I don't really like these things, but...

I've been playing with my ipod today. Kinda boring, really. I tried knitting, but I wasn't coming up with anything I wanted to knit, so I stopped. I need to go and buy some yarn for my trip to Disneyland so I don't get bored (yeah, bored at Disneyland...)

Moving right along...

Baby hat
Originally uploaded by a-chan.

With that long project behind me, I decided to do some quick baby hats. I was going to do some hats for me, but I have tons of yarn that is calling out to be baby hats. I need to do some more research, but I think I'm going to donate a bunch of hats for the holiday season.

Finally!!

14bars
Originally uploaded by a-chan.

Well, I finished knitting it and binding off the end on the 15th. So that was right on schedule. Then I dilly-dallied around yesterday and didn't do anything with it. So tonight I was going to finish everything on it... I only got the ends woven in and the begining edge closed. I just need to wash it and block it. But that can wait.

I'm going to wear it to work tomorrow so all my co-workers can see the *almost* finished product. I probably won't put the fringe on it because I don't really like fringes much. Richard loves it. He said that he likes it the way it is and I don't even have to block it if I don't want to... But I do want to. The color changes *NEED* to line up or I'll go crazy every time I look at it.

Yes. Now I can knit for myself. Maybe a hat. I have enough yarn for a hat. Either the black with pink or the green/purple/blue verigated(maybe self striping??). Yeah. Then it'll be back to the Christmas knitting.

Yea! alomst done!!

13 bars
Originally uploaded by a-chan.

Well, I was trying to do 6" a day. However, I soon realized that 6" was just about a full repeat. So, I've been striving for one trapped bar a day. I'm almost finished with the 13th bar and it's November 13th. I'm so on schedule!

I almost thought I'd try to finish it all today, however I spent a good hour searching my mom's house for her keys. The were lost for quite awhile, but I finally found them, after praying to St. Anthony (thanks aunt la rae!).

And then it was time for lunch and then I said I'd take my niece back home (since it's close to my house, I didn't think it would be fair to have my mom drive so far when I had drive past my brother's house to get to mine, aren't I nice?)

Then (yes, there's more) my other niece was being a pill when I got there, so I tried to keep her occupied to give Erin a break... Then it was dinner time.. Then I realized that I had gone the whole day without working on the scarf... grr. Now I have 30 minutes to knit before I need to go to sleep....

No picture tonight!

I have the worlds biggest headache right now. I swear my sinus infection never really went away and now I'm suffering. I should go see a doctor...

The reason I'm posting this is because I didn't get any knitting done on my Hufflepuff scarf today. Partly because of the headache, partly because I had to knit a hat for a b-day present, and another partly because I had almost run out of yarn and I left the new yarn at home. It was sad, but I don't think I could have worked on it even if I had brought the extra yarn.... Which I'm not the only one to find out that when the pattern calls for 800yds of yellow and 200yrds of black, that it really means more then that. I hope I have enough now. I got one more skein of each color. I'm just starting the 12th trapped bar. I must be in good shape.

Of course, now I might not get to go on opening night! What bogus-ness!! Why me?? I'm off at probably 5pm, I could go see the moview. But the BF doesn't like going to movies on opening night. I was going to go with the family, but now they're saying that they can't make it till Sunday. Rip off! What's the point in making a HP scarf if nobody is going to see it?? Sorry for ranting at you (who ever you might be... if there really is a you that's reading this... I'm going to bed I hope I feel better in the morning!!

7bars

7bars
Originally uploaded by a-chan.

Yay! 8 bars almost finished. Maybe I can finish 9 tonight, then I'll be ahead. Then maybe I'll do a hat to match (I'll have to buy more yarn though:P ) I think I'll do a double knit pattern with one trapped bar.

Expanding, at least a little...

Well, I just got an email inviting me to join the Knitting Amys. This will be my very first kniting blog ring to join. Very exciting. I'm also wanting to join the fuzzy feet along. I think that they will make wonderful Christmas presents.

On the knitting front, I've gotten quite a bit of my PoA scarf done. It looks like I'll be able to make my goal of finishing before the movie comes out.



And I bought some new yarn (yes, more!!) for some baby blankets:

Yea! *happy dance*

Finally. Aparently the computer is acting really stupid. I don't know how to fix it, so if it ever "breaks" again, I'll have to wait for Richard to get home.

I'm a little farther along than the picture indicates, but I'm in a hurry and can't take another one yet.

Oh, and here's a hat that I frogged the other day. I love the yarn, but I just haven't liked any of the patterns I've tried. I might just do a simple roll-brim.

Stupid computer!

It won't recognize my memory card!! STUPID! I took a picture of my scarf to log my progress and I can't post it. I'll try again on my computer at my mom's house, but that won't be till really late tonight or tomorrow... by then I'll have another picture to post because I plan on madly knitting on the max and at the party I'm going to tonight.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention last night that my sis-in-law said we could have a knitting party at her house next friday. It'll be so much fun, I love knitting parties.

Harry Potter scarf.

So I've been wanting to knit a Harry Potter scarf for quite awhile now. I procrastinated actually starting it. I've had the yarn for a couple of months. But it wasn't till November 1st that I realized I only had 18 days to finish it.. YIKES!! So, I'm going to try my best to finish it by the time the new movie is out. I'm using the pattern found here: http://knit.atypically.net/scarves/azkaban/pattern.shtml

I'm just using Lionbrand wool-ease worsted weight. I wanted to use one of the recommended yarns, however I was having troubles finding a LYS that carried any of the right colors. I'm using the yellow and black for a Hufflepuff scarf. Richard's fave colors are yellow and black, so I asked him if he minded having a HP scarf and he said no.

Wish me luck! I'll update as the next two weeks go on. So far I've only done two repeats (12 more!) Oh, and all this while working a 37.5 hour week.

Christmas knittin, here I come!!

Well, I started my Christmas yarn shopping on Saturday. I didn't spend as much as I had planned, which is a good thing. I only bought enough yarn for a couple of projects:

For some hats!



For a sock scarf!



And for just goofing off! (I found this yarn in the Target dollar section... doesn't look too great)



I have a new-ish FO. It was yarn bought from a gift card from the Yarn Garden. It was to be my Christmas present to myself. But it itches my neck so I can't wear it. But it's so soft and pretty!

I disappeared for a couple of months!

But now I'm back! I hate to say it, but I haven't been knitting as much as I would like. That will change soon, I hope. I'm finally settled into my new-ish job, so now I just need to figure out when the best time to knit would be.

Plus, I just got a new camera! It's a 5 megapixel Samsung. It took some pretty nice pictures on my vacation to Maui. So now I can post some uber-great pictures.

While on the plane to Maui, I designed a crocheted sunglass bag for my boyfriend. He said he really wanted it. Well, it turned out really good, considering I had to make it up as I went. It's basically the same design I use for making coin/dice bags, but with a flat bottom. I'll take a picture of it when he gets back (lucky guy gets to spend an extra week in Maui! whatever). But he didn't ever use the bag while I was there... typical.

That's about enough yapping for now! I'm going to Joann's Fabrics tonight to use a gift card I got for my birthday. I might be posting again to brag about my new yarn.

Knitting for money??

Well, I always knit my presents now. I didn't realize how much people liked them. We were having a party at my big bro's house and they all got to talking. People like my stuff. It's kind of exciting! People stop my family members on the street and ask where they got their hat/scarf/poncho.

My family thinks that I should start a small business. Maybe online. Is the practical? Would people really buy my stuff?? How would I price it? A couple ideas that were passed around were making a webpage and having little business cards that people could carry around and hand out to the people on the street that ask about it.

But would I start by pre-making the items and having pictures of them? Or what? I don't know. This is a totally new thing for me. I guess I could even sell my "lei" scrunchies! This is definitely something to think about. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

No knitting today *sigh*

Well, I was supposed to work 11:30 to 8 today. However, Richard came back into the house after I thought he left and told me that I'd need to leave the house early because of some ice. I didn't listen to him. I didn't think anything of the ice. At 11 I start heading out the door and that's when I realized there really was ice every where.

I was slipping and sliding all the way to my car. I get into my car (after struggling to get the door open) and start it. I try to scrape my windows with my ice scraper and it doesn't work. There is just plain too much ice.

Back into the house!! I called work and talked to a supervisor. I said I'd be late because of the ice. Want to know what she said? "If you're coming from SE Portland, you better stay home." Apparently one of the managers had tried to get to work and ended up stranded on I-205 for awhile. So, I had to talk to a manager to let them know I wasn't coming in. He said "Good, the bridges are closed"

Well, that leaves me home with no knitting! See, I was going to drive home (Scappoose) last night (where all of my active knitting is). But there was a truck that had an accident on highway 30 and it was closed both ways. So I stayed at Richard's house.

Now I've wasted a whole day that I could have been knitting! GRrr.. I couldn't even drive anywhere to buy more yarn. I could have started a new project! But no, it was too icy.

And that's my story for today. I think it's time for a nap, I've played too many video games today and I'm tired now.

Stitch n Bitch Nation

Well, I haven't really been posting. Work has been hell since Christmas (retail, yuck returns)

The other day I decided to use my Craft Warehouse gift certificate. I was planning on buying a sewing pattern for a cat bed I want to make for my cat and some fabric. Well, I find out once I get there that they don't sell sewing patterns and their fabric selection is very tiny.

Next on my list would have been yarn. But their yarn had been picked over and they were out of a lot of colors I wanted. So I then decided to look for the new Knit-it magazine (from lion brand yarns and better homes). I find it and sitting next to it is the new Stitch n Bitch book!! I decide to get it and the magazine (I only had to pay two extra dollars after the gift cart.)

When I get home, I start paging through the magazine looking at every page and reading every article and ad. I was in knitting heaven. When I finished, I handed it off to my mom and started on the Stitch n Bitch book. I skimmed through the first little bit and started going through every pattern to see what was there and to pick out what I wanted to make. I loved it! However, I was getting close to the end and suddenly the pages jumped. The book was missing like 3 pages! I was so upset, but glad I kept the receipt.

The very next day after work, I went and exchanged it. They were very nice about the return. I love it when I'm able to return something with no hassle.

The very first project I'm going to make out of the book is the pig cell phone holder. But I think I'm going to turn it into a kitty cat or maybe a penguin (but that would require two colors of yarn) I'll probably make a couple; for my cell phone, I-pod, and one for my boyfriend Richard's cell phone (he's in love with bunnies, so he'll get a bunny)

The second pattern I'll probably use is a cable hat pattern. I really want to make something with cables now that I know they aren't all that hard.

Then, I plan on making either the initial purse or the messenger bag. I really want to get into felting and feel that this is the right time.