I'm losing my mind

Heaven help me, I've lost my marbles. Well, I've lost something anyway - in this case, a particular bill I need to pay. You know, it amazes me that I can find every other bill or receipt I've kept for the last five years, but I can't find the one that I absolutely must get in the mail tomorrow. Sigh.

In the good news section, I got the glow-in-the-dark yarn I ordered today. I just have to decide what to make with it.

And now, back to the frantic search. Tomorrow, I'll call the company and ask once again why they don't have online payments so I don't have to do this every month. Sigh.

Making Progress

Apparently all it takes to get me off my duff is a little challenge. I've finished the second dishcloth and a got a couple more rows done on my exchange gift.

So...I've spent a few minutes browsing around online for ideas on a challenge project. Something that incorporates a technique I haven't done before and looks complicated (but preferably isn't THAT complicated). Perhaps something like this pillow?



Or maybe, this hat?



I'll have to keep thinking about it. 4 more projects to finish first!

Party hearty

Koolaid, vodka,
My crocheting and thou...

Sounds like a party to me! :) Well, so far tonight I've finished one of the dishcloths, and I am working on the second. It looks like I'll have enough cotton left over for at least one more, possibly two.

Wendy's Frogner is looking absolutely amazing - if you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend you check it out. I am still amazed at the sheer speed with which she gets these marvelous creations finished -- it can take me a couple of months to finish a simple project (only knitting for an hour or so in the evenings might have something to do with that, too).

So, here's my challenge to myself. Finish 5 projects (the dishcloths, my exchange gift, the Eros scarf, Baby Olé and at least one other) in the next two weeks, and then look for a fair isle or more challenging pattern to work in my "at home" knitting time. Like the Little Engine that Could - I think I can, I think I can...

Knitting a Web

Isn't it funny how being a webmistress for a site can be analogous to knitting a garment? Each piece must be in place, and if the patterns match the entire item gains harmony. In short, this is what I've been up to this evening.

Perhaps later this week I'll give my personal site an overhaul. Then again, it all depends on the time I have. Poor little site, so badly neglected... At the very least I need to get my patterns published. I have two patterns fully written out and a couple more that I am unventing - so far I have at least gotten my 2-sided scarf pattern online and the rest will come as quickly as I can.

But what have you knit for me lately?

Yes, yes, I know I need to get more work done on my exchange gift. Part one is close to halfway done, and I have to decide what else will go in the box.

In the meantime, I've been contemplating doing a couple of these:


See, we're doing another Character Building Exercise over at Knit & Chat, and Stashie mandated the use of yarn from our stash that is two years old or older. I've got a lot of cotton, and a few people have been hinting at needing dishcloths anyway. Well, I'd better get started. :)

RIP Bob Hope

Just heard that Bob Hope passed away - Godspeed, Bob.

Today, we paint!

Actually, my friend E painted a wall and I sat and kept her company with my knitting. I got a fair bit on Baby Olé done - I am almost to the start of the second sleeve.



Some of the progress came yesterday during our knitting circle time - but I only did two rows then before starting back on Eros scarf #3. I think I'll work on finishing that scarf this week, then back to the Baby. M already finished hers, and it looks fabulous! I'd link her blog here, but I don't have the link (so M, baby, if you read this, make a comment so the folks out there can see your wonderful work!). I helped her get started with a crochet edging to the collar rather than the shawl collar as in the pattern, and she took off with the idea and did a great job. Me so jealous.

...and now, it is time to take my newly shorn head (oh yeah, I got a haircut) away from the computer monitor so I can actually get some work done around here... :)

Winds of change

Well, it was about time for a change around here - what do you think? I've seriously revamped my template and I dropped the TagBoard and WeatherPixie. The comments should be back up and working, though.

On today's knitting agenda: getting the 3rd Eros scarf done. I think I'll also work on Baby Olé this afternoon - I am almost to the point of the second sleeve, then I just have to join up the sides and knit the shawl collar. One of my knitting circle buds is also making this sweater, but she is leaving off the collar, letting the st st sides curl naturally. I think I will put the collar on this one, but I am making a second one that I may leave the collar off.

Fixing broken things

*sigh* My comments function appears to be down. Again. I've gotta get a new provider.

Well, to answer a question that was raised in yesterday's comments as well as in emails, the color of the yarn used in the cuff shown is Kaleioscope - it is an older (and I believe, discontinued) Red Heart color. I love the colors in the skein, but I don't think the 2x2 ribbing is doing it justice. The cuff has not yet made its final trip to the frog pond yet, though - I think I'll leave it on the needles for a few days, and if I still don't like it after I finish up a couple other projects, I'll rip it out.

As far as fixing broken things goes, besides the comments, I also have a couple of necklaces to repair, so I may not get much knitting done tonight. Too bad my beadwork and jewelry repair kit takes up more room than I have here at my computer - otherwise I'd get my blog reading rounds done, too. :)

Will it croak?

I sit here debating whether one of my current WIPs will take that trip to the frog pond. I like the yarn colors, but I'm not sure if I like how they're melding in this wrist cuff that I am making.



What do you think - should I declare this specimen a victim of the pond's catch and release policy?

When Martians Attack...

...you don't get much knitting done. Heh. I decided to pop in a movie while I work on my Secret Buddy exchange gift, but it is hard to keep focus - I haven't seen this movie before.

At least the part I am currently knitting is easy enough to follow without looking at it. :D The colors are amazing, though!

Tribute to a poem

In the Daily Blah we see a poor purple bear... And Chris' question is, is it real?

I don't know, but I'm feeling rather Burgess-istic, now.

I wonder if I can work this into my knitting somehow:
I've never knit a purple bear;
I never thought I'd knit one,
But after this sordid affair
I think I'd like to get one.

Sunday afternoon pinks and yellows

Lazy days are here again...well, not really. I think I am mostly recovered from VBS *grin* and I finally have a spare minute or two to get some knitting done.

Yesterday I crocheted another HABU scarf at my LYS (they're super easy, fast and fun) for one of the other ladies to give to her boss. I can't wait for the LYS owner to get in more of these kits so I can buy a couple for myself. In the meantime, I've been searching for yarns to make similar, yet different, scarves. I've found a couple great possibilities for the center yarn - one being this Adriene Vittadini eyelash that was on closeout. I still haven't found the best yarn for the outerparts, although I did find a fabric trim at Hancock that was a possibility. Too bad they only had about 3 1/2 yards of it.

Let's see, I also got more of my Baby Olé donre, as well as more on one of the Eros scarves. Today I've been relaxing but this week I've got to get back to some serious knitting time!

TGIF!

Sometimes you just have to give thanks for the little things in life. I am thankful that it is FRIDAY because it has been a very long week for me. We've transitioned a lot of projects at work, and with that in combination with teaching VBS every night this week, I'm exhausted! (It was fun, though... :)

I did manage to get another couple inches done on Baby Olé, and I should start the second sleeve sometime in the next couple days.

Texas, Our Texas

You're Texas!

You aren't really much of your own person, but everyone around
you wishes you'd go away, so you might as well be independent.  You're
sort of loud-mouthed and abrasive, but you do have a fair amount of power.  You
like big trucks, big cattle, and big oil rigs.  And sometimes you really
smell.  But it's not all bad, you're big enough to have some soft spots
somewhere in all that redneck madness.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

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Actually, I took the quiz several times, and I only ever got these two results: Texas and Thailand.


You're Thailand!
Calmer and more staunchly independent than almost all those around you, you have a long history of rising above adversity.  Recent adversity has led to questions about your sexual promiscuity and the threat of disease, but you still manage to attract a number of tourists and admirers.  And despite any setbacks, you can really cook a good meal whenever it's called for.  Good enough to make people cry.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

Just-a singin'

Ok, so maybe you can't hear my severe drawl when I say (well, sing) my title. It's ok, I sing to myself all the time. Right now, I have today's VBS songs on permanent repeat in my head. :)

A couple people have asked that I report the colors used here in my blog. From now on I'll try to do that, but some yarns come from my stash with no labels on -- if I can't provide a color, I will try to at least include what brand of yarn I used.

As promised, here are the pics of the other 3 completed chemo caps. I have one more on the needles right now, using Joan Fernbach's pattern for Chinchilla yarn.


How chic is this?

The above hat is done with the No Hair Day hat pattern from Headhuggers.org in brown Gedifra Micro Chic. The yarn is bulkier than the hat pattern calls for, but it worked well and provides some extra stretch so that the hat fits better and stays on one's head.

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This hat was crocheted from Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue. Unfortunately the site where I got the pattern does not appear to be available, but it is a simple double crochet beanie with fpdcs worked around the band.

---

Finally, the above hat is crocheted from Red Heart Simply Soft in Cranberry. This is easily my favorite of all the hats, partially because I created the pattern myself as I went along. I've already given the hat away, but when I have the time I will make another so that I can work out the exact pattern and publish it.

Speaking of publishing patterns - after this VBS session finishes, my next project will hopefully be getting my few patterns up on my website for everyone to use. Keep an eye out for them! :)

Back to work

Well, my vacation is now officially over and I am going back to work today. The only problem with vacation is the amount of backlog you know you have to look forward to when you get back to work. Ah, well - best get to it. :)

I did finish a total of 4 chemo caps over the last week or so, and I'll get pics up as soon as I can. We also have VBS running this week for church, so things are a little hectic around here. :)

Home again,

...home again, jiggety jog.

Well, I am officially back in town, dealing with minor crises that cropped up while I was away. You gotta love the fact that toilets always seem to wait until you are away for more than 24 hours to start overflowing. THankfully I walked in the door within about 15 minutes of it starting - not too much mess to clean up. Still, ugh.

I didn't get too much knitting done, although I did finish another chemo cap and started a 3rd. This weekend I hope to have that and a 4th hat finished to give to my friend on Sunday.

Vacation...

Gotta love vacation time! I may be blogging while off work, I may not -- don't know yet. (Yeh, no exotic locations for me -- maybe next year.) I do know that I am going to try to complete as many chemo caps as possible.

Happy 4th of July to all my US friends! :)

Ah-choo!

*sniff* 'Scuse me -- apparently this Micro Chic is making me sneeze. It is working up into a beautiful hat, though. This eyelash yarn has a thicker core, and it is not as hairy as Apart, but it is so cozy and cute! I did forget that it takes me a bit longer to knit a hat than crochet, so I won't get the "hat a night" plan accomplished, but I already have a fair bit done.