If it ain't broke...

fix it anyway.

I've been knitting for a long time and have always knit English-style. I've been wanting to make the switch to continental-style to speed up but wanted to wait until I finished my sweater so I wouldn't mess with my gauge. =) Sweater's done and I can mess all I want now!

So, I headed off to YouTube to see how to go from thrower to picker and chose a small project in garter stitch to practice.

I felt at first like I'd never knit before! But I got the hang of it fairly quickly and have been playing with a couple different ways to hold the yarn, trying to decide which I like best.

I also worked up a couple kitty snakes in crochet.

One in a variegated acrylic and one in bulky white wool, crocheting in pony beads for the eyes.

Then I used a couple packets of Kool-Aid to overdye the white.

I'm pretty happy with the results! Though the acidity of the Kool-Aid reacted with the t-pins I used to hang the snake up to dry, leaving teensy rust spots even though I'd rinsed him well then washed him in Eucalan first. Thankfully, the kitties don't mind. =)

I made it!

I can finally say it... I knit a whole sweater!

That's right, folks, I finished this one. lol

This is the Salem Hooded Sweater (my Rav link) from New England Knits that I started before heading to San Francisco back in January. I came back from the trip with two completed sleeves and about 3" of the bottom hem done (after frogging my first couple inches due to size issues, dang it).

Took a bit of a break to knit another dog sweater, a hat or two and a pair of fingerless mitts... and crochet a couple kitty toys. But last week, I decided I wasn't working on anything else until this came off the needles. I can now move on. =) Still need to pick up a couple of snaps and some ribbon, but ends are woven in, it's been soaked (lavender Eucalan) and is blocked and drying as I type! I think that counts as done. (Better pics once I hit a store)

Added bonus? Total cost: $18 and a little change =D

Next up? Trying something a bit different...

Otterly amazing!

What's that?

More yarny goodness?!

Otterly amazing!

Bad puns aside, I did have some yarny fun this weekend. =)

I went with fingerless mitts to go with the hat. I hope she likes them. I think the fit is nice, fitted without being too baggy or too snug... on me, at least. And because she's a fellow critter fan, I'm throwing in something for the furrier members of the family...

Catnip kitties for her kitty, Joe.

Those two better stay out of the pb dog biscuits I'm sending! Think she'll be surprised?

(The little hibiscus wood otter came home from SF with me via an awesome woodworking shop in Ghirardelli Square. Such a cutie, how could I pass up that face? He had to travel home in my checked bags thanks to that crazy tail though. Didn't want to risk any extra searches from security... or have him end up in the trash bin.)

The hatmaker

It's all hats, all the time around here lately...

 #2 in my 2011 Pay It Forward craftiness - done!

This is the Roman Earflap Hat (Ravelry project link). I mostly followed the instructions for this one, though I did hold the yarn double throughout the crown as well since this particular yarn is rather thin in places. The ear flaps were worked with one strand in doubleknit and I opted for tassles instead of the pom poms in the pattern. =) I like the results and though this is pure alpaca, it doesn't seem as warm as I thought it would be... probably a good thing since the recipient lives in AZ and though it gets cold, it doesn't dip far below freezing. Planning to make something to go with this hat - a cowl or fingerless mitts perhaps.

 Best of all though, I got a photo of one of my handknits ON the recipient! Woo!

New big sis, Elizabeth, in her Poppy hat. I hope at some point to see a pic of Katherine in hers, but I'm elated to at least see one of them on since it's such a rarity to get pics back once handknits are mailed away. 

PS -- I'm not telling her she has it on sideways. lol Maybe she'll start a new trend. =)

Pay it forward

Several weeks ago, my friend Moni (of Blatherskite) posted this challenge on her facebook page.

Pay it Forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you... and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011

It sounded like lots of fun, so I responded and re-posted on my own fb page... and now have my own list of people to craft for. =) I've been thinking about what to make, but had been working on my own and Reilly's sweaters. Then, my friend Denae (of DenKnits), shared a link for Knits for Needs looking for hats to be donated (and having a contest if you're interested). I shared the link on my page, commenting that there were so many cute hat patterns but so few people around me who wear hats. I nearly instantly had comments from two of the people to whom I now owe hand-crafted items. Well, that makes it easy! lol

#1 of 5... done. =)

I love it. This is for my sister (who I made the braided cowl for at Christmas). I didn't have any more of that yarn so used another brown (that I hope is close since I'm not sure where the tiny remnants of that other ball are) and paired it with a pretty semi-solid blue from my stash. This is my favorite color combo... I hope she likes it. =) I already plan to make myself one of those cowls... might just have to make myself a similar hat as well. heh

Pattern info: Turn a Square by Jared Flood (of Brooklyn Tweed) - I lengthened the rib so it would fold up (a request of the recipient) and added a big, fluffy, fun pom pom.

Now, back to my sweater for a bit while I figure out #2...

Winter Blues

My sweater's not done yet, but someone else's is!

I did this one in wool and alpaca (details on my Ravelry project page) for a little extra warmth. I'm likeing the color combo. I've had that alpaca for awhile with no idea what to use it for. Holding it with a strand of wool seems to be a good combo. =)

This week has been full of indoor time thanks to ice, snow, more ice and snow.

 Nice, huh? And I'd already brushed the loose snow off the top! That's solid. :-/ The drive was a solid sheet of ice too so I was stuck out of the garage for a few days. Thanks to some fresh snow (and the traction it brought), my baby's back under a roof. It may be a tough jeep, but it's sure a heck of a lot easier running errands when I don't have to chip ice off it first!

  Someone hasn't been at all bummed about the weather. Pure Alaskan, born and raised! =)

He's about 3" off the actual ground there. Still pretty solid under the latest snow, but at least we got off a heck of a lot easier than a lot. Looking forward to the thaw so I can head west... not so looking forward to that thawing and creating a mud pit in the back yard. lol

I have a confession

I bought yarn. One ball... it was on sale... and organic. lol



Hmm, and a cute little tape measure too. =) I visited a new (to me) yarn shop this weekend, one I'll not likely return to. Why? Because it's near here:

Yep, I'm back on the road!

I got an email at 1p Monday asking if I could travel. By 1:30, I had a ticket to San Francisco... at 6p. Crazy? Yes! But I got a shower, got packed and hit the road for the airport in an hour and a half. Amazingly, I only forgot to pack a few minor things. lol

It's been over 6 months since I've been on a plane. With the change of time zones, late arrival and not having had to be up, dressed and in an office by 8a in months, I'm exhausted. Didn't stop us from heading out this weekend for some sightseeing though! Another coder wants me to teach her to knit after seeing my sweater in progress (I almost have both sleeves finished!), so we headed to ImagiKnits Saturday morning for some yarn and needles for her. She picked out some beautiful yarn for a scarf and a pair of bamboo needles. I tried, but didn't leave empty-handed. Surprise! haha At least it was only the one ball. I'm thinking it'll make a nice cowl.

We then headed to Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square.

It's no longer a chocolate factory, but it is a great shopping center... and yes, we came away with chocolate. =)

And a little something-something for the pooch. =) The dog on the bag? She's the Yap shop dog and is the sweetest little thing. If my dog were a girl, I would have been tempted to buy an adorable set of pink bunny socks... but alas, Reilly is a boy and will not be wearing pink bunny socks. heh While looking for an image online to share, I found these:

So freaking cute! And totally pointless. lol

After a little shopping (and spending way too much money, but I got a couple birthday gifts taken care of), we took a city tour on one of the motorized trolleys that went over Golden Gate Bridge. We had a great tour guide and had a lot of fun, getting to see a good chunk of the city without dealing with the crazy traffic.

They weren't kidding about the hills here. I can't imagine anyone here doesn't have buns of steel!



I really like this city. It's seems so dog-friendly and the people have been so nice. If I weren't already set on moving to Vancouver, I might very well be tempted...

But I'd definitely sell my car...