peaceful protest

Our kitchen is small. It's actually more like a gloirfied hallway in typical Ranch-style home fashion. Jess is one that like to be in the middle of things...literally. This has lead to a new house rule:

No one is allowed to sit on the kitchen floor while the kitchen is in use.

This has made Jess most unhappy. In fact, this morning when I got out of the shower and headed to the kitchen to fix breakfast, this is what I found.

(Pay no mind to the dirty floor. In my defense, the flooring is old, so even when it is clean, it still looks dirty.)

Mail Call!

Recently, Jen tipped me off to this site, and I ordered a whale for Jess for Christmas. He came today, all giftwrapped and everything! She is not charging enough for these cute little guys. (If you want to know what Jessie's looks like, you'll find it under her sold items. His name is Moss. Go look, before I buy more to flesh out my christmas list.


Also, I popped on over to Rachel's ilovecutethings site and ordered some stationery and buttons. It's all so...well, cute!

time to be selfish

Dad's sweater is done. Well, it needs a serious blocking, but you get the idea. I'd like to apologize for the lack of color accuracy, it's been a dark and gray day.

This means my Christmas knitting to do list has been reduced to a felted hat and half a pair of felted clogs, and a pair of fingerless gloves. Totally doable. In fact so do able that I'm working on my leaf lace shawl for the Evelyn a Clark knit along,

and my perfect pie mohair shawl,

and I cast on an hourglass sweater for myself. Saying all that I sound kinda cocky don't I? I apologize.

So, no one's guessed what relation Santa is yet. Keep the guesses coming someone'll get a prize.

Thursday we have a stitch n bitch meeting that is going to have a sort of yarn swap. I already have a bag full of things that need a new home.

Carma and the new boy are coming to visit this weekend. There just may be a weekend post or two coming up.

Added later: Ok Who keeps finding this site by googling "sleeping with my best friend's mom"? Is this one person? Or is this MANY misguided folks?

Huh...

You Are 80% Boyish and 20% Girlish

You have a tough exterior - and usually a tough interior to match it. You're no nonsense, logical, and very assertive. Sometimes you can't understand women at all, even if you're a woman yourself. You see things rationally, and don't like to let your emotions get the best of you.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

Home again

Our Thanksgiving trip was smooth sailing, with the exception of a few bumps Nate and I encountered with each other. I tipped off my BIL about the blog when I signed the guest book on his site, and he was all "You've been blogging for over a year and you didn't tell us??" I then reminded him that it's primarily a knitting blog and didn't think he'd be interested. Nate has since reconsidered his view of the blog and now looks at it as a potential "hot sheet" of what's been bugging me. The running joke this trip was everytime Nate would do something that brought on "the look" from me, someone would chime in, "Uh oh...that's going on the blog..."

Our Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful as always, and then Friday we went to the Santa train at the Whitewater Valley Rail Road in Connersville, Indiana. The train goes to pick up Santa, then he works his way through the train visiting all the kids aboard. Jess LOVED it. When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she replied, "Christmas presents". That's my girl. (Psst...we're related to Santa...care to guess how? I might make it worth your while. Those who know are disqualified.)

I got nothin'

Dad's sweater sleeves have been joined to the body, and I Iam creeping up to the neck.(ie the finishline) Seamless sweaters are fun. I will photograph it once it's had a good blocking. Right now it doesn't look like much.

I'll be meeting up with Jen tonight, we'll just hanging out and helping her salvage a botched kitchener stitch job.

Carma will be arriving tonight to spend Turkey Day with her family. We'll be leaving for Ohio tomorrow as soon as Jess gets off the bus. This affords us a couple hours of visiting time. (Bring my Hp6 book back , dammit! ) :)

So far I've been doing laundry like a mad woman and have only picked out what projects will be coming with me.

I am quite the stylish Hausfrau though. I've been schlepping around the house in my blue pjs, green slippers, big ole red cardigan and my Hermione hat. There is a reason I will not be posting a picture of that ensemble. You all can thank me now for saving your retinas.

Potter-less weekend

To answer a few questions, no Nate does not read the blog. He thinks it’s silly. Or, if he does, he has never let on. Either way he’ll either be genuinely surprised by the socks, or he’ll pretend to be.

Friday night my Mom offered to take Jess for the night. I was thinking, "Ok it’s movie night." (Can y’all guess what I wanted to see?) Nate asks, “Well, what would you like to do? I’m game as long as it’s not the Harry Potter movie.” He then tried to rationalize by saying they were probably sold out any way. I'm sure he's right, but I wanted to see Walk the Line as well.

I was crushed. Instead we spent an evening in. I sullenly casted on my Hermione hat while Nate played video games. I used the leftover “bronze” color from my Ravenclaw scarf. It's blocking right now on my change jar. Man this thing grew in the water. It's a very fun knit, but I will not be making the matching mittens. I have plans for a different pair.

I’m about to join the second sleeve on Dad’s sweater, but right now it just looks like a pile of brown ribbing.
We are going to my in-laws in Ohio for Thanksgiving. We do every year. It’s great because I don’t have to cook, but I’m not looking forward to fighting the traffic.

Although this year all I can think is, "Imagine all I could get done with Nate and Jess out of the house" Not a very festive thought, I admit, but a true one.

...I love the smell of Napalm in the morning...

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

...the horror...

This is all to detract from the fact that instead of dutifully finishing some WIPs, I have been playing Diablo II for the past couple days.

Still on track.

Ok, some finished objects and works in progress. It's cold, windy and snowing here so I'll be staying in this afternoon and hope to get some of these things done.

First off, my latest Mary Janes. Noro Kureyon 146. I borrowed an idea from Stacey and sewed the strap to the other side in leiu of a button.

I bought some pvc pellets for the cat I need to make my niece, so I figured I needed to pull that out. Here I have half a head. (I'm "remote blogging" from the living room on Nate's new laptop today.)

This mass of unblocked brown ribbing is Dad's sweater, knit up to the armpits, one sleeve attached and the start of the second sleeve.


I have wound the yarn a bought for the restart of my perfect pie shawl. Outback mohair. This stuff is SO much softer than the yarn I had previously. I plan on using some sportwieght hemp for the edging.



My covert operation:

to knit Nate a pair of socks for Christmas without him knowing. Some Lorna's laces sport in Safari.

And I leave you with Jess' favorite project. My vegan fox. I plan on wearing it to my Stitch n bitch tongiht, so no full pictures yet.

Viva la Rasa, Eddie.

For those of you who may not know, I am a professional wrestling fan. Yes, I know, my redneck is showing. Wrestling is my Soap opera. Admittedly, the world of professional wrestling has SUCKED EGGS since the demise of WCW, but we still watch. (Seriously, Jess and Nate spent her second evening of life watching Smackdown in my hospital room.) Yesterday I was truly upset to hear that one of my favorite wrestlers died Sunday.



I have some NEARLY finished objects, but no pictures until tomorrow.

KAL question

I've gotten a couple questions through the Sweet Mary Janes KAL, concerning the heel, So, I thought I would attempt to walk you through how I do it.

My slipper. I have just knit my last row, and I am about to cast on more stitches for the heel.


I do not turn, instead I cast on the number of stitches that pattern requires.

Then I rearrange my stitches on three needles, (I prefer to use three needles. Feel free to use four.)by slipping them to the other double points, as of I were purling them.




Now, make sure your stitches are divided into equal numbers for top and bottom. You'll have to knit the first two stitches of the next double point to do this. This will mean the you'll have two stitches on each side of the top half the were part of the section you knit back and forth on previously.

Now you will knit one round, and continue on as directed, decreasing like one would for a sock toe.


I hope this is helpful.

I think I may need help...

It was inevitable. I knew this day was fast-approaching. I couldn't put it off any longer. I had to retire my RocketDog Mary Janes.

I loved these shoes. I wore them all the time. They had to go. They were falling apart...I made Nate throw them away for me. I couldn't do it.


I bought these to replace them. Sadly, they are not Mary Janes, but they are very comfy. Can you all tell I'm emamoured with this brand?

I'm coping well with my loss. I am finishing my Sweey Mary Janes for my Step mother.

Noro Kureyon, color...146, maybe?

I cast on a pair for myself, lionbrand wool.

I know I'm straying from my christmas knitting.


Someone really needs to stop me.

foxy

One cousin hat done.

I know what you're thinking. You are thinking, "Wait a sec, that looks JUST like the hat Erin made her nephew." That's because it IS exactly like my nephew's. Cousin J is a Rams fan. Originally, I was going to model it after the helmet, but I just didn't feel like putting forth the effort.

Then I cheated a bit with my leaf lace shawl for the EvelynAClark along.

I finished the chain strap for Sis' purse. I kinda like it. I used the leftovers I had from the purse. With the darker color and a short 10.5 circ, I cast on 50 sts and knit 8 rows then Bound off. The lighter color I used a VERY short circ. cast on 35 sts knit 8 rows and bound off.

Also, here is one of the felted clogs that will go to my stepdad for Christmas. It wasn't on my list, I thought I had already did my time in felted clog purgatory, but it seems thatsince my stepdad (finally) quit chain smoking, the swelling in his feet has drastically reduced, and last year's clogs no longer fit.

Oh, I have a baptism to attend Sunday, so I had to knit up my standard bonnet gift.

I would also like to apologize to anyone who tried to follow my notes on this bonnet that I had previously posted. One should always test knit. I'm sorry. At some point I will write out the pattern CORRECTLY and test knit and post. Some point after New Year's.

I also bought myself a VERY early birthday gift.

I have been wanting to make the Vegan Fox for quite some time now. I thought I might as well pop on over to FuzzyGalore and pick up the kit, onlyto find they are no longer selling them. Instead, I went to Royal yarns and picked up the yarn. I cannot wait. I have a green hat with a little veil that will commpliment the fox quite nicely.

It's Not Easy Bein' Green

It's not that easy bein' green
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves



wicked graph Soon to be "wicked" socks. Thank you to Mrs. G. I just need to locate the yarn.


When I think it could be nicer being red,
Or yellow or gold-
Or something much more colorful like that.

It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.

And people tend to pass you over
'Cause you're not standing out
Like flashy sparklers in the water or stars in the sky.

But green's the color of Spring.

purse- $4.24 Target clearance

And green can be cool and friendly-like.

gloves- 9 bucks at Kohls

And green can be big like an ocean,

galway, for an hourglass sweater for me.

Or important like a mountain,

Or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why,
But why wonder, why wonder?
I am green and it'll do fine,
It's beautiful!

This one's SOLEY to appease Jen
And I think it's what I want to be.


This is all to distract you from the fact that I have not finished the strap for Sis' purse, nor made any headway on anything knitterly. Must go remedy that, and pick out wool the Sweet Mary Janes KAL.

Happy Birthday, Austin.

Don't be hating.

Boy...nothing like pissing off the blog world with a picture of Christmas accomplishments. If y'all realized the size of my Christmas list, you'd realize why I strive to finish all Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. There is a reason I start knitting gifts in JUNE.
Every year I make the suggestion that the adults drw names for Christmas gifts and we can then all buy for the kids. Every year I am shot down.


Piddleloop's Sweets Mary Jane KAL.

It starts on Thursday, for those interested.

Moving onto to other knit news

Nephew's hat is done. Well, I have some end to attend to. It matches his new coat, and is guaranteed to cover his ears, until the next growth spurt.

Sis' purse. I am trying to steal an idea from Teva Durham, and make a felted link strap. We'll see how it turns out.

Oh I cannot wait until I finish my Christmas stuff. I have plans for so many things for myself. An hourglass sweater...a hermione hat...a silk corset...and socks. We mustn't forget those.

Of all the knitted items that have come off of my needles I have kept one pair of socks, a shell, a hat, a shawl, and my ravenclaw scarf. I'm due.

progress

Christmas Knitting Update:

Ok, I have my bus drivers wrist warmers done. All four pair. I am showing you the one I have all the ends woven in. Just imagine Three and half more pairs that look EXACTLY like this.



Sis' felted purse is done, except for the strap. Why you ask? The strap requires that I knit a double i-cord over FIVE FEET LONG. I really don't want to do that. So, I think I'm going to grommet and find some funky shoulder strap to adorn it. It is now taking a happy trip through the washer



I also started the sleeves for my Dad's sweater.

In other Knitting News...


Jen of Piddleloop.com has started a Sweet Mary Jane KAL! How cool is that? While you're there, go check out her new shop, which should be up soon. She and her sister make the cutest little pouches. I love them, and they hold up fantastically. I have a couple and I abuse the heck out of them and they still look great.

Our weekend wasn't a whole lot of fun. we all spent most of the weekend sleeping, and if not sleeping running through kleenex and praying for a head transplant. Although we all seem better now., except for the fact that I have lost my voice completely and Jess has taken complete advantage.

Now a picture purely to evoke nausea for Carma. A little under half of my Christmas list (shopping and otherwise) DONE. (Plus the three November/December birthdays we have.)

Already a little nervous

ok, as November marches on, I'm going to need your help to stay on task. I have all of my Christmas knitting on the needles and in various stages of progress. The house is a mess. Projects strewn everywhere. Latelly, I've been pushing all WIP aside and trying to cast on a sweater, a sock , etc. (i.e. non christmas gifts) If I keep this up, I will NEVER finish these projects. Help me. Nag me. Demand posts. Pictures. whatever it takes.

This is what I have to finish:

FIL a train coss stitch barely started
Dad a sweater about a third in
Jess a sweater barely started
SIL Retro rib socks one down one to go
Sis felted purse UPDATED: Done. washed, needs strap
Niece crochet cat barely started
Nephew hat half done
Cousin hat barely started
cousin hat barely started
cousin hat barely started
Neighbor felted potholders sew an edge
Neighbor felted potholders sew an edge
Bus drivers wristwarmers4 pair)UPDATED: DONE

Then our anniversary is January 22nd, and I'd hoped to make Nate some Almost Argyle socks.

Help me keep on task. Thanks.

Mail call

Well, our trick or treat was rain-soaked, but Jess still had a blast. I think part of that was the fact that she saw all three sets of grandparents in the matter of two days. Much spoiling was involved. As for my costume, I went as, "Erin: Tired and in a Halloween-themed t-shirt", and Nate went as, "Nate: On his day off". Very inspired costumes, I assure you.

Onto some knitting and wonderful things that come in the mail


The begininning of my leaf lace shawl for the EvelynAClark knit a long. I'm using Southwest Trading Comany Oasis soysilk, mainly because I have a lot of it. I'm using 8 needles. The pattern calls for 10's to be used with dk weight, but that was just way too loose.

I have one retro rib, needing a grafted toe. Sorry no picture. I think I left it at my MIL's house, because it is missing. I'm using Knitpicks Essentials in Ash, on size 2's. I was very tempted to start the toe early and keep it for myself, but they will be for my SIL.


That's really the only progress worth showing. I have some others but I cannot show them yet. I am also working out a thank you gift for my friend's mom. She is a little Wicked obsessed, so I want to make her some socks. I have the wicked chart worked out, and I'm in the process of tracking down some yarn for them.

Onto lovely things that come in the mail.

Nate received Carma's gift in the mail, and is quite happy with it. Carma, I'm to relay a big "Thank you", and an IOU for a hug.


And my Scarf Me Pal sent my scarf! This picture doesn't do it justice. It's a very pretty blue wool, done it what looks like moss stitch with some purled ridges. Very cool and the perfect length. Thanks, Genevieve.

I had meant to send my scarf out last Wednesday, before we left, but with everything going on, I didn't. I sent it out yesterday and my pal should have it by Thursday; Friday at the latest.