As promised.

Well, I have (finally) posted the bangle bag pattern. If you are interested there is a free pattern link in the sidebar.

I have finished my little red top, and I am disappointed. I went by the bust measurement and I think I could smuggle a small child under this thing. I'm off to sheeps to buy more yarn for another DIFFERENT top. I'm thinking I might go with more of a camisole. If so though, I think I will have to buy some sort of cardigan or wrap or something. (I need to start knitting more for myself.)

I'm more than halfway done with Nate's guitar strap. Not counting the suede tabs, that is. Boy is he nervous. But then if you were not all that familar with the wonders of felting and you wife informed you she was getting close to finishing your guitar strap, and all you saw was this:

you might be nervous.

I still have one more bonnet to make, I cannot decide if I should make it the same or a little different than the first.

Yes, Lynne, I will write out the pattern.


I did get my grommeted sophie bag finished. Although I will not be keeping it for myself. It will go to my mother-in-law for her birthday.

Carma received her socks this weekend. I think I may have successfully converted her to sock knitting, but I'll let her tell you about that.

One bonnet down. One to go.

Yarn-- Frog Tree 85% prima cotton 15% silk sport weight
Pattern-- made up as I went along, with the exception of the lace around face. from Nicky Epstein's book Knitting on the edge. I think it was called the fishtail stitch (?) It's basically a really big sock heel.

You know, someone should really get on that....

I'm feeling better, but I'm not quite better yet. Everything has settled in my chest. Which, I'm thinking, is even more unpleasant. I sound terrible, but it has not evoked much sympathy from the hubby.

On the knitting front:
No, I have not forgotten about the promised bag pattern. I just need to find my notes first. Also I'm trying to remember where I got the handles, because they seem to be an odd size.

I have started a sock, but it is not the spiral pair. It's a pair I have promised to my mother.

I'm making baby bonnets for a double baptism we will be attending on the 5th.

I'm finishing up my little red top.

In other news:
My father-in-law is coming Friday. My Mother-in-law on Sunday. Sunday I will hosting over a dozen people for an early Memorial day cookout.
I have not cleaned...
I have not grocery-shopped...
I have not done laundry...

...in over a week. If I were not still hacking up gross and nasty things, I would be panicking and frantically cleaning. Too bad I'm have also not had any help. Eh, I'm too sick to even be bitter.

Wish me luck. I'll need it.

socks on the brain

Well, as I am sure the recipient of the koigu socks has figured out, carma will get the koigu socks when she visits this weekend. I have been telling her for quite some time now, that if she wanted hand knit socks she would just have to knit them herself.

I decided to borrow a tactic fron the Too Much Wool's plan for converting sock knitting hold-outs. Gift one pair, she will fall into sock knitting line. :)

I must have socks on the brains.

A while back Tricky posted about Dan's ill-fated spiral sock attempt. I got to thinking, except for Dan's not having quite enought yarn to finish it, that this could certainly be done. I know what you are thinking, "Who wants to knit tube socks? Isn't the idea So, here is my to knit custom fit footwear?"Simply borrow a page from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears, and put in afterthought heels.

For those of you who are not familiar with this book, (Find it. Read it. It's got all sorts of great little tips and tricks to it.) you essentially knit a tube sock, then decide where to place the heel, snip one stitch and unravel until you have adequate "live stitches", then knit them as if you were knitting the toe of your sock.

Now to start on mine.

After I stop coughing so hard I vomit.

knit, knit, *hack*...Now with pictures!

Turns out that Jess has a sinus infection, I have also beensimilarly affected, so our weekend consisted of sleeping, hacking up things too gross to mention, and being downright miserable.

But I do have a finished pair of koigu socks.

Now I must confess, that although I have been describing them as mine, they are not in fact for me. (Although part of me REALLY wants to keep them.) Who are they for? I'm not telling yet.

I did get a good part of my top for the wedding done. It's the "little back top" from the stitch n bitch book. with a few modifications for a better fit. (shortened length, more short rows) I'm hoping to have it done within the next couple days so I can move on with some WIPs and be done with them.

On a sad note, Jess stepped on my newly aquired bakelite needles.

but, it's a clean break toward the top, so I'll be busting out the superglue shortly.

Excuses

I do not have much to show you. I have not yet finished my koigu sock. Two reasons:
1. I was looking at the calendar, and realized my cousin (well, cousin's oldest son, I can never remember what that makes us, but we refer to each other as cousin anyway.)is getting married in less than a month. I took a gander at my "dress up" clothes and, well, it's black, black, and more black. Hardly appropriate for a June wedding. June 11th, actually which just happens to be KIP day. Will I have a project with me? You bet.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. The only non black dressy type thing I own in a striped linen skirt, I have never worn it, because I have nothing to go with it. So, a quick trip to the yarn shop yielded a bunch of Jo Sharp dk cotton in the exact color of the red stripe that if heavily featured in the skirt. Sorry for the lack of photos.

2. Jess is sick,again. I'm telling you I'm seriously considering sending her to school in a biohazard suit. then maybe we could have a week of perfect health around here.

So we're off to see the doctor today. I should have pictures of finished sock and progress of my knitted top for the wedding shortly.

As for all of you who have already seen ROTS, I'm jealous. Nate and I were hoping to see it this weekend. You know get a sitter, have a night out just the two of us, to celebrate our anniversary. (you know, the one we had in JANUARY? The one that everytime we make plans to celebrate, the cosmos twart us?)


Other misc. knitting items.

Stalker Angie (I cannot tell you have psyched I am about being stalked by Angie.) suggested I make a cardigan out of the oasis I bought. I agree wholeheartedly, now I just have to decide how I want it to look. She also suggested aybe a shrug for honeymoon, but I have some frog tree cotton earmarked for the project.


I have written out the purse pattern. I just want to go over it again to make sure it's correct, then I will post it on my free pattern page (see sidebar)

Generic Post Title

This is what I did with my free time on Tuesday. What do y'all think?. I took it to my Stitch 'n Bitch last night, and I had a request for the pattern, so I should have that up on the pattern page tomorrow, or so.

There hasn't been much else is happening in the house of Vaughan. Today I'm going to lunch with Tara and the new girl to the stitch n bitch. Her first meeting was last night. She was very sweet and funny. (And she has a thing for Ron Weasley as well. Hey! Don't judge us.)

I'm working on my second Koigu sock. I finished the first last night. Have I mentioned that having dinky little feet is an advantage in sock knitting?



I should have the other finished by tonight.

I went on a yarn expedition Tuesday and bought all the remaining skeins of Oasis, (this yarn ) Sheep's had. (It was on sale.) I now have 6 skeins of it at 245 yds a skein. It knits up to 5 sts and inch with #6 needles. I have no idea what I'll do with it. Any ideas?

NO one better suggest a clapotis.

I also bought some more koigu, but no details on that project yet.

I've been duped.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure to hear the backstory and laugh at me, I'll explain.

Over the course of the last two or three months, Jess has been coming home from school and speaking of a hamster named, Miss Gengis. It has been an almost daily conversation we have had. (Note: Jess has a problem "communicating pragmatically" So actual conversations we share are terribly exciting for me.)

For over two months, I have heard stories about Miss Gengis the Hamster and what she did today and, how funny she is.

As I mentioned in a previous post, We had Jess' case conference last week to discuss the course of actions and services needed for next year. I was chatting with her teacher and mentioned Miss Gengis. I recieved a puzzled look. There is no Miss Gengis. There is no hamster there is no classmate with a hamster, there are no stories about a hamster. It was all a ruse. I was completely duped by a three-and-a-half-year-old.

Fortunately for Jess, this sort of grand scheme trickery is smiled upon, and laughed about. So Saturday, we took a trip to the pet store.

Meet the fuzzball.

Can you guess the name?




Nope, it's Animal.

In other news, I have some knitting progress to share.
Koigu socks


lace shawl


And the winner of the poll is the new photo (or phtot. Yes I am aware it's misspelled but at 2 am when all you want is the damn thing to work, you don't care about typos.)

The new photo will grace the sidebar at some point in the near future.

Everyone, keep your fingers crossed for Jen.

READER POLL

Ok, folks, I need your vote.

Carma would like to change the photo in the sidebar. (Which you might notice is no longer in the sidebar. I need to replace it.)

It's up to you, Readers.

Old photo:


New photo:


You decide.

Leftovers

A while back, (quite a while back) I discovered entrelac. I LOVE ENTRLAC. I realize I may be in a minority here.Now I'm not taking entrelac sweaters, I mean who needs to ADD wonky, unflattering bulkiness to a garment.

Anyway, my first experience, was an entrelac square put of Noro Silk garden. (Which lead to Sesame Street which had a terrible accident in my knitting bag. *sniff* I will resurrect it one day)
Beautiful. But what to do with it?

More recently in reorganizing my yarn containment system, or lack there of, I found a bunch of little wool "ball-ettes" So I picked up the stitches around my entrelac square, and decided to make it into a bag by knitting a square for the back, from the outer edge in.
I washed it a while ago, and forgot about it. (Are you bored yet? Ok, onto the pictures.)

front


back


Lovingly diplayed atop the pizza box That contained my lunch of leftover pizza. How's that for an "artsy" photo?

Anyway, I still need to make a strap of some sort. A strap you say? Something about a guitar strap? Yeah, I frogged it. (again) The yarn I chose is just not working with the cables. --What?..Did someone say entrelac??

Lace weight and distraction

My latest attempt at lace knitting. It's actually very enjoyable. It's Knitpicks alpaca cloud lace weight. It may not look like much now, but it feels wonderful. The only thing is, I can rarely make it through a row without some sort of distraction. Therefore, my row counter and stitch markers (lots of stitch markers) have become my new best friends. Sorry, Carma.

I missed my knitting "get together" last night. *aw snarkies* But I'll meet up with Tara and possibly Jill for a knitting lunch *yay!*

heaven in a candy shell

Wow. I was not expecting Harlot to link to us. Our hits increased by 700%. (No pressure.)

I have not gotten much knitting(or anything else for that matter) done lately. But I did finish one project.

It's based on the Sophie bag, with some short-row scallops around the top. Yarn: Joann's licorice. I have washed it, but I have yet to attach my handles.

This ones's mine.

I have two other purses that I have knitted and felted once upon a time, but I still have to "handle"

The long-talked about yet never photographed guitar strap, is on the needles, but not very big. It is my next project that I need to finish (Father's day is coming.)

Sometime this week I have to find my Morrissey yarn, so I can start him for the rockstar-along. But that day won't be today.

Yesterday was Jessie's case conference, where we discussed arrangements for her next school year. Things went very well. I'm so very happy that she has teachers who are so involved and concerned.

Wondering about the Title yet?

I was unaware that M & M's now came in Dark chocolate. Thursday Night I caught an ad on television for them. I found them today.

(Let's not comment on the fact I bought the 14 ounce bag, um-kay?)

More pictures

Due to the amount of Kalamazoo pictures, I left out a few non Halot related.

Like our lunch at Sit 'n Knit


Jen, who was subjected to a day with Carma and I, being our dorky selves.


Lesa (by the way is always a laugh riot)

Carma was having loads of fun perusing the shop. She's going to kill me for this one, Aw hell, she's back in Iowa.



And, as if Friday wasn't happy enough, Saturday's mail arrived with these



from my bead it pal, Amy. (yes, Amyville Amy. You have no idea how exciting that was for me)

Look, they even have little fortunes.

For all of you who would like a yet another picture of Carma's cardigan.



Oh I finally have a picture of Natey in his Lopi Vest as well.



Ok, Carma should be cursing my name and searching for her voodoo erin doll now that I have posted the pictures. (FYI always be th photographer, then you do not become subject matter) :)

We're not Worthy!

Wow.
Friday, Carma and I picked up Jen, and drove up to Sit 'n Knit, where we met Lesa for lunch. It's a great place owned by WONDERFUL people. If ever you're in New Buffalo...)

A few hours and yarn purchases later, we headed up to Kalamzoo.

Now, we missed Lynne and the gang for dinner, but we did get to Athena's a little early. We tried to keep an eye out for Lynne. (Imagine, Carma and I huddled together looking around and whispering to each other, "Wait--do you think that's her? "
"I don't know."
"Go ask."
"You go ask."
"Oh come on.")

At this point, Jen was talking to Janella:

and trying really hard to pretend she didn't know us. I think. At least, I would have if I were her.

We of course spy RAMS right away. She modelled her beautiful, and very warm sweater for us.

Then, The Harlot. Behold.


So after Stephanie made us all laugh, (My favorite, the magic trick. I turned this...into this...) We headed to the book signing line.

Guess who we found there.


We chatted for a while. It turns out that Lynne's son will be attending the University of Chicago in the fall. This means she'll drive through my town. I mean to kidnap her for at least part of the day. *Mwuhahahahaha*

We met so many wonderful people, but I'm ashamed to say, I do not remember all the names. So I apologize if anyone feels slighted.

I loved that Lynne pulled Carma and I aside seperately to get the low down on which one of us was actually the dork. And once introduced to Rams, her question for us was, "Wait, which one of you is wearing the mustache?"

But behold a picture or two of us. No Mustaches.



Carma in her "Go with everything" sweater that I was fixing the night before (another post for another day) My Honeymoon Cami's big night out.


We met Susie, and her daughter as well, although I do not have a picture. She had a Beautiful shawl.

Then (dun dun dun) It was our turn to see the Harlot.
I felt her silk chai. I'm in love.

When she realized that Carma was the one who travelled all the way from Iowa she was quite impressed, then asked where Iowa was. Someone busted out a map. So we had a brief US geography lesson.




Then has a discussion about the true meaning of "The South".


We also talked about being short, which ended with this photo of us all in no shoes.


Carma is the tall one at 5'2". (maybe 5'3"? I don't remember) She's quite tickled about being "The tall one".

AN ASIDE: Carma, had started writing a post here, but we never did get around to finishing it. At least I'm pretty sure she did. But when I logged in to finish it it was gone. (stupid blogspot)Carma, please feel free to jump in and add your thoughts to the post. I'm sure I've left things out.

If you have a chance. Go meet Stephanie. Seriously

Disgruntled postal patron

It's just going to be a knitterly week. Last night was one our our Stitch n Bitch meetings. It turned out to be just Jen and I. It was fun. She was wearing her newly finished Stria cardigan. (I suggest you pop over and take a gander.)

Honey moon is finished.


pattern: from Knitty
yarn: SW Trading CO Oasis in candy.

Today I met Tara for lunch, and we caught up a bit. She works right around the corner from the local coffee house, so we've decided to meet there for lunch whenever we feel the need to.

Anyway, on my home, after stopping off to pick up some cotton-ease for a top I want to make, I went to the post office. I needed to send off the Bead It package to my "buddy".

I'm standing in line, and I can already see trouble. Two people in front of me, is an obnoxious bleach blonde who is carrying a large box and boring us all with details of her upcoming wedding. Like how much it's costing (You don't want to know), how many invited guests (nearly 200), blah blah blah. At this point I'm reciting in my head the states in alphabetical order, and their respective capitals.
The line is inching along because, although there are three clerks, only one is manning a window. The bleach blonde finally approaches the counter, and I realize it. The box she is holding is not a package. She opens it to reveal the invitations for her "nearly two hundred" guests. *aw snarkies!*

It seems that each envelope is a bit heavy, and Miss Bleach Blonde feels that several stamps on her beautiful hand-lettered invites would look "tacky". She requests that the clerk, THE ONLY WORKING CLERK MIND YOU, print out INDIVIDUAL postage stickers for every invitation.
At this point, I'm trying to console myself with the idea that there is a special level of Hell awaiting this woman. I just want to mail a stinkin' package for Cripe's sake. If the vending machine hadn't been out of order, I would have just bought a mess of stamps to stick on the thing and be done.
Finally, after the working clerk reaches his 37th envelope (Yes, I counted them. What else was I to do?) One of the two other clerks chatting FIVE FEET from the counter decides to take a moment from her engrossing conversation about where she should get her nails done, to wait on the patrons who have now formed a line to the friggin' door.

Sorry, I had to unvent on someone.

Bummer.

This weekend I finished my tank, and tried it on. One word came to mind. FRUMPY. So I ripped it back out and went with the honeymoon pattern. I like it, except I'm at a point where I'm stuck. the pattern calls to work the side to three stitches and then do I-cord for the straps. This will not work for me. A bra will be a requirement for me and dinky little three stitch I-cord is not going to work.

So, I've stopped my decreases at 6 stitches. But now I cannot decided how I want to make the straps.

This has been the only knitting I've done this weekend. We put in our new water softner on Saturday. Everything was going smoothly until, in tightening everything up, we broke a vital connector, in which we are having trouble finding a replacement. Of course then Sunday Nate came down with what seems to be the ailment that Jess had last week. So we've shut off the water. We use it sparingly, and when we turn it on we have to set a pitcher under the leak.

My new car search has been frustrating. I've come to find that no one seems to sell manuals anymore. Oh, they'll order it for me, but I see the dollar signs shine in their eyes when they offer.

Oh well, enough of my complaining.