Ten Knitterly and Crochet-erly Things

Okay, so maybe crochet-erly isn't a word, but I need to include crochet in here. This is a meme (can someone tell me the actual definition of the word 'meme'?) that I saw at XRK, and so of course I had to particpate. So here goes:

1. I first learned to knit back in college. My friend Anne taught me to cast on and knit. That's it. I didn't stick with it for very long at that point, because I made so many mistakes that I couldn't correct, and my stitches were so tight that they actually squeaked when they went from the left needle to the right needle.
2. I learned to crochet from my Aunt Donna about 3 years ago. She also taught me to bind off my knitting, which was quite nice. My Aunt Donna is left-handed, and I am right-handed, so I don't wrap the yarn around my finger to keep tension on it. I pick it up and put it were I want it for each stitch.
3. My first crocheted FO was a white Red Heart single-crochet scarf that I made in one weekend.
4. My first knitted project was a bag based on a pattern in the first Stitch n Bitch book. See previous post. It is atrocious.
5. I have crocheted a sweater, but I have yet to knit one. But I'm working on it.
6. My next-door-neighbor, Anne Marie, taught me to purl.
7. I can knit continental but I can't purl continental. My stitches are really tight when I knit continental, so I generally don't do it.
8. I have crocheted approximately 5 baby blankets and 2 full-size afghans.
9. I love Montco Sit n Knit! I have made some really good friends there, and look forward to each and every meeting.
10. I will knit and crochet for the rest of my life.

WIPs
I have just completed two pot holders (crocheted mitered squares), am almost finished a warshrag (knitted basket weave with crochet border), and have just begun a dish towel with garter stitch borders, stockinette middle. The Matador waits patiently on the end table next to the phone, waiting to be picked up and worked once again. There is a good chance I'll have a bunch of time to work on it next week, because the high school where I work may be striking next week. Woo-hoo!

Oh come on!

I zipped through the first half of my Matador bolero, and damn, it looked good. In fact, the first half still looks good. However, the sssk's and the yarn overs are killing me. Seriously. I have ripped back to the beginning of the sleeves 3 times already, and may have to do it again. Last night, when I started for the 2nd time, I was cooking. It looked really good. Then I got to the fourth row of decreases, and everything just went completely to hell. What's up with that??? And since I'm new at this sssk and yarn over stuff, I just ripped both sleeves out, even the good rows, because I don't know how to pick up yarn overs and whatnot. So I started again this morning, and already the first part of the first sleeve has 3 holes instead of two. I know I can do it, and I'm paying close attention. Honestly. But I will persevere. It will be done. As long as the yarn doesn't disintegrate from being worked so hard.

And my kid Banana has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Which is highly contagious. And it turns her into a whiny little poo. And she can't sleep. Maybe I should just go crochet something until everything settles down.

Wah.

For once, I agree

My Personality

Neuroticism	49
Extraversion	67
Openness To Experience	86
Agreeableness	74
Conscientiousness	40

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report Find your soulmate / pysch twin You are neither a subdued loner nor a jovial chatterbox. You enjoy time with others but also time alone. Stressful and frustrating situations can be upsetting to you, but you are generally able to get over these feelings and cope with these situations. Novelty, variety, and change spice up your life and make you a curious, imaginative, and creative person. You have a strong interest in others' needs and well-being. You are pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You are reasonably reliable, organized, and self-controlled. Xanga, MySpace Codes and MySpace Layouts by Pulseware Survey Software

FO and WIP

Yay, finally, a picture of a finished object! This would be a lovely crocheted baby blanket and matching hat for my friend Leah's baby, who should be arriving any day now. I hope he likes it. The yarn is soft cheapo mill-end acrylic, but who says cheap can't be pretty and comfy? Besides, it'll need to get washed a lot. So there.



And here is the Matador bolero, being knit in Moda Dea Metro, which is nice and soft. This is my first project on circular needles, and also is my first project which includes yarn overs and sssk for the raglan sleeves. I'm scared! But I will muddle through. I only started last night, so I am quite pleased with my progress thus far.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks for stopping by.

How I long to be creating...

Right now I'm at work (captioning at a local high school), and I have a free period, and lo and behold, I can access Blogger on the school's computers. Oh happy day. But I wish I had my crochet with me. I could be finishing Leah's baby blanket (pictures shortly), lengthening the Poncho sans Fin, or knitting up Banana's pink sweater. Or I could start knitting my Matador bolero. How I hate free time without needlework! I'd rather be home making no money and needling than here making money and typing. But don't tell WT that. :o) Oh well. Only 6 1/2 hours until Sit n Knit. Wee!

I am going to make every single one of these things

Maybe more than once, even. Mwahahahahahahaha - like I can afford the yarn to do that. Anyhoo, here they are. The things I am going to make sometime during my life. I love them all.

I'm loving the first three patterns on this page. To boot, they are all relatively easy, which is a boon to a novice knitter like myself. I can't wait to make them. Royal Yarns is going to begin carrying the entire line of Filatura di Crosa yarns, and their prices are good, some I'm hoping to use the yarn for some of the patterns rather than substituting a cheaper yarn. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

I like the top two patterns on this page better than the bottom two, although I think with different yarn I could be persuaded to knit the shell on the bottom left. We'll see.

I'm making the shawl in this picture for three women in my life who really helped me this last year. My mom passed away in May, and two of her best friends and my aunt were really there when I needed them. So here is their Christmas present. I really hope they don't read this blog, because they probably know who they are.

I am going to make this tank and matching kimono shrug in every color known to man. I LOVE this pattern. Now if only I looked like the chick wearing it.

How cute is this Matador bolero from the latest issue of KnitScene? I never really noticed it until a person on Flickr made it in Manos del Uruguay. Yum. I have yarn all ready for it, and it will be my first project using circular needles. Wish me luck.

This is obviously a project for down the road. It's from the fall issue of Interweave Knits (I'm quite sure many of you recognize it). I just love it.

Another project for when I am more experienced. Love the color.

Generally I'm not a fan of boxy sweaters, but this one is nice and it is CROCHETED. From the summer issue of Interweave Crochet. What a great mag!

I am soooo making this for the Banana. She will look adorable. I may even have to make more than one. Again, from Interweave Crochet, the summer issue.

I love love love the Babette blanket. And what a great stash buster. This pattern calls for 22 skeins of Koigu.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I'll be using Caron Simply Soft or something comparable.

Last but not least, how adorable are these espadrilles? And they are crocheted, yay! You get the jute for the soles at Home Depot. Lovin' it.

So I think this will keep me busy for a while. And believe me, this is only a small percentage of the patterns I have. More to come. Thanks for stopping by.

Fiber content - 100%

Finally, a post about knitting and crocheting and whatnot. I have two WIPS right now:

This baby blanket for a friend of mine...

...and this sweater for Banana.

I'm making good progress on both of them and will post pics when they transition from WIP to FO. I'm making up the patterns as I go along - much easier to do in crochet, especially when you're just making a big rectangle.

I went to the Knit Out in Philadelphia on Sunday with Maria and Anne Marie. We had a good time. I didn't stay as long as I would have liked, as I had the Banana in tow and she gets kind of antsy. But I did stay long enough to start the blanket, get a goodie bag, and met cool people like this chick:

I love Philadelphia.

A moment please

I don't know why this bothers me so, but Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, was killed by a stingray earlier today off the coast of Australia. He had two small children. I never much cared to watch his show; I thought he was kind of silly, and his accent irritated me to no end. But he was a father, a husband, a son, and an environmentalist, and these are all admirable things to be. So let's take a moment to remember this man who meant a lot to a lot of people, and let's hope that his wife and son and daughter have people around them to support them at this sad time.

Rest in peace, Crocodile Hunter.

Arrrrr!

My pirate name is:

Mad Mary Kidd

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

I know it's a bit off kilter, but I love this nonsense.

I give up

I tried and tried, really I did. I began Banana's pink dress about 4 times, and it just wouldn't work. I tried crocheting in the round, I tried crocheting a front and back to sew together, and it just wouldn't cooperate. So for now, I am abandoning the pink crochet dress for Banana (the weather isn't really right for it now anyhoo), and I'm knitting her a pink sweater instead.

But it might not be wide enough.

So I might have to frog it. Again.

Maybe I should use a pattern.