Gold Medal

Me in the sweater and Yarn Diet

Well, here I am in my Knitting Olympics sweater. I am very happy with how it turned out, but I still need to go and buy the right size buttons. I just didn't have any in my stash of buttons that would work.

Anyway, moving on to my next knitting project, I have decided I am going on the Yarn Diet. My stash is just GINORMOUS. I don't even buy yarn because I need it anymore, I buy it because it is there. So, I vow to not buy yarn until I have completed 20 projects. In addition to my yarn diet, I have decided to do something productive with the money I would normally spend on yarn. Therefore, I vow to put $10 from each paycheck into my savings account and give $10 to charity while on the Yarn Diet.

While this list is not necessarily the stuff I will be making on the yarn diet, it does represent the yarn that I have stashed away that I actually have stuff in mind for. Very scary stuff here:

1. Finish Wool-ease Sweater for me
2. Finish Michelle sweater
3. Sweater for Jess
4. Design one sweater (lace up sleeves and back) Wool-ease sportweight
5. Pie shawl
6. several pairs of mittens and hats for Dulaan
7. Galway vest
8. Hermione Hat
9. Yet another HP scarf
10. Sweater for Sly
11. dozens of pairs of Wool-ease sportweight socks
12. Skull scarf
13. River Rapids Socks
14. Water Bottle Sling in Knit Wit
15. Dublin Bay Socks
16. Alpaca Sweater
17. Blue Galway Sweater
18. Oh, let's be honest, I have enough yarn for at least 5 more socks, so let's say one more pair of generic socks.
19. Been meaning to make that Homespun Cape
20. Cable Sweater with Thick n Quick (cuz I know I have enough)

So, I will be busy for a while knitting down my stash. I also plan to have a new pattern up this week, so look for that.

Oh, and Mrs. Snake (who works with Sly and I met last Friday), the name of that book is The Knitter's Companion.

DONE DONE DONE

There it is; in all its glory. My Knitting Olympics sweater. I love it. It needs a light blocking, and I don't have the right size buttons on hand, but it is all done. Ends weaved in and everything. I'll post pics of me wearing it, as soon as I rest a bit and take a shower. I didn't want there to be any doubt that I was done on time! Yeah me!

American Idol and the Endless Sleeve

I am finishing up on the cardi for the Knitting Olympics. I have decided that sleeves are evil, and I am making a vest next! I am half way through the second sleeve and I hope to join the whole damn thing together tomorrow. Then on Saturday, I hope to do the button band and finish the sweater up. Yeah, the huckleberry color is lovely, but I am sick of looking at it right now. Anyway, I'll post pictures tomorrow. I can't find the camera now.

It has been an American Idol week for me (since curling is all in the afternoon, nice job to the Swedish Woman's Team). For those of you who don't know, I really love American Idol. It is just a thing in our house. The kids ask us to tape it when they are at work. My SIL called after the show last night to discuss what happened with Sly. She lives in Ocala Fl! I have my faves for this year. Chris, the bald, is HOT. Little Paris is a cutie pie, and there are some very talented people in this year's pack. Can't wait to see what unfolds. These two hour shows really take up a great deal of my TV viewing time. I missed some Mythbusters last night. Oh well, I can catch it on Sunday. Off to knit and watch the American Idol results show.

Curling

Okay, it is now official, I have lost my effing mind! I have been sitting around here for the past few DAYS obsessed with CURLING! I don't even know what this game is all about. I just know that they slide rocks on ice. I do not understand one thing about it, but I am totally fascinated with it. I am sure that I need psychiatric care. It isn't even a real sport. It is the game of shuffleboard with a bit of housekeeping tossed into the mix.

Anyway, I have FINALLY cast on for the second sleeve of my Knitting Olympics sweater. Sleeves are a bit of a sore spot with me. I take longer to do them then the rest of the sweaters. I think I resent sleeves, why I do not know. But, there you have it. It has taken me FOUR days to make ONE sleeve. Pray that I don't take so long with the second sleeve. I may be jeopardizing my gold medal! ;)

Meme

I am pacing myself on the KO sweater. So, for your reading pleasure, a MEME, that I liberated from Erin.

4 jobs I've had:
1. Substitute teacher
2. part-time English Professor
3. Para-professional
4. writing tutor

4 movies I can watch over and over: (James Bond movies go without saying)
1. Moonstruck
2. Anything with Anthony Hopkins in it
3. The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn
4. The Fifth Element (don't ask)

4 TV shows I love to watch:

1. Mythbusters
2. House
3. American Idol
4. Something on PBS, lot of Brit Coms

4 places I have lived:
1. Three Oaks Michigan
2. Ocala Florida
3. Lexington Kentucky
4. Millington Tennessee
5. LaPorte Indiana
6. Jacksonville Florida
7. New Buffalo Michigan
8. Niles Michigan
9. Michigan City Indiana
I could go on an on, but I won't.

4 places I have been on holiday:
1. Orlando, FL
2. New York, New York
3. Stratford Canada
4. Green Bay Wisconson

4 of my favorite dishes:
1. Pizza
2. Chicken and dumplings
3. My mom's chocolate chip cookies (and ONLY my mom's)
4. I would seriously hurt someone for my grandmother's fried chicken. She passed away 8 years ago, so this is no idle threat. I would hurt someone for that, and to see her again.

4 websites I visit daily:
1. Yahoo mail
2. Mugglenet
3. My credit union's site
4. various forms of want ads

4 places I would rather be right now:
1. Anywhere in the UK
2. Someplace tropical and secluded
3. in bed snuggled beside Sly
4. Talking to my grandmother

4 bloggers I am tagging:
Not tagging anyone, do it if you like, or don't! :P

KO progress report and eBay deals

My Knitting Olympics project is going very well. Either I did a fantastic job modifying the pattern to make it easy, or I under estimated my ability to knit fast. The body of my cardi is completely done, and I started on the first sleeve last night! I can't believe that I have so much done. Now, I did have Monday and Tuesday off, so I had oodles of knitting time. I also put a lot of thought into this so the project wouldn't be too much for me to do in two weeks. I am using a chunky yarn, knitting in one piece, and focusing only on this sweater (rather than 6 0r 7 things at once). Granted, there are several WIPs that are not getting done, but this cardi is! I think I'll add to my challenge by finishing my "training" sweater, which was a sweater I started to see if I could get a significant amount of work done in a short time.

The challenge I gave myself was to finish a sweater in two weeks. I have made sweaters before, but I just don't finish in less than two months. The thing is, I want to knit EVERYTHING, so I get easily distracted by a pretty new pattern. I think it is the knitting equivalent of ADD. Anyway, here is a picture of what I have done.

I also wanted to share a butt load of new goodies from eBay. First, 5 balls of Galway Highland Heather color 719 (purple).


Next, 11 balls of Galway in a nice royal blue.


So, count them folks, 16 balls of Galway for $55! Oh yeah!

Here is some discontinued Lion Brand Imagine, in Cerise (French for Cherry). Imagine was discontinued a while back. It is a nice acrylic mohair blend.

The last picture I have is another vintage knitting tote. Cheap and cute, what more could you want?

Cheese Filled Valentine

Update and New Bag

Isn't this the most AWESOME knitting bag ever!? Sly did this for me today on the reverse of the "Knit for Brains" bag that he did for me the other day. I had the concept, but Sly really had all the creative juices flowing with this design.

What I love most about this bag is that it is NOT something that I would ever find in a shop. I was *Goth* before *Goth* had a name, so this is totally a ME design. Takes me back to my days of wearing all black and sitting in the back of the class reading a paperback book. I related to Ally's character in The Breakfast Club. She was a "proto-Goth." Actually, I have gone to work in head to toe black velvet with bell sleeves in the past four weeks, so I may still be a bit of a Goth! ;) Too bad I have developed a rather serious allergy to make-up over the years. I do miss my black eye-liner and deep purple eyeshadow.

Here is another, more detailed, view.

There are plans for several more tee-shirt and bag designs, and we have been discussing prices for those interested in purchasing either.

As for my Knitting Olympics project, it is coming along very well. I am halfway up the back, which is more than I thought I would have done at this time. All is going well, and I am very pleased with the results.

Tomorrow, pics of eBay bargains! :)

Olympics Update

Well, after a disastrous start, I am finally making progress on my Knitting Olympics sweater. Remember, I am working on the sweater in one piece (to avoid evil seeming), so I think I have got quite a lot done. You can also see the picture from Knit It! of the pattern I adapted for this project.

I hope the rest of you are doing well on your Olympics projects. :)

GRRRRRR

Okay, I'll admit it, I am stupid!

I was just sitting back admiring all the work that I had gotten done for my Knitting Olympics sweaters. I was so proud. I had modified the pattern to be knit in one piece so I wouldn't have to do all sorts of evil seeming. I was using a beautiful chunky yarn, so the work would get done faster. All was going well.

Then I remembered the ONE thing I forgot. I had decided NOT to do the 2x pattern because I just don't need a finished chest measurement of 57 inches. Last week, I noticed that the 1x pattern was an ample 52 inches, and I was going to make that. BUT, when I modified the pattern, I modified the 2x numbers! Grrrrrrrr. Now I have to RECAST ON!!!!! I am already behind on the first damn day!

I should just make the 2x, but I am concerned about running out of yarn, and since this is a discontinued color, I'll NEVER finish if I run out of yarn. What have I gotten myself into?

Knit for Brains

So, Sly was in an airbrush mood yesterday. I have a new WIP bag. I think it is pretty cute.

Basically, I am still marking time until tomorrow when I can cast on for the Knitting Olympics. I am working on the Wool-ease sweater. I have finished the back, and I am now half way done with the front. I can't wait to get started on my cardi. I just hope that I am able to get it done in two weeks. Since the least amount of time I have spent on a sweater is more like two months, this is a challenge. It's not that I can't knit fast. It is more that I want to knit EVERYTHING, so I knit 9 projects at once. Not a good way to get things done in a timely fashion. I am great with the small stuff. I finish small stuff!

See you tomorrow with an Olympics report. Do I have to wait until the opening ceremonies? I can't just wake up and start? I'll wait, but I won't like it!

New Sweater

So, I am sitting here dying, I mean literally DYING to work on my knitting Olympics sweater, but I can't. I have been working on the world's ugliest shawl for a couple of days (I'll post more on that latter), and it is so bad that I just had to do something else. So, I cast on this "Great Tunic" from 25 Gorgeous Sweaters for the Brand-New Knitter. I am doing it out of Lion Brand Wool-ease in Pine (black and green variegated). I really love it, and since I cast on yesterday morning, it is going pretty fast.

I just finished reading Knit One Kill Two by Maggie Sefton. Ann loaned me the book to read. It was the perfect thing to take to work to read during the down times (Subs get a lot of those)

The book is part of the knitting fad that has spilled over into woman's fiction. The plot is pretty predictable, but it is a good fun read for knitters. Kelly Flynn is a Washington D.C. accountant whose life is a dull routine. When her beloved aunt is killed, Kelly returns to her Colorado home to settle affairs. Of course, there are questions about the murder that need answers. As Kelly struggles to find her Aunt Helen's killer, she struggles to learn to knit. In the process, she makes friends and discovers what has been missing from her life. Coffee, rolls, and yarns run through out the story. At the end of the book there are two beginner patterns (for a scarf and a vest), and a recipe for cinnamon rolls. In general, a fun enjoyable read.

Sly is yelling at the TV. Superbowl Sunday is his Christmas. He is having a ball, but it is rather loud. Think I'll go and watch the commercials and work on my new sweater.

Just a Quiz so I have a blog entry

You are "turbo" charged.
Fast moving and classy, you get things done with
power and grace. Your expensive tastes can be
deceiving, since what you really value is
quality and efficiency. As you're careening
around those corners in life, finishing a dozen
knitted objects each month, stop and smell the
roses. Don't miss the beauty of process!


What kind of knitting needles are you?
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