Monday, October 31, 2005

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Gimme my little sticks!

Ok, what's the deal with this whole 'socks on circs' following? What am I not getting?

I was gifted some wonderful sock yarn from Jen of Blue Alvarez and since it was new (and I have the attention span of a flea lately) I wanted to cast on for some socks. Now to figure out what socks? Hmm...how about the Go with the Flow socks from IK Spring 05? Perfect!

As I'm digging for my trusty DPNs in my box o' tools I came across 2 pairs of size 3 circs...20". I tell myself what better time to teach myself the 2 circ method loved by many a sock knitter?

Two hours later I can safely say that socks don't soar on two circulars. They suck. For me anyway. Who wants to have all that flopping around when I can have everything nice and neat on my 5 litle sticks?

Anyhow, though my attention span has been short I was able to finish a couple of hats...a pumpkin for Isaiah and Miss Dashwood for a friend who is due in December.

There was also a blue and white one that I forgot to take a pic of before I gifted it! The pumpkin was something I made up as I went along. I like how it came out, especially the leaf! It's made out of Sugar n' Cream kitchen cotton (they were on sale for $1.12/ball)and wasn't hard on the hands at all. Now that Miss Dashwood? I made her out of TLC Cotton Plus and I thought some of those bobbles were gonna kill me! I didn't want to make it out of wool because I'm going to pair it up with crumpets for a cute springtime outfit :o) I love how it came out and see myself making this hat again in the near future!

You're probably wondering what's with the cow. Well, the only head in the house the hats would fit on was asleep at the time of my photo shoot so I told her she could model. As it turns out, her head was too small but I didn't want to upset her by telling her she couldn't be in the picture, so there she is. Don't worry, there will be pics of Isaiah is all his halloweenie goodness (and the older boys too!) soon!

Charlene (my cow) also wanted to be in the pic of my latest yarn aquisitions...

Jimmy Beans Wool is having a special sale for the month of October...40% off a different yarn every day! That's where I got the Silky Tweed. Six balls of it to make, well, I'm not sure. Either cozy, Ella, or some sort of Clapotis. The Rowanspun DK came from Jimmy Beans as well, on clearance for $4.95/hank. I got enough to make Hamish (which of course I can't find a pic of) from Rowan Junior for my two little guys. Jaylen's will be light and dark green. Isaiah's will be with the leftovers, plus a grayish color...mouse I believe? His will probably have a striped front and solid back.

I also got 15 skeins of Den-M-Nit to make Raspy from Denim People. Great price but I tell ya Elann's shipping charges are a killer! I can't wait to try out this yarn! The idea of a yarn that washes and fades and is comfortable like a pair of jeans is brilliant! This yarn my friends is my incentive to free up my needles!

Hourglass is progressing. I won't bore you with pics. Right now it's just a tube, lol! I'm smack dab in the middle of my increases. I really hope my 12" circs I ordered gets here soom so I can get to working on those sleeves! I think it might be a little more roomy than I planned but that's ok because the working girls (I'm nursing) need their breathing room!

Ok, off to make dinner and hopefully cast on for my socks...with my 5 little sticks of course.

Friday, October 21, 2005

Two entries in one day!

Wow! LOL! I was feeling a little domestic and decided to share. Want some?

It's my variation of what I found here,which is a variation of what she found here. My version is cinnamon cake with apples and chocolate chips. It was declared the 'best cake ever' by my 4 year old so I guess it was a hit :o)

Go on, make your own! Whatever you use I don't think you can go wrong...yum!

Knittin' Hard

That's what I've been doing. Unfortunately I don't feel like I'm really getting anywhere! Both the boys' sweaters are *so* close to being finished but for some reason I have no desire to knit on them. The Diamond Fantasy Shawl is stalled as well. It's been busy here and I'm tired of tinking back mistakes because I had to put it down in the middle of a row and got all discombobulated. It's a great pattern, but every row is different. It's gonna look great when it's done, I just need to find more time for 'concentrated knitting'.

Due to my stall out I thought I should start something new...a scarf made out of Manos. Uneven rib. Pretty but boring. *sigh*

So yesterday when I should have been doing laundry I was looking through my books and decided I wanted to use either the Luxury Cashmere Aran I got from AC Moore or the Nashua Creative Worsted I got from Knit Happens to make the Hourglass Sweater from LMKG. Only problem was I didn't have enough of either. No problem, I'll just run to AC Moore when hubby gets home and grab 8 more balls. They only had 6. It had gone on sale...and then 25% off of that sale price. This is why knitters hoard yarn if they even think they might want to use it! So I called Knit Happens this morning and they are holding 2 balls in Cayenne (color not on their website). Thank you, Knit Happens, for holding the yarn so I don't have to drag 3 kids out in the rain today. You're my heroes :o)

The 10 balls of the cashmere aran (just about the same thing as DBs Cashmerino) will become a turtleneck shrug and probably a gift scarf.

I also ordered 12" circs so as not to have to fiddle with DPNs for either project. I hope they don't take too long. I also hope at least one of these projects will cure my knitting ADD I seem to have.

Ella is still in the planning stages due to not wanting to spend a small fortune on the yarn. I could order from Knit Picks but I wanted to knit it in a heavier yarn and I don't care to double. I thought about dying but I don't really have the time to do it right now so I don't know. Any ideas?

In other news the boys are finally getting over colds. Demetrius had it the worst and the baby didn't get it at all really (thank goodness!!). Demetrius missed a couple of days of school and it kind of threw off the routine. I didn't even go to knit group on Wednesday...and I never miss knit group! Soccer is over and we're waiting for basketball sign ups.

Isaiah is getting so big. He was able to wear his new sweater to the last soccer game on Saturday...


I promise to start updating the blog more, like at *least* once a week. The baby is getting into a better routine and I'm able to get a little more done so I will add this place to my list :o)

On this blustery Friday I leave you with a little love...

I sent hubby to the store for a lunchable for a field trip and he came back with these! For no reason. Gotta love it!

To anyone going to the Knit Out this weekend say 'hi' if you see me. Not sure if I'm going to go if it's raining and not sure if I'll have a baby strapped to my chest or not yet but I love to chat with fellow knitters!