Failed Halloween Costume (Dogs On Thursday)

I put a lot of items on my dog - a lot of them homemade knitted objects. He's a good sport, though you can tell by his face that he is doing it only because he loves me. Currently I am working on knitting his Halloween costume - it was an ambitious project and I should have focused on it more previously - not just this past week. It should be ok though, so I'm not worried too much.

At target today I did find the astronaut costume! I was so excited - a back-up costume, just in case. I bought the small size (for dogs with 10in - 13in neck to tail length) - there weren't any mediums. I cut it off the hang tag board and pop it on the dog. It's a disaster.





There's no way his back legs can fit into those leg sleeves. Now that I look at the corgi model closer it doesn't look like his legs are in there either - they are not velcroed shut. I could live with that, but being a dachshund he's endowed in the chest area and it barely stays velcroed there. Anyone interested in buying it from me? $9.99. I'll trade for yarn or books (check out my amazon wishlist even)....

Now the pressure is on and I really need to bust out the original idea!

I'm filled with "intrinsic incredible emotion"

Gotta love the Chum! Today's post was about Meryn Cadell and her song "The Sweater" - I remember being at the mall looking for that song (on cassette!!). My mom tried to be helpful by pointing out a Michael Jackson single, "In the Closet". Thanks mom, but not helpful. There's a youtube video - still wonderful!


And, since the talk today is about sweaters, I'm 2 rows away from being done with the skirt on the tilted duster. Looking into mods as I don't know if I want to be concerned with rolling / blocking etc. 2 Rows. So close to being done with that part. Then it's onto picking up for the collar and getting the sleeves in. The sun is out today (thank goodness) I need Jackson to take advantage of that - gotta get moving on his Halloween costume!

Candy Corn

This weekend we're going to a friend's "Ocktoberfest". They had a little boy back in May and I never got around to sending them anything that I did knit (tomato hat, mason dixon bib) - I am going to keep those items. Instead, I took the opportunity to knit up some more seasonal themed items. I'm working on a pumpkin hat from "Itty Bitty Hats" and last night I started and finished a Candy Corn Hat from Skeins and Beans. I made the small size (baby) as the little guy is 5 months old. The hat seems really tiny to me, but it's go stretch. His mom is a nurse who I think works in the NICU, so if it doesn't fit she can give it to the preemies. I used Plymouth Dreambaby DK for the yellow and orange and they are fantastic! It's a nice soft hat too. I would make this again.

Relief

The insurance apparently has been fixed - we've been added to Dan's insurance through work - I can leave the house again! :)

In all the digging I've been doing, I'm composing a rather nasty letter to send off to Connecticare, Blumenthal (the state AG), my former employer, the CT Dept. of Insurance and CT Dept. of Consumer affairs. Apparently dropping a pregnant woman from COBRA insurance due to an employer's nonpayment of premiums is quite ugly and unfair, but somehow still legal. Yes, we have insurance now, and I should probably stop the whining, but I'm sorry, that's just not right. There's something seriously wrong with healthcare in America.

Dogs on Thursday - Celebrity Edition

Yesterday's paper must have picked up this piece - Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, has 2 dachshunds! We're in good company with celebrities and their dachshunds, but first, my pupper, who has been the Met Pet of the Week, and a Halloweenie-fest costume winner two years in a row (We're working on this year's costume). Of course he's going to try out some of the new baby gear!


Dachshunds & Literature Shakespeare! Joyce! Faulkner!
Dachshunds & Theatre Brando! John Wayne! The original dog for the Wizard of Oz!
Dachshunds & Politics Patton! Napoleon!

Knitting. Seriously.

Playing catch-up here.

Aside from a wee bit of embroidery and possibly adding the edging, I'm calling this hat done - Football Hat from "Itty Bitty Knitting" (Just got "Itty Bitty Nursery" so cute!)Go Jets!

I had previously found on the web, but didn't bookmark, a tip / hint about knitting an edge instead of the single crochet edging. I think it had something to do with picking up stitches and knitting them on the wrong side? Anyone have any ideas about this?

I knit up Foliage for me using some truly yummy Malabrigo worsted - it's like a grey-green with bits of white-ish. I messed up on my stitch count somewhere - in the middle of the second repeat of the leaf pattern, I was off somewhere but couldn't find the mistake so I just continued onward. Bah! It still worked, and as it's a hat for me I'm willing to accept the mistakes. It looked really big on the needles, but as I've got a big head, all was fine. I'm thinking that this is an easier way to keep the hair out of my face instead of fighting with little clips.


My current Sock in progress in "Bartholomew's Tantalizing Sock" from the "New Pathways for Sock Knitters" book by Cat Bordhi. I'm using Seacoast Handpainted superwash sock yarn. The techniques (while wonderful) are not my usual for sock making, so between the pattern with slipping stitches with the yarn in front and flipping through the book (gotta get it spiral bound), this sock is taking a while. And it's only the first one!


My other current obsessive WIP is the "Tilted Duster" from the cover of Interweave Knits, Fall 2007. This is a real stash-busting project - I'm using Berocco "Pleasure" that was originally intended for an afghan. So there's lots of it. I'm hoping this will work out as a decent maternity sort of sweater, especially since New England has finally gotten a bit cool and damp. I really don't want to have to purchase a maternity jacket to wear for all of a few weeks! Unless I find a great deal at the Stork Exchange or something like that... anyway, it looks very blobby, but both sleeves are done, and I'm maybe less than 10 rows away from being done with the skirt. This is great for the mindless knitting during tv.


Speaking of tv, there's not much going for me this fall. I miss the Gilmores and Veronica Mars! We've been watching "Kitchen Nightmares", "Pushing Daisies", "America's Next Top Model", "Survivor" and "CSI". "Lost" is still very far away. During the day I'm enjoying the "How Clean is your House" on BBC and the "You are what you eat" - we need to get those shows here in the states. They are so cool in how they tell it like it is! No nice nice there.

Supporting Maternal Justice

Think of the babies! While I'm not yet an active participant, I hope to be!



Support the League of Maternal Justice!

Check out this montage: Great Breast Fest.

Whirlwind

Photos of knitting are coming. Really. Life somehow keeps interferring. Here are the highlights of my weekend.
1) My brother had a comedy show this weekend. He was fantastic! And even better, this show was a contest and he was one of two winners that get to perform for an HBO booker for an HBO comedy show! I'm so proud! He's really got a gift for stand-up.

2) Met with a pediatrician for the baby-to-be. She knows about Gilmore Girls. Awesome.

3) Got a letter from my former place of employment that "due to nonpayment of premiums, Connecticare has terminated the health insurance plan" - even mine that I was COBRA-ing. This I don't need. 8 months pregnant. 3 doctor appointments between now and November 1st. One of which is this Friday. I hope (but have no idea) that on Monday I can call them, offer to pay, and get back insured with them immediately.

4) Talked with my grandmother this morning. Told her about how I won a ribbon at the town fair for the knitted socks. She replies with "Oh, that reminds me, I need you to make me something!" Sure, for Gram, anything. "I want you to make me a doorknob cover. Round. White or navy blue or whatever you have. Right now I've got a sock and an elastic on there. You're the only one who knits!" Any ideas? I'll use the powers of google-foo and ravelry...

5) On the way back from the trip to New York, on the train, a gal sat down next to me - I spotted her magazine - the latest Interweave Knits! A knitter!!!! So I asked her what she was working on (Tilted Duster gauge swatch, I'm impressed by her attention to the detail with that!) and she showed me a beautiful shawl she recently finished. And lucky gal, she's going to Rhinebeck!! Of course ravelry came up and we exchanged user names for that - I sent her a message. I hope I don't appear stalkerish but hey, you gotta keep the knitting community going, right?

Sum-up

It's been a while. Things are going really well, but I've been lazy when it comes to blogging. I'm still reading blogs and boards and stuff, but put off blogging for any number of reasons. The dog is barking. I haven't taken photos. Whatever.

Two of my best friends put together a baby shower for me - long distance for much of the planning, and then came up for the weekend of the actual event - yay! It was a lot of fun and they are amazing ladies for doing it! Here we are:

Betsy, (her pictures are here too), me and Jenny.

And Betsy apparently has been plotting with some of my fellow bloggers making squares for a baby stroller blanket!! She showed me and told me about it and I'm just all !!!!!!! And, as we are Gilmore Girls fans, they also put together "Onesie Painting" a la Lane's Baby Shower (episode: "Will you be my Lorelei Gilmore?") - that was a big hit!

Other baby related stuff: There's not too much to report. I'm feeling good (tired again, but good). Going to meet a pediatrician this week, went to childbirth class this past weekend. Now it seems like a lot of hurry up and wait, knitting as fast as I can. :)

I also have a "Yay for me!" topic. I entered several photos in the Guilford Fair and this one:

Won a second place ribbon!!
And I entered my "Go with the Flow" socks and they won a second place ribbon as well!!

Fiber Godmother Q & A

Fiber Godmother Questionnaire (Round 2!)


General Fiber Questions answers:
My fiber related hobby is really just knitting. I keep telling myself I'll learn crochet and get around to embroidery, but so far that hasn't happened (and it isn't for lack of supplies!) I taught myself how to knit around 6 years ago. I'm still learning, but am comfortable with most things (socks, scarves, hats, gloves, dog sweaters, blankets, washcloths, easy lace, cables [if I pay attention!]) so I would consider myself intermediate, on the way to advanced.


My current fiber obsession is drooling over Ravelry and Cat Bordhi's latest book (which I have and adore). I really enjoy making socks and "quick fix" projects - like baby hats. Right now I'm working on several projects: baby blanket, baby hats, sweater, shrug, dog sweater...with many more things on my "to-make" list.

Other crafty adventures include photography - I just entered several photos into our local country fair.

About the fiber:
My favorite yarn is anything by Blue Sky Alpaca, especially organic cottons!
I absolutely do not like mohair or eyelash type yarn.
I've been quite taken with the idea of trying out Trekking sock yarn, louet gems,organic yarns, sheep shop... I'm open to new things.
I would say yes I am a yarn snob. I think it's important to use the nicest stuff you can.

About the tools:
Bamboo tools are my favorite, though I will use addi turbos and those are lovely too!
I mix up the needles I use depending on the project.

About you:
I do pamper myself, while I still can - my baby is due on Thanksgiving, so I expect the little one will be the pampered one.
Currently, many of my days / hours are ideal - knitting, listening to podcasts, hanging out with my dog, knitting while hubby plays video games.
I have seasonal allergies, but nothing that would affect knitting or swaps.
I am married, with one baby (we won't know the gender until everyone else does!) on the way. I am owned by Jackson, a 2 year old smooth mini dachshund.


I love colors in the purple-blues-greens shades, but I'm coming around on pinks, reds and good browns. I'm not a huge fan of white, yellow takes me some time to get used to. I like light florals, citrusy scents or "clean" scents - like fresh laundry!
Candy is wonderful. I love Mike & Ikes, Jelly Beans, gummy anything, bottle caps, skittles, reeses pieces... more sugar side of things than chocolate (though that's delicious too!)


My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I do have an amazon.com wishlist - it's on the side of my blog. I generally blog about items I think are really neat / cool / would like to have, so please poke about! Yes, MP3s are doable, and my music tastes range all over. My favorite movies include John Cusack, the Muppets, Singin in the Rain, Rebel without a Cause...

Need Help reading pattern

for the "Tangled Yoke Cardigan" - I have been plotting this out very carefully on index cards so that I can mark them up / check off what's been done. In looking ahead, I'm not getting things to work out and just want to be sure I haven't missed anything.

Here's what I've done so far:
Cast-on 226 for the 38" size. Check.
Set-up row. Check.
Row 1 (RS). Check.
Row 2 (WS). Check.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 4 more times. Check. So that's 10 rows so far

Decrease row. Check. 226 - 4 = 222 sts, 11 rows done
Looking ahead, I get confused:
I'm starting to work the next seven rows even. That will make 18 rows done
Row 19 will be a decrease row (222-4 = 218sts)
Row 27 will be a decrease row (218-4 = 214sts)
Row 33 will be a decrease row (214-4 = 210sts)
Row 39 will be a decrease row (210-4 = 206sts)

But there's where I'm confused - the pattern at this point says "end with a WS row, 206 sts, 47 rows complete" = I'll have the right # of sts, but the wrong # of rows... What did I miss?

Not sure where to post this to on Ravelry yet, and I haven't gotten an invite to the knitalong. Any help is appreciated!!

Dogs on Thursday

I thought this was cool, Dogs on Thursday and have signed up for it - Jackson is often a part of my blog and I don't see that changing, so why not give him a day? Lord knows I take enough pictures of the little guy and that currently we spend an immense amount of time together.

The breeders from whom we adopted Jackson have updated their website, check it out! lynnesdoxieheaven.com. We love Lynne and Skip - our dog is great and we've met others from there as well, equally sweet, fit and friendly. Jackson is on their "adopted puppy" page - in a little red sweater (I didn't make it though).

Jackson had a trip to the vet this week. Routine, to update shots and stuff. He did have to have blood drawn. When he came back in the room I started laughing - he had a wee little bandage on his leg - it was only on for an hour or so. He walked about and kept shaking his leg - as if he could shake it off. Of course I had to get out the camera as soon as we got home!



Love that it had little blue paw prints on it!

If that was the worst of the vet visit I'll take it - he went into the vet office without barking!! If you've met Jackson (or any dachshund) this is HUGE! Of course he wanted out the whole time we were there, but he was quiet.

He's been so affectionate today - curled up in my lap, or on my side when I was laying on my side before - keeps going in for a kiss. Good boy!

Knitting FOs!

How in the world did it get to be September?? Not being in school (as a student or teacher) for only the second September that I remember is very very strange. I'm excited for fall, but in my head it still feels like July or early August!

The knitting front has been a bit slower, but still productive. I finished a pair of Carolina socks using yarn that a fellow LimeNViolet messageboarder sent me - german sock yarn rules!

Jackson is impressed, as always:

His expression in this one is better, but it came out blurry!


I've made 1.5 pairs of practice socks from Cat Bordhi's new book (which I'm in love with): Little Sky Socks:

Little Coriolis (I don't know if I'll have enough to make it's pair)


I've started the "Tangled Yoke Cardigan"

I've gotten through the first part of the garter rib repeats and am ready to start decreasing, but I've got questions - when I plan it out I'm off by 7 rows!?!? That's another post.

I've started "Miss Dashwood"


I've gotten back to work on the Big Bad Baby blanket, the Baby Surprise Jacket has stalled, and I'm about to start another pair of socks. Still haven't felted what needs felting. Jackson's zebra coat is slow going.

I'm struggling to pick green or orange for the baby's room - hopefully Dan will guide us to the right decision so I can get paint tomorrow and it can be painted on Friday. The baby's been kicking up a storm. :) I passed my glucose screen - so glad that I don't have to go back for the 3 hour test, but it was good knitting time!

Jackson's working hard in his obedience class. He's making progress, but some of the stuff I don't really care about - HEEL? for a dachshund? If I want him right next to me, I'm better off picking him up! Still good to work on following directions though. :)

Candy Cane Hats

I am one of those people that just cannot do Christmas prior to Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I want to enjoy fall and Halloween and Thanksgiving first, thank you very much. This year though I have to make an exception, given that I may or may not have had the baby by then. So, to be prepared, I made and finished two Candy Cane hats from "Itty Bitty Hats" - which is a great book! I didn't intend to make two - I made the newborn size and it just looks so tiny! It's a quick enough knit, that I made the next size up (0-3 months) and that seems a little better. Hopefully my kiddo won't arrive with a head much bigger than that!


And since I have the two hats, I am certain not one person who knows me would be surprised to see a photo of Jackson and the baby in matching hats.


Maybe.

Wii would like to knit

Yesterday Dan brought home a Wii. It's very very cool. I may actually get back into playing video games again. But then, when would I knit? I'll make the time certainly. Because I have a new book - didn't intend to buy it yesterday after the SnB, it sort of just happened (Sorry Sam!) - I now have been drooling over Cat Bordhi's "New Pathways for Sock Knitters". And I'm so well intentioned: I will work gauge swatches, I will do the baby practice socks, I will work my way through the adult socks. It'll be like "Julie & Julia" only "Becca & Cat". Truly. Amazing book. Love the layout, very user friendly - color coordinated words / pictures, dpns or 2 circulars, unique patterns, yarns I have already... Good stuff.

The Human Element

Checking the blogs this morning, on my Science Blogs feed one of the first posts is Genomes Sock - yay! Reminded me that I want to knit that sock. Good way to start the week I think.

I really like the Dow Human Element ad campaign. I want to make a blanket that is the periodic table of elements...could it be done, easily?

I also really like this commercial, don't know why - the ferret attacking makes me laugh:


I'm going to install this later today, seems like a good idea:
CO2 Saver





Things I need to blog about: photos of the baby hats, carolina sock, miss dashwood...my virtual vacation swap pal package...L&V daily chum (felting in a mixer! woodland shawl!) we're on the same wavelength.

Which brings us to today.

I'm getting caught up in my blog posting, go me!

On Wednesday, I started dog training classes at PawsNEffect in Hamden. Jackson joins me next week. Even though he's two, he's never been to obedience classes. He's a really great dog - sits when you ask, and doesn't get into too much trouble around the house anymore - but with the baby on the way, I want to be sure that he's got the basics down. I bought a new leash / collar while I was there and I'm really pleased with it so far. It's a Premiere dog collar - I was having some trouble with him backing out of the current leash and collar. I just can't go running after him once he ducks out, so this works great!

I also mostly finished the Candy Cane hat that I started at Monday's Stitch-n-bitch. It needs a pompom before it's completely done. I made the newborn size, but have plenty of yarn left over, so I'm making a second hat, next size up.

I did finish Odessa - I am really pleased with how it came out:

It's not a hat I can wear any hair clips under really, but that's okay.

I tried to take a picture of the top and also got a picture of the baby bump.


Of course, I had to try it on Jackson. It doesn't really suit his needs.


I'm dreaming of making the latest Chicknit - Miss Dashwood - bought the pattern, and think I'll use some of the other Farmhouse yarn that I have in my stash - Silk Spun (blend) in a Purple Rainbow colorway (it's purples / pinks).

I really want to cast on for new socks, but I'm worried that my feet are going to swell up and they won't fit!! Need a stretchy pattern I guess. So far my feet are the same - but I've been living in flip-flops and sneakers.

Today I did a bit of shopping - as the bump picture shows, my current wardrobe is limited. I found some great deals - a pair of jeans for less than $3!! Go consignment shops, marked down and a discount coupon from the paper. And currently I'm amazed at the change in my bra size. Pre-baby I was 34 B. I followed online directions to figure out your size as the bras are uncomfortable (after I guessed myself to be a 36B). Well measurements say 38B. WTF?!?! So I tried on that size at the outlets, and they fit. Here's to comfortably supported boobs.

Tuesday - Farmhouse Yarns Sale!

On Tuesday, Betsy, newcomer Sue and I took a ride out to the Farmhouse Yarns Sale!. So, all the
rubbermaid bins were out and open - everything was $11 / skein. The
fill-a-bag option was still there for $159 (down from $180? I think) -
the three of us split a bag and we all made out really well!
Destined for a pinwheel blanket I believe:

Couldn't resist this "Key Lime" dk weight silk / wool blend.

And a skein of grey mist cotton / wool / silk (great for washcloths!)



As it was Sue's first time there, we got her on the mailing list and Carol
let Betsy and I both pick for a door prize. We pulled our slips out
of a basket - Betsy pulled a finished item of her choice and picked a
really neat striped felted bag. I pulled crank knitting machine and
that's what I got - a knitting machine!

How cool - not something I would buy on my own, but as a freebie, I'm game to give it a whirl! (For reference: knitter's review)

And then Betsy gave me a bunch of blue summer spun yarn that she had previously gotten - I have 4 skeins enough for a sweater I think, but wanted one more skein just to be sure - i got that and then some.

I'm thinking about Glee, Kepler, Hypotenuse (front runner) even though it isn't a sweater..., Tangled yoke cardigan.... So many choices!!

Monday & Things you learn at Stitch-n-Bitch

(This post comes from last monday's events)

At the stitch&bitch on Monday, I learned a couple of neat ideas. One was to use older t-shirts - cut the sleeves off and use them to line the inside of a knit hat. What a great idea! I think that I would tend to try and avoid the scratchy wools for hats and scarves, but this would add a thin, light layer of comfort. Especially using t-shirts that just get so comfy as they go through the wash so many times but start to get holey. Google didn't turn up much regarding this, but I'm sure someone somewhere on craftster has already done it.

And then it was suggested that for small items you could use a stand mixer to do the felting. Genius! I've got pumpkins and a sushi wallet that need felting before they are complete, and I keep putting it off. Look, someone tried it!.

Also on Monday I was tagged in the dishragtag relay. I received a great box from fellow "Going the Dish-tance" team member, Colleen -

Great colors, love the 'dishrag' she made for me, and those stitchmarkers!! and I looooove burts bees products!! Now the box is on it's way to Carol in MA. Fun to be a part of it!

My mind is full of posts

The topics are so varied that they will each get their own post eventually. Reminder to me - post about: Farmhouse yarn sale, dog training, dishragtag, miss dashwood chicknits, bad day swap, get photos of new yarns, snb mixer to felt and t-shirt sleeves to line hats.

This post is going to be about the crazy lady at the post office. I went in innocently enough - to mail off the box for dishragtag. The post office in town is a rather friendly place, I love the people who work there and being that it's in a small-town-New-England community people tend to make small talk while you're in line. No big deal. Usually.

I get in line - there are maybe 4 or 5 people ahead of me. It was noon - again, not a big deal, I'm not in a rush. The woman in front of me turns and starts talking (it's easier to write in script form)
Lady: Boy it sure is hot out today.
Me: Yes.
Lady: Really, it's really hot. You have to use the air conditioning today. It's hot.
Me: Yes.
(pause. pause)
Lady: I just have to mail this one envelope. I hope it has enough postage.
Me: Mm-hmm.
Lady: Gosh it's really hot out today.
Me: Yes.
Lady: I hope this has enough postage on it - I suppose they'll weigh it.
Me: They'll tell you if it needs more.
Lady: It's so hot out today isn't it?
Me: Yes.
Lady: You have to run the air conditioning. Is it on at your house?
Me: Um, no.
Lady (all aghast at the thought): Why not? It's 92 degrees out today! It's really hot.
Me (Thinking to myself, actually it's in the 80s, sunny, low humidity - I think it's nice out): It's August. It's summer.
Lady: But you should have your air conditioning on today.
Me: It's expensive. It's going to cool down.
Lady: It's really hot out.
Me: Yes.
Lady: I have 2 extra stamps with me in case there isn't enough postage. But in case it is not enough, could I borrow a quarter?
Me: Sure.
(Thinking, whatever gets you to stop talking to me!)
Lady: You look cute today.
Me: Thank you.
Lady: I have 2 extra stamps with me just in case.
Me: Uh-huh. Here's a quarter.

So, it's finally her turn at the counter and immediately my turn as well, so we're up there at the same time. I can hear the postal worker tell her she needs to add 17 cents in postage. She can add an extra stamp or pay the 17 cents. She used my quarter!

Now I'm biting my lip - she didn't give the change to me. She didn't say thank you. She left the post office immediately after that. Um, WTF? And she could (should!?) have just used her "just in case stamps" and given me back my quarter.

I also felt like telling her, look lady I'm pregnant and carrying extra weight around. You are the size of a walking stick bug (seriously!). Who is going to have a harder time cooling down in hot weather? And it's not even that hot today! It's gotten as high as 84, that's it! I kinda hope her AC breaks this afternoon. And I hope I find a quarter. I should have tried to Kinnear her with my camera phone, but I'm sure that would have opened a whole other line of conversation in which I don't want to participate.

All kinds of crazy, even in small new england towns.

Monday Fun

Happy Left Hander's Day!
A bit from mental floss
Highlighting cool facts:
4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer were left-handed
1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed - 250% more than the normal level.
Most left-handers draw figures facing to the right.
There is a high tendency in twins for one to be left-handed
Stuttering and dyslexia occur more often in left-handers (particularly if they are forced to change their writing hand as a child, like King of England George VI).
Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater.
Left-handers excel particularly in tennis, baseball, swimming and fencing
Left-handers usually reach puberty 4 to 5 months after right-handers

My dad's a lefty, I'm a lefty and luckily I've adapted to living in a right-handed world. I like being left-handed. It's one of those "good" different things.

I found this really cute site on etsy: IttyBittiesForYou - I'm most likely going to get this weiner dog ornament and I'm in conversations now about getting a dachshund superhero So very cute!!

I'm hooked into the LimeNViolet KnitWars - last night I went to see Shakespeare on the town Green - I brought my knitting and on my way back home all I could think of was "I can get points for knitting in public and knitting for an hour!! Excellent!"

Week in review

The nutshell version is that I continue to be somewhat distracted. Startitis of projects. Trying to clean up one room so that we can make a different room into the baby's room. Makes the week go by quite quickly that's for sure. Monday I went to a SnB which was very cool. It was nice to get out and enjoy the company of other knitters - planning to go back tomorrow too. I did go to the Yarn Barn afterwards and get yarn for several projects (Bee Booties, baby stuff, baby yoda jacket, Nomad hat / scarf in the latest IK) Jackson is now signed up to start (finally) a dog obedience class this week, so that will be interesting.

I finished the "Roza's Socks" - easy pattern / stitch, and even though I added more stitches when I cast on, they are still a bit snug around the foot. I'm just happy that they do fit and I can get them on and I'm sure they will keep my feet quite warm this fall / winter.



I started Odessa - I thought it was going to be for me - and it still may end up for me - but it's got potential to be a nice Christmas gift, maybe with a scarf or neckwarmer or even gloves. In one of my older magazines (a Family Circle Easy Knitting or Knit It!) there was a scarf / glove combo that had beads incorporated into them.


I also made some pumpkins that need to be tossed in the wash so they can be felted. I'm waiting on that though - I don't really feel like digging out jeans I don't wear just for the sake of these pumpkins. There's time enough for them.

We also said goodbye to my faithful friend, the Ford Focus. It was my first car that was completely mine - not on loan from my parents or anything like that. We went with a Mercury Milan - which looks a lot fancier than it is for a basic sedan. The Milan is a lot safer which is one of the main reasons for the change, and the Focus was getting to the point where it needed $$ put into it. Exciting times.

Knitting Celebrity - Yarn Harlot

On Friday, I went to RJ Julia's to hear The Yarn Harlot speak - I almost can't begin to describe how excited I was to get out and go to this event! I get a little giddy when it comes to celebrity. Plus this was a knitting event, so even that much better!

I arrived at the bookstore around 5:45 and found a group of knitters in the room camped out and knitting, so I plopped down with them and waited. They started to set up the chairs maybe 30 minutes later and it filled up quick. The speaking did start on time and Stephanie talked for over an hour. She is a wonderful speaker - engaging, encouraging and empowering even - I think there needs to be a poster made for all knitters to spread the word about CHOKE (the Cultural Humiliation of Knitters Everywhere)


She had the chart for part of the Mystery Stole / Shawl in with the pages of her speech.


Taking an audience picture with the current sock.


The lady on the far right (you can see her elbow) turned around, tapped me on the knee and shushed me. I was telling the woman next to me (in entirely appropriate tones) about the Blue Moon bank fiasco, because she didn't know about it. So I Kinneared her


Advice for what to say when people see your stash - "Gee that's a lot of yarn!" then you say, "Yarn? What yarn? These are my kitttens!"


She was so great to meet when she signed my book. I gave her one of my flickr moo cards - we quickly chatted about the fruit hat on the back, and she held my sock next to the travelling one (good juju there!) and she commented on my "Knit or Go Home" bag - awesome awesome night!

I almost went to Madison wool after, but decided to save it for a day this week. Plus I'm going up to the Farmhouse Yarn sale next week and will probably go to the yarn barn after I go to the snb this afternoon.

I got to meet some people that I've met online, gave out a bunch of the moo cards (and got one too!) - hello Jen and Barbara and Debbie & Leah and Cristina and Kimberly and Heather.

Made for a great start to the weekend. I did finish two Tomato hats which need to be wrapped up and sent out to the new babies, Charlie & Brayden.

Yadda Yadda Yadda

There really isn't too much thrilling to post about, so heads up - this is a mundane post.

1)In my love of reality shows I have found a lost love of my childhood! The Coreys - it's a reunion of sorts between Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. I had the biggest crush on Corey Haim - huge! And now, watching this show I feel sorta sad for him. It's a massive train wreck.

2)Somehow I found the motivation to get the craft room in order so that we can start moving furniture - from a guest bedroom into the craft room so that the old guest bedroom can become the baby's room. I found a few old WIPs, including a pair of socks that I know I didn't work on since before I was married (at least 3 years these socks have sat in the box) - I don't really like them too much, I don't know what kind of yarn I used, and they are not a good show of what I can do (they do show how far I have come). I was thinking about frogging them, but really there's just a little bit left and a toe on one of them, so I may as well finish them up.


3)It's been hot. Even the dog has taken to sitting in his own chair, spread eagle to cool off.


4)Jackson finally has a hot dog toy to play with. A weiner for a weiner (who is really whiney right now). Love the expression on the toy's face:


5)Read a few cute / funny books - Sippy Cups are not for Chardonnay and Baby Laughs - mildly enlightning, fluffy reads, an interesting change from the information overload about fetal development I've been on. Somehow I keep skipping over all the actual birth stories, labor and delivery, and I cannot watch any of those shows on TLC or Discovery Health.