I'm at a crossroads of sorts.
Thank you ALL for the nicest things I've heard/read about something I've knitted in a super-duper long time!
If I knew what I was doing on these socks, then all this praise would probably swell my head.
But I don't.
Know what I'm doing.
On these socks.
I just looked up a pattern repeat and started knitting with an idea in my head.
Now I'm past the heel turn and kinda/sorta/really scared to proceed.
People. This is why I don't do socks with REAL patterns! I love so many patterned socks but I get to the jumping off point, look over the precipice (sp?) and sit my ass down in fear.
That's where I am on these puppies.
Suzanne (and you know who she is on ravelry by now I'm sure) passed on some stranded colorwork info at our every-other-Thursday Visalia group last night . . . which I *get* on an intellectual level, but I haven't ever personally fleshed out in my own knitting.
I know you guys all want me to succeed and when you read this you'll all get together to . . . push my ass over the Ledge of Fear. Out of love and knowledge and maybe-a-little-part-to-snicker (and you know I'd so do the same for y'all if the roles were reversed!)
This decades-old tough facade is melting in the face of socks!
Socks, People! Plain 'ol wear on your feet socks.
I'm so embarrassed, but apparently not embarrassed enough to talk about it.
I really-really want to rock these socks.
If I can noodle through the gusset and pattern repeats everywhere else, I'll be the first to shout about it. If I can't? I'll be trying to change the subject with info about my sick dog, my handsome (yet loud as fuck) husband, and any one of our 8 cats (6 ours and two abandoned! That's a story and a half unto itself, believeyoume).
See you 'gators later.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Because Suzanne Told Me To:
Hey all - I *am* alive still.
This is the reason why all my time has been sucked away from blogging:
Noro Sock Yarn
purchased at Stitches West 2008
(same picture, just with fish-eye)
The pattern is something I *borrowed* based on the wildly (and for good reason!) popular Kauni yarn. The other day I did an interwebs search for the Kauni Cardi repeat pattern and found it EXACTLY, lickety-split. I printed it out and cast on last Sunday evening. That's all I've knitted in hours and hours and hours of after-work free time.
Weirdly, I just tried to re-find that search result and have completely wasted 45 minutes of my life! This isn't exactly what I found originally, but page 2 of this pdf is what I used.
This is the reason why all my time has been sucked away from blogging:
Noro Sock Yarn
purchased at Stitches West 2008
(same picture, just with fish-eye)The pattern is something I *borrowed* based on the wildly (and for good reason!) popular Kauni yarn. The other day I did an interwebs search for the Kauni Cardi repeat pattern and found it EXACTLY, lickety-split. I printed it out and cast on last Sunday evening. That's all I've knitted in hours and hours and hours of after-work free time.
Weirdly, I just tried to re-find that search result and have completely wasted 45 minutes of my life! This isn't exactly what I found originally, but page 2 of this pdf is what I used.
So don't none of ya go stealing my idea until I get at least one of these babies done and posted up on ravelry! :grin: I was afraid to show it until I had at least one done, but Suzanne told me I should at least blog about it, lol.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Dear Ellen Bloom:
Have you heard of this yet?
The Big-Ass Backyard Sale!
While checking out Crazy Aunt Purl's blog post today, I went link-wandering to Apartment Therapy and happened upon this flyer.
It seems like something you'd be interested in, so there ya go! Now the whole wide world of 4 readers (including you, Ellen) can check it out, lol.
The Big-Ass Backyard Sale!
While checking out Crazy Aunt Purl's blog post today, I went link-wandering to Apartment Therapy and happened upon this flyer.
It seems like something you'd be interested in, so there ya go! Now the whole wide world of 4 readers (including you, Ellen) can check it out, lol.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Sock It To Me*:
Back at the tail-end of April I joined the Pair A Month Challenge. Luckily I 1) had a pair of socks pretty much done to hit the April deadline and 2) didn't even notice the date when I joined or I probably wouldn't have . . . joined, that is.
So, I hit my April mark.
Those delectable Lisa Sousa Decadent Socks(1). All mine!
Then, before I knew it, I hit my May mark.
These were made with Jollyewe's (or if you're not on ravelry, then it's Jollyewe here) sock yarn in the "Oceano" colorway(2). The Mike kind of (before I knew it) offered these socks to his mom as a Mother's Day present . . . while I had barely finished the first one and ON Mother's Day. Luckily, my MIL is the one that would graciously accept an anigarumi (sp?) pile of poo and gush over how 'cute' and 'special' it was. She's just nice like that. She also would be just as excited to get a hand-knit "Mother's Day" gift three weeks after Mother's Day and never say a word to the negative. There's really no other relative that would be as appreciative as her, so it didn't hurt to pass them along.
At this point, it was mid-May when I handed those off, so I immediately cast-on for another pair.
I love knitting socks SO MUCH. My third pair was also given away by The Mike, and this time he gave me less than a week to make the second sock! It was kitchenered in a fevered frenzy Sunday mid-morning and was driven to Pismo Beach and the intended recipient Sunday night. Sorry - pictures taken but they're still in the camera. It was Tess' Yarns - sock yarn - in a beautiful mocha/chocolate/hint-of-burnt-sienna colorway. Purchased at Stitches West. This pair went to (get this!) my brother-in-law's girlfriend of two years even though he's still married to my about-to-be-ex-sister-in-law . . . got all that? Despite all the weirdness going on there, this chick is cut from the same mold as my MIL. Sweet as all get-out and completely cognizant of what a hand-knit means. She's the only one that not only sent us a Thank You for her Christmas gift this year, but expressly made it a point to relay her appreciation of something handmade. The time it takes to do it. Sweet. We hand-makers love moments like that.
Although I've knocked out three pairs of socks (all kitchenered I might add!) in about a month and a week-ish, those people that churn out 52 pairs a year? Holy Cats that's just unbelievable! Honestly, I think I've only been this prolific for two specific reasons: I knit 'vanilla' socks. No real pattern. Mike being away has freed up SO MANY freak'n hours every evening!
All this free-style, no-pattern sock knitting has helped me figure out how to knit what *I* like in a sock.
(1) Decadent yarn is wonderful to knit with, but it's really not practical to wear. They're already pilling.
(2) Short cuffs and heels are not for me.
(3) Negative ease (thank you Suzanne for the lesson!) is not comfortable.
My perfect sock:
Two inch mid-tight cuff (2x2 ribbing)
Loose and scrunchy leg for 4 inches
Loooong heel
Decreased stitches after the gusset pick-up.
Ribbed knitting between bottom of heel and ball of foot
Kitchenered toe
My fourth sock has been started, with Hazel Knits' beautiful yarn. If you recall, this yarn was purchased when Suzanne and I went to Stitches West . . . and STILL hit up an off-site yarn store! I'm so glad we did though. Hazel Knits had some beautiful stuff and Bobbin's Nest was very nice. At this pace, I should have a sock off the needles by the weekend. Just don't notice that I haven't started back in on my Pinwheel Sweater (two sleeves and that baby is done) or my Fair-entry lace project (about six rows in so far) or . . . the basquillion things I've queued on ravelry. Socks Rock and that's all I have to say about that!
*I know - bad blog title. I'm too busy knitting socks to come up with anything more clever.
So, I hit my April mark.
Those delectable Lisa Sousa Decadent Socks(1). All mine!
Then, before I knew it, I hit my May mark.
These were made with Jollyewe's (or if you're not on ravelry, then it's Jollyewe here) sock yarn in the "Oceano" colorway(2). The Mike kind of (before I knew it) offered these socks to his mom as a Mother's Day present . . . while I had barely finished the first one and ON Mother's Day. Luckily, my MIL is the one that would graciously accept an anigarumi (sp?) pile of poo and gush over how 'cute' and 'special' it was. She's just nice like that. She also would be just as excited to get a hand-knit "Mother's Day" gift three weeks after Mother's Day and never say a word to the negative. There's really no other relative that would be as appreciative as her, so it didn't hurt to pass them along.
At this point, it was mid-May when I handed those off, so I immediately cast-on for another pair.
I love knitting socks SO MUCH. My third pair was also given away by The Mike, and this time he gave me less than a week to make the second sock! It was kitchenered in a fevered frenzy Sunday mid-morning and was driven to Pismo Beach and the intended recipient Sunday night. Sorry - pictures taken but they're still in the camera. It was Tess' Yarns - sock yarn - in a beautiful mocha/chocolate/hint-of-burnt-sienna colorway. Purchased at Stitches West. This pair went to (get this!) my brother-in-law's girlfriend of two years even though he's still married to my about-to-be-ex-sister-in-law . . . got all that? Despite all the weirdness going on there, this chick is cut from the same mold as my MIL. Sweet as all get-out and completely cognizant of what a hand-knit means. She's the only one that not only sent us a Thank You for her Christmas gift this year, but expressly made it a point to relay her appreciation of something handmade. The time it takes to do it. Sweet. We hand-makers love moments like that.
Although I've knocked out three pairs of socks (all kitchenered I might add!) in about a month and a week-ish, those people that churn out 52 pairs a year? Holy Cats that's just unbelievable! Honestly, I think I've only been this prolific for two specific reasons: I knit 'vanilla' socks. No real pattern. Mike being away has freed up SO MANY freak'n hours every evening!
All this free-style, no-pattern sock knitting has helped me figure out how to knit what *I* like in a sock.
(1) Decadent yarn is wonderful to knit with, but it's really not practical to wear. They're already pilling.
(2) Short cuffs and heels are not for me.
(3) Negative ease (thank you Suzanne for the lesson!) is not comfortable.
My perfect sock:
Two inch mid-tight cuff (2x2 ribbing)
Loose and scrunchy leg for 4 inches
Loooong heel
Decreased stitches after the gusset pick-up.
Ribbed knitting between bottom of heel and ball of foot
Kitchenered toe
My fourth sock has been started, with Hazel Knits' beautiful yarn. If you recall, this yarn was purchased when Suzanne and I went to Stitches West . . . and STILL hit up an off-site yarn store! I'm so glad we did though. Hazel Knits had some beautiful stuff and Bobbin's Nest was very nice. At this pace, I should have a sock off the needles by the weekend. Just don't notice that I haven't started back in on my Pinwheel Sweater (two sleeves and that baby is done) or my Fair-entry lace project (about six rows in so far) or . . . the basquillion things I've queued on ravelry. Socks Rock and that's all I have to say about that!
*I know - bad blog title. I'm too busy knitting socks to come up with anything more clever.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Hello, I Must Be Going:
YAY!! The Mike has left and I have the house all to myself again! He's already touched down in Pismo. I've gottn work laundry started and the dog has been fed and played with. Tonight she shall be snoozing on Mike's side of the California King :smirk:
I've just completed the heel-flap of my second brown sock (Tess' Yarns I think it is called) and the heel-turn is coming up shortly. The latest podcasts are freshly loaded in my iTunes and the headphones are tucked away for now.
Oh, I have to tell you guys this! About an hour ago I was listening to one of the Miss Flip Knits podcasts, laying down on the couch out of sight of the backyard sliding glass door. All of a sudden the volume jumped up considerably, in the middle of some men talking and I like to tell you, that dog of mine started barking her fool head off, right at the slider. I jumped up and she had all the hairs on her neck and back standing straight up while she kept barking away in an unusually menacing tone.
Lordy, I think that dog thought her house had just been invaded by Unknown Men and she was ready to come in and kick ass.
She finally spied me and immediatedly her whole body went wiggly from wagging her tail. She knows I got her back, lol.
So. Another week husband-free (and thus free of grocery store visits and fretting about what to make for dinner and television noise and dirty clothes piled up on the floor and messes in the kitchen, but alas also free to fresh-brewed coffee every morning . . . ). I'm taking the rest of tonight to wallow in my man-less abode.
I have a game plan for this upcoming week. The almost two hours every night after work that is usually wasted with the Shopping Of The Groceries and the Cooking Of The Groceries and the Cleaning Of The Cooking and the Putting Away Of the Leftover Cooking will instead be spent on Tackling One Cleaning Job A Day. Vacuuming, bathrooms, clean out bottom of closet & organize laundry. I only get three free evenings this week because Thursday is my bi-weekly Go With Suzanne to Meet Up With All the Visalia Knitters.
Outside of having Man-Free time, Thursday will be the highlight of my week. I can't wait.
Until tomorrow then, I leave you with a pictorial montage of two cats, that although having no biological relation to each other, being a few years apart in age and having entered this house in different years, are very close. This series of shots was taken over a few hours - starting about 7:30 or 8pm, and ending probably just around 11 or 11:30pm. It was that last SUPER hot day we had here in the valley before the weather broke - around two weeks or so ago.
I've just completed the heel-flap of my second brown sock (Tess' Yarns I think it is called) and the heel-turn is coming up shortly. The latest podcasts are freshly loaded in my iTunes and the headphones are tucked away for now.
Oh, I have to tell you guys this! About an hour ago I was listening to one of the Miss Flip Knits podcasts, laying down on the couch out of sight of the backyard sliding glass door. All of a sudden the volume jumped up considerably, in the middle of some men talking and I like to tell you, that dog of mine started barking her fool head off, right at the slider. I jumped up and she had all the hairs on her neck and back standing straight up while she kept barking away in an unusually menacing tone.
Lordy, I think that dog thought her house had just been invaded by Unknown Men and she was ready to come in and kick ass.
She finally spied me and immediatedly her whole body went wiggly from wagging her tail. She knows I got her back, lol.
So. Another week husband-free (and thus free of grocery store visits and fretting about what to make for dinner and television noise and dirty clothes piled up on the floor and messes in the kitchen, but alas also free to fresh-brewed coffee every morning . . . ). I'm taking the rest of tonight to wallow in my man-less abode.
I have a game plan for this upcoming week. The almost two hours every night after work that is usually wasted with the Shopping Of The Groceries and the Cooking Of The Groceries and the Cleaning Of The Cooking and the Putting Away Of the Leftover Cooking will instead be spent on Tackling One Cleaning Job A Day. Vacuuming, bathrooms, clean out bottom of closet & organize laundry. I only get three free evenings this week because Thursday is my bi-weekly Go With Suzanne to Meet Up With All the Visalia Knitters.
Outside of having Man-Free time, Thursday will be the highlight of my week. I can't wait.
Until tomorrow then, I leave you with a pictorial montage of two cats, that although having no biological relation to each other, being a few years apart in age and having entered this house in different years, are very close. This series of shots was taken over a few hours - starting about 7:30 or 8pm, and ending probably just around 11 or 11:30pm. It was that last SUPER hot day we had here in the valley before the weather broke - around two weeks or so ago.
Freckles and Madden:
A Love Story
(Mike saw this last picture and said "looks like the cow's jumping over the moon".
To me it makes me think of a cat-version of the ying-yang symbol)
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Eagle Has Landed:
MIKE'S HOME!
I'm not yelling this to yell at you - just to share the experience of what it's like when The Mike gets back home from anything.
It's a LOUD process. The longer he's gone then the LOUDER it gets.
Just a short all-day-long trip on the lake? Pretty kinda loud to this delicate flower.
Gone for 96 hours? FREAK'N LOUD.
He has to yell greetings to every one of our fur-faces.
"FRECKS! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"
"BOO-CEPHEOUS" (and if you know how to spell that Okie-assed name then please do share! It's the nickname of a famous old-time country-western singer or his son.)
Wait. I think it's the nickname of the dude that sings the "Are You Ready For Some Football" song - that guy that's the son of that Okie-assed country-western singer.
Never mind. I found it. He goes by Bocephus but The Mike has bastardized it to encompass our original name for Blue (the grey cat). Blue. Boo. Beau. Cephus.
We're weird like that. M'kay. HE is weird like that. It's his sing-songy way of communicating.
He greeted each and every one of our furfaces in this manner when he landed. Like they hadn't seen him for weeks. Did I mention THE LOUD?
FREAK'N. LOUD.
So much so with The Loud that I kept stage whispering (in our front yard around 9:30-ish at night) "Please keep it down. You must sound like a lunatic to our neighbors! It's way too late to be this freak'n loud."
His response? "FUDGE THEM!" In LOUDY-LOUD-LOUDERSON talk.
That's when the ground parted and swallowed me up for all eternity.
Okay. Not really, but that is what I wished around 9:32-ish tonight.
The Mike has landed.
I can only hope he doesn't lick a frozen pole or shoot his eye out or let our dog eat our upcoming Big Dinner.
As for that Hootchy Leg Lamp? Right up his "cursing in the front yard" alley except with MORE LOUD.
*dies of embarrassment*
I'm not yelling this to yell at you - just to share the experience of what it's like when The Mike gets back home from anything.
It's a LOUD process. The longer he's gone then the LOUDER it gets.
Just a short all-day-long trip on the lake? Pretty kinda loud to this delicate flower.
Gone for 96 hours? FREAK'N LOUD.
He has to yell greetings to every one of our fur-faces.
"FRECKS! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"
"BOO-CEPHEOUS" (and if you know how to spell that Okie-assed name then please do share! It's the nickname of a famous old-time country-western singer or his son.)
Wait. I think it's the nickname of the dude that sings the "Are You Ready For Some Football" song - that guy that's the son of that Okie-assed country-western singer.
Never mind. I found it. He goes by Bocephus but The Mike has bastardized it to encompass our original name for Blue (the grey cat). Blue. Boo. Beau. Cephus.
We're weird like that. M'kay. HE is weird like that. It's his sing-songy way of communicating.
He greeted each and every one of our furfaces in this manner when he landed. Like they hadn't seen him for weeks. Did I mention THE LOUD?
FREAK'N. LOUD.
So much so with The Loud that I kept stage whispering (in our front yard around 9:30-ish at night) "Please keep it down. You must sound like a lunatic to our neighbors! It's way too late to be this freak'n loud."
His response? "FUDGE THEM!" In LOUDY-LOUD-LOUDERSON talk.
Only he didn't say "Fudge." He said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!
That's when the ground parted and swallowed me up for all eternity.
Okay. Not really, but that is what I wished around 9:32-ish tonight.
The Mike has landed.
I can only hope he doesn't lick a frozen pole or shoot his eye out or let our dog eat our upcoming Big Dinner.
As for that Hootchy Leg Lamp? Right up his "cursing in the front yard" alley except with MORE LOUD.
*dies of embarrassment*
Thursday, May 29, 2008
When the Cat's Away:
The Mike is currently at the Coast (the Pacific Ocean one Ellen) working. He left Monday afternoon and will be returning Friday late afternoon in time for our weekly Friday Night Dinner With Our Fisherfriends. YAY!
Yay he's gone for a while and Yay he'll be back in a few days! I miss him (and him me) when we're apart, but I so do love my *all by my onesies* time. That's probably from having been on my own most of my life and marrying later in life (if mid-thirties is considered 'later' anymore . . . ).
Here are some of the highlights of Liv'n La Vida Solo:
Coming straight home from work without having to hit the grocery store.
Not making dinner or even having to DISCUSS dinner at all.
Picking up after just myself.
Zippy T.V.! I haven't even watched the news. I did make it a point to watch
Heather's appearance (and her Monkey Socks!) Monday on Jeopardy, but that's it.
Peace and quiet. Lemme say that again . . . peace. and friggin quiet. Shhh. You hear that? Exactly! Nutt'n.
Listening to podcasts without headphones on and laughing right out loud.
Letting the dog sleep in the bed every night. The same dog that isn't even allowed in the house, per The Mike's weird domesticated canine rules. 'Scilly loves it when The Mike leaves town too, lol.
The drawbacks to not having The Mike around:
If a bug appears? *shudder* Luckily no disgusting creepy crawlies really ever show themselves, but it COULD happen.
I have to get my own car out of the garage and finalize the house before I leave for work. Yes, I know I'm spoiled.
Not having coffee in the morning since I'm one of those 'get out of bed at the last freak'n moment possible to still get ready and get to work on time' people. Lazy? Me? Oh, you bet'cha!
Being the only one who has to deal with all the different animals and all their different needs alone. For example . . .
Shadow wants in at night but about 5am she starts meow-growling to be let out. Mike's the morning person, not me. Grrr. This morning I just kicked her out of the bedroom at that hour and dealt with her when it was time for ME to get up - not HER.
All the cats are used to being fed around 6am every day (again with The Mike's schedule and not mine) and have no problem letting anyone within their whining range know that it is TIME TO EAT. NOW.
'Scilly is used to playing ball/eating around 4pm and by the time I get home just after 5pm she's beside herself with excitement. I have no problem hanging out and playing with her, but it definately has to be immediately or it drives her bonkers and that's not fair.
Blue (the grey cat) wants in (and out, and in and out and in and out and you get the idea) of the garage all evening long. Mike and I usually tag-team this job but he's not here. The knitting gets set down twice as much as usual because of this.
Is it wrong that I'm looking forward to his return this Friday because I know he'll be heading West again on Sunday and I'll get another week all to my onesies (plus the six cats and the dog and the podcasts and the ever-present knitting and the non-dinner-planning angst)?
During all this peaceful knitting downtime I've been daydreaming about actually knitting one or two items for submission into the county fair. Personally, I'm opposed to most everything Fair. Carny food, decrepit rides, penned up animals in staggering heat all day and night, anything even remotely rodeo-like and the crass Made In Taiwan crap that is now sold in the arts & crafts buildings.
Here's the thing though . . . where else is there an opportunity to do my craft and get judged on it? Carny Central, that's where!
I'm thinking of doing one lace project and one pair of socks. My queue on ravelry has exploded because of this idea floating around in my pea brain.
I have 16 lacy choices available that I already have everything needed to start - skill level, needles, yarn, pattern. Now it's time to pick.
You can go look here at what I've queued and your comments and responses and ideas are most welcome! What, as a fellow knitter/crocheter, do you guys think would be entry-worthy?
And all you lurkers? Speak up please!
I'm outta here for now - gotta get me some more relaxing Home Alone time in, lol.
Yay he's gone for a while and Yay he'll be back in a few days! I miss him (and him me) when we're apart, but I so do love my *all by my onesies* time. That's probably from having been on my own most of my life and marrying later in life (if mid-thirties is considered 'later' anymore . . . ).
Here are some of the highlights of Liv'n La Vida Solo:
Coming straight home from work without having to hit the grocery store.
Not making dinner or even having to DISCUSS dinner at all.
Picking up after just myself.
Zippy T.V.! I haven't even watched the news. I did make it a point to watch
Heather's appearance (and her Monkey Socks!) Monday on Jeopardy, but that's it.
Peace and quiet. Lemme say that again . . . peace. and friggin quiet. Shhh. You hear that? Exactly! Nutt'n.
Listening to podcasts without headphones on and laughing right out loud.
Letting the dog sleep in the bed every night. The same dog that isn't even allowed in the house, per The Mike's weird domesticated canine rules. 'Scilly loves it when The Mike leaves town too, lol.
The drawbacks to not having The Mike around:
If a bug appears? *shudder* Luckily no disgusting creepy crawlies really ever show themselves, but it COULD happen.
I have to get my own car out of the garage and finalize the house before I leave for work. Yes, I know I'm spoiled.
Not having coffee in the morning since I'm one of those 'get out of bed at the last freak'n moment possible to still get ready and get to work on time' people. Lazy? Me? Oh, you bet'cha!
Being the only one who has to deal with all the different animals and all their different needs alone. For example . . .
Shadow wants in at night but about 5am she starts meow-growling to be let out. Mike's the morning person, not me. Grrr. This morning I just kicked her out of the bedroom at that hour and dealt with her when it was time for ME to get up - not HER.
All the cats are used to being fed around 6am every day (again with The Mike's schedule and not mine) and have no problem letting anyone within their whining range know that it is TIME TO EAT. NOW.
'Scilly is used to playing ball/eating around 4pm and by the time I get home just after 5pm she's beside herself with excitement. I have no problem hanging out and playing with her, but it definately has to be immediately or it drives her bonkers and that's not fair.
Blue (the grey cat) wants in (and out, and in and out and in and out and you get the idea) of the garage all evening long. Mike and I usually tag-team this job but he's not here. The knitting gets set down twice as much as usual because of this.
Is it wrong that I'm looking forward to his return this Friday because I know he'll be heading West again on Sunday and I'll get another week all to my onesies (plus the six cats and the dog and the podcasts and the ever-present knitting and the non-dinner-planning angst)?
During all this peaceful knitting downtime I've been daydreaming about actually knitting one or two items for submission into the county fair. Personally, I'm opposed to most everything Fair. Carny food, decrepit rides, penned up animals in staggering heat all day and night, anything even remotely rodeo-like and the crass Made In Taiwan crap that is now sold in the arts & crafts buildings.
Here's the thing though . . . where else is there an opportunity to do my craft and get judged on it? Carny Central, that's where!
I'm thinking of doing one lace project and one pair of socks. My queue on ravelry has exploded because of this idea floating around in my pea brain.
I have 16 lacy choices available that I already have everything needed to start - skill level, needles, yarn, pattern. Now it's time to pick.
You can go look here at what I've queued and your comments and responses and ideas are most welcome! What, as a fellow knitter/crocheter, do you guys think would be entry-worthy?
And all you lurkers? Speak up please!
I'm outta here for now - gotta get me some more relaxing Home Alone time in, lol.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Ravelry is My Crack:
This may be old news to you folks but I had an honest "light bulb" moment this weekend as it pertains to ravelry.
You know how over in ravelryworld you can list the books you own in the library section? And all your magazines too? You can. Go check it out if'n you didn't get that far.
Back? Mm'kay good.
I've been using those features here and there - when I buy another book at Borders during my every-other-Thursday Visalia meetup that bad boy gets listed in my ravelry library.
My magazines, I never gave much thought to. I got me a ton of them even though they're mostly from 2005 and forward. I thumb through them on occasion but I haven't really catalogued each and every pattern. When I'm hankering for sock satisfaction I have no idea if my Vogue Winter 05/06 has any in there. Ditto for my IK Spring 2005 or 2006 or 2007 or 2008. No idea. I've tried the "post it note" method but it's as reliable as my "blog every day" plan . . . you know what I'm saying.
The other day I realized that ravelry has a metric-assload of magazine data. You pull up a magazine they have in the data vault and you can see every pattern from that issue. Don't believe me? Go look at the page for Interweave Knit's Winter 2007. Ayup. They be there.
I've been spending a goodly amount of time this last holiday weekend perusing some of the magazine issues but it wasn't until late last night I had my AHA moment.
Instead of GUESSING which of these magazines I might own I need to freak'n go through them and put them in my library once and for all.
DUH
Have y'all figured out yet that I'm a slow learner? To quote Eweology, from my Yarn Maven's group, I not only ride the short bus, I also lick its windows. Just say'n.
Today after work, I invested all of half an hour and put in each and every magazine that I own (and that ravelry has on record - one of its kinks is that not every magazine is in there yet and you can't add anything it doesn't already have but in the grand scheme of things? No problem.).
Then, here's the next level of beauty about ravelry and magazines . . . you can peruse (via ravelry) every magazine you own and queue up anything that tickles your fancy.
Right now I'm on a sock kick (as evidenced by my ravelry queue-crazyness) and good lordy I had no idea how many sock patterns were hidden away in all these magazines I already own.
So consider yourself smarter for my stupidity. I give you this information that probably several of you already knew. All I can say is . . . WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?
I love ravelry so very much. It's brought me friends and knowledge and organization and other interests like picture tak'n and podcastery and and and.
Ravelry is my crack and I love it so.
*and it's not really crack and I don't intend mockery at those that really suffer from addiction but lordy ravelry is an exciting fiber-related high*
You know how over in ravelryworld you can list the books you own in the library section? And all your magazines too? You can. Go check it out if'n you didn't get that far.
Back? Mm'kay good.
I've been using those features here and there - when I buy another book at Borders during my every-other-Thursday Visalia meetup that bad boy gets listed in my ravelry library.
My magazines, I never gave much thought to. I got me a ton of them even though they're mostly from 2005 and forward. I thumb through them on occasion but I haven't really catalogued each and every pattern. When I'm hankering for sock satisfaction I have no idea if my Vogue Winter 05/06 has any in there. Ditto for my IK Spring 2005 or 2006 or 2007 or 2008. No idea. I've tried the "post it note" method but it's as reliable as my "blog every day" plan . . . you know what I'm saying.
The other day I realized that ravelry has a metric-assload of magazine data. You pull up a magazine they have in the data vault and you can see every pattern from that issue. Don't believe me? Go look at the page for Interweave Knit's Winter 2007. Ayup. They be there.
I've been spending a goodly amount of time this last holiday weekend perusing some of the magazine issues but it wasn't until late last night I had my AHA moment.
Instead of GUESSING which of these magazines I might own I need to freak'n go through them and put them in my library once and for all.
DUH
Have y'all figured out yet that I'm a slow learner? To quote Eweology, from my Yarn Maven's group, I not only ride the short bus, I also lick its windows. Just say'n.
Today after work, I invested all of half an hour and put in each and every magazine that I own (and that ravelry has on record - one of its kinks is that not every magazine is in there yet and you can't add anything it doesn't already have but in the grand scheme of things? No problem.).
Then, here's the next level of beauty about ravelry and magazines . . . you can peruse (via ravelry) every magazine you own and queue up anything that tickles your fancy.
Right now I'm on a sock kick (as evidenced by my ravelry queue-crazyness) and good lordy I had no idea how many sock patterns were hidden away in all these magazines I already own.
So consider yourself smarter for my stupidity. I give you this information that probably several of you already knew. All I can say is . . . WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?
I love ravelry so very much. It's brought me friends and knowledge and organization and other interests like picture tak'n and podcastery and and and.
Ravelry is my crack and I love it so.
*and it's not really crack and I don't intend mockery at those that really suffer from addiction but lordy ravelry is an exciting fiber-related high*
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Turtle Talk Tuesday:
This week I'm doing something different - I've not written much in a while so intstead of throwing all the catch-up into one gigantic post I'm going to be doing decent sized ones. 'Scept I'm writing them up a few at a time and posting one each day . . . consider them time-release posts if you will.
Today's post is about one week ago from today, as a matter of fact.
I have a friend that is 'into' turtles like most of us here are 'into' fiber stuff. She's crazy for the turtles, lol. Like me before, she didn't know anyone else 'into' her thing and was a lonely turtle girl here in P'ville (not to be confused with this TurtleGirl. That one's got fiber friends out the wazoo.). My turtle girl's husband went on the intronets and found her a Bakersfield Turtle Group that meets once a month. She was hesitant to go it alone (some chicks are like that altough I don't REALLY get it but whatever . . . she's my friend and I'm carefree) so I tagged along for moral support and her *excuse* in case it wasn't what she was expecting.
OH MY GAWD. Boy oh boy has she found 'her people' lemme tell ya. They talk Boxer turtles and Desert Tortoises and blahblahblah. Seriously, they bring their turtles to these meetings for a sort of "Show and Tell" . . . kinda like us and our F.O.s at our fibery meetups!
Here's a few pictures I'd like to share with you guys:
I leave you with this final picture. There was a break between all the talky-talky stuff and my friend started conversing with a very lovely lady sitting behind us. The lady mentioned that she'd just gotten a tattoo and showed it to us. Me? I'm not a tattoo kind of gal myself, but I certainly can appreciate a nice one. This one is pretty dang cute if you ask me.
So. Me being me, I said to the nice woman, "you are more than welcome to say no and it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all, but . . . could I please take a picture of your tattoo? I'm always taking pictures and that would be a great subject." See how nice the Turtle People are? She whipped her foot into range and said "SURE!". There ya go.
***coming up in future posts***
I discuss all the things I don't have to do when Mike's out of town!
'Scilly has The Creeping Crud but it's treatable
Another thing I figured out about ravelry and seriously . . . it is my crack cocaine.
Sock F.O.s out the wazoo and how I can't unload primo luxury snot-yarn.
*****************************************
Check you cats later.
Today's post is about one week ago from today, as a matter of fact.
I have a friend that is 'into' turtles like most of us here are 'into' fiber stuff. She's crazy for the turtles, lol. Like me before, she didn't know anyone else 'into' her thing and was a lonely turtle girl here in P'ville (not to be confused with this TurtleGirl. That one's got fiber friends out the wazoo.). My turtle girl's husband went on the intronets and found her a Bakersfield Turtle Group that meets once a month. She was hesitant to go it alone (some chicks are like that altough I don't REALLY get it but whatever . . . she's my friend and I'm carefree) so I tagged along for moral support and her *excuse* in case it wasn't what she was expecting.
OH MY GAWD. Boy oh boy has she found 'her people' lemme tell ya. They talk Boxer turtles and Desert Tortoises and blahblahblah. Seriously, they bring their turtles to these meetings for a sort of "Show and Tell" . . . kinda like us and our F.O.s at our fibery meetups!
Here's a few pictures I'd like to share with you guys:
Turtle girl's smallest one right now. I so wish I'da had a dime to put next to it, like people do with their handspun, lol! This thing was freak'n TINY. I've seen common garden snails bigger than this.
This is one of her second-size-up ones. If I remember I think she said it's 2 years old approximately.
Do not adjust your monitor. That creature is as big around as a regular-sized lawnmower! It weighs like 40 freak'n pounds. She has TWO MORE just like it! Trust you me, I was using the zoom feature when I took this shot. I'm not scared-scared . . . come on, if nothing else I could outrun the dude and that's with a healed broken foot and extra weight on my frame! It's just that it's so . . . foreign . . . and prehistoric . . . and doesn't have fur like any pet I'm used to.
I kid you not though - the three big ones come *running* up when they hear turtle girl's voice. Those are her babies just as sure as any other momma with her kids. Different, sure, but kinda interesting too.
This is one brought to the Turtle Meeting. The lady showing it off (the owner? What do you call those people?) would just not stop moving, so this is the best picture of the bunch.
The club's main focus is helping with Desert Tortoises - relocation, habitat issues, becoming endangered, the Government's lack of care when they want to take over desert areas for their own purposes and don't do what's best for the other inhabitants (snakes, rabbits, etc. too).
Overall it was a very informative meeting and I'd definately go with my friend again. Like I always say . . . I can pretty much knit anywhere and if I have my knitting I have much more patience than without it . . .
Oh, and I swear I got more questions and comments about my knitting from those people than I've gotten in many other places! Good ones - not the "why in the world would you knit a SOCK??" like I usually get.
I leave you with this final picture. There was a break between all the talky-talky stuff and my friend started conversing with a very lovely lady sitting behind us. The lady mentioned that she'd just gotten a tattoo and showed it to us. Me? I'm not a tattoo kind of gal myself, but I certainly can appreciate a nice one. This one is pretty dang cute if you ask me.
So. Me being me, I said to the nice woman, "you are more than welcome to say no and it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all, but . . . could I please take a picture of your tattoo? I'm always taking pictures and that would be a great subject." See how nice the Turtle People are? She whipped her foot into range and said "SURE!". There ya go.
***coming up in future posts***
I discuss all the things I don't have to do when Mike's out of town!
'Scilly has The Creeping Crud but it's treatable
Another thing I figured out about ravelry and seriously . . . it is my crack cocaine.
Sock F.O.s out the wazoo and how I can't unload primo luxury snot-yarn.
*****************************************
Check you cats later.
Monday, May 26, 2008
From Me To You . . . With Love:
If you are 1) on ravelry.com and 2) interested in knitterly podcastery?
This is the page for you!
The last two days I've divided my time between Knitters Uncensored and the SModcast that is the brain child of Kevin Smith. Those things and knitting shit.
I've knitted my guts out lately. The weather here in the Central (lower southern) Valley of California is beee-zarro and it's got my knitted head back into cool weather knits. Y'all on ravelry know this based on my latest queue activity. I'm all about the cowls and smoke rings and gaitors at the moment. Neckkitude.
Looking at all the (interesting to me) tight-fitted "around the neck-ness" stuff seems to be focused on A) Lacy or B) Stockinette and most definately C) yummy yarn.
I have the yarn in Yummy. Lacy? Not so much. Stockinette. Definately stockinette . . . with some short rows at the top for the frilly factor.
Here's where I'd like to stab my DPNs into something close-by. The Mike? He'd stab back first and then rumble "whatthehell'swrongwithyou?" The cats? That is just so wrong on a multitude of levels. The yarn? It's the problem.
I'm channeling Holly B by accident!
This cowl-like thingy is being knit up in this yarn.
They call it *Myne* in the colorway CASH07W-011. Alternately it is described as "Light orange, taupe, beige and white." They forgot to mention the hint of light sage in there. Trust you me though, it's a beautiful yarn.
Here's my name for it: *Snot* in the colorway "slipp'n off the needles soft".
I'm really starting to understand the term "slippery as snot".
If I had Three Pigs and an Ogre whilest I knit with snot? I'd be farting Myne yarn.
This shit is slippery as all get out.
Holly, if you could do this slippery shit justice? It's yours without question.
(so wants to see what a mother of three pigs and the wife of an Ogre can do with slippery-assed 100% cashmere yarn while she fights off Zombies from the dark side.)
Grrrrrrr on this yarn! I've wasted three hours that I could've been getting comfortable with my second brown sock on Suzanne's circs. Why oh why do I think I can kick yarn's ass?
****************
Whilest yarn kicked my knitterly ass today, I was sporting my Lisa Souza decadent socks. Both The Mike and I went rummaging for some toasty toe coverage and he FINALLY dug out the socks I knit him a coon's age ago and I dug out the socks I just barely finished last month. In case I haven't mentioned it? The weather 'round these parts is odd. We've had rain these last two days and rain past April is , uh . . . not the norm.
Rain in May? Weirder.
Rain at the end of May? Freak'n Bee-zarro.
Here's where I'd end my talky-talky but something else is going on right now.
'Scilly, the Wonder Dog has something going on. Something Not Quite Right. She exhibited (presented to all y'all Medical Folks) an issue but it was too late to be seen by Dr. Herriot on Friday and we've been monitoring her ever since. She's okay so far and we have fingers crossed she'll be okay tomorrow too. Our uneducated and laymen's minds wonder if she has a foxtail down her throat. She's way too malaised for that though. This is the girl that would forego food for her tennis ball every chance she's given. For the last few days though, she could care less about her tennis ball . . . we don't need another sign. Something ain't right.
This is the page for you!
The last two days I've divided my time between Knitters Uncensored and the SModcast that is the brain child of Kevin Smith. Those things and knitting shit.
I've knitted my guts out lately. The weather here in the Central (lower southern) Valley of California is beee-zarro and it's got my knitted head back into cool weather knits. Y'all on ravelry know this based on my latest queue activity. I'm all about the cowls and smoke rings and gaitors at the moment. Neckkitude.
Looking at all the (interesting to me) tight-fitted "around the neck-ness" stuff seems to be focused on A) Lacy or B) Stockinette and most definately C) yummy yarn.
I have the yarn in Yummy. Lacy? Not so much. Stockinette. Definately stockinette . . . with some short rows at the top for the frilly factor.
Here's where I'd like to stab my DPNs into something close-by. The Mike? He'd stab back first and then rumble "whatthehell'swrongwithyou?" The cats? That is just so wrong on a multitude of levels. The yarn? It's the problem.
I'm channeling Holly B by accident!
This cowl-like thingy is being knit up in this yarn.
They call it *Myne* in the colorway CASH07W-011. Alternately it is described as "Light orange, taupe, beige and white." They forgot to mention the hint of light sage in there. Trust you me though, it's a beautiful yarn.
Here's my name for it: *Snot* in the colorway "slipp'n off the needles soft".
I'm really starting to understand the term "slippery as snot".
If I had Three Pigs and an Ogre whilest I knit with snot? I'd be farting Myne yarn.
This shit is slippery as all get out.
Holly, if you could do this slippery shit justice? It's yours without question.
(so wants to see what a mother of three pigs and the wife of an Ogre can do with slippery-assed 100% cashmere yarn while she fights off Zombies from the dark side.)
Grrrrrrr on this yarn! I've wasted three hours that I could've been getting comfortable with my second brown sock on Suzanne's circs. Why oh why do I think I can kick yarn's ass?
****************
Whilest yarn kicked my knitterly ass today, I was sporting my Lisa Souza decadent socks. Both The Mike and I went rummaging for some toasty toe coverage and he FINALLY dug out the socks I knit him a coon's age ago and I dug out the socks I just barely finished last month. In case I haven't mentioned it? The weather 'round these parts is odd. We've had rain these last two days and rain past April is , uh . . . not the norm.
Rain in May? Weirder.
Rain at the end of May? Freak'n Bee-zarro.
Here's where I'd end my talky-talky but something else is going on right now.
'Scilly, the Wonder Dog has something going on. Something Not Quite Right. She exhibited (presented to all y'all Medical Folks) an issue but it was too late to be seen by Dr. Herriot on Friday and we've been monitoring her ever since. She's okay so far and we have fingers crossed she'll be okay tomorrow too. Our uneducated and laymen's minds wonder if she has a foxtail down her throat. She's way too malaised for that though. This is the girl that would forego food for her tennis ball every chance she's given. For the last few days though, she could care less about her tennis ball . . . we don't need another sign. Something ain't right.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
If'n You Know Me:
Then you know I'm a freak'n HUGE Kevin Smith fan. HEEE-UGE.
I just stumbled upon the podcast that Kevin Smith and (his partner) Scott Mosier do.
So freak'n wrong but so my humor.
Sorry.
There goes the rest of my holiday weekend.
Talk to you Tuesday Y'all.
*if blue humor is wrong than I don't wanna be right*
I just stumbled upon the podcast that Kevin Smith and (his partner) Scott Mosier do.
So freak'n wrong but so my humor.
Sorry.
There goes the rest of my holiday weekend.
Talk to you Tuesday Y'all.
*if blue humor is wrong than I don't wanna be right*
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Group Blanket
The Mike took a sudden interest in my knitting group when he spied this picture taken by Suzanne!
You can see all of them here.
Not Well Versed, but just Fairly Versed:
Oh My Good Gravy.
I like to have died from laughter while listening to Lime & Violet's latest podcast tonight. Violet and Karen again. Lime has just finished her school'n stuff and isn't in podcasting mode still.
Violet has been blogging about her personal medical issues over at The Chicken of Antioch (and what the hell is the story behind THAT blogger name? Just say'n).
Their latest podcast 'splained a whole hell of a lot of "behind the scenes" and also expounded on The Chicken's posts.
Here's the thing though: Podcast updatey-ness? High-damn-larious. Medical issues, As the Hospital Turns (HI Karen and your blue pants and Hotty Minatures Doctor-ness).
Y'all need to to listen to the very very bitter end.
That song?
Sofa King entertaining I'da liked to pee myself.
The Bard finally spoke to me. Through a knitting podcast. Go figure.
Funny as fuck, y'all. (and I know SisterDi reads me anyway :chagrin:)
Today has been a fan*TAS*tic knitterly day all the way around.
Tomorrow I'ma talk about yesterday's Yarn Maven's Saturday *thang* (and with pictures, swear). Again with the Sofa King fun time. You gals are a joy to be around and each of you bring something to the group that cannot be replicated. All y'all.
Thank you all so ever lov'n much. I needed today sof . . . alot.
I like to have died from laughter while listening to Lime & Violet's latest podcast tonight. Violet and Karen again. Lime has just finished her school'n stuff and isn't in podcasting mode still.
Violet has been blogging about her personal medical issues over at The Chicken of Antioch (and what the hell is the story behind THAT blogger name? Just say'n).
Their latest podcast 'splained a whole hell of a lot of "behind the scenes" and also expounded on The Chicken's posts.
Here's the thing though: Podcast updatey-ness? High-damn-larious. Medical issues, As the Hospital Turns (HI Karen and your blue pants and Hotty Minatures Doctor-ness).
Y'all need to to listen to the very very bitter end.
That song?
Sofa King entertaining I'da liked to pee myself.
The Bard finally spoke to me. Through a knitting podcast. Go figure.
Funny as fuck, y'all. (and I know SisterDi reads me anyway :chagrin:)
Today has been a fan*TAS*tic knitterly day all the way around.
Tomorrow I'ma talk about yesterday's Yarn Maven's Saturday *thang* (and with pictures, swear). Again with the Sofa King fun time. You gals are a joy to be around and each of you bring something to the group that cannot be replicated. All y'all.
Thank you all so ever lov'n much. I needed today sof . . . alot.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Bouncing Up and Down:
Jollyewe landed back in the States today, after spending a week on a sock-knitting cruise with Amy Singer and her husband. Jollyewe's husband. Not Amy Singer's husband. Just to clarify. I dunno what Amy Singer's husband did this last week.
The day before she left, I asked her if there was a chance she would come back from this excursion just sick of knitting. She gave me a wide grin as she responded "No Way".
I know what she was saying. "Sick of The Knitting? Knitta Please." That ain't gonna happen, No Way and No How.
As I kept updating my bloglines roll-call this last week, I paid special attention to the Knitty Blog and the the Jollyewe Blog. DANG! Nothing.
This has been reminding me of when Suzanne (KnittingSuzanne of ravelry.com) came home from Sock Camp 2008 a few weeks ago.
Here's the thing I keep realizing from my fellow knitters: we are just so stoked when a friend goes and does some kick-assed awesome event.
Suzanne with her Sock Camp and Carolyn with her Sock Cruise.
I'm so happy for you guys (insert 'bouncing up and down excitement!)
Thank you ravelry.com. Without it I woulda never met you two fantabulous chicks.
The day before she left, I asked her if there was a chance she would come back from this excursion just sick of knitting. She gave me a wide grin as she responded "No Way".
I know what she was saying. "Sick of The Knitting? Knitta Please." That ain't gonna happen, No Way and No How.
As I kept updating my bloglines roll-call this last week, I paid special attention to the Knitty Blog and the the Jollyewe Blog. DANG! Nothing.
This has been reminding me of when Suzanne (KnittingSuzanne of ravelry.com) came home from Sock Camp 2008 a few weeks ago.
Here's the thing I keep realizing from my fellow knitters: we are just so stoked when a friend goes and does some kick-assed awesome event.
Suzanne with her Sock Camp and Carolyn with her Sock Cruise.
I'm so happy for you guys (insert 'bouncing up and down excitement!)
Thank you ravelry.com. Without it I woulda never met you two fantabulous chicks.
Friday, May 16, 2008
An Update of Updates:
Just so's y'all know, I've been blogging (and apparently contracting words out the ying-yang) . . . but not blogging out loud yet.
I have several in edit mode:
Colloquialisms: - or as I like to call them, "shit Red Neckersons say".
Backstory 2: "Why I cannot get a passport".
Let Me Be Your Example: This here is where I explain that, yet again, I've screwed up something and you should take heed and learn from my mistake. Hmm. Maybe I should rename these excerpts (sp?) in "I Love Lucy" episode titles.
How I Met The Mike: It's a lovely story if you have ever been drunk . . . and The Mike.
How I Subsequently Started Dating The Mike and Eventually Got Married To The Lunk: This one requires some imagination. Football, potent potables and Funny-Assed Shit. If you know me in real life, then you know I LOVE me some funny. The Mike has funny to spare. His singing ability is only rivaled by his funny.
Ravelry is full circle for me, personally: I read about 20 blogs back in the day. Back in the day there were 4 that Rocked My World (tm). Carriokie, HEJ (High Energy Jenny) Knit Ann-Marie Knit and Frecklegirl.
I read all the stuff these four friends would blog about and share with the rest of the world. Their fibery get-togethers, their* just because* get-togethers, their F.O.s.
Love them 4 girls a metric ton load.
Back in the day that I was loving on these four bloggers?
Ravelry was more than a glimmer in the BobFather's eye.
3 of them girls were friends with the lady that started ravely from inception.
I tell KnittingSuzanne (of ravelry and Suzanne when you get to just hang with her) all the time about how ravely.com brought us goofy, crazy, fiber lov'n knitters in bunches!
To meet Casey and Jess out there in the trenches?
Awesomeness (eleventy-twelve)
I have several in edit mode:
Colloquialisms: - or as I like to call them, "shit Red Neckersons say".
Backstory 2: "Why I cannot get a passport".
Let Me Be Your Example: This here is where I explain that, yet again, I've screwed up something and you should take heed and learn from my mistake. Hmm. Maybe I should rename these excerpts (sp?) in "I Love Lucy" episode titles.
How I Met The Mike: It's a lovely story if you have ever been drunk . . . and The Mike.
How I Subsequently Started Dating The Mike and Eventually Got Married To The Lunk: This one requires some imagination. Football, potent potables and Funny-Assed Shit. If you know me in real life, then you know I LOVE me some funny. The Mike has funny to spare. His singing ability is only rivaled by his funny.
Ravelry is full circle for me, personally: I read about 20 blogs back in the day. Back in the day there were 4 that Rocked My World (tm). Carriokie, HEJ (High Energy Jenny) Knit Ann-Marie Knit and Frecklegirl.
I read all the stuff these four friends would blog about and share with the rest of the world. Their fibery get-togethers, their* just because* get-togethers, their F.O.s.
Love them 4 girls a metric ton load.
Back in the day that I was loving on these four bloggers?
Ravelry was more than a glimmer in the BobFather's eye.
3 of them girls were friends with the lady that started ravely from inception.
I tell KnittingSuzanne (of ravelry and Suzanne when you get to just hang with her) all the time about how ravely.com brought us goofy, crazy, fiber lov'n knitters in bunches!
To meet Casey and Jess out there in the trenches?
Awesomeness (eleventy-twelve)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Allow Me A Moment:
The more things I realize I lost on my computer, the sicker my stomach gets.
Videos of Hunter healthy and prancing, and Ella growing up for the last three years, pictures of John E's wedding (he's already divorced, but the pics of The Mike post-surgery and looking FABULOUS - those), letters to various attorneys for various things, my resume . . . Mike's resume . . . various non-popular blogs that I love that never made it into my bloglines rollcall, pics from driving home from our wedding week in Lake Tahoe and some trips to Monterey and several pics that I've taken of the same tree off Hwy 190 every time I've driven by it, to mark the changing seasons. Pictures of our home, empty and shiny and clean, before we moved into it and then those exact same shots with our new furniture and existing stuff. Pictures of The Mike crashed out in front of our roaring fireplace with cats sleeping all around him, and so many pictures of Mike's bass fishy trophies.
There was a close-up picture of Madden's paws that always brought the phrase "weapons of mass destruction" to mind.
It's all gone and there is noone to blame but me.
About two weeks ago, I noticed that my iTunes (which had roughly 500+ podcasts saved . . . unlistened) was showing about 100. Then a few days ago it went down to 29. I *KNEW* something wasn't right, but I didn't know what and I didn't know how to find out what.
Allow me a moment to wallow in my pity.
FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK GOOD GRAVY FUCKING SHIT.
FUCK!
Okay. That's done. Ever forward.
I will be scheduling regular backups of my stuff from here on out.
Please learn from my mistake. Back your shit up.
NOW PEOPLE!
Well, okay, at least tomorrow or when you get back from vacation!
What'cha wait'n for? Consider my experience an omen.
I'ma give up modern technology and immerse myself in historical sock knitting. Socks don't (as far as I've heard) self fucking distruct.
Okay. NOW I'm done.
Videos of Hunter healthy and prancing, and Ella growing up for the last three years, pictures of John E's wedding (he's already divorced, but the pics of The Mike post-surgery and looking FABULOUS - those), letters to various attorneys for various things, my resume . . . Mike's resume . . . various non-popular blogs that I love that never made it into my bloglines rollcall, pics from driving home from our wedding week in Lake Tahoe and some trips to Monterey and several pics that I've taken of the same tree off Hwy 190 every time I've driven by it, to mark the changing seasons. Pictures of our home, empty and shiny and clean, before we moved into it and then those exact same shots with our new furniture and existing stuff. Pictures of The Mike crashed out in front of our roaring fireplace with cats sleeping all around him, and so many pictures of Mike's bass fishy trophies.
There was a close-up picture of Madden's paws that always brought the phrase "weapons of mass destruction" to mind.
It's all gone and there is noone to blame but me.
About two weeks ago, I noticed that my iTunes (which had roughly 500+ podcasts saved . . . unlistened) was showing about 100. Then a few days ago it went down to 29. I *KNEW* something wasn't right, but I didn't know what and I didn't know how to find out what.
Allow me a moment to wallow in my pity.
FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK GOOD GRAVY FUCKING SHIT.
FUCK!
Okay. That's done. Ever forward.
I will be scheduling regular backups of my stuff from here on out.
Please learn from my mistake. Back your shit up.
NOW PEOPLE!
Well, okay, at least tomorrow or when you get back from vacation!
What'cha wait'n for? Consider my experience an omen.
I'ma give up modern technology and immerse myself in historical sock knitting. Socks don't (as far as I've heard) self fucking distruct.
Okay. NOW I'm done.
Monday, May 12, 2008
@%&!$:
When I turned on my computer yesterday, it beeped and told me (in some computer jargon that I am not fluent in) that it was broken.
Thankfully, for just a mere $60 (and I'm not being sarcastic there. I really AM thankful it was only that much) I have a working computer again.
Unfortunately . . . according to the computer gu-ru guy . . . it's so *new* like, it's akin to when I first got the thing 3 years ago.
NO PICTURES
NO PODCASTS
NO QUICKBOOKS
NO PDF KNITTING PATTERNS
NO FUCKING NOTHING.
Empty.
I've elected to look at this *opportunity* as a forced housecleaning of all that was wasting valuable space on the thing.
Now, if I didn't have alot of my good pictures uploaded to flickr, I'd be a tad more irked. There were so many of Hunter that are now gone gone gone, and that's sad.
Oh well.
I keep seeing signs that point me/us in the direction of 'clean out' 'move on'.
Here's another sign:
A friend that lives at the Coast has a house that is almost ready for new residents.
A nice nice house. On the grounds of the San Luis Obispo Country Club nice.
For a freak'n STEAL.
That's all for now. I gotta get home and reload my Kodak program, Quickbooks and the other important 'guts' I need in my fancy email/picture machine.
Thankfully, for just a mere $60 (and I'm not being sarcastic there. I really AM thankful it was only that much) I have a working computer again.
Unfortunately . . . according to the computer gu-ru guy . . . it's so *new* like, it's akin to when I first got the thing 3 years ago.
NO PICTURES
NO PODCASTS
NO QUICKBOOKS
NO PDF KNITTING PATTERNS
NO FUCKING NOTHING.
Empty.
I've elected to look at this *opportunity* as a forced housecleaning of all that was wasting valuable space on the thing.
Now, if I didn't have alot of my good pictures uploaded to flickr, I'd be a tad more irked. There were so many of Hunter that are now gone gone gone, and that's sad.
Oh well.
I keep seeing signs that point me/us in the direction of 'clean out' 'move on'.
Here's another sign:
A friend that lives at the Coast has a house that is almost ready for new residents.
A nice nice house. On the grounds of the San Luis Obispo Country Club nice.
For a freak'n STEAL.
That's all for now. I gotta get home and reload my Kodak program, Quickbooks and the other important 'guts' I need in my fancy email/picture machine.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Musical Paradigm Shift:
One of my great loves is singing.
Not my own, and you're welcome for that!
The Mike comes from a musical family - his dad used to be in a band (Real Ralph and the Renegades and if you talk to OLD old timers 'round these parts? They remember him and the band fondly). Before that though, Ralph grew up hard. Music was the respite to picking cotton and making do in a family of 12 (or was it 13?) siblings.
Mike and his two brothers grew up in this musical family and did different things with it.
B, his oldest brother (by 6 years) took up the drums. This matters when you know that their dad is a guitar maestro. My Mike (the middle child) took up . . . uh . . . football. M, the youngest (by six years after Mike)? Drums also.
Despite all this musical family drama, I love them loads for the music loving they share. B the Elder and My Mike and M the Younger LOVE rock. Hard rock. Like hard rock that borders on crazy-assed satanic-like hard rock. Dare I say it? Marilyn Manson rock.
*shudders*
Not my thang. At all.
The thing is? They all hear musical notes and melodies that elude me.
My Mike will be sitting next to me, as we ease on down the road with the radio on, and he will say stuff like "did you hear that?". I'm all "hear what?" "The tuba/bass/cello/violins/wa-wa/chime/tamborine right there?".
HUH?
All I ever hear is the song I've always heard all these years.
Listening to music through The Mike's ears is a real treat - you hear it with a new paradigm.
I've watched M the Younger take little Ella's hands in his and tap the beat to music, as if he's playing the drums - like he's teaching her but not realizing he's teaching her. He *has* to play the beat. It's in his blood.
It's a beautiful thing to share music with my married family.
My father-in-law - we don't have much in common besides his middle child - my husband. I do think he knows that I appreciate his musical knowledge and abilities. Another kookie thing this family I married into does is goof-off through song lyrics. FIL will throw out an old Conway Twitty lyric and I'll respond with the next line of the song.
I can't play the music on an instrument, but I can name that tune in three bars.
Love me some sing'n - almost any era. The words of a song stick with me like the musical notes stick with my married family.
Here's the even weirder part though. I can't (as they say) carry a tune in a bucket. My Mike - the stereotypical middle child that chose football over the family's love of music?
He can sing circles around us. He has the gift of performing, like his dad and brothers, but his instrument is his voice.
Unfortunately, only *us* ever hear him sing unabashedly. He sings his guts out to Blue and Freckles and Scilly and the ceiling and the microwave.
When I say "Hey Hon - sing me (name that tune)" he gets all shy and 'ahh shucks'. When he thinks noone is looking and listening though, the world is his stage.
Don't tell him I told you. He'd die of 'ahh shucks' embarrassment.
Not my own, and you're welcome for that!
The Mike comes from a musical family - his dad used to be in a band (Real Ralph and the Renegades and if you talk to OLD old timers 'round these parts? They remember him and the band fondly). Before that though, Ralph grew up hard. Music was the respite to picking cotton and making do in a family of 12 (or was it 13?) siblings.
Mike and his two brothers grew up in this musical family and did different things with it.
B, his oldest brother (by 6 years) took up the drums. This matters when you know that their dad is a guitar maestro. My Mike (the middle child) took up . . . uh . . . football. M, the youngest (by six years after Mike)? Drums also.
Despite all this musical family drama, I love them loads for the music loving they share. B the Elder and My Mike and M the Younger LOVE rock. Hard rock. Like hard rock that borders on crazy-assed satanic-like hard rock. Dare I say it? Marilyn Manson rock.
*shudders*
Not my thang. At all.
The thing is? They all hear musical notes and melodies that elude me.
My Mike will be sitting next to me, as we ease on down the road with the radio on, and he will say stuff like "did you hear that?". I'm all "hear what?" "The tuba/bass/cello/violins/wa-wa/chime/tamborine right there?".
HUH?
All I ever hear is the song I've always heard all these years.
Listening to music through The Mike's ears is a real treat - you hear it with a new paradigm.
I've watched M the Younger take little Ella's hands in his and tap the beat to music, as if he's playing the drums - like he's teaching her but not realizing he's teaching her. He *has* to play the beat. It's in his blood.
It's a beautiful thing to share music with my married family.
My father-in-law - we don't have much in common besides his middle child - my husband. I do think he knows that I appreciate his musical knowledge and abilities. Another kookie thing this family I married into does is goof-off through song lyrics. FIL will throw out an old Conway Twitty lyric and I'll respond with the next line of the song.
I can't play the music on an instrument, but I can name that tune in three bars.
Love me some sing'n - almost any era. The words of a song stick with me like the musical notes stick with my married family.
Here's the even weirder part though. I can't (as they say) carry a tune in a bucket. My Mike - the stereotypical middle child that chose football over the family's love of music?
He can sing circles around us. He has the gift of performing, like his dad and brothers, but his instrument is his voice.
Unfortunately, only *us* ever hear him sing unabashedly. He sings his guts out to Blue and Freckles and Scilly and the ceiling and the microwave.
When I say "Hey Hon - sing me (name that tune)" he gets all shy and 'ahh shucks'. When he thinks noone is looking and listening though, the world is his stage.
Don't tell him I told you. He'd die of 'ahh shucks' embarrassment.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
When the Stars Align:
Today has been, and continues to be, a great day!
This afternoon I went down to Bakersfield and hung out with Suzanne (KnittingSuzanne of ravelry). I got to meet her three fur kids - Archie, Veronica and Betty (yes, you read that right, lol) and one of her human offspring - her daughter.
I had a good laugh telling her daughter that her mom has now found 'her people' and 'her people' totally understand her.
The main point of my visit was to hook Suzanne up on some computer-related stuff.
1) The Kings/Tulare/Kern group now has a name - Yarn Mavens - and a blog on blogger. I showed her how to post and add pictures and change the blog's format, etc.
2) When I left, Suzanne's computer was in the middle of downloading 538 knitting-related podcast episodes. Yep. FIVE HUNDRED PLUS. I made sure to start her off with the great ones - Knit Picks, WEBS, David Reidy (sticks n strings), HIZknits and Wondermike (Y Knit) and of course Lime & Violet's too, among several others.
3) She's now got an account with bloglines.com and a few knitting blogs to keep track of. We were so busy that I totally forgot to add this blog to her lineup! She can always keep track of me on ravelry though.
She was sweet enough to take me to lunch - Sequoia's Sandwhich Shop (not sure of the official name but who cares what it's called? It was yummy and I could totally find it again on my own if I had to!)
We also visited The ABC's of Creative Pursuits. I'd never been before, and thanks to her I now know to 'go around the back' if the front doors to the building are locked.
Her house and yards are beautiful, her daughter is very easy to hang with, and of course Suzanne's company is something I treasure immensely.
Neener neener! I got to fondle her stash too!
There's nothing I can think of that would be better than her company on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Now I'm back home, and the rest of my evening will be spent knitting on Carolyn's (Jollyewe of ravelry) sock yarn while I continue watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on t.v.
Pure bliss.
The other day, I saw Jen (ZubieJen of ravelry) had queued a mock cable sock pattern that intrigued me. After looking it up, I realized it had all the specifications of the sock I was starting anyway so I decided to do it.
Not so much.
I just do not like sock patterns with self-striping yarn. At. All. Last night I frogged out all the patterned part and got back to the basic stockinette stitch.
The stars aligned tonight for me to knit knit knit on this sock in stockinette while I watch this movie! There's no way I could've done that pattern while paying attention to the movie.
Toodles for now - I've got a movie and sock to get back too.
This afternoon I went down to Bakersfield and hung out with Suzanne (KnittingSuzanne of ravelry). I got to meet her three fur kids - Archie, Veronica and Betty (yes, you read that right, lol) and one of her human offspring - her daughter.
I had a good laugh telling her daughter that her mom has now found 'her people' and 'her people' totally understand her.
The main point of my visit was to hook Suzanne up on some computer-related stuff.
1) The Kings/Tulare/Kern group now has a name - Yarn Mavens - and a blog on blogger. I showed her how to post and add pictures and change the blog's format, etc.
2) When I left, Suzanne's computer was in the middle of downloading 538 knitting-related podcast episodes. Yep. FIVE HUNDRED PLUS. I made sure to start her off with the great ones - Knit Picks, WEBS, David Reidy (sticks n strings), HIZknits and Wondermike (Y Knit) and of course Lime & Violet's too, among several others.
3) She's now got an account with bloglines.com and a few knitting blogs to keep track of. We were so busy that I totally forgot to add this blog to her lineup! She can always keep track of me on ravelry though.
She was sweet enough to take me to lunch - Sequoia's Sandwhich Shop (not sure of the official name but who cares what it's called? It was yummy and I could totally find it again on my own if I had to!)
We also visited The ABC's of Creative Pursuits. I'd never been before, and thanks to her I now know to 'go around the back' if the front doors to the building are locked.
Her house and yards are beautiful, her daughter is very easy to hang with, and of course Suzanne's company is something I treasure immensely.
Neener neener! I got to fondle her stash too!
There's nothing I can think of that would be better than her company on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Now I'm back home, and the rest of my evening will be spent knitting on Carolyn's (Jollyewe of ravelry) sock yarn while I continue watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on t.v.
Pure bliss.
The other day, I saw Jen (ZubieJen of ravelry) had queued a mock cable sock pattern that intrigued me. After looking it up, I realized it had all the specifications of the sock I was starting anyway so I decided to do it.
Not so much.
I just do not like sock patterns with self-striping yarn. At. All. Last night I frogged out all the patterned part and got back to the basic stockinette stitch.
The stars aligned tonight for me to knit knit knit on this sock in stockinette while I watch this movie! There's no way I could've done that pattern while paying attention to the movie.
Toodles for now - I've got a movie and sock to get back too.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Breaking News:
Whoo Hoo! About an hour and a half ago I finished my second sock from my Lisa Souza stash.
Y'all should see this second kitchener. It's a thing of beauty! What an improvement over my first attempt.
Pictures have been taken (between the bouts of petting) but I've elected to not waste the time fiddling with posting them because . . . well . . . I'm already into my next pair.
The other day I joined the 'Pair of Socks a Month' group on ravelry. I didn't realize that it was so close to the end of April though, so I busted ass to finish this pair by today.
I know me well enough that if I don't immediately start another pair for my 'ambulatory' knitting (grocery shopping, out to dinner, standing in line) I won't finish by the end of May.
This pair is being knit on size 1s. ONES PEOPLE! with Jollyewe's "Oceano" colorway.
I picked this yarn for a reason - a reason that I haven't talked about to anyone outside of The Mike, and a reason that means alot to me.
There is better than average chance that we will be moving back to the Coast in the next few months.
That's all I'm going to say now - except I will add that it's not 100% sure - just more likely than not but who can predict the future besides Sly Stallone's mother and Miss Cleo (remember her? That woman who would say 'call me now' on her commercials?).
For now, I'm going to knit with this yarn and dream about my hometown.
The green in the yarn reminds me of the iceplant that used to be all over the dunes. The darker blue reminds me of my ocean and the lighter blue reminds me of the sky over the pier. I'll daydream about the Dunites and the founders of the city of Halcyon - about being where I feel happiest.
I miss my hometown so much.
The Pinwheel Baby Sweater is still on the needles, but I'm on the last few in-the-round rows before cast-off time. Cast-off time will then become sleeve time, which I'm very excited to do!
Talk with y'all soon.
. . . wanders back to her daydreaming sock knitting.
Y'all should see this second kitchener. It's a thing of beauty! What an improvement over my first attempt.
Pictures have been taken (between the bouts of petting) but I've elected to not waste the time fiddling with posting them because . . . well . . . I'm already into my next pair.
The other day I joined the 'Pair of Socks a Month' group on ravelry. I didn't realize that it was so close to the end of April though, so I busted ass to finish this pair by today.
I know me well enough that if I don't immediately start another pair for my 'ambulatory' knitting (grocery shopping, out to dinner, standing in line) I won't finish by the end of May.
This pair is being knit on size 1s. ONES PEOPLE! with Jollyewe's "Oceano" colorway.
I picked this yarn for a reason - a reason that I haven't talked about to anyone outside of The Mike, and a reason that means alot to me.
There is better than average chance that we will be moving back to the Coast in the next few months.
That's all I'm going to say now - except I will add that it's not 100% sure - just more likely than not but who can predict the future besides Sly Stallone's mother and Miss Cleo (remember her? That woman who would say 'call me now' on her commercials?).
For now, I'm going to knit with this yarn and dream about my hometown.
The green in the yarn reminds me of the iceplant that used to be all over the dunes. The darker blue reminds me of my ocean and the lighter blue reminds me of the sky over the pier. I'll daydream about the Dunites and the founders of the city of Halcyon - about being where I feel happiest.
I miss my hometown so much.
The Pinwheel Baby Sweater is still on the needles, but I'm on the last few in-the-round rows before cast-off time. Cast-off time will then become sleeve time, which I'm very excited to do!
Talk with y'all soon.
. . . wanders back to her daydreaming sock knitting.
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