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Friday, January 30, 2004
 
This is the time of year when I'm really glad that I live in southern California. Everyone else is so cold (and they are complaining about it on their blogs. heh). My poor mom--the other night the actual temperature was -20F and the next morning her car wouldn't start for her to go to work. She had to call a friend (who had better luck, or a newer car) for a ride. Here, it still gets up into the 60s most days and it's usually sunny. As a matter of fact, we don't even have to turn on the heat in our apartment. Ever. Now, this sounds great, I know, but keep in mind that the average house price in San Diego is $450,000. Yup. And I have friends looking for 2-bdrm condos and they couldn't find anything for less than $275,000. Insane. We rent, btw, and probably always will.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon I made some more progress on my kneesocks. Today I have some cleaning to do, but I'm hoping to work on the must-have. Of course, if I get frustrated, I will be back to the kneesocks.


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Thursday, January 29, 2004
 
Yay! It's Thursday afternoon and I'm off work until Monday. So finally, here are some pics. First, the tiny bit I have done so far on the sleeve of the must-have cardigan:

I was getting frustrated again last night because I kept making stupid mistakes and then I'd have to go back and fix them. I simply cannot work on anything with a pattern after work while watching tv! I almost frogged it, but decided that it's way too purty. I will perservere, on the days I can concentrate.
To cheer myself up, I cast on for my pippi kneestockings. I see that Kate started hers a little early (the knit-a-long starts Feb1, officially), so it's ok for me as well.

The white and red are Emu Superwash dk from elann and the pink and purple are Berella Country Garden dk from Smiley's. I actually decided to use white for color A since I already had plain old white elastic thread and I didn't want to have to go out and buy more!
Finally, here is Opal Lollipop sock #1. I started the second one as well.


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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
 
Ugh. I was going to post some pics this morning. I really was. Then I ran out of time and had to get to work. I'll do it tonight.

Last night I came home from a stressful day at work and did some rows on the must-have cardi sleeve. Of course, I screwed up one of the cables cuz my mind was somewhere else. But--I'm proud to say--I dropped those 6 stitches down about 5 rows and fixed the error. It looks great except for 2 twisted stitches. Uh, I can live with that. I'm not dropping down again to fix that. The moral of the story is: Stephanie cannot work on any pattern that requires concentration (cables, lace) when she is tired, stressed, depressed, etc, etc. Later, I finished my Opal lollipop sock #1 while watching American Chopper with DH. I think I will cast on #2 at lunch today.


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Monday, January 26, 2004
 
We had some fun yesterday, but I didn't do much knitting. First, I accompanied DH to the Surf museum in Oceanside, CA. It was really more like some old surfer dude's garage, but whatever. I let DH look around as long as he wanted while I knit my Opal lollipop sock. Then we walked around the outlet mall in Carlsbad, CA and drove back via the coast (which was beautiful as always). Then a few more errands and I came home and made chickpea curry with jasmine rice (yum)!

I'm not too far into the must-have sleeve, so I'm not going to post a pic yet.


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Saturday, January 24, 2004
 
I started my Must-Have Cardigan (scroll down to the second photo to see what it looks like). I'm using the Peruvian Highland wool I got from elann. Yes, I actually did swatch and I need to go down to a US #6 needle. I'm starting with a sleeve. Wheee!


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Friday, January 23, 2004
 
Check out what I bought at the Salvation Army today for only $5. There are a few pieces missing so I am in the process of figuring out which ones and where to order them from. I mean, for $5 I simply could not pass it up! If nothing else, it will be nice for making scarves and baby blankets.

To prove that I really have been knitting, here is a pic of the baby leggings. That's the right leg--I am almost to the foot part. For some reason these are really fun--I guess cuz I'm one of the few people who likes knitting with cotton and it's in my favorite color. And it somehow seems more useful than a baby sweater. Especially in Southern California (ahem).

Also, here's the cute Valentine's day breadcloth I received in a stitch-a-holics cross stitch swap.


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Thursday, January 22, 2004
 
To steal a phrase from someone on one of my knitting discussion groups, I think I may have Knitters Attention Deficit Disorder. Hee. Last night I worked on my Peruvian Sierra pullover and decided that should be my only project. Uh huh. Then this morning I started some baby leggings. Oh well, I'm ok with that. As long as I'm having fun I'm going to stop stressing about having too many wips and ufos. I'm doing the leggings (pattern from Simple Knits for Cheished Babies) in a yellow cotton/acrylic blend called Bernat Dewdrop. I got it from Smiley's several years ago. I'm knitting elastic thread into the waist ribbing so hoefully that will help them to stay up (there's also a drawstring). If you're wondering why I'm knitting so much baby stuff, noo, I'm not pregnant. Just thinking ahead.


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Wednesday, January 21, 2004
 
Yay. I have the next four days off. Now that I'm setting my own hours, I'd much rather put in my 20 hours in 2 1/2 days instead of 5 half-days. duh. But alas, it doesn't always work that way.

Anyhoo, I'm looking forward to lots of knitting time. One problem. I have a million UFOs and WIPs but I don't really feel like working on them. I even have 2 cross stitch & 4 sewing UFOs sitting out! I think I need to knit myself a sweater, and work on it *only* so I finally finish something. I was considering swatching for the must-have, but maybe I need something that will work up a but quicker? I have some GGH Aspen that I was thinking of using for BonneMarie's ribbie cardie. Or, I have some fun acrylic/cotton in bright orange from elann. It's aran weight, I think. Hmmm.


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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
 
Happy Day! I've been trying to lose some weight over the past several months and as of today I'm down 17 pounds! Yay, me! 13 more pounds until I reach my big goal....(in case you're wondering, I don't have any big miracle weight-loss secrets. It's been a combination of insulin-sensitizing medicine to correct my insulin resistance & cutting down on refined carbs. Oh, and running around a lot at my new job).

Knitting: I'm continuing on the baby blanket in my brain-dead evening hours. Today I signed up for a new knee-high sock knit-a-long and I'm really going to do it (unlike the must-have sweater knit-a-long which I still haven't started. ahem). I love those socks (they're in the Stitch N Bitch book, btw). I've already been browsing my stash for some suitable yarns (I'm thinking about using some Emu Superwash from elann).


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Monday, January 19, 2004
 
Luckily, I don't think I have the flu--just a cold or sinus infection. Since I wasn't feeling well yesterday I decided to start a really mindless project. I'm using up all the Sugar N Cream cotton that I have in pastel colors to make a baby blanket. I'm just knitting garter stitch squares and will sew them together and then maybe add some sort of edging. The best kind of knitting when you're sick!


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Sunday, January 18, 2004
 
I know, I've been bad about posting regularly. I just feel like I haven't been doing much of anything and I don't have much to say! Last night, I realized why. I went to bed at 9:30 with a stuffy head and body aches. Yes, I seem to have caught some sort of virus. I really hope it's not the flu, but that's kind of what it's looking like. Yes, this is the only year in the past five that I didn't get a flu shot. meh.

I finished sewing the Packer baby overalls except for putting in the snap tape in the crotch, which will be tricky. I started on a coordinating Packer baby shirt/coat. I finished little sleeve #2 of the trekking baby sweater and I think today I will start on the front. If the room stops spinning, that is.


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Thursday, January 15, 2004
 
I've been sewing. I seem to go in spurts of only sewing or only knitting or only cross stitching. Anyway, I finished 2 tops for me and started on the Green Bay Packer baby overalls. Gotta love that instant gratification.

I got my new issue of Vogue Knitting in the mail and just looked through it briefly. Looked like there were some nice sweaters in there, but nothing that I have to knit right this minute.


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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
 
Yesterday I picked up the new edition of Knit It! magazine. I'm not very excited about it, I must say. The only projects I like are: (10) Striped Rib Pullover, (16) Cabled hat, mitten, and scarf set, (19) sheep sweater, (27) Striped "Rag" rug. They also have a basic sock article which looks like it might be good for someone who hasn't knit socks yet.

Me, I'm still working on the baby sweater. I didn't get much knitting time yesterday, but I did manage to finish one little sleeve. I'm off today so hopefully I can get some things done around the house and then do some knitting. Ciao!


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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
 
Knitting: I have been working on the trekking XXL baby sweater. I just finished the back and started sleeve #1. They are tiny little short sleeves, so they shouldn't take long at all. I'm thinking about making matching booties for this sweater since I'm sure to have plenty of yarn leftover.

Sewing: I cut out a bunch of things yesterday, including some baby clothes from Green Bay Packer material. I worked on a top for me in some pretty lightweight polyester--navy blue with a floral pattern. It went quickly and now all I have to do is hem the bottom and the sleeves. This fabric was a great deal (clearance at JoAnns for $1/yd!), but it hasn't been fun to work with. Too flimsy and slippery.


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Saturday, January 10, 2004
 
Hurrah for the weekend! Today is football and tonight is my holiday party for work. Tomorrow is the Packer game. The only things I really need to do are grocery shopping and take down the Christmas tree (ahem). Here's what I've been working on:



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Thursday, January 08, 2004
 
I'm working on cross stitch. And I'm making something functional (neener to Karen if she's reading this). I bought some cute long-sleeved baby onesies at Target that were $1.24 each (!!!!) I am using waste canvas to cross stitch a cute bear design right on the front of one of them. It's going to be soooo cute. And for $1.24?!! Hell, yeah!


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Tuesday, January 06, 2004
 
Meh. Once again, I'm in one of those phases where I don't really like any of my projects. I keep starting new projects and I don't want to work on those either. Oh well, in the meantime I have been working, watching tv, trying to declutter the apartment, and reading. Oh, and sending out resumes. I guess I'm in one of those "I hate my job" phases as well (I'm still working part-time, though). New things I started: intarsia baby blanket from VKOTG Baby Blankets (I'm using Lion Brand Pound of Love) and a baby sweater from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies using Trekking XXL sock yarn (loud primary color splotches).


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Monday, January 05, 2004
 


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Saturday, January 03, 2004
 
I haven't been knitting much lately, but I did finish the cross stitch round robin (finally). I did a few rows on my Opal lollipop sock and I've been doing a lot of reading. Also, I received my cross stitch round robin back in the mail and it's all finished except for the backstitching (outlining) so I'm working on that. It's going to be soooo cute.

Phew, I did a lot of cooking today. I finally perfected hummus (the way we like it), so here's my easy-peasy recipe. p.s. it's healthy!!

Stephanie's best hummus

1 can organic garbanzo beans, drained
1 large clove garlic
the juice of 1 smallish lemon
1/2 t salt
pinch of cumin
3-4 T organic tahini
extra virgin olive oil

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add olive oil as needed to make a smooth paste. Serve with whole wheat pita bread and organic baby carrots!


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Friday, January 02, 2004
 
Yes, I bought some of elann's new sock yarn. No, I didn't go off the yarn diet cuz I bought it with Christmas money. I'm sure DH's cousin will be happy to know that his gift to me was 6 balls of self-patterning sock yarn. Whee!

I worked on the satin top but like I suspected, the satin was really too much of a pain to sew with. I think I will ditch that idea and just find something else to wear to the holiday party. I'm this close to being done with the cross stitch round robin so hopefully I can get it in the mail tomorrow.

Oh, I've decided to join a knit-a-long. I'm still deciding which yarn to use.


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