better and better...

I had my first real conversation with my friend today. It's testament to how hurt she really was that it took two weeks for her to be able to hold up her end of the chit chat line. So, relieved, I post pics of the shawl...

It isn't finished, 3 more repeats...but you know how it goes when there are 200+ stitches a row, it just bogs down a bit.

I also have a little surprise coming...it isn't complicated but it's fun!!!

even though...

...it seems trite to talk about knitting after my last entry, my friend has had the wherewith all to get better and so should I. I finished a hat. I finished my pink and brown socks. I might have purchased some sock yarn, but as we all know, sock yarn doesn't count as stash so I'm OK. Of course, that hat didn't knit itself out of lawn clippings so I may have fallen off the wagon a little...but I'll never tell....(OK, it's Blue Moon, Leticia weight, Spinel colorway...there, ya happy?)The pattern is free and goes like this:
1. Cast on 56 stitches.
2. Knit 2 purl 2 all the way around for six rows (for me that means including the cast on row but one row plus or minus won't make a difference).
3. Knit around for 26 rounds (giving you a total of 32 rounds-ish, I know I made a round when I get back to the tail) theeeeeen
4. Use knit two together decrease like this:
row 33: knit 1. k2tog, knit 2, k2tog all the way around ( leaving 40 stitches).
row 34: knit
row 35: knit 1,k2tog, k2tog, all the way around ( leaving 24 stitches).
row 36: knit
row 37: knit 1, k2tog, all the way around ( leaving 16 stitches)
row 38: k2tog all the way round (leaving 8 stitches). Cut the thread, run it through those stitches, pull tight and weave in the end. Taaadaaa, generic hat! I used 5.5mm (9's) and that yielded me like 2.5 stitches per inch? It's kind of a wag so don't fret too much. It was meant for a regular sized male, but if you go down a size or two in needles or you knit tight, or you like a tall-ish hat, I think the average female would be fine; go up a size or two in needles if you have a big head or want a big hat ;) I put it on and it fit fine but was a little "tall", I might have wanted to roll it up (so lose a few rows [4-6] and it would be fine for a lady with a 21 inch/54.5 cm head. Also my husband tried it on and it was just tall enough and a tiny bit snug; his head is 23 inches/58.5 cm. Btw...we're going for just covered ears.

I also ordered some patterns from a new place...it was the cutey little elephant that did me in!!!

Say it with me now...SEEEEEEAMLEEEEEEESSSS I couldn't help myself. Plus, I actually found a sweater pattern that I like (!?!?! never happens)

...and so I ordered that too :) The blog is byYsolda and it's in the UK, but she takes Paypal (totally my downfall, second only to the evil/love that is Wal-Mart) and they convert :)

If you can't buy 'em, knit 'em

So, I was noodling around the web today and found some fun stuff...apparently, I'm older than I am because I belong in 1964...

You Belong in 1964

You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too.

What Year Do You Belong In?

It sounds fine to me except I don't see anyone with drugs...unless you count yarn, and then I should be off to rehab ;p)

I also saw this, it's a knitted iphone, I wonder what the reception is like on one of these models!

I was going to title this post, "neener neenern neenerrrr." because I finally finished...wait for it...THE PINWHEEL!!! Yes, people, I finally gutted out the dang cuffs. Of course, it took three tries to get the first one done because I kept experimenting with the cast off; would it be i-cord, sewn, or would I have to settle for casting off in pattern. It ended up being the boring old casting off in pattern because try as I may, I could NOT do a sewn bind off, and the i-cord was just going to drive me nuts. Anywhoo, here it is in all it's glory. You have no idea how hard it is to take a picture of yourself wearing a sweater, a flattering one anyway so you'll have to settle on the ol' coffee table shot.

Diet? What diet?

So, as you may or may not know, I'm on a yarn diet...You may not know since I keep going on about the new yarns in my life...and I may have accidentally fallen for some new stuff that may have sort of slid past my paypal account and Whoops! there it is...I got it at The Loopy Ewe. It's Seacoast Handpainted yarn in Chocolate Cherry...mmmmmchocolate...(yeah, I know I'm a ho, but see, I never claimed I wasn't!!)

knot a knitter

Found this whilst I was browsing the Internet...hmmmmmmm

"The Rocky Mountain News Ran an item on Monday on the objects that people are forbidden to bring to Jenna Bush’s reading at the Tattered Cover in LoDo on November 29 (7 p.m.). The extensive list includes the expected, such as weapons and plastic replicas of weapons, and the unexpected, such as umbrellas, backpacks, "containers of any type—bottles, cans, spray containers," unopened envelopes and packages, and knitting needles. In case you’re tempted to just show up naked, that would probably be frowned upon by the security team who will begin screening patrons an hour before the reading."
Clearly she is, "knot a knitter." tee hee, har dee har har *guffaw*

I Rockin'

LA LA LA LA LA, LA!!!! I got my conformation email saying that I get to be in the 2008 Rockin' Sock Club... I admit, I danced. Then, I may have peed in my pants :) I could be joking...on not but no one understands my excitement! I can hardly stand it!!!!! OK, I guess I'm done...





Shameful stuff:




If you look really closely, you'll see that this is my MDU Pinwheel sweater...I hid it under there so that the cat wouldn't nest in it. The shameful part is that all this beautiful work needs is...hang on....cuffs. No, really. Cuffs. I could be finished with this sweater in an hour. All the dangles are tucked in. The buttons are picked....all I have to do is finish four inches of two-by-two rib on each of the sleeves. I can't really explain why I refuse to finish it (and I'm flat out refusing...). Maybe, it just took too long and now it's not as much fun as the Shibui socks that I'm finishing which I got at The Loopy Ewe(That's Shibui in Earth using a fantastic toe-up pattern) Maybe it's the siren song of Christmas presents yet to be made. Maybe it's because I'm just punishing it for needing that last skein...not sure...but I am sure I'll get to it. Not that there's any pressure because it's still getting into the 90's F around here. I can't even wear the dang socks I made. Come to think of it, I think I'll go to go make a hat.

Dia De Los Crafty

I finally listened to the pod cast that Vickie Howell launched on November 1st and I have to say that it was great. I loved the spirit that Kathy Cano Murillo exudes and there was an exchange of great ideas. At one point, they were discussing that traditions aren't as strong as they used to be, but they did go on to merrily discuss their own family traditions and those of their pasts. It seems that the while the traditions themselves may have changed, the ritual of tradition remains and we may feel like slacker moms because we don't elevate certain days to the fevered pitch of days of yore but I think that the ritual of tradition is more alive and well than it may appear. We make, more often and at less of a pitch, simple daily traditions. With our resources and the availability of options, there isn't the same need to save-if you will- the specialness for one or two days of the year. Humans have celebrated in the fall and winter over eons, as a way to survive the long and fruitless winter. However, this day and age doesn't remember what it's like to not have, well, anything. When natural (or unnatural) disasters occur we are reminded with a swiftness that is painful, that the abundance that we have could easily evaporate and I see people everywhere letting every day be a little bit of celebration. So, worry not...the world is rife with tradition, and I especially like the one theme that shone throughout the podcast: the new/old tradition of respecting the hand made gift. No amount of prosperity can take away the work and love and peace that goes into a handmade gift. It both sets us apart and unites us.