body Shop are two of my favorites. I DO NOT LIKE cinnamon or too many foody scents, except vanilla.

Do you collect anything (other than yarn and knitting toys of course)?Not really.

When is your birthday? (month and day is fine!) December 29th, 1977 (I'm still young enough to publish this.

Do you spin? Dye your own yarn?I have tinkered with yarn dyeing, but not spinning and I have no desire to try spinning.

Your favorite author/band/vacation spot, anything you think will help your pal know you better.I love to travel and went to Europe earlier this year. I love Paris! I like to many authors really, but a couple of my favorites are Bill Bryson and Wilbur Smith.

So I don't usually wear hats...

2006-09-22T22:07:00.000-04:00

...but I saw a cute pattern over at Stitch Diva that makes me want to wear them more. I really like the Downtown Cloche in the vibrant red, and the Page Boy had is also cute. Would I wear them? I don't know - if I had them maybe!

I've also come across a couple of crafty projects thanks to the Craftzine Blog. First is a nifty little bulletin board; the tutorial can be found at I have to say.... The other is kind of similar, a wallpocket thingy over at Shim and Sons.

Alas, time is short right now so I'm not sure when I will get to do any of these cool projects!

Project recap

2006-09-17T22:26:00.000-04:00

What with classes starting and working, I haven't had much time to knit. The next few weeks will be filled with very little precious knitting time - but I have done a little bit.

Yummy Koigu KPPPM

The scarf for my ISE scarf pal (knitting with Koigu KPPPM from above)

A close-up of the scarf. The colors are a little brighter in this photo than in real life.

I also cast on for the Pea Pod Set hat. Since my nephew isn't due to make an appearance until January this project doesn't have the same sense of urgency that my ISE scarf does. I also haven't resized the photo I took of my progress, which is why it isn't here.

I also managed to do a little sewing too. This tote has been made for a swap, which is why the details are a little scarce. I don't want to give it away. It is filled with some goodies, which will also not be shown.

No pattern used - just something I worked my way through.

Road trip anyone?

2006-09-08T20:53:00.000-04:00

I wish I was talking about a real road trip...I'd love to just get up and go somewhere, but that's not going to happen any time soon.
Anyway, these are done! I don't really think I had second-sock syndrome with these, rather I had other knitting projects that had to be finished or needed some attention.

New stuff in the Gallery

2006-09-08T08:43:00.000-04:00

I have finally posted two of my FOs in the Westerly Whimsies Gallery...so go take a look. One is from way back and the other is the recently completed Picovoli. There will (hopefully) be a couple more FOs posted soon. I still have to post my Wave Skirt and I'm almost done with my Road Trip socks.

It's a boy!

2006-09-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

No, I wasn't secretly pregnant for the past nine months and didn't just miraculously have a baby. My sister is pregnant with her second child and she found out today it's going to be a boy! I've had my eye on a pattern for a baby gift since I found out, but of course, I wanted to wait and pick the perfect color.

I am going to make the Pea Pod Baby Set from IK Summer 2006.

Scarf Knit-A-Thon

2006-08-31T21:23:00.000-04:00

In April of this year there was a mine collapse in Beasconsfield, Tasmania. It didn't receive too much coverage here in the U.S. except that it came on the heels of the devastating Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia. In the Beaconsfield case, three men were left unaccounted for after the event, with one man dying and two being rescued 14 days later. This Scarf-A-Thon is a joint event to commemorate the event. If you're interested, all the details are here, including the address to send your scarf piece.

A couple of FOs!

2006-08-29T18:07:00.000-04:00

Other than my Picovoli, I haven't been knitting much. Fetching is almost done, but I'm waiting on a bit of extra yarn. So how do I have FOs? Well, I don't - but my mum has been using some of my stash to make little things for herself. Here are a couple:

A book cover for her notebook.

A little purse.

A view of the purse open.

Almost an FO!

2006-08-26T15:39:00.000-04:00

Picovoli has been on the back-burner for a while, but I pulled it out today to finish the bottom. Now all I have to do is finish the sleeves. Here she is:

I'm back at school next week and then the week after that I will have school and work to keep me busy so I'm hoping to get some projects worked on and/or finished next week.

Because you've always wanted to know

2006-08-26T15:29:00.000-04:00

I went to the National Zoo the other day and this is what greeted me when I went into one of the bathroom stalls...

The text reads: "Legend has it that the gods created the hippo to be the lawn mower for all the other animals. Because the sun was so hot, the hippo pleaded to the gods to swim in the Nile river by day and, mow by moonlight. The gods agreed, only if the hippo promised not to eat any of the fish. For proof, the hippo fanned out its poop with its tail to show there were no fish bones. Now, all hippos fan their poop with their tails!"

Goodbye Pluto!

2006-08-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

This just in...apparently Pluto is no longer going to be considered a planet. I know this isn't big news really, but I feel sorry for Pluto - just because it's not big enough, it's getting the boot!

Fruit Picking & Blog Trolling

2006-08-23T18:54:00.000-04:00

Those are the two things I've been up to in the past couple of days. First, my mum and I went here, and look at what we got:

Yep, two buckets of blackberries…picked with our own hands.

A close-up of the yummy berries. I got up close and personal with some bugs to get these wonderful blackberries.

And here we are at home…all hot and sweaty…but very proud of our berry haul!

I’ve also been blog trolling and found a few interesting things…two books that I absolutely want now!

Amy at Angry Chickenblogged about Sew-U, ) by Wendy of Built by Wendy. I am looking to get into making some clothes and this looks like it might be helpful.

Not only was Amy guilty of blogging about this book, but she also mentioned that another blogger, Kelly, at Buzzvillehad a write-up about Amy Butler’s new book In Stitches. This page on Amy Butler's website has cool photos that will make you want to buy this book. I’ve been attracted to her patterns since I picked up the Weekender Bag pattern (I’m still going painfully slow on this project!) and this book looks like it has so many wonderful things in it. Kelly’s blog has some photos of projects, but you can see a few more by following the above link.

So these are two books to add to my Amazon wishlist. Since I got a promotion at work (yeah!) maybe I'll be able to afford them too!

It's A Wristlet World

2006-08-17T18:42:00.000-04:00

When I got home from work today there was a package waiting for me from Bekka. She was my partner for Kelli's It's A Wristlet World swap. Look at what she sent me!

This box contains my wristlet (close-up photos below), this, 2 balls of Sugar n' Cream yarn in colors Swimming Pool (I just bought a ball of this yesterday!) and Neptune Ombre, three small spools of ribbon, a pack of playing cards, Nancy Drew's Guide to LIfe, some smelly soaps (nice!), a cute notebook, one tube of white sugar & mango lip gloss, mandarin orange lip balm, and three balls of Artful Yarns Cinema, oh! and some cute ladybug magnetic page clips (which will come in handy since I'm an avid reader). So, THANKS SO MUCH Bekka.

I'm going to use this as my little toiletry bag that I carry in my every-day bag.

A closer look at the lining - cowgirls!

What have YOU done?

2006-08-10T23:37:00.000-04:00

Found this via Bekka'sblog. How many have you done?

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day (well, actually I all ready have one, but this counts right?)
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe (went to Europe – no backpacking though!)
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cd's
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild [aren't all mushrooms gathered in the wild?]
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents (4/7 ain’t bad though!)
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat (yummy!)
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach (squished one maybe!)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (can you say hand signals in Japan?)
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts (no, but hubby has)
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life

The Results

2006-08-10T20:54:00.000-04:00

Drum roll please! Here are the results of my first Kool-Aid dyeing experience.

Slammin' Strawberry

Cha-Cha Cherry. The one on the left was made with 2 packets of Cherry Kool-Aid, the one on the right with 3 packets. I like that one better because it's a little darker.

Sweet Pink. This is my favorite color.

I'm calling this skein Rockin' Red. It was made with 3 packets of cherry, 1 of strawberry and 1 of watermelon cherry.

I'm very happy with how my first attempts have turned out. I am thinking of trying to re-dye some of the skeins because there are obvious light spots (not just lighter color, but lack of color). I think the only one that doesn't have this problem is the last skein of Rockin' Red. I would appreciate any feedback from more experienced dyers.

To Dye For

2006-08-09T14:51:00.000-04:00

After having purchased this yarn several months ago, I finally got around to trying my hand at Kool-Aid dyeing. I'm not sure why I chose to start today after all this time, maybe because I had to work tonight and I didn't want to spend my day doing anything stressful (read: cleaning the house for my mum's upcoming visit.)

So without further ado, here are my pics:

Prep work: the soaking.

Prep work: preparing the kool-aid.

Cooling: strawberry #1

Cooling: strawberry #2

I am working on using Cherry and Watermelon Cherry as well. So far, the cherry isn't looking much different from the strawberry, but we'll see when everything is dry.

Cooling: cherry #1

Cooling: cherry #2

Up next...

Cooling: watermelon cherry #1

Cooling: watermelon cherry #2

Cooling: 3 parts cherry, 1 part strawberry and 1 part watermelon cherry. This seems slightly darker than the strawberry and cherry batches.

This and that

2006-08-07T10:35:00.000-04:00

Today is a boring Monday. Since I don't have to go to work I'm definitely going to have to clean the house...or some of it. My mum is coming to visit on Saturday and I always like to have a clean house for guests.

I do have an FO to report. The garter-stitch blanket is done, sans photos since I finished it only a couple of hours before the baby shower it was meant for. I completed changed it and didn't end up going with the Debbie Bliss blanket, which is why it was only finished then. Of course, I put everything on hold for that this past week so now I have to try and finish Picovoli, make my wristlet for a swap, and cast on for two new projects (Fetching and French Market Bag from Knitty.)

My things to do list for today (wish me luck):
1. Clean out email INBOX. Done
2. Cast on for Fetching. Done
3. Work on Picovoli.
4. Clean downstairs bathroom, lounge room and kitchen. Done
5. Finish wristlet for swap.
6. Grocery shopping. Done

Whew! That's going to take a while so I guess I'd better stop messing around with my blog and get going.

Etsy

2006-08-04T19:18:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm going with Westerly Whimsies (the name of this blog) which was suggested by Strikanfall. This name never even occurred (two r's?) to me so thanks for the suggestion!

Well...I've decided I am going to open an Etsy shop selling handmade crafty things - knitty and not. But before I do that I need to settle on a name and that's why I'm asking for your help. Below are the names I have come up with. To vote for your favorite, just leave a comment. All of them are nicknames I had as a child and growing up - I have a favorite, but wanted some input.

1. Peewee
2. Becky Sue
3. Sweet Pea
4. Little one

What kind of flower are you?

2006-08-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

I am a
Violet

What Flower
Are You?

"You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."

Hmmm...this is only partly true. Yes, with people it takes me a little bit to open up BUT the rest, not true. I don't hesitate to try new things or meet new people - if that was the case I literally wouldn't be sitting here. I would have stayed home in Perth and never gone anywhere, let alone moved halfway across my own country and then halfway across the world away from all my friends and family. Anyway, go try it if you want to.

Knitting, KALs, and more

2006-07-31T18:48:00.000-04:00

I have joined a couple of KALs in the last few days. Since I have started all ready, it was pretty easy for me to join the Tivoli/Picovoli KAL. Similarly, I have the yarn all ready, so I thought I'd join the Knucks KAL. And, finally, I've joined the French Market Bag KAL. If you haven't noticed, I tend to join KALs in groups - it's never just one for me! Although this KAL is over, check out these FMBs for inspiration.

What else is going on? Miserably, I've only joined two little squares together on my DB Garter-Stitch blanket. No more procrastination though - it needs to be finished by Friday so I can have it all ready to go for the baby shower on Sunday.

I've also decided to host my own swap. Check out the knitted purse/bag swap here. Only one person has signed up so far, so please help my poor little swap. Sign-ups close August 15th.

It's also time for a new column over at my other blog Aussie Girl U.S.A., so go and check it out (please, pretty please!)

Hip to be square

2006-07-28T09:14:00.000-04:00

Here are all the little squares for my Garter-Stitch Blanket...now all I have to do is finish it up. I do have a bit of a gripe about this project. This was supposed to be a simple project, knit the squares and join them together. That is, of course, unless there is a mistake in the pattern.

The yarn requirements were "one ball of colors A,B,C,D, and E" but was supposed to say one of each A,B,D and E, and TWO balls of C. I realized I was going to be short when I couldn't get even the required 11 squares from the other colors, let alone the 14 from color C. I just don't see how this kind of mistake could've been made unless nobody bothered to do a protype of the item. Even without leaving long strands (another typo also) I couldn't force 11 squares. So I had to fudge a bit and use what I could.

In other bits and pieces...I've recently created another blog over at typepad that is going to be a column about my experiences as an Australian living in America, so since I'm paying for that I will be slowly moving this blog over there as well. But in the meantime, keep reading my blog and check out Aussie Girl U.S.A. as well.

Fabric Giveaway

2006-07-26T13:49:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is the fabric from my stash that I wish to pass onto good homes. This is going to be a photo intensive post. All I am asking is that you pay the postage for your fabric - that's it, either through Paypal, check or money order. If you see something you like, email me directly at beckysue33@hotmail.com (if you leave a comment I may not get to it in time - this way I know who is 'first'.) and also refer to the fabric by its number. Some of this fabric is multi-yardage, at least one yard or more. If two people want it, I am willing to halve it. So, without further ado...let's see what I have:

#1 Size: 18" x 41", possibly been machine washed.

#2 Size: 19" x 42", washed. GONE

#3, 4 and 5 Three fat quarters. GONE

#6 Purpley-blue, multi-yardage. GONE

#7 Multi-yardage. GONE

#8 Size: 21.5" x 37"

#9 Multi-yardage. GONE

#10 If you can't see images clearly, they are fish; multi-yardage.

#11 Multi-yardage. GONE

#12 Multi-yardage. GONE

#13 Purpley-blue, though more purple than blue. Size: 39" x 34.5" approximately.

#14 Size: 42" x 37"

#15 Size: 42" x 36.5"

#16 Size: 18" x 19" (one piece) and 30" x 42" (second piece); both washed.

#17 Size: 44" x 36"; glittery. GONE

#18 Multi-yardage; washed. GONE

#19 Size: 42" x 36.5" GONE

#20 Size: 22" x 40"; more purple than photo shows.

#21 Size: 36" x 1 yard GONE

#22 Size: 22" x 44"

#23 Size: 17" x 18"

#24 Size: 36" x 43"

Watch this space

2006-07-25T15:47:00.000-04:00

...for the great fabric give-away! Yep, I'm doing some long overdue spring cleaning and I've found a bunch of fabric that I'm never going to use. So I'm going to post some photos either tonight or tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Book Reviews

2006-07-21T22:40:00.000-04:00

My reading list has been updated for a while now, but I have yet to write anything about the two books that were completed. So here is my little 'review' of them, basically just if I liked them or not - nothing fancy.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Of course, I read the other one (you know the one I mean) and I liked this one a little bit less...but only a little bit! I felt like it got off to a slow start, but after that, I really did enjoy the story and got into the swing of things. I like mysteries and such, but I am a bit of a cheat sometimes and always want to cheat (a.k.a. look at the ending!) I had an inkling of who the bad guy was, but was tricked into thinking it was someone else...only to discover I had been right the first time. I guess this is a sign of a good mystery/thriller story. As a non-religious person, I read this book and the other one simply for the joy of reading. I don't take any of it seriously, but there was this one line in this book that maybe (only maybe) has made me rethink my view on God a little bit. I can't quote the line yet because the book is at a friend's house. When I get it back (I don't want to ad lib the quote because I will ruin it) I will update this post and see what you think. Overall, I give this book a 9/10 just for what I felt was a slow start.

The Myth of You & Me by Leah Stewart
As someone who values friendships dearly and has a select group of close girlfriends (at least one I've know for 20+ years), I thought I would really like this book. Not so much. It just didn't grab me, and although I guess I can say I liked it, I did not love it. I will not keep it on my shelves. I felt like the main character wasn't really developed that much. All I knew was that she wasn't down with too many close relationships with anyone and the one she did have, with her best friend, had ended badly. Didn't I mention in the above 'review' that I have a tendency to cheat with mysteries? Well, why then, would I enjoy a book that waited until almost the end to reveal the big reason why the friends had split in the first place? Also, the second main character (the main character's friend) had a really horrible mother that she stood by. I guess I'm not that a strong of a person because I would've told 'mummy dearest' where to go years ago. Anyway, so this book (for me) was just so so...didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. That means 5/10.

I am still reading C'est la Vie, a kind of autobiographical armchair travel book. It's good...I like it, but I'm not sure if it's just because I love Paris and I love armchair travel books.

Socks, fabric and of course, YARN!

2006-07-19T14:58:00.000-04:00

I've been knitting quite a bit lately because my other crafty projects have been on hold - I need other bits and pieces before I can get working on them. Picovoli and my Road Trip socks have seen all my attention.

One "Road Trip" sock...the other is waiting to be cast on. It will have to wait until I've completed my newest and time sensitive project.

I've got to get started on this Garter Stitch Blanket by Debbie Bliss. Why? Because the baby it is meant for has all ready been born! Yesterday, in fact. My coworkers due date wasn't until August 8th and I was waiting on the yarn from Little Knits. The yarn showed up today -

The top 5 balls are for the blanket. The bottom two will be two pairs of Knitty's new pattern, Fetching.

And finally, a sneak peak at the fabric I'm using for my weekender bag:

A nice mixture of greens and blues. For the lining I'm simply using a khaki fabric. I'm going to do the handles and cording in the main fabric, even though the pattern says to use the lining fabric.

Reading other blogs...

2006-07-16T22:46:00.000-04:00

...is dangerous to my attention span! I love reading other knitting blogs and have SO MANY on my Bloglines. But there is just one problem - I see so many things I want to knit.

First, I visited Lois at Get It Knitted. She was talking about some of her projects and I caught the fact that she mentioned some yarn that I had just bought for no particular reason other than it was on sale. The yarn was Sirdar Snuggly and she mentioned this pattern. Well guess what I'm going to use my yarn for?

Then I went over to The Knitchick's blog. Not only did I get reminded of my recent (but seemingly so long ago) trip to Paris, but I also saw her Jaywalker socks. So now I know what at least one of my skeins of Lorna's Laces is going towards (I have four in the same colorway, Vera, I think.)

Now I just have to add these two projects to my list (never-ending) of projects to do in the future.

And just a bit about other projects I'm working on. I've cut most of my pieces for my Weekender Bag. Picovoli is resting for a bit while I work on my Road Trip Socks. Next week, if my yarn comes from Littleknits, I will be working on a baby blanket. Hopefully I'll get it done before the baby is born, which will be pushing it.

Day Off #3

2006-07-14T13:44:00.000-04:00

Well, this was my last day off in a row of 3. I have a shift at work both tomorrow and Sunday. And although I will have more days off in the future, I rarely get so many in a row! So what did today bring for me?

I didn't get up until almost 10 a.m. and didn't bother to shower until almost 1 p.m. I did some knitting, working on both my Picovoli and a new project - Greened Eyed Grrls' Road Trip Socks. I have a bunch of sock yarn in my stash that I want to use. For these I'm using Knit Picks Sock Memories in Gladiolus and I'm loving the color. I would post a link, but it seems they don't sell it in this colorway anymore.

I also set out my stuff for another crafty project. I bought this piggy bank (or Dream Pig, as the company calls it) quite a while ago and never got around to decorating it. Since coming back from my European trip, I've realized that at heart, I'm a traveller. Of course, this costs money, so this is going to be my Travel Bank. I'm going to deposit all my change and stuff inside. I will post a pic once I'm done with it.

Day Off #2

2006-07-13T15:29:00.000-04:00

Well, today is day off #2...although I was on-call so I guess I just got lucky that they didn't need me. Since I don't have to go in tomorrow that means I'll have had 3 days off in a row! I could use the $$$ but I like the time to work on crafts better right now.

What has been on the agenda for today? I kept working on my Picovoli. Here are some pics:

Just the first few rounds.

A weird pic, but I wanted to show my progress. I've done the stitch dividing for the armholes and underarms and am working on the bust now.

I also started cutting out my pieces for this wonderful creation:

I haven't sewn anything like this before, but I'm going to give it a try.

Time off...

2006-07-12T16:01:00.000-04:00

Ahhh...a few days off from work. What will I ever do with myself? Day Off #1 started with me spending a lot of time with this:

When you can't wear the pretty skirt you picked out because it's white and you don't have the appropriate knickers, it's time to do laundry! Luckily, I did not spend my entire day doing this. The good thing about laundry - you can leave it alone and go do something else. So, I also did this:

Shopping at my LYS, the Knitter's Cottage, to see if I could find some yarn for certain projects I had in mind. Well I didn't find what I was looking for, but here is what I did get:

Smitten, Mission Falls pattern book of mittens; MF 1824 Wool to make a pair of mittens in Raspberry (#029), Rhubarb (#534), and Squash (#533); Cascade 220 in Robin Egg Blue (#8905); and one ball of Sirdar Snuggly in Soft Mint (#398) just because it was so darn soft!

The yarn I was looking for was DB Cashmerino Aran, to make DB's Garter Stitch blanket from Baby Knits for Beginners. This is going to be a gift for a lady I work with who is due August 8th and is having a little girl. Why did I leave it so late to start something? Well...to be honest, I didn't really know her that well and wasn't planning on knitting anything. Then I went on my trip and when I came back, the two of us have been working together quite a bit. So, having gotten to know her, I know she is worthy of such a gift and would appreciate it.

I was originally looking for this yarn to make Fetching so I searched the Knitty boards for sales. I was directed to Little Knits by a fellow knitter and found just the colors I was looking for. So I got a couple of balls to make my Fetching and the yarn for the blanket too!

Another FO

2006-07-10T21:46:00.000-04:00

I finished a quick little project the other night - you can see it here in my gallery.

Yea, new Knitty!

2006-07-08T21:51:00.000-04:00

So I decided to mosey on over to Knitty.com to look at the boards and what do I find...a new one! I've all ready found stuff I want to make.

These would make great, quick knit, Christmas gifts. AND, they only need one skein!!!

Love these, but am I brave enough to do toe-up socks?

Introducing...

2006-07-07T22:42:00.000-04:00

Gilbert "Stash" West.

So...he's not the most attractive mouse. I found the instructions on assembly a little bit lacking, but other than that, it was pretty simple. Now I'm going to have to make him a friend!

And the winners are String Bean and Sarah of Front Porch Swing. The prize hasn't been determined yet, but it will be something knitty related. Thanks to everyone who entered - there were many good names to choose from and it was a difficult decision.

Contest

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

I wanted to let you all know that I have chosen a winner for my contest to name Mousie Mousie. But since I've been working non-stop this past week, I haven't had time to finish him. Fingers crossed he will be done tonight and then unveiled here on the blog, along with the winners.

So, until then...I leave you with this - one of those meme (is that what they're called) thingies.

4 jobs I’ve had in my life:
* working a food service kiosk at a recreation center (my first job!)
* sales assistant (am now on my second sales assistant job, part-time)
* medical transcriptionist

4 movies I can watch over and over:
* Fried Green Tomatoes
* Bridget Jone's Diary
* Harry Potter Movies
* Never Been Kissed

4 TV shows I love to watch:
* Gilmore Girls
* Forensic Files (and any number of other Court TV shows like it)
* Monk
* Charmed

4 places I have lived:
* Perth, Western Australia
* Misawa, Japan
* Florida
* Virginia

4 places I have been on holiday:
* Niagara Falls
* London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen & Stockholm (all one trip!)
* Alabama (to visit family, but still a holiday)
* New Orleans

4 of my favorite dishes:
* lansagne (esp. when made from scratch by a friend of mine)
* vegemite on toast
* baked beans on toast
* pizza

4 websites I visit daily:
* News.com.au
* Hotmail.com
* Bloglines
* Fox News

Carpet Bag, anyone?

2006-07-05T20:43:00.000-04:00

I've started another project. While Mousie Mousie is begging for his/her ears, I decided to cast on for something else. I don't know if anyone else is like this, but I have this running list of things I want to make in my head and it's very jumbled. The other day, while cleaning out my upstairs room, I found a fabric stash and suddenly (!) I want to make little purses etc. I joined Kelli's Wristlet Swap, so I know I will get to use some of that fabric, if only a little bit.

Cleaning out my spare room is what got me looking at my yarn stash, which isn't that big compared to some others, but it made me realize I had yarn for projects that I had long forgotten. So below is the start of the Counterpane Accessory pouch from Handknit Holidays. If you're interested there is a knit-a-long for this book here.

I'm using some yarn I original bought for a warm hat for a friend's husband (sorry J.) It is Knit Picks Palette in Ash, double-stranded.

I also have an FO to post about, but will do that another time.

Bridezillas

2006-07-02T12:22:00.000-04:00

It’s Sunday morning and there is nothing on television. So I’ve flipped to WE’s Bridezillas. Oh my god! There are women in the world (just like this woman on today’s how) wondering why they can’t find a good man and settled down*. LOOK IN THE MIRROR!! If this woman’s fiancé ditched her at the altar she is well deserving of the act and I wouldn’t feel the least bit sorry for her (alas, he did not get any balls [see later in post] and did not ditch her.)

Yeah, weddings can be stressful and a lot of the planning falls on the bride. This is a double-edged sword because these women generally dream of planning their perfect wedding and then go on and on (and on!) about how stressful it ends up being. Hello! Striving for perfection is stressful and ridiculous.

And what about these men! The groom-to-be is crying like a baby after his soon-to-be (let’s hope not) wife throws a fit and says she won’t marry him. He needs to get some balls and stand up to this woman – she is walking all over him.

I’ve learnt one thing…I can’t watch this show without yelling at the tellie. Who are these people? I can definitely see these people ending up in divorce court. Selfishness and self-importance is contributing to the almost 50% divorce rate in America.

I mean, really, who needs 15 (yes, I said 15!) bridesmaids and groomsmen? It’s a waste of money for one day when it could be spent on a down payment for a house or something important…maybe a child’s college education. The total wedding cost: $83,000!

*Just a quick note: Although I am happily married and have been for 8 years, I do not think a woman is incomplete if she is not married or have a boyfriend/partner.

Project Updates

2006-07-01T10:56:00.000-04:00

Mousie Mousie is coming along nicely - although it's not as attractive as the one in the picture, but for a first try I think its okay (notice I've not picked a gender - I'm looking over the names people have sent in.)

In the bits n' pieces stage.

Missing the ears, but mostly put together.

I also got some new yarn today for my Picovoli. I got the yarn called for in the pattern (Debbie Bliss "Cathay") from an Ebay seller at $3.99 a ball!

And, not a knitting project, but sewing - I picked my fabric for this yesterday as well. I will give you a sneak peak when I actually get started on it.

That's it for now!

P.S.

2006-06-29T16:07:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would also add that I'll have the contest run through the week probably, depending on the response. Also, to help with those name suggestions, he/she is going to be made with scraps that are red, light green, violet/light purple, and eggplant. It is going to look quite strange!

New Layout, Projects & CONTEST!

2006-06-28T23:01:00.000-04:00

So, I now have a new template with some personal touches...and boy, did it take some time. I hope this blog will now reflect a bunch of my interests, not just knitting. I love to read and that's why I added my reading list so everyone knows what pages I'm turning. Okay - onto the projects I'm working on.

Here is a pic of my Eyelet Capelet from Wrap Style while it is being lightly blocked. It's a bit plain looking now, but I plan on crocheting a small flower in a contrast color (probably an orange yarn) color to adorn it.

I am also working on a small project using some scrap yarn I have from a previous project (a Christmas scarf.) Here is just one piece of it:

This scrap project is this little guy below...which leads to the contest (see below photo.)

CONTEST
Why? Well, partly to celebrate my new look and partly because I forgot my blog-a-versary, and because my last post was post #100 - woohoo!
What to do? Send me an email (beckysue33@hotmail.com) or leave a comment on my blog with your answer and email (IMPORTANT). Answer to what? I'm taking suggestions for a name for my little mousie friend.
What will I do?I will pick my favorite and the winner will get a little prize (not sure yet, something yarn-y most likely). I will also put everyone's name into a hat and draw a name for a consolation prize too, how about that?

Excuse the mess!

2006-06-27T12:48:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of revamping my blog entirely. While I will still be posting quite a bit of knitting stuff, I am going to branch out and widen the scope of this blog a bit.

Future Projects

2006-06-23T21:48:00.000-04:00

My Eyelet Capelet from Wrap Style is almost done so I've been eyeing new projects. I still have to re-cast on for my Ribbi Cardi, but I'm still looking for other stuff to knit. There are a couple of projects from IK that I want to do, but they're sweaters so I'm putting those off.

One thing I have seen is Picovoli by Grumperina. I'm behind the bandwagon on this, it seems, with so many other bloggers having all ready knit it. I've been inspired by Colourknits and this is a different way to wear it that's very chic too.

I'm also eyeing the Minisweater at Glampyre after seeing one on Elliphantom's blog. I love reading blogs just for this reason!

So anyway, sorry for the link infested post, but sometimes I just don't feel like loading pics and stuff for the page.

No knitting - Europe photos

2006-06-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

I have no knitting content as of yet. I haven't even had time to pick up the needles (boo-hoo!) Anyway, here are some photos from my trip. These are just teasers. You can see all of the photos I took here.

London

Paris

Berlin

Copenhagen

Stockholm

I'm home

2006-06-10T17:48:00.000-04:00

I got back last night after 26 days in Europe. For the most part it was a really great trip. We didn't always have the best weather, but what can you do? I will post some pics and stuff later after I get some more sleep. Right now my body feels like its six hours later than it really is.

Where have you been?

2006-05-07T22:10:00.000-04:00

Saw this on another blog so I thought I'd try it. It's now updated to reflect my European trip.

This map does not include all the airports I've stopped in because I don't think that really counts, but for interest I've stopped over in Singapore, Taiwan and New Zealand.

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

As promised

2006-05-06T20:31:00.000-04:00

Here are the photos of the socks I got from my Sockapalooza pal, Nancy. Along with the socks she sent a cute little bag and some Texas cascarones, which I had to look up on the internet because I didn't know what they were or what you were supposed to do with them!

Lying on the couch taking a break - I have worn them twice since getting them.

They fit really well and this yarn is really nice and soft, not scratchy.

Another view showing up Nancy's good work. This is the second pair of socks she's ever knit!

Sockapalooza!

2006-05-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

I received my socks today from my sock pal Nancy. I haven't had the time to post photos yet but hopefully they'll be up by the weekend.

New Yummy Yarn

2006-05-01T19:19:00.000-04:00

I ordered this 100% Alpaca from an Ebay seller and it's so soft and yummy (see pic below.) Getting this in the mail today has certainly made life more bearable. I had three exams today. I think they all went well, but still, my brain is rebelling. Now I have to study for the rest of them. I think I'm going to treat myself and go to my knitting group tomorrow, just because I think I deserve it. Anyway, here are photos:

I don't know what it is about orange, but I've been gravitating towards these hues lately. I even bought an orange skirt today. My ribbi cardi is also going to be kind of orange-y.

This is what the yarn is going to become once I have time. It looks a little challenging, but since I managed the Wave Skirt from this same issue of IK, I think I can push myself through. I like a challenge.

HELL WEEK!

2006-04-29T20:45:00.000-04:00

May 1-5 is going to be a hell of a week for me. It's my final exam week at college and I feel like I'm going to die. I have 3 exams on Monday, 2 on Wednesday and 1 on Friday. Not only do I have to study this weekend I also have to work even though I asked for a couple of days off (due to emergencies that couldn't be helped, I have to go in.)

Anyway, wish me luck! The only thing getting me through is the fact that on May 15th I fly out for my trip here.

Completely missed...

2006-04-26T21:40:00.000-04:00

my blog-a-versary! Goes to show how busy I've been with school and stuff. For some reason I decided to check out when I started this blog, which was March 8th 2005. SO, keep checking back for something to do with a contest for my belated blog-a-versary.

New Project

2006-04-26T18:31:00.000-04:00

Even though I have exams coming up, I felt the need to cast on for a new project since my skirt was finished. So this is what I'm making:

It's the top-down eyelet capelet from Wrap Style.

It is actually coming along quite quickly. I think I'm going to crochet a flower to go with it, like the one in the picture, but made out of yarn. I'm thinking of making it out of some orangey colored yarn I have because I think the contrast will be nice.

Here are some photos of my wave skirt. I've worn it once, but forgot to take a photo of it on.

This is the edging I did - not what the pattern called for. I will give more details when I put this project in my completed gallery.

Blocking.

I think I'm going to replace the crocheted i-cord that is used as a belt because it doesn't seem to hold and I feel like I have to keep tightening it. I'm thinking of going to JoAnns Fabrics to look for the perfect ribbing. I'll have to take the skirt with me to get one that matches nicely.

Surf's Up!

2006-04-21T23:40:00.000-04:00

The Wave Skirt is done! That's right, finished. I finished up the lace edging while watching Dr. Who. I'm not too keen on the actor playing this doc, my favorite was number four. I was still a kid when I watched this and they had to be reruns, and although they look stupid now, those Daleks scared the crap out of me. Anyway, that's some Dr. Who for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about.

Anyway, the skirt still needs to be blocked, but that will get done tomorrow. I made a few changes, which I will explain when I post the pictures.

Projects

2006-04-20T20:41:00.000-04:00

I have been knitting...really! I finished my first pair of socks, which can be seen here.

My Wave Skirt is almost done...I'm just working on the edging, which I have changed from what the pattern calls for. I wanted to have it done for my trip to Europe and I was struggling with the lace pattern it actually called for so I just picked something nice I liked from this.

Rock 'n Ribbed Socks

2006-04-20T10:41:00.000-04:00

Voila! My very first pair of socks...done. Except for a little bit of mismatch at the toe, I managed to keep the stripes pretty much matched up.

Pattern:Rock 'n' Ribbed from here. This is a great book, with very simple instructions.
Yarn: Simple Stripes (double stranded, giving it a different look to what it's supposed to turn out like) in Snapdragon from Knit Picks
Date Started:About two weeks ago, April 2nd or 3rd.
Date Finished:Yesterday! April 19th, 2006
Destination: Going to my sockapalooza pal!

I call these the 'fruit punch' socks, but the gals at my knitting group said the colors reminded them of sherbert. Either way, good thoughts.

One down, one to go!

2006-04-07T19:32:00.000-04:00

Here is my first ever finished sock! If it looks a little strange at the toe it's because it's too big for my little foot - these are for my Sockapalooza Pal. The pattern is from Knit Socks! and is called Rock 'n' Ribbed.

In-progress photo.

Done! This was one of two photos I took and I think this one represents the colors much better than the other.

Socks!

2006-04-05T21:28:00.000-04:00

Can you get addicted to socks with just your first pair? I'm knitting for my sock-pal (Sock-a-palooza) and I'm doing fairly good for a newbie. I've only had to rip out once but now I'm on the home stretch, knitting to the toe. Look-out toe shaping! They're coming along quite nicely so I should definitely be done by the deadline.

I'm all ready eyeing some lovely Memories sock yarn from Knitpicks in several colorways to make myself a pair - and am even considering socks for gifts for Christmas this year (a long way off I know!)

Lots of project updates

2006-03-24T20:00:00.000-05:00

Finally, I've found time to take photos, upload them and now post. Beware - this is a photo intensive post.

First up, my Ribbi Cardi is coming along, slowly but surely. I'm almost done with the back and I really like this color. It's kind of a pumpkin color, not as bright as it seems to look in the photos.

Beginings of a new project.

I finally cast on for my first pair of socks. These are going to my sockapalooza pal so I'm going to work to a certain point in the pattern before my next knitter's group because I have read ahead and see some trouble patches. But here is the first few rows:

My favorite project at the moment, which is also nearly done, is my Wave Skirt from Interweave Knits Spring 2005 (I think this is the year.)

Not sure if you can see it properly since it's dark blue and our couch is dark blue - but the waves are at the bottom of the skirt so this is just showing the full skirt.

Close-up #1

Close-up #2

Close-up #3

And I can't believe that I never posted on Valentine's Day - my DH surprised me with roses (!) and chocolate goodies. We agreed to exchange cards only and he never sticks to it. I don't think he believes me when I say a card is enough. Here are the pretty roses:

My favorite - an orange rose! It was gorgeous.

The chocolate goodies included three blocks of Cadbury's chocolate and some Turtles (which I don't eat, so DH got them.)

re: MIA

2006-03-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

Wow! I really have let the blog go a bit, but it couldn't be helped. Hopefully I will have a chance soon to post some pics of my Wave Skirt, which is almost done. I just have to master the lace edging that finishes it off. I have also started the Ribbi Cardi (finally) and am almost done with the back. That is going to have to wait for a bit though while I cast on (and probably frog and then re-cast over and over) for my first pair of socks. I joined Sockapalooza so I HAVE to knit socks - it's part of the deal.

I've been wanting to knit socks for a while, but the fear factor had stopped me. No more! I have the yarn and the needles, and even a pattern and I will cast on soon for those. They have to be received by May 2nd I think so I'm cutting it a little close.

Spring Break - yeah!

2006-03-04T12:46:00.000-05:00

So my Spring Break started yesterday afternoon - a little early in the season since it's still pretty cold outside, but I'm glad for the break. The last couple of weeks have been busy, school and work. Knitting has been slow. Hopefully this week I will pick up and get some projects going or finished.

My knitting plans are this:
1. Work on my Wave Skirt. I'm now onto the second feather and fan pattern section so it's coming along nicely. Again, I still can't take a nice pic of it yet.
2. Cast on for my Ribby Cardi that I've wanted to make for so long.
3. Finish the Cashmere Crossings. This project has been changed a lot. I only did the front, but gave the girl who is receiving it the option of waiting for the back to be done (a very long time), or let me make it so the front becomes one poncho - which is the way we're going to go. So I'm going to finish that up and block it this week.
4. Maybe start my kool-aid dyeing so I can (eventually) cast on for Clapotis.

Updates

2006-02-12T15:37:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd post a couple of project updates since it's been a week or so since my last post. First up, the Cashmere Crossings is coming along slowly. I'm almost done with the front, but then I have to start the huge task of knitting the back. I'm just about all-purpled out!

I am up to the first part of the feather and fan pattern of my Wave Skirt. I like how it looks and I'm pretty sure I'm doing it right. It is looking nice with all the blues. I haven't been able to take a nice picture of it though so that will have to wait.

I finished a quick little project for a birthday gift, the felted bucket hat from Chic Knits. If you follow the link to my gallery you can see all the details there.

I haven't cast on for my socks yet for the Sockapalooza, nor have I cast on for my sweater for the Year-of-the Sweater Along. Those are two things on the to-do list.