Presents have been opened. What was left of the feast had been divided into take-home baggies for all the guests and we gladly took our share. After a whirlwind day of non-stop eating and gifts since 10am this morning, we're now nice and warm in our jammies and spending some quality time with our poor kitty - who was left alone all day. Of course, Monte doesn't mind. He still greeted us at the door and meowed and rolled on his back to welcome us home.
Though the last hour of the day draws closer, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
What to do next?
So, I looked at my stash of unfinished projects and would you believe it? I only have one! The doggie sweater I started earlier in the year. I really don't like how it's coming out, so I may just rip the whole thing and start over. I've learned better techniques in the time I last touched the sweater. I think I will start over.
I like having the option of several projects going on at once, so I've started a new baby sweater. This one will also be for Gavin - but for his 1st birthday in March. I don't have to rush through this one. It's from a Japanese pattern book that I first saw on Cosmopolitan Purls. Check out her blog. She is soooo talented. I love her work. And she is so nice! She totally offered me help when I had questions about the pattern. THANK YOU! It was a while ago when I got the book, but I always remember nice people.
What I'm interested in from the book is a cute striped sweater. My friend K in Japan helped me find the book and sent it to me. I had a friend from work help me translate a few details for the instructions on the pattern. Good thing there are 'blueprints' for the patterns that I can figure out.
Speaking of my friend K, she has two boys in Japan. I only wish I knew how to knit when they were babies. They're bigger now - and as they're in Japan, I have no clue how big they really are now. I wasn't able to knit them cute baby blankets and sweaters. At this point, I'd rather just buy them toys and other goodies. Babies don't care what they get (I mean, honestly), but young boys, they want the fun stuff. And I aim to please. :) This auntie isn't going to get boring clothes and socks for them.
I like having the option of several projects going on at once, so I've started a new baby sweater. This one will also be for Gavin - but for his 1st birthday in March. I don't have to rush through this one. It's from a Japanese pattern book that I first saw on Cosmopolitan Purls. Check out her blog. She is soooo talented. I love her work. And she is so nice! She totally offered me help when I had questions about the pattern. THANK YOU! It was a while ago when I got the book, but I always remember nice people.
What I'm interested in from the book is a cute striped sweater. My friend K in Japan helped me find the book and sent it to me. I had a friend from work help me translate a few details for the instructions on the pattern. Good thing there are 'blueprints' for the patterns that I can figure out.
Speaking of my friend K, she has two boys in Japan. I only wish I knew how to knit when they were babies. They're bigger now - and as they're in Japan, I have no clue how big they really are now. I wasn't able to knit them cute baby blankets and sweaters. At this point, I'd rather just buy them toys and other goodies. Babies don't care what they get (I mean, honestly), but young boys, they want the fun stuff. And I aim to please. :) This auntie isn't going to get boring clothes and socks for them.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Marathon Knitting for Christmas
This week I finished not only the baby sweater, but this little guy as well...
Apparently the mascot for the Oakland A's baseball team is an elephant. I don't know these things. Since I only know how to do stuffed elephants, I made this one for my friend at work. I am a SF Giants fan, thank you very much. I'm proud of this one though. I had no clue how to make a mini baseball cap. I found a small hat pattern and 'tweaked' it. Then I added on the bill to the cap. At first it looked like a mallard duck head, so I scaled the bill back a little and squared it off. It looks good (even if I do say so myself). I just may have to make a Giants one for myself. I've thought about selling these, but they're time consuming. I've only taken the random request from coworkers, but I didn't charge them for it. I just wanted to knit and practice - but just don't want to keep any of it when I'm done.
I'm 99% finished with the baby sweater! I just need the buttons. It's the argyle sweater from Debbie Bliss' Special Knits.
It definitely has some flaws, but I tried. The sleeve thing totally flustered me, but I got through it. They both came out the same size (whew!) and I was able to sew hem onto the body without any issues. It looks cute. The pictures in the book are completely useless, so I had to depend on finding pictures posted on the web by other folks who have made this. It looks REALLY cute in pink. Hmmm... I do know some baby girls who would look really adorable in this too.
Of course, I used the pattern size for a 9 - 12 month old, and the thing looks like it would fit a 2 year old. Ah well, better too big now, than too small.
Apparently the mascot for the Oakland A's baseball team is an elephant. I don't know these things. Since I only know how to do stuffed elephants, I made this one for my friend at work. I am a SF Giants fan, thank you very much. I'm proud of this one though. I had no clue how to make a mini baseball cap. I found a small hat pattern and 'tweaked' it. Then I added on the bill to the cap. At first it looked like a mallard duck head, so I scaled the bill back a little and squared it off. It looks good (even if I do say so myself). I just may have to make a Giants one for myself. I've thought about selling these, but they're time consuming. I've only taken the random request from coworkers, but I didn't charge them for it. I just wanted to knit and practice - but just don't want to keep any of it when I'm done.
I'm 99% finished with the baby sweater! I just need the buttons. It's the argyle sweater from Debbie Bliss' Special Knits.
It definitely has some flaws, but I tried. The sleeve thing totally flustered me, but I got through it. They both came out the same size (whew!) and I was able to sew hem onto the body without any issues. It looks cute. The pictures in the book are completely useless, so I had to depend on finding pictures posted on the web by other folks who have made this. It looks REALLY cute in pink. Hmmm... I do know some baby girls who would look really adorable in this too.
Of course, I used the pattern size for a 9 - 12 month old, and the thing looks like it would fit a 2 year old. Ah well, better too big now, than too small.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Picking up stitches
It's official. I absolutely, positively, without a doubt HATE picking up stitches. I don't know if I hate that more than sewing seams together, but it's up there. I was so determined to get that baby sweater done today, and I spent most of it trying to pick up a total of 78 stitches. Unbelievable. And that's just the collar! I managed to finish that without pulling all the hair off my head. Now I have to work on the two button bands. ARGH!!!
This should be interesting because I have never done a button band before. One side will be straight rib stitch - so if I can pick up all the stitches, then it's easy from there. The other side, I have to do the button holes. We'll see what happens.
OH - and thanks to Kuky for easing my mind about that those knots in my yarn. I guess I did just get unlucky and end up with two skeins with knots in them. Sigh...
I've stopped knitting for the evening. I was watching Most Haunted while working on the sweater when I had a very insistent kitty demanding some lap time. Yarn and cats don't mix. Well, not when you're trying to knit. When you want some entertainment, there's nothing quite a cat and a ball of yarn. Clear a big space though, because both will be all over the place.
This should be interesting because I have never done a button band before. One side will be straight rib stitch - so if I can pick up all the stitches, then it's easy from there. The other side, I have to do the button holes. We'll see what happens.
OH - and thanks to Kuky for easing my mind about that those knots in my yarn. I guess I did just get unlucky and end up with two skeins with knots in them. Sigh...
I've stopped knitting for the evening. I was watching Most Haunted while working on the sweater when I had a very insistent kitty demanding some lap time. Yarn and cats don't mix. Well, not when you're trying to knit. When you want some entertainment, there's nothing quite a cat and a ball of yarn. Clear a big space though, because both will be all over the place.
Friday, December 14, 2007
What the?!
So, I'm having a marathon knitting week. I need to finish the baby sweater for my friend's baby in time to ship it to her. I'm on the second sleeve and then I have to work on the button band (and I know I'm going to be slow at picking up stitches).
I'm knitting along, getting towards the end of my third ball of yarn and I see a little knot. ??? I mean, literally, the yarn ended and was tied onto another piece of yarn. Since this was at the end of the ball, it was OK. But I thought it was a bit odd.
I've since started on my fourth ball of yarn, and this is what I find.
Another knot! Are you kidding me??? I don't know what to think. I admit, I'm too cheap to go out and spend $7 on nice yarn when I can get it from Ebay for about $3 a ball. This was Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. I don't believe the person I bought these from tried to cheat me or anything though. The yarn looked new. It wasn't rewound or anything - if it was, they did a fantastic job. Each ball had nice, crisp labels on them. I just don't understand.
Is this normal? I've never seen this on the cheap yarn I buy from other craft stores. Why on the nicer yarn? I'm confused, and disappointed really.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Melted for The Melting Pot
Last night, our friends gathered for our annual Christmas feast. This year we chose The Melting Pot. It's an all fondue style restaurant I had seen them rave over on The Girls Next Door. Let me tell you, it's not cheap, but it was sooooo good. I definitely want to go back there.
They have a four course dinner that consists of a cheese fondue (you get some fruits, veggies and bread to dip), then a salad, then an entree 'set' (chicken, filet mignion, port, shrimp...) with a broth based fondue to cook your food (kind like Chinese hot pot, but with little skewers instead of little basket ladles), and then a chocolate fondue complete with fruits, brownies, cheesecake... oh my gosh!
There are several varieties of the fondue itself you can choose too. My favorite (but I forgot what it's called) is the one that comes with the Big Night menu. It had two kinds of cheese, white wine, roasted garlic, shallots, and dates. Oh and a spritz of white truffle oil. They prepare all the fondues on the table - so I remembered this one. YUM! So, it's not just a simple bowl of melted cheese on your table. It's gooood stuff.
It's definitely fun for a group, but I think my hubby and I would be able to handle it on our own too. Hee hee...
They have a four course dinner that consists of a cheese fondue (you get some fruits, veggies and bread to dip), then a salad, then an entree 'set' (chicken, filet mignion, port, shrimp...) with a broth based fondue to cook your food (kind like Chinese hot pot, but with little skewers instead of little basket ladles), and then a chocolate fondue complete with fruits, brownies, cheesecake... oh my gosh!
There are several varieties of the fondue itself you can choose too. My favorite (but I forgot what it's called) is the one that comes with the Big Night menu. It had two kinds of cheese, white wine, roasted garlic, shallots, and dates. Oh and a spritz of white truffle oil. They prepare all the fondues on the table - so I remembered this one. YUM! So, it's not just a simple bowl of melted cheese on your table. It's gooood stuff.
It's definitely fun for a group, but I think my hubby and I would be able to handle it on our own too. Hee hee...
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Keeping busy
I can't believe it's December already. I've been frantically knitting away, trying to finish a baby sweater for Christmas. I've done the body and now I'm working on the first sleeve.
Check it out!
Originally, I was making a baby blanket that had multicolored patches with polka dots and strips. Very cute and very ambitious... and so frustrating. I got through about 8 inches of it, and then realized that it took me about 30 minutes to knit 1 row, and then another 10 or 15 minutes to untangle all the little bobbins of yarn. Even though I started earlier this year, I would never get it finished in time.
From a knitting book I received as a birthday gift, I found this cute argyle sweater pattern. It's going to be a present to my college roommate's baby, Gavin. It will be his first Christmas.
Check it out!
Originally, I was making a baby blanket that had multicolored patches with polka dots and strips. Very cute and very ambitious... and so frustrating. I got through about 8 inches of it, and then realized that it took me about 30 minutes to knit 1 row, and then another 10 or 15 minutes to untangle all the little bobbins of yarn. Even though I started earlier this year, I would never get it finished in time.
From a knitting book I received as a birthday gift, I found this cute argyle sweater pattern. It's going to be a present to my college roommate's baby, Gavin. It will be his first Christmas.
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