Update on everything!

I have the hardest time updating this thing. I guess there's a reason I was not able to keep journals when I was younger, or even now.

Haven't been doing much on the knitting front - I'm stuck in skirt limbo with a baby dress I'm making for a friend of mine who's due in May. When I made it for Jessica, it seemed to take a lot less time. And I did a bigger size.

I've also been sewing. Or attempting to sew. This lovely bib and burpie set I made for a friend of mine (not the same one) who's due in April. I'm not sure she appreciated it; frankly, it doesn't bother me either way.

I've also been involved with some other stuff; I joined a hairbow swap, a decorated ribbon flip flop swap, and a bootie swap. You may wonder why I may want to be involved in a bootie swap....

Yes, I'm pregnant again. This time we waited until all our genetic and hormone level testing results came before announcing it. To hear that our baby boy has "good brains" means everything to DH and I. We're due September 3. The results came not a minute too soon, as I popped out about two weeks ago (I'm currently 19 weeks along).

Well, my daughter is pretending that a blancmange from outer space turned her into a Scotsman (Is it too early to introduce her to Monty Python? Because it's already happened.), so I better not leave my husband to deal.

Ciao!

First Snow and other things...

I woke up this morning to find this. Now, we live below the snow line. In the seven years I've been here, we get snow maybe one or two days out of the year. Fine for me! It's novel enough to make me feel like a kid, but I don't need 4-wheel drive. In downloading my snow pictures, I found waaay too many pictures that I need to share. I'll make it quick. Apparently, I'm very very bad about this blogging thing.

This is a Felted Bowl from One Skein that I gave to my cousin for Christmas. I used Brown Sheep Bulky, and boy, the thing was FURRY. I asked a couple of friends, and the concensus was to leave it au naturel as opposed to shaving it.

This is my daughter's Fiber Trends Family Classic Felt Slippers. Thanks again Michele for the pattern and the yarn! They worked out great. Of course, they're not worn as slippers, but as fairy shoes.

This I just finished over the weekend. Anne from MK Carroll made of some cheap yarn I found at Michaels that I can't remember. I wore it to La Salsa (big date lunch with hubby - pathetic, huh?), and the lady behind the counter loved it so much she asked if I sold them. After filling my tummy with burrito, I wondered if I should have just sold her the one off my neck. Which, by that time, probably had a nice salsa and beans smell.

Last, but not least, is this simple slip stitch scarf of Mango Moon Sari Silk. This scarf was ready to be frogged today until my mother saved it. Don't get me wrong; I love the color and the feel. I'm not feeling the pattern, though. And it sheds like anything. And most of my knitting is done in bed. My mom LOVES the scarf. Good. She can have it. I guess that means I have to finish it?

Well, I'll try to be more timely in the future. Wish me luck.

Ciao

Pay it forward...

Well, I've been out of the loop! Apparantly, there's been a new trend in blogs - Pay it forward. I signed up on Eva's blog.

Here are the guidelines:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Because I think there may be less than 3 of you actually reading this, if I don't get 3 people, I'll give a gift to a random person. Not too random; I'm thinking the familiar checkout person at my market, the postal worker at the post office I go to when I mail all those swap packages - that random. I'll also let them know of Paying it Forward, and hope they do the same.

Onward to knitting content. Two more of the Artfibers yarns.

This is Origami. It's 60% nylon paper and 40% nylon. Very stretchy and light. How come I'm seeing all these yarns in a light summer top? I guess it's because I'm freezing right now and wishing for summer.

This is Alfabeto. A very nice, silky soft, 76% Silk/19% Superkid Mohair/5% Wool. As you can see, I biffed the swatch by sticking a purl row on the knit side. And then righted myself. However, really nice yarn, for, say, fingerless mitts? Nice fingerless mitts, of course. Maybe with a ruffle.

Well, I have a lot of FO pictures to get downloaded - boy, once I sat down and did the finishing on all the Christmas projects that were hanging out, I was able to check a lot of people off my list. So, once I get them downloaded I can update you and Ravelry.

Ciao!

Some holiday gifts

I really should post when I download the pictures from my camera. I just checked, and I have tons of pictures of finished objects that I need to show you! The first one is my finished Spa Set from One Skein Wonders. I modified the patterns a bit; the edging, instead of knitting, is crocheted. I think I did a simple 3dc, ch3, 3dc for the edging. I worked two rows of it for the mitt.

Next up is the Geometric Accessory Bags from One Skein by Leigh Radford. I used some Knit Picks Wool of the Andes that I had leftover (I had used some previously for a felted flower, so most of the skein was left. For the rectangle bag, I ran out of the avocado color, so I used some brown for the back.

Let's see if I could find a Disneyland picture from the November trip that I neglected to tell you about. It was great, we saw Miley Cyrus, etc, etc.... And no, that's not me.

Ciao!

Sewing?

Why I decided to add sewing to my list of growing hobbies, I'm not sure. The other night, my friend Lisa and I attended an informal sewing class at one of her friend's house. We made this apron. It took about 2 1/2 hours. And the material was already cut out, and the drawstrings made.

So what did I do, you ask? Sew a hem all around, basically. We wore our aprons home, like the quasi-morons we are. My DH thought I did such a great job with the appliques. Huh? That's called material, sweetie!

So, I was on a roll. I found a tutorial somewhere for a half apron. I had some princess material that I had once used to attempt making one of those crocheted on the top, material on the bottom Candi Jensen dresses for my daughter. The dress had failed. But look! The apron worked! It worked so well I ran out and bought some material and a pattern for a nightie for my daughter. And yes, I was wearing this apron when I ran to JoAnns.

Next time, actual knitting content. I have two Christmas presents finished that I need to show all three of you, and I have two more yarn swatches from Artfibers to share. And I should tell you about Disneyland, huh?

Ciao!

Yarn Review

Wow, what a few months it has been! Between Halloween, a trip to (yes) Disneyland, and now Thanksgiving, things have just been rolling along, not leaving much time for anything.

In other news, I contacted the good people at Artyarns in San Francisco, and received some of their yarn samples. They have what they call "Yarntasting" which essentially is enough yarn to play with and get a great idea how the yarn will work up. I highly recommend this! Shown here is Triple Cheesecake: 30% Silk/70% Extrafine Merino Wool . This worked up fast on size 15 needles, and it is SO cushy and yummy that a thick hat or lush scarf would be perfect in this. I would order this in a heartbeat.

My other yarn from them is Bambusa: 97% Bamboo/3% Silk. Size 10.5 needles. Do I even have to tell you how silkysoft this is? I have some bamboo fiber from another company, and I tell you, the addition of silk makes it all the more wonderful. I scrubbed the swatch on my husband's face while he was watching Mad Money to show him how soft it is. He did agree, however, I wouldn't recommend the scrubbing~ beard stubble kind of snagged it a little. Although I would use this for anything wearable, I think it would be great for a summer or spring top. Nice and lightweight. Also on my "must have" list.

Take a peek at their website! Go ahead, you know you want to!

Next time, I'll have more yarns to review, possibly some Disney pictures, hopefully a FO, and if you all are interested, I'll tell you about how I'm making Rosarys (remember, Italian person here) with, you guessed it, fiber! Well, it's twine. That's still fiber, right?

Ciao!

WOYNW

Oh my goodness! I think I actually remembered it today and can post my "What's On Your Needles Wednesday" item!! Yes, just one item. I'm making a Spa Set out of One Skien Wonders for my friend for Christmas. I'm using some Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton that I had in my stash: colors Shrimp and Shell, I think. Here you can see the washcloth I'm trimming and the bath mitt that will be trimmed after the washcloth. Whew. Now, I have to run back downstairs and be available for Jessica. She's painting. It's washable paint, but still. Things have been known to happen. Ciao!