Headbands and More

There has been much going on around here. As usual. Kyle and I went to Sacramento for the weekend. We went to the zoo, a yarn store, a tea store, and Ikea. Always Ikea when we head to Sacramento to visit Kyle's mom.

Ikea is kind of funny and I don't really think you can go there too many times because you have seen it all before. I think we are going to limit our trips to once per year after the "new" stuff comes out. But it was eventful, there was a table we fell in love with. No boxes, so we asked. All that was left was the floor model. We examined it for at least 30-45minutes. Then went to have a bar code printed. It was originally $130 (I think), marked down to $80. We were hopeful for additional discount due to floor model status, but received none from the manager who helped. Then when the man printed the bar code it was... $39.90!! YEA. We were very excited and caused quite a commotion when manager came back by and saw price tag. She yelled at man for giving us a deal and I was worried she was going to take the price back up to $80. Then she told man that the difference was coming out of his departments budget and stormed away. Then Kyle and I searched the store for I'd say at least an hour for some chairs to go with the table. They had these reclining type, but we really wanted the stationary type. We thought they would be more stable. There was one and the store showed four in stock. The hour passed as we scoured the store and gave up and bought two of the reclining chairs. All of this to get home and find that the table won't fit in our car (we were in Kyle's mom's car) to bring it home with us. Good thing, she is coming down this weekend and will bring it with her. We have the legs and leaves, she has the table top.

Then on Sunday we bought Kintoki at a Osaka-Ya. I saw this in Sunset magazine and really wanted to try it because Kyle and I have seen this treat on some ice cream PBS show. Kintoki is shaved ice, ice cream, and sweet red beans. We also had the green tea powder on top, but I would not get that again. It was the sweetest part and was really overkill. Then we went to Coloma for the day. Kyle did some gold panning, I did some knitting, and Debbie (Kyle's mom) did some Sudoku. It was nice weather and a nice park along the American River.


Before we left I cranked out three of these. Here is my first one. The second was a variation that I made up that I am luke warm about. And the third is the same style, different print as the first. I am having some sizing issues. The last one is a little too loose. I think I need less elastic. I find I often have head band tightness issues. I will work at it.

Teagan's Tutu

We'll see if she wears it, but it turned out really cute. The entire outfit is from this Monica pattern from knitty. I really liked the whole thing and had to make it. Lucky for me I had this yarn that I thought would be perfect. I did make a couple of small changes, I knit the whole thing in the round, I criss-crossed my arm straps, and my arm straps are i-cords that I made from one side and then kitchener stitched together at the back.



I think my straps may be too long and Teagan may give a peep show if she wears this. That may need to be adjusted when I get to Alaska and give it to her. Also, my shape seems off, the top seems wider and shorter then it should be. I have a few ends left to weave in and then I will run it through the washer. At that point I may try to stretch and alter that shape. Again, we'll see.

I am done with school for a few months... Yea!! So maybe I will have a little more free time to blog, and knit, and sew, and craft in general. I have some household sewing to do, I need to finish hemming my curtains. I also have lots of house projects to work on... Home ownership really seems to be what everyone keeps telling me... never ending!!



Also, I have designed a pattern and am working on knitting it up right now. The completed item is a (belated) birthday gift for my sister. I am considering submitting the pattern to knitty or magknits. I will probably have to find someone to test knit the pattern, I figure if I head down to my lys, I should find somebody.

I guess that covers it for now. Main project I intend to work on this summer (especially while in Alaska) is the Cabled Riding Jacket. I am really motivated to finish it. This will be it's third trip to Alaska as an in progress item. That is pretty funny. I got pretty far last time I was there (last August) and the entire front is done. I have not sewn the shoulder seams. I kept struggling with that and bound off, tore that out because I decided to kitchener stitch the seams and then bound off again. I could not decide. So sleeves, collar, and some finishing is all I need. Maybe by the end of the summer. Right now it is a fantastic, sleeveless vest. HOT!

Half Balaclava

This is for Kyle for winter-y bike rides. It could not cover the top of his head for helmet safety purposes.

I LOVE karabella aurora 8. LOVE IT!!