Now we can eat...

Hey Robin,
I have a brief-post today, because I have been so bad about the postage lately! Shame on me! Shame!! I've been so absorbed in everyone else's blogs that I have completely forgotten to do my part for the blogosphere.

So today I have for you: Fambly Placemats!
Pattern: Bright Placemats from Lion Brand Yarn website, they are very fiesta-ey but i just wanted something to go with our nice dinner ware. So i mixed-it-up with da colors and made three (cuz we are a fambly of three!)
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter cotton, Lion Kitchen Cotton and recycled-sweater cotton (the red)
Needles: 8?
Actually I used da macheen for these and then tossed them in the washing macheen to tighten them up a bit. The fabric is from some "fat quarters" i found at a fabric store... it was hard to find three different fabrics that would still "go". It worked out I think!

Now I gotta go post my new stash to Ravelry.

Later!

Forced Bookmarkage

Hey Kate!

So I'm finally giving in to The Spousal Unit's demands for a bookmark. I'm knitting the Baby Fern lace pattern from the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework and I'm using the Patons Grace cotton yarn.

This is version 2.0. My first try, I started off with some rows of stockinette which throws off the shape because of the built in scalloped edging. I also added a stockinette edge on each side which made it way lopsided. It turns out that the lace pattern has a built-in edge on one side. So when I frogged and restarted, I left off all my stockinette stuff and just added the built-in edge to the other side.

There's some nastiness on the left side which isn't an error as much as it is some overzealous looping which I'm hoping will even out in the blocking.

Thor says just because I'm being forced to make a bookmark, doesn't mean I should force him to be a model. Well, he's going to have to stop providing pictures like the above if he wants to stop modeling. I'm just sayin'.

Later,

Robin

Show and Tell

Hey Robin,

I'm sorry I haven't been "on". These last two weeks have been a madhouse and then next two are promising to be pretty amazing as well. Little-Guy starts school just after Labor Day and I have a couple things to do before then :p But to make up for the lack of posts i have TONS O PICTURES to share! And not just knitting neither!! Here we go:
I promised a picture "in situ" of the knitted vest i made for the newly-two-year-old. It fits! Yay!! She's such a cutie-pie and it looks so great on her! And when Fall comes she can wear it with long sleeves! See? Seattle isn't ALWAYS the death of fun clothes!!

Here's my other cutie-pie. 'Member this skirt? Her Mom promises one where she isn't flipping it up... but i think it's wonderful to see her "play" in it! That's the "Hey Mickey" skirt in case you forgot....

OK so here's where we had Little-Guy's birthday party. I heartily recommend it for anyone who has their own Little-guy-who-love-airplanes... in case you are wondering he is:

Four years old. :)

Here's the cake Mommy made:

...I know, it's goofy. But i HAD to share!!

And yesterday the clan went here for Brunch:

Oooh... Aaaah. The food was good too!

Ever wonder what the EMP/SFM looks like from space?

Now ya don't have to...

OH! And before all that we also went here:

...VERY impressive. (That's Mt. St. Helen's in case anyone wondered)

And lastly, but not leastly... what's on the kneedles at the moment:

Now i gotta go shower so I can go get Cast Off and a ticket to the signing line so I can meet my kntting Hero!!

And crap you just reminded me that I have SO MUCH Ravelry work to catch up on!! Not enough minutes in the hour!!

Later.

Catsploitation for Charity

Hey Kate,

Reading Wendy told me about Norma who told me about the Red Scarf Project 2008.

Read more about it on DIY Life!

I'm using the Boye Circulars in size 8 and one of the DPNs you gave me (thanks again!) for the cable needle. Unfortunately, Kira thinks those bright yellow plastic things are for her. I really can't blame her. They look like toys.

Isn't Thor patient? Loki wouldn't sit still for that.

Later,

Robin

I Heart my new Kneedles!

Hey Robin,

I finally got to start a Christmas project.... a pair of socks using the tofutsies yarn and the beautiful new sock kneedles I splurged on when you and I went yarn-petting. They're Lantern Moon, limited editions or something like that... rosewood, size 2. They are awesome. I love the smooth feel, the warmth and they are just purdy-to-see. Plus, I like that they are a little shorter than your average dpn, not as much to "push through" when going round and round.

Here's some knit-porn:
Sorry for the reflection on the mag... anyway it's the special Holiday edition of IK, 2006. I hope I don't scroo them up too badly since they are supposed to be a gift!

Teehee! FUN

Later :)

FO's and other train wrecks...

Hey Robin,

While you are off enjoying the buzz that is Blizzcon, I am stressing the Stole, halting a halter, and lurving some lettuce... let me 'splain.

So the stole, not a lot of work done on it since i came to see you because of hiccups in other knitting plans and getting sick (*urp*) and not having enough dedicated time (I have to have the promise of 20 minutes uninterrupted for a RS row! DANG!)... and it has suffered. I have just finished Clue 3. Here is the train-wreck that is my stole (Yes Melanie! I know you warned us noobs to beware!)

...don't stare too long i am embarrased enough. If you spot the "issues" I don't want to know :p

So then while that was "on the shelf", I realized a 2-year-old's birthday was crashing in on me at an enormous speed and i hadn't even started anything for her. Thank GOD for knitty because there was the perfect little thing! This Katja halter is perfect. I may get a little undershirt to go with it but otherwise: CUUUUTE!!

I used that Bernat Handicrafter cotton of the "twists" variety. I actually think it might be manufactured a little different from their standard fare... it was really nice to knit with and the strands weren't constantly coming apart on me like usual...

If it looks a little different to some people, apologies but I had to do it up on the "machine" because i was seriously running out of time and on the needles it was giving me grief from gauge. But it came out pretty good! Here's a detail:

I wouldn't normally want to give a detail shot on a machined piece, but garter stitch on these things is a serious pain in the fanny... so you must gaze appreciatively...

Hee.

OK, I know all of you are waiting in wonder about the "lettuce". (Hee. I said "all of you" like there's more than one or something.) Yesterday I found a "lunch salad" at my grocery store. It's made by Fresh Express, the one I got is called "Orchard Harvest". All I gotta say is: "Yum". And to top it all off it has the COOLEST utensile in salad HISTORY! Lookey:

TONGS!

...bamboo ones no less.

Genius!

OK must go pick up the boy :) Later!