Domestic Bliss
It's like you're unraveling a big cable-knit sweater that someone keeps knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting...
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Holiday decor.
Originally, we had planned to do a tree, but once we bought the new furniture we realized that we wouldn't have a place to put one, so I just did the fireplace. I kept it simple because I knew that I'd be getting a ton o'cards from my friends at 3WA (the annual holiday card exchange), so I just hung stockings. I wish the photo showed those stockings better; they're really gorgeous. They were a wedding gift from a friend of my mother's who makes them for a boutique in Atlanta. (Well, not the one in the middle - that came from Target after I decided we had to have one for Proxy.)
Holiday decor.
Since it will all be coming down tomorrow, I thought I'd post a picture of the Christmas decorations.
Originally, we had planned to do a tree, but once we bought the new furniture we realized that we wouldn't have a place to put one, so I just did the fireplace. I kept it simple because I knew that I'd be getting a ton o'cards from my friends at 3WA (the annual holiday card exchange), so I just hung stockings. I wish the photo showed those stockings better; they're really gorgeous. They were a wedding gift from a friend of my mother's who makes them for a boutique in Atlanta. (Well, not the one in the middle - that came from Target after I decided we had to have one for Proxy.)
If I don't take them down before January 1, they'll probably still be there next April.
::Posted by Bliss at 9:16 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Friday, December 29, 2006
Winter Sports.
Winter Sports.
Long, boring day at work and I'm too exhausted to decide what to write, so it's Quiz Day:
| You Are Curling |
 What you lack in athleticism, you make up for in concentration. And while curling isn't much more of a sport than bowling, you *can* win a gold medal for it! |
How very appropriate, especially considering this entry from last February.
::Posted by Bliss at 8:34 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Pointy sticks vs. hook.
Thanks to DJ Empirical for leaving me this link in yesterday's comments. The stories about making geometric forms out of fiber were really neat.
I have one small complaint, though, to the authors of the articles on that site: while the headline clearly says Scientists are finding an unexpected relationship between knitting and math, and three of the "top five" links have the word knitting in their titles, every single picture in every one of those stories shows crochet. Crochet is lovely, and those objects are really neat, but it. is. not. KNITTING.
(But go check out the link anyway. It's cool stuff.)
Pointy sticks vs. hook.
Thanks to DJ Empirical for leaving me this link in yesterday's comments. The stories about making geometric forms out of fiber were really neat.
I have one small complaint, though, to the authors of the articles on that site: while the headline clearly says Scientists are finding an unexpected relationship between knitting and math, and three of the "top five" links have the word knitting in their titles, every single picture in every one of those stories shows crochet. Crochet is lovely, and those objects are really neat, but it. is. not. KNITTING.
(But go check out the link anyway. It's cool stuff.)
::Posted by Bliss at 9:38 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Guess which kind this is.
Guess which kind this is.
Sometimes, when you blog every day, the result is interesting, enlightening, or even profound.
Sometimes you just get cat pictures.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:23 PM ::
(2 comments) ::
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
We spent $8000 today.
I thought that once Christmas was over, I would be ready to dive back into knitting my entrelac scarf, but instead I've found that I needed a knitting break. I haven't knit anything since I finished the Branching Out scarf on Christmas Eve. (I have, however, played about 3 hours of Sims 2 this evening, since I got the "Open for Business" expansion pack as a gift.) I know I won't knit tomorrow, because I got called in to work and I'll be too tired after working 12 hours. Maybe I'll get some done on Thursday.
We went car shopping this morning, and we actually bought a car! We're now the proud owners of a 2003 Saturn Ion. It will be primarily Syntax's car, since his poor little Subaru had just about given up the ghost. I'm relieved that he'll finally have reliable transportation.
We spent $8000 today.
I thought that once Christmas was over, I would be ready to dive back into knitting my entrelac scarf, but instead I've found that I needed a knitting break. I haven't knit anything since I finished the Branching Out scarf on Christmas Eve. (I have, however, played about 3 hours of Sims 2 this evening, since I got the "Open for Business" expansion pack as a gift.) I know I won't knit tomorrow, because I got called in to work and I'll be too tired after working 12 hours. Maybe I'll get some done on Thursday.
We went car shopping this morning, and we actually bought a car! We're now the proud owners of a 2003 Saturn Ion. It will be primarily Syntax's car, since his poor little Subaru had just about given up the ghost. I'm relieved that he'll finally have reliable transportation.
::Posted by Bliss at 9:07 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Monday, December 25, 2006
Bah. Humbug!
Christmas is over, and although it was a pretty good one, I am relieved. I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year - I wasn't Bah-Humbuggy or anything, but I just never felt very excited about it. It's been really nice having days off, though; I'm not looking forward to going back to work, but at least I don't have to go back until Wednesday.
Today we had gifts and dinner with my in-laws. Everyone seemed to appreciate their knitwear, which made me feel good. After dinner Syntax and I saw The Good Shepherd, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I've always been interested in WWII and Cold War-era intelligence, and have read a lot on those subjects, so this film was right up my alley.
Time for bed - we are going car shopping in the morning.
Bah. Humbug!
Christmas is over, and although it was a pretty good one, I am relieved. I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year - I wasn't Bah-Humbuggy or anything, but I just never felt very excited about it. It's been really nice having days off, though; I'm not looking forward to going back to work, but at least I don't have to go back until Wednesday.
Today we had gifts and dinner with my in-laws. Everyone seemed to appreciate their knitwear, which made me feel good. After dinner Syntax and I saw The Good Shepherd, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I've always been interested in WWII and Cold War-era intelligence, and have read a lot on those subjects, so this film was right up my alley.
Time for bed - we are going car shopping in the morning.
::Posted by Bliss at 11:49 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Priceless.
Bryspun needles, size 6: $4.40
2 balls Andean Treasure: $7.58
Finishing the last gift at 11:52 PM on Christmas Eve: PRICELESS
Priceless.
Bryspun needles, size 6: $4.40
2 balls Andean Treasure: $7.58
Finishing the last gift at 11:52 PM on Christmas Eve: PRICELESS
I'm going to bed now. Merry Christmas!
::Posted by Bliss at 11:53 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Christmas at Mom & Dad's.
Christmas at Mom & Dad's.
Well, Mom's present did get finished... I got all of the major painting done before going to bed, then I got up early this morning and finished the detail work in time to let it dry for an hour before wrapping it. (This year, she got the Fire Station for her Christmas village - alas, I forgot to take a picture before I wrapped it.) Every year I tell myself that I'm going to start painting earlier, and yet every year I end up staying up late the night before and working on it until the last minute. Will I never learn??
Today was good. Mom made her usual wonderful Christmas dinner, we all got nice gifts, and my niece was a lot of fun to watch. After everything was unwrapped, my parents pretended that one of her gifts had gone missing and made her look in all of the closets until she found it. When she opened the right one, she said, "There's a lot of bikes and stuff in here." It took a minute for it to dawn on her that the bike was her present. (Apparently the giant bow on the front didn't clue her in right away.)
Poor kid had a lot of trouble figuring out how to ride it. She doesn't really understand how to pedal and she kept putting on the brakes. After several attempts, she got off the bike, looked at it sadly, and said, "I don't think I can ride that bike." I assured her that all she needed was a little practice. I'm betting that the next time I see her she's riding that sucker all over the neighborhood.
Later, she tied a piece of ribbon around my husband's eyes and proceeded to beat him with a piece of cardboard.
It's The Christmas Hostage!
::Posted by Bliss at 11:10 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Friday, December 22, 2006
Must...sleep...soon...
I've been knitting and painting all day, and I'm exhausted, but I can't go to sleep until I finish painting - our family is having Christmas tomorrow and Mom's present isn't done! So today's entry will be results from the "What Christmas Ornament Are You?" quiz.
Must...sleep...soon...
I've been knitting and painting all day, and I'm exhausted, but I can't go to sleep until I finish painting - our family is having Christmas tomorrow and Mom's present isn't done! So today's entry will be results from the "What Christmas Ornament Are You?" quiz.
| You Are a Bow |
 You don't think of it as the holiday season - you think of it as the present season! |
::Posted by Bliss at 10:53 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Knitting gifts.
The flash makes it look bright red, but it's actually a very dark red with undertones of brown and black called Embers. The color reminds me of red velvet cake batter. The other Branching Out scarf I made in green (Lagoon) makes me think of spring leaves, while this one is like fall leaves.
Knitting gifts.
My friend KC (my knitting co-worker) came over for dinner tonight, and we exchanged Christmas gifts. The purple Odessa was for her; I also got her a knitting bag, a copy of The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, and a few assorted goodies. Look what she gave me!
That's a starter kit of Lanaset acid dyes, along with two hanks of Malabrigo wool. I am going to have so much fun with this stuff! I've only ever done Kool-Aid dyeing and I can't wait to try this.
I've started the last of the holiday projects (other than the raglan sweater, which doesn't need to be completed by Christmas) - I'm doing a second Branching Out scarf.
The flash makes it look bright red, but it's actually a very dark red with undertones of brown and black called Embers. The color reminds me of red velvet cake batter. The other Branching Out scarf I made in green (Lagoon) makes me think of spring leaves, while this one is like fall leaves.
::Posted by Bliss at 8:59 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
"Hiya, Mare!"
Looking at the cover of the new issue of Knitter's today, I couldn't help but wish that You Knit What?? was still active. I'm sure they would have come up with the perfect scathing comment. It looks as if 80s-era Olivia Newton-John walked into a yarn shop and was attacked by a swarm of angry bobbles.
S&B was supposed to happen tonight, but I was the only one who showed. Not surprising, really, since one of our regulars was helping someone move and two others had very sad things happen to them over the last few days. I had a drink and finished my Odessa hat, which was not originally on my holiday knitting lineup, but since the other projects have progressed so well I figured I could squeeze in one more; plus, after all that stockinette on the scarf, I wanted to knit something quick and fun. For this one I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and frosted glass beads.
"Hiya, Mare!"
Looking at the cover of the new issue of Knitter's today, I couldn't help but wish that You Knit What?? was still active. I'm sure they would have come up with the perfect scathing comment. It looks as if 80s-era Olivia Newton-John walked into a yarn shop and was attacked by a swarm of angry bobbles.
S&B was supposed to happen tonight, but I was the only one who showed. Not surprising, really, since one of our regulars was helping someone move and two others had very sad things happen to them over the last few days. I had a drink and finished my Odessa hat, which was not originally on my holiday knitting lineup, but since the other projects have progressed so well I figured I could squeeze in one more; plus, after all that stockinette on the scarf, I wanted to knit something quick and fun. For this one I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and frosted glass beads.
I especially love the way Odessa looks from the back. This is the third time I've knit this pattern, but this time I added an extra inch of length before starting the decreases, and it made a big difference to the fit. The other hats were too short for my head, but this one is almost right. Unfortunately, with my shoulder-length hair sticking out from the bottom, it makes me look like Rhoda.
::Posted by Bliss at 8:30 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Merry Meme.
I swiped this one from Jenny. Because you just can't have too many Christmas memes.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I enjoy wrapping boxes. I am a freak.
2. Real tree or artificial? We haven't had a tree in a few years, but when we do it will be real.
3. When do you put up the tree? Normally the 1st or 2nd weekend of December.
4. When do you take the tree down? That depends on how ambitious I'm feeling - could be anywhere from New Year's Eve to mid-January.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I mix it with milk so it's not so thick.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Barbie kitchen!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have a Playmobil nativity.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My father. He never wants anything. This year, Mom told me he needed some gloves so at least I had some direction.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My husband, even though I have to nag him to get him to update his Amazon wishlist.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. It's about the only snail mail I still send or receive.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My mother always used to buy me clothes when I was a teenager. They were almost universally horrible. I wish I could pick out one particularly horrific example but I have successfully blocked them from my memory with the aid of theraputic drugs.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually in mid-November.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh, goodness, yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Stuffed dates. My mom makes a sort of buttercream filling and stuffs it, along with a pecan half, into a date and rolls the whole thing in powdered sugar. Mmmmmmmmmm...
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, or all one color.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than Having To Listen To That *&%^&$# Song One More Time! Feliz Navidad.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We have to travel twice; we go to my in-laws' on the 25th and my parents on some other day (this year it's the 23rd) because my sister and her husband are police officers and do not always have Christmas off.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I like stars, but I have an angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas afternoon, actually.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Dealing with morons in stores who forget how to operate a shopping cart and stand in the middle of the aisle with their eyes bugging out while 99 other people try to circumvent them.
23. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Mom's rib roast!
24. Outdoor decorations? None. But if we ever move to a house with evergreens in the yard, it would be nice to put some lights on them. I'm not big on giant inflatables, although I got a big kick out of seeing them at the hardware store this year.
Merry Meme.
I swiped this one from Jenny. Because you just can't have too many Christmas memes.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I enjoy wrapping boxes. I am a freak.
2. Real tree or artificial? We haven't had a tree in a few years, but when we do it will be real.
3. When do you put up the tree? Normally the 1st or 2nd weekend of December.
4. When do you take the tree down? That depends on how ambitious I'm feeling - could be anywhere from New Year's Eve to mid-January.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I mix it with milk so it's not so thick.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Barbie kitchen!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have a Playmobil nativity.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My father. He never wants anything. This year, Mom told me he needed some gloves so at least I had some direction.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My husband, even though I have to nag him to get him to update his Amazon wishlist.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. It's about the only snail mail I still send or receive.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My mother always used to buy me clothes when I was a teenager. They were almost universally horrible. I wish I could pick out one particularly horrific example but I have successfully blocked them from my memory with the aid of theraputic drugs.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually in mid-November.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh, goodness, yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Stuffed dates. My mom makes a sort of buttercream filling and stuffs it, along with a pecan half, into a date and rolls the whole thing in powdered sugar. Mmmmmmmmmm...
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, or all one color.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than Having To Listen To That *&%^&$# Song One More Time! Feliz Navidad.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We have to travel twice; we go to my in-laws' on the 25th and my parents on some other day (this year it's the 23rd) because my sister and her husband are police officers and do not always have Christmas off.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I like stars, but I have an angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas afternoon, actually.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Dealing with morons in stores who forget how to operate a shopping cart and stand in the middle of the aisle with their eyes bugging out while 99 other people try to circumvent them.
23. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Mom's rib roast!
24. Outdoor decorations? None. But if we ever move to a house with evergreens in the yard, it would be nice to put some lights on them. I'm not big on giant inflatables, although I got a big kick out of seeing them at the hardware store this year.
::Posted by Bliss at 9:55 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Monday, December 18, 2006
Consummatum est.
I'm so happy to be done with this. It wasn't difficult at all; in fact, it was too easy to be interesting. But it will be worth it to see Nephew's reaction on Christmas.
Consummatum est.
I had a pretty productive day today: washed the car, went to the post office, shopped for groceries, made dinner, got several gifts wrapped... and best of all, I finished the Gryffindor scarf!
I'm so happy to be done with this. It wasn't difficult at all; in fact, it was too easy to be interesting. But it will be worth it to see Nephew's reaction on Christmas.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:09 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Sunday, December 17, 2006
This is the fastest I've ever seen him move.
Proxy Meets the Leaf Mulcher
This is the fastest I've ever seen him move.
My husband decided to buy a new leaf blower with a mulcher today. He really likes it; unfortunately, our cat has a different opinion. (Turn up your speakers.)
Proxy Meets the Leaf Mulcher
He came back after half an hour and seems to have forgiven us for subjecting him to that horrible noise.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:04 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Fuzzybutt.
A few weeks ago, our bad scary drug-dealing neighbors brought home a cat. I was immediately worried, as they've already had at least two (possibly three) dogs removed by Animal Control, because they abused them. (They had a very sweet-natured bulldog, which they beat to try to make him into a guard dog.) One of our other neighbors adopted their retriever puppy from the Humane Society and turned her into a great pet. These people should never be allowed to own animals.
(I should note at this point that we have never knocked on the neighbors' door on the advice of the police, who are well aware that this is a drug house.)
They only ever put food out for this cat once in a while, and it looked like they were feeding him table scraps instead of cat food. I never saw a water bowl or a place for him to sleep. (I'm sure he was outdoors all the time, as I would constantly see this cat outside no matter the time of day or night.) Before it got really cold, he would sleep on my car, as evidenced by the little muddy footprints on my windshield.
Eventually the cat decided to visit our front porch. The first time I saw him there, he ran away, but the next day he came back and allowed me to approach him. In three days he went from being really skittish but cautiously letting me scratch his head to demanding to be picked up and held. He was starved for love. I put an old pillow covered with a beach towel on the porch to see what he would do, and sure enough, he began to sleep there every day. But we didn't think of him as ours.
After several days of kitty visits, he started to act like he was also starved for food. At first, we didn't want to feed him, but I kept an eye on the neighbor's porch and realized that they were only putting food out for him a couple of times a week. (They would put out a huge plate of scraps, which of course other animals in the neighborhood were eating.) We finally decided that he deserved regular meals, so we started putting out dry cat food. At this point, we started to consider that he might become ours.
I started to worry about the cold weather coming, so I searched online to see what to do about that and found some great sites about caring for feral cats in winter. (We are not allowed to have indoor pets, so as much as I would like to, we can't keep him inside.) We adapted some of those suggestions into making a shelter by buying a large styrofoam cooler, gluing on the lid and turning it upside down; we cut a hole in the side and lined the entire inside with a reflective mylar blanket. We put a Purr-Pad inside for him to sleep on; it gives back his body heat. He loves it in there! And it really works: if he's been wandering outside and I pet him, his fur feels cold, but if he comes out of the shelter and I pet him, he's warm all over. Since he obviously lives on our porch full-time now (and the neighbors have stopped leaving food out altogether), we figured he was never going back to the drug house.
But today something happened that I think really makes him ours: my husband made a Catster page for him. (Does my husband have too much free time? You make the call.)
On the advice of a friend, we are going to take Proxy to the Humane Society and tell them that we'd like to adopt him when he becomes available; that way it'll be nice and legal and we can get him vaccinated, neutered and microchipped for a reduced cost.
I have to admit I do feel a little weird about taking care of a cat that belongs to someone else, but under the circumstances I feel that we have to do something. I think they relinquished their ownership when they stopped making any effort to take care of him. He's a very loving kitty and he deserves to be cared for, and I do think we are doing the right thing. I never wanted an outdoor cat, because I know that indoor cats are safer and live longer, but this cat has obviously been outdoors his whole life, and I think if we make sure that he has a warm place to be, he'll be happy.
Fuzzybutt.
A few weeks ago, our bad scary drug-dealing neighbors brought home a cat. I was immediately worried, as they've already had at least two (possibly three) dogs removed by Animal Control, because they abused them. (They had a very sweet-natured bulldog, which they beat to try to make him into a guard dog.) One of our other neighbors adopted their retriever puppy from the Humane Society and turned her into a great pet. These people should never be allowed to own animals.
(I should note at this point that we have never knocked on the neighbors' door on the advice of the police, who are well aware that this is a drug house.)
They only ever put food out for this cat once in a while, and it looked like they were feeding him table scraps instead of cat food. I never saw a water bowl or a place for him to sleep. (I'm sure he was outdoors all the time, as I would constantly see this cat outside no matter the time of day or night.) Before it got really cold, he would sleep on my car, as evidenced by the little muddy footprints on my windshield.
Eventually the cat decided to visit our front porch. The first time I saw him there, he ran away, but the next day he came back and allowed me to approach him. In three days he went from being really skittish but cautiously letting me scratch his head to demanding to be picked up and held. He was starved for love. I put an old pillow covered with a beach towel on the porch to see what he would do, and sure enough, he began to sleep there every day. But we didn't think of him as ours.
After several days of kitty visits, he started to act like he was also starved for food. At first, we didn't want to feed him, but I kept an eye on the neighbor's porch and realized that they were only putting food out for him a couple of times a week. (They would put out a huge plate of scraps, which of course other animals in the neighborhood were eating.) We finally decided that he deserved regular meals, so we started putting out dry cat food. At this point, we started to consider that he might become ours.
I started to worry about the cold weather coming, so I searched online to see what to do about that and found some great sites about caring for feral cats in winter. (We are not allowed to have indoor pets, so as much as I would like to, we can't keep him inside.) We adapted some of those suggestions into making a shelter by buying a large styrofoam cooler, gluing on the lid and turning it upside down; we cut a hole in the side and lined the entire inside with a reflective mylar blanket. We put a Purr-Pad inside for him to sleep on; it gives back his body heat. He loves it in there! And it really works: if he's been wandering outside and I pet him, his fur feels cold, but if he comes out of the shelter and I pet him, he's warm all over. Since he obviously lives on our porch full-time now (and the neighbors have stopped leaving food out altogether), we figured he was never going back to the drug house.
But today something happened that I think really makes him ours: my husband made a Catster page for him. (Does my husband have too much free time? You make the call.)
On the advice of a friend, we are going to take Proxy to the Humane Society and tell them that we'd like to adopt him when he becomes available; that way it'll be nice and legal and we can get him vaccinated, neutered and microchipped for a reduced cost.
I have to admit I do feel a little weird about taking care of a cat that belongs to someone else, but under the circumstances I feel that we have to do something. I think they relinquished their ownership when they stopped making any effort to take care of him. He's a very loving kitty and he deserves to be cared for, and I do think we are doing the right thing. I never wanted an outdoor cat, because I know that indoor cats are safer and live longer, but this cat has obviously been outdoors his whole life, and I think if we make sure that he has a warm place to be, he'll be happy.
::Posted by Bliss at 9:13 PM ::
(5 comments) ::
Friday, December 15, 2006
What month is this again?
I wish I had found out about Socktoberfest in time to have signed up. I really do enjoy making socks and it looked like a lot of fun. I'm enjoying reading the entries of those who did participate - so much sock inspiration! Even though Socktoberfest is now over, I thought it would be fun to answer the questionnaire.
When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class? I learned from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns a couple of years ago.
What was your first pair? How have they held up over time? My first pair was made of (I think) Regia, in navy blue with blue and green accents. They actually turned out pretty well - they fit great - and I wore them last week. They've held up okay, although they're very fuzzy from the dryer.
What would you have done differently? Smaller needles. I think I used a 3, and if I wear them with shoes I get little Vs imprinted on the top of my foot, which is much less likely to happen with finer gauges. (I almost always use a size 0 now.) These are socks for wearing around the house.
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed? I really like Memories (used to be Sock Garden and Sock Memories) from KnitPicks. It's such a pleasure to hold the yarn and knit with it. Of course, my favorite colorways have been discontinued. The banner at the top of my blog is one of those colorways (Stargazer Lily), which I like so much that I plan to try to recreate it when I start dyeing yarn (one of these days).
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method? I use Magic Loop. I got tired of DPNs falling out of the back of my work while I was knitting the front.
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?) I started with the flap, then I went through a short-row phase, but I think I will go back to the flap for my next few pairs. I used to dread the flap because I hated picking up stitches, but ever since I learned how to do entrelac, I find picking up stitches to be much easier.
How many pairs have you made? I really don't know. I'd estimate about 10 pairs of adult socks, and maybe 2 dozen pairs in baby and child sizes.
What month is this again?
I wish I had found out about Socktoberfest in time to have signed up. I really do enjoy making socks and it looked like a lot of fun. I'm enjoying reading the entries of those who did participate - so much sock inspiration! Even though Socktoberfest is now over, I thought it would be fun to answer the questionnaire.
When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class? I learned from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns a couple of years ago.
What was your first pair? How have they held up over time? My first pair was made of (I think) Regia, in navy blue with blue and green accents. They actually turned out pretty well - they fit great - and I wore them last week. They've held up okay, although they're very fuzzy from the dryer.
What would you have done differently? Smaller needles. I think I used a 3, and if I wear them with shoes I get little Vs imprinted on the top of my foot, which is much less likely to happen with finer gauges. (I almost always use a size 0 now.) These are socks for wearing around the house.
What yarns have you particularly enjoyed? I really like Memories (used to be Sock Garden and Sock Memories) from KnitPicks. It's such a pleasure to hold the yarn and knit with it. Of course, my favorite colorways have been discontinued. The banner at the top of my blog is one of those colorways (Stargazer Lily), which I like so much that I plan to try to recreate it when I start dyeing yarn (one of these days).
Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method? I use Magic Loop. I got tired of DPNs falling out of the back of my work while I was knitting the front.
Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?) I started with the flap, then I went through a short-row phase, but I think I will go back to the flap for my next few pairs. I used to dread the flap because I hated picking up stitches, but ever since I learned how to do entrelac, I find picking up stitches to be much easier.
How many pairs have you made? I really don't know. I'd estimate about 10 pairs of adult socks, and maybe 2 dozen pairs in baby and child sizes.
::Posted by Bliss at 6:08 AM ::
(1 comments) ::
Thursday, December 14, 2006
More scarf stuff.
More scarf stuff.
My Branching Out scarf is being blocked on the dining room table. I tried to get a picture of the whole thing, but since it's 57" long that proved difficult. I did get some detail pictures, though.
For the most part, I'm just lightly blocking it: I pinned it to towels on the table, put a few pins in, and spritzed it with a water bottle. (I remember reading somewhere that alpaca gets weakened when it gets really wet, so I decided not to wet-block it.) The edges were already pretty straight (straight enough for garter stitch), so the only part I wanted to seriously block was the bottom edge.
I'm hoping that will stay straight when it dries. Before I pinned it, it pulled up quite a lot in the center, which I wouldn't have minded except that the top edge turned out to be almost straight and it was really obvious that they didn't match.
I'd really like to invest in some blocking wires. (Note to self: see if there's a welder's supply around here.)
The Gryffindor scarf is progressing; it's about 20" now. I'm not sure how long I should make it - how long are little kids' scarves anyway? Ana asked me about the yarns I'm using for it; that would be Lion Brand Wool-Ease (it's the cheap stuff, but it's appropriate for this project) in Cranberry and Buttercup. If you'd like to use wool, Lamb's Pride Superwash in Shane's Red and Wild Honey are good choices too.
::Posted by Bliss at 7:17 PM ::
(2 comments) ::
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Now he just needs a Nimbus 2000.
I finished my Branching Out scarf last night and I'm quite pleased with it. I'm going to wait and post a picture after it's blocked - probably in the next couple of days (I hope). Meanwhile, I've started another gift knit. My nephew adores Harry Potter, and dressed as him for Halloween. He still wears the costume occasionally, and although he's got the glasses and the Hogwarts robe, he lacks a Gryffindor house scarf - an omission I will remedy. It's really boring to knit, especially after the fun of Branching Out: it's just a tube, knit in the round, with color changes every 30 rows. (Good for social knitting, though.) I am trying out Meg Swanson's tip for minimizing the "jogs" that happen on the color changes, and it's working out well; while they're not completely invisible, you really have to look to see them.
I'm going to work on this scarf for as long as I can stand it, then I'll break the monotony by casting on for another Branching Out scarf, or else something similar.
Now he just needs a Nimbus 2000.
I finished my Branching Out scarf last night and I'm quite pleased with it. I'm going to wait and post a picture after it's blocked - probably in the next couple of days (I hope). Meanwhile, I've started another gift knit. My nephew adores Harry Potter, and dressed as him for Halloween. He still wears the costume occasionally, and although he's got the glasses and the Hogwarts robe, he lacks a Gryffindor house scarf - an omission I will remedy. It's really boring to knit, especially after the fun of Branching Out: it's just a tube, knit in the round, with color changes every 30 rows. (Good for social knitting, though.) I am trying out Meg Swanson's tip for minimizing the "jogs" that happen on the color changes, and it's working out well; while they're not completely invisible, you really have to look to see them.I'm going to work on this scarf for as long as I can stand it, then I'll break the monotony by casting on for another Branching Out scarf, or else something similar.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:26 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Reading Quiz.
There are always going to be a few days during Holidailies when you just don't have time to write. This is one of those days. Instead of a real entry, I give you quiz results:
Reading Quiz.
There are always going to be a few days during Holidailies when you just don't have time to write. This is one of those days. Instead of a real entry, I give you quiz results:
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two. | |
| Dedicated Reader | |
| Book Snob | |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm | |
| Fad Reader | |
| Non-Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz | |
Knitting content tomorrow, I swear.
::Posted by Bliss at 10:17 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Monday, December 11, 2006
It's inevitable.
My turn to answer the ubiquitous Christmas Meme. I've seen it in several places but I actually swiped it from Suzy.
1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Either, depending on my mood.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa never did wrap gifts, just artfully arranged everything on the couch or the hearth.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I usually do all one color - sometimes that's white, but sometimes it's all red or all blue.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? We had originally planned to put up a tree, and we probably would have done it yesterday. But just after Thanksgiving we ordered new living room furniture which is arriving next week, which means we will no longer have room for a tree. So I'll probably put up some small decorations in the next day or two, but that will be it.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Sweet potato casserole. But usually we don't have it at Christmas, but at Thanksgiving - that still counts as a holiday dish! My favorite Christmas dish is prime rib. (See #16.)
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? When I was 6 we moved to Hawaii. In Hawaii, people don't generally have fireplaces. We were upset that we had nowhere to hang our stockings, so my mom found some flexible corrugated cardboard with a brick print on it and "built" a fireplace in the living room.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I've always known. My mom is a devout Christian who handled the whole Santa business by telling us that Santa wasn't a real person, but rather a personification of the spirit of giving. Even though we knew the gifts came from our parents, we still went through the rituals of writing letters and leaving out cookies.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When we were kids, my grandmother used to buy five small gifts for each of us instead of one big present. Each was labeled with a date: December 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, and they would get progressively bigger. It was a good way to keep each kid from going crazy with the waiting, but it didn't spoil the anticipation.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I usually stick to colored glass balls in jewel tones (I like the matte ones) and star and snowflake ornaments from the Met. I've been collecting those for about 8 years.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I love it. I spent a lot of my childhood living in the tropics and the desert, so I didn't see any snow for a long time. It makes me giddy.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I'm no expert. I can usually manage not to fall, but I can't do spins or anything.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child, it was the Barbie kitchen. I played with that thing for years, even after I wasn't interested in Barbies anymore. I used to make little cereal boxes out of cardboard and draw the labels on them, and make bread and vegetables out of salt clay. My Barbie kitchen was always very well stocked.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with those I love.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Peppermint stick ice cream with warm chocolate sauce. (Who the hell decided that peppermint stick ice cream is "seasonal"? I should darn well be able to get it in the summer.)
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Mom's standing rib roast. Prime rib for Christmas rocks.
17. What tops your tree? An angel dressed in burgundy velvet.
18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving. I love trying to find the perfect gift for someone or making them something they'll like.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
20. Candy canes? They're okay. I prefer Candy Cane Kisses, though.
21. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story.
22. What do you leave for Santa? Cookies and Fresca.
It's inevitable.
My turn to answer the ubiquitous Christmas Meme. I've seen it in several places but I actually swiped it from Suzy.
1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Either, depending on my mood.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa never did wrap gifts, just artfully arranged everything on the couch or the hearth.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I usually do all one color - sometimes that's white, but sometimes it's all red or all blue.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? We had originally planned to put up a tree, and we probably would have done it yesterday. But just after Thanksgiving we ordered new living room furniture which is arriving next week, which means we will no longer have room for a tree. So I'll probably put up some small decorations in the next day or two, but that will be it.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Sweet potato casserole. But usually we don't have it at Christmas, but at Thanksgiving - that still counts as a holiday dish! My favorite Christmas dish is prime rib. (See #16.)
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? When I was 6 we moved to Hawaii. In Hawaii, people don't generally have fireplaces. We were upset that we had nowhere to hang our stockings, so my mom found some flexible corrugated cardboard with a brick print on it and "built" a fireplace in the living room.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I've always known. My mom is a devout Christian who handled the whole Santa business by telling us that Santa wasn't a real person, but rather a personification of the spirit of giving. Even though we knew the gifts came from our parents, we still went through the rituals of writing letters and leaving out cookies.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When we were kids, my grandmother used to buy five small gifts for each of us instead of one big present. Each was labeled with a date: December 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, and they would get progressively bigger. It was a good way to keep each kid from going crazy with the waiting, but it didn't spoil the anticipation.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I usually stick to colored glass balls in jewel tones (I like the matte ones) and star and snowflake ornaments from the Met. I've been collecting those for about 8 years.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I love it. I spent a lot of my childhood living in the tropics and the desert, so I didn't see any snow for a long time. It makes me giddy.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I'm no expert. I can usually manage not to fall, but I can't do spins or anything.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child, it was the Barbie kitchen. I played with that thing for years, even after I wasn't interested in Barbies anymore. I used to make little cereal boxes out of cardboard and draw the labels on them, and make bread and vegetables out of salt clay. My Barbie kitchen was always very well stocked.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with those I love.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Peppermint stick ice cream with warm chocolate sauce. (Who the hell decided that peppermint stick ice cream is "seasonal"? I should darn well be able to get it in the summer.)
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Mom's standing rib roast. Prime rib for Christmas rocks.
17. What tops your tree? An angel dressed in burgundy velvet.
18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving. I love trying to find the perfect gift for someone or making them something they'll like.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
20. Candy canes? They're okay. I prefer Candy Cane Kisses, though.
21. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story.
22. What do you leave for Santa? Cookies and Fresca.
::Posted by Bliss at 5:55 AM ::
(0 comments) ::
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Productive.
Well, I sure didn't waste my day off today. In addition to baking 3 loaves of bread, making a pot of vegetable soup and going Christmas shopping, I managed to get a little knitting done. My Branching Out scarf is now about 43" long. I wish I could memorize the pattern so it would go even faster, but it's moving along at a good clip. I now feel confident that I'll have all the scarves done by Christmas. (I'm not going to worry too much about the toddler sweater; I told nephew's mom that he might get it the week after Christmas, and she had no problem with that. Now if I do get it done in time, it'll be a nice surprise.) Must go to bed now as I have to get up at 5:00...
Productive.
Well, I sure didn't waste my day off today. In addition to baking 3 loaves of bread, making a pot of vegetable soup and going Christmas shopping, I managed to get a little knitting done. My Branching Out scarf is now about 43" long. I wish I could memorize the pattern so it would go even faster, but it's moving along at a good clip. I now feel confident that I'll have all the scarves done by Christmas. (I'm not going to worry too much about the toddler sweater; I told nephew's mom that he might get it the week after Christmas, and she had no problem with that. Now if I do get it done in time, it'll be a nice surprise.) Must go to bed now as I have to get up at 5:00...
::Posted by Bliss at 9:50 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Drumroll, please...
We have a winner! The yarn is going to Laura of Stream of Consciousness. (If you want to see the cutest picture ever, go here and scroll down to the "Ruffles" photo. I wish I had a cat who was that amenable to modeling knitwear!)
Thank you, everyone who entered! I am making my way down the list of comments and reading everyone's blogs. There are some really great ones! Now I have plenty to read.
Drumroll, please...
We have a winner! The yarn is going to Laura of Stream of Consciousness. (If you want to see the cutest picture ever, go here and scroll down to the "Ruffles" photo. I wish I had a cat who was that amenable to modeling knitwear!)
Thank you, everyone who entered! I am making my way down the list of comments and reading everyone's blogs. There are some really great ones! Now I have plenty to read.
::Posted by Bliss at 1:48 PM ::
(0 comments) ::
Friday, December 08, 2006
Branching Out.
The Christmas knitting continues. Franklin really nailed it with this cartoon.
I had started a feather & fan scarf, but I wasn't really happy with it - it was too chunky looking and needed to be on larger needles, but that would have made it too wide. I finally decided to frog it and find another pattern; I've decided to do Branching Out instead. I'm using Andean Treasure in Lagoon, which is a grassy green that was just crying out to be knit up into a leafy pattern. I knit 100 rows (10 repeats) today; it's going well and I've only had to tink a couple of rows. (The needle on the bottom is just to hold the bottom edge straighter for the picture - the lace pattern is pulling the center upward. I really hope that blocks out.) I'm using size 6 Bryspun needles; these are great for lace. They have really pointy tips which are not sharp (so I am less likely to injure myself).
[Don't forget: you can still enter my yarn giveaway until noon on Saturday! Just leave a comment on this post and you're in.]
Branching Out.
The Christmas knitting continues. Franklin really nailed it with this cartoon.
I had started a feather & fan scarf, but I wasn't really happy with it - it was too chunky looking and needed to be on larger needles, but that would have made it too wide. I finally decided to frog it and find another pattern; I've decided to do Branching Out instead. I'm using Andean Treasure in Lagoon, which is a grassy green that was just crying out to be knit up into a leafy pattern. I knit 100 rows (10 repeats) today; it's going well and I've only had to tink a couple of rows. (The needle on the bottom is just to hold the bottom edge straighter for the picture - the lace pattern is pulling the center upward. I really hope that blocks out.) I'm using size 6 Bryspun needles; these are great for lace. They have really pointy tips which are not sharp (so I am less likely to injure myself).
[Don't forget: you can still enter my yarn giveaway until noon on Saturday! Just leave a comment on this post and you're in.]
::Posted by Bliss at 10:17 PM ::
(3 comments) ::
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Knit Your Bit.
When I was 6 years old, the Air Force sent my dad (and, consequently, my mother, sister, and me) to Hawaii. We lived at Hickam Air Force Base, which is next to Pearl Harbor. I remember one afternoon shortly after our next-door neighbors had moved out (I was probably 8 by then), when I saw a man standing in the yard with a metal detector. He was looking for coins or anything valuable, but most of the stuff he dug up was junk, which he offered to me. One of the items he gave me was an old bullet. I took it to my dad, who explained that it had probably been fired by a Zero when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941. This led to a lot of questions about World War II, which I'm certain I hadn't heard of until that point; my dad ended up driving me around the base, pointing out the buildings which still bear the bullet holes from the attack. We also visited the USS Arizona memorial several times in the three years we were there. Because of this, I developed a keen interest in World War II history as a kid; for years I read every book I could find about the war.
It wasn't until a few years ago that I learned about the role of knitting during wartime. In America, knitters were contributing to the war effort even before the Pearl Harbor attack; Life Magazine made "How To Knit" its cover story in the November 24, 1941 issue. Knitting provided not only wool garments needed by soldiers and sailors, but also a way for those at home to participate in the war effort. (In addition to sweaters, socks, and fingerless mitts, knitters produced cotton garter-stitch bandages.) First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was often photographed carrying her knitting bag, and General Dwight Eisenhower referred to knitting as "the friendly hand of this nation, reaching across the sea to sustain its fighting men" in an address to Congress.
The other day, I heard about the Knit Your Bit knitalong, which supports the efforts of the National World War II Museum's Knit Your Bit campaign. They are collecting scarves to be distributed to World War II veterans. There is a suggested pattern on the site, but knitters are free to knit any suitable scarf. I can't imagine a better way for knitters to honor these veterans, and I will definitely be signing up for this after the holidays.
Knit Your Bit.
When I was 6 years old, the Air Force sent my dad (and, consequently, my mother, sister, and me) to Hawaii. We lived at Hickam Air Force Base, which is next to Pearl Harbor. I remember one afternoon shortly after our next-door neighbors had moved out (I was probably 8 by then), when I saw a man standing in the yard with a metal detector. He was looking for coins or anything valuable, but most of the stuff he dug up was junk, which he offered to me. One of the items he gave me was an old bullet. I took it to my dad, who explained that it had probably been fired by a Zero when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941. This led to a lot of questions about World War II, which I'm certain I hadn't heard of until that point; my dad ended up driving me around the base, pointing out the buildings which still bear the bullet holes from the attack. We also visited the USS Arizona memorial several times in the three years we were there. Because of this, I developed a keen interest in World War II history as a kid; for years I read every book I could find about the war. It wasn't until a few years ago that I learned about the role of knitting during wartime. In America, knitters were contributing to the war effort even before the Pearl Harbor attack; Life Magazine made "How To Knit" its cover story in the November 24, 1941 issue. Knitting provided not only wool garments needed by soldiers and sailors, but also a way for those at home to participate in the war effort. (In addition to sweaters, socks, and fingerless mitts, knitters produced cotton garter-stitch bandages.) First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was often photographed carrying her knitting bag, and General Dwight Eisenhower referred to knitting as "the friendly hand of this nation, reaching across the sea to sustain its fighting men" in an address to Congress.The other day, I heard about the Knit Your Bit knitalong, which supports the efforts of the National World War II Museum's Knit Your Bit campaign. They are collecting scarves to be distributed to World War II veterans. There is a suggested pattern on the site, but knitters are free to knit any suitable scarf. I can't imagine a better way for knitters to honor these veterans, and I will definitely be signing up for this after the holidays.
::Posted by Bliss at 8:11 PM ::
(4 comments) ::
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Pink Monster.
I finally finished the Garter Stitch Lace Triangle Shawl, which I have renamed the Pink Monster.
I took several (terrible) photos, and believe it or not, this one was the best. There was no way I could get the whole thing in the picture, so I folded the top half under the bottom half so it's at least sort of a triangle. This shot had by far the most accurate color (for some reason the other photos came out red); it's a bit more pink and less purple than the picture, but it's not too far off. I'm very pleased with how the Monster turned out; it doesn't even need blocking, really - I might lightly block it just to straighten up the edges a bit, but the lace reads nicely. This is one advantage of knitting lace with sport weight yarn! It's about 62" wide and very, very warm as it's made of alpaca. I tried to get a close-up photo so you could see the lace pattern but the camera didn't cooperate; you can see the lace better in the photos I took the first time I knitted one of these.
I am so happy to be done with this thing! It's the largest of my Christmas knitting projects, so I feel like it's mostly downhill from here.
I've been getting a great response to the sock yarn drawing. (And I'm checking out the blogs of everyone who comments - there are some great ones I hadn't seen before!) If you want to get in on the action, just comment on any entry from now until Saturday at noon and you're in.
Pink Monster.
I finally finished the Garter Stitch Lace Triangle Shawl, which I have renamed the Pink Monster.
I took several (terrible) photos, and believe it or not, this one was the best. There was no way I could get the whole thing in the picture, so I folded the top half under the bottom half so it's at least sort of a triangle. This shot had by far the most accurate color (for some reason the other photos came out red); it's a bit more pink and less purple than the picture, but it's not too far off. I'm very pleased with how the Monster turned out; it doesn't even need blocking, really - I might lightly block it just to straighten up the edges a bit, but the lace reads nicely. This is one advantage of knitting lace with sport weight yarn! It's about 62" wide and very, very warm as it's made of alpaca. I tried to get a close-up photo so you could see the lace pattern but the camera didn't cooperate; you can see the lace better in the photos I took the first time I knitted one of these.
I am so happy to be done with this thing! It's the largest of my Christmas knitting projects, so I feel like it's mostly downhill from here.
I've been getting a great response to the sock yarn drawing. (And I'm checking out the blogs of everyone who comments - there are some great ones I hadn't seen before!) If you want to get in on the action, just comment on any entry from now until Saturday at noon and you're in.
::Posted by Bliss at 5:31 AM ::
(5 comments) ::
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Blogiversary!
It's Domestic Bliss' 1st birthday! It's hard to believe been blogging for a year now. I've met so many wonderful people (knitters and non-knitters alike) through blogging - some of you I've even had the pleasure of meeting in person.
I'm going to celebrate the occasion by giving someone a prize! I'm giving away two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Georgetown colorway (that's it over there on the left) - it's a beautiful mix of blues, greens, and purples. These will make some great socks! There will be a few other assorted goodies in the prize package too...
Leave a comment on this post or send me an e-mail by Saturday (Dec. 9) at noon EST, and I'll put your name in the drawing. (One entry per person, please - although feel free to leave as many comments as you like!)
Thanks so much for reading. I kiss you all MWAH!
Blogiversary!
It's Domestic Bliss' 1st birthday! It's hard to believe been blogging for a year now. I've met so many wonderful people (knitters and non-knitters alike) through blogging - some of you I've even had the pleasure of meeting in person.I'm going to celebrate the occasion by giving someone a prize! I'm giving away two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Georgetown colorway (that's it over there on the left) - it's a beautiful mix of blues, greens, and purples. These will make some great socks! There will be a few other assorted goodies in the prize package too...
Leave a comment on this post or send me an e-mail by Saturday (Dec. 9) at noon EST, and I'll put your name in the drawing. (One entry per person, please - although feel free to leave as many comments as you like!)
Thanks so much for reading. I kiss you all MWAH!
::Posted by Bliss at 2:42 PM ::
(67 comments) ::
Monday, December 04, 2006
Christmas Poo.
My niece's Christmas gift came today. It's a Barbie digital camera.
She's not quite four, but one of her favorite things to do is to take pictures. I had thought about getting her an inexpensive film camera, but she is used to being able to see the pictures on the screen as soon as she takes them, and she wouldn't get that instant gratification with a film camera. (Ah, kids today!) So when I saw a commercial for the Kid-Tough Digital Camera, I thought that would be perfect for her. Alas, when I found out that sucker costs 70 bucks, I had to think again. Fortunately, there are several other digital cameras for kids out there, and after doing some research I decided that the Barbie one was the best value, since it can also record video clips.
Unfortunately, now that I've seen the thing, I'm not sure it will do - it was described as having a screen, but they didn't mean a screen for viewing pictures - they meant a tiny little screen on top of the camera which I'm guessing tells you how many shots you have left. Poo! Now I may have to take the sucker back and try to find something better.
Christmas Poo.
My niece's Christmas gift came today. It's a Barbie digital camera.She's not quite four, but one of her favorite things to do is to take pictures. I had thought about getting her an inexpensive film camera, but she is used to being able to see the pictures on the screen as soon as she takes them, and she wouldn't get that instant gratification with a film camera. (Ah, kids today!) So when I saw a commercial for the Kid-Tough Digital Camera, I thought that would be perfect for her. Alas, when I found out that sucker costs 70 bucks, I had to think again. Fortunately, there are several other digital cameras for kids out there, and after doing some research I decided that the Barbie one was the best value, since it can also record video clips.
Unfortunately, now that I've seen the thing, I'm not sure it will do - it was described as having a screen, but they didn't mean a screen for viewing pictures - they meant a tiny little screen on top of the camera which I'm guessing tells you how many shots you have left. Poo! Now I may have to take the sucker back and try to find something better.
::Posted by Bliss at 9:28 PM ::
(1 comments) ::
Sunday, December 03, 2006
One more for the FO pile.
I actually finished these last week, but I realized I hadn't posted a photo.
These are the fingerless mitts for my father-in-law, kindly modeled by my husband. (They fit him much better than they do me!) They turned out pretty well, I think. I need to knit another pair and tweak the pattern so I can make some minor improvements, like a neater increase line on the thumb, but overall I like these very much. The overall ribbing gives them a nice masculine look, plus they will stay up better than if they were knit in stockinette. I plan to knit some for Syntax, and also some for me, although I'm debating whether I should use this pattern for mine or if I should attempt Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts.
One more for the FO pile.
I actually finished these last week, but I realized I hadn't posted a photo.
These are the fingerless mitts for my father-in-law, kindly modeled by my husband. (They fit him much better than they do me!) They turned out pretty well, I think. I need to knit another pair and tweak the pattern so I can make some minor improvements, like a neater increase line on the thumb, but overall I like these very much. The overall ribbing gives them a nice masculine look, plus they will stay up better than if they were knit in stockinette. I plan to knit some for Syntax, and also some for me, although I'm debating whether I should use this pattern for mine or if I should attempt Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts.
::Posted by Bliss at 5:34 AM ::
(1 comments) ::
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Knit, People, Knit!
I was going to write about how awesome this week's episode of Gilmore Girls was. Not that it had the best storyline (I am really not liking the whole Lorelai-and-Christopher-got-married thing), and not that it had any particularly memorable snappy dialogue (Amy Sherman-Palladino, I miss you so much). No, the reason this episode was awesome is that Stars Hollow decided to raise money to rebuild a bridge by holding a Knitathon, in which the entire town would knit for 12 hours. I had planned to post a bunch of pictures of Lorelai and Sookie knitting, Taylor looking like the yarn section at A.C. Moore exploded on him, all of the knitting Stars Hollow citizens...
But Crazy Aunt Purl beat me to it. So go read her post instead!
I will post one picture, though, of Lorelai thoroughly mangling a ball of yarn. If she invested in that lovely wooden swift, why on earth didn't she also buy a ball winder?
Knit, People, Knit!
I was going to write about how awesome this week's episode of Gilmore Girls was. Not that it had the best storyline (I am really not liking the whole Lorelai-and-Christopher-got-married thing), and not that it had any particularly memorable snappy dialogue (Amy Sherman-Palladino, I miss you so much). No, the reason this episode was awesome is that Stars Hollow decided to raise money to rebuild a bridge by holding a Knitathon, in which the entire town would knit for 12 hours. I had planned to post a bunch of pictures of Lorelai and Sookie knitting, Taylor looking like the yarn section at A.C. Moore exploded on him, all of the knitting Stars Hollow citizens...
But Crazy Aunt Purl beat me to it. So go read her post instead!
I will post one picture, though, of Lorelai thoroughly mangling a ball of yarn. If she invested in that lovely wooden swift, why on earth didn't she also buy a ball winder?
But I can't complain too much - anytime one of my favorite shows does anything knitting-related, it makes me happy. Now if we can just teach Veronica Mars to knit, she'll have something to keep her mind off of Logan and keep her out of trouble... at least until someone dies in a yarn shop.
::Posted by Bliss at 5:41 AM ::
(0 comments) ::
Friday, December 01, 2006
Happy Holidailies!
Every December, there are certain things I commit to doing. I promise myself I will do some baking and try to keep the house clean. (Note the "try.") I promise my mother I will paint her another building for her Christmas village. I promise myself I will knit a few gifts without overextending myself (but I'm pushing it this year). And, for the second year, I have committed to blogging every day this month by joining Holidailies.
I signed up last year because I was just starting the blog, and I figured it would be a good way to encourage myself to keep it going - and it worked! (I've actually kept this up for a year now; my blogiversary will be December 5.) This year is going to be a real challenge, since my schedule has changed and it will be hard to blog on workdays. If only I could blog at work!
(One more promise, to you: I promise to only occasionally mention in passing how much work sucks right now, and not to dwell on it, because nobody wants to read about that.)
A big thank-you goes to Jette and Chip for organizing Holidailies again this year. If you'd like to read some great blogs, go check it out - they'll all be updated every day so you'll always have something new to read.
Happy Holidailies!
Every December, there are certain things I commit to doing. I promise myself I will do some baking and try to keep the house clean. (Note the "try.") I promise my mother I will paint her another building for her Christmas village. I promise myself I will knit a few gifts without overextending myself (but I'm pushing it this year). And, for the second year, I have committed to blogging every day this month by joining Holidailies.I signed up last year because I was just starting the blog, and I figured it would be a good way to encourage myself to keep it going - and it worked! (I've actually kept this up for a year now; my blogiversary will be December 5.) This year is going to be a real challenge, since my schedule has changed and it will be hard to blog on workdays. If only I could blog at work!
(One more promise, to you: I promise to only occasionally mention in passing how much work sucks right now, and not to dwell on it, because nobody wants to read about that.)
A big thank-you goes to Jette and Chip for organizing Holidailies again this year. If you'd like to read some great blogs, go check it out - they'll all be updated every day so you'll always have something new to read.
::Posted by Bliss at 4:58 AM ::
(1 comments) ::
