No Sleep makes Homer go something something...

So the past week has just been awful. The Nut isn't sleeping, therefore, mommy isn't sleeping, hence not a whole lot of knitting or blogging is getting done!



I would have to say, T, that it is defenitely obsession (I have it, too) and I am proud to admit that I helped contribute to your obsession!!!!



You would think that living in a land that is just covered in sheep, I would have endless supply of knitting resources. Not so! I am currently holding onto the only 3 knitting books from the library that I haven't yet checked out atleast once (if not twice or 3 times). And Larne has no book store (well, none that has more than 10 books), so in order to purchase a knitting book, we have to travel to Ballymena or Belfast. So, I am relying on the wonders of Ravelry to get me through! Time to buy a printer, though, so I can save some of the patterns I like...



Last week (I think it was last week) I finished my sweater for Hazel....




and I'm sooooo happy with the way it turned out! I washed it and am really excited to say that after being washed and dried, my very first sweater held up beautifully! YEAAAAA!!!!! It is, however, the last thing i knit with a hood. It turned out cute, but that hood was just awful...and it wasn't hard, just boring. The pattern is Duffel Coat from the Essential Baby Book by Debbie Bliss. I really like it, but unless I forget about how much knitting it sucked, if our next baby is a boy, he'll get a different sweater knit by mommy!

Right now I'm trying to get a purse knit for my gorgeous sister-in-law, Lindsay, for her birthday. I found this gorgeous purse that I thought I could figure out, and I'm sure if I wanted to sit down and sketch out the pattern I could pretty easily, but I wanted to knit, not sketch, so I'm making up my own version! It's inspiration is 1/2 the original purse and 1/2 the Percy bag I loved so much. I've learned Entrelac, which isn't as bad as I thought it would be...YH defenitely hates it, but I'm glad I gave it a shot, I just wouldn't want to do a large project with small squares. Right now I'm using double DK strands with #13 needles, knitting 15 x 15 squares. I've got 1 triangle of this row and the last pass row of triangles left to do of the main body. Then I need to knit the straps which will be the sides also, edge the main body, and knit up a inner pocket and then sew it all together! I think once I get the Entrelac finished the rest will be quick going. I need to learn to knit on an i-cord edge as I've incorporated it into another pattern I've designed, so I'm thinking I may try it on Linds's purse, but we'll see what kind of time we have. I may just default to garter or seed st edging for time's sake. I promise to post pictures when I'm done!

What else...

I've entered 2 knit design competitions. I'm really nervous and hoping that I haven't gotten in over my head with the designs, but I've tried to make them realistic, so I should be okay if (and that's a BIG if) I get chosen as one of the top 3 designs. the first place winner gets 250 GBPs (Great Britian Pounds) worth of yarn and the 2nd and 3rd places get 50 GBPs worth!!! Both designs are for little girl summer tops, so we'll see! If neither flies, I'll probably end up knitting up both anyway and posting the patterns on Ravelry or something! But here's to hoping they both take 1st...that would be $1000 worth of yarn...be still my beating heart!!!!!!! Even if only 1 takes 3rd place, that's a $100 worth and I would be very thankful for that as well!

Well, I should get going for now as my Beautiful Hazel is ready for a nap (I hope..)

Yarn High!!

I've heard the term before, but don't think that I really understood it until yesteray. My IL's watched the girls and gave me a chance to go do something fun. I went to Jo Anne Fabrics and bought The Knitter's Bible of Accessories, this is a book that I have checked out and rechecked out of the library. I figured it was time to buy it! :) Then I went to the LYS and walked around. I swear, ANYONE could get a high off of color alone in there, even if you aren't into needlecrafts. I picked up the skein of Patons I needed to finish my beret, then I got a beautiful orange for another hat I want to make for the winter. I also got a gorgeous rainbow bamboo sock yarn for matching handwarmers. This winter, I swear I am going to be decked out! I am making things for the girls too, don't worry! Then I went to the library and got 3 knitting books that were on hold for me. I'm serious, I think I smiled all night after I got home. It was just so great and I felt wonderful. I came home and got to work finishing my Not So Much Harry Potter Beret and I think it turned out great. I am a little bummed that it is the middle of summer and I can't very well wear it outside. I think I might have to make one in cotton just so I can. :)


Please pardon my LOVELY picture taking abilities! I am going to make a really pretty Feather And Fan Cowl to go with it and then maybe some hand warmers (I am REALLY into them too!)

Last night, I am lying in bed and all I can think about are the projects that I am doing and what I want to do. So, today I am planning on casting on for a pair of booties and a hat for Jillian and then one for Layla. My Orange hat and rainbow warmers and the Cowl. I am still working on other things, but I just can't help it! I LOVE Knitting!!!!!!!

Obsession Or Just A Great Interest?

So, when does a hobby go from a great interest into a full blown obsession? I ask only because I think that I am on my way to obsession. It is so funny. I used to spend my free time (what little there is) reading or watching movies or listening to music or doing other things. Now, anytime I have to myself is spent knitting. If I'm not knitting, I'm thinking about knitting, reading about knitting, or checking out knitting on the internet. Even the past 3 literary books I have read have been mysteries that incorporate knitting into the theme. I realized last night when my youngest woke up for her 3:30am feeding that I spend the time she is nursing thinking about what I am going to knit next...never mind that I have 4 projects in the works right now. I have to think about something when she nurses as night or I will fall asleep and I don't want to do that with her breastfeeding. So, I think about knitting, or yarn, or the obvious combination of both. I can't help it. It is like anytime my brain strays from my family or friends, knitting is right there. Heck, even when I am with my friends and family, I am often thinking about what I would like to knit for them. Is this bad? I've only been in this whole knitting community for less than a year, but I love it so much. I know my husband thinks that I am INSANE, especially when I told him I want to learn to knit socks. He does NOT understand that...why make them when I could buy them for CHEAP. I don't know how to answer that, I just know that I want to learn. I guess I won't worry too much about it...interest or obsession...either way, I am making some pretty cool things!

In other news...Saturday was WWKIP (World Wide Knit in Public) Day. I didn't get to knit as much as I would have liked, but I did get to knit some. My hubby ran in a 10K Saturday morning about an hour from home and then we went to his parent's house for the day. That night we went to a tractor pull for my Brother-In-Law. We spent quite a bit of time on the road so I got to knit in the car. Then at my In-Laws, my MIL watched the girls some so I could knit. Then came the Knitting in Public part of the day. At the tractor pull, we were sitting on the ground (well, in chairs, but on the ground) and L was running around in front of me. J was asleep in my arm, but was positioned well for me to knit. So, I knit for at least an hour at the Tractor Pull. I felt pretty cool. Don't worry, I was knitting with cotton so if it got dirty, I could easily wash it. I know that there were some people that were looking at me like "What in the hell is that woman doing? I SO didn't care. It was great to sit outside and knit. I really enjoyed it. So, that was my first WWKIP day...YEAH! By the way...my SIL took pics of me knitting and the girls at the Pull...I will post them when I get them from her.

My only bummer with the knitting is that I was making my Not So Much Harry Potter Beret and I RAN OUT OF YARN!!! AARRGGHH!! I thought one skein would be enough...obviously I was wrong. I am going to call the LYS here in a bit to see if she has another in the same dye lot. At least it is a varigated yarn so if she doesn't hopefully it won't show too much! :) I am almost finished with it though. I think that it will look pretty cool when I am done.

L's skirt is coming along well. I can't remember if I posted about it. I am making a version of Caiden's Skirt using some really bright colored variageted cotton (this is what I was knitting on at the tractor pull!). I think it is going to turn out great. I had to redo it a bit because I cast on the wrong amount, but hopefully this will work better. L picked out the yarn so she better wear it! :) I am going to cast on for a hat for J today, one she can wear here during the summer while it is warm, but maybe windy. Hmmm...now to decide which colors to go with...I am thinking a rainbow! What fun!

Off to the LYS tomorrow to hopefully get some more of the Ashes of Roses Paton Shetland Chunky yarn that I need for the beret. I also want to get a skein of black wool for this hat I have in mind (I LOVE hats...can you tell?). I want to get a size 6 & 8 16" needle since my Boye set doesn't have them. I'm sure that I will find other things that intrigue me. I will be sure to let you know what I find! :)

Have a wonderful day...until next time!

Other People's Things Are Done (Sort of)

Yeah! I am done with the Baby Shower/Birth Mania! I am really excited to get to knit some things for me and my family. I did have fun making this set for my friend Darci's girls. I plan on making a set for my girls, at least of the hats...probably in a lot of colors too...this hat was easy and SO cute. It is from One Skein, and made from Caron in Watermelon and Soft Yellow. The booties are from Saartje's Knits made in the same yarns. I really hope that she likes this!


I am making myself a really neat beret from Charmed Knits (see link to the left) made out of Patons Chunky in Ashes of Roses. I am using the Harry Potter House Beret Pattern and am calling it "Not so much Harry Potter Beret". I have also cast on a dress scarf for my dad in Lion Brand Microspun in Mango. I am going to cast on one of those One Skein hats for Jillian and I just bought some cotton yarn for a cute skirt for Layla and a summer hat for me. I found some really cute patterns on Raverly and can't wait. I also got something new today that I can't wait to start using. I originally wanted the Denise needles but I really prefer knitting with aluminum needles and had a 50% off coupon from Michael's. I went ahead and bought the Boye Needle Master Interchangeable Needle System.

From what I have seen, the only thing so far I don't like is that it doesn't come with an 8" cable to make a 16"circular. Hopefully I can purchase that. Then I will be good to go.

That majorly sucks Carli! Hopefully, they will open up some more seats or something. If so, you had better be taking an extra book and getting me an autograph! :) Yarn Harlot, if you read this...you are our hero!

Complete Devistation

So, Brett and I planned to take our weekend to London the first weekend of September (the 6 thru 8) so I can go to the I Knit Day on September 6th! That's because my hubby is fabulous and wonderful and terrific and etc and etc. He gave me permission to reserve my ticket tonight so I can go see the fantastic Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot) since I missed her at the Barnes N Nobles in Carmel on April 29th (sigh). And I went to purchase my ticket just a few minutes ago....and they are sold out on line. *****SOB***** So I just emailed them to see if by any chance I could squeeze one simple little ticket out of them...otherwise I'm going to have to buy my ticket at the door and miss out on her talk....how can I possibly go if I know she's 20 feet from me and signing books and I can't see her????? HOW??????

So my sad little person will sit here and desperately wait for an email response....

******sniff******

******sniff******

GORGEOUS!

T, that little set is just far too cute!!!! Where did you get the pattern for the hat? I really like the flower...much better than my daisy...which, I still need to type up for you....

So, I need to STAY OFF the ravelry website. Seriously. I have something like 75 favorite patterns earmarked, and that doesn't even include the seemingly 4 billion patterns I have saved to my computer. And we won't even discuss my notebook...I had to expand to a larger binder as the other one was full to exploding.

I'm still chugging away at the Duffle Coat I'm making for Hazel. I'm making myself hold off on any other projects until it's done. Which it's really hard as I have to get some things knitted for a friend who's due in August...Brett needs to be able to take them with him to Peoria next month!!!!

So, I'm off to knit some more of the dreaded hood on H's coat, and then do dishes....maybe I'll make some headway on the hood....not getting my hopes up though....

Wizard of Oz Set Done!

I am SO loving how this set turned out. It is for my sorority sister Jen B. who is due July 21st with her first baby. She is having a girl and I wanted to do something for her tht wasn't really traditional. I knitted her a cute little blanket (Lionbrand Yarn Pattern) and also a set of Good-Bye Yellow Brick Road Booties and an Unoriginal Hat by the Yarn Harlot in a blue and white hat with a cute red flower. The only thing I would have done different if I would have had time was to make her a yellow blanket instead of a purple/pink/green one just to add to the Wizard of Oz theme, but I was already almost done with the blanket by the time I came up with this idea. Here are some pics:








Now, I just have to finish one more bootie for my friend Darci's baby and I will be DONE with other people's baby gifts! At least until my friend Emily has her baby in August! But, gonna wait for that, she doesn't know what she is having and I want to do something specific for her! :)

Carli-too funny! I love those bags too! The LYS here, River Knits, has the pink messenger bag for sale. Believe me, if I had an extra $92 lying around, I would SO own it!

Please keep praying for my cousin Crystal. The biopsy came back that the masses are cancerous. She will have to have surgery on them. Her Mom's mother passed away this week, so she is putting the surgery off for a bit, but will still be getting it. I will see her tomorrow and am glad. I pray that she will be OK. Please continue to pray for her and her family!

My newest obsession....

SOOOOO, just to add to my purse obsession, I found these FABULOUS knitting bags from Jordana Paige. Love...love....love....love...love them. They're called "The Knitter's Satchel" and I can't decide if I want one in Pink or Ocean Blue.....

However...buying one of these is more of an extravagent purchase...so maybe for my birthday next year.....

Magic Slippers

Hey, Lady....keep me posted as to how your cousin is doing OK? She's in our prayers!


So I found the funnest pattern! It's called "Pocketbook Slippers" (I think that makes them sound like an old lady's shoes, so I renamed them) and They're very easy to knit and fairly quick! I'm not so fast at K2, P2 ribbing yet, but I'm getting there, and I think that's the only thing that slowed me down! I made these for my mom who loves the verigated yarn I bought. Hopefully she'll like them! I added the flower to the side just for a little more Character!