Monday, December 26, 2011

PHEW! glad that's over.......

For anyone who knows me, you know that I am more "bah humbug" than happy holidays.
Maybe it was all those years in a retail environment, listening to mickeys clock shop, maybe it's the fact that the holidays truly bring out the "best" in folks. (sarcasm intended) Don't know. I'm usually just glad when it's all over and we can move on to spring.

I did get some goodies, though, a large and very cool yarn bowl, filled with some alpaca silk from zz alpacas. The yarn is a dark grey/almost black and I think I'm going to go and get another skein of whitish to do a two color something, probably shawl. The cool thing is, if you go to their website, you can see the exact animal your yarn came from. www.zzalpacas.com Love it!

I also got this cute little guy from my husband. A couple of years ago, I discovered the metal art of henry dupere and fell in love. I had a large hanging bat shipped home from santa fe and he hangs by my back door. I've loved the owls ever since, so here ya go. He'll look cute on the new house.













I've been working away at the violets scarf too. See those two tiny balls of yarn at the top there? That's all I have left. Not enough to finish. POOH! I already pm'd someone on ravelry who's also made this and she gave me the scoop. All the kits were short and when they had the class last spring, they handed out "extras" so the folks in the class could finish. I bought mine at sock summit as a leftover. I'm a bit disappointed that blue moon KNEW they were all short, and didn't include the extra in the kit I purchased. I've emailed the designer (she's awesomely great), hopefully she'll have a couple of extra ones kicking around from the class. If not, I'll have to invest $40 more and buy 2 skeins of STR I really wasn't planning on purchasing.
POOH! Again.















I'm also working on the knitty sweater, the one with the donegal tweed, but there's not much to show there yet.

In house news, we spent last week gathering up financial records and filling out loan applications. The contractor was ON his part and got it done within 24 hours. (they're a little hungry around here) Things are progressing nicely, but at a standstill due to the holiday today and our loan guy being on vacation this week. Now it's just a waiting game for the money, which I don't think will be a problem, just stressful.
Better go buy that alpaca!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

A much better week

Along about wednesday, the planets went back where they belong. No big fanfare, but I definitely felt them shift back into place with a quiet little "snick", and things calmed down considerably. Thank goodness. Enough was enough already.
So, I did what any good knitter would do. I bought yarn.












The pics can't even BEGIN to do these justice. When I opened the package, it caused me to suck in my breath, they're so beautiful. The 4 similar ones are bugga box jellyfish, purchased for the water and stone sweater, the more blue ones, which are really a gorgeous color of burple in real life, just sort of came along for the ride. They're skinny bugga. I was feeling a bit guilty for spending $ so close to christmas, but not now.

In other knitting news....I finished my irish hiking scarf for the neighbor. Blue's her favorite color, ya know










and started working on this fun little colorwork scarf/table runner that I bought at sock summit last summer. You can't quite see them yet, but it's tiny little violets.
It was love at first sight when the designer flashed it at a class this summer. I was lucky enough to find one of the few leftover kits at the blue moon booth.










In house news, last week the contractor told us we had already done the hard part by picking out everything. I totally disagree. The hard part is making the decision to go to the bank and borrow the money. Up till now, it's been a fun activity in "wouldn't THIS be cool?", now we have to make the commitment and figure out how to actually PAY for it. The other scary thing is that once we get the financing, the contractor is ready to start NOW. Like, RIGHT NOW!! (they're a bit hungry around here) We could be celebrating next christmas in our new house.
Exciting and frightening all at the same time.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

I'm blaming the planets

I usually consider myself a pretty even keel kind of person, not a lot of drama or bad days. This week more than made up for it. No real drama, but one crappy incident after another.
It all started when I went to work on sunday. The place was supposed to be prepared for the day and it was not, by a far cry. We had to scramble and make things look nice before the members came in and we were still scrambling after we were done to make it better for the next day. I should have taken the clue there and stayed in bed the rest of the week. It was just one crappy thing after another, the Y front desk person disn't show up monday to let us in, 3 our of 4 clients cancelled monday, tuesday, way worse, still feeling bad about that one. Wed, woke up with a sore throat and LOOK! Here's the territory manager there to evaluate me. Sure, why not...
By thursday, the best buy gift card I bought STILL didn't work (note to self, never buy anything from best buy again), and my sore throat had turned into a raging cold.
It IS getting better, though.......
My friend johnette says it was the a convergence of the planets. I'm kind of prone to believing her. I should have taken her advice and gone back to bed on wed and stayed there.














Darned plants! They're supposed to be un-converged (is that a word?)
by the middle of this week, and I'm ready for it. So I did what any good knitter would do in times of trouble.

I bought yarn.......
The winter knitty came out, and it was love at first sight for the skyisle sweater. I immediately went to WEBS and bought the required yarn. Now if it would just ship!
I also joined the newest Mary Scott Huff KAL, a colorwork "thing". I only had to know it was Mary to be in.
And...I'm seriously considering the unique sheep little prince KAL that starts in march.

The only good things this week? The hummingbirds are back!
















The landscape designer is working on our house landscape plans...and, we got the price tag on the house. The fact that I'm even writing this says that I didn't have a heart attack. It was somewhere between $1.98 and $1,000,000, a little higher than expected, but not unexpected. We want this to be NICE, and that costs some money. It will be the house we retire in (we'll probably be paying for it at least that long).
Next step, talking to banks about getting some money. That's the scary one, because it really means "commitment".
Next week....
hopefully scoring some bugga and finishing christmas knitting.
(gotta build up that stash, don't cha know)

Sunday, December 04, 2011

damask is done

really, it's been done for a while, but I finally pulled it out and blocked it yesterday. The pics don't do it justice, it's much more burgandy than pink, and it's beautiful.....











Now I'm working on my elizabeth shawl. It's pretty scrunched up, but here's about a half mile of this cable pattern. It should go pretty fast now, since it's all stockinette short rows......



and, by special request, here's the doggie brothers. They're going to a couple of other brothers that are 1 and 3.... I hope they like them








In house news....we'll be meeting with the contractor on friday to go over the price.
EEEK!!! Keep your fingers crossed it's somewhere south of what donald trump could afford. I should also be hearing from the landscape planner soon as well. I'm really excited to see what she'll come up with for our little acre.
We'll also be hanging out around the house on friday because they're delivering our new hot tub. We had a little (ahem) shopping spree on black friday and decided to trade in our old hot tub for the new racing model. No worries, we'll take it with us when we move......

Here, by the way, is my kind of christmas.

Monday, November 21, 2011

In a knitting slump.....

So, a couple of weeks ago, I had this beautiful skein of YOWZA whatta skein, to make into socks. It's 600 yards of yarny heaven and it was all wound into 2 even balls and stored in a plastic bag for some toe-up socks. I finished my damask and went to look for the yowza....missing. Not to be found anywhere.
CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE!!!!!!!
It threw me completely into a knitting funk. NOW WHAT???
(not to fear, I have plenty of yarn)
I think I know who the guilty yarn thieving culprit is.









He's not talking, though.
Couldn't be THIS guy.... he's too cute to get blamed.






After much frothing at the mouth, searching, and yes, a bit of cursing, I've decided to move on......
Can I interest anyone in a (yarn fattened) onery siamese?????

Sunday, November 13, 2011

ok, the time change thing kicked my butt!!!!

It didn't seem too bad last sunday, but I spent the rest of the week all messed up and tired. I'm finally just now recuperating.

On a happy note, I won a couple of blog contests!
here's the spoils of my luck.......
knit local - a very interesting book, I kind of like it.













and a couple of pretty skeins of yarn from the twins jan and ellen.
They have a really great blog and I read it regularly, just to see what they're up to. I've also met both of them at 2 different sock summits and they're great gals.
(and they have good taste in yarn)








I also finished my damask - no pics of that yet. It needs ends woven in and blocking so right now it just looks like "spaghetti". Next week, my pretties......

Next up on the knitting front, I'm back to some christmas knitting, there's only 41 more knitting days left (42 if you knit right up to christmas eve), and I still have a pair of man-socks, some fingerless gloves, and I need to finish and block my sister's rock and weave socks. Think I'll make it??

On the house front.....after the eye-opening experience that kitchen cabinets were, I'm off today to pick out flooring. We've spent a lot of time on this and we're still not quite 100 percent sure about all of it.
We do know that this will be the accent for the master bath shower....
use your imagination.

Sunday, November 06, 2011

move along now, nothing to see here.......

well, not much knitting to report THIS week. My creativity has all been sucked up with kitchen cabinets, flooring and tile, oh my! Who knew it would be SO hard to pick a kitchen. First of all, it's a HUGE investment, and secondly, it's a HUGE choice.
When you think that the place we went has 3 different manufacturers, who each have 20 different door styles, that can be made out of 10 different woods, which can then be stained with 10 different stains (yes, that adds up to 6,000 choices). Now, keep in mind that you have NO IDEA how much anything costs, because they don't do it that way - at least that would help narrow it down a bit - I think my brain is going to explode. Oh, and, by the way, it needs to match the flooring too!

You can see why I just can't think any more.
I am working on my damask, and I've decided I HATE nupps, so mine won't have any. THERE!!
Next week, back to some christmas knitting, but I also meet with the landscape designer on monday, the interior designer on wednesday and the flooring gal for the "official" flooring pricing on sunday. We're almost there, though, just a few more $$$$$ details, like a garage door, and then....... $$$$$$$$ sticker shock, I'm sure!
As you can see, the doggies are very excited at the prospect of getting a new house.










oh, and p.s. the monkey coat fit!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Happy Halloween!

I know, it's tomorrow, but I'm here today!

This week brought some happy fun......
I won a contest. The wonderful Kerrie, way over there in Germany sent me this gorgeous yarn that she dyed herself, and some wonderful german chocolates.
Wait! There's some missing! OOPS!
Not sure what I'll make with it, but I love the colors.











I also spent most of the week making a custom knit doggie sweater with monkey for cousin Newt. Newt is my sister's jack russel baby, and he's cute as heck. He totally deserves the monkey sweater that yogi is modeling here. (it's too small for yogi - my BIG baby) I think he's a little jealous, though, he's a boxer and they ain't got no hair, so he needs a sweater too!














Yesterday, I cast on for a Damask shawl with the madtosh light dahlia. The KAL wasn't working out too much for me, so I decided to use another of kitman's patterns and I've been eyeing damask for a long time. I'm getting the itch to do a nice cabled sweater, though, so, maybe that'll be next. (after the christmas knitting is all done)


On the house front, friday was lighting, plumbing and appliances day. Imagine walking into an appliance store and going, "I'll have that, that, that and that!".
It WAS rather fun. I spent a WHOLE bunch of money on paper, also fun.

Next week it'll be kitchen, floors,tile, and garage door speaking of spending a whole bunch of money. I'm also calling in the landscape designer we've picked out because we need to start thinking about WHERE on the acre of property this house will be built. After we see the kitchen gal on friday, I'll also be calling the interior designer. I wanted to make most of my choices and have her help with some of the more difficult things, like, how to light the studio, and pulling the whole color thing together. This is really a lot of fun!

Happy Halloween!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

windows and doors and floor plans, OH MY!

This week we did some major work on the house. On friday, we went out and picked out windows (milguard montecito with a craftsman style grid at the top) and doors. The molding threw us for a bit of a loop, though. Do you know how many styles of molding there are out there????? Then, friday night, we went and met with the contractor and the designer to work out some details of the plan, like, radiant heat flooring (not an option in my book) and whether or not we will build with SIP panels (still an option- we're working on that). We feel like we have a pretty good handle on the floor plan. The next step is plumbing and electrical, which I hope to go do this week, and then kitchen - that's a big one. We're going to get a few quotes and options on the kitchen. We want it to be nice, but not over the top.


In knitting news, I took a class yesterday on double knitting. It was fun, but I was kind of hoping there would be a bit more talk of colorwork. The person teaching the class said she had trouble finding double knitting patterns. I told her I'd found a BUNCH on ravelry, and she said "oh, I guess there might be some on there". And, THAT, folks, is why I don't usually take classes at my LYS. :(

I have also been working on the DIC october scarf and it's almost done, but too squished up to see anything yet. I think I'm going to run a couple of rows short on yarn, this has happened before with DIC, so I'll go as far as I can and bind off. Probably have pics next week.
The little doggies are all sewn up too, thanks to a VERY long online training for weight watchers. I just need to make one more little shirt.

Last but not least, look what $5 will get ya......
Doggies were very curious...









I weeded out the acrylic and a few others I didn't want - they'll be donated to the master gardeners for their crafty projects......
I kept the wool......It'll make good dog sweaters.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

not much knitting to report,

again....
but I do have this really cute boxer pumpkin. This is a stencil from the better homes and gardens website. They have several dog breeds and, yes, even cats. It's a fun place to go and play...









See the resemblance??









I am working on my knit doggies for a friend's grandsons. Pardon the fact that he's armless. They're made, I just have to make his shirt first, so I can get the placement of the arms. (he gets a cute little shirt and pants) - there's another one too.
I don't think I'm going to finish the KAL I'm doing. Love the yarn, love the color, just not loving the pattern. I think I'll frog it and start something else.
Next up, more christmas knitting........




P.S. the house is coming along swimmingly. Loving the plan so far, just a few more tweaks, a whole bunch of picking stuff out, and we'll be ready.....Check please!
(for the heart attack when we see the price tag)

Monday, October 10, 2011

decisions, decisions.......

I've got virtually nothin' for ya knitting-wise. Last week was super busy with working. I did start some doggies for my friend's grandbabies. I got 4 legs, 2 heads, and a tail done before I was side-tracked knitting a shawl for my boss who is leaving next week. I've also been working on the mystery KAL, and that's pretty time consuming. This week should be slower work-wise, and crappier weather-wise, so I should see more progress.

Most of my time has been spent on the new house, trying to anticipate all the things we'll have to pick out and using the internet to find ones I like before I get to meet with the interior designer. At $100 per hour, you don't want to waste a bit of time hemming and hawing.

Next week, I should be getting the new judy's magic cast on book, and my dream in color october yarn (couldn't resist it - it reminded me of indian corn). Hopefully we'll be able to hook up with the interior designer too.......
Since there's no knitting content to speak of, I'll leave you with a boy and his monkey man.......My little baby's all growed up

Sunday, October 02, 2011

another one down

so, this week I finished another christmas gift. Gentian socks for my friend. These were a fun, free, cabled pattern and an easy knit. Love the madtosh sock I made them with.
On to the next gift.......














I also won a contest. The very generous robin of robin's nest sent me this beautiful green yarn, some patterns and some hershey's kisses (oops, the kisses are missing). I had entered this contest about 3 months ago, and it was a pleasant surprise to be the random winner. Thanks Robin!












Last but not least, cinnamon brown is modeling my new book, knit-swirl. I've been coveting it for a while, but, no discount on amazon. Knitpicks, however, was quite accomodating and put it on sale for 40% off, so, there ya go. I needed some new size 4 dpn's anyway to do my beekeeper, so, had to have it.











There are some more books on the way. I've pre-ordered judy's magic cast on, socktopus, and the principles of knitting. All due in oct-dec.

This week I also started the Koi-rama KAL. It's quite involved, but turning out very nicely. When I get caught up on that, I'll start my next christmas gift. I think it's going to be a couple of knitted doggies for johnette's grandsons.

On the house front, we should be getting the preliminary plans back this week, and we're headed to the tacoma home show next weekend to look for ideas!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

goodies!

and free wollemeise!
the wollemeise is the prize for completing all 3 projects from the loopy ewe camp loopy. I'll definitely be doing it again next summer, wollemeise or not. It was a blast!











Of course to get my wollemeise, I felt the need to place an order. This yumminess is madtosh light in the dahlia colorway. I got it for the koi rama knit along that starts oct 1. I love kitman's patterns and I hope this will be no exception. The yarn is actually a bit more berry than pink. Trust me, it's gorgeous











I also got my anne kit this week. I love the pattern, although I might add a 3 stitch garter border at the top to keep it from rolling. The yarn, not so much. It's quite a bit lighter than the photos and has a dime-sized patch of white where the dye didn't take. Next time I'll just wait and get the pattern.











One more fun thing. The knitter's life list. So far it seems to be a pretty fun book. No patterns at all, just all about knitting, techniques, etc. A good bedtime read. Next to it is our version of the house plan. The other one is still out with the professional, hopefully we'll see something this week!

Monday, September 19, 2011

some (almost) fo's

I know, I'm late. I have a good reason, though. Yesterday was the final class for the colorwork sweater. It's almost done, just needs some work on the seams to finish.
The color is not as pink as this pic.
























I also finished the phoenix and the carpet KAL. Needs to be blocked. I loved the yarn and the color "african violets". I'll definitely do more with the unique sheep.












(snoopy boxers not included)

Some socks got done too. Rock and weave to be a christmas present. They just need a toe and some buttons. What's that next to the sock? It's a hexipuff. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon for the beekeepers quilt. I figure I have enough "bits" to go quite a ways. I'll work on it a bit at a time, no rush.



this week, hopefully I'll get the knitting with jane kit, enroll for a kitman figueroa KAL in october, get a couple of books I ordered and start another christmas present pair of socks.

In house news, it's off at the designer's. Should have a first draft plan soon!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

too hot to knit

well, being the pacific nw girl I am, I HATE hot weather. Guess what! This week has been the longest stretch over 80 degrees in history. Yep, we set a record. It's pretty much impossible to think about knitting or sitting with a wool sweater on your lap when you're baking. So, the colorwork sweater sits in the "craft room" (also known as the crap room), without it's sleeves. I'll need to finish it this week, though, because the final class is on next week sunday. Good thing it's going to be cooler.

The only knitting I've done this week was yesterday, while I hung out at the farmer's market for the master gardeners. I worked on my sister's christmas sock, and really, got quite a ways. It's the rock and weave sock and there's not really much to think about there knitting-wise, just go. Makes a good doing something else project. No pics, though.

I didn't even buy any yarn this week, imagine that, although I did get some. I'll have to show pics next time. The really cool thing we DID do was meet with a contractor and sign a design agreement for our new house. I'm really excited about the whole creative aspect of picking out stuff and working with an interior designer and landscape designer to pull it all together.

I'll leave you with some doggie inspiration.......
they're very happy about maybe having a new house too. They'll get their own door and kennel if all goes well.

Hairy Boxer just because it cracks me up every time I see it.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

back from the beach












and baking too boot!
It never gets very hot around here, that's why I LIKE it. This week, we are having a string of days that are close to 90 degrees. Hard to think about knitting. It was sunny and warm at the beach though, and a good time was had by all.











Before we left, the mailman brought me this:
Mrs. Dalloway kit from woolgirl. I'm not that hot on the pink, but the pattern is great and by knitspot and there's goodies too.












I'm expecting a junkmail jackpot today after having it held since last week and a holiday in there too. (that's if the mailidiot remembers to bring it).
He just doesn't understand when he doesn't deliver my mail when it's supposed to be, I get antsy and crabby....there's YARN in there.
like, a sweater's worth of skinny bugga and the knitpics sweater kit I order for my winter project. I mean, REALLY!

I should also be getting my knitting with jane shawl kit soon. I fell in love with the pattern and just couldn't resist. Ok, enough yarn for now (NOT!)

The colorwork sweater is coming along, just sleeves to sew in and edging to sew on. The last class which is finishing is on sept 18th, so I'll be ready.
Now the attention HAS to turn to making (ACK!!) christmas gifts. Three pairs of socks and a couple of really cute little knit doggies, maybe more.

In news on another front, we meet tomorrow with a new potential contractor to build our house. Fingers crossed!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

getting caught up

I know, last week I was MIA, attending pilates on tour. I have to say, it was quite informative and a good time was had by all.
The good news is, spending a weekend in a hotel makes for some good knitting time when you're not in class.
Here's my final project for camp loopy. It's a 800 yard ishbel in dream in color baby. I'm really liking it and I think I would knit this one again as a gift. Not too complicated but just enough to keep you interested.












I'm also getting caught up on the unique sheep KAL. I have about 15 more rows on this week's clue to finish. Not too bad considering I was 3 clues behind












Since the last time I was here, I also chopped up my sweater. No pics of that, it's still OTN, working on the front, but I hope to make some progress this week on that and then there's only finishing the seams and sewing in the sleeves. The last class is sept 18th, so I'm hoping to have some serious progress by then.

This sweater has inspired me to do more, so this week I ordered the dogwood blossoms sweater from knitpicks (in blue). I don't have any immediate plans to make it, but you know how knitpicks is, if you don't get it while you see it, it's discontinued.
I also used my last christmas gift certificate and bought a sweater's worth of skinny bugga from the sanguine gryphon. I just can't resist a good sale and that sitticus jumping spider jumped into my cart. Again, no specific plans right now but.....



This week should bring the mrs. dalloway kit, so we'll see what that looks like.
I'm also already planning on the next unique sheep KAL, which announces sept 15th.
love those gradience yarns.

Yogi says "WHAT it's labor day already?"

Sunday, August 14, 2011

I've been MIA

working like a crazy nut on my sleeves, and thanks to a bathroom remodel, and having to hang with some "stomping" contractors, I did get to finish. Today, we steek!


















I also finished my vortex socks for camp loopy, project 2, and ordered yarn for project 3........









and... in other news this week, our baby, yogibear is 1.
He was such a tiny puppy when we first got him. See how he's grown? goofball!







Sunday, July 31, 2011

It was awesome

here we are, a bit hung over from the yarn fumes, tired as heck and back from the awesomeness that was sock summit. I'd have to say a good time was had by all.
I got there about 2 on thursday with my friend Pam. We picked up our registration packets and noticed the line for the marketplace was already forming! By the time we joined it, it went down the aisle, around the corner, and eventually went into another room. They let us in promptly at 4:30 and we shopped 'till we dropped. Then it was off to the opening ceremonies.
After a good night's sleep, we hit the marketplace AGAIN on friday morning for a more leisurely shop. I had a class in the afternoon, tesselations with Franklin Habit (take it if you can, it's awesome), and then we met for dinner with 20 people we had never met and went to a great portland restaraunt, came back to the hotel and crashed.
Saturday, I volunteered for a vendor, Anzula, and had a great time. I sold yarn to Anna Zilboorg, talked to Mary Scott-Huff, and told Ann Budd that she had the PERFECT yarn. Not to mention all the other fun folks who strolled through, bought yarn and just petted. Then it was off to the pooling lecture for another mind altering experience. After that, we went out for lebanese dinner, and off to Stephanie's talk before another total crash and burn at the hotel.
This morning, it was up early and on the road. House cleaning and life to do.
I had such a wonderful time, met some great folks, got a (temporary)tattoo,













shopped till I dropped, and I can already hardly wait to go back in 2013, where, I understand, they have the ENTIRE convention center reserved. (we'll also try again to break the guiness world record)
my spoils from the market.....
some lorna's laces solemate, special ss colorway,
miss babs, yowza, what a skein for mansocks
noro silk garden sock (it was on sale)
cooperative press goodie bag
Mary scott-huff and blue moon violets steeked scarf kit.
and some misc. goodies











yogi is modeling my "payment" from anzula. 950 yards of beautiful laceweight.











The good news is, the bathroom is coming along, slowly but surely.......









Next week, third installment of camp loopy, more colorwork sleeves and knitting at the county fair.