Priorities

School is turning into one big priority that, unfortunately, can not be ignored or pushed aside for a simple blog post. My goal was to post every day in December; I'm currently using borrowed time even as we speak.

How does posting every weekend sound? (WARNING: Feburary is going to be hectic.)

No blogging time does not mean no knitting time, however. 

I knitted 2 scarves for two separate friends of mine; pictures were not taken.

I have finished the super-secret presents, but haven't given them yet, so pictures will have to wait.

I am almost done with Ryan's vest, as you can see:

Unfortunately, the neckline is supposed to have ribbing. The pattern called for a circular knitting needle.

"No problem," thought I. "I can just use my straight needles. The fabric will be a bit stretched, but it will bounce back."

Allow me to illustrate. I thought that a straight needle could go around this.

I guess I figured it would bend or something.

which would you choose?

Right.

It's a good thing my birthday is tomorrow; I believe I need a size 3 circular knitting needle.

Update

The goal is to keep the blog aware of my goings-on at least once a month. There is a lot more homework this year than last, but I'm doing OK. I only had 10 minutes of homework today, so I have time for a short post!

I have not brought my knitting to school for the past couple of weeks, but before that, I did get Riley's bolero done:

It's packed away for Christmas now.

I'm barely more than halfway done with Ryan's vest; the argyle was fun to do, but a little confusing. I used 5 different balls of the dark blue yarn for the CC, and pulled behind the MC.The library book is due soon, so that's my first priority now.

After that, it's on the the Super Secret Presents, then a scarf for a friend, then maybe I can get started on spinning for that dress!

Off to enjoy my day of No Homework!

Baby Steps

(no pun intended)

I now have both fronts, and the back done and the same length.

I had a bit of a scare regarding the gauge; it turns out that the yarn, although it's a similar weight, does not match the gauge in the pattern. Since it makes the bolero bigger, not smaller, I am going to continue on today as if I had the proper gauge, with my eyes shut. I know I am going to be embarrassed about this later, but my logic is that Riley wouldn't be able to wear this for long if it was in the proper gauge, maybe she'll get a couple more wears in it if the gauge is a few less stitches to the inch.

But before you send me "Are you crazy?!?" mental thoughts, just know this: it made sense around 10 last night.....

I'll be seeing the twins tonight, so I can sneak a couple measurements and see if my wonky-gauged version will fit her. If not, maybe I can adjust the pattern a smidge.

When I took a break from my Ravelympics project, I did a little spinning.

This is an alpaca and cormo (cormo is a brand of sheep that is desended from Corriedale and Merino sheep). I Navajo plied the yarn; it's the thickest I've made in a while. After I catch up on Ravelympics projects, this will probably be a hat.

And I Thought I Would Post More Often!

Color guard (not me in the video; I just youtubed it) was as tiring as I thought it would be. We have the two songs (both by Queen: Don't Stop Me Now and Bohemian Rhapsody) choreographed for the flags, but now we have to work it into the band's routine.

I also went to the State Fair with my cardigan, and got a superior, which I'm really happy about. The judge said that I had my work cut out for me to top this next year. I thought that was nice of her.

And what is my plan for next year, you might ask?

Well, it includes:

-roughly 1,000 yards of handspun silk with gradual color changes

-a mesh ruffle at the hem,

-and a ribbon at the waist!

Yep, a dress. This is going to be my ideal prom dress. I am not planning on going to any proms any time soon, and may not, even in the very far future, but at least I'll know I can make a dress!

I probably won't start it until Christmas or so--I have a lot of other projects I need to catch up on, like this bolero....

.....which doesn't really look like a bolero yet, and I am kinda having some issues with the fact that the back (on top) is shorter than the left front (below the back). Since this is the second of my four Ravelympics projects, I'm going to have to pick up the pace a little to get everything (or at least Ryan and Riley's presents; they've been in the back of my head and my queue for too long) done by the end of the Olympics.

Did I mention I still have homework to do?

And a room to clean?

Yeah, umm....I'd best be off.

Ravelympics Day 2

Beginning on Tuesday, I went on a trip to Ohio for school. On Friday, (the first day of the Olympics and the Ravelympics), we drove back. I got a good seven or eight hour car ride to work on my first project, fingerless gloves for my little brother. It was just the right amount of time. John loves them--and they fit. (Score!)I did the finishing today, and hope to go to a Michaels or JoAnn's this week to get the yarn for the other competition I am in: Baby Dressage. I also need needles for the gloves I would like to make for myself.

Unfortunately for my yarny plans, I have color guard (aka waving flags in pretty ways) all day, every day next week, and no planned long car rides till after the Olympics end. The knitting (and blogging) will be sporadic, but a little more updated than usual.

Ahem.

The bolero and vest were not created. No yarn was found.
*moment of silence*
Perhaps I will be able to make them for their Christmas gifts.

I did, however, create a little book of fiber for my cute twin neighbors--I'm always ready to push the knitting/fiber aspect!

Using some leftovers from various projects, I had a page for alpaca, wool, soy silk, silk, corn, and flax. By putting hot glue on the pages themselves, the paper stuck. If I put hot glue on the paper, it wouldn't stick to the yarn. There's probably some scientific logic to this; I wouldn't know.

We also got some hardcover books, one about sheep in a car that won't go, and, my personal favorite, "Is Your Mama a Llama?"

*personal happy rant ahead*

Their birthday party was adorable. I was worried that Ryan and Riley wouldn't recognize me with so many relatives around, but they gave their usual big smiles when they saw me, and Ryan even crawled over one time to be picked up. Happy 1st Birthday, cuties!

*ok, I'm done*

I'll be at camp for the next week and a half, the same one I went to last year and came back with dyed yarn and new fiber Mom and Dad had sent from home. This year, I'll be bringing some fiber, as well as the leftovers from the cardigan. (aka these 800 yards)I still have no idea what I will make with it, but I do have a few ideas. Please let me know what you think!

Choices (I have 800 yds of yarn):

A) Knit a shirt similar to the halter top, except instead of a single strap, I would make two thick straps, maybe even little sleeves, yarn permitting. Does that make sense?

B) Does anyone have a pattern for lacy gloves? *fiberfiend6891 was nice and found the pattern for me! I need the needles though. Off to look for them!*

I found a picture in the Spring or Summer Interweave Knits, but (grrr) the pattern wasn't there. I may not use the the cardigan yarn (wrong color), but I do have a couple hundred yards of white handspun I'm up in the air about dyeing. A problem about this idea is that I don't have enough double-pointed knitting needles to make a set. That, and I've never made gloves before in my life.

C) I'd say socks, but the double-pointed knitting needle problem would come up again.

D) Anybody have any other ideas?

I'll check the blog tomorrow, then I'm off! Camp, here I come!

You Know You're a Child of the Internet When...

...your friends check on your blog to make sure you're all right when you don't answer the phone, and panic when you haven't posted anything recently. True story. Sorry guys! Hopefully this will quell your (possible) fears.

I have a couple moments to breathe before buckling down into finals again, so I figured a blog post was in order.
Remember the yarn I won in Ravelry?
It is now a triangular shawl.

The possibilities with this baby are endless.I feel so safe in it--this will be what I wear for the last day of school.

I am also spinning some soy silk. I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet-it's so soft, I'm tempted to just knit a pillow!

Aaaand, compliments of Sarah at Mom's Knitting and her blogiversery contest,(I'll probably have a year-and-3-months contest, so stay tuned!) I got some yummy yarn in the mail!It's all so soft and yummy. Thank you so much, Sarah!! I'm still waiting for it to speak to me about what it wants to be made into. I'm hoping it's a teddy bear. The twins next door would love it to death!

Speaking of the twins, I have yet to start on their birthday presents. Of course, I already have the ceramic shoes, but I wanted something more knitty-related, if you could recall. I found a Debbie Bliss book with an adorable bolero top for the girl, Riley, and a little manly vest for Ryan. The patterns call for cashmerino, which, considering the fact that it's spring, wouldn't be a good idea.

When we go to the yarn store tomorrow, after exams (the one good thing about taking long tests is that we get at least the other half, if not the other 3/4ths of the day off!), I'll be looking for a cotton blend. I found something called "CotLin" on KnitPicks, perfect weight, colors, the whole shibang, but the yarn wouldn't get here in time for their birthday party this Saturday. As it is, the chances I'll give them a half-made gift is far from unlikely. My goal is to post every day this week to make up for the fact I've been a bad blogger.

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty...

*pictures deleted on account of a mother's theory and some odd places some people visiting this blog were from*
Here's the skirt that turned into a tube top that turned into a halter top. Thanks to my brother for taking the pictures.

The pattern is still a work in progress. (see #4 of the last post) I'll try to publish it (on this blog) soon.
As for my current knitting project, it's a "Leaf Kimono Top" from the summer issue of Interweave Knits. I haven't gotten very far, but it's my first lace project, so I'm taking it as slow as I can.

Remember the cute little twins next door, and how I made little ceramic memento shoes for them? (#3) Well, here they are!

I Swore To Myself I Wouldn't Forget...

...but it seems Fate had a different idea. What am I referring to? Why, the first blogiversery of this here blog!

To see the first (lame) post I wrote, you can click here.
Now. Let's have some knitting info, shall we?
I knitted a scarf from that silk. This is the first scarf I've made that is actually longer than I am tall:

And I only had a bit of yarn left!

Remember that skirt I made out of the "scrap" yarn? Well, it turned into a tube top, then a tank top type thing. I'm hoping to get the pattern typed up in time for the fall Knitty (it really looks like a homecoming shirt type thing). If I don't get it done before May 16 (I think that's the deadline) you'll be seeing pictures soon!

I do believe a plan for summer knitting is due, seeing as school will be out in a month. (Eeeek! AP test next week!)

1) If I get to Jo-Ann's before the year's end, a certain guy friend at school will be getting a "flying" cape. If not, he'll have to get it next year. Seeing as I promised he would get it before we graduated from high school, I'm covered.

2) Ditto for my brother. Although, I'm guaranteeing him his cape before Christmas.

3) For the twins 1st birthday that is coming up, I have already made little ceramic shoes. They won't fit them, of course; it's just supposed to be a memento. I'm hoping to get something in the yarny nature snuck in, as well. After the AP test, I'll do some sleuthing on Ravelry.

4)I also have those two patterns for myself I'd like to sneak in.

5) My cardigan is simply screaming to be slightly redesigned; I'm imagining take two in a bright read Cascade 220.

6) A random piano scarf pattern keeps on popping in my head. The plan is to use the 100% alpaca my aunt gave me. I might have mentioned I wanted to dye it; that plan fell through. I have some extra white yarn from the cardigan I might dye at camp.

Well, that's all folks. In honor of my blogiversery, could any lurkers please make themselves known? I'm curious how many people are actually reading this here blog. Thanks!

One More Day Until the New Year!

So, I'd like to start out with a clean slate. Here's all of the things I've been planning on putting on this here blog, but haven't gotten around to it now. The finished hat, complete with a really sweet heart button: I'm planning on knitting this for myself in blue for when the weather gets warmer, in my "spare time".

The final third of roving for my blanket, which I dyed yesterday. You may not be able to tell by the picture, but it really is darker than the second third.

Aaaaand now, the amazing, the long anticipated.........BABY PICTURES!!! YAAAAY!!

I don't look this tired all of the time, seriously. The babies are cute, though, aren't they? I just melt every time I see them.
The hats I gave them turned out a tad too big; nothing a folded-up brim can't fix, thankfully.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Remember That Blanket? And Other Items To Reminise About

You might recall the blanket that I am planning on dyeing, spinning, then knitting. Well, I am much farther along on it than I have let on. In fact, I am almost done with the second third!I also can now reveal something from the Fiber Chic vault: the super secret presents I worked on in October, November, and December. I knit a pair of Knucks, one pair for each of my three best friends. Here they are, in all of their glory:Remember how I said I'd give you cute pictures of babies in my next post? Well, that didn't work too well, did it? The problem is, when I got to play with my little friends last Thursday, I forgot my camera. BBR and BGR's mom, however, came to the rescue and took a bunch of pictures. So, once she emails those pictures to me, you will get baby goodness, I promise.

Clarification

I just reread this post, and I realised: I am turning into a real, honest-to-goodness teenager. I have way too many capitalized letters, exclamation points, and starry things in my writing. *GASP!!!!!!!!!*

Know when I wrote that last post? All of that stuff that I didn't even have the yarn for yet? THAT was my Christmas list of things to knit. Therefore, I did NOT have even close to my Christmas list done. Sorry for instilling misplaced anger in anyone at me for having everything done already. Truth is, I was WAY behind. I guess I should have been a little more clear on that.
Now, however, I have almost everything done.(Yay!)
Sooo, may I introduce, the A-mazing, the IN-credible, FINISHED OBJECTS!!!!

(*Insert Cheering Here*)

This is the cotton hat for that good friend in California. As you can see, there isn't any cool, funky button on it. That's because I don't have the button--yet. Perhaps this will be her New Year's Present, yes?

John's missing Christmas present and I have been reunited at long last, and everyone is happy that it is back--even Mister Green Fox! (What? You can't see the absolute delight and joy on his little carved face? I guess not...)

Last but not least, these are BBR and BGR's Christmas presents from me. The blue one was started last night, and was finished 4th period today. The pink one was cast on shortly after that, and was done by 8th period. In light of the holiday break approaching, our teachers obviously gave us a lot of down time.

The reason for my hurry? I was going to see the twins next door today, after play practice. However, practice was late, so I was not able to visit *sob*. I wasn't able to stop over on Tuesday, either--the other day I usually help out. But don't fret! You'll have adorable pictures of babies in hats before 8:00 tomorrow, I promise.

Now, for two interesting websites:
How to you woo the love of your life using just a semester of Spanish? Watch here.

Want to improve your vocabulary and help people in third world countries have food? You can play this fun game!

A Long Put-Off Post

Answers to the problems I had last post are highlighted.
Well. I've got a lot of catching up to do.
-I have to clean the gerbil cage,
-memorise (well, actually study) 20 lines of Shakespeare,
-figure out where I put my brother's and my dad's presents --which are knitted bow and long ties, respectively, since I didn't think I had enough handspun to double it back into fingerless gloves for my brother--
-get yarn for the babies (I'm making them hats, not sure of the pattern yet)
-and yarn for the friend (I do know what pattern, not what yarn)

I also started socks in this pattern, just as a relaxing complicated pattern, if that makes sense-it's Slippery Socks, a pattern by a TEEN KNITTER! I hope someday I could get into Knitty....You can't really see the colors, but it's pinks and reds

Hasta luego!

The Play Is Fun..

..but December is upon us. It's Christmas/Hannakah/Kwanza/New Year/Holiday knitting time!
This is my list of things to do before I got to bed tonight (yes, I only have a couple hours to do all of this):

1)Update blog (I'm doing that now, see?)

2)Check everyone else's blogs (If I haven't gotten to you yet, it means I've skipped this to do less important things such as sleeping and breathing in between other things on the list. I promise I'll catch up by Friday)

3) Study for science and math tests that are on Friday.

4) Decide what hat pattern for a friend of my moms--She lives in California and likes the color purple, so it needs to be a pattern thats a little more on the summery side... Ideas?

5) Decide what I'm going to do for BBR and BGR. They tried on their sweaters the other day and were SO CUTE in them...I don't have a picture, but at their mother's disgression and when the sweaters fit a little bit better, I might post one! Ideas are welcome in this department, as well.

6) Wrap the super secret presents--I'll be giving them to their owners on Saturday, which means pictures of them wearing them Monday...

7) Figure out what to give my little brother. The yarn I spun for the fingerless gloves is WAY too thin, it won't work, and I don't have any good store-bought yarn to use. Help!

8) Practice cello for at least 15 minutes

Hope your days aren't as hectic as mine!

And Now, There Are Two!

Yep, I finished them-buttons and all!

The middle button on the boy's cardigan looks darker in the picture, but I promise you, it's not!

The boy's cardigan turned out a tad bigger, but not too bad.

The pattern: Daisy, from Knitty.

Adjustments: I did a different pattern for the sleeves:

CO 33, work in st st till piece measures 6-7 inches, or desired length, work dec. same as original pattern

(Make 2, obviously)

I just made the sleeves longer and thinner, nothing fancy-I hope they fit!

Now that I have Goal #1 off my list, on to Mom's scarf!

I dyed half of my silk with Cherry Kool Aid for the red, Orange Kool Aid for the, well, orange.

It looks a little scraggly, but hopefully nothing a little carding can't fix :)

Yay for Wednesdays!

So Close-

-and yet so far.

As you can see from this shadowed picture, I have the body of BBR's cardigan finished, and one sleeve. The other is about halfway done. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish it this weekend or next week. It would be nice to start a new project and check an old one off the list.

I don't have the yarn for the super secret projects for my friends, so I'll have to prep for the third project next: the Phoenix Tears Scarf.

I'm planning on using the silk caps that were off-limits until school starts. Remember? It will be only part of the project, though. The pattern asks for a ribbon yarn as well. Perhaps I'll get fabric to cut into strips, or maybe I'll actually buy some novelty stuff. I'm not sure yet. I could just do an interpretation of the pattern, and not use ribbon yarn at all!

It's a debate on whether or not to dye the caps and spin them, or spin the yarn and dye that. Either way, it would be fun to test out the dyeing technique for my blanket; granted, the blanket won't be out of silk, but still.

Now, for a Ravelry update:

You signed up on July 19, 2007
You are #18748 on the list.
7146 people are ahead of you in line.
12850 people are behind you in line.
36% of the list has been invited so far.

Last time we checked, there was 3,000 more people in front of me. I'm moving up!:)

Some Progress...

Thank you all for your comments about my wave pattern. My blanket will probably be blue and have the design in yarn overs, with a pentagon or hexagon shape.
In the baby cardigan news: I finished the right front in school today, and am working my way up the back. No pictures today, but maybe tomorrow I'll have an actual post, with lots of words and pictures at the same time!
I have another poll, if you don't mind, could you answer it? Thanks!
Off to dinner-
Bye!

Just Pictures Today!

TA DAH! I knitted this stitch too loosely-what should I do?
I have a really long foot-the sissors are regular size.
After ripping back... This is the design I'm planning for my blanket-I want to make sure you can tell what it is, so in the comments, could you please tell me what the pattern looks like to you?