Lillian Alene Martin

She was born on August 17Th, 2009 at 9:23 pm.She weighed 8 lbs 15 oz. and was 19 and 3/4 inches long.

Labor was nothing like we had planned. Instead of the natural childbirth I was shooting for, we ended up having an emergency C-section. All that mattered is that we were both healthy.

Our first family photo:

Picture of Adam right after Lillie was born:


Lillie and daddy:

What do you think? Does he look like a proud, happy daddy?

Lillie and mommy:

All the things people say are true. I have never felt a love like this, ever. I am at a loss for words trying to express my emotions and share all that has happened in the last four weeks.

I guess to sum it all up. I feel beyond blessed. I feel joy. I am scared shitless I am going to break her. The idea of being a mother is still so surreal to me. Every time someone says "your daughter" it stuns me (in a good way). Oh yeah, and I am exhausted. But the sleep thing is getting better (fingers crossed).

And now,I can't believe my little girl is a month old. Time is going by too fast already. I look forward to all the amazing things she is going to do; her first real smile, first laugh, first word, first step.

But please, oh please God, don't let the time pass too quickly. Let me be able to enjoy and cherish every moment.

And please, don' t let me screw up the mom thing too much. =)

Juno Regina

I finished another stole back in June.
It was simple and I think the finished results are very elegant.

Pattern: Juno Regina by Miriam Felton
Yarn: knit picks gloss lace in Aegean
needles: size 0


blocking: (true color)
The artsy-fartsy shot: (weird it is so bright when I used no flash and took it outside)
And the classic bathroom mirror shot: With the pregger belly and everything!
It took less then ten dollars to make this and was a nice movie/TV knit. It's light, soft, and provides a surprising amount of warmth.

I gotta say, I love this one.

Settling in

Well the baby shower has come and gone. It was so much fun! Adams mom, Pat, did a bang up job. The place was beautiful and so many people came. I swear I was opening presents for well over 2 hours....which reminds me I am very late getting thank you cards out..something else to put on the list.
We attended our birthing class. A whole weekend dedicated to nothing but delivery and baby. I feel a lot better now that I know what to expect, (well as much as possible anyway). And Adam really surprised me...he was the star pupil on the daddy side. I guess that's what leaving the pregnancy books in the bathroom will do for you.
Also, we survived the move. We LOVE our new place. So much more room and light. In a week we have just about everything unpacked. The only things left to do are a few boxes for my desk (I am procrastinating on those), and the babies room.
For some reason I am really overwhelmed by doing the nursery. I thought it would be my reward for getting the rest of the place in order. But every time I walk in there I get flustered and don't know where to start. Pat is coming over on Wednesday to get measurements for curtains, etc. so there is light at the end of that tunnel. I think once we get started it will be fun and I will feel more confident about it all.
Of course there are now other things we would like to get...a dining room table, pictures, a nightstand for Adam, and other little odds and ends..but even without those things, we feel at home. And it's so very, very nice.
With all that, I now feel almost ready for the little beans arrival. Which is a good thing considering she is due August 15Th. I am very anxious to hold her in my arms, but at the same time a little sad that this part is almost over.

And now, with no segue what-so-ever..I will show some knitting. Again, just trying to catch up here. I think I am almost up to date!

Pheasant Run socks (part of the Loopy Ewe sock club from 08?)

Yarn: Claudia's Hand painted
Fun, fast, and love the colors!

Glynis (from Cookie A's sock innovation)
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy "Some summer sky"
Gifted to my sister Wynde
So pretty! I like the end results better then I thought I would, and the pattern was on the easier side for a Cookie pattern.

Oh wow..bad pic. sorry

Baudelaire: Another Cookie A pattern from Knitty
Yarn: Malabrigo sock (My new favorite!)..can't remember the colorway.
These were an absolute dream to knit. If you have not knit with Malabrigo yet, I HIGHLY recommend you start! I don't care what weight you use, they are all fabulous.



Felted Clogs from Fiber trends
Yarn: Cascade 220
Made for Adam
These took absolutely no time to knit. I think I could do a pair in a day if I applied myself. I did not attach a rubber sole, and I think they are better that way.
Adam had surgery on his knee back in May, and the clogs were his footwear of choice during his recuperation. He has loved them so much I think I may have to make another pair soon.

Finally, wow I can't believe I forgot to post this!!!

Ribbons Baby Blanket by FiberTrends.
Yarn: Pattons Decor
Knit for friends new baby girl born March 16th.
Love this pattern as well. It's knit in the round and is made up of knits, purls, and a few yarn overs. Easy, easy, easy. Mom and dad love it so much they have requested one for big brother. I am thinking the spider man blanket would be perfect.

And that's a wrap! I think I just have one more lingering FO to show, and then on to the new stuff. (Yes, I know there are FO's lingering on the sidebar I have not shown yet. That's because they all still need a little something..I'll get there sooner or later).

Busy..Stress..and man am I hot!

I am starting to wonder if I am ever going to get caught up with this blog. I have so many projects finished or almost finished that I have yet to post about..and more that I am working on and want to share..but the blog has become my last priority as of late.

So I am going to take this post and just let it all fly. Forget organization and being coherent, I am just going to get it all out.

First the whole pregger thing:
I am now almost 35 weeks. I am huge, I am hot, I am sore, I am tired. My breasts each have their own zip code. I realize I never understood heartburn until now. And yet, I am thankful for every minute. I know that all too soon this will be over and I will miss it.
We have been busy, our weekends are always full. We were in Idaho for the 4Th of July, this weekend is the baby shower, next weekend we are spending the whole 2 days in baby classes, and the following weekend we are moving.
That's right, you heard me, MOVING! I am happy and excited about having a much bigger place for the three of us. We will finally have a dishwasher, and storage closets, heck we will even have our own laundry room! But most important, I am ecstatic the baby will have her own room. But I think moving at 37 weeks pregnant is cutting it a little too close for comfort. Adam keeps reassuring me that he has everything under control and it will all be fine, but there is just so much to do. And I loathe packing.
As if all that was not enough, I think the fetal specialists I am seeing are sadistic. Earlier in the pregnancy they told me the baby was not big enough..this led me to sobbing on the floor at the local library. After talking with friends, Adam's mom, and especially my mother, I felt better. And now I am told all the measurements are perfect, and she is over 5 pounds. Great news right?
But no, now there is another issue. Now I am told that there is an "abundance" of amniotic fluid. I guess normal levels are between 5 and 25 Cm's. At the previous ultrasound we had 15 cm, but at the last one the tech measured 27 cm and the specialist 30 cm. She is swallowing, she has kidneys, and her intestines look fine. (One of the concerns is that the baby is not ingesting and processing the fluid.) I am told not to worry at this point. The biggest concerns is that I will be bigger and more uncomfortable (who cares, as long as she is safe?), and that even though she is head down right now..she could go into a breech position and I may need a C-section. (Again, I don't care, as long as she is safe and healthy.)
But telling me not to worry? Bullshit.
I came right home got on the Internet and looked up what all this could mean. Pretty scary stuff. Congenital abnormalities? Stillbirth?
And yes, I know I am freaking out. Adam says he is going to ask the Dr.s not to tell me anything anymore, only him. He can't stand seeing me so upset and worried. I am very thankful that he is calm and rational about all of this. And I am feeling better today then yesterday.
But damn if I wasn't up all night thinking about it and today thanking God every time I feel her move.
You know what I hate more then packing? Not having any control over this.

And now I am going to go read or knit or solve world hunger. Anything to get my mind off of this. Heck, maybe I will even pack a couple of boxes.

Oh yeah, I was going to post a hodge-podge of FO's here, but I am just not feeling it right now. Oh well, maybe next time.

Sock Madness Wrap Up

The last time I talked about Sock Madness I had just finished the second round. The finale has come and gone but the fun memories remain.

I have to say I was very pleased with all of the patterns this year. In years past there have always been a few rounds that did not "float my boat", but this year the socks just got better and better.

Here are the rest of the pairs in all their glory!

Round 3: Talia's Wings

Round 4: Lucky Diamonds

Round 5: Dimpled Diamonds (The round I got knocked out!)


Round 6: Fire on the Mountain
I love the way this pattern is knitting up! I am on the heels of both pairs now. However, they are on hold while I finish up a couple of other things.

And finally...
Round 7: See You Later!

What? No picture? That is because I have not started them yet. But soon my pretties, very soon. Right after round 6 gets finished. This is by far my favorite pattern of the lot. And I have a special yarn all picked out for it. I can't wait!

And that's it for Sock Madness 3. Time will tell if I join up next year..new mods., new baby, and goodness knows what else may put my competitive knitting on the back burner.

And guess what? I have even more FO's to share. Not to mention what's in the works.

The consequences of swallowing Watermelon seeds..

At least, that is what I was told when I asked about pregnant bellies. "Oh that lady sweetie? She swallowed black watermelon seeds and now she has a watermelon growing inside of her."

I don' think there was a child more afraid to swallow a black watermelon seed then me. I always wondered....how did they get it out?

Whatever happened to those shawls I promised?

Yeah, I don't really know what happened either...


Without further ado:

Vernal Equinox Shawl
I knit this shawl as part of a KAL on Ravelry..it was a lot of fun!
Stats:
Started Jan. 2009 Finished April 14, 2009
Yarn: Baruffa Cashwool
Needles: size 2
Thoughts: I love it! I think it is absolutely breathtaking (if I do say so myself).
I gifted this shawl to one of AJ's aunts as a thank you for all the baby stuff she has given us.


Mystic Ice
Yet another shawl in the Mystic series..what can I say? I am addicted to these patterns!

(I know this next pic is sideways..I still need to figure out how to flip it with the new camera/software)

Stats:

Started November 2008 Finished April 16 2009

Yarn: Yarntopia Treasures 10/2 Tencel yarn in "Sharks Tale"

Needles: size 1 (I think)

Thoughts: Although I do really like the shawl, it is not my favorite. All my favorites from this series still need to be finished (some are barely started!!!!).

I can't complain about the cost of the yarn, and it truly is beautiful..I am just not thrilled with the striping...oh well, that's a handpaint for ya. Also, the tencel is a little wierd to work with...it felt a bit like string.
With all that though, I did buy more of this yarn in 2 different colorways.

I may not have been blogging..but I have been knitting!!! Hopefully I will catch up soon with the blogging!

So much to show, but not much to say..

I gotta be honest, I have not felt so much like blogging lately. Of course, this is at the same time I promised myself I would start posting more often.
But I have been doing a lot of knitting, and believe it or not, I have finished a few things! (However that pile of knits I showed a while back that just need some finishing work? Yeah, still sitting there).
But anyway, I have a few more socks to show off and then I think I will be caught up on the sock FO's..for now anyway.

So here we go:

1) January Mystery Socks for the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry

Yeah, these have been done for a long time, just never got around to blogging about them.

2)Tokena...round 2 of Sock Madness And now I am on to round 3, woohoo! These were a lot of fun. My first (successful) color work socks. These will always be special to me because when I was on the home stretch and ready to toss them aside for the night (the pattern was making me cross-eyed), I felt the wee one move for the first time, and then many times after that. Needless to say, I finished the socks that night. First, because I wanted something material to always remind me of the moment, and Second, because I was getting such a thrill feeling her nudges there was no way I was going to bed any time soon!

3) Salida for the Sock Knitters Pentathlon International

Not sure if I will keep going with this KAL/competition..I just loved the pattern. The next one is entrelac, I am debating knitting it. We shall see.

4)Eleanor

These were knit again for Sock Knitters Anonymous. The Feb. KAL I believe. I like these a lot. It was my first experience knitting with Koigu. Not sure if I understand what all the fuss is about, but I did like it.

OK, well that is it for now. I have a few shawls finished up and ready to show off as well. But I think I will save those for more blog fodder later.

Have a great weekend!

A Little Good News Today

I love this story, and I love her!




(Click on the picture to see the video)

oh yeah...by the way...

Two weeks ago at our Doctor's appointment we found out we are having a GIRL!

And isn't that just the neatest ultra-sound picture you have ever seen? We also have a DVD we record all the ultra-sounds on. Pretty darn cool.

We are 22 weeks and counting tomorrow, (HOLY CRAP!!! that is more then half-way!). I already think she is just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen (and here I promised myself I wouldn't be one of "those" mothers, lol).

And daddy, yeah he is already wrapped around her tiny little pinky. And here I was concerned he would be disappointed if we had a girl. Nope, not at all. Although he does think he is going to raise a little tomboy who loves football, NASCAR, plays softball and wants nothing to do with boys until she is forty. Although, he says Barbies are OK. lol.

I can't wait 'til I catch him playing "dress up tea party" with her. I know it's going to happen, and I will be darned sure I am armed with a camera.

And crazy enough, we are about 95% sure on a name. I mentioned my two favorites, and he loved them both. So unless something else really floors us, or unless our little miss has different plans for her name (it happens, I picked mine). We are thinking of Lillian Makenna Martin, it just seems to fit somehow.

Good Karma

About two weeks ago I received a lovely little package from Kim, my SP13 spoilee (spoiley?). What a sweetheart she is.
Her package contains the first things we have received for the baby:



A sweet little bib and matching cloth, and the cutest green washcloth with lil baby footprints in it! And I love the book, I think after one glance through I had 4 projects planned.

Thank you Kim, you are awesome!

This package spurred a huge influx of baby items, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of others. We (well I literally) have been given an awesome electric breast pump, baby bath, bassinet, baby sling and front baby pack (don't know the real name). One of those baby beds that go on the bed with you, a portable changing bed..WOW! And that is not to mention all the beautiful clothes and toys. Plus, there is a baby swing possibly coming our way.
And I have not even had a shower yet!!!

I can not express everything I feel. Too be honest, things have been really tight financially for us. I have not worked since August, and in this economy being pregnant finding a serving job is pretty much impossible. I am receiving unemployment but it's a ridiculously small amount. So Poor Adam has really taken the brunt of it all.

It's a damper for even the most positive person (which I am not, lol.). And I have been really worried about how we would afford all the things we need for the baby. It has been hard enough to put food on the table, let alone come up with money for a breast pump, etc. We have not really shared our worries with anyone (except my mom, hi mom!), it's not like we expect others to take care of us.

So when friends and family gave us all of this beautiful stuff it was just...amazing. I am speechless, how do I even begin to thank them and let them know how much their love and generosity means to me?

So yes, some things are rough for us right now, but I feel so blessed. I am more happy then I think one person should be allowed.

Sock Madness Round 1...Done!

So the third year of Sock Madness started last Thursday. The pattern was released sometime around 4 am. And guess what? I was not anxiously hitting the refresh button on my computer waiting for it to arrive (like in previous years), no I stuck to my promise and was still sleeping peacefully at the time.
Alright, so I did get up around 5:30, which is still pretty darn early, but honestly I couldn't sleep anymore!
So here are the first socks of the competition completed:

They are called Tropical Mer-tini's and the pattern is based on the Drunkard's Path quilt block.
If you are interested, you can see other people's socks here.

It was a pretty fun pattern and went very fast. The one tricky thing is this sock had an after thought heel. Something I have never done before, and will probably never do again unless it is for the competition or a test knit.

It's not that it was difficult, but it was a lot of picking up stitches and a lot of grafting. UGH!

Time: I started these on Thursday and finished them on Saturday night. Again, keeping to my promise that I would not go completely nuts-o and be a crazy ninja knitter. I will save that for later rounds. =)
Needles: size 0 addis magic loop method
Yarn: knit picks essential kettle dyed in gold.
YARN PROS: I gotta say, I really like this yarn. It is nice to knit with, the colors are beautiful, and you can't beat the price. I bought a ton of it a while back and I am glad I did.
YARN CONS: The only complaint I have is that for some of the colors (especially the darker ones) there is a very distinct color difference between the skeins. Some being extremely obvious to the point of looking like two different colors entirely.

So there you have it. Seeing that this is round one and the first 40 people from each division go through to the next, I am thinking it will be a while before the second round starts. At least, I hope so. I have a few things I would like to work on/finish by the end of the month.

P.S. I am twenty weeks pregnant now and we are hoping to find out the sex of the baby on Wednesday! We are like kids waiting for Christmas around here!

P.P.S. I hate the fact that there is construction work literally being done in front of my house. Not only do they start around 7 am, but they are loud and rude. Maybe I am weird, but I don't like hearing men yelling and cursing all day long while they dig up the road and honk their horns over and over and over again. Not only that, but being told that I can't park anywhere along the street. I should park in my driveway. Which fits one car and there are three that belong to this address. I was told today that if they are to damage my car they are not liable. Huh. Considering the construction started over a week ago, there are other cars parked along the street, and the only reason I was told this is because I had to run to the bank and back today..it makes me wonder. Now that they know I am home and where I live, they have knocked on the door twice today. Good times.

All I need now is my Tiara

Well, that and about 5,000 yards of lace/cobweb weight yarn. Oh and lots and lots of time.

This was my final SP13 package. Kerry (my spoiler) said she wanted to "go out with a bang" and boy did she ever!

For those of you that don't know, this pattern is called The Princess Shawl and its from Heirloom knitting. Everything on the website is just breathtaking and I love the historical significance to it all.

Anyway, I have had my eye on this pattern for a long time, but I never bought it.

a) Because the pattern itself is pretty expensive (around $30),

+

b) I was very intimidated by it. Yes I know I do a lot of lace, but this lovely is considered to be one of the most challenging lace patterns out there.

=
c) I had a hard time justifying the cost of something I may be too chicken shnit to ever knit.

But even still, I coveted it something fierce. So when asked in the SP questionnaire if there was anything I was dying to get my hands on, I listed it. Never dreaming in a bazillion years that she would actually get it for me!

And trust me, The shawl is even more intimidating then I thought it would be. But damned if I don't want to toss everything aside and start her. So far my will power is holding on, but it most likely will not be long before I get this lovely on my needles.

Thank you Kerry for everything! You really know how to treat a girl.

The Good, The Bad, and The UGH!

It has been a while since we have had any real knitting content on this blog hasn't it? Whatever happened to those January goals? And where the heck were Februarys? Yeah, I know, BAD BLOGGER! (Or is that bloger? The first spelling looks better, whatev.)
Well today, I plan to show you actual FO"S, a good knit gone bad, and finally fess up to how the January goals went.
(By the way..pictures suck as usual. Can you believe these were taken outside in the middle the day? We even have sun today, but my yard is completely in shade and I did not feel like taking pictures in the middle of the street in my pajamas and slippers...yeah, I know, but they are so comfy!)
Alrighty then, here we go.

The good:

Marlene socks by Cookie A. Knit with All Things Heather in Raspberry on 000 needles. Start to finish was about a week.

The pattern was a lot of fun, easier then Pomatomus I would say. The yarn looked so good I wanted to eat it! It was not the softest to work with but after soaking it softened right up. It did bleed a lot in its blocking bath, but it did not take away from the color at all.

Next, (these were so hard to get a picture of!).

Primavera socks knit with The Sanguin Gryphon in Hatched on Size 00 needles.

LOVE the pattern, LOVE the yarn! I highly reccomend both. Alas, these little lovelies are not destined for my feet. They were very, very hard to give up. But I liked the pattern so much I think I will cast on another pair for myself, as soon as I can put it in my knit schedule.

And now the Bad. This next photo is not for the faint of heart. You may want to skip this..

FELTED!!!! These are the Through the Loop Mystery socks knit in Panda Silk (which said hand wash only and I was well aware of it, even alerted Adam to watch out for them in the hamper). They were lovely and soft and fit on my feet perfectly. I think I wore them three times. My sweetie put them in the washer, and he felt horrible about it..but they came out fine. The reason for their sad state is my fault. I did not pay attention when I was doing the wash, and threw these babies right into the dryer. OOPS!

And as if it could not get any worse after that...

The UGH!

All Hand knits waiting for finishing work. They have sat in this state for about a month now. Now that I have posted this here I hope I have shamed myself into getting them done.

You know, this post has become way to long already. I think I will save the next post to talk about the monthly goals...I promise you wont have to wait another month to find out. =)

Resistence is Futile

It's that time of year again.
What time you ask? Sock Madness time.
Sign ups started last Sunday and go 'til this Friday. I decided that this year I would not compete. The reasons are as follows:
A) I have crazy fuzzy preggo brain and don't think trying to keep up with the pace will be good for me.
B) I don't feel like diving into the stash to see if I have all the yarn requirements and seriously cannot afford to buy more yarn for the competition
C) I could spend that time working on socks I really like and want to make, instead of busting my butt on patterns that I may or may not like all for the sake of competition
And finally
D)I have way too many projects on the go right now and lately I feel that I have been making some good progress on them (well the current WIP's anyway, not the kajillion UFO's sitting around).
Speaking of the UFO's, a few of them have been getting some love as well. I have had start-itis for so long now, and I think I have now caught finish-itis. Granted, I have started a few new things, I am not completely reformed people.
So anyway, I thought long and hard about it and decided that Sock Madness would have to do without me this year. I am going to practice some self control, exude some will power, etc. etc.

And then I thought:
I know I am going to keep checking the website to see the teasers and the patterns released. And I know I am going to look at Flickr/Ravelry to see the finished socks. And I know I am going to kick myself in the arse for not joining up. Just 'cuz I join up doesn't mean I have to get all crazy sock knitter ninja like. I can quit whenever I want to, and it's free and it's 7 patterns (or more) that I get to enjoy with a few select people before anyone else does. I think we all know though that me being the competitive freak that I am..I will be all crazy sock knitter ninja like, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

So I mentioned that sign ups started on Sunday?

Yeah, I resisted 'til 5 pm, then sent in my sign up e-mail.

My Enabler, how I love thee!

Before I get into this post, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who left a comment on the last post. Thank you!!!!! We are so excited. Our first trip to the Dr. was last week and we were surprised with an ultrasound. Seeing the baby moving around and watching its little heartbeat has got to be the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed in my whole life. I am tearing up just thinking about it, but then again, these days I cry at the drop of a hat. LOL, gotta love the hormones. =)

Speaking of crying, I received my 2ND SP package yesterday and , well, I must admit, I shed a few tears of joy.
I had been expecting the mailman to leave the package by the door, so I did not think it had come, but when Adam walked in with the mail he had a large white squishy parcel in his hands.
After confirming it was for me and yes, it was from my secret pal, I ripped it out of his hands, grabbed a pair of scissors to cut off the top, and poured everything out onto the couch. It was all wrapped up in pretty tissue paper too, so my impatience did not spoil the joy of unwrapping each package one by one.

Before we get to the goods, I gotta say that whoever my pal is, she understands me inside and out...well at least in the yarny/fibery way (and is that not the best way??)
Whenever I get the "itch" to buy yarn my go to is always lace weight or sock yarn. I do buy yarn for sweaters and such, but I usually plan that stuff out.
My 1st package from my SP was all about the lace. AWESOME!
This time, it was all about the socks! HEAVEN!

(So again, the pictures are dark. I took these during the day with no flash...hmm maybe I should have used the flash, oh well.... But I live in a hobbit hole in Seattle, so it is either this or wait until until April to post pics. Someday soon I will move and make sure we have lots and lots of windows and light.)

Here is the package, please try not to drool all over your keyboard, it will only make it sticky.

First up, we have some lovely stitch markers from the great girls at Zephyr. Sock themed of course.

2ND, a yarn I have been Eying for a while now, in this specific colorway, but as of yet had not succumbed. And an Awesome sock pattern that even includes baby socks! And this was before she even knew about the bun in the oven!

Yarn: Scarlet Fleece It's Tubular x2 in Poodle Skirt (How I love that name!)

3rd, yet another sock yarn I have not tried yet (and if you got a glimpse of the sock yarn stash you would understand what an accomplishment this is) And another awesome sock pattern I have not seen before..

Yarn: Enchanted Knoll Farm in Blue Jay
And last but not least, in fact I think it is my favorite but it is so hard to choose, is some lovely Dream in Color with an awesome Knitspot pattern called Tesserae

yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Happy Forest. Now I own a lot of DIC but I did not have this colorway yet, it's beautiful!

I am absolutely overwhelmed by it all. My pal is totally spoiling me. It's almost too much.

I would say it is too much, but it is nice to have someone "get me" in the yarny way. And I really, really like it.

And to think, there is still one more package to come...I don't know if I can handle it. I almost passed out from all the lovely yarn fumes in this package. I really did look like an addict getting her fix. Adam was laughing at me the whole time 'cuz I was squealing and bouncing up and down and tearing up all at once. He knows how much I love yarn and knitting, but he is still unaware of how deep the addiction is.

Pal, I know I have said this before, and it is not enough, but thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I have got a little something to share with you....

Making its world debut this August:

I think that is enough excitement for one day, don't you?

Well that's a bummer

I had big plans for today. Today I was going to finish Mystic Ice.


And then this happened:

4 rows left to go and a bind off and I am almost out of yarn.

Bummer.

At least the yarn is reasonable and they had more of the color I needed in stock.

I guess this means I will just have to start something new. Poor me.

BTW, anyone know where I can get 16 1" shank buttons that wont cost me an arm and a leg?

So far, I can't find enough, or they cost a fortune.

FO's on parade

All except one of these have been done for some time. The reason they have not been seen until now is because I let them sit for months waiting for a few ends to be woven in. Did I mention I loathe finishing work?

Without further ado, the last of 2008's FO's:


Skull Illusion Scarf

This scarf was my first attempt at shadow knitting. It was a simple and fun knit. When you look right at it, the scarf just looks like black and red stripes, but at different angles you see the skulls, hence the illusion. I knit it with Cascade 220, one skein of each color. This is for my friend Katie, and I got a feeling she is going to love it.

Next up, and I apologize cause the picture is horrible but the best I could get, is a pair of Dashings for my buddy Dan:

Made out of Berroco Ultra Alpaca. They are very soft and warm. Dan is a smoker that does a lot of walking so I hope these keep his arms and hands nice and toasty.

And now, the first of the 2009 FO's:

We Call them Pirates hat

I made one of these a few years ago and my buddy Dan (another one) went nuts over it. He has been begging me to make him one ever since. It's done in Knit Picks yarn, DK weight, but I cannot remember the name of the yarn, and don't really feel like looking it up. (Sorry guys, I am feeling super lazy today.) Anyway, it was super cheap to make, and I know he will be thrilled to have it.


The last FO I have to show you is Morgan:

(And yes, I know I look like absolute doody in these pics, but I wanted to show you modeled shots)
I don't know how I feel about this one. I guess it looks the way it should, but I am just not that crazy about it.
I knit this for yet another buddy named Dan, this one being the above mentioned Katie's boyfriend. I know he likes hats, and I know he owns another hat in this style, I am just not sure what he will think of this one. I should have probably made it in a darker color, but I went with what I had on hand.

I hate giving someone a gift that I am not thrilled with, but I am biased. The hat is not really my style, and I am my own worst critic. Anyone out there got any opinions? Feel free to share, you wont hurt my feelings. =)

Something Else to Keep Me Busy

So I was wasting time on Ravelry today and discovered a group called 52 books in 52 weeks.
I think the title explains it all so I will not be redundant.
Anyway, I thought about how one of my goals for 2009 was to read more books, and then I found out you could include audio books, so I joined up.
I used to read A LOT. But lately knitting and other endeavors have cut into that time. The only way I get as many books in as I do is by listening to audio books while I knit. But I miss the actual printed pages.
I am sure I can do this. I remember reading over 100 books during my 3rd grade year so I could get a free book. =) My teacher had a deal where for x amount of books you read and did a little write up on, you got a new book from the cupboard. And she had all the good books.

So I put a little linky-dink on the sidebar if anyone wants to see what I am reading/listening too. I just linked over to my Amazon wish list, I couldn't figure out a better way to do it. If anyone has a better option, please let me know.

Back to my Old Crazy..

New year, New goals.
Let's not talk about last years goals that I failed miserably at, OK?
I heard somewhere, I think on a Soap Opera so of course it's an awesome concept, that the only way to guarantee to keep your resolutions is to say you will not do things you hate, and you will do things you love.

So with that thought in mind, here are my resolutions...

1) I will refrain from eating oysters, mussels, or liver.

2) I will read a lot of good books.

3) I will continue to knit as much as possible.

I think 2009 is going to be an awesome year with these goals!

Alright, enough fooling around. The real reason why I am posting today is to set my goals for January. So without further tomfoolery, here they are:

1) Finish Mystic Ice shawl

2) Finish We Call Them Pirates Hat

3) Finish Versatility

4) Finish the baby sweater and hat for Ben Franklin (this should have been done 5 months ago!)

5) Finish Backyard Leaves Scarf

6) Finish Pink Ribbon Baby Blanket

7) Start and finish the January Mystery Sock for SKA and Solid Sock KAL (2 birds with one stone, gotta love it!) Both these groups are Ravelry groups by the way.

I know it sounds like a lot, but all of these projects except for the last one are well on the needles. And so far I am keeping to my schedule to have everything done by the end of the month. But this is not all, I also want to:

A) Cast on Mystic Star shawl (Rav link)

B) Start Fireside Sweater (Rav link)

C) Work on Hemlock Ring Blanket

See, I told you I am up to my old crazy again!

What took me so long?

This is embarrassing.

I started this shawl in September of 2007 thinking I would have it done for that years Halloween.

HaHaHa! As if!

I got as far as the last 20 rows and then left in sitting on my coffee table for almost a year. No lie. I live by myself so I can get away with things like that. I had big plans to keep working on it, even made up a schedule a few times...but still it sat.

Finally, in September of 2008, I picked the sucker back up again. And I realized then why my poor shawl had languished for so long. I forgot that it took almost an hour to complete a row, and there was patterning on both sides of the work. That's a lot of P2togtbl, let me tell you. But I hunkered down and had a few crazy knitting sessions with it, and finally it was finished.

Finished and blocked in plenty of time for Halloween. So why did it take me so long to blog about it?

Oh well, without further ado, I present to you Dracula's Bride:

There are sparkly orange beads throughout the shawl, I am not sure if you can see them. Maybe if you click for bigger you can see them.
Yes my house was a mess that day. It was the weekend and we were enjoying our new TV and Xbox, plus I was still recuperating from my accident. =)

Here is a sneak-peak of my main squeeze. What do you think mama? =)

And no I did not have to force him to do this, he practically begged me to be the model for the shawl.

I have a few more 2008 FO's to show you. One needs to blocked, one needs ends woven in, and one needs a few snaps and a little finishing work.