Yarn-iversary

I am declaring Dec. 1st my yarn-iversary. This will be my second yarn-iversary. I am so excited. I asked for a ball winder and swift from Kyle. He said he thinks he could make me a swift, something basic. But I really need a ball winder. Especially after last night. I deconstructed a scarf for the yarn. I received a scarf as a gift at some point that was not really my style, it went into my regifting pile (I know it's terrible, but I don't want to waste things that other people may like) and I pulled it out again yesterday and thought of tearing it out for the really pretty yarn came dancing through my head. Well, I did it. And I have this HUGE ball of yarn that I think may become a pair of mittens. I took pictures but won't post them because I don't want to offend the possible gift giver. But know that I LOVE the yarn and will make something beautiful out of it!!





The ultimate in regifting... Making something else out of said yarn and giving new product to original giver. That would be funny!! I won't do it, I like the yarn.

It is also very hard for the gift giver that asks me what I want, I say yarn, but I want specific yarns. It is too hard!! At least I can direct Kyle directly to what I want. But he has some plans this year. He is already advising me not to snoop. Really, REALLY hard for me to do. I am a HUGE snoop. I can't help it, I've decided I have NO impulse control.

OH NO!!

I have a white spot. Ahhhhhhhhhhh... What do I do? Do I have to redye that spot. I tossed all the yarn. I don't want to redye it. How obvious will it be once knit. Argh!! This is terrible. How do I spot dye it without all the work?? I will ponder this for another day. I really need to do some homework. It is almost the end of the semester and I have a paper, two finals, and whatever math tests coming up very, VERY soon.

Saturday fun...

And So It Begins...

I got my yarn ready. At first I was only going to dye one skein, but after it was done decided to do two more. This leaves me with a fourth... do I dye it the same... or something different??

I have been buying and collecting koolaid and laid it all out to begin my color explorations.







Next I soaked the yarn in clear water to prepare it for the dye.




And then I mixed my colors. I was very methodical and kept track of what flavors I used to make each color. Why did I make yellow, it doesn't fit any of the other colors. Oh well, I didn't even use it except for a taste... TART!!


The squirt squirt here, squirt squirt there, I have very colorful yarn. What a mess, the first skein I did right on top of the table (some directions said to do this, other said to do it in a bag and even others said to do it in the dish. I settled on the dish after the mess of the first one). So here it is ready to go into the microwave.





The yarn has left my hands a very bright red... I think this is the real reason I decided to continue and dye the other two skeins, I don't want to walk around with super colorful hands all the time. It is even a bigger problem for me since I occasionally chew my finger nails, because the color gets weird around those places. I believe I kept the color contained and didn't get it anywhere it should not be. My biggest concern was that I used my dad's camera... he is pretty anal, as I would be too when someone used my camera for such things. But I didn't tell him, so he will find out after I return the camera to him in perfect condition. I would have used mine but it went out of town with Kyle this weekend. I was going to say I don't realize how much I love my camera until it is gone, but that is untrue, I know how much I love it and take pictures nearly EVERY day.





















In the microwave, the yarn gets HOT!!









Here it is in the bathtub, about to go for a bath and cool off. Then I will hang it up and let it dry. I guess it will be a few days before I can wind it into balls. I always feel very guilty taking yarn into my LYS to wind it into balls if I didn't buy it there. I had some E-bay yarn I took to the yarn store. The guilt was too much, I don't know if I can take this in. But it is soooo much to wind by hand. Each skein is 440 yards. Times 3. 1320 yards. WOW!!

Stretchy

Little shoes for Teagan. I found the pattern in a magazine and did the horrible, I copied the pattern but did not buy the mag. For Shame!! So I made this yesterday in between feedings. It turned out pretty cute, I changed it so that it would not be garter st all the way around and made the top stockinette st instead. I am going to weave a ribbon through it in a shoelace fashion and of course plan on making one more. I am worried about size, but it is pretty stretchy.

In other news, I have made a bag pattern that I can not post pictures of because I am going to try to submit it to knitty. Problem is I probably need someone to knit the pattern first, just to make sure it works. I asked Tara, but she said I needed to buy her the yarn... Pa-Shaw!! I can't afford such endeavors!! We'll see what becomes of it. So I will speak of it no longer.

Off I must go, Heading to the gym. FINALLY!! I joined on Tues and this will be my first trip. I am kind of scared and needed Jessica to hold my hand and go with me. So she should be here any minute. Hopefully the piece of pie I recently ate won't affect me. Maybe a bad idea... Too Late.

If I get sick, I may never be tempted back to the gym again.


Shoe for Teagan.


Bootie-Licious!!

Soooo full...Belly exploding...

Although Kyle and I don't feel like we ate too much... We Are Stuffed!!! But it was a good day, lots of family stuff. Good games. Too much food. Way too much food. An ungodly amount of food. But that means lots o' left overs to feed me all weekend while Kyle is away fishing.

Plus... I knit a bootie/ballet slipper thing today. For Teagan. I kind of improvised and hope it fits. Won't know until the day after Christmas. Because I am going to ALASKA... YEAH!! I can't wait. I have big uninterrupted knitting plans. Lots of snuggling up in the wintery weather and cranking out a sweater possibly (I am thinking the cabled cardigan from Loop D Loop... Maybe I can get someone(s) to get me the yarn as an X-mas gift) but definitely getting my knit on!!

So I'll post pictures of the bootie later... I must get in bed and let the food digest... the diet/exercise starts TOMORROW!!

They're Watching You...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,

I LOVE CHEESECAKE. It is so smooth and creamy. I made a cheesecake for our (early) Thanksgiving celebration with my family yesterday. At first I was going to make a pumpkin cheesecake, but I am not such a huge fan of the pumpkin what-not. So I opted to make a plain cheesecake with a pumpkin sauce AND a dulce de leche sauce. For those who felt like they needed options. Or wanted both (Kyle).

And while I try not to brag too much (HA - I brag a lot!!), the cheesecake is THE BEST!! In fact, whenever anyone said how much they liked it yesterday, I told them it was because I am the master. Really I think it is just that I have made a few cheesecakes, and I have a really easy good recipe.

allrecipes is the best website. You can find everything.
I like it when I remember something from my childhood or I had one time at this one place that someone made and it was so good, but what was it and who made it and how do I get that recipe! Because I have had some amazing luck at this website and found the recipe. Plus I read all the reviews and get the best variations and ideas and tips... and wa-la... Perfect food!!

So I just want to say about my cheesecake... it was the perfect creaminess from outside edge to inner center. This is my biggest issue with cheesecakes, the ones that are way overdone at the outside but still all loose at the center.

Last night during cheesecake conversations, my mom said: Rhiannon will make one for you, if you ever want one. To which I replied: Only in the winter, I don't like to use the oven in the summer. Then my grandma (Moner) said: The oven?? Why do you use the oven, I've never baked a cheesecake. I looked at Kyle who had a dumbfounded look on his face and he asked me under his breath what kind of cheesecake wasn't baked. My grandma doesn't know about REAL cheesecake and Kyle doesn't seem to know about what is more like a cream cheese pie. Or the cheesecake recipe you usually find on the inside cover of the box of cheam cheese.

The only way to go is the yummy egg and cream cheese and other what not kind of cheesecake. I'll eat a non-baked cheesecake but will fantasize about something better!!

I have more bags then I will ever need...

But I felt compelled to make ANOTHER ONE!! I have been on a sewing kick lately, and have been scoping bags out and podering the possibilities of reproducing them. I really like bags. Kind of like I really like shoes, you can be fat or miserable and not like any clothes, but shoes and bags fit anyways!! And since I've been feeling fat lately (woo-hoo, joining the gym to combat feeling fat!!) bags have been a high priority for me.

So, I started checking the internet for bag inspiration. And wa-la! I found a bag that inspired me. So I got to pattern drawing, then material cutting. And sew, sew, sew, later I have a bag. It is smaller then I was anticipating. And I really would like it made out something other then felt. But, I had felt. I wanted to make it as a cheap proto-type. And in a finished bag, I would like a lining. No desire to line this one though. So enough blah, blah, blah...

Pictures:

New School and New Mittens

I made myself a list. I put it in order. I ment to stick to it. I was going to finish stuff up (swing coat and handsome hound). But what happened. Big surprise, I did not stick to it. At least I am still on the list. I began working on orange mittens for Kate. Tara just kept talking to me about mittens and I was getting jealous. As I LOVE to knit mittens. They are fast and soooo satisfying.

But I've also been busy with school stuff. Not only the regular stuff, homework, tests, going to class (sometimes a challange for me) BUT getting ready to transfer to a new school. I has orientation last friday and have been clearing up holds so I can register on Monday. It looks like I'll be lucky if I even get enough classes let alone the ones I need/want. It sucks to be at the bottom of the totem pole.

How about some pictures:



Some Halloween pictures. First, Kyle and I as a preggers bride and her pa looking for a hubby. Note the shotgun! Next, this had to be my FAVORITE costume. This is one of Kyle's co-workers. Can you tell who he is?? And finally, who doesn't recognize superman. This guy was very corageous to wear this. He even wore it to work ALL day. (He began the party as Clark Kent and only later unveiled his true costume... He had not told anyone who he was. Very ingenious!)

Next a bag I made: Front
And Back:And Finally...
I was inspired at 7:30 this morning (too early) by the bright light and knitting needles. However my cameras batterys died after only one shot, so I don't know how much I love the picture. This new light is all because our neighbor cut down MANY HUGE bushes that blocked the early morning light and their prying eyes from our house. Now it's like our living room window is a huge viewing glass from their back porch. Anyways, excuse my rant and look at the picture.

Not much to blog about

So, I haven't been much of a blogger lately!! Not too much to blog about. I am still knitting on the same projects.

- Swing coat cardi, needs a little finishing. I barely had enough yarn to finish it. I was so desperate I was looking for the ends I cut off when I wove in my ends. I just BARELY made it. So I need to finish it up and ship it to good ol' Alaskee.

- Handsome hound. I have been working on him. Once I got to the point where all I had left on Swing was some (boring) finishing, I skipped it to create a dog for the CUTEST little boy EVER. Ian is sooooooooooo cute. I am so glad my friend has the cutest baby ever. He is seven months and that has to be one of the cutest under one times. He is all gurgles and coos and screams and raspberries. I LOVE IT! She came and saw me at work yesterday (with a brownie and the baby), it was sweet! So, I finished body side number two of HH and need to knit up the belly and ears. Then seem him up. I am worried, this will be my first big seeming project. But good practice because next to come is...

- Madill Cardi. I got the body of this baby done in no time flat. Then I abandoned it. So sleeves are next on my to knit list. Then some major finishing. Woo-Hoo. I am worried about having enough yarn and am considering my options, like 3/4 sleeves. Hmmmmm!

- Kyle's sweater. I only finished knitting this baby in June. Still the ends are dangling free. There are only like 4 that need to be woven in. So little work, why have I put it off FOREVER. My plan is to do some major finishing this weekend. Kyle will be out of town so I can bust a move on these projects. Actually, he could probably wear it this weekend... I just don't think it can be dried and washed soon enough. He leaves tomorrow.

I have been toying around with the idea of designing a few patterns of my own. Actually, I have a bag pattern in the works. But I am also interested in some sweaters. I have become unnaturally obsessed with knitting and start deconstructing sweaters when I see people wearing them. I have also become mildly obsessed with sewing and have made a few different bags. Sorry no pics. Maybe in the future.

Work sucks, weather is getting sucky, and I am tired ALL the time. I want school to be over. I want to sit and knit ALL the time. What am I to do?? Oh well, off to meet Kyle for lunch at good ol' Red Robin, a fave of ours.