Experiment # 1:

The Falling Water scarf became an unofficial F.O. at 15 minutes after midnight today. YIPPIEE! My first F.O. of the year. At this pace, I should have tons of completed knitting items by December of '08, lol.

It has not been washed or blocked yet, and based on all the work it took my broken-footed ass to accomplish just washing & pinning two swatches, I can tell you the thing won't be 'officially' finished until I am ambulatory. It is freak'n annoying to do anything with crutches stuck in my armpits the entire time!

Here's the picture tutorial:

Two identical swatches, 4 in x 2 in - one repeat of pattern

both washed & rinsed in very warm water

and agitated with my fingers

1 washed in Pantene "Full & Thick" conditioner

1 washed in Huggies "Extra Sensitive" shampoo

(the ballband said to wash in baby shampoo)

First impression:

Pantene's is softer and fuller

Pinned out:

Pantene swatch measures 5 in x 2 7/8 in

Huggies swatch measures 4 1/2 in x 2 7/8 in

Pantene swatch:

the pattern looks nice and identifiable

Huggies swatch:

The pattern looks very nice here too so far

(In the last two pictures, I played with the colors and crispness -

the handtowel IS that yellow, and the yarn color is as close to 'true' as I can get)

Muddy Waters

The water really clouded up afterwards

and reminded me that there was

a tiny bit of 'nature' in the yarn -

Nothing like Noro's amount of 'nature' though!!

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On the To-Do list front, I did pretty good today. We folded up and put away all the already-done laundry (three damn baskets full!), stripped the bedding and washed that, and are currently doing clothing. The Mike puts it in the washer & dryer and I fold. I was so nice I even sewed four buttons on two pairs of his shorts that he's been bugging me to do.

I swatched. Yay!

We are eating dinner at home. Yay!

I have not smoked a cigarette. AT ALL. Yay!

I know, I know . . . the first couple of days/weeks is always the gung-ho period and time is the true test of commitment, but my mind had been made up about alot of the things on my list before New Years, so I feel my excitement is a bit warranted.

On a completely different note . . .

Today I finally gave a listen to Brenda Dayne's Cast-On podcast. What rock have I been under, you ask? Whichever rock it was, I'ma go climb back under it!! I first heard of her from Lime & Violet's podcast, but somehow I was under the impression that she was not American. I'm not particular for American-only podcasts, but I had gone through a period of not listening to any homegrowners after my stint with L&V, so I didn't go looking for Brenda Dayne's immediately.

I tuned her in today, and was very pleasantly surprised to find she was an ex-pat living in Wales. Her first 5 podcasts were interesting, and her voice is very melodic. The music stuff . . . Unfortunately, her first few came out around Christmas 2005 and were chock full 'o Yule tunes. I'm not a fan of the holidays overall, and by January 1st I'm downright Grinch AND Scrooge all rolled into one. I don't hold it against her that I picked the wrong time to start listening to her December podcasts, lol! The other 'musical interludes' not so much either. That's just MY personal taste, and Brenda is the first to say 'go start your own podcast if you want it done a different way', which I think is a great kick-ass attitude.

She lost me at episode six though - "Pulling a Geographic". I couldn't even finish it. What she talked about is a prime example of why I don't think people really truly give great weight to what it means to have children and the selflessness that *I* think should be adhered to.

That's the end of that. Literally and figuratively.

Luckily, I learned about Crafty Chica from her though, so that's where my ears are this evening. Thanks for that Ms. Dayne.