Did you take your meds today?
Hmm, why do you ask???
Hello, there, all! I'm back. Please don't go away just 'cause I did. Come back, come back!
There is SO much I want to post about. Every day I think of things I want to post about and write them in my head, then I forget them and despair, then I go to post and I'm overwhelmed by all the now forgotten things! And THEN, I have an awesome two days receiving goodies, buying new bedding, getting done 270 things I've been putting off:
1) OB/GYN appt. Ugh.
2) Oil Change. Kind of like #1.
3) Paying bills. Somehow I paid the Electric Bill with my credit card. This is not standard procedure. I'm unclear how it happened. Is my money managing itself?
4) Actually registering for the 1/2 Marathon I'm going to do - oops! Almost screwed up, AM!
5) Balancing the checkbook. Oops, didn't quite get that one done.
6) Returning yarn, to buy more yarn.
7) Did I mention shopping?!
I'm so overwhelmed! Aaaagh! I'm MANIC, I'm over-the-top!, I need to be reigned in!!!
Ummm, right. Note to self: when you become uncontrollably slap-happy, either:
1) you forgot your meds, or
2) you got THIS in the mail:*
Wow!!!!! Woo-hoo! Phildar was having a sale, and a fabulous friend went shoppin' for me.
You wanna close-up? Sure you do.
What will I make? THIS, and THIS. I plan to change the turtleneck and maybe make short sleeves, and the other red-variegated I will knit in the green Frénésie. Super WOOT!!!
A Heartfelt Thanks
Thank you, truly, to everyone who commented and emailed me with good wishes. All things considered, last week was of course stressful, but I think ended in the best way possible. Time will heal the rest.
And thanks so my Secret Pal, who so thoughtfully sent me a lovely card, with seeds enclosed to scatter. Here it is pictured with...
The BOOKBOOKBOOK!
Yarn Harlot's book is truly good. If you are a knitter, or if you know a knitter, if will make you giggle, then shake, then howl out loud with tears running down. Well, at least that's what it did for me.
HEJ, brevity is not your strong point.
Yes, well, this was to be a brief post, but here I am all talky at you again. But...
I am so so very tired, that I cannot post more. I have much much more to show, but I must sleep. If of course, I can't sleep, you know I'll be back. The chances of this are fair-to-middlin'.**
*Today, it was both. I mean, when the hubbie asks if you've taken the meds, you've obviously forgotten them.
**What DOES this mean? The hubbie and are constantly laughing at phrases we or family say that we have no idea what they are. Like, who is "Sam Hill?" And why do we care what he is doing? Or how about "a rat's ass?" I mean, really, rodent bottoms? This makes sense to us?
Crappity C. McCrapperton
Busy Backson
HEK will be on hiatus a bit here, due to the death of my father-in-law. Please send good thoughts to my husband and family.
I may be able to post again soon, but it may be a week or so. If you have a blog I read/comment on regularly, please forgive me for being unable to do so for awhile...
Until then.
Vimmerby.
And, click for the slightly hazy art deco shot, taken by my dear friend Carrie.
Start-itis.
Confess.
Um. Er. We may have started a few things around here.
Oh, Really. Alert the media.
I can't help it! I can. not. help. it. I had to. I was bored. There it is. So we present to you, here, at HEK, a few new things.
First, I must make this sweater. I must, that's just it. I have ORANGE yummy just slightly variegated yarn, named "Blaze." I mean, BLAZE?! It's on FIRE! It's burning to be knit!
Oh yeah. It's Comedy Central over here. Wish we had Comedy Central. Alas.
Because pictures of garter stitch are not too exciting, here's an artful one in which this orange friend is serving as an antimacassar for our sofa:
I needed a mindless knit, so this is it.
Newbie Note: Garter stitch is very slow growing. Each ridge is two rows. If I had knit these 60 rows in stockinette, I'd be almost to the armholes. If you are new and knitting garter stitch, and it's taking FOREVER, you are not slow! Blame the stitch. Do not despair. You can do it. I knit pretty fast, and it's still going slowly. ;-)
[Buzzer sounds] NEXT!
Too boring, eh? Well, wrap your head around these snazzy socks! They're gray! They're ribbing and stockinette! They're really long, since they're for the hubby! They're, oh HELL, they're boring, too. They make my eyes cross.
This is his second pair of wool socks, because the first have stretched out (the yarn's fault, not his - beware Jawoll Superwash). This pattern is from IK (see sidebar) and are toe-up socks. They are a variation on Wendy's pattern, and I find them easier because I don't have to pick up the short wraps, which I have more trouble with. They are essentially the same, otherwise.
Can you finish ONE THING?
Yes. Vimmerby is officially blocking. Shhhh.
Why must she photograph me on ugly backgrounds???
Pics of it being worn soon!
Oh, it has issues...
Netscape, that is...
Update:
Sorry to all the Netscape/Mozilla/Firefox browser-users (hereafter known as N/M/F). Apparently, N/M/F hate my blog. And not only mine.
You see, N/M/F are very unforgiving when it comes to stylesheets, and tables. Ooh, do they have rules about tables and styles. Here are some:
a) your color MUST have the "#" before it, or it will be ignored
b) all entries posted on the third tuesday will not be accepted
c) sometimes it will let you have the styles in the table, sometimes it will not. This is apparently, completely, random.
d) don't even think about tables in tables. Just don't. Your post will be dropped through a small virtual hole in the floor into a crocodile pit.
e) don't do anything complicated
f) current astrological signs may (or may not) be taken into account.
Anyway, I will work with N/M/F more often to try to fix these things. So if you tried to read the previous post's "book meme" pop-up but you couldn't because it was black text on blue, try again now. Should be legible. But maybe not.
The Great and Powerful N/M/F will decide. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Jenny, your macaroni is boiling over.
Uh, oops. Hold that thought.
Disaster Narrowly Averted
Ok, in other news my sock pal sent me my socks she made!!!!
BEHOLD!
Click me for a close-up
Oh, yes. They are wonderful. Very very very nice job. The knitting is so even and the pattern is so fun. I love love love them. Thank you so much, Deb!
She also sent a cute stitch marker and postcards from where the socks were made (and a postcard with proceeds for Afghans for Afghans). Thanks again!
On our next show:
1) boy is garter stitch boring!
2) my husbands socks are only slightly less mind-numbing than my dad's!
3) more netscape mistakes!
4) stupid pet tricks!
5) musical guest - Wilco! (oh how I wish...)
Oooh, what a lucky man girl...
he was I am...*
Sorry so long no blog, but it's been a very busy work week for me. Although, as my friend AM pointed out, I work less than most people, so I should quit my whining. On that note, here we go!
Behind Door #1:
This blog entry is all about some super cool gifts I've been given, and public thanks. The first is from my best friend Alex. Alex is an excellent knitter, and she sent me this scarf:
I love it. It's the perfect blue. I wear it just about every day. It's the first gift anyone has ever knitted for me, and it means so much to me. Thank you, Alex. Love ya!
Curtain #2:
Secret Pal!!!! My secret pal sent all these goodies! I LOVE the yarn color, I can't wait to use it. The card was so sweet, I love the chocolate, and the needles. Thanks so much!!
There was another chocolate bar but it, uh, didn't make the picture.
I dunno how that happened.
Goodies #3:
I finally was able to hang the fabulous mobile my dear friend Jess made me. It is tatted lace, and my friend Jess is so good at tatting. I can tat, but it's nothing compared to hers. I have hung it in our sun room, where it cheerily floats around.
Thank you so much, Jess!!! I miss you tons!
And one more thing...
A Fabulous Rabbit gave me some super Anny Blatt yarn for Christmas. I have spend since then figuring out what to do with it. First I tried a hat, but I look awful in hats. Then I wanted to make a scarf, but couldn't figure out a pattern. This yarn is so cool, it's really thick and thin and you have to alternate the balls of yarn per row (or every two rows) for it to even out. Ultimately, good ol' stockinette showed off this yarn the best:
Why does the deck always look better in my clothes?
Well, I have had start-itis like a fiend, so much much more to show next time:
1) New socks for my hubby.
2) A new orange sweater! Orange! Wow!
3) Some fair isle that I'm so proud of.
4) More on the Debbie Bliss "Sequel" from last week.
5) And I found yarn for THIS. Not as easy as you might think... (otherwise known as Jenny's ribbing sometimes looks like sh*t.
Until then!
*That's a fairly archaic reference to the 70s band Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I should watch it, or I'll become the Dennis Miller of knit bloggers.
**also, Marta tagged me for this book meme. Read it if you like to read!
Bea Arthur wannabe.
Public Service Announcement
A tip: When chair dancing to "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" while listening to your ipod, try not to drop it on the floor.
Seems to be okay. Ozzy says so. He also says we're going off the rails on a crazy train. Not sure if this is a generalization.
SO, you're listening to music AND blogging...
Yes, er no. You have my full and undivided attention. Did you say something?
February March is for fixin' Making Things Over
So, last early last year I made this sweater, from Debbie Bliss Cashmere Collection in Cashmerino Superchunky. Warm, lovely green, oversized sweater.
Quick to knit, gauge right on. One size fits all. I knew it was oversized, but I didn't realize it'd be OVERSIZED.
To whit. Your honor, I offer exhibit A*:
Exhibit B*: It's freaking HUGE!
The lovely Anne Marie is helping me model. She said it looks like something Bea Arthur from the 1980's TV show The Golden Girls would wear. For those of you not privy to said TV show, it was about four elderly women living in a retirement community. Oh, yeah.
Take a minute to look at the model in the picture. Does she look like she's drowning in sweater? I don't think so. She seems to be breathing comfortably. Maybe they tied a bunch of it behind her, like they do on shop window models. And yes, I'm sure she's a bit taller than I am. [No comment on that required, really.]
So, whatcha gonna do? Cry, baby?
But I can't frog it. I just can't. It's so so so warm, and soft. I wear it all over the house. I wear it to bed when it's really cold (<66°F). I love it.
I have therefore decided to knit it again. This time in Cashmerino Aran. This way I can actually wear one of these out of the house. It's coming out about 3/4 the size, and I'll adjust accordingly for the sleeves if need be. OOH! Knitting math!**
I'll have the Book Meme next time, I promise Marta! Thanks again to all ya'll for stoppin' by!
*Photos by Carrie's schmoo Jacob.
**If Becky flies from France to the US leaving at 8am and travelling at 500 mph, and Jenny leaves the previous night at 10pm from the US to fly to France travelling at 550 mph, how many skeins of yarn will they bring between them? (20 points)