Help desk

Around my house when I exclaim "I need help!" the usual response from the housemates is "yes, we've been saying that for years". HA,HA they're soooo funny. In the past couple of days I've come across some great knitting videos on-line that have helped me out.
I couldn't figure out how the hell to do a provisional cast-on. The following site cleared it up for me:
Knitting at Knoon Designs.

Another site I recently found was knittinghelp.com

The internet is a wonderful thing.

Instant Gratification

Sometimes,ok almost always, I don't have the patience with things I can't figure out. I started and ripped out a scarf 3 times in 3 days. I even Tivo'd the episode this particular scarf was demonstrated. When I compared the demo to the printed pattern they didn't match up. No wonder I couldn't figure out this damn thing. Last night I picked up the old crochet hook and made a scarf that looks similar and started and completed it in one sitting. Ahh, instant gratification is wonderful.



Go Steelers!!

Red, white, and blue.

Here's the picture of a mostly completed bedroom. It's so patriotic it makes me nauseous.


The room has inspired me to join the knit olympics. For me it was a choice between a sock and a hat. I've never tried to knit with DPN and after reading through a few patterns for socks I'm pretty sure if I could figure it out I'd need longer than 2 weeks to finish it. I'm choosing a hat. I'm going to try to start and finish a hat knit in the round(which is a first for me). I found this pattern from Knit Picks that will cause me much cursing but I like the finished picture of it.

Rib it.

Actually the newest knitting project attempt is called Classic Stripes.

It states in the book Knit Scarves-"Easy stripes in a wide rib pattern." I was expecting easy but man I have problems with this one. I can't seem to join a new color without a long yarn from the other color getting in the way. The longer it gets the more it rolls so why should I bother fixing this problem anyway? Hopefully I can make the Monday sit-n-stitch and one of the knit masters can help me out.
After watching 4 episodes of Tivo'd Trading Spaces at one sitting I decided to redo my son's bedroom with his area carpet as inspiration.
Of course I have no helpers and $100 budget but that's life. Only after I brought the paint home did I realize his room is going to be red, white and blue. The name of the blue is "star spangled" no less. Hopefully I will finish it up within a week as I realized these kids have a lot of stuff in their bedroom and that stuff is invading every part of my upstairs.
Hope you all have a great weekend.

Meme this.

I have Kathy to thank for getting me to do this "seven" meme. I've found it's more fun to read them than actually participate in one but here goes.

7 things to do before I die.(man, I only get to list 7)
1. Learn to play acoustic guitar.
2. Go skinny dipping.
3. Visit Ireland and drink in at least two different pubs a day.
4. Visit Germany and drive insanely fast on the Autobahn.
5. Learn to Scuba dive.
6. Visit Costa Rica, drink lots of coffee and take a zip line over the Rainforest canopy.
7. Drive around the country in an RV visiting the National Parks.

7 things I can't do.
1. Dance.
2. Drive in my car without any music playing.
3. Play sports competently.
4. Vote Republican.
5. Take a job seriously.
6. Go to a bar to meet up with friends and come home before last call.
7. Make it through a day without a cup of joe.

7 things that attract me to....
1. Yarn...there's so many possibilities and it's all up to me to determine it's final destiny.
2. Music...transports me out of my reality.
3. Coffee...warm and yummy.
4. Cookies...sweet morsels of goodness.
5. Sunsets...beautiful colors of yellow and red mixing into the horizon.
6. The Beach...the wonderful sound of crashing waves and warm sand under my feet.
7. My Man...after 16 years and 2 kids, I still lust for him.

7 things I say most often.
1. Guys, knock it off!
2. Can't you guys get along?
3. Oh Crap!
4. Dang it dog, get out!
5. Not now, the game is on.
6. I love you too.
7. I need some coffee.

7 books I like.
1. Love is Hell by Groening
2. As the Crow Flies by Archer
3. The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex
4. Without Feathers
5. Side Effects
6. Getting Even (4-6 by Woody Allen)
7. Reader's Digest Complete do-it-yourself manual(can't live in an old house without this one)

7 movies I watch(or have watched)again and again.
1. Manhattan
2. When Harry Met Sally
3. Home for the Holidays
4. Clerks
5. The Princess Bride
6. It's a Wonderful Life
7. Charlie Brown's Christmas


Alrighty then. That was fun it's all yours Becky.

There's always next season.

Man, I really thought the Bear's would make it to the Superbowl this time. I know it's the same optimism I have going into each lottery drawing. I have to face reality, they played like crap and they totally deserve to sit out the rest of the post season. There's always next year.

Brighten my day.

In these parts, people are always commenting on the weather. Yesterday was a beautiful day here. It felt like March with a bright sun and 50 degrees. Bam, it's back to freezing with rain, sleet, and snow today. How does one escape the diagnosis of SAD or manic depression living in a climate like this? Crocheting in bright summery colors my blog friend.



Plus I can finish this kind of a project in about an hour unlike the not so speedy knitting projects.
I have spent hours completing over 100 rows on the cable scarf and have 18" done. I want it to be at least 5 foot long, if not longer.



I have a much greater appreciation of all garments hand knitted.
Have a great weekend. GO BEARS!!!!

Fluorescent Green Pigs.

Click here for the story.

Warm fuzzies.

I am surrounded by boys(4 to 1) in my house. It's very rare to find anything fuzzy and cute around here. I picked out a fun, girly, novelty yarn a couple of weeks ago and I turned it into a cute knit boa scarf for my favorite niece.



I'm sure it will warm up the cold, wintry days ahead.

Trying out some cables.

I came across what seemed to be a simple enough pattern to tackle for a cable scarf. Granted I have only recently understood the basic concepts of casting on, knitting, and purling. Feeling the inspiration of a brand new year I figured I could do this, no problem. I tried to start this pattern about 6 times and felt like giving up. Thanks to Kathy, knitting/crocheting mentor she was able to explain through email what the heck C6B and C6F meant so I started the project again. Here is what I accomplished last night and it looks like the picture on the pattern so I must be doing it correctly. This is 25 rows. Right now I'm using scrap yarn because after the first attempts I had my doubts that it would really turn out. I received an email yesterday from knitpicks.com advertising their Andean Silk which I think would be great for this pattern.

Finished with time to spare.

It's a good thing this is usually read sitting down. I have finished a birthday gift almost 3 weeks early. I know, I can hardly believe it myself. The hat is knit and the scarf is crocheted. It probably would have taken the better part of a year for me to knit both.



Have a great weekend.

It still feels like Christmas.

At least that's how I felt when a package came today from Amazon. My family will eat well in this New Year thanks to a few new cookbooks added to my collection. I can't wait to get started.