The Poncho Is DONE!!!

I finished the poncho about 15 minutes ago, and my eyes are sure tired. I'm going to block it tomorrow, and post pictures after that. I tried it on, and I think it looks like a poncho should. Pretty good for my first unpatterned attempt at one.

Tomorrow will also mark the start of the booties, but for now, I really have to go to bed. More details tomorrow.

A Perfect Description

Don't you love those quizes that are somewhat flattering?


You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can't imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

Don't Make Fun Of My Poncho

I mentioned before that Stu (my fiance) makes fun of my poncho obsession, and apparently my brother Mike shares the same views. Last night, the two of them were having a conversation on MSN Messenger, and of course the poncho thing came up after my brother checked my blog. Here's how it went:

mike says:
where exactly do u wear a poncho?

Stu says:
Mexico

This is the attitude I have to deal with. I actually found this little bit of the conversation VERY funny. For those who like ponchos, we simply roll our eyes, those who don't, agree.

I find people's different takes on fashion trends very interesting. I am looking forward to wearing my first poncho, since I wasn't around the first time they were "in".

Curious Cat Pic, Etc...

For those of you who have been wondering where the cat has been, he's been sleeping, but when I was taking pics of the new loot, he was curious...




Oh, and the other good news I almost forgot... I finally did my first annotated bibliography entry for my Virginia Woolf course. Yay me!!

That was way too much blogging for one sitting. I promise not to do anything exciting tomorrow.

The Best For Last...I Guess It's First For You :)

After going to Chapters, but before my yarn excursion, I headed into Kitsilano, to pick up some beads to make little beaded label type things for when I am knitting. On the poncho, I have to increase every second row, and I haven't been able to keep very good track, so I have been using little pieces of paper that either say increase, or straight(for when I have no increases to make). The theory behind having the "straight" one is that I won't just forget to move the label in front of me, and assume that I don't have to increase, when I actually do. I hope that makes sense.

I actually made these little baubles at the bead store---

Their in a tiny baggie, if that gives you any idea of size. They were hella expensive to make, but I used those lucky Chinese beads, so maybe that will bring my good knitting luck.

They are absoloutely toooooo cute in person. I think that they might be one of the coolest things I've ever made.

I'm thinking about trying my hand at some stitch markers.

PS. "STR" is for straight.

I was thinking about putting a loop at the end so I could hang it on my needles. I'm way to brain dead today to figure out logistics, though.

Baby Blue Update

I have decided to scrap the yellow merino wool hat. It just isn't knitting up into a hat very nicely. And it's really frustrating. I think it might make some good socks, or legwarmers, maybe?

I had to go out to Chapters to return a book today, since when I got home from buying it in the first place, I found it on the Chapters website for $20 instead of $30 (which I paid at their store). So, I decided I would return it, and re-examine buying it at a later date.

I decided that I had to go to another great yarn store in Vancouver (there really aren't that many), called Homecraft Importers. They're usually pretty hit or miss, but I gave them a try anyway, to see if they had any suggestions about what to make for Baby Blue. They did...and that's when today got more expensive.

This it getting kind of embarrassing. I'm not used to other people knowing exactly how much yarn I buy. It's a sickness I tell ya! A sickness!! Oh well, it's too nice to hold against me (not literally).

I have it really well justified though... I deserve this yarn because:

1) I didn't allow myself to buy yarn for about 3 weeks in June (it was supposed to be til the end of summer).

2) I got good grades that I could have worked really hard for.

3) I don't know when the next baby will be, so I should shower this one with gifts.

4) I got exercise from walking from the bead store to the yarn store.

5) My Visa's not due til October.

6) I've recently started to actually use my hoarded yarn.

7) I returned that book at chapters, so that $30 is "bonus money".


Etc, etc, etc.... You can see how I end up with so much yarn.

Oh, and of course, I needed to buy a booty pattern, and I didn't have the right size of double pointed needles at home. I love new knitting related stuff. It always feels like Christmas when I come home from a yarn store, even if I only buy one thing.

My bootie---

Isn't it beautiful! The yarn is actually more of a periwinkle blue that the pic shows.

Wow!! There's A Lot Going On Today!

There have been actual events occuring today. Well, for me anyway. I now have two of my three grades in, and I got an A- in Intro to Publishing at SFU. I also got a B in Literature of B.C.. I was really excited about that, because I put no effort in. That's not totally true, I put effort into knitting a cardigan while I should have been studying, and all I actually did for the final exam was make sure I knew all the titles and authors. I am EXTREMELY lucky! My student friends hate me for it. I hope my luck doesn't run out before I'm done school, 'cause I'd be screwed (4 courses to go!).

I have an update on my poncho progress, even though I didn't spend much time knitting today (maybe 30min this morning).

I was out galavanting! I have lots of good pics, so I'm gonna post them seperately. For now, here's the poncho---

New Yarn Today

I had to go down to A Touch Of Wool today to get some longer 5mm circular needles for the poncho, and I found some really nice yarn while I was there. Actually, I found lots of nice yarn, but this is all I came home with. It's 60% Wool, and 30% Acrylic. I am going to make a scarf for myself, since I've made one for everyone else already. As you can see by the price tag I failed to take off, it's fairly expensive, but I only need two balls, so it won't be that bad. I just have to find a pattern I like now. That is always difficult.

I've felt like total crap today, dizzy/upset stomach, but I'm still working away on the poncho. It's much easier now that I have a longer needle, but I didn't feel like I made enough progress to take a picture. Hopefully tomorrow. I'm going to knit until I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

I found a really cool site today, it has nothing to do with knitting, but it's still cool. You can design your own doll. I had way to much fun with it! I guess it's the little girl inside me bursting out. It doesn't happen very often, but I love things like this. To make your own doll, go to Doll Maker.

Now the cat is in my arms and purring loudly (he sounds a bit like a motor boat). I bet he's hungry, he's always very affectionate and loving when he wants to be fed. Okay, I can't handle typing with one hand anymore. Bye for now. Kitty says, "Purrrrrrr".

Good Poncho Progress

I knit, and knit, and knit yesterday, and made excellent progress. I am knitting from the neck down, and the lacey looking decorative pattern will be front and center when it is completed. I created that look by dividing the number of stitches in two, and at the 2 "ends" I increase 1(M1), k1, increase 1(M1). WOW, do the stitch markers ever make things easier (it's my first time using them). Oh yeah, every row or two is an increase row. Like I said before, I'm winging it!! Wish me luck. Hopefully I will get enough done today that I will have more good pics tomorrow. I really need a longer circular needle, things are pretty cramped.

I'm supposed to be reading a bunch of Virginia Woolf, but I really don' t feel like it, and I would much rather knit. I can't wait until I am not a student anymore. Life will be good. I'll read nothing but patterns, and brain candy. I think I'm just feeling bitter, since I have 5 Virginia Woolf novels to read in the next week (I was supposed to be done already).

I get so much knitting done when I'm procrastinating!

I Think This Is The Start Of A Beautiful Poncho...

I finally decided to stop just talking about knitting a poncho and just do it! I have 10 balls of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Safari green. It is actually very pretty, and I think the color will go perfectly with a dark pair of jeans.

I couldn't find the "perfect" pattern, so I am, once again, winging it. Although, it is loosely based on "That 70's Poncho" from Stitch 'N Bitch Nation.

Since this is my first "real" creation, from scratch with no pattern, I have decided to document this poncho's progress very frequently, so I will have a good record of my progress and accomplishments.

Day one was yesterday, and the first picture began with my cast on row. What better place to start than with casting on.

Great Quiz

I found this great quiz, and it's quite funny, because my personality apparently reflects merino wool, which just happens to be my absolute favorite wool EVER!!! I don't know why this is such good news. Oh well, gotta love the simple things. Take the quiz to find out what kind of yarn you are.




You are Merino Wool.
You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Baby Blue Hat

About 8 months ago, I was saying to Stu that it was too bad that no one we knew was having babies, because baby stuff is easier to knit, because it's smaller. Well, my wish was granted, and my brother and sister-in-law are expecting their fourth baby in December!! I decided on a hat, but couldn't find a pattern that I liked, so I am winging it. So far, everything is going very well, and wow, does this yarn photograph well.

I'm using 100% merino wool that I got from Birkeland Bros. Wool on Main Street. We don't know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, hence the yellow.

I knew that I wanted the rim to roll up slightly, so I began in Stokinette stitch, and decided to throw in random purl rows for some texture. This is a super easy hat to knit, and it is going so quickly. I think I might make some cute little yellow socks to go with the hat. More pictures to come as I progress.

I think I might take a small break to start on a poncho for myself. I am totally poncho obsessed. I think it was from Carrie wearing them on King of Queens last year. They looked so great on her. I have been in search of the perfect poncho pattern, but no luck yet. I think I'll have to improvise. Everytime I mention anything about a poncho, Stu laughs at me (which is quite frequent). I've definately got ponchos on the brain!!

Me!!!

Me!!!,
originally uploaded by Eord.

Here's a picture of me on vacation earlier this week. Howe Sound, baby, YEAH!!!!

Blocking...Yes, Still.

I was under the impression that blocking was a 24 hour process! I made sure to get as much water as I could out of the cardigan before I shaped it, but still, it's been sitting on a towel (this is towel #2, since I changed for a dryer one last night) since Wednesday evening. Just to be clear here, it sat for Wednesday night, all day Thursday, and it is now Friday morning...and it's still not totally dry. Unfortunately, it IS dry enough for the cat to want to make a bed out of it, so he sits there, beside it, and tries to tear stitches up!! Sometimes he makes me furious!

Here's a funny buttonhole story...

I am using a pattern that called for much bigger yarn than I was using. I figured out the proper ratios right away, and everything went very smoothly(except for some confusion over an increase row, but I figured it out eventually). My last knitting step in this cardigan was to put a band running down the front of the sweater, and to make this band contain button holes. My one minor alteration was to move the top buttonhole a little higher up on the neckline. I divided up the stitches, and figured out that I needed to add a buttonhole every 17 stitches to end up with 6 buttonholes. Now, I guess I must have mistakenly divided my total number of stitches by 7 or something, because, after I was done the buttonhole strip, I decided to count my buttonholes, and to my dismay, there were now 7 holes.

This little accident would not have been a very big deal, but I had already bought the buttons from Fabricana, and I happened to buy their last 6 of this design!! I am going to see if they will order some more in for me. I've checked the internet, and haven't been able to find any. The only problem with going to Fabricana, is that I will have to convince Stu to drive me to Richmond, not one, but two times, since, after ordering, I will have to go get the buttons once they are in.

I've never tried sewing buttons on with yarn before. I have however tried with thread, and I suck at it!! You can tell I've just sewn a button on, because I will be the one with the missing button!! I guess I'll just take it slow and do my best.

With the rate my cardigan is drying, I may never have to worry about adding buttons.

Final Exam Update

I totally forgot, I was going to do an update on how my final exam went on Sunday. It actually went pretty well. When I got in there, I knew all of the passage identifiying questions, even though I only needed to know 4, of the 6. These questions were weird though, because usually questions like these say to only write one short paragraph, but with these questions, it said to write 2-3 well developed paragraphs. Now, when one paragraph is expected, I usually have about 3 paragraphs of stuff to say, but I think the 2-3 paragraph requirement threw me off. I still managed to get about three paragraphs for each question.



The second half of the exam consisted of two essays. Now, when they say short essays, I have no idea what they are talking about!! I just started writing, and didn't stop until I was out of paper. We were given two booklets for the entire exam, the first was used on identifying passages. In the second booklet, I wrote quite small, and still double spaced for the first few pages, but then I realized there would be no way to finish writing with only one booklet, so I switched to single spacing.



In the essay questions, I know I came up with some really good and original points. I am kind of curious how my prof will take my analysis of Mr. MacDowell in Moo, by Sally Clark, considering I said he acted more like a limp fish, than a father. (Yes, those were my exact words).



I am just awaiting the grade. I checked my grades yesterday when I got home, and my prof had posted my last two marks (for two papers: one submitted a month ago, and one submitted about three weeks ago, tsk tsk). I got 74% on the second to last one, but it was only worth 10% anyway, and I got 84% on the last one, and it was worth 20%, so that's really good.

Blocking My Cardigan

I finished the cardigan while on vacation, and just finished weaving in the ends today. I got home, and began my first attempt EVER at blocking a piece of knitting. I had my handy Stitch 'N Bitch book to guide me through the process. It was really helpful, and I don't know if I could have done it without it.

I didn't really think things through though, since once you lay it out, it's supposed to be left alone to dry for 24 hrs. Silly me, I decided to put it on my bed. It's gonna have to be moved pretty soon.

Every time I walk into my bedroom, I have this feeling that the cat is going to be sleeping on it! He hasn't yet, but he likes doing that sort of thing.

More about the cat's first trip to the island tomorrow. I'm just too tired to do it justice tonight. I think a cuppa tea is in order for now.

School

Tomorrow is my last final exam of the semester. I know, I know, it's a Sunday, and NO, I don't know why they make us write them then.

I'm in fourth year, and have 12 credits to go. I always get A's and B's but for some reason, I have no confidence in my writing. Come to think of it, I have basically no confidence in anything that I do. Ok, that's something I maybe should work on!!

Stu's Selling His Car Pic

Stu's Selling His Car Pic,
originally uploaded by Eord.

Stu is finally going to sell his car...Although, he has yet to advertise it. I guess we'll see.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Cardigan Pictures

As promised, here is a picture of my current knitting project. The picture is a bit blurry, but since I don't plan on being a surgeon, I think I'll get by.

The pattern is Fairly Easy Fair Isle, from Stitch 'N Bitch Nation, by Debbie Stoller, minus the fair isle part. I have used Rowan All Seasons Cotton that I purchased through ebay from a very nice seller in the UK. I would highly recommend her.

The sleeves are attached, but I have not stitched them up yet, so they are really just flat pieces, and have big holes where the armpits are. Now I must go knit!!

The Weirdest Thing Happened...

The strangest thing just happened to Stu and me. I spent most of the afternoon at my parents' house, after my mom's phone call to me this morning to inform me that my school books for the fall had arrived with the mail. She also reminded me that it was my grandad's birthday today (he's 82, ya know).

I left my parents around 3:20, and headed off to pick up sushi for an early dinner from Sushi King House (it's the best!!!). Around 4 ish we got to eating, and after our meal, we were hanging out on the futon, watching tv and relaxing when my mom called me at 5:40pm. She told us that my grandparents had stopped by, and that we should come over for cake if we wanted. Not wanting to pass up good cake, we peeled ourselves off of the couch, and drove to their house.

We came up the stairs and my mom was standing there. I asked her where grandad was, and she said "They just left." I was like, what? I thought we were having cake. She said that my grandma started getting angry that my dad had been working on the neighbour's fence, when he had not finished remodeling her kitchen. I wouldn't want to remodel it either, with her standing over me yelling in my face... So then my grandad, a very nice man, says to my mom, "I think we better go." She said to him"Chrissy and Stu are on their way over, and Mike (my brother), will be back in a minute, he has just gone to get your birthday cake." (from the most expensive, and best bakery in town, Sweet Obsession on 16th Avenue. So then my mom says the same thing, and my grandma's response, in perfect "my grandma" form, snaps, "We HAVE a cake at home," and proceeds to leave.

Little did Stu and I know, they had just gotten in their car when we pulled up, so we missed them completely!! I was hoping to say happy birthday to my grandad. All I can say is LUCKY US!!!!! We are very fortunate that we did not walk right into that shit storm.

We had cake anyway, and it was really good.

With all of the impromptu cake having, I haven't ended up knitting tonight like I had planned. I actually was just about to start it when my mom called.

I'm Crunk, Are U?

Important self discovery test of the day:




crazy + funk = crunk
eg: yo thos beatz were crunk

The Sweater, and Other Happenings, Mostly the Latter

I've got a final exam coming up on Sunday for Modern Canadian Theatre. I think I'm prepared, but I could spend all day, every day and still not be sure. I guess that's the joy of a final!! Avoidance works best.

I'm still waiting on grades for Lit. of British Columbia, and The Publishing Process (which was a really good course, very interesting, and very informative). I hope they come in soon, cuz I keep panicking and thinking that I must of really bombed them. Hopefully by Monday at the latest.

I'm meeting my now former employer for lunch today. I used to walk her dog once a week, until they decided to "outsource my position, downsizing the company, and laying me off", in other words, they've decided to go with a company, because I'm not available enough. It's best for both parties. They'll probably get better rates, and more availability, and I'll have more time to spend on school, and knitting. Also, I won't have to trek all the way across town once a week. At $4 for bus fare, an hour there an hour back, and two hrs with the dog, I was making $4 an hour. Like I said, it's for the best.

I have attached arms to my knitted sweater, and I hope to put some pictures up today. I've never done arms, but they look like they are supposed to, so that's a small personal victory!

Painting Til Midnight

Stu and I were helping paint our friend Carol's new apartment until about midnight last night. It was lots of fun, but we're a little tired today. Still thinking of going to help out again today, though. It was nice to see the bright orange covered by primer, not to mention the cover-up of the salmon pink bathroom. I'm actually surprisingly good with a roller, and I even enjoy it!!

I made a blackberry pie for Stu's Uncle Alex's birthday dinner. Freshly picked blackberries from the Fraser River Park. This year is the first year I have been able to make good pies, and I'm told that I should continue to make them.

I didn't get much knitting done yesterday, with all the excitement, and I don't think I'll get much done today...I really want to finish my purple cardigan soon, since I've already picked up the yarn for my next project. I am going to do a baby hat in yellow merino wool for my brother and sister-in-law who are expecting in December. I'm going to use 2.5mm circular needles, and I have to admit, they are the cutest little needles I have ever seen. It's kinda funny, with all the things that are drastically wrong with my life, the thing I wish for most often is being able to knit really really fast. Funny, huh?

So, around 1am this morning, I started on the second to last play I have to read for a modern Canadian theatre class I am taking, and I write the exam on the 15th of August. I got up this morning and have already finished it!! So that means I don't have to do any more school today, unless I want to. Maybe some painting, maybe some knitting, sounds like a pretty good Saturday. I may even spend some time with Stu, if I can ever get him to leave his online pool games!

Kitty Cat

This is my sweet, yet very angry, little flower pot. He is still nameless.

Blog Again, Off Again

Well, this is attempt #3, or possibly #4 at creating a blog. I haven't been able to keep enough interest in writing. I hope this time will be different. Everyone will be able to read my lame thoughts about school, knitting, crocheting, my strange cat, and the disaster that I call a relationship.