Hey, pull over!! Ding ding ding!!!

On the menu today: A book review, my current wip, and a new storage idea.

First off, the book. I recently read the book "Skin" by Ted Dekker. It's an excellent book. I like his books, but as he's a Christian author, they normally at least have something to do with a higher power of some kind... I don't really think this one did. Here's what the review from Booklist says:

"A freak tornado drives five characters together in the little Nevada town of Summerville in this striking morality tale superficially reminiscent of Stephen King's Desperation (1996). Dekker's philosophical considerations are his own, however. It seems that as the storm descended a serial killer named Sterling Red began his killing spree. The reader won't understand why for a long time, but, apparently, the killer is partially motivated by the desire for revenge against a nervous deputy--a Las Vegas emigre--named Colt. Sterling Red makes a curious demand of the group: kill the ugliest person among you within six hours. Otherwise, he will wipe out the rest of Summerville. Not that the little group will accede, but just suppose. Is it beauty or ugliness that's skin deep?"

What do I think? It was wonderfully written. It's one of those books that you have to read twice. The first time you have to know what's going on, and you read it really fast (or I do...). The second time, once you know what's going on, it's that much better. I read it in 24 hours. It was so good... I almost read part of it instead of watching the Buckeyes lose in the national championship. Crazy, right?

Now, for the blog fodder. First, my Christmas present from my nephew, Austin, who's 7.

It's a little purse... his reasons? Because he thought maybe I could use it for makeup or something. I love that kid so much. He cares so much about everyone else... I love him. (I'm actually going to use it for my ipod and it's accessories lol).

I've been trying to finish my mom's sock before tomorrow morning because she's going to drive over here with my dad to get her car (I borrowed it from her) and her dog (she had a sleepover with us lol). I have 14 rows of st st, and 14 rows of ribbing left. I should be able to finish it... if I can get off the computer...

There it is posed artfully with my love, my flute. Well.. it was supposed to be artfully, but I got impatient with it. I also decided to use this box that a gift set I got for Christmas was in to store my wip when I'm not working on it.

It's so cute. I love it.

Tomorrow? What to do with two picture frames, some fabric, and an i-cord. See ya then!

That sounds... I'm not sure how that sounds

Hey guys! So I have a couple things to talk about today. Lets start with the knitting, and end with a questionnaire. So I've been working on my mom's socks that were supposed to be for Christmas... which I'm on the heel of, and only have about 3 inches to go after the heel. I was hoping to finish today but I don't think that's going to happen. Especially if I sit at the computer filling out questionnaires and playing on Ravelry all day...

Let's see, what else... the Fingerless gloves I finished fit like a DREAM, and I love them. I also felt cool wearing them when we went to see "Sweeny Todd" Saturday, as just about everyone is wearing them in that movie. I got in some good knitting on mom's sock in that movie. About 2 inches. Before... I dropped a stitch. And we had this really grumpy old man sitting next to us, who wouldn't let us use our cell phones, and I opened Emmy's so I could look at my stitches and he was all impatient so I couldn't pick it up. I managed to get part of it otn, but the yarn was split, and I couldn't fix it... excellent movie though, I'd love to see it again. It was perfect for knitting, as it was... well, less active than most of the movies I like. So when it's on video, it'll be cool to watch while working something a little more complex. I also really want to make Sweeny Todd's fingerless gloves, along with pretty much everyone else who's seen the movie...

Okay, on to the questionnaire. I just joined this swap that's being ran by Carly, called the Scavenger Hunt Swap. I'm very excited about it, as it's my first swap, so I'm going to go ahead and post the questionnaire now. Yay!

1) Do you knit, crochet or both? How long have you been doing it? I knit, because I think crochet is vile and evil... seriously, I know how to crochet, but I don't like it. I've been knitting for exactly one year.

2) What is on your needles/hook right now? Three pairs of socks (Monkeys, loksins, and a plain toe up pair), a pair of fingerless gloves in SWS, Swan lake, and later today, Endpaper mitts. (The links are all in my sidebar if there's a pattern I'm following.)

3) What is the most frequently used tool in your knitting bag? Ha ha, my crochet hook... I drop stitches from time to time. :) Or else my tape measure or stitch markers.

4) What are your 3 favorite yarns (fiber type or brand)? What are your 3 least favorite? My three favorites are Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn, Patons sws, and Zephyr Lace weight. My least favorites are anything fun fur, most acrylics (I'm a yarn snob...) and anything that's more rough than soft.

5) What is your favorite color? I'd have to say pink, but blue comes in a close second. I also like pinks with colors you wouldn't expect, like browns or greens. I'm a varigated type of person.

6) If you had a 5 minute shopping spree in your LYS, how would you plan your attack? Oooh, first head for the sock yarn, grab as much of that as I could, and then the lace weight, as my lys doesn't carry many worsted weights that I like. Ooooh, yeah, and the needles. Small ones, circular, for knitting socks on two circs or via magic loop. Mostly sized one and two.

7) What is your favorite FO and why? (post a pic if you have it!) My favorite FO that I've made? My Icarus, that I gifted to Angie. See yesterday's post for pics. She posted them.

8) What are your favorite things to knit/crochet? I like socks and fingerless gloves. Mainly accessories I guess, though I really do love lace.

9) Do you collect anything? Besides dpns? Um... well, I collect DVDs... and pictures. I have an extraordinary amount of pictures for someone my age... oooh yeah, and weird socks. I'm a weird sock person.

10) What are your five favorite things (not necessarily knitting related)? Wow, this is a tough one... lets see. Ohio State football, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harry Potter, my dogs, and... photography? I don't know, that's a really hard question... I also like to write...

11) Are you on Ravelry? What is your ID? Yup! My ID is Krystalclear2006

12) Do you drink tea/coffee/cocoa? Yes. All of them. I especially like chamomile and fruity teas. I'm definitely a coffee drinker. I use milk in my coffee. I also like cocoa, but only sometimes.

13) Favorite Sweets? I love those ferrero rocher candies, and dark chocolate.

14) Any allergies? Coconuts. Seriously. Coconuts. And dogs, but that one I have under control.

15) Do you have pets? kids? No kids, but I have two dogs, a chocolate lab named Storm and a yellow one named Mattie... and a beta fish named Jack. Actually, Captain Jack.

I hope I went in the right direction with all of those answers. You should go join us in the swap, it'll be fun! Thanks for stopping by! :)

That's right, no unfinished monkeys!

Yesterday I posted a blog asking two questions:

What did I finish?

and

Why does my elbow hurt so bad?

I'm going to answer those questions in a minute. But first I thought I'd show you one of the best presents I got for Christmas this year.






My Icarus. The top picture is the way I wear it most often, unless I'm wearing it because my arms are cold. The second one is to show how long it is on me. It's actually just a tiny bit longer. It was bunched up. And of course, I'm doing something in those pictures that I seem to spend a LOT of time doing (almost as much time as I spend knitting)... talking on the phone with Krystal. We kill the battery on my cordless phone an average of twice a day. lol

Now, to answer those questions. What did I finish yesterday?



Zana's Icarus. And why does my elbow hurt so bad? Because I've got some kind of repetitive strain injury going on. I've been taking it easy since I finished the shawl and that has seemed to help a little but if it doesn't clear up completely I'm going to look into an elbow brace and try to learn to purl continental so that I can switch when my arm hurts. I'm too young to wreck my hands and elbows. Icarus still needs a good wet block and a good pinning out, but I decided to spray block it so that I could get a look at it to be sure there were no dropped stitches or anything like that before I pulled out the lifeline. Also because I had to see what it looked like blocked. lol

Call me so I can finish this darn monkey

Wow, what a busy couple of days! I've been knitting knitting knitting! I finished the fingerless mitts for my KAL in Ravelry. I love love love them! I was so excited to have them finished. I thought, while I was working on the first one, the right one, that it was my favorite... but upon seeing the colors in the left one, I like it so much more! They don't even look like they came from the same skein of yarn... but not only did they come from the same skein, glove number two started exactly where number one left off. I did the thumbs last, and I'm glad I did, because there was enough yarn left to pick exactly what color I wanted for them.

Pattern Notes: Cabled fingerless mitts from Carissa Knits. (There's also a link in the sidebar in my FOs of 08 list!) Cast on the 2nd, ripped back the 3rd, and re-cast on... so I guess you could say I started on Thursday, the 3rd. Finished Early early early this morning, before bed, Saturday morning. So they took me a little over two days. I used Patons sws in Natural Geranium... and I LOVE this colorway. I see many many things that match these in my future. Many. I used my trusty size 8 dpns. I worked the pattern... mostly. It was a little finicky, but only because I changed how many stitches there were rather than change my gauge, because I know my gauge with that yarn and needles, and like the way it looks. I only cast on 32, instead of 44, so I had to adjust how I did it. The second one was much worse, because first I forgot and twisted the cable the wrong way, then I twisted the cable the right way but put the thumb in the wrong place, then I put the thumb in the right place... but it didn't look right, so I readjusted it AGAIN. So technically I've probably knit these babies at least twice. :) It used a lot less than a skein of the sws, so it's a perfect project for that stuff. See, it's too expensive and a little too itchy for a sweater or something, so you can just buy one skein here and there and make some of these!

It took me forever to get a picture I like of that one. I couldn't get the color just right, so I had to adjust it after I took the picture. They aren't quite that dull, but if I didn't do this, the dark pink looked red. There IS a red spot, on the left glove between the two light pinks. Reminds me of Valentine's day.

My cast off edge, which I did in pattern, was a little tight, so I decided that after they're dry, I'm going to go back and pick it out and cast off in this way that I think I must have learned from knitting Icarus, because it's SORT of like that cast off, but I'm really not sure where I learned it, or what it's called. Basically, since it’s k2 p2 ribbing, I’ll knit two, insert the left needle into the two stitches on the right needle, and k2tog. Then, purl 1, and do the same thing but p2tog, and then just do the same thing for the whole needle. It makes a very stretchy edge.

Yay for the first FO of 2008! Stay tuned to see Angie's first FO of 2008. Have a good weekend!

Why is there glitter in my beans?

So I've been pressured by both my hubby and Krystal to do a year in review post a la Rachel. So here goes.

January

I started making lots of little baby things. I think somehow I knew Miss O was coming. This month I was also writing a novel. The novel didn't work out but I did write over 40,000 words before it died. That's the most I have ever written on one story in my entire life. I was also really homesick because this was just after my first Christmas ever away from home. It was tough. Umm... there was snow INSIDE the house, I caught "the plague" and Dylan bought me flowers, I learned how to knit backwards, I made a tutorial in photoshop to show Krystal how short rows work, and I knitted my first pair of socks. Oh yeah, and Hanson was on tv.

February

I named my boobs. I made a list of things I wanted to knit. And then I didn't knit any of them. lol I got a new visa, started some socks for Aunt Jean, and started spinning.

March

I had my first and last experience with railroad yarn (Bernat Matrix). I also had my first experience with Manos Del Uruguay. Mmmm... anyway... I knitted a pair of skully socks for Dylan that he loves so much he hardly wears so he doesn't wear them out. I dyed roving for the first time. I had a hard time taking a photo of my own head. Then I did it again to show I'd finally gotten my hair cut.

April

I started a sweater for Dylan that turned out to be big enough for him and probably Erin too that got ripped. I finally wove in the ends on the skully socks. I knitted half of a Branching Out just to prove to Krystal I could. I started the first ever pair of socks for me then hated them and ripped them out. And I bought my first laceweight ever. (Black Misti Alpaca) Ooh, and I bought my Addi Turbos. And... *deep breath* I sent in my immigration papers.

May

Dylan and I baked peanut butter cookies. I planted sweet peas (the flower not the veggie) that didn't come up till OCTOBER. I started a shawl for Krystal and tried to keep it hush hush. I knitted a bag for someone that now I wish I hadn't cause she and I don't get along anymore. I started a shawl for myself and then ripped it. This became a common pattern with the black laceweight.

June

I finally got my hair cut professionally and they joked about the dead dog they had to sweep up after. I started a pair of socks for my dad which were TORTURE and I didn't finish them. They've since been ripped and the yarn is part of what I'm using for the fair isle AIDS socks. I got this great Shetland top that I love love love but my spindle is too heavy to spin anything I like from it, so it's been put on hold until I get a wheel or get a lighter drop spindle. CIC started processing my immigration paperwork.

July

I got a stomach bug from Octavia and thought I was going to die. But she's so adorable that it was ok. I started the whole Mystery Stole 3 thing. And I bought the beads for Krystal's shawl. I got great yarn from Krystal for my birthday. (Socks that Rock lightweight in "Fire on the Mountain") Dylan and I went over to Jean and Eric's and got drunk. Then Jean serenaded me at the bathroom door. Hanson's new album came out and I walked at least two miles in 95 degree weather to get it. And Dylan created "Thumbledor"

August

I was still knitting MS3 but I wasn't really in love with it anymore. Dylan and I went to "The Ex" which is Saskatoon's version of a county fair. I knitted a scarf from SWS entirely in seed stitch and Krystal marveled at my love for k1 p1. I tried to decide what to do with my second ever laceweight purchase. I knitted myself a shawl using Patons Classic Merino and ran out of yarn 4 rows shy of finishing the border.

September

I made more baby stuff because Miss O's arrival was imminent. If only I knew how imminent... Miss O was born by emergency C section two months premature and was so tiny that every time I looked at her my chest hurt. I finished Krystal's shawl, which I couldn't stand to keep from her a moment longer and posted a picture on the blog. I also disovered there's a very good chance I'm allergic to mohair. I was proud of Krystal and used the first completely random blog title all in the same post. I had the same kind of stomach bug as in July and couldn't go see Zana and Miss O because I would get them sick. And then Zana got it anyway. I hit 100 posts on my old blog. And I knitted the first fair isle I ever enjoyed.

October

I finally got to go see Miss O and I fell even more in love with her than I already was. I crocheted some little felted booties that look like big jelly beans for Miss O. And we celebrated Dylan's birthday.

November

I knitted my entrelac scarf that I am absolutely in love with. I started a flower basket shawl and ripped it. I finished one sock in my birthday STR. The pair is still unfinished. I knitted two hats for people for Christmas. Miss O came home (this was probably in October I can't remember) and got to have a snuggle with her Uncle Dylan. Dylan and I finished our Christmas shopping and I finished almost all of my Christmas knitting. I started my Icarus.

December

I started watching Miss O. Krystal and I started this blog. I dropped stitches on my Icarus. I knitted another pair of Fetchings for myself because my hands were cold even in my gloves. I wrote the coaster pattern. I reclaimed the purple Manos from a hat I don't even remember crocheting. We celebrated Christmas with Zana and Doug. Erin loved her scarf and Miss O finally looked like a real baby.

Tomorrow's Post: What did I finish and why does my elbow hurt so bad?

Run, run like your butt's on fire!!

Well, I've had a busy couple of days. Besides having the plague (they told me it's just a virus, not the plague, but I have my doubts....) for the last week, I've done lots of stuff. First, I finished a monkey. I am so deeply, madly in love with this pattern and this yarn that I wanted to cast on immediately for sock number two, but I've managed to restrain myself, as I needed the needles to cast on for my seconds loksins sock, for the knitting group I started. There's a contest to finish a second sock a month. The good news? I DID cast on. The bad news? Yeah... I'm not to the heel yet. *facepalm* I just... can't get into the pattern. Now I'm going to distract you with a picture of my monkey.

Get your minds out of the gutters... I also started a pair of fingerless gloves for this fingerless glove KAL on Ravelry. They are (my god what would I do without ravelry... I just had to use it to look up the pattern...) Cabled Fingerless Mitts from Carissa Knits and they are such a simple pattern. The worst part has been trying to adjust it because I'm not getting the gauge she got... nor do I have any intention of doing that. I'm using my favorite yarn, patons sws, in the color Natural Geranium. I LOVE this color and I don't know why I haven't used it more, but I assure you, I will. Her gauge was 6 stitches an inch, and mine is 5 stitches an inch. But that's ok. I cast on 36 originally, but that was too big, so I frogged it and cast on 32. That fits fine. Then, I realized I wanted them longer, and had started the thumb gusset too soon, so I frogged again. Then, I realized I had accidently yo'd somewhere, and I tried to fix it but it looked bad, so it got frogged AGAIN... this time it's going well.

See them there, posed neatly with a Christmas present from Dave, the Jordin Sparks CD. It's ok... there are only a few songs besides "Tattoo" that I like, but that's ok. I like it.

Remember my fetching fingerless gloves?

Maybe not. I made them a while back, and they're too big, but I wear them anyway because they're so warm. Just wanted to share a quick story. I was wearing them today while shopping with my mom, and I was hot, so I took them off... and I cooled down instantly. They were keeping my hands so warm, it was making me hot. Isn't that great? What do you guys think of your fingerless gloves, if you have them, and if not, why don't you? They rock. :) Please, feel free to share!

I do everything my cheats tell me to do

Hey guys! Happy New Year! How did everyone's first day of the new year go? Hopefully better than mine... I still can't really talk. So, to pass the time when I should be knitting? I'm stealing from Rachel at Yarn-a-go-go and doing my year in review! Should be quick, easy, and painless, right? Right. Let's get started then.

January: This was the best month of the year! I learned how to knit from Angie, and I made this hat which was my first real knitted project It's in gryffindor. I also switched from yucky yahoo360 to blogger.

February: Wow, February starts out kinda boring. They announced the release for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I freaked out... I had a candle party... I made my third knitted project, Fetching from knitty. Yes, my third knitting project was a dpn project, with cables, that I did without a cable needle. I also got my first skein of sws, in Natural Pink, and thus began the love affair that is still going on today (and my fiber-snobbiness...)

March: I cast on for Branching out, which turned into a purse, which didn't get lined... and then was frogged... I cast on for this purse...

Which I got almost all of the front done on... and then it died. I also found out that I SUCK at intarsia, and I really have absolutely no form of project monogamy.. is that the word I want? Huh... ok.

April: Was a pretty boring month. I made Misti, my not-really-cousin, a pair of fetchings for her birthday, but I put the cables all the way up the back of the hands. I also started to work out... for a while lol.

May: I started and finished my first ever sock, broadripple from Knitty.

Never did do the second sock... probably cause the first was too small. Hmm. I also made my second ever sock, Dublin Bay, and that... I'm not posting a picture because it was too big and I never made a mate. *facepalm* Thus began the horrible second sock syndrome...

June: I worked for a time at Kohl's, a job which I despised... I knitted some, but apparently it wasn't important lol because I didn't blog about it... and I started hanging out with Emmy again. I'm not sure if that happened in June or not, but that's when she first appears in the blog. I also was really into stopping puppy mills, something which I'm still obviously against, but since they have charity's galore for that subject, I've turned my heart to where they don't have so many charities and where it's probably needed more.

July: In July I joined in with the madness of the Mystery Stole, this years was called "Swan Lake" in case you live in a bubble and didn't know... lol j/k. And here is where my mystery stole is, to this day.

I sorta... lost steam on this one when I saw the finished project. For some reason, I really hated the wing idea. I'm still considering ripping back and over dying the yarn. Hmm... I also read the seventh Harry Potter book... in something like 12 hours? Hanson's new CD came out... enough said on that subject...

August: In August, I got my digital camera, and thus began (what is with me and the word "Thus" today??) the age of the annoying amount of pictures in every single post. Adeana, my friend, dyed my hair (put blonde higlights in it). Emmy's sister had a baby... I finally ripped the stupid branching out purse thing and made a multi-directional scarf. (I gave it to Adeana for Christmas lol...)

I went to the zoo, twice. I also started Loksins (or maybe that was really July... hmm...) and of course, the oh so special, time consuming, soul sucking Icarus, which I gave to my Angie for Christmas.

And, at the very end of August, I got my root canal... which was singularly the WORST experience in my life (not counting that bloody nose incident that we don't talk about... but God and I made a deal. Next time he wants to give me a bloody nose, he's gonna let me get hit by a car instead.)

September: In September, there was much knitting, too much to list seperately. Let's just say Icarus, Loksins, Multi-directional, garden path socks, and branching out were all started and worked up. I also got a new fish, did a survey that says I'm Sirius Black, and... hung out with Emmy. Wasn't nearly as boring as it sounds though... lol.

October: October was the best month ever! I got to meet Isaac Hanson (Ok... November MIGHT have been better... lol) and see Hanson for the first time ever... and after loving a band for 10 years, that's quite an experience.I also knitted a LOT and started and finished a couple of scarves.

November: I got to walk with Zac Hanson.

Enough said? Oh, ok. I'll go on. I finished Icarus LOL and I also finished my mom's first sock, a hat, a scarf, fetchings... a calorimetry, and... I think that's it.

December: In December, I went to this concert called Jingle Ball, co-created this blog, as well as a Hanson group in Ravelry, created my own second sock syndrome group in ravelry, and of course, spent the Holidays with Family. I also got this MONSTER cold/strep/tonsillitis thing that makes me want to beg to god and tell him I'm sooooooooo sorry for every drinking that lava, I swear I won't do it again... LOL!

Wow what a great way to recap what I did this year! I'm not linking to any projects because it's all been done in my blog... if anyone has any questions, ask me, and I'll save you the trouble of looking it up. It's all there in my blog though, if you're interested! :)