A blog about my life, knitting, and other stuff.

December 31, 2004

Words That Filled My Heart With Joy

"Mom, I'm wearing the socks you knit for me."
For the first time. Ever. Yes, I finished them in July. Who knew this day would come?

December 30, 2004

Monsteralong


I joined the Monsteralong yesterday. Today, I finished knitting the slippers.

I was too ashamed at first to show my off-center slipper before I ripped it out. But I'm going to suck it up and share it with you. At least someone can have a laugh.
I am not an animal!

But I did rip it back to the sole and start again.

Then I finished one.

And tonight I finished the second. Now it's time to chuck them in the wash and see what happens.

Last night Molly presented me with the most delightful gift bag.

It's got knitting on it! Isn't it cute?
And look what was inside.

Some Regia yarn that she picked up at Churchmouse.
Thanks Molly!

Did You Give Yet?

It's uplifting to see that over $5 million has been donated in the last few days at Amazon.
Please give.

December 29, 2004

For Dishes That Are Divinely Clean

An angelic dish soap cover.
(I don't understand it either.)

Photos!

I got my flower swap flower from Mindy.


Backyard leaves is slightly longer.


I started a swatch of Ironstone Yarn Streamers for the shop and I couldn't stop until I finished the ball.

I usually hate ribbon yarns but this one has a high wool content and had a nice elasticity to it. And it's not too stiff. I used the Waterfall pattern from the 365 Knitting Stitches calendar. I loved this pattern. It's so simple and has a great look.



I started the second slipper. I can't face ripping out the first one again so soon. Hopefully this one will be uneventful and I'll be filled with confidence to rip and reknit the first one. Damn slipper...

December 28, 2004

Monstrous

Grrrrr...I've knit something monstrous all right. I finally figured out what the heck the monster slipper pattern is supposed to say. However, I failed to actually knit it correctly. I ripped back to the sole last night after reading all the posts at the Stitch 'n Bitch forum. But I must have started again at the wrong spot because after working about seventy-eight thousand short row wraps I finally bound off my slipper this morning (I gave up on finishing around 2 am last night) and discovered that the whole thing is completely off center. Grrrr... I hate doing stupid things like this. Now I have to rip it out again and do all those short rows again. And then I have to make a second one! Oy vey iz mir. What a pain.

In more successful knitting news, I finished one full pattern repeat while chatting (more like ranting) with other knitters last night. I also finished another afghan square. So some progress is being made here at Rose-Kim Knits. Just not as much as I'd like.

December 27, 2004

Nearly No Picture Day

For Christmas, Wes got me a new CPU. Isn't he romantic? He says he did it for me. But I know he did it so the kids could have my old one and stay off of his computer. My new computer is lightening fast though. In fact, I can whip through email and blog updates so quickly that I find myself sitting staring at the computer with nothing left to do. Another side effect is that my camera software is MIA and I can't upload photos.

In the meantime let me update you a little on what's happening at the Rose-Kim home knitting-wise.

1) I finally cast on for my Brown Beaded Socks for the Six Sox Knitalong. I pulled out the yarn and got all the beads strung the very day this pattern was announced (December 1) and then I carried the yarn and needles around in my purse for over three weeks. Why? I have no idea. But I got sick of dilly-dallying and finally got to work. I finished the inch of ribbing and have started the beads. It will be slow going for the beading but then it's a completely plain and simple sock after that.

2) I have been knitting afghan squares all weekend. I think I've completed three in the last day or so. I knit an entire one last night on a trip to the bookstore and out to dinner with the kids. These things are so simple and portable. I love that in a project.

3) I have finished three repeats in Backyard Leaves and have a photo I uploaded before the computer change-over.

This pattern is a delight to knit. So many twists and turns. So many mysterious little glyphs on the chart. The only drawback is that I can't really work on it while doing anything else. No TV watching. No chatting. Otherwise I get lost.

4) I haven't touched the Floral Felted Tote since last weekend. This is another turn-off-the-TV unplug-the-phone for-goodness-sake-don't-speak-to-me-I'm-knitting patterns. It also involves carrying an entire bag full of yarn so it's not very portable.

5) I started the Felted Furry Foot Warmers from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation for the shop. I making them in Lamb's Pride Bulky in Lemon Drop and Aura Print. There are errors galore in this pattern. Even the errata seems to have some mistakes in it. At this point I'm just kind of winging it. I'm a little more than halfway through the first slipper.

December 26, 2004

Mark Your Calendars

I'm going to be on TV.

December 25, 2004

I Don't Usually Do This

Parking Lot Tram
The Parking Lot Tram: The uncredited workhorse of
the Disneyland resort. You take visitors from
the largest parking lot on earth to the front
door of Disneyland and back again. You aren't
the picture of glamour and most wouldn't even
think you provide any sort of excitement, but
without you no fun could be had at all. You
don't mean to, but you seem often sour. You
get little respect and sometimes get lots of
scorn, but yet you are faithful and eager to
please. People need you and you need them.
Your simpleness is the perfect backdrop to
showcase the eager smiles of children riding
you for their first time to the Happiest Place
on Earth.


What Disneyland attraction are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I usually take these quizzes and spare you, my readers, the boredom of the results. But this answer is so apt and yet wholly depressing that I thought you might enjoy it.

December 24, 2004

Ho, Ho, Zzzzzzzz

Today, while all the world prepared for Christmas, I slept. I stayed up really late last night and when Wes got the call at 8:30 this morning that he did not have to go to work I got to sleep in. And sleep in I did. I woke up when my best friend came by to drop off gifts--at 12:30! I got up for a while. Dropped off some presents and was back down for the count by 2:30. I slept on the sofa covered in stuffed animals and one live beagle until it was time to take the kids out for dinner. And I'm still tired. I'm not sure how this is physically possible but there it is.

I did finish the dolls.



I hated making these. They are fiddly and require lots of sewing of tiny parts. Blech. I won't be making any more of these.

I knit with Marti last night and she gave me the world's cutest mittens.



Second only in cuteness to the mittens Stephanie finished yesterday in her epic knitting marathon.

Hope everyone has a merry little Christmas.

December 23, 2004

I Am Doll Parts





December 22, 2004

Knitting for Chimps

I was finishing the thumb on my son's first glove when I held it up and realized that I am an idiot. Once again, I knit along happily without stopping to look and see what I was doing. I knit the hand too long so now I have a long, narrow glove with a tiny thumb down by the wrist. A glove for Bonzo. I am too mortified right now to share a photograph of it. If you really want to revel in my humiliation let me know and I can snap a shot of it. Right now my plan is to bury it under a bunch of other stuff and hopes that he forgets about it.

December 21, 2004

On the Mend

Nothing interesting to report. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm doing much better. My fever is gone and my cough seems to be subsiding. Being sick seems to have slowed down my knitting pace quite a bit since I still haven't finished the smallest glove in creation. Hopefully by tomorrow there will be a photo.

December 20, 2004

Sick

I'm crawling back to bed to watch a movie and work on gloves for my four year old. He doesn't want mittens. It must be gloves. He also demanded that they be turquoise. Okay...

December 19, 2004

Hectic!

The last few days have been really hectic. Friday was kind of a crazed day. With a coffee hour, which I host, at my older son's school, a bowling trip with my younger son's school, a trip to the mall (!), a trip to the grocery store and then the realization that it was an early dismissal day. My son and his friend that I was supposed to pick up had been sitting in the office for 30 minutes while they tried to call me on my cell phone. The battery on my phone was dead so they called Wes who left early to come get them all. We all met up at the school. He wasn't too happy with me. Then I was invited to see the new home of a wonderful knitting friend so I ran way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay south in Seattle to visit with her until 8, then ran back home to get changed for a formal party!

Then yesterday I worked from 10-5, went straight to a birthday party for a friend and then went straight to a friend's house to babysit. I left my home at 9:45 am and came home at 12:45 am. A really, really long day. I was really froggy and starting to cough when I got home. This morning my throat feels pretty bad and I sound awful. I'm working from 12-5 and then we've got Wes's (formal) office holiday party. No karaoke for me tonight, I guess.

While I was babysitting last night I decided not to knit and watch TV. Instead I sat at the dining room table and worked on my Floral Felted Tote. After three and a half hours this is what I have.



The larger view gives a better sense of my life right now.



If you can imagine it, my entire kitchen looks like this with bits of knitting, papers and crap everywhere. Can you believe I've been weaving in ends as I go? And it still looks like this?

December 17, 2004

Ladies and Gentleman, Joey Ramone!



Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go

They're forming in a straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The Blitzkrieg Bop

They're piling in the back seat
They're generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
The Blitzkrieg Bop.

Hey ho, let's go
Shoot'em in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all reved up and ready to go

--Blitzkrieg Bop


Butterfly Finishing Frenzy Continues

Stephanie has finished her Butterfly.

December 16, 2004

Presents Everywhere

I came home tonight to find the cutest tree in our living room. Wes and the boys bought it and decorated while I was at work. Isn't it sweet?


Then I saw that my Chanukah presents for myself arrived. Yippee! I will definitely not be knitting myself a Cork capelet. So what to do with that lovely yarn?


I finished my teachers' gifts tonight. Flower pins for everyone!


I emailed the creator of the Joey doll with a few questions. She responded quickly on how to attach the hair without losing your mind. She just lay the "hair" across Joey's head and stitched it down the middle with a needle and thread. Duh. I think I was still in fringe mode. I also asked about the optional jacket for Joey mentioned in the book. She told me that it might be offered as a free pattern on the Stitch 'n Bitch site.

The Flower is Out of the Bag

Mindy has received her swap flower. So I can show it to you now.



The pattern is from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments using Patons Divine, Mission Falls 1824 Wool (for the petal) and burgundy seed beads.

I hope I didn't create a flower to large and heavy to wear!

December 15, 2004

Backyard Leaves

I am taking a break from hair-attaching hell.


to explore Backyard Leaves.



Ahhhhh.

Another Butterfly!

Anne has finished her Butterfly.

December 14, 2004

The Making of a Rock Star





Meet Joey Ramone.

December 13, 2004

Stinkin' Cute

I finished my kid's poncho last night. When I showed it to my friend, she declared it was "stinkin' cute." I believe she is correct.



Knitting Pure and Simple's Children's Poncho knit in two shades of pink of Cascade 220.

That's yet another Nicky Epstein flower slapped on there too. The fringing took a few hours in front of the tv last night. At some point I assigned the yarn cutting to Wes and focused on attaching it. I was glad to see that I was not alone in my fringing hell.

December 12, 2004

Friday Flower Frenzy



With the Big Sack completed and out of the way, I turned my attention on Friday to knitted flower pins. I'm making a few for teachers' gifts. I tried several yarns on this pattern by Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments. Nicky must like to sew--a lot. I converted the pattern to be knit in the round after several of the seamed versions came out wonky. I also experimented quite a bit on leaf styles and sizes. I know have this pile of knitted vegetation which needs to be arranged.

December 10, 2004

And Now the Photos


This is a wretched photo. It does not depict the color well. And it makes the sweater look about six inches long and completely lopsided. Neither of which is the case. My apologies.

The Big Sack is complete at last. On Sunday it will move permanently to The Fiber Gallery for display. So long!

Who doesn't love a bargain?
A delivery from Jo-Ann.

I got enough Cotton-Ease in Strawberry Cream and Ice Blue for two sweaters (maybe Mariah or a spring version of Rogue and a Sitcom Chic or another sweater from the Cotton Angora Collection), a skein of Magic Stripes in the Jelly Bean colorway just to try it out and two skeins of Kool Wool in Grass to mess around with. All of this cost me a whopping $46.11. Not too shabby.

Thanks Monica and Lynette!
A prize.

I won a little contest over at Passionknit. Lynette and Monica sent me this cool Tapestry by Classic Elite. I'm thinking of making a hat with it. But that will have to wait for quite some time as the knitting queue is so long I can't see the end any more.

Hugs for Everyone!

Thanks for all the sweet messages. I have an FO and some loot to share with you later. But right now I need to take a very sad four year old, who just got three shots, out bowling. It's going to be a long day.

December 9, 2004

Blogiversary

One year ago today my blog was born. I was going to do one of those "100 Things About Me" lists but I started to sound like someone in need of tremendous therapy. Instead I will take this time to say a huge thank you to all of you who come here and read my grumbling and ranting. A bigger thanks to those of you who leave me comments and send me notes so that I know I'm not just a lunatic sitting here talking to myself. And the biggest thanks of all to all my knitting friends who I meet with far too many times a week to share our work, talk, drink coffee and, most importantly, laugh. I am so grateful for "meeting" all of you over this past year. Thank you.

December 7, 2004

Karma



It all started when I was brain-storming about class ideas with the owner at The Fiber Gallery.
"We should have a class on that kid's poncho pattern everyone is knitting," I said.
Then the draft of the schedule was handed to me and I realized this meant I was going to teach that class. And then it hit me. I was going to have to knit a poncho.

All right. Laugh all you want. I grabbed some Cascade 220 in baby pink and went to work. I'm about halfway done with it. I just keep telling myself I'm making a top-down raglan--without sleeves. Fortunately, it' a 2-4 size. The finished length is only 13 inches. It will all be over soon. Then comes the fringe.

December 5, 2004

Where Did My Weekend Go?

I worked all day yesterday at the shop. It was steady all day but it felt a little quiet. We had a potluck holiday party to attend after work. We were all just sitting around talking and eating (I was eating way too much) so I pulled out my knitting. I managed to knock off one Psychedelic Square while we were there.

When we got home I couldn't face the Sad Sack yet. So I grabbed one of my new projects. I cast on for my Floral Felted Tote. I knit the plain rows and then at 1 am I started the intarsia. Can you see where this is going? Yeah, I screwed it up. Then I tried to rip it out and I made a huge mess. So I wadded it into a ball and went to bed.

I worked at the shop again today. I even gave a little "Tea and Talk" on finishing. Stop laughing! I didn't mention anything about my many sewing the wrong part to the wrong place mishaps. But I was able to share what little I have learned about finishing, share resources and answer questions.

Then there was another holiday potluck. When I got home I was finally able to sort out the FFT. I'm on the 8th row of the intarsia chart. I won't show you anything yet since it just looks like a brown tube with nine thousands strands of yarn hanging from it. Fun!

Here's a crummy picture of my Butterfly.



Go check out the new Knitty. Good night!

December 4, 2004

Sad Sack

Did I wake you last night at 2 am with my loud forehead smacking and cursing?
As I was happily nearing the end of the yoke shaping for the Big Sack (and staying up way, way, way too late) I decided to try it on. It's not in my size. I am not an XS. But just out of curiosity I tried it on. And then I saw it. The biggest, dumbest mistake. I had attached the sleeves off center. *Smack!* *Curse!* *Smack* So I have a cute sweater with a cable running up the right side of the front instead of the center. I thought I had slowed down and thought about the sleeve placement but I guess not. And I never once held the sweater up and really looked at it! *Smack!*

I did have a little FO today but no photo. I've been working on one of those Anny Blatt angora and ribbon drop-stitch scarves for the shop. I only work on it at work. I've been working on it for a long time. And today I finally finished. I will stop pulling angora fluff out of my mouth and nose in another day or two.

December 3, 2004

No Beauty Shot Today

Butterfly is all seamed up but she's not ready for her beauty shot yet. She is blocking. I'm trying to see if I can tame her curling edges a bit. The worst offender is the collar that just doesn't want to lay flat. I cast off using a needle two sizes larger and I was very careful to keep my tension loose. I gave a little tug to the stitches after binding off each one. It was a very, very relaxed bind off. But the collar wants to roll inward instead of splay out nicely. We'll see what she thinks after a night strapped to the rack.



I'm also working on the back edges which curl quite a bit too. The sleeves which had me most worried are not curling much at all. Go figure.



Chanukah has come early to my home. Or at least to me. I asked Wes the other night if he got me a gift yet. He hadn't (shocking, isn't it?). So I offered to buy myself something. Oh, I threw in a little something else too. And our book order finally came in to the shop so I got my copy of Scarf Style and Stitch 'n Bitch Nation. I'm planning on making Backyard Leaves from Scarf Style from my leftover Rogue yarn. I have exactly the right amount. And I'm going to make a Joey Ramone doll as a gift.

The sorely neglected Big Sack, or Sad Sack, as I have started to call it, is close to completion. I have the sleeves attached and am working the yoke decreases. It won't be too long now (you've heard that before right?).

You may notice that something strange has happened at Rose-Kim Knits. I have somehow turned into a mostly monogamous knitter. How did this happen? I used to be as promiscuous as they come. I used to have four or five projects going at a time. I would bring multiple tote bags to every knitting group and flit from project to project. But lately I find when I'm working on something that I want to bear down and finish it. The little incomplete bits of knitting lying everywhere have started to make me feel anxious. But I have a feeling that this won't last long. Now that the decks are clear I can start a new project...or two.

First up will be the new socks for the Six Sox Knitalong. The new sock is a very simple sock with a beaded design on the cuff. I've been wanting to do some bead knitting lately and I wanted a dead-easy sock to knit so this will be perfect for me. I already threaded the beads onto some Lang Jawoll that was gifted to me by Brynne. As I pulled out the yarn I felt something hard inside the skein. After a little digging inside I pulled out a little spool of reinforcing nylon that matches the yarn. How totally cool.



Other than the socks I can't decide which project to knit next. The top candidates are the Red Palm Cap from Poems of Color with a kit from Kimmet Yarns, the Retro Prep in Rowanspun DK, the Floral Felted Tote in Jamieson's DK or the Flower Basket Shawl in Elann Sierra. What to do?

December 2, 2004

Boring Update

I'm still seaming Butterfly. I have two side seams and half a sleeve to go. Then I will have to block the daylights out of it. I cast off VERY loosely for the collar in hopes it would help prevent curling. It's still curling a whole heck of a lot.

Here is a tiny, boring FO for you. A hat for my four year old (he loves his scarf)from a skein of Kid Classic. The yarn is so soft and dreamy. I really need to make myself a sweater from it.



I also finished my flower swap pin last night. I can't share it with you now. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

December 1, 2004

The Butterflies Keep Rollin' In!

Marta finished her Butterfly.
Will I look as elegant and gorgeous when I finish mine?

November 30, 2004

Blog Tricofolk

Steeking is just as mesmerizing and heart-stopping in French, non?

Another Completed Butterfly

Cookie has finished her Butterfly!

November 29, 2004

Butterfly Collar Reloaded

Well, I screwed it up again. See, I only read the second part of the errata. I ignored the first part, which instructed me to ignore the first part of the collar pattern. So I ripped it out again. Now I've got it.



Judy sent me an update photo of her Butterfly blocking.

Stephanie is blocking bits of her Butterfly too.

November 28, 2004

Ribby Cardi Knitalong


I must have misunderstood Carole. She is hosting a knitalong for the Ribby Cardi and has set up a blog for it. So head on over and join her there. Sorry for the mix up!

November 27, 2004

Offline


Sorry I've been offline. Wes has been "fixing" my computer. It has been making an ominous sound like someone is inside making a smoothie. Now it's making a different, more irritating, equally disconcerting sound.

I worked all day on Friday and today and am also working tomorrow.

My son happily received his new scarf today. The report from Wes was that the scarf was worn every time they went outside. I am very pleased. I didn't get to block it. I probably never will. Here it is in it's native habitat, nestled under some dirty mismatched socks.



I had a few Butterfly disasters tonight. I went out to knit with some Purlygirls. I sewed the fronts on to Butterfly. I picked up all the stitches around the neck but something didn't look quite right. Then I realized that I had sewn one front and one sleeve onto the front of Butterfly. Rip, rip, rip. Sew, sew, sew. Pick up 142 stitches. Then I start to knit the collar. I end up with the wrong number of stitches. I rip. I count. I knit. Still wrong. Rip, count...then I remember. There's errata for the collar. What a dope! I even posted the link here a few weeks ago. It was all too reminiscent of the time I sewed one of the sleeves for Lottie to my sweater shoulder to cuff. Or the reversed fronts for the Cursed Baby Sweater. What's my problem?

The Big Sack almost has both sleeves. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get all the parts on the needles and start the raglan decreases.

November 25, 2004

Mixed Blessing

I finished the last sleeve of Butterfly on Wednesday night. I was supposed to go to Stitch 'n Bitch but our usual spot closed early, even though we were told they wouldn't. Seven of us managed to regroup at the Tea House though. After finishing the Butterfly sleeve I resumed work on the second sleeve to the Big Sack sweater. When I got home I realized I was doing the increases on the Big Sack sleeve at the rate of the decreases from the Butterfly sleeve and had to rip out about a dozen rows.

Also on Wednesday, my four year old son asked me to make him a "red scarf." I was very excited to have a family member give a hoot about having anything handknit and told him I would. When he woke up on Thursday he demanded his scarf. I explained that I didn't have any red yarn and that all the stores were closed.

"I want my red scarf!"
"Honey, I will get some red yarn on Friday and start your scarf," I explained.
"This red yarn right here," he shouted from the kitchen. "Here, I'll show you."
He brought me over to the leftover yarn from Paula.
"This is purple," I told him.
"Make my scarf!"
"Okay..."

So I sat down to make his scarf. I decided on stockinette with a small seed stitch border and a keyhole so it could be short and not too much of a choking hazard. After about fifteen minutes he came back to see if I was done yet. I told him it may take a few days. He decided to "help" the whole process by screaming, "Mommy, make my scarf!" whenever I paused to rest, eat, go to the bathroom or prepare food (even for him). He also announced that he wanted a hat and coat to go with the scarf.

I always wanted my family to be more interested in my knitting. That will teach me.

November 24, 2004

Absurd Web Search of the Week

"kim possible naked"
Dude, she's a cartoon. A cartoon fifteen year old.

A Reason To Be Thankful



The pile driver is moving out.


Since I pulled out the camera I also grabbed pictures of the sleeves of Butterfly, which are nearly complete.



And a little detail from the Big Sack.



I have 12 inches of the body and one sleeve so far.

November 23, 2004

Ribby Cardi, The Knitalong

I have been given the blessing of Carole, who had expressed interest in hosting a knitalong, to go ahead and start a knitalong. So there you have it. I'll be hosting a knitalong for the Ribby Cardi. (Have you picked your color combo yet? Better hurry before it's all gone.) Please spread the word. And if anyone out there has a knack for snappy buttons, let me know.

I Was Not Exaggerating

The view from my front hall stairs.



My four year old took one too.




Kill me now, please.

November 22, 2004

Noise Pollution

I am going insane. Evil developers have torn down the lovely 100 year old house next door to mine to build bland, awful townhomes. If this isn't bad enough, we are now a week into the "pounding 12 foot long metal tubes into the ground" period. There is a massive machine (like a fork-lift with a 20 foot high jackhammer) that mercilessly pounds these pipes into the ground. They start promptly at 7 am each morning and this morning they were right outside my kitchen window. My teeth were rattling;my ears drums were throbbing;I wanted to kill someone. So I took my son out to lunch. I'm hoping I can bill the contractor for it.

I'm half-way to the armpits on the Big Sack (one sleeve is also done). I put the second sleeve to Butterfly in my purse and knocked off maybe a dozen rows this afternoon.

November 19, 2004

Fluted Finished



They're done. I'm so glad they're done. I don't hate the socks. I just didn't have fun knitting them. It felt like homework. But it's all over now.

Strangely, I don't feel the startitis setting in yet. Now that the socks are done my size 2 needles are free to finally make my Bohus cap I bought at camp. But with two big sweaters still on the needles I don't feel "free" yet. And the Floral Felted Tote is begging to be started soon. We'll see what happens.