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Friday, December 18, 2009

No Time!!

I realize now that next year I should just knit a bunch of things and then when I have lots of items I will select which ones are going out as gifts. Because waiting until the end of November and starting projects for people's Christmas gifts is cutting it too close. I'm only actually knitting two people's gifts now and bought everyone else something. I just knew I wouldn't have enough time.

The silly thing is I have finished other items less pressing that are not gifts. I just can't seem to stick to just one thing and if I see something I want to make I have to make it right away. No waiting. It is like ADD or something.

I made another Foliage hat from knitty.com. I really like this hat. It is super quick in the chunky version. I am currently knitting a worsted weight version, but that is a little more tedious and slower going. I may have to take a Foliage break after that one.
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I also knitted a silly hat for Dan that is VERY WARM. The yarn is SUPER EXTRA BULKY and I used needles too small and it hurt the crap out of my hands, but I enjoy the results. It isn't exactly as I had hoped, but it keeps his poor head warm in the winter cold and he seems to like it, so I'm not going to complain...much.
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He had to kneel on the floor for me to photograph it at a good angle. Haha. Poor thing, I do this nice thing where I knit him something and then I force him to be photographed in it. He's a good sport.

We cleaned the crap out of our living room last Saturday. Dan had to go to the store 3 times for different cleaning products/vacuum cleaner bags/detergent/light bulbs and made about 10 trips to the dumpster. We, er, have a messy problem? We are lazy, that is the main problem. It was pretty bad, guys. Garbage on the floor bad. I'm not proud. But it is tons better now, so there! I learned that my vacuum sucks, or rather it does not suck. I want a Dyson so badly. But a lazy person who isn't great at cleaning probably doesn't deserve a brand new expensive vacuum. Maybe just one that doesn't leave cat hair clumps on the floor after going over them 8 times.

After the cleaning we went to the liquor store to pick up the regular holiday fare. You know, peppermint schnapps, brandy and of course the one staple of Christmas time, Bailey's. We almost bought the $45 giant jug of Bailey's, and come to think of it I still might. I don't drink it all year long, but during Christmas I just want to have a big ol' glass of it every night with some cookies.

Once we had the proper libations, we put up the tree. When I moved out of my mother's house 7 years ago I stopped having Christmas trees every year. They are expensive. And I haven't had a car. And they are expensive. I think perhaps when I had roommates we may have had a fake tree one or two years, or we had intentions for a tree but it never panned out. I never got one when I was living alone. Last year Dan and I spent our first Christmas living together and we got a tree. Let me tell you, it is not Christmas without a tree. There is no better feeling than to come home to a fresh pine scented home (no air freshener will do) and to walk over and plug in the lights and just bask in the glow of the holidays. Cheesy? Yes. I don't care. It doesn't feel like Christmas to me without a tree.

So we have our tree up this year. It isn't even 5 feet tall, but it is fat and beautiful. It was definitely expensive. I always intend on looking at the cheaper Douglas Firs, but the Noble Fir is just so...NOBLE. And beautiful. And this year we didn't even have to buy lights or extra ornaments because we had all the ones I bought last year and a nice selection of ornaments from my childhood. The ones my mom hand beaded, probably when I was an infant, are my favorite. They are falling apart a little, but they look antique and beautiful. The cats also enjoy the tree, especially the jangly bits.
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I can't wait for next week. I have Wednesday-Sunday off for total relaxation time. Well, part of the time will be spent celebrating with family and that isn't necessarily always relaxing, but it is still fun. Hopefully I'll finish these two knitted gifts that I am still working on furiously.

Happy Christmas!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

1x1 Rib Chunky Cowl Pattern

1x1 Rib Chunky Cowl
by Jessica Seeley

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If you don't already know, tube scarves are starting to pop up in trends everywhere. I figured I'd knit one before I got sick of seeing them. Plus, it is COLD in Seattle right now.

Please bear with me as I have never written a pattern before, mostly because I am not good at gauge. I mean, I pretty much always just use the needles suggested for a pattern/yarn and it turns out how it is supposed to, so I guess that means my gauge is good. I just don't check gauge. Apparently I need to start doing this.

This pattern is about as easy as you can get and isn't all that interesting except Malabrigo Chunky feels like heaven and keeps me nice and warm on the frosty December mornings we've started having this week. I don't know if the pattern even needs to be written out, but I am doing it anyway because I FEEL LIKE IT. So deal.


Materials:
- 1.75 skeins Malabrigo Chunky (color shown is Alpine Pearl)
- US size 10 24-inch long circular needles (6mm/60cm)
- Darning/yarn needle to weave in ends


Techniques Used:
Knit, Purl, Long Tail Cast On, Circular Knitting, Bind Off

Pattern:
Using Long Tail Cast On, cast on 100 stitches, place marker and join for knitting in the round.
Work 1x1 Rib for 14 inches - *Knit 1, Purl 1* and repeat to end of each round


Binding Off:
I used the knit 2, slip 1st stitch over 2nd stitch type of bind off. I recommend binding off in pattern as it would look at lot better. I was just totally lazy at that point.

Weave in your ends and you are ready to throw that baby around your neck and face the cold!


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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Vegas, Baby

Yes, we went to Vegas. Yes, we came back unmarried. Yes, I will post more details soon.

But for now, here are a few videos that I find amusing from our trip:

Dan meets Penn


I meet BOOZE (and I have BOOBS)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The One Where No One Proposes

I'm going to have to confess something. I think I have a crush on Lady Gaga. Was my last post in July about how she is cool looking and her music is lame? Well, I still sort of think so, but I sometimes can't get that catchy Poker Face song out of my head. And the Bad Romance video is so amazing looking that I can't help but like it. What is WRONG with me? I don't know, it is like she is a sorceress and has everyone under her spell and I can't figure out why.

I also have to confess something else. I want this blog to be bloggier. And I want it to be funnier. I'm not so sure that I am much of a writer. But I guess I'll try. I also don't really love the name of my blog. Too long. And not catchy or cool sounding. Because I am a nerd.

And I like to complain.

I'm going to Las Vegas on Saturday and everyone and their mom has decided that Dan and I will come back married. I think they have forgotten the fact that Dan is terrified of marriage. Women always seem to think that men are playing some sort of game with us and they aren't really commitment-phobic, they are just trying to give us a really big surprise. Well, keep waiting ladies. Haven't you ever read He's Just Not That Into You? He really IS afraid of getting married, he isn't Chandler just pretending to be afraid while really buying the perfect engagement ring for Monica. Bitter, party of one. No, not really. I was really raring to go and get married for a little while, but I've mellowed. Or at least I'm trying to. It will happen when it will happen and that is OK with me. So yeah, doubtful on the whole Vegas elopement deal. But if I did come back married, I'd still want a wedding. I'm just girlie that way.

As far as my knitting has been going, I've discovered that I can't knit for pay. It takes all the fun out of it and I just stop whatever project that I am making as a commission and start making something else more fun. I don't finish other projects as well, but that is more because I see something shiny on Ravelry or need to see how that one yarn in my stash knits up RIGHT NOW OMG. But the knitting for pay thing makes knitting seem boring and like work. And I already have a job that feels like work, so I don't need that. I think that if I just made a bunch of fun things and eventually sold them on Etsy that would be OK, but definitely not going to do commissions. This fact also makes me feel extreme guilt because I already told some people I'd do some knitting for them and now I have to tell them I can't because there isn't enough time before Christmas and because I have my own gifts to knit and I CAN'T FINISH A PROJECT TO SAVE MY LIFE OMG!!!!EXCLAMATION POINT!!!!!

It's overwhelming, for sure. Maybe if I led a life of leisure than I would do the knitting for pay.

For my birthday last month I received a new video camera. It is one of those little Flip thingies that has those commercials where people do stupid stuff and someone has the camera and it is so fast and easy to use that they get it on film. So now I have lots of video of friends and family acting uncomfortable being videoed. Seriously, the look on someone's face totally changes when they realize you are taping them and then I no longer want to tape them. I wish that it wasn't just compact, but invisible so I could get real candid video. This is how I know that The Real World is the most fake thing on the earth. No one can be normal with cameras on them. It is impossible to pretend they aren't there.

My plan is to make one video for each month of the year. The video will be made up of all the footage I take in a given month, and that is how I am cataloging my videos. I'm hoping that in addition to being a whiz at knitting, I will also be a whiz at video editing. Fingers crossed!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Lady Blah Blah

It occurs to me that Lady Gaga looks much more interesting than her music sounds. And that bugs me.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

I made this

Due to general malaise I have been unable to get myself to update my blog as of late. Also, I don't feel like spending hours on the computer at home the way I used to. I think it has something to do with staring at my computer screen for hours on end at work and needing to relax a little when I get home. Or maybe it is because all my spare time is spent knitting like a crazy person and I haven't time for such things as blogs and generally most of the personal time I do spend on the computer is when I am posting things on Ravelry, looking for patterns on Ravelry or browsing yarn on Ravelry. Ravelry? Am I an addict? I think we all know the answer to that one.

I made a little cap sleeve shrug/bolero and I am wearing it today (although this picture is from Saturday). The yarn is an alpaca/wool blend and it is nice and soft. Also I dyed it myself with food coloring, SUPER FUN.
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Also, while making the cute little shrug I made a Harley Davidson hat for my dad for dad's day. I didn't see him, so I haven't given it to him yet. I'm considering mailing it as he is a hard one to peg down.
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It isn't perfect, but I'm happy with it as my first intarsia plus it being in the round and all. The HD is just stitched in, not my best effort but at least you get the general idea. And I think it is the thought that counts, so there.


And for posterity even though I think I included in my livejournal, I made a hat and it is pretty!
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I'm making a mock cable slouchy hat right now with some yarn I dyed a mottled purple/red/blue color and it is turning out quite lovely. I hope to finish tonight, as long as my migraine terror alert stays below orange. I had to drug up last night and close my eyes for a while, but I can still feel something lurking just behind my eyes...

Friday, May 29, 2009

zap zap!

Ok, I just want to state for the record that Zappos.com is equally totally awesome and crappy all at the same time. Here is why:

Well, first off they have an incredible selection. But they aren't exactly a bargain, they are about the same as every other place, only usually they tack on about $4 which is why I assume they can offer free shipping and returns. A good thing is that in Washington, since they have no location here, I don't have to pay any tax, so that makes up for some of it. I work at Nordstrom, though, and therefore get a discount on shoes purchased at work. So usually it is much cheaper and easier to walk downstairs to the store and buy a pair of shoes. UNLESS they are a brand we don't carry, which seems lately to be the case as I am completely obsessed with Blowfish shoes.

There are a number of buying options for Blowfish shoes, but I decided to go with Zappos because of their reliability in the past and also because the prices were the same everywhere else and they didn't offer free shipping. Here is where the issues I have with Zappos really comes in. When you purchase anything from them, at the point of sale you are asked to decide between different shipping methods and the only two I remember were the free 4-5 day shipping advertised all over the site as their big deal and for $25 extra I could have 1 day shipping. This kind of struck me as odd because I remember getting my shoes right away last time I ordered from them, but I knew I have always used the free shipping. So I used the free shipping or else it would not have been a very good deal at all. When I go to check my email this morning, I have an email from around 2 am saying that I've been upgraded to 1 day shipping at no cost and my shoes are already packed and ready to go, followed by an email with tracking information. My shoes are already in Seattle from Kentucky, left at 2:30 AM and are out for delivery as of 8:45 AM. Now I remember that is what happened last time, duh. No other place I have ever ordered from does this, and I freaking love it! Shoes when I get home, yay! But here is the bad part - what about the people who pay $25 extra for a service that they are extremely likely to give you for free? That effing sucks. Just offer free 1 day shipping, jeeze.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Shawly

I forgot to post the pictures of the two shawls I made!

First, the one I pretty much did most of during jury duty. This one went to my mom for Mother's Day, yay!
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And then the one I made the following weekend for myself.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009

I'm slacking!

Seriously, I have been meaning to blog. I mean, not that I have tons of followers, but I really intended to update sooner. But there has been too much B*!!$%!# going on for me to just sit down and type. Or maybe I'm spending too much time knitting. Yeah, that one.


Last week was my jury duty, where I learned that I do not think that exposing onesself during a lap dance in a strip club should not be illegal. Seriously, I can't believe I got picked to sit on a trial about a stripper exposing herself and allowing herself to be fondled during a dance. Isn't that kind of the point? That is illegal? When I get fondled, I don't get arrested. Is it the money thing? Because sometimes Dan pays me rent and then fondles me later that day. Why aren't I in jail? Oh, and part of these vice cops' jobs is to go out to clubs and spend police department money on these dances to check to make sure they are legal. Aww, poor cops, their job is so hard. The cop on our trial said he found it disgusting. Maybe he should ask to be taken off of that beat then!!


Luckily we found her not guilty due to lack of evidence. It was not because I think that the charges are ridiculous, even though I do, but there was no proof really. It was his word against hers and there is that whole reasonable doubt thing. She didn't even know she was charged until she received a citation a month and a half after the incident. How the hell is she supposed to defend herself when she can't even remember it? Bah!


In other news, I have finished two shawls since my last visit here, started a hat 4 times, ripped it out 4 times, got frustrated and started an easier scarf. The hat is for Dan, he lost this one that his sister made him about a month ago and has been very sad about it. I was thinking he didn't really need it right away since it is summer soon, but from the looks of the monsoon going on outside he probably could have used it today. I'm going to start anew this weekend, and I feel like I have more knowledge now. I have dropped stitches where I start a new row in the round, I have screwed up the knit knit purl purl pattern by purl purl purling too many times, I have twisted my work. This time I will do none of these things. I will start slowly and surely and I won't drink a beer before starting. Right? Right.


The scarf I'm working on is a popular pattern amongst the people on Ravelry. It is a simple 1x1 rib - knit, purl, repeat - and it is interesting only because of the type of yarn used, Noro. Noro yarns are from Japan and it seems the most popular types are Kureyon which is wool and Silk Garden which is a silk and wool blend. I am using Taiyo which is mainly cotton with silk and wool (and maybe something else thrown in, I can't remember) and it is softer than the other two mentioned and just a little bulkier in some parts. The cool thing about this yarn is that it has color changes in it, so it is kind of like a gradual stripe. The colors are also really bright, and I LOVE BRIGHT COLOR. So a lot of people do this scarf where you use two different colors of the yarn and do skinny stripes because you get to see all the transitions and the striping makes it look really neat and super colorful. I don't think I'm quite describing it right, but really it is super fantastic! I've much further now than when I took this photo, but to give you an idea...
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Other than all that, not much. Just busy at work now that I missed time last week and all. This weekend I have too many things to do, it is the LYS (local yarn store) Tour this weekend in Seattle and I hope to at least stop by Seattle Yarn in my hood on either day, it is the cheese festival in the Pike Place Market, Dan's mom and stepdad, Dan and I will be ushering at Arts West for Gutenberg the Musical on Saturday evening preceeded by eating lots of yummy Indian food at Maharaja, and then Sunday morning Dan and I are running (er, walking?) in Beat the Bridge for Juvenile Diabetes. So for tonight, I think I'll take it easy. We were going to go out, but I really need some down time!

Oh, and my phone is done for as of this week. It is a long story that stems from an ill advised moment of rage and throwing of my phone and ends about a month later with super glue. The dumb part is I could have gotten it fixed numerous times and didn't bother. So I ordered a new phone for an obscene amount of money. Which I realize is super stupid and it turns out that my contract is actually up in December and I could have gotten it for much much cheaper. But it is too late now, and I really want the new phone now and not later, so there.

Monday, May 4, 2009

My Civic Duty

Tomorrow I get to go to my first ever jury duty. I have mixed feelings. On one hand I don't actually mind going somewhere to sit and wait around all day and knit rather than go to work. On the other hand I have stuff to do at work that won't be done and I hate having things build up. Also, there is always the chance of getting bored out of my skull, which I find highly likely after a few hours. Then there is the whole interacting part. I'm generally a "people person" on the outside, while I loathe others internally. And I'm kind of a people snob, I'll admit it. I don't want to hang out with strangers and answer personal questions in front of an audience of lawyers. And I don't want to have to make SMALL TALK. Small talk is the most pointless talk in the world. Blah. But whatever, I've got a knitting project that needs finishing, so I guess I'll just focus on the fact that I'll be doing something I enjoy. Or focus on the fact that I have to deal with people and be in public and then not be able to go to sleep. Yeah, probably the latter. Dammit.

It looked as though it might actually be kind of a nice day today, but now we're having the torrential downpour type rain. I am glad actually because I've seen my seeds sprouting a bit and I needed to put some plant food on and I can't really water there because the hose doesn't reach. So I put out some Miracle Gro Shake and Pour that lasts for like 3 months or something crazy like that. And the rain is doing all the work for me.

See, for those of you who don't know, I live in an apartment and don't have a garden to speak of. My mom was talking about scattering some wildflower seeds in the bed of dirt surrounding the front of our building and I decided to take it upon myself to clandestinely start planting seeds. Luckily I haven't really run into anyone while doing it, especially because since I have no tools I kind of just look like I am screwing around like a crazy person. I used a stick to break up the dirt and rake the seeds around and then a brita water pitcher to water them. Not very scientific or green thumb-y, but at least I used packages of seeds that also included mulch and other stuff to help everything grow. I hope it looks pretty and not just like a bunch of weeds.

Ok, now time to go watch House. If House and Cuddy don't really do it in this episode I'm going to give up. Ok, well, I'm not really. I'd still watch it if it was just Hugh Laurie reading bad poetry to the camera. I LOVE HIM. So I'll never really give up. But I'll be really, really cross.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Caturday Evening

Boring, rainy Saturday. We had a lovely Friday evening at my coworker's house for a BBQ even though the sunny 70 degree temperatures turned quickly to OMG WIND shortly after everyone started arriving. But it was a good time all the same. I, as per usual, had too much wine and am nursing a bit of a hangover today. So I'm being a total bum and am still in my pajamas at 6 pm. I think I'm going to knit some more. Exciting, no?

Dan is watching the Mariners game with the kids, though.
the family watches sports

Thursday, April 30, 2009

There Will Be Cats

I don't know what this blog is going to be, but I've decided it is going to be something. I'm sick of livejournal. I want to be heard by the WORLD. Or at least pretend that I am. I'm sure I'll just end up yammering about my cats and the next project I'm going to knit or the next hobby I'm going to attempt and then let fall by the wayside. Also maybe some musings about how tall the boyfriend is. It'll be fun. It'll be an adventure! Excitement! Or, well, yammering.

Oh, and cats.
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