Gifting fun giftys!

Got together with KA and her lifemate Bean. I'm going to be screwed when they get married since I've known the girl by first and last name forever...I don't know that I'll be able to change it in my head.

Anyway, had dinner with them and finally gave birthday gifts...a month and seven months late. Eh hehe. Yeah. Figuring schedules, so not my strong point.

Interesting, and humorously, enough Bean and I wore the same shirt without consulting. HAHAHA! That's what happens when you are nerdtastic.

Anyway, I gave each a coffee cup cozy that is hand sewn and reusable from sewtara's Etsy shop. I actually had to get one for myself since I got a ceramic coffee cup with lid that didn't come with a cozy. *pouts* Ah well, I picked a good one.

Along with that KA got a little panda pouch. I am a firm believer that one can never have too many pouches to store things in. Bean got a set of teacups that are cupcake molds. KA had told me when we were last out and about that he wanted them, soooooo. Yesh. :D

As you can see I knit a panda plushie too. This was for KA. She's a big panda fan. It was entirely too entertaining making this little cutie from Katie Boyette's KnitWit book. I have plans for a few other patterns within. *cackles*

There was also a knitted little wonder for Bean. KA and I discovered that there was a mutual love for Dr. Who. That being said I decided Bean needed 11's sonic screwdriver a la yarn.

In the midst of the shopping and browsing of Etsy, I realized I forgot to include a small item for each. *headdesk* I'll have to remember for next outing with one or both of them. *sigh*

They actually got me something pretty freakin' sweet too. KA commented that she loves journals, but doesn't journal well. So I reap the benefits since I do both things. Well, perhaps not well, but I use journals for various things. Anyway, they gave me Keri Smith's Wreck this Journal. I'd seen this when I worked at BN and always meant to buy it. Muwahahaha! I was doing a little googling on it and came across pictures of people following the journal's directions. It got me thinking, I might document this and post about that. Then I found a blog that is doing so. She calls it Wreck this Journal Wednesdays. I'm not sure if I can stick to that schedule, but I can certainly take pictures and post what I do to it.

Yes...this is going to be entertaining. :D

knitting in pop culture

I've been really amused to come across a few knitting references in movies and literature lately.

I think another part of this is the yarn bombing movement. It's been making the news so putting knitting in the spot light. I really love the Wall Street Bull yarn bomb. :D

Dumbledore refers to knitting the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines...I do love knitting patterns."

Mostly, I completely understand this compulsion. I have ridiculous amounts of fun looking at knitting patterns. Whether I knit them or not is irrelevant. They are creative and inspirational. Then again, I like to stock pile them away in hopes that I might knit them in the future. I also have a compulsion to buy yarn. My stash is huge.


Tangled refers to it twice. I love that Rapunzel knits. Look at Pascal hidden in her scarf! He's so freaking adorable. Hehe! She's knitting English style too.

And one of the ruffians does later on in the movie. It's part of the listing all their dreams.

If you haven't seen it, go and watch. One of the better animated non-Pixar movies to come out of Disney's studios in a while. Cracks me up every time I watch.

I look forward to finding more knitting references.

Cap for the Cap't

Went to see Captain America (for the second time) today and had lunch with a friend from high school. Hadn't seen him in a few years. It was nice. We had a good chat and I was able to gift him my fifth mystery project. (The fourth is still on the needles slowly being knit...)

Since he was the only male to respond to the Pay it Forward challenge, I had some trouble determining a pattern for him. This is also due to the fact that most patterns seem to be made for women by women. Nothing wrong with that, but trying to find something for a guy it rough.

I chose a hat pattern called Windschief. The guy who wrote it has some really neat stuff that is masculine, but also simple as he does patterns with knit and purls, no fancy stuff that makes it flourishy. I think it turned out well. :) He seemed to like it. (And it fit!)

It really decided me when I had the thought, you can't really have too many hats.

This didn't turn out to be the best picture, but it was better than the ones I took without the foam head. Which, haha! I bought a foam head so I can model hats and hold my blue Coraline wig. :D There is actually a mild level of excitement about this.

Anywho, really enjoyed being able to catch up with my friend, and he was all Captain America, yes! So I told him I'm calling him Cap from now on. :D

Leaf your thumbprint please...

I had an awesome vacation going home to Grandma's farm. I hadn't actually seen a chunk of my family in about 4 years due to various circumstances. I was so glad to make it up to see them. Saturday was the big day! I did the poster reveal to Kels on Friday while there were a bunch of us sitting around at Grandma's unfurling large tissue paper pom-poms. :) She liked it.

The wedding was so neat. Casual, fun, and light. Lots of rustic little details that made it memorable. I'm glad that I could be a part of it with my tree. Even if I haven't really drawn much in a last few years...actually I don't remember the last thing I drew. >_> Anyway, the tree turned out great, both before and after! I had the most trouble doing the lettering. OMG. The thing took me about 6 hours to pencil, ink, erase and detail. O_o I'd forgotten how time consuming art could be. Also, I found a tree I would totally draw for my own wedding. :D Cause even with no prospects, having some ideas is never a bad thing.

There was pizza making, rope braiding, pom-pom fluffing, and 40s music pumping out during the reception. It was loads of fun and lots of family visiting. :)

I did take a knitting project with me too. My first shawl. Ugh. Did I struggle. There is so much attention in the pattern with YOs and various knit togethers. I ended up casting on, knitting, frogging, and restarting several times. Mum actually said to me at one point, "this is supposed to relax you." HA! I like the challenge even when it drives me bonkers. :P I ended up knitting most of what is show on the road coming home...so about a 2 hour drive and a 3 hour plan trip. Go me!

Also, the pattern is called Allons-Y and makes me giggle when I think on it for Dr. Who and 10. ;D I actually have a few other shawl plans but they will have to do on hold. My project queue keeps getting added to by friends asking for things. I think I'm just about over my no in the round stage for the moment too. So next days off hopefully I can knock out a set of mittens... *fingers crossed*

Shark Bait!

I walked into work last night and was greeted by my glomitt wanting co-worker. (He actually asked about my blogging and declared that he needed an awesome nickname...I'm leaning toward Shark Bait.)

I had to tell him his glomitts were on hold. However he had a new request for me. He wanted a Baby Shark Sleeping Sack. It's pretty fraking cute and hilarious.

So I went hunting for pictures or maybe even a pattern. Found a few pictures of the one he found (along with the Etsy listing) and a few other amusing shark related knits.

Mostly I love the hat I found. On Ravelry and the knitter's webpage. I also completely adore the girl's expression.

So because he's a geek and declared he'd take amusing obnoxious photos if I knit him the Sleeping Shark Sack, he might end up with a hat or ipod cozy (see the Etsy treasury) in it's place while I figure out a few of the other projects I've got going. I'm pretty sure that making the hat would actually help me suss out the construction for the sleep sack.

But it is amusing as hell...and I like being entertained. XD

Round and round she goes...

I love knitting in the round. I've made several things that way. This is probably because I don't like purling since I am slower at it. :P

However, for the last week or so, all projects I've cast on for knitting in the round on circulars has resulted in twisting. Which I don't notice for a few rounds, then I have to rip it all out. Thus I shall work on something knit flat. Like my Coraline sweater. Between that and the mystery project I have left, I should get through the small vacation we're going on for my cousin's wedding. :)

Mostly I'm frustrated since a few of the things I'd like to get made for friends are in the round on circulars (like that neat purple swirl hat shown). *pouts* Just need to take some time away from it I guess...

Just around the corner...

I love autumn. The colors changing. The cooling weather. Everything about it. I'm always so excited for fall to arrive. When I was still in school, I loved the start of school. It meant fall was coming. :D

I think one of my favorite things about fall is Halloween. I love the holiday and October in general. October always had the best weather change and leaves on the trees.

To celebrate fall coming soon...if even in a month, I made a Jack-o-lantern treasury.

I can already smell the cooler weather and falling leaves. Fall also has some of the best food things and spicy smells. Mmmmm.

Guess what came by post?!

That's right! The Coraline sweater yarn has arrived!

Now to print the pattern, knit a swatch, and decipher the pattern.

After glancing through it, I think this one is going to be a big learning experience. There were a few terms and notes that I didn't fully understand. KnittingHelp and Google will be my BFFs.

But for now, I think I'm going to knit the TARDIS.

Pottermore

So my dear friend Lucy alerted me to a site that was established for Harry Potter fans to enhance the experience by Rowling. It is Pottermore. It looks very exciting.

Right now they are on Day 6 or 7 for early admission. It goes up for all in October. The way they do it is quite interesting. They open it up at random times for a short time with a clue. You solve the clue and find a quill. Then register. :) I finally got in today after trying yesterday unsuccessfully and missing the window for a few days.

I look forward to exploring the world and gaining new insight. Now I wait for my email confirmation.

SHARK WEEK!

I haven't watched any of it yet, but there will be sharking this week. I have no clue why I love shark week other than there are really interesting shows on. Notably I love the Dirty Job and Mythbuster episodes. :D

In honor of Shark Week, I give you an Etsy treasury!

I might have to try making the shark ipod cozy...I do have 2 ipods. XD And changing it up once in a while is good.

Warm hands for the Apocalypse!

Gifting of Mystery Project 2 completed! She's a big Supernatural fan, and we're coming to realize how much fandom crossover we actually have. Supernatural, Dr. Who, various books...the list goes on.

I am particularly proud of these as they were the first project that I made major adjustments to and charted on my own. It was a lot of work and research, but they turned out awesome!

Each thing had a meaning. The pentacle is a representation of the Key of Solomon they use to trap demons of exorcism on the show.

The car is Dean's 1967 Chevy Impala (the Metallicar) that they cruise the country in while saving people and hunting things.

The script along the bottom is the Latin phrase Non Timebo Mala (I Will Fear No Evil) which is inscribed on the Colt revolver in the show that can kill anything.

The runes don't have an actual show meaning, I simply needed something to fill the space. Across the back of the hand: protection (algiz), secrets (pertho), ice (isa); Across the palm: journey (raido), strength (urtz), man (mannaz), torch (kenza), tyr (teiwaz), force (thurisaz), need (nauthiz), wealth (fehu), birch (berkana)

The sites (2) (3) explain different things about the runes and while I was reading through them, I found that a lot of them felt/sounded relevant to the show and themes. That is why they made it on to the mitts. That and trying to find a good shot of the Enochian sigils to chart wasn't my cup of tea. The toned down key of Solomon was a bit complicated to knit and chart. But maybe some angel writing next time.

Overall they went over well. I'd randomly decided to make them with vague recollections of her being cold all the time.

iTARDIS

This weekend I had ambitious knitting plans. Those went completely down the drain after I tried knitting and had to keep frogging. I finally decided to pick up the needles again and knit something quick and satisfying in hopes that it would restore my desire to knit bigger projects. I have a feeling this is something I'm going to have to do when I begin to get discouraged.

Anyway, I was perusing tumblr and came across an iPod cozy. A TARDIS iPod cozy. Did a quick search on Google and Ravelry to find a pattern (also here). I ended up utilizing the pattern as more of a guide line and did my own thing. I used some worsted weight Red Heart yarn in my stash. I used the gauge the pattern suggested (which ended up being 5 DPN size US 2/ 2.75 mm because I knit very tight). There was some splitting and such, but I'd knit this the same way again.

Here's what I did:
CO 40 sts in MC (blue); divided between 4 needles (10 each needle).

TOP

1-3: K1P1 in MC

Don't break yarn; carry yarn up through CC2 (black) section.

4-7: K in CC2; break leaving a tail to weave in.

8: K in MC

9: P in MC

WINDOWS

With MC and CC (white) working as follows.

1: MCP1, [CCK3, MCP2] 3 times, CCK3, MCP1

2-4: repeat round 1

5: Knit all in MC

6-9: repeat round 1

Break CC leaving tail for weaving in.

BODY:

1: Knit

2: Purl

3-10: [P1, K8] 4 times

Repeat rounds 2-10 three times

BOTTOM:

1-2: Purl

Cast off with 3 needle bind off in purl. Found this Planet Purl video very helpful.

Weave in ends.

I chose not to add the Police Box lettering, but you could embroider that if you wanted.