Monday, December 31, 2007

end o'the year ramblings

Well, here's hoping 2008 is less sucktastic than 2007. Workwise, I mean; the family is fine. They're getting me through everything and we loves them.

I've been whipping out the projects right and left. I was seized by a sudden freak and did up this bad boy right before xmas:

so cute on the tree.

My socks for me continue apace:

I'm actually farther along than this, I'm almost ready to finish the 1st one. I can't wait to wear them. I've tried them on a few times for fitting purposes and they are TEH COMFURTUBLZ.

And my latest goofiness:

Poor thing looks like an angry bumblebee, but really, the new Daleks are gold, so I was going for authenticity. Had a helluva time knitting the bottom of this, since I stuffed it first. Also I used the provisional cast on method, which scairt me silly, but it worked out fine. Maybe I should try toe up socks, then, since that's how you cast them on...

As for what's ahead in the new year...I dunno? More knitting! And cross stitching. I've got to branch out a little. Maybe I'll get wordy and do some kind of new year's resolution post. Or not!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

fishie wishes

I worked up a few quick catnip fishies, to give to my friend's kitties for a late xmas pressie. Here they are, pre-felted:

And after 2 trips through a hot washer, with my dirty towels:

I still have to stuff n sew, but that's easy peasy. They are too cute & I think I'll make some for Miss Pringle, too.

Whew, Christmas knitting is over. I finished hubby's Jayne hat (it only took a few days, it was done by xmas day) and he loves it, hooray. So I cast on for the knitted Dalek... it has a provisional cast on, which I've never done before. It's either going to be supercool, when I pull the crochet chain off and there's my live stitches, OR it's going to be a clusterfudge as I wrassle the crochet chain off, snagging and tearing my precious work. Time will tell!

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Christmas is coming

the goose is getting fat...LOL

Hmm, not a lot of pictures to show, but I am essentially done with christmas knitting, w00t for me. All 7 washrags for teacher presents have been given; ends have been woven, buttons sewn. I should probably wash my nephew's acrylic hat, to soften it, but if I don't get to it I won't worry.

Princess Kitty amigurumi picture, for my niece, as promised a few days ago:

it's a little bigger than I meant to make, because I added a few extra rows to all the pieces, but she's cute. She now has a purple halter dress, too. She's made out of kitchen cotton, which I think I like for dolls, because it's pretty tough.

I've started a new Jayne hat for my hubby. He requested a new one, because the old acrylic one isn't warm enough. It's not because of the acrylic, it's because it's too loose. In an effort to make it authentic, I only put 2 rows of ribbing on, so it won't stay on the poor guy's head, let alone keep out wind. His new one is in wool, with 1.5" of rib. Also, he says the colors are more his style. It's working up quickly, so I should have finished pix soon.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

new camera goodness

yaaaay I got a new camera! Takes awesome pictures. To wit:

My "two hour scarf" made out of Colonial Homespun. It's taking a little longer than two hours, though, in that it's reeeeeaaally boring to knit. Strands held double on sz 19 tree trunks. It's soft and pretty, though. It's for a xmas pressie for my step cousin, who's 12 (I think, I can't remember, I hardly ever see the kid.)

Also moving along is my nephew's watch cap. I had to rip back, since I cast on 96 originally, and it looked huge. I redid it with 80 sts which may be a smidge small, but 2x2 rib is very forgiving:

Not sure I like the stripe, but it's better than big patches of color. I'm pretty close to done on this one, thank criminy.

I whipped this White Sox dishrag out in a few days, after charting it up on graph paper:

Doesn't it look beeeyootiful, with the "SOX" running across the front? Yeah, it didn't turn out very well. Darn ombre, can't see anything on it. It was supposed to be for my coworker who is a raging White Sox fan, but it looks like crud. So I'm going to redo it with white yarn in the center, and use the leftover black/grey/white as a border or something.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Shh!! secretly posting from work

My pretty harvest socks are coming along; I'm on the heel flap of sock #1. I will, however, be ripping back said heel flap, because I don't like how tight it is. I'm doing the s1, k1 then s1, p1 and it's too squunched. I do want some reinforcement in the heel area, though, so I'm going to do the Eye of Partridge which is s1, k1 then purl across.

This is all very dull without pix, but like I said, I'm at work!

Chrismas present progress. Finished to date:
7 washcloths for teacher gifts
1 caliometry for mom
1 caliometry for stepmom
1 fingerless gloves for stepmom
1 watch cap for stepdad
1 kittycat doll for niece

In progress:
2 scarves for stepcousins
1 watch cap for nephew

To start yet:
1 kittycat doll dress
1 washcloth for coworker

Hmm, seems like a lot to do yet, but all those should be quick knits. The washcloth will take a while because I had to design the pattern myself! If it turns out, I'll post it here. I'll even try sharing it with Ravelry, and linking it back here on a PDF or something. Gotta practice my mad blogging skillz.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Opposites attract

Currently working on 2 completely opposite projects. First, a delicate fingering weight yarn, to be a sock (for MEMEMEME, so there)

It's Wisdom Yarns Boston, unnamed colorway. Delicate, wooly, soft.
AAAAaaaaand then? Red Heart scratch-tastic cammo hat!

Its' for my nephew for xmas.

Crud! I finished a kitty doll for my niece, and plumb fergot to take a picture of it! Oh well, you'll see it soon enough.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

I lurve this yarn!

Paton's SWS, natural plum coloray. It is rockin' my world! Behold some fingerless gloves for my stepmom:

I am going to make her a matching caliometry. Yes, yes I am. Because I am not going to steal the 2nd skein of SWS for my own use! totally!

I am trying to be good and just make myself some mini-warmers from the yarn scraps-- I had to make a mini-warmer to use up enough yarn for the stripe to repeat on her warmer #2, I can't stand it when a 2part thing doesn't match. I may get another mini-warmer from the end of the yarn, and I many not. It's OK, I only need one for myself! I DO NOT need to steal the 2nd SWS ball for my own. She needs a matching hat or caliometry. I DON'T NEED ajdjfo@#$%!!!!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

maybe I can get christmas pressies done?

enlarged? to show detail....


Well, the OSU dishrag was done a while ago... but the apple one (on the right) was started yesterday, finished today. So maybe I can get a couple-three done by next week? The purple one was started at "The Bee Movie" and finished during my interminable wait (2 hrs., no lie) at the doctors.

Oh, and the wad in the upper left is what was left of the skein after the 2 red cloths. I'm afraid the gauge on cloth #2 was a leeeetle tight, in order to ensure there was enough yarn to finish. Dunno what I'm being stingy for, I have 2 more red skeins in the stasheroonie.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Xmas freakout!

I'm a-startin' to shop for the christmas. All the niece/nephs are getting books. Dunno what else I'm buying, I'll decide after the Black Friday ads come round. But the point of this post: as I was thinking about what to get people, I'm all like, "oh, I'll just knit that person a scarf/hat/dishrag." Then I realize AAAAAA xmas in 1 mo. 6 days AAAAA how will I get it all done???? So the scarf I'd started for me? SHOVE. My poor hubbie's Extermiknit (knitted Dalek?) SHOVE. It's all xmas knitting all the time up in this joint, my kittens.

To that end, I splurged on some Patons SWS for to make my mom a calorimetry. I floated the idea of a headband by her, and she seemed willing to accept one. I hear tell they knit up quick. Then I was thinking, some purple SWS would make a fine hat for my stepmom... or another calorimetry, can't decide. And of course, another ball of red cotton jumped into my bag, for teacher's dishrags. AAAaaaand I was thinking I might finish my former Red Scarf Project red scarf for gifting, and maybe another scarf in uber-chunky yarn (for time's sake) ooooooo! or some of that Homespun I've got left over!!!

With all those projects suddenly jumping to the fore, I'm beginning to think, holy crap. To prioritize, I will probably have to dog off Ravelry, because I find myself just trolling there, reading comments, making comments, playing with the pattern/yarn links. Gotta knit me brains out. I just hope my wrist holds out... just got another shot in it to "calm it down" (that's what my doc always calls it) and it's killing me tonight.

So the game plan: quit goofing around on the Rav; commit to serious progress on each project; have some backup plans just in case; go ahead and take some knitting to work; quit goofing around on the RAV, ALREADY!

Pix of the yarn later, it's very pretty!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

I'm a slacker blogger

thanks to Ravelry, and my projects keeping me busy. But let's face it, Ravelry is so much better at keeping track of my projects, with everything indexed and linked. The level of detail you can use is stunning, and far more complete and standardized than my random posts. It's a cataloger's dream. But I still want to maintain my 'blogger cred', and my pithy prose is worth transcribing (HAR DE HAR), so here's my latest project:

A hat for Mr. Nick, in the yarn he picked at the Knitter's Mercantile at their summer sale. It's GGH Bel Air, olive colorway, and it's not plied at all so this hat is going to fuzz to hell and back (esp. how he likes to pull and stretch it.) But, who cares? Yes, the yarn was kinda pricey for a kid's item, but I got it on sale, and he loved it, and loves the subsequent hat. He's worn it non-stop since yesterday, and I love him for it!

Specs: GGH Bel Air, olive, strands held double. It's the Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat, done on 11 circs, modified with 4 extra stitches around and 3 extra rows long. If it lasts the season I'll be impressed; then I'll make another one next year!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

bonus postie


Just had to share my Brain Slug, inspired by Futurama. Cribbed the pattern from a gal on Ravelry. Hubby has thieved it & taken it to work, where it was a big hit. People offered him $$$ for me to make them one-- he declined on my behalf. Specs: Red Heart Super Saver, Spring Green colorway, with trace amounts white/black. Sz 6 dpns; antennae/legs are I-cord, picked up off the body & the ends are tunneled down in, to add bendability. Eye is fake intarsia; I put the white on, carried the green across the back, then picked it up again. At the next row, I would just stretch the white back to the beginning. It's why the eye is puckered! Black dot is duplicate stitch. Oh, and I stuffed him before I finished the head; the pattern calls for stuffing through his bum, but the hole was .5" so yeah, not.

Monday, November 12, 2007

more mittens


Just finished these for Miss Margo, they match her coat. Specs: Wool Ease, azalea pink colorway. Sz 6 dpns, 32 sts for cuff, 36 sts total. 14 sts for thumb. Custom fit to her little mitts.

Friday, November 02, 2007

quickie piccie

A quick roll brim hat, for A4A:

Made out of Licorice yarn, red colorway, 48 sts on sz 13 circs. Already gone out...

A roll brim hat for Margo-Ree, she picked the yarn:

It's done too, just no pix of that (plus isn't the picture of ms. Pringle adorable?) Specs= Lion Brand Boucle Wild Berries colorway, uhhhh... 48? sts on 10.5 circs.

Socks, big whoop, for a future A4A drive:

Specs: Patons Classic Merino, Good Earth colorway, on sz 5 dpns. 36 sts around. I was VERY disappointed in the yarn, because it had a full break in it, AND a frayed almost-break. I started sock 2 & had to stop near the heel because of the first break, then I started a 2nd sock 2 and had to stop in about the same place because of the fray. I started a 3rd sock 2 and FINALLY got a complete sock. Stoopid.

But, I used the partial socks to finish off my masterpiece:

See the handles? Good Earth, yay. This is a felted Candy Corn bag, from the Lion Brand website. I did it in Patons, natch, with White, Paprika, and Old Gold. And I actually felted it! My first felting project and it turned out pretty well. I washed it the hot/cold cycle 3 times, but there's still some stitch definition left. Next time I'll get it better, but for now it's awesome, and I'm no longer afraid of felted projects. woot for me!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Wow, it's been a while

since I've blogged. I've been swept in to the timesuck that is Ravelry, and I've been spending most of my online knitting time there, so my sad little blog is getting nothing (or to quote Ms. Margo, don't got nuff-iiin.

To begin, pictures are right out. For once, it's not the camera. My stinkin' computer has decided that IE is not a program it cares to run anymore. According to my tech guru DH, somehow the (cracked) wireless card is still working, and the computer is "pinging" the internet (??) but IE claims it can't get to any sites. Such a liar. Anyhoo, this may be the last straw for the old thing. I think I got it before Margo was born, making it at least 5, which in computer years is like 187 or something. My credit with Dell is good, having paid off my stupid power cable (oh, they sent me a final bill in the mail? for $0.00? Al Gore weeps.) I was going to wait until after Christmas but fudge it, I'm probably going to order it next week. DH is excited because he gets to play around loading it and such, and my vital info is still accessible, since the computer isn't fried. woot.

Regarding knitting: it still goes on. Picturelessly, but chipping away. I sent 5 items to Afghans for Afghans; then they sent out a final appeal/last minute push, so I manged to get another pair of mittens out to them, before their extended deadline. They sent word that they had met their goal, which is great. So I'm knitting a pair of socks in PCM "Good Earth" colorway, which I like, it's blue/sage/pink/browns. Sock #1 is done, #2 is started to the cuff.

I've also knit an OSU dishcloth for a christmas pressie, and finished Nick's Harry Potter tie for his Halloween costume. Also, I picked up some Lion Boucle to make a hat for Margo, to match her new princess coat she got for her B-Day. I think I can make up a pattern; I'm just flummoxed on roll-brim v. ribbing. Or should I crochet? And Lion Brand offers only one pattern, and it stinks. Meh, I'll figure something out.

Monday, October 01, 2007

no pix, just yappin'

Mailed off the box to Afghans for Afghans this afternoon, and was told it would arrive in 2 days (!) for a mere $7.50. Box weighed about 13 oz., and filled with: ubercool vest, roll brim hat x 2, and mittens x 2 for 5 items total.

Oh, I suppose I'll have a photo of the red roll brim hat later. I don't feel like messin' with the camera just now. It's such a pain, because I have to load it on the computer, then load it to flickr so I can then LOAD it to my Ravelry project list. By the time I even think about all that loading, I'm out of the notion.

Imagine it, if you will (Picture it! Sicily! 1905!) it's a chunky red yarn with yellow, taupe, and pink highlights. Looks remarkably like this here blue roll brim hat what with it being the same brand of yarn.

Hold up, here's a link to the yarn, it's the red colorway. ooo, i'm likin the "neutrals" colorway, i hope i see that at the local joann's soon....

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Vest is done

Hooray, an FO to show:

The only mod I made to the pattern was to make a crocheted neckline, because I was severely running out of yarn and I didn't want to bust into a new ball. I did this with just two balls of Patons Classic Merino! but it isn't a size eight, despite what the pattern says and me making it longer than what it calls for. Still it's pretty cute and warm, what with the "broken ribbing" and all.

Goin' out in the mail tomorrow! gots to get it to San Fran ASAP! woowoooT!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

OK so I didn't stop much

Looks like maybe I can get this vest done for Afghans for Afghans before the mid-October deadline

or at least by Oct 1st-ish, which is when I want to send things so they'll get there by that target date.

If all goes according to plan, I'll be sending 2 hats, 2 prs mittens, and this nice vest. Suhhh-weet!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

work stoppages

So I'm knitting along for the Red Scarf Project, busting my hump a little to get it done by Oct. 1st (well as much as I can with my wrist flareup), and I up and read that they're probably going to be innundated with scarves this year. They got more than they needed last year, and the project has gotten even more publicity, so they're going to be swamped

much like Pringle has been, in the photo. So I made the executive decision to suspend work on the scarf, and repurpose it for Christmas gift giving. It kinda sucks, because I love the idea of that charity, but they don't need my help.

To assuage my guilt, I immediately cast on a pair of mittens for Afghans for Afghans:

and finished them in two days. Oh yeah, I've got the mitten mojo. Except that the one thumb is a row shorter than the other. Magic!!!

And I treated myself to another knitting bag, cause sssheriousthly, can you EVAR have teeewww maneee? NOPE to the NOPES, people.

So pretty, and with a 50% coupon from Michaels, you can NOT go wrong.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

not much to see here

I have been having a really hard time at work lately. I won't go into detail, because I consider this a blog about knitting, not about work kvetching. I was sorta veering towards talking about work more, because I tried to join a librarians who knit webring, but I never got connected to it, so I'm not going to talk about work anymore. Plus, it's making me depressed. I mean, literally, I think. I haven't wanted to knit much, as a result. Almost all my WIPs are still IP, so I think I'll just concentrate on one or two until something's done.

I'm really concentrating on my Red Scarf Project scarf:

The pattern, which you can't really make out in the picture, is the Palldian Stitch from one of my pattern books. For some reason, I just can't get the pattern memorized, so I have to refer to the notes constantly & it's slowing down progress a bit. It's not hard, though, so I'm plugging away. I should be done in time to send it off by Oct 1st, I hope.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Mittenz done

Mittens, for Afghans for Afghans:

Specs: Patons Classic Merino, in Royal Purple and Harvest. Size 6 dpns, modified pattern from the A for A site. I put the Harvest stripe in to stretch my purple, since I wasn't sure I would have enough to make a whole pair. If I were doing them again, I'd make the palm a skosh longer; I made them to fit me and they were a little unroomy at the top.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

mittenz is done, mittenz is started

Paging Ronald McDonald:

Made to match the Gryffindor beret for my friend. They be big!

After making those, I was seized by the spirit of mittenocity. I frogged my Magic 28 socks and cast on for a charity pair forthwith:

I forgot how much I like to make mittens. I made tons last year for my son's school's mitten tree, but those were all acrylic yarn. These are that leftover Paton's classic merino, from the baby blankie. I think I can get a pair off what's left, but I might cheat and put a wide stripe of some other color across the palm.

I really had to experiment around to get what looks like a medium child's size (the size I wear.) I settled on: sz6 dpns for a thicker fabric; cast on 36; 2x2 rib for almost 3 in.; inc. 6 sts on last row of rib. It's going to be like my usual mitten from there, adapting the pattern from Afghans for Afghans website. It's for them, so why not? They've got a call out for items for 7-14 age kids and I just know everyone else is going to do hats & there will be a need for not-hats.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

hatsie oopsie

All done with the Ravenclaw beanie. It's pretty cool, the colors are nice:

Specs: Vanna's Choice, in rust and colonial blue. Used the pattern from Charmed Knits, on sz 7 circs. The ribbing is on 6 straights, which I did for ease of joining plus also I realized afterwards I didn't have any 6 dpns to do the job anyways.

That was so easy, I immediately cast on for another in the colors i wanted in the first place:

THis one came out a little bigger, because guess which dumbbutt forgot to gauge swatch? At least its for someone with a big head. done in Caron Wintuk Jonquil colorway, and Caron one pounder left over from Nick's blankie. I am desperately trying to make matching mittens before wednesday but idon t feell very goodright now. it is tgaking forever to type this post cuz i goota keep going back to correct my spelling and stuff. ugm. so i'm going to forgo correcting because i just want to go lay down. stress and diabetes dont mix.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

So Many WIPS

So many things in progress! and so many things I want to get going on. Here's the state of Margo's blankie:

I'm just going to keep going until it looks long enough. Also going like gangbusters, my Harry Potter Ravenclaw hat:

I started the ribbing on straights, then moved to dpns but constantly feared it would slip off the ends (there's 144 sts, divided on 3 needles? too risky.) So after a quick trip to the LYS I now own some 16" sz 7 circs, so this will now go quick. I also plan a trip back to Joann or Michaels to get more of this yarn; I discovered on the Lion Brand website that this stinkin' Vanna's Choice supposedly has a Brick color, so I should be able to do a Gryffindor hat. If I can (and get it done soon,) I'll just keep this beret for myself and give the Gryff. one to my friend. These colors is purty & match my new coat!

Also, turned the heel on 2nd Pomatomus and gusset decreases are complete:

Also got a start on the Red Scarf Project (I'm only going to do one this year)

I have to look up the pattern stitch I'm using, it's out of that book I picked up in January during our trip to Evanston. Too lazy to go look now... must sleep... too much knitting.

I feel like I should finish at least one of these projects before I try to start my Socks for Soldiers BBS. I feel real guilty tho, because there's a call out for socks for some Ohio soldiers, and I sure wish I could help with that. But they need 'em by Sept. 1 and I couldn't finish them even if I dropped everything else. I may just send them money to help with postage, and submit the socks later. We'll see.

Monday, August 13, 2007

xperimentin wit da photoes

oh noes, ma photoes dont be loadin

I was trying to use my brand new flickr account to load photos and I haven't figured out how to use it to link my photos here. So, you get to see them off my computer. BEHOLD! the Afghans for Afghans baby blankie, complete and ready to send:

A closer-up of the colors:

BBXCO of the corner and edging:

Wooty-woo00t!1!!1

Quick specs: used 8 balls Patons Classic Merino, in purple (2), teal, paprika, leaf green, deep olive, red, and "harvest" colorways. Made 25 6"x8" blocks (25 double crochets across, (?) rows tall.) Edged each block in purple, using hdc to show the color better; blocks were sewn/lashed together, then the whole thing edged with a simple hdc scallop. Took about 2 months, easy peasa.

Oh, and I joined flickr, because I got invited to join Ravelry like just 10 minutes ago, and I am totally stoked to start using it! Gots to go update my profile and get my fps and wips out there for everyone to marvel over (hah)

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Shopping News

Went shopping today, ostensibly to pick up another set of sz2 dpns for sockmaking, but shucky darn, didn't a few more things jump into my basket(s):

I went to Michaels first, which did not have the sz 2's, so I was "forced" to purchase the bamboo 8 dpns. I acutally sorta needed them, to compliment my 8 circs that I plan to whip out many hats with. (uhm, sorry grammar police...)

I headed to Joann's to acquire the 2's, which were hard to find as they moved their stuff around since last time I was there. I also picked up another Licorice yarn, because apparently they're discontinuing the blue so it was $2.97 (reg. $5.99!) And I decided to pick up a couple of the new Vanna yarns. Yes, I KNOW it's acrylic, and it's Vanna, but the colors are kinda pretty, and I need acrylic because it's for a hat for a friend who's allergic to wool. I'm making her a Harry Potter beret, and I really wanted Gryffindor colors, but Vanna failed to provide a burgundy color in her line. (there is a nice gold though.) So I got Rust and Colonial Blue, and Hufflepuff it is.

Friday, August 10, 2007

once again, with pictures

Hooray for new camera batteries. If I'd have known I was going to buy them tonight, I'd have brought home the Afghans for Afghans blankie to photograph. As it is, there's a few works in progress to see:

Margo's blankie, with the pink rows just started. I had originally put in 168 stitches and hooked 3 rows, but it was way too wide so I ripped back to 150 stitches. After 3 rows, it was still too wide, so i reripped back to 129 sts. It's about 43" across, which is about right for a 4 year old, I think.

BBXCO:

Bushy stitch in action. Barbie color explosion!

My 2nd Pomatomous, heel flap started:

We went to the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday and I got a chance to check out the arts and crafts entries. Wouldn't you know it-- in the knitting sock category, sporting the 2nd place ribbon, was a pair of Pomatomous!! They were done in a nice varigated grey/beige. "I know that pattern!" I told my hubby. "Been lookin' at it for months now!" What a hoot.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Goofin' off at the Ref Desk

My long awaited Ref Desk duty is here. And there's exactly NO patrons in the library. Good. I'm starting to get a little less anxious about the upcoming changes in the library, because we've gotten some hints that at least some are just cosmetic/physical space changes, which who cares? we can deal. I was relieved, though, that some of my co-workers share my anxiety about the management's strange secrecy. Seriously, the tighness in my chest is a lot less today, and no migraine.

Yarney stuff:
Still waiting for Afghans for Afghans blankie pictures;
Second Pomatomous sock progressing nicely, 5-6 rows from the heel flap;
Can start my Socks for Soldiers Big Black Socks once those are done;
Working on Toddler Socks in Purple Paton's, to send to A for A or maybe under seperate cover so I can get the blankie sent right away;
Started Margo's pink 'n' purple afghan. I worked up some gauge swatches with my "J" hook and she decided she liked the bushy stitch. After some trial and error about the width, I commenced to hook starting with the lilac (per her request also.) Got about 3 rows done during Barry Bonds' failed attempt to break Hank Aaron's record last night against the Nats. I think I'll go for at least 10 rows before I try the color change; we'll see how it looks!

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Finished! With the Blankie!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand my camera craps out again. I have GOT to stop using those cheap Target batteries. I can't even coax a single photo out of it! I think I'll go to the Batteries Plus store and get a mess o' AAs; I've got to go there for button batteries for the kids' walkie talkies. Also, I'm going to start some Magic 28's to send with the blanket, because I have plenty of purple yarn left over.

So to kill time, behold my needle collection. 2-9 and 10.5 14" aluminiums, with 1-8 dpns:

Some of them, anyways. This is the "pretty" collection, neatly collected in a holder instead of a Popples glass or a storage box.

The first project I ever knit (when I taught myself back in 1987 or so) I bought some cheap ass plastic needles, but they were so bad, I upgraded to aluminium mid-project. Everything I did for YEARS was on aluminium 14" straights, because my technique was to stick the right needle in the crook of my leg at the hip. I was really fast that way, because my right hand was free to throw the yarn superfast. It's why I never knit with dpns or circs, you can't prop them up on your leg.

Behold the rest of the story, my 11-19's, my 10" collection, and all my bamboos. There's even a size 10 in there (but nobody uses 10's! they're vintage!)

Plus, all my extra regular sizes. A needle for every occasion! See the bit of yellow in the topmost pile? That's the one plastic sz 8 I have left from that first project lo those many years ago. I've apparently lost one other one, plus both sz 6's.

I love using 10" for making scarves. And bamboo is my prefered needle these days; it grips the wool just right, and they're lots lighter which is easier on the hands. I'm also starting to prefer bamboo for my dpns, too, so all those nice ones in the holder above don't get out much anymore.

Maybe, if I get that camera working again, I'll show off my circs and dpns. And all my other gadgets. It's not always about yarn around here!

Friday, August 03, 2007

Commencin' ta Sew

So I've laid out all the squares, in the order I like them. I followed the Sudoku principle, so no color appears more than once in any row or column:

Some of the greens are clumped, but I didn't want to have to rearrange it, because shifting one meant shifting like all of them probably. I love the middle row with the solid blocks.

I've started the actual assembly, by rows. I figured it would be easiest to use the tails to attach the blocks down the long sides, then use extra yarn to sew across rather than down. It's reeeeeeeeeally hard to keep them even though! You can't fudge the edges much to make them match, and since they're geometric squares, you can really tell when they don't line up. Granny squares are a lot more forgiving. But uglier. So there's the tradeoff, I guess.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

we are DEVO

D-E-V-O!

Such a doll!

Here are some of the blankie blocks, edged in hdc:

I've done edging in single crochet before, which is fine for a finished edge, but since I'll be sewing the purple parts together I wanted a more substantial border. The half double crochet gives it a visible border after you sew the top loops. Can't wait to see it sewn up, probably by the weekend!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Plugging Along (and quick grouse about work)

New reference desk schedule out-- we were promised to only have to work a 3 hr shift-- so naturally we're scheduled 8:00-10:00, 1:00-2:00. Am I going to have a problem with that? Not NOW, I said, because clearly we're going to be helping out the one poor ref librarian, covering all the desk hours, who would be stuck without a break otherwise (the other 2 are on vacation, as groused about before.) But I WILL have a problem with it in 2 weeks. Stay tuned.

In Re. knitting, I'm still pluggin' away at the 2nd Pomatomous sock. Wanna get that one done so I can a.)give it to its recipient and b.)free up the sz 2 dpns for my Socks for Soldiers "big black socks" as my next charity project.

Also, still working on the charity baby blankie. I've edged about 17-18 of the rectangles in a hdc in purple, and it looks fabulous. Will post pics before I start assembling, if only to get an idea of placement. Looks like I'll have plenty of purple yarn; I'm 2/3rds done with the edging and only just now starting to finish up the first purple ball.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Back to Yarney News

Enough with the kvetching about work. I'm really not all that worried about doing reference; seriously, the shift I'll be working, from 8:00AM-12:00PM is the least busy time at the desk. Still po'd about not being consulted about doing it, though.

Anyhoo, behold my Afghans for Afghans baby blanket:

Well, OK, really it's pieces of a blanket. There are 25 6" X 8" double crochet rectangles, done in varying shades of Paton's Classic Merino. I especially love the turquoise (they call it teal?) and the Harvest varigated (it's the same colorway as the sock on my header picture, so naturally I loves it.) I snapped this pic right before I wove in all the trailing ends, which was time consuming but not nearly as obnoxious as I thought it would be.

My next step is to put a single, or more likely half-double crochet border around each rectangle. This will give me a matching something to use to sew the pieces together. Then I can use that same color to put a border around the outer edge and it will all be tres fabu. I'm using purple, natch.

I'm waiting until the borders are on before I try to decide on the placement of the colors in each row. My original plan was to have 5x5x5x5-- 5 colors, 5 rectangles of each, 5 columns, 5 rows. Symmetry! Beauty! Unfortunately, each Paton's skein only produced 4 rectangles. D'oh! So I added a 6th color, which makes 24 rectangles; luckily, the sage green made 5, so I've got 25 after all. It'll be kind of a crazy quilt looking thing, and I can't wait to see how it looks.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Ever Have a Cruddy Day at Work?

My job is usually so boring. But today I got some annyoing excitement-- I'm being required to work the reference desk 3 hrs a week. I am a cataloger. I don't "do" reference. Training? Here's our manual. Difficult questions? Ask a reference librarian for help, except they're both going on vacation during our alleged training period. Are the Ref Staff going to be reciprocating and helping in Tech Services? No (unequivocal, it seems.) Rewrite my job description? Oh, of course, dear! least we can do. Temporary? (.......)

I am the arrow, shot from the bow. My purpose is clear.

I'm a professional. As they repeatedly pointed out, I have a professional degree in which I received reference training. You know, 13 effing years ago in library school, where I took my one required effing ref course, and have never worked a day of reference professionally since.

I am the arrow, shot from the bow. My purpose is clear.

This would have been a lot easier to take, if you'd tell me your thinking about it, then given me the chance to object, then argued against my objections logically, so I could come around to agreeing with you, eventually, or at least be numbed by argument to the point where I'll agree to it so we can stop talking about it. Unilateral decisions are incompatible with "collaborative relationships," after all.

I am the arrow, shot from the bow. My purpose is clear.

I am not going to cry at the staff meeting where they announce this to everyone else. I'm not! Got to practice my poker face during lunch. I'm not alone, at least; the Acquisitions Librarian is in the same doomed boat as me. We can roll our eyes at each other during the meeting.

I am the arrow, shot from the bow. My purpose is clear.

I know this is stupid to rant about. People argue all the time in librarianship about doing reference, it's no big deal, makes you a better cataloger, blah blah whatevs. If I wanted to point spoiled students to the bathroom I'd have effing volunteered. Well, I'm off to read the sad reference manual now, my only training. Maybe they will give me a small hat and tin cup, and an organ to grind, too.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Bears, Oh My!

Finished Margo's crocheted Scott Bear, rechristened "Smacky" in honor of Get Fuzzy:

Too cute-- and the bear is nice too. Naturally, Nick wanted a bear made also, because one kid can't have something when the other doesn't. Bear detente must be maintained. Of course he wanted TWO bears (thus securing an advantage in the Bear Cold War, Reagan-style), but I think I can get out of doing the second. I think I'll try trilateral peace talks, and if that doesn't work, I'll just remind him that I didn't agree to do a second bear in the first place.

Nick wanted his bear to look like Koda from "Brother Bear" so I modified the pattern:

We're calling him "Koda Junior" for now.

And this is what kitties do with leftover yarn: