So, I've decided this week that I am going to finally give up the soaps I was watching. I'm willing to admit that I was an avid abc daytime watcher since I stopped working for maternity leave/raising Gracie, and lately I've decided that I'm tired of retarded storylines and bad writing, so no more soaps for me!
My new hope is that I will now do a better job of blogging since I *should* have more uninterupted time - we'll see how well that works out. I am also going to try to turn off the TV during that time since I'm beginning to realize I watch way to much television.
On to knitting news, I joined the Mystery Stole Along 2 - the first clue was released last Friday and membership will be closed as of this Friday, so join now or miss out on the fun! I have really enjoyed the pattern so far and am really into this lace project - like I said, pics soon, I promise!
I kinda went easy on myself during the swatch phase (I really did swatch, I swear, but I should have tried the next size up just to see and I didnt) and after I had finished 1/2 of the 1st clue (one whole chart repeat - 50 rows) I decided my fabric was too dense and have bravely started over with the next size up and am liking the results much better.
Previously I was working on JenLa's Fiber Crack baby blanket pattern, which has been the most enjoyable baby blanket I've worked on, and will get back to it as soon as I finish this week's clue for the Mystery Stole.
Now that we are nearing Mid-July, I'm beginning to think along the lines of who's getting what knit for them for Christmas, but I'm not ready to pick up wool yet...so I guess I'll just stick to the planning stage for now - I just have to remember to write my ideas down this year ;)
well, happy knitting! I'll be back soon with pics!
Jul 11, 2006
Jun 15, 2006
Yet another picture free post
Sorry guys, been too busy to set up photo ops lately - I will try to do better soon!
Not a whole lot of knitting progress lately, my newly 2 yr old has been very demanding lately and I've had too much to do in my "free time" to get much progress done on any of my current projects.
We went on vacation a few weeks ago to a historical town in IL called Galena, it was absolutely beautiful and it almost felt like a time portal back to when President Ulysses S Grant walked the cobblestone streets. While there I of course hit up the LYS - Fiber Wild - it was a lovely shop and I could have spent all day there, however my DH brough my DD in with him and she started trying to climb the loom and grab at the expensive yarn (of course) so I had to grab the laceweight alpaca silk blend I had in my hand, pay for it and run before I had to buy more than we could afford ;)
The intended project for my new yummy purchase is the Icarus Shawl in the latest (summer 06) issue of Interweave Knits. This was the first shawl I saw that I "had" to knit now...so we'll see how it goes, I didnt make it much past clue 3 of the Mystery Shawl before the lace got to me. This project looks pretty straight forward until you reach the edging so hopefully by then I'll have enough time invested to work my way around wanting to stick my Size US3 needle in my eye when the charts attempt to get the best of me later on.
A surprising development lately is that I've recently returned to cross stitching. I had 2 projects nearly finished when Gracie arrived and then burnt out. One is a blanket with alphabet patches that just needs the back put on and the other was a birth record that just needed the finishing touches - read miles and miles of back stitch with a few french knots thrown in for variety ;) I finally finished the stitching of that one the other night and now just have to clean, press and frame it! I'm really into stitching right now and am working on starting another project with her name...so yes, I have a wandering eye lately - forgive me knitting!
That's about all I have in me tonight - hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later, thanks for hanging in there with me!
Not a whole lot of knitting progress lately, my newly 2 yr old has been very demanding lately and I've had too much to do in my "free time" to get much progress done on any of my current projects.
We went on vacation a few weeks ago to a historical town in IL called Galena, it was absolutely beautiful and it almost felt like a time portal back to when President Ulysses S Grant walked the cobblestone streets. While there I of course hit up the LYS - Fiber Wild - it was a lovely shop and I could have spent all day there, however my DH brough my DD in with him and she started trying to climb the loom and grab at the expensive yarn (of course) so I had to grab the laceweight alpaca silk blend I had in my hand, pay for it and run before I had to buy more than we could afford ;)
The intended project for my new yummy purchase is the Icarus Shawl in the latest (summer 06) issue of Interweave Knits. This was the first shawl I saw that I "had" to knit now...so we'll see how it goes, I didnt make it much past clue 3 of the Mystery Shawl before the lace got to me. This project looks pretty straight forward until you reach the edging so hopefully by then I'll have enough time invested to work my way around wanting to stick my Size US3 needle in my eye when the charts attempt to get the best of me later on.
A surprising development lately is that I've recently returned to cross stitching. I had 2 projects nearly finished when Gracie arrived and then burnt out. One is a blanket with alphabet patches that just needs the back put on and the other was a birth record that just needed the finishing touches - read miles and miles of back stitch with a few french knots thrown in for variety ;) I finally finished the stitching of that one the other night and now just have to clean, press and frame it! I'm really into stitching right now and am working on starting another project with her name...so yes, I have a wandering eye lately - forgive me knitting!
That's about all I have in me tonight - hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later, thanks for hanging in there with me!
May 4, 2006
Could it be?
A new post from me?
We are finally home owners!!! It is very exciting for us to finally "own" the place we call home - we've started with a condo which we will either sell or turn into rental property in a few years and move on up to a house. Babysteps are fine with me.
My knitting unfortunately has become a victim of my preoccupation with the whole homesearch, closing, packing/moving/unpacking so I dont have much to show you...
I miss knitting, hopefully I can return full swing back to my passion now that things are calming down a bit. I'm just a bit scatterbrained right now. I sit down and get halfway through a row and see a box/mess out of the corner of my eye and have to go take care of it. I'm tired of living with boxes/clutter and I am a woman on a mission.
There are some other things going on that are distracting me as well, but I'm going to have to keep that secret a little longer - with any luck by the time anyone gets around to checking to see if I've decided to blog again I'll be ready to share anyway ;)
To my once upon a time readers, I miss you and am sorry I disappeared. Now that my desk/computer is back out in common space instead of our bedroom hopefully I will be posting more frequently. At minimum I should be posting every Thursday night - otherwise I'll do my best. I love blogging so I should get back into the swing soon.
On the needles: sitcom chick - I know, I'm a little late to the game, but that cardigan has caught my eye from the first time I saw it, and now I'm finally getting around to it
Also working on finishing another baby blanket for Warm the World.
We are finally home owners!!! It is very exciting for us to finally "own" the place we call home - we've started with a condo which we will either sell or turn into rental property in a few years and move on up to a house. Babysteps are fine with me.
My knitting unfortunately has become a victim of my preoccupation with the whole homesearch, closing, packing/moving/unpacking so I dont have much to show you...
I miss knitting, hopefully I can return full swing back to my passion now that things are calming down a bit. I'm just a bit scatterbrained right now. I sit down and get halfway through a row and see a box/mess out of the corner of my eye and have to go take care of it. I'm tired of living with boxes/clutter and I am a woman on a mission.
There are some other things going on that are distracting me as well, but I'm going to have to keep that secret a little longer - with any luck by the time anyone gets around to checking to see if I've decided to blog again I'll be ready to share anyway ;)
To my once upon a time readers, I miss you and am sorry I disappeared. Now that my desk/computer is back out in common space instead of our bedroom hopefully I will be posting more frequently. At minimum I should be posting every Thursday night - otherwise I'll do my best. I love blogging so I should get back into the swing soon.
On the needles: sitcom chick - I know, I'm a little late to the game, but that cardigan has caught my eye from the first time I saw it, and now I'm finally getting around to it
Also working on finishing another baby blanket for Warm the World.
Mar 16, 2006
Feb 14, 2006
An Adorable Knitter...how sweet :)
You're a cutsie knitter! Knit anything for kids or
babies, it doesn't matter what yarn or
needles as long as the end result is
*ADORABLE*!
Are you a knitter?
brought to you by Quizilla
Happy Love Day!
I know, I know...I disappeared again, so much for getting back into blogging this year. But I have been otherwise busy for good reason, we are neck deep into the "buying our first home" adventure, so when I have time to be online I'm scouting out places and setting up meetings with the realtor to see places as well as researching all I can on aid for first time buyers...
I also jetted off to San Diego with Gracie for 3 weeks to visit my family while John was sent to Australia for business and was simply too busy doing "other" things to find my way here.
So...silly me, I thought today was my 1 year blogging anniversary, but it isnt, I started blogging on Feb 6, 2005, and added my site meter on Feb 14...oh well, its not like I had anything to offer as a fun anniversary contest anyways - sorry! Maybe I can come up with something next year :)
Also, as I was researching my first blog entry, I discovered that John was out of town last year for Valentine's Day too! Yes, Gracie was my Valentine again this year, John is in Vegas on yet another trip but at least he'll be home for a long weekend soon :)
Not a whole lot going on knitting-wise lately, I managed to finish Ang's sweater at my moms, and of course didnt take a picture. But it looks amazingly similar to the one on the pattern, maybe I'll get a pic of her in it next time I see her. She absolutely loves it, when she first tried it on, she was thankful and appreciative, but once she got home and saw it in the mirror (I gave it to her when we were out to dinner) she called me absolutely raving about how much she loves it - yeah!!!
Other than that, I was plugging away at my mom's top and then I came across a work at home data entry opportunity that has consumed any free time I had for the last few weeks, and then found another sewing at home job that may be long term so I've been doing some research on purchasing a serger (not required, but I've been wanting one). And now I'm feeling nipped by the sewing bug - so much so that when I got my Joann's flyer, I jumped to the sewing section first and then looked at the yarn sale - gasp! I'm sure it will wear off after the novelty fades.
Oh, and at my mom's I came across this adorable hand knit dress that I wore as a toddler and Gracie is just adorable in. So I brought it home with me and I think I'm going to try to deconstruct it in my head so I can make her another one that is a bit bigger. I think that would make a suitable attempt at designing from inspiration. My mom couldnt remember where she got it, either my grandmother made it or it was bought from a place that didnt install tags as there are no markings whatsoever inside and it is not "professionally" finished.
Well, Happy Love Day! [that's what they called today on Blue's Clues :hee, hee:]
I also jetted off to San Diego with Gracie for 3 weeks to visit my family while John was sent to Australia for business and was simply too busy doing "other" things to find my way here.
So...silly me, I thought today was my 1 year blogging anniversary, but it isnt, I started blogging on Feb 6, 2005, and added my site meter on Feb 14...oh well, its not like I had anything to offer as a fun anniversary contest anyways - sorry! Maybe I can come up with something next year :)
Also, as I was researching my first blog entry, I discovered that John was out of town last year for Valentine's Day too! Yes, Gracie was my Valentine again this year, John is in Vegas on yet another trip but at least he'll be home for a long weekend soon :)
Not a whole lot going on knitting-wise lately, I managed to finish Ang's sweater at my moms, and of course didnt take a picture. But it looks amazingly similar to the one on the pattern, maybe I'll get a pic of her in it next time I see her. She absolutely loves it, when she first tried it on, she was thankful and appreciative, but once she got home and saw it in the mirror (I gave it to her when we were out to dinner) she called me absolutely raving about how much she loves it - yeah!!!
Other than that, I was plugging away at my mom's top and then I came across a work at home data entry opportunity that has consumed any free time I had for the last few weeks, and then found another sewing at home job that may be long term so I've been doing some research on purchasing a serger (not required, but I've been wanting one). And now I'm feeling nipped by the sewing bug - so much so that when I got my Joann's flyer, I jumped to the sewing section first and then looked at the yarn sale - gasp! I'm sure it will wear off after the novelty fades.
Oh, and at my mom's I came across this adorable hand knit dress that I wore as a toddler and Gracie is just adorable in. So I brought it home with me and I think I'm going to try to deconstruct it in my head so I can make her another one that is a bit bigger. I think that would make a suitable attempt at designing from inspiration. My mom couldnt remember where she got it, either my grandmother made it or it was bought from a place that didnt install tags as there are no markings whatsoever inside and it is not "professionally" finished.
Well, Happy Love Day! [that's what they called today on Blue's Clues :hee, hee:]
Jan 3, 2006
Black Cavern Knitting
So I'm working on the Cavern cardigan right now, and I'm loving it! Thank you so much Lisa for mentioning this pattern! I see a few of them in my future. This is a top-down seamless raglan in worsted weight, I'm using Caron's Simply Soft in Black.
Here's where I am so far (3/4 through raglan shaping):
And a keen(e) eye may notice her stitch markers in action...Thank You!!! I love them, and I get to think about you whenever I knit now :D I'm going to have a hard time going back to my hack plastic markers ;) And I think you have repaid my getting you into knitting by getting me into making stitch markers - that has just soared to the top of my "I'm gonna..." list.
I also have a finished object that I managed to capture before gifting:
Pattern:Creative Knitting Magazine (Nov 2005), Precious Baby Jacket, p 46
~beware check the website there is an important revision on the front(s) shaping.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Bright Ombre and Bernat Softee Baby in White
Needle: Size 6 (4mm)
Time: Honestly I was in such a holidaze and Gracie was in rare form for most of the month so my best guess is 4-5 sittings at approx 2 hrs each so not much more than 10 hrs and it would have been quicker if I'd checked the website before I started and if I didnt have a toddler who tried to throw her schedule out the window ;)
Notes: Other than the revision in the pattern this was a great knit, the pattern is interesting enough to not be boring, but I was still able to watch TV/movies throughout. I love baby knits, quick, simple and oh so cute! DH wants me to make one for Gracie :)
As well as one of my lovely Christmas gifts from my in-laws:
That is Lion Brand Jiffy in El Paso and a pattern book from Leisure Arts Touchable Knits.
I think I like the cardigan on the front, and the shell on the back cover, but I really feel this yarn is destined for Hot Lava unless I get a few more skeins and make the ballet wrap cardigan on the cover of the current Interweave Knits (Winter 2005).
But that project will have to wait as I am madly finishing 2 more gifts (this was planned to be late, I promise!) before I head to CA Jan 21 :)
Here's where I am so far (3/4 through raglan shaping):
And a keen(e) eye may notice her stitch markers in action...Thank You!!! I love them, and I get to think about you whenever I knit now :D I'm going to have a hard time going back to my hack plastic markers ;) And I think you have repaid my getting you into knitting by getting me into making stitch markers - that has just soared to the top of my "I'm gonna..." list.
I also have a finished object that I managed to capture before gifting:
Pattern:Creative Knitting Magazine (Nov 2005), Precious Baby Jacket, p 46
~beware check the website there is an important revision on the front(s) shaping.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Bright Ombre and Bernat Softee Baby in White
Needle: Size 6 (4mm)
Time: Honestly I was in such a holidaze and Gracie was in rare form for most of the month so my best guess is 4-5 sittings at approx 2 hrs each so not much more than 10 hrs and it would have been quicker if I'd checked the website before I started and if I didnt have a toddler who tried to throw her schedule out the window ;)
Notes: Other than the revision in the pattern this was a great knit, the pattern is interesting enough to not be boring, but I was still able to watch TV/movies throughout. I love baby knits, quick, simple and oh so cute! DH wants me to make one for Gracie :)
As well as one of my lovely Christmas gifts from my in-laws:
That is Lion Brand Jiffy in El Paso and a pattern book from Leisure Arts Touchable Knits.
I think I like the cardigan on the front, and the shell on the back cover, but I really feel this yarn is destined for Hot Lava unless I get a few more skeins and make the ballet wrap cardigan on the cover of the current Interweave Knits (Winter 2005).
But that project will have to wait as I am madly finishing 2 more gifts (this was planned to be late, I promise!) before I head to CA Jan 21 :)
Jan 1, 2006
Happy New Year!
Yeah!!! 2006 is here!!!
I'm excited about this because I'm very glad to have 2005 behind me. It wasnt a horrible year, but it wasnt the best year either so I'm very happy to have a fresh start.
Good thing #1 ~ I am no longer horribly home sick. I do still miss my family and friends very much, but I dont want to throw up anymore when I think about how much I miss them.
Good thing #2 ~ Gracie got a potty chair for Christmas...which means the end is in sight of diaper duty. I would very much like to not have 2 children in diapers at once and we do plan on baking her a sibling in the near future. Which brings me to...
Good thing #3 ~ We will decide this year when to make our family grow. As much as I am a little nervous about this because I didnt take the hormonal fluxes very well last time, I really want a sibling for Gracie and I'm holding out hope for a better pregnancy this time around.
Good thing #4 ~ I am very comfortable with my knitting now, it is like breathing to me, so I am very much looking forward to what my hands/mind will create this year. I hope to get braver with designing my own patterns this year. I've already started tweaking other's patterns and I'm starting to get the math and structure down :)
Good thing #5 ~ I've finally met some moms in the area and I look forward to our playdates and mommy night outs. The best part is we get to chat everyday online and then get together when our schedules allow, so it is very flexible and just what I need right now. Plus I really want Gracie to start working on her social skills. I'm also realizing that I really need this myself and have already become much happier with myself now that I've found this outlet.
Here are some things I am going to accomplish this year (goals, not resolutions, because resolutions are broken too easily ;))
Goal #1 I will pause before I speak this year. I keep interrupting and/or talking over others, and I dont want to do that anymore. I am hoping this will also help me clean up my mouth - when I get tired/frustrated I curse (shocking I know) and lets just say I've been rather tired/frustrated lately and that paired with Gracie expanding her vocabulary is not good.
This "pause" will also hopefully stop/reduce the amount of hot-headed rudeness that I express towards my hubby (and unfortunately from time to time Gracie) by allowing me to realize what I'm saying before I say it.
~penalty - 10 cents for every curse word, I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do about the other stuff, just try real hard for now, I'll update when I come up with something.
Goal #2 I will do at least one fair isle/intarsia project by summer. I am very intrigued by colorwork, the biggest thing holding me back so far is probably budget because if I'm going to put that much work in a project I dont want it in acrylic. So I'll probably be placing my 1st order with KnitPicks this year :)
~penalty - havent come up with one yet...other than if not done by summer, I will have to purchase project for my birthday and not allow myselft to work on anything else until it gets rolling. may update later
Goal #3 I will design something that I can share on this site for free. I want to show my appreciation for other blogger's free patterns by offering one of my own. I will also appreciate any feedback generated by the project.
~ penalty - this one will either happen or not
Goal #4 I will blog at least once a week, with an aim for getting back to every/every other day. I really have a passion for blogging, I enjoy this outlet and love "meeting" other knitbloggers. Lately my very mobile toddler and my knitting obsession have just gotten in the way of making it to the keyboard (I am a loyal reader of many though - but I need to comment more).
~ penalty - I will have to blog before I can read my bloglines if I fall behind.
Goal #5 I will do better at keeping in touch with my friends. I get "too involved" in my own life and let too many weeks/months pass without emails/calls and I need to do a better job of letting my friends know how much they mean to me.
~ penalty - If I dont naturally get better at this I'm going to have to make "dates" on the calendar and hope this gets the ball rolling for it to become more frequent and not "required"
So that's what I have going so far, I also hope to read more books this year, and get some non-fiction in there, but I've always read a lot so that isnt much of a goal, it is more an effort towards intentionally reading instead of reverting to old habit.
Happy New Year! Knit something!
I'm excited about this because I'm very glad to have 2005 behind me. It wasnt a horrible year, but it wasnt the best year either so I'm very happy to have a fresh start.
Good thing #1 ~ I am no longer horribly home sick. I do still miss my family and friends very much, but I dont want to throw up anymore when I think about how much I miss them.
Good thing #2 ~ Gracie got a potty chair for Christmas...which means the end is in sight of diaper duty. I would very much like to not have 2 children in diapers at once and we do plan on baking her a sibling in the near future. Which brings me to...
Good thing #3 ~ We will decide this year when to make our family grow. As much as I am a little nervous about this because I didnt take the hormonal fluxes very well last time, I really want a sibling for Gracie and I'm holding out hope for a better pregnancy this time around.
Good thing #4 ~ I am very comfortable with my knitting now, it is like breathing to me, so I am very much looking forward to what my hands/mind will create this year. I hope to get braver with designing my own patterns this year. I've already started tweaking other's patterns and I'm starting to get the math and structure down :)
Good thing #5 ~ I've finally met some moms in the area and I look forward to our playdates and mommy night outs. The best part is we get to chat everyday online and then get together when our schedules allow, so it is very flexible and just what I need right now. Plus I really want Gracie to start working on her social skills. I'm also realizing that I really need this myself and have already become much happier with myself now that I've found this outlet.
Here are some things I am going to accomplish this year (goals, not resolutions, because resolutions are broken too easily ;))
Goal #1 I will pause before I speak this year. I keep interrupting and/or talking over others, and I dont want to do that anymore. I am hoping this will also help me clean up my mouth - when I get tired/frustrated I curse (shocking I know) and lets just say I've been rather tired/frustrated lately and that paired with Gracie expanding her vocabulary is not good.
This "pause" will also hopefully stop/reduce the amount of hot-headed rudeness that I express towards my hubby (and unfortunately from time to time Gracie) by allowing me to realize what I'm saying before I say it.
~penalty - 10 cents for every curse word, I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do about the other stuff, just try real hard for now, I'll update when I come up with something.
Goal #2 I will do at least one fair isle/intarsia project by summer. I am very intrigued by colorwork, the biggest thing holding me back so far is probably budget because if I'm going to put that much work in a project I dont want it in acrylic. So I'll probably be placing my 1st order with KnitPicks this year :)
~penalty - havent come up with one yet...other than if not done by summer, I will have to purchase project for my birthday and not allow myselft to work on anything else until it gets rolling. may update later
Goal #3 I will design something that I can share on this site for free. I want to show my appreciation for other blogger's free patterns by offering one of my own. I will also appreciate any feedback generated by the project.
~ penalty - this one will either happen or not
Goal #4 I will blog at least once a week, with an aim for getting back to every/every other day. I really have a passion for blogging, I enjoy this outlet and love "meeting" other knitbloggers. Lately my very mobile toddler and my knitting obsession have just gotten in the way of making it to the keyboard (I am a loyal reader of many though - but I need to comment more).
~ penalty - I will have to blog before I can read my bloglines if I fall behind.
Goal #5 I will do better at keeping in touch with my friends. I get "too involved" in my own life and let too many weeks/months pass without emails/calls and I need to do a better job of letting my friends know how much they mean to me.
~ penalty - If I dont naturally get better at this I'm going to have to make "dates" on the calendar and hope this gets the ball rolling for it to become more frequent and not "required"
So that's what I have going so far, I also hope to read more books this year, and get some non-fiction in there, but I've always read a lot so that isnt much of a goal, it is more an effort towards intentionally reading instead of reverting to old habit.
Happy New Year! Knit something!
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