Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Holiday Knitting Roll Call

Okay guys, it's all done. I tried and succeeded to knit all the Christmas gifts for this year. It is 1:32pm on 12/24/08, and the last item is now blocking. Here's a run down of what I did for Christmas knitting.

1)Doctor Who Season 18 scarf, for my Brother



The yarn was Red Heart Soft Yarn, and Lion Brand WoolEase worsted. Details here All the following links are Ravelry links...just a warning.

2)Mayumi's Thistle Lace Scarf, for my sister in law, whom I love bunches



details here

3)Mom's Baudelaire Socks, for mom, naturally.



details

4) Dad's Cable Scarf



Details

5)Marylou's Ripple Washcloth, for LB's mom



Details

6)Jenny's Bath Puffy, for LB's sister, made with organic cotton for her Vegan sensibilities



Details

7)Dan's Control Panel Scarf, for LB's dad



Details

I finished 7 knitted gifts, for BOTH sides of the family. The best part was that I finished the Control Panel scarf at 1:30pm today, and it is now blocking.

I am quite proud

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Pattern Changes

So, I was working on the Ripple Hand Towel for LB's mom, and decided I needed to post the changes that I have made so far.

Being that this is rushed holiday knitting at its finest, I decided to only use the ripple pattern for a little trim. The rest would be in stockinette. After two repeats of the pattern, I decided that it was good enough. Now, please note that my gauge with Euroflax is entirely too loose, so it was looking, a little floppy. I changed needle sizes down to a 2.25mm, and after 4 inches, decided it was still looking icky.

So, at about 50% completion, I decided that this was not a hand towel, it would instead be a washcloth. After a three needle bind off at the upper edge, and sewing around the edges, it ended up being about 6 inches by 6 inches. This was not enough. I decided to add a pocket (to hold the hoity-toity face soap, naturally).

Did I save any time by making these adjustments? No, not even remotely. But at least now I can say it is a semi-original handmade holiday gift, right?

Pictures will be posted upon completion.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Louet Euroflax Sport


In working with Euroflax for LB's mom's handtowels, I have noticed a few things:

First, this yarn is a lot softer than I expected. Now, keep in mind that part of that could be due to the fact that I washed the skein once before I wound it into a center pull ball. But I do think that because the linen is wetspun makes a difference. It doesn't tear up my hands as much as one would think.

Second, I have gone down 4, count 'em 4 needle sizes, and the fabric STILL looks too loose. Is this an issue with the yarn? Possibly. I also think that I may be a little weird when it comes to knitting with anything other than wool. Does anyone have this issue? It's such a pity, because I really wanted to make a skirt out of another color of Euroflax in the stash, but somehow I think that having to go down to 0000 size needles is just not in the cards.

Third, I have read that linen softens and stretches a little bit with wear and washing. Do you think I accounted for this when I cast on? Nope. Not even remotely. This means that chances are, this hand towel will end up being bath sized after a few washings. Oi.

Other than my knitterly weirdness, I do like working with this yarn. It's really nice, and I like that I am making something utilitarian. I think it makes a better present when it is useable. :D

Has anyone else worked with this? Did they have the same issues?

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Ravelry rocks, and is also kinda...annoying

So. I went and bought several magazines today, and then tried adding them to my library on Ravelry. These particular issues do not exist in the Raverly database. Only slightly annoying.

The cool thing? You can now search the patterns based on what is actually in your library! This is going to be incredibly helpful for those days when you don't know what to knit, but wanna knit something that you already have the pattern for. Casey rocks!

So, I must wait to add these to my library:
-Yarn Forward December Issue 7
-Knitting (Knitting Institute.co.uk) Issue 57 December 2008


Ah well. It's all good. :)

By the way, after much deliberation, I have decided that LB's dad is going to get knit soap on a rope from me. The ultimate manly gift. All I need to do is knit 4 feet of I-Cord, and I am set! Now what the hell do I do for his sister? A 50 pound block of tofu?

Friday, December 12, 2008

Future Job Prospect? I think not...




You Should Be a Doctor



You are practical, sharp, and very intuitive.

Optimistic and energetic, you are a problem solver who doesn't get discouraged easily.

You are also quite compassionate and caring. You make people feel hopeful.

You're highly adaptable and capable. You do well with almost any curve ball life throws at you.



You do best when you:



- Are always learning new subjects

- Use your knowledge to solve problems



You would also be a good therapist or detective.

Coffee Quiz




You Are a Double Espresso



Hey Energizer Bunny Girl! Do you ever slow down?

You're a mix of high energy and ambition, perfectly matched with strong espresso

When you want something you get it - by any means possible

You're driven, determined, and no nonsense. Which is just how you like your java.




Ah....tasty tasty espresso

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

FO: Mom's Baudelaires




Specs:

Pattern: Baudelaire by Cookie A
Yarn: Koigu KPM
Color: 2100 Yellow
Needle: US 2/ 2.5 mm
Yardage 1.25 skeins = 350.0 yards (320.0m)
Size Made: Small

You can look up the tag "Baudelaires" to read the posts about my trials and tribulations. These took a lot of work, but hey, I was doing my first set of two at a time toe up socks!

Hooray!

Ripple Hand Towel false start

Started to do the Ripple Hand Towel. Cast on the prescribed 44 stitches on both a US2 and a US4 needle, and decided the US2 did not make the towel wide enough, and the US4 created a fabric that was entirely too loose.

I am starting over on the US2, but I am adding a total of 24 stitches, so that I can do three more repeats to make it wider. I have not gone back to cast this on, as I need a US2 wooden needle, and my stash has swallowed all of those. Gotta wait til I get to the store....*sigh*



Also, the yarn i am using, Louet Euroflax in Sage, is just a little too loosely spun. It's workable, but I was hoping for something a little more easily knit. Ah well, at least the first washing (before winding into a ball) helped soften it up a bit so it wouldn't destroy my hands. :)

On the job front, I did not get the Assistant Manager position. Not that I was expecting to, but...still kinda disappointed. I am still in the running for two lead positions at my current job, and that seems to be going well, considering that the supervisors have started asking my coworkers how they think I would do. (it's a good thing I am well liked and am effective at getting things done...)

hehe. Gotta go do another food handler's permit class today. It's time to renew come January, and this is the last class before I would be working without a permit. It's two hours of pure fun I tell you!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

It's a Balmy Saturday Morning

And by that, I mean that it is 32 degrees right now, (a nice balmy 3 degress C for the metric of us)

I am cold. And grumpy that I am awake on a Saturday at 6:30am. I don't get to sleep in today. And trust me, I know this is my own doing. I am the one that scheduled my day like this. But I can still whine that I would rather stay home, knit, and be in bed. That's just the way it is.

I think perhaps I should invest in an espresso machine. Make myself mochas with 5 gazillion shots first thing in the morning. It'd be good. (loud, but good) And I might be happier about this whole getting out of bed thing.

The good news is: I have started the second ball of yarn on dad's scarf, so I am a lil over halfway done with it, and I am within two inches of finishing both of my mom's socks. I did the math, and figure that with one inch of ribbing, I should do just one more inch of patterning. Photos to follow once they are done and blocking.

No news on the new job front. I still haven't heard anything. Le sigh. But at least my current position has substantially improved, and hopefully that lead position will just drop into my lap come winter quarter (hey, it's the U, and hiring takes time)

In other news, I love love love my new phone. The G1 rocks, except for its battery life. I got down to 9% last night before I could plug it in. Even though I had wifi turned off, the 3G network still eats battery hardcore. So, I charge it every night, don't browse the internet, and am now trying to use the 2G network settings to see if that helps. Realistically, I don't need to be on 3G when I am not surfing the web, so I am gonna try this set up for a bit. Oh, and yes, I did download the comparison shopper program where you photograph the UPC and it searches for the best price. Hey, it was free off of the Android network. :D

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

New PHONE!!!!!


G1 showed up in the mail today. Hooray! Yes, yes, it is pretty and wonderful, and surprisingly easy to use. However, just as soon as I popped in my SIM card and started playing, it decided that MyFaves was not available. *cries* I really like my MyFaves stuff!

Two bonuses. The phone does come with a headphone adapter, since the phone uses a proprietary USB cable for its headphones. I am happy that I will be able to use my good earbuds with my phone if I want.

Also, I had a 253mB mini SD with my old phone. this one comes with a 1 GB card! It's so yay!!!

Everything was really easy to set up, and I really like the phone. My only issue (and it doesn't affect me at the moment, but...) is the issue with internet stuff. Go here to check out the issue. I am just annoyed because WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING A PHONE IF IT DOESN'T GO EVERYWHERE WITH YOU?!?!?! I was annoyed by T-Mobile's response, but also have faith that the Android network will come up with a solution right quick.

Gotta go play with my phone! Cheers!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Book reviews:

I was at the bookstore yesterday, and was able to get two knitting books at a discount. hooray!

The first is Knit One Below by Elise Duvekot


It is by XRX publishing. And I have to tell you. I love the information and all the great projects...but damn. I hate the layout! It's the same layout as with Knitter's Magazine which means, it has all the pertinent information on the left hand column, and then the pattern. This is really handy, I know...but it's still ugly.

Anyways, there is a skirt in there that I want to do, and a few sweaters that I will be heavily modifying, as they are not for the young crowd.

The second book I got was Classic Elite Knits


This is organized by the person it would be for: man, woman, kids, and then it has a section at the back for accessories. Now, I have to say that the choice of yarn that it used for these projects is often....something I would not choose for any of my handknits. However, the look of the piece can be preserved if we only substitute it for a more acceptable color. There are 100 designs in here. And I feel like this book will be more of an inspiration for me.

I do recommend buying both of these books, for reference if nothing else. There are plenty of patterns in them, and I like the theory behind them.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Your rainbow is intensely shaded red, violet, and green.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is says about you: You are an intelligent person. You appreciate energetic people. You get bored easily and want friends who will keep up with you. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Holiday of Turkey-ness!!

Hello everyone! Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that you all have the day off (aside from those pesky family obligations. :P)

I was having a conversation with my mother last night regarding today's plans, and I had to point out that I was expected to be at LB's parent's house by 6. My mother laughed and told me that the typical holiday protocol is that you pay penance to the in-laws. For one thing, I had to point out that they are not in-laws, so I shouldn't have to "pay penance". My mother's only response was "Welcome to adulthood" and that she had to do the same thing with my Dad's mother every holiday.

I asked if I could pass go and collect $200 as well. She told me that I'd have to talk to them about it.

In other news, I have made more headway in the Christmas knitting gifts extravaganza. So much progress, that I am considering knitting Librarian Boyfriend's mom some dish towels just as soon as I scope out the color scheme of her kitchen. hehe.

And just so you know, I am thankful for:
-people who read my blog and plurk and are so supportive
-friends, both online and off
-yarn. yes, I am thankful for the fluffy stuff
-family that supports my crazy knitting habits, and even lets me knit at the table
-a loving boyfriend that has not even batted an eye at the amount of stash I have accumulated since we moved.
-a job that is steadily improving (BTW, Captain Asshole was transferred to a different shop, and while I am excited and happy, I am still doing his job at closing, in addition to my own, and now with less help. eep)
-opportunities for job advancement (two interviews last week...)
-food. I really like food. I like that we have food.
-the future
-my dear kitten Pixel, who at this moment, is hiding in her tent

And LB says I should be thankful for monkeys, because monkeys make everything better. :D

Sunday, November 23, 2008

FO: The Job Is Mine Ascot




Specs:

Pattern:The Job Is Mine Ascot (completely made up by Me)
Yarn: Takhi Cotton Classic 100% Mercerized Cotton
Color:3940 Blue Base Purple Dye Lot:4650
Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) Bamboo
Size: 13 inches long, 1 inch wide
Started: 11/23/08 2pm Finished: 11/23/08 2:50pm


I decided this morning that for my next interview, I was going to wear a black knit dress. The issue with this? I am a pale girl with blue black hair, and would look a lil too goth to be taken seriously. So I decided to take a lesson from the Breakfast at Tiffany's era, and wear a brightly colored ascot to offset the black. I went stash diving and discovered that I had this 100% cotton yarn left over from a headband earlier in the year, and decided the color was perfect. I cast on three stitches, and then did some increasing and decreasing to make a leaf-like shape, and then did garter stitch for the main body. Another leaf-like appendage on the other end, and I was done. It only took about 40 minutes of knitting, and that's because I was being distracted by LB playing WoW.

Hopefully it makes me look professional enough to be taken seriously at my interview. :D

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Progress and Update-y Goodness

First off, I received tons of packages this week, which caused me to enter *SQUUEEEE* mode. The first was from YarnPirate and was the second installment of the Sock Club. This colorway is called Herron, and is a mixture of muted teals, purples, and some grey. (I will post pictures as soon as some good lighting magically appears) I am thinking that this will become a pair of socks for myself, possibly the Rivendells from Eclectic Sole by Janel Laidman.

The second package was my amazon.com order, which included "Seven Things that Can Make or Break a Sweater" which I first read about in a Knitter's Review article. This book is great because it really only has seven chapters, and each on covers something you may not have thought of, such as how increases and decreases affect your overall sweater design, or how the right type of seaming can make all the difference. It is a great reference book to have. The second book was Picture Perfect Knits by Laura Birek, whose blog I started following. I was really interested to see how this book would turn out when I found out it was being published, because I do have a new fascination with Intarsia. I am hoping that her simple explanations make it easier for me to do.

The third package was from ArtemisArtemis whose etsy shop is filled will shiny and yay items of joy. I joined the fiber club with a four month membership, and absolutely *love* my first installment of fiber. It is called Mulled Wine, and (I promise pictures, once there is decent light...) and it is a lovely blend of Glitz, Merino, Bamboo, and Sparkle in shades of burgundy, orange, purple, and red. I have to tell you, I am really looking forward to getting my spinning wheel in January, because this stuff BEGS to be spun up into something shiny. The fiber club gives you 4 oz of roving in the selected colorway, and I swear, these batts are bigger than the listing. I loves it. I loves it good.

Last on the list of orders, I actually went through T-Mobile and ordered my G1. I was able to get a great price on it, simply by renewing my contract for another 2 years. I was told that I should be receiving it by the end of November, so that's yay. Another cool thing is that HTC announced they were now going to package the phones with the 3.5 mm headphone adapter for the USB port. So that means I can use my good headphones when I play with my phone. Hooray for cool stuff!

On the Job Front, I went and had my interview last Tuesday, and I feel that it went *really* well. In fact, I went to work right afterwards, and was bouncing all over the place. Checked my phone on my first break. They had called me to schedule the second interview. a SECOND INTERVIEW for an assistant MANAGER position!!! So that will happen next week. Huzzah! Gawd, even if they decide that one of the other candidates is more suited to the position, I made it past the first cut! I mean, wow! I am really excited to see how this all turns out. And it reminds me that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. :D

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Friday, November 14, 2008

Twist Collective Winter 2008

The latest issue of Twist Collective is up. And it is GORGEOUS. Ysolda Teague has created another sweater that I absolutely MUST knit. :)

Patterns I will/must buy are:

Ysolda Teague's Vivian




Mari Muinonen's Sylvi...for when I can really afford to buy fifteen skeins of yarn in one go. hehe.



I am tempted sorely by Fiona Ellis' Rebecca pullover, but am not sure I could get away with wearing it, so that will go into the queue. We shall see.



And the total bill so far? $21. Not bad. Although I may have to add the Harika socks by Stephanie van der Linden just so I can have something chellenging to do. Either that or I will adapt the pattern so I can make some arm warmers.



In other news: I have a job interview for an assistant manager position for a big wig coffee shop. I am friggin excited, I tell you, because my current job is kinda...stressful. I have to deal with poopy people. One of which is my immediate superior. *Sigh* Oh to get out of there. :D

Pixel, darling kittie, has discovered how to open cupboards and drawers now. She wraps her little paws around the knob, like a kid, and pulls. This worries me, because I thought we could get away with NOT putting the kid-proofing things on the cupboards. Another weekend project I think

Monday, November 10, 2008

I've gotta gripe

This post has been removed due to its content being a menace to society.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Baudelaires and Snake Cable on the needles

I am still working on my Baudelaires, but have just come to the heel section. I think it seems absolutely ridiculous to work the 41 stitches for the first row of the heel. Insanity! Still haven't decided if I will use Cookie A's heel or do one of my own. After reading some Ravelry it seems that the pattern heel turns out a little too big. Considering mom has *freakishly* small feet, I may have to do some creative changes. Perhaps a short row heel would be better suited?

Also, on the personal technology front, I have decided that I will most likely be buying the second gen Google phone once it hits the market. My phone is kinda....crapping out, and I like new toys anyways. Most likely this release will be sometime next year, so I have time to save some money.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Dad's Snake Cable Scarf

Started in on another project for my Holiday 2008 knitting. I am using Misti Alpaca Chunky in color 410, which is a lovely dark brown.



This photo shows the color the best. It does actually resemble the color of soil, doesn't it?

I chose to do a two cable set, with garter stitch spacing and borders. And this is a C4F cable. The next photo shows the cable the best.



I only have two skeins of the Misti Alpaca, so if need be, I will add a little Elsebeth Lavold Silky Flamme to it. The brown is lighter, but it will go quite nicely.

A warning about the Misti Alpaca. Use really sharp needles, as the plies can snag when you are knitting. :)

Friday, November 7, 2008

Mom's Baudelaires Progress




The toes are finished, and I have started the gusset increases. I checked, and the socks (originally a medium) were looking a little big, so I decreased back down to the size small stitch count. Hopefully that will help.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Thank You


For everyone who cast a vote yesterday, thank you. This may be the largest turn out of voters in my lifetime. Thank you for showing us all that our opinions still matter.

As for our President Elect, while I am incredibly hopeful of the possible things Obama could do in office, we must remember that the country will not change overnight, just because he has plans. Even though it didn't seem like it the past 8 years, we must recognize that the Commander in Chief does not have unlimited power. I hope Barack Obama will have intelligent and savvy people as his advisors.

Also, it is a long road to the White House especially for someone who is a threat to the way things are now. I hope that our men do their utmost to protect the President Elect.

Despite knowing these things, I am still the most hopeful that I have been in the past 10 years. Thank you again for casting a vote, regardless of who you voted for.

(BTW, I'm pretty sure the most important Propositions for my state passed. SQUEEE)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Why the sock torment, WHY?!

So. I've spent the past two weeks working on a pair of Baudelaires for mum for Christmas. She gave me foot measurements and everything. I tried them on, with my quite-a-bit-larger feet, and they were LOOSE on me. So what is one to do? I refuse to tear them out. Absolutely refuse. So I decreased so the stitch count is the one for the smaller size.

I was sorely tempted to start some arm warmers for myself (A Little Twist Wristwarmers...see side bar progress report and link to the Ravelry page) and got through the cast on for the first one...then decided it wasn't a wise decision. I may just have to finish those socks before I think about casting on anything else.

Why am I being this way, you ask? It's because I want these Christmas presents done well before I go back to knitting for myself. I have a scarf and hat to keep me warm. I will not cast on for me before I finish the other 3 gifts (socks, scarf, and hat) for my family members.

We'll see if the decreases help with the socks...*crosses fingers*

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Finished Object



Finished my 1x1 Rib Arm Warmers, but unfortunately, I made them out of bulky yarn...and they are a little too bulky for me. I gave them to Librarian Boyfriend, because he always has late nights at the computer, and his hands get cold.

Good deal though, because that ended up being his birthday present. hehe.

Ravelry Progress Bars on Blogger/Blogspot

Since I had to figure this out on my own, I decided there should be a post about it.

If you are on Ravelry, and want to add some progress bars that link directly to your projects inside of Ravelry, all you have to do is go to the Api page. (sign in, go to http://www.ravelry.com/help/api)

In a separate tab or window, sign into Blogger/Blogspot, and go to "Customize", then "Edit Layout". "Add Gadget". Scroll down to where it says "HTML/Javascript" and click on the plus sign. Now in the window that has opened up, copy and paste the big code from the ravelry api page, and then at the bottom of that, add the small "script" code that is right below it.

save.

ta da, now you have progress bars.
I haven't bothered to really mess around with the look of the progress bars. I was just ecstatic to figure out how to get it working. Cheers!

Hello and Welcome

So begins another blog for me, only this one will include things about my personal life and business stuff as well. *yay*

Previous posts from the land before time can be found at http://pandoraknits.livejournal.com

Newer stuff including How-To's and reviews can be found at http://pandoraknits.pnn.com