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My boyfriend asked me to babysit his virtual kitty here. :)
You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.
You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.
http://marniemaclean.com
What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
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| Busy busy busy!!! |
| 11.14.04 (6:38 pm) [edit] |
Gee I just noticed I haven't been posting lately. Just been too busy for words!
Finished my winter mittens. Basically decided to give up on that first one I knit, because I didn't think I'd be able to fix my too-tight stranding in the cuff. So I started last Tues after work, knit like MAD Tues and Wed eve and Thurs morn and got the pair of mittens sewn up just in time to leave for work Thurs. Good thing, really needed them when I left work Thurs nite. I decided to hold off on the duplicate stitched details though, I tested my "3" chart on the abandoned mitten and it wasn't looking too good.
Right now I'm working on whipping up a purse for my cousin's birthday gift. It's in TLC Amore, plum and white knit together (her Christmas mittens are purple & white cuz she's going to Northwestern) and is soft and beautiful so far!!! My first design too. I hope it comes out as nice as I think (if it does I think I'm going to try and submit to Knitty!)
Still working on my winter scarf (real simple seed stitch on #10 needles with Inca Alpaca and so far, soft and pretty and just the right drape!), as well as lots of other stuff. Plus too many ideas!!!! :) I already said I'm not buying more yarn unless it's for a specific gift til I knit up all I have. Shouldn't be a problem.
Ideas I have? Well first I gotta finish what's started which includes my poncho and more. I'm getting two knitting machines for my birthday -- both cheap kiddie ones but they're small and won't take up a lot of room and that'll let me get the hang of machine knitting and see if I like it enough to get an Ultimate Sweater Machine. I plan on zipping out my Harry Potter scarf next weekend so I can wear it next Tues to pick up the DVD :) I'm also going to try and make my Homespun afghan on the machine.
As for ideas, I want to knit a lot of outfits for my teddy bears. Gotta finish the cardigan in LusterSheen for Michaela, then Dale's pullover and pants in Suede. After that Sakura needs a cardigan, then I want to start some outerwear. Build a Bear is now offering a hat/scarf/mitten set. Hmm, think I can make cuter ones for Dale & Sakura than the plain black with red paw set they have, you think? :D
I also want to make a poncho for Sakura (probably in a finer yarn but the same pattern as mine cuz I just LOVE this pattern!). Blankets for all three, so they can curl up in the sleeping bags I *will* make from the cute Garfield fabric I bought.
I want to try making gloves, probably do a test pair with Red Heart or Sugar and Cream to get the hang of the pattern, then make a nice pair using some of that Inca Alpaca my scarf is being made out of. It's just so soft and pretty...... mmm I just love it! Only thing is I do gotta be careful if I ever have to wash this stuff because I'm sure it's feltable.
Which is another thing, gotta get back to my two Zeeby's bags that have been languishing, and finish the Kool-Aid dying on the second skein of Fisherman's Wool I bought and make a swatch to test felt with.
So you can see, I'll be busy til next Christmas (when I'm probably going to make lots of washcloths and handmade soaps so I can get the boyfriend into the gift-making process and cause less stress on myself cuz washcloths are a LOT quicker, and I can do them in stitches OTHER than stockinette and not BORE myself to death!!!!)
Oh well.....knitting is WAY too much fun to care! ;) Anyway, back to that beautiful purse!
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| Busy busy busy! |
| 10.25.04 (8:32 pm) [edit] |
Been way too busy to touch the computer! I've got one pair of Christmas mittens knitted (I'm saving all the detail duplicate stitching and sewing up for the end!), and nearly halfway through a second pair.
I did manage to get the baby blanket done in time, despite problems. I had to rip out about 40 rows and redo them because they unraveled when I tried to wash/block it. So I said hell with weaving in and no knots -- I knotted the heck outta those yarn ends and hid it with the cute backing fabric (Garfield and Pooky!). Mom-to-be loved it! :) I managed to finish sewing on the backing fabric the day before the shower, just before I had to leave for work. Talk about under the wire! But I did it. Let's just hope I don't have to go that much under the wire for Christmas!
Been working like crazy, though I did manage to get to an awesome haunted house at the library where I used to work (yes, in a library and they did a very good job!). I'm also planning on Fright Fest :D at Great America.
Pictures....when I have time to actually take them :)
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| Nearly done..... |
| 10.11.04 (1:18 am) [edit] |
The baby blanket is in the home stretch! I'm a bit tired (and I did have three alcoholic drinks at dinner which is more than my usual one-daiqueri-a-season), so I'll finish the last 13 rows of knitting (plain stockinette and then a few garter rows to finish) after work tomorrow.
Then I just seam up the two pieces, block it and pre-shrink the cute flannel fabric and attach them and polish it off. I plan to have it done by Wed eve so I don't have to worry about it. :)
Of course Fri nite I finished my sock (YAY!!!) and I've got the second started. Let's see if I can polish off a blanket AND a whole sock this week :)
Everything else is languishing til the blanket's done though :( But I shall get back to Christmas mittens and stuff for me soon enough!!!
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| Knitting along..... |
| 10.07.04 (2:45 pm) [edit] |
Well I'm getting some knitting done. :)
Last night I finished the first of what has been reduced to two strips on the baby blanket. The pattern calls for nine repeats of the chart but with how bulky the yarn is I'm using, two repeats (I chose to knit it in strips) is nearly half the finished size. It's coming out great though, I think it'll be soooo warm! The colors are dark though so when I put the backing flannel fabric on (gotta go choose that....) I'm going to take some LusterSheen in white and do backstitched outlines around the hearts to make them really pop!
I also am into the foot of my sock. Moving right along! Finished the decreases on Tuesday, now I've just got to knit down toward the toes. Yay!
And now, into Christmas knitting. I've got a ton of mittens to knit, as well as a couple of other projects to do. My relaxation (ie, not Christmas) knitting is going to include the poncho (the pattern I got from the LYS). Thankfully I can put off my contest scarf -- Vogue Knitting is holding a contest for scarves for the next Celebrity Scarves book, I was thinking it'd be due by the end of the month but I have til April 2005. Phew!! Especially since I may try multiple designs, I already have a few different yarns to play with, including Patons Divine, some Red Heart Super Saver, Lion Brand Watercolors, Chenille T&Q, and Jiffy. All in shades of pink :) So I'll have some textures to play with and some fluffy Divine to enjoy (yummmmmmmy yarn!!!)
I need more knitting time!!! :) I wish I didn't have to work to support my yarn habit, it cuts into my knitting time ;)
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| I have a heel! :D |
| 10.01.04 (11:24 pm) [edit] |
I'm sure everyone's looking at that subject saying "WHAT?!" I have what actually looks like a heel on my sock!!!!
Yesterday's knitting class, third of four sessions, I turned the heel and now am a few rounds into decreasing from picking up stitches on the sides of the heel flap. Then I knit the foot and next week I'll learn how to decrease for the toes :) I'm so happy, I have what's now looking like a real sock!
I also picked up a poncho pattern from the yarn shop on my way out, a real simple one but it's a lace pattern and very pretty (I liked the sample they had), so I'm looking forward to playing with that.
Thanks for all the compliments on my pics! I'm having fun knitting away, glad to hear my stuff looks decent :)
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| Pictures, finally! |
| 09.30.04 (4:37 pm) [edit] |
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I need to get my computer fixed and I need a digital, sorry for the mega delay with pics! My CD ROM drive isn't working :x so the photo CD wasn't doable so I had to upload it from my boyfriend's house.
So here are some pictures!!
First, my finished objects! My first two finished objects were a fun fur scarf and a sheep. The scarf was two skeins of Fun Fur, light blue and dark blue, knitted in garter stitch and held with a baby yarn in light blue. I slightly adapted the Fireworks Scarf pattern from Stitch 'N Bitch for it. The sheep was from a kids knitting book, basically a rectangle with small "leg" rectangles sticking out from it. Came out really cute though. I named him "Oreo" cuz he is white and black, and he was for my teddy bear who's named Dale after Dale Earnhardt (who had an Oreo sponsorship, sad logic I know). Did those back in April, right after the knitting bug caught me again.
 
Next up, a pair of mittens and the first of the second pair that I did with a nice pattern I bought off of Ebay. It's a two needle mitten pattern and that's what I chose to make to get myself un-bored after the scarf (sorry to all those who love doing scarves but that just bored me out of my skull!). The first pair I did with Lily's Sugar & Cream 100% cotton, not very warm but a bit thicker and it was good practice. The red one at the top is Wool Ease, and that's what I'm perfecting for Christmas gift mittens (y'all should see the pile of Wool Ease that's in my room right now!)
Next, a purse. This is made out of Wool Ease Thick & Quick, the second one I did, from the pattern they have on the Lion Brand website. The first one I did in purple for my mom. Then I looked at how much yarn I had left and so for mine in the turquoise I made it slightly longer and made the handles a little longer. The button is a funky peace symbol with flowers in it. It's nice, but a bit floppy and not big enough for me. But still, I used it for a little dressier purse for a couple of occasions.
Now to the works in progress! First, the first of seven strips for my Homespun afghan. I forget which book I got the pattern out of, but it's super simple. Cast on 22 stitches, knit a 53" rectangle, make 7 strips and then there's a crochet join and border. I love the feel of it, I know some people don't like working with Homespun but I think it's soooooooooo soft. I'm using Colonial, which is this strip (dark blue) and I believe the other color is called ocean or something like that, a light turquoise blue.
 
Now the shawl I was working on in the red/white/blue yarn, that I posted about. I ripped this out over the weekend though, and as soon as I de-crimp the yarn I'm going to do it as a simple two rectangle poncho. The shape I had in my head is not working right so I'm going to try and sketch it out later for another shawl when I can figure out the shaping right.
 
Finally, the start of my Gryffindor scarf. It's a little longer now, and I actually have a couple of stripes in there, but slow going cuz I don't work on it often. Same with the afghan. I gotta get to some movies! Those are both mindless don't-need-to-look-at knitting projects. And boring as hell if not doing something else.
And now, as I know everyone's curious, pictures of my teddy bear! More pics forthcoming, I have to scan the photos I took, but here's a couple pics of Dale. Later I will have pictures of him in his cardigan and pictures of my other teddies, Sakura (she's a Fall Festival bear from Build a Bear) and Michaela (she's a mini-teddy that's a Target exclusive from Build a Bear).
  
And here's Dale sitting on my bed, next to my afghan that was knitted by my great-grandmother (and which I am planning to reknit once I learn seed stitch really well because it's starting to fall apart), and the pillow he's leaning on (that says "finish" and stuff) is my handmade pillow. Took a yard of fleece fabric, cut it in half, made two pillows (one for me, one for my boyfriend) sewn by hand and stuffed with polyester fiberfill. It's the best pillow I've ever owned! :)
That's all the pictures I have for now! More as soon as I can get back over here with the hard copy pictures and scan them! :-D
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| Busy busy busy! |
| 09.26.04 (7:28 pm) [edit] |
I don't know if anyone's reading because I'm not getting comments (glare) but sorry for the sporadic posts, full time job equals less time online!
My sock is moving right along, I finished off the heel flap and on Thurs I'll get help with the REALLY confusing part of the pattern that comes next. This past Thurs I learned the weird little stitch that's used on that heel flap (and made a mistake in reading it resulting in having to rip out 8 rows, ergh) and also got a pattern generated for a pullover in Suede for my teddy.
Fri nite after work I met up with my boyfriend and we hit this classic car show in Arlington Heights. Just the ticket after a tough day at work, got to drool over '57 Chevys and Camaro SS's....awesome cars. Of course part of the reason we went was cuz his friend was there showing his car....his 2004 Ford Escort ZX2 (rolls eyes). It was still fun, though, another kid nearby had a whole V8 engine model made out of K'Nex. That actually worked mind you -- the pistons moved up and down in the right sequence and the valves rocked open and closed in the right sequence and the transmission was even geared with the right ratios and 3rd speed actually moved faster than 1st! Now THAT is talent IMO! And then we were all gathered around that when his neighbor pulled away in his Camaro SS with a HUGE supercharger blower sticking up out of the hood....nice sweet big block rumble that you feel in your bones.....droool....... (send any groans to the boyfriend, he got me hooked on this stuff!)
Sat we had a family thing, my cousin just turned 21 (dangit, they gotta stop making me feel old!) Discovered that I can't toss a bean bag in a hole to save my hide. Oh well I can knit circles around them and if they mock they won't get nice toasty mittens and socks for Christmas that's all! ;)
Knitting update:
In the knitting bag, my washcloth, the LusterSheen cardigan for Michaela, my sock, and some Bernat Sox yarn to start another sock.
Also working on: Getting close to the decorative part of the little clutch I started like milennia ago (for some reason I get hand fatigue after just a few rows and can only do it in little bits); unraveled the red/white/blue shawl because I didn't like how the pattern was going and instead I'm going to make it into a simple as pie two rectangle poncho; also unraveled my first sweater because it was WAY too wide (gave it to my boyfriend cuz I couldn't bring myself to rip and he needed the therapy ;) ); still have my two Zeeby's Bags and my summer shell in progress.
I organized my yarn somewhat. Have to look at my Wool-Ease stash and check which colours I need for Christmas mittens ($1.77 a ball this week at Hobby Lobby!). Then I gotta get into a FO kick and wrap up a few projects so I can start gift knitting -- I'm planning on making a purse for my cousin's birthday in Nov and then lots of mittens and slippers and hats for Christmas (plus a few other projects to make).
That's all for now! Pictures as soon as I can get to a computer that has a working CD-ROM (gives laptop death glare) and upload the ones off the photo CD I just got!
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| Knitting away.... |
| 09.21.04 (8:11 pm) [edit] |
I have no energy lately....still getting used to a full time schedule. But I'm getting better! :) And finding time to knit too.
I had my Demystifying the Math in Knitting class on Sat, went quite well. It was the first time this class was offered and there were only two of us but that was okay, it worked well. I think I have a little bit of a better understanding of the math behind patterns and switching yarns or adjusting patterns.
Afterward I decided to pick a nice luxury yarn to make a teddy bear cardigan with. I figure, a teddy cardigan doesn't need much yarn so I could get a really-nice-to-knit-with yarn to enjoy and not have to spend $100 to have enough for a me-size sweater. :) Besides, I was heading to Build a Bear afterward and I had the future recipient with :D
I ended up picking up three balls of Berroco Suede. I've been eyeing that yarn for a while, after seeing it in Patternworks (the colour names caught my eye), then a nice pullover pattern with it in Knit 'N Style, and finally a baby hat and booties knitted with it on Knitty Gritty. :) I was so happy to see that my LYS had it ($9.25 a ball, ouch...) I picked up three balls of blue (I forgot the cool name for it....looks in Patternworks ah yes, "Wrangler"). I'm knitting up a gauge swatch, then I'm going to take advantage of the LYS' custom pattern service and have them figure out the pattern for a fringy jacket and pants for Dale.
And I'm probably going to ask for a billion balls of Suede for Christmas...I just love working with it! It's nice and soft, it comes out really neat when knitted up. And I just love the color! (so if anyone wants to buy me Suede....;) ;)
My sock is moving along...I've been knitting it a round or three at a time all week and I've got a total of nearly 4" knitted. Looking nice, and now that my boyfriend kindly translated the fiber content for me ("75% Schurwolle, 25% Polyamid" means 75% wool, 25% polyester), I know the socks will be nice and toasty! I just hope they fit right (looks like it'll fit so far....) I like the yarn I'm using, it's called Opal. It's a German import (and I can't understand a word of the label...thank goodness gauge is universal!), a nice thin fingering weight and quite soft knitted up. It's blue and white, pretty even color bands, and it's making a really nice ziggy zaggy pattern as I knit. :D
Anyway....that's all for now! :)
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| First class done! Also Star Trek ramblings.... |
| 09.17.04 (10:32 pm) [edit] |
Well yesterday was my first of four class sessions in Intermediate Knitting. It's being taught by the owner of the store, and she is very nice and quite patient! :) There were four other ladies in class, all knitting sweaters (one for a young daughter, another for a son, the third just learning stockinette stitch on a sweater and the last finishing off a fun fur sweater for a daughter). And then there was me, poking myself up and down with DPNs. I had by far the most complex project! But then again I like to jump in head first -- my first three projects were a fun fur scarf that bored me to tears, a little sheep (though he was very simple), and a pair of mittens. Yes, I got bored out of my mind with the scarf and went and found a good 2-needle mitten pattern. I'm on my third of what shall be many pairs with this pattern, I just love it (bought it off E-Bay, wonderful find!)
So anyway, I had picked out a lovely blue and white Opal yarn in fingering weight and a nice simple pattern written for three weights and adaptable for different styles. Darlene taught me the long-tail cast on (that's one that's confusing from a book), and then helped me start in the round. I spent the rest of the two hours slowly working away with my four little Inox needles, worried one was going to slip out like the Lion Brand one the last time I attempted to use DPNs. But none have fallen out yet! I left with a round tube of 2x2 ribbing that actually looks like a sock ankle if you stare hard enough! ;)
Tomorrow morning is the "Demystifying the Math in Knitting" class. Afterwards I'm going to Build a Bear to treat myself ;) Actually the original plan was to pick up the socks they sell for the bears to have an idea of how they're shaped. My bear has very round little feet, almost totally circular, and I was to knit him socks but I'm not sure how to shape them so they'll fit! Of course then when I went to the website to get the address of the store so I could get directions, I discovered there's a special on the fall bear they're selling plus I found a coupon and I also discovered there's a new racing costume! This one has a helmet finally so I MUST get that for Dale! (he is named after Dale Earnhardt after all!)
On a totally unrelated note.....anyone know of a yarn out there that would make a velour-like fabric when knitted? A slightly shimmery blue or red? Why you ask? Well it's 2 in the morning and Speed Channel has motorcross (sorry my racing's gotta have 4 wheels and turns to keep me watching) so I checked the channel guide and found classic Trek. And I do mean classic -- "The Enterprise Incident" and I'm looking at the shirts thinking, gee if I had the right yarn I could do better than trying to sew fussy, shrink-loving velour and knit myself up a cool costume! I've never sewn velour but I'm sure it's gotta be one of the fuss-til-you-want-to-burn -it fabrics, and I know Bill Theiss had to keep making new uniform shirts because two or three washings and those things were trash.
I mean, it shouldn't be hard to make.....looking at Scotty, it's a simple raglan with a black collar...looks like 1x1 ribbing I guess, plain bottom, with the insignia and the braids on the wrist. Those I can sew on, make them out of lame again (ergh but it's the only thing I've found to give that look to the insignia -- I once made a medical/science original series uniform for an 18" doll). Hmm, I guess I've got a new project to add to the list! :) Which just grew when I splurged today on four knitting magazines....I got Vogue Knitting International, Knit 'N Style, Knitters, and Interweave Knits. There's a lot I'm interested in.
Oooo I forgot how cute the Romulan Commander's costume was....simple mini dress that could be done in intarsia since it's color blocked and the red turns into a scarf..... Any designers want to help a design-challenged Trekkie? ;)
Ah well for now I gotta get to sleep. I have to be in class at 10 AM.
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| Crochet is cool |
| 09.15.04 (7:00 pm) [edit] |
Busy weekend I had.....
Sat morning I took a beginning crochet class at Hobby Lobby, real basic but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. I made a nice little piece of single crochet with a row of double crochet, looks pretty good.
Patterns still confuse the hell out of me tho. But maybe I'll take another class, at the yarn shop next time, to try and understand it more.
The rest of my weekend? Worked Sat eve, then Sunday I spent at the Indy Racing League race at Chicagoland Speedway -- they topped last year. AWESOME race. :)
Anyway, this'll have to be a short post since tblog is going down for maintainance. More later! :D
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| Knitting classes! |
| 09.08.04 (6:23 am) [edit] |
Last week I signed up for some classes to expand my knitting skills.
The first one I'm taking is this Saturday, a beginner's crochet class at Hobby Lobby. I haven't been able to pick up crochet on my own as easily as knitting so I'm taking the class to see if that helps.
The second one starts next week and goes for four sessions. It's an Intermediate Knitting class, at Mosaic Yarn Studio in Des Plaines. The class is set up so that you can choose any advanced project you wish -- I chose socks. I'm struggling trying to get the hang of DPNs and sock directions confuse me no end. I'm looking forward to this one.
The third on is also at Mosaic, next Saturday, "Demystifying the Math in Knitting". I'm interested in understanding the mathematics involved.
The last one (for now!) is next month, a knitted handbags class. I picked out a pattern to try, which takes one hank of hand-painted Mountain Colors yarn. Expensive stuff -- $22 for one hank, but worth it as it is unbelievably gorgeous! I can't wait to work with it (and the pattern gave me an excuse to add to my Addi Turbo collection)
If these classes go well I may take more, finances depending. Mosaic offers some great classes. I can always retake the Intermediate Knitting, it can be retaken over and over. Maybe cables next....I'm still trying to get those to look nice. There's also going to be a crocheted poncho class at Hobby Lobby I'm told, I'm thinking about that one.
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| FO: Teddy cardigan! |
| 09.05.04 (8:27 pm) [edit] |
Yay!
I really have to get to bed, need some sleep before work tomorrow (yuk working on Labor Day), but I was too excited not to post this! I finished my first cardigan!!
Sure, it's kinda small, it's a teddy bear cardigan but I started it ages ago and put it down midway through the back but today I got in a finishing mood. I pulled it out, finished off the back, whipped up the two fronts, taught myself Kitchener Stitch (not really that bad at all!) whilst attaching the shoulders, then I made my first go at picking up stitches (need to work on figuring out how to do that more evenly) to do the sleeves, and then I picked up stitches on the sides of the fronts to make the button bands, sewed on the cute teddy bear buttons I bought, and assembled it all. That's all today! :)
Dale (my teddy bear) is wearing it now. He looks adorable in it and he looks very happy! He's been pouting since I put that back piece down, so I'm glad it finally got done. The pattern I used is nice, it came out really cute and I didn't even pick up and knit collar stitches cuz the collar really looked nice as is.
I WILL get photos posted, I had taken a few pics on my boyfriend's digi but he can't get them uploaded. Ergh.
Anyway, that's my accomplishment of the day! Not bad for being sick, eh? ;)
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| New cellphone! |
| 08.25.04 (9:45 pm) [edit] |
Yay, today I finally got to pick up my new phone. Nextel had to order it because they didn't have the model I wanted in the store. Which model you ask? This one:
Yes, I got the Michael Waltrip flip-phone. Gee...now I just need NAPA/#15 pants, shoes, scrunchies, and a little more jewelry and I can be decked out in Mikey gear head to toe! ;)
It's late, though, so I'll have to play more after work tomorrow!
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| Phew! |
| 08.24.04 (6:58 pm) [edit] |
Gee, how long has it been since my last post? I just come home so tired!
I have managed to get some crafting done. I'm working on my racing purse -- the bandanas are glued on and the foam is glued in. I need to do some touch up gluing and add the hardware, ribbon, and the little details as well as some glow in the dark paint! ;)
I just picked up some yarn for mittens, some sparkly white, burgundy, and gray. Joanns didn't have black or red so I could start my Earnhardt mittens :(
I made some Michael Waltrip earrings last week for NASCAR day on the 20th -- they've got yellow and blue pony beads on blue wire, with Shrinky Dink dangles on the end, a NAPA symbol on one and a "15" on the other.
Um....that's about all that's actually gotten done. I have stuff for lots of other projects just.....no energy!
That's all for now. :) Pictures, sometime, as soon as my boyfriend manages to upload them! (grrrrrrrr :evil: )
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| Cubs win! |
| 08.15.04 (7:41 pm) [edit] |
Well this weekend was just what I needed after two solid tiring weeks at Hobby Lobby!
Saturday morning I was woken up early to go to the Cubs game (home game, against the Dodgers). 12:20 game but we got there around 11 or so. I went with my boyfriend, his parents, his younger brother and his brother's girlfriend. They picked me up at 10 (yeah they're morning people!) and we headed straight down.
We got to see a fast, good game. 2-0 Cubs, with the first run being a solo homerun by Kerry Wood on the first pitch he got! The second was after a triple.
Then after the game we went out to an early dinner, and then my boyfriend and his dad were nice enough to attach a purse handle to the wood box purse I'm making (they did the easy part -- now I gotta decorate it!)
Today, I got to RELAX. I slept in, a bit, got to see all or part of FOUR different races -- the Pikes Peak Hillclimb, the NASCAR race (Watkins Glen roadcourse), the Indy Car race (Kentucky Speedway), and the Champ Car race (temporary road course in Denver). That doesn't count the six or so races that aired on Speed Channel (a week from Tuesday I get that channel FINALLY!). I love Sunday and I love having Sunday off even MORE! :D I did a little sewing and crafting, and tomorrow I'm going to Home Depot to support today's NASCAR winner :) and pick up a few things I need for my purse.
Okay, the purse. Well at Hobby Lobby in wearables we have a lot of purse components. TONS of handles, some VERY pretty ones indeed, a variety of purses that are plain and just need decorating and more. There's also three sizes of wood box that just need decorating and a handle to become purses. I bought one that's a nice deep rectangle, and a nice mahogany coloured cane handle in a D-shape. My boyfriend and his dad took the metal hook thingys off the ends of the handle and screwed and glued it to the box. I took the hinges and the clasp off today and sanded it down a bit, and I'll be picking up some wood putty (there's a couple of gaps in between pieces that I want to fill in to make it look pretty) and primer paint. I'm going to paint it all white, then either grab some checkered flag fabric or use painters tape to paint a checkered flag design all over. Inside I've got some checkered flag foam sheets to line the inside with. Then outside I'm going to decoupage car pictures (I've got old car magazines that I'll be cutting those out of). The handle will have some ribbons with charms dangling from them tied around both ends to cover up the little bit of excess glue and the holes from the hardware that was removed. Inside I plan to put a little framed picture of my boyfriend and I in the lid in lieu of a mirror and put a hook for my keys. I also need to make a small cloth wallet that's smaller than the ones I have because this is a very small purse for me!
Anyway, time for me to go to sleep. Busy week coming up!
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| Busy busy busy! |
| 08.10.04 (6:04 pm) [edit] |
See how busy I am, haven't even had time to blog! :) Computer hasn't even been on for days!
Let's see, my last blog was Thurs so....
Fri I worked my first evening. I put out a good chunk of what I'd ordered, then learned what recovery is (basically picking up the messes and neatening stuff up). Saturday I finished putting out most of my stuff, just two totes that I didn't get to. I was quite happy that I actually did get most of the stuff in place! :)
Saturday after work (I worked 9-5) I drove to my boyfriend's house for dinner, got to see his parents Alaska pictures (such a beautiful place!) and got my souveniers -- a little beaded suncatcher with a little bitty puffin on the end for me, and an ornament from North Pole, Alaska, for my parents and I. Very cool ;)
Sunday I did very little. Trip to the car wash (Touhy is like covered in muddy water, so annoying!), and to Target (yes, I am addicted). Found out the mall now has a small Long Grove Confectionary! Dangerous knowledge that ;) I also found where the Pizza Hut is in our Target -- yes the Target by my house is not only two stories with a really cool shopping cart escalator but it's got a Starbucks and a Pizza Hut Express/Deli-type food area in it too! It's totally THE coolest Target ever!!!!!! :D And yes, I can't keep out of there. After lunch and shopping I went home and curled up with the TV and the heating pad. Chilled all day. And did get to do a little knitting. :)
Monday I finished putting out the stuff that had come in on Friday, and worked on getting stuff in order and tried to find some of the stuff I was having trouble with. Then I spent some money :) I got some Shrinky Dink material (there's ink jet compatible Shrinky Dink now!!!! $10 but damn if I'm not going to be buying some come first paycheck! Then I'll REALLY need Photoshop!), and blue and yellow pony beads. I need to make Michael Waltrip jewelry ;) NASCAR Day is August 20th! I also got a really cute cheerleader teddy bear charm (my little bear that I got at Target is a cheerleader, so it represents her -- now I need to find a racecar bear :D ), some E-6000 glue (potent and really good stuff!), some really neat blue colored beading wire, this Stretch Magic stuff (so I can play with it and be able to answer people's questions about it better), some leather roses that were on clearance, and a couple other things.
Today was ordering day! I got my order done early, yay! I went through and reordered a bunch of the shirts I ordered last week (they're half off this week so they're FLYING!), and then I spent some time organizing the banadanas. I made sure they were all where they belonged and ordered what I didn't have any of. Y'know, Hobby Lobby carries some really cute bandanas, and at $0.87 regular price they're quite reasonable! I like making throw pillows out of them -- just fold all the corners together in the middle, sew the sides together in an X shape, leave a little hole to stuff it, then cram in plain old poly-fill and close up the hole. Ten minute project, and they're really nice, esp some of the patterns we've got. And I just noticed that there's even MORE designs being added to the line! I got some beautiful purple bandanas with pink lace and roses to make throw pillows for my mom.
So that's it for my days so far! Phew! I been busy!!!
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| Today at work... |
| 08.05.04 (5:31 pm) [edit] |
I'm really enjoying my new job so far! Today I started trying to put out stuff that had been ordered previously but never put out. Got some stuff put in place, but a lot I couldn't find the proper places for. I found out some of it is new, and doesn't yet have a marked peg. So I was given a bunch of pegs and told to make an endcap display (endcap is the stuff at the end of an aisle) with all the new stuff. That took til after 1! But it looks nice and pretty :D By the time it was done it was after 1 and I was starving! :)
After lunch I decided to try a different tote of itens in hopes I'd have better luck. After trying to help a customer looking for something that wasn't in stock I was told to put all the Christmas beads that had come in on a different endcap -- which entailed first taking down the display there (heavy shelves!). That took til 5! It looks very pretty if I do say so myself :D Some really neat Christmas light beads in that shipment too.
I totally enjoyed doing those two endcaps. That was a lot of fun for me, and so I'm really looking forward to doing that kind of reorganization for the whole department. Not just for the fun of putting the display together but also then I will be able to FIND stuff! :?
Tomorrow all the stuff I ordered on Tues and Wed comes in and I get to spend tomorrow and Saturday trying to put that stuff out where it belongs.
Now, to curl up on my new heating pad. My back is moaning to me ;)
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| Hobby Lobby - first day! |
| 08.03.04 (4:05 pm) [edit] |
Well, I've survived my first day at Hobby Lobby :) I'm EXHAUSTED!
I didn't feel like going online yesterday, so I didn't post about my last day at the library. It was nice, a typical Monday :) and toward the end of my shift we had cake (HUGE chocolate cake with chocolate frosting) and they gave me two knitting books, Mindful Knitting and Knitting School (the latter is an EXCELLENT reference book, it's got great diagrams for every knitting technique you could possibly imagine!). It was sad, but everyone seemed to think Hobby Lobby is perfect for me and several people said they'd probably come by to shop :D And I've been ordered to visit and bring my knitting projects with for everyone to see! Like I'm not! ;) Just maybe not til later this week when I'm not quite as wiped out!
After the usual paperwork melee, they gave me a vest and I spent the rest of the day working with the assistant manager in my department, jewelry & wearables, just trying to start putting things in order and see what items we were completely out of and all that jazz. I guess they haven't had anyone in that department for months and so it's kind of a mess. And of course it didn't help that while I'm standing there staring at these hooks with jewelry bits in hand saying "WHERE DO YOU BELONG ALREADY!?" people are asking me where weird stuff is! I felt so bad saying "I'm not really sure" but hey, I barely have any clue what belongs in my department and where it goes!
That's about it. I went through the book that lists everything that is supposed to be in the department and marked what we were completely out of to order for jewelry, I get to do that for wearables tomorrow and then fun fun on Friday I get to try and put all that new stuff where it belongs (and apparently there's like a ton that's been ordered and never got put out!) before next Tuesday when I get to do that ALL OVER AGAIN! But, I did have fun. Got way WAY too many ideas for new earrings (there's glass cherries and corn and grapes and really cute pewter charms and crosses and really nice beads - including tons of Swarovski which I just LOOOOOOVE cuz it's SOOO pretty!) and necklaces and stuff. I only bought ONE thing today though, that's because I spotted this iron on holographic patch in the shape of a car that there was ONE left and it had been marked down more than once already so I said, hey I'm ALWAYS looking for car stuff! and I bought it :D
I do miss the library, at least there I could sit down every once in a while :) but this place DOES have working air conditioning :P and hey I'm CERTAINLY getting my exercise -- just to walk from my department to the registers is like walking from the staff room to the children's area at Eisenhower!
Anyway, I'm pooped, more later on my adventures at the new job!!!
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| Hobby Lobby -- almost there! |
| 08.01.04 (7:35 pm) [edit] |
One more day at the library. Man this is tough! But I'm also getting excited. :)
Yesterday I had a looooooong day -- worked 8 hrs (my last Sat at the library...dead as always), then drove up to my boyfriend's house for a business type meeting. Got a bit lost trying to get to Elmhurst Rd. from Talcott. I'm easily lost :) But I managed, and didn't get lost coming back!
So today, I slept in, curled up in bed with my teddy bears, and I mostly relaxed and did NOTHING. Cept for knitting a little bit on my Summer Shell, I'm up to about 2 inches on the back, yay! :) It's a nice color, deeeeeeep dark navy. I'm going to like this....in three years when it's done!
Only a couple more inches and the first afghan strip is done, I'm just past 50" and that means only 3" left! Yay!!
Anyway....that's all for now. :) I'm sleepy and I need to rest up -- looks like my first two days commute will be in thunderstorms, fun.
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| ZZzzzzzzzz.... |
| 07.29.04 (8:09 pm) [edit] |
I am SOOOO exhausted! I just spent the last ten plus hours (with the exception of a few breaks for food and Blue Collar TV) working on my room. On top of the who-knows-how-long I spent yesterday just trying to put my knitting supplies in order!
So now my yarn is nice and neat, though I had to take my food stash out and I'm fumigating the cabinet it was in with my nice strong Indian incense so I can put the extra skeins of Lion Brand Homespun (set aside for the taking-forever-and-a-day afghan) in there. It's in five stacking milk crates ($3 each at Value City!). I also got a drawer organizer so the tools are kinda organized.
The closet is also neat for now. I organized all my clothes, pulled some of my nicer jeans and shirts to the front for when I start at Hobby Lobby and neatly packed away the summery and wintery stuff I don't need right now, but in boxes that are LABELED sitting on the floor of the closet so I can get to them easy.
Of course the rest of my room.......I did bring out two very large bags of garbage, which is something. And the drawers on either side of the desk are almost all empty at the moment (I left my stationary supplies alone) so later I can move stuff into there. I've got some stuff set aside to move out. I need a better desk, really, but for now I'll make do. But this is an ongoing task. I had to neatly repile all the stuff I had on the bed onto the floor. But at least it's a neater, more compact pile so I can WALK and I can get into my pajama drawer for the first time in MONTHS! Of course I do have to do a little flexibility demonstration to get to my clothes, because I have a tall stack of boxes protruding from the desk. But that's temporary....going to do more work tomorrow after work and Sat after work and Sunday.
But Monday...no. That's for resting, relaxing, watching TV and working on my newest knitting project that I cast on during a break today -- the Summer Shell from one of my books...uh where is it.....aha. Knitting: 20 Simple & Stylish Wearables for Beginners by Catherine Ham. I'm doing it in a dark navy blue shade of Red Heart Super Saver. One inch done! Yay! :)
Anyway....only three more days at Eisenhower. :cry: I'm going to miss it there. But I am looking forward to starting at Hobby Lobby. It should be a fun change.
But for now.....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....I'm exhausted! Time for bed!
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| Knitting as pain relief |
| 07.22.04 (7:54 pm) [edit] |
Without going into too much...I have a medical condition that, long story short, I sometimes spend a lot of time in the bathroom in pain. You don't wanna know. But lately I've been taking my Gryffindor scarf in and knitting while I'm in pain to keep my mind off of it. It actually helps, a lot! The pain is still there but it's not as noticable. Way better than sitting there crying.
Only 11 more days.....I'm really nervous about this new job. Looking forward to it, but still nervous. This is a big change for me!! Oh well....hey, 15% off of $2.17 is....$1.85. Not bad for 450 yards of Red Heart ;) ;)
Still OTN: Gryffindor scarf (5 more rounds and I start the first gold band!)
Now....back to reading up for my final.
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| DPN trials and errors |
| 07.21.04 (6:43 pm) [edit] |
Taking a brief break from struggling to make a knitted tube with double pointed needles. I got three needles worth of stitches knitted okay (kinda....) but then while I was only like 3 stitches from the end of the first round the needle I had just finished slid out and I lost my stitches. ARGH. So I'm taking a break before trying again. I'm determined to make a sock, damnit! ;)
Less than 2 weeks before the new job....I'm SO nervous. I'm really going to miss the library, too. It feels weird thinking that the sock books that just came in won't be due until I'm no longer there.... :cry: Everyone's sad that I'm leaving -- I've been there so long! Of course it's not like I won't be back there...often...for still tons more books ;)
Ah well time to finish scanning my email and have another go at the DPNs. They WILL behave!!!!!
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| Got the job! |
| 07.20.04 (1:15 pm) [edit] |
I got the job at Hobby Lobby! I start August 3. I'm excited, and nervous. My first full time job.
Now to get a car :D It's gonna take some getting used to, having an hour's worth of commute each day, but worth it ;)
Gotta go, I'm on my break and my food's ready :D
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| Unmotivated term paper |
| 07.17.04 (6:45 pm) [edit] |
I'm too lazy to retype so below is the message I just sent to the Academic-Knitters list I'm on.
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Call it a study break.....call it not wanting to write....:) I'm on a brief break from trying to write a term paper (argh it seems like as soon as I got my B.A. my writing went FLUSH and all my crafty pursuits like the scrapbooking and knitting and sewing went BOOM!)
I'm feeling that guilt right now. I WANT TO KNIT! I splurged this week on a skein of Magic Stripes and two sets of DPNs (one metal from Boye, the other plastic from Lion) and I keep telling myself, the Magic Stripes and the Baby Teri that was on clearance are sitting there waiting for you to play as soon as the fersluggener paper is DONE!
It's not helping. :)
I'm remembering why I was so GLAD to be done with the B.A. -- it's hard to write a research paper. And it's REALLY hard to keep motivated to not just check the sources out of the library but to actually READ them and then WRITE the paper!
Oh well I'm rambling and procrastinating. Back to that paper....so I can then relax with that sock knitting video and try and struggle my way through my first sock! :)
Mary Jo
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Now I really am going back to that paper! The Magic Stripes really are calling me! (yeah I'm rewarding myself for finishing a tough paper by choosing a form of knitting I've been scared to death to try as yet! I am that weird!)
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| Boards and ramblings |
| 07.14.04 (6:33 pm) [edit] |
Been too tired to knit....and I gotta get my paper done :( I'm too sleepy right now though.
Lessee.....first off, a plug, JOIN ELUCITY BOARDS!!! Link is at the left. The boards are getting quiet, we need more people! :)
I got a message on my machine from Hobby Lobby this morning, they want to set up an interview! Yay! I'm going to call in the morning to set it up. (crosses fingers) Here's hoping!
And of course, once I get past my paper, either Fri or Sat at work I gotta go grab the ol' HTML books cuz I'm WAY rusty and my boyfriend needs website help. He may need to be charged in yarn ;) ;)
For now though...I'm relaxing. I took a nap, now I'm watching Tom Skilling yak about the weather (he had a really cool piccy these people got that shows a nice clear classic anvil cloud, really coool!!!), and watching my Neopets auction price grow and grow! :)
I need it -- today was the day of the problem patron! It just seemed like everywhere we turned we had another sticky problem to deal with. We were ready to bail at 1 PM!
Anyway, I'm not making much sense....am I? I'm going to stop and go back to sleep so maybe tomorrow I'll be coherent enough to set up my interview and write my paper and gather together overdue books :oops: to bring back on Fri.
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