Secret Project

So there is a picture of the coolest thing I've ever knit. Not much fun, eh? It's a gift, so I can't show you the really cool part until it's been given to it's intended recipient. But I will give you another tease . . .
Yep, it's lace! My very first legitimate attempt. By legitimate I mean I finished it! It was a simple but cool pattern. Now I'm working on the Swallowtail Shawl. I used my Schaefer Anne, in the fiery colorway.
I have to say I'm a little scared. When I first looked at this pattern I did something I'm pretty sure most knitters do from time to time . . . I only looked at the first page and first chart. It's pretty straight forward lace knitting, you know every other row is purled. When I finished the first repeat of the second chart I thought I should probably look ahead. Damn. The even rows have all kinds of little symbols indicating that the stitches are not just purls! I will not panic. I can do this right? It all comes down to the knit and purl stitches. If I can do those, I can do anything . . . . right? Help!

new posts?

I'm always bummed when I go to a favorite blog and it's not been updated in awhile. I know other people have lives, but I'm stuck up here in nowhere land, gosh darnit, I need my blog-o-tainment! And then I looked at the last post I did, and realized, I am the pot calling the kettle black. Oops. I know not a lot of people read this (yet) but sorry to those of you who do stop by!

I think I haven't posted because I can't post pictures of what I've been knitting, since they are gifts. But I'll be able to post pictures soon. I think I've just knit something very cool. Like maybe the coolest thing I've ever knit so far!

So anyway, updates coming soon

The World's Ugliest Sock

I'm quite sure this is the world's ugliest sock (although in this picture it doesn't look as bad as real life). While elements of it appeal to me, such as the snot green yarn flecked with orange, the grey and the aqua blue, together it looks like neon vomit. Now, my taste is truly not that bad! Look at the yarn in the skein
I think that looks pretty. Especially the purple and the light green. Let me tell you, Noro sold me a bill of goods, cause those are not the colors coming out of the skein! It forced me to begin another projectThat picture is sideways, I still have not figured that out. It's a jaywalker out of Berroco Comfort Sock. This yarn rocks. It's acrylic. Yep that's right, acrylic, but you would never know. It knits up a lot like Tofutsies which I enjoy although like that yarn it can tend to split. But it is so soft and cheap! $7.50/skein which is enough for a pair. I bought two skeins. Don't ask me why I bought two skeins of the same colourway - I tend to make impulsive decisions in the yarn store.
Here's the rest of my downstate haul
That's for the new block exchange I found on Ravelry. Neutrals.
Some Schaefer Anne, I thought it might be pretty for a shawl, but only enough on the skein for socks. Pretty socks though!

And some laceweight. I can never find all the beautiful laceweight stuff KristinaB is always finding. But I've been wanting to make a shawl out of white, this is close! And when I checked my email today, I found that KnittingDaily had compiled it's five top fan choices into a free downloadable booklet, including the Swallowtail Shawl! I quick printed it up (you had to do it by the end of the day today). It also has the Sunrise Circle Jacket, Cable Down Raglan, Nantucket Jacket and the Tweedy Aran Cardigan. I want to do the Sunrise one and the Tweedy Cardigan. I'm so happy I checked my email in time!

And if anyone read my post near the beginning of my blogging life (really I'm like an infant in blogtime) here is a picture of my pig collection. They are still downstate, but I'm bringing 'em back next time, I don't care if they trash up the neighborhood!

Puppies post haircut

Obviously, they don't like to hold still for the camera! The white one, maybe, he's curious about the little box mama's holding. Like, does it possibly contain food? The black one has ADD. I'm fairly certain of it. He can't hold still. He is in constant motion. The shot of him below is him waiting to pounce on the white one as he strolls casually by.
Anyway, on to knitting. I'm finishing up my socks and thinking of casting on another pair. Also working on the secret projects. We are going downstate this weekend, yarn sale at Ewe-nique Knits in Royal Oak! Yeah! I'll try to remember to bring my camera.

Sadly, I will have no opportunity to surf the net for 3 days! No Yarn Harlot, or knitwithsnot, no brouhaha, whatever will I do? We don't even have cable television in the house downstate. It's old school rabbit ears and aluminum foil for us. (Not really, I don't think, but Joe said we get the local channels, and I have to say I miss WXYZ news so it should be fun). I'll post all about my adventures "downstate" when I get back!

Dunkin Donuts

I went inside the Dunkin Donuts here for the first time today. It was culture shock. First of all, it's not just a Dunkin Donuts! It's like a party store! Candy up the wazoo, a make your own nachos machine, a rather large and prominent cigarette kiosk . . . Woah. Downstate, Dunkin Donuts is just Dunkin Donuts. Coffe, bagels, donuts, breakfast sandwiches and maybe some newspapers. The employees up here are awesome though and they made me a great cup of coffee. Extra cream and extra sugar and it tasted just like I like it! And they punch your free coffee card once for each beverage you purchase, not just once per visit like downstate.

The best? At the checkout counter, they had Nascar Cigarette Cases. As I live and breathe! I wish I had had my camera with me. I've got to start taking it around with me. I think the numbers were 45, 9 and something else. I've never seen anything like it.
This is the before shot of my babies. They are going for their first haircut today and I want documentation that they were cute and will be cute again. Joe says we have to get them shaved so we can see if they get infested with fleas. Although, even if you shave the black one bald, his skin is like this crazy blue/black color and you'd never notice a flea on him. Only the pups are going to the groomer. Nona is the kind of dog who doesn't need grooming and I think she'd stroke out if you came at her with a razor. I'll post the after pictures later!

Gotta cruise. Off for a fun day of puppy cuts and gardening expos at the Alpena mall. We are taking Holly's advice and checking out the local flavor!

NetFlix Rocks!

Did you know you can watch stuff for free on your computer if you subscribe to NetFlix? Un-huhn.
Like Weeds? The show from Showtime! Awsome! I think I watched four episodes today, and I wasn't totally unproductive either. Look what I did . . .It's a ball band dishcloth in spring colors! I'm supposed to meet the Alpena knitting ladies tomorrow for lunch and I thought it would be nice to go with a little gift. There are three ladies and so far one and a smidge dishcloths. I think I might be able to finish it and one more before tomorrow. We'll see.

Went to the job fair. Applied for a temp agency. Haven't done that since the first year I was married! Also applied for a teller job at a bank. It actually sounds kind of fun. We'll see. One thing that totally shocked me, we talked to a lady who worked at the local Nursing home. They needed nurses, lpns, cnas, rns. Dude, she volunteered the pay scale and I'm sure my mouth hung open. Those people only make from $9.00 (cna) to $15.00 (rn). That's ridiculous. First of all to be an RN don't you have to get a bachelor's degree nowadays? And everyone knows the nurses do all of the work. Yes, the doctor has to make life or death decisions and his name is on the line, but geez, the pay discrepancy there is ludicrous. I've said it before, but something has to change in our health care system, and fast.

Off to knit some ballbands. (ooo . . . that could sound dirty!)