World Series…… October 23, 2007

ticket sales suck. 

I spent the whole two hours watching a countdown screen count down about 15 times, then crash, so I ended up at the back of the line watching it countdown again.   The worst thing is hearing people who got online and had tickets 20 minutes later.  I had so hoped hubby could go, but I guess it is just not to be. 😦

I am beginning to wish they would ban ticket brokers though as this is about the third event my family has not had a chance to attend this year.  I do know we had slim chances of getting tickets anyway, but to see tickets selling for more than my car costs, when they were purchased for less than $250.00 is a little tough to swallow.

Poodles and boobs…….. October 21, 2007

Friday I did a little hanging out, I really needed it y’all.  It was my first knitting group and is was so nice.  I was always a little nervous to go to knitting groups, but we had a blast, and it was hard not to since we were knitting boobs.  They actually call it "knitty titty" 🙂

Anyhoo, why knit boobs?  Because some women lose theirs to breast cancer.  It has been discovered that the knitted boobs are moldable, realistic and comfortable.  Anyway, as charity knitting it is easy and quick.  I finished two of them. (not quite a set though as they are different sizes 🙂 These are mission falls wool, on knit on size 6 needles, one on size 8, since my gauge is REALLY close to the same for both, I think in the future I will need to do some serious thought about gauge.  Typically I pick gauge free projects.

 

After boob knitting I put some final finishing touches on a poodle skirt for my Niece, now if you ask me a poodle skirt for an almost 5 year old is ALLLL about the crinoline, so I didn’t shirk, I made a petticoat…look.. an upskirt (lol)

 

The only model the proper size in my house is male, so in order to not be a cruel mom all faces omitted from pictures 🙂

He is getting a hand knitted hat in the color of his choice for being a model for me, so I am not all that cruel….and just to end on a happy note:

 

A whole basketful of boobs 🙂

Intricate Stag Bag….. October 19, 2007

 

Is done.  Finished.  and my new favorite bag. 

The ladies at work tell me this looks like a designer bag, I am thrilled as it really represents some of my best work yet 🙂

What I really love is that in this picture, the bag is fully loaded, and by fully, I mean fully. 

  Lined and interfaced for structure……

The details:

Brown Sheep Naturespun sportweight, 1.5 skeins of Plumberry (the brown) and .5 skein of the same in an unidentified orange color. (unidentified as it was purchased with the wrong label on it) 

Size 6 needles (I used my Knit Picks Options 🙂

Final is approx. 11" wide and 14" inches tall (a bit different than the pattern, but a lovely size, I never really checked my gauge, as this bag in any size would make me happy)

The good:  Are you looking at this thing?? I LOVE it.  Lined with some beautiful fabric purchased from a local quilting shop for the sole purpose of lining this bag.  The handles are from Joann’s, and the closure is a magnetic strap.  The lining was interfaced with a medium weight interfacing, and the top part or the bag has been given some extra structure with the addition of some Timtex.  The lining was then hand sewed onto the bag.  The handles are sewn on with some heavy duty thread, with Icord over the top to maintain the knitted look.  I had enough fabric to make this bag full of pockets, but the final shape really lent itself to being solidly lined.  I have a lot of taller narrower bags, and the pockets in them are not so functional.  Since I have extra fabric, it will eventually become a series of removable accessories to go with this bag. 

The bad: there are a few mistakes in my chart following abilities, I am also thinking I really need to work some more on picking up stitches as there is a visible pick up line at one point in the bag.

The Ugly: This was my second attempt at this bag.  The first really didn’t go so well as I was using Red Heart Classic, which is not a good choice for stranded colorwork. 

Giggles……… October 10, 2007

Which for the record used to be my girl scout camp name……

BUT also something I do frequently. Usually to myself.  Usually because I am about to say something VERY mean, and rather than say it I bite my tongue and giggle.  But don’t ever take it wrong if I just quietly giggle around you, chances are I am thinking of something else, like something really mean I didn’t say earlier to someone else.

There do be some knitting here folks…. 

Even though my stag chooses to look right instead of left I am very pleased so far.  Granted there are some other pretty significant errors here, things I could do better, but I am betting no one will see them but me.  (and other knitters….. just keep your distance and all will be cool…..) Still for a first try at larger scale colorwork, and digestion of a lot of new concepts in knitting, (english and continental at ONCE???) (catching floats every few stitches??) I am thinking it is just fine 🙂

The homefront is dandy, and conferences are this week for both kiddos.  I think that it will be a good year.  Hubby and I have pretty lax standards in regards to school and performance.  As long as the kiddos behave relatively well, are not causing trouble for other kiddos, have some social concepts in their realm of existence and no D’s or F’s things are good.  I am skeptical of any who thinks grading schemes are an appropriate way to judge their children’s intelligence, diligence or any of those things they should represent.  I could get on a soapbox here…. but maybe I should save it till after conferences 🙂  I do however have issues with the public school system, and although I am of the firm belief the education is not nearly as dismal as some would lead you to believe, there are most assuredly areas for improvement.

DS called me out last night just to see the colors of the sky, so I would be remiss if I didn’t post a sunset picture.

I love a good show 🙂 (plus I am secretly gloating inside because my dead tree no longer graces the neighborhood skyline)

The tree…. October 7, 2007

Before.

After.

Good-bye, old friend. 

Bunny….. October 5, 2007

Started this guy on the sly a while back for a coworker and his wife who will be having their first soon.  Only (as typical) with first babies, this wee one decided to wait a while for a debut.  I figured just so I cannot be held responsible I better finish what I was knitting.  I am pretty convinced these days that one can’t be too sure where babies are concerned 🙂 I have been told that I did well, and even managed to match the nursery…. (happy sigh)

Knitterly observations….. October 4, 2007

The intricate stag bag???

I just want to say that if you start on purl row, going in the wrong direction and you keep this up for the whole time you knit, your image will be backwards from the chart.  Amazingly enough, it looks fine, just backwards.  I am still wrapping my brain around the fact I had to be half way done with the charted panel to realize that such a thing was taking place.  

On the bright side, one of my big work projects is currently under review….meaning I AM DONE WITH IT.  So at least I regain that much sanity today 🙂

Trivet…. October 2, 2007

This weekend the kids got a touch crafty.  They broke out the perler beads, I just went for beads.  While at Grandma’s this summer, she pulled out a nifty beaded trivet.  Something about it caught my fancy, and I had to make one.  I wish I had taken a picture of hers, but like a dunce I just took notes, my notes must have been OK though, cause check it out…..

A nifty beaded trivet 🙂  Mine is smaller than the original, since I really had not realized how many beads it would take to produce one of these, but I quite like the size in the end.  As you can see our house has already taken on Halloween in full force.  So the fall colors are in…..

I have started an afghan, but I am currently so not sold on it.  I have my favorite afghan book from the library, so the start may just be ripped back for something I am sold on.  I also restarted a color work project from this summer.  When I originally saw the pattern for the Intricate Stag Bag I knew I must have it.  But feeling thrifty, I decided to get meself some lovely red heart to work it with.  Folks, color stranding with red heart?????? Not fun. Only I did not know the problem was the red heart, I thought it was me.  After a frog session, the pattern sat all by itself in the knitting bag, lonely and forlorn.  Then some lovely Ravelry dears informed me that really I ought to try some wool. 

I avoided it for a bit, but then finally found myself at Knitty Cat buying some Brown Sheep Nature Spun in sport weight.  Anyway, I admit I was skeptical at first that yarn could make such a big difference, but I am now convinced,  I will admit that the wool is working up MUCH nicer 🙂 

Red nails courtesy of DD.  I am not sure you can see it in the picture, but the red is overlaid with yellow glitter, very unique :-).

 I always have and always will encourage foolish fashion of the temporary nature.  Hair grows back, nails can be cleaned, clothes can be changed, and makeup washed away. 

Fall…. October 1, 2007

It has been so busy at work and otherwise that fall has kind of crept up on me.  It seems just this morning driving to work I realized that it is actually fall.  At least the trees in my yard have enough decency to wait for some truly fall weather to put on some color.  I did actually accomplish a fall project this weekend, and I have a new wip to show…. (maybe, I was a bit brain dead this weekend to be following a chart 🙂 As it is I experienced my first moment of Christmas panic this morning….. so is the life of the crafty.  Welcome to the season eh??

I shall break out the camera tonight, since I am sure my evening will be consumed by baseball.  (Rockis, Padres, some big play off game, all around me have baseball fever) and will be back later.