Wednesday, January 19, 2011

FREE CROCHET AND KNIT PATTERNS :: Xian Kimono Jacket

I am making a correction to yesterday's blog post; and let me add, I lost a contact last week. GAH! I've been visually challenged, having an impossible time seeing to type, and my standby glasses are of little help here. I just let my fingers to teh talking and hoped for the best.



I'm changing things up a bit. As some of you know, I'm a dyed in the cotton Doily Artist. yeah, humbling, ain't it? LOL!

 I was previewing my many newsletter subscriptions in my Inbox, when I spied this beauty, and had to look.

I chanced upon this FREE PATTERN on NarutallyCaron.com and really liked the lines-and did I mention, it's FREE?

 I'm not a huge fan of crochet garments. I've made a number of tabards in the past, loved the warmth, the simplicity, how fast they would work up. A dear friend gave me a pattern so easy that to this day, I still remember how to make it.

 Since I've taken up knitting in the past 2 years, this pattern turned my head; the diamond pattern and loose draping is very comfortable to the eye.  Intermediate skill is required for this

For sheer elegance, this one is a great addition to any wardrobe!




POST REVISION:
Happy day, I just discovered that the original picture I posted yesterday (and am updating today) is for the KNITTED version! YIPPY SKIPPY, I KNEW I LIKED THIS ONE FOR A REASON!

Without further adeu, I give you: Xian Knit Kimono Jacket instructions





My replacement contacts just arrived at the Dr's office; they called just at closing, so I wasn't able to go pick them up-I am going over there tomorrow, first thing! No more visually challenged blog posts!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Because I'm Too Pooped to Blog

So I decided to promote someone else's blog post:

SWC FAQs | Away with Words

Post a Day participant Olivia is the organizer of the Silent Writers Collective weekly retreat, designed to help writers combat distractions, procrastination, and lack of motivation.
The group meets up each Tuesday night at 9 p.m. via Twitter, and goes silent to write for one uninterrupted hour.
By committing to a group effort, (think Weight Watchers or NaNoWriMo) many writers find it’s easier to stay motivated and reach goals. Writing, as we’ve heard ad nauseum, is a solitary endeavor, but sharing our efforts with a group makes it easier, and can help us reach our writing goals.
We’re not a critique group, we’re not limited by genre, education, experience, or skill. We just get together to write.
Learn more about the Silent Writers Collective here.
I'll be back tomorrow, promise!

Friday, January 14, 2011

The Ships Project , Socks for the Troops

I have just finished a pair of Wisconsin WinterSocks and am happy with the outcome.


I went in search of an organization to donate to, found The Ships Project and have joined The Ships Project Yahoo Group, to become more actively involved. Please check it out and join us!

The next ship date is the first week of February. 1-7, 2011.

I saw a Fox in our neck'o the woods while on my way to Eye Dr. to get a new contact-shes crossed in front of my car, in plenty of time to get out of harms' way, . Losing a contact has it's up-side; I would not have seen Fox, otherwise~

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Pumpkin Butter Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Short but Sweet Blog post:

Pumpkin Butter Recipe - Allrecipes.com

I'm about to finish Sharon's WI Winter Socks, am working down the toes as we speak~ pictures in the coming day, or two or 3!!

Off for the evening, going to go plug in a movie: Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Paul Blart: Mall Cop


Funnyman Kevin James ("King of Queens") stars as Paul Blart, an overzealous security guard who finds himself in way over his head when he attempts to thwart a criminal mastermind's (Keir O'Donnell) plot to rob an entire shopping mall. Bobby Cannavale, Jayma Mays and Shirley Knight also star in this family-friendly laffer from director Steve Carr, which shares more than a few similarities with the much raunchier Observe and Report.

Have a good evening, and stay warm!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tracks in The Snow

A dedicated knitter has no limitations; he/she just knits one row at a time.

~excerpt from a page of At Knit's End, by  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee , The Yarn Harlot.
LOVE IT!

I have never even considered the possibility that there are limits to what one can do with knitting. I see it in random knit objects all over the internet, pictures people have posted from cities around the globe-lamp posts, bicycles, you name it, someone has knit it. The only limits are those we place on ourselves. ..well, that, and our pocket books.

I am about 4 inches away from finishing Sharon's Wisconsin Winter Socks. After I finish her socks, I plan to charge full steam ahead on the Agatha Cardi.
The lace pattern almost resembles deer tracks..
reverse right panel, up-ended
There is a gorgeous first quarter moon hanging low outside our office window facing due west, and a new dusting of snow on the ground. Next full moon is scheduled for Jan. 19

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Freaky Saturday and the Creepy Modem

Today was Freaky Friday, the day after. No, seriously, it was like riding through the tail of a comet.

I don't usually share my random bizarre experiences, especially when I'm the only person having the experience at the time. BUT, I have the pleasure of being married to a guy who also knows bizarre.


Let's face it, we're both a little "out there".

I had been talking with a girlfriend from back home, and was having a rather difficult time hearing her. Her cell phone was not getting a good signal, kept getting static breakups in voice relay. About 20 minutes into the convo., I told her I was needing to find my Bluetooth, so I could have hands-free whilst we chatted.

So, I'm digging around behind my monitor, looking for the Bluetooth device and found the cable right away. I kept telling her to repeat her last sentence, because I kept getting feedback from her end. That was when I noticed another sound, over by my monitor. Thinking I must have left a web-cam or chat client open, maybe I had Facebook open in a browser tab. I checked each app., finding nothing open.

Meanwhile, I kept talking with DGF.  A few more times, I heard what sounded like chatter over by my desk. Then, DH came back in from making hair sticks, and sat down to do some computer work. I completed my call and was still looking for the Bluetooth, my head down low trying to look behind my monitor. That was when we heard the little voice come out of the modem, at first barely audible, then a second time, very clear, "is that you, Gramma Ranelli?".

I looked at DH, he looked at me and shook his head. "Did you hear what I thought we just heard?", I asked him. He repeated what we both heard, verbatim. The lights on the modem were blinking like some sort of crazy carnival attraction, no pattern at all, just crazy.
DH suggested maybe it was Mom messing with us again. Just the thought of that and I had to sit down, my knees suddenly giving out. I was immediately overcome by a feeling  that I would say I only experienced one other time in my life.
I could not move for several minutes, and only after I regained my composure, did I send my oldest son a text message asking him if the girls were ok. He called me within seconds of getting the text.
 "No, everyone is ok here, why?", he asked. "You are going to think I'm nuts..." I said; then I told him everything. He even asked the kids, what do they call me when I'm brought up in conversations. Grandma Sandra, is what they said. As I thought.
DS and I had a laugh about it, as I told him I was having a little bit of butterflies as I looked down our darkening hallway, we exchanged more trivialities, then I let him get back to his family.

Later, when I came back downstairs, we thought it happened again, just once more time. Both DH and I heard that tiny voice come out of the box, then it went silent and the lights stopped flashing like a RR crossing light gone amok, and went back into a normal rhythm.

We may not know what it was that happened tonight, but we do know for certain, today was definitely electrically charged.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Picking Up and Knitting Stitches - 2 Ways



Updates on Sharon's Winter Socks: did this just fine, but the stitches were too loose, as I discovered about 5 rows up...I ended up having to re-weave them to tighten them up, as a fix. (I know, I should've just rippit'd them...but) that is a problem I keep having....:(

What's this I hear about putting the socks on DPNs to do the heel?! Haha caught you :)
A great fix to tighten the stitches after you pick them up is to knit them through the back loops the first time you come to them. This gives them a nice twist and tightens them up. Ooh, I sense another blog post coming... thanks for the inspiration!

Yep, you caught me pickin' the lazy way out. I suppose I could have just put the stitch markers at the 9-stitch mark on Needle #1 and the 3-stitch mark on Needle #3, but doing two-ata-time, and o, remembering which side of the heel I was to work said gusset stitch, let alone WHICH NEEDLE TO WORK WITH at the beginning of each side, that was just asking too much for to wrap my mind around. So I cheated, sue me~ :P

Thanks again, Liat; that is exactly what I had considered doing, after the fact. Note to Self: next pair of socks, Many Twisted Gussets. O, I feel a song coming on...hehehee~