Knitting, sewing, cross stitching, my life in general.





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Lazy day today. I finished up my fleece jacket, had 2 short phone interviews, and picked up a few things at JoAnns. I just printed out the new sock pattern for the six sox knitalong (fluted banister socks by Laura Gallagher) and I am trying to decide what yarn to use. Ok, I'm off to watch the Padres game.

posted by Stephanie at 6:50 PM

 
I've been doing some sewing. I have all these great fabrics just piled up in my bedroom and they are calling my name (especially the seasonal ones, which I am a silly sucker for). I started a simple table runner for my mom--it has 2 different fabrics (1 on each side) and little red tassels at the end. I can't finish it though, cuz I need to call my mom and get the exact length of her table.

Right now I'm making myself a jacket using some Green Bay Packers fleece that my Grandmother sent me last year. It will be perfect for when we go to the sports bar and they have the air conditioning cranked!

Possible news this week on a new job--totally different from what I was doing before. But I'm quite happy about it. I'll let you know.

posted by Stephanie at 2:58 PM

 

The making waves socks for the Six Socks Knitalong (we are supposed to have them done by Thursday, so I just made it). The yarn is Lorna's Laces sockwt in Lakeview. 72 sts, US 0 & 1.5 needles. 2 pair down, 4 to go! 
posted by Stephanie at 1:43 PM

 

This is a little fall xs ornament that I just finished for an exchange. 
posted by Stephanie at 1:40 PM

 
I give up.

Last night, after a relaxing day of screaming at the tv while watching 3 football games, we found ants in our kitchen. Yes, ants. Yuck. We've lived in this apartment fot 3 years and I've never seen a single ant. As a result, I am blaming possible messy new neighbors (surely it couldn't be my poor housekeeping skills)?!

Anyway, we spent a fair amount of time ripping apart the kitchen, cleaning, spraying, etc. This morning (after a trip to the dollar store for sponges and rubber gloves), I got back to the cleaning, spraying, and trying to put the kitchen back together. Finally, I swept and mopped the kitchen floor (to get rid of dead ants, natch) and went to take a shower.

When I got out of the shower and got dressed, guess what was waiting for me on the kitchen floor? Well, dog puke of course! And not just one pile, but 2!

Seriously, is this how my week is starting out?

P.S. My making waves socks are finished!

posted by Stephanie at 1:54 PM

 
Yesterday I did some sewing and I started another pair of socks (you didn't actually think that I would finish the making waves socks before starting something new, did you)?

The sewing project is a gift so I can't show you a pic. I finished it up yesterday afternoon and you'll just have to believe me when I tell you that it's fabulous.

Last night I was feeling tired and a bit brain dead and I realized that I didn't have any mindless st st socks on the needles. gasp! So I pulled out some Trekking XXL in the autumn jacquard colorway (I told you I'm a sucker for anything fall) and started those. Naturally, I've already made the summer and the spring colorways, and I really like them (and I kept them for myself)! These will be for me as well (duh).

posted by Stephanie at 1:18 PM

 
I've been plugging away on my making waves socks. Can you believe that I'm actually working on one thing exclusively until it's finished? Yes, it happens every once in a while. Anyway, I finished the first sock and now I'm working on the heel of the second one. The pooling of the colors is completely different in this one and it's kind of irritating. And I'm not the type of knitter who cares about matching up my self-patterning socks or anything. Am I the only one who feels that Lorna's Laces colorways have gone downhill since they were bought out?

I'm getting ready to start a *big* lace project. Nevermind the fact that I haven't finished the 2 other lace shawls I started. ahem. But I'm knitting this shawl along with my dear friend Lori so maybe I will actually be motivated to finish it. It takes 2300 yards of laceweight yarn, so yesterday I ordered this in the winterberry colorway. Today I got an email stating that CTH will be dying my yarn today or tomorrow. Now that's service. And the price can't be beat!

posted by Stephanie at 8:26 AM

 

Christmas gift #2 is finished (for my sister). This is handpainted sock yarn from eBay seller lotusblossom (over the rainbow yarns) in the colorway coral reef. I really like this yarn and I think I might have enough left over for another whole pair of socks! 
posted by Stephanie at 9:53 PM

 

Yesterday I finished these baby booties...aren't they just the cutest? I used the pattern for Ugg baby boots that was on Knitty Gritty (diynetwork.com) and Berocco Suede yarn. The trim is some unlabeled stuff (snowflake, maybe) that I got from the GSRP. Fun!

posted by Stephanie at 11:38 AM

 

pumpkins! 
posted by Stephanie at 1:43 PM

 
I [heart] autumn.

It's definitely my favorite season. I grew up in Wisconsin so while the autumn leaves were beautiful, the season was always too short and it meant that the cold, long winter was just around the corner. Here in San Diego, we don't really have fall at all. It's just sort of an extended late summer, I guess. But, every year I still make caramel apples, go to the pumpkin patch, drink apple cider, etc. Oh, and watch football (and we won't talk about what happened to LSU or the Packers over the weekend).

This summer I already purchased several pieces of fall/halloween fabric. Now I'm trying to decide what to do with them. Today I went to JoAnns just to look at their autumn decorations and such. I came home with a few goodies--a doggie halloween costume (heh), a pumpkin spice candle, a spiderweb halloween candle.



posted by Stephanie at 1:31 PM

 

These are the socks I just finished. They are Regia Ringel, 64 sts, US 1 needles. They are made for a man with a size 12 shoe, so that's why they look so huge! I do believe this is my first completed Christmas gift (never mind the fact that I started them in March. ahem). 
posted by Stephanie at 3:57 PM

 

This is the cross stitch table runner I finished last week. As you can see, 2 of the images are going one way and two are going the other way. That's for people on either side of my table. Hee! 
posted by Stephanie at 3:54 PM

 

Well, the deadline to finish the making waves socks (for the 6 socks knitalong) is fast approaching (Sept. 30). I figured I should gaet mine out and start crackin'--I'm still on the first sock! Oops! 
posted by Stephanie at 3:08 PM

 
I'm back from Hollywood and I had a fabulous time. It was so fun finally meeting Vickie in person, hanging out with Karen & Vickie (and knitting), and actually taping Knitty Gritty.

I arrived at the studio at 8am on Monday and right away I saw Carol Duvall! She tapes her show right next to where Knitty Gritty tapes and I was so pumped (yes, I've turned into a DIY/HGTV groupie, yes, I've been watching the Carol Duvall show for years). I met the producer & director of KG and the other knitster and got 'miked'. The actual taping took 2 1/2 hours, which really flew by (of course, I was knitting most of the time, so that helped). I can't wait to see the actual episode (which was on socks, btw), but it won't be on until next year sometime.

Here's me, Karen, and Vickie after we finished taping


posted by Stephanie at 8:37 AM

 
Off to Hollywood....I'll be back on Tuesday. Mwah!

posted by Stephanie at 8:11 AM

 
Today is the first day of DH's 9-day vacation. Soooo, he decided that it would be a good time to go visit MotoWorld of El Cajon. Sure, that's all fine and dandy, but he wanted me to come along. Ugh. I whined about how it's too far away and it's even hotter in El Cajon than it is here. But, I eventually gave in so we went after we picked up some lunch. Now, guess what was right next to MotoWorld? A big ugly yellow building with a sign that read FABRIC OUTLET. Suh-weet! I didn't even have to step foot in MotoWorld. Now, fabric outlet is one of those places that's a little scary with lots of stuff piled all over the place, but if you dig around you can find some great bargains. The only problem--it was about 95 degrees and their air conditioner was broken. I still managed to get out with a big bag of stuff for only $15. Ahem.

posted by Stephanie at 4:37 PM

 
Lots of stuff to talk about today

Look what I got from my secret pal yesterday

Koigu!!!! Oh, how I love koigu. And I've never had a colorway even similar to this one. I'm sure these will become socks for me, but I haven't decided what pattern I will use. She also sent a cute card and the knitter's handy guide to yarn requirements from Ann Budd (which is going right in my purse). Thanks, secret pal!!

The second StitchNBitch book, StitchNBitch Nation, is available in November sometime. Here is the description of the book and it even mentions my yoga mat bag. Woo! Go to amazon right now and pre-order your copy! :)

Sunday I'm driving to Burbank because I have to be on the set of Knitty Gritty Monday morning at 8am. How cool is that?? I'm a little bit nervous, even though I'm just going to be a knitster (basically just knitting a sock in the background). But I'm very excited about hanging out with my pals Karen and Vickie. woo!

Umm, actual knitting. I started on the front of the purple sweater. I've decided to just do plain stockinette and a v-neck. Maybe tomorrow I can get an outside pic so you can actually see the color. I also have to work on my project for Knitty Gritty--a slipper sock. I need to have it about 1/2 to 3/4 done before the show.

posted by Stephanie at 9:14 AM

 

Yay, I finished the sleeves! Of course, this is a terrible pic and doesn't show the color at all. The yarn is actually a deep purple with bits of magenta. Anyway, here they are blocking on the guest bed. Now to start the front. That little thing in the lower middle is a swatch. Not sure what it will become yet. 
posted by Stephanie at 8:25 AM

 
Ponchos, a UFO, and a wish list

Well, I think I may have to give in and knit a poncho. I already made a fleece one last year (sewn) and I bought a knit one from a thrift shop. But, well, I'm feeling the need for a lacey over-the-head knit poncho. I'm busy looking at free patterns on the web (there are about a million), but I may end up making up my own pattern.

I did in fact pull out a knitting UFO for this past weekend. It's the basic v-neck pullover that I'm knitting with elann Peruvian Sierra in a gorgeous eggplant color (I'm using a Rowan pattern called "Jack"). I finished the back last year and started on the sleeves. I've made some good progress on those sleeves so I'm hoping to have a pic of them blocking by tomorrow or the next day. Then I just have to do the front. I'm still trying to decide if I want to do some sort of pattern on the front. A big cable, maybe?

Finally, for my secret pal. With my birthday and Christmas coming up, I am starting to compile a wish list. If you still need some ideas for the final package, here are a few: 1 skein Schaefer Anne, the Fiber Trends patterns "Sunshine & Sails Bath Set" and "Braid & Bobble Hat", Rowan mag #36, Rebecca mag #28, the 2 new Noro books by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton and Jane Ellison, 1 skein Suede yarn by Berroco in color "hopalong cassidy".

posted by Stephanie at 10:09 AM

 
Thanks for the kind words regarding my job situation. The whole thing was very strange and I guess I'm glad that I won't be working there anymore.

DH and I still managed to have a pretty good weekend. I had never been to Big Bear lake before and it was really pretty. We mostly relaxed and ate. We did go to a small quilt show and an arts & crafts show. Here is my favorite pic of DH which kind of summarizes the whole trip



posted by Stephanie at 6:33 PM

 
Just got fired. Unfuckingbelieveable.

posted by Stephanie at 7:00 PM

 
TGIF

Hurrah, it's Friday once again. It's been a long week and my boss seems to be getting crabbier by the day. Meh. Anyway, once I make it through today then it's a 3-day weekend. And guess what? DH and I are actually going to take a mini-vacation. We're going here for some rest and relaxation. I'm actually planning to bring along some knitting, I just haven't decided what.

posted by Stephanie at 6:28 AM

 

This is the pattern I'm using to make some jammies. I bought some cute print microfleece from JoAnns and I found that I can make the top and the bottoms with just 1 yd. Woot! 
posted by Stephanie at 6:50 PM