Stupid Tooth

Guess who's temporary crown just broke? That's right - mine :-P

Knitting sighting - magazine article

The article is on "the slow movement," slowing down our fast-paced lives. There was a little blurb about knitting:

Slow hobbies have never been hotter. The number of knitters under the age of 35 is up 50 percent since 1998, and two-thirds knit to reduce stress. "Studies show that the rhythmic, repetitive dance of the needles can lower heart rate and blood pressure, lulling the knitter into a peaceful state, according to In Praise of Slowness. Among the knitterati: Uma Thurman, Courteney Cox Arquette, Julia Roberts, and Debra Messing.

I thought that was pretty fun. And even more fun- being called the knitterati!

Suffering from PVD (Post-Vacation Depression)

This is the only conceivable downside of vacations. The stark contrast between vacation life and "real life" is brutally tangible...and depressing. Play vs. work, relaxation vs. stress, "get to" vs. "have to." Perhaps my PVD is heightened this time because I also have a cold and am feeling under the weather, perhaps because much of my vacation was spent working on my sister's wedding preparations (which was fun, I'm not complaining), so it wasn't until the day before I was to return home that I felt as though my vacation could finally start. But what I realized is that I always suffer from PVD, no matter how long or short of a vacation. Heck- I even suffer from a modified form of PVD on a weekly basis, the dreaded Sunday Night Blues (SNB).

But, my mom taught me to always look for the positive in any situation, so here goes...it was a nice vacation, while it lasted! My sister's wedding was wonderful, and she was a beautiful bride. My boyfriend was able to meet some of my close friends and family for the first time. The weather was great. I let myself eat what I wanted (in moderation) and also worked out while I was away, so I didn't end up as fluffy as I feared might be the case. I lucked out and was able to spend a few nights at the Halekulani Hotel, in a room which normally goes for AT LEAST $400/night for $150/night. I didn't spend much time there, but it was amazing nonetheless. I was able to get a little sun. And, I did have that wonderful beach knitting experience...and last but not least, I can look forward to my next vacation! The S&B Retreat! I can't wait!!

Knitting sighting - Six Feet Under

Imagine how thrilled I was to catch a knitting sighting during one of my favorite TV shows! In case you haven't watched it, SFU is a brilliant show on HBO revolving around an extremely dysfunctional family. http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/about/index.shtml

The knitter in this episode was Ruth, the messed up mother. One scene involved her picking up her knitting after a frustrating day of caring for her (clinically) crazy husband George. When he complained that she was knitting, she replied (something along the lines of), "It's something I enjoy. I DESERVE to knit!" And another scene showed her in a knitting circle at her LYS, where she sought solace from her stressful home life.

Cozy Crochet

Crochet Kit
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

This is the little treat I picked up for myself. I saw this at my LYS and realized it was the crochet companion kit to the knitting kit that my friends and I learned to knit with. I really liked the format of the kit which came with an instruction book (although we did end up supplementing the knitting instructions with the SnB book) and project cards that are easy to take with you to the yarn shop.

So, when I saw this I wanted it - but at $22 is was a little steep for me. Then, I got a notice about it through Amazon where it was marked $15. So, I thought - hey, what the heck! There are quite a few cute projects, though I know I will never make some of them and it also came with an assortment of started hooks and practice yarn. I'll let you know once I try out the instructions, but so far it looks pretty cool!

Happy Day!

SP5 package
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

I'm a firm believer in karma and whatever that other cosmic force is that balances out the crap with the good. As previously reported, yesterday was Dentist Day and I now have a nice piece of rough, ugly, somewhat tooth-shaped plastic over the place that used to be my back molar. Today my jar hurts and my tooth hurts, but its all ok because I otherwise had a really cool day!

First, earlier in the day I received a little treat (to be discussed in my next post) that I had ordered myself. I have to say that there is nothing nicer than getting a package at work in the middle of your day. I highly recommend everyone send their online orders to their office, unless of course you have a boss from hell. But, what made this delivery even more special was that I had also ordered another copy of the SnB book for a friend of mine at work. She is leaving in a couple weeks to move to Japan for at least a year on the JET program to teach English. She had always shown interest in the things my friends and I were working on and had talked about how she loved fabrics and was a very tactile person. I thought, wow - she really needs to get into knitting! - especially with the free time she would have over there. We had talked about it the other day and I had told her about the book, but I figured she had enough planning to worry about. So, I thought I would help her out. I am also going to bring her some practice yarn and needles, so she has something to play with. Then once she gets there she can indulge herself in some of that amazing Japanese yarn. She was truly delighted with the book, which made me happier than you could imagine :-) I really love passing this craft onto others!

Second, we got a car! Once I take a picture I will post it and provide some more details. But both me and B are very excited about it! Plus, we were only out a vehicle for one week. Is that some kind of record in used car sales/purchase world?

Then if the day couldn't have gotten any better, when I got home, I found a package from My Secret Pal! Can I just say: Yippy!! I had so much fun openning this up. She had really gone all out, too. She has used this cute wrapping paper then accented it with cut out felt flowers (which you can see in the picture). She sent me a nice knitting mag - with tons of patterns, I might add - a lavender candle, a bar of handmade, wonderfully smelling lavender and sage soap, two hanks of Euroflax 100% linen yarn and a handful of treats. How cool is that! I am really excited to try the linen yarn, too. I've never used it before and there seems to be quite a bit in each hank, so I should be able to make something pretty fun with it. So, thank you Secret Pal for topping off a really great Dentist Day!

A Close Call...

The good ol’ folks at Smirnoff have saved our 1st Annual S&B Retreat from being a dismal failure! Fortunately, I was in town (and not jet setting around the globe ;-) to hear their latest radio advertisement. Really, this ad should be considered a public service announcement due to the benefit so many will derive. They are informing individuals nationwide of the boring nature of knitting groups. I had no idea I was participating in lame social gatherings! I had always enjoyed myself at these get-togethers in the past, but I have now been set straight. Thankfully, Smirnoff is providing a solution to this problem, not just identifying it. They state that if people are sitting around in a circle knitting, to add Smirnoff Ice to alleviate the inherent lame nature of the event. Boy, was that a close one! We could have had ourselves a horrible time at the retreat, but now thanks to Smirnoff, we can have fun!

Monkey Bag

A note to disentangled...you should check out knitty's website for the cocktail monkey bag - so cute!! I was thinking of how cute the asana and the ribbon yarn tank are, but I won't work on anything new until I finish TS!

Baby Blanket - Close up

Finished Blanket - Close up
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Here is a close up of the pattern detail for the baby blanket. This was repeated 4 times across the blanket.

Baby Blanket...Check

Blanket Complete
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Finally I have a finished object to share! And this will probably be it for a while too, given the teeny tiny stitches in Kyoto and the hand-aching stitches of my recycled bathroom rug. So, enjoy it ;-)

As a recap this pattern is from the So Sweet Baby Afghans book from Leisure Arts Little Books (a.k.a. the small pattern books hanging next to the yarn at Michaels) and I used a selection of Bernat Softee Baby acrylic yarn. I posted specifics in my yarn review section to the left. All-in-all this was a great, quick project considering its over all size.

My critiques: This particular pattern is very loose and stretchy so there is a bit of give and sag when you hold up the blanket due to its weight. Perhapse a heavier weight yarn or smaller needles would bulk it up and keep it a bit sturdier. There is definitly plenty of slack to play with.

Now I just need to wash it and wait for the baby to come at the end of August. We decided to send it out after he arrives as a welcome to the world present vs. a "shower" type gift. I also plan to add a little card or fake tag with washing and care instructions. I just really want them to use the blanket not just put it on a shelf - really the reason for picking an acrylic yarn in the first place.

Granny Gums

Well, there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that as of Monday afternoon at 5:00 I will no longer have any teeth on the bottom right side of my mouth. The good news is that I will now have one more porcelain replacement that is guaranteed not to chip, crack or fade - well not for 1 year at least. 'Aint genetics a bitch? Ok, so I know that the roots of my teeth will still be there, but the idea that if all my crowns were to fall out, I would be able to touch my cheek with my tongue when my mouth is closed isn't my idea of sexy. What sucks is that I brush my teeth twice a day like I am supposed to. I even floss every day - like I'm supposed to and yet they are dropping like flies. What sucks even more is that my husband is fairly "loose" in his oral hygene, yet he gets "your teeth are clean and healthy" and I get "there is something really bad happening with you back tooth." Fun.

So, now I have to pay $300 to have someone grind my final molar down to my gum line then glue a fake tooth back on. So there will be a nice row of three stupid crowns all uniformly colored that look nothing like my real teeth. Anyone willing to place bets on whether or not I need another root canal to boot?

Baby's Got Back

So I finished Tuscan Sunset's back...and I've started the double seed cuff for a sleeve. Except for the not so good-looking Russian Join attempt, I'm proud of her back! :)

I went shopping today in the town of Den Bosch and bought a cute little outfit for my friend's three-year old daughter at Villa Happ (www.villahapp.com). The website is so cute - it cracks me up! (click on the bathroom link- ha!)

I borrowed Bri's arms to turn the skein into a nice ball of yarn a few days ago. Bri, dad and I were hanging out in the backyard, and dad mentioned that he had offered his arms when he was a boy to his grandma when she knitted. I felt a closer bond to dad after he told me that!

Looks like we'll be going to Paris on Monday, then take the night train to Barcelona next Wed. Bri and dad didn't want to take another 8-hour trip to Sevilla, so it looks like we'll be taking a fast train to Madrid next Saturday. Hopefully I'll have email access!

So Long, Farewell...

Jeep
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

I wanted to take a moment to say fond farewell to a member of our family – our Jeep Wrangler. We purchased the Jeep just before we got married and it has driven like a champ for more than 8 years. But alas and alack, it is time for us to move on. After dozens of break-ins in our poorly designed parking area, we have decided we need something a little more secure – although I suppose, no vehicle is truly secure. Fortunately, it only took us one weekend to sell it and it is going to a good home. They are planning to make it a real off road vehicle and give it a face lift and some new spectacles. So, as my way of saying goodbye, I thought I would share some of the interesting things that we have been through with our Jeep.

Name: The Joop – the stickers where never replaced after a paint job, so it literally says Joop on the side of the vehicle.
Favorite accident: Hit head-on by a Mother’s Cookie truck.
Most interesting lesson in physics: When driving on the freeway in the rain with no top on, you don’t get wet.
Weirdest thing stolen from inside the Jeep: A star-pattern screw driver – not a Philips or flat head – but one with a six pointed star to unscrew the bolts on the Jeep itself – who would need this? Well, apparently not even the thief because we ended up finding it again in our mail room!
Craziest moment: When the top ripped out of the windshield frame while we were driving.

Fall Out

Who says sloth is a sin? I've decided that laziness can be a virtue. For example, we've needed to buy toilet paper for more than 2 weeks. We were running low, but neither of us wanted to make the trek to CostCo to restock. It got to the point that we only had one roll left between two bathrooms! And still we didn't go over the weekend. So finally, on Monday after work, I figured there was no putting it off. So, I drove over to CostCo and picked up tp and water (another commodity that had run dangerously low). I got home and walked my purchases into the house. I put my bag down and dropped the gigantic package of 36 rolls on the floor and proceeding into our living room. A few minutes later, after taking out the dog, I turned around and looked back toward where I dropped the tp and realized that there were 2 large packages of 36 rolls of tp sitting on the floor - not only that, I had actually put my bag down on top of the other one without even noticing. I went to the closet where we keep the water, and there was another flat of water bottles, too! Apparently my husband had also had enough and made the trek to CostCo as well - which means between the two of us, we spent $30 on tp in one day! I had this brief fantasy of piling all 72 rolls into a giant pyramid in the middle of the living room floor. After all, how often does one have 72 rolls of tp to play with? So bring on nuclear winter - we are all stocked up and ready to go!

My boy

My nephew Jack. He is 10 years old, and a knitter! (He picked up knitting after his little sister Kate lost interest in the knitting kit she received last Christmas.) I visited him today and he showed me the "blanket" he is knitting. OMG- SO CUTE! It's quite wonky and more than a little loopy, but so fabulous! What's so great about it, is that he's just enjoying knitting, and so content with just using up the crayola colors of yarn that came with this kid's kit he's using. So his blanket WIP so far is striped purple, green, and orange (I believe blue, pink, and yellow are to follow). It's pretty small, so technically not really blanket size, but I'm sure it will keep him warm regardless. ;) I watched him knit with his little hands and fingers- it was so cute, I could barely stand it! After his blanket, he wants to knit a scarf and a beanie. (If anyone knows of any books for boy knitters, please let me know. He has a book for kid knitters, but all the projects are geared toward girls. I wish there was a cool S&B type book for kids...or for guys.) He's the coolest kid. I hope he continues to knit. :)

Knitting in public: Ko'Olina Lagoon #3

Happy Daisy and I hung out today at my favorite beach spot, the lagoons at Ko'Olina, on the west side of O'ahu. What made this outing all the more special was the fact that it could easily never have happened. There were several hours there on Saturday, where I thought I may have to completely disassemble HD, after a dreaded dropped stitch was discovered. After an emergency 911 call to Disentangled, I considered simply undoing the couple of rows until I got to the dropped point, attempt to pick up the lost stitch, and then continue from there. But after a few stitches, it was clear that that plan was not going to work. So, after careful consideration, I decided to frog. That's right. I was extremely apprehensive, because I didn't want to ruin HD, but I didn't see any other way at that point. So, I frogged. Then I ever so carefully re-threaded my needle (I felt as though I was performing some kind of intense surgery) and then started up again. I've knitted several more rows since, and it looks fine, except for the edges in a couple of places, but considering I thought I might jack up- or lose- a huge chunk of the piece I had worked to hard on and was so proud of, I figured messed up edges were just fine. It will be part of the seam anyway, so really, I (we) escaped quite unharmed, after all that stress and worry.

So anyway, back to my wonderful knitting in public experience today. I was at the beach, sitting beneath a palm tree, looking out toward the ocean, listening to Jack Johnson, and knitting. It was close to perfection. The only thing that could have made it better: if my knitting girls were there with me...maybe next year! It isn't too soon to start planning the 2nd Annual S&B Retreat, is it?? ;)

"All by myself..."

Monkey Label
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

As you can tell, I am currently the only one of our "team" in town at the moment. I'm trying not to dwell on it too much and I keep thinking of my own vacation coming up in August. I am training someone at work this week, so at least that will keep me busy. Otherwise, I think I would miss my peeps desperately. Well, I already do :-(

So, to amuse myself, I decided to post a picture of this fun wine bottle label I found over the weekend. I love wine, but I will never claim to know anything about it. I like what I like, and my decision to buy a bottle generally rests on the label - sad, I know. So, when I saw this little beauty, I couldn't resist. I love primates - I find them facinating. So, what couldn't be better? - one of my favorite kinds of wine with monkeys on the label! It was actually pretty decent, not the best Cab I've ever had, but I would buy it again - especially for the price. Plus, the bottle said they contribute their profits to primate conservation. I can't make a comment on the quality of the organization that they support, but its a nice thought. Now if I could only buy a t-shirt with those jazz playing monkeys...

Hallo van Nederland!

It is absolutely beautiful here! We're in the town of Rossum - Grandpa's backyard view includes a 15th century church and there is greenery everywhere. We visited a nearby small town (with cobblestone roads) and ate delicious Chinese food (traditional Dutch food includes bland meat and potatoes, so we're enjoying all of the ethnic food here.) Unfortunately, I forgot to tell Bri to pack his cable for the digital camera, so I won't be able to upload any photos while I'm here : ( I already had a photo of me knitting, but that will just have to wait...

Aloha!

Well, I'm about to take off to Hawaii for my sister's wedding. I'm taking Happy Daisy with me, so hopefully I will be able to return with not only the few extra pounds I'm bound to pile on, and maybe a tan, but some progress on the HD as well!

I will try to get a hold of a computer while I'm away, so I can continue to keep in touch amidst all the wedding preparations and festivities. :)

Aloha!

We have lift off...

Kyoto back WIP
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Finally!!! I have started my Kyoto. Its fun working with the small needles and thin yarn. The stitches look like something you could buy in a store. I just hope I can keep my tension fairly even. Every so often you can see slightly loopy stitches, but I'm sure it will even out the more I knit with this.

I just know it will take quite some time to finish this - hopefully I will have it done in time to wear the sweater this fall. It will also be a good project for me to take to Australia since it won't be very bulky. I have also started thinking of other small projects to work on as a break from this one, including the Interweave Knits Triada scarf - which I think will use up the rest of my To Dye For sweater yarn.

Rug Center Stripe WIP

Rug Center Stripe WIP
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

I finally have something to show for my recycled bathroom rug project. It takes some time to knit because it is fairly stiff and I find myself holding the needles too tight and my hands get tired. This is approximately 2 evenings worth of random knitting and I'm alredy 2/3 of the way through the first large ball of red "yarn." I think that by the time I knit both of the balls, the rug should be about bathroom rug length.

Fortunately, I have my Denise Interchangeable Needles, so I will be able to make one long needle when I get ready to knit of the sides of this piece. Of course, the other option is always to make this center piece the width instead of the height. It will come down to how long I can make my needle with the extensions currently in my kit and not tie up my ability to work on my Kyoto.

The Rug Takes Shape

Ok, well, not really...but I did get some swatches done last night. I think making swatches is a necessary evil. They always feel like a gigantic waste of time, but still the only way to plan properly. I first tried my "yarn" with 10.5 needles, but the stitches were way too tight. I don't have 11 straight needles, so I skipped up to 13s which turned out to be perfect. The stitches are dense, but still movable. Should be perfect for a rug.

I almost started slipping the first stitch last night, but didn't. A pattern I had used in the past had mentioned that the edges of garter stitch fabric are smoother if you drop the first stitch on each row. I find it a little difficult to remember, so I decided just to knit all the stitches. Now that there is a reason to drop it (making it easier to pick up stitches for the side work later), I am more inspired! Especially, since I felt I was going to have to make up (or do some internet research) on how to pick up stitches from the side of garter stitch fabric - The SnB book only explains it using stockinette.

Tuscan Sunset #2

Tuscan Sunset #2
Originally uploaded by sushi1026.

Wow, this is going to be quite a process. I will soon attempt the "Russian Join" - I watched Disentangled beautifully perform the manuever. Hopefully I will be able to replicate!

Inspired at Last!

I have been going back and forth with potential rug design ideas since I first started my recycled rug project. I wanted to make it fairly simple, but interesting as well. I looked up rag rugs on the Internet and saw a ton of different rug styles in all shapes and sizes, but none really did it for me. My style issue hinges on the fact that I have two very large balls of red “yarn” and small ones for my green and blue balls (hee, hee). Not knowing how this would knit up, I was concerned about trying to balance these larger ones in the pattern. Well, it finally hit me…I will use the large red balls to knit a narrow strip that will run from the top to the bottom of the rug. Then, I will pick up the stitches from the long sides of the red strip and will work randomly alternating stripes of blue and green away from the center to build the meat of the rug. I have a couple small balls of red as well that I thought I could add as an accent in this section part way to the edge of the rug. This way the rug will be one solid piece to help give it strength, but the varied stitch directions will add a little interest – it won’t be just a striped rug. Now, the only thing I need to do is learn how to pick up stitches from the side…where’s my SnB book?

Baby Blanket

Baby Blanket WIP 3:4
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Here is also a status picture of my baby blanket. Its a little hard to tell its full size, because its folded over on itself, so it would fit in the picture. You can see the repeating sections along the front.

I did finally get a little knitting done yesterday at work and a little last night. I will probably be able to finish it by this weekend if I work a little bit every night. I won’t be able to work as much as I’d like as I have to stay mostly focused on the business project I am working on for my dad. We are at a critical stage of being very close to completing our business plan, but we have a tendency to get side tracked, so focus is very important right now. It just sucks, because all I want to do is work on my own projects in my free time. It will be even more challenging because one of the other things I like to do is scrapbook and I happened to go to a Creative Memories party last night. So, needless to say, I’m all inspired to work on my scrapbook now, too! Grrr...

My Balls

Recycled Yarn Balls
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Well, the shredding is finally complete. And this is what I have to show for it. I never expected it to take as long as it has. Part of it is that I didn’t really have a good work surface to cut on. When I first started this project I was at my mom’s house and she has a large glass table. It made for a nice large surface, but I also didn’t have to worry about scratching any wood with my scissors. At home I have two small wood tables, both of which are generally covered with junk and not in the least bit usable as a work surface. I decided that if someone would clean my place, then I would be a much more productive crafter. Any takers?

Not a Stitch

I had high hopes of making some serious headway on a couple of my WIPs, so that I could justify starting my Kyoto. But, it was not to be. Not only did I not start my Kyoto, I didn’t knit at all this weekend! The closest thing to any progress that I can report is that I got almost all of my shredding done for my recycled rug. I just have the yoke of one final t-shirt left and I will be ready to start knitting. Now, if I can only decide on a design…

I realized that I haven’t reported about the baby blanket I’ve been working on for some time now. I am currently starting the forth and final section of the blanket. All in all, this project has been very quick and easy. I am very pleased with the results so far and I have used the Russian Join when I needed to start new balls – so there will only be the starting and ending ends to weave in. My only concern is that the design is fairly loose, which makes for a somewhat light and airy blanket (perfect for a summer gift I think), but probably not so great for keeping loose ends tucked in. Mine tend to poke out as it is, let alone for something that is supposed to be manhandled and washed a thousand times by people who may not know how to tuck them back in. I have to keep myself from picturing it slowing unraveling as it tumbles in the washing machine.

I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille

Happy Daisy: Up Close and Personal
Originally uploaded by whirlypurly.

Here's she is, Happy Daisy, up close and personal. Not to be pessimistic, but I think this is going to be a LONG process. Between the teeny tiny size 5'ers and the 85 st sts across...I am only a couple inches up the back piece. On the upside, I am still enjoying knitting this. It's my first foray into using this kind of yarn, and I'm really liking the way it is knitting up. (Kind of like a real sweater!)

Mai Tai Mosslet

Mai Tai Mosslet
Originally uploaded by whirlypurly.

So, here it is, the Mai Tai Mosslet, post modification. You know I can never leave well enough alone, so as you can see, I had to once again mess with another poor FO. I noticed that the neckline was really wide, so I decided to sew a pleat up at the top and added a decorative wooden button. Now it doesn't hang off my shoulders "Flashdance" style, and has a little ectra personality to boot!

Tickled Pink

Ruby Slippers
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Today I feel like a total girl. I have never - and I mean never - purchased what most girls consider a "cute" pair of shoes. I am very functional and practical and generally select comfort over fashion. The majority of my everyday shoes are from Born.

But, I recently bought a couple outfits from the sale racks at Ann Talyor - love the clothes but can't afford them normally. Both outfits incorporated a similar pink and none of my shoes matched in the least. I tried ordering a couple pairs of pink Clarks from Zappos.com - a great place by the way - free return shipping! But neither went. I then bought a pair from Ann Taylor.com directly, but those also turned out to be the wrong pink. So, I trekked to the mall - yuck - and found these. The go perfectly and I feel very feminine in them. They even have the pointy toe - something I thought my feet would never fit into.

So excuse the diversion, but I had to share!

A Public Thank You!

I think everyone should have a secret pal. There is something really cool about knowing that someone is thinking about you. So far, I have received two e-cards from my Secret Pal and both times, they put a smile on my face. Thank you Secret Pal!

On the other side, I'm really pleased that my person is enjoying her cards as well. I can't wait to send her my first little package. I already have her main gift planned out and the parts to it purchased - I just need to put it together. I'm really excited because I think she will really like it, too! She had left some hints on her blog about how she liked to decorate her house - so, I've incorporated her theme into her gift.

What makes this so great is that the knitting community is such a helpful and supportive group of people. I haven't been to one shop where the owners weren't more than happy to share their knowledge to newbies like me. I think that this sense of community is why this has been such a great experience. I can see why so many people have signed up this time around. Because, despite knitting being "in" right now, there still aren't a ton of us and its great to meet another fellow knitter - especially from half way across the country!

The Mai Tai Mosslet

...is finished! It's a little...off...but given the amount of creative license I took with the pattern, yarn selection, and needle sizes- I think it turned out pretty well! No photo yet, but I will post one soon. I think I will attempt another capelet in the future- now that the guinea pig version has been completed.

Next: Happy Daisy Kyoto! All I have been able to accomplish so far is winding one hank of yarn into a ball. There has got to be another way!

Knitting Sighting - Well, Sort Of

My latest knitting sighting wasn't really a sighting, but a reading (?).

I just started a new book called, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. So far, its about an Indian woman who came to the United States after being betrothed to a man with a job in the U.S. At the beginning of the book, she was talking about the day she first met her future husband. The woman's mother talked up her daughter's knitting skills as a selling point to the future husband. She claimed that her daughter had made the cardigan she was wearing in about two weeks. In an aside, the woman talks about how in reality it took her several months and her mom had finished the sleeves for her.

Anyway, I got a kick out of the focus knitting playing in "marketing" a daughter for marriage.

Work: It just gets in the way

I am finding that work (specifically as it relates to the need to do actual work and hold down a full-time job) is really just getting in the way of my knitting. All I want to do is get through the last 1/4 of my Mosslet, so that I can move on to my Kyoto, but am I allowed to? Nooooo! Why? Because I have to work all day. Poo. :(

Who Knew?

Well, who would have figured so much usable cotton could be salvaged from a pair of boxer briefs. I had thrown the boxer briefs into the dye batch purely as an experiment, thinking maybe I could use a bit for the recycled bathroom rug project - again in an effort to save at least a little from the landfill. Little did I know how much I could really get out of them. I realized that the fly is made by overlapping the cotton like a bathrobe, then sewing down the edges. So I could "unfold them" with a couple cuts - leaving a very long solid piece of fabric. I ended up getting as much yarn out of one pair than I got from one side of a t-shirt! This is definitely something I never thought I would learn as a result of learning to knit. wow.

View from the Top

Striped Poncho
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

After countless attempts to reach the summit of the Poncho Mountain, it has finally be conquered. I can't take too much credit for this achievement though, because I couldn't have done it without so many nice words of encouragement!

To be honest, it really didn't take all that much time to weave in all those loose ends - it was just a matter of getting the right motivation! Now, I can't wait to get started on my Kyoto.

I'm not sure how much I will end up wearing this, but at least its not a heap on my coffee table anymore.

The First Trimester: Tuscan Sunset

Tuscan Sunset 1
Originally uploaded by sushi1026.

I'm so excited to work on my very first sweater! Thanks to Jen, I now know how to upload pics :)

Change of Heart

Part way through our meeting last night I realized that I wasn't as jazzed about my Kyoto yarn choice as I was about those for both of you. So, this afternoon we went back and I exchanged my taupe and sage yarn for navy blue and the mustard gold Nasus is using. The only snag was that there was only one ball of the mustard left, so the owner is ordering me those that I need. I also realized that I can't count. I had bought nine instead of eight balls of the sage!

I am officially signed up with the Kyoto-Along and I have put a button on our blog to the left. If you want to join, you can send the host an email as she notes on the blog. You should do it - it will be fun!

Intervention Meeting Minutes

Place: Nasus' house

Food: Phil's BBQ and grandma's oatmeal cookies

Projects: Whirlypurly - Mai Tai Mosslet with Lion Brand Colorwaves in Mai Tai.
Disentangled - Brody's Banky with Bernat Softee in white and verigated baby colors.
Nasus - Tuscan Sunset Kyoto with mustard gold Tahki Cotton Classics.

Noteworthy Event - Pol's retirement.

How many Kyotos do you see?

Kyoto stash
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

Yes, this is crazy. It felt even crazier buying all of these at the yarn shop yesterday. But, after probably a good hour, we have selected the following color combinations for three Kyoto sweaters. What's even crazier is that this is the first time we are all actually using the yarn the pattern calls for.

I will let everyone talk about their own Kyoto yarn, but I did want to acknowledge the great yarn shop we purchased these at. Its called the Grove and was the cutest combination of yarn, books, jewelry, and clothing located in the South Park area of San Diego.

They have a great schedule of events and it was a very warm and friendly atmosphere. We pretty much took over one corner of the store while we dug through their selection of Tahki Cotton Classic yarns. There was even a pick-up knit group that had formed that afternoon, which was fed by another caring customer who knew the owner wasn't able to leave during the day to get food. How cool is that?

Pol

POL
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

To appreciate the vastness of Pol, here is a photograph of him next to the ball of yarn Nasus is using for her Kyoto.

Intervention

Intervention
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

So, our S&B meeting from last night has been officially renamed "Nasus's Intervention." While at the yarn shop prior to the meeting, Whirlypurly and I realized that Nasus was being held capitive by her Pound of Love (Pol). This monsterously large ball of yarn has already made at least 4 scarves and there is still plenty for a baby blanket. Nasus wanted to use all of this yarn before she went on to her next project. This in and of iteself is not the problem, for who are we to say how someone is to use their own yarn.

However, after frogging the unidentified final "project" for Pol at least 3 times, it was becoming apparent that Nasus was becoming creatively stifled by Pol.

Since we are at the yarn shop to by yarn for the Kyoto pattern sweater and we knew Nasus had this pattern already printed out and in her knitting bag, we decided that the only way we could convince her to move on was to buy the yarn for her and kidnap POL.

Fortunately, she went willingly and we did not have to resort to kidnapping. POL is now resting comfortably in my yarn stash, until Nasus has completed her Kyoto or at least identifies a project for Pol. The photo is Nasus frogging the last "project."

My pal has arrived!

Yay! I got a couple emails from my secret pal yesterday! Can I just say how excited I am that she's really out there. I had halfway told myself not to expect anything. For some background: I have crazy karma in the secret anything department. Somehow I always draw someone who falls of the face of the earth, never to be heard from again. To cite a couple of many examples:

1. In high school we did pen pals with a group of kids from France (for us to practice our French and them to practice English). I sent mine off - I was the only one not to get a return letter.
2. In college, I signed up for the one-on-one program where returning students mentor an incoming freshman. I sent off my welcome letter - she never showed up at school in the fall.
3. In elementary school, we participated in a Secret Santa. My guy gave me the gift he had just received from his own Santa because he forgot.

Well despite this history, I still love participating in secret exchanges because its all about how great it feels to spoil someone else anyway - not what you are going to get in return. But, I would be dishonest if I didn't admit that I was pleased to learn that I have a Secret Pal and that she is already thinking of me! So thank you Secret Pal for just being there!

Poncho Mountain

Poncho Mountain
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

I find the sight of the poncho mountain as it currently resides on my coffee table, highly unsettling. Its ginormous in the first place - I have left a couple balls of yarn in the picture for some scale. Its floppy and unruly. And spewing tenticles from all directions.

What am I supposed to do with this? The task of weaving in all those loose ends is daunting, yet it must be done. In fact this task has become such a monkey that any time I have a couple moments to spare, I just sit there. I forbid myself to work on my baby blanket when I know I need to devote my energy to completing this almost-done-poncho. Yet, I can't get myself to work on it, so I do nothing. So, right now I need some words of encouragement (before my husband starts to complain :-)

Disentangled's Secret Pal 5 Questionnaire

I'm excited about the start of the Secret Pal 5. I received my pal's info and I have already sent her an "I'm here" email. I will be visiting a new yarn shop on Friday, so I am hoping to pick up my first goodies there. I love exchanges and I already have a few ideas for my pal.

Anyway, this got me thinking that I need to post the Official Questionnaire to help out who ever gets me. So, here it is...I hope its helpful, whoever you are...

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I love natural fibers and high quality yarns. However, I wouldn’t be able to knit as much as I do, if I restricted myself to just the good stuff. (My first poncho cost me about $80 in yarn). I think there is a time and a place for acrylic, especially for articles that would be difficult or annoying to hand wash all the time. But, most of my larger projects have been made with good yarn.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I do not spin. Although in my profile it says one of my hobbies is spinning, but in this case, I’m talking about the stationary bike. I have taken an intro crochet class, but have only made one project and its not even done yet.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

Not to any of those things – just good old pollen.

4. How long have you been knitting?

For a little over a year.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, I have an Amazon wish list.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Lavender. But then I’m not really picky, just not a big fan of vanilla.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Yes – I love orange and chocolate.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I love scapbooking, stained glass, collaging and various other art projects – I tend to have a short attention span and like to do lots of different things, but I’ve never become exclusive to one hobby – knitting is the closest I’ve ever come, but with all the different patterns, its something new all the time.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love different kinds of music, but have a special interest in classic jazz from the 40s to 60s. I love trance, especially those that incorporate music from other cultures. I am a fan of the oh-so-descriptive “alternative” scene.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love blues and greens. I’m not a big fan of day-glow colors.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am married with a mini Dachshund, Jenny, for a child – I mean pet.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

To be an artist, full-time.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I love anything that is soft, whether cotton, wool, acrylic or blends.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Scratchy wool.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Everything! I have a list of at least 10 future projects to knit.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Things for other people and things where you can see your progress quickly.

17. What are you knitting right now?

A poncho and a baby blanket.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

I like them, but worried I’ll have too many once they go out of style again.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

I like them both – but tend to use my Denise interchangeable needles a lot so my stitches can breathe.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Depends on what I’m knitting. So far, I have found each kind useful for different yarns and projects. I have a selection of each.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Haven’t tried to knit socks yet, but I’m sure I will some day.

22. How did you learn to knit?

Two of my friends and I learned to knit from a book.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

Only about a month. I tend to work on one project at a time, or add a new one only when something becomes to bulky to lug to work everyday.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I love monkeys and apes.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

I have been a prolific collector since I was a kid. However, I have tamed my collecting urges in order to save my marriage ;-) So, right now I have two collections at the office: 1) international paper clips – don’t ask; and 2) misfit toys – because every toy deserves a good home even if they aren’t perfect.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Interweave Knits

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I have a couple that look interesting in my wish list, but I wouldn’t know which one to pick first since I haven’t seen any of them in person yet.

Phil's Ribs III

A plate full of ribs
and a mound of fried taters-
Diet? What diet?

Phil's Ribs II

Smack my saucy lips
Steam rises from ribs and fries
Am I in heaven?

Phil's Ribs

Why are you so good?
Coated in sauce and tender.
Hand me a wet nap.

Birthday Present

Vest Front
Originally uploaded by Disentangled.

I finally got a chance to take a picture of the sweater vest that I made my mom for her birthday in April. She had told me that was what she wanted me to make her, but I had trouble getting inspired. So, I had her sit down with me a pick out a pattern from the internet. She also helped me pick out the yarn.

The pattern she ended up deciding on was the Knitted Denim Vest from Lion Brand. The yarn that the pattern calls for is their chunky generic acrylic yarn. While I appreciate the usefulness of acrylic, I see no point in making a piece of clothing out of the super cheap stuff. So, I substituted their Wool-Ease Chunky in Bay Harbor - which ended up looking like denim blue (when we picked it out on the internet we thought it might be a little green). This worked out great because the gauge was the same! So, I could follow the pattern without having to change anything - I think a first for me as well.

Fair warning, though: The pattern is rated "Easy," but the second side is a little tricky. They say to simply reverse all shaping, but because there is a boarder along the center where the two sides meet, it isn't as simple as that. I had to get help from my sister-in-law and then rewrite the whole side, so that I could follow the proper shaping. Doable, but I had to put my needles down for an afternoon to accomplish it.

The yarn knitted up nicely and fairly even. It did pull a little at the front panel corners, but I blocked it and it came out ok. I think it would have blocked better if there was more wool content in the yarn, but I'll take what I can get.

Also, something I forgot about until I took this picture - my mom did a bit of modeling pre-me. One of the things she did was model for knitting and crochet pattern covers. She said that taking that picture reminded her of shot she did one time for a top where she had to gaze out a window. Pretty cool - I'll have to see if she can dig out those old covers. I remember seeing them when I was a kid, so I know she has them someplace...