Saturday, February 28, 2009

Happy Saturday

I have been working on my brother's quilt and I love how it's coming. I've finished 4.5 out of 6 of the pieced blocks and I am now trying to decide if I want my alternate blocks to be red (because I found some on sale) or white. I plan to do some actual real quilting on those blocks but I think that it wont detract by using the red.

I have done most of the leg of my grandfather's socks and now I need to figure out how to do the heel and such. I have a sock in my que called "Mindless" and it's really cool looking. Here's a great blog with a beautiful pic of them(2nd pic down). I am really excited to get started on these, but I need to finish SuperShow socks and Pop Pop's socks and the blue ones I started last year, probably before I start another pair ;).

OK, Sir crankypants needs to be put to bed before he kills me. Have a good weekend ya'll.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Slacking no more

Sorry about not posting, really. Ok, let's start with the Winterfest in Indian Rocks Beach. We have face painting, crafts and Zee in her purse:








































Adorable, all of them! Next up is my craftiness. Kerry's 1st quilt square, the start of Pop Pop's socks and "the" purse:





















On the quilting front, I have made the other 5 block centers and almost 2 more blocks worth of half square triangle squares, 2 strips of 3 squares have been actually sewn together and pressed. Each block has 2 strips of 3, 2 strips of 2 and 2 single white squares. Confusing? I hope not. I have also played with my EQ program and come up with a nice log cabin design for my convention quilt. I'm excited to start that one, but it will have to wait until Kerry's is done. I have 12 days until his birthday. Any bets that I will make it? Lol. He may get it for Christmas!

On the knitting front, I am almost enjoying making Pop Pop's socks, it's still pretty ackward but I'm used to it at this point. I have maybe 2 or 3 inches to go on the leg before diving into the heel. One set of instructions at a time. I dont want to addle my brain!

On the crochet front, I've got most of the inside of the bag done, and I know how I want to do the handle things and I have 2 prospects for "skirts". The next due date is the end of March so I should have it really great by then. Exciting times.

That's really all I have to report on for now. Have a great day!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Owls... mostly.

I finished my sweater! And by finished I mean I finished the knitting and weaving in and am actually wearing it today. It does not, however, have "eyes". I have a couple thoughts when it comes to eyes, and I will look this weekend to see what I can find to make it look like I want it to. Wanna see? Of course you do!!!

















I took a pic last night because I thought it would look SO nice with pj bottoms! But you can see the "owls" a little better in that one, but the color is closer in the one from this morning (and my hair is certainly MUCH better). Obviously I had a teensy problem with gauge, since it's tighter than I would normally wear. However, I am certainly willing to diet to fit my sweater! I am impressed with myself in knitting it in 11 days, which is pretty good. I will wait to work on Mom's Christmas Owls, even though the yarn is on sale right now and I could make hers for about $6. Maybe I'll reconsider!

I brought in the SuperShow socks to work on during lunch. I've gotten past the heel and am on the gusset. I figure I have about a week left on them if I only work on them here. I don't know what I'll work on during TV time at home yet, maybe Cliff's afghan or the blue and white sock... I need to figure out what safe place I put that yarn in! Of course, now that I have EQ, I can design some quilty goodness and pay attention to TV (as much as any crocheter or knitter does). While not watching TV I'll work on Kerry's quilt, which is SO not going to be done and in NY in 20 days.

That's it for me, have a good one.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Owls.... almost done.

I am thisclose to being done. I am on row 18 of 19 (my last cable row) then 1 row of p2, k8. Throw in some decreases and an inch of rib and viola... Owls! I do think I may run out of yarn though... I may have to stop at Joann's on the way home. I love how it's turning out, and I really am not sure about buttons. I may wear it with no buttons at first and then decide if I want them. They are pretty owly (new word, like it?) without the buttons, but would be VERY owly with them. Decisions, decisions. I am hopeful to show you a pic of me wearing the owls tomorrow!

Oh, and I am excited that hubbo got me Electric Quilt for V-day. I cannot WaiT to play with it! Now, if I could only stop the knitting and actually get to some quilting! I just don't like wasting the fabric and until I know how big to cut my half-square triangle squares and make them turn out the right size I don't want to try. I think that EQ will help me with that.

Ok, so knitting, sewing done. No kid pics to share right now. I really need to get some of them, eh? Well, I guess that's it from me for now. Have a great day!

Monday, February 16, 2009

So close to being done!

Owls is getting near the finish line. I am on row 3 of the 19-row Owl chart. Let me tell you that with all these owls and 2 cables for each in the rows I am grateful to Drew for showing us how to cable without the cable needle on that episode of Knit & Crochet today! Although I'm too tight of a knitter to use the pincing, I am brave enough (with a sticky yarn) to slip it off/on again using the front/back manipulations. Fancy Schmancy I say!

The purse show went well this weekend, I really love the products and I am really looking forward to getting new stuffs. You still have time to order, we'll close the show this weeked. If you order something, it will come here, and I can mail it out to wherever. You can go here to order from my party. I got Jake the camo lunch bag, which is really a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I am getting one for Sean too, and a skirt purse for me. I LOVE the skirt purses! I love the whole idea that you can change the look on the outside with the little "skirts" and not have to move your crap on the outside. I bet I can re-create it in crochet! That'll be next on the project list.

I did get some fabric from my Mom, cute stuff and a lot of them. I dont really think much will work for my brother's quilt, but for girly ones for sure! I think my brother's will end up being a little more scrappy than I thoght it would be since I really cant afford to go out and buy more fabric. That's ok, he'll like it and it will be warm and cozy.

We did have a lovely trip to the ER on Saturday, Travis having the flu really bad and all. I am so thankful that (knock on wood) the kids and I havent gotten it this bad. They gave him 3 scripts for the problems and they do seem to be working. He tried to go to work today and he got as far as his desk before his Sup told him to go home. Guess he looked pretty bad. Last night we had dinner with a friend and that was really the first real food he's eaten. Guess it was too soon, because it gave him problems. I know this is on the way out, but I just hope it passes quickly with no more casualties!

That's it from me for now. Have a great day!

Friday, February 13, 2009

1 sleeve done...

I have finished the first sleeve and it is resting comfortable on a spare circ. I have an inch or so done on sleeve 2. When sleeve 2 is done, I will knit it along with the body and other sleeve together into one big opening and start my owls. I am just SO excited. Scared because the chart looks pretty hard but definatly excited. I think that I may try to do a practice owl to see if I can do it, we'll see.

That's really it from me for now. Please pray for a healthy family! Travis needs all the help he can get - he's going on day 4 of the flu. Yuck!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Just a quickie to show a pic

Here is the owls as of lunchtime. I'm adding both, don't know why but the color is closer to the darker one. This is a pic of the back, since that is where the shaping is, and the front is just plain knitting. I have a few inches left on the sleeve, then sleeve 2 then getting it all together, then owls!! Hoot! lol. Ok, back to work.









Wednesday, February 11, 2009

So much progress!

I have finished the torso of the Owls sweater and 1/2 of the first sleeve. I didnt get to work on it at lunch today (or take a pic) since I was helping a friend with a scrapbook, but I should be able to take one either tonight or tomorrow to show off. I am getting pretty excited to start the owls! Just a day or 2 more I think.

I did also get a start on Kerry's quilt. I had made some of the half square triangles (8 actually) and they were all too small. I redid my math and did them again and they look great, but they are still too small. I wonder if my instructions have measurements? I'll look at that next time I sit down at the machine. But... I did finish the center square with 4 log cabin sides. It is perfect! Chili pepper center with tanish, spotty logs. I love it!

This week and weekend has been so crappy with everyone being sick at one time or another. I will be so happy when this finally passes. Ok, back to work!

Friday, February 06, 2009

Owls

I started knitting a sweater. Not just any sweater, but a sweater with Owls. I LOVE it. I sent a pic to Mom to see if she likes it too so I know if I should make her one for Christmas. She does. There is one on Ravelry that has a cream sweater with brown wooden eyes that I thought she'd love and look good in, and oddly reminded me of when she used to do macrame! I'm making myself one in navy so I make sure I get it right before starting hers... um, yeah that's my story and I'm stickin to it! According to others that have made it, it's a quick knit. I am just so excited. Here's a pic of the Kate Davies'... she's the designer:









Once I spotted it I figured either it would be loved or hated, it's just that kind of a design. I am almost an inch of rib into the bottom, it calls for 1 inch but I think I'll make it a little bigger. Then it's Stockinette all the way up until you get to the cowl with just a few decreases for shaping. Easy peasy.

I also just finished making the other kid Gator had I had on my list and only have 1 adult Gator hat to go. After that I feel like I need to retire those colors.

I am going to my Mom's on Sunday and she has some fabric for me to peek a. Hopefully I'll find something to use for Kerry's quilt.

AND, my size 2 circs just came in the mail. Why does it take a box the size of a shoebox to hold needles that could be sent in an envelope? Craziness.

Anyway, a lot of things going on and I'm pretty excited about all of them. Tomorrow m in-laws are taking the kids to Busch Gardens so I'll have some time to work on something crafty between loads of laundry. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Ladies night, sock blockers and other ramblings...

Last night was ladies night and the cake I made came out wonderfully! I wanted to share the recipe with you, so I may have to type it up. Yummo! And, I did a cute bowl for Sean. That I can share:













It came out so cute. I'll show the pics once it's been fired also. Green, red, brown and yellow are the main colors. As for the cake, I have successfully traded 1 cake for 4 hockey tickets. Now I just need to get the few things I need to make it and we'll be all set. Jake will be so excited to finally see a game!

I finally got around to getting the pics off my camera from when my brother was here. This is what they spent a good deal of time doing:









It was great fun. I even beat Kerry at Guitar Hero! I'm getting a lot better at it but this past weekend when I saw people playing it for real I don't know how they even SEE the notes that fast, let alone play them! Moving on.

I had been looking for a pair of sock blockers but when I looked on Etsy, they are like $20 a pair for the really cut ones. So, one email to my Dad later, I'm sending him a template and he'll make me some. Yay! Can't wait. Speaking of socks (sort of) I am about 1.5 inches from the heel flap on the 2nd SuperShow sock. Good progress I think! I also have an order for another kid Gator hat and the adult one that I still need to make Dave's wife. I really need to get to Michael's (where I still have some $ on a gift card) and get the yarn for it.

The company that does my paychecks offered an online tax filing thing for $25 (much cheaper than the almost $50 that we pay the CPA). I just need one more form from Disney and we'll be all set to go. Yay.

Um, I guess that's about it. I got the Editorial Calendar for the Crochet! magazine so I really need to start thinking of some publishable ideas. I have one for sure and some other ideas to play around with.

Oh, I almost forgot! I finished the design for Kerry's quilt but I'm still waiting on a color scheme. I also think that I may do it as a 4x4 instead of the 3x4 that is shown. These will be 12" blocks, 2" sashing and 4 border (not shown).

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The dishes are Done, Man!

Well, the American Flag afghan is done, Man... but you get the point. It is wrapped in tissue, in a plastic bag with a nice card sitting on a chair in my boss's office waiting for him to take it to it's new home in Ocala. Yay!!!

I am a little suprised that I was able to finish since I had to leave at 3:30 to rescue Roxanne from puke breath Sean. He puked in the car on the way home, in the living room, twice, in the kitchen and his bed last night. And just for good measure, Jake yakked in his bed too. So, Travis is home with both boys today instead of going fishing like he wanted. Whoops. I feel bad for him since I have ladies night tonight and won't be home until late. Poor guy. I just hope that he doesn't get sick. Anyway, that's enough about that.

Today I brought the SuperShow sock to work on at lunch and the Pattern that I'm doing for my brother's quilt to graph it out to see how it will look with the plain squares. I am not entirely sure how this is supposed to be done without the software but I'm going to give it a go with graph paper, colored pencils and scissors. That way I can make a few of the motif blocks, color them in, cut them out and have some blank blocks to move around to see how they will look together. I'll take pics of what I am fiddling with for tomorrow.

I did want to mention that currently there are 19 people (besides me) on Ravelry that have started or finished the Skull cap, and that's just cool. In reading some comments, apparently I am a tight knitter. Who knew?

That's it for me. Have a great day!

Monday, February 02, 2009

So close...

American Flag: I have 3 stars to sew on, a border around the star field then whip stitching the star field to the stripes. Hour and a half tops. I had wanted to have my co-worker take the finished ghan with her on her trip to Ocala today, but not quite.

SuperShow socks: I did get a little done on these, I've got about 3 inches of leg done, 3 to go plus the heel and foot.

Sock needles: I use the rest of my Joann's gift card from Christmas to order 2 size 2 circular needles. I am determined to learn how to knit socks on those darn things. I have a book that I was working from but not successfully. My first problem was the figure 8 cast on, but thanks to a knitty gritty (or was it knit and crochet today?) that I have locked on the dvr, I can try it with the tv. It looked easier on there than I had been making it, so hopefully I'll figure it out. I have quite a bit of sock yarn in the stash so I'm pretty excited about this prospect.

Quilt: I am still waiting patiently for my brother to let me know what colors he likes best so I can start on his quilt. I have about a month to make it (his birthday is 3/8) and I am confident that I can do it. I am really excited about this too. This is the block that I'm going to do for it. I will make it every other block with plain squares in between. I think it will turn out nice. I had been looking for a used version of Electric Quilt for cheap so I could use the software to see if it really look ok, but no luck. I just can't afford $150 for quilt software!

My knee: I am still limping around from screwing up my knee on the trampoline last Sunday. To add insult to injury, on Saturday while I was vacuuming I jammed my 2nd toe on the other foot so I'm quite funny to watch as I hobble around. Urg.

Thirty One: I am having a Thirty One party in a couple weeks and I think it'll be fun. If you haven't heard of it, Thirty One is company with consultants (think Mary Kay) that has purses, totes, lunch bags, home storage stuff, etc and they can be embroidered with a monogram or name. I just got Jake a lunch tote on special in camo with his initials on it. Too cute. If you want to check it out (since my favorite Aunts can't make it down to Sunny Florida in 2 weeks) please go here and poke around the categories. Cute cute stuff!

That's it for me. Have a good Monday.