Me-o-mi-yo Tiayo

Noro has struck gold with it's new cotton blend - Tiayo. What a totally yummy yarn - with surprisingly generous yardage. It's a cotton/silk blend that I would say is almost a chunky to heavy worsted. It feels like cotton, but has a sheen to it so you can see the silk. It is a great spring/summer yarn for someone in the South like me. When I saw Stacey's, I really liked the yarn. When I saw the color way #1 in Cottage yarns - I could not resist. Lovely browns, Greys and Pinks. It will go with so many colors and outfits - dressy or casual.



And using the Anthropologie Inspired Caplet pattern it was a fast knit. I did make it larger - casting on 74 and knitting it a bit longer. I used size 10 needles too.



I used about 1 and 3/4 balls perhaps? I bought 3 and am not sure about the last ball. Perhaps a hat? Or, I can take it back and get another colorway. I'd love a caplet with blue in it for jeans. I'm not sure if I would repeat this pattern or find another one, perhaps a bit more boxy?



I like the reverse side too - so I won't put on a button. I need a smaller "shawl" pin though as I will stick myself or someone else with the long one!

All in all - a satisfying project. I've enjoyed this KAL - I'll have Pi, Hemlock and Caplet out of it! Stacy picked great projects!

BTW - this is the first time I've used Ebony on my blog. I picked her up when Rave Knits closed. I had wanted a "model" for my projects. She is a bit small. Her shoulders a bit narrow. I have to clean her up and polish her up a bit. She is destined for my office/crafting room when we get our bonus room done and I get the furniture and couch out of my "Office".

A Jada update - her leg was worse than I thought. She has a little square of pink flesh that really grosses me out. But the brave little girl - who was tearless during the event - turns positively hysterical when you try to remove her band-aid. The mere mention or sight of a band-aid has Jada running and screaming in the opposite direction. Her hands very fast to hit you if you get any where near her leg.

Go figure - scraping her skin off - no tears.

Band aid removal - freak out.

sigh.....

Not a girly girl.....

We have noticed that Jada is tough. But she has rarely gotten hurt because her reflexes are so good. But recently she has had a few falls.

And she never cries. Or if she does- it's a tear or two and then she just stares at where it's sore.

This was her latest and worse fall.



Colin scared me half to death when he saw her. He ran across the room and I thought she had broke her leg the way he was carrying on.



Jada didn't say a word, or shed a tear. Even Janeen cried, just looking at her.

What I am I going to do with my tough girl. I thought I had escaped broken collar bones, and noses - Jada is going to be a challenge.

In my knitting life - let's pause for a KAL caplet.



I was inspired by CrimsonPurl's caplet and fell in love with colorway #1. I'm hopeing to wear it Sunday.

All other projects on hold for an urgent fashion emergency.

How about some yarn love....thanks to my new best online friend the Loopy Ewe...




Oooooh




Ahhhhhhhh



The last hank a gift for becoming a Loopy Groupie. Yipee!!!!! Along with a few other goodies. What a nice surprise and treat!

Thanks Heather for introducing me to the Loopy Ewe!

Congratulations Dad and Mom!!!!

Congratulations on 40 years together! I hope you have a fabulous time in Florida!

Goodies

A few goodies that have come my way. Something to smile about while work is the typical crazy pace it always is during this time of year. It's planning time - lots of deadlines, meetings, and decisions. Although I've done this for many years - it has not gotten easier except I now know it's not going to get easier. So my acceptance level is set.

Having a few knitting goodies come my way is a welcomed break from work.

First of all - from my sister.

She was able to attend The Yarn Harlot's stop in Charlotte, while I was working (yes, planning) and watching the kids. She was so sweet to pick up a book and get it signed for me.





I wasn't expecting that, I'm a lucky girl.

She also gave me some lace yarn she picked up in a swap. She thinks it has bamboo content, I'm curious after seeing it. It looks like Zephyr to me. So - I'm wondering if it has silk in it. It's lovely - and I will definately put it to good use!






I mentioned in an earlier blog my knitting tragedy.
One word - PROTECTION thanks to Amazon and speedy shipping.







'Nuf said about that subject.

And last goodie:



The Knit Witch lovely yarn bowl! Actually, my bowl has a sister that is downstairs. I wanted an upstairs bowl and downstairs bowl for my areas when I usually sit and knit more complicated projects. The bowls are beautiful and perfect. I will have to take more pictures later of the nice features. Thank you Brittney for two lovely bowls!

Lastly - I stretched out my shawl a bit and got a few more lace pictures. I'm still on the fence about the yarn for this project. I love the yarn and colors - still not sure it was right for this. Thoughts?



Closer....



I worked on Hemlock at the Charlotte Purls meeting today. No pictures though until he's done!

Last goodie - do my pictures look nicer? I got tired of my little Radio Shack clearance special I picked up for my blog/yarn photos. I have a Canon Rebel SLR camera my friend basically gave me for my "real" photos of family. But it's too big and heavy for my crafting and blog shots. So - I picked up a little camera last year but I could never get good results with it.

Today - I picked up a little Sony Cybershot DSC-T70. Sony introduced me to digital photos before most people had a digital camera. I had one that took a "floppy drive". Remember those? It worked great, actually, for it's day. I loved it and have been hooked in digital photos ever since.

Excuse the fuzzy camera phone picture:



So - I'm happy to return back to a Sony. This camera is fun - with a touch screen interface. And the best feature - it can tell when the subject is smiling! Not really useful for yarn - LOL - although my yarn smiles. Doesn't yours? But it will be for those quick shots of the kids.

OK - I procrastinated enough. I'm supposed to be working on two presentations and an online survey for Monday. Planning season! Back to work....

ABC - Anything But Content - Debate

OK - you can tell by my blogging today I'm a bit peeved.

I like Charlie Gibson and had hoped for a return to a more sensible conversation.

Boy - was that a crazy expectation.

Maybe 10% issues, 90% silliness.

Good thing I know who I'm voting for, because I would have learned absolutely nothing tonight.

Except for how not to look irritated when asked a silly question.

I'll get back to the knitting blog that this is - I've broken 350 barrier in stashed yarns on Ravelry. I'm not proud of that fact. I'm stashing so I can catalog what I need to destash. Clearly - I need to destash quite a bit. I've found yarns I thought were so cool in my earlier knitting days. Now I can't imagine what I was thinking.

Or - maybe the yarn is cool - I just don't like it. Like I'm apparently the only one that doesn't like knitting with Noro Silk Garden. I love the look of it. I had stash of it and projects to make with it. I found I would start - then quickly loose interest in any project with that yarn. I think I have sensitive hands. Not in an allergic way - I just am sensitive to feel. I love the feel of wool - even wool that is not smooth. But I've always struggled with silks. Something about the stickiness of it maybe? Some blends I don't have an issue with - but in general I've had a "blah" factor for Silk Garden and Silky Wool. Oddly - I loved working with the non-exotic Moda Dea Silk N' Wool. I say it's non-exotic, but I think it's a hidden gem. The yarn rocks.

They say the first step is admitting there is a problem. I guess publishing your yarn addictions for the world to see in Ravelry is step #1 for me.

As a result - I didn't get as much knitting done as I would like. I got pass the knitted lace section on the first 1/2 of the Sampler Shawl. Yeah! On to the rows and rows of lace knitting which I like a LOT better.

I also started my first of 10 squares for the blankets of many colors I'm knitting for the Black Purls charity project - I have 10 to do before May 2 so I'm trying to pace myself. A little lace, a little Hemlock, a little square. Repeat :)

OK, enough ranting now some fun

Here is my latest WIP in a maddening puzzle. Enjoy!

A little knitting, a little ranting

First the knitting - I have always wanted to make something from Victorian lace Today (). The smaller of the Two Sampler Shawls especially caught my eye.

I cast it on last week and have been totally besotted with it. I cannot put the thing down, almost like Pi did to me. I seriously need to finish Hemlock. But I'm in the endless feather and fan rows, and it is truly mindless. So - I use that for when I really need no concentration on knitting at all.

All other projects are sitting there, getting on my nerves because I want to get more done and am so stuck on the sampler shawl.

I'm not convinced I picked the right yarn. I decided to use handpaintedyarn.com lace stash. I love the green, but I think a light solid yarn would have stitch patterns more effectively.

So, I'm actually dreaming about when I finish this shawl and start another one. Crazy - as this is a month long project *at least*.



Getting a good picture has been a challenge - if I don't stretch it out and hold it it looks like a big blob of yarn. But the frequently changing patterns totally have me interested. Plus there is a mix of lace knitting and knitted lace. I've decided I'm not a big fan of knitted lace (yarn overs on every row not just the right side rows) - but it is interesting to see the difference in the fabric.

It's a great pattern to really explore lace in multiple aspects. I'm going to stop feeling guilty about neglecting my other projects and give into enjoying it!

Now the ranting.

First of all - full-disclosure. I'm voting for Obama. My mind is made up. I have a lot of very real reasons for voting for him - I've watched many, many, *MANY* of the debates. I've looked into the issues. I've listened and read the fact checkers. I'm an NPR, BBC and CNN junkie - so I have my reasons. Most of which are completely missed by the pundits "guessing" on what someone like me considers important.

Early on - I was in love with the debating of the candidates. I thought it was great that we had such a wide variety of topics being discussed. Yes, of course, in the land of politics much was superficial. But every once in a while, we dug into a real issue. And the sheer number of conversations means that the real stuff bubbled up more often than normal.

But now - I run like the plague when ever politics comes up on NPR, CNN or anywhere. Only on BBC can I listen with out silliness. I'm so sick of hearing one sound bite analyzed to death. If anyone makes up their mind on that crap (I don't care who it is from Obama, Clinton or McCain) they are crazy. OK maybe not crazy, but let's just say gullible? And I happen to think many Americans are a bit smarter than they are being given credit for right now.

The obsession with "reality" TV makes me question this assumption, but that's for another rant. Let's just say - my opinion is forget "Reality TV" and just be "real". Live your life, not someone elses. When I watch TV, I want it to be "Fake TV" or Information (ie. News). When I want reality - I have "Life". :)

I'm tired of being treated like I have to have my thoughts spoon-fed to me because I'm incapable of making up my own mind.

I'm sick of people speaking to me in 3rd grade English. Even my 3rd grader is past 3rd grade English!

I don't need someone to reinterpret what is said for me, I'm capable of hearing it and evaluating it myself. Just give me context.

Things can change, we are not doomed to blindly repeat the mistakes of the past.

I'm sorry if your experiences and life views make you cynical and unable to discuss topics with an open mind. I can - so let me decided what is best with the benefit of information not commentary.

Am I making myself clear?

Just give me my NC ballot and let me vote.

Pi Anyone?

Pi is finally done.....well almost done. I discovered while knitting in the sleep center - under apparently very different lighting - that there is a very slight difference between the two undyed yarns. One is slightly tan, the other a bit creamier. Now that I can see it - it bugs me and I am going to dye Pi with a natural dye. At first I was upset, but now I'm a bit excited - and looking into natural dye options. I don't want to ruin the luxurious softness of the fabric, so I'm taking my time to find the perfect dye options.



But she's done. The border seemed to go on forever because I was so excited. I decided on a plain knitted on border. It was my first knitted on border, and I love the concept. I didn't want it too frilly, so I'm happy with the plain garter stitches.



I will most definately make Pi again. Either with a different set of lace patterns or just the plain eyelets. This was too much fun! I cast on on Pi Day and am done less than a month later, that is one of my fastest larger projects. Of course - it helps to be flat on your back for a week during that time!



I also need to figure out how to block this Alpaca - it already has so much stretch to it, I don't want to stretch it anymore. So it will be very, very lightly blocked. But I love the feel of it now, and don't want to loose the drape and feel of the fabric. More research is needed for blocking Alpaca. I won't do that until after I dye it anyway.

Pi anyone?

PI-ck me up

I've been blue all day. First of all - trying to go back to work caught up with me and I was so tired. I basically slept most of the day - I just couldn't wake up. And I was *supposed* to be working a half-day. I barely made meetings but that was it and slipped by most of what I needed to do. My body is so tired of viruses and being sick. I need spring and outdoor air!

Then the little "M"s I found last night bugged me (pardon the pun) to no end. But I had no energy to check my stash today. I'll have to check it this weekend.

I was dragging around Pi to work on when I had a chance and had it down stairs while watching a bit of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" with the kids. Jada walked up to me and just won me over. She stroked Pi - then she leaned her little head over, grabbed in her arms, leaned her head into it and just snuggled and loved on it like she does her teddy bears. Her little face read "Mommy it's soooooo soft and yummy". She made me smile. Sometimes I feel a bit selfish sneaking in knitting time. But her pure enjoyment made me smile.



I'm past the lace on Pi and just adding in some plain rows before binding off with a lace edging I need to pick out!!!!!! I have a sleep study tomorrow night - maybe I'll get a a ton of it done then while waiting to be observed sleeping. Well, that's something to look forward to.

A Knitter's Nightmare

I decided to take pictures of my little stash beside my bed - it a small basket, nearby, close at hand. It's not my best yarn. But it's nice yarn. Had some lovely lace hanks/balls I wanted to catalog.

I was happily digging in it taking pictures, writing notes and then I saw it.

A ball that looked like it had been chewed on.

And yucky white powdery dust.

And deeper still little carcasses.



I was too upset to get a decent picture. I couldn't get it to focus in on the mess the little pests made.

I'm also suspicious that this ball arrived with these little pests inside b/c it was almost totally destroyed and I couldn't see any other balls that were touched. Although most were thankfully in Ziploc bags.

I'm sort of anal about putting my yarn in Ziplocs anyway. It's sort of rare I have anytyhing I really like that is not in plastic. I figure if one bag is destroyed - OK, but not a whole basket or bin of yarn.

Nevertheless, I had a few sock balls in there that were untouched. Maybe it was the nylon? Anyway - I can rest a tiny bit that perhaps as it was my smallest section of yarn the rest is ok. You better believe I will inspecting the rest tommorrow.

This sad little bunch is getting all of their rear ends frozen solid. Hopefully - this will kill any remaining that are hiding. I even threw in the offending ball in it's own little baggie although I cannot see how I can salvage the yarn. I would have to dig down so far to get to untouched yarn and the little droppings gross me out.

They even pooped on my crochet case! Yuck.

Oh well - it had to happen being the stash queen that I am. My upstairs stash has industrial strength moth protector in some of the bins. Strong enough to keep even me away.

But down stairs - where I live I have relied on either herbs or little baggies to keep it all safe. Maybe I will have to rethink - or buy an industrial strength freezer to store my yarn lovelies.

Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!

Family Hobby - DONE

Hubby came in on the last 30 or so pieces and tried to hurry up and get them all in - alone. And of course claim he single handedly solved the whole puzzle.

Men, why do they love to take credit for things they didn't do?

While we women quietly - put 580 puzzle pieces in place only for the hubby to come along and solve the last (and obvious) pieces - while wife is sick with the shingles?

Sigh, this is why I knit. He can't take any credit for that!

All jokes aside - I bought two more puzzles this weekend for when I can figure out how to flip this one, paste it and take it to get framed.

Isn't this face the cutest. This is Jada's "smile". She is trying a bit too hard.



The other two are clowning off after celebrating for the complete puzzle:



Let's hope Janeen never knows I put that picture of her on my blog.

Lastly - I'm doing something I said I would never do. I'm starting, barely putting a dent in it actually - to catalog my stash on Ravelry. Gasp. I figure this is the first step of admitting, you know ala AA. Plus - it helps me destash and get some cash for some supplies I want like blocking wires and a blocking board. I have no idea how I'm going to block Pi and Hemolock. But I need to figure it out faaaast - no pictures but Pi is dangerously close. Watch this space soon!