Kaylee!

Took some doing but here it is!

Which Firefly Character Are You?

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Later.

I'm Wash!

Hey Kate!

Which Firefly Character Are You?

More on Firefly. Created by BuddyTV

Who are you?

Robin

A Christmas Story

Merry Christmas, Kate!

TBS is showing A Christmas Story for 24 hours. Such a charming movie. And it's like a catalog for knitted and crocheted goods. Most of the garments are knitted, but there is definitely a crocheted ensemble that the mother wears when they get a flat tire and Ralphie doesn't say FUDGE. The knitting varies from simple stockinette to cabled to some pretty complicated colorwork.

That's all I got!

Later!

Robin

State of the Knitting

Hey Kate!

I'm all hopped up on cupcakes, so this may not be very coherent. Here's some of what I've got going right now. I'm just linking to Ravelry from now on because anyone who is interested needs to be on Ravelry anyway. It's just the single best thing to happen to knitters since circular kneedles ... and I'm not exaggerating.

I tried to get a more true to color version of this picture, but this one is still the best. Your urara handbag. It's much more rust as you will see in person on Friday. (Yay!)


And this is where I am on The Spousal Unit's Skully. Yummy yummy Alpaca. I wanted to cast on the sleeves tonight but realized I didn't have any yarn out in the room that does not contain the sleeping preschooler.


And after an infinite number of restarts, here is where I am on the Spring Scarf which is my project for the lovely Jane Austen Ravelry Group.


And I've only done all the planning for my Drawstring Raglan which I will hopefully be casting on tonight. We'll see how that works out. I've got the writing bug.


If I really mean to get any decent knitting done tonight, I'm going to have to calm down a bit from the cupcakes. Seriously.

I hope your trip is boring and uneventful.

Later!

Robin

A list! A list!

Hey Kate!

I'm still here as you know. Thought I'd show up on the blog. You've been a busy bee. Your patterns are teh awesome. Here's a list of links while my tea cools:

• I am mourning the First Lady of Star Trek. Majel Barrett Roddenberry, we will miss you.
• Thanks for the good work, Deep Throat. Our country is better for it.
• How to stop forwarded email misinformation (language warning).
• Nothing says glamour like acrylic and polyester.
• Fun with WoW crafts.

That's all I got. Can't wait to see you in a week!

Later!

Robin

Friends

Hey Robin,
I find myself thinking a lot about how many friends I have via the miracle of electronics... you and I met in real life, but we have maintained a long friendship via various messaging programs over the years. I now have a great bunch of 'friendly's' because of Ravelry and a shared love for Malabrigo Yarn...

Which brings me to a lovely gathering of warmth and camaraderie that I was lucky enough to be a part of last night. A few of these Ravelry friends I mentioned before live in my area. We assembled under the guise of doing some last-minute gift wrapping, but it was really so that one of them could present another with her swap-package. It was so much fun to be there for that. I would have been just as happy to be a fly on the wall as to be a full-fledged part of it. We had good food, good conversation and fun knitting.

I got a little gift too!

It's impossible to see the tag sorry. It read: in case of malabrigo emergency: break glass.

I'm so lucky to be blessed with friends....

Later!

For the Manly Man...

Hey Robin!
I spend a lot of time on Ravelry... which should explain why I'm not here often enough! A little bit ago, there was a lot of chatter on the boards "What should I knit my brother/Dad/FiL/grown-son?" and Lots of times the answer was "A scarf!" or "A cowl!", amongst all the hat suggestions of course. This got me a'thinkin'... Vegas Sands is a pretty feminine pattern, in most colors, but what about an alteration to make it more "Manly"? I'm sure I can do it, I mean the original pattern was for a man!

I noodled around a bit and had the best idea yet, which was to turn it into something more like a neckwarmer, et VIOLA! Feast your eyes:

I give you the Manly Collar! Yes it's a dumb name, but I am definitely open to suggestions. It fastens with a hidden button, which I think is oh-so-stylish.

For the first time I got a test-knitter to check out my pattern before putting it upon you guys... good thing too because I did the button-hole instructions wrong! The pattern:

Manly Collar

Materials: 1 skein DK weight yarn (I used Knit Pick’s CotLin and at 123 yards I still had some left); Size 7 needles (straight or circular but I found the circs easier to maneuver) or size required to get-gauge; Tapestry needle

Gauge: approx 5 sts/inch in stockinette, approx 5.5 sts/inch in pattern

Finished size: about 6” wide by 19” long blocked.

Pattern stitch (adapted from Grumperina’s Shifting Sands Scarf):

Worked over 4 rows:

Row 1 (RS): *1/2LC, K2, repeat to end

Row 2 and 4: purl

Row 3: *k2, 1/2RC, rep to end

Pattern:

CO 105 sts loosely using whatever method you like to give you a nice-edge, I like to use the cable cast on because I can keep it nice and loose.

Knit four rows, purl one row (WS)

Next row (RS): K5, start pattern and repeat until 5 stitches remain, K5.

Next Row (and all WS rows): K5, follow pattern to last 5 sts, K5

Next row (RS): K5, start pattern and repeat until 5 stitches remain, K5.

Next row: K5, P2, bind off 3 sts, purl to last 5 sts, k5

Next row: K5, continue in pattern to your bind-off gap, use backward-loop cast on to add 3 sts, k7.

Continue following pattern, adding the knitted 5 stitch border on each edge. When piece is approx 5” tall ending with a row 1 or 3, change to garter stitch again for four rows.

Bind off in your favorite manner.

Finishing: Block and then weave in ends. To sew on the button I folded the rectangle in half lengthways and wrapped the collar around my model’s neck, then placed a small pin (careful not to nick your model!) where the button hole is. Then I sewed the button on where the pin was. (Don’t forget to remove the pin).

Abbreviations:

1/2LC: slip 1 st to cable needle and hold in front, k2, then knit1 from cn

1/2RC: slip 2 sts to cn and hold in back, k1, then k2 from cn

Note: If you take the time to learn Grumperina’s “Cabling without a cable needle” you will find it worth the time spent! Trust me!

I seriously hope that many people will try this pattern and let me know what happens! It's only been tested the one time (other than me) so please let me know if you find errors!

Later!

march of the FO's

Hey Robin,
I see my last post date and hang my head in shame. I wish I was doing better at keeping this up! But I wanted to post a few finished items because it just makes me feel good. Here goes:

These are the result of a test-knit for my good-friend-in-Malabrigo: Nina Machlin-Dayton. She has designed the soon-to-be-famous (I hope) Faberge line of knit wear. We all begged for mittens and she let me test the knit. I love them! They have been worn quite often here as it has gone the way of the chilly... Malabrigo Worsted in Stonechat colorway... just sayin'. NEXT!

Finally got the BYOB done! It's a good knit really. I wish it was a little faster.... but the bag is HUGE! Seriously it will probably hold more stuff than a single person should carry... but it's tres stylish. I can't wait to give it to the recipient. Lion Brand Cotton Ease was the yarn, much nicer to knit with than the kitchen cotton I gotta say...

Little Guy's sweater is finally done! I wish I had posted more while this was in progress because it was an interesting journey. I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's seamless sweater formula from Knitting Workshop. It's really fool-proof. I chose the shirt yoke shoulder type. I like it a lot but when it was completed the first time, the neck hole was far too small for my youngling's head. He's got a large noggin. What can I say?? So I had to rip back and open it up a little... and now it's a little large, but at least he will always be able to put it on lol. He wore it to a party yesterday (actually ASKED to wear it!) and it fared well with the rough-n-tough crowd. The yarn was Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in blue with hem-facings in red from Aidan's sweater. It's a nice combo I think!

I will leave you with this:

It's the back of a certain garment which shall remain nameless until after Xmas. Certain persons have been known to check this page to see what I am up to and I don't want to give anything away! This one is not an FO yet... but it's so pretty I had to share :)

Next up I hope to share a new pattern with you all! Cross your fingers that I can get it written-up well enough ;)

Later!

Happy Post Election Day!

Hey Robin!
I meant to post this yesterday and just can't be bothered to change the title...lol. Needless to say I am pleased with MOST results but lemme tell you something...

Today I am blocking the second of four wedding-blankets that I am seaming on behalf of my fabulous group of knitter-friends in Ravelry for some of our beloved just-married women. The first one was well-received by our "Chair person" a.k.a. Swap Momma. Todays is... well... today's is for one of the sweetest most gracious and generous people in the group. We all love her and she recently wed the love of her life, who just happens to also be a woman. They have been together for more than a decade and were so thrilled to be able to be official in the eyes of the law. We were all so happy for her and then the last ballot happened. How can people be so cruel? Why does government HAVE to do this? Why is it anyone's business?? I just can't believe it.

Right now the blanket is soaking in a bath and I am hoping it will dry quickly (for it has been rahter wet locally) so that I may send her the warm-wool-hug that we have all labored to create for her.

On the lighter-side of things. I have gotten my swap package from the latest Malabrigo Swap! I swear these packages just keep getting better and the longer one has to wait the better things seem to get. My swapper had to wait a little while because she was in the midst of a move from Alaska to Texas! Wow!! The best thing about that is she picked up little items for me on her travels from North to South! PLUS she made some items for me and I love them. I wanted to share with the blog-world what she sent, so here goes:

This is what greeted me upon opening the package. Oh the possibilities that lie therein!
Don't be fooled. That case apparently can hold a LOT of loot!!

Viola! Description first and close-up pictures to follow.... So when I open the shipping box I see first a fuzzy foot. I knew instantly that I had received another stuffed otter. Can you see how cute he is?? Right now he's sitting on my desk cheering me up. Otter was cuddling up with a skein of Dream In Color Smooshy (a very descriptive name for a sock yarn, australian merino wool, washable, in the Dusky Aurora colorway) that Jen (my swapper) said she needed to de-stash from her collection. WOW! Can you say 'generous'!? It's a beautiful colorway and I can't decide whether it will be something lacy or some smooshy-socks. The dilemma!

Next I notice the wonderful case with the map-decoration (OK I noticed it way-sooner but work with me here, I am trying to tell a story here) and pull it out of the box to discover it is so full of STUFF that it can't be closed!! Inside this box-o-wonder (or treasure chest as it were) were SIX, count 'em SIX skeins of our beloved malabrigo. Oh. My. Gawd. Three skeins of worsted in the Verdes colorway (swoon!) and three skeins of sillky in Celeste (the light blue). Amazing. I already think I am going to make a Shetland Triangle (seen in this post) in the silky, but with three whole skeins of worsted I have SO MANY choices that it's driving me nutso! :D

Among the wool-loveliness were many well-assembled items that prove how well I was stalked during the required-stalking-period. They are: a tape measure (mine just broke, I have been using it sans-case and I really should have more than one anyway), a delicate pair of scissors with a hand cross-stitched scissor-keeper (which is just something big that makes it harder to lose your scissors in a massive pile of material... unless you are me) hopefully you can see the lovely picture in the stitching, some lovely stitch markers (tee-tiny ones that won't get in my way), some lovely mulling spices (love!), some SOAK for washing my creations, a pair of gorgeous ceramic buttons that I can't wait to use, THREE patterns from my Ravelry queue that I cannot wait to cast-on, a hat which might be an Odessa (without beads) that she made for ME which I have worn almost constantly since receipt. Last but not least, there were two keychain critters from Alaska. A moose and a bear... that poop.

That's right folks, I have pooper-keychains. *lol*. They are delightfully gross and I love them. Can't explain why... I just do.

The whole package is enough to make me cry! It's so nice to have someone think about you so much that they end up sending you something that's just perfect for YOU. I have thanked Jen many times but I must do it again: THANK YOU JEN!! You are a sweetheart!

In other news, I finished a test-knit for another Mal-Junkie and am geared up to start another for her. This one is her Kettering Hat (Ravelry link), it's not a style I would have picked for myself initially, but that just shows you how fashion-dumb I am. This knit up quickly and was LOTS of fun AND... I love it. It looks great and feels wonderful on my head. (Mine is knit up in Tuareg colorway). Don't I look happy?

Next up are some mittens using her Faberge-stitch pattern (remember the neckwarmer?)

Anyway, I hope you are faring well and that Emme continues to keep you on your toes!
Later!

Christmas Chaos

Hey Robin,
Yep. I went there. I said the "C" word. The big "C". The one that puts fear into the heart of crafters everywhere (no, not chaos... the other one). I have been madly working away at my wish-list of gifts to give this year and am already massively behind. How did that happen? I started at the beginning of October!! Actually I have about three or four completed (one in question because I REALLY want it for myself) and eleventy-thousand to go. Seriously! Look!
Let me count... that's maybe 6 projects there. One of which was for me and is indefinitely on hold because I cannot resolve an interesting issue:
That 'tab' on the lower edge is supposed to be the same width as the rest. Long story, but I digress. (It's Sonnet from knitty if you want to see how it's supposed to look)

Yes! SIX projects on the table where they have been living for the past few weeks as I flit from one to the other. It's amazing that I have finished four things. Oh, I just thought of the one that's not in the picture, resting on the side table. So seven WIPs. I am having to force myself to finish the one (a linen handtowel) this week and not touch any others until it is complete. It's the nearest to being done, so I am hoping to actually get it done faster.

And to completely screw myself, I also have volunteered for more school things this week AND have people coming over for company saturday AND let's not forget candy-day on friday.

I'm a mess.

Discuss.

Rockin' the Swap-bah

Hey Robin!
(Yes, I know the title sux, cut me some 80's slack ;)

Doood! I sewed! Lookey!

The pattern for the kneedle roll was simple enough for my brain to comprehend (even so, I made a couple of mistakes but SHHH!! You are sworn to secrecy... oh hello world wide web? Were you listening??) And ended up with a TON of fabric left so I whipped up a project bag from the seat-of-the-pants region and it's cute if I may say so.

If it isn't already obvious, these items are going to be in the posession of a deserving malabrigo swappee sometime next week I believe. Along with some other fall-themed goodies! I had an awesome time with this swap because it's seriously the first time I got a Chatty-Kathy and she made it SO EASY to stalk her and figure out what her loves are!

In other news, I made a hat with the most difficult cast-on that I have attempted to-date. I kid you not I re-started this thing 7 times.

The first time the cast-on didn't work, i frogged and looked on the hallowed www to find another way of doing the same thing. This is a tubular cast-on ladies and gents. The one from the book was VERY different from all the ones I found in my frantic Ravelry-search that were recommended. I finally settled on an Italian version, with a video! (I heart you Fluffbuff!). After many aborted attempts to get it right, I finally got SMART and used a different yarn, bigger kneedles and cast on fewer stitches (listen, when you are trying to make a hat with 132 sts, ANYTHING is better than having to try to do that 5 times in a row!) and magically it just started to WORK! I held my breathe, cast on the 132 sts needed for the hat and gave it a go. It worked!!

He loves the hat btw. Has worn it every day since (well it HAS been chilly in the a.m.). I think the only thing I will change when I do this again is do that cast-on row in smaller kneedles. I saw that recommended somewhere and I have to agree. It makes for a super-stretchy edge, and so his hat is a little 'flared' at the edge, but it still looks great. I plan to use this cast on lost and lots even though it's a p.i.t.a. ;)

On to the holiday knitting!! :D

Later!

I'm alive!

Hey Kate!

Sorry for the blog absence, but I'm back! At least for now... Here are some random bullet points to get back into the swing of things:

• Toxins toxins everywhere.
• But I want it NOW!
• This is an interesting list.
• This is an old list of old guys. Only one of them is no longer. Sniff!
• TV Theme songs!

Those are all ancient links that I meant to write about months ago. So it goes.

Later!

Robin

Harvest time!

Hey Robin,
It finally got sunny enough to 'feed' these babies:

I detect a tomato sauce in our future!

Also harvested in the recent past:

The blues and green/yellows are a couple of blanket squares for a large project that I hope to blog about later. Some of my favorite people are in two of my Ravelry groups... We are the Malabrigo Junkies. Oh yes, we are. Anyway, a whole whack of our gals are getting/have gotten married!! And we all talked about making something for them as gifts. I had to open my big-mouth about saying I would assemble blankets if people would be willing to make squares. I have received a LOT of them. The ones in the pic above are my first contributions. There are already more... will share pics later.

The red is Aidan's "Raspberry Twist" (Orange twist by Marie Grace Designs). Awesome pattern and really so simple. I just wish it was done in the round. However I got through the seaming rather quickly. It's a size 8, so I hope it fits the lad! I had to struggle not to get him to try it on last night when we visited. I am trying to decide whether to just GIVE it to him, so he can maximize wear-time this season... or save it for Xmas? Shoot. He's 7. Xmas is for TOYS! I'll give him the sweater as soon as I see him again. Seriously. Hope it fits...

Now to begin the mad-Xmas-knitting!! Mwahahahaaaaa! *cough* *splutter* *hack!*

Later...

I'm waiting for someone to call it a "scowl"

Hey Robin!
Finished another! I've got cowls coming outta my ears. Perhaps I should put some aside as gifts! Oh if only most of the people I know-and-love didn't live in the Southwest!

This is the Beechwood Cowl by Ilga Leja. Feast your orbits!

It's a 100% Alpaca from Spunky Eclectic in the Mahogany colorway, which i got from a recent swap-buddy. Luuuurves it!

I'm sorry the pictures suck... AGAIN. I would take a pic of me wearing it, but it's stuffy around here lately and I just can't be bothered. Not complaining though! The cool weather will be here sooner than I like and I can model some items then...

See the pretty pin?!

Plus having your school district's teachers on strike put a bit of a wrench in the works when it comes to projects.... my Dad and I made elaborate plans to have him here soon after school started in order to add some insulation to the walls on our bedrooms (we had to do it backwards, that was fun) and possibly re-arrange the cabinets in the kitchen so that the room could be opened up and a kitchen table be added! W00t! I finally got the kitchen-flow that I have been wanting since we moved in! Hey, it only took 4 years.

Here's an extraordinarily-bad picture of "before" but you can kind of see the "u" shaped countertop. Which made a peninsula that was for food prep and eating (there's a little ledge on the other side which allows people to sit and eat).

He was so widdle!

So the peninsula is gone, the dishwasher is moved against the wall so that I don't have to do contortionism to get dishes put away (it was either that or open the door/take the dish/close the door/put the dish away... not fun) yay for easy dish removal! The new countertop is a butcherblock from IKEA that I am oiling so it can be used for food prep and it's an imminently more usable space. It's amazing... seriously.

Woohoo! New space!

The floors have een changed from half linoleum/half carpet to ALL laminate click-it-type floating floors. It's cheap but functional because it was recommended not to get the floor I REALLY want until I am also getting the cabinets I really want... so now I have 10 years to decide (the warranty on the new floor)

Look ma! No floors!

And lastly, when we were done, the Doodle bug christened the new floor in the best way he knew how. I love this picture.

Seriously, I am the luckiest gal in the world to have a Dad who will fly 1000 miles to help me work on my house! I mean he's supposed to be on vacation and this type stuff is what he does for a LIVING!! Thanks Dad, you really are the best!

Here's hoping you and Emme can come up and see the new layout sometime!

Later!

Viola!

Hey Robin,
In the immortal words of the most-esteemed being in our house (that would be Wall*E):

TA-DA!

Later

Shiny!

Hey Robin,
Lots to share. I am still in the midst of trying to finish my laceweight long jump event for the Ravelympics and am 6 of a possible 8 repeats in. I am convinced I cannot finish in time and yet part of me is still thinking "It would be SO cool if I could finish in time!" However if the event requires me to be blocked before the closing ceremonies I am scrood. Ah well, I will stay up far-too-late-tonight and try to finish anyway! :) Besides the idea of getting one of these:

with the word "lace" on it is just so much something-that-I-want. That's a badge I will have felt like I EARNED!

Oh and I don't have a picture of the lace in-progress because I feel like if I pick it up I should be knitting it and not picture taking. Oh the anxiety!

I did manage to finish another item that it looks like I haven't posted about. OK so it's half really. A sock from a pair. But this is the saga-sock... the one that is taking me an inexplicable number of redos to finish but now that I have one whole sock all done it feels good. Great even. I will share the pattern when I am all-done with sock-the-second. Here's a pic to entice though:

Got another FO for you with a BONUS! A FREE PATTERN TO SHARE!! Woohoo!! Been a while since the last one eh? The pattern is:

The Shiny iPod Sock
(called such because it's "Shiny" (as in Firefly), the yarn is "Shine Sport" and it's to keep my iPod shiny... triple threat!)

Materials: Knit Picks Shine Sport (I used the leapfrog colorway) one ball is enough to make two and maybe three of these; size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed kneedles; tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge: 5.5 sts/inch 7 rows/ inch in stockinette

Notions: one 5/8” button

Using Judy’s Magic cast on from knitty.com:

Cast on enough to make 36 stitches (18 sts on each of two kneedles to start, then on first row you will spread that out to 9 on eachkneedle).

Start working stockinette and split each ‘side’ onto two dpns so that you have more flexibility, remember when you knit your first stitches on starter kneedle #2 to knit through the back loop because those stitches are twisted.

Keep in mind that you will want to knit the first stitch on each kneedle a little tighter so that you don’t get “ladders”.

The first few rows of stockinette will be a bit fiddly and difficult to maneuver, but by the 4^th
round or so things start to relax a bit and life gets easier.

(Look Ma! No seams!)

Continue in stockinette until the pouch measures about 3” to 3.25” then switch to seed stitch and continue for 8 or more rows (this is a good time to put the ipod in the sock and test out the length).

Bind off all the stitches on one side of the sock so that you are working back and forth on the other side, this is the flap.

For Flap:

Work seed stitch back and forth on 18 sts for 3 or so rows, end with a WS row.

Next row: Work a decrease row (ssk, seed stitch to last two stitches, k2tog) (16 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: Decrease row (14 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: Decrease row (12 sts)

Next row: k5, bo 2, k5 (10 sts)

Next row: ssk, seed stitch 3 sts, co 2 sts, seed stitch 3 sts, k2tog (10 sts)

Next row: seed stitch across

Next row: work one more decrease row (8 sts).

Bind off. (I used the “invisible Bind-off for Single-rib” found on page 46 of the Fall ’08 Interweave Knits)

Weave in your ends, sew on your button, insert iPod and Enjoy your tunes scratch-free!

(add one favorite-button and viola!)

I haven't had a test-knit of course so if "anybody" finds an issue I would love to hear about it so that I can fix the pattern here.

I am SO proud mof myself for this one! Used a whole-new cast on (which I am in love with and must use for my next toe-up sock), custom-fit the "garment" (can you tell i've been watching Project Runway?) and made it the way I wanted! No seams!! Wahoo! And this yarn is my new favoritest cotton ever... so soft. I want a sweater out of it!

Another note: this pattern is for fitting the classic, 3rd Gen and 5th Gen (video?) iPods. I would LOVE a chance to make one for an iPhone too! hint-hint! ;)

Later

Pheelin' like Phelps

Hey Robin!
Things have been massively busy 'round here as we burn-through the last of the dog days of summer. We've had to run the a/c THREE WHOLE DAYS!! What's becoming of the world's weather patterns?! Seriously...

We've had a few coming-up-to-Kindergarden playdate type things in local parks and it's been nice to see how Little Guy socializes with the other new kids (that would be "not much at all") and the other Moms seem like pretty nice people so this should be an interesting year... adding to that the fact that I had to put my size-8.5 foot in my mouth and volunteer with the PTSA to organize the event photos for the year! Wow... what on EARTH was I thinking?? I must have been martini'd when I wrote that email.... never volunteer alone...

I've got some FO's to show off! I have completed two of my three events for the Ravelympics and I'm feelin' GOOD (or I was until I saw that there are people doing knitting Decathlons... people... don't you SLEEP? Do you get up to PEE??) I just have the Laceweight Long Jump project left and I am feeling the pressure. This is a project that can only be done after L.G. is in bed and I just can't keep my eyes open late at night lately! It's a gorgeous lace though, I am seriously looking forward to the finish-line on this one...

Here's the finished Hat Dash items:
#1: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson I love this beret. I chose to make it from a colorway of Malabrigo Worsted called: "Paris Nights". Perfect eh? Paris? Beret?

It really makes for a lovely/smooshy beret. My BFF already wants one :) Sorry there's no pick of it on me, my pictures suck lately as you will see...

#2: Bucket Hat by Bonnie Marie Burns. I actually PAID for a hat pattern in order to make this. I KNOW!! That's a rarity for me... Anyway, I wanted a good cotton-type hat to use my Malabrigo Organic Cotton with (Lima colorway, which I am loving). And this one won the coin toss. It's a FAST knit so I almost felt like I was cheating my Ravelympic co-athletes but what the hey. Live and learn!

When I get the energy I am going to wet-block this one. The brim is puckering and I don't like that. I cast on as loose as I could manage... perhaps it wasn't loose enough? Or perhaps I just need to get to work on blocking it. Over all, the cotton makes a nice fabric and I am happy with the pattern! I think it could seriously be dressed up with different yarns and embellisments etc. Could make some fun gifts!

The laceweight is farther along than this picture shows, but I like the fabric so I wanna show it off a little:

OK so it doesn't look as great in the photo as it does in person so you will have to take my word for it. It's pretty. This is Malabrigo Lace in the Mariposa colorway. I am using the Serpentine scarf pattern by Keiran Foley. It's just a 50-row repeat and each 50 rows is about 5 inches of length. Give or take. I am almost done with 2 repeats. It's slow going folks, let me tell ya...

This is definitely a project that will improve with the blocking.

Oh, and how jealous are you of me? I just got a new gardening-crew. They are totally organic and work for FREE!! What are the chances of finding these guys to help me out with the grass??

Anyhoo! That's what I have going on, give or take the chores and the fussing-at-the-5-year-old! I hope all is well in The Swampy MidWest!!

Later...

How lucky am I?

Hey Robin,
A while back I had the fun job of creating a little logo for the Ravelympics 2008 'event' on Ravelry. It was a blast but I have to admit that if I thought the Ravelympics were going to be this big (over 10,000 projects listed as Ravelympics Projects!!) I would have tried harder to make something a little more professional. Woops.

But hey! It still looks alright!

Ok the point I am getting to is this: people are getting into it. I mean REALLY getting into it. I have "met" a sweetheart on Rav (MekaMika?) now who has an Etsy store. She will take whatever image you send to her and make a set of stitch markers. Brilliant! Go check out her shop, it's a great idea.

She asked if she could use my Ravelympics image to make some markers to sell people. I said, "OF COURSE!" Like I could say 'no'. Well, she sent me samples! Three sets; one each of all three sizes. As I am fond of saying: How COOL is that?? I feel like I am all set for my Ravelympic Events now!

Hat Dash and Laceweight Long Jump here I come!

Got it! Part Deux!

Hey Robin!
At long last I have gotten the "spoils" of my other swap!

This was the "Going Green" swap where required items were: A hand-made market bag; an item of the fair-trade persuasion; an organic or non-toxic type cleaning product. Go here to see the bag and washcloth I made my swappee.

My gracious and wonderful swapper lives in Canada and she and I have had a ball writing back and forth to each other (this was not a secret swap). She did this swap while she was in the midst of fixing up AND moving into her NEW HOME!! Amazing. I couldn't have done it and she did a wonderful job! Lookey!

The box before I ripped everything out of it and made a cloud of tissue-paper-pieces

All the items out-of-box. You can see the thoughtful note she wrote out to me. And the other unwrapped items are some method wipes, a LOVELY smelling candle (that has cashmere in it?! woah!), a bag of "gummy pandas" (seriously Kimmer, they are ALMOST gone!), a stack of "K" post-its and a washcloth she knitted for me!!

But wait there's more!

..."The Hell you say!"

...I do not lie!

Shall we move on?

Alright then:

Here you can see a close-up of the market bag she knitted for me! It's so lovely and it looks VERY strong! I will use it often! Plus the neatest-pooling washcloth. How did she figure out how to do that?? There's the wipes and above a pound of some great smelling fair-trade coffee. Can't wait to try it!

Here you can see the nice candle (in the tin) it really smells so pretty! The "K" post its (fun!) and a box of her favorite cookies (they aren't crumbs Kim! I can't wait to try them but right now I am o.d.-ing on Gummy Pandas!) and 5 balls of Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in "sunshiney colors" because she heard it rains a lot in Seattle and thought I would like some sunshine in my world. HOW SWEET IS THAT?! It's supposed to be enough to make a sunshine market bag. I'm totally going to do that. Can't wait to get started...

Thanks Kim! You made such a lovely package and I am so happy!
I hope that you are getting all that furniture up those tight stairs and getting settled! :D

Later!