Link filled update

Still no pictures.

I am almost done with Kajta. However the person I was making it for when on bed rest and I won't see her for a couple of months. By them, her little girl will have outgrown it.

I'm still trying to finish that second sock for my mom, but not going so well. I kept getting a head ache on the bus today when I pulled it out to knit on it. I see my mom on Saturday, and I don't think I can knit up a sock in 2 days. I'm only at the end of the cuff so far.

I need to get the yarn for the Wimbledon for my MIL's birthday. And I think I'll start in on a scarf for the Think Pink. I'm thinking of doing the
Wavy. I did 2 of them from Christmas presents last year. I've got some nice Pink Cascade 220 that will be perfect for it.

Again, no pictures, no update

the computer had to be rebuilt, and the camera software never got reinstalled and now the camera cord has been moved to the imac so I have to wait for hubby to upload the pictures on his computer so I can transfer them over to mine.

I've got updates on knitting, just don't have the time.

I did the felted tote from One skein and couple of wash cloths for my mom, she moves into her new place at the end of the month, and then a sock for her, working on the other, and did a baby boldo, again from One Skein and am now working on Katja from knitty. Almost done with that. Then I plan on working on Winbledon from my MIL's birthday in August.

I'll do a better post later, or this will never get up.

Sockapalooozer no more!

Here they are. All wrapped up and on their way. Hopefully, Jennifer will get them by the end of the week.

Think Pink

The socks are finished. I've got them all wrapped up and in a box ready to ship on Tuesday. I'll be sending some extra stuff for being so late. I feel so rotten for taking so long in finishing these. I'm not sure I will join the next one. I know it's far off, and it wasn't really the part of knitting the socks. It's just that I am such a horrible procrastinator.

With that being said, I've just joined this


I figure I can get at least 1 pink scarf knitted up by Sept. My best friend's mother died this last year to breast cancer. Wanda was such a tough woman, I never really thought she'd die from cancer. I always thought she'd beat it. The worse part for me was that I couldn't be there to give Nance a hug and cry with her.

Sockapaloooza Socks received

I received my socks yesterday but was at work, so wasn't able to open them up till this morning.

I LOVE them. They are perfect.

Check 'em out








The color is perfect, and the length of the leg and cuff are perfect. I don't want to take these off.

All the socks I've knitted (2 full pairs and 1/2 of another) have been for someone else. I think my next pair will have to be for me, these are wonderful!


Thank you so much Diane, these are everything I had hoped for.

Knitting To Do

1. FINISH Sockpaloooza Sock!!!
2. Baby Bolero in Heather Blue
3. MIL Mother's Day Socks
4. Mom Mother's Day Socks (or bag)
5. FIL Birthday Socks
6. Dozen Cupcakes for niece
7. Bag for MIL
8. My stargazer lily socks


And some unrelated pictures (2 year old throwing fit)

Joining

I'm not to sure I want to get started in all the joining along in a bunch of exchanges. I'm doing the sockaploooza, I've done the Dishcloth exchange, and now I've gone and joined the One Skein Secret Pal exchange.

I couldn't help it, it's such a cute button, and I wanted it on my blog

Pixie

Sockapaloooza Cuff's Done

I'm knitting them up at the same time. I can't afford to get second sock syndrome here. Only a couple of weeks to go, and with being sick, kids and work, I don't want to risk it.

I decided to do my own design. I really wanted to do something that I didn't have to think to much for, and following a pattern would have been perfect. But all the ones I wanted to do were a bit complicated. I want something pretty, but not complicated. So I'm doing a mock cable pattern.

I am thinking for the heel, I'll do the traditional heel flap, but want to do a line of mock cables down the center of the heel, but unknown how to do that with the sl1, k1 heel. Got a few days to figure that one I suppose.

I want to learn the magic loop/knitting 2 on the same circular needle, but don't really have the money right now to go out and get one. We just got 6 tickets for Day out with Thomas for $114. That hurt.

Baby Bolero completed

The Front




The Back



I think I need to work on my Yarn Overs. They never seem to be as big as they should.

Yarn: Cascade 220 - threw away the band, no idea the color)
Pattern: Baby Bolero from One Skein
Notes: I didn't get gage, but it's close enough. It calls for 18 sts per 4", and I got 20 sts per 4". I also didn't do it in the order it is written. I knitted up one sleeve, seamed it in, then did the edging and then did the last sleeve. I was impatience to see it with the edging. I hate it curling up.
With this pattern I learned: Provisional cast on, Backstitch, and mattress stitch. I LOVE learning new things!

Sock Yarn!

My Knit Picks order came in today!

Clockwise from top - Sock Garden in Hydrangea, Sock Garden in Star Gazer Lily and Simple Stripes in Sweettart

This one is for my sockpal. Isn't it prudy? She said "My favorite colors are purple, blues, greens." It doesn't have any greens or blues, but it's all shades of purple and some pinks

Now I have to choose a pattern. I've got 2 weeks to knit them up, and I really want to do Pomatomus from Knitty. The ones I've seen on other's blogs are so pretty, but I don't want to do anything to complicated yet, since this will be my 2nd pair of socks knitted (don't really count jacks socks, they were small)
Or maybe I'll just do a mock cable pattern for it. I need to finish my Baby Boldro from One Skein. Just have to seam up the last sleeve, I already did the edging.

Diagnosis

Moderate obstructive sleep apnea, chronic, ICSD code: 327.23 severe in frequency but with only mild desaturations.

Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) is 53.5
AHI supine: 38.7
AHI REM: 31.0

The explanation of Terms says:

AHI: apena-hypopnea index; number of times you stopped breathing per hour of lseep
Partial and complete cessations of breathing have the same health effects.
(Sleep apnea is mild 5-15, moderate 15-30 and severe if >30)

So my AHI is 53.5, which according to the explanation is severe, but they diagnosised me as Moderate.

Well, either way, it's been diagnosised and now we can work on fixing this and getting me some REAL sleep!

Move UP, not DOWN

Okay, seriously. What is wrong with me?

I was just reading in the Yarn Harlots new book about gage.

It was written out for me.

If I want less stiches per inch, then move UP in the needles, NOT DOWN.

When will my mind not be so muddled with all the tiredness?

I totally blame it on that. I am so tired all the time, doesn't feel like I get any sleep, I feel as if I am in a fog all the time.

That sleep study better show something is up and how to fix it!

Baby Bolero

I'm currently working on this:

It's from One Skein. I'm going to do 2 of them, one in each color. Cascade 220 from my stash (x-mas gifts)

Let me tell you, the cast on....*sigh*

I did it over 10 times, and it turns out I did it right from the beginning. It just didn't look right till after a few rows were knitted.

These will be for co-workers babies. One is already here, and the other is due in June/July.

I took the heathered blue with me for my sleep study on Monday night. Of course, I didn't bring the stitch holders, measuring tape or anything other than the needles, yarn and pattern. I'm not the most organized person.

I just measured what I had knitted already, and I was getting 20 st per 4", and I should be getting 18 sts. So I ripped it out and switched down a size in needles.

I'm so excited. This will be my 1st sweater type thing I've knitted.


Oh yeah, check out our newest family member. Peanut named him 'Bloo'

He really likes Nugget.

Nugget and I were 'dancing' (2 year old in mamma's arms spinning around to Jazz) in the living room this morning and Bloo was swimming about like he was dancing with us.

Long time

I've been trying to log in for about a week now, but couldn't remember my log in or my password. I tried the whole send-me-my-login-thing, but I guess I have several blogs on here over the years, and this one isn't listed with my hotmail address. Must be my gmail, which I check once every 6 months.

It's a good thing I just remember the login out of the blue though, cuz I was about to quit and start a new one.

So onto the update.....

I did finish my socks in time, barely. My MIL wears them, which I think is way cool!

I knitted 1 red sock for Peanut, but still working on the second. Got a bad case of SSS.

**Update**

Finished his socks. Will take a picture later

**end Update**

I just finished the Felted Bucket Hat in a rosy Pink in Cascade 220. I'm loving it.

I tried my hand at Intarsa. I tried to knit up a Benie had in Duke colors with a big D on the front and Duke on the side. It's alright, but not what I was going for. I did the math wrong for the gage, and it turned out to be a wee bit to big. Which was fixed by seaming it up.

I'd better post this or it will never get posted.

I'll update later with a bit more

Almost done!

according to the Yarn Harlots count down timer, I've got 2 hours and 5 mins left.


I'm on the toe decresses for the 2nd sock. So just a few more rows and grafting and I am done!!

I'm at work, so I can't post any pictures till tonight.

I was up till 12:30 last night knitting in bed, knowing I had to get up early for work. Blah

1 down, 1 to go

The first sock is DONE!!!


Pictures to come


You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so
softhearted. You love to be comfortable and
warm from your head to your toes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by

For you babe

2006 Knitting Olympics Day's 1-3

The Start of Friday














The end of Day 1
















The end of Day 2
















The end of Day 3












Some of the problems I had:
These were suppose to be for my husband, however I made them to small. How is that possible? Well...
#1. I didn't do a swatch
#2. I didn't use the right yarn the pattern called for
#3. He's a big guy
So now they are gonna be mine. He wanted crew sock length, and I had already started on the heel flap before trying them on him, so I wasn't about to go back and frog it cuz I was doing the slip 1, knit 1 heel and I haven't had the greatest luck with frogging that and pick it back up again.

Other problems:
I started out using the pattern for the Tech Guys socks. It called for sport weight, but I was using fingering weight. But I didn't bother to swatch and wasn't really 'worried' so I just casted on for the large size man - 60 sts

Everything was going good until when it came to turn the heel. I read the patterns instructions for The short-row heel, went 'huh?' and switched over to the Original Pattern for the yarn. Problem is, I had 60 stitches, and their pattern called for 56. Not a big deal if you've knitted a pair of socks before, but I haven't. I didn't have any idea how any of this worked or where things lay.
It took some trial and error, but I figured it out!

I'm on my way to finishing my 1st sock!!!







I can't believe I turned the heel!!

Commenting

I'm noticing that I have started commenting on other blogs. Typically I just read and don't comment, mostly cuz what I have to say has been said about 10 times already.

So, if you start getting comments from me, it's a good indication that I've been reading you for awhile. And if no comment, I'm probadly reading anyway, you just get allot of comments and I don't want to repeat what is already said.

Dishcloths

I joined a Dishcloth KAL yahoo group last month. I really like it and I needed some motivation to knit up some dishcloths.

Here are a few that I've been working on.




This was this months Theme KAL, I really liked it. I might knit up another one and give it to my MIL and maybe another to send to my Great Great Aunt....mmmm.















We are also doing an exchange, which I really like. My person has her kitchen colors listed as Teal and Plum, so this was the closest colored yarn I could find. I love the color and how it turned out. I did the Mock Cable pattern, which uses allot of yarn. I don't have much left, so I'm gonna have to go and get another ball of it so I can make myself one.



I also made one for my MIL, who is awesome and requested one.




She's English (well, she's been here for over 30 years, but she still has the accent, so I still consider her English) and drinks tea, so I thought this was perfect.








Well, gotta to, the boys lunch is on the stove.

Pattern for Amy Bag

Please forgive me if I didn't explain anything correctly. I've never written a pattern before and I didn't take notes when I knitted this up. I've only been knitting for 5 months.


Materials
2 skeins of Cascade 220
For a longer strap, another skein will be needed

1 16-Inch Circular 10-1/2 Needles
1 set 10-1/2 double point Needles

1 Stitch Marker
Tapestry needle


I didn’t do a gauge, sorry

I started with the bottom of the bag, picked up stitches for the sides and then knitted in the round, bound off the front, knitted up the handle, then did the flap.

Bottom of Bag
CO 56 sts.

Knit 34 rows in garter st.

Pick up 16 sts on the left edge of the bottom, then pick up 56 sts on the cast on edge, then pick up another 16 sts on the last side.
(Total stitches – 144)


Sides
Place marker and join picked up sts and begin working in the round.

Knit 64 rows (in stockinette st)

At marker, Bind Off 56 sts
Place next 16 st on DPN
K54 sts
Place last 16 st on DPN

Leave 56 sts on circular needle, you will come back and knit the flap after the Handle

Handle

On the side where your yarn is still attached, knit 16 sts in St st (knit right side, purl wrong side) until it’s at the length you want.

Unfortunately, I did not measure or count my rows, so this will be based off of what you want. Keep in mind, you need to save enough yarn to knit your flap. So unless you have a 3rd skein of yarn, don’t make it too long.

When you get to your desired length, use kitchener st (grafting, or weaving) to graft these 16 sts to the other 16 sts on other side of bag.


Flap

Rows 1-57: Stockinette st (knit right side, purl wrong side)
Rows 58-62: Garter st
Row 63: Bind Off

I did a I-cord for the loop and attached to the middle of the end of the flap.


Weave in ends.

Felt
I had to felt this 2 times to get it to the size I wanted. Please, keep checking so it doesn’t get to small.

Block
I used the 5th Harry Potter book (wraped in a plastic bag) to block the bag.
Don’t be afraid to pull and stretch to fit.

Pull and pin flap of bag to match the width of the bag.

Let dry.


Notes:
I used a felted join, so there were not many ends to weave in.


Abbreviations

Kitchener st (grafting), Felted Join, Knitting in the Round and Picking Up Stichtes

Four movies you would watch over and over:
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I’ll count that as one too)
Jumping Jack Flash
Bio-Dome
Army of Darkness

Four places you have lived:
Porterville, CA
Issaquah, WA
Seattle, WA
Bellevue, WA

Four TV shows you love to watch:
CSI
Without A Trace
Criminal Minds
Firefly

Four places you have been on vacation:
Rockaway Beach, OR
Disneyland
Disneyworld
Maui, HI (high school field trip)

Four websites you visit daily:
MSN
Google
Comics
Launch

Four of your favorite foods:
Orange Chicken (LOVE you Chinese food)
KFC Honey BBQ Wings WITH Bones
Baked Garlic & Herb Chicken
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub from Subway

Four places you would rather be right now:
Home in bed cuddling with Jackson
Sitting on the couch at home knitting and watching a movie
Relaxing in a Hot Tub
Game night at Barbs


Four bloggers you are tagging:

Barb
Dee Jay
Katie
Angie

Amy's Bag is Finished

The Finished bag.

I used 2 skeins of Cascade 220. I had maybe 3 inches of yarn left.
1 of dark purple, the other in a light purple.

I would have done it all in the dark, but didn't plan on it taking so much yarn.


I LOVED making this. I'm so proud of myself.



AND I found the perfect button:





















I had to felt it twice to get it down to the size I had wanted.

the first felt:















the second felt:

Sill Working on the Christmas Knitting

I don't update much because I don't want to unless I have a picture. And it takes me forever to actually get around to uploading the pictures to the computer....Hence the reason why there are such huge gaps in entries.

however, my needles have been busy.

my last project finished in 2005 was this:



Winter Femme by Diana. I used Lionbrand Wool-Ease in Rose Heather. This was part of the Christmas present for my baby sister.

I started it Christmas eve night, right before bed (just did the ribbing) and the rest of it was done on Christmas day. I wasn't able to get it done by the time my sister left that night. I finish did about an hour later.

This was my 1st cable project and I LOVE it. I love the way Diana writes her patterns, with little check boxes for each row and very easy to read.

But I don't think my sister will like the way it points up, so I'm going to frog back the very top and do a bunch of decreases to flatten it out a bit...So this isn't really done.

But isn't the cables super cute? I LOVE just looking at it.

Another Christmas present I finally finished is the scarf for my brother:



Wavy from knitty

I used Wool-Ease again. I can't remember the name of the color. It's an olive green.
This turned out soo soft.

This took forever because I was working on my SIL's wavy at the same time, but then just concentrated on this one to finish it. It's very long and I love the way it turned out.





This one is for my SIL. I figured I've give them matching scarves since they got married this last year. My brother looks really good in the green and it matches his eyes. And this blue is her favorite color.

Isn't that the prettiest blue you've ever seen? I'm on the 7th repeat of 9. So I'm almost done with it.












and last but not least, I designed a felted bag for my other SIL's birthday (a few weeks late).




I have felted it again since this picture. It's now the perfect size, big enough to put a Harry Potter book in it (that's what I used to block it). I need to add a button and I really need to get a sweater shaver (I think that is what it's called), cuz it's super fuzzy.

I'll post a picture and talk about how proud of this I am later when it's all finished.

Signing Up for Socks

well, even though I haven't yet knitted a pair of socks, I've joined the sockapalooza AND am part of the USA Socks Team for the Knitting Olympics.

The 2006 Knitting Olympics

Eligibility: Any knitter who, embracing the "Citius, Alitius Fortius" ideal, would like to challenge themselves while embracing the Olympic spirit, and is just whacked enough to play along with me.

Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics (Feb 10)- and finish before the Olympic flame goes out (Feb 26). That's 16 days.

Rules:
1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in 16 days.
2. There are no rules about what a challenge would be. Like the real Olympics, there are many areas to compete in. If you are a new knitter, then a garter stitch baby sweater might do...If you are experienced, well. I've already considered Torino. Use your own conscience.
3. While this is intended to be somewhat difficult (like the Olympics) it is not intended to ruin your life. Don't set yourself up for failure. (Olympic athletes may cry, but they do not whine pitifully, sob and threaten members of their family with pointed sticks because they haven't slept in five days. ) This is intended to (like the Olympics) require some measure of sacrifice, and be difficult, but it should be possible to attain.
4. No casting on before the flame is lit.
5. Finish before the flame goes out.
6. You may swatch before the games. (I consider this "training.")



OMG, I can't believe I'm gonna do this.

My Challenge will be a pair of Socks.

I am so scared, you have no idea how intimidated I am by knitting socks

Weekly Goals

Goals for this week:

Knitting:
Finish Green Wavy and Blue Wavy
Finish Bag for Amy

Life:
Showered and Dressed before 10am
Take boys to Indoor Play at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center
Work full 40 hours
Cook planned dinners
attempt 1 workout this week
Check out apartment gym