weekly update 7-20-08

I am woefully behind in posting this week and am sorry… it’s been one of those kinds of weeks that you never hope to repeat!

Let’s get that all out of the way then I’ll do my SP12 question of the week and update you on my knitting.

We first found out that a son of one of our knit group girls was horribly burned in an accident. This being after fire claimed the home twice of one of our other girls… So we’re planning on how to help them and rehoming their rescue bunnies and other critters when we get the awful news that another of our knit group girls husband was burned in a grilling incident. Both are at special burn hospitals in the region.

Other than working I’ve been trying to help with that this week. However one of my cohorts and I have organized a raffle. (<- ravelry link) We’ve scored a couple Ravelry tote bags, some fabulous yarn and are working on other prizes. Please follow the link if you’re on Ravelry and email me if you’re not and you’re interested. I’ll send you all of the information. If nothing else, can you please keep these good people and their families in your thoughts and prayers? 

Now, onto the not so bad stuff… 

SP12 – Questions #6
What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?

Hmm, quick and mindless! Socks, dishrags and the like. I did take my clapotis once with me. That was nice. 

If you’d like to share a story…Tell us about a time that you packed too much knitting or were stranded without knitting.

OK, it’s not a funny story per-se but my knitting was! My uncle passed away last summer and we were driving to Savannah for his memorial service. My mom said “make sure you take your knitting, I’m sure there will be down time”. Well, duh! I take my knitting everywhere but she was stressed so of course I just said “yes ma’am, I was planning on it”. So I go up to her house and we’re packing the car and she asks me what all I packed (she so goes into “Mom” mode when she’s stressed). So I start listing the clothes in my one bag and she said ok, what’s in that one- pointing to my backpack. I said, my knitting. I had my clapotis, socks on the needles, back up sock yarn, yarn for my chevron scarf I never knitted, and many many balls of kitchen cotton. Oh, and we were only gone 3 days. And I only got in a hour or two total of knitting time I’d say! Overpack? Me? Nah…. 

As far as my TdF knitting, haven’t done it I hope I get more knitting time in next week… I kinda miss it!

Oh and my monkey socks? Frogged. Totally and completely…

So this isn’t a totally pictureless post here’s my friend Laura’s new bunny she adopted from our friend:

a week?

It’s been a whole week since I last posted… hmm. Well, it has been a busy week… 

I finally managed to drag Mom to a knit night. She had a lot of fun and admitted she wished she’d come sooner. (and no, I did not say “I told you so!”)

Yesterday, a couple local Ravelers and I rode up to Chateau Morrisette (a local winery) for a Ravelry meet up. I enjoyed meeting everyone, especially Kimberly who came all the way down from Rhode Island just to knit and drink with us. 

Stephanie, Sallee and I “forced” her into coming back to Roanoke via the Blue Ridge Parkway where it was very beautiful despite the vast amounts of fog we drove through. We went out to dinner and then descended onto Barnes and Noble for dessert and coffee (or tea). It was over 12 hrs from the time I left my home in the morning to when I came back in. 

Despite the fact that I had my camera with me, I took not one picture (bad blogger…) but Sallee and Kimberly did so I’ll point you in their directions for pictures. 

I’m still working on my sweater. I’m on sleeve number one. I was afraid it’d be too big (they are apparently bell sleeves) but I’m slogging on. However about half way up the sleeve I think I will remove the needles (having secured the live stitches with scrap yarn of course) and make sure the sleeve doesn’t bell too much. What I’ll do then if it is, I’m not sure. I’ll just cross that bridge when I get to it! 

I’m still waiting on my wee tiny sock to get here but it’s coming from London and really, it’s just been 4 days. I’m not worried about it yet. 

And now, so my post won’t be entirely picture free, I’ll share with you a picture of the littlest heathen when she was very young. 

My baby Pepper

OH, I almost forgot, Rae has offered up as one prize in my Relay for Life fundraiser contest two of her bag patterns. Thanks Rae!

Weekend Update

There’s not much to show on the knitting front. I’m still plugging away on my sweater. A new picture doesn’t show much change although I am almost done with the waist shaping increases. 

Spring is here (although it wouldn’t break my heart if we start getting a little warmer…). I know for a fact it’s here to stay because my outside “buddy” Big Fat Groudhog is back munching on grass and whatnot.

Easter is here and almost over.I’m still playing on Ravelry (you HAVE signed up haven’t you??) 

I’ve been helping Dana and the crew out with the behind the scenes planning for the Sedalia Fiber Festival (May 24th. You will be there won’t you??) 

Oh, I signed up for the Wee Tiny Sock Swap. Link and such on the sidebar, there’s no limit to the number of participants and sign ups close on March 27. Socks to be mailed the 31st. I love these little socks! Those of you know know me in person have probably seen me knitting on at least one for my little sock blocker keychain…

Speaking of the sidebar, I’ve *finally* gotten the blog roll in there. I think it’s fairly accurate since I exported my google reader file but if you’re here and not there, please let me know!  

And now, so it’s not all blah blah blah… I leave you with an old picture of the heathens:  

And don’t forget about the Relay for Life Contest going on til April 17th (link also in the sidebar)

Movin’ right along

Yup, that’s right. I’m managing only to knit on my sweater. I’m done with the waist shaping decreases and am about 3 rows from starting the increases!

I’m very happy with it so far! I’ve seen on Ravelry that some of the necks are very wide. I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do yet. However I did find the perfect creamy tan tank top to go under it just in case…

Don’t forget to donate to Relay for Life to be entered for prizes!

update

Recently I signed up for a Valentine’s Day Swap on Ravelry. Just a little swap of about $10. I thought it’d be a fun way to celebrate a day that normally just doesn’t get celebrated around here (here being my home…). It was a known swap (meaning you know who has you) and the organizer just paired us up so I sent to Diane and she sent to me. Which was pretty cool. I like the annonymous swaps and have had nothing but great spoilers but I’m always a little leary. What if they do flake and what if I didn’t answer the questions clearly and well… you get the idea. So it was really nice to be able to actually chat with Diane a bit before picking out her present.Mom always told me people give what they like and I think that certainly fits the case here. I sent a package that I would be happy to get.I sent: a package of plain ol’ round Clover stitch markers (a knitter can never have too many); two bent tip darning needles (LOVE those!); two skeins of Soy Wool Stripes (I’d bought this for a scarf for a friend but she didn’t like it and really, who returns yarn?!?); a magnet of my fair city (I do like me some fridge magnets and it’s fun to see where someone else lives); dark chocolate (do I need to say more?!?!); some fun soap I got in the shape of lips and a cute little card. (There is a picture on Diane’s blog of everything.)Here’s the yummies that Diane sent me:Also, since there were some great guesses I’ll now tell you what the bomb squad was up to.They were afraid this may get out of hand…OK. Now seriously… they were at a local political rally. Kinda cool and disturbing at the same time, eh?I’m an independent and kind of a geek when it comes to political happenings. I vote. I try to keep up with the whole process and all (politicians on the other hand kind of drive me nutty). So when not one but TWO presidential candidates planned rallies for my little city I was excited. I went to the one on Sunday for Hillary… shame she didn’t. She missed a prime opportunity to try to sway me to her camp…;)For those of you who aren’t local, she couldn’t make it because of a high wind warning and forest fires.And now, for all the “bad” news… I’m in an immobilizer type wrist brace. I, thankfully, do not have carpal tunnel but I do have tendonitis/tennis elbow. The wrist brace keeps my hand from moving in a fashion that will not aggrevate the tendons. However, IF I can knit with the brace on, then I have “permission” from my doc to knit. However I’m going to wait at least til the end of the weekend to try. I want to get better… Edited to add: I had it all nicely formatted and all but I read something that didn’t sound right so I fixed it and all my formating left and I can’t fix it again I’ve been on the ‘puter too long as it is so please forgive the long run on paragraph  

My Marvelous Mitts

I kept seeing these lovely mitts showing up in blogs I read. I even found a Ravelry group for them. It was the same pattern but they’re all so different. All so lovely.

I loved them. I coveted them in ways that knitters understand (well, any crafter really). I had to have them and make them my own. However, I didn’t know how to do color work. Stranded? Floats? Holding my yarn in TWO HANDS!?! It seemed a little out there. But then I remembered Catie talking about how easy her tam was. How much she enjoyed knitting it.

I broke down and followed the link and bought the pattern. They’re Marvelous Mitts by Karendipity.

It took me a while to decide on yarn. I mean a long while. I browsed a lot. Finally, I found the yarns. Quite accidently. Dream in Color Smooshy Giant Peach (and don’t you just LOVE that name?!) and some unnamed most lovely shades of Green Koigu I had.

Took me three tries to get the cast on right. Since then, I’ve been on a big roll. I love the mitts. I love the colors together. I love that I taught myself how to knit with my left hand (and have gotten advice from Ms Karendipity herself as to where to go to learn how to purl with my left hand so I can knit both continental AND english!). I want to finish these mitts so I can find two more colors to make more!

And while I’m spouting all the love… I really love that a lot of designers use Ravelry and make themselves available even more readily to help you with their patterns. So far, knock on wood, I haven’t needed help. But I’ve gotten some great encouragement from the KAL group on Ravelry, the moderators and Karen. I love that. I love that instead of going “what the heck does she/he mean by THAT” that you can just ask the designer. Easily. Because I know a lot of places you can find ways to contact the designer but if it’s not easy I’m not going to do it. I’ll figure it out on my own or with my friends…

So, if any designers are out there reading this and are accessible on ravelry, THANK YOU!!!

FO updates

I have several finished items to share with you today. One is completely and totally done. The other well… I’ll tell you about it in a moment.

My Baby hat for NoSo Knit:

The second one is my clapotis. I’ve called it done. I’ve marked it done in the sidebar but honestly it’s 99% done. I have to finish unraveling all those dropped stitches then weave in a couple ends. I tried to weave in the ends before the unraveling but it didn’t work.

Oh and I almost forgot:

I made a teeny sock for my sock blocker keychain!

Lastly, not a FO but an update. I got my invite for Ravelry. I’m listed as “Nikki” if you want to look me up and come by to say hi. I’m reserving all opinions until I can really get in there and do more than get my feet wet. So far it is a very neat place but I’m just not sure I’m that organized with my knitting.

Ravelry

Well, I suppose I should just go on and admit it. I’m on the waiting list for Ravelry. I have some personal observations to share with you. These are in no particular order by the way.

I put my name on the list (on June 17) mostly because everyone else was. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it and have use for it (and still have some reservations). But I wanted to see what it was all about.

Having 2664 people in line in front of you is WAY better than having 194 (as of 6:35pm) people in front of you. I’m almost ashamed to admit this but I’ve been checking that damn site at least once a day since I got under 300 in front of me. And I was right tickled when the number hit under four digits.

I’d sort of figured out I’d get my invite the end of August based on the amount of people getting in but that means it’s almost the end of August now. Which makes me wonder where the hell the year went!

I did not take people’s suggestions of inventorying everything knitting related I own before my Ravelry invite. But as Robin pointed out as she was adding her books, I’d just forget what the yarns were anyways. (Hey! It’s possible. And sounds very reasonable to me so stop it.)

There are still 17,516 people BEHIND me in line!! That’s a whole lot of people. I mean like a WHOLE LOT of people!

Going back to the whole picture issue for a moment, I did however go on and open up a flickr account. It was just easier. Yahoo was (is) closing their photo section and I had to transfer my photos somewhere or lose them. So, in anticipation of Ravelry, I chose flickr. Which was especially convenient since Yahoo now apparently owns flickr so they tranfered all the photos over for me.

The worst part of my Ravelry invite coming sometime late this week or this weekend (more than likely)? I volunteered to work this Saturday. Fortunately it’s just 3 1/2 hrs but still. I could be knitting then! Or taking pictures of my stash. Or something other than working!! Which also reminds me, if someone asks you if you want to work a Saturday… unless it’s for yarn, say no. It’s just not worth it. Really. Even if it is just for 3 1/2 hrs.

I forgot one more tidbit: it took me over 9 weeks to get my Ravelry invite. It took me 6 1/2 weeks to get my passport (for the record. I applied for the passport AFTER I applied for Ravelry). I find it both interesting and a little bizzare that knitting is more popular than international travel. (OK. that’s a stretch but still…)