Are You Serious?

Doesn't gumble know that 5 or 6 people out there actually watch his show?

Whatcha Been Up To?

Should I have said "To what have you been up?" I don't know but I'm sure G knows someone I could ask!

I'm in the process of knitting some long fingerless gloves. I think they'll be great at work; I love having a great big window but it is chilly with a capital C in the winter. Observe:

Knit with Noro Silk Garden on US 8.

Also I finally took a pic of my panta:

Knit with Noro Lily on US 5.

Remember when I said I don't really go for the quizzes? Well it's still true but I couldn't resist this one....

Thank You!

Thank you Secret Pal who is from Georgia and is not enjoying the 50º on Wednesday to 19º on Thursday temperature change we've been cursing up here. I have to admit I've been remiss in properly thanking my SP, but my back is better, I'm caught up on most of my work and most importantly, I have batteries for my camera (expect more pics soon).

My lovely and talented (I know I've never seen him/her but what do you care? Stop being so nit-picky.) SP sent me 2 skeins of Sockotta, cotton/wool blend sock yarn) and some Gevalia hazelnut coffee. I'm usually a straight joe drinker, no flavors, but this coffee is damn good.

Thank you, thank you, thank you SP, for the great gifts and for being so patient while I recovered.

How I Will Die

I'm not normally big on the quizzes but Margot had this one on her blog and I wanted to know my fate...

You will perish of fits. Repeat this to yourself:

"Things can work out even if I don't get
my way. Things can work out even...."


What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?
brought to you by Quizilla

Mother's Milk

I just bought this hoodie:

Jealous?

I've been in a very hip hop mood lately, I blame it on myspace. I've been searching for artists I love so I can add them to my friends page and it makes me want to listen to more and more and more.
Feeling like a head yourself? Like to shop locally? Go over to Steez and visit Fattie B.

On another musical note I just bought the Six Feet Under soundtrack (Vol. 2), some Iron & Wine (iTMS link), some Mos Def, some Nina Simone and some Death Cab For Cutie.
I'm a crazy impulse shopper anyway but I just can't seem to control myself over at the iTMS.

KD

Naa na na na na na na na Katamari Damacy.

Meow!

This post is special for Reba and EST; I know it's not knitting but you might have to make it anyway.
Link

Panta

I knit a panta this past weekend. I love it but I made a couple of changes to the pattern so I would love the next one better except that the next one is being knit for my secret pal. No pics as of yet, I keep forgetting my camera at work. In the mean time, here's my pattern.

The biggest changes are the provisional CO, the three needles BO and the change in the length of the sections (they're not equal).

Panta
Knit using US size 5 needles and Noro Lily

CO 19 (I used a provisional cast on then picked up the stitches when I was done to do a 3 needle bind off so I didn’t have to seam it.)

Section 1
Row 1 K1 *P2, K1 Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P1 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 1 & 2 10 more times

Section 2
Row 1 K1 *P2, K1, M1 Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P2 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K2 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P2 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 14 more times

Section 3
Row 1 K1 *P2, K2, M1 Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P3 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K3 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P3 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 14 more times

Section 4
Row 1 K1 *P2, K3, M1 Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P4 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K4 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P4 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 12 more times

Section 5
Row 1 K1 *P2, K4, M1 Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P5 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K5 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P5 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 12 more times

Section 6
Row 1 K1 *P2, K3, K2tog Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P4 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K4 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P4 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 12 more times

Section 7
Row 1 K1 *P2, K2, K2tog Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P3 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K3 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P3 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 14 more times

Section 8
Row 1 K1 *P2, K1, K2tog Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P2 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K2 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P2 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 14 more times

Section 9
Row 1 K1 *P2, K2tog Repeat from *
Row 2 P1 *K2, P1 Repeat from *
Row 3 K1 *P2, K1 Repeat from *
Row 4 P1 *K2, P1 Repeat from *
Repeat rows 3 & 4 8 more times

Bind off and weave in ends.

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.

Melancholy Accordion Music

This picture reminds me of Anita, a woman I used to work with; she plays the accordion (one of my favorite instruments). She left for a opportunity she couldn't pass up and she is missed around here. I still haven't been able to bring myself to read the "good-by-thank-you-I'll-miss-you" email she sent out before she went.

For those of you who don't know, that rabbit is Harvey, he's out intranet guru.

Update

I got my yarn from Elann and am such an impulse shopper that I forgot I also bought 5 balls of a merino, baby alpaca, cashmere yarn. The sweater will go quickly, I knit on 15s to get my gauge; it'll be a nice change after all those gloves.

Speaking of gloves...I tinked (unknit) each of the fingers on Elah's gloves and added 5 rows; they fit much better now.

Also I've scrapped the fuzzy pillow since I don't have quite enough yarn and decided to make a scarf for my sister, Sunshine.

Free To Stitch 'n Bitch

New Site

This site shows some promise. I have to make Snowball's Chance in Hell.

(I couldn't decide on which button to use)

I Love This Place

So you remember how I was trying to bust my stash and not buy any more yarn? Yeah right. Last night I was poking around the internets and found this free pattern on Elann. Normally I don't like their patterns but this one intrigued me and I decided that I must make it. The pattern calls for 2 different colors of a discontinued yarn so I bought one color I liked at Elann and then did a Google search for some more in colors others than those on Elann.

Enter Knot Another Hat. Not only did Knot Another Hat have the yarn I wanted but they had it at a very competitive price and only 7 skeins left! The pattern only called for 6 of each color but I like to get an extra just in case. Unfortunately, 9 minutes after I placed my order I got an email from Sarah, the owner, reporting that some skeins were missing from the back and she only had 4 available. Some further searching turned up one more but it still wasn't enough for my pattern. Not only did she do some more searching when she got to work this morning (I said I could probably squeak by if she found 1 more), but she emailed me all throughout the process to keep me updated.

She never did find the missing skeins and refunded my money immediately. I will definitely be returning to the online store. I only wish the women at our local stores were this friendly and helpful.

Boogie Wonderland

Saturday Elah and I are going to Boogie Wonderland at Higher Ground. It's a family dance party and most of the parents I know in the community are going. Elah is super excited to see a ton of kids she knows and be in a "grown up" place. I'm excited to see a bunch of adults I know while Elah shakes what her mama gave her. I also know people without children who are going - stop by if you have some free time Saturday from 3 - 6.

Pictures!

My mom's hat:

Knit using 9s for ribbing and 10 1/2s for stockinette with 2 strands of Plymouth Encore worsted. The pattern is the basic hat pattern found in Yarn Girl's Guide to Simple Knits.

My mom's bike helmet ear warmers:

What a dork, I kinda look like I have a uterus on my ear (very mom appropriate).
Knit using Lamb's Pride worsted on 8s. Pattern found here.

I finished Elah's gloves.

The thumbs are a couple of rows too short so I'll have to frog them a bit and reknit but first I have to get her to take them off! I also frogged my mom's hat last night and added 4 rows, a pic of that will come soon. Right now I'm working on some ear flaps for my mom's bike helmet. I found the pattern in issue #1 of the Men Knit zine. It's nice to knit something small on 8s after all that work on 2s and 3s; it's also a great stash buster as I have all these random skeins of Lamb's Pride hanging around.

I Love eBay

Last night I bought two each - 24" US0, US3, US4 and one 24" US5 Addi Turbo circular needles. In my LYS that's about $90 and I got them for less than $50 including shipping. Yay eBay!

Who Needs Gloves?

Apparently I am glove crazy - I made the first pair for my mom less than a month ago and have since made a fingerless pair for L and I started a pair for E lah today. It seem like a perfect time to work on that unfinished sweater, it knits quick and would save my eyesight.

Progress: This is the first glove and I LOVE knitting on the 2 circulars.


Regia Crazy Color 5402
US #2