I Don't Get It

I know that I'm probably just being impatient, but I want my Shetland Triangle to start looking like the one I'm trying to knit. I'm using size 6 needles with fingering weight yarn. I think the stitches are close enough together, it's just that the leaves are not defined enough for me. Trust, it's not just a bad picture, it looks like this in real life.

By the way, I got my Ravelry invite. It's like the database I've always dreamed of. I know that it can totally get me organized, but I just don't see myself itemizing my stash at this point. Ha Ha Ha! I've done my needles and books. You can tell that I'm a free pattern person or just purchase one pattern at a time. My login is Yarnfettish, can I be your friend?

I searched the Shetland Triangle on Ravelry and noticed that I'm not the only one with this problem. This is encouraging, I think.

Fall 2007 Line Up

These are the projects that I want to complete for myself during the fall. The Cable Luxe Tunic Kit is only about $30, Yeah! The Interlocking Cables Sweater is a free pattern from Interweave Knits. Thank Jordana Paige for the smart design of the Trapeze Sweater. This pattern found online at Stitch Diva Studios. I've been having this Green Gable Pattern in my collection forever. It was going to be the first sweater I've ever knit. I lost the inspiration somewhere, but I think I've got it back now. Pink maybe?

I asked my brother if he would accept a handmade item for his birthday in August. "Yes!" was his response. He used to want to design clothing but got weary of the actual logistics of it all. But, this doesn't mean that he doesn't have ideas stored up in his head. He knew he wanted a gray vest with argyle details in shades of pink across the chest. We finalized that the back and shape can look like that of the Drunken Argyle (which I like), and the front can contain his argyle design.

Notice, there are no kiddie projects in this lineup. Let's see how long it takes for them to take over.

Too Much Candy

I am an emotional eater. Some may say that this is the worst kind. This destructive habit has really gotten out of control this week because I haven't been able to knit as much. However, I have stayed up till midnight a few nights already just to reach a couple of milestones. I also think that one of the problems is that I don't cry much anymore. I often feel like I want to, but I don't. One of my pet peeves is heffas who cry at work. I could take an entire lengthy post to explain why, but I won't. I have cried at work a little, but I absolutely don't do it now.

I can't cry at home, because if I do it worries the children. Now, I raise my children with the truth. I don't lie to them about things going on in the world, and I don't give credit to Santa for all my hard work, that kind of truth. But your babies feel every thing you do when and if you express it. I have to protect them from what I feel inside sometimes. If they could feel what I feel, they might lay down and die. By the time they go to sleep, the urge to cry has some how subsided. So, this is why I don't cry much. I was childless for a week not too long ago and couldn't even watch dramatic commercials without balling. And because I refrain so much, the tears come at inappropriate times.

The "mini" puff sleeve cardigan was nearly complete but I ran out of yarn. I originally got this yarn to make some funky toddler knee-highs. Then I remembered the last time I bought one hank of Cherry Tree Hill yarn. It lasted forever, and even after a pair of socks and a beanie I still had a hand full. Now this yarn soothes me enough so that I could walk around all day fondling that hand full, but what a waste. So, I started to stash bust and remembered what I had left over from these purple socks (scroll down). Colorful, I know, but hey she'll have enough time to have to dress to try to blend in. Now is not one of them. I'll use the bright purple on the button band as well. So, I only needed what I had left of the MC to do the two sleeves. Darn it! I still ran out.

So here's my plan, tell me what you think (I mean it, I've noticed that knit/crochet bloggers tend not to leave negative comments. Why is this? Some of this stuff just be tacky.) cause none of my LYS carry Cherry Tree Hill (the store I got it from is closing so I got this one and only for 50% off). I've even put a want add on Craig's list just in case my plan fails miserably. The name of the colorway is Winterberry. I remembered this Lorna's lace colorway I purchased online. When it came it just was not what I was expecting. So, I've struggled with dedicating it to any one thing. If I alternate rows with the MC and this substitute, it should blend in. It's just one sleeve. No one should notice. Look for yourself.

Now from a slightly different angle.

Am I fooling myself? Sitting on top of the sweater is a sock knitted with the substitute. Next to it is a ball of the substitute and, sitting on top of that ball is a piece of scrap of the MC. I don't think it sticks out that much.

She will wear this with a tu-tu and tiara and on that day we will be princesses and go to build-a-bear and have cake and maybe play in make up at the MAC counter.

Live Off the Land!(?)

Ya'll know I'm just talking. I frequent Walmart and the other discount stores just as much as the rest of you. And I love natural fibers just like the rest of you. But you know how marketing does, they know that all you need to see is 100% on the label so that the consumer can feel right about buying a certain product. With that said, how close are you to nature really when you buy 100% natural fibers? You know that if one day this country ends up in apocalyptic conditions (And it's a thin line, baby. If you don't think so you need to wake up.) there ain't gone be no mercerized cotton or no superwash wool.

We gone be knitting with fibers not much unlike Cascade's Ecological Wool. Straight up cut the frills, perfectly suitable to clothe you and your family more than effectively, might as well have sheared that sheep myself, and spinned the wool myself yarn. And thank God there are still a few of us who would know what to do with it without seeking the services of another should the need occur.

I think I'm making good progress. I'm working on the tomten's hood right now. It's the sleeves I'm worried about. I've just followed Elizabeth Zimmerman's rule of quarters both vertically and horizontally to get the right dimensions. The sleeve holes are supposed to be enormous like that.

My name is Nicole, and I'm a carnivore. Before I became a mom, a few years before that I only ate sea food and tossed salads with dark leafy greens. Boy was my skin fabulous. This is why I decided to try to go back that type of diet. My skin improved dramatically within this short period of time. Hey, it's one of the few beauty treatments detailed in the bible (Daniel 1), and I couldn't even make it 10 days.

Last week I only ate vegetarian 6 out of 7 days of the week. I started with a screamin' "tuna" salad. I kid you not, I crave this stuff now. Then I used protein crumbles in my spaghetti instead of meat; soy chicken strips in my stir fry, stuff like that.

Then we gorged on various fruits like these grapes. We've barely had any bad fruit this summer. You've all probably seen those gigantic white peaches and nectarines in the grocery or at the farmer's market. Oh, and the cherries before they hit $6 a pound. OMG!

Living here in the Central Valley of CA, you get to meet a lot of hobby farmers/gardeners, whatever you want to call them. Tomatoes are easy, but I felt blessed when offered this beautiful eggplant. I kept petting it all day and couldn't wait to get it home.

This is not something we ate when I was young. My parents tried to make vegetables taste like something else most times. This must be why, as an adult, that I don't want nothin' to do with no pot liquor. Yuck! Use it once and toss it for God's sake. I don't think I bit straight through and asparagus without it being stringy until I was in my twenties.

We made eggplant mozzarella(with the left over spaghetti sauce) with this delicious soy cheese and cabbage wedges. Yummy yum.

3 New Projects!?! No Problem.

I had genuine intentions on sending this gift off in the mail by now. I made the size 12 binkini bottom for my girlfriend's daughter (a 17/18 yo six foot something college freshman) who is stacked in an athletic way. I've never had an athletic body, but I was once a size 12 and I just don't remember it being this small. That tape measure says about 14 inches from seam to seam. So, I asked my girl to get some of the kid's undies, lay them flat on the table, and measure them from seam to seam. Her response "Her waste size is 27, and can you make something that covers her butt?" My reply? "This is what you described to me. If I make this she'll be mad." After showing her what she said, she agreed that something a little less granny would be suitable. She still hasn't given me the measurements that I asked for and I'm not continuing with the bikini until she does.

It's time for winter fall/knitting. It's triple digits here in central California, so who knows if were ever going to need fall clothing. Last year we went directly from summer to winter everything from here on out will be wool. I know I'm crazy for this, but I'm converting the puff sleeve cardigan from Fitted Knits into a toddler size. I'm using sock yarn and size 2 and 0 needles and knitting the smallest size. It seems to being going as planned so far.

And, I've found me a new favorite yarn store, albeit not local. I went to the Bay Area yesterday and stopped by a yarn store I'd read about in a magazine or something (I really can't remember) named Artical Pract. It's my new favorite because their selection is bountiful. They probably have every yarn used by the full-time designer and LOTS of color choices. To me this means that I can substitute with more certainty because I have the actual yarn used right there in the store with me. No, I didn't go on a spending binge, but I did pick up something new and unexpected. I'm knitting a Tomten for little man with this stuff called Ecological Wool made by Cascade Yarns. You get 478 yards for $15. I asked the associated, to "Just tell me straight up what the story behind this yarn is. Why is it so cheap?" She replied that Cascade just wanted to provide a more affordable yarn, she's seen a lot of people knit sweaters with it (3.5 stitches per inch), and she'd definitely buy it. I was sold.

I've studied and studied Brooklyn Tweed's rendition of an adult Tomten and I am certain that I can make my own version without the pattern. You just watch.

And, oh yes, we're going to try to turn last years uniform pants into a rug. Should be easy enough.