Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thursday Thank-Yous!


A big thank-you to MissHSoo for my very first blog award!
Part of the fun of this award is that each recipient is supposed to list 7 fun facts about him or herself, and then pass it on to eight other blogs that s/he believes are worthy. Read on for some links to the blogs of others whom I wish to thank today!

Seven fun facts about me:
1. In 2007, I toured Hawai'i playing jazz cowbell.
2. I once assisted with a dental surgery on a dogfaced puffer fish.
3. I am a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC).
4. I once won $1000 in a "name the celebrity milk moustache" contest.
5. I remixed and choreographed my wedding dance with TMG. The video has over 6,000 views on YouTube.
6. I didn't get my driver's license until a month before my 20th birthday.
7. I haven't eaten any part of a mammal since 1996.

 And now, eight blogs worthy of this award (in no particular order):

1. TMG (http://themarriedgamersblog.blogspot.com)
2. Christine (http://www.ourcurioushome.net)
3. Jasmine (http://jasminescrafts.blogspot.com/)
4. nursenikkiknits (http://livingsmall-lovinglarge.blogspot.com/)
5. Mrs. H Knits (http://mrshknits.blogspot.com/)
6. Paula (http://knitandseek.blogspot.com/)
7. Faith (http://faithfullygeeky.blogspot.com/)
8. Sandra (http://sandra-cherryheart.blogspot.com/)

Thanks again for the lovely award, and please do check out all of these other lovely blogs if you get the chance!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

WIP Wednesday

On Friday I cast on for a new project: the Shift Tote from Knit Picks. Having sought the advice of my fellow Ravelers, I was confident that I could complete the tote as my first intarsia project. I finished the base on Saturday, and then waited rather impatiently for my bobbins to arrive so that I could start the colorwork section.
The bobbins arrived yesterday, and, as it turns out, I should have ordered the larger size. But, in true Project Runway fashion, I decided to "make it work."



So far, so good... I've only had to post one question on Ravelry, and I've only had to tink back 3 rows after I got smug and thought I could do without looking at the chart. It's not much to look at yet, but I'm addicted to this project, so I think it will be coming soon to a "FO Friday" near you!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tired Tuesday

Short post today - I am exhausted from an unbelievably busy day at work. When I got home, my yarn bobbins had arrived from Knit Picks and I was very excited. In retrospect, it seems that I should have ordered the large ones instead of the medium sized ones. I think they will still work okay for the project, just not as tidily as I had hoped.




Here's a (poor quality - sorry) picture of my bobbins all filled with colorful, soft Chroma yarn. More about this project tomorrow for WIP Wednesday!

Monday, June 27, 2011

M.O.M. Club Monday


For my mom’s birthday this year, I gave her a set of little knitted birds. She went NUTS over them and casually mentioned that she would love to subscribe to a sort of “club” from which she could receive a similar cute knitted item each month for a nominal fee. Thus, the “M.O.M.” club (Madeforyou Ofthe Month) club was born! You met July's shipment, Cecil, on Friday, so I thought I'd show off some of the other installments.



The May club installment was a set of Bunny Nuggets by Rebecca Danger. These were all made out of leftover yarn from my stash. The pink and turquoise bunnies are made of Cascade 220 and the brown bunny is made of Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran. Their oversized, fluffy tails are made from some of my very first handspun, which gives a great character.






June's club installment was a Socktopus, also made from leftovers. His body is made of the same Cascade 220 as the pink bunny nugget, and the other two bunny yarns also make an appearance in sock form. Also featured is some lime green Elsebeth Lavold Baby Llama, blue Lion Wool, Malabrigo Worsted in Ravelry Red, and some funky Katia Danubio in a rainbow colorway.




What will be next? Stay tuned... and feel free to submit your suggestions!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Citrus Sunday


I think I need a 12-step program to get over my citrus coaster addiction. I woke up this morning at 7:30am, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to knit more coasters! Including the one that I knit while watching "The Adjustment Bureau" with TMG last night, the coaster count is now up to four.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Saturday Sewing


A few days ago I found these adorable citrus coasters from the Purl Bee. They are made out of felt and hand-sewn. I immediately fell in love with them and knew that I just had to have some for myself!
This morning I headed to Wal-Mart and picked up some felt. Not the best quality stuff in the world, I know, but I didn't want to invest in better yardage unless I knew I would be successful.
This project took no time at all, and I am hooked. Good thing I have several other colors of felt; I plan to make a set of six: orange, lime, lemon, pink grapefruit, red grapefruit, and tangerine!

Friday, June 24, 2011

FO Friday

It's Finished-Object Friday! This week I finished the latest installment for the M.O.M. Club (more about that on Monday). This cute little guy is "Cecil the Computer Monster" from Rebecca Danger's The Big Book of Knitted Monsters. This is the second of Rebecca's patterns that I've knit; the first was a set of Bunny Nuggets that I made for M.O.M. in May. One of the things I love about Rebecca's monster patterns is that they work with any weight of yarn! This guy is made from two skeins of Spud and Chloe Fine. I will definitely be making more monsters in the near future.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thursday Thank-Yous!


For today's Thursday Thank-Yous, I'd like to thank everyone who has followed my blog and left comments on my first few posts! I am so excited to be starting this endeavor and I really appreciate all of your support. So, THANK YOU :D

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

WIP Wednesday!

I have several works in progress to showcase today for WIP Wednesday! Without further ado, here are the aforementioned vacation projects in their current varying stages of completion:


Project #1: Crevasse Socks
These were the socks that I furiously cast on in preparation for vacation. I didn't end up working on them during the trip, but I did put in some time with them this weekend while watching movies and while visiting my in-laws on Sunday.


Project #2: Haruni Shawl
I started this project back in February and woke it from hibernation for the trip. I worked on it for a few hours at the hotel while watching Deadliest Catch, Cake Boss, and various baby shows on TLC. Now that I'm home, it will likely go back into hibernation until another time when I can really sit with it and focus.


Project #3: Clapotis
Most of the knitting that I did on vacation was on my Clapotis. I cast this on just before the trip and made substantial progress on it. I worked on it in the airports, on the flights, in various taxis and towncars, and outside and the hotel. TMG noticed (and texted me about) a young girl with a flip cam watching me knit at BDL while waiting for our first flight :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tuesday Tips and Tricks - Travel Knitting




As you may know, TMG and I recently returned from a trip to the west coast. In my last post, I detailed the process by which I chose projects to take along. I am not ashamed to admit that I spent more time planning and packing my knitting projects than I spent on packing clothes and other “essentials.” This effort was not misplaced and, as it turned out, ended up making the difference between a relaxing vacation and a miserable trip. Here are some tips and tricks to ensure the same for you.

1. If you are flying, make sure to check the airline’s policy about knitting needles and supplies on flights. This is especially important when flying internationally. If the airline permits knitting needles on the plane, print out a copy of this policy from the website and pack it with your knitting in case you encounter an overzealous TSA agent at security.
2. If you are unsure whether needles will be permitted aboard, or if you like to be extra cautious like me, I recommend interchangeable needles such as Knit Picks Options. In the event that you are stopped at security, you can remove the needle tips from your project and discard them, keeping your project securely on the cables, and then put it on the extra set of needle tips that you’ve packed once you arrive at your destination. Sure, no one likes to lose a set of needle tips, but in my opinion, it’s far more devastating to lose an entire project.
3. Pack extra copies of patterns and charts - one in your carry-on, one in your checked bag, and, if possible, a digital copy on your electronic device (I use my Kindle). Remember, photocopying for personal use is well within copyright law, and will save you the agony of realizing that you left the only copy of your pattern on the plane when you arrive for day one of your vacation.
4. Cast on your projects (yes, that’s plural for a reason) before you leave home. It is easier to manage an established project than to try to wrangle a long-tail cast-on midair, especially in coach.
5. Bring more knitting than you think you will need. In the event that your flight is delayed, an outdoor activity is canceled due to inclement weather, or you end up waiting in a long line, you will be glad you did.
6. I like keeping my patterns and charts in plastic sheet protectors while I work from them, especially when I’ve printed them from my inkjet printer, because the ink smudges and smears if it gets wet. In order to mark my place, I use highlighter tape. It is easily repositionable, but doesn’t become unstuck or get lost as easily as a post-it note.
7. If traveling with dpns, check out these handy WIP tubes from Knit Picks. They are a lifesaver when it comes to protecting your tiny needles from bending and breaking in transit.
8. I always take a tiny roll of dental floss in my toolkit. Because scissors are still a no-no on most airlines, the little cutter comes in handy. As a bonus, dental floss is great for placing lifelines or holding stitches!
9. Before you go, look up an LYS near your destination. If you run into a problem with your project, realize that you left an important tool at home, or need a new project for your return trip, you’ll already know where to go.
10. Finally, be prepared for questions and comments from others while you knit in public on the plane, at the airport, and at your destination. If you are inclined to spread the “good news” about knitting to others, consider taking cards with your Ravelry user name or other contact information along. There is a great template available for this on Ravelry. Vistaprint.com is another resource for free or low-cost business cards.

Til next time, happy travels!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Vacation Knitting!

Last night at around 6:30,  with report cards written and submitted, session reports locked, and voicemail messages changed, TMG and I set our work emails to "Out of Office" auto-responders. We are officially ON VACATION!

We are heading to LA on Monday so that TMG can attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo (aka "E3"). I am excited for our first trip to the "Left Coast," not only because we are going to Disneyland on Friday (!!!), but because I will have four days of uninterrupted knitting time while he gets his geek on at the convention center.

Today's agenda involves doing laundry, packing bags, and, most importantly, deciding on what knitting projects I will take on the trip. I got to thinking about what criteria the perfect project(s) would have.

First, I decided that I needed a project that would be simple or repetitive enough that I could pick it up and put it down from one moment to the next, without worrying about losing my place in a lace pattern or chart. Ideally, it would be something with a memorizable pattern or, at the very least, one that could be neatly summarized on a 3x5" index card. It needed to be small, so as not to take up all of the precious space in my carry-on luggage. As it is summer and we are heading to California, I also decided that a plant-based fiber would be more suitable than wool.

A quick scan of my Ravelry queue led to a serious "duh" moment when I realized that I still haven't knit the ubiquitous Clapotis by Kate Gilbert. I have a skein of Blue Heron Rayon Metallic yarn that I got in a swap some years ago that is PERFECT for the pattern. First project - check!

The second project I decided on is the Haruni Shawl pattern by Emily Ross. I cast this one on back in February as part of a KAL, but I only got a few rows into it before getting distracted and relegating it to the UFO basket. This will be a great project because it will only take one skein of sock yarn, and it is complicated enough to keep me busy during the days at the hotel. The yarn is a wool blend, but the lacy pattern and circular needles will keep it from pooling up in my lap and being too hot. Second project - check!

I decided that a sock project was necessary because, well, a sock project is always necessary. I started knitting the Farmer McGregor Socks out of a skein of J. Knits Superwash Me Sock in the Connecticut colorway two weekends ago, but ended up frogging them because the yarn and pattern just weren't playing nicely in the sandbox. I have decided that the Crevasse Socks will be my next sock project, and I am thinking about trying them with the J. Knits yarn. I saved the cuff from the other sock, so I will be trying the Crevasse pattern this weekend and seeing if it is a better match for the yarn. If not, my plan "B" is a skein of Knit Picks Bare yarn that I dyed with Easter egg dye last weekend.

Now that my knitting projects are planned (and I've printed a copy of the "Yes, knitting needles ARE allowed on airplanes" document from tsa.gov, I suppose it's time to start thinking about what else to pack, like, you know, clothes. What can I say, I have my priorities!