Girl Who Knits

Oh how I love me in animation... 

Seriously.  My co-worker and I made her and I think she is perfect.  I wish lil' me was real and hung out all day on my desk.  Then at night she could jump on to my shoulder and go to the gym with me.  She would sit in the little cup holder and tell me funny things while I was on the elliptical machine.  Then later at home, she would sit next to me and knit a lil' sweater. 

I think I am going through a narcissistic phase.

Go here and make your own.  I used the CandyBar DollMaker 3.  Hours of entertainment.  I also made sister/roommate Kara:

Doesn't she look cute?  It is SO her.

Enjoy.

Some of you may have heard me mention my selfish knitting tendencies.  How my knitting and I form such a tight bond, I have a hard time letting go.  So if you are reading this and I have knit for you, you should know...that's love.  True knitter's love.

Toasty Toes is the first knit exchange I have joined and while I am excited to take part, I can see the potential for tragedy.  You see, I think I am in love with my pal's socks. 

This wasn't anything I planned.  It just happened.  I think they had me at the Picot edge.  So. Cute.  The pattern is Lombard Street, designed by Susan and found in the most recent MagKnits.  The yarn is Koigu KPM in this great steel blue color.  I love mostly solid color yarns for socks--slight variations in the color give it an added dimension that I love. 

My only worry about these socks is that there is not a lot of give in the fabric so I am holding my breath over sizing.  I am on gauge though so hopefully I will be okay.  Once I turn the heel I will try it on and make sure I can get it over my ankle--so let's just hope they fit shall we?  The only thing more tragic then the fact that I have to give these up, would be if they didn't fit my pal.  As much as I love the socks, I want her to be happy more. 

Like a kid on their first day of school, my Anna socks were very excited to come to work today.  We took pictures right before we left so the world could see how they looked all washed and ready for the day. 

I was surprised how once they took a nice bath they did a good job of staying up on the leg.  I may still add some elastic but so far they are holding up well. 

I think the Anna socks are having a fun filled day at work.  Look at them hard at work on the computer...

Eating Todd's famous homemade salsa...

And talking on the phone while trying to avoid people walking by and reporting me to HR...

Oh yes, today was a good day for the socks.  I think they might come back to work real soon.

The Stats:

Pattern: Anna Socks

Source: Rowan 40

Yarn: Rowan 4-ply soft, Black

Needles: US 2 & 3 double points

Mods: After about 21 centimeters (I feel very British talking all metric) I switched to size 2 needles to avoid bunching at the ankles and to make up for NO shaping. 

Notes: The great thing about these is that they really don't look like I made them.  It is my little secret...of course I kind of ruined the secret at work today when I asked everyone if they liked the socks I made.  What can I say?...I quite like them. 

I know.  It has been forever since I have posted.  As we speak the Anna Socks are drying and will be featured as my newest FO as soon as I can take pictures.  So stay tuned.  Plus I started my Toasty Toes socks.  I am in love with the pattern AND the yarn.  As soon as I am a little further I will give you an update on that.  So I promise you will have a knitting related blog within a day or so. 

But in the mean time I just had to show my support for one of my favorite television personalities in his time of need. 

Duane "Dog" Chapman has been arrested.  And all because the Mexican government didn't like the way he caught infamous and evil fugitive Andrew Luster.  This is how I see it, sometimes when you are the greatest bounty hunter in the world you have to bend the rules a little to get the job done.  And Dog always gets the job done.

Dog, I support you. 

P.S. For those of you who don't watch the show...you may not realize that Ice (Meth) is evil.  Please don't start. 

Favorite quote of mine and my niece Emma's from Beth (Dog's wife): "Ice head, ice head, noni noni ice head"

I think I was 13.  My friend and I were talking to a nice older woman at church.  For the life of me I can't remember how we got on the subject but I remember her referring to my VERY petite friend and then turning to me and saying something to the effect of "now you have child bearing hips."  I was 13.  I have never forgotten what she said. 

The thing is, she was right.  I suspect my hips would suit child bearing well.  Of course, these are not realities an insecure 13-year-old should have to face. 

Recently, I picked up Forecast again.  I am gearing up for the fall so out come the fall projects I ignored over the summer.  I finally finished the body of the thing, bound off and then tried it on.  It fits perfectly...everywhere but my hips. 

There is still a button band to be added and I can close the cardigan but it stretches out the ribbing at the bottom.   So why does it work on her?  What is wrong with me?

Here could be some reasons:

• I made the sweater a bit longer to be more flattering on me so the pattern was not written to accomidate for too much hip.
• I bound off too tight and it is restricting the pull of the sweater.
• I am a odd shaped freak.

I am leaning towards the latter. 

I really do love this sweater.  So I think I am going to undo my cast off (I HATE doing that) and re-cast off.  What do you all think?  Maybe I should just keep going and see.  Sometimes I have a hard time visualizing the fit of a knit before I am done.  I do love it though.  Don't you just love fall?

The talent that can be found at the Jitterbug Cafe every Tuesday night can be intimidating.  Before I ever attended the Salt Lake City SnB I was aware of some of the more famous knitters since I had found some Utah blogs and lurked big time.  Well all kinds of notable things are going on right now so I thought I would alert you all to some current projects thanks to my Utah friends. 

The first Utah blog I found was Laurie.  She is also one of the first people I met from the group.  Her recent venture is selling the most heavenly handmade soap--all for a good cause.  Check out her site to buy and to learn more about the soap.  My favorite is Gentle, in fact, it is in my shower now.  There is just something about handmade soap that makes me feel indulgent.  And this soap is just so...clean.  I love it.

And then there is Katherine.  My new favorite shirt was designed by her.  Take a look at this blog post of Kara's to see the shirt (I got her one too--I know, I am VERY generous.)  Mine is army green.  So cool.  I know Katherine has some more shirts to sell and may be making more soon so I would contact her if interested.   

Then, there is Miriam.  Lace designer extraordinarie.  Her newest shawl, Hidcote, is simply stunning.  You may notice the model.  You shouldn't, the shawl is so stunning I wouldn't notice anything but it.  I just thought I would mention it since I thought it would be awkward if you recognized me and I didn't say anything.  A little embarrassing but Mim asked for my help and what can I say...I like jam.  The shawl though, remember that shawl...sigh. 

Finally, there is Susan.  Susan is another prolific designer who has been published all over the place and whose designs are seen all over blogland.  A couple of months ago I saw a test knit of her newest sock pattern, Lombard Street (available for free at MagKnits,) since that day I have been dying to knit these socks.  I love, love, love them.  I love them so much that this next announcement is difficult for me to make.  I have chosen to knit this pattern for my  Toasty Toes pal.  Okay, it is out there.  Now I have to stick to it.  The best kind of gifts are the ones you would like yourself right?  I ordered the yarn last week too.  Once it comes I will reveal my yarn choice...suspenseful huh? 

So there you go.  Just a few things happening in my neck of the woods.  Aren't I lucky?  I am so happy I de-lurked and can call myself a member of such a distinguished group.   

Finally, I will leave you with what could be the most elegant photo of my sisters, my niece, and I from the big sleepover this weekend.  Aren't we beautiful?

I am a generally likeable person, I think.  People usually like me okay.  Kara is nice too--not as nice as me but very, very nice.  We smile at the neighbors, keep a clean yard, and would for sure go to town meetings or something if there were any.  We are good neighbors. 

So why when I stepped out of my house this morning was there a carton worth of eggs on my driveway and garage door?  Who does this?  I realized it must have happened in the morning because the eggs were pretty fresh.  Also, while I was sleeping I awoke to a noise and thought it was Kara up early.  But then she woke up after I did.  So tell me, what angry or stupid youth gets up in the morning to egg my house? (I realize I am being judgmental with the whole "youth" assumption--if proven wrong I will stand corrected)

And why my house?  I don't have any enemies as far as I can tell.  Then I realized that the mini grill I had in my backyard was gone.  The squrty spouty thing for the garden hose...gone.  So not only do I have a vandal on my hands but a thief.  Then I started thinking back...

In the last few months I have found all kinds of random things in my yard.  Crushed soda cans, a soup can shot up with what seemed to be a bebe gun, and some other random garbage.  I wrote it off since it happened infrequently.  I almost forgot about one night several months ago when I was home alone at 12:30 am, downstairs watching TV and knitting when the doorbell rang.  I didn't answer it, obviously, but soon after the ring the most uneartly screech rang out loudly and kept going for what was about a minute.  It took me an hour to get up the courage to go upstairs to bed.  The next morning I discovered the firework on my front doorstep. 

Perhaps I am being paranoid but maybe these random acts aren't so random?

I feel violated and angry.  If punk kids are targeting our house then I will get them.  How?  I don't really know, but hear me now, I will.  What will I do when I catch them?  Couldn't really tell you.  All I really want to know from them is...why me?