Bigger on the INSIDE

Squeeeeee

Thank You onemilljellybeans thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou

squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

and one more time for emphases

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!

I received my Doctor Who secret pal package today! I will do my best and only use lots and lots of ! and not boldly shout every single word!


I knew this box was full of WIN the second I laid eyes on it
and
and….hmmmm… two weeks….hmmm….a little worried about that……..fun. FUN! is good

forget all worry and lay it out
The box IS BIGGER ON THE INSIDE! Look at that loot! Ok…gasp…under control again

Joey comes over and SQUEEEEEEEEs
Yes. That is his squeeeeeee face. He is very reserved. He is squeeeeeeeing like a 11yo girl on the inside. So am I!

I stop to contemplate crack on my box wall
Now I am worried

I stop and read the letter. onemilljellybeans you are an evil evil evil person and I LUVZ you forever for it. A person after my own heart.

That right there. #1. That one…
…is all I get to open today.

That’s right! If I can keep control of my squeeeing fangirl insides I get 2 weeks of opening FUN! I don’t know if it’s the worst or best part she nicked the idea from me.

Stop right now if you don’t like

Spoilers!

I would squeeee again but all the air is gone and I may be seeing little black spots around the edge of my vision. That is so totally awesome!!! !!! !!!
The outside is FREAKING AWESOME! Look at that stitching! The textured leather cover! River Song is going to knocking on my door asking for it back.

But wait! There's more.

The inside cover is awesome!

The inside is MADE OF AWESOME!

Did I say I wouldn’t shout. Ignore that.

Also? Hand model is never allowed to touch it again. Ever ever again. I may never be allowed to touch it again. Except that I love blank books and I love using them too. While my scritchings aren’t worthy the beautiful outside will class them up.

And to prove I’m a good obedient girl Everything back in the box until tomorrow.

Tomorrow may come at midnight. Just saying.

Knitters Know Everything

Knitting fan sights are the best. Look! what they found me.

And I'm off to KAWS. Spinning classes here I come. Also! Mary Zicafoose is my hero. Off to have dinner with her and my 120 closest friends.

Wild Abandon April

I had grand plans for April's theme but I scrapped them for even better one. Wild Abandon April! Sometime last summer, on my knitting list, people started talking about birthdays. About how they don't celebrate them anymore. Someone posted, dripping with disapproval, about how a coworker celebrated a birthday month. A Birthday Month! I didn't even know that is an option. Sign me up. So Wild Abandon April it is.

First, and I do mean April 1st is Joey's birthday. Baby Dog is 14. When I started his cancer treatments 5 years ago I made a deal with him that he had to live to be 13 for it to pay off. Him being a dog and it being cancer it's wasn't really a deal I thought he would keep. Not only did he make it to 13 he lived each and every day of that year and is still going.

Second is yarn. I haven't bought yarn since the beginning of November. That's five months of not buying yarn. Five long, hard, arduous months of not buying yarn. So I'm buying yarn every week in April. I had better get on that today or I'll miss this week.

Third is knitting whatever I want. As much or as little with no thought of finishing or goals or contests or anything. So what am I knitting now? Christmas gift socks that I can enter into a contest. Also, a lace shawl also for a contest. But whatever I want. Right?

March is over and I haven't taken photos. But I did finish things. I actually finished four. I may pull out the camera today. Or maybe not. Wild Abandon April! Oh baby, I live a crazy not taking photos life.

Who, Me?

The scarf is finished. It's a little short but I ran out of yarn. I have faith that it will lengthen with time. Long scarves always get longer with wearing. Or if I want to hurry it up when I wash it I can hang it to dry instead of laying it flat.

The fringe turned out great. It only took me about 5 do overs to get it even. Not bad. The cast off edge was more difficult than the cast on one. It kept on spreading a bit and the same fringe looked a bit thin on that side. I finally fixed it.

Making the fringe is Easy Peasy. I used one full skein of yarn for the tassels. I cut the skein in half (that’s 2 cuts). Divide each half into 9 equal groups. Evenly space the nine tassels along each end. Using a crochet hook make Lark’s Head Knots. That's it. But easy doesn't mean quick. See above about pulling it out and put it back in about 5 times. It's worth it.

Thank You!

I received my prizes for being the grand prize winner of the Slogalong hosted by my very favorite podcast Stash and Burn. I was listening to the new episode and about dropped my knitting when I heard my name. Right there on the air!
And what a fantastic bunch of prizes it is too! The Shetland Trader pattern book where I want to knit about every single thing in there. Some wool/silk/cashmere sock yarn from Pigeonroof Studios that is way too nice and soft for socks. I'll use it to knit the hat or shawl from The Shetland Trader.
A messenger bag from Yarn Play Cafe. I love messenger bags and I now carry it everywhere.

Finally, a whole bunch of pattern downloads. I'm already knitting Pickers Delight and I also received the patterns for Seedy Slouch Hat both from Christa Knits. Then from our very own Sarah Wilson the patten for Red Velvet. I like look of the drapy vests so I'm excited to knit it. Then two patterns from Robin Ulrich the gorgeous lace shawl Fontana and the sweet little wrap Brandywine Falls.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, everyone!

So in honor of Stash and Burn March is going to be March to the Finish. A month of taking UFOs and finishing them up taking them from the to do list to the done list.

While I had grand plans for March and knitting, this month it is kicking my butt making me want to go back to bed and stay there until July. So to take the pressure off of myself I only expect to finish one thing a week.

Hmmm one thing a week. That's still quite a heavy goal for knitting. I'm dedicating this year to being wound just right. So March is half over and one thing is finished so finishing two things seems much more in line with the possible. Oh, I feel better already.

Pithy Knitting

The lettuce I planted on Feb 1

Notice the bare spot in the center? Damn cat. I knew going in that I had a plant eater of a cat and yet I did nothing except to try to train him to leave it alone. That works about as well as that sounds. However, I've started feeding Sumi-e a little more in his food dish at night and the lettuce is bouncing back a little.

I'll camouflage the mowed down lettuce with a little more fan girl knitting.

It's Elizabeth Zimmermann's Very Warm hat. When I learned to knit I asked my instructor if I could only buy one book which would it be and she quickly answered Knitting Without Tears.

To this day I credit that book with teaching me how to think about knitting. If it doesn't look right it probably isn't. Have a cool idea? Well, do a gauge swatch and just knit it. Her patterns are always so simple and so brilliant and written so that any weight of yarn can be used.
I knit this hat using fingering weight yarn scraps. The black side is alpaca, the softest alpaca I've ever felt. The black is Henry's Attic Alpaca left from weaving a scarf. The color scraps were passed off to me by another knitter and the ball bands long gone. Since even the softest alpaca makes me itch the inside is Jojoland Melody.

I noticed a trend in my fan girl knitting as the month went on. Dr Who, Harry Potter, Elizabeth Zimmermann are all British. I like that my themes have developed themes.


Upward and onward into March.

Hermione

I love Hermione Granger and all her knitted hats. I picked the one from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

This hat must have been knit by Mrs Weasley since Hermione doesn't pick up the needles herself until Goblet of Fire. I love how she starts S.P.E.W and leaves little knitted hat all around the commons room in Gryffindor tower.
Pattern is loosely based on Cables and Bobbles Hat knit in my favorite Cascade Eco. If I had to knit in one yarn forever this would be it. The larger yarn was a good choice for this hat. It made the patterning stand out and while it's a touch snug but I know Eco will bloom and loosen in the blocking.

I didn't like the anemic bobbles I saw on so many hats out there so when it became bobble time I really bumped them up and did then nice and big.
I'm really pleased with how this turned out. Maybe someday I'll make the matching mittens.

Donna's Scarf

The knitting part is finished because I've run out of yarn. It's not as long as it's supposed to be but once I add the tassels it will be plenty long for actually wearing.
The holding the yarn double worked well for adding the texture.

Yarn Cascade 220 Sport 6 balls (and I really wish I had 7 or even 8 for a longer scarf and more tassels)

Gauge 3 spi
I’m using a size 6 needle but I knit loosely. Most would need a size 9 at least.

With yarn held double through out
Cast on 31
k1 p1 rib, slipping first stitch of each row.

knit until scarf is long enough to wrap around neck once and still reach to the knees. Add tassels with large knots.

Save at least one skein of yarn for tassels. Tassels should be long enough to reach from knees to top of boots. 7 to 8 inches on me and I'm shortish. Even better, make the tassels first then knit until the yarn runs out.

I also knit the hat Rose is wearing the last time the Doctor see her on New Years Eve and the last time we get to see him, David Tennant, as Doctor.
Sockhead Hat, the same one I knit before. It still kills my hands. I still can't stop making them. When I saw Rose in it I sat strait up in my chair and, of course, I had that shade of purple in the stash. Really, it's the hat being in the show rather than the show having the hat that made me knit this one. I'm such a fan of the Sockhead Hat I'm casting on another one. Once I can feel my fingers again.

Sqeeeee!!!

I just melted into a puddle of want. Knitting. Iceland. Photography. Music. Food. Iceland!!! Ponies. Sweaters. Can we say Iceland? I don't think I'm going but I do think I'll get a passport so I can dream about it. Do I dare post a link?

ps. I took a class with (not from) and read his blog back before anybody else did. Back when it was a photography blog and not a knitting blog.

Iceland...Knitting....Photography...Photography of Knitting...

ICELAND!

Dr Donna

So part of work is that I received 2 Amazon gift cards.
It's probably not surprising that I spent one of them on Dr Who DVDs. I'm saving the other one... for Dr Who DVDs.

So of course for Fangirl February I must knit some Dr Who knitting! This project is just falling into place. My favorite companion is Donna. With Donna at his side 10 finally gets some depth. This season is deeper, funnier, sweeter than the others and my favorite. I'm only a little bitter of the way Donna is written out. Ok, maybe a lot bitter. The problem is Donna doesn't wear knits...

Oh boy was I wrong. As soon as I pull out the season to look again, on the very first disk, at the most opportune time she is swathed from head to toe in knits. A sweater coat that is to die for, my favorite color of purple gloves, and a scarf. A most spectacular scarf. If there is ever a moment that I personally identify with Donna it's now. She is standing on the hill explaining how she knows what she wants and is out looking but it seems like she will never reach her dreams. And she is wearing a scarf!!!

I will have a Dr Who scarf and not a TB one that people will know a mile away. This one wouldn't be spotted even by the people in the know. And the best part? Nobody has knitted it! Ok, I don't believe Nobody has knitted it but a quick search on Google and a detailed search on Rav (more than a million knitters) and I can't find a one. That's enough for me.

It's crazy long and a vibrant color of deep blue turquoise. It has good drape and flow with a bit of texture. For the longest time I thought a waffle stitch.

This is the screen showing it's just huge yarn. The texture is huge knit stitches.

Now the problem. I'm only using stash yarn.
My stash cupboard. That yarn is a little too light.

This yarn is just the right color and I have a lot of it and it's thick. However, I can't wear mohair around my neck. I just can't. I also can't knit a crazy long Donna scarf and not wear it.


But I do have this yarn. I'm supposed to knit jammie bottoms out of it to go with my sleeping sweater but I maybe don't have enough. I bought all the store had and it still might be 2 balls short. Because of that I haven't cast on yet. It is super soft and a nice Turquoise Green.

In the sunshine much more Turquoise blue. It's sport weight not extra bulky so I'll have to double it. It's also not as much yarn as I would have chosen but I'll knit until it's gone and that's how long the scarf will be.
I also pulled out my purple yarns. The one on the right is the exact color of her gloves. The one on the left I actually bought for gloves... last year... the year before... Long before the DVDs. This whole project is just meant to be.

I Love My Job

Wait. That's not right right. Let me mull that over. Nope, still don't love my job. However, there are parts of it that I do appreciate. Like my supervisor.

A few weeks ago something went down. I checked on it every step of the way doing due diligence on little information. As soon as it was over I knew it was incorrect. I went to my supervisor and she checked into it for me and said it was good. I said it wasn't. She checked again. Still good. So good Big Boss came out and told me I worry to much and that I did fine. I let it go. I knew better but I had done all I could and, besides, maybe I was wrong.

But it ate at me. I let it rest for 20 days before going to Supe again and saying I still didn't believe I had it right.

Instead of telling me that "No, seriously, we had this conversation 20 days ago. I, The Supe, looked into it then and it's fine. Let it go already." she got a whole bunch of important people involved pulling them away from their regular work and looking into it when I know none of us have any time to spare. Really looked into it deep. She also did this after Big Boss said it was fine again just that day. He's the one in charge of this and new and I can tell all the supervisors are scared of him. I don't know why, but they are.

And when it finally came out that I was right as I knew I was (which is the whole point of this story. Everyone thinks they are right. I strongly suspect she thought she was right too. I know for sure Big Boss knew he was right) and that my being right actually meant that I was very wrong. What did she do? but fill up my cube with Balloons and Thank You cards. It was mortifying.

Her cube shelf is devoted to all things Twilight down to some pretty smancy action figure dioramas. A real fangirl there. I liked the books. I really like the costume designer Tish Monaghan and her use of super cool knitted accessories. So I knit Supe the hat Bella wears in Eclipse in gratitude.
Except I can't give it to her. I was doing my job. She was doing her job. Even filling my cube with balloons and cards is part of her job. My giving her that hat would mortify her just as much as the balloons did me. I'm ok with that. I even think it sort of funny.

What I can't have is her to start thinking of me in any way but what she already does.

While no one else there would think anything of a hat she might start to think that people think that we are friends. And then she could think about talk of favoritism. And in that she could start holding me tougher standards when picking. I could be passed over, not helped, or given, or even earn as much if she had to think about what others might think. Right now, I have received more than a fair share of notice it is because I get things done. Nothing else, and it has to stay that way.

So I knit the hat in thanks and this time it truly is the thought that counts and nothing more since it will only be a thought.

February Gardening

February is just the right time to think of plants. February through June. By July the magic has worn off and the drudgery in hot weather has set in. But February is the best month, the dreaming month, when gardening is all unicorns and butterflies, and when the short days are really grating on the nerves and anything green would be a welcome change.

February first was a blizzard and I was driving home in white out conditions. It had taken me an hour to drive 10 miles and I had another eleven to go. I just had to stop driving for a while. I'd also had an hour of snow to think and dream on this so I pulled into a Walmart and bought everything for an inside garden; a window box, dirt, a light, and some lettuce seeds.

I've always grown plants with them doing very well for about 8 months and then needing repotting and finally dieing after about two years. That was until I was given a small green Rubbermaid container of dirt. It was a special blend of 3 expensive dirt and my inside growing changed. It turns out my problems were all from inferiority dirt not a lack of care as I had thought.

I can't bring myself to pay the money to recreate that blend but now I do mix my cheap ass dirt with a tiny bit less cheap dirt.

I mix and I mix

and I mix some more
Rocks to keep my cheap ass dirt blend from clogging up the all important drainage holes.

I'm not a believer in transplanting when doing container gardens so I direct sowed into the growing pot. I'm also not a believer in treating them any different than any other house plant. No heating pad, no covering with paper, no coddling. I just deep water the first day and once a week after that.

But I am a believer in lights. I just found out this winter that the energy saver bulbs can be used to grow plants! The 23w=100w is the one I'm using on a 12 hour timer. The lettuce seeds sprouted on day 4 the spinach on day 5. That's a full 5 days sooner than the package said.

I'm so excited about this it's all I can do not to buy more flower boxes, more lights, more seeds, never mind that I don't have the space for them. Also, this set up cost the amount of 10 bags of lettuce and I can't believe that I'll be able to grow that much. I'm not even sure I can grow more than one salad worth. It doesn't matter. I'm such a fan of February gardening.

Fangirl February

New month with a new cutesy name. And what does every cutesy named blog need? A fangirl!

I'm going to geek out and maybe even squee a little this month although I may be too old and too solidly midwestern reserved to *glomps*. Unless it's a bunny rabbit. I luv to snoogles a soft fuzzy wuzzy bunny rabbit...Ah, wait, where was I? Right... Fangirl knitting.

My only caveat is I have to knit from my stash. I know how I am. I would go to every LYS, browse all sites and order 6 different yarns in magenta just so I could have the right match. Then I'm left with 5 colors of magenta and I don't even like magenta. So knit from the stash.

Jumping Out

Jump in with January is over. I finished one thing for next Christmas. One kids sweater.
I did better on my 12 pairs of socks. Two of them are this years Christmas but I have evil thoughts about squirreling them away for next.
I like how holding two sock yarns together blend the colors. I also like I only have to cast on 44 to 48 stitches to make Men's sized socks.
I don't at all like how being off by 4 stitches can make the sock go from fitting around my Dad's 10 inch foot to My brothers much much bigger foot. Even so, I'll be knitting more double stranded socks.

I also finished one of the 6 socks for work.
The yarn is Knit Picks the pattern Mock Cable Lacy Toe Up Socks except that I knit them top down. I frogged them at work and started them over from memory getting some of the details wrong, like forgetting to mirror the pattern.
A nice match for my favorite shirt.

Finally, I finished a scarf. 2 rows alternating of Noro and purple hand spun.