Yarn Coffee

Year's End

2007-12-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I have not posted in almost a month. This year has really flown by and I think it's pretty clear that since the startup of Ravelry I've been blog MIA.

Well, I have some big blog news!

On the last day of this year, 2007, I'm posting my final post to this blog name. It's been a good blog name but not one I ever really connected with or felt truly expressed who I was or my love of knitting.

Upon a recent survey with family and friends I've decided to rename my blog The Knitting Type. You can follow the link to view it, but please keep in mind that I just set it up so all my links and photos are not current and will be updated over the next month.

Now that the big announcement is out of the way I can finally post some of the things I've been knitting for the holidays!

I made three Mug Cozies for my coworkers: I filled them with hot coccoa, chocolate, and candycanes! You can ignore the zyrtec hershey kisses in the mug above, my coworker gave them out as a joke. Sorry the photo is so dark but I forgot to take photos of them at home and had to use my cell phone camera at the office.

I then made a knitted swatch bangle for another coworker: all her jewelry was stolen recently when her house was robbed so I figured she deserved some new jewelry!

Lastly, I made for my friend Kristin an Irish Hiking Scarf. She and my friend Gabe have been bugging me to make them something hand knit for 2 years now. And since I am not the speediest of knitters Kristin received her handmade knit first...Gabe will get her's next year.

This year I also made 2 Ballband washcloths for my friend Bridget but again, in all the rush to get christmas knits completed and wrapped I forgot to take photos.

I'm currently working on the Cardigan for Arwen but have huge plans for the next sweater I'm going to start! You'll be able to read about it on the new blog soon!

Christmas flew by this year. I decorated the apt., made the gifts, baked the cookies, went to the parties, and the next thing I knew it was Christmas morning! Mom, Dylan, Denny and I all had a great Christmas opening presents, laughing, and sharing in the holiday spirit. However, I don't think any of us had more fun than the family dog, Sally. She decided that this year her new gift from Santa was his hat. She proceeded to pull it out of our decoration box and wouldn't let it go for over 24 hours. By the end of all the celebrating the hat was torn apart and Sally was joyfully exhausted.

Hope you all had a joyfully exhausting holiday season as well!

See you over at my blog!

Mama Said...

2007-12-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

You Should Get a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts)

You're a blooming artistic talent, even if you aren't quite convinced.

You'd make an incredible artist, photographer, or film maker.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree I guess.

Knitting for Christmas?

2007-11-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Some knitters out in the blogosphere and ravelry world are spending their time prepping for all the wonderful handmade knits they intend to give their friends and family.

Unfortunately, us over here at Yarncoffee can't consume enough caffeine to stay awake and get all our "promised knits" done much less our "holiday knits". I have about 5 or 6 knits on my holiday knit list and have not completed one, not one!

So, what have I been working on?

Well there was the scarf for my brother:

Keep in mind that I started this scarf last January, after I gave him this (see link) hat for Xmas! I thought it would be nice if he had a scarf to match. But doing 6ft of a ribbed stockinette stitch can entertain for only so long so I put it down for oh, 10 months! It was well received at his family birthday celebration and I think he'll get some use out of it this winter.

Then I had the promised hat to my friend, Bridget:

I promised this hat to her last year when we were up in NY. We went to the EMS store and she found a white cable knitted hat that she loved. I told her not to spend the $40 on it then because I could make her one. Ever since then, for about 7 months now, every week or so she brings up the hat and asks where it is. So, without a doubt I had to get that finished before I could start another project! So, here it is: (so is my Christmas tree, all decorated and pretty!)

I used the Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat pattern and made a few modifications. I shortened the wide cable and lengthened the skinnier cable. I also added a roll-up ribbed brim. Here's the top of it:

It turned out pretty well and I completed it in about 3 or 4 days.

But this is not a present, not really. She'll receive it next week! I still have 1 scarf, 1 market bag, 1 or 2 more hats, and one knitted bangle bracelette to knit up, and I would like to make a couple animal toys.

How, how am I suppose to get this all done when already the Christmas time invites are rolling in? "Family Holiday Gift Exchange" (1st weekend in Dec), "Come to our Ho Ho Holiday Party!" (2nd Weekend), "Wanna go to NYC and see all the decorations?" (3rd weekend inDec), and then it's Christmas!!!!!

How do you knitters out there in the blog world get it all done in time? Do you have any advice? Any secret tips to knitting while you sleep? I'm calling out to the masses for advice on getting through your December Holiday Knits!

Here's one last photo of the promised hat:
I think it looks much better on him than me!

Happy Knitting!

Birthday Scarves and Balconies

2007-11-01T12:14:00.001-06:00

The other day I noticed that buses and cop cars have their public transportation numbers painted on their roofs. I noticed this as I was standing on the third floor balcony of my new studio apartment in downtown Baltimore. So I asked my friend why they would print the vehicle numbers on the roofs when the pedestrians clearly aren't tall enough to read them. He supposed it was probably for traffic helicopters. I thought about this for a little while and decided that he was wrong. I informed him that I believed it was done purely for the visual pleasure of people with balconies in the city.

That's my balcony at the top center of the photo.

I'm in love with my balcony. It's very small but beautiful. The paint is chipping on the railings, that I'm pretty certain are not up to regulation for it's height (they stand about 2.5 feet tall and you could easily flip over one and *splat* on the street) but I love it's dirty, peeling, faded lemon yellow color. I love that its flooring was recently relayed even though I've found 2 rusty nails and two boards that had 4 sharp nails each poking out of it, hello tetnis. Mostly I love the view...

I can see almost all they way downtown if I look one way and all they way uptown if I look the other. I can also see the roof of the Belvedere Hotel which is one of the oldest Hotels in Baltimore, notorious for its celebrity citings, Owl Bar (a speakeasy during prohibition), and the 13th Floor (a club upstairs that claims to have to have the best view in all of Baltimore)!

I'm also loving the interior architecture of this old studio. The wall trim and window trims, the closed up fireplace and kitchen alcove. Coming from a four room apt to a two room studio (that's including the bathroom) I have learned how to maximize my small space with clever fabric draping and working with vertical space.

See that beautiful fireplace...see the candle abra on top of the red box? Oh wait that's not a red box! That is my clever disguise for my Tupperware container full of yarn! I draped red fabric over the ugly military green box and now it blends beautifully with the floor!

With all the moving (again) I've hardly had time to knit but I have managed to finish my birthday scarf, aka: Shifting Sands! I'm not thrilled with this photo but it will have to do for now.

Happy Knitting!

I would have been fourth?

2007-10-11T11:23:00.000-06:00

Which wife of Henry VIII would you have been?

So true!

Except for maybe the shoe thing. I like my feet and like to dress them up!

A Mother Always Knows

2007-10-01T11:19:00.000-06:00

Some how she knew I was going to work in the Fashion Industry!

Even at such a young age my mother could see that I had the makings of a very fashionable girl. I mean who doesn't wear that hairstyle?

Thank you for the memorable gift Mamasita

Not Divorced, Sometimes Drunk, Now Covered in Cat Hair

2007-10-01T11:04:00.000-06:00

It's here, it's here and I've already read the first couple chapters even though I am in the middle of two other books!

I can't believe other knitters aren't posting more about Divorced, Drunk, and Covered in Cat Hair!. I've enjoyed reading Crazy Aunt Purl's blog for over a year. As a matter of fact it was her blog that first introduced me to the knitting blogsophere, which is kinda funny considering she writes more about her life and less about actually knitting. I just connected, as many others have, with her raw honesty about where she was in life and how it was not what she had expected it to be.

So far the book has been exactly what her blog is like, funny, witty, and sometimes honestly sad. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest and learning from her experiences.

Although I am not divorced, never been married, I can relate to the Drunkeness that follows a great let down and life change. And now that I've had to move into a house recently where five cats reside I can honestly say that most the time I'm covered in cat hair. While I don't like that part of living with that many cats and I certainly don't like the smell of too many litter boxes or finding kitty vomit (looks like cat food covered in slime) in Tupperware containers on top of the fridge (roommates quickly threw containers away) I cannot stop myself from wanting to say hello to each cat, scratching there heads, and making sure there food is replenished.

All in all I would have to say the book is entertaining just like Miss Laurie Perry's blog. There are even a couple of knitting pattern at the back of the book!

Happy Knitty Reading!

3 Things

2007-09-25T12:27:00.000-06:00

Three Things Post
I stole this from Annie's Blog at Knittibell.
THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Sara
2. Kirby
3. Kirbster
THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. Kbiascut
2. Krbstr213
3. Yarncoffee
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. I have great hair...I think.
2. My upper back.
3. I'm compassionate
THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My calves
2. My eyesight, almost legally blind in my left eye.
3. I'm not as financially responsible as I should be
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Irish
2. German
3. French
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. Death of loved ones
2. losing control
3. supernatural thrillers
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Coffee
2. Lip Gloss
3. Coffee
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Jeans
2. Red Toenail polish
3. Perfume
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS (at the moment):
1. U2
2. John Mayer
3. Ingrid Michelson
THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
1. Becoming financially responsible
2. Bikram Yoga
3. Applying to more jobs out of state
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. honesty
2. passion
3. laughter
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
1. My Step parents are named Ken and Barbie
2. I danced in the New York Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
3. I tried out for a Broadway show but only got a part in the chorus
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Ambition
2. Sense of humor
3. Being open minded
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T DO:
1. Stay in one location for more than 2 years
2. Cartwheel
3. Aim
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Knitting
2. Dancing
3. Sewing
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Move to Boston, MA.
2. Find a stable living environment
3. Knit quicker
THREE CAREERS YOU’VE CONSIDERED:
1. Whale Trainer, I will always blame the 6th grade guidance counselor for crushing this dream
2. Interior Designer
3. Store Owner
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Ireland
2. Italy
3. England
THREE FUTURE KID’S NAMES:
1. Sophia
2. Sage
3. Aidan
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Visit my three countries above
2. Fall in love again, and again, and again (even if it's with the same person)
3. Become financially stable (notice a theme here?)
THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I have short hair
2. I can have a short attention span
3. I'm actually not that much like a boy at all
THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
1. My toe nails are always painted
2. I cry easily
3. I own almost every chicflick released in the last 10 years.

Falling into Knitting

2007-09-20T06:49:00.000-06:00

I think that Fall is just the perfect time to knit. It's cool outside. The tree's changing leaf colors inspire warm orange, yellow, and red cable knit sweaters. And all the good television premieres are starting!

Although I have not been blogging that much in the past two months I have been knitting and crocheting.

In the last six weeks since I basically abandoned this blog I have started a new job working as a Buyer Trainee for a men's clothing company. I've never in my life loved my job more than I have recently. I'm using my two college degrees, working among peers who share my interests, and pursuing a career in an industry I have longed to be a part of. I've also moved into a house that has 2 other people, four other cats, and one dog living in it. It's been quite the adjustment period. Then, most recently, I cut all of my hair off. It was quite long and I was tired of dealing with it. It's completely different and I love it!

(I'm in the middle)

While all these changes have occurred one thing has remained consistent, I've been knitting and crocheting. I promised some photos in my last post so here they are:

(close up)

This is the granny square blanket I've been working on. I figure I have about three more sections to go and the border. Hopefully she'll be done before it gets too cold out.

This is Grumperina's Shifting Sands Scarf that I told myself I was going to make for my birthday (yesterday I turned 27). Naturally, I am the slowest knitter in the world so it's 1/3 of the way done. But I love the color and I'm using this acrylic (I know, gag!) that is the Vanna White line (I know, again, gag!) from Lion Brand. It's actually quite soft and I do like the color.

I have one or two gifts I'm working on currently for friends and family but being as they could read this blog I cannot post photos of them till they ready. However, I will be posting photos on Ravelry, so feel free to check them out there!

I'm also planning to get back on board for Socktoberfest 2007! I suffered 2nd sock syndrome last year while making my first pair ever. I completed one but the 2nd one was only knit to the heel and then I just got tired of working with small needles. So this year I vow to at least finish the 2nd one by the end of October.

So see, even though life has been crazy over here at yarncoffee, we have not forgotten to relax.

Happy Knitting!

I'm Here!

2007-08-30T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hi, I doubt anyone is still checking back to this being that it's been over a month since my last post but I wanted anyone who is checking to know that I'm still here and I'm still knitting/crocheting. I'm currently working on the same stuff from the previous post plus a blanket that i started to crochet similar to Kristin's (featured in last post).

My first month at my new job is almost complete and it's wondeful but has tacked on a 1.5 hour commute every day so I'm a little tired. Plus my at home computer is not letting me log onto Blogger for some reason. Plus I'm packing up my cute one bedroom apt. and moving in with a friend. I'm a little concerned because Bobi, my cat, has never lived with cats and this house has four other cats! I'm hoping that this exposure will make Bobi a nicer cat to live with. I'm hoping he'll stop biting me/people/in general. For this move I have to consolidate a one bedroom apt with kitchen and basement storage down to one bedroom. So I've had to organize a yardsale and make several trips to the salvation army. I've also been painting the new room, moving furniture out of it, etc.

All in all I'm completely exhausted and browsing my fav blogs when I've got a snippett of time during lunch at work. But I do plan be back and blogging soon, after the move, after I get the computer fixed, after I figure out how to get wireless internet in my new bedroom....after I figure it out.

Happy Knitting/Moving!

Deep in Scarves Creek

2007-07-25T06:09:00.000-06:00

Finally I have been knitting!

I've just started a scarf called Forbes Forest! I am trying to get a jump on the winter wardrobe before Fall gets here. I'm just using acyclic yarn from Red Heart for the scarf but it's what I had laying around and figured there would be more than enough to make this scarf and perhaps a matching hat.

I've also made some progress on my Cardigan for Arwen! This has been a slow process for me which I started back in February but I do hope to have it mostly completed come October.

And last weekend when I wasn't knitting I was visiting these lovely little Angles/Devils (nieces Betty (7) on left and Lily (5) on right)up at Deep Creek Lake where my family was vacationing all week. I couldn't make it till Friday night because I was interviewing and training the new hire for my position. Although they are my sister's girls and technically my sister and I are not blood related, I like to think that my nieces look just like me!

Then yesterday I got to work (2 days left at old job!) and my wonderful coworker, Kristin (who crochets) brought in the most beautiful crocheted blanket just for me! I was so excited I kept it with me all day at the desk while I was training someone. She makes about 10 blankets a year and I've always coveted them.

More knitting this weekend!

MIA

2007-07-19T13:38:00.001-06:00

This post will contain no fluff, no pretty pictures, and no knitting updates.

What it will do is inform you that...

1. I got a new job! Effective August 6th I will be working the corporate world of merchandise management for a men's clothing company! This puts both of my degrees to work, go me!

2. I've been dating. Dating so much that I have little knitting time, thus no knitting updates.

3. I've been enjoying the summer. BBQ's, trips to the beach for the weekend, Happy Hours on patios in the city, dinner parties, and this weekend a trip to Deep Creek to visit with the family.

So nothing to show off but more will come soon, I promise.

Keep Knitting!

Stitch-N-Pitch

2007-07-02T09:17:00.001-06:00

It was the Phillies versus the Cincinnati Reds! Bottom of the 8th, 5 to 6, bases loaded, full count, and a section full of Knitters!?! Wait a minute, is that right? Knitters at a baseball game? Who invited them, who knits at a ball park? These people that's who!

Last Tuesday night Bridget and I headed out to Philadelphia for a night of knitting and baseball courtesy of her parents who gave me the tickets as a graduation gift! Her parents had stumbled across this article online about this knitting group that travels around hosting knitting nights at baseball stadiums. They are a program of The National NeedleArts Association, Inc. and the group is called Stitch-N-Pitch.

Unfortunately, the closest game was in Philadelphia. Hopefully next year they'll host at Camden's and I can avoid the 3 hour commute home at 10pm. But regardless of traffic Bridget and I had a great time!

When you go to Philly you gotta get a cheese steak or it's just not worth the trip!

The stadium was packed that night! The Phillies won easily, sorry Reds.

Every Knitter who had a ticket to sit in the Stitch-N-Pitch section received a free tote bag full of coupons, a pattern, a Phillies magnet calendar, one skein of yarn in Phillies colors (red and blue), and one set of Clover size 11 wooden needles. These bags were abandoned for a while and I thought they're owners may never come back!

Here Bridget is learning to knit. (the two men sitting next to her were straight out of the movie, Grumpy Old Men! haha).

All that knitting makes Bridget very thirsty!

After much hesitation I finally broke out my knitting needles too! I'm not much for knitting in public but once the needles were out it felt completely normal! (here I am working on a scarf to match my brother's hat from last Christmas).

Bridget and I had a great time, the Phillies won, the food was great, and the knitting was plentiful!

Thanks Stitch-N-Pitch!

Grannies are Square

2007-06-14T11:54:00.001-06:00

Lately, while avoiding work, I've been doing some research on the history of crochet verses knitting. Knitting has quite a bit more history to it and popularity. But one thing remains consistent through knitting's history, it's a social hobby. I'm not much of a social knitter myself, I always end up having to rip out whatever I knit when I am with a group because I get distracted and drop stitches or don't count.

While crochet can be a social hobby and developed into such it did not originally start out that way. It was taught to French and Irish women in the 1800's in order to help communities recover financially from economic loss due to wars and famine! It turns out that crocheted lace was seen as an symbol of status. Middle class could afford to purchase hand crocheted lace whereas only upper class could afford to purchase machine made lace. I suppose the opposite is true these days.

One could easily purchase a machine crocheted or knitted garment in a fine fiber for far less than it would cost to have one hand made specifically for them. Even when you are using lower grade yarn like Lion Brand or TLC you're going to end up spending $50 just to make a blanket that you could purchase on sale for $29.99 at your local Bed Bath and Beyond.

However, I believe it is in the knowing that every time you drape your handmade blanket across your lap or put on that handmade sweater that it took a lot of time and effort. This is what creates its true value. You will cherish it and hold onto even if it gets holes or starts to unravel.

Recently, I've switched from knitting to crochet. I have known how to crochet longer but once I discovered all the fun I could have with two needles verses one hook I dropped all my blanket projects and started planning sweaters. But since completing school and putting the books away for the summer I think I've wanted to retire the process of having to follow strict pattern guidelines. I just want to be able to sit and watch tv and let my fingers do the work while my mind takes a vacation. So, I turned back to a blanket that I started over a year ago. The classic Granny Square blanket.

I was also recently perusing the blogs and discovered the Grannie-Along CAL (Crochet-Along). I immediately joined up and went home last night to begin the granny square process. I already have 1 set (12) of 8 possible patterns done. I figured I could make 12 of each (12x8 = 96 total), and they measure 4"x4".

This means that I will have a blanket measuring 32"x48". Somehow this doesn't seem big enough to me. Roughly, 3'x4'. I think it should be 4'x6'. Hmmm, this is going to take longer than I would like. I think one year ago I had the naive hope of finishing it before last summer, haha, silly crafter!

So, in the mean time and in order to feel productive and quench my desire for immediate satisfaction I'm going to make this also! The Larger Than Life bag! I joined their CAL too! I plan on spending the majority of tomorrows work day picking out yarns and possible linings and handles.

I think I will also make this, Flora Kimono, at some point. While the yarn color scheme in the photo does not appeal to me I think some nice earthy tones would make it more fashionable look!

Happy Crocheting!

3 Different Uses for a Washcloth

2007-06-07T12:56:00.001-06:00

I have been knitting, I swear!

But it's hot and I had to graduate and travel and...I ran out of excuses.

Ok, so while I have yet to block my Central Park Hoodie and I have yet to photograph my Cardigan for Arwen I have been knitting. I promise.

But with the warming of the weather, the switching of the wardrobe, and the need to have an endless supply of freezie pops in my fridge comes the desire to switch from wool to cotton when knitting garments.

I decided to start off my Spring/Summer knitting with a some classic and oh so easy Mason Dixon washcloths!

Yes, it's true what everyone has been saying about them. They are quick and easy! I used Knitpicks Cotton/Modal blend and so far it's holding up pretty well. I was surprised cause I'm not a huge fan of Knitpicks yarn.

While I was taking my washcloths around the house for a photo shoot I was trying to think of the different ways to drape, use, and photograph the washcloths.

Here's what I came up with:

There's the traditional, "cover the facet with the washcloth you are currently using" shot!

The "this is how my washcloth looks next to my plates. This is how it will look when I am cleaning the dishes with them!"shot.

And lastly, "How about a tall cool glass of washcloth?"!

Happy Knitting!

It's Me!

2007-06-07T12:56:00.000-06:00

Yay, I graduated! I'm smart! I have a really small piece of paper that states I paid way too much for an education that I could have gotten for a $1.50 in late fees from the public library!

The parents were so proud of their little graduate!

Naturally once I was done walking across that stage and moving my tassel over to the right what did I do? I went to Disney World.

My girlfriend, Kristin, and I enjoyed a lovely 4 day escape in ol' Mickey town.

In London, Epcot we saw the British Invasion.
In Morocco, Epcot we drank with a camel (he was very friendly).

We also got our tootsies henna'd.

And after a four day trip and many years coming Kris and I both finally earned our ears!

Guess Who's Graduating???

2007-05-23T12:34:00.001-06:00

Mother's Weekend

2007-05-14T12:48:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was full of fun, knitting, presents, and family!

The whole weekend was spent spoiling Mamasita. Her birthday was earlier in the month and since my little brother, Dylan, and I couldn't spend it with her we decided to celebrate her day-of-birth on Saturday and then Mother's Day on Sunday.

But before I get into all the details of Mamasita and her fabulous weekend, let me share this with you...

This would be Dylan trying on a tuxedo jacket! On Saturday before all of our festivities I took him to After Hours Formal Wear to rent a tux. You may recall him from this post in which his hair was out-of-control long. I can't believe he's growing up so fast! We're ten years apart so he's the first person I've ever watched grow-up (literally). Well, this handsome guy is now going to Prom, not his that's next year. Apparently he'll be one of those cool Juniors going to Senior Prom at his high school. He's so handsome!

Ok, enough bragging about my awesome brother. hehe

So, on Saturday night Dylan, Mom, Denny, and I all took Mamasita to the Severn Inn for a Birthday dinner. I truly wish that prices were about half of what they actually are because I would love to eat at this place more frequently, everything was delicious! (note the green bracelet she's wearing!)At the restaurant we decided to give Mamasita her gifts. At first she was a little hesitant to open some of them...she saw a Yankee Candle Box and got a little discouraged. Not that she dislikes Yankee Candle but she just doesn't need one more candle. However, all her concerns were quickly put to rest once she opened the box...

She seemed elated to finally have her very own pink IPOD Nano! Yay!

My brother and I made sure to provide her all the necessary traveling accessories and got an armband for walking and a car radio adapter so she can listen to her awesome new IPOD in her Prius.

Happy Birthday Mamasita!

And if you can believe it the presents didn't stop there! On Sunday morning Mamasita and I got up and took a nice 3 mile walk, then I treated her and I to pedicures. Then She, myself, and Dylan all hopped in the car and drove to the Verizon Wireless store where Mamasita got a brand new pink Razr and Dylan finally got his very own cell phone (something I'm pretty sure he's been waiting for since he was 11 and I got mine, however I think he's less interested in playing video games on it and more into talking to his friends).

When we all finally got back from that adventure I finally gave Mamasita the gift I've been working on Since February. It came out pretty well considering how scrunched up it looked before I blocked it.

The Branching Out Leaf Scarf: It's not quite long enough to be worn without the help of a broach but I told her that it could be used as a decorative piece, a table runner. etc. Here's the model shot as shown on Knitty:To find out more details about the yarn I used and how long it took me check out my profile on Ravelry.com! (tomorrow)

By Sunday afternoon we were all pooped. I spent the rest of my time knitting on the couch while Mamasita and Dylan played with their new phones.

I did manage to finish one Mason Dixon washcloth last night and will soon post pictures.

Happy Knitting!

Festival Happenings!

2007-05-08T10:08:00.000-06:00

Where-o-where to begin? Let's put it this way I had so much fun and so much sheep excitement that I called out of work yesterday!

My group waited till Sunday to head out to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival which turns out was the most excellent idea because, from what I've read, Saturday was extremely crowded. Sunday however was a delight, the weather was cooler and there a little wind but really it was quite perfect. It was warm in the sun and there was plenty of sheepy fun to go around.

My group, Emily, Stephanie, Kristin, Emily's Mom, and I all got the festival around 12:30 and headed right for the barns full of sheepies.

There was sheepie shearing...

Horny Sheepies...

Playful brother Sheepies...

Cute but sneaky Sheepies (this sheep was trying to eat the safety pins off his friend's coat!)...

And lastly...

Sheepie booty!!!!

I love that photo, "four little sheepies all in a row with their booties all a show...tra la la la la!".

So after the sheepie viewing and petting we headed over to get some food, we had to make sure we didn't shop on empty stomachs. There were many food vendors this year offering the usual menu:

Let's just say that PETA would not have been happy but for argument's sake, they are not wasting animals in anyway, full use my friend!

Here we are with full tummies ready to do some sheep wool shopping!

At one of our first stops we met the editors of SpinOff magazine and were given a handspinning demo. I was given a similar demo the year before and thought I was going to be amazing at handspinning, it didn't quite work out that way... But it looks like Stephanie got the hang of it!

When we finally left our cameras, hands, and shopping bags were quite full!

Here's my loot:

I purchased the Mason Dixon Knitting Book and the Knit2Together. I know I can get these anywhere but I had a budget set aside for all knitting desires and I reasoned that it better to increase my library than my stash (which is in need of some trimming). I purchased 1 skien from a local vendor whose name I will post later. It is a 688 yard hank of 50/50 wool/silk. I was hoping to use this to make the Clapotis but unfortunately, after knitting a guage swatch last night I think it's going to be too thin...? Hmmm, what can I do with it now? It's fingering weight, maybe I could make a shawl. The other yarn is 100% wool adn from an out-of-state vendor. she had this great scarf on display that had ribbon running through it and in a last minute surge I bought the yarn and ribbon to make one for myself. I think I'll start that one soon!

Lastly, here is this year's attempt at spinning:

I think I'm getting better. Give me a couple more festival demonstrations and I might have it down!

Happy Knitting!

Festivus!

2007-05-04T08:50:00.000-06:00

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival 2207!!!!

Going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival on Sunday!!!! Many photos and stories soon to come!

Reasons for Knot Knitting

2007-04-30T12:43:00.000-06:00

Well, not much knitting has been done lately.

Two weeks ago I finally pieced together the Central Park Hoodie. That same weekend I packed up all my winter clothes and unpacked last year's summer wardrobe. It was somewhere during this clothing transition that I also transitioned to my other favored crafty pastimes. I pulled out fabric, patterns, needles and thread, beads, etc. I put away a lot of my knitting yarn and needles.

Much like my knitting pal Esotarika, I'm feeling the need to sew summer tops, summer skirts, and quilt goodies and do other such lighter crafts. My desire to knit has diminished for the time being.

So, I got out some beads and strung together a couple of summertime bracelets! These are so easy to make, brighten up a summer outfit, and are a very quick project if you are looking for instant gratification. I'm sensing that I have a color pattern here. I never seem to incorporate more than two colors. Hmmmm?

This weekend's warm weather blew in the promise of spring growth so I went to a local nursery and picked up a hanging Fuchsia plant. I had to find a plant to hang from the ceiling in my house because my cat (Bobi) has a not-so-subtle desire to eat/maul/and eventually kill all plants that he can get his teeth into. So I bought this beautiful large hanging Fuchsia and (here's the part I'm proud of) I drilled a whole in my ceiling and hung it! I realize this doesn't seem like a big deal but I'm no expert in the field of power drills and other such tools. So, I climbed on a chair and began knocking on the ceiling. This was my beam finding method, the ol' knock-till-it-doesn't-sound-hollow-anymore, what can I say I'm old school and don't own a stud finder. So I found a beam, drilled a hole with my Black and Decker drill and installed my first hook. Voila!

Then I hung my pretty, pretty plant! Hello pretty pretty plant! May you blossom and thrive in this spot I've chosen for you and may you be protected from the vicious Robert (pronounced Row-Bear, the cat).

Eventually it is suppose to blossom and look like a less blurry version of this:

I also completely rearranged my living room this weekend. I'm just feeling the need for overwhelming change and growth. Since I'm not in a position just yet to change or grow myself I'm changing my environment and bringing in new growth.

Here's to a summer full of both!

Happy Crafting!

For the Bored and Curious

2007-04-27T09:33:00.000-06:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

2 Months

2007-04-18T09:58:00.000-06:00

The last two months have been intense. They have opened my eyes. They have brought new challenges, excitement, disappointment, fear, and happiness.

About two months ago I stated that I was going to finish my Central Park Hoodie in time for Valentine's Day. Well, that didn't happen. Even though we ended up getting a huge snow storm on that day, I didn't go into work. I lazied around the house organizing stuff instead.

Then, two weeks later, I applied for a job. A job that I have been planning for for four years. A job that I had envisioned my entire future around. A job I couldn't stop talking about. A job in a different state. A job I spent everyday for two months looking on Craigslist to research relocating for. A job that I got two interviews for. A job...that I didn't get 2 months later.

Devastation set in. I felt lost. I didn't have a plan B, why should I? I am perfect for this job. Everyone agreed, "You're going to get the job, stop stressing." they would say. But I did stress, I stressed for 2 months. And then when I got the standard rejection email I just let go of all the stress, I cried, drank wine, ate fatty food, watch movies, and slept. I know that no one died and I wasn't given life threatening news, but to me it felt like a death of a different kind, the death of my dream/plan . My great friends came over bringing with them wine, cheesecake, Chinese food, and pizza. I've been indulging ever since. I'm working on creating a new plan, I'm applying all over the place, I'm readying books that are suppose to help you find a career direction. And I'm trying to stop the indulging and start the calorie burning instead.

So now, two months later, after all my stress and constant mental saturation I have finished the Central Park Hoodie...kind of.

Here's my concern, see how it's starting to pull in the center by the edge? Well, now I'm worried that blocking won't be enough to even out the tension. I know I should have blocked each piece separately but I'm impatient and wanted it to be done this Saturday.

Hopefully this weekend I will get it all blocked out, just in time to shove it in with the winter wardrobe to be put in the basement.

I also finally went back to the pottery store and picked up my lovely little painted by moi vase! I call her Le Fleur Blu.

Even though the last two months have been somewhat taxing emotionally I must say how extremely happy i am to have such supportive friends and family.

Recently, my childhood family (family I grew up with) got together for Passover. It was the first time in 3 or 4 years that we've all been together and it was the first time in more than 10 years that we were all together, without extended family, in our old house, which is now owned by my stepfather. The original 6 are Mom, Mr. Ken (Step Dad, whom I have been calling Mr. Ken since I was five), Adam (Older stepbrother), Tara (stepsister), Me, and Dylan (younger half brother). This is the household family that I grew up with since the age of five. I love them dearly and hold onto the moments when we get to get be together. Although we are all growing up and some of us live in different states we still manage to keep connected.

And just because she's so darn cute I can't stand it, here's a picture of my niece, Lilly, and her Dora the Explorer slippers!

More knitting photos to come, I'm working on one or two things that should progress quickly!

Happy Knitting

Naturally

2007-03-30T12:27:00.000-06:00

:
You are Supergirl

Supergirl		65%
Wonder Woman		65%
Catwoman		65%
Iron Man		65%
Superman		50%
Hulk		50%
Spider-Man		45%
The Flash		45%
Green Lantern		40%
Robin		35%
Batman		15%

Lean, muscular and feminine.
Honest and a defender of the innocent.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

Please Stand By...

2007-03-27T13:58:00.000-06:00

Things are stirring.

Things are perculating.

Things are busy.

Baltimore's Irish Do It Up Right

2007-03-16T09:42:00.000-06:00

Sad, sad rainy day...St. Patty's Day will be cold and dreary...perhaps a little too similar to Ireland. Well, this Irish girl will probably end up spending this St. Patty's Day in doors doing homework.

But last weekend was the Baltimore City St. Patty's Parade! This year, unlike last, I wore closed toe shoes and made sure to protect my feeties, see last year's scary post about how I burned my feet.

My 2 girls and I got all dolled up and headed downtown to drink our Harp and eat our Sheppard's pie.

Kristin got her drinking face on: We got a wonderful parade viewing spot right next to some fine and rowdy Irish folk. We saw the Bag Pippin and the Irish Clog Dancers!

Everyone was wearing the lucky color. There was even a dog who got dressed up for the occasion!

The weather was warm, the sun was bright, the parade was merry, and we were Irish drinking.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Testing, testing....And We're Back!

2007-03-12T10:45:00.000-06:00

I can't believe I've taken almost two weeks off from blogging! Truth be told, I haven't really been knitting that much. I've been overwhelmed with job applications, social commitments, forms that have to be submitted for graduation, etc. And it's only going to get worse till June!

My local knitting group had a stash swap this weekend and I suddenly got those tingly feelings back in my fingers. My needles were drawn to my hands like magnets to a fridge and before I knew it I had knitted for a good 6 hours this weekend.

I actually hosted this lovely little stash swap on Saturday. We had about 6 women and way too much yarn. It should be illegal to have so much yarn laying around and not being used. This is a rough shot of what was on the "table" to be exchanged:

At the point the picture had been taken some of the yarn was already in the hands of it's new owner. At the end I came out with just as much as I had donated to the pile to begin with...but don't I look happy!?

Oh, and that little prepackaged project I'm holding up was donated bySarah. It's a knitting with fabric kit! It's suppose to make a cabana beach tote! Ooh la la!

I must finish the CPH though before I'm allowed to even start planning new projects. During my hiatus from blogging I did do some knitting. I cheated on my CPH with the flower washclothes I mentioned a few posts back. I finished two of them.

Even though I ordered enough of the recommended yarn to produce two more washclothes I don't think I'll use the recommened Chenille Cotton for a couple reasons. First, I broke the yarn a couple times transitioning from my circular needles to my DPN's because the yarn had no elasticity and I'm a very tight knitter. Second, the yarn is not very absorbant. It absorbs like any fabric would but in a washcloth you are really looking for something that will wick moisture away from your skin and this particular fiber creates a fabric that has a low absorbtion capacity...does that make sense? I'm gonna make a couple more with differnt yarn. The pattern was a lot of fun and I was able to whip them up in about 2 hours! I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to take a break from a long project, especially if you are seeking a quick result.

Happy Knitting!

Um, Hi. I'm 1!!!

2007-02-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I almost missed my one year blogaversary! I was going back through my archives to try to figure out when I started this here blog and wouldn't you know it was one year ago today! I was shocked. I can't believe I stuck with it. I can't believe I have knitted enough to fill one year's worth of blog posts! What a great feeling.

Happy Birthday YarnCoffee!!!!

I suppose I can call my most recent yarn and supply purchases birthday gifts to my blog! Yay, an excuse for my obsession!

I got a new ball winder, a yarn swift, 12 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in Sage for my Cardigan for Arwen featured in Interweave Knits Winter 2007, 5 skeins of Crystal Palace cotton chenille to make the flower washclothes in Weekend Knitting, and 1 set of Bamboo DPN's by Crystal Palace. (pictures to come later)

Then my coworker gave me all this yummy yarn that she didn't want anymore! I'm thinking of doing some sort of lap blanket similar to the one featured in Weekend Knitting with the lighter yarn colors. Eww, and a fuzzy scarf with the mohair yarn in the left hand corner. See it? Isn't it pretty and mauvey!?

Last week when I should have been working on the completion of my CPH, I decided that I needed to organize my stash of yarn and allllllll my sewing supplies. Since work was closed due to the sheet of ice that dropped from the sky, I used Wednesday to do just this. After organizing I told myself that I would sit down and get right to work on the CPH. However, boredom and procrastination set in and I ended up using my time very wisely...to do this:

ROY-G-BIV = Pretty

Happy Knitting!

Progress Is As Progress Does

2007-02-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pieces and it'll be done!

Monkeying Around

2007-02-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally got to see my friend (Monkey). The last time we saw each other was her wedding back in September!

Not only was the time filled with good company, wine, laughter, and general silliness but I also finally got to give her her Christmas gift. I have been hiding it on my blog because she's an avid reader and I couldn't post her present and ruin the surprise. Although, she says she knew she was getting this scarf, I tried to keep it a secret.

But now that the cat's outta the bag I can finally reveal the Irish Hiking Scarf I made for her!

And here she is displaying it:
This scarf was really easy and fun to knit. I used Caron Simply Soft in Victorian Rose. This yarn was perfect. It created such a soft fiber and was both machine washable and dryable. Plus the weight of the finished fabric draped well. I would highly recommend this yarn for the Irish Hiking Scarf. As a matter of fact I plan on making myself one soon!

Nothing says fun and crazy with a friend like a crafty activity, so after Monkey and I did our gift exchange we headed over to Amazing Glaze and painted some ceramics.

She chose a lovely little frog:

Anyone else see a resemblance here?

And I chose a pretty little vase that I hope to put knitting needles in. I'm holding up a sample project from which I copied the pattern for my vase.

Why I am making that ridiculous face I do not know, perhaps I was thinking something dirty?

We have to wait five days for Amazing Glaze to fire out finished project but hopefully the three coats of color will turn out well and I will discover that I have another hidden talent!

Thanks for the fun day, Monkey!

Happy Knitting!

Too Generous!

2007-02-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

What an amazing treat to have had such a great secret pal this past Secret Pal 9! Abigail was my secret knitting pal and she completely spoiled me with yummy yarn treats. Here is a shot of my final secret package. I was so overwhelmed when I opened up the box and found so many skeins of yarn, trinkets, books, patterns, and a carrying bag!

She also included a slipper pattern from Knitty and her own personal pattern for dishclothes.

Thank you Abigail!

Something's Cold in the State of Maryland

2007-02-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

So, we've recently hit a new record. According to the news last night our midday temperature of 19 degrees is now the coldest February 5th midday temp ever recorded in history. Well, how fabulous. How absolutely freakin' freezing your ass off fabulous! I'm only slightly aggravated by this new Maryland weather feat. Where does this aggravation come from you may wonder?

Well, yesterday my office had no heat...all day...not one drop of heat...and I stayed...in coat, gloves, and scarf...allllllll day! Now, let's start explaining this by informing you that I work in a historical train station. It was around during the Civil War and there is a story told that Abe Lincoln once stopped in to pee (my hearts a flutter), we still have the ticket window, and many cute nuances to the building that make it a unique and interesting place to work. The building, which looks like a little house on a hill, has been updated to operate in modern society so we have oil heat and radiators in every room. However, it's still quite drafty. But drafty is nothing compared to yesterday when Carroll Fuel just up and didn't fill our oil tanks. Apparently they screwed a lot of people over because when I called to complain yesterday they had about 400 "emergency" calls they were responding too. They finally filled out tanks only to find out that our pipes are frozen (greaaaat!), so today I'm at work, still cold, can't feel my fingers or toes, and we are feeding water manually into our boiler because it can't come through the pipes. Can you say 2 hour long lunch break? I can.

If I could knit at a turbo speed I would finish my central park hoodie so that I could be wearing it today. In this frigid weather I'm sure it's delicious tweedy wool would keep me plenty warm. Last night I finished the second front panel so now I only have 2 sleeves, one hood, and the button band to finish. Don't know that I will get it done in time for Valentine's Day but I am refusing to get too distracted with other projects so that I will finish it in record time.

Speaking of being cold, I had a cold...all weekend. I left work early on Friday and set out to the grocery store to buy the essentials, 10 cans of soup, a thermometer, Kleenex, decongestants, and Halls Menthol lozenges. I then ran to Blockbuster and rented 5 movies. When I got home I opened up the sofa bed in my toasty living room, put the lap top on the sofa bed, along with my knitting, hot soup, box of tissues, and I was ready to go. I started in on some projects and am proud to say that I am officially a lace knitter!

I started my first lace project this weekend. Using random stash yarn I cast on the Branching Out Lace Scarf from Knitty. This is my first attempt at lace and I'm surprised that it's not as difficult as I thought it would be. My only problem is trying to memorize the pattern. Do lace knitters usually memorize the pattern or do they just continually refer to the chart for guidance? I've repeated the chart six times now and I'm no where near memorization, I don't even think I'm trying considering I watched about 3 movies while knitting it.

While I have yet to start other projects due to my dedication of finishing my CPH, my mental gears have already started griding away and I definitely have a few more projects to add to my little Listomania:

We have this lovely little beaut. The Flower Washcloth from Weekend Knitting. I'm going to use Knitpicks Shine yarn made with 60% cotton and 40% Modal. I think it should be durable enough for a washcloth.

Then having recently acquired Vintage Style by Rowan I'm very excited to try my needles on this number. By the time I finish it it will be too warm to wear but I just love the cabling and the asymmetrical buttons at the neck! Plus this sweater looks very warm and cozy and attempting to work half frozen right now makes this sweater all the more attractive!

Happy Knitting!

Listomania Part 2!

2007-01-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

Back in October some time I had created a post titled Listomania. This list was part goal part reminder to myself. I recently reread this list and realized it needs a bit of revision.

So here we go: Listomania 2007 make-over!

Projects Started:

1. Central Park Hoodie, due date: 2/14/07
2. Socktoberfest, due date: before I start another pair (shameful)
3. Brown Sweater Tank, due date: is currently finished but need to redo neckband. We'll say before summer, so 6/01/07.
4. Ribbed Scarf to match brother's hat.

Completed Projects from first Listomania

1. Red Scarf
2. Sister Scarf
3. Brown Sweater Tank, technically it is finished.
4. Odessa
5. Irish Hiking Scarf

Projects I want to start in February

1. A fluffy white hat that I have no pattern for but promised Bridget.
2. Irish Hiking Scarf for me
3. Clapoits
4. Falling Leaf Scarf for Mamasita
5. Star face washcloth from Weekend Knitting

Non Knitting related Project to finish

1. Crocheted Granny Square Blanket
2. Quilt
3. More Sewing
4. Clean my bath tub ( i dread this and think sending it out into cyber space will help me get it done).

All done! Not too bad, I got few things crossed off the old list and the new one looks promising!

Wish me luck.

Happy Knitting!

Tic Toc, You Don't Stop

2007-01-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

That is seriously the lamest post title I've ever used.

So, it has been a while since my last post and while I have accompished little knitting I have been uber busy!

The gym thing has acutally started working out and just when I thought I was going to take a break last week after going four days in a row would you believe I received a phone call from the gym again?! This time it was the personal trainer calling to see if I wanted to take a canceled appt. time that day. So once again I got called when I tried to cheat on my own goals. Damn that amazing gym I joined!

In other news...I'm going to be on television!!!! Ok, that's mostly, partly true. My little brother will be on television for It's Academic on March 3rd. I was in the audience for taping so it is most possible that I will be on television for a split second when the camera pans the audience. My brother's team did really well but Pikesville stole the game in the end. It was really neck and neck at the end there, I was covering my eyes and my heart was pumping, I was so nervous for their team. (See him in the middle there). I was so proud of him, he was the team captian. Go Dylan!!!

Speaking of televised game shows, this weekend Bridget and I drove to New York where she and her brother, Michael, were trying out to be constestants in a show called World Series of Pop Culture on VH1 (how do i know all these celebrities!?). The tryouts were on Saturday so Bridget and I drove up to Brooklyn to stay with a friend on Friday. The highlight of the Friday, after the snow storm we drove through, was dinner. Our gracious host served us Beer Can Chicken! Ever heard of this? Ever had it? It's great! I think I'm going to give Rootbeer Can Chicken a try and see how it turns out!

So, Bridget, Michael, and their third teammate Molly tried out for the gameshow on Sunday and sadly did not make it to the third round for qualification to the game show. But we here at YarnCoffee would like to give them a big shout-out for making it through to the second round! WooHoo. Go Regal Beagels!

Have I done any knitting this new year? Gotten anything accomplished in the first month out of 12 for 2007? In fact I have. Say hello to the back of my Central Park Hoodie (CPH)! "Hellloooo".

I am now 1/3 of the way through the left front. My goal is to complete it before Valentine's Day. Yes, because it's red and I want to wear it for the holiday.

Happy Knitting!

Resolve, it's not just a carpet cleaner!

2007-01-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

It's a new year and that means a new me, right? Well kinda.

Like many people I made some resolutions on January 1, 2007. I resolved to finish my degree in May, apply for the job I want in March, visit Ireland in August (this one goes hand-in-hand with my resolution to be more financially responsible by paying off car and credit debt and get a 6month CD), move to Boston, MA in September, and oh yea, join a gym and really start taking care of myself.

So far I'm doing pretty good. I called and canceled all but one credit card and made some large payments on them this month. I did research for my Ireland trip. And on December 31st I joined a gym!

The problem is that I have yet to go to the gym. Now, to be fair, I was not in the area for the first seven days of the new year. However, I was responsible enough to inform the gym that I would gone till the 8th. This way my 14 day money back guarentee wouldn't begin till the 8th. It has now begun and I am on day three of not going to the gym. Like any great procrastinator I have given myself a ton of excuses.

"I'm too tired from being away and really should clean my house and get some sleep before I start this new schedule" (Monday)

"I'm still really tired" (Tuesday)

"Plus, I haven't had any "me" time. I should give myself one day to relax and do what I want, totally self indulge, before I start my new routine" (Tuesday)

"Even if I were to go the gym I would feel silly. I don't know how any of those machines work. I should wait till Monday when I have my personal trainer appt." (Tuesday)

"Ok, I really shouldn't go if I don't know how the combination to my new locker lock, I might look silly if I can't get my locker open!" (Tuesday, again)

Then it became obvious, I have...Gymphobia! How could this have happened? How did I contract it? I did all the right things. I joined a woman's only gym so I won't be embarrassed sweating to the oldies in front of Fabeo. I was very comfortable when I did the gym tour, loved my sales rep, got a great deal, packed my bag (it's been sitting my car since Sunday night), highlighted all the classes I was interested in checking out on the class schedule.

I decided to give into my many excuses and just go home after work, after all I was really tired, needed "me" time, didnt' know my combination, and who would have to know? It's not like the gym is going to call me and yell at me.

Except, they did!

Last night as I am settling down with my spaghetti dish, wine, Friends, lap top, and of course knitting, the phone rang. I didn't recognize the number so I curiously answered:

Me: "Hello?"

Gym: "Hi, Sara? This is Stacy from "the gym""

Me: "Oh! Hi (studdering) he, hey! How's it, uh, going Stacy?"

Stacy: "Great! Just wanted to call and see how your gym experience has been going?!"

Me: shit! she knows! "Um, I haven't been yet."

Stacy: "Oh no, really? Why not"

Me: "Uh, I kinda have Gymphobia"

Stacy: "Oh no, why." (apparently Gymphobia does exist and I didn't just make that up)

Me: "Oh you know, I just don't know the machines, and I figured I'd wait till my personal training appt. Plus, I don't know my locker combination yet"

Stacy: (laughing, at me, which is expected) "Oh no, you're just making up excuses aren't you?"

Me: in a whiney voice "Maybe. Yes."

Stacy: "Ok, how about this, what time can you get to the gym tomorrow?"

Me: "I was going to try to be there at five."

Stacy: "Great! I have a four thirty but will meet you at five by the front desk. I will show you how unscary the treadmill is and even some other equipment if you would like. This way you have a standing appt. with someone so you have to show up, ok?!"

Me: "Wow, really? That would be great, ya I would have to go knowing you were expecting me! Thanks!"

So, there you go. My gym resolution officially begins today. And how great is my gym that they go out of their way to call and encourage me to get in after I've already paid them?! I think I made a good decision.

Another smashying decision I made was to start on my new knitting goals! First on the list is to knit a wearable article of clothing, first challange the covited Central Park Hoodie! So Saturday I went to Annapolis' Yarn Garden and bought some beautiful Tahki Donagul Tweed in a georgous shade of crimson. I also got myself my very first pair of Lantern Moon knitting needles, and a clover row counter (I'm not very good at keeping count though, any suggestions?). The wonderfully patient woman at the Yarn Garden also demonstrated how to use the swift and ball winder and then I wound three skiens. It was great, I'm completely addicted and plan on purchasing both...soon!

Here's a pic of my purchases:

Now that I've started one new project of course I have strong desires to start about five others. On that list would definitely be the Clapotis! Oh the fingers are itching and the needles are clicking!

Happy Knitting!

Sara needs

2007-01-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

I found this meme on someone else's blog and thought it was interesting:

Did you know that you can type "(your name)needs" into google and get some amazing results? Here is what I got:

1. Sara needs a loving playful home.
2. Sara needs you.
3. Sara needs, Sara time.
4. Sara needs to discover the experts in the area.
5. Sara: Needs common to all humanity.
6. Sara needs a kind soul to sponser her.
7. Sara needs a sense of individuality before anything else in her life can become truly meaningful. (interesting)
8. Sara needs to keep it curly,and with volume. (haha)
9. Sara needs to go on a school outing.
10. Sara needs to go, she needed to go weeks ago. (go where?)

Lastly, my favorite:

11. Sara's needs are met. (good conclusion)

You should try this if you haven't, it's kinda fun.

Happy Knitting!
11.

A Knitter's Year in Review

2007-01-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

(For some reason blogger is not displaying this post how it was intended with descriptions by each picture. So unless blogger changes it's mind I'll just apologize for lack of viewable descriptions).

Wow! I can't believe how much I've knitted this past year. Ya know, I got on this whole knitting kick because my coworker bought me the Girl's Guide to Simple Knits for Christmas in 2004. So, in 2005 I knitted a hat and three scarves out of that book. However, I was far too intimidated by such things as sweaters even if the book promised they were simple. I stuck with my crocheting for most of 2005 because it was what I was familiar with and I knew I could do it quick and evenly. But I must say this year I impressed myself. I stepped out of those timid shoes and became a full fledged knitter. And thanks to my many adventurous knitting nature and some help from fellow knitting friends I am really surprised at how far my knitting capabilities have come this past year!

In 2006 I learned how to drop and pick-up stitches, I learned how to create holes by yarning over, I learned how to make cables, knit-in-the-round, bead knitting, and use 2 colors! And I learned what LYS (local yarn store), KAL (Knit-A-Long), and DPNs (double pointed needles) mean as well as some of the other hip knitting lingo. I often doubt myself when it comes to learning but I must say that I really impressed myself this year. Good job you!

For own personal self gratification I have provided a list of what I completed in 2006:

1. The Bobble Scarf - I found this scarf to be very time consuming for the length I finally got out of it. However, it has been my most frequently worn scarf this "winter". I love it's squishy, foamy texture! (ignore the date on the photo, stupid old camera)

2. The Great Blue Blanket - This took me 3 years to complete! And it turns out that it's not completely perfect by any means. It is actually crochet and not knitting but it is made of yarn so it counts! I discovered a few crochet techniques in the Happy Hooker book that I didn't use for the blanket that would have created a more correct series of stitches. Oh well, she's done, she's warm, and she's mine. I love her!

3. Baby Blue Sweater - This is my first crocheted piece of clothing. It's a baby sweater that I crocheted while watching the Steelers win last years Super Bowl. It only took about 3 hours and the matching booties took about 1 hour. So cute! However, the arms are a little short for an actual baby and the yarn is a little bulky but laying on this table it looks like it might fit some small human. (again, ignore the date on photo)

4. Wrist Warmer/ Mitten set - This kit was a Christmas gift last year and I made them quite quickly while catching up on Weeds (the show, not product). They were cute and fairly easy, they were also my first attempt at a gusset, hello thumb!

5. Famous Brown Sweater Tank - I think this sweater tank will haunt me during 2007 until I make another one that actually fits. I'll say nothing else about it, there are several posts already dedicated to it's construction.

6. The Lone Blue Sock - Although I never completed my "pair" of socks for Socktoberfest I did complete my very first sock ever and that to me is as equally exciting. As any true sock knitter I contracted Second Sock Syndrome while attempting to make the complete pair and therefore am still working the second sock.

7. Red Scarf Project - My first ever charitable knitted item! I hope the college student who receives it will enjoy. I used Crazy Aunt Purl's pattern from her coworker's scarf post.

8. Ribbon Scarf for Tara - This is the dropped stitch scarf I made for my sister for her 26th birthday. It turned out much better than the photo actually portrays. It was about 50 inches long.

9. Odessa! - I was so excited to be able to join the many other knitters that participated in the Odessa KAL. BySarah was really great with supplying me with the necessary glass beads and even taking time to demonstrate bead knitting for me. Thanks Sarah!

10. Mini Sweaters! - These made great Christmas ornament gifts this year. I kept the striped one for myself, sent the red to my Secret Pal 9, and the green one was put in Bridget's stocking. I started making a forth but then realized that I had to start on another project.

11. Brother's Awesome Hat - I finished this hat one week before Christmas. It took about 5-6 hours total and ended up fitting brother perfectly. He had originally asked for a grey hat with ear flaps that said "AWESOME" across the front. While he claims he would have happily worn the that one I thought this one was a little more versatile, like he might wear it past the age of 16.

11 projects! I would say that's a pretty good amount of knitting. It's almost 1 project a month. This year my goal is to make a garment I can actually wear in public, like a sweater, or a sweater vest!

Here's to knitting past, present, and future.

Happy Knitting!

My Empowe(Red), Inspi(Red), and Desi(Red) Mamasita

2006-12-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

One person can make a difference, three can make a larger difference, and together we can change the world.

Christmas morning Mamasita brought down three presents wrapped in gift bags. She handed one to my brother, one to me, and kept one for herself. When we opened the bags we found one red t-shirt and one red bracelet's. Mamasita explained the current promotion going on with many brand names right now and a movement called Project Red. Our shirts were from the Gap and they said "INSPI(RED)" across the front. Mamasita explained further that 50% of the profits from these products will go to helping women and children with AIDS in Africa. You can read more about it here. These were our first gifts of the morning and we wore them all day long.

I want to congratulate Mamasita. She has always been an inspiration for many people other than just her family. She often tries to purchase thoughtful gifts that will give back to the world. Like buying goats from Heifer for a 3rd world country in the name of someone else, or donating money to PETA in honor of someone's pet for the holidays, etc. She has spoiled her children and provided the necessities for a comfortable lifestyle but she has always offered the idea that we are some of the few who have been lucky enough to have a comfortable life. It is this yearly reminder that allows us to be truly grateful not just for what we have in our way of life but also for Mamasita.
Thank you for a wonderful holiday Mamasita!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2006-12-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

Christmas is over and while I am fighting off the post Christmas blues I am fondly looking over all my photos with complete happiness.

Our family Christmases have always been a happy time. There have been years when my little brother got sick or I was having cramps but we always managed to continue on with our traditions and it's these traditions that make the 364 day wait worth it.

This Christmas was just as wonderful as those in the past. On Christmas Eve my little brother and I decorated the tree/ decorated ourselves and Sally our dog. Can you say "next year's Xmas card"?

We spent the evening with Denny who is like a Dad to Dylan and I and a good friend of Mom's. We all went to church because my little brother had to play the piano for the Children's Choir. I have never attended the Children's Mass at any church and I can honestly say that I hope to never do it again. Why? Because it is LOUD!!! Screaming babies and little children dressed in robes screaming lyrics about Christ's birth is not my idea of a good time. However, leaning over to my Jewish brother when the priest said, "Father, Son, Holy Spirit" and saying, "Specticals, Testicals, Wallet, and Watch" is my idea of a good time. My 16 year old brother then informed me that I was bad for his work rep. Probably true.

We had a lovely feast later that evening and exchanged gifts with Denny. He seemed to be really happy with the griddle I gave him and I was equally excited to receive the presents he brought, espeically this new fancy knitting book!

We all grew tired as the clock ticked forward and Miracle on 34th Street played in the background. It was that time, to get to bed and wait for the big man to arrive. Preferrably Santa.

The morning had come, the time was here and my little brother and I were very excited! There were lots of presents and Mom got up when we did so we didn't have to wait too long! I was very excited to receive my brand new Camera! It's a Canon SD600 and I have spent 2 days trying to learn how to use it. My brother recieved many fabulous things but since this is my blog and I have been holding off on showing what I was making him I will only talk about one thing he received. It was the hat I made for him! Doesn't he look handsome!?

Santa was very good to all of us!

My Christmas day always ends at my father's house with my step mom, Barbara and her parents and usually some other friends of theirs. This year one special guest in particular was very excited to be with us! Please meet Chick, this is her first Christmas. She is on 10 weeks old and suffice to say that all the excitement that comes with Christmas just plain tuckered her out.

Hope you all had equally exciting and exhausting holidays!

Happy Knitting!

Christmas for Me!

2006-12-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

It's almost Christmas time and I couldn't be more excited! I've got all my shopping done and just a little bit of wrapping left to take on. Yesterday I made 4 batches of cookies and started yet another last minute knitting project!

Here's a little survey that I stole from Kelly B.

Egg nog or hot chocolate? I can drink hot chocolate all winter long so I would have to say Egg Nog or Spiked Cider ( my new found love!)

Does Father Christmas wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Gifts from Father Christmas are always wrapped in paper featuring himself and signed by him!

Coloured lights on tree/house or white? White lights, please.

Do you hang mistletoe? Not recently.

When do you put up your decorations? The day after Thanksgiving.

What's your favourite Christmas dish? Mom's morning pancakes and mimosas!

When and how did you learn the truth about Father Christmas? I think this is probably tramatizing for all kids but I was probably around 10 or so and it was actually Easter. I was just about to go to bed, had on my footie pajamas and all, so that the Easter bunny could bring me my basket when my Dad turns around and says to me "Hey Hon, do you wanna stay up and help Dad with the Easter Baskets?" Then his girlfriend told him to be quiet and my Dad said, "What? She doesn't believe in the Easter Bunny anymore." Then I screamed, "Well, I did!!!!!"

I didn't cry but I did get mad at him for squashing all the magic out of the fun holidays. And I pretty much figured that if there was no Easter Bunny there was probably no Santa.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, I did when I was a child but now I wait till the Day.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I decorated my own tree this year with my friend, Bridget. I'll decorate my Mom's tree with my Mom and little Bro. We usually end up hanging ornaments on each other, or wearing antlers and blinking noses while listening to Christmas music.

Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it!

Can you ice skate? Define "ice skate"

Do you remember your favourite gift? Probably my Cabbage Patch Doll, I was about 5.

What's the most important thing about Christmas for you? Being with my family.

What's your favourite Christmas dessert? Figgy Pudding (JK)

What's your favourite Christmas tradition? Waking up on Christmas morning with my little brother before my Mom wakes up and comes downstairs. We take the comforter off of my bed and get out stockings which have several little wrapped items, curtousy of Santa. I make some coffee and my bro. makes some Coco. We turn on TNT's 24 hours special of the Christmas Story and snuggle under the comforter while we drink our warm beverages and not only open but show off to each other what Santa brought us. Then we pack it all up in our stockings and wait for Mom to come downstairs. When she does, we take everything out and display for her to see like she's never seen it before. It's a lot of fun!

What tops your tree? A green fairy.

Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving.

What's your favourite Christmas song? Baby it's cold outside .

Candy canes? Yes, please!

Please steal this and fill it out and let me know that you did... I'd love to hear everyone's Christmas memories!

Awesome Secret Pals!

2006-12-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

It has become more apparent this week that when the holiday season starts all blogging is put on hold. All the blogs I regularly visit have been put on hold with warnings placed in their last blog post. Something along the "working on secret knitted gifts, can't talk about it, no time to post" has been posted on many knitting blogs. And I am here to say "Me too!" I'm too busy to post. I'm working on like three things currently and I can post pictures of none of them. They are keeping me busy and I promise photos of all current projects will post after the holidays.

So, while I have no pictures of projects to show I do have some pictures of my 2nd awesome Secret Pal package! Pretty, pretty green yarn to begin with! It's a nice finger weight wool, perfect for warm winter socks! Once I opened the entire package this is what was included:
Yummy, yummy cookies, cute note cards, place markers by Lion Brand, a cute Christmas note pad complete with pen, fun Christmas bear soap, and my most favorite thing of all...a handmade needle holder! I can now stop storing my needles in my sewing bag held together with a rubber band! Yay for organization!

Thank you Secret Pal! Thank you!

Happy Holiday Knitting!

What's in a Name

2006-12-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sara Kirby --

[noun]:

A dance involving little to no clothing

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Defeat

2006-12-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was not raised to be a quitter. I was raised to recognize my strengths and to have the knowledge to know when I've been defeated.

Meet my competitor and the victor of this Sweater Tank Competition:

First Place goes to the Brown Sweater Tank who wore this lovely two toned shade of Chocolate Cascade Yarn.

Personally, I don't think this sweater ever wanted to be created. As a result, it made knitting it as difficult as possible. First there was the two purl stitches instead of knitted in the ribbing portion of the sweater band. Then there was the time that I dropped a stitch and unraveled about 10 rows thinking that was the only solution. Then I ran out of yarn (I had used 2 skeins given to me by my SP8) when the pattern said I would only need 2 skeins. So I order more yarn and cannot really tell untill about 5 more rows in that the new yarn is a different dye lot and the color is so incredibly off that I won't be able to wear the garment. I am not detered though and decide that I will finish the garment anyway and it will be my first hand made knitted garment and it can be a rough draft for a future perfect one.

However, after all the knitting, and the blocking, and the buying, I am defeated in the final stages. I did not see this coming. It has never been a problem in the past. Apparently my binding skills are lacking. I bound off the neck band and can't get the darn thing over my head! I ripped it all out last night and re-bound off the neck and still no better.

So I give the winner's metal to the brown sweater tank. Perhaps another day, another yarn, closer to spring, but for the winter my friend I consider myself defeated.

Happy Knitting!

Ornaments are fun!

2006-12-04T13:35:00.001-07:00

This is my brother holding a tree ornament. When I asked him what he was doing he very dryly said, "I feel like a giant"

Cats and Christmas Trees

2006-12-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure what it is about cats and Christmas trees but a lot of Xmas movies have cats chewing wires or knocking down trees. Perhaps it is just that Christmas in general is not meant for cats...and maybe they know it! I mean it's the only time during the year where everyone wants to bring pointsettas into their homes and FYI, cats can die if they eat pointsettas.

My cat would definitely die because he has to eat all plants in my house. As a matter of fact I don't even keep plants because I know that Bobi is going to try to eat them. I have three bamboo stalks that my aunt gave me as a house warming gift in June and now instead of green they are yellow and all their leaves have what appear to be little teeth marks. Personally I think it is Bobi's way of picking on living things that are smaller than him. Humans pick on Bobi, Bobi picks on plants...and goldfish.

Anyway getting back to my point about cats and Christmas. Well this is what Bobi did four years ago:
Yup, that tree is knocked over and there is Bobi to the right looking like "I don't know what your're talking about. This big green thing fell over on it's own."

So here is this years Christmas tree and so far Bobi has only attempted to drink it's water. I've batted his nose each time I've been around and told him "no" but he just seems to think that any available water in an open container is meant for his enjoyment:
I don't think he'll be able to knock this tree over.

He's been spending most of his time climbing into the bay window and knocking over fake candle lights and other such breakables. Once again flexing his power over things smaller than him, especially if they are in his way.
Happy Knitting!

FO's and Turkey Day Part Deux, note: very picture heavy.

2006-12-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

When you celebrate the holidays spending time at all your relatives' homes but not your own you often find yourself with the "I have no left over's" Syndrome. It is because of this that my girlfriend Bridget and I decided to have Thanksgiving Part Deux!

Here's a lovely shot of the turkey pre-cooking and then the basting of :

Then it was time to carve and sit down to our lovely second meal which was so full of leftovers my mother suggested that I freeze some!

Happy Thanksgiving Part Deux!

So, last night I finished two projects! I was so excited. I started like 50...or 5 projects all in the same month and knew it was going to take a while to get through them all. I can now officially check Odessa and the Red Scarf project scarf off of my WIP's list!

Here's what I learned from my Odessa:

When you are afraid you might run out of yarn, don't shorten the project by about an inch just to see the finished project, you should use all your yarn and see if you can finish the project. I ended up doing this and now Odessa could fit a child's head but not not my monster cranium! Also, if your ears stick out at all, this is not the hat for you. My left ear, which is not shown in this picture, tends to have a bit of a Dumbo effect to it and it totally popped the other side of the hat out.

And here is my Red Scarf: pre-block
It's really quite thick but I am going to block it and stretch it a little.

I think it drapes nice though and will be plenty long enough for whoever receives it.

Here's a close up of the design:

Happy Knitting!

What kind of Needle are you?

2006-11-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

My friend sent me such an interesting comment the other day I decided to share it as a post and send the same question out to all you other knitters. Here's her comment:

Gretchen said...
Here's a curious and fun knitting survey question which you can answer in your next blog - if you were a knitting needle, what would your "ideal" size be? (you can base your answer on the size that you think would be most utilized...this isn't dress size, and my limited experience knitting has proven to me that smaller is not, necessarily always, better...)

I am going to take Gretchen's question a little further and also ask what brand needle would you be?

I think I would choose a Brittany size 7 1/2 straight or an Addi Turbo 8/16 circular.

I don't actually own any Brittany needles although would love to and have always admired their sleek birch color and interesting top design. I most relate personally to the description on their website which says, "provides natural strength and consistency" I think this is true of my personality. I enjoy that the needles have a family history, are made in America, and that the needles have been around almost as long as I have. I also enjoy that they were recently used in a French film. Brittany needles are better for the environment and the Brittany Company is environmentally aware as their site states, " All wood used by Brittany comes from strictly regulated forests or small woodland owners in the United States ensuring proper environmental logging practices and selective cutting for maximum reforestation", this is important to me. I say size 71/2 because Brittany does not make a size 8 which is the size needle I usually have to use to create a garment to fit myself.

I also think I'm most like the Addi Turbo 8/16 circular because 1. I enjoy Addi Turbo's for circular knitting, very sleek and the yarn slides from the tube area to the needle with ease, 2. I'm curvy like a circular needle, and 3. I'm petitie and 16" is a shorter circular.

So, what kind of knitting needle are you?

Turkey and Family

2006-11-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

I love stuffing! Seriously. Every holiday comes with that one food that you kind of wait all year to eat and for me stuffing is that food. Mom had the best stuffing this year! She bought an organic turkey from Whole Foods and some sort of premade bread crumbs with craisins. It was perfect, moist, the crunch of celery, the sweetness of craisins, the bread with turkey juices. Mmmm, mmm, mmm. Thanks Mom.

Here's how Mom's turkey turned out, say hello to Mr. Gobbles!
Although she isn't much of a knitter/crocheter now Mamasita has had her moments of domestic bliss. Here are her very first and only ever hand made set of pot holders! These babies are relics of the 70's! She was embarrassed by their holes and wear and tear and requested that I mention that the yellow one used to have a ring holder on it like the orange. I think these pot holders are inspiring. I mean talk about a master craftswoman! When she takes the time to make something it's gonna last! I have never even seen a loose string (except that one i just noticed on the bottom of orange but ignore that) . Props to Mamasita!

Other holiday traditions are getting the whole family in one location to celebrate. Now, I am the product of 2 very large families and for me the holidays always mean a lot of travel in order to see all of the family. And while I might not be able to see everyone, it's nice to see and spend time with those I can get to.

Here is the stepdad with the brother (his hair is gone!!!!, he donated three pony tails to Locks of Love) having the traditional holiday dinner discussion/argument!
A special surprise to me was that my uncle Atom from Colorado was able to make to Taneytown, MD where my grandfather owns a farm. With him Atom brought my beautiful 1.5 year old new baby boy cousin. See how precious he is!

Now, I know that every family claims to have some portion of Native American blood in their line but I seriously look at my uncle and think that if our family has any percentage of Native American in the family line, he got it! Look at those defined facial features, chisled. And his thick black hair. I mean, where did that come from?

Lastly I finished my holiday up with a visit to my dad and step mom's. I helped Dad not only put up his outdoor Christmas decorations but I also helped him get rid of some of his Turkey Day leftovers (wink, wink). My dad is such a kid when it comes to outdoor decorating. He's one of eleven Irish Catholic kids and he was the smack-dab middle child. He always took it upon himself to decorate his parents home and decorate the basement where he and his brother bunked. On Saturday he and I set up 2 light up presents, 2 light up motor deer, 1 set of light-up motorized seesaw eleves, 12 candy canes around a fake ice rink, 5 light strings on one tree, 16 minature trees in his front garden, 1 set of lights on the backyard shed, and 1 set of lights around his front door. We stopped there but the man still had to string lights on his deck, and set up his motorized light-up Santa. And that's just outdoor!

Over the holiday weekend I almost completed Odessa and hope to have pictures to how you tomorrow.

Happy Knitting!

Dear American Music Audience, I am disapointed.

2006-11-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

I would just like to say that for the most part I have a lot of faith in Americans.

That being said I cannot for the life of me understand what happened at the American Music Awards last night! For the record, the results of the AMA's are based on a 20,000 person survey and record sales. I'm not going to say that I am necessarily disapointed with who received what awards but I am disapointed with the musicans who performed last night.

Let's start with Jay-Z with "Show Me What You Got" and Gwen Stefani with "Wind It Up". Now, I love Gwen and really loved No Doubt and I respect Jay-Z as an artist, he's very talented as is Gwen. So someone explain to me why they both performed songs that repeated lyrics for 3 minutes and never really made a significant point or displayed true musical talent. Any monkey can dress up in sparkly clothes and repeat sounds! Most of Gwen Stefani's song was her saying "Wind it up, Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh!!!" And Jay-Z just kept saying, "show me what you got..." this chorus repeats five times with 2-3 sets of lyrics.

Rascal Flatts walked away with two awards and their version of "Life is A Highway" was horrible, really, my ears were bleeding! Too much country twang for me. I mean they sung their song beautifully and I think it's fine that they won for the Best Country Band, however; their ego's were unattractive, "For all those wondering what a Rascal Flatt is, here we are baby!"

Then the show ended with Snoop Dogg singing "I Wanna Love You", this song was not only about loving strippers (nothing wrong with loving a stripper) but on stage the entire set design was a strip club. If it had been on MTV I would have thought "great", but it wasn't, it was on regular basic television and here's some girl's ass sliding up and down a pole and a man, who has already been made fun of for trying to get through airport security with pot on him 3 times this year, throwing money all around the stage and singing about loving a woman who wants to grind a pole for a living! I mean what kind of message does that send to the kids watching this award show? And, more importantly, what does it say about Americans if because of this award show and the artists chosen to perform, records sales sky rocket and next year Snoop wins an award for this song?

What happened to promoting music with a message. Where were groups like U2 and Coldplay, Dave Mathews and Sarah McLaughlin. Artists with a message of hope, peace, reflection, inspiration. Even pop artists with talent like Justin Timberlake were missing. I thought he was suppose to bring Sexy Back?!

But no, instead we get artists named Pussycat Dolls singing about getting their buttons pushed and falling all over the stage (don't pretend you didn't see the one on the far left trip on her chair, I did, and it was funny).

I think that the talented artist with a positive message were just as diapointed as I was last night. The Dixie Chicks sang "Easy Silence" without much feeling looking sad and hopeless. John Mayer sang his song "Waiting on the World to Change", which was amazing, he is truly talented and I can't wait to watch his music develop and change, and when it was over he looked over at his band and said, "Ok, cool" like in a "let's get out of here" kinda way.

I will say that Jamie Foxx did an awesome job and I appreciated the standing ovation he received. I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.

All that being said, I would like to point out that I am not a prude. You can sing as much as you want about sex and violence and I won't get angry or feel violated. It's your right as an artist. However, I don't think that stippers and drug attacks should be promoted on local television and I don't think songs with repetative empty lyrics should be praised.

Rant officially over.

To the change the subject of this very long post I will just show you a quick photo of what I was working on last night while watching the AMA's, Odessa:

In this photo you can kinda see where I made a booboo and accidently twisted my cast-on row. I discovered it on the fourth row and just decided to twist it back. I had already cast-on twice and didn't feel like doing it again. I don't think you're going to be able to tell in the long run!

Here's all the projects I'm going to be working on over the Thanksgiving Holiday, 1 sock, 1 scarf, 1 Odessa, and 1 mini sweater ornament!

Happy Turkey Day!!!

World's Fastest Knitter Ever...Sike!

2006-11-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a very long, long time I had a free weekend with nothing planned. That's right, not one thing on the ol' calendar. I decided that as of Friday I was not allowed to make any plans that were less then 1 hour in advance and it worked out to be a wonder spuratic weekend!Friday night a girlfriend of mine came over at around 10pm and we made gingerbread man cookies and chocolate chip (courtsy of Fannie Farmer, yes B you can have it back now). Now as you might see from the little visual aid below, I did not have a rolling pin...I did however have a wine bottle. (Norma Jean collectors wine bottle)Note that you can see some wine in a glass in the background, this followed some chocolate martinis, is it any surprise than that we made the dough a little too thick and the men turned into blobs? Thank you for posing with one Kristin!It was a delightful Friday evenig/morning. Then Saturday I decided to finally make the drive and check out a new yarn store in Ellicott City called The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop. Love it, love it, love it! And the two women that work there Sara and Carol, were some of the most lovely knitters I've ever met not to mention extremely helpful. I'm definitely going back! They had a bumper sticker that said, "She who dies with the most yarn wins!" I thought that was hysterical. Hello, yarn nerd!

Then I came home to relax with a night full of knitting. Instead, my other girlfriend called and suggested a double feature movie night and then dinner. Faboo, completley spontaneous! Watch out, I'm goin' crazy!

With all the goings on and goings out I felt the need for total hybernation on Sunday, as I usually do. I spent the whole day lounging around except for 1 hour spent going to the grocery store down the street. Although I only purchased 4 things, it took 45 minutes because it's the holiday season and I am pretty sure it's safe to say that from this point forward all trips to the grocery, even if it's for a stick of gum are going to take that long. People gotta buy there canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce! I'm gonna hit up the grocery store next Sat, get a 1/2 priced turkey and make my own so as to have lots of my own leftovers all to myself. Mwooohahahhaha!

So, aside from my exciting visit to the local grocier I spent the day keeping my hands busy knitting. This was good for two reason. One, my hands were busy so I could not start decorating before Thanksgiving for Xmas (so ready to decorate!) and two, it allowed me to attain my new title of "World's Fastest Knitter Ever!" That's right, I , Kirby, managed to knit not one, not two, but three sweaters!!!! Get ready to be amazed! Here they are:

Yes, I know they are not adult sweaters but I never said that. They are ornamental sweaters meant for a Christmas tree or to decorate a package. The last one, Stripey, took me about 2 hours last night from CO (cast-on) to seaming. I love these little things, i really do.

I also managed to finish seaming the brown sweater tank, wash it and begin the blocking process. I'm going to wait till it's done to show it though.

Gotta love Sundays.

Happy Knitting!

World's Slowest Knitter Ever!

2006-11-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

So, I've come to the conclusion that I might just be the slowest knitter that I know. It's true. I've done some perusing around the knittingsphere and everyone has these holiday project lined up and they are just whipping them out. Javajem has 11 planned and has started about six already. It took me 15 days to knit one sock! And 2 months to finish knitting the brown sweater tank. I am halfway done knitting a scarf but I've been working on it for two weeks already. And it's not like I don't spend hours sitting on my butt and clicking the needles as fast as my little fingers will allow.

Because of this recent revelation (world's slowest knitter) I've decided to take on some small projects for Christmas so that I don't feel so unacomplished come present time. Here's one I started the other night. It's going to be a little red sweater tree ornament. I got the pattern out of Weekend Knitting, egg cozies. This little number (approximately 6 " long) took me about 2 hours to knit. I've heard other knitters able to whip out little projects like Odessa in about 3 hours or a pair of socks in a couple days. So I ask you, what am I doing wrong? Why is my speed so painfully slow? I have tried both Continental and Engish knitting. I've tried it on a plane, in a livingroom, in my bed, at my mother's house and have determined that location is not the key to quick knitting.

Perhaps it's that I get too distracted too easily.
I think I hopped up from knitting this little item to check my email about 3 times.
I got myself a nice glass of wine, paused to sip.
I pet the BobCat.
I was reading instructions.

That's is probably why is takes me a little longer! I never make the same thing twice therefore I am always reading instructions and recounting things. Hmmmm?

Well, whatever the reason here's hoping I find a couple free weekends before the holidays to whip up a few more of these. I'm thinking they'd make lovely little gift wrapping decor, part gift part decoration.

Happy Knitting!

One!

2006-11-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

What band from the 80s are you?

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Sickness and Finished Knitting

2006-11-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sad sad sad to say I had bronchitis all last week. Hence why I did no blog posting after Tuesday. And I don't just mean little bronchitis I mean the kind that causes you to call out of work on Wednesday, go into work on Thursday sounding like a 40 year old smoker named Ruth who works at a Deli and calls everyone "Honey", having your boss tell you to please go home by 11am, and then because you couldn't get your antibiotics any sooner develop a slight fever by Friday and call out yet again. Yes sir, that's the kind of bronchitis I had. Ick and Sick.

But the good news is that because I was at home and unable to talk for almost three days straight I was able to, in between naps, get a lot of knitting done!

I have finally completed all necessary knitting for my Brown Sweater Tank. Here she is! All that's left is the sewing in of loose yarn strings and blocking. I am hoping that by blocking it the sweater becomes slightly less blocky looking and perhaps stretches a little bit longer. Final photos to come probably next week. (Again, so sad about that discoloration thing). The picture isn't loading correctly but you get the idea.

I also spent some time working on a certain someone's Xmas gift but since said someone reads this blog I cannot post photos of it here. Note, they are posted some where else. Go see if you can find them!

Does anyone else have a nice Sunday tradition? I know that Monday through Friday is usually taken up by work and driving children around or going to school or attending things like aerobic classes. And that Saturday is usually a nice "event" day like a wedding (had one this Saturday) or an open house. Then Sunday is usually reserved for you to do whatever you would like. I usually try to stay home and prepare for the following week. I get all the laundry, school work, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc done.

Yesterday I did just that. I had been sick all week so the house was in total disorey (to me) and I needed groceries and there were little projects around the house still incomplete, like lining the kitchen cabinets. So by 3pm I had finished everything all the cleaning, laundry, shopping, lining and decided to settle down for a cozie evening of just me and the Bobcat, movies, baking, and knitting. It was raining and windy outside and because I live on a corner of row houses there was this high pitch whistle that would whirl around the house every now and then. First I put in the Little Princess with Shirly Temple and lit apple and pumpkin candles. It was very cozie. But then I got restless and decided the candles were giving me a headache. So I paused the Little Princess, put down my knitting, disturbed Bobcat's slumber, blew out the candles, put on the Nutcracker soundtrack, and decided to bake some pumpkin bread (get the real smell in the house). It turned out lovely. I think when school is all done I would like to take a baking class, among other classes (painting, beading, art history, Yoga, pottery, etc.). Here is the yummy bread.

Hope you all were cozie this Sunday.

SP9 Strikes

2006-11-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Yay! and Thank you to my Secret Pal 9!

I arrived at work on monday to find a lovely package from my secret pal just for me! Here's a snap shot of the contents!

Beautifully colored yarn, it looks like a box of crayons!

Yummy sour cherry candies, and 2 wonderful blue potholders.

I know this is suppose to be a yarn swap for the most part and all but I must say that I was most excited about the postholders. They match my kitcen perfectly! See all the blue? Ok, not the best photo but it also shows off my new kitchen table which I got on Sunday and I am also very excited about!

Thank you Secret Pal 9, you're the best!

Too Fancy for a Lion

2006-11-07T07:43:00.001-07:00

I recently read this morning on Theresa blog about Lion Brand creating a new line of cashmere yarn. Theresa presented a concern over their choice of colors and the fact that Lion Brand has never been known for making such a high-quality fiber.

Here's my arguement:

Lion brand is where knitters look to find something that perhaps has a festive color and a mild quality ( compared to Red Brand). They are willing to pay the $5.99 for the Homespun or the Thick-N-Quick because you can still make a fairly cute scarf that won't be itchy and may even be able to pass for yarnstore quality yarn. Pattons is somewhat similar with their wool yarn, especially their new felting yarns. However, no one would think to go to JoAnn Fabrics or Michaels to buy cashmere. Cashmere is a highend fiber. It is meant to be extravagent, not just in price but in quality as well. Those that shop Lion Brand don't intend to make high-end garments with it. I agree with you Theresa, the demographic that shops for Lion Brand either will scoff at the price of such expensive yarn from Lion Brand or they will not trust the quality because Lion Brand Yarn is not intended to be that upscale. I would assume those that either can afford or like to purchase cashmere would also value the LYS experience and most likely you will not find Lion Brand at your LYS.

Chicago and all that Jazz

2006-11-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

Home sweet home.

After a lovely and long vacation to Chicago to visit my friend, Gretchen, I'm officially back to work.

This vacation was very different from my past two trips to visit my friend. Gretchen and I have been friends since third grade. We grew up together, went on school field trips together, had classes together, were on competing swim teams, went to each other's birthday parties, passed notes in classes, were Chemistry partners, and even cheated on a Latin test together...don't tell Magistra Jackson! So, I've been out there to see her twice already. So, I've done all the touristy things like seeing Wrigley Field, shopping on Michigan Ave, visiting the Hancock and getting a martini at the Sky Lounge Bar, toured the Chicago Institute of Art (twice), went to fancy dinners and kareoke clubs. As a result, this trip was much more laidback. I basically lived the life of a Chicagoen for a week.

I went to her volleyball games, she's awesome by-the-by, we saw a movie, went shopping for halloween costumes, bonded with her cat, Maybe, went to a halloween party, watched a lot of Entourage ( I heart that show now!), and hung out at her local bar Goldies (good times, nice people, usual shady characters), and my friend even created maps for me so that I could do my very own and very first yarn store crawl while she was at work one day. I'll provide more details about my adventures there in a later post!

I must admit that for Halloween we did sport some pretty clever costumes. She being the little literary queen sported a t-shirt with a picture of an iron on it, the iron had the letter "E" written on it so she went as....wait for it...Irony!!!!! Oh, that kills me! I wore a yellow shirt and had some notes written all over me and a Sharpie maker attached to the shirt. I was a Post-it Note! Oh, we are soooo funny. We got many an eye roll at the Heaven and Hell duel apartment party we attended. Here's a picture of us all decked out! (Note David Bowie's very large poster head behind us, I think he is contemplating either the meaning of Irony or what note he would like to leave on my shirt).

Here I am attempting to bond with Maybe. It's like children to candy, the minute she saw that I was knitting something she had to immediately jump in my lap and be a part of the knitting fun!

Working on my second sock for Socktoberfest was not the only knitting that I worked on whilst traveling, I got some progress on the ol' Red Scarf Project done!

I must throw a shout out to my dear friend. For not only has she kept every gift I have ever made for her but she even volunteered to pose with them all in a photo. I personally think she looks fabulous!In case you are wondering what is on her head, it is a bag I made for her using BySarah's pattern.

Did I mention a fair amount of drinking occured? Gretchen with her PBR's and I with my fancy drinks.

It was a lovely trip, fun times, laughter, and always friendship.

Thanks for having me Gretch!

Chicago here I come

2006-10-27T12:48:00.000-06:00

Well I'm off to Chicago today so you won't see any posts from me for about a week. I will say though that I have completed one project I have been working on. And since I don't think my sister reads my blog, I'll show you what I've been working on!

2006-10-25T07:47:00.000-06:00

For lack of updated knitting reports I offer you this!

1. FIRST NAME? Sara, but I go by Kirby (middle name) to some of my friends.

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My parents were originally going to name me Luke if I were a boy or Laura if I was a girl, can you say General Hospital in the early eighties (my mother denies this coincidence). However, under the influence of drugs and after 36 hours of labor my mother, without consulting my father, chose the name Sara.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I think it was in the car listening to a song that reminded me of my brother. I'm such a sap!

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Depends on the day.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Turkey

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Definitely!

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? From about 1990 (gulf war) to about 2003 I kept several journals, never finishing one. I have a huge portion of my life and inner thoughts documented in them but I have since slacked. They are a great source of entertainment for myself...what was I thinking when I wrote that?

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, aand appendix!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, I would rather sky dive. I don't trust rubber bands.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms and Honey Bunches of Oats with strawberries.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Depends on the qualifications. Stronger than a five year old, yes. Stronger than my dad, prolly not.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Cookie Dough, I'm a cherry-picker. And I also love coffee flavored.

14. SHOE SIZE? 7.5 - 8

15. RED OR PINK? Red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I wish I was more athletic. Wait, I wish I was athletic at all.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My friend Beth. I only knew her till she was 15 but I think she would have been an amazing friend for life.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? No

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? New Gap jeans, a striped button down shirt, and brown knee-high boots.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Cheerios without milk.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Sarah McLachlan, Angel.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Not sure, but I would definitely not be pistachio!

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Fresh lilacs, I know it sounds cheesy but it's true. The smell is so fleeting when you walk by them during the spring but it's so clean and fresh.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mamasita

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Lips, shoulders, teeth, facial hair. Hmmm, I suppose it would be better if I said personality, how they laugh, but really this question is all circumstantial.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? I don't actually know her but I really enjoy reading her blog. Carrieoke!

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Coffee

28. FAVORITE SPORT? I love watching baseball and soccer.

29. EYE COLOR? Blue

30. HAT SIZE? I'm gonna guess and say medium. I mean I have a big head but it's probably not bigger than Donald Trumps...When he's wearing his tupee.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, but I could. I wear glasses.

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Bagels with lots of cream cheese.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, the news is scary enough.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall and Spring.

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on the person ;)

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Lemon Meringe Pie or Baltimore Berger cookies.

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Emily

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Well, it's not really an email so I don't think anyone will really "respond".

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Tom Wolf's I am Charlotte Simmons.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? Don't have one.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Gilmore Girls.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Bubble wrap popping!

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Aberdeen, Scotland.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I'm an amazing shower singer!

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Baltimore, Maryland

Well, that's all I got, sorry there's not pics. I've been working on knitting I just can't show any of it cause it's gifts and I figure no one wants to see similar sock pictures for my second sock.

I'm not ready, I'm in repair.Maybe when things turn green again. I'll be ready. I'm not together but I'm gettin' there.

2006-10-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

Here is what my brown sweater tank has taught me:

1. Always test your gauge and figure out yardage required to make the entire garment.

2. Always buy at least one more skein of the same dye lot then you estimated necessary.

3. It's good to practice unknown stitches on a swatch.

4. Always pin your garment together and try it on before you seam everything to ensure proper length.

6. Don't get discouraged if your garment doesn't come out as you had hoped, instead look at it as a sample, mock-up, rough draft.

7. Know that your next attempt will be close to flawless based on lessons 1-4. ;)

All that said, here is how the famous brown sweater tank looks so far!

Note the color difference above my chest? The second photo shows how much yarn I've got left to create the roll over turtleneck collar, we shall see, we shall see. Now, for me this garment is a rough draft. I may someday rip it out and make a different garment or a beautiful brown scarf. I really love the Cascade Siera yarn, it very soft and drapes nicely. My next plan is to buy more of this yarn in a different color (I'm bored with brown) and get at least four skeins of the same dyelot.

In some non-knitting news, I had quite the beautiful day at work yesterday. It started with my weekly office supply run. I was driving down the windy back roads near my office and took a driveby moment to snap a picture of these glorious trees. I am not quite sure what breed of tree these are but I'm captivated everytime I drive by. I love this about autumn, even in the wake of death these leaves release the most beautiful colors found on earth. I think it's inspirational.

Then I came back to the office and a coworker informed me that the entire back of the building was covered in ladybugs. I ran outside and sure enough over 1,000 ladybugs were swarming all around the back of the building! It was crazy. Inside another coworker called down to my desk and informed me that she had at least a couple hundred insider her office! I ran up stairs with my camera. I didn't get the best photo but you get the idea. They're supposed to be a sign of good luck.

"Ladybugs...lots and lots of Ladybugs" Under the Tuscan Sun

Mawidge (Princess Bride)

2006-10-17T13:43:00.000-06:00

So, remember all those posts about Bacheloretting? No? You mean you don't read my blog religously and take notes so you can cross reference things later? Well, fine! If you would like you click on the above bacheloretting link and see the post I'm referring to.

The girl/monkey finally got hitched. Actually she got hitched and has just returned from her honeymoon. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (said in a 2nd grade childish way).

The wedding was 2 weeks ago and it was lovely. She chose very classic colors, red, black, and white. Some don't like the idea of red at a wedding. Saying it's too harsh and pastel is the way to go but I think she (the bride/monkey) did a divine job picking out not only flattering dresses but a beautiful shade of mactintosh apple red. Plus, color blind people are able to see red, black, and white so see how thoughtful she was in picking those colors?!

Here are a few photos to show the wonderful, loving, and crazy time we all had.

Lacing her up!

Put your shoes on, you're going down the isle!

Trolly so trumps limo!

The Bride and her Girls

Rushing to the alter

I do, you do. They did!

We all did!

Call me crazy, but I think he actually likes her!

Ceremony over, time to bust a move!

Yes, I am wearing a wig, and no it's not mine (how much did I drink?)

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Goldsborough!!!

all images were provided by CreativeImagery

A Case of the Grumps

2006-10-16T11:51:00.000-06:00

Ever have one of those days where you're just grumpy? You wake up grumpy, you remain grumpy, you know you're going to be grumpy and there is very little anyone can do about it. It's a case of the grumps. Perhaps it's because it's a Monday. Perhaps the emotional part of your brain just decided that you are incapable of being happy...today.

And despite this Grump virus that will just have to work it's way out of your system at it's own speed, you must go to work.

Oh your poor coworkers.

They will have to endure this attitude. You, unfortunately will not be able to offer much to them but a weak smile. And although your face shows a half-ass smile in your head you're screaming (most likely about some sort of frustion pertaining to the person receiving your half-ass smile). You may even have an emotional outburst or be undeservingly mean to a coworker. This will ultimately result in guilt, which feeds the grumps.

For days like this it would be best to carry a warning sign on a popcicle stick that you could just hold up when people start talking to you. It could say:" I would like to sincerely apologize for my attitude today. I am suffering from a case of the Grumps. I will most likely get upset... a lot today, treat you harshly, offer little patience, and most defintely find you frustrating. This does not portray my real feelings about you, but today I will be annoyed with everything. Please leave me alone. Thank you."

Today I am grumpy, I just am. I am hoping for better tomorrow. But it is what it is, a grumpy Monday. So I offer you this, progress I made over the weekend when I was not feeling so grumpy but productive.

Knitting Done! On!

one more to go!

Listomania

2006-10-11T13:26:00.000-06:00

I have projects, lots and lots and lots of projects. Project dejour, mucho projects, otsla rojectspa! (pig latin ;)

So, I've decided the best way to organize all my projects is to make a list. I used to be quite the list maker back in my middle school note writing days. Not notes for class but notes written to girlfriends that would later be folded down into paper footballs and then slyly passed to one another while talking in the hall. I used to write anything to my girlfriends in order to pass class time. I'd write lists about the contents of my lunch bag, lists about what each person in the classroom was doing, lists about what I was going to do when I got home. Sometimes, right before a vacation one of my girlfriends would receive a list for my packing, lucky girls!

So now in order to organize my thoughts and provide myself with some sort of timeline I'm going to make a two lists. One of projects I have started complete with due dates, and the second list will be for projects I have already bought yarn for but have yet to start.

Projects Started:

1. Blue socks for Soctoberfest, due date: 10/31/06.
2. Brown sweatervest, due date: 11/15/06. Not much time here but I want to be able to wear it in season appropriate weather.
3. Sister's scarf, due date: 10/28/06. Her birthday.
4. Red Scarf Project, due date: 12/31/06. I think it's due before the new year.
5. Granny Square Crochet Blanket, due date: 4/11/06. I'm giving myself 6 months to complete this.

Projects not started but purchased supplies for:
1. Odessa Hat, was going to be for my cousin but now I might just make it for me. Using Rowan Wool/Cotton Blend.
2. Irish Hiking Scarf, I'm thinkin about making this for my friend, who reads this blog so now her Xmas gift surprise is ruined (Hope you like it!). Using Carsons Soft Acrylic.
3. Central Park Hoodie from KnitScene, Denim Blue Virgin Wool. First cable clothing project!
4. Yoga Mat Bag from Knitty. Using Wool in the Woods Rayon/Cotton Blend.

Ok, I thought of one more list!

Non-yarn related Crafty Projects:
1. Finish making 12-Month Quilt, due date: 4/2007. I want it ready for the spring.
2. Make a cute yarn toting bag, due date: 12/2006.
3. Make a needle case, due date: 12/2006
4. Finish collage on sewing machine case lid, then decoupage: due date 11/2006. Want to finish that before I start using the machine.
5. Finish lining kitchen cabinets, due date 10/26/2006. That's like a 10 minute project I've been avoiding since I moved in!
6. Make Roman Shade out of left over fabric from other curtains, due date 12/2006.

Ok, I think that's everything. Not too bad. Now, that I have the list I just have to remember to cross things off it when I am done!

Good luck to me!

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you!

2006-10-10T13:53:00.000-06:00

1. Where is your favorite knitting spot?

I probably have not discovered it yet, but my current knitting spot is the right side of my couch in front of the tv, with all my stuff spread all over the couch and my feet propped up on the coffee table and a cup of coffee next to me on the side table, (picture to come).

2. If you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead?

Sadly, I have thought about this b/c I sometimes have wrist issues. I think I would learn to knit with my toes, I have finger like toes and think with a lot of concentration and practice I could make it work. Then I'd become the monkey knitter!

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why?

I would want to travel to Ireland and am hoping to get there this summer (gotta save, gotta save). My family, the Kirby's, are from there and I would like to discover more of my heritage from there. Plus how could would it be to knit in Ireland? Well, for me, pretty cool.

4. When you were little - What did you want to do "when you grew up?" Are you doing it?

I had several dream occupations when I was little and now it's funny to think how none of them have happened so far and that prehaps the younger version of myself knew me better than I know me now. I can't even remember what I wanted to be when I was little, I think a teacher and a mom. You know, the ol' idolize the ones you're with. Now, I think I would eventually like to have my own business or finish getting my degree in Art and perhaps teach someday...way, way, way in the future after my corporate career.

5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

it's between straight coffee flavor and Ben and Jerry's Dublin Mudslide

Thanks JavaJem for posting these fun Secret Pal questions!

Elastic Wasteband Pants Day!

2006-10-10T12:53:00.000-06:00

The best thing about being sick is getting a vacation day where you don't actually have to go anywhere. I called out sick yesterday and while I was not feeling the best physically I got to do something that probably happens only a handful of times a year, if I'm lucky. I spent all day sitting in my lovely house, knitting, and watching the second season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. But better than that, I didn't change out of my pajamas all day!

All day Elastic Wasteband Pants Day!!!!

I love elastic wasteband pants, not for galavanting around the town in but for general lazying-around-the-house-seeing-no-one-of-any-interest days.

Yup, I was a mess, hair on top of my head, two different colored socks, big baggy shirt, leaving crap everywhere and I didn't care! I think that is true vacation. One, a vacation from work, but also two, a vacation from some of my neuroses. Let the dishes sit in the sink, leave the glasses/cups around the house, eat whatever you want, don't answer the phone when it rings, take a nap at 4pm even though you've already slept enough. Ah bliss!

Now, as a result of my lovely Elastic Pants Day I got a lot of knitting done.

Check out my almost completed first sock!
I figure that if I can finish this one by the 15th (Sunday), then I should be able to complete a pair by the end of Socktoberfest!

I don't like to brag, especially because what I'm about to tell you is really not so special or even rare, but I'm a mostly self-taught knitter. Except for the garter stitch, I've taught myself everything I know! So, when I got to the heel flap, heel turn, and gusset, well, I was a bit nervouse. But I did it! I got confused but thanks to the trusty internet I figured it all out! Genius I tell you, GENIUS!

Then I got a cramp in my hand...so I switched from the DPN's to the standard straight needle and started making my sister's birthday ribbon scarf. I got the pattern from Stitch-N-Bitch Nation. It's turning out pretty well but I didn't realize I was going to go through one ball so quick. Looks like I'll be doing a little yarn shopping this weekend!

I have a heel!

2006-10-09T16:12:00.000-06:00

Lookie, lookie!

Ying and Yang

2006-10-04T13:14:00.000-06:00

So yesterday I was so sad about the theft and violation and general loss of belongings, but the day was made better when I got home to find my last Secret Pal 8 package! I got this beautiful Opal sock yarn, a beginners socks pattern, and a set of nice bamboo size three needles! Since I am on my way to being a sock knitting genius I was really excited to see the contents of my package! Have a look!

See how my positives outway my negatives of the day.

But wait, there's more!

So, I was driving to a friend's house last night and heard about a Gilmore Girls (love that show, just like me and Mamasita) Quiz coming up on Mix 106.5 FM, a local baltimore radio station. So, I immediately picked up the phone and predialed their phone number so that when they asked the question I'd be ready to press the "send" button. Then DJ, Greg Valentine came on and asked "True or False, Luke proposed to Lorelai at Luke's Diner". I knew the answer! FALSE, FALSE, FALSE! I picked up my phone and started dialing before the DJ even finished the question. It rang, and rang, and raaaaaaaaaaang. But I refused to hang-up, cause you can never get through! But then the DJ came on and asked me the same question and I screamed "FALSE!", I may have scared him a little. So, then he announced me as the winner of the 6th season of Gilmore Girls on DVD and took my information. I was also entered in a grand prize drawing for a $500 shopping spree to AERI.

Ying...Yang!

But wait, there's more!

So then I go to the station today to pick up the DVD set and the woman at the reception desk is saying that she can't find it and I begin to worry that my bad luck has come back. Then she says, "Oh wait! Here it is!" and instead of just the DVD set she brings out this HUGE bag with an envelope attached that says "Gilmore Girls gift pack" Inside was the 6th Season on DVD, the soundtrack to the show, 2 Dragon Fly mugs filled with biscotti and such and a French Press! Then i had to sign a waver saying that I had just received a $100 prize package from them!

I'm sooooo happy!!!!

I love the balance of the universe!

Here's some progress shots for ya:
let's hear it for socks! ( I think they look a little tight, but I guess you don't really wear your socks baggy). And I have about 3 feet done on the Red Scarf, sorry it's a side ways shot.

Secret Pal 9 Questionaire!!!

2006-10-03T11:12:00.000-06:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Hmmm, I love cotton and wool blends. I am not a fan of itchy wool or acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I currently use a raggy bag that I need to replace. The needles are in complete disorey. I want to make one of those needle holders but haven't gotten a chance yet.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

i have been a "dedicated" knitter for about a year. I learned when I was about 10 or so from my mom, who was not much of a knitter herself. I would consider myself a intermediate. I'm working on pair of socks right now, intend to start my first cable sweater this fall, and am finishing my first article of clothing as I type!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, I have an Amazon List!

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

I love fall smells, harvest by Yankee is my favorite for this season. I also enjoy pumpkin, apple pie, anything musky, sage and citris by White Barn, and Rose Pedal by Pier 1. For bath products I like natural smells vanilla, musky stuff, I don't support Bath and Body Works cause they test on animals.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Yes, yes, yes! I love candy. Necco Wafers are a favotire, as well as Candy Hearts, Skittles, Now and Laters, Red liccorice shoelace string. Hershey Kisses are my favorite chocolate. Oh and this is weird to some but I also love circus peanuts. Those marshmellow candies. I can only eat like 3 at a time but they are totally worth it!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I do cross-stitch, crochet (much more experienced in that area), scrapbooking, decoupage, sewing, I minor in quiliting. I love to do home improvement things like paint, stencil, put furniture together. I really want to learn to reupholster and paint. I have a drop spinner and some unspun wool but have yet to figure it all out. I saw a demo at the Sheep and Wool Festival and figured I could do it easily, didn't work out that way. (grin)

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I would love a CD! Just today all my CD's were stolen from my car. (sad)
I like chick rock, Old Madonna, No Doubt, Jewel, Sarah McClaughlin, Fiona Apple, 80's rock like Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, U2, Classics like Louie Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Alternative like Coldplay, Popular like Jack Johnson, DMB, John Mayer, KT Tunstall, Joss Stone, and movie Soundtracks. I used to have a ton of movie soundtracks. I guess cause I like a good compilation. I was interested in getting some classical to do some school work to.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love purple and am trying to expand my wardrobe to contain more lately. I am also getting into red. I grew up wearing mostly natural colors, blue, brown, cream, green. I'm trying to spice things up a bit. Although I really need to put more green in there. There aren't too many colors I can't stand. I guess I'm not a big fan of pink, especially hot pink. I do not like neon bright colors. And I'm not a big fan of pastals either. I perfer the 8 original crayola colors ;)

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live on my own in my first single apartment. I do have a cat Bobi and I am considering adopting another in Nov.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Yes, Yes, Yes, sure. I'm not a huge poncho fan but I find them cute. But living on upper half of the east coast makes scarves, hats, and mittens essentials in the winter.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I don't really have any favorite right now. I just got into clothes so I am trying to expand my experience.

13. What are you knitting right now?

i am knitting several things right now. I just got yarn to start Odessa, I am knitting a red scarf for the Red Scarf Project, I am workign on my first pair of socks, I have a sweater tank I am finishing, and hope to start a cable project this fall/winter.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes, yes, yes!!!! So much more valuable.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

i am trying to become comfortable with circular needles and really need to expand the ol' collection. I like all old plastic needles, they're kind rubbery but not, they dont' make them like that anymore. I also enjoy aluminum and bamboo!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I do not own a yarn winder or a swift much to my hands dismay. I am hand winder but am saving for the swift and winder. Maybe Xmas!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

My oldest is actually a crochet project for my Mom. It's a crochet Cloche hat and I just can't figure out how to crochet in the round. I've tried everything and frogged this project several times. I started it last SuperBowl and I intend to pick up again this year at the same time. (Sorry Mama)

18. What is your favorite holiday?

My birthday...and Xmas. But Xmas only lasts one day and my birth"day" lasts about a month!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

I used to collect post cards, I had over 500 at one point. Now I collect crafts, memories, and dust.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

All the books I'm dying to get my hands on are on my Amazon list. I would like to do more bead knitting and always love to try new things. I currently have a subscription to Interweave Knits but am considering Vogue Knitting.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Eventually lace, but not yet

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes, but I jsut started and am making a standard sock that didn't request me to measure my foot. I have a very, very narrow heel, wear a 7.5, and tend to have long toes.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) Just missed it ! 9/19

Tough lessons

2006-10-03T10:48:00.000-06:00

Yup, my car got broken into...well sort of. More less Jerk (breaker inner's name) just lifted my door handle and realized that I had left it unlocked. Stupid on my behalf, yes.

All they took was my CD binder and a 6pk of paper towels from my trunk. They picked the wrong car to steal from because mine had nothing of value. Most of my CD's are outdated and the binder itself is half empty because I am always taking CD's out and taking them into the house or to work. So they got a half empty binder with some CD lable inserts of CD's I still have and some mix CD's I made. that was probably the worset thing. I can't replace those. They are full of memory and really mean a lot to me but they'll mean nothing to somebody else and will eventually be dumped into a trash bin. One was a CD from an Ex and although we don't talk or anything anymore it was one of those precious gifts that is irreplaceable and you put with all the letters and memories and hope one day to show your children or something. I also had all this burned Celtic music that I got...free.

I know I am lucky because they could have acutally damaged my car or stolen my stereo. But really who wants a '04 Nissan Sentra basic car radio. I'm not that fancy and neither is my car. I keep nothing of value in it. Although I did have some ribbon yarn in the backseat and would you believe..they didn't want that!

I'm trying to find the humor in the situation:

1. I was silly enough to leave the door unlocked (not on purpose)
2. They stole paper towels
3. They did leave either a CD of their own or someone else's they stole.

That's right I saw a CD laying upside down in my car this morning after I got to work. I was standing on the driver's side getting my bag for work out of the backseat when I saw it on the floor of the back passenger side. So I dove, if you can picture this I'm sure it looked funny, across the backseat and grabed the CD thinking it looked like it might be the Fiona Apple CD I got for Xmas. I grabbed it and quickly flipped it over only to discover it was the BIG PUN, Capitol Punishment CD. Now, I do not nor have I ever owned this CD. Can you believe Jerk was that clumsy, IDIOT! He left finger prints!

Truth is, I don't care enough. I wouldn't persue this and take up crime fighting time to report that I was the moron that left her car unlocked over night when she knows that she lives next to drug dealers. I'll never get back the CD's that truly meant something to me anyway.

Tough Lesson to learn.

Bastards of the Crafty Variety and Socks!

2006-10-02T12:34:00.000-06:00

Hmmm, what to say about the Crafty Bastard Festival....well, it's not Artscape that's for sure. I guess I wasn't quite prepared to wonder through a small space over crowded with tents full of less-than-original ideas. I'm not saying I didn't see some awesomeness, cause I did. There was one vendor who took old hardback books and made purses out of them. They were really unique and creative but I didn't linger long because it was too crowded and I was all in a funk from the rest of the vendors. It was mostly Indie crafts, buttons that had cartoons inside them, handmade bags made from table clothes with the artists logo. I suppose I'm not so much into the Indie craft world. I did see Woolarina's stand, that was great. I was entranced by her yarns but unfortunately didn't come prepared to purchase. Some of the other knitting tents were just some random scarves that looked like they followed a Lion Brand pattern, nothing original.

I went with Sarah and Jen. Since we didn't find anything to purchase or strike our fancy at the Bastard Craft fest we decided to make our way over to Stitch DC. This was especially thrilling since Sarah really knew her way around DC and did all the driving, she drove us through China Town and past the capitol building. So nice to be a passenger!

We all found a little something we could walk away with. Here's my purchase plus some awesome stitch markers made BySarah! She's awesome and helped me later that evening showing me how to string beads onto my new yarn so that I could make Odessa! I want to make the hat for my 8 year old neice. I got the beautiful wool cotton from Rowan and this new wool wash scent sample. Yummy!

Thanks for the fun day ladies!In other knitting news!

I have officially started my Soctoberfest socks! I attmepted these socks months ago and was a bit discouraged with how I felt, as if I was trying to knit with clown gloves or something. Well, the knitting magic fairly must have hit me with her wand last night because I was a sock knitting machine! Seriously! This is just a sample of what I did last night, I actually finished the cuff and started the leg! If I can finish one pair of socks this month I will feel like a true knitter.

The State of Affairs...Or Lack Thereof

2006-09-28T11:08:00.000-06:00

This is my life right now:

So true, so true.

Ohhhh, Ahhhh! Behold, the Red Scarf!

2006-09-27T12:28:00.000-06:00

Last night was spent starting this little beauty. I must say that I am really enjoying the way the pattern is coming along. I got it from Crazy Aunt Purl's site! Here's the pattern. I think whoever receives it will be pleased.

I am using Lion Brand Wool Thick-N-Quick in Cranberry

Here's a question for ya: Can you block a FO if it is made of 20% wool and 80% acrylic?

So, other than that life is fairly boring this week. I've got to write a paper tonight and then school tomorrow. So long knitting, see you Friday.

And the Pirates say "ARGH!"

2006-09-25T14:04:00.000-06:00

Renaissance Festival Fun!!!!!! Let me just start off by saying that my little brother, and by "little" I mean "younger" because he no longer littler than me, has got more hair folicles on his head than I do on my entire body. The boy has such luxurious hair that I think there are many 40 and 50 year old men who probably look at his full head of hair and remember their youth fondly. And to top it off, he probably will never go bald! Lucky Bastard.
I mean look at it! It's crazy out of control!

Note, that is a hat he really wanted because it is similar if not exact looking to the one that Jimmie Hendrix made notorious.

This weekend was full of fun yet again, excluding a minor trip to the ER where they made us wait for five hours, taking everyone except us in that time frame. We ended up leaving without any description of what may have happened...blah, blah, blah, not really that important, just frustrating.

So, on Saturday I went to the Baltimore Italian Festival. I must say that I was quite disappointed. It was three blocks, 1 game of Boche Ball, two stand of meatballs (yummy), some Italian ice stands, and the Macaroni Grille, along with your local political harassment teams (Erlich, no O'Malley, No ERLICH, NO O'MALLEY!!!). I thought for sure I was going to see gigantic sunflowers, people dancing in noodle costumes, someone tossing dough in the air, or something else really Italian, but there was very little. Baltimore Italians, you can do better!

And then Sunday was a fun filled Ren Fest Day! There was the rope ladder climbing! Did you know that you are not allowed to climb the rope ladder upside down? I did not, nor did my brother, he did it anyway, screw the wench and her rules! I got a beautiful flower halo.

Happy Renaissance Family!

Need Help!!??

2006-09-24T19:36:00.000-06:00

I'm completely devastated. The brown sweater tank I've been working on this month isn't going to wearable! I ran out of my yarn, which was supplied by my Secret Pal, so I bought more off line.

This is what has happened :(

See the discoloration? I'm sooooo upset. This was to be my first wearable self-knitted garment. Now what do I do?

I could:

A) finish the garment and use it as a sample for future clothing, know that I gauged correctly.

B) I could finish the garment and attempt bleaching it and then redying it.

C) I could frog the who thing. The largest thing I've ever knitted. :(

What do you think I should do fellow knit bloggers? Have you ever done this?

P.S. What a valuable, expensive, and time consuming lesson. Always buy enough of the same dye lot!

If the Moonshine don't kill me then I'll live till I die....

2006-09-22T12:10:00.000-06:00

So, the birthday month is slooooowly coming to a close. Just a dinner tonight and Ren Fest and Melting Pot on Sunday and I think I'm all birthday'd out. I suppose it's a good thing too because I'm tired. Too much fun for me.

Today I ordered one last birthday gift for myself, the Fall 2006 Knitscene magazine by Interweave Press. The other day I was blog stalking and I found Yarn-A-Go-Go's site and was completely swept away by the sweater she had just completed! She said it was a fairly simple cable pattern. So, I'm figuring it would be a great first cable sweater and since I already have all that blue virgin wool I can use that and hopefully get started this month! But first I must finish the brown sweater tank, maybe this weekend (keep fingers crossed!).

No updated knitting pictures from this week because, like I said, birthday, birthday, birthday. Pictures to come on Monday.

I leave you with this inspiring shot though, this is a picture of my step-grandparents. They have been married 50 years and last Saturday all their friends and family gathered to celebrate this milestone. Believe it or not some of the folks that attended their wedding were at the party and one of the aunts who is 88 years old ( I think) had brought the party favor from their wedding 50 years ago.

Here's hoping we can all find that kind of love and security.

Happy Weekend!

Birthday Sweet Birthday

2006-09-19T10:20:00.001-06:00

Oh what a birthday celebration month! Yes, that's right month. I get the whole month of September and if it spills into October well, I won't complain.

It started on Friday with a lovely birthday dinner with Dad and Barb (D & B). There was cake, ribs, a balloon, and a personal rendition of Happy Birthday, sung to me by this random girl with a beautiful voice at the Greenmount Tavern.

Then imagine my shock and surprise when I arrived home later that evening to find a surprise package from Miss BySarah! Not only had Miss BySarah sent me a pattern that I was dying to get my hands on but she made me my very own Sock knitting bag! I was thrilled and studied it immediately. Hope to make one this weekend! Thank you BySarah!

Saturday I did a little yarn shopping for myself and used some of birthday monies from D & B and got all this lovely virgin wool, 12 skeins of blue, 4 skeins of purple, and 3 sets of needles, 1 stitch maker, 1 cable needles, a set of #5 DPN's, and 1 circular #5 needle all for $20! I love Craigslist!

And then Sunday was all day MD Winefest with 8 lovely friends! Yummmmmmy! No pictures yet because apparently I like to loose the batteries in my camera when I drink wine. And my sweet girlfriend Kristin, gave me the Stitch-N-Bitch Nation book! Yay! Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday, I went to Mamasita's and she gave me the Color Purple which I have always wanted to read and a new sewing machine!

Then, today I was getting the mail for work and what should arrive but a lovely ball of Cascade Yarns, Sierra, Chocolate #32 that I had ordered online last week so that I could finally finish the sweater tank!

Life is good! Crafty Birthdays are Better!

I think that 26 is going to be a very good year!

Motivational Stand Still

2006-09-14T12:51:00.000-06:00

It's raining. Raining, raining, raining.

I'm happy it's raining because my lawn has been the most unattractive shade of yellow this summer and Maryland really needs the rain. However, with the rain comes the traffic, frizzy hair, wet pant cuffs, balancing act of bag, purse, coffee, umbrella, and keys half in the door before you drop them on the ground and yell "S#*t!".

Let us begin with the traffic. This morning my 15 minute commute became...60 minutes. Now, the rain isn't only to blame for this. It's back to school season and while i know this makes most parents very happy to get rid of their kiddies for up to 7 hours a day, the traffic transporting said kiddies is attrocious. My commute runs down a road that has two private schools along the two way street. These schools don't provide public transportation in the form of school busses or even yellow limos. Why? Because they are private. So, private parents must drive their private children on these public roads and screw up everyone's commute by congesting the streets and polutting the environment. Perhaps some of that tuition could go towards a huge Dillon bus or something to pick up the locals. So here I am stuck behind Mrs. Private school and her gas guzzleing SUV, stopping at every traffic light, watching her sip her Starbucks, being blinded by her gigantic wedding ring and assuming that her driving has been all over this road because her diamond shoes are on too tight. I'm sure she is very nice and her kids are getting one of the finest educations money can buy but she's in my way and that makes her obnoxious.

So, I get to work...late. And then am confronted with the realization that not only is it raining today but I don't want to be here. I'm completely unmotivated. This weather is not meant for productivity. The construction workers that have been rockin' my world (ie: running their steam roller 10ft from my quaking building) all week don't have to work today. They realize that today is a day to stay in. Who knows, they could all be home knitting for all I know, and I want to be with them.

I can't possibly be expected to get anything accomplished today. I should have called out "unmotivated" today. Think of the gas I would have saved on the commute alone! I can't wait for the day to end. I just want to go home and put on comfy, and by that i mean elastic waistband, pants and slippers and sit in my livingroom watching Oprah and knitting.

But there will be no comfy knitting for me. For even after work I must get thee to class.

Hmmm, maybe I will develop some sort of "problem" tomorrow and have to call out. I hear it's going to rain!

Yarn IS Lovely

2006-09-11T11:37:00.000-06:00

Lovely Yarns in Hampden is just that, lovely. I visited the store this Saturday and was very impressed with Sue and the yarn environment that she had created there on Hampden's Avenue. Would you believe that you can knit Bamboo!? I didn't, but sure enough Sue had Bamboo yarn in her shop, she offers it in single ply through 4ply and it is softer than cotton. She had yummy snacks for all her visitors and a cozie knitting corner in the bay window.
And thanks to Sue for putting our picture up on her website under Knitting Nights!

The Baltimore Knitting Meetup group met there on Saturday and we had the greatest time wandering around and touching all the yummy yarn. I was ridiculously excited to see and somewhat meet Coleen and Jen who's blogs I read weekly. And even more excited when Coleen informed me she read mine and quoted something from the prior day's post! And here I thought only my annoyed friends and family visited the site. Thanks to all the readers who stop by, leave a comment and I'll write you back!

Also, I got to meet bySarah, whom I had befriended only the day before. She joined the Meetup group and met us that day. I was thrilled that she'd brought some of her Sock WIPs bags! This girl is really talented.

It was a great outting.

Besides a lovely dinner party on Saturday night most of the weekend was spent working on the sweater tank; which, just as I was about to decrease for the armholes, I ran out of yarn. Arrggghh. Turns out I might have to order more from California so she probably won't get finished by the end of the week which was my goal. Then I decided to work on a quilt only to sew together the last panel and realize that I was missing a piece. Again...Arrrgggghhh! Work with me people!

Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe it's that I shouldn't feel guilty about not finishing things because it's just not in my destiny.

What kind of Knitter are you!

2006-09-08T12:22:00.000-06:00

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer. You are through those knitting growing pains and feeling more adventurous. You can follow a standard pattern if it's not too complicated and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've started to experiment with different fibers and you might be eyeing a book with a cool technique you've never tried. Perhaps you prefer to stick to other people's patterns but you are trying to challenge yourself more. Regardless of your preference, you are continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as well you should since your non-knitting friends are probably dropping some serious hints, these days.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

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Two Truths and A Lie

2006-09-06T09:48:00.000-06:00

Yes! I've been tagged by Jessalu Knits and Spins!

Ok, below please find three statements. Two of these statements are true, one is false. Please send me a comment if you can figure out which is the false statement.

1. I come from a very large Irish Catholic family, the Kirby's. My father's name is Francis Xaiver. He has seven sisters. Six of these sisters have the first name Mary, their mother's name is also Mary. My mother's name is Mary.

2. When I was 20 I met a woman in San Miguel, Mexico while riding horseback. She asked what I was studying in college. I said I hadn't picked a major yet and she asked what my interests were. When I told her fashion and arts she suggested I check out The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, FIDM. I moved out to Los Angeles, CA 7months later and received my degree in Merchandise and Marketings at the age of 23. I worked for Jo.s A. Banks in Carroll County for 2 years before I decided that I didn't want to be in the fashion industry anymore.

3. I was 14 when I first traveled abroad to France. I lived in a small town call Buc, just outside of Paris, with a wealthy french family. The father worked in the film industry, the mother was a landscape architect. For the three weeks I stayed there they fed me mostly fast food, McDonalds, Pizzas, etc. I tried smoking for the first time while I was there and also visited the Rivira where I sat fully clothed on a nude beach with my naked French family.

Can you find the Lie? Leave a comment if you have a guess, you don't have to have a blog to comment.

Chloe and Emily, consider yourselves tagged!

Helicopters, Yoga, and Progress. Oh My!

2006-09-05T11:25:00.000-06:00

Nothing like having a goal ruined by law enforcement.

There I was on Monday night trying to get to sleep by 10:30 pm in keeping with my new goal of getting up at 6 am and starting my day off with a 1/2 hour of yoga a day when a helicopter started swarming around my neighborhood. Now, I don't exactly live in the ghetto...I live right next to it. Any of you out there ever heard of Govans, Baltimore? Well I live next to it. A helicopter is not an unfamiliar noise to the area however last nights copter seemed dead set on finding whoever they were looking for lurking in-or-around my yard. This went on for about 30 minutes. Ok, ok I think, not so bad, it's only 11 pm now, that will give me 7 hours of sleep.

Then there was a cop car...siren. This went on for about 5-10 mins. At this point I'm starting to get a little nervous that, in fact, the villain is on the loose somewhere near my house.

Next starts the barking. Oh yes, barking! Three dogs that live across the street are barking. Barking at what, I don't know. But in my head it goes a little something like this. The villain has escaped from whatever crime he viciously committed. He ran from Govans towards my area, hid from the helicopter, stared trekking through open backyards, and has now entered my street and is attempting to break into my basement, from which he is plotting how to enter my house and attack me in my bed. Paranoid? Maybe, so what!

I give in. I get up from my comfortable safe haven and walk carefully around my house, wearing my underwear and a tank top and carrying nothing to protect myself (obviously, my paranoia does not scare me enough to keep a flashlight, knife, or extra pants by my bed). I find nothing in any of the four rooms, no monsters in my closet, no villian in my kitchen cabinets, no one trying to take a shower in my bathtub, and no one sitting in livingroom waiting to attack me.

While in my livingroom I take a gander outside to see what the G.D. dogs are barking at. My very cute male neighbor is across the street on his front porch (not wearing a shirt ;)) and his 3 dogs are in the front yard wandering around without leashes (this is normal, they are very well trained and friendly). So, now I feel at ease. I figure my strapping neighbor and his vicious but friendly dogs will protect me should the villian come around. Also, the guy that lives above me is a body builder so I am not too concerned.

You may ask yourself why, during my household hunt for the villain did I not look in the basement. Well, I told myself that if he was hiding down it's just better that I don't know, maybe he'll get bored hiding out and decide to do some of my laundry!

Suffice to say that I did not get up and do yoga this morning being that all that commotion and paranoia kept me up till midnight.

On the plus side, I did get a lot done on my sweater vest! The entire back is done. And as suggested by many fellow knitters, I put on a tank top and pinned the 1/2 knitted garment to myself to assure proper gauging and such. Guess what? I think it's gonna fit!

Simple Knits for Knitwits!

2006-09-01T08:42:00.000-06:00

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!

See the beautiful progress that was made two nights ago, ooohhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhh. Well turns out I dropped a stitch! G.D.!!! I had to rip out 1.5 inches last night, which is a lot because of the small needles. See it? See the evil little sneaky stitch that hid while I was knitting away completely oblivious to the mistake. Naturally, because one small missed stitch can completely ruin a sweater, I ripped everything out and started over...and then when I had about 5 rows done what did I find? That's right! Another dropped bastard! Oh the devistation!

The third time around I was determined to win the battle, I paced the room, gave myself a pep talk, turned the the partially knitted sweater and yelled profanities at it, did some deep breathing, and began ripping out the five rows. I slowly rethreaded my needle, counting each stitch along the way and began for a third time.

And look! Progress...real progress!

Oh the satisfaction is sooo sweet.

Here is bobi, my lucious cat (not fat, lucious), not interested in what I am doing and without any concern for my distress. Isn't he pretty! I'm so excited to have him lazying around my house. I think he must be happy too because he's put on happy weight. This cats eats all day, it's ridiculous. He'll bite me if he only has a few pieces of food left in his bowl. I think he starts to worry that he might starve if his bowl gets too low.

Happy Holidays!

Open House - yes, that's right, another post about my new home!

2006-08-30T10:58:00.000-06:00

I would just like to take a moment to toot my own horn. TOOT! TOOT!

Thank you.

I successfully had my new home properly cleaned and attired for company, it only took 2 months and 9 days! Go me. And more importantly, I discovered that I can fit about 10 people in my living room with foldout chairs.

It was a pretty good group of people, Mom, Dad (rarely in the same room with each other so that meant a lot), Barbara (stepmom), Denny, Debra (aunt), Pam (aunt), Emily (friend since the age of 14) and her husband Clif, and me! Ok, that's only 9 but we had room for more. We had some nice Jamie Cullum in the background, pate, cheese, pepperjelly, and fruit on the lovely coffee table. And plenty of boxed wine, thanks to Mamasita, to go around ;)

See all the pretty people having a lovely time!

Apparently, Emily and I had a little too much

fun with out veggies and dip. What are we 14 again? I mean... seriously?!

Despite my shoving a ranch covered celery stick up her nose she still felt the need to give me the best houswarming gift ever! GLOW-IN-THE-DARK KNITTING NEEDLES!!!!!!!

They are truly the most awesomest gift I have received ever! Now I can knit in the movie theater! I can be like the annoying 15 year olds that text message all throughout a movie because they are being raised in a culture that is breeding a generation with ADD, that believes socialization through technology is more valuable and necessary then being able to concentrate on a book or a film for longer than 5 minutes. Now, when they start text messaging I will whip out my awesome new needles, blinding them, and knit a cellphone cozy to cover up their obnoxious conversations! Thank you Emily!

Unfortunately these beautiful needles were 2 sizes too big for me to use on my new turtle neck sweater. Which I have made great progress on. Just last night I knitted about 3.5 more inches! She's officially 5.5 inches long, once she is at 6 I get transition from the ribbing to the stockinette stitch till the piece measures about 12". I then I get to start my very first arm hole! (btw: my friends reading this think I'm a totaly dork, I don't care!)

Here's last nights progress:

Unfortunately 2 purls snuck in there, I'm not that concerned or so much of a perfectionist that I'm going to rip it all out and correct them. I know I should and that's what a true artist would do, but I'm not an artist, I'm crafty, we crafty folks hide mistakes ;)

It's 3:45 in the Morning

2006-08-29T12:09:00.000-06:00

I have discovered the best time to drive through Baltimore, 3:45am.

The city is so calm and peaceful, there is no rush, no road rage, no glaring sun heating your car and blinding your vision. Every bum looks peaceful on his/her bench. No more than three cars on any road most of which are warm smelling bakery trucks. The world seems so calm, so tranquil.

I think if I could do it, I would wake up around this time everyday. Just to sit outside and drink my coffee in peace. To watch the world wake up...or at least the East Coast. I think it's a much happier way to wake up, like a soothing birth into the new day. No loud noises, no aggression, just the warm sun rising, birds beginning to chirp, crickets going to sleep. I wish, I wish ... but let's face it, I can't get my ass up that early every morning, at least not without a forklift!

So, today marks a sad, sad event. My wonderful and patient co-worker Kristin has left our architectural firm to go work for a timber framing company with a boss who looks like Hercules.

Can't really blame her, I mean look at him...yummy!

But I will miss my dear work friend. Everyday she would visit my desk and sit quietly in that chair next to me waiting for me to look over from working (blogging) and start talking at her. Seriously, she would just sit there and say "hi" and I would go off. Whatever was bugging me, whatever wasn't, what I had for dinner, what the boss was doing to annoy me. Then she'd tell me about her Great Danes, Bo and Bella. She was part of the girl-power in our office.

I've already informed my boss that I fully expect him to hire another girl. But she'll never be our Kristin.

(transition sentence here)

So, I've officially started a new project! That's right, last post I complained about the many projects I already have started and here I've gone and started another one. However, to balance I did rip out the purple Saushine vest.

Here are my materials, minor calculations and yes, that is the new yarn I received last month from my Secret Pal! It's a 80/20 Cotton/Wool blend by Cascade Yarns, made in Peru! It's super soft and I think it's going to drape nicely! Now, this is my first time working with gauge and the pattern suggests a super chunky yarn with 2 stitches = 1 inch and size 15 needles. I however wanted to use my new yarn so I am using a yarn with a guage of 5 stitches = 1 inch on size 7 needles. I'm getting about 6 stitches to an inch on size 8 needles though. Whatever, I'm doing that stupid thing of crossing my fingers and seeing what happens. I know, I know...it's my funeral.

Last night I had about 2"!

Maybe Just a Little Complicated

2006-08-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

Hmmmm? Perhaps I should have started with an easier first-time-clothing-design project than the saunshine jem vest? Maybe I should have just started with the plain vest rather than the diamond pattern? I mean, seriously, I've never actually knitted a pattern into any project. Not a lace pattern, not a cable pattern, nothing. Sure, I've figured out how to do cables via the treble crochet on an aran scarf but crochet is quite different from knitting.

Honestly, it's like a different language to me. It's like Crochet is English and I'm fluent but knitting is French and although I've been knitting on/off for 15 years just like the five years of french class I really only know the basics. I mean I just figured out what a gussett is! I deffinitely shouldn't be trying my needles at a less-than-complicated-for-an-experienced-knitter diamond pattern.

I posted a while back about the many first attempts I had at this vest and so far this is what it looks like...months later :/
Now, to be fair, I have, like I do with most projects, put it down and picked it up here and there. But really, do I honestly believe that with a pattern like this I'm going to be able to put it down and pick it back like I do casually with blankets or scarves? Noooooooooooooo. Should I just buckle down (where does that expression come from ?) and see how far I can get before I lose count, go crazy, mess up, give up? I don't think that would be advised. So, sad to say, perhaps I should just, not even frog it, but cut my losses and forget about the diamon pattern and just start over using the Ruby Pattern. I mean, most likely, I would be able to complete that one by December with plenty of time to it for the holidays and such.

Why oh why do I start projects like this and then stop. I'm currently in the middle of...this vest, a simple Halloween Cross-stitch (totally mindless = totally satisfying), a Granny Square Blanket (which I've decided the colors no longer match the color scheme of my livingroom so I don't have a desire to work on it), Mama Cloche , let's just say that's come to a complete hault, then there are the ( I know I said I wouldn't talk about the house anymore, but too bad) Roman Shade I want to make for my livingroom, I just bought some beautiful black calico cotton fabric from Joanne's for a dress/skirt/top/haven't decided that I want to make, and I've been meaning to scrapbook for over a year so I have a years worth of memories sitting in a bag calling my name at night and keeping me up!

One, might ask why I don't just suck-it-up and get to work on the WIP's. Well, I'll tell you why. Because the government insists that I work, pay taxes, go to school to get a better job where hopefully I'll make more money to buy more craft stuff and pay more taxes!

I want to be five again.

Things

2006-08-24T08:10:00.000-06:00

So, even though I know it's like a thrill-a-minute reading about my life and all however, I really have nothing too terribly interesting to report...unless you include that game of Jumangi played the other night that was too similar to the movie than I care to recall. I'm still finding tiger droppings in my house!

Anywho, I've decided to just post one of these question things again because I'm overworked and can't think of anything more interesting to post.

1) What is your favorite season of the year?

I'm a big fan of the in-between-season. I like those first few days that feel like fall before the weather man actually declares that it is September 21st and we can all start calling it Autumn. I love that first morning when you wake up and the air is crisp and cool, it had been in the 50's that night, and there is dew on your car. Leaves are already changing colors and you hear the crunch below your feet as you walk into work. I think it's fascinating when winter comes before January 21st! When one single snowflake falls and you feel like you were the only one who saw it. Or when it snows on Thanksgiving and shocks everyone. You sit there and think that everyone in the neighborhood must be looking out their windows and thinking the same thing as you. I love the first warm dewy morning just before Spring is officially here. Those first budding flowers in front of your house. The sound the birds make that you let you know they've decided that Winter is over and they've flown back to say hello again. And I love that first day when you realize that the temps didn't drop below 65 that night, you can start sleeping with your windows open, Summer has arrived before the pools have opened. Living in Maryland has spoiled me to be a lover of all seasons.

2) Where is your favorite vacation spot?

Most frequently visited vacation spots are the corners of my mind. You know when you are sitting at work and you let your mind wonder and you think back to when you weren't at work but you were doing something that you wanted to do? Those are my mini-vacations. I don't actually have a favorite spot. I like to travel to different countries and explore different cultures, cities, and country sides.

I suppose right now I'd have to say Chicago. I go there about once a year to visit my girl Gretchen. She just lets me crash at her place and watch Audrey Hepburn movies while we talk about life past, present, and future and sip red wine. We'll hit the shops, ride the L, visit a museum, and drink bailey's with coffee at 10am. (vacation here I come!)

3) If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?

If I could visit anywhere in the world, free of charge, free of harm, disease and/or disaster, I would say the middle east. I'm curious but terrified.

4) If you could pick any job, and be paid well, what would it be?

I would probably want to be a buyer and eventually have my own business. I would hope that salary/compensation would not be a concern being that my largest concern is knowing that I work for a company that I respect, who is eco-friendly, and who respects me and my work.

5) If you were going on vacation for 1 week, and had to take ONLY one project with you, what would it be?

I would probably take something small like a scarf to knit/crochet or a cross-stitch where I don't have to think about it's construction too much.

6) If you won a shopping spree to your favorite Yarn shop, what would you get?

I would buy lessons. Lots and lots of lessons!

On a final note: here are three pictures of my friend Aaron. He put on my glasses the other day and even though they are suppose to be women's glasses I thought he looked very MOD. It took a lot of persuading to get his permission for these pictures! Enjoy!

Bachelorette's are Wild Women!

2006-08-17T13:06:00.000-06:00

Ok, ok, I know I am a million years behind on my posting and I should have no one to blame but myself. However, I refuse to blame myself but instead I blame the crazy women in my life. That's right, I've been looped into several "Female Only" events lately.

Last weekend was a real doozy! It was my Monkey's (friend from college, nickname story will come later) Bachelorette weekend. Yup, I said weekend. Apparently these 21st century broads have decided that if they are going to be giving it up to only one man for the rest of their life and vow to completely take themselves off the market and instead commit to a life of washing his socks, smelling his man stank, and watching him watch his tv shows that you don't enjoy but do it because it means "us time" than they get to have a whole weekend. And if you are a bridesmaid...or just a good/supportive girlfriend you're in for the whole ride with her.

Our weekend started off simple enough, just a couple of girls mixin' some drinks on a Friday night:

The bride-to-be opened up some pretty/interesting presents:

Then the drinks started to kick in and again little Miss Angela thought it would be brilliant to whip up an old side ponytail:

And because we are women who enjoy a good trend, we all joined in and the side ponytail became the most fashionable hair style of the night:

I suggested to monkey that she might consider this Up-do for her wedding day but my suggestion was quickly dismissed, so sad.

This is what we looked like the first night, mind you we'd been drinking hard liquor since five and it was now about 1am:

Poor Monkey had to take care of me, apparently I do not handle liquor well, I'm more of a wine girl.

The next day was full of driving up to Harrisburg to catch the bride-to-be's favorite band, Green Eggs and Spam,

We got some grub and did our toasting and then went clubbing at the Hardware bar (aka: Coyote Ugly)

From the minute we hit the club the girls hit the drinks and this is what resulted:

That would be what I called the Pit-O-People on the left and Happy Drunk Monkey on the right.
All-in-all it was a good weekend, full of laughter, and embarrassing stories which we swore over Dunkin Doughnuts and coffee the next morning would stay within this circle of women.

Happy Bachelorette Monkey!Did I mention I have another bachelorette weekend starting tomorrow? Yea, busy girl over here.