faeriedreamz

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-21T12:55:00.000-04:00

This year for Mother's Day, I found the perfect pattern about 6 weeks ago. Now, understand that my mom has lost an incredible amount of weight! This makes sweater building in short time much more doable.

This is Nicole. Her chest is clearly larger than the intended size, but she was checking fit for me while we were out to lunch one day!

This sweater is Tappan Zee from knitty.com. I modified it just a hair, and used commerical yarn I picked up at Webs several years ago. (I bought it site unseen, and the color was "scarlet". It's not any scarlet I've ever seen before!) My mods are slightly longer sleeves, so mom can lift her arms without exposing her arm pits - just a comfort thing, and extending the buttons down the front. Mom would have very little use for a cardigan that didn't have buttons all the way down. She seems pretty happy with it - if the pictures can be trusted :)

I have a limited amount of time, and unless I plan something super far in advance, most people will see me knitting a gift that is for them. I usually refuse to answer questions about it, or deflect questions by trying it on myself when people ask. It doesn't always work, but sometimes. This was one of those times. As mom pulled it out of the basket I put it in, she said, "Oh, I hoped it was for me!"

Mom, wearing her new sweater outside my house. She liked the photo so much, it's her facebook photo now!

I'm really proud of her - her weight loss in particular, but her in general. She is an awesome mom, who deserves high praise for raising 2 beautiful, intelligent and well behaved daughters and a clever, intelligent, sweet and loving son. Go mom!

May me and my siblings children be as blessed by us, as we are by you!

Happy Mother's Day.

a little bit of sock knitting

2009-10-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

I haven't started blocking that shawl yet. We got a rug last week, and installed it over the week, but I haven't gotten the shawl blocked yet. :(

I have, however, been studying and reading Cat Bordhi's new book, Personal Footprints: for Insouciant* Sock Knitters. It's really fascinating. If you are a sock knitter, or interested in a different construction style for socks, you should check out her page about the book, and the successive videos. It's incredibly simple and soooo smart. i will say this, however, if you choose to deviate from Cat's instructions (such as figuring you will mark the lifelines later... ) well, you might regret it. I did! Pictures when i get the sock done... but i think my love affair with sock knitting will continue!

Shipwreck Shawl - or what I spent my summer working on

2009-10-15T09:30:00.000-04:00

The largest project I worked on this summer was the Shipwreck Shawl from knitty.com. My dear friend at work, Nicole, saw the shawl in the Summer issue. I hestitated because shawls are really big undertakings - especially "Pi" shawls. I haven't yet finished my first "Pi" shawl! I didn't know if I could do it.

However, I am not above bribery - and Nicole can be very persuasive and also, insistent when she needs to be, and I desperately needed a software license for a problem at work. I wasn't getting one from the contacts I had, so i figured I'd ask Nicole. I offered the shawl as a bribe, and she accepted.

(You also need to know that this is the woman who rushed me to the hospital when my husband was in a car accident - our only car - and stayed in the ER till 3/4 in the morning to drive us home. Nicole gets bribed with shawls for a reason ;) )

She took care of my issue, and I started working on the problem. I also started trying to find yarn for the shawl; the grey in the picture was really appealing, and I was hesitant to put an order into KnitPicks. A few days later, I stopped to visit the Sunday afternoon knitting group that meets in the Chili area. Some of the lovely ladies were giving away yarn. FOR FREE. I like free. I can afford free. So, even though I knew I was moving in a few short weeks, I took the free yarn gratefully. I got 5 balls of a lovely heathered gray yarn that was soft and shiny and pretty. I showed Nicole the next day, and she loved it.

I started the shawl. I worked the first 2 patterns quickly... then came the Madeira Leaf pattern. I put the shawl down. i had a brief affair with Kumihimo. I picked up the shawl again. I worked the first leaf in the Madeira pattern. I put the shawl down and worked on something little. I picked the shawl back up and started the second Madeira leaf. About 5 rows into 2nd leaf of the pattern, I realized i had screwed something up. I ripped back. I started again. I knit to about 5 rows from the finish, and realized I had screwed up the pattern. I ripped back. I did a mini-swatch to show myself what the 2nd half of the Madeira Leaf looked like. I liked it. I picked up all the stitches and knit another 5 rows. They were wrong.

I finally resorted to having my husband make me enough metal rings (with an old knitting needle and some heavy gauge wire) that I could put one every 10 stitch repeat. I finished the Madeira pattern a few days later.

Then, finally it was onto the yo, k2tog section. It's a lovely section, and it is where you can add beads if you like. Nicole didn't think beads were necessary, so i didn't add them. I thought this would be my favorite part because the needle size increased, and the pattern was a no-brainer.
I didn't end up going up in needle size for the first round of yo, k2tog; another result of misreading the pattern. It was for the best, however.
In the picture, that is as far as i could go - I had used 3 full balls, and coudln't find the other 2. I spent a week looking for them. It was rather depressing.

I finally found them, in my bedroom, behind something, and I ran through the house shouting!
I made it to the 149th row before I ran out of yarn completely.I had to find a close shade of grey to finish the shawl, and then I found a contrasting yarn to finish the shawl. It is lovely, and I am so proud.
I'll post completed pictures when I have blocked the shawl.

When I started, i forgot that I was moving into an apartment with all wooden floors. Good thing I need an area rug in the living room... I should be able to block onto that!

creative juices flowing

2009-10-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy year. So busy, that I just didn't update my blog since January 1. That is either a) a very busy year or b) a very lazy blogger. We'll just chalk it up to very busy, right? ;) (wow, i just checked, and I had 3 posts I never actually posted...)

My job is going strong, and I am very grateful to be working; especially as people around me are worried about dropping like flies. My husband is doing well, and his shoulder injury has been completely healed. (His depression too!) We have moved to a wonderful 3.5 bedroom apartment with two full bathrooms and a full sized kitchen! I love it. Our kitties are doing well, and the knitting is going well too.

A few weeks ago, I decided to dye my own yarn for my very own Shawl That Jazz. Now, before I tell you the about the dying process, let me tell you about the yarn.

After buying the much lusted over pattern, I pondered what yarn I would use. The biggest difficulty in this decision being that the sock yarn the pattern calls for is probably between $10-$15 dollars a ball, depending, of course, on where I buy the yarn, and what colorway and so on and so forth. I figured that I couldn't afford the called for yarn, but substituting would still cost me $50+. I just don't have that kind of money for yarn investing right now. But I woke up early on a Saturday morning yearning to cast on for this lovely knit.

My fate was sealed, it seemed, a yarn store must be visited, and my husband would have to be convinced that this yarn was a *need*... Then it occurred to me that we have a lovely, amazing, and inexpensive craft store in the area I live in.

If you click on the link, you can read all about the store.

While this store has never disappointed, finding a sock weight wool would be iffy, at best. They depend solely on donations to stock the store, and when the product is sold, it is gone for good. This is good and bad. It's easy to walk away if they don't have exactly what you want, but it's hard to walk away if you don't know what you want.

I found 10 skeins of a nice light weight yarn that is probably an icelandic wool... 100% wool, but I paid a mere $16!!!
I was dumbfounded.

I had to protect it, as some other dyers spotted it in my arms, while i was in line and tried to wrestle it away from me.They were of course, rather unsuccessful, but turned out to be very nice, crazy knitters and dyers, like myself. (Kindred spirits, perhaps?) I, of course, would never try to wrestle someone else's good find out of their arms in a store.

My husband made me a simple warping board, and I warped this yarn to a full 8 feet. After warping all 10 skeins (several nights of internet tv later...), I gathered all the skiens and tied them together in the same places. I then put 3 pots of dye on my stove, and dipped the yarns in several places. I am absolutely floored by the results.

My wonderful and caring husband helped me deal with separating the skeins after dying. My techinique was designed to make all 10 skeins close to identical, so I dyed ALL of them at once. While it worked fabulously, the skeins became tangled with each other. We had to take them outside, hang them on the fence, and untangle each 8 ft skein one at a time. Fortunately, the skeins were individually tied, so it wasn't too bad.
We hung each skein separately to dry, and waited.

I finally got to de-skein a few, and I was so happy with the results. I started knitting on my shawl, and it is the prettiest shawl I ever did see. I am very pleased with it. :)

knitting with new needles

2009-01-01T22:43:00.003-05:00

It's a new year and I thought I would share about my beautiful Christmas presents! My new hubby was a good boy, and got me stuff on my list.
What was under my tree this year?
- Knit Picks Interchangeable Knitting Needles
- Knit Picks Interchangeable Wooden Knitting Needles
- Jan Messent's Knit a Fantasy Story by Jan Messent
- a vacuum cleaner (it was on the list, and it totally rocks)

My knit picks needles are super impressive. They are comfortable, the super flexible cables allow me to make anything without the extra strain on my wrists, and they are sooo pretty!

Hubby also took me to the Cultured Purl in Erie, PA. This was a great visit, and I got some lovely sock weight yarns to make Maja. I am not sure it will work, but I am going to give it a try.

I also made hubby a pair of warm gloves for removing snow from the car, and am working on a crochet scarf for my sister. My mom's February Lady Sweater is moving along at a snail's pace. This is, of course my fault, for giving in to the Siren song of much quicker projects - like gloves, scarves, mittens, and hats. So much for the Christmas Deadline I gave myself.

Hopefully I will move ahead with that project, now that life should quiet down a bit. The holidays definitely had me moving in 4 different directions all the time.

Pictures are of the hat I knit for the Hat Attack 2! competition and my sister's birthday gift. The brown and mint is the competition hat, and the blue is Kari's requested present. Pretty awesome :) Oh, yea, I dyed the blue yarn myself. The brown and mint is Therapi from SWTC. I don't recommend it.

That's all for now! Happy New Year to us all!

Socks are Done!

2008-02-13T00:49:00.002-05:00

I am being relatively productive lately! It's rather a relief to have them done, completely. But I will say that this method of sock making is wonderful! I really hope I get the Cat Bordhi book for my birthday, so i can make socks like a mad woman. I am severely tempted to start a new pair... but before I go on about that... here are some awful pictures of the finished products. Do me a favor and just enjoy that the socks are done.... cus the pictures really suck.

I am also contemplating making myself another cardigan. I love the blue one, but it is such a particular color that it doesn't match many of the clothes I wear. I am considering this cardigan from Knitty. I have some lovely plum colored yarn from China, my friend Arpad brought back for me. The only problem is that there is only 500 yards... and the pattern is calling for about 565. My assumption is that it won't really end up mattering all that much... but who knows. I have to get gauge (and then maintain it) first.

not so much

2008-02-04T21:13:00.001-05:00

Feeling pretty crappy right now. Missing my trucking beau a bit more than I would like. It's good that I miss him, but I wish I could turn off the loneliness feeling sometimes. Right now, I am letting school and knitting and work keep me busy. My boss is working on a new book right now, so I am very excited because I get to put it all together, and get templates set up for InDesign and make the equations pop in the right spots... :) So that is generally a thing to be excited about.

My Tolstoy class is making me fall in love with Leo Tolstoy. The short stories were not fun, but Anna Karenina is rather interesting, and shows what an excellent writer Tolstoy is. Long winded, to be sure, but excellent, none the less.

And knitting has been actually accomplishing something recently.
This is a gift for Brian's friends, they just had a baby girl. She was born about a month ago, but it will still be useful! I have to contact them to get together and give the blanket to her. Hopefully, it will be well received.

I have been working on this silly hat for a while. It is a tam from Knitty... unfortunately, I am not that happy with it either. I think it has more to do with my dissatisfaction with the black yarn... it doesn't feel so nice. I can't wait to get to the petals, though, those will be much prettier, easier, and appealing to work on.

Finally some mom socks. I got this Cascade yarn on sale at Anna Banana & From Her Hands. She told me recently that they can be shorter than I am used to. Hopefully they will be done soon. I am knitting them top down on one long addi turbo, size 0, I think.

I am hoping I feel better emotionally, soon... it's not easy being so far from Brian all the time...

it hasn't even been a month yet!

2008-01-27T12:05:00.001-05:00

I would really like to be more accountable for my atrocious knitting habits... I was listening to the Lime and Violet podcast and realized that I probably have at least as many UFO's as Violet does. I think that is... impressive. Maybe "impressive" isn't the right word. I should probably do something about that... but I just keep putting it off, and casting on new things. (for instance, last night I wanted to make socks. Now rather than just pick up the yarn for a mate to sock 1, completed in September, I think; I just found new yarn and started a new sock.... yea, that is smart)

i haven't spun in ages either. I could blame it on a number of things that are going on in my life, but it is probably mostly due to laziness. When I am free, I just want to veg out and watch TV or peruse the internet. I will probably pick it back up soon... because I do miss it; but I also want to take a class or two so that I feel more confident about what I am actually doing.

In other news, I have become obsessed with obtaining New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi. I have two problems in this regard. 1. it costs money. 2. It costs money. Right now, things are tight, and extra money is a rare commodity. I owe my dear friend arpad 2 steak dinners about now, for all the times he has covered me... and it has been hard. So i can't justify spending $30 dollars I don't have.... BUT I WANT THE BOOK...

It is coveteousness... it really is. :(

Now for pretty pictures. Here are the mittens I made for Lizzy and Audrey from church. they haven't seen them yet, so don't spoil the surprise!

Mission: Possible 2008

2008-01-15T17:20:00.001-05:00

Ok, so random blogging, but I really like this idea... Julie from Moth Heaven posted about it. It's called Mission: Possible 2008. I guess you figure out what 12 ufo's you have, and you get to it; committing to one UFO per month. I guess you can do more with this... learn new skills and all, but I prefer just to stick to the UFO problem. I have plenty of those.

1. Amigurumi Doll... I have 2 legs, and the start of a body.
2. knitted gloves posted on ravelry
3. mom's jungle socks (One is almost done... )
4. Judy's Celtic shawl... started but not worked on recently
....
Right now that is all I can think of that I actually intend to finish; however, I know that there are many more. I will post them as I come up with them!

fabulous banana bread

2007-12-25T20:19:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, when i was sick, Brian brought me some Bananas. He got funky little bananas; they were cheap, and there were a lot of them. They were called Nino bananas. Now bananas are not something I enjoy a lot, and I tried this banana, and it was just too sweet for me.
Brian wasn't happy with it either, thinking that it was a grassy banana.

It didn't take long for the bananas to darken, so we decided to make banana bread, and it is highly praised. There were about 12-14 bananas on the bunch, so I made a big batch.

fabulous banana bread!

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups margarine
4 eggs
8 cups of flour
4 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
grated cinnimon (off of a stick)
shake or 3 of salt
3-4 cups mashed nino bananas
1/4 cup milk

Cream sugars and margarine. Add eggs and mix in. In a separate big, big bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and spices. Mix together.
You can mash banana's by hand; or you can use a blender or magic bullet. Add the 1/4 cup milk to bananas to add some hydration. (I really pureed my bananas to death.) Mix into wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until blended.
Grease and flour several pans; I made 5 mini loaves, 2 regular sized loaves, and 1 big loaf of banana bread; all of the loaf pans were the disposable aluminum pans from the store. Fill loaf pans 1/2 to 3/4 and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour.

If you make it, let me know if you like it!

i finally found my camera batteries and charger

2007-12-03T16:54:00.000-05:00

but don't think that means you'll get pictures. because while I have all that awesome stuff, it's not with me. Maybe you'll get a shitty computer-camera pic.... I'll check and see what I can find.
Anyway let me explain what I am showing you. First up is the hat I made using the StepYou are so lucky! You get halfway decent photos today. But only half way- don't be expecting too much! I'm having that time of the month. hanie Pearl-McPhee pattern. It is the second hat dubbed "tele-tubby" by friends (read: jerks). I got a bunch of heavy thick acrylic yarns from Jen, and honestly what better way to use them then to make big pretty hats and give them to charity. I only wish I could dye acrylic... the white is so... boring.
Second up we have a picture of the poncho/prayer shawl I am working on for a friend of the family. She requested a poncho eons ago, and I agreed to make it... but the yarn is aweful, and I can't bear to work with it. So, instead, I found some offwhite wool and dyed it the right-ish color. I love it. My mom thinks it's perfect, so hopefully our friend will love it too. I am making a centered cable down the front that will be the center of the cape/poncho/shawl and my idea is for the cape to open with buttons at the front.
Next up is my new favorite project. I found it on Ravelry first. It is simply called "Hand Painted Gloves" but it should be called, SUPER AWESOME Fun time! Because I am so inspired and excited. I bought the pattern on etsy almost immediately after seeing it because I was so enamored. And Karen, the designer is super awesome too! She was so nice, and the layout of the pattern is so cute! Very well produced, and very much worth the cost. What really really drew me to this pattern was the fingers. They are so detailed!
Then I found the KAL and realized all the things I could do with this lovely pattern using different yarns... I went stash diving and realized that I purchase handpainted multicolored yarns, almost exclusively. Rarely do I get solids... and so I justified another trip to the yarn shop. The green yarn has aloe vera in it, and was 390 yards, and only cost about $12. I got a pink too. I am making one pair as a Christmas present, and the second pair should be for moi!

I have been knitting on the knitting machine too.. Did you know that I have a knitting machine? Well I do! But those are secret projects. Maybe I will take pictures and post after Christmas! Maybe not!

Thankful

2007-11-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful, and I have much to be thankful for. Firstly is Brian getting a job, and secondly is finally moving out, and thirdly is rent money! The knitting front has been good. Made two quick hats out of the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee hat I linked to in the last post. The second hat I added earflaps and a loopy top too... My friends decided it looks like a teletubby. I hope that it will fit whomever gets it better than it fits me tho. I must have a "large-ish" head for a woman.
The Flower City Raverly group is having a meet up on Tuesday Dec. 4th at SPOT Coffee. I hope I can make it. I would really love to meet some of the other knitters in Ro-cha-cha. I forgot to go to the WestSide Knitters group on Wednesday because I was busy baking pies and apple crisp. I remembered about 8:15, and by then it was too late to think about trying to attend. As it turns out, however, I don't think anyone else ended up going either.

My roommate works on campus in the "OCASA" The off campus apartments and living space. Anyone can join or use OCASA, which is awesome. And if you bring your own mug, the coffee/hot chocolate/tea is free. The super awesome thing is that her boss has given her permission to have a Wednesday Craft/Movie night. So if anyone from RIT is looking to knit with friends, Wednesday night may be your night.

I am working on two Prayer shawls for two different people. Hopefully I will get my sh*t together and post some progress pictures sooner or later. It might not be a bad idea to scan in my ideas either... I will have to work on that :)

an update, finally

2007-11-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, look, I forgot to blog!

(BTW, the super kitten on the knittin' is Kaylee, my sister's baby kitty.... I just had to throw some love in there!)
Big surprise... anyway... It's finals week. Brian is over the road officially. He came back for a week to visit (YEA!) and then went out again. I expect to see him around Thanksgiving; should be fun times. Things got so much easier after those first few days of missing him, and school got MUCH more busy (or did I loose my focus?).

I finished an entire project, but took pictures with the wrong camera, and don't have copies to share. I also did a quick chunky hat thanks to the Yarn Harlot, and am onto a second one.
I am also working on a small prayer shawl for a friend. It is fashioned after the Interweave Holiday Gifts Candy Stripes Kerchief. I can't wait to finish it. I also pulled out some socks for me to work on. They were supposed to be for Brian, but it has been so very cold that I would almost prefer to be selfish about it! He hasn't complained of the cold yet, but he didn't take his handmade socks with him either. Ah well. I am not too concerned.

I am also contemplating the Persuasion Afghan from Lion Brand. Not in the colors pictured, of course... ( I would link to it, but you have to login to look at it, and it isn't that exciting. ) It's mostly a mitered square afghan, only crochet instead of knitting!

We'll see what actually happens!

sad

2007-10-13T23:46:00.000-04:00

Ever feel really really sad when you know you should be happy?
Well, that is how I feel today. Brian left yesterday for N. Carolina. He was hired by Maverick, and while I am so excited about him driving and going around the country... my heart is sinking because I already miss him so much.

i feel like someone has ripped a hole inside me. A big hole. You know what sucks the worst... he is doing this for me. For us, so we can have a future... and I can't get a hold of myself enough to shake the sense into me and remind myself of that.
this job means that we have a future. It means that my husband will be able to marry me and become my husband. It means that he loves me enough to leave all his comforts and do something that he can enjoy and be paid well for.... and instead of being grateful that things are moving, and that we can move forward, I am crying my eyes out because my gut hurts were I feel empty.
I feel like an ungrateful wretch.
i feel like i want to die.

And he misses me at least as much as I miss him... I know he does because he called 6 or 7 times today... And it was hard to talk to him because all I wanted was to be held or kissed or cuddled... holding hands... but I didn't want to make things any harder for him... ... I am such a selfish wretch.

I knew this would have to happen. It isn't as if someone strung this on me suddenly. I just never realized how difficult it would be for me to have him be gone... again. At least this time I know he will be back withing 6-8weeks. That is a super plus.

God, please make this work for me. I can't do it by myself, and I can't depend on leaning on him... He needs you as much as I do... be with him too, please.

excitement

2007-09-25T18:04:00.000-04:00

Brian passed his CDL-A today! He is officially a trucker! He sent out an email with all the details to our friends and family today and I helped him. At this point I am just so grateful that he has passed, and can now take one of the jobs he has been pre-hired for. My hope is that he will get the Rochester area job, but honestly I don't care. Either one will work.

In knitting news, I am almost done with my mom's birthday sweater. I think I forgot to post a picture, but it was almost done on her birthday. I sewed in one sleeve on Sunday and half of the other. All that is left is the inset neck adn weaving in ends. When I have access to a camera and halfway decent light, I will take a picture.

For school I have been working on 2 socks on one long circular needle. I have done two mittens before, but this is the first time for two socks. As you can see I haven't gotten far, but far enough. I did top down this time, and worked with the heel gusset, usually not my favorite type of situation, but I am pleased with it. The last picture is the decreases which will lead back into the foot. I did a double decrease by knitting on each side of the extra section, and got that nice triangle shape. What's better is that the sock fits fairly well now. The hideous hot pink is a throw back from my acrylic/Lionbrand days... and while I am not opposed to it... well it IS hideous. I am hoping to get it to take up some dye... just enough to kick the neon out a bit.

I have also decided to stop complaining. I am tired of listening to myself whine, and I think that if I stop, I will be a more pleasant person. There is actually a campaign to stop complaining... here. (Look for the purple bracelet.) I don't want to be fake, and I am not going to pretend I am happy when I am not happy, but I am going to try to find a way to stop being so negative. I think that I need to work on contentedness, and stopping complaining is one way to help me do that.

Getting my school on

2007-09-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

September is one of my favorite times of year. September is when the weather breaks. This happened on Saturday. Friday it was 85/90 degrees, and on Saturday I don't think it got over 50 degrees. This, while sad in a summer sense, makes me happy in a fall sense. I like the cooler crisper air, and the fact that the leaves are chanign colors and falling. I like watching the beauty of the season unfold around me; and there is something wonderful about that first cup of Hot Cocoa or first spoonful of homemade soup that warms you right down to your tippy toes.
Am I sad to see summer go? Not really. Not this time. It was a beautiful hot summer, but me and my friends took full advantage. We went to the beach at least every other weekend. We had parties at the boys apartment, we spent the lazy evenings lying around in the A/C... It was a good last summer.
But this new academic year promises to be exciting, full of adventure and fun. My friends and I moved out our parents homes and into our own wonderful home. I love that I love to be home. I desperately want to get home at the end of the day's classes; I love to be in my room, or my kitchen, or my living room, or visiting with my friends in their rooms.
September heralds the cold season, whcih heralds Christmas; and that is exciting too. I am thinking about all of the things I could make for friends and family for Christmas, and while I am not ready to start decorating, I am starting to plan.
This year things will be different in many ways. Money is tighter because I have to pay rent, but I love being home, and don't need to spend as much on fast food or hanging out a bookstores. Time is tigher because I have to work my 20 hour weeks, but at the same time I have a full day off on Friday - so I can sleep in and get a three day weekend!
This is the most exciting fall I have ever experienced, and I wake up excited (and tired) each morning of it.

the golden compass

2007-07-29T20:52:00.000-04:00

Buuzzzz....

2007-07-27T01:11:00.000-04:00

Bee Shawls all around!
I just received my kit for Knitspot's Bee Shawl! So wonderful! The pattern is super detailed, and the yarn from Wooly Wonka Fibers is heavenly. What a lovely color (I went with Anne the designer and chose Tupelo Gold)! I am so excited. I don't have pictures, but perhaps tomorrow I will snag some. I am definitely putting this up in my ravelry account. I was invited recently, and have started making friends and posting. I doubt I will have a chance to get projects up in there until I am closer to moving out/in. The new apartment deal is exciting, and soon, very soon, I will know when we are moving in. Ok. I lied. I took some pictures with my "ibooth" built in camera. They aren't the best ever... but they are pictures and everyone likes pictures of wool! (What, you don't like pictures of wool? Well, what's wrong with you?)

MS3 is well... I was going to say coming along, but the truth is, right now it is at a grinding halt, and I am not sure when i will have time to work on it again. Mostly it is that I reached row 100 (finished Clue 1) and now I can't figure out what is wrong with row 101. I have been tired this week, and I am sure I need more sleep if I am going to be successful. Once I have a few rows of Clue 2, I hope to move along at a better speed, but we shall see.

Part of the reason that I ordered the Bee Shawl kit was because I expect that by the end of MS3, and the swallowtail shawl, I should be pretty darn good at this lace knitting thing. So I don't know when i will start on this, but it probably won't be this summer. :(

Mystery Stole 3 update!

2007-07-24T00:38:00.000-04:00

Surprise surprise, I am actually working on my Mystery Stole 3. I should be working on a million other projects, but I decided to work on MS3 exclusively. I think that part of my determination is that I feel I should be much more proficient at lace than I am. In order to make myself that way, I decided that I could only carry around my MS3 stole materials from now on. (Making life much more complicated for me! ) I have to have devoted knitting time to get this done. However, I have been at least mildly successful.
I just completed the first chart, and rather than tempt the knitting fates, I decided to wait until tomorrow to start chart 2.

starting new projects left and right

2007-07-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

My last purse was such a success that I am raring to start a new one!
I have the colors gathered, and that is start, but I'm not sure how I am going to handle it, or what the pattern will be. I am in love with the chevron look, but I want beads too, andMy last purse was such a smashing success that I can't help but make another! I have some yarn to I think that might be too much. I will keep you updated as I work, I might decide to go for something altogether different!
I also decided that I need more tank tops, because I am severly limited in my choice of cool summer tops... and I have the yarn for it. I am still in the swatching phase, and I have decided that I am going to make this pattern my very own, including the idea that everything is going to fit me. No standard pattern, but some useful information from Knitting Daily about bust darts, and I should be all set. And actually, as I wrote this post, I realized I could use the chevron pattern on this! It might just work! Swatch first, however, because I want this to work out right! . It is From Knit One Crochet Too, it's called Angora Soft, and it is 45% Nylon, 40% Viscose, and 15% Angora. It was in a Webs sale, labeled as "crimson" so I bought it thinking it would be much more... red. But it's not red, it's salmon pink. I was annoyed, but on the other hand, its a lovely color, and it will look good on me.
Lastly, I read the Yarn Harlot's most recent post, and I fell into the trap as well. I have 1200 yards of laceweight green yarn, and today by midnight was the last night to sign up, and I want to play...and I have tons of beads... So now i am doing it too... We'll see if I manage to accomplish anything!
And did I mention... I am drawing again? ;)

too lazy to crosspost

2007-06-29T12:54:00.001-04:00

so just check it out here

just a quickie

2007-06-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Swallow tail shawl on hold for a few days... err weeks. I just knit a purse out of single ply left overs... I need to get the pics off my camera before I post it. I also just realized how easy it is to put buttons in the side bar in the blog! I could swear that it wasn't that easy before now... maybe it wasn't. Now I just have to figure out how to set up an RSS feed and blog on a bi or tri weekly basis, and we will be all set :) Oh wait, RSS is automatic... so now i just have to post regularly!

I am currently working on a dishcloth (easy smeasy simple pattern) and some jaywalkers from ages ago. I am glad I started the second one as quickly as I did, it will make getting the set done easier. I haven't actually finished either sock, however.

I also recently finished a green sock with blue stripes. I have the yarn ready for the second sock, but I haven't cast it on yet. I am dying to try Nona's new Sidewinder pattern, which is tempting me to buy more sock yarn... but i really don't want to make any more purchases.

I am still up in the air about finishing the little purple, pink and white baby cardigan I started a while back. The yarn is hard on my hands, and I am wondering if a larger needle size could fix that problem, but I am not sure if I care to try. But the yarn, being largely cotton, would be an appropriate weight for a baby, and I am sure it will soften with wear; so I should probably do it, and soon.

Swallow Tail Shawl

2007-06-07T00:05:00.001-04:00

Last year, I bought the Fall 2006 Issue of Interweave Knits. I immediately fell in love with Evelyn A. Clark's beautiful Swallow Tail Shawl pattern. A few years ago, visiting Df (darling fiancee?) when he lived in Ohio, we took a short driving trip to Erie to go to a nice yarn shop there, Cultured Purl. It was one of the nicest yarn experiences I have ever had. We got there just after she opened for the day and we got to visit a bit. Df is always so good in yarn shops! I had a credit card or money or something, and I purchased expensive yarn, that I would probably not be able to afford now! However, I treated myself to 3 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca. I think it is the DK weight. I no longer have the ball bands, but I recognized the yarn in another shop, and realized why I had only bought 3 skeins.
I always wanted to make a shawl with the perfect blue yarn, and when I saw Swallow Tail, I thought it would be the match...
But I never did cast on for it.
Instead, recently I was fondling the Anne that I bought in MA last year, and I realized that I really wanted to make a shawl with it. I also realized that I really wanted to make the Swallow Tail shawl, and that since school is over, my free time is, well, free. Making a complicated lace shawl, I decided, was not a terrible idea. So I cast on with my Schafer Anne, ignoring my own God-given color senses.
I have seen some beautiful lace shawls, and I have seen some gorgeous color ways, but there are some colors that just don't make good lace shawls, and this Anne is one of them.
I joined the Swallow Tail Shawl Knit Along blog, and saw someone with a similar predicament... they had to over dye the yarn to get the shawl to look lacy. Of course, now it looks absolutely fabulous. I did not want to over dye the Anne though, I paid a lot of money for those gorgeous colors! *reasonably represented in picture*
So I did what any reasonable, well meaning, project laden knitter does... I dropped the Anne and started Swallow Tail in the gorgeous blue color that I am in love with. So far I am on the budding lace 7th repeat... but I keep messing it up and having to gently rip back. I don't mind, however, it is the farthest I have gotten with a lace project thus far! Here are some pictures of the shawl modeling. The color seems pretty accurate, at least from this machine :) (of course, that has a lot to do with Photoshop CS2... I love being a student...) That is my goal for June, in terms of knitting. It would be good to finish stuff too... Like the stupid baby sweater in cotton... grrr

whats this? posting twice in a month???

2007-05-30T13:52:00.000-04:00

I was just in Canada with friends. We left on Friday and stayed until late on Monday. We had a really good time at Anime North, an anime convention. (true nerds). I got to hit up Lettuce Knit difficult.) I bought some Lorna's Laces, my very first, and some lovely rovings on Monday, which is a pretty short walk from Toronto's Chinatown district. (Pictures to come soon). It was a really cute store, small, but well stocked and well managed. The owner was so nice, and she let me use the bathroom! (Maybe that sounds silly, but finding bathrooms in a city can be verying. Both were incredibly reasonably priced!
I have also been working on various projects. I didn't get much "travel" knitting done, despite the long drive, but I did finish (err, almost finish) a sock during the convention. I will have to add pictures of all this stuff when I am done with work!
I am frustrated with the baby sweater that I was working on; and I am not sure if i am going to rip it and start a new one, or set it aside for a few more days and pick it back up. I really only have to do the sleeves and about 1/2 of the back. Its not that bad... but i am really beginning to hate the cotton, nylon, wool blend. I won't say what kind of yarn it is... I don't want to dis the maker. I just wish I hadn't bought it, because i despise knitting with cotton. :(
I also recently finished spinning some fiber up. I am not very pleased with the results. The color is lovely- I was not expecting this really lovely pumpkin, but I do really like it. However, I am just having a really hard time with getting some of this spinning down... so the results are not as good as I would like.
I have been once again bitten by the lace bug. Most of the time when this happens I become desperate to make a lace item... but then it peters out when I get frustrated with the lace. This summer, i would really like to complete a lace pattern of some sort without screwing it up! The last image is of my beautiful Schafer Anne yarn from my trip to Massachusetts last year. I wish I knew what to make with it. There is just over 600 yards... so I need to do something with it... I was thinking about making a shawl. Perhaps, the swallowtail shawl from the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits? It is a lovely shawl after all....

lights came on fast

2007-05-09T12:21:00.000-04:00

So I think I am going to go for the blog titles that have nothing to do with status!
I am lacking pictures :( BUt i have finished stuff!
- Brian's stripey socks are done!
- Baby Gabe's hoodie is in zipper process
- Baby Charlie's hoodie is awaiting washing, blocking and zippering
I am working on a hand towel for the new apartment.
Oh, what I didn't mention it yet?
I am moving out soon! I am very excited. My sister, boyroomie, and girlroomie are all moving in together in the complex that my boyfriend living in. Its a super nice townhouse, and the landlords seem like a really good company. I believe they are part of Natapow management. We are going to move in, hopefully, in August. Anyway, given that this will be a shared apartment, and for me, home, I wanted to give the
apartment some things that would be for everyone, like hand towels for the downstairs bathroom. (and maybe the upstairs too.)
I think I am also going to make some curtains for my room, out of yarn, of course! I have a knitting machine, and I bet if I plan it out a bit, they will be done in no time!
Knitted curtains... herrmmm could be just the thing to use up the yarn stash!

I have been thinking a lot about my stash lately. Once I get my bedroom (at home) clean, i really want to destash. Some of that destashing will be donating yarns to places that need it, such as the Interim House. Apparently, they will take anything I can send! I have to get in contact with their contact person so that I have an address to send to, and I will have to pay for postage, but I think it's worth it. I also want to give a lot of stash to friends. I did pay for a lot of it, and I would like to share that with my knitting and crocheting friends. I have a few people who are willing to meet up with me on a Saturday and help me organize the yarn. For thier efforts, they are gonna get to go shopping in the newly organized stash! But I worry, because there are things in that stash that I have plans for (or I paid through the nose for the yarn, and want to use it... ) I am giving my self a continuous allowance of TWO big bins. (Trust me, they are much larger than normal bins.) I figure I can store that in the new apartment easily enough.

This last image is the beginning of a new baby sweater. Pattern here. I am using Plymouth yarns Sockotta that I bought a few years ago in Plymouth MA. (There is no relationship, I asked...) I was going to make socks for my mom, but decided that cotton was not worth the sock work, and it's really hard on my hands. Instead, I just cast on size 2's for this baby sweater pattern. I even did a swatch first! (I didn't actually measure it after washing yet... Bad knitter!)

This will be a baby sweater for Baby Olivia, who is expected in late August. She is eagerly awaited (and probably will be for the rest of the summer!)

Oh and in case you don't live in the greater Rochester area... today is beautiful. absolutely freaking beautiful. I love it.

more socks, less sweater

2007-04-03T00:31:00.000-04:00

After wearing my lovely green sweater on Monday, I realized that it was just too loose. i am going to undo the sleeve attachments to the body, and reknit the body, but just down the sides. I figure it will help to pull the bust in a bit. The sweater is really light weight, though, and looks really cute on me, so I am super pleased with it.

I have also finally started a clapotis. I am using the yarn that I over dyed last summer; I have been intending to make this for a long time, I just never got around to it. I don't have any real expectations for this project, but I am really enjoying the color shifts. I did a nice job dyeing it , if I do say so myself. I haven't made it past the second section yet, so I am still on the increase section... but I did discover an interesting method. It was suggested that to eliminate the need for so many stitch markers, one should PURL the stitch that is to be dropped. What a clever idea! I am so grateful for the internet, and the fact that I no longer have to try to think for myself! The next thing I want to work on is the stripey socks, also from last summer. I put these off when I realized I wouldn't have enough to make 2 decent sized socks. My fiance likes his socks fairly tall, and this was just one single, solitary Regia ball... So i decided, when we went to the yarn shop on Friday, to pick up a skien of black. My plan is to knit black toes and heels, and hopefully there will be enough yarn to make a complete pair of tall socks for the fiance. This is such a gorgeous shifting color way, I just love it. I wish there was more so I could have a pair!

Just to keep us all informed, "Your fiance is the man you plan to marry; your fiancee (or fiancée) is the woman you plan to marry." found here

just a quick picture

2007-03-26T12:24:00.000-04:00

It's not the best picture ever, but here the sweater :) A full shot will follow, this evening, I hope! This was taken with the evil built in camera on the computer. It is handy, but not all that useful for getting full head shots... or anything beyond a head shot, at least. OH I can show you my pretty yarn too.. We'll see if this works...
This is the yarn I dyed last night, using Wilton Cake dye. My dye was not powder, like the article I read discussed, but I added vinegar and mixed the dye into some hot water, and it did a pretty awesome job. Also, instead of using either of the heating methods discussed in the article, I just did the microwave job I usually do :) I just dried it last night in the bathroom, and it wasn't really dry when I left for school today, but I took it anyway and skeined it up so I could carry it around and fondle the rich cerulian blue. Its some super wash Baby Ull from Dale of Norway. It was left over from a baby cardigan, so I figured it was time to do something with it... and I went crazy at AC Moore last night. It didn't hurt that everything was at least 25% off! They kill Jo Ann's; they always have much much nicer cheaper stuff :)

its official.. I have finished a sweater :)

2007-03-25T15:43:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the Tempting II I started last summer? If you recall, I realized at some point that it would not fit my ample bosom without some tweaking. I have tweaked, I have revamped, I added a keyhole and a square neck that looks rocking good on me! I finished it today, and only have to weave in my ends! I am very excited, because it is super cute, lightweight, appropriate for work, and I can make sleeves to add to it that I can wear in the winter! My only concern is stretching that might occur when I wash it. Does cotton block like wool? I really don't know, because I wasn't smart enough to bother washing my swatch when I started this sweater last summer. I know that was pretty stupid, but hey, I am not known for my foresight ;)
Anyway, i hope it doesn't stretch too much, and I will post pictures as soon as I can :)

sock knitting of course...

2007-03-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

I guess i should state, because I haven't yet, that I finished the purple socks for me. I really hate them, in terms of showing them off, but I love wearing them, because they are so warm. I used some very old Brown Sheep company wool that my mom found at the Salvation Army, or ABVI Goodwill years and years ago. It was a wonderful find, and the stuff is hardy; I made mid calf length socks, and there is still plenty to fix potential wearing.
I am not really sure I if I will use the rest of the yarn for socks or not. I have one man's sock, but never started the 2nd man's sock... so i will have to do that sometime. The problem, is that the colors are super muted. I suppose I could try dyeing the yarn, and if it works, perhaps I will be more interested in using it.
I am going to try something new for me. I like the Koolaid, but I want a wider range of colors, and because I live at my parents home, I really don't want to commit to acid dyes just yet... but this might just work.
In other news...
So, while I find knitting socks for my mother tedious, because she likes the legs so very very long, I have started another pair. It isn't the socks themselves... but the yarn. Yarn, yarn, yarn. When we went to Boston this last summer, we stopped into a small yarn store that is about 5-10 minutes from my Aunt's house. It is a lovely place in Cohasset, the Creative Stitch. Unfortunately, if they have website, I cannot find it. However, I loved it, and I loved the owner, and I wished I could move to Cohasset. Ah well.
Anyhow, I bought some trekking xl for me, and some Schafer Anne, which was wildly raved about in a podcast by Knitty D and the City a while ago. The yarn is lovely, but I have a limited amount of it, and i have to figure out what exactly I will make. The yarn I bought for my mom is from Cherry Tree Hill, and it is doing lovely things. It is Monet. I am happy with it for now. It is "pooling" but 1. I don't mind pooling all that much and 2. it is pooling in an awesome pattern.
I think I am going to try afterthought heels with this pair because I don't want to take the chance that I will lose the lovely pooling effect when I do the heel! (Plus, I am hopeful that doing an afterthought heel will encourage me to actually get these socks done quickly. If it goes well, I may institute afterthought heels in everything!
Pictures when I can get my boyfriend to take them again :)

There is one more project I am actually working on, but I think I will see if I get far enough to bother posting about it... it is still in the, "hmmm can I stand you enough to keep working on you?" phase. It might just be easier to make a clapotis. ;)

Coming up: ponderings about summer items... if i start them now, will they be ready by summer?

eek.. the cat?

2007-03-09T13:48:00.001-05:00

So classes are finally over, actually they have been done for a week now. I go to RIT, which runs on a quarter system. I will be starting back up on Monday, and going through to the end of May. That is so depressing.

I did however, get some pictures, and that is actually the purpose of this blog post!
So the first image is my brother's birthday present. One of these days I am going to make some black gloves for him. Maybe in the summer when I want a small project.
The next picture is of my super cute sister wearing the fake isle hat I made. I used Patons SWS and Lion Wool instead of the recommended Noro and Cascade 220.... What can I say? I am cheap.

She loves it, and it fits her better than the hat I made her for her birthday. Up next is one for me. But you just have to wait for me to finish before I give it up!
I am not sure if I like the colors I chose, so I may end up giving the second one away too. I don't, however, mind the pattern, so I am willing to make another one for me!

Edited to Add:
Thanks to Brian Blankenship for photos. Both are copyright of Brian Blankenship Photography. Used with permission.

i should be doing homework

2007-02-07T16:10:00.000-05:00

of some sort. But i am not. I am catching up on blogs, listening to Muse, and working on a crafty project. (More about that in a moment.)

First, my gift hat. A friend at church was born 5 days before I was. He looks awful cold most of the time; and the other day when we were at the market, he was eyeing a rack of hats and gloves.
This only took about a weekend. It is Paton's black merino, left over from my brother's birthday present. Chris tried Ethan's hat on that day, and I thought it might be a good gift for Chris. This one is different. I ribbed throughout for a nice stretchy fit. The red is some Red Heart "Soft Yarn". I don't normally use acrylic with wool yarns, but this was bright and I only needed a handful.
The acrylic was purchased recently for the new project I am working on. I have to admit, I was inspired by two things.
The first was this post. Then I saw this. I was enthralled. Go ahead, look at them all! I discovered that day, the art of arigurumi. I was so excited I made my fiancee take me to the craft store so I could purchase hooks and yarn.
He is such a good sport. If I enjoy the process of making these cute dolls, I might make more. I would love to make them for my children to have. My mom is pretty psyched up too, she loves dolls and doll clothes. This is the perfect project for us.
Oh, whats that? You can crochet too? You want to make one of these silly things? Oh, well I can help you with that. Hold on, let me find that link... oh, here it is. I am not making it exactly as the pattern lists... I am using the pattern as a way to make my personal vision come true ;)
I am very excited though... those crocheters weren't lying when they said that crochet is faster!

almost everything is breaking

2007-02-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, before church, my father went outside to warm up the green van (my vehicle). He moved it about to get teh driveway cleared out enough to get out of it... (LOTS of snow), and realized it was leaking rich black stuff... engine oil. He was not happy. He took me to church, and my boyfriend was able to get my family back home. (Dad churches elsewhere.)

Unfortunately, this means that I don't have a vehicle. Now, I really like the fact that I can't drive, because it is snowy and yucky, and because I like to knit when I am not driving; but it does make things more complicated for the rest of my family.

The other thing that broke is my camera. This little baby was a steal. It was on special at Aldi, for $159. It came with 2 batteries (rechargeable lithium-ions), a car charger, a usb cable, a usb recharger, a 512 memory card, and it was 5.2 megapixel.
A few weeks ago, I attempted to take a picture of the knitting i was working on, posing in the snow, for the enhancement of this blog. It didn't work, the snow was too white, and then I dropped the camera. Now, if i was smart I would have had the strap around my wrist. The camera flew out of my hand as I attempted to retain my balance on the icy bricks of my college campus. (It is referred to as Brick City for a reason.) I was pretty frustrated and banged up the outside of the camera; but it still worked. I took it home and used the flash and was able to pull pictures off. Then it quit. It takes pictures still, but the flash doesn't work at all, and the camera screen goes all funky when I try to pull the pictures off of the memory card. I can't remove the pictures using the camera usb cord anymore. (I do have a card reader...)
BUT GRRRR. I never new how much I liked the flash until I had flash to use. The pictures don't come out well at all. :(

My birthday is later this month... so I am hopeful that I might get a camera. I WANTED a wonderful and beautiful ipod (or comparable), but I don't think that is going to happen. I am not even sure I should ask for a camera, even though Aldi has a 8.1 megapixel with manual settings available for $199.99....

Mrs. Allen's baby was born last night around 7:30, he is 6lbs and 2 oz. His baby sweater is almost done (but probably won't fit for another few months.) I will post pictures when I am finished sewing in the zipper. I might go see him today, if his mom is up to a visit. :)

so excited!

2007-01-19T12:32:00.000-05:00

This isn't kniting related, but I had to share. This is the project I have been working on for the last year. It was supposed to be done much sooner, but editting takes a long time. I have been working on and off of this project, and this is the final iteration. It goes away... and *please Lord, please* and doesn't come back until it is finally ready for the big time. Finished. Yes, printed as the book it is meant to be. (eeek!) Something I worked on is being published! (I only did layout and cover design...) woo hoo!

Baby time

2007-01-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

I am trying to get into the habit of posting, even if I don't have pictures. I think it will help my accountability with projects, as well as giving me a sense of progress. A few days ago, I cast on for a beautiful baby sweater, for a dear friend at church, who is pregnant. (If you are reading this Ms. Pregnant A., you should stop!)

Her baby boy will be born at the end of February or the beginning of March. (I think he should aim for February 22, so he can celebrate with me... but his mom thinks he will be a bit later than that.) I decided to make him a knitted zip up the back hooded sweater. I found the pattern around this time in 2006, when I made one for my cousin's baby. Unfortunately the pattern is no longer available online, or I would link it.
My fiance, brother, sister, and sister's friend *who is also my friend* went the the yarn store today, so I could get yarn.
I am using Baby Ull, by Dale of Norway, in green and white, which are Michigan State colors. The mom and dad are crazy about MSU college sports. :) Their child will be well clothed.
I am amazed at how lovely and soft this yarn is, and to top it off, it was 15% off! I got it at Spirit Works a distant but local yarn store. ( I love that place, it is so cozy, and there are chairs to sit and knit... and magazines for the non-knitter that was dragged along!) I was given a limit of 20 minutes in the store today... but that is for the best.
I am trying to go on a stash diet; for a 24 year old, I have an incredible amount of yarn... its sick, actually; but baby yarn that is specific to the parents and has special meaning... that is ok. I willl use it all.... :)
There is another baby coming, probably about month after this one. I am trying to figure out what to knit for that mom and dad. I am not as close to them, but would like to make something nice; unfortunately I have no idea what their tastes are!

odd yarn = pretty socks

2007-01-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

So, I am trying to write less lame blog titles. That may not be entirely possible, but I will try. Here are some recent exploits!

As you can see, my math homework is attempting to compete with my lovely socks.
The math homework lost....

I am using some LB Magic Stripes
Denim Stripe
310-201:
Denim blue, cream, light blue highlighted with red and copper

I am very pleased with the striping pattern complementing the stripes... and I love that the stripes are super random. :)

This is part of the Romney I bought at the Fingerlakes Fiber Arts Festival. I was unsure of how much to get, or what kind; it was rather overwhelming. I ended going economical and buying only one kind of roving, a white Romney. I got it home, quite nervous about buying 16 oz, since I didn't know how it would spin up.
I started up my wheel and was amazed. Romney was my personal spinning Godsend. I was so happy with the results. I have spun white samples, but not too much. I used some of the yarn for my brother's pirate hat. I think he quite liked it.
I go to college, so I got a break. I work at the same college, and the week after Christmas the college is totally closed, so I got a break then too. Instead of sitting around all week, I decided one ambitious morning to dye some roving. The picture seems washed out, but the colors are fairly accurate. I was going to use the Dishwasher Dyeing Method, but when I opened the door to the dishwasher I realized that there is a good reason the dishes aren't getting cleaned. I think the hoses are clogged. :( Anyway, I ended up just nuking it for 3 to 5 minutes and letting it rest. I was really worried that the wool would felt, but it didn't.
I am excited to see what the finished yarn looks like. I don't know if I will Navajo ply (which I absolutely love the look of) or just 2- ply for thinner yarn. I fear the thickness of a 3-ply right now.

Now for a gratuitous shot of my fiancee and the kitten at his apartment (he belongs to our friend Caleb, but we all get to love him!)

Arael and Brian.

Something for nothing

2007-01-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

That is just good to know. I am glad that I am one in several thousand... one in a million or more? Anyway, it's a relief. However, the data base is not complete, since I have actually met several other people with my particular first name. It is unsual but not unlikely... so I doubt that this project is entirely accurate.

Editted to add: http://howmanyofme.com/faq/#section1
I should read the accuracy things before I go posting random info on my blog, eh?

knitting up a storm

2006-12-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

Just so this post isn't totally pictureless, here is a totally blown out image of the yarn I spun out of Romney I bought at the Fiber Arts Festival at Hemlock, NY this year. I dyed a section of red and a section of yellow to test the color fastness and softness of dyed fleece. I navajo plied it, and am quite pleased with the results.

So, my brother and sister's birthdays are done, so I can tell you what I made them :) Hopefully while we are all around for Christmas I can get some pictures of them wearing their warm woolys. I made an earflap hat and mittens with a subtle skull and crossbone pattern (scroll down to October 17, 2006.) And I dyed the white yarn to a pretty pink. I need to learn more about dying though, because that was not the color I was going for, at all. I made my brother a pirate hat. It is a skull cap with a skull and crossbones pattern. I used this one as a template for the skull. The pattern is really adorable too!
I am working right now on a knit gift for 1) my mom, 2) homegroup gift exchange and 3) another for my mom. I really should make my dad a few more hats; he likes what i have always called "lumberjack" hats. He is constantly wearing the one I made him for Christmas last year. I bet if I made them at school, where i need mindless knitting, i could crank out one or two a week.
I am still figuring out if I can knit in some classes. I think I can get away with it in Color managment, and hopefully in Shakespeare's tragedies. I take notes and all, but I find I listen so much more attentively when i am knitting on something.
:)

way overdue

2006-11-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about Christmas this year. Perhaps it is because I have chosen reasonable projects to make for family and friends. It could also be that this is the first year in 3 years that I can actually ENJOY Christmas. I used to work at Wegmans, a food grocer in Upstate NY. Now, I am not saying anything bad about Wegmans, working there was a wonderful learning experience that taught me a lot... However, anyone in retail can tell you, the Christmas season is just no fun. I hope that I can remember that as I shop for the holiday this year. I am ready to listen to happy music, see lights and decorations, and start celebrating the best time of year in my own heart. I am certain that my fiancee living in NY is helping that happy feeling to exist!

Now on to other things:

These are my happy feet in a bright happy Trekking XXL. As you can see I didnt' weave in the ends yet. I am actually wearing them today, without the ends woven in. I am a naughty knitter.

I have had pictures for a week now, I even took some the other night... just so I could post about them... and then i had no time/energy. Fortunately, the period of time in which I live in a fog is just about up. I have a few finals next week and a final project due in 2 weeks, but a lot of the other major stressers are done for now.
I was super excited when I realized how many FO's I have managed to complete... I was going to post all of them on this blog... until I realized that they are Christmas presents!
So, instead, some other FO's and pretty stuff!

I made these mittens for Community Knitting, through the Rochester Knitting Guild. They are going to be a lovely presnt for someone in need. The white yarn is a Lionbrand that had a filament of shiny white wrapped around it. I think the combination is stunning. The green-blue is a random skein I got from the Community Knitting free yarn. :) I am happy to say I put that yarn to good use. (I have maybe 9 yards left.)
I'll be making some RIT mittens for a friend soon, and in return she is going to crochet me a lovely lacey shawl. I am so very excited. I will try to post the mittens as I work on them :)

just in case

2006-10-28T10:30:00.000-04:00

someone reads this... i have pictures on the camera, but a large paper due on MOnday and 2 presentations due on Wednesday and a paper due on Wednesday. As a result of those facts... my post with pictures will be put off... I am hoping to have time tonight. But i CAN'T do it now... because I should be revising my paper! :)

i have knitting news.... but no camera

2006-09-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

So I haven't finished TemptingII, or whatever else we should call it.... I am a slacker. And school started. Its hard to bring an almost done sweater to school to work on it. I really can't do that. Sooo instead I knit Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby surprise Jacket. It was kind of annoying to keep track of all the stitches... but it is so cute it is worth it... and I really didn't figure out how it really worked until I was almost done.
SOOOO CLEVER really. She was an engineering GENIUS. GENIUS!!
Unfortunately mine is kinda ugly, its red with heather brown accents. I don't know if either of the pregnant ladies at church will want it... so I am going to make more, and I shall see how it turns out!
My goal today, in class, is to start a hat; maybe finish it?
We shall see. If i can get my camera back from my thieving sister *j/k* I will take some pictures. (I lent it to her so she could work on her digital imaging class.)

tempting ii is turning into something else

2006-08-27T01:01:00.000-04:00

Tempting ii was never going to fit. It just isn't designed for a girl who has a 44 DDD. It would never have worked; but I just didn't want to face the facts. Instead, I knit blindly on- working hard on the several inches of 1x1 ribbing until I finally reached the armpit. I checked my gauge, and even put the live stitches on some black crochet cotton to check the size. The body fit... sort of. It fit around me, no doubt, but it didn't fit over my boobs. I have BIG boobs... the sweater fit the back of me, it went from above the tail bone to just under my arm pits... but the front, well the front rode up something fierce. I knew that i would never wear a sweater that rode up in the front. I was ready to frog it and start something new, but I realized that at 12pm such decisions need not be made. (To top it off, at this point I was highly infected with icky icky Upper Respritory Infection !ewww mucus!) So I held off, and waited to talk to my mom.
She convinced me not to rip, but to redesign. I decided to make a short row boob holder. If I were sewing I would call it "darts" but it's knitting, so boob holder makes more sense. I wasn't sure if I should do the short row technique for each individual boob, or if I should just make an overall boob area increase. I went with the technique I use for short row heels, and it worked!

I was thrilled! I attached the arms last night, and put the live stitches on a holder. I tried it on this morning. My mom said it looked fabulous. I still have 4 inches of knitting to go- before it will be apropos on me. However, I don't think it will be Tempting ii ever. The neckline... that oh so cute, off the shoulder look... well I will never pull that off! I have 44DDD bra, and I need those cute black straps to hold up my boobs... so no off the shoulder looks for me! But its ok. I don't mind! I am going to have a cute "all my own" sweater design with a lovely plunging V neck.
I am *excited*!
Will post pictures as soon as the sweater is "decent" enough to wear.

Its been a while

2006-08-24T12:17:00.000-04:00

I picked up Tempting II again- I tried it on with a piece of cotton through the loops so that I could see how it fits. Utimately I realized that my chest is so big that there is no way it is going to fit right as a straight tube top. Right now I am trying to make short rows to fit my boobs. We will see if it is sucessful. Before I picked my Tempting II back up, I worked on the second of my first ever Trekking XXL socks. I got the yarn in a wonderful shop called Creative Yarns in Cohassett. I loved that shop. I would go back in a second if it wasn't over 6 hours away!
Soon I will take pictures of the work I have been doing- but here's an update for now!

the start of something new

2006-07-12T22:19:00.000-04:00

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the start of Tempting II. I adore the color, and am very happy with the way it is knitting up at 200 st instead of 260. I think the extra stitchs were creating a lot of extra weight on the needles. Hopefully my calculations will prove fairly accurate, and this baby will fit! What I have knit so far is one ball, and I did it in less than 2 days! If I can keep up that speed, I can have this done by next week... and that is the goal. I want to get things done much faster. I am hopeful about this, anyway. And when I am done with it, I want to finish my brother's flame sweater! (the one I "gave" him 2 years ago at Christmas ago!)
(Please excuse all the cables.. but the kitchen is the best light I've got right now!)

I took lots of pictures! muha ha ha ha

2006-07-11T12:36:00.000-04:00

So i finally got the camera battery charged enough to get the pictures off the camera and up on my blog. I am going to pretty much just post all the pictures at once! The blue pictures are me knitting in the Centenial Park on the 4th of July, and my new $3 on sale yarn from a LYS. I also splurged and bought some Bryspun size 2 needles. I usually go with the lovely Brittany needles, but am so tired of breaking them. So far the Bryspun are a thumbs up! Unfortunatley I did some internet searching and it looks like Bryspun is discontinuing them :(
I want to get knitpicks dpns... but haven't had the courage to order $40 worth of yarn for free shipping yet. I don't need more yarn.... and i don't need $40 of needles!
The yarn is regia, and the pattern is just a general toe up pattern with an "invisible" cast on. Instead of increasing in the stitches, such as a knit 1- knit into the back of the stitch, I decided to try a yarn over. I know... its silly they are socks, not a raglan pullover... but I wanted to see what it would look like and if it would still keep the reciever warm. I think it will be fine. Brian, my fiancee is the reciever of these socks... but I told him if they don't fit him they are MINE! (I am hoping just a little tiny bit that they don't fit him...)
The yarn below, the pretty pink stuff is some laceweight yarn I bought at another LYS about a month ago. I was going to make a beautiful lace shawl for a friend from church, an A/C shawl... But the pattern was just too complicated for my rather hurried personality. Perhaps when life is slowed down a bit more I will do it.
Anyway I decided that I would rather do Clapotis, which everyone on the internet has probably already done... I have started it a few times, but never gotten very far. I really loved the effect of the colorway pictured, but could not afford lorna's Laces. And honestly... as much as I love to knit, I am not spending over $100 on yarn. I can't afford to do that, and even when I can, I doubt I will be able to justify it.
This yarn is Nature Spun fingering weight by Brown Sheep Company- Peruvian Pink. I didn't dislike the pink, but if I was going to knit miles and miles of stockinette, I wanted something that would keep me intoxicated with color. So i pulled out a few yards and did some test dyeing... and oddly enough while I like the dye tests, the full colors it came out with are so much better than I planned.
I did the microwave dyeing technique which is super easy. I did soak the yarn first, which I think makes the colors more likely to ease into eachother.
I did a big bowl of water in the middle, and four smaller glasses of water and color around the outside.
Kudos to my 17 year old brother, who was sorta willing to help me skein the yarn. We used two chairs about 5-7 feet apart.
I am just so pleased with the way this turned out and I think it will be a perfect fit for Kathy, who isn't girly enough to like an all pink shawl. :)

I have also cast on for Tempting II- in a pretty green. I will post pics of that when I am farther along. I was kinda frustrated because the gauge swatch I did was correct. I even knit the gauge in the round so that I would be sure it was accurate. However, the gauge swatch wasn't big enough to deal with the weight of the TCL cotton blend I am using, and the XXL I cast on for came out over 10 inches larger than it was supposed to when I allowed it to relax correctly on a flat surface. Grrr.
So I remeasured. I decided my gauge was more accurate at 4 st/inch and have decided to use "negative ease" and go with 50 inches. (I am a big girl and have a 54" bust.) I hope it works, but if it doesn't I won't have lost too much. The yarn only cost about $20, which is a relief.
Well, hope to make progress and post again soon!
Sharah

i made this :)

2006-06-26T14:29:00.000-04:00

This was my quick and easy project. I made it for my cell phone, because I COULDN'T stand the idea of buying an over priced cellphone holder from Verizon, or a cheap cheezy one from Walmart.
I got the bag at the Women of Faith 2006 Conference in Rochester NY. It was very cool, because it is from World Vision, and I was planning on sponsering a child through them anyway. They gave me the free bag for allowing them to take money from my credit card. :) I was delighted with the bag, its huge, and I have a beautiful young lady named Roda from Zimbabwee. I am going to write her a letter very soon.
My boyfriend and I picked out the yarn, it was one of the closest color choices in a thin cotton yarn. What can I say? I went to Micheals! The button was out of my mom's vintage-ish button collection.
I ended up giving this one to my mother in law to be, because she really liked it, AND she got a new older cell phone. She didn't like the size of the phone, but it was digital and her smaller prettier phone was not digital. It creates problems to not have digital service on a tracfone when you live out in the middle of nowhere!
So i made me a new one, and used a seed stitch on the body rather than the st.st used in the first. one. The button on the new one is a flower button, but it is black, which still works pretty wel. My only sadness about the bag is that it stretched out so much after the phone has been in it!
I knit it on size 2 knitting needles. The pattern is pretty easy, so if anyone wants a copy, just email me!
faeriedreamz at gmail dot com.
Lots more knitting to post about hopefully I will get more pictures taken soon!

eeek

2006-06-07T08:28:00.000-04:00

Wow...
Time flies when you are worried about finals! I did very well this quarter, gaining a 4.0. One of my teachers gave me an incomplete for class, but I handed in the final project a week early. Someone else in the class got that too; so I am thinking it is a fluke or mistake with the computer system.
I've done a bunch of knitting since I last posted but not a whole lot of it was productive. I haven't finished anything! I ripped out the baby blanket about 3 times now. I started a flat knit with seed stitch that is double stranded and on size 13 needles (i think...) the work is going faster now, but sheesh.
I started Eunny's free Print O the Wave stole- I just had to make some lace! I am not joining the great lace- I don't have that kind of time to commit to getting this done!
Last week I went to Toronto with my friends for an Anime Convention (Anime North) and afterwards we went camping for the 4 hottest days this summer so far. It was frustrating. We ended up seeing movies and hanging in the mall just to get in the a/c.
However, I had a great time- got away from my family and spent the week with 4 of my favorite guys!
My boyfriend, Brian, has finally decided to move to New York, and he is asking our friends who just got a new apartment if he can be a #4. He would save them each like $75 in rent, which would probably make life a bit easier....
We are praying that this works out, he is very excited about finding a job up here so he can take care of me!

While Brian and I were driving to the apartment the other day, we got off the 390 at Jefferson, and there was a man standing with a sign that said, "Will work for food." My heart broke. We tried to buy a sub to give to the man, but the police had chased him off for loitering, I think. My church needs to have some sort of help in place. I wanted to give the guy a sub, but I would rather have offered to drive him to work- a place to work with food to eat and sleep. I am not talking charity- not in the traditional sense. No one in the US should have to go without food... but it happens all the time.

Sorry to end this on a sad note, but its been on my mind. I will post pictures of spinning and knitting tomorrow! (or very soon after)

he he he

2006-05-04T17:43:00.000-04:00

You Are 32% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.
In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

picture!

2006-05-01T09:19:00.000-04:00

I finished the heel on the green sock the other day. I haven't gotten too much farther, but its not with me right now. I will have to take a picture when I get back to it. For the moment I am working on the baby blanket for Josie's neice, Brooke. Here it is! Brooke is newly adopted and 16, but Josie really wanted her to have something special for herself. So i am using the pinwheel blanket, with a beautiful blue color from Lion Brand. Brook lives in a desert so I decided that a cotton blend microfiber would be appropriate. I am really enjoying how the blanket is coming along, but I am hoping that i can figure out how to spice it up a bit, since it is pretty boring. However, I think that I can do a fancy bind off, and I am hopeful that Brook will use the blanket as a shawl as well. (Or at least that she will like it enough to think about it.) Anyway, I am excited about it. Josie seems pleased too. I just hope Kari has been working on her blanket for the other newly adopted niece. If she has, I will post pictures of it too!

no pictures today either...

2006-04-27T17:09:00.000-04:00

But there is progress on the socks. The green ones. I am turning the heel on #1 as soon as I am done typing. I am stuck at school tonight till 10, again, so the hope I had for photos is little to known. I have to make an interactive PDF based on a brochure that I just finished designing today. Its great. (In all sarcasm)
I am trying to find a freind to eat dinner with me, but it looks like I am on my own till 6. I have Metals class tonight. The plan is to kick some wax a** and take names. Actually, I am carving wax rings tonight so that we can cast them, next week I think. I hope to get done early so I can bow out. I would be working on the interactive pdf right now, but the dunder head that I am, I left the power cord at home. It's really really useful there.
Soooo yea.
Grrrrr.

I love Billy Corgan. And I love The Machina of the Gods. Some people think its the worst album the Smashing Pumpkins released, but I think it is wonderful. Oh and Porcupine Tree. I love them too. I need to get the music... :)
Ok. sorry this wasn't very knitty of me, but eh. Its just not in me tonight!

more knitting news

2006-04-26T17:43:00.000-04:00

Today, at "work" I did a whole bunch of stuff. I feel the progress, or something. I got 15 minutes left and I finished the 75 pages of reading that was due tonight before class! It's excellent. So anyway new knitting news. I started the baby blanket that I am making for Josie's new neice. Mys sister is making the other blanket for the other new neice. They are adopted, and Josie wanted to give them something nice and new and their very own. I was super excited to help. Later tonight I will try to post a pic. Its a super simple round blanket, but maybe it will double as a shawl. My knitee is 16, after all :)
Anyway happy days to all. gtg to class.

New knitting

2006-04-23T20:04:00.000-04:00

So, I know I have too much yarn. I saw the other bloggers do "flash your stash" at the beginning of April, and I realized I could never do that. I have way too much yarn floating around. It's kind of a sick obsession. I may be able to brainwash some friends into getting paid in yarn to help me organize it all this summer. I just want to label the darn boxes and have the same stuff in the same box. Hopefully a lot of it will be used by the community knitting group I hope to start. Nothing new on that front. I think maybe this summer can be a jumping off point. I was really on fire about it, but the desire to continue trying to do it has abated somewhat. (Sadly :()I think reality of RIT set in, and there just hasn't been a lot of time to do anything.
I got a new computer between now and the last time I posted, and I know have a camera on my computer. This is exciting because I hope to be able to at least post pictures of my knitting projects. Speaking of which, here is some yarn I got from Sundara Yarns as pictured above. Its superwash merino for some prettiful socks!
The green pair will be for Tammy and the Citrine will be for me :) I like yellow at least sometimes. Not too far on green, but it's ok.
Oh, last week I found and finished some quick socks I had started. It was rather satisfying to finish them, and even more satisfying to send Brian pictures of them :) He is so cute.
Anyway they will be in the mail in a few days (read weeks).

progress!

2006-02-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I was hoping for a camera, and waiting to take pictures until i got one. Unfortunately neither has happened. I will just have to post pictures from the camera I have, and hope its enough!
I just finished a baby sweater last night as I watched the Superbowl at church. It is pretty awesome, my church- we used the projector last night as a BIG screen and watched the game. For me it was really more of a social event, but I was rooting for the Steelers- and they won :)
I have to get a zipper tonight, if I remember. Hopefully I will have the baby sweater finished and in the mail tomorrow. I have to send the stripey socks to tony too... They are done and have been done for over a month now... And the presents for my bf family from christmas. I didn't buy them till i had money, but they haven't gotten sent yet either. :(
I will get to it soon!
The baby sweater is soo cute, everyone that has watched me knit it is so proud of my progress!
Now off to class... maybe i will knit just to annoy John!
Oh I got a little bible for my purse, and I am going to knit and felt a cover for it!
:)

strawberries and libraries

2006-01-12T16:46:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted. Life has been crazy! I am an RIT student now, work at RIT now (goodbye wegmans!) and I haven't had too many minutes to myself since November 28.
I am currently working on 3 projects. Working actively, that is. I found the strawberry pie shawl so I started that with some lovely yarn (LionBrand 100% wool) that I dyed with Koolaid.
The picture is of me frogging, but the project is much farther now. If i can dig up my digi cam i will take a few more.
I started a second shawl in lionbrand white wool (the big 8oz one), and I will make my best friend help me dye that after I knit it.
The other project I have been working on is my mom's socks. They are a late Christmas present, she decided she wanted them about a week before Christmas-- so she got yarn in her stocking.
I am using some LionBrand Magic Stripes. The yarn flavor is Denim Stripes. Mom likes the one that is done... the second one is in the works.
In other knitting news, I meet with some ladies in my hometown at the library every other Monday night, and we knit together; recently we decided to meet every Monday night, and I am psyched about it! (if you live in Genesee county in NY and you are interested email me at faeriedreamz AT gmail DOT com, and I will give you some details!)
No new knews on the knitting ministry, but soon I will meet with Kathy and we will discuss the possibilities in earnest. :)

i was wrong...

2005-10-22T21:42:00.000-04:00

I went to the Warm Up America website and I was so wrong... Warm Up America is an organization that knits and crochets blankets for many needy people, including the homeless. So I apologize for my last post and that it was so upset. I was dealing with my own perceptions of the homeless. Honestly I have seen that thinking elsewhere, and it is definatley one of the things I want to overcome.

I talked to Kathy, my coach, yesterday, and she was really excited about my ideas. She and I are gonna talk in depth about it tomorrow. I am excited. I am supposed to come up with an outline... and I just don't know how to set it up!... but i will manage.
Its very cold here at home tonight.

2005-10-18T03:55:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about how exactly to get the knitting for the homeless project started. What do I need to do? What do I need to think about?
One of the things I have been noticing is that there are a lot of knitting for charity projects/charities out there. I have read several that use money and knitted items to help children (who are essentially poor), people who are very ill, and people who are in dire living situations.
So, why, do I see so little about homeless organizations? Why is it that the only people who get consideration are those who cannot help the situation they are in?
I have noticed that there is a commonly held idea about the homeless. It is that they brought it upon themselves. Perhaps they were too lazy to get a job, too fat, too slow... whatever. We Americans, and I can only speak of Americans... we don't want to help people when we think that whatever has happened to them is "thier own damn fault."
This, i think is the primary reason why I haven't seen people jumping up and down to help the homeless, but cancer patients and children in 3rd world countries have lots of sponsorships.
This makes sense, in our world. Our foolish, self important world.
When we help cancer patients, and believe me, I am not against helping them, we can feel a sense of altruism that we are making a difference. But why don't we feel the same about helping the homeless? Why do we only give at Christmas? Why do we only volunteer at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving? Don't homeless people eat 363 of the other days of the year?

Most importantly I think, is the idea no matter why they are homeless, how aweful they look or smell... or how nasty we percieve them to be... they are humans too.
THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM US.

When we realize this... perhaps God can open our hearts, and we can begin to serve our friends and neighbors that we just didn't see before.

here i start....

2005-10-02T23:37:00.000-04:00

so this is the beginning. of something i hope that will prove to help me get going.
Get going on what, you ask? Well, I will tell you, since you asked.

Recently I took a class at church about Spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are things that a person is talented at and that they use to help others. (Usually used for others benefits and not themselves.) This is really important, because Spiritual gifts are different than natural talents.

Well, ultimately what we realized, as I went through the course, is that I have a heart for hurting people, and I desire to care for them. This would generally consist of doing things to help people with physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.
This seems so very much a wide and huge category-- but i realized that the person group I really cared about... had a burden for... where the homeless of the Rochester area.
Apparently, the Rochester subway system (now defunct) is where many homeless people reside and live in the winter. This would explain why I never see them in the streets of downtown. (It is also possible that I don't go into the city often enough to see them.)
It hurts my heart to think of these people, the pain they must experience -- the horror, the difficulty.... It makes me weep in my heart.

I am also an avid knitter. I love the feeling of yarn in my fingers, and needles clamped in my hands. My strongest Spiritual gift came up as Craftsmanship.
So, in talking to others, and thinking myself, I wondered and began dreaming about a ministry that would knit things for the homeless people. Things like scarves, hats, mittens, gloves, and sweaters. I would like to expand the ministry to go further, but I think that knitting intended to give the homeless warmth, will be the easiest (and most readily acessible) way for the time being. Additionally, I think all the items made need to be out of wool. Simply because it is an incredibly warm item. I know that there may be allergies, but I am not sure that that is really a concern for the homeless people. I will definately do some investigation before I make that a rule, however.
I am thinking about a lot of things we can do...
I want to start a shawl ministry too.
I am excited.

On Wednesday night I meet with Kathy, my coach. She is

here i go

2005-03-03T02:37:00.000-05:00

This is my first post in blogger, and actually I already like it better than my LJ account, it is definately prettier to look at :)
I hope that this journal will be a place to post images, talk about my knitting, and to show others my work. I also have a "in progress" website, thanks to my boyfriend, Brian Blankenship. He is on this site too, my love

Flickr

2005-03-02T23:52:00.000-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.