burt bee's beeswax lip balm.....i've been sleepin on this product.

wow. it's been a long time since i last blogged. a sista was goin thru some thangs and needed to step back and become invisible. during the madness, i still knit and crocheted. some lovely things were produced.

a lot has happened. i turned 30 in january. my oldest turned 12 and the little one has become this aggressive, very determined, little woman (she's been here before). i'm focused and driven (moreso now than any other time in my life). things are great.

peace.

babygirl told me she'd like some more knitting stuff for christmas. she's been on a roll lately making scarves (she's finally sticking to sumthin! thank u god!)

she wants to make the kitty hat out of the stitch n bitch book, but i think i'll surprise her w/ one.

found via meredith's blog: soul seams

funky stuff...

anna kula
curlie girl
loopiloop

some things...


recycled silk hat


neck down cardigan made w/ galway yarn



some scarves

i've been having fun playing w/ color and different textures of yarn. there's so many possibilities. i haven't spent much time on the computer lately. mainly becuz i decided to make betta use of my time. so i'm spending as much time w/ the kids as possible and making time to make and design some new things. my wrists are a lil strained from all of the knitting and from carrying my "heavy" baby.
i want to make some leg warmers and this hat.

my bed is calling me.

fall is here.

right now, it's all about: cables, felted mittens, scarves, and finishing wips that have been lyin around my apt.

i've been trying to finish up a sleeve to my neck down cardi. medusa is comin up and i planned on wearing the cardi to her show. the show is friday (halloween) and i'm wondering if i'll have it done in time. i've gotta block it and add buttons. i'll make it work.

not a whole lot has been going on otherwise. i will have some new pics up soon. happy monday.

adara joi

wow, it's been a while.

fall is definitely here. since having the baby, my body temp has been acting crazy. one minute i'm hot, the next i'm cold. i can't stand being cold, so i've been busy making myself sweaters. i've finished two so far and i've got three more to go. the kids will be getting some of their own sweaters as well.

has anyone made the long john pants in e. zimmerman's knitter's almanac? i'm tempted to take on that project. i am most definitely making some "overknees" (check out #38 in the current rebecca mag) bcuz i plan on wearing lots of long dresses/skirts w/ my clunky boots this winter (i'm backwards, i know).

well, i'm off to pick up the kids.

hello everyone! i've been spending the past month recovering from the c-section and loving my new babygirl. she's so great! i am a happy mama!

anyway, i've been knitting some. mostly finishing stuff that's been lying around my apt for months. there are two things in knitting however that are getting the best of me. gauge and blocking. ugh! let me say that again ugh! counting stitches in a gauge swatch confuses me. i'm always coming up w/ a different count. blocking...blocking anything that's knit in stockinette stitch gives me a headache. no matter what i do, the curl remains. oh knitting gurus of cyberspace, please give me guidance.

i hope everybody is feeling groovy and enjoyin their summer. peace.

i've been a busy bee (well, it feels that way at least). i've been really feeling the nine month pregnancy thang. i can't sit long or else i catch a cramp in my ass or my legs and back stiffen up. *frown* i'm not a happy camper right now. i really can't wait for this lil girl to get here. i'm scheduled for a c-section on the 24th. lawd knows i can't wait!

currently working to get all of my projects/orders outta my apt by monday. after monday i'll be outta commission. i'm hoping i'll be able to knit a lil sumthin while i'm in the hospital. i'll bring my bag just in case.

over the weekend, i finished the kureyon rambling rows sweater and i started the first sleeve on the crossover back sweater.

that's it for now. a walk is needed.

decisions, decisions

:::

mz jocelyn aka babygirl has a book that talks about "how to help the world" (as she says). after 10 minutes of looking @ this gem she decides she's going to give her books to needy children. anutha 10 minutes roll by and she comes out of her room w/ a stack of books. then she tells me she wants to make hats for ppl in shelters. i went to give her one of my 16in circulars and couldn't find any. i've got needles all over the place and i couldn't find one 16in circ. so during my daily lunchtime visit to the frenzy (lys), i bought her a couple of circular needles. that should put a big ole kool-aid smile on her face. can't wait to see the hats she creates.

the countdown has begun. 2 wks until i get to see my baby's face. i'm getting ancy.

i've been busy working on baby stuff. i've crocheted lil skullcaps (they're oh so cute!!), started a rambling rows sweater (almost done w/ that), and i'm halfway thru the crossover back joint. this lil girl is going to be so fly!

also workin on locqueen's fantabulous hat and a tank for my girl c. my long lost motivation has returned. it's on baby!

i got a lot of knitting done this weekend. i finished the left back of the crossover baby sweater. all that's left is the right back and sleeves. it's looking really cute. i may start the square neck cardigan next (in little badger's).

i finally started using up some of my cotton. i'm currently on a crochet kick. i'm making hats for myself in bright, summery colors. it's definitely time (most of my hats r too small). when i get done w/ the first one i will sew on my new b.fly wears label. i'm soooo sooo happy to have them. i'd post pics, but my computer has crashed on me again. looking to buy a new one.

after i left work yesterday, i realized i left my knitting bag in my office. i didn't bother going back for it, i just came home and started playing w/ some otha stuff. i pulled out a skein of noro's silk garden and casted on two stitches. from there, i increased twice every otha row. i figure this will be a shawl. like i said, i'm just playing. it'll probably end up having a bunch of different yarns and colors in it cuz i only have two skeins of the silk garden (which is yummy btw). i can't wait to see what this grows into.

look what the postman brought me...





earrings the fantabulous mz stefanie made for me. receiving these gifts really made my day. thank u so much!

been working on my neckdown cardigan and the crossover back baby sweater. just started on the purl bump heart (of the baby sweater). it looks so much betta since i changed needle sizes.

i haven't touched the baby afghan. i'm a little frustrated w/ it, not sure if the heart idea was a good one. i also gave up on my brother's socks. i really need to stop loading myself down w/ projects. would like to finish some b4 i start new ones.

i've been doing my best not to feel overwhelmed, but my mind has been moving 50mph thinkin about all the stuff that needs to be done b4 adara gets here. 5 more wks. it's flyin by. i've been feeling really pregnant lately. all i wanna do is sleep, and when i'm not sleeping, i'm cleaning (the nesting has begun). can't wait for my ribs to stop hurting. check out the load i'm carrying...

i'm not putting adara's name in the blanket. i broke out the graph paper and realized i didn't like the block letters i was creating. so now instead of her name, she's getting hearts in each corner of the blanket. i hope it comes out nice.

my neck down cardigan was lost for a lil while. i found it in a bag of yarn i had thrown in my closet. i swear i need to have a betta system of storing things. i noticed my favorite lime green cardigan has a few holes in the elbow, so now i'm motivated to get the neck down joint finished.

my ufo's will get finished....one of these days.

working on the border of the baby afghan. i plan on putting adara's name in it. can't decide between colorwork or purl bumps.

i have a confession to make. i am totally addicted to sock yarn. i don't know what it is about the stuff. i see new colorways and lose my mind. it's always, well most of the time, an impulse buy. i plan on making two pairs of socks w/in the next four weeks. b-day presents for my brother and miss lucille.

the baby afghan is almost done. it's so soft. i'm going to make hats and booties w/ the left over yarn (there's a lot of it). miss girl is going to b stylin.

once again, my 'puter is up and running. hopefully, it won't give me anymore problems. here's a pic of the eros scarf i made for my mama.



i talked to her today and she was really excited about wearing it. i made it because i thought it'd go w/ a lot of her blouses that she wears to work, but she thinks she should wear it w/ something dressy. i'm going to get a picture of her in it.



this scarf was made w/ st. tropez. i used size 17s for this baby and i was done w/ it in no time. there's a burgundy color i'd like to get next. i think this would make a really nice shell or some other summer top.

last but not least...


the rambling rows afghan - completed! this picture isn't the best, but it ended up being so huge i couldn't get the whole thing in the picture no matter what i did. this was really fun to work on and i can see myself making more. i'm getting close to finishing adara's. pictures of the baby stuff will soon come.

my site's back up. yay!

i left work early yesterday, went home and finished a couple of things. i'm slowly gettin back into crocheting. i started a crown for daddy-o and i started makin myself a bag to go w/ this slinky/sexy dress my girl bought me (as an after baby gift).

i'm starting to get real anxious about the birth of this lil girl. last week she was in my dreams, this week i'm dreaming about going into labor. the not knowing is really gettin me. i've been through this once before i shouldn't be trippin. lol.

anyway, i'm off to do some work. sending positive energy to the whale that's stranded in the turnagin arm.

for mama's day i decided to break out the eros and make my mama a scarf. now for weeks i would sit in the yarn store and watch woman after woman come in asking about this stuff (sandi was out @ the time). i sat there wondering what the big deal was. but then friday nite i started working w/ the stuff and immediately saw. it made this extremely light fabric. the yarn was very colorful and every color seemed to pick up the light. it's great! i'm going to buy some more. oh! mama loved her scarf. now i gotta make her an eyelash scarf. she's been waiting for one of those.

big needles rock!

i ordered some labels yesterday. woohoo! i can't wait to see them. i've been wanting simple, professional looking labels for a while now. thanx stefanie for posting that link.

i'm getting close to finishing the baby blanket and i started the crossover back sweater again. this time i will finish it. i get more and more excited about this baby with every day that passes. she's been in my dreams for a week now. gotta make her some socks/booties and i think a hat would b cool too.

"whatta day whatta day" - e. badu

feeling a lil stressed and overwhelmed. i've got a ton of work on my desk and it feels like i'm not making any progress. as soon as i get some done, more appears. i shouldn't b complaining 'bout it. there was a time (not so long ago) where i didn't have enuff work to do and that drove me real crazy. anyway, i'm taking a quick blog break.

the computer gods hate me. my damn computer broke down again (after getting it back a week after it was "fixed"). don't know what to do. i need my computer. can't run an online biz w/o one. *frown*

my boss absolutely loved her afghan. she wrapped up in it immediately. once i finished it, i found myself trying to find something else to do. i'll post pictures as soon as i get my computer back up. nakachi, i used plymouth yarn's encore. it's nice stuff. i'm currently making adara (the baby) one w/ sirdar's baby care. it's a lot smaller than the first so i'm zoomin thru it.

otha than working on the baby blanket, i'm not doing much. i started a kureyon sock (getting ready for next winter) and i'm in the middle of designing a tube top for my friend. it shouldn't b too hard, but i want to make sure it fits her in all the right places.

8 more weeks and adara will b here. this pregnancy has flown by. i'd like to find more summery knit patterns for her, but i'm not having much luck. maybe i should just focus on the upcoming winter.

have a good one everybody.

i'm still working on the afghan. my boss' last day is friday and i will have it finished by then. 2 more blocks to go.

i started a sock using 2 circular needles. i'm @ the gussett and i'm quite frustrated w/ it. i've put it down for the time being. it'd b nice if i could just knit sumthin w/o getting stuck. one day i guess.

i spoke w/ holly on sunday and she's inspired me to start crocheting again. i haven't been into it since my pregnancy began. guess i've been burned out. i'm going to pick up my hook this weekend (once this afghan is done) and make some hats. maybe some lil drawstring purses. i don't know. i've got tons of yarn to use up. if i get busy now, i'll have enuff inventory to do some of the fall bazaars. i'm going to miss the forest fair this year (it's too close around my due date).

the lopi sweater so far...


and the rambling rows afghan...


10 more blocks and a border. then i'll b done.

i can't wait to b done w/ this actually. it's been fun, but i'm ready to move on to sumthin else...like my baby knitting.

i'm cruisin along on the afghan. it's looking really nice. when i'm done, i'm going to start one for the baby using sirdar's babycare.

i started making a pair of socks using the two circular needle method. has anyone else tried this? do u find it to b a lot faster than using double points? i can't decide.

my computer is FINALLY fixed. i'm going to get it home and see what was erased. i hope i don't have to do much of anything, but in any case i'll b able to post pictures again. woohoo!

not a lot has been going on. every bit of my free time goes towards working on the rambling rows afghan. once i'm done w/ it, i can knit for the baby.

happy thursday everyone.

babygirl loved her present. when we came home yesterday, she instantly started picking patterns outta the book i bought her. she admitted to me later that she didn't like following patterns. so i told her to do what she felt. i bought the book mainly as a reference for her since she doesn't know how to purl or what binding off means. i think she's making coasters right now. :o) she finished a baby hat for lil miss. it was a hat that i started making and got bored w/. so she picked it up and finished it. she's very proud of herself and i'm proud of her too. whenever my damn computer gets fixed, i'll post pics.

currently making anutha scarf outta the saint tropez. this first one i made for my sister, this one is for mandara. also started a tam for him (aka daddy-o aka baby's father). he's worn his otha tams out and they look pitiful. i'm takin my time w/ it. it's a project to work on when i need a break from the rambling rows afghan.

have a great weekend everybody. i plan on knitting and getting some relaxation. i may even go buy some baby clothes. i went to old navy yesterday and almost lost my mind. their clothes r hellafied cheap and their cute beyond cuteness. my kind of store.

mmmm. takin a skittles break.

i said i wasn't ready to start anything new, but i'm changing my mind. @ the frenzy today, sandi was knitting a scarf w/ filatura di crosa's saint tropez. it looked like it was a lot of fun to knit w/. so i bought a ball of it and a pair of size 17 needles. i'm making a bday scarf for mandara in color 102 (the gold one). i figure it'll look really good w/ her dark complexion and she could rock it as a belt/sash thing. i can't wait to get started on it.

i finally got the kinks worked out of the asymetrical baby sweater. i should have that done tonite or tomorrow.

peace ppls.

i've been working diligently on the rambling rows afghan. april 25 is the deadline to get it finished. i'm on a mission.

not much else is going on. i've got a few hats to make and ideas for bags r floatin around my head, but i'm not quite ready to start anything new right now.

i cut my sweater last nite. i was so nervous, i gave myself a headache. it's finally done and i'm so proud of myself. currently workin on the button band.

the asymetrical baby sweater is giving me a lil heartache. y? bcuz my gauge is off and the sweater is a lil bigger than its supposed to b. i don't mind the size really. it just means lil miss will have more time to wear it. so i gotta rip out a few rows to bind off the sleeve stitches. once that's done, it'll b smooth sailing.

babygirl's bday is on the 9th. i've decided to buy her a "how to knit" book and some knitting do-dads. i may buy her some yarn too. i wasn't sure what i was going to get her @ first, but after seeing how interested she was in the stuff @ the yarn store, i figured knitting stuff would b the perfect gift. my baby's going to b 10 yrs old. kids grow so fast.

tonite is the last lopi class. the sweater is pretty much done. i still haven't sewn and cut the steeks. i will lata on this week. babygirl is comin to class w/ me. she should get a kick outta lookin @ all the yarn. she'll get a chance to work on her hat too.

i had a fabulous relaxing weekend. saturday was real nice. i left the house around 11am, went out w/ my moms for about an hour and was back home around 1pm. my apartment was lit up from all of the sun.

i'm back on my sock making kick. 8 balls of sock yarn was bought on friday. currently working on a pair for babygirl. i'm not buyin anymore yarn. i'm not. i gotta fight the urge to splurge. i do i do i do do do. lol.

i've discovered baby patterns on domestic sphere. woohoo! i'm in heaven i tell ya. bought some fabulous nubby yarn to make the asymetrical cardigan. i stayed up late working on it and so far, i have half the back done and both sleeves casted on.

i gotta get busy on the rambling rows afghan. my bosse's retirement party is apr. 29 and i only have 20 blocks done. i will finish it! i will! i will! i will!

okay, so i went to the bead and fiber arts festival and i was kinda sad to see it was more beads than fiber arts. i think i saw 3 booths that sold fiber related things. otha than that it was all beads. i was really looking forward to seeing some weaving and spinning demonstrations. oh well, i will keep praying that i meet someone that can show me how to spin.

i finished my shoulder warmer today and i'm still unsure about it. i think i just need to block it and add a drawstring. i also think my pregnant belly is throwing off the look of it. lol. i don't know. i'm going to keep working with it.

i also finished knitting the yoke on my lopi sweater. what's left is the sewing and cutting of the steeks, the button/hole bands, and sewing the bands on. i didn't realize how much work went into making these sweaters (well, the cardigans). i'm very proud of myself and i think this is the best work i've done so far.

fiber arts fair this weekend! woohoo!

i can b such a space cadet sometimes. i didn't buy all of my lopi yarn like i originally thought. so the last 3 skeins i needed were never in my home, but waiting for me in the yarn store's stock room. duh jackie! i checked the stock room 2 weeks ago and didn't see it, so that's when the panic set in. i'm so happy i get to finish my sweater now. last nite's class consisted of everybody watching one brave woman sew up her steeks and cut her sweater. cutting that puppy seems a lil stressful. our last class is in two weeks. i plan on having the yoke of my sweater done, steeks sewn, and sweater cut (w/ a lil supervision).

my poncho/capelet/shoulder warmer thingy is almost done. i was unsure about how it'd turn out, let alone fit but i'm feeling betta about it. i'd like to wear it this saturday nite...weather permitting.

next project...a halter/tube top thingy for my girl neisha. i think i may make one for myself and alter it a bit to allow room for my pregnant belly. i think it'd b cute.

i am once again amped up and excited about going into business for myself...found these women in this month's bust: make.

my weekend was cool. i got 5 blocks done on the rambling rows afghan. and i was able to start over on my poncho thingy w/o it twisting on me...again. my head is full of ideas. i'm excited man, real excited!

there's a bead and fiber arts fair comin up soon. weavers and spinners will b there. my prayers have been answered woohoo! i started making a poncho thingy and a hat and mitten set for babygirl. we've had a crazy windstorm blow thru the area and it's really cold. i think this is the coldest it's been all dang winter (still no snow). anyway, since she's 9 and loses absolutely everything, i decided to make her YET ANUTHA hat/mitten set. this one is tan and hot pink. the mittens will have a heart on them and pink thumbs. it's lookin really cute. i plan on knitting and crocheting a lot this weekend. i think it's too cold to go anywhere. happy friday.

i want to spin my own yarn. where do i start? gotta do some research.

pictures, yay!



one of the sleeves and part of the body for the lopi sweater i'm working on.



fortissima socks



my "mandara" hat made w/ ultralite.



fisherman's joint made w/ pom pom.

i've been looking @ the new issue of knitty for a couple of days now and i think i've made up my mind on what i want to make. the joseph jacket is absolutely adorable. i can see my lil miss and sakura (the camo baby sweater recipient) wearing this. sakura will get one.

i started fadimata's socks last nite. i got some work done on the lopi sweater as well. i gotta take pics. gotta take pics. gotta. take. pics.

the sun is shining w/ a blinding force. it's funny how easily u can forget about the sun's power when u spend several months in darkness. i lub the sun. absolutely love it.

so it's march. the days are getting a lot lighter (and sunnier..sp?) and the weather is a lil warmer. so y do i still want to knit w/ wool?

do u ever have those days where none of ur knitting projects turn out right? this weekend was like that. i successfully finished my noro hat. i showed my moms and she instantly started critiquing (sp?) it. "these stripes need to b lined up. u need to fix that and the pucker @ the top." *frown* i made the hat on straight needles and sewed it up using the mattress stitch. i don't care if the stripes aren't lined up. the hat is mine. i do agree however, that the pucker needs to b fixed. i just don't have to energy to pull that sucker apart to fix it. laziness? yes and i really don't care @ the moment.

my lopi sweater has become a disaster. while watching the roy jones fight on saturday, i spent 1 hour trying to figure out how to switch to my size 11 needle, cast on 5 stitches, and start the color work. it was hell and i was really frustrated w/ it. then once i started going on it, i got to the third row of my color work and realized i was short 2 stitches. fuck! i know that this can easily b fixed. but the pattern in itself is a lil confusing and i'll have to b in the right frame of mind to backtrack. it really does pay to count ur stitches beforehand. i always seem to forget that. class is tomorrow and we're supposed to have the whole body done. i'm not even going.

what else went wrong? my cute baby sweater has to ripped out once again. i had started shaping the neck b4 i got stuck. then i realized that the needles i was using were too big. thus making the sweater really big. i'm disgusted. damn those uk instructions. arggghhh! i feel like this will never get done.

i'm on a hat kick now. i bought some noro kureyon in 4 different color ways and have decided to make hats out of it all. honestly, justine bateman has inspired my hat making obsession. her hats are cute and look easy to make. i'm still on a mission to make a knitted hat i like absolutely love.

crocheted two hats last nite. the mate to my fortissima sock is almost done and i'm almost done w/ the front of the crossover sweater. my lopi sweater has me stumped @ the moment and i have until tuesday to get the body done. ha! i've got a lot of knitting to do.

i'm in the process of designing a cap sleeve babydoll top. my belly is absolutely huge (and getting bigger by the day...it seems) and i wanna make something really cute for myself. it'll probably b crocheted and i want to use brown sheep's cotton fleece. but where in the world do i start to do sumthin like this?

my mentor, bestest friend, 2nd mom fadimata has been in dc for a lil over a year now and she's still miserable. so i'm sending her a lil care package. one item i hope she loves is the scarf i made in berroco's nimbus. that stuff knits up fast. gotta get more of it.

the crossover sweater is coming along nicely. i've noticed that i feel more @ peace when i knit w/ size 2 needles. i don't know y that is. i'm really enjoying creating sumthin for my baby. i put every ounce of love i can into each stitch. when i finish the heart pattern, i'll take a pic.

OH! i finally finished the parallelo sweater. i'll take pics of that as soon as it's blocked and sewn together. yay for me!

i've been busy busy busy. currently taking a lopi sweater class. so far, i'm doing okay. i was a little leary about doing color work, but i'm getting the hang of it. both sleeves are done and i've started working on the body. i started making a cross over back sweater (in little badger) for my lil miss (the baby). it's so tiny. can't wait to see it finished. pics soon come.

daddy's watchcap is finished. i think it'll b a lil big now. lol. i used a size 9 needle w/ the bulky yarn and i now know that was enuff to alter the size. but what i also did was add several more rows. big mistake. i'll have him try it on tonite. i have taken on anutha project. a rambling rows afghan. my boss is retiring in may and i wanted to make her sumthin nice. my coworkers and i r planning a big retirement party for her and i mentioned i wanted to make her sumthin. a few ppl said they would pitch in to buy the yarn. of course i couldn't wait, so i went ahead and picked out the colors and got started. 4 squares were made over the weekend. working on the 5th one now. life has become quite interesting lately. my body is changing rapidly and i'm seeing things for what they really are. some days i'm sad bcuz of it, otha days i feel empowered. knitting has helped me get my brains togetha. it really has. now all i have to do is sign up for a yoga class.

lamb's pride bulky is so yummy. i'm making my daddy's second watchcap in this stuff and it's absolutely groovy. the parallelo and seed stitch sweater is being made w/ it as well. i'm hooked.

i've started a zillion scarves since october. i haven't finished one of them. it's driving me nuts cuz i know they will just sit in my ufo basket until next winter. i was really hoping to have my lopi scarf done. it's a simple garter stitch scarf on size 13 needles. it's going have blocks of grass green and celery green throughout. it should b really cute once i'm done. once i'm done! arghhh! the parallelo is moving slower than i expected. i forgot that when i got stuck i had worked 35in of half fisherman's rib and b4 i can progress to the bind off and the right sleeve, my sweater has to measure 44in. i've been striving for that 44in mark for 3 or 4 days now. i'm going to lose it if i don't get there soon. i think have 4 more inches to go. i'm learning patience @ this point. i decided to take a break from selling stuff for a lil while. i've gotten burned out from all the crocheting. i wanna make stuff for me again. i wanna get outta this slump and b creative again. i'm lookin forward to my break. i really am. the site needs revamping. i gotta get my brains togetha and figure out what i wanna do w/ it. happy knitting (and crocheting) to you all!

i gave my daddy the marsan watchcap and it was a lil small. i was a lil disappointed, but now i know what needs to b done. somebody is going to get that hat. daddy will get a new one and it will fit. i need to get my hands on invisible elastic thread. i'd like to knit some more tams and i think the thread will keep the shape @ the mouth of the crown. where can i find this? joann's?

i'm really excited! y? cuz i made staceyjoy's marsan watchcap and it came out perfectly! woohoo! i'm going to give it to my daddy. i've never made him anything b4. while spending 6 hrs @ the yarn store yesterday, i got help w/ the parallelo sweater so i'm now back on track w/ that. i also picked up the rambling rows afghan pattern. i've been wanting to make one ever since i saw shobhana's. i'm currently deciding on colors cuz this gem will b for my new baby. thinkin 'bout making myself a few pairs of socks for my hospital stay (gotta use up my stash of sock yarn) and making him a hat to go home in. i'm going to have a lot of fun over the next several months. i will post pics of the hat as soon as it dries.

i'm in luv! debbie bliss has a new book out for babies. i'm kinda hoping i have a girl now after seeing her kimono and pants set. then there's a kaftan in there too w/ beautiful embroidery. i have to make both of these things. i'm going to have nuttin but "knit for baby" books all over my apt. just watch!

this year i will play w/ freeform crochet/knitting. i finished a hat for the elementid one. i pray it fits. *smile*. now i gotta get busy on some stuff for my sister's trunk show (which is next saturday). i gotta get my butt in gear man. i wish i didn't live so far away. being in alaska sucks during times like this. i feel like i'm in anutha country sometimes. shoot, a lot of ppl think alaska isn't apart of the u.s. anyway... knitted items in the works: up country mittens - cable scarf - seed stitch sweater crocheted items in the works: multi.colored crown - baby blanket hope everyone has a great day.

while waitin for my last load of clothes to dry and watching kama sutra, i decided to make anutha pair of mittens. it was extremely cold yesterday and my fingers were frozen @ the tips (and i was wearing gloves). so i broke out a skein of patons up country and started knittin away. i managed to get half of the mitten done. using bulky yarn is the greatest. stuff gets made almost instantly...k, maybe not instantly, but it's pretty damn fast.

happy new year! ahhh, things have been quite uneventful for me. i'm diligently working on the seed stitch sweater. the boa is put on hold until i can find the last ball of casca (it's probably buried in my yarn basket). and my bro's scarf is put on hold until i can find my cable needle. *frown* thanx bonne marie and empress for hookin me up w/ those watch cap links. ---since i've changed to layout, i've gotten rid of the comments and added a tag board.

denise has inspired me to make my own boa. playin w/ different yarns and textures is sumthin i seemed to have forgotten about. i'm finally using the gedifra carioca. i'm pairing that up w/ an eyelash yarn called casca. it has lil flecks of color throughout so it gives the boa a lil sumthin extra. the seed stitch sweater is comin along. i'm tryin hard not to think about how much more i have to go b4 i can start the back. i find i make a lil progress when i veg out in front of the tv for a while. so much to make, so little time. i've got some noro kureyon and silk garden i'd like to use. the silk garden was originally bought to b used for a scarf for my sister, but i scrapped that idea. so now i don't know what to make w/ it. denise and empress, i will b starting ur stuff next week. happy monday.

my christmas was relaxing. how was urs? so, my bro's scarf still isn't finished. but i did show it to him and he really likes it. i want to have it done w/in the next few days. then i'll start on his hat. i took the day off and paid a visit to the frenzy...thinkin today was the first day of the sale. not! it's tomorrow. it's cool tho. i'm starting anutha sweater...the green seed stitch sweater down below. i think this rebecca pattern is a lil easier than the parallelo joint (the orange one). happy thursday everybody.

watch cap how in the world do u make this? is it called a watch cap bcuz of the style (which i like a lot)? or is it a stitch that u use? i'm asking this bcuz elizabeth zimmerman has a watch cap pattern in her knitting without tears and it looks like she uses some sort of stitch. but then i saw shobhana's cap and it looks like she used a basic k1p1 rib. help?

i'm itchin to start sumthin new. makin progress on my bro's scarf. he's stayin @ my parents' house, so it gives me time to work on it. he made it known today that he luvs scarves and that he's going to have me make a lot of them for him. that made me happy. i think i will start a watch cap. never made one of those b4. i wonder if i have the right needles. *sigh*

okay, so this is me in the funky boa. i've gotten so many compliments on this. it's absolutely fabulous. the color alone will brighten up ur day. again, thank u denise! my dear, sweet brother will b here tomorrow. am i done w/ his scarf yet? no. i'll b workin my booty off during the next few days. tuesday, i started a scarf for a friend of mine. so far, it's knitting up really fast. i'm thankful for that. i'm using garnstudio's vivaldi and trendsetter's flora. it's beautiful. i wanna start on anutha sweater. i found out a lopi class will b offered next month. i'm excited 'bout that. also, i'll start on the parallelo sweater again. things should have slowed down a lil next month, so i'll b able to get some help on joining the body. i'm so close to finishing it. it's been so cold lately, all i've been thinkin 'bout is how warm the sweater will b. been feelin cardigans a lot lately. gotta find a cute and quick pattern for one.

guess what the postman brought me yesterday? one of denise's funky boas! man, it's so fabulous. it's luscious and makes me feel sexy. i have to go buy a whole new wardrobe to wear it out. ooh, i gotta buy a new coat too. lol. thank u soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much denise. i love it!!!!!!!

since we finally have snow, i've been in the mood to make stuff. really make stuff. but today i decided to work on projects that needed major attention, like my bro's scarf and babygirl's sweater. i managed to finish the body on the sweater. now i'm 'bout to start on the first sleeve. i gotta get help w/ the gauge tho. i've been reading the instructions in the book (the sweater workshop), but i'm not sure. i think i'm just sleepy. anyway, i'll hold off on the sweater until monday. i'm determined to get the scarf finished by the end of the week.

pictures yay! rainbow socks in all their glory. ear flap hat made w/ reynolds lite lopi. i was surprised this hat looked cute on me. i was playin around a bit w/ acrylic and trendsetter yarn's charming. i'm not diggin it completely. but i'm sure it'll look cute on somebody. in the works... hat and bag set - an eyelash cap - a fisherman hat - babygirl's sweater- my bro's scarf.

the rainbow socks r finished! finally. it hasn't been cold enuff to make any hats or scarves. @ least that's my reasoning behind not making much of anything lately. where is the snow? i'm not complaining really. it's just weird. anyway, made a wool earflap hat on saturday. my sister sold two of my hats (she's in atlanta). i'm so excited 'bout that. she's also gotten the hat making bug, so she sold six of hers as well. she finally figured out how to download pics from her digi cam...can't wait to see her sweaters and skirts. what else is going on? thinkin 'bout what i wanna make my baby. a blanket for sure. oh, and a few hats. some booties too. lol. brother will b here in two weeks. i'm trying really hard to get his scarf finished.

turned the heel on the second rainbow sock. i want to finish it w/in the next couple of days. can't wait to wear them. today i bought some frou frou yarn. lots of eyelash and some otha stuff i can't describe. i figured buying the yarn would help motivate me to create sumthin new and fresh. kinda tired of making the same ole stuff all of the time. guess i could put a dent in my wool stash (y did i go nuts buying the stuff?) i'm addicted i tell ya. peep the title of this here blog...yarn.fiend. sumthin extra funky will b made w/ my hands this weekend. my sis is working on her stuff. funky throws and sweaters is what she's into. yesterday, she made a bag and a matching cap. i can't wait to see the pictures (she's my guru!). her stuff may pop up on my site. my stomach is growling. all i seem to do these days is sleep and eat. happy friday!

stuff i'm working on cable scarf for my bro. using galway wool (i love this yarn!). scarf for self. using manukau wools charisma and stranding it w/ some kind of ribbon yarn that adds a lil shimmer to it. armwarmers in berroco's plush. this yarn is super soft. gotta get some more of it.

while in ny i told mandara 'bout the vegan fox. she called me yesterday sayin she wanted one. i must admit that it's been on my mind too. i think making it will b a lot of fun. i gotta find the yarn for it. now i'm not really familiar w/ all of the knitting mags and the popular designers that are out there. but can i just say that lily chin's version of the fox is absolutely the most fucked up shit i've ever seen. is it supposed to b a fox? cuz it looks like a dead rat to me. what do u think? the cable scarf is coming along nicely. sakura's earflap hat is done. she probably won't b able to wear it until next winter, but hey, @ least she'll have it. i'm getting geared up to make my new arrival some things. thinkin 'bout tackling one of the blanket patterns in knitting for baby. the felted diaper bag looks tempting too.

currently workin on a scarf w/ cables for my brother. this is my first time doing cables and i must say that i absolutely love doing them. i got a quarter of the scarf done watching harry potter on saturday. a hat will b made to match. pics soon come.

okay, i checked and the gedifra yarn i bought is the carioca. this stuff will make a funky boa. stay tuned.

knitting for baby...this is an awesome book. i want to make everything in this book. currently working on the earflap hat for sakura. that lil girl is going to b hooked up! not a lot of knitting has been going on. the parallelo sweater has been thrown in a bag. i'm still frustrated w/ it. i've got a pair of socks going...a hat...the sweater for the class...i think that's it. i'm going to make a couple of scarves for my sis. one using noro's silk garden. the other using some funky frou frou yarn called gedifra.

the parallelo sweater is giving me the blues. i'm really close to starting the right sleeve, but i've gotten stuck 3 times so far. i've gotten help, but then get home only to realize 1) what was told to me doesn't make sense and 2) i made a goofy mistake somewhere down the line. luckily the mistakes have been easy to fix (but rippin out 3-4 rows to get to the mistakes have been a bitch). so now i'm in the process of joining the front and back togetha. from there i can make the right sleeve. i'll b finished then. i'm so close, yet so far (i know i'm going to get stuck again!). next project to tackle...a lopi sweater! maybe it's the colder weather, but i wanna make a lopi sweater badly. i gotta get my funds togetha so i can make this happen.

here r my first pair of wristwarmers. they're a lil big, but they are comfy. i'm making a second pair now in berroco's plush.

frustration is the word for the day. i missed the last "sweater workshop" class (i was in ny). so this week, i've been playing catch up. we are now making our sweater. i decided to make one for babygirl since i can't find any sweater patterns for her size. i figured out the gauge, bought my needle, got the yarn and began work on the ribbing when i notice i'm short a stitch (cast on stitches were 149 instead of 150). so it ripped it all out. today @ lunch, i started over. the cast on sts were all there, but somehow i twisted my stitches when i joined the round. *frown* so now, i have to rip out my work again (well, one row). class is tomorrow by the way. i hope i can get all of the ribbing plus 3 inches of the body done. i don't like being behind. i've got two knit hats going. babygirl's sock still needs to b finished. her mitten needs to b made. thinkin 'bout starting anutha hat. lol. i want to buy some eyelash yarn. berroco's lazer fx has had my eye for some time now. left over chinese food awaits. good day.

sakura's jacket...finished! one of the hats i made on the size 13 bamboo circulars. tonite will b a nite of finishing. i've got some hat orders to get busy on. it's gotten really cold and babygirl needs her mittens. so, i'll get started on the second mitten. i should have it (and her other sock) finished by tomorrow nite.

i wanna make some funky wrist warmers, arm warmers, and leg warmers. it's finally getting cold here. we even got our first dusting of snow today. i gotta get my butt in gear and get my winter goodies made. i finally finished the rambling rows baby jacket. i'll post a pic lata on today. workin on a few knitted hats. using size 13 bamboo circulars and double stranding the yarn. the first hat i made, i finished it in four hours. i'm going to make a bedspread for myself. in fact, i wanna decorate my whole bedroom w/ crocheted/knitted stuff. so many ideas, not enuff time. wraps...ponchos...funky headwraps...the ideas keep flowin.

my time in new york was grand! this is a picture of me and liza yu chen. me and mandara was walkin in the west village and came across her shop "spring garden". what caught my eye was her amazing knitted hats. if u've been over to staceyjoy's lately, then u've probably already checked out liza's site mysticbutterfly.com. i swear the pictures on her site doesn't do her hats justice. they are amazing. each hat is one of a kind. some have flowers and branches in them. others have stuffed insects, spiders, butterflies, ladybugs, etc. i was so happy to meet this wonderful lady. i went to redlipstick and met staceyjoy, liz, and some other bloggers. they were all so nice. and the entries were inspirational. i will definitely enter sumthin next year. i went to knitting hands and bought some tahki magic and some patons bella. folks were diggin my hats. mandara wore something of mine everyday. a lot of business cards were passed out. i experienced my first photo shoot. i really do like being "behind the scenes". lol. mandara's friend is an amazing photographer (garfield hall is his name) and he had this spur of the moment idea to photograph my stuff. in my mind i thought it would b some simple picture taking out in the park. but, um no. mandara had "costume" changes and make-up planned. then instead of being out in the park, he took pictures inside the artsy apartment we lived in. it was cool. i found myself being very quiet and interested in the whole process. garfield was very sweet and explained each step to me. i've always wanted to get into photography, now i'm a step closer. *smile*. hmmm, what else? we went to urban outfitters and i must say that even tho the stuff in that store is hella cute, i was somewhat disturbed. it's like their merchandise has that "hand-crafted/homemade" feel when it really isn't. i felt i could've made everything in that store. i saw crocheted and knitted hats/scarves/belts, quilts, and curtains. i think i wanna do quilting next. embroidery too. i wanna make some curtains too. my apt. needs revamping badly. i made this really cute crocheted earflap hat w/ the patons bella. it turned out to b very thick and somewhat heavy. the stitches were well defined and it fit mandara perfectly. i'm currently into making those extra long scarves that r so popular @ the moment. i'm making more hats like the yellow one down below, and i'm making hats w/ flowers on them. i thought it was funny that winter is almost here and i'm putting flowers on stuff. but eff it, i need a lil life/liveliness during this time. bright colors r my thing too. happy day.

okay, this is my newest project. making hats on straight needles. i actually enjoy this more than making hats on circulars. i'm still experimenting. this hat is really big. i can see a very beautiful dreadlocked man wearing it *smile*. and while i'm in new york, i'm going to b looking for one (i'm sure he wouldn't b too hard to find in ny). my otha project: mittens! this one is going to babygirl. she's going to have a lot knitted wears this winter. my sweater isn't finished. and u know what? i'm not stressin over it. i think i've done enough of that for the last month (i barely made 5 hats). i just wanna have fun on my trip. if i happen to sell sumthin, cool. if not, then that's cool too. just get me outta alaska for a minute. hopefully, the weather will b nicer in ny than it is here. this has got to b the rainiest (sp?) autumn i've ever experienced.

yarn. yarn. yarn. i bought a bunch of it yesterday. hats need to b made. mittens do too. 7 days 'til new york.

this is a scarf i just finished. i used classic elite's montera w/ a basketweave stitch and i also put a seed stitch border around it. besides the color being absolutely fabulous, it's light in weight and has a nice drape to it. i made anutha skullcap. this time i used some crochet thread. i don't use the stuff often, but when i do i am reminded y i don't use it. i like the end result...so, i may use the stuff again.....soon.

this hat (there's a matching scarf too) was made w/ plymouth yarn's bam!. i love granny squares. i'm hooked i tell ya. i made my first granny square bag saturday. it consists of two large granny squares that was sewn together. it's really cute (pic soon come). babygirl fell in love w/ it when she saw it (u know i have to make her one). anyway, i'm envisioning granny square scarves made w/ lamb's pride. i finished the back to the parallelo sweater last nite. i'm so excited. all that's left is the front and the right sleeve. i luv knitty.

color work in crochet. it's driving me nuts. i'm putting a 3 color vertical stripe in the back of a hat and i can't get it to line up straight. i was told that it probably won't. is that true? 4 inches had to b ripped out of the back of my rebecca sweater. i lost a stitch some kind of way. so i ripped out all of my work and started over. looks like my end of the month deadline will b a "before i go to new york" deadline. i've got a lot of work to do. i bought the crocheter's companion. it'll b very handy. i may need to buy it's mate.

i sewed up the jazz hat using the mattress stitch. y do i luv that stitch so much? haha. i had the first mitten finished but the thumb was all jacked up. the pattern says to knit in st st for 2 1/2 in. that was a mistake. i'm going to rip it all out and redo the mitten in the round. i think it'll look betta (even tho' everything look great except for the thumb). class is tonite. i don't have a clue what we'll b doing since i missed last week's class. my "homework" is finished so i'll b caught up w/ everybody else.

new york, i'm comin to u baby i will b there oct 17-22. i plan on going to redlipstick to see the entries for the hat contest. who else will b there? there r a couple of places i wanna check out. one being habu. the other of course, redlipstick. otha than that, i will b chillin. instead of feeling rushed, i'm going w/ the flow. i'll get to spend some time w/ mandara and get my thoughts in order (big things r to come. i feel it.). i'm almost done w/ the jazz hat. i started on the first mitten. i've never made mittens b4 and i'm making them on straight needles instead of double points. i'm making this set (the pattern comes w/ the yarn) for mandara's moms. i hope she likes.

maybe it's the cooler weather, but i've been buying a lot of wool yarns. a lot. lamb's pride, reynold's lopi, cleckheaton's 8-ply, jamieson's soft spun. the colors grab my attention and the next thing i know, i'm walking out of the store w/ a bag full. haha. i've started buying books too. today, i got little badger knitwear: knitted projects for babies and toddlers. i couldn't help myself. the clothing was way too cute. otha books on my list: vintage knits the twisted sisters sock workbook hip to knit i'll b adding to that list soon. i got this book yesterday bcuz i'm taking the sweater workshop class @ the frenzy. i think it'll really help me w/ designing patterns. i feel so out of the loop when it comes to the latest fall fashions. what r ppl wearing these days? i know extra long scarves r in @ the moment. oh, brown seems to b the new black too. am i missing much?

the parallelo sweater is coming along nicely. i will start work on the back lata on today. i'm determined to have the sweater finished by the end of the month. i'm also on a mission to get to new york next month. i was going to enter the hat contest but i'm starting to have second thoughts. y? bcuz 1. i'm not sure what kind of hat to make and 2. my knitted hat skills aren't the greatest. if i decide not to enter, i will still go to new york to see the entries. currently in the works: crocheting a few scarves to b photographed for the site rambling rows baby jacket - all that needs to b done r the neck/button bands the mate to the teal sock the montera muffler

laurence fishburne knits?

i love artful yarn's museum. it's big and chunky and knits up really fast. i'll have pictures of the scarf in a couple of days (it's drying right now). i'm stuck once again on the rebecca sweater. i swear this pattern is becoming a bit of a pain. i'm determined to finish it tho. once it's done it'll look fabulous. i may start the seed stitch sweater next. well, i gotta run. i'm volunteering my services @ the frenzy today. i'd rather spend my days there instead of @ the office. have a great day ppls! peace.

the parallelo sweater has all of my attention @ the moment. pics soon come.

i'm bored. here r some pics... one of mandara's hats - made out of debbie bliss' wool/cotton. an almost finished camoflage rambling rows baby jacket for kkarma's sakura if u haven't been to redlipstick lately, u need to click the link now and check out stacey's funky, new hats. i really need to work on my knitted hat skills. man oh man. k, i'm goin to bed now. goodnite world.

i need more space. i suddenly got the urge to finish things. mandara leaves tues. nite and i've got four of her items washed and blocked. how long does it take for things to dry after washing them? stuff is laid out all over my living room floor. clem is going to shit bricks when she comes thru tomorrow. ha. while finishing things, i also have the urge to start things. i've been wanting to make funky looking sleeves. so i started knitting some w/ the left over pink mohair. i'm also thinking 'bout starting a scarf w/ artful yarn's museum. i got some help w/ the rebecca sweater. i was cruisin along and have gotten stuck/confused once again. i made sure i fully understood the next set of instructions before i left the frenzy, but i think i've forgotten what i was told. then again, i think it's more doubt than forgetfulness. i'd hate to get really far on it and then have to rip all my work out. i guess that's the onlee way i'll learn right? ::: roc, i want to see some of ur handi.work.

i'm making the orange sweater. it comes out of a rebecca mag and is also shown in this month's interweave. it seems to knit up pretty quickly, but i'm not sure if i'm doing the stitch correctly (half fisherman's rib). my stitch doesn't match the stitch shown on the sweater. hopefully, i can get some help on it today and work on it over the weekend. oh, i can knit some. the pain in my hand has gone away, but it's still a lil tender in the area where the stitches r. while watching 'dances with wolves', i finished the sleeve on the rambling rows baby jacket and got it all sewed up. i'm thinking 'bout making a hat and matching booties too. i've got some blocking to do as well. i've never blocked anything before. the concept has been explained to me and i've read a lil bit on it. it seems simple enuff. pictures soon come.

mmmmm mohair. i am loving the stuff. i have to buy more of it. maybe even knit w/ it. i've decided to frog the neckdown sweater. continuous stockinette is not fun. i have been bored to tears (working on smaller projects hasn't even helped). so now i wanna make sumthin funky. sumthin colorful and chunky. the rebecca mag always has cool stuff in it. i've checkin out a few lopi patterns too. hopefully, i'll find sumthin to tickle my fancy. i'll keep u posted.

not a lot has been goin on. i managed to cut my hand on thurs nite (story on the other blog) and got 5 stitches. i went 2 days w/o making anything, but the pressure was too much. i was goin nuts just sittin 'round. i even started bitin my nails again. pitiful, i know. i ended up crocheting 2 mohair hats. i should b able to relax, but i can't.

aight y'all, i've been thinkin of a way to get active in my community. and one thought i have is makin winter gear for tha homeless. so i wanna know...r u active in ur community? if so, what do u do? (it doesn't have to b crochet/knit related).

i've been surrounded by cotton yarn. yep. my ex has asked me to make 10 "lighter weight" hats. so i've been busy. i have to get used to tha stuff. i spent a couple hours on one hat bcuz it kept growing. no matter how many times i ripped it back and decreased, it still kept growing. turns out i shoulda been using an "f" hook instead of an "h". tha teal socks r close to being finished. i turned one heel and i'm starting tha heel flap on tha second. mandara has been wearing tha jacquard joints and they look so cute on her. i gotta hurry up and finish this new pair. also, tha rambling rows jacket is close to being finished as well. i'm half way done w/ tha first sleeve. i'd like to have it done by sunday, since tha baby will b here soon.

here's a not so great pic of tha lang jawoll jacquard socks.

made w/ tha himalayan yarn co.'s wool/recycled silk blend... above...tha "tibetan dreams" hat i made for knitting frenzy. i made a red one for mandara, it's groovy. tha jacquard socks r almost finished. pics of those will b up soon.

i just finished making a hat for tha frenzy. it's tha "tibetan dreams" hat made w/ tha himalayan yarn co.'s wool.silk blend. it's quite groovy if i must say so myself. mandara modeled it for me and she looks damn good in it. anywayz, i'm proud bcuz this was my first time following a crochet pattern. starting tha hat was a lil rocky, but once i figured out what i was doing, it was a piece of cake. pics soon come. tha neckdown sweater seems to b takin forever to make. tha whole thing is in stockinette. i've been trying to do @ least 2 rows a day, but it's not gettin me anywhere. i guess i'll need to increase that. i will finish it...even if it takes me a year. happy moon-day.

tha temps have been in tha 80s tha last couple of days. babygirl and i stayed home yesterday since we were both getting over some type of stomach flu. around 5pm, i made her get dressed so we could go outside and sit in tha sun. we laid out tha blanket and crocheted. she's makin a bag for her wooden flute. i hope she finishes it. i haven't been makin much of anything. i'm workin on tha mate to tha jacquard sock. that's it. i need to build up my inventory for tha fall. i'm tired of makin tha same ole stuff...same ole styles. it's time to step things up a bit.