31 August 2007

august 30th in review

it was a good birthday.
it started with a breakfast meeting (that lasted until lunch) with a director i am really enjoying. then i went to work at the store where my work pals gave me unexpected presents and even sang! singing! wow.

after work my wonderful boss took S. and i for sangria. i had lots of voicemail and text messages when i got home from friends who are far away (like my cousin in ohio and former roommate out in LA.). the best thing though might be an email from my friend B. who i have not seen in almost 2 years since he moved to georgia.

all in all, a really good day. and now the photo roll....

cake
Chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and marzipan filling and a marzipan top. yum.

seed stitch
seed stitch wash cloth with crocheted border from my pal S. who also gave me the cake! i'm so proud of S. she is an amazing knitter, and this is the first time she has used crochet in her projects!

skull
orange skull wash cloth and oatmeal soap from my pal A. clearly she knows my knit style!

earrings
pretty earrings from my parents. when my cousin J. called me last night i told her about them, and i plan to wear them at her wedding. my mum is also giving me the present of a manicure/pedicure right before the wedding. J. and i joked about what color my nails could be. we ruled out blue and black. sheesh. talk about a "bridezilla". ha!

owl lamp
let there be light! the owl lamp is really cool and fits the old lamp's spot perfectly. note the cakes of rolled sock yarn beside the lamp. these are my etsy purchases. pretty, pretty!

the top down sweater is mere inches from being finished at the bottom (then i pick up sleeves) so progress will be shown soon!

28 August 2007

cruising with my top down

top downhere is a first peak at the top down raglan sweater i started last thursday. it no longer looks like a strange heap on the needles, so i can sorta show it off. it isn't cute yet, but it will get there.

i know, boring boring sockinette.
i needed mindless knitting i could do in the dark, and i am trying to train myself to knit without looking at my work because looking down at my work doesn't help my neck problems at all. i have to look down enough in my money-making life (drawing, painting, sewing, fixing other people's knitting, ringing people out at a cash register, etc.) that i need to be nice to my spasm-y neck and shoulder muscles.

anyway.
i'm annoyed with myself because i swore i bought 9 skeins of this yarn. swore it! i bought all we had left in this color... and i can only count 8 skeins. i have almost finished three in the sweater and i have 5 more waiting. where did the 9th go? hm. well, i bought two skeins of pink to do a contrast bottom band and cuffs if i ran out of grey, and now i am glad i went ahead and got those.

the big question now is if i will do those bands in a lace pattern (oooh!) or something more simple like seed stitch (always pretty). tough decision. i feel like seed stitch would work well with the simple neckline. lace may point up the "less finished" feel of the neck as is.

i could always unravel the first four rows at the top and pick up with the contrast, but i want this to be chic... not a stupid ringer tee knit in silk/wool!

decisions, decisions.

27 August 2007

comments

i have had an up tick in readers since the Knitting Blogs web ring added me last week. this means i have been getting comments from people i don't actually know in walkabout life.

that is wonderful. blogger--it seems--is not so wonderful. i have no way of thanking people or following up because blogger doesn't post emails and for some people they can't even link their blog in the comments.

perhaps this can be fixed next week when i have more time for an in-depth investigation of the bowels of blogger. but, until then... i promise i'm not snooty! just more technology impaired than i thought.

ps- the sweater won. i worked one more full repeat of the lace chart on the sock, but then i worked on the sweater and modified it from my original intent. we are into the third ball of yarn and knitting bellow-the-arms rounds, folks!

yeah!

26 August 2007

work it!

baby pandait has been a long weekend in a cold, dark theatre, and my show is coming along nicely. we have photos tomorrow and then a preview audience tuesday! woot!

while the clothes are on stage and i can't do anything to them, i have been knitting. now from the tiny toe Baby Panda is modeling it looks like i didn't get much knitting done. yes and no. i didn't get much sock knitting done because i was knitting in almost constant darkness and lace chart + dark = no good for kittything.

instead i worked on my top down raglan sweater that knits on size 10.5 US needles and just has simple increases every other row. yay for stitch markers in the dark. i decided not to take a picture until i rejoin under the arms because right now the sweater looks like a big grey blob on a circular needle. the production manager and lighting designer were trying to figure out what the heck i was making (they guessed hat. funny funny hat.) and looked very dubious when i said a sweater.

i am 4 rounds from finishing my increases and then i have 12 after that before i join under the arms. so maybe tomorrow or the next day... we'll see. socks have a siren song, you know.


Warning! Content Only a Sock Knitter Could Love!

and i am happier with my 2nd toe-up sock than i was with the first and i have only knit one lace repeat after the toe! ha! i am happier because this toe is much better than my last toe which is a little loosey-goosey for my taste and has some twisted stitches. i know, i know. should have cast on again, but i had already tried three cast ons two or three times each so i just rolled with my best figure-8 cast on.

this time i did sort of a combo of the provisional cast on you would work for a short row toe and the working in the round after four rows of the figure 8. i am sure i didn't invent this bastardized cast on, but i don't know if it has a name or acceptance among sock knitters. i do know that it looks pretty and gets the job done.

now we return to the epic struggle... who will win? the sweater? or the sock? dun. dun. daaaaah!

24 August 2007

wells fargo wagon is a comin'...

vintage roseclearly i decided to be very good to myself (and my feet) for my birthday because two more skeins of sock yarn arrived yesterday. they were tucked into my mailbox along with a note saying i need to pick up my bridesmaid dress at the post office. the verdict is still out on how the dress will fit, but i have made my mind up about the yarn.

amazing!
first we have.... 437 yards of 100% Superwash Merino Wool in the "Vintage Rose" colorway courtesy the Skein Queen. she is in Berkshire, UK, and the package took about a week from when i clicked "order" to it arriving snuggly in my mailbox. when i opened it, i discovered a great bit of cuteness--the package was sealed with a tiny sticker photo of my yarn! so sweet!

i love this yarn. seriously. it is so soft--i can't stop rubbing it on my face. yum. and the pretty hot pink, candy pink, and grey (with a tiny sneak of purple) is beautiful. she dyed this one from an inspiration--a vintage print of a rose design.

red sunflowerthe next skein is 460 yards of 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon in the "Red Sunflower" colorway from Thank Ewe. the seller threw in some candies and rolled my skein into a center pull ball! nice!

go check out their stuff--the prices are fantastic.

i can't wait to knit with one of my new yarns. i am going to have such a hard time choosing which one of these to work with next! eeeeeh!

23 August 2007

inevitable

bagsnone of us can escape becoming our mothers. this is a kittything revelation of the week. my mother and i have the same hobbies. we laugh the same, and sound the same on the phone. we use the same odd-ball expressions in conversation. we look so much alike that people have told me i am my mother's "mini me". we are even unnatural redheads together.

now i seem to have become a bag lady like my mother. see. look at all of those. there must 8 or 10 of them there! i save them to carry projects in when taking a "real" or larger bag is inappropriate or ill advised.

this has to be the extent of it. if i stop people from throwing our things because they are a "nice box" or a "nice bag", smack me silly. i love my mom, and she rocks, but i can't start doing the one thing i can still make fun of her for.

southwestern socki finished the first southwestern sock yesterday morning. i would have shown it off last night, but i had a binding off disaster.

this is my first toe-up sock, and i had never bound off a cuff before. well, i failed. there was no way my foot was going in that baby. so i cursed and moaned and researched for a bit. i thought i had settled on my new bind off technique, and then i switched. in the end it is done. i think i like kitchener stitch better than a stretchy bind off so we will see if i knit more socks toe-up.

i apologize for the strange photo. i couldn't get a good balance of seeing the stitch pattern, the true color and the entire sock. 2 out of 3 ain't bad. if you listen to meatloaf.

i reswatched for the second sock last night. casting on today! i also swatched for a sweater while i was too pissed off at the sock to try binding off again. also casting on for that because it is a more mindless knit than the lace pattern in the socks and i need something i can knit in the dark.

tech starts tonight! wish me well!

22 August 2007

mailbag

alice's gardentoday i received another wonderful package of sock yarn in the mail from another delightful Etsy seller. isn't it pretty? this time we have...

475 yards of 100% British Blue Faced Leicester Superwash Wool in the "Alice's Garden" colorway. purchased from White Willow.

go buy from her! her prices are similar to what you would pay at you LYS for hand painted sock yarn, and the service was excellent. the package was well wrapped, and when i opened it she had included a personal note on pretty stationary and packed the yarn with a lavender sachet so it would smell delightful after the long journey from Tennessee. just lovely!

as if you needed another reason to buy from this fine gal, she is a work-at-home mom who funds her opportunity to chase around her toddler by selling her handmade goodies. support the self-employed! we need all the help we can get.

marker
look what else she included....

a pretty matching glass stitch marker tied to the handmade skein label!

eeeeeeh!
i just can't stop looking at the colors. they make me want a basket to put my pretty new yarn in beside my desk so i can just stare at it all the time. that is saying something. i am not a basket person. all of my furniture is dark wood finish from Ikea, and i have an animal print bedspread.

no baskets here.

i will need to find a very special sock pattern for this stuff, and until then, i will use it as a centerpiece!

21 August 2007

this is getting self-indulgent

baby pandameet Baby Panda. he and i go way back. he always has a smile on his face, which is something i like about him. i also like that he in an excellent yarn model.

i was out shopping for a show today when i popped into one of my favourite this'n'that boutiques. lookie what i got! show them, Baby Panda! it was so pretty and inexpensive that i could not resist. Baby Panda is holding 470 yards of kettle dyed lace weight 100% baby merino wool. it is from Malabrigo, and the colorway is #237, cuarenta.

you'll have to forgive the poor photo. i got home late and indoors was all i could do. the color is a pretty magenta, teal and navy with purple accents. i am trying to wrap my mind around the name which means the number "40" in spanish. but the color is 237... apparently "cuarenta" is also a card game popular in Ecuador.

hm. anyway, pretty yarn. this isn't entirely "stash", per se. i plan to make knitty.com's Branching Out with it. i have been pondering that project for awhile, and i think this yarn will be swell.

jules' jewelsnext up on the yarn porn block is some sock yarn i bought on Etsy. this is 440 yards of hand dyed 100% merino wool in the "Halloween" colorway. purchased from Jules over at Jules Fiber Jewels. she's really nice. the yarn is pretty + soft, and it is way affordable. go buy her stuff!

i don't know what sock pattern i will use, but i need to knit these in the next few months because miss jules has asked i send her a picture of whatever i make. can't refuse a request like that!

ahem. another stupid photo with my hand in because it was raining today and i couldn't sit anything down. but the colors look amazing because it was so overcast. just look at that green leafy goodness in the background!

kitchen ropelast we have something silly. where i got the lace yarn, i saw this super fun "double worsted" kitchen cotton. more like kitchen rope. i like to make dish cloths as a quick little stress reliever so i thought this stuff would be neat to try.

2 50 yard skeins of 100% cotton goodness in #177 "aztec" colorway.

i'm going to keep myself out of trouble. clearly. especially since i have some more sock yarns coming this week. stop looking at me like that. traditionally i get myself a birthday present every year. this year is is just arriving a little early. i promise i won't use any of it until after the big day.

southwest sock has the hiccups. i keep making stupid lace mistakes because people think it is okay to talk to me when i am counting. boo. update soon. promise!

20 August 2007

i am gross yarn


What kind of yarn are you?




You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.
Take this quiz!







funny. i don't even like shetland wool. gross stuff. what does that say about me?

skeins from heaven

i received 6 skeins of Debbi Bliss Alpaca Silk from the yarn gods. the yarn is gold, so it isn't one of my usual colors, but it is so soft and lovely so i would like to do something with it. and in the world of gold yarn this is pretty nice. hrm.

AND i suppose i could use my graduate education and actually dye the stuff (or the finished piece). i didn't batik into the wee hours of the morning just to let all my dye skills languish.

here's the real problem. with only 71 yards on a ball, i have 426 yards to play with. decisions. decisions.

in entirely unrelated news, the blog will dial back a bit for at least a week. i'm headed into another tech week at Everyman Theatre, so i will be both busy and commuting to Baltimore.

in unrelated knitting news (the delay in photo is from work, however) i have turned the heel and begun the leg on my the first of my Southwestern Socks. they are really fun to knit. go see wendy and get your own copy of the pattern. or just be inspired by her summer of socks!

18 August 2007

christmas in august

today was the craziest day, which is why the round-up photo on my latest project is a pretty lame one. i was running around like mad trying to make it to the bridal shower at which these were to be presented. so.. um... pardon my leopard print.

"I Do" Snowflakes
designed by various
living together at Crochet Pattern Central

crocheted in DMC Cebelia (1 ball bleach white #10 crochet thread, 100% cotton) on a 2.75mm steel crochet hook.

started: January 2007
-hiatus-
finished: august 17, 2007


these babies were a labor of love. i love my friend so i am willing to kill my hands on tough crochet thread, pointy hooks, and yanking snowflakes into pinned-down blocking submission. hopefully these will give her years of enjoyment at the holidays with her sweetheart--even more love!

i have a feeling they will be loved in their new home. J's favourite holiday is christmas. she is even getting married in december with a holiday theme to her wedding, so i think these are appropriate. to augment my shower gift i bought her a "useful" item as well: a white enamel wrought iron cookbook holder and the Taste of Home Backyard Grilling cook book. after all, her future husband needs to handle his share of the cooking!

now, to address a recent comment by Miss Mar. ahem.
you are truly taking this knitting thing seriously - and here i was thinking that you were a crocheter!
i'm bi-craft-ual.
i love and respect crochet and knitting equally. i value them separately for what they each are and don't try to make one be the other. i know that is strange because many knitters "can crochet some" and many crocheters don't bother with knitting, but i really and truly like to do both. if i do one for too long without the other, i get twitchy.

now, if you judge by the sidebar, i am slightly ahead on knit projects versus crochet projects for 2007. but some of my crochet projects have been doozeys! a crocheted a hip-length, long sleeve cardigan, thread snowflakes and an afghan. all of them took much more time and effort than say... knit hand warmers.

take some comfort knowing my "to do list" (yes, i have one) has about twice as many crochet projects on it compared to knit ones. then again i did order sock yarn last week, so when that arrives, my numbers may skew slightly. hehehe.

i'm getting old, buy me stuff: a top ten list.

i was talking with my mum on the phone the other day when we had that classic revelation...

mum of kittything: oh, yeah... you're birthday is coming up.
kittything: yeah. two weeks. i'm old.
mum: what do you want?
kittything: pay a month of my student loan?
mum: (exasperated, but amused) well, that isn't very fun.
kittything: eh.

that's how we always talk about birthdays. i don't understand people who get all revved-up and declare themselves Queen of the World for their birthday, birthweek, or even birthmonth. i have friends like that. i don't get it. i mean, i like a good time as much as the next gal, but i try to keep it low key around my birthday. the years i don't, bad things happen.

like the time i got dumped on my birthday by a guy i wasn't even that into. at least i will always have something to remember my 22nd year by.

blue kitty
well, this year i'll play along and make a wish list. you get to decide which ones i am actually serious about. all of them of course... but... well... you'll see.

1. a kitty. but not just any kitty. i want a Russian Blue. preferably a rescue kitty, but still a russian blue. boy or girl, i don't care, so long as it is a blue kitty.

earrings2. birthstone earrings. i can't find the perfect square cut studs, so these dangle ones are the new contenders. maybe i should get these for myself. they would be pretty to wear to my cousin's wedding, which has a lot of green going on.

ring3. let's stick to a theme for a second.... i have been totally coveting this ring for over a year and a half. i almost bought it instead of my "Chrysler building" deco-style tourmaline ring to commemorate the end of grad hell... i mean, grad school. fyi-i wear a size 6.

4. i don't hold out hope on jewelry because i asked for a diamond skull pendant last christmas and my father laughed at me. hey friends--those of you that keep telling me i need to stop wearing the necklace my ex gave me... here's your chance to replace it! haHA!

5. a gift certificate to The Loopy Ewe. yum. sock yarn. ooooh. hand painted sock yarn. hey. don't look at me like that. i don't actually have a stash, so i am allowed!

handknit holidays6. my car insurance. pick any increment. i'm not choosy. one month is over-generous to my sticker-shocked eyes. ah, and no... no picture of the little gecko. i refuse to do anything that may feed his ego.

7. Handknit Holidays. have you ever opened this book? oh, my goodness. i want to make... oh about everything! (not the cover project. it is lame.) who wouldn't want to knit an aran tree skirt?! and this book also has the closest thing to a traditional fair isle sweater i would ever wear. that is saying something!

owl lamp8. i really want to knit the clover lace wrap sweater from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation. for some reason i never let myself buy this book. someone, give me permission so i can knit the pretty cardigan. it is used on amazon.com for $2.13.

9. my favourite lamp is breaking. i have to try not to touch it too much (difficult since i can't turn it on with my mind... yet) so i think this little guy should move in to take its place. shade sold separately, but i really like that one. i have a thing for illustrated birds.

10. and finally, a macbook. the black one. it is sexier than the white one.

15 August 2007

oh, joy! oh, rapture!

rapturethis is a hit-and-run entry.

i really like the Anti-Craft in theory, but i have never made any of their projects because they just aren't quiet what i have been looking for when i see them...

exception: the skull arm warmers. they are on my to do list.

but this time they have me! or at least their numbers have me. in the newest issue, they have Painted Lady.... a top-down raglan sweater knit at 3.5 stitches to an inch. i have been looking for one of these so i could knit a sweater out of yarn i bought at work on sale. i'm going to make mine short sleeved and not cropped, (Painted Lady = long sleeves and cropped) but at least now i have the numbers to do it! woo-hoo!

oh, yeah.
look at the pretty rapture! yum! it is a 50% wool, 50% silk, and soon it will be a sweater for kittything. well, not too soon.

14 August 2007

pretty threads

let it snowjust a quickie here.

these are some of the newest snowflakes i have finished. they have not made an appearance since january or february because i have been a slacker. yeah... right. at least a slacker on this project because there are other fun things to do!

as my friend penguingirl said of me when we were in grad school... "huh. i guess you are procrastinating, but at least you are doing it productively."

i have 9 of these beauties, and i am trying to get to 12-20 by saturday. wish me luck!

13 August 2007

pattern ready!

i had to get a file sharing account elsewhere because blogger only accepts photo uploads. now that i have solved that little glitch, i present... Hand Basket Socks in pdf format! it will also get archived in the side bar.

enjoy!

2nd sock syndrome

calmer socksi have been accused of having second sock syndrome. you know... finish one sock and never knit the second. well, i am proving the naysayers wrong! i completed the 2nd half of two sock projects over the weekend. never mind that i had four single socks, and that means i still have two to finish. i'm half cured, i guess.

my real excuse is that i get bored working the same stitch pattern for too long. so don't expect the fourth basket weave sock for awhile! project details....

Hand Basket Socks
designed by kittything

knit in Rowan Calmer (2 balls #465 "Onyx" 75% cotton, 25% microfiber) purchased at Knit+Stitch = Bliss on size US 4 and US 5 Crystal palace Bamboo double point needles.

started: may 27, 2007
finished: august 9, 2007


so there they are. they took awhile to knit because i stopped working on them when my ex and i split. now they get tucked away in a drawer until they pick an owner. or i suddenly begin wearing a men's size 11 shoe. those of you who are clever will note the name of the socks implies their history. (they are basket weave and when i was knitting them everything went to hell in a hand basket. i'm too witty sometimes.)

i'm also posting the pattern for these babies. be forewarned! this is the first knitting pattern i have ever written. i am sure the smaller size is accurate, but some of my numbers may be slightly off on the larger size. this will teach me to write as i go instead of at the end. koigu cuties
the second finished project is my not-a-socks. i finished them up while i was working at the store on saturday. they helped me discover a new (to me) needle i love! the details...

Short Toed Socklets
designed by the folks over at Regia
(pattern downloads as PDF)

knit in Koigu Painters Palette Premium Merino (less than 1 skein of #857, 100% merino wool) purchased at Knit+ Stitch = Bliss on size US 2 Brittany birch double point needles.

started: may 26, 2007
finished: august 11, 2007


these were just an excuse to try out koigu and see what all the hype is about. i liked working in it, but i am not going to become a koigu nutcase. i will, however, continue to use the Brittany needles. they are perfect for a slick yarn like koigu. i am sure i will use them when i knit up the ShiBui sock yarn i have.

new socknow that i finished up two pairs of socks, i decided to start another! because, you know, i need one more project.

but isn't the yarn yummy? it is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the Sunriver colorway. yum! i'm sure this super star will return soon.

10 August 2007

road knit

foliage scarfi have been playing catch-up all week. catch up on work, the store, time with friends, reading, and so on. now it is time to catch up on the blog. as promised, here is the knitting i did while i was on the road. i actually got a lot done.

technically this one is not a Road Knit, per se. i finished it while i was working at the store about 8 hours before i departed on the road trip back to Ohio. but i thought i would feature it here since it was part of the whole trip preparation experience. the details....

Foliage Seed Stitch Scarf
"designed" by kittything
pattern: seed stitch worked over 21 stitches

knit in Berroco Foliage (3 balls #5963 "Lavender Twist" 53% new wool, 47% acrylic) purchased at Knit + Stitch = Bliss on a 24" size 10 Addi Turbo circular needle.

started: july 23, 2007
finished: august 2, 2007


flower cloththis is a really pretty scarf, and the seed stitch is a great way to show off this particular yarn (it is a think and thin) but i think i am done with seed stitching for awhile. over 250 yards of it gets to be a little much. i talked a lot about this yarn and project before, so it will suffice to say that i am happy with it, and i hope the new owner will like it come holiday time.

next up we have another holiday gift. i am making two things for this person, and this is one of them.

Reverse-Bloom Flower Washcloth
designed by Cindy Taylor
published in Weekend Knitting

knit in Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille (1 skein #9008 medium blue, 100% cotton) purchased at Knit + Stitch = Bliss on a set of 6" size 5 Crystal Palace Bamboo double point needles.

started: august 3, 2007
finished august 6, 2007


this is a neat little project that has a very interesting construction technique. you start by making all of the petals then join them to knit toward the center of the cloth in the round. very unusual. the instructions tell you to use at least an 8" double point needle set (or a 16" circular, switching to Dpns)

listen to them! i managed to knit mine on 6" double points, but it was a bear for about 50% of the center. you have 108 stitches to join in the first three rounds and it doesn't really get easy again until you are nearly to the last three rounds. as i said, i manged, but it took me a lot longer to knit this than it would have if i had the right tools.

now i know the question on everyone's mind... does the chenille worm? for me, no. this one is knit at the gauge stated on the label, and i had no trouble with it. now, it has only been washed once for blocking purposes, so i have no idea how this will hold up in the long run. i personally think that cotton chenilles worm much less than rayon or rayons blends (like Touch Me.)

calmer sockthe last thing i did in the car was major sock progress on the 2nd Men's Calmer Sock. the lines indicate my progress on this old project. i had the cuff started on the 2nd sock before i got angry with the intended recipient and put them down. on monday i made it to the point where the heel flap is worked, and tuesday at work i finished the heel flap and knitting the gusset.

next time--finished socks and a work update!

07 August 2007

i'm back!

and boy, do i have a lot to share. (tattoos, parties, knitting!) i will get to all of it later, but i wanted to post a quick picture update.

toby is safe and sound back in his real home with his real family. but before he left he expressed to me his interest in becoming an artist. here is some of his work in progress...

toby the artist

i will give the squared afghans one final hurrah in these pages. here is my cousin showing her gift to our grandmother. my cousin, is, of course the one in the novelty veil. we were at her wedding shower.

throw
she really liked the present, and i was very lucky with my color choice. i had not seen the colors in her living room, and my selections actually worked out very well!

01 August 2007

don't call me granny

shower gifti finally finished the throw, and not a moment too soon! i am heading out of town on friday at the crack of dawn, and this baby needed to be complete before i left. i am overall relatively pleased with the results. my one complaint is that i wish the blocking had been more effective, i guess. crocheting squares in the round makes for not always as-square-as-desired... um... squares. the details....

Squared Afghan
designed by a nameless cog over at LionBrand
published as free pattern number 70201A on their website

crocheted in Plymouth Encore (2 balls 0256 "off white", 2 balls 1232 "sage", 2 balls 452 "slate purple", 2 balls 045 "olive", 75% acrylic, 25% superwash wool) purchased at Knit + Stitch = Bliss on a size "L" crochet hook.

started: june 21, 2007
finished: august 1, 2007


clearly i became pretty busy in the middle of this little project (and it went to the back burner when the knitting bug would bite) so it took me longer than usual to complete. i would recommend it is you are looking for something easy and portable. this is the kind of thing that is more fun to do without a deadline because you can pick it up to satisfy a crochet urge and put it down when you would really rather be knitting socks or chugging along on a sweater.

i did mine in Encore because i am giving it as a gift, and i know the recipient will value the machine wash/dry aspect of the yarn. it would be a great pattern for a larger size baby blanket--or cut back to 2x2 squares instead of 3x3. you would only need one ball of each color in that case. even doing 9 squares with a border this baby comes in under $50.

i am totally the cheapskate's martha stewart. "great gifts under $50!" and "holiday gifts under $20!" will be my calling.

and speaking of cheapness... it doesn't feel gross. i know there is a lot of acrylic, but this yarn actually feels softer crocheted up then it does on the ball. so don't be too scared--it certainly isn't Red Heart or that crazy Wintuk nonsense.

off to take my family to see Reefer Madness. have you gone yet? get! get!

updates resume when i return from ohio on monday.