Sunday, December 28, 2008

last post for 2008

and what a craptastic year it was! i had surgery on my wrist, suffered through a shitty job, LOST said job, turned 40, and gave up librarianship.

on the plus side, i got 2 decent jobs over the fall, and may have embarked on a new career in the banking industry. i'll never make the kind of $$ i was as a professional, but nobody is, thanks to the economy and THANKS GEORGE BUSH don't let the door hit your butt on the way out.

i'm choosing to see the job loss/40 turning NOT as a door closing, but as a new opportunity. i've been in libraries for 18-20 years, and the profession is moving in new directions, and frankly, I don't give a crap.

i was tired of it, and I SWEAR I AM NOT JUST SAYING THAT because i was forced out. i had wondered, over the years, is this what i'm going to do for the rest of my life? thanks to shortsighted money-grubbing evil bosses, and a stunning lack of jobs in the industry, the answer is NO. and it's a good thing.

so here's to 2009! and here's how i know it will be better. see my inauguration scarf-- made as part of a swap, to celebrate the soon-to-be Obama presidency.



his election has made me hopeful, for the first time in a year. not just that we might get out of the economic mess we find ourselves in, but also that we can get past stoopid racial shit and elect the best person for the job. yes we can, indeed!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

oh yeh know, not up to much. made a carrot for the kid's halloween costume, just made up a patternless doohickey


finally finished that blanket i've been workin' on since july, yay me


bought a pompom maker. it makes AWESOME pompoms, i will have to get more sizes, like the little ones and the great big one. this is the medium. or was it large? it's like 3".

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

new Sox

Ooops, has it been a month since I've posted?



Ain't it pretty? It's Berroco Sox, 1477 Kingston colorway. I just fell in love with the greens and blues in the skein, but it's even better knit up. There are so many other things I've got in progress/should be working on, but these little beauties jumped the queue.

Only 2 weeks until the election. I want to vote early, so as not to have to wait in line for hours. Turnout is predicted to be HEAVY. I don't want to miss my chance to make history. Oh Yes We Can! LOLlerskates.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

swappy goodness

check out the cool stuff i got from my swap partner from Australia!

so many x-rated goodies, and some freakin' awesome silk yarn. I'm going to make a shawl (there's a pattern included... Icarus shawl, that I've wanted to make for like a year and a half.) Ellbell is an awesome twatweasel!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Finished the test hat

Really cute! I have to put the pompom on yet.
I really like the Amherst Valley yarn.

And I started my first lace project ever, Branching Out, from Knitty:
fuzztastic! I'm actually about 13" in to it now. I had to get some new needles, because working with laceweight mohair presents some challenges that my old needles couldn't cope with. I think I could get addicted to making lace, though... dangerous!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

I used to be a better blogger

I was looking over some old posts, trying to clean things up (just for you, Mom! ha, ha!) and gosh, I used to be a lot better at keeping track of my projects here. I think Ravelry has really snarfed up all that time and energy.

So in the interest of keeping this a knit/crochet blog, here's a picture of yarn!
that will (hopefully) soon become a cute hat. I've agreed to test-knit a pattern for a Rav person. I let Nick pick the yarn; I was gonna go with Paton's Classic Merino, but he picked this swankier Amherst Valley. The kid has expensive tastes. Good thing I got it as a freebie!

Anyways, I think I'd better use this space for to keep better track of my knitting/crochet. Rav lets me keep track of my WIPs and FOs, but not my nebulous future plans. So here's some of the things I've got yarn for but haven't started:

Chunky hat from some homespun I got in a trade
Crochet squares for a blanket for a Rav friend
Crocheted sweater for Afghans for Afghans
Another BYOB, in an orange color
Amigurumi animals/creatures for Dennis and the kids
Tunisian crochet scarf from some pricey bamboo
Honest to god sweater, once again repurposing my Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
Baby blanket for Mindy's future kid (due... October? maybe?)
Ornaments from crochet thread

ugh, I'm going to stop there. The list is so long I'm getting anxious! I will concentrate instead on stuff I've actually started, if I can get a couple of things done I'll feel better:

Nick's blanket
Purple/green socks
Barney in a blender socks
Yosemite sweater

so many. must buckle down.

Friday, July 18, 2008

kermit was wrong, it's real easy being green!

It all started with a desire to get something my LSG swap partner would like. I went to the yarnmarket.com warehouse and acquired:


(hmmm, that looks a little fuzzy. well good! don't want swappy partner figuring out what she's getting!) She likes green. Cool. It inspired me to make my next project, a Tunisian crochet scarf, in a greeny colorway. I found some SWTC Bamboo in the Midori colorway:

And as long as I was all the way out to Pickerington, I figured I'd pick up a color of Cashmerino Aran I hadn't seen before:

OK, OK I'll admit it, I was swept up in GREEN FEVER. I mean, dammit, I buy so much purple stuff, surely I should branch out?

So I started planning a Branching Out. Which meant I needed more yarn.

In green.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

all done bringin' my own bag



My BYOB turned out purty. I think I effed up the bottom tho... the curved edge of the bottom is under the handles, and all the other pictures i've seen have the curved edge, you know, under the edges. What-EVAR. It will still hold stuff so who cares? Plus I finished it, unlike many other things I'm working on, LOL

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

happy b-day dennis

hubster's b-day was today. Actually, yesterday since it's after midnight here and all. He joins me in the 40's, muahhahhah.

And is this not the cutest thing evar?

my new kitten Miley models my BYOB. She's a sweetie, but I forgot how obnoxious kittens can be. For example, she's attacking my leg this minute, and the curtains, and my ice cream dish. It's the Kittening Hour, aka the Hour of Scampering.

Friday, June 27, 2008

what i'm up to

applyin' for unemployment next monday, suck

gettin' (maybe) a temp job thru OCLC, which makes me sad, because i wanted to work there permanently, but any port in a storm

gettin' a phat check from old employer, covering my vacay days (woot)

missin' my kids, they're at my mom's for a few days

goin' out to supper wit' da hubbs, to our fave italian place i think

workin' on the BYOB bag from Summer Knitty:

colors so purty, we lovez it. i like working with cottonease, i think it would make a great sweater. it sez it's worsted but it's a thin worsted, so subbing it into a pattern will be a bear.

next week will be better. I have a phone interview for a part-time gig, and the OCLC interview. just a bit sad right now, i lost out on a pretty cool job today. wish i had mad excel skilz, i mighta coulda done it! whatevs.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

going stash crazy

Yeah. I may have a bit of a problem.

I may be slightly addicted to cotton yarn.

But I can quit any time I want to.

Oh fergitaboutit, I give in. Hey, I need these buttloads of yarn! I've got market bags to make, and a Tardis bag for Dennis, and towels and washcloths, and, uh, geez I could probably crochet a bridge across the Olentangy River with all this cotton. I'm hoping this sees me through my unemployment phase, 'cuz I knit and crochet fast, yo.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

LSG bracelet swap

Behold my awesome friendship bracelets! I have embraced my inner 12 year old! Yes, the upper one says "TWAT". It's an LSG thang, yo. It's kinda subtle in case my swap partner wants to wear in in public or something...

The bottom one is a chevron style in electric blue, teal, plum and dark grey. I'm tempted to make one for myself in these colors.

Also, I enclosed a little sumpthin' sumpthin' in the envelope-- a cute kitty bookmark, in keeping with the theme of "things that will fit in a small padded mailer":

I hope my swap partner likes it-- I had very few clues to go on-- she's only got a few projects listed on Ravelry and no blog GASP!

These bracelets are fun. I've promised one to Miss Margo in her favorite colors of purple and pink. Think I'll leave off the dirty words tho ;P ;P

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Not much new to report

except I lost my job (no big deal, right?) I would rant on about it, but I'm pretty much over it. I'm getting 2 more paychecks and actively looking for something else. The best prospect is a part time cataloger, and I hope for my kids' sakes, I get it. I can work while they're at school. Crossing fingers, toes, and all dangling extremities that it works out!

I've finally gotten around to updating my stash also. One of these is a pretty purple sock yarn I got in my Purple Swap, the other is an LSG exclusive from an indie dyer on Rav:


Love 'em muchly. I am SO going to have to get a swift or ballwinder. Or, an office chair and my own hands might work (price is right.)

Also I'm finally knitting/crocheting after a month since my wrist surgery. I'm working on a Waving Lace sock, and starting a dishtowel in P&C Key Lime colorway. I've made a metric buttload of dishrags, I thought I might try something towel sized for a change. Now that I'm UNemplOYED I've got LOADS of time to craft.

Probably the ONLY good thing about being a slacker...Margo is very happy to have me home. She told me today that she doesn't want me to get another job. Mostly 'cuz she hates to be babysat by her aunt (and her boy cousins drive her crazy) but I have to say it's an ego boost to be so loved. I don't deserve such a wonderful daughter ::sniff, sniff::

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

my latest swap

I'm kind of a slacker; I'm in the purple swap on Ravelry and we were supposed to send the package by April 15th. I mailed this on April 14th... not late, but I wish I'd sent it earlier.

My sent package includes Rowan Kidsilk Haze, which I found on my partner's queue that she wanted to make a cowl from this yarn. Hopefully she has beads to make it...
Also, I made the stitch markers myself! They turned out cute if ah doosayso meself.

I got my package last wednesday (i think that's why I feel like a slacker, my partner sent hers nice & early)




GORGEOUS purple yarn, can't wait to make soxie woxies. just gotta wait for my arm to heal first! Tendonitis suxoxes!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Clowny socks is done

and I had plenty of yarn leftover to make Miss Margo a matching pair. Mine took 2 months, hers took 2 days.

They're cotton so I'm a little afraid they'll be a bit uncomfortable to wear all day, but they do fit like they're supposed to.

Also, lotsa progress on Yosemite:

I've finished the shaping, I'm at 13" and when I get to 15" is when I start the neck shaping. I feel like I'm racing against the clock. Well, I am, surgery is in 17 days. HURRY HURRY HURRY!!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I'm not just lounging around

I got this dishrag about half done during "Alvin and the Chipmunks", finished when I got home:

I. Love. It. Soooooo easy to do in the dark theatre! Looks great with varigated yarn! Mindless!! LOVE! Gonna try to see if I can get another one off of the same ball of Sugar'n'Cream. I could make it a bit smaller to accomplish this.

And my Yosemite is chugging along. I am somewhat worried that I will run out of yarn, but if my estimations are correct (and they usually are, i r awesum @ estimation) it will be ok.

It's @ 3.5", right at the end of yarnball #3. The piece is 27". mmmmm.... the upper chest won't take a ball an inch, and the shaped waist rows won't take as much, but there are the sleeves and collar to consider. Oh well, I'll just hope that KnitPicks still has my dyelot in 3 weeks (!?) when I get closer to the end.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Friday, March 14, 2008

done

Whew! Here it is in all its 5'X9' glory:


Some closeups of my favorite row sets. I call this one "Slytherin into Buckeye", for the green/grey/scarlett transistion:


And I love the white/purple/blue/copper/burgundy combo here:

This one was repeated 4 or 5 times in the afghan. I love this sequence so much, I'm going to make a vertical stripe scarf with this sequence. I'll do as much as I can with Vanna's Choice... the copper is from her line... but I'll have to get RH supersaver for the blue, Vanna doesn't have one like that. And it's on sale @ Michaels this week.

I've got to go to michaels to pick up some sz 7 circs anyway. I'm going to make Yosemite from Knitty, the yarn is on order, but I don't have the right size circs to start.

I'm debating though... I have the yarn to start a crocheted sweater, but I really want to start Yosemite... but! with my surgery scheduled for a month from now, I've really got to get any crochet I wanna do out of the way. Sooooo, start the crochet sweater? or wait to start the knit sweater??? I dunno.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Snow, snow, snowsnowsnowaaaaa!

The view from Margo's window, into the back yard, as of 9:30 this morning


Yipes. Just, yipes. We did manage to shovel a bit of a path down to the curb from the house, so we can probably get out if we have to get somewhere, but MAN ALIVE this much snow sucks. At least it's Saturday, and I can knit all day, yay. Not that I have ;) but I will tonight.

Also, I'm worn out from shoveling. There's a foot on the ground, and it's still coming. It was supposed to stop at 4:00 pm today, and it hasn't yet... WAH!

Sunday, March 02, 2008

What I've been up to

Cruising to a finish on the Vintage Vertical Stripe afghan:

I'm kinda in a hurry with this one, since I'm going in for surgery in 1.5 months and I want to get this done beforehand.

My Waving Lace Socks:

Slow going, but working a little every day.

Sock on the go:

I recently frogged this entirely, and redid it because it was turning out way too loose. Loose socks = uncomfortable.

Wow, not a lot of progress to report. I'm just picking away at stuff. Maybe I should just finish something, for the sake of having something done? Having lots of WIPs has never bothered me before... maybe I should stop lollygagging so much on Ravelry.

On second thought...FO's are overrated!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Sunday, February 17, 2008

yay swap items arrived


Yay my swap partner's box arrived yesterday! Chock full o'goodness. I've already "tried out" the chocolate covered fruit (yummo)!

I have some serious plans for the yarn I got... I'm thinking socks, for the black yarn, and I dunno what for the alpaca... I'll be searching very carefully for a worthy pattern, to properly utilize such an amazing yarn! Goes without saying, whatever I make with it will be for me (no gifting away that FO, LOL!!!)

Thanks CoggieTM... swapping is fun... it's like my birthday came early.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

hubby's big honkin mittens

He wanted some red mittens like mine. Is there anything more iconic than a red handknit mitten? I think not.

Yeah, they're a little big for me... he has meathooks, what can I say.

I will be adding a pocket to the back on one, like mine, using the same skull button. Woot!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

February Crabby Swap away!!!

If you're CoggieTM, don't look! your Crabby February Swap swag is posted here...

I'll post the pix like a spoiler

you know
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not on the first screen
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keep scrolling
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(listening to too much Abbott & Costello on iTunes)

Yarny goodness!

Merino sock yarn from Yarn Chef (although she doesn't have anything in her shop at the moment, her yarn is gorgeous)

And some goodies:

Chocolate, tea, and a Februarily-themed mug.

And some notions:

A little black bag with stitch holders, yarn cutter, Chibi needles, and stitch markers I made myself. They're blue pearls, in keeping with the Cancerian/June baby theme. Also I made a pair of earrings... I think they're on the lower left of the picture. They have a little crablike decoration on the main bead. And, some kitchen cotton in a cool patriotic colorway.

Sure hope she likes everything... it's on the way to Michigan this minute!

Monday, February 11, 2008

crap i should be in bed

Like it? I whipped it up at the Blue Jackets game tonight:

I like it, but I doubt I'll ever wear it. It's too small for warmth, and too fashionable for sad old me to pull off. Oh well, it kept me busy at Sticks n Stitches, which was awesome, BTW. Margo and I went, and both got goodie bags. I'm letting her keep some of the yarn, the needles, the tape measure, the pens, and the bag. I'm taking the merino. (period!)

Monday, February 04, 2008

how I spent my weekend

Makin' mittens for the Mitten of the Beast KAL on the Rav:

Made out of JoAnn brand Sensations "Splendor", on 8 and 9 dpns. I did a basic mitten with a pocket sewn on the back. One of these days, I'll finish the second... Oh, who am I kidding, I'll cast on the 2nd tonight cuz they're so easy. And sparkly!! I only wish I'da made the cuffs a little longer, I certainly had enough yarn for it.

Also I made another brain slug for Nick, in yellow, at his request:

I got the yarn at this weird little yarn store on Cleveland Ave., I'd never been in it before. It was run by a little old lady, and packed to the rafters with nothing but acrylic yarn. None of it had labels, it was totally weird. I bought the skein of yellow for .90 and got the flock outta there... I don't think I'll go back.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

enjoy it before it goes!

I love the yarn-- Lorna's Laces Shepherd Socks, Funky Stripe colorway-- but the pattern ain't cutting it.



So into the frog pond it goes. Oh well, this will make attempt three for this yarn. I will get it to work someday!

Friday, January 25, 2008

quick updates

and I'm experimenting with teh photoes from flickr, since it seems to be quicker than loading them onto this site directly from the computer. Plus I have to load everything to flickr because of Ravelry, so why take two steps, I guess?


My Wisdon Yarns Boston socks, complete. I. Love. Them. Soft and comfy, and warm. I'm terrified to wash them, even though they're supposed to be superwash. I should just buck up and do it, so if they're ruined I can get over the heartbreak quicker. Oh, and I must have the scrawniest legs and feet ever, because I cast on the stereotypical 64 sts and my feet are rattling around in them. Of course, they might not, after the washing!

ETA: they washed up great! I put them on gentle cycle, cold water, and air dried. I. Love. Them. MORE!!!!!!

Also finished, rather quickly:

a quickie hat out of the leftover Filatura di Crosa 501, that I used to make my Road Scarf. With the recent cold snap, I hurried to finish the scarf, which left me 2 balls of yarn. Of course, the hat only took one. So... I still have a ball... maybe I'll do charity socks with it. Whatevs!