That was solved.

Okay, I'm making little blankies. One for Bella, and one for Raven.

They will appreciate them.



Bella. She's sleeping on a Badtz Maru backpack there. She obviously needs another blanket.



Raven raiding the laundry basket looking for her favourite towel. Wouldn't she like Terryspun?

Hrm.

So I was cleaning up my stash. I admit, its very very small. With the other 500 crafts I do, its probably for the best that I seriously only buy for projects, or get gifts, or really pick and choose when it comes to shopping. Don't have a heart attack Lu, I think I only have about 30 balls!

That said, I really need to get rid of a few things. Like the 2 balls of Red Heart Light and Lofty that I made my first sweater out of. HOLY mother of a bad choice. Anyway. Its an okay pine green. But 2 skeins of super bulky stuff? I was thinking of a little blanket or something. BIG ass needles?

I thought that was bad until I found the "wonderful" 2+ skeins of Lion Brand Terryspun in a horrific teal colour.

How did you end up with this Shannon?

Ebay at 3am dear audience.

Anyway, I don't know what I was thinking. I believe I had shoppers remorse as soon as I clicked. Anyway, I'm stuck with this "stuff". At least the Red Heart I can do a little blankie or something.

All I can think of is to put it back on ebay. *sigh* I can maybe make some cute plushies, but this is almost 3 skeins of plushies. That's an army, and knowing my luck they would form a resistance and revolt. Then take over the world, probably using my laptop and fishing wire.

This by no means I'm a yarn snob. I'm a colour and texture snob. 90% of my stash is acrylic, and I don't mind it that way. I also seem to have a lot of lavender (darn cute babies).

But Terryspun? Man, I must have been drunk AND smoking crack. *sigh*

Boobholder: Does its Job!

Ahh, the Minisweater is finished! Made of approx. 1.5 skeins of Cotton Ease. Started it on Tuesday morning and finished it on Thursday night. I did knit more than normal, so that's why it was such a quick knit. It was really fun to make! I didn't do any modifications to the pattern, and it fits.


Took my own pics in the bathroom (yes, its Day of the Dead themed)


Beautiful allergy eyes. Aaah, nothing like itchy watery eyes in the morning.


The back. Of course everytime I take a pic of something it looks sheer. Its not.

And I cast on for To Dye For, from Stitch N' Bitch. My current chest is 40. The medium is 40, but I wasn't so sure if I should be so exact, so I cast on for the large. The large is 43. Whatever. Its going to be sheer and fluffy and it would make a great gift if I can't stand to wear it.

Meet To Dye For, she's purple:

Maybe I'm too hasty, and a review

So I'm almost done the first ball of Cotton Ease, which I said I didn't love. I pick up the second, and *bam*! Its soft! WTF?

I got a bum skein? Same dyelot and everything? I have no idea anymore.

Review: Webs Interchangeable Bamboo Circular Needle Set

Its an okay set. I'm loving using the size 9s on the Boobholder. I was TRYING to use the size 5s on the damn cami, but when you go down that small in needle size, the joins are crap. They were so difficult to use (my crapass yarn kept on getting snagged on the join). Like the Boye set, they screw together, and I prefer the clicking of the Denise set. The jumper cables are really nice mind you, so much better than the Denise set.

So, in my lame and unscientific review I give them a B. Good for big projects, crappy for small ones. Better quality than Clover wood, and you get a cute case, darning needles, and other stuff with them. A great gift.

This won't hold half of my chest! *blush*

Started on my Boobholder yesterday, after tons of research. Its really not that hard, if you read the pattern and don't look into it for hidden meaning. I didn't understand where the sleeves were at first, but reading 24 pages of comments over at craftster solved that.

Also, I'm doing a proper M1 for once, but when you do an M1 on either side of a marker you still get the hole because you are doing 2 M1s in one stitch. DUH. Ya. That would be why someone on the forum did the increases the stitch before and after the marker. I actually like the whole "design feature" of the hole. I mean, lace! Its lace!

I have some really cute buttons my MIL bought me for a jacket she made me, so I'll have to dig those up.

No Patience for Crap.

Tossed out that damn crap yarn. Its just plain crap. Chalk it up to a bad ebay purchase. Don't trust people when they tell you a yarn weight, and its going cheap. I've never gotten "worsted weight" yarn that is 26 stitches / 4 inches. Eeediots. Of course Ben wanted to keep it to clean his laptop screen. I'm sure I can knit him up something for that in nice yarn. He's already raided most of my velvet stash for the same purpose.

Last night I started the "famous" Boobholder, or Minisweater, if you want to be polite. This sucker will be my lifesaver since I'm not supposed to wear tank tops or camisoles to work.

Hello? That's 90% of my wardrobe. I LOVE me some tank tops and camisoles. Bastards. Its not like I pay attention, but I'm sure some days I could be nice and wear a fun sweater!

Anway, I've done the first 8 rows, and in Cotton Ease. This project seems to be pretty easy...but...

I don't know if I should do the modifications for increasing size in the bustline. Okay, I have a big chest. But honestly, I don't really understand the modifications. At least I don't get the whole increases under the arms. Of course I'm adding extra rows.

*shrug*

What I'm loving about the project: I LOVE the yarn weight! Sheesh, what a great break from that lacey stuff I've been doing. Size 9 needles? Wow, this is fun again!

Cons: I'm not sure I love Cotton Ease. Its just not all that soft. I guess I've been used to working the past few months in 100% cotton, and it was soft. I can tell its 50% acrylic. Not even 50% soft acrylic. Then again, if I love this sweater so much to make again, I can make it in something else. The Fuzzy Feet in Alpaca was nice and soft. Gosh darn...maybe I need more ;)

I still need to make another (few) tank tops and/or camisoles. I'm sure if I get some NICE yarn for my Silk Camisole it will go back on the list. Maybe bamboo or something...hmm!

Garbage.

Well, I just f*ed up my damn camisole lace. Did I have a life line? No, these size 5 needles make using the damn yarn hard enough. If I rip out it will compromise the integrety of the yarn. Honest, this stuff is falling apart as I knit. And the mistake has to be a few rows back.

I'm trashing the whole project. I hate the yarn, I hate the pattern, and I just don't want to make it anymore, so there :P

There's my yarn temper tantrum! Hah!

Fuzzy Complete :)

Project: Fuzzy (bunny) Feet care of Knitty.com. Yarn: Knit Picks Elegance in Coal, 2+ balls. Plymouth Bamboo DPN's, size 10. Ears from Stitch and Bitch Nation.



These were pretty quick. Alpaca felts well, but smells like nasty perm solution when wet. Oh, and if you ARE felting Alpaca, do it in a pillow case. I did and I'm really glad. There's fuzzies EVERYWHERE inside it! I'm still not sure if I like where the ears were. The fuzzy bunny tails did not turn out. I've consulted the many pairs of fuzzy bunny slippers I have and can't decide. No nose has been embroidered yet, but will be! DPN's kill me, so these (without the ears) will not be gifts. Too bad.

Raven (my bunny) has figured out that they are me, so no bunny pals for her. However, she has taken to grooming my OTHER bunny slippers (and throwing them around) that are a realistic blue colour :P

Action shot!

Lazy or Busy?

All I need to do is throw my damn Fuzzy Feet in the wash and I'm done. Okay, I'll have to attach the ears. I swear I will have a photo on Monday! I'm such a lazy ass.

I've been in the garage anyway (pay laundry SUCKS) making soap, but I can't run the washer or dryer and my soap crap. Nice huh? So when someone else in the building wants to do laundry I can't make soap. Well, I can, I just will blow a fuse.

I'm in a few soap swaps so I've been making soap like a mad woman....

Wait...

Sorry, this is my knitting blog!

See, I'm just a tad obsessed. Anyway, I want my Fuzzy Feet to felt themselves. I've been working a few rows at a time on a "secret" project for Ben, aka, another hat. It seems like a stupid anniversary gift, but the 7yr traditional gift is wool, and modern is a desk set. We try to at least keep a little bit to these things, because it makes shopping fun. At least I do. So he gets a hat (out of Alpaca "wool" of course, don't want me to die eh!) that I made, and a new Kangol cap. Of course I can say this all because my lovely DH is too lazy and occupied with news sites to read this one.

The hat will be green (his favourite colour) and again a London Beanie, sans stripes.

I need to cast on for my Silk Cami! I'll do that this weekend too!

Details...and should I bother destashing

So I'm planning my next projects! I need to destash, and not knit something on DPNs (bunny toys and such) for the next few projects I think).

Planned: The Silk Camisole from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and the famous Boobholder (Minisweater) from Glampyre Knits.

Now, I have this cone of velvety thin thin "chenille" I bought on ebay when I was a yarn buying virgin. The person who sold it to me said it was worsted weight. HAH. You big fat satanic smelly mukluk! This is not very sweater worthy! I've swatched it and had to go down 2 needle sizes for the cami, but at least I got a gauge that works for it.

*I* think its worth it to just do it. Its only a cami. I'm hoping it won't worm to hell either. I have NO idea what else to use this 1200 yards of stuff for if not for this project. I only need 870, but then I won't feel so bad about it just sitting in my box if its been mostly used. Don't mind me, I'm trying to convince myself out loud. I'm going to use my new bamboo interchangeable set for this...yay! Since I'm going down 2 needle sizes, I can't seem to get away from size 5's! One day I will knit something that is NOT on 5's. Really. Well, the Fuzzy Feet are 10's...I'm just talking sweaters here.

The boobholder will be in Cotton Ease! Finally, an excuse to buy it! Hah!

Anyway, I'm trying to be good and spend my money on my secret pal ;) I'll finish up my Fuzzy Feet this weekend hopefully (maybe not felted, but knitted up) and probably cast on for the lacey bottom of the cami.

Fuzzy Feet hurt :P

So this week while I was in St. Louis, I worked on Fuzzy Feet. Okay, I pretty much only worked on them on the plane. I didn't have time to knit there, I was busy running away from my inlaws.

I found out working with DPNs really kill me. My right pinky finger goes numb and shooting pains go up my arm. I'm taking that as a bad sign. With all of my other nerve and arm issues, I think I'll have to watch it when I use DPNs. Grr.

This is what I have:



I'm starting the toe decreases on the second, then have to knit up 4 ears. Picking up along the elongated v's makes really REALLY big holes! The holes are from the S1s. Lame. I've sewn them up (sloppy of course since they will be felted) on the first one and tried to pull really tight on the second but I still got the huge holes. I hope I'm not such a dumbass on real socks. I could be picking up wrong, which is completely possible.

Anyway, since these hurt so much to knit, they will NOT be xmas gifts. Boo.

What's up with that? Knitpicks.

I got an email (like everyone else subscribed) "Last chance to get these great yarns... " from knitpicks. They are discontinuing Radiance Wave and Palisade.

Hello! They only have like 22 different yarns and only carry inhouse yarns now. I haven't had a chance to USE my ball of Radiance Wave yet to know if I even LIKE IT! I have loved everything else I've used, but I'm not going to buy out on RW even if I do love it, simply because I won't be able to get more.

This type of thing peeves me off. Sure I totally understand stock rotation (hello, I run 2 online stores), but come on! I love knitpicks and they have great wool alternatives, but if I can't get something a few months after I originally buy it (in this case only about a month, if that), then I won't order from there for set projects. I'm the queen of running out of yarn.

Joan from WLD has solved my "weird" problems:

I'm thinking there might also be some issues with the cotton yarn stretching at some key fitting points such as across the back of your shoulders to keep the underarms in place.

Wool or wool blends have the intrinsic recovery properties that take care of that problem, but for those who can't tolerate wool, there are some stretchy cottons on the market. JCA makes one, as does Classic Elite (Star?), and Cascade Fixation.

I never thought about the stretch across the back when I did Angelina in 100% cotton, and now I wish I would have thought of something like Fixation.

Of course, it wouldn't have been so pretty! Hah!

BUT as a person who has a 100% sub rate, I need to think more about these things.

Thank you Joan, you rock, and I will be ordering Marta and Laura soon. I LOVE WLD! Mmm....Marta maybe in Alpaca! Black! Can you tell I have a lacey sleeve fetish?