A Very Belated Happy New Year

Here it is almost the 20th of the month and I'm now catching up with my blog in the new year. I've been a very busy lady lately with the holidays and now finishing up school. I can't believe I'm graduating next Friday. It seems like I haven't been in school for that long, but like I've been there forever all at the same time. I'm going to miss seeing the same people everyday, seeing how my juniors continue into their Eastern segment. But I'll be heading back as a TA, so I'll be able to see some of them as they progress. I've also started a new job this week. After 6 months of being completely unemployed, something has finally opened up for me. And its part-time work so I can still work in massage, which I love. I think it'll bring some nice balance to my life...well at least in one aspect of it.

But enough of my rambling. With the start of 2010 I've taken on a couple of tasks regarding knitting and my stash. First, the stash has GOT to be reduced. There is just waaaaaayyyy too much of it and its creeping out of everywhere. So my goal is to knit a yarn half-marathon by the end of the year. That's 26.2 miles of yarn, which equates to 23,056 yards of yarn. I can only buy X amount of yarn after I've knit or sold 2X amount of yarn. Trades are ok. Stitches West is the only exception since it is the only convention I'm attending this year and I can grab the yarns I know I'll use throughout the year.

As part of my stash busting I've started a couple of projects already this year and I'm keeping a spreadsheet of the projects I'm working on and how many yards I've knit so far. I'm hoping I can get it linked up here on the sidebar so you can keep tabs on my progress. But of course you want to see the knitted items. But I'm only going to present to you one that I've finished recently because I think its adorable. I did manage to finish up a hat tonight, but I still have to finish weaving in ends, block and take pictures so you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that one my friends.

Drum Roll Please......

Pattern: Baby Yours Sweater (rav link)

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock - Mediumweight in Mossay

Needles: US Size 4

Started: 1/3/2010

Completed: 1/18/2010

Mods: 3 needle bind off for the shoulder seams, otherwise I followed the pattern

This was such an enjoyable knit. I've found a recent love for knitting baby things. They go so quickly and they're so cute. As almost all tiny things are... Anywhoo, I'm off to start a new project!

Howdy Ho!

I'm a horrible blogger. Yes I know this....and I'm trying to change it. Sometimes its just so hard to sit down and write, but I'm setting a goal for myself. I'm setting a goal to write everyday for one week. This is after I had a class on goal setting and time management at school today.

So this weekend, my mom had her roof redone. It was the original roof, the house is 50-60 years old, you get it, it was leaking....everywhere. Well it rained today and guess what.....I think the roof is leaking into the ceiling in the kitchen. I can hear it dripping onto the ceiling, and I guarantee that it'll start dripping into the kitchen if it gets full enough. Apparently they didn't get the roof sealed in there....Yesterday, I did 8 hours of sports massage at the Nike Women's Marathon. Man am I sore as hell. I feel like I ran the race. Apparently we had about 1000 come through the tent yesterday. It was non-stop, we had to cut them off at 2:30 in the afternoon.

In crafty land, I've somewhat finished my Halloween mask. After it took me 3 days to figure out what the hell I was doing wrong. And there's still a typo in the pattern....big time.... And I also started on Christmas gifts. Project number one is on hold....its kinda big and its in cheap-o acrylic and I don't feel like working on it. So I've started project number two for my hunny:

Crappy picture I know, but its the stuff to make Dashing fingerless mitts for my hunny. He's been asking for me to make him some so here we go. I've been wanting to knit these for awhile, but kept putting it off. But now is the time! Next I'll probably begin my mother's sweater. I usually make her a sweater each year and I use it as my NaKniSweMo sweater. I like the challenge. Anywhoo, I'm off to work on these Dashings....toodoloo!

Its Quidditch Time!

The last round of Quidditch for this term....and some of these I know the answer to just off the top of my head...yippee!


1. This “Harry Potter” character’s first name comes from Roman mythology. The mythological character’s twin brother is named Romulus. What is the Harry Potter character last name?
a. Black
b. Lupin
c. Pucey
d. Finnigan

2. Which “Harry Potter” character’s first name is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Goddess Athena?
a. Evans
b. Malfoy
c. McGonagall
d. Flitwick

3. In ‘Harry Potter’ World, this wizard has created the Philosopher’s Stone (called the Sorcerer Stone in the US). The historical figure from the 14th and 15th centuries was a scribe and a manuscript-seller who became famous as an alchemist. Who is this individual?
Nicolas Flamel

4. What is the first name of a character whose last name is the name of a Bulgarian leader from early 9th century who doubled the country’s territory?
a. Theodore
b. Cedric
c. Viktor
d. Vincent

5. Which character’s name is the name of goddess in Indian mythology?
a. Creevey
b. Patil (the Padma River is referred to in Indian mythology as a goddess)
c. Zabini
d. Vane

6. “Where the Wild Things Are” tells the story of Max, a young boy sent to bed without his supper for his wild antics. Who created this winner of the Caldecott Medal?
a. Maurice Sendak
b. Chris Van Allsberg
c. Ezra Jack Keats
d. John Steptoe

7. What was NOT one of the unexpected defense mechanisms that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook encountered in their attempt to rob Gringotts?
a. The Flagrante Curse
b. The Thieves’ Downfall
c. Anti-summoning Enchantments
d. The Geminio Curse

8. What was Snape aiming at when he cut off George’s ear?
a. Another Death Eater’s back
b. George’s wand hand
c. Another Death Eater’s wand hand
d. George’s face

9. How much older than James was Lily? (Referring to Harry’s parents, not children).
a. James was older
b. 6 months
c. 1 month
d. 2 months

10. Food is one of the five exceptions to what magical law?
a. Grimp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration
b. Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration
c. Gamp’s Law of Fundamental Transfiguration
d. Grimp’s Law of Fundamental Transfiguration

Picture Hunt:

George
McGonagall
Patil
Where the Wild Things Are

Progress....and Frustration

So my Ishbel....I absolutely love it but I was running out of yarn....so I had to rip out. I ripped it all the way back to the small stockinette size. Now I'm proceeding with the lace in the large size. Which is cool because I wanted it more lacy anyway. I'm sure your asking where's the pictures? Well you'll have to wait because there's not really much to see right now since I ripped back. Maybe I'll get one up after work today. If its not too busy at the LYS then I might be able to get some work done on it. To cure my frustration, I started a pair of fingerless mitts. An easy project with a simple cable. And I had a great idea for a pair of fingerless mitts. I think I'll be using some of my Stitches yarn for that.

On another note, I'm going back to school. I start April 21st and I'll be studying Massage Therapy. By March of next year I'll be a Certified Massage Therapist & Health Educator. Whew that's a long title. I'll be sure to keep you posted of the progress.

A Random Act of Kindness

When I came through the door today, a package was waiting for me above my mailbox. I hadn't been expecting a package so it was quite a surprise. So I hurried up my stairs, dropped the package on the bed, grabbed the closest pair of scissors and opened it up. Once opened, I was greeted with red and purple tissue paper and a card sitting on top. I opened up the card and the package was a Random Act of Kindness (RAOK) from Carma (aka Esme Beanswallow). I moved aside the tissue paper to reveal:

I appologize for the crappy picture. Lighting wasn't good, but I couldn't wait to take the picture and share the joy. Inside were two skeins of yarn, double knitted so I can easily unwind and knit two at a time socks or fingerless mitts, eco-friendly buttons which I have to attach to my knitting bag, a breast cancer awareness pen (I needed a new pen for my knitting bag too) a keychain that also works as a bottle opener (perfect for bar knitting nights) and the best thing of all, a bag of her COOKIES! Pink Dalmations to be exact. Carma makes the best cookies. Now I'll just have to keep the boyfriend out of them.

Thank you so much Carma for the RAOK. It really brought some joy to my day.

This Week I Present....

The Ishbel! But you have to wait for the pictures...tee hee...because the camera battery is charging. Be patient, it'll be here soon.

Finally... A FO!

Pattern: Ishbel Beret
Yarn: Handmaiden Casbah in a Black/Blue Colorway
Needles: Size US 2.5 Harmony DPNs/Size US 6 16" Addi Turbos & Clover Bamboo DPNs
Size: 22"
Mods: None!

I've been experiencing knitting ADD recently. I just keep starting projects and am unable to finish them. But now finally, I have a finished object. Its currently blocking over a plate (as shown in the picture). I must say that it is absolutely lovely and the pattern itself is so simple. Now I'm excited to actually make the Ishbel shawl, I'll just need to dig through my stash to find some yarn for it. I can't purchase anymore yarn, I'm still unemployed and I have bills to pay. Its a perfect opportunity to work on destashing.

Yesterday I started Bettie's Lace Stockings with some Rowan 4-ply Soft that I picked up. The pattern is fairly easy so far and is knitting up rather quickly. I went up to a size US 2.5 from a US 2 for the foot and I think I'll move to a US 3 for the calf increases. I have ginormous calves. I've been distracted from knitting by a book I've been reading. Who who know that the Goddess Summoning series by P.C. Cast would be so addicting. I'm reading them out of order, starting with Goddess of Light but I'm planning on ordering the rest of the series from Amazon. Hey I need books, I gotta have something to do while unemployed. I also purchased Cookie A's new book Sock Innovation. I can't wait for it to hit my mailbox.