Felting fever and other FOs

The vine lace socks are now a happy couple. The brown yarns have turned into this lovely chocolate bag for Mom. Funny how the finished bag looks lighter than the yarn in the picture. The turquoise bag is a little one I made especially for the cruise so that I can walk around with my phone, camera and IDs without bothering to carry a larger purse. I have a pair of capris just this color! I did alter it after this photo was taken. I didn't care for the beading just above the button. It was a good idea gone bad. I know the beading around the flap looks a bit wonky but it is "handmade" after all and my first attempt at sewing on beads. Steph and I bought the button at Joann Fabric this afternoon after our sushi lunch at Yummy Sushi in Henderson.

I actually have another little bag done that just needs to be seamed and felted. It is a mix of the brown and turquoise that will have little i-cord bracelets as handles. It works in theory. Let's see if it works in reality. Pictures to come.

I'm getting nervous about this cruise. Have I mentioned that this is my first? I have always wanted to go but get terribly seasick so didn't think I would ever actually chance it. I'm going with 3 of my girlfriends that I used to play Bunco with. My friends have told me to start Dramamine 24 hours prior, which I will do faithfully. I'd hate to spend all this money and mess it up just because I didn't start the Dramamine early enough. I'm also worried about how everyone will be dressed. I don't want to look out of place. I can't do "before cruise shopping" like some people because as Bernie reminded me today, I don't have a job any more. Good thing I paid for all of this right after I quit. Will you all think I'm too hokey if I told you I've been dreaming of the Love Boat for the past couple of nights? My friends and I are meeting for lunch tomorrow to go over some details, which I appreciate. Dang it! You'd think I was some hick who has never been out of Dodge before. I have been traveling the world since I was born. It's just this whole "cruise" thing that has me going nuts! Everyone I know who has been on one talks about them like they're part of some super secret exclusive club and since I've never been on one, I, the ignorant uninitiated fool, would never understand the power of the cruise. If I was a man, I'd be packing my polo shirt, plaid Bermuda shorts, black socks and sandals right now! Woohoo Bertha! I'm ready to party!

I'm allowed to post on my own blog! Yippee!

Yesterday, I was poised and ready to post some pictures and drone on and on as usual but I got a message from Blogger that their robot has determined that my blog was a "spam blog" and locked me out! What the f*&%? Oh yeah, I love SPAM, which happens to be the state meat of Hawaii, but I don't send spam to all of my lovely friends out there. I was upset to say the least. Now I don't know what the hell to write about since I just found myself able to post to my own blog once again. More pictures, less rambling to come...promise!

Brrr...what a way to welcome spring!

I've always wanted a shot from Anthony's school. These kids have the best view of the whole valley. It was a much more dramatic sight this morning at 7 a.m. when I dropped him off at school as it was still snowing pretty hard up in the mountains. We usually don't get snow on the side of town where we live. On the left of the photo is the Las Vegas Strip and on the right is Downtown Las Vegas, though you can't see it. The Stratosphere tower is that tall thing. From this shot you can see the newest addition to The Strip - the Wynn Hotel & Casino. Isn't it huge? It's beautiful on a clear sunny day as the glass is a deep bronze color.


Funny thing, spring. We get more snow in the spring than in the winter here in Las Vegas it seems. I'm not complaining. I'd rather have this little bit than have to shovel my way out of my front door every day. This photo above is the view from our driveway.


Above is the view from our backyard balcony.


What's this dark thing at the bottom of our pool, you ask? Bernie and I were upstairs and heard the rain coming down. He loves the rain so he looked out the window, which happens to be right over our pool. He said, is that a squirrel at the bottom of the pool or one of the kids' toys? I don't think we have squirrels here in Las Vegas but I think we do have either prairie dogs or chipmunks. Poor thing must not have seen the sign telling him not to run in the pool area because it's slippery when wet. I told Bernie to give him mouth to mouth rescucitation but he refused. He's off duty.

Here are the vine lace socks I just completed. I don't have a pattern for them. I got the vine lace pattern out of one of my old pattern books and just adapted them to my generic toe up sock pattern that I normally use. They're a bit loose as I had to go up a few stitches for accomodate the lace pattern, but since I plan to wear them as house socks I don't really mind all that much. Not enough to frog them and reknit.

The pattern is worked over 9 stitches + 4 and over 4 rows. Here are the instructions for knitting flat:
Row 1: k3, *yo, k2, k2tog tbl, k2tog, k2, yo, k1*. Repeat from *to* to end, k1.
Rows 2 & 4: Purl
Row 3: k2, *yo, k2, k2tog tbl, k2tog, k2, yo, k1*. Repeat from *to* to end, k2.

If you're working in the round, don't add the "+4" stitches. I didn't know this and found out the hard way. You'll be left with a 4 st column of stockinette stitch going up the length of your sock.








I think I have enough of this yarn left for a pair in the Blueberry Waffle pattern. I'm working on one right now and just turned the heel. Pictures to come.

Mr. Volcano Head

This week is Nevada Reading Week and at Christopher's school they are celebrating Dr. Seuss with Wacky Hat Day. I told Chris that I could make him a hat that looked like a volcano spewing molten hot magma and he went for it. I love my 6 year old!!! I was working on a shawl (my in-the-car project) in this red-orange-purple yarn that reminded me of flames. It inspired this whole volcano themed hat.

Hau'oli la hanau! Happy Birthday to me!

Today I am 41 years old. It wasn't as hard to say as I thought it would be. I'm not as good as I could be but I'm not half damn bad either.

I woke up this morning feeling really depressed, not because I'm 41 but because I thought my husband forgot my birthday. I didn't expect the kids to know but after I took them both to school I crept back into bed and expected my husband to say "Happy Birthday" but he didn't. With nothing to wake up for, I went back to sleep. My sister, Joslyn, called. She remembered. My Mom called. Gina and I take turns reminding Mom of each other's birthdays. And then Gina called. More depressed than ever that Bernie forgot I went downstairs and asked if he'd like to have lunch with me he said, "No, I have too many things to do and I don't have money to go to lunch anyway." I said that I have money and he asked where I got money from and I said that Mom had given me some for my "BIRTHDAY" and then I stormed into the house to cry. He got all sheepish and said, "Oh shit! I forgot! Honey, I'm sorry!" and started getting ready to go to lunch with me. We wound up having Hawaiian BBQ and went home so he could get ready for his basketball game this afternoon. I said something snotty about how sad it was that I'm baking my own birthday cake and he just laughed. As he drove off, I heard the sound of a van door closing in my driveway and ran to the door just as a dozen red roses were being delivered! What a shit he is!!!!! The card said, "Ha! You thought I forgot! Love, B"


And that is how my birthday went so far today.

I am the Bode Miller of the Knitting Olympics!

I came, I saw, I partied and I didn't medal in a single %$@#*^$ event!


Here is the progress on my Tubey sweater as of this morning. I had gotten so bored with all the stockinette in the shrug portion that I put it aside in order to work on my Kiri shawl. I am one of those who cannot concentrate on one project for very long and always have several on the needles at one time. I figured that I had a better chance of finishing that than the Tubey. Then on Friday night my husband said, "Michelle, do you realize how much money and how many people it took to get you to Torino? You've trained for all these years just to give up? You need to put that thing (Kiri) down and finish what you came here for!" My husband, gotta love him! He made me believe that it was not the medal standings that make us Olympians, but in the participation and our best effort to finish that make us champions! I will finish my Tubey and as soon as that's over I'm back in training for Vancouver 2010!

Me ke aloha!
Michelle

My variation of the OSW

Just finished today...shhh...I'm supposed to be concentrating on my Knitting Olympics project but since all I had to do to finish this was basically bind off and weave in my ends, I couldn't resist.

Speaking of the KO, I have about 12" done of the shrug portion of the Tubey and will go back downstairs to work on it more.  I'm also trying to keep watching the Olympic games while I'm knitting.  It keeps me motivated.  Guess I'd better get back in the competition!

Let's give them something to bitch about

New team button

Knitting can be a spectator sport

Thanks to Julia at http://www.danceswithyarn.com/ there is a button for spectators of the Knitting Olympics.


Almost finished with the OSW modification. Just completed the second sleeve and tomorrow I'll pick up stitches for the body ribbing. At least I'll have one FO before I start my Tubey for the Olympics. I'm kindof having second thoughts about doing the Tubey for my "event" because the OSW is a shrug and the Tubey starts off with a shrug for the arms and I'm getting a bit bored with the whole shrug thing right now. I have a pattern for the top down "Take it From the Top" sweater from Cabin Fever that I bought from Patternworks. I might be happier doing that. I'll give myself until Thursday to decide. I was even thinking that if I held off on the ribbing for the OSW that after the Olympics I could knit the body of the Tubey and connect it to the OSW per the Tubey instructions. Might work. Now I'm re-thinking my choice of colors as well. I planned to do my Tubey in black with purple and lavender stripes. I could also do black with autumn red and tan stripes. Hmmm. Need. Sleep. Badly.

Kiri progress and Q hook shawl swatch

Here is as far as I've been able to get on the Kiri Shawl. I really like this pattern as it's easy once you get the hang of it. Now I wish I had started it in lace weight yarn rather than worsted, although I know I'll like the feel of this when it's done.


Last Sunday, my knitting group, Las Vegas Knitters, attended the 5 hour yarn event at Michael's craft store. We were asked to sit and make squares for a charity afghan and just lend our presence to the event. The highlight was meeting a really neat lady named Katerina from Australia, who is a craft buyer for stores there. She sat down and made a couple of squares with us and we just chatted about the differences in what's "in" here and there. I even gave her some help on a Q hook poncho in one of the Lion Brand pattern books. I had to come home and swatch my version of this poncho. It's quite similar but not exact and I'd rather have a shawl than poncho. Unfortunately, I don't have enough of this yarn to complete this shawl but have a few balls of Moda Dea Eden that would do nicely. It's a quick project since the hook is so large. We'll see how far I get on this seeing that I'm also working on the Kiri and One Skein Wonder variation, oh yeah, I'm also starting Tubey for the Knitting Olympics. Sheesh!

Yarn Event @ Michael's

This upcoming Sunday we'll be at Michael's craft store at the corner of Pecos and Russell Roads in Las Vegas. Stephanie has been in contact with the store manager and anyone who shows up for this event will be given the yarn to make the charity squares as well as a 25% discount on our own yarn purchases. Too cool! Hope anyone in the area will come and join us.

An Aha! Moment

Last night I cast on for the Kiri Shawl by Polly Outhwaite (again) and, after following the written instructions, decided to try working from the charted instructions just to see what kind of trouble I could get myself into. You see, I was afraid of following charts and would put aside a pattern I really loved just because I would have to follow a chart. I was watching The Bachelor in Paris and just thought "what the heck". I really like the chart now. I get it! I haven't f*&%ed up yet!

I'm trying to make life easier by putting markers before and after the center stitch and I'm using a row counter. I don't know where all my row counters have disappeared to but luckily I finished my second Clapotis last night (yippee!) and freed one up. Unfortunately, this row counter didn't fit on this pair of needles I'm using for the Kiri so I just threaded it through a piece of yarn and wore it around my neck. Functional but fugly. You know, I'm anti-fugly, if I can do anything about it. So here is my solution





I'd like to re-string it onto silk cord later but I don't happen to have any in my beading box.

I have committed to knitting the Tubey sweater from the latest edition of Knitty for the Knitting Olympics. I think I'm going to do it in Patons Classic Merino or, if I can get some in time, Wool of the Andes from KnitPicks. Thanks Yarn Harlot for putting this KAL together! Go Team USA!

Happy Sunday!

Chris and I are on our way to the park. It's a beautiful sunny winter day here in Las Vegas. It looks a little breezy outside but other than that, just a gorgeous 57 degrees. Of course, I'm bringing my knitting (the modified OSW) and my iPod and let him play to his heart's content.

I have a picture of the book thongs that I've made
.
And here is one of the iPod cozies that I made. Up until this morning it didn't have the fur trim but I felt compelled to add it.
Alrighty ya'll, I'm off to the park!

I'm such a frickin' geek!

I know I'm behind the times, just getting an iPod and all, but I never imagined that there are knitting podcasts! Here are the web sites to the ones I've found thus far. Are there more?
Secret Knitting
KnitCast
CastOn
Knitting News Cast
The Fiber Cast

We got a new camera last night. Anthony and I got our gift cards together and bought it. At least I can add pictures until I can get mine fixed. Yippeee! After playing with it for a few minutes Bernie announced that he wants one of his own. He'll probably have it tomorrow. So much for delayed gratification.

Last night (until 3 a.m. this morning, actually) I made a few pair of earrings, some stitch markers and a few book thongs. They're addictive.
The red and green ones were designed by my little Christopher. He asked me to wear them and now I have to choose just the right outfit to match. Later in the evening he said I can send them to my sister, Gina. Should I be hurt?

Back but not quite back in action

I've been back from Hawaii for a week and a half now but I don't like posting without adding pictures and came back from vacation with a broken digital camera. It sucks! Luckily, I was able to get my pictures from my memory card, just can't take any new ones.
Proof that I was knitting on vacation. My sister, Gina, got home from working her 12 hour shift at Kaiser Hospital at about 8 a.m. that morning and took us all to the beach in Waimanalo. Here is a picture of Gina sleeping on the beach while we frolicked about in the frickin' cold water. It didn't bother the kids one bit!I was working on the One Skein Wonder for her daughter, Devan. I managed to finish it in a few days (hey, I was on vacation!) and gave it to her for Christmas. I started a camoflauge print one for her while there but didn't finish it until I got home. I managed to get it in the mail within two days of completion which, Gina will tell you, is completely out of character for me. Normally, Devan would have to wait until next Christmas or until Mom comes to visit and could bring it back home.

Funny thing about that care package that I mailed. In the box I sent Devan's OSW, some Bath & Body antibacterial hand soap for Mom and Gina (there is no B&B in Hawaii!) and some Peet's coffee for my sister, Nellie. Unfortunately, I don't think I told Mom that the coffee was for Nellie, although I told Nellie to go over to Mom's and get it. Mom called me the day after receiving the box to thank me for the soap, to tell me that she didn't tell Gina it came in yet, and to say that her SO, Pete, really liked the coffee!! They thought it was cute that the coffee was Peete's and it was for Pete! I felt bad because not only did I not include anything for Pete but that I would have to tell Nellie about her coffee. My cousin told me that they don't sell Peete's coffee in Hawaii but when I told Gina about the mix-up, she remembered seeing it at Foodland and ran out to get 2 replacement bags for Nellie. Whew!

Now that I'm back, I've started a OSW for myself. Since I am considerably larger than my niece, I made adjustments to the pattern and will give mine long sleeves and more ribbing. I hope to have my camera back in action by the time it is finished.

On the needles and upcoming project

Right now I have this shawl on the needles. I've switched to my bamboo needles and it is going much better. I'd like to work on this on the plane but need to revert back to my plastic circs and fight the cable because my straights are 14" and I won't have room to move on the plane.

I also just picked up Glampyre's One Skein Wonder (OSW) and we'll see if I can finish one while I'm in Hawaii. Don't laugh. I plan on getting some major knitting done while I'm back home with Mom and my family and friends.

I'm excited! Everytime I think I'm done packing, I remember something else that I forgot to pack. Just now, sitting here blogging, I look up and see my camera on it's dock. Hmmm, trip to Hawaii, Christmas and New Year's with family, d'ya think I could use this??? Nah! Yeah! What a doofus!

FYI, Knit Picks Sock Garden Felts Well!

Remember those Knit Picks Sock Garden socks I knit for myself recently? The ones in the Geranium colorway of red, pink and green? I, the idiot that I am, washed them in the washer. I was amazed at the amount of felting that was done on a cold/cold cycle. So if anyone was wondering if this yarn is good for felting, yes it is! With little effort, apparently. How much did they shrink, you ask? Well, I wear a women's size 10 shoe and these socks now fit my 5 year old son who wears a kid's size 11 1/2 shoe. Believe me, I tried to put them on and stretch them as soon as I discovered them in the washer but I couldn't get them over my toes. The fabric would really make a good iPod cozy or coasters. So next time I want to felt something on purpose, I'll think of Knit Picks Sock Garden yarn and all the yummy colorways.

Consider this a public service announcement...or an announcement to the public of what an idiot I am. I had the best intentions, honestly. I'm trying to wash every dirty bit of laundry in the house so that I can pack for our vacation to Hawaii on Wednesday

Beware! Yarn Porn Ahead!

Steph and I went to Gail Knits today and I fell in love with this pattern and yarn for a Magic Shawl made with Karabella's Magic yarn. Also bought these Addi Turbos in size 13 to make it with. The pattern calls for a size 15 and 3 balls but it was suggested to me that I go down a size and buy one more ball. I'm a good girl and do what I'm told. The Berroco Optik will be made into a scarf with some black fun fur. Who needs to look at pictures of naked people when we can get just as excited by pictures of yarn? Sad, I know, but true enough.

Speaking of naked people, we were discussing Heidi Fleiss and her planned male bordello outside of Las Vegas. Can someone explain how these guys are going to service all these women unless they're on Viagra? It's not as if they can fake it like their female counterparts can. Heidi plans to charge $250/hour, of which the studs only get 50% for their troubles. These guys better not watch HBO's shows on the Moonlight Bunny Ranch where some of these girls lowest rates to "party" start at $2000. They're going to feel terribly underpaid. I've also read that HBO is working with Ms. Fleiss on a similar show. We'll just have to see about that.






This is a scarf that I started tonight. The yarn on the right is another new yarn I found at Wal-Mart, their No Boundaries brand and the one on the right is Plush by Red Heart.





Finished this scarf last night. It's Bernat Boa and Red Heart Plush. These aren't my colors but I just might have to keep this one. It's growing on me. It would look so good with a chocolate brown sweater or coat, wouldn't it?

Merry Christmas!

These are our 2005 Christmas pictures, just taken tonight. The boys have gotten so big. Bernie and I took a picture together but I hated it. I can't believe the photographer let me take a picture with a double chin showing! How rude! Would she have taken it if I had a booger hanging out of my nose, too?

You guys are seeing these before anyone else. Yes, you're special!