Hello? Can anybody hear me?

Despite what you might have thought, no, I am not dead.

Life has definitely kicked me around some this past year, and boy could I tell you all some stories! But, well, it's not really worth the retelling..at least not for now. But let me just sum up and say THANK GOD I am no longer 30!

The day of my 31st birthday I woke up so peaceful. And ever since I have been able to hold on to that feeling.

Sure life is still crazy at best, but at least now I can see the humor in it all. Or at least I try. =)

Part of the reason I have not posted in a while is because my computer is a piece of crap. It crashes on me all the time. I would love to get a new one but there is this thing called rent and car payment that just seem to be more important..but so far, so good tonight.


Hold on a sec...I need to find some wood to knock on.



K, lets see if that does the trick.



So yeah, hi!



Despite my lack of blogging I have been doing some knitting. Actually I have been starting a lot of knitting..but I have not finished much. Maybe this blogging thing will make me be more responsible...I did update the sidebar, did you notice?

However, even with my knitting ADD..I did finally finish the My So Called Scarf:

Ain't she a beut? Now that it is finished I love it. The Malabrigo is soft and warm. This scarf has been worn many times already this season.

Knitting it on the other hand? It got to be quite the chore by the time I attached the 2nd ball. I think I need more of a pattern to keep me interested.

And, I have another FO to show you. This is another store sample I did for Ben Franklins. Forgive me, I don't remember the yarn..and I am too lazy to look it up.

They were a fast knit. I usually do my socks on size zeros, but these were done with sizes 2 and 1. They seemed to just fly off the needles!

Despite my best intentions to make the stripes match, the yarn decided that would not be the case. Oh well, I tried.

Now, this next bit..well..I try very hard to not succumb to the craziness of Christmas knitting. But a dear friend/coworker was expressing her desire to learn to knit better, and was telling me how much she would love a scarf. Well, what would you do?

But since she is a coworker..and there are only 7 of us total for the front of house staff..plus the owner...I realized if I was going to do something for my dear friend I should probably do something for everyone else as well.

I am not sure if the 3 boys will get handmade stuff or not...depends on how much time I have left after the girls gifts..maybe I can crank out a few hats in the final hours..but no promises.

Here are the first 2 Christmas WIP's:

Look familiar? This is the Backyard Leaves Scarf from Scarf Style. This one will be for my lovely friend. It's more intricate, but I know she will appreciate it. And the yarn is a wool/acrylic blend that is sooooo soft.

This second one is just flying off the needles!

This is a multi directional scarf made with Noro Silk Garden. I am much further along then this picture shows. I hope to have this done in the next couple of days.

I am also hoping to make a pair of Lake Park Gloves and a Skull Illusion Scarf. Cross your fingers for me k?

And now, for something completely different! Guess who is addicted to the Mystery Shawl KAL's?

I have yet to finish one of the shawls...but I just love joining up for them. I am bound and determined to keep up with the latest one.

The first clue was released earlier today..and guess who blew right through it?

That would be moi. This Mystery is supposed to have a snow theme..the first clue was labeled "snowflakes", can you see them?

Yeah, so that is what I have been up to (knitting wise anyway).

But, what I would like to know is how are YOU doing?

(By the way, the comp crashed once while I was writing this post..could be worse)

I must be some kind of a Super Nerd!

Look what I got:

Don't be hatin'! I promise not to tell you how it ends....as long as you promise to do the same. I am afraid to read or watch anything because I know some dumb ass will give it away.

Me? I am many things, but dumb ass is not one of them. =) (Well, not usually anyway).

So I am taking the day to read some HP..and when I am ready for a break, I have this to distract me:

The Mystery Stole..am I the only one doing it in a lighter color? There are beads on it, maybe if you click for big you can see them.

All the while I will be drinking this:

A nonfat, no whip, peppermint mocha......yum!

So yeah, I may have gone out late last night, had a few drinks, crashed at my friend Erin's house, woke up feeling like poo, and looking worse...but did I go home and take a shower and rest up a bit? Nope, I went sans shower, in clothes from last night, with last night's hair and make up to Starbucks...and then the Barnes and Noble...yep, I am THAT hard core..

But you know what? There is always someone that is going to be a bigger nerd then me:

Exhibit A: Exhibit B:
(This is a friend of mine doing his "happy dance". No, not for the new Harry Potter, just cause he's an uber dork.)

And with that, I feel much better. Time for a shower and then I got a hot date with a young wizard.

Gettin' My Groove Back

Sorry y'all. I know it has been a long time.
You probably have given up on me, and I can't say I don't blame you.

There has been some changes going on in my life...some more difficult to adapt to then others. But I am here, and I am going to try and make it up to you. =)

I have not been doing much knitting at all until lately.

However, I did manage to finish up my Dulaan items..but I did not get them mailed in time. Oh well, I am sure they will be appreciated for next year. I will post pics of them soon.

In other knitting news, I have WAY to much on the needles. My goals are shot all to hell. But I am OK with that. Hopefully I will get some things on the FO list soon. You know how it is, I know I am not the only one.

I too succumbed to the lure of the Mystery Stole, and after a crazy hunt for a small enough crochet hook to get the beads on, I have begun. I am half way through the first clue..and I am addicted. Again, pics soon...promise.

Also I started Fifi with The Sexy Knitters Club. I am not that far into it, but I am loving the yarn (Rowan Calmer) and the pattern.

And of course, there are socks. I have the Twisted Flower Socks,(going very slowly), the Victorian Lace Socks (from the 6 socks KAL), a pair of Sidewinders, and some plain socks in Austermann Step on the needles.

And if that was not enough? I got my invite to Ravelry...I am not even going there yet...I know once I do it will be all over for me.

So how are YOU doing?

I'm a Groupie!

I will get to the whole "groupie" thing in a minute...but first....


I finished the Round 6 Sock Madness socks! These were the socks that got me knocked out of the competition (and a good thing too! I was getting a little crazy there for a while. =) )


Here is the bottom view of the socks, yes they are patterned on both sides!

And here is the top view:
I am not really sure which sock I like better. I think the top view looks better with the more pink sock..but I think the bottom looks better with the more brown sock. Oh well, they are super cool all the same. I don't think they will get much wear, but I love looking at them in my sock drawer!

I used Lorna's Laces Chocolate and Pretty in Pink for these beauties.

OK. So on to the groupie part of the post (warning, there is yarn pRon ahead!)

I have been having a rough time lately, and earlier this week I decided to do a little retail therapy. Some people buy shoes and makeup..I go for the good stuff, sock yarn!

If you knit socks, (and if you don't you really should! They are so much fun!) you probably know about a little online shop called The Loopy Ewe.

If you do knit socks, and you have not heard of The Loopy Ewe, go there NOW! I love, love, love this store. And Sherri (Ms. Loopy herself) could not be a nicer person no matter how hard she tried.

And fantastic customer service! I ordered my yarn on Wednesday, and it got here today. And that is how it always is when I order from her.

And the yarn? Well, I will let that speak for itself:

From L to R: sKNITches Bebop sock in Woodlands, The Knittery Merino Cashmere sock in Forest Moss (eat your heart out sockergirl!), Wooly Boully in Beneath the Cherry Trees (this stuff is so darn soft!), and finally Claudia's Handpainted in Peppermint Mocha. (It's my drink of choice, I had to have the yarn!)

By the way, that customer service I was talking about? Well, with the first 5 orders you place with the Loopy Ewe, you get a little gift. I am not going to tell you what they were, but they were all very cool.

When you place your sixth order with them, you become a Loopy Groupie...guess which order this was for me? ;)

And look what I got:
Is that not the cutest tote you ever saw in your life? Plus the soak samples, I have been wanting to try that.....and the Opal yarn? Wow!

I have been eying this particular Opal color for quite some time. How did Sherri know that? It makes me think of Harley Davidson for some reason..or a tiger.
Once I get socks made with this yarn you know what I have to do right? I got to buy me a pet tiger and I got to buy a Harley..I have to coordinate don't I?

Anyway, can you tell I am one very satisfied customer?

Oh, and if you don't knit socks...she also sells amazing lace weight yarn!!!!

Well, It's About Time!!!!!

Man have I been bad about blogging lately! I have had an insanely busy schedule these past few weeks, and I don't see signs of it easing up any time soon.
I am trying to earn some extra cash, and so I have been picking up shifts left and right at the Cafe...and I intend to keep it up for the entire summer, or else when I drop of sheer exhaustion.
But I like being busy. I am trying really hard right now to make positive decisions in my life, and it feels really good!!! But more on that later.......

With all that I have been doing, I have managed a bit of knitting. I know I am not going to reach my goals for this month...but I put on one hell of a show didn't I? Besides, there is always June..and July..and so on...

First, an FO Fresh of the presses:

Have you seen this pattern? Have you made it? It was SO much fun to knit! And fast! I can't wait to see Sophia with this on, although it may be too big for her right now...I made the hat in the medium size because I wanted it to fit her next Winter. She lives in Southern California so I don't think they will get much wear this Summer...but she is going to be one styling baby come October!

Next, we have the Round 6 Sock Madness socks. I just finished the heel on the second sock.

Which one are you liking better? Me, I think I like the one on the right more. I really want to get these done by Thursday so I can meet my Sock A Month goal.

And, I cast on another sock. Can you guess which one it is? Go ahead, it's not that hard..just check the side bar. ;)

Oh yeah, and the Forest Path Stole? Well, I have made some progress on it...but not much. I have just been too tired lately to sit with it. It's not that it's complicated to knit, it's just that my mind imagines it is...I have Friday off, I hope to get some time with it then.

Hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend and enjoying the start of summer..It's been beautiful up here!

Close Enough.

I finished my second Dulaan item tonight. All it needs to be truly finished is a few buttons, but I am going to say it is done.

This is The Avalanche Vest Pattern from Mossy Cottage Knits.

It turned out way cuter then I thought it would. And man was this sucker a fast knit!

I think it took me about 4 hours from start to finish. Of course, it took me much longer then that because I have knitter ADD. =)

I may not make it to all my goals for this month, but no one can say I haven't tried!

(By The Way, a few people have expressed interest in knitting a few items themselves..if you are, take a look here for suggested patterns.)

And Another One Done!

Hola!
I finished the mitered shawl store sample. And man I am happy about that!

I really enjoyed the pattern and watching the colors combine, but after the 20th square, I was basically sick of looking at this. Too bad I still had 24 more squares to go!
The yarn is Plymouth Boku and the pattern is from Plymouth as well. Number 1110.
I think it is really pretty. It reminds me of tortoise shells.
This last picture here was a pain to get! But I had to have it. =)

So another one to mark on the finished list. Woohoo!

Twice Upon A Meme...

This first one is because miss scarlett (aka my kindred spirit..we have so much in common it's a little scary! =) ) tagged me...

1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Alright, here gos.....

1) I have at least 12 holds at the library at all times

2) Very rarely am I late getting them in by their due dates

3) I am infatuated with dragonflies....(I know I am not alone in this..but I WAS FIRST!) =) So much so that 99% of the time if something has a dragonfly on it..or is named dragonfly (like that yarn I just got from the Loopy Ewe *cough *cough)..I have to buy it.

4) I have a tattoo, and I want at least two more (one of them being a dragonfly).

5) I have/have had 5 piercings on my body..and no, they were not all in my ears.

6) One of those piercings was in my nose..which I have had pierced (and re pierced) 3 times..it is now closed because I can not have a nose piercing at my job.

7) I love meat, but it completely grosses me out to eat anything that is bloody/pink..or that has bones, skin, or shell attached to it. (I once went on a date where the guy spent over $100 on steak and lobster, I could not eat any of it because they refused to cook the steak more then medium, and the lobster came in its shell..we had to leave in a hurry because I got violently ill!)
--And yes, I do realize this is a bit ironic since I work in the food industry--

8) I play with my hair constantly. It is extremely distracting and annoying to myself and others. I have no idea how I developed this habit, but it is so ingrained in me I am not even aware I am doing it until someone points it out to me.

See?

Now, who will I tag? Hmmmmm.

Well, how about this? If you just read that meme, consider yourself tagged! HA! And if you do post, let me know!


OK, and this second one is just because I like it!!!!

Mark with bold the things you have knit at least once, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.


Afghan

I-cord

Garter stitch

Knitting with metal wire

Shawl

Stockinette stitch

Socks: top-down

Socks: toe-up

Knitting with camel yarn

Mittens: Cuff-up

Mittens: Tip-down

Hat

Knitting with silk

Moebius band knitting

Participating in a KAL

Sweater

Drop stitch patterns

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn

Slip stitch patterns

Knitting with banana fiber yarn

Domino knitting (modular knitting)

Twisted stitch patterns

Knitting with bamboo yarn

Two end knitting (I am not sure what this is!)

Charity knitting

Knitting with soy yarn

Cardigan

Toy/doll clothing

Knitting with circular needles

Knitting with your own handspun yarn

Slippers

Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)

Continental knitting

Designing knitted garments

Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)

Lace patterns

Publishing a knitting book (that would be nice! =) )

Scarf

Teaching a child to knit

American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)

Knitting to make money

Button holes

Knitting with alpaca

Fair Isle knitting

Norwegian knitting

Dying with plant colors

Knitting items for a wedding

Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)

Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars

Olympic knitting

Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn

Knitting with DPNs

Holiday related knitting

Teaching a male how to knit (kind of)

Bobbles

Knitting for a living (again, how nice would that be!)

Knitting with cotton

Knitting smocking

Dying yarn

Steeks

Knitting art

Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously (I tried it, it was not for me!)

Fulling/felting

Knitting with wool

Textured knitting

Kitchener BO

Purses/bags

Knitting with beads

Swatching

Long Tail CO

Entrelac

Knitting and purling backwards

Machine knitting

Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn

Stuffed toys (again I tried, did not work out so well)

Baby items

Knitting with cashmere

Darning

Jewelry

Knitting with synthetic yarn

Writing a pattern

Gloves

Intarsia

Knitting with linen

Knitting for preemies

Tubular CO

Freeform knitting

Short rows

Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers

Pillows

Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine

Rug

Knitting on a loom

Thrummed knitting (again, not sure what this is)

Knitting a gift

Knitting for pets

Shrug/bolero/poncho

Knitting with dog/cat hair (well, not intentionally anyway..)

Hair accessories

Knitting in public


By the way, anyone know exactly where meme came from? Or what it stands for? Or even how to pronounce it? I got no clue!

A Whole Lot of Knittin' Goin' On

I kind of dropped the ball on the whole blogging thing this week. Sorry about that. Not only have I not been blogging, I have not been catching up on your blogs either..heck, I have not even responded to e-mails from friends.
I guess you could say I have been laying low.
I am doing great. I appreciate all of your supportive comments on my last post. I was then, and am now totally fine...it is just that sometimes in life we have to deal with some real "winners". I was just standing up for myself and letting someone know that I was not going to be intimidated by them..and it is all good. =)
As a friend of mine would say, "Save the drama for the mama"...and that is exactly what I did. (Thanks for you advice and support mom, now and always. =) )

Just because I have not been blogging doesn't mean I have not been knitting though. I am starting to realize I may have bit off a little more then I can chew for my knitting goals this month...we shall see. I still remain hopeful, but if things don't work out all according to plan I don't think the knitting police are going to come after me!

So here is a little bit of what I have been up to:

First, the Mitered Square Shawl that will never end. (At least it feels that way!)

I have nine more squares to do. Then I need to weave in ends, and do a crochet border. I am really shooting to have this done by Thursday. Yarn Yoga is this Friday and come hell or high water I want to have this thing done and ready to hand off to the store that night. I will breath much easier when this project is out of my life!

I did manage to get the first baby hat made..isn't it cute?

I stuffed it with plastic bags for photo purposes, that is why it looks a little weird.

I got the yarn and pattern in a little kit I bought of EBay ages ago. It is Alpaca dyed by Cherry Tree Hill. It was so lovely to work with!

Next, and this is a horrible picture I am sorry..is the 2nd Dulaan project. The yarn is actually much lighter then this. This is going to be an Avalanche Vest..the progress you see here is about a 1/2 hours worth of work..this thing is going to work up fast!

And this is my UFO resurrection/ May Sweater of the Month project.

It is the Fairly Easy Fair Isle Cardigan from Stitch-n-Bitch nation. I started this during the horrible power outages last winter because it was the only thing I had to that was light enough and big enough (gauge-wise) to knit by firelight. Once the lights came back on it got tossed aside for other projects..but I really want to finish it. I love the colors (perfect for Project Spectrum), and I am really excited to see how they are all going to work together.

As far as the other projects?

I have finished tier 2 of the Forest Path Stole.

I have done 30 rows on the So Called Scarf, my UFO resurrection project for April.

I have Faina back on the needles..barely.

The Mystery Shawl needs to be tinked (again). I made a mistake somewhere a few rows back..and the rows for the border are loooooooooong. I am trying very hard to avoid this project..

The round 6 Sock Madness socks have not seen any love..and I have yet to look at the pattern for Round 7. I do want to finish/make these so I hope to find time for them soon.

All in all I think I am making good head way. And once I get that darned store sample shawl done I will have A LOT more time to dedicate to my projects.

OK, back to work for me. That shawl is not going to knit itself!

Happy Mothers Day everyone! See you next week!

Back to Reality (in more ways then one)

I have to be honest and say I really want to have a big rant session right now, but I am going to try and refrain. I have been avoiding blogging the last few days because I wanted to wait until my temper had calmed down a bit.
But I am not going to rant, I am not going to flame anyone, because I am better then that. There is someone that is extremely concerned that I am going to talk bad about them on the blog, but I think all of you that know me either in real life or from this blog know that I am not that kind of person..no matter what this jackass thinks of me. So there! (And no, I am not talking about B..he's still my hero.)
I don't mean to be vague, and I know you are probably all wondering, "what the hell is she talking about?" I am sorry I can't go into further detail...
But if that person just so happens to read this post (and that person very well might because they are so damn paranoid), you can go away now, I am not going to give you the satisfaction, you are not worth my time or my energy..and my mama taught me better!

And now, back to our regular scheduled programming!!!

Sock Madness Round 6 started last Friday, and this time the pattern was just mind blowing beautiful! And it was also the first time I looked at a pattern and said, "holy hell!" =)
To say the least, I was intimidated..but the competition had to go on...and so I casted on and got started.
We knew before this round started that it was going to be fair isle..but what we did not know was that the designer was inspired by a batik cloth her mother bought on a trip to Indonesia.

I had bought some Lorna's in chocolate and tickled pink..so my batik socks are quite different from the original design..but still cool looking none the less.



Here is the top of the sock (from my view)

And the bottom..oh yes, it is patterned on the heel as well!
It is very pretty but not so comfortable to wear. Partially because of the stranding, and partially because the heel flap/gusset is done in single yarn thickness and so feels looser and lighter then the heel and leg. Maybe if I had double stranded the brown it would feel better?

What, you see only one sock? Well, yes you are correct.

At the time this round started, there was some major drama going on in my personal life (see above), and so I was not as focused on the competition as I should have been.

Between the distractions and the speediness of my competitor, I am amazed that I was able to get even one sock done before she had posted her finished pair! I do think though, that if I had been able to hunker down and focus on the pattern..I could have possilby beat her.

Oh well, such is life..and I got to say I was ready for the competition to be over with..it was consuming my life!

The final pattern is going to be released this Friday. I hope to have the second sock done by then..but if not, oh well, no biggie. I am excited about the final pattern, the sneak peaks look amazing! And the final match up is awesome, I can't wait to see who wins. I have a good idea who it will be, anyone want to place a bet? =)

In other knitting news, I finally got around to getting some pictures of the Argosy scarf I completed last week.

It only took me 4 months to complete..

The yarn is Noro Silk Garden Lite # 2014. And believe it or not, it really only took two balls!

I was worried it wouldn't be long enough, but it is perfect! Well, as much as a scarf finished for the summer can be perfect.. I won't really be able to appreciate this until Autumn comes around.

A word of caution about this pattern...don't work on it when you are tired. It is easy enough, but between the "bind off" stitches on row 1 and the cast on stitches on row 5..it can get a little hairy.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had this almost finished and then realized a huge mistake that had to be ripped out. The mistake was that I had 4 squares going across, instead of 5..and the mistake had been made 6 pattern repeats back. It hurt to do, but I couldn't ignore it.

After I finished it and laid it out to block, I realized that I had made another mistake. In the middle of the scarf I have a few repeats that have 6 squares going across..but it is not noticable and by that time I did not care..

So again, if you decide to make this scarf, let my mistakes be a lesson to you!

Hope you are all doing well and having a fantastic week!

Crosswalks? We don't need no stinkin' crosswalks!

The Jaywalkers are done!

And I think they look damn good! (They better, they only took 2+months to complete!)

I am SO bringing sexy back with these socks!

Check out that sock! That is a perfect sock! I have to say, this Sock Madness thing has really helped me master the knitting of footwear! I can do a heel flap and pick up stitches like a pro I tell ya! And I absolutely love exclamation marks! Can you tell?

Alright, here are the specs:

Grumperina's terribly unpopular Jaywalker pattern

Size 000 needles..yes, that is correct, the key did not get stuck.

Yarn is Socks That Rock (again, terribly unpopular) in G-Rocks (I think).

If you couldn't tell, I absolutely love them! And even though you all thought I was crazy for using the tee-tiny needles, I must say they make a very cushy and sturdy sock. They keep the feet nice and warm as well.

After making a pair, I can totally understand why people find these addicting. I keep imagining what different yarns would look like in this pattern. If you have not tried it yet, what are you waiting for? It's easy and so much fun!

In other news:

1) The Argosy Scarf is done as well, and is blocking. And Good Riddance! It's not the pattern's fault, it was totally my doing that I ended up hating the knitting on this thing..more on that later.

2) I won another contest! What can I say, I am a sucker for a prizes. ;) This time it was for best project in the Mists of Avalon KAL..the Romantic Cable and Lace Vest aka my Mists of Avalon Tunic won! Woohoo!

3) Round 6 of Sock Madness starts this Friday, can you believe it? I am up against one of the "Terminator" knitters. I do not expect to win the round. No, I am not putting myself down...I just know that if I tried to beat this woman, I would most likely hurt something. Besides, I met my goal for this competition (winning the Wendy division), and I am darn proud of that.

I expect it to be a fun weekend though. The sock calls for 2 colors, and with the "sneak peak" we got, it has some color work involved. I am looking forward to it.

4) Pacalaga and I were chatting it up in e-mail talking about naughty drink names..and I got around to talking about how we are both in the Faina Scarf KAL..and how I had frogged my feeble attempts and was at 0 progress. She admitted she was in the same boat and asked if we wanted to help each other out by doing a progress post on it once a week..well Pacalaga, if you are reading this..I am game! (And if not, I plan on shooting you off another e-mail ;) )

Anway, my May is getting started off with a bang! I have 2 FO's and a contest win under my belt already..not to mention my Final Four Sock Madness status (yes, I will shut up about this soon, but I need to gloat for just a little longer..you understand, right?)..and my excellent excuse to get another project started!

For a Good Time Call..

the wench!
I can't wait to see what search results that little title is going to show me! ;p

Anyway, need a good laugh? Check out the side bar.

Over zealous? Who? Me?

OK, OK. I have to admit it does look a little daunting all written out like that..and then adding in the progress bars really hit home. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw all those 0% bars..

Yeah, I know I sucked finishing up my April goals..but hey, I AM in the FINAL FOUR for sock madness!!! (neener neener =) )

And guess what? I have a plan. Yes another one! And yes, this time it is going to work! It must!

OK, so Sock Madness is going to be over soon. Sooner rather then later hopefully. You are all sweet to think I might make it another round..heck, some of you think I could win the whole thing! But let's get serious. Two out of the three other competitors must have robotic parts. They are the ones who have a finished pair of socks in ten hours. No way am I able to do that(and more importantly, I don't want to try, that's just crazy!)
So once the madness is over I will have plenty of time for other projects. Heck, If I knit like I have for the competition for 2 weekends out of this month..I bet I could complete all my goals plus throw in a few more!

Anyway, the plan.
First off, I am thisclose to finishing the Argosy Scarf..it would be done except I had a little brain fart and when I was getting ready to cast off, I realized a HUGE MISTAKE way down in the knitting that could not be ignored..so I had to rip back. Never fear..she will hopefully be blocking tomorrow!
Then, I have the Jaywalkers..no problem. I am on the gusset decreases for the 2nd sock..with the way I have been knitting socks these should be done in the next few days.
The next course of action is to bust out that store sample (finish it already will you Mel??)..and then give some love to the So Called Scarf (which I did pick up today and knit 2 rows on..so it does count for my April UFO, so there!)
Still with me? OK. Once those babies are done..I will start on the BIG SUCCESSFUL PLAN THAT IS FOOLPROOF..foolproof I tell ya!
I gots me a knittin' schedule..don't laugh! I am serious! It gos like this:

Monday: Forest Path Stole, Baby Hat, Rusted Root*
Tuesday: Dulaan, Faina Scarf
Wednesday: Forest Path Stole, Baby Hat, Rusted Root*
Thursday: Mystery Shawl #2, Fairly Easy Fair Isle, Twisted Flower Socks**
Friday: Dulaan, Faina Scarf
Saturday: Forest Path Stole, Baby Hat, Rusted Root*
Sunday: Mystery Shawl #2, FEFI, Twisted Socks**

See? No problem..The Dulaan stuff and the Baby Hats should be quick knits. I don't have to finish Rusted Root or Faina, or the Twisted Socks. The FEFI is on large needles and should also be a fast knit..the Mystery Shawl wont take that much more to complete..and the Forest Path Stole? Well, as long as I do a tier a week I will make my goal on that as well.

And this way, I have multiple items to work on each day..and new stuff to look forward to casting on.

Totally doable (at least, that's what I am going to keep telling myself..)

I probably shouldn't mention that my first Loopy Ewe Sock Club delivery will be this month..or that there may possibly be another Mystery Shawl in the future...that may push things over the edge a bit!

*on hold for cast on until baby hats are done
**on hold for cast on until FEFI and/or Mystery Shawl #2 complete

To Whom It May Concern..

Dear Sir or Madame,

This weekend I competed in the 5th round of Sock Madness.

This was the hardest round yet. Although in my opinion the socks are lovely..the pattern had me pulling my hair out..
Seen here are the lovely cables that go down the heel (a nice touch..but the directions to do said heels were as clear as mud!)

After 3 1/2 hours of sleep and a lucky day off when I thought I had to work...

I finished my socks!

This now puts me in the Final Four..I have won the novice division and must now venture out and compete with the experts.

God help me!

I realize now I have a problem. I want to stop, but I can't. Please send the men in the white coats to get me...I will go peacefully.

Thank you,

Melanie

This, That, and the other thing..

Wow! Thank you so much for all the nice comments on the tunic! I really appreciate all the feedback.

After spending some time reviewing the pictures and the actual piece, I must say that overall I am pleased with it. Very rarely do I like the way I look in something when I first put it on, this includes "store clothes"...my original reaction is usually "ugh!". It takes a while before I realize that yes, indeed, I look rather nice in this shirt/pants/etc.

And I wanted to apologize for the, "does this top make me look fat?" comments. That is such a stereotypical thing for me to do. But, I wanted to give you all a little background as to why I am a little obsessed about my weight, so please bear with me. I need to do this for myself as well as for everyone else. If you don't want to read it..please feel free to skip ahead..that's totally OK.

First off, I know I am not "fat'. But believe me when I say that I know what fat is.

I used to be more then 100 pounds overweight. No, I do not have any pictures to prove it..and even if I did, I would not post them on the blog. Even harsher, the period of my life when I was that overweight was the last few years of high school. Yeah, it sucked.
But then I got rid of the weight...and for most of my twenties I was a skinny little thing. And I got lots of attention, it was fantastic. Well, at first it was fantastic..then it got a little excessive.

At my smallest I was a size 4/5. I was skinny. I thought I looked great. And I want to say right now that no, I did not have an eating disorder..at least I don't think I did...I was not always wise in my eating habits, but then, I never have been.

Then when I was 27? 28? I got sick. Real sick. I was dizzy all the time, I had no energy. I could not do any of the things "normal" people did. I was going to school full time, working part time, and trying to manage the household duties (trust me, it was a big house! =) ). But I ignored how bad I felt physically, and instead became extremely depressed because of my limitations.

And then one day I was working a clinical at the hospital, and I nearly passed out in a patients room. Thank God I was with an attendant who noticed what was happening and took control of the situation.

That day I went to a doctor..and had the scare of my life.

She told me I was severely anemic. That my hematocrit was so low that she recommended I get a blood transfusion, and also wanted me to see a specialist right away. I was in shock. I asked if this was a "big deal'" and she said "yes".

It was not until much later that I realized she thought I had cancer. I did go to a specialist. I did not get a blood transfusion,(I felt really weird about getting one) but instead spent an entire day hooked up to an I.V. having iron pumped into my body. That was fun, let me tell you, especially when my skin turned an orangish color and my complexion went to hell for a couple of weeks after that. I had to have a gazillion tests and procedures done. I did not have cancer.

What I had was a body that did not like to create or absorb iron.

So now, I take (or try to take..I am horrible about it)massive doses of iron every day. I eat lots of protein and iron rich foods. And for the most part, I am healthy. And that is terrific.

However, I have gained some weight. About 30 pounds or so..maybe more, I refuse to get on a scale! =) And although I never want to go back to being that sick..it is a little hard to think I will never fit into those size 5 jeans again.

But maybe, with a little more exercise, and a little less french fries, shakes and beer..I can get back into those size 10's. But I am not going to obsess about it. Not anymore. Because I honestly believe that as long as I am healthy and happy..that should be enough.

And I think everyone else should feel that way too.

OK, now on to some lighter topics. Look what B brought home for me:

Aren't they fantastic? I love them!

But wait, there's more! Look what they do to the water:

(Yes, I know it's the food coloring they use on the flowers...but still..it is so cool!) I am easily pleased,.

And finally, some knitting content, with a bit of Scrappy thrown in. What, you thought I would do a post and NOT talk about knitting at all?

This is an update on the store sample mitered shawl I am finally back to working on. It is now officially at the half way point. I have just been knitting through the skeins, letting the colors fall where they may..still, that's a lot of yellow..it will be interesting to see what happens with the rest of the shawl...

Oh, and last..but definitely not least, are my narrowed down picks for the next round of Sock Madness. Round 5 can you believe it? (GULP!)

Yes, I know this picture looks different then the others..I was playing around with flickr trying to get you a picture you can click on..and I think I succeeded.

possible picks for round 5 top view

So give it a click and check out the cool notes I put on it. I am getting more and more computer savvy with each passing day!

I am not sure about this...

For better or for worse, I finished the tunic.

I want to like it. I really, really do. And yes, I know I am finicky and that very rarely am I pleased with anything I make....I will let the pictures speak for themselves (mostly).

This first picture was taken at the mall. Notice the lighter violet ribbon..this is the only pic with that color. I don't like the way the ribbing is sagging in the middle of the back, maybe I need to re block it?

My photographer was too much of a dolt to say, "Hey, pull your under shirt down in the back, you look like you have this HUGE fat roll!" This is the best picture I got out of him. The rest were either me making stupid faces, or almost indecent pictures of my chest area. (MEN!) Hence it is the only one you will see of the violet ribbon and the merry-go-round.

So I fired my photographer, and went home to take the ever popular bathroom mirror pictures. At least this way if the pictures are horrendous there is only me to blame.

Ahhh, now these look a bit better. At least all my roles (real and imaginary) are under control.

Speaking of rolls, check out the bottom right of this picture (HA!)
And I changed the ribbon to a black velvet one ( my original choice)..and just tied it on one side. (Trust me, the cutesy little violet bows on each side were a little much)

I wish it was a bit looser in the bottom area, and a bit tighter at the top. I guess I could fix this by shortening the straps..but I am not sure how to fix it without messing up the whole thing (The straps are cabled as well)

This last picture, surprisingly, is my favorite. I don't think I look too fat, and the top seems to fit me just the way I wanted it to. I think it is how I am standing, I here this is the most flattering way to pose, and I guess I just proved it!

I did wear the top to my Knitting Guild meeting...with the violet bows and all...and I did get lots of compliments on it, but you know, they are knitters..they have to say nice things!

I just felt so self conscious walking around the mall (the meeting is held in the community room there)..I felt like everyone was staring at me and thinking to themselves, "What in the hell is she wearing? The poor girl..doesn't she know she looks like a complete idiot?" But of course, this is a normal feeling for me when I wear my handknits out in muggle public.

So from what you can see, what do you think? Honestly? Which ribbon do you like better? Do I look like an idiot? Do I look like a fat pig? Do I look like I am about 5 months pregnant? (I am not, I promise you)..although secretly sometimes I wish I was..tick tock, tick tock...you know!

I think I may wear this one, I just need to give it a little time (and buy a better bra!)

My "Little" Secret

Woohoo! I finally had a day off. And I still have a few hours to go!
It was lovely. I sat on my butt and worked on my tunic, and lo and behold:

I finished the knitting and the pieces are blocking.

I have high hopes for this project. I am a little concerned about the gauge. (As always). I knitted to gauge, even a little smaller, but the stitches still seemed a little "loose". And I really had to stretch the hell out of it to meet the blocking measurements.

I am sure it will be fine. At least, I hope so. If nothing else, I will just need to wear a dark garment underneath.

All that needs to be done now is a little seaming..and a little shopping for some ribbon to thread through the eyelets. Yeehaw!

So now, I Must get back to that store sample I should have finished weeks ago. Woops.

I took it with me last night to Ya-Yo (Yarn Yoga), which is the knitting group at the storefor which the sample is being made. (Wow, now that's a sentance!)I dutifully worked on it..even though I really wanted to finish up the tunic back. I felt bad that it was not finished yet, but the yarn manager did not give me any flack about it. She just complimented me on my work thus far...so, it's all good.

I just better have it done before the next Ya-Yo..or I am going to lose some serious face! =) (I have nothing to feel bad about, I always get stuff made for them lickety split..and B is working on a store sample as well....and he is much more in the dog house then I am. But then again, he is making a blanket out of a furry yarn all in seed stitch..the poor man!)

So that is next up on the knitting agenda. As well as Sock Madness round 5..pattern release is this Friday. I am working that day, so I will get the pattern late..oh well. I am also still working on the mystery shawl..I am now on clue four (I will post on this soon!).

Then I hope to resume work on the Forest Path Stole, and hopefully whip out the Argosy scarf, the 2nd Jaywalker, and the My So Called Scarf that has been languishing in my bag.

I am really trying to truck through these WIP's. There is a whole lot more where these came from! But I am also trying to get my projects done for Dulaan, as well as bust out a few baby hats for Sophia. Oh, and lets not forget all the KAL's I have joined...or all the patterns waiting in line to be cast on....

Wait. Stop. Chill! Does anyone else do this?

Well, if you are still with me after all this rambling on, I guess I will reward you.

Many inquiring minds have asked where my new job is at. Until now, I have not revealed this little tid bit because I wanted to have permission first. And now, I have it.

I work at Little Knits. Have you shopped there? If not, you should. Check out those prices! And why yes! We do ship internationally.

So what are you waiting for? You know you want to browse the site, possibly even pick up a thing or two while you are there. And hey, if you do place an order..tell them Melanie sent you, k? Make me look good people! =) Who knows, maybe I will be the one to pack your order!