This is Awesome!!

Made by Redheaded Rachel. http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/forum/showthread.php?t=60222 I think it looks really really good! I am so thrilled that it came out well.

I am in AZ this weekend, taking care of stuff. No knitting to speak of.

Last one in the Libbypool's a rotten egg!

6/6/07 Hmmmm-well, this was going to be a pool to guess the date and time Libbyknitkins would have her baby girl. Libby thwarted us by scheduling a C-section for July 20, 2007 at 8:30 am.

As knitters, we all know that gauge and yardage are VERY important, so we will guess weight and length instead.

These were big sister's specs:

"She is just adorable and everyone says that she looks just like her mommy! she was 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches long! We tried for a natural delivery but when we got to the hospital the baby wasnt responding to the contractions like she was supposed to and ....... we had to have an emergency c-section. Sorry I couldnt get to the computer sooner but I have been on bed rest and DH wont let me do anything."

The contest-the poster with the closest weight and height combined will be the winner. Each component will have equal merit in the equation. Weight = 50 percent, length = 50 percent. If you guess OVER on one component, you will be penalized 10 points (for example, if you guess 9 lbs, 15 ounces, and the baby is 9 lbs, 14 ounces, the max score you can have in weight is 40 percent.) If you overguess on both, you are out. If I receive two winning guesses that are equal in percentage totals, the first person to post is the winner. I will need to take my shoes and socks off AND have an adult beverage to figure out the winners. I will accept entries under this post until June 30. One entry per person, please!

The prize-some yarny goodness and a Tyler candle. Please submit your guess in pounds and ounces, and inches (to the quarter inch.) If you hate a certain color or have fiber allergies, speak up!

6/13/07 You have about two weeks left to enter your guesses. Don't forget!

6/29/07 Last calll!

It's TWUE, it's TWUE!!!

OMG.

Tetrachromat Females
The title is just a fancy way of saying that some women seem to have four colour receptors in their eyes rather than the usual three. Actually some people also have a different set of three and this was known for some time before the discovery that quite a few women see extra colours than the rest of the population. Of course some men are missing a receptor and have only two and as a result are called colour blind. Compared to tetrachromats we are all colour blind.

See the rest of the story here.

Time to play!!!

I love lists like these. I think they are great for birthdays or just for the heck of it. Since my birthday doesn't show up often, there's a lot of "heck of it". Scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to make your own.

Monday, February 29, 1960
Top News Headlines This Week:
Feb 29 - 1st Playboy Club, featuring bunnies, opens in Chicago
Top Songs for 1960
Running Bear by Johnny Preston
Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley
Stuck On You by Elvis Presley
Teen Angel by Mark Dinning
It's Now or Never by Elvis Presley
Theme from A Summer Place by Percy Faith
My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own by Connie Francis
Cathy's Clown by Everly Brothers
Save the Last Dance for Me by Drifters
US President: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Vice President: Richard M. Nixon
Prices:

Bread: $0.20/loaf
Milk: $1.04/gal
US Vice President
Eggs: $0.90/doz
Car: $2,275
Gas: $0.31/gal
House: $18,500
Stamp: $0.04/ea
Avg Income: $6,227/yr
Min Wage: $1.00/hr
DOW Avg: 616
Academy Award Winners

Best Picture: The Apartment directed By Billy Wilder
Best Actor: Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry
Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8

People born on February 29 (not so many)
1468 - Paul III, last Renaissance pope (1534-49)
1972 - Antonio Sabato Jr actor (Jagger Cates-General Hospital)
1960 Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker
1960 Tony Robbins, guy with big head
On TV in 1960
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Twilight Zone
The Flinstones
I Love Lucy
Hot New Toys in 1960
Chatty Cathy
Aggravation
Etch-A-Sketch
Troll Dolls
Top Books in 1960
The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell
Onion John by Joseph Krumgold
copyright 1997-2007 dMarie Direct Inc

Make your own here.

Family

In a small town, you know everyone. Sometimes the relationships are intertwined. DD met her BFF about eleven years ago this week. She met BFF's cousin about seven years ago, and they've been a couple for two. BFF's paternal grandfather died, and so we will attend the viewing this afternoon, not because we knew the man, but to support the kids. ***

I assembled a basket of coffee and snacks, and took it over to BFF's early yesterday morning. I wasn't sure, but thought it might be better than flowers. DD and her fella rolled up into town yesterday afternoon. In the calm before the family obligation whirlwind, I abducted her for some birthday shopping.

It's interesting to see how DD is growing into adulthood. We suffered through her case of spoiled brat right after high school. Now on her own, it's all fun and games until the utility bill comes due, and that really altered her perspective. Two years ago, she wanted the latest designer everything. Yesterday, she leaned in and said "I could use some new shirts to wear to work." After a quick consult with DH, I threw her in the car, and off we went.

We went to Steve and Barry's, which Enid tipped me off on about a month ago (they opened in San Antonio last December). The store carries Sarah Jessica Parker's line "Bitten", featured on the cover of Oprah magazine this month. DD picked out an armload of office casual tops (six!), two fun tees, and a pair of ballerina flats. I recommend the store to anyone with teenagers/young adults, because it is a refreshing change. It's designed along the Old Navy model, and my bill was less than 75.00! They also carry men's, kids, and infant clothing.

The Azalea is back on track, albeit in a different yarn. I've been slowly working up to bigger needle sizes as I go. It won't look good until I block it, but here's a peek-

*** BFF=DD's Best Friend Forever

Cash, please...

I spoke with Scullyknits this morning, and she told me about Annie Modesitt's fundraiser. I know I have her page bookmarked at the left, but I spend all my time with my Elann buddies, and don't get over there often.

Annie's husband requires a bone marrow transplant. She's in a bit of a crunch for transportation, child care, etc, while he goes thru his procedure at the Mayo Clinic. To raise funds, Annie is selling a pattern. You can find it here.

Keep it in mind.

So when do YOU give up?

I've tried the transition to the second repeat of the chart on my Azalea shawl three times now. Three times knit, twice tinked, and I am still getting the same ruh-roh results. Time to shelve the Sea Silk, because it's in grave danger of flying across the room. That should be conquered on another day.

**Friday morning addition: After posting that, I found a few balls of Taj Mahal, and sat down with the chart AGAIN. (Don't argue with the crazy woman, hon. She bites!) I carefully marked out my three repeats. I made it thru chart one, and then chart two. I started the second repeat, and guess what? Same jacked up result.

I struggled with that quite a bit. Was there an error? No, it was simply a matter of perspective!!! Because I am making a doily, which is normally round, I should work every section as a single wedged entity. (Like a tam! Duh!) The mistake I made? I started the row, and repeated between * and * til I ran out of stitches, like every good little knitter does. That threw everything off!

Now that I have seen the doily light, I am pressing on. I like Taj, and will use this to see if I like this shawlette enough to make it in my Sea Silk. Problem negated!

I summoned up my courage yesterday and ordered patterns from Martina's Bastel and Hobby. I ordered several lace leaflets, and was a little unnerved when I saw the postage fee...Eur 15.30??? My order shipment notice came today-it was only 5.00. I've never ordered from Martina, and I am anxious to see how this works out.

On the same note, I surfed YesAsia yesterday for knitting books. This is a pretty good site, as there are previews of many of the garments in the books. I think I'll have to give this a try after I research it a little.

And on a blog format note-are my two columns parallel, or have I goofed up my format somehow?

Tut, tut! Looks like rain.

We're supposed to have thunderstorms this afternoon, so I thought I'd share this photo. I've noticed a lot of the little guys hanging out here and there, and sometimes they take refuge on the window.

Hello, Doily!

At Christmastime, I received a lovely hank of Seasilk from one of my really good yarn buddies. Seasilk is lovely, glossy, hand-dyed....and finite. I struggled to find a pattern that would show off such yarny lusciousness, not waste an inch, nor run short. I found this pattern in Marianne Kinzel's First Book of Modern Lace Knitting. I thought that this might be a gwajus shawlette if I could reduce the sectional repeats to three (vs. six) and knit in a garter border (a la Evelyn Clark) while I was at it. The design has a 12 row repeat, so I can stop when I need to.

I am just starting the second chart (I had several missteps and three frog events with it yesterday). I plan to grow my needle sizes as I work through the pattern repeats. I started on 4s, am currently on 6s, and will start 8s today. I'll probably finish on 10s.

This old fashioned lace text makes me think about doilies. They aren't in fashion anymore. As a confirmed dish bitch, I have many more sets of dishes than my household needs. I love a pretty table, I love it when my food looks appetizing. Is it time for me to bring back centerpieces and runners? I have never received a handmade lace centerpiece as a gift. I thought about my sister-in-law, my difficult to shop for sister-in-law, and how she decorates her house for the holidays. She hates to cook, but the house looks like a magazine spread. A kelly green doily, done in a DK or sportweight cotton, would complement her Christmas decor. It would be quick and simple, and launder well. I think this is an idea worth exploring.

A little Friday fun!

I'm a little excited-my Wren sleeves, fronts and back are done! Here's a little happy girl music!

Gwen Friend update

The lime is problematic. I ended up buying some DMC floss and knitting it in doubled .... which explains the thin stripes. That's as far as I get with two skeins of DMC. The only solution to stripes is ... more stripes. Starting the 4th color today.

Wha????

Last week, Gaile busted Lion Brand for the hyberbolic crochet coral reef. I compared it to tampons sent thru a shredder. This week, LB waxes poetic about the fiber model of the Great Barrier reef. I've seen this sculpture previously, and I was very excited when I saw it. Absolutely captivated. That sculptor called it "sale bin" at LYS.

Hanging Chad, anyone?

I happened to cruise over to Knitter's Vote for the Cover page to check out the cover of the next issue. Oh, they want my vote for the upcoming cover? Yay!

While I was there, I got curious about the votes for the current issue's unattractive cover garment. (I prayed really hard the rest of you weren't freakin' BLIND.) Waddya know, the cover shot was the least favorite (21%)! (Whew!)

I looked back at the other cover pages. Guess what? Since issue 70, three issues have been ties (numbers 71 and 72 were within a percentage point; number 83 was within 2% between all three shots, and two were of the same garment). Customer favorites were issues 74, 76, 78, 80 and 84. Customer voted fuglies were featured on the covers of 86, 85, 79, 75. The most appealing won 36% of the time and the fugliest made it on to the cover 29% of the time. The numbers are close enough to show that 'Casting your vote" made no difference. You could draw slips out of a hat and get a similar result.

This consumer preference poll is so....ignored. (Why do it at all?) It's nice to know you and I don't have lousy taste in clothing, it's either the Dragon or the art director.

Gardiner's of Selkirk

How do you assimilate 12 pounds of coned wool when it shows up at your door? Heh. I couldn't WAIT til DH went to bed last night, because I was DYING to swatch.

Webs just finished their semi-annual sale. I'd been eyeballing those coned wools throughout the WHOLE sale. I couldn't stand it anymore, and finally ordered them.

Of course, they didn't show up while DH was out of town....that would have been too easy. I got home yesterday, and there was a huge box on the front porch. Luckily, he stopped at the grocery on the way home.

Here are the swatch findings-the greeny color is 2/8 Shetland, color Birch (21 stitches on 0s=3.30"), the beige is 2/6 Donegal (18 stitches on 4s=3.5"), rinsed and dried. (Remember, I knit BIG, so my needles are much smaller than the average bear's.) Very nice! I bought the Birch planning on doubling it, but I figured out that this would go well with the Rowanspun I bought last year. Hmm, maintain my sanity or knit it like a madwoman?? If I started right....NOW, I might finish a sweater for DH by Christmas.

These cones are marked Gardiner of Selkirk, which is a still functioning Scottish mill. I also bought a cone of 2/4, but it's in a nonBets color, and no amount of swatching will MAKE it a Betscolor. Nice stuff, no millmark.

Now, for a little knitting music

I like this ad. Wish we had a unifying ad campaign.

Ball number three of Gwen Friend

I've just started on the third color of my Gwen Friend top down quest. I am NOT satisfied with the addition of the lime color via a single strand of embroidery floss ... check out the bottom rows. It doesn't pop enough, and I will have to solve that problem in roughly 60 yards. I think another trip to the LYS is in order. They have a big selection of embroidery gear, and that might help me out.

Another thing that I am struggling with is the garter ridges. I am not entirely certain that this will be suitable for my darling niece. I might have to make it for an alternate person. (No way in hell can I wear it in my current size/shape.) I have a mental list of two back-ups.

My hands are tired of knitting the Cotton Twist on 4s. It's a bit of a strain.

Any early childhood educators out there?

It's been a while since I had any small kids around, so I need a reality check.

1) Observed behavior: Small child picks up a pencil, struggles to hold it correctly (i.e. like an adult) and fusses until it is correct. And then make lines on a pad of paper on the floor next to him (not the floor, just the pad)? (Age 13 months)

2) Observed behavior: Small child drops two (of four) coins, walks around a solid obstacle to hand them to an adult (view of the coins is totally blocked, and the distance is more than eight feet) and makes two return trips to pick up the remaining coins (they are a little tricky for him to pick up) to give them to the adult without prompting. ( 15 months)

3) Observed behavior: When held near a wall mounted lamp, small child to reaches to the light, yet drops his hands suddenly when told "You can't touch that because it is hot," and shows no more interest in touching the light. (< 16 months)

I think I am seeing something out of the ordinary. Or has it just been a long time since I was around small kids/sponges?

How I got my groove back-

It's been an entire MONTH since I finished anything. Dang. Last Sunday, I dragged my Berroco Air from the yarn vault, and sat down with the latest Cast On to make a vest. I HATED the stitch pattern...I thought it was entirely too much work for the product result. I tweaked it, and VOILA! My first F/O in a month. 'Bout damned time. I used four balls of Air, and it's for DMIL. I was going to carry Crest of the Wave lace all the way up, but with the arm and neckline decreases, I got my butt kicked. It was the first time I used an edging cast-off. I did a three needle bind off at the shoulders, but extended the garter edging around the back neck. It was pretty easy, and beats the heck out of casting on, picking up, standing on my head, or complicated finishing. I would do that again.

The good thing about a F/O is that it gets me revved up to make something else. Guess I should go do four rows of Wren, huh? That would surely dampen my enthusiasm.

Methodology:

4 balls Berroco Air, color Karma (brown/orange/green). Sized for a 12-14 P. Work it straight on a long circ, I used a 10, which is a 10.5 or 11 for the rest of the world. Gauge of stockinette-about 13 st per 4".

Cast on 127 stitches. DO not join, this is worked edge to edge. Slip the first stitch of every row.

Work the first 3 and last 3 stitches in G/S, and the middle in Crest of the Wave (BW 1). (I varied the garter ridge. ) When you have 4 (5 if you are not knitting for a petite) repeats done, start setting up for underarm cast off by putting in garter stitch at the underarm point..about 11 stitches. At the same time, start decreasing for a front V neck 1 stitch every other row (SSK and K2tog, as appropriate).

After you have 3 garter ridges at the underarm, and on a RS, work across, and cast off 5 at the underarm. Leave 3 stitches on either side of the cast off to work in GS as a border. Slow down the rate of neck decrease and begin decreases at both sides of the underarm cast off. I worked in this manner til I had about 15 stitches on each front, and about 45-ish on the back. When the underarm was deep enough (about 9" for a petite, more for avg or tall), I did a three needle bind off from the outside to the inside shoulder, LEAVING the 3 stitch front borders open. I worked a garter stitch (perpendicular?) border around the back neck, and ended when I came to the other three open border stitches.