tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17569491456119294632024-03-04T21:20:25.455-08:00amiable knittingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-10509425809399265102011-03-13T20:08:00.000-07:002011-03-13T20:10:04.931-07:00TOUCHDOWN!<span style="font-size: large;">"</span><span style="font-size: large;">Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable." - Mr. Knightly</span> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes Mr. Knightly can be such a fuddy-duddy, He is THE stick in the mud, the wet blanket thrust upon Emma. I was never a lover of their relationship (not at least until I saw the new movie version of Emma wherein they totally aged him down) He always kind of creeped me out when he said he had held her as a baby... um ewww! I was always more of a fun flirty Frank Churchill fan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyways contrary to Mr. Knightly I think surprises are awesome and I love to plan them (though often I get too excited and spill my guts before it actually happens) My sister-in-law just had a baby boy and I thought I would attempt to make her a football baby cocoon, I have seen a few on ravelry and think they are SO cute, I couldn't find a free pattern online so I made this one up. All the footballs I had seen were crocheted so that worried me a little, I am still learning how to crochet let alone tweak, change and make up patterns. I think it took me 10 tries before I had the bottom figured out, but it was a pleasant surprise that it all worked out in the end. A surprise for me and a surprise for her DOUBLE WHAMMY! Suck on that Mr. Knightly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It took every ounce of restraint in me not to call my sister-in-law and ask the exact size and measurements of her baby or if the package had arrived yet in the mail. I did my best to guess, trying the outfit on a baby doll of my kids that I thought was about the size of a newborn, and it worked out fairly well. She sent me a picture and the hat looked a little big but that just means he will be able to wear it longer so yeah, I totally planned it that way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK5M2ZRlMdmGziM88Ca8wIW-GiQ3iqli3A7z-a1bR6HuBbfURAfXaEDJeh2dZ5yWFRkcY-Y5r-0oj9NGQdn9PZKAgdwruOvxg5paVQJBPetlxsxCDmk9hYDpoV2r_A5nnU3JjnBSd0a0/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFK5M2ZRlMdmGziM88Ca8wIW-GiQ3iqli3A7z-a1bR6HuBbfURAfXaEDJeh2dZ5yWFRkcY-Y5r-0oj9NGQdn9PZKAgdwruOvxg5paVQJBPetlxsxCDmk9hYDpoV2r_A5nnU3JjnBSd0a0/s400/038.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-41541686962834806842011-03-02T16:24:00.000-08:002011-03-02T16:24:11.076-08:00Pikachu DS CozyOn a whim I thought I would try to make a simple DS cozy for my Brother on his birthday, he ended up liking it more than the actual present I bought him. The pattern is basic and can be adapted with almost any design you like on the top <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCRVkwT5fwOqi9qACLrERdvCqtuuQDiLLPD7qS9lsf_9aJaAC21XF2_jzmyJc65botLGXT3YM2JLkNdrikepSRU42qNqlbkHDSrbnwiYDwMvO-YtRnhxD-i2E_ALOYTwkkNLsnpUmqOo/s1600/jan+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCRVkwT5fwOqi9qACLrERdvCqtuuQDiLLPD7qS9lsf_9aJaAC21XF2_jzmyJc65botLGXT3YM2JLkNdrikepSRU42qNqlbkHDSrbnwiYDwMvO-YtRnhxD-i2E_ALOYTwkkNLsnpUmqOo/s320/jan+053.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Materials:<br />
any worsted weight scrap yarn (not much is needed)<br />
additional yarn for picture detail<br />
size 5mm (US8) circular needles<br />
Velcro strips<br />
red felt<br />
plastic doll eyes (I bought mine at Michaels)<br />
yarn needle<br />
<br />
<br />
Cast on 18 st using the <a href="http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html">turkish cast on method</a><br />
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Knit 41 rows in stockinette stitch<br />
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Bind off 18 stitches<br />
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Continue knitting in stockinette stitch for 15 more rows<br />
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Bind off the rest.<br />
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Sew on velcro strips along the inside edge of the flap and the outside of the cozy by the first cast off edge<br />
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fasten on the eyes and using fabric glue stick on the cheek circles<br />
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Stitch on the design on the top<br />
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Weave in all ends.<br />
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Happy Knitting!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaq2V3SBaVB0TA9iwpCxL0TcjUy9REfZVCyPPOZkU7UaErrlvqkgGX62NEOLANouanlAUEZukTLW1WkT3dpuAn9w03MmKGBnA8-wgofwosYAsI7XChT4hz-8AXSK-wJgIN41NaizDdvc/s1600/jan+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaq2V3SBaVB0TA9iwpCxL0TcjUy9REfZVCyPPOZkU7UaErrlvqkgGX62NEOLANouanlAUEZukTLW1WkT3dpuAn9w03MmKGBnA8-wgofwosYAsI7XChT4hz-8AXSK-wJgIN41NaizDdvc/s320/jan+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiuQv30p4o7CTg0S9x5rui6FchgPetdnJKWPa-3Co5dfRa7hIz_FTFaenTS95Y6FZbrICbucbkjk1QcT_rON3NGQjiL-E6hOZUw9HSXmPfpqISTGophzuMbxadJVS1qEd6ePB_1pTmxY/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiuQv30p4o7CTg0S9x5rui6FchgPetdnJKWPa-3Co5dfRa7hIz_FTFaenTS95Y6FZbrICbucbkjk1QcT_rON3NGQjiL-E6hOZUw9HSXmPfpqISTGophzuMbxadJVS1qEd6ePB_1pTmxY/s320/054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-87544824928462134902011-02-23T10:06:00.000-08:002011-02-23T10:06:27.238-08:00novelty knittingCompletely unrelated intro but I was watching the latest version (2007) of Mansfield Park yesterday and it is soo good. Way better than the weird 1999 version with Frances O'Connor. Especially the ending when Edmund realizes he loves Fanny, sigh. It was so well acted I got carried away in the moment and ended up being late picking up my kids from school, opps! <br />
<br />
Anyways, I've been thinking lately that knitted gifts are a tricky thing. I can spend hours and hours of time making a gorgeous knitted masterpiece but if the recipient doen't know much about knitting it can be a bit underappreciated. My friend recently made the cutest baby berry hat and when it didn't fit the baby they said "ooh it doesn't fit can you make another one?".....uuuh yeeeah ok it will only take her another 7 hours~! On the flip side I can take two hours make a quick simple kitschy gift and it will be adored and fawned over by everyone in the room. <br />
<br />
As a last minute idea I made a little Pikachu ninetendo DS cozy for my brother, just a pattern I threw together in two hours and he LOVED IT! Way more than the REAL gift that I had bought him. Everyone was so impressed and telling me I should make them to sell and I was like are you kidding me! THIS you are impressed with but you just shrug off the million hour fan and feather blanket I made for my mom, whatever!!<br />
<br />
I think when making a gift for someone I'm going to have to take more factors into account. Who exactly is this gift for and will they notice and or appreciate all the time and effort put into making it. Are they worthy of a complicated intricate project or will a simple quickie little thing be loved just as much. These are the questions....<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFRco-3G9wLRMOvCRfxm-HN3Pzw2EfNfflrPJJ_c-FPcjMH5iuW_qXZUg88x0Qfe-Jo17h_KU4Ol1nxB7oUg-8sLfwEWUvSAga5q381YaLsqbaEpnM7NVyp_LRSNXqAD3Z3hbFbG2Epo/s1600/jan+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFRco-3G9wLRMOvCRfxm-HN3Pzw2EfNfflrPJJ_c-FPcjMH5iuW_qXZUg88x0Qfe-Jo17h_KU4Ol1nxB7oUg-8sLfwEWUvSAga5q381YaLsqbaEpnM7NVyp_LRSNXqAD3Z3hbFbG2Epo/s400/jan+053.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV94z_4CBPhSWbzTfPtbGEQwavOTletgBb_yXDK8awKHPQdjSrJqkCfxNDIP6YNaS4liSsIk7zbXonF0-uPnfi5rAdoURvN7PPsF_pF78q8uy2SoBmCRvYG0LvG0EKYrBFI9h9KkNMyL4/s1600/jan+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV94z_4CBPhSWbzTfPtbGEQwavOTletgBb_yXDK8awKHPQdjSrJqkCfxNDIP6YNaS4liSsIk7zbXonF0-uPnfi5rAdoURvN7PPsF_pF78q8uy2SoBmCRvYG0LvG0EKYrBFI9h9KkNMyL4/s400/jan+054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-11199587085067062732011-02-19T14:45:00.000-08:002011-02-19T14:45:55.607-08:00Stress Knitting<span style="font-size: large;">"There is nothing like employment, active indispensable employment, for relieving sorrow."</span> - from Mansfield Park<br />
<br />
I'm stressed. <br />
<br />
When I am stressed I bake, I am a stress-baker. I won't get into the philosphy of why, but I'm guessing it's probably something about being in a situation where I am in control. I know in 40 min I can mix this and this and that, throw it in the oven and it will work out. It's not about the eating, although that is an added bonus, it about the process, it somehow relieves my stress. <br />
<br />
My grand master plan is to change from being a stress-baker to a stress-knitter. <br />
<br />
Right now I knit for fun, stuff for myself, gifts for others, sometimes it causes me stress but that is usually from mistakes made due to inattention. So how does one go about changing their coping habits?I'm not sure if it can be done, but I'm going to try! Everytime I get the urge to tie on my apron I grab my needles and work on my latest scarf creation. I thought a scarf would be a good choice because they take forever to make and they are usually just repetitive knitting, hopefully giving me time to get lost in the stitches and forget all my worries. I will be in control, knowing if I knit this, slip that and pass that one over it will all work out. <br />
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I love that quote from Mansfield park, Jane Austen is so wise. I'm thinking and slightly hoping it will be equally as true to say that there is nothing like employment, active indispensable employment, for relieving stress.<br />
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I'll let you know how it goes... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia25w8nCpK9UkrbgLMGtWrxIztcVJ3cNXmM7-SjiOm17u7rKQL43kdRSMseMRsQ5x8Gey9zuAMub5jSdgkQ_NTawEgAi63rCZZSioZZPOgkWSi1lNujea68t0zSg8F-FrP2nuP3MQ0jJg/s1600/knitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia25w8nCpK9UkrbgLMGtWrxIztcVJ3cNXmM7-SjiOm17u7rKQL43kdRSMseMRsQ5x8Gey9zuAMub5jSdgkQ_NTawEgAi63rCZZSioZZPOgkWSi1lNujea68t0zSg8F-FrP2nuP3MQ0jJg/s400/knitting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-19781368063105329722011-02-14T20:43:00.000-08:002011-02-14T20:43:06.345-08:00Commissions!I've been too busy to blog lately, busy because I was working on a knitting commission! <br />
<br />
Isn't that so cool! HAH!<br />
<br />
A friend of mine asked if I could make a couple of pairs of legwarmers for her daughter and I felt so flattered that she thought I was a skilled enough knitter to want to pay me to make something. <br />
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It was a lot of work but I am very happy with how they turned out and I think she is too. I made two pairs of legwarmers and I was so excited I forgot to take a picture of one pair :)<br />
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This is a picture of the fancier one, it's a spiral lace pattern, so cute! Too cute in fact, now my two daughters want me to make pairs for them too. <br />
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Next a quickie project for my brothers upcoming birthday and then it's all about ME!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j9BBhASRGmHq0_eZqiOKLlRg-4iac62ul-uyyas21zD59UU-WnVZamWYRnnSlp2a3_QrR35AnhVaeuPz8YcACSgxOmDUyA638o7H2JcrT1R7T1Hc_Elr49r1IpbCsgqlWHzk1d52QCU/s1600/jan+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j9BBhASRGmHq0_eZqiOKLlRg-4iac62ul-uyyas21zD59UU-WnVZamWYRnnSlp2a3_QrR35AnhVaeuPz8YcACSgxOmDUyA638o7H2JcrT1R7T1Hc_Elr49r1IpbCsgqlWHzk1d52QCU/s400/jan+043.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNqfKucJyS5sPIEE0Ehx0PQlLRKPfW6NCYWt3-GVW4Oh0Aq-mF9rVR6VjfUXOMgimtGjU2WFm-62NhXqHRsU-Q4j48Ax8oAYTiPlDIbUCJ3yyJgNDYHs29AJLnBL6A8lrhqstBU50DxM/s1600/jan+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNqfKucJyS5sPIEE0Ehx0PQlLRKPfW6NCYWt3-GVW4Oh0Aq-mF9rVR6VjfUXOMgimtGjU2WFm-62NhXqHRsU-Q4j48Ax8oAYTiPlDIbUCJ3yyJgNDYHs29AJLnBL6A8lrhqstBU50DxM/s320/jan+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-64961175682693383762011-01-19T14:29:00.000-08:002011-01-19T14:29:04.527-08:00a Devastating Blow<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I will not say that your mulberry-trees are dead, but I am afraid they are not alive. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">- Jane Austen's Letters (1811-05-31)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The same is to be said for my shawl/scarf. My long beautiful shawl scarf that took hours and hours to make. I've mentioned it before, <a href="http://amiableknitting.blogspot.com/2010/10/knitting-depression.html">the shawl that had the unfortunate incident of losing it's colour when I soaked it before wet-blocking</a> . Well last night I attempted to dye it, hoping to save it by putting a little colour back into it's heart. Not so. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It's too fresh, I don't think I can talk about it yet. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I will not say that it is dead, but I am afraid it is not, nor ever will be alive.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">excuse me while I go cry now.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-64829245342477248332011-01-06T20:51:00.000-08:002011-01-06T20:54:51.479-08:00Doggie Legwarmers<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu1MYyIQo19loqqpWMYs8Ri3rQLkguv09Ze66S1Nhzu7-CamtlF1jNHppnFKTWH3eRDwnar67LUYOt_-FFzfjrHF4pRzUTyrjYwx3HE3RdMO5r6rtb1Szv3bmv3U_Blg_d2lEHIesgAU/s1600/december+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu1MYyIQo19loqqpWMYs8Ri3rQLkguv09Ze66S1Nhzu7-CamtlF1jNHppnFKTWH3eRDwnar67LUYOt_-FFzfjrHF4pRzUTyrjYwx3HE3RdMO5r6rtb1Szv3bmv3U_Blg_d2lEHIesgAU/s400/december+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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These are so adorable and really easy to make. In the picture Roger's legwarmers are all made the same size, but he didn't like the back legwarmers, I think they went up too high. I changed the pattern here to reflect that.<br />
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Are you ready for the easiest pattern ever? <br />
<br />
Using Red Heart Kids Multi yarn in blue/green and <br />
Size 5mm Needles (US 8)<br />
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<br />
Cast on 16<br />
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knit 38 rows in stockingnette stitch<br />
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(28 rows for back legs) <br />
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tie in loose ends<br />
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sew on velcro dots at the top, middle and bottom of the legwarmers<br />
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BOOM! Your done! So simple, quick and great to keep little doggies legs warm in winter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-53776278800562148452011-01-03T21:26:00.000-08:002011-01-03T21:30:26.231-08:00Doggie Knits<span style="font-size: large;">"The next time Pug has a litter you shall have a puppy," she tells her niece Fanny. Lady Bertram can think of no higher mark of her regard.</span> - Mansfield Park<br />
<br />
As can I for those who receive an offer of knitted gifts for their puppies from me. I made a few things for my sister-in-laws pup for Christmas and they were a great labour of love. Seriously. The hoodie I made was from the most ridiculous pattern ever, it made hardly any sense and I often had to resort to making it up as I go.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless I somehow managed to get it into a hoodie shape, only to be slightly disappointed that by that time (2 1/2 months later) Roger had grown just enough to make it fit quite snug in the chest.<br />
<br />
Whatever! In my mind it fits him perfectly and he wears it everyday.<br />
<br />
I also made him little legwarmers with matching gloves for my sister-in-law, those were both fun to make, particularly after the horror of the hoodie. All things considered, knitting for dogs is a delightful diversion from the regular and I LIKE IT!<br />
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I'll post up the pattern for the legwarmers after this and in the very near future I may attempt to create my own doggie hoodie pattern, one that actually makes sense.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b5vJ6IC2hPNDj_vn4oHXc9gnCL3Qsq9vglJ8h1fVWRZkM-2oLIwjTMQcsOitMpfZTyEVhsuK4Rw1rzJq019RqJhwVHurN47exWzNy3cmG2R6wtdG-Lpv5_Wrv9tGiA3_VoXKsBh0fgU/s1600/december+376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b5vJ6IC2hPNDj_vn4oHXc9gnCL3Qsq9vglJ8h1fVWRZkM-2oLIwjTMQcsOitMpfZTyEVhsuK4Rw1rzJq019RqJhwVHurN47exWzNy3cmG2R6wtdG-Lpv5_Wrv9tGiA3_VoXKsBh0fgU/s400/december+376.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_msfWD6HS-AgalLlPJxDmt_qbAHhFe2JTJgH7bVjYv_yBqbmeKSOmnEiq3HbCgb4Y_iloF2xBnqHcSSLPBkxrgu4OKQi3FazWNX4nDtWG0FqeX3csUi-OAvLwRs5KJey52rrOTRKPOUk/s1600/december+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_msfWD6HS-AgalLlPJxDmt_qbAHhFe2JTJgH7bVjYv_yBqbmeKSOmnEiq3HbCgb4Y_iloF2xBnqHcSSLPBkxrgu4OKQi3FazWNX4nDtWG0FqeX3csUi-OAvLwRs5KJey52rrOTRKPOUk/s400/december+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-69199592039870046362010-12-28T15:05:00.000-08:002010-12-28T15:05:17.279-08:00Refreshing indeed<span style="font-size: large;">"Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude." - Pride and Prejudice </span><br />
<br />
Now most of the things Miss Caroline Bingley say are not quote-worthy, unless of course you are looking for a laugh. She is a bit ridiculous, but nonetheless a genious character created by Miss Jane Austen, for Miss Caroline Bingley is so real. The things she does and says reminds me so much of a few girls I went to high school with. They were SO annoying, I remember thinking I just want to walk by with some scissors, 'accidentally' slip and cut out a chunk of their oh so perfect hair. Anyways the quote above made by Miss Caroline Bingley is so very true, I have just thoroughly experienced it for myself.<br />
<br />
All of November and Decemeber were spent devoted to knitting mittens as Christmas gifts. Now don't get me wrong, I still LOVE making mittens, and I was happy with how they all turned out. They were very much admired and appreciated on Christmas morning, making all my late night knitting marathons completely worth it. <br />
<br />
However last night I started on a new project (a hat for myself) in the which I needed to learn a new stitch pattern called 'Herringbone' and let me tell you.... it WAS refreshing!! I was having so much fun, figuring it out and then clicking along once I got the hang of it. I think I will be making a scarf with the same pattern as well to match my hat. FUN! FUN! FUN! <br />
<br />
Learning new stitches, challenging yourself to try something you haven't before is quite refreshing! It's good for the brain and the soul, I look forward to this upcoming new year and the things I will see and learn in it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">my pile of Christmas mittens :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo_5ReOegMloqvhP6p6guXbMya7SQAVR1nQA_WtAM-wLXUXWD6h51jYXLC_qyqCiv7Nd9r3uClrMH4IfsHV8EWQqaO2YpQNCKB5kCOBrqH3ggzquQhLsjxnCWutrMnBeLsQkJakFdPPI/s1600/DSC09508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo_5ReOegMloqvhP6p6guXbMya7SQAVR1nQA_WtAM-wLXUXWD6h51jYXLC_qyqCiv7Nd9r3uClrMH4IfsHV8EWQqaO2YpQNCKB5kCOBrqH3ggzquQhLsjxnCWutrMnBeLsQkJakFdPPI/s320/DSC09508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-83504005631653912192010-12-12T21:39:00.000-08:002010-12-12T21:39:25.286-08:00a Very Jane Austen ChristmasI have to admit a guilty pleasure.... I love Christmas shows! and not just the awesome ones like A Muppet Christmas Carol, White Christmas and Elf. I mean I love all the them, every ridiculous made-for-tv movie/christmas special there is. I have watched tons of low-budget, poorly acted and absurdly storeylined movies, and loved them ALL! With the singular exception of 'Bad Santa' starring Billy Bob Thorton which I know I would despise for a myriad of reasons.<br />
<br />
Last night I watched 'Santa Baby' and 'Santa Baby 2' starring Jenny McCarthy in the which she is Santa Claus' daughter. In the first movie she has to take over Christmas after Santa has a heart attack, throwing her back into her old life and eventually causing her to choose her prom king high school sweetheart boyfriend over her selfish all buisness minded city boyfriend, and the second movie Santa goes on a mid-life crisis and abandons Christmas leaving 'Mary' to save it again, with the help of her current and high school boyfriend (who is played by a different less-hot guy) in the end from a disgruntled elf who is posing as an assistant to help Santa but ultimately trying to take over the holiday! <br />
<br />
RI- DICULOUS.....LY AWESOME!!!<br />
<br />
Which leads me to my next question....<br />
<br />
Why couldn't Jane Austen have written a Christmas Story of some sort?! I mean really, how hard could it have been!! <br />
<br />
Or my follow-up question why hasn't anyone else made a Christmas movie set in the same time period at least?!? I am sure I would enjoy it just as much. When it comes to Christmas movies I am not to picky, as evidenced by my viewing choices last night, and evidenced more by the fact that it was not the first time I had seen 'Santa Baby' so I went on watching it last night in full knowledge of what I was about to see. <br />
<br />
I'm not sure if there are many people who read my blog with random posts and rants, but if you have happened to come across it and are reading this and know of a Jane Austen Period type Christmas movie, please tell me about it! It would make my Christmas!!<br />
<br />
and also if you are similarly entertained you will know which ridiculous Christmas movie this classic quote comes from:<br />
<br />
"cookies..... WHO TOLD YOU YOU COULD EAT MY COOOKIES!!!"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-42344427303094207562010-12-03T09:35:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:52:43.804-08:00Candy Cane Ornament<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtpHqg45MkXXEmhlPAoSVT_C5AvEDMaYAAb0zwDE8fTomGeCo22F59j_QXy8z6LlnHBt90IcahIAPy4jrQAQRF-oU-xAsLXR_T3woGQhphNGp3WJZXVzTK8pcMe6pXJRFjX5ilLtwA6c/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtpHqg45MkXXEmhlPAoSVT_C5AvEDMaYAAb0zwDE8fTomGeCo22F59j_QXy8z6LlnHBt90IcahIAPy4jrQAQRF-oU-xAsLXR_T3woGQhphNGp3WJZXVzTK8pcMe6pXJRFjX5ilLtwA6c/s320/008.JPG" width="212" /></a>I saw an ornament like this and figured out a pattern to make a similar one. It's pretty basic and simple, but those are the best ones to make right?! They go so fast your tree will be bedazzled with candy canes in no time.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">What you need:</div><br />
Size 4mm (US 6) double pointed needles<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Red DK Yarn</div>White DK Yarn<br />
Pipcleaners or other bendable wire (in a pinch I used a coat hanger and it worked but was very hard to bend into a nice shape)<br />
<br />
Cast on six stitches with the red yarn<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Make a 7 inch i-cord and tie off</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cast on six stitches with the white yarn</div><br />
Make a 9 inch i-cord and tie off<br />
<br />
Stick a pipecleaner or other bendy wire inside the i-cords <br />
<br />
Stitch them together at the bottom<br />
<br />
Wrap the white i-cord around the red one and stitch together the ends<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Bend into the shape of a candy cane<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Attach a thread through the top to make a loop so you can hang it on the tree</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sing 'O Chirstnas Tree' very loudly as you hang it on the tree.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yS74KkiCQG-xT8WivRewHadFhJQzlxZT3SMYTNz-OzAv7077gBEsQr-1HxnKF3lFM3OM4j6YekmwLpXK9CPJyYMv7vNiKTb2zluNOblKh2cl7MaZyX8lUW-9GHjna6drmeVR0w9pi3s/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yS74KkiCQG-xT8WivRewHadFhJQzlxZT3SMYTNz-OzAv7077gBEsQr-1HxnKF3lFM3OM4j6YekmwLpXK9CPJyYMv7vNiKTb2zluNOblKh2cl7MaZyX8lUW-9GHjna6drmeVR0w9pi3s/s200/002.JPG" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qJA1ENTub61jyPWIwuHxDCkJhECndJlT_eS1W5rhYTTDdfBbJEVkCbSuOg2LPhbOxkuRXI1XpCZuAHRBTYWgdwY7qU2wfc6pCEgnS6NZODmD5RBnODHI-YwWAS8SX8um7UWtYSZsx0A/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qJA1ENTub61jyPWIwuHxDCkJhECndJlT_eS1W5rhYTTDdfBbJEVkCbSuOg2LPhbOxkuRXI1XpCZuAHRBTYWgdwY7qU2wfc6pCEgnS6NZODmD5RBnODHI-YwWAS8SX8um7UWtYSZsx0A/s200/005.JPG" width="132" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The candy cane on the left has pipe cleaners inside to help keep it's shape and the one on the right has pieces from a coat hanger. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-85907554835111851192010-11-30T17:33:00.000-08:002010-11-30T17:33:54.628-08:00the loaves and the fishes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">By some small miracle I had enough yarn to finish the mittens!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I was seriously worried and you can see by the small amount that was left I had good reason to be. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6Q1DFDqCbYUYuHk6VqyfXh6RcGCWHBsjCK6-xIYngUMBk62p2ZqSdKDgeAQ-K7-wNj4u0KcVB5vhLD1nyFngUopIWDqaEdG1UD_4wfd3MM1EIg4QNEQkX78D67R30cFxObDhyphenhyphenLjpj-I/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6Q1DFDqCbYUYuHk6VqyfXh6RcGCWHBsjCK6-xIYngUMBk62p2ZqSdKDgeAQ-K7-wNj4u0KcVB5vhLD1nyFngUopIWDqaEdG1UD_4wfd3MM1EIg4QNEQkX78D67R30cFxObDhyphenhyphenLjpj-I/s200/101.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">To celebrate I made a few knit candycane ornaments to hang on the tree and give to a few friends. They were so fun to make, super quick and simple. A perfect project to fit in between all the Christmas gift knitting I have planned. Once I take a picture I will post up the pattern on how to make them.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Winter is just the best, I am loving all these dark cold nights that I have to cuddle up on my couch with a hot chocolate, a good movie and my yarn and needles. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-16335593383989112412010-11-28T22:03:00.000-08:002010-11-28T22:03:40.897-08:00PANIC!!!!!<em>"The happiness of Miss Smith was quite equal to her intentions. Miss Woodhouse was so great a personage in Highbury, that the prospect of the introduction had given as much panic as pleasure; but the humble, grateful little girl went off with highly gratified feelings, delighted with the affability with which Miss Woodhouse had treated her all the evening, and actually shaken hands with her at last!" </em><br />
<br />
That quote is a little long I know but I dont have time to search for a better one. I am experiencing the same feelings as Miss Harriet Smith was at that moment in the story. <br />
<br />
PLEASURE because I am almost finished knitting a pair of mittens for a Christmas present<br />
<br />
and<br />
<br />
PANIC because I am looking at the tiny amount of yarn that I have left and am worried it is not enough to finish the job!<br />
<br />
AHHHHhhhHHhhhhhhHhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
The pattern said one skein of yarn would be enough, and I only used a teeny tiny bit of it earlier to make some doggie legwarmers for my sister-in-law's miniature pincher, but seriously could the pattern be that accurate!!!!!<br />
<br />
Fingers crossed it's not.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTuWn6s1-H1Nyg3Px6id9YVZbQEUKKRhj6R74sSAt2Lisl9GeGXcjHe4GRwR6F_cjLyr_vlPuFmPo_96urkaU8OVkkqA7gAYlX6ZK1U0YGOPgp7crH5a7pzhFY3dzv4tmbrurw93aCas/s1600/099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTuWn6s1-H1Nyg3Px6id9YVZbQEUKKRhj6R74sSAt2Lisl9GeGXcjHe4GRwR6F_cjLyr_vlPuFmPo_96urkaU8OVkkqA7gAYlX6ZK1U0YGOPgp7crH5a7pzhFY3dzv4tmbrurw93aCas/s400/099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-28931021923715454962010-11-24T22:52:00.000-08:002010-11-24T22:52:39.434-08:00SMITTEN WITH MITTENS!Mittens are the best thing ever to knit!!!! Seriously I want to make everyone I know mittens, if you are expecting a Christmas gift from me this year prepare yourself... there is a good chance it will be mittens! <br />
<br />
Whoever thought knitting people scarves was a good idea?!? <br />
<br />
Here are some reasons why knitting mittens is the bomb diggity:<br />
<br />
1) you can finish a really cute pair in ONE WEEK!!! Which is very important to me since it seems like every scarf I knit ends up being a ridiculously epic long project.<br />
<br />
2) They are far more useful than a scarf, think about it. If you are freezing in your car in the morning are you more concerned about wrapping a scarf around your neck or putting mittens on so you can touch your steering wheel without you fingers turning into popsicles.<br />
<br />
3) Mittens look really professional, making them is sweet because people think you put in SO much time and effort to make them when really it was WAY less time that it would have taken to make anything else.<br />
<br />
4) They also look way harder to make than they really are, thereby making you look like a super skilled knitter.<br />
<br />
5) You can sing the song "Three little kittens, lost their mittens..." while you are knitting!<br />
<br />
MITTENS ROCK, GO MAKE SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
and if you want a super easy and beautiful pattern I recommend the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-cabled-mittens">basic cabled mittens</a> pattern that a friend of mine found on ravlery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-41723205459468436312010-11-21T19:25:00.000-08:002010-11-21T19:25:13.626-08:00Inspiration!<span style="font-size: large;">The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance." - Pride and Predjudice</span><br />
<br />
I visited a craft fair at a local elementary school this past weekend to check out the fun Christmas crafts and goodies they were showing. I also planned to check out the tables selling knitting wares, to see if my knitting club could hold our own in the craft fair circuit. What I found was quite suprizing to me, there were three tables selling knit/crocheted stuff and they were all rather...blah. That is not to say they weren't nice, everything was carefully made with nice yarns and such... but it was all rather plain. Not one scarf I saw had any pattern to it, it was all just straight knitting. <strong>I was thoroughly inspired by their lack of inspiration!</strong><br />
<br />
It seemed like most stuff was knit in a span of one month, all basic and straight, with larger gauged yarn that knits up quicker. Probably they only decided to do the craft fair a month or two before it was to happen, so they went for quantity instead of originality.<br />
<br />
I am quite confident the twisted stitchers (my knitting club) will be able to do really well next winter, especially since we have a game plan and will start at the begining of the year, making a few cute things every month that we would sell at our table. Who knows, maybe we will start our own little etsy shop too! and we can make signs and pass out business cards with our shop site on them, this is going to be fun! A perfect project to start the new year with!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-60260397755184645442010-11-10T17:26:00.000-08:002010-11-10T17:27:16.509-08:00crochet shmochetVictory is MINE! <br />
<br />
I have conquered the crocheted flower baby hat that was an utter and absolute fail when I tried it the first time. Having my Hello Kitty project finished sucessfully gave me new hope. I tried this hat again and a strange thing happened, all the parts that were terribly confusing to me were now simple as cake. (I refuse to use the saying 'simple as pie'... pies are really hard for me to make!)<br />
<br />
All I needed was a few weeks immersed in the language of crochet and now it all makes sense. <br />
<br />
Also I have a link to a video that you HAVE to watch, it is for Jane Austen's Fight Club and it's AWESOME! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2PM0om2El8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2PM0om2El8</a><br />
<br />
and here is my beauty, I made for my friends new little girl:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAt1EHfHG7xF6YlLN-_QC10SAInS8NMnpHMWfDRdciJSLVmLiY4jpUpRQtamDviuGO3qCgwxE81Ki5Sy33HQ7E5DKf9buYzDs6GnFpbdOHmCNJiB34COkKNXFwcy-oKAZ0NZqrv9EP5yw/s1600/august+213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAt1EHfHG7xF6YlLN-_QC10SAInS8NMnpHMWfDRdciJSLVmLiY4jpUpRQtamDviuGO3qCgwxE81Ki5Sy33HQ7E5DKf9buYzDs6GnFpbdOHmCNJiB34COkKNXFwcy-oKAZ0NZqrv9EP5yw/s400/august+213.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-84713321480898138582010-10-30T13:04:00.000-07:002010-10-30T13:04:41.523-07:00busy as a bee<span style="font-size: large;">"One man's ways may be as good as another's, but we all like our own best."</span> from Persuasion<br />
<br />
Halloween is upon us and for the first time ever my little girls don't want to be princesses or fairys! When I think back to our trips to the grocery store when they would wear huge princess dresses because I couldn't get them to agree to normal clothes, it amazes me this day has actually come. This year one of my daughters wanted to be a cat and the other a bumblebee. <br />
<br />
I wanted to try and piece together their costumes with stuff we had instead of buying them and was happy with how it worked out. For the Bee I had her wear a black t-shirt and tights with and yellow and black striped skirt and a flower pinned onto her shirt. Then to make it really bee-y I knit her yellow and black armwarmers and legwarmers and they totally MADE the costume. I am so happy with how it all turned out. I made them on 6mm needles too so they went really fast which is a good thing when you have a ton of planned Christmas presents to get to.<br />
<br />
There were tons of patterns online for legwarmers but they all called for different gauged yarn than the black and yellow yarn I already had, so I just made a pattern up myself. Isn't it funny how often that happens? We always think we know best, or at least like think they way we do it would be better.<br />
<br />
I will post the pattern I made up later but I doubt anyone will ever use it. Nevertheless I will put it up, so you can read it and think to yourself "Why did she do it that way? My way is better I think I will do it like this..." <br />
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this quote just makes me laugh. <br />
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Maybe they would be more healthy if they used some cute butterfly dishcloths. I whipped a few of these up for a friend of mine who was getting married this past summer. They knit up so fast and easy and turned out really great.<br />
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It kind of makes me wish I used cotton dishcloths because they are all so easy to make and there are soo many cute patterns, but seriously cotton dishcloths?! Who uses them! They just end up stinking and I gag thinking about all the microbes and germs stuck in them, and how often do you have to wash them? doesn't it seem wrong to have to wash a washcloth? Who even uses any kind of cloth now that they have invented the scrubber thingy that holds the soap in the handle? <br />
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...now that I think about it, it was kind of the worst wedding gift ever, I am the worst! Whatever at least they were fun to knit. <br />
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It's time to move on.<br />
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I intend to do that with a splattering of blog posts, I will write every other day until the pain if it all is but a distant memory.<br />
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Today's special is HELLO KITTY! <br />
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I love Hello Kitty! What girl doesn't? and when I am asked where does she come from, is it a movie? a show? I respond "it does not matter. It's Hello Kitty. She is awesome." <br />
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As you may or may not know I have two little girls and they share my adoration for Hello Kitty, so much so that we are currently repainting and renovating their bedroom from a Princesses Room to a Hello Kitty room. <br />
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To continue on with my adventures in crocheting I thought I would try to make a hello kitty purse! I found the pattern on ravelry and it was fairly simple, a lot of single crochets with a few doubles in the mix, a perfect pattern for me to practise the stitches and become more comfortable in the crocheting universe. <br />
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It only took me four tries at making the face shape until I had two that were actually the same size and would line up properly to make the purse (the other two have become strange looking potholders) and it all went along fairly easily, with no real big problems or confusions.<br />
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I was happy and proud of my first real crocheting accomplishment, but not as happy as my girls were who shrieked and screamed and danced around the room hugging and kissing it. <br />
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The first mishap was realized after I was an hour into my second ball of yarn. You will never guess what when wrong because it is something I am intense and obsessive about, something you would never imagine me screwing up because I preach about it all the time. Can you guess, it's not gauge, but close, the dye lots. Perhaps I had aneurysm while I was in the yarn shop, I don't know why, all I know is that as I was painfully knitting along I found that one ball of yarn was slightly darker than the other. BOOOO!!!!! I was not about to pull out all the work I had just done, and there was no way the store would have any of the same dye lot left so I soildered on. I cut the yarn our halfway, knit my next ball of yarn and threw the darker one in again to make a sort of thick stripe pattern, not very attractive but I could do nothing else. I was not going to LOVE the look of my shawl, but I would like it, the pattern was still really cool and I loved the shawl/scarf versatility of it. <br />
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HOURS and HOURS of knitting passed, through night and day and in and out of weeks. Finally I finished it, so proud of my work, I had grown to love it after all the time we had spent together. I was so excited to block it out to straighten out the pattern and make it beautiful. I filled my sink with mild water and gently submerged my scarf into the water. "Whoa!" I thought the water is so blue! So astonished was I that I took a picture of it. All was thought well until I pulled my precious scarf out of the sink. Understanding dawning I realized why the water was so blue, it was all the dye from my scarf just floating away, except for the yarn from the different dye lot, it was as if the colour was leaving the first yarn and soaking into the other. The slightly different coloured stripes morphed into a super dark stripe next to a hideous washed out bleached lighter version. Just gross. <br />
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I couldn't even look at it or my knitting needles for days. <br />
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There is no happy ending to this sad little tale, I bought some fabric dye and will attempt to put some colour back into my scarf but I have not the littlest bit of hope that it can be saved. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-86723588904135826882010-07-06T17:59:00.000-07:002010-07-06T17:59:17.869-07:00cool beansOk, I have no Jane Austen spin to put on this post, no quote or movie scene to relate. <br />
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BUT if you have seen the movie Hot Rod you may remember the scene when Rod and his brother say 'cool beans' to each other over and over. It is hysterical and always makes me laugh really hard. Generally most things Andy Samberg do make me laugh, he is awesome... <br />
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anyways I finished my knuckies (fingerless knuckle gloves... but cool people call them knuckies) and in tribute to one of my favourite sayings, taken from Hot Rod, I have stitched 'cool beans' on the finger parts. I love them very much, they are perhaps one of my favourite things that I have ever knit. They are so sweet and awesome, I guess to sum them up in only two words I would have to say... they are... <br />
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Cool Beans!<br />
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Before I give an account of the fantastical event that occurred a mere five days ago, I must start with another quote, This one by Aeschylus (whoever the heck that is...)<br />
<em>It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.</em> <br />
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I therefore declare to any person who may read this, that it is not with envy or jealousy that I share this story with you, it is rather, with wonderful admiration that I honour my friend and you by sharing this very honourable, amazing tale. <br />
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It began with a phone call. <br />
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My dearest friend calling to inform me that she was planning on learning how to crochet at our next knitting club meeting, and she thought I should learn along with her. We have a fairly experienced crocheter in our club and my friend, let's call her <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span>, planned to ask our fellow club member how to crochet.<br />
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Why? I asked her, we are having so much fun knitting and are both <em>equally </em>awesome at it. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span> then informs me that whilst searching for a pattern on <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ravelry</span> she forgot to specify the type of craft and came across a baby hat pattern that she fell in love with, the only hitch, it was for crocheting. I think to myself, sure, perhaps it is time to acquire a new talent for my list of accomplishments. I did crochet two blankets when I was fourteen, perhaps it won't be too hard to pick it up again. I mention this to <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span> and she also admits to having learned a long long time ago, although adding "I for sure don't remember anything" <br />
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The appointed night for our monthly knitting club meeting arrives. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span> comes armed with practice yarn, crochet hooks and the pattern for her beloved baby hat. Before our fellow twisted <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">stitcher</span> has even explained to us the crocheting basics, <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span> is off in the corner, chaining away. What is chaining you, or any other normal person with no recollection of how to crochet might ask? Well it is like 'casting on' in knitting, something <em>I</em> re-learned that night.<br />
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As the night goes the picture is very different between the two of us that are there 'learning' how to crochet. <br />
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I am continuously pulling out and starting again, crocheting (and I use that term very loosely) a few rows here, try going circular for the top of a hat there, seeing if I can even make a few straight rows here. Ending the night with nothing to show for my hours of looping and chaining and pulling and pushing, except for the mangled yarn I have been using and reusing over and over. THIS is what a normal person may experience when learning a new craft. <br />
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<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span>, however is anything but normal, she is a prodigy! With only three or four questions to our expert friend she masterfully creates a perfectly flawless beautiful crocheted baby hat WITH a flower to attach on. You must comprehend this is no ordinary baby hat, or woman for that matter. It is not simply a straight round crocheted had, it has an adorable pattern with an exquisite flower attached that she created right there before my confounded eyes. <br />
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It is here therefore that I honour her, that while "<em>for sure"</em> not remembering anything she was able to create one of the cutest baby hats I have ever beheld. She is and should be an inspiration to all. For those people <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">stru</span><span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ggling</span> out there, with the looping and the chaining and the frustrations of learning a new skill or craft, know this... some people just get it, and some people don't. <br />
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For those who get it, they can bask in the knowledge that they are awesome talented people and go on to make awesomely talented creations. <br />
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To the others I say, go home, watch about a hundred <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">youtube</span> videos, practice practice and practice and you may be able to reach the elevated level of skill those surrounding you posses. Then show up to your next knitting meeting with you own awesomely talented creation and do a little dance while waving it in their face. <br />
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Here is a picture to showcase the amazing talent that <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bremily</span> possess to create and follow such a beautiful and complicated pattern.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWxkerVI_fpL89W5_K2QD3lG6qMvFRy5AwM5unqy6QzvPALlFLoNalm5i8C6nfmRNj19i1laIHoITYNqSvfORN-Ad9U0jnZgcSnayEIW56P2WLIXKeI9QvXNzV2h_0qdy_sbaCffVxTM/s1600/baby_beanie_1_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWxkerVI_fpL89W5_K2QD3lG6qMvFRy5AwM5unqy6QzvPALlFLoNalm5i8C6nfmRNj19i1laIHoITYNqSvfORN-Ad9U0jnZgcSnayEIW56P2WLIXKeI9QvXNzV2h_0qdy_sbaCffVxTM/s320/baby_beanie_1_medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-3832189025630268962010-06-14T11:14:00.000-07:002010-06-14T11:14:16.981-07:00WWKIPD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Do you know what that Acroynm stands for? Well if you read my knitting blog then you are somewhat plugged into the world of knitting and may know.... it stands for "World Wide Knit In Public Day" !! <br />
I heard about it at my local yarn shop and had to join in on the fun. Some of the Twisted Stitchers and I met up at the spraypark and knit-on while our kids played. It was so much fun, the only things that were missing were a few of our other twisted stitchers and matching t-shirts! <br />
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Every legit club has matching logo t-shirts! No worries, we are getting on that right away, designs are being dreamed up as we speak.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMorqvwL57OSFEEeL0vkjJ4AkCeAkdioxZvpupNigvCD3xFaZ6YOiFRkMSgkDTrNW17WSO6EmHANWuwn0esCDuHvHu5JQK0hfJNNtMMZH94TxXXp_1Ck-5_igbSKmwCHSujVkrI5W4dHU/s1600/june+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMorqvwL57OSFEEeL0vkjJ4AkCeAkdioxZvpupNigvCD3xFaZ6YOiFRkMSgkDTrNW17WSO6EmHANWuwn0esCDuHvHu5JQK0hfJNNtMMZH94TxXXp_1Ck-5_igbSKmwCHSujVkrI5W4dHU/s320/june+095.JPG" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-59353509473682014982010-06-07T14:37:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:37:35.895-07:00simple pleasures<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other"</span> ~ Emma <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Woodhouse</span><br />
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I've been without <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">internet</span> for a while, it's amazing the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">unsteadying</span> effect that can have on one person. I felt like an aimless wanderer, walking around my house with no order or sense to what I was doing. Alas today I flip open my laptop and there are those beautiful five bars showing me completely connected to the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">internet</span>, sigh, what a pleasure. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My bedroom is somewhat in shambles right now, my husband is building a sound booth in it (don't ask) and the whole room is in pieces. There are huge wooden planks everywhere, most of our stuff has be shoved in the closet and covering the floor; making barely any walkable space in the room. It is an utter disaster and has been for about two weeks now. There is one thing that is keeping me sane. When I open my door and try to mark my path as to how I will maneuver myself to get to the bed I look to my left and smile. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As part of the redesign I had to change my bookshelves to ones that would work in the different space. I love organizing my books, sometimes I just sit and stare at them when I am bored. It is a simple yet wonderful pleasure of mine. Anyways I made a little display with all my Jane <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Austeny</span> books and now every time I go into my room and want to pull my hair out with the mess of it all I look and see my beautifully arranged favourite books and feel a little better.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHwa0LDvwXsAZZSiq3TcMEh34TNizqBLNrXJEPKmACdbE0DWblVKPVzsFam-WUmHAJAcq5q-wzPuW_SZkIIO5OUhRr4_5tYvIc7-FU-aoC16yIIA3J-3WtmCXHnf4i7usP5n2-hd_3LI/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHwa0LDvwXsAZZSiq3TcMEh34TNizqBLNrXJEPKmACdbE0DWblVKPVzsFam-WUmHAJAcq5q-wzPuW_SZkIIO5OUhRr4_5tYvIc7-FU-aoC16yIIA3J-3WtmCXHnf4i7usP5n2-hd_3LI/s400/044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756949145611929463.post-26544199271872495552010-05-25T09:55:00.000-07:002010-05-25T09:57:42.234-07:00NO MORE BLANKETS!!<span style="font-size: large;">"Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how." ~pride and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" goog-spell-original="predjudice">prejudice</span></span><br />
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That line always makes me laugh because it is so me. I wish I was clever and had a quick wit as well but alas, I do not. I am the one who is laying in bed two days later thinking, OH MAN, I should had said THIS! Anyways I was trying to think of something Jane <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Austeny</span> to put with this post and nothing was coming to me, thereby making this one very appropriate.<br />
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I have a little advice for you today, something that had I been a little more quick-witted and able to think of something very sensible to reply I may not have been stuck in the spot I was. When someone has done a huge amazing thing for you and you are seeking a way to thank them for their help, DO NOT ASK THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO TO THANK THEM!!! Seriously! it's dangerous business! You go in thinking you will take them to a cool play or to the spa for the day(both things you can enjoy as well) and then out of nowhere you hear yourself agreeing... to knit them a blanket! <br />
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Now if you were having this conversation with a baby that was some sort of genius and could talk at a very early age I would say sure, go for it. However if the person is taller than 24 inches I would take care in the offerings you make.<br />
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That being said, it was most definitely a huge labour of love, but I am FINALLY finished the blanket! Hours and hours knitting with 6mm needles, at times I thought my brain was going to explode from the monotony of it all. It was worth it though, and when I stop whining and think about it, fairly appropriate since the person I made it for helped me in a colossal way, for many hours and many days. <br />
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It feels so good to be done though. <br />
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Now I am working on some butterfly dishcloths for a wedding present, a nice somewhat complicated pattern to awaken me out of my knitting despondency. After that, who knows! Something FUN and something for ME!! Maybe a nice summery scarf,or some cool fingerless gloves or a bag for my yoga mat. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcCVnUry9NGglk2vTdOA_yaZ0hQGORcqSQjw2nxDCCKJl3JnjcQh7YIa29YiB8r_OQSBmR7F-xnns8wBfau6kDgc01T-uUWWZm5sgT-Pug_OYLONjZRdTURCri1lb9x_mt42wmR5Lz1M/s1600/250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcCVnUry9NGglk2vTdOA_yaZ0hQGORcqSQjw2nxDCCKJl3JnjcQh7YIa29YiB8r_OQSBmR7F-xnns8wBfau6kDgc01T-uUWWZm5sgT-Pug_OYLONjZRdTURCri1lb9x_mt42wmR5Lz1M/s400/250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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