Make Me

I Shoulda Just Stuck With Scarves

But no, I had to go and get all cocky and start making hats, then sweaters then socks.  Now I'm feeling all stressed because I have about 90 projects that I want to make and I don't know what to do next!  And even if I tell myself just don't buy any new magazines or look in any books, next thing you know you find Luxury Knits at the thrift store for $2.95 and you have to get it and even though you promise you won't make anything out of it you find a pair of socks knit on 2 straight needles and that intrigues you so much you buy the yarn for them just to see how it's done.  And then, just when you're congratulating yourself on not going overboard, the new Knitty comes out or Wendy puts up a photo of Sizzle and you know if you make it your life will change, your hair will always do what it's supposed to and you will win the lottery. 

Yup, scarves are the gateway drug to a huge yarn stash.

On the Internets

I had some time to kill tonight so I put on my pith helmet and went exploring over blogs and dales and found some cool things to share.

A beautiful cable hobo bag from Delicious Stitches

Mandarin Design always has cool blog tips and tricks.

Just when you thought you'd seen every site there ever was, Ian's Shoelace Site comes along and proves you wrong.  Interested in the science of shoelaces?  This is the place to go. And if you end up spending half a day there, well, that will just be our little secret, won't it?

Want to be entertained?  Check out The Strangerhood - a movie/serial staring The Sims.  It's quite well done.

Studio Pashnada has some way cool stuff to look at to buy.  I love her jewelry!

Check out the hot patterns at Hot Patterns!  I really, really want to make the Bollywood Dress.  They used to have a pattern for a coat inspired by the little girl in the Lemony Snicket movie (Violet?) that I should have purchased because it doesn't seem to be anywhere on the site now.

art is everywhere is one of my favorite photoblogs. So is Chicago Uncommon.

Something for the fashionistas: Net-A-Porter and Twinkle (I can't wait until her book of knitting patterns comes out.  I think it's due in Fall.)

Divide by Zero has some way cool fonts AND a font making tutorial.  Check it out!

That's enough for now, isn't it?  And it saves me from actually having to write anything.  Whew!

Random Goodness

I had the best dessert tonight:

Cherries are my absolutest favorite food ever.  Let me share with you that eating too many cherries does not have the most positive effects on one's digestive system and yet I continue to eat way too many to keep comfortable.  I could eat a pound every day.

My friend Shona - you know, Lola's mama, made me this cool scarf.  I think she says its from Handknit Holidays.  I luuuuurve it.  It's super soft and has this fun silver yarn at the edge.  I just might have to make one.  Mom?  Would this be an appropriate Christmas present?

Don't worry, if you make one it won't make you look like a drunken sorority girl on the last night of Spring Break.  It's been a long day.

I've not worked on the eyelet chemise because I'm still stuck on the pattern instructions.  I just have to punch through it and be willing to frog it if it doesn't work out.  Thankfully, Nancy Knitting Dojo Sensei told me about lifelines.

Also I haven't knit because I'm busy watching The Pretender.  I forgot how much I liked that series!  It's been on my Netflix queue forever but I was debating if I wanted to see it again.  I just got the first 4 episodes today and as soon as I hit enter I'm off to watch the fourth. 

I've recently dubbed the pile of unfinished knits my Jerry Maguire pile.  No, not because they like to jump on my sofa, terrorizing Oprah while yelling "Show me the money!!!" but because every time I walk near them I swear they say, "You - complete me?"  And they're all accusatory and belligerent, not all mellow-mush like Renee Zellweger.  I will complete them!  Yeah, right, one of these days.  Perhaps I'll make a game out of it.

I've also been toying around with what to do for the 2nd blogiversary.  It's coming up on August 4.  Keep looking - I've got some ideas and they're all fun and there may be prizes involved.

Lastly, my friend Rebecca is running a half-marathon and she needs donations!  Go visit her web site and give her all your money.  You don't need to eat - you ate last month!  Rebecca's the one on the right, no hat - doesn't she look like fun!?!  The run is a fundraiser for Leukemia, Lymphoma other blood related cancers - things that definitely need to be eradicated from the face of the earth.  It's through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  It broke my heart that I had to tell Rebecca that most of the people visiting my site get here because they're looking for midget porn or underam licking or some such thing.   (Great, now the pit-lickers are going to get here...) There's more better information in the newsletter.

Oh - and I added some new junk in the sidebar.  So those of you without enough junk in your trunks go explore.  I finally just said screw it! It's my blog and I'll have as many links as I wanna have.

Yummy Day

Went to see the Pirates of the Carribbean movie this AM.  Yes, this AM.  Our group had a little trouble finding a common time to get together so we ended up at the 10:30 show.  We were at the Ultra Star movie theater in Hazard Center.  Unbeknownst to me, the first show every day is $5.  Cool, huh?  And Tuesdays are $5 all day.  But don't go to the first show on Thursday unless you're bringing some kids.  It's babies and parents day.  Something about an in theater changing table is enough to give you warning.

Anyways, I really liked the movie only I have to watch the first one again because I forgot a lot of the whats and wherefores.  The octopus face guy is really cool.  In fact all the makeup and costuming is really, really cool.  It's enough to keep you from having to look at that ugly Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.

By the way, my friend Cathy and I had a sixth grade argument over who was who's boyfriend.  I think I get them both.  Yay!  And no, I won't share!

We went to Mimi's Cafe afterward and our waiter looked like Captain Jack!  At first I was thinking it was because we'd just come out of the movie, so I asked him if anyone had ever told him who he looked like and he reluctantly told us "that captain guy in the Pirates movie."  Maybe that's the difference between men and women - if I looked like someone famous I'd be taking advantage and getting a whole lot more action than I get looking like me.  Although I went to this event where Sarah Ferguson was hawking Wedgwood china and there was a woman there who looked very much like the formerly topless in Texas Duchess, but then she was all about getting her picture taken with Sarah and talking to her people.  And apparently she showed up at a lot of SF events.  So I guess there's a fine line between flattery and stalking.

Where was I?  Oh yeah - the waiter that looked lilke Captain Jack.  Yum.  He said he used to get that he looked like Edward Scissorhands.  Um, hon?  You need to face it, you look like Johnny Depp.  Now shut up and get in the car.  Mama's gonna buy you a condo....

   

 

 

 

Beautiful Things

What is this?

A really large dustbunny?
    Noooooo.

A runaway skein of mohair yarn?
    Noooooo.

It's Lola the longhaired mini doxie puppy!  Isn't she adorable?  And yes, she is a showgirl!  And a feisty one at that. She belongs to my friend Shona.  I got to spend the day with her yesterday.

Her little legs are about an inch long and she can't weigh more than 3 pounds.  Be careful though - if you look at her too long you'll start talking in a widdle baby-waby voice cuz shes just the cutie wootest ting ever widdle was! 

On another note-y wote-y...uh, sorry. I mean here's some knitting.  Eyelet chemise has reached an armpit. 

Here's where I had to take a break cuz the instructions were starting to make me cross-eyed.  Can't wait to wear it!

Finally, here's the most beautifullest thing ever:

Isn't it gorgeous?  My a/c died last year and I've been desperate this summer since the old Make Me Factories can reach upward of 90 degrees and I'm sure my friends were starting to get sick of me showing up to spend the day at their house like medieval royalty.  I keep it on all day at 64 degrees and walk around in my cashmere socks.  Ain't I luxe?

Lazy or Cheap?

Many, many moons ago I searched high and low for an address book.  I didn't have many requirements, just that it fit in my purse and have sufficient room to write in the addresses.  Sounds easy, doesn't it?  Well it wasn't.  Took forever.  Finally found one at *ahem* Crown Books, I believe before it went under (tells you how long ago this was!)

Years go by and I'm left with this:

Held together with a rubber band and leaving flecks of green paper at the bottom of my purse.  Sad, I know.

So.  Do I buy a new address book?  Nah!  I just recover this one!

I used a sample sheet of wallpaper, some Modge Podge and a bit of ribbon to cover the spot where I accidentally poked a hole in the spine.  The saying reads "try to keep the rebel artist alive in you no matter how attractive or exhausting the temptation may be" and it's a rubber stamp from Zettiology.

I coated the paper with a couple of layers of Modge Podge and taped it on with that pink sticks-like-crazy tape, so hopefully it will stay in one place.  Otherwise I may have to laminate it.

It took less time to re-cover the book than it would have to re-write all the information inside.

So what's the verdict?  Cheap?  Lazy?  Aha! trick question!  It's both!!

More Than I Can Chew?

I have a ton of patterns.  Whenever I see one on the internet I print it or save it because I have this fear that it won't be there when I need it.  I store these patterns on my hard drive and in plastic sheet protectors in binders.  I have four big binder full.

I also have magazines.  Each one has little post-it flags of projects I find interesting.  I have enough flags to start my own United Nations of knitting.

I have noticed that I'm still picking out clothing for my old boobs - plain fronts, no cables or patterns across the chest.  But I don't have to avoid the femm-y, clingier things like I used to.  So I'm going to try a few things I would never have worn in years past and see how they look.

So I decided to be proactive and go through all the patterns and pull out the top ten and document them here so I can't back out on the deal.  The only problem is that there will be a jillion new patterns out between the time I get even the first one of these done.  How's a girl to deal?

1. Cascade Lace Socks - so pretty! 

   

   Who knew I could make socks?! Certainly not me - when Kathie gave me this mag (Cast On, Summer '04) I loved looking at the projects but thought that certainly life on this planet would end before I had the knit skillz necessary to even cast on for one of them.  In fact, I only kept the mag because I love  this top and enjoyed looking at it even if I could never possibly make it.

2. This just jumped out at me last week even though I've seen it a million times before (Spr/Sum '05 Vogue Knitting).  I think a greeny-teal would be splendiforous.  Or maybe a bright aqua?  Ooo la la!

3. Allena over at Star Knits gave me the next idea.  Since I love knitting hats so much (and only have the one head) she suggested donating knit caps to hospitals. This got me wondering about making chemo caps for warmer climates. I think Lacecap would be a nice one.  I'll have to work it up and see how it goes first.  Thanks Allena!
4. I don't know how I missed this lacy cardigan when in the Holiday '05 Vogue Knitting.  I've bid on the perfect yarn on eBay and if I win, I look forward to sporting a navy version of this

   

5. To give you an idea of how much I love this sweater, I kept the magazine even though I had no idea how to knit!  I'm not sure where I got the Dec '90 issue of McCall's Needlework & Crafts, but I've dreamt of one day wearing this sweater.  16 years later, I think it still works. At least for me it does!

   

6. Alas poor Yorick did not get knit in time for last year's Hallows Eve. Perhaps this year?
7. I've got the yarn for the Union Square Market Pullover (IK - Fall '05) and am looking forward to making it.  Imagine moss green (MC) and celadon (CC). I've never done this much stockinette stitch so let's all cross our fingers, say a prayer and hope for the best, eh?

   

8. The Flower Power Shrug is going to be a Christmas present for a friend.  She wanted a shrug last year, but I didn't think I could handle it.  Everyone got a scarf or a hat instead.
9. Liesel is another gift. The pattern is from the Yummy Yarn blog.  It reminds me a lot of Branching Out but with a stronger, larger leaf pattern. We'll see.
10. This Cable Cardi says it's Very Easy and Very Vogue.  That remains to be seen.  Still I love the look of this and may even stay with the same color.

    

11. Here's a bonus knit.  I can't decide if I like the cardi above or BPT from Knitty.  I'll have to wait for inspiration to see which one is the winner.  Heck, I may even make both!

Honorable Mentions:

Vogue Knitting ~ Spring/Summer 2005

Vogue Knitting ~ Winter '99/'00

Vogue Knitting ~ Spring/Summer 2006

Sweet Somethings from IK Summer 2006. Pattern is on line.

Vogue Knitting ~ Holiday 2005

In the world of paper I am planning a series of larger format collage pieces.  I've purchased some simple frames at IKEA and have been going through the paper stock.  Should be fun!

Add to this the regular slew of holiday knitting, crafting and card making and I'll be one busy gal.  And don't worry Heidi, I won't forget your oh-so-special maternity muu muu from Lion's Homespun!  I hope to have it done in time for you to wear in August...refreshing!

The Latest

I am busy working on the Eyelet Chemise from the last IK.  Its slow going since you begin with the lace part, but it's coming along.  I'm at 6" now so just two more to go (I'm making it a bit longer than the original).  I'm knitting it in Elann Sonata instead of the linen.  Just the lace peplum is going to take 4 skeins!

(click for the big pic)

I'm also paying careful attention to my diet.  As you can see above, not only am I eating protein, fruits and veggies thereby building strong bones and teeth, but I am also support the military!  I do so like multi-tasking.

I've also gone through all my patterns and picked out some projects that I want to do and may need yarn for.  I've searched my stash and there should be some pretty cool things in my future.

I've still got a yen to sew something though.  I'm not sure what.  I cut out a skirt the other day but it looks kind of boring now.  Seems I want to replace a lot of things in my closet so maybe I'll go through my patterns and my fabric stash to see what lurks within.

I'm feeling all sorts of creative all of a sudden....