How I Learned to Love a Dropped Stitch........

Leaping on the Lizard wagon

2007-08-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

After watching Anna steadily make her version of the Lizard Ridge Afghan, I am hooked. I've been contemplating starting it for a couple months now and finally got my first five skeins of Noro yesterday. If it weren't for blogging tonight I would have cast on already for my first square but alas it will have to wait till tomorrow. I think I will copy Anna's genius idea of making continous strips to make for less seaming at the end of the project. I am hoping I might have this done before Christmas, wish me luck. Maybe I will get a picture up of a square before the end of the weekend, if I stop typing and start knitting again some time that is.

Ooh Ooh Yarn

2007-08-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

More yarn photos. This is stash I picked up at the summer sale at the Knitting Bee a couple weeks ago. There is some Brown Sheep Wildfoote, a bit of Baby Cover superwash wool (who doesn't need more sock and baby yarn in their stash? exactly, everyone does) and a single skein of Cascade 128 Tweed in Black-Most likely a hat for DEC, but you never know. It's always fun to get useful yarns on a great deal!

My Baby is Loved

2007-08-16T21:52:00.001-07:00

Well it has been a while since I've posted so tonight is just full of pictures and updates on knitted things. This one is of some very lovingly made items I've received for our new baby girl, Baby B. The Pink Flower Power/Fuschia blanket was sewn by a great girl, Sarah, whom I've known for about 2 years now. She does not seem to have a blog yet, but trust me, she's awesome. We met at an SnB group before I moved out of that heat and I've always had fun with her and think she is a great woman. (Sarah, if you're reading this, don't worry, I'm still my sarcastic goofy self, just being sentimental for this post only).

Next up we have two baby hats made by one of my very best friends, Heather. I think she got the bunny hat pattern out of the IttyBitty Hats book and made up the other one. They are both so very soft and are going to fit perfectly when late fall/winter hits here. I already put them on Baby B after baths to keep her head dry and warm. Heather is another person who I love and if you ever get a chance to meet her, take it, she's awesome!

Next up is a full size blanket that was gifted to me by the great ladies who help make up the weekly knitting group at the Bee. Each of the 12 ladies made up a square of their choice using Blue Sky Cotton and put it together to make an absolutely beautiful and soft blanket. I almost want to save it but know that I and Baby B are going to do much snuggling in it. Soon I will have a little card documenting who made each square to put in the baby book. Christina used her extra yarn to make the little bunny pictured. It's a great size for B. to snuggle with when she is resting. All these women are great, inspiring knitters for different reasons and I am so honored that they'd make this gift for us. Oh and they all helped on the always (for me anyway) dreaded seeming and edging!

Fun goodies

2007-08-16T21:19:00.001-07:00

The first picture is the cloth and goodies I received from this quarter's exchange over on the Monthlydishcloth yahoo group. Bethany was very generous and included some beautiful hand made stitch markers and nice tea. The cloth is in my favorite colors too. Thank you Bethany!

The second picture is of some nice wool that I won over on this nice blog
She doesn't identify herself by name so I won't either but it's a fun blog to read and she must be awesome to do a contest that I won :). Thank you! I am thinking the pink and yellow blend will make a nice hat for my Baby B. The bright yellow may be enough to do a hat for DEC but may blend the two somehow and make a baby sweater or something along those lines.

Sweet Sixteen Update

2007-08-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, I finally got a few moments to upload pictures and post some here on the blog. The first is the package I received from Jeannie in CA. The great cloth she sent me is of the state of Oregon with the state abbreviation on the bottom. I am a really lousy photographer so it doesn't show up well but it's there trust me. And a very pretty glass bead. I do beading sometimes so I'll have to think of something nice to add this to. Then the two skeins of yarn are Hot Purple and Violet Veil. I used the Hot Purple for Laurie in IN (no blog :(
Jeannie must know that I like purples cause the skeins I had already picked to send to Laurie were Soft Violet and a variegated purples colorway. This whole game has been a lot of fun and I hope if Emily does one again I will get to be on another great team.

Tag,...I'm it!

2007-08-13T23:38:00.000-07:00

Just a very quick post to let my team members know I just got the box this afternoon. Am working on cloth right now (somewhat collicky newborn not helping in getting it done too quickly). hope to get it on it's way tomorrow.....will update with photos soon, want to get cloth done first!

My feet are fat

2007-06-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

I finished the first of the spa socks mentioned somewhere a few posts below.......they seem to fit funny.....I refuse to rip them out yet, I am blaming them on my poor swollen sausage feet and will not do anything more until they return to normal size......so for now I am also not working on my Horcrux and not feeling guilty about having so many unfinished socks lying about. I love guilt free casting on, no deadline knitting! I think in addition to the Tulips baby cardi mentioned below I am going to start on Sheldon for my soon to be 3 year old.

I'm such a follower.....

2007-06-29T21:40:00.001-07:00

So, if you read the Yarn Harlot's blog you know she has knitted a few of these cute sweaters, the Tulips baby cardigan using Dream in Color worsted. Of course I read it and I love anything rainbow. Rainbow patterned/colored things just call out to me, I don't know why since really I am not a girly rainbow kinda gal usually. Anyway, I have been seriously pondering contacting the Canadian LYS she got her kits from to order one for myself but put it off because I really don't know anything about things being shipped from Canada to the States in terms of customs, costs, length of time, etc......yep, I am ignorant about these things and too lazy to do anything about it right now, like look it up online......
Anyway, on Wednesday night I go to my LYS, Knitting Bee, for social knitting time and as soon as I walked in I saw she had kits put together for sale. So I was good and knit for an hour then walked around the store for an hour convincing myself why I didn't really need another pattern when I have so much on my to-do list. Then decided that this is better than all that other stuff on my list because it is rainbow colored and bought it anyway. Also, convinced myself it was really ok to spend the money on the kit because it is much better to get the kit, which comes with the right amount of each yarn and the pattern, than to give in one day when no kits are to be found and spend money on whole skeins of each color when so little of each is needed. How's that for justification? I am very excited to cast on but don't think I'll get to before tomorrow or Sunday night.

Simple Bib

2007-06-29T21:31:00.001-07:00

Ok, I don't know exactly where a pattern can be found for this bib, I have gathered from reading other blogs that there may be one like it in the Mason Dixon Knitting book, but I don't have that book so not sure. Anyway, what I did was just cast on 8 stitches of Sugar 'n' Cream cotton, made a buttonhole on the third or fourth row and kept doing garter stitch until I thought the strip would be a good length to go around a baby/toddler's neck. Then I used the knit-on method to add 30 more stitches, knit in a button on the 6th or 7th row using Lily Chin's method that I saw on an episode of Knitty Gritty and continued the garter for another 60 rows or so. Then I folded up the bottom a couple inches to create a pocket for fallen bits of food and seamed the sides. I basically just kept knitting until there was very little of my skein left. I haven't blocked it or anything cause, well, it's a bib, and it'll get washed and shrink a bit, etc so it looks messy in the picture but I think it will work very well in its intended use.....p.s....Heather if you're reading this.....Miranda may get a little summer bib set...how's that for a surprise?

Purple is my fave

2007-06-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

This is a very simple baby cardigan from the Vogue: On the Go series, Baby Knits. It is knit all in one piece with just the sides and underarms seamed up at the end. I made the 6 month size and I think it came out a bit more on the 6 to 9 month scale which is perfect come fall and winter for the new one. I used LB Microspun as called for in the pattern and a size 7 circular needle. I definitely like it better in the purple than in the red shown in the book. I also love the buttons. They were a pack of 8 in the dollar bin at Michael's and the perfect combo of colors if I do say so myself. My seaming skills still need (a lot of) work but nothing like practice to make them better.

Fun little knit...

2007-06-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

This is a quick little knit I did to dress up a bear for the Camp Erin bears that are given out to the campers. I used a pattern supplied by my LYS, the Knitting Bee. The grey and red yarn is some Encore and the blue is LB Worsted Wool-Ease. The button I found at Jo-anne's. I really enjoyed making something so small and fast and may have time to do another before the deadline, maybe something in orange with fun fur.......hmmm, now the ideas are churning.....first I need to finish updating the blog though.

Photo and Finish Free

2007-06-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

Well this is just a WIP post, no photos and no FO's. We are getting ready to have our second little one and I think the hormones have turned me into a "starter" because I keep casting on without finishing things and usually i have only 2, maybe 3, things going and get one or two finished before starting others, but right now, well lets see.....

1. Pedicure/Spa socks found in SpunMag
I am using Cascade fixation in a lime green color and just a regular 2 x 2 ribbing for the top, no the cable cast on. I have 2/3 of the first one done.

2. Widdershins: I have one completed and haven't started the next. Somehow they ended up way too big for my size 8 feet so I will gift them to my sister, maybe for Christmas, so no rush on them. I am using Brown Sheep's Wildefoot in Vinca Minor, a very pretty pure purple color on size 2 dpns

3. Another pair of Horcrux in Sockotta, a blue/gray/purple colorway, for myself. Boy am I being selfish with the socks for myself lately, huh? They are only 1/3 of the way done on first sock, again on #2 dpns.

4. A set of baby bibs using Sugar and Cream cotton for my cousin's little girl, very cute, simple construction, will post pic when they are done.

5. The Zodiac sleepsack that is in the current edition of Knitty. I am doing this without the zodiac symbol though so just plain sugarplum lavendar Cotton-ease. I am all done except for applying the I-cord trim and attaching a zipper. I keep putting it off because it looks like I should have made the next size up based on baby's current inutero size. Oh well, someone I know will have a normal size baby someday

As always, I also have a dishcloth on the needles, so easy to do especially when tired in front of TV and I fall asleep with the needles and yarn in hand (yep, it happens ALL the time lately). Just finished the mid-June KAL from MonthlyDishclothKAL yahoo group. I also joined Dish Rag Tag. It seems like it's going to be a fun race/swap thing.

that's about it for now.....as soon as I download more photos, I will post a couple finished objects.

Backwards Bag

2007-06-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

This is a string/mesh bag that I knit while the yahoo Knittingparents group was doing a KAL...the pattern I used can be found here. I say it is backwards because I didn't realize until after I gave it to my MIL for mother's day that I had seamed it together with the wrong sides facing, not that the seams are that noticeable due to the mesh pattern, so she just kept the right side out anyway, but I think this picture is of the wrong side out....oh well...I used Peaches and Cream cotton yarn in a country blue color and kept the original cast on number of 45 stitches instead of 35 like she suggests. It was a fairly quick knit even for me and I will probably do at least onee other for myself soon.

My first swap

2007-06-23T15:31:00.001-07:00

Even though I knit all the time and read tons of blogs and belong to a few yahoo KAL groups, I had never done a swap until this spring. It was the quarterly swap for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL group and it was so much fun....I will definitely do it again. Anyway, my very generous package came from Barbara in Tennessee. She included two soft dishcloths with a matching kitchen hand towel and som extra "twist" S&P yarn for me to use along with a sample of teas and little lotion for my knitting notions bag. I really like the colors (coral and cream) and they are nice large cloths for dishes.

More socks....

2007-06-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

These are from a Fiber Trends pattern, Butterflies and Blossoms, using Louet Gems fingering weight in a pretty aqua color. I used about 1 and 2/3 skeins on size 2 and 1/2 crystal palace dpns for size 8 women's feet. I liked doing these because it was really easy to make them the same size just by making sure I had the same number of repeats of the butterflies. I have decided though that lace socks don't look fabulous on my wide feet.

2007-06-23T15:16:00.001-07:00

These are a pair of socks for my hubby done in LB's Magic Stripe yarn in the Lumberjack colorway. They actually have a cool pattern in them, the Horcrux pattern from the SixSoxKAL group, but you can't see it at all in the picture. This took a full skein plus a bit extra from a second skein to make for his size 12 feet. Very warm socks.

A whole lotta stuff

2007-06-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

So I kind of dissappeared from this blog shortly after creating it but want to try and be much better at updating it. That being said, I have a whole bunch of photos of stuff I've knit in the last few months and now I am going to thrust it all into blog land. Here goes......

This is a set of felted pot holders I made for my MIL's birthday last november. They are from a pattern found in an issue of the UK mag Simply Knitting-September issue maybe? I used the Rowan Big Wool on size 17 needles. My front loader took a few extra cycles to get the felting but they seem to work wonderfully to protect her hands in the kitchen.

Sand man

2006-11-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Sand man
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Scoopin up the sand

Big world

2006-11-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

Big world
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Cannon Beach in late August/early September

Diva dude

2006-11-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Diva dude
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Posing on the bike

Cool Rider

2006-11-30T13:04:00.000-08:00

Cool Rider
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Cruisin in the living room amongst the mess of toys that is our daily existence

Relaxin

2006-11-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

Relaxin
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Chillin in his wagon

Crater Lake

2006-11-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

DSCN2221
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Explaining to us why he had to "play" with the tree. This was all about an hour before he fell face forward on a sharp lava rock and missed stabbing his eye by less than an millimeter.

Wizard Island

2006-11-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

DSCN2218
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

This is the munchkin playing with some sticks on Wizard Island at Crater Lake this past September.

M's halter top

2006-11-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

M's halter top
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

I made this little halter for a freind's baby girl. Very cute and easy, from the Katja pattern on knitty.com. I used the same cotton the pattern calls for and the same needles (I can't remember right now all the details and I am too lazy/busy? to go look). It's one of those things that is cute to make and might be wearable on a SUPER hot day where you have to put something on the baby, but really not that practical overall. Still fun to do though.

Fetching don't ya think

2006-11-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Fetching don't ya think
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

Fetching, from Knitty.com, done in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, in a dusky dark blue. Used exactly 1 whole skein for the set and I only did two rounds of the cableing (the pattern calls for three) so I would suggest 2 skeins just in case. Also, I used size 7 dpns instead of 6's. I should have done the 6's because these are a bit looser than I would've like. I'll know for next time.

Red scale sox

2006-11-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

Red scale sox
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

This is the Scale Skin Sox pattern from the SixSoxKAL group. I did them in Wildfoote Luxury Sock yarn in blue-blood red (Brown Sheep Yarn Co.) on size 2 dpn's. I started with Brittany Birches but after 3 broke I switched to Crystal Palace and they were much stronger needles in my opinion. One day I'll take a better picture that shows the "scales".

Munchkin in Hoodie

2006-11-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

DSCN2259
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

So here is the hooded tunic on the recipient, my munchkin. It fits very well with enough room to last through the winter, early spring and maybe even enough for next fall, we'll see.

Toddler Hooded Tunic

2006-11-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

hooded tunic
Originally uploaded by lagatomorada.

I completed this about a month ago. It is Big Mexico yarn (by Schoeller and Stahl? ) and it took me about 6 and 1/2 skeins on size 8 circulars. The pattern is from Pure and Simple and is knit in the round from top down with a kitchener stitch to finish the hood. Went pretty fast for me, about a month of an hour or two in the evenings. I am really happy with the results. This is only the second sweater I've done and it's much better than the first.

Sunny Days, sweeping the clouds away......

2006-10-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Kermit the Frog

You scored 47% Organization, 55% abstract, and 69% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables.

First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.

Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.

Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.

You are mostly organized, both concrete and abstract, and more extroverted.

Here is why are you Kermit the Frog.

You are both somewhat organized. You have a good idea where you put things and you probably keep your place reasonably clean. You aren't totally obsessed with neatness though. Kermit is also reasonably tidy. He'll even dress up for interviews.

You both are sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract thinkers. Kermit spends a lot of his time as a reporter collecting facts, but he is also the author of the dreamy song "The Rainbow Connection." You have a good balance in your life. You know when to be logical at times, but you also aren't afraid to explore your dreams and desires... within limits of course.

You are both extroverts. Kermit gets along with everyone. Sure a few folks annoy him, but that's just because they are annoying. Kermit likes to meet new people when he does his job as a street reporter. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Kermit starred on Sesame Street years before The Muppet Show.

The other possible characters are

Oscar the Grouch

Big Bird

Snuffleupagus

Ernie

Elmo

Cookie Monster

Grover

The Count

Guy Smiley

Bert

If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback! Also if you want to tell me your favorite Sesame Street character, I can total them up and post them here. Perhaps your choice will win!

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on Organization
You scored higher than 99% on concrete-abstra
You scored higher than 99% on intro-extrovert

Link: The Your SESAME STREET Persona Test written by greencowsgomoo on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test