I apologize for all the armpit shots. Aren't you glad I shaved?

I didn't realize it was getting so bad until I started organizing my finished objects pics on my flickr account. Holy crap. One or two shots from that angle look artsy. Two or three could be flattering and even make me look like I have a chest. But, seriously, after clicking through about 12 shots of my pits at the center of various knitted objects is enough to make anyone sick! I swear by all that is knitterly that I WILL find out how to use my damn timer on the digital camera. sheesh.

Anyway, I pulled out this chickami that had been victim to bad colorpooling and frogged it back to the end of the purple stripe (about 5 inches), did some fancy schmancy reworking of the yarn and now have a finished object that I will actually WEAR. Ok, so probably not any time soon since it's getting chilly and winter's on its way, but it's done! So instead of doing a round from each ball of yarn or something else that you're supposed to do to avoid bad colorpooling, I just MADE it stay purple long enough to cover the girls by hacking off any and all purple from the ends of each ball of leftover yarn and then let it go all colorwonky like it wanted to. The back totally doesn't match and I don't even care. It's artsy. Just like the pit shot.

Specs:
Pattern: Chicakmi
Yarn: Ty Dy from Knit One Crochet Too
Needles: 3's and 6's

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all your excitedness for me on the whole getting married thing! I'm still just happy as heck. Also how sweet is my dear friend Chery? She's making me a wedding shawl to wear over a sundress for the wedding. We're doing a very simple ceremony without a lot of fuss, so that made me feel so good to know I'll have this special, beautiful thing to wear. Then, every time I look at it in the future, I'll remember both the day and the sweet woman who made it for me.

The neatest thing happened while I was in MisKnits on Saturday to show my knitting friends the new ring! Tracey came up and introduced herself and her very sweet family. It turns out she's a knitter that bought a bunch of my noro kureyon yarn back on the destash blog. She was shopping with her husband and adorable daughter and HAD a felted bag that she made from that very yarn WITH HER!! How cool is that?


Since I've not posted much lately, here's the pics from the Bed & Breakfast weekend with Jeff. We went to Council Grove, KS and stayed at the Cottage House Bed & Breakfast in their anniversary suite. It was such an amazing weekend. We saw every one of the 23 historical sites and even went out south of town to go hike around the wilderness on a beautiful Kansa tribe trail being created. We also took every backroad we found on the way there and back, so really saw some beautiful country. On the last shot, you really need the audio. I was running through this grass that was up around my knees and shouting "PLEASE DON'T EAT ME SNAKES!! PLEASE DON'T EAT ME SNAKES!!" as we'd disturbed one sunning itself earlier on the hike and since the man I'm now marrying doesn't seem to be able to keep on any trails as marked to save his life, we go through the scenic route everywhere we go. No snakes got me, no ticks either *whew* and I survived the hour and a half hike and even peed outdoors without any unpleasantness. It was a good day for me in the outdoors.






Of course I'm starting more sweaters than I can possibly complete, but I can't help it. The fall weather gets in my blood and I have to start knitting sweaters. More and more sweaters! I cast on and went to town on the start of Glee with some knitpicks Andean Treasure 100% Baby Alpaca lilac yarn that I am recycling from my frogged somewhat cowl that turned out with freakishly long armholes (I must have lost my mind in the middle of the raglan increases and just never stopped). I've already gotten about 2 inches below the sleeve stitches and am excited to see how it turns out. I won't post a picture as it looks like every other just-started raglan sweater.

I'm off to hide from reality a while and knit away for an hour while listening to some Harry Potter on CD. I'm now working my way through listening to the audio books and have just started book 6. Too many people wanting too much from me today...work, schools, laundry, gardening, work, phone calls to return, etc. I'm gonna hide and knit for an hour.

Boyfriend sweater curse THIS!

No, I'm not actually married already, but the boy got on his knees, asked me to marry him and put the ring on my finger. *sigh* How great is that? I'm going to be an actual wife with an actual husband and a house full of kids. The plan is we're going to get married on a boat in Bimini (somewhere in the Bahamas) by his uncle, who's a ship captain of a small charter sailboat/yacht thing, sometime in February. OK, so I'm a total goof and I just love saying the word MARRIED! I keep flashing back to the whole bit from that movie 16 Candles....."she's getting mallied" "married?" "Yes, MALLIED!" Who'd of thunk it? Jeff got us each simple bands of titanium. At one point in the proposal as he was explaining the metal is so strong it can't be cut even to be sized, he explained that the strength of the metal represents our strong bond for each other. *sigh* OK, so I asked him later if the reason for the titanium wasn't also because that way I couldn't break or warp the rings as I have a tendancy to break almost everything I touch eventually and he admitted that was a perk too.

Jeff was amazing. He had a sweet, goofy grin on his face and it was just wonderful. I wish I could remember exactly what he said, but I was so happy and teary and goofy myself. One of my favorite bits was that he told me later that night that he'd carried both rings around the entire weekend we spent at the Bed & Breakfast and just didn't find the right moment. I laughed and said there were at least 42 perfect moments where we were being quiet and happy and romantic and all. His perfect moment at home really was the perfect moment. Just before bed, I was sleepily knitting just one more row and set my yarn aside. He looked at me, told me he had a suprise for me, went and pulled something out of the closet, brought it behind his back and came and got on his knees next to the bed. It's funny as most of our evenings are spent with the two of us getting sleepy, me knitting, him reading or watching tv and snuggled up next together for a little bit before we turn out the lights. It really was the perfect moment.

WEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm just still giddy as heck. Jeff didn't want to wait for February and we're both wearing our rings now. Kids are all happy and we presented it as just one more bond that makes our family strong and nothing changes, we're still all one big ol' family.

How cool is that?

Yarn Sale & Swap tonight (Monday 10/15)

Howdy all! I've got some pics and stories of my fabulous weekend, but my laptop is being posessed and pissy so that'll have to wait for another day. I didn't get to wear the newly lengthened sleeveless tneck as it turned out that Sunday was a lovely, beautiful WARM freaking day. damn nice fall days. I'm ready to wear my wool dammit! Ah well. Back to the good stuff....

Sunflower Guild Yarn Shop & Swap
TONIGHT, Monday, October 15th
5:30pm Setup
6:30pm Guild Meeting
7:00pm SHOPPING and SWAPPING!!!

AT Waddell & Reed (first floor west cafeteria training room)
6301 Glenwood Street
Mission, KS 66202

You don't have to be a guild member to shop, you do need to be one to set up a table and sell or swap. I'll have part of a table. Mine will have some sockyarn (even one skein of Socks that Rock) and other goodies and even a bag of free stuff. There's a silent auction for some of the good stuff that members donate to earn money for the guild too. I think it should be a great time.

Remember! Only YOU can prevent KPB (Knitter's Plumber Butt)

KPB, just say no. I pulled out the lovely tank, knitted another four inches of it and it still is just past the waist, but in a comforting, fitting way. I freaking LOVE this sweater now. I'm wearing it on Sunday to Jeff's grandpa's big family birthday party with my hair up and some seriously dangly silver earrings and a bangle or two. LOVING this with jeans. I'd knit it up originally in April 07, used every ounce of the 2 balls of cascade I'd had and it just almost came to my waist. It looked very sexy as long as I stayed STANDING UP. From now on I'm doing the sit down KPB test on every stinking sweater I make. I stand, measure, admire, then SIT MY ASS DOWN and in a normal fashion, not sitting primly upright like I never do in real life, just when I'm trying on a sweater to see if I can stop knitting it yet. Having a small waist and not so small lower body makes for the lovely extra bagginess at the back of the jeans. Not a problem unless you are wearing a top that stops just ABOVE the gap. One little slump or lean in any direction and it was seriously not a good look for a 39 yr old woman. Now I can sit and wiggle around and slump and slouch and LIVE in this thing.

Specs: Pattern from Stephanie Japel's fabulous book Fitted Knits, Perfect Periwinkle Turtleneck Tube Vest, size XS (I got a little smaller gauge on sz 6 & 9 needles with Cascade 220 and went ahead and knit it up to get a smaller than the S size. (no boobies means a lot less yarn is used, who'd of thought there was a perk to having a size half A cup chest?) Total of 2.25 balls of cascade for a sweater? (not having sleeves also helps!)

I've unraveled SIX INCHES from each of my sleeves on the simple knitted bodice and am hoping to add the leftover yarn on the waistline to AGAIN make the waist a bit longer. Anyone see a pattern here? Cripes. I figure as soon as I think I'm done knitting something I will just automatically knit 4 inches more. It is looking good and should be wearable by the weekend also. I'm getting ready for the cool weather! Bring it on, baby!


Also, I finished my aunt Dot's socks and got them in the mail! WOO HOO! Now both ends of her will be cozy in knitted loverliness. I had SO MUCH yarn left over. MAN those crafty in a good way skeins have a buttload of yarn. I could've made full length legs on them. Ah well. I'll probably make a baby hat out of the rest of it. Regular old 3X1 ribbing with my traditional slip stitch heel and kitchenered toe.

Artwork from our refrigerator

I guess it's a move up from "Hello Crazy Butthead" that we've been sporting for the last month or so. I'm guessing this one is also courtesy of the two 10 yr olds as when I opened the freezer and said "what the heck?" much giggling was heard by David and Elizabeth around the corner and then they were so proud of their work. "Did you see it? *giggle* about the cows? *giggle* *snort* *giggle* Can you believe it?" (snorts were my daughter. I'm afraid she's inherited that ladylike gesture from her momma.)

The ONLY thing I knitted this weekend was my Aunt Dot's socks. She's the one I made the Shedir hat for and is having mostly good days fighting her breast cancer. I thought I could just whip out some socks for her to boot. I mean, if your head AND feet are both cozy the rest of you has to feel better, right? Well, I got the foot and toe done on one pair and just turned the heel on the second one. I forgot that you just don't "whip out" a pair of size 11's. Dang. I know that's not a big size, don't get your dander up people, it's just that I'm not used to knitting that long of a foot. I think I should have enough yarn, weeeee! We'll see. I do love Crafty in a Good Way sock yarn. Gorgeous colors, good feel, good wear and a buttload of yardage. I'm going to keep going on these puppies until they get done and try not get distracted by any other projects. Wish me luck.


The kids have been busy bees picking up bags and bags of acorns. Yes, acorns. Jeff's paying a penny per acorn. The kids are amassing gallon ziplock bags full of them. We've got tons of old oak trees in our front yard and the ground was literally covered with at least 1-2 acorns per square inch. So far he's forked out over $40, which comes to 4000 acorns. It boggles my mind. Then I thought, hey, a couple bags of acorns could get me some new sock yarn! I may have to get picking myself. I think the idea was to give the kids a way to NOT be bored and to earn their own money as well as clearing out the soil a bit for Jeff's fall fertilization/aeration and whatever else he does to the yard. He takes them to his friend's farm and they plant them and throw some out for the deer. Anyone got any ideas of what to do with all these acorns? I've heard of recipes for making acorn pancakes but that's probably not going to happen around here. OK, how weird is it that the recipe page for the acorn pancakes has SQUIRREL recipes on the bottom of hte page? very, very weird. Yes, Jeff has grilled a few squirrels, but I draw the line at cracking and pounding out thousands of acorns when I can buy flour at the damn store. I'm not living off the land yet, dammit. That country shack is still just a shack. I don't go country until it has running water, electricity, air conditioning and "those innnernets" as the local folk call it. Seriously, I'm not making fun. The guy up the road was all excited because he was getting his woman "those innernets" to make her happy.


This was waiting for me this morning from Joey. My favorite flower, a sunflower, done up in iron-beads. The kids spend hours placing these little beads just so on a spiked template and then have an adult iron and fuse them all together. He had told me he was making it for his teacher, could I iron it for him? Turns out it was for his momma. Good kids, huh?


Now that I've finished watching my EZ dvd's I really REALLY want to redo Jeff's neckline on his sweater and add short rows in the back of neck and then decrease in like they say to do. That would be insane, right? I should just leave well enough alone, right? Put down the needles and back away from the sweater, Christine. It's done. Leave it alone. right?

Help! I've cabled and I can't get up!

OK, so I could get up, I just don't seem to be able to walk away from this new project. YES another project. It's fall, my prime time a.d.d. startitis time. It doesn't look like much yet, but I knit almost an entire ball of calmer last night. YES more freaking cotton yarn. This isn't as bad as 100% cotton yarn, but it's still cotton. Damn. I HATE weaving ends on cotton. I don't know why, but it makes me crazy. Pattern is the start of Fifi. There's not that many cables, it's mostly ribbing with some CF4 twisty things every so often. It's absolutely a pattern you have to pay attention to survive, so since the whole gang is here tonight, poor little Fifi will have to wait until next week to get much more done on her. She's being modeled upside down on my feet, so you'll just have to take my word for it, but she's a pretty, pretty little thing. Can't wait to see how this one turns out.

OK, the sign that maybe I need to get out a bit more....I dreamed I was complaining about not knowing how to sew in ends of my calmer so it didn't show so badly (I had to do Jeff's sweater's ends under his arms or on the back and you can SO SO SO see exactly where I did it. rrrrr) to Elizabeth Zimmerman. She pushed her reading glasses down on her nose and took my Fifi and told me "That's why I knit with WOOL, dear." She was just threading a blunt needle to show me how and I woke up. DAMN! Yes, Jeff was traveling last night so I must have fallen asleep while knitting and watching my EZ Knitting Workshop dvd. Too bad I didn't sleep just a few minutes longer, huh?

Finishing my ass off here!

It fits. It freaking fits. Can you believe it? Survived the boyfriend sweater. So far. The picture sucks because the weather around here has been cloudy and rainy whenever we've had the time to take the picture. Jeff wanted to wait and take an artsy photo with trees and leaves in the background, I got tired of waiting and wanted a damn picture. Hence in the dark on the back porch. Ah well. Artsy will follow later.
Specs:
Pattern...Manly Maze from No Sheep for You
Yarn: Rowan Calmer 2 1/2 balls more than yardage calculated originally. (Thank God for yarn shops and knitters on Ravelry)
Needles: sz 7's and 5's circs and dpns
Started: May 2007, knit away until the sleeves, got bored, quit knitting until the first cooler weather arrived, started again, realized I was running out of yarn, freaked out, begged, borrowed and bought more yarn in the same dye lot, finished the motherbugger.
I think it may even be a sweater worn in public and not just an around-the-house kind of sweater. It rocks. After I danced the holy-shit-I-finished-it dance (much thrusting and jazz hands may or may not have been involved here) I got such a feeling of accomplishment that I felt like the best knitter in the world. I highly recommend fininishing a fitting sweater. It's a good thing.

I sat down and finished Joey's blue toed socks, which turned out so cool they had to be renamed. They're now the Sk8er Boy socks.
Specs:
Pattern: my own derived from bits from about 5 other patterns I like. CO 60 stitches on 3X1 ribbing with slip stitch heel.
Yarn: Lorna's Laces one ball of Pioneer and one half ball of denim
Needles: sz 1.5 dpns
Started and Finished: September 2007


I haven't actually finished this one yet, but I have cranked out a lot of knitting on it. It's actually got almost one sleeve done from yesterday and today but I didn't want to take another picture since it's not too exciting yet. I'm hoping to finish it soon and put it away for my daughter's birthday. Cascade 220 rocks.