Stellify

New directions...

2011-12-27T22:16:00.001-05:00

Hello.. Hello? Is this thing on?

Wow, the dust has been accumulating here. Stay tuned, if you're still reading at all. New things are afoot, complete with a potential new location.

:)

365

2010-11-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

October's pictures were threatened by a catastrophic failure of my beloved iPhone. I had to perform a system restore and lost anything I had done since my last backup, which luckily had only been a few days. It was a tough month, a lot going on. We moved into the new house, TC and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary, and the first anniversary of Bean's passing came and went. Lots of ups and downs. But having Miss V here to keep us busy has certainly helped get us through some of the tough days.

Part of the reason I'm doing an entire project 365 of nothing but Miss V is that I look back at pictures of Bean and hate the fact that they're a finite amount. That's all there is, and all there will ever be. There were days that I didn't take any pictures of her, and I feel like those days are lost forever now. I found a great app for the iPhone, and have been taking a picture of V every day. It's nice looking back and seeing where she's been and what we've been doing every day of her life so far.

Knitting progress has been slow, for obvious reasons. I am about halfway through a pair of mittens that I can't tell you about, a hat that requires 9" of stockinette in the round on #3 needles, and other languishing projects that are begging for my attention. Not to mention the pounds of alpaca fiber that still sit in my fiber basket next to my wheel. Once the house is unpacked and settled, and V becomes a little more independent (she's a snuggler, and I love it), hopefully I'll be ready to rock. :)

This would be why I've not been posting...

2010-10-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

It's been a wee bit busy here. :) All is well, everyone's healthy and happy. More to come once I get a good night's sleep...

Cruel Summer

2010-08-10T11:04:00.001-04:00

Man, it has been one heck of a summer here in the Northeast. Hot, humid, not a lot of rain or relief from the weather. It's been the #1 reason a lot of my plans for the season have become somewhat derailed. Knitting and spinning in this heat is just gross. I attempted the Tour de Fleece this year, only to fall woefully short. Just too sticky to handle alpaca fiber. Ick. Working the horse is almost inhumane, for both her and I. TC and I have taken a couple of weekend trips, however. We were in Maine a few weekends ago, and the weather cooperated with our plans. The dew point was down, and there was a nice cool ocean breeze for the entire weekend. It was lovely.

I've had to pick and choose days to keep Siouxsie working. She's almost to the point where she can be ridden.

She will walk, trot and canter nicely on the line, and she's been wearing my big old western saddle most days, if it's not too hot. I've tried to belly up on her a bit, but as you may notice upon further inspection of the picture, I've got a bit of my own belly in the way.

We've been keeping it as quiet as possible, because it's just a difficult thing to talk about some days, but we are expecting again. In fact, I'm due in 19 days. After Bean was gone, we had a wonderful counselor who asked us if we were going to have more kids someday. I said of course, I want 10 kids, and I want them yesterday. So she asked if we were trying to get pregnant again. We said no, and she said, "Why? You know it takes 9 months to make a baby. That's a lot of waiting..." and we realized she was right. We found out we were pregnant again on Christmas Eve, and it just made the holidays bearable. We still missed our little girl, but knowing we had something to look forward to helped a lot.

Baby knitting commenced as soon as we found out we were having another little girl. I has wanted to spin and knit a BSJ for Bean, but I hadn't gotten around to it. This time, I was not going to let the same thing happened. So my seekrit spinning and knitting made this:

...which, when folded up all sneaky and the like, makes this:

The yarn is spun from Spunky Eclectic fiber, 100% Corriedale wool, colorway "Rosebud". I'm not a huge fan of pink, but the raspberry tones and the green really caught my eye. I spun enough yarn that I made a matching set of booties and have plenty of leftovers for another baby sweater. I have yet to put on the perfect little ladybug buttons and give it a wash. I'm hoping to full the sweater a bit to fluff up the wool so this will be the perfect fall coat for the Bug. If you've never knit one of these, I highly recommend it. It's a fun knit, easy to do, and amazing how it all works out.

I'm finally to the point where I'm ready to have this kid. Not only has this weather done me in, but the psychological aspect of what's about to happen has done me in as well. Being 9 months pregnant in public is tough most days. The innocent questions that strangers ask cut right to the quick: "Is this your first?" Sometimes I lie and say yes. Because it's easier. Being pregnant again is a good thing, but it's not 100% happy. It's as terrifying as it is joyous. I'm thankful that I can have another child, don't get me wrong, I just want to blend into the woodwork again. And just when I'm at the end of my rope, my girls surprise me. They got together and made me a gorgerous blanket for the Bug (see Melody's post all about it here). They had been working on it for a while, and I had no idea. I was touched. Not only because they thought of me, but they also thought of my mom (who has a wool allergy) and made the blanket out of non-wool yarn so Grammie can snuggle with her granddaughter without getting hives. Ladies, you kick ass.

And just in case that wasn't enough for us, TC and I are in the process of buying and renovating a house. The day after we signed papers, this sign went up on all entrances to the house:

Mold. Lots of it. We knew it was there, and we knew it had to be remedied. Half of the house was literally removed. Walls, floor, cabinets, some studs, and carpet. A crew of guys in hazmat suits and respirators working in oppressive heat and humidity. Once it was cleared out, the contractors got to work. We're hoping to move in 2-3 months, knowing we couldn't get things done before the Bug was born. Why go through all this trouble? We like our current house. We have no reason to move. BUT - this house is in the neighborhood where I grew up, and it was a foreclosure. Even with all the additional work, we're getting this house for super cheap. We almost can't afford to do this right now, but in the long run, it will all be worth it.

So, lots to come! Pictures and updates on a baby, a horse, and a house... and maybe more knitting. Busy busy!

Not so seekrit?

2010-07-18T16:20:00.000-04:00

Seekrit knitting completed. Photo taken prior to seaming and finishing...

Slow and Steady.

2010-06-27T13:32:00.000-04:00

Time seems to have slowed to a crawl around here. When you're waiting around for things, it's amazing how the days stretch out...

The super sekrit project is almost done, Just need to find the right buttons. They can make such a big impact! And, in making sure I had enough yarn, I have been making additional odds and ends with the crapton of leftover I have. Again, finishing touches need to happen, and I'll post some glamour shots once I take them. I also may or may not have a few fleeces coming my way. That should help pass the time, right?

This month was tough. TC and I found ourselves withdrawing from things and keeping close to each other. The bean's birthday was last week, and we were just bracing for that day coming and going without her here to celebrate. The double whammy was Fathers Day hitting too. It's a feeling I hope nobody I know will ever have to experience. I've learned a lot in this past year. It has held the happiest and the most devastating moments of my life. To have such an emotional roller coaster in such a short period of time is absolutely overwhelming. It's with us every day, and will be until we're no longer walking the earth. TC and I are lucky to have some wonderful family and friends who have helped us through all of this. For that, we are so very thankful.

Outside of the knitting and spinning, Siouxsie (the pony) maintains her role as my therapist. I finally was able to put a saddle on her last week, and she was a model student. At this rate, I'm thinking she could take a rider in a month or so, especially once I fix my sad, old western saddle. I need a new cinch and off billet, since it's been sitting in the tack room unused since it was last worn by my beloved Chevy, in 2005. Rusty and crusty. Better (and safer) to get new.

Hopefully some nice findings will make their way to me, and I'll have some photos up next time!

No work and all fiber makes Jack a happy boy.

2010-05-14T22:33:00.000-04:00

I have finally finished spinning and plying the wool for the super sekrit project. It turned out better than I had hoped - I'm really happy with the development of my spinning skills. I set out to make a DK-ish weight out of 8 oz of fiber, hoping to get about 600 yards.

Spunky Eclectic Fiber
100% Corriedale
Colowray Rosebud
8 oz, 14 WPI
~650 yards

I'm so pleased. This spinning project has restored my love of spinning, both on the wheel and with a spindle. I recently acquired a new Bosworth spindle, adding to the one I bought at Rhinebeck a while ago. It's a Midi, made of Bloodwood, and weighs 1.3 oz.

This is my other spindle, a Bosworth Mini in Canarywood, weighing in at .57 oz. I love the natural iridescence to this wood.

I've got my eye on a few new spindles, so we'll see what might show up in the mail. I also rejoined the Spunky Club, so I should be getting some new fiber over the next few months. I'm glad that with all the knitting that I'm trying to get done right now, I have found time to get back to spinning. I've already begun to prep the next wheel project, 4 oz of 50/50 Merino/Tencel, that will become a pair of socks.

The other thing that's getting lots of time lately is the horse. Siouxsie has been making wonderful progress in her training. She can still be a handful, but no more rearing up and other stupid things. She has been working well, and I'm hoping to have a saddle on her in a month or so, and hopefully a rider soon after that. She's grown to 15 hands now, and doesn't look like a youngster anymore. I attempted to get some pictures of her the other day, but between her and the three yearlings, camera curiosity was the death of every shot I tried to take. We'll have another go at it next week.

You Spin Me Right Round...

2010-04-30T12:01:00.001-04:00

I had a spinning batt that I purchased a long long time ago, from Loop (on Etsy). The photograph of it alone gave me goose bumps. 100% bamboo. Colorway Mint Chocolate Chip. I mean, come on. Just look at it.

I bought it shortly after I acquired my spinning wheel and promptly put it in the fiber stash, taking it out every so often to drool over it, and then return it to the stash. Frankly, it scared me a little. Wool kind of sticks to itself when you spin it. Bamboo, well, there's not much to hold those fibers together before putting any sort of twist into it. I decided it was time to try it. And I'm quite happy with the results.

It's so shiny and soft. 3 oz turned out a little over 90 yards of worsted weight yarn. I love this color combination something fierce. Now to find a little cowl pattern so I can snuzzle this stuff some more.

With that finished, onto the super sekrit spinning project!

That would be some Spunky Eclectic Corriedale in Rosebud. 4 oz. spun up, 4 to go...

Potholders!

2010-04-07T16:31:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I got my potholder swap package in the mail. After looking at lots of pictures on Ravelry and on Flickr, I was really looking forward to getting my stack. The quality of work my fellow hookers put forth was amazing! And my haul didn't disappoint!
A-Sides:

B-Sides:

It's nice to have a little ray of sunshine show up in the mail like this - between the torrential rains we've had here lately and my own lot of drama with family and friends alike, it's nice to have a wee bit of happy.

Speaking of happy, the little filly is growing up and turning into quite the horse. Siouxsie will be turning three at the end of this month. My, does time fly! Of course, I have no recent pictures of her, but that's mainly because we've been doing a lot of work lately. No time for pictures! She's accepting a bit regularly, and we will be working up to other pieces of tack over the next few months. My goal is to have her rideable this fall. Hopefully before the end of the year, I'll post a picture of us riding around in the ring! We've had a few rough workouts, mainly because I wasn't in the right frame of mind, and she can really yank my chain when she wants to, but she's been consistently good for the past couple of weeks, and I'm really starting to see a lot of improvement in her attitude. She's still a punk teenager, attitude-wise.

There's been some knitting and some spinning activity, quite increased since I became unemployed. I've got a bunch of almost FOs and new projects cruising along. (And no, Maplewing isn't done yet. Check back in a year. Or two.)

All by myself... sing it with me...

2010-03-23T09:39:00.001-04:00

Yup. Got the house all to myself. All day. Most days. While TC is at work, anyway. A few things have happened since I was last able to write. The big one: my company is shutting down my location - where I've worked for over 10 years. I'm now entering my second week of unemployment. It's really quite nice to not have to go to a job I've been less than happy with for a while. It was odd - when they had the big meeting to tell everyone that we were shutting down, most people were visibly upset, and rightfully so. Me, I had to hide my smiles. Yes, we're all losing our jobs, and yes, the job market sucks right now, but this is the opportunity to go do what you love. This is the time to do what makes you happy. So, yay to that. I do have some temporary work coming up, helping to get a startup company off and rolling, which should be exciting. They're certainly excited about their new business, which is a nice change from where I was previously.

The best part of not working is that I have plenty of time to spend with the horse now. She's almost 3 now, and hopefully will be rideable by this summer. Sunday, I put a bit and bridle on her for the first time, and she did great. I'm hopeful that in a month or so, I'll have her saddled and working calmly enough that we might try to sit on her back!

There has also been knitting. And crocheting. I was successful in completing a pair of unlined Fiddlehead Mittens for the Ravelympics. Knit on #2 needles, with single-ply Icelandic wool sportweight yarn bought at Rhinebeck from Frelsi Farms. I still have quite a bit left over, so I'm hoping to do a hat as well. They came out a little snug with the yarn being finer than what was called for, so I may not line them, still deciding on that. I'm really pleased with the natural colors and how they all worked well together.

I've also *just* finished a set of 5 crocheted potholders for the Great Potholder Swap of 2010. Here's the scoop - you make 5 potholders, crochet, double-sided, same pattern, different colors. Mail them in by the deadline. The potholder elves have a grand old time oohing and aahing over everyone's handiwork, and mix em up, and you get 5 different ones back from 5 different people. Not done in time? No worries. There's no pre-obligation. Mail em in if you get em done.

Pattern: Stir Me Up Potholders
Yarn: Takhi Cotton Classic
Hook: 4.0 mm

I'm so happy with the way these came out, I don't want to give them away. But I've seen the pictures of other swap participants, and I'm anxious to see what comes back to me! Now I'm off to the post office to mail these off - I'm getting them sent just in the nick of time!

MLK Day.

2010-01-19T20:53:00.000-05:00

I know I'm a day late here, but I wanted to share some of my favorite quotations of Dr. King's. The pastor at my church grew up in Mississippi in the middle of the civil rights movement. The highest ranking member of the KKK lived in his hometown. He was in the middle of this slice of history that I can only read about, being too young to have lived through any of it. He had friends who knew Dr. King personally. I'm always in awe of the stories he tells. Here are some statements he made in his many speeches and sermons:

"True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island….to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing."
"A friend is someone, who upon seeing another friend in immense pain, would rather be the one experiencing the pain than to have to watch their friend suffer."
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
"Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation."
"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right."
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

And my favorite excerpt from all of his sermons can be heard and read here: http://www.thekingcenter.org/.

Good stuff. Profound stuff. Stuff to bring you back to center.

Fa La La.

2009-12-14T18:01:00.000-05:00

This weekend, my besties and I all got together for a lovely holiday gathering. I was reluctant at first, because holiday cheer, even the most sincere forms of it, are really hard for me to weather right now. But I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and picked up the gals and headed out to Heather's lovely abode.

We all drew names waaaaay back in July, and had a subject to knit mittens for. This was a difficult challenge on so many levels. You knew everyone was going to bring their "A" game, and when they person you're knitting for cranks out beee-you-tiful work, it's hard to decide on a pattern that you think will measure up. After agonizing over pattern and yarn choices for a couple months, final decisions were made and the mitten knittin commenced. You know you've picked a winner when not only do you want to keep the mittens you're giving away, but that the person you're knitting for has made THE SAME PATTERN for their swap recipient! However, this puts a new twist on the gift giving anxiety - can I knit my mittens as well as she knits hers? GAH! But, in the end, I am pleased as punch with the final product, and I think Bethe was too! Nothing warms the cockles of one's heart more than a happy gift recipient.

Then comes the other side of the story - who knit mittens for me? We have varying mitten-knitting abilities in our group. A good number of us bit the bullet and did fancy colorwork mittens that were beautiful, and challenging. The ones I was hoping for, however, were from Danielle. She had NEVER knit a pair of mittens before this swap, and I really wanted a pair of mittens that were truly knit with nothing but love and the best of intentions. Imagine my excitement when I GOT DANIELLE'S MITTENS. I think I started crying before I even opened the box. I received the best pair of mitered mittens ever knit. Every stitch was a labor of love, knowing that this pattern, to Danielle, was what colorwork and complex textures were to the rest of us. AND SHE CUT HER KNITTING TO MAKE THUMBS. Something most of us are still afeared of.

It is a blessing to have a group of friends that would all agree to knit a pair of mittens for someone else, not because they were obligated to, but because we truly care for one another. The time spent was not a waste, but a reminder of how much we all mean to each other. And whether they were beginner's mitered mittens or fancy fair isle stripey mittens, each stitch in each pair of mittens was knit with positive intentions - to warm not only the recipient's hands, but their hearts as well. We appreciate more than the mittens, we appreciate the selflessness. I have been through hell in the past couple of months, and it's wonderful to be part of a group of gals who will drop everything, put themselves aside and take care of each other. We have all been grieving together, but I believe it has brought us all closer, and taught us what really matters (and what really does not matter!), and that, my friends, is what truly defines a WIN.

Thankful.

2009-11-26T16:55:00.000-05:00

Count your blessings.

I am blessed to have a wonderful husband, my bond with whom has been annealed in the fire of recent events.
I am blessed to have family that can find words when most cannot.
I am blessed to have friends that would walk through fire for me, and I would do the same for them.
I am blessed with the ability to see all things in focus, truly discerning the important things from those that truly do not matter.
I am blessed with strength, with fire, with passion, with grace, with peace.
I am blessed.

Finding normal.

2009-11-04T09:55:00.001-05:00

The one thing I am learning is that my definition of "normal" is changed forever. I spend my days trying to feel what normal is for us now. Once I was able to knit a stitch without feeling guilty, I found a kind of normal, a comforting routine. I started a pair of felted slippers, the jury's still out on those - they didn't quite felt how I'd like, so there's still some work to be done to get the proper fit. The one project I am looking forward to working on is Anne Hanson's Maplewing Shawl (Ravelry link). Step one: Cast on *600* stitches.

I bought this kit at SPA last winter, and was looking forward to working on it while I was home on maternity leave. Obviously, I had no idea how little knitting time I'd have - or I thought I could do everything! Now I look at this pattern and find a little escape from thinking too much, an invitation for some peace. I have a simple square shawl on the needles as well, to satisfy my need for mindless knitting, and I'm also working on Liesl, which is a pretty easy knit as well. But when I need to turn down the volume, Maplewing's ready for me.

Moving on.

2009-10-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

This blog is not the place to chronicle the long journey ahead of me. This blog is for things that I have made, done, seen, enjoyed. Thank you for taking a look and reading these last few posts - the knitting has commenced, and forward is the only direction I can go from here.

2009-10-24T13:40:00.000-04:00

I write this with a heavy and broken heart today. Our daughter was laid to rest yesterday, having passed away one day shy of turning four months. Reading the previous post almost comforts me, knowing that nothing was ever taken for granted with bean. This picture was taken the night before we lost her.

We know that there are no words to ease the sting; we know that nobody knows what to say. And thankfully, almost nobody can say that they know how we feel. We all know that life is fragile and temporary, but when faced with a light that was extinguished so quickly, every moment seems more precious. We are thankful for every day that we had with her, and as I was reminded by a family friend this week, she never had a bad day. She was happy and bright, and in our biased parental view, perfect. And if anything good can come out of this, please find a renewed love and appreciation for your kiddos, whether they're your children, nieces or nephews, godchildren, students, or just someone else's kids in your life. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers in these difficult days.

Time flies when you're having fun.

2009-10-06T21:03:00.000-04:00

Or when the sleep deprivation makes distinguishing one day from the next a little more difficult. It's been over three months since the bean has made her way here. The change that has happened in these three months is absolutely mind-boggling. She's got personality now, we have long talks, we crack each other up. I can't imagine how I got along without her. She's one cool kid so far, and I can't wait to see what's in store.

The best part of becoming a mother is the new focus I have on everything. Nothing else matters anymore. This little peanut is the center of my universe. I was always someone who would sweat the small stuff; she has made all the small stuff in my world vanish. I have never been so at peace with myself and my situation. I totally get why parents can never stop talking about their kids - this is the most fascinating, amazing, miraculous, incredible experience, and every day takes all those emotions up one more notch.

There's a wee bit of knitting taking place - I started a Rhinebeck sweater, fully intending on finishing it in time to wear it to *this year's* NY S&W. We shall see. Pictures (taken with the new camera) coming soon...

So far, my fave FO to date.

2009-06-28T11:46:00.002-04:00

And the best Father's day present I could ever give anyone.

See? I knit things...

2009-06-18T16:46:00.003-04:00

From top to bottom (ravelry Links): Ice Queen, Mrs. Beeton, Fake Isle hat and neck tube, Squares, and Watermelon. Top two are for me, middle set is for TC, and the last two are for the wee bairn... when she gets here...

Waiting...

2009-06-16T15:30:00.002-04:00

Wow. Last post was January. I've neglected this poor little blog. Maybe some more time at home (ha!) will get me writing here again...

I am still pregnant. 39 weeks. Due Monday. And I'm really going nuts waiting. This is most definitely the hardest part of the pregnancy. The rest of the time, everything has been going by the book, healthwise and comfortwise I've been perfect. Last week, I went in for my usual appointment, and my blood pressure was slightly elevated. Nothing to write home about, except that I tend to run low in the BP department, and slightly elevated to the average bear is high for me. So, my maternity leave has officially begun. I'm not on bedrest, just not-at-work rest. I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible, which is hard when you have an urge to reorganize everything in the house. I'm getting some last-minute errands done, at least. I wonder if I can will myself into starting labor. The mind is a powerful thing, you know.

Once the sun actually comes out, I may have some FO pictures to post. Including some handspun yarn. I haven't been super-productive in the craft department as of late, but I should have something to show for my months of radio silence. Stay tuned...

Hi. :)

2009-01-30T21:56:00.005-05:00

I haven't really been knitting, or doing much of anything lately, see extreme fatigue comment a few posts down. Mostly because I'm making a little person, and it has made me tired and incapable of concentrating on anything. I'm beginning to come out of the fog, and have become semi-productive lately, but working a full time job, at this stage, is really all I have energy for.

So there. If you didn't already know, ya do now! And there may be actual content in the near future.

Oh, and thank you, Mr. Varitek, for taking the deal. We all know how miffed I'd be if you hadn't.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:16:00.003-05:00

I must admit, I am very happy to see a new month, and a new year, on the calendar. December was a rough month! We had some terrible ice storms that knocked our power out for several days *twice*, a satellite TV installation that took three weeks and hours on the phone with customer service, leaky window jambs in our old house, and another repair bill for the truck. But we have much to be thankful for as well! This year brought me a bunch of new friends, new career opportunities, and many other happy blessings...

Looking forward to 2009! Hope you all are well and have many blessings to count!

Why, hello there!

2008-12-11T09:39:00.002-05:00

Wow. I'm a slacker. Between serious fatigue and busy work schedules, and the holidays beginning to ramp up, I have neglected this poor, sad blog. I have nothing new on the knitting front to share, as, alas, that has suffered as well. I just cast on a pair of Jaywalkers with my first ever Socks that Rock Med. weight in Jabberwocky (it is some glorious sock yarn, I tell ya), and I half-heartedly started a sweater, but I'm just not feelin it.

It's a cold, rainy day here, and the rumors are that everything will freeze over tonight. Fun times. I'm hanging at home today, waiting for the satellite TV dude to come tweak the dish so I can watch the TV. Maybe I'll go fluff the stash and see if anything calls to me...

Ketchup.

2008-10-24T18:46:00.002-04:00

The Sox did end up losing Game 7. Bummer. At least I'll get some sleep now.

I went to Rhinebeck. I bought a metric butt-ton of yarn. And fiber. And a Bosworth drop spindle. (Which is worth its weight in gold, I tell you. Go buy one.) I did not take any pictures, so I'm stealing these ones from Mel:

Good shopping, good beer, gorgeous fall day...

...And a kickass group of gals to do it with. Thanks for a lovely day!

In other news, I made up my two points from my previous FAIL, so now I guess I'm certifiable...

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish.

2008-10-16T22:50:00.003-04:00

ETA: Or not? Ha. I posted this before I went to bed. Thinking it was OVER. I guess we all had to really believe that there was no way to win. To quote Yogi Berra, It ain't ovah, till it's ovah.

Now, TWO MORE WAKEUPS TO RHINEBECK!!! w00t!

I'm baaaack...

2008-10-10T09:28:00.005-04:00

It seriously takes a day away from work for me to find the time to post on the blog. That new job thing didn't really work out, so I've been spending a lot of time focusing on my current job, and ways to make my life and the department's lives better. Between that, and all the extracurricular activities that come with the beginning of fall, I've been hopping.

First things first. I am a spinner.

She arrived in Mid September. And with a bit of finishing wax, some elbow grease, and a rubber mallet, we have Helga.

Yes, Helga. TC named her. She's an Ashford Traveller, and I love her. The treadles are squeaking pretty bad lately, I'll have to re-grease them or something. Other than that, I got it figured out that night, and I've just been spinning to make yarn. Not any specific weight, just trying to get the action of spinning down. I think I'm getting pretty consistent. My drop spindling was coming along nicely until I sat down at this baby. I can see the drop spindle serving a purpose, but man.. I love my wheel.

The Sox-Yankees game was "meh". I mean, don't get me wrong, baseball at Fenway is always reason for good times, but you'd expect this one, in late September, to be electric. But since the Yanks were already eliminated from the postseason, we got to see the junior varsity squad. I mean, they had Kevin Cash playing 3rd base at one point.

We showed up for the game on Saturday.

It was rainy.

And foggy.

(Yeah, that's the Prudential building from where we sought shelter behind right field.)

So, they canceled the game. Postponed to the next night. Again, we trek out there, but we got to see baseball!! Extra innings even. It was a good time.
Johnny Pesky's newly retired number:

Hunchback, I mean, Sean Casey.

And for Bethe, MDC leading the boys back from the bullpen.

(We actually saw him closer waiting in the players parking area. He's adorable.)

Test scores are still pending, the mysterious family illness has seemed to take care of itself, I am indeed still knitting things. Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah.

I'm going to Rhinebeck. First trip. Riding out in the party car with my BAMF knitters, Hollis and Melody, and meeting up with some of the other BAMFKnitters... are you going to be there? Hmmm?

Rampant, like herpes, but positive.

2008-10-04T12:03:00.003-04:00

In Massachusetts, the deadline is October 15.
http://maps.google.com/vote

two more days.

2008-09-18T20:12:00.002-04:00

And then I get my brain back. Where have I been? Ha. Right here. Neglecting y'all. Since we last spoke, I had a birthday, for which I was given a spinning wheel (which takes up a lit of my time, damn that thing)(and Red Sox vs. Yankees tix!! squee!!), I've been studying for another major exam (in two days!! ACK!), almost got a new job, now trying to figure out what's wrong with my current job so I can make my life a little better until I really get a new job, and dealt with a weird illness in the family. I promise once I get things back in order, I will have something interesting to say.

Till then, well, put on your big girl panties. And miss me. ;)

O is for Old.

2008-08-31T10:11:00.003-04:00

As in, my house. Built in 1915. Old houses have so much character. Imagine how happy we were to hear that there were hardwood floors under the icky smelly mauve carpet? Yay!

But... This is what we found.

We weren't even sure what kind of wood it was. We had the refinishing folks come look at it. I had thought it was maple, not grainy enough to be oak. Turns, out it was birch. And that it would refinish beautifully. Boy, they were right...

It couldn't have turned out any better.

Gold medal knitting.

2008-08-31T09:46:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I actually finished a project in two weeks.

Pattern: Forest Canopy Shawl (rav link)
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, 2 skeins
Colorway: Tahoe
Needles: KnitPicks Options, #6

With just a bit of yarn to spare.

Progress, and a new stash.

2008-08-17T11:02:00.003-04:00

Olympic knitting is cruising along according to plan at Chez Stellify.

I wanted to be into the second skein of yarn by this weekend, and I accomplished just that last night. (In between yelling at the swimmers ALL NIGHT. Michael Phelps is a machine, and I'm in awe of his talent.) Now, the pattern picture has 9 patterned diamonds down the center stitch before the edging. At halfway with my yardage, I have 13. Trying to figure out how far to push my luck before starting the edging - I want to use every inch of this yarn...

Speaking of yarn... The BAMFKnitters had a lil yarn swap last weekend. The premise was, bring your tired, your poor, the yarn you're sick of looking at in your stash. The more you bring, the more credits you get. You then "shop" through everyone's yarn and bring home new stuff, without spending a dime. I brought a bagful:

o haha. This is the bagful I brought home.

Lots of nice stuff, and the best part? It's all new to me. We also had a little contest for the fugliest yarn. Check out your winner.

Yes, that's a ball and a half. That means I once used it. My prize was a lovely handmade project bag from Heather:

..complete with Malabrigo. Whee!

I also managed to amass a fiber stash. Guess I'm a spinner now...

I started another little project yesterday...

Those are most of my show ribbons from college. I bought a pattern years ago for instructions on how to make them into wall hangings, quilts, etc. A way to keep them on display in a neat way. I washed up the ribbons and laid them out to dry, under close supervision, as you can see. The problem is that I found the pattern envelope... empty. Can't find the info to save my life. It's in the house somewhere..

Just thought I'd do something with the old ribbons before I start winning new ones...

I hear we might be entering in a show in September...

Let the Games Begin!

2008-08-10T21:16:00.002-04:00

Aaaand, we're off! Friday began what the knitterly folks are referring to as the Ravelympics. Here's the scoop - start a kitting project with the start of the Olympics, and have it done by the time the closing ceremonies finish. Preferably a project that will be a challenge to finish in that period of time. So, since I am slowest knitter EVER, I chose the Forest Canopy Shawl. Knitting on #6, in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Tahoe.

And I actually got to watch some equestrian stuff that wasn't broadcast at 2AM!

Here's today's progress:

You know, I might just get this thing done. Then again, I haven't had a workday yet to impede my knitting progress...

Finished Stuff!!

2008-07-27T20:14:00.002-04:00

The Hemlock Ring Blanket is done!!

Pattern: Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood
Yarn : Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, 3 skeins
Needle: US9
Finished Diameter: 42" at longest points

I'm really pleased with this - it's one of my favorite FO's to date.

In progress:

Crocheted Nalgene cozy. I wanted something to insulate my water bottle, without it dropping sweat on every surface that I placed it on. Just single crochet, until it's tall enough.

And this? Oh, I've been dabbling with the DarkSide... I hear they have cookies.

Schacht spindle, 2.2 oz. And 8 oz of BFL. 4oz white, 4oz dark. Sent from Spunky Eclectic. Me likey. :)

ABC catch-up (Ketchup?)

2008-07-18T12:50:00.002-04:00

I'm cheating. I didn't take this picture. M is for Marriage.

As I don't have children yet, this is officially the happiest day of my life. And this is my favorite picture from that day. If you care to see more, go to my flickr account (see sidebar) and add me as a friend so you can see them. :)

N, continuing on, is for Nap.

It's hard being a fat cat in this heat. Better to sleep it off.

You know what really grinds my gears?

2008-07-16T08:14:00.002-04:00

I seem to be agitated, these last few days. Yeah, I'm on vacation, and yeah, I'm relaxed and crap, but maybe it's giving me a lot of time to think about stuff. So, in no particular order, stuff that's been bugging me lately:

* The stupid black cat in the neighborhood that keeps showing up and attacking my cats through the screens. Damn thing put holes in the screens - I know it's not my cats, they're declawed. I just had to pick the fat orange cat up by the scruff and kick him out of the mudroom.. he wants to kill that stupid thing.

* One certain someone who has made some tough life choices. You say: "i think i stopped understanding how to relate with others. like someone mashed ‘pause’ and i’m looking at a freeze frame of my heart’s arcs and turns. some of them need some serious straightening, and its those that i have no idea how to approach. i think i’m finally getting to the root of one of my oldest reflexes and actually addressing the problem. at least i hope i am. i kind of have to if i want any of the arcs and turns to survive." I hope so - but I know it's not about us... you know where to find me if it is.

* Yankees fans. OK, so hot shot Papelbon said a few things, and those things got taken out of context, and stupid Yankees fans don't know how to READ THE WHOLE STORY. Nothing would have made me happier last night than to see Mariano Rivera give up a GW hit in the 10th. But, JD Drew getting the MVP soothed those wounds just a little. That, and Reggie Jackson's digs on Alex Rodriguez. Both of em. :)

* The Olympics in China and the issues surrounding them. And knitting during the Olympics. I'm not saying that we should be overlooking the issues in China and Tibet. I believe the Color Orange folks say it best: "We want to introduce The Color Orange as a symbol of the protest against the human rights violations in China." Not a protest against the Games themselves. And as knitters, we're not condoning anything, or "knitting for a cause". We want to apply the Olympic spirit of competition to our craft, and push ourselves to do our best, to maybe achieve something we haven't thought possible. There's a way to support your country's team, and the world community, and still have your eyes open and recognize other world issues at the same time. If anything, the Olympics being in China may have made many more people aware of the human rights issues in China. There's a balance, folks...

* Rude people. Especially people who don't know that they're being rude. Maybe if polite people stopped being polite, rude people would notice that they may be rubbing people the wrong way...

That's it. I'm not a really negative person, but sometimes this stuff stacks up, and I have to unload it. I'm going to go yoga out all this negative energy, and we'll be right as rain...

Aah, vacation is here...

2008-07-14T08:26:00.003-04:00

Although I'm off from work this week, that does not mean there's a whole lot of time for relaxation! I took the week off because my last teacher's exam is this coming Saturday, and I have a whole week of time dedicated to studying. OK, and maybe some knitting. And a few trips to the barn. I figure if I put in 4-6 hours of study time every day, I'll be in good shape. Maybe I'll have time to continue catching up on my ABC-along pictures...

I actually have knitting progress to show you!

Here's sock #1 of Firestarter. Sock #2 (thanks to a weekend watching my husband play Halo with his friends away from home) is almost halfway done as well. Gusset increases are 2/3 done, then it's the heel flap and the cuff! Pretty socks, but the pattern gets a little fiddly after a while, and it just seems to take forever to knit. I also have caught back up to where I was on the Hemlock ring prior to ripping back, and have passed by a few rows as of last night. I'm trying to get these two projects done before the Ravelympics start up, so I can concentrate on that project. For some reason, I think I'm going to knit a shawl in 17 days. It will be in sock yarn, but still. And, if for some reason I finish it in record time, I'll still have Kiri to work on... and then? I can start a million new things, since I won't really have anything left on the needles! Yay!

Alright, enough time wasted. Back to the books!

A pictorial tutorial.

2008-07-05T10:47:00.002-04:00

I took some pictures of the graceful fixing of the Hemlock Ring booboo. I thought they might be helpful in showing that you don't have to frog a whole section of your knitting just to fix a little mistake. As you see in the below picture, I've put a DPN in where I need to unravel the stitches to, in order to fix and re-knit the section. Yes, it's 20 rows back. And it was missing about 6 yarn overs.

So, after finding where to unravel to, Here's what it looked like:

Aaaaand.. that's all the pictures I took. I was good for about the first 5 rows of re-knitting the section up. Then reality set in: there were too many yarn overs missed to have enough slack yarn in the section to make them with. Even on #2dpns. So, the rest of the pictures that I didn't take were really of me threading a circ 20 rows back, taking out the first circ, and frogging 20 rows of the damned thing. The good news, though, is that I re-knit half of what I ripped out yesterday afternoon.

In other news: the Ravelympics is almost upon us. A few of us local girls are forming team BAMFKnit, but I still have no idea what to knit. The idea is that you cast on a project during the opening ceremonies of the games, and you must have it complete by the time the flame is extinguished. That's 17 days, I believe, for the slowest knitter I know to get something done, start to finish. AND, I'm hoping to get Hemlock and my second sock done before then. Oh, and study and take test #2 in two weeks...

We interrupt your bloggy reading...

2008-07-01T20:17:00.002-04:00

.. to offer the following:

As an aspiring science educator, I am aware that a salamander is an amphibian. Lizards are technically reptiles. So, the little guy below is not really a lizard. But I needed an L, and it worked. So phbt.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

L is for...

2008-06-30T19:41:00.005-04:00

Little Lizard.

I came across this little guy out letterboxing a few weekends ago. Just sitting there, in the middle of the trail. He was too cute. And he didn't move at all. So I had to snap a picture. In the rain.

It's been a tough few days... The big boo boo on the hemlock ring? I started to fix it, taking pictures to document the unraveling of a few stitches.. ha. Long story short, 20 rows (that's almost one whole skein of yarn) frogged. Yah.

The bright spot? Hanging out with my BAMFknitters at the Worcester Tornadoes Stitch n Pitch on Sunday. Yeah, we got sunburned. But the beer was good, the company better, and the catcher, oh, the catcher..

And back to teh suck.. I've been trying to get TC's XBox online... for three days now. I just got off the phone with customer support. Was chatting with them for over an hour. Had to reboot my wireless network. Had to reboot everything. Repeatedly. The verdict? Maybe the XBox is faulty. Gaaaaah!!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

2008-06-28T14:54:00.004-04:00

The Good: I won my ticket hearing!! It was a little nerve-wracking, and it was looking like the odds were against me for a while, but I did what I had to, and was found "Not Responsible". Yay!!

The Bad: one section of my Hemlock ring is unraveled, and only partially re-knit. I was only missing 4 YOs, but several rows back. like, 15 or 20. I started working on it this morning, even taking pictures. Then I just got pissed off and went to the barn. Hopefully by the end of today, it will be reassembled.

The Ugly: Not the most flattering of photos of the evil feline. But she's still cute. Yeah, ugly on short notice - this is what you get. :)

Ahem.

2008-06-25T20:40:00.006-04:00

And now, to interrupt your regularly scheduled lack of new blog posts... Seriously, I apologize. Been a busy few weeks. I had to study for and take the first of two exams to apply for my teaching license. Yep. Second one is in July, so the studying's not over yet. Additionally, I came down with bubonic plague last week, and just as things were looking up, I found a HUGE mistake in my Hemlock Ring blanket. Several rows back. Involving about 10 YOs. Or lack thereof. Meaning, I have to rip back and reknit. I put it away and started knitting a bathmat. In garter stitch. Gaaaaah.

So, I'm here. I'm still reading your blogs. I just don't seem to be able to get my sh*t together lately... but soon. All will be better soon. How far behind on my ABCs am I now? Lemme catch up... K is for Kika. Cat #3.

She's quite cute, but let me tell you... I've had cats all my life. They live the good life, but are by no means spoiled, nor do they run my house. Except for this one. She's pure evil, and she's got my number.

She's not mean, she doesn't attack people. She's destructive, however. She beats up the fat orange cat, which is funny. She does what she wants, when she wants. And she's quite snuggly at times. On her terms, of course.

And she makes that face when she's bored.

All About meme.

2008-06-08T16:00:00.004-04:00

Blatantly stolen from Heather.

Here's the 411:

the rules:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker).

the questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Photo credits:
1. The other side of the fence, 2. Crab Rangoons - assembled for frying, 3. Peter Doherty, 4. End of the day, 5. FightClub, 6. Gin Tonic, 7. Waikiki, 8. Tirimisu, 9. Horse Trainer, 10. Heart within a Heart, 11. False ego, 12. stellinableu.

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Oh, and I have an appeal hearing at the end of the month for my ticket. :)

Monday, Monday...

2008-06-02T07:34:00.006-04:00

I just realized... I've worked one Monday in the past 5 weeks. Ha! I'm off today, I've got a traffic ticket hearing. Which is good, because I still have loads of stuff to plant. The yard is looking fantastic! Remember these pictures? What a difference..

It's green!! It's so nice to finally have grass! And the other big change is in front of the house...

The ugly shrubs are gone!! And in its place? The perennial garden...

I've got phlox, shasta dasies, columbine, lupines, delphinium.. I can't wait for it to fill in! some of the plants are dormant roots, so it'll be a while until we see green. but in a few years, if everything survives, it'll be a sight!

The rhododendron that ate Cincinnati is in bloom as well. Hopefully we can trim it back a little this season, it's really huge...

And any minute now, I'll finally have my irises...

By the way, if you really enjoy rhododendron and other flowering shrubs, I suggest you head out to Moore State Park in Paxton, MA sometime this week. I was letterboxing over there this weekend, and almost all of the greenery around the mill pond are rhododendron and azalea, and they're all just about in full bloom.

Really nice area to have a leisurely hike, or to take pictures. And if you're a letterboxer, there's quite a few in there...

Ok, I'm off to try and get out of my ticket! I'll let you know how it goes...

You know you're engrossed in your projects...

2008-05-26T16:30:00.001-04:00

... when you realize that a) it's really really late at night, and b) your finger's kinda sore, and you look down and see this on your index finger:

Yikes. That was my cue to go to bed. :)

J is for..

2008-05-24T19:09:00.004-04:00

My two favorite Sox:

Jason Varitek.. Here he is catching behind Trot Nixon, on Trot's return to Fenway last spring as a Cleveland Indian.

And Jonathan Papelbon. Man, intensity has never been so sexy...

Pics were taken at last year's Memorial Day game. Wish I was heading there this Memorial Day... guess the grilling and beers will have to hold me this year. :)

If you want something done...

2008-05-16T16:33:00.003-04:00

...bring it to my house. Unless it involves cleaning. Then it's not happening. I have finished TWO projects in the last 24 hours. One being my Dream Swatch Head Wrap. The other one being... WICKED! Yee-haw! I cast off the last sleeve this morning. See the things I can accomplish when I play hooky from work? (scheduled day off, people, I did not call out.) So, Wicked just needs the ends sewn in and a wash. Swatch needs a good blocking. Am I doing any of that?? Nope. I'm making project bags. I've got one done, and another cut out, ready to assemble. Then, I'll have to fill them with new projects. :)

Maybe one of those projects can be socks with the Zen String Lotus Toes yarn that I WON in the ABC-along!! Squeeee!! Thanks to the judges for picking me! I really liked my eye/I picture, but I didn't think it was good enough to win me something... seeing as I really never win anything. This has made my weekend!!

Tomorrow, I'm off to the wilds of Maine, to see my BFF from high school tie the knot, and to spend some time with TC. Maybe I'll get the sweater in shape to bring with me...

I do TOO have a yarn stash.

2008-05-10T11:11:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Erin, who for some reason didn't seem to think I had enough yarn in my stash, I now have enough yarn that I had to go through and reorganize it all.

See? I even had to overflow into another bin. And then, there's this bin.

Yes, That's Fun Fur. Two colors. AND Crystal Palace Squiggle. Anyone need it? Lemme know.

In other news, I have a FO!!!

TC's socks are done. And he loves them. They were a plain toe-up sock, with short row heels and toes.

And in even better news, the kitty paw is looking good.

I think he's gonna make it.

I is for... eye?

2008-05-02T22:53:00.002-04:00

I in this case is actually for Iris. Specifically, the little brown fleck in my right iris. Every so often, someone points out that it's there. The coolest part about it? My mom's got the same thing. And so does my grandmother. I wonder if my future children may have it too.

(And yes, I did take this picture myself. No small feat, taking a good picture of your own eye.)

G and H are for...

2008-04-21T10:01:00.002-04:00

Now that the camera has been found(!), I can catch up on my ABC-along entries.

G is for Grass. Or lack thereof.

When we started to rake up our backyard a few weeks ago, we found that most of the grass was not rooted in the ground. It was, in fact, rooted in a nice layer of moss. So, we pulled all the moss out, and re-seeded the yard. And now we wait. We do have some signs of green, however..
G is also for Green.

This garden was a tangle of weeds, pricker bushes, and bulbs. I cut everything back to let the bulbs have a fighting chance this year. I believe we have tiger lilies and irises, but I'm not quite sure. I need to get some mulch down, but I'm still in awe of how much better it looks now.

On to H.

Which is for Hendrix.

Hendrix was cat #2. Chipper was already with us, but he needed a friend. So, I went back to the shelter. I brought home the only cat there that did NOT want to be pet. So, I figured I'l just love him to death until he gave in. He's stll the cranky dude of the house, but he is very loveable now. As long as it's on his terms.

I mean, come on, who doesn't love a fat orange cat?

In other cat news...

Here's his royal highness recovering from his wounds. He still needs the bandage on, but he's getting arouns just fine. maybe another week or so, and he'll be good to go. But can you imagine how much fun it is to clean a toepad wound when you have the cutest toefur ever?

Srsly. Love the toefur.

These are a few of my favorite things..

2008-04-17T22:20:00.002-04:00

I got my ball winder and umbrella swift today. I wound 5 happy yarn cakes already. I'm in heaven. I made me stop reading the MCY threads. It's that good.

I want to show you pictures of the sad bandaged kitty. But the camera is still MIA. I may have left it at the barn. I check tomorrow.

Eh?

2008-04-14T22:04:00.003-04:00

Oy, time flies... I took pictures for blogging. Of my "G" subject. Of yarn I have recently bought and acquired. If only I could find the camera...

In addition, the aforementioned cat tore open one of his toe pads late last week, not unlike my stupid self and the thumb incidents (BOTH of them. Yah.). He then promptly ran around the house in a panic, bleeding everywhere. After a few hours and a trip to CVS for additional first aid supplies (I wasn't planning on cutting my thumb a third time, so I hadn't replenished my stock of gauze), we got the bleeding under control and calmed the cat down. We didn't end up going to the vet, however. I spoke with a friend of mine who happens to be a vet, and she said that sutures rarely do well on toe pads, and gave me advice on how to bandage and stuff. I have gotten quite adept at wrapping the cat up in a towel-burrito and changing bandages. It's getting better, but the progress is slow. And it saddens me to see the poor critter limping around the house. He's still able to get everywhere he wants to go, he's just a little careful with the paw.

So, between the missing camera, the cat saga, and reading the MCY thread on Ravelry, I've not done much around the house, let alone on my needles.

I've been tagged!

2008-04-03T18:23:00.003-04:00

Thank you to KnitKat for tagging me..

Here be the rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules.
3) Share six non-important things / habits / quirks about yourself.
4) Tag at least three people.
5) Be sure the people you tagged KNOW you tagged them by commenting what you did.

1) I do not like raisins. When I was little, I took swimming classes, and all the kids had boxes of raisins as an after-swim snack. I wanted to be like them, so I begged my mom for raisins (I was 3 or 4 years old, mind you), and I would eat them, and promptly inform her that I didn't like raisins, and then ask for them again at the next swim class.

2) I have never owned a dog, but I've always wanted one. A big dog. Like, Scottish Deerhound big.

3) I like the number three. I was born on 9/3, and that makes me very happy. I like to line things up or group things in threes. I doodle triangles. I have three cats. I'm a little OCD about threes. For instance, this has six questions. Six is two threes. This is good. I prefer music written on 3/4 or 6/8 meter. Especially 6/8. It's just better.

4) My favorite flower is a purple iris. And I found out that in the yard in my new house, there are irises already established in the garden.

5) When the winter olympics are being held, I am addicted to curling. And, lucky for me, one of the NBC stations has it on, 24/7. And I am happy.

6) I do not eat blue food. Unless it's the blueberries that come in my pint of Wachusett Blueberry. Then, and only then, do I make an exception.

And the three people I tag are: MaryMary, Erin, and Emily.

F is for...

2008-03-30T19:46:00.004-04:00

Felines.

I have three. We will meet all of them somewhere in this ABC-along, but since I used up my "C" for my dear old mare Chevy, this particular feline intro will be for Chipper Jones. Yes, after the baseball player of the same name.

Chipper was our first cat, brought home from the shelter as a kitten. He's the mama's boy of the bunch. And, I personally believe he's responsible for the recent success of the local sports teams. No lie. We got him in the fall of 2001, right before the Yankees lost the World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. And after watching the Yankees win 4 of the last 5 World Series prior to that one, it was nice to watch them lose. Did the cat help? Maybe..
A month or two later, the Patriots were on a roll, and we thought, maybe the cat's a good luck charm. Long story short, we rubbed the cat on the TV right before Vinatieri's game winning field goal. From then on, he's been the good luck cat. Mostly for baseball, though, given his name. Pitcher needs an out, Chipper's being rubbed on the TV. All those game winning home runs Big Papi hit? Chipper gave him the juju. Heck yeah.

E is for...

2008-03-17T21:14:00.002-04:00

Enough. Srsly. No mas. I'm tappin out.

Doesn't TC look thrilled to be shoveling out AGAIN???

If I wake up to this again this weekend, I might have an aneurysm.

E is also for Expectant Ebony.

This is my filly's mom, Ebony Chik, about four days before she foaled. She was the most super pregnant mare I have ever seen. She'd stand still, and you could see the baby move from 10 feet away. She was enormous. (Another E!)

Knitting post to come.. I went yarn shopping this weekend... But, I'll leave you with Happy St. Patrick's Day wishes!

Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine...

2008-03-11T21:21:00.004-04:00

And although the brief crochet interlude was enlightening, and forced me to add many more new projects to my Ravelry queue, I give you the happy, healed thumb.

Structurally, its all better. There is still a spot that has no feeling, but I'm getting adjusted to it. It's just weird.

Speaking of weird, and crochet, the bunny still has no face:

I don't seem to have any suitable eye-buttons. Or embroidery thread. Meh. I'm not 100% in love with it. The stitches are a little too loose. But, at least it looks like a bunny.

And now, random cat in sweater. Because I couldn't get the link to a bunny in a sweater to work.

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

It's getting better all the tiiiime....

2008-02-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

Bettah, Bettah, Bettaaaahhh... (I love me some Beatles.)

Thanks for the well wishes! I'm doing much better. Just aggravated that I'm not 100% yet. So as to not gross anyone out, I offer you a small picture of healing progress.

Those sutures came out today, but the booboo is all covered up with steri-stips right now, so think of it as looking just like that without the sutures. Ha. It almost doesn't hurt anymore. It just feels weird, because of the nerve damage in that whole area of injury. I have been cleared to use it normally now, so I may get some knitting done while I'm not shoveling the driveway. Or I'll crochet up an hedgehog. Either way.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

2008-02-22T20:02:00.004-05:00

For a slightly blurry (okay, extremely out of focus) camera phone picture of the battle wound, I direct you here. This is what you must do to get out of shoveling the driveway. And even then, some people think that's a lame excuse. But, doctor's orders.

And here, I offer you the result of not being able to use a thumb but itching to knit:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that would be the fruits of my crochet labors. Last night, I sat on the couch trying to figure out how to knit without my left thumb. Not happening. I thought about the crochet hook I had solely for knit fixes, and of the large stash of kitchen cotton I have. So, last night, I taught myself chain stitch, single, double, and half double crochet. I swung by Michaels on my way home from work (yes, in a snowstorm) to pick up a small assortment of crochet hooks, a couple more balls of cotton, and a couple of Sugar N Cream books with some basic dishcloth crochet patterns in it. I'm itching to make amigurumi critters now...

Someone out there is saying "I told you so", I just know it.

D is for Done... and Dumbass.

2008-02-21T17:56:00.003-05:00

Done... almost. It was brought to my attention last night, as I griped about how to get the bird embroidery done, that it's much easier to do it before you close up the thumb. Aah, yes. So, no bird face yet, but...

Not bad for the first Fair Isle go-round. A bit lumpy, but it mostly blocked out. The palm stitches aren't super even either, partly because of my tension. Hopefully, now that I'm completely addicted to making mittens like these, my Fair Isle skills will get better..

As for the Dumbass portion of the show, well, let's just say it's nice to have completed some knitting. Because there won't be much for the next few days, if at all. I had a little mishap at work, involving a microtome, a fresh, new, unused microtome blade, and my thumb. I am still trying to figure out how to get the pics off my cell phone, but even if I do, I'm not entirely sure I'll post them. I can't use my left thumb at all for the next few days, while the doc hopes that blood supply will return to the huge chunk of flesh that I chunked off the tip of my thumb. Well, almost all the way off. It's baaaad. It's been a bad week. Maybe I'll call out tomorrow and spend the weekend in bed. It may be safer there.

Oh, and I fixed the evil radiators. The boiler just needed some sediment flushed. The cats have returned to their normal spaz routines.

Knock, Knock.

2008-02-17T19:16:00.002-05:00

Who's there?

Earlier today, while I was at the barn, the heat in the house shut off. TC was home, so he went to the basement to investigate. Although it had been recently checked, the boiler in the furnace had run empty. TC refilled the boiler, and reset the furnace. Fired up, no problems. Until... the knocking started. All winter, we have not had one problem with the radiators knocking. Hissing, yes, but that's to be expected. So, I do some investigative work. Steam radiators and baseboards should not be bled, unlike forced hot water systems. It's a one pipe system, so the steam goes up, and the condensed water goes down. The knocking occurs when the steam and the water can't get past each other. Most places suggest tipping the radiator ever so slightly to help ease the returning water back down the pipes. Did that. No difference. My cats are going to have severe heart attacks pretty soon if this keeps up. So, I broke down and called the Papa. Sounds like we've got to wait until it all works out of the system... hope it happens before I go to bed, or I'm in for a long night.

Knitting has happened, contrary to the lack of photographic evidence. Wicked's past the split off of the sleeves, TC's second sock is off and running, and the second Bird In Hand is halfway done. Problem is, with the lack of daylight I've had in which to take decent pictures, I can't show you anything! Between long days at work and weekends full of wintry weather, I have had no good opportunities. Hopefully tomorrow there'll be enough natural light that pictures will be possible....

C is for Chevy.

2008-02-07T18:03:00.000-05:00

Not what you were expecting, is she?

This is the horse that taught me how to ride as a kid. Her proper name is Cheval, french for horse. So we called her Chevy. (The bottom shot is her on the right with her old friend and doppelganger Jamille.) In these pictures, she's right around 30 years old. Old for a horse, not for a half-arabian horse. She was owned by a summer camp that I attended as a kid, and eventually worked for. When they retired her (thinking that she was a good 5 years younger that she actually was!), they gave her to me. I had her for a few years before an abdominal tumor interceded and she had to be put down at 32 years old. Before that weekend, however, we were going for gallops in the fields, trotting down the trails, never once feeling that I was riding an elderly horse. She was a fighter, one tough cookie, all the way up to and including her final hours.

I miss you, friend. Thank you for teaching me so much. And thank you for sending the little filly my way. She's just like you.

It's a Blogiversary!

2008-02-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

So, I just looked back to see how long I've actually been keeping up with this blog, and wouldn't you just know it, TODAY happens to be my one-year blogiversary! I bring you the random knitting questionnaire I posted, along with commentary on the old answers...

1. Do you knit continental or English?

Continental, recent convert from English. - still prefer it, too!

2. How long ago did you learn to knit?

A few years ago. Only really started freaking out about it once I found the online knit community... - It's officially been 6 years now. And I learn something new every day.

3. First FO?

A Scarf made out of Homespun. *shiver* - I think I lost it. Or gave it away.

4. Favorite yarn?

hmm. so far, Colinette Point Five. - nah. Now, Malabrigo. Yah.

5. Favorite pattern?

Toe-Up Socks. Simple, smart. And Knitty's "Cocktail Monkey". - Toe up socks still rule. But I can't pick a favorite pattern now... I made two Clapotis, so I must like that one.

6. Favorite pattern source?

Knitty.com. - ah, the days before Ravelry...

7. Favorite needles?

Addi Turbos. If they made an interchageable Addi needle set, I'd sell an organ for it. - They almost do, it's from Knit Picks. I just got mine. And it rules. And I still have two kidneys.

8. Nicest thing you've ever knit?

I did Knitty's "Branching Out" scarf for a friend in Trendsetter's Tonalita. So preddy. - My Clapotis. And maybe the Hederas. Those came out really nice.

9. Most hated project?

That Homespun Scarf. - Anything I've knit with the cursed Berroco Softwist. Nice yarn, but I can't get anything I knit with it to work for me.

10. What do you have on the needles right now?

A Shrug for me (Been a UFO for two years...), a Wool-Ease sweater for DH, legwarmers for my cold mornings at the barn with the ponies, and a never-ending trail of baby hats. - The shrug got frogged, the sweater for DH is done, the legwarmers got frogged, and I can't remember the last time I knit a baby anything...

It's interesting to see how things change. Well, happy one year to me! Thanks to y'all for reading... I still can't believe I'm not just talking to myself. :)

B is for...

2008-01-31T22:34:00.000-05:00

Bermuda. I know I posted some of these before, but I love these pictures.

These first two were taken standing at the top of the steps leading down onto Elbow Beach. One of the top two beaches I have ever visited.

The sand is powder fine and super soft, and the water is cool and refreshing. Blues and greens are some of my favorite colors, and sitting here, all I could see was blue and green, contrasted with the white sand...

That right there, that's paradise to me.

A is for...

2008-01-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

America's Pastime. And in these parts, a cult-like religion.

I would like add that I was born and raised in Red Sox country, and have loved them through the good and the bad (And the Buckner?)... There is just something about being in Fenway Park that soothes my soul. Beer, Fenway Frank, and a popcorn. My family was hosting a family from Bulgaria for a visit in the fall of 2006. A husband, wife, and teenage daughter. My father had gone to see them in Sofia and was shown a lot about Bulgaria culture. Tedy, the husband, said he wanted to really experience American culture while they were visiting. So, we took them to a Red Sox game. And it took until the 7th inning before they understood the concept of balls and strikes, but Big Papi hit a wicked dingah that night, and all was right with the world, even though we lost to the Twinkies.

(What's this all about? Click on the ABC-along 2008 button on the sidebar to find out!)

Progress!

2008-01-16T08:11:00.001-05:00

It's been quite a busy week, with MORE SNOW to shovel and horses to tend to.. I took the baby girl for a walk down the road and into the woods this weekend!! Our first walk off the farm. She was pretty good, but we didn't get any pictures, because, well, I needed both hands. Just in case she decided to be stupid and run away. And Blackberry is off the needles!! Still drying, so I'll get some pics up soon..

But I do have knitting progress pictures:

My Kiri is coming along nicely. And with all those lifelines, I seem to not be making any mistakes. For some reason, I just like this pattern better, and it looks really nice with this yarn.

DH's socks. He just wanted a basic sock, and basic I can do. (Thankfully basic = faster, good for size 12 feet!) Yarn is Knit Picks Essentials, and it's nice and soft. Just working the short row heel now on sock #1.

And here we have the beginnings of Wicked. Yarn is Knit Picks Swish Superwash. It's squishy and soft and I love the color, Indigo Heather. So, here's my issues. In order to get gauge, I had to go up from the recommended #7 to a #9. I *never* have this much trouble with gauge. Usually I'm right on, or maybe one needle off. I'm not using the recommended yarn, but it is worsted weight, should it be two needles difference?? That, and, gaah, where to begin. The size I want to make has me CO 132 stitches for the neckline. OK, did that. Then, knit an 8 stitch repeat. Ok. let's do some math. 132 div. by 8 = 16.5. HUH? So, I'm not casting on enough stitches to fully knit the repeat in the round. I did this twice, cast on, knit, grr, frog, cast on, knit and fudge the stitches to add 4 to complete the pattern repeat. Now I'm concerned. I'm not at gauge, I added 4 stitches to make up for the pattern differential, am I doomed? I trolled the message boards on Ravelry, and nobody mentioned that they had noticed this, and what they did about it. WTF? Help?!

ETA: I found a Wicked knitalong on Ravelry that's just starting... and a new podcast to boot.

Pictures!

2008-01-09T20:54:00.000-05:00

Here's a pic of Foliage in progress..

With my fave stitch markers. :) And speaking of winged ponies..

This is Hiro, and his owner, having a gallop up the hill. He's the 3 year old stallion at the barn, who just started his training. He's so good!! This is where my weekend therapy takes place. And, this is my best attempt at my view from the saddle:

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears. ~Arabian Proverb

Round #3.

2008-01-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

I was making good progress on the Adamas shawl.. really I was. I enjoy knitting lace. It's like turning down the volume on the rest of the world. Which is why it was probably stupid to be knitting lace whilst at a stitch n bitch last Wednesday night. To be fair, I had knit on the Secret of the Stole during baseball games, and the Adamas shawl isn't hard at all. And, the night before knitting group, I was off by a stitch, so I fudged it the way I usually do to make up for things, it's never noticeable, and on I went. I put in a lifeline, figuring if I were to screw up royally again, I'd be saved. Unless I had the ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE SHAWL OFF BY ONE STITCH, not just one errant stitch at the end of a row.. Ugh. Kinda noticeable, kinda not. What to do? Well, first, I put it away and started a sock. :) Then, I got home, and stared at it long enough to hate it, and, yes, frogged it. All of it. Then, I knitted on my sock some more.

So, attempt #3 has begun on this poor ball of yarn. To its credit, though, it's held up nicely after being knit up and frogged twice now, and one of those rounds was with beads. I decided to try Kiri, and I'm liking this yarn and pattern combination even better... The yarn is Knit Picks Shadow, in Lost Lake, a dark heathery forest green, and the Kiri pattern kinda has little fern branches in it. It looks really nice. And I have already placed two lifelines, just so I won't need them. :)

I also started and finished Foliage, from Knitty.com. Addictive pattern, addictive yarn (I am officially a Malabrigo junkie now), and a quick and fun knit. Hopefully I'll have some pics uploaded of that one soon..

Time flies when you're having fun.

2007-12-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

Or, when it's the holidays and you're super busy. The good news is, I did get all the holiday knitting done. A few weeks ago, we got hammered with snow up here, and even though my usual 20-30 minute ride home took nearly 3 hours, I didn't mind the extra time.

Got those dishcloths done! People in traffic alternately were concerned and got a chuckle out of my knitting. We'd sit motionless for 45 minutes at a time, sometimes, so what better way to pass the time? That's why us knitters always have a project on our person at all times. You never know when you'll find quality knitting time. I find it also makes me less impatient in situations like that.

And, sadly enough, this was the clearest picture of the snow-covered house I took. I had to dive out of the way a few times whilst people tried to get up our hill in their cars. Our driveway is at the exact point where a vehicle loses all momentum up a snow-covered street, spins out, and has to go back down, and find another way home.

Papa's socks were a hit, as was the Clap. The other gift I whipped up in record time was this market bag:

Pattern is Elisa's Nest Tote, made with Sugar N Cream/Peaches N Creme. Knit up super fast. It was a gift to my SIL, who left this week to spend a semester in Thailand, so she can bring it to the market when she goes shopping!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Now we can knit for ourselves, right?

God Bless Us, Every One.

2007-12-09T19:47:00.000-05:00

What a day!! I've been preparing, in the past weeks, for the big Christmas dinner at our church. Not really a huge deal, except for the annual kids' play. What started out as "would you mind helping out?" turned into my directing and staging and running the whole show. A little bit stressful... but, all said and done, they did great. And now I'm at home, having a tasty adult beverage, and watching the recaps of the Patriots game (that I had to miss.. grrr.), and enjoying the sound of kids not asking me questions every five seconds. (Sidenote - Meg, the armwarmers you made me were officially dubbed "wicked cool" by the kiddos.)

Got a lot of knitting done this weekend, I just need to finish off the toe of the second sock of Papa's socks and a crank out a few more dishcloths and my holiday knitting is done. I even found time yesterday to get out to the barn, take a few of the horses out, and manage to completely annoy the baby...

She's too laid back for her own good..

PRGE swag!

2007-11-30T14:23:00.000-05:00

Lookee what I got in the mail today! (The mailman referred to it as fanmail..)

VERY yummy stuff here. The ecru is 3 skeins of Eden, by Madil, 100% bamboo, and amazingly soft.. I think I'm going to have to make cable-y socks out of that. Kneesocks. Something like clessidra...? And, there's a funny pair of socks in there too.. with horses all over em. Wicked cute!

This, my dears, is Malabrigo Worsted. In my favorite color. And what makes it extra special? It's the first Malabrigo I've ever had. I keep huffing it. I don't know if I can make anything out of it. Unless I can huff the FO. I suppose I could.

And these are some kickass fingerless mitts that Megan knit just for me!! I love the braided cable. And the colors. And the way they smell. Seriously, I don't know if it's how your house smells, or if you washed them, or what. But they smell nice.

And there even was a treat for the felines! Ok, it's the empty box, but seriously. They love that stuff.

Thanks so much, Megan! I know you've been wicked busy. I appreciate all my goodies! (And that you actually made me something... with all your spare time. Ha!)

I'm in trouble now.

2007-11-27T11:36:00.000-05:00

Every time I go to Michael's, AC Moore, JoAnns, and the like, I always grab a couple balls of dishcloth cotton. Around here, everyone seems to have Sugar n Cream. No Peaches & Creme. (Can you tell I read and reread the Mason-Dixon knitting book?) I had to go to the tack shop to pick up some de-wormer and a new halter for Siouxsie. Her head's too big for the one she's squeezing into now. I get to the tack shop at 9:45, thinking that they opened at 9AM. They don't open until 10AM. So, back down the street to Wal-Mart I go, to kill time. Now, I am not a fan of Wal-Mart. If I'm going to the big store that has everything kinda place, I'm a Target girl. But I digress. I wander into the craft section, a department that the Wal-Mart closer to home lacks. I figure, at the least, I can see if they have any dishcloth cotton. And they do! And it's Peaches & Creme. Ooh, I think, exotic... they had some colors I preferred over the S'n'C, so I grab a couple of skeins. And then I look down, past the crochet cotton and see...

CONES.

I have never seen cones of this stuff, from either brand. I knew they existed, I've had my eye on the Absorba Bathmat pattern for a while, but never could seem to find cones, and I didn't want to buy a hundred balls of the stuff. I did not purchase any cones, however. I couldn't remember how many I needed for the bathmat, but I left with 4 balls of cotton and 2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft, just because.

But be on guard, cones... I'm coming back for you...

Sheep!! OK, well, lamb.

2007-11-26T13:24:00.000-05:00

Could you die? Seriously.

Progress!

2007-11-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

If one sock of a pair counts as something being finished, then I have a FO! One of Papa's Christmas socks are done. And I'm on vacation this week, so hopefully the second will follow right along. I did cast it on just now, and I plan on getting a head start on knitting it while watching the Patriots game this evening. It's going to be a busy month! I am active in my church's choir, and the Christmas season is especially busy if you're a singer. On top of that, I'm directing the kid's Christmas pageant/play, which will be performed on Sunday, Dec 9th. I'm also hoping to crank out a few dishcloths to add to some gifts for the family. I also scored two hanks of Koigu from a person on Ravelry who was destashing, in a purple/red/orange colorway. I have never knit with Koigu before, nor have I ever seen it in person (neither of my LYSs seem to carry it). It looks gorgeous! I tend to prefer sock yarn with a nice tight twist, and this stuff looks perfect. I have too many pairs of socks that I want to make after the holidays, and this stuff just added to the sock queue. The Blackberry shrug is moving along, too. on #13 needles, it had better! I haven't been knitting on it in order to get more holiday knitting time in, but I couldn't very well knit the socks for Papa right in front of him on Thanksgiving, so I brought my Blackberry sleeves with me. Finished sleeve #1 and got started on sleeve #2 after we were thoroughly stuffed. I might actually get to wear it while it's still cold out! (and believe you me, it's cold around here.. it never got above freezing yesterday!)

On a sidenote, has anyone out there ever done any poking around on Ancestry.com? DH was doing some research on and off during his breaks at work, and he was able to trace his family back to King Richard the Lionheart and Charlemagne! I couldn't seem to get anything interesting on my side of the family, until I sat down with my grandmother on Thursday. We got info far enough back to have relatives on the Mayflower. But then, I got a line of Scottish descendants to pop up, and I freaked out!! I am a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce!! It's just neat to find out stuff like that. It took about 6 or 7 generations back from me before the website's database could kick in and fill in the tree back that far. We also have been told for years that somewhere in my grandmother's ancestors is a relation to Rebecca Nurse, one of the accused and executed "witches" of the Salem Witch Trials. I have yet to dig up that connection, but I did get some ancestors in that area at that time, so I just need to keep on looking!

Hope you all had a great holiday!! 30 knitting days till Christmas...

OK, one more baseball post.

2007-11-19T18:05:00.001-05:00

Out of sheer excitement that Mike Lowell has been re-signed by the Red Sox (yay!!), I give you, from Papel-blog:

... But now it's very important that we all join a new club:

NHCaPRSFWPNtBiMH218i2010!

It stands for: Normally Hyperbolic, Critical and Pessimistic Red Sox Fans Who Promise Not to Boo if Mike Lowell Hits .218 in 2010.

I mean, we get to look at *this* for three more years.

Amen, I say.

Conundrum.

2007-11-17T08:44:00.000-05:00

So, I joined the Secret of the Stole KAL. I had the yarn, I bought the beads, I got to work. I'm learning that I love to knit lace. Love it!. But.. I don't think I'm in love with the pattern anymore... I'm almost at the end of clue #3. Clue #7 has been issued as of yesterday. So, I'm pretty far behind. Behind enough to see that although the patter is lovely, it's really not something I'd wear. Nor would anyone else I would give it to.

I think I need to frog it. Ack!

I'm not even a whole ball of yarn into the darn thing. I just feel like I've wasted time. Like, I have to finish it because I started it. Oy. I'm bummed! Looking at the other mystery stoles on Ravelry, I loved how they turned out, but this one's just not my style. I guess that's what you get for knitting a project like this. Grr. Well, I've got 1200 yards of this stuff, and plenty of beads to match. Off to find a new pattern, I think.

Not singin' in the rain tonight...

2007-11-15T17:49:00.000-05:00

Thursday nights are choir rehearsal nights. But, I have a splitting headache, and a night of knitting on the couch is much more appealing to me than screeching out soprano notes for two hours. So, hopefully some more progress on Papa's socks will be had - I've turned the heel and am doing gusset decreases on sock #1. It goes pretty fast when I sit down to DO IT. The stole is coming along as well, just slow. I think hint #7 comes out tomorrow, and I'm still on hint #3. But, it will get done. I like lace knitting too much...

I spent the day on Saturday at the Equine Affaire, a HUGE horse expo that was in Springfield, MA. They had vendors for everything and anything horse and farm related, seminars (we sat through 5 hours worth!!), breed association booths with stalls next to the booth so you could meet the breeds, and a barn full of horses on display and for sale. ( for anyone who might care, there's a medicine hat paint stallion named Kenny Rogers, who is super famous, and who Siouxsie looks like, and he was there!! Gorgeous horse, lemme tell you. And his owner was there, a sweet older woman, who said that there's something special about the medicine hats.. she said I'd never regret owning Siouxsie. Made me feel good!) I somehow managed to walk away without buying anything but my lunch. BUT... in the breed barn, there was a woman sitting outside her horse's stall, quietly spinning undyed wool on a drop spindle. When I finally got over to her to talk to her about it, she was gone, but there were a few hanks of handspun alpaca sitting next to where she had been, with a sale sign. I waited for her for a few minutes, but she never came back. I wanted to buy it!! Oh well, I'll just have to plan better for next year and get my butt to Rhinebeck.

Progress...

2007-11-08T18:14:00.000-05:00

Even though I'm dreadfully behind on the Secret of the Stole project, I am happy with how it's turning out...

I have definitely been bitten by the lace bug now. I have a few lace projects in my Ravelry queue that I'm itching to start... It's just magic. I can't wait to finish and block it!

Sleeve #1 of Blackberry, almost done. This is a super quick knit, if only I could sit and do it. I love the Rowan yarn, I love the pattern, and I'm hoping I can get Papa's socks done fast enough so I can get cracking on it and finish before spring arrives. Speaking of Papa's socks...

I ripped out the first pattern I was using, and started over. I'm using Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's basic sock recipe from Knitting Rules, and using the rib pattern from Thuja. It's a good, quick, super easy pattern, and I now feel I can get it done in time, AND maybe get some other stuff done too. Yarn is Trekking XXL. It's okay. Kinda splitty, but knits up into a nice fabric.

Anyone see the new Knitty extra patterns yet? I love them!! I really want to make Oblique...

Men in kilts = good.

2007-10-31T18:58:00.000-04:00

Especially if you're this guy.

I promise, no more baseball posts. Until Spring Training anyway...

Brittany, I do love thee.

2007-10-29T17:53:00.000-04:00

I got my replacement needles from Brittany today! I had emailed them and told them that I had broken one, and a few days later, they responded and said that they would send a few, that the smaller gauge needles can be fragile. I got a cardboard tube in the mail with three replacement needles! They rock.

So, in light of having the needle situation squared away.. I think I'm frogging my dad's socks and starting over. I knit a bit during the baseball game last night, and didn't get very far. The pattern has a twisted stitch rib, which takes a little extra time, and I feel like I knit for hours and only got an inch done. Plus, I'm using Trekking XL, and it's a little splitty. So, after talking it over with myself, I think I'm going to frog what I've done, and do a simple rib pattern instead. I can get it done quicker, and hopefully Papa will like a more simple sock.

How Sweet It Is...

2007-10-29T07:23:00.000-04:00

Now I can actually go to bed at a decent hour this week. :)

World Series of the Stole... ?

2007-10-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

The boys, they done good...

I'm catching up on the progress on my Secret of the Stole... Clue #4 came out last Friday, and I'm just starting clue #3. Not too far behind. It's hard to knit lace and try to keep up with the baseball game.. I made a few errors, but either found them and corrected it easily, or just kept going, nobody's going to notice. (Not even me.. I was looking back to where I had forgotten a YO, and I couldn't find it.)

So, going to get back to the stole.. we're halfway through the first inning..

GO SOX!

Woot!

2007-10-22T07:03:00.000-04:00

Item #1 - The Clap is done!! Finished it on Saturday morning. Feels good to finish something. I'll post pics when I can get some good light.

Item #2 - Sunne, we're coming for ya!

Mr. Papelbon, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Pray for us.

2007-10-20T09:38:00.000-04:00

You know it's a bad night when: You're at choir rehearsal, and the Red Sox game is on. You ask your DH to text message you and give you score updates until you can get home... and the first message says that the cable is out. ACK! Luckily, it got fixed, and I made it home by the 4th or 5th inning. I found the following snippet on the "Red Sox Nation" message board on Ravelry:

Our Father, who art at Fenway...

Baseball be thy game.

Thy Nation come,

Playoffs need to be won,

On Earth, then on to the Cask 'n' Flagon.

Give us this day, a perfect Papi,

And forgive us our losses,

As we forgive those,

Like Bill Buckner.

And lead us not, into desperation

But deliver us from any losses.

For thine is the Power,

And the Glory,

To beat the Indians,

Forever and ever....the Yankees suck

A-men!

Play Ball!

Yessir. I'm ready for tonight's game. This knitting free post has been brought to you by not being home one night this week.. If I could sit and knit for a few hours I'd be done with the Clap.. My other problem is that Ravelry distracts me. Knitting the Secret of the Stole has sorta got me on a lace kick, and I spend hours searching for lace shawl patterns. There's a few now that I have to make. I also found linen yarn that the girls at Mason-Dixon use in their book for some pretty handtowels. A great Christmas gift idea, we'll see if I have time..

Oy!

2007-10-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

What a week! The job's been crazy busy! And, as I've said before, if it weren't for that stupid job, I'd have plenty more time to knit. Updates!

The clap should be done soon. All I have left is the decrease sections. 4 balls down, one to go. It's a Christmas present, so I don't really have to start freaking out yet, but I'm a slow knitter, and I want to make sure I finish my gifts on time. Which brings me to the next item:

Papa's Christmas socks. Growing up, anytime my father got a gift, he'd shake/squeeze the package, exclaim "Oh boy, SOCKS!" and open it. This year, he'll open it, and it WILL be socks. Ha! (But it takes me two months to make socks for myself, let alone man-sized socks. THIS one, freaks me out.) I can, and I will do it. Made with Trekking XXL, on the lovely new Brittany needles - did I mention that they're 2.5mm needles? Yah. AND... after the two rows I did manage to knit, one of my needles started to break. like, splitting down the middle. My fault, I tend to clench my needles. So, a little super glue, and I think we'll be okay.

And the Secret of the stole. I'm loving how it's knitting up. The color, the beads, the pattern, everything. AND, I'm actually still kinda on track. I'm about 4 rows shy of finishing Hint #1, and Hint #2 came out yesterday. But seriously, I really have no reason to be doing this to myself, with trying to get holiday knitting over with. I have to crank out a bunch of dishrags for the family, and I'd like to make a couple of the linen towels out of Mason-Dixon knitting for a few of my friends and family as well as myself. So, I'm off to finish off the Hint #1 before going to the barn to see the kiddo.

She's getting so big...

Holy Crap.

2007-10-04T20:27:00.001-04:00

This has to be one of the most ridiculous swap packages I have ever received. Seriously. Look at the goodies!

And here's the part where I try to list it all.. First, the edibles. Sin mints, a hunka fudge, and two packages of pop rocks (funny, my pal got pop rocks from me...). Then, the FrankenBerry lip balm (woot!), a skull and a revolver patch, two skull bracelets, 2 CDs, and, the piece de resistance, the Clap. Yes, my pal gave me the clap. It's actually a stuffed representation of the gonorrhea microbe. I work in a science lab. You have NO IDEA how well this will go over at the office tomorrow. And, in the box, is my very own horsie bobblehead.

And for the knitting content? A ball of hemp yarn, a hank of alpaca lace handpainted from Boll Weaver yarns (gorgeous colors!), and a hank of handpainted mohair blend from Brown sheep. And a set of Brittany DPNs. And a dinosaur measuring tape. AND a little skull case. And IN the skull case?

Oh yeah, Pegasus stitch markers. (EDIT - they are "Winged Pony" stitch markers.. not pegasus. See comments for info.)

And who sent me all this loot? Meg(aphone), of Till Death Do I Knit. Who apologized profusely for her package being late. Lemme tell ya, sistah, it was worth the wait.

Secret of the Stole

2007-10-01T21:18:00.000-04:00

So, I swatched for the SOS upcoming KAL, and here's what I got:

The top is all wonky. Because I bound off too tight, and when I tried to redo it, I think I dropped some stitches, and effed it all up. BUT... I like the yarn, and the way it knits up. I do not like the additionally wonky way that the camera seemed to get the picture - the yarn is a bit darker green than the pic shows.. So, here's the burning question: What color beads to go with? On the left side, we have shiny silver. On the right, bottom, shiny green, and one row above it, matte white with a teeny bit of iridescent finish on it. I kinda like the way the green blends in with the color of the yarn (trust me, it does), and just adds a hint of sparkle. I'm thinking maybe that the white will visually disrupt the lace pattern, though. And the silver's nice, but will it be too glitzy against the dark green? (the pattern did call for earthy, muted colors for the yarn...) Should I go down a bead size? These are size 8, maybe I should get some size 6.. What do you guys think?

I have a hole in my head.

2007-09-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

That is the ONLY thing that can explain why I signed up for the "Secret of the Stole" KAL. I had bought 3 hanks of KnitPicks' Shadow, in a greeny heather (the colorway name eludes me at the moment), to make a shawl, but this one sounds much better than the one I got the pattern for. BUT, I'm cranking away on the Clap, to make sure that I can get it done before I dive into this stole, and to free up my Addi Lace needles for the project. Oh, and there's beads involved, too. Yipes. Learning, learning. It will be a good thing. I hope.

And thanks to all you guys who commented on the new 'do. Everyone I come across looks at me in shock, and then says how much they love it. So, as much as I miss my blonde, I'm really liking the switch. And, if I get sick of it, I can always go bleach the crap out of it again. It's only hair, after all...

2007-09-21T21:33:00.000-04:00

This has been my hair for the past 8 years or so:

Blonde, long, oh, and blonde. I was a towhead as a kid. Platinum naturally. And as I got older, and my blonde gradually turned into a blah dirty blonde, I started highlighting. And it was never blonde enough, so we went with bleach. Yeah, that's the blonde I like. Had it this light or a looong time. So, I go in for a haircut yesterday, and my hairdresser, J, suggests that I tone it down a bit for fall, give it a break from the bleach. Good idea, I figure. And, it needed a good healthy trim too. Took off a couple of inches and cut in some textured layers. I've never been one to turn down a good hair-choppin. I like the fact that if it sucks, it's just hair, and it can be fixed. But this round, well, the cut isn't as drastic as some I've done (I went from shoulder-length hair to a pixie cut once - it kicked butt!), but the color, well..

It's the darkest it's ever been. And at first, I freaked. Not enough to make J redo the color, but when I was told we were going to a darker blonde, this isn't what I had in mind. But after living with it for a day, well, it's growing on me..

I promise, knitting content next post. :)

2007-09-17T20:42:00.000-04:00

Busy week. I worked WAAAAAY too many hours last week, and just when relief from work was in sight, I had to pick up my 4-year old nephew to watch him for the weekend while my SIL was out of town. (What about my brother, you ask? Don't go there. Not gonna watch a kid for a whole weekend, nosir.) So, me and the kid. My DH was out of town with my dad golfing, so it was just the two of us. I got to play soccer mom. TWICE. As much fun as it was, I'm glad he's not here any more. You moms out there, hats off to ya. I know there's a reason why kids start out as cute portable little infants and not 4 year olds, but still. I don't know if I'm ready do take on that job just yet.

But, whilst the kiddo was sleeping, I got quite a bit of knitting done on the Blackberry sweater. Back and fronts are done, sleeves have begun. It's on 13's, so it's kinda nice to have things done so quickly. The DH's sweater from hell is officially finished, seamed, ends woven, and all. He wore it around the house last night (because it's freezing up here now...) and really liked it. One of these days, I'll talk him into posing for some pics. Other than that, the other projects are plodding along.

So, I've been lurking on the blogs a lot, but no comments, and no posts here, solely because time is a little hard to come by these days. But, rest assured, I'm still stalking you all... and planning my PRGE swap package... mwahahaha.. I'm still revved up for this one. :)

State of the union...

2007-09-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

I wish I had more interesting things to blog about, but alas, I do not. Things at the ol homestead are same old, same old.. the aforementioned projects are still cruising along, with the addition of a pair of socks done in Wick. Just got the toe done tonight, and I'm really liking the fabric that this yarn makes. It's spongy and cushy and has the potential for a nice thick pair of socks. The clap kinda got tossed aside for more progress on Blackberry, which is kinda boring, but I'm only doing the stockinette parts on the body, the fun should start on the sleeve cables.

I'm also really getting into Ravelry. Spending some time checking stuff out. It's nice how you can look up stuff that other people are making with the yarn that you seem to have a ludicrous amount of in your stash, but no idea what to do with it.. and although I spend too much time on there, I feel like my knitting projects are better organized and documented than they ever were. I might need to spend some time loading up pics of finished stuff. I also enjoy stalking "famous" knitters, designers, and the like, and peeking in on what they're doing. It's just cool.

I'm also psyched about starting another round of the Punk Rock Gift Exchange! I have so many cool ideas for my pal, and there's nothing better than getting a package full of goodies in the mail. Even when it's not your birthday. I think this round's going to kick butt. The other rounds were nothing short of fantastic, so I'm giddy with anticipation for this go-round.

And for those who might be looking for a horsie update, Little Siouxsie Chik is doing fabulous. She was weaned from mom last weekend, and is being a big girl all by herself. She spends her days hanging out with her new buddy Luna, who is a sweet old mare who likes taking care of little kids. AND, we had our first bath today. Well, not so much a bath, but a spongeing. It's a start. She's been so calm and good about everything thus far, I hope she's going to be a good girl for training. But that's still a ways down the road...

2007-09-02T14:46:00.001-04:00

I have to tell you... Ravelry will suck my life away if I don't pry myself away from it every so often...

Not too much on the knitting front here, though. Still not completely done with seaming together DH's sweater, and I still will have to knit the collar when I'm done with that part.

The Jaywalkers are done, though!

I still had yet to Kitchener the toe of sock #2 at the time these photos were taken, please rest assured that this has, in fact, been done.

The critters love to hang out on the front porch when I'm out there...

And I do have a few drop stitch sections done on the Clap, making progress...

I'm in!

2007-08-28T18:25:00.000-04:00

I'm on Ravelry... Oh Em Gee. This is good stuff.

I'm Stellify, if you may be looking for me.

Ciao!

I'm gonna need an ocean... of Calamine lotion...

2007-08-26T21:20:00.000-04:00

Sooo close... I'm freaking out!!

# You are #10335 on the list.
# 148 people are ahead of you in line.
# 18265 people are behind you in line.

148!!! I can't stand it. I can't wait any longer. Seriously.

In finishing news, the sweater is getting there two side seams and one sleeve seam to go, and finishing the neck. The Jaywalkers are done as well, the toe just needs to be Kitchenered. It just feels good to finish some stuff around here. (Pictures to come soon..) And I've decided that Cozy needs to go live in the yarn bin for a while. I can't seem to knit on that without screwing it up and ripping it out. Which means... Clapotis is the only thing on the needles at the moment. So, I cast on for Blackberry earlier this evening. I figure, big yarn, #13 needles, it should be a quick knit. I think I'm going to take a break from socks for a bit as well, so I'm trying to figure out what to do for a little portable project.. maybe I'll drag the Clap around with me, just to get it done. But just two projects on the needles? Come on... Maybe I'll crank out some socks with my stash of Wick yarn.. gotta do dome swatching to figure out what to do there...

There is a problem though. I'd have all this stuff done if it weren't for the recent outcropping of Poison Ivy on my hands. Both of them. Mostly between my index and middle fingers on both hands. I went camping overnight last weekend, and I mist have grabbed a tainted piece of firewood. The kicker? I'm not allergic to Poison Ivy. At least, I never have had a reaction before. My father catches it standing downwind from a poison ivy plant, so I begged him for some advice.. and he gave me his super duper steroid cream. Hopefully, I'll be on the road to recovery soon, and get some more stuff done!

1,000 Words...

2007-08-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

Finishing...

PRGE questions..

2007-08-20T18:31:00.001-04:00

I'll try to answer these differently than last time...

1. Why are you punk?

I like loud rock music. And knitting to loud rock music. Oy.

2. What are your five favorite things? (these don't have to be knit related)

Books/Movies that make my brain hurt, autumn (colors, weather, apple pie..), anything with 4 legs and fur, coffee, and scarves (see favorite thing #2).

3. What are your three favorite things that you have made with knitting/crochet?

Fetching, Clapotis, and Hedera. (hooray for Knitty!)

4. What five things would you love to see in a swap box someday?

Yarn local to my pal's region, yarn I may have not seen or tried before, patterns to go with the yarn, neato notions, stuff that stinks good (soap, lotion, candles, etc...)

5. What are your three favorite yarns? What are your three least favorite yarns?

Favorites - Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, Rowan Calmer (haven't knitted it yet, I just pet the ball of it.. it's in the queue...), and Tofutsies sock yarn

Least Favorites - Lion Brand Homespun, LB Suede, and anything that resembles fun fur.

6. What are your five favorite delicacies?

Sushi, Rare Steak, Godiva truffles, Lobster, and anything involving bacon. I heart bacon.

7. What are your three favorite guilty pleasures?

icanhascheezburger.com, bags/purses, and skincare stuff.. I'm constantly getting new goop for my face..

8. What are the five things you look forward to every week?

knitting at the coffeehouse, spending time with my horse, Saturday naptime, Baseball, and Friday nights - Live music @ Ralph's Diner.

9. What do you collect?

Other than yarn? Horsie things, anything with cherries on it, and yarn/knitting bags...

10. When is your birthday?

September 3rd.

11. Do you have any wishlists?

I have one on Amazon... lemme know if you want to see it. :)

12. What would you like your pal to know that is not covered here?

No pink. Seriously. I'm a purple girl.. I recently withdrew from Secret Pal 11 because I wanted to be a part of this swap instead. I think this is usually an awesome group of folks, and I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you better!

Ends.. or lack thereof...

2007-08-16T22:06:00.000-04:00

Getting warmer...

# You are #10335 on the list.
# 1306 people are ahead of you in line.
# 15577 people are behind you in line.

I'm getting antsy. I want in!!

In other news, I've been spending my evenings at the local coffee house, sitting out on the porch with my knitting and a cuppa joe. The weather has been glorious this week! It was so hot and humid the weeks previous, I couldn't be bothered to hold anything made of wool.. I've been making slow progress, almost done with the jaywalkers (I told you I was the slowest knitter alive!), got a few drop stitches in on the Clapotis, another couple of pattern repeats on the Cozy as well. I just put in an order on KnitPicks, getting in at the last minute on their book sale, and bought enough yarn to make a cute hoodie sweater out of one of my books.. darned if I can remember which one. I just seem to have a lot of projects in the queue, but I can't seem to get anything done, and I just can't exceed the number of projects currently on the needles for some reason. Cozy may kill me. Seriously, it's a simple pattern, but I screw it up constantly. Rip back to the lifeline, start over. Grrr. I'm trying like hell to get through the Jaywalkers, so I can start a new pair of socks. Can't start my chunky cable sweater until TC's sweater is done. One sweater at a time. One pair of socks at a time. The Clap goes quick, though, so that should be done sooner rather than later, and then I can cast on for something else. Man, I just wish I didn't have a full-time (and then some!) job, and half of my free time during the week is spent at the barn as well.

I am looking into a huge career shift though, one that will take some time, and depends on TC getting a new job.. for which he has already interviewed. Hopefully, we'll know next week. If all goes well, that should send the wheels into motion. I'm looking into leaving the corporate rat race, and heading into education.. and in the meantime, I'm working on knitting more efficiently (aka faster!faster!!)

I also took back my request for Secret Pal 11... too much to think about. I can only do one swap at a time, and PRGE seems to be more fun to me. SP11 is just too big. Maybe on a different round.

Hope all your knitting is flying off the needles! Stay cool!

Just when you thought it was over...

2007-08-06T21:35:00.000-04:00

More babies!!!

This little filly was born on August 1. The first baby of my friend's stallion. Is she not to die for? The ears. It's all about the ears. I just want to nibble them. Arabians occasionally get little pointy ears like this, where they turn in towards each other. Seriously, folks. Can you get any more adorable?

So now, the push for the naming is on, because now "baby" can mean two different critters. The previous clue I dropped didn't seem to jog anyone's memory, so I shall explain. There's a microbrewery in Burlington, VT, called Magic Hat. They make my favorite beers. All of them. So, I was considering registering my little one as "Chick's Magic Hat" (magic hat = medicine hat.. see where I'm going?), and we'd call her "Jinx", after their fantastic fall seasonal brew. The only snag is that the current owner knew a person named Jinx, and they weren't nice. So, a little bad juju there.

I've decided on three registered names with nicknames, that I plan on giving her current owner this week, and hopefully she'll pick one. So, that one is in, along with "Chick's Ghost Dancer" (these horses were referred to as the ghost horses of the plains.. I thought it was fitting), and call her Dancer, or something totally unrelated if we decide than dancer is too reindeer-ish... And the third, "Chick's Siouxsie Q". Sioux Indians were one of the tribes that honored the medicine hat, Siouxsie (and the Banshees - rock!!), and Siouxsie Q just has a cute ring to it.

I think the black eyeliner says it all.

Ravelry, I heart you.

2007-08-02T18:23:00.000-04:00

So, I am still waiting for my invite to Ravelry, but I'm getting close...

# You are #10335 on the list.
# 2702 people are ahead of you in line.
# 12047 people are behind you in line.

Now, to be honest, I just put in for an invite because it sounds like it's going to be a really awesome site. But just now, I spent some time going through the screenshots and previews and... oh my god. Seriously. The needle inventory page. I have no idea what I have or don't have as far as needles are concerned.

I need to go get some chocolate, maybe a glass of wine, and drool over the few pages of screenshots...

Here's a hint...

2007-08-02T07:28:00.001-04:00

Is there anybody outside of New England that recognizes this?

Because if you do, I've just given the whole name away... almost..

PRGE goodies and miscellany..

2007-07-30T21:21:00.000-04:00

I got my package from Shannon this evening!

I don't recall saying that my fave color is purple.. love the wrapping. The buttons say "Knit Happens" and "Free to Stitch Free To Bitch"...And lookee! I have here: A kit for a cute lil felted horse (how'd you guess I liked the ponies? ha..), two bars of super duper smelling soaps from The Alchemic Dragon, a bar of dark chocolate (my fave again..), and...

Stitch markers that look suspiciously Sunne-made... Love em!

I got a bunch knitted on my Jaywalkers tonight.. I know, I started them ages ago. I'm a slow knitter. That, and I spent the weekend knitting the sleeves of TC's sweater. The neverending sweater. There's a nice little cafe the opened up recently near my house, with tables and umbrellas out front, so on a nice warm day (aka hot and humid), it's nice to sit out with my knitting and an iced coffee and watch the world go by. I actually get more done than if I was at home. And when I wasn't knitting, I was playing with this:

She's getting so big now... She's only a few inches shorter than mom. And she looooves to run around the pasture. She's really starting to look grown up now. Oh, and we've almost decided on a name. Can't give it away yet, not till it's official. I don't want to jinx it...

Now I've done it.

2007-07-24T20:28:00.001-04:00

I just signed up for Secret Pal 11. I've only recently done swaps on PRGE, the last two rounds, this one still going..

Daunting. Should be fun, tho, doing a swap on such a large scale..