Earth Hour + caffeine-induced insomnia = finished Candy Stripe Socks!
Not sure if it was worth being up until 4 a.m. tho.
Photo to come!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Fade to Black
Tonight is Earth Hour, where millions of people around the world (hopefully) will be switching off their lights and other electrical appliances from 8pm - 9pm, whatever their local time.
The kids should be in bed by then, so I'll be curling up with a soy candle and some knitting.
Also posted at Make A Bag.
The kids should be in bed by then, so I'll be curling up with a soy candle and some knitting.
Also posted at Make A Bag.
Friday, March 28, 2008
FOto Friday, March 28, 2008
Here's what my 6yo son's been working on over spring break:
Wii made from Lego. Inspired by a YouTube video.
The Walk-Through Paper Trick was not as impressive as I'd hoped. I need to find a better audience.
Maybe if I try it in 3D. Oh, wait.
We got two more inches of snow overnight. This weather can take a flying leap. I like snow... IN THE WINTER.
Pretty shadow.
Daffodils: We're here! It's spring, everybo... What the heck?
Baby J's Bib O'Love
Jumped off from MDK's Baby Bib O'Love - garter border with creamy stockinette center and reverse stockinette "J". Now I need to make one with an N - a much trickier letter to graph (maybe - think fearless!). Subversive Knitting has a great tutorial on single-crochet edging. It was quick and easy and I will do it again! It really helped tie the bib together since the straps were a different color than the main bib part. I might even give this to the intended recipient. Yarn: Sugar n'Cream in random colors.
Baby J is also supposed to get a quilt, which is actually cranking along pretty well and is at the sandwich stage.
Oh, and a Mystery FO! I finished my scarf for the MMRA&SE! I love how it turned out. I'll try to get a couple photos before I send it off to the frozen north.
A couple weeks ago I dropped a bomb here about my marriage, then switched to radio silence on the topic. Well, it's official, kinda. He's decided to move out. It's been a long time coming, actually. I was not completely shocked, and even the kids seem to be doing pretty well. Not sure where it will all end up, but I'm trying to get my papers and finances in order so I can be as prepared as I can be for whatever comes next. So that's that. This is not going to turn into "Tinky McSeparated" or anything, but thought you might appreciate the update.
Wii made from Lego. Inspired by a YouTube video.
The Walk-Through Paper Trick was not as impressive as I'd hoped. I need to find a better audience.
Maybe if I try it in 3D. Oh, wait.
We got two more inches of snow overnight. This weather can take a flying leap. I like snow... IN THE WINTER.
Pretty shadow.
Daffodils: We're here! It's spring, everybo... What the heck?
Baby J's Bib O'Love
Jumped off from MDK's Baby Bib O'Love - garter border with creamy stockinette center and reverse stockinette "J". Now I need to make one with an N - a much trickier letter to graph (maybe - think fearless!). Subversive Knitting has a great tutorial on single-crochet edging. It was quick and easy and I will do it again! It really helped tie the bib together since the straps were a different color than the main bib part. I might even give this to the intended recipient. Yarn: Sugar n'Cream in random colors.
Baby J is also supposed to get a quilt, which is actually cranking along pretty well and is at the sandwich stage.
Oh, and a Mystery FO! I finished my scarf for the MMRA&SE! I love how it turned out. I'll try to get a couple photos before I send it off to the frozen north.
A couple weeks ago I dropped a bomb here about my marriage, then switched to radio silence on the topic. Well, it's official, kinda. He's decided to move out. It's been a long time coming, actually. I was not completely shocked, and even the kids seem to be doing pretty well. Not sure where it will all end up, but I'm trying to get my papers and finances in order so I can be as prepared as I can be for whatever comes next. So that's that. This is not going to turn into "Tinky McSeparated" or anything, but thought you might appreciate the update.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
How to Freak Out Your Kids
Found this link for the classic Walk-Through Paper Trick while over at Mason-Dixon Knitting. Who says you can only learn knitting things from knitting blogs? Ann & Kay seem to love the web fun bits as much as I do; they are a great source for this sort of thing.
Anyway, I can't wait to show my kids this trick tomorrow so I can blow their little minds!
What do you mean, "Is that good parenting?" Of course it is!
Anyway, I can't wait to show my kids this trick tomorrow so I can blow their little minds!
What do you mean, "Is that good parenting?" Of course it is!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Knitty Alert!
Spring Knitty is up! (What? You read the articles first?)
And don't forget MagKnits. Check out that cute little dress! I need to find a toddler girl to knit for...
And don't forget MagKnits. Check out that cute little dress! I need to find a toddler girl to knit for...
Friday, March 21, 2008
FOol Friday
Ok, that's a tease because there are no Finished Objects to show this Friday. The horror!
The baby bib is done knitting but needs ends woven in, a button, and maybe a crochet edge to tie the mismatched top and bottom together (don't ask). Just gotta figure out how to do that crochet edge thing.
I have, however, been sewing like a FOol today. Working on baby J's quilt that I finally decided to start. The quilt top is done, just need the backing so I can sandwich it up and start quilting. Machine quilting.
FOr more FOolishness... The kids are outside playing in the snow. Yes, snow. We have at least 2 inches on the ground and more coming.
Happy Spring, everybody!!
The baby bib is done knitting but needs ends woven in, a button, and maybe a crochet edge to tie the mismatched top and bottom together (don't ask). Just gotta figure out how to do that crochet edge thing.
I have, however, been sewing like a FOol today. Working on baby J's quilt that I finally decided to start. The quilt top is done, just need the backing so I can sandwich it up and start quilting. Machine quilting.
FOr more FOolishness... The kids are outside playing in the snow. Yes, snow. We have at least 2 inches on the ground and more coming.
Happy Spring, everybody!!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
How's Your Geography? (And spelling?)
Here's a fun little quiz I picked up reading Stretch Mark Mama. The problem for me was that I could remember countries like Luxembourg and Leichtenstein, but heck if I could remember how to SPELL them. And you better be able to type fast too. Go for it, and shoot me a comment to let me know how you did.
60
And you might want to memorize this song before you go.
(YouTube video embedded. Link.)
It helped me, except I couldn't spell Kazakhstan! And the quiz didn't like "West Xylophone." Go figure.
"Algeria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Dominica..."
60
And you might want to memorize this song before you go.
(YouTube video embedded. Link.)
It helped me, except I couldn't spell Kazakhstan! And the quiz didn't like "West Xylophone." Go figure.
"Algeria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Dominica..."
Friday, March 14, 2008
FOto Friday!!! March 14, 2008
Long time, no see!
Yes, it's been a long time since I had a FOto Friday, and I'm sorry this one will be kinda lame. See, I'm cursed lately with a raging case of startitis. But since there has been absolutely no proof of knitting since January, I'll show you all the stuff I'm working on. Click for bigger, and fear not the ugly!
Here we have the World's Ugliest Dishcloth, lol. This was born of a burst of premature spring cleaning back in January, using all my odd cotton ball ends. A lot of this yarn came from Target knitting kits bought on clearance. What? You can tell?
The "Someone's Ready For Spring" dishcloth, also finished in January using Sugar 'n Cream Lime Stripes and Hot Purple. It's REALLY BRIGHT, but it will fade. Right now, the colors remind me of the violets we had in the backyard last spring - every shade of purple-into-white with those bright green leaves. Pretty.
A kinda FO - stalled since December or January. We'll call it January. This is the basic sweater for the Jimmy Neutron sweater. No, the yarn is NOT really that pink. It's more of a cranberry, but wouldn't photograph right, even with my hotcha new Olympus. (Which I never did download the software for, by the way. I just plugged it into the Mac to see if iPhoto or Preview would recognize it and they both did, woot!) Ok, so yeah, my own pattern, could use a tighter neck. Also needs the Jimmy Neutron insignia stitched onto the front, but other than that, it's finished. Yarn: Wool-Ease in Cranberry.
Here's a progress photo of the Lacy Diamante socks taken on January 18. I made this one bigger so you can see the stitch pattern and because Celena's sock yarn is so purty. Go buy some!
Same socks, taken today. Stalled (again) at the wrap-and-turn. (I think I can, I think I can!)
A flower from the Vogue Knitting 25th Anniversary Scarf by Nicky Epstein. This is for the oft-mentioned Miss Marple Read Along and Scarf Exchange. Shhh! It's secret knitting! In fact, this cherry-blossom pink flower is a bit of a red herring. hee! Yarn: Cotton Fine by Brown Sheep Company. This color is Tea Rose.
Candy-Stripe Socks for Miss M (aka Girl). Pattern: Basic Top-Down Sock Recipe from Knitting Rules. Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in Crush.
Start of Possibly the World's Ugliest Log Cabin Florescent Kool-Aid Dyed Extravaganza of a Fambly Binkit. Hee.
And... last but not least... the project I started last night instead of the quilt I've been planning for months... a bib for Baby J. He might get two. And maybe the finished MDK Baby Kimono. Pattern based on MDK's Baby Bib O'Love, but stockinette with garter border and a reverse stockinette J in the middle.
Yes, it's been a long time since I had a FOto Friday, and I'm sorry this one will be kinda lame. See, I'm cursed lately with a raging case of startitis. But since there has been absolutely no proof of knitting since January, I'll show you all the stuff I'm working on. Click for bigger, and fear not the ugly!
Here we have the World's Ugliest Dishcloth, lol. This was born of a burst of premature spring cleaning back in January, using all my odd cotton ball ends. A lot of this yarn came from Target knitting kits bought on clearance. What? You can tell?
The "Someone's Ready For Spring" dishcloth, also finished in January using Sugar 'n Cream Lime Stripes and Hot Purple. It's REALLY BRIGHT, but it will fade. Right now, the colors remind me of the violets we had in the backyard last spring - every shade of purple-into-white with those bright green leaves. Pretty.
A kinda FO - stalled since December or January. We'll call it January. This is the basic sweater for the Jimmy Neutron sweater. No, the yarn is NOT really that pink. It's more of a cranberry, but wouldn't photograph right, even with my hotcha new Olympus. (Which I never did download the software for, by the way. I just plugged it into the Mac to see if iPhoto or Preview would recognize it and they both did, woot!) Ok, so yeah, my own pattern, could use a tighter neck. Also needs the Jimmy Neutron insignia stitched onto the front, but other than that, it's finished. Yarn: Wool-Ease in Cranberry.
Here's a progress photo of the Lacy Diamante socks taken on January 18. I made this one bigger so you can see the stitch pattern and because Celena's sock yarn is so purty. Go buy some!
Same socks, taken today. Stalled (again) at the wrap-and-turn. (I think I can, I think I can!)
A flower from the Vogue Knitting 25th Anniversary Scarf by Nicky Epstein. This is for the oft-mentioned Miss Marple Read Along and Scarf Exchange. Shhh! It's secret knitting! In fact, this cherry-blossom pink flower is a bit of a red herring. hee! Yarn: Cotton Fine by Brown Sheep Company. This color is Tea Rose.
Candy-Stripe Socks for Miss M (aka Girl). Pattern: Basic Top-Down Sock Recipe from Knitting Rules. Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in Crush.
Start of Possibly the World's Ugliest Log Cabin Florescent Kool-Aid Dyed Extravaganza of a Fambly Binkit. Hee.
And... last but not least... the project I started last night instead of the quilt I've been planning for months... a bib for Baby J. He might get two. And maybe the finished MDK Baby Kimono. Pattern based on MDK's Baby Bib O'Love, but stockinette with garter border and a reverse stockinette J in the middle.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Memo-Random
To: US Congress
RE: Daylight Savings Time
Waaaaaaaaay too early this year, guys.
***
To: Bloglines, HTML for idiots department
RE: Template
How on earth do I make the posting section a little wider so the photos I try to post from Flickr aren't 1) tiny, or 2) cut off the side of the page?
***
To: Apple, iPod division
RE: my new 1G iPod Shuffle
Thank you for letting stores mark these down to $49.99. I love you.
RE: Daylight Savings Time
Waaaaaaaaay too early this year, guys.
***
To: Bloglines, HTML for idiots department
RE: Template
How on earth do I make the posting section a little wider so the photos I try to post from Flickr aren't 1) tiny, or 2) cut off the side of the page?
***
To: Apple, iPod division
RE: my new 1G iPod Shuffle
Thank you for letting stores mark these down to $49.99. I love you.
U Know U Luv teh LOLs
and becuz u do...
The Humane Society of the United States is running a LOLseals Photo Caption Contest to promote awareness of protecting seals. They provide a handful of photos of teh cuteness (baby harp seals - you know, the ones people like to club for coats), and you provide the caption.
Make your caption, save the finished product to your Flickr account, and then upload back at the contest site.
You might try for something funnier than this, tho:
The Humane Society of the United States is running a LOLseals Photo Caption Contest to promote awareness of protecting seals. They provide a handful of photos of teh cuteness (baby harp seals - you know, the ones people like to club for coats), and you provide the caption.
Make your caption, save the finished product to your Flickr account, and then upload back at the contest site.
You might try for something funnier than this, tho:
Friday, March 7, 2008
"Knit On, Through All Crises" - EZ
In my last real post, I mentioned some family stuff that I was going to blog about when I could do it justice. Well, doing it justice might never come, so I'm just posting it now.
While we were on vacation, my grandmother died. She was 97.
She was born and raised in Michigan, about an hour from where I live now, but had moved to Albuquerque, NM about 30 years ago after my granddad died.
Gramma took care of my mom and me when we were both too young to take care of ourselves, she introduced me to Snoopy and "angel wing" cookies, and everyone who knew her knew she was wonderful. (And my mom was right - she did make the best nut rolls! I had forgotten all about them.)
There was a small service in Albuquerque, then another up here last weekend as she was buried next to my granddad.
The hardest part was seeing her name on the funeral home sign. I never think the person in the casket looks like the person I knew, so to see her name on the sign made it all too real.
Grief is so individual. Some people grieve on the inside, some very publicly. Some don't seem to grieve at all, then fall apart months later.
I have a feeling that, as far as my grandmother goes, I'll be falling into that last category. Because as hard as it is to lose a grandparent, other things are happening that are hitting much close to home. Things I can't handle alone.
One big thing, actually.
My marriage might be over. After a long and difficult 17 years, my husband has finally done something that I am not willing to pretend didn't happen. He, however, is not willing to apologize, explain, or even discuss it. Not yet anyway. It's been a week and I am beginning to lose all hope for reconciliation.
I really hate to put this out so publicly. I know I am not exactly a Famous Blogger (quite the opposite), but as we all have seen in the PSAs, once you post something on the web, you can't unpost it.
Howevern, I need all the support I can get, even if it's from people I've never met in person. And I feel I owe an explanation for what is sure to be even shoddier blog coverage in the coming weeks/months.
The best remedy so far? Miles and miles of soothing, simple garter stitch.
"Knit on, through all crises." - Elizabeth Zimmerman
While we were on vacation, my grandmother died. She was 97.
She was born and raised in Michigan, about an hour from where I live now, but had moved to Albuquerque, NM about 30 years ago after my granddad died.
Gramma took care of my mom and me when we were both too young to take care of ourselves, she introduced me to Snoopy and "angel wing" cookies, and everyone who knew her knew she was wonderful. (And my mom was right - she did make the best nut rolls! I had forgotten all about them.)
There was a small service in Albuquerque, then another up here last weekend as she was buried next to my granddad.
The hardest part was seeing her name on the funeral home sign. I never think the person in the casket looks like the person I knew, so to see her name on the sign made it all too real.
Grief is so individual. Some people grieve on the inside, some very publicly. Some don't seem to grieve at all, then fall apart months later.
I have a feeling that, as far as my grandmother goes, I'll be falling into that last category. Because as hard as it is to lose a grandparent, other things are happening that are hitting much close to home. Things I can't handle alone.
One big thing, actually.
My marriage might be over. After a long and difficult 17 years, my husband has finally done something that I am not willing to pretend didn't happen. He, however, is not willing to apologize, explain, or even discuss it. Not yet anyway. It's been a week and I am beginning to lose all hope for reconciliation.
I really hate to put this out so publicly. I know I am not exactly a Famous Blogger (quite the opposite), but as we all have seen in the PSAs, once you post something on the web, you can't unpost it.
Howevern, I need all the support I can get, even if it's from people I've never met in person. And I feel I owe an explanation for what is sure to be even shoddier blog coverage in the coming weeks/months.
The best remedy so far? Miles and miles of soothing, simple garter stitch.
"Knit on, through all crises." - Elizabeth Zimmerman
Monday, March 3, 2008
Help Save Knitty Gritty!
Click here to sign the online petition.
Knitty Gritty helped inspire me to start knitting again. They use a little too much fun fur & eyelash for my current taste, but their coverage of knitting techniques is incredible.
Knitty Gritty helped inspire me to start knitting again. They use a little too much fun fur & eyelash for my current taste, but their coverage of knitting techniques is incredible.
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