Make Me

Crazy Times

 

Again, it's been a while. Apologies. Things have been rather hectic 'round here. Getting ready for my vacation and trying to myself together.

My cousin came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and I noticed it's getting harder to hide the crazy - You know,  the mad shuffle to hide at least half the yarn and mags so you don't look like a total and complete maniac.  I've started stuffing my yarn into those giant Ziploc bags - I swear you could stuff a body in the largest size.  Not that I would. Just an observation.

I noticed that some of my wool yarns have been chomped.  Does this mean I have an infestation? Most of my yarns are kept in individual zippered bags according to type, but a few are left to fend for themselves in the yarn basket. After careful examination I could find no evidence of critters.  Is that their MO? Eat n run?

It's not even a thorough chomping - just 5-6 thinning areas in the ball.  Shouldn't there be evidence of a bug or something?  Moths flying around? A cocoon? Anything? 

I'll take a more thorough skein by skein look when I return from Atlanta.  Until then I've just put the wandering skeins (I was gonna write "balls" but then I thought "wandering balls" would really pull in the pervs) in their own Ziplocs and separated them from the good skeins.  Hopefully wool will prevail.

The kitty above is my friend Priscilla's new man, Ben. He was at Pet Smart/Co for the longest time looking for a new home and getting very depressed. She got to take him home for his birthday. He immediately became Alpha Cat, much to the chagrin of the Cat Formerly Known as Alpha.  He looks a little miffed in the photo but he really is a very sweet kitty.

VoZ Jewelry

These talented jewelry makers have sold twice at my school.  I love their jewelry. I've purchase a really cool coral ring, a pendant and a necklace.  I meant to blog about them a long time ago but I misplaced their card. Their site is really nifty. Check it out: VoZ Jewelry

Etsy Friday - Patterns!

Patterns for really cool items to be found on Etsy!

Totally forgot to come back and fill this in! Blame it on love of my new iPhone. It's taken up my every moment. Anyway, here we go:

1. Gorgeous Golden Floral Crystal bracelet by CandyBead
2.  Chester the Bashful Bunny by DangerCrafts
3. Reversible Hat by  Mani-Mina
4. Ashling Tote by Lilibeth's Garden
5. Baby Kimono Shoe Pattern by ithinksew.com
6. Goody Sweater by FickleKnitter (also, check out her blog!)
7. Barbarian Viking Beanie
   by Candypop Creations
8. Small Satchel by Keyka Lou

I probably could have done a little better in picking items that went together better color-wise. I started off with the browns and purples in Michelle's sweater and then found the beautiful bracelet, but then I just went hog wild with all the cuteness! Each one of these items is something I would make myself. Enjoy and pay these hardworking Etsians a visit, 'kay?

Oh Hail No

I was looking through my photos and realized I completely forgot to document our hail. In June. In southern California. Crazy, huh?

I went outside at work and it was hailing! Then it poured rain. Then it hailed again.  Like buckets. And it was all over in less than 3 minutes.  It is supposed to be the cusp of summer!  What it is is Armageddon, I tell you.  Stockpile the supplies and batten down some hatches.

In Which I Once Again Discover Just How Geeky I Am....

I don't have to admit this. Why I am I don't know. Chalk it up to the odd personal anonymity of the intrawebs, I guess. 

I like to spend time thinking I am cool.  Really cool. Too cool for school, y'know?  And yet I spent a goodly portion of my morning bouncing back and forth from the live stream of WWDC for iPhone news.  It occurs to me that normal people probably did not spend their morning mistakenly typing "snow" (leopard) for "know".  Then it occurs to me that I really, really like my Mac.  Really. Like. it.  It's like a room furnished by Ikea where my PC is like a living room furnished by Queen Victoria.  There's no question about it, I gots to get me one.

Knitting, Knitting and More Knitting

Haven't posted in a while because I've been (get this!) busy knitting! Yeah, who knew? Got two socks and a pullover in the hopper. 

This is the Backward Cable Pullover from Wendy's Custom Knits. I love this book.  And I love top-down raglans!  Not only does the pattern go more quickly this way, but no seaming and you get to try it on as you go.

has quite a few patterns I'm excited about.  But you know what's weird?  I started my pullover and I realized I knit a pattern like I'm expecting mistakes! I had to relearn to trust the designer/writer and just follow the directions. It's coming along beautifully. I'm nearly done with the body. Maybe I can do a little modeling by this time next week.

The yarn is SWTC soy silk.  I adjusted the needle size up to get gauge, and then, when I got to the waist portion I went down 2 sizes. It seems to be fitting quite nicely.

Here is the photo from the book so you can see what mine will look like when it grows up.  I like the simplicity of it and then there's the POW! of the low back.

I'm also working on my first toe-up sock. Actually, my second but I frogged the first because the pattern didn't really go with the yarn.  I don't think I'm cut out for toe-up socks. It's kind of a boring knit for me.  I keep going on this red sock, but I start to get all kinds of drowsy just thinking of doing a second.

I've also started the second Noro sock. These are really quite lovely. I'm still at the cuff and am reluctant to move on because I'm not quite sure what all pieces of different patterns I'm using.  Really gotta write that crap down.

Now I'm off to the first of two baby showers today where one gift is the EZ Baby Surprise Jacket.  I've got to get a proper photo before I show you though. 

Cheers!