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

November 27, 2011

Snowshoe the Third



Pattern: Completely improvised
Yarn: Butternut Woolens Thick n Thin
Needles: US11 Crystal Palace circulars and Brittany dpns
Notes: I tried to use every last bit of the yarn here. I cast on with my reminder of the blue from the first hat and used up all of the yellow. Now this yarn is completely used up!

November 26, 2011

Toadstool Baby Rattle



Pattern: Toadstool Baby Rattle by Purl Soho
Yarn: Sophie's Toes (green) and unknown sock yarn (gray)
Needle: 2.75mm Addi Lace Needle
Notes: I decided to make a gift last night for a one year old's birthday party today. The invitation suggested as a gift, "What small item might she find while lost in the forest that she could safely amuse herself with." So toadstool rattle. I could only find one store nearby with the appropriate cat toy to go inside but it's larger than the usual ones so my mushroom cap is bigger and rounder than I wanted. It's a very cute, fast pattern. I would use a slightly larger yarn next time with the same small needle to make a denser fabric.

November 24, 2011

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This? Thanksgiving Edition

It's my Thanksgiving tradition.




Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

November 22, 2011

Kissy Kissy

My Miss Piggy eye shadow arrived yesterday. I was so excited to try it out this morning. Piggy's coloring is very different from mine. I wore my bluest shirt to bring out some blue in my eyes. I got out my pearls. Alas, I do not have elbow-length lavender satin gloves to complete the look. The weather is extremely gray and stormy which made getting a reasonable photo pretty hard. This should give you a little idea about the shadow color and also show how wobbly my attempts at liquid liner are.




Kissy kissy!

P.S. I'm really close to finishing my skirt but am trying to not overdo it and give my sore thumb a rest.

November 20, 2011

Two Worlds Collide



My love of Muppets and makeup have converged with MAC's Miss Piggy collection. I got myself the eye shadow though though I really want the lashes too. I have always wanted eyes like Miss Piggy. I had this poster on my bedroom door as a child.

Random Thoughts on a Sunday

  1. Last night, while talking with Wes, I went to give him the thumbs up for something I can't recall now. When I extended my thumb something inside slipped or popped or somehow got askew and I yelped in pain. I woke up on and off all night from the discomfort. Today still very sore. I haven't been able to knit and I am sad.
  2. I decided to get a little cooking done. I started a big pot of cioppino by chopping a large onion. I probably should not have worn mascara on my lower lashes today.
  3. While the cioppino was simmering I also made a puree of broccoli and cauliflower and some salmon onigiri (just cooked salmon and rice for the kids). They were looking really great until I dropped the mold on them. These two still look cute.
  4. I thought I was beginning to develop a really mean looking bruise on my injured hand until I realized that I had swatched some dark blue eye shadow while walking through Nordstrom earlier today.
  5. I am still obsessed with makeup. This week I got some Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner. It's very easy to apply, unlike liquid liner which I really struggle with, and it stays put all day. No sliding down my face or fading through the day. I also really like these Dream Mousse blush and bronzers. They are a fluffy cream-to-powder formula that is pretty much fool-proof to apply. They give a subtle sheen of color with the tiniest bit of sparkle. Ulta has them on clearance for $3.50 so I have three colors now.
  6. My Carnaby skirt is about 65% done. It's killing me not being able to work on it today.

November 18, 2011

Snowshoe Two




Pattern: Snowshoe Hare but seriously altered
Yarn: Butternut Woolens Thick n Thin
Needles: US11 Crystal Palace circulars and Brittany dpns
Notes: After I knit a few stockinette rounds I paused and knit the earflaps onto the hat. This allowed me to keep knitting the hat up and up and up until I used every last inch of the yarn. It's quite a silly hat and, like the last one, too small for me. Though I imagine this will become a child's holiday gift.

November 17, 2011

Interweave Knits Preview

It's up. I see some very nice knits. You?

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

This one has been in my Thursday file for some time. Every time I look at it my heart starts to flutter. I mean what fugger wouldn't get excited at a stream of consciousness title like "Amazing wide leg palazzo lace nude crochet peekaboo summer fishnet pant romper jumpsuit."




I can't decide what aspect of that turns me off more. But in the end I just keep thinking, "Honey, that thing on your face is called a necklace and it's supposed to go around your neck."

November 15, 2011

Snowshoe Hare Hat




Pattern: Snowshoe Hare Hat by Shelly Whitman
Yarn: Butternut Woolens Thick n Thin in Boreal Sky
Needles: US11 Brittany double points
Notes: This hat has several variations. This is the plain ribbed hat. I could have knit one or two more plain rounds (I had a little yarn leftover) and wish I hat because the hat is a bit short for me. Instead of ripping I will give it as a holiday gift as I don't really need another hat! I have two more skeins of this yarn so I think I'll make one in each style from the pattern.

November 14, 2011

Why, Hello There

I have a child with a sloppy cold at home from school today which means I am home for the day which means I finally got to take some photos despite the gray, gray, GRAY sky here in Seattle. I have to admit the two things holding up my blogging lately are not having photos and sheer laziness. Like today I took a bunch of photos of things but you won't see my progress on my Cornflower Shawl or my latest pair of socks because they are upstairs and I am downstairs. You do the math.

I can show you a few things though. Last week I went to my retreat at Fort Worden*. This is a retreat where there are no classes or scheduled anything other than meals. You can spend your time as you choose. Many participants go shopping in Port Townsend, walk along the beach, walk to town for coffee. I sit on my butt and knit. The whole time. I also usually spin but this year despite bringing my Hansen Mini-Spinner and my current spinning project I never brought any of it out of my room. I knit on Cornflower. I knit a few Hexapuffs. And I--gasp--crocheted! Allow me to explain.

In January, we are going on a cruise with Weezer.



Many cruises have theme nights. This cruise will have an 80s Prom night (which will be less funny for those of us who were old enough to attend a prom in the 80s). It will also have an Ugly Sweater night. Weezer sings The Sweater Song. Get it?



I am taking this challenge seriously. I intend to make the ugliest sweater the world has ever known. Given that I have been studying ugly sweaters for nearly seven years I need to turn it out. So I gathered every strange, ugly, fluffy, furry yarn that lurked deep in my stash and I began to crochet. Why crochet? Because using a giant hook it goes faster than knitting. When I got to the retreat I was offered my pick from an entire box of novelty yarns. Then I let my friends pick which yarns I should add next. It's really coming along but I don't want to spoil the surprise. So here's just a tease of what's in store.



Just before the retreat I decided I really wanted to knit the Carnaby skirt and that I wanted a tweedy yarn. The very first thing I found in the stash sale (one of the best parts of the retreat) was a bag of about 6-7 skeins of Tahki Designer Homespun Tweeds in a great shade of purple. Sold! I would have cast on on the spot but I didn't have any needles. I did start it right away when I got home and it's an addicting knit. So easy and fun to watch all those little wedges of skirt grow.



I bought several other great yarns like this bag of Koigu.



This stunning handspun by Sandi Soreng.



Color changing yarns like this cotton.



And this surprisingly matching shade of Kauni.



Oh yeah, and some Fleece Artist.



So I left for the retreat with a giant shopping back to sell or give away and I came home with two shopping bags full of yarn! Okay, I better get back to work.

* This retreat has been a super secret, you need to know the secret handshake type of affair for years. After 20-something years they have realized that some new blood will be a good thing. If you would like to get on the mailing list for the it please email me with your name and address and I can pass it on to the retreat coordinator.

November 10, 2011

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Sometimes when I need a pick-me-up I go to Etsy and search on "crochet pants." The results always bring a smile to my face.



If the words "drop crotch" are part of the description it's an extra bonus.

The same designer made a "shirt."



I don't know about you but I'm feeling better already.

November 6, 2011

A Little Thursday for Your Sunday

Thanks to Sarah Kate for sharing this wacky video with me. It fully explains why I don't like thrift stores.

Seventeen Evergreen - Polarity Song from Lucky Number Music on Vimeo.

November 2, 2011

Retreat!

Yes, it's that time of year when I run away from home and spend five days knitting, spinning and relaxing. I think my phone knows what's up because I was playing Words with Friends last night and got this "bingo."



See you next week!