Yet Another FO

First, there are quite a few shawl recommendations, huh? Well, the bride is still keeping watch, but appears to have chosen one. And NONE of you have chosen the pattern! How did this happen? Well, the bride followed a link, saw a bunch of patterns in one spot and she fell hard. Yup, a non-knitter fell in love with a shawl pattern...
So, the contest is still on until Friday. And if you can guess which shawl it is, you will win the prize. A few hints:
It's rectangular
It's not-winter-y

FO alert!!!

Yarn: RY Cashsoft (wool/microfiber/cashmere) Aran

Color:SH005, 2.5 balls

Needles: Bamboo US 10 1/2

Pattern: something I saw somewhere in a book or blog. Very simple lace repeat.

That's all for now... off to wind some cotton for a new bag for another kiddo. :)

More tomorrow when I have more time.

_Mini

Cats, Puppets and Cute.

Just when I start to think: damn, baby sweaters can't get any cuter, something new comes along. Some of you may know, I am not usually a fan of knitted "things" (like knitted flowers, knitted teacups, etc...) , they are just not my bag, if you know what I mean. But, this project from Anny at AnnyPurls blew me away. Immediate thought: perfect little presents for wee people who are not babies but currently difficult to size: the toddler.

I present: Buddy Bag in Purple, for Abby
















Starring: Bunny, "Abby" and the Bee















Shown at the Jelly Bean theater!
















Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic (1 skein of each purple, a little yellow and leftovers)
Needles: US 6
New Skills: Picot hem
Time: 7 hours total.
Cuteness factor: 12!!!

And b/c I was at the Harlot signing in Burlington last night and was telling Lucia about my nutso cat, here are more photos. (more about the signing tomorrow).
















Being cute and begging to learn to knit














Attacking PC b/c he said she couldn't have her own yarn stash....

Lace-Shawl Knitters....I need you!

So, I might have mentioned that my two best friends are getting married? Not to each other, about a year apart. One of them is getting married this winter. She has purchased a gorgeous dress... white with pink crystal flowers... very elegant, very ... her. Y'know? Since she is to be a December bride, she's going to be cold. She and I were talking about fur wraps, etc... and I thought: white cashmere shawl with pale pink Swarovski beads. Now, here's what i need from YOU:

1) favorite lace pattern (triangle or rectangle)
2) favorite lace yarn
3) best advice for starting a lace shawl.

I'll be adding beads to the shawl as I knit...probably along the border, so if you have a lace shawl pattern with that: bonus points.

Oh... did I mention?? Whichever pattern the bride chooses, you will win a PRIZE. Your own skein of laceweight yarn. (multiple comments on the same pattern: Pumpkin will draw a name). Enter by the end of next week, August 10th by leaving a comment on this post.

May the best shawl win!

:) Mini
PS- off to see the harlot tonight! oh, and the CUTEST knitting project ever will be posted here tomorrow.

Burlington MA

Hey all....
Anyone want to meet up before the YarnHarlot signing at Borders in Burlington this week? Drop me a line at kskaare (at) gmail (dot) com. It starts around 7, but since I work down the street, I was thinking of heading over early and grabbing some coffee/dinner pre-harlot. :)

:) Mini

Mind over Matter

So, it's my gallbladder. Nothing to take out, worry about, etc... just yet. I have to eat a more controlled diet and keep an eye out for more symptoms. Did you know it can totally mirror a heart attack???

Thanks for all the well wishes... they helped. I spent Monday sleeping, Tuesday at my personal physician and today... i'm off to Good Harbor with PC for a little R&R ( this was a scheduled day off). I even saw Juliette Lewis and her band open for Chris Cornell last night in Boston. PC is a HUGE Chris Cornell fan (man-crush, I say) and we've had the tix forever. I sat through most of it, but he rocked... he always does. Give some props to PC for taking such good care of me these past few days... he truly is a great man.

Be back with some knitting soon... maid-of-honor dresses, tennis lessons, long-lost friends in town.... oh, and a family reunion and a wedding this weekend... VERY. BUSY. MINI.

:)

Happy Thoughts Wanted Here!

I'm here. I'm on the couch... with Harry Potter and PC's gray sweater. I am chillin' out for the day b/c of an "episode" last night....it involved me in the ER for 4 hours and chest pain and hyperventilating.

A panic attack?
Maybe.
A heart attack?
No.
Lung problems?
No.

Diagnosis: chest wall pain.
I'm taking Motrin and sleeping. The hyperventilating caused a migraine and that was the death of me last night. So, I am here, at home... it's dreary out... and I just want to knit and sleep.

More tomorrow when I have more energy. I get sharp pains when I even pick up the cat...

:)Kate

NSV! NSV!

Last night I did something I have never done before:

I watched someone turn into a bride.

Stunning, breathtaking, amazing....

On the knitting front: you all know a LOT about short row heels! I am taking all your advice as a I start a heel tonight. Here are the last pair I made--- Skeintily Clad yarn. Honestly, this yarn looked better in the skein. I usually don't mind pooling,but these are pretty well-pooled. But, the other skein (current socks in progress) were ugly in the skein and are turning out lovely. Go figure.

Speaking of my figure, I had what Weight Watchers calls a few non-scale victories:

1. current pants fall down

2. current underwear follows pants

3., skirt that didn't fit in January, is part of a very nice outfit today!

Houston, We have a problem

Yeah... I'm working short row heels for the socks I am working on now and I am having a problem:
holes.

I have googled and followed directions. Oh, and the sewn bind off--- looks like ass. All wobbly. I am doing the socks toe-up b/c they are for my mom (she picked out the yarn--- it's from Skeintily Clad) and I want her to have super yummy warm socks.

Anyone have a drop-dead-perfect-no-holes-short-row-heel and a stretchy bind off that might help me?

Photos tomorrow, I hope... tonight is a fun night: best friend #1 ( i have two, they are BOTH getting married, and I am the Maid-of-Honor in BOTH weddings) is trying on wedding gowns tonight. I have a digital camera, notebook and knitting with me. :) It could be a long night.

:) MINI
PS_ anyone heading up to SPA this winter?? I'm going to start calling around on Saturday for a hotel... anyone from the Boston area want to carpool in February?

When Life Gives You Lemons...

The knitting community really knows how to make lemonade! In fact, it knows a lot of recipes. All of the suggestions and words of encouragement have been great... thank you. Also, one of you tried to kill PC.... time for a baby, eh? Ha ha ha. Yes, the clock's ticking, but we are successfully "snoozing" until the next big alarm (post-wedding someday).

(just like on CNN!)

How about some vacation photos?

Pandas Sleep. That's it. they sleep. this is the Baby!

DC United Fans SING ALOT! Even in the bathroom....

Retirement plan: make enough money to retire in Georgetown.

Pumpkin is trying to stow-away for the next trip!

Actual knitting photos tomorrow.

Woot.

Woot. Yeah, that’s my complete level of emotion right now. I am stressed and tired and cranky and aren’t you glad PC lives with me and not you?

Thought so.

PC is dealing with something even more turbulent than the oh-my-god-it’s-summer Mini (summer, especially July, throws off my inner clock and I need more sleep, less “stuff” in my life and a little more space. I am very very frustrating in July): it’s mid-life crisis Mini. I’m in my chosen field, doing a nice job for good money and I am miserable. I hate walking through that door each day. Every morning, I sit for just a little bit longer in my car, with it running, wondering… what if I just didn’t. “Didn’t” what? Didn’t go in? Didn’t sit down? Didn’t log on? My chosen profession is a remarkable profession for Type A personalities (not one!) who have real focus and drive. They are married to their jobs, sacrifice relationships, families and social lives for the “goal.” Me? I run out the door at 4pm. Every.Day. I do my work as fast and as well as possible. I sit here all day, wondering what it would be like to have a job I loved. I think a huge part of it is that the mystery of my field is gone.

Some big changes have occurred around me: a friend left a similar field and went to teach. Another friend cross country did the same. Other friends and colleagues are moving up the corporate ladder and settling down with new homes and families.

Me? I’m still struggling to figure it all out. Kids? Love them. Want them. Terrified of being a horrible mom. Terrified of trying to figure out how to pay for daycare. Work? Hate it. Want to change. Love the idea of an academic schedule, but see myself with college kids, not high school level. Not sure if I want to teach… but like the idea of working with students. On top of it all? Worried about money. My current field pays well… can we really live without it? Worried about making the wrong move to the wrong profession (again).

Any ideas for someone who is:

Friendly

Social

Organized

Technical

Intelligent

Creative

Engaging

Inquisitive

Any and all advice considered.
Now you know why I am knitting socks. My brain just can’t handle anything else right now. ;)

Call me Venus (or Serena!)

Holy Moley! Has it really been this long since I posted? And even this post is a drive by... Summer bloggin' disease, me thinks. :) To assuage any concerns:
1. I have been knitting, but in Boston... it's been muggy and well, muggy hands and any sort of fiber past time-- not always a great idea.
2. I have a new love. Yup. Sorry. I am completely and 100% hooked and PC approves. Of course, two nights a week, I blow through the door, toss something in the oven and run out to meet my "other love", but he's learning to deal with our newly open relationship. :) Open, like the French Open, the US Open... here's my newest love:
















yes, I have put down the needles ever so slightly to get my huge ass onto a tennis court two nights a week. Now, a few things about me playing tennis: 1) I am not a "small" or "athletically" built individual. I have talked about my weight issues in the past. You know. So, this is the FIRST time I have enjoyed playing a sport. #2, Dude... I kill the ball. The whole game makes sense. The movement, the footwork. I sweat buckets, but if it's 99 deg F and 100% humidity, I am out there, swinging away and working as hard as I can to beat the pants off our instructors. PC is LOVING my tennis addiction ( even though he doesn't play)--- b/c I am challenging myself and starting to have something new in my life: competition. I used to be all "everyone is great, just a friendly game...." NO.More. Miss-Nice-Guy.

Why tennis? It made sense... I played in high school (we were required) and I liked the idea of it. And, I wanted to get more active. I hate the gym... something about being a so gerbil-like on those machines... I always join and quit. My nutritionist told me that if you aren't a gym-rat by the time you are 30, you are much less likely to ever really be one. She encouraged me to find a sport... and find one I did! And, playing 2-3 times per week has boosted my losses at WW also. 9 lbs in 3 weeks. A lot more to go, but instead of looking at it that way, I have small, 20lb goals. :) So, my local Park Dept runs a program and I signed up. Now, sit down. I have been keeping something from you. I have been playing since late April. Yeah. All those late nights? Sorry--- I was swinging away instead of casting on.

There is also another love in my life:




Viva la Revolution!










PC is 200% excited about this... he LOVES soccer and I am finally enjoying being a spectator at a sporting event! I don't even knit during the games! No, I scream and holler and yell at referees. I own 1 Revs t-shirt and 1 Revs sweatshirt. I yell "Ole, Ole..." and "goal!" and say things like "nice tackle" and "good save" and know terms like "corner kick" and "forming a wall". I know! Can you believe it?

So, that' s what I have been doing instead of knitting this summer. Oh, there has been knitting... PC and I have two air conditioned rooms, after all. Socks, socks and more socks. Photos this week... and of course, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled blogging soon enough also. :)

Sweet home... massachusetts?

Home. It's a nice word, but it means so many things to different people. My 'home' is actually three places: my parent's house on the North Shore, a small pond near Sunapee NH, and anywhere I am in PC's arms. Our apartment is 'home' for now... someday, there will be another 'home'.

We finally got home from DC late afternoon on Monday. What a wonderful trip... I have tons of photos (need to upload camera) and will be sharing them. Some knitting via Amtrak, but a lot of looking out the window and staring. FYI: Maryland has a lot of tunnels. Connecticut coastline is gorgeous. Amtrak goes through the ugliest part of Jersey.

Our arrival in DC was begun with the Amtrak police boarding our car to arrest someone while we were getting off the train. Then (in the same day), we saw a baby (18 mos?) left alone in a car with the windows down and not in a car seat. And did I mention the bomb in the post office yet? yeah, we ate dinner a little late b/c they needed to detonate a bomb under the restaurant (in the post office).

Now, time to eat a little crow. I have always thought Bostonians were kind people with very open liberal minds. Um. No. Nothing like the people of DC. We were asked over and over on the Metro if we needed help finding a stop or getting somewhere. And they were ready to provide real help! Our guest house was minimal but clean and comfortable... the people were very friendly. Overall, a great experience.

Tomorrow, there will be photos and such... and a knitting update on Josephine. :)

Later, gater....

:)Mini

Leavin' on a Jet Plane....

Well, actually no. No plane. A train! PC and I are off tomorrow for our little vacation to our nation's capital (and no, not the capital of Red Sox Nation... we already live there). A very early train will be carrying us from Boston through NYC and Philadelphia to DC.





I know... you are all thinking it... 8 hours of uninterrupted knitting. :)





I am downloading some audiobooks and bringing some socks-in-progress (and a new pattern, b/c well... c'mon, sometimes you need something new!) and have packed snacks. PC will be listening to music and staring out the window. He loves trains.





I haven't posted in forever. There is actually so much going on with packing and stuff and also some "mid life crisis at 29" kinda stuff. Like career reconsideration. That's a huge chunk of a lot of stuff--- I am trying to figure out what my path in life is, career wise, and am facing the idea that while I may love science, the lab may not love me. On top of all of this, PC's landed in the ER (minor) and we've both been sneezing our way to sleep....





Pumpkin is at her "grandparents" for a few days (easier than leaving her here with someone coming in).... and I miss her terribly.



Ok, I miss her sitting on the tv less.













Onto the knitting!

Josephine tank top... LOVE IT.

Yarn: lime green cotton/silk blend.

50% done with back

Socks! FO!!!
I think this is the Westport Wave pattern by Jean Townsend....

Yarn: Lisa Souza Sock! in SKy Dreams.







See you when we get back!

I wish I were a swimming frog....

had a family baby shower on Sunday for a favorite cousin, so I made her some onesies and a sweater for the baby. I had found a tutorial online (somewhere) on how to use the heat-n-bond and then I simply zigzagged around the fabric. too cute!










Pattern: Ericka Knight's Raglan from Knitting for two
Yarn: Cotton Ease, Cherry
Needles: US6
Started: 5/19/07-05/19/07
















































Tomorrow: a meme, progress on the shawl and a new knitting project for me!

TAG! I'm "IT"!

Jean from Golden Purl tagged me for this meme....

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write on their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

1. I could live my entire life only eating popcorn and Freeze Pops.
2. My parents had to have a VERY important meeting regarding my development with my first grade teacher. We were asked to draw our beds at home (learning to spell) and I drew a crib. Because I still slept in one. Several reasons: 1) I shared a room with my brothers and there wasn't any room for another "real bed" and 2) I fell out of bed a LOT. My maternal grandmother (4'11") was convinced this is the reason I am short.
3. When I was 3, I took my first IQ assessment. When I was 4, I was reading chapter books.
4. I talk to myself. Alot. I also talk to the cat.
5. When the car dealer told me to "start the car" on my first ever new car test drive, I opened the hood and got out. My dad was laughing so hard, he was crying. My car at the time required you to open the butterfly clip in the choke manually to start it... I had a screwdriver in my purse for this purpose only.
6. My grandmother met PC before my parents did.
7. I have spoken to my mom everyday for my entire life. I spoke to my grandmother everyday up until she passed away. I'm very proud of this.

I tag: Jenn, Jan, Deb, Jane, Karen, heatherly, and beth.

Cover-Up

Yup, I need a Cover-Up post b/c I have no new knitting to show you. *sigh* I'm in a knitting funk. I have been knitting on my shawl, but I need to intersperse that with some sock knitting... Ah, it's even boring to talk about. And I have stuff to mail to people. And the Dale baby sweater is 1) not finished and 2) about a size too big even though I got gauge. Huh. I'll send it up after the baby comes. I got time. :)

So, in a LAME attempt to cover-up my non-knitting, I present a recipe from the Mom's Day Brunch I hosted on Sunday.

White Trash Quiche:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
pinch salt
1 ham steak, cubed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 bag of Tater Tots - defrosted

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Place 1/2 of the defrosted tater tots in a pie dish ( i like 9 inch)-- press into the bottom and sides, squishing the tater tots in to a crust. I decorate around the edge with "full tater tots"-- makes it look even more "white trash". Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt until fluffy. Add the ham and cheese to the pie dish. Pour egg mixture over the ham and cheese. Bake at 350 deg F for 35-40 minutes.

Actually: delicious. And I've made it with turkey bacon and egg beaters and had it come out WW friendly. :)

Hope this distracted you... Maybe by the end of the week, I'll be on my game. I think I need some cheerleaders so, SHOW ME SOME LOVE! :)

need to make some FOs

remember that pretty silk shawl I was knitting? yeah... that one. Well, I need to bust out the knitting maths and my scale and send a few emails to the designer--- I need this to be an FO, but I need it to be soon!

that's it. knitting and stuff later this weekend--- 12+ people at my 1br apt this Sunday for Mom's Day.

:) Mini

Bloomin' Again!

My SECOND pair of Bloomin' Feet arrived! My pal was none other than Canknitian! She sent me a lovely pair of socks with the coolest pattern. LOVE THEM!















Don't they look great?














And the rest of the package? A CD (which I"ll pop in the car today) and some yarn (Regia in the NEw Brunswick colorway!) and some yummy snacks (yup: gone!) and this.is.awesome. A WIZARD OF OZ book! It's really cool and has some emerald green lenses for you to use while you are in the Emerald City... did you know that about the original story-- wearing green lenses was part of the illusion of an emerald colored city.














Here's the yarn (what you all come here for!)--- I might be casting on for some socks for the ride to DC next month. Imagine your vacation starting with 8 hours of uninterrupted knitting time...

Pumpkin's ready for camping season... are you? Almost time to air out the tent and check the supplies...





(yeah, it's a cat-warming mat, but she likes it better as a tent, so we make her a tent)

babies!

Thanks for all the great comments on my socks and the recipe-- I hope everyone who tried it loved it. There are some changes going on around Casa de Mini y PC--- good changes. Tonight, I have my first tennis lesson. Hooray! I am so excited! I have always loved playing and cannot wait to get back on the court. I am hoping some lessons will motivate me to get out more often. I'm also trying to get back into my Pilates/power walk routine. Add that with some healthier meals--- and we'll have some healthy people around here!

But, you are here for knitting. Here's one of the baby sweaters: the Transformer sweater. A friend of PC's is a robot-toy fanatic, and since his wife is expecting: voila! baby transformer sweater in genderless colors. I duplicate stitched the entire thing! Much easier than intarsia, but still hard to keep track of the rows. I would do it again.


Base Pattern:
Baby Raglan from Ericka Knight's
Knitting for Two

Yarn:
CottonEase in Cherry and Blueberry

Needles:
US6




Next up: modified Yoda Sweater for a friend. I love the buttons on this one:














And b/c I am crazy-- I started a baby Dale for a cousin whose shower is the 20th of May--- think I'll make it??

<


about 2 motifs left in the body....

Breakfast of Champions

Anyone who really knows me knows I hate cereal. Yup, I might be the only person on the planet who actually hates cereal, but hey--- it's my tummy, I'll feed it what it likes. What my tummy likes is oatmeal or porridge (steel cut oats with milk). Essentially, I like hot breakfast. PC is a granola fan. In the interest of keeping us a tad bit more on the trim side, I have been experimenting with creating a breakfast that is a) healthy and b) we'll both eat and c) that I don't have to get up any earlier to make. :) I think I found it:

(from Cooking Light... many moons ago, slightly modified)

1/2 cup water
2 cups fat free skim milk
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
4tbsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
3 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
2 handfuls almonds (we like the dry roasted, unsalted, whole ones)


Bring water to a boil in a med saucepan. Add milk and stir. Add rest of ingredients and stir well. Turn off heat, and cover saucepan. Let sit off the heat for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Makes 6 servings.

Try it. I know the couscous sounds weird, but let's look at it this way: this breakfast is loaded with fiber, protein, healthy oils (nuts) and some carbs for energy. I am eating 3/4 cup each morning and while i usually snack around 9am... I am not even hungry until lunch! I entered it at calorieking.com (PoorMissFinch turned me onto this) and it's only 300 calories per serving. Actually not bad for breakfast. Yes, I know some cereals are lower, but overall this cereal is very healthy and filling. Even PC says it fills him up... and that boy is always.hungry.

Have a great day and look tomorrow for some more photos--- baby sweaters and my first ever duplicate stitch!

:) Mini

Bloomin' Onion???

Nope! Bloomin' FEET!















My Bloomin' Feet package arrived from none other than Amanda*! Mrs. Clothesknit herself! ( i bow to the sainthood that is Mrs.Clothesknit--- adorable kids, super hubby, and she organizes the best.swaps.ever.). SO... the question of the week with the Bloomin' Feet group is "whaddya get?" I got S.P.O.I.L.E.D. rotten. :) And I am not complainin'! My socks (STR, Ruby Slippers colorway... pattern.... um, Amanda's?) fit PERFECT! Amanda--- I LOVE THEM. And yes, I was singing "I'm off to see the Wizard..." the entire photo shoot! (FYI: my all-time fave movie is the Wizard of Oz... )














And, besides being the uber-mom-knitter-wife-organizer-extraordinaire, Mrs.Clothesknit is *shh...her being from the bayou state... I think this is the kinda thing they whisper down there...*:
PSYCHIC.
Yup, I said it. She's got the gift, the "sight"... she must! How else would she have known that I was in my LYS on Thursday and Saturday trying to explain to them what one of those "bags you can clip to you? So your yarn doesn't get loose? Y'know... so I can take it to DC on the train and the yarn won't escape...." Yup. psychic.

Also in my lovely package (all wrapped in cool purple paper--- umm, ya... Pumpkin's claimed the paper.): one skein of Vesper Sock yarn in the "crew" colorway ( I remember seeing this somewhere, but have been droolin' over it since!), a Charlene Schurch Sensational Socks book (umm, so what if I have already started putting post-its with yarn from stash notes on the pages... many.many.many of these patterns will be knit this summer.) and chocolate. Oh... that Orange and Spice one is opened? Some might have been "tested" for quality before blogging about the positively orgasmic taste of this chocolate.

Amanda: thank you thank you thank you!















My pal was Phoebe at KnitHappened. :) She got her socks and they fit! I was so worried! Here they are all wrapped and ready to go. I was a little harried trying to get them out on time.

Specs:
Yarn: helloyarn, Rugby colorway
Needles: US0
Pattern: Jaywalkers :)

Happy Feet!
: )Mini


* my pal had some problems getting my bloomin' feet stuff together, so Amanda jumped in and sent me out a package. I am letting you all know right now, that this stuff happens--- situations change, people forget, etc. Please be nice in the comments b/c we've all had plans change quickly in our own lives.

PRIZES!

Ok, I TOTALLY screwed up and never posted the winner of the "find us a hotel" contest.

The Winner Is:
(insert dramatic drumroll here)

MEGAN.... who suggested that we stay at the Woodley Park Guest House.

(Pssst! megan! Over here... send me your email and snail mail for your prize!)

Thank you very much for the suggestion! We are on vacation in June and this was the perfect place for us: not too pricey, very homey and (muy importante!): NEXT TO THE ZOO. The #1 reason PC and I are planning a trip to DC is to see the Zoo. Is that weird? We are total "zoo people" in fact, we'll be at the zoo this weekend. To celebrate Earth Day!!! (Also, in honor of Earth Day, we are forgoing our normal "paper or plastic" route and using reusable grocery bags. Hey, it's a start.) Our first date was the zoo... I have to ask PC's permission to talk about that... some other time, m'kay?

Knitting.. yup, I've been doing it. I have so many posts bouncing around in my head! I am *thisclose* to finishing the Bloomin' Feet socks... I will do that tonight... Socks in the mail Monday. :)

Baby knitting continues... I am using a few patterns:
1. Baby Yoda pattern from Dogsstealyarn (send her some love, she had to part with one of her pups b/c of the baby... and she's moving from NYC to PDX... send lots of love for moving cross country with a one-year old.)
2. Button-up Raglan from Ericka Knight's Knitting for Two. This photo at Cheryl's is a good one. PC's friends are expecting a baby and the daddy has a certain penchant for a particular toy, so I am doing my first duplicate stitch this weekend...I'll make sure to take photos.
3. basic 5-hour baby sweater....

I am using up some Cotton Ease stash (Love that for babies!)... it's knitting up quite well on US 6 and giving me 4-5 spi depending on the color... ??? What? It totally matters what color I am knitting as to what gauge I get. Huh.


Will it be warm enough for the giraffes to come out this weekend?

Mourning

Join the Virginia Tech community today in memorium of the senseless tragedy that struck them this week. Say a small prayer for a local Boston family who are grieving the loss of a child. Hug your kids.

One of those days

You ever have one of those days?

The day that will last forever? When time slows and you want to desperately go back to bed? The day that starts off bad and you already want to climb out the window at work? Yeah, I'm having two of them.

Yesterday there was physical injury at the end of my work day, horrific drowning rain on my ride home and a bonehead move on my part in the lab.. that cost me 2 days of work.

today... I woke up to a moody cat who got stuck on my ring (don't ask) and it just got better from there.

I have a whole post (in.my.head) about helloyarn and Adrian who owns it. Her wool, her yarn, and her visit to my guild. Also some photos of her sock yarn (yeah, I have "some") and her dye kits.

But, I really need to start drinking coffee now or I will explode. Good thing I made dinner in the crock pot this morning ... now, if I could just shake the feeling that I didn't turn it on....

Boogie-woogie

A week?? Gracious... I feel downright incompetent (PC- is this the right spelling?). I would say I am sorry, but overall, I'm just tired. No photos today... Bloomin' Feet sock #2 is almost to the heel... I am thinking my guild meeting will help with that tonight. I started the pink cardi. But, it's orange and I keep calling it the "pink cardi." Oh well. I have about 8 inches of the back done. Lovin' the endless stockinette... great for movies.

So, why the tired? Well, PC and I took Good Friday off. To "sleep late" and "rest up" for the weekend. I think we slept until 8am.

Why would Mini y PC need to rest up? Are they going to deviate from their "clean-the-house-out-to-dinner-watch-a-movie" weekend routine? Damn straight! Friday, we headed to the luxurious accomodations of the Hampton Beach Casino to see Jet play. Yup: Jet! Millions of teenage girls are totally, like, mad at me right now. :) This band makes me jump around in my car and sing really loudly. Jet makes me happy, so PC scored some tix. Also, can I say: Hampton Beach Casino- pretty good set up. We sat and watched the show (I was tired) and there was a whole open space for dancing-jumping-boogeying and a zillion tables and chairs. And waitresses. With beer. :)

Saturday-- we stayed home and recovered right? Oh, no. We slept "in" (8:30am?) and cleaned the house. I think I bleached anything that stood still. I love that feeling. That clean house feeling. I made a delicious dinner of veal parmesan and gnocci. Love gnocci. I had my mom's sauce *the best ever* to go with it. And, then off to the Orpheum. If you read the paper on Monday, you know who was there. Yup, the Godfather of Punk, the Rock Iguana... Iggy Pop (and the Stooges). PC wanted to see Iggy before, well... y'know... before he got too old to writhe on stage. Iggy turned 60 this year and honestly, didn't miss a beat on stage. I hadn't seen Iggy ever... and until I got to the show, I didn't think I had ever really heard them either. Oh, but then the first few songs: and yup! A friend from college used to play these songs over. and over.and over. So, we danced around and had some fun.... PC still can't hear out of his left ear (any suggestions besides candling?? he refuses to do that).

Did I mention the front row tickets?

Oh... and now I am trolling for small shows to go see....I feel my music groove coming back. It's these times when I look at my friends with kids and dogs and husbands (whom I have been insanely jealous of) and say: Damn! they can't do this! So, PC and I (and the ever present "when ya gettin' married??" question) are really enjoying this... I finally get it. I feel like "wow... no kids, disposable income, and very few responsibilities... this is what I was missing." I think PC's been waiting a long time for me to come to this realization. :)

Photos (finally!)

Sock #1of Bloomin' Feet is done! My pal said she liked "variegated colors" and requested "blues, pinks and purples". Well, Sock #2 is on the needles and I am taking it to work with me today (long day in the lab...lots of waiting and my usual lunch buddy is out... so, mucho sock knitting!). This is the Jaywalker pattern, designed by Grumperina, published by Magknits and made famous by Cara.

Here's the color yarn I was talking about yesterday. It's the one on the right. I think it'll look great in that Vogue cardi pattern. And yes, I am making both cardigans! I will make the cable-y one in a great hot pink Cascade 220. :) And, I'm going to put a zipper on it.The pink 3-button cardi will be knit in the largest size (47inch.) and I have more than a 47 inch. I am knitting 3 sweaters this summer as "goal" sweaters. They are all in "attainable" sizes that I can wear if I just get my bum in gear and get serious about losing some weight (my boobs shrink when I lose weight...right now, they are a 54 inch). And with my gauge being off (like it always is!) the pink cardi will be about a 50 inch. So, no... can't wear it in May, but that's alright.





55% alpaca, 23% silk, 22% merino.









And b/c she was looking so cute last night and I just wanted to scoop her up: Pumpkin. She's been very happy if I make her a "nest" and she snuggles into PC's quilt. I made him this quilt and he loves it. Apparently, Pumpkin loves it more. :)

Bloomin' Socks are 50% done (i.e. 1 sock down, 1 to go). My sock pal popped by the blog recently. I'm considering not posting the sock in order to torment her a bit. :)

So... I picked up a copy of Vogue Knitting this weekend (after my facial, courtesy of PC, at Elizabeth Grady and before my new necklace, also courtesy of PC... spoiled.rotten.princess--- that's me!). I like some of the designs! I'm not much of a Vogue girl (prefer IK) but this one's not bad. Two things I am making (already have the yarn... oh, is that bad??)







I have some alpaca/silk/merino blend in an apricot that will look adorable in this cardi!















and this: is a bright pink Cascade 220 for the fall/winter... and perhaps a button band?? I know the idea is to wear it open, but I think a button band or zipper might be nice... any opinions?

















I have some baby knitting to finish up and some other projects in the works. Oh, PC and I picked our hotel... I will announce the winner tomorrow... and ship out the yarn-y prize.

Has anyone ordered from Land's End before? Is their sizing "true"? I measured myself (don't all knitters do this?) and placed a *large* order last night (I have gained weight... I don't want to talk about it... I'm buying some stuff to get me through the next season while I power-walk and Pilate my ass into my old clothes.) I was also at Target last night and I was trying on pants that I know *should* fit--- no fit! :( then, a girl in the same dept grabbed me when I was putting the 9th pair of pants back and said "these sizes aren't "true"--- Target runs really small on the plus side." How to make a fat girl feel worse: make the big girl sizes smaller than normal. Ouch! Of course, if they put the Easter candy outside of the fitting room sales would skyrocket! (at least for me... I was soo good last night... No pity-eating for me last night!).

For all my WW's out there: 32 ounces down, 96 ounces to go. I find that 128 ounces of water is the perfect value for me. The whole 64 ounce thing doesn't work. The nutritionist says more water can't hurt and my help me out a bit.

A crazed jumble post, but sometimes that it just how I roll.... (PC that bad use of urban slang was for you!)

:) Mini

new post

So, i installed haloscan (thanks Jean!!) and I need someone (not me) to comment....

:) Kate

Help! help! help!

Does anyone know how to fix Blogger? When people leave a comment, I can't email them back anymore. :( I want to email you back! I have had so many nice comments and I can't email you back!!! So, I am SOO SOO SOO sorry. :( If anyone knows how to fix it, let me know!

Also, Pumpkin (Princess of Pumpkins) appreciated all the comments about how she's a good loving cat. She says "i know!" We really do love her and we try to have fun with her, but some days... she is like 5 cats. All she wants to do is play, play, play. So, we try to play with her and keep her active (she's a small cat and she loves her cookies... we want a nice balance), but we usually tire out before she does. Last night, I was "invaded" by her again... I think she's just cold and figures I have slept enough without her for the night. I do notice that she's doing it, I think we are both on auto-pilot at this point, though. A few of you commented that we should segregate her at night. We did that, but she cries and then I am miserable. So, we let her roam our v.small apartment at night. For the most part, she leaves us alone-- she has a heated mat and toys (oh, the toys!) and two (yup 2!!!) climb-y/pull-y tree snuggle things.

More later... today is gonna be a LONG day.

the Interview

Carole blogged about this today and then I asked her to “interview me”. What fun!!! So, if you want to be interviewed, email me at kskaare (at) gmail (dot) com.

1. Tell us about the best thing you have ever knit.

I think the best thing I ever knit was my petal socks that I knit while my dad was having surgery. PC was at work, I was sitting with my mom and brothers and I knit those socks. I talked and knit. I worried and knit. I prayed and knit. By the time my dad was out of the ICU, I had a complete pair of socks. Just months before, I had quit smoking (not something I have spoken about here too much) and not smoking during this ‘event’ in my life was damn near impossible.

Right now, I am knitting the Lowry sweater for PC and I have to say, this might be my new favorite. I love the texture, the color and the yarn. The sweater will look great on my already handsome man.
2. What's it like being a scientist?

Being a scientist is strange actually. You have a vague idea about what your day will be like, but that’s merely a suggestion. You are paid to think and problem solve and you know how to do things like separate proteins and isolate DNA or inject a mouse. You can look at something and make predictions, determinations and theories. My job is something I love. I love that somedays I am running from one machine to another trying to find an answer to some question. Other days, I think “I should have taught high school and taken summers off.” There is nothing more interesting to me than a new instrument in the lab. My job is fun and exciting and rewarding (finally, financially rewarding too!), but most of all--- it’s creative. I am creative all day long. I write the procedures, I create them… It’s all “new territory” around here. J

Scientists have a lot of pressure. We have a lot of managers too. Sometimes you need to speak two languages: “lab” and “english” and be able to translate between the two. It can be hard to listen to non-scientific persons tell you how to do your job.Currently, my job requires me to interact with research, marketing and sales. It’s interesting b/c I am in product development and I have to figure out how the product would make someone like me work more efficiently. I get paid to make my life easier. The salary differences between scientists can be infuriating. Women still make 78% of what men make in this field. And academic scientists (called technicians) work for less than Starbucks baristas. All for “experience.” You are not taken very seriously if you haven’t “paid dues.”

I have spent 3 weeks on something to determine that it’s not going to work. That can be extremely frustrating. Also, it can be tough to not take criticism personally. I have a very tough skin at work, but a very thin one at home. Someone says my data is crap? Who cares? The data might.be.crap. But, you don’t like my cooking? In the bedroom, sobbing for hours.
3. What's your favorite restaurant?

I have to say I am torn: Legal Seafoods is just the best. But, Solstice Café in Mission Hill is fabulous also. PC and I have celebrated many occasions there and we just love it. I am such a foodie!!! PC took me to Morton’s Steakhouse in Boston two years ago and I had the best food ever… but it’s not someplace I can go often and I think it’s important to have someplace that is “yours” as your favorite. Always looking for new places, so if you are in the Boston area: send me recommendations!!!

4. Do you do much sewing and quilting these days?

Not as much as I would like. I have some baby clothes I want to make and some quilt ideas popping around in my head. Spring usually brings a renewed interest in sewing. I am going to sew some capris and such for my vacation this spring. And perhaps a dress. Last night, I sat down and sketched a new quilt for PC’s mom and for my mom. I have a quilt kit that PC gave me that I am afraid of. It’s an amazing quilt and I am terrified to screw it up. I have never taken a lesson and have never read a quilting book… I just “know” how to do it.
5. When, oh when, are you going to start spinning?

I think PC just felt his wallet leaving his pants! I don’t know. For those who didn’t witness it: Cheryl and Mel BOTH tried to show me how to spin at SPA. And I failed miserably. It’s interesting but not intuitive to me. I keep thinking of trying a spindle. I am notoriously uncoordinated when it comes to making my feet and hands do things together (this is why I don’t drive stick), so spinning felt awkward. Maybe I just need practice? So, maybe next year, I will have spindle spun some more and we’ll see where it goes from there.

Sleep, cats and Rugby

Yeah, I completely forgot to take a photo of my sock-in-progress this weekend. It's a Jaywalker in the Rugby colorway over at HelloYarn.com

This weekend was all about sleepy-mini. Now, many of you who “know” me know that I am an early girl. Early bird. Up with the birds. Morning person. All these phrases describe me up until this past weekend. I was utterly exhausted. There was an emotional component there (see last week’s posts) but there was also just a lot of physical exhaustion.

I used to be very proud of the fact that I needed very little sleep. I would be asleep at 12 or 1am and up at 4:30am or 5am. Until I moved in with PC. The dime-store psychiatrist in me will tell you that the change is for a number of reasons: safety and security, I feel like I am being protected and therefore can relax enough to sleep. But, I have to say, on the ride into work today, the radio voices were talking about something that finally made it “real” to me why I sleep better. White.Noise.

When I was in high school, I slept with a white noise machine. It produced background noise and helped me sleep. So, when I was in college, my roommated hated this machine and I, subsequently, learned to sleep without it. And now, PC IS my white noise machine. PC is a great guy (ask anyone who has met him), but he snores. It doesn’t bother me in the least. But, this weekend, I fell asleep on my own very fast and then I gave PC a run for his money. He claims I scared the cat.

Also, I need some advice from all you cat-people out there. Some of you may know that Pumpkin is my first foray into cat-ownership. So far, so good. She doesn’t hide, love vanilla pudding and plays with toys. So, here’s the questions:

1) which flowers will she NOT eat?

2) Why does she follow us from room to room? Am I supposed to pick her up and carry her with me??

3) The meowing… this is relatively new. VERY vocal. If PC and I move to the office to look at something on the computer, she will wake up in the living room and meow incessantly into the office and then require a snuggle and a butt rub. (don’t ask.)

4) 3a.m. Everyday I wake up at 3am to hot fishy breath in my face. She is standing on her back paws, with her front paws on the mattress, breathing on me. When I open my eyes, she swats my nose. Then if I move the sheets, she pops in under the covers for an hour or so. Why is this?? Is she cold???

Most of you didn’t like the new font, so I changed it back. Today is a new one too. Let me know if you can 1) see it and 2) how it looks. I use Mozilla when I write these, so I can’t always tell what it’ll be like on IE.

Mini, exhausted.

Well, I feel the bloggy-love. I really do! Getting home last night and talking to PC and seeing my nutritionist… and then reading the comments. Well, y’all are amazing. You made a sad Mini into a happy one. A loved one. So, merci, gracias and thank you. This situation will not remedy itself anytime soon, I am sure of that. And I am not impressed with this person’s ability to “come clean” as they haven’t in the past (bad precedents set already), so please don’t expect any resolution. Something I will share though. This incident upset me,but didn’t shake my foundation. I have been wondering about that all night. Even just as soon as a few months ago, this kind of thing would have sent me into a tailspin of eating and stressing and reliving and self-hate. But, I think I see it as HER problem, not MINE. And I am (slowly) learning to only “own” my own problems. So, is this growth emotionally? I think so. Is it a step toward maturity? Absolutely!

Knitting: I have some knitting (I’ll try to toss in a photo for Saturday’s post).. especially a Bloomin’ Feet sock that *may* be complete tonight. Only one, though. And I am working on the shawl (still) and a new baby dress. I have some plans for Sunday that involve freezer paper and paint--- any guesses?

Oh, and it looks like we might have a front runner for the DC hotel contest.By the way, all the peeps who offered to put us up: thank you! So sweet, but PC snores like a freight train and I just can’t subject anyone else to that. Thank god I am slightly hearing impaired, huh?

It's almost time for a trip on these:














Lemme know if you like/dislike the new font. :)

Acceptance

I know I have spoken about this before. I know I have. I know other people around the blogs have said it or alluded to it. But, an incident today is causing me to bring up the subject again. A gentle reminder, dear readers, that this is my blog, my life and my feelings.

I work hard. I have a good job. I like what I do and where I do it. Someone is causing me to not like the environment. I will not get into specifics, but I am feeling “teased” and “abused” by someone and it needs to stop. Today’s (and a few other days’) incident involved my weight. I am heavy. To be honest, I am downright fat. I don’t try to hide it (c’mon, really… how could I? Leave the “extra weight” at home?). I try to look my best, do my job, eat healthy, I should exercise more… but I am not slovenly, stinky, aggressive or unfriendly.I am currently seeing a nutritionist b/c I do want to lose weight. PC loves me and I love him and neither of us wants me to be ill. So, I am trying to get it under control now. I eat very carefully at work b/c I have learned that when you are overweight, people feel obligated to offer advice…usually about the pork chow mein (that you swapped 19 Weight Watcher points (i.e. celery and water for breakfast and ice for dinner )) that you are about to enjoy b/c you painstakingly weighed out 4 ounces of it. Where was I? Oh! Yeah, so the situation involved my weight, acting like a 4 year old and me hiding in the ladies room for 20 minutes. Not wanting to make a scene, and not knowing how this would play out in my future career, I have taken 100+ deep breaths, contemplated all means of revenge and vindication and sat back at my computer with my water and my apple.

I have been quiet about this (even to PC, sorry hun… it was just becoming so much a part of my day here, that I just lumped it in with “long” when you asked how my day was.) to friends or even to family.

So, here’s what I have to say:

Young moms/dads: I know you have to teach your kids words. Please do not make me a “visual aid” when you see me and reinforce that “yes, Timmy, that lady is indeed FAT.” I know I’m fat, you know I am fat. How about overweight? “plump”? Or, how about making it a lesson in not teaching your kids to judge people?

Gym people: I know that if I go to the gym I will lose weight. If you think it’s easy for someone to walk into a gym full of thin people as a heavy person, then you should try walking into a Weight Watchers as thin person. (*FYI: I have never heard so many people say “skinny bitch” to a complete stranger than at one of these meetings… especially when the thin one announces they are there for those “stubborn 7 lbs”. Careful, that lady chewing the celery and doing the Pee-Pee dance b/c she’s on her 345 ounce of water? She will take you out… and it’s shear jealousy—I always think “what if I had started WW when I only needed to lose 7lbs?”)

All people: Take a good long look at yourself, your home, your family and your life before you make fun of someone. First, you are an adult. Teasing someone should be something you don’t do. Second, is there any part of you someone could tease? Like your hair? The fact that you have worn spit-up-on shirts everyday this week? Your accent? Your religion? Fatism ( a new word.. you like it?) is the last acceptable discrimination allowed. I can be fired for being overweight (causing the medical premium to go up), I can be denied employment b/c of it (not able to stand for 8 hours, etc..)… and I am not protected against harrassment because of my weight.

I just needed to send this out to the world and get it out. I saw something in the paper this weekend (in the advice section): it recommended that readers not barage overweight friends and colleagues with latest fad diets, etc… because you are probably not telling this person something they don’t already know. And I liked this advice. I live in this body everyday. Some days I hate it. Some days I love it. A lot of days are hard for me to get up and put on pants and enter the world. Somedays I continually beat myself up for eating breakfast or having lunch. Like I don’t deserve food. I have some weird feelings about my selfworth and my weight, but that comes from a relative and I have made peace with that person. It’s a battle, me and my weight, and it’s my battle. I’ll win. I know I will, but until then, I need some positive people on my side. So, what do I do about the Negative Nellie?

Knitting tomorrow… tonight I need to just “be” and collect myself ( hard to do at work).

Vacation Help Needed

So, there will be a knitting update tomorrow... I have my guild meeting tonight and then tomorrow at lunch: trip to the PO to mail out all the winning prizes (if you've been waiting,I'm sorry!).

As you can see from the title, PC and I need some help with our vacation this year. As a little FYI: PC and I take normally one vacation a year. And then some long weekends here and there. This year? It's all about the long weekends. :)

In June, we want to head down to DC. (yes! Capital yarns!) The purpose being we both haven't been there since we were 12 and well, the museums and zoo seem a lot more interesting to us now. PC and I have decided to take Amtrak from Boston to DC (7 hours... no driving!) and then stay near a Metro stop. BUT, when I was there last, I was with a school trip and PC was staying with family (not an option)... so, we don't know where to stay!

Here's another contest!

Suggest a hotel/B&B for PC and Mini to stay at from June 6-11 (Thurs through Monday) in DC for less than $160 (average) per night. If we pick your hotel (by end of April), then you'll be receiving a gift in the mail. :) A yarn-y gift and a postcard from DC while we are on vacation.

Email me at kskaareATgmailDOTcom or leave a comment (make sure your email address is in the comment...) by march 31st.

:) MINI

Peer Pressure

Picture it: Sicily, 1910...

Wait! I need to stop channeling Sophia from the Golden Girls. Seriously, picture this:
A knitter who has no need for shawls. A knitter who thinks that lace is "too hard and fiddly" for her... she likes "sweaters and socks and mittens". Useful things. Enter the "pushers": Monica, Anne, Kim and Judy. Judy had the yarn, Kim put the item on the knitter, Monica smiled appreciatively and Anne, well... Anne turned around and softly gasped: "that just illuminates your face." $60 in 100% silk and 4 emails to the pattern designer later and you have :

Mini knitting the Adagio shawl by Candace Eisner Strick in 100% silk hand dyed by Judy of Ball and Skein (or Smatterings... however you know her). In one short evening, I learned to knit lace, do a Russian join and how easy it is to fall in love with a piece of knitting. This knitting has a purpose: I love it, it makes me happy and will look fantastic on me at wedding I need to attend in July (whaddya think: black capris, white silk shell, this fabulous shawl, purple slides... meow!!).


Friday night














Sunday night (9 repeats of 19 DONE).











Oh, and *ahem* I am planning a 2nd one... still cruising Kim's site for that... I am thinking a merino-silk-angora blend?

Lowry

Oh, with all the hats,etc... there HAS been knitting. In fact, 3 new baby bonnets were just shipped off to a new addition to our family, and there are some baby shower gifts "in process". And I made a calorimetry for my brother's girlfriend's birthday. But, here at Chez Mini, I am also knitting again for PC. You may remember that I knit him a black stockinette *cough* acrylic *cough* sweater. With set in sleeves and k2p2 ribbed cuffs and collar. *yawn*

Oh... you are still here? Good... so, once the boring... I mean, sentimental sweater was done, I finally convinced PC that GRAY is a color and it's ok to wear gray. Enter Shelridge Farms. Now, you all know that I had some issues with winding the yarn I got from them. Well, Buffy from Shelridge is an ANGEL. She emailed me with the nicest instructions and how to get it to work,etc. And, when I arrived home from SPA with Anne's calculations in my head (i.e." you won't have enough yarn!") I called Buffy. Well, Shelridge Farm to the rescue! They had 3 skeins left and she wound them into balls for me!!! And they arrived overnight. How wonderful!!! I have to say, I will be throwing money at them from now on. Go ahead... shop there. Oh, and the yarn? DK wool... so unbelievably soft. I might need to buy more to make myself something!

Photos and then some...

Ok, I know you have all been chomping at the bit to see some photos. Well, I have *some* but, first some information. All of you who participated should give yourselves a HUGE pat on the back. Not ONLY did we get enough hats to give to Childrens' Hospital, but we already dropped off hats to Franciscan Hospital for Children and Tufts/Floating Hospital for Children here in Boston. Boston Medical Center and the Hasbro Children's hospital (RI) will also benefit from your hard work.

Oh! I wanted you to know (b/c so many asked)... we didn't really do any "PR" on this project-- too big, too fast, if you know what I mean. I (and PC) believe that community service and charitable acts are for the benefit of doing good, not for getting your name in the paper. Therefore, I am very happy to say that we have received the nicest thank you letters from the organizations who have already received hats. (PC and I are doing this on Saturday mornings, due to the fact that we work until 6pm or so... it's going to take awhile to get all these hats in my little car!)

Here are the hats!

Note: pumpkin is a small cat (like 9-10lbs) and kinda "short"... oh, and this is a queen size bed. When I stood next to the pile (and I am 60 inches tall), it was over my head. PC measured it at 35 inches off the TOP of the bed.

Pumpkin wanted me to add this note from her:

"In order to assuage any concerns about my choosing winners, I am demonstrating my selection protocol:"