Life, the Universe (of Yarn) and Everything

Yes, I've been gone a while. No, I don't want to rehash it. Suffice it to say that it involved my Mom, the Hospital, Scalpels, Staples, and a lot of knuckle-gnawing. Things are better now and I want to share some of the nicer things that have happened in my absence from blogging. The first photo is a progress shot, badly taken, of my Coachella tank top. I'm loving the way the yarn is feeling. 65% silk, 35% bamboo. Yum! Oh! And it's on a cone, so very few tails to weave in due to not having to join a new ball of yarn! Win!

There's two stories to this picture...

I'm telling the funnier one here. That swirly knitting thing there is a hat, knitted in the round. But wait! you say. Doesn't knitting in the round use more than 3 needles or a circular needle or something?? Well...yes. Yes, it does. Usually. Unfortunately, the 4th needle for this hat kind of ... died.




Yes. Died. See this bent and twisty sad looking piece of metal? Yeah, that was my 4th needle. It got used for some ... repair work ... and didn't quite make it through alive. No, it can't be bent back into its original straight and pointy-ness. Trust me. I tried.


Oh, but the next picture cheered me up to no end! I kind of needed some S.E.X.
No, not that kind of sex. Stash Enhancing eXperience(s). So, I went online and got lured in to some sample packs of summer yarns. And then, Ames and I went on a Yarn Spree! This photo is a melding of the two experiences. No, I'm not telling how much I spent. But I did stay within the budget I set myself (somehow). Oh and some of the yarns aren't shown, but that's because they are duplicate cakes and one is being used for a "secret project."

The last photo is, I guess, my birthday gift to myself. A drafting table (that tilts!), a stool to sit on. 3 different types of drawing tablets (only one shown, but if you look in the bottom left corner you can see just a little bit of another one), and a whole lotta pencils! Colored pencils, drawing pencils, some charcoal sticks...

And, of course, I haven't had a chance to sit down and actually use any of it yet...

So, see. I haven't fallen completely off the face of the planet! I'm still around. Just doing a little more lurking that chatting.
:D

Exhaustified

I haven't blogged in a bit due to family matters. Mostly, those are resolved, but I am exhaustified. I'm too pooped to even put up a cute kitteh photo.

Needless to say, I am currently incapable of writing anything really spectacular at the moment.

Please enjoy the peace and quiet while systems are restored.

Igor/ina Hath Arrived!

Tho, the very very awethome mithth Ganyah (who wath very brave and organithed thith thwap) then protheeded to thend me thith really, really great parthel:
The thent me not one, not three, not even five, but THEVEN kindth of yarn! Not ballth. Not hankth. KINDTH! I felt a little inadequate, having only thent her two meathley ballth of Malabrigo Lace. But that'th not the point. The point ith that the included thome really thpiffy thtuff to go with the yarn. And chocolate. And fudge!

It'th next to impoththible to get my camera to thow any kind of detail. But the big red thquare ith a dithcloth, and it thtateth "(Eye) (Heart) Igor" and the thtitch markerth almotht vithible at the bottom there thpell out "I (heart) IGORS" and altho have the great A'Tuin.

The altho included a copy of the Igor Thawl (available through the MMario yahoo group) and thome additional information about it. It ith all beautifully held together with a purple butterfly paperclip. Now, thomething funny that I'll thare with my three readerth ith that I theriouthly thought about thending thith thame pattern to her! But I wanted to include enough yarn to make it ath well, and couldn't dethide on a particular one to go with it (none were ... Igor-y enough).

You thee that cute little Klatchian Army Knife there on the right? Don't let it fool you. That little thucker ith wicked tharp! I know thith becauthe it bit me the firtht day I uthed it. Not to worry, though. Remember, you're reading the tale of thomeone who can draw blood while painting, fer cripe'th thake. But that'th a thtory for another time. And, yeth, Ameth, that ITH a pink meathuring tape you thee there.

Even the OH commented on thith parthel. He wath gobthmacked when I held all the yummy new yarnth in my armth to thow it off to him.

Love Bites Swap received!

I got my swap package Monday! Here's a phot of what she sent me! Some really great stuff in it. Great enough that I had to fight with Kitten to get to it.

There were some really cool dual-sided coasters that she made me.





And this little guy. I call him my 'date'. Unfortunately, Kitten thieved him away from me almost as I was taking this photo. There's a lot of other goodies, but these were some of the better photos.

So another big THANK YOU to my lovely swap partner! I love it all!

Love Bites Swap sent!

So, I sent out my Love Bites (aka Vampire Valentine 2009) swap package on Thursday to Knitbrit. It arrived at her home yesterday and this is what she posted (before even opening it):

Did you hear it?
Did you hear the almighty squee that emanated from my little corner of Ohio? I got my package today - just what I needed to brighten up a spectacularly dismal 24 hours. ...Thank you so much to whomever it is from - even without opening it, it’s the best thing that has happened today :)

Which made me really happy! I was glad to be able to brighten up someone's day. A few of the things I sent her included:

This tile coaster (because who wouldn't want to visit this place at least once?)
This sticker (as Drusilla was listed as one of her fave vamps)
These mitts (because it's just as cold in Ohio as it is here, at least):
There was a lot of other things in the package, but I don't want to ruin all her fun in chatting about it. I had so much fun putting all these things together! I hope that she's had a chance to open the box and find all her goodies :)

Can I hibernate now?

This is what I did this week. And I didn't miss any work. Although I'm going to have to take a 'Mental Health Day' very very soon!

Go Vote (Book/Author-Wise)!!!!!

So, I saw that Kim is up for an award or two and, naturally, had to go vote. I encourage you to do the same if you've read her. Hell, go check it out even if you haven't, there might be a few you have read.

Just follow this link: Urban Fantasy Land Readers' Choice Awards

Happy Voting!

Shop, Swap, and Knit

No photos today. And some of the commentary might be vague and/or cryptic.

Koolhaas Update:

That demonic really cool hat that I talked about in the last post. Yeah, you know the one I'm talking about. Yeah, well, it's in the corner because after 2 more attempts, the yarn is screaming in pain, my finger refuses to cooperate with me, the cat is slightly more psychotic, and OH thinks I've been sampling too many yarn fumes. So it's going into the naughty pattern corner for now. I'll get back to it at some future date (preferably armed with um...something scary).

Back to our not-so-regularly scheduled post.

I finished the shawl I'd been working on (Foulard, pattern here) and am happy to report that the recipient absolutely loved it! Even her husband gave it good reviews, so 'scuse me while I do my little victory dance.

I also started on a Clapotis (affectionately renamed 'the clap'). So far, so good. I went downstairs a bit ago to give OH an update. Here's how the conversation went:

me: I'm almost ready to start on section 3 of the clap.
OH (absently): Yeah? I didn't know they had a program for that...

Beware trying to update anyone not familiar with your world, especially if you're not sure you have their complete attention or the WIP at hand. That was my funny for the day.

If you don't already know, I've signed up for two swaps! One is the Igor Thwap, which hath been very fun tho far, and I have to thtop getting thingth to put into it! My thpoilee ith ath exthited ath I am, I think. And yeth, we talk in Igor-thpeak. But we're Igorinath, so we don't always lithp.

The other is the Love Bites Swap, which is-in case you can't tell-vampire related goodies! It's also a secret swap. So, even though I've got lots of goodies ready, in progress, or on order, I can't share them just yet. But there's been some really cool ideas brought to my attention. I had to make myself stop buying and start assembling or else I wouldn't get it done and I would probably have to ship it in either a very large box or several smaller boxes.

I went shopping today to get some things for the swaps. I was trying to concentrate more on one than the other right now so that I can keep things straight. I'll get the other one bought next weekend. Ames, I really am sorry I wasn't much fun this trip. I could give you several excuses as to why, but neither of us really needs that, now, do we? Suffice it to say that I'm more or less better now.

I also have to put together the A/V portion of my group's presentation this weekend. I want to have it all done before Monday so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

Cookies and happies and warm toasties to you, my readers!

Adventures of a Koolhaas

I'm attempting to make this hat (pattern available here). The keyword being attempt. This pattern is starting to just piss me right off.

Don't get me wrong, I adore the hat. I want one! I want to make the damned thing. And I want mine to look like this picture! But in a different color.

Unfortunately, this is the first pattern that has boggled my modifications. Usually, I can just work a chart from left to right with no problems. This one has been ... well ... frustrating.

Attempt #1:

Cast on. Work the requisite 10 rounds of 2x2 ribbing, no problem. Change needle size (as per pattern) and begin working lattice pattern. Learn how to cable without a needle (+1 exp.) and get to row 6. Pause to rest fingers, notice blisters forming on index finger (definitely have a good and pointy needle, at least) and look at hat. Pattern is not emerging. Throw project down, eat chocolate to calm down. Frog and restart.

Attempt #2:

Cast on. Work the ribbing. Change needle size (still with the pattern so far), and begin lattice pattern again, being careful to use a consistent technique on the cables. Work to row 7. Pause to apply ointment to blistered index finger and look at hat. Pattern still isn't emerging. Throw project down in disgust, wander off in search of chocolate, muttering about patterns that aren't cooperating. Frog and restart....

Attempt #3:

Cast on. By some miracle, the yarn is not looking any worse for wear. Work the ribbing. Have a stroke of genius before starting the lattice and insert lifeline. Change needle size, start lattice pattern. Get to row 6. Stop to check progress of both pattern and healing finger. Finger is doing well, and pattern is almost emerging, but still doesn't look quite right. Deep breath. Inhale chocolate. Choke on chocolate pieces going into lungs. Stumble out of room in search of liquid, tangle yarn around legs, trip over cat, bang head on wall. So now we can add mild concussion and a lovely blue-tinted face (hey, at least it matches the yarn) to the poor battered, blistered index finger. Once streaming eyes clear up, look at hat again in the hopes of it magically looking correct. Nope, still not quite right. Sigh, because it's late at night and the neighbors might complain if I start screaming, frog, storm away to play video games and plan on restarting tomorrow.

To be continued....

First FO of the year!

This is my first completed project of the year! No matter that I started it last month. I finished it today!

The pattern is Clamber and can be found here.

OH even commented on it. In a positive way :P