Wednesday WIP and "Wii Knitting"

I've spent the last week primarily working on this sample knit for Knit Picks.



Part of the *deal* of being a sample knitter is that you are not allowed to blog about the pattern, and I'm not. Well, except for this part - I've learned a new way to do sleeves of sweater and want to find more information about it.

The sleeves are knitted first and put onto waste yarn until the body is knitted to the bottom arm hole. Then the sleeves are attached by knitting them on. There is a great deal more involved, including decreasing at armhole, but I won't go into that as that might be pushing the limits of what I can discuss about the sample. But IF you know what this type of sleeve knitting is called, EMAIL ME! I have some references to research once I have more time but it's fairly daunting without an exact name of the technique (or phrase to use).

What I did run across in the few minutes of research I did was the method of picking up stitches along the armhole of the body and knitting the sleeves using short rows to shape them. Barbara Walker's Knitting From the Top discusses this technique. And it's just in time for for me to use in the sweater I've swatched for myself.

As I'm still knitting from my stash (can you say YARN DIET?), I have to find patterns that work for the amount of yarn already on hand. (And let me tell you - this is getting mighty old!) In the stash is 10 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cathay (now discontinued) that is enough for a short sleeve sweater in my size...maybe....depending on the pattern.

This pattern showed up in my in-box earlier this week. I like it! And if I use the short row shaping method of doing the sleeves, I can make the sleeves shorter if the amount of yarn I have won't work. Good plan.

Swatch is done.
I'm casting on as soon as I finish the sample knit.
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I recently came across this comic. Wii Knitting!!

Love it! hahaha

Elvis gets a shower

Entertaining really....to watch a small dog bark at a swimming pool.



But what he's really barking at is the pool sweeper...



...'cause it squirts water up and out of the pool when it changes directions. And sometimes he's a little too close...



...so he gets a shower. Fun stuff. ;)

E.V.I.L.?

How evil am I? Here's a little blog thing I saw on Isela's blog and Denise's blog.

It would appear I'm not as evil as my daughter thinks I am. And what is the "C" word anyway? I know what the "F" word is but "C"???

You Are 20% Evil

You are good. So good, that you make evil people squirm. Just remember, you may need to turn to the dark side to get what you want!

How Evil Are You?

hahaha

Beach Bum

My family and I are taking a few days to walk the beach and hunt shells at Morro Bay (central coast of California).



While I will have access to read and respond to email, I won't be online often. CYA when we get back!

Ultimate Harry Potter Personality Quiz

I found this on Monica's blog


Find out your Harry Potter personality at LiquidGeneration!

Back to knitting. ;-)

A soap opera (plus a little fun)

The month of November was particularly difficult for my mother-in-law. She had some health issues which had her in the hospital. While recovering at her sister's house, her home was burglarized. And if that's not enough, she fell on Friday and broke her wrist. Really, it's like a soap opera in which she has landed the role as the "long, suffering heroine." And she's not enjoying it!

While we're working to make life a little easier for her, I'll be absent from blog-world. But I am knitting since that's how I handle stress.

Here's what I've been working on.

A sample knit for Knit Picks....



...which is a beautiful pattern. I'll have it finished before we leave on our trip. And as soon as it's live on Knit Picks website, I'll post the link so you can see just how nice it is.

Then there's the "life is stressful so I must knit socks"...



...from More Sensational Socks. I just need to close the toe on this one. Then knit it's mate.

For the trip, I think I'll pack nothing but sock yarn to keep stress at a minimum. I suppose I'm thinking that as long as feet are pampered, life is good. ;-)

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For fun:

This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying it
over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't!
It's preprogrammed in your brain!

1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction.

I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it!

You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you've not already done so.

Muppet Personality Test

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."

The Muppet Personality Test

October is national popcorn month

Interesting trivia:

• Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.



• Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.

• Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also know as the hull).

• Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.

• Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.



• The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.

• Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a “popcorn” control button.

• How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.

...and.....

• A-MAIZing is a yarn that is 100% corn. Check it out here.

P.S. I have been knitting. Hopefully I'll have something finished that I can blog about!

Camping and hubby's hobby

Tomorrow, we're heading out on a camping trip. We'll be gone for a little over a week without access to the internet....so this is my last blog entry until we are home.

I'm taking a book and have plans to enjoy the cool breeze at Lake Tahoe (a welcome relief after the heat wave in Southern California). Of course, I'm taking knitting too.

And I'm not the only one in our household with an obsession a hobby. Hubby takes his metal detector out once or twice a week. Typically he find things like wheat pennies or junk jewelry.



It's a little like treasure hunting. One of his best finds is now on the website of the manufacturer of his detector - here He is really proud of this find. I agree....it's a beautiful ring.

Saturday laughs

F L I P I T O R
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and
The urge to flip off other drivers.

J A C K A S S P I R I N
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday,
Anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

Hopefully someday I'll have some knitting and beading I can blog about.

August 17, 1957 On this date....

...I was born fifty years ago. I now qualify as a Red Hatter. (Look for the red hat I made for myself in the to-be-released Knifty Knitter booklet from Leisure Arts.)

Also on this date - Philadelphia Phillies baseball player, Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands that struck spectator Alice Roth, breaking her nose. When play resumed, Ashburn fouled off another ball that hit her again as she being carried off in a stretcher.

Pigeons in the front yard

Pigeons?



A rare sight in the desert. And they're tagged....




...but since they aren't extending a claw for me to read the numbers, this is as close as it gets.

I wonder how long they will vacation here?

Wordless Wednesday

A fellow?? mmm...nope

What color of sock yarn do you prefer?

You like blue sock yarn. You are a fellow. You don't like bars, you prefer pubs.
Take this quiz!

A day doesn't go by that....

...I'm not anticipating the 21st....release day of Deathly Hallows (HP #7)

In the meantime....I'm beading, knitting, and counting down the days. Days!!

And just for fun.....

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

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Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Get Sorted Now!