If You're Curious...

The Wordless Wednesday photo is the beginning of my remaining test knit...not sure I can tell you more about it just yet...:-)

Well, I could tell you but then, you know, I'd have to....well.....you know.

Wordless Wednesday

I finished it!

Well, Test Knit #1 is finished! It's really cute. It's the largest garment I've ever made, and it took me under 3 weeks. If you could see what size it is, that wouldn't impress you. But since I spent nearly a week in Orlando with almost no knitting, an anniversary, a birthday, and a full-time job while I made it, I'm pretty darned happy!

Too bad I can't show you.

Bah.

Actual Progress!!

Believe it or not, I have actually accomplished some knitting recently. My current test knit is a baby item, and it really is cute. The designer says "no" to posting any pictures, though. She's thinking about submitting it for publication. So, you'll just have to trust me that 1) I actually did knit something and 2) It's really adorable. It is blocking as we speak, and just a tiny bit of seaming remains. And buttons. But those require shopping first. Darn. :-)

These little cuties have been finished for a while, but had no buttons. (I'm beginning to see a trend here.) But now they do, and boy, are they adorable! See?



I just printed the pattern out for another test knit. This one is a baby shrug, and it is pretty adorable, too.

Why do I keep making all these baby girl things, with no baby girls to give them to?

Because they're quick, cute, and don't have race cars, footballs, baseballs, or comic book heroes on any of them.

But I am going to have to break down and give some of them to charity or something. They're too cute to hide in my closet!

Happy Birthday to Me!

If you want to hear about it, just go to my other blog here and read all about it....

I feel stupid just copying it, and I'm too tired to make it sound different.

So just go read it already! :-)

Did You Take All My Time?

Because I don't have any left. Sleep, work, eat, clean, knit about 2 rows on test knitting project. Lather, rinse and repeat.


Ugh.

Honey, I'm Home!

We survived the trip to Orlando! I was able to finish the first half of my current test knit, and I seem to have picked up another. I found a new blogging friend who is a knitting lab rat like me! (Hey, Knittymuggins!)

And just for you, Norma -- all (actually BOTH) of our potty stops in nine and half hours, each way, were clean, even in gas stations and fast food joints, and you would have LOVED the convention center johns. Impressive. (Sorry, no pics though. And no knitting in the snow, either.)

I know. Too much information. But I had to give Norma a nugget. I love her.

Well, it seems that there is another test knit in store, so I'm building that resume. I really, really, really hope I get that one very special sample knitting job. That would SO rock! I had very little opportunity to knit in the car like I was hoping. I drove in daylight, and Jeff drove in the dark. I can't knit in the dark.

You know, I guess I really should be knitting...

Just a quick note...

My honey and I are about to leave for a looooong ride to Orlando for a builder's show. Without the kids! I don't know if I can knit in the car without getting carsick, so I guess I'll just have to try it out and see.

I have nearly completed half of my test knitting project! If I hadn't got involved in watching "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" last night, it would likely be finished already. But I digress. I love me some Orlando Bloom...

So, I do not know what computer/internet awaits me at our hotel, so you may not hear from me again until we return home. We'll see.

Either way, until you hear from me again, Happy Knitting!

Now Will You Believe Me? :-)

You Are Fairly Normal

You scored 65% normal on this quiz Like most people you are normal in some ways... But you aren't a completely normal person. You're a little weird too! Why You Are Normal: You rather be screwed over than screw someone else over You'd rather have rats than cockroaches in your home You know a lot about a few subjects You prefer a good meal to a good nap You think fishnet stockings are trashy Why You Aren't Normal: You prefer flat potato chips. You prefer your family to your friends If you had to, you rather live without laughter and still have music You don't keep up with your horoscope You would rather be a movie star than an astronaut

What's Normal About You... And What's Not?

I've Got A Job!

Well, sort of. I'm doing some test knitting! I wish it was my everyday job, but I don't think it would pay the bills. So maybe it will just pay for my addiction -- oops! I mean, my hobby.

Anyways, I got this pattern. (sorry, it's a secret!) it doesn't look too hard, and I hope it won't take me ages to finish! I'm not the Speedy Gonzales of knitting. I will say that it will be a nice change from all the baby hats I've been making!

I tried to use some of my stash. Really. I did. But, the more I thought about it, I don't think my fiber choice, although the right weight and color, would have worked out. And my gauge was off by a half-stitch after two tries. And since I normally don't swatch (I'm such a rebel!), the two I tried for this was my limit. So much for my thrifty plan!

So, of to the A.C. Moore to buy me some Lion brand Cotton-Ease. I'm about to swatch, because that's what designers like, and we want to make the designer happy, right?

Speaking of designers: I was illegally on Ravelry at work today (hehehe: new computer = no firewall!) and just happened to be in the forums just as Louisa Harding herself sent a message to the "Louisa Harding Lovers" group. I was such a kiss-up. I welcomed her to the group of course, and then I gushed about how I love her "Natural Knits for Babies and Moms" book. I made a total fool of myself.

Oh well. Why should today be any different than another? :-)

Yup. It's Another Contest. Like I Said - I'm a Sucker.

LaVerna is having a downright yummy giveaway here. It's bags and yarn and books - Oh My!

You can go check it out, but I really hope I win...

And, you know, no offense.

Russian Bind-Off, I Love You!

Where have you been all my life?

My bind-off's are historically tight, even when I use larger needles. I am a very tight knitter. And yes, that probably is a reflection of my personality. Hmph.

So I read about this on some message board, gave it a shot, and I'm in love! There seem to be a couple of variations, but this one is pretty darn easy. Just K2tog, slip stitch back to LH needle, and repeat. Wanna see it?



This is on Saartje's Bootees. Isn't it great? It's smooth, and not tight at all.

Hooray! I learned someting new! Apparently, since I forgot how to swatch and properly switch from K to P without leaving a big ole loose stitch, my brain now has room to retain this little gem of a technique...

For now at least.

And the winner is...

The Diaper Diaries! Congrats!

I must say that I am completely overwhelmed by the response I got from all you lovely people! According to my site stats, I normally only have a few visitors a day, if I'm lucky. I don't really promote this blog.

So to end this giveaway with 320 comments just blows me away! I hope you liked what you saw, and will come back and visit. Even if I'm not givin' anything away! :-)

Better luck next time Shannon hosts the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!! I'll have another prize ready, so keep your eyes peeled!

Blessings to all, and thanks for stopping by!

Am I the Only One Who Forgot How to Knit?

So, I totally don't get it. I have been pretty much an obsessive knitter for a few years now. I have knit something, if only a few stitches, nearly every day for a LONG time.

I was at a loss for a new project, so I just decided to cast on for a chemo turban pattern I saw a long time ago. I don't have the yarn used, nor have I ever seen it. And it's an adult size, so I did something almost unheard of for me: I swatched.

Well, a little.

And I was soooo far off. It's a K4P4 rib, and I had this huge, loose, ladder-y-looking thing every time I switched from K to P and P to knit.

Huh?

That one is a mystery for the ages.

Completely frustrated, I frogged the swatch, rewound the yarn (a very yummy Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton in the most gorgeous soft yellow, by the way), and got out another recently queued pattern.

It was the Pixy Hat from my pattern-a-day calendar. Since baby hats are so tiny, I don't swatch.

This time, it wouldn't have mattered.

I decided to make the girl's version, which has a ruffled edge, created by casting on twice as many stitches as you need, K for 2 rows, then do [K2tog 3 times, P2tog once], all the way around.

Keep in mind, I said baby hat.

I cast on the 160 (!) stitches that it called for, followed the pattern, decreased, and then took a look. I held it up, made a face, probably uttered some unmentionables because I knew what I was seeing, and then I did the sizing test. I put it on my head.

Didn't even touch my hair. It was like a stinkin' hula hoop!

This week I have imbibed an insane amount of Nyquil, Dayquil Sinus, Prilosec, and Motrin. I'm blaming it on that. I can't possibly have forgotten to knit this week.

I mean, really...

Could I?

(And no. There is no photographic evidence of these atrocities...)