This Weekend

This weekend is going to be busy!
Tonight I have dinner plans with friends and then I've set aside some time to do homework. But I may skip the homework to go check out some friends that have work in the Art Hop.
Saturday some friends and I are doing a 5k after which I have swimming plans and then Bill's birthday celebration later in the evening.
Sunday I plan to go to VT Sheep & Wool and we have our S 'n B from 2:30-4:00 but I'm thinking I may skip it this week and just go to Sheep & Wool so I have some time to do actual homework in the afternoon.
Oh, and I just remembered that at some point on Saturday I'm supposed to do some painting at Elah's school.
*whew* I need a weekend to recover from my weekend.

craft + process

craft_process
Originally uploaded by Razmarie.

This is where I'll be Wednesday night. Anyone else interested? (Stoneking, I'm looking at you.)

*Edit It starts at 7pm.

Update (finally)!

Wow, I have a lot of pics to share here. First, the. non-knitting news. I went to go see They Might Be Giants and had a blast! I could blather on and on about it but Stoneking did a great job over at her blog (even if she did expose me in all my nerdly glory) and Bill also has a pretty sweet post. Apple has finally agreed to replace my iMac. They don't make mine anymore so I was upgraded to an Intel machine with all the same junk as my current computer (17" screen, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, etc.). I always regretted not buying the 20" so I asked if I could upgrade and pay the diff. I can and I am. I'm also getting the better graphics card. So, my experience wasn't fun and I don't think it should have been so hard to get a replacement computer but I am so excited at the prospect of a shiny new iMac that I can't help it.

On to knitting............


I ordered those a while ago but they were on backorder. When they showed up it was a total surprise. They're pretty big; I included a penny for scale. Purchased from patternworks.


I joined the PureKnits Yarntini sock yarn club a couple of months ago and my first package arrived Friday! Included is a Yarntini self-stripe colorway called "pure breeze," a beautiful handmade bag from misocrafty, lip balm (also called pure breeze) that smells like the beach (think tanning oil and tropical drinks, not empty beer cans and sun-baked seaweed), stitch markers from Dress Up Your Knitting, a sample of Soak and Cool Socks Warm Feet. *whew* I've decided that I will finally cast on a pair of Jaywalkers but first I have some WIPs to finish up.



I just put the sleeve stitches of Rusted Root on scrap yarn! It seemed like it took forever (I swear I'm going on a diet so I can finish my knits faster!). It's actually going quite fast, I'm just being impatient. I'm excited about knitting top down, I don't have to remember what I did on one side so I can duplicate it on the other. If I have enough yarn I'll lengthen it because once it goes over my bewbs it'll be pretty short in the front. If I don't have enough yarn (or probably even if I do) I'll wear a long tank underneath.



Here's the back of the Central Park Hoodie knit in Jo Sharp Silk Road DK Tweed. I haven't been knitting it lately because I fell in love with Rusted Root.


The first sock is done for Elah's teacher. It's Online sock yarn I received from my Secret Pal 9. I actually finished this one about 6 weeks ago but never took a picture. I need to get the other one done because school is done soon. The teacher has big feet (for someone her height), this is a 72 stitch sock.


One more sock that needs a mate. This one has a short row heel and a star toe. The yarn is Lorna's Laces, gifted to me when I did Yarn Aboard.


Watch out, it's a FO! Chek me out, I'm all cammo. Simple stockinette sock with garter short row toe and heel made with Panda Cotton.

Pattern: My own.
Yarn: 2 balls, Crystal Palace Panda Cotton (they have a similar yarn coming out his fall)
Colors: Fall herbs
Needles: Inox Grey US 1 crics for the stockinette and Addi Turbo US 0 for the ribbing
Time to complete: I should just leave this tid bit off the list but I think that if I keep posting in with some lame answer then shame will make me a better note taker.
Details: I usually knit a 68 stitch sock but the Panda Cotton was so stretchy I only cast on 60 stitches. When I make socks like this again I'll add about 5 rows of garter to the shot row areas. These socks were the first time I used a sewn bind off for toe up socks. The bind off is great; it is nice and stretchy isn't tight at all.

Damn, I'd better get knitting so I can show ya'll some more.

Knitting Nature

I've been thinking about buying Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan. There are a couple of patterns that look interesting but I'm still on the fence. I've heard mixed reviews from Yarn Harlot, Grumperina and CMEknit. Luckily my LYS is having a Knitting Nature trunk show. Any local knitters wanna go with me?

SEX

Not that I need SEX (stash enhancement excursion) but I am cursing the fact that I pay my bills (and am therefore low on funds) because I want to drive to Mass this weekend. And as long as I'm wishing, I want to go next weekend too.

Yarn Harlot

As promised here are some pics from the trip Reba and I took to go see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee at Webs in Northampton, Mass.
Stephanie was great, witty, funny, self-deprecating - all the things I love about her. She seemed surprised by the number of knitters (and a couple of muggles I suspect) that came to see her but I wasn't.


Later we went to Webs and get this - I didn't buy ANY yarn! Can you believe it? I think I was on sensory overload. Reba and I were there for a total of 3 hours and there was just so much yarn, too much yarn for my tiny knitterly mind to comprehend. I'm ashamed to admit that I just couldn't handle it. I did, however, get Knitting Rules! signed.


Afterward Reba and I went to A to Z Science and Learning Store,

where Reba bought this sweet kite.


Finally we went to Osaka for some sushi before we hit the road. The trek up the mountain of stairs was worth it; not only was it some of the best sushi either of us ever had but our total bill was $35 - unheard of in the realm of Japanese cuisine.


Unfortunately it was raining and dark on the way home so it took us more like 4 hours than 3 to get home but it was fun. I haven't made a last minute road trip with a girlfriend since before E was born and I had a great time.

Step Afrika!

Elah and I are going to see Step Afrika! tonight at Ira Allen Chapel. I'm very excited; the day before I found out about the show I was telling a woman at work that the 2 things I miss most about living in the south are step shows and good marching bands. Yay!
As long as I can make it to 7 I'll be alright. I gave blood last night which always makes me tired but more so this time because it was at the tail end of a VERY busy work week. But I know once I hear that stomp my blood (what I have left) will get pumping and I'll be alright. I think Elah will love it too being the Tappy McTapperson, percussive addict that she is.
Show's at 7, doors open at 6:30 and there's no charge.