So Busy

I have not written much lately and probably won't. The wedding is this Sat. I have school all week, including 4, YES 4, tests on Thurs. Plus Tara and fam gets here wed night. And I will want to spend all my time with them and the rest getting ready for the big day. So I will probably be back middle of next week with horror stories of me passing out at the wedding.

It's not that I'm not knitting, because I am. The swing coat sweater for Teagan. And I sort of started a 2nd project. Even though I am trying to finish the sweater. This pattern for a bag has been bouncing around in my head and I had to give it a shot at bringing it to life. It kept distracting me at school and I ended up writting the pattern during my poly sci class. THat doesn't bode well for the upcoming test on thurs. Oh Well, off I go.

Tara's Brides Maid Gift

I watched Martha the other day and she had this reallly neat way of wrapping presents japanese style. And then this cute little box was sitting inside my mailbox when I got home. So I checked out the goods, then wrapped it up all pretty. So here is your first glimpse, Tara. But I will be strong, you will not open it or weasel the info out of me before the wedding. You may open it on Oct. 1st. As I told Kyle earlier today, he also will NOT get his gifts early. I am always so terrible about giving them early because I get so excited. I want to share the fabulous stuff I buy for people. So, Tara, DON'T ask!!


Tara's bride's maid gift. So pretty, I had to share.

Swing Coat Sweater Progress

I am so excited to be at the armpits (3 rows past to be specific). I am concerned about this pattern for a few reasons. The sleeves seem to be made up of a huge amount of sts. And there is NO decreasing the entire length of the sleeves. It seems like it is going to make some VERY wide sleeves that are going to be entirely too big to start with. I think they may even fit my arms. Okay maybe at the elbow or something. There is also not very clear info about the sleeve and body attaching method. And it looks as if I am in the works of getting a very big hole in between. I am going to look over some other top down sweater patterns to see if there is anything I need to know that I am not getting from this pattern. It may be something obvious, like picking up sts to make a tight gap. But since this is the first time I have ever made a top down sweater, it is not common knowledge to me.

I love Knit and Tonic. Wendy rights the BEST and Funniest stuff. But I am concerned about the lack of info. I may enquire with her, I'm sure she has an email. Or at least I know she reads her comments. First I need to research some other patterns.

On the other hand, this sweater is the softest, I love the yarn. I also love my sister for buying it for me. I have the hardest time wearing hand knit stuff for me. I just gave away (on extended borrow) the one skein wonder to Jessica. She loved it soooo much and really wanted it. So I said sure, it looked so cute on her. Plus, she said she would buy me some yarn to replace it.



Front of Swing Coat Sweater



Back



Close up of the pretty increases

I AM a Nerd!!

Pure Nerd 69 % Nerd, 43% Geek, 43% Dork

For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd. The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful. Congratulations! Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 73% on nerdiness You scored higher than 57% on geekosity You scored higher than 76% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating

So yummy

I had my wedding shower, it was a great time. I can't believe how much great stuff I got. I have the best family and friends. I was really excited about this, becasue it is going to save me SOOOOOO much money. I had been less of a coffee addict and then my friend Jessica moved back from Texas and was working in a cafe. So I would visit her, and then I needed to visit her. I needed an Americano fix (my summer drink). Now that it is a little cooler, I am back on lattes. It is a good thing I have barista experience, or making these things would take a little more practice, but my first drink was great (an Americano on Sun.) and I had a latte yesterday and now here is my third drink, another latte.

Plus, I was concerned about milk. You see, I don't really drink milk. When I get a latte, I usually get skim milk. But I didn't really want to buy milk and have it in the house. And I don't like soy milk which is the usual milk substitute. We use rice milk. That is what Kyle likes to put on his cereal. I don't usually use it for much of anything...until now. I did a little checking and found that rice milk does not froth very well(of course you can heat up anything - but I need that frothy head on my latte, or whats the point?). I gave it a try...and I can froth the perfect amount of milk with just the right amount of froth. Now I won't be getting any cappachinos out of this rice milk (skim milk is ideal for that) but for my latte... PERFECT!!


The fabulous product I created. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


My new espresso machine!! I'm so excited.

Wow...

You Are 30% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

I would have guessed I was weirder than that. I guess I'm pretty normal!! Woo-Hoo.

Three weeks from tomorrow

The wedding is only three weeks away. I don't think I am prepared. I Do still needs to have it's end woven in. But now I am working on the swing coat for Teagan and I would also like to have that finished by the wedding, so Teagan can take it home with her back to Alaska. I just had to tear out about 6 rows, not too much but it takes SO much time to go backwards. I forgot two increases. And while this probably would have been hidden by the large collar type thing on the sweater, I could not let it be. I wanted the pretty raglan increases to have their nice pattern everywhere. Even where they will never be seen. But when I show off the sweater I will always lift the collar and show that part. I need to go, school awaits.

Duct Tape Wallet

Here is my latest Duct Tape wallet. The first two (made about a year and a half ago) were all silver and for boys. BUT here is the pretty one for me. In BRIGHT orange and pink. Also notice in the second picture the clear window, made with clear packing tape. While I know these wallets are all the rage, I would like to think this is my own innovation. It is a very handy pocket to have.

Duct Tape Wallet


Duct Tape Wallet (inside) I realized after posting this that you could totally read my drivers license. I guess you don't want you id on the internet!! I will update a pic of the inside later. I need to get to bed.

New Yarn

This has been an exciting day. First I finished the one skein wonder. Then on my way out to lunch at Olive Garden (for unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks...I am soooo full!!) I stopped by the post office and got the blue sky yarn for Teagan's sweater. And below is the progress I have made so far. I didn't get a ton of time to knit because we had Pepe over going over wedding vow stuff. (I got none of the previously mentioned cleaning done before his arrival. Yarn was everywhere). Then I saw the package of silk yarn from ebay ALSO arrived. I was so excited. I am envisioning a(nother) handbag. Finally to top it all off, my dad called and said a package arrived at their house for me today. After accusing me of running some internet scam involving his address, we determined it is (probably) the first wedding present. I am so excited. This has been the BEST DAY EVER.

I even got good news in school. The test I took on friday that I really earned an 80% on (not usually like me) because of the curve the teacher applied (that fake curve thing that a lot of teachers use but don't call a curve) I ended up with a 98%. WOO-HOO!!


Blue Sky Alpaca for "Girlfriend's Swing Coat Sweater" with progress so far.


Recycled Silk Yarn (from Ebay)

It's DONE!! (this is a fast knit!!)

Here are some close up (semi) and distance shots of the one skein wonder. I have it on as I am typing and find it very comfortable. It doesn't bunch or annoy the armpit. However, I would bet that deoderant stains would be an issue. Then I still have the bra strap problem. This tank top is terrible, I spent most of the time in between posing for pictures trying to obscure the bra strap. Normally I don't care, but I wanted to show this beauty off in all it's glorious wonderfullness!!

I really wanted to finish it today, because the yarn for Teagan's sweater should be here any day and Tara would have a fit if I got the yarn and worked on a project for myself over Teagan's sweater. That sweet little baby needs it sooner than I need any sweater type items. They are already having weather in the 50's (and it stays in the 50's all day). But I busted ass on this and got it done (I even was so motivated, I already wove my ends in. I would not let myself try it on until it was COMPLETE!!) I really need to know how to tie better knots. I finnaly mastered weaving in so that it blends in and is nearly invisible, but my knots are huge and narrly and hideous and sometimes come undone. Is this a problem of bulky yarn?? Why do I never see the knots in professional garments?? What can I do??

So Kyle had things to say about this little sweater, like... "WHat is it for, what purpose does it serve". He is pretty much about pure function, as am I most of the time. I explained to him that a t-shirt is warmer than a tank top, so this helps to create t-shirt warmth without the t-shirt. Plus I told him it was the perfect tattoo bandaid. You see, while I love my tattoo's, my work does not. My boss does not want me to wear anything that would reveal them. So this number does a PERFECT job of making clothing that was once unwearable to work, now wearable. YEAH!!

Okay, I should be going, this has been a bloggy kind of day for me. But you know... Work, School, the usual!! Plus Kyle and I are meeting with the man who will be marrying us tonight, so I always feel the need to pick up so our house isn't the huge pit that it normally lives in. My priorities are all backwards!!


The front of One Skein Wonder


Back of One Skein Wonder


Finished Front


Finished Back

One Skein Wonder

I know, there has been no mention of me making a "One Skein Wonder" but there was also no mention of me making the hat for Kate. These things just pop up. She said yes to the matching mittens. Then I was talking to Tara last night, telling her I was making a one skein wonder with some think yarn and I had to alter the pattern. She got all crazy accusatory and said you're using the rest of Kate's yarn to make it. Even though I told her several times, I still don't think she entirely believed me. But I had two 50% off coupons for Michaels. And I had just knit that hat and loved the yarn, so I thought what could I do with one or two balls of it. Of Course!! The one skein wonder. Who I have been longing to make! And what a fabulously fast knit it is.

Okay, it is not done yet... but SO SOOO close. I just need to add the ribbed edge all the way around. That will help the back look finished. Pretty much it works the way it is. I guess for a quick end I could just work seed stitch on the back and forget the ribbing.

As I would love to write more, I must go, I have to go do more moving stuff for my grandparents. This should be the end!!


The One Skein Wonder. I LOVE it!!


The beautiful back of the "ONE"derful Skein Wonder

Hat

I made this hat for Kate, she bought some yarn with her Michael's discount (I'm jealous!!) and I knit it up last night and this morning. It went FAST! probably less than three hours total. It is really thick and soft. I like this yarn a lot!! I may want to make one for myself. I had Kate buy two just in case one was not enough (I wasn't sure of the yardage) and have plenty left over to make her some matching mittens if she would like. I will have to ask her. I love making mittens, they may be my favorite fast easy pattern. They are really satisfing to make.


Thick and Quick Wool-Ease (lion brand) hat.


Side View

Gumbo!!!!!!!!

I Made gumbo for dinner this past weekend. A combo of recipies to make a heartly flavorfull (semi)vegitarian version. Kyle is a vegitarian, almost, he does eat seafood. So this yummy bowl full of goodness does have shrimp in it. Plus some really good hot and spicy vegitarian peperroni (we looked for a vegi version of andoullie (spelling??) but could find none) buth the peperroni is a really nice addition. The gumbo is chock full of okra (Kyle complained and whined and said he REFUSED to eat it, but did and found it okay), tomatoes, celery, carrotts, onion, mushrooms, red and green bells (next time I am leaving out the green bell peppers) and brown rice (Kyle also had many complaints about the brown, but our white rice was bad(weavils) and all we had was brown, which I did not know took FOREVER to cook). It looked prettier day of, because we had a big scoop of rice in the center with the gumbo swimming around the outside (which is how it is served at the only restaurant where I have eaten the most amazing gumbo ever: Mumbo Gumbo in Anchorage Alaska.) I don't think mine compared (even close) to hers, but it was better then the paltry versions I have since tried here in Fresno. I have had it at a couple of chain restaurants in hopes of something delicious, Red Lobster and Elephant Bar. Mine kicks theirs in the rump.

I love to cook (sort of), I am always more enamored by the idea and then never do it. But I really enjoyed making this. I keep telling Kyle that we need to have a dinner party. We soon (after the wedding) will be (probably) getting a bunch of new stuff, like pretty dishes and what not, you know place mats, cloth napkins. The stuff that we don't have now. But my real dilemma would be where to place people. My apartment is pretty tiny. I really need to stop writing, start eating and get to work. So off I go.

Side note (about knitting): Tara bought me the yarn and pattern for the cutest sweater I am going to make for Teagan. Picture Here.


Delicious homemade gumbo!!



MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM... Shrimp and Okra.