Knittin' Kninja

My Cool Ass Koolhaas Hat

2008-12-20T11:25:00.003-06:00

I heart this hat! The pattern is awesome (and taught me how to cable without a cable needle), and the yarn is lovely. I used Colinette Iona, which is 70% wool, 15% mohair, and 15% silk. It's very squishy, and the color is stunning. I love uber rich colors. My only complaint was that the yarn's dye was not properly set, so I had blue hands every time I finished knitting for the night. I soaked the hat in vinegar and water, so hopefully it won't bleed on my forehead!

It matches my eyes almost perfectly, as you can see in this kinda creepy pic.

Then & Now.

2008-10-22T18:32:00.002-05:00

I love the similarity between these shots.

June 2006:

October 2008:

2 skeins

2008-10-12T15:08:00.003-05:00

I've spun up 2 skeins on my Julia since I got her. I am LOVING the wheel, I tell ya.

Here's the first:

Not bad for my first skein. It's a little less consistent than I would have liked, but what are ya gonna do? It's overdyed black BFL and is quite soft.

The second is more consistent with one or two exceptions. It's even softer than the first as it's an alpaca silk blend. Not as colorful as I'm used to, but MAN is it lovely.

Best Present EVER.

2008-09-21T09:07:00.004-05:00

My in-laws gave me the best gift ever. A wheel!!! Yes, that's right, my in-laws are the kindest, most generous, and nicest people out there. Sorry everyone else, they're taken. :)

So here's my glorious wheel:

It's a Louet Julia. I had originally been thinking of either a Lendrum or a Sonata, but after trying all three, Julia simply called to me.

And here's a teensy bit of overdyed black BFL I spun up as soon as I got home.

Hoo Are You?

2008-08-11T17:26:00.002-05:00

I finished this a couple weeks ago for my little man. So far he's flung it away from himself a few times and that's it. Of course, I'm making him another so he'll have 2 to ignore. :)

Baby Socks

2008-07-20T12:41:00.002-05:00

Look! A post! And a finished project! Yes, it's small, I know. But look how cute they are!

Flickr meme

2008-06-10T14:29:00.004-05:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by amandakenny

1. Ansiedade..., 2. sunday_pizza, 3. Yay!, 4. Up, 5. More Johnny Depp..., 6. wisconsin state drink, 7. Cliffs of Moher, Ireland, 8. Sticky Toffee Pudding, 9. World's Best Mom, 10. My son!, 11. crafty mini folder, 12. amandakenny

1. What is your first name?: Amanda

2. What is your favorite food?: goat cheese pizza

3. What high school did you go to?: LaFollette High School

4. What is your favorite color? Teal

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Johnny Depp

6. Favorite drink?: Brandy Old Fashion

7. Dream vacation?: Ireland

8. Favorite dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding

9. What do you want to be when you grow up? World's best mom

10. What do you love most in life?: My son

11. One word to describe you: Crafty

12: Your flickr name: amandakenny

Eli's New Duds.

2008-06-06T12:51:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I do still knit. But Eli kinda puts a hamper on it a bit. That's okay though. :) He's worth it. Plus, I get to make cute ass pants for him. These are his most recent.

Knitters vs. Crocheters

2008-06-04T09:35:00.001-05:00

Someone brought this video to my attention, and I feel I MUST share it.

The Holiest of Shits

2008-05-11T13:00:00.003-05:00

Holy shit I'm actually posting, and holy shit someone actually tagged me in a meme! So here goes:

Using the top 100 yarns on Ravelry (by number of projects):Bold the ones you’ve used and would use again;Cross out the ones you’ve used and would not use again; and Italicize the ones you’ve never tried, but would like to.
Add comments as desired, and then pass the meme along to 5 knitters/crocheters. Link back to this post and to the person who tagged you.

1. Cascade 220 Wool
2. Patons Classic Wool Merino
3. Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted
4. Noro Kureyon
5. ----Caron Simply Soft----
6. Lily Sugar’n Cream Solid
7. Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted
8. Red Heart Ltd. Super Saver Solids
9. ----Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solid----
10. Noro Silk Garden
11. Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM)
12. Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
13. ----Lion Brand Homespun-----
14. Lion Brand Cotton-Ease
15. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi
16. Manos del Uruguay 100% Wool
17. Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky
18. Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
19. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock - Lightweight
20. Plymouth Encore Worsted
21. Cascade 220 Heathers
22. Lily Sugar’n Cream Ombres & Prints
23. Zitron Trekking (XXL)
24. Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes)
25. Rowan Kidsilk Haze
26. Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
27. Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc. Peaches & Creme Ombres
28. Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
29. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock - Mediumweight
30. ----Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick----
31. Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc. Peaches & Creme Solids
32. Cascade 220 Superwash
33. Berroco Ultra Alpaca
34. Knit Picks Swish Superwash
35. Knit Picks Essential
36. Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice Solid
37. Colinette Jitterbug (in the stash)
38. ----Lion Brand Lion Wool Solid----
39. Knit Picks Shine Sport
40. Dale of Norway/Dalegarn Baby Ull
41. ----Lion Brand Microspun----
42. Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino (in the stash)
43. Knit Picks Palette
44. South West Trading Company TOFUtsies
45. Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
46. Mission Falls 1824 Wool
47. Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK
48. Red Heart Ltd. Super Saver Multis/Ombres
49. Rowan Felted Tweed
50. Rowan Calmer
51. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Heather
52. Knit Picks Merino Style
53. Garnstudio Drops Alpaca
54. Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering
55. Knit Picks Andean Silk
56. Red Heart Ltd. Soft Yarn Solids
57. Elann Peruvian Highland Wool
58. Tahki Cotton Classic
59. Dream in Color Smooshy
60. Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton
61. Dream in Color Classy
62. Rowan Big Wool
63. Peace Fleece Worsted
64. Caron Simply Soft Brites
65. Plymouth Galway Worsted
66. Karabella Aurora 8
67. Rowan Wool Cotton
68. Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton
69. Knit Picks Shine Worsted
70. Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock (in the stash)
71. ----Lion Brand Fun Fur Solid----
72. Misti International Misti Alpaca Chunky
73. Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk
74. Mountain Colors Bearfoot (in the stash)
75. Lion Brand Jiffy Solid
76. Knit Picks Shadow
77. Bernat Softee Chunky Solids & Marls
78. Austermann Step (in the stash)
79. Bernat Cottontots Solid
80. Cascade Ecological Wool
81. Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud
82. Patons Shetland Chunky
83. ----Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky----
84. Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted
85. Malabrigo Yarn Lace
86. Bernat Satin Solids
87. Lily Sugar’n Cream Stripes
88. Knit Picks Gloss
89. ----Lion Brand Magic Stripes----
90. Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk
91. Cascade 220 Quatro
92. Rowan All Seasons Cotton
93. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Solid
94. JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18
95. Novita 7 Veljestä
96. Rowan Kid Classic
97. Mission Falls 1824 Cotton
98. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi
99. Cascade Fixation Spray Dyed/Effects
100. Patons Kroy Socks 4-Ply

I was tagged by my pal Incaknits. If you actually still read my blog, or try to, consider yourself tagged.

Wanna Win an Ergo?

2008-04-29T11:06:00.001-05:00

I do. These are one of the best baby carriers out there and you can win one if you enter!

Win a Free Ergo Baby Carrier from Along for the Ride

I've been knitting too, I swear

2008-03-30T12:22:00.002-05:00

But all I've been knitting has been shorties, so it's kinda boring until I post pics of Eekers wearing them.

But I embellished these diapers for Eekers to wear UNDER his shorties!

Kenny Look-alike Meter

2008-03-03T13:11:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Eli's New Overalls

2008-03-02T12:57:00.003-06:00

I finished little man's overalls. This was my second major sewing undertaking. It turned out okay. I had trouble sewing in the snap tape, so the inseam area is kinda messy. Ah well. It was only my first time using the zipper foot. I also made buttonholes for the first time. They were so easy!

PSA

2008-02-27T18:10:00.002-06:00

I found this helpful message on one of my dollars this week and thought I'd share.

You've been advised.

Poor Todd, whoever he is.

Icy

2008-02-20T18:28:00.002-06:00

We were in Madison this last weekend during an ice storm. Witness my in-laws' birch trees:

Whilst stuck inside, I worked on some longies/shorties.

I finished these:

Nearly finished these (still have to make a cord, kitchener the crotch, and weave in ends):

And started these:

Finished Mei Tai! And babylegs.

2008-02-09T16:07:00.000-06:00

Thank you to my models for their assistance.

Mei Tai Half Done!!!

2008-02-06T19:05:00.001-06:00

I finished the body of the mei tai today.

Next up are the ties, which criss-cross in the middle of the body of the carrier (on the inside). The ties will be dark brown to match the flowers. I should be done this weekend. Then I can carry Eli around in style.

Non-Knitting Weekend Endeavors

2008-02-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

I did a bit of sewing this weekend. I made a reversible headband using the best band ever pattern, and an iphone cozy for Josh, using this pattern.

The best band ever, really is! I have a hard time finding headbands that both look good and fit my enormous skull. Usually even elastic ones don't work right, and I can't tie a scarf on worth a damn. I end up with hair in the knot and curses under my breath. But this one is awesome. It was a pain the the butt to reverse it and to sew in the elastic, but I'll definitely be doing it again.

Next up is a Mei Tai for me & Eli. I've gotta wait till I get a rotary cutter and matt though, because there's NO way I can cut a straight line for 90 inches, much less do it 3 times.

eek!

2008-02-02T17:59:00.000-06:00

I used a different pattern for Eli's latest longies. I think I like the fit better. The construction was very different. They're knit from the bottom up. I also tried my hand at duplicate stitch for the first time. About halfway through I changed the way I was doing it and it looked better, but I'm not about to rip out the first half (half the second e through the first exclamation point). Probably should have read how exactly to do it, but whatevs. Instructions are for suckers.

Yes, it's Another Post Today...

2008-01-26T19:29:00.000-06:00

But I HAVE to! I'm entering a blog contest to win the coolest baby wrap ever.

This would be great for little man. I heart me some baby-wearin'.

Shameless Non-Self Promotion

2008-01-26T18:42:00.000-06:00

Josh started a blog a while ago. Go read it. It's funny.

Sewing Fool

2008-01-26T18:29:00.000-06:00

I got a sewing machine! I sold a bunch of books on Amazon to help finance this purchase. Here she is:

And here's what I've been making:

Longies!

Both of these are made from felted sweater arms. I found a tutorial online and tried it out on some already too small sweaters. So cute!

I also made a few pairs of babylegs. The first pair is kinda embarassing, the the other pairs look pretty good, I think.

Yes, yes, they're all for my little man. He is spoiled. But how could he not be? Just look at him!

Too bad his mommy dresses him so funny, huh? Rainbow babylegs with a green and brown giraffe shirt. What was she thinking?!? I'll tell you what she was thinking. She was thinking, Oh Crap! His diaper leaked onto his brown pants, he needs leggings!

Longies and Shorties!

2008-01-20T11:37:00.001-06:00

Longies for Eli, knit up in Malabrigo in the Charrua colorway. I think they turned out very nice.

I also knit up a pair of shorties for little man using some BFL. They are SO soft!

Best and Worst FOs of 2007

2008-01-12T17:05:00.000-06:00

Okay ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to list my least and most favorite finished objects of 2007. Let's start with the worst.

I call this the three-year shawl. And for good reason. It took three damn YEARS for me to finally summon up the willpower to finish knitting the 6-foot stockinette rectangle that made up the bulk of the shawl. I gave it to my mom almost immediately because it made me sick to look at it. I was supposed to add beadwork to it, but by the time I finally finished knitting it I was ready to burn it, not bead it. It's a shame too because it was made with beautiful teal (with flecks of green) alpaca. SO soft.

And now on to the best.

My favorite knitted finished object has got to be Eli's Coming Home Sweater, aka Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket. I knit it up in a rainbow colorway of Koigu.

Which leads me to my all-time favorite finished object of 2007...

(I bet the suspense is killing you...)

Of course, right? How could he NOT be the best thing I made in 2007?!?

New Obsession...

2008-01-12T16:55:00.000-06:00

Okay, I promise I will NOT start a blog about my new obsession, but I can't promise I won't occasionally mention it here either. It's diapers. Yep, that's right, diapers. Cloth diapers to be exact. But you know what you can put over cloth diapers to keep your little one from getting pee on your furniture? WOOL!!!

So I've been making longies again. Here's the latest pair.

And here's some yarn I bought recently to make some more:

And the piece de resistance, handspun corriedale!

Best Christmas Gift EVER.

2008-01-05T18:16:00.000-06:00

My husband rules. Seriously. This is what I got for Christmas this year (we decided not to get each other anything pricy).

For scale, I placed them next to a carton of milk.

Over 4 POUNDS of cherries! I have always wanted this. NO JOKE. But who buys that many cherries at once? Apparently my super duper awesome husband does. Yay!

New Hair, New Socks, New Year!

2007-12-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

My mother-in-law treated me to a makeover the other day. Now my hair looks hot! Check it out!

She also treated me to some new sock yarn, Prism Saki, purchased at The Knitting Tree in Madison. LOVELY shop! I love the colorway of this yarn so much I promptly started to knit it up. I think Jaywalker is the best pattern for this, don't you?

Happy New Year everyone!

Me Gusta Malabrigo

2007-12-16T15:43:00.000-06:00

Seriously. Check out these colorways!

Mariposa (butterfly) and

Charrua (named after native indian tribe in South America, presumably).

How could I NOT buy these? I plan to make some pants for Eli. And a hat for Josh.

Booties for Eli!

2007-11-30T10:52:00.001-06:00

I made these over the Thanksgiving holiday. They're fun, easy and QUICK!

Thanksgiving is for the Dogs

2007-11-29T10:22:00.000-06:00

Marley and his cousin, Chica, had a blast this last Thanksgiving!

Pretty.

2007-11-16T17:34:00.000-06:00

I took this photo on our block today. It was so beautiful outside and this tree seriously looked like it was on fire.

Another Squash Hat for Eli

2007-11-10T08:56:00.000-06:00

I used leftover cashmere. I had about 60 yds and still had about 5 yards left when the hat was done. Yay!

Squash Hat

2007-11-07T21:01:00.000-06:00

I made Eli a hat yesterday and today. The pattern is from the new one skein wonders book. Here he is in it. Pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

I started another one tonight since he looks so cute in it!

I swear I didn't stage this

2007-11-07T10:56:00.000-06:00

I FOUND him like this!

Finally, a FO!

2007-11-05T10:13:00.000-06:00

I have finally finished Isabella! She is currently being blocked and will be dropped off at the LYS this week. Which is good, because she is due this week. Man, do I have timing or what? Of course, she'd have been done earlier if I hadn't been pregnant and then given birth before finishing... In any event, here she is:

And for your viewing enjoyment, a cute baby and a pouty dog:

Isabella update

2007-10-25T15:20:00.000-05:00

So I've found a few minutes here and there to work on Isabella. I'm nearing the finish line. I've got about 35 more rows on the neck and then I just have to pick up stitches around the armholes, knit the edge, finish and block! Yay! And we're driving to Madison tomorrow, so I should be able to finish a bunch this weekend since Eli loves sleeping in the car.

2 Weeks Postpartum

2007-10-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

Not bad. It's amazing how fast that huge baby belly can disappear. Now if only I could get my "regular" belly to disappear that fast...

Eli's blog

2007-10-15T17:21:00.001-05:00

I've given him his own blog so he'll be easier to find for his grandparents and aunts & uncles.

Eli Update!

2007-10-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

Eli & his floor gym at 9 days:

Eli with the hiccups:

And some more photos. My little man is the cutest. I can't help but show him off.

Things are slowly settling down around here. Every day is a teeny bit easier. I'm getting a little more used to the crazy sleep schedule and am feeling less tired. I've also figured out how to use the sling and now have the use of my hands again. And today Eli laid in his crib for an hour just watching his mobile. And right now he's chilling in his swing, asleep. The first time we tried out the swing he did NOT like it, but apparently he's changed his mind in the last few days. That's fine by me. :)

I have not yet reached the point where I can knit. :(

Introducing... Eli!

2007-10-06T15:57:00.001-05:00

I started early labor at 4 am on Tuesday morning, with contractions 8 minutes apart. By the end of the day they were about 30 minutes apart and I was getting very discouraged. I went to bed thinking I was going to wake up and not have any contractions. Instead, I woke up at 12:30 with strong contractions every 10 minutes apart, by 2:00 a.m. they were 8 minutes apart and I called the midwives. They told me to take a bath and see if the contractions lessened or went away. They didn't. By 5 a.m. they were 5 minute apart and much stronger. I called again and was told to come in. By the time I was in the triage room for the initial monitoring etc, I was having contractions every 3 minute and was getting sick from the pain. I had originally wanted a natural labor, but by the time I got to the hospital I knew I couldn't do it. Especially with the vomiting. The midwife unit was totally full and I was stuck in the triage area until about 1 pm. By the time I got to my room and was given some nubain I was 3 cm and could finally sleep. I got my epidural at around 5 pm and was 6 cm dialated . By 10:30 or 11, I was feeling okay, although my epidural was only really effective on the left side of my body, but I was 9 cm and was told it was time to start pushing.

I was pushing for about an hour or so when Eli's heartrate dropped in half. So in rushed the labor and delivery docs with the vacuum, and with one push Eli was out at 12:31 on October 4! He was stressed during the last part of the delivery and had passed some meconium and had inhaled a little, so they had to suck out his airway. I got to hold him shortly after he was born.

Eli was 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 21 inches long. We got out of the hospital today. I am super thankful to be home, but oh, so tired.

Eli & Daddy

Going home! In the outfit Mommy made...

Too Cool for School

2007-09-30T15:18:00.000-05:00

So here it is. I made it to week 40 with Eli. I'll be pissed if I've got a 42 week photo to post. Today's his official due date and the midwives told me they wouldn't induce until 2 weeks from now. I hope I have him this week!!!

Isabella & Marley

2007-09-25T09:08:00.000-05:00

I've made some pretty good progress on Isabella. Here she is as of this morning.

And of course, Marley.

Still no baby. Dammit.

Nursery!!!

2007-09-23T13:09:00.000-05:00

We've finally finished the nursury. Here are the pics. They're kind of fuzzy because I was using my mom's camera, which doesn't have as good of resolution as our camera. I was testing it out so she can use it to take pictures of Eli when he gets here.

Also, this weekend I picked up my gift from the ladies at the Yarnery. Oh. My. God. Check it out:

Thank you so much everyone, I absolutely LOVE it!!!

Again, the photo is a bit fuzzy and doesn't really do it justice. I'll take more and better photos later but the camera is packed in the car for the hospital, so this will have to do for now...

38 Weeks = 14 days until Due Date. Holy Crap.

2007-09-16T18:32:00.000-05:00

Any day now. Seriously.

YAY!!!

2007-09-14T07:51:00.000-05:00

I always love it when there's a brand new Knitty!

Some of my faves from this issue:

Muir--Hol[e]y beautifulness. Literally.

Neiman--Lovely. Plus the colors used are faves of mine.

Q--Okay, I'm totally never going to make this, but I LOVE Aija's obsession with Atari games.

Woodins--I'm not sure whether I'd make this for Eli or for Marley. They'd both really like it... Marley's already got something very similar...

In the "huh?" file:

Entwined. Meh.

Lots of Updates...

2007-09-09T12:23:00.000-05:00

So last weekend was very busy. Josh and I went to Madison for our baby showers. The first was at Josh's parents' house, and the second was at my dad and step-mom's house. I'm still waiting for pics from the shower at my dad's, but it's getting late, so I figured I'd better post about the other shower at least.

Here I am before the party:

Barefoot, pregnant, kitchen. Heh.

The theme of the party was sweet peas, since that's what my mom and Josh's mom call Eli.

And here's some random photos from the shower:

Josh also had his own shower. He went to a Brewers' game with his dad, my brothers, and my step-dad. My brothers showed up looking adorable.

And of course, the obligatory pics of Marley looking adorable:

Also looking adorable last weekend was my dad's dog, Lily. She's a funny dog.

Also, this last week was both my birthday week and my 36th week of pregnancy. I turned 30 on the 6th. Josh got me some beautiful diamond earrings. I'm spoiled.

Also, here's the 36 week belly shot. Not too many of these left!

4 Things

2007-08-31T12:47:00.000-05:00

Cori tagged whoever wanted to do this meme, so here goes:

4 jobs I've had:
attorney editor
assistant public defender
library page
theater usher

4 places I've lived:
Minneapolis, MN
St. Louis, MO
Madison, WI
DeForest, WI

4 places I've vacationed:
California (San Francisco & L.A. on separate trips)
New York City
Phoenix, AZ
Chicago, IL

4 of my favorite foods:
pizza
sushi
lasagna
cheesecake

4 places I'd like to visit:
Ireland
Spain
anywhere in Central or South America
New Zealand

If you're reading this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged.

"I thought this was a knitting blog..."

2007-08-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be terrible about putting photos of Eli up one he's born. I can't help myself with the dog, for cryin' out loud. Prepare for massive amounts of photos of our baby once he gets here. Until then, more Marley!

His new favorite sleeping spot is on the ottoman for our new chair. He especially likes lying there when I'm sitting in the chair so he can have my legs on each side.

He also enjoys the occasional massage.

In knitting news, Isabella is coming along. I'm up to the increases now.

Progress!

2007-08-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

I've been working steadily on Isabella. I've got this terrible fear of not finishing it in time, so I've been trying to pick it up as often as I can. I think I've made some good progress this week.

I'm really liking it so far. Of course cotton's a pain in the arse to knit with and my hands have been feeling extremely dry, but the finished fabric has a lovely drape and is surprisingly soft. Plus, the color. Obviously.

Today, Josh and I went shopping and made a couple important purchases.

We got a new chair from Ikea so I can sleep sitting if I need to! Plus, it's rocks. Both in the physical and attitudinal senses. It's so comfortable. And it's been very hard to be comfortable lately. I think Eli likes the rocking motion because he seems to calm down when I do it.

The other purchase is the official baby book. I've been looking all over for a cute, yet non-cheesy baby book and I've finally found it! I love it.

34 Weeks and Recent Projects

2007-08-20T18:12:00.000-05:00

So here I am again! I'm being brave and posting a bare belly pic since it's so damn big now. And no, I still don't have an outie. I doubt I will.

In non-pregnant news, I had been working steadily on Tangled Yoke Cardigan when I got a call last week from the Yarnery that my yarn was in for my first shop model. So now Tangled Yoke is on hold until I finish Isabella! I've got either 2 or 3 months, can't remember which... I should double check. It'll take me a while though because it's on size 3 needles. What was I thinking?!? Oh yeah, it's purty. That's why.

Anyway, here's my progress on Tangled Yoke and Isabella, respectively:

Marley is the Cutest Dog in the World

2007-08-15T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hee!

2007-08-09T17:41:00.001-05:00

My husband loves me. I'm not able to paint my own toenails so today he did it for me. He's so sweet. He was extremely meticulous.

Oh, and this is my 32nd week, so here's the photo update:

It's getting closer...

In other news, I've been going a little nuts over at Ravelry. I've posted almost all my yarn, excepting the stuff i don't have any plans for any time soon. You know, back-up yarn, in case I run out of the good stuff.

WOOT!

2007-08-06T18:52:00.001-05:00

I FINALLY got my Ravelry invite today. Yay! It's going to quickly become an obsession, I'm sure.

I've also got a finished object to post. I've (also finally) finished the last of Eli's coming home outfit. Here it is:

So that makes, a hat, booties, and jacket. Baby gets no pants I tell you.

I've also started on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. Here's my progress.

I'm loving the yarn. It's so soft. It's 80% camel and 20% virgin wool. Yum. Now I just have to dye my hair before I finish it or I'll look like some wierdo who matches her sweaters to her hair. [shudder].

Two Things

2007-08-02T08:22:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, Josh and I are fine and were not anywhere near the I-35 bridge collapse, although it is very close to his law school.

Second, last night was my last day at the Yarnery until after Eli is born. I grabbed the new Interweave, perused it and quickly became obsessed with the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I bought enough Silky Wool in black to make the sweater, then after I got home, realized I had more than enough vintage Spinnerin CAMEL (!!!) that knit up to the perfect gauge for the sweater. So I'll be making it with the camel-colored, camel-content yarn. Purty. I simply love Eunny Jang. She is my hero.

30 weeks

2007-07-28T16:17:00.001-05:00

This is the last day of my 30th weeks, so I'd better post it now. Tomorrow begins week 31, which leaves [ack!] 9 more weeks before my due date.

I'm really feeling quite enormous and am so not used to having a big ol' belly, so I'm bumping into things all the time.

What's been most surprising is the total lack of common courtesy from random people. I'd been told, and have read that people will give their seats for a pregnant lady, or let her cut in line at the restroom, but I have not experienced this. Instead, people are super rude. Last night we were at a ball game and I was pressed up against a metal bar, belly first, because everyone around me was trying their damndest to push through a crowd. It's not like I'm expecting extra super special treatment or anything, but dammit, it's hard for me to move around and you'd think people might have enough common courtesy to NOT press the pregnant lady belly-first into a metal bar. Phew! Rant over.

Funny Stuff

2007-07-22T19:12:00.001-05:00

I found Marley like this just a few minutes ago. I love his expression. It's like he's saying, "What?!? I'm almost done with level 8, what do you want?" I love that he's got a snack too.

And this was me yesterday. All day. I finished the new Harry Potter at about 1:30 a.m.

And just for fun. This is my brother. He FINALLY sent me this pic from last Christmas. He hadn't gotten a haircut since our wedding in June, and hadn't shaved in a few months. He didn't tell anyone he was planning this hilarity for Christmas, he just showed up and let us laugh at him for hours. My dad couldn't even look at him. He shaved it off a couple days later.

28 weeks

2007-07-12T16:10:00.000-05:00

FO--Longies 2.0

2007-07-01T19:59:00.000-05:00

I finished these this weekend. The colorway is a little insane, but I have to embarass Eli somehow, right?

They match the onesies I dyed for him.

Secret Pal Reveal...

2007-07-01T12:36:00.000-05:00

And my secret pal is...

Laura!

She has spoiled me absolutely rotten these last few months. My final package arrived Friday, and check out what was inside:

Nut-free candy!

Spa goodies!

Grapefruit soap and a new notions bag!

Notions!

And the hand-knit bag the notions arrived in!

A photobook and notepad!

Bib and hat for Eli!

A mini-skein key-chain and lollypop from Ruby Sapphire!

Wool from Ruby Sapphire!

Two skeins of Cascade 220!

And three skeins of Cotton Classic!

Thank you so much Laura! You have been unbelievably good to me.

26 Weeks

2007-06-28T17:21:00.001-05:00

I'm enormous

And Marley is adorable.

This is hardly scientific...

2007-06-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

"It’s been alleged that if you’ve seen over 85 movies you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 249 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste it in and put x’s by the ones that you have seen. Add them up, figure out whether you’ve got a life or not, and post it."

(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(X) Fight Club
(X) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
(X) AnchorMan
(X) Napoleon Dynamite
(X) Labyrinth
(X) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
(X) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
( ) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie
(X) American Pie 2
(X) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(X) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch
(X) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
( ) The Grinch
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
( )13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(X) Joe Dirt
(X) King Kong
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Die Another Day
(X) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
(X) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving Christmas
( ) Flubber
(X) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
(X) From Hell
(X) Hellboy
(X) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
(X) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
(X) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
(X) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
(X) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number SlevIn
(X) Ocean’s Eleven
( ) Ocean’s Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
(X) Bourne Supremecy
(X) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
(X) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
( ) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
( ) Independence Day
(X) Cujo
(X) A Bronx Tale
(X) Darkness Falls
(X) Christine
(X) E.T.
(X) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
(X) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She’s All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(X) Big Trouble in Little China
(X)The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
(X) X-Men
(X) X-2
( ) X3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
(X) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(X) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School
(X) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
(X) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin
(X) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Base-ketball
( ) Hostel
(X) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
( ) Highlander
(X) Mothman Prophecies
(X) American History X
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
(X) Kung Fu Hustle
(X) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(X) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
(X) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
(X) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
(X) Kill Bill Vol. 1
(X) Kill Bill Vol. 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
(X) Army of Darkness
( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(X) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix: Reloaded
( ) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
(X) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(X) Team America: World Police
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal
( ) Twister
(X) Liar Liar
( ) Armageddon
( ) Benchwarmers
( ) Passion of the Christ
( ) Man of the Year
( ) Casino Royale
( ) Night at the Museum
(X) School of Rock

My total is 124. Truly, there are a lot of crappy movies on here that I'm embarassed to admit I've seen. But I hardly think this means I have no life. How does one equate watching movies with having no life? I'm waiting for the book list that says, "if you've read over 5 of the following 1000 books you have no life."

Longies!

2007-06-24T17:48:00.000-05:00

I started and finished these this weekend. It took less than one skein of Malabrigo. I like 'em.

No Sir, I Don't Like It.

2007-06-22T07:29:00.000-05:00

Dammit! I had the heel done for my new RPM socks, tried it on and saw this:

What is going on with the heel?!? Let's take a closer look.

Agh!!! It's all wierd and pointy! This was my first time making a short row heel, and I have to say it sort of sucked. Not that I won't try again some other time, but I think the reinforcement thread really made the pointy issue worse here. So I frogged the heel and started a good ol' trusty flap heel. Sigh.

This is what I felt like upon having to start the heel over:

This was Marley's reaction when I kept trying to take a picture of him in his kennel this weekend. I never got the photo I wanted though. Why was I pestering the poor guy so much? Well, take a look at this photo.

Notice anything in this photo that wasn't in the last? That's right. That blue tube thing is there! Well, when Josh and I got home from the store on Saturday, we saw Marley in his kennel with that blue tube stuck on his arm. He's covering it with his head in the first pic. He was super embarassed that he got his toy stuck on his arm. It wasn't really "stuck" though. When he stood up, it fell right off. Thus the second photo. I think I made him feel worse with the camera and all the hysterical laughing, but it was so damn funny. I wish I'd gotten a better pic.

Final SP10 Contest! Three Yarns...

2007-06-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

So the final SP10 contest requires I list three yarns I'm dying to get my hands on... I don't have specific types, per say, but here's what I'd like to try out:

1. Qiviet--but really, who doesn't want this?
2. Targhee wool
3. Corriedale

I have not yet tried any of these, although Corriedale, or even Targhee for that matter, is not all that difficult to find. They are a little on the pricey side, especially the Qiviet (!), so they're on the wish list rather than in the stash.

Anniversary celebration

2007-06-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was our anniversary. One whole year. Seems like longer, but I'm sure that's because we've actually been together for six years.

We woke up yesterday and decided to have our wedding cake for breakfast. Here it is before being cut:

It was surprisingly good for having sat in the freezer for a year. No freezer burn or anything. It DID taste kinda like it had some liqour in it, which it didn't last year, but it was still good. The only kinda yucky thing about it--and it wasn't even yucky, really--was that the cake itself was a little dry. But I'm tellin' ya, it was STILL better than most fresh wedding cake I've had. I think that's a testament to the incredible baker we had. Yummy, yummy.

Last night we had dinner at the Melting Pot. We don't usually go for chain restaurants, but I love fondue like crazy, and we enjoy the Melting Pot a great deal. I was a little sad I couldn't eat as much as I wanted to. I kept trying to convince Eli to move down so I'd have more room in my tummy for the deliciousness. He would not cooperate.

Josh gave me a gift for our "paper" anniversary. He's so sweet and romantic. Unlike him, I did not buy a gift because I'm lame and I didn't think we were exchanging gifts. I told him this and he insisted I not go out and buy him something because, he says, my gifts for him are always so awesome and he's trying to catch up. I think he's wrong about the awesomesness of his gifts for me. Check it out:

It's a do-it-yourself photo album from Paper Source! I'd been eyeing this for almost a year now. He picked out the paper and book tape for the project. He knows how much I love those colors. They're sort of our wedding colors. The photo album is to be for pictures of just the two of us and he wants us to pick the photos together. I told you he was romantic.

Happy Anniversary! June 17!!!

2007-06-16T18:00:00.001-05:00

I know it's a day early...

Every day I love you more. Happy Anniversary Josh!

Just Another Saturday in Craftopolis

2007-06-16T17:39:00.000-05:00

Today was a busy day for crafting. I finally finished the anklets I started MONTHS ago. Really, what happened was not at all surprising. I excitedly finished sock #1, only to fail to cast on #2. I cast on the second this last monday and finished it today. That sock did not want me to knit, but I perservered and finished it. I'm a trooper. Here they are, knit with the Interlacements Toasty Toes I received from a swap pal:

I also spent a good portion of this afternoon dying my fool head off. I dyed a bunch of cloth diapers and some onesies. Since diapers aren't all that exciting, here's the onesies, in the same colors:

I also used the extra onesie from the 5-pack to try my hand at tie-dye. It's my first attempt since my actual first attempt at age 9. It turned out much better than the shirt I tried to do the summer before fifth grade. I guess I've learned a few things with age.

It was freakin' BRIGHT out today, in case you weren't blinded by the photos.

Speaking of onesies... I ordered a couple from artopiary and they finally arrived yesterday.

The pink girly one is not for Eli (Yep, it's official. Baby = Elijah Eugene.), it's for a baby stuff swap I'm participating in. I hope she likes it. I LOVE it. I also love Eli's onesie, the frog is adorable. But even cuter...

Butts!

R.I.P. Loomis 2004-2007

2007-06-15T17:28:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, while I was public defendin' down in St. Louis, I bought a beta fish for my office. My co-workers and I named him Loomis. Loomis was a very angry beta. He would puff his gills out whenever you stuck your finger in his bowl, or stared at him too long, things we enjoyed doing. The only thing he seemed to love was a picture of Josh I kept by his bowl. He would stare at it for minutes at a time all day.

When I left St. Louis, I left Loomis, as well as the picture of Josh, with my former co-workers. I have received periodic updates on Loomis, most of which entailed tragedy and comedy--one which told the story of the day he randomly jumped out of his bowl and was found shortly afterward on the floor--but the saddest of all came today.

"Amanda,

"It is a very sad day around here. We are sorry to have to tell you that Loomis has passed on. He was a great fish and office mascot. We have never heard of a betta lasting as long as Loomis did. He lasted about three years.

"I will never forget that time he tried to take his own life. It was a cry for help and we answered that cry. He was very happy until the very end. He did have some health problems in his last year but with constant care he came through it like a champ. Mostly thanks to Mickey.

"Other fish are treated like they don't have feelings, we knew Loomis better. We could tell when he was happy or sad or mostly MAD.

"Here is the drawing I did when he jumped out.

"We will miss our Loomis. Bob"

24 Weeks & the Nursery So Far

2007-06-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

I'm totally bigger. And I can really feel it. One night last week ke was kicking me quite a bit and Josh put his hand on my belly to feel the kick. The little guy kicked pretty hard and Josh actually whipped his hand away, looked at me very surprised and said, "that was hard!" I laughed and told him, I know, since I can feel it too. It was so funny and cute though how shocked Josh was by the distinct feeling of a kick. He'd felt him kick one other time, but it was pretty light.

I worked on the nursery this weekend. We bought a dresser/changing table at Ikea and some wall decals, so we wouldn't have to put a bunch of stuff on the walls. The decals come off easily, so they won't bother our landlord. I think they look awesome.

When the room is finished, I'll take some pics to post here. Right now, though, it's kind of a mess other than the crib area.

I'm a Real Class Act

2007-06-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

Your Score: Carole Lombard

You scored 16% grit, 14% wit, 38% flair, and 47% class!

You're a little bit of a fruitcake, but you always act out in style. You have a good sense of humor, are game for almost anything, but you like to have nice things about you and are attracted to the high life. You're stylish and modern, but you've got a few rough edges that keep you from attaining true sophistication. Your leading men include William Powell, Fredric March, and Clark Gable. Watch out for small planes.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Baby Sweater #5!

2007-06-06T16:08:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest baby sweater. I finally seamed it on Monday. Stupid seaming.

The color and style matches one of Josh's shirts, so I'll have to remember to get a photo of the two of them together in their matching shirts.

Big Weekend!

2007-06-05T08:28:00.000-05:00

My dad and step-mom came to visit Josh and I this weekend. I gave my dad his hand-spun hat. Here he is modeling it:

Yeah, that's where my pretty blue eyes come from. He likes the hat, which is good.

They brought their puppy to visit too. Her name is Lily and she's a 12-week old English Bulldog. She and Marley played all weekend. Here are a few excerpts:

In case it's not obvious from the above posts, here's their size difference:

And here's my favorite shot of Lily from this weekend:

She tired Marley out quite a bit. He was like this all day Sunday.

Also, yesterday I got another package from my SP10 pal. Here's what was inside!

A book for the baby

And some stitch markers for me! They spell my name.

Thank you Secret Pal! You are so sweet and I love the package!

SP10 Flash Your Stash Contest.

2007-06-04T20:45:00.001-05:00

Okay, this is quite embarassing, but here goes:

Side table full of yarn I don't plan on using any time soon, but not hated enough to go into storage boxes...

Recently purchased yarns and semi-finished projects

Odds and ends

Under the bed box of random yarn, which is kept under our futon

Sock yarns and a few random yarns

Sock yarn

Worsted

Sock yarn and laceweight

Cottons

Bulky

Alpaca roving

Vintage camel, alpaca and cashmere given to me by a friend

One of my current projects in my project bag

Brand new yarn waiting to be put away

Not pictured: Two boxes in storage and two under the bed boxes which are under my bed and a pain to get out.

That is all. So far.

Psycho Killer!

2007-06-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally got our ultrasound pics, almost two weeks later. At least they sent them. I was starting to get convinced they weren't going to bother.

So here's our little boy!

This is his teeny face.

These are his crossed legs.

This is him apparently trying to stab someone. Side view, obviously.

22 Weeks and a Garden

2007-06-01T08:07:00.001-05:00

Okay, better late than never. Here are the 22 week photos, despite the fact I am now only 2 days away from the 23rd week.

I swear, I'm not a centaur. That's Marley horning in on my photo op. And a close-up...

The other thing that's been taking up a bit of my time lately is my garden. I don't have any photos of the veggie garden in the front yard yet, but here's the back porch so far:

Pretty! And the best part of my garden:

It was delicious.

Finally, here's the hat I've finished for my dad using my handspun alpaca. It's not all that pretty, but it sure is soft! I'll try to get a picture of him in it this weekend when he comes to visit.

Tag, I'm it.

2007-05-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

So I've been tagged by Senja to do a seven random facts meme. I'm pretty sure I did something like this a few months ago, but whatevs. So here goes:

7 Random Facts About Me:

1. The sound of someone either chewing or drinking too loudly or with their mouth open actually makes me nauseous, which in turn makes me a little irate. Even my husband has felt the wrath when drinking water too loudly for my taste. I blame my mom, she does has the same thing.

2. I have a severe nut allergy that I only learned about last September. Surprisingly enough, I had a huge peanut butter cookie the day before my allergy test. Apparently it could have killed me. I've had one severe anaphylactic reaction--from almonds.

3. I am currently testing out as many non-alcoholic beers as possible. I love beer, but can't drink it pregnant, so I'm trying to find the best N/A beer out there. So far it's O'Doul's Amber. Surprised even me.

4. Due to my pregnancy I now have a rather impressive gag reflex. I can no longer do dirty dishes, take out the trash, or pick up the dog's poo without gagging about 10 times in a row.

5. Unlike most married folks (from what I've gathered, at least), I am a wierdo because I think my in-laws are fantastic! They have always been extremely warm and kind to me and the rest of my family. I am lucky.

6. I find the term "furbaby" repulsive. I'm not entirely sure why. I love animals, and my dog is part of our family, but somehow "furbaby" sounds disgusting and wrong to me.

7. I can only drink milk if it is either EXTREMELY cold or very hot (as in steamed milk, not boiled milk).

I got skills.

2007-05-22T12:12:00.000-05:00

I stole this from another knitter, who stole it from someone else's blog.

Bold for stuff you’ve done,
italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and
normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn - I have a crapload of vintage Spinnerin camel in my stash, so yeah.
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)--I like my knitting too much to leave it for strangers
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book--I wish.
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living - I wish.
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies--I hope not.
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

It's a Boy!

2007-05-21T18:57:00.000-05:00

We had the big ultrasound today. And it's a boy. Yes, I was hoping for a girl, but really, the only reasons why were 1) all the insanely cute girly things to knit, and 2) Josh and I had already picked a girl name. So now we have to decide on a boy name and I'll just have to find some adorable baby boy knits.

Unfortunately, there was something wrong with their computer, and the techs weren't able to print off any of the pictures for me. However, they ARE going to send me them via snail mail. So as soon as I get those photos I'll post 'em!

Baby Surprise Jacket 2.0

2007-05-20T19:06:00.000-05:00

It's finished! I made it with Dale Svale. It's so soft and purty. And I used vintage buttons. See?

A special thank you to the dolly for modeling.

I'm a lucky bastard.

2007-05-19T16:41:00.000-05:00

Look.

Just LOOK at what my secret pal sent me!

That's right, a crapload of chocolate! And not only that, it's from Vermont Nut Free Chocolate, so I don't have to worry about dying and all... Oh, and they're crazy delicious. It's really good chocolate. Thank you secret pal!!!

In other news, Josh set up the crib today while I supervised and lent a tiny bit of assistance. It's awesome. I'm an adult.

Is that a DOLL in the background, you ask? Yes. It is. And no, we haven't found out yet whether we're having a boy or a girl. That's Monday. Hold your horses already. Josh and I bought a doll for a couple of reasons. For me, the main reason is so we can carry it around and put it in baby-like places so Marley gets used to something that he can't mess with that's about that size. The other reason is so Josh can learn how to diaper and we can both learn how to use a baby sling without subjecting an actual child to our inexpertise. And yes, there is a diaper on the doll. I couldn't help it. I had to check to see if I could still do it.

Oh, the doll also cries and makes other noises if you press in different areas. Marley gets very concerned when it cries. It was in the crib and Josh pushed it's foot to make it cry and Marley came up to the crib, stuck his nose through as far as he could and tried to kiss the doll. Awww...

I promise, this is the last you'll hear about the doll (in this post at least--hey, who knows...). When we were driving home from the store I realized one of the doll's eyes (which are the open-shut kind) was stuck open. So I shook the baby. I know, I know. NEVER shake a baby. Which is exactly what Josh immediately said to me and nearly made me pee myself from laughing.

20 weeks and 2 soakers

2007-05-14T19:01:00.000-05:00

I'm officially half-way done with my pregnancy. Here's my 20 week photo:

In knitting news, I've finished two diaper soakers recently. The first was made with self-dyed Lamb's Pride (my first try at Kool-Aid dying!) and the second was made with a variegated Galway. I think they're purty. I tried both leg opening styles. We'll have to wait and see which hold up better in the long run.

Baby poll

2007-05-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Enter your guess in our baby poll! Guess the weight, date, length, and gender!

Wedding Shrug

2007-05-03T07:25:00.000-05:00

Not mine, silly. I'm already married.

I'm going to my friend Jay's wedding this weekend and the maternity dress I have, while totally adorable, has spaghetti straps. So needless to say, I needed something over my shoulders. Especially considering it is a May wedding in Wisconsin. I mean, you just never know how cool it's going to be... I decided to make the bed shrug from the latest Interweave. It was one of the patterns you had to get online. So here it is in all it's glory:

And the obligatory lace close-up...

I am pleased.

I can't wait for the wedding! A bunch of my college friends will be there, some of whom I haven't seen in YEARS. Yay!!!

Handspun Goodness

2007-05-01T08:31:00.000-05:00

I had my last spinning class on Saturday. We learned how to ply--both standard and Navajo! I plied two skeins and left my smaller two as singles. Here are my finished skeins. The purple/brown skein is wool and alpaca and is my first skein. The brown skein is pure alpaca (thanks dad!) and is a little more even, as you can see in the close up...

I think they turned out pretty decent.

Also on Saturday, I went to Craftstravaganza and purchased a lovely skein of hand-dyed and spun Corriedale from my Yarnery co-worker & pal, Lara. I'd show you the skein, but I've already knit it up into this:

Lovely, isn't it? It's SOOO soft! I love this pattern too. It was a super fast knit. Lara sells her yarn here on Etsy too. I believe she'll be updating pretty soon with a bunch of stuff that was also available this last weekend. It's truly lovely yarn and I highly recommend it.

Dad's new dog

2007-04-30T11:44:00.000-05:00

Meet Lily. She's 8 weeks old and is my dad and step-mom's new dog. Isn't she cute?

17 weeks, 5 days

2007-04-27T21:29:00.000-05:00

Please ignore the dirty clothes in the hallway...

I had an appointment yesterday and Josh got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. He was pretty excited and kept smiling at me for about a half hour. It sounded like little galloping horses, which was different from the way it sounded the first time. The first time I heard the heartbeat it sounded like a panting dog. Apparently that was the blood in the umbilical cord, whereas this time we heard the actual heart.

Also, I got a haircut today...

Second SP10 Package

2007-04-26T17:48:00.000-05:00

I got my second SP10 package in the mail yesterday. All I can say is, WOW. Here's what I found inside:

I told you it was awesome. Inside I found lots of goodies: three skeins of cornucopia yarn (100% corn!!!), which is super soft; two skeins of sierra, an alpaca/wool mix, a skein of SOCKS THAT ROCK!!!; lots of nut-free gummies; stitch keepers, huge coil-less pins (I have the small version of these and I LOVE them); Knitting To Go, a pack of patterns on cards; and a pink grapefruit diffuser, which I totally almost bought a couple weekends ago (yay!). I am crazy spoiled. I have been crazy spoiled by both secret pal exchanges I've participated in. I am lucky, and I know it.

Here's a close-up of the socks that rock, which truly do. I am in love with this colorway too, which is Chapman Springs.

I squeeled and held the yarn up to my face as soon as I saw it. Josh got a very strange look on his face when he saw this, and finally told me he thought it was wierd. He just doesn't understand how long I've yearned for a skein of STR. I still love him though.

And here's a photo of Marley, pouting, for good measure:

He's sad because I won't let him play with my STR.

It was hot outside, and I felt bad, okay?

2007-04-23T14:51:00.000-05:00

Yummy.

2007-04-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

Two things.

One: I've finished a pair of booties to match the first baby surprise jacket. Here they are...

And with the lens cap for size comparison. They're pretty teeny.

Two: I have the best husband ever. Here's what he made me for dinner tonight...

It's sweet & sour pork with snow peas. The breading has some curry in it and it's fantastic! I've never posted a pic (or taken one) of food, but it looked so pretty... He's ruining me for average chinese food. But that's okay.

Spinning! And a finished object.

2007-04-14T20:19:00.000-05:00

So I had the second of my four spinning classes today. I'm improving, which is a relief. Here's the first skein I spun last week:

And a close up, so the flaws can be duly noted (clearly I was having consistency issues):

And here is the skein I spun today; likewise with a close up:

Yay! Improved consistency!

And now, for a little gloating... A few years ago (ahem!) my dad bought be a large bag of alpaca roving, to wit:

It has been sitting in my stash, politely waiting to be spun. I had originally tried to spin it with a drop spindle, but knowing little about spinning, and getting something altogether too bulky, I gave up after about 20 yards. I will not show you that monstrosity. I knew I'd eventually learn to spin on a wheel and also knew the alpaca was too awesome to spin into a clumpy bulky mess. So I waited...

Until tonight.

This is what I have done this evening:

Isn't it lovely?!? To all those who told me, "oh, alpaca is hard to spin...," I say, HA! I rule. It was WAY easier to work with than the crap they had us spinning for class (see purple skeins above), which was super hard to draft. I am so proud of myself.

In the next class, we learn to ply. I'm seriously considering plying the second purple skein with some of the alpaca...

In FO news, I made another pair of Twinkletoes. This time, I got a photo before I gifted them:

These went to my mother-in-law, who saw the first pair and wanted some of her own. The first, unphotographed pair, were lime green and went to my mom. She loves them. I put puffy paint on the bottom so nobody would slip and break something. I'd hate to be responsible for broken parts...

Another belly post...

2007-04-12T19:00:00.000-05:00

I'm ENORMOUS!!! And I'm only 16 weeks (on Sunday). I'm quite frightened by how big I'll probably get...

Favorite Pattern--SP10 Contest 3

2007-04-12T09:57:00.000-05:00

So here's my entry in the SP10 contest 3 for Robyn's group. I think my favorite pattern so far is Eunny Jang's Anemoi. I haven't finished the pattern, but here's an almost finished mitten.

They are so incredibly beautiful. My knitting of them was waylaid by my pregnancy and my need to knit lots of tiny baby things. I can't wait to finish these eventually...

Spring Makeover

2007-04-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

I was figuring the blog looked a little dark and dreary, so here's a face-lift just in time for spring!

SP10 Package!

2007-04-05T18:30:00.000-05:00

Ooooh, I am SO lucky!!!

I got my first SP10 package yesterday. Here's what was inside:

That's right! Seven (7!!!) skeins of yarn!!! Including, one skein of my pal's very own handpainted sock yarn. It's beauteous. Also included were a baby knits book, candy (only one is pictured because one is in my tummy), a couple notions, a yummy pineapple coconut candle, and a bunch of Bath and Bodyworks stuff in my favorite scent, grapefruit!

I cannot even begin to describe how excited and spoiled I am...

The funniest thing Marley has ever done.

2007-03-30T21:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Marley came running into the living room at full speed and tried to jump through this space on his way in.

At least that's the best we can figure. It was either that or he was trying to jump up on top of the suitcase. Either way. I almost had an embolism from laughing so hard.

I don't think you can get cuter than this.

2007-03-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I'm jealous of how cute my dog is.

What I've been working on lately...

2007-03-25T10:09:00.000-05:00

Here's one of two Baby Mary Jane Booties for tiny dancer:

I'm also working on another Baby Surprise Jacket and a beaded lace scarf. I'm taking my very first knitting class for the beaded knitting scarf. I get to go for free since I work at the shop. Yay! Here's the scarf so far...

And last, but certainly not least (otherwise, I'd be a terrible parent), I'm still working on tiny dancer. Here's me, looking like hell right after a shower, at 12 weeks:

Recent FO's.

2007-03-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

Here's a lengthy list, with photos, of my recently finished knits.

Sweater for tiny dancer:

Hat for Mom:

Hat for Bob:

Lacy cashmere scarf (modeled by my neighbor, Jenn):

Hat for tiny dancer:

Petal bib:

Baby Surprise Jacket:

Kitty Hat:

Bunny Hat:

"Three Year [Boring-Ass] Shawl":

Favorite Color Swap Loot

2007-03-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

This is about a week late in posting... But here it is! This is the LOVELY package I received from my favorite color swap pal, Tammy. She included one skein of blue and green Malabrigo, 2 skeins of Grignasco Top Print (100% Alpaca!!!) in green and blue, and 1 skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in purples, pinks, teals, and greens. Yummy! She also included some handmade goat's milk soap, some cute insert tags for hand knits, a rawhide bone for Marley, and a pair of baby socks for tiny dancer! Yay! Thank you so much!

Marley, enjoying his rawhide from Tammy.