Yarn Sandwich

Summer's Almost Over for Me

2008-07-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

I go back to work on August 12th. Far too soon for me. We've accomplished a lot this summer, but there's still quite a bit I'd like to do.

Done:
Cleaned out the garage. I can park my car in it. That has maybe never happened before.
Got rid of a great deal of belongings.
My kiddo learned how to fish, ride her bike, she and passed Level II swimming.

To Do:
I still have some things I'd like to do to the house and my classroom.
Crafting things to finish, like the lining for my Prism bag (below, before felting), my Backgammon bag, Charlotte's Web shawl, and my kiddo's dress.

Visit all of the outdoor-nice-day places we like to go.
Print photos and make our New York trip scrapbook (Central Park).

It's been a really nice summer, though, even though it's almost over. For now, we're off to the bike trails. Torpedo's record for the summer is 6 miles and mine is 20. We'll have to break one of those tonight.

Today's Accomplishments

2008-03-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

Really they're just elaborate and successful procrastination tactics.

1. Paid off my substantial medical bills.
2. Filled out and turned in two forms.
3. Bought things that I needed.
4. Bought things that I wanted.
5. Made plans to take a day off.
6. Finished knitting a scarf.
7. Took out the recycling.
8. Did a load of laundry.

Things I Did Not Do:
1. Write two IEP's.

Love

2007-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love this. I have wanted to knit something just like this for ... years, maybe? So I'm thinking, how much would all the nice yarn cost, and is there any way I can justify spending $158 on a scarf?

Hmm. Back to Blogging?

2007-08-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

I've recently been thinking about blogging again. It's been awhile, but I kept the blog up because I thought I'd get back to it. I'm thinking now might be a good time.

I start work again on Wednesday. Two more days of summer vacation. I'm sure everyone says this and everyone is thinking it already, but it really did fly by. Summer was wonderful, and I'm sad to see it go. I try to tell myself that it will be nice to get back into a routine, but I could easily never have a routine again. I am excited to see my students again, though. And I like setting up my classroom. We're going to the school and work on that again today.

In my knitting life I've got more projects going on that I can possibly finish in the next two days, which was my original goal. I'm knitting a cardigan for me, a bolero for my new niece to be, a sock (there's always a sock), and a fabulous bag:

Mine will be similar colors to the one in the front.

So, soon I will have to juggle a new school year and knitting and maintaining a house and full-time 24/7 parenting. But we'll manage. Off to the school.

Short Sort of an Update

2006-08-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking, "I'll get back to the blog after I..." The latest thing stopping me is my new job. After I graduated in December (with my MA in Special Education), I taught part-time last school year and through the summer. And now I just started teaching full-time as an elementary special education teacher. I think it will be great, but the beginning of a new school year at a new school with students that I don't know is a little rough.

I have been knitting. I frantically knitted all sorts of things before school started, (hats, mittens, scarf, baby cardigan, doll dresses, socks), because I knew I wouldn't have much time for knitting for a while. Now I have a Charlotte's Web shawl and another doll dress on the needles.

So we'll see. I'll keep the blog up for a while and if things slow down, then maybe I'll pick it back up...

Almost Done...

2005-12-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

I have one week left of student teaching. I turn in my portfolio on Wednesday, my internship in over on Friday, and I graduate on Saturday (though I won't actually be attending). And then I get the other aspects of my life back. I have a crazy long list of things that I want to work on (crafting things, house things, getting internet in my house!, oh, and getting a teaching job - that one's pretty important). Some of them will have to wait until after Christmas, though. I will probably be having Christmas at my house this year, if I can figure out how to fit 12-18 people in my tiny house. But I think it will be fun; I've always wanted to be a hostess. So. long story short, one more week and that's it!

We moved!

2005-11-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

We're done moving! Everything is still a bit chaotic and not quite unpacked, but we're mostly moved anyway. The house is getting to be pretty cute. One minus: no internet or cable. The cable I can live without, but the no internet thing is going to be a problem, I'll have to take care of that. Once we get internet I can post pictures.

Another Break

2005-10-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

I just can't do the blog right now. Pretty much every minute of every day is accounted for before it starts. It's been okay, I feel like I'm managing, but just barely. To add to things, I start my seconday placement in a week and a half at a high school teaching goverment and geography, which means I have to learn about government and geography pretty quickly. And I'm moving on the 12th and have a ton of stuff to do to the house before we move in. So give me a couple weeks, and maybe then I'll be somewhat interesting. Here are some reasons to check my blog in the future:

before and after house pictures
two sweaters that should be done soon

Okay, I thought there were going to be more, but I think that's it.

Winter Accessories

2005-10-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

I bought some Suss shawl kits for super cheap a while ago. I made one of them and decided that I wasn't really into that kind of shawl pattern, so I decided to make something else with the other one. That's where I got the yarn for my daughter's hat/scarf/mitten set. Here they are in our annual leaf picture:

Now I'm going to have to buy her a purple winter coat. The rest of my knitting projects have been coming along very slowly, due to my new hectic lifestyle, but I have made some progress on my kiddo's cardigan, I'll have to post pictures when I get the front and back done.

Here's Something

2005-10-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, apparently when I said I would post pictures on Wednesday, I meant the Wednesday more than a week later. Some day I will have my act together. For now, I have pictures of things I made back when I had all the time in the world.

I knitted these mittens (from the second Stitch N' Bitch book) for my daughter last winter. One warm day not too long ago when mittens seemed far away I knitted a pair for myself. (Can I wear these in public, I wonder?) My daughter thinks they're itchy (Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride), and she's probably right. If I made these again I would use a merino wool, I think, but they're fun, and from the house to the car, or for 15 minutes of recess duty I think I can handle it.

Quick Update

2005-10-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

I started student teaching today and it was just fine. Everything went quite well, as a matter of fact. (What was I so worried about?) So I had been thinking that I would have to put off all knitting and other crafting until mid-December when I am done, but now I think I will most likely have a little free time now and then (though I do have comprehensive exams in a month). I plan to post pictures of a completed project or two on Wednesday (which may mean Thursday or Friday). I am also about to start the sleeves for my Jesse's Flames. I just may get that thing finished sometime.

Maybe Not the Best Idea I Ever Had

2005-09-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

So I have been collecting plastic bags for a while to make this tote bag thingy. I decided that I should start knitting it.

This is what I have learned:
1. Cutting up plastic bags takes a while.
2. Plastic strips - difficult to work with.
3. Even though I used larger strips and needles than called for in the pattern, I still didn't need to start another project, because there's no way that I will have it finished before I start student teaching.
4. Not a strong of a "fabric" that I would have liked.
5. I'm still going to finish it and use it and like it, but I probably won't make any more of them.

On a different note, I now live in a two yarn store city. Two years ago, no yarn stores. Today, two yarns stores. The new one is just lovely.

Also, have you seen this?

Pom Poms and Dishcloths

2005-09-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

I love my new pom pom maker!

It's the Clover pom pom maker (big fan!) that I ordered from Jimmy Beans Wool. I am now a big fan of that website, too, my package came in 1 and a half days from Nevada! I can't handle yarn scraps, so they're all getting turned into pom poms. I'm thinking about making them into this scarf (Dandy, from Rowan 38):

(Except more colorful.)
(And probably for my daughter.)

I also made some new dishcloths for our new house.

I start student teaching on the 3rd, so I am kind of frantically trying to get things finished before I lose pretty much all of my free time.

Insomnia

2005-09-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

Apparently this is what I do when it's 2am and I can't sleep:

1. Burn CDs.
2. Knit.
3. Spend a good long time trying to find a "Stop Plate Tectonics" T-shirt online somewhere. No luck, but not surprising since the last time I saw one was about ten years ago.
4. Spend a good long time trying to find this:

Obviously I had more luck with this one. I couldn't remember what they're called (EcoSpheres), which caused some difficulty, but I found it. Isn't it lovely? A whole little self-contained world. I don't know if I could take the pressure.
5. Watched Mona Lisa Smile.
6. Wondered where I will be student teaching. I found out from my advisor tonight that I have a placement, but she couldn't remember where, and she's going to email me tomorrow.

Now off to bed, I hope. Soon my little one will be awake and perky.

Rubik's Cube

2005-09-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

I'm addicted to the Rubik's Cube. My brother bought one for my daughter and of course she immediately scrambled it and I just couldn't take it, so I went online and found the Nerd Paradise website. Now I can't look at it at all. If it's scrambled, then I want to unscramble it, but if it's unscrambled... I think I just need to hide it from myself, because it's not as if I have time for this sort of thing.

Knitting Update Monday

2005-09-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have been knitting, and here's proof:

This is the cardigan that I am knitting for my daughter, a little something called Making It Up As I Go Along. I am including some fairisle stripes so I can practice knitting with one yarn in each hand. I never knit continental, so it is slow going, but getting better.

I am also working on my brother's Jesse's Flames sweater and it's finally almost time for a blue stripe! After miles and miles of black ribbing, blue stripes are very exciting.

(Not the best picture, but it doesn't matter, because it's just miles and miles of black ribbing anyway.) Blue and silver, didn't my brother choose great flame colors?

I should be studying for the three Praxis exams that I have to take on Saturday to see if they're going to let me become a teacher. What was I thinking when I thought I would be a good idea to save $40 and take all three on the same day?

Tie One On - August

2005-08-31T17:25:00.000-07:00

I really like the "Mini Me" theme for this month's Tie One On. I had planned on making this apron anyway, and this way my daughter gets one, too. I used the Amy Butler Reversible Cafe Apron pattern. I don't do a lot of sewing, so parts were a little tricky (the topstitching around the waistband and ties), but overall it went pretty well.

This is our homage to the pictures on the front and the back of the pattern:

I also found that my daughter's apron makes a good short apron for me:

I'm glad to have the motivation to make these and I'm excited to see what next month's theme will be!

It's About Time

2005-08-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. I baby-sat my nephew while he was between daycares, which was fun, but between him and my daughter nothing else got done. I applied for student teaching which, provided they want me, should begin in mid-September. I'm (most likely) moving into the house that was my grandmother's. That is very exciting. The house is tiny and hasn't changed at all since about 1950 or so. So I have been very nesty, sorting and packing and purging belongings. I also made kind of a lot of things. Here are a few, a basket bag for me:

The best socks I have ever knitted:

Those were very fun and never got boring. I was actually happy to knit the second sock. And I recovered my grandma's kitchen chairs to match her kitchen table that I have. (That was an awkward sentence.) Recovering the chairs was not easy, but they turned out okay.

(I had to take the pictures in my daughter's room, because hers is the only one that gets any light in the morning.)

So, if all goes well, there should soon be some "before and after" house pictures. The carpet in the living room is about 40 years old, but there should be pretty wood floors underneath, so the carpet will be first to go.

I plan on more blogging, but I will have to decide on posting days, I think, otherwise I spend way too much time on the internet pining over everyone else's beautiful things instead of making my own. I did make one apron for this month's Tie One On, so I have two days to finish the second one.

EDIT: I used the Stashbuster Spirals "jogless spiral stripes technique" with my own sock pattern.

Break Time

2005-07-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a bit of a blogging break, I'll be back sometime later next week.

My Camera is Broken

2005-07-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Or else I'm doing something wrong. I don't know what all of the symbols mean... I don't know. I'm super disappointed, because I ♥ my camera and now I can't post pictures of the gifts I got from my secret pal. She sent me some yarn, a cross stitch kit, and some great stitch markers. (I'm really impressed with your wire wrapping skills, Secret Pal!) So thank you very much (!) and I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

Since I can't post any pictures, here are a few links:
These Pick up Sticks patterns look great. I especially like the Calla Lily and the Daffodils. I was thinking about ordering these, but they just got them at my local yarn store. (The manager offered me a job there, by the way, which was exciting because I had never asked to work there, and it's a yarn store. I don't think I could do it though, because I start my student teaching in the fall.)

I wonder how silly it would be for me to drive to the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. I've never been to Chicago before; it's about 12 hours away. Not a totally unreasonable drive, but maybe it is if I'm just going there to shop.

I frogged by Stashbuster socks. They (it) had been driving me nuts (too many new techniques on one sock, I think) and when I got to the heel and realized that the sock would be too big for a large man with large feet, I decided that I had enough. I'm going to stick with what I know this time and make something simpler. I really like Alison's pattern and I think I'll use that one instead. Cables and my usual favorite 2x2 rib. What a great idea!

I bought this apron when I was in Minneapolis. I first saw it on Wee Wonderfuls. It's lovely. Hopefully, I'll be able to wear it sometime, after I get over how pretty it is.

Strawberry Picking

2005-07-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

All Sorts of Prizes!

2005-07-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

I got back from Minneapolis to discover that my Back-Tack package had arrived! Thank you Jen! I am so happy with what you sent me! This awesome needle/notions holder:

And the inside:

I particularly love the needle book.

And I love these owls! I don't know if I'm going to be able to stick pins in them, they may be too cute. They'll get to hang out by my sewing machine anyway, though, if my daughter stops stealing them. I found them in her room earlier. ("Where could my owls have gone?")

And she included all sorts of treats. I am fascinated by these Australian candy bars (My daughter and I were just going to have one bite of each. They're mostly gone now.), and the yarn is lovely.

Thank you very much to MeMoiJa, as well for the great fabric! I really enjoyed participating in Back-Tack. Thank you Alison and Nicole! I can't wait for the next installment!

Too add to my excitement upon arriving home from my trip, I bought this needle holder, not sure that it would be able to hold all of my circulars, and I found out it is perfect!

(Should we count the exclamation points used in this post? No, probably not.)

A Little Trip

2005-07-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

We are going to Minneapolis today for a few days. These are the places that I want to go:
Anthropologie
Depth of Field
Needleworks Unlimited
and two new places:
Crafty Planet
Yarn Cafe

"Flower Basket" Pincushion

2005-07-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

I made this enormous pincushion yesterday. I had originally planned on applique-ing flowers on the top, but I decided on circles instead (that took long enough). It's still a flower basket, anyway. Here it is naked:

And here it is all dressed up:

I couldn't stop myself from being compulsive about the pin placement. My daughter was helping me put the pins in and I found myself saying things like, "Flower pins go here, sweetie." I have some ideas of things I would like to make out of the rest of the felt. I also found another appropriate fabric for Tie One On that I would like to use with the one I have, but I am having trouble coming up with an interfacing that is lightweight, but opaque. I tried to ask at the fabric store, but I was one of my local fabric stores where the employees tend to be crabby, and got no help. I will have to try again at the friendly, happy fabric store.

Not So Instant After All, Or Gratifying

2005-07-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided that before I made an apron, I would make a circular needle holder. I wanted something big enough to hold all of my circulars. So I'm sewing and things are going well and then suddenly things go very badly and that's the end of my needle holder. I wanted to make one to match the one I made a while ago for my DPNs:

Which was inspired by those made by Megan of the Organizer Knitter. Here's part of the inside:

That one looks okay, but the one I tried to make yesterday got all puckered and crooked and weird. Probably because I thought I would use frosted vinyl for the pockets and this tuxedo fabric I have for the lining and it was all slippery. I was thinking about posting pictures, but it's just too terrible to look at. So maybe I will just buy a Stick Sack.

Tie One On

2005-07-05T03:17:00.000-07:00

I have a little bit of an apron obsession lately, and fortunately, apparently many others do as well. And I would like to start sewing more. I need some more instant gratification than I get with knitting, something that I can do interspersed with knitting the most boring sweater and the most complicated socks ever. (That was poor planning.) I can sew something and be done with it the same day and not have to completely neglect my daughter. So, when I saw the theme for July's Tie One On, I thought and thought about whether I should make something for it and then I found the most perfect fabric and one of my local fabric stores and now I'm making an apron. (Well, not right now. Right now I should be finishing up my research paper that's due this morning, but I will be making an apron.) However, the apron pattern that I have in my head involves grommets, which makes me nervous. I've never used them before. What if I get the apron done and put the grommets in all wonky and ruin it? So today I will be doing some grommet research, and later maybe I'll have an apron. All in the same day, comparatively instant gratification.

Yarn/Pigs/Cute Kid

2005-06-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

1. I finished two of my classes today! Unfortunately, I still have a 15-page test and a 15-page paper due Tuesday for my other class, so no knitting or sewing yet.

2. However, I did buy a slightly out-of-focus skein of yarn:

Koigu for a secret baby gift.

3. And I do have a picture of something I knitted back when I had more time:

My daughter chose the colors for the piglet's eyes and nostrils. "Are you sure you want pink and purple, honey? Don't you think maybe you'd like black or brown? No?"

4. And one gratuitous picture of my cute kid:

5. And what we did today.

Gasp! Surprise & Delight!

2005-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

I have just discovered the the fabulous Missa AKA Midnight Knitter has chosen my blog as one of her "favorite of the past few weeks." And she made me a button. Thanks Missa!

Yay!

2005-06-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

I got this book today:

I have been pining over this one for about ever.

To Do List Update/Back-Tack/Purchases

2005-06-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Guess what I got done from my To Do List. I'll give you a hint: Not the papers. But I did do this:

I was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I really wanted to make one after I saw the beautiful basket bags (and this one) that Hillary made, but it gave me more trouble than I thought it would. I should have expected that, now that I think about it, because I hardly ever sew, but I didn't. My favorite part is the rick-rack that my supplier sent me:

Isn't it lovely?

I also made a zippered pouch which didn't photograph very well. That was a little challenging as well, because I never sew with zippers ("Mom, what's a zipper foot?") and I used the wrong kind of zipper; I hope my recipient forgives me. I am sending some gifts in it as well, to hopefully make up for my mediocre sewing skills, and the whole thing should go out in the mail tomorrow.

While I was working on the bag, I made three trips to fabric stores (interfacing, which I ended up taking out because it was bulky, fabric for a pocket, which I ended up taking off because it looked weird, and navy thread because I forgot on the first two trips) and I bought this beautiful Amy Butler fabric:

To make this:

Probably more like the apron on the bottom. However, when I got the fabric home, it seems like there is was way too much of it. I think I could maybe make the skirt instead:

But I think maybe I will just make the apron and if there is enough left over, I can make a matching apron for my daughter. I've found out that my sewing skills aren't what I optimistically thought they were and maybe I should stick with something easier.

I also have this pattern:

which I wanted to buy fabric for also, since my fabric store finally got it in, but I don't think I should be buying fabric at all until I get caught up with my classes and things. I finished my take-home test and parts of both of my papers. I also got most of the cleaning and laundry done. Only four more days of class!

Today

2005-06-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today is my only day to get all sorts of things accomplished. I have had class all day all week, and today is my day off. My daughter comes back from her big week at her dad's house tomorrow and I would like to have enough things done to be able to give her my undivided attention. Here's what I have to do:

1. Write a book review for a book I haven't read yet.
2. Work on my research paper, which is maybe 75% finished.
3. Do all of my Back-Tack sewing.
4. Clean the house and do the laundry.
5. Work on my 14 page(!) take-home test, which is 25% finished.

It's already 10:30 am, but I slept 12 HOURS! last night (it's been about 4 or 5 hours a night all month), so I should be good to go for a while. And if need be, I'll have some time tomorrow morning, I think.

Next week is my last week of 3 classes a day. I am only taking one class in July, which should be almost fun. So, after the 30th, expect all sorts of crafting from me.

Aren't These Lovely?

2005-06-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

Aren't these lovely:

Today there are about twice as many as there were yesterday and they are even more cheerful and beautiful.

The only thing I am knitting lately is the Jesse's Flames sweater from Stitch N Bitch Nation, but don't tell my brother that, because even though I keep asking him questions about size and color and "You like flames, right?" we are pretending it is still a surprise.

Now I have to learn all about reading assessment so I can do a presentation on it. Only eleven more days of class...

School and Knitting

2005-06-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

June is just awful. I am taking three classes and I am in school from 7:25am until 3:30pm and it takes me an hour to get there each way. Then I pick up my daughter and spend time with her, make dinner, get her to bed and study from about 8 or 9 until 11 or 12 and wake up at 4:30am to study a little more and to get ready. Ick.

I did manage to get some knitting done at the end of May. I knitted obsessively for a couple of weeks because I knew I wouldn't be able to knit for a while. I made two Christmas presents. (Last year, two people got knitted gifts, I'm trying to up the number this year.) I also knitted a hat/mitten/scarf set for my daughter, but I haven't taken pictures of it yet and my camera batteries are charging. But I do have pictures of the bags I felted, before:

And after:

I originally thought that the one on the left (in the after picture) was ugly, but now I think I like that one best. It has the last of my wool scraps in it and I know probably everyone knows this, but Kureyon is awesome when it is felted. I think I may make a whole bag out of it, when I get to knit again.

Here Goes

2005-05-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here are my answers to the Secret Pal 5 Questionnaire:

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
Yeah, I am a yarn snob, but I like to think that I just really appreciate nice yarn, you know, time invested, etc. (I think I've read this same answer before.) Though I do like cheaper yarns sometimes (Lion Brand Cotton Ease, for example), when I am knitting something that needs to be machine washable/is for a kid.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
I own a drop spindle that I have never used, but I still think that I will someday. I will also someday buy a wheel, I think. I know how to crochet a little, but I much prefer knitting.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
No, but my daughter does have a lot of allergies (dogs, certain weeds, peanuts, mold, that sort of thing), so we both stay away from those things.

4. How long have you been knitting?
I have been knitting for about 10 years, obsessively for three or four.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, I have an Amazon wish list, and it's fairly, but not always completely, up-to-date.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Pink grapefruit, other citrusy scents like tangerine and mandarin, also ginger, but pink grapefruit is my very favorite.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Yes, but I'm trying not to. I've been thinking about limiting myself to fancy expensive chocolate to make it more special and less of an everyday (or several times a day) occurrence.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I used to try to just stick to knitting (crafting is expensive!), but I also sew a little (I just got a sewing machine). I bake/cook, build things (like bookshelves, someday I will own power tools), and I want to cross stitch and embroider.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Almost all. I don't like country, except Johnny Cash, and I'm not a big fan of rap. Oh, and I think my computer can play MP3s, and if not, I should make it so it does.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love orange and shades of orange (coral, rust). I also like red and yellow and sage green. And berry colors.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a boyfriend and a four-year-old daughter. I also have three cats that I acquired over the years. I never once said, "Hey, I should get a cat," and still I have three. I anyone wants one, let me know. (I like them, but three?)

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
Okay, I want to finish grad school (in December), get a job teaching special education, get married (again), buy a house with a porch or two, have another baby, and raise alpacas and have a huge garden. In that order, more or less.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Hmmm. I like merino wool, but I also like "fuzzy" wool. I like Kureyon. I think I would like Koigu, but I have never knitted with it. I like cottons and alpaca, too. And I would like to try linen.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm not a big fan of acrylics and novelty yarn. That said, I am currently knitting a fun fur bunny for my daughter, and you don't get much more novelty than fun fur, but I am sucker and my daughter is really cute and convincing.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Using up my stash, which is going very well. Then I think I will be obsessed with shawls, cardigans, and felted bags.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Sweaters in the round, maybe? I'm a big fan of the Knitting Pure & Simple patterns.

17. What are you knitting right now?
That bunny, socks that are to use up my sock yarn scraps, and Jesse's Flames from Stitch N Bitch Nation for my brother, who paints flames on things for a living.

18. What do you think about ponchos?
Not for me, but they look cute on my daughter.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Circular.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Addi Turbos and bamboo DPNs, though I think maybe I would like metal DPNs if I had some shorter ones.

21. Are you a sock knitter?
Yes. I don't know how much I like the actual act of sock knitting, but they sure are handy to bring along.

22. How did you learn to knit?
A woman I used to work with tried to teach me, but I discovered I learn much easier from books. She was the one who inspired me, though.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
Never very old.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
Alpacas first, also goats, emus and peacocks. I also really like Japanese-style cartoon animals.

25. What is your favorite holiday?
I am a little obsessed with certain aspects of Christmas. I like Christmas music and food and tablecloths and aprons and things.

26. Is there anything that you collect?
I try not to "collect" things, I tend to let things get out of hand. (My thousands of books are a good example.)

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
None, though there are many I would love.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Always. My Amazon wish list is always fairly long. Scarf Style will be my next knitting book, I think.

Finally, Pictures

2005-05-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my finished hourglass sweater. I had a "went to be with wet hair and it dried funny" look going on, so you get the creepy headless version:

I also took a couple of pictures of the sweater that I cardiganized:

And:

Why do I think I should pick up about twice as many stitches as I actually need every time I make a cardigan? So I thought, "Oh, it'll look better once I sew the buttons on." (How is this going to make it look better?) I'll probably take it out and re-do it sometime, but I don't want to right now.

I'm also almost done with a tote bag that I'm going to felt. Then I'm going to do one more and felt those two and another one that I finished forever ago all at once, because I'm not a big fan of the actual felting process. I don't like standing in front of the washing maching and checking all the time, but if I get distracted I'll just forget about them.

Woo-Hoo!

2005-05-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

My Back-Tack fabric and embellishments arrived yesterday! The first thing I wanted to do was post a picture, but I suppose I shouldn't do that because it is all top secret, right? Thank you, Secret Fabric-Sender, it is going to be really fun to work with. It is so interesting to see what I received. It couldn't be any more different than what I sent. Actually, what I got what more my taste than what ended up sending, I think. I bought some thread and a couple other things I needed to start working on it today, since I don't really sew and don't have anything but white and black thread on hand. I'm really excited to have an opportunity to use my new sewing machine.

I got a few things on my trip this weekend: a stuffed animal pattern, two skeins of yarn for a top-secret scarf project, some really nice Clover stitch markers, and a set of Crystal Palace DPNs. I should have taken a picture to post before I put it all away.

I have been a knitting machine lately. My summer classes start in three weeks or so and I think I'm trying to get as much done as I can before that. My classes are going to be awful and there will be no knitting during June. I have class from 7:30am until 3:30pm Mondays through Thursdays and my school is and hour away. Ick. Plus studying for three classes. Ick.

I'm Such a Liar.

2005-05-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

No pictures yet. It has been raining for days and days and I'm going to use the lack of natural light as my excuse. Also, we're going to Minneapolis for the weekend, so apparently it will be a while and you can forget I ever said anything. However, I do have some other pictures. I really like blogs with a lot of pictures. I don't even really care what the pictures are. Here are my straight needles:

And my knitting books and patterns and a couple of sewing books:

And my yarn stash:

The yarn in the basket on the floor is for my daughter's cardigan that I am going to make for her. I will be something like this one from Pipsqueaks:

Ordinarily, I like having some yarn around, but when I have a whole lot of things to get done, it just feels like another thing on my to do list. The yarn in the basket on the chair will be a whole bunch of small things. I have some other yarn, but it is for top secret gifts and I can't show it to anyone.

While we are in Minneapolis, I will be going yarn shopping. I have been thinking about it for days, trying to decide what to get. (More things for my to do list, but I know that once my last final is over, I'll be happy for things to do.)

Finished

2005-05-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have finished my hourglass sweater, my gray cardigan, and one hallowig. Pictures to come, possibly tomorrow, but probably Wednesday.

Slow Going

2005-05-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

This is how I write papers: Think, think, knit, type, knit, think, type, knit, knit, wander, type, blog, type, knit/think, type, type. If I don't knit, there's a lot more of the wander, wander, blog. Either way, there's not enough of the type, type.

By Wednesday, I hope to have completed two papers and three knitting projects. I'm also pretty sure that the sinks, laundry baskets and garbages will be empty, the beds will be made and the floors will be clean.

Almost Done, What's Next?

2005-04-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

I am almost done with my classes for the semester. All I have left are two papers, one project-type-thing and one final. It's nice when I can count the things I have to do on one hand. So I'm already trying to decide what I want to do during the two weeks I will have off before my summer classes start. One the list:

Finish all of my current knitting projects: Hourglass Sweater, gray cardigan, Scrapbuster socks.
Sew a pocket-blanket-thing for my daughter's stuffed animals.
Sew for the Back-Tack.
Join the Not Yarn Along? I want to make the tote made out of plastic bags in Erika Knight's Simple Knits with a Twist.
Buy Scarf Style and start Ene's Scarf. (and join the KAL? I'm such a joiner lately).
Start the stripey cardigan that I'm knitting for the daughter, so I can bring something interesting to knitting night.

That may be a little much to do in two weeks.

Queenbee Creations

2005-04-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

I like this bag. I like the rest of their stuff, too. And this site: Plain Mabel.

Before and After

2005-04-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Before:

And After:

"Hey, that can't be right," you say. "What happened to the top of that sweater? Sweaters are supposed to get bigger, not smaller. Why is that sweater back on the needles? There must be some mistake!"

Sadly, no, there is no mistake:

The fact that the sleeves were about six inches too long is just one of the reasons why it will be a while before I will be wearing this sweater.

Google Maps

2005-04-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

This is fun: Google Maps. If you click on satellite, you can see my house on here if you zoom in far enough.

Cardigan

2005-04-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

Cardigan
Originally uploaded by Yarn Sandwich.

My way-too-heavy pullover, the first sweater I ever knitted myself, has become a cardigan. Steeking went very well, and it seems pretty solid. Now I need to add the ribbing around the neck and the button bands. I need to find some buttons for it, too. I was thinking of using some big metal ones, maybe.

Scrapbuster Socks

2005-04-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

Scrapbuster Socks
Originally uploaded by Yarn Sandwich.

Here is the progress I have made on my Scrapbuster Socks after I had to rip it out a bit. They are a little big, so I am giving them to my mom.

New Header!

2005-04-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

My brother helped me with my new header tonight and I am very happy with it. It took a while, but it was well worth it and I learned some things and I could do it myself next time.

Studying Again

2005-03-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

Why is it that I think I should post when I have a paper to finish? Procrastination. I had to start over on my scrapbuster socks. I was crossing my yarns when switching colors, like with intarsia knitting, and I shouldn't have done that. I did a couple of rows the right way after I figured that out, and I think it's going to look really... interesting. I like how obnoxious the colors look together.

I also started the first sleeve of my hourglass sweater. I'm really liking that project, too. It's been very easy so far and a good project for knitting in public.

I really like these Pick Up Sticks patterns. I had never seen these before. I am thinking about getting the Triangle and Wavy Flower patterns and doing them in similar colors as the samples to match each other. I also like Vertical Stripe for me and Flower Top for my daughter.

I bought a couple Knitting Pure & Simple patterns yesterday. I got the women's and children's neck down cardigans. Matching cardigans for Mommy and Daughter? Maybe.

Sprout a Couch

2005-03-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely going to do this. ReadyMade: Feature - Sprout a Couch First I need a yard, but then I am going to do it.

Studying Hard

2005-03-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a take-home test for about 24 hours. I answer a question, then I put it down and do something else. Then I answer another one, and I wander off again. I think it would have taken me about an hour or two if I would have just sat down and finished it, but here I am, and I still have about one-third of the test to finish. So what am I doing? Oh, posting of course.

My daughter and I spent a long time on the Sanrio website yesterday. They have a lot of good downloads and activities. We made all of the envelopes and treat boxes and now I have Chococat wallpaper on my computer.

Cardigan-to-Be

2005-03-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I did today. This is the first sweater I knitted for myself. It used to have a ribbed neckline, but it didn't have any neck shaping, so it was really uncomfortable. It's also way too heavy for a pullover, so it's going to get steeked and turned into a cardigan. Then I will put the ribbing back when I do the button band.

What's a couple more WIPs?

2005-03-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

I also started knitting these socks. This was the first time I tried the Figure-Eight cast on. I used these directions. I had to start over a few times, but once I got it figured out, it went pretty well. I'd like to make these socks tall enough to use up all of this yarn, but I want them to match and I don't want to run out on the second sock. So maybe I'll knit them both at the same time, but then I'll have six strands going and the potential for tangling seems pretty high.

Here's the picture.

2005-03-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

Here is my Hourglass Sweater. I am about half finished with the body. I like the Cotton Fleece yarn. I have never used it before; it's very drapey.

New Projects

2005-03-12T08:04:00.000-08:00

Currently, I am knitting a pair of socks and the Hourglass sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I am using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in color #310 (orange). I will post pictures when I get more of it done.

Old Projects

2005-03-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

This is the goldfish sweater that I knitted my daughter last year. This will have to do for pictures for now, because I haven't taken any pictures of my recent knitting yet.

Hello!

2005-03-11T17:03:00.000-08:00